Firstly, I have to say that I am loving the new cover designs because I feel like they definitely fit the series a bit better. This, however, is my least favorite of Chupeco's series. That is not to say that I did not enjoy it completely, but it certainly felt anticlimactic.

I absolutely loved this - I was afraid it would suffer from second book syndrome, but instead it improved a lot so far.

What I liked:
- Cole. It makes me annoyed that he's a classic brooding boy but I still love him, and he definitely took a level in depth here.
- More of Tala's parents! I would kill for a Kay Warnock prequel.
- There was a lot less Alex in this book, which was great.
- The world is finally more digestible since I came in with the background from the first book.

What I didn't like:
- I still had to take notes to keep up with what was going on.
There are still sooooo many characters.

E-ARC generously provided by Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

3.5 stars rounded up. With larger than life prose and an even larger accompanying cast, An Unreliable Magic is a vibrant sequel that bites off slightly more than it can chew at points.

I loved returning to this world with Tala and the Bandersnatches! I laughed so much throughout the story because Rin has the type of humor that I deeply connect to. I appreciated shenanigans throughout the book as well as the hints of romance that happened throughout. I still loved the Firebird being around but I believe I gained a greater appreciation for Loki in this book. Based on the way the book ends, I know this isn't the final book and I'm pretty glad for that because I'm not ready to say goodbye to this cast of characters!

Can someone please lend me a time machine so I don't have to wait for the sequel? Please??

This is quickly becoming a new favorite series!!
I love the character progression in this second of three books. In the first, we get to know each of the significant character's personalities. In the second, we get to see their deeper feelings and ambitions and see how their relationships with each other develop. I was really happy with all the character progressions, with the exception of West, who was the only Bander not given a significant subplot and who felt a little cast to the side.

Rather than the typical band of adventurers in the wilderness plot, I really enjoyed having a bunch of interconnected plot points flow so we'll together. I'm always skeptical when I realize a story is told from multiple perspectives since that can make the story feel less cohesive instead of more. But Rin Chupeco clearly excels at plot planning since the multiple perspectives actually made this plot more cohesive. It felt more realistic, with each character splitting up on different missions but always working together for a common goal. They also had personal interests aside from the main objective, which added to this very fantastical version of earth still feeling very realistic.

It was also really fun to explore more magical technology in the daily lives of Avalonians, though I do wish we would have gotten to explore the wilder parts of the country more. But the world building in the first book was better than I gave it credit for, because while I felt like it was too much to take in initially, I was able to jump right into the second months later without feeling lost at all. There's even been a time skip in between books, but it skips to such a natural place I didn't care at all.

It's so hard to write a review without spoiling what made the first book so great and the second one even better, but if you like fantasy, urban fantasy, magic, fairytales and mythologies, and any combination of the above, then this trilogy is for you.

Now all that's left to do is cry in bookworm because I have to wait for the third book, and automatically add every other Rin Chupeco book to my tbr.

Rin's books keep surprising me and achieving my need for original and charismatic fantastic fiction. I enjoyed the first book, but the sequel was the one that really got my attention. The huge cast of characters was my only problem with the development; some seemed kind of lost through the narrative. Not important enough to be there. The pacing and the fantasy, tho, and Tala and her group, it all felt great to be back to this story.

Content Warning: Racism, Violence

I really enjoyed Wicked as You Wish, which was book one in this series. I’m not sure why it was a struggle for me to get through this sequel.

One thing I love about Rin Chupeco books is the diversity she puts into her books. This story is no exception – there is so much diversity, it’s wonderful! Being a Filipino-American, I love seeing all the Filipinos represented in this book, especially with the women warriors. The old crew is back and the fairytale settings are present again and when I say fairytale settings I mean the author includes every fairytale out there from Peter Pan to Alice in Wonderland and then some. It’s a chaotic mix but it works.

