A Gathering of Shadows: A Novel (Shades of Magic)

OH. MY. GOSH. I AM IN DEEP. I was going to write a proper review for this book, but I was just sitting there going, but I'm not sure I could even properly deal with forming sentences - especially coherent ones.

To tell the truth, I knew this book was going to be good and I knew I would enjoy and I actually was enjoying it when I read it, but the beginning part was, well, slow going. You're kind of just sitting there going, oh, this is interesting but I could really just sit this down and watch like 5 episodes of Friday Night Lights and not really feel guilty or care.

But once you get over that initial hump full of amazing character development, it just gets so amazing and FEELY AND OMIGOSH I CAN'T EVEN DEAL. MY HEART. MY READING SCHEDULE. MY POOR FEELS.

Okay, V. E. Schwab does something amazing: I literally don't know most side characters' names or their characteristics or like anything about them, which should be a problem, but I still enjoy them. The whole Night Spire ship crew is just one mess of pirate dudes, but I LOVE THEM AND I LOVE THE SHIP AND I LOVE NEW CHARACTER CAPTAIN MAN.

New captain man = so much love. And the shippppppppppppppppppppp (well, not his actual one, but the romantic one that he is a part of it). They literally had like, what, two interactions? BUT THEY ARE LIKE LITERALLY IN MY TOP FAVORITE SHIPS EVER. How does that even happen??

And Rhyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. In the first book, I always felt bad for him, because to me, he was just kind of there. I mean, Kell and Lila are so blinding that it's super hard to have much love for anyone else. But this book really lets that man shine and shine he does. I'm in so much love with him. HEART EYES HEART EYES HEART EYES.

And then Lila. And Kell. Their characterization is just so brilliantly done. I love them both, and I don't think there will ever be a fiercer character than Lila Bard.

The new evil dude? SO CREEPY. I have this super weird image of him in my head and I so do not approve.

Ugh, I just can't even deal. I had to give a four crown rating since it did take me so long to read it and get into it. BUT WHEN YOU DO, IT TURNS OUT SO GOOD.

This book has ruined me. And I have a buddy read to get to it. Oh sigh. Amazing book. Amazing author. Amazing characters. I just can't deal so I need to go put myself in a fangirling corner somewhere. Welp.

This past summer I read the first book in this series and I was immediately intrigued with the premise of four different London's existing at the same time, each with varying amounts of magic.

Unfortunately, this book second book in the series didn't live up to the first book and I think it could have been down-sized considerably. The main issue I had was that not a lot happened. Much page time was devoted to the build-up to this big, multinational magical competition (think Tri-Wizard Tournament from HP). And yet the actual competition was lackluster and didn't happen until much closer to the end. Other than this tournament not a lot else goes on and the larger story arcs, which I loved from the first book, weren't addressed to the extent that I had hoped.

The issues were compounded by the fact that the characters didn't seem to develop any further than they had in the first book and their personalities, while familiar felt muted (except for Lila's arrogance which ran rampant throughout). But I did enjoy the addition of Emery Alucard. He has some mystery, can handle Lila and has a healthy dose of sass. But the animosity between him and another character, while explained, seemed much too weak of a reason for the intense and long held feelings between them.

Then there were issues with the plot that didn't make sense to me. Why would Lila, a Grey Londoner with no magical training, suddenly decide to cheat her way into a magical competition where the other competitors are people with magical ability and who have been training for many years? She's arrogant and puts herself in increasingly dangerous situations and based on that alone readers are supposed to believe she has a chance to win the competition? Um, no.

Overall, this was just an okay addition to the series. Even though not a lot happened it remarkably kept my interest enough that I finished it. So why the three star rating when it feels like I've kind of dumped on this book? Schwab is quite a talented writer, the story started off strong (mainly with Lila's story line and the introduction of Alucard) and I continue to love her premise of the four Londons. I also loved the addition of Rhy's romance. Unfortunately, this book suffered a severe bout of Second Book Syndrome and felt like it was merely a set up for the third book in the series. It had action, various romances and a good cliffhanger but I wish some of that energy had been used earlier on. I'm hoping that the author will pull out all the stops for the final book.

I got to read more of the bad arsed, Lila Bard and Kell and Rhy! Yay!

I loved the beginning of this book with Lila. People for me, this was the best part of the book with what all Lila did to that crew! Holy crow!

** I am Delilah Bard, she though as the ropes cut into her skin. I am a thief and a pirate and a traveler. I have set foot in three different worlds, and lived. I have shed the blood of royals and held magic in my hands. And a ship full of men cannot do what I can, I don't need any of you. I am one of a damned kind. **

I also fell in love with Lila's captain aboard the Night Spire - Captain Aluccard Emery. He's so awesome! He is a little bit of this and a little bit of that and a whole lot of coolness =)

Not a whole lot goes on in the book after the fun stuff in the beginning. I feel it's just another set up for more things to come in the next book.

At some point though, magic welders come together in The Element Games called Essen Tasch. Some people I didn't expect were in these games and against each other. It was pretty damn cool!

I loved reading about Kell and Rhy together again. They are so funny and caring. They are so close in everything they do and it was so wonderful to see them fighting for each other. To read the things that only love for someone you consider your brother can bring to your heart. Rhy wants Kell to compete in the games but Kell doesn't want to for certain reasons.

** "Kell. My greatest fear in life isn't dying. It's being the source of someone else's suffering. I know you feel trapped. I know I'm your cage. And I can't---" His voice broke, and Kell could feel his brother's pain, everything he tried to smother until dark and drown until morning. "You will do this, " said Rhy. "For me. For both of us."
Kell held his brother's gaze. "All right,"he said. **

And Lila and Kell get to see each other again. And Rhy too, the whole gang. It was so great! And then . . . that ending!

Something Wicked This Way Comes

Man, did this book drag for me; I feel like I read about 350 pages of prologue sandwiched by a strong start and an action-packing cliffhanger ending. This book would have been a lot stronger with at least 200 pages cut from it, because not a whole lot happens.

Four months have passed since the end of A Darker Shade of Magic and I have to say that I loved the beginning! Honestly the first 100 pages that showed what Lila and Kell have been up to since parting ways was amazing, and I was so excited that my friends who said the series picks up in this installment were right. Alas, after the first 100 pages I found myself bored and disinterested with little desire to finish. The fact that I read this entire 508-page book in one day is a testament to the fact that I a) was hoping it would get better, and b) wanted to finish it as soon as possible so it wouldn't be an albatross around my neck. No such luck. I think the most infuriating thing is that I abandoned my TBR because I have had quite a few disappointing reads lately and wanted to read something I was sure to like. HAHAHA, Past Kaleena. Fun prank.

This is largely a character-driven plot, and unfortunately for me I found myself not really liking characters that I adored in ADSoM. The 'not like everyone else' trope rears its ugly head full force here with Lila, who constantly thinks, tells, and acts as if she is special and can do no wrong. In the first book I loved her strength and self-assuredness, but here she is obstinate and acts all-knowing in a world that she has been a part of for four months. She went from acting like an adult to an obstinate child that believes she knows best, and her actions are not only rash by put people in danger - things she doesn't consider or even think she did wrong. This is so unlike the Lila from the first book and I struggled with this shift in character for her. I think that a lot of this can be attributed to the narrative choice of telling instead of showing: she and everyone are constantly talking about how special she is, how unlike other girls she is, how smart she is; yet she does very little to support those claims and for me fell into the Mary Sue trope.

The events in AGoS are largely surrounding the preparation for a big Magic Games (think like the Olympics but for the magicians. Seriously it was like 300 pages of preparation for this, Lila and Kell daydreaming about one another constantly (UGH).

For a universe that has 4 Londons, I am disappointed by how 90% of this story takes place in Red London. The glimpses to the White and Black Londons where so intriguing but short-lived, and I wish more of that had played a role in this installment. Everything just feels inconsequential in the Red London storyline until the last 50 or so pages and it felt unbalanced for me.

I really appreciated the additional bits of worldbuilding that we got - especially the anecdotes from Lila about the cultural differences between Grey and Red London (yes, Grey London is our world) and I enjoyed the discussion on religious beliefs and tolerance of other beliefs. Politically I found the Element Games to be interesting but honestly I didn't find them important to the story being told and was bored with that entire section (and annoyed).

I can see why people love this series, but unfortunately I am still not sold. While I adore Schwab's flowery and descriptive writing, I found this book to be 200 pages longer than it needed to be and didn't really add much. It read like a really long introduction to the third book, which for second-in-series is kind of unforgivable in my opinion. Honestly I am so annoyed that despite the massive cliffhanger ending I am not overly motivated to pick up the 624 page finale (WHY?!). I know I will finish this eventually but it might be awhile.

Book one in this series, A Darker Shade of Magic, really created a world with so much potential and unfortunately didn't fully explore it and just left the reader underwhelmed with a predictable story, so I had really really high hopes that book two in the series, A Gathering of Shadows, would really dive in and expand on the wealth of potential that the world of A Darker Shade of Magic created.

Sadly it missed the mark, getting itself bogged down in page after page of filler, a magical tournament that has nothing to do with the overall narrative of the fictional world created and includes competitors from two other empires that are barely touched on. The main failing point of this series so far has been the second main character Lila Bard, she's basically unlikeable. I get that the author wanted to have characters with flaws and dark pasts but there just isn't anything redeeming about her, and each time the book jumped to her perspective I sighed. The largest problem with the character of Lila, is the way she interacts with other secondary characters and how they interact with her. She gets herself into problem after problem constantly doing it to herself, is a jerk to everyone around her and then all of the other characters react like, "Oh, Lila you're such a rascal" likes she's Homer Simpson, to with Lila will then predictably be a jerk to them but they'll just not do anything about it. Beyond that even though she's a jerk to every one she encounters, the secondary characters still bend over backwards for her at every chance. Now the worst part about all this, Ms. Schwab offers no motive or explanation, I could have gotten over this if she developed the secondary characters a little more so they had a reason to put up with Lila but sadly none is ever offered in either book so far.

Strangely after missing the mark so badly on Lila, Ms. Schwab does an excellent job with Kell and Rhy's relationship, (although Kell's infatuation with Lila is never really explained and has no motive and is overall cringeworthy). The dynamic between these characters is the most interesting part of the book, since most of the other characters just seem to lack some development. Holland, as the series main antagonist should have remained a main character through this book as well but he gets relegated to small snippets, even though his story arc is much more important than a random magical tournament. The book gives the impression that the author didn't know what to do with main story so this secondary "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" inspired tournament was added to fill pages to reach the desired book length.

Overall, this book was ok. I am still going to read the third book when it comes out on paperback and I'll hold off recommendations until I have finished the series to know if struggling with the often times flat characters is worth the narrative as a whole.

This book is a really good follow up to the first book. All the usual suspects are in place from the first one and there are a few new faces that grow on you pretty quickly.
I won't say too much about the story since it's the second in the series and just incase the first hasn't been read yet, I'll keep it safe for all. This picks up a bit after the first. Lila is doing her thing with a new group of friends in the London she's now living in and Kell is getting deeper and deeper into things that might just get him in trouble, if he gets caught.
The characters are exceptionally written as usual and the story flows very well. Everything that happens does so in a way that is easy to picture in your mind and it just makes for one great story. The only thing about this book is that I would say maybe 25% of it actually progresses the storyline from the first one. It doesn't make this book any less enjoyable by any means as this is one fun story, it just bridges the gap I think. I haven't read the third yet so there may be a very important thing that makes this whole book and all the details extremely important and I'll be eating my font. The parts that did push the storyline forward that was established in the first one were extremely good and I'm only a little frustrated with the ultra major cliffhanger! May I suggest you make sure you have the third readily available so you can dive right in! So far this is an amazing series and I'm looking forward to the next book!

I loved A Darker Shade of Magic, but A Gathering of Shadows is a big disappointment for me.

I do still love Schwab’s writing. I think she’s an amazing writer and she has a way of bringing this world and these characters to life. I also like the new characters that we’re introduced to in this one – Alucard and Ojka and I need more of them.

But I hate magical teen competition novels. I think it’s the most over-used plot device in fantasy and I’m disappointed that this is the best Schwab could come up with. And this tournament doesn’t even matter because this book is just 500 pages of set-up for Book 3 and that’s it. I hate when authors do this because I feel like I’ve wasted my time and I don’t think that there’s enough going on in A Gathering of Shadows that necessitates this many pages. A portion of it could have been hooked on to the end of ADSOM and another portion could have been hooked onto ACOL.

And this tournament doesn’t matter because there are no stakes to it. Nothing happens to the characters if they lose and nothing happens to them if they win. It’s just an excuse to get these characters back in one place again. I also feel like Kell and Holland make some seriously stupid mistakes that feel out of character for them. And I still don’t like Lila. She is so frustrating, impulsive and she just doesn’t have a nice bone in her body. I don’t get Kell’s fascination with her and her ego is overwhelming. I know Schwab wants me to like her so much cause she’s so badass, but I just can’t with her. It’s too much.

I loved the first book a lot and I expected much more out of this one and I was left really disappointed. I just finished the book wondering what was the point. If I ever re-read the series, I’m skipping this one entirely. Or just reading the last ten pages.

“‘I hope you don’t expect me to call you Master,’ she said, adjusting the knot.

‘Saints, no, that word has no place except in bed. And Lord makes my skin crawl. Captain will do.’”

I loved meeting Alucard in this book, he seriously adds so much to this story. His banter made me laugh, and the surprises we learn about him as the story progresses, had me even more excited to turn each page.

I also feel very attached to the brothers. Their bond is so touching. I feel like there is a lot left to learn and more depth than we have even gotten close to understanding. I very much look forward to reading more about them.

But my favorite character of all was definitely Delilah Bard. She is so strong and fierce. I wanted to yell at her to stop jumping before she looked, but I also envied her ability to do so. She seems so fearless and so afraid all at the same time, and the more I read the more I loved her.

“But here, if Lila practiced, she could summon fire with her fingertips, could keep it burning on nothing but magic and will. She was determined to master it, not just because fire was useful or dangerous, but because it was warm, and no matter what happened, Lila Bard never wanted to be cold again.

That was why Lila favored fire.”

The fact that she has overcome so much and is fighting to find a way to never suffer in the same ways again, has me so easily drawn to her. There is so much to admire about that. I really can’t wait to see what she does next.

For all of these reasons, this book was easily a five star read for me.

The issue that I had with this book is the length of time it took to reunite the main characters. Twists and obstacles are a good thing in an adventure fantasy, but when it feels like the author is purposefully throwing up roadblocks to extend two books into a trilogy, that's when you've lost a reader.

There simply wasn't enough padding in the narrative to justify this novel, and the novel focused on issues that either weren't resolved by the end, or weren't the overarching problem in the first place. With an hour left reading the book, I was wondering how it was all going to end, but not in a good way, because I knew that there wasn't any time for a well-constructed conflict by the time I'm 95% done with the book.

I loved the first novel, and I really wanted to like this book, but after an entire book's worth of supposed adventuring, I feel like very little was done by the characters, and even less accomplished.

It is a pretty typical second book in (what I assume will be) a trilogy. It leaves you wanting to read the next book in the series but you don't get a lot out of this particular book.

