** Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for giving me a free copy of this ebook in exchange for a review. **

I think the reason why it took me so long to finish it is because it was slow in the beginning, and the characters felt underdeveloped. However I did like the magic aspect of it.

I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in January. I wasn't able to finish before my last semester of grad school began, and then my state shut down for COVID. And I have been largely unable to read since. It's definitely not the book's fault. In fact, despite this book starting off a tad slow, it really picks about halfway through. I really love where this series is heading and I am already looking forward to the next one! I'm not typically one for intrigue but this book is just so well written.

Loved this one! It is sequel, but it's so much better than the first book! Atmosphere, setting, magic, everything... It was perfect.

Author #Cate Glass has written a fun book in #2 #A Conjuring of Assassins.Following book one this is delightful with the magic and her characters.I really liked the twists and turns the plot has.This one will not let you down but keep you up until your finished.
Thank you,
#Netgalley,#Cate Glass And #Macmillan

The Conjuring of Assassin by Cate Glass is the second book in the Chimera series. It's fun to read fantasy spy stories!

A Conjuring of Assassins is the second instalment in Cate Glass’s Chimera Series, featuring Romy and her rag tag band of magic users. Magic is forbidden in Cantagna, so when Romy and the gang become entangled in a secret plot to incite revolution, they must use all their whits and schemes to foil the plot and stop their magic being discovered.

An Illusion of Thieves was one of my favourite books of 2019. I loved the world building and the heist aspects of the story, so I was incredibly eager to pick up this second instalment. The story dives in pretty much straight where An Illusion of Thieves leaves off, dropping the reader straight into the action. The story is a fast paced one, full of magic, action and scheming, it’s the perfect read if you’re a fan of heist novels.

One of things I love most about this series are the magnificent characters – Romy, the Shadow Lord’s dismissed mistress turned scribe, Neri her rebellious younger brother, Dumond the blacksmith who does whatever he can to protect his family and Placidio the wise and mysterious duellist. They’re all fascinating each with a complex back story and I loved seeing the characters continue to grow through this second instalment. We are also introduced to a new character – the mysterious Teo who I have so many questions about – making me all the most desperate to get my hands on book three.

A Conjuring of Assassin’s is a clever tale, full of mystery and intrigue. It will have you hooked from the very beginning and this is definitely a book I found hard to put down. As a sequel it definitely did not disappoint and I am so looking forward to finding out what the gang get up to next. If you haven’t had the chance to pick up An Illusion of Thieves yet, now is definitely the time – the beautiful writing, fascinating world building and brilliant characters will make you completely fall in love with this series.

A conjuring of assassins is a fantastic adventure fantasy novel, one I will recommend to teens and adult readers alike. Cate Glass is definitely a player in this scene and I will keep my eye out for books from her in the future to add to the collection.

Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of "A Conjuring of Assassins" for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

I’ve been sitting on this review since January. Don’t ask me why, because I don’t know. I would open this draft, stare at it, look back at my notes, stare at the draft some more, and the words never came.

I enjoyed "A Conjuring of Assassins", much like I enjoyed its predecessor. In both books, the middles were slow, but every small detail came together in strong, kick-ass, fast-paced endings. Despite my poor excuse for an attention span during the middles of these "Chimera" books, this ragtag group of strangers-turned-family has wormed its way into my heart.

Besides Romy’s close relationship with her brother, which was the center of much of "An Illusion of Thieves", I most admire her relationship with Placidio. There’s a growing bond there, with mutual respect, and I’m interested in finding out where that road leads. We still don’t know much about Placidio’s past, or his connection to the grander plot at play.

As for Romy’s past, we watch her revisit the place that shaped her into the Shadow Lord’s courtesan. Unfortunately, this was one of the scenes that dragged on, causing my mind to wander, and I found myself having to reread a page or two to make up for it. Of course, there was information revealed in this scene that would serve the ending of the story, but my eyes glazed over nonetheless.

