Skip to main content

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab

"It's been four months since the events of A Darker Shade of Magic and though some have found freedom, while others feel trapped, the Essen Tasch (Element Games) will bring everyone into the center of the fold and Schwab weaves the intricate webs of the story with expert craft. This was a fun, fast-paced, exciting read and the ending left me horrified and scrambling to my bookshelf to pick up the next book." 

5 Stars

Pros:  It was interesting to see how the soul bond that Kell created is affecting both Rhy and Kell, they're both struggling after what happened with the Danes and though they both have different ways of dealing with the memories, the soul bond keeps them linked/Holland, that's all I'll say. 

Cons: Lila's impulsiveness, her recklessness, gets tiresome/The fact that she always has to be right in the middle of everything gets old but then, of course, there wouldn't be much of a story. 

Full Review:
It's been four months since the tense and dramatic conclusion of the events in A Darker Shade of Magic. With no real home to go back to, Lila has taken it upon herself to become a member of the Crew of the Night Spire, a "privateering" ship led by the charismatic and dashing, Alucard Emery. He can read her like a book and figures out most of her secrets within the first week of her being on board, but he doesn't reveal her to anyone on the crew. Instead, he simply asks that she keep him company and be his friend. And in turn, he'll help her to hone the small bit of magic she's found herself able to wield ever since facing off against the Dane twins in White London. 

While Lila is free, Kell on the other hand, feels like a prisoner. After what happened with Rhy, and the possession charm of Astrid Dane, and the soul bond that Kell created to keep Rhy alive, the King and Queen have been cold and distant. They no longer treat him as a son, he's more of a prisoner. And with the Essen Tach fast approaching, a tournament where the best and brightest magicians across the Arnes Empire come to compete, Kell and Rhy create a plan to make it so they can have a bit of an adventure, since the Soul bond has left them both privy to each others moods, pains, nightmares. They both need a relief and Rhy thinks this is the perfect way for Kell to blow off some steam by competing. What could possibly go wrong? 

The Essen Tasch is the least of their concerns though as a world away, in White London, someone else has come to claim the throne in the vacuum that the Dane twins deaths created. And the new king shouldn't come as any surprise but it still does. And Schwab is great at keeping you hooked and curious, wondering how she's going to bring all the different threads together. 

She does so beautifully and by the end, the dreaded cliffhanger, you're horrified, panicked, completely bewildered at what just happened and, of course, scrambling to get your hands on the next book. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fantastic Voyage by Isaac Asimov

"When a scientist, Benes, who has integral and world changing information attempts to defect and join our Side, he's injured. A blood  clot forms in his brain and the only way to save his life is to miniaturize the crew of the Proteus and inject them into Benes' body, so they can break up the blood clot from the inside. Of course, one thing after another goes wrong and every chapter is a new catastrophe but it was definitely a fantastic voyage.   2 Stars Pros:  Grant is one dry character but he's a welcome bit of amusement in an otherwise serious and scientific novel.  Cons:  Grant is also SUCH a man that he spends most of the mission staring at saving the one woman board, Cora./Definitely ripe with anatomical lessons and what part of the body they were in. Since I've never been great at anatomy, a lot of it was lost on me and became burdensome near the end.  Full Review: As in all things, there is a good side and a bad side. This book is very vague as...
Post a Comment
Read more

Animal Farm by George Orwell

"A blithe and scathing commentary on equality, power, corruption and how everyone is created equal, but...some are more equal than others. Orwell hit the nail right on the head with this novel and it's no wonder it's a staple for most high school curriculums. " 3 Stars.  Pros:  Benjamin the Donkey is the smartest animal on the farm and it would have done all the others a world of good if they had listened to him in the first place.  Cons:  The fact that societies like this actually do exist is nauseating and terrible. It's not a con, per se, it's just a gut wrenching fact.  Full Review:  When the overworked and mistreated Animals on Manor Farm decide to rise up and overthrow their cruel master, they're successful. They rebel and now find themselves with an entire Farm to run. They rename it Animal Farm and are intent on creating a paradise, where work and play are equal, where productivity is key but relaxation is a must and all the lives of all the animal...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

"Arnold Spirit, Jr, or "Junior" as he's known on the Rez, does something no Spokane Indian has ever done. He enrolls in Reardon High School and begins the long and often painful process off navigating not only high school and adolescence but also being an outsider. Alexie handles it all with grace, humor and honesty. This was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone."  5 Stars Pros: Alexie handles the ups and downs of not only adolescence, but tragedy and loss in a stark, honest but gut wrenchingly relatable way.  Cons:  Some of Junior's all-consuming guilt, though understandable was a little repetitive but it's all part of being a teenager.  Full Review:  It all starts when Arnold Spirit Jr, or Junior, throws a textbook across the classroom. When he opened the book he saw his mother's name, her maiden name and it enrages him. He's furious that the reservation is so poor that they're learning from thirty-year old textbooks. He doesn't...
Post a Comment
Read more