Master of Shadows

Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian #2

by Joss Walker

In a world on the brink of chaos, CIA agent Jayne Thorne faces her deadliest mission yet.

A ruthless cabal of dark sorcerers, hell-bent on unleashing chaos and destruction upon the world, seeks a long-lost grimoire to unleash a catastrophic magical weapon. With her mentor missing and time running out, Jayne must navigate a treacherous web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth before it's too late.

As Jayne races against the clock, she finds herself in the heart of Paris, battling a terrifying poison that renders even the most powerful magicians helpless. Haunted by shocking revelations about her family's hidden past and strained by her increasingly volatile relationship with Cillian, whose Rogue magic clashes with her own otherworldly powers, Jayne is pushed to her limits.

But the stakes have never been higher. Jayne's enemies demand she locate the ancient necromantic grimoire, threatening to execute her mentor if she fails. Desperate and running out of options, Jayne must unlock a forbidden power that could resurrect the Master of Shadows—a long-dead sorcerer wielding devastating dark magic.

With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, Jayne must confront unimaginable threats, protect her team from the deadliest magical forces she's ever encountered, and make an impossible choice that will determine the destiny of humanity itself. In this thrilling tale of sacrifice, secrets, and the ultimate battle between light and darkness, Jayne Thorne must risk everything to save the world from plunging into eternal shadow.

"Everything I love about urban fantasy." –John McDougall, Murder by the Book

Perfect for fans of C.L. Cannon and Leigh Bardugo

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Ebooks, Magic, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Suspense

381 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 31, 2022

About the author

Joss Walker is an award-winning fantasy author and the alter ego of New York Times bestselling thriller author J.T. Ellison. Through her fantasy works, Joss delves into her passion for the genre and crafts stories of extraordinary women discovering their power in the world. With the creation of Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian, Joss brings you a captivating contemporary fantasy series that appeals to lovers of books, libraries, romance, and, of course, magic.

For more visit www.josswalker.com

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Master of Shadows by Joss Walker and R. L. Perez is the second book in the Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian urban fantasy series. Jayne is sent to Paris to find her mentor and trainer when he goes missing. She ends up fighting an organization that is intent on achieving power. It has somehow acquired a mysterious poison that renders their enemies’ magical powers inert.
Jayne has to fight to overcome this weakness, resolve family issues with her sister Sofia, overcome difficulties with her shifter boyfriend Cillian, and find a hidden book of powerful magic spells and invocations.

The authors do a great job of characterization for the three main characters. Physical descriptions are supplemented with strengths, weaknesses, and personality differences. Jayne, Sofia, and Cillian have depth and are dynamic, changing, and growing as the story unfolds. However, we only get peaks at the antagonists’ personalities.

This story has a multi-layered plot with several mysteries and some twists and turns as well as a few surprises along the way. The ending was impactful. Themes include family, romance, power, lies, betrayal, and much more. While the main threads of the story conclude, there are many items to be explored in future books in the series.

Overall, this engaging and action-filled novel kept me entertained. If you enjoy light urban fantasy, then I recommend that you check out this series. The series should be read in order.

I received a digital copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date was July 31, 2022.

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My 4.05 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an intense fantasy book which delves into the world of magic and the control that they secretly have and are trying to keep. Jayne Thorne is a librarian and a member of the CIA and is trying desperately to protect her own magic powers while resolving issues that the magic kingdom is having with the enemies who desire their powers. With a missing grimoire, terrorist attacks and a sister who is keeping some magical secrets herself, this book is a deep dive into magical fantasy and all things evil. The plot was fast-paced but also a bit complex, so I really had to pay attention to who the main character in each chapter was. There was a lot of character development in this book so I felt that I got to know Jayne better and even discovered some of her background and her weaknesses. I also got to know her sister Sophie and her mentor Ruger. I really liked Ruger and his steadfast determination to defeat evil even when he himself was badly injured. The Master of Shadows is the central theme in the book and Jayne has to find him and defeat him so that the kingdom is safe, but the cost may be too dear for her to bear. There is romance and a lot of violence in the form of magicians throwing spells against each other and hurting some innocents in the process. I enjoyed the book and recommend it for those who enjoy fantasy with a lot of action.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

[Charlotte Pawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the fantasy series with Jayne Thorne CIA Librarian coming into her powers. You need to have read the first book to have a full understanding of the story so far. Jayne will find she is fighting on more than one front when the enemy uses poison on her and her relationship with her protective sister goes through the wringer. A strong character that was easy to get to know even though l had not read the first book. Friends and family having very strong bonds was the overriding push of the story with strong magic in play to reach a thrilling climax.
I was given an arc of this book by Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was unaware when I received the arc that it was book two. Since I have not read book 1, I'm going to come back and leave another review after I finish book one. I do love both officers tremendously, so I can't wait!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off slow but once it picked up I really liked it.

