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The Librarians #1
Secrets of the Catalogue
Emerson Blackwell’s world shattered the night her mother perished when their cottage in Maine burned to the ground. Unable to face her new reality, Emerson booked a one-way train to New York City. For eight years, she found solace in New York's bustling streets and tried to forget the trauma of her past, but it all comes rushing back when she discovers a hidden library deep within the heart of the city.
Guided by the cryptic Librarian, Ezekiel Glasberg, Emerson discovers that the books from this Library are not ordinary reading material. They are portals to parallel universes and the Library’s Catalogue allows readers to physically enter its books.
Inside one of the books, Emerson encounters her mother, Iris, and learns that she didn’t die in that fire eight long years ago. Iris reveals that the Catalogue is governed by The Central Library, which has been pursuing her for publishing supposedly dangerous and unsanctioned books.
Emerson finds herself thrown into an adventure where the books she reads often become too real for comfort and she is forced to confront her tragic past. Along the way, she rekindles a romance with her first love, who reveals that he is working with Emerson’s mother against The Central Library. However, tensions rise when Emerson finds herself drawn to the son of The Central Library’s Head Librarian.
It’s up to Emerson to determine whether her mother is a villain pushing dangerous books into the Catalogue, or whether The Central Library has something to hide.
Secrets of the Catalogue is an epic tale of adventure, love, and the clash between fiction and truth.
Guided by the cryptic Librarian, Ezekiel Glasberg, Emerson discovers that the books from this Library are not ordinary reading material. They are portals to parallel universes and the Library’s Catalogue allows readers to physically enter its books.
Inside one of the books, Emerson encounters her mother, Iris, and learns that she didn’t die in that fire eight long years ago. Iris reveals that the Catalogue is governed by The Central Library, which has been pursuing her for publishing supposedly dangerous and unsanctioned books.
Emerson finds herself thrown into an adventure where the books she reads often become too real for comfort and she is forced to confront her tragic past. Along the way, she rekindles a romance with her first love, who reveals that he is working with Emerson’s mother against The Central Library. However, tensions rise when Emerson finds herself drawn to the son of The Central Library’s Head Librarian.
It’s up to Emerson to determine whether her mother is a villain pushing dangerous books into the Catalogue, or whether The Central Library has something to hide.
Secrets of the Catalogue is an epic tale of adventure, love, and the clash between fiction and truth.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 15, 2023
597 people are currently reading
1684 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 278 reviews
September 21, 2023
I received this as an e-ARC. I truly loved the concept. I came in knowing a bit not too much. The book was very easy to get into. I’m excited for people to explore this world in October.
What I Liked
Wow, that concept! I loved the premise of Librarians being guardians and the whole social commentary about banned books. The world jumping was also such an interesting thing, specially considering that I loved the book “Book Jumper.”
I also enjoyed how easily the author pulled the reader in. The librarian setup and hierarchy is also very interesting. And the gargoyles had me chuckling.
What I Didn’t Like
Chapters were a bit too long for my liking as well as paragraph structure. It’s nice to give some spacing for readers and pauses that could provide the story with those breaths of anticipation. For example, if we are talking about a scene of action. If it all in one paragraph it will middle. BUT
If you give it a paragraph break it provides that moment of suspension before next action.
Lastly, there were some things that were simply explained away in dialogue and I would have liked for the author to spend more time really developing the richness of her world and show us.
Overall I’m looking forward to the next installment. It is a very good concept and an enjoyable one! I recommend this series!
What I Liked
Wow, that concept! I loved the premise of Librarians being guardians and the whole social commentary about banned books. The world jumping was also such an interesting thing, specially considering that I loved the book “Book Jumper.”
I also enjoyed how easily the author pulled the reader in. The librarian setup and hierarchy is also very interesting. And the gargoyles had me chuckling.
What I Didn’t Like
Chapters were a bit too long for my liking as well as paragraph structure. It’s nice to give some spacing for readers and pauses that could provide the story with those breaths of anticipation. For example, if we are talking about a scene of action. If it all in one paragraph it will middle. BUT
If you give it a paragraph break it provides that moment of suspension before next action.
Lastly, there were some things that were simply explained away in dialogue and I would have liked for the author to spend more time really developing the richness of her world and show us.
Overall I’m looking forward to the next installment. It is a very good concept and an enjoyable one! I recommend this series!
Want to read
January 25, 2025******
Pre-review - nabbed for FREE from amazon.com on 15/1/25. Thanks to the Fussy Librarian email blast putting it on my radar 🤓
Part of their blurb that caught my eye:
Emerson Blackwell discovers she can enter the books she reads into parallel universes. Along the way, she discovers the Library publishing the books is banning books from the Catalogue under the guise of safety. However, a rival faction has begun publishing the banned books even though the Library is hunting them down
A book about books with Portals....YES PLEASE 🤩
Hopefully this is a finished series as I may have snapped up all 3 🤞🏼🫠
Pre-review - nabbed for FREE from amazon.com on 15/1/25. Thanks to the Fussy Librarian email blast putting it on my radar 🤓
Part of their blurb that caught my eye:
Emerson Blackwell discovers she can enter the books she reads into parallel universes. Along the way, she discovers the Library publishing the books is banning books from the Catalogue under the guise of safety. However, a rival faction has begun publishing the banned books even though the Library is hunting them down
A book about books with Portals....YES PLEASE 🤩
Hopefully this is a finished series as I may have snapped up all 3 🤞🏼🫠
July 7, 2025
This is by far my favourite series.
October 14, 2023
From the very first page this book had me hooked. Everything is not as it seems in this one. This book has such a unique and special magic system. We follow Emerson who stumbles across a street that appears to be hidden from everyone else but her. Emerson discovers that the books from this Library are not ordinary reading material. They are portals to different realms and worlds and the Library’s Catalogue allows readers to physically enter its books.
The escapism of this book is unmatched! Not only is this a fantasy this book really leaves a lot to the imagination.
The whole time while reading I instantly thought of Franny’s Feet the cartoon. This absolutely reminded me of this cartoon 🥹
I loved entering all the different stories and discovering all the wonderful creatures each story held. We met fairies, pixies, giant bears you can ride, dwarves. The list goes on
I really enjoyed the relationship between Emerson and Adrien and I’m excited to see where it goes in the next instalment.
I will say I feel like the chapters were too long and I think I would’ve enjoyed it a bit more of the chapters were shorter. I know this is absolutely a personal preference.
I would’ve liked a little more backstory to the characters and the library itself but I’m sure we will get that as the series progresses
There’s also a cheeky love triangle
I will definitely be continuing with this series
Rating:
4.5 stars but goodreads doesn’t recognise .5 increments so this rating has been marked up
The escapism of this book is unmatched! Not only is this a fantasy this book really leaves a lot to the imagination.
