[second read, March 2019]

I went into A Gathering of Shadows wondering whether or not I would still find it worthy of a five star rating, and it undeniably is. This novel tempts readers with magic, expands upon the world of Red London, adds more depth to our favorite characters while captivating us with new faces, teases us with hints of romance. The Essen Tasch is a lot of preparation and not much presentation, but I love it nonetheless. And even though I remembered some key details, thus detracting from the suspense, I enjoyed it just as much. For that, I applaud Schwab.

All comments in my original review still stand. I’m still too emotional for my own good, and am prepared (kind of) for the finale to wreck me once more.

[first read, February 2017]

OH MY GOD THIS BOOK.

I finished this last night right before I went to bed and I still don't think I could write a good, coherent review. Let's see how this goes.

POSITIVES:
- Kell was so sullen and trying to deal with everything that happened in ADSOM, and I felt bad for him. The poor Antari doesn't deserve this treatment. Also, I loved that he was so dedicated to protecting Rhy. Brotherly love is great.
- Rhy was feeling Kell's pain and drinking through his own. I thought it was sad but a realistic approach, even in a fantasy world. Although he was much less lighthearted than in ADSOM, he still had a bit of sass. Also, I thought it was sweet that he bent the rules so Kell could have an outlet. Not necessarily the right thing to do, but sweet nonetheless.
- Lila is freaking amazing. She was so cold and cutthroat, like usual, but she also had this tiny little soft side that we saw very rarely. I loved her witty banter, and it was really interesting to see her figuring out magic. I need more of her in my life, please.
- Alucard. New favorite character, omg. His backstory was kind of cliché, yes, but I loved it and him anyway. He's sassy and witty and a jerk at times. I seem to love those characters most. Also, he's a magician pirate. Yes, yes, YES.
- the romance. There wasn't much of any in this book and that's totally fine. But there were hints toward development in the next book, and I'm living for it. Rhy and Alucard, please. PLEASE. Also, Kell and Lila. Maybe? Yes? Hopefully? Lila is amazing on her own and so is Kell, but stuff between them toward the end has me hoping.
- the Essen Tach. A magician tournament isn't the most original thing, but I loved it. It was really fun to read about, and I ended up getting carried away with hopes of who would win.
- Red London and beyond. I already knew plenty about Red London from ADSOM, but I really enjoyed learning about neighboring empires. Faro and Vesk seemed kind of strange, but I liked the exploration of their culture nonetheless. And I thought it was really cool that their way to keep peace between the 3 of them was to host a huge magical tournament.
- the story. I was hooked instantaneously. I enjoyed ADSOM but it took some time for the story to really pick up. Here I was absorbed from the first chapter. I read close to 300 pages of this book over this past weekend, and I'm sure I would've finished it sooner if school and sleep weren't necessary. I was tempted to just ignore everything and finish this, not even going to lie about that. It was full of twists and surprises, and I was always on my toes. I actually predicted the end twist and worried about it for the last 150 pages or so, but it still destroyed me. THAT'S good writing.
- the ending. I saw it coming and I was terrified but I still absolutely loved and hated it. THAT IS SO CRUEL. KELL AND RHY AND LILA AND ALUCARD ALL NEED TO BE SAFE AND ALIVE AND HAPPY. Ahem. Can you tell this book gave me strong feelings?

NEGATIVES:
…
Um.
…

So overall I thoroughly loved this, if you couldn't tell. I wish I had read these books sooner, because this was so freaking amazing. But, also, I'm glad I waited, because that cliffhanger is horrible. I don't even want to wait a few days for ACOL, let alone a few months or a year. Needless to say, I will definitely be reading the final book in the trilogy. And hoping my soul isn't completely crushed. :)