I was persuaded to pick up A Darker Shade of Magic for a book club, despite being unconvinced it would be my kind of book. And now that I've found a new favourite, I don't even mind admitting my expectations were completely wrong. This fast-paced fantasy turned out to be exactly what I needed. I've definitely been enjoying my reads this year but this felt like quality.
I feel as though I have never read a book like this before, I can't speak on its uniqueness in terms of world building and magic system as I'm not a seasoned fantasy reader but it was new and exciting to me at least. I'm definitely going to be adding more fantasy to my shelves in the coming year.
What really stood out to me was how attached I became to these characters, so quickly. I completely adore Lila, she was an instant favourite and I love her energy. This book got me so emotional, crying, falling in love, laughing out loud - I truly had a fantastic reading experience. I'm so excited to continue on with this series and these characters. I am also looking forward to reading more from V.E. Schwab as I really enjoyed her writing style.
5 stars