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The Magicians of Venice #2
The Sea of the Dead
The battle for Venice might be over, but the war is just beginning… Penelope’s and Alexis’s adventure continues in the second installment of The Magicians of Venice series.
Penelope has accepted her role as the new Archivist for the magicians, but with war brewing with the priests of Thevetat and the tide of magic on the rise, she’s going to have to learn her way around her new and dangerous world if she has any hope of outsmarting their enemies.
When Penelope’s friend and fellow archaeologist, Tim, uncovers a scroll containing a magical secret lost in the Dead Sea for two thousand years, Penelope and Alexis must travel to Israel to find him before Abaddon and Kreios get there first.
To defeat Thevetat and his followers, they’ll need to find a weapon capable of ending him for good, and as her old life collides with her new, Penelope will pay the ultimate price to keep the secrets of the magicians safe.
Penelope has accepted her role as the new Archivist for the magicians, but with war brewing with the priests of Thevetat and the tide of magic on the rise, she’s going to have to learn her way around her new and dangerous world if she has any hope of outsmarting their enemies.
When Penelope’s friend and fellow archaeologist, Tim, uncovers a scroll containing a magical secret lost in the Dead Sea for two thousand years, Penelope and Alexis must travel to Israel to find him before Abaddon and Kreios get there first.
To defeat Thevetat and his followers, they’ll need to find a weapon capable of ending him for good, and as her old life collides with her new, Penelope will pay the ultimate price to keep the secrets of the magicians safe.
292 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2020
77 people are currently reading
1017 people want to read
About the author
Amy Kuivalainen
50 books432 followersAmy is a best-selling author of fantasy, paranormal, and romance novels. After realizing she wasn't fit for academia, she channelled her passion for ancient history, magic, and mythology into her storytelling. With Amy's books, you can always expect adventure, mystery, and sizzling romance.
For those wondering, her Finnish surname is pronounced 'Quiver-lay-nen.'
For those wondering, her Finnish surname is pronounced 'Quiver-lay-nen.'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
July 18, 2020
3 STARS ★★★✩✩
⤐ Overall.
My reaction when I found out about this sequel:
My reaction when I got approved for the arc:
My reaction after finishing the arc:
It's not hard to deduct that I wasn't particularly wooed by The Sea of the Dead. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the plot a lot of the time. I wasn't bored out of my mind or maddened by any of the content, but sitting at the edge of your seat because the suspense is killing The Immortal City was such an unexpected pleasure and a great introduction into the NetGalley part of my life, the sequel really put a damper on the series as a whole. I'm honestly not even sure whether I'd continue/complete The Magicians of Venice.
The mythology part of the plot seemed mostly believable although I get very confused when people claim not to be religious but then call themselves spiritual. If it's some New Age candle and plant shit and you wanna call that spiritual, fine, keep fooling yourself. If it's believing in higher powers of any kind it's got nothing to do with spirituality, it is religious. Thanks for coming to my Tedtalk.
⤐ What’s happening.
This assessment at the eyes of a sea dragon is only a tame element of the events Penelope, Alexis and the magicians of Venice will be going through in this book, in which an old friend of Penelope's sends her a scroll which hides a prophecy that could help rid the world of Thevetat and his priesthood once and for all.
_____________________
3 STARS. Decent read that I have neither strongly positive nor negative feelings about. Some thinks irked me and thus it does not qualify as exceptional.
_____________________
Many thanks to Amy Kuivalainen, BHC Press and NetGalley for providing me with this physical copy / audiobook / eArc in exchange for an honest review.
This book is for you if… you're really in the mood to continue this series and are confident that nothing will sour your mood easily. This as an okay-ish read only.
⤐ Overall.
My reaction when I found out about this sequel:
My reaction when I got approved for the arc:
My reaction after finishing the arc:
It's not hard to deduct that I wasn't particularly wooed by The Sea of the Dead. Unfortunately, I didn't feel the plot a lot of the time. I wasn't bored out of my mind or maddened by any of the content, but sitting at the edge of your seat because the suspense is killing The Immortal City was such an unexpected pleasure and a great introduction into the NetGalley part of my life, the sequel really put a damper on the series as a whole. I'm honestly not even sure whether I'd continue/complete The Magicians of Venice.
The mythology part of the plot seemed mostly believable although I get very confused when people claim not to be religious but then call themselves spiritual. If it's some New Age candle and plant shit and you wanna call that spiritual, fine, keep fooling yourself. If it's believing in higher powers of any kind it's got nothing to do with spirituality, it is religious. Thanks for coming to my Tedtalk.
⤐ What’s happening.
‘On her list of things that would never happen to her, being assessed as girlfriend material by a sea dragon was at the top.’
This assessment at the eyes of a sea dragon is only a tame element of the events Penelope, Alexis and the magicians of Venice will be going through in this book, in which an old friend of Penelope's sends her a scroll which hides a prophecy that could help rid the world of Thevetat and his priesthood once and for all.
_____________________
3 STARS. Decent read that I have neither strongly positive nor negative feelings about. Some thinks irked me and thus it does not qualify as exceptional.
_____________________
Many thanks to Amy Kuivalainen, BHC Press and NetGalley for providing me with this physical copy / audiobook / eArc in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2024
I was so excited to be back with Penelope and Alexis and all the rest of the Magicians in THE SEA OF THE DEAD. This one has even more connections to ancient history but focuses more on the Dead Sea rather than Atlantis, though everything ties back to our villains Abaddon and Kreios. I found it really interesting the way this book explored Penelope’s struggles when her two worlds collided. She’s a part of the Magicians family now and she’ll do whatever it takes to protect them and their secrets but it’s the first time she’s been confronted with keeping so much from her friends. This leads to some pain for Penelope but it was an aspect of fantasy/paranormal books that I don’t often see explored.
In terms of the romance, I adored how flirty Alexis and Penelope were. They had great banter in the first book but now they’re a lot more comfortable with each other and that sexiness just jumped off the page. I went into this series because the fantasy side sounded really interesting but I’ve been so happy with how the romance has turned out and I’d recommend it to any romance reader who enjoys fantasy/paranormal elements.
Once again I loved the other Magicians and it was nice to get some more of their histories; we learned a lot about Zo in particular in this one which I loved because he might be my favorite, other than Alexis of course. I also hope we continue to see Phaidros and Aelia grow closer though it sounds like they may have some unexpected challenges in the next book.
Content Warning: death of a friend; references to the torture and rape of a side character
In terms of the romance, I adored how flirty Alexis and Penelope were. They had great banter in the first book but now they’re a lot more comfortable with each other and that sexiness just jumped off the page. I went into this series because the fantasy side sounded really interesting but I’ve been so happy with how the romance has turned out and I’d recommend it to any romance reader who enjoys fantasy/paranormal elements.
Once again I loved the other Magicians and it was nice to get some more of their histories; we learned a lot about Zo in particular in this one which I loved because he might be my favorite, other than Alexis of course. I also hope we continue to see Phaidros and Aelia grow closer though it sounds like they may have some unexpected challenges in the next book.
Content Warning: death of a friend; references to the torture and rape of a side character
July 6, 2020
Another delightful story from Amy Kuivalainen. For the life of me, I don't understand why this series isn't trending like wildfire among the urban fantasy / paranormal romance / historical fiction crowd.
