The Vermilion Emporium

By: Jamie Pacton

Narrated by: Jeremy Carlisle Parker

The heart-wrenching story of The Radium Girls meets the enchanting world of Howl’s Moving Castle, when two misfits discover the deadly secret to making starlight lace inside of a magical curiosity shop.

It was a day for finding things…

On the morning Twain, a lonely boy with a knack for danger, discovers a strand of starlight on the cliffs outside of Severon, a mysterious curiosity shop appears in town. Meanwhile, Quinta, the ordinary daughter of an extraordinary circus performer, chases rumors of the shop, The Vermilion Emporium, desperate for a way to live up to her mother’s magical legacy.

When Quinta meets Twain outside of the Emporium, two things happen: One, Quinta is sure she’s infatuated with this starlight boy, who uses his charm to hide his scars. Two, they enter the store and discover a book that teaches them how to weave starlight into lace.

Soon, their lace catches the eye of the Casorina, the ruler of Severon. She commissions Quinta and Twain to make her a starlight dress and will reward them handsomely enough to make their dreams come true. However, they can’t sew a dress without more material, and the secret to starlight’s origins has been lost for decades. As Quinta and Twain search the Emporium for answers, though, they discover the secret might not have actually been lost—but destroyed. And likely, for good reason.

A powerful and romantic adventure set in a whimsically magical world. Jamie Pacton’s fantasy debut is the story of timeless love and deadly consequences.

I’m enjoying this book so much!

I’m a big fan of Jamie Pacton’s storytelling, and this romantic fantasy is exactly the book I need right now. The plot moves along, the characters are engaging, and it’s just plain making me happy!

The narrator’s voice is perfect. I admit I sometimes find audiobook narration annoying, but not this one. Thank goodness! The voice is soothing and channels the YA vibe quite nicely.

A Magical Mystery Adventure

Jamie Pacton creates a beautiful story with imagery which will put you deep into the world of characters with depth and humanity. You will fall in love with the heroes and the mysteries and magic within the Emporium.

Brilliant

For me, the mark of a good book is when I find myself thinking about the characters and the story outside of when I’m listening (or reading), or when I find myself looking for excuses to engage in activities where I know I can be listening. This book had both.

For me, a great narrator is someone who’s voice is so connected and engaged with the work that I almost don’t notice they are there. Their performance is so invested in the journeys of the characters that I can forget where I am and what I’m doing and can find myself standing in place just listening.

There are rare times when those two things combine into one exquisite package. This is one of them.

Jamie Paxton weaves an intricate story of love and challenge, magic and power, whimsy and heartache. Twain and Quinta’s journeys were a joy to follow and the world she created has such beauty and depth.

Jeremy Carlisle Parker’s performance was connected and consistent from start to finish. She is a perfect match for the telling of this story, and her presentation of this beautiful story deserves a standing ovation. Brava.