We see more of what became of Kell, Rhy and Lila following their adventures in the first book. And some new (and very entertaining!) characters are introduced. The major storyline is a tournament of magicians from Arnes and the two neighboring kingdoms, the winner of which will bring glory to themselves and their kingdom. Which of course means that the main characters have to do whatever they can--reckless, stupid or otherwise--to be a part of it.

I enjoyed Kell, and Rhy has grown much more complicated since the first book, which is enjoyable to watch. And in particular I enjoyed Alucard, the new ship captain introduced in this book. But Lila was just the worst. She was careless, impulsive in a dangerous way, and her fears of vulnerability and revealing anything at all about herself were just grating. And the plot had some exciting moments in the tournament, but it felt like much of that was rushed through to dwell on Lila and/or Kell sulking about their problems. The most interesting part of the book was relegated to just a side mention here and there. It seems that it will be the focus of the next book, so I'm hoping for better then!

Not the best sequel unfortunately. I had a decent level of expectation when I read this book right after it came out. The premise of the games is looming over the characters as they prepare for it, as well as great family dynamics/issues and a great buildup for the villain. I did like Alucard as a new character; he has a good connection with Lila in the beginning. I also wanted more of the villain SO badly! The couple of things that were revealed show a hopefully great conclusion to the series.
But man this book fell WAY flat, mainly due to Lila becoming a Mary Sue MC. She gets the magic so easily, given way too much book screen time and she acts like the events of the first book didn't affect her at all. I hated with the way she turned out. She did go a tiny bit back to normal once her and Kell did see each other. But the way Schwab made Lila the special snowflake hero was very weak. I also felt like she recycled something from the end of the first one and repeated it and that was very annoying to end on a small cliffhanger. I still love the world and magic, but I'm hoping the conclusion is better than this slower, kinda frustrating book.

What even are words? Seriously. What do I even say right now? This review is gonna be short and sweet because no matter how long I make this review, nothing will ever do this book justice. Nothing, I tells ya. This was magnificent.

So, was this as good as ADSOM? Yes. Was it better? Yes. Why? Because the stakes are higher, Rhy gets more time in the spotlight, the world is even more awesome than I remembered, Kell & Lila are still awesome, the new characters are equally awesome and ALL THE SHIPS ARE SETTING SAIL. Seriously. There’s also a new ship, an LGBT one and I ship it so hard. I will not tell who because spoilers.

I don’t even know what else to say right now. You should read this, obviously. OH, but before I go, I should warn you. If you hate cliffhangers, like… the worst-cliffhanger-you-can-imagine-has-happened-and-you-want-to-rage-out-because-the-next-book-won’t-be-out-for-a-year-kind of hate, you should wait until book 3 is out. Because my god this ending is killing me already. THIS is how you do cliffhangers right.

Fans of Fantasy or Victoria Schwab or, you know, books should read this because… Just because. I have said enough. Go. Go read it. I need someone I can talk (whine/wail/cry) with about that ending and all the ships.

I was excited to finally get to A Gathering of Shadows, the second book in V. E. Schwab’s Shades of Magic series. I was fascinated by these worlds she has created with a series of London’s that went from no magic to full magic, colorless and colorful. There were moments of brilliance, but those moments were overshadowed by a dullness, my feelings mirroring her London’s spectrum of colors.

I still really liked the characters. Delilah is a fascinating mix of distrust and curious cat. In A Gathering of Shadows she expands her knowledge of the magic she holds by serving as a pirate and tutoring under the captain Alucard. Alucard was probably my favorite new character in this book, his roguishness was charming and I couldn’t quite figure him out, which held my interest. Kell, stuck in London, held captive by his own spell tying he and his brother Rhy’s lives together, a tether that was necessary but now binds his adventurous soul. Maybe it was because of that tether thet the first half of the book was really slow moving and dare I say boring? Part of the fun of the first novel were his journeys, and there were only a couple of those in A Gathering of Shadows. Kell and Lila apart also made the story lack fire, noticeably, because when her ship finally docked in Maresh even the thought of the two of them spotting each other made me sit up in my seat scanning the pages for that moment. That moment did not disappoint.

The latter half of the book made up for my lackluster feelings for the first. It was vibrant, exciting, and passionate! However, I can’t forget my struggle to keep slogging through the first half so I am giving this one only ❤️❤️❤️.

My headline for this review is not true for many books now'a'days. I wish I could say the same for book #2 in the Shades of Magic series. Honestly, I was prepared to give every single book in this series an automatic 5-stars after reading the fantastic first novel. But 'A Gathering of Shadows' dragged on and on with boring dialogue and redundant world-building for most of its 509 pages. I REALLY wanted to love this book; I even pre-ordered a signed copy! In the end, the author strayed too far from what made the first book so appealing.

*Warning: SLIGHT SPOILER ALERTS AHEAD*
The book started off great, and then came to a crawling pace. Where was Holland? There he is! And, oh my goodness, a glimpse of Osaron and the magic that destroyed the Black London entire...but that's all we get: a glimpse; the most interesting characters and magical plots to be forgotten for nearly the rest of the book. Bringing previously known side characters into the foray as mainstay is cool and all, but through 'Element Games'? Really...? Goblet of Fire, Hunger Games, etc. It's all been done before and left me extremely disappointed.

The fanservice was good and fun, but the book was even more predictable than the first, and I didn't even fault that. I really hope Victoria was able to write this book how she wanted, because you know how things go sometimes. Sadly, the godless worldview of the characters snuck in throughout the book didn't make them any more likeable, or appealing, or witty. That stuff should just be left out of a fantasy novel, especially when it has zero relevance to the story. The last chapter, however, was a good one and despite the cliche cliffhanger ending (good for you, Victoria, for making it 9 books without invoking one!), I'll read book #3 'A Conjuring of Light' to see where it goes.

Date Started: November 4th, 2017
Date Finished: December 10th, 2017
Recommended By: Many
Acquired: Purchased in Hard Cover
Trigger Warnings: Violence
Rating: 3/5 Stars

The Good: I enjoyed being back in the world of the Shades of Magic series, and I really care about the cast of characters. There was a moment early in the book where I just looked up and said “I CARE ABOUT KELL MARESH SO MUCH!” The same goes for Rhy, who grew on me in this book, and Alucard, whom I have heard about but only just got the chance to meet here. The emotional strife in this book was well-written, and there’s a mischievous delight that all of the characters elicit in me that I really enjoy. The writing is as strong as the last book, and when the action amps up, it’s a lot of fun to read.

The Bad: I feel terrible, but as a whole I really didn’t enjoy this book that much. It feel like nothing happened. The entire book was building up to the Element Games, and they didn’t even start until nearly page 350! While in the first book I was all right with a lighter plot in the first half, all the worldbuilding had been established in this one, so there was less of a reason to dawdle along with the plot. I also missed traveling to all the different Londons, which happened far less in this installment. It took me over a month to get through this book, and while part of that can be blamed on NaNoWriMo and grad school, part of it was because I didn’t feel drawn in the way I was with the last book. I’m still going to read the finale, but this book could have been 200 pages shorter and been far more enjoyable.

Representation: I’ve learned since reading the first book that everyone in Arnes has brown skin and dark hair, so this changed my opinion about the representation in the first book. Further, in this one we get to meet characters from other nations in the Arnesian Empire, some of whom are clearly POC. Alucard and Rhy have a Moment in this one, which I was happy to read, and I’m looking forward to the development of their relationship. Oddly enough, there’s a very small number of developed female cast members apart from Lila, and this started to grate on me a bit in this book.

Favorite Line: “Look, everyone talks about the unknown like it's some big scary thing, but it's the familiar that's always bothered me. It's heavy, builds up around you like rocks, until it's walls and a ceiling and a cell.”

Check Back Soon for an Extended Review on Patreon!

I really enjoyed this continuation of the series. It hooked me right away and I read it in a very short period of time. It's a very original premise, though there are shades of other fantasy elements that I've seen before. However, the combination in this series is different, even as the usual themes exist.
My one complaint is the character of Lila Bard. I have a hard time sympathizing with her at all. She's rude, immature and arrogant beyond belief. There's been no growth in her as a person, other than with the magic. She keeps getting her way by lying, walking all over other people, people who are supposed to be her friends, and she gives no thought to the consequences. Yes, it is largely a part of who she is as a person, but I suppose that means I don't like her as a person. Still, it's a testament to the author's talent, in making me overlook this character enough to want to finish the series. I can only hope Lila will get her lesson and grow up a bit.

If you just picked up V.E. Schwab’s “A Gathering of Shadows” (Tor, $25.99, 509 pages) at a bookstore, you would be hard-pressed to figure out that it’s a sequel to “A Darker Shade of Magic,” though if you’re pay close attention to grammatical structure, you might assume there’s a connection between the two. But not only is “A Gathering of Shadows” volume two, it’s volume two out of at least three – and it’s a volume two that assumes a lot of knowledge of volume one, which I did not read.

This makes “A Gathering of Shadows” more than a little frustrating, because the emotional ties among the major characters developed in volume one are critical to the plot – though it must be said those emotional ties take a back seat to the fairly incredible series of long-shot gambles that pay off, fortuitous coincidences (at least from the author’s point of view) and the very complex world-building that drives the plot.

Ah, the plot … there are three Londons that exist side-by-side-by-side on alternate planes of reality and apparently someone has figured out how to go from one to the other (presumably that was explained in “A Darker Shade of Magic”). The three Londons differ in the amount of magic available for magicians to draw on, and it appears that the main characters have shifted from one to another, and in fact continue to do so.

All that confusion aside, I still enjoyed “A Gathering of Shadows,” but I know I would have liked it a lot more if I had read “A Darker Shade of Magic” – and if the characters weren’t quite so intent on making obviously bad decisions at critical moments. As for volume three, I’m still an agnostic. I feel like there’s a lot going on that I don’t understand, but I’m also not certain I want to go back and read volume one since I already know what happened.

Holy crap, this book! There was so much character development and insight I almost couldn't handle it when it all came crashing down! Not to mention the big surprise regarding the villain. I didn't see that one coming. Yet again, I loved embarking on new adventures in this complex world with dearly beloved Kell, Lila, and Rhy. New character Alucard *almost* stole the show from Lila whenever he came in, and while I still think she commanded the most attention, I have to give love to Kell and Rhy and their complicated relationship. I loved so much of this book, but that was one of my favourite parts, and I can't wait to see what will happen to them in the finale. There was a lot more tension and action, all of it boiling down to an ending that will either have you clawing the walls or running to the bookstore to buy the third book. This is why I never start a series until all the books have been released and I don't have to wait! Seriously though, this series is spectacular. It's a well built world with loveable, unforgettable characters, and is written gorgeously. Pick it up today!

I finally, finally got around to reading this. And ultimately found it rather disappointing.

I love Lila. I love Kell. I love Alucard and enjoyed getting to know him. Even Rhy showed more of himself in this book and really shaped himself into a character of interest. But, unfortunately, that's really all that made this book worthwhile - the characters and their growth. Because other than that, it was just one long dragged out build-up to the climactic ending. Which, honestly, wasn't all that climactic considering how long it took to get to it.

Compared to the first book in the series, this one just spent too much time with the characters and setting things up, so that by the time I actually got to the Essen Tasch it was more of a relieved "oh finally" than an excited one full of anticipation. I think the worst part was just waiting for Kell and Lila to officially reunite, because they spent more than 75% of the book apart and it was just downright annoying. I loved their partnership in the first book, and while Alucard was an excellent addition to the cast, I still wanted more of Lila and Kell together.

I mean, I still love these characters, and despite my constant beratement of Lila’s decisions concerning the Essen Tasch I still found myself rooting for her and getting excited each time she was just downright amazing. But, ultimately, I felt like by the halfway point I was just constantly waiting for things to actually start happening, and the wait took so long that by the time they did my excitement felt only half-hearted. I still plan on reading the third book, since this one was obviously just a long and drawn-out build-up to whatever happens in A Conjuring of Light, but sadly I was just not impressed with this sequel.

While A Darker Shade of Magic (the first book in this trilogy) was great, I definitely think I enjoyed A Gathering of Shadows quite a bit more. It felt even more engaging and the characters felt so much more cemented in their personalities and confident.

A Gathering of Shadows picks up soon after the first book with both Kell and Lila spending their time in Red London. Kell continues to stay with and protect Rhy, whereas Lila has found her place as a crew member of a ship. From page one, I was once again enraptured in Schwab's magical world of multiple Londons.

There is something magical about Schwab's writing. While is it full of complex world-building, political issues, and various character dynamics, it is also incredibly readable. Personally, I can easily become bogged down by excessive detail regarding complex worlds and magic systems, but I can honestly say that I never had that issue while reading this book. I was always immensely interested in whatever was occurring, and I have also developed a particular fondness for the magic system Schwab has created. I think the idea of the three elements being the main conductors of magic is brilliant, as well as how each person is able to use it.

Regarding the Essen Tach competition: I actually inwardly groaned slightly when I first got to discussion of it because of how many fantasy books have been published recently that seem to feature some sort of magical competition. (Is it just me noticing this? I love competitions, so it's not that I'm complaining, but it really does seem to be a theme lately.) I am happy to say, however, that Schwab incorporated this idea wonderfully well, and it definitely felt like a more unique experience. And the fight scenes from the tournament? I never got bored reading them, and I almost always get bored in battle-type scenes! That's basically the biggest compliment I could ever give an author.

I won't lie, I wasn't a huge fan of Lila in the first book (I know, I'm sorry, please forgive me), but I really grew to love her in this book. I was somehow annoyed with her (??) in A Darker Shade of Magic, but I really felt like I started to understand her, her motivations, and her overall demeanor more in A Gathering of Shadows. Lila is incredibly strong-willed and she is not afraid of crossing any lines to do what is necessary, which is definitely something we get to witness in this book. Despite what she may do, however, I find it impossible not to respect her for her sheer confidence and risk-taking attitude.

I loved Kell just as much as I did in the first book, even though that stick he keeps up his ass tends to make him come across as a bit nagging and annoying at times. But, frankly, I would probably be the exact same way that he is regarding safety and danger and the like, so what can I say? Kell is fiercely loyal, and I thnk that's what makes him such an endearing character. He will never give up or turn his back on those he cares for, and he is also extremely responsible with his strong powers, which I find admirable. Though, I do think we may be getting to see some different sides of Kell in this book and possible the next one.

Rhy also seemed to really develop in his character in this book, and I really enjoyed it. He struggles with becoming a strong, powerful king one day, and the inner conflict he faces between his own emotions and his obligations were truly developed well by Schwab.

Lastly, one of my favorite more prominent characters featured in this book was Alucard. I loved his character so much; he's witty, strong - but not too strong - sharp, and exceedingly amusing. I loved his dynamic with Lila, and I am also a huge fan of whatever drama there is between him and Rhy. Every interaction between Rhy and Alucard was exciting, and it created an interesting dynamic considering how much Kell hates Alucard.

Overall, I am giving A Gathering of Shadows by V. E. Schwab! This is a fantastic fantasy series, and I recommend it to all.

