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millah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
4.0
I liked this book a lot, although I’d like to see more of the relationship development between Alec and Lew explicitly on-page, and not as something described as happened earlier. The set-up for the magical rules and the world-building were complex and interesting, immersing me in the story. Still, the book had some issues, mostly about pacing. Also, like in the previous book, I wished that the few female characters had more place in the story and more agency. Overall, I liked pretty much everything about this book, as the other ones, with the magic, love, time travel, the 1920s setting and the LGBTQIA+ themes. I loved the characters, especially the introduction of a nonbinary character and the set-up to the next book.
noll's review
3.0
2.5 Stars
This is a tricky book/series to review for me.
I want to start with how much I loved these characters. I really did enjoy them. I wanted to learn more about them. I wanted to find out how they would grow and develop and react to the things happening around them. I wanted to see if/how Alec and Lew would work things out. And that was... kind of the problem? It felt like all of the development for them (and everyone else) happened off page.
In the first book, their relationship is presented as a very new acquaintanceship that's barely started when they meet at the first crime scene. In Shadows On The Border, though, they just drop that there had actually been months of flirting and tension before that? Did I miss some subtext, or did that just kind of come out of nowhere? On that note, the transition from the first book to the second book kind of felt like a speedrun of Enemies-to-Lovers. I didn't feel like they'd settled into a relationship at the end of Lost in Time, and I wouldn't have known they had in this book if Lew hadn't said they were settling into a relationship. I wanted more explicit on page development. Explicit in the sense of concrete evidence, not in the sexy way.
Although, on a personal note, I didn't realize how much I needed kissing in my romantic couples until Alec and Lew didn't. In hindsight, that was probably part of why they didn't feel like they were in a relationship. All of the actual relationship development was just offhand comments like "Of course they'd kissed before" or "They frequently ended up in each others beds." And then suddenly there were love confessions and very intense emotions that were so well done but they just didn't feel like they had enough build up to support them. The last two chapters were so vulnerable and soft and I ached for both of them. But it was like coming into a movie right at the climax when everything's coming together and you think "Wow there must have been amazing things leading up to this moment" except... there weren't. Sometimes you read a book and you get to a very satisfying ending but you know it wouldn't have been half as good if all of the horrible things before that moment hadn't happened. This was like the opposite of that. The ending was very nice, very emotionally satisfying. I'm not sure how it got there.
And maybe the problem is that romance wasn't the point of the book, and I was just trying to get orange juice from an apple. That's entirely possible.
The set up for the magical rules and the world building were interesting, but at the end of this book, I didn't find myself invested enough in Will and Fenn to want to go on to the next book- especially since the storyline for Lew and Alec is pretty much tied up in this one.
This is a tricky book/series to review for me.
I want to start with how much I loved these characters. I really did enjoy them. I wanted to learn more about them. I wanted to find out how they would grow and develop and react to the things happening around them. I wanted to see if/how Alec and Lew would work things out. And that was... kind of the problem? It felt like all of the development for them (and everyone else) happened off page.
Spoiler
In the first book, their relationship is presented as a very new acquaintanceship that's barely started when they meet at the first crime scene. In Shadows On The Border, though, they just drop that there had actually been months of flirting and tension before that? Did I miss some subtext, or did that just kind of come out of nowhere? On that note, the transition from the first book to the second book kind of felt like a speedrun of Enemies-to-Lovers. I didn't feel like they'd settled into a relationship at the end of Lost in Time, and I wouldn't have known they had in this book if Lew hadn't said they were settling into a relationship. I wanted more explicit on page development. Explicit in the sense of concrete evidence, not in the sexy way.
Although, on a personal note, I didn't realize how much I needed kissing in my romantic couples until Alec and Lew didn't. In hindsight, that was probably part of why they didn't feel like they were in a relationship. All of the actual relationship development was just offhand comments like "Of course they'd kissed before" or "They frequently ended up in each others beds." And then suddenly there were love confessions and very intense emotions that were so well done but they just didn't feel like they had enough build up to support them. The last two chapters were so vulnerable and soft and I ached for both of them. But it was like coming into a movie right at the climax when everything's coming together and you think "Wow there must have been amazing things leading up to this moment" except... there weren't. Sometimes you read a book and you get to a very satisfying ending but you know it wouldn't have been half as good if all of the horrible things before that moment hadn't happened. This was like the opposite of that. The ending was very nice, very emotionally satisfying. I'm not sure how it got there.
And maybe the problem is that romance wasn't the point of the book, and I was just trying to get orange juice from an apple. That's entirely possible.
The set up for the magical rules and the world building were interesting, but at the end of this book, I didn't find myself invested enough in Will and Fenn to want to go on to the next book- especially since the storyline for Lew and Alec is pretty much tied up in this one.
moge's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
elementarymydear's review
adventurous
fast-paced
4.0
This is a really great continuation of the Border Magic series! We get a lot more time with the characters, which I really enjoyed, and the world was expanded in some very interesting ways.
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The major new addition from the first book is the introduction of Fenn, a being from the Outlands who has their own agenda. They were a great addition to the story, connecting the main characters to the Border in a new way.
