I will be forever grateful to the author for passing my name along to the publisher for an advance copy. I can't stop thinking about this book. My favorite parts were in the Emporium itself. I want a store that just knows what I need and offers rooms accordingly. That's the part I keep thinking about. It was just so fun and now I really want to read/watch Howl's Moving Castle.

Quinta and Twain were great together and I enjoyed their relationship. I actually loved all the friendships in this book and how the author brought everyone together. I read this book from start to finish without stopping, inhaling the world and the characters as I went. The world building was truly excellent and I think anyone who enjoys YA fantasy should give this one a try.

On the morning that The Vermilion Emporium appeared, Twain found a strand of starlight. While searching for the shop, Quinta finds Twain waiting outside of it. They enter it together and discover the secrets of how to weave the starlight into lace. However, no one knows how to find more starlight. They take on a job to create a starlight gown for the ruler of Severon, even though it seems like an impossible task. Quinta and Twain have to search for the way to find starlight, but it could have deadly consequences.

This was a fabulous fantasy debut! Quinta and Twain were lovable characters who had overcome many struggles in their young lives. There was a lot of mystery that kept me guessing, but everything was explained at the end. I loved the way everything came together at the end.

I thought the ending would be sad with the way it was going, but there was a happy ending. This story was inspired by The Radium Girls, which I didn’t know anything about before reading this one, but is a heartbreaking story. I was happy with how this story ended though.

I highly recommend The Vermilion Emporium!

Thank you Peachtree Teen for providing a digital copy of this book.

Where should I begin? I absolutely loved The Vermilion Emporium, and I cannot wait until the world can read it as well. The magic, the world and the characters are all so deeply intertwined, and the story pulls you in from the first page.

With nods to Howl’s Moving Castle and the historical Radium Girls, this is a novel for anyone who needs a little more magic in their life. Jamie Pacton has created a lush world, with sharp turns and enemies behind friendly faces. I had to read TVE twice before I could properly put my thoughts to paper, and I will happily read it again and again. I look forward to seeing what other magical worlds Pacton comes up with, though this will always be a favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley, Peachtree Teen and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Vermillion Emporium was a bit inconsistent for me. When it was fun, it was really fun. When it wasn’t, it sort of dragged. I very much enjoyed the two main characters. Quinta and Twain are sweet, brave, and both learn some hard and good lessons about community and relationship and magic. And their love story is so, well, lovely. It happens fast, but within the context of the story it seemed quite fitting. Usually instalove bothers me, but this didn’t feel like instalove since the characters were also highly skeptical of their quick feelings, and they go through several life-changing experiences together. Those circumstances seemed to set a realistic stage for their quick fall.

The magic and world were whimsical and lovely. Pacton writes in her author’s note that she wanted to capture the magic of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and from very early on I could tell that she must have been inspired by something along those lines. More often that not, she accomplishes this task, creating a lovely magic system of starlight and lacemaking that hints at big power opportunities and big risks but for most of the book stays in a cozy arena of two adventurers learning to create together.

One weak point of the novel was the villains. That descriptor may seem trite (I usually prefer the term antagonist), but these characters were truly villainous. We never get much hint into the internal workings of the various villains—they are mostly careless, cruel, and abusive, with little to no explanation as to why they are the way that they are. If it were just one who was treated this way, it may have bothered me less (though honestly it still would have bothered me). But every villain in the story lacked complexity or logical motive. If that had been set up better, this story would have been radically improved.

In all, I enjoyed reading it, but I wasn’t over-the-moon about it. I had to really motivate myself to pick the book back up and read, which is a pretty good sign that it missed some marks.

The author wrote an incredibly lovely note and acknowledgements at the end that I must mention. She credited Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus for inspiring the book, as well as the book Radium Girls. She thanked Alix E. Harrow for her friendship, and I felt great satisfaction knowing Morgenstern’s and Harrow are among her friends and inspirations. This book very easily could be shelved next to those authors and fit right in. And I feel lucky to have read about the tremendous loss she experienced while writing this book: the death of her 13-year-old. Her end-of-book author’s note and acknowledgements are among the best I’ve read. I so greatly appreciate her vulnerability and courage in sharing her love and loss with the reader.

One of the best YA fantasies I've read recently, this book had so much charm! It's about two people who find each other unexpectedly through a magic/curiosities shop, connect almost immediately, and go through a wonderful magic-discovery adventure together.

This book was really swoony, really wholesome, and really magical, and I had so much fun reading it. If you like YA fantasy, you should def check this out!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC!

Story: D+
Prose: C-
Characters: C-
World: C
Theme(s): C
Enjoyment: D

In The Vermilion Emporium, a magical book briefly appears, called A Book of Very Dangerous Magic. Whoever opens the book becomes trapped inside it, stuck in a boring and tedious story.

