Movie Night: To all the boys I have loved before

Lara Jean Covey writes letters to all of her past loves, the letters are meant for her eyes only. Until one day when all the love letters are sent out to her previous loves. Her life is soon thrown into chaos when her foregoing loves confront her one by one.

Director: Susan Johnson

Writers: Sofia Alvarez (screenplay by), Jenny Han (based on the novel by)

Stars: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish 

My thoughts:

The book was so sweet, so when this was turned into a movie I had to watch it!

And yes the movie was sweet too. Oh and I loved her clothes, I wish I had dressed like that in HS, sigh.

Condor was great as Lara Jean. I like how the book and movie actually has a present parent, nothing wrong with  Josh Corbin.

The only things that bothered me was that the ending felt rushed, mostly cos I have read the book and knew how long it should take. Oh well, they wanted to wrap things up and it sure has a better ending than the book. But then never explained why Gen was a b*tch. Oh and they totally cut out her love of baking! I loved that about the book.

But anyway, yes it is a teen movie but do watch it :D 

Audio: The Season - Sarah MacLean

Audio CD, 9 pages

Narrator: Gabrielle Baker

Published August 24th 2018 by Tantor Audio (first published March 1st 2009)

YA Historical romance 

For review

My thoughts:

I remember seeing this one long ago, and wanting to read it. Mostly cos it was a YA his rom.

Alex is a smart young woman filled with opinions. Not a good thing when you are about to have your first season. She is headstrong. Has 3 annoying brothers and 2 besties. What more can a girl want.

The two best friends Ella and Vivi sadly do not get enough room in the book. It did feel like this was a novel that should have had follow ups. You know, when Ella and Vivi finds love too. But I say they found it with Alex's brothers...what? I want HEAs since there are no more books ;)

There is also Gavin, the next door neighbor who suddenly is a man, and no longer that 4th pretend brother.

Balls, dresses and drama. Someone is after Gavin (and not to marry him). Of course I still say they should have told their fathers and let it be, but hey, I did say she was headstrong.

I get that it was YA, but she did roll her eyes a bit too much. It felt too teen, too modern, too disrespectful.

Conclusion:
But it was a fun tale and it would have worked just as well as a adult his rom. Just then insert more passion and less eye rolling ;)

Narrator

I do like Baker's voice. She is cheerful! And perfect for YA

Blurb:

Seventeen year old Lady Alexandra is strong-willed and sharp-tongued; in a house full of older brothers and their friends, she had to learn to hold her own. Not the best makings for an aristocratic lady in Regency London. Yet her mother still dreams of marrying Alex off to someone safe, respectable, and wealthy. But between ball gown fittings, dances, and dinner parties, Alex, along with her two best friends, Ella and Vivi, manages to get herself into what may be her biggest scrape yet.

When the Earl of Blackmoor is mysteriously killed, Alex decides to help his son, the brooding and devilishly handsome Gavin, uncover the truth. But will Alex's heart be stolen in the process? In an adventure brimming with espionage, murder, and other clandestine affairs, who could possibly have time to worry about finding a husband? Romance abounds as this year's season begins!

Audio: Bad Reputation - Stefanie London

Audio CD, 11 h

Published August 7th 2018 by Tantor Audio

Bad Bachelors #2

Contemporary romance

For review

My thoughts:

Omg, this Bad Bachelor app is so evil. If you read book 1 then you know. It ruined someone's life. Here the reviews are positive, but if you are trying to put on a show that might fail, then maybe you do not want the press to discuss the size of your private parts instead of your show.

In book 1 we learned who made the app. In this one I got even madder at that person. I can not forgive that person. Enough is enough.

But yes to the book. Wes has a big *beeeep*. Or so the reviews say. He is a good guy. And all he wants is to have his show be a success, on its own merits.

Remy is a dancer who has given up trying to be the dancer she wants to be. She is scared of letting anyone in, and there will be drama. Though, stop and listen woman. Stop and listen!

There is dancing, trying to get ready in time for opening night. And falling in love with someone you maybe should not fall for at this moment. But like they could stop it.

Though listening to it felt long at times cos they talked a lot and sometimes about nothing. That works better in print.

I want to say more about the app creator , but can not. But I guess that person might be a main character in the next book....

Conclusion:

Romance, dancing and a bit of drama.

