This is Holly Black’s new adult book debut but it’s more fade to black than open door. It’s fast paced filled with suspense, action, con artists, plot twists, and mystery.

Charlie Hall reminds me of Holly Blacks other book characters. I still enjoyed Charlie and found her to be extremely likable and witty.

The magic system is slightly confusing. I don’t 100% understand how the magic system or how the world works but I still enjoyed the book.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."
I was really pleased to get this version of the book to review. Book of Night by Holly Black is still as excellent now as it was before.

Holly Black is perhaps one of the most sophisticated fantasy writers working today. Her books consistently use a fantasy lens to interrogate trauma, sisterhood, and the way people (or faeries) can hurt each other. Charlie Hall, the protagonist of Book of Night, is someone who Jude Duarte would recognise - shaped by childhood trauma, with perhaps not the best taste in men, and a complicated relationship with her family, including her sister.

There is a twist in this book that I anticipated fairly early - but this is one of those times where knowing this twist made the journey to get there even more fascinating. In addition to the twisty plot, I enjoyed that Black set the story in the working class parts of Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, a place which is often only depicted in fiction through the gaze of Amherst students. The book also has a cast that makes the book come alive - even characters who show up on screen for a chapter or two seem fully fleshed out.

This book is a duo logy, and I certainly put down the book eager to read the next one...

2.75 stars! ⭐️ Huge thanks to Tor Publishing Group | Tor Books for the complimentary ebook via NetGalley. 💌

✨ THIS BOOK HAD ME LIKE... WAIT, WHAT?! ✨

I CAN'T believe this was written by the same Holly Black who gave me one of my fave trilogies EVER. Like, is this even real? My first book outside Elfhame, and I was so ready to be obsessed. Instead, I’m sitting here like… did I just read that? 😭

⚡ THE VIBES (or lack thereof) ⚡
When I think of Holly Black, I think of sharp writing, addictive characters, and worlds that grab you by the throat. But Book of Night? It was like someone drained all the magic out of it. No tension, no spark, just… words. I kept waiting for that "OH SH*T" moment, but it never came. It was just me, flipping pages, hoping for a miracle.

🖤 CHARLIE HALL = QUEEN OF BAD DECISIONS (AND BOREDOM?) 🖤
Charlie is supposed to be this morally grey, badass thief, but… WHERE? All I got was constant reminders that she makes bad choices, without any real depth. Like, girl, I want to root for you, but you gotta give me something! And the side characters?? A whole blur. I couldn’t tell half of them apart, and by the end, I didn’t even care.

🖤 SHADOW MAGIC? SOUNDS COOL, BUT… HUH? 🖤
The magic system had so much potential, but instead of feeling immersive, it was just confusing. Shadows do what now? Steal memories? Give power? Have feelings? 💀 It was like being thrown into a game with no tutorial. And the pacing?? A SLOW BURN—but not the good kind. More like "let me drag myself through this book and hope for the best" kind.

🔥 THE ENDING TRIED TO SAVE IT, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE 🔥
I won’t lie, the last 50 pages finally picked up. Twists? Sure. Some action? Yeah. But did it make up for the 300-page struggle before it? Nope. And the cliffhanger?? I don’t even know if I wanna continue this series. Like, I'm curious… but am I suffer-through-another-book curious? Debatable.

💔 FINAL THOUGHTS 💔
This was supposed to be an explosive adult debut, but it felt more like Book of Boredom. Maybe if you REALLY love urban fantasy and don’t mind slow pacing, you’ll vibe with it. But for me? I’m sticking to Holly Black’s fae books, because this just wasn’t it. 😭

READ THIS IF:
✔️ You love shadow magic (and don’t mind being confused by it).
✔️ You’re okay with a reaaaally slow burn mystery.
✔️ You just love Holly Black no matter what.

SKIP IF:
❌ You need fast pacing & high stakes.
❌ You like romance with actual chemistry.
❌ You don’t wanna feel like you’re reading a 700-page book when it’s only 300.

