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crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
5.0
“I'm not the type to just sit back and let other people take care of my problems for me”
Dana Hathaway tries her best to make the most out of her “house arrest” state in Avalon as she can. But when the Erlking and the Huntsmen arrive in Avalon, it gets even more difficult for Dana to have a normal life. Is the Erlking out to kill her, at the behest of the Faerie Queens who want her head? Or is there something more?
I Liked:
Before I started this book, I was reaching urban fantasy burn-out. The last two (three?) books young adult urban fantasies (City of Bones, Entice, and Captivate) highly underwhelmed me. But I had liked Glimmerglass and seeing how I bought the sequel, I figured I might want to get it read now before I forgot too much of what happened.
You know that saying about how a sequel is worse than the original? So not happening here. This book is easily 10 times better than Glimmerglass—which is a huge compliment, as Glimmerglass wasn't a horrible book at all!
Our main character, Dana, is awesome. She remains a teenager, vulnerable and young, and yet I see more and more how mature she is, particularly with being raised by an alcoholic mother. She bites her tongue even when she wants to backtalk her parents (sure, she still does sometimes), she thinks about consequences of her actions (she works diligently to keep her feelings with Ethan in check, knowing what kind of a person he is), and she doesn't dump responsibility into someone else's hands. Sure, some of her choices are bad, but they also make sense to her from her point of view and make her grow and change.
Keane is a MUCH better character this time around. I definitely liked him more this time around and appreciated how he got more screen time to do things other than end up in “suggestive” lockholds with Dana. The antagonism between him and Ethan is interesting and palpable, and I even like the possibility of a Keane/Kimber relationship (have to love Dana for being so practical and thinking about her friend when considering a relationship with Keane). I also admit, I liked how Finn totally whooped his @ss, showing us that even the bad boy gets brought down a notch.
Ethan is awesome too. Still very much a Ladies' Fae (har har), he makes a choice that puts him in a sticky situation. It's so funny, I hate how he's a womanizer, and yet, you can see glints of a good Fae/man in there.
Kimber is awesome. I love how Dana actually has a female friend and not a female antagonist so they can bicker at each other over the same guy or whatever.
An unexpected new favorite is the Erlking. I was afraid, at first, he would be terribly cliched, but he wasn't! He is “bad”, but not really. He more or less is like Boba Fett: he makes his own rules and looks out for himself...or does he? I really liked the chemistry between him and Dana (yeah, it's a little gross as she is 16 and he is thousands of years old, but I'm weird), and I can't wait to see how that is wrapped up.
As I talked about characters, I kinda weaved in a bit about the story as well, but as it was really intelligent and unique, I want to spend a bit more time on it. In the beginning, there was a lot of “teen drama”, but for some reason, I didn't hate it. I didn't hate Dana struggling with her dad to go to Kimber's birthday party or the other fairly mundane things that happen in this book. I felt that it was well-written and nicely woven into the world of Avalon. Likewise, I was also afraid when Ethan was captured that Jenna Black would do a Carrie Jones and have Ethan gone for almost two books. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that Black refuses to do that in the slightest.
Basically, Ethan is caught and Dana has to make a sacrifice to return him...but is her “sacrifice” everything she thinks it is? This entire plot forces a lot of characters to change or to face changes. It's also a whole lot darker and more adult than most urban fantasy on the scene (“Oh, should I pick Boy #1, whom everyone can see I'll be with at the end, or Boy #2, who was thrown in at the last minute to make things more of a challenge?”). Boy, I can't tell you how glad I was to see this wasn't yet another Romantic Triangle Plot Tumor.
Lastly, the writing was good. After reading unwieldy prose, it was nice to read these pages where the writing literally falls into the background—exactly where the prose should be, so that readers can focus on the story that the author is writing.
I Didn't Like:
I really don't have much to put here, but I will say one thing: this is a whole lot darker and more adult than Glimmerglass. Dana gets involved in a passionate kiss with an older man, a makeout session with Ethan, and a near-rape.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Two f-bombs, a few da**, he**, and sh**.
Pretty intense for young adult (though considering Jenna Black got her start in adult paranormal romance...). Dana and Ethan make out, going quite far (some of the terminology I've seen used in adult romances). Also, Dana shares a very passionate kiss with a much older Fae—this relationship may squick a lot of people out. Notes to bulging pants, lots of talk of virginity and sex, and a scene of almost rape.
The end gets quite violent with the gruesome (but mostly off-screen) deaths of 2+ characters.
