Conjuring of Light

I was counting down the days to the release of this book- the third in the Shades of Magic series by the absolute goddess V.E. Schwab- and then it took about a million years to arrive because I foolishly preordered it on Amazon like a total dafty. So I was very excited when it was finally in my hands and I could see for myself how huuuuge it is.I love the world Schwab has built. The piratey parts of A Gathering of Shadows, part two in the series, were so vivid for me, as were the busy, bustling Night Market scenes during the magical tournament, which reminded a lot of the feel of the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I guess it is extra magical as multiple world have been built. There is Red London, Grey London, Black London, and White London, each with their different feels. Kell is one of the last travellers or Antari, a type of magic person who can travel between these worlds.A Conjuring of Light gives us Red London, directly after the magical fighting tournament it has hosted, under siege from an evil magical force, Osaron, with the royal palace at the centre of all the how-do-we-defeat-Osaron planning. The palace is packed with various visiting members of royalty, noblemen and tournament magicians with Prince Rhy, his brother Kell, Lila (who is also an Antari, it turns out), Alucard, Alucard's cat, the King, the Queen, all strategising ways to save the people of Red London and defeat the evil magic.Schwab is just an incredible crafter of scenes, each chapter with its own arc, and not very long chapters too, keeping the pace up and giving us various different points of view. You really should just read this if you haven't yet. Also if you haven't read any of the trilogy yet, please forget all of the above so you are spoiler free!Schwab had hinted that this isn't the end for this incredibly built world. I'm keeping my fingers crossed she brings us more of Lila and Kell. And Rhy and Alucard. I'd take an Alucard's cat story too.

When a finale is capable of making your heart ache as though it has been taken from your chest, you know that something must have been done right.And what a finale it was. A Conjuring of Light follows on from the intense ending of A Gathering of Shadows, never missing a beat. A darkness greater than ever before spreads from one world to another, with the power to destroy anything that does not bend under its influence. But there are still an impossible few unwilling to fall to their knees, and as unlikely as they are, together they might just have a chance to save their worlds.There was so much action in this book, with some fight scenes that were beyond epic. But I often struggle to follow battle scenes, and besides, what I was really in it for was the characters. The rebellious prince and the runaway privateer. The red-haired magician and the magician who's will wasn't his own. And of course the thief turned pirate; the cross-dressing impossible girl. Kell and Lila I loved from the start and Rhy and Alucard I fell for in book 2, but there I was, nearing the end of an era, and I still felt I knew them better with every page. And although I never connected much with Holland, his story and development broke my heart.I lived for every interaction between these five characters, whether it was the words never said between them or a literal punch in the face. Their dynamics were what made this book special beyond the first two in the series."What are we drinking to?" / "The living," said Rhy. / "The dead," said Alucard and Lila at the same time. / "We're being thorough," added Rhy.There were times when it was not the characters, but the beauty of the writing in and of itself that made me tear up. Schwab wove small and seemingly insignificant strands in the first two books to help shape the third, and even echoed old lines, reinforcing their power, combined with new lines that were just as majestic."Love and loss," he said, "are like a ship and the sea. They rise together. The more we love, the more we have to lose. But the only way to avoid loss is to avoid love. And what a sad world that would be." No series is without its flaws, but this is one that I will be keeping close to my heart.Warnings: blood, death, violence, self-harm, sexual scenesDiversity Note: genderfluid character and POC bisexual character (labels not specified in book)

I really enjoyed the first in the series and agree with some that the second felt a little like a filler, although the role that book played in the development of key relationships and Lila's talents was critical to the success of this third instalment.It's hard to explain my five star rating without spoilers. Suffice to say, there are plenty of twists and turns in a world that is well-imagined but not pretentious or overwhelming in its complexity. We have a handful of new characters, deeper focus on some we've encountered but not known so well, and the exploration of a world outside of London. I'm in two minds about the latter. There's a certain claustrophobia to the previous two books that distinguishes them from most other fantasy. At the same time, a glimpse of the world beyond helps these Londons feel more real.

