DNF at 65%.

2.75 for 65 percent read

Thanks to Tor Books for my advanced E-ARC

<b>"There'd always been something wrong with Charlie Hall.Crooked, from the day she was born.Never met a bad decision she wasn't willing to double down" </b>

I was excited to jump right into Holly Black's newest NA debut- Book Of Night, with a captivating premise as shadow magic, secret societies and more elements of dark fantasy I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately I was on the struggle bus right from the beginning, neither the plot nor the characters grabbed my attention and the writing wasn't working for me but I kept going forward in the hope that it will redeem and that I will find myself curious to know how it ends but sadly that is not the case. While there is a dark atmospheric vibe and element of mystery in the plot it wasn't enough for me to care for the climax.Don't get me wrong! it is not a bad book but it is definitely not for everyone, here is what I thought reading until 65%

<u>What I liked-</u>
-The Premise
-Vince's inscrutable character
-Shadow Magic
-Secret Society
-Secret Books on magic
-Element of mystery in the air throughout

<u>What didn't work for me-</u>
- The narrative style which read like a lengthy essay/lack of dialogue exchange
-The world building with massive info dump that is setup in a way that reader is expected to know about it beforehand
-The flashbacks were underwhelming
-Slow pace

That being said this is my personal opinion and I am sure there will be lots of other readers who will have a completely polarizing experience to mine while reading BoN!

Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: nada
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

I kind of have to be in the right mood for Holly Black. I really like her stuff (and I remember Tithe et al sort of blowing my mind in my late teens because, like, it was a book for people of my age group but it felt so dark and … and *grown up* somehow—and, really, I don’t think there’s anything a teenager desires more than being treated as a grown up) but, as I tried to explained to a friend, she can be quite a cruel writer. Not in a malicious or gratuitous way but, as the friend suggested, since cruel can sound pejorative, she’s a writer who Goes There. And, sometimes, I am weak and fluffy and I don’t want to Go There, you know? I want to Stay Here where it’s safe.

In any case, Book of Night Goes There. In aesthetic, it’s not so very different from Black’s YA work: there’s still intriguing world-building, complicated relationships and morally grey protagonists, all alongside delicate explorations of power, vulnerability, abuse, and damage. There’s perhaps a shade more sex and violence, but I think—and this comes back to what I really admire about Black as a writer—where Book Of Night most strongly comes across as a book for adults is because it’s ABOUT adults. And nowhere is this clearer than its cynical, self-loathing, hot mess of a protagonist, Charlie Hall.

I absolutely adored Charlie. She’s an ex-thief, ex-conperson, trying (and failing) to stay on the straight and narrow by bartending since her last job got her shot and the boyfriend who betrayed her killed. She has a new live-in boyfriend, a slightly mysterious fellow called Vince who doesn’t ask questions of her on the understanding she doesn’t ask questions of him—although maybe she should—and is trying to get together enough money for her younger sister to give up an obsession with magic and go to college. Except Charlie is irredeemably self-destructive: when it comes to men, when it comes to decisions, when it comes to not getting involved in the high-profile theft of a book called the Liber Noctis that might be connected not only to a bunch of murders but a conspiracy involving a ruthless billionaire called Lionel Salt.

The basic premise of the world is that the shadows of certain humans ‘quicken’ for reasons unknown (possibly trauma?). This gives them a substance that can be enhanced by feeding them blood and allows them to be used to perform magical feats, like, say murdering people? One of the interesting facets of the magic system is that the reality of magic has only recently entered public consciousness (following some kind of massacre by a rogue shadow, known as a blight) so information is both sketchy and contradictory. On the one hand, this is kind of fascinating because it keeps the world full of mysteries about exactly what shadows are and what can be achieved with them. On the other, it can sometimes dent its own revelations because, you’re left being like, “oh my God, so shadows can do [x]? Wait a minute, I didn’t even know they could do [y].”

