Review: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

Title: Vengeful Series: Villians #2 Written by: V.E. Schwab Published: June 6, 2018 by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Eli Ever and Victor Vale were only medical students when their mutual discovery that near-death experiences can, under the right conditions, manifest extraordinary abilities.  They were best friends, and rivals, and then enemies. They were dead, then alive, and then---Eli killed Victor, once and for all.  Or so he thought---but Sydney Clarke felt otherwise, and used her own superpower to tip the scales. Now, a trio hides in the shadows, while another takes advantages of post-death life to take over the city of Merit.  If there can be life after death—will there be calm after vengeance, or will chaos rule?

Another amazing Victoria Schwab book. Vicious will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first book by Victoria I read. So when I heard she was writing a sequel I was over the moon and she did not disappoint.

One of the things that I love about Victoria’s books are the characters. She has a real knack for writing morally grey characters who you still root for and that is absolutely evident in Vengeful. On Wednesday I saw Victoria in Boston and she mentioned how she always makes sure we know why the character is doing the awful thing and that’s why I think her characters are so good. They are not good people. They are basically terrible people doing terrible things and yet you still want them to achieve their goals. Most of that is because they are so sympathetic and likable. They are complex and fully-fledged characters who emerge off the page fully-formed and so engaging.

In Vicious the main focus of the book was on Victor and Eli. It was great to catch back up with those two and to see the consequences of their actions in the first book. I know Victoria said she was going to make us sympathize with Eli in this book and holy crap did she do it. I felt so much for Eli and it was so unexpected. He was always the characters doing the right things for the wrong reasons while Victor was doing the wrong things for the right reasons but here they seemed to flip and that was so interesting to see. But the real highlights of this book are the female characters. There is a lot of female rage in this book and it’s great to see. I think a lot of people are really going to love Marcella. She is fierce and badass and has so many amazing one-liners that I know people will connect with because I did. But I think the more interesting character is June. She is one of the most complex and intriguing characters I have read about in a long time. And like Marcella she is incredibly tough and you root for her to get her vengeance. But I really think we’ve only scratched the surface with June. I really hope Victoria writes another book because I want to know more about her.

As you can tell by the number of main characters here, this is a super complex plot. Like Vicious it interweaves flashbacks with the present timeline as we learn about the characters and how they got to where they are today. Not to mention all the perspectives intertwining. It would have been very easy for this book to get confusing and muddled but it didn’t. The stakes were high, the plot was action-packed and it all worked together to create one completely thrilling climax that had me totally enthralled. I listened to the audiobook for this and it only took me a few days to read it because I was that invested. And I listened to it on 1.0x speed. Usually I listen at 1.25x but her I wanted to take it all in.

Because seriously, this book is so immersive. The world Victoria has created is so fantastic. She is such a master when it comes to building a fantasy world. What I love about this one is that it actually feels grounded in reality. The rules are so clear and specific that it honestly seems possible. Seriously, a book about people with superpowers seems realistic. But that just goes to show you how good Victoria is at this. And let me tell you, these powers are amazing. We get a host of new powered people in this book and I loved seeing their powers in action but it was even cooler learning more about how Eli and Sydney’s powers work. I love stories about superheroes where they explore the morality and responsibilities that comes with powers and I think this series does it in a way that is so dark which makes it even better. It’s one of the best superpower based worlds I have ever read about.

All in all, this was a completely amazing read. I loved being able to return to the world of Vicious and to catch back up with the amazing characters but the new characters and the thrilling. Plot made this book just as good of not better.

I give Vengeful by V.E. Schwab 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Definitely buy this book. It's amazing and and fantastic. If you liked Vicious you definitely need to read this book. It's a great sequel. And you haven't read that book, start there and experience one of the best books about superpowers and anti-heroes that exists.

Have you read Vengeful? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Review: City of Ghost by Victoria Schwab

Title: City of Ghosts Series: Cassidy Blake #1 Written by: Victoria Schwab Published: July 28, 2018 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one.  When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

This was a really good and fast read that I thoroughly enjoyed. Victoria is an auto-buy author for me. Every book from her I have read I have lived and this one was no exception.

Just like every book from Victoria, this did a great job in terms of its world-building and setting. Most of this book take places in Edinburgh, Scotland and it is very clearly a love letter to the city. It’s such an interesting place and that really comes across here. Throughout the book you get to explore the history and mystery of the city and it really comes alive in Victoria expert writing. I could definitely picture the city and it made me want to visit it so badly.

