Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Not quite as good as the first book, this nonetheless brings Susan more firmly into focus.
adventurous
mysterious
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Who doesn't love an adventurous chase scene and battle followed by tea and cake? I love the attention given to fun clothes and setting details.
Also, Merlin and Susan are perfect.
Also, Merlin and Susan are perfect.
It was...ok. Took a long time to get into it, and I found the ending lackluster. Not sure I would read a third in the series.
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Had trouble getting into this book at first. The premise was great, and I had fun along the way. Perhaps it was me? Or I needed a refresher from the previous book at the beginning. I will still read the next one.
2024 Lodestar Award finalist for Best YA Book
2024 Locus Awards finalist - Young Adult Novel
This is a fairly standalone book, with a few nonessential references to the first book of the series, and not having read that book, I was not at all lost or confused by this book. The main characters are three "booksellers", Merlin, Vivien, and Susan, which is basically code for paranormal investigators sanctioned by the UK government. These three are all in their early 20s, it seems, so I'm not sure why the book is categorized as YA--probably more of a marketing tool since Nix's previous works are in the YA arena. The writing style is light and breezy, but I don't think that by itself makes this a YA book. This book reminded me a great deal of Charles Stross's Laundry Files series, but without as much snark and satire. There are several action set pieces in the book, but there are also long sequences where not much happens, and where lots of tea and cake are consumed. The story is set in a slightly altered 1983 (with some short flashbacks) Bath, England, where a malevolent entity is poised to rise on the Winter Solstice. There's some chaste romance and more than a bit of danger included.
2024 Locus Awards finalist - Young Adult Novel
This is a fairly standalone book, with a few nonessential references to the first book of the series, and not having read that book, I was not at all lost or confused by this book. The main characters are three "booksellers", Merlin, Vivien, and Susan, which is basically code for paranormal investigators sanctioned by the UK government. These three are all in their early 20s, it seems, so I'm not sure why the book is categorized as YA--probably more of a marketing tool since Nix's previous works are in the YA arena. The writing style is light and breezy, but I don't think that by itself makes this a YA book. This book reminded me a great deal of Charles Stross's Laundry Files series, but without as much snark and satire. There are several action set pieces in the book, but there are also long sequences where not much happens, and where lots of tea and cake are consumed. The story is set in a slightly altered 1983 (with some short flashbacks) Bath, England, where a malevolent entity is poised to rise on the Winter Solstice. There's some chaste romance and more than a bit of danger included.
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No