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ameserole's review against another edition
4.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's always interesting to get rejected to read the first book in a series, but then get accepted to not only read but be able to listen to the sequel. So, yes, I was surprised to see my acceptance for both the ebook and audiobook of Shattered Midnight.
First, we were in Germany. Now we are in New Orleans. Luckily, we are still visiting the same world but with different characters. Just like the first book, I definitely fell in love with everything. Whether it was the world building, the characters, or just overall book - it was so easy to follow and picture it at the same time. Even though we don't get as much betrayal like we did in the first book, we still got plenty of it. As well as the drama. Oh man, so much drama.
Then there's the romance. I honestly love forbidden ones and it was definitely interesting to see how things played out here. Zora and Phillip had obvious chemistry, but things weren't exactly easy for them. Especially when it comes to the color of their skin. Luckily for them, love doesn't see color and I was all for their romance. Even if the time they were living in wasn't.
In the end, I was not prepared for how this was going to end. I went through so many emotions throughout this book and I'm still in recovery. I'm definitely excited for the third book to come out because I just need more from this series.
It's always interesting to get rejected to read the first book in a series, but then get accepted to not only read but be able to listen to the sequel. So, yes, I was surprised to see my acceptance for both the ebook and audiobook of Shattered Midnight.
First, we were in Germany. Now we are in New Orleans. Luckily, we are still visiting the same world but with different characters. Just like the first book, I definitely fell in love with everything. Whether it was the world building, the characters, or just overall book - it was so easy to follow and picture it at the same time. Even though we don't get as much betrayal like we did in the first book, we still got plenty of it. As well as the drama. Oh man, so much drama.
Then there's the romance. I honestly love forbidden ones and it was definitely interesting to see how things played out here. Zora and Phillip had obvious chemistry, but things weren't exactly easy for them. Especially when it comes to the color of their skin. Luckily for them, love doesn't see color and I was all for their romance. Even if the time they were living in wasn't.
In the end, I was not prepared for how this was going to end. I went through so many emotions throughout this book and I'm still in recovery. I'm definitely excited for the third book to come out because I just need more from this series.
elizpeace's review against another edition
4.0
Although this second book in the Mirror series took me longer to read, I don't think this was the fault of the plot or characters. The book made me anxious. I was constantly worried for Zora, how she would disappointed or betrayed by Phillip, her friend, or her cousins. And where that may not have been the case, I honestly had to push myself to keep reading. I take this as an excellent sign that the writer made me FEEL something. And I did. I felt the joy Zora felt, and the sorrow, and the constant stress. It was beautifully written, and I am eager for what comes next for these intertwined families.
ARC provided by Netgalley
ARC provided by Netgalley
brandie_shanae's review against another edition
4.0
This book was awesome. As we continue on with the Mirror series we follow a girl named Zora. Her mother sent her away to New Orleans to start a new especially what happened in Harlem. Zora now lives with her aunt Selene and her cousins and her aunt is doing everything in her power to find a perfect suitor for Zora so that she will be taken care of and to be a successful black couple. Now mind you this story is taking place in the 1920's during the prohibition and Zora is now just any ordinary girl. She has powers that is beyond her control, but she is very talented when it comes to singing and musical instruments. So now and then she sneaks out and goes to night clubs to perform and her stage name is Sweet Willow. One night they needed a piano player at the last minute and soon she meets Phillip. But it was a risk for him to be her pianist because he was white and it was against the ;aw to have interracial performances. but they managed to get away with it and as time progressed Zora was falling for Phillip but knew that they could never be together because she was black and he was white and it was against the law for a white person to be with a black person. Though the law did not stop them, but they didn't have their happily ever after either. Zora thought getting rid of her powers would solve everything, but she was wrong and she couldn't get rid of her magic even if she wanted to. I really loved how later on in the book we find out the descendants of Elva and Mathilda from the first book of the series. This book was excellent and I can't wait to read the next one.
katreadsalot's review against another edition
4.0
Another excellent installment in this series! Clayton's late 1920s New Orleans was beautifully crafted - I felt like I was there.
jdalton's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you Netgalley and Disney publishing for a review copy of this book.
I was really excited for this book since I loved the first mirror novel. This one was so different but in a good way. I loved the setting of prohibition era New Orleans and the inclusion of social justice issues (and not making light of it either).
This book is a great continuation but also a good standalone too. I was worried about having a different author but the transition was seamless and good for the new characters introduced.
I was really excited for this book since I loved the first mirror novel. This one was so different but in a good way. I loved the setting of prohibition era New Orleans and the inclusion of social justice issues (and not making light of it either).
This book is a great continuation but also a good standalone too. I was worried about having a different author but the transition was seamless and good for the new characters introduced.
maria_elisabeth's review against another edition
4.0
4⭐ - I liked it a lot!
