2.5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Razorbill, and Penguin Young Readers Group for this advanced copy. You can pick up Shadows of Perl on September 3, 2024.

I dove into this one right after House of Marionne, expecting to be swept up into the world right away. I don't know if it's because I switched from audio to ebook reading, but for some reason, the world and magic were harder to follow in this book. I struggled to keep track of the various characters, and while I appreciated seeing events through new perspectives, the POV changes didn't propel the story forward as much as I would've liked. Even when we switched back to Quell, I found myself unmotivated to pick the book up and stay invested.

I ended up skimming the last two-thirds of the book, and while the ending was definitely more exciting, I once again struggled to care about what happened to any of the characters. I'm afraid this one was a miss for me.

Why does this feel like a game of Betrayal...if Betrayal involved Bridgerton-esque parties and everyone was a traitor instead of just one person?

For the sake of honesty, I picked up Shadows of Perl because I was invested in a singular character and also because it was available on Netgalley for free. I didn't love the first one, but I thought it was okay, and I figured I might as well read the sequel. It definitely has a handful of popular tropes (lovers-to-enemies, only one bed, quirky main characters, etc). I'd also like to mention again that I'm not typically a fan of urban fantasy as a genre, so my review might be more critical but should be taken with a grain of salt.
The multiple POVs definitely worked in this book's favor because I'm not sure if I could have taken a whole book narrated by Quell. There are three main storylines going on: Quell is still trying to find her mother, Jordan is trying to find and kill Quell, and the third one involves spoilers, but it's about breaking free from one's house. I found the third storyline to be the least interesting, simply because I wasn't sure how it would tie in with Quell and Jordan's stories. Quell had some interesting scenes, especially past the 70% mark, and I'm kind of hoping for a villain arc for her. Jordan's chapters were my favorite because they really worked to develop his character and backstory, and they simply had more action. There were some plot twists, most of which I didn't guess but weren't incredibly out of the blue. The book does end with a cliffhanger, so I'll probably end up reading the next one.
As I've shared before, I really only read this book for one character. Quell still reminded me of a bunch of other characters (there are literally so many young women who are thrown into a new world and end up embracing the power everyone hates), but since she's kinda giving villain arc vibes, that's what I'm hoping for. Jordan was fairly interesting, but his inner turmoil got a bit repetitive after a while. I still don't like Abby (mostly because we share a name). Yagrin was my favorite, and I'm not sure if it's because he can shapeshift or because he has a tragic backstory or because I just like his vibes, but he's the reason I keep coming back to this series...
Shadows of Perl is the second book in the House of Marionne series, and it definitely avoids second-book syndrome while also employing a variety of familiar tropes sure to intrigue readers of dark academia and urban fantasy.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.75/5

I knew I shouldn't have read this novel. I liked it even less than the first one but since I requested it, I wanted to follow through. I really don't think this needed to be a trilogy. There were so many parts in this book that just didn't need to be here. It felt like the characters were running around accomplishing nothing. Every step Nore took something would stop her, wether it be her mom or her lack of magic. Quell going to House of Perl also made very little sense to me, yes she found out her mother was there but she never stopped to ask herself why the Mother of the House wanted her there so badly. This was the same issue I had with her in the first book. Quell was never cautious enough around people. But when it came to Jordan she was "violent". They were both really all bark and no bite for people who swore up an down that they would kill each other. They didn't even throw magic at one another when push came to shove and they reunited it was just a bunch of barbs thrown at each other. I'm not going to be reading the final book and I really don't care what happens with any of the characters honestly.

DNF. I continue to like the world building (one of my favorite things from the first book), but I’m just not compelled to pick it back up. The pacing is rather slow, failing to keep my attention, and there are too many POV characters.

It was great to be back in this world!

In my personal taste I could have done with less POV's and clearer focus on the multiple plots. At the end of the book it got the tiniest bit confusing because the POV's were at different points in the timeline; at least it felt like that; and one POV needed to quickly catch up.

Overall it was great to be back with Quell and I can't wait to see where this story goes!

My thanks go out to Penguin and J. Elle for sending me an eARC.

SHADOWS OF PERL by J. Elle is the second in a Young Adult Romantasy series set in a world where magic exists and houses led by powerful family leaders protect the secret of their magic and hunt those who use what some consider evil magic, toushana. The book has two main POV characters, and one minor (but still important) third POV character. The characters in this book are beautifully crafted and the magic system and story itself are truly engaging. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next installment. Before I gush on more, let me share the setup.

Quell is on the run from the boy she maybe still loves, Jordan. As a Dragun, it's his job to find and capture her for her illegal use of toushana. Not only is she hiding, but she's also seeking. She yearns to find her mother, and we spend a good part of the book following her along in her quest, as she's able. Where she lands to hide surprised and intrigued me.

Jordan is hunting the young woman who betrayed him and stole his heart, Quell. As a member of the House of Perl, he knows that the leader of his house is someone with grey morals, and he has escaped from the reaches of those grey morals by working for the House of Marrione. In an interesting twist, his duties become even more urgent, and his search for Quell more desperate.

Will Quell successfully evade Jordan and find her mother so they can escape this perilous life? Will Jordan fulfill his duty and bring Quell in to face the consequences of bonding with the illicit magic? Will we see Quell and Jordan in the same scene where they are not trying to kill one another? You'll have to read to find out.

What I loved most:
- I thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns. There are many of them, so watch out!
- The main POV characters were strong, as were the supporting cast.
- J. Elle examines the meaning of duty and its many layers: duty to family, duty to one's role, duty to one's beliefs, duty to oneself. It was a multi-layered examination that thoroughly resonated with me.
- The magic system in this novel (and it's predecessor) is so creative and it gets even more intriguing in this installment. Bravo!
- The romance, once it is re-sparked, strikes the balance between being too easy and being too frustrating. That's not easy to do.
- The role of tradition is examined through the rituals of the House of Perl. How many of us cling to traditions that are not exactly healthy or not exactly in keeping with the times? So many cling to those traditions, and at what cost?

What didn't work:
- Honestly, the only gripe I have is that I would have liked to see Quell and Jordan on page together sooner, but I understand why that couldn't happen at first.

SHADOWS OF PERL is a pacey, enjoyable read brimming with action, adventure, romance, and cataclysm, with a strong cast of characters. I highly recommend it. Run, don't walk, to pre-order or purchase this epic novel!

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

5 stars!!

This was everything that I needed in a sequel after how things ended in House of Marionne. HONEY, the twists alone from the ending of House of Marionne to the beginning of this book......*mind blown*!!!! The subtle tension along the way *swoon*.

I love the selections that were made for the additional POVs and how their stories converged!!! Book 3 is going to be epic - I can already tell.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Teen, and J. Elle for allowing me to review this ARC!!

Looking forward to September 3rd when I can have the physical copy in hand!!
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Absolutely loved this thriller romantansy. The author really connected everything and used minimum fluff to do it. You can perfectly picture the setting and story that the characters are in. Absolutely glued to the very end. Bravo!

These covers are amazing!

I hate to do this because I truly enjoyed the first book. But I had to DNF around 40%. The characters just didn’t feel the same, they didn’t have enough depth to them.

Content Warning: violence, loss of a parent

This is the second book in the House of Marionne series and with the way it ended in book one, I was excited to see how this sequel would turn out.

Likes:

I liked when Yagrin was in the story because the first book ended with him and it got me excited to see what would happen to his character.
The troubled romance between Quell and Jordan goes through more turmoil here. They hate one another, but underneath it all, they still feel strongly for one another. So I did like when they finally had scenes together – it was my favorite parts because I love romance in my fantasy books.
There is a lot of movement in the book since Quell is on the run and there is a lot of action at the end. I liked the political drama and Jordan coming to realize what the order demands of him.
Dislikes:

This was too slow for me and it was hard for me to get into it because it starts off with Nore and I was clueless as to who she was. So I was a bit lost in the beginning of this book and was trying to get my bearings and remember things from book one.
I couldn’t connect to the characters.


My Thoughts:

I think this book does move the series forward but it took me awhile to get into. My favorite parts were when Quell and Jordan finally confront each other but I did also like all the political drama happening with the houses. I think if you liked book one, you will enjoy this one.

Shadows of Perl by J. Elle is a captivating and atmospheric novel that masterfully blends mystery with supernatural elements. Elle’s evocative storytelling and intriguing plot twists create a compelling read that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Do not read this until you've read the first book because the world is difficult to get into otherwise.

Sadly, the worldbuilding that was weak in Book One hasn't strengthened here. How the magic works, the different types of magic, etc. are still quite muddy and confusing (what one group sees as bad, another uses frequently, for example). The society is slightly clearer, which is nice. It was also problematic that one of the POVs that felt most interesting is missing from most of the book -- when she reappears, it's almost jolting.

eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.

As soon as I finished House of Marionne I rushed to Netgallery to get my hands on Shadows of Pearl and needless to say this book did NOT disappoint. We get to learn more of Quell’s quests in this magical world where betrayal runs in the Order.

Quell finds herself running once more from the order and Draguns, but is able to gather a few allies along the way that help her search for her mom and improve her magic.

