Title: A Shadow Bright and Burning Author: Jessica Cluess Rating: 3 stars Genre: YA Historical Fantasy Publisher: Random House Publication Date: September 20th 2016 How Did I Get This Book: bought Format: Hardback Why Did I Read This Book: It looked god, I wanted to buy books and badabing! Lookie what I have... Review Written By: Lisa Golding | City of YA Books |
Review
Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?
Once again Lisa falls prey to over hyping a book in her mind before she receives it…
I liked this book, don’t get me wrong, but this book felt like someone had played tetris with tropes and cliches we have seen time and time again in YA books. Were this published ten years ago, it would have stood a good chance, but honestly it just felt recycled, things I had seen before.
We start with a poor orphan girl who *gasp* has a magical gift which no other girl has! Then there is a whole harem of freaking love interests for the main character which kind of made me want to cry. I didn’t know who on earth I was meant to be rooting for!
Final Thoughts
The best advice I can give, is that if you’re a newbie to the fantasy genre then this book will be amazing for you! If you are a well seasoned reader like me, whelp… you may be in for disappointment.