#gatesofthreadandstone

Gates of Thread and Stone by lorimlee

Kai has the power to manipulate time. In the city of Ninurta, this is a dangerous secret. Only Kahl Ninu, the city’s leader, is allowed to have magic. So, at the instruction of her “brother” Reev, Kai struggles keeps her power a secret. When Reev suddenly goes missing, Kai becomes very worried and investigates his disappearance. In doing so, she is told that the “Black Rider” has taken him. Joined by her friend, Avan, Kai decides to make the dangerous journey across the Outlands toward the Void where the Rider is rumoured to live.

Having read Gates of Thread and Stone and the intense ending Lori M. Lee left us at, I was eager to be able to dive into the next book in that what now seems to be a series, not a sequel!  (At least I truly hope there is a next book!)

I continue to adore Kai as a protagonist. She's smart and savvy and still has that touch of hope about her. She lets her guard down and she's worried and still in love and I think that is amazing. Too many authors shy away from their kicking female protag to be head over heels at times and sometimes make questionable choices.

She's also not all knowing-- she trusts and while her instincts sort of tug at her, she still wants to believe the best.

We start off a bit after the first book ended, with things still in unrest and turmoil and Kai reacting in a way that is something you can truly relate to. Soon, things speed up a  bit when a messenger comes from across the Wastelands--shocking everyone and made me pleased as punch to have it said out that yes, there are other people out there. The messenger is there because of danger to their community and they ask for help. Kai is sent with a contingent of sentinels to assess the threat.

(Forgive me, I should have re-read GoTaS before reading this one and can't recall if Lori said there were other settlements.)

She brings us this other community, like and very much unlike her city.

So I won't spell out the entire book, I'll say that I adore the details of the city of Lanathrill, the bits and pieces put together and then talk of /more/ people and how much the world had changed. You get beautiful glimpses of the society that was there before and it paints a vivid image.