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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
This story takes place in today's world, but it is also a prequel to the Falling Kingdoms series.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
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:
No
I adored the falling kingdoms series and was very excited to read this spinoff series! It did not disappoint! The beginning was a bit difficult switching between 2 different worlds and trying to find a connection. Once that connection was made… oh my I loved it!
It gave me some City of Bones vibes… mysterious magical coma, a mother who keeps big secrets..
I really liked reading the narration from 3 of the characters.
It gave me some City of Bones vibes… mysterious magical coma, a mother who keeps big secrets..
I really liked reading the narration from 3 of the characters.
Check out my thoughts here!
https://stephaniereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/a-book-of-spirits-and-thieves-review-verging-on-a-rant/
https://stephaniereadsbooks.wordpress.com/2015/09/11/a-book-of-spirits-and-thieves-review-verging-on-a-rant/
This was much different than I expected, and surprisingly good. It was nice to be surprised throughout.
This book got progressively worse as it went on. The characters were all one-dimensional and made bad decisions based on their assigned characteristic. It abruptly ended with .. the obvious and expected resolution of each character’s designated story arc. Except, oh wait, we have to set up a sequel so this stuff isn’t resolved about these things, so stay tuned !!!
No thanks !!!
No thanks !!!
As with the first book in the Falling Kingdoms series, this book hooks you from the get-go but then moves fairly slowly until you reach the final chapters. However this one was much easier to follow and I loved all the different POV's.
We follow three different characters in this;
Crystal Hatcher lives in modern day Toronto and her sister Becca's spirit has just been sucked into a mysterious book leaving her in a coma. Crystal has to try to figure out what happened to Becca and what this strange book really is, leading her down a path full of secrets, magic and lies.
Maddox, a boy in the ancient world of Mytica who can communicate with spirits finds his world turned upside down when Becca's spirit shows up asking him to help her find her way home.
Also in modern Toronto is famous, rich, party boy Farrell Grayson who has recently been welcomed into a secret society following his brothers footsteps. However things quickly prove to be different than he expected leading him to question everything he thought he knew.
The characters are all likeable and I wasn't annoyed by anyone like I usually am. (Ahem looking at you Lucia.) The plot felt solid and I was intrigued throughout the whole book. Which was great since it moves slow I was still drawn in to keep reading. This felt much more modern than fantasy which I wasn't really expecting. I expected to have to drag my way through the modern parts but they actually ended up being the best part of the story. Overall I didn't like this as much as Falling Kingdoms (I missed Magnus!) however it was a really fun read. I should probably reserve final judgement until I read the next one since it took me two books to fall in love with her previous series - we'll see. This story has HUGE potential and I'm excited to see where things go next in book two.
We follow three different characters in this;
Crystal Hatcher lives in modern day Toronto and her sister Becca's spirit has just been sucked into a mysterious book leaving her in a coma. Crystal has to try to figure out what happened to Becca and what this strange book really is, leading her down a path full of secrets, magic and lies.
Maddox, a boy in the ancient world of Mytica who can communicate with spirits finds his world turned upside down when Becca's spirit shows up asking him to help her find her way home.
Also in modern Toronto is famous, rich, party boy Farrell Grayson who has recently been welcomed into a secret society following his brothers footsteps. However things quickly prove to be different than he expected leading him to question everything he thought he knew.
The characters are all likeable and I wasn't annoyed by anyone like I usually am. (Ahem looking at you Lucia.) The plot felt solid and I was intrigued throughout the whole book. Which was great since it moves slow I was still drawn in to keep reading. This felt much more modern than fantasy which I wasn't really expecting. I expected to have to drag my way through the modern parts but they actually ended up being the best part of the story. Overall I didn't like this as much as Falling Kingdoms (I missed Magnus!) however it was a really fun read. I should probably reserve final judgement until I read the next one since it took me two books to fall in love with her previous series - we'll see. This story has HUGE potential and I'm excited to see where things go next in book two.
oh man was this book epic! Morgan does it again! I am in loveeee Crys and Becca are amazing and I am pretty partial to Maddox as well and I cannot wait for the next one.. and now I just wanna re-read the falling kingdom books... which I might do because I love the world Morgan flawlessly created read ittttt 5/5 stars heart stopping breathtakingly amazing and just all around epic
Looking for my review of the [b:Falling Kingdoms|12954620|Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337026387s/12954620.jpg|18111704] series? Click here!
