Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Title: Quicksilver

Author: Callie Hart

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Fae & Alchemy # 1

Paperback, 622 pages 

Publication: June 4, 2024

Source: Personal Library
Buy|AMAZON|

In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember.

But a secret is like a knot.

Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed herself right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her.

Death has a name.

It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate.

His past is murky.

His attitude stinks.

And he’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

Be careful of the deals you make, dear child.

The devil is in the details...

MY THOUGHTS

After seeing Quicksilver on my FYP for weeks, I finally took the plunge and read the book. I'm so glad I did! Like many Romance Fantasy/Fantasy series nowadays, Quicksilver features the usual fae, vampires, and gods, but it stands out with its unique and fresh take on these subjects.

I was effortlessly immersed in the world and writing within a couple of pages. The world-building is fascinating, vivid, and well-developed. While reading Quicksilver, I could easily imagine Saeris and Carrion running the third ward, and Kingfisher and Ren at the battlefronts. The magic system in Quicksilver is straightforward but complex enough without being convoluted or resorting to info-dumping. I absolutely loved all the characters. Saeris is probably one of my new favorite heroines. Imagine a petite, independent, kick-ass woman who can take down men three times her size, yet still has a big heart and a great sense of humor. Kingfisher was perfection—the kind of male lead/hero I enjoy reading about. I can't think of a single negative quality when it comes to Kingfisher. I loved their chemistry, interactions, and especially their banter. The banter was everything!

Quicksilver is very character-driven and centered. I love when an author writes fully developed, fleshed-out characters with flaws and attributes we can relate to and connect with. Whether it's a villain like Malcolm or a minor but adorable character like Archer, each character feels real.

Quicksilver is one of the best books I've read so far this year and easily in my top five reads. I loved it so much. If I could rate it more than five stars, I would. It was just that amazing. I highly, highly recommend Quicksilver if you haven't read it yet. You will not regret it! And you know what's crazy? The author mentioned that this was her first foray into the Romantasy/Fantasy genre and that she didn't have an audience for it. I was shocked to learn that because, as I mentioned earlier, the world-building is done really well. I can't wait for book 2, which comes out later this year in the fall!

Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Title: Ninth House

Author: Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Alex Stern #1
Hardcover, 459 pages
Publication: October 8, 2019 by Berkley
Source: Personal Library
Buy|Amazon|B&N|

Galaxy “Alex” Stern is the most unlikely member of Yale’s freshman class. Raised in the Los Angeles hinterlands by a hippie mom, Alex dropped out of school early and into a world of shady drug dealer boyfriends, dead-end jobs, and much, much worse. By age twenty, in fact, she is the sole survivor of a horrific, unsolved multiple homicide. Some might say she’s thrown her life away. But at her hospital bed, Alex is offered a second chance: to attend one of the world’s most elite universities on a full ride. What’s the catch, and why her?

Still searching for answers to this herself, Alex arrives in New Haven tasked by her mysterious benefactors with monitoring the activities of Yale’s secret societies. These eight windowless “tombs” are well-known to be haunts of the future rich and powerful, from high-ranking politicos to Wall Street and Hollywood’s biggest players. But their occult activities are revealed to be more sinister and more extraordinary than any paranoid imagination might conceive.

Ninth House is my 2nd Bardugo novel, the 1st was Shadow and Bone. I was a bit hesitant starting Ninth House and had low expectations since I didn’t really like Shadow and Bone . After learning ‘Grisha’ translated to ‘Gregory’ I couldn’t take the series seriously or continue knowing how silly that was. However, I am a fan of secret societies, ghosts, and flawed protagonists/characters and Ninth House had it all.

I liked that Ninth House was an Urban Fantasy, full of supernatural magic and grounded in our world. Alex our main heroine was not your typical leading lady. Alex’s home life was anything but normal and stable; her mom was more familiar with the bottom of a bottle than her own daughter. Which wasn’t surprising that Alex went down the wrong path of dealing drugs and participating in other unsavory jobs. Which led to her arrest and jail time. But thanks to her ability to commune with spirits, Alex received a second chance at life.

Ninth House takes place in the past and present. Winter and Spring with alternating chapter narration of Alex and Darlington (her mentor). Like most novels, the premise revolved around a murder and finding the guilty party. With a second premise of the mysterious disappearance of Darlington. Readers follows Alex as she navigated uncharted waters of college life, ghosts, ghouls, secret societies and the powerful people backing them.

