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adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
genuinely cannot express how much i love schwab’s work :,) the second book was so beautifully written and had me at the edge of my chair, especially with that ending!! seeing kell and lila’s adventures again was exciting enough to leave me unable to put this book down for days. so so ready to read the final book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Alcohol
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book!
I am rooting so hard for Lila. She’s a hero. She’s my hero. I love how ruthless and unstoppable she is.
This book did not FEEL like 500 pages. The pace is AMAZING. I’m so captivated I want to proceed immediately to book three. But oh, I love this world, and how rich and magical it is and how HIGH the STAKES ARE.
(Also I’m so here for Rhy the bisexual disaster prince. RHY. you are my favorite character and that’s saying a LOT since Lila and Kell are both so wonderful.)
I am rooting so hard for Lila. She’s a hero. She’s my hero. I love how ruthless and unstoppable she is.
This book did not FEEL like 500 pages. The pace is AMAZING. I’m so captivated I want to proceed immediately to book three. But oh, I love this world, and how rich and magical it is and how HIGH the STAKES ARE.
(Also I’m so here for Rhy the bisexual disaster prince. RHY. you are my favorite character and that’s saying a LOT since Lila and Kell are both so wonderful.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, Blood
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
*upping to five stars upon reread*
original review:
(4.5)
the first book read like a stand alone, but this one actually read like the middle book in a serious, with a cliffhanger ending that makes me want to reach for book 3.
also, kell and rhy’s relationship is amazing.
original review:
(4.5)
the first book read like a stand alone, but this one actually read like the middle book in a serious, with a cliffhanger ending that makes me want to reach for book 3.
also, kell and rhy’s relationship is amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Self harm
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
The like Big Stuff doesn't come in until the end there but I find it to work really well. That ending is intense!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Self harm, Blood, Murder
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Self harm, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Murder, Alcohol
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Honestly, I enjoyed The Gathering of shadows way more than The Darker Shade of Magic. I was really struggling to get into the first book, but this one swallowed me up. I appreciate that Schwab showed how the characters and the relationships between them were impacted by the events in The Darker Shade of Magic. Also, I love the way Lila is presented in this book - one of the things that got on my nerves in Darker Shade of magic was how low-key misogynistic she sounded?, like girl I know you are not like everybody else (you are the Delilah Bard after all) BUT THAT'S TOO MANY SLICES. Another thing that I appreciated was that Schwab didn't rub the romance in our faces. We all know that Lila and Kell are into each other (in their way) but thank you for not making the whole book solely about it. (Also, Rhy & Alucard- appreciate the representation) Another major plus for me was the Essen Tasch because your girl loves a good fantasy tournament (my obsession with The Hunger Games never really ended iykwim) It might be controversial but I'm kinda happy that neither Kell nor Delilah won the Essen Tasch - I guess it would be a little bit cliché for me?
On more negative note though, can we talk about how the King and Queen treated Kell here. Like are you really THIS mad he saved your only son's life? And their attempts to justify it were awful - Rhy will be a king this, Rhy will be a king that, you need to pay for what you did or you will see. *sighs*
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think it had quite a nice undertone of figuring out what you want to do with your life /what you want out of it, and how you can get it. I am not even mad about the cliffhanger - can't wait to grab A Conjuring of Light!
On more negative note though, can we talk about how the King and Queen treated Kell here. Like are you really THIS mad he saved your only son's life? And their attempts to justify it were awful - Rhy will be a king this, Rhy will be a king that, you need to pay for what you did or you will see. *sighs*
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think it had quite a nice undertone of figuring out what you want to do with your life /what you want out of it, and how you can get it. I am not even mad about the cliffhanger - can't wait to grab A Conjuring of Light!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Kidnapping
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, Blood, Alcohol
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Grief