Reviews

Overall I’m giving it a 3⭐️. Loved the magic and the plot, however I have issues with the pacing in the second half. given the 2 day deadline, you would think the closer it gets to day 2 at midnight the faster it would get but no, it slowed so much it felt like many more days passed. Also have mixed feelings on Emiko- for the most part I liked her but when rains Fiona she becomes so judgemental about the fact that she is so feminine. Also her non magical side characters were very present in the first half and seemed to disappear until the last page. It seemed like set up for them to play a bigger role and then didn’t

soulpromise's review against another edition

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adventurous lighthearted 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

3.5

kmfluegel's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

jennihowell's review against another edition

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Blown away by the worldbuilding behind the powers. I loved each new battle! The slower start is worth the wait, with each side character and family treated with depth and care that absolutely makes Emiko’s a journey worth chasing across a series. PROTECT FREDDY

faulklore's review against another edition

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4.0

*Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reader copy of this book

Ebony Gate is an action packed adventure following Emiko, who has moved to San Francisco to separate herself from her past. However, escaping her past is not quite as easy as moving a continent away. The magic system itself is spellbinding, eight (or nine) dragons were exiled from their realm long ago, and their human descendants have hoard talents and magical artifacts that still connect them to the lost realm. Emiko is drawn back into the world of magic that she tried to escape when a Shinigami shows up and requires her help. This was an engaging story that is clearly an introduction to something much larger. My only critique is that sometimes Emiko's internal narrative can be a little much sometimes, though the only time this really happened was during action sequences. Many of these internal monologues provide important information to the reader. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and the opportunity to listen to the audiobook as well. The narration was engaging, clear, and truly brought Emiko's voice to life.

lenastockton's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

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