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The Language of Magic #2
Veșminte de umbră
Anna a supraviețuit tentativei de a-i fi legată magia, însă pericolul nu a trecut — nici pentru ea, nici pentru cercul ei.
Bântuită de moartea mătușii, urmărită de propriul blestem și condamnată să iubească singurul băiat pe care nu-l poate avea, ultimul lucru de care Anna are nevoie este o nouă vânătoare de vrăjitoare. Acum trebuie să-și ascundă din nou magia… sau riscă să piardă totul.
Dar când o isterie periculoasă cuprinde capitala — și chiar școala în care învață — cercul devine vulnerabil. Explorând din ce în ce mai adânc lumea ocultă a Londrei, Anna și Effie trebuie să învețe să colaboreze pentru a-și proteja surorile din sabat.
Însă, pe măsură ce isteria scapă de sub control, iar suspiciunile se întețesc, pot Anna și Effie să aibă cu adevărat încredere una în cealaltă?
Bântuită de moartea mătușii, urmărită de propriul blestem și condamnată să iubească singurul băiat pe care nu-l poate avea, ultimul lucru de care Anna are nevoie este o nouă vânătoare de vrăjitoare. Acum trebuie să-și ascundă din nou magia… sau riscă să piardă totul.
Dar când o isterie periculoasă cuprinde capitala — și chiar școala în care învață — cercul devine vulnerabil. Explorând din ce în ce mai adânc lumea ocultă a Londrei, Anna și Effie trebuie să învețe să colaboreze pentru a-și proteja surorile din sabat.
Însă, pe măsură ce isteria scapă de sub control, iar suspiciunile se întețesc, pot Anna și Effie să aibă cu adevărat încredere una în cealaltă?
944 pages, Paperback
First published June 6, 2024
275 people are currently reading
4113 people want to read
About the author
Cari Thomas
6 books806 followersI grew up in the Wye Valley area of Wales and moved to London in my twenties. I worked as a journalist for various publications and at a creative agency, before finally doing what I'd always wanted to do. I quit my job and wrote a book about magic.
I split my days between freelance work and roaming London, writing in cafés and libraries and any hideouts I could find, eating far too much cake and imagining a magical world hidden within today's London. A world of wild, ancient witchcraft. A world of modern fairytale. A world where libraries made of books breathe dusty pages beneath the city and witch clubs serve up magical cocktails and vintage shops sell memories. A world where magic gleams both light and very, very dark. It was fun. It resulted in my debut novel Threadneedle, the first in my Language of Magic series.
I have now moved back West, to Bristol, with my husband and son. When I'm not reading strange magical books and working on my next book, I like to eat good food, watch movies, dance around the kitchen, write poetry and wander the woods, which I believe is the most magical place on earth.
I split my days between freelance work and roaming London, writing in cafés and libraries and any hideouts I could find, eating far too much cake and imagining a magical world hidden within today's London. A world of wild, ancient witchcraft. A world of modern fairytale. A world where libraries made of books breathe dusty pages beneath the city and witch clubs serve up magical cocktails and vintage shops sell memories. A world where magic gleams both light and very, very dark. It was fun. It resulted in my debut novel Threadneedle, the first in my Language of Magic series.
I have now moved back West, to Bristol, with my husband and son. When I'm not reading strange magical books and working on my next book, I like to eat good food, watch movies, dance around the kitchen, write poetry and wander the woods, which I believe is the most magical place on earth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 276 reviews
November 18, 2024
i still hate effie
April 21, 2024
’Coven of the Dark Moon, Effie declared triumphantly. 'We're back, bitches.'
Haunted by her aunt's death, living in fear of her curse fated by generations to love the same boy as her sister - one to kill the other. The last thing Anna needs is a witch hunt that swoops over London as a madness descends.
Cari always has the best banter and excellent one-liners that are reminiscent of teenaged British humour, creating an atmosphere that captures English schools, London landscape, and the current conspiracy-shocked world we are dominated by currently, especially with the ease of the internet.
Then bring in coming-of-age, witches, cursed love, and fear and you’ve got a binding (get it?) read!
’We're a coven. We stick together, no matter what. To the very end. You confess - we all confess. You drag us to hell and we're going with you. That's how this works.’
Effie is a complicated character as she’s extremely manipulative. She’s confident, strong, powerful and goes to all the parties and knows all the right people. Yet she seems to get their coven into trouble and cause more fights than she has solutions.
I have to shout out the Christmas chapters because it gave me Weasley vibes from Harry Potter and I loved the gardening magic. I would read a book on Bertie alone.
I have to shout out Cari’s fun, breezy dialogue. The coven work so well together and bounce off each other despite seeming opposites.
’But I think I might be more afraid of being alive than dead, so I've decided to embrace it. Death seems peaceful anyway. Neat. Like you've finally ticked off your to-do list.’
‘Only you could put death on a to-do list.'
I feel like this could have been condensed into a duology, but I can’t say that until I read book three which is of course a long way off!
This introduced a new thread (get it?) which was dark and relevant to our own current reality, yet it felt like it drew away from the main plot of the curse.
I officially hate cliffhangers.
Thank you to Harper Collins for providing an add in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
Haunted by her aunt's death, living in fear of her curse fated by generations to love the same boy as her sister - one to kill the other. The last thing Anna needs is a witch hunt that swoops over London as a madness descends.
Cari always has the best banter and excellent one-liners that are reminiscent of teenaged British humour, creating an atmosphere that captures English schools, London landscape, and the current conspiracy-shocked world we are dominated by currently, especially with the ease of the internet.
Then bring in coming-of-age, witches, cursed love, and fear and you’ve got a binding (get it?) read!
’We're a coven. We stick together, no matter what. To the very end. You confess - we all confess. You drag us to hell and we're going with you. That's how this works.’
Effie is a complicated character as she’s extremely manipulative. She’s confident, strong, powerful and goes to all the parties and knows all the right people. Yet she seems to get their coven into trouble and cause more fights than she has solutions.
I have to shout out the Christmas chapters because it gave me Weasley vibes from Harry Potter and I loved the gardening magic. I would read a book on Bertie alone.
I have to shout out Cari’s fun, breezy dialogue. The coven work so well together and bounce off each other despite seeming opposites.
’But I think I might be more afraid of being alive than dead, so I've decided to embrace it. Death seems peaceful anyway. Neat. Like you've finally ticked off your to-do list.’
‘Only you could put death on a to-do list.'
I feel like this could have been condensed into a duology, but I can’t say that until I read book three which is of course a long way off!