The their interesting this about the setting in this book was the supernatural elements. I’m not a big fan of books about ghosts and haunting but when it’s middle grade and it comes with a slice of history I am all for it. What I liked about this book in particular is that there were clear rules and structure to the ghosts and the shots hunting. It’s something that I have come to expect in a Schwab book, the magic has rules. Plus it had a fun Casper vibe to it which I honestly really enjoyed.

I also like the characters here. Because this is a middle grade novel, I feel like there was less of the character development I expect in YA but I did still think the characters were complex and easy to connect with. My favorite character was Jacob, who is basically the sidekick but super lovable. He’s sassy and sarcastic often being the comic relief but that was fine with me. I loved the irony of a ghost being afraid of everything. And Cass was a good heroine. She’s reckless and headstrong, but that’s kind of the girl you want in your middle grade adventure.

As far as the plot, it was really engaging and full of action but definitely on the simpler side of things. It’s the kind of book that you could easily breeze through and finish in a day if you are the kind of reader who does that thing. There were lots of thrills and plenty of adventure to keep you reading from beginning to end. I did however wish there was more of a mystery to it though. Things were very focused on one antagonist, which was a good antagonist for sure, but I think there were some missed opportunities here. I wish it had used some of the other characters a little bit more but maybe it will get there in future books.

All in all, I think this was a really good and fast middle grade novel that is perfect for fall. It has a spooky setting rooted in history, an engaging plot, and likable characters.

I give City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I think fans of Victoria's work will find it enjoyable as well. But this is also the perfect book for fall. Teens and middle grade fans of all ages should check it out.

Have you read City of Ghosts? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Vengeful by V.E. Schwab

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Vengeful Series: Villains #2 Written by: V.E. Schwab Published: September 25, 2018 by Tor Books (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The sequel to VICIOUS, V.E. Schwab's first adult novel. Sydney once had Serena—beloved sister, betrayed enemy, powerful ally. But now she is alone, except for her thrice-dead dog, Dol, and then there's Victor, who thinks Sydney doesn't know about his most recent act of vengeance.  Victor himself is under the radar these days—being buried and re-animated can strike concern even if one has superhuman powers. But despite his own worries, his anger remains. And Eli Ever still has yet to pay for the evil he has done.

 
Why I'm Waiting:

Victoria Schwab is one of my auto-buy authors. I will read and probably love every book of hers that comes out. But this book is even more special because Vicious was the first Victoria Schwab book that I read and I really loved it. It had fantastic characters and a cool world. At the time there was no plans for a sequel as far as I know so when they announced that there was going to be one I was super excited. I can't wait to follow up and find out how Sydney and Victor are doing. Plus I'm super curious about Eli.

I am definitely going to be picking up a copy of this book. I listened to the audio for Vicious so I will maybe do that again for this book. I thought the narrator did a great job and lately I feel like the only way I can get through a book is if I listen to the audio. I may start by rereading Vicious. I kind of want a refresher. But either way I am planning to get my hands on this book.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Vengeful along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: City of Ghosts Written by: Victoria Schwab Published: August 28, 2018 by Scholastic (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Cassidy Blake's parents are The Inspectres, a (somewhat inept) ghost-hunting team. But Cass herself can REALLY see ghosts. In fact, her best friend, Jacob, just happens to be one. When The Inspectres head to ultra-haunted Edinburgh, Scotland, for their new TV show, Cass—and Jacob—come along. In Scotland, Cass is surrounded by ghosts, not all of them friendly. Then she meets Lara, a girl who can also see the dead. But Lara tells Cassidy that as an In-betweener, their job is to send ghosts permanently beyond the Veil. Cass isn't sure about her new mission, but she does know the sinister Red Raven haunting the city doesn't belong in her world. Cassidy's powers will draw her into an epic fight that stretches through the worlds of the living and the dead, in order to save herself.

 
Why I'm Waiting:

I am a big fan of Victoria Schwab's books. She is an auto-buy author for me. All of her books are dark and mysterious with great atmosphere and a lot of surprises. I am super excited to read a Middle Grade book that she writes. I know she has written some in the past but it has been a long time since she has done that and I haven't read any of them.