Penelope is settling into her new life as the Archivist for the magicians of Venice, learning about her new abilities and getting to know the collection that she stewards (and her new handsome beau, Alexis). Unexpectedly, she receives a strange piece of mail from Tim, a close friend and fellow archaeologist, that suggests that not only has he stumbled into a strange magical artifact, but that he is now being chased by the same evil cultists that have been troubling the magicians.
Penelope and her new family must find Tim before his pursuers, solve the mystery behind his great find, and reckon with a new and disturbing prophecy that ties them all together.
An exciting read, and I eagerly await book three.
arc received from the publisher
Penelope is settling into her new life as the Archivist for the magicians of Venice, learning about her new abilities and getting to know the collection that she stewards (and her new handsome beau, Alexis). Unexpectedly, she receives a strange piece of mail from Tim, a close friend and fellow archaeologist, that suggests that not only has he stumbled into a strange magical artifact, but that he is now being chased by the same evil cultists that have been troubling the magicians.
Penelope and her new family must find Tim before his pursuers, solve the mystery behind his great find, and reckon with a new and disturbing prophecy that ties them all together.
An exciting read, and I eagerly await book three.
arc received from the publisher
July 9, 2020
Thanks Netgalley for the review copy.
First of all: This is the second book in The Magicians of Venice series, and I really recommend that you read the amazing The Immortal City first. This is more than just a simple continuation of Penelope's journey from book 1.
In this story, Penelope, Alexis (swoon), and her Magician friends leave beautiful Venice to go to Israel to find a missing person.
There are still the aspects that I adored about book 1: Rich history, (lore and facts combined) that is brilliantly woven into a mystery story. I can hardly find a word to describe this brilliant genre that Kuivalainen creates: Mystery? Adventure? Fantasy? With some Crime? AND Romance. Genius!
The storytelling and world-building are great, the characters layered and interesting,, and the research the author puts into her writing is just brilliant.I want to be Penelope and live in the libraries and archives she visits.
There are also always flashbacks to the past that are just as interesting as the present story.
Definitely a recommendation!
First of all: This is the second book in The Magicians of Venice series, and I really recommend that you read the amazing The Immortal City first. This is more than just a simple continuation of Penelope's journey from book 1.
In this story, Penelope, Alexis (swoon), and her Magician friends leave beautiful Venice to go to Israel to find a missing person.
There are still the aspects that I adored about book 1: Rich history, (lore and facts combined) that is brilliantly woven into a mystery story. I can hardly find a word to describe this brilliant genre that Kuivalainen creates: Mystery? Adventure? Fantasy? With some Crime? AND Romance. Genius!
The storytelling and world-building are great, the characters layered and interesting,, and the research the author puts into her writing is just brilliant.I want to be Penelope and live in the libraries and archives she visits.
There are also always flashbacks to the past that are just as interesting as the present story.
Definitely a recommendation!
September 18, 2020
Book two in our beloved Magicians of Venice series takes us on a trip to Israel and the Dead Sea, where a new cave has been discovered carrying an ancient scroll discovered by an old friend of Penelope's.
New discoveries show us that the Priests of Thevetat are also after this scroll for it carries the secret to destroying their Master and his twisted plans.
As always, I am stunned by how realistic Amy makes the story. This is Paranormal Fantasy at it's best. There are very few moment in the book where I thought, this could never happen.
Fantastic books 2 with an ending that leaves me wanting more.
New discoveries show us that the Priests of Thevetat are also after this scroll for it carries the secret to destroying their Master and his twisted plans.
As always, I am stunned by how realistic Amy makes the story. This is Paranormal Fantasy at it's best. There are very few moment in the book where I thought, this could never happen.
Fantastic books 2 with an ending that leaves me wanting more.
June 10, 2020
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Peneople Bryne and the Magicians are back in a splendid follow up to The Immortal City. After near death experiences with ancient enemies Penelope barely has time to settle into her new role as the Archivist before another threat emerges. Her fellow scholar and old friend Tim goes missing after finding a scroll. This scroll could be the key to unraveling the mysterious disappearance of an ancient civilization thousands of years ago. Can Penelope and the fellow Magicians find Tim before a demonic priesthood can use him and the scroll to bring forth an evil like the world has never seen?
I cannot sing my praise of this series enough! Book 1 lead us on a great adventure that left very little for me to criticize besides the typical "love and infatuation at first sight/most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on" trope we often see in this genre of book. But that didn't deter me when the story proved to be so well thought out and executed, I quite literally couldn't sleep wondering what was going to happen next. The Sea of the Dead was an even better dose of this world, and with an already established relationship between Penelope and Alexis I have nothing left to complain about. The romance was still plenty present, but it didn't overpower the equisite world the author weaved.
The new characters offer the author an expanded sandbox to continue construction on this series I honestly wish would never end. I have heard rumor that it will be a trilogy and I will be pleased as punch to be allowed atleast one more run around with ALL of these characters. The Magicians all have depth and don't read as
supporting characters, often times outshining Penelope on the page and I'm certainly not complaining. The villians are like ogres in that they have layers....layers for days.
Overall, I highly recommend BOTH of these novels. I gave The Immortal City a four star rating and The Sea of the Dead an extremely bright five star rating. There is very little adult content so I would say the age range could be from 13 and up as there is some violence in the first one that could be seen as inappropriate for younger readers.
Dr. Peneople Bryne and the Magicians are back in a splendid follow up to The Immortal City. After near death experiences with ancient enemies Penelope barely has time to settle into her new role as the Archivist before another threat emerges. Her fellow scholar and old friend Tim goes missing after finding a scroll. This scroll could be the key to unraveling the mysterious disappearance of an ancient civilization thousands of years ago. Can Penelope and the fellow Magicians find Tim before a demonic priesthood can use him and the scroll to bring forth an evil like the world has never seen?
I cannot sing my praise of this series enough! Book 1 lead us on a great adventure that left very little for me to criticize besides the typical "love and infatuation at first sight/most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on" trope we often see in this genre of book. But that didn't deter me when the story proved to be so well thought out and executed, I quite literally couldn't sleep wondering what was going to happen next. The Sea of the Dead was an even better dose of this world, and with an already established relationship between Penelope and Alexis I have nothing left to complain about. The romance was still plenty present, but it didn't overpower the equisite world the author weaved.
The new characters offer the author an expanded sandbox to continue construction on this series I honestly wish would never end. I have heard rumor that it will be a trilogy and I will be pleased as punch to be allowed atleast one more run around with ALL of these characters. The Magicians all have depth and don't read as
supporting characters, often times outshining Penelope on the page and I'm certainly not complaining. The villians are like ogres in that they have layers....layers for days.
Overall, I highly recommend BOTH of these novels. I gave The Immortal City a four star rating and The Sea of the Dead an extremely bright five star rating. There is very little adult content so I would say the age range could be from 13 and up as there is some violence in the first one that could be seen as inappropriate for younger readers.
July 29, 2022
3 firecracker Stars
It was a nice, entertaining book but I didn't like this book as much as the previous one and I was a bit disappointed.
The investigation in ancient history continues but moved to the near East and we get more magic, that was very nice.
But we don't get enough character development or relationship development.
Also the pace felt off to me and often failed to keep my attention.
I was excited to get to know the magicians better in this book but they're almost invisible. I'm especially sad we didn't get to see much of Alexis.
There was also a problem with the interactions between Penelope and her friends, they didn't really feel believable. For example, at one point Penelope and Carolyn exchange 2 words and suddenly Penelope is incredibly mad and pissy for what felt like no reason (especially for people who have been friends for most of their adult lives). Overall, for people in their thirties they felt like college students and were very stereotypical.
