Initial Impressions 3/31/17: 4.25 - 4.5 stars 
 Wow, I am so sorry for anyone who read this book when it first came out and had to wait for the third book. That ending was EVIL. 
 A GATHERING OF SHADOWS was very enjoyable! The beginning was good but the first half sort of felt like a book one instead of a book two. SO much happened in ADSOM that when things slowed down to this pace again instead of continuing on and escalating, it felt a bit like a step back. 
 The games/competition was really fun, but also felt like a book one thing that could have set up the magic system, worlds, and characters so it didn't really feel necessary at all for this book. Unless it plays a big part in the third book, I don't really think it pushed the plot forward much at all. The characters from the neighboring lands don't seem to directly play an important part in the book and actually, Kell even said it himself that there was a totally different way this could have all played out (that's vague, I know, but if I say more, it's definitely a spoiler). 
 I did LOVE Alucard, who is my new favorite. (I think I just love all privateers. They're so sassy and are always involved in banter.) And I also loved where Lila and Kell's relationship went in this book. We had a bit of book-two-forces-the-lovebirds-apart syndrome here but it actually resolved nicely which is better than a lot of books! 
 I also am still SO CURIOUS about a thing that's outstanding from book ONE and I can't wait to figure out what that is in the last book, and I enjoyed where things finally ended up going towards the end of this book. What a cliffhanger though! I do not envy those who had to wait for the last book. But since I'm bingeing.... Off I go!