Waiting on Wednesday (#189): A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

Book Three of the Shades of Magic series

Publisher: Tor

Publication Date: February 21, 2017

Summary (from Goodreads):

The battle between four magical Londons comes to a head in this stunning finale to the New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy by rising star V. E. Schwab

Londons fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees Schwab reach a thrilling culmination concerning the fate of beloved protagonists—and old enemies.

Author Blog | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

A Darker Shade of Magic | A Gathering of Shadows

Even though I read the second book about in only January, it feels like this conclusion has been a long time coming!

Blog Tour: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Hi, lovely readers! Today, I'm hosting the one and only V.E. Schwab, author of Vicious, A Darker Shade of Magic, and now available, A Gathering of Shadows! I loved A Darker Shade of Magic and loved A Gathering of Shadows - if you haven't had the chance to read these books, fix that immediately! Today Ms. Schwab is going to be answering a question about the series. Check it out, and be sure to follow the blog tour!

A Darker Shade of Magic | A Gathering of Shadows

The Question:

How challenging was it to come up with the title of book two - were you trying to follow the same form as book one's title 
(A ____ of ____)?

Ms. Schwab's Response:

Hahahahaha. I laugh to keep from crying. Titling this series has been no small feat. The original title of ADSOM was TRAVELER, but after months of not being able to decide whether it should have one L (US spelling) or two (UK spelling) and a lot of paranoia since people had so much trouble spelling VICIOUS and one-word titles can be tricky to promote, we decided to embrace the other end of the spectrum. I’d ALWAYS wanted a long title, and it was finally my chance.

BUT. Finding that title—A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC—took 73 wrong turns. And then when it came to the sequel, almost as many, as we tried gruelingly to match the two beats of DARKER SHADE instead of the syllables. It was a blessed soul in-house at Tor who came up with A GATHERING OF SHADOWS.

The third title is the only one I successfully did myself, and I have to say, it’s my favorite one!!!

Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Ms. Schwab! Congratulations and PLEASE WRITE FASTER. :D

About the Author:

V.E. Schwab is the bestselling author of A Darker Shade of Magic, which came second in the Goodreads Choice 2015 Book Awards, the forthcoming A Gathering of Shadows, and of Vicious, which was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2013, an Amazon Best Book of the Year (as well as Best Book of the month), a semi-finalist in the Goodreads Choice 2013 Book Awards, and the ALA top pick for Fantasy for their 2014 reading list. She is known for her stunning prose and swift plot, as well as characters who blur the line between hero and villain.

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About the Book:

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. 

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Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

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.

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USA/CA RESIDENTS: enter to win a copy!

Waiting on Wednesday (#145): A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

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

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.

Author Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

I loved A Darker Shade of Magic! My first Schwab book. :)

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Welcome to the blog tour for A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab! I am honored to participate in this tour, and support this amazing book, author, and publisher! Haven't read the book yet? You can enter to win a copy at the bottom of the post! Trust me - you WANT to win this one! Check out my review HERE, if you want to be convinced :)

I'm representing White London!

Be sure to check out the website for A Darker Shade of Magic! Newly launched!

Aaaand, find out in which London you actually belong!

About the book:

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Book One of the A Darker Shade of Magic series

Publisher: Tor

Publication Date: February 24, 2015

Summary:

Kell is one of the last Travelers—magicians with a rare, coveted ability to travel between parallel universes, connected by one magical city.

There’s Grey London, dirty and boring, without any magic, and with one mad king—George III. Red London, where life and magic are revered—and where Kell was raised alongside Rhy Maresh, the roguish heir to a flourishing empire. White London—a please where people fight to control magic and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. And once upon a time, there was Black London. But no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, ambassador of the Maresh empire, carrying the monthly correspondences between the royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they’ll never see. It’s a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand. 

Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs into Delilah Bard, a cutpurse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they’ll first need to stay alive.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

V. E. SCHWAB's first adult novel, Vicious, debuted to critical praise and reader accolades. Schwab is the author of YA novels The Near Witch, The Archived, and The Unbound, and the Everyday Angel series for middle grade readers. 

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A Darker Shade of Magic website | Buzzfeed quiz

Praise for A Darker Shade of Magic:

"While scrappy, pragmatic wannabe pirate Lila is a big draw, Kell and White London magician Holland round out a great cast. There is much more to explore in this amazing world from the acclaimed author of Vicious." 

–Library Journal, starred review

"Schwab (Vicious) creates an ingenious set of nesting alternate Londons in this imaginative, well crafted fantasy. Confident prose and marvelous touches—a chameleon coat, a scarlet river of magic, a piratical antiheroine—bring exuberant  life to an exhilarating adventure among the worlds."

