The Librarian’s Ruse
Thirzah
The Pearl
Published July 30, 2023
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About The Librarian’s Ruse
Amelia’s peaceful life as a librarian is cut short when she and her older brother Leon are sent on an errand to Eldnaire, the capital city of the vicious Vilnarian Empire. After witnessing a crime carried out in the woods, Amelia and Leon enter the capital only to be faced with an impossible choice: tell the truth and risk imprisonment, or lie and face far worse if they’re caught.
One deception leads to a dozen more, and before she can put an end to the lies, she and Leon are swept up into Vilnaria’s high society. Amelia finds an unlikely ally in Vilnaria’s handsome new ruler, Emperor Kyvir. But as the secrets and scandals continue to pile up and danger closes in on all sides, Amelia must decide once and for all what matters: the truth…or her life?
My Review
Apart from the gorgeous cover, I think my favorite thing about this book is the fact that it centers around a relationship between a brother and sister. I really don’t see that often enough in young adult fiction, and this book absolutely made me wish for more of it. I liked the banter between Amelia and her brother and the way they approached situations completely differently.
While I really appreciated how short this book is– it’s about 130 pages– I found myself wishing for a touch more world-building here and there. I felt like I had to fill in a lot of blanks as a reader, which mostly worked okay, since I’ve read a lot of fantasy. It did make the story feel a little more generic, though, when based on the other elements, I think it could have been really unique.
On the whole, though, I enjoyed the relationships between the characters. I also appreciated that the book’s protagonist is a librarian. That is always fun!
If you’re looking for a quick fantasy read, especially one that centers on sibling relationships, check out THE LIBRARIAN’S RUSE.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 12 up.
Representation
Though there aren’t a lot of character descriptions listed, the story references several different cultures and the path toward rebuilding trust between them.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.
Romance/Sexual Content
None.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
References to thieves and people having been murdered. Amelia fears imprisonment or execution when she and her brother impersonate someone.
Drug Content
None.
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