Love and Hatred. Alliances and Betrayals. Forgiveness and Revenge. A race against time, and a war on the horizon. The heart-pounding sequel to House of Marionne begins just as intensely as House of Marionne ended, and doesn’t let up until the last page. And just like the first book in this trilogy, it ends on such a jaw-dropping reveal that you’ll be waiting with bated breath to find out what happens next.

<b><i>“The darkness can’t hurt me. Because I am the darkness.”</i></b>

With the decision to bind with the dark magic that had been hounding her during her time at House Marionne, Quell is on the run and trying to learn how to harness this darkness - before it consumes her. Hiding in safe houses, avoiding anywhere she might be found by her ex-love Jordan - Quell is determined to master her magic and reunite with her mother. However, betrayal chases her at every turn, and she can never know who she can trust - or for how long.

Tracing her mother’s steps to find where she vanished, Quell is led to House Perl - where her embrace of the darkness is celebrated, rather than hated. Mastering her magic in pursuit of her mother is not all she discovers when at House of Perl, however, and soon Quell is ensnared in a war looming on the horizon surrounding the Sphere. One faction wants to destroy it, and magic forever - the other wants to destroy it to <i>own </i>magic forever. With heartbreak and betrayal on both sides of the coin, Quell must follow her heart and embrace her inner darkness to be able to come through this book alive.

With how House of Marionne ended, I was so excited to find out how Quell’s story goes from there - and this book absolutely delivers on that front. We follow four main POV characters throughout this book, with one character reveal being a huge unexpected twist that I didn’t see coming in the literal first chapter of this book. I tend to find it difficult to pull off multi-POV books, as at many times it seems at least one character seems unneeded - or information is repeated for each POV. However, there was never a time when I was irritated to get to a character’s POV, or where I felt that their chapter was wasted or didn’t provide new information or context to the story. I bonded to all four characters, and desperately wanted them to meet and see eye-to-eye for their journeys to be resolved together.

Also, I will be the first to admit that certain parts of House of Marionne dragged a bit for me. This isn’t an issue with the writing or the book itself, just that I wasn’t the biggest fan of the romance or the high-society training that took up a large portion of the first book. (Once again, that is a large part of the plot so me not enjoying it isn’t the fault of the author because I knew what I was getting into - just to be clear here). However, Shadows of Perl doesn’t have either of these developments within it, so for me the book felt a lot faster paced. With Quell on the run, even when she is in another house - this one House of Perl - she isn’t attending classes or attempting to blend in with high society. Instead, she is training her magic and trying to remain hidden from everyone around her hunting her down.

I loved how the romance between Jordan and Quell was handled within this book. With the reveal of Quell’s toushana and her binding it to herself, and Jordan choosing his duty over their relationship - both enter into this book feeling betrayed by one another. Hatred and betrayal taints both of their thoughts towards one another, and even when they finally meet face-to-face and are forced to work together, neither is willing to forgive the other for the hurt. All of their interactions felt grounded and real, and I loved the pace the book took and the decisions that had to happen before we ever learned if they could learn to work together without intending to betray the other at the end.

A good portion of this book focuses on Quell’s emotions and her desire for revenge for all those who have hurt and betrayed her. Quell’s emotions in this book are much darker and more focused on finding - and killing - those who have used her trust against her. Neither her, nor the reader, can ever be certain of who she can trust and when those bonds are broken we are on her side with wanting her to be able to enact her perfect revenge on them.

This was a phenomenal sequel and lays plenty of groundwork for the third book in this trilogy, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next. This book left me breathless, and the last page has such a huge cliff-hanger that when I got to it and turned the page, I audibly went <i>“Huh?!” </i>when I realized that was truly the end. If the politics and house loyalties and factions of the first book interested you, then the sequel will capture you as well. (However, if your favorite parts were the schooling, the dancing, and the romance then I fear this book might feel a bit lacking in that regard. I still believe you should check out this book to find out what happens with Quell after the events of House of Marionne and see for yourself, though).

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And she did it again!! After the House of Marionne’s success the author still managed to surprise me with this sequel. This is the kind of book where you can't trust anyone and every page is a different surprise, you know? I felt a great improvement especially in the political part of the book, it left me much more intrigued and explained many things better. The romance was also *chefs kiss*, the tension between them was palpable (and we love it thank you very much). I just wish it was a little more fast paced.