I think the author struggled with how to show what she wanted to tell us.
Hopefully all of that will get better in the next book, which I will enthusiastically read.
On a very personal note, there was an abusive use of the word "always", which annoyed me to no end.
It was a nice, entertaining book but I didn't like this book as much as the previous one and I was a bit disappointed.
The investigation in ancient history continues but moved to the near East and we get more magic, that was very nice.
But we don't get enough character development or relationship development.
Also the pace felt off to me and often failed to keep my attention.
I was excited to get to know the magicians better in this book but they're almost invisible. I'm especially sad we didn't get to see much of Alexis.
There was also a problem with the interactions between Penelope and her friends, they didn't really feel believable. For example, at one point Penelope and Carolyn exchange 2 words and suddenly Penelope is incredibly mad and pissy for what felt like no reason (especially for people who have been friends for most of their adult lives). Overall, for people in their thirties they felt like college students and were very stereotypical.
I think the author struggled with how to show what she wanted to tell us.
Hopefully all of that will get better in the next book, which I will enthusiastically read.
On a very personal note, there was an abusive use of the word "always", which annoyed me to no end.
December 21, 2020
First off, the book was well-researched!
It was just not a pleasure to read. It felt like miles of dialogue interspersed with some mythological, religious, cultural references.
I had hoped it would be as good as Book 1, The Immortal City. It started strong but then somehow fizzled out.
It was just not a pleasure to read. It felt like miles of dialogue interspersed with some mythological, religious, cultural references.
I had hoped it would be as good as Book 1, The Immortal City. It started strong but then somehow fizzled out.
February 25, 2022
I started this book with low expectations but I didn't expect it to be so underwhelming.
The way the author dealt with certain characters was disappointing, it felt like she "wasted" their potential. Also, there isn't any real development of Pen and Alexis's relationship.
The plot often felt like it wasn't going anywhere, it was quite boring and I had to force myself to stay focused and read page after page.
The way the author dealt with certain characters was disappointing, it felt like she "wasted" their potential. Also, there isn't any real development of Pen and Alexis's relationship.
The plot often felt like it wasn't going anywhere, it was quite boring and I had to force myself to stay focused and read page after page.
October 26, 2021
The plot went from Venice to Sea of the Dead and the fun didn't follow.
Penelope kinda began to develop but Alexis didn't, he was held down by his politeness.
There was more life in all other Magicians, individually! then in the two of them together, there was even more life in Penelope's two friends that were supporting characters then in the two of them together.
Penelope kinda began to develop but Alexis didn't, he was held down by his politeness.
There was more life in all other Magicians, individually! then in the two of them together, there was even more life in Penelope's two friends that were supporting characters then in the two of them together.
January 4, 2022
“Never underestimate the ravings of madmen,” Zo said. “They see things far more clearly than we do.”
Zo is honestly the GOAT.
FRTC.
Zo is honestly the GOAT.
FRTC.
December 19, 2023
Perfect continuation of The Immortal City. I love seeing the character growth from Alexis and Penelope as well as all of the loveable magicians.
Amy did a nice job of pushing the plot along in a very succinct way, while highlight the struggle of Penelope growing into her powers and away from certain people in her life. It felt raw and real.
Can’t wait to read the conclusion of this series.
4.5/5
Amy did a nice job of pushing the plot along in a very succinct way, while highlight the struggle of Penelope growing into her powers and away from certain people in her life. It felt raw and real.
Can’t wait to read the conclusion of this series.
4.5/5
November 12, 2020
This second in the series wasn't as good as the first. Archeologist, and now fledgling magician, is still recovering from her battle with the adherents of a demon god in Venice with her immortal-ish friends from Atlantis when she gets a mysterious package from her friend Tim. This group heads to Tel Aviv to rescue Tim and continue their mission to route out and destroy the cult of the demon. There wasn't quite as much action in this book. It seemed more a placeholder with a few bits of information moving towards the third book in the series. A few new and interesting characters are introduced and we learn more about the Atlantean's histories but overall it felt like more of a pause in the story.
July 29, 2020
You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.wordpress.com
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, BHC, and the author via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Sea of the Dead picks up just about where The Immortal City pretty much left off. Penelope is the Archivist and she is navigating her new found relationship with Alexis as carefully as she can stand. Meanwhile, Tim Sanders, Penelope's friend from Uni is on a dig out in the Dead Sea when he stumbles upon a lost scroll believed to be from the Essenes. When the scroll turns up on Penelope's doorstep she realises that Tim may be in more trouble than he bargained for as the scroll seems to have ties to Abaddon and Kreios. They must find him before the priests of Thevetat do. When Penelope can't keep her friend Carolyn away, she'll soon find out the sacrifices one must make when faced with life with the Magicians.
When I saw this cover on the Netgalley dashboard, I thought "ooh, that's a pretty cover..." then I had a moment of realisation that it reminded me of another e-galley that I had read last year pretty much exactly a year ago from today and I nearly had a conniption. I realised that it WAS in fact the second book in the Magicians of Venice series and I was just beside myself until I got the confirmation notification that my review request had been accepted.
So, if you haven't read the first book in this series, which is titled - The Immortal City - stop right now, turn around and go back, read that book, then come back. Trust me, this is a series that needs to be read in order for you to truly understand what's going on, the character relationships, and I think, just to generally enjoy the novel in itself.
Now, I was pretty surprised when I looked back on my review of the first book, because I remember getting to the end and going "wow, I enjoyed that story" yet I only gave it a three star rating, and I do remember why, I just felt like I had rated it a little higher than that, given my excitement upon recognising this book as it's follow up. But no matter, I'll stop rambling and get to the review.
Sea of the Dead picks up pretty much straight after the events of The Immortal City, though the story opens on Tim Sanders in the Dead Sea on a dig when he stumbles upon a scroll. The action was go go go from the beginning because of this. Things in Venice are much as we remember them, and I love that there was no awkward reacquanting ourself with the story, it was as though it was a continuation of the previous instalment, which I absolutely LOVE in a series. It adds a level of continuity to a story that I think is important.
Penelope is trying to acclimate to being the Archivist and the Magicians are going about being Magicians, so nothing much has changed there. They're still on the hunt for the Priests of Thevetat and are working with Marco in Venice to try and find them all and get rid of them. When the scroll drags Penelope's normal life into her new magician life, things take a turn for the hectic. Not only does Penelope have to deal with the realisation that she's not the same person that she was, she also starts to realise how difficult it is for her best friends to be a part of this new life she's created.
The story's pacing was good and I felt like I got through this one much quicker and easier than the first, though granted, this book didn't have a world, magic system, and history to create, which I think made a huge difference as well. We were able to just drop into the world and know how it worked and what was going on. The story kept me guessing and kept me glued to the book needing to know what happened next, in all honesty, the action didn't really let up at all. I am curious to know what happened to the cats though...
The characters are still the same ones that we know and love from the first book, and I'm here for all of them. I have a weird soft spot for Lyca and I really hope we get to see her take more of a forward placement in the story as it progresses.
While the overarching storyline of Thevetat is no where near finished in this instalment, the plot of this novel is wrapped up, and while the ending was slightly predictable in ways, it didn't take away from the story at all for me.
