Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho

Title: Sorcerer to the Crown
Author: Zen Cho
Series: Sorcerer Royal, #1
Pages: 371
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: September 1st 2015


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“Magic infused the air; her every breath was haloed with green mist. Prunella felt as though she were standing at the brink of a sea of magic, watching a swelling wave gather force before it crashed upon the shore.”

I love it when a book that you haven’t heard a lot about completely surprises you. Zen Cho’s The Sorcerer to the Crown combines magic and historical fiction into a truly entertaining and enjoyable experience. Cho imagines a world where magic freely flows from Fairyland into our realm, but much like any kind of resource, those with power have found a way to regulate its use and keep it from others. In England, those gifted with magical abilities can join the Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers, but only if they are wealthy enough and male. Magic in England has been on the decline for years and no one is sure why. The Sorcerer Royal is under assault in every direction, both literally and figuratively. Determined to discover the reason behind England’s decrease in magic, Zacharias Wythe’s quest for answers puts him in the path of Prunella Gentleman, a young lady with extraordinary magical ability and a secret that may save England from losing all its magic.

Someone like Zacharias Wythe should never have been allowed to become Sorcerer Royal. Born to slaves, Zacharias’ skin color is enough for many to draw their conclusions about him. As a young boy, he was taken in by Sir Stephan Wythe, former Sorcerer Royal before his death. Zacharias has spent his life as an outsider, excelling at magic despite the skepticism from members of the Society. Despite what his detractors may think of him, Zacharias is a proficient sorcerer. Unlike his colleagues, he does not use his power or influence for any sort of personal gain, but is always thinking of how he can help England and her dwindling source of magic. He’s used to relying on himself and not expecting a lot of help from others. His feelings toward his benefactor and his role as Sorcerer Royal are complicated. There’s affection and gratefulness, but he has also suffered a great deal because of prejudice. I loved that this historical fantasy addressed issues of racism. Often times these books focus on white characters and we get an incomplete version of the time when slavery and colonialism played key roles in how the world operated.

Prunella Gentleman is a character I immediately took to. She’s bright, cheeky, and isn’t one to back down. At Mrs. Daubeney’s School for Gentlewitches, Prunella has taken on many roles. Her father passed away when she was younger and she’s been under the care of Mrs. Daubeney. Mrs. Daubeney was familiar with Prunella’s father, who spent a considerable time in India where he met Prunella’s mother, but save for his name, Prunella knows nothing substantial about either of them. Many do not know what to make of the young lady, who’s brown skin and features speak of foreign origin, but who speaks as well as any English girl. In England, women are not allowed to practice magic, so instead they are taught to suppress their talents. Still, in a school full of magically-inclined young ladies a hex or two is known to be thrown. Unlike Zacharias, Prunella is prone to act before thinking. She is resourceful and strong-willed, but undeniably reckless. Magic has always been a part of who she is, but more than anything, she wishes for some sort of security in her life. In Zacharias, she finds an unlikely friend who understand the misgivings that come with being a part of a world that never wholly accepts you.

Cho’s writing made me fall immediately into this world. I loved how Cho combined magic and politics, showing that power and prejudice can have a huge influence on people’s views of the world. Sorcerer to the Crown is full of complex characters that are easy to fall in love with, an intricate world that addresses both racism and sexism, and is surprisingly amusing on top of all of this.



ARC Review: Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Girl in the Shadows by Gwenda Bond

Title: Girl in the Shadows
Author: Gwenda Bond
Series: Girl on a Wire, #2
Pages: 370
Publisher: Skyscape
Release Date: July 5th 2016


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Gwenda Bond’s Girl in the Shadows, the sequel to her novel Girl on a Wire, tells the story of a girl who longs to be a magician like her father, but is destined for an even bigger stage. I haven’t read the first book in this series, so I was a little nervous going into this one, but this novel focuses largely on a different character and doesn’t necessarily require you to read the first. Moira wants more than anything to work magic for audiences, but her father has always been against the idea, despite the fact that he is a talented magician himself. I admire Moira’s drive, even with her father’s disapproval, she still continues to pursue her dream and becomes a gifted magician. One major drawback for her character though is her relentless need to take huge risks that didn’t feel necessary. She never seemed to learn from her past mistakes and even when another character pointed out that she didn’t need to take certain risks, she would inevitably do it anyway.

Moira’s love interest Dez was a character that felt largely incomplete and also graded on my nerves. When we first meet Dez, he’s exactly what you’d expect from a run-of-the-mill cocky, hot love-interest. His smiles are irresistible, his attention is flattering, and he’s hiding this softer side that only the female protagonist can see. What really annoyed me the most was that Dez was in constant need of reassurance. He continually would point out to Moira that he wasn’t good enough for her, that he didn’t deserve her, and they were too different. She in turn had to continually tell him he was worth it. This would have been fine if it happened once, but it felt like it kept happening over and over. I did not care much for their relationship, as it takes off rather quickly and really felt like it had no real depth.

There is an element of real magic to the novel that probably would have been more interesting if Moira had met someone with the same kind of ability she had, who was also an ally for her. Instead the protagonist must discover how to use her abilities on her own, with only vague clues to work with. The magical system felt very incomplete as a result. The adults were another part of this book that I didn’t like. Most of them seemed to be either infuriatingly passive or frustratingly overbearing. For the most part, they functioned as obstacles in Moira’s story and didn’t feel well-rounded enough. One saving grace for the novel is Moira’s dedication to her female role-models. Before every performance, she would take the time to dedicate her show to a real life female magician that she drew inspiration from.