*Shadows of Perl* continues the enthralling saga of the House of Marionne, delivering a darkly captivating sequel that dives deeper into the realms of forbidden magic, intricate betrayals, and fractured hearts. For fans of Stephanie Garber, Leigh Bardugo, and Alex Aster, this novel offers a thrilling journey into a richly imagined fantasy world where power and passion collide.

The story picks up with Quell Marionne reeling from the cataclysmic events of the final Rite of Induction that upended her life. The dramatic upheavals not only shattered her personal world but also sent ripples through the magical fabric of her universe. Fleeing to House of Perl, Quell finds herself in an environment where she is celebrated rather than ostracized. Yet, her newfound refuge is not without its own treacherous secrets. The House of Perl, while a sanctuary, harbors its own mysteries, and Quell’s quest to uncover the fate of her mother plunges her into deeper darkness.

The novel's dual narrative perspective introduces Jordan Wexton, the formidable second-in-command of the Dragun brotherhood and protector of the Sphere, the source of all magic. Jordan’s conflict is both internal and external as he grapples with his former love for Quell and the need to protect the Sphere from her—now a formidable threat due to her possession of the outlawed toushana. This tension between duty and desire forms the heart of the story, as Jordan is forced to confront his own emotional and ethical dilemmas.

*Shadows of Perl* excels in its portrayal of the complex relationship between Quell and Jordan. Their transformation from lovers to adversaries is rendered with emotional depth and nuance, making their interactions both poignant and charged. The narrative drives home the intensity of their conflicting loyalties and personal sacrifices, setting up a dramatic tension that propels the plot forward.

The world-building continues to be one of the novel's strongest features. The intricate depiction of the Houses and their interplay with forbidden magic adds layers of intrigue and suspense. The stakes are high, and the stakes for Quell and Jordan are even higher, as their decisions will not only affect their fates but the future of magic itself.

The book's dark and atmospheric tone is matched by its intricate plotting and vivid characterizations. The author’s ability to weave together personal conflict with broader magical and political stakes makes for a compelling read that keeps the reader on edge.

In conclusion, *Shadows of Perl* is a masterful continuation of the House of Marionne series, combining romantic tension, magical intrigue, and high-stakes drama in a way that will captivate fans of the genre. It’s a must-read for those who revel in fantasy novels that blend romance with deep-seated magic and political machinations.

This author and Cliffhangers, oh my goodness!! Quell is still searching for her mother and answers about her magic now that she's bound herself. Huge reveal at the beginning of this one too, oof. Jordan is working closely with the Dragun and is now hunting Quell. So much for true love.

Jordan battles himself every day over Quell, both hoping that he does and doesn't find her. Quell and Yagrin are searching for the sphere and trying to beat House Perl to it, but the more they dig for answers, the more questions they unearth.

Quell gains control of her magic but loses the ability to trust those around her as secret plots are revealed and alliances are made clear. It seems though everyone has plans for the sphere, none of them align, and many will lose.

In the second installment of this series, Quell learns more about her magic while searching for her mother and avoiding capture by the Draguns, whose ranks now include her ex-lover.

I really liked getting to know a little more about Quell’s magic, the magic of this world in general, and the other houses. I didn’t anticipate the plot twist at the end.

Generally, I’d like to get into the character’s heads a bit more. I felt like when a character changed their position on something, it was very sudden. I’d like to see and feel better development of character complexity. I also found that some transitions were missing. For example, a character would be on the ground and the next description would be them in a standing embrace in another direction, which is impossible without a transition from point A to point B. It made the reading experience a bit clunky at times.

I loved House of Marionne so I could not wait to read Shadows of Perl. It did not disappoint! Book 2 is definitely a slow-burn. There are many twists, and some jaw dropping moments. More character development. I also love the multiple point of views. The ending left me speechless. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

I was so excited for this book because House of Marionne, the first book, was so incredible! I think I rated it 4.5 stars. But sadly this book just fell flat for me. The pace was really slow and I had a hard time feeling connected. It took me 2 weeks to read when I usually finish a book in about 3-5 days.

Positives:
• did a good job subtly referring back to book one as refreshers
• good job having the FMC and MMC miss each other throughout without it taking from the plot
• constant reminders of what the plot is
• very intricate magical and political world
• slooooooooooow burn
• cliffhanger

Negatives (for me):
• very slow pace
• moments that should have been impactful or shocking lacked emotion
• lack of emotional connection with and between MCs
• the entire book is in 1st person except Nore’s chapters are in 3rd person


This book is definitely a filler / character development / plot set up book for what will hopefully be an intense book 3.

