A Darker Shade of Magic (A Darker Shade of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab -- Restarting December 11th 2023

[Maddie]

I'm really disappointed, but I need to take this one back to the library tomorrow as I can't renew it. I'll get it out again in 2 weeks time :/

[Niyati]

I'm so late into this series but I am so in love!! I started reading the book two days ago and it's addicting.

[Maddie]

I agree!

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

@Maddison I'm waiting very patiently LOL

[Maddie]

for what sorry Nicole xD

I have no idea what's happening with our reads...v

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

@Maddison Oh no I'm patiently waiting to read the second book lol. But it's hard. I really like this series lol.

[Maddie]

Ah right. Apparently there's a thread for it already up somewhere. People are reading it now.

[Maddie]

Picking this back up tomorrow and finishing it either then or the next day :D

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Maddison wrote: "Picking this back up tomorrow and finishing it either then or the next day :D"

If you wanna read the second one after this, let me know :)

[Maddie]

Monika wrote: "Part IX Done [spoilers removed]"

Oh yeah that would be why he was starting at Lila! Forgot she had it on!

[Maddie]

I will but who knows when :p

Oh yeah I also have to read Midnight sometime soon! Forgot! Way too much to read I'm drowning (as usual).

[Monika]

Maddison wrote: "Monika wrote: "Part IX Done [spoilers removed]"

Oh yeah that would be why he was starting at Lila! Forgot she had it on!"

Yup!

[Nicole's Book Diaries]

Maddison wrote: "I will but who knows when :p

Oh yeah I also have to read Midnight sometime soon! Forgot! Way too much to read I'm drowning (as usual)."

Lol take your time with midnight. I'm finally just getting to it XD

[Maddie]

Just getting to what? Midnight?

Was going to finish it today, but who knows. I still might.

[Maddie]

Monika wrote: "Part 10 Done [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yeah I know! Seems so interesting! (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

I'll be finishing tomorrow.

[Maddie]

Monika wrote: "Part 11 Done [spoilers removed]"

I really like it! Wonder what's happening with (view spoiler)[Booth (hide spoiler)] though. There are so many bad guys!

[Maddie]

I'll definitely be finishing this today.

[Monika]

Maddison wrote: "Monika wrote: "Part 11 Done [spoilers removed]"

I really like it! Wonder what's happening with [spoilers removed] though. There are so many bad guys!"

Yeah, from here story gets very exciting!

[Maddie]

Yeah I listened to the audio, would rather have read it but oh well. I loved it!

[Maddie]

Review: This was awesome :D As soon as I picked it up I was loving it. The excitement, the plot twists, and use of magic, the (view spoiler)[different Worlds and how they're all London but set in different worlds/countries (hide spoiler)]. I love the (view spoiler)[lack of romance too, and the way they both parted ways at the end of the book. (hide spoiler)] Rather surprised that (view spoiler)[they killed both of the Danes, but so pleased they didn't spare them. (hide spoiler)] And I already like (view spoiler)[Master Tieran. (hide spoiler)] Can't wait to see what the next book has in store!

[Abi]

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Reading from the 2nd of September 2017

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[Lisa]

Upps, forgot to post updates :)
So started and so far it seems good(still waiting a bit for it to pick up pace). But everybody hyped so much about it and so far it's "okay". We'll see :)
Chapter 4(i get a little bit confused with the chapters): (view spoiler)[i don't like Lila very much... but i like Rhy :) i think Kell and Rhy are like real brothers :) i really like the idea about the different Londons :) (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

Lisa was it you i was reading marked with? I can't remember haha

hope you love darker shade! I finished it the other day!

[Lisa]

if you mean this - then no, sorry :)

so far i think it's a little bit slow going... but the story is good and i really want to like it. maybe the writing isn't for me. is my 1st V.E.Schwab book.

[Monika]

Hey Lisa, Initial Few Parts (i think till 5) are too much of intro types ... After that i think then you will like it. :)

[Maddie]

it got good real fast xD

Alright thanks

[Lisa]

It's so nice of you two, that you're trying so hard to make me like this book :)
I really appreciate it :)

[Maddie]

Haha I'll be around to respond to spoilers too don't worry

[Michelle]

Hey guys, just starting this one! I also just remembered that I had tried to read this one a while ago and all I remember is a bar scene... so hopefully it goes better this time around :D.

[Maddie]

It definitely should!

[Lisa]

Hi Michelle :)
and here i was thinking i'll read it alone :)

[Natalie]

This novel has been on my TBR list for a while... I keep meaning to read it but just haven't gotten around to it previously. Going to try and join this BR! c:

[dianis.]

Hey! I've already read it but I would like to discuss it with you

[Lisa]

@Monika, Maddison: i'm 50% in and... Hmmm.... Yeah... i want to like it so much but still... hmmm...

[Lisa]

but i will continue reading it, it just takes so long...

