This Eternity of Masks and Shadows

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Pub Date 02 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 15 Oct 2020

Description

Some vendettas have more lives than others.

The gods walk among us. Some lurk in the shadows, masquerading as mortals; others embrace their celebrity status, launching careers from Hollywood to Capitol Hill.

One of them just murdered Cairn Delacroix's mother.

As Cairn sifts through the rubble, she uncovers a conspiracy two decades in the making: a cursed island, the fellowship of gods who journeyed there, and the unspeakable act that intertwined their fates. One by one, the members of that voyage are dying, and Cairn's investigations land her in the crosshairs of the rogue goddess responsible.

With the help of Nanook, a polar bear god turned detective, Cairn descends into Boston's underworld of supernatural crime and political aspiration. To avenge her mother and unmask her assassin, she’ll first have to reckon with a gut-wrenching secret that will rewrite the life she thought she knew.

Shocking twists cascade toward an explosive finale in this thrilling new mystery from Karsten Knight, author of the WILDEFIRE trilogy and NIGHTINGALE, SING.

Some vendettas have more lives than others.

The gods walk among us. Some lurk in the shadows, masquerading as mortals; others embrace their celebrity status, launching careers from Hollywood to...


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ISBN 9798634693057
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Featured Reviews

This Eternity of Mask and Shadows was brilliant. This was my first ARC read through NetGalley and it is going to be hard to beat. Mystery, mythology and murder - what more could you ask for in a book?

I stormed my way through this, finishing it in just one day. As soon as I put it down I itched to pick it back up again, I was reluctant to do anything else; my mind constantly returning to the story of Cairn, daughter of the Inuit goddess Sedna, and her quest for justice. Eternity does a brilliant job of taking popular genres (mystery and crime) and then flipping it on its head, delivering something truly original fantastical and absorbing.

In this world the god and goddesses of every conceivable religion; Egyptian, Norse, Greek, Roman and Māori amongst others. Karsten Knight creates a rich and vibrant world, one in which I desperately wanted to spend more time. (If Karsten reads this, consider this a plea for this to spark a series of Cairn and co's adventures).

A strong, hilarious, gay protagonist, surrounded by strong women, flawed characters, morally challenging decisions and diverse and equally hilarious characters - I don't think I'm going to stop gushing about this book for a while. I was well and truly enchanted by the characters in the book, the entire idea is genius but the execution is *chef's kiss*.

This Eternity of Mask and Shadows will be released Jun 2nd 2020, or if you're desperate to get your hands on it (and you should be) keep an eye on GoodReads for upcoming giveaways of advanced copies. Get yourself a copy of this book - I know I'll be getting myself a physical copy, this book needs to be on any self respecting book lovers shelves.

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This book truly surprised me. I did not want it to end and even days later I find myself thinking about the characters and what happens next. I recomend this book and I'm excited to see what else this author has for us readers.

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This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is definitely a jam-packed story with so many different genres all working together wonderfully. If I would sum it up, its a superhero murder mystery where the heroes based on all the different gods and goddess from mythologies around the world. It really is original and spectacularly unique. I loved how these gods and goddesses used their "powers" and what their jobs were in our modern world. For example, Cairn's mother, Sedna, is the Innuit Goddess of the Sea and marine animals... and worked as a Marine Biologist.

The main character, Cairn, is a teen who is in love with her best friend and the beginning really opens up beautifully with so more hope... and then immediately crushes your heart. I loved the scenes with Cairn and Delphine and they might have been my favorite part of the story.

This was a great story... and the ending and epilogue left me wanting to find out more in this world...

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Thrilling. Diverse. Intricate.

This was such a fun read. I had no idea what to expect with this story, and for that I'm so glad because every twist, every turn- all of it was a complete surprise. And that really enhanced my reading experience.

I adored the fact that the main character was lesbian, and the way her sexuality was handled was so normal and real and was some great queer inclusion for the story. I also loved how strong the female characters in general were in this story without having to literally spell out the fact that they could kick butt. Although there were some overly convenient plot points and the main character was unrealistically good at everything (including fatal combat) right away, it was clear from the very first page that she--as well as many of the other women characters--were more than their skills and their bodies. And for that I was incredibly appreciative.