Book of Night is slightly slow to start, but once it gets underway it’s a veritable page-turner of a mystery and a satisfying heist, with a touch of horror, a touch of romance, and a touch of action all expertly rolled into a ball of plotty nomsomeness. Most of all, though, it provides a marvellous stage for its equally marvellous heroine. I could talk about Charlie literally forever but her place in her world is so well-judged: she’s an excellent thief and an excellent confidence trickster, but she’s not a fighter and she’s not magical. This makes her both competent and vulnerable, which such a difficult balance to pull off: neither she, nor the reader, never quite loses the conviction that she’s in over her head, but you don’t have to worry she’s ever going to be anything less than resourceful, quick-thinking and ruthless when she needs to be. Unless she’s drunk, of course. But that’s the thing: even her moments of self-directed failure feel reasonable, understandable and true to her character. (As an aside, I’ll also add she’s tall and curvy, which is nice to see on page, and goes against the trope that all fantasy thieves have to be androgynous waifs).

Oh, and the other thing I think that marks Charlie as an adult character (she’s nearly 30) in a book for adults is just how … resilient her mess is. I think with YA there’s a sort of social responsibility to indicate to young people that there’s hope in the future and the things that may have damaged them, while they won’t magically go away, don’t have to control their lives forever. When you’re adult, you kind of ARE your damage and that’s that. And while it’s a fairly cynical way of thinking about it people, this is a more-than-fairly cynical book.

I think my feeling about Book of Night in general are somewhat dependent on whether it’s going to be a series. It does stand alone, but as a standalone the world-building is slightly too flimsy to fully support the story and, oh dear me, that ending is going to be … controversial. I don’t want to spoil it but it’s a bitter twist indeed, and one that might, to some readers (romance readers in particular) feel like a fuck you. As the first book in a potential series, the world building is just detailed enough to draw you in while preserving plenty of mysteries for future exploration, and the end of the book (while providing a meaningful resolution to the narrative arc) is QUITE the hook.

In NetGalley terms, this means it’s a four-star standalone, or a five-star series opener. In whether you should read it terms, it very much depends on your tolerance for non-happy-endings. And do check trigger warnings before diving in. This is dark AF. But, ending aside, there was a lot I loved about Book of Night: its (anti)heroine, in particular, will stay with me a long time.

3.5 stars rounded up. I absolutely love the world, and love the protagonist, even if she is basically the same protagonist in every one of Holly Black’s books xD Holly Black is one of only 2 authors I can think of immediately that wrote YA books I read as a teen, and is now writing adult books 15 years later (the other is Christopher Paolini. There might be others.) this is, as far as I have read, Holly Black’s first adult novel. It’s darker and grittier than anything I’ve read before and honestly all the better for it. I loved the Cruel Prince series but it felt like it had been toned down for younger audiences and I hope she continues in this direction.
My main complaint with this book is that it is a bit confusing at times. I’m not sure if it was a me problem or if anyone else had this issue, but the plot and magic systems take a while to make sense, however I will say all of it is resolved in a very satisfactory manner in the end. Right now this looks like it’s a standalone, however, if there’s a sequel I’ll absolutely be picking it up.

Book of Night is a very impressive adult genre debut. Black has already proven herself as a wordsmith and excellent worldbuilder. This novel crafts a new way of considering magic and I cannot wait to read more.

When I saw Holly Black was dipping into the new adult world I knew I had to have this book in my hands.

What sadly happened is I made it 40% into this story and DNF'd.

Here is my why:

-Book of Night has a lot of story told in third person where I felt like I was hovering over the entire experience.
-The relationships fell flat for me with little dialogue or opportunity to connect.
-t was a LOT of story telling and time jump.
-The urban setting just wasn't as colorful or vibrantly painted as her previous series which was something I was looking forward to.

PROS: I did in fact have a friend tell me how it ended and while it had a great plot twist and she really enjoyed it , I do not regret my decision to not continue.

If you liked Ninth house and wanted to mix it with a little Mortal Instruments, then this one might be for you.


What I did find interesting:
The shadow magic and dark cult dealings I kept me wanting more for awhile. Also Vince and his confusing character.

If you are into a lot of story telling, dark shadow magic and a bit of mystery this one is written for you.

"Charlie Hall, he whispered into her hair. "There will bever be anyone like you."

WOW! That was WILD. Book of Night reads like a mystery with fantasy elements and I was HOOKED.