This introduced a new thread (get it?) which was dark and relevant to our own current reality, yet it felt like it drew away from the main plot of the curse.
I officially hate cliffhangers.
Thank you to Harper Collins for providing an add in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
November 22, 2024
‘You know, the kind of person who can make you laugh from that deep place in your belly, the kind of laugh you can’t stop once it’s started. But love wasn’t enough for me. I wanted it to be something it wasn’t–something all-consuming. I wanted fireworks to go off in my soul every day, to burn like I’d flown too close to the sun–ecstasy, tragedy and nothing in between. But it was everything in between, it was complicated and confusing and hard, and it hurt all the time, and sometimes it was just … very ordinary. I’m Selene Fawkes. I don’t do ordinary, darling.’
This drama-filled series continues to surprise and delight me with this level of magic world building.
Makes for an excellent buddy read with your girlfriends that like reading marathon-like books. (Many thanks to @patrice.reading.rainbow (on bookstagram) for reading with me!)
A perfect fit in #NoHypeNovember.
Please tell me we don’t have to wait 3 years for book three. 👀🤞😩
This drama-filled series continues to surprise and delight me with this level of magic world building.
Makes for an excellent buddy read with your girlfriends that like reading marathon-like books. (Many thanks to @patrice.reading.rainbow (on bookstagram) for reading with me!)
A perfect fit in #NoHypeNovember.
Please tell me we don’t have to wait 3 years for book three. 👀🤞😩
May 3, 2024
When I read Threadneedle I loved it and have been on tenterhooks since then for the sequel. Reader, it was worth the wait. London and then St. Olav’s start to fall prey to a spell; Effie and Anna continue to suffer under their mutual curse; a new inquisitory organisation has an agenda- I loved the christmas spent by the coven at Rowan’s house and Attis’s christmas present to Anna. The last quarter of this book was amazing and took me surprise in a few ways. I had also thought this was probably a duology so am very pleased to discover there will be at least one more book. I cant wait for the rest of the story! (But I’ll have to!) many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
October 28, 2024
2024 reads: 293/250
buddy read with emily!
content warnings: bullying, torture, sexual harassment
this is book two in the language of magic series.
anna may have survived the attempt to bind her magic, but she and her coven aren’t free from danger just yet. between everything she’s juggling—her aunt’s death, her curse, her tricky love life, and now a witch hunt—the last thing anna wants is to conceal her magic yet again. soon, she and effie have to work together to protect the coven, even though they’re not entirely sure they can trust one another.
i really enjoyed this! reading about anna and her coven’s journey throughout all the messiness they were faced with was a wild ride. also, i’m very glad i read the novella before this! sometimes, novellas are optional or able to be read last, but i would recommend reading the hedge witch before this book.
i can’t wait for book three!
buddy read with emily!
content warnings: bullying, torture, sexual harassment
this is book two in the language of magic series.
anna may have survived the attempt to bind her magic, but she and her coven aren’t free from danger just yet. between everything she’s juggling—her aunt’s death, her curse, her tricky love life, and now a witch hunt—the last thing anna wants is to conceal her magic yet again. soon, she and effie have to work together to protect the coven, even though they’re not entirely sure they can trust one another.
i really enjoyed this! reading about anna and her coven’s journey throughout all the messiness they were faced with was a wild ride. also, i’m very glad i read the novella before this! sometimes, novellas are optional or able to be read last, but i would recommend reading the hedge witch before this book.
i can’t wait for book three!
December 12, 2024
This was a little longer than I think it needed to be, but still a really strong sequel to the first book. I’m so invested in what is going on, and really connected to the characters. And that ending had me really anxious about the fact that we don’t have any info on book 3 yet. I highly recommend the audiobook if you are thinking about reading this series! The narrator is fantastic!!
June 10, 2024
Content warning: I discuss boys forcing girls to remove their clothes and a character being coerced into a relationship (with a strong suggestion of sex being included) against their will in this review.
I will give Cari Thomas credit for two things; she has created an intriguing world, and she knows how to write a cliffhanger intended to make you pick up the next book. That is how I've just slogged through 400 pages of a book that I for the most part did not enjoy. Despite my reservations with the first book, Threadneedle, I was sucked into picking up Shadowstitch by Cari Thomas after the dramatic cliffhanger ending. It did not surprise me to find that this book followed the exact same principle, which isn't unusual for literature at all; but when I've not enjoyed the book, it's time for me to say goodbye.
The strength of the book was once again the world-building, however, it felt like a lot less time was spent doing magic and more time focused on drama and the sub-plot of the growing threat of the Witchcraft Inquisitorial and Prevention Services (WIPS). The anecdotes at the start of each chapter provided the most information, and these seemed to be trying to guide the reader's thoughts in a very distinct direction. While interesting, after a while, they began to feel like Thomas was trying to spoon-feed the reader hints instead of letting them work out the clues she had already littered throughout the story.
The characterisation was better in this book, especially for Rowan. One of the highlights of the book is Christmas with her family. Yet I couldn't help but notice the lack of representation again. St Olave's is a school in a part of London that has a very diverse population, not just rich white kids. I don't understand why authors feel the need to write about real places and then remake them in their fictional imagery. Why not just create a fictional school?! Although in the books it's situated in Southwark, whereas in real life the premises moved to Bromley in the 60s.
The only clear LGBTQIA+ representation appears to be Poppins, a secondary character. Effie flirts with another female member of the Wild Hunt, and there is a very vague mention of sexuality briefly by a main character. As for disability representation, how Thomas dances around Poppins' disability is awful. Either you've written a character that is disabled and uses his umbrella as a mobility device, or he's not. Hiding behind your narrator's uncertainty is not an excuse, that is just ableism.
This leads me to my issue with the entire Witchcraft Inquisitorial and Prevention Services (WIPS) subplot. As a queer disabled person and a pagan, reading the persecution of teenage witch characters at a secondary/high school felt ludicrously unbelievable and also disrespectful. There are real people, real teenagers, who are being persecuted, who are dealing with mobs at their school gates and I don't know if Thomas was trying to make this into an allegory, but it fell very flat for me.
I also found it difficult to believe that there would be no blowback from anyone, especially the pagan and Wiccan communities if something like this happened. I remember hearing Thomas talking about the topics she researched for this series, and that included a lot of pagan/Wiccan subjects. It feels quite rude to have her use our beliefs when it suits her, and then ignore that those communities exist when it doesn't.
Despite some of the things that captured my attention from the start, there was not enough in Shadowstitch to keep me reading this series. I felt like this was just a re-run of the first book with a few parts changed. There was hardly any character development, especially in regard to Anna and Effie's relationship, and it felt like they ended up at exactly the same place they started at.