That's what reading the first half of The Vermilion the felt like.


The Good:
The second half is readable. Some of the reveals/answers in the second half are interesting and the author even remembers to add stakes to the plot!
Whimsical concepts: although the starlight lace is more unique than the magical emporium, both are fun and whimsical.


The Bad:
What is this plot??? Excuse me, have you ever heard of a PLOT BEAT?
Horrible execution. Bad plotting, bad storytelling, mediocre prose. Pacton's plotting, particularly in the beginning half, is abominable. Her storytelling is sloppy, and graceless. Pacton has barely grasped how to write a scene; her focus is all over the place. The writing… to be honest would be tolerable if not paired with such dire storytelling. There's too much effort in trying to describe magical things and write pretty sentences, but none of the knowledge or experience behind the execution of them. It's painful and awkward to read.
RAZORBILLS AREN'T RAPTORS. In fact, raptors are one of their natural enemies. "What if these razorbills are different?"
Idiot MCs: What if we just make the worst decisions, ever? I'm not talking about the fun, dramatic bad decisions. I'm not talking about the typical kind of bad decisions Young Adult protagonists make because they're young.
Flat characters. Particularly the antagonists. They're all the same one-note brand of evil, half-assed characters.
How does no one know anything about the shop with red and blue sails? This is the dumbest plot point ever. Is there no port authority? Does literally no one know that the sails match another country's military uniforms? Twain sits around for an entire month waiting for more answers to fall in his lap. Why doesn't he just ask the Casorina for help?

Honestly can't recommend this one. It's not bad in the fun way, it's bad in the boring, exhausting way

The Vermilion Emporium is a lovely story full of mystery, magic, and lots of love. I really enjoyed the connection between Twain and Quinta, as well as the magic system, However, the true standout of the story is the world-building. The maze of the city, the clothing, and the descriptions of the setting were so rich and full of life. If I had one issue, I'd say that the insta-love trope isn't for everyone and it was a major plot point of the story. I also felt the character descriptions needed a bit more creativity, as they were kind of jarring at times. Other than that, the story was solid, the characters were great, and I think if you're a fan of the Caraval series you'll probably really enjoy this book! 3/5 stars

Whimsical, light, and atmospheric!

I'm a sucker for anything Howl's Moving Castle inspired, and The Night Circus is one of my fave books, so reading this was a no-brainer. It is firmly in the YA category, and though at times I wished for a deeper exploration of plot and character, I feel this will be an entertaining read for our fantasy lovers!

I may be biased here as I’ve read and LOVED both of Jamie Pacton’s previous books. This book was absolutely magical (pun very much intended!). I absolutely loved following Quinta and Twain through their adventure and the characters were so likable and I felt myself rooting for them throughout. This book really had that magical, enchanted feeling from start to finish and would make an absolutely great movie! I was invested and felt like the environment and characters built by the author were just so much fun.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Holiday House Publishers for sending me this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited for this book, especially as they said it had Howl's Moving Castle similarities, and that is one of my favourite books and movies. I think going into the book with that expectation is what caused me to not enjoy it as much.
I found the characters hard to enjoy reading about, and shallowly built. And the writing style I had a hard time reading. The idea of the world, the story were all intriguing to me, and I think partly if I had not gone in with thinking it would be similar to Howl's Moving Castle, I would have enjoyed it slightly more.

The Vermilion Emporium has everything you would ever want or need. You just need to find it.
This is where Quinta and Twain meet. Both are searching for their place in the world and both are connected through the magical starlight, which once had been used to create enchanted fabric. This technique has been lost for years now but Quinta, who was prophecied a great destiny, learns to weave the strands of starlight and her and Twain form a team.
What follows is an absolutely lovely story about finding youself, falling in love and that everything comes with a cost. The parallels to Howls moving Castle are clear (and well done) and I personally enjoyed it.
The story is well written, the characters are rounded and I really wished, I could ha e stayed longer in this world.

I enjoyed the storyline of this book but I do have to downgrade it a bit because the formatting made it very difficult to read and honestly unenjoyable. I did like the story and the characters were okay but predictable.

It's official: I love this book. Honestly, I began the year with a book quite like this one and it's only fair that I end the year with something that reminds me of it.
But whereas Hotel Magnifique had, in fact, a wandering hotel, in this case we have a shop, and my, what a magical shop it is.
I loved the author's imagination behind the emporium, but not only that, behind all the lore of the starlight and moonshine. The magical system is as simple as it is intriguing, giving the lace woven with starlight power behind measure.
I absolutely adore the two protagonists, Quinta with her walls coming down and Twain breaking them (okay, okay, this is my Captain Swan shipper coming out but hey, if the shoe fits!). But in all honesty, Quinta is amazing, the kind of person who's dealt with magic all her life but is down on earth. On the other side, Twain is more of an adventurer, one ridden with guilt, with the kindest of souls. And of course, he says the most swoon worthy things!
The twists, although quite predictable, gave me a very good reading experience. What I didn't expect was the gore!
Another note must be made: the writing! The writing of this book is actually fantastic, the kind of writing I love, so poetic and magical, as if it was woven starlight!