Narrator: Larissa Gallagher

I felt she was good at times with her voices and range. But I also felt she did not put enough emotion in her narrating.

Blurb:

It's true, Wes is well-endowed. But everything else is a huge misunderstanding . . . Wes Evans, son of Broadway royalty, just wants to achieve something without riding his family's coattails. Too bad the whole world is talking about his sex life after the notorious Bad Bachelors app dubs him "The Anaconda." But when he sees a talented ballet dancer, he knows she is exactly what he needs to make his show a success. Remi Drysdale only had one thought when she fled Australia for New York-never mix business with pleasure again. Ever. Working with Wes is the perfect chance to reclaim her career. Remi promises herself not to tangle with the guy who holds her career in his hands . . . no matter how enticing his reviews are on the Bad Bachelors app. 

TMST: Book Covers

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post on Rainy Day Ramblings where Rainy discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog.

August 28th: Does it bother you when a book cover doesn't fit the characters in the book?

Yes and No.

We will start with no first. No, because sometimes I do not even realise it until someone points it out *headdesk* yes my head is in the clouds. Then someone points it out and I was all what?  That is how much thought I put into how people look in books.

Yes, because it should represent the person in the book. Let me show one example that did bug me.

The beginning. Then her boobs grew, and they still did not get her right. But then, yes, they got it right. Kate finally emerged.

So yes it should matter. Even if I will not always realise it it might not be right.

Edit. Oh I also came to think about small things, cos they bother me too. Like when someone are wearing the wrong clothes for the era, or something the main would never wear and things like that

Joint Discussion: Homegoing - Yaa Gyasi

Hello all! Carole and I will be discussing "Homegoing" by Yaa Gyasi. I am in blue and Carole in purple. 

Author: Yaa Gyasi

Title: Homegoing

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: ebook

Published: June 7th 2016

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, are born into different villages in eighteenth-century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman and lives in comfort in the palatial rooms of Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, her sister, Esi, is imprisoned beneath her in the castle's dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast's booming slave trade, and shipped off to America, where her children and grandchildren will be raised in slavery. One thread of Homegoing follows Effia's descendants through centuries of warfare in Ghana, as the Fante and Asante nations wrestle with the slave trade and British colonization. The other thread follows Esi and her children into America. From the plantations of the South to the Civil War and the Great Migration, from the coal mines of Pratt City, Alabama, to the jazz clubs and dope houses of twentieth-century Harlem, right up through the present day, Homegoing makes history visceral, and captures, with singular and stunning immediacy, how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation. 

This book is a good one for discussions, and even if at least to me it was not amazing. Does not mean it wasn’t good though! It was good, but I also felt it could have been more. But so much better than our other books ;) Finally a good one.

It was pretty good. Not amazing. Just good. There is a lot to discuss for sure. I felt the beginning was the best and I enjoyed it more. The further down the family line we went the less I cared. I think I would’ve flipped the way the story was written. Start with the modern family and go back and save the good stuff for the ending.

Same. I really liked the beginning. I have never read anything set in Africa at that time. I would have loved more there. I also liked the African bits more than the American ones. Mostly again cos I have never read anything set at that time. I felt what was lacking from the American ones were, warmth? Good characters? Some were interesting, while others, not so much. Some got better at the end, but yes, some of those guys were meh.

I have to agree. I didn’t like the American line after the Civil War. It seemed to lose my interest. I enjoyed the other side more. It was more interesting story-wise and character-wise. I’ve read a couple books set over in Africa, but not much. Plus, I did find it more interesting to see how everyone over in Africa dealt with the colonization and dealing with what they did. Loads of shame and guilt! I can’t imagine selling my neighbors off to be slaves. Yes, the British and other white people are asshats, but the ones left behind allowing and even selling their own people is horrible.

It’s good money in selling your enemies, and it is something we do not read about much, as I have never read a book about it. Those are some horrible enemies to have! I liked how some wises up and thought how evil it was. But the darkness of the British, ugh, that one scene were some soldiers go down into the dungeons. What the f was wrong with them!?

That scene made me so angry! Like these women already have enough Hell to deal with. Monsters the load of them. All of them.

I could not get into my head how they could be that effed up, and then go and marry other women from there…

I don’t get it either. But they were considered lessers since they are just now slaves. Being drunk probably was a huge factor too. SMH. Humans are cruel.