This is a wonderful series of magic, romance, and history and I want more people to recognise how enjoyable it is! The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because it didn't give that good book tingle that I get sometimes from a book that has just blown me away. Otherwise it's a great continuation onto the story and I'm looking forward to the next one!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, BHC, and the author via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Sea of the Dead picks up just about where The Immortal City pretty much left off. Penelope is the Archivist and she is navigating her new found relationship with Alexis as carefully as she can stand. Meanwhile, Tim Sanders, Penelope's friend from Uni is on a dig out in the Dead Sea when he stumbles upon a lost scroll believed to be from the Essenes. When the scroll turns up on Penelope's doorstep she realises that Tim may be in more trouble than he bargained for as the scroll seems to have ties to Abaddon and Kreios. They must find him before the priests of Thevetat do. When Penelope can't keep her friend Carolyn away, she'll soon find out the sacrifices one must make when faced with life with the Magicians.
When I saw this cover on the Netgalley dashboard, I thought "ooh, that's a pretty cover..." then I had a moment of realisation that it reminded me of another e-galley that I had read last year pretty much exactly a year ago from today and I nearly had a conniption. I realised that it WAS in fact the second book in the Magicians of Venice series and I was just beside myself until I got the confirmation notification that my review request had been accepted.
So, if you haven't read the first book in this series, which is titled - The Immortal City - stop right now, turn around and go back, read that book, then come back. Trust me, this is a series that needs to be read in order for you to truly understand what's going on, the character relationships, and I think, just to generally enjoy the novel in itself.
Now, I was pretty surprised when I looked back on my review of the first book, because I remember getting to the end and going "wow, I enjoyed that story" yet I only gave it a three star rating, and I do remember why, I just felt like I had rated it a little higher than that, given my excitement upon recognising this book as it's follow up. But no matter, I'll stop rambling and get to the review.
Sea of the Dead picks up pretty much straight after the events of The Immortal City, though the story opens on Tim Sanders in the Dead Sea on a dig when he stumbles upon a scroll. The action was go go go from the beginning because of this. Things in Venice are much as we remember them, and I love that there was no awkward reacquanting ourself with the story, it was as though it was a continuation of the previous instalment, which I absolutely LOVE in a series. It adds a level of continuity to a story that I think is important.
Penelope is trying to acclimate to being the Archivist and the Magicians are going about being Magicians, so nothing much has changed there. They're still on the hunt for the Priests of Thevetat and are working with Marco in Venice to try and find them all and get rid of them. When the scroll drags Penelope's normal life into her new magician life, things take a turn for the hectic. Not only does Penelope have to deal with the realisation that she's not the same person that she was, she also starts to realise how difficult it is for her best friends to be a part of this new life she's created.
The story's pacing was good and I felt like I got through this one much quicker and easier than the first, though granted, this book didn't have a world, magic system, and history to create, which I think made a huge difference as well. We were able to just drop into the world and know how it worked and what was going on. The story kept me guessing and kept me glued to the book needing to know what happened next, in all honesty, the action didn't really let up at all. I am curious to know what happened to the cats though...
The characters are still the same ones that we know and love from the first book, and I'm here for all of them. I have a weird soft spot for Lyca and I really hope we get to see her take more of a forward placement in the story as it progresses.
While the overarching storyline of Thevetat is no where near finished in this instalment, the plot of this novel is wrapped up, and while the ending was slightly predictable in ways, it didn't take away from the story at all for me.
This is a wonderful series of magic, romance, and history and I want more people to recognise how enjoyable it is! The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because it didn't give that good book tingle that I get sometimes from a book that has just blown me away. Otherwise it's a great continuation onto the story and I'm looking forward to the next one!
August 31, 2020
The Sea of the Dead follows through on the promise of the intricate new magical world started in last year's The Immortal City. It picks up after the events of Immortal City as Alexis, Penelope, the delightful Marco Dandolo, and the rest of the Magicians of Atlantis are trying to come to grips with entering a new war against the demon Thevetat. But it's Penelope's world that brings them the next clue, in the shape of her friend Tim Sanders. An archaeologist focusing on the Dead Sea, Tim finds a scroll with a curse on it, but stays sane long enough to send the scroll to Penelope to keep from Thevetat's acolytes, who are hunting him for it. Penelope and her best friend Carolyn go to Israel to find Tim and become caught up in the race to find prophecies from the Dead Sea Scrolls before the demon's followers can bring about more destruction.
Part of what I enjoyed about The Immortal City was the almost non-stop action and danger. Penelope gets thrown into the deep end and has to sink or swim- and in the process of following her heart she becomes a part of an amazing new world of magic and mysteries. There's almost no time to think, its all about action and instinct. The Sea of the Dead takes a different approach with slower pacing, less instant and violent danger at every corner, and the chance for the characters to think through their actions and choices in ways they couldn't in The Immortal City. Here, they aren't trying to stop a serial killer on a deadline but are trying to unravel a prophecy Tim has found in order to take the next steps in the war against Thevetat. And the change of pace and mindset works surprisingly well. As instantly explosive as Penelope and Alexis were in The Immortal City, in Sea of the Dead, we get to see both of them trying to figure out what their relationship is when there is no life or death threat hanging over them. They have plenty to learn about each other, and how a relationship between them could work- and both are charmingly awkward and afraid to take the steps necessary to figure it out.
Penelope's old world and new collide here as she brings her two best friends into the circle, with mixed success. Carolyn and Tim react very differently to the knowledge that magic is real and a lot of the emotional punch the book gives us is in how they handle that knowledge- and with how Penelope has changed because of that knowledge. I also loved getting to see the magicians in different settings, to learn more about their pasts- either in throw away lines or in deeper memories. They've each got thousands of years of experiences that made them who they are and we get to peel through the layers with Penelope to discover them. The improving relationship between Phaidros and Aleia is lovely to watch, and we get to see a new a protective side of both Lyca and Zo that is great.
The Sea of the Dead is wonderfully written, with masterfully detailed world-building and plenty of suspenseful action and emotion. A new reader could start here and not be overly lost, but I would still recommend starting the series with The Immortal City. Although not exactly a cliffhanger, the end is clearly ramping everyone up for an epic Book 3. Hopefully in Book 3 we'll get lots more of Marco and the story of the Dandolo family and the Magicians, as well as the wonderful relationship between Penelope and Alexis and Phaidros and Aliea. Between sea monsters and secrets, deserts and the waters of Venice, heartbreak and the beautiful discovery of love, The Sea of the Dead has it all, and will thrill fantasy lovers everywhere.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Part of what I enjoyed about The Immortal City was the almost non-stop action and danger. Penelope gets thrown into the deep end and has to sink or swim- and in the process of following her heart she becomes a part of an amazing new world of magic and mysteries. There's almost no time to think, its all about action and instinct. The Sea of the Dead takes a different approach with slower pacing, less instant and violent danger at every corner, and the chance for the characters to think through their actions and choices in ways they couldn't in The Immortal City. Here, they aren't trying to stop a serial killer on a deadline but are trying to unravel a prophecy Tim has found in order to take the next steps in the war against Thevetat. And the change of pace and mindset works surprisingly well. As instantly explosive as Penelope and Alexis were in The Immortal City, in Sea of the Dead, we get to see both of them trying to figure out what their relationship is when there is no life or death threat hanging over them. They have plenty to learn about each other, and how a relationship between them could work- and both are charmingly awkward and afraid to take the steps necessary to figure it out.
Penelope's old world and new collide here as she brings her two best friends into the circle, with mixed success. Carolyn and Tim react very differently to the knowledge that magic is real and a lot of the emotional punch the book gives us is in how they handle that knowledge- and with how Penelope has changed because of that knowledge. I also loved getting to see the magicians in different settings, to learn more about their pasts- either in throw away lines or in deeper memories. They've each got thousands of years of experiences that made them who they are and we get to peel through the layers with Penelope to discover them. The improving relationship between Phaidros and Aleia is lovely to watch, and we get to see a new a protective side of both Lyca and Zo that is great.
