I'm sorry I was not able to read and review this book before it was archived due to serious health issues.

While I was largely interested in this book being set in Ireland, I just found that the overall plot didn't do much to keep me interested for a large swath of this book. While I wanted to like it more than I did, I just found myself uninterested. Perhaps I'll give it a chance again in the future.

I would like to thank the author and the Netgalley website for this partnership.

I love the cover of this book: beautiful.

It all started when Rebecca after two years of work that didn't lead her anywhere left everything to make her dreams come true in Ireland. Except that once up there his life will turn into a nightmare: fairies attack humans. Except they have no idea about the existence of these fairies. As for Becca, she will have to stay alive as long as possible to learn more about her ability to see these fairies and prevent them from destroying the planet earth.

A book read almost in one go, so much have I clung to the story so captivating, moving at times and full of suspense and twists and turns. Looking forward to reading the rest of this series which is just great.

**Review at https://smadasbooksmack.blogspot.com/ **

Rebecca is over wasting her time working as a waitress in a diner, wanting to do something that actually pertains to her art degree. Deciding to take a risk, she quits her job and scours the internet to find something asap. Surprisingly, Rebecca finds her dream position in a Museum in Ireland and they hire her during her phone interview. Rebecca relocates across the ocean to an entirely new country, but it seems like there is something going on in her new land. Something she is not sure she can describe or is even real, but somehow Rebecca is in the middle of the situation and determined to get to the bottom of it.

I am always up for books about the Fae, there is just something about them and their customs, magic and word play that just resonates in me and I have to read all faery books I come across. When I read the synopsis for this series, I knew I was going to read these books. I found the story to be very engaging, from the second chapter on I was fully invested in Rebecca's journey and completely curious as to what was going on and what would happen next. I will say that I picked up very strong vibes of the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning when I first started the books, with the woman far from home and alone with strange, scary things after her that can't be explained and an enigmatic man who keeps showing up but who is very frustrating. The plot took it's own direction but I feel like this would be a good next read for fans of that world and series.

And sure, while there was a lot of mystery and cool supernatural danger doing on, I feel that the heart of this series was a romance. Even the ending sentence- Best of all, he was mine.- was full of heart and a little bit swoony. The first book started out introducing two attractive, intense, brooding (and maybe a little bit crazy) strangers, both of whom appear to be interested in Rebecca (for what purposes we do not really know). And there started my concern that this was going to be a love triangle, which are not my favorite, to be honest. But I was really happy when the triangle fairly quickly was broken and the heart throb of my dreams took the lead. The person (...sort of person?) that Rebecca ended up with was always my favorite choice with his dominant personality and unflinching morality. Yep, this is a love that I can fully support.

I really liked that The Fae Games are two books that make a complete series with no cliff hanger or real loose ends, and a HEA (for now) that I appreciated. There was an entire plot arc with character development that took place over the span of two books, which really read like one book, so make sure to pick up both or just get the set. I did see that there will be another book in the series but it will be about Ashley (who I absolutely adore!) so it is more a spin off and not necessary to read- but of course I want to. I had not read a book by Jill before but I really enjoyed her world building and the imagination used for the supernatural elements of the story- I would love to read more from her and see what else she can bring to life.

I really liked this book. I think it's a good urban fae fantasy. And, I really enjoyed reading this. I would recommend this book and this was a stand out to me. I will definitely read the duet to this book.

For a debut novel, Shadow Play is very well written. The characters and setting drew me in, and I felt that Rebecca's move to Ireland and the acclimatisation period were realistic.
However, whilst to begin with I was enthralled with Rebecca's journey to discover more about herself and her ability to see the fae, I was later disappointed. The latter half of the book is a far more stereotypical romance, where the heroine is far more interested in sleeping with Lochlan - a man whom she knows very little about, who has been very standoffish and, frankly, rude towards her, and whom she has spent next to no time with - than she is in discovering anything about herself. I found the ending of the book felt both bland and rushed.
I will probably read the sequel in the hope that the magic of these books returns, but unfortunately I felt that Shadow Play was let down by a contrived and unrealistic romance.

I really enjoyed reading Shadow Play. Ireland is full of rich lore and this story does. a good job mixing and matching the different lore together. Rebecca's character is engaging and how her story unfolds was done well, but was a bit rushed. The story was fast paced and a fun read. I liked the development of chemistry between Rebecca and Lochlan. Fun, fast read!

This book grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t release me until the final page! I honestly loved everything about this book. As soon as it was over I searched for the second book. Couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it!
This is a must read!

