Inkbound - Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo product reviews

I was able to read an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) of this book and my initial interest was piqued because it was sent with a temporary tattoo (which I, unfortunately, didn't get to keep). However, since I love fantasy, it really wasn't hard work at all to get me reading this book.

Metty is 10, when she gets given her fate, by way of a 'tattoo' appearing on her wrist after a meeting with Madame LeBeau. She's then squirreled away by her father, and spends a year with the pressing knowledge that she will, one day, murder someone with magic. On her 11th birthday, her father goes missing and Metty ends up being taken in by her estranged aunt. Of course, as with most books along this line, things aren't as straight forward, there is a dangerous foe and secrets abound.

I enjoyed Metty's character, there were moments where I had a little chuckle to myself from her comments (I could easily picture my 15yo saying similar things) and liked that while she had some character growth, she stayed true to herself throughout the book. There were, as with a lot of books, plenty of plot twists that you can see coming, but the world that Leathley has built made up for that (giant hearts keeping a city floating!!!). One could also say that I have watched Coraline more than a few times, as anytime the full name of Meticulous Jones was used, I heard it in Coraline's voice.

This is the first in a series, the usual 'bad guy isn't fully defeated, I'll be back' stuff, but I really enjoyed Metty and the world she lives in, so I will be keeping an eye out for the next book.