A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

Kell wore a peculiar coat.

It had neither one side, which would be conventional, nor two, which would be unexpected, but several, which was, of course, impossible.

Published by Tor Books in February 2015

Pages - 400

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.

****

To create an alternate version of London is clever, to create four very different versions is simply genius. V.E. Schwab has obviously spent many hours world building for this book, because each London stood out from it’s counterpart and  felt like a character in it’s own right. I’m in awe of the author’s talents.  I found myself completely absorbed by these very different lands and could easily see the transition as Kell stepped from one to another. The London had a real feel of Victorian times, which I  enjoyed.

I loved Lila! She really stood out for me. She has the kick ass persona of Celaena from Throne of Glass, yet the deeply hidden affection of Katniss from The Hunger Games.  I think Lila has a lot of secrets hidden within her, that even she doesn’t truly know about, but as a reader the snippets about her past leave you guessing. I didn’t warm to Rhys, as I’m convinced he will turn out to not be as loyal to Kell as he is in return. I’m sure there are elements of evil and jealousy hidden within Rhys. I’m really looking forward to seeing how the relationship between Kell, Rhys and Lila develops. There’s definitely a  love triangle coming in the next book, I am positive.

The plot was brilliant. The author took us through so many twists and turns that it left me unable to put the book down. I needed to know what would happen next. This book weaves cross dressing, LGBT issues with fantasy and epic adventures. I was lucky enough to read Victoria Schwab’s first book, The Near Witch, a few years ago, which I really enjoyed. With A Darker Shade of Magic, it is clear how far the author has come with her writing. The paragraphs are brimming with descriptions and emotion, touching every sense and feeling.

An epic adventure, beautifully written, flawless through out. This book is way too good to wait for. Buy it!

The Gathering Dark by Leigh Bardugo

Pages - 437
Published by Indigo in May 2012

The servants called them malenchki, little ghosts, because they were the smallest and the youngest, and because they haunted the Duke's house like giggling phantoms, darting in and out of rooms, hiding in cupboards to eavesdrop, sneaking into the kitchen to steal the last of the summer peaches. 
Goodreads Summary
Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

*******
You can't write a review of this book without commenting on the gorgeous cover! It is absolutely drool worthy and I fell in love with it long before I read the synopsis for the book. Luckily the gorgeous cover suits the gorgeous  writing and I was bowled over by this book. This enticing tale of darkness and light took my breath away with its uniqueness and originality.  I was left wanting more. 
At the heart of this book, is  a beautiful love story. As soon as Alina and Mal appeared on the first page, I was drawn to them. The  unrequited love that Alina has for Mel made my heart melt. He doesn't see how she feels for him for quite some time and you feel so sorry for her. They were just made to be together. I loved the way their relationship developed throughout the book, how their relationship became stronger with each hurdle they faced.  I have to admit to be strangely attracted to The Darkling throughout the book. He was so dark and mysterious in an evil kind of way. 
The world building in this book was amazing. The originality left me astounded. The great detail in which the world had been built left me in awe of the author's talent. I was worried that some of the terminology would be lost on me, but within the first couple of chapters  I knew exactly who was who and  understood their positions in the Grisha. The Grisha really appealed to my inner magician. I loved how naturally powerful they were.  I  don't think I have ever come across anything like the Shadow Fold before. The sound of impenetrable darkness is extremely eerie. The creatures living in it, sounded vicious and frightening. 
I loved the Russian flavour to the book.  Not a country I know a lot about, but the evidence was clear. On reading the acknowledgements it became clear which Russian tales had inspired such a beautiful tale. 
I felt like I fell into this book and was lost from reality until the final page; a sign of a talented story teller who draws the reader in and sucks time away from them. 
I can't believe I have to wait so long for the next book. I simply must know what happens next.