The Sea of the Dead is wonderfully written, with masterfully detailed world-building and plenty of suspenseful action and emotion. A new reader could start here and not be overly lost, but I would still recommend starting the series with The Immortal City. Although not exactly a cliffhanger, the end is clearly ramping everyone up for an epic Book 3. Hopefully in Book 3 we'll get lots more of Marco and the story of the Dandolo family and the Magicians, as well as the wonderful relationship between Penelope and Alexis and Phaidros and Aliea. Between sea monsters and secrets, deserts and the waters of Venice, heartbreak and the beautiful discovery of love, The Sea of the Dead has it all, and will thrill fantasy lovers everywhere.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
June 26, 2020
A debatable belief I have when it comes to sequels is that they should be able to read as standalone books even though they use their predecessors as foundations. I shouldn't feel like a chicken with its head cut off. It's why games like Uncharted work. Why you can read most of Harry Potter out of order. A sequel has to be a good book no matter what came before it. It's also imperative that if there are things you need to know that they are revealed organically and not thrown at you without giving you a chance to breathe.
There was a lot of see-sawing with the development of the story. The prologue with Tim in the cave had me hooked and I thought this might be the book to pull me out of the three-star funk I've found myself in lately. Once you meet the thousands of years old magicians things become muddled. Six characters are introduced, as are the enemy organization and the Villain. It's rushed at you. Part of it was to let us know where we are in the story after the events of book one which I haven't read but for new readers, it's too much information. This happens again the next time we have an Alexis point of view chapter. More names, more groups of people. It doesn't give me a chance to ease into the world.
For what it is worth, this book is well written despite what I would call the requirement for you to have read book one. Kuivalainen's detail with locations came across as meticulously researched and reminded me of the effort that Ubisoft puts into their Assassins Creed games. I haven't looked into it so I am unaware if this was supposed to skew towards a younger audience or not but it does. That also caught me off guard because the prologue was leading me to believe it could have been a very specific type of book and what I ended up with feels like something I could grab off of any bookstore shelf right now.
There was a lot of see-sawing with the development of the story. The prologue with Tim in the cave had me hooked and I thought this might be the book to pull me out of the three-star funk I've found myself in lately. Once you meet the thousands of years old magicians things become muddled. Six characters are introduced, as are the enemy organization and the Villain. It's rushed at you. Part of it was to let us know where we are in the story after the events of book one which I haven't read but for new readers, it's too much information. This happens again the next time we have an Alexis point of view chapter. More names, more groups of people. It doesn't give me a chance to ease into the world.
For what it is worth, this book is well written despite what I would call the requirement for you to have read book one. Kuivalainen's detail with locations came across as meticulously researched and reminded me of the effort that Ubisoft puts into their Assassins Creed games. I haven't looked into it so I am unaware if this was supposed to skew towards a younger audience or not but it does. That also caught me off guard because the prologue was leading me to believe it could have been a very specific type of book and what I ended up with feels like something I could grab off of any bookstore shelf right now.
September 25, 2020
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Full disclosure, when I requested The Sea of the Dead, I did not realize it is the second book in a series (The Immortal City is the first), and I missed A LOT in that book. I'm hoping to go back and read the first one to help fill in some of the holes.
That being said, this is a pretty cool book. I read somewhere that it is an Atlantis book...but I feel as though that is somewhat misleading. I'm not an expert on Atlantis lore, nor do I read a lot of books about it, but this book has a lot of different histories/legends/mythologies, which is very cool.
I liked the authors writing style. There were some parts that were a little heavy and slowed down the pace, but overall she does a good job of making thing easy to visualize.
The characters were just meh for me. Again, it may just be that I didn't form the connections I would have if I had read the first book. However, I feel like they were a little flat. Take Tim, for example.
Full disclosure, when I requested The Sea of the Dead, I did not realize it is the second book in a series (The Immortal City is the first), and I missed A LOT in that book. I'm hoping to go back and read the first one to help fill in some of the holes.
That being said, this is a pretty cool book. I read somewhere that it is an Atlantis book...but I feel as though that is somewhat misleading. I'm not an expert on Atlantis lore, nor do I read a lot of books about it, but this book has a lot of different histories/legends/mythologies, which is very cool.
I liked the authors writing style. There were some parts that were a little heavy and slowed down the pace, but overall she does a good job of making thing easy to visualize.
The characters were just meh for me. Again, it may just be that I didn't form the connections I would have if I had read the first book. However, I feel like they were a little flat. Take Tim, for example.
November 7, 2020
An Australian professor Penelope becomes an Archivist for the magicians, aka Atlantis survivors, but with war brewing with the priests of Thevetat and the tide of magic on the rise, she must learn to outsmart her enemies. When her friend and colleague, Tim, uncovers a scroll containing a magical secret lost in the Dead Sea for two thousand years, Penelope and her boyfriend, Alexis, travel to Israel to find him before Abaddon and Kreios get there first. To defeat Thevetat and his followers, they must find a powerful weapon capable to end him for good. As her old life collides with her new, Penelope will pay the ultimate price to keep the secrets of the magicians safe.
Pros
Overall, it’s an engaging story with a lot of vivid descriptions and action. I enjoyed reading about the palazzo in Venice and Elazar’s library in Israel. The friendship component of the story is also well developed. I loved learning more about Penelope’s relationship with her parents and her closest friends, Carolyn and Tim. The scenes between Penelope and Alexis often felt a bit stalled and sometimes too good to be true, but they did not take away from the story.
Cons
I did not agree with some of the characters’ choices, like using magic to erase memories or keeping secrets from best friends, but I realize these choices were part of the plot. Also, there were far too many references to the events from the previous book, sometimes making it challenging to follow the storyline. I had to reread certain section to understand what was happening. The ending was probably the biggest issue for me. It left me hanging by the thread. I was hoping for a more satisfying closure, but I guess it’s a trick often used with series.
All in all, it’s a great novel I would recommend to anyone interested in history and archaeology.
*I received a copy from LibraryThing in a n exchange for an honest review.
Pros
Overall, it’s an engaging story with a lot of vivid descriptions and action. I enjoyed reading about the palazzo in Venice and Elazar’s library in Israel. The friendship component of the story is also well developed. I loved learning more about Penelope’s relationship with her parents and her closest friends, Carolyn and Tim. The scenes between Penelope and Alexis often felt a bit stalled and sometimes too good to be true, but they did not take away from the story.
Cons
I did not agree with some of the characters’ choices, like using magic to erase memories or keeping secrets from best friends, but I realize these choices were part of the plot. Also, there were far too many references to the events from the previous book, sometimes making it challenging to follow the storyline. I had to reread certain section to understand what was happening. The ending was probably the biggest issue for me. It left me hanging by the thread. I was hoping for a more satisfying closure, but I guess it’s a trick often used with series.
All in all, it’s a great novel I would recommend to anyone interested in history and archaeology.
*I received a copy from LibraryThing in a n exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2022
3.5 stars!!
I love the plot of this book, but the writing is almost enough to make me not be able to read it. Just like the first one, the dialogue is awkward and lots of being told the emotions rather than being shown or feeling what the characters feel. It’s very surface. I love that it is magic and Atlantis and Venice. And it is good enough I will definitely read the last in the series.