I especially hated the way that on the one hand, Thomas shows young readers that they should not allow themselves to be coerced into removing their clothes by teenage boys, but it's absolutely fine to let your sister coerce you into a relationship (with strong suggestions that it will involve sex) with your toxic ex-boyfriend who dumped you when you refused to sleep with him! Because of course, there is no other way to keep the Coven safe or keep Peter closer than for Anna to go against every instinct screaming at her to run far away from him. This is the type of scenario authors should be warning young readers against, not implying that it is fine under certain "conditions".
There's also only so many times you can rely on "but it's the curse" before it gets very tedious, and for a moment there it looked like some real progress had been made, but no, drama first, character development last. I get the feeling that is something that will be strung out over several more books. Despite the cliffhanger screaming at me that I need to know what happens next, I'm not going to let myself be suckered in.
I will give Cari Thomas credit for two things; she has created an intriguing world, and she knows how to write a cliffhanger intended to make you pick up the next book. That is how I've just slogged through 400 pages of a book that I for the most part did not enjoy. Despite my reservations with the first book, Threadneedle, I was sucked into picking up Shadowstitch by Cari Thomas after the dramatic cliffhanger ending. It did not surprise me to find that this book followed the exact same principle, which isn't unusual for literature at all; but when I've not enjoyed the book, it's time for me to say goodbye.
The strength of the book was once again the world-building, however, it felt like a lot less time was spent doing magic and more time focused on drama and the sub-plot of the growing threat of the Witchcraft Inquisitorial and Prevention Services (WIPS). The anecdotes at the start of each chapter provided the most information, and these seemed to be trying to guide the reader's thoughts in a very distinct direction. While interesting, after a while, they began to feel like Thomas was trying to spoon-feed the reader hints instead of letting them work out the clues she had already littered throughout the story.
The characterisation was better in this book, especially for Rowan. One of the highlights of the book is Christmas with her family. Yet I couldn't help but notice the lack of representation again. St Olave's is a school in a part of London that has a very diverse population, not just rich white kids. I don't understand why authors feel the need to write about real places and then remake them in their fictional imagery. Why not just create a fictional school?! Although in the books it's situated in Southwark, whereas in real life the premises moved to Bromley in the 60s.
The only clear LGBTQIA+ representation appears to be Poppins, a secondary character. Effie flirts with another female member of the Wild Hunt, and there is a very vague mention of sexuality briefly by a main character. As for disability representation, how Thomas dances around Poppins' disability is awful. Either you've written a character that is disabled and uses his umbrella as a mobility device, or he's not. Hiding behind your narrator's uncertainty is not an excuse, that is just ableism.
This leads me to my issue with the entire Witchcraft Inquisitorial and Prevention Services (WIPS) subplot. As a queer disabled person and a pagan, reading the persecution of teenage witch characters at a secondary/high school felt ludicrously unbelievable and also disrespectful. There are real people, real teenagers, who are being persecuted, who are dealing with mobs at their school gates and I don't know if Thomas was trying to make this into an allegory, but it fell very flat for me.
I also found it difficult to believe that there would be no blowback from anyone, especially the pagan and Wiccan communities if something like this happened. I remember hearing Thomas talking about the topics she researched for this series, and that included a lot of pagan/Wiccan subjects. It feels quite rude to have her use our beliefs when it suits her, and then ignore that those communities exist when it doesn't.
Despite some of the things that captured my attention from the start, there was not enough in Shadowstitch to keep me reading this series. I felt like this was just a re-run of the first book with a few parts changed. There was hardly any character development, especially in regard to Anna and Effie's relationship, and it felt like they ended up at exactly the same place they started at.
I especially hated the way that on the one hand, Thomas shows young readers that they should not allow themselves to be coerced into removing their clothes by teenage boys, but it's absolutely fine to let your sister coerce you into a relationship (with strong suggestions that it will involve sex) with your toxic ex-boyfriend who dumped you when you refused to sleep with him! Because of course, there is no other way to keep the Coven safe or keep Peter closer than for Anna to go against every instinct screaming at her to run far away from him. This is the type of scenario authors should be warning young readers against, not implying that it is fine under certain "conditions".
There's also only so many times you can rely on "but it's the curse" before it gets very tedious, and for a moment there it looked like some real progress had been made, but no, drama first, character development last. I get the feeling that is something that will be strung out over several more books. Despite the cliffhanger screaming at me that I need to know what happens next, I'm not going to let myself be suckered in.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2024
*4.5 stars
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
what more is there to say!!?? ending in a cliffhanger like that is borderline CRUEL! but i’ll just about forgive Cari Thomas because i loved reading this. and after months of a reading slump, this really made me feel so full of love for reading again.
it was so nice to be within this world and with these characters again. i loved to see Anna experiencing her well-deserved freedom from Aunt, and i loved seeing more of the magical world through her eyes and meeting super interesting characters. loved seeing Hel too!! the vibes were so grim and exciting
this book didn’t shy away from making me look at all the characters in a different light - i think, of all the mains, my opinions shifted for all but Rowan (who is just so truly brilliant and honest). the rest of them really got to me at times: Anna’s jealousy and Effie’s schemes and Manda’s carelessness. even Attis annoyed me (and made me kind of ship Anna and Ollie lol he would be treating her way better). but i really like that my ideas of these characters were all pushed!! i love them all the more for it! and i cannot wait to see what is going to come for all of them
i am literally devastated that i will have to wait until the next one comes out but i will be ready when it does 🫡🫡🫡
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
what more is there to say!!?? ending in a cliffhanger like that is borderline CRUEL! but i’ll just about forgive Cari Thomas because i loved reading this. and after months of a reading slump, this really made me feel so full of love for reading again.
it was so nice to be within this world and with these characters again. i loved to see Anna experiencing her well-deserved freedom from Aunt, and i loved seeing more of the magical world through her eyes and meeting super interesting characters. loved seeing Hel too!! the vibes were so grim and exciting
this book didn’t shy away from making me look at all the characters in a different light - i think, of all the mains, my opinions shifted for all but Rowan (who is just so truly brilliant and honest). the rest of them really got to me at times: Anna’s jealousy and Effie’s schemes and Manda’s carelessness. even Attis annoyed me (and made me kind of ship Anna and Ollie lol he would be treating her way better). but i really like that my ideas of these characters were all pushed!! i love them all the more for it! and i cannot wait to see what is going to come for all of them
i am literally devastated that i will have to wait until the next one comes out but i will be ready when it does 🫡🫡🫡
March 19, 2024
This is the second book in the Language of Magic series by Cari Thomas.
