Paper and Fire (The Great Library #2)
   by: Rachel Caine

Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Publisher: NAL
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 357 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Ink and Bone introduced a world where knowledge is power, and power corrupts absolutely. Now, the story of those who dare to defy the Great Library—and rewrite history—continues. . . .

With an iron fist, The Great Library controls the knowledge of the world, ruthlessly stamping out all rebellion, forbidding the personal ownership of books in the name of the greater good.

Jess Brightwell has survived his introduction to the sinister, seductive world of the Library, but serving in its army is nothing like he envisioned. His life and the lives of those he cares for have been altered forever. His best friend is lost, and Morgan, the girl he loves, is locked away in the Iron Tower and doomed to a life apart.

Embarking on a mission to save one of their own, Jess and his band of allies make one wrong move and suddenly find themselves hunted by the Library’s deadly automata and forced to flee Alexandria, all the way to London.

But Jess’s home isn’t safe anymore. The Welsh army is coming, London is burning, and soon, Jess must choose between his friends, his family, or the Library willing to sacrifice anything and anyone in the search for ultimate control. . . .

 

 

This series! I can't get enough of it! I completely fell in love with the concept of this world, where the Library holds all the power and knowledge is censored and controlled. I also adore the characters Caine has created. Wolfe, Santi, Glain, Dario, Morgan, and Khalila... they all have roles to play and support Jess. After finding out some shocking information about their friend Thomas, the gang groups back up and I just loved seeing them work together. Things get quite crazy for them and they are caught up in a wild, dangerous ride to pursue the truth and do what's right. Just when they get out of one fix, they land in another. Alliances are formed, allegiances tested... major props to Jess for not freaking out and staying so level-headed.

 

Jess is one of my favorite heroes. He has so much thrown at him and is looked to as a leader amongst his peers. He has to make difficult decisions that ultimately hurt the people he loves. It's not an easy role to assume and he does it brilliantly. I love how he fights for Morgan, even when he knows she may never be able to forgive him. He refuses to let her fate lie in the Iron Tower and it just endeared him to me all the more.

 

This is definitely a great continuation to the Great Library series- full of action, adventure, betrayal, friendship, and love. I am so excited for the next book in the series, as Jess and the gang are transported to a completely new place.... with some new challenges to face.

 

Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1)
    by: Rachel Caine

Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Publisher: NAL
Genre: Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 352 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…

 

 

Oh man. Where do I even start with this book? It had SO MUCH to it that completely fascinated me that I could not turn the pages fast enough to find out what happens! I loved learning about the Library, how it works, and the different roles assigned within. I also loved how Caine would include correspondence letters at the beginning of each chapter. In the beginning, it doesn't make much sense, but as you really get deeper, they start to divulge some very interesting information that will set the stage for the series. I absolutely loved that.

 

Because this is in the first book in a series, not everything is explained 100% and there were times I felt a bit at a loss because I didn't really understand the WHYS of some of these things introduced. It's not something that I got hung up on, but I am eager to learn more about the burners and the smugglers and the roles they'll play in future books to come. There is ALOT going on in this book and there were times I could get a bit inundated with all the information and description that I felt my attention wavering a bit.

 

The book is from Jess's POV and it was interesting to see his conflicting feelings on what his family did and what the Library stands for. He passes the test to begin the training process to see if he has what the Library needs and thus sends him to Alexandria, Egypt where he and a large number of other students will be trained by Scholar Wolfe, who drops the bomb that only 6 of them will earn a position. I enjoyed the diverse group of students that Caine has created, even though their personalities were a bit clichéd. There is Khalila, who is incredibly smart and dedicated; Dario, who is the bully of the group and gets a kick out of messing with Jess; Glain, who is a bit of snob and has a rather bluntness to her; Thomas, a sweet and kind German boy who befriends Jess instantly; and then there is Morgan, a girl who arrives late to the program and is accepted by the stringent Wolfe even despite this.

 

Scholar Wolfe is a no-nonsense guy who demands perfection and vigilance. He doesn't have time for those who would fool around and waste his time. He comes across as heartless and ruthless, but he ended up being one of my favorite characters and I cannot wait to learn more about him in the coming novels. There is also Santi, who is a captain for the High Garda, and is a bit more compassionate than Wolfe. I also really liked his character, even despite the role he played toward the end of the novel. He was in an impossible situation and while it broke my heart to see him do what he did, I get it too.

 

There is a touch of romance in this one, but it doesn't develop until late in the novel. I don't want to say too much about it, but OMG, what a whirlwind of danger, excitement, and betrayal! I really hope things can be made right in the future, because I was not down with how everything played out.

 

I never fully trusted the Library though. As with anything that obtains too much power, there is always corruption and I wondered how that would come into play in this novel. There are so many revelations dropped toward the end of the book that I wanted to scream, because I need the next one RIGHT NOW!