I had actually thought we would see more of actual slavery and I was surprised that we did not. Ok so that might be weird to say, but it’s such a big part and there was just one woman and then nothing more cos they got away.

It was strange. I did expect more from there. I’m glad they got away, but I didn’t expect them to. I totally thought they were going to get caught and beat for trying to run away.

Good that someone got away. And I guess she wanted to write about how slaves and free people had to move again cos of that stupid law. Not to mention it did not matter if you were free or not cos someone could just kidnap and sell you.

Very true. Even if you get away it doesn’t make you truly free.

Horrible. No wonder some fled as fast as they could.

What did you think of the ending?

A bit of anti-climactic. I wanted them to know!

Yeaaa...like it was okay, but I felt like there should’ve been more. There was something missing so it didn’t feel complete.

Same. I liked how it came together, but yes I wanted more.

More was needed for the ending and for the later generations. The best part was the beginning. I said that before but the last few chapters left me feeling meh.

Same. She lost some of what made it good there.

I really think she should’ve just done the first couple of generations and left the rest in an epilogue of sorts.I wanted to know more of the earlier generations. How they lived and etc. I didn’t connect with any of the characters except for the first couple of characters.

Yes, I did not connect with...ack what was his name. 6th generation guy in Africa and his daughter. The previous ones were better. And in the US I lost interest with that H guy.

The half-sisters and their kids were my favorites. The rest? Eh.

Still, an interesting book and it could have been fleshed out. I saw that some did not like the whole 14 POVS things, but I did like that, but yes it could have been more like 10 ;)

I could get behind that for sure. Maybe there were just too many so I didn’t get to connect with them as much.

Anything more to add?

Mhmmm...an interesting book and one that would be good to read. It really gives you a new way to look at certain parts of history. I think a series would’ve been fun so we can stretch everything out, but I did enjoy it overall.

Hmm, maybe on the series, but for me the flashes worked well, but the characters not always. I liked the shortness of it all cos the pages flew by.

Valid. I did like how simple and felt quick. It was a quick read and I blew through it without really realizing it was coming to an end. A series might’ve ruined that.

Short and on the point. I like books I can breeze through. I totally needed that. I mean it took only 2 days and I have no time to read these days so…

It took me 3 days which is pretty quick since it was like 300 pages. Darn work always getting in the way ;) Yes. Quick, simple, but packed with a lot of stories that make you think.

The make you think things were good. And yes again, I want to read more books set in Africa in the 1700s

Shall we wrap things up, there is poop that has to be taken care of…

Yessss I need to find our water shoes for the up north trip. Ugh. Goodness knows where those are at X_X A good discussion! The end?

The end ;)

About the Authors

Carole and Blodeuedd have been blogging a long while now. The last couple of years the epic duo have been discussing books, watching movies, and even wetting the pen and sharing their stories with the worldwide web. They both love cats, chocolate, and a good story.

Saturday Movie with Carole: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Hello everyone! This month Blodeuedd and I are reviewing, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. 

I am in red and Carole in blue.

Title:  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Romance

Running Time: 2 hr & 4 min

Rating: PG - 13

Released: 2018

In the aftermath of World War II, a writer forms an unexpected bond with the residents of Guernsey Island when she decides to write a book about their experiences during the war.

TRAILER: 

DISCUSSION: 

WOhoo, I picked a good one!!! All bow before me!

*bows* I am so happy this was good!

Told you ;) Well, ok I hoped it would be good cos the book was fantastic! Ack so good! You have to read it. I am glad they made a good movie then too :)

I do not think I read the book but the movie was so good.

It does feel weird when I can compare, and in that aspect the book was better cos it was different and told through letters. Which obvi would not work here ;) They did manage to do it well though by sending her to Guernsey. But one point that I hoped for in the book did not come through as much here. Ok ok, so I knew what had happened, but I also felt that IT was obvious hint hint.

I loved that they sent her there. She was able to connect with everyone face-to-face. I did feel bad for Mark tho…

Yes, poor Mark, he loved her, but….come on, he did not stand a chance.

Yessss but poor guy. Took it like a champ too. Kuddos, but yeah...I get it, but I still was team Mark.

In the book I was clearly Team Else, but here, damn that ring! And the roses! And that last kiss. For what? I fear I really liked Team Mark too.