So I'm sitting here, with my tea and with my tears, and this book is just repeating itself in my mind as it has been doing since I finished it yesterday. Just all the scenes, especially the ending, over and over again. The Shades of Magic series is definitely, without a doubt, one of my top three favorite series ever, and I have trouble believing that it's over. I have to admit that A Conjuring of Light was the best book of the trilogy, and if you think I cried for like 30 minutes straight after finishing it you are wrong. (you're not).“Love and loss,” he said, “are like a ship and the sea. They rise together. The more we love, the more we have to lose. But the only way to avoid loss is to avoid love. And what a sad world that would be.”(prepare for minor spoilers)Once again, Victoria's writing made me highlight about a hundred different sentences from the iBook, because it is just too good. This woman was put on this earth to write stories and create characters, and I would honestly read anything by her. I definitely recommend you read her books if you haven't already.What I personally love the most about this series, and this book in particular, are its characters.Alucard and Rhy are, without exaggeration, probably two of my all-time favorite characters I've read about, so every scene they're in is just a blessing. In this book, we saw Rhy grow so much. I'd say he's the one that had the greatest character evolution through the series, and I just feel like a proud mother. I felt so bad for everything he went through in ACOL, everything he lost, both literally and figuratively, and I kept worrying for his life during all almost-700-pages. I never signed up for this. However, I was perfectly happy at the end, and I probably wouldn't have wanted it any other way. He'll be a great king, especially with Alucard at his side."I told you to keep him safe, not cuddle." Alucard spread his hands behind him on the sheets. "I'm more than capable of multitasking."Alucard. A Conjuring of Light made me love him even more than I already did, made me see how precious he is and how caring and thoughtful; just what Rhy deserves, and that's why that ending broke me in the best way possible. It was a complete RHY DID THAT moment, and it made me happier than probably anything else in the book:"My brother wishes to travel, and I have granted him permission." Kell's expression soured at the word, but he did not interrupt. "As such," continued Rhy, "I require an ally. A proven friend. A powerful magician. I require you here in London, Master Emery. With me."I could keep quoting, until he says "And I will not suffer losing you", but I think you get the point. Alucard. Rhy. I'm very happy.Another character that positively surprised me, was Holland. I must admit I really didn't know how to feel about him in the first two books. But now, oh my god. Holland saved the world, saved every character's life like ten times throughout ACOL, and managed to show a side of himself that I'd never noticed before. I ended up liking him as much as I like Kell, and the last chapter from his point of view broke me, this time not in a positive way. It was all too much, but I'm glad he got what he wanted, peacefully, in White London.Kell and Lila, who we've been with since the start, got even better in the last book, both individually and as a couple. Kell has been the same selfless and kind character throughout the series, and what I loved the most about him in this book was his relationship with Rhy, that became even stronger than before. It's one of the most beautiful relationships between brothers that I've ever read about, and even if they're literally bound in life and in death, they're always really close to each other's heart.Then we have Lila, now an Antari and a captain (!!!), who remained the badass, powerful and carefree heroine she was, and she stopped running. Instead, we find her running with Kell at the end, which was so beautiful because they both have the same desire to travel, to live and to see everything. I don't know where they're going next, but I know it's going to be great. The last scene is them leaving, and it was perfect and perfectly devastating. It was the ending we deserved, but I wasn't ready for an ending, and then Kell and Rhy wave to each other and I start crying? Again, I never signed up for this. Too painful.If you haven't read this series, I really, wholeheartedly recommend you do so. Even if you're not into fantasy, you'll probably be into this. Even finishing this review hurts me, but the thought of the movie adaptation coming out just makes it a little better. So thank you, Victoria, for creating the most wonderful world and characters, and since I refuse to say goodbye, I'll simply say Anoshe.

This is no reflection on the author and the writing of the novel (in fact, I love Schwab and her work!) The book I received was not the real version published by Tor USA but instead one that was printed on demand in Poland for Amazon exclusively. In comparison to the real paperback I purchased elsewhere after realising this, the cover was blurred, a different material, and a duller colour, and the paper was thicker and almost card-like. If you're about to purchase this book from Amazon thinking it'll be cheaper than in other book shops and will arrive faster: spend your money elsewhere!!!