I like Alex. She unapologetic in who she is, gets shit done and ask for forgiveness after. She’s far from perfect and does a lot of questionable things, but I kinda like it that way…it’s more realistic and familiar. The magic system is pretty straightforward. Alex is descended from a line of witches (?) with the power to see ghosts and travel through dimensions. And many of the secret societies dabbled in the occult and alchemy, each with their own specialties.

Overall Ninth House was a solid introduction to a new series. Although I thought Ninth House was over hyped considering this is Bardugo’s foray into Adult territory. It was also stated that this is a horror novel, but I didn’t get that vibe. The book was good but nothing new or unique. I like it and am curious enough to read the sequel when it comes out. If you’re curious, like myself, I suggest borrowing from the library or friend.

Burn for Me by Ilona Andrews

Title: Burn for Me
Author: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Series: Hidden Legacy

Mass Market Paperback, 382 Pages
Publication: October 28, 2014 by Avon

Source: Personal Library

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Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.

Ilona andrews are hands down my favorite authors, their Kate Daniels series is what jump start my love for Urban Fantasy/Fantasy. Andrews has a few series under their belt and they’ve been a hit or miss for me. But when I heard they were writing a new series, The Hidden Legacy series I was ecstatic. The love for Burn for Me was off the chart and the reviews were mostly five stars. I thought great, this one is going to be a good one. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this book like I hoped I would. I think it was too hyped up or my expectations were too high, who knows. If I can described this book with a single word it'd be: underwhelming. 

Let’s start with what I liked about the book, the world-building. When Andrews were in the process of writing the book, they gave a very basic detail of the world building, in which there were magical families and the more powerful they were, the more wealth and status they had. I was intrigued. Throw in the fact that the main heroine was a PI and a human lying detector; I was sold. However, I thought the plot was weak and slightly dull. Nevada is tasked or more like threaten with bringing in a prime magic user and to help her we have Rogan, another prime bad boy. Mixed in between the task at hand was sexual tension between the two characters, nevada going back and forth between loathing and admiring Rogan and that pretty much sums up the book. Nothing complex.

For the most part I like Nevada she’s relatable and someone I can see living in my community or someone I’d be friends with. She’s independent, a business woman and a hard-worker that doesn’t need a man to fulfill or support her. She’s highly capable of taking care of herself and her family, all admirable traits. As for our male protagonist/anti-hero Rogan…he’s an alpha male, no doubt but one that rubbed me the wrong way. I remember reading other reviewers comment about how they loved him and here I’m thinking what’s to love? He’s mean, narcissistic, ignorant and unapologetic. Did everyone forget he kidnapped Nevada? And towards the end of the book he had the audacity to tell Nevada they should sleep together. I was like ew, did he really just say that? Pig. Having finished Burn for Me and seeing Rogan make a conscious effort to be better, I still didn’t like him. As for all the side characters, I thought they all fell flat. The book as a whole felt underdeveloped, like the authors rushed to put this book out. It’s definitely not on the same level as their Kate Daniel series.

With that said, I’m still debating if I should continue the series or not. The thing with loving an author is that you’d think everything they write you’ll love, that it’d be great. I went out and bought all three books in the series based solely on it being written by them. I should have read Burn for Me first. All in all, Burn for Me was an okay read. I honestly don’t remember half of what happened in the story or the characters, even Nevada failed to make a lasting impression; which is never a good thing. I may or may not continue, but for sure, I won’t be rushing to start the sequel, White Hot.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors by Curtis Craddock

Title: An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors
Author: Curtis Craddock 
Genre: Fantasy
Series: The Risen Kingdom # 1 

Hardcover, 416 Pages
Publication: August 29, 2017 by Tor Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Buy|Amazon|B&N|

A polymath princess and her faithful musketeer must unravel the plot of a thousand-year-old madman in order to save an a foreign kingdom from a disastrous civil war.

Caelum is an uninhabitable gas giant like Jupiter. High above it are the Risen Kingdoms, occupying flying continents called cratons. Remnants of a shattered world, these vast disks of soaring stone may be a thousand miles across. Suspended by magic, they float in the upper layers of Caelum's clouds.

