I’ve always loved the concept of the Effigies series — kickass superpowered teenage girls who also need to deal with being online celebrities and heroes to teens around the world. Fate of Flames (Book 1) felt to me like Captain Planet meets early Buffy the Vampire Slayer with a dose of CW teen issues and an awesome group of heroines of colour. My only snag with Book 1 was the world building, as it still felt confused and like the author tried to cobble together so many disparate bits of mythology that didn’t quite gel. The end also bugged me with the reveal of a male Effigy, after an entire book of building up the Buffy-type mythos that all Effigies were female and none of the characters batted an eye at this oddity.

Fortunately, Siege of Shadows kicks off with a much more confident tone, trusting that its world has been established and pitching us right into the heart of the story and its characters. In this instalment, Maia and the other Effigies are on the hunt for Saul when they discover some biologically engineered soldiers with Effigy-like abilities. The emotional stakes are higher as well, as Maia’s ability to scry into the memories (remnant spirit?) of the former Fire Effigy Natalya reveals uncomfortable truths about the guy she likes, and compels her to keep secrets from the other Effigies. I especially love how Raughley portrays the dangers of scrying — we realize how and why Maia fears tapping into this ability, but we also understand why she needs to. There’s a scene near the beginning where she needs to touch upon Natalya’s memories with only lab-controlled conditions protecting her from being possessed completely, and Raughley writes it so realistically that Maia’s reluctant agreement feels even more heroic than the action-packed battle scenes.

I also enjoyed learning a lot more about the other characters’ lives and pasts. What we learn about Rhys’ family reveals much more vulnerability than his cool persona indicates, and I wish his relationship with his brother is explored much more in future books. Chae Rin’s conversations with her sister about their mother’s health makes real how much she has sacrificed to be an Effigy, and I like that even though despite all her outward toughness, she clearly remains conflicted to the end about the choices she makes. Belle’s past is also a revelation, as we begin to understand why she’s so loyal to Natalya, even at times to the expense of Maia’s safety and the Effigies’ mission.

Siege of Shadows starts off somewhat slow — the scenes were packed full of action, but lacked the rising urgency to make me want to keep reading. Fortunately, as the pace picks up and the emotional chords are set into play, the story became more compelling. The relationships between the characters and their pasts made this book for me, and the final half or so was just impossible to put down.

And the ending — OMG. What an amazing, emotional wallop! It took one of the most emotionally charged plot threads and just propelled it to a conclusion that was unexpected, but almost felt inevitable. It also raises the stakes tremendously for Book 3, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Author Guest Post: Sarah’s Superheroes

Since Sarah created such a kickass group of superheroes, I was curious about which other superheroes Sarah fangirls over. I asked who her favourite superhero is, and if she’s ever dressed up as one. It turns out she shares my love for the Ninja Turtles and Buffy the Vampire Slayer!

Source: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lets-kick-shell-ep/1044277990

I am really boring because I don’t think I’ve ever dressed up as a superhero. Although I may have gone as a Ninja Turtle when I was, like, seven? If I can remember that far back. And yes, I love the ninja turtles and would want to list them in my top ten fave superheroes. Justice for the 2007 movie!

I don’t know if I have one favorite superhero, but I respect those who feel a little imperfect, a little weak, or even sometimes a little amoral, because that’s what makes them human to me. When I see heroes struggling under the weight of a huge destiny, slipping and falling, but fighting anyway – those are the heroes that inspire me the most. Buffy throwing books at Giles in the Season 1 Finale of Buffy the Vampire Slayer when she’s told that she’ll have to die to save the world is far more relatable than a hero who always does everything right. This is why I always, for example, gravitated towards Zuko from Avatar the Last Airbender, and why I came to appreciate Usagi of Sailor Moon who was a hero despite all of her flaws.

Source: http://princesstutu.wikia.com

One hero I don’t think gets enough credit because so few people know this anime series is Ahiru from Princess Tutu. She is literally a duck- like a literal duck swimming in a pond. She has so little power and yet through the force of her own determination (with a little bit of magic sprinkled in) can make miracles happen. The human element is always a must in stories of superheroes because that’s how I personally connect to them as a writer and reader: it shows that the power of determination and human will is greater than any super power.