I was given a copy of this book, from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review

Rebecca application excepted in Belfast Ireland! Love that Ireland was brought into the story. She moves to Belfast with her best friend Ashley. Rebecca begins encountering strand me and creatures right away. It brings in a mystery that takes into the world of the Fae. It also brings in the history and folklore of the area. Editing did need some work, but the series has potential. I was able to connect with Rebecca. Was an easy read. On to book two of the series.

This book was actually a pretty nice surprise because my expectations were not that high to begin with.
I was hooked from the very start though! The writing was great, the pacing as well, I loved the Irish setting and the Arthurean characters. Sadly, it was the ending I struggled with the most.

You know how most books end with this huge event happening or maybe even a cliffhanger? Well, nothing of the sort happens here. It just continues on as usual and suddenly it's over.
And the <i>one</i> scene at the end that I think was meant to be surprising and exciting, well, I saw it coming from a mile away guys.

I really hope more exciting things will happen in the next book, and that Becca will become more of a badass than she currently is! I don't dislike her though, because in some ways she's my spirit animal! But we all know I prefer my female characters a little more feisty though.

omg this book has me heated, it was amazing! Though I did notice a lack of poc, which could hopefully be improved on.

The title of the book is a bit low key, but the story is definitely not! This fast paced urban fantasy story of fae, mythology and a kick ass girl Rebecca is awesome.
She lands her dreamjob in Ireland working in a museum after working as a waitress for two years. After arriving in Ireland, she starts seeing strange creatures and some strange accidents are happening. When she starts thinking she is going crazy a handsome stranger comes to her rescue. Ronan is kind, hot and a bit strange. Because soon Rebecca finds out that there is more to Ireland than she thinks. Fae running around, myths that are not really myths and a boss who is part of a secret society...
And of course: one hot and brooding fae: Lochlan.
After part one, I was really looking forward to part two, to see how this story will end. You definitely want to read both parts in order to get the story straight. But this is certainly no hardship! Five out of five stars from me. And a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

After two years of working as a waitress, Rebecca finally lands her ideal job... in Ireland. Upping everything she moves there but soon realises that all is not as it seems. With a good flow and interesting characters, I quickly was captured by this storyline. I now am eagerly wanting to read the conclusion to this two book series.

When I came to the conclusion of the book, I rushed to my computer frantically trying to figure out how to get the sequel. I really enjoyed this book and it gave me Karen Marie Moning's "Fever" series vibes. While I felt like the "Fever" series may have been a bit more complex in world building and characters I still really enjoyed Shadow Play and I rushed to find the sequel!

I enjoyed this urban fae fantasy story for the most part, however it was a bit on the slow side for me and my first impressions of the main character Rebecca quickly changed from liking to intense irritation. Not liking a lead character is always going to affect my enjoyment.
Rebecca moves to Ireland to work and finds herself plunged into the paranormal world as she begins to see the fae, discovers she has some powers from a necklace she's always worn and gets entangled with the wild hunt. There's also a return of her childhood nightmares with the shadow man. We later find out that the necklace was given to Rebecca as a very young child by Merlin himself. There's a war coming and it looks like Rebecca will have a big part to play.
I loved the inclusion of the Arthurian legend, this has always been a favourite story of mine, so any retelling/twist to that story automatically raises my interest level.
There's a bit of a triangle happening between Rebecca and the two male lead characters Lochlan and Ronan. Both are fae, both are members of the hunt and both have an interest in Rebecca but for very different reasons.
Ronan is introduced as Mr nice guy, who wants to be friends, wants Rebecca's trust and immediately tries to warn her away from Lochlan (I had instant alarm bells going off with this guy.) Then there's Lochlan who is rude, dismissive, secretive and aggressive in a sexy alpha male way, yes he does the warning thing too but his felt more real and believable to me, I really like him.
There's certainly a strong lust filled attraction between Rebecca and Lochlan, that was crystal clear but after the way this installment ended, I'm not sure how that's going to play out now.
Rebecca as I said really irritated me. I did actually like her at the start and I tried to make allowances regarding her behaviour, I'm sure discovering that the world is not what you thought would have an effect but her level of immaturity only built my anger and by the end of this installment I'd lost all sympathy for her. I know there's more to Rebecca than we presently aware of, so I'm hoping once the reveal is made I'll be able to move past the irritation (fingers crossed)
This is the first time I've read anything by Jill Ramsower and I liked her writing style. I'm definitely a fan of the use of more modern, everyday language and thankfully Jill gives us that.
I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion to this story, especially after the ending in this book.
I received my copy of Shadow Play from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
#ShadowPlay #NetGalley

I really liked how this book started. I love when books start with action and are fast paced from the get go. I've read a few urban fantasy and I like the spin this one did with Fae and the Arthur/Merlin twist. It was an interesting concept. The only thing about the the book was that it seemed like it was kind of dragged out in the middle, other than that I enjoyed the book. I look forward to reading the next one and finishing the story.