It was lovely to see Lew and Alec’s relationship progress, although I would have liked a little more airtime for them to really see that gradual build-up happen ‘on-screen’. While we did get a fair chunk of Border-related plot, the main themes in this book were between the characters themselves, with Mira and Lew both having to make the decision as to which time period they wanted to live in.
Now that the world is a bit more established (and I was very happy that some of the more confusing elements of the first book were cleared up in this one), we also got to see how Lew copes living in the 1920s as a 21st Century man. Little details, such as how he still automatically goes outside to smoke, really helped to tie the different elements of his life together.
I can’t wait to see the conclusion of these characters’ stories in the final book!
I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.
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The major new addition from the first book is the introduction of Fenn, a being from the Outlands who has their own agenda. They were a great addition to the story, connecting the main characters to the Border in a new way.
It was lovely to see Lew and Alec’s relationship progress, although I would have liked a little more airtime for them to really see that gradual build-up happen ‘on-screen’. While we did get a fair chunk of Border-related plot, the main themes in this book were between the characters themselves, with Mira and Lew both having to make the decision as to which time period they wanted to live in.
Now that the world is a bit more established (and I was very happy that some of the more confusing elements of the first book were cleared up in this one), we also got to see how Lew copes living in the 1920s as a 21st Century man. Little details, such as how he still automatically goes outside to smoke, really helped to tie the different elements of his life together.
I can’t wait to see the conclusion of these characters’ stories in the final book!
I received a free copy for review. All opinions are my own.
claudia_is_reading's review
5.0
I also enjoyed a lot seeing the way the relationship between all the characters keep evolving. Seeing Lew and Carter both wanting more, but afraid of what the other want was heart-breaking. And Carter! He is such a great man, desperately wanting for Carter to stay, but keeping himself in silence because he wants Carter's happiness more. ♥
I also enjoyed very much the slow, gentle build between Will and Fenn. So beautiful.
But, oh, there is so much I still want to know! But I particularly need to know what happened to Will and Fenn, and I want to know more about what's going on beyond the border and how it will impact humans. Yes, I can't wait for more :)
Callum Hale does an excellent job with the narration.
lillian_francis's review
4.0
I have to hope that this series isn’t finished. For now it’s at a suitable pause but I need to know what happened to Will and Fenn, even if it’s only in another short story. I’d also like more about the couple from The Gate and how Arthur’s book (because I have to believe that is Arthur’s book) ended up in junk shop for Mira to find. And I want to know if Lew and Alec manage to track down any of the descendants of Kelly’s acquaintances.
Obviously, none of what I’ve said above will make any sense to you if you’ve not read the books in this series, but hopefully it will show the impact these stories have had on me that I want to know more about these people.
This story, Shadows on the Border, is not a standalone and can’t under any circumstances be read that way. It’s a part two, to Lost in Time’s part one, and I honestly believe that they should have been produced as one novel. Neither are particularly long in themselves, and this would have prevented the cliffhanger in both mystery and relationship that end the first book. That said I read them one after the other (starting with The Gate, although that isn’t entirely necessary) and without reading anything else in between.
I liked the pretty much everything about these books. The characters, the premise, the murder storyline, the 1920’s post war setting and even the gentle love story between Alec and Lew and the even subtler one between Fenn and Will Grant. That said, the books aren’t without their issues. The cliffhanger at the end of book 1 I personally find infuriating but might not bother others. There were quite a few typos in both books, not just the ARC, but I find this is the norm for that publisher. My biggest issue was with the timeline in both books. It read as though additional chapters had been added at a later date but the timeline not adjusted. However all of these things are minor irritations.
If you’re looking for an interesting time travel story with an urban fantasy (or is it scifi, I’m not great with the distinctions in this sort of situation) storyline and a gentle, low key gay romance then you need look no further.
Obviously, none of what I’ve said above will make any sense to you if you’ve not read the books in this series, but hopefully it will show the impact these stories have had on me that I want to know more about these people.
This story, Shadows on the Border, is not a standalone and can’t under any circumstances be read that way. It’s a part two, to Lost in Time’s part one, and I honestly believe that they should have been produced as one novel. Neither are particularly long in themselves, and this would have prevented the cliffhanger in both mystery and relationship that end the first book. That said I read them one after the other (starting with The Gate, although that isn’t entirely necessary) and without reading anything else in between.
I liked the pretty much everything about these books. The characters, the premise, the murder storyline, the 1920’s post war setting and even the gentle love story between Alec and Lew and the even subtler one between Fenn and Will Grant. That said, the books aren’t without their issues. The cliffhanger at the end of book 1 I personally find infuriating but might not bother others. There were quite a few typos in both books, not just the ARC, but I find this is the norm for that publisher. My biggest issue was with the timeline in both books. It read as though additional chapters had been added at a later date but the timeline not adjusted. However all of these things are minor irritations.
If you’re looking for an interesting time travel story with an urban fantasy (or is it scifi, I’m not great with the distinctions in this sort of situation) storyline and a gentle, low key gay romance then you need look no further.
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