The thing is, this is totally a mood read kind of book for me and I was not in the mood for this type of this story. I tried my hardest to get into the mood though! What tripped me up was the huge cast of characters. I didn’t re-read the first book before going into this one and maybe that would have helped. Because of this the first chapters of the book was going way too slow for me. It was a struggle for me. I was having trouble connecting to Tala because I was getting invested in Ken and Nya, but then I would be trying to remember who was who from the first book. There is so much going on in this book and it did not slow down. I just felt like I couldn’t catch up yet I usually love fast paced books! I think there was just too much going on for me in this one.


Why you should read it:
*fairytale infused story (every fairytale and myth you can think of)
*lots of action and so much diversity
*you want to be back with Tala, Alex and their crew

Why you might not want to read it:
*too much going on, first part of the story is slow
*it was hard connecting to the characters, too many characters to remember
*(re-read the first book if you can)

My Thoughts:

The great thing about this series is the action, the diversity and how all the fairytales come together in one creative story. Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting into the story. There was too much going on in the story and I didn’t re-read the first story to reacquaint myself with the large cast of characters, and I struggled through the first part of the story. It’s definitely a book where I need to be in the mood for. I think many fans of the first book will enjoy this one and be happy to see the same characters from book one.

Rin Chupeco does it again! This book draws on so many different fantasy influences to create a unique fantasy novel that is fierce!

I've found it difficult to review the second book of a trilogy, especially when the series is fantasy. A lot of the reasons why appear in this book. Plotlines are almost never going to completely wrap up and new characters frequently get introduced. That being said, this book would have benefited from dialing back the ensemble cast by one or two members, because it gets very difficult keeping track of where everyone is and what role they're playing.

I want to preface this review by saying that, while reading, I found out that Rin Chupeco made some racist comments on Twitter last year, and I won’t say that this did not affect my feelings towards the book. That being said, I tried to consider the book separately from Chupeco’s comments, but I most likely won’t be reading anything else by them, as I prefer to support authors who are inclusive.

***SPOILERS for Wicked as You Wish***

An Unreliable Magic picks up right where Wicked As You Wish left off. The Banders just saved the kingdom of Avalon, Tala just drew the nameless sword from the stone in secret, a prophecy foretold that there is a traitor in their midst, and basically all the characters have dooms (aka prophecies) that are both intriguing and vague. The main premise of book 2 is that OzCorp is engaged in some sketchy business in Avalon and the Banders and their crew need to find out what’s going on.

Frankly, I have so many issues with this book. Perhaps my biggest complaint is that the first book was certainly left open-ended, and I was hoping more would be resolved by the end of this book, but alas my hopes were misplaced. The few answers that this book gives, such as revealing the “traitor” and further exploring some of the characters dooms, were anticlimactic. Similarly, many of the open endings from book one were still left open by the end of book two. I can appreciate leaving some open ends, but authors need to give readers something to keep them going. Marissa Meyer does this perfectly in my opinion, especially in The Lunar Chronicles. However, it seems like Chupeco doesn’t even try to satisfy readers at all.

Furthermore, most of the book revolved around politics, even more so than the first book. Now, don’t get me wrong, authors can certainly incorporate politics into books to make a statement, but I personally read fantasy to escape reality, and I would say 80% of the book was about politics. The few action-packed scenes that were enjoyable were sparse to say the least. More than anything, I just felt like the incorporation of politics overtook the plot, and it wasn’t really what I signed up for.

Additionally, there are some characters in the novel that were likeable, but unfortunately there were so many characters and side-stories, that it felt hard to fully connect with any character. Many of the chapters go back and forth, following different characters, and by the time I would start feeling invested in one character by the end of a chapter, Chupeco moved on to another character in the next.

Overall, Wicked As You Wish was certainly not one of my favorite books, but it was okay. On the other hand, I actively disliked the sequel, An Unreliable Magic. While the premise for the books was interesting, I did not like the direction Chupeco went with the books. If you enjoy open-ended books that discuss politics, this would likely be a great book for you, it just wasn’t the right book for me, and I would rather support other authors going forward.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Y'all it's gonna be a trilogy and I CANNOT WAIT FOR BOOK 3!

