3 🌟

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was the 2nd installment in the series, and maybe my expectations were a bit high, but it fell a little short for me.

Shadows of Perl was centered around Quell still searching relentlessly for her mother while also assisting Jordan with trying to find and save the sphere from bleeding out.

There were a few twists along the way. In the first installment we thought that red & yagrin died, but in this second installment we come to realize that both are alive and well. Red is actually nore ambrose.

The themes that struck me as most prevalent were about unity, forgiveness, standing up for what is right and holding people accountable for their actions, seeing others as mortal just like you.

Shadows of Perl is a gripping and ominous sequel that delves into the realm of forbidden magic, deceitful betrayals, and shattered hearts.

-Enemies to Lovers to Enemies ....
-Forced Proximity
-Unique Magic System (Forbidden Magic)
-Multi POV

The author crafted a very unique world with a magic system that's dark, mysterious, complex and overall really interesting. I thought "Shadows of Perl" was a great continuation of the House of Marrione series.

I'm a huge fan of stories being told in multiple POV'S so I love that we get to experience that in this book. There is a lot happening within this plot so I really appreciated being able to see the events through different character's perspectives it makes for a more immersive reading experience.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading book three!

Thank you J. Elle , Net Galley and Penguin Group- Razorbill for providing me with an ARC of this book!

I was so mad about the cliffhanger ending because that book was just that good! While I enjoyed the House of Marionne, I LOVED Shadows of Perl. It's a solid and faster-paced continuation of Quell & Co.'s story. The supporting cast is great but I enjoyed the peeling back of the Houses' sometimes insidious history, especially learning more about the headmistresses and their roles in the chase for The Sphere.

Shadows of Perl hit all the right notes from Quell & Jordan trying to untangle their feelings for one another to Nore's fight to survive her own family and trying to guess the intent of all the factions searching for The Sphere. I am not sure how I'll be able to patiently wait for the sequel because the build-up created in Shadows of Perl had me on edge, especially in the last 3 chapters. And despite my OMFG moment on the last page, it was the perfect ending for this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Shadows of Perl by J. Elle is the second book in the House of Marianne series. It picks up where book 1 left off, with Quell fleeing from Chateau Soleil after her Rite of Induction, with the goal of learning more about her toushana and finding her mom, while Jordan, second-in-command for the Draguns, is charged with protecting the Sphere and magic. it seems that Quell is the number one threat to this, and now these two lovers-turned enemies must confront their competing ambitions and conflicting loyalties. Or die. The future of magic hangs on their decision.

What a ride this book takes you on! Whew. I am tired! This was a VERY exciting sequel to the first book and full of adventure. The beginning was a little slow as the various plot lines were being set up, but it quickly turned into nonstop action. A lot of plot happens in this book but also a lot of personal growth. I really loved the interactions between Quell and Jordan. I will say that I struggled at first because I read the first book a long time ago and so the characters weren't fresh in my mind. If you tend to forget details from books, I recommend re-reading House of Marionne before reading Shadows of Perl. I cannot wait for the next book in the series (due to the CRAZY cliffhanger) and plan to re-read both books before reading the third.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me an eBook ARC. Shadows of Perl is expected to be published on September 3, 2024.

The writing in this one is still confusing as the first and I just don't feel like I understand how the magic works in this world. I can't say that the writing is particularly dynamic or exciting and it's not giving me enough of the girly vibes I want either.

I absolutely loved House of Marionne but I think the separation of characters in this left me wanting more. Having said that, I did enjoy it quite a bit.

The reveal of Nore being alive and being Red was amazing. I wish there was MORE Yags, his time felt rushed and he was my favorite (and my favorite reveal) in HoM. I think more time with Yags and Nore (which I bet is coming next book) would have made this even more enjoyable for me. I love that Nore is the only one who can see the spirits of the ancestors....could that be MAGIC?!...I don't know! Her brothers flip to *not good* was a bit weird/chaotic.

I loved Jordan's arc in this but his internal struggle with hating Quell fell a little flat for me. Jordan's development though was SO GOOD. I'm curious about his dad though - is he actually bad like his sister or is he actually good and his whole demeanor was a defense mechanism/attempt to protect his sons with his sister.

Quell, Quell, Quell...I feel so bad for her. Everything she set out for and was seeking fell to dust. I think the death of her grandmother is going to mess her up more than the average reader would think. Particularly because clearly her grandmother SAVED all of these people with Toushana and she's going to wish she had more insight into her thought process here. Part of me hopes she stews with grief over not trying harder to save her grandmother. I was really glad she was finally honest with Jordan - it took a mountain!

This was jam packed plot wise. The end was good action. I love that Jordan and Quell are starting to not fight their draw to each other. I love that the glossary and house explanations were at the back of the book - when they're at the front I find it daunting. I hope we get to learn more about House Oralia, they've been pretty silent. Also, now that Jordan IS the sphere....what does that mean for him and Quell?!