Which leads me to believe that this particular series is not for me. I like the characters, their dynamic as a team, and how careful and methodical they are when planning their Chimera missions. So the characters are great, Romy’s a force of nature not to be messed with, and the magic system is intriguing… But I don’t think I’m invested in the overall plot of the series. Political fantasy, I’ve come to learn, is not my favourite subgenre.

Do I recommend this book? Yes.
Will I be reading the next one in the series? TBD.

I had to quickly read book once to read book two - since it was available for free on here. I had purchased book one a year ago but never really gotten around to reading it.

After reading it, picking up this, and finishing it... well, I feel there is a still a lot more that can be done with this series. It's not a bad series by any means. It is interesting - Oceans II / Italian Renaissance / fantasy = fun. There just feels something missing?

It probably is that the characters themselves don't feel developed. I mean, I know you're following everything through Romy's eyes but you have no idea what she loves/what she hates/what she is afraid of. :/ The story is way too tightly told that you never really get to explore the characters outside of the mission.

Then, throwing in the new character - Theo - who is adorable, aloof, and reminds me of The Fool from Robin Hobb's books... you are told very little and who and what he is. I have inklings and those inklings are indeed spread throughout the book, however, the one with the answers - Placido, The Swordmaster - is not telling.

I find the books enjoyable and a good read, but I want more from them what they're giving me. Maybe as the series continues we get more, but still, three books in and you should have a better grasp on who your characters are. Right?

Wow. I can't express enough how much I love this series. Magical, intriguing, with a daunting mission to complete it all

Can I just say, this series is so underrated. The world needs to know that this book exists. If you enjoy fantasy, can't have enough of magic, craving for political intrigues, Chimera series is for you!

As you can tell by now, I LOVED THIS SO MUCH. I was super excited when I got approved to read the e-ARC. I've been dying to have my hands on it since I finished AIOT. And oh my, the sequel did not disappoint! It enchanted me from the first page, I couldn't put it down. It was beautifully written it felt like I was there with the characters. Though the world and the many characters mentioned confused me a little, the thrill of their adventure erased that.

Talking about adventure, their mission completely blew my mind. The Chimera is a solid unit with 4 awesome members in it. Each character have a strong characterization and role in this story. No one overshadowed anyone. Their teamwork created risky but brilliant plans and thus resulting in nerve-racking moments. I was on edge every time they strike because what they're facing is tangled with mystery and conspiracy. I'm totally immersed the whole time!

When I said that this book is magical, I mean it 1000% I'm dead serious. It's not just that the magic in this world is unique, but it was explained so well and I'm feeling there is more to it. Besides, it's very common to read about elemental magic or something like it. But to know there there's magic that can change you into someone you made up in your mind, to have magic that can create doors to anywhere you want to, IT WAS FUN AND MEMORABLE.

I loved Romy, she's brave, smart and determine. Her magic is remarkable, I'm mesmerized every time she used it. Also I want to compliment Neri for having a great character development. He was a stubborn boy but he has changed into a dependable brother. I'm so proud! Oh, and I'm really curious about Teo. He's peculiar, kind, and definitely someone with powerful magic. I hope to know him more in the next book. I'm a little sad because I didn't see much of the Shadow Lord in this book. I know that he's no longer play an important role in the story but I can't understand it yet. I just hope that someday he'll realizes that Romy is there all this time. Just let the two be together again, please 😭

Overall, A Conjuring of Assassins is a great sequel with breathtaking magical action scenes, well-developed characters, shocking mysteries, political intrigues, and stunning world-building. I recommend you to read the series then we can talk about it! It may be confusing at first, hence the endless characters mentioned, but just keep going and you'll see why I really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed this second book just as much as the first. I really love the immersive world building and characters in these, the heist plot might take a while to get going and the story is definitely on the slow side but I found it engrossing still, and am very intrigued by the additional characters introduced and hints of further developments to come... Can't wait for the next one!

(ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley)

A very good sequel to « An Illusion of Thieves », with a new fascinating adventure, good characters’ developments and a strong atmosphere.

