The Sinister Booksellers of Bath: A magical map leads to a dangerous adventure, written by international bestseller Garth Nix

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With at least a couple of Susan’s problems solved, for the time being, it’s not entirely clear if there will be a third volume. But surely there are yet more cities with more mysterious bookshops to be explored. From the very first chapter there's danger and action which kept me so curious that I couldn't put this book down. The pacing was great and steady throughout the whole book too. If you love all things British enjoy it with a fresh pot of tea, china teaware and a generous portion of lemon drizzle cake. You will need sustenance just in case (likely) you cannot put it down.

Her reluctance in book one was believable and is why I was excited to see her grow into her role, but it takes too damn long, and when she finally has her big moment, it feels forced and unbelievable, because she tried to arm wrestle every twist and turn in her cowardly favor. In comparison, whilst generally still quirky, the secondary characters are still a little nondescript, however, although the point is the need to focus on events around Susan. Besides the main characters, there are a whole host of minor characters, some from the previous book and many new ones who give the book real life. There are some great comic scenes involving cake as well as a very grumpy door man in the Admiralty Building in Bath. The comic scenes are an effective pause in the action which is very fast paced and involves a lot of travelling at high speed.The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life. Everyone believes that Salil Singh killed his girlfriend, Andrea Bell, five years ago—except Pippa Fitz-Amobi. I love this world. There's a familiarity to it that's comforting. In my opinion, fantasy works best when there's a root that we can cling to. Then you can add the fantastical side without having to consult a map, (although I do like a map) or reread where on earth we are. Susan is a good character who in this book grows in statue. Merlin is still the wonderful oddball he was in the first installment. The old mystical world is still as enchanting. The humour is still there in spadefuls. I know that Garth can write. And I did say that I would want to read the next book in the series. And here it is!

Susan, Merlin, Vivien and the lot lead us through a busy schedule in their crusade against a murderous magical entity. Bath is beautifully depicted, with never enough tea and buns. And in the run Susan will find out a few things about herself, while Merlin outfits keep you awed, surprised and entertained. I'll still be around for whatever book comes next, but my expectations will be far lower, honestly I'm a bit disappointed with how different my experiences have been with book one and two. The characters were great. They were developed well and relatable. I really liked the growing relationship between Merlin and Susan, the witty banter between the characters and seeing the type of magic used in this world. I also adored Merlin in both books. He’s a very colourful character, who might also be called downright weird, but he wears his quirkiness with pride and can charm even the most sceptical people. He is also very aware of his own shortcomings and is not afraid to admit his mistakes. But first and foremost, he is very warm and caring and always thinks about others before himself.I’m also a fan of the characters in this story. Susan is a down-to-earth and no-nonsense character who tries her best to fit into the regular world. But at the same time, she’s not blind to what happens around her and understands that, eventually, she will have accepted her own magical heritage. Reading about her journey from downright refusal to slow and reluctant acceptance and finding loopholes in the ancient world rules was highly entertaining. This is the sequel and while it maintains the good humor and charm of the first book, I found it to be largely disappointing.

Someone pointed out to me that this series is actually YA - oops, not been one of them for many decades. I say bah to that - I'm in my 50s and I love it! Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All the characters are excellent especially our core group of three. Merlin is always fun with his outrageous dress sense, Vivian is calm, cool and collected, and Susan is developing her skills so fast she scares herself. She also seems to have an innate ability to know what to do when faced with these mythical beings.

The charm of these books is largely due to the irrepressible Merlin, who winds up in said strange and dangerous garden because he can’t resist a mysterious bee; he also happens to be wearing Elizabet Bennet’s outfit from a BBC Pride and Prejudice adaptation (he borrowed it from a wardrobe assistant, as one does): Although this is the second book in the series, I haven’t read the first one. This book is so well written though that I had no problems keeping up with the plot, especially because certain things from the first book were referenced to and included. If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal. I need less of Susan trying to fight EVERYTHING. (seriously, I get resisting your destiny but, christ she is exhausting.) It should really go without saying that for a voracious book reader (like myself!) books about books, or libraries, or bibliophiles should be an automatic win.