The world took a few chapters to get myself familiarized with, but by the end of the book I understood most of it and found it utterly enthralling. Also, the whole concept is just insanely cool and unique and it was super admirable how much this novel transcended typical genre boundaries.

The attention to mythology was fascinating, and I loved how mundane certain aspects of these gods were. The fact that you could just as well be a therapist as a vigilante when you have these godly powers is so awesome.

In the beginning, the names of everyone were hard to keep up with but I found familiarity in the main cast soon enough. I would have appreciated a larger focus on character development as our main character herself stayed relatively stagnant throughout the entire book. A character arc for Cairn and literally anyone else would have been appreciated.

The banter between the characters was very fun to read and read realistically enough, and the relationships between characters--although not incredibly complex or something we haven't seen before--were sweet and genuine.

I strongly believe that the strongest part of this novel was the adventure elements. When our main characters started to fight all of these gods and monsters, it was incredibly action packed and both thrilling and terrifying at the same time. I would have to stop reading at parts because the monstrous descriptions were truly violent and horrific and spectacular.

The plot was excellent, and the setting was unique and the world building was well done, but all that was lacking for me was in the characters. My favorite would have to be Vulcan, as he was very endearing. Besides him, I just needed more from this cast. The villain lacked nuance and a truly real objective, and the book definitely suffered because of that.

All in all, a super solid read that was not without its flaws, but was still something I would recommend for fans of superheroes, thrillers, and urban fantasy. Thank you NetGalley for approving me this advanced reader's copy, an I look forward to this novel's release!

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This book was an absolute delight to read. It follows the story of a young woman named Cairn who is the daughter of the Inuit goddess of the sea and sea creatures. She is living in a world where gods and goddesses from every pantheon live among us and are reincarnated every hundred years or so. After disaster strikes and Cairn's mother is killed, she is left to pick up the pieces and figure out who has been going after gods and goddesses, all while dealing with her intense grief.

As an avid lover of myth, I instantly gravitate toward any book featuring mythology, so I've read many, many retellings over the years. This Eternity of Masks and Shadows approaches it in an entirely new way, though, and it fascinated me throughout the entire book. I loved the intersection of all of the different faiths and belief systems, and the idea of the gods walking among us in our modern society is such an interesting take that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Something else that really stuck out to me was the casual queer relationship featured in this novel. Cairn, the protagonist, is in a relationship with a singer named Delphine, and while she is very clear and unashamed of her identity, it is not the focal point of the story, and I love that. While, as a queer reader, I always appreciate any well-written representation, to have it be treated as any other relationship, as it was in this book, normalizes LGBTQ+ relationships in the real world as well as in fiction. Having gay characters does not always need to be a major statement- they can be treated as regular people without having to focus on making them "different" from anyone else. Cairn is a fully fleshed-out protagonist who's relationship and queerness is not her only personality trait, and I find that makes her so much more realistic and relatable not only to a queer audience but to any reader.

All in all, I found this to be such an enjoyable read. The plot was fast-paced and full of tension, leaving me constantly guessing what was coming next. The characters were well-developed and very loveable, and I found myself rooting for them throughout the entire book. I would definitely recommend this to any mythology lovers, or anyone looking for a murder-mystery style novel with a fun and exciting twist.

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This Eternity of Masks and Shadows has a world where gods walk the earth, but as usual, where there is power, there is greed and destruction. Not all the gods play by the rules and can go rogue, as can be expected if you have masses of power on your side. Our protagonist is Cairn Delacroix, who is bent on avenging her mother’s death at the hands of one of these gods.

The protagonist is a lesbian and I believe this book has a good representation of it. Usually, and I’m not sure if this is because I’ve been reading the wrong books, but LGBT relationships in the books I have read mostly sound a little odd, like a piece that doesn’t quite fit. Either that, or it is brought out like something used to market the book. That is to say it feels like those books are screaming “Hey, look they’re gay!” and that doesn’t feel good at all. However, This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is wonderful at making the lesbian relationship a part of the story that flows and is treated very normally, like a “yes, lesbians exist and they’re wonderful and shouldn’t be treated like some oddity from a circus” way.

