4 Reasons You Should Read the “Shades of Magic” Trilogy

I read the finale to the Shades of Magic trilogy a few weeks ago now, and it has taken me basically forever to compose myself enough to write a coherent review. Well actually, I can’t even write a review for A Conjuring of Light. I’m not mentally prepared for that (um, because that finale was perfect). Instead, I’ll tell you why you should read this series if you haven’t yet.

To see my review of the first in the series, A Darker Shade of Magic, click here. To see my review of the second, A Gathering of Shadows, click here. And finally, here’s some information on the third and final book in the series:

Witness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.
THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.
WHO WILL CRUMBLE?Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?
WHO WILL RISE?Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.
WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

3 Reasons You Should Read the Shades of Magic Trilogy:

1. The magic is cool AF.

There’s elemental magic controlling fire, water, earth, and wind. Blood magic that takes you between different worlds. Magic that is identified by a single black eye. There’s a good magical world, a bad magical world, and a seemingly magic-less world. There’s SO MUCH MAGIC I CAN’T EVEN DEAL. And it’s all amaze-balls.

2. The characters and relationships are ACTUALLY PERFECT. 

If I actually had to choose only ONE reason to read this trilogy, it would be this one. You don’t want to miss these characters and their relationships (both platonic and romantic). The character building is EXCELLENT/PHENOMENAL/PERFECTION/AMAZING. The playful banter, the heated arguments, and the tender conversations are all melt-you-into-a-puddle-perfect in each and every scene. You smile, you cringe, you swoon, you laugh. You fall in complete love with Kell, Rhy, Lila, Alucard, and so many more.

3. Um, and hellllllo can’t forget the plot.

I hate when I read a series and each book just feels like part 1, 2, and 3 of one single book. That doesn’t happen with this series (HOORAY!!!!). Yeah, there’s a big overarching plotline that you’re well aware of, but there’s also a singular story in each of the books that begins and actually ends in each book (let’s here it for another YAY!!!!!!). While the excellence of this series is sum of its parts, the parts themselves are wonderful on their own.

4. And if I haven’t convinced you yet: THE COVERS. 

How did VE Schwab get so lucky to have such amazing covers?! If you don’t actually want to read the books (what am I saying? Of course you do), you should at least pick them up for the gorgeousness they’ll add to your shelves.

I adored this series and would recommend it to any lover of fantasy. These books were so much fun and got better with each subsequent novel. You MUST READ THEM. RIGHT NOW. 

Did you read the series?! What were your thoughts? What was the last series you read that you LOVED?

A.S. Thornton

A.S. Thornton has evolved from book blogger to author with a particular fondness for writing forbidden love in ancient deserts. When not writing, she’s caring for dogs and cats as a veterinarian. You’ll never find animals at the center of her writing, though, because those fictional worlds don’t have veterinarians and her literal brain can’t accept that the poor critters would be without parasite prevention. Thornton’s debut, DAUGHTER OF THE SALT KING is available wherever books are sold.