Siege of Shadows Blog Tour

Check out the rest of the blog tour this week!

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Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for an advance reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

A wedding ends in tragedy when an unknown sharpshooter opens fire. The investigation reveals the culprit early on — a retired dentist whose body is found with the weapon — but further evidence reveals the possibility that the dentist himself was as much a victim as the wedding party.

Sleeping in the Ground is a wonderful slow burn of a character-driven mystery. The sudden violence of the crime is in sharp contrast with the killer’s meticulous planning, and as the investigation progresses, Detective Superintendent Banks and his team realize the motivation may lie deep within the past.

I love the way Peter Robinson peels back the many layers of Banks’ investigation. Sleeping in the Ground has the feel of a classic mystery, where nuanced conversations and thoughtful examination of evidence are the keys to solving crime. Early in the novel, Banks dryly observes that following a paper trail to the murderer is far less sexy than a high speed car chase and violent shootout. This mystery does have its climactic action scene, but the overall feel is certainly much more subdued, though nowhere near as dry as simply following a paper trail. I love the interviews with people involved with the wedding, and the people being approached for clues to the gunman’s identity. Robinson does such a fantastic job creating complex characters, and even a thrift store employee who appears in a single chapter is memorably real.

The series characters are also a major reason this book is so good. I felt for Banks as I read of him dealing with his grief over the death of his first love, and dealing with what he discovers about the real reason she left him. I enjoyed the light-hearted banter in the subplot about DI Annie Cabott’s father crashing with Banks while he looks for a new place. I especially love the professional rivalry between DI Annie and the psychologist profiler (and Banks’ old flame) Jenny Fuller — many books and shows set this up as a debate between hard evidence and soft skills, but Annie defies stereotype by being very intuitive and empathetic herself. Her discomfort with having to take Jenny’s ideas into consideration is purportedly because she feels psychological profiling is superfluous or perhaps just needs more time to get used to the ‘new girl,’ but Robinson does a great job of suggesting at a deeper insecurity that makes Annie so uncomfortable.

Overall, Sleeping in the Ground is a wonderfully nuanced, patient mystery that begs to be savoured.

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Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I watched the Evening with George Smiley event at the movie theatre, where John Le Carre spoke to an auditorium in England about his history with his beloved character. In his talk, Le Carre spoke about the time of Smiley, the era Le Carre himself was in the British Secret Service, with a sort of nostalgic wistfulness. It wasn’t that spies were much nicer back then — Le Carre’s novels are rife with corruption and double dealing — but there was a simplicity to their work that Le Carre imagines is very different from spy work today.

This nostalgia comes through clearly in Le Carre’s latest novel A Legacy of Spies. The story takes place in the present day, with Smiley’s colleague Peter Guillam being investigated by the Service for Operation Windfall, which took place years ago and resulted in the death of a fellow agent Alec Leamas. Legacy of Spies is a treat for Le Carre fans, combining Guillam’s memories of espionage with his present-day battle of minds with the investigators’ pointed questioning. I love the cat-and-mouse game of the present day, with Guillam being forced to take the investigators to the old safe house and Smiley’s old files, but using cunning and double speak to keep them from digging too deep.

More than that, as a big fan of the Gary Oldman version of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, I absolutely loved seeing Smiley, Haydon, Prideaux, Bland and Alleline together again, and in full scheming mode. As in the movies, the value of human life is secondary to that of the actual mission, and I loved the idea of a retired spy like Guillam being called to account for actions in his distant past. One of the characters calls Guillam a foot soldier, simply following Smiley’s orders, and wonders if that should exculpate him from responsibility in the wrongs the team committed. From the complex emotions that come through in Guillam’s memories of the events, the answer seems to be a clear no.

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Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for a copy of this book and tickets to the Evening with George Smiley movie event in exchange for an honest review.