I really liked this book. At first I wasn’t sure what to make of it but the prickly female MC, Quinta, grew on me immediately and I liked the way she and Twain interacted. Reading about starlight and the magical store kept me hooked. The way they are sorta given a task felt like it came out of nowhere but I enjoyed the flow of the book. I wish we learned a little more about both the MC’s. We know they are both orphans but it would have be nice to see more of their lives before they meet or more of their differing interests. (Outside of things focused on their plan.) I was definitely on the edge of my seat as I read. I thought it was a great read and would recommend others check it out if you enjoy fantasy and romance tales. I’m gonna keep my eyes open for any more books by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

The Vermilion Emporium is a haunting and fantastical story. Strangers Quinta and Twain discover a curious shop called The Vermilion Emporium, where behind every door is a magical mystery. This adventure quickly binds them together and they realize that together they can create a precious commodity- starlight lace. But starlight lace is extremely dangerous. And unbeknownst to them, a powerful figure has taken notice and is determined to take all their lace. Quinta and Twain must race to find each other and escape before the starlight lace takes a toll- for magic always comes with a price.

The Vermilion Emporium is an extraordinary story with real-life influences. Pacton says she draws inspiration from the Radium Girls and Erin Morgenstern; I thought both influences resonated. I also think aspects of Howl’s Moving Castle are present in some of the more magical scenes with the Emporium. The creeping danger from the starlight, Twain and Quinta’s budding romance, and the urgency to craft the lace make this a very well-paced and unputdownable adventure. I was spellbound and couldn’t look away! For fans of Howl’s Moving Castle and The Radium Girls- check out The Vermilion Emporium. Looking forward to seeing what Jamie Pacton writes next! Thank you to Jamie Pacton, Peachtree Teen, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored the world and characters in this book, especially Twain and Quinta. It was so much fun reading about their adventure and romance. Also, the magic system with the starlight was intriguing, and I loved how we discovered more about it as the story continued. What interested me in this book were the comp titles and the little bit of the description that I read months ago when I requested it. I have been waiting for the right moment to read it, which happened this week. This book was beautiful, and I could not get enough of it.

Also, please make sure if you pick this up to read the author’s note at the end. Some people don’t read anything in a book after the story, but I highly recommend reading Jamie’s note. It was beautiful, and I loved reading about her inspiration for this story.

This book is a highly entertaining read that I adored from Twain’s first perspective. I liked seeing the story from both his and Quinta’s point of view. The Vermilion Emporium was such an excellent idea with a shop that moves from place to place. I won’t spoil anything about the inside, but I know that I would love to be able to go into a shop like that. Such a neat idea! This fantasy world was a favorite that I know I will return to again and again. I am buying my own copy of it, and I cannot wait for it to come to add to my collection. Also, I hope that Jamie continues on with this world. I would love to see more adventures with Twain, Quinta, and the Vermilion Emporium.

*Thank you to the publisher for my ARC of the book. All opinions are my own.*

⭐️3.5/5 stars.
I absolutely loved the world of this story. It was full of whimsy and magic and had the most beautiful descriptions that reminded me of Caraval, Once Upon A Broken Heart, The Night Circus, and even a little of Stardust by Neil Geiman, but with a Rumplestiltskin-like tale. I could’ve spent more time in that world because it felt like there was so much more wonder we could’ve continued to explore in the Emporium and learning more about weaving starlight. I just didn’t love the characters. I think for me, I would’ve liked a little more separation between the narrators/characters and me, the reader. I could’ve used less of time in their inner thoughts because it felt at times juvenile? And many of the thoughts were repeated often. However, once again, the world building was amazing. The world building is what made me give it a higher rating.
Overall, I would still recommend this book to people. It definitely was a fun, light-hearted, whimsical read.
Thank you to NetGalley & Peachtree Teen for providing the ARC for my honest review.

Really enjoyed the storyline of this book. I downloaded it to my kindle and I have to admit that probably wasn’t the best idea because the formatting is all over the place.
The characters, places, people and storyline were enjoyable, if some what a little predictable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed adventure, magic and romance

Book Report for The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton

Cover Story: Fancy
BFF Charms: Yay, Eventually?
Talky Talk: Fantasy Draft
Bonus Factor: Magical Shop
Relationship Status: Support System

Cover Story: Fancy
Did y’all ever get a silhouette from Disneyland when you were little? That is what this cover reminds me of. Especially with the castle at the bottom of the filigree frame.