Anna and Effie navigate their curse and the perils of school whilst dealing with a growing threat to witches as bouts of hysteria grip the capital city.
I loved reading Threadneedle and Shadowstitch had me even more gripped. The characters are complex and feel very real. I want to be part of Rowan’s family. The herd mentality of the school children was particularly well captured. The pacing is excellent and I struggled to put it down. Particularly in the middle of the book the tension felt almost unbearable.
The cliffhanger ending is mean but can be forgiven because it means more books are coming.
This easily gets 5 stars and is one of my favourite reads of the last 18 months 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟🌟
Anna and Effie navigate their curse and the perils of school whilst dealing with a growing threat to witches as bouts of hysteria grip the capital city.
I loved reading Threadneedle and Shadowstitch had me even more gripped. The characters are complex and feel very real. I want to be part of Rowan’s family. The herd mentality of the school children was particularly well captured. The pacing is excellent and I struggled to put it down. Particularly in the middle of the book the tension felt almost unbearable.
The cliffhanger ending is mean but can be forgiven because it means more books are coming.
This easily gets 5 stars and is one of my favourite reads of the last 18 months 🌟 🌟 🌟🌟🌟
May 30, 2024
Though Anna may have survived the attempt to bind and veil her magic, she and her new-found coven aren’t quite out of danger just yet, for forces that have been dormant for decades long to entwine themselves around her and cast doom upon everything Anna holds and loves…
Haunted and disturbed by her aunt’s untimely death, constantly living in fear of her curse which feels heavier with each passing second, and fated to love the one man she can surely never have, the last thing Anna needs right now is something feared by those of her lineage for centuries: a witch hunt. And now Anna has little choice but to conceal her magic once more or risk losing everyone and everything but it won’t be easy.
When strange news reports and hysteria strike across the capital, and then much closer to home at her school, the coven are left dangerously exposed and outnumbered when the school is taken over by those determined to stop at nothing to hunt down the source of the dark deeds taking place within its walls.
Delving deeper into the twisted magical underground of London, Anna and her twin sister Effie must search for a way to work together to not only protect their coven, but to shield the world from the merciless and malevolent forces hell bent on derailing any sort of harmony and balance she is trying to bring.
Enchanting, heady with magic, and superb pacing, all make for a sequel that will surely once again have you under a spell you won’t want to break free from.
Haunted and disturbed by her aunt’s untimely death, constantly living in fear of her curse which feels heavier with each passing second, and fated to love the one man she can surely never have, the last thing Anna needs right now is something feared by those of her lineage for centuries: a witch hunt. And now Anna has little choice but to conceal her magic once more or risk losing everyone and everything but it won’t be easy.
When strange news reports and hysteria strike across the capital, and then much closer to home at her school, the coven are left dangerously exposed and outnumbered when the school is taken over by those determined to stop at nothing to hunt down the source of the dark deeds taking place within its walls.
Delving deeper into the twisted magical underground of London, Anna and her twin sister Effie must search for a way to work together to not only protect their coven, but to shield the world from the merciless and malevolent forces hell bent on derailing any sort of harmony and balance she is trying to bring.
Enchanting, heady with magic, and superb pacing, all make for a sequel that will surely once again have you under a spell you won’t want to break free from.
September 18, 2024
“This is why I don’t go on the internet, darling. It’s like a party with too many people invited- overcrowded, everybody has an opinion you don’t want to hear, someone always ends up hysterical and you simply have to get drunk to survive it.”
Read the book, even if it’s only for that one paragraph
“It’s not what you are made of, but what your shadows are made of that matters”
Read the book, even if it’s only for that one paragraph
“It’s not what you are made of, but what your shadows are made of that matters”
October 5, 2024
4.5
Hated Effie, loved everything else! The coven, magical world, hysteria mystery, curse, all of that is so interesting. The love triangle is a bit tiresome (again mostly bc Effie is just INSUFFERABLE) but interesting because the curse has me with honestly no idea of how it's gonna wrap up. I'm still team Anna/Attis endgame though. Rowan is Anna's actual sister to ME.
Hated Effie, loved everything else! The coven, magical world, hysteria mystery, curse, all of that is so interesting. The love triangle is a bit tiresome (again mostly bc Effie is just INSUFFERABLE) but interesting because the curse has me with honestly no idea of how it's gonna wrap up. I'm still team Anna/Attis endgame though. Rowan is Anna's actual sister to ME.
April 28, 2024
This was three times as long as it needed to be, but it was still one hel of a ride! Magic, curses, a witch hunt - what could possibly go wrong for Anna, Effie and the witches of the coven of the dark moon?? 🌚
August 16, 2024
Absolutely none of the characters are in the slightest way likeable, 50% of the book is Anna whining, it's written like it's a shit Wicca reinterpretation for the late 90s, right down to the constant exclamations of "Goddess!"
July 20, 2024
3.5!! dragged a bit in the middle but the end made me want to actually continue with the series :))
January 8, 2026
3.5⭐️
This had such strong potential to be really really good from the start. I really loved the darker themes and overall tone of this story very much. It was leaning horror at times and the Hel witch angle of it all was very intriguing and kept me interested. However, this story somewhat like the first one, really struggled with its pacing. The chapters were very long and not much was happening ever. It almost felt like the story wanted to be a cozy mystery/ slice of life..but had all of these dark themes and huge dramatic stakes. The writing was still really good, I just felt like it was very repetitive a lot of the time and the author did a whole lot of telling and not showing. So many scenes with people just talking or telling each other the lore. Effie was also infuriating the entire time, but the rest of the cast of characters is still great and I enjoyed the additional family and friend scenes a lot. The ending was pretty good, and I will most likely continue the series on audio.
This had such strong potential to be really really good from the start. I really loved the darker themes and overall tone of this story very much. It was leaning horror at times and the Hel witch angle of it all was very intriguing and kept me interested. However, this story somewhat like the first one, really struggled with its pacing. The chapters were very long and not much was happening ever. It almost felt like the story wanted to be a cozy mystery/ slice of life..but had all of these dark themes and huge dramatic stakes. The writing was still really good, I just felt like it was very repetitive a lot of the time and the author did a whole lot of telling and not showing. So many scenes with people just talking or telling each other the lore. Effie was also infuriating the entire time, but the rest of the cast of characters is still great and I enjoyed the additional family and friend scenes a lot. The ending was pretty good, and I will most likely continue the series on audio.
September 25, 2024
I wanted to love this. I really really wanted to.
