I love VE Schwab, this world she's created, and everything about this trip back to London. The old characters mixed with the new, the unique magic system, and Schwab's signature prose made this one of my favorite reads of the year. I missed Kell and Lila and Rhy and Luc so freaking much, and seeing them again made my heart absolutely soar.

I loved this book! I read the Darker Shades of Magic series right before so I could read this arc and was happy to continue to be in the different Londons. I loved seeing these characters again and being introduced to some new great characters as well. I love the way VE Schwab writes and was fully immersed in the story. Such a great series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

This book is not to be missed if you read and enjoyed the Shades of Magic trilogy. Diving into this book is just like diving back into a world you were reluxtant to leave in the first place.

Schwab does a masterful job at weaving a story that tackles the previous stories while also keeping this one fresh. I will say that it is likely in your best interest to read the Shades of Magic before taking this one on just to get an idea of how the story would play out. But regardless, another excellent story from.V. E. Schwab.

SO SO GOOD! Opening up this book felt, in a way, like walking into a childhood friend’s home- known and loved and familiar, but new again. This book had a new line of suspense to it, and I remained convinced that (redacted) was actually (redacted), but I suppose we'll still have to see in the next one!! Seeing our favorite kids again (I literally cried when we saw Lila's chapter) was such a gift and I'm so excited we have new books in this universe!

Schwab has once again proved that she is a master storyteller and creator of unique worlds.

I loved diving back into this world and meeting the new characters. I like the way their stories slowly intertwined and the perspectives made perfect sense.

New characters were introduced right away and I was so excited to dive into their storyline because they were so interesting individually, but also knowing they will eventually collide and lead the plot. After being introduced there was about 25% of the book after that is focused on the original characters. While I loved catching up with them I was really yearning to read something new. Got back eventually but I was in a bit of a rut during those flashbacks that seemed unrelated.

Fans of A Darker Shade of Magic will love this continuation.

Thank you so much for the eARC, NetGalley!

4 Stars

I would give this all the stars if I could. I adored being back in this world and Lila Bard will forever be one of my book crushes.

This is my most anticipated read of the year, and it ABSOLUTELY lived up to my expectations! Seeing Kell and Lila again was an absolute delight, and Kell’s storyline broke my heart. The new characters were all wonderful as well, especially Kosika! My main problem with the book is the time changes. In pretty much every chapter we are jumping back 7 years, and jumping back to the present. That, combined with Kosika’s plotline being in a completely different world, made it a bit disorienting. But that was my only issue. If you liked the original trilogy, you will LOVE this!

How do I even rate a book that’s just so incredibly perfect
I have missed the ADSOM crew and world and being back in it felt like coming home
I couldn’t help but squeal at the mention of our old favorites and the new characters quickly became favorites as well!
Just so perfectly done and I am so incredibly invested!! All the stars

I've been super excited to read something by this author, because I've heard great things, and this was a great one to start with. The suspense in this story is unmatched. I was on edge the entire time. I never got bored reading this story and definitely recommend it to anyone looking for their next, unique fantasy read.

I'm obsessed!! This might just be my new all-time favorite from VE Schwab, and most definitely favorite of the series!!

Wow, just wow. V.E. really shows why she's one of m favorite authors. Sometimes when there's multiple books in the same world it can get redundant or predictable - not here! I loved being surrounded by all our previous companions, as well as being introduced to new ones. I cannot wait for book 2!!

VE Schwab is a god. This was everything I wanted and more. Within the first few lines of this novel all my fears and reservations about returning to this world, that I love so much, were put to rest. All of our favorites are back and explored in even deeper ways that they weren’t before. I loved every second of this book. Was even surprised that Schwab found a way to include my favorite character in this new series. I also loved all the new characters we get. Each one a complex and fully realized addition. It was wonderful to be back in this world and I cannot wait for the next book in the series. The magic is still very much alive

This book felt like coming home! I adored the original ADSOM trilogy, and this continuation was perfect! Getting to see how our favorite characters are getting on now and some new characters as well. I'll never tire of this world. Of V.E's beautiful way of writing. Of bitter black tea and Lila's anger issues. I hope it always feels like home.

It was nice to be back in the Shades of Magic world after all this time, but not as nice as I thought it would be. I don't think that's the fault of Schwab, either. As usual, her writing is top notch. Her imagery is vivid, her characters are well developed, and the plot is fast paced and focused. So what's the problem?

I LOVED this trilogy when it came out. So much. But I'm a reader who reads things once, and then moves on. It's why I can almost never finish a series. When I read the originals- they were all out and I was able to read them in a row. By the time this sequel came out (6 years, 7 years later?) the core plot of this book has completely escaped me. All I remember is the feeling that I got when I read the originals. That feeling when you're completely immersed in a world someone created.

Unfortunately, because my memory is not a steel trap, and because I NEVER reread, I spent way too much time trying to remember what happened before to enjoy this book. What is Lila's relationship to Alucard again? Who is Holland? What happened to Kell's magic? There was a lot of googling going on. So- I learned my lesson. Either reread them, or let it lie. It was still well written; just too much work for this particular reader.

That being said- now that the story's got going I maaaaybe might read the next one.