Four months after leaving Red London, Delilah Bard is living out her dreams of being a pirate upon the ship of her choosing. She finds herself drawn back to London when her captain, Alucard Emery, is called to compete in the Element Games; a high stakes competition between the most talented of wizards put on by the Arnesian royalty to bring the surrounding countries together in celebration. Rhy has kept busy putting the Games together but Kell, on the other hand, feels smothered by the new rules and judgments that have been placed upon his shoulders.
Meanwhile, a forgotten shadow grows stronger in forgotten worlds, threatening the balance between light and dark, good and evil.

This has been the absolute best series I read in 2016. Schwab is a master of her craft. I will admit that the first half of this book was not as plot driven and fast-paced as the first book but I never felt bored with it. The story still moves along at a great pace and has plenty of action and character development.
The Element Games really was the highlight of this book though. How could it not be? A bunch of wizards competing to see who is the best? Um, yes, please put me in the audience any day.

I mentioned in my review of A Darker Shade of Magic that I felt a lot 'closer' to Lila as a character than I did to Kell and that continued in this sequel. I loved that it started out with Lila doing what she had always dreamed of doing. As much as I love Kell, Lila is the character that stands strongest in this series. We get so much development with her. Or maybe I just relate to her more.

Kell is still our dark, troubled dreamboat with an abundance of power and little freedom. He was definitely fleshed out more as a character in this sequel. I felt like I didn't really get to know him in the first book because he was always so busy saving the worlds. This time around there was more time for him to show his inner thoughts and turmoil.

Rhy seemed to be coming into his role as future king. He's taking on more responsibility and acting more like a royal while in the first book he mostly just seemed to want to drink and get into trouble so Kell could dig him out of it.

Our newest main character is Alucard Emery. We don't get a whole lot about his character at first but we are given little hints throughout and I'm pretty sure he is going to play a big role in what is to come. We do learn that he has some connection to all our previous characters and the way that Schwab brought him into the story was genius.

The ending was enough to make me want to travel to different worlds to get the next book. I need to know what happens right now. This is the kind of book that makes the wait so difficult to deal with. What do I do with my life? Reread the first two books over until I have the third in my hands?

I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves fantasy. This is the kind of YA fantasy that I would recommend to any gender and any age group. It reads like an adult fantasy, just without any excess of romance, and is always to the point and well paced.

*True rating is more of a 3.5/5*

After I read A Darker Shade of Magic last month, I had been dying to get my hands on its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows. I really wanted to see what was in store of Lila and Kell after everything that happened. And while I did truly enjoy this second book, it wasn’t quite as good as the first had been.

The biggest problem I had was that there was basically no plot for the first half of the book. During this time, we’re pretty much just reading about Kell, Lila, and Rhy and how the events of book 1 have impacted them. Because I really love these characters, I still enjoyed reading this, but it definitely took me a lot longer to get through that first half than it would have if there had been some sort of plot going on.

Around halfway through, we see a plot emerge. In fact, there’s actually kind of two plots: one involves the Assen Tasch (Element Games) and the other involves the new king of White London. Both were really entertaining and often suspenseful and I found it hard to get myself to stop reading at times.

One other small complaint I had is that I would have liked to see more of Lila and Kell together. They don’t really interact with each other at all until maybe 50 or so pages to the end. I really like them as a pair so I definitely would have liked seeing more of them together.

With that said, I also really liked getting to see them as individuals. During A Darker Shade of Magic, they spend the majority of the book together. So getting to see how they act and who they are on their own was something I really liked. So even though I said I would have liked to see more of Lila and Kell together, it’s kind of hard to say.

The highlight of this book is the cast. The characters are wonderful and complex and feel so real. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Rhy, as he played only a minor role in the first book, but took center-stage at some points during this one. I have to admit, he may actually be my favorite (although Lila is a tough competitor for that title). The characters though are what really carry this book and it was great to see what they were up to, how former events have impacted them, etc.

All in all, A Gathering of Shadows was a solid read, even if it wasn’t quite as strong as its predecessor. I will say however that it had a very strong finish and a massive cliffhanger that has me dying to read book 3, A Conjuring of Light.

I’m more than half way through this one and I have to say that I really like these books! I enjoyed the first one and I’m half way through the second. But there’s just one thing that I cannot stand, and she goes by the name of Lila Bard.

I guess she’s supposed to be edgy and bad ass, but she just comes off as being a selfish murderer, and that’s an awkward combo. While everyone else who went through the tragedies of the first book understand the lives lost and are upset about this she reflects on it but for selfish reasons continues to kill in cold blood (or more annoyingly threaten to do so).

There is one part where she needs money so she kills a man because he’s cheating at a card game? Wow. Its written later that he steals from his own captain, so that makes it okay. Riiiight.

And then every character she runs into she has this little moment in her head where she ponders pulling a weapon on them! From people who feed and clothe her to people who helped her in the first book and aren’t threatening in the least (being an old priest). I guess the writer wanted to give her dark flaws, but she just comes off as being mentally challenged.

And to top it all off she’s given the power of marry sue...just every magical ability ever. I’m not sure why she needed that since she can take out a whole crew of pirates somehow in the very first chapter.
Her super magical captain teases that its impossible for someone to move the whole ocean with her mind, five pages later she's able to. Wow.

And now I have to read about her taking out one of the greatest magicians in the whole world to impersonate him for the greatest magic competition ever after she practiced magic for about four months. Ugh… just fall off the dock and drown Lila Bard, you ruin the whole story.

I really enjoyed the plot of the first book, but had problems with the thief character, as someone who lives as a parasite on other people. The second book begins with a long portion on her exploits. Things went downhill for me when she murdered a man for a bag of coins, though I stuck it out for a while after that. It became obvious to me about halfway through the first book why she is missing an eye; would I want to see what would she would do with increased power? I'd like to find out where the rest of the story goes, but it just got to the point where I thought my time would be better spent on a different book.

Everything Victoria Schwab writes turns into gold. I enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic so I have high expectations for this one.

The story continues when Kell and Delilah parted after the debacle. Delilah ventured out and enjoyed her freedom; while Kell stayed with Rhy and continued his duties in the Royal Palace. Despite their heroic effort to save Red London, another darkness brews. Friendship will be tested. Will Kell and Delilah be able to save Red London the second time around?

The world-building is incredible! It will feel like you’re transported into a new world. I love how she intertwines the story like magic. Not only that her writing style is my cup of tea, every scene is like a gem. You will never get bored.

The character-building is amazing. There’s maturity among the protagonists which I like. You also get to see the story from different perspectives without giving away their true motives; it gives the story a sharp edge. There are new characters as well which makes everything stimulating. Book two will give light about who the main characters are. You will get to know them deeply which leads to attachments from the readers.

Delilah Bard is my favorite among the bunch. She’s free spirited and kick-ass. I love her personality. She’s not like any other heroines. She’s stubborn and unpredictable but in a good way.

As for the love-angle. Book one gave hints but it’s more on friendship. Now, book two will give you the real deal! Prepare for steamy scenes and shocking revelations.

Overall, Gathering of Shadows is another masterpiece from Victoria. Sarah J. Maas fans will enjoy this series. Action and Romance lovers will also love A Gathering of Shadows.

I give this 5 Antari Whales.

Spoilers abound. Some from ADSOM and a few big ones from AGOS. Be forewarned!

I couldn’t possibly wait more than a few hours after finishing A Darker Shade of Magic to begin A Gathering of Shadows. I didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was that I wanted Lila Bard to come back and to have an explosive reunion with Kell because things need to be said and done. And at the end of the day, I need my lust for the more to be satisfied. Unfortunately, I was never satisfied. And I don’t believe I will be until after I recover from A Conjuring of Light due out in 2017.

I have happily put this series on a pedestal and will now measure books to the glory that is this series. There were so many unanswered questions at the end of book one and I had no idea what to expect.

I didn’t know what Schwab could do to bring a big central plot to bring the characters back together, but she did not disappoint and brought the Essen Tasch: A badass tournament of all the epic magicians in all of the lands of Red London. It reminded me of pro-bending from Legend of Korra (great sequel to the ever greater Avatar: The Last Airbender). and when people are using the elements to be crowned awesomest, I am all for that sort of stuff. What I was not prepared for was for both Kell and Lila to enter the tournament under the guises of different competitors. HOW FREAKING IRONIC. And their real reunion was so electric and so fierce and made me want more. I was so happy to have these two back together because I had no idea what to expect. At the end of book one, it seemed like they parted on good terms, but throughout nearly half this book, they keep having these ideas that things are going to be bad when they meet again. WHY? It made me so so sad. But their reunion - GOD, their reunion was amazing.

I was so excited to see where the story took Lila. With her as the cover character, I expected it to be super Lila-centric and I was so very satisfied. We all knew that she had some kind of rare magic inside of her - I was slightly disappointed not to see her stay in White London and somehow conquer like the queen that she is (some part of me still hopes that she does), but I am all for Lila - High Queen of the Seas. She reigned as an amazing heroine and I was so interested to see where her journey brought her and how she was going to find out about her roots in magic. I mean, she’s this girl who comes from Grey London where magic is a folklore into Red London where some part of her awakens. There’s still so much in her that I want to explore and I hope that Schwab reveals 100x more than what came in this story. I will say that that TERRIBLE cliffhanger left me hopeful that we will definitely find out what Lila exactly is.

I can’t talk about Lila without talking about Alucard. OH MY GOSH. What a CHARACTER. I was briefly upset when I thought this bizarre love square was about to emerge with Lila being the fabulous (and perfect) character that she is, but what I deeply admire Schwab for doing is for making her readers think one thing is going to happen, but then she swings the emotional bat in her face and makes you scream, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! ARE YOU SERIOUSLY KIDDING ME?!” But definitely in a good way. I was so pleased with Alucard and the mystery behind this privateer captaining a royal ship. When they’re back in London and I found out more about his personal life, I loved him so much. He is so reminiscent of Nikolai from Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone and I loved him to BITS, so of course, I love Alucard to bits. I was taken by even more surprise when I found out about his relationship with Kell and Rhys. I was certainly not expecting it and I was glad that there was some friction and some HEAT (oh because there was HEAT). I certainly don’t want everyone to be chummy, but by the end of A Conjuring of Light, I hope there’s a Alucard/Lila/Kell/Rhys fluffernutter sandwich because it’s the only way this has got to end.

There is so much I want to talk about in my review and it just makes me want to be part of booktube because there I’m sure I could say all that I want to say and it wouldn’t be as long as this.

One of the biggest things in the story is the repercussion of Rhys and Kell’s soul seal. Despite the black stone being cast into Black London, Rhys is obviously still alive and that means that the pain of one becomes the pain of the other. Obviously it begins as harmless pain (Rhys’s romantic escapades and need to get into fights), but culminates into the big pain. And when I say big pain, I mean BIG - especially at the TERRIBLE cliffhanger of the book where Kell is led into a trap and he meets an unexpected ‘enemy’ from the past. Both deal with the guilt of being one another’s burden and it is only made worse by Maxim and Emira. I certainly hope that when A Conjuring of Light comes out, things mend themselves and SOMEHOW, things return to happy times between these two despite all odds.

Despite all of Kell’s pain and obstacles, HUGE kudos to Schwab for making him a powerful and strong character without sacrificing the integrity of his character. I have never read about another male protagonist who has such good and unbreakable convictions without feeling like the author is changing him to follow through with those convictions. There is a scene at the end, a really powerful and painful scene with Kell in White London where he remains so resilient and strong-willed that it made my heart shake because he never gives in. Despite his desire to do so, he fights and he remains unshaken.

There’s too much to say about this series and too little time to talk about it all.

Oh, and THAT STEAMY MOMENT. WHEW. I know from Schwab’s twitter that there’s MORE STEAM TO COME and my easily-reddened face might not be able to handle it.

It's been four months since a smuggled stone from Black London nearly destroyed the three remaining cities that share its name. Four months since Kell tied his own life to his brother Rhy, the crown Prince of Red London, to save Rhy's life. Four months since Kell and his unlikely ally Delilah Bard had to fight their way through the Dane twins in White London to try and save both of their worlds. Four months since Kell returned the stone to Black London along with Holland's dying body.

Life should be returning to normal.

Rhy is recovered though the nightmare of that night four months ago still haunt him. Kell stuggles with his guilt and the aftermath of his actions but he is reformed now--a smuggler no more--and determined to make amends. Lila, meanwhile, is trying to find her way in a foreign land in a foreign world now that she has finally left Grey London behind for Red London and its magic.

While Red London prepares for the Element Games, crowds gather for the spectacle and both Lila and Kell find themselves drawn to the games for different reasons. With old friends and allies converging in Red London, perhaps it only makes sense that something darker is waiting to claim its moment in White London.

After all, in worlds where everything has a price and magic can never really be destroyed, alliances and purposes can become very, very, messy in A Gathering of Shadows (2016) by V. E. Schwab.

A Gathering of Shadows is the second book in Schwab's Shades of Magic Series which begins with A Darker Shade of Magic.

A Gathering of Shadows expands the worlds introduced in book one by delving deeper into the international (and even cross-world) politics found in Red London while also bringing other empires and lands into the story. Rich descriptions help bring all of the settings, but especially Red London, vividly to life throughout the novel.

The larger story arc of the series plays out well against the backdrop of A Gathering of Shadows' more contained story centered around Element Games. Schwab's intricate plotting follows various characters in close third person perspective as the novel builds to a climax that is surprising at times but ultimately satisfying.

If A Darker Shade of Magic was all about discovering that magic comes at a price, then A Gathering of Shadows explores what shapes that payment can take as characters search for redemption, validation, and even absolution in their own ways.

A Gathering of Shadows is another sophisticated fantasy with high appeal in a series that seems to only get better with each installment. A must read for fans of book one. Highly recommended.

Possible Pairings: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh, The Darkest Part of the Forest by Holly Black, Stardust by Neil Gaiman, Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton, The Glass Sentence by S. E. Grove, Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones, Winterspell by Claire Legrand, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski, Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White

By all accounts, V.E. Schwab’s A Gathering of Shadows is a standard middle-book. It wraps up loose ends from its series opener, A Darker Shade of Magic; it advances the plot and world building of the series’ nineteenth-century historical fantasy setting; and it teases clues for the third Shades of Magic book, A Conjuring of Light. And I liked it – I did (there’s no waffling on that front); I just wish that maybe I had known a third book was coming before I dove into the first. (I can’t take the wait!!!!!)

Instead of further exploring the setting she’s created, Schwab focuses A Gathering of Shadows on the Element Games – a tri-state tournament for practicing magicians – and relies heavily on this B plot to move the story forward. There are flashbacks to what happened in between the ending of A Darker Shade of Magic and the beginning of A Gathering of Shadows four months later, but Schwab forces most of the conflict from the secrets our protagonists keep from both one another and the rest of the ensemble cast. For instance, fearless lady pirate Delilah Bard keeps her true identity from her ship’s captain, Alucard Emery; Alucard keeps his lineage a secret from most of his crew and the source of Kell’s animosity toward him from the reader; RiverSongSpoilers and Kell keeps his entrance into the Element Games a secret from everyone but his brother, Rhy. And, well, there’s also the secret of what the heck happened to that piece of black magic Kell threw into Black London, hidden from both the reader and everyone in the book. (And I’ll just leave it at that, because, well, as River Song would say, “Spoilers!”)