The same goes for the female characters in the book. In an age of growing female empowerment, feminist themes are often highlighted in books. That is nice and all, but this book does this marvellously by treating it as a normal thing, which it should be. The female characters are treated like every other male character, and each character gets their own fair share of development. I also loved how this book showed that it is possible for a strong female character – in this case, Delphine – to exist without having her fight and be a “badass” (which, understandably, is often misunderstood). Even if there are female characters who know how to fight, their personalities aren’t made up solely of that. What I like about all the characters in this book is that all of them feel impossibly real. It is easy to immerse yourself in their stories, to understand their motivations and their goals.

The plot is full of twists and turns though it has its fair share of predictable moments and moments where you think “I should have seen that coming”. It is fast paced throughout, has mysteries that kept me wondering and reading, only reluctantly putting down the book when I had to. At times the plot did not hold very well together like the beginning where the point of views and the timelines switched, but I was constantly going through that process of slight disappointment and pleasant surprise, so I thought it was worthy of its five stars. The grief and the way the characters dealt with their grief made sense and was not overladen with drama just for the sake of it, which made for a nice touch.

This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is an exciting book to read through, and it is one that is true to itself and is unafraid to be wild or even slightly far-fetched when it needs to, which by what I mean, is that the book would have had a stronger ending if the epilogue was excluded. On another note, it was great to read about lesser-known gods than the ones we usually read about.

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This Eternity of Masks and Shadows was such an enjoyable read. I honestly have no words on how to describe my love for this book because it was such a thrill. It had a mix of genres I liked: mystery, fantasy, action, and romance. The book was written so well that each chapter kept me wanting more. The plot was just amazing. I love how it started off as a young girl trying to cope with the loss of her mother and then you suddenly fall into something greater and more complex as you join the protagonist in solving the mystery about her mother's death.

As somebody who grew up reading myths, I loved how the author incorporated all these different mythologies from different cultures. It introduces readers to knew mythologies and delves them deeper into such a vast topic. I also liked how smaller myths and gods had great roles and I really appreciate the author's attention to detail as he built this world.

Also I highly appreciate how Cairn is a member of the LGBT community and how it just feels so natural. I really liked Cairn's character. I admire her strength, courage, intelligence and most of all, her love for her friends and family. Her relationship with her mother makes this book feel relatable and even with all the gods and how grand the world is, the mother-daughter dynamic is never overpowered by something else. I feel like a lot of people can look up to Cairn and relate to her.

Overall, I just loved this book, the characters, all the gods, and the plot twists. The only problem I had was that the book's ending made me want for more, especially with all the possibilities created by the inclusion of all these myths.

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Karsten Knight creates an engaging world and a well-written narrative in this book. I would gladly add This Eternity of Masks and Shadows to my personal or classroom shelf, and I can think of students I've had over the years who would immediately gravitate to this otherworldly book. Well done!

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This Eternity of Masks and Shadows, by Karsten Knight, comes out on the 2nd of June. In a world where Gods are real, and are reincarnated to walk among us, some choosing high profile celebrity lives, others living more mundane lives, this book follows a mortal girl. After her mother dies in mysterious circumstances, 18 year old Cairn is on a mission to find answers. But her journey will take her back 18 years to dark event on an isolated island.
I loved this book. From the first few pages it gripped me. The author didn't have to describe a lot of the emotions the characters felt because I felt them with them. The world was well built and easily understandable. The characters are vivid and likeable. And the story. Wow. So much detail, multiple viewpoints and jumped forwards and backwards in time but remained easy to follow. It was full of action and suspense and contained surprises right to the very end. This is a must read, 5 stars.

