I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Lost Plot by Genevieve Cogman (The Invisible Library #4) from NetGalley in order to read and give an honest review.

This is the fourth book in Genevieve Cogman’s Invisible Library series and I have to say it was perhaps my favourite. Travelling through time and dimensions librarian Irene along with her assistant Kai find themselves in New York City during the 1920’s a time of prohibition, gangsters, and guns. This time they face their toughest assignment yet, walking a fine line between dragon and fae politics. When the Minister of the dragons dies a contest to fill the spot requires them to find a rare book. The challenge issued will give the winner power over the land and the contenders both approach Irene for assistance. Dragon politics is contentious at best, and the library has always maintained a neutral stance but when evidence points to the involvement of a librarian breaching that rule, Irene and Kai must find this rogue librarian. They are given carte blanche to investigate but must do so covertly and without the official backing of the library. If they are discovered, the library will deny all knowledge of the mission, leaving Irene and Kai alone to suffer the consequences. When murder and mayhem ensue, raising tensions place Irene and Kai right in the middle as well as putting the library in jeopardy.

I really enjoyed this entry in the Invisible Library series and would highly recommend it. In my opinion, it had it all, wonderful character development, intriguing plot lines and fast-paced action. My one complaint was a lack of one of my favorite characters, Vale, hoping to see more of him in the next installment. The Lost Plot also ended with a game-changing situation that has me curious as to where the next book in the series will go.😊

I loved the first two books in this series, but after the action in the last book, this feels like a let down. I had trouble getting into the last book, but was interested by the end. The problem with this book is that it answers few of the questions set up in the previous books. It feels like a detour from the main plot line, which is frustrating. This has happened with other series I’ve read, and it makes it more difficult to remember the main plot by the time the next book comes out. It’s still an interesting premise, but I’m starting to lose interest.

I don't have much to say about this book. I enjoyed it much more than the last installment. It's way more in the vein of what I expected from this series and why I held out even though I had been put off before. Searching for a book and being caught up in Fae and Dragon politics is a much more enjoyable story than insanely complex Fae and Dragon politics with a hint of literary plot thrown in. Overall the scale of fantasy element versus recognizable to reality element was much more manageable for this light fantasy reader.

Here we are again with Genevieve Cogman’s The Invisible Library series. This is the fourth book in the series that I have read and reviewed and Cogman never disappoints. We are once again back with Irene Winters and her friend/coworker/dragon/assistant/whatever Kai. They both work for The Library whose employees go between different worlds and dimensions in search of rare books to bring back and add to their collection. This Library exists between worlds and is only accessible after years of training to become a Librarian.

In this fourth installment, Irene and Kai are tasked under the table with stopping two dragons in a power struggle from A) involving the Library in their bid for power and B) from destroying an entire world. The world in question resembles 1920’s prohibition era America, mainly New York City.

One thing I have to say is that the descriptions in this book are fantastic. I could easily see the colorful flapper dresses, slick zoot suits, and tommy gun toting gangsters that Irene and Kai encounter. Cogman also carefully wove in the speakeasies that were illegal yet common during the era.

Onto the plot. As the two Librarians navigate this world, attempt to rescue a fellow Librarian, and try to stop two dragons from turning the world on its head they are hounded by the local police force and a group of gangsters. Every page and every chapter is packed full of action, cunning, and adventure.

Trying to talk about this book without giving too much away is difficult. Also, if you haven’t read any of the previous installments of the series, this book may be a little difficult to follow. The pair make several references back to their previous exploits and Irene uses something called The Language that, if you haven’t read the prior books, won’t make a lick of sense.

Know that there is mayhem, humor, intelligence, planning, disaster, and fun in this book. Above all, it is fun. You are sucked in to each moment, each obstacle they must overcome, and can’t help but root for our hero Librarians. If you haven’t picked up this series, and this book, I cannot recommend them enough.

Here lies what was planned as a witty and interesting review but ended up being a disaster. I’m blaming my cold and cold medicine. Go read the book. Go. Now. Scurry off, you.

