Helpful Score: 3
This book is a fabulous read for fans of "Discovery of Witches". In fact, it picks up seamlessly where the first book left off...so make sure to read Bk 1 first or this will make little sense.
The main characters from continue to grow, learning new truths & revealing old secrets.
Like the first book, I couldn't put it down & now anxiously await Bk 3. If you loved DOW, you'll love this one as well.
The main characters from continue to grow, learning new truths & revealing old secrets.
Like the first book, I couldn't put it down & now anxiously await Bk 3. If you loved DOW, you'll love this one as well.
Helpful Score: 2
Harkness starts Shadow of Night right where her debut, A Discovery of Witches, left off. After falling head over heels in love Diana and Matthew now travel back in time to 16th-century England in search of the Ashmole 782 along with the hope that they will discover more about Dianas powers. They know they are going to face ridicule and that they will have to tread carefully so that they dont alert people around them that they are from the future. Unfortunately for Diana, that is not possible and fitting in proves to be harder then Diana thought it would be.
Diana finally gets to meet the notorious School of Night group which includes many historic figures. One in particular, Christopher Marlowe, is hell bent on making Dianas life miserable (due to the fact that he is in love with Matthew.) Besides trying to find the Ashmole 782, Diana must learn what type of Witch she is and how to harness her magic to get them home. Unfortunately for her, for every new discovery, bigger and more complicated matters emerge.
Matthew is hot-headed as ever and having to bring Diana back to this time in his life has him constantly on edge. He doesnt want her to discover all the crimes against witches that he committed. Once he finally lets the shield down around his heart he learns to accept that he cant change the past (even though he and Diana are trying). He now has to focus on the future of him and his bride and their bundle that is on the way.
The reader is taken on a fantastic journey back in time to one of my favorite time periods to read about. Set against the backdrop of Elizabeth Is reign, Harkness pulls you in with her descriptions on how it was to live back then. I love that Diana had to learn to fit in and even though she is a historian, nothing can prepare someone to have to actually live the culture. Diana and Matthews characters really start to grow as does their family (including a few street urchins who worm their way into their hearts). Even though at times the writing becomes quite wordy, in the end it was worth reading this amazing voyage that Diana and Matthew embark on and I anxiously await the conclusion of their story.
*e-ARC was provided by publisher for an honest review*
Diana finally gets to meet the notorious School of Night group which includes many historic figures. One in particular, Christopher Marlowe, is hell bent on making Dianas life miserable (due to the fact that he is in love with Matthew.) Besides trying to find the Ashmole 782, Diana must learn what type of Witch she is and how to harness her magic to get them home. Unfortunately for her, for every new discovery, bigger and more complicated matters emerge.
Matthew is hot-headed as ever and having to bring Diana back to this time in his life has him constantly on edge. He doesnt want her to discover all the crimes against witches that he committed. Once he finally lets the shield down around his heart he learns to accept that he cant change the past (even though he and Diana are trying). He now has to focus on the future of him and his bride and their bundle that is on the way.
The reader is taken on a fantastic journey back in time to one of my favorite time periods to read about. Set against the backdrop of Elizabeth Is reign, Harkness pulls you in with her descriptions on how it was to live back then. I love that Diana had to learn to fit in and even though she is a historian, nothing can prepare someone to have to actually live the culture. Diana and Matthews characters really start to grow as does their family (including a few street urchins who worm their way into their hearts). Even though at times the writing becomes quite wordy, in the end it was worth reading this amazing voyage that Diana and Matthew embark on and I anxiously await the conclusion of their story.
*e-ARC was provided by publisher for an honest review*
Helpful Score: 1
It took me a little while to get into the first book of this trilogy, but this one grabbed me immediately. I found myself transported to Victorian England with this book. It was a terrific read!
Helpful Score: 1
What an incredible book! I love how the author weaves history into her fictional writing. The beginning was slow and at times overwhelming with new knowledge and characters. But she made up for it with a story that was both intricate and complex. I cannot wait to read the last book about Matthew and Diana's journey. Even if I have to wait until the summer of 2014. It will be worth the wait because I know I will have a detailed fascinating story waiting for me. I for one am glad she takes her time procuring her stories. These could not be easy books to write.
Too much time has gone past since I read the first volume of this trilogy about witches, daemons, and vampires living hidden among humankind. This second book involves time travel and a search for the grimoire that began the main character's journey into her own heritage. This one was unforgiveably slow, even if it did feature a mildly interesting peek at Elizabethan England.
I collapsed in the middle of the second book.
BORING!!!!!!
BORING!!!!!!
OK-- boredom was at a peak and I went ahead and read the 2nd book in this trilogy-- I'm getting extremely tired of having to buy/order 3 books when 2 would more than suffice (ie: The Hunger Games)! I'll say upfront that I do not like historical romantic fiction AT ALL so apologies to those who do enjoy it- this is just me,folks.
A BAD Book. This book was WAY worse than the first. I can only describe it as terribly TEDIOUS. The magical interest in the first volume took a backseat to a stumbling historical romance that was so interminable-- lengthy descriptions of clothing (& will they EVER have sex?), along with pointless mishmashed historical figures thrown hither and thither that I was skimming and skipping through the overlong 500+ pgs.to yet another unsatisfying cliff-hanging un-conclusion. Pointless, pointless, pointless.Few books ever actually bore me to tears but this one came right to the edge - the only thing stopping me was my new kitten with a kleenex fetish- pulls every last tissue out of every open box leaving me with no choice but to hold my sniffles of frustration. Even tho' I'll no doubt finish the series (my OCD insists,dammit!) I will definitely NOT be standing in line for a first copy--after reading this droning silly effort I'm perfectly willing to wait for a used paperback for .01 at Amazon.The last book will surely have to be better--couldn't be much worse.
A BAD Book. This book was WAY worse than the first. I can only describe it as terribly TEDIOUS. The magical interest in the first volume took a backseat to a stumbling historical romance that was so interminable-- lengthy descriptions of clothing (& will they EVER have sex?), along with pointless mishmashed historical figures thrown hither and thither that I was skimming and skipping through the overlong 500+ pgs.to yet another unsatisfying cliff-hanging un-conclusion. Pointless, pointless, pointless.Few books ever actually bore me to tears but this one came right to the edge - the only thing stopping me was my new kitten with a kleenex fetish- pulls every last tissue out of every open box leaving me with no choice but to hold my sniffles of frustration. Even tho' I'll no doubt finish the series (my OCD insists,dammit!) I will definitely NOT be standing in line for a first copy--after reading this droning silly effort I'm perfectly willing to wait for a used paperback for .01 at Amazon.The last book will surely have to be better--couldn't be much worse.