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I think this is the first book I've read in a while that I just COULD NOT put down! Things come up, sure, but when I had time to read, I was reading this book. it's SO GOOD! I cannot say enough that you should drop everything and run to Amazon and buy this book. Yes, I am an Amazon Associate, and yes, I would get a commission through your purchase, but I would recommend this book if I never made a cent. That should tell you something :)

Someone asked me on Instagram if this book was scary, and I can say for certain it wasn't. At least, I wasn't scared. According to the author, this book is "the confluence of a lot of the genres that have shaped me as a writer throughout my life: the vigilante and superhero stories I consumed as a kid, the mythologies I fell in love with as a teenager, and the murder mysteries and noir I gravitate to as an adult."

I can say, Karsten Knight did this exceptionally. I can see the superhero and murder mystery influences, and the whole book is about gods and goddesses, so there's that. I love all three of those genres, so it makes sense that I would love this book. It also has some fantasy influence, even though the book is set in Boston. This book has mythological characters from every mythology under the sun. I saw Norse, Egyptian, Inuit, Greek and many others that I'm not familiar with. One of my favorite characters was Nanook, the Polar Bear god.

I have read other books that I just had a hard time with, because of writing styles, and punctuation use, but there was none of that here. Honestly, I tried to find something that I didn't like, because I like to keep balance in my reviews between negative and positive.

I couldn't find a thing. Seriously.

I looked and looked for something negative I could say, and I couldn't find a thing. The characters were well-developed, the story moved along briskly, without feeling to overwhelming, and the plot had so many twists and turns that I never really knew what was going on until the end of the book. I really hope someone makes a movie from this book. I would go see that, for sure!

I hope this book ends up being part of a series, because I would love to see these characters again. I will definitely add this book to my list of "must re-read at some point!"

I definitely give this book 5 stars. If you haven't read this book, I hope you get to soon, because this book was awesome! It takes a subject as common as mythology (like, seriously, who hasn't heard of any mythology in their lifetime?) and elevates it to superhero status. While Rick Riordan did this with the Percy Jackson books, and did it well, he focused on Greek and Roman pantheons, while this book focuses on them ALL. That makes this book unique, and more enjoyable in its own way.

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5/5 stars.

This was an unexpected, super enjoyable read. When I saw "polar bear god" in the description I honestly had no idea what to expect - but wow, did this book deliver.

This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is a unique spin on mythology in the modern world. Because here, gods are real - from every corner of the earth and every mythology. Cairn's mother is a goddess: Sedna. But when Sedna commits suicide out of nowhere, Cairn begins to unravel a mystery 18 years in the making.

If you are a fan of mythology retellings, this book is for you. Love mysteries? Yep. It's for you too. This was easily one of my favorite books that I have read this year.

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This YA urban fantasy murder mystery with myths of SO MANY cultures, ticked all of the boxes for me before I even read the first page.

The story kicks off quickly with love professed, death of a loved one, and an action scene. It set the pace of the book (fast. It is super fast) I do love not having to sit through a fifth of the book being world-building info dumps. I would've like to have seen a couple more chapters of relationship and character building between Cairn and Delphine, and with her mum though.

The sapphic relationship between Cairn and her best friend wasn't specifically stated. It just was. This I appreciated as it didn't feel like the author was just adding it into the book because lgbtq+ representation is the "in" thing to do these days.

I liked that the pantheons in this story are lesser-known or minorities. To see my own pantheon (Maori) represented in this was more than amazing. I have never seen my culture showcased in a fantasy that is not solely about New Zealand or Maori so that was refreshing.

It took me a while to warm to Cairn. This was because she was different than the usual YA protagonists I'm used to reading but that didn't make her a bad character. As I stated earlier, I would've preferred to know her better, her pov. It is very rare we get an insight into her head which made it hard to connect with her.

The murder mystery aspect was cool to have in a book like this. It is definitely something I haven't read much of. However in saying that, I am only recently getting back into reading. I liked it. I am usually pretty good at picking who the bad guy was, it was NOT who I thought it would be and that was pleasantly surprising.

I found this was fast-paced and fun. It was easy to read and I would love to see these characters again. Especially Delphine! So I do hope it becomes a series.