4/5

I am in love with this book series. Count it as another "Harry Potter" series for me - it creates another world for me to live in, one in which I desperately wish I was a part of. Often book series dwindle in interest for me - the first one is great, the second one is so-so, and by the third one I'm kind of tired of things. Not this series. I could read about Irene, Kai, and Vale all day long. I love the premise of this series, and how strong and resourceful Irene is. Please don't ever stop this series!

I wasn’t really sure where The Lost Plot would take this series. After finishing The Burning Page last year, I felt like the series had all but wrapped up (I think it was only supposed to be a trilogy at first?).

There was a bit of a disconnect with this fourth book. Part of this may be from the length of time between reading the last book and this one, but more than that, the story felt. . . off compared to the first three books. Like when a TV show storyline wraps up but gets renewed for another season (*cough* Supernatural). Irene and Kai are still out doing their Librarian duties by obtaining rare books but this time around there are a LOT more dragons involved and all the action that comes with it.

Irene, as always, remains one of my favorite heroines. She’s cool, calm, collected, and plays a very good crime boss when she wants to. Throwing her into an alternate 1920’s New York was just plain fun to read. So far, most of the settings have either been steampunk London or a fantastical Vienna where she plays very similar roles, but this era of New York forced her to step out of her comfort zone. But I can’t say she grew much as a character beyond that, at least in my eyes. She reminds me more of a sitcom character that has something new happen each episode but you can always rely on that character to act a certain way.

You’d think that’d make this book boring but in all honesty, I absolutely loved reading it!

Cogman has a way of combining a unique idea with intriguing characters into a story you can’t put down. The Lost Plot has gangsters and dragons and Librarians (who are basically book thieves so not your typical bookworms), and in all that I never felt like it lost out on the world or character dynamics. I did miss Vale, though. If you’ve read the previous books you’ll remember him as the Sherlockian detective of Irene’s AU London. Unfortunately he only makes a brief appearance this time around so I didn’t get his quick wit thrown in the mix but that’s alright. We get Kai still.

Oh, Kai. I’ve been shipping him and Irene since book 1 and nothing’s ever come of it. The Lost Plot continues to reinforce their dynamic as work partners with a strong bond of friendship. There are hints of both wanting something more and, y’all, this is literally the SLOWEST slow burn romance I’ve ever read. Four books later and I got SOMETHING which was amazing and I just needed that so much (fingers crossed for book 5)!

In terms of the story, as I said I felt a disconnect from the first 3 books. But the Library is still in potential trouble and dragon politics become a central point. As a dragon lover, I was a fan. It expanded on the world only brought up here and there and I can see the dragons playing a role in the next book (yay!) due to a certain character and a decision made.

I don’t think this book was quite as good as the previous 3 but it was still a fabulous read and I can’t get enough of this series. Y’all definitely should check out The Invisible Library to find out where it all begins!

This is might be a 3.5, but I dithered on the rating. If you've gotten this far int he series you are familiar with the characters Irene and Kai and their work for the Library. This book diverges from the earlier books by focusing on a dragon plot and takes place in a Prohibition era New York City. It wasn't bad but it didn't get me interested until about a third of the way through the book. I'm sure fans of the series will love this installment and be surprised and happy with the ending.

The Lost Plot is the fourth book in the series, and, like the books before it, is about the trials and tribulations of a librarian-spy, this time set in 1920's-ish New York. This entire series is full of suspense, adventure, and fun, with witty characters and exotic settings. The world-building of the series is masterfully done, whether in an alternate world London or Venice, and Prohibition-era America does not disappoint. Dragons, political intrigue, mobsters, and clever characters who are continuing to grow since past books make this latest addition to the Invisible Library a fun read that can make a weekend fly by.

An enjoyable story but I felt that I missed out some for not having read the previous books in the series. While it did stand ok alone, I never fully understood the universe which was frustrating because I loved what I did get. So, good, but if you can start from book 1!

