Kissing between two men and between a boy and girl. Santi and Wolfe (two men) are gay and in a relationship together.

The series finale, SWORD AND PEN, is expected to be released in summer 2020. You can find my review of book one, INK AND BONE. I recommend starting with the first book rather than jumping straight into the middle of the series, though. Fans of THE RING AND THE CROWN by Melissa de la Cruz will like the re-imagined history of The Great Library series, too. This is a great series for fans of SIX OF CROWS though it’s a little less dark and reads a little younger, I think.

Jess and his team have a plan, but it has a lot of moving parts and a lot of things can go wrong, which means they do! With ever-climbing stakes, and time running out, Jess and his friends race toward the final confrontation, and I could not stop turning page after page to find out what would happen. The plot is pretty straightforward: this is the battle to take control of the Library and return it to its core purpose: preserving knowledge, while removing the corrupt leadership. Wolfe’s point-of-view didn’t feel as critical to the story, and it’s a bit darker, as he’s a darker character, but again, he has a very well-defined voice, and I ultimately find him very likeable, too. I loved getting a more in-depth look at her relationship with Dario, the handsome and often flippant Spanish king’s cousin, and I found the way her mind works to be really engaging and fascinating. This time, though, my favorite parts were the ones from Khalila’s point-of-view. He’s crafty and clever, as you’d expect a smuggler to be, but he has a strong sense of morality and loyalty, too. Jess had me from the opening pages of book one. At the end, I’m sure I’ll be asking why there are ONLY five books. This has been one of those series where I want so much to rush through to the end (why are there FIVE books and not THREE?!) but also where I can’t help treasuring every page of it. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making…if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies.Īs a huge fan of the Great Library series, I could not wait to get my hands on SMOKE AND IRON.

Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Published on JAmazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Rachel caine the great library series