I found three spelling mistakes in the hardcover edition, released in February 2016, and that makes me wonder if Schwab is perhaps rushing in order to make a late winter/early spring release date for all three novels. (You can basically chart the progress on the book’s Goodreads “Community Reviews” section and then go fangirl on her Tumblr.) Schwab is a strong writer and effectively paced A Darker Shade of Magic and A Gathering of Shadows to both warrant a 450 average page count and keep her readers feverishly flipping through, but the first two parts of her Shades of Magic trilogy are strengthened by getting to binge both titles one after the other. Sure, I can read synopses of the two when A Conjuring of Light finally drops sometime next year – fingers crossed – but what I’ll really want to do is start from the first page of the first novel and go all the way through to the last page of the last novel. Schwab’s novels deserve that kind of commitment.

This is definitely not a stand alone book, but a great follow-up to A Darker Shade of Magic. I want to give it a higher than 4 star rating but I was really disappointed in how rushed the tournament was and weak action sequences. They were so good in book one, so I'm not sure what happened in book two. :(

On the upside, there is more character development, more world building with the added bonus of language building. Then there are the parts I have mixed feelings on. Those being the aforementioned disappointing action sequences, rushed tournament, and random typos throughout the book giving me the impression its publishing was rushed as well. It's also surprising for me because in my experience, Tor has well edited books.

I like that the focus of this book is more on Lila. She reminded me of how wonderful and scary it can be being immersed in another culture. At the same time, we get more of Lila's spunk, ruthlessness, and insane recklessness. It irritated me a little in the first book, but I've come to accept that it is very key to her character. In a way, it's also refreshing seeing a character make knowingly crazy decisions because it's true to their nature. You see this done through sub-characters or god(like) characters all the time in other stories, where they are meant to be embodiments of certain aspects of human nature/society, but Lila just runs with hers and she's all human. I was also happy to have Rhy be an even more integral part of the storyline and see his relationship with Kell.

And now...the wait. A warning to people who don't like cliff-hangers, you may want to wait until the next book is out in 2017. But I gave in and am in a little pain now! mToTm Happy waiting! *cries and beats ground*

As I said in my previous Monday Mini about A Darker Shade of Magic, Victoria Schwab is a genius when it comes to magic. After how well the first book of the Shades of Magic series wrapped up I was left wanting more, but still content with where we left our characters. Because of this fact, I had no idea where Schwab was going to go with A Gathering of Shadows. I loved being able to lose myself in these character’s worlds again, it was like coming home after a vacation. What I really loved about this second book was how much more we learn about how magic works and the different types of magic. Again, I felt a strong similarity to Lila’s story. Coming from a world where magic was forgotten and finding herself not only capable of but extremely proficient at performing magic. I loved the Element Games. I know, for a fact, that if I lived in Red London I’d try to fight in the Games. I also really love how Schwab builds tension by switching between multiple points of view. From the start of the book I was looking forward to catching glimpses of what was to come, it’s like being in on the secret. I was constantly running over each scenario over and over as I read, wondering what was actually going to happen.

I loved "A Darker Shade of Magic," so I couldn't wait to read this sequel, which somehow manages to be EVEN BETTER than the first book. More of your favorite characters plus some really fascinating new characters, more excellent world-building, more stellar writing and dialogue, more suspense and action...I really can't say enough good things about this book. It's one of those novels that reminds my why I read books in the first place. It's a truly enjoyable and engrossing read from start to finish.

I also have to give kudos to the fact that this book never feels long or boring despite being 500+ pages. Most lengthy books I read tend to drag at times and leave me wishing they'd been edited down. It's rare to find a long book that actually uses its page count well--I never once felt like this book dragged or needed to be edited down. I was so entertained that I wished it could've gone on longer! I can't wait for the third book to come out!

On a personal note, my favorite new thing in this book was the relationship between Alucard and Rhy. I hope we get to see more of it next book. I also find it pretty hilarious that there's even a character named Alucard at all, considering the name is just Dracula spelled backwards and originated in a 1943 horror film called "Son of Dracula" (and was later popularized in Japanese anime/video games). So in Arnes, where did this name come from? Dracula hasn't been written yet in the Grey London world (which is still in the early 1800s). So what's the significance of the name Alucard I wonder? Just food for thought.

While I didn’t fall in in love with V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic, I quite enjoyed it, giving it four stars in my review. Schwab is back in this universe now with a sequel, A Gathering of Shadows, that carries forward the strengths of the first book, making for yet another strong story.

Set four months after the events of book one (and yes, you’ll definitely want to read book one if you haven’t and possibly wish to skim it or find an online synopsis if you have), the novel splits its time between Kell and Lila as each tries to move on with their lives after what happened earlier. For Lila, this means running from “the familiar” and also from the possibility of caring about someone (and being cared about in turn) by finding a place aboard a pirate, ahem, privateer ship captained by the charming Alucard Emery. Kell, meanwhile, is back tied to Red London’s royal family and feeling even more trapped and mistrusted in his role as their most powerful magician. Those who recall how book one ended will know at least part of the reason he feels even more tightly bound. While Lila worms her way into the pir — privateer crew, Red London prepares for the “Essen Tasch” — a once-every-few-years magical competition pitting over a dozen magicians from the three rival nations against one another. Kell’s brother (not by blood as Kell is adopted), Prince Rhy, is in charge of running the games, and the competition ends up serving as the means by which all the characters are eventually brought together. Finally, a third storyline, much shorter in terms of page time, covers events in another London, the version that had lost its magic but that now seems to perhaps be getting it back.

Schwab takes her time setting events in motion, getting the characters into place, and then reuniting them. This slow pace, which may admittedly be too slow for some, allows for some in-depth characterization. The reader truly starts to feel the fervent sense of being trapped that Kell has—part of it due to his family ties (mostly his love for his brother), part of it due to his sense of duty to the kingdom, and part of it due to the major event that closed book one. His urgent wish for freedom even as he makes no move toward that goal nicely parallels Lila’s story in that she constantly makes her own way free, but at the cost of those same bonds of loyalty, friendship, family, and intimacy that entangle Kell.

In fact, one could argue that Lila has slipped so far from such human ties that she’s tipped over into fully psycho/sociopath mode, which I’m not quite sure how to read to be honest. In nearly all ways, she is wonderfully engaging and compelling, but the blithe manner in which she murders or contemplates murder is more than a little disturbing, and I’m unsure if we’re supposed to be so disturbed or if Schwab doesn’t quite realize how it comes across. I’m guessing the former, only because Schwab has shown herself to be such a good writer, but it does make for some uncomfortable reading (not that that’s a bad thing).

The other characters fare equally well: Rhy proves himself changed by events of book one, while Alucard is introduced as a intriguingly mysterious character and then revealed to be a man of many depths/secrets. We even learn a surprising amount about one of Kell’s guards, a relatively minor character who gets little page time but one whom I grew quite fond of by the end. Because of this level of characterization, whether dealing with the two main characters or the others, A Gathering of Shadows carries a nice bit of emotional heft to it in multiple scenes and involving multiple character interactions.

On the down side of the pacing, the book does feel maybe just a bit overlong, though part of that may be due to the cliffhanger ending that makes it feel a little like it was a long slow set-up for book three. That said, I read through it in just two sittings and only felt it lag a few times and only for a brief period. And I loved the deftness with which Schwab handled the tournament. Many an author I’m thinking would have greatly padded those sections (I’m looking at you Triwizard Tournament!), but after the first round descriptions, which were interesting, tense, and necessary to set us up knowledge-wise, she smoothly zips through the contests with just enough description to keep us interested and not enough so our attention starts to flag.

As mentioned, the ending is a cliffhanger, as the villain makes their big move right at the very close. I won’t say much about the “villainy” so as to avoid spoilers, save to say that it has a nice bit of complexity to it and introduces another interesting character, though we spend almost no time with her.

A Gathering of Shadows is more character driven and less plot driven than its predecessor and that combined with its slow pace may make some think it falls somewhat prey to bridge book syndrome, mostly there to set us up for the final book of the trilogy. But I enjoyed the pacing and the rich characterization, and my guess is action will pick up pretty strongly in book three, which I for one am looking forward to.

originally appeared on fantasyliterature.com

4.5*
I loved A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC (and everything else V.E. Schwab has written) so I went into this one with high hopes and it delivered. I thought that this was a good sequel, but also felt like a sequel, and that cliffhanger was just rude.

Schwab's writing was flawless, as always, with the right mix of describing the setting and the characters while giving us a detailed look at the motivations behind actions. It was nice to be inside the heads of more characters this time around (especially Rhy!!!) because it gave us a broader picture of what was happening in the entire world rather than just in Kell's world. I think the pacing was on point with enough time to build up to the main event but not so much that we were dragging our feet waiting for action and adventure. I would have liked just a tad bit more time spent on the Games but I did like that it wasn't such a heavy focus on the games, but rather what the Games meant to the broad scheme of things.

I thought the Games were a bit of a convenient way to have everyone in the same place at the same time but I wasn't too bothered by them. I also thought they were pretty similar to the idea of HP4 but again, not too bothered by that. I also would have liked a bit more of an explanation as to Alucard and Rhy's relationship and why that meant Kell was against the idea of Alucard ever setting foot near Rhy again because while I get the brotherly connection, I feel like I was missing something. But overall I didn't think these things really detracted from the story or made me not enjoy my reading.

I thought the plot was well constructed, maybe even better than ADSOM, because it felt like this one needed more to be a full story arc but still WAS a full story arc on its own. I liked the expansion of magic and the idea that it is all about a cycle. I think Schwab has a good grasp on how the magic works and effortlessly explains it to the readers in a way that makes sense but also shows that as much as each of the characters know isn't everything to be known about the magic of this world.

I think the characters gained a lot this time around. I liked seeing Kell restless and wanting to fight but scared of what it meant for Rhy. I also really liked seeing Rhy as a less bright version of himself because I feel like we are getting to see the "real" Rhy behind whatever masks he had on before. And I mean, I will always support bisexual characters. Yes please! I love Lila, I thought she was the best character this time around. I feel like the growth she showed in terms of starting to trust people more and not see relationships as a sign of weakness were offset with how naive and reckless she was with her magic. I feel like I understood that she wanted to use it but the way she went about it was offputting to me. But they felt like choices she would really make so it made sense.

*SCREAMS ALOUD* THAT CLIFFHANGER THO. SEE THIS IS WHY I WAITED TO READ IT. OMG.

I felt some momentum from volume 1 was lost in the first half of this one, and the author spent too much time on background and setting up scenes and people without a lot of action, not counting the lively opening scene. She also has a tendency to overdo some of the characterizations, such as Lila's thieving mind, Kell's angst, and Rhy's metrosexuality. Decent job with new Mr. Emery.

In fact, Lila reminds me of Rey in the Star Wars sequels. Unknown background, young and cute, strong-willed, and somehow endowed with special power with little training. Here's Lila ready to take on with the big boys and girls in magic. How's that? I get that we knew she was headed to a higher level, or else she wouldn't be the dominant character in book 2 on a hero's arc. Still....

How do you even start with AGOS? It's this amazing adventure you can't get enough of. Because of its awesomeness, I'll be doing a whole bunch of AGOS-related posts. Not that they'll all be posted at once or anything. It'll just be my homage to AGOS.
But first...a review.
Victoria Schwab is known for amazing worlds and deep and heartfelt characters. I can agree with both. This review was going to be just flailing and immense fangirling. But I'll try to tone it down.
Likes:

We got to learn more about Kell. I felt like we didn't know enough about Kell in the first book. He wasn't as detailed. We didn't get a lot of his thoughts. I wanted more from him. And I got it with this book. We were given more of Kell's thoughts and emotions. I really got to know him through this book. And he was a fascinating character. He cared too much about the things he loved. And he felt longing and sadness. He was a caged bird, much like Holland. And he was ready to sing.
There was more Lila action...and I loved that. Lila is an AMAZING person. She's badass to the max. No female character in the world can outshine Lila. Not to mention the fact that she crossdresses a lot. (Like...a lot a lot.) She's a storm in every way. And we really got to know her fighting style. She fought fiercely. I can't even imagine what her Gray London fights were like. All I wish was that I could see her fight. Just once! Why can't she be real?
Not to mention the perspective from Rhy. Rhy was really the pretty boy, swoon-worthy brother character in ADSOM. But he's a human too. He loves Kell and his kingdom. He wants to protect it. Even if he isn't doing it in the best way possible. There's so much more to Rhy that we didn't know about. And it was amazing.
Alucard Emery is fascinating. He's new to this book, but he already has a lot of history with Rhy and Kell. His relationship with Lila strengthens his image. He wears many hats. (Metaphorically...) And I just want to know more. What's up with his family life? What did he do to Rhy? I want moreee.

Dislikes:

You can never really dislike something about a Schwab book. Her books are just so amazing. But there are things I felt lacking. But they were still amazing as is.
The plot was a little boring. Not that I didn't enjoy all those Element Game scenes. (I can't wait for the ADSOM TV show because I'd love to see these fights. In HD.) But I'd like some more. More of what's going on with Holland. What happened? What's going on? Who is Osaron? There was so much more that could happen.
While Victoria tried to trick us by saying she doesn't have a cliffhanger...she totally has a cliffhanger. Gr... I can't wait for the next book in the series. I want to know what happened to Rhy and Kell. And what will happen to Holland. And who is Lila Bard? Victoria knows we'll all read her book. Why does she do this to us?!?!

Title: A Gathering of Shadows

Author: V.E. Schwab

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Series: A Darker Shade of Magic, book two

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

I ordered this book from my local library just after Christmas last year--I knew as soon as I saw it in the system that I had to get my hands on it as soon as possible. A Darker Shade of Magic was one of my favorite books of last year, so I was salivating for the sequel. And sequels are a touchy subject for me--I'm always worried I'm going to be let down, or that the hype is just that--hype, or that the rest of my friends are going to love it and I'm going to hate it.

This was definitely not the case for A Gathering of Shadows. I was so excited, yet so sad, because I didn't have a copy of A Darker Shade of Magic to prepare. (I usually like to reread before my reading a sequel--I'm so anal, I have to be thorough!) But I needn't have worried at all: A Gathering of Shadows thrust me straight back into Kell and Lila's dangerous, seductive world immediately.

I don't want to say too much about the plot of the novel; I don't want to give anything away for my readers who haven't read it just yet. But I will say that A Gathering of Shadows takes place a mere four months after A Darker Shade of Magic. It literally has something for everyone: magic, romance, fighting (including a fair amount of daring swashbuckling!), thrills, twists and turns, heart-stopping action, and naturally, a healthy pinch of political intrigue and more than enough knowledge to tie up any loose ends that might be on readers' minds from the previous novel.