The magic is well used to make a riveting story, without any abracadabra but instead a clever demonstration of the difficulties encountered by its users. Romy’s special fascinating (and so original!) magic, for instance, is as useful as chilling for its limitations.

The book is rather long and much detailed for a story which unfolds only in a few days, but it makes for a perfect immersion and a great reading experience. The twists and turns of the intrigue, political and personal, are quite riveting.

I also particularly appreciated the bonds between the Chimera’s members, their affection and trust. The musing of Romy about her past, her childhood for a small part but mostly about her last seven years spent as the Shadow Lord’s compagnon, friend, lover and slave, are very clever and wholesome. Many books use a master-slave relationship to built up a story (Cate Glass herself, with her Carol Berg’s pseudonym, have woven one of those, a fantastically coherent and touching one, in her Rai-Kirah Series) but usually with a sad lack for coherence and healthy psychology. Making a romance out of an abusive relationship, even if the master is « good », « not really in agreement with the situation », « had them-self suffered a lot », « had a difficult childhood », « have always wait for permission », « is so sexy and rich and perfect » etc. – is very wrong. In the Chimera series Romy fully realises that all what she had with this man was distorted by the situation. Even if she was consentant, and never forced, and respected for her intelligence and wit, she still was a slave, a courtesan, without any freedom. Her regrets are useless, and more, she understands, unwholesome. Their relation was never balanced and so, even for all their complicity and share interests, detrimental for her.

Just a last note to say that, contrary to most readers on Netgalley, I’m sorry to say that I vigorously dislike the books series’ covers. They seem very cheap, especially for such a publisher, and… bizarre. The colors aren’t harmonious, the silhouettes weird, and the whole movement of each cover makes me nearly nauseous… I’m not fan either of the typography, very seventies. If I hadn’t being informed about this book by the author’s blog (Carol Berg’s), I’m afraid that I would probably have been repelled by the cover and missed a very good read… Of course one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but still, it’s the first thing we see, the first contact, the first impression. And as the saying goes: no one as a second chance to make a first good impression!

I've had the first book in this series by Cate Glass for a few months and I could not believe my luck when the second book popped up on NetGalley. Many thanks to the publishers for the ARC.

I love a heist story and A Conjuring of Assassins well met this need. It begins fairly shortly after where the cracking first novel ends. The newly formed "Chimera" had been enlisted by il Padronne to retrieve a document in the hands of a spy why was due for extradition. Challenges and intrigue ensue.

This is a great story. The narrator, Romy, has a wonderful voice and is a very appealing character. She is whip-smart and interesting. Her exploration of her emerging magic was fascinating as she moved beyond the guilt and shame she experienced in the first book. Glass' description of the setting and system of magic was comprehensive and she has weaved extensive information and details without it feeling like an overt info dump.

This is a great read and I'm hanging out for the next book!

“Though who can say what love or friendship is when one is bound unconsenting to the other – even when the chains are silk”

A Conjuring of Assassins is the second novel of the Chimera’s, with An Illusion of Thieves being the first in the series.

Like the first, I feel slightly hoodwinked by A Conjuring of Assassins. The first three quarters of the novel are quite arduous to get through, though not unenjoyable, with the last quarter smacking such a punch that you can’t help but feel incredibly pulled in and leave with positive feelings about the book.

We follow the Chimera along on a heist, where they have been contracted to locate an Assassin’s List – which at first glance appears to be a super simple task to undertake, however once they make their first moves they uncover that there is a much more sinister plot at play here and they need to draw upon all of their strengths in order to fully infiltrate the hidden agendas in order to shape it to an agreeable outcome.

The relationships between all of the characters continue to be a strong selling point of this novel. The levels of respect between everyone is something that you rarely see, however it is such a strength to their team and is more often than not their saving grace when it comes to pulling off such high-stakes maneuvers.

Romy, again, continues to intrigue and she really comes into her own through hard work, perseverance and belief (both self-belief and the belief that others have in her).

The only thing that I would wish for, which is probably only a personal preference of mine (because the absence of it doesn’t detract anything from the story line) is for a more romantic element to be involved – though I’m a sucker for romance and love a bit of tension in most of what I read.