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not finish this book. You need to read the first book to understand this one.
*ARC provided by publisher and author.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never write reviews. But when I had a chance to read Joss Walker’s upcoming release, Master of Shadows, as an ARC, I jumped at the chance. The paranormal genre is a favorite of mine and the idea that people have special abilities is intriguing. I love that Jayne’s story begins in Nashville but she still gets to see the world via those handy portals.
The second book in the series gently builds upon the new world Jayne is working in. Adding more layers to her magic, adding more characters in the TCO and a new foe besides Ruth and the Kingdom. Yet not leaving the first book characters behind as Sofia and Diedre are integral to the story. The ending has an interesting twist that took me by surprise that I’m still wondering about. You must read this book but only if you’ve read The Eight Road (prequel) and Tomb of the Queen first.

[Ralph Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this advanced review copy from Booksirens and am providing an unbiased review.
This is the second book in the 'Jayne Thorne - CIA Librarian' series, so before I could actually read it, I had to go find the first one.I know some authors, you can pick up a book further in the series, and still be kept pretty much up to date regarding events from prior books due to the author adding that backstory, but I don't care for that. In fact, in some ways I get irritated becasue I have to read info I already knew about - rant for another time....

So I'm not going to ruin this with spoilers, but book one is about how Jayne becomes a CIA Librarian, gains her magical abilities, and provides much about the MC's background, as well as other supportive characters. The author has done a very fine job of background information on characters, and into the second book, has added more depth for the reader to understand how the characters are acting/re-acting to things/events. In book one, we find out that there is an 'evil' group called the Kingdom, that is going after some major artifacts/grimoires to gain power. Book two begins a new case for Jayne and another group enters the story, not aligned with the Kingdom, but not with the CIA either. So we are finding out more about the magical communities in this world the author has created. In this Case, it seems more geographical, than world-wide. Book two is based in Paris and surrounding area, and seemed fairly accurate (I don't know the place physically, so can't say) and the writing detail was fine.

I do like stories with a strong female heroine/lead, and this series is definitely in that category. Sarcasm and snark are always welcome to come across in dialogue, or references to 'nerdy' movies (basically any sci-fi/fantasy). I think that much of the convos in this second book just was a little over the top on all that talk. By mid-way through, I felt like every conversation with the MC almost had to end with some witty quip, or sarcastic thought. Maybe a little less of that, and it would be a bit more enjoyable.

Overall, I felt it was a good story (both books, and the pre-quel) and am looking forward to seeing (at my guess) at least two more stories in this series.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jayne Thorne is back in Master of Shadows, the second book in the Jayne Thorne CIA Librarian series and it was fantastic. This book had everything, I forgot how good the first book was until I read this one. The magic of this world is so detailed and unique, I love that the authors embed the magic so deeply into the story. Truly a joy to read.


Spunky Jayne Thorne is back and this time her sister, Sofia, is along for the ride. Jayne is now confident in her role as a Master and as a TCO officer but she is still her sassy self and her pop culture references were spot on, loved them. It was really interesting getting to see more of Sofia, and her interactions with everyone after so many years of hiding. I especially enjoyed seeing the sister dynamic with Jayne, the fighting the making up, the worrying and proud moments.


The plot for this book was excellent, fast-paced, and with plenty of action and magic. The two magical terrorist factions, Kingdoms and La Liberetè are both after a new master and his grimoire, the death toll has increased, the danger never more real, and it's up to Jayne and the rest of the TOC to stop them. New divisions of the TOC were involved in this story, and the mix of science and magic was interesting. Of course, there was more international travel with France as the backdrop for this adventure. This time the story focuses more on the La Liberetè group and they seem just as bad as Kingdom with crazy stunts and a willingness to do anything, they most definitely give bad guy vibes.


My favorite part had to be the last fourth of the book, it had the craziest magic, betrayal, daring attacks, shocking revelations, and heartbreak. I was most definitely in my feelings, Joss and R.L. really surprised me on this one. However, I have a theory about a certain Frenchman, that he's gonna be important in the future and in more ways than one.


Master of Shadows was a high-stakes adventure filled with magic and mayhem. I absolutely loved it not to mention all the deeply embedded history, the crazy pop culture references, and the magic, then set it all in a spy novel, equals an awesome read. I can't wait to see what trouble Jayne gets in next.

