Review: The Fragile Threads of Power (Threads of Power #1) by V.E. Schwab

*I received an advance reading copy of this book from Raincoast Books in exchange for an honest review.

The Fragile Threads of Power

(Threads of Power #1)

by V.E. Schwab

September 26, 2023

Goodreads Summary:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, and set in the world of A Darker Shade of Magic, V. E. Schwab opens a new door into perilous adventure and tangled schemes with The Fragile Threads of Power.

Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory―Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London.

But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years―and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own―but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead.

And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely.

Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds.

Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together―or unravel it all.

Review: Gallant by V.E. Schwab

Gallant

by V.E. Schwab

March 1, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

Everything casts a shadow. Even the world we live in. And as with every shadow, there is a place where it must touch. A seam, where the shadow meets its source.

Olivia Prior has grown up in Merilance School for girls, and all she has of her past is her mother’s journal—which seems to unravel into madness. Then, a letter invites Olivia to come home—to Gallant. Yet when Olivia arrives, no one is expecting her. But Olivia is not about to leave the first place that feels like home, it doesn’t matter if her cousin Matthew is hostile or if she sees half-formed ghouls haunting the hallways.

Olivia knows that Gallant is hiding secrets, and she is determined to uncover them. When she crosses a ruined wall at just the right moment, Olivia finds herself in a place that is Gallant—but not. The manor is crumbling, the ghouls are solid, and a mysterious figure rules over all. Now Olivia sees what has unraveled generations of her family, and where her father may have come from.

Olivia has always wanted to belong somewhere, but will she take her place as a Prior, protecting our world against the Master of the House? Or will she take her place beside him?

Review: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

by V.E. Schwab

October 6, 2020

442 pages

Goodreads Summary:

A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget.

France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets.

Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.

But everything changes when, after nearly 300 years, Addie stumbles across a young man in a hidden bookstore and he remembers her name.

Review: Vicious (Villains #1) by V.E. Schwab

Vicious
(Villains #1)
by V.E. Schwab

September 24, 2013

368 pages

Goodreads     Indigo

Goodreads Summary:
Victor and Eli started out as college roommates--brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find--aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge--but who will be left alive at the end?

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn't automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.

Review: A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic #3) by V.E. Schwab

A Conjuring of Light

(Shades of Magic #3)

by V.E. Schwab

February 21, 2017

624 pages

 

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

Witness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.

THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

 

Stacking the Shelves #88

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

 

In all my excitement at meeting Victoria Schwab, I actually forgot to haul A Gathering of Shadows lol... but here it is <3

 

 

Another one I forgot to haul because of my excitement at getting it but Lady Midnight yessssss!


I've been excited for The Way to Game the Walk of Shame ever since I read its synopsis so thank you Macmillan for accepting my request :D

 

What did you add to your shelves this week?

Event Recap: V.E. Schwab Signing

Guyssss, I got to meet the talented Victoria Schwab! Her A Gathering of Shadows Book Tour had a stop in Seattle on March 1st and I managed to go~

 

Before I start talking about the signing, I just want to thank my parents. They're the absolute BEST. They understood how much I wanted to go and drove down with me. (I'm in Vancouver, Canada.) They even stayed around during the signing. Thank you mom and dad, I love you  guys <3 <3

 

Okay so when Victoria first announced her tour schedule for A Gathering of Shadows, I was disappointed to see no Canadian stops. (I may have tweeted her several times asking if she'd come to Vancouver XD.) But then I saw that she had a Seattle stop and that's probably as close as she's ever going to get to me. I LOVEEEE her Shades of Magic series (and The Archived series) so I had to go!

I started asking around to see if anyone would want to go with me. My sisters had to work but they also didn't want me to go alone so I was pretty excited when my parents said yes! I also almost couldn't take the time off work but I managed to work it out with my coworkers, phewww! Finally I googled my driving route, booked a one night stay and drove down with my parents the day of the signing.