*thank you to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book in a series about a magical crew of folks in a place sort of like Florence where having magical abilities is punishable by death. It picks up very soon after the end of the first book, but readers new to the series aren't left completely out of the loop: Glass (who is really Carol Berg) offers a brief exposition to catch readers up, but then she jumps right in with the action, and doesn't really take a break until the last page.

In my review of the first book in this series, An Illusion of Thieves, I talked about my initial hesitance to accept the world, and how the author proved me wrong with an engaging story about a young woman cast from a position of importance into ignominy and forced to make her way with more than her share of handicaps. I complimented Glass's attention to detail and ability to keep the plot moving without sacrificing one for the other, and her ability to create sympathetic challenges sand frustrations for our main character, Romy, to contend with. I also mentioned being disappointed by the lack of reconciliation between Romy and the Shadow Lord, as well as the lack of development of how magic works in this world. Glass's second book in this series addresses almost every point I touched on in that review.

From the start we see Romy struggling with her gift, and we also learn that others in her circle are still discovering the extents of their own abilities. After all, magic is forbidden, so they can't exactly advertise for an instructor in the subject. Ignorance about magic causing trouble for its users is definitely a recurring theme throughout this book, and although the characters latch onto any new information they can uncover, and there is definitely more to learn, as we find out with the introduction of new characters from abroad, they are still feeling their way forward.

A caper was introduced to the Chimera (the collective name for Romy's friends and associates) at the end of the first book, and the second books leads with that. Naturally, plans go awry and numerous complicating factors are introduced. Through these complicating factors we glimpse a view of the wider world as well as more about the secondary characters' backgrounds, which was something I indicated I would've liked more of in my review of the first book. There are a lot of trails for our characters to chase, and the McGuffin plot becomes almost absurdly convoluted, but most of these loose ends are tied up by the end of the book. In their place is the implication of grander mysteries to be unraveled.

Personally, I like romance, and there wasn't much of that for our main character, however there were some very encouraging references to various sexual preferences, all treated as if they were unremarkable, and even more encouraging examination of the nature of Romy's relationship with the Shadow Lord, wherein she questions how true love can actually be in a relationship where one partner is literally the other's property, no matter how well-treated. So although I was a little disappointed that there is still no big scene between Sandro and Romy, I genuinely appreciate the thought Glass is leading her readers to put into whether that obvious relationship is even one they ought to be hoping for. Also, it's made really clear that Romy is far too busy with the daily concerns of living to pursue new romantic entanglements, and I can definitely get behind that, because Glass shows us how busy Romy is, rather than merely saying "she's too busy for love" like a Hallmark movie would do.

This is a strong sequel to a promising series. I have no trouble recommending it, though I believe it would work better as part of the series rather than as a standalone novel.

Well written and fun, a great Book 2 in this series.

Good pacing, interesting characters, and a political intrigue/Ocean's 11 vibe.

My Review:
TW: sexual harassment, mentions of suicide, mentions of a child’s death, racism

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from Macmillan-Tor/Forge in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to them and to the author.

I had requested for the ARC of the first book in the Chimera series, An Illusion of Thieves, on a whim and became totally enamored with the characters and the world. So when I saw the second book was also available to be requested from NetGalley, I pounced right on it! The covers in this series are really so pretty and surprisingly detailed.