[Beba Andric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shoo, the opening chapter dove in, feet first, to give me a taste of what's to come! And it didn't disappoint! I simply am in awe of Sofia, how she protected Jayne to try prevent her knowing about the magical Realm, even becoming ill with cancer from the spell to hide her magic. True sisterly love! Only thing is, Jayne's magic surfaces anyway and boy is it strong! Good intentions and all don't have the outcome one anticipates. But Jayne IS strong and her magic is powerful and awesome! She's awesome too, so is Cillian, he's a Rogue, or a shifter in layman's terms and his shifting is linked to Jayne. Cool, right? And being a lover of reading, no, seriously, I adore the magical libraries, what I wouldn't do to be able to be in one! Huh, forgot for a moment this book is fictional... With her magic severely limited after an incident in Fontainebleau, Jayne and Cillian are at a major disadvantage. I love the gentle tenderness between them, so beautiful, so romantic, sigh... The race to find Ruger is on, oh I probably forgot to mention that he's been kidnapped by yet another faction that is power hungry. It rests squarely on Jayne's shoulders to find him and to uncover what on earth has happened, both to him, the Torrent and her magic, which is totally out of whack! She was feeling new magic and strength emerging and then suddenly, she can't access any magic! Something is wrong, very wrong, but what??? Hehe, read to find out... She's my favourite librarian turned CIA agent! Mystery, magic and mayhem is the order of the day in this by, with even Sofia being roped in to help. And my word was she a surprise! I've always liked Sofia but getting to know her, her motivation, her suffering at the hands of her mother and when she finally releases her fear of magic, well that's some really badassed stuff right there. The plot and storyline kept meandering, like a hidden bend of a river, I was surprised at what was behind every bend! Superbly exciting, magnificent in delivery, and the ending leaves me wanting more!

[Sara Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picking up immediately where the previous book left off, this is a tale of sisters - for sisters. Jayne is more determined than ever to use her newfound magic for good and take down her mother along with all of her evil schemes. Sofia is less convinced that magic can be used for good and just wants to take her sister and hide away from it all - after all, why would anyone seek out danger?

So, sadly for us, the sisters separate over irreconcilable differences at the beginning of the book and only come together near the very end. Fortunately, that also means we all get double the adventures. And adventures, they both have. This series is something of a cross between the Librarian and Indiana Jones. On that note, one of my favorite lines was when one of the characters said he'd really like to meet Indiana Jones because there's no way he would believe magic isn't involved, and in response, he is told that Indiana Jones isn't real. Well, maybe. But in this world, I'm pretty sure anything is possible. Also, Jayne is a complete nerd with all of her pop culture references. That may make this book a little dated down the road, but since I know most of the references, I find it hilarious.

As always, there is the question of who can be trusted, but I have been pleased to see that the two sisters, even despite cataclysmic differences of opinion, always have each other's back. As family doesn't always do. As family should. And to be fair, the differences don't all get ironed out, but they gain a deeper understanding of each other. They also never waiver in their desire to use their powers for good, which is a welcome relief in a world increasingly filled with morally gray fantasy characters. I loved it.

I received a free ARC from the author and have reviewed it willingly.

[Chad Barrus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the series finds Jayne and Cillian
on a rescue mission to retrieve Ruger. Sofia is asked to help the TCO as well and accepts to try and stop her mother’s mad power scheme. There are twists and turns in this adventure to be sure as another faction wants the same grimoire that Ruth and her follows as well as the TCO want so things get complicated fighting two formidable foes! There are surprises at the end which affect our three main characters and one that makes Ruth even more formidable as we’re faced with an exciting cliffhanger that’ll keep us waiting anxiously for book three to come out so the story can continue.

I recommend you get The Eighth Road as well as The Tomb of The Queen so you can have all the background information you need to enjoy this exciting, suspenseful, page turning adventure! Readers of both Young Adult and Adult fantasy and adventure will enjoy this story of a book nerd who by
accident opens a conduit to a magical dimension which changes her life forever! There are enough thrills and suspense to keep you “hooked” on the story and wishing book three was available immediately so you could continue the story right now!

This is a great series and one you won’t regret reading! It will take your mind off the problems we’re facing right now as you are immersed into the world of spies, missing grimoires, bad people, betrayals love, strained relationships and really just a slice of everyday life without the magical element but wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could possess the magic these characters possess in our own lives! Life would be so much more exciting!

[Trisket · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars because I liked the premise. I loved the "Librarians" TV series, so reading something similar sounded like fun. I so wish this book was fun. Sigh.