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It takes a lot for me to give a five star read, but this blew me away. The amount of research that had gone into this book was outstanding, pulling from mythologies all over the world. It was a "curl up on the sofa and don't move for three hours" type book and I enjoyed every page. Well thought through, exceptionally planned, and a sheer delight to read, I will be recommending this to all of me fellow YA and / or fantasy lovers.

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This book was so much fun! I love the clash of mythological & modern, and the character development is A+. If the good reads system would allow for it, I would give it a 4.5, as it was excellent but the end wrapped up to cleanly (this is totally a personal preference thing).

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Action and suspense are a major feature in this beautifully written sci fi fantasy by one of my favorite authors. This is one of my favorites by Knight.

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Imagine a world where the Gods and Goddesses from every pantheon across the world are real and walk among humans. Imagine them as mortals with extraordinary powers, who will die just like mortals, but are reincarnated every century with no memory of their previous lives. Imagine them living as humans, secretly and openly. Now, imagine what would ensue if some of these deities were not all benevolent beings. This is the story of just how nightmarish that world could be for humans. It follows 18 year old Cairn Delacroix, the human daughter of a Goddess who witnessed new mother’s murder at the hands of an evil deity. Cairn will face unspeakable horrors in her quest for vengeance.⁣

A strong contemporary mystery, laced with ancient mythology, this novel moves at lightning speed and features unique characters. The supreme beings of old are reimagined with spectacular detail and are not your typical Greek, Roman, or Egyptian Gods. This novel also features divine beings from across the globe such as Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the sea , and Nagual, a Mesoamerican shape shifter God. This diversity of myths makes the story richer and helps it stand apart from average mythological depictions. The tensions between humans and the reincarnated beings adds a realistic element to the story telling. The deities aren’t accepted by all, nor are they vilified by all. There is an authentic wariness among humans that I presume would occur if something like this were to happen in reality.⁣

I liked the swiftly moving storyline for the most part, but found that sometimes the fast pace was at the sacrifice of character depth. The motivations and scope of the main characters are well done, their actions and emotions ring genuine. But some of the supporting characters could have been fleshed out a bit.⁣

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, The unique spin on mythological beings, the exciting mystery, and the interesting characters all contribute to a great read.⁣

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I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Karsten Knight's previous trilogy and so I was eager to read this new book of his with gods that walk among mortals in the world. They may be gods but they can die very easily and that is what has happened to Cairn's mother and others in this story. And it all dates back to a choice made 19 years ago. But not is all as it seems and that is what makes this story so good. I did not expect the twist at all! This is a fun murder mystery.

There is never a dull moment in this book and I enjoyed the whole ride. It is cool to meet some of the other gods and learn a bit about who they are, from Ra, to Ari, and Nook and Sedna. I do like this version of why there are people with powers, rather than just being superheroes. Also how they get reincarnated every hundred years and how they may be completely different each time, from living a quiet life to being a despot or a politician, or an actress.

And though this is a good standalone, I would not mind more books with the different gods living in the world. I think there could be many cool stories there!

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I had been looking for a while for a new mythological story and this here quenched my need greatly. It is a mythological, supernatural, action-packed, mystery filled novel.

The story centres on eighteen-year old Cairn Delacroix, who is out to avenge the death of her mother ultimately leading her to Boston's underworld of supernatural crime and political aspiration. All the while many secrets start to unravel.

I really enjoyed the way the characters and the stories all linked, how the gods lives are all intertwined, both friends and foes.

I really wish there was more of Emile in the story, Cairn's dad but I figured he wasn't so it could make way to build a strong character connection between Cairn and Nook, who make a really good team. Which I also love btw.

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I wanted to read this book because I am a fan of the author's Bonegarden series. And I am glad that I read this one. It's an interesting story with interesting characters. It was hard to put down once I started reading it. The author combines a few different genres and creates a brilliant story. The story alternates from the present events and past events with twists and turns you won't see coming. One of the best YA novels I've read this year!

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This has been the first YA fantasy I have read in a while and it did not disappoint. While the subject of gods and mortals can be predictable, this story is told in such a refreshing way that it makes it so hard to put down.

