Empire of Shadows (Raiders of the Arcana, #1)

by Jacquelyn Benson

At that tender age, it had never occurred to Ellie that the life she wanted was an impossibility—that no amount of intelligence and determination would ever overcome the handicap of her gender.

“I know a thing or two about having dreams the rest of the world thinks are madness,”

Books were like breathing for her—an extension of her being. She hardly had to think about the fact that she was reading when she did it. The words melted into a stream of beautiful knowledge pouring into her mind.