Overall:
Stunningly awesome! I am a painfully slow reader, so when I say I finished this book in a whopping two days, it's impressive. The story is interesting and unique, the characters jump out of the pages, and pace is quick and entertaining. For adults and older teens, I highly recommend.
However, for the younger set, I would recommend to pass. This is a great book, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it's appropriate for a tween to read so much about bulging pants and a near-rape.
Dana Hathaway tries her best to make the most out of her “house arrest” state in Avalon as she can. But when the Erlking and the Huntsmen arrive in Avalon, it gets even more difficult for Dana to have a normal life. Is the Erlking out to kill her, at the behest of the Faerie Queens who want her head? Or is there something more?
I Liked:
Before I started this book, I was reaching urban fantasy burn-out. The last two (three?) books young adult urban fantasies (City of Bones, Entice, and Captivate) highly underwhelmed me. But I had liked Glimmerglass and seeing how I bought the sequel, I figured I might want to get it read now before I forgot too much of what happened.
You know that saying about how a sequel is worse than the original? So not happening here. This book is easily 10 times better than Glimmerglass—which is a huge compliment, as Glimmerglass wasn't a horrible book at all!
Our main character, Dana, is awesome. She remains a teenager, vulnerable and young, and yet I see more and more how mature she is, particularly with being raised by an alcoholic mother. She bites her tongue even when she wants to backtalk her parents (sure, she still does sometimes), she thinks about consequences of her actions (she works diligently to keep her feelings with Ethan in check, knowing what kind of a person he is), and she doesn't dump responsibility into someone else's hands. Sure, some of her choices are bad, but they also make sense to her from her point of view and make her grow and change.
Keane is a MUCH better character this time around. I definitely liked him more this time around and appreciated how he got more screen time to do things other than end up in “suggestive” lockholds with Dana. The antagonism between him and Ethan is interesting and palpable, and I even like the possibility of a Keane/Kimber relationship (have to love Dana for being so practical and thinking about her friend when considering a relationship with Keane). I also admit, I liked how Finn totally whooped his @ss, showing us that even the bad boy gets brought down a notch.
Ethan is awesome too. Still very much a Ladies' Fae (har har), he makes a choice that puts him in a sticky situation. It's so funny, I hate how he's a womanizer, and yet, you can see glints of a good Fae/man in there.
Kimber is awesome. I love how Dana actually has a female friend and not a female antagonist so they can bicker at each other over the same guy or whatever.
An unexpected new favorite is the Erlking. I was afraid, at first, he would be terribly cliched, but he wasn't! He is “bad”, but not really. He more or less is like Boba Fett: he makes his own rules and looks out for himself...or does he? I really liked the chemistry between him and Dana (yeah, it's a little gross as she is 16 and he is thousands of years old, but I'm weird), and I can't wait to see how that is wrapped up.
As I talked about characters, I kinda weaved in a bit about the story as well, but as it was really intelligent and unique, I want to spend a bit more time on it. In the beginning, there was a lot of “teen drama”, but for some reason, I didn't hate it. I didn't hate Dana struggling with her dad to go to Kimber's birthday party or the other fairly mundane things that happen in this book. I felt that it was well-written and nicely woven into the world of Avalon. Likewise, I was also afraid when Ethan was captured that Jenna Black would do a Carrie Jones and have Ethan gone for almost two books. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that Black refuses to do that in the slightest.
Basically, Ethan is caught and Dana has to make a sacrifice to return him...but is her “sacrifice” everything she thinks it is? This entire plot forces a lot of characters to change or to face changes. It's also a whole lot darker and more adult than most urban fantasy on the scene (“Oh, should I pick Boy #1, whom everyone can see I'll be with at the end, or Boy #2, who was thrown in at the last minute to make things more of a challenge?”). Boy, I can't tell you how glad I was to see this wasn't yet another Romantic Triangle Plot Tumor.
Lastly, the writing was good. After reading unwieldy prose, it was nice to read these pages where the writing literally falls into the background—exactly where the prose should be, so that readers can focus on the story that the author is writing.
I Didn't Like:
I really don't have much to put here, but I will say one thing: this is a whole lot darker and more adult than Glimmerglass. Dana gets involved in a passionate kiss with an older man, a makeout session with Ethan, and a near-rape.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Two f-bombs, a few da**, he**, and sh**.
Pretty intense for young adult (though considering Jenna Black got her start in adult paranormal romance...). Dana and Ethan make out, going quite far (some of the terminology I've seen used in adult romances). Also, Dana shares a very passionate kiss with a much older Fae—this relationship may squick a lot of people out. Notes to bulging pants, lots of talk of virginity and sex, and a scene of almost rape.