But really shines aren't just all of these things, and more: It is, for sure, V.E. Schwab's electric, powerful prose that makes this novel sparkle like the gem it is. If I wasn't a complete convert upon reading A Darker Shade of Magic, I am now. It also helps a lot that she makes real, three-dimesional characters who I loved, hated, and cheered for, right up until the last page. The pacing of the novel was absolutely fantastic--I couldn't look away, even when I wanted to. Be warned, you will be reading through your fingers throughout this book! An absolutely amazing sequel to one of the best books of last year! I couldn't put it down! The bottom line: A fantastic, satisfying sequel to one of my favorite books of 2015, A Gathering of Shadows is sure to enchant you, from start to finish! Next on deck: Those Girls by Chevy Stevens!

The first thing I have to say about A Gathering of Shadows is that it is truly remarkable.

Why is it so remarkable you might ask?

Why it is because A Gathering of Shadows author V.E. Schwab is an amazing author who has improved in her craft and her novels worlds with every book she has written.

In A Darker Shade of Magic, Schwab introduced readers to the four different worlds of London, Black, White, Red and Grey London, all of which have varying relationships to magic. Schwab did a wonderful job introducing readers to these worlds, and if that alone was the magic system in her series readers this would still be a great series.

But Schwab in her infinite wisdom and love for her readers has blown the door off of its hinges when it comes to her novel's worlds and their magic systems. What I mean by this, is that readers learn in A Gathering of Shadows that London is an only a single entry spot for the different Londons and their respective worlds. This means that different locations all over the world also have different spots of power which might also have different connections to magic that have yet to be explored.
If that wasn't enough Schwab also introduces readers to her book's version of the World Cup for Magic (or Tri-Wizard Tournament for Harry Potter fans), inviting magic casters from all different nations to compete for the honor of being best in the world. At this point in the review, you as the reader of this review must be thinking ok that's pretty awesome, but it can't possibly get any cooler, well you sir or madam are wrong! For on top of the tournament and different sources of magic different people from different countries have different beliefs regarding the source of magic, some believe magic comes from the ground itself and therefore must be walked upon to gather strength, others that you must embody the element you want to control, and so on and so forth, so that there are countless iterations of magic and all of them fascinating and full of possibilities. In fact, while I love Delilah, Rhy and Kell you could easily see Schwab after completing this story arc, leave London all together and instead visit another country's magic system, while having the characters from this series still exist in the background.

Speaking of Schwab's current cast of characters, Schwab has done a superb job of showing the ramifications of A Darker Shade of Magic, and how each of her main characters are affected in different ways. Rhy is depressed, Kell is trying to restrain himself in order to protect Rhy yet at the same time is pushed to the limits of what he will endure in terms of being subservient to the crown for Rhy's protection, and Delilah is given a chance to grow and practice her growing powers. Other interesting characters are introduced and other older characters are brought back, but all in all Schwab's character development and voice she creates in each character are the reason to read her books.

While I have yet to describe the action or the pacing in this book, just know that it is incredibly well done. A Gathering of Shadows is filled to the brim with action to the point that I found myself awake reading A Gathering of Shadows deep into the night. Also I cite the Essen Tasch (the Tri-Wizard Tournament type of contest) in terms of awesomeness in action.

All in all, A Gathering of Shadows is a great book. It is engaging, exhilarating and full of wonderful characters and beautiful prose. I can't praise this book enough, and I implore you as a reader to give this book a chance, as I highly expect you to love it, but also so that Schwab is given the chance to write as many books in this wonderful world as she is willing to give us.

I really enjoyed this, but I felt that parts of it REALLY dragged, just as the first book did. Hence, 4 stars rather than 5. I think if each book had been 50 or so pages shorter, that would have been a considerable improvement.

The world building continued to be wonderful. There was less of the other Londons in this book, but we got to spend a ton of time in ships instead, which was very cool. We got to see more of Red London as well, which was also nice. I loved being immersed in this world again.

The characters continued to wow, and we met some new ones. Lila continued to be my favorite character, but I came to love and empathize with Kell even more in this book. Alucard was a VERY welcome addition to the series. I completely picture Hook from 'Once Upon a Time' whenever Alucard has a scene. Between his secrets and Lila's it was surprising and adorable that they developed the friendship that they did.

At the end of 'A Darker Shade of Magic' something happened between Kell and Rhy that made everything seem like a nicely wrapped up Happily Ever After for everybody involved. That definitely was not the case as we learn in this book. There were consequences and complications that came with that decision that nobody could have foreseen. I'm interested to see how their connection will come into play in the next book given a certain character's present circumstances.

I can't wait to see what the third book has in store. I hope the entire book flows nicely and there aren't as many parts that drag.

In the second installment of the Darker Shade of Magic trilogy, Delilah Bard is aboard the Night Spire as its best thief, while Kell is being closely watched by the King of Red London. It’s been four months since the fateful night where Kell tied his life with Rhy’s, defeated Holland and the Danes, and returned the black stone to Black London, and the urge to run grows stronger in him every day. But he is not alone. Prince Rhy’s mood has turned dark, and to avoid the thoughts that haunt him at night, the prince focuses all of his time and energy into the Essen Tasch, a magical tournament held between London and its surrounding countries. But unbeknownst to most, this year’s tournament will hold many secrets and surprises for all involved.

I’ve said it before and I will say it until the day I die: Victoria Schwab knows how to tell a story. One aspect of her writing that I will always admire is the pacing. Schwab has a way of telling a story quickly, but not too quickly. She doesn’t bog the reader down with recapping what had happened in the previous book, and instead weaves it throughout the new story, placing nuggets at the right spot where the reader will say, “Ah, yes! I remember now.” She also weaves in new characters with the old. Although Delilah Bard is still my favorite character, Alucard Emery has become a close second with his charm and wit.

Out of all of Schwab’s story, A Gathering of Shadows pays the closest homage to Harry Potter with the Essen Tasch. However, it still tells a story all of its own. There are a few unanswered questions by the end, as well as a cliff hanger that will make your heart drop, but all of that makes me even more excited to pick up the final installment in the trilogy, A Conjuring of Light. Seriously, if you haven’t started this trilogy yet, what are you waiting for?

2.25 stars.

Long story short, I just didn't feel like much happened in this book beyond the introduction of a couple of new characters. It seemed like it was written just to have a reason for the series to be a trilogy.

I think fans of the original Mistborn trilogy might like the Shades of Magic books as well. They share similarities, such as being good YA/adult fantasy transition books. There is a focus on magic and different worlds/cultures. They are both more plot-driven, rather than character driven.

This book wasn't for me, but I do plan on giving A Conjuring of Light a chance. Many people have enjoyed this book, though, so I'd still give it a shot. You might really like it!

This is an unpopular opinion judging by other reviews, but this book didn't work for me. Nothing happened until the last few chapters. It feels kind of like The Raven Cycle where I liked the story, but it was a real chore to read. I know we are told Lila is so tough (I guess because she doesn't like dresses? But that is overused and not a convincing argument anyway), but all I see her do is make one stupid decision after another. Now since everything happened in the last few pages, I have to read the next one someday to find out what happens. This book definitely had middle book syndrome in my opinion.

On another note, I listened to the audio and it was really good.

There's just something about V.E. Schwab's writing that immerses you into the story. We start off in A Gathering of Shadows shortly after A Darker Shade of Magic left off.

Lila Bard starts her new life in Red London as a member of a pirate, no sorry, a privateer's crew aboard the ship, the Night Spire under a Captain Alucard Emery. She has come a long way from ADSOM as a girl from Grey London. She's adapted to Red London, their ways, their magic, and their language rather quickly and is still the fabulous cross-dressing, knives-wielding girl who takes to living life however she wants. Kell and Rhy are adapting to their new life attached to one another and struggle to find a way to go their own paths with darkness living restlessly inside them. As for finding out what happened to Holland and everything about Holland in general, well, I would say to be prepared, but there's no way to be prepared for Holland and the heart-wrenching story that usually comes with Holland in general.

Where ADSOM had a lot of travelling between the Londons, AGOS has MAGIC. And lots of it. There's a whole magical tournament involving 36 competitors involving their magical skills to defeat one another and it is just brilliant the way the story comes together even with the tournament going on.

The ending is a very big cliffhanger, and now we must all impatiently wait for book 3 to come out. In the meantime, I suppose I can start reading Vicious and wait for the This Savage Song to tide me over.

Can I just say FU VE SCHWAB! HOLY CLIFFHANGER!

It took me a while to get into this second book in her Shades of Magic series. I loved ADSOM, and was really looking forward to AGOS and the continuation of Kell and Lila’s adventures. However, this definitely has second book syndrome–at least at the start. It’s sluggish to begin.

There’s three stories going on, Kell, Lila, and a third that I won’t spoil for you. All are fun and interesting, but until they start to merge it almost feels like they are being held back. When that happens, though, the book feels like one of my favorite movies–A Knight’s Tale–only instead of Heath Ledger being the only one hiding his identity, Shannyn Sossamon (Jocelyn) also joins him in the game. It’s great fun and very adventurous.

I’m not going to rate this as high as I did the first book, but it definitely left me excited for the third installment! And it was nice to read something not so serious after a streak of BIG books lately. It was greatly needed, since I’ve got more of those coming.

Alright, that mini freak out aside, I loved A Gathering of Shadows! It was filled with the humor and stubbornness that made up the last book and I loved the characters!

So much happened on all kinds of fronts! Last time, I felt like the book was focused on really setting up the characters and their friendships/relationships, yet at the same time, it wasn't exactly saying "yes, there's a romantic possibility here, you really need to be shipping people" (although I was already shipping Kell/Lila, not gonna lie), yet this time, there was definite relationship set up, and I loved it! Kell and Lila are seriously good together and there's this palpable tension between the two of them that had me rooting for them. And then there's Rhy and Alucard who I also started shipping. There's clearly more to the enigmatic captain of the Night Spire than meets the eye and I want to know more about the history he shares with Rhy! AH!

I loved that the book dove right into the action with Lila's POV and showed that she's doing her best to be the pirate she's always wanted. I really liked the friendship between she and Alucard. After spending sometime with Lila aboard the Night Spire, we get Kell's POV and thrown into some different action. Since everything happened, Kell struggles with his guilt yet also feels restless now that he's given up smuggling. It was interesting to see him practicing in the Basin. And then there's Rhy who appears to be feeling equally guilty and is trying to do everything he can in order to drown his guilt (oftentimes to the detriment of Kell it seems). Somehow, the two of them start to come to a better understanding (agreement?) on how to deal with their new situation and it really seemed like things were starting to look up. Of course, things happened (spoiler things that I'd love to talk about with anyone who's interested BTW) and then the relationship got a little strained for an instant, but I think that it honestly came back even stronger.

At least it was heading towards stronger, until things dealing with Black London showed up and ruined everything. A lot happened, having to do with Black London, White London and even ties to Red London, but so much of it is spoiler heavy so I don't want to ruin it for you! Go read this book now and see what I'm talking about!!

The first book was rich and amazing and different with an intriguing story. This book plods along with little in the way of development or intrigue. Our main characters are less understandable and somewhat silly in their juvenile actions. The king and queen are oddly, unbelievable crueler and distant, causing more problems then their solving. Lila is still awesome but even her character seems less vibrant and true to herself then the previous novel. On top of all of this you get one rather pointless magical contest (seriously the story could be unchanged if you took it out), unfulfilled lovers and no ending at all. How could you make me sit through 500 or so pages FOR A CLIFF HANGER ENDING? This seems like an in between novel co-opted to be something more without ever being finished.

"The world is neither fair nor right, but it has a way of balancing itself. Magic teaches us that much."

-Tieren, A Gathering of Shadows, by V.E. Schwab

I read the first book in this series (A Darker Shade of Magic) when it came out a year or so ago, and bought it based solely on the cover, which was imaginative, stylized, textured, and strikingly different. As I had hoped, the story was also imaginative, stylized, and textured, but not as different as its cover promised. I feel similarly about this sequel, although I liked it more than book one.

Schwab is very good with sensual details, and keeps the book grounded with vivid imagery. Like its cover, almost everything within is black, white, or red. I haven't read a book with such a strong sense of color and shape since The Night Circus, and this book reminded me of that one in mood. I love its parallel-universe premise, where four Londons with varying degrees of magical potential exist side by side, and only a few people born with the skill can travel between them (this is not a new idea, but the first time I've seen it done with cities). Her plot development is so strong that I read this book in about two days, and then had the urge to go back and read it again. I enjoyed the development of main character Lila, and felt more kinship with her than I did in the first book, where I felt that she was mostly a trope. Her story is told by turns with the other main character, Kell, and I noticed more in this book what good foils they are for each other, her selfishness and his loyalty, her impulsiveness and his discipline, she with all the freedom he craves, and he with all the power she pursues.

That said, there are some major technical flaws here due to sloppy writing. First, the magic has very little consistency. As far as gate/portal magic goes, Orson Scott Card's Mither Mages series, beginning with The Lost Gate, is a much cleaner example of this same basic idea. I was left with a lot of questions about how the magic works, and the characters seem equally plagued by ignorance, despite having lived with it for presumably hundreds of years. At one point, a character from Grey London, in our world, is discussing religion with Kell, who is from magical Red London:

"It seemed a shallow substitution, but Kell supposed he couldn't blame the Grey-worlders. Everyone needed to believe in something, and without magic, they had settled for a lesser god. One full of holes and mystery and made-up rules."

Ironically, Schwab's magic is simply swimming with holes, mystery, and made-up rules. We won't be able to tell the mystery from the plot holes until the end of the series, I suppose, but I feel frustrated by all the same questions I had at the end of the first book, none of which have been answered in the second. Another, more minor issue is that while the entire series is set in various Londons, the language and dialogue are American-ish, which made it hard to remember that Lila is supposed to be a British pickpocket from the 1800s.

Read if you like The Night Circus, anything by Tamora Pierce, The Kingkiller Chronicles, the Sandman comics, or V for Vendetta. Read A Darker Shade of Magic first, of course.

Oh, and if you're sensitive to cliffhangers, just keep this on the shelf for a while until the next one comes out.

Ohhh, uggg, nooo or something like that will be your inner dialogue when you come to the end of AGOS because unlike the first book which did not have a cliffhanger ending THIS book does. I gave ADSOM five stars and I give this book the same, even though I might like this adventure just a bit more. I would reread this book in a heartbeat. Unlike the first book where I thought there was a strong friendship vibe but no feels, this story has all the feels and from more than one couple. This story begins with Delilah Bard's POV and the action is immediate and I love it. Kell's POV is soon to follow but it's quite sometime into the book before you get Kell and Lila back together but once reunited and it feels so good. The Element Games just added an extra plot twist to the already engrossing story. Rhy and his interactions with Kell & Alucard and his mentoring of Lila gave the reader more sides to choose from. If you haven't started this series and you like books with adventure and magic, what are you waiting for?

Seriously disappointed with this follow-up.

Darker Shades of Magic was a grand tale full of twists and suspense.

A Gathering of Shadows felt like an uninspired, intermission-like tale that had a Triwizard-like setting that didn't really fit into the overall picture of the book. It was there merely to flesh out the world - providing some world building aspects - but not furthering the story aside from one character's specific gain (of which the reason why the character was to enter was, "Eh, it's something to do").