The whole time while reading I instantly thought of Franny’s Feet the cartoon. This absolutely reminded me of this cartoon 🥹
I loved entering all the different stories and discovering all the wonderful creatures each story held. We met fairies, pixies, giant bears you can ride, dwarves. The list goes on
I really enjoyed the relationship between Emerson and Adrien and I’m excited to see where it goes in the next instalment.
I will say I feel like the chapters were too long and I think I would’ve enjoyed it a bit more of the chapters were shorter. I know this is absolutely a personal preference.
I would’ve liked a little more backstory to the characters and the library itself but I’m sure we will get that as the series progresses
There’s also a cheeky love triangle
I will definitely be continuing with this series
Rating:
4.5 stars but goodreads doesn’t recognise .5 increments so this rating has been marked up
May 8, 2025
⭐4.25, maybe ⭐4.5
While walking through NYC late at night, Emerson accidently stumbles upon a hidden library. This special library is not for everyone. The books are special, and one in particular calls out to Emerson. When she goes home to read the book, she falls into the book, literally. Emerson finds herself in a library talking to her mom, Iris, who died eight years ago, or so she thought. Her mother tells her that the library she's visited hold books that allow librarians to enter into the worlds inside them. The Central Library isn't what it seems. Iris has been working behind their back to publish dangerous fictional books. Emerson needs someone to teach her the ways of the librarians. Adrien Moon takes it upon himself to show her the ropes. They emerge into worlds within the pages, finding lost books and saving worlds. Things can't be exactly as good as they seem, Emerson questions the validity of the central library and how her mother and ex-boyfriend have been working as the bad guys. There's only one way she can get answers, and it's not something Adrien would approve of.
I loved the idea of this book. Being called into a library and a book choosing you, making it possible to portal into another world. Fascinating. The book was a little short for me. It could have easily been a 1000-page novel you eat up in one day, so I feel like there's a lot more to the story that I need to read in the next books. There are not a lot of back stories to a lot of the characters, I'm assuming things will unfold eventually. It's a bit of a possible love triangle to come. It has kissing but no further spice as of yet. It has enough mystery and fantastical worlds that pull you back in, wanting to know what will happen next.
While walking through NYC late at night, Emerson accidently stumbles upon a hidden library. This special library is not for everyone. The books are special, and one in particular calls out to Emerson. When she goes home to read the book, she falls into the book, literally. Emerson finds herself in a library talking to her mom, Iris, who died eight years ago, or so she thought. Her mother tells her that the library she's visited hold books that allow librarians to enter into the worlds inside them. The Central Library isn't what it seems. Iris has been working behind their back to publish dangerous fictional books. Emerson needs someone to teach her the ways of the librarians. Adrien Moon takes it upon himself to show her the ropes. They emerge into worlds within the pages, finding lost books and saving worlds. Things can't be exactly as good as they seem, Emerson questions the validity of the central library and how her mother and ex-boyfriend have been working as the bad guys. There's only one way she can get answers, and it's not something Adrien would approve of.
I loved the idea of this book. Being called into a library and a book choosing you, making it possible to portal into another world. Fascinating. The book was a little short for me. It could have easily been a 1000-page novel you eat up in one day, so I feel like there's a lot more to the story that I need to read in the next books. There are not a lot of back stories to a lot of the characters, I'm assuming things will unfold eventually. It's a bit of a possible love triangle to come. It has kissing but no further spice as of yet. It has enough mystery and fantastical worlds that pull you back in, wanting to know what will happen next.
November 2, 2025
I received an ARC of this book, which does not affect my review. Thank you to the author and Booksirens for the chance to read this book.
How I would love to come upon a library with magic books that you jump into… literally. Well, I guess that isn’t realistic, but it was exciting to follow Emerson, who falls into a book in The Central Library, which she comes across one night. Having escaped to NYC after traumatic events in her old hometown, she has been struggling for several years. I always am intrigued when I meet a character at a low point in a novel because I wonder how their journey will unfold. Emerson’s is no different when she discovers books that allow those who open them to travel to different universes. Emerson begins to also learn that what she thought about her family and past may not be all true, and things grow even more confusing as Emerson needs to figure out who is good and who is bad.
It was exciting to travel with Emerson is different places, to unravel the mystery, and to read a book where books are a source of magic. There is even a fairytale like component to certain scenes with fairies like Bigglywick who remind me of creatures you might see in classic fairytale stories or movies. Personally, I felt like I was carried along at a relatively even pace, even if there might have been one or two times where things went a little too quickly for me. Admittedly, I tend to enjoy novels that are not too fast paced, so this could be my own preference.
I especially loved the beginning of the book. As it went on, there were some issues I began having that prevented me from enjoying it as much as I would have liked, even though I did enjoy it overall. This is a fairly short to medium length book, though on the shorter side for fantasy. I feel the length made it so we did not get as much insight into some of the characters or themes as we could have. For example, I would have really liked more insight into characters like Silas’s history, especially because it is made clear that he and Emerson have a past. And yet Emerson does not really ask things, which seems odd because she has spent so much time upset and obsessing over this relationship. At the same time, the romance and love triangle can overshadow what is supposed to be the main story. I always like romance if it supplements the story, but in this case, it overtook it. Not in the sense of Emerson trying to uncover high stakes questions at hand, but simply pining over Adrien and bantering with Silas. Sometimes, it detracted from the plot in a way that made the book seem younger than I believe it was intended to be.
In the end I look favorably upon this book and I would recommend it depending on one’s preference for romance versus fantasy. I really loved the beginning, and while I got a little tired of the romance as the book went on and I was yearning for some of the forward momentum of the plot that I felt earlier, I think it is very much worth the read. Especially if you enjoy fantasies with romance that feels a little more front and center. I am curious how the main plot at hand will evolve throughout the series and I would be interested to read more and see.
How I would love to come upon a library with magic books that you jump into… literally. Well, I guess that isn’t realistic, but it was exciting to follow Emerson, who falls into a book in The Central Library, which she comes across one night. Having escaped to NYC after traumatic events in her old hometown, she has been struggling for several years. I always am intrigued when I meet a character at a low point in a novel because I wonder how their journey will unfold. Emerson’s is no different when she discovers books that allow those who open them to travel to different universes. Emerson begins to also learn that what she thought about her family and past may not be all true, and things grow even more confusing as Emerson needs to figure out who is good and who is bad.
It was exciting to travel with Emerson is different places, to unravel the mystery, and to read a book where books are a source of magic. There is even a fairytale like component to certain scenes with fairies like Bigglywick who remind me of creatures you might see in classic fairytale stories or movies. Personally, I felt like I was carried along at a relatively even pace, even if there might have been one or two times where things went a little too quickly for me. Admittedly, I tend to enjoy novels that are not too fast paced, so this could be my own preference.
