Ilse of Shadows

Ilse of the Shadows   
by: T.L. Higley 

Revised and updated from the original, Christy-award finalist Shadow of Colossus.

Enslaved in a World of Money and Power, Tessa Dares to be Free.

Raised as courtesan to wealthy and powerful men, Tessa of Delos serves at the whim of her current patron, the politician Glaucus. After ten years with him, Tessa has abandoned all desire for freedom or love, choosing instead to lock her heart away.

But when Glaucus meets a violent death in his own home, Tessa grasps at a fragile hope. Only she knows of his death. If she can keep it a secret long enough, she can escape.

Tessa throws herself on the mercy of the Greek god Helios, but finds instead unlikely allies in Nikos, a Greek slave, and Simeon, Glaucus’s Jewish head servant. As Simeon introduces her to a God unlike any she has ever known and Nikos begins to stir feelings she had thought long dead, Tessa fights to keep her heart protected.

As an assassination plot comes to light, Tessa must battle for her own freedom—and for those to whom she has begun to open her heart—as forces collide that shatter the island’s peace.

My Review:

I think I've established the fact that I am a HUGE T.L.Higley fan? I haven't? Well I am. When given the opportunity to review yet another book by her, I jumped at the chance, and once again she didn't disappoint.  (Don't you love authors like that? If only they wrote a million books!)

Once again Ms. Higley takes you on a historical journey, this time to Ancient Greece 227 BC. Our Heroine a hetera Tessa opens the book contemplating suicide. Or at least, this was my interpretation of this passage: "The death of her body was long over due. Her soul had died ten years ago. Ten years ago this day." 

Fortunately that day was not, the day (or else we wouldn't have a book to read) and we get to follow Tessa through an harrowing journey that does involve death, a plot for a mass murder, espionage, secrets, disguises and some romance. Perhaps espionage is a bit misleading, but I'll let you decide for yourself. ;)

This is not a book that is easily tossed aside for another, and is guaranteed to keep you spell bound through the tight spaces (literally) Tessa finds herself in, while attempting to save herself and those she's come to love....

I was given a review copy for free by Booksneeze.com. All opinions are my own (obviously) and I wasn't compensated in any way for this review!