Born with a deformed hand and utter lack of the family's blood magic, Isabelle is despised by her cruel father. She is happy to be neglected so she can secretly pursue her illicit passion for math and science. Then, a surprising offer of an arranged royal marriage blows her life wide open and launches her and Jeane-Claude on an adventure that will take them from the Isle des Zephyrs in l'Empire Céleste to the very different Kingdom of Aragoth, where magic deals not with blood, but with mirrors.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is a book I didn’t know I was looking for and unquestionably a breakout hit (at least for me) and an underrated gem of 2017! Never have I read a book that perfectly blended multiple genres together and done so well. I thought the world building was fascinating as it was complex, the characters were well developed and fleshed out from the main protagonists to the tertiary characters, and every word written was eloquently prosed; captivating me from the first page till the very end.

The world that Craddock created is extremely unique, multifaceted and rich. Imagine a world of sky landmasses and flying airships thanks to the outset of science and alchemy. Craddock’s world is massive, comprising of different empires and families of blood-borne sorcery that dated back thousands of years. And in this first installment of The Risen Kingdom, readers barely touch upon the surface as Craddock introduced us to our main protagonist Princess Isabelle, who came from the Sanguinaire line, an ancient line that dealt in blood magic/shadows. Isabelle was the bane of her father existence. Born with a congenital anomaly of her right-hand, no blood magic ability and a woman nonetheless; Isabelle has always been looked down upon by her father,the court and The Kingdom of Zephyrs. But what Isabelle lacked (in the eyes of others) she made up for with a lot of heart, intelligence and bravery. I absolutely adored Isabelle from the moment I saw her as the precocious child that she was. Forward a decade and some years; readers see Isabelle blossomed into a woman that she never thought she’d be; risking everything for a kingdom and it’s people that despised her as much as they feared her..hoping to bring about peace, an idea many thought silly, dubious and unattainable. I found Isabelle admirable and I loved that Craddock showed us how capable and intelligent Isabelle was versus telling the reader she is so. From her Nom de Plume as Lord DuJournal a well-known and versed Mathematician with many publications to her outwitting would-be assassins, Kantelvar a member of the Seven Great Guide, and an evil Countess.

Another great standout character was Isabelle’s trusty and loyal musketeer, Jean-Claude who is more like her confidant and father. When Isabelle was born, they tried to snuff her out but thanks to Jean-Claude’s intervention her life was spared. And it was under the direct order of the King Le Roi that Jean-Claude keep Isabelle safe from harm and danger for as long as he deemed necessary. So what initially started as an obligation transformed into a father-daughter relationship over the course of Isabelle’s life. I loved Jean-Claude as much as Isabelle. Jean-Claude played a drunken-fool so that everyone around him underestimated him; little did they know he was sharp and clever as they come and was always two steps ahead of his enemies. I thought their bond and relationship was heartwarming. There wasn’t anything Jean-Claude wouldn’t do for Isabelle, he would’ve traveled through hell and take on Lucifer himself if he had to. Jean-Claude was pragmatic and serious when the time called for it but he definitely kept me laughing and smiling with his silver-tongue throughout the entire book. I thought Jean-Claude and Isabelle made the perfect duo and loved that Craddock showcased their ever evolving relatonship, and kept that as the main tone when so many underlying threads were going on simultaneously.

An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors is hands down the best Fantasy novel I’ve read in a long time and certainly the best book I’ve read so far this year. I loved, loved Craddock writing style. I thought everything flowed perfectly, every word he chose just fit and made sense. I also loved how he incorporated French and Spanish influences into his story; thought that was different. The plot at a glance looked fairly basic, a princess marrying a rival prince to escape her evil father…however, it was so much more complicated than anything I could of imagine. There were twist upon twist and I loved that I kept getting surprised…even when the clues were all right there! An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors has everything you’d want in a story. I LOVED this book (think I over killed it with using the word loved) and I can’t wait till the sequel comes out! Craddock is a writer to watch and has just landed on my auto-buy author list. Do yourself a favor and go to the store and get this book A.S.A.P., you won’t regret it! I see great things coming from Craddock and this new series opener. I'd rate it more than 5 stars if I could!