I'll likely check out the third and final Shades of Magic book when it's released. I hope that it captures the spirit of the first.

A Gathering of Shadows more than matches Darker Shade of Magic in intensity.

The same amazing characters are back and a few new ones have been added. The primary new character to get my attention is Alucard, the Privateer who Lila goes to work for.

There is a tournament. 12 great magicians from each of the main three countries in the world of Red London are going to compete.

The battles themselves are very little of the book but the machinations behind the scenes are incredibly intriguing and exciting. The relationship between Rhy and Kell is more fully developed in this book. Alucard and Lila's relationship is also incredibly enriched because of the happenings in this book.

I love this series

I quite enjoyed listening to this on audiobook. Creative, fun story. I love the different Londons and how magic is used. Its an easy story to lose yourself in and made housecleaning much more enjoyable and fun. I would have given it 4 stars but for a few unnecessary F-words. Never necessary in my opinion, but even more so in this book. There was no other cursing and the occassionaly F-word ruined the magic of being in another world for me. My other complaint was the ending. I knew it was a series, but wasn't expecting to be left hanging so much. We get to a big cliff-hanger part of the story and "thank you for listening". It was over and I have to wait until Feb to read what happens.

While being a significant improvement from A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS still failed to meet its potential. The premise of the story is once again, intriguing. The plot had potential that unfortunately was not met. I had such bigger hopes for this than ADSOM but sadly this series just isn't blowing me away as it seems to be doing to everyone else. I am a huge fan of VICIOUS so my hopes were pretty high.
The very first chapter was a promising start and in many ways better than ADSOM overall. Lila Bard seems to be the ONLY character I really care about. She is everything. Her chapters were the one reason i kept reading this. Honestly why couldn't the stort be told strictly in her POV? I would be so down with that. Yes, you all love Kell. I do not. He annoyed me to no end this one. For example: his reasoning for hating Alucard (the only other likable character)? Understandabl . But does not call for such deep hatred. Come on you're 21 years old, not a 13 year old middle schooler .. I dreaded his chapters so deeply. Every time a new chapter started in his perspective I would groan and roll my eyes SO HARD. I genuinely do not CARE about Kell. I barely care for Rhy either. BUT THAT GUY ON GUY KISSING HELLO I WAS ALLLL FOR THAT.
One thing I found extremely disappointing, were the element games. I was expecting so much more. I thought the story would surround the games a lot more but it wasn't until around the 80% mark that they even started. How tragic.
In all honesty I doubt I'll continue on and read the third book. Even with that ending I can't find it in me to care for Kell and 90% of the other characters.
I'm sorry I know so many of you love these books but they just aren't for me. That upsets me but what can you do? I still highly encourage you all to read these books if you haven't, I seem to be in the minority here so go ahead and pick it up and form your own opinion. Hope you love them more than I did.

I have to admit this is my favorite series by this author. I love the Monsters of Verity but this one is a classic in my mind. I thought the competition in this book was similar to other magic books I have read but there is a wonderful, unique twist to it. I really love Lila as a character and her determination and resilience is something to be admired. She isn't one of those girls who allows her fate to be sealed by someone else: she does it on her own and it's badass. I love exploring her relationships throughout the book and how she navigates the competition and returning to the town that she left.

Second book in a series... second book in a series... second book in a series!!!! It is exactly that. It gives little new information. It is kind of slow because it is building something bigger. We get to know the characters and get more involved with them because the whole point is to get the reader really invested into what is to come next... so, yes. It is a bit slow and descriptive, but it really does what it set up to do! The ending is a complete cliffhanger, I can't wait to start book number three and devour it... good job book number two!

4.5 / 5 stars.

I absolutely adored this continuation of V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series. Her storyworld is just so rich and incredible, and the characters?! They are everything! Wonderfully unique and incredible. My only disappointment in this book was the Essen Tasch, the arena games in which magicians battle. The battles were so much fun, but I do feel that arenas/games have been kind of overdone in fantasy and dystopian ever since The Hunger Games. But otherwise, this was a fantastic installment in one of my favorite series of all time!

First of all, if you are interested in starting the series or if you're just wondering if you should continue it, I highly encourage you to allow yourself to jump into this world filled with magic, alternate universes, and engaging characters.

This review will be spoiler-free.

There are parts to the second book where I was left wondering why the climax of the book was so far pushed back. Sometimes, it felt as though I was starting a different series within the same fantasy universe and characters. And this is mainly because there are still a lot of mythos and rules to the universe that the author is still fleshing out regarding the politics of Red London and especially how magic works. Also, in part, she is still fleshing out the character of Lila as well (and in some portions of the book, Lila discovering herself started to become a bit redundant. I unconsciously sat in my chair thinking, "Okay, I already know this, tell me something new". But don't let this discourage you because Lila's character truly forms and is fleshed out so well, that by the end of the book, all will be understood). To succinctly translate this paragraph: the pacing was much too steady, and sometimes even slow, but it was necessary.

Compared to the first book, "A Gathering of Shadows" is much richer. It's rich in introducing new characters, developing the old, exploring the different worlds and its laws regarding politics and magic, and it really gets to immersed in the reading experience. Victoria Schwab writes so spectacularly that many of the parts of the book are so easy to envision and vicarious live through the eyes of the characters. She really brings these characters to life, and coming back to the pacing of the story, you find it necessary to see the developments of the characters, how intentional she was with every chapter and every word.

Honestly, I can't wait for the third book to be released.

And if all you really wanted was just one simple opinion on whether to buy the book or not, just do it. You'll enjoy it. If you've been sitting in your seat contemplating, most likely, you won't regret a bit buying this book.

I did not expect to love this series as much as I am! I adore the characters. This book was even better than A Darker Shade of Magic. I loved seeing more of Rhy & his character. It was great to see the interaction between Rhy & Kell now that they are tethered & to see the complexities & new issues it brings to their relationship. I love Alucard. He is a great character. Alucard & Rhy - I never saw that one coming!!! I adore Lila as well. I have loved watching her character develop & discover her magic & abilities. What a cliffhanger!!! It is going to be hard to wait for the next book!! February 2017??? Seems so far away!!

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
Book Two of the A Darker Shade of Magic series
Publisher: Tor
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

What I Liked:

There is no part of me that is even the slightest bit of okay right now. Victoria Schwab, I loathe you! I mean, I adore you, but I also hate you FOR THAT ENDING! This book was all sorts of brilliant, masterfully written, and painfully cruel. How in the world will I last until February 2017 (let us HOPE and PRAY that that is the latest book three will be published).

It has been four months since the ending of A Darker Shade of Magic. Lila is part of the crew of a pirate - privateer - ship, and she's slowly learning about her limits and abilities. Meanwhile, in Red London, Kell struggles with the bond with Rhy. He doesn't dare take chances, not with Rhy's life at stake. Rhy, on the other hand, overdoes everything. Rhy and Red London is preparing for the Element Games, in which Faro, Arnes, and Vesk competitors engage in a tournament meant to showcase the magical abilities of the countries in a friendly way. But another London is rising from the ashes, and no one will see the threat until it's too late.

I'll admit - I really struggled with the first half of this book. I think part of me just did NOT want to read it, because I was so excited to finally be reading it. If that makes sense. I got this book months ago and couldn't crack open the review copy until now! I was so excited to finally start it and... I just couldn't. BUT. I don't think it was the book's fault, although I DO think the second half is much more interesting than the first half.

We see a lot of Lila on the ship, in the first half. She's her usual thieving, troublesome self, running and running and running. Part of her wonders about Kell, but mostly she's content. She's learning about magic from the ship's Captain, Alucard Emery, who has just as many secrets as she does.

Meanwhile, Kell and Rhy are getting into trouble too (mostly Rhy). Schwab REALLY digs deep into Kell's character. Kell walks on eggshells when it comes to Rhy's safety. You can clearly see how much of a toll it's taking on Kell, how withdrawn and frustrated he's become. And Lila is never far from his thoughts...

The Element Games are a way of maintaining a show of peace between the the three neighboring countries of Arnes, Vesk, and Faro. Twelve magicians are entered, one of which is Captain Alucard Emery, which is how Lila ends up in London again.

This book takes a while to really get going, but looking back, I think the pacing of the story was good. There's no way I would have gotten such a good read and understanding of Lila's character, and Kell's character, had the author not spent so much time crafting them in their separate worlds for so long in the first half.

The second half is all about the Element Games. I will shut my mouth about the Element Games because there is so much craziness surrounding the Games! Let's just say that Lila plays a huge part in the Games, as does Kell, and Alucard. And none of them know each other in the Games (you where masks).

There is this subplot in the book that is threaded throughout the story. Its chapters are never more than three or four pages long, so you could ALMOST skip them if you wanted (you should not)... so the subplot seems insignificant but it EXPLODES at the ending of the book. Very well done by Schwab, how she set that up.

As always, Schwab does an amazing job with the world-building. I've not read a fiction book with a concept like this one! I mentioned that I liked how Schwab digs deep into Kell - and all of her characters. She also did an excellent job with the story's pacing and structure! Setting up the big showdown in book three was done very sneakily and precisely.

I love Kell! He's easily my favorite character of the book (Rhy is cool too... and Alucard... Lila grew on me). He's so troubled and lonely and frustrated, and he feels trapped in the palace, especially since the king, queen, and many of the Arnes people don't trust him anymore (despite him saving everyone's lives in A Darker Shade of Magic). Schwab fleshes out Kell even more than she did in book one, and I think I love him even more.

Lila grew on me in this book! I didn't quite like her in A Darker Shade of Magic (nor did I hate her!), but I really liked her in this book. I think I understand her better. Same with Rhy - I can't remember how I felt about him in book one, but I liked him a lot in this book. And our newest important character, Alucard Emery. He's an enigma! We still don't know enough about him BUT we learn some pretty important tidbits and I am intrigued! I like him so far.

In terms of the romance... well, the thing is, Kell and Lila aren't physically in the same space for the majority of this book. BUT, several solid things happen, in terms of the romance, and that's enough for me to be very satisfied with the romance. There is also a second (separate) ship in the book, and I can't wait to see where that one goes.

Honestly I can't wait to see where the entire book three goes. The ending of this book is SO PAINFUL. I was in shock for at least a minute - you'll expect what happens by the time you get to the climax, but you don't want it to happen. The "villainous" part of this book sneaks up on you, and it strikes like a cobra. Suffice it to say, book three could not come fast enough.

What I Did Not Like:

I'm taking off 0.5 star - and rounding down - because of the cruel cliffhanger ending! I hate cliffhangers and I especially hate it when they break my heart soooo, I knocked off a star (technically a half-star, but I'm rounding down too). Don't mind me.

Would I Recommend It:

I LOVED this book, people. Despite the slow first half, despite the cliffhanger ending, this sequel does not disappoint. Schwab's writing, world-building, plot structure, and character development have flourished from A Darker Shade of Magic, and I'd say this book is at least as good as its predecessor. I am excited (and terrified) to read book three!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. Cruel ending is cruel! I really did enjoy this book though. Unfortunately now I must wait in agony for the third book! It sucks when you're so invested in a story - but it's quite magical too! Too bad the wait seems to long, for a resolution. The shadows really gathered, in this book.

Massive book hangover in place, I keep thinking of the characters and what happened ALL THE TIME!

Shades of Magic is a trilogy so AGOS is the second book and one that not only didn't suffer from the middle book syndrome, but that simply made you forget that such a thing even exists!

I was dying to get my hands on this one since the moment I finished A Darker Shade of Magic and re-reading it to prepare was also a great idea, because I soaked all the details in a way I hadn't done the first time!

A Gathering of Shadows was brilliant and I didn't want to stop reading, wanted to read slower because I didn't want the book to end and I wanted to devour the book because I needed to know what was coming next!

The pace of the book, plot wise, might have been a bit more leisurely, at least if we think of the end game where things were leading up to, BUT give the amazing character development that was going on and how central it is to the plot and will continue to be (I'm sure of that) I was simply enjoying (and/or suffering) every minute of it!!

Lila, Kell & Rhy are simply put amazing, nuanced and deeply flawed and multidimensional characters (no pun intended about the multiple Londons) and I loved having all three as POV characters in this one!

I really loved Rhy's voice and seeing his struggle with the new situation with his own voice was something I was very glad we got to read! I adore Kell and so feel for him and his struggles between his restlessness, his need of freedom and his unfaltering loyalty to his brother, because Kell & Rhy? BEST BROMANCE EVER! But Lila... LILA IS EVERYTHING! I adore her and she's the best thief because she stole my heart in ADSOM and I'm sure it won't be returned to me, ever!! She's brave, reckless and ONE OF A DAMNED KIND! *sigh* Lila is my patronus!

The tension in this book, both plot wise and character wise increases exponentially as the ending gets closer and you cannot turn pages fast enough but will also need a breather for some tea now and then because you might experience a feelings overload or two (or maybe more, just be warned!).

And the final warning, we get a cliffhanger, and dear Lila almighty it's a MASSIVE BIG DUAL CLIFFHANGER and I don't know how I'll survive till the final book in the trilogy comes out... *is dead of feels*

All the bloody stars to this one!! As Travars! (damn, doesn't seem to work for time travel...)

So here’s the thing about series with a stellar first novel- I’m committed to reading the second, third, and fourth novels basically no matter what. I’m going to keep going even if the second book has series bridge book syndrome, even if they kill off my favorite character, even if things seem to go terribly wrong, I’m going to keep going. I am, at my core, a faithful reader- for better and for worse.
Thankfully, V.E. Schwab knocked it out the park with A Gathering of Shadows. Bridge book this was not even with its slow start. This book is like a fast start roller coaster at a theme park- there’s the slow moving to the part of the track where you’ll take off, the ten seconds of waiting for the launch, and then 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds and a whirlwind of loops and twists and turns until the very end.
Schwab’s writing is absolutely beautiful and it pulls you in the very first word and keeps you hanging on until the very end. Even with its slow start, I still couldn’t get enough because her characters feel so real even if they are so very other. Her writing style is so unique and brilliant- I probably would read her grocery list if she made it available to me. You can tell that every single word is perfectly chosen, each sentence perfectly crafted, to tell this exact story. No word is wasted. Even though some might say the main plot is the Element Games, it’s truly a careful Jenga construction of characters arcs and subplots.
I loved this book particularly because it highlighted the aftermath of the trauma of the first book. Kell, Rhy, and Lila have all been changed because of what they went through in A Darker Shade of Magic. They are swirling in the aftermath of terrible things that no one else can even begin to understand. It touches on trauma, and grief for things and people that are still living, and stress disorder in ways that aren’t obvious but are carefully handled. I care deeply for these characters and my affection for them only grew tenfold with their development in this story.
Lila is still a total badass that makes complexly reckless decision. Kell is still plagued by worry and guilt but finds the strength to do what is best for his family no matter how difficult for him. Rhy is still immature, but growing, and the apple of the kingdom’s eye. Rhy’s voice comes out stronger in this story and he definitely has something to add! His history with Alucard is something I can’t wait to learn more about and I hope it gets a lot of page time in the next book.
Kell and Rhy feel like real brothers and I love how real and complicated and loving and frustrating their relationship feels. They fight intensely but love each other more. And even though Lila and Kell were apart for the majority of the novel, the slow burn was more than worth it.
Everything goes absolutely nuts in the last ten pages. Old villains are back, characters are kidnapped, danger is imminent, and people are near death. And then it ends. IT JUST ENDS. It’s one of the best cliffhangers I’ve ever read and I’m foaming at the mouth waiting for more.
This series has everything I love in a good novel-strong and amazing characters, a rich world, and a unique plot that doesn’t dip or weaken in a second installment. This was the perfect follow-up to A Darker Shade of Magic and I can’t wait for the next one!

