Scan barcode
theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Self harm, Blood, Stalking, and Violence
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
chronicacademia's review against another edition
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, Alcohol, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Fire/Fire injury
bookboxbabe's review against another edition
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? It's complicated
5.0
*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: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Murder, and Blood
Moderate: Self harm
sofiadanielle's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Definitely enjoyed A Darker Shade of Magic more, but I can’t say I didn’t like this book. Took me awhile to get through it, and I don’t love a cliffhanger ending *but* at least I’m driven to finish the last book of the series :)
As always, V.E. Schwab writes in a way that is easy and quick to read. I found the pacing to be a little bit odd (with the peak of action being at the end), but I suppose I’ll have all my answers and such about the peak in the next book.
As always, V.E. Schwab writes in a way that is easy and quick to read. I found the pacing to be a little bit odd (with the peak of action being at the end), but I suppose I’ll have all my answers and such about the peak in the next book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood, Violence, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Kidnapping
noveltay's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
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
5.0
This series is so good. I loved the new characters and storylines. I loved every aspect of how this story played out, and how it ends with such a cliffhanger that you HAVE to grab the third book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Murder
pagesof_autumn's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Torture
Moderate: Gore
Minor: Homophobia
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, and Confinement
Moderate: Self harm, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Classism, and War
Minor: Cursing, Sexual content, Abandonment, Vomit, and Gore
mpbookreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Violence, Blood, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
koistyfishy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
So I don’t think I can review this without keeping spoilers out since it is a sequel and all… so proceed at your own risk…
Should you read it? Yes
Was it amazing? No (but you need to get to book 3 so you kinda have to)
Basically two was ok… it wasn’t better than book 1 but had elements of it that were beyond measure of the first book. Mostly since this is not the first book, you already know the characters slightly and the world system so you can jump right into plot…
Now we jump into the spoiler territory so But that’s where this book lacked…not that the plot is weak, it just doesn’t really add anything to the story. Think of it like those filler episodes in an anime… you could prob skip over this book and move right to the next and still know what’s happening after reading a quick “what you missed” summary. Totally suffers from middle book syndrome as the main aspect that happens (which is totally rushed at the end of the book) could have been added at the end of book 1 or start of book 3.
On to that rushed point, it really annoys me about books when the pacing feels off at the start and doesn’t remain consistent and then everything is slapped on the end. This one starts of ok but then it reaches a point where it’s just slowly ebbing along with nothing going up and down… and then WHAM, BAM, Thank you Ma’am… the last few chapters (not like half the book), like 10 pages is just BOOM! All the action.
To me this book mainly just focuses on Lila getting into her power but I am still confused as to why all of a sudden she has power. The magic system isn’t really explained very well you just have to believe Lila knows she is magical enough to enter this tournament but you never actually see her use magic until the fights. I can understand if VE wanted to use that as surprise factor but it felt disconnected from what we were told to what we see everywhere outside the ring…so I think that could have used a little more polishing. Also everything builds up to this tournament and we hardly see anything of the fights…
The characters overall are a little bit irritating. Lila is sometimes bratty in her confidence and just insufferable. Kell is just moapy THE WHOLE BOOK and everyone is just treating him like shit when they really shouldn’t cause he just saved Rhy’s life but no… and Rhy just gave up and lost his spark and pizazz and whist there are reasons for this all it was at times is annoying to read.
I did really like Alucard though and he makes up for a lot of the other characters. He adds a lot to the story. He is so funny and smooth and loveable but he doesn’t get enough spotlight and I wanted more.
It felt like some of the angst was too on purpose by keeping the characters apart for so long just to add extended yearning and while I love some angst in my novels…. This was just too much…
I did love the ballroom scene where everything was catastrophic 🫢
Should you read it? Yes
Was it amazing? No (but you need to get to book 3 so you kinda have to)
Basically two was ok… it wasn’t better than book 1 but had elements of it that were beyond measure of the first book. Mostly since this is not the first book, you already know the characters slightly and the world system so you can jump right into plot…
Now we jump into the spoiler territory so
On to that rushed point, it really annoys me about books when the pacing feels off at the start and doesn’t remain consistent and then everything is slapped on the end. This one starts of ok but then it reaches a point where it’s just slowly ebbing along with nothing going up and down… and then WHAM, BAM, Thank you Ma’am… the last few chapters (not like half the book), like 10 pages is just BOOM! All the action.
To me this book mainly just focuses on Lila getting into her power but I am still confused as to why all of a sudden she has power. The magic system isn’t really explained very well you just have to believe Lila knows she is magical enough to enter this tournament but you never actually see her use magic until the fights. I can understand if VE wanted to use that as surprise factor but it felt disconnected from what we were told to what we see everywhere outside the ring…so I think that could have used a little more polishing. Also everything builds up to this tournament and we hardly see anything of the fights…
The characters overall are a little bit irritating. Lila is sometimes bratty in her confidence and just insufferable. Kell is just moapy THE WHOLE BOOK and everyone is just treating him like shit when they really shouldn’t cause he just saved Rhy’s life but no… and Rhy just gave up and lost his spark and pizazz and whist there are reasons for this all it was at times is annoying to read.
I did really like Alucard though and he makes up for a lot of the other characters. He adds a lot to the story. He is so funny and smooth and loveable but he doesn’t get enough spotlight and I wanted more.
It felt like some of the angst was too on purpose by keeping the characters apart for so long just to add extended yearning and while I love some angst in my novels…. This was just too much…
I did love the ballroom scene where everything was catastrophic 🫢
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
danajoy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Self harm, Violence, and Mental illness
Moderate: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Fire/Fire injury