Our main character Carin is brave, sarcastic, and smart, she knew what she wanted and stopped at nothing to get it. Beyond just Carin, there was diversity in characters that I wasn’t expecting. I knew this book covered gods, it was fun to read about other gods that aren’t always talked about such as Nagual, Nanook, and Vulcan along with many more.

The story itself keeps the reader on their toes and just when you think you figured it out, you get shocked with the reveal. The prose was easy to read with some more interesting vocabulary thrown into the mix. Overall I truly enjoyed this book and feel that many others will too.

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This Eternity of Masks and Shadows by Karsten Knight

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This Eternity of Masks and Shadows was the first book I chose to read from NetGalley, and honestly I'm glad it was. It is fast paced, action packed and an all-round exciting novel set in a modern world where gods and mortals live amongst each other. If that sounds like something you'd like then you won't be disappointed! This review may include minor spoilers. If you want to read this book without any prior knowledge at all, this review may not be for you.
While I have never read any of Karsten Knight's other novels, it is immediately apparent by the style of writing that this is not his first. The writing is very clear and never sacrifices comprehension for any reason. It isn't poetic, but it is complex enough to stand above the crowd. I never failed to comprehend what was happening in the novel despite the complex arch that it tells. Everything tied together cohesively at the end which was satisfying as a reader.

This story follows two perspectives. Our main perspective is that of Cairn Delacroix as she unravels the mystery behind her mother's death. We also have the perspective of Ahna Delacroix, Cairn's mother. Ahna's perspective mostly comes from an event that happened 19 years in the past. Early in the novel we discover that Ahna Delacroix is a reincarnation of Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea. The story takes place in modern day Boston and in a world where gods and mortals live together. These gods are still ordinary people, however, and still die as such. Essentially, they're mortals with an extra edge to them, such as being able to change into an animal, make fire at the touch of a finger or the ability to communicate with sea creatures. Each god is reincarnated approximately every 100 years with no prior knowledge of who they were before.

One thing I was pleasantly surprised about in the novel was the how casual and natural the queer relationship unravelled. There was no discussion and no stress. It showed the relationship as equal to that of any heterosexual relationship which is important in this day and age. The relationship is not the main focus of the story and never overshadows the original story arch. This isn't a romance novel, but the romance was there just enough to add depth to the story in a natural and cohesive way.

Overall, I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star rating. There was a lot to the novel that I liked, but I feel as though the author could have added a little bit more to it. Some of the chapter breaks felt a little bit jarring and unnatural, but for the most part it worked well. If you are looking to read this story you won't be disappointed. It is a solid read and I look forward to seeing what the author produces in the future.

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This story hooked me from the start. As the world of gods and mortals came alive, I absolutely couldn’t put it down. There’s a great mix of detective work, suspense, fantasy, and mythology. Knight unravels the backstory and its secrets at just the right moments. It was suspenseful and enticing in so many ways.

While full of action, there’s also character moments in which Cairn comes to grip with her new reality. She tries to find normalcy despite the supernatural elements invading her life. Knight even slips in a few clues during these more vulnerable moments. Cairn is an intelligent woman who struggles but learns. If she makes a mistake, she owns it. She’s also proud of who she is: a gay woman who, by the way, knows how to craft a killer (no pun intended) date for the woman she loves. Bravo!

There were lots of surprising. LOTS. I loved discovering the different gods and their powers and enjoyed the developing relationships as well as how each character fit together in intriguing ways. Knight pulls in gods from all different cultures, which wove in many new and largely unfamiliar myths.

I was so impressed by this story and hope to read more of these characters in the future. A great murder mystery/superhero/adventure story. I LOVE mythology, and Knight does a great job bringing it to life. Recommended!