What I Liked
-When I first cracked open this book, it didn't take me long to remember why I loved the members of the Chimera so much. I was so happy to be back with these characters.
The development of Romy’s powers is so interesting and we get to explore the different avenues of it's uses this time around. She's definitely gone beyond just be able to play with memory.
-Teo, the strange man Romy saves from drowning, was such an endearing new character. Very mysterious but also he really gave off big dumb jock energy, which I adore.
-What Glass does with her stories is interesting: she opens up the world, letting you know how other countries/kingdoms affect Cantagna, but she still keeps the story contained within the city and the plot is still focused on how the city, not the world, is affected. Often sequels have the characters moving away from the setting of the first book and seeing how the whole world is affected by their previous actions, but in the Chimera series, we remain in the familiar world of Cantagna and I appreciate that kind of break from other fantasies. Plus, Glass's world-building is top tier, especially when it came to the needles of fate.
-Normally, I'm usually not interested in watching every plan succeed (I need a little failure from the characters), but the Chimera are so competent that I’m not even that annoyed that everything works out for them.
-I kind of ship Placidio and Pix. They'd be so cute together!
-I really love Placidio and Romy’s friendship. They are respectful of each other but Romy still takes Placidio's fatherly advice to heart, and he believes in her strength and in her plans, even when he disagrees. It's such a soft friendship and always a delight to witness on the page.
-I found it strangely powerful to see Romy visit the Moon House--the place where her parents had sold her into sex slavery--for the first time since she'd been bought for Sandro. I wonder if she'll ever have the chance to confront the trauma she experienced there, instead of pushing it into the past.
-Ok, I know the scene where everyone disrupts Egerik’s meeting wasn’t supposed to be funny but it had me bursting out laughing. It felt like such a comedic beat.
-Um...so I still ship Sandro and Romy...:/ I know it’ll never work and I know it's ridiculously problematic (he technically owned her, after all) but he clearly loves her and she still cares about him. I’m also happy, though, that her protectiveness over her friends trumped her love for him. I don't want to be a Sandro apologist, but I appreciate that he has no interest in letting a monarchy rule Cantagna.
-The villain actually kind of freaked me out this time around. I don't think it'll be the last time we hear of the Brotherhood.
-I actually found Cei really interesting and I wish we had a chance to learn more about him. I don't think we'll ever see him again but who knows.

What I Didn't Like
-In terms of the writing, Glass is a pretty great writing but I find the language really formal and hard to read. It doesn't flow very well so you end up having to really slowly read through the sentences so you don't misinterpret anything. She also tends to replace dialogue with “I went in to explain...” a lot of the time.
-Like the first book, we're only ever in Romy's head and I would have liked to be in someone else's sometimes.

Conclusion
Another winner! I'm always so happy when the sequel lives up to my enjoyment of the first book. I had such a blast with these characters and with diving back into Cantagna. I don't know how many books there will be in the series but I'll be here for it all!

This is the second book in Cate Glass's Chimera series. Romy and her three partners are asked to find a list of powerful men and women who are pledged to assassinate the evil Protector of Mercedaire. They discover far more is at risk when they infiltrate his household.

I enjoyed this book and was glad to see everyone becoming more familiar with their powers. It was nice to see them work together. It's always great to read fantasy stories mixed with espionage.

Plot: 5 stars
Characters: 5 stars
Writing Style: 4 stars
Cover: 5 stars
Enjoyment: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars

This was a thoroughly enjoyable heist/adventure story. I'm glad that I listened to the audiobook of book 1 (An Illusion of Thieves) before reading this book because I breezed through all the pronunciations that would have tripped me up otherwise.

I loved getting more of the members of the Chimera, as well as seeing them growing in their confidence in their magic and intrigue. Teo was a fascinating addition and I can't wait to read more of his story and how he is tied to the Antigonean Bronze from the first book. I also would love it if Romy and Placidio developed a romantic relationship as well as a working partnership - the seeds of it are there, and I think they would suit well. Romy needs something to take her mind off of her former relationship with Allesandro. I am very glad that Romy's relationship with Neri is less fraught, though he is still impulsive and tends to leap without looking first. We are getting a taste of Placidio's closely guarded secrets, and I anticipate him opening up further in future books. I also eagerly await the reveal of more of the secrets of magic in this world.

I like the cover and think it fits well with the cover of the first book, and because I was used to the more formal writing style, it didn't bother me as much as in the first book.

All in all, it was an excellent adventure and I can't wait for more!

Thanks to netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the opportunity to read and reveiw ths ARC

What a bunch of twists and turns!
Magic and you know a prisoner with a certain idea is always gonna lead to a good adventure.