Chasing Lions
“This book made me want to jack it all in and sign up for a long overland road trip! Amanda really captures the joy of adventure and the magic of the places she visits – as well as the many challenges – and the characters she encounters along the way.
Jane Dunford, Travel Editor, The Guardian
It’s a tale of taking risks and learning to be brave . . . of a young woman daring to follow a dream.
I loved it!”
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Chasing Lions is an empowering and captivating memoir. It shows that a lack of self-confidence doesn’t have to stop you from living the life you want and finding the love you deserve.
When Amanda is mugged by a gang of schoolkids, she knows things have to change. She decides to go in search of her inner lion.
It proves to be a bruising experience both physically and mentally. But she perseveres, and surprises herself by becoming a truck-driving tour leader in the bohemian and male-dominated world of overland expeditions.
Over three years and 55,000 miles, Amanda faces her feelings of inadequacy as she strives to discover her roar. On her journey, she watches the moon rise over the Serengeti and the sun set behind Egypt’s pyramids, she rafts with Zambezi river gods and communes with gorillas, she faces lions in the wild, has her fortune told by a crab sorcerer . . . and meets her soulmate?
Chasing Lions is a compelling tale of inner transformation through immersion in the natural world and being open to the rich diversity of life. Amanda encourages us to live life to the full, be brave, and choose love.
Publication date 17th February 2022. It is available as a paperback, ebook, on Kindle Unlimited and also on Audible.
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Blogger Reviews
In February 2022, there was a blog tour for Chasing Lions and some lovely book bloggers reviewed the book. Below are a few comments and links to some of the reviews.
Thanks to everyone taking part in this blog tour and to Anne Cater at Random Things Tours for organising it.
17th Feb: Dr Alice Violett – click for full review
“. . .. More than this, Chasing Lions is about overcoming fear. As hinted in the blurb, Marks was (first) mugged at the age of 22 and, having frozen on that occasion, became determined to become more active in the face of danger. Subsequently, she demonstrates her new-found bravery on a number of occasions: for example, responding calmly, practically and creatively to setbacks (including when her truck is in a collision), rowing down the Congo from Kisangani to Bumba in a pirogue, standing up to sexist border guards, and confronting a tour group whose dynamic has soured. I would probably just panic in many of the situations she ended up in, so I really admired her and loved seeing her step into her power!
Chasing Lions is a fascinating and exciting account of world travel and learning to roar.”
18th Feb: Clare, The Fallen Librarian – click for full review
” I have loved every word of this book, its humour and honesty touches your heart and mind and certainly shifted some of my perspectives on life! I only hope I have sufficiently encouraged you to read it too. As it really is a MUST read book and I want you all to enjoy it as much as I have. Amanda would too, I suspect, plus she also encourages you to buy your copy from your local independent book shops as well – so you know what to do, place that order today! “
21st Feb: Suzie, @AlltheGenres, said:
“This was an absolute pleasure to read, not just because it’s a memoir (my fave) but because of how down to earth the author is and how you feel her self confidence growing throughout her journey 😍
I adored her sense of adventure and following her 55,000 mile journey through some challenging situations with perseverance and courage (those mugs couldn’t hack half the stuff she did)!
I particularly loved reading the letters that were included and learning about the people she met along the way. What a joy! “
22nd Feb: Sue, @readingbooks_itsafamilything, said:
“Oh this book! Oh my goodness!! To say I loved it is an understatement! I devoured this book in one go, I didn’t want to put it down. I loved every word! It was so fantastic to go to the authors website and be able to see so many photos of all the adventures described in the book. If you love any of the following – history, geography, drama, pushing the limits, challenging yourself, nature, animals, friendships, love and certainly Adventure – then this book is certainly for you!! I think so many of you would adore this book, it’s wonderful!! I am certainly going to be keeping a close eye out for anything else by this amazing author. “
23rd Feb: Laura, @bookish_belfast, said:
” Beautifully written and very inspirational is how I would sum up this book. The cover is very striking and perfectly matches the empowering and vibrant contents. I loved travelling the world through Amanda’s eyes and the humour and honesty were so touching. Amanda felt so relatable and I really felt she was talking to me personally through her writing. This book is a must read!”
24th Feb: Helen, @midnightangelbookheaven, said:
“This cover is so vibrant it draws you in. The earthy colours and tones go well with the title and the animal they represent. Chasing Lions is about Amanda’s journey from a boring job to an adventure of a lifetime travelling 55,000 miles across Africa. A beautifully written memoir. The descriptions of the places makes you feel you are sitting alongside Amanda and at the pyramids.”
25th Feb: Jill, On the shelf book blog – click for full review
” Katy Perry asks us to find our inner ‘Eye of the Tiger’ and Roar! This book explores the same idea through asking us how far we are all able to push ourselves and find the lion within, as we face challenges and adversity. Chasing Lions, by Amanda Marks, is one of those books that is hard to explain – it has to be experienced rather than read and I firmly recommend it to anyone who is interested in exploring the depths of courage that they are capable of.
. . . We get a refreshingly honest and reflective exploration of the countries that we are often just shown one face of – here we get the chance to ‘visit’ them vicariously, warts and all and the honesty shown by Amanda Marks makes this a travel writing experience with a fresh and insightful edge, that will keep you coming back for more.
. . . Chasing Lions is a book that you won’t easily forget – Get yourself a copy now and channel your inner tiger as you roar your way out of the pandemic!”
28th Feb: Hayley, @therunningbookworm2020, said:
“I loved this! To have the courage to do something like this had me hooked from the beginning. The stories and events that happened in this book were just fascinating.”
1st March: BertyBoy123, Books and Coffee blog – click for full review
“What a delightful read this was. A mash up of nature writing, travel writing and memoir.
. . . This book shows the reader that it is never too late to change life’s trajectory and find your inner lion. Her story and writing are filled with colourful descriptions and laced with humour. She finds herself in places she has only dreamt off and dealing with people she never thought she would meet. She finds her life much fuller and rewarding.
Her writing is a high quality, her prose flows and the reader will enjoy being pulled along with the story. Laughing, crying and generally enjoying this book.
A book I would recommend to all lovers of memoirs and travel writing.
Remember it’s never too late. Amanda has proved that.”
2nd March: Manisha, @manishaisreading, said:
What a wonderful journey it was!! I really enjoyed reading this memoir by the lovely @andnaturewrote. It all begins from the moment she was mugged in her early twenties. Amanda knew at this moment she needed to search for her inner lioness and so made a phone call which began the journey of a lifetime.
The book is full of courage, perseverance and emotional endurance. Through highs and lows she talks so candidly or her experience and you can’t help but root for her all the way. On her 55,000 mile journey you witness Amanda’s transformation as she begins to embrace the natural world… every chapter is dripping with rich detail. From the golden sand dunes in Aswan to the sun setting in the Serengeti, you’re almost on the journey with Amanda and it’s absolutely unforgettable.
This was an absolute pleasure to read and review for my 100th post!