Chapter 5,6 (i think): so far we got a black stone... Holland is evil (Mo surprise) and (view spoiler)[ lila went to red london (hide spoiler)]

[Maddie]

You aren't liking it?

[Natalie]

Starting this novel c:

[Maddie]

Awesome!

[Natalie]

Part I: The Traveller
(view spoiler)[Bit of a confusing start but we do have a little information to go off; it's 1819 and we have the introduction of Kell (a dimension traveller?) and King George III.
--
There appear to be three worlds that you can travel between (grey = "magicless", red = "healthy", white = "starving" and black = "lost") so named by Kell.
--
So it's the use of blood that allows the travellers to travel between two places? Okay... but I hope this is explained in much more detail later :| After all, if there needs to be a set of "paired tokens" to travel between them... how did they travel the first time? o.O
--
Wonder how common Antaris are...
--
Well that explains how Black London was lost... And also explains a little of the dimensional travel, which is appreciated!
--
He was, after all, Antari.
And Antari could speak to blood. To life. To magic itself. The first and final element, the one that lived in all and was of none.
Is THAT how they can travel through the worlds? And the fact that the worlds were previously connected giving them the knowledge that others existed to travel to in the first place?
(hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Part II: Red Royal
(view spoiler)[
So the "Rhy" that Kell kept mentioning in the Part I is royalty? Huh. Plus, we have the introduction of three other characters! Parrish and Gen who are guards to Rhy, and Holland who is another Antari... and potentially can erase memories?
--
Kell is definitely a person with a lot of (unwanted?) power among the people of 'his' London, considering how that crowd reacted... I wonder if he himself was born nobility or "commoner"...
--
If Kell was adopted by the royal family.... what happened to his birth family?
--
It looks like Grey London may be the closest to our own? Considering it's the only one which is in Great Britain...
--
So someone made Kell forget his past? And potentially the King and Queen sanctioned it?
--
The name "Kell" came from the initials on his blade? Wonder what his real name is... maybe he himself is royalty from a different London? I mean, I realise he has power but I don't really see a solid reason for the King and Queen to adopt him as (supposedly) their own unless he was something more than just an orphan with a lot of magic... y'know? (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

Part 1: (view spoiler)[ I am really enjoying the pace of the book so far. Right now I am a bit confused on Kell and what he was doing with the box. Also what's the difference between an enthusiasts and collectors? (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

Parts 2-4:
(view spoiler)[ I'm starting to really enjoy this book so far and its super addicting. The only thing I'm confused about right now is still the different Londons. Also Lila is bad ass for killing the man on the boat. (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Part III: Grey Thief
(view spoiler)[And now we have the introduction of Lila Bard; a thief with a... dream of being a pirate? o.O
--
...Well that was a quick introduction and loss of a character. He died quickly.
--
Oh hey! The Stone's Throw! Isn't that one of the versions of the Tavern that Kell goes to? (hide spoiler)]

Part IV: White Throne
(view spoiler)[Back to Kell and Rhy we go! Looks like they're planning Rhy's birthday celebrations.
--
Red London is responsible for the fact that White London is the "starving" city? Yikes .-.
--
The magic here was bitter and mean, and it bled the world’s life and warmth and color, leaching it out of everything and leaving only the pale and bloated corpse behind.
Yikes. Well now we know why it's called White London!
--
And the rulers of the White London are twins; Astrid and Athos Dane, who have bound Holland into serving them through spellwork after they defeated him in the bid for the throne.
--
Beloc seems like a neat character, I hope he's not going to die :/
--
Okay so not death, but something worse. Yikes. Hopefully it won't last?
--
...someone seriously needs to do something about Athos and Astrid :| (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Part V: Black Stone
(view spoiler)[Good on Lila for giving the boy a coin... I'm definitely mad about him being roughed up for it though :|
--
What was in that payment? Why is there a "shadow" following Kell?
--
So the stone is essentially what? A Philosopher's Stone for magic? Wonder who's behind the transference of the stone and wanting it to go from White to Red London... Is it perhaps Holland trying to get something past Athos and Astrid? Or maybe It's Athos behind it somehow.... after all the guards were clearly being controlled by an external force!
--
Well there goes the stone. Lila is seriously good at this, but at the same time... really? You steal from a bleeding man? (hide spoiler)]

Part VI: Thieves Meet
(view spoiler)[Wait... what the heck is happening here? Why are eyes completely black? Was he somehow possessed by whatever that stone did? Is this a reflection of what initially happened in Black London? Has it spread?
--
I love that Lila managed to knock out Kell and tie him to the bed :P Of course now that his magic's working again... not really helpful. And it was pretty smart of him to use her kerchief in order to use magic to travel to her location. Like a tracking spell?
--
She made an evil Kell? o.O I am so lost right now.
--
Go Kell XD Using the wall itself to hold her while you escape is brilliant.
--
Chucking the sword out the window was a very bad idea ._. Better to toss it into the ocean.
--
...the sword killed the guy that picked it up?
--
...dead body, living thing?
(hide spoiler)]