I especially loved the beginning of the book. As it went on, there were some issues I began having that prevented me from enjoying it as much as I would have liked, even though I did enjoy it overall. This is a fairly short to medium length book, though on the shorter side for fantasy. I feel the length made it so we did not get as much insight into some of the characters or themes as we could have. For example, I would have really liked more insight into characters like Silas’s history, especially because it is made clear that he and Emerson have a past. And yet Emerson does not really ask things, which seems odd because she has spent so much time upset and obsessing over this relationship. At the same time, the romance and love triangle can overshadow what is supposed to be the main story. I always like romance if it supplements the story, but in this case, it overtook it. Not in the sense of Emerson trying to uncover high stakes questions at hand, but simply pining over Adrien and bantering with Silas. Sometimes, it detracted from the plot in a way that made the book seem younger than I believe it was intended to be.
In the end I look favorably upon this book and I would recommend it depending on one’s preference for romance versus fantasy. I really loved the beginning, and while I got a little tired of the romance as the book went on and I was yearning for some of the forward momentum of the plot that I felt earlier, I think it is very much worth the read. Especially if you enjoy fantasies with romance that feels a little more front and center. I am curious how the main plot at hand will evolve throughout the series and I would be interested to read more and see.
October 14, 2023
This title caught my eye immediately and I was very excited to read it. I loved the concept of librarians with the ability to transport themselves between their books and the real world as they please.
The story begins with Emerson and I found her to be relatable as this story immediately pulls you in. Throughout the book she begins to discover many secrets that have been kept from her over the course of her life and, understandably, she now struggles with who to trust between two opposing sides. The mystery of it all was very enjoyable. There was a light amount of romance and a hint of a love triangle, but the focus was on the fantasy and drama aspects. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
I'd like to learn more about the librarian hierarchy and each of the characters in the future. Overall, this was a very good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story begins with Emerson and I found her to be relatable as this story immediately pulls you in. Throughout the book she begins to discover many secrets that have been kept from her over the course of her life and, understandably, she now struggles with who to trust between two opposing sides. The mystery of it all was very enjoyable. There was a light amount of romance and a hint of a love triangle, but the focus was on the fantasy and drama aspects. I'm very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
I'd like to learn more about the librarian hierarchy and each of the characters in the future. Overall, this was a very good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 11, 2025
I give 3.5 stars but round up to a 4
Secrets of the Catalogue is the first book in a series that follows Emerson, a woman living in Brooklyn who finds out she’s part of an exclusive organization who can fall into the worlds written in books.
It is full of mystery, secrets, and the beginnings of a possible love triangle.
I admit I wasn’t captivated from the beginning. The first few chapters are pretty slow and it took me until about chapter 4 to start getting into it.
Her thoughts and feelings towards Silas are really confusing at the beginning and seem a bit unrealistic in general. You don’t know much about him at the start except that he’s a guy she was apparently dating who ended up ghosting her for the last few months. She’s pretty obsessed about it and her best friend is getting annoyed with her over it.
When you finally start learning more about him later, you find out he’s a guy she’s actually known her entire life but, even though they’re about 26, they had only started dating what seems like a couple months before he disappeared off the face of the Earth. This is a guy she describes as them being inseparable since they were 5 and who even uprooted his life and followed her to NY when she left Maine…..8 years ago. Idk the whole thing with them just seemed unbelievable.
The other issue I had was the inconsistencies. There were some errors (wrong/misspelled words, descriptions and actions that contradicted each other, etc) that would throw me out of the story while I was reading.
These are the reasons I give a 3.5 star.
Overall though this is a pretty great story! I love the premise, the intrigue, the suspense.
The banter between Emerson and Adrien is great and I love their interactions! It even adds some wonderful angst wondering what’s going to happen between them as Emerson starts unwinding the mystery of her mother’s past and her connection to Adrien’s mom.
This book does end on a cliff hanger, but I personally think it was a great point to end on and makes you want to run to get the next book. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
Definitely recommend reading this book.
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily)
Secrets of the Catalogue is the first book in a series that follows Emerson, a woman living in Brooklyn who finds out she’s part of an exclusive organization who can fall into the worlds written in books.
It is full of mystery, secrets, and the beginnings of a possible love triangle.
I admit I wasn’t captivated from the beginning. The first few chapters are pretty slow and it took me until about chapter 4 to start getting into it.
Her thoughts and feelings towards Silas are really confusing at the beginning and seem a bit unrealistic in general. You don’t know much about him at the start except that he’s a guy she was apparently dating who ended up ghosting her for the last few months. She’s pretty obsessed about it and her best friend is getting annoyed with her over it.
When you finally start learning more about him later, you find out he’s a guy she’s actually known her entire life but, even though they’re about 26, they had only started dating what seems like a couple months before he disappeared off the face of the Earth. This is a guy she describes as them being inseparable since they were 5 and who even uprooted his life and followed her to NY when she left Maine…..8 years ago. Idk the whole thing with them just seemed unbelievable.
The other issue I had was the inconsistencies. There were some errors (wrong/misspelled words, descriptions and actions that contradicted each other, etc) that would throw me out of the story while I was reading.
These are the reasons I give a 3.5 star.
Overall though this is a pretty great story! I love the premise, the intrigue, the suspense.
The banter between Emerson and Adrien is great and I love their interactions! It even adds some wonderful angst wondering what’s going to happen between them as Emerson starts unwinding the mystery of her mother’s past and her connection to Adrien’s mom.
This book does end on a cliff hanger, but I personally think it was a great point to end on and makes you want to run to get the next book. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
Definitely recommend reading this book.
(I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily)
April 10, 2025
I absolutely loved this book - the magic system is unlike anything I’d read before and I think it definitely leans into the rhetoric at the moment around banned books! The concept of this book was so appealing to me - librarians being able to transport into the world of their books! This is something I think every reader wishes they could do!
I loved the relationship developing between the main characters and I am interested to see where this leads moving into the next books.
I love that the book seems to leave you with more questions that it answers and leaves you wanting to read the next book!
The only reason it did not receive 5 stars for me was that it at times felt that certain parts were a little long and a few chapters were long. But the book is brilliant and I would highly recommend.
I received an electronic advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved the relationship developing between the main characters and I am interested to see where this leads moving into the next books.
I love that the book seems to leave you with more questions that it answers and leaves you wanting to read the next book!
The only reason it did not receive 5 stars for me was that it at times felt that certain parts were a little long and a few chapters were long. But the book is brilliant and I would highly recommend.
I received an electronic advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 15, 2025
This was such an interesting premise. Travel via magical books into magical worlds. There’s a big mystery of who and what to trust amongst the librarian world, which I enjoyed. I still don’t know who to trust lol. And it ends on a cliff where you are dying to know more/ find out what happens.
Such a fun idea and story!!