But either way, I would be really excited about this book. I don't read a lot of horror but from time to time I like reading books with a supernatural element, especially Middle Grade because I am kind of a wuss, so Middle Grade horror is just perfect for me. Plus the concept is fantastic. The daughter of bad ghost hunters who can actually see ghosts. I love that!

I am definitely going to be picking up a copy of this book. I will more than likely preorder. But I am also hoping there might be copies at ALA or I will request it from Scholastic. It's been a long time since I requested a physical ARC but I think this may be a good one to try again.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on City of Ghosts along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

Title: Our Dark Duet Series: Monsters of Verity #2 Written by: Victoria Schwab Published: June 13, 2017 by Greenwillow Books (Harper Teen) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: THE WORLD IS BREAKING. AND SO ARE THEY.  KATE HARKER isn't afraid of monsters. She hunts them. And she's good at it.  AUGUST FLYNN once yearned to be human. He has a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost.  THE WAR HAS BEGUN.  THE MONSTERS ARE WINNING.  Kate will have to return to Verity. August will have to let her back in. And a new monster is waiting—one that feeds on chaos and brings out its victims' inner demons.  Which will be harder to conquer: the monsters they face, or the monsters within?

I loved This Savage Song, it was one of my favorite books of last year, so I was beyond excited that find out what would happen next to Kate and August. Our Dark Duet was a great sequel full of amazing world-building, a thrilling plot, and great characters.

With Our Dark Duet Victoria once again proved she is a master at world building. I have never read one of her books that didn't have an incredibly fleshed out world. I was very impressed with the world in the first book and here it was even better. In Our Dark Duet we get to explore more of the world at large as we follow Kate who starts the book in Prosperity hunting monsters. It was nice to see what things were like outside of the city we were introduced to in the first book, but Verity is what I cared about. Specifically the monsters of Verity. The groundwork was laid in the first book so here we could just kind of see the monsters in action. Plus we got an all new monster, one that was just as cool and dark as those in the previous books. The Chaos Eater was so interesting and the more we learned about the more interesting it became. I loved seeing it in action and how the characters interacted with it. It added an interesting new dimension and expansion of the world. I have always loved how Victoria creates a fascinating and unique world in her books and Our Dark Duet did just that.

But the other thing I loved about this book, and Victoria's writing, is the characterizations. These are some of the most complex and likable characters I have ever read. I absolutely loved August and Kate in the first book and the more time we spend with them, the more I like them. These are characters who walk that line between good and bad, doing the wrong things for the right reasons. August had really interesting development in this book. The effects of the first book have hardened him a little bit but he is still grappling with who he is and who he wants to be. He has to come to terms with being a monster while still doing the right thing. It made him incredibly likable and interesting. But if TSS was August's book this one was Kate's. She was the more engaging character here for many reasons. Kate is a smart and tough character full of snarky one-liners but still very vulnerable and here she showed us her best side and her worst. She always wanted to be a monster and here she kind of got her wish. We explore her humanity a lot throughout the book and it was fascinating.

And that is just the good guys. With "good" guys like this you can only imagine how dark the antagonists were. The bad guys of this book were seriously complex too. They were devious and I loved them. Sloan is back in this book and scheming and plotting for control of Verity as well as to get revenge on Kate. Then there was Alice, the new Malachi that Kate created in the last book. She was amazing! So devious and deadly. The contrast between her and Kate was fantastic. It was like Kate being unleashed and uninhabited. She was a great foil for all the main characters, even Sloan. Victoria just has a great way with villains and character development for dark and complex characters. Our Dark Duet was a great example of that. Every character here is dark, complex, and so engaging as the walked that fine line between good and evil.

This is also a book that has an incredibly thrilling plot. The events of This Savage Song left a power vacuum in Verity that was explored in the plot of Our Dark Duet. The monsters have been unleashed and are reeking havoc on the city. It made for some really great action scenes as we followed Kate and August as they hunted the monsters. And then there was the Chaos Eater. A new monster that possesses people and stirs them to violence and to destroy everyone around them. That too led to some really thrilling moments and a good mystery as we learned how it works and how to destroy it. Everything really built to an exciting conclusion that had me totally reeling. Seriously, THAT ENDING! I really can't with that ending.