While I am primarily a romance reader, I was drawn to Holly Blacks debut adult novel like a moth to a wool sweater! I NEEDED answers and I HAD to know how it was all going to end. The plot twists were GOOD. The ending was JAW DROPPING. I'm crossing my fingers for a sequel. And I'm crossing my fingers even more for Vince and Charlie. UP the LOVE in book two!

READ IF YOU LIKE:
-past vs. present timelines
-Peter Pan's shadow but make it villainous (aka shadow magic)
-Hans Christian Andersen's, The Shadow
-Makers Mark. Neat.
-a cat named Lucipurrr
-heists & lies & lifts
-murder mystery
-the plot twists of ALL plot twists
-#IsThisAKissingBook: 18+ but pg-13 content. However, check for other TW.

Thank you Tor Books for an advanced copy!

Song: Shadows by Sabrina Carpenter

I made it 55% into this story. This isn't a read I'd typically pick up, but I was excited to try Holly Black again. Unfortunately I learned that her writing just isn't for me. She writes what is shaping up to be a fairly exciting mystery here, but I just wasn't connecting with her characters and ultimately don't read many mysteries and wasn't hooked based on that storyline either. If this sounds like your kind of thing, definitely pick this book up. A friend of mine finished and did rave about the twists at the end of the story.

Wow ok so this was a lot! Love, talking shadows, magic and a hell of a thief! Charlie Hall had a knack for screwing it all up, that is unless she is stealing something, and it the shadowy world she lives in those are skills in high demand. In this world shadows have undergone plastic surgery of sorts to make them bigger, cuter or more dangerous but I promise you have no idea what is coming in this book. As Charlie tries to stay on the straight in narrow she wars with the very essence of who she is. Watching the wheels turn in her brain as she thinks ten steps ahead of her opponents makes this book one to read. I love Holly Black’s other books and the world of Charlie Hall does not disappoint.

I enjoyed this book. The idea of shadow magic is one I have never read before. The concept was intriguing. I found some of the magic aspects a little difficult to follow and kept looking for Kindles x-ray which I think would be helpful for people like me who sometimes have trouble following magical themes. All in all, I would recommend this book to people who like a strong female protagonist, magic, and/or a troubled past story.

HOLLY BLACK DOES IT AGAIN!!!!!! she created an amazing world and amazing characters and UGH i loved this book so much

This is actually my first Holly Black book. Which feels impossible, but here we are.
It may be because I just read The Paradox Hotel, but I initially had a hard time diving into a book with another main character whose most defining characteristic seems to be being proud of being unlikeable.
But in this case we get enough of Charlie’s history to get a good sense of why she is who she is.

The shadow magic is interesting, and the complexities of it are easily waved away with stories about how hard it is to get information from gloamists.
While one of the reveals becomes obvious early on, and the reader gets confirmation before the main character does, there are still some great surprises by the end.

There’s a little bit of everything- heists, magic, romance, and mystery. And I found myself thinking about the book when I wasn’t reading it.

I can’t tell based on the end if Black is leaving room for more Charlie Hall books or if given everything we know about Charlie’s lot in life, if this was the way it was always going to shake out

I have a very love-hate relationship with Holly Black's books. I enjoy her concepts/ideas and her writing style but there is always something about her books that just never do it for me. This book unfortunately falls under this category. This premise and the fact that this was her adult debut was what drew me to request this ARC. The idea of hungry shadows that can be manipulated, altered and even taken was just so intriguing. However, I found that the world-building and the explanation of this "phenomenon" were hard to follow despite a lot of attention being given to it. Even at the end of the book, I don't think I had a good grasp of the world and its extent. I don't know if I am alone in this sentiment or not, but I look forward to hearing what others have to say about this world. I think I found that I was just losing interest in the world that initially seemed so exciting perhaps due to Black's execution of it. Furthermore, I didn't love our protagonist. Her decisions were quite questionable... I can see some loving this, but it was not for me and that's fair. I was personally was hoping to love this but perhaps her next novel will hit the mark for me.

Yes! This is the exact book I was hoping for. Here’s how much I enjoyed reading this: I woke up at 2am and decided to read instead of going back to bed. I stayed up until I finished it. I loved everything about this one— and I rarely say that. The characters were great and I loved the ending. The idea of the shadow magic in this book was so clever. I will recommend this to everyone I know.

A massive thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review Book of Night by Holly Black!