I read the first book last year and it was similar in that it had a very boring middle and I almost gave up but then it got good at the end.
I really feel like we get to know the characters and I’ve grown to love them all however there is just too much book going on. There is no need for this to last nearly 700 pages when the actual plot takes up about half of that space. There was a lot of writing for writings sake going on with very little plot development.
I really enjoy the plot and I think it’s very cleverly written but it just took me so long to read especially considering it’s looking like there will be ANOTHER book afterwards.
Hopefully the next instalment continues the dark themes that have developed and we see an even more mature plot.
I read the first book last year and it was similar in that it had a very boring middle and I almost gave up but then it got good at the end.
I really feel like we get to know the characters and I’ve grown to love them all however there is just too much book going on. There is no need for this to last nearly 700 pages when the actual plot takes up about half of that space. There was a lot of writing for writings sake going on with very little plot development.
I really enjoy the plot and I think it’s very cleverly written but it just took me so long to read especially considering it’s looking like there will be ANOTHER book afterwards.
Hopefully the next instalment continues the dark themes that have developed and we see an even more mature plot.
August 15, 2025
GIMME BOOK 3 RIGHT NOW
June 29, 2025
This being book 2 of The Language of Magic series, I read ‘Threadneedle’ first, and I could not have enjoyed that novel more. In fact, I only located ‘Threadneedle’ in order to jump into this, but I ended up falling chronically in love! Not since ‘Wilder Girls’ by Rory Power or Deirdre Sullivan’s ‘Perfectly Preventable Deaths’ series have I enjoyed YA Dark Academia so heartily. So I was beyond delighted to return to Anna and Effie’s universe in the Coven of the Dark Moon. Here’s the snag, though: the first book in Cari Thomas’s series is billed as YA (or New Adult), yet this follow-up looks to be classified as General Fiction (Adult). And is it really truly Dark Academia? Maybe ‘Shadowstitch’ is just a weird and wiggly riddle of a novel.
Thomas restarts her series immediately from when the first book ended. And, in terms of a series, what struck me – intentional or not – was that Cari Thomas often paints sets, constructs scenes, and pitches character interactions that recall pieces from the Harry Potter series. I couldn’t help but think that this is the Potterverse done right. With a remarkable absence of the boyish, elements such as Christmas at Rowan’s family abode (battier, more boggling, and so much better than the Weasleys’!) tickled my reader’s brain in a way that felt more nuanced, more like me. (And for what-would-have-been the next generation of Neil Gaiman fans, Cari Thomas rewrites and completely surpasses ‘Neverwhere’ with the addition of her London Underworld and its populace.)
So, the tension that was strung in ‘Threadneedle’ as Anna’s quest to evade Binding, has snowballed into a literal – nigh global – witch hunt in ‘Shadowstitch’. It sprouts from a magic-soaked atmosphere of hysteria and it’s not just the pubescents in Anna’s school this time. Anna’s struggles to puzzle out this new Big Bad are compounded, of course, by Machiavellian Effie, who keeps being Machiavellian. Although! In Book Two, it might appear that she actually has a heart. And of course we know that Thomas can write a complex character who suffers with imbalances in her inner life – just look at Anna’s own character arc across the two books (however, there remains a gulf where Thomas could be exploring her main character’s abuse at the hands of The Aunt). But it is delicately done, the touches here and there of Effie’s struggle too.
‘Shadowstitch’ avoids any risk of being derivative, I should say; it excels beyond the progenitors with which it bears similarities. In it, the backdrop of a world in the throes of a witch hunt is not employed frivolously. Rather, glancing back from the novel's conclusion upon its development, it seems like the only set-up that there could have really been for the furtherance of Thomas’s world-building at this point in the series. And what world-building! I’ll go as far to say that it exceeds the vision of Book One. For me, this time, Cari Thomas’s biggest success is how she binds world-building to character. Her characters are all frankly unforgettable; emotionally intelligent, dramatically robust, they maintain meaningful interrelationships despite the plot’s often breakneck unspooling. Just look at how Effie’s ‘teen witch’ wit sizzles amidst all the brooding and all the danger, and comes across as entirely authentic. All of Thomas’s characters resonate in like ways; and when they interact, via her original dialogue, that’s when the act of reading gets forgotten, and it’s all just happening right in front of you.
And there’s more magic that takes place on the audiobook, where madly successful narrator Helen Keeley meets our bestselling novelist. I’ll admit that I jumped at this partly because Keeley narrates it and I’d just finished listening to her perform a Camilla Bruce release. If you don’t know Keeley’s voice and this is your genre, then listen to her perform ‘Weyward’ by Emilia Hart.
‘Threadneedle’ was a ginormous audiobook at over 20 hours, but ‘Shadowstitch’ is a mammoth listen at almost 27. This was music to my ears (forgive the pun), because if – as a librarian – books are my life, then audiobooks are my passion. (Also, I go weak at the knees for a good book cover, and just look at these for The Language of Magic!)
At times, I think I preferred some of Bea Holland’s voices from the first book – Attis’s British/American/Irish chameleon of an accent was spot-on there. (Even though Thomas says he grew up in Wales in this second instalment, I resent the fact that he’s just Welsh in ‘Shadowstitch’). Some of Keeley’s characters can get a little screechy in comparison, but overall, her soulful narration brings this beautifully crafted gothic world to life in the audiobook, whether the moment she’s voicing is eerie or thrilling, whether it’s a streak of humour or a flash of gore.
So what would give ‘Shadowstitch’ that fifth star for me? Some stronger queer girl representation other than Effie’s occasional tokenistic allusions to sex with girls. Let’s have a convincing lesbian side character who doesn’t lust for the main hetero love interest, please.
With its solid four stars, Book Two in The Language of Magic has me rightly slobbering for Book Three. Cari Thomas, what are you doing to us with these cliffhanging novel conclusions!?
My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio / HarperVoyager for the advanced review copy of this marvellous audiobook via NetGalley.
Thomas restarts her series immediately from when the first book ended. And, in terms of a series, what struck me – intentional or not – was that Cari Thomas often paints sets, constructs scenes, and pitches character interactions that recall pieces from the Harry Potter series. I couldn’t help but think that this is the Potterverse done right. With a remarkable absence of the boyish, elements such as Christmas at Rowan’s family abode (battier, more boggling, and so much better than the Weasleys’!) tickled my reader’s brain in a way that felt more nuanced, more like me. (And for what-would-have-been the next generation of Neil Gaiman fans, Cari Thomas rewrites and completely surpasses ‘Neverwhere’ with the addition of her London Underworld and its populace.)
