The idea of an urban fantasy is so fascinating but the shadow and tarot card magic system is confusing and not well-explained. Charlie, as the protagonist, constantly makes bad decisions without any rationale which makes it hard to relate or root for her.

This is a very dark story. I found this book challenging to read from the start as it overwhelms you with a lot of dark subject matters, including a gruesome murder, abuse, manipulation, and hints of issues with alcoholism.

The writing itself is descriptive and imaginative, but the story was not enjoyable to follow.

Special thanks to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest, independent review.

I'm honestly not sure what I just read. For most of the book, I felt confused and like the story was all over the place. That said, the concept of shadow magic being separated from people to gain power—at such a painful cost—was really intriguing and unique. I loved that part of the world-building.

Charlie and Vince were definitely the highlight for me. Their character arcs had depth, and I especially enjoyed Charlie's talent as a thief. Despite the story feeling chaotic, their development kept me invested.

I'm hoping the second (and final) book in the installment brings more clarity and a stronger sense of direction. The potential is there—it just didn’t fully land for me this time.

Thank you to the author, Tor Publishing Group, and Net Galley for a copy to provide an honest review.

My feelings on Book of Night by Holly Black are complicated. I’m a devout fan of Black’s work, but this didn’t initially sink its claws into my cerebellum like I was hoping. It’s a slow burn with flickers of pacing (and clarity) until about 75%—and then it’s a flash fire from there.

The magic system is not unlike Peter Pan’s shadow. Nearly everyone can manipulate their hungry, quasi-malignant, blood-eating shadows. It’s deliciously dark and wildly unique, but also fairly abstract and confusing at first. Why is shadow-hacking trendy? What are the shadows, really? Though things clarify as the story progresses, I never felt fully satisfied with how the shadow-human relationship works—or why it matters.

Then there’s Charlie Hall, a heroine with all the makings of an antihero: a lovable underdog groomed to become a con artist. Her backstory is rich, her life of crime compelling, but for a good portion of the book, she doesn’t quite show up in her present-day life. Maybe that’s intentional—she only comes alive when she’s operating outside the rules. Ironically, it’s when she owns her skills and chaotic brilliance that I started rooting for her.

There were a lot of things I enjoyed on the second read—nuance I missed the first time. Though complicated, I liked Charlie’s quiet loyalty and loved her Take No Shit attitude. And I bow to the majesty of that climax. With so much forgotten between reads, the big reveal and party scene were unforgettable. I can just imagine Black having an absolute blast writing them.

Speaking of, I did find the pacing a bit uneven. For the first half, I mostly lived for Charlie’s childhood flashbacks. But from the party scene onward, the pacing is excellent. It makes me wonder if the early chapters were bogged down by rewrites to clarify the magic system. If so, my heart goes out to Black—and I take back some of my criticism, because that kind of revision can drain the joy. But that cliffhanger? Sublime. Excellent. I’m hooked. Holly Black’s magical writing chops remain undeniable.

Despite the ups and downs, I’m genuinely excited to continue the series and see what Charlie’s been up to.

3.5 black hearts, rounded up 🖤🖤🖤🖤

Enthusiastic thanks to NetGalley, Tor Publishing, and the author for providing this ARC. This is my cheerfully honest review.

Book of Night is a bold, stylish shift for Holly Black into adult fantasy. It’s smart, uncompromising, and full of shadows—both literal and psychological. If you love morally gray characters, magical intrigue, and noir‑tinged fantasy worlds—and you don’t mind an unresolved ending—this could be exactly your cup of midnight tea.

This is the first book in a duology that introduces us to Charlie Hall, a reformed con artist now a bartender. In Charlie's world, shadows are not just something that follows you on a sunny day - they can be altered or even removed entirely. Shadows are bought and sold in a black market that used to be a part of Charlie's life, but not anymore. Now she lives with her younger sister and her boyfriend, Vince. When a life-altering event occurs at Charlie's workplace one night, everything Charlie previously thought she knew about Vince, her sister, or shadow magic is thrown into question. Charlie must navigate the world that she had once excelled in as a magical thief to find out what is real and what is not amidst murder and magical shadows.

This book has an intriguing plot twist to the fantasy trope by making shadows something that could be manipulated for vanity or other, more nefarious, purposes. People can have their shadows stolen, or they can even essentially 'kill' their shadow by trying to manipulate it too far. This has created an underground market for shadow magic and even shadows themselves to be bought/traded/stolen. It's this realm that Charlie is most familiar with, and it's where you can tell that she is most comfortable. Charlie is an unreliable narrator, seeing things through the lenses of someone who was introduced to ugly things at too young of an age. This causes her trouble in both her personal and professional life.