I liked book 1 more, but I'm happy to say, I really liked this too! Liked the 20s vibes, and the connections between the books and the magic
I liked book 1 more, but I'm happy to say, I really liked this too! Liked the 20s vibes, and the connections between the books and the magic
enchanted_reads26's review against another edition
3.0
Such a captivating story pulled me right in immediately once I started reading this. I immediately got drawn in to the life of Zora’s and her misfortunes of being away from her doting mother and now thrust into the daunting southern culture with a rude aunt and cousins. The way the author has the ability to make you feel like you’re actually in New Orleans is amazing. Dhonielles writing is immersive to the point of beauty. I haven’t read anything like this in a very long time. I loved the culture and everything put into the story. It makes you feel like you are actually there experiencing all our main character has.
literaryluxe's review against another edition
4.0
This is a fast-paced, YA romance book that centers on a young woman named Zora. First let me say that I'd encourage anyone to read Julie C. Dao's Broken Wish before you read Shattered Midnight because it seemed really obvious that this book centered on things that were set up in book 1. It won't completetly ruin the story for you but still. Shattered Midnight deals with segratation that was rampant in American in the 1920s and onward; Zora is a Black heroine whose a descendant from one of the characters in book 1. Zora is sent to New Orleans after something bad happens and then the story goes from there. I will say that I was alittle dissapointed by the ending, but since it would seem the books build on each other, I will definetly be reading book 3 to see if that is resolved. Overall I'd give it 4 stars and would definetly recommend it to folks like for a different take on a Cinderella retelling.
resslesa's review against another edition
Reminds me of The Diviners by Libby Bray. Some interesting magic elements & much shorter than Diviners. Kids will like it if they like love stories and magic and Romeo & Juliet situations. First in a series.
sunflowerscottie's review against another edition
Zora Broussard is on the run from her past. Sent from New York to New Orleans after an incident involving her magic, Zora is living a new life with a new name in the care of her Aunt Celine and her two cousins Ana and Evelyn. New Orleans is unfamiliar and filled with a different kind of magic than New York. Zora finds her place secretly singing in a club under the name Sweet Willow with her friend Jo. When one night their piano player falls ill, another man offers to play for them. A white man. It's the end of the 1920s though, and two Black women shouldn't be seen fraternizing with white men. And a Black woman certainly shouldn't fall in love with one.
Marriage between a Black woman and a white man isn't even legal, but Phillip and Zora do fall in love. Now, Zora not only has to contend with her out-of-control magic, but with her aunt, who is determined that she should become engaged to Christophe Bechet Jr, the son of one of the wealthiest Black families in the city. Events begin to spiral out of control as Zora and Phillip struggle to remain together in a society that desperately wants to keep them apart. Meanwhile, a fortune and a vision in a mirror predict doom for Zora.
Although it isn't immediately apparent that this is the second installment in a collection, it would benefit the reader to start at the actual beginning. I didn't read the first book, and I felt that it prevented my complete understanding of the narrative.
That being said!
I had some trouble picturing Zora's magic. The way it's described came across more cartoonish than I'd assume the author intended. I love the concept! I just think there was probably a way it could have been executed better in the writing. As far as music-based magic goes, the visual aspect didn't make a lot of sense for me. It also made it difficult for me to take those scenes seriously.
The love story and all of the troubles that they faced because of their feelings felt believable and true. I liked that the racism they faced wasn't used for shock factor, but that it was frank and honest. It didn't feel sugar-coated. Of course, I hated that they had to face racism, but it also wouldn't have been believable for them not to face it in the 1920s.
Zora's magic and her struggle with it was definitely a secondary aspect to the love story and Zora's more real-world problems. That part of the novel actually didn't feel wrapped up at all. An attempt was made, but it felt rushed and unsatisfactory for me. Maybe it will be better addressed in the next book, but from what I understand, the novels are all loosely connected and written by different authors, so I'm assuming not.
Overall, the novel was alright, but the ending wasn't satisfactory. In all honesty, I'm not sure I'd recommend it, and I didn't get invested enough to go back and read the first one.
Marriage between a Black woman and a white man isn't even legal, but Phillip and Zora do fall in love. Now, Zora not only has to contend with her out-of-control magic, but with her aunt, who is determined that she should become engaged to Christophe Bechet Jr, the son of one of the wealthiest Black families in the city. Events begin to spiral out of control as Zora and Phillip struggle to remain together in a society that desperately wants to keep them apart. Meanwhile, a fortune and a vision in a mirror predict doom for Zora.
Although it isn't immediately apparent that this is the second installment in a collection, it would benefit the reader to start at the actual beginning. I didn't read the first book, and I felt that it prevented my complete understanding of the narrative.
That being said!
I had some trouble picturing Zora's magic. The way it's described came across more cartoonish than I'd assume the author intended. I love the concept! I just think there was probably a way it could have been executed better in the writing. As far as music-based magic goes, the visual aspect didn't make a lot of sense for me. It also made it difficult for me to take those scenes seriously.
The love story and all of the troubles that they faced because of their feelings felt believable and true. I liked that the racism they faced wasn't used for shock factor, but that it was frank and honest. It didn't feel sugar-coated. Of course, I hated that they had to face racism, but it also wouldn't have been believable for them not to face it in the 1920s.
Zora's magic and her struggle with it was definitely a secondary aspect to the love story and Zora's more real-world problems. That part of the novel actually didn't feel wrapped up at all. An attempt was made, but it felt rushed and unsatisfactory for me. Maybe it will be better addressed in the next book, but from what I understand, the novels are all loosely connected and written by different authors, so I'm assuming not.
Overall, the novel was alright, but the ending wasn't satisfactory. In all honesty, I'm not sure I'd recommend it, and I didn't get invested enough to go back and read the first one.