[Book Review] Concealed Power, Colt, K.J.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading the opening chapters. There was a strong feeling something wasn’t right, but it was hard to put a finger on it. It turns out that the author is very adept at setting the scene for later parts of the story with breadcrumbs through the book.
I have no doubt if I were to read the book again I would notice even more hidden details that linke through to make the story arc just that little bit more special than is normal in this genre.
Although the book does touch on sexual abuse matters and violent crime, it does so with a compassion and complexity that challenges the binary viewpoints of good and bad.
I laughed, I cried, I stayed up till 5 am several nights in a row to get through this book. The main character Adenine is introduced to us as a girl of ten, and the book spans the four years leading up to the day before her 14th birthday. It covers parental sacrifice, and the issues surrounding ‘doing the best we can’ regardless of legality or morality as judged by a surrounding populace.
It brings to the fore attitudes of judgement and conviction based purely on stereotypical issues and appearances, and challenges the reader to step outside of their comfort zone to identify with the protagonists.
I can not wait to read the next book in the series. Overall a very powerful and gripping tale with well developed characters and interesting perspectives.