So, the tension that was strung in ‘Threadneedle’ as Anna’s quest to evade Binding, has snowballed into a literal – nigh global – witch hunt in ‘Shadowstitch’. It sprouts from a magic-soaked atmosphere of hysteria and it’s not just the pubescents in Anna’s school this time. Anna’s struggles to puzzle out this new Big Bad are compounded, of course, by Machiavellian Effie, who keeps being Machiavellian. Although! In Book Two, it might appear that she actually has a heart. And of course we know that Thomas can write a complex character who suffers with imbalances in her inner life – just look at Anna’s own character arc across the two books (however, there remains a gulf where Thomas could be exploring her main character’s abuse at the hands of The Aunt). But it is delicately done, the touches here and there of Effie’s struggle too.
‘Shadowstitch’ avoids any risk of being derivative, I should say; it excels beyond the progenitors with which it bears similarities. In it, the backdrop of a world in the throes of a witch hunt is not employed frivolously. Rather, glancing back from the novel's conclusion upon its development, it seems like the only set-up that there could have really been for the furtherance of Thomas’s world-building at this point in the series. And what world-building! I’ll go as far to say that it exceeds the vision of Book One. For me, this time, Cari Thomas’s biggest success is how she binds world-building to character. Her characters are all frankly unforgettable; emotionally intelligent, dramatically robust, they maintain meaningful interrelationships despite the plot’s often breakneck unspooling. Just look at how Effie’s ‘teen witch’ wit sizzles amidst all the brooding and all the danger, and comes across as entirely authentic. All of Thomas’s characters resonate in like ways; and when they interact, via her original dialogue, that’s when the act of reading gets forgotten, and it’s all just happening right in front of you.
And there’s more magic that takes place on the audiobook, where madly successful narrator Helen Keeley meets our bestselling novelist. I’ll admit that I jumped at this partly because Keeley narrates it and I’d just finished listening to her perform a Camilla Bruce release. If you don’t know Keeley’s voice and this is your genre, then listen to her perform ‘Weyward’ by Emilia Hart.
‘Threadneedle’ was a ginormous audiobook at over 20 hours, but ‘Shadowstitch’ is a mammoth listen at almost 27. This was music to my ears (forgive the pun), because if – as a librarian – books are my life, then audiobooks are my passion. (Also, I go weak at the knees for a good book cover, and just look at these for The Language of Magic!)
At times, I think I preferred some of Bea Holland’s voices from the first book – Attis’s British/American/Irish chameleon of an accent was spot-on there. (Even though Thomas says he grew up in Wales in this second instalment, I resent the fact that he’s just Welsh in ‘Shadowstitch’). Some of Keeley’s characters can get a little screechy in comparison, but overall, her soulful narration brings this beautifully crafted gothic world to life in the audiobook, whether the moment she’s voicing is eerie or thrilling, whether it’s a streak of humour or a flash of gore.
So what would give ‘Shadowstitch’ that fifth star for me? Some stronger queer girl representation other than Effie’s occasional tokenistic allusions to sex with girls. Let’s have a convincing lesbian side character who doesn’t lust for the main hetero love interest, please.
With its solid four stars, Book Two in The Language of Magic has me rightly slobbering for Book Three. Cari Thomas, what are you doing to us with these cliffhanging novel conclusions!?
My thanks to HarperCollins UK Audio / HarperVoyager for the advanced review copy of this marvellous audiobook via NetGalley.
August 7, 2024
DNF at 35%
I really wanted to like this. I enjoyed Threadneedle, and Hedge witch was fun, but this was just so slow! Nothing of note happens in the 35% I read. The characters haven't developed at all, the story is on repeat and it just feels like it's going nowhere. Sorry, but I just didn't like it enough to keep slogging on through.
I really wanted to like this. I enjoyed Threadneedle, and Hedge witch was fun, but this was just so slow! Nothing of note happens in the 35% I read. The characters haven't developed at all, the story is on repeat and it just feels like it's going nowhere. Sorry, but I just didn't like it enough to keep slogging on through.
October 6, 2024
3.5
Honestly, eff you Effie
Honestly, eff you Effie
January 4, 2025
if a man is made from a stone that is the blood of my ancestor, is he technically my great great great great grandma?
September 13, 2024
This was a big, big book. And after two years, we finally had gotten the sequel, after the novella that came out last year. Shadowstitch was the sequel that was okay, but it was more on, I kind of wished this could end up as a duology instead.
This book started right off where it left from the first book. The aftermath from what had happened with Anna's aunt from the first book, to Effi returning with Attis and how Anna will need to pick up the pieces again. I would say, for the overall of Cari Thomas writing, I actually liked the way she slowly build up the world, the foundations in Anna's magic and how she is coming in terms to using them and the way it is affecting what was going on in their world now. Since its in an urban magical setting, we are brought back to the school and how they blend again with the people without the magic.
My favourite character in this book will always be Rowan. Her antiques and the way she livens up the book and Anna especially makes it bearable, to say the least. I honestly don't really care about Attis at this point. The Effie-Attis-Anna thing for me, just feels so unnecessary, I kind of wished there is another character that Anna can make as a love interest, because I'm just icked with Effie.
And, altho its a big big book, I kind of flew through the pages. Thomas's writing is one that is easy to read, and her magic system is not a 'in your face' thing, but more on lets build the world seamlessly.
I enjoy some parts more than not, but I do feel there's a major chunk of this book that can be cut off. It got really draggy at times, but I do enjoy the magic system (blood magic is always fun). Love seeing Anna's growth from her being sheltered to her embracing her powers. But even after all that, I still would read the third book (the cliffhanger....).
So, don't get intimidated by the length of this book. I feel like, it was worth waiting for the sequel, but again, just wished they could've combined it into a duology instead. Would still recommend this book if you're a beginner to fantasy and would like to delve into something not too heavy but still makes up an experience a fantasy book can provide.
3.75 stars for this one!
Thank you to Times Reads and the publisher for this copy! I truly appreciate it :)
This book started right off where it left from the first book. The aftermath from what had happened with Anna's aunt from the first book, to Effi returning with Attis and how Anna will need to pick up the pieces again. I would say, for the overall of Cari Thomas writing, I actually liked the way she slowly build up the world, the foundations in Anna's magic and how she is coming in terms to using them and the way it is affecting what was going on in their world now. Since its in an urban magical setting, we are brought back to the school and how they blend again with the people without the magic.
