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.

J. Elle has truly outdone herself with book two. The continuation of character development and of the plot has been incredible. With the twists and the turns and that sweet touch of romance that doesn’t overpower the storyline because our strong fmc doesn’t need a man to know her worth. Truly truly incredible.

A much anticipated follow-up to House of Marionne, Shadows of Perl follows Quell and Jordan as they navigate their new realities following Quell's binding to toushana and how their trials and tribulations following that force them to mature. Filled with intrigue and exposing House secrets, Shadows of Perl is difficult to put down.

thank you to netgalley for a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
slow to start and i wasn't always invested in nore's point of view. this was still a fun follow up to the first book. more motives are revealed that lead to interesting twists. the angst and tension between jordan and quelle was written very well. and that cliffhanger?? can't wait to see what happens

Shadows of Perl was a well executed folllow-up to House of Marionne. J. Elle did a phenomenal job with this sequel to the story. The characters were, of course, interesting and the world building was well done too. I really liked the dual POV and how this story really makes you question everyone's motives and who is trustworthy. The magic system still isn't my favorite but I was a le to enjoy the story regardless.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

My toxic trait is getting an ARC I desperately want to read, finishing it in one day, and then having to wait an eternity for the next book. It happened with House of Marionne, and here we are again! Dang it J. Elle for writing books I cannot put down.

From the first freaking page, this book takes you on a wild ride. It plays on what you thought you knew from HoM, and just keeps you guessing through the whole book. You're constantly questioning who you can trust and everyone's motivations, and I love that. And this book does multiple POV really well as the book jumps between Quell, Jordan, and... someone else. It will break your heart, keep you on the edge of your seat, and probably say the words "oh sh*t" at least once.

There are a few times where the book feels like it gets ahead of itself in the world building and I found myself asking "wait, what? am I supposed to know that?" but overall, it's an incredible read in a series I'm utterly obsessed with.

From beginning to end, all I could think was "J. freaking Elle, you evil goddess". How will I survive until book 3? After an ending like that? I may never recover. But on the plus side, these books continue to have the most beautiful covers imaginable. So, they shatter your soul, but at least there's that.

Thank you to J. Elle, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3 🌟

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was the 2nd installment in the series, and maybe my expectations were a bit high, but it fell a little short for me.

Shadows of Perl was centered around Quell still searching relentlessly for her mother while also assisting Jordan with trying to find and save the sphere from bleeding out.

There were a few twists along the way. In the first installment we thought that red & yagrin died, but in this second installment we come to realize that both are alive and well. Red is actually nore ambrose.

The themes that struck me as most prevalent were about unity, forgiveness, standing up for what is right and holding people accountable for their actions, seeing others as mortal just like you.

Shadows of Perl is a gripping and ominous sequel that delves into the realm of forbidden magic, deceitful betrayals, and shattered hearts.

-Enemies to Lovers to Enemies ....
-Forced Proximity
-Unique Magic System (Forbidden Magic)
-Multi POV

The author crafted a very unique world with a magic system that's dark, mysterious, complex and overall really interesting. I thought "Shadows of Perl" was a great continuation of the House of Marrione series.

I'm a huge fan of stories being told in multiple POV'S so I love that we get to experience that in this book. There is a lot happening within this plot so I really appreciated being able to see the events through different character's perspectives it makes for a more immersive reading experience.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading book three!

Thank you J. Elle , Net Galley and Penguin Group- Razorbill for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I was so mad about the cliffhanger ending because that book was just that good! While I enjoyed the House of Marionne, I LOVED Shadows of Perl. It's a solid and faster-paced continuation of Quell & Co.'s story. The supporting cast is great but I enjoyed the peeling back of the Houses' sometimes insidious history, especially learning more about the headmistresses and their roles in the chase for The Sphere.

