New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard launches a dark and compelling new YA fantasy series about a girl whose family is cursed by Halloween, perfect for fans of Caraval.
Phoenix “Nix” Loring knows her family is under a Halloween curse. When she was three, her parents tragically died on October 31st. Eleven years later, her twin sister Lark suffered a similar fate.
Ever since, Nix has battled survivor guilt. She can't even find comfort in Clarey, Lark's boyfriend and the one person who understands her pain, because Nix's hidden feelings for him go far beyond friendship. All that remains are her sketches, where she finds solace among the goblins and faeries in her imaginary world of Mystiquel. When her depression starts affecting her ability to see color, Nix all but gives up on her art, until her uncle goes missing on Halloween day. Hot on his trail, Nix and Clarey step through a portal, becoming trapped inside a decaying version of their town filled with Nix's own sketches come to life.
As Nix and Clarey search for her uncle within the sinister and dangerous world of Mystiquel, Nix discovers there's more to her family curse and otherworldly artwork than she ever imagined-and unless she can solve the Goblin King's maze before the clock strikes midnight, her life won't be the only one the curse claims next.
Set in a gritty, steampunk-inspired fantasy world, New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard launches a thrilling new fantasy full of romance, twists, and betrayals.
Phoenix “Nix” Loring knows her family is under a Halloween curse. When she was three, her parents tragically died on October 31st. Eleven years later, her twin sister Lark suffered a similar fate.
Ever since, Nix has battled survivor guilt. She can't even find comfort in Clarey, Lark's boyfriend and the one person who understands her pain, because Nix's hidden feelings for him go far beyond friendship. All that remains are her sketches, where she finds solace among the goblins and faeries in her imaginary world of Mystiquel. When her depression starts affecting her ability to see color, Nix all but gives up on her art, until her uncle goes missing on Halloween day. Hot on his trail, Nix and Clarey step through a portal, becoming trapped inside a decaying version of their town filled with Nix's own sketches come to life.
As Nix and Clarey search for her uncle within the sinister and dangerous world of Mystiquel, Nix discovers there's more to her family curse and otherworldly artwork than she ever imagined-and unless she can solve the Goblin King's maze before the clock strikes midnight, her life won't be the only one the curse claims next.
Set in a gritty, steampunk-inspired fantasy world, New York Times bestselling author A.G. Howard launches a thrilling new fantasy full of romance, twists, and betrayals.
Title: Shades of Rust and Ruin (Shades of Rust and Ruin #1)
Author: A.G. Howards
Expected Publication Date: 9/2/2022
Expected Publication Date: 9/2/2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA
Review:
I want to thank Bloomsbury YA and NetGalely for providing me with an e-galley of this book to read and give my honest review.
I adore A.G. Howard's writing. Splintered is one of my all time favorite series and one I would read over and over again (if there weren't so many gosh darn other books to worry about). So of course given the chance to read something from her early was a highlight for me.
It's been a long time since I read any fae genre books. I enjoy them a lot. I was excited to get back into this type of world and see where it leads.
My initial impetus to read this book came from seeing the cover. Howard's books always have stunning covers and this was no exception. Before I even looked at the summary, I knew I would want to read this just from the cover alone.
I'll say the language of the writing is great. I can't tell you how easily it flows and keeps you turning the pages. It's a joy to read it because it truly places me in the moment of the book with how descriptive it is. Howard is a genius at story telling, and that shines through with this book.
Next: the characters. I liked them a lot. Mostly because they are not perfect (all those YA books with the perfect looking characters who have no flaws drag on my nerves). Howard incorporated this so flawlessly into the book. It was not a big deal that the characters had flaws or were different from what many may consider "normal". It's what made them enjoyable and I loved the uniqueness they had.
The story line was truly interesting. I don't know much of the lore surrounding The Goblin Market as I've not read it, but I do know a bit of the fae realm, so I could follow along well. There's always this secretive world when it comes to the fae and this book captured that well. I loved how Howard was able to set the mood and tone immediately and carry that throughout the story. I loved the twist at the end and how the narration switched to a new character. I can't wait to see that character's POV in the next book.
I didn't feel the steampunk element as much as I would have liked, considering this book is tote as a steampunk fantasy. The elements were there, don't get me wrong, but it was not incorporated as well and I've seen it with other steampunk books.
The book did leave me wanting to read The Goblin Market, since it's very grounded in that text. I may have to pick it up and see what it's all about.
Overall I enjoyed this book and I'm looking forward to the next one.
Author:
#1 New York Times and International bestselling Author of gothic / fantasy & paranormal tales, mystical & romantic with a side of horror. A.G.'s dark Alice in Wonderland inspired Splintered series has been published in over a dozen languages.
Young adult, Adult, and literary romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.
How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:
"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.
I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.
If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.
Happy book hunting!"
Young adult, Adult, and literary romance. Repped by Jenny Bent.
How A.G. Howard rates books on GoodReads:
"I only rate or review books I enjoyed reading, and won't give any rating below 4 stars. Please don't consider every high rating a personal endorsement / recommendation from me. My ratings here are subjective to me as an individual.
I don't rate books solely on style. Every writer's voice is individual and unique; I've come to respect this truth during my own personal journey. As long as a story takes me to another place and is well edited, I'm going to give it a good rating. And if, for some reason, a book doesn't entertain me or I don't finish it, I won't leave a rating or review at all.
If you're considering a book I've reviewed/rated, be sure to read other reviews/ratings alongside mine to help you decide if it's a read you might enjoy personally.
Happy book hunting!"
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