Can you tell I was super happy? LOL

 

It was pouring rain when we got to the bookstore. Some signs and copies of the books were displayed for the signing and my dad started taking pictures of me posing with them lol. Then I saw Victoria in the middle of the store. I knew arriving 40mins earlier was going to be worth it! I was internally fangirling and whispered to my parents that that's the author! Then she walked right by me. We sort of looked right at each other and gave each other an awkward smile. Since I was pretty nervous I didn't move. My dad however was like, go ask her for a picture! So he ran after her and asked for me lol. Victoria was so nice! She said of course and she actually recognized me from Twitter! "BookCatPin, right?" Guys, I was like overjoyed! Anyways so I got a picture with her before the event even began. She thanked me for coming to see her and complimented my family for coming with me~

Picture with the incredibly talented Victoria
Schwab! (I was flailing hard inside lol).

Three other authors were there with her: Jason M. Hough, Kerry Schafer and Alex Kahler. They each introduced themselves and their newest books then Victoria opened up the floor to some Q and As. To encourage people to speak up, she was giving away ADSOM London necklaces. The first two people that asked her questions got them. I really wanted one but sadly I didn't get picked :'( I'm not a very outspoken or smooth speaker so I was super impressed with how articulate all the authors were :D

 

 

A few things I remember Victoria talking about:

1. Antari don't live forever, they're not immortal. They have a life span that's slightly longer than the normal human. That is, if they survive long enough to live happily ever after on a farm, etc.

2. White London is white because the colour's been leeched out. There's no more boldness there.

3. The sequel to Vicious is possibly going to be called Vengeful. It's a title that people seem to be able to pronounce. (Apparently a lot of people didn't know how to say Vicious. They kept calling it Viscous and it was driving Victoria's editor nuts haha.)

4. Victor Vale is Victoria's inner evil villain!

Sorry I didn't catch more. I wasn't planning on doing a recap so I was just listening rather than taking notes :)

 

 

Then it came time for the signing! I decided to line up at the end since I had quite a few books and didn't want to hold up the line. (Also that way, I get to talk to Victoria more!) When it was my turn, I was pretty nervous but I managed to hold a conversation with her :D She asked if I'd read AGOS yet and if I liked hearing more of Rhy's voice. Of course I told her yes and that I was on the blog tour for AGOS and couldn't wait to share my review. I loved the book and Lila is too awesome. I asked her to come to Vancouver and she told me she's hoping to soon. YAY!



Me fumbling to get all my books out for
Victoria to sign XD



She run out of Rhy cards so everyone was
putting down their contact info to get one!
 

We're both left-handed! ;)

 

I'd been thinking of something to give her but I'm not creative or anything (she mentioned she loved fan art) so I gave her the bookmark I used to read AGOS. It's a green sprout bookmark. I told her it was my sprout of hope that she'd spare my favourite characters in the final book. She laughed and asked me who I'd like to survive and I basically named all the characters lolll. Victoria was super friendly!

 

And one more picture with her!

 

I also got to meet Alex Kahler who is the author of the Ravenborn series. The first book called Shades of Darkness released this week! Simon & Schuster Canada sent me an ARC and I got it signed! The story is a darker one but I enjoyed it!

 

Overall I had such a blast! I was still giddy a few hours after the signing and even now I can't believe I got to meet Victoria Schwab and had all my books signed!!! I really hope I will see her again!



BEFORE                                   AFTER

 

Okay that's the last picture of me fangirling LOL.

Blog Tour - Q&A & Review: A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab

Hi guys! Welcome to my stop on the A Gathering of Shadows Blog Tour! The Shades of Magic series is one of my all-time favourite so thank you Tor Teen and Raincoast Books for this opportunity! Today I'm really thrilled to be sharing with you a Q&A with V.E. Schwab followed by my review of the book. Spoiler- it's incredible, splendid and just everything!

A Gathering of Shadows
(Shades of Magic #2)

by V.E. Schwab

February 23, 2016

512 pages

Goodreads  Indigo

Goodreads Summary:

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.

 

Announcing the #ADSOMreadalong!

Hi guys! Today I'm here to announce some very exciting news about V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic! In celebration of the paperback release of ADSOM and in anticipation for the release of its sequel, A Gathering of Shadows, there will be a readalong!!!!!!!

 

Now if you don't know what A Darker Shade of Magic is about, I have included the synopsis for you below. And if you need some convincing (which I'm positive you don't) I'll just leave my gushy fangirly review right here.

A Darker Shade of Magic
(A Darker Shade of Magic #1)

by V.E. Schwab

February 24, 2015

400 pages

Goodreads  Indigo  Amazon

Goodreads Summary:

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.


