Nevernight (The Nevernight Chronicle, #1)

by Jay Kristoff

“Your mind will serve you better than any trinket under the suns,” she’d said. “It is a weapon, Mia. And like any weapon, you need practice to be any good at wielding it.” “But mother—” “No, Mia Corvere. Beauty you’re born with, but brains you earn.”

“Nothing is where you start. Own nothing. Know nothing. Be nothing.” “Why would I want to do that?” The old man crushed out his cigarillo on the boards between them. His smile made her smile in return. “Because then you can do anything.”