My favourite character in this book will always be Rowan. Her antiques and the way she livens up the book and Anna especially makes it bearable, to say the least. I honestly don't really care about Attis at this point. The Effie-Attis-Anna thing for me, just feels so unnecessary, I kind of wished there is another character that Anna can make as a love interest, because I'm just icked with Effie.
And, altho its a big big book, I kind of flew through the pages. Thomas's writing is one that is easy to read, and her magic system is not a 'in your face' thing, but more on lets build the world seamlessly.
I enjoy some parts more than not, but I do feel there's a major chunk of this book that can be cut off. It got really draggy at times, but I do enjoy the magic system (blood magic is always fun). Love seeing Anna's growth from her being sheltered to her embracing her powers. But even after all that, I still would read the third book (the cliffhanger....).
So, don't get intimidated by the length of this book. I feel like, it was worth waiting for the sequel, but again, just wished they could've combined it into a duology instead. Would still recommend this book if you're a beginner to fantasy and would like to delve into something not too heavy but still makes up an experience a fantasy book can provide.
3.75 stars for this one!
Thank you to Times Reads and the publisher for this copy! I truly appreciate it :)
June 6, 2024
I've been looking forward to this book ever since I finished my arc of the first book in this series. I remember that book being released during the pandemic. I was working from home and the book actually made me late for work. I had to finish it first. My pre-order for this book has been placed ages ago already and when I saw the book on Netgalley I had to request a copy. Luckily Harper Voyager granted me a copy!
This book was everything I had hoped it would be and so so so much more. It's quite a big book. I'm really glad I started reading in time. But every chapter, every sentence, it was all worth it. Once more the author does an amazing job creating the atmosphere. And there's a lot going on in this book. Our witches are traveling places and they are dealing with people suspecting them of witchcraft and starting a witch hunt.
Anna is still the sole point of view character and within a few chapters my bond with her reawakened. Anna reminds me a lot of myself. She is searching for who she is. She is rather careful, opposed to Effie's brashness. She really wants to do good. She wants to save Attis. She wants a chance to build a normal and happy relationship with Effie. She wants humanity to be safe. She wants the world of witchcraft to be saved.
But this book is mostly about her discovering her own power. It's about her discovering that exactly her love for this world and all its people is her strength. And if she has to travel to hell and back to save her, she does so. I have to admit that I had not expected this book to end with such a cliffhanger though. The author should take all the time in the world to write the next book, hopefully making it as great as the first two, but I will be waiting very impatiently for its release!
This book was everything I had hoped it would be and so so so much more. It's quite a big book. I'm really glad I started reading in time. But every chapter, every sentence, it was all worth it. Once more the author does an amazing job creating the atmosphere. And there's a lot going on in this book. Our witches are traveling places and they are dealing with people suspecting them of witchcraft and starting a witch hunt.
Anna is still the sole point of view character and within a few chapters my bond with her reawakened. Anna reminds me a lot of myself. She is searching for who she is. She is rather careful, opposed to Effie's brashness. She really wants to do good. She wants to save Attis. She wants a chance to build a normal and happy relationship with Effie. She wants humanity to be safe. She wants the world of witchcraft to be saved.
But this book is mostly about her discovering her own power. It's about her discovering that exactly her love for this world and all its people is her strength. And if she has to travel to hell and back to save her, she does so. I have to admit that I had not expected this book to end with such a cliffhanger though. The author should take all the time in the world to write the next book, hopefully making it as great as the first two, but I will be waiting very impatiently for its release!
July 31, 2024
Well worth the 3 year wait from book one. Shadowstitch took everything I love from book one and amplified it ten fold. Cari Thomas grew as an author exponentially. I loved that Shadowstitch explored a lot more of the magic system The events of Threadneedle didn't really allow for the deep exploration. The fact that this story focused heavily on shadow, death, and blood magic, was right up my alley. The cast of characters were put through the ultimate test. This story was intense from start to finish. Plenty of trigger warnings to be on the lookout for. If you enjoyed Threadneedle, I hope you enjoy this one just as much. Cari Thomas, I need book three yesterday.
April 28, 2024
Thank you to Harper Voyager for giving me an e-arc of this book to read and review.
Shadowstitch has been one of my highly anticipated reads of 2024 and wow did it not disappoint.
ThreadNeedle was such an incredible book and I really couldn’t wait to see what Cari did next with these characters and their plot.
Cari really did not come to play with this book, a modern world London begins rewinding back to the 1500-1700’s hunting witches across the city who are practicing witchcraft. What I love most about Shadowstitch is not just Cari’s incredible writing but the historical elements weaved in with fantasy.
Cari gives us a deeper look into the workings of the magical world, explaining a family history (and curse) dating back hundreds of years as well as explaining the innings of dark magic, finding ones ‘soul’ magic, and also the dangers of magic and what it can do to not just a normal person but witches themselves.
We follow our main protagonist Anna who’s had a pretty tough time of it from book 1 and how she’s now coming to terms with what happened previously to her Mother and of course her Aunt. We’re now experiencing how she’s fearful of her magic and the curse that’s looming over her, how she feels she doesn’t have control of herself or her magic, she’s struggling to cope with what’s haunting her whether that be her Aunt or the new witchcraft that’s terrorising London and in some ways terrorising her as well through tell-tale signs from Hel. Cari writes Anna’s story so beautifully and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her and seeing her develop.
I also really enjoyed more of Anna and her Coven exploring their magic, dipping into new areas of magic and taking on the malefice that’s taking London by a literal storm whilst also fighting their own issues and the hatred that’s coming at them at school.
If you’re looking to read a more real and accurate witch inspired book that doesn’t sugarcoat witchcraft as this thing to be glorified and desired, Shadowstitch actually shows witchcraft at its nitty and gritty, fun at times but also destructive, consuming, evil and damn right fearsome.
This sequel is ideal for those who love reading about found families, forbidden love, witchcraft, love, curses, dark magic and complex storylines that intertwine and are resolved as the story progresses.
Shadowstitch has been one of my highly anticipated reads of 2024 and wow did it not disappoint.
ThreadNeedle was such an incredible book and I really couldn’t wait to see what Cari did next with these characters and their plot.
Cari really did not come to play with this book, a modern world London begins rewinding back to the 1500-1700’s hunting witches across the city who are practicing witchcraft. What I love most about Shadowstitch is not just Cari’s incredible writing but the historical elements weaved in with fantasy.
Cari gives us a deeper look into the workings of the magical world, explaining a family history (and curse) dating back hundreds of years as well as explaining the innings of dark magic, finding ones ‘soul’ magic, and also the dangers of magic and what it can do to not just a normal person but witches themselves.
