A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic, #1) opens Goodreads in a new tab

My thoughts

4.5/5 stars I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still. You know we all have that one book, everyone and their moms have been raving about but nobody really tells you exactly what it is? yeah, this was that book for me. I just knew there was magic and that V E Schwab wrote it. And honestly, that was enough for me to be intrigued! Did I end up loving it more than I initially thought? Hell yeah. Am I very very very late to this Shades of Magic party? Maybe yes Will I still continue to recommend this to every living soul I meet and never shut up about it? Fuck yes. Hesitation is the death of advantage. So, let me try to describe the plot for you- an unlikeable main character with an adventure nag, parallel worlds with magic, and ofc a quest with loads of enemies and obstacles. And the character arc, the fucking character arc, goddamn. If any of this seems to be your jam and somehow you haven't read this book already- WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? GO GO GO GO!! Cannot wait to read the other two books in this trilogy and then rave about them too!! “Aren't you afraid of dying?" he asked Lila now. She looked at him as if it were a strange question. And then she shook her head. "Death comes for everyone," she said simply. "I'm not afraid of dying. But I am afraid of dying here." She swept her hand over the room, the tavern, the city. "I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still.” Book Trigger Warnings- attempted rape, torture, self-harm, self-mutilation, violence, blood, talk of parental abuse.