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marisavl's review against another edition
4.0
love all the characters. a bit hard to finish and even then it ended on a cliffhanger. yay
stacias99's review against another edition
4.0
A really enjoyable entry in the series, [b:A Gathering of Shadows|20764879|A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic, #2)|V.E. Schwab|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429627728s/20764879.jpg|43242915] continues to delight with its main strength being the characters and the system of magic. I enjoy lovable thieves, and Delilah Bard is one of my favorites. The addition of pirates and a magical contest was welcome. I can't wait to read the next novel.
chroniclesofabookmum's review against another edition
5.0
"Chaos needs order. Magic needs moderation. It's like a fire. It doesn't have self-control. It feeds off whatever you give it, and if you give it too much, it burns and burns until there's nothing left"
A Gathering of Shadows is the second book in the Shades of Magic series and is set 4 months after A Darker Shade of Magic ends. I like to keep my reviews spoiler free and therefore I will not be compiling a synopsis for this book as it is the second in the series.
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK IN ONE SITTING.
OMG. This book was absolutely fantastic. I loved it so much and could not put it down. I absolutely loved A Darker Shade of Magic and I didn't think it could get better until I read this one. V.E. Schwab definitely has a skill in drawing in the reader and holding on to them throughout the entirety of the book. It was slow paced, however I think this is Schwab's style, she feeds you information up to the very last page of the book which engages the reader and keeps them wanting more and more. I found myself hanging off her every word. I did not want this book to end and I just cannot believe I have only just discovered this series.
In this book we are introduced to Alucard (which I recently discovered was Dracula spelt backwards) and he may be a new favourite character of mine. I mean in this series I have around 17237281 favourite characters, so Alucard now joins the list. I absolutely loved his relationship with Lila, another character that has a special place in my heart. I really enjoyed watching both of their characters grow, both together and individually, their subplot was one which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Another relationship that I really enjoyed watching develop was that of Rhy and Kell. The relationship between them in A Darker Shade of Magic was wonderful however in A Gathering of Shadows it just seemed to develop even more and it was so nice to see. These pair really have my heart, at times they warm me and other times they break me. I just love them so much.
I feel that V.E Schwab is truly fantastic in every single way, in particular she is fantastic at her character building. Her books are very character centred which is something that I really enjoy in a book and I find myself so attached to her characters.
As I read this series more and more I find the small similarities of Harry Potter secretly spread within which I absolutely love. This was particularly apparent within this book with the Element Games, reminding me slightly of the Triwizard Tournament. I really loved this subplot in the book and it had me engaged and excited throughout. I felt like as a reader I was really involved within the games and was routing for my favourite contestant. Honestly I found that this part was a particular favourite and something I really enjoyed reading.
The ending of this book broke me. In true V.E Schwab style she introduced a plot twist towards the end which left me wanting more. I was so glad to be able to move straight onto A Conjuring of Light so I could dive in and find out what happened next. Albeit, I really do not want this series to end.
This book gets all the stars from me. I loved it so much. Have I mentioned how much I loved it yet? Sorry everyone! I definitely recommend this series to each and everyone of you because it is fast becoming one of my favourite EVER series.
A Gathering of Shadows is the second book in the Shades of Magic series and is set 4 months after A Darker Shade of Magic ends. I like to keep my reviews spoiler free and therefore I will not be compiling a synopsis for this book as it is the second in the series.
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK IN ONE SITTING.
OMG. This book was absolutely fantastic. I loved it so much and could not put it down. I absolutely loved A Darker Shade of Magic and I didn't think it could get better until I read this one. V.E. Schwab definitely has a skill in drawing in the reader and holding on to them throughout the entirety of the book. It was slow paced, however I think this is Schwab's style, she feeds you information up to the very last page of the book which engages the reader and keeps them wanting more and more. I found myself hanging off her every word. I did not want this book to end and I just cannot believe I have only just discovered this series.
In this book we are introduced to Alucard (which I recently discovered was Dracula spelt backwards) and he may be a new favourite character of mine. I mean in this series I have around 17237281 favourite characters, so Alucard now joins the list. I absolutely loved his relationship with Lila, another character that has a special place in my heart. I really enjoyed watching both of their characters grow, both together and individually, their subplot was one which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Another relationship that I really enjoyed watching develop was that of Rhy and Kell. The relationship between them in A Darker Shade of Magic was wonderful however in A Gathering of Shadows it just seemed to develop even more and it was so nice to see. These pair really have my heart, at times they warm me and other times they break me. I just love them so much.
I feel that V.E Schwab is truly fantastic in every single way, in particular she is fantastic at her character building. Her books are very character centred which is something that I really enjoy in a book and I find myself so attached to her characters.
As I read this series more and more I find the small similarities of Harry Potter secretly spread within which I absolutely love. This was particularly apparent within this book with the Element Games, reminding me slightly of the Triwizard Tournament. I really loved this subplot in the book and it had me engaged and excited throughout. I felt like as a reader I was really involved within the games and was routing for my favourite contestant. Honestly I found that this part was a particular favourite and something I really enjoyed reading.
The ending of this book broke me. In true V.E Schwab style she introduced a plot twist towards the end which left me wanting more. I was so glad to be able to move straight onto A Conjuring of Light so I could dive in and find out what happened next. Albeit, I really do not want this series to end.
This book gets all the stars from me. I loved it so much. Have I mentioned how much I loved it yet? Sorry everyone! I definitely recommend this series to each and everyone of you because it is fast becoming one of my favourite EVER series.
salemrose's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bethaniekay's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book as much as the first in the series, and that says a lot. The author has managed to craft another creative, compelling story, full of evocative descriptions that allow you to really *feel* like you're in that world, senses being assaulted by all the sights, sounds and smells. I appreciate that this wasn't just a continuation of the original - it was a complimentary, but different, storyline - yet the main characters remain. Their relationships become both more complex and more understood. I honestly can't decide who I like best -- brooding, serious Kell (awww), dashing, gregarious Alucard (swoon), or strong, feisty Lila (yay!). Overall, I just loved this book. The author left this one with a big cliffhanger, and I'm thankful I've already got the third (and final ) book ready to go.
sarahdizonsowinski's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ahinks's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0