The Deal:
Quinta and Twain know they’re cut out for more than their lives currently provide; Twain, living in a shack, makes a dangerous living by climbing cliffs to gather highly sought-after feathers while Quinta is an assistant to a photographer who specializes in faux sorcery images. They don’t know each other, but when Twain discovers a strand of starlight, a rare—and valuable—magical good, they begin an adventure the likes of which neither could have ever imagined, starting at a mysterious shop called The Vermilion Emporium.

BFF Charm: Yay, Eventually?
Twain’s a sweet, loyal boy with a heart of gold and brains to match. He’s got some baggage—he says his mother told him that they named him Twain because he came “twain” his parents, which, awful—and he is grieving the loss of his younger brother, which he feels is his fault. But he’s a genuinely good dude, and would make for an excellent BFF. Especially when it’s revealed who he is near the end of the book and what comes with that. (I’m a sucker for friends with magical benefits, what can I say?)

Quinta’s a fascinating young woman with an interesting history and a promising future. She wasn’t all that nice, however, when we first met, and her assurance that she leaves people before she can catch feelings (she’s a one-night stand kind of gal) has me hesitating to want to attempt a relationship with her, even if ours would be purely platonic. By the end of the book, she shows a good amount of growth, and it’s clear that her “love ’em then leave ’em” mentality was more about protecting herself and her heart than actually not wanting to care. Would it be worth my time and mental effort to attempt to be her friend from the start, though? I’m not so sure.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Twain and Quinta hit it off from their first meeting, but their relationship is hindered by Quinta’s reluctance to let people in and Twain’s goal of leaving their city as soon as he can get the funds. The more time they spend together, however, the more they begin to rethink their positions. That said, their feelings really never felt all that real to me, as much as they tried to assure me that they were. It’s instalove with a side of “oh no, we mustn’t” dramatics that had me rolling my eyes.

Talky Talk: Fantasy Draft*
The Vermilion Emporium is an entertaining book that needs some more time in the oven. The copy I read is an ARC, so I’m not sure if the final version will be more cohesive, but the plot I read was a bit disjointed—the first two-thirds felt very different than the last third, and then the ending was rushed—and both the worldbuilding and characters could use some work. The book felt very “tell, don’t show,” which is a hard thing to review on because it can be pretty subjective but makes for a clunky read.

*I’m not talking about American football here, obvs, but if your mind went there—I hope your team’s doing well!

Bonus Factor: Magical Shop
The idea of The Vermilion Emporium itself is a wonderful element of the book. The shop is a TARDIS—larger on the inside—with an infinite number of strange and unusual rooms. The rooms also frequently house the exact thing you need, even if you didn’t realize you were needing anything. There’s a sentience to the store that is a little unnerving, but it seems to be harmless … for the most part?

Bonus Factor: Radium Girls
In her author’s note, Pacton says that she was inspired in part to write this story because of learning about the Radium Girls. Their story is definitely worth telling, and even in this fantasy-ized manner, it gets the point across that there are some jobs that just aren’t worth doing. I won’t go into detail on how or what is similar in the book to the painting of watch dials with radioactive paint, but it might be even more gruesome than reality.

Relationship Status: Support System
You have a lot of promise, Book, and a great story to tell. You could perhaps benefit from a bit of editing to truly make your story shine (pun intended), but only a bit! You’re nearly there.

What I Loved:
· An instant connection between the two main characters takes the tension away from the fear of a love triangle. The reader can simply relax into the relationship.
· The Vermillion Emporium, itself. I love the magical shop trope (Nowhere Emporium, Bookshop of Dust & Dreams) but Jamie Pacton’s vision of this magical shop is enchanting and eccentric. I would love to visit in real life ;)
· In Starlight lace, Jamie Pacton has laid out a perfectly whimsical idea as an end goal for the characters.

What I didn’t love
· It took a very long time getting to the action. The characters seemed to spin a bit early on and the plot did not move ahead enough.
· One of the characters has a destiny to fulfill: “You are meant for great things.” Ok, we get it. We don’t need the phrase repeated so very often.
· While the threat of a love triangle wasn’t present, the sexual tension between the characters was bludgeoned with the often-discussed rule of “no kissing.”

Take Note, Readers
· While it is “justified,” there is some behavior that is physically self-harming.
· In the beginning, there is some discussion of same-sex relationships and promiscuity.

The Most Thought-Provoking:
· Jamie Pacton wrote this book as an homage to the “Radium Girls” but she admits to writing a story with more hope than that of reality. And for that, in addition to the whimsy of the Vermillion Emporium and Starlight lace, I would recommend reading this tale.

{3.5 stars round up to 4}

Thank you to the publisher Peachtree, the author Jamie Pacton, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.