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Geeks and the Holy Grail (Camelot Code #2), by Mari Mancusi, for Timeslip Tuesday

The first book in the Camelot Code series, The Once and Future Geek , mixed time travel between the medieval world of King Arthur and our own, and it is a very entertaining book.  The second book in the series, Geeks and Holy Grail (Hyperion, October 2019), is also entertaining (though not quite as funny; King Arthur as a modern day high school student is hard to beat....). When Morgana, sworn enemy of King Arthur, attacks the druids of Avalon, Nimue, the youngest of them, takes the Holy Grail and runs with it.  King Arthur is dying, and only the Grail can save him.  Desperate to keep it from falling into Morgana's hands, she stumbles into Merlin's Crystal Cave.  But instead of Merlin there to help her (he's on vacation in Los Vegas, in our time), there's only his very inexperienced apprentice, Emrys.  His attempt to hide the grail works, in a sense--as a small, flatulent dragon, it sure doesn't look much like a grail.  But it isn't much use to Arthur as a...
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The Secret

The Secret

A Conjuring of Light

A Conjuring of Light
By V. E. Schwab

A Conjuring of Light is the third book in the Shades of Magic series by V. E. Schwab.  We did not get this as a Galley, but this book is so phenomenal that I had to review it.  I honestly can't express all the emotions I felt when reading this book, but I can say that tears were shed.  The Shades of Magic series is one of those rare series that get better with each book that comes out.  There was neither the sequel-slump nor the third-book-letdown that can often occur in fantasy series; instead, each book grew exponentially in quality as the series progressed.  While the plot of the books initially draw you in (who can resist a world of alternate universes with varying degrees of magic that can be traveled by a select few), the characters are the ones who keep you reading.  The series is centered around a cast of main characters: Kell, the eternally grumpy adopted brother of the prince who uses his magic to run a smuggling business between worlds; Lila, an aspiring pirate who steals her way into the plot; Rhy, the dashing prince with a rebellious streak and a heart of gold; Holland, whose redemption arc rivals that of Zuko; Alucard, who has a cat; among others.  These characters are so lovable and genuine and flawed that I felt proud of all their development over the three books.

A Conjuring of Light picks right up from the cliffhanger at the end of the second book, and the first hundred pages are pure action.  I don't want to give away any spoilers, and hopefully this review remains mildly dignified as I try and contain all the emotions I have for this perfect ending to a pulchritudinous series.  The blood never seemed to stop flowing, the evil kept multiplying, and the pirate ship battles increased in intensity with every quest.  At the end of the book, a few plot points were left open, leaving me very hopeful for a sequel series!

Overall, I would compare A Conjuring of Light to the tiramisu I could have eaten in an Italian restaurant had my brother not gotten completely lost on a mountain (it was all his fault, he deserves no sympathy).  Wonderfully fluffy, slightly exotic given that tiramisu is not as common in the United States as it is in other parts of the world, subtle notes of chocolate, and a unique taste that reminds you of far off places and foreign adventures.  The Shades of Magic series is a brand of fantasy that is completely exciting and a bit more piratey than expected, but totally deserving of 5 out of 5 stars.


In November, I had the delight to meet V. E. Schwab in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at a Y.A. conference.  She was on a panel discussing the development of magical realities, as well as presenting her other book, This Savage Song, which deserves its own blog post.  Pictured are members of our Y.A. Galley club as well as V.E. Schwab (left) and Malinda Lo (right), author of Ash and Huntress.  It was wonderful to meet both authors and to hear their thoughts on creating magic!

To learn more about V. E. Schwab and her books, visit her website at https://veschwab.wordpress.com.

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