FALL HEADFIRST INTO A WHIP-SMART ADVENTURE FANTASY PACKED FULL OF MURDER, MYSTERY AND MIND-BENDING MAGIC.
'A time-bending triumph, a compelling adventure . . . gorgeous, witty, fast-paced and atmospheric' Locus
'I completely adored this book and would read a dozen more of Kembral's adventures' Shannon Chakraborty, New York Times bestselling author of The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi
Renowned investigator Kembral Thorne is determined to enjoy herself at the year-turning ball despite the presence of her nemesis, notorious cat burglar Rika Nonesuch. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work.
At the heart of the mayhem is a mysterious clock that sends the ballroom down into strange and otherworldly new layers of reality every time it chimes. As the party plunges through increasingly dangerous versions of their city, Kem will have to rely on her wits - and Rika - to unravel the mystery before catastrophe is unleashed on their world.
'A masterpiece - filled with excitement, romance and characters you would protect with your life . . . Unmissable! Andrea Stewart, author of The Bone Shard Daughter
'Melissa Caruso's writing is razor-sharp and this book is one heck of a page-turner' Nicholas Eames, author of Kings of The Wyld
'An absolute delight!' Alix E. Harrow, author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January
'A brilliant, breathlessly twisty fantasy adventure that I utterly adored' Tasha Suri, author of The Jasmine Throne
Five-star reader reviews:
'Oh dear god I loved this book . . . I hope I can convince some of you to read this when it's out, because WOW' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I just loved every second of this' ¿¿¿¿¿
'What a book! I immediately fell in love with it . . . Definite 5 stars!!' ¿¿¿¿¿
'A queer, locked-room, time-hopping fantasy? Yes please! . . . I really hope there are more adventures for Kembral and Rika because this wasn't nearly enough!' ¿¿¿¿¿
'Absolutely adored this book . . . a swashbuckling good time' ¿¿¿¿¿
'I absolutely love this book' ¿¿¿¿¿
'A stunning blend of fantasy and intrigue, masterfully weaving together high-stakes action and deeply emotional storytelling' ¿¿¿¿¿
'This was such a thrilling read. I loved every second of it' ¿¿¿¿¿
'This was such an exciting book and is one of the best page-turning fantasy books I've read all year. It was fun, it was weird, a bit camp, and a lot bad ass' ¿¿¿¿¿
'It is truly brilliant and deserves to be read by everyone' ¿¿¿¿¿
Man stelle sich vor Tim Burton zeichnet eine Fantasiewelt und trinkt dabei pro Kapitel ein Glas Absinth, bis er einschläft und man in einer Anyma Scphere Performance landet.
Geniale Charaktere, die Details, die Welten, die Emotionen. Einfach perfekt!
Jan 6, 2025
5.0
Man stelle sich vor Tim Burton zeichnet eine Fantasiewelt und trinkt dabei pro Kapitel ein Glas Absinth, bis er einschläft und man in einer Anyma Scphere Performance landet.
Geniale Charaktere, die Details, die Welten, die Emotionen. Einfach perfekt!
Most of the first half felt like a chore rather than enjoyment. To be fair I liked Kembral and Rika already and the idea of Echos was really interesting! But that's about it. It was not bad per se but I'll not buy/read the second book .
May 17, 2026
3.0
Not my kind of story
Most of the first half felt like a chore rather than enjoyment. To be fair I liked Kembral and Rika already and the idea of Echos was really interesting! But that's about it. It was not bad per se but I'll not buy/read the second book .
"So many people underestimate you, when you are kind. They don't understand that kindness is a sign of strength. Stars, if I were weak like him, I suppose I couldn't afford to be so nice."
You know that moment when you read a book and the title finally makes sense? With this one, it happens very early on and I was here for it!
There are two things that immediately pull me into a story: One is atmosphere, the other well developed characters. This book spoils us with both!
I had so much fun with this story. We enter it by attending a party and quickly learn that we are stuck in a time loop, that ends with murder at the very same celebration and an agent (on leave), who's trying to figure out what the hell is going on and how to prevent it.