Rin did it again. I've completely fallen for another of their series. Tala is such a relatable character and I love her journey so much. I also am a goner for this ragtag group of misfits. So many things emotional impacted me in this book and I am so glad this series exists. Can't believe I have to wait ANOTHER YEAR for the end. *Cries eternally*

Rep: Scottish-Filipina Avalonian immigrant cishet female MC, white Avalonian gay cis male side character, Chinese nonbinary side character with two dads, biracial Japanese cishet male side character, Latine cishet male side character, Filipine cis male side character who uses sign language, various other Filipine side characters, queer-normative world.

CWs: Violence, fire/fire injury, injury/injury detail, confinement, ICE raids (MCs raid ICE), child abuse, racism, xenophobia, homophobia/homomisia, death, police brutality.

To truly appreciate what is happening and why you really need to have read the first book Wicked As You Wish were we learn every fairytale, myth and legend is actually connected and true ! Everything from Peter Pan to Robin Hood, Wonderland and Neverland, King Arthur's Court to the Snow Queen all feature and many more just too numerous to mention. It's a tour de force of tremendous imagination and the characters each truly stand out loud and proud as they again do battle to protect Avalon.
I loved the diversity of the characters here and its done with a deft hand that doesn't shy away from situations that others frequently move clumsily through. I did have to reaquaint myself with some things and try to remember who was who and sadly for this reader that meant the first third or so wasn't perhaps as riveting as the previous book. However when things started to happen I was well and truly gripped and definitely found it a page turner. Yes it's fun, yes there's action and betrayals and even just a smidgen of romance but as it ends I'm already desperate to know what happens next and hopefully we won't have to wait too long.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I fell in love with this world in Wicked As You Wish. I loved the idea that Fairytales were existing right alongside everyday people. Top that with the political commentary, bad-assery of the characters and some adventure and I was sold. The dynamic and diverse character cast was well done. I felt like each character had their own voice, their own personality, and their own storyline within the main story arch. These stories were woven together well, including the ominous and riddle-filled "dooms" each character has. I also really enjoyed meeting Tala's grandmother and the rest of the agimat clan; I anticipate them being a polarizing force in the next installment. An Unreliable Magic picks up right where Wicked As You Wish ended. This time around, we really got to delve a bit deeper into the other characters surrounding Tala and Alex. Those stories seem to be picking up a lot of momentum throughout An Unreliable Magic and I feel more connected to those characters now that we got some more one-on-one time with them in this novel; they felt a bit one-dimensional in the first book, so I'm glad to see them fleshed out a bit and able to stand on their own apart from the group. Ryker is the only character I am having a hard time with. I'm 99% sure that's the point, because Tala is confused about him also, but I feel like I'm missing a chunk of his story that would help me rationalize his journey better. I would have liked to see more interaction and relationship building between him and Tala, because even though they had established a "relationship" prior to the start of book 1; it feels insta-love to me, which just isn't my cup of tea.
Of course, based on the adventure ramping up at the end of this book and the mysteries behind Ryker and of course that wall of fire we did not spend nearly enough time with, I am hoping the next book is coming out sooner rather than later!

This is the second book in the A Hundred Names for Magic series, and I would recommend reading Wicked As You Wish prior to this one. I will do my best to keep this spoiler-free, but be advised you kay inadvertently be spoiled if you haven’t read the first book!

Tala and the gang are all preparing for the Snow Queen to attack again, but they aren’t as unified as they once were. In fact, things just get messy and complicated and no one really knows who to trust anymore.

