In the wake of a new COVID-50 pandemic, the ravaged United States has largely been rebuilt—though it looks starkly different. Elyse, a horse rancher from rural Georgia, lives just on the outskirts of the more modernized, wealthy society of downtown Atlanta. After a mutual friend introduces her to FBI agent Josh—who’s tasked with recruiting Elyse for her latent magical abilities—she discovers there’s far more to their world than she realizes. Swept up in the chaos of hidden family secrets, warring factions, and shady motives, Elyse must decide if she trusts Josh enough to have a future with him. That is, if they can both unravel the sinister forces at work against them.
HOODWINKED IN HOTLANTA uses the COVID pandemic as a basis for its world-building, though not in the way one would expect. This future does grapple with the outcomes of mutating viruses, collapsing societies, scarcity, and also a wealth inequality that persists even hundreds of years after the first pandemic. But what’s most interesting is that it’s a mostly functional society despite all of that, showing a world that can thrive beyond the terrible tragedies that tore it down. Of course, it isn’t without its own flaws and deficits, but people like Elyse have managed to carve out a peaceful existence anyway.
The details of Elyse and her friend Jessica’s horse ranching duties are expertly written, enhancing and authenticating Elyse’s experiences and daily life in the book. Even those without knowledge of the industry—which is important in this world, where cars are a luxury—will find all the work is a lot more involved than one would think on the surface. Even so, some of the interludes on Elyse’s family ranch make the pacing sag a little in the middle, especially with the many elements packed into the book. Sometimes the post-apocalypse feels more like a window dressing, kind of nebulous and existing in the background while the story diverts into a new subplot.
Still, the juxtaposition of her rural rancher’s life against the sleek, high-tech society of downtown Atlanta does make for fascinating conflicts. The dual perspectives of Elyse and Josh further drive this divided home, even as their separate worlds start to blur and blend together—as their fraught, reluctant romance begins to bloom. The glimpses of their relationship when it’s given time to grow is sweet (and a good foundation for future books).
That said, there’s a lot going on in HOODWINKED IN HOTLANTA. Almost too much. It takes a while for the plot to pick up speed, and when it finally begins to form, it’s hard to fully understand what’s happening at certain points, as the scene transitions can be quick and jarring with information that’s glossed over. The plot becomes a bit directionless in the middle—nearly as much as Elyse, who’s mostly passive and unsure of everything (still tethered to her old life).
With so many moving parts to juggle, it’s difficult to parse out the cohesive story, though the elements are compelling: shady organizations, magical abilities, vampires and shifters, hidden family secrets, Elyse’s burgeoning power of foresight and frightening visions of the past. Information is teased too much, especially in front of Elyse, and even Josh. The twists are thrilling enough that it feels as if they should have been brought to the forefront sooner, giving them more weight and room to breathe. Also, half the time it seems like Elyse and other characters are putting pieces together more slowly than the narrative—and even the reader. She’s a few steps behind when a huge piece of information is dropped, leaving her on a slight delay as she finally realizes what’s happening. By then, the reveal has become unnecessarily repetitive, which is a source of frustration.
A few subplot things are teased out but then never resolved, which is fine for a first-in-the-series book. The exciting, twisty reveals in the last act make for an interesting jumping-off point for this series, especially as Elyse’s magical talents are more apparent and her family’s history begins catching up to her and Josh.
Elizabeth R. Jensen’s HOODWINKED IN HOTLANTA offers a unique take on the effects of a pandemic.
~Jessica Thomas for IndieReader