Such a fun idea and story!!
April 1, 2024
I bought this book solely based on the author’s reading of a 2-star review she received on it. And I’m so glad I did.
This is a fun and strange ride. It has all of the alluring elements, from fae to magic to heartache and convenient new interest. There’s betrayal and vices. There’s reconnection and uncovered truths.
I walked away with more questions than answers, but I suppose that just means I need book 2 when it comes out.
This is a fun and strange ride. It has all of the alluring elements, from fae to magic to heartache and convenient new interest. There’s betrayal and vices. There’s reconnection and uncovered truths.
I walked away with more questions than answers, but I suppose that just means I need book 2 when it comes out.
August 31, 2023
Great read, throws you right into the story. The pacing of the book was pretty good, there certainly weren’t any lulls where you are waiting for something to happen. The book certainly borrows from other fantasy, but in a way that I was completely okay with due to it being for smaller worlds. Definitely left me with a lot of questions which I am hoping are addressed in the next book. What makes one librarian more ‘powerful’ than another, beyond position in The Central Library it doesn’t go into what makes the librarian themselves powerful. Absolutely looking forward to the next book, into seeing how the world continues to build, how relationships Emerson has with pretty much everyone work out, and how her life map continues to grow!
*I received a copy of this book as an ARC by the author for my honest thoughts and review.
*I received a copy of this book as an ARC by the author for my honest thoughts and review.
March 28, 2025
I Loved the concept! Not what I expected at all which honestly made the book even better, it's gave me a hint of chaos throughout which made it an easy and fun read I'm looking forward to see what happens next in Foundation.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 4, 2023
This was a dark, horror based fantasy, with disgusting elements like cannibalism and blood sacrifice. The banned books were nightmare worlds and even the book they traveled into was filled with creatures out to kill, and dark people/fae.
Even the main character lacked a moral compass. They break into a shop to steal alcohol (alcoholism being a repetitive theme in this book) and she has no qualms about it.
Between the alcohol abuse, leaving clubs with strangers, and everything above, this book isn’t a positive influence.
The idea of book jumping is great, if only they went to more worlds, and those worlds weren’t sinister. The pacing of the book was quite fast, and the kiss between her and Adrien hadn’t fully developed to understand why he liked her. The only element I liked was when they were in the fae palace.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Even the main character lacked a moral compass. They break into a shop to steal alcohol (alcoholism being a repetitive theme in this book) and she has no qualms about it.
Between the alcohol abuse, leaving clubs with strangers, and everything above, this book isn’t a positive influence.
The idea of book jumping is great, if only they went to more worlds, and those worlds weren’t sinister. The pacing of the book was quite fast, and the kiss between her and Adrien hadn’t fully developed to understand why he liked her. The only element I liked was when they were in the fae palace.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 24, 2023
For those who love a tangled tale with magic and mystic, tension, lies, mystery and a cliffhanger.
Adventure into other worlds littered with fantastical beast including fairies, dwarves, giants, centaur like beings and huge fierce yet friendly bears.
The concept that chosen people, with the moniker Librarians, are gifted with the ability to magically transport to a different realm within books, forms the foundation of this tale.
Emerson is licking her wounds after a long term relationship which comes to a confusing conclusion. She’s in a slump. Working as a waitress, living in a scummy, rodent infested flat, she barely has the motivation to get out of bed.
One night, she is drawn towards a mysterious bookshop where she feels the pull of a large tome. The title, Secrets of the Catalogue, opens the door to discovering her magical attributes and her purpose as a Librarian.
Emerson discovers her abilities are inherited from her mother, who she lost at a young age. Her mum however, was something of a rebel, questioning the societies rules and regulations causing her to be cast out and shunned.
Emerson needs to find where her loyalties lie, she needs to sift through the stories and smokescreens to determine where she believes the truth stands. A love triangle adds to her discombobulated affairs.
I received this book as an ARC
Adventure into other worlds littered with fantastical beast including fairies, dwarves, giants, centaur like beings and huge fierce yet friendly bears.
The concept that chosen people, with the moniker Librarians, are gifted with the ability to magically transport to a different realm within books, forms the foundation of this tale.
Emerson is licking her wounds after a long term relationship which comes to a confusing conclusion. She’s in a slump. Working as a waitress, living in a scummy, rodent infested flat, she barely has the motivation to get out of bed.
One night, she is drawn towards a mysterious bookshop where she feels the pull of a large tome. The title, Secrets of the Catalogue, opens the door to discovering her magical attributes and her purpose as a Librarian.
Emerson discovers her abilities are inherited from her mother, who she lost at a young age. Her mum however, was something of a rebel, questioning the societies rules and regulations causing her to be cast out and shunned.
Emerson needs to find where her loyalties lie, she needs to sift through the stories and smokescreens to determine where she believes the truth stands. A love triangle adds to her discombobulated affairs.
I received this book as an ARC
April 27, 2024
This was easily one of my favorite readings of the year so far but I am unwell at the fact that I have to wait to continue the series. I was swept up into a bibliophiles greatest desire, the ability to travel to and immerse themselves in books! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I would consider giving up vital organs for that ability.
This book has everything my heart longs for; secret library societies, family secrets, dangerous worlds, and a delicious love triangle. My favorite part is that I have no idea whats going to happen in the continuing of the series. I have my favorite characters, of course, but the betray and heartbreak I can already anticipate is tangible.
I am impatiently waiting for the next book.
Thank you to Booksirens for allowing me to enjoy this early.
December 24, 2024
Overdue Secrets
I was really looking forward to this series about a secret society of librarians who catalog reality and alternate worlds. So much could have been done with the idea of being able to travel through alternate realities by dropping into books. Especially considering how well The Author described the few worlds our hero visited.
Instead what we got was a romance novel where all the conflict involves a struggle for control of the Library.
The Library is such a great idea, with endless possibilities. Instead we sit and watch endless back and forth of Emerson with her wanna be boyfriends, each of whom represents a different faction of those struggling to control the Library.
I call this the Titanic syndrome. The story of the Titanic is massive, with great sacrifice, heroism and drama. Then James Cameron makes a movie centered on a fictional romance, trivializing the importance of the history of the Titanic. Ruined the story.
Secrets of the Catalogue was not ruined, it IS a good book. But it could have been so very much better if The Author had focused on the Catalogue itself and not wasted time on Emerson’s boy problems.
Chers!
I was really looking forward to this series about a secret society of librarians who catalog reality and alternate worlds. So much could have been done with the idea of being able to travel through alternate realities by dropping into books. Especially considering how well The Author described the few worlds our hero visited.
Instead what we got was a romance novel where all the conflict involves a struggle for control of the Library.
The Library is such a great idea, with endless possibilities. Instead we sit and watch endless back and forth of Emerson with her wanna be boyfriends, each of whom represents a different faction of those struggling to control the Library.