"My responsibility on my night off had escalated from saving one houseful of people, to the entire city, to every single layer of all reality."
The magic-system felt so unique. It revolves around a reality called Prime and many layers of Echoes one can fall into, which wasn't only an interesting concept but also executed in such a clever way. There are other magical elements, such as illusions or blink stepping (which, excuse that, I won't explain) and it was really cool to read about them.
"Two months at home with a newborn wasn't quite like falling into another world, but I'd had almost as little contact with my old life."
For me, this story wouldn't have needed any romance and it clearly wasn't the focus. Yet, I enjoyed the pieces we got, even though it could have been flashed out a little more. Neither the sapphic romance nor the non-binary character were discussed as such but present, giving me HOPE for a more open and accepting future in our world (maybe one should name a year that 👀).
"No one had yet invented a liquor that could keep Jaycel from the flawless execution of a bad idea."
Another thing I loved about this book: we get an actual strong female protagonist who doesn't have to tell us how strong she is, instead, she proves it casually along the way. And refreshingly, she also knows where her priorities should lie (at home in the shape of a newborn) and acts upon it.
"My spare time." I rubbed my forehead. "You're not a father, are you."
This book was so refreshing and everything I didn't know I needed. The characters are all flashed out brilliantly and the dialogue is witty and natural. I cannot recommend this enough. Also, it isn't really sci-fi, even though it is marketed as such. It reads as a time loop fantasy. It quickly turned into a highlight I didn't see coming, since neither the genre (sci-fi) nor the synopsis particularly sparked my interest. And yet, I loved it!
Also, it is beautifully narrated, so if you get the chance to pick up the audio book, read by Moira Quirk, I urge you to do so!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the arc!
"So many people underestimate you, when you are kind. They don't understand that kindness is a sign of strength. Stars, if I were weak like him, I suppose I couldn't afford to be so nice."
You know that moment when you read a book and the title finally makes sense? With this one, it happens very early on and I was here for it!
There are two things that immediately pull me into a story: One is atmosphere, the other well developed characters. This book spoils us with both!
I had so much fun with this story. We enter it by attending a party and quickly learn that we are stuck in a time loop, that ends with murder at the very same celebration and an agent (on leave), who's trying to figure out what the hell is going on and how to prevent it.
"My responsibility on my night off had escalated from saving one houseful of people, to the entire city, to every single layer of all reality."
The magic-system felt so unique. It revolves around a reality called Prime and many layers of Echoes one can fall into, which wasn't only an interesting concept but also executed in such a clever way. There are other magical elements, such as illusions or blink stepping (which, excuse that, I won't explain) and it was really cool to read about them.
"Two months at home with a newborn wasn't quite like falling into another world, but I'd had almost as little contact with my old life."
For me, this story wouldn't have needed any romance and it clearly wasn't the focus. Yet, I enjoyed the pieces we got, even though it could have been flashed out a little more. Neither the sapphic romance nor the non-binary character were discussed as such but present, giving me HOPE for a more open and accepting future in our world (maybe one should name a year that 👀).
"No one had yet invented a liquor that could keep Jaycel from the flawless execution of a bad idea."
Another thing I loved about this book: we get an actual strong female protagonist who doesn't have to tell us how strong she is, instead, she proves it casually along the way. And refreshingly, she also knows where her priorities should lie (at home in the shape of a newborn) and acts upon it.
"My spare time." I rubbed my forehead. "You're not a father, are you."
This book was so refreshing and everything I didn't know I needed. The characters are all flashed out brilliantly and the dialogue is witty and natural. I cannot recommend this enough. Also, it isn't really sci-fi, even though it is marketed as such. It reads as a time loop fantasy. It quickly turned into a highlight I didn't see coming, since neither the genre (sci-fi) nor the synopsis particularly sparked my interest. And yet, I loved it!
Also, it is beautifully narrated, so if you get the chance to pick up the audio book, read by Moira Quirk, I urge you to do so!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the arc!
