Shades of Magic series by V.E.Schwab

A Darker Shade of Magic

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THIS! 5⭐ with no hesitation! I'm stunned and most definitely in love with this world! Damn, that was a fantastic world build with amazing characters! All unique, lovable and pulled different kind of emotions out of me (yes, even the "villain" Holland - I know we haven't seen the last of him). I'm sure we will get more of Rhy as well, but until the focus is on Kell 🖤 or Lila, I will not complain 😁
I have some theories built up in my mind, let's see how far away I'm from the truth 😅 (luckily avoided any spoiler till now). I'm so glad I have all the books ready to carry on with the story!
My only regret with the book, it that I haven't picked it up earlier...

A Gathering of Shadows

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 

Ah where to start... The storyline is so great, the idea of 4 Londons is just perfect (even if it focus only on one). Loved that is not overpowered by romance, but it's full of strong and weird characters and exciting world building!. So many good characters and not enough focus on them... Holland for example was barely in a couple of pages... That's disappointing. And we get a new main character as well with Alucard Emery, adore him so much! (please at some point bring back Jin, loved that weird guy 😁give some Magnus Bane vibes)

The idea of the Essen Tasch is amazing, couldn't wait for it to happen, and than I was just waiting... and waiting... and waiting. It was more about the preparation than about the whole tournament! I have the same issues with this one like with the Toll. It would be so much better if it was like a 200 pages shorter...

And now my biggest issue with the book, the reason it lost a whole star: Lila fucking Bard... (SPOILER alert from this point) 🚨 so stop reading if you haven't read the book yet. Or if you like Lila...

It was too much about her.. Like not Kell supposed to be the lead character? She completely overpowered all the characters. I liked her in the first book and I can't believe how much she annoyed me in this one! She is stubborn to a point of being stupid! She is so over reacted character I can't even tell how much a hated her in some points. Of course 4 month was enough for her to learn to speak a new language fluently, and became a magician. Not just held her elements, but be better than some of the world best magicians... Sure why not... Like it wasn't written in every chapter how special she is and how is she is one of a damn kind... Oh wait it was! Yeah we get it she is special! Don't need to repeat it every 5 minutes please!

My favorite quote from the book are Kell's words:

" You play with magic as if it were a game. You don't even understand the rules. Or worse, you decide there are none. You go stomping through the world, doing whatever the hell you please. You're careless. Senseless. Reckless. (...) You never listen. You never think. Having power is a responsibility, Lila, one you clearly don't deserve. ”

I love this man 🖤

She lost me when she stole the identity, but completely destroyed herself in my eyes in here:

And she'd learned one very important thing. Everyone played by the rules. They didn't play dirty. They didn't fight like their lives were on the line. Real fights didn't work that way. Delilah Bard had never been in a fight that didn't matter. "

Why the hell are you in the tournament than? It's not life and death, it's a competition. Get your head off from your ass...

And when someone confronted her because she was CHEATING? She killed them in their sleep... Very mature and fair... Yes, they attack her first with a reason I might add, and put her on a boat unconscious but alive! Not like she didn't do the exact same!! Agh..

That ending tho. C'mon Lila, now you have a chance to make it right, to be a hero, save my boy! It's hard to say, but you are his one chance...

A conjuring of Light ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maaan what a book!! It was simply perfect!!! It was so exciting, damn I was biting my nails down. Full of tension, action, laugh and even fucking tears... I just couldn't stop reading, it's an unforgettable adventure with Kell, Holland and Lila in lead, but we see much more of Rhy and Alucard as well. The characters are really growing on me and not only the main ones (Hastra). Even when the story slowed down here and there, it was done in a perfect and entertaining way. Not stuffed with useless information just to fill the pages, but great behind stories what keeps the story moving forward and let the characters know even more. Rhy is growing up. Not complaining about his second chance in life, but do whatever he can to save his kingdom beside the King and Queen. A massive plus point for me was, that we had a chance to know Holland. His past, his thoughts... I was curious about him from the beginning and here he is my favorite besides Kell. Because of him I she'd my first tears in the trilogy (and not the last). Every chapter starting in Grey London or with Ned Tuttle made my skin crawl, in an uncomfortable way that you wait and and wait to something bad will happen. The ending was something epic! Anoshe