The readalong will come in the form of a weekly Twitter chat. Below is the reading schedule :) Andddd the author, V.E. Schwab will be joining us! *cue fangirly freakout*

The Schedule

TODAYish Monday Feb. 1st

#ADSOMreadalong Intro Chat at 9pm EST.

Come introduce yourself and we'll talk about all things ADSOM!

Please read Parts 1-5 so we can discuss next week.

Monday Feb. 8th

First #ADSOMreadalong at 9pm EST.

We'll be discussing Parts 1-5.

 

Monday Feb. 15th

Second #ADSOMreadalong at 9pm EST.

Parts 6-10 will be discussed.

 

Monday Feb. 22nd

Final #ADSOMreadalong at 9pm EST.

Let's discuss the final chapters and talk about theories and hopes for AGOS!

There is also a Goodreads group if you'd like to chat more! If you missed a chat, don't fret. Recaps and such will be posted in this group :D

Also also, if you're super eager, click on the title to learn about the sequel A Gathering Of Shadows. (But don't go reading it unless you've read ADSOM because there are spoilers!). Doesn't the cover just look super badass?!!

So join us using the hasshtag #ADSOMreadalong on Twitter! This is one epic adventure you don't want to miss out on!

WoW #79: A Gathering of Shadows (A Darker Shade of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab

 

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted every week by Breaking the Spine which lets us showcase an upcoming release we are excited about! 

A Gathering of Shadows
(A Darker Shade of Magic #2)

by V.E. Schwab

February 23, 2015

512 pages
 

Goodreads  Indigo
 

Goodreads Summary:

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.

 

Who isn't waiting for this one?!? NEED!

What are you guys waiting on this week?

Stacking the Shelves #75

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

I received some belated birthday gifts off my wishlist~ So happy I now own a physical copy of A Darker Shade of Magic *pats the pretty*~ And I can finally start the Shatter Me trilogy!

 

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Through the Dark by Alexandra Bracken
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
Vengeance Road by Erin  Bowman

I requested this one for review from S&S Canada. Thank you!

The Year We Fell Apart by Emily Martin

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

Stacking the Shelves #73

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews that lets us share what we've added to our shelves.

This is a win from Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. I've had my eyes on this one so thank you! Many thanks to the author for sending it to me signed!

For the Record by Charlotte Huang

 

I received three very exciting books from Raincoast Books! One is a finished copy for participating in a blog tour and the other two are review books I am over the moon excited about!!!!! No words can express how incredibly lucky Ripple and I feel! Thank you so much Raincoast!

 

First & Then by Emma Mills

These Vicious Masks by Tarun Shanker & Kelly Zekas

A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

What did you guys add to your shelves this week?

TTT #41: Authors I REALLY Want to Meet

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish where people share their top ten things according to the topic of that week.

This is basically the same list as my top favourite authors! I really really would love to meet them some day :) Pictured below are their newest released book or soon-to-be released!!

 

 

Kasie West                 Paula Stokes

 

  

                         CJ Duggan                Alyssa Rose Ivy          Sarah J. Maas

 

  

                  Danielle L. Jensen      Cassandra Clare        Robin LaFevers

 

 

      V.E. Schwab        Samantha Shannon

                                  aka Victoria Schwab

 

Which authors do you really want to meet?

TTT #39: ALL TIME Favourite Authors

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme brought to you by The Broke and the Bookish where people share their top ten things according to the topic of that week.

This was nearly impossible to narrow down but I finally managed to do it. Basically I'll read anything and everything written by these authors~ I have included the covers to their most recently published or soon-to-be published work. They're in no particular order :)

Kasie West

Always cute and fluffy!

Paula Stokes

Super awesome

and super friendly!

Alyssa Rose Ivy

Really good and

steamy NA books ;)

CJ Duggan

Summer is always fun!

Sarah J. Maas

Gorgeous writing and

unique worlds!

Danielle L. Jensen

Beautiful story, beautiful trolls ;)

Cassandra Clare

Complex world with

hilariously witty characters.

Robin LaFevers

 

Myths and romance

flawlessly weaved together~

V.E. Schwab

aka Victoria Schwab

 

Pure magical!!

Samantha Shannon

Out-of-this-world amazing!

  

Who are some of your all time favourite authors?