Like the rest of the Invisible Library series (start with the first book, The Invisible Library, and settle in for a marvelously good time!) The Lost Plot has a strong flavor of the old movie serial “The Perils of Pauline”. I would say “out of the frying pan and into the fire” but that phrase just isn’t sufficient to describe Librarian Irene Winters’ many (many, many) hair-raising adventures.

Either those frying pans are bubbling on top of an institutional sized range, with frying pans as far as the eye can see, or it’s an endless stack of frying pans on fires, getting progressively hotter as they go, all the way down.

Irene gets in trouble a lot. To put it another way, Irene has lots of adventures, in the sense that adventure is defined as something that happens to someone else, either long ago, far away, or both. I’d love to have a drink with her, but I wouldn’t want to be her.

In this particular entry in the series, Irene starts out attempting to carry out a simple retrieval mission for the Library. For once, she’s even planning to conduct it above board – buying the book the Library wants rather than just stealing it. This was her first mistake, but certainly not her last.

Irene’s last mistake is undoubtedly going to either be fatal or see her as the head of the Invisible Library – possibly both. But not yet. Nowhere near yet.

This time, Irene finds herself stuck in the middle of dragon politics, a situation that up until now she has carefully tried to avoid at all costs. But this time, as is usual for Irene, even though she doesn’t go looking for trouble, it inevitably finds her.

Getting involved in dragon politics might get her killed. And that might be the least bad of the many available possibilities. It’s almost certainly going to cost her relationship with her apprentice Kai. A relationship that Irene has attempted to keep as loosely defined as possible, because she doesn’t want to lose Kai in her life in any capacity, even though Kai is himself a dragon.

More dangerous all around is the possibility that in the fallout from this ever-growing clusterf**k, the Library will lose its not merely prized but absolutely vital neutrality in the endless conflict between the dragons and the fae, who respectively represent order and chaos. Because its only in the middle ground between those two vast forces that human beings can thrive. If the Library loses its neutrality through thoughtless political machinations (or Irene’s inability to counter those machinations) there’s not much hope left.

The needs of the many, as always, outweigh the needs of the view, or of the one. And it’s up to Irene to find a way to meet those needs, no matter what the cost is to herself.

Again.

Escape Rating A: I used the Star Trek paraphrase for multiple reasons. Irene is always at the sharp end of the spear, in danger of losing something (or many somethings) that she holds dear in order to preserve the balance. She’s always in a “mission impossible” situation, where the Library will cut her loose and disavow any knowledge of her actions if things go wrong.

But it’s the setting of this particular entry that really made me think of Star Trek. The alternate world in which Irene finds herself this time is an over-the-top version of America during Prohibition, complete with goons with “tommy guns” on every corner. I couldn’t help but be reminded of the Original Series episode A Piece of the Action, which has a similar setting.

One of the interesting things about this series as a whole is the way that it has eschewed the traditional conflict between good and evil for the much more interesting and nuanced balancing act between order and chaos. This is the same battle that played out in Babylon 5, and illustrates yet again that neither of those forces are good or evil per se, but that extremes of both are bad for humanity.

Irene is as intrepid a heroine as ever, always running and dancing as fast as she can to stay a half step ahead of the doom that is inevitably following her. I absolutely love all of her adventures and can’t wait for more.

This novel was different than I imagined based on the description, but it was an excellent entry in the invisible library series. It had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. The ending set up the next novel well, and I look forward to its release.

The Lost Plot was given by Berkley Publishing and NetGalley in return for my honest review.

The Lost Plot by: Genevieve Cogman
Pub Date was January 9, 2018.

I immediately got interested at the sight!! The invisible library books are amazing. Come on now an Interdimensional library!! Yes please.

Through the library the Librarians can travel to various worlds and times. Irene is one of the many Librarians in Residence, meaning she often has missions to retrieve the books for the library. All the while the Library remains neautral, never siding with a side. They stay out of the politics of other worlds as to ally with one or another.

