A Darker Shade of Magic, by V.E. Schwab

I'm trying to make it a point to read up on some of the books that I missed over the last couple of years. One, V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic came recommended from all corners of the internet, and it lives up nicely to those reviews.

Schwab has put together a really intriguing world: four of them, in fact. A select few can travel between worlds. Kell is one such individual, and he travels between Grey, Red and White Londons. At one point, magic was commonplace throughout the worlds, before Black London fell to corruption. White London is cold and brutal, while Red London is decadent. Only Grey London is largely without magic, and when Kell stumbles upon a secret, he's saved by Lila, a street thief from Grey London, and plunged into a deeper conspiracy.

I really loved this book: it sucked me in and didn't let go. Schwab has paced her story really well, populating it with really fun characters and some distinct worlds that gripped me from beginning to end.

The story is straight forward: Kell discovers a remnant of Black London, and there are people who want to use it to their own ends. He has to resist the token's power in order to save himself and his friends.

It's a fun adventure, plain and simple. I'm already looking forward to the next, A Gathering of Shadows, which is due out in a couple of months.