Welcome back to the worlds of red, grey, black, and white London, where magic is constantly a source for power struggles to rear their head. Though we seem to step into another series with Schwab calling this #1 of the Shades of Magic Universe, it feels like a fourth book in the Shades of Magic series. Though we are seven years later from where we last left the familiar universe, we have substantial amounts of content regarding familiar characters such as Kell, Lila, Rhy, and Alucard. We are also introduced to a few new and important characters as well, such as Tes and Kosaki. Though the length of the book seems as though it could be daunting, it goes incredibly quickly as the pages fly through the fingers, weaving a fantastic story. I do think if we were going to start a new series, we could have focused more on the new characters rather than focusing so much on the characters we’ve been following for so many pages. Though I had read the Shades of Magic series, I did not realize how vital it was going to be to have read those books before this one. I did believe this would be a stand alone, yet it is pretty necessary to have read the others before this to fully understand everything that is going on.

VE SCHWAB DID IT AGAIN. Schwab consistently comes out with banger after banger. Her skill with prose is undeniable and she knows what her audience wants...violence, a bit of unhinged energy, and a touch of romance. Schwab delivered with the right amount of old and new in this book so new and returning readers of the Shades of Magic series are welcome to indulge in this masterpiece.

V.E. Schwab's The Fragile Threads of Power is the series continuation that I didn't know I needed in my life! Schwab's Shades of Magic trilogy is one of my all time favorite fantasy series. I don't think I've ever become so invested in a cast of characters, and while I was very content with the way the original trilogy concluded, it was such an incredible gift to get to revisit them and the 4 Londons in this new book.

I loved being back in the world of the 4 Londons and seeing Lilah and Kel, the Antari magicians again, as well as Kel's brother Rhy Maresh, who is now King of Red London, and Rhy's significant other, Alucard Emery. I actually got goosebumps as each of my favorite characters appeared on the page. That's how truly invested I was in them all!

What we see right away is that things have definitely changed in the 4 Londons. There is rebellion brewing in Red London that threatens Rhy, and by extension, Kel since their lives became irrevocably entwined in the original trilogy. In addition to what is brewing in Red London, there is also a new queen in White London, another rare Antari magician named Kosiko, and along with her a new religious fervor that threatens to take over everything. In the midst of all of this change and danger lies Tes, a girl with an unusual magical ability who is in possession of a device that could change the fate of all 4 Londons.

I was a little worried that I wouldn't appreciate these new characters since I was just so attached to the originals, but I needn't have worried. Tes, in particular, captured my heart right away and I become invested in this new adventure. Schwab's worldbuilding is on point again and I just loved watching her develop the Londons even further.

While I do think The Fragile Threads of Power could work as a standalone, I highly recommend reading Shades of Magic first. It just adds that layer of emotional attachment that makes this an even more phenomenal read!

A big thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing me an eARC of my most anticipated release of the year. I practically died when I saw the notification of approval for this book.

Kell and the gang are back baby!

The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab is a continuation/sequel side story to Schwab's previous series, A Darker Shade of Magic. Once, there were four worlds, nestled like pages in a book, each pulsing with fantastical power, and connected by a single city: London. Until the magic grew too fast, and forced the worlds to seal the doors between them in a desperate gamble to protect their own. The few magicians who could still open the doors grew more rare as time passed and now, only three Antari are known in recent memory―Kell Maresh of Red London, Delilah Bard of Grey London, and Holland Vosijk, of White London. But barely a glimpse of them have been seen in the last seven years―and a new Antari named Kosika has appeared in White London, taking the throne in Holland's absence. The young queen is willing to feed her city with blood, including her own―but her growing religious fervor has the potential to drown them instead. And back in Red London, King Rhy Maresh is threatened by a rising rebellion, one determined to correct the balance of power by razing the throne entirely. Amidst this tapestry of old friends and new enemies, a girl with an unusual magical ability comes into possession of a device that could change the fate of all four worlds. Her name is Tes, and she's the only one who can bring them together―or unravel it all.

Let's face it. I screamed. I cried. But that's to be expected when reading a Schwab book. READ HER BOOKS IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tor Books for the opportunity to read and review this book! I read it fresh off the heels of the Shades of Magic trilogy, and it’s going to be hard to succinctly summarize how much I loved it. The author has clearly worked very hard so that you could pick up this book without reading the first trilogy and totally understand what is going on - but you’d be missing so much. Definitely read the first three books first - yes, it’s a time commitment, but it’s SO worth it! So stop reading this review if you haven’t read those books, because my review will be a major spoiler otherwise.

Kell and Lila and Rhy and Alucard and now Tes! My favorites are back plus a new teenage girl with a magical dead owl, and I couldn’t be happier. Not only have the two couples made lives for themselves over the past seven years, but Kell and Alucard still hate each other which gives me such joy. The whole book made me so happy… even the parts that stressed me out, and I DID get stressed out! Nothing bad should ever happen to my Red London babies! But now there’s an uprising in the city that wants to take out the royal family, and over in White London as always there are some crazy people stirring up trouble…

It’s a little worrisome when an author returns to such a wonderfully crafted universe, but I’m happy to report that Fragile Threads feels just like her other Darker Shades books, and I loved it just as much as the others. If you love well-crafted fantasy and adventure, this series is perfection!

My favorite author releasing a new book in my favorite series? Sign me up!!

V.E. Schwab continues to provide such a magical and exciting world with this next installment. I love this series so much and I fell in love with every new character introduced in this book. The returning characters? Magnificent.

The plotting and writing of this book is soul catching to say the very least. I want to be in this world and live with this magic system and these fun characters. I'm so excited to see where this continues to next