Reader, it's finals week...

It's finally finals week (or, technically, the week before finals as I write this)! I, for one, am glad to be finally over with this semester, but at the same time, I also don't want to actually write my final papers and take my exams. Perhaps you are like me, and you don't want to really think about finals. You need a break, a breather, something fun to get your mind off of the encroaching assignments. Well, reader, I have just the book for you: A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab. 

I think you can tell I look a bit tired...

A Darker Shade of Magic is a semi-dark fantasy novel about a world where there are, well, four worlds. There's the first, Grey London, which is the dull, magic-less city of our world. There's Red London, a place where magic is plentiful and people are rich. There's White London, a harsh place where magic is dying out and tyrants rule. And finally, there's Black London, a place where no one lives anymore, as magic took over and became deadly.

The novel follows Kell, an Antari (rare individuals who have control of all the elements and the ability to travel between the four worlds. Kell is from Red London and was adopted by the royal family after he was abandoned by his parents. Despite the luxury he lives in, though, Kell is restless and secretly breaks rules by smuggling objects between the worlds for amusement. This bad habit causes him to meet Lila, a poor girl from Grey London who dreams of being a shipowner but for now must live the life of a thief. Kell is forced to rely on Lila as he attempts to return a dangerous, powerful piece of magic to Black London before it corrupts the other three worlds. As they attempt this quest, the two must outrun their enemies, experiment with magic, and learn to rely on each other.

I know this sounds like a bit of a dorky book, but it's seriously one of my favorite novels to read. The characters are fun to read, the plot is fast-paced, and the worlds of the story are simply interesting to read about. It's the perfect thing to read if you just want to relax, have some fun, and get invested in a fantastic story. If you want to mentally escape from finals this week, pick up this book. I recommend it wholeheartedly: 5/5 stars.