A GATHERING OF SHADOWS Blog Tour: Review & Q&A with Victoria Schwab! #AGOS #ADSOM #ShadesOfMagic

I am extremely excited to be a part of the blog tour for A GATHERING OF SHADOWS!! Today, I'm sharing my review for the much anticipated sequel to A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, and I have a quick Q&A with V. E. (a.k.a. Victoria) Schwab!

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #1)
by V.E. Schwab
Source: Received an ARC from Raincoast Books Canada in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher: Tor
Release Date: February 23, 2016
Number of Pages: 512 (Hardcover)


Description from Goodreads:

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.

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REVIEW

I first read A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC a few months after its release, and as soon as I started it...I was hooked. I loved the magic, the characters, the world-building, the writing...absolutely everything! And to prepare myself for A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, I listened to the audiobook and I was once again blown away by the story. With the A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC audiobook fresh in my mind, I dug right into A GATHERING OF SHADOWS and it was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! :D

I loved getting to dive right back into Kell and Lila's world. It was just as wonderful as it was when I was first introduced to it. In fact, I think it got even better! I loved that I was a bit familiar with Kell's magical world, but like Lila, I was still finding things that were new and exciting for me...like the Essen Tasch (Element Games), an international magical competition where the best magic users from each country get together to compete! In A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, we mostly just saw Kell and Holland use magic, but in A GATHERING OF SHADOWS we see so much more! You see people who can control single elements, two elements, three elements...and we even learn about the priests who can balance them all! I loved getting to see so many new perspectives of the magic in the Kell's world...and I really, really enjoyed the spectacle that was the Essen Tasch! The battles were so intense, and they really jumped off the page. :D

Along with the superb magical sequences, I loved that we just really got a greater understanding of magic itself! It's still pretty mysterious, but as Lila learned more, we learned more, and I really enjoyed that! I've also loved both Lila and Kell since A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, and I just grew to love them more and more in A GATHERING OF SHADOWS! I love how stubborn they both are. I love how broody Kell is, and how Lila is determined to make her own way. They're both such fantastic characters! Most of all, I loved that we really got to see a lot of Rhy in this one! I loved his relationship with Kell in the first book, and it was even better in this one! They have the best bromance ever! And the new characters were fantastic! I doubt anyone can read A GATHERING OF SHADOWS without having very strong feelings for Alucard. He's quite the character. :P I also really enjoy how fluid sexuality is in this series⎯Rhy in particular intrigues me the most! I do definitely enjoy the sexual/romantic tension surrounding Lila and Kell too, but I have to admit that even though I really, really want them to get together, I love that the story really isn't about a romance between them. There's definitely a romantic element there, but the story is so much deeper than that, and I think that's pretty fantastic. :D

Magic, great characters...what else is there? Well, plot of course, and A GATHERING OF SHADOWS has a fantastic one! Told in alternating perspectives, you get to see this story from all sides. It was interesting to see how everything came together...and to try to anticipate what would happen! I'm not going to say anything else because I'm staying far from spoilers...but it is sooooooo GOOD! If you enjoyed A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC, I think you'll definitely love this one, too! :D

Overall, I absolutely LOVED A GATHERING OF SHADOWS! It was intense, captivating, and completely blew me away! I was so excited for it, and it definitely lived up to and exceeded all of my expectations!!! The characters were just as dynamic and amazing as they were in first book, and the story was amazing! As soon as I started reading, I was already dreading the end because I just want to live in Kell and Lila's world FOREVER! It's been just over a week since I finished reading...and I'm still reeling. And I'm definitely having Kell, Lila, and Rhy withdrawals. :P If you haven't started the SHADES OF MAGIC series yet, I definitely recommend it...especially if you love fantasy, magic, and intricate world-building!!!

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Q&A with V.E. (Victoria) Schwab!

If you lived in Kell's world and were from Red London, which element(s) would you like to have power over and why? And yes, Antari, is definitely an acceptable choice. :) 

Oh man, when I wrote a book about superpowers, I thought that would be the hardest question to answer, but it’s definitely elements. At one of end of the power spectrum we have Priests, who have a slight/gentle influence over all elements, allowing them to nurture the world, heal it and help it grow; at the other end we have Antari, who have near absolute control over all elements, and the ability to cast blood spells; and in between we have magicians who are proficient in one, two, and, rarely, three. Tempting as it is to answer Antari, we have to remember that things usually don’t go too well for Antari, being as rare as they are. But I know if I had magic I wouldn’t have Master Tieren’s subtle balance either. I think I’d probably say earth, but only because that’s actually a very broad category, ranging from metal workers all the way to stone and soil, and I think rocking a part-Magneto, part-earthshaker power would be pretty sweet.

 About Victoria Schwab

Victoria is the product of a British mother, a Beverly Hills father, and a southern upbringing. Because of this, she has been known to say "tom-ah-toes," "like," and "y'all."

She also tells stories.
She loves fairy tales, and folklore, and stories that make her wonder if the world is really as it seems.

Connect: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

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Love, love love Victoria's answer to my question! I think I would love having any sort of magical ability, but I definitely agree with her, power over earth would be pretty amazing!!! I think I'd also really enjoy having power over water!! You could surf or play around without any kind of gear! And if it were raining, you wouldn't get wet unless you wanted to...of course, fire would be pretty awesome because you'd always be able to keep yourself warm. :P So many awesome possibilities!!! :D 

If you couldn't tell from my review, I LOVED A GATHERING OF SHADOWS! I'm still so excited to be a part of this blog tour, and I really can't recommend the SHADES OF MAGIC series enough!!!

What do you think?
Did you enjoy my review?
Are you excited for A GATHERING OF SHADOWS?
 Have you already read it?

And what did you think of my question and Victoria's answer?
What kind of elemental power would you like to have?

Review: A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V. E. Schwab

Source: Borrowed ebook from the library. / Purchased audiobook from Audible.
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: Already Released.
Number of Pages: 398 (Hardcover) / 11 hrs & 34 mins (Audiobook)


Description from Goodreads:

Kell is one of the last Travelers—rare magicians who choose a parallel universe to visit.

Grey London is dirty, boring, lacks magic, ruled by mad King George. Red London is where life and magic are revered, and the Maresh Dynasty presides over a flourishing empire. White London is ruled by whoever has murdered their way to the throne. People fight to control magic, and the magic fights back, draining the city to its very bones. Once there was Black London—but no one speaks of that now.

Officially, Kell is the Red Traveler, personal ambassador and adopted Prince of Red London, carrying the monthly correspondences between royals of each London. Unofficially, Kell smuggles for those willing to pay for even a glimpse of a world they’ll never see. This dangerous hobby sets him up for accidental treason. Fleeing into Grey London, Kell runs afoul of Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She robs him, saves him from a dangerous enemy, then forces him to another world for her 'proper adventure'.

But perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, Kell and Lila will first need to stay alive—trickier than they hoped.

Fantasy has always been one of my favourite genres, but in the last few years, I haven't read it as much as I used it. Every once in a while though, I'll pick up a fantasy book and remember just how much I absolutely LOVE the genre! A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC was definitely one of those books that brought back my love of fantasy. It was an amazing story⎯intense, interesting, and centred on a world that was diverse and fantastically intricate!

 Kell is an Antari, a very rare magician that possesses a powerful way with magic and can travel between worlds. In Kell's world there are multiple universes all with their own version of London. There's Kell's London, Red London; the London of our own world, Grey London; a much more violent London where another Antari, Holland, lives called White London; and Black London, which has been separated from the other Londons for a very long time.

Seeing the other Londons through Kell was one of my favourite parts of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. I loved how vast the world-building was, and V. E. Schwab's attention to detail was remarkable. Each world was absolutely unique, but they still held certain similarities that makes the connections between the worlds even more interesting and mysterious. And the magic was AMAZING! Kell's world has tonnes of magic and uses it freely. It's beautiful, and I really loved seeing everything in his world. In Grey London, magic has virtually disappeared and the only magic that really exists there is what Kell brings through himself. White London, is completely different. It's dangerous, and magic is a commodity that everyone fights for.

Clearly, I really loved the magical aspects of the story, but I also absolutely adored the characters! Kell was fantastic! He was so interesting, and I really enjoyed seeing the worlds through his perspective. And Lila (a.k.a. Delilah) was AMAZING! I loved desire for adventure, and greatly admired her strength. She didn't always make the smartest choices, but I really loved that she always fights for what she wants and she does all that she can to achieve her dreams. I also loved Kell's brother, Rhy, and I really enjoyed seeing their relationship with each other. The only thing I love as much as a budding romance is a fantastic bromance, and Rhy and Kell have an amazing one!

I read A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC just a few months after its release and I absolutely loved it. I was swept away by the magic, and desperately wanted more of Kell's world. So to prepare for its sequel, A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, I listened to the audiobook of A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC. While it was a totally different experience listening to the audio of the book, I still love it so, so much! The reader, Steven Crossley, was wonderful and he did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. It was just as wonderful, mystical, and magical as it was when I read it the first time!

Overall, I absolutely loved A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC! It was one of my favourite books last year, and this year, it's easily been one of my favourite audiobooks, too. It's the kind of story that will draw you in, possess you, and you won't want to stop reading until there's nothing left to read. It's compelling, intriguing, and just a truly remarkable story. If you're a fan of fantasy who loves magic and intricate, well-crafted world-building, you will LOVE A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC!

Thoughts?

Have you read A DARKER SHADE OF MAGIC yet?
Are you desperate for A GATHERING OF SHADOWS, too?
And if you haven't read it yet, is it on your to-read list?