J Elle does it again!!! Book 1 took my breath away, and book 2 just captured my heart. Ugh!! I just love these 🥰

I loved book one and I like how the author kept to the storyline from the first but I was hoping for more. There was little emotional connection between main characters which definitely hindered character development. Hoping a book 3 may challenge this book to have a good closure for the series

J Elle is an amazing author. What a unique story! I love this world. I will definitely keep J Elle on my radar for future reads

It took me so long to do this review not because I disliked this book but because I LOVED IT. Quell is such a wonderful protagonist and I will never not root for her. I can't wait to see what happens next because J. Elle has such a way of putting stories together that is so unique and fun.

Shadows of perl by J Elle is the highly anticpaited sequel and let me tell you oh my goodness!!! WHERE IS BOOK 3??!! There's a book 3 coming right? Please penguin Teen tell me there is a third one coming?
Anyways I enjoyed this book eminsley and it was so much more action packed and that excites me to see how this trilogy ends but also very nerovus! It picks up right where we left off in book 1 and the way I read book 1 eariler this summer was the best option! Thank you to penguin teen for sending me an e-arc of this one and so happy I've finally read it and loved it, gave it 5 stars!
But seriously where is book 3??

Absolutely loved this sequel! J Elle did it again! So great to jump back into this world. That slow burn killed me though. Didn’t need to be THAT slow!

This books leans HEAVY into fanfiction-esque tropes, and it does not pay off for me. (And I LIKE fanfiction!) It quite literally took months for me to finish this book because I simply did not care. I will say that the book got better when the two main characters were back in the same place (and given I do not buy their romance, that's saying something). Again, I'll probably end up continuing the series just because I'm curious about where this is going. But I would recommend not reading it so you're not also sucked into the need to find out what's happening.

It’s been more than a minute since I read the first novel in this series, but the author does a good job weaving those details into the storyline of the first few chapters. It’s something I appreciated because I’d forgotten some pertinent details.

For some reason I thought this was a duology, but I quickly realized it’s a trilogy. The story starts where the first ended, with Quell on the run once again after her actions at the Rite of Induction. She’s still relentlessly searching for her mother while also working to find a solution to the Sphere bleeding magic. Then the pace slows to more of a slow burn for several chapters before picking up again after the halfway point.

In addition to Quell and Jordan’s POVs, I enjoyed the addition of two new ones. I struggled to remember who Nore was initially, but the reminders helped me get there. She plays a larger part in this sequel. With Jordan’s primary duty to protect the Sphere and Quell being it’s biggest threat, they’re at odds with each other for much of the story. Both of their character arcs progress as Quell learns hard lessons about trust and Jordan questioning orders he’s given instead of following them blindly.

This is a spoiler-free review, so I can’t say much more, but I’d recommend this series to readers who enjoy intricate magical systems, political machinations, and strong female characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A perfect follow up! There’s nothing better than a sequel that lives up to the first book.Not so patiently waiting for the third.

A great contribution to the series. I enjoyed the characters more in this oook and loved how they evolved. The tension was spot on and the author really had me immersed in the plot.

This was an enthralling fantasy that plunges you into a richly crafted world where magic and mystery intertwine. The story centers on Perl, a strong and determined protagonist, as she embarks on a journey to uncover her true identity and the secrets of her past.

i have to say that the plot was very ambitious, it felt overwhelming but too slow at the same time. so much is happening, too much explanation, it was very hard to follow and eventually i gave up. sorry. i wasn't curious about the ending anyway...

Listen, if the entire book was written and created like the last 40% of this book, it would have gotten 5 stars. But alas, more than half of the book felt super long and silly, not much information or important facts being spoken. None of it felt important or fun, which is the reasoning why this book took me forever to finish. I really hope the last book will be more interesting like the first book and I’m still excited to read and finish the series, this one just took a minute.

Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for an arc of this book.

I did not click with the characters in this one like I did the first. Something just felt off and it felt like it was to slow and dragging.

I really enjoyed reading the 2nd book in this series. It built really well upon the 1st book, and left me waiting for the next book! 4.5/5 stars

Critiques - there were a few things I had forgotten from the 1st book, and I had to google/go back to the previous book to refresh my memory. I think this book could do a little better in refreshing your memory in the book, but it was just a few things. There were also some slight grammatical errors, but that I am hopeful that it will be corrected once published.

Pros - I love how this builds on other characters not known much about in the first book, and it showed a different side of the characters. I was left mouth agape at the ending, and can't wait to see how everything progresses. The world that J. Elle has built is spectacular, and I truly feel myself in the book feeling how the characters feel and grow. Wonderful writing, and look forward to reading more of her work.

I should have known I’d have the same feeling about this that I did the first, especially when I read them so closely, but it just didn’t hit for me. Dragged on again - maybe I’ve just been reading too many similar themed books lately. Maybe if I read it after something completely different I’d have liked it better.

5 star review - J. Elle has done it again; she made me cry! This book started off exactly where Shades of Perl left off, and I eagerly read this book - actually, I devoured it! The storyline was incredible, and I
will never get over this book!

Shadows or Perl takes you deeper into the world of magic, and explores the other houses more in depth as well as the secret world of magic! This was an absolute gem to read and can’t wait for more! I love the take of the southern Debutant aspect that the writer continues to explore in new fascinating, and twisted ways!

Absolutely adore this book and finished it in a few days! Couldn’t put it down and am so excited for the next book

This second book in the series sure does ramp up the conviction that no one can be trusted, everyone has a secret plan to gain all the power, and despite the party line that toushana is awful terrible dark magic, a surprising number of people use it quite frequently. So it all drives home to me that the sphere should be cracked and magic disappears, or some other thing needs to happen because so many innocent people are being killed because mistakes are being made (looking at you Jordan! Stop being such a strict rule follower cause it is killing people! though he does finally see reason and is willing to do what needs to be done even if it means breaking all the rules)

Quell is still on the run trying to find her mother and a safe place to stay. I really felt for her because she is not out doing the damage that the Dragun are. So it it is still easy to root for her doing something to bring down the corrupt houses and Order (so much corruption and murders covered up!). In this book we get to see what the House of Perl is like (just as bad as Marionne in a different way). Her parts were more fun to read than Jordan who always feels bad but still follows orders because otherwise he will crack (kind of reminds me of Inspector Javert in Les Misérables). I also like Nore and am glad we get a better picture of her in this book and it looks like she will be vital in helping take control of the magic.

And of course this all ends in a cliffhanger. So I hope the next book comes soon so I can find out what happens with Jordan with that last action, as well as seeing if Nore can get the rest of the scroll and Quell and Yagrin get their revenge.