*I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars.
This was really enjoyable. Unfortunately though, for the most part, I didnt understand what was really going on. I needed to have read book 1 before having read this. From this book though, I know that its a series I would really really like. It would have appealed to me quite alot. The images were nicely done and I like the sci fi feel about it. Im going to re-read this once Ive brought the first book and I will update my review once having gotten the background from book 1. There was something else I really liked about this, I think it was the positive way it made me feel.

So I would recommend this if your interested in the description.

On their way home from their first encounter with the robot army, Charris, Trihn and Ursa are exhausted and on their way home. They know they are not yet finished with the battles they need to fight but they had done what they could and have to rest, recover and replenish themselves to get back into the fight. Their mentor lets them do this when they get home, however, everybody knows that there is more fighting to do and the battle is not yet won. When the girls are directed to help find another madge they encounter more magic, mayhem and have battles to fight against unexpected foes.

Fairly disappointed. I enjoyed the first volume of the series so much, and this one seemed like a hum-drum follow up. The artwork is still stellar, and I still like the MC's...but the story didn't really suck me in the like volume 1.

This series lacks a little in this second volume, and I found I enjoyed the first one a lot more. The story focuses on our three Mages again, who are strong female characters. I found this part of the story a little too information dumpy, and a bit too much setting the scene. Things only really picked up in the final few pages, which is great in the sense of I will definitely pick up volume three, though it did leave me feeling a little let down by this one.

Overall this is a fantastic series, which has a wonderfully diverse cast of characters, and an interesting fantasy world is being built up. I highly recommend this series, and I only hope that volume three is more action packed and gripping than this one was.

I still really like this series - it's got a fun and diverse cast and I like the whole technology vs. magic aspect of it - but this volume definitely felt like filler. There was a bit of intrigue with a some hints at one of the character's past and a small bit of action as well, but it mostly just felt like 'how can we move these characters from point A to point B so that we can advance the main plot in the NEXT volume'. It was still a fun read but just not quite as engrossing at the first volume. Hopefully things will pick back up a bit in volume 3!

Volume 2 of the Castoffs seems to be the calm between the storms. Not much action in this volume. Perhaps the primary narrative points could have been incorporated into another volume to keep the pacing going. I enjoy the retro feel of the illustrations in this series.

I haven't read the first one in the series, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one.