Irene apprentice is Khi, a dragon. So she does tread lightly with some things as to not get her and Khi into any trouble. Khi is not just a dragon but he is also of royal blood.

In this book, things get a little weird for Irene and Khi. She has never had anyone but the library send for a book, otherwise is unheard of. She was however approached by a dragon in search of a very rare and hard to get book.

The request and the visitor, leave Irene with red flags and curiosity. That only continues as she heads out on her journey for the library. After her little visit she had consulted them on what to do.

A Library, a dragon, and now possible war bringing the library into it. The story takes many turns, and was enthralling the entire ride!! I love it, and hope to see more of Irene, Khi, and the library!! So many twists and turns that every page is an adventure. I think a lot of would enjoy them!!

This book was fun. Being in the 20's, Irene become a 007 type of Librarian and Kai being her loyal apprentice was great and constant. We get a few more answers on Irene's parents and where she came from, we get some more coverage on some romantic aspects (and no answers on others...) and an endong that made me love Irene even more. This ending didn't wrap up as neatly as the last three; it leaves you with more questions on how are things going to unravel next, but overall it was a fun ride.

I am so glad I requested this book from Netgalley. See, at first I didn't realize it was part of a series, so I groaned about having to catch up in a series I was still on the fence about reading. In the end, this worked out for me, because with each book I've read in the series, the more I love it. Honestly, yes, the first book didn't really do it for me, but the second? hooked me! The third? Had me hanging on every word. This one? Stole my heart.

This book brings us out of Irene's usual world and instead takes place mostly in 1930s America where gangs are everywhere and alcohol is technically illegal. Irene trades in long skirts, veils, and scarves, for short hair, knee-length dresses, and tons of color. I absolutely love all the different worlds Irene goes to and how they are different from each other. The world-building must be difficult to write and explain, but I feel the author does a marvelous job.

The characters, by this point are very much well defined. The new side characters that pop up in the new world are also well done. I felt like there were a ton of new people introduced, but the little confusion I feel is needed to make the story. Yes, there are a ton of characters, but after this book Irene will probably never go to this world again, so we won't need to remember them.... most of them. I did miss some characters from other books. I don't want to spoil too much in case someone hasn't read the first book, but I think the hard part about writing a book about a character that goes to different worlds, is how to include a continuous cast besides your main ones. So, I understand why some people aren't included and hope they are included more next time.

I will say that one thing that bothers me with this series is that there is very time for Irene to think about her romantic feelings for characters except at the very beginning and end of books. And even then, I have no idea who she likes or doesn't and why. This isn't a huge part of the series -- very minor considering how romance is practically never brought up, but when it is it irks me.

Also, Kai-- KAI!! Ugh. I honestly have no idea what is going to happen in the next book with their partnership, but I do hope things work out.

I am so excited to read the next one!! I hope it comes out soon (you know, before 2020 maybe?).

The Invisible Library series is one of my go-to series whenever I'm looking for a fun, engaging, and highly entertaining read. The Lost Plot is a wonderful addition to this series, it contains the same spirit that drew me to the first three while still remaining fresh and unique. I loved the character development in this installment. Additionally, as the larger mysteries in this universe are slowly unspooled, I'm increasingly intrigued as to what the author's endgame is for this series.

After returning from a successful mission, Irene is waylaid by Jin Zhi, a dragon who serves the Queen of the Southern lands. Although they reject Jin's proposal, Irene and Kai still find themselves embroiled in a dragon contest after a young librarian finds himself tangled up in it. If any of them are caught, the political repercussions for the Library could be severe. Irene and Kai find themselves in a 1930s-esque Chicago, racing against the clock to find the missing book before its too late.

The Lost Plot was one of the most entertaining books I've read in a while. There were even a few times where I laughed out loud. The setting was absolutely perfect, it brought in Prohibition, additionally intrigue, and some very intriguing characters. It was such a different setting for Irene and Kai, it was interesting to see how they changed and adapted to their circumstances. Additionally, there were additional hints that developed some of the overarching plots in the series, although there are still many mysteries remaining.

