A Hidden Gem in the Series: A Thrilling Ride with Unexpected Twists
Hello everyone!
When I stumbled upon 'The Shadow Behind Your Back' by Lena Obukhova, I was excited to dive into a new series without reading the previous books. I usually choose a book based on its cover or blurb, and this one caught my eye. I was a bit disoriented by the many references to people I wasn't introduced to, but the author did a great job of making it easy to follow, even for someone like me who started from scratch.
The Shadow Behind My Back. Lena ObukhovaThe story revolves around a group of people who are into some pretty weird and mystical stuff – like ghost hunters, but on a much larger scale. The group consists of a magician, a bestselling author, the group's leader, who organizes everything, even a doctor. There's also Vitek, who's in a coma, but we don't hear much about him. I gather he's the main character from the previous books, and I'll get to know him later. Then there's Karina, a young woman with a magical gift – she can see what's been done to a person or object just by touching them. That's pretty cool.
A Shadow Following Me. Lena ObukhovaWhat's interesting is that the story takes place in an old, abandoned school, where all sorts of weird stuff happens. A group of friends decides to visit the school and prove their bravery, but things get complicated when they find a note on the board, and one of them dies, while the other receives a message saying 'You're next.' It's all pretty strange, and one of the girls from the group turns to a writer for help, who then calls in her friends to figure out what's going on.
As they delve deeper, they encounter some pretty bizarre things - like these 'doppelgangers' that just stop their hearts. It's all pretty confusing, but they need to get to the bottom of it and figure out who's behind it all.
Of course, there's another plotline going on, and it's connected to the writer herself. Thirteen years ago, she made a deal with a genie from a box, asking for success as a writer, and now the genie is coming to collect his payment - her soul. It's like a cross between a demon and a guardian angel, but with a bit more time to think about it. My friends are now trying to figure out how to undo the deal. It's a pretty interesting situation, especially since she's become a successful and popular writer, but she's not willing to pay the price - despite being fully aware of what she did.
A Shadow Following Me. Lena ObukhovaMy thoughts ~
At first, I thought this book would be a bit of a snooze-fest for me. The plot seemed like just another campfire story, and I wasn't expecting anything too out of the ordinary. But as it all started to unfold, things got pretty wild, and what started out as a simple ghost story turned into something much more interesting, mysterious, and inexplicable.
I really enjoyed the part with the doppelgangers - I was thinking along the lines of some kind of supernatural entity, but it turned out to be something entirely different. The way it all wrapped up was completely unexpected, like something out of 'Destination Unknown.' That's exactly what I was thinking when I was getting close to the end of the story.
Shadow Over My Shoulder. Lena ObukhovaI was really impressed with how the characters are fleshed out, even though this is the tenth book in the series. The readers are reintroduced to them, but if you're following the cycle, you'll already know them, and they're interesting enough with a mystical twist. There's even a witch coven involved - that's pretty cool. The plot was surprisingly engaging for me, and it wasn't until about halfway through that I got hooked. At first, I was trying to keep track of who's who, but once the story picked up, I started to understand what these people do and how they help others.
The book is a quick read, and I devoured it in one sitting. I was left with an open-ended ending, and I'm still searching for the next book in the series. I'm curious to see what happens next. To be honest, I was in the mood for standalone novels, but this series has me hooked, and I'll have to start from the beginning to get the full experience. The books aren't tiny, but they're not huge tomes either, and I'm still thinking about it, even after finishing it.
I highly recommend this to everyone - the plot is engaging, and it's fun to watch the characters develop. Almost no one annoyed me, even during the read, except maybe Olga. I didn't like her attitude towards her husband or her problem in general - just do something about it, instead of expecting others to figure it out for you. Without her friends, she'd be in a tough spot, but I just don't get it. Why not be upfront and honest about what's going on? It's not like her soul isn't worth fighting for. That's just my two cents.
I think what really drew me in was the way the author wove together multiple plotlines and characters. It's not always easy to keep track of who's who, but the payoff is worth it. The writing is engaging, and the pacing is well-balanced. I found myself getting more and more invested in the story as it went on.
One thing that did take some getting used to was the fact that this is the tenth book in the series. I was a bit worried that I'd be lost, but the author does a great job of reintroducing the characters and setting. It's clear that they've been developed over the course of the series, and it's fun to see how they've grown and changed.
Overall, I'm really glad I decided to give this series a try. It's been a wild ride, and I'm excited to see where it goes from here. If you're looking for a series that's engaging, mysterious, and full of unexpected twists, then this is definitely worth checking out.
Rating: 5/5 stars