How am I supposed to wait for the next one after that ending? Loved getting back into this world. I really adore Quell and love seeing her story unfold. It took me a minute to get fully into the story at the beginning but once it took off for me I could not stop reading. So many reveals and the tension with enemies/lovers. Really enjoyed it!

This book has always been a hit I expected nothing least!! The book was enticing and enthralling and constantly had my attention throughout it. I loved feeling like I was on my toes throughout the book so great

This second book in the series was better than the first. The story line was more exciting. The writing still gets confusing at times and there are a lot of characters to keep track of. The fantasy world has a lot of intricacies that get confusing at times. As I recommended for book #1, I think this is a wonderful series for a preteen or teen reader as the fantasy is enjoyable and the main character is probably more relatable for a teen reader. In addition, the romance is clean and PG rated.

A stunning follow up to HoM. Loved seeing the growth in both Quelle and Jordan. 🖤 As I have felt with the other J. Elle books I’ve read, the magic system feels simultaneously familiar and comfortable while also having unique aspects that are fun to learn about.

I enjoyed the first book but gosh I actually enjoyed this second book more.

I always love a good dark academia/magic romance book. I really enjoyed this and read it all in one sitting just like the first.

I received an ARC of this for an honest review.

I DNF'd book one so if I decide to give book one a try and like it I will continue on. I just felt like book one was improperly marketed to me and for now I just don't want to give it a fair shot. Perhaps in a few months when I have no expectations for it.

Thank you to NetGalley, J. Elle, and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of Shadows of Pearl in return for my honest review.

I didn’t have time to read book 1 prior to my time running out for book 2 so I am including a star handicap to factor in my ignorance.

I enjoyed the lovers to enemies line which is a nice change. I like reading from two strong POVs instead of some authors including too many POVs. I’ve seen reviews that book 1 was action-packed while this book had a lot of character building. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to book 3! I will definitely go back and read them in order when the time comes.

At first I was worried this book wouldn’t be as good as the first, but when things began to pick up towards the middle of the book, it got so much better. I was on the edge of my seat, craving for the truth to come out and for Quell and Jordan to open their eyes. I was truly surprised about Quell’s grandmother but there were still quite a few predictable events though that didn’t hurt the story any. If anything, it put me on edge even more so knowing what was going to happen yet dreading for when it did. I thoroughly enjoyed the ride of Shadows of Perl and hopefully the next book doesn’t take nearly as long to come out.

With few exceptions, book 2 in a series is always the hardest/slowest for me. That felt true for this book, however the second I finished the book I wanted to immediately reread it because I knew I’d view it completely different knowing what it’s leading to and the book’s conclusion. I don’t know that I have words yet to describe the conclusion of the book. I nearly screamed.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The way I was obsessed with House of Marionne made me believe that not even the sequel could hold up despite that cliffhanger. i am here to proudly tell you that I was WRONG. There was not one but two new POVs in this book which added to the mystery and I really loved all the added depth to the houses this time. Once again Quell and Jordan continue to have the most intense relationship (ish) and the build up to the end felt very organic. Bring on book three!

NOOOOOOO THAT IS NOT THE WAY IT ENDS!!! The torture that is this series! Reading an arc is rewarding but also torture cause I have to wait that much longer to find out what's next. We pick up a few months after the end of book one as Quell is on the run trying to get a handle on her magic and find her mother. Jordan is on the hunt for her to kill her for her dark magic. The story is leading up to a big battle as Quell & Jordan are making discoveries on what is really going on in the Order. Quell is on a mission for answers and doesn't know who she can trust. Jordan has to make some hard choices between honor and duty. Many questions were answered but so many more came up which is exactly where I like to be in the middle of a trilogy. the reveals in this installment had me completely blindsided. I could barely keep up. I will say Jordan was pissing me off with his self-righteousness, but I still love him. We got 3 POV's Quell, Jordan & Nore which I loved. At the start of the story I could not see how it would all come together and it did seamlessly. It was nice finding out more about Nore and her becoming more of a main character. I am left with so many emotions that I can barely put together a coherent thought. The ending has me in shambles starring at the last page like I cannot believe that just happened. I will be unwell until the final book is announced and released. Well done J. Elle.

The enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies has me feeling so many emotions! I love both Quell & Jordan. It is easy to see both of their perspectives. Learning more about the forbidden magic only makes it more intriguing. I feel like the magic system is unique while also easy to understand. Also, I loved the giant twist at the beginning of this book! I literally squealed. The ending to this has me hoping for more! J. Elle is a fantastic writer.

Absolutely loved this book! J. Elle writes so stunningly and has quickly become an auto-buy author for me :)