'A Gathering of Shadows' is the second novel in V. E. Schwab's story of magic snd multiple Worlds. We pick up the story a short time after the end of the first book. While this book continues to focus on Kell and Lila, there is something lurking in a he background.

We are thrown into a tournament, involving the best magicians from the three kingdoms in Red London. We meet more magicians, and a few surprises as well. I really enjoyed the progression of Lila, and her relationship with Kell.

I enjoyed the book and cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume.

4.5 / 5 stars.

I absolutely adored this continuation of V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series. Her storyworld is just so rich and incredible, and the characters?! They are everything! Wonderfully unique and incredible. My only disappointment in this book was the Essen Tasch, the arena games in which magicians battle. The battles were so much fun, but I do feel that arenas/games have been kind of overdone in fantasy and dystopian ever since The Hunger Games. But otherwise, this was a fantastic installment in one of my favorite series of all time!

First of all, if you are interested in starting the series or if you're just wondering if you should continue it, I highly encourage you to allow yourself to jump into this world filled with magic, alternate universes, and engaging characters.

This review will be spoiler-free.

There are parts to the second book where I was left wondering why the climax of the book was so far pushed back. Sometimes, it felt as though I was starting a different series within the same fantasy universe and characters. And this is mainly because there are still a lot of mythos and rules to the universe that the author is still fleshing out regarding the politics of Red London and especially how magic works. Also, in part, she is still fleshing out the character of Lila as well (and in some portions of the book, Lila discovering herself started to become a bit redundant. I unconsciously sat in my chair thinking, "Okay, I already know this, tell me something new". But don't let this discourage you because Lila's character truly forms and is fleshed out so well, that by the end of the book, all will be understood). To succinctly translate this paragraph: the pacing was much too steady, and sometimes even slow, but it was necessary.

Compared to the first book, "A Gathering of Shadows" is much richer. It's rich in introducing new characters, developing the old, exploring the different worlds and its laws regarding politics and magic, and it really gets to immersed in the reading experience. Victoria Schwab writes so spectacularly that many of the parts of the book are so easy to envision and vicarious live through the eyes of the characters. She really brings these characters to life, and coming back to the pacing of the story, you find it necessary to see the developments of the characters, how intentional she was with every chapter and every word.

Honestly, I can't wait for the third book to be released.

And if all you really wanted was just one simple opinion on whether to buy the book or not, just do it. You'll enjoy it. If you've been sitting in your seat contemplating, most likely, you won't regret a bit buying this book.

I did not expect to love this series as much as I am! I adore the characters. This book was even better than A Darker Shade of Magic. I loved seeing more of Rhy & his character. It was great to see the interaction between Rhy & Kell now that they are tethered & to see the complexities & new issues it brings to their relationship. I love Alucard. He is a great character. Alucard & Rhy - I never saw that one coming!!! I adore Lila as well. I have loved watching her character develop & discover her magic & abilities. What a cliffhanger!!! It is going to be hard to wait for the next book!! February 2017??? Seems so far away!!

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab
Book Two of the A Darker Shade of Magic series
Publisher: Tor
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.

In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

What I Liked:

There is no part of me that is even the slightest bit of okay right now. Victoria Schwab, I loathe you! I mean, I adore you, but I also hate you FOR THAT ENDING! This book was all sorts of brilliant, masterfully written, and painfully cruel. How in the world will I last until February 2017 (let us HOPE and PRAY that that is the latest book three will be published).

It has been four months since the ending of A Darker Shade of Magic. Lila is part of the crew of a pirate - privateer - ship, and she's slowly learning about her limits and abilities. Meanwhile, in Red London, Kell struggles with the bond with Rhy. He doesn't dare take chances, not with Rhy's life at stake. Rhy, on the other hand, overdoes everything. Rhy and Red London is preparing for the Element Games, in which Faro, Arnes, and Vesk competitors engage in a tournament meant to showcase the magical abilities of the countries in a friendly way. But another London is rising from the ashes, and no one will see the threat until it's too late.

I'll admit - I really struggled with the first half of this book. I think part of me just did NOT want to read it, because I was so excited to finally be reading it. If that makes sense. I got this book months ago and couldn't crack open the review copy until now! I was so excited to finally start it and... I just couldn't. BUT. I don't think it was the book's fault, although I DO think the second half is much more interesting than the first half.

We see a lot of Lila on the ship, in the first half. She's her usual thieving, troublesome self, running and running and running. Part of her wonders about Kell, but mostly she's content. She's learning about magic from the ship's Captain, Alucard Emery, who has just as many secrets as she does.

Meanwhile, Kell and Rhy are getting into trouble too (mostly Rhy). Schwab REALLY digs deep into Kell's character. Kell walks on eggshells when it comes to Rhy's safety. You can clearly see how much of a toll it's taking on Kell, how withdrawn and frustrated he's become. And Lila is never far from his thoughts...

The Element Games are a way of maintaining a show of peace between the the three neighboring countries of Arnes, Vesk, and Faro. Twelve magicians are entered, one of which is Captain Alucard Emery, which is how Lila ends up in London again.

This book takes a while to really get going, but looking back, I think the pacing of the story was good. There's no way I would have gotten such a good read and understanding of Lila's character, and Kell's character, had the author not spent so much time crafting them in their separate worlds for so long in the first half.

The second half is all about the Element Games. I will shut my mouth about the Element Games because there is so much craziness surrounding the Games! Let's just say that Lila plays a huge part in the Games, as does Kell, and Alucard. And none of them know each other in the Games (you where masks).

There is this subplot in the book that is threaded throughout the story. Its chapters are never more than three or four pages long, so you could ALMOST skip them if you wanted (you should not)... so the subplot seems insignificant but it EXPLODES at the ending of the book. Very well done by Schwab, how she set that up.

As always, Schwab does an amazing job with the world-building. I've not read a fiction book with a concept like this one! I mentioned that I liked how Schwab digs deep into Kell - and all of her characters. She also did an excellent job with the story's pacing and structure! Setting up the big showdown in book three was done very sneakily and precisely.

I love Kell! He's easily my favorite character of the book (Rhy is cool too... and Alucard... Lila grew on me). He's so troubled and lonely and frustrated, and he feels trapped in the palace, especially since the king, queen, and many of the Arnes people don't trust him anymore (despite him saving everyone's lives in A Darker Shade of Magic). Schwab fleshes out Kell even more than she did in book one, and I think I love him even more.

Lila grew on me in this book! I didn't quite like her in A Darker Shade of Magic (nor did I hate her!), but I really liked her in this book. I think I understand her better. Same with Rhy - I can't remember how I felt about him in book one, but I liked him a lot in this book. And our newest important character, Alucard Emery. He's an enigma! We still don't know enough about him BUT we learn some pretty important tidbits and I am intrigued! I like him so far.

In terms of the romance... well, the thing is, Kell and Lila aren't physically in the same space for the majority of this book. BUT, several solid things happen, in terms of the romance, and that's enough for me to be very satisfied with the romance. There is also a second (separate) ship in the book, and I can't wait to see where that one goes.

Honestly I can't wait to see where the entire book three goes. The ending of this book is SO PAINFUL. I was in shock for at least a minute - you'll expect what happens by the time you get to the climax, but you don't want it to happen. The "villainous" part of this book sneaks up on you, and it strikes like a cobra. Suffice it to say, book three could not come fast enough.

What I Did Not Like:

I'm taking off 0.5 star - and rounding down - because of the cruel cliffhanger ending! I hate cliffhangers and I especially hate it when they break my heart soooo, I knocked off a star (technically a half-star, but I'm rounding down too). Don't mind me.

Would I Recommend It:

I LOVED this book, people. Despite the slow first half, despite the cliffhanger ending, this sequel does not disappoint. Schwab's writing, world-building, plot structure, and character development have flourished from A Darker Shade of Magic, and I'd say this book is at least as good as its predecessor. I am excited (and terrified) to read book three!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> rounded down to 4 stars. Cruel ending is cruel! I really did enjoy this book though. Unfortunately now I must wait in agony for the third book! It sucks when you're so invested in a story - but it's quite magical too! Too bad the wait seems to long, for a resolution. The shadows really gathered, in this book.

Massive book hangover in place, I keep thinking of the characters and what happened ALL THE TIME!

Shades of Magic is a trilogy so AGOS is the second book and one that not only didn't suffer from the middle book syndrome, but that simply made you forget that such a thing even exists!

I was dying to get my hands on this one since the moment I finished A Darker Shade of Magic and re-reading it to prepare was also a great idea, because I soaked all the details in a way I hadn't done the first time!

A Gathering of Shadows was brilliant and I didn't want to stop reading, wanted to read slower because I didn't want the book to end and I wanted to devour the book because I needed to know what was coming next!

The pace of the book, plot wise, might have been a bit more leisurely, at least if we think of the end game where things were leading up to, BUT give the amazing character development that was going on and how central it is to the plot and will continue to be (I'm sure of that) I was simply enjoying (and/or suffering) every minute of it!!

Lila, Kell & Rhy are simply put amazing, nuanced and deeply flawed and multidimensional characters (no pun intended about the multiple Londons) and I loved having all three as POV characters in this one!

I really loved Rhy's voice and seeing his struggle with the new situation with his own voice was something I was very glad we got to read! I adore Kell and so feel for him and his struggles between his restlessness, his need of freedom and his unfaltering loyalty to his brother, because Kell & Rhy? BEST BROMANCE EVER! But Lila... LILA IS EVERYTHING! I adore her and she's the best thief because she stole my heart in ADSOM and I'm sure it won't be returned to me, ever!! She's brave, reckless and ONE OF A DAMNED KIND! *sigh* Lila is my patronus!

The tension in this book, both plot wise and character wise increases exponentially as the ending gets closer and you cannot turn pages fast enough but will also need a breather for some tea now and then because you might experience a feelings overload or two (or maybe more, just be warned!).

And the final warning, we get a cliffhanger, and dear Lila almighty it's a MASSIVE BIG DUAL CLIFFHANGER and I don't know how I'll survive till the final book in the trilogy comes out... *is dead of feels*

All the bloody stars to this one!! As Travars! (damn, doesn't seem to work for time travel...)

So here’s the thing about series with a stellar first novel- I’m committed to reading the second, third, and fourth novels basically no matter what. I’m going to keep going even if the second book has series bridge book syndrome, even if they kill off my favorite character, even if things seem to go terribly wrong, I’m going to keep going. I am, at my core, a faithful reader- for better and for worse.
Thankfully, V.E. Schwab knocked it out the park with A Gathering of Shadows. Bridge book this was not even with its slow start. This book is like a fast start roller coaster at a theme park- there’s the slow moving to the part of the track where you’ll take off, the ten seconds of waiting for the launch, and then 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds and a whirlwind of loops and twists and turns until the very end.
Schwab’s writing is absolutely beautiful and it pulls you in the very first word and keeps you hanging on until the very end. Even with its slow start, I still couldn’t get enough because her characters feel so real even if they are so very other. Her writing style is so unique and brilliant- I probably would read her grocery list if she made it available to me. You can tell that every single word is perfectly chosen, each sentence perfectly crafted, to tell this exact story. No word is wasted. Even though some might say the main plot is the Element Games, it’s truly a careful Jenga construction of characters arcs and subplots.
I loved this book particularly because it highlighted the aftermath of the trauma of the first book. Kell, Rhy, and Lila have all been changed because of what they went through in A Darker Shade of Magic. They are swirling in the aftermath of terrible things that no one else can even begin to understand. It touches on trauma, and grief for things and people that are still living, and stress disorder in ways that aren’t obvious but are carefully handled. I care deeply for these characters and my affection for them only grew tenfold with their development in this story.
Lila is still a total badass that makes complexly reckless decision. Kell is still plagued by worry and guilt but finds the strength to do what is best for his family no matter how difficult for him. Rhy is still immature, but growing, and the apple of the kingdom’s eye. Rhy’s voice comes out stronger in this story and he definitely has something to add! His history with Alucard is something I can’t wait to learn more about and I hope it gets a lot of page time in the next book.
Kell and Rhy feel like real brothers and I love how real and complicated and loving and frustrating their relationship feels. They fight intensely but love each other more. And even though Lila and Kell were apart for the majority of the novel, the slow burn was more than worth it.
Everything goes absolutely nuts in the last ten pages. Old villains are back, characters are kidnapped, danger is imminent, and people are near death. And then it ends. IT JUST ENDS. It’s one of the best cliffhangers I’ve ever read and I’m foaming at the mouth waiting for more.
This series has everything I love in a good novel-strong and amazing characters, a rich world, and a unique plot that doesn’t dip or weaken in a second installment. This was the perfect follow-up to A Darker Shade of Magic and I can’t wait for the next one!

What a great sequel! There are very few book series where I find the second book to be better than the first, but this was one of them! I really enjoyed the place where this book started, I definitely have a soft spot for anything piratical in books. Lila is such a fun and badass character that I felt really developed from the last book. Kell also showed a lot more development and we really got to see who they both are as people. That ending really got me, and I am eagerly waiting for book three to arrive!!

'A Gathering of Shadows' is the second novel in V. E. Schwab's story of magic snd multiple Worlds. We pick up the story a short time after the end of the first book. While this book continues to focus on Kell and Lila, there is something lurking in a he background.

We are thrown into a tournament, involving the best magicians from the three kingdoms in Red London. We meet more magicians, and a few surprises as well. I really enjoyed the progression of Lila, and her relationship with Kell.

I enjoyed the book and cannot wait to get my hands on the next volume.

I don't think I'm in the right emotional frame to write a review for this book. I want to scream and cry and throw the book out the window and hold it tight. I am a wreck.
The entire rating system for books needs to be revisited now. 5 stars is not enough for any Victoria Schwab book, but if I looked up at the night sky it wouldn't hold enough stars to rate A Gathering of Shadows. I can't find a single fault in this book (I only want to throw it out the window because the set up for the next book is killer and I need it NOW). Everything is utter perfection. The world building is stellar. The writing is up there with Neil Gaiman for genius. Kell and Lila are my favourite characters from any book ever. Simply put, this series has rocketed past everything else I've ever read and is sitting firmly in the number one spot.