I call this the Titanic syndrome. The story of the Titanic is massive, with great sacrifice, heroism and drama. Then James Cameron makes a movie centered on a fictional romance, trivializing the importance of the history of the Titanic. Ruined the story.
Secrets of the Catalogue was not ruined, it IS a good book. But it could have been so very much better if The Author had focused on the Catalogue itself and not wasted time on Emerson’s boy problems.
Chers!
December 21, 2024
This book was an immersive breath of fresh air! It took a few pages to adjust to the writing style (a personal thing), but after that I was completely sucked into this beautiful story! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. There are twists and turns, betrayal, and so much fun and exciting exploration into new worlds! I’m so happy I was able to read this book. As far as romance goes, there is great slow burn / multiple potential love interests and great tension! An unexpected 5 star from me!
September 27, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
This was an enjoyable fantasy read. Initially, the writing seemed to have a dark, eerie tone that I hadn't expected, and I instantly felt a connection with the main character. Once I started turning the pages, I couldn't stop. This book is dedicated to book lovers, which I appreciated. The ending is somewhat ambiguous, so I would be interested in reading the sequel.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.
This was an enjoyable fantasy read. Initially, the writing seemed to have a dark, eerie tone that I hadn't expected, and I instantly felt a connection with the main character. Once I started turning the pages, I couldn't stop. This book is dedicated to book lovers, which I appreciated. The ending is somewhat ambiguous, so I would be interested in reading the sequel.
Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.
January 12, 2025
Wow! What an interesting and adventurous premise for a book. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and can’t wait to read the next one!
Being such an avid reader, the ability to jump into different worlds via the books is a lifelong fantasy. Reading this gave me Magic Treehouse vibes. I read those books when I was a child and this series brought me right back to the adventure I’d sought every time I cracked the cover. The characters are dynamic and the mystery surrounding the catalogue has me on the hook! Absolutely loved it! Top notch works building with just the right amount of detail to help me picture the otherworldly details but not too much to where I started to skim.
Being such an avid reader, the ability to jump into different worlds via the books is a lifelong fantasy. Reading this gave me Magic Treehouse vibes. I read those books when I was a child and this series brought me right back to the adventure I’d sought every time I cracked the cover. The characters are dynamic and the mystery surrounding the catalogue has me on the hook! Absolutely loved it! Top notch works building with just the right amount of detail to help me picture the otherworldly details but not too much to where I started to skim.
October 11, 2023
I received this book as an ARC reader for it. I would give this book a rating of 3.75 stars out of 5 stars. It has a great concept, a good start of entering the world of the Librarians, and secrets that get turned over throughout the story, make you wonder who the true villain is in the story.
I liked how the author grabbed my attention from the beginning by throwing us into Emerson’s world however, I would have liked to have seen just a little bit more of her life before she discovered the Catalogue. For example, I would’ve liked to have seen what Silas was like before he discovered the banned books and was able to compare his behavior to before and after so I could understand a little bit more of why Emerson felt he was more dangerous than before.
I do like the love triangle that’s happening. Although at this point in time I need to see more interactions between Emerson and both male characters to determine who I ship her more with and I’m hoping to get that in the next book.
I felt like the book was well paced. I do wish the author was a little bit more descriptive when it came to the appearance of characters and places due to the fact that at times it was hard for me to picture things that were happening in the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the concept of a character being able to literally dive into books she’s reading (what a dream come true to be able to do that!). The cliffhanger it leaves you on is torturous and leaves you with so many questions that I truly hope are answered in the next book!!
I liked how the author grabbed my attention from the beginning by throwing us into Emerson’s world however, I would have liked to have seen just a little bit more of her life before she discovered the Catalogue. For example, I would’ve liked to have seen what Silas was like before he discovered the banned books and was able to compare his behavior to before and after so I could understand a little bit more of why Emerson felt he was more dangerous than before.
I do like the love triangle that’s happening. Although at this point in time I need to see more interactions between Emerson and both male characters to determine who I ship her more with and I’m hoping to get that in the next book.
I felt like the book was well paced. I do wish the author was a little bit more descriptive when it came to the appearance of characters and places due to the fact that at times it was hard for me to picture things that were happening in the story.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and the concept of a character being able to literally dive into books she’s reading (what a dream come true to be able to do that!). The cliffhanger it leaves you on is torturous and leaves you with so many questions that I truly hope are answered in the next book!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2026
Thank you to Victory editing netgalley coop for providing this ARC 🤍
Well, I absolutely loved this. I really appreciated the fast pace; you get right into the story. Maybe even too fast for some but that's how I like it. I loved the universe. I'm always a fan of magical libraries. It's not terribly original, but here it was executed very well. It was exciting visiting different worlds and while they all felt a bit cliché, they were painted vividly and I'm looking forward to discovering more in the next book. It had several tropes I'm not necessarily a huge fan of (love triangle! forced proximity!) but somehow it didn't bother me because I was just so engrossed in the story. One thing however that's my pet peeve in fantasy books is ~dark, mysterious~ names and unfortunately this book is very guilty of that: Silas Rathbone, Iris Blackwell, Atalanthya Moon... *deep sigh* it's fine the characters were interesting but honestly books immediately lose points from me when they have such names. It's a very minor flaw though because it was honestly a delightful read and I'm looking forward to the next one. Especially with that ending!
Well, I absolutely loved this. I really appreciated the fast pace; you get right into the story. Maybe even too fast for some but that's how I like it. I loved the universe. I'm always a fan of magical libraries. It's not terribly original, but here it was executed very well. It was exciting visiting different worlds and while they all felt a bit cliché, they were painted vividly and I'm looking forward to discovering more in the next book. It had several tropes I'm not necessarily a huge fan of (love triangle! forced proximity!) but somehow it didn't bother me because I was just so engrossed in the story. One thing however that's my pet peeve in fantasy books is ~dark, mysterious~ names and unfortunately this book is very guilty of that: Silas Rathbone, Iris Blackwell, Atalanthya Moon... *deep sigh* it's fine the characters were interesting but honestly books immediately lose points from me when they have such names. It's a very minor flaw though because it was honestly a delightful read and I'm looking forward to the next one. Especially with that ending!
October 2, 2023
I wish I could give infinite stars to this brilliant book that kept me engaged from cover to cover!! In my opinion, it's a book that should be included in all libraries as it revolves around the essence and the immense power of books.
The reader follows Emerson, a seemingly ordinary contemporary girl, who has set off on a self-healing journey that becomes a fast-paced adventure in pursue of truth, regarding both her family's tragic past and the perils lurking around every corner she turns.
The dynamics of the characters' interaction and relationships are fascinating! The artful language of the author entwines love, romance, fantasy as well as real life elements and unique enchanting universes to create a new epic book!!