The end gets quite violent with the gruesome (but mostly off-screen) deaths of 2+ characters.
Overall:
Stunningly awesome! I am a painfully slow reader, so when I say I finished this book in a whopping two days, it's impressive. The story is interesting and unique, the characters jump out of the pages, and pace is quick and entertaining. For adults and older teens, I highly recommend.
However, for the younger set, I would recommend to pass. This is a great book, don't get me wrong, but I don't think it's appropriate for a tween to read so much about bulging pants and a near-rape.
caeralee's review against another edition
5.0
More engaging than the first book, my only question is WHY would they tell the story of how the boys were "killed" in fairie by being left by the faeriewalker giving Dana the PERFECT way to get rid of the Erlking by bringing him in to the modern world....and she doesnt use it?!?
breezy610's review against another edition
4.0
it was interesting. It was wierd thought when the erikling ask her to pledge something inmaite to him. i can't wait for siren song.
jenny_hedberg's review against another edition
4.0
Hilarious as always, Shadowspell is yet an intriguing book by Jenna Black. The intimidating Erlking comes to town and it seems like he's after Dana. The story develops and Dana finds herself in even more troble. Read and enjoy!
crawef01's review against another edition
2.0
Oh geeze where should I start with this. I really, really enjoyed Glimmerglass, the first book of the Faeriewalker series, but Shadowspell was ridiculous. I am so sick and tired of Black making up rule after rule just to try and make this book marginally believable. Reading this reminded me of kids playing a game and making up rules as they go along to put the odds in their favor. Also, why do author seem to think its okay to just fill their books by restating something a million times over and over? This book was just so poorly written, I even found a typo where the word 'discomfort' was misspelled as 'discomfit.' Overall, read the book if the series is really THAT important to you, otherwise, just don't bother its not a good enough series to waste your time on.
reddyrat's review against another edition
4.0
Dana is a hot commodity in Avalon. With her abilities as a faeriwalker, both the good and bad guys want a piece of her. For her safety, Dana is practically a prisoner in her dad's safe house. This definitely does not sit well with Dana. She gives her bodyguards the slip numerous times and encounters great danger and real consequences because of it. The biggest danger is the Erlking, the faery hunter who is loose in Avalon and apparently looking for Dana.
I go back and forth between admiring Dana and wanting to smack her. She is a really strong, independent girl, probably a result of having to be the "adult" with her alcoholic mom. If someone tells her no, Dana finds a way to do it anyway, either by convincing the person to change his mind or simple defiance. This enables Dana to be brave and to save the day. It also causes her to do some really dumb things and people get hurt by her thoughtlessness. She just doesn't think. On the other hand, she's definitely a girl you want on your side. She'll fight to the death to defend her friends.
Shadowspell introduces a new concept in YA literature. A love rectangle (or square). There are now three hot, sex guys in this series. Of course, one of them is out to kill her...but little details. I'm not a huge Ethan fan, although I did feel a little better about him at the end of the book. For the most part, he's an arrogant, showy player. Dana should know better. We don't get to see his good side enough. There wasn't enough Keane in Shadowspell. I love Keane. He was around, but I didn't feel like his character went through much growth - or as much as I would have liked. The Erlking is really intriguing. He's either evil or he's not. Or perhaps he's a bit of both. He is the biggest reason, I am foaming at the mouth for the third book.
It took me awhile to get hooked on Shadowspell, but once I was, the pages were flying. If you enjoyed Glimmerglass, you must read Shadowspell. It may suffer a little bit from second book syndrome, but it sets up everything perfectly for book 3.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
I go back and forth between admiring Dana and wanting to smack her. She is a really strong, independent girl, probably a result of having to be the "adult" with her alcoholic mom. If someone tells her no, Dana finds a way to do it anyway, either by convincing the person to change his mind or simple defiance. This enables Dana to be brave and to save the day. It also causes her to do some really dumb things and people get hurt by her thoughtlessness. She just doesn't think. On the other hand, she's definitely a girl you want on your side. She'll fight to the death to defend her friends.
Shadowspell introduces a new concept in YA literature. A love rectangle (or square). There are now three hot, sex guys in this series. Of course, one of them is out to kill her...but little details. I'm not a huge Ethan fan, although I did feel a little better about him at the end of the book. For the most part, he's an arrogant, showy player. Dana should know better. We don't get to see his good side enough. There wasn't enough Keane in Shadowspell. I love Keane. He was around, but I didn't feel like his character went through much growth - or as much as I would have liked. The Erlking is really intriguing. He's either evil or he's not. Or perhaps he's a bit of both. He is the biggest reason, I am foaming at the mouth for the third book.
