A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab

The Shades of Magic series has definitely made my top ten list. I've been reading (and loving) V.E. Schwab for years and she never fails to amaze. A Conjuring of Light is a perfect example of how authors should wrap up series, with heart, skill, and a touch of danger.

Publication Date: Feburary 21, 2017
Publisher: Tor Books
Pages: 624
Series: Shades of Magic #3
Genre: Fantasy
Synopsis: THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise. WHO WILL CRUMBLE? Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive? WHO WILL RISE? Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible. WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.

Review: I think it goes without saying at this point that V.E. Schwab is a god. I've read every book of hers over the years, and with each publication they just get better. A Conjuring of Light makes you want to set sail on a quest of your own, fit with all the danger and whimsy that this story holds.

A Conjuring of Light is the stuff of inspiration. Expect your heart to be broken and rebuilt again. It will capture you with its grace, adventure, and ultimate tragedy. V.E. Schwab unravels more and more of this gorgeous, multi-dimensional world, including magical black markets on ships and castles made of black magic. There's never a dull moment, since each pages is filled with magic, loss, mishaps, and marvel.

Our beloved characters grew up and down and sideways, they developed so much. Who ever would have thought Holland would be loved so much? Rhy became the royal we all knew he had in him, and Kell and Lila keep their heart while being thrown into growing up. Osaron, as a villain, as a plot device, is a unique spin of a complex web of deceit and desire.

The final magical showdown, the bittersweet farewell, it all ends the best way--with hope that the story will continue of the page, as it always will in our hearts. All I can say is that A Conjuring of Light is the kind of book I want to write one day. It's a novel of legends, hopefully one that will outlast the years.