The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly is her Young Adult debut and her sophomore novel, Lucky Girl, released from Page Street in May 2021. When she’s not writing, she’s teaching college English, obsessively reading obscure history, hiking, baking, or playing video games. The Vermilion Emporium is her YA fantasy debut. Jamie Pacton is an award-nominated young adult and middle grade author, who writes swoony, funny, magical books across genres. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.Join Jamie Pacton to discuss “The Vermilion Emporium.” Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. While nothing comes without a price, those who learn to love and change for the better are rewarded.Ī fantasy novel clothed in romance and adventure, The Vermilion Emporium weaves together themes of loyalty and destiny, delivering a heartfelt and dazzling triumph.ĭisclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. And the notion that magic demands sacrifice is handled in deft and sensitive ways.

The backdrop of the Vermilion Emporium, a shop that is much more than it seems, injects yet more wonder into a world that is largely devoid of magic itself, apart from the starlight lace that Quinta and Twain make together. Malicious forces then conspire to separate the teenagers, and they each encounter the dangers tied to this particular form of magic, which can suck the very life out of its users. Despite Quinta’s determination not to become attached, she begins to develop feelings for Twain, though it is uncertain whether their paths will continue to intertwine. Though the knowledge of how to make starlight lace has been lost for generations, Quinta and Twain stumble upon those very secrets and learn about the dangers inherent in accessing magic that everyone, from gossips to scholars to monarchs, wants.Īt first, Quinta is nettlesome and Twain is distant, but their starlight project draws them closer and earns them a wealthy patron.

The teenagers bond after a chance encounter that brings them to the doorstep of the Vermilion Emporium, a shop with magical goods that beckons to them both. Twain, also orphaned, scrambles to survive.

Quinta is an orphan who fears she will never live up to her mother’s magical life. The magic system of Jamie Pacton’s delightful, haunting fantasy novel The Vermilion Emporium pays tribute to the Radium Girls, who met tragic ends.

The vermilion emporium by jamie pacton