Liz Loves Books.Com.

Publication Date: 20th January 2015 from Bloomsbury Spark.

Source: Netgalley

Tattoos once were an act of rebellion.
Now they decide your destiny the moment the magical Ink settles under your skin.
And in a world where Ink controls your fate, Caenum can’t escape soon enough. He is ready to run from his family, and his best friend Dreya, and the home he has known, just to have a chance at a choice. 

My love of all things YA led me to this one, I wasnt sure what to expect exactly but what I found was a wonderful read, highly enjoyable, something a little bit different and a great start to what I assume (hope) will be a series, as I definitely want more.

Caenum is due to get his Ink – a magical type of tattoo that defines your entire existence moving forward. He is not really that keen on this idea, but before he can run an unexpected set of events catapults him into a battle he is unprepared for and leads him to discoveries that will change his life forever.

There is a beautiful simplicity to the writing of this, gorgeous prose telling a magical tale and it was a real page turner – Eric Smith sets the scene delightfully and there are some wonderful characters to follow along with, some terrific world building and a real sense of an epic to come. There are thrills and spills, a touch of romance and an almost road movie feel to the whole thing, I really did enjoy the reading experience a great deal.

As a starting point this was cleverly done – I very much liked the idea of a Tattoo that “breathes” and changes, becoming part of you and giving focus, not always the focus you would like. The dystopian element is well drawn, the overseers of this world very much wanting everyone in their place and it makes for an excellent adventure overall.

Terrific stuff. Can’t wait to find out what happens next!

Happy Reading Folks!