I absolutely loved this book and the following story in the series! I have always been a fan of sci-fi espically whwn it comes to the fairy realm! I loved how many characters such as Merlin and Morgan were included and put a new twist on their stories ! This book and he following will capture you until the very end ! I couldn’t put down either book until it was over and it has me wanting more of Becca and lochlan’s story ! This is a new favorite that will stay with me for a long time !

When Rebecca decides she has finally had enough of her dead-end waitressing job in New York, she follows her dreams and finds a job opening at a museum in Ireland. However, her arrival in Belfast triggers a series of events she never could have predicted.

Overall I enjoyed this new take on urban fantasy, especially the allusions to classical mythology and Arthurian legend. Full of faeries, mythological creatures, partying, intrigue, and romance, this book fits well under the title of modern YA fantasy. Shadow Play is crowded with interesting characters and unusual creatures, all of which lead me to compare the world of Fae Games with a mix of The Mortal Instruments, ACOTAR and Grimm. The story itself was inventive and interesting enough not to feel derivative, and the setting in modern day Ireland made a very nice backdrop.

The main character Rebecca is not your typical YA heroine, which is in itself refreshing, however I found that I didn't actually like her as a person, and some of her story-line was closer to a wish-fulfillment scenario than a realistic (I obviously use the word within the realism of the fantasy world) set of events. The love triangle is in my opinion very over done, and although I like the characters of Ronan and Lochlan in themselves, I can't help but see them as a new version of the already used up Damon vs Stephan stereotype. Having said that, I think that Lochlan especially has the potential to be a very different type of character than we often see in books of this type, and I look forward to seeing how his character develops in the second and final installment.
My final thought is that it feels too short to me, and the end didn't really feel like the end of a book, even part one of a two part series. I wonder if the two books would make more sense to see as part one and part two of one larger volume.
Thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I really liked this first book in a duet. Becca gets her dream job at a museum in Belfast Ireland and almost immediately strange things begin to happen. She starts seeing strange creatures and has chance meeting with Irish men acting strangely. Becca’s world is evolving and it turns out a lot of myths are actually distorted versions of truthful events. Merlin, a true fae, has his hand in stirring up trouble and Becca has learned she has a role to play as the only half fae that may become full fae if she cannot stop her transformation. I’m looking forward to the next book.

"'Don't be afraid of the unknown merely because it's unknown. I have no doubt your strengths will see you through this.'"



Rebecca Peterson has been a waitress for two years, and after a gruelling night slogging away table after table, she receives a job offer for the job of her dreams. After moving from New York City to Ireland, Rebecca steps off the plane, and comes face to face with her living nightmares rather than her dreams. Equipped with her strange necklace that seems to hold magical properties, and her best friend Ashley, Rebecca realises that all her answers are held by Lochlan, utterly gorgeous but rude, demanding complete honesty yet providing no answers of his own, and Ronan, charming but mysterious, more willing to give up information, but perhaps not entirely trustworthy. Who will Rebecca trust when her life depends on it?

I actually loved this book. Shadow Play by Jill Ramsower is the kind of book that sticks in your mind days after you've read it. It has romance, contemporary, fantasy, did I mention romance? All that good stuff that makes a book really tick.

I found that Shadow Play seemed very inspired by the Grimm Brothers, which is such a gripping aspect for me, I adore the fairy tale/folklore concepts that are twisted into this novel and given a new lease of life next to the modernism of the language and references used. Also, the mixture of Arthurian legends thrown into this was a pleasure, it's not often that different myths are combined respectively and done well.

The normality interweaved with fanatical elements makes for an irresistibly compelling narrative. The story falls together really neatly, the author ties up all loose ends yet still leaves some enigmatic aspects which act as a segue to the sequel. (Not yet finished, or published.) Although the plot was interesting, and the world building equally as intriguing, there was a certain predictability in the direction the story was heading, usually, that would be a bad thing, but with Shadow Play it was a satisfaction to have the novel go the way I wanted it to.

Rebecca's character development is written nicely, as well, it was a pleasure reading about how her 'changes' (no, that's not a puberty reference.) as she discovers who she really is. The only thing that bothered me with Becca was that I would have preferred her to be a powerful person within her own right, and not rely on the necklace's abilities. I also thought that the author oversold on both Lochlan and Ronan, they felt very... done before. Broody, but handsome. Good looking, but mysterious. Generic character traits in powerful, dominating males that are competing. Disappointing, but I wasn't bored.

The one thing that hindered this story from being a five star was the ending, arguably the most important part to a book; the ending to Shadow Play did not sit right with me. It was weird, and uncomfortable, to put it nicely. It made me feel uneasy and for that reason I dropped a whole star. But I will not let it influence the rest of the story.

Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.