Part VII: The Follower
(view spoiler)[I have no idea really what Holland is doing there, but I guess that proves that Athos DOES have something to do with the rock and all of that... Poor Lila for getting stuck in the middle of all this, though I suppose she DID start it with the initial pickpocketing of Kell...
--
Glad that Lila came to Kell's rescue in return for him coming to HER rescue. One good turn deserves another after all ;D (hide spoiler)]

[Natalie]

Part VIII: An Arrangement
(view spoiler)[So Lila's going to go with Kell? Wonder how that'll work...
--
Aww man. Barron's dead and Lila never said goodbye :/ If only they'd warned him not to go up there if he heard a noise ;u; (hide spoiler)]

Part IX: Festival & Fire
(view spoiler)[Huh. Didn't expect for the two Londons (Red & Grey) to have a different primary language... though considering only one of the Londons was said to be in Great Britain, I suppose there is a manner of sense to that...
--
Ooh ouch. He isn't a MEMBER of the royal family, he BELONGS to the royal family.
--
And now Lila knows that Holland killed Barron... (hide spoiler)]

Part X: One White Rook
(view spoiler)[
Okay how many people has this magic eaten through by now ._.
--
Oh hey! This guy again! And his named "Edwarch Archibald Tuttle"... is he nobility? Sounds like nobility.
--
...so did the magic "die" then?
--
It's a good thing Kell and Lila are with each other so that they can act as a mediator for the other when they have the stone :|
--
Kell's talk of Rhy and when Rhy was kidnapped well... you can definitely see that Rhy is someone who genuinely cares. I mean, pardoning your kidnappers? o.O
--
...So the magic that ended up in that guy is spreading, huh? That's not good... What does that mean with Kell then? Why is he (and Lila) okay? Is it because they have too strong a will? Or that the magic only escaped that first time and is now somehow content?
--
...why did one of the guards kill Fletcher? Is a guard being controlled by Holland (AGAIN)?
--
Lila has the rook!
--
Gen's possessed and Parrish is likely dead. Dammit. I liked them.
(hide spoiler)]

Part XI: Masquerade
(view spoiler)[What the hell? Did Holland help Astrid take control of Rhy? Dangit!
--
...Is Rhy dead now?
--
Nope. Just mortally wounded. (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

Part 11: (view spoiler)[ Woah! this part was absolutely crazy. I was on my seat the entire time reading it. I never thought Rhy would end up like that. (hide spoiler)]

[Heather]

Part 14: I was so confused how this part ended! The book overall was amazing but the cliffhanger that it left off on was even better.

[Natalie]

Part XII: Sanctuary & Sacrifice
(view spoiler)[...Did Kell just turn Rhy into a zombie?
--
...LILA IS MISSING AN EYE? Was this mentioned at ALL previously?
--
So is the "thing" (I really want a name for it :|) that's possessing Gen after the magic necklace? It's following the so-called "strong magic" so I dunno...
--
Uh oh. Holland's back.
--
And Lila is potentially trapped in White London alone, because she has the rook... which means Kell doesn't have a White London token. Unless he can steal something from Holland?
--
Yep. He got a token from Holland. (hide spoiler)]

Part XIII: The Waiting King
(view spoiler)[Well on the bright side it appears they only need to deal with Athos, not Astrid AND Athos. Though I doubt the upcoming battle will be easy.
--
Oh hey! Beloc again!
--
...anddddd he's dead. That was a quick appearance.
--
Smart Astrid. Some kind of rebounding shield around her to prevent assassinations. Maybe she didn't trust her brother so much as she appeared to, or perhaps he set up the shield for her?
--
Crap. Astrid's awake.
--
Athos got killed by his own magical creation? o.O
--
And Astrid is now "Lila" and going to assassinate Kell? Or at least attempt to...
--
How did Kell know it was Astrid?
--
I'm so confused by the Vitari thing.
--
Oh crap. Rhy's definitely dead now, huh? :/ I had high hopes for his character. But honestly, I need this to be explained so much more than it currently is. On the bright side... it looks like an assassination attempt on Rhy's parents failed as a result? (hide spoiler)]

Part XIV: The Final Door
(view spoiler)[Or maybe Rhy ISN'T dead...
--
Holland was STILL alive? Holy crap... But now he's potentially in Black London with the stone rather than Kell having to take it? I dunno, I'm lost here.
--
Of course Lila made it through okay!
--
Clearly it was only Rhy that saw Kell as family. Not either of his parents.
--
So THAT'S how Rhy ended up with the necklace... glad that was explained.
--
Awww... Rhy likes Lila.
--
...Is Lila going to commandeer a ship?
(hide spoiler)]

FINALLY managed to finish this book. Reading slumps are awful ._.

[Abi]

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Reading from the 3rd of January 2018

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