And there are interactions that just don’t make sense. For example, when Carolyn finds out about magic, she’s made and then Penelope is mad that she is mad and brings up her belief in crystals and auras and then Carolyn is like “omg you’re right! Okay I believe in magic now and I’m not mad” and then a few pages later she is still mad????
Penelope says how much she cares for her friends but completely fails them, especially Tom. She is obsessed with her new life and her new boyfriend and just leaves the other magicians to handle Carolyn and Tom. She just ignores Tom while the dude is going through IT, and then has the audacity to be mad at him??? Like sis, the guy is so concerned for your safety and Carolyn’s and is hallucinating crazy things about magic and emperors and YOU’RE the one that can’t handle things!?!?
And the whole falling out between Constantine and Alexis. Such a let down… unless it is explained more in the next book. But Alexis is all brooding and “some memories are better then not remembered” but they only don’t talk cause Alexis didn’t want him to fight back against this one country and then just like didn’t plan on fighting with him? But also shook hands and were fine after there talk??? And that’s the horrible memory than made them next speak again..?
I love the plot of this book, but the writing is almost enough to make me not be able to read it. Just like the first one, the dialogue is awkward and lots of being told the emotions rather than being shown or feeling what the characters feel. It’s very surface. I love that it is magic and Atlantis and Venice. And it is good enough I will definitely read the last in the series.
And there are interactions that just don’t make sense. For example, when Carolyn finds out about magic, she’s made and then Penelope is mad that she is mad and brings up her belief in crystals and auras and then Carolyn is like “omg you’re right! Okay I believe in magic now and I’m not mad” and then a few pages later she is still mad????
Penelope says how much she cares for her friends but completely fails them, especially Tom. She is obsessed with her new life and her new boyfriend and just leaves the other magicians to handle Carolyn and Tom. She just ignores Tom while the dude is going through IT, and then has the audacity to be mad at him??? Like sis, the guy is so concerned for your safety and Carolyn’s and is hallucinating crazy things about magic and emperors and YOU’RE the one that can’t handle things!?!?
And the whole falling out between Constantine and Alexis. Such a let down… unless it is explained more in the next book. But Alexis is all brooding and “some memories are better then not remembered” but they only don’t talk cause Alexis didn’t want him to fight back against this one country and then just like didn’t plan on fighting with him? But also shook hands and were fine after there talk??? And that’s the horrible memory than made them next speak again..?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2020
"The Sea of the Dead" has been one of my most anticipated ARC books this year. I LOVED "The Immortal City"- urban fantasy/romance/history at its best. Which also made me very nervous for book two- but this was mostly as amazing as I hoped it would be :).
In a series, character growth is as important to me as the actual story line. I appreciate an author who can continue to write his or her characters in a way that furthers the plot. Book Two introduces Penelope's two close friends- Tim and Carolyn. As Penelope's two worlds merge, Penelope develops as a character- she has to consider to what extent she 'owes' explanations to her older friendships, but also what she needs to do to be loyal to her new ones. The author did a wonderful job with this while of course, pushing the magical plot forward.
My only complaint with this book was the romance between the two main characters. It reminded me of old teenage drama shows I loved as a teenager. Two characters nauseatingly obsessed with each other. As an adult, all I could think was, "I get it... I GET IT. Enough with describing how unbelievably sexy the man is. Yay. He looks good with clothing. YAY he looks good without clothing." If my tone didn't come through there, imagine lots of eye rolls.
The book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, but the episodic plot is resolved. I am very happy with this book (especially as a book 2), and look forward to what the next book has to offer. Thank you to Netgalley and BHC Press for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to author Amy Kuivalainen for an excellent follow-up. Definitely an author to keep watching!
In a series, character growth is as important to me as the actual story line. I appreciate an author who can continue to write his or her characters in a way that furthers the plot. Book Two introduces Penelope's two close friends- Tim and Carolyn. As Penelope's two worlds merge, Penelope develops as a character- she has to consider to what extent she 'owes' explanations to her older friendships, but also what she needs to do to be loyal to her new ones. The author did a wonderful job with this while of course, pushing the magical plot forward.
My only complaint with this book was the romance between the two main characters. It reminded me of old teenage drama shows I loved as a teenager. Two characters nauseatingly obsessed with each other. As an adult, all I could think was, "I get it... I GET IT. Enough with describing how unbelievably sexy the man is. Yay. He looks good with clothing. YAY he looks good without clothing." If my tone didn't come through there, imagine lots of eye rolls.
The book ends on a bit of a cliff-hanger, but the episodic plot is resolved. I am very happy with this book (especially as a book 2), and look forward to what the next book has to offer. Thank you to Netgalley and BHC Press for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to author Amy Kuivalainen for an excellent follow-up. Definitely an author to keep watching!
September 8, 2020
A great continuation of the Immortal city, a book filled with history, wonder and characters who despite being immortal are distinctly human in their pain and joy.
I really enjoyed this book, though it felt it was missing a little something towards the end. I kept expecting a big bang ending like in the first book, with Kreios and Abaddon finally showing if only to escape again, but this happened a bit differently and while it made sense, it wasn’t as satisfying as a big showdown might have been.
It was great to learn more about Penelope’s human friends – I really appreciated Carolyn’s character and the fact that we as humans think we know and understand something (magic) but once we’re faced with it, we react in an expected way (horror, disbelief).
Alexis was a wonderfully understanding lover, in more ways than one, and seeing a good, working, consensual relationship on the page was great. I don’t know why more authors don’t do it – hunks can be hot, powerful AND understanding. All other side relationships were developed well too, making every couple distinct because of the people taking part in it.
The Sea of the Dead was definitely an enjoyable read and I remain a strong fan of the series and Amy’s writing – it’s clean, with flowing prose and obvious research hours put in. I can’t wait for book 3, where I’m sure I will get my big showdown and sate my thirst for paranormal bloodshed.
I really enjoyed this book, though it felt it was missing a little something towards the end. I kept expecting a big bang ending like in the first book, with Kreios and Abaddon finally showing if only to escape again, but this happened a bit differently and while it made sense, it wasn’t as satisfying as a big showdown might have been.
It was great to learn more about Penelope’s human friends – I really appreciated Carolyn’s character and the fact that we as humans think we know and understand something (magic) but once we’re faced with it, we react in an expected way (horror, disbelief).
Alexis was a wonderfully understanding lover, in more ways than one, and seeing a good, working, consensual relationship on the page was great. I don’t know why more authors don’t do it – hunks can be hot, powerful AND understanding. All other side relationships were developed well too, making every couple distinct because of the people taking part in it.
The Sea of the Dead was definitely an enjoyable read and I remain a strong fan of the series and Amy’s writing – it’s clean, with flowing prose and obvious research hours put in. I can’t wait for book 3, where I’m sure I will get my big showdown and sate my thirst for paranormal bloodshed.
October 10, 2022
This story continues with Penelope and the magicians tracking down Thevetat’s followers to stop them before they make their next move.
While they confirm that dark power is still present in Venice, they are also pulled to the Dead Sea where Penelope’s past is meshed with her present.
She must protect her non magical friends, who unknowingly uncovered some more questions to be answered, but when exposed to Penn’s new world of magic and magicians, they don’t react the way she would hope.
So while she continues to search for answers she is torn between her loyalties and must decide what to do in order to embrace who she is in this new magical world and help stop Thevetat, even when they find out the scope of his plan…
It has prophecies, mythical creatures, curses, magical objects, visions, attacks, historical connections, more magic and more romance.