The main character, Jayne, should have been named "Mary Sue". (In case you don't get the reference, that's a main character who is absolutely perfect at everything she tries, without effort, but it's okay because somehow everyone loves her anyway. Yeah. Gag.) I didn't find her believable or likable. In fact, I didn't find any of the characters believable or likable.

The arguments seem disjointed. And they don't seem like the way real people talk. The action felt more like some disinterested/uninterested/uninteresting, disembodied narrator doing their best to override the basic rule of "show, don't tell". Everything dragged on, especially the training sequences. If they were unimportant enough to just skim through, then why include them at all? (That is not a plea to the authors to go into greater detail with them; please don't.)

I'm not going to hold all the references to the first book against the author, even though they seemed excessive. I know they were there to help people like me, who didn't read the first book, figure out what happened to lead the characters into this book. Which they did, to be fair.

Credit where credit's due: I liked the first chapter (the part that was excerpted). A lot. Enough to want to read the rest. Regrettably, the rest did not live up to the first chapter. Best of luck to the authors, but I won't be reading the rest of the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Fraxinus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE the premise of this series and love the idea of an elite force of librarians saving the world through research and a lovely cup of tea. After getting lost in the first couple of chapters of this book, I went back and read Book 1 of Jayne Thorne's journey as a CIA Librarian. However, whereas the previous Jayne Thorne was about Jayne learning her place in the magical world as a Master of Magic and CIA Librarian; in this book everything she learned as truth is summarily yanked out from underneath her, when her connection to her magic becomes faulty. While I loved the first book and Jayne continues to be the wise-cracking, butt-kicking librarian she was in the first book, she also makes some mistakes that are really frustrating.

In many ways, this book is definitely more about her sister, Sophia and the secrets that she has kept in her lifetime-- and boy are they some doozies!

All in all, I really enjoyed the series so far and am curious to see where the authors take us in the next installment. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an Advanced copy for an honest review of this book.

The magic is swirling and the temperature is hot with the return of Jane Thorne, CIA Librarian. Ruger her mentor needs rescuing but first how can Jane rescue him when Amanda is ordering her to practice combat moves and magic with Cillian, and yes, a new mentor? Jane needs to prepare herself to face TOC enemy Gina Labelle but should she allow herself to trust a new mentor? Jane is not liking this or the fact her new training mentor Hector keeps referring to Cillian as Jane’s Rogue. Meanwhile, the magic starts to shift as the magical power struggle between the Kingdom (Jane’s mom – Ruth) and Labelle’s team La Liberetè begin a magical struggle for control by getting searching for a new Master of Magic and his grimoire. Jane’s sister Sofia is still spinning with indecision about her own magic and also her recent rescue from capture. So much going on! Sending love to Jameson. I can hardly wait for Book 3.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I both love and hate finding new authors, but I can’t seem to resist it. This was a new author to me when I picked this up, and I started this with high hopes. I knew this was a second book going into it, and I hadn’t read the first, but I was willing to try. Yes, there were some little subtleties I know I missed, but the author did a great job of not making me too lost. What I found was that this is a well-written urban fantasy, and I loved how Jayne is a very independent, take-charge, take-care-of-herself character. The plot is interesting, and I loved all the characters. I was actually really surprised at one plot twist at the end, and I’m wondering how that’s going to play out in the next book. I wondering if the sword is going to be hers…wondering what I’m talking about? Give this great book a read and find out. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

[Gr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debated hard on whether this should be rounded down or up. In the end, I am giving it a 2.5✨'s rounded up. Continuing my reading of the audiobook series from the library. The YA aspect of this series became more apparent in book 2.

For a free library book, it passed the time. I will read the last book in the series but not sure I will return to this author. In this book, Jayne's sister Sophia is stepping up and taking a bigger role in the series. One of the aspects of the plot that does not make much sense is that Sophia, who is 10 years older than Jayne and raised Jayne, acts less mature than Jayne.

I will tell you that I almost put down the book when the character Quimbee was introduced. Not only was the character's speech patterns both annoying and grating, but the immaturity of the story began to shine through.

[Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

In book 2 of the series. Jayne Thorne, CIA librarian, is sent to Paris when her mentor, Ruger, is kidnapped. Still trying to get used to her magical powers, and how to control them, she needs all of her talent, and that of her colleagues, to try to defeat their enemies.

