Monday, August 18, 2014

REVIEW: Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee

 

"In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret...  When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since...  Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her...  Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power."


MY GOODREADS REVIEW
This novel has everything I look for in a YA Fantasy story. The author gives a solid history base for the world, no-nonsense physics rules for the environment, original images, just the right amount of description for the setting to light the reader's own imagination, undercurrents of social and moral statements, tears from my own eyes, some lighthearted laughable moments, intrigue, and well fashioned flirt and tease romantic scenes (quiet and sensual, no grunting and groping). The ending of the story will rip you up more than once, and you will also say, "I didn't see that coming!", multiple times. I do not like books where I have to go back and search for descriptions of characters to remember who, or what, they were. Lee's secondary characters were so well written I didn't have to re-read once. I was also amazed at the number of twists she was able to weave into the last few chapters. I am going to have a giant-sized book hangover for days. I was happy to stumble upon a pre-release ebook copy from Amazon's Read It First program. This is my honest review. FAVE THINGS: The Grays, and Lee's make you tingle romance scenes, and I'm not a romance person.


*I told one of my blogging buddies, when I couldn't put the book down and finished ahead of her on our buddy read, "The ending is going to make your head EXPLODE!!!!"

* Ms. Lee managed to make me full on snot cry, twice.

* Semi-spoiler... I do not like stories about certain types of immortals (no not vampires), but I was a fair way into the book when she dropped them on me and made me like them, I mean REALLY like them.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

THE LABYRINTH 
"In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe."
THE GRAYS
THE VOID
THE FOG
THE ROOMS
"My house is a place of forgotten things."
THE BLOOD
THE THREADS



*Animated cheetah gif credited to CHASE STUDIOS*

7 comments:

  1. I really really need to finally sit down with this book and read it start to finish!! Your review has made me even more curious about what immortal beings there might be!
    Fantastic spoiler free review!!

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    1. Thanks! I don't put spoilers in my reviews, ever, because I feel they are more for people who haven't read a book yet, than for people who have. I had to add the immortals hint in there because I wanted readers to know she managed to make them so unique I couldn't help but like them!

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  2. I'm so glad you love this one! My copy will be here next week and I'm excited to get it. :) I'm really curious about that ending now. . . .

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    1. The ending leaves you wanting more immediately, like yesterday if that were possible. ARCs and pre-release review copies are nice, but then there is an even longer wait for the next one. I wonder if she plans any novellas. Hmm... Thanks for dropping in. I hope you love this book as much as I do. :)

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  3. I have seen this book floating around the internet but I have to admit I have never really looked at it (other than to admire that petty cover)! However your view makes it sound like a great read (thank you for sharing your passion) I always love a book with forbidden magic with romance and twists. might just have to be added to the to-buy list!

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    1. This is still my top YA Fantasy/Dystopian. It has really stood the test of time with me!

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  4. This sounds amazing!! I'm quite picky about the magic books I read, but I'll definitely have to look into this one. Especially with that gorgeous cover.

    Thanks for sharing!!

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