This part of the story uncovers as much about the plot as it does Penelope’s identity. I love how it explores the idea of personal growth and how it may change your relationships and motivations.
I loved Alexis before and I love him now and enjoy seeing his relationship with Penn strengthen. I love how she holds her own and he’s always there to support her, but will come for anyone that attempts to hurt her.
I’m excited to see how this story comes to a close.
“I don’t know how to merge both sides of myself. I don’t know how to be like I used to be with them and still be me. I’m still that person, and I’m not.”
While they confirm that dark power is still present in Venice, they are also pulled to the Dead Sea where Penelope’s past is meshed with her present.
She must protect her non magical friends, who unknowingly uncovered some more questions to be answered, but when exposed to Penn’s new world of magic and magicians, they don’t react the way she would hope.
So while she continues to search for answers she is torn between her loyalties and must decide what to do in order to embrace who she is in this new magical world and help stop Thevetat, even when they find out the scope of his plan…
It has prophecies, mythical creatures, curses, magical objects, visions, attacks, historical connections, more magic and more romance.
This part of the story uncovers as much about the plot as it does Penelope’s identity. I love how it explores the idea of personal growth and how it may change your relationships and motivations.
I loved Alexis before and I love him now and enjoy seeing his relationship with Penn strengthen. I love how she holds her own and he’s always there to support her, but will come for anyone that attempts to hurt her.
I’m excited to see how this story comes to a close.
“I don’t know how to merge both sides of myself. I don’t know how to be like I used to be with them and still be me. I’m still that person, and I’m not.”
June 11, 2024
Ugh. I need to read something actually good before I lose my mind .
The first one was fun; this one was… annoying for a plethora of reasons.
The romance was contrived, and boring. The characters were shallow; Penelope’s friends who were supposed to make something more out of the story were two-dimensional. So much more could have been done with Carolyn, instead she was a scared & useless aside.
The story was okay, but there was far too much unnecessary dialogue and not nearly enough action.
The ancient mysteries aspect was alright, but I think this type of storytelling gets a bit heady, especially with the “super smart academics know so much about Greek literature and name drop random philosophers at the drop of a pin.”
Also all of the magicians were like buddy-buddy with nearly every major historical figure that gets mentioned, which is like… ugh. *shakes head with exasperation.*
The plot twist with one of the villains could be alright, but I don’t think I’m going to read the third installment to find out.
Overall, just thoroughly unimpressed. Bored, frustrated. Penelope is becoming more and more of a Mary Sue, and the rest of the characters just kind of… follow her around?
I don’t know if anyone here has a true fatal flaw at all; they’re all too perfect and good.
Anyways. Here’s to hoping the books I put on hold at the library deliver me and that I find some fabulous writing here soon.
The first one was fun; this one was… annoying for a plethora of reasons.
The romance was contrived, and boring. The characters were shallow; Penelope’s friends who were supposed to make something more out of the story were two-dimensional. So much more could have been done with Carolyn, instead she was a scared & useless aside.
The story was okay, but there was far too much unnecessary dialogue and not nearly enough action.
The ancient mysteries aspect was alright, but I think this type of storytelling gets a bit heady, especially with the “super smart academics know so much about Greek literature and name drop random philosophers at the drop of a pin.”
Also all of the magicians were like buddy-buddy with nearly every major historical figure that gets mentioned, which is like… ugh. *shakes head with exasperation.*
The plot twist with one of the villains could be alright, but I don’t think I’m going to read the third installment to find out.
Overall, just thoroughly unimpressed. Bored, frustrated. Penelope is becoming more and more of a Mary Sue, and the rest of the characters just kind of… follow her around?
I don’t know if anyone here has a true fatal flaw at all; they’re all too perfect and good.
Anyways. Here’s to hoping the books I put on hold at the library deliver me and that I find some fabulous writing here soon.
July 27, 2020
thє ѕєα σf thє dєαd rєvíєw
🧳🦂🌔🗺🧳🦂🌔🗺🧳🦂🌔🗺🧳🦂🌔
To put it simply, Amy Kuivalainen has hit it out of the park again with Book 2 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 of the Magicians of Venice series!
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫stars!
🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️
If you haven’t heard of this series and are a fantasy/paranormal genre fanatic then you are missing out and NEED to run and get this series ASAP!
Book 1 of the series is 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺.
🌞🌛🌍🌝🌛🌏🌞🌜🌓🌒🌞🌕🌖🌗🌜
The world building and historical aspects that Amy creates around the fictional priesthood of Atlantis into modern times is amazing. I love Penelope’s character; she is a strong intellectual woman with a vulnerable side, but she’s no push over; and it works!
Book 2 focuses on Penelope’s role as Archivist for the magicians library of Atlantis and their continuing war with the demon Thevetat’s priests. This story takes you on an adventure to learn the secret of a scroll that shouldn’t exist found at the Dead Sea! This book has everything I live: Adventure, Mystery, Some Romance, a Kick Butt Heroine, Magic, Some Historical Fiction..it’s great!
Thank you @bhc.press and @akuivalainen for this Netgalley ARC for an honest review.
Get your copy out September 17, 2020 and..
Happy Reading Everyone!
thє ѕєα σf thє dєαd rєvíєw
🧳🦂🌔🗺🧳🦂🌔🗺🧳🦂🌔🗺🧳🦂🌔
To put it simply, Amy Kuivalainen has hit it out of the park again with Book 2 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘥 of the Magicians of Venice series!
4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫stars!
🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️🪐🌙⭐️
If you haven’t heard of this series and are a fantasy/paranormal genre fanatic then you are missing out and NEED to run and get this series ASAP!
Book 1 of the series is 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺.
🌞🌛🌍🌝🌛🌏🌞🌜🌓🌒🌞🌕🌖🌗🌜
The world building and historical aspects that Amy creates around the fictional priesthood of Atlantis into modern times is amazing. I love Penelope’s character; she is a strong intellectual woman with a vulnerable side, but she’s no push over; and it works!
Book 2 focuses on Penelope’s role as Archivist for the magicians library of Atlantis and their continuing war with the demon Thevetat’s priests. This story takes you on an adventure to learn the secret of a scroll that shouldn’t exist found at the Dead Sea! This book has everything I live: Adventure, Mystery, Some Romance, a Kick Butt Heroine, Magic, Some Historical Fiction..it’s great!
Thank you @bhc.press and @akuivalainen for this Netgalley ARC for an honest review.
Get your copy out September 17, 2020 and..
Happy Reading Everyone!
July 29, 2020
this book has started as 4.5-5 star book for me, considering it to be Paul L. Mainer's awesome archeological thrillers meet magical elements, but soon enough became 2-2.5 stars read and it is only for the reference of Qumran, historical references of biblical and ancient Israeli historical references. I do apologize to the author for a bad rating of this work, I am sure it took a lot of effort, however, this whole book was like listening to phone conversations and every 10 pages drop and historical reference. This was one long dialogue between many characters with basically very little meaning to it. The book starts with red sea scrolls and esseans references, which creates an atmosphere of this awesome archeological work of fiction, but unfortunately didn't escalate or deliver. We don't really need to overuse F-word, D-word, not in a work that can completely deliver very deep historical meaning & background. I understand and appreciate the use of sacral #7 a lot in the work, but adding up Atlantis, Dead Sea Scrolls, Archives, magic and didn't deliver, unfortunately, is a big disappointment for me.
Would love to give more than 2 stars for research done, but very sorry, this work didn't work out for me.
