Title: Gates of Thread and Stone
Series: Gates of Thread and Stone (Book 1)
Author: Lori M. Lee
Published: August 5, 2014
Pages: 335 pages
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon
Summary (Goodreads):
In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.
In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.
Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.
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I was really excited to read Gates of Thread and Stone because, besides from the awesome eye-catching cover, the book’s summary promises on its own one heck of an adventure in a unique setting. I won’t say this book disappointed me because it was a good and interesting read, but I sure was expecting a bit more from it.
I will break this into what I liked and what didn’t do it for me as a way to make it easier to sort out my thoughts.
What I liked:
- The concept. I really loved the idea of someone being able to mess with the threads of time. The wide array of possibilities of what Kai’s power could do was intriguing, and the thrill to see her slowly come to comprehend it was cool.
- The main character. Kai was a wonderful MC and I clicked with her from the beginning. She’s strong, independent, and fiercely loyal. I admired her determination to find her brother, and even more when the time came to fight.
- Plot twists: I adore books with plot twists that surprise me. There was one part in the book where I was stunned and had me almost frantically tweeting the author to ask her why she was making me suffer in regards to one of the characters, but I was glad I decided to wait. Another plot twist was inserted and boom, everything good. It was brilliantly done and unexpected.
- The romance. There isn’t a lot of romance inside the story, but I liked the feelings that grow between Kai and Avan (another great character btw). I thought it was sweet and something that kept me going into the story.
What didn’t do it for me:
- The pace. The storyline was cool and had a lot of potential, but the first half of the book dragged and it lost its appeal. I had to make an extra effort to continue with the book, although I was glad I did it in the end.
- The world-building. Okay, the world-building wasn’t bad, it’s just that it was a bit confusing for me. I had trouble picturing it in my mind, like trying to put together puzzle pieces from different sets. However, it got so much better at the end.
As you can see, Gates of Thread and Stone had many more pros than cons for me, and while it wasn’t the read I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. It’s a good fantasy book and I feel like reading the sequel to know what happens next with Kai. Crossing fingers for an even better read!
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