—Publishers Weekly, starred review

I asked the author...

Alyssa: What's your favorite genre to read, versus your favorite genre to write? 

V.E. Schwab: Oh, this is a fascinating question, because as a writer and a reader, my tastes are in constant flux. The only real commonality in my writing is a supernatural element—I have no interest in writing a perfectly ordinary world, as I don’t believe those exist—but when it comes to reading, I love everything from non-fiction (especially psychology) to contemporary (and surrealism) to high fantasy.

Victoria discusses A Darker Shade of Magic:

The Giveaway:

Win a copy of A Darker Shade of Magic and a double-sided signed poster that features the US and UK covers! Open internationally!

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Review: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Book One of the A Darker Shade of Magic series

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: February 24, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: ARC sent by the author

Summary (from Goodreads):

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit. 

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London - but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive — trickier than they hoped. 

What I Liked:

My first Schwab read! I know this is a hugely prolific author and her work is very popular, but I just never got around to reading any of the novels. Schwab sent me an ARC of A Darker Shade of Magic, but please keep in mind that Schwab's sending me a copy has nothing to do with my opinion of the novel. My opinion is in no way influenced by Schwab's generosity (thank you though!).

To be completely honest, I was going to let this one fly under my radar. I mean, I could see how popular the author is, and how many people were/are really excited for this new book/series, but I wasn't all that interested. Had I actually read the synopsis, I probably would have been more excited - because this book is fantasy!

Kell is one of two last Travelers left. He hails from Red London, a seemingly perfect London, and he lives with the royal family (like a son, but also, a resource/tool). He travels to Grey London and White London, and there is also Black London, but no one goes there. On a trip in Grey London, Kell is given a mysterious rock with certain magical properties. Then he is almost killed for it. Then a pickpocket - Lila - steals the rock. Kell is at her mercy, until he gets the rock back. But nothing is as it seems anymore, and it might not just be the rock.

I liked Kell a lot. He's intelligent, quiet, refined, reserved, gentlemanly... very posh. I liked him from the start, but I really liked him after getting his background story, after seeing him defend a random stranger who pick-pocketed him (Lila), liked him after seeing him do anything to help his non-blood brother (the prince).

Lila really doesn't come into play until a portion into the book. I'm going to be honest - I didn't like Lila at all, especially after meeting Kell. She barges her way into everything, marches into matters in which she does not belong and has no business. This continues throughout the book, but she definitely proves her wit and usefulness, saving Kell in several sticky situations.

Both characters experience heavy pain and loss. Both characters are sucked into a madness and darkness for which they did not ask. Both characters rely on each other - though not quite at first - and work well together. There is no serious trace of romance in this novel, but I can see one manifesting in later books, between these two characters.

The world-building is superb. We really get a feel for each London (even Black London, which Kell doesn't visit). There are plenty of unique things about each one - especially the secondary characters. Athos and Astrid are the brother/sister rulers of White London, and they are the villains of the story. The second Traveler, Holland, is one of their minions. I love how Schwab crafts Holland as a villain, because I really feel bad for him. In the end, not as much, but Schwab makes him almost likable.

The story is quite intriguing, though it definitely takes a while to build. At first I wondered where Schwab was going with the plot, because I couldn't figure out where the story was going. But then the rock was introduced, and I could see the seeds planted from the beginning starting to grow.

The ending is satisfying, but I definitely want more. I'm so glad to see that this book is part of a trilogy. I think I will be looking for the sequel, whenever it arrives!

What I Did Not Like:

Mmm, I don't think I had too many complaints, so this is an example of me giving this book four stars because it *feels* like a four-star read, and not because I have enumerated a list of dislikes. I think the beginning of the book was very slow, but Schwab made up for this because of the strong world-building and characterization. Overall, I think this book is solid.

Would I Recommend It:

I know there is a huge Schwab fanbase, so for any of you Schwab fans, definitely get after this one (most of you already are, anyway). It's an adult one (though the content isn't necessarily Rated R or anything), and it's a good one. Definitely don't miss it if you're a fantasy fan, or fiction reader.

Rating:

4 stars. I know Vicious (Schwab's first adult book) did really well, and I expected this new book will follow suit!

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Waiting on Wednesday (#24): Vicious by V.E. Schwab

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week, I'm featuring:

Vicious by V.E. Schwab

Publisher: Tor Books

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Summary (from Goodreads):

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

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I love Victoria Schwab, so this book sounds good to me! :D