Much like the first book, this one also had a very large cast of characters. It’s easier to follow because generally I knew who they were now, but it’s still a lot of kids, a lot of parents, a lot of people otherwise. I think this is just generally a thing with Rin’s books. The book also has some re-telling elements of fairy tales while intertwined with current hot topics in society like ICE and medication costs. Overall, more action (yay) and there’s snarky chapter titles you can’t help but love.

I generally enjoyed this book, moreso than the first, but I can’t say I would continue on beyond this point.

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. The review expresses my own personal opinions.

Alex, Tala and the rest are safe for now but the Snow Queen is still out there and no one knows what she is planning next, but they need to be prepared. So the Banders train. They also go on missions but the last few Ryker has showed up and while it might be nice he is there to fight the ice wolves, they might not have had to fight them if he hadn't showed up and now have refugees to deal with. Will all of this help them in the end fight the Snow Queen?

This book is a mash up of ever fairy tale and kids story you have ever heard. From the pirate ship in Peter Pan, to Rapunzel, to the sword in the stone, and many more for you to discover, but that makes the book even more fun. This book is 100 percent action and a really fun read that will have you up way past your bedtime.

This review will appear on my blog on May 3rd

i really loved this book!! the characters were well rounded and it was just an amazing sequel! expected nothing less from such an amazing author and her amazing worldbuilding

I loved reading this book! I found the writing to be very insightful and interesting. I was intrigued by the premise and I enjoyed reading it from start to finish.

Oh my goodness I wholeheartedly recommend this book! So good! I enjoyed the first book in this series and I was intrigued to see how the second would play out. I loved it, even better than the first. I actually plan to reread the first and purchase this when it officially comes out to get the full experience all over again. I applaud this author for creating a series that is a reimagining of modern fairytales with diverse characters and creative twists and turns throughout the story.

This book brings us back to Avalon, where the frost curse may have been broken, but there is still a load of work to do to rebuild the country. King Alex is burning the candle at both ends to rule a county and strengthen diplomatic ties while also secretly sanctioning the Banders to mitigate international injustices. Tala struggles to understand how the loving father of her childhood could also be the villain of old legends. She is also trying sort through her feelings for Ryker, who she has feelings for, but she is also deeply hurt by his betrayal and loyalties to the enemy. Zoe is managing the ramifications from her curse, and Cole tries to help her to safely manage the ramifications. Some of Nya’s secrets are revealed, and Ken is hurt by what he finds out. West becomes famous, but nobody actually recognizes him. Last, Loki balances his desire to be a Fianna and also his duty to Alex and the Banders. All the while, the Snow Queen still plots for Avalon’s destruction.

Overall, fantastic read. I cannot wait for book 3. Buy and read this book. The only criticism I have is that I like the cover style of the first book more than I like this cover, but the story inside is so good it’s really not a big deal. Again, I highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for providing be with an ARC of this book.

An Unreliable Magic by Rin Chupeco is the second book of the A Hundred Names for Magic series. Tala, Alex, and their friends are safe now, but they know that the Snow Queen is out there. They’ve decided to prepare for her inevitable attack. Soon Ryker starts attacking detention facilities and freeing refugees. Tala’s in for a surprise when the Nameless Sword, a weapon that is said to make whoever wields it the most powerful warrior, is in her hands. The friends will have to work together when the Snow Queen decides to strike with an unlikely ally.

This follow-up is just as fun as the first book. Lots of banter to be enjoyed. I also like the mix of fantasy world problems and real-world problems.

An unreliable magic by Rin Chupeco is the brilliant sequel of Wicked as you wish and I couldn't wait to get back to this world and the Bandersnatch people!
Like before, magic and technology are wonderfully mixed and now king, Alex finds himself facing attacks and doubts from outside, confronting the other countries leaders and facing the discovering of a certain sword Alex knows well. With the Queen threat looming, will they be able to stick together and win?

I loved reading this book! It's immersive and so brilliant, the characterization is amazing and there are many POVs, so the reader can follow the plot and what happens to each characters, with their feelings, doubts, love stories and magic. It's Amazing!