Shadows of Perl hit all the right notes from Quell & Jordan trying to untangle their feelings for one another to Nore's fight to survive her own family and trying to guess the intent of all the factions searching for The Sphere. I am not sure how I'll be able to patiently wait for the sequel because the build-up created in Shadows of Perl had me on edge, especially in the last 3 chapters. And despite my OMFG moment on the last page, it was the perfect ending for this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shadows of Perl by J. Elle is the second book in the House of Marianne series. It picks up where book 1 left off, with Quell fleeing from Chateau Soleil after her Rite of Induction, with the goal of learning more about her toushana and finding her mom, while Jordan, second-in-command for the Draguns, is charged with protecting the Sphere and magic. it seems that Quell is the number one threat to this, and now these two lovers-turned enemies must confront their competing ambitions and conflicting loyalties. Or die. The future of magic hangs on their decision.

What a ride this book takes you on! Whew. I am tired! This was a VERY exciting sequel to the first book and full of adventure. The beginning was a little slow as the various plot lines were being set up, but it quickly turned into nonstop action. A lot of plot happens in this book but also a lot of personal growth. I really loved the interactions between Quell and Jordan. I will say that I struggled at first because I read the first book a long time ago and so the characters weren't fresh in my mind. If you tend to forget details from books, I recommend re-reading House of Marionne before reading Shadows of Perl. I cannot wait for the next book in the series (due to the CRAZY cliffhanger) and plan to re-read both books before reading the third.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an eBook ARC. Shadows of Perl is expected to be published on September 3, 2024.

The writing in this one is still confusing as the first and I just don't feel like I understand how the magic works in this world. I can't say that the writing is particularly dynamic or exciting and it's not giving me enough of the girly vibes I want either.

I absolutely loved House of Marionne but I think the separation of characters in this left me wanting more. Having said that, I did enjoy it quite a bit.

The reveal of Nore being alive and being Red was amazing. I wish there was MORE Yags, his time felt rushed and he was my favorite (and my favorite reveal) in HoM. I think more time with Yags and Nore (which I bet is coming next book) would have made this even more enjoyable for me. I love that Nore is the only one who can see the spirits of the ancestors....could that be MAGIC?!...I don't know! Her brothers flip to *not good* was a bit weird/chaotic.

I loved Jordan's arc in this but his internal struggle with hating Quell fell a little flat for me. Jordan's development though was SO GOOD. I'm curious about his dad though - is he actually bad like his sister or is he actually good and his whole demeanor was a defense mechanism/attempt to protect his sons with his sister.

Quell, Quell, Quell...I feel so bad for her. Everything she set out for and was seeking fell to dust. I think the death of her grandmother is going to mess her up more than the average reader would think. Particularly because clearly her grandmother SAVED all of these people with Toushana and she's going to wish she had more insight into her thought process here. Part of me hopes she stews with grief over not trying harder to save her grandmother. I was really glad she was finally honest with Jordan - it took a mountain!

This was jam packed plot wise. The end was good action. I love that Jordan and Quell are starting to not fight their draw to each other. I love that the glossary and house explanations were at the back of the book - when they're at the front I find it daunting. I hope we get to learn more about House Oralia, they've been pretty silent. Also, now that Jordan IS the sphere....what does that mean for him and Quell?!

How am I supposed to wait for the next one after that ending? Loved getting back into this world. I really adore Quell and love seeing her story unfold. It took me a minute to get fully into the story at the beginning but once it took off for me I could not stop reading. So many reveals and the tension with enemies/lovers. Really enjoyed it!

This book has always been a hit I expected nothing least!! The book was enticing and enthralling and constantly had my attention throughout it. I loved feeling like I was on my toes throughout the book so great

This second book in the series was better than the first. The story line was more exciting. The writing still gets confusing at times and there are a lot of characters to keep track of. The fantasy world has a lot of intricacies that get confusing at times. As I recommended for book #1, I think this is a wonderful series for a preteen or teen reader as the fantasy is enjoyable and the main character is probably more relatable for a teen reader. In addition, the romance is clean and PG rated.

A stunning follow up to HoM. Loved seeing the growth in both Quelle and Jordan. 🖤 As I have felt with the other J. Elle books I’ve read, the magic system feels simultaneously familiar and comfortable while also having unique aspects that are fun to learn about.