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This book contained everything I love! Gods from all corners of mythology & folklore, a kick ass female lead and some top notch action scenes. Cairn Delacriox is just like everybody else, except her mother is the reincarnation of the Inuit Sea God Sedna. In Cairn's world the God's live amongst us, reincarnated every century or so to a new body with no knowledge of their previous lives, some choose to keep their existence a secret, preferring the quiet life, whereas others use their powers and for fame and well... worship. When Cairns mother unexpectedly re-enacts her original death Cairn's world is broken apart. She doesn't understand why her mother would commit suicide, nor can she explain the glassy look that came over her eyes before she threw herself into the ocean. One night she discovers something that will upend her world all over again, her mother had a secret life, one that taints Cairn's view of her. But Cairn knows one thing, her mother didn't commit suicide, she was murdered, and Cairn will stop at nothing to find out who and why, even if that means her as a mortal going up against Gods.

In a world filled with Gods come to life Cairn's viewpoint was such a vital one to read the book from. She knows all about the mythology of Gods from her mothers stories, but she is ultimately mortal, this isn't Percy Jackson guys... Cairn has no amount of her mothers otherworldly powers. Seeing her traverse the world of God's was brilliant, in some ways the world of God's is somewhat commonplace to her, but she also respects their power and is aware that as a mortal, she is somewhat outgunned. She is snarky, sarcastic, resilient and stubborn as hell. Nothing will get in the way of her catching the person behind her mothers death, even her own mortality. The other characters were all well developed, we get introduced to a whole host of Gods from a whole host of mythologies, all of whom have their part to play in Cairn getting the answers she seeks.

This world was so brilliantly rendered. Gods live among us and we get to meet a whole host of them, from lots of different cultures around the world. You know me a mythology, so it will be no surprise when I say I LOVED the part of the books where we got to delve into the backstory of a certain God. We see the ones who like to live in the shadows, some for nefarious reasons and others because they simply don't want the pressure that comes with being a reincarnated deity, and the there are the ones who live for the spotlight. The ones who use their power for their advantage, becoming actresses, Senators and other positions where they are likely to become worshipped. I found this idea wholly refreshing, yes we have plenty of books out there featuring Gods from different mythologies, but none (that I know of) where they are reincarnated with no knowledge of their previous lives.

This was like a fantasy style murder mystery filled with twists and turns. The author keeps you guessing throughout most of the book, and I enjoyed coming to the realisations at the same time as Cairn, it definitely helped me bond with her as a character and I certainly felt her 'WTF' moments. Trust me when I say I had no idea where this story was going until the author hit me with the information needed to put it all together, she gives us little bits of information throughout the story, enough to keep us intrigued and throwing wild guesses out there, but nothing could have prepared me for the climactic ending.

There was a brilliant f/f romance throughout this book. Delphine, Cairn's best friend and love interest was another intriguing character. One of the few people to know Cairn's mothers true identity, she was there the day Adna threw herself into the sea and we see her's and Cairn's relationships going through the trials and tribulations that come with loss and grief. The romance was a small part of the overall plot, but I enjoyed reading their interactions together.

I was surprised how much I loved this book. The author left us with an opening for another book, but also tied the main plot neatly in a bow so it could be left as a standalone. To be honest I would just like to return to the world, whether through Cairn's eyes or someone else's.

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This was an interesting read.

Gods and goddesses walk the Earth, reincarnated every few hundred years. This book follows Cairn, the daughter of Sedna, Inuit goddess of the Sea.

The story follows her as she is trying to discover what, or who killed her mother. She discovers that her mother went on a voyage that ended in unspeakable tragedy and that every member that went on that voyage, one by one, is dying. Cairn with the help of Detective Nanook, Inuit Master of Polar Bears, they try to find who, or what is killing off Gods and Goddesses.

When I first started this, I was worried that it would not keep my attention, but boy was I wrong. This book is a wonderful blend of myth, superhero tale, and urban fantasy. The world here is so similar to our own but the world-building here was amazing.

The characters were all varied and complex and the villain didn't seem like a caricature either. I would highly recommend this!

Also, there is LGBT rep, and I loved the main couple. :)

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It's been a while since I've had a book hangover. Is the next book out? This is Percy Jackson for adults and is wickedly clever. Gods and goddesses galore! It's pretty fast paced and hooks you quickly. Romance is a subplot, so dont expect much from that.