Irene is such a likable and engaging protagonist. I've been a fan of her since the beginning and this latest installment just reinforced how resourceful, intelligent, and strong of a character she is. Kai's character growth continues and I am such a fan of how their partnership is developing. I can't wait for future installments, I'm crossing my fingers that more develops in the future!

The Lost Plot was an excellent addition to an extremely entertaining series. I would recommend to fantasy fans who are looking for a light and fun series with clever mysteries.

After the last books thrilling plot was I eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. The Lost Plot takes librarians Irene and Kai to an alternative world set in 1930s America with gangsters (and dragons). They have to save the life of a librarian who has been caught up in a fight between two dragons. And, Irene and Kai most try to fix this situation since librarians have to stay outside conflicts like this.

Now, this book was absolutely alright to read. I love Genevieve Cogman's writing style, the humor, and the action and of course the supercool Invisible Library. However, I just want to say that there were two things that just made this book a little less interesting to read and that was that my favorite character, besides Irene, was pretty much absent all through the book. Yes, Vale is not in this book much. Which is perhaps logical since Irene and Kai are in another alt. world than Vale's. However, that doesn't mean that I don't miss him and that I didn't spend the whole book waiting for him to show up. Also, the romantic turn in this book is one that I was not at all thrilled about. I'm not sure I will handle this pairing in the next book. It just feels, not interesting.

The plot, for the most part, was good with two dragons competing against each other. Nevertheless, There were moments when I felt that my interest would drop throughout the story. Irene's usually brightened the dull moments with some wisecrack comments or thoughts. However, I must admit that looking back do I realize that my heart was not really there. That the story just barely worked for me. It could be because of the big confrontation in the previous book and the fact that this dragon centralized storyline just didn't do the trick for me.

However, I will still read the next book in this series and I do hope to see more of Vane in it.

When it comes to politics of any kind (but especially those of fae and dragon), it is essential that the Library remain neutral. When it comes to disputes, wars, etc., they are Switzerland, avoiding involvement unless the Library itself (or its reputation) is in danger. So, when Irene gets wind of a rumor that the services of a Librarian may have been bought by a dragon, for the purposes of attaining a book that will sway dragon politics, she and Kai have no choice but to intervene.
On this mission, they find themselves in an alternate New York City, similar to our NYC city of the 1920’s, wrought with gangs taking advantage of Prohibition laws. While there, they will deal with gangs, police, fae, dragons, and wolves and in the end, risk all to preserve the neutrality of the Library and protect human lives.
The Invisible Library series has become one of my favorites. Genevieve Cogman never disappoints, and I’ve been looking forward to this book since I read the last one. This fourth in series is my 2nd favorite (the 1st being the best!). The adventure was a bit more low-key, a little less immersed in fantasy, and felt much more character driven.
I love Irene. She is fiercely independent, passionate but maintains control (mostly), intelligent and focused, adaptable, empathetic and highly ethical. I love Irene and Kai as a pair, whatever that may consist of in the future. And I love the idea of the Library being this amazing, magical, powerful, neutral ground because it is a fair representation of how it has always felt to me. Library should always be capitalized. ;)
The Lost Plot was one of my top 5 most anticipated books of 2018, and it was everything I hoped it would be. Here’s hoping #5 is well on its way!

Irene and Kai are drawn into the middle of dragon politics when The Library requests that they search and find a young Librarian who may have crossed a forbidden line. The Library is a neutral entity not getting drawn into choosing sides between the dragons and Fae. This young Librarian, Evariste, seems to have been hired by a dragon to find a book for his Queen. However, when Irene and Kai reach 1920’s New York they realize that all is not as it seems and they may need to help Evariste get out of the situation he has been drawn into.

I have loved the different settings that past Invisible LIbrary books have been set, but I’ll admit, 1920’s New York created more drama, intrigue and romance than any of the other worlds. Granted, it is a world that is familiar. Prohibition,mobsters, flappers and fedoras ruled the day and watching Irene and Kai familiarize themselves with the era was fun and at times frivolous. Frivolity wouldn’t be a word I’d use to discuss any of the previous plots, so it seems the author had fun with this setting as much as I did reading about it. As soon as Kai and Irene stepped through the doors into this era the story moved at a quick clip and I was enthralled.