It's been an honour to be among the first people who read it!!! I can't wait to relish the rest of the series!! Please, do yourself a favour and read it!!
The reader follows Emerson, a seemingly ordinary contemporary girl, who has set off on a self-healing journey that becomes a fast-paced adventure in pursue of truth, regarding both her family's tragic past and the perils lurking around every corner she turns.
The dynamics of the characters' interaction and relationships are fascinating! The artful language of the author entwines love, romance, fantasy as well as real life elements and unique enchanting universes to create a new epic book!!
It's been an honour to be among the first people who read it!!! I can't wait to relish the rest of the series!! Please, do yourself a favour and read it!!
October 11, 2023
I was sent this book as an E-arc in return for my honest review.
Going into this book I can honestly say I didn’t know much about it. It starts off jumping right into the main character’s life and paints the picture of a dismal existence.
Emerson (the main character) is quickly thrown into a scenario that will rock her to her core. She finds out that her entire life has been a series of lies/secrets.
The book was very detailed in creating the worlds within the books, but I feel like the ending was just getting the book really started. You were just getting to know some answers and building the suspense and it was over!
No answers, only more questions. I understand there will be at least one more book, but I wish that this book would have ended with more answers instead of a straight cliff.
Going into this book I can honestly say I didn’t know much about it. It starts off jumping right into the main character’s life and paints the picture of a dismal existence.
Emerson (the main character) is quickly thrown into a scenario that will rock her to her core. She finds out that her entire life has been a series of lies/secrets.
The book was very detailed in creating the worlds within the books, but I feel like the ending was just getting the book really started. You were just getting to know some answers and building the suspense and it was over!
No answers, only more questions. I understand there will be at least one more book, but I wish that this book would have ended with more answers instead of a straight cliff.
October 11, 2023
*4.75 stars
I read the ARC of this book and all I want to do is read the second book right now! I am not a fantasy person but I actually loved the world building and the descriptions of scenery was so detailed and vivid I was imagining beautiful places in my mind. This idea is so creative and unique and learning everything as the main character learns is so fun!!! One of my best reads of 2023 by far
I read the ARC of this book and all I want to do is read the second book right now! I am not a fantasy person but I actually loved the world building and the descriptions of scenery was so detailed and vivid I was imagining beautiful places in my mind. This idea is so creative and unique and learning everything as the main character learns is so fun!!! One of my best reads of 2023 by far
April 27, 2024
I was lucky enough to ARC read this book and WOW. I absolutely loved it. Fantasy, romance (spice-free), suspense, and mystery are all weaves beautifully throughout this story. The author creates gorgeous images in her world building and makes you feel like you are with the characters in their adventures. Great character development and multifaceted plot. Highly recommend! I absolutely loved it! I just really need the next one to come out…..like NOW!!!
September 12, 2023
I received this book as an e-arc and I am so honored I got to read it before it is published in October. The prose throughout this book was beautiful.
The book follows the FMC Emerson who has had a traumatic past that started with the untimely death of her mother in a house fire on Christmas. After which her fathers mental state truly never recovered.
Emerson and her childhood best friend Silas moved from their town in Maine to New York City. At the beginning of this book we learned they had a relationship but after a mysterious illness Silas no longer wants Emerson in his life and she does not take this well.
One day when she was running to catch the subway a mysterious man with onyx eyes and gold tattoos that she swore moved held the door for her as they were closing. She couldn’t get that man out of her head and swore she saw him while she was at the a club before proceeding to walk home. However she notices something is clearly eerily off about the part of town she is walking in there is no traffic and no people and she stumbles across a shop with books and lit by torches.
The next day she is drawn back to that shop almost like she is pulled there by some otherworldly force. While in there she notices this is not your typical bookshop and recognizes no titles but feels compelled to pick up a book titled the Central Library. When she finds the owner he seems to by surprised by her name and tells her this is not a bookshop but rather a library.
Back home when she proceeds to read the Central Library but instead finds herself sucked into the book itself like she has fallen into another world. All the Emerson has known about her past is completely shattered when a familiar figure finds her. She thought her mom was dead but low and behold her mom has been living a life full of secrets and deception.
Emerson learns that she is what they call a librarian and when people like her read books from the catalogue rather than sitting in one’s living room and reading a story you are pulled into that universe and are immersed in that world that exists in those pages.
Throughout this book Emerson explores worlds with the help of fellow librarian Adrian Moon the onyx eyed man from the train. He is somewhat of a mentor for her teaching her how to enter and exit the worlds of books. However upon encountering her mother in the Central Library Emerson knows that some books are banned from the central libraries catalog that these worlds are fictional and dangerous for librarians to explore. When one visits a forbidden world their tattoo life map is tainted with a red tattoo instead of gold and the more worlds you visit the more you map will be affected.
Emerson doesn’t know who she can fully trust her mother who has come back into her life, who runs a sect of librarians who believe that no worlds should be banned and that these books should be published no matter how dark and dangerous they are. Or Adrian Moon and the rest of the librarians who are loyal to the Central Library. Both seem to have secrets they are hiding from her that she is only beginning to unravel.
The book is full of beautiful imagery, parallel universes, and magical/mythical beings and creatures. If you love a fantasy romance book that has a love triangle, forbidden romance, rivalries, found family, the one bed trope and a cliffhanger ending you will love this book.
The book follows the FMC Emerson who has had a traumatic past that started with the untimely death of her mother in a house fire on Christmas. After which her fathers mental state truly never recovered.
Emerson and her childhood best friend Silas moved from their town in Maine to New York City. At the beginning of this book we learned they had a relationship but after a mysterious illness Silas no longer wants Emerson in his life and she does not take this well.
One day when she was running to catch the subway a mysterious man with onyx eyes and gold tattoos that she swore moved held the door for her as they were closing. She couldn’t get that man out of her head and swore she saw him while she was at the a club before proceeding to walk home. However she notices something is clearly eerily off about the part of town she is walking in there is no traffic and no people and she stumbles across a shop with books and lit by torches.
The next day she is drawn back to that shop almost like she is pulled there by some otherworldly force. While in there she notices this is not your typical bookshop and recognizes no titles but feels compelled to pick up a book titled the Central Library. When she finds the owner he seems to by surprised by her name and tells her this is not a bookshop but rather a library.
Back home when she proceeds to read the Central Library but instead finds herself sucked into the book itself like she has fallen into another world. All the Emerson has known about her past is completely shattered when a familiar figure finds her. She thought her mom was dead but low and behold her mom has been living a life full of secrets and deception.
Emerson learns that she is what they call a librarian and when people like her read books from the catalogue rather than sitting in one’s living room and reading a story you are pulled into that universe and are immersed in that world that exists in those pages.
