Thorn just wanted to find his dad and bring him home, but somehow he’s been kidnapped by slavers, bought and made squire by the executioner Tyburn, and dragged off to the shadowy kingdom of Gehenna where the dead are rumored to walk. Meanwhile, Lilith Shadow (Lily to the friends she mostly doesn’t have anymore) has been forced to take up the mantle of leadership over Gehenna following the tragic death of the rest of her family. Political tensions, forbidden magic, loveless engagements, betrayals, and murder run rife as these two teenagers try to find a way through the chaos.

I should point out right from the start that most people seem to like Shadow Magic more than I did–my dad loved it enough to pass it on to me, and the average rating on Goodreads is a 4.14 at the moment. And I did enjoy the story for the most part in the moment, although I also have a number of issues with it. It’s a fast-paced read that never takes a breath–seriously, you’re thrown from one perilous situation to the next the entire time, which does increase the story’s stickiness and engagement factor but isn’t really the best way to go about doing so. And honestly, overall, the story just feels kind of tropey . . . although, maybe that’s not even quite right. It’s perfect, but in a way that feels like the author tried too hard, like it was run through an algorithm of “what should be in a story” and all the major plot points were spit out from there. Which, again, really isn’t fair because I know the author worked hard to be creative and original, but that’s just the feeling I come away with. There were certainly things I liked–the concept of an ancient giant bat, the spitfire princess who breaks the rules, the boy who dares to defy those above him in station and befriend the princess. (But let’s be real, even those are kind of tropey . . . well, except the bat. That’s just plain cool.) Other things like the division of the kingdoms based on traditional elemental classes or the naming of everything in Gehenna based on dark, mythological things that are meaningful to some readers but have no contextual basis in the story world . . . I just don’t love those aspects of the story. As for the big whodunit mystery, it seems pretty obvious, and the red herring thrown into the mix just feels unnecessary. I guess I should remember that this book is written for a middle grade audience and is supposed to be exciting, fast-paced dark fantasy, but I would have still liked to see more real character development, some actual humor, a few moments to just pause and breathe. Not on my top recommendations, although it was an ok read and I think most people would likely enjoy it more than I did. ( )

Welcome to the world of fantasy, magic, and necromancers. This was a wonderful story and I am already looking forward to Dream Magic, the next in the series.

In this world there are 6 kingdoms each descended from one of the original 6 princes. Unfortunately, they do not get along and there are constant wars and attempts to take over one another's land. Gehenna, ruled by Lady Lilith Shadow has pretty much been decimated by the other kingdoms and the only way to save it is to marry Gabriel, the son of the ruler of the Kingdom of Light. He is a spoiled brat, a coward and a bully and she wants nothing to do with him but her uncle Pandemonium is pushing her to move forward to save her people and kingdom. Lilith is a reluctant ruler as her parents and brother were murdered by some brigands, one of which is still being pursued by her executioner, Tyburn.

Enter Thorn a slave who has ideas of his own. He is looking for his father and wants to head back to his home, but was captured by slave traders and sold to Tyburn. He befriends Lady Lilith and with the help of captured prisoner of the Light, K'leef, and a giant bat names Hades, they help Lilith find the true murderers.

I was very impressed with the story that unfolded. The plot was exciting and it kept you reading to find out what would happen next. The good characters were extremely likeable and the villians were ones you loved to hate. There is a dark side as Lillith deals with the magic of Death and the evil necromancer makes a couple of appearances. With odd characters, an eerie setting, and a wonderful plot, Shadow Magic delivers. Overall the engaging characters, friendships, betrayal, a girl learning to step into her unwanted role as leader, a Robin Hood type character who does what's right no matter what the cost is to him, a giant bat who risks his life to save the people he loves, a ghost puppy named Custard and an unexpected ending all come together in a book that will keep anyone engaged.

This book is targeted to middle grade students but I believe it will be enjoyed by anyone who likes fantasy, especially good vs. evil. Reluctant readers will want to finish this one. It should be in all school and public libraries.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Enjoyed the characters Thorn and Kleef but Lilith Shadow didn't work as well for me; there was something that just didn't ring true for me. It was as if she was strong only sometimes and then weak and willing to be lead whenever she was most needed. I just couldn't like her. Surprising how many well-known authors strongly endorsed the book. Well I enjoyed it, I wouldn't have sung its praises quite so loudly. ( )

Welcome to the world of fantasy, magic, and necromancers. This was a wonderful story and I am already looking forward to Dream Magic, the next in the series.

In this world there are 6 kingdoms each descended from one of the original 6 princes. Unfortunately, they do not get along and there are constant wars and attempts to take over one another's land. Gehenna, ruled by Lady Lilith Shadow has pretty much been decimated by the other kingdoms and the only way to save it is to marry Gabriel, the son of the ruler of the Kingdom of Light. He is a spoiled brat, a coward and a bully and she wants nothing to do with him but her uncle Pandemonium is pushing her to move forward to save her people and kingdom. Lilith is a reluctant ruler as her parents and brother were murdered by some brigands, one of which is still being pursued by her executioner, Tyburn.

Enter Thorn a slave who has ideas of his own. He is looking for his father and wants to head back to his home, but was captured by slave traders and sold to Tyburn. He befriends Lady Lilith and with the help of captured prisoner of the Light, K'leef, and a giant bat names Hades, they help Lilith find the true murderers.

I was very impressed with the story that unfolded. The plot was exciting and it kept you reading to find out what would happen next. The good characters were extremely likeable and the villians were ones you loved to hate. There is a dark side as Lillith deals with the magic of Death and the evil necromancer makes a couple of appearances. With odd characters, an eerie setting, and a wonderful plot, Shadow Magic delivers. Overall the engaging characters, friendships, betrayal, a girl learning to step into her unwanted role as leader, a Robin Hood type character who does what's right no matter what the cost is to him, a giant bat who risks his life to save the people he loves, a ghost puppy named Custard and an unexpected ending all come together in a book that will keep anyone engaged.

This book is targeted to middle grade students but I believe it will be enjoyed by anyone who likes fantasy, especially good vs. evil. Reluctant readers will want to finish this one. It should be in all school and public libraries.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. ( )