This book has a lot of betrayal, sadness, helplessness and anger. We get to see many people’s Point of view and understand their motivations and fears.


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Spoiler alert 🚨
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We get Jordan’s point of view, which I loved because he spends almost half of the book searching for Quell. Now we are able to understand what his brother said at the end of book 1. He has spend all his life trying to be a good son and student, being the perfect example to please his family, and all he gets in return are betrayals. He gets to be the Dragunheart, the second highest title in the Dragunhood, only to learn that it’s not as important as he once thought because the order is full of bad people.

Quell keeps looking for her mother, trusting no one (and with good reason) when she suddenly finds herself in house of Pearl, learning more about her powers but also being lied to. Until she finally breaks free.

I loved how we also get to know Nore and Adola. The future Headmistresses of the other houses. And turns out they all have more in common than we thought and will be better than their predecessors.

Thank you to the publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for a review. I thought this was enjoyable, but hard for me to follow and keep up with at times. There were a lot of different characters and point of view changes. Overall I enjoyed this, but was confused at many points.

Shadows of Perl was a wild ride. I enjoyed House of Marrionne, but Shadows of Perl was better, which everyone knows is virtually unheard of for a sequel. The pacing and writing was great. I still don't quite understand the "science" behind the magic of sun charting and sphere chasing, but it's fantasy so I just 🤷‍♀️ and move on. Nore's chapters were a bit of a bore, but Isla Ambrose stole the show like Meryl Streep in anything. I really hope she gets page time in the next book.
Speaking of reader requests, J. Elle wrote in her Perl acknowledgements that she kept a specific character around due to readers loving them. I love that for all of us.
The romance was developing. The crisis was crucial. This book has tension and drama and backstabbing for days. Loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers - Razorbill for this ARC!

3.5⭐️ definitely a second book to set up for a finale and while there was some action it was a lot of hurry up and wait and confusing POV switches. I will say I thought this was going to END in this book so I’m curious to see where the story goes from here.

3.5 stars

Shadows of Perl is the much-anticipated sequel to House of Marionne. It vastly differs from the glittering world shown in its predecessor, instead exposing the darker underbelly of the order and its work.

This book was very slow to start for me, especially because I was having trouble remembering events and themes from the first book. While the author does recall major plot points throughout the story, I continue to be confused about the difference between the Dragun’s toushana use and Quell’s. There was also a lot of speculation in the first half of this story, but little to no action.

The plot finally picked up about two-thirds of the way through, just in time to set the stage for the third book. I enjoyed Jordan’s POV the most, and thought the author did a great job showing his internal struggle between duty and what he knew to be right. I think Nore’s POV and character arc has a lot of promise, but the quick cut to and from her chapters made it hard for me to fully engage in her story.

Overall, Shadows of Perl advances the plot and I continue to be in awe of the incredibly unique fantasy world the author has built. I look forward to the action sure to come in the third novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this! Multiple POVs including Quell and Jordan, I love getting to know other characters better and being able to understand their motivations. There is so much revealed between house secrets, political secrets, and just secrets between people. It kept me on the edge of my seat, never knowing who to trust or what might be revealed next. There was also some great character development. I'm ready to find out what happens in book 3!

This one definitely had second book syndrome IMO. This was one I had been anticipating for a while so maybe it was my own fault for building it up in my head but it just felt kind of blah. I felt like there was a lot of just telling us what was going on and I wish we could have been able to get inside the characters heads a little bit more. It also felt very slow paced and it was a struggle to get through. Often in series there will be a book that serves more as a vehicle to fill the plot before the “real” stuff starts going down and it felt like this one was it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the arc copy!

This was an excellent follow up to the first book and I need book three ASAP! I actually enjoyed it more than House of Marionne, the pacing felt smoother this time around. We have a three way multi POV set up in this book and it transitioned POVs at the right time to keep me interested in what was going on with all three characters throughout unlike in book 1 where Yagrin's POV chapters really threw me off the rhythm of the book.

It's so interesting through the course of the book how my feelings about different characters surrounding Quell and Jordan changed based on their interactions with them. You know that these people have done questionable things but then they will have an interaction with one of the MCs that endears them to you and it is hard to know what face of the person is the true one until the writing is on the walls so to speak. I will say Jordan disappointed me in how long it take him to really question the things going on around him. He's clearly struggling from the start but he keeps pushing away from really taking a good look at things, like if he ignores it he just wont have to deal with it. He gets there in the end and he makes the right choices more often than not along the way.

The ending gives us so much to explore in a third book which I can only hope is on the horizon not too distantly after this one I absolutely need to know how this is all going to play out.