A Conjuring of Light (Shades of Magic, #3)

by V.E. Schwab

[Quirky Cat]

A Conjuring of Light is the third and final novel in V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic Series, and oh my goodness is that a series worth reading! I kind of hate myself for taking so long to get around to reading it.

Once again Red London is in peril. Only, this time it is likely that the whole world, and perhaps those next to it as well, will be devoured in the process. An ancient evil has risen once again, and it's up to a limited few to try and save the day.

Kell and Lila are two of those heroes on the front lines. They're the last of their kind, and as such, they have power, and responsibility, for what is happening all around them. Alongside Captain Alucard Emery, they are on a race against time – and an evil like they've never seen before.

“Love and loss,” he said, “are like a ship and the sea. They rise together. The more we love, the more we have to lose. But the only way to avoid loss is to avoid love. And what a sad world that would be.”

Wow. A Conjuring of Light is, without a shadow of a doubt, the ending that this series deserved. It was intense, emotionally raw, thrilling, and full to the brim of magic, might, and action. In short, it was perfect, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I was lucky enough to have read A Gathering of Shadows and A Conjuring of Light back to back. That means I didn't have to wait in a world of anxiety to see what happened next. Unfortunately, it does also mean that they do flow fairly seamlessly in my mind, so it's hard for me to be certain where one ended, and the other began.

All things considered, I will happily take that price. It's the price that many a book fan has taken in the past, and it is almost always worth it. Though when I re-read the series (and I will), I think I'll try to space them out a bit better, to help prevent that next time around.

“Scars are not shameful, not unless you let them be. If you do not wear them, they will wear you.”

I honestly think I loved every moment of this book. Kell and Lila's relationship, the subplot surrounding Alucard, the ship, the market, the prince, the politics, the battles, all of it. I loved watching Kell come to terms with his life, his family, and his divided obligations. Likewise, watching Lila come into power was inspiring.

The toll of the enemy, and of the battles, is not lost on me either. There is so much raw emotion and impact written into the pages. It made it impossible to avoid what was at stake, and just how much worse things could get.

All of which is proof that V.E. Schwab is a fantastic writer. She got me absolutely hooked on this series, the world, and the characters within. Honestly, I'm actually pretty sad to see the series conclude here (yes, I know there's a graphic novel series I can check out, but you know what I mean).

Check out more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks