Carries Book Reviews

Emerald Coast A Novel

By Anita Hughes

Anita Hughes’ novels have become the ultimate breezy summer read with seductive locations and swoon-worthy love stories. Charming and romantic, her previous novels have been featured in Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Martha Stewart Weddings, PopSugar, and many more with the biggest names in women’s fiction. Her newest novel, EMERALD COAST (St. Martin’s Griffin; August 1, 2017) is set on the dreamy Italian coast and follows a newly divorced couple who can’t quite escape the feelings that remain, especially when circumstances force them together.

Lily Bristol arrives at a luxurious resort in Sardinia for the grand opening of her newest home furnishing store on the Emerald Coast. Thirty-two and newly divorced, she’s ready to handle things on her own. At least until her private butler, Enzo, escorts her to a beautiful suite where she notices a suspiciously familiar pair of men’s slippers and shaving kit. Lily is horrified. Her ex-husband Oliver moved out of their restored Connecticut farmhouse six months ago, but they booked this trip when they were trying to save their marriage and never cancelled the reservation. Oliver, a food critic for the New York Times, is here covering Sardinia’s hottest new restaurant. The only other available room is the adjoining suite; and worse, Oliver isn’t alone. He’s brought a twenty-something named Angela with him.

Lily is determined to make do and enlists Enzo to find her a suitable man. But it’s not as easy to find new love as they both expected. When Lily and Oliver find themselves alone on a very important night, they turn to each other. Sparks begin to fly, but can they be together without breaking each other’s hearts?

Set on the glamorous Italian island, EMERALD COAST is a touching and humorous story about marriage and the difficulty of finding love and happiness at the same time. With the summer season winding down, Hughes’ latest will have you soaking in the last rays of summer sun and dreaming of endlessly warm days.

Excerpt:

Chapter One

Lily pressed her face against the glass and saw the white sand beach and azure Mediterranean, and La Maddalena Archi- pelago in the distance. The Porto Cervo marina was lined with gleaming yachts, and above her, Sardinia’s green hills were dotted with myrtle bushes and juniper trees.

The taxi pulled up in front of Hotel Cervo, and Lily poked her head out the win dow. It was like an impossibly glamorous movie set, with men wearing dark sunglasses and pastel colored shirts and women draped in caftans and gold jewelry. She half expected James Bond to appear and ask her to climb into his sports car or take a ride on his Jet Ski.

The driver pointed to the fare box, and Lily opened her purse. She rummaged through her lipsticks and had a sinking feeling. She couldn’t have misplaced her credit cards. They must be buried under the paperback book she bought for the plane or the extra pair of stockings rolled up in the side compartment.

The driver tapped impatiently on the dashboard, and Lily’s stomach turned. Perhaps she’d left the credit cards on the metal counter when she went through customs. The customs officer had

been so intimidating, tossing her underwear in the air. Lily had been tempted to leave her ivory slip behind and rush to the exit.

She picked up the phone to call Oliver and then put it down. Oliver had moved out of their restored Connecticut farm house six months ago. She could hardly ask his advice as if she were won- dering if he could refill the espresso maker or see if they were out of choco late croissants.

Anyway, she was a successful thirty- two- year- old business- woman with home furnishing stores on three continents. She didn’t need her ex- husband to help her pay the taxi driver. She fiddled with her leather pump, the way she did when she was ner- vous. The sole was lumpy, and she peeled it back curiously. She felt a sharp edge, and a smile crossed her face. A Visa card was taped inside!

She hadn’t worn the pumps in months; Oliver must have taped it inside her shoe. She was notoriously absentminded when she traveled. Oliver insisted the only way to guarantee she didn’t get stranded at Heathrow Airport or the train station in Paris was to hide a credit card where she couldn’t forget it.

Now she peered at the hotel’s stucco walls and Moorish patio and wondered if she should be in Sardinia at all. She had only signed the divorce papers a week ago. All the magazines said she should be tucked under a down comforter with a stack of novels and a box of tissues.

And how could she leave Louisa? Louisa was six years old; surely she needed her mother. But Louisa was used to Lily being away. Lily often went on buying trips to discover a set of Chinese end tables or one perfect French armoire.

Lily’s parents were staying on the farm for a week, and Louisa adored being with her grandparents. Lily pictured them pickingapples and baking sugar cookies and had to smile. Louisa was in heaven and wouldn’t miss her at all.

And she had been looking forward to this trip for months! In six days, her newest store, Lily Bristol Sardinia, was having its grand opening, and she had to be there. A silver cocktail dress was carefully folded in her suitcase, and she’d bought a new sequined eve ning bag.

The valet opened the car door, and Lily stepped onto the pave- ment. The breeze lifted her skirt, and a man whistled. Lily opened her mouth and then closed it. Why shouldn’t a man whistle? She had to start thinking differently; she was a young divorcée on one of the sexiest coastlines in the world. She shot him a brilliant smile and strode into the lobby.

“Oh, it is gorgeous,” Lily breathed, setting her purse on the ground.

The white marble floors were scattered with blue love seats. Floor- to- ceiling win dows looked out on the harbor, and it was as if she had entered an underwater cave. The wood shutters were blue, and the tiles behind the concierge desk were blue, and the abstract paintings on the walls were splashed with turquoise and gold. And the people! Women with metallic sandals and dan- gling earrings, and arms and legs the color of pennies. The men had cheekbones you only saw in magazines, and skin like honey.

“Hello, I’m Lily Bristol.” Lily approached the front desk. “I have a reservation.”

“Of course, Mrs. Bristol,” a man in a gold uniform greeted her. “Welcome to Sardinia’s Emerald Coast. I trust you had a pleasant trip?”

Lily flashed on her credit cards that were prob ably sitting in bin at Olbia Airport and reminded herself to cancel them and order new ones.

“Yes, thank you. It was an eleven- hour flight, and I’m terribly thirsty.” She nodded. “I would do anything for a bath and a glass of orange juice.”

“Enzo, your butler, will escort you to your suite. He just started his shift, he’ll be here in a minute.” He consulted his computer. “You have the finest accommodation, with a private terrace and a view of the marina.”

“I don’t need a butler.” Lily shook her head. “I have a daughter and I’m used to putting things away. All I want is a soft bed and perhaps a piece of fruit.”

“Enzo will only do what you ask.” The man rang a silver bell and smiled. “You are our guest. We want every thing about your stay to be perfect.”

Enzo opened the door of the suite and Lily walked straight to the terrace. The lush grounds were filled with lime trees and beds of daisies. Fishing boats bobbed in the harbor, and speedboats scud- ded over the waves. And the air! It was balmy and sweet and smelled like the most exotic perfume.

She turned back inside and glanced at the rounded walls and sea foam sofa and win dow seat scattered with silk cushions. There was a coffee table set with a ceramic fruit bowl and a pitcher of iced water.

“My daughter would love this suite. She would line all her dolls on that sofa and serve them lemonade and cookies,” she said to Enzo. “Do you have children?”

My review:

Lily Bristol has just recently signed her divorce papers from her husband of ten years, Oliver when she decides to head to a luxurious resort in Sardinia to see about her business there. However, when Lily arrives she finds a man’s things in her suite and discovers that Oliver has also decided to use the trip that they had booked prior to divorcing.

Luckily for Lily there is an opening at the resort for her to change rooms seeing how Oliver is traveling with his new girlfriend. However unlucky for Lily the new suite is right next door to her ex-husband causing them to cross paths more than once on the trip. Lily becomes determined to continue her trip and even have a good time enlisting the help of her butler Enzo.

Emerald Coast by Anita Hughes is a bit of a different type of romance read as Lily and Oliver are freshly divorced but the book takes the reader on a journey looking back at their relationship and the ten years they had together. Alternating the past between Lily and Oliver and where they are at now in their lives intertwines the story showing just how love can go astray and gives a deeper meaning to the current events in their lives.

I actually enjoyed the characters in the book and had my suspicions on how things would turn out in the end all the while I was reading. The one character complaint that I would make would be I found it a bit odd that Lily was so forgetful in her day to day life but manages a successful business that spans the globe, a bit contradictory there. But making this book also shine was the lovely setting it takes place in, the author does a great job giving the feel of Sardinia bringing the area and customs to life. With the twist of focusing on a divorced couple and the lovely setting I found this one quite unique and an interesting read.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

My rating 4/5 stars

EMERALD COAST: A Novel By Anita Hughes Published by St. Martin’s Griffin **On Sale August 1, 2017** Trade Paperback | $ 15.99 ISBN: 9781250130877| Ebook ISBN: 9781250130884

About the author:

About the Author ANITA HUGHES is the author of Monarch Beach, Market Street, Lake Como, French Coast, Rome in Love, Island in the Sea, Santorini Sunsets, Christmas in Paris, and White Sand, Blue Sea. She attended UC Berkeley’s Masters in Creative Writing Program, and lives in Dana Point, California, where she is at work on her next novel. For more information about Anita and her books, visit anitahughesbooks.com

Additional Praise for Anita Hughes:

“A fabulous escape.” — Booklist on White Sand, Blue Sea

“How OOC could a family drama that’s set in sandy St. Barts get? Very.” — Cosmopolitan on White Sand, Blue Sea

“Anita Hughes has a knack for taking us on a journey to a far-off place and making us feel like we’re on vacation…Get swept away in this story of love and adventure, and don’t forget the SPF!” —PopSugar on White Sand, Blue Sea

“A charming modern-day fairy-tale romance.” —Kirkus Reviews on Christmas in Paris

“Stunning location: check. Beautiful people: check. Romance: of course! Rome in Love…delivers on all three fronts. ” —Huffington Post Books on Rome in Love

“Reading an Anita Hughes novel makes you feel on vacation.” —PopSugar on Island in the Sea

“Hughes has a way of transporting us to the most exotic places with her writing.” —BellaNYC on Santorini Sunsets

“Hughes’ novel will make you feel all warm on the inside, and you may even think the ocean is lapping at your toes with this exotic travel romance. The descriptions throughout will almost have readers feeling like they’ve taken the trip to Spain themselves, and the romance is fierce. ” —RT Book Reviews on Island in the Sea

“Hughes bring her signature combination of haute couture and high-society romance to Paris, adding a touch of magic and allowing us to live vicariously through Isabel as she falls in love in the most glamorous city in the world—and buys labels most women can only dream about. A charming modern-day fairy-tale romance.” —Kirkus Reviews on Christmas in Paris

“Christmas. Paris. Star-crossed lovers. Yup, it’s the perfect holiday read!” —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dashing Through the Snow on Christmas in Paris

“Gorgeously festive and evocative, this is a compelling story filled with characters you truly care about. I adored it.” — Melissa Hill, USA Today bestselling author of The Charm Bracelet on Christmas in Paris

“I was instantly transported back to France, once again strolling the Champs-Élysées, taking in the scents, the sights, the taste of Paris. It doesn’t get any better than falling in love in La Ville-Lumiére, the City of Light, during the most magical time of year. Delicious, delectable, and delightful!” —Donna Kauffman, USA Today bestselling author of Starfish Moon on Christmas in Paris

“Anita Hughes does it again in her latest novel: a love affair with Paris during the most magical time of year, starring a likable, slightly naive heroine everyone is rooting for.” —Booklist on Christmas in Paris

“Delicious!” —Nicola Kraus, New York Times bestselling co-author of The First Affair on Santorini Sunsets

“Hughes takes her readers on a romantic roller-coaster ride of passionate encounters and mixed emotions, all leading up to a brilliant finale of self-discovery and assessing just how far to go for true love.” —Booklist on Santorini Sunsets

I move frequently—but gain no distance.

I am warm, moist, and dark but give no comfort.

I can stretch and shrink, giving or taking at will, bringing both pain and pleasure with each.

“If God wanted you to tie the knot, he’d give you a near-death experience to better appreciate life, along with a craving for procreation. Then he’d smother your soul with the essence of venison, squirrel, frog legs, taters, or beer, to attract a likely counterpart from the sticks. No, wait. The latter has already happened, hasn’t it? Sorry.” Ethan narrowly kept his balance on the green-slicked, handmade bricks leading up the two-story, mauve-colored Victorian. If his 210-pound mass ended up sprawled on the steps, no doubt the picture would be splashed all over the precinct by noon with various unsavory captions.

“Maybe you should try it. The stick up your ass has to cause at least minor discomfort.” Larrick’s early-morning snark was a common greeting.

“Hey, I’m a normal guy.” Ethan glared over his shoulder.

Larrick snorted.

“Still wet from our early-morning storm. Watch your step, it’s slippery.” Scanning the myriad amorphous shadows lurking in the wood line, realization struck that he and his partner were sitting ducks if a sniper perched among the loblolly pine and oak trees lining the front and side yards.

Larrick’s reply came in equal measure of soft tones. “Either that or a large flock of birds dropped in recently to help her redecorate. Great detective work.”

“Bird droppings are—”

“Sought after for facials. Especially the Japanese Nightingale shit.” Larrick grinned.

“Only you would know that.” Ethan adjusted his tie, an acknowledgment of the apprehension filling his mind.

“Are we whispering because your paranoid gut can’t assimilate food well enough to distinguish indigestion from an outside threat? This woman lives alone, gonna think we’re a couple of perverts and liable to shoot us.”

“Word has it she’s a pacifist.”

“Fine. You’re one to talk about signs—dragging my ass to a stranger’s house at this ungodly morning hour. I love knocking on a stranger’s door and asking, ‘Lady, are you all right? We’re police detectives who received an anonymous tip that you might have a hangnail. Perhaps we could lend you a pair of nail clippers…’ then ask if she needs the gutters cleaned.” Derision and humor warred for dominance in Larrick’s tone, yet his sharp gaze continually scanned the perimeter in consideration of his partner’s unarticulated hunch. Yin and yang, they fit together, a clean-cut detective and his partner whose hair length had passed regulation specs weeks ago.

“You know this isn’t the first tip we’ve gotten, not to mention the fact that the other leads were solid and led to arrests. And while we’re at it, why don’t you step to the side? Standard police procedure when approaching an unknown situation.” Ethan turned sideways, standing by the door with his hand poised to knock on the solid oak. He hesitated. Moisture coated his palms, a rare occurrence. Scrutinizing the interior through the narrow sidelights yielded

nothing more than expected. Elegantly upholstered furniture, gleaming hardwood floors, and delicate bric-a-brac adorning the thick mantle and each side table completed the sophisticated picture. “Don’t see any problem. Maybe she’s fallen and can’t get to a phone.”

“You expected an old lady brandishing her curling iron? As for leads, I get mine from three-dimensional people while you get yours from a bunch of ones and zeroes. Why can’t our IT department trace your anonymous texts further than the loony bin? Though that’s probably appropriate since your secret admirer’s last present consisted of a flower basket bigger than my TV along with fur-lined cuffs. I’ve never laughed so hard I pissed myself. I thought that was hogwash, a myth made up by old ladies.” Larrick leaned over the iron railing to peer through the window. “Can’t see squat, bottom sill’s too high.”

“As my partner, you’re supposed to have my back, not stab me in the back. You didn’t have to broadcast it through the whole department by hanging the cuffs from the sprinkler system with a bunch of roses twined in them. Now my brothers won’t let up, and I’ve been subscribed to every kinky magazine known to the publishing world. You think I should know why some whacko chose me for their personal marionette?” Ethan suppressed a shudder before his partner gained more verbal ammunition. If his suspicions were correct, his informant was in fact a beautiful enigma with waist-length, chestnut hair and an emerald gaze capable of melting steel.

“Maybe because you were the youngest to make detective? Rising star, golden boy, and all that shit.”

“No. Probably afraid your redneck ways would rub off on them, or maybe because I’m the biggest sap.” Ethan’s gut rumbled, more of a warning sign from a well-heeled intuition than hunger. “Larrick, this doesn’t feel right.” Behind him, the slide of metal on leather let him know his partner just palmed his Glock. Three years of working together circumvented the formality of dissecting gut reactions.

A creak of leather sole betrayed Larrick’s backtracking to scrutinize the surroundings. “Side windows are lower. I’ll take a look.”

“Hood of her BMW is cold. Didn’t go anywhere recently.” Larrick’s harsh whisper halted a nearby squirrel scampering up a tree, its head cocked to one side while studying the strange human interlopers.

Sunshine warmed the first spring buds on the low shrubbery bordering the walkway to complete the idyllic setting. Nothing but peace and serenity, yet Ethan’s heart hammered against his ribcage like an aggressive punk drummer. With his partner disappearing around the corner, he again scanned the perimeter while the morning’s corrupted equanimity formed a sour wad in his chest. A lazy March breeze combed its cool fingers through his short hair while the deep foreboding received with the initial text message blossomed into multiple horrific scenarios, leaving one of them a corpse, their life’s essence forming macabre shapes on gleaming hardwood floors.

“I see bare feet beyond the kitchen island. Toes up. Probably female.” Larrick’s disembodied whisper just provided probable cause. “Backup?”

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Yesterday by Felicia Yap
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Claire and Mark are a rare mixed marriage in a world that is divided not by race or religion but by how long of a memory you are born with. Claire is a mono, as is most of the population, that can only remember one day of her life at a time. Mark however is a duo and can remember that extra day which makes duos consider themselves better than monos. Every citizen however keeps a daily dairy to study to try to remember that which they forget.

One day a body of a woman is found nearby where Claire and Mark live and soon a detective shows up at the couple’s door looking to talk to Mark. It seems that the victim had written quite a bit about Mark in her diary which is now property of the police and he is brought in for questioning in the woman’s murder. The detective has his own secrets and is insistent he will solve the case in a day with Mark being his primary focus.

Yesterday by Felicia Yap is a bit of mix of fantasy and thriller which really had me intrigued when reading the synopsis. Being one that loves when an author goes a bit out on a limb and tries something a bit different than you normally find I just had to pick this one up and really wasn’t disappointed as I found it a fun one to read.

The story is told from several different POVs, Mark, Claire, the detective on the case, and the also victim through her diary entries. It’s easy to follow along though and fun to see all sides of the story as it developed.

I did however find a few flaws with the book but it really didn’t bother me too much and bring down my enjoyment reading the story. Just in my opinion it could have used a tad more world building in the fantasy side and the thriller side really only had a few options so it isn’t too hard to guess the outcome. However, being that the author took a chance and included both sides in the story I would still recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

More Than This
Clare James
(Impossible Love, #2)
Publication date: November 25th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

MORE THAN THIS is a hot and hilarious STAND-ALONE romance from Clare James’ best-selling Impossible Love Series!

It’s all fun and games…until you live together.

I bite my lip when Foster’s tattoo peeks out from under his shirt. Yes, it is completely cliché. And yes, I do look like some kind of B-list p*rn star lusting after this man and going into heat every time he shows a little skin. But seriously, he is that delicious–which is why I occasionally succumb to his advances.

He’s also one of my best friends, so I really need to get it together.

I’m not the only one. Foster is a mess, trying to figure out his own crap–usually over whiskey Cokes–and it’s getting old. That’s why I’ve finally made a vow to forget him and find something real. But when I’m hurt in a ridiculous bar fight and left with broken bones, I have no choice but to let him move in and help me out.

It’s a roommates only situation. Really…well, until it isn’t.

*MORE THAN THIS is a full-length, stand-alone romantic comedy that can be read on its own, or as part of the Impossible Love Series.*

The Impossible Love Series:

Before You Go – [Noah and Tabby]

More Than This – [Foster and Jules]

Not Without You [Noah and Tabby w/special appearance by Finn Daley]

Talk to Me [Finn and Casey]

Two-Hour Truce [Tristan and Aria]

Never Be Tamed [Michael and Jenna]

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—

EXCERPT:

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I’m pretty sure this one includes every dirty term in the dictionary… and even some that aren’t. Because…whoa!

But it’s not so much a picture that’s currently conjuring up these filthy words as it is a live image, complete with a real-life man. And as I stand in the room, like I have so many times, I assess him as I would any subject—taking in the light and the lines, the colors and composition. My eyes are the lens and I zoom-in to capture every detail. I’ve spent so much time behind a camera that it’s become second nature.

In the case of Foster Sutton, it’s become my favorite pastime.

His tattoo peeks out from under his shirt, and I bite my lip. Yes, it is completely cliché. And yes, I do look like some kind of B-list porn star lusting after this man and going into heat every time he shows a little skin. But seriously, he is that beautiful.

Where’s a camera when a girl needs one?

I want to capture all that deep black ink that spreads across Foster’s toffee-colored skin along his lower left ab. Not that I haven’t seen it before. I have. Actually, I was with him when he got the tribal eagle tattoo. It’s a symbol to remember his dad, though he’s never really embraced his family history, not even after his dad died in junior high. But he’s trying to figure it out now. He’s trying to figure out a lot of things—usually over whiskey Cokes.

I’ve been up close and personal with his markings of guilt on a few occasions. And guilt is precisely what I’m feeling now as I stand here drooling over Foster’s body. It’s more than a bit shady—gawking at him while he’s passed out—but I can’t tear my eyes away.

His shirt is riding up and the fly of his jeans is open, telling me he tried to take off his clothes before passing out. But it looks like the booze won this time. He sent me a text from the bar about an hour ago, incoherent and needy—his telltale signs of being inebriated. Of course, I rushed right over.

When duty calls…

Foster sighs and his eyes flutter open.

“Come here, baby,” he says, reaching for me from a pool of drunkenness.

And I want to, believe me. Oh how I want to, but we’ve played this game too many times before, and what a girl needs is her dignity—not a purse holding her panties while she does the bull-legged walk of shame home in broad daylight.

I skillfully avoid Foster’s grasping arms, knowing I just have to keep away from him for the next few minutes. He always gets a second wind right before passing out completely. Trouble is, I don’t want to stay away. I want to climb in bed and lick him like a Popsicle.

Dignity is overrated anyway.

I want to take away his pain—at least for a little while. But I’ve been trying to do that for the last two years and nothing changes. We never move forward. We never get back to that place we were before the accident. Before everything went to hell.

It’s that thought that helps me pull away from those delectable abs to get the supplies I need. But when I move down the hallway, I swear Foster begins hissing at the sunray beating down on him. I can’t blame him. The afternoon light is annoying me as well. It’s glaring through the apartment as if to say, “Look around, woman! Look at this mess of an apartment, this mess of a man. What are you doing here?”

After I get what I need from the hall closet, I tell the bitchy sunbeam to zip her lip and then close the blinds in the tiny studio. Foster mumbles what I assume is a thank you from the futon. The sorry sack didn’t even wait until nighttime to hit the bar today, and I wonder what set him off because it’s been months since I’ve had to play Nurse Jackie.

I grab his blanket from the floor and drape it over his body, covering that damn tattoo.

There, that’s a little better.

Foster’s place is a dump, but it’s close to campus and it’s all he could afford after our friend, Noah, finally kicked him out last year. I don’t blame Noah in the least, Foster’s act is getting old. Even for me.

“Here, take this,” I tell him from the side of the futon, holding out three Advil and a glass of water.

Foster takes the water glass from my hand and sets it on the bedside table, but instead of downing the Advil like a good patient, he grabs both my wrists and yanks me into the bed with him. The pills fly through the air and he has me pinned under his body in less than a second.

“I’d rather take you,” he growls in my ear, shaking me to my core…in the very best way.

Holy hell.

Author Bio:

Clare James writes steamy contemporary romance and new adult stories, penning more than a dozen novels. Her Entangled Brazen debut, CAUGHT, was a #1 Best-Selling Romance Series, and her books have hit the best seller rank in several romance categories worldwide.

Clare—a fan of spunky heroines, alpha heroes, and super-hot romance—spends most of her time lost in books. When she’s not reading, you can find her locked away writing. Clare is also a former dancer and still loves to get her groove on – mostly to work off her beloved cupcakes and red wine. She lives in Minneapolis with her two leading men, her husband and young son, and is always on social media chatting with readers.

Sign up for Clare James’s newsletter and be the first to hear about new books, bonus content and exclusive offers! http://eepurl.com/6PV7r

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Ash and Quill by Rachel Caine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ash and Quill is the third book of the Great Library series by Rachel Caine. In the first book, Ink and Bone, we are introduced to a world in which The Great Library is in every city and controls the books of the world. Using alchemy to distribute the books those working for the library track down anyone with any in their possession and confiscate the materials. Ownership of books is expressly forbidden and anyone violating this law could even be sentenced to death.

Jess Brightwell’s family has been involved in the black market for books. He’s been raised to be a runner, delivering the books to those willing to pay the price and risk ownership. Jess has been sent to the library by his father to become a spy from the inside. He gets involved in the training only to find himself mixed up in the secrets of the library.

Now in Ash and Quill the story continues onward with Jess and his crew having fled London and finding themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit to the library. They’ve now have a secret among them though in the ability to create a machine that can print books and hopefully break the Library’s rule over them.

While I am still loving reading this series now into the third installment I’ve found that it’s actually going to be a five book series and still feel as I did with the second that Ash and Quill feels the middle of the story and not quite as exciting as the first book did so I hesitated giving it five stars. This is still a great series overall though and will continue to look forward to reading the next two books as they come out.

I also don’t want to be spoilery with my review being right in the middle of the series so I’ll just say that yes I would definitely recommend this series to the young adult fantasy lovers out there. Plenty of action and adventure in this world that Rachel Caine has created and I’m sure by the end Jess and company will be earning the highest rating when I get all the answers to the story I’ve been eagerly awaiting with each addition coming out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.