It took me awhile to get hooked on Shadowspell, but once I was, the pages were flying. If you enjoyed Glimmerglass, you must read Shadowspell. It may suffer a little bit from second book syndrome, but it sets up everything perfectly for book 3.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
audreychamaine's review against another edition
3.0
When we last saw her, Dana was basically under house arrest by her powerful Fae father while her weak, alcoholic human mother dried out. The reason for the house arrest: Dana is a very rare Faeriewalker, able to pass between both the human world and Faerie, and able to bring magic and technology into either. This makes her a very desirable potential pawn in the constant struggle for power. As if that were not enough, the Erlking has entered Avalon on the Wild Hunt and has set his sights on her. Dana must rescue a friend who has become a bargaining chip in the Erlking’s efforts to get to her, and Dana still doesn’t know what he’s really after.
The sequel to Glimmerglass, Shadowspell was a true extension of the larger story. There is a main plot–getting a certain somebody away from the Erlking–but really the story is a continuation of Dana’s struggle to regain control over her life, and her fight to not get killed in the process. The book also has a heavy dose of sexuality, much more than the first of the series. The issue of her virginity is up for grabs *cough*, and she even almost gets raped at one point. This is much more intense than I thought the series would become, and I’m not sure that I like it.
The Erlking is an interesting character. He’s at once repulsive, beautiful, and charismatic. As a reader, I actually began to like him, even though he’s a cold-blooded killer who is out for only himself. Introducing him into the story definitely livened up the overarching plot. I wish that we would get more of an introduction to Faerie, though. As readers, we’ve never ventured into that world, so I can only assume that we’ll go there in the next book, Sirensong.
The sequel to Glimmerglass, Shadowspell was a true extension of the larger story. There is a main plot–getting a certain somebody away from the Erlking–but really the story is a continuation of Dana’s struggle to regain control over her life, and her fight to not get killed in the process. The book also has a heavy dose of sexuality, much more than the first of the series. The issue of her virginity is up for grabs *cough*, and she even almost gets raped at one point. This is much more intense than I thought the series would become, and I’m not sure that I like it.
The Erlking is an interesting character. He’s at once repulsive, beautiful, and charismatic. As a reader, I actually began to like him, even though he’s a cold-blooded killer who is out for only himself. Introducing him into the story definitely livened up the overarching plot. I wish that we would get more of an introduction to Faerie, though. As readers, we’ve never ventured into that world, so I can only assume that we’ll go there in the next book, Sirensong.
bibliorobi_'s review
4.0
Morivo dalla voglia di avere questo romanzo tra le mani sin da quando, un anno fa circa, avevo letto e amato il primo capitolo delle avventure di Dana ad Avalon, Lo specchio delle fate.
Sono più che felice di constatare che anche questo secondo volume, L'incantesimo delle fate, ha soddisfatto le mie aspettative, facendosi apprezzare tanto quanto il suo prequel.
Riprendiamo le vicende più o meno da dove le avevamo interrotte e troviamo Dana che, da quando si è scoperta essere una Faeriewalker, cioè capace di portare la magia nel mondo umano e la tecnologia a Faerie, è in grave pericolo ed è costretta a vivere in una caverna in fondo ad una serie di tunnell con la sua guardia del corpo fae.
Zia Grace non sembra rappresentare un più un pericolo, anche perché un individuo ben più potente è giunto ad Avalon: l'Erlking con la sua Caccia.
A impedirgli di mietere vittime ad Avalon è solo un patto stretto con le Regine di Faerie secoli prima. Ma cosa vuole l'Erlking da Dana? La sua morte o qualcosa di più? E cosa sceglierà di fare Dana quando quest'ultimo rapirà Ethan, proponendole un patto?
Come vi ho anticipato prima, L'incantesimo delle fate mi è piaciuto molto, confermandosi uno young adult originale e ben scritto. Uno dei punti a favore è senza dubbio la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, principali e non, come l'Erlking, estremamente affascinante e inquietante allo stesso tempo. Dana dimostra di non essere la classica eroina YA, ma una protagonista forte, decisa e determinata e, soprattutto, così ironica che sarà impossibile non ridere leggendo le sue battute.
Pur essendo sottoposta a moltissimo stress e "vittima" di una grandissima indecisione, Dana non molla e, soprattutto, non si piange addosso, ma reagisce con forza e impulsività (forse un po' troppo). Non mancheranno di certo i momenti in cui vi verrà voglia di buttarvi tra le pagine e darle una bella scrollata urlandole nell'orecchio: "Cosa stai facendo, idiota?". Io, per esempio, l'avrei fatto ogni volta che lei si preoccupava per Ethan ignorando Keane, ma sotto quest'ultimo punto sono un po' di parte.