A Gathering of Shadows, the second book in the Shades of Magic Series, is just as good as the first. I was delighted to be thrust back into the world of the Shades of Magic series, and to get to revisit the character's I've grown to love. The major difference between the two books is the pacing. In A Darker Shade of Magic, the pacing is perfect, the fast paced plot-filled moments were woven in perfectly with the slower character driven scenes. However, in A Gathering of Shadows, the pacing wasn't as well done. The plot, which revolved around a magical multi-kingdom tournament, didn't really come into play until the last half of the book. The first half was largely character exploration, showing what Delilah and Kell had been up two during the time gap between books. While I enjoyed this character exploration, I would've preferred if the extreme excitement taking place during the end half of the book and been spread out a bit more. In the end, this book goes out with a bang, and a quite painful cliffhanger. Despite the pacing, I still loved this book and can't wait for the next in the series!

I quite enjoyed A Gathering of Shadows addition of Alucard, and can't wait to learn more about his character. (I like him so far, but he better not hurt my precious baby prince again!)

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Old characters, new characters, an amazing magical competition with all the fun of the Triwizard Tournament (while also being reminiscent of A Knight's Tale), sexual tension, character development, intrigue, and oh my god, so much more.

Can I just say that Schwab is a genius? Because she is clearly a genius.

The first half of the book is a little slow, but not in a bad way. It's heavy on the character development and setting up the plot. The second half is more action-packed, but still packs quite an emotional punch at times. Like magic, this book is perfectly balanced.

A Gathering of Shadows was one of my most anticipated books of 2016, and much like A Darker Shade of Magic, it more than lived up to expectations. More importantly, it didn’t suffer from the dreaded Second Book Syndrome, never once feeling like a placeholder between books one and three.

As always with Schwab, this book is very much character driven. While that may bother some people, I loved getting to know Kell, Lyla, and Rhy even better. They aren’t perfect, but it’s their flaws that make them so endearing. I also enjoyed seeing more of the complex magic system introduced in the first book.

The first three quarters of the book are a tease, lulling the readers into a false sense of security before breaking our hearts with an epic cliffhanger. This may be a darker fantasy, but it never strays into needless violence. The only negative thing I can say about the book is that it was too short - it could have been twice as long and still would have left me desperate for more!

It's taking me a really long time to get through this book. I just keep putting it down to read something else. The book has great world building and the plot is unpredictable but I just can't seem to connect with the characters. I don't understand their personalities so I can't seem to care what happens to them.

Imagine a world where there is magic. Imagine four such worlds (that you know of) ... and in each, the struggles are the same, survival, dominance and a search for real connection. But magic is powerful, dying, growing ... and there are people who will live or die based on how the struggle continues. I found the people compelling and driven like we all are to make a mark in the world. And for some, magic is that tool ... for others, it is the thing that ends your life.

Really more of a 3.5. Im so completely torn about this book. I love this characters, but i wasnt crazy about the story line. I liked the beginning, but everything through the middle was okay. then the ending blew me away and of course left me wanting more.

There is an immaturity to the characters that is a total turn off for an adult reading these books. I have no idea how this series became so successful with all the bad decisions made by the lead characters. Then there's just things that don't add up: no one is having any sex, yet they're all very attractive people in their 20's? No one ever has a shower or cleans their teeth either, which sounds like a small thing but keep in mind Lila came from the poorest streets of London into a royal ball just by throwing on some new clothes? Nope.

How the heck did that just happen. ?? There was so much unexpected madness it's perfect. I love the new characters and hate but hate because they're evil scumbags not because they're badly written. There seems to be a rule that Antari like to get into the biggest amount trouble they can happen across.

This was a transition book. I kept waiting for something to happen and it finally did -- in the last few chapters. The rest of the book meandered and dragged on. I was disappointed because I loved the first book. I'll read the third book because I've come this far, but my expectations have gone way down after reading the second book.

What does one even say about a book like this? V.E. Schwab's books are never a disappointment, and this is no exception. What ever it is you expect for this installment, trust me when I say Schwab delivers - while leaving you begging for more, because if she didn't do that, then she wouldn't be Schwab. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before, but after my great experience with A Darker Shade Of Magic, I began to wonder if the only reason I enjoyed it so much was because of all the hype that was surrounding it. I hadn't been big on the Adult Fiction scene before then - I'm still not - and a part of me was left wondering whether I would have loved the novel so much if I hadn't been exposed to all the excitement and reviews beforehand. However, after reading A Gathering Of Shadows and experiencing, if possible, even more crazy love for the book, all my doubts have been put to rest, and I just want the third book goshdarnit.

There's enough Kell, Lila, Rhys, and omg Alucard - he's new, and hot, and a pirate, and hot - in this to keep everyone happy, and just like in the first book, there is never a dull moment. Every single sentence that comes together to form the novel is beautiful in it's own right, and I would sticky note every page if I possessed that many. Readers get to see a much more personal side of the characters than even in the first book, and they have developed a lot from where we last left them, parting ways. There is so much tension between them all that it just about drove me crazy, but I don't regret a moment of losing my sanity.

I did notice that there's a bit less action in this book, and by that I'm referring to a certain lack of direct, your life is on the line combat that we got so much of in A Darker Shade Of Magic. There's certainly a lot brewing in the background that are soon to threaten our lovely characters, and a certain return of one character that brings on a whole bunch of mixed feelings, but discussing strictly this book, it was certainly lighter. Super emotional, lots of hurt, laughter, and Lila being Lila-y, but besides the part of the novel that brings everyone together once more, all the real bad stuff is lurking in the shadows, probably to come out at readers in book three. Yay.

This is only the second book this year that I've genuinely been eager/self-destructive about reading as soon as possible. I've been able to take it slow with most other books this year, but with this one, I started tearing into it as soon as possible. There are so many more ships than before, so many swoons, so many characters you want to stroke the cheeks of and make eyes at, and others you just want to put in a bag and throw far, far away. My next goal in life is definitely to acquire this for my shelf, and then sit starting at it while I wait for next year to come around. It's so far away.

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Read more reviews at: the-lone-reader-blog.blogspot.com

A nice installment in the series that finally (ALMOST!) answers your burning question about Lilah.
The Games aspect feel very Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire-ish but she manages to put her own spin on it and set it up well for book 3.

Oh man, oh man, oh man. File under: most exciting giveaway winnings ever, because I can’t even begin to describe how lucky I feel that I got to read this masterpiece early. Yeah, it probably will surprise basically no one to hear that I fell in love with yet another book by V.E. Schwab. A Gathering of Shadows actually cements A Darker Shade of Magic as one of my all-time favorite series.

If you liked A Darker Shade of Magic, it will probably please you immensely to hear that Schwab excellently continued her tradition of nailing all of the elements that make up this book. The world building, already awesome and intriguing in the first book, gets even more elaborate and interesting. With Lila free in Red London to do whatever the hell she wants, she logically chooses to join a ship’s crew as their main thief and thus discover seas around the kingdom of Arnes. This means more culture, more language, more dynamic, interesting characters… (Including the oh-so charming Alucard who will appeal to any and all fans of the pirate archetype.) I honestly couldn’t wait to read more and more about her adventures – her part of the story almost becoming more interesting than Kell’s.

There’s also a ton more magic in this one, partly because Lila slowly but surely learns about her own powers and how to control the elements, and partly because the main event of A Gathering of Shadows is a magical tournament in which champions of the three nations battle with each other for honor and glory. I absolutely loved those battles. They were written so fluidly and described so elegantly. It reminded me of Avatar: The Last Airbender with all the elemental magic, and I could picture it all too easily in my mind. So if you’re looking for action scenes, believe me, this book has got them.

And then of course there are the characters and their development. Well, they all become a lot more interesting and dynamic – largely as a result of the conclusion of the first book. There is some friction between Kell and Rhy as their relationship is infinitely more complicated, and across the board Kell is not really looked upon favorably by the citizens of Red London and the royal family. There’s some angst happening there, but Kell’s also definitely growing stronger and he feels a growing urge to fight and play with magic. Lila comes into her own in this foreign world and she just kept impressing me. Honestly, she’s a QUEEN in this book – strong, reckless, and definitely no damsel in distress. We’re also introduced to a couple of new characters: the smooth and intriguing Alucard, the crew of the Night Spire, and the other competitors in the Essen Tasch – and of those, my love for Alucard knows basically no bounds (and I’m desperate to learn more about him).

If you are a shippity ship person, like me, you will also probably be very very pleased with A Gathering of Shadows, because, yeah, okay, even though Kell and Lila are separated for the majority of the book, THAT FREAKING CHEMISTRY YO. Seriously, any time one of them thought about the other, my heart lurched in my chest. And when they were together, it was basically perfect. They compliment each other so well, understand each other so well, and it’s not at all sappy. They challenge each other in the best ways and honestly I need more and more scenes with the two of them together. It will never be enough. BUT. There’s also a second, minor shippity ship that KIND of came out of no where, but I KIND of saw coming in all of the best ways ever. I will not mention names because spoilers, but seriously. V Schwab is an evil genius.

Most of her evil, though, shows in the ending. My heart was pounding in my chest, tears were welling up, and I just tore through the pages to the end. The stakes are inconceivably high. Schwab is a genius and a madman. I am so invested in these characters and this world that it’s basically consuming my heart and soul.

Summing Up:

My love for Victoria Schwab knows no bounds, and basically A Gathering of Shadows is perfection. There’s really something for everyone: a stunning world, pirate-y adventures, genderbending, elemental magic, royal balls(!), complex family dynamics, romantic flutterings, and a slowly building plot with an ominous antagonist scheming from the shadows that will have you turning pages as quick as you possibly can. Now the wait is on for book 3. Oh god. I need it so badly.

Recommended To:

Everyoneeeee.

Man what a journey from the last book. It was nice to see how their actions from the last book have some real weighty consequences from Kell's perspective. What the previous book did good this book also did well as well, with some nice surprises along the way and one heck of an ending. Will definitely read the next one. Keep them coming.

I had an incredibly difficult time getting into the first book, but the world was so interesting I decided to give the second a try. I'm glad I did because I enjoyed this story so much more. There was not as much political stuff going on and more adventure. A lot more action. Was not all that happy about the cliffhanger ending. It seems like it would place the third story in an awkward place to start.

I really enjoyed this story. And once again, I love how the story is divided into parts, which are further divided into chapters. The characters are very compelling, and I ended up staying up til 12:30 am just to find out what happened. I'm looking forward to the last book next month and am glad it's already pre-ordered!

This book is the kind to keep you up at night, dying to know what happens next. Victoria Schwab picks up from ADSOM excellently. Kell, Lila, Rhy, and a couple new characters are absolutely BRILLIANT. I LOVED the character development--Victoria's voice is as strong as ever. The first half of A Gathering of Shadows is like the climbing the hill on a rollercoaster, setting up for the ride to come. The last half? You won't want to stop reading. A Gathering of Shadows took my breath away and I can't wait for A Conjuring of Light!

VE Schwab spins an incredible web of worlds and magic, the characters are richly developed and unique, the various settings are striking and the plot is engaging. All 3 in this series are addictive, i couldn't put them down! Definitely in my list of new favorites

I liked a lot this book about alternate Londons, intrigue, politics and complicated love. Creating the atmosphere and world building seem to be the author's strong points, although her characters grow as well. I have not read the fist volume and the second does seem to go at a slower pace, a transition to the denouement in the 3rd installment.

I liked the end of book 1 so much that I put off reading this one. I t started slow, but before I knew it, I was hooked, and in a matter of days, not only finishing this but the book that came after it.

The adventure continues, with the focus swinging to more of Lila’s perspective, in this fast paced adventure. I really enjoy Ms. Schwab’s writing style and she has nicely laid out the cliff hanger ending so that it does not feel so much like a cliff, but a hand, beckoning for you to read book #3, which I will be only so pleased to do! 5 stars all the way around. Be good to my man Kell in book 3! Loving the London parallel universe aspect, keep up the good work!

A world or multiverse that is fully developed with each part containing its own complexity. Delightfully complex characters, imaginative magic system, pirates-princes-assassins all delightful, and a suspenseful plot around a magical tournament. BRILLIANT fantasy read!!

This installment may be little more than a slow and steady buildup to what will likely be an explosive third book, but sometimes the journey is just as brilliant as the destination. Truly, woah, what a journey it is! The Elemental Games are hands-down the best part of the book... Until that ENDING. Oh myyy.

The issue that I had with this book is the length of time it took to reunite the main characters. Twists and obstacles are a good thing in an adventure fantasy, but when it feels like the author is purposefully throwing up roadblocks to extend two books into a trilogy, that's when you've lost a reader.

There simply wasn't enough padding in the narrative to justify this novel, and the novel focused on issues that either weren't resolved by the end, or weren't the overarching problem in the first place. With an hour left reading the book, I was wondering how it was all going to end, but not in a good way, because I knew that there wasn't any time for a well-constructed conflict by the time I'm 95% done with the book.

I loved the first novel, and I really wanted to like this book, but after an entire book's worth of supposed adventuring, I feel like very little was done by the characters, and even less accomplished.

I KNEW it wasn't a good idea to read this so far away from the sequel release but I did it anyway.
I have so many regrets.
Nine of them, to be precise.
One for each month I still have to wait before reading A CONJURING OF LIGHT.
*melts into a puddle of want*

This trilogy gets better with every book. Even though I still seem to be in the minority of people who like but don't love Lila, she grew on me a bit more in this book. Kell and Rhy continue to be favorites and the series also continues its great world-building.

A Gathering Of Shadows will make you suffer in a good a bad way. It could be worse so don't worry much. It's a great sequel that will leave you BEGGING for book three.

Victoria already warned us that there will be kisses. Well, she wasn't lying! Loved EVERY kissing scene. Yes, there's more than one.

A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab does not disappoint. If you loved A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, you will love this one, too. The story is gripping and you will not want to put it down until it's done. And when it's done, you'd wish it wasn't. Seriously, just read it. Trust me, it's good. You won't regret it. The only thing that will suck about this is going to be waiting for the third book to be released but it'll be worth it. V.E. Schwab is a superb writer. Once you finish reading A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, check out any of her other work.

I didn't realize "A Darker Shade of Magic" was part of a series until after "A Gathering of Shadows" came out, and now I'm dying for book 3. I can't say enough good things about this book, it's simply fantastic. I want to read it again and again, and I never wanted it to end. The characters are wonderful, the world building is excellent, and the story totally pulls you in right from the beginning. Love it.

Oh gosh I don't think I can talk about this book rationally yet. I have not recovered. I'm still in a constant state of stress over....things.... This review should be non-spoilery, right? Right. Oh my gosh. I just can't. I have so many emotions.

I didn't realize "A Darker Shade of Magic" was part of a series until after "A Gathering of Shadows" came out, and now I'm dying for book 3. I can't say enough good things about this book, it's simply fantastic. I want to read it again and again, and I never wanted it to end. The characters are wonderful, the world building is excellent, and the story totally pulls you in right from the beginning. Love it.

Everything about this book is compelling: the sophisticated writing style, the fun and fantastical plot, and not to mention the most fleshed out cast of characters I've seen in awhile. A truly one of a kind sequel that manages to rise above and beyond the first book in the series.

Oh gosh I don't think I can talk about this book rationally yet. I have not recovered. I'm still in a constant state of stress over....things.... This review should be non-spoilery, right? Right. Oh my gosh. I just can't. I have so many emotions.