We follow our main protagonist Anna who’s had a pretty tough time of it from book 1 and how she’s now coming to terms with what happened previously to her Mother and of course her Aunt. We’re now experiencing how she’s fearful of her magic and the curse that’s looming over her, how she feels she doesn’t have control of herself or her magic, she’s struggling to cope with what’s haunting her whether that be her Aunt or the new witchcraft that’s terrorising London and in some ways terrorising her as well through tell-tale signs from Hel. Cari writes Anna’s story so beautifully and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her and seeing her develop.
I also really enjoyed more of Anna and her Coven exploring their magic, dipping into new areas of magic and taking on the malefice that’s taking London by a literal storm whilst also fighting their own issues and the hatred that’s coming at them at school.
If you’re looking to read a more real and accurate witch inspired book that doesn’t sugarcoat witchcraft as this thing to be glorified and desired, Shadowstitch actually shows witchcraft at its nitty and gritty, fun at times but also destructive, consuming, evil and damn right fearsome.
This sequel is ideal for those who love reading about found families, forbidden love, witchcraft, love, curses, dark magic and complex storylines that intertwine and are resolved as the story progresses.
April 27, 2024
The writing is poetic, lyrical and engaging. The book is mysterious and filled with danger, curse, love, prophecy, secrets from the past, revenge and unthinkable happenings. Though it focuses more on siblings bond.
Anna and Effie are sisters. But they were kept apart. Anna’s aunt has died but her Aunt’s death, memories and thoughts still haunts her. So many heartbreaking things happened in the previous book. Anna learned about the secret that her Aunt lock her dreams so that she can’t unlock her powers and her darkest secrets as well. Effie’s secrets and all the evocative memories of Anna’s parent’s death. As well the tragic happenings.
Now Anna is working on her magic so that she can able to control it or bind it but danger is still lurking around them and she is finding a way to break the curse. In an attempt to break it, she discovers buried secrets, learn about Hel, prophecy, tragic death of witches in the past, book of shadows and they both are trying to save Attis. The curse that breaks them also brings them together and the prophecy is powerful. The mystery of the hysteria kept me on the edge. The world building is perilous and complex. I loved the characters and how they work on each other. I liked Manda, Selene, Darcey and Attis too. The book ended on cliffhanger, I need the next book. I loved it.
Many Thanks to the Publisher and Author
Anna and Effie are sisters. But they were kept apart. Anna’s aunt has died but her Aunt’s death, memories and thoughts still haunts her. So many heartbreaking things happened in the previous book. Anna learned about the secret that her Aunt lock her dreams so that she can’t unlock her powers and her darkest secrets as well. Effie’s secrets and all the evocative memories of Anna’s parent’s death. As well the tragic happenings.
Now Anna is working on her magic so that she can able to control it or bind it but danger is still lurking around them and she is finding a way to break the curse. In an attempt to break it, she discovers buried secrets, learn about Hel, prophecy, tragic death of witches in the past, book of shadows and they both are trying to save Attis. The curse that breaks them also brings them together and the prophecy is powerful. The mystery of the hysteria kept me on the edge. The world building is perilous and complex. I loved the characters and how they work on each other. I liked Manda, Selene, Darcey and Attis too. The book ended on cliffhanger, I need the next book. I loved it.
Many Thanks to the Publisher and Author
April 11, 2025
i remember being absolutely in love with the first book in this series. i didn't do a reread, though, as it is quite the story. it was very easy to get into this one, but i have to admit i wasn't a fan of the pacing. it was so incredibly slow, and i felt almost nothing happened.
March 28, 2024
Cari Thomas has been a sure fire ‘she produces amazing books’ author and I LOVE this series. So I could not wait to get well and truly stuck in and it was everythingggg.
So happy to be back. It’s so well constructed you feel as if you’ve literally stepped into another world and the escapism is next level. The writing is seriously amazing and even though it’d been a fair while since I read the previous book, I found that I slipped effortlessly back into this world like I’d never left it.
The cursed sisters. The forbidden boy. Magic. It couldn’t have hooked me more if it tried.
Even though it’s a fair chonk of a book, it didn’t make for hard reading and I normally struggle with 500+ page books as it can be harder to remain engaged if it doesn’t keep up with good pacing but it was perfect. In fact, if anything, I wanted it to be longer! I could have read 1000+ pages and still wanted more.
Effie continues to absolutely infuriate me and I love to hate her, Anna you long for her to break free from her fear and discover who she is and the underpinning curse throughout the story is so compelling. Also, as Rowan is my absolute favourite character, I loved catching up with her and seeing her within the story. Manda too and Attis - they make for one epic coven.
It was just as good as I hoped it would be and as ever, I can’t wait for the next instalment of the series. GAH I’m so happy to be back reading this world and now I’ve finished it, I feel bereft. And after such an amazing ending too! Counting down the days until the next now, I need it yesterday!!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
So happy to be back. It’s so well constructed you feel as if you’ve literally stepped into another world and the escapism is next level. The writing is seriously amazing and even though it’d been a fair while since I read the previous book, I found that I slipped effortlessly back into this world like I’d never left it.
The cursed sisters. The forbidden boy. Magic. It couldn’t have hooked me more if it tried.
Even though it’s a fair chonk of a book, it didn’t make for hard reading and I normally struggle with 500+ page books as it can be harder to remain engaged if it doesn’t keep up with good pacing but it was perfect. In fact, if anything, I wanted it to be longer! I could have read 1000+ pages and still wanted more.
Effie continues to absolutely infuriate me and I love to hate her, Anna you long for her to break free from her fear and discover who she is and the underpinning curse throughout the story is so compelling. Also, as Rowan is my absolute favourite character, I loved catching up with her and seeing her within the story. Manda too and Attis - they make for one epic coven.
It was just as good as I hoped it would be and as ever, I can’t wait for the next instalment of the series. GAH I’m so happy to be back reading this world and now I’ve finished it, I feel bereft. And after such an amazing ending too! Counting down the days until the next now, I need it yesterday!!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
July 21, 2024
This book just dragged, and was so much of the same drama over and over that I found myself skimming a lot of it. And then it’s left for another installment after 600+ pages. I won’t be coming back for the next, even if I am curious how it all ends. The writing was just a bit jumbled that it lacked momentum. It sped up towards the end but then leaves on a cliffhanger. I also found multiple typos and spelling errors and think this could do with a serious edit (the worst for this baker being calling French macarons, macaroons - come on, editors! Were you skimming too???).
A promising plot but sadly it fell short and has definitely put me off continuing the series.
A promising plot but sadly it fell short and has definitely put me off continuing the series.
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