I'm intrigued to see where this story goes after that last chapter in the second book in this duology. We're left on not quite a cliff hanger, but with a definite lack of conclusion in a several important elements of the story. With a story and magic system that are easy to follow, this story would be a great introductory novel for new readers of the fantasy genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and Holly Black for providing me with an eARC of this novel to review

This has a really cool shadow magic system and interesting storyline. I liked the level of suspense that it had and that the fantasy elements also felt rooted in the real world and unique. Overall, I loved the concepts in this one! I ended up buying the audio so I could read and listen, which I like to do. The audio was good too.

I went into this book completely blind, and I was not disappointed <i>at all</i>. It had a gritty, underground vibe that I really enjoyed - and the shadow magic component was an interesting addition. There were a lot of twists and turns, and I found myself audibly gasping at several parts.

I think anyone who liked the darker sides of Crescent City (books 1 and 2 at least) would enjoy this book.

My only complaint was the words with double f's being reduced to single f. It was a bit hard for my brain to get over in the beginning. I'm not sure if there was an error in my file, or if this was an intentional decision, but I was able to get used to it fairly quickly regardless.

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book!

Holly Black is an auto-read author for me, but this book was a challenge. Slow to start, it's difficult to follow. There's a lot going on and unfortunately, it didn't hook me as other of Black's books have. It takes a while for the characters to open up and to become attached to them. By the end, I was more invested in the main characters, but it took a while.

Overall, it's hit or miss, but worth a try if you're fan of Holly Black's other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Please note that this ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this, but I truly struggled to get through it. I didn’t find ANY of the characters likeable or relatable and the idea of shadows and blights was just so odd that I never fully got into it. Instead of getting sucked into a story and never wanting it to end, I pushed through quicker just so that I could be done with it. I’ve liked Holly Black before, so this was a disappointing miss for me.

Love love loved this. Magic and darkness and romance and a whole weird world that was masterfully built around the story (without taking away from it with a ton of exposition, but giving me enough that I understood and felt comfortable there). Don’t worry about what it’s about, just let it unfold around you.

I honestly do not know where to start reviewing this book. I was hoping this book would pull me in from page one, based on the magic, and that it had to do with shadows. I, however, was not pulled in from the first page and was just left confused. It took me a long time to figure out what was going on with the shadows and why they were important, as well as what gloamists were. There wasn't much in the way of character building, and it was hard for me to connect with our FMC, Charlie. I could tell she cared about her sister and wanted to help her pay for school, but that was about it. Her relationship with her mom was vaguely talked about in the beginning, and I found myself making assumptions about her reasons for why she behaved the way she did. Her mom was always working when she and her sister were young, and she was forced to go along with her mom's boyfriends to different jobs, which forced her to grow up sooner than she would have wanted. It seemed Charlie had a negative view on life, and you could tell by the way she interacted, or lack of interaction with others. Her character felt very surface-level. I was invested in the story for the sole reason as to find out what happens at the end with the shadow magic. I do not know if I would recommend this book to a friend unless it was someone who doesn't mind ambiguity in their reading.

I absolutely loved and devoured this adult contemporary fantasy/magical realism/urban fantasy. This was my first book by Holly Black (ok ok I listened to The Cruel Prince in an airport but it was more like a fever dream I didn't understand) and I am now firmly a fan. This book delivers an interesting, dark magic system, curious cast of troubled characters, and twisting journey. This is not your standard copy and paste fae fantasy, oppressed main character who has the craziest powers and charms the prince, or romantasy. This is a book for people that love new magic systems and don't mind an urban setting.

I was honestly surprised to see an average review of ~3.5 on GoodReads because this book really delivered for me. After reading more reviews I think that most readers were disappointed to get something out of the norm for Holly Black or found the characters flat. I personally found the characters to be complex but repressed and holding back from who they truly are to just get by in a dark world. I think if you go in with an open mind and a love of Urban Fantasy (and/or slightly complicated magic systems) you will love it.

Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and Tor!

The pacing of this book is down right awful. The book starts slow and never really finds its momentum. What should have been a gripping dive into a world of shadow magic and crime feels more like slogging through vague exposition and half-hearted intrigue. The narrative is bogged down with world-building that’s either too confusing or too underdeveloped to feel immersive.

Charlie Hall, the protagonist, is meant to be a gritty, complex anti-heroine, but she comes off as flat and emotionally distant. Her motivations are murky, her decisions often inexplicable, and the supporting characters fare no better. Vince, her boyfriend, lacks chemistry or depth, making their relationship feel forced and hollow.

Then there’s the magic system—an undeniably interesting concept (shadow manipulation as a form of dark power) that’s tragically underexplored. Rather than leaning into this unique premise, Black leaves readers in a haze of half-explained rules and missed opportunities. The result is a world that feels less like a living, breathing setting and more like a concept sketch.