Sigh. I wanted to love this. But here we are. 💀

So we've all seen Peter pan right? I feel like Holly was watching it and thought. What if he got his powers from his shadow.
Because
🔸he can fly (which someone in the book is mentioned being able to like hover off the ground a little)
🔸 he sew it to himself.
🔸He left and kinda did it own thing

I would like to say I'm surprised but...after some of the reviews I'm not.

The main character is 28 but feels like she's 17/18 to me. Maybe it's her personality and how she handles stuff. I just don't understand. Maybe it's her destructive nature in wanting to ruin anything she has good going on. 🤷🏼‍♀️

🌶️🚫All the "spicy" is fade to black.

The romance is from someone that keeps everyone at arms length so keep that into account that not everyone is warm butter to the people they love .....I love him point blank tho I don't care about anything else in this book but him.

The ending like I get but I don't.
I ASSUME there is going to be a second one....but if she would have done what could have been done it would have been a cut and dry book, but now ....

This was enjoyable while I was confused as to what the plot was about. It was a quick read that left me with questions I hope we get answers to in the second book.

This novel was fast paced, shadowy (literally), and entrancing all the way through! Our FMC gets caught up in the seedy underworld of shadow magic, unlocks mysteries about her past, and tries to keep her head while the action unfolds around her. Holly Blacks venture into adult fantasy is a wild success and I wish this book had a sequel!

I enjoyed "Book of Night" and plan to read the next in the series, but it didn't shine as brightly as the "The Folk of the Air" series. The concept of a gritty world with shadow manipulation and con artists was intriguing, but the execution felt lacking. I think the story would have been stronger in first person, as it could have deepened the connection to the characters, who didn't quite have the depth or spark of Black's earlier work. The creative world building kept me hooked enough to stay curious for the sequel.

I loved this book. The world is pure Holly Black. I loved the concept of shadows and the story sucked me right in. The wait for book two has been long but it is almost time and I am excited to hop back into the world.

Probably a 3.5, and I'll definitely read book two. I enjoyed the vibes (think Ninth House or The Bone Season or Immortal Dark). I LOVE Charlie Hall (we all know I love a flawed, morally grey FMC), and I enjoyed the ending.

What I didn't enjoy: the magic system could have been better explained. I loved the concept, but I still have no real idea how any of this works. The writing was also a bit choppy for me. There was a lot of unnecessary descriptions and telling me every single detail, but then also making extreme leaps of logic.

Overall this could have been absolutely amazing, and it was good. It just fell a bit short of fantastic. Still love Holly Black, and I'll be reading book 2. Also I'm in a giant book slump, so take this with a grain of Salt.

This proved to be a dark and unique fantasy with a cool urban vibe. I found it intriguing the way shadows hold power and secrets.

The pace was a bit slows in parts and I had a harder time connecting to the characters, but the twists left me needing more.

Overall it made for a mostly satisfying, moody read. Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this!

In this world, magic lives in your shadow. People pay good money to alter, steal, or add to their shadows. Charlie is a bartender and a con artist and one day a man walks into her life and changes everything. Vince isn’t her normal type, and that might be a good thing. However, soon after they start to understand that each of them have secrets that lead to the same dark path.

I love the unique magic of the shadows in this book! Although, I couldn’t help but think about Peter Pan and his shadow. Well-written and so much fun. I can’t wait for the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this ARC!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was a bit hesitant as some people that I follow gave it bad reviews, but I found the plot interesting and connected with the characters. I really enjoyed the shadow magic. It is a bit slow to start but give it a chance because it is providing world building. I love the story and was invested throughout the whole book. I cannot wait to read the sequel! Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
4.25 Stars

I enjoyed this one a lot, i’m very excited to read the second book when it comes out. this was a very different vibe but i liked it. i need book 2 sooner!

I will most definitely eat up everything written my the author who wrote THE Cardan Greenbriar and the Folf of the Air series.

