The pains of losing the ones we love and how different our lives become. The Vermilion Emporium begins with grief and loss. With magical shops, bargains with consequences, and mystery. Using a background of desperation driven by poverty amongst the dangers these girls faced, Pacton infuses this setting with fantasy and magic. Inspired by Radium Girls, The Vermilion Emporium is magical and heart wrenching all at once. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.) (Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. As Quinta and Twain search the Emporium for answers, though, they discover the secret might not have been lost-but destroyed. However, they can’t sew a dress without more material, and the secret to starlight’s origins has been lost for centuries. She commissions Quinta and Twain to make her a starlight dress and will reward them handsomely enough to make their dreams come true. Soon, their lace catches the eye of the Casorina, the ruler of Severon.

Two, they enter the store and discover a book that teaches them how to weave starlight into lace. When Quinta meets Twain outside the Emporium, two things happen: One, Quinta starts to fall for this starlight boy, who uses his charm to hide his scars. Meanwhile, Quinta, the ordinary daughter of an extraordinary circus performer, chases rumors of the shop, The Vermilion Emporium, desperate for a way to live up to her mother’s magical legacy. On the morning Twain, a lonely boy with a knack for danger, discovers a strand of starlight on the cliffs outside Severon, a mysterious curiosity shop appears in town. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts. This is a fantastic YA fantasy book which will appeal to fans of bargains, danger, and friendship. And The Vermilion Emporium delivers the same. Jamie has such a way with characters who are endearing, charming, and complex all at once. I have loved every single book I’ve read from Jamie Pacton.

The Vermilion Emporium by Jamie Pacton