Else was awesome in his own ways and it would be fun to read books with him and him be interested in them, BUT Mark was so sweet. Sighs. Oh well.

Mark will find someone who appreciates him more, like he could fall in love with her publisher. Yes Mark found out he did not like women after all.

Really???? See. One thing about books...there is SO much more stories and info in it. LOL.

Lol, well I liked her publisher, he was cute. He needs a HEA too. Ok we have only talked about Mark so far, must think of something else.

LOL love how Mark took over there. But yes. I must say I liked how there was that one character that Elizabeth was in love with (will not say - so there is no spoiler) and it makes you think. It added complexity to the story. Ugh. So hard not to spoil it to make my ramblings make sense. LOL

I had managed to forget that. It was after all, long ago. But yes, everything is not black and white. There is a lot of grey. Though I would have liked more info, now it was more bam...ok, when did that happen?

Yesss I would’ve liked to see more of them. So sad...super sad.

I remember hoping, even though I knew. So sad. Though I did not cry, you said you cried somewhere?

I did. I so did cry when the big reveal was told at the table. Oooo emotions.

Aw, yes, maybe cos I already knew it spoiled it a bit for me. Still sad!

Probably, but everyone’s reactions got me. Even Mark was upset (hehehe Mark slips in again). It broke my little heart!! Maybe it was because I had hope and all my hope was dashed and exploded and UGH! I am tearing up just thinking of it again!

Omg, you are so in love with Mark!! But he was one fine man. Here’s to you Mark!

Here here!! xD Else was great too. I liked the old guy a lot too (can’t remember his name) and the crazy lady who made the gin (god - I can’t remember her name). I want her to have an HEA too. Poor thing.

I think she got a HEA, she did have a flirt going with someone if you remember. But yes the old guy and his grandson were lovely. I can not say I was that keen on the old lady. And of course the pig farmer was very nice too.

I do remember, but then she said she didn’t like anyone in town. Awww she deserves one. That old lady annoyed me. Yes, she lost her daughter...but she was so bitter. She did have some funny lines. LOL

I think she fancied him, I like happiness :)

But yes the old lady was SO bitter. Everyone lost someone. They all had to try to move on. But then there has to be someone who was bitter. At least she was still a good person and not like that piece of S#it “hotel owner” that she meets.

Ah! Yes. I forgot about that hotel lady. WHAT A WITCH! Ugh! How dare she. Calls herself a woman of god. >_> I’m glad she got a good tongue-lashing. Also, that one dude who liked to turn people in for money. Piece of trash. I’m surprised they didn’t run his traitor butt out once the Nazis left.

Ugh, yes, throw him off the island!

Horrible, horrible man. But that shows how kind-hearted those islanders are overall. They allowed him to stay. I do want to live there (of course after the Nazis leave XD). It would be fun I think. It was so beautiful!

It did look really wonderful! And you know, I did not even know that the Germans took over Channel island during the war before I read that book.

I honestly didn’t know either. When the move first started, I thought we were in France and then I realized that it wasn’t. Was that a real place? Goodness. Even though I spent so much time studying WWII in High School and College...I still learn something new all the time. Such a big war. I do not think we’ll ever know everything about it.

Yes G and Jersey, but then how could we know. Yes we both learned about WW2, but obvi you learned more about the US efforts while I learned more how we fought Russia.

The war certainly took over the whole war. Even countries NOT involved still was involved in some shape or form. Craziness!

They should make more movies or whatever about it, it feels like people just forgot that they were occupied too. We are missing interesting things here, and surely sad ones too.

Agreed. And it does make sense why England was SO invested and wouldn’t quit. I honestly cannot imagine having to go through an occupation like that. This movie/book really showed a part of occupation people forget about. The people who take over can get rid of all the books and literature they deem not appropriate. How many books burned!! As a book lover I cannot imagine having to get rid of certain books or not having access to the library anymore. It is so trivial compared to everything going on, but it is an important part of society and culture. The Nazis took so much.

Not the books! Books, art, everything the stole and that was lost. Sometimes I forget how evil humankind can be. And I have not even started to think about genocide yet. We really are a despicable race aren’t we :(

We really can be. So much hatred, so many bad things happen because of us. The movie really showed that BUT it also showed the love we can create. The kindness especially from Elizabeth. I adored her. She even jumped out in front of the soldiers and yelled at them. She was so brave! She really was a symbol of the goodness in humanity. She risked her life over and over again to do kindness. She stood for love.