This is a great spin-off series that helps expand the world that Rhodes has created in Falling Kingdoms while not alienating readers who may not have read that series. It brings together little pieces of both our world and Mytica which is super exciting. As well, we are able to see the history behind the events that are currently happening in Falling Kingdoms, which is SUPER COOL. Since this is only a trilogy, and the second book is out at the end of the month, if you are hesitant about starting the epically long Falling Kingdoms series, try [b:A Book of Spirits and Thieves|22571365|A Book of Spirits and Thieves (Spirits and Thieves, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429026765s/22571365.jpg|42037808] first to determine if you want to know more about the world (Spoiler: you will).
I think the characters in this one had better introductions than what we got from the characters in Falling Kingdoms. I really liked Crystal and how she was doing her best to be a good sister while also forging her own path. It was interesting to see her dynamic with her family because she wanted answers and instead of just asking questions, she did what she could to find the answers. She was very thorough in her research and tried to see both sides of the story before coming to any conclusions. It was refreshing that she wanted to make a name for herself but also wanted to be a good sister because I am sure she will come to realize that both can be done.
I really liked having Farrell's perspective because he was on the complete other side. He doesn't wholeheartedly believe in what he's doing, but he believes in it enough to keep doing it and I think it will be interesting to see how he merges what he knows about the Hawkspear Society with what Crystal knows about it. I think there is a lot of room for character growth with him and heis will be my favourite by the end.
However, Maddox's point of view was the best because we were back in Mytica. I loved seeing the early stages of the world I've come to know and love because it was SO different. And I am really excited to see how it grows and changes and what that means. Plus we are learning more about the history!! And OMG! So many new twists and turns which will only add to my enjoyment of [b:Crystal Storm|23367261|Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms, #5)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458655374s/23367261.jpg|42926537] when it releases! I also really liked that even though Maddox had magic, he was intimidated by it and didn't necessarily want to use it. I think there are too many characters out there who just use whatever they are given and don't think about the consequences, but not Maddox! Plus, I started to really love him and. So I can't wait to see where that heads next!
I think the plot was pretty interesting. I liked how the Toronto plot overlapped with the Mytica plot and I am really excited to see where it goes. For me, though, Rhodes's stories are character heavy. And these characters are really delivering. They are all fairly selfish and want answers to please themselves so I can't WAIT TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES. I haven't been this excited about a new series in a long time so I'm super duper happy right now.
I do think that some of the story was a bit rushed and there were some big reveals that were kind of glossed over. We learned what the reveal was, but not what it meant for the story and I think that is something we see too often in these kinds of stories. It is all about the immediate drama of revealing the twist rather than the long term drama of what it means for the future of the story. I am sure it will be expanded upon in the next book but I am still a bit hesitant because what if it doesn't really get addressed again in the future?
Overall, I highly recommend [b:A Book of Spirits and Thieves|22571365|A Book of Spirits and Thieves (Spirits and Thieves, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429026765s/22571365.jpg|42037808] AND [b:Falling Kingdoms|12954620|Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337026387s/12954620.jpg|18111704] because both are excellent and have excellent characters and Canadian author! That's all.
Read this as part of Summer Series Challenge hosted by Amanda @ Brains Books Brawn!
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
This is a great spin-off series that helps expand the world that Rhodes has created in Falling Kingdoms while not alienating readers who may not have read that series. It brings together little pieces of both our world and Mytica which is super exciting. As well, we are able to see the history behind the events that are currently happening in Falling Kingdoms, which is SUPER COOL. Since this is only a trilogy, and the second book is out at the end of the month, if you are hesitant about starting the epically long Falling Kingdoms series, try [b:A Book of Spirits and Thieves|22571365|A Book of Spirits and Thieves (Spirits and Thieves, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429026765s/22571365.jpg|42037808] first to determine if you want to know more about the world (Spoiler: you will).
I think the characters in this one had better introductions than what we got from the characters in Falling Kingdoms. I really liked Crystal and how she was doing her best to be a good sister while also forging her own path. It was interesting to see her dynamic with her family because she wanted answers and instead of just asking questions, she did what she could to find the answers. She was very thorough in her research and tried to see both sides of the story before coming to any conclusions. It was refreshing that she wanted to make a name for herself but also wanted to be a good sister because I am sure she will come to realize that both can be done.
