The Secrets of Solace by Jaleigh Johnson

Lina Winterbock is an apprentice archivist with a knack for getting herself into scrapes. Her poor reputation continues to get her into trouble, so Lina has gotten good at keeping secrets from everyone; like her hidden workshop, and the project she’s been slowly uncovering deep in the caverns of her mountainous home. But Lina needs help, and she doesn’t know anyone she can trust with her secret.

Then she meets a mysterious boy who has a secret of his own—a secret that’s so dangerous it could change the course of the Iron War and the world of Solace forever.

Lina hated to admit it, but Tolwin had a point. The archivists were taking a big risk if the Dragonfly territories were to find out.

The Secrets of Solace is an fantasy adventure with a hint of science fiction, which created a unique setting with lots of intrigue. I fell in love with the chilly mountain setting and the archivists living there. With new discoveries at every turn, I quickly adopted Lina’s awe for the unusual treasures kept in the strongholds, and her drive to find new ones.

Torque was the greatest thing in the world, as far as Lina was concerned.

However, the key thing that made The Secrets of Solace so complex was Lina Winterbock. While adventurous, tough, and hard-working, Lina was full of flaws and insecurities that could be seen right from the first chapter. She made a lot of mistakes, and had to deal with the consequences at every turn. The messages of friendship and trust in The Secrets of Solace were so much more meaningful thanks to Lina’s genuine struggle to face her fears and open up.

Whatever you do, don’t make it worse by trying to come up with some flimsy excuse for why you were in the ventilation shaft, Lina told herself.

And as an avid reader and aspiring writer, I feel the need to add that the writing is really amazing. It’s sharp and techinically precise, yet left room for imagination. If you want to read good writing in order to train your brain, The Secrets of Solace is a must.

⬢ ⬢ ⬢  THREE STARS
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