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Mixing the pot of magic and realism, Ila Golden is a mature young adult fantasy author, with a focus on personal relationships and identity exploration. They started creating their unique stories as a child, telling them to their younger brother on long car journeys. As they grew up and matured into a young adult, writing also became an outlet for them to explore their own burgeoning sense of identity, although it would take until their early 30s for them to have the strength and confidence needed to fully realise the unique individual they were always meant to become.
Their history as an indie author began after they graduated from the University in 2008. Unfortunately, Blood, Friendship and Marriage: Time Forgets (retired) was released to little success. Undeterred, Ila tried again with Realms and Reality: Zero Conformity (retired), but struggled to get traction in part due to issues with the title's publisher.
After a brief pause due to health issues, 2017 saw the release of Echoe . This was followed in the 2018 by the release of Hyena Boy, and 2019 by The Colours I See, which was also the first title published through KDP.
After seeing an improved traction with The Colours I See, Ila made the decision to republish both Echoe and Hyena Boy through KDP. Following this, in August of 2020, Ila released The Doll Maker Son books. Then, with success as an indie author looking a lot more promising, in April of 2021, Ila released their latest book, No Doors Allowed.
Reviewed by Tanja Jurkovic for Readers' Favorite
Echoe is the mother of two cute, quirky children who are growing up in a complicated world. Still tortured by the ghosts of her past, Echoe tries to navigate her way through life as a mother and as an independent woman who, despite having to spend her life in a wheelchair because of her condition, fights for herself and her family until the very end. Involved in a world of performance and acting, as most of her species is inclined to do, she built herself from the ground up, destined to succeed. Being chosen to act in a play staged by her good friend, Echoe embarks on this exciting journey, full of hope and positivity. Having the support of her colleagues and friends, she is confident to show her talent without the constraints of her famous family name. Life is looking good, and there is even a hint of new love on the horizon. However, strange things start happening to her, as if someone is trying to prevent her from having a normal, fulfilled life. Will they succeed?
What if you lived in a completely different world to this one? In Echoe, Ila Golden offers an exciting answer to that question. She invites the reader into a very imaginative, and oftentimes strange, world of magic. Her writing is approachable, interesting, and creative, and the story of Echoe, the main character of the novel, simply flows from the pages. Full of exciting moments and family intrigues, broken relationships, and vengeance, Echoe by Ila Golden is a great read and a wonderful way to immerse oneself in a completely different world. It is a perfect getaway from reality, with messages about important issues for the reader to find and decode while reading. I loved the imaginative story and effort put in writing it. A really enjoyable, heartwarming story full of surprises, and with enough excitement to spice up one's life in a flash!