I thought they would kill her right there,  I was surprised they didn’t. And yes I loved how brave she was, when no one else seemed to be.

I thought about that too. Maybe it was because she yelled at them in English and those foot soldiers didn’t understand? She got lucky indeed. The old lady played it off well. Or maybe they gave a hair of lieway and didn’t want to cause a riot during their ceremony march? Who knows.

Yes true, better not kill anyone during their victory march. Plenty of time for that later.

You can bet for sure she was on their radar after that…

Sorry bby puked on me. Waaaait

EEEK!

Ok, I am back! She did not like all this nazi talk it seemed.

Anything more to add, the puke made me forget anything I had on my mind.

Gross. LOLLL But do you blame her??? Nazis make me wanna puke too.

But err….erm….all I have to say this was a good movie. I loved the story and the characters (even the bitter ones). It was worth the watch even if you haven’t read the book. Laughs, love, sadness, books, and pie.

Yes watch it, read it, or do both. Worth every way possible :) I had thought I had to wait a long time, I thought it was to be a cinema movie, but to all netflix fans out there. Go get it

Yesss! Super good.

Your pick next time then

Oh dear...how on Earth will I find a good one?? LOL! This is hard to beat!!! You picked too well this month!

Haha, thank you. One good movie a year, just like one good book a year.

Hehehe. I think that is how it goes. We each get one really good movie and book for the year. XD

The end then?

The end!

Age of Assassins - RJ Barker

Paperback, 408 pages

Published August 1st 2017 by Orbit

The Wounded Kingdom #1

Fantasy

Own

My thoughts:

This book has me wondering, the state of the land! I so need more info, I honesty think that was my fav part. Yes that is me, getting stuck in the worldbuilding. But it was just so interesting! The land is gone to hell, magic seem to cause it. And then they bleed people into the land too! Messed up, please tell me more.

Girton is an assassin. He has a clubfoot. He is so easily overlooked. Poor guy, he really wanted some friends. Anyway, yes we follow him as he tries to find out who wants this piece of shit of a prince dead. All I am saying let someone kill that prince. He deserves it. 

His master, Merela, works in the shadows, and all I am saying here is that a book about her earlier days would be so interesting!

Right, he pretends to be someone else, meets people, looks for baddies and learns a lesson or two.

The end seemed to come to quickly. This book was short! I can't believe I am saying that, but yes it was short.

Conclusion:

It was an interesting start and I do want to read more about Girton, maybe he will even do some assassin stuff then ;)

Cover

dull

Blurb

To catch an assassin, use an assassin...

Girton Club-foot, apprentice to the land's best assassin, still has much to learn about the art of taking lives. But his latest mission tasks him and his master with a far more difficult challenge: to save a life. Someone, or many someones, is trying to kill the heir to the throne, and it is up to Girton and his master to uncover the traitor and prevent the prince's murder. 

In a kingdom on the brink of civil war and a castle thick with lies Girton finds friends he never expected, responsibilities he never wanted, and a conspiracy that could destroy an entire kingdom. 

Audio: Wild Hunger - Chloe Neill

Narrator: Suzanne Elise Freeman ▾

Audible Audio, 11 h

Published August 14th 2018 by Tantor Audio

Heirs of Chicagoland #1

UF

For review

My thoughts

I have only read 3 Chicagoland books, but I did feel like it did not matter. This is after  24 years after those finished. Sure they talk about things from the past, but it is the present that matters.

Elisa is the daughter of two vampires. But vampires can not have children...Magical stuff happened and she was born, with something lurking in her soul. Ok so the thing inside of her was a secret and I found that silly. Her parents saved the city in 13 books, but she can not tell them this huge thing..ok. Instead she ran away to Paris (but hey who wouldn't run away to Paris!)

Now she is back with French vamps so that Europe can have peace, just like Chicago. But drama! Someone does not like that idea. Murder and mayhem ensured.

She meets her BFF again.

She meets her childhood nemesis, hunky wereprince Connor.

She meets this cool guy who she decides at once is perfect friend material.

And of course there are her parents (but to be fear, I only read 3 of their books so I did not get the feels) Others will def get all the feels.

