A Book of Spirits and Thieves by Morgan Rhodes

Published: June 23rd, 2015

Publisher: Razorbill

Pages: 368

Copy: Library

Summary: Goodreads

Modern-day sisters discover deadly ancient magic in book 1 of this Falling Kingdoms spin-off series!

Worlds collide in this suspenseful, page-turning Falling Kingdoms spin-off series, which explores a whole new side of Mytica—and an even darker version of its magic.

Crystal Hatcher, Modern-day Toronto: It’s a normal afternoon in her mother’s antique bookshop when Crys witnesses the unthinkable: her little sister Becca collapses into a coma after becoming mesmerized by a mysterious book written in an unrecognizable language.

Maddox Corso, Ancient Mytica: Maddox Corso doesn’t think much of it when he spots an unfamiliar girl in his small village. Until, that is, he realizes that she is a spirit, and he is the only one who can see or hear her. Her name is Becca Hatcher, and she needs Maddox to help get her home.

Farrell Grayson, Modern-day Toronto: Rich and aimless Farrell Grayson is thrilled when the mysterious leader of the ultra-secret Hawkspear Society invites him into the fold. But when he learns exactly what he has to do to prove himself, Farrell starts to question everything he thought he knew about family, loyalty, and himself….

Fate has brought these young people together, but ancient magic threatens to rip them apart. 

Both Christinabean and I are both huge fans of Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdoms series so it's a no-brainer that A Book of Spirits and Thieves is pretty high on our TBR lists.  I'm not sure if  Christinabean has managed to get hold of a copy yet, but I was first on the waiting list for our copy at work and I read through it in about a day and a half.

What to tell you about this book other than the fact that it's really good?  Well it's parallel story lines, which I always enjoy and the contemporary story takes place in Toronto, so that makes it an immediate plus for this Ontario girl (I can drive to Toronto in 30 mins or so and do, often).  Ms Rhodes has taken the landscape and immortal characters from her original series and has woven a new and complex story around them.

We have secret societies, magical brainwashing, out and out murder dressed up as being 'good for society',  nasty, nasty bad guys - immortal and from another world.  Tell me, what chance do we poor mortals have?  Well following Crystal in her search for the truth was engrossing and suspensful.  Watching  Becca and Maddox trying to solve Becca's dilema was a double-edged sword.  Getting to the end of the book was both a relief and an agony.  One problem solved, many more to work on.  

I am really looking forward to continuing with this side of the Mytica story, but since vol. 4 of the original series, Frozen Tides, doesn't come out until December 2015, it's going to be a while before we see any more of this spin-off, and that's a great pity.

Btw, did you know that Morgan Rhodes also writes as Michele Rowen?  I didn't until very recently, so I've decided to read a few more of her books under that name while I'm waiting. Not quite the same, but I'll take what I can get.