Irene and Kai’s relationship has slowly evolved over the four books. Yes, he is still her apprentice, but you can tell that they care for each other more than teacher and student. As this plot revolves around dragon politics, something that Kai can’t get involved in because that would shift their relationship away from the safety of teacher / student and would also endanger the neutrality of the Library, there was more of a sense of urgency to the plot. They are always facing danger and making difficult choices but the possibility of a shift to a different kind of relationship was exciting and something I had been looking forward to but thought would never happen.

The Lost Plot has been my favorite in the series so far. The 1920’s setting gave the story more humor and fun, the political nature of the story line made the drama more intense and the conclusion to the plot was very well played out and satisfying.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

It would be easy to dismiss The Lost Plot and the entire series as fluffy fantasy involving a weird Library, dragons, Fae, and dimensional time travel, and in some regards this assessment is true. It is rather fluffy in that the stories are not literary in nature but purely entertaining. You are not going to learn much about history, life, or yourself while reading them. To dismiss The Invisible Library series, however, is to ignore all that is right with storytelling for Genevieve Cogman tells one hell of a story.

Like all good series, each story builds on the other. In this fourth novel in the series, we know more than we did about the Library. We understand Fae and dragon lands. We know about dragon politics. We understand Irene's mission and her relationship with Kai. What The Lost Plot does is provide us with just a bit more knowledge about each of these areas to further solidify our understanding. Dragon politics is at the heart of this particular novel, and for the first time we see how Irene's relationship with Kai and their relationship to the Library could be in jeopardy thanks to his family. In the previous novels, this was something hinted at more than explored, but now we get to see firsthand the high-wire act Irene has been performing to keep both Kai and the Library safe. Her willingness to do so speaks volumes about her feelings for her apprentice, and we finally see some movement in that area as well. In addition, the time spent in various dragons' company affords us a greater understanding of their strict rules and hierarchy. Plus, there are mobsters, holier-than-though cops, and dragons flying around fighting each other. What more could you want?

After the heavy action in The Burning Page, The Lost Plot does feel rather slow and less informative than previous books. Yet, I suspect this was done for a purpose. There has always been more to the story than just Irene and Kai traveling to different lands to collect rare books for the Library. Book three brought us closer to understanding that overarching mystery, so book four is a time to pause and establish greater understanding of our heros and the political minefields that exist in their line of work. It is not a filler episode so much as it is a breather episode, there to remind us of simpler times when we first met Irene and Kai and to confirm all that we now know. All long-running series have such lulls in action, if you will, where the main story gets set aside for a bit while we reintroduce the characters, discover how much they have changed since we first met them, and get the chance to process everything that has previously happened. For any series to be successful, having this relative lull in the action is essential and welcome.

This is not to say that Irene becomes dull and safe in her efforts to fulfill her mission. It is rather the opposite in fact. If there is any impending danger, she will find it. If she can find a way to wreck havoc, she takes it. This is the Irene we know and love, the one who will do whatever it takes to keep her friends safe and complete her mission, the one who is afraid to jump but will do it anyway because she knows it is the only way. There is plenty of action and destruction to whet any Irene Winters fan.

After three books in the series, there is not much more to say except to remind people just how much fun it is. Irene is hilarious in her practical, no-nonsense way with her affinity for a warm fire, a snifter of brandy, and a pile of books at war with her propensity for danger and mayhem. Kai has a chance to shine on his own this time too, as we see him forced to make decisions without Irene's guidance and apply his understanding of the politics at play to his decision-making. The Prohibition-era like version of New York City is amusing and adds an extra layer of intrigue to the whole story. The Lost Plot is immensely satisfying and thoroughly entertaining, as is the whole series. The only bad part is now having to wait yet again for the next book.