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This book surprised me a lot. I was expecting it to enjoy it but not as much as I did.
Definitely recommend if you like a book with an explosive ending, goog characters, great worldbuilding, nice writing and overall a book that will leave you at the egde of your seat.

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Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this book!

I so loved the blend of mythical and modern day in this novel! The story line was well written and kept me drawn in the whole time. My only fault was there were moments where I felt more detail could have been added- the main character, Cairn, some times annoyed me- but otherwise it was a well thought out story line. Would definitely recommend!!

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I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I loved this book. If you like fantasy, then give this one a try

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Actual rating: 4.5🌟

This is a well blended story with mixtures of fantasy, romance, mystery, crime and suspense.

Our main heroine Cairn is the daughter of a goddess who was murdered. This is her story as she tries to find the murderer and give justice to her mother.

It was very easy for me to dive into the story. The writing flows naturally and I enjoy how vivid I see/imagine the things that I'm reading.

At first I was confused on all the info dump on different mythological gods/goddesses. I love how there's a mystery and I really had no clue at all on who the murderer is.

As clues started appearing, I joined Cairn and her allies as they decipher the truth. This was a book with lots of plot twists and I was always shocked on every turn. 😅

I don't usually read books with mystery/crime/investigation on it. I'm more of a romance girl. But I did enjoy this.👍 Also, there's a bit of romance here though not the center of the story. It's a f/f romance.

I'm not a super fan of Cairn but I do admire her tenacity even though at times she's impulsive. My favorite characters in the book are Nook and Vulcan. They are both reliable and sensible characters. Love them.❤

I like the story and it was an exciting read.👍

**Thanks for netgalley, the publisher and author for making this available for review.**

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This Eternity of Masks and Shadows is about a girl named Cairn's journey to discover the truth about her mother's death. In a world in which the gods from every Pantheon are being reincarnated when they die and walk the earth, she must discovery the truth before it is too late.

What I liked about this book
it's a murder mystery - at some points I felt like I was watching an episode of CSI.
it's full of twists and turns - there are plot twists throughout the book that are completely unexpected!
it's fast paced - in every chapter something happens that moves the story along and keeps you interested.
my favourite character is Ahna - she is extremely funny! I actually laughed out loud at some of her lines.
This book kind of reminded me of the Percy Jackson book series but for older readers. I would highly recommend it if you like books about gods and magic.

5 stars

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The adventure of trying to discover who done it, and why, was fun. This secret agent aspect of the gods and how that team fell apart brought a fun twist to things. While the world building was not as thorough as some, the fast pace of this book felt like it excused that. The entire time, I was on the edge of my seat needing to know- what happens next?

Admittedly, things became predictable as the story moved along. Without spoiling anything, about 50% into the book, I had figured out who had done what. That didn’t take away from my enjoyment, it just made me want to see how the author fleshed this out. I would like more from this as a series, perhaps with more world building and various other myths brought into the storylines.

I found all the characters interesting to read about, although, Sedna was much more interesting to read on than her very mortal daughter Cairn. Perhaps a prequel would make this entire thing just fantastic.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more from Karsten.

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Oh what an incredibly fun jaunt of a book!

This is the tale of world in which the gods of old -- of all pantheons and traditions -- walk among mortals with their full array of divine powers. Some lead normal lives, some fight hidden fights, and some seek to use these strengths for personal gain.

Cairn Delacroix is a relatively normal teenager whose mother happens to be Sedna: the Inuit goddess of the sea and marine animals. Sedna's sudden death by apparent suicide leads Cairn and a growing cadre of friends and foes through a tumultuous spiral of power, half-truths, self-discovery, and intrigue.

I'm a total sucker for mythology and extraordinary powers stories, and this one hit all the right buttons. Karsten Knight masterfully weaves together the right dashes of grief, <i>noir</i>, the fallibility of the human (and superhuman) condition, and the struggles of modern life in this tale of justice and redemption. While there were a few storylines that I would have liked to have seen drawn out and expounded upon, I was, nonetheless, very pleased by the rollercoaster the story presented.

I would very much like to see more written in this world. The possibilities seem almost endless.

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