Gates of Thread and Stone (Gates of Thread and Stone, #1)

by Lori M. Lee

[Katie King]

**I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

**3 stars**

Gates of Thread and Stone was an interesting read. The premise seemed to resemble that of Incarceron, but once I started the book, I realized it was really quite different. Kai lives in the slums with her adoptive brother, Reev, who found her on a riverbank when she was 8. She remembers nothing before that time, and any inquiries into Reev's life before her are brushed aside. Kai represents a fundamental urge we all have inside - the desire to know who we are. And does Kai figure out who she is?

Sort of.

Kai does get some answers, but also doubles her amount of questions. This of course follows as the result of an extended period spent in the Void, a vast, barren wasteland outside the city. My mind felt like it was in a void, too. Because while there, Kai and Avan are conveniently fed, housed, and trained to fight by the mysterious Black Rider who has supposedly been stealing citizens as part of his army. They make friends, they are protected from the vicious gargoyles, and are even thrown a surprise going-away party when it's time for them to leave. Yep, they trek all the way out to the Void, only to be told what they seek lies right where they started. Talk about wasting your time (and filling pages).

The suggested romance between Kai and G-10, a trainer in the Void, was really awkward and made me feel uncomfortable. For me, scenes between them conjured up images of a barista being hit-on by that older, creepy guy who has had a few too many. Exactly like that shuddering feeling when you get touched by slimy guys. Not that G-10 is old or slimy, just...uncomfortable. The real romance between Kai and Avan was quite a bit more enjoyable. It felt like a natural progression from friendship into something more. Avan came across as a little shy, and Kai as oblivious. Because of her narrow focus on finding Reev, she missed a lot of little things. Once she realizes how he feels, their interactions are reminiscent of two 16-year-olds with crushes on each other. It's adorable.

Overall I felt I wanted MORE. The very beginning led me to believe Death herself played a much larger role than she actually did. I was kind of excited to see a badass female executioner wreaking havoc on poor, unsuspecting subjects. That didn't happen. There were those pieces of a fantasy element that really kept me in the story, but it wasn't enough to make me happy. WHY COULDN'T THERE BE MORE?? In addition, the last 15% of the book was just a race to the finish line. Everything I thought I was getting in this book and everything I wanted to get in this book happened during then, in a very squished fashion. Whereas the beginning, the journey, and the Void stretched on endlessly, the ending came and went much too quickly.
 
Summary
Incorporating more of the powers and magic into the story would've given this book at least 1 more star. While definitely an enjoyable read, it felt much more like an adventure than a fantasy. The main romance was sweet, the plot twists were nice, but there was a large chunk in the middle that seemed to serve no purpose except to double the length of the book.