Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

Imprint by Madeline J. Rose is the first book in the Ink Press series. Paige wouldn't describe her life as ordinary. She has a unique ability that other book lovers would love to possess. She can jump into a good (or even bad) book. Paige bonds with a friend over their unique commonality that puts them both in danger when it catches the attention of the wrong people. No longer can Paige hide within the safety of books when those stories slip from the page and chase her down. As her world is shaken by threats against those closest to her, she teams up with her allies to go against the mysterious forces hunting her by using the very gift that placed her in danger and uncovers surprising secrets. Markas – who shares the same capabilities as she does – comes into her life as an ally and friend that she can connect with. Together they work to fight back and understand why they're sought after, which soon leads to uncovering another surprising connection between them.

Paige begins the story already aware of her ability to jump into books, which serves as an escape from life and gives her fun adventures to embark on. The story progresses quickly as the sanctuary she found within the pages of her favorite books takes a dangerous turn and escalates with dangerous men chasing after her. Balancing her world of adventure is a normal life with loving parents and two sisters who provide her with a sense of normalcy. Giving Paige an ordinary situation with her family adds to her determination and weaves some suspense into the story when their lives are put in danger. The sense of realness her family provides creates a grounded place within the story against the more imaginative elements of the book worlds. Her real world and one of the books begin to bleed into each other throughout the story with dangerous men appearing and chasing after her.

Madeline J. Rose does a clever job of weaving specific details to give the tone of each existence such as plants curling around Paige's legs or emotional moments with her family. These details are often subtly woven into the scene with a fun use of language. Blending fiction and reality, Rose has created a unique concept in Imprint that is fun to explore with moments of action, friendship, family, and imagination all mingling into a clever adventure. This is an ideal choice for avid book lovers as it explores the reality of literally embarking on the adventures we enjoy reading.