Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.18 AVERAGE
4.18 AVERAGE
3.5 stars
The Shadow Weave picks up right where The Night Realm left off. We follows Clio and Lyre after they’ve escaped from Asphodel and are determined to get back Lyre’s KLOC spell before it can be used to destroy all of their worlds. I just have such a love for urban fantasy and this world that Annette Marie has crafted. I really liked that we got more of Clio’s background, learning more about her pre-Earth life. It really added some depth to her character. Like her other books, The Shadow Weave is not short on action. The fight scenes are engaging and intense and feel like there are stakes. Each fight is hard fought and has consequences. I also really enjoyed the Easter Eggs we get to the Steel & Stone series - I LOVED seeing a young Piper and seeing the River Sytx again. I did think that some of the scene transitions were a little jarring. They weren’t as fluid as I would have liked - there was a bunch of location changes or micro time jumps that felt distinct. Overall I had a really fun time with this book and I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in The Blood Curse!
I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Shadow Weave picks up right where The Night Realm left off. We follows Clio and Lyre after they’ve escaped from Asphodel and are determined to get back Lyre’s KLOC spell before it can be used to destroy all of their worlds. I just have such a love for urban fantasy and this world that Annette Marie has crafted. I really liked that we got more of Clio’s background, learning more about her pre-Earth life. It really added some depth to her character. Like her other books, The Shadow Weave is not short on action. The fight scenes are engaging and intense and feel like there are stakes. Each fight is hard fought and has consequences. I also really enjoyed the Easter Eggs we get to the Steel & Stone series - I LOVED seeing a young Piper and seeing the River Sytx again. I did think that some of the scene transitions were a little jarring. They weren’t as fluid as I would have liked - there was a bunch of location changes or micro time jumps that felt distinct. Overall I had a really fun time with this book and I can’t wait to see how everything wraps up in The Blood Curse!
I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I was a little afraid this would suffer from the same sophomore slump Bind the Soul did, but instead this just got better than the first book. Fingers crossed that can hold up for book three, which is, unfortunately the final stop on the fun train that is Annette Marie's daemon world books...for now.
But for now? Holy shit this was a great ride. Even though this is one of the few prequel series I've read that has a lot of things spoiled for it in its sister series (such as the fact that Lyre and Ash live and buddy up enough to meet Piper a few years later in Chase the Dark) it doesn't make this any less fun.
I failed to mention in the review of the first book how cool I thought Clio's ability to mimic other magics was, so I'm mentioning it now. I thought it was so fucking rad to see her start to collect all these different abilities, such as the aphrodisia from Lyre and the other incubi, the reapers' teleportation, and so on. It's so fun seeing this arsenal of baddassery build up in her.
I also really enjoyed watching Lyre using his aphrodisia as a compulsion so much more in this book. Like, obviously the spell weaving stuff he can do is fucking cool, don't get me wrong, but not only was it fun to see him using something I had personally brushed off as just an ability Lyre had to convince people to have fun sexytimes with him (except for his little battle with Piper in Unleash the Storm when she's possessed by the Sahar) being used as a weapon, it was also fun to see him using his...ahem..."natural talents" to his advantage, especially in his fight with Ash.
It was really fun to see Ash as genuinely threatening in this book, too! Like, obviously he and Lyre end up being best bros forever at some point (which looks to be happening sooner rather than later, it seems) but their fight was so damn cool, seeing them have a real, all-out one on one battle with one another. Lyre with his spells and arrows, Ash with his kickass combat training, Lyre sneaking in a poisoned arrow, Ash being immune to that poison unbeknownst to Lyre, then Lyre using his aphrodisia on Ash to distract him...and the way all of it wrapped up. Just...damn. Good stuff.
I'm very excited to see how this little spinoff trilogy wraps up, especially since my forever girl Jorjeana Marie is credited on the audiobook, probably for a little epilogue of some sort, not unlike the one Ash got with this book (which was another fun surprise), so I'm done describing all my favorite bits to you, dear reader. Onward to the finale!
But for now? Holy shit this was a great ride. Even though this is one of the few prequel series I've read that has a lot of things spoiled for it in its sister series (such as the fact that Lyre and Ash live and buddy up enough to meet Piper a few years later in Chase the Dark) it doesn't make this any less fun.
