A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.
Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.
Debut novelist Deborah Harkness has crafted a mesmerizing and addictive read, equal parts history and magic, romance and suspense. Diana is a bold heroine who meets her equal in vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and gradually warms up to him as their alliance deepens into an intimacy that violates age-old taboos. This smart, sophisticated story harks back to the novels of Anne Rice, but it is as contemporary and sensual as the Twilight series-with an extra serving of historical realism.
From Goodreads:
The #1 New York Times–bestselling sequel to A Discovery of Witches, book two of the All Souls Trilogy—"as enchanting, engrossing, and impossible to put down as its predecessor" (Miami Herald)
J. K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice—only a few writers capture the imagination the way that Deborah Harkness has with her New York Times–bestselling All Souls trilogy. A Discovery of Witches introduces reluctant witch Diana Bishop, vampire geneticist Matthew Clairmont, and the battle for a lost, enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782.
Picking up from A Discovery of Witches' cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night takes Diana and Matthew on a trip through time to Elizabethan London, where they are plunged into a world of spies, magic, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the School of Night. As the search for Ashmole 782 deepens and Diana seeks out a witch to tutor her in magic, the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them, and they embark on a very different—and vastly more dangerous—journey.
From Goodreads:
The #1 New York Times bestselling series finale and sequel to A Discovery of Witches and Shadow of Night
Bringing the magic and suspense of the All Souls Trilogy to a deeply satisfying conclusion, this highly anticipated finale went straight to #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. In The Book of Life, Diana and Matthew time-travel back from Elizabethan London to make a dramatic return to the present—facing new crises and old enemies. At Matthew's ancestral home, Sept-Tours, they reunite with the beloved cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency.
My Review:
Oh, wow, these books were so freaking great! I just devoured this series, and I've watched the trailer for the TV show an infinite amount of times, I just needed more time in this world! It was so grand and sweeping and interesting and epic! Loved it!
The world building in this book was absolutely incredible. The way witches, vampires and daemons worked in this book was original and I enjoyed learning more and more about them in each book, especially the big mystery of their origins, and the uncertainty of their future! Both intertwined with Ashmole 782 and what it could tell them! So awesome!
One thing that I really enjoyed about these books were that they were really big, dense books, filled to the brim with culture, history, science! I really enjoyed the combo, espcailly when they went into the past in book 2, and everything was really brought to life!
It was kinda hard reading Shadow of Night, because it's set in the past, and all the human characters, unless they became a vampire in the interim (I'm looking at you, ) well, we won't see them again, and that was really sad.
I can think of two things, one that in The Book of Life, it seemed like the bad guys knew their every move. That implied that there was a spy within their ranks, but the book ended, and no mention was made of it. I don't want any of these beloved characters to have been working with the bad guys, but I can't see how it works without someone doing so!
And the other was the actually book of life that becomes a part of Diana, we got bits and pieces of what it told, but not the full thing. And I would really like to have the whole thing, because it's their beginnings and would be so interesting to read!
This series so just extraordinary, and I'm so glad that we're getting a spin off series!
Author: Deborah Harness
Series: All Souls Trilogy #1, 2, 3
Read: July 1st, 1st, 2nd, 2018
Source: Ebook.bike
Reason Why: Sounded really good, and they're Prequel & Sequel Challenge 2018 Books and The Book of Life is a End of Series 2018 Book!
Publisher: Penguin Books, Penguin, Viking Adult
Published: February 8th 2011, July 10th 2012, July 15th 2014
A Discovery of Witches:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
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| 5/5 Books |
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| 5/5 Stars |
Shadow of Night:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
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| 5/5 Books |
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| 5/5 Stars |
The Book of Life:
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| 5/5 Hearts |
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| 5/5 Books |
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| 5/5 Stars |
I've seen this series, and been interested based on the covers and titles. Now, I know I really do need to actually try them out...
ReplyDeleteYeah, it was a pretty good series to me! And the tv show sounds really good! Thanks for stopping by! Happy reading!
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