I will say, however, that the pacing on this book wasn't my favorite. It took me much longer to get through this than I expected. I am used to the fact that fantasy books have a high amount of exposition but sometimes I think it was just too much. I definitely think it was too much. It took almost 200 pages before it really hit the plot of this book and it was really hard for me to get into it until that point. It wasn't until Kate got back to Verity that I was really engaged. I spent a week reading the first half of this book but then I finished the second half in two days. I wish it was just a little more balanced but that is really my only criticism.

Our Dark Duet is a great sequel to a fantastic YA fantasy duology. It has a Dark an fascinating world, likable and complex characters, and a thrilling plot full of action.

I give Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab 9 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: Buy. If you liked the first book in this series you definitely need to read the sequel. It was fantastic and worth a read. Plus I absolutely recommend this book to fans of dark fantasies.

Have you read Our Dark Duet? What did you think? Seriously, what did you think. I need to talk to someone about this book and what happened. Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: Our Dark Duet by Victoria Schwab

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: Our Dark Duet Series: Monsters of Verity #2 Author: Mackenzi Lee Published: June 13, 2017 by HarperTeen (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Kate Harker is a girl who isn’t afraid of the dark. She’s a girl who hunts monsters. And she’s good at it. August Flynn is a monster who can never be human, no matter how much he once yearned for it. He’s a monster with a part to play. And he will play it, no matter the cost. Nearly six months after Kate and August were first thrown together, the war between the monsters and the humans is terrifying reality. In Verity, August has become the leader he never wished to be, and in Prosperity, Kate has become the ruthless hunter she knew she could be. When a new monster emerges from the shadows—one who feeds on chaos and brings out its victim’s inner demons—it lures Kate home, where she finds more than she bargained for. She’ll face a monster she thought she killed, a boy she thought she knew, and a demon all her own.

Why I'm Waiting:

I'm a huge fan of Victoria Schwab. I would have been excited about this book no matter what it is because it's a new Victoria Schwab and I need it. Her books are always among my favorites of the year and This Savage Song, the first book in this series was no exception. It was such an amazing dark fantasy with great characters and an amazing world.

But seriously, the way that This Savage Song ended I know this is going to be an amazing sequel. There was such a crazy and brilliant twist which has me so freaking pumped. I know it's going to be going into such a dark and dramatic direction and I can't wait to see it all unfold. And oh man, have you read that synopsis? If you have read This Savage Song then you know why that synopsis is so freaking exciting.

I'm also really interested in this book because I know it will have some amazing character development. Victoria's books always have great characters who walk the fine line between good and evil. There are frequently odious characters doing the right thing for the wrong reason or vice versa and this series has that to the extreme. Not to mention that the synopsis makes me so excited for that character development. SO EXCITED!

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on Our Dark Duet along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: A Conjuring of Light Series: Shades of Magic #3 Author: V.E. Schwab Published: February 21, 2016 by Tor (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: The battle between four magical Londons comes to a head in this stunning finale to the New York Times bestselling Shades of Magic trilogy by rising star V. E. Schwab  London's fall and kingdoms rise while darkness sweeps the Maresh Empire—and the fraught balance of magic blossoms into dangerous territory while heroes and foes struggle alike. The direct sequel to A Gathering of Shadows, and the final book in the Shades of Magic epic fantasy series, A Conjuring of Light sees Schwab reach a thrilling culmination concerning the fate of beloved protagonists—and old enemies

Why I'm Waiting:

This could come as no surprise to those of you who know me well. I mean I am a huge fan of Victoria Schwab's books, particularly this one. A Darker Shade of Magic was my favorite book of 2015 and A Gathering of Shadows is in my top books of 2016 so naturally I am super excited about the final book in this trilogy.

But let's be real, I am mostly in need of this book because of the way that the last book ended. Talk about a cliffhanger! Victoria has said before that she doesn't like leaving books on cliffhangers but this time she did it in the meanest way possible. It's like she was saving up her cliffhangers until she had the best possible one and then hit us readers with it.

But even without that part I would still be really excited about this book. I am so in love with these books. The plot is thrilling and engaging, the characters are complex and odious, the world is unique and fascinating. In short it has basically everything. It's a new favorite when it comes to fantasies and I am insanely excited to find out how it all ends.