Throughout this book Emerson explores worlds with the help of fellow librarian Adrian Moon the onyx eyed man from the train. He is somewhat of a mentor for her teaching her how to enter and exit the worlds of books. However upon encountering her mother in the Central Library Emerson knows that some books are banned from the central libraries catalog that these worlds are fictional and dangerous for librarians to explore. When one visits a forbidden world their tattoo life map is tainted with a red tattoo instead of gold and the more worlds you visit the more you map will be affected.
Emerson doesn’t know who she can fully trust her mother who has come back into her life, who runs a sect of librarians who believe that no worlds should be banned and that these books should be published no matter how dark and dangerous they are. Or Adrian Moon and the rest of the librarians who are loyal to the Central Library. Both seem to have secrets they are hiding from her that she is only beginning to unravel.
The book is full of beautiful imagery, parallel universes, and magical/mythical beings and creatures. If you love a fantasy romance book that has a love triangle, forbidden romance, rivalries, found family, the one bed trope and a cliffhanger ending you will love this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
Imagine discovering that you can enter books and experience their worlds. What a dream—or is it?
The story follows Emerson, a 26-year-old woman living in New York for the past eight years, after losing her mother in a house fire, and her father succumbing to a catatonic state soon after. One night, after going out with her best friend, attempting to distract herself from a painful breakup with her long-term boyfriend, Emerson comes across a hidden library in the city.
The next day, intrigued, she visits the library and takes a book home. When she begins reading it, she is transported to The Central Library, where she meets her very much alive mother. Emerson learns her mother is a librarian and part of a secret society that steps into parallel universes catalogued within books. However, her mother is also a fugitive and the founder of The Foundation, a group that writes, hides, and steps into banned books.
The story then revolves around Emerson learning about her past, the secrets of each society and trying to find her path to the truth.
I loved the premise of this book, its imaginative world and story.
Amelia's writing is captivating, and you can appreciate her incredible storytelling skills. She keeps you engaged, and the vivid world-building makes you wish you could get yourself lost in it. However, the pacing felt off, at times. For example, there are two instances where the MC is in parallel universes, and the events unfold too quickly. With the worlds and characters that are explored, these moments could have been further explored.
I still have many unanswered questions about the plot, which I hope will be addressed in the next books. For example, aside from the Guardians, I don’t fully understand the role of the Librarians. How are they trained? How do they locate these parallel universes when access is only through books in the Catalogue? What exactly do they write about these worlds? Additionally, why are the mentioned worlds exclusively fantasy or sci-fi?
Whst about the banned books? Were these books imagined, written, and somehow brought to life? Are they fiction, or are they real? How is this possible, and where do they originate?
Yes, I known, maybe I should just enjoy it and not ask too many questions, but this is how my brain works when I'm reading.
I enjoyed the main character’s personality. Her take and cautious approach to both sides narratives felt authentic and relatable. There are too many "truths" and questions. That said, I wish there had been more interactions with the side characters, and their relationships explored, to fully grasp their dynamics and depth. For example, she only has about 3 encounters with her so-called mentor. Moreover, for.mex there wasn't enough details about her previous romantic relationship or her relationship with her mother. I hope the next books delve deeper into this.
While there’s a potential love triangle in the series, I still feel there wasn’t enough development for me to root for anyone yet.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this story, world and plot, and I believe it has enormous potential. This book ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to jump into the next one.
The story follows Emerson, a 26-year-old woman living in New York for the past eight years, after losing her mother in a house fire, and her father succumbing to a catatonic state soon after. One night, after going out with her best friend, attempting to distract herself from a painful breakup with her long-term boyfriend, Emerson comes across a hidden library in the city.
The next day, intrigued, she visits the library and takes a book home. When she begins reading it, she is transported to The Central Library, where she meets her very much alive mother. Emerson learns her mother is a librarian and part of a secret society that steps into parallel universes catalogued within books. However, her mother is also a fugitive and the founder of The Foundation, a group that writes, hides, and steps into banned books.
The story then revolves around Emerson learning about her past, the secrets of each society and trying to find her path to the truth.
I loved the premise of this book, its imaginative world and story.
Amelia's writing is captivating, and you can appreciate her incredible storytelling skills. She keeps you engaged, and the vivid world-building makes you wish you could get yourself lost in it. However, the pacing felt off, at times. For example, there are two instances where the MC is in parallel universes, and the events unfold too quickly. With the worlds and characters that are explored, these moments could have been further explored.
I still have many unanswered questions about the plot, which I hope will be addressed in the next books. For example, aside from the Guardians, I don’t fully understand the role of the Librarians. How are they trained? How do they locate these parallel universes when access is only through books in the Catalogue? What exactly do they write about these worlds? Additionally, why are the mentioned worlds exclusively fantasy or sci-fi?
Whst about the banned books? Were these books imagined, written, and somehow brought to life? Are they fiction, or are they real? How is this possible, and where do they originate?
Yes, I known, maybe I should just enjoy it and not ask too many questions, but this is how my brain works when I'm reading.
I enjoyed the main character’s personality. Her take and cautious approach to both sides narratives felt authentic and relatable. There are too many "truths" and questions. That said, I wish there had been more interactions with the side characters, and their relationships explored, to fully grasp their dynamics and depth. For example, she only has about 3 encounters with her so-called mentor. Moreover, for.mex there wasn't enough details about her previous romantic relationship or her relationship with her mother. I hope the next books delve deeper into this.
While there’s a potential love triangle in the series, I still feel there wasn’t enough development for me to root for anyone yet.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this story, world and plot, and I believe it has enormous potential. This book ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait to jump into the next one.
January 7, 2025
Emerson moved to New York following the sudden and heartbreaking death of her mother, who was tragically caught in their house fire. 8 years later, she stumbles on a hidden library, in which she meets eclectic Ezekiel. Upon taking a book home, she appears that the books from this library aren't just your average reading material - but actual portals to the realms within. In one such novel is where Emerson finds her mother - who faked her death all those years ago to escape the Central Library. She also finds herself trapped in a love triangle - between her childhood love and the son of the Central Library's Head Librarian. Emerson must forge her own path to determine if her mother is actually the criminal the Central Library makes her out to be, or if they are using her as a scapegoat to cover up their own wrong doings.
I think the premise of this is so interesting! How many of us have wished that we could transport ourselves to the fantastical worlds we read about? Well, Emerson gets to do just that! I also really liked the idea that there's a Central Library - in charge of what gets published and is accessible to the Guardians (essentially the portal or book jumpers) and the librarians (those who run the libraries). Are they really not publishing specific books for the safety of their guardians and librarians, or are there more nefarious reasons they're keeping them out of the public? That's for them to know, and Emerson to find out!