Tonally, the book swings between noir, urban fantasy, and magical thriller, but never fully commits to any of them. The atmosphere feels more moody than meaningful, and the plot twists are telegraphed far in advance or dropped without satisfying payoff.

I received this book from Netgalley.

Loved this one! The ambiance, the characters, the shadows! Such a unique fantasy book with a really fun twist!

Book of Night by Holly Black is certainly a different kind of fantasy. It took some time to get into and some parts still remained shadowy (pun intended), but when it picked up, it became difficult to put down. Shadow magic, murder mystery, thriller with amazing twists. And the end was phenomenal. I really enjoyed this and picked up the sequel immediately.
I got a complimentary copy of this book from Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books via Netgalley. This is my honest review.

This book is not the typical Holly Black novel that I am familiar with. It was modern. I could not get into this book. Unfortunately, it was just not the right story for me to be reading at the time.

This story delivers an immersive adult fantasy. Shadow magic, secrecy, danger, and an eerie and elegant world-building exist. The world is rich in modern, grounded aspects and mythical lore. The FMC, Charlie Hall, is constantly pulled back into the dark underbelly of the world as a thief. The story feels both modern and mythic, with criminal undercurrents and magical intrigue. Charlie is definitely a morally grey character. She’s gritty and flawed, and this adds depth to the story.

Black’s writing is sharp and lyrical, creating tension and mystery with each sentence. The pacing can feel slow initially, but the build-up of mystery and danger pays off at the end. The mood of the novel is very gritty, and the atmosphere is brooding. It is definitely a tension-driven plot, with high emotional stakes and suspense that really keeps the readers hooked. This story is definitely more about the journey than the destination, but when you get to the end, you’ll definitely want more.

3.75 stars.

I wasn't sure how I was going to feel going into the Book of Night. I loved Holly Black's The Folk of the Air trilogy and was excited to read another story by her, but was hesitant because the Book of Night seemed so different from her other books. After finally picking this up, I can confidently say this exceeded my expectations.

This is a WHO-DUN-IT style book with Charlie Hall, our con-artist main character, solving an intricate series of secrets involved within her employment circle after her partner-in-crime is murdered. Ultimately, things begin leading back to her personal life and the dark truth begins to unravel. This book had me gasping out loud. Murder mystery, dark magic, and heavy scheming. I was completely obsessed! Lets not forget the way Black writes her male main characters in such a devious light, yet you can't help but fall in love with them.

If you aren't hooked at first (I struggled with the pacing in the beginning), the ending is so fast-paced and satisfying it is worth it to push through. I can't wait for Book #2

I loved everything about this. If book of night has no fans, I’m 💀. Charlie Hall is everything. And what a unique take on shadow magic. I’ve never read anything like this.

It was mysterious, unique, spooky, twisted, urban fantasy with such a good plot and equally interesting characters.

Vince?!?! What a man. Holly did such a good job making you question if he was the main love interest or not, but never really painted him in a bad light. He is a secretive man I can’t wait to get more of.

Him and Charlie are walking parallels.

What an ending too. I never saw that coming.

Wow. Just... wow.

This was a bit slow to get started, but it ramped up and just kept doing so through to the end! It's set in an urban, modern-day world (especially hammered home by several brand references, like Dunkin and Sonos), but one where there is a dark magic everyone has become aware of. The way you find yourself falling headfirst into it all, especially after that initial slower introduction, is like cresting the initial peak of a rollercoaster to all the thrilling twists that come after.

Charlie is our FMC, and she is a con artist turned bartender, working for the kind of bar that has burlesque entertainment, a backroom for the boss to use whips and chains for high-paying clients, and another area for shadow work. She is plucky, cynical, and acts like she has it all figured out while doubting she's deserving of much. I liked her immediately!

The shadow magic system in this world is really interesting, where some people are able to alter shadows - resulting in wild shadows that appear as animals or wearing hats or horns - or use their shadows like extensions of themselves. There are even shadows that have been given enough energy and blood that they become blights after their humans die and the shadow gets released, allowing it to roam around unattached. There is an entire occult study dedicated to figuring out the science behind it all, especially since not everyone has a "quickened" shadow.

The secondary characters, the mystery that Charlie finds herself sucked into, and honestly the entire story are as well-developed as you would expect from Holly Black. I know some have made the mistake of assuming this will be anything like her Folk of the Air series, but this is definitely very different in some really fantastic ways. The overall vibe is pretty gritty and dark, in a film noir way. It is adult, but not gratuitous even when describing gore.

I absolutely loved this, and can't wait for the next book, especially after that ending!!

4.5 Stars