I have of course preordered a copy of this book because I am that excited to read it. It is probably my most anticipated books for the first half of 2017. I know that it is going to rip my heart out because seriously, how can it end well, but I am ready for the pain.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on A Conjuring of Light along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

Title: This Savage Song Series: Monsters of Verity Written by: Victoria Schwab Published: July 5, 2016 by Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.  Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

I'm not at all sure that I can write any kind of coherent review for this book. I don't think I can express my thoughts for it with anything besides expletives and the phrase "wow, this was so good" over and over again. But let's try, shall we?

I couldn't wait to read this book. It would have wanted to read it just based on the synopsis, I mean a dark fantasy with literal monsters and warring families. On top of that however, it's written by an auto-buy author who has not disappointed me yet and didn't disappoint me now. This was exactly what I hoped it would. A dark fantasy with a violent world, great and complex characters, and a thrilling plot.

First let's talk about the world of this book. Verity is definitely and dark, compelling world and setting. It's a little dystopian with the struggle for power between two different families and a fragile truce that attempts to protect people from things far worse. It's a little fantasy with a world full of literal monsters. It has dark and blood-thirsty creatures that are created from violent act. It's a fascinating concept and is expertly handled by Victoria's brilliant world-building. It's subtle and we learn more about them as we see the monster's in action. It was a great springboard for a story that is just as dark and violent as it's setting.

Because yes, this is a book with dark and violent plot development. Most notably because of the monsters. Wow, seeing them do their thing was violent and so badass. I kind of feel like a bad person saying this, but I loved seeing the monsters in action. It made for such a great story. Plus there is a ton of action and suspense throughout the book including fight scenes, narrow escapes, and more than one moment that had me nervously fearing what was going to happen next and what the consequences would be down the line. It even had a little bit of mystery and a twist that caught me by surprise. And yes, there was a lot of exposition in the beginning but then it suddenly went from 0 to 60 and I was hooked. Then it gets to the climax and wow, that was one hell of a big finish. When it was all said and done I was left totally in enthralled, reeling, and anxiously awaiting what will happen next. But what I liked is that it did actually finish, it's one of the things I love about Victoria Schwab. She writes a first book in a series with a great ending that leaves you wanting more.

But This Savage Song is a surprisingly character-driven read. Part of what made the monsters so compelling is the fact that it played with the idea of what it means to be a monster, why people do bad things and the consequences of those actions. It was all about the main characters figuring who they wanted to be within those constructs of humans and monsters. It of course then played with the ideas of good and evil. But the best part is that it did it from both an internal and external perspective. It wasn't just about society's evil or your person actions that may be good or evil, it dealt with both. This of course made for a ton of conflict and great characters.

And speaking of those characters, they were complex and likable. August Flynn is a monster and doesn't want to be. He's fighting his violent urges and his true nature. I couldn't help but sympathize with him and want him to succeed in that fight. Kate Hacker wants to be a monster, or a least a very violent human who controls them. She's badass and could easily become a femme fatal caricature but she's surprisingly complex. The two are very different and yet they find common ground and make a great team. Plus they also both have great development throughout the book which is the heart of the story and gave me an emotional gut punch when the book ended. I'm always a fan of Victoria's characterzation and I think she did a great job here by creating characters that were well-rounded, likable, and engaging.

On the whole This Savage Song is seriously another brilliant book by Victoria Schwab who is an auto-buy author for a reason. It's a violent and dark read with a thrilling plot, great characters, and a compelling world. I loved it so much and now I cannot wait to find out what happens in the next book.

I give This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab 10 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! Absolutely buy this book. Victoria Schwab has written an amazing and dark YA fantasy with characters that you will fall in love with and feel things when their stories end. It is a thrilling read that will leave you reeling, and a world that leave you wanting more. READ IT!

Have you read This Savage Song? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Waiting on Wednesday: This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab

A weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine

Title: This Savage Song Series:  Monsters of Verity #1 Author: Victoria Schwab Published: July 7, 2016 by Greenwillow Books (HarperCollins) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: There’s no such thing as safe in a city at war, a city overrun with monsters. In this dark urban fantasy from author Victoria Schwab, a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books. Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.

Why I'm Waiting 

I mean it's all Victoria Schwab. That's really all I need to be excited on a new release. She's a total autobuy author. Especially when it comes to fantasies. I've always been super impressed with her world-building and characterizations. So it doesn't matter what the content of the book is, if it's Victoria I will read it and I'm sure love it.

