Review: City of Time and Magic by Paula Brackston

About the Book:

Paula Brackston’s City of Time and Magic is the next installment in the time-traveling Found Things Series.

City of Time and Magic sees Xanthe face her greatest challenges yet. She must choose from three treasures that sing to her; a beautiful writing slope, a mourning brooch of heartbreaking detail, and a gorgeous gem-set hat pin. All call her, but the wrong one could take her on a mission other than that which she must address first, and the stakes could not be higher. While her earlier mission to Regency England had been a success, the journey home resulted in Liam being taken from her, spirited away to another time and place. Xanthe must follow the treasure that will take her to him if he is not to be lost forever.

Xanthe is certain that Mistress Flyte has Liam and determined to find them both. But when she discovers Lydia Flyte has been tracking the actions of the Visionary Society, a group of ruthless and unscrupulous Spinners who have been selling their talents to a club of wealthy clients, Xanthe realizes her work as a Spinner must come before her personal wishes. The Visionary Society is highly dangerous and directly opposed to the creed of the Spinners. Their actions could have disastrous consequences as they alter the authentic order of things and change the future. Xanthe knows she must take on the Society. It will require the skills of all her friends, old and new, to attempt such a thing, and not all of them will survive the confrontation that follows.

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/city-of-time-and-magic-by-paula-brackston

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56477067-city-of-time-and-magic

My Thoughts:

From the gorgeous cover to the very last word. I was completely enthralled with Paula Brackston’s City of Time and Magic. I have truly enjoyed the author’s Found Things series, and this latest installment could be a very satisfying end to the series, or a delightful segue to the main character’s next time travelling adventure.

Ms. Brackston is a talented researcher and storyteller. Her brilliant details emersed me in the 1878 London. I loved the rich details that made the story vividly come to life. Her characters, whether primary or secondary, sparkle. I appreciated Xanthe’s growth in confidence and skill in this latest book,, especially since her talents were truly put to the test. I adored getting a second look at one of Ms. Brackston’s characters from a different series. The inclusion of Elizabeth from the XXX series delighted this fan of the author, and for new readers, that addition will not have the same meaning, but will not detract from the story.

The suspense and danger ramped steadily in City of Time and Magic. Readers were left hanging from a cliff in book 3, The Garden of Promises and Lies, and from page one, Xanthe is on a mission to right a grievous wrong. The story arc is perfection. I was a bit disappointed in the pace at a key point in the story; the plot point might have been important but I could have done with a little less focus on that particular plot point. Overall, a fantastic time-travel story that is rich in historical detail and tightly woven storylines.

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About the Author: Paula Brackston (aka PJ Brackston)is the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch’s Daughter, The Winter Witch, and The Midnight Witch(2014).

Paula has an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and is a Visiting Lecturer for the University of Wales, Newport. In 2007 Paula was short listed in the Creme de la Crime search for new writers. In 2010 her book ‘Nutters’ (writing as PJ Davy) was short listed for the Mind Book Award, and she was selected by the BBC under their New Welsh Writers scheme.

Paula lives in Wales with her partner and their two children.