I failed to mention in the review of the first book how cool I thought Clio's ability to mimic other magics was, so I'm mentioning it now. I thought it was so fucking rad to see her start to collect all these different abilities, such as the aphrodisia from Lyre and the other incubi, the reapers' teleportation, and so on. It's so fun seeing this arsenal of baddassery build up in her.
I also really enjoyed watching Lyre using his aphrodisia as a compulsion so much more in this book. Like, obviously the spell weaving stuff he can do is fucking cool, don't get me wrong, but not only was it fun to see him using something I had personally brushed off as just an ability Lyre had to convince people to have fun sexytimes with him (except for his little battle with Piper in Unleash the Storm when she's possessed by the Sahar) being used as a weapon, it was also fun to see him using his...ahem..."natural talents" to his advantage, especially in his fight with Ash.
It was really fun to see Ash as genuinely threatening in this book, too! Like, obviously he and Lyre end up being best bros forever at some point (which looks to be happening sooner rather than later, it seems) but their fight was so damn cool, seeing them have a real, all-out one on one battle with one another. Lyre with his spells and arrows, Ash with his kickass combat training, Lyre sneaking in a poisoned arrow, Ash being immune to that poison unbeknownst to Lyre, then Lyre using his aphrodisia on Ash to distract him...and the way all of it wrapped up. Just...damn. Good stuff.
I'm very excited to see how this little spinoff trilogy wraps up, especially since my forever girl Jorjeana Marie is credited on the audiobook, probably for a little epilogue of some sort, not unlike the one Ash got with this book (which was another fun surprise), so I'm done describing all my favorite bits to you, dear reader. Onward to the finale!
slow-paced
Different enough from the first to not get stale, not different enough to improve upon it. I'd like to see if the sequel series is better, so I'll probably get to book three next time I need some brain candy.
adventurous
slow-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:
Yes
I love the world building, action, and romance of Annette Marie's books and she has another hit on her hands with The Shadow Weave (Spell Weaver #2). This book picks up right where the [b:The Night Realm|37887482|The Night Realm (Spell Weaver #1)|Annette Marie|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1515543554s/37887482.jpg|56214283] left off (sorry if you haven't finished Night Realm yet, go read that before you read the rest of this review). Our heroes have escaped the Underworld, and have made it to earth as fugitives. Both Lyre and Clio have people who'd prefer to see them dead, but luckily they are constantly being underestimated, and the two are far more powerful then they seem.
The book is almost non-stop action, with delightful glimpses of characters and places seen in the Steel and Stone series (you do not have to have read that series first in order to enjoy this one, but do go read it!). I particularly enjoyed the visit to a certain night club that played an important role in the early Steel and Stone books. But it is also the story of the deep connection of two people from two very different worlds. Clio and Lyre know from the beginning they don't stand a chance to be together. He's from the Underworld, she's an Overworlder. He's an incubus, they don't fall in love they fall in lust. There's no way it can work for them, but you just know it's going to happen anyway, and who can resist that?!
As I said I really enjoy the world-building of Marie's writing. This series is fantasy, it's filled with daemons, monsters and mythologically based creatures. It's filled with magic, intrigue, and kick-ass characters that will fight to survive, but don't believe themselves that they will win. Be prepared to not want to put The Shadow Weave down once you pick it up.
{Disclaimer: I was given a free ARC of The Shadow Weave in exchange for an honest review.}
The book is almost non-stop action, with delightful glimpses of characters and places seen in the Steel and Stone series (you do not have to have read that series first in order to enjoy this one, but do go read it!). I particularly enjoyed the visit to a certain night club that played an important role in the early Steel and Stone books. But it is also the story of the deep connection of two people from two very different worlds. Clio and Lyre know from the beginning they don't stand a chance to be together. He's from the Underworld, she's an Overworlder. He's an incubus, they don't fall in love they fall in lust. There's no way it can work for them, but you just know it's going to happen anyway, and who can resist that?!
As I said I really enjoy the world-building of Marie's writing. This series is fantasy, it's filled with daemons, monsters and mythologically based creatures. It's filled with magic, intrigue, and kick-ass characters that will fight to survive, but don't believe themselves that they will win. Be prepared to not want to put The Shadow Weave down once you pick it up.
{Disclaimer: I was given a free ARC of The Shadow Weave in exchange for an honest review.}
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
emotional
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:
No
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous