Read All About It: A Gathering of Shadows

V.E. Schwab's second book in the Shades of Magic series surpassed my expectations in the extreme, and I can't praise it enough. I devoured this novel, and hope to do the same with A Conjuring of Light as soon as it's in my hands!

Beware--mild spoilers for A Darker Shade of Magic (ADSOM) follow below! Be prepared for a bloody, fantastic novel of Red London, magic, and intrigue.

A Gathering of Shadows once more follows Kell and Lila, who separated at the end of ADSOM, and are brought back together during the Essen Tasch, the Element Games,where 36 magicians from the three kingdoms are brought together to encourage healthy ties between the countries.

Kell is restless, having given up his smuggling habit and now considering the implications of tying his life to Rhy's. Lila is reckless, and ready to do anything to test her burgeoning magic skills. Rhy just wants to help his brother, and learn how to be a better ruler doing it.

With another London doing its best to come back to life, danger comes for Red London, and Kell must face old and new enemies.

This sequel was an amazing continuation of ADSOM, and had me on the edge of my seat multiple times, trying to guess what would come next. Introducing a slew of new characters, and bringing back some old favorites, Schwab breathes life into Red London and her powerful characters.

Lila continues to overwhelm the senses, and her struggle to be truly comfortable resonates with me deeply. I am fascinated with the twists and turns of her actions, loves, and magic, and I hope that the final novel will not disappoint. Her passion for being herself, above the expectations and predictions of others, is a unique and highly valued trait that elevates her character above all the rest.

Kell feels like a caged animal for most of this novel, and rightly so. With an ever-shrinking circle of people he can trust, Kell is being cornered, and his restlessness isn't helping the matter. Kell struggles throughout this novel, with his family, friends, and magic, but while he is able to see sense, sometimes the rest of the world seems to go against him.

High praise for this novel was expected, going off of ADSOM, and it didn't disappoint. I only hope Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Holland get the endings they deserve, be they free and bloody or free and dead.

My only complaint? The cliff-hanger ending, because I haven't bought the final book in the trilogy yet! Rest assured, it will be in my hands before the month is out, and I can't wait to finish this amazing series--just so I can reread it! But don't forget that Schwab has a good group of other novels. Check out This Savage Song, which is getting a sequel very soon! Also, follow her on twitter to keep up with her wild tour schedule this year!