I also think Spencer did a really good job describing the few realms that we visited with Emerson. We visited an Icy Tundra, a Woodland Fae realm, and even the Central Library itself - and her descriptions were like we were actually there. We are told that Emerson visited many different books and worlds to practice her ability to jump in and out of books, but I wish we got more on that. We instead focused on her relationship with her mentor - Adrien, who is son of the Head Librarian trying to discredit Emerson's mother. While I did really enjoy the budding relationship with Adrien, and then the little love triangle with her childhood love Silas, I think we focused a little too much on these relationships and how they represent each side or faction of the Library. Adrien is a loyal follower to his mother and the Central Library, whereas Silas was trained by Emerson's long lost mother and has actually been inside her banned books. I think the exploration of the 2 men and the "good vs evil" thing is fun and definitely something that needed to be explored in this book, but I think it was at a hinderance to the world-building. The kindle edition is less than 300 pages long so Spencer definitely had room to expand, and I'm hoping that she does this in the next 2 books as they appear to be almost 500 pages (according to their GR listings).
All in all this was a very enjoyable read, and I'm excited to get back into this world and Emerson's story! Thank you to the author, Amelia Spencer, and to BookSirens for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
I think the premise of this is so interesting! How many of us have wished that we could transport ourselves to the fantastical worlds we read about? Well, Emerson gets to do just that! I also really liked the idea that there's a Central Library - in charge of what gets published and is accessible to the Guardians (essentially the portal or book jumpers) and the librarians (those who run the libraries). Are they really not publishing specific books for the safety of their guardians and librarians, or are there more nefarious reasons they're keeping them out of the public? That's for them to know, and Emerson to find out!
I also think Spencer did a really good job describing the few realms that we visited with Emerson. We visited an Icy Tundra, a Woodland Fae realm, and even the Central Library itself - and her descriptions were like we were actually there. We are told that Emerson visited many different books and worlds to practice her ability to jump in and out of books, but I wish we got more on that. We instead focused on her relationship with her mentor - Adrien, who is son of the Head Librarian trying to discredit Emerson's mother. While I did really enjoy the budding relationship with Adrien, and then the little love triangle with her childhood love Silas, I think we focused a little too much on these relationships and how they represent each side or faction of the Library. Adrien is a loyal follower to his mother and the Central Library, whereas Silas was trained by Emerson's long lost mother and has actually been inside her banned books. I think the exploration of the 2 men and the "good vs evil" thing is fun and definitely something that needed to be explored in this book, but I think it was at a hinderance to the world-building. The kindle edition is less than 300 pages long so Spencer definitely had room to expand, and I'm hoping that she does this in the next 2 books as they appear to be almost 500 pages (according to their GR listings).
All in all this was a very enjoyable read, and I'm excited to get back into this world and Emerson's story! Thank you to the author, Amelia Spencer, and to BookSirens for the e-ARC. All opinions are my own.
June 11, 2025
The world building in this book is wonderful. It is most certainly the best written sections. There is a lot of descriptive detail of the places, and the background characters and species fill it out nicely.
The library system is also interesting, and not too complex but not too simple. If anything, there could be more background provided, but it’s still great. The system borrows small things from other fantasy style stories, library related and otherwise. This is appealing to me as there’s a sense of familiarity to the rules of ‘magic’ or the ‘worlds’, while still remaining uniquely portrayed.
The characters are where it starts to go downhill. Especially when they are in the real timeline. It feels like all the work went into scenes in the other ‘book’ worlds and these sections were left as last minute filler. It’s very flat, simplified, and leaves a lot of obvious gaps in the conversation and decision making of the characters.
One thing that bothered me was that the main female character, Emerson, is never described in detail. There are 2 casual sentences spread far apart about blue eyes and auburn hair. That’s it. There is no grounding in her personality to give the reader a sense of who she is - no text that describes how she moves, why she wears casual clothes, if she looks like her mother or father, or why the male characters irritate her so much. While she is likeable in her bold moves she makes in the book worlds, she becomes this simple, one dimensional person in the rest of the book. I feel Emerson needed way more character building and that the editor failed this book for not catching this.
*minor spoiler ahead*
In the main timeline, Emerson also finds out that her life long best friend/ romantic interest (Silas) has a similar life changing experience as she has with her library, yet she doesn’t dig into any questions about why, the connection to her mother, and how he does things. It feels like such an elephant in every scene - they just banter superficially but are supposed to have all this history? It feels awkward and untidy.
The best defined character is Emerson’s other romantic interest Adrien. While minimal in details, he seems to be built out enough that you can visualize his ways, understand why he does what he does, and see the threads of how he connects to other characters and plot lines in the series. It definitely bothers me that the main character being a woman is over shadowed by a side male character. Again, I look to the editor for missing the much needed fleshing out of Emerson.
Am I committed enough to the worlds and Emerson’s efforts to understand the big library try book 2? Absolutely.
If Emerson doesn’t evolve as a character in book 2, will I abandon the series? Likely.
Would I try more from this author? Maybe.
The library system is also interesting, and not too complex but not too simple. If anything, there could be more background provided, but it’s still great. The system borrows small things from other fantasy style stories, library related and otherwise. This is appealing to me as there’s a sense of familiarity to the rules of ‘magic’ or the ‘worlds’, while still remaining uniquely portrayed.
The characters are where it starts to go downhill. Especially when they are in the real timeline. It feels like all the work went into scenes in the other ‘book’ worlds and these sections were left as last minute filler. It’s very flat, simplified, and leaves a lot of obvious gaps in the conversation and decision making of the characters.
One thing that bothered me was that the main female character, Emerson, is never described in detail. There are 2 casual sentences spread far apart about blue eyes and auburn hair. That’s it. There is no grounding in her personality to give the reader a sense of who she is - no text that describes how she moves, why she wears casual clothes, if she looks like her mother or father, or why the male characters irritate her so much. While she is likeable in her bold moves she makes in the book worlds, she becomes this simple, one dimensional person in the rest of the book. I feel Emerson needed way more character building and that the editor failed this book for not catching this.
*minor spoiler ahead*
In the main timeline, Emerson also finds out that her life long best friend/ romantic interest (Silas) has a similar life changing experience as she has with her library, yet she doesn’t dig into any questions about why, the connection to her mother, and how he does things. It feels like such an elephant in every scene - they just banter superficially but are supposed to have all this history? It feels awkward and untidy.
The best defined character is Emerson’s other romantic interest Adrien. While minimal in details, he seems to be built out enough that you can visualize his ways, understand why he does what he does, and see the threads of how he connects to other characters and plot lines in the series. It definitely bothers me that the main character being a woman is over shadowed by a side male character. Again, I look to the editor for missing the much needed fleshing out of Emerson.
Am I committed enough to the worlds and Emerson’s efforts to understand the big library try book 2? Absolutely.
If Emerson doesn’t evolve as a character in book 2, will I abandon the series? Likely.
Would I try more from this author? Maybe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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