Do I recommend it? That’s hard to say. I really enjoyed book one and kind of wish it could’ve ended there. I think I’d rather read book 3 before I recommend these books to anyone else.


Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love the first book and this just added even more depth!! New POVs and secrets revealed!!

This book is truly a coming of age. Quell and Jordan really battle with making decisions based on their own heart and mind and its gripping. You want to yell and scream at them but also root for them.

I was on the edge of my seat with the mystery! Definitely recommend a re-read of book one prior to book 2.

This was a wild ride and I cannot wait for the next one. I loved the expanded world and back story. I hope we get to see more of the 4th house and even those from Duncan. Despite all of the corruption in this world I have hope.

All of the main characters are complex and well written. They could end up doing good or evil, but they want to do good.

It was definitely different compared to the first book, but in a good way. The story was definitely engaging the whole time. I also loved how there were some more POVs added in. It was a whole roller coaster of events, but I loved it. As expected the arc does need a little editing, but it was still such an amazing and great book.

This book was so great! Quell was up against so much just trying to find where she belongs. The secrets that elevated house mother has is wild.

Awwww this was such a cute story. I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. It was just so easy to get into these characters lives and you just can't help but fall in love with them. I can't wait to see what's next from this author.

Unfortunately I was unable to finish this book. It is a sequel and I tried to get into the story but I couldn’t

DNF at 15%. I really couldn't get into it. I liked the first book but struggled to get into the second.

Thank you to Netgalley and Razorbill for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Just like the first book it took me quite a ways into the book before it really had my attention. About 3/4 of the way through is when it really sucks you in. I do think the fact that it started months after the first book ended instead of picking up where it left off left some gaps that made it hard to get into. The book leaves a lot open-ended and unanswered but from what I saw there's going to be a third book which hopefully will tie all of that up. Definitely an original concept but slow moving at times.

I received this book as an ARC and have a love-hate relationship with it.

I find that it is an interesting storyline with several characters that have redeeming qualities (hi, Jordan!). However, I don’t like Quell. I felt bad for her for the majority of the first book. But found her to be extremely narrow minded in this book. I understand feelings of betrayal and how that can shape a person but felt like she lost a lot of her positive qualities as she continued on. I also really didn’t care for Nore’s POV and House Ambrose as a whole. I did like Jordan’s character ARC and development throughout the book.

I felt like the ending was too predictable and wished that it had a little more pizzazz!

I absolutely loved this book. I felt so lucky to receive this arc because I recently finished the first book in the series and had to know what happened next. I couldn’t put it down! The only problem is now I can’t wait for the next one and unfortunately this book isn’t even officially out yet. Such a great series! Highly recommend!

I enjoy J. Elle’s writing so much! The ending left me with so many questions but all around this was a great read. I always fall for the characters with her writing style.

I might have to reread this... because I fell scattered brain now that it's over. I'm trying to like Quell, but she is hard-headed.. it's almost like she's not listening to anyone but herself. She thinks her grandmother is a bad guy, but I don't believe that's true, Darragh might have her flaws, but there's more, if only Quell would listen instead of run away. And the fact that she found out who "Mother" is and still went to her and surprised she betrayed her.. smh

With absolutely no spoilers…..We find Quell on the run again/hiding after she completed her final rite, and finds solstice in the oddest place. However, secrets lurk in every house and Quell’s quest to find her mom threatens to lead her deeper into the shadows. As the spheres future is unknown a war brews among the houses and lovers-turned enemies must confront their competing ambitions and conflicting loyalties.

Can’t trust ANYONE in this damn book! This was a wild ride. Idk what the author put in here but I ATE IT UP. I LOVED the multi-POV throughout. This book is packed with MORE twists and turns, betrayals and I was at the edge of my seat most of the book. Jaw dropped SEVERAL times while reading. There was a lot more action and Dragun related politics and how much influence magic and power have over the actions of the head mistresses. A lot more political intrigue and more details that I felt were lacking in the first book. More character development, more world building and just more descriptions in general. Jordan really took the front seat on this one with his character ARC. The third POV was a really nice touch! The TENSION I could cut with a knife between our lovers-turned enemies. The cliffhanger……then the book ENDED!…I checked several times to make sure I was at the very end.

Chapter 20 was beautifully crafted.

Im thirsty for book 3…..book 2 hasn’t been published yet…..help.

Thank you Penguin Teen & NetGalley for the eARC.