The blurb of this book intrigued me so much and the inside definitely did not disappoint! Cannot wait for the second book and for this duology to be complete!

Listen, we all loved The Cruel Prince—the betrayal, the sharp banter, the enemies-to-lovers tension. But Book of Night? It deserves way more hype than it got. Holly Black took a detour from fae royalty into something darker, grittier, and honestly? I was into it.

This book feels like wandering through a dim alley at 3AM with nothing but bad decisions and secrets for company. Charlie Hall is the kind of flawed, clever, exhausted protagonist you can’t help but root for. She’s not trying to save the world—she’s just trying to survive it, and sometimes that’s more compelling.

The shadow magic system? Creepy in the best way. The vibes? Immaculate. The pacing starts slow, but once you sink into the world, it does not let go. If you’re into morally gray choices, messed-up families, and urban fantasy that feels like a punch and a kiss at the same time, this one’s for you.

And the plot twist? I’ve never been more devastated and confused over a character I literally hadn’t even met. Holly Black pulled the rug out and said “good luck recovering” and I simply didn’t.

3.5 // I was so excited to read this, the premise of manipulating shadows is so interesting & unique. Unfortunately, the first half specifically was a very slow read for me. It did pick up, but I was never enthralled or dying to read the next chapter. It also felt a lot longer & took a lot more time to read than a 300-page book should.

That being said, I love a good duology & I am going to read the second book! I am just hoping it has a bit more going on!

Thank you to NetGalley & TOR Publishing Group for this ARC!

Thank you to Tor Publishing and NetGallery for the eARC for this book.

I’ll be frank this was unfortunately a DNF for me, I’ve just been struggling to actually pick it up and not feeling the need to read this. I will be honest I do DNF quite a bit because I believe I should read books for enjoyment and not force myself to read something I don’t like. It is really disheartening considering I read the folk of the air trilogy by Holly Black and it’s stuck with me since. For me I wasn’t gripped to read this book.

I love fast paced twisty fantasies and I think I’m coming to learn urban fantasies are variable for me. However I do feel as though I did not understand the magic system of this world or what a shadow really even does. Granted I did DNF at 15% so perhaps I didn’t get the chance but based on other reviewers thoughts, I’m not sure I can say it was a “me” problem. I was also very bored reading this, Charlie I did appreciate for being a curvy/plus sized rep as I haven’t ever read a fantasy book with a plus sized fmc. That was new and interesting but I didn’t get her. As in her personality was a bit dull and lackluster. I was waiting for something to happen to grip me and it never came. Had I read further I may have ended up with a different rating but for reasons stated above I felt the need to set this book aside and acknowledge it’s not for me.

I think this book may work for those who maybe just like a darker vibed fantasy, If plot isn’t a factor and you don’t mind a slow paced story then I think this could work for you.

All in all I am honored to have been given the eARC and I’m disheartened to have to say it’s a DNF but it is what it is. I think for all this is a lesson that just because you live an authors work, doesn’t mean that every piece the author makes will work for you and that’s okay.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed the different magic system in this book and wish for more information about Gloams. There was a lot that happened in this book for how short the book seemed, but I am excited to see what comes next for Charlie. I enjoyed all of the flashbacks and how they gave more world building information and let something extra to the mystery Charlie was investigating. This was a fun read.

Wickedly beautiful, this epic tale of magic and mystery will leave you spellbound and speechless.

I first read Book of Night when it came out in 2022, a time when a lot of us were escaping into books, escaping reality, escaping.... well, everything, and within these pages, I found a story that transported me from this world into one that was much more..... well everything.

Charlie is one of those characters that just sticks with you and makes you root for her, makes you want the best for her, and makes you want to throw something when things don't go the way you want them to.

I've read everything I can get my hands on by the phenomenal Holly Black, and this book is by far my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for providing a copy of this e-book; I do own a physical copy and all thoughts and opinions are my own.