But even if it was written by a different author I would still be really excited about this book. For one thing it is a dark YA fantasy, something I am typically a big fan of and definitely want to see more. And for another thing it is about monsters. Literal monsters. One of the main characters is a monster. And the other main character is an enemy of those monsters and I think I remember Victoria saying that she wanted to be a monster. I smell drama!

Obviously I need this books. A favorite author writes a book you are excited about and would be really excited about regardless of the author. A dark fantasy about actual monsters. I am so freaking excited about this book. I have it preordered and I'm pumped to read it when it comes out in July.

What about you? What are you waiting for this Wednesday? Are you waiting on This Savage Song along with me? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Book Review: A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

Title: A Gathering of Shadows Series: Shades of Magic #2 Written by: V.E. Schwab Published: February 23, 2016 by Tor (Macmillan) (Amazon / Goodreads) Synopsis: Four months have passed since the shadow stone fell into Kell’s possession. Four months since his path crossed with Delilah Bard. Four months since Rhy was wounded and the Dane twins fell, and the stone was cast with Holland’s dying body through the rift, and into Black London.  In many ways, things have almost returned to normal, though Rhy is more sober, and Kell is now plagued by his guilt. Restless, and having given up smuggling, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks like she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games—an extravagant international competition of magic, meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries—a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.  But while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life, and those who were thought to be forever gone have returned. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night reappears in the morning, and so it seems Black London has risen again—meaning that another London must fall.

GIVE ME A MINUTE! I have still not come to terms with the way this book ended and it's been 72 hours. I mean it was absolutely brilliant and an amazing sequel to a book that I loved but I want more, I need more. I am ravenous in my desire for these characters, this world, and the knowledge about them.

My favorite thing about this book is the characters. I fell for them in A Darker Shade of Magic and in A Gathering of Shadows I fell deeper in love with them and their darkness and complexity. The main characters in this book are dealing with the backlash of what happened in the first book. Kell has always been serious and cautious and after what happened in the first book he is even more so but he also has some reckless moments that lead to some more consequences. It was great seeing Kell at his best and his worse. But it was even better to see Lila in the same capacity. She's such an amazing roguish character which I especially love because she's female. Here we get to see her as a for real pirate which was amazing. She's tough, smart, and snarky. She has some great development in this book and I am so excited to learn more about her history and her relationship with magic. Then there is Rhy. He takes a more prominent role here and it's amazing. He's sweet and funny but being in his head you get this sense that he will never be enough. And the pain of what happened in the last book is still wearing on him and taking away some of his effervescence. It made him all the more sympathetic. But there were also some great new characters like Alucard Emery who is even more of a lovable rogue. He's a charming pirate who's a brilliant element magician who has great relationships with all our characters.

In fact it's these relationships that make the characters even more fantastic. If you were to ask who I shipped in this book I would say that everyone. I ship a polyamorous love fest between all the characters. Their interaction as so brilliant. There is so much going on between all of them. Kell and Rhy have such an great relationship, you could call it a bromance or brotherly love but it doesn't matter as long as you admit it's amazing. Despite some challenging moments it comes out even stronger and you know they will always be there for each other. And despite the fact that Kell and Lila are apart, you get the same sense from those two. They spend a lot of the book pining for one another and when they are together they fought a lot but they make such a good team. Then there is Alucard who has a great friendship with Lila and history with Rhy that makes for a delightful reunion much to Kell's chagrin and my pleasure. Some of the relationships definitely get tested here bur it makes for such a complex book.

Other than the characters, I have always been blown away by Schwab's world building and her ability to create interesting and complex worlds. She once again proved that she is a master at crafting a fantasy world in this book. In AGOS we spend most of our time in Red London but there are some great moments in Grey London and White London that add context and intrigue to the larger plot of the book. But here the exploration wasn't so much about the other worlds, but the magic of the world. Magic has always been kind of a dark force here. And though there was less focus on power and control there were moments about the negative affects of magic on people. It has it's benefits but as Kell often reminds us, it comes at a price and we have to treat it with respect. The best part of the magic though was that we get to see much more elemental magic with the Essen Tasch, or Elemental Games. It had a very Avatar: The Last Airbender (like very Legend of Korra pro-bending) feel to it which was amazing and the fight scenes were fantastic and action packed moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I continue to be blown away by the world(s) of this series and I cannot wait to explore it more in the next and final book.

And while I did really enjoy the plot development of AGOS, it was the part of the book that I didn't enjoy as much as the rest. This very much felt like a middle book in a trilogy. It connected events from the first book in what is sure to be an epic conclusion to the series but it didn't have as much of it's own self-contained plot which I usually prefer when it comes to books in a series. And yes, that individual plot point of Essen Tasch was great and interesting, that was only the tip of the iceberg for the plot of this book. But in general I felt like at times this was asking more questions than it was answering. And it definitely dragged out some reveals for questions that were brought up in the first book. Not to mention that cliffhanger that left me staring at the book in desperate need of more words. But that being said, it was full of action and adventure and crazy plot twists that had me shocked and excited, including the ones that I predicted.

On the whole this book was a brilliant sequel to a phenomenal book. This series is absolutely a new favorite for me and I cannot wait to see where it goes. It is full of amazing and complex characters, a interesting world full of dark magic, and a plot full of mystery and adventure.

I give A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab 9.5 out of 10 stars

Buy/Borrow/Bypass: BUY! If you loved A Darker Shade of Magic than you absolutely need to read this book for more of Kell, Lila, Rhy, and the magic of Red London. If you haven't read ADSOM and you like fantasy then don't even think twice about picking this book up. It's brilliant and amazing.

Have you read A Gathering of Shadows? What did you think? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!

Crossing Over: Dimensional Travel

It's time for this month's edition of Crossing Over. If you're not familiar with Crossing Over it's a feature where I recommend an adult book with crossover appeal based on a YA or sometimes Middle Grade book that is similar. It's basically an if you liked, then try but for crossover books. It runs once a month here and I pick the books based on the theme of what I'm reading. So because this is Time Travel/Dimensional Travel month I decided to go with two books that are pretty fantastic and fit the theme. I was considering doing some of the books I actually reviewed this month (specifically A Thousand Pieces of You) but it felt like overkill so I picked a few that I talk about a lot but whatever.

His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

His Dark Materials is a series about a multiverse and dimensional travel. While the first book is a lot of set up, the second book takes us to multiple Oxfords and different worlds where it analyzes how and why things may have evolved based on subtle changes in the world's composition. There is a lot of analysis over power and spiritual ideas about the soul and it's relationship with humanity. On top of that it has some really amazing characters that you will instantly fall in love with including a plucky heroine who speaks her mind, a strong hero that balances her out really well, and a devious villain that you love to hate. This is one of my all-time favorite series because how well-plotted and complex it is as individual books as well as a series. And don't let the fact that it's middle grade fool you, it's super dark and complex. If you haven't read it, you must.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Read My Review / Add to Goodreads

I've been thinking a lot about this book with A Gathering of Shadows coming in about a month. It is a brilliant series about a multiverse and dimensional travel. It takes us to multiple Londons and different worlds where it analyzes how and why things may have evolved based on subtle changes in the world's composition specifically their relationship with magic. There is a lot of analysis over power, magic, and it's relationship with humanity. On top of that it has some really amazing characters that you will instantly fall in love with including a badass heroine who speaks her mind, a strong hero that balances her out really well, and devious villains that you love to hate. This quickly became a favorite series because of how well-plotted and complex it is as individual books as well as a series. It's a dark and complex fantasy. If you haven't read it, you must.

These are both amazing examples of how dimensional travel can go so well. You don't always have to make huge changes to the worlds. Sometimes the smaller more subtle differences make things more dramatic and interesting. But what really makes these series so good is the characters. They're likable and complex with strengths and weaknesses. The two protagonists make an amazing team and balance one another out really well. Plus, let's be real... Lyra Belacqua and Lila Bard are some of my all-time favorite strong female characters. Plus the plot development is top notch with specific plots for each book and larger plot points for the series. I cannot wait to see where things go in A Gathering of Shadows but I know I will love it because Victoria Schwab is a fantastic writer. These are some of my favorite characters and I would definitely recommend them to fantasy or even science fiction fans.

Have you read His Dark Materials and/or A Darker Shade of Magic? What did you think? What fantasy and dimensional travel crossovers do you like? Leave me a comment with your thoughts. Thanks for stopping by and HAPPY READING!