[Early Review] The Librarians and The Lost Lamp by Greg Cox

Title: The Librarians and The Lost Lamp
Author: Greg Cox
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Librarians #1

Paperback, 272 pages
Publication: October 11, 2016 by Tor Books

Source: I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Pre-Order|Amazon|B&N|

For thousands of years, the Librarians have secretly protected the world The Librarians from dangerous magical relics and knowledge, including everything from Pandora’s Box to King Arthur’s sword.

Ten years ago, Flynn Carson was the only living Librarian. When the ancient criminal organization known as the Forty steals the oldest known copy of The Arabian Nights by Scheherazade, Flynn is called in to investigate. Fearing that the Forty is after Aladdin's fabled Lamp, Flynn must race to find it before the Lamp's powerful and malevolent djinn is unleashed upon the world.

Today, a new team of inexperienced Librarians, along with Eve Baird, their tough-as-nails Guardian, is investigating an uncanny mystery in Las Vegas when the quest for the Lamp begins anew . . . and the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

The Librarians and The Lost Lamp is the first book in a planned trilogy based on TNT’s hit show, The Librarians; which follows a group of Librarians A.K.A protectors of humanity against magical artifacts such as Excalibur, The Golden Goose to The Spear of Destiny and Pandora ’s Box. I’m familiar with The Librarian films that aired back in the early 2000’s but I haven’t gotten around to seeing the show based on the movies. However, when I was asked if I wanted to review The Librarians and The Lost Lamp, I was immediately intrigued and jumped at the chance! I’m sure everyone is familiar with The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, ‘The Arabian Nights’ or at least heard of Aladdin and the magic lamp. It’s a very well known tale and one I enjoy hearing about so of course I wanted to read it. It sounded like a fun book…and I’m glad to say it absolutely was fun and so much more than I expected!

The book jumps back and forth between 2006 with Flynn, the sole librarian at the time and present day 2016 with a new group of librarian recruits as they search for the infamous lost lamp that belonged to Aladdin. Little did they know that their current case was a case that began 10 years ago when Flynn was in Baghdad in search of the Lamp and battling The Forty. This book was action packed right from the beginning and never let up once as readers jump back and forth between the past and present. Readers get to see Flynn and museum curator Sirin run for their lives in a bazaar in Baghdad to out flying a Roc on a magic carpet. But the action doesn’t stop there as we travel back to present day and find the newly minted librarians in Sin City investigating whether or not a man truly has Lady Luck on his side or some sort of magical advantage. This book was loads of fun and I loved how Cox weaved a wonderful adventure showcasing Aladdin’s Lamp and The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. Cox’s vivid imageries were so detailed that the book played out like a movie in my mind and has me curious and itching to start the TV show now!

All in all, The Librarians and The Lost Lamp was an excellent start to a brand new series and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for The Librarians. I highly recommend this book to everyone. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone such as: action, adventure, history, magic, a little romance and a whole lot of imagination. And in the meantime, I think I’m going to go check out the first season of The Librarians!

[Series Spotlight] Kingfountain Series by Jeff Wheeler + Excerpt

I have another wonderful series spotlight for you guys! Today's series spotlight is on Jeff Wheeler's Kingfountain Series. The Kingfountain Series follows a Duke's young son, Owen, who also happens to be a new prisoner of the King, thanks to his parents for losing a wager. Readers follow along Owen as he navigates the King's castle, delights the castle occupants with his tiles and tries to prove his worth to the king or risk losing it all and forfeiting his life on behalf of his parents.

The Kingfountain Series is a High Fantasy Series that will appeal to all audience; with a protagonist you'll want to root for. The first two books; The Queen's Poisoner and The Thief's Daughter is out now, and the third book, The King's Traitor is out next month on September 6th!

OUT NOW!

Purchase|Amazon|B&N|

King Severn Argentine’s fearsome reputation precedes him: usurper of the throne, killer of rightful heirs, ruthless punisher of traitors. Attempting to depose him, the Duke of Kiskaddon gambles…and loses. Now the duke must atone by handing over his young son, Owen, as the king’s hostage. And should his loyalty falter again, the boy will pay with his life.

Seeking allies and eluding Severn’s spies, Owen learns to survive in the court of Kingfountain. But when new evidence of his father’s betrayal threatens to seal his fate, Owen must win the vengeful king’s favor by proving his worth—through extraordinary means. And only one person can aid his desperate cause: a mysterious woman, dwelling in secrecy, who truly wields power over life, death, and destiny.

THE QUEEN'S POISONER, BOOK 1 EXCERPT 

Chapter 28

The wild frenzied feeling of plummeting reminded him partway down that he should be terrified, but then the shock of cold water met his face and he plunged into its depths. His feet touched the bottom of the cistern. His hand still gripped hers.

Owen opened his eyes and found himself surrounded by a pile of treasure. He felt a huge burst of excitement in his ribs as he stared at the sword hilts, the jewels and necklaces. The Mortimer girl was tugging at his hand and trying to swim up, but he pulled back, not wanting to lose sight of the treasure. There was so much! But then he noticed something awry. There was a gap in the treasure, as if someone had dragged a rake through it. No, that wasn’t it. One of the chests appeared to have been dragged back towards the stairs. The dragging motion had cleared a path through the bounty and knocked other bits over.

His companion was yanking hard on his hand now, and when he looked up, he saw bubbles were coming out of her mouth, obscuring her face.

Owen wanted to stay down and figure out what had happened to the treasure, but they both needed to breathe. He pushed with his legs and they started towards the surface. As they moved through the water, a loud grinding noise filled his water-soaked ears.

When Owen’s face broke the surface, he gulped in a chest full of air to stop his lungs from burning. The Mortimer girl was spluttering and paddling on the waters.

“Owen! Did you hear that noise?”

Owen looked and saw they were farther away from stairs. In fact, they were gliding away from it at a fast pace.

“What’s wrong?” Owen asked, kicking around. The water was tugging them deeper into the dark cistern. 

Book 2 - Available now! 

Purchase|Amazon|

Owen Kiskaddon first came to the court of the formidable King Severn as a prisoner, winning favor with the stormy monarch by masquerading as a boy truly blessed by the Fountain. Nine years hence, the once-fearful Owen has grown into a confident young man, mentored in battle and politics by Duke Horwath and deeply in love with his childhood friend, the duke’s granddaughter. But the blissful future Owen and Elysabeth Mortimer anticipate seems doomed by the king’s machinations.

A pretender to Severn’s throne has vowed to seize the crown of Kingfountain. But Severn means to combat the threat by using Elysabeth as bait to snare the imposter—and forcing Owen, as a pawn in the dangerous charade, to choose between duty and devotion. With poisoners and spies circling ominously, and war looming on the horizon, Owen must make painful sacrifices to beat back the advancing shadows of death and disaster. Will Owen’s conflicted heart follow the king’s path or risk everything for his love?

 Book 3 - Available September 6, 2016
 Pre-Order|Amazon|

Against all odds, Owen Kiskaddon grew from frightened boy to confident youth to trusted officer in the court of Kingfountain—and watched its regent, Severn Argentine, grow ever more ruthless and power-mad. Robbed of his beloved protector, his noble mentor, and his true love, Owen has anticipated the day when the king he fears and reviles, yet loyally serves, will be toppled. Now, as Severn plots a campaign of conquest, the time has come to take action…and Owen’s destiny demands that he lead the strike.

Ordered to incite war with a neighboring kingdom, Owen discovers its beautiful, reclusive ruler, whose powerful magic might even exceed his own. Together they mount a daring plot to overthrow the corrupt monarch, crown the rightful heir, and defeat the prophesied curse threatening Kingfountain with wintry death. But Severn’s evil is as bottomless as the fabled Deep Fathoms. To keep his ill-gotten throne, he’ll gladly spill the blood of enemies and innocents alike. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Wheeler took an early retirement from his career at Intel in 2014 to become a full-time author. He is, most importantly, a husband and father, and a devout member of his church. He is occasionally spotted roaming among the oak trees and granite boulders in the hills of California or in any number of the state’s majestic redwood groves. He is the author of The Covenant of Muirwood Trilogy, The Legends of Muirwood Trilogy, the Whispers from Mirrowen Trilogy, and the Landmoor Series.

Connect with Jeff!

Website|Twitter|Facebook|Goodreads

[Early Review] Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Title: Ink and Bone
Author: Rachel Caine
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Series: The Great Library #1

Hardcover, 352 pages
Publication: July 7, 2015 by NAL

Source: I received a review copy form the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Pre-Order|Amazon|B&N|

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…

Have you ever wondered what it’s like if the Library of Alexandria was still around and was a great power today? Imagine a library with so much control, that they determined what information and knowledge was for public consumption. And the unthinkable, that it was illegal to own physical, original printed books. Well, that is exactly what Ink and Bone is…in a nutshell.

The year is 2031 and it is illegal to own books. Instead, the public is all given ‘blanks’ a book with exactly that, blank pages that are filled with texts using alchemy. With the outlawing of original book possession, it has become an expensive commodity thus the upsurge of the black market for it; which brings us to our main character, Jess Brightwell a 16-year-old runner A.K.A book smuggler. Jess has been running books since he was 10, and now at the age of 16 his father think his usefulness to the family has come to an end and the only way he can still be beneficial to the family is if he gets a job…inside the Great Library of Alexandria. After taking a test, Jess wins a spot to be among the 30 candidates to fill 1 of 6 library positions. In order to snag an once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity, Jess and the other contenders are given a series of test and missions till the numbers dwindles down. It is during his teaching and training that Jess finds himself conflicted between his family and his love of books and that the Library of Alexandria isn’t as altruistic and magnanimous as it seems.

This is my first Caine book, and all I can really say is WOW. The book design, the title, the setting, the story, the characters...are all just perfect. When I first read the synopsis, I knew I had to read this book. But I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. The idea is very unique and nothing like anything I’ve ever read before and it just blew me away at how utterly amazing it was! There were so many things to love about the world building; from the concept of blanks and alchemy, a codex in which all citizen are ‘encouraged’ to write in daily to document their every waking moment so that they’re immortalized when they past and their codex are housed within the library, a resistance group dubbed burners because they make it their mission to burn originals…I can go on and on. Then there’s the location, how cool is it that it’s set in Egypt of all places?! And in a Library! This is a book lover’s dream come true…this book! Caine did an excellent job at describing the hot and humid landscape of Egypt and the lush details of what the Library of Alexandria might have look like with its many rooms and hidden chambers. I was enchanted with it all.

On top of all that awesomeness we have going on, there are the characters. Jess is a great main protagonist; I was instantly drawn to Jess when readers first meet 10-year-old Jess running through the streets of London smuggling the most important book in the world. Jess is pragmatic, clever, honest and a leader sort of veiled as an underdog. That last bit might sounds weird or confusing but that’s the best I can describe Jess. What I mean is, anyone can see early on that Jess comes from the poorer side of London. The test needed to get to the Library of Alexandria is usually only possible for the upper-class rich folks but then again Jess’s father own the territory on book smuggling….so it definitely didn’t come cheap in securing him a test spot. And comparing Jess to his fellow postulates he was seriously lacking in the hierarchy and education department. While he was being groomed in the family business, other kids were getting prepared for a position in the library. But like I said, Jess may be lacking in status but he’s a natural born leader, which will become more evident as he progresses through the library-life challenges. As Jess learns the way of the library, the truth about the library, and the misconception about Burners; he begins to question everything he thought he knew…and readers will see his character develop greatly by the end of the book. Then there’s the supporting cast. Jess is surrounded by very strong and fully fleshed out characters that made lasting impressions from: Khalila, an intelligent poised girl that has a making of a Scholar, Glain whom I’d call G.I. Jane, Dario the obnoxious roommate, Thomas the gentle giant, Morgan the mysterious, and my most favorite character of all, Proctor Wolfe whom is always dour and oh, so misunderstood. I don’t want to say too much about Wolfe but he was constantly surprising me throughout the book and the ending revelation…was like whoa, that's his family!

I’ve mentioned this before; those that follow the blog know how picky I am when it comes to the YA genre. I don’t read many YA for that reason, and if you noticed, only 25% of the books I review are YA. I’m very selective when I choose to read/review a Young Adult book. So, it is with great pleasure to say that my expectations of Ink and Bone were beyond exceeded. Ink and Bone is by far the best Young Adult novel I’ve read all year and the most imaginative YA I’ve read in a very, very long time. I wasn’t a fan of Caine before, but after Ink and Bone…I absolutely am now and will be checking her back-list! I highly recommend this book to everyone…all you book lovers out there; you need to pre-order this book A.S.A.P! I ‘m already dying for the next book…and this book isn’t even out yet! Read it, you won’t regret it!