Jaynes character is shaping up nicely, as is the world building, seeing where her talent takes, not only her, but also her sister, Sophie. It is well paced, with numerous twists, really good plotting and I can’t wait to see where the series takes the sisters next. Whilst this could be read as a stand alone book, it’s better to have read the first in the series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Sonia Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sofia finds her power

Master of Shadows was a trip! After reading book 1 I had an easy time with book 2. The different types of magic and accessing the torrent all familiar so I immediately fell into the spells. Sofia finding her power - wow and she got a rougue! I cannot wait to see the power of Jayne and Sofia together now that they are figuring everything out. I must know what they do when they come across Ruth next time. So much to explore yet and I need to know what else Cillian can do; is there anything better than a griffin?
Super read from one of my favorite authors combining magic with books. Absolute bliss

[J Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will she gain her power only to lose her sister?

When Jayne Thorne became a CIA Librarian and discovered her powers she knew the job was dangerous. Now her mentor is missing and finding him puts Jayne in the crosshairs of the terrorists who abducted him and at odds with her sister. Can she rescue him before her magic disappears forever?

This book is packed with paranormal action. It is the first book I have read in this series and now I want to go back and read the earlier one. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary. I’m really enjoying this series so far!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fun and exciting adventure!! I love Jayne. She is smart and powerful and caring and braver than I could ever be… I loved seeing her relationship with her sister developed further in this addition to the series and felt such a kinship to Sophia, who is just as smart and powerful as her sister, but has great reason to be much more fearful. The magical world in this series is both wonderous and very, very dangerous! As more enemies emerged and Jayne had to figure out new ways to access her power, I was on the very edge of my seat. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

[MELISSA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joss Walker delivers another magic-filled mystery full of magic and action. Jane, Sofia, Cillian and the rest of the crew are spread thin fighting two magical terrorists organizations using violence to steal old magic and take over the world - magic and non-magic alike. Quite a ride and more to come in the next book due out too long from today as I want to start reading it tomorrow and the publishing date is months away from now. Oh, well. I can think about re-reading the first two books in the interim and any other new novellas that just might come out sooner.

[Rosemary Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have submitted this review after listening to the audio book of this title. (Audible Membership)
Another disaster was put down to another magical terrorist group, trying to invoke another dark master. The result was a once grand palace demolished, two thousand people assumed dead and one giant crater.
All this an a missing CIA operative, had the magical team on high alert.
What Jane would do to get the operative, and her mentor, back is not worth considering.
The author's take on the events will have you on the edge of your chair until the very end.

[Delphia Von Heeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Masters of Shadows is Book 2 in the Jayne Thorne, CIA Librarian by Joss Walker. I thought that this CIA was terrific! Magic is used and misused and Jayne and her sister, Sofie, are at the heart of the action. Ruger Stern was kidnapped and Jayne is sent after him. Joss Walker has written a fantastic story with surprises and action. I can't wait to read book 3, The Keeper of Flames. I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Carol Brandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move over, Wonder Woman! I want to be Jayne … a CIA agent extraordinaire, who also happens to be a librarian, and a witch! A nerd after my heart! Jayne continues to try to stop her mother, and her mother’s evil organization. Another threat has arisen as well - a new organization. Jayne and her team race to thwart them both. There is adventure, humour, nonstop action, and great character development. Note there is some mild swearing. I received a free copy of this book, with no obligation.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning more magic

Jayne and Cillian along with the TCO are still looking for the grimores, but they not only have to watch for Ruth and the Kingdom but also another enemy who is also looking for the magical books. Jayne is still learning about her new totem magic, but is glad to have it when one of the enemy poison her and she can no longer use her normal magic. Great characters and storyline in this series and I am looking forward to the next books.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane is new to me in this book but I am looking for time for the first one. In this installment her mentor has gone missing and her personal relationships are kind of a mess. She is relentless about carrying out her duties as she sees fit and can quote a movie line for almost every occasion. I really enjoyed this ARC I received from BookSirens and am happy to leave this reveiw.

[Sherrie Saint · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Jayne. These books are so well written and they do exactly what you want them to--transport you to another place and time where all things are possible. The characters are fantastic. I still can't decide who is my favorite. But all I know is that I want MORE MASTER OF SHADOWS books! If these books are not in your library or on your radar, you definitely need to change that TODAY!

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

A real twister in terms of Jaynes supposed power as the first master in forever ! She falls at the enemies feet until she learns she is not the only master, and she was never expected to do it alone. A page turning twist that leaves you stunned and wanting more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up.

This is a fun popcorn read series. I didn't enough the sequel quite as much as the first, mainly because of the developments in the romantic section. But it's still fun, lots of silly action, totally unrealistic plot points, quirky characters. I'll keep going in the series.