Book of Night is an urban fantasy story of a young thief who has been mixed.up in the arcane underbelly of her town since she was a child, but who has been trying to keep her life clean for the people around her. One night, she witnesses a brutal murder and recognises the victim, which starts a journey of questions and answers that have echoes dating back to her childhood.

The magic system in Book of Night was really interesting. And the main character, however morally grey, is great. The reader gets attached to the characters quite quickly due to them being very human.

This book is definitely for fans of Ninth House and Vicious, as it has very strong echoes of both these books. All in all, I really enjoyed it! Can't wait to see what happens next with the characters!

This was a lovely book to start off 2022 with! Charlie, Posey, and Vincent stole the show and I loved the worldbuilding of this shadow world. Overall, it was enjoyable though not quite what I went into it expecting.

I would have loved to know more about the world of glooming! It's fascinating that this is a world that started out not knowing about this ability, then found it impossible to ignore. I really liked that Black wrote it to be something that's partially accessible and not, and the idea that anyone could be capable of it if they had the right tools. But I want to know how cutting away someone's shadow works, and the idea of shadow thieves. While the world had a great amount of details, it sometimes felt like my attention was being pulled away from certain areas that needed filling by an action or romance scene.

The plot didn't really excite me until the 70 to 80% mark--which doesn't mean that I wasn't enjoying the book! But I was so content with finding out more about the magic system that I just didn't really care about Charlie trying to piece together what was going on. It almost felt like things weren't really adding up at points. Certain reveals weren't satisfactory, and it felt as though the main character was grasping at straws until she found something that worked. I love that she's smart and resourceful, but the threads don't always connect like they should.

Still, I really did enjoy reading this. It's already in mind for recommendations but I'd love to give it another read when it comes out. It's possible that I just need a second read through to process what's going on. I might have just been distracted by the mysteries of the shadow world~

Hmm. HMMM. I liked this a lot. I think my only complaint is that there was a large back catalogue of similar side characters whose names I would forget immediately and then they would appear again later expecting me to know them.

But Black, as always, is a master at making you fall in love with her protagonists and building believable worlds around them. I particularly enjoyed how this felt like a one-woman heist movie with a dark magic twist. And I am a sucker for urban fantasy when done right, when it doesn't feel like it's forcing the gritty ~*edginess*~ that so many lean hard on. And this was pretty perfect.

Man. That ending though. Damn. The other thing Holly Black is great at it is ripping your heart out at the very last second and stomping all over it and then walking away.

No entirely my cup of tea, but I thought I would try something new. I enjoyed the introduction to the dark underbelly of magic and the grey economy that sprouted up. Charlie was a relatable character to me, which made jumping into the genre a bit easier. I'm always sympathetic to flawed main characters who are just trying their best.

I would recommend this title to fans of Laurell K. Hamiltion and urban fantasy in general.

This was a good foray into the adult book world, and I am not disappointed by it!

Do I still love Holly Black's YA books more? Yes, but that could very well be due to my intense love of all things fae and magic of that nature. I will read the sequel if there is one! I am curious to see if we get any further understanding of the end of the book and the character's seemingly sudden change in mindset.

Fair warning, this is in fact a DARK fantasy/urban fantasy as it is labeled so keep that in mind and be wary of any triggers! :)

I love Holly Black's YA fae fantasy novels, so I was thrilled to get this ARC for her latest book, a dark magic thriller for adults. Shadow magic, mysterious murders, secret societies, and a magic book heist—what's not to like? I definitely see the comparisons to NINTH HOUSE, which I also liked but thought was paced too slow. This book's pacing was perfect and I really liked Charlie, a down-on-her-luck bartender & reformed thief who could talk her way out of anything. Considering how violent this book is, I found it a pretty light read and flew through it to find out what would happen. The ending took me by surprise, and I felt a little let down by what I understood as an abrupt shift in Charlie's character. However, it seems like the ending promises a sequel. I look forward to reading it! With sincere thanks to Netgalley and Tor for the ARC.

I’m torn about this one. I love the idea for the book, but the world building was confusing and I’m not sure I totally got it. Most of the action happens in the last 10% of the book, and the ending is exciting. It seems to hint at a sequel, but I hope it doesn’t happen. The ending was perfect as it stands.