Inkbound: Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo

Gr 5 Up–Leathley creates an addictive, fast-paced world of magic and breathtaking imagery in her series debut. Like all the children in her world, 10-year-old Meticulous Jones gets fated on her birthday; a magical tattoo appears foretelling her future. Metty ends up with an ill-fated one—to become a murderer. Frightened by her fate, her father takes her to the secluded Welsh countryside. Things are boring but fine, until her father goes missing. As Metty tries to find her dad and not succumb to her fate, she gets closer to her aunt and learns about their family history. This book is filled with memorable characters who are mystical and alluring. It’s also both plot- and character-driven, with a strong narrative flow that makes it an easy and engaging read. Despite the fantasy, it includes topics relevant to everyone in everyday life. For example, the magic ink that runs the new cities seems to be abundant; however, the government and city officials hike the prices way up so this resource is inaccessible for nearly everyone else. Readers will be shocked by the twists and turns and eagerly await what happens next.