E. E. Lawson hit it out of the library with this book! I was hooked from Chapter One and stayed up late into the night reading. If you have ever considered writing a book, or simply like reading amazing books, then this one is for you! Rooms made of pages, floating ideas, a being named The Feed telling the world what it wants to read and what they should think, mysterious rooms deep in libraries, special keys, and did we mention the devil?

This is the story of a writer named Hannah Johannesson and her close friend Solveig. Hannah is a writer by night and works at a call center in the day. Solveig is a librarian through and through. No, really, she IS a librarian in a world that no longer really believes in paperback books. Hannah desperately wants to get published with her first Viking inspired novel. Solveig wants to keep Hannah safe. Safe from giving up, from selling herself short, from withering away. Their friendship is true and lasting.

Then one night Hannah gets an email from Virgil Mora stating that the publishing house of Sinclair & Ward want to meet with her. That they want to publish her book. Hannah is amazed yet also confused as she realized she sent an unfinished copy of her book. Yet even though she is skeptical, Solveig encourages Hannah to go meet with them and see what they are offering. This starts the beginning of what Hannah has always wanted, or was it?

It was the beginning of a magical journey for Hannah as she met Virgil Mora and the owner of the publishing house, Lucy Sinclair. After Hannah signs her contract, her journey starts full of dreams being made real, of magical author spotlights, TV segments, hashtags, and more. Hannah feels as if she is dreaming it is all so wonderful!

As the journey goes on Hannah starts to feel as if all is not what it seems to be. In a moment of uncertainty she reaches out to Solveig. Hannah is not even sure what she wants from Solveig. Clarity in this fame heavy reality? Help in determining if this is indeed reality? Hannah does not know. She just knows she needs Solveig. And the true journey starts there.

Together Hannah and Solveig team up with a new ally, Virgil Mara, to find a way to escape their contracts. To help Hannah reclaim her story and her life. This journey is amazing and magical and will keep you in suspense throughout. The book is witty, funny, yet also very deep and real even in the world of the unreal. For in reality, it is not simply a journey out of their contracts it is a self-awakening. For Hannah and Solveig both are in reality on a journey of self-discovery of who they are and what they want from their lives. Read this book and find out if they succeed and immerse yourself in this magical realm of books within books!

My favorite quote is from Hannah when she says “I’d rather be unknown and honest than curated and everywhere.” For me this rang true as being famous is not something I have ever really dreamt of, yet living an honest and true life is what I strive for. This book while complete fantasy helped me remember my passion for books and my goal of living for what I fully believe in. It helped me to remember that I should never leave my goals and dreams unfinished, simply tossed away. For it truly is better to strive towards your goals, claim your efforts and work, and make your own mark in the world.

I received a free copy of this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

AMAZON AVAILABLE 9/1/2026! https://a.co/d/0gXc4YlM

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