I did like Elisa, and she was kick-ass, but the same time not. I am not saying every heroine has to be kickass, but they have to have a brain, and I felt she was saved way too often. All because she never stopped to think. Reckless is not cool. And it's not like oh she is young, other people that are young saves her ass. I hope she shapes up and does not have to be saved by men all the time. 

Conclusion:
I did enjoy the tale and I liked the baddie. But yes I hope Elisa grows a brain.

Narrator

Her vice sounded so familiar, but no, I have not listened to her before. It so bothered me. It felt like I had listened to many of her books before. But hey, that must be a good thing. If you are at ease with the narrator at once.

Cover

Cool

Blurb

In the first thrilling installment of Chloe Neill's spinoff to the New York Times best-selling Chicagoland Vampires series, a new vampire will find out just how deep blood ties run. As the only vampire child ever born, some believed Elisa Sullivan had all the luck. But the magic that helped bring her into the world left her with a dark secret. Shifter Connor Keene, the only son of North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, is the only one she trusts with it. But she's a vampire and the daughter of a Master and a Sentinel, and he's prince of the Pack and its future king. 

When the assassination of a diplomat brings old feuds to the fore again, Elisa and Connor must choose between love and family, between honor and obligation, before Chicago disappears forever. 

Foundryside - Robert Jackson Bennett

Paperback, 503 pages

Expected publication: August 23rd 2018 by Jo Fletcher Books (first published August 21st 2018)

Founders #1

Fantasy

For review

My thoughts:

Bennett certainly do not have your typical fantasy world. No, I do not know what I would call it. It's more like industrialized fantasy (now you think do you mean steampunk? No, I do not.) Here he created a world were well basically it's kind of like computers and coding. They use magic and sigils and get objects to do what they want. Like having a door not open. Like having carriages drive themselves. And there is even a "super computer", but at the same time not. Because all magic and writing. This is a city ruled by Merchant Houses and they hold the keys.

First, the history of this place sound so interesting! There used to be this "race" of people that destroyed the world and now they know nothing. But of course being foolish as they are they have reinvented the wheel and use magic again. Basically going down the same road again. But hey, life is so much easier that way..right?!

To the story. Sancia is a 20 year old thief who has lived a hard life and this score will settle her for life. What could possible go wrong? Like she could know that she is about to steal something incredible powerful. Which of course will have many hunting for her. And no, I could not really figure things out, the what is happening at the ending threw me for a loop. Actually make that three things. I never saw them coming.

I liked Sancia and her, ahem, friend. She had heart. As for other characters, well I do not want to ruin it all, but this one person really grew on me. And omg that twist! I should have seen it coming, but did not. This other person stood out more at the end and it will certainly make for more interesting things to come. Ok, can I be more vague ;) I just want to let the pieces come together without you knowing. No one is really bad or good, they are humans, they are grey. 

The ending was one of those, calm before the storm. It was very calm, but this huge storm is brewing. And I did like that I could leave the book like this without dying this instant for more. I mean of course I want more, but cliffhangers are too evil. I want to breathe and then jump back in. As for what the future has in hold for this series....I honestly do not know. With some books you can tell, but with this one, nope. He keeps those secrets close.

This truly is a book to read and discover for your own, words fail me to describe this intricate world and magic system.

Conclusion:

Great new and interesting world with hidden depths.

Blurb:

Sancia Grado is a thief, and a damn good one. And her latest target, a heavily guarded warehouse on Tevanne’s docks, is nothing her unique abilities can’t handle. 

But unbeknownst to her, Sancia’s been sent to steal an artifact of unimaginable power, an object that could revolutionize the magical technology known as scriving. The Merchant Houses who control this magic--the art of using coded commands to imbue everyday objects with sentience--have already used it to transform Tevanne into a vast, remorseless capitalist machine. But if they can unlock the artifact’s secrets, they will rewrite the world itself to suit their aims. 

Now someone in those Houses wants Sancia dead, and the artifact for themselves. And in the city of Tevanne, there’s nobody with the power to stop them. 

To have a chance at surviving—and at stopping the deadly transformation that’s under way—Sancia will have to marshal unlikely allies, learn to harness the artifact’s power for herself, and undergo her own transformation, one that will turn her into something she could never have imagined.