Rating: 2/5


A Gathering of Shadows by V.E. Schwab

A Gathering of Shadows Final

Title: A Gathering of Shadows
Author: V.E. Schwab
Series: Shades of Magic, #2
Pages: 512
Publisher: Tor
Release Date: February 23rd 2016


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“The command rang out, echoing through the chamber, and between his palms the air began to thicken and swirl into shadows as thick as smoke. It billowed forth, and in moments the room was engulfed in darkness.”

V.E. Schwab once again impresses with her knack for world building and her larger-than-life characters in A Gathering of Shadows, the highly anticipated sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic. The dust has settled, so to speak, in Red London, where Kell, now the only Antari, deals with the aftermath of his choice to save his brother Rhy. The life bond formed between the two means neither feels pain without the other one experiencing it. There’s a lot of love between these two characters though their personalities are often at odds. Rhy is all charm, smiles, and recklessness where Kell feels the weight of the world on his shoulders at every turn. They’ve always balanced each other out, but this bond puts a strain on their relationship. Resentment and anger underline their once effortless rapport, making both long for freedom from one another. Kell, once revered by those in Red London, now finds himself on the receiving end of suspicious looks. Four months ago a darkness descended and many lost their lives; and while no one quite understands what happened, they know that their own Antari had something to do with it. Kell also experiences distrust within his own family, and as someone who never quite felt like he belonged, this is truly heartbreaking.

A Darker Shade of Magic explored the different Londons that exist beside Kell’s own Red London; in this sequel, Schwab opens up the protagonist’s world. The Essen Tasch, or Elemental Games, are set to take place and magicians from the three known empires will gather in London to compete. The competition brings back Lila Bard, who has spent her time at sea in hopes of realizing her dream of owning and captaining her own ship. Lila is coming into her own power, just beginning to discover what she is truly capable of. For Lila, life is full of endless possibilities. She’s got confidence and skill in spades and she is constantly surprising those around her. But Lila is also trying to prove that she is more than a thief from Grey London and her ambition, while exciting, lends itself to attracting trouble and in a world that is unfamiliar, this can be her undoing. New faces are also introduced in this second book, most prominently is Alucard Emery, captain of the Night Spire. The captain rivals Prince Rhy when in comes to charms, but it is his past, full of many secrets, that has me wanting to know more about him.

I thoroughly enjoyed the magical competition in A Gathering of Shadows. Up until now, we’ve only seen magic as displayed by Antari and the Dane twins, so it was such a delight to see other magicians and how magic doesn’t have to be deadly in order to be a powerful force. That being said, this second book did not have a clear conflict like its predecessor, making it at times feel very much like a place holder.

Rating: 4/5


Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Truthwitch by Susan Dennard

Title: Truthwitch
Author: Susan Dennard
Series: The Witchlands, #1
Pages: 416
Publisher: Tor Teen
Release Date: January 5th 2016


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Susan Dennard’s Truthwitch is action-packed fantasy with a strong friendship at its center. Dennard’s world is full of magic and mayhem, but is in need of a lot of exposition by its characters which often feels like readers are forced to play catch up. The novel is full of a lot of unfamiliar terms and a complicated system of witchery that made me wish I had a glossary to reference back to while reading. There are political games between leaders who we learn little about, prejudices against people that we are asked to accept without proper historical context, and different Empires all with different needs that we aren’t privy to as the characters spend most of the novel on a ship. While I will say some of the elements in the story were not fully explained, by the time I finished the novel, I felt that I had a much better grasp on the Witchlands world and cannot wait to explore it more.

Truthwitch‘s strength is its two leads, Safi and Iseult, and the powerful relationship between these two independent young women. Safi is ruled by her emotions, which often makes her impetuous and temperamental. At the beginning of the novel, Safi is a girl running away from a life she doesn’t want with a powerful witchery that can enslave her to anyone who gets their hands on her. She finds a companion in Iseult, a Threadwitch, running away from her own life. Iseult grew up in a strict upbringing that taught her to value control over emotion. Her people, the Nomatsi, are reviled throughout the Witchlands, but Iseult’s inability to perform all the magic a Threadwitch is called to has ostracized her from her own people. Her friendship with Safi is a saving grace for both of them; they compliment one another and are at their best when fighting for each other.

Truthwitch has some great secondary characters. While I consider Safi and Iseult to be the two main leads, Prince Merik of Nubrevna and the Bloodwitch Aeduan play important roles. Merik’s actions are motivated by his desire to save his people. He is uncompromising in his ethics despite having people in his life like his sister, who would rather take the easy route. He becomes an example of what Safi could be if she chooses to accept the role she was born to. Aeduan is ruthless, powerful, and truly ambiguous. I’m still unsure if he can be considered a villain or an antihero as his actions are those of both, but I’m very interested in finding out more regardless.

While hype initially scared me off from reading Susan Dennard’s Truthwitch right away, it’s a highly enjoyable fantasy novel with great characters and an inspiring female friendship.

Rating: 4/5