Would love to give more than 2 stars for research done, but very sorry, this work didn't work out for me.
April 3, 2022
"What's happening?" Carolyn asked as she grabbed her purse. "I believe we are about to be attacked," Phaidros said calmly.
This. book. was. so. GOOD!
Seriously though, it had me laughing, gasping, and just all around amazed at the witty dialogue and amazing research and writing that went into this. I wasn't sure it could get better after the first book in this series - The Immortal City - but The Sea of the Dead expands on it and then some. I'm so excited to read the next book in the series.
"There's nothing else worth devoting your life to. Believe me, I've looked. After all this time, it's only love that surprises me."
I really liked how Penelope and Alexis's relationship continued to progress as the fight against Thevetat and his followers rages on. It was also really interesting to see how Penelope managed her relationships with friends and family outside of the Magicians. I honestly don't think I have anything bad to say about this book. It did end on a JAW-DROPPING cliffhanger though, so I'll be picking up the 3rd book ASAP to find out what happens next. Without a doubt, a 5-star read for me.
This. book. was. so. GOOD!
Seriously though, it had me laughing, gasping, and just all around amazed at the witty dialogue and amazing research and writing that went into this. I wasn't sure it could get better after the first book in this series - The Immortal City - but The Sea of the Dead expands on it and then some. I'm so excited to read the next book in the series.
"There's nothing else worth devoting your life to. Believe me, I've looked. After all this time, it's only love that surprises me."
I really liked how Penelope and Alexis's relationship continued to progress as the fight against Thevetat and his followers rages on. It was also really interesting to see how Penelope managed her relationships with friends and family outside of the Magicians. I honestly don't think I have anything bad to say about this book. It did end on a JAW-DROPPING cliffhanger though, so I'll be picking up the 3rd book ASAP to find out what happens next. Without a doubt, a 5-star read for me.
July 5, 2020
The magicians are at it again! The dangers have increased, Penelope finds herself in a world of trouble when one of her best friends snd her a scroll with a prophecy having to do with her magicians. As the hunt for Abbadon and Thevetat continues, she finds that the dangers are involving her loved ones, which she never intended to happen.
Penelope and her relationship, with the Magicians, has become less turbulent and definitely more family-like. Now that Tim and Carolyn are involved her relationship with them becomes harder to cope with. Carolyn is having issues with Penelope's behavior and Tim is becoming possessive about both of them. Overall the book was as amazing as the first. I felt the action was very well placed and it absolutely had everything I love in a good book. Magic, love, relationships, funny moments (usually at someone's expense.), and never-ending action. It doesn't hurt that the characters are all very mature as well as childlike and are extremely understanding. Kuivalainen is a wonderful author and that ending was very good. I need book 3 now.
Penelope and her relationship, with the Magicians, has become less turbulent and definitely more family-like. Now that Tim and Carolyn are involved her relationship with them becomes harder to cope with. Carolyn is having issues with Penelope's behavior and Tim is becoming possessive about both of them. Overall the book was as amazing as the first. I felt the action was very well placed and it absolutely had everything I love in a good book. Magic, love, relationships, funny moments (usually at someone's expense.), and never-ending action. It doesn't hurt that the characters are all very mature as well as childlike and are extremely understanding. Kuivalainen is a wonderful author and that ending was very good. I need book 3 now.
August 12, 2020
Penelope’s adventures with Alexis and the magicians continues in the second book of The Magicians of Venice books by Amy Kuivalainen. And my adventures too because I was with her when she wandered the palazzo by herself, discovered the Archives further and courted Alexis.
The story picks up mostly where the first book left off. Penelope and the magicians still try to chase down Thevetat and his followers. This time though one of Penelope’s friends is in deep trouble. Tim finds an ancient scroll which contains a secret that was buried for thousands of years. Penelope and Alexis must travel Israel to find Tim before Thevetat’s followers do.
I was so very excited when I received an ARC for The Sea of the Dead because I absolutely loved the previous book and wanted to get back to the story. The story flows nicely and I couldn’t put the book down, I needed to know what happens next.
The love between Penelope and Alexis is magical, I could practically feel their love for each other radiating from the pages.
The characters are all well-developed, I just love that Kuivalainen reveals more and more from their past lives which makes me love them all the more.
They are funny, always poke fun at each other and have each other’s backs all the time. I can imagine living with them, fighting with them, laughing with them…
Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for my copy.
The story picks up mostly where the first book left off. Penelope and the magicians still try to chase down Thevetat and his followers. This time though one of Penelope’s friends is in deep trouble. Tim finds an ancient scroll which contains a secret that was buried for thousands of years. Penelope and Alexis must travel Israel to find Tim before Thevetat’s followers do.
I was so very excited when I received an ARC for The Sea of the Dead because I absolutely loved the previous book and wanted to get back to the story. The story flows nicely and I couldn’t put the book down, I needed to know what happens next.
The love between Penelope and Alexis is magical, I could practically feel their love for each other radiating from the pages.
The characters are all well-developed, I just love that Kuivalainen reveals more and more from their past lives which makes me love them all the more.
They are funny, always poke fun at each other and have each other’s backs all the time. I can imagine living with them, fighting with them, laughing with them…
Thank you to NetGalley and BHC Press for my copy.
March 28, 2023
A solid follow up to the first book! I loved getting more backstory, especially on Zo. The tarnished friendship between Penelope, Carolyn and Tim was a bit hard to digest at times, it felt a little superficial. However, in the discovery of its shallowness was also interesting growth for Pen. I would've liked to see more development of her relationship with Alexis though, it felt like they didn't move much further from where they ended in the first book.
I'm insanely impressed with the work and effort that Amy has put into the story, it feels very legitimate and well-researched. That doesn't mean I always understand it, sometimes there is so much information rushed at you that you lose sight of what is happening. The story does need that fast pace; it would be far too thesis-like if the discoveries are explained more every time, mainly because there are so many.
I'm definitely curious for the third book, I do hope there will a bit more focus on the characters and their actions instead of a complete history of several different tribes.
I'm insanely impressed with the work and effort that Amy has put into the story, it feels very legitimate and well-researched. That doesn't mean I always understand it, sometimes there is so much information rushed at you that you lose sight of what is happening. The story does need that fast pace; it would be far too thesis-like if the discoveries are explained more every time, mainly because there are so many.
I'm definitely curious for the third book, I do hope there will a bit more focus on the characters and their actions instead of a complete history of several different tribes.
July 30, 2020
The sequel to "The Immortal City" was underwhelming, at best. I so wanted this book to blow me away and be full of amazing magical archivist action! But, alas, that is not what happened. The book went on a romp through the Middle East and became more of a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" meets "The Librarian" (movies), without living up to the awesomeness of either. The author keeps teasing interesting things - things that the meat of the series/books SHOULD ACTUALLY BE ABOUT - and abandoning them for whatever frivolous adventuring she'd prefer to focus on.
Why can't this book focus on the magical archive? The magic Penelope has inside of her? The fact that Penelope is probably actually an actual natural magician? The answer is probably because the author is trying sooooooooooo hard to stretch this into some long series. Well, when the books are boring, is it really worth sacrificing a great idea for stretch? Meh.
Why can't this book focus on the magical archive? The magic Penelope has inside of her? The fact that Penelope is probably actually an actual natural magician? The answer is probably because the author is trying sooooooooooo hard to stretch this into some long series. Well, when the books are boring, is it really worth sacrificing a great idea for stretch? Meh.
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