Concludo questa recensione consigliando questo secondo capitolo a chiunque abbia apprezzato Lo specchio delle fate e, perché no, anche a chi era un po' titubante e indeciso proprio riguardo il primo volume. Sono certa che vi ricrederete e.. buona lettura!
Sono più che felice di constatare che anche questo secondo volume, L'incantesimo delle fate, ha soddisfatto le mie aspettative, facendosi apprezzare tanto quanto il suo prequel.
Riprendiamo le vicende più o meno da dove le avevamo interrotte e troviamo Dana che, da quando si è scoperta essere una Faeriewalker, cioè capace di portare la magia nel mondo umano e la tecnologia a Faerie, è in grave pericolo ed è costretta a vivere in una caverna in fondo ad una serie di tunnell con la sua guardia del corpo fae.
Zia Grace non sembra rappresentare un più un pericolo, anche perché un individuo ben più potente è giunto ad Avalon: l'Erlking con la sua Caccia.
A impedirgli di mietere vittime ad Avalon è solo un patto stretto con le Regine di Faerie secoli prima. Ma cosa vuole l'Erlking da Dana? La sua morte o qualcosa di più? E cosa sceglierà di fare Dana quando quest'ultimo rapirà Ethan, proponendole un patto?
Come vi ho anticipato prima, L'incantesimo delle fate mi è piaciuto molto, confermandosi uno young adult originale e ben scritto. Uno dei punti a favore è senza dubbio la caratterizzazione dei personaggi, principali e non, come l'Erlking, estremamente affascinante e inquietante allo stesso tempo. Dana dimostra di non essere la classica eroina YA, ma una protagonista forte, decisa e determinata e, soprattutto, così ironica che sarà impossibile non ridere leggendo le sue battute.
Pur essendo sottoposta a moltissimo stress e "vittima" di una grandissima indecisione, Dana non molla e, soprattutto, non si piange addosso, ma reagisce con forza e impulsività (forse un po' troppo). Non mancheranno di certo i momenti in cui vi verrà voglia di buttarvi tra le pagine e darle una bella scrollata urlandole nell'orecchio: "Cosa stai facendo, idiota?". Io, per esempio, l'avrei fatto ogni volta che lei si preoccupava per Ethan ignorando Keane, ma sotto quest'ultimo punto sono un po' di parte.
Concludo questa recensione consigliando questo secondo capitolo a chiunque abbia apprezzato Lo specchio delle fate e, perché no, anche a chi era un po' titubante e indeciso proprio riguardo il primo volume. Sono certa che vi ricrederete e.. buona lettura!
toastymaloney's review against another edition
3.0
When I started to read this book, I remember how intriguing the world of Faeriewalker is. It was interesting.
We meet the Wild Hunt and the Erlking. Dana is still under constant watch of her father, Seamus, or his trusty knight, Finn. And Dana is still taking self defense lessons from Keane, Finn's son. And she's still attracted to Ethan, her best friend Kimber's big brother.
It will be interesting to see where this series goes.
We meet the Wild Hunt and the Erlking. Dana is still under constant watch of her father, Seamus, or his trusty knight, Finn. And Dana is still taking self defense lessons from Keane, Finn's son. And she's still attracted to Ethan, her best friend Kimber's big brother.
It will be interesting to see where this series goes.
asma_aj's review against another edition
3.0
Being the daughter of the next Consul of Avalon isn't agreeing well with Dana. Locked away in a safe house and getting around the city with a bodyguard breathing down your neck during dates isn't exactly fun. But Dana's world is about to get even more complicated than a simple abduction threat when the Erlking and his horsemen walk into Avalon. More powerful than both Faerie queens, the only thing keeping the Erlking in check is a secret pact with the Fey courts. But when he starts showing special interest in Dana, it doesn't bode well for her or the rest of the inhabitants of Avalon.
I enjoyed the first book of this series so much, I was looking forward to reading this. The characters were just as snarky as they'd always been and the writing was still pretty good, but I was disappointed in this instalment. To read the rest of the review, please visit A Reading Kabocha @ http://areadingkabocha.blogspot.com
I enjoyed the first book of this series so much, I was looking forward to reading this. The characters were just as snarky as they'd always been and the writing was still pretty good, but I was disappointed in this instalment. To read the rest of the review, please visit A Reading Kabocha @ http://areadingkabocha.blogspot.com