I really liked having Farrell's perspective because he was on the complete other side. He doesn't wholeheartedly believe in what he's doing, but he believes in it enough to keep doing it and I think it will be interesting to see how he merges what he knows about the Hawkspear Society with what Crystal knows about it. I think there is a lot of room for character growth with him and he
However, Maddox's point of view was the best because we were back in Mytica. I loved seeing the early stages of the world I've come to know and love because it was SO different. And I am really excited to see how it grows and changes and what that means. Plus we are learning more about the history!! And OMG! So many new twists and turns which will only add to my enjoyment of [b:Crystal Storm|23367261|Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms, #5)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1458655374s/23367261.jpg|42926537] when it releases! I also really liked that even though Maddox had magic, he was intimidated by it and didn't necessarily want to use it. I think there are too many characters out there who just use whatever they are given and don't think about the consequences, but not Maddox! Plus, I started to really love him and
Spoiler
Becca and then it WAS ALL TAKEN FROM ME. NOOOOI think the plot was pretty interesting. I liked how the Toronto plot overlapped with the Mytica plot and I am really excited to see where it goes. For me, though, Rhodes's stories are character heavy. And these characters are really delivering. They are all fairly selfish and want answers to please themselves so I can't WAIT TO SEE WHERE THIS GOES. I haven't been this excited about a new series in a long time so I'm super duper happy right now.
I do think that some of the story was a bit rushed and there were some big reveals that were kind of glossed over. We learned what the reveal was, but not what it meant for the story and I think that is something we see too often in these kinds of stories. It is all about the immediate drama of revealing the twist rather than the long term drama of what it means for the future of the story. I am sure it will be expanded upon in the next book but I am still a bit hesitant because what if it doesn't really get addressed again in the future?
Overall, I highly recommend [b:A Book of Spirits and Thieves|22571365|A Book of Spirits and Thieves (Spirits and Thieves, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1429026765s/22571365.jpg|42037808] AND [b:Falling Kingdoms|12954620|Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms, #1)|Morgan Rhodes|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337026387s/12954620.jpg|18111704] because both are excellent and have excellent characters and Canadian author! That's all.
Read this as part of Summer Series Challenge hosted by Amanda @ Brains Books Brawn!
Books and Ladders | Queen of the Bookshelves | Books Are My Fandom | Twitter | Instagram | Bloglovin'
5 stars. I LOVED THIS. IT.IS.AMAZING. A Book of Spirits and Thieves is definitely one of my favorite books of the year! Heck, I’m more excited for its sequel than I am for Frozen Tides! (Don’t get me wrong, though – I’m still ridiculously excited for that, too.) There was just something about this particular story that really gripped and fascinated me. The alternate time periods probably has something to do with it! I loved going back and forth between the worlds, and I didn’t tire of anyone’s viewpoint! I loved every single one of these characters! This story was such a ride, and there were so many times I completely forgot my surroundings and got so caught up in the story, I remember thinking “YES! I’ve been waiting for a book like this!” Now that I’m finally out of my ridiculously long reading slump, I’ve been enjoying books even more so than usual! But now I’m struggling with deciding what to read because THERE’S SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM
The plot of this book just blew me away. I love time/world travel, and Morgan Rhodes handled it so well. It’s been too long since I’ve read a book like this! (I think A Thousand Pieces of You was the last one…and I’m DYING to read Ten Thousand Skies Above You but everyone has it on hold at the library #bitter) I will say that I got confused at times (what’s new), but I think it’s because I was so excited and anticipated every page turn, so I probably read too fast to absorb all the information.
The characters were just great. Farrel is such a problematic fave. Like, I have so many issues with him, I want to grab him by his shoulders and shake some sense into him, but at the same time I’m still invested in his story and rooting for him? I just hope he realizes his wrong and empathizes with his brother more! Though I was bothered by his almost instant attraction to Crys. Maddox is definitely my favorite. I loved his chapters and point of view so much. Thankfully, the romance between him and Becca felt more real to me! It still happened fairly fast, but given the odd circumstances, I found it to be very believable. I did like Crys, though not as much as the other two main characters. They seemed more complex to me! I can’t wait to see how they all develop in future books!
So…The Darkest Magic comes out in June. Can I time travel and read it now?
The plot of this book just blew me away. I love time/world travel, and Morgan Rhodes handled it so well. It’s been too long since I’ve read a book like this! (I think A Thousand Pieces of You was the last one…and I’m DYING to read Ten Thousand Skies Above You but everyone has it on hold at the library #bitter) I will say that I got confused at times (what’s new), but I think it’s because I was so excited and anticipated every page turn, so I probably read too fast to absorb all the information.
The characters were just great. Farrel is such a problematic fave. Like, I have so many issues with him, I want to grab him by his shoulders and shake some sense into him, but at the same time I’m still invested in his story and rooting for him? I just hope he realizes his wrong and empathizes with his brother more! Though I was bothered by his almost instant attraction to Crys. Maddox is definitely my favorite. I loved his chapters and point of view so much. Thankfully, the romance between him and Becca felt more real to me! It still happened fairly fast, but given the odd circumstances, I found it to be very believable. I did like Crys, though not as much as the other two main characters. They seemed more complex to me! I can’t wait to see how they all develop in future books!
So…The Darkest Magic comes out in June. Can I time travel and read it now?