Review--Charmfall by Chloe Neill

HIGH SCHOOL CAN BE A BATTLEFIELD, BUT FOR LILY PARKER, SURVIVING AT ST. SOPHIA'S SCHOOL FOR GIRLS IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

Protecting Chicago from the dark side can be an exhausting job, especially when you're a sophomore. So when the girls of St. Sophia's start gearing up for Sneak, their fall formal, Lily decides to join in on some good old-fashioned party prep--even if it means not giving demons, vampires, and the twisted magic users known as Reapers her undivided attention.

But when a Reaper infiltrates the school, Lily doesn't forget what she's sworn to protect. She reaches deep inside herself to draw her magic out--and finds that it's gone. And it turns out that she's not alone. A magic blackout has slammed through paranormal Chicago, and no one knows what--or who--caused it. But for Lily, getting back her magic is worth the risk of going behind enemy lines...

Chloe Neill's Charmfall picks up around the time we left off, same school year and since it's still fall it can't have been real long. We open up to seeing Lily and her pals practicing using their magic in defensive situations, and then jumps to Lily, the ordinary teen helping make decorations for Sneak. Not much time passes in the book since by the end they go to the dance, but it's still a pretty fun read!

When Lily attempts to rescue a classmate from a Reaper, she finds she has no power. None. Then she and Scout soon realize that all the Adepts have lost their power, except Jason, who is cursed and doesn't just have power for a borrowed time. The next day she sees Sebastian and learns that Reapers too are without power, so they are not behind the blackout. So who is, that's the mystery!

One thing that was not necessarily annoying, just puzzling, was why the Adepts wanted their powers back. They are the ones who acknowledge that they will one day give it up, so why can't today be that day? Why must they get their powers back? It didn't really bug me all that much, just something that kept spiraling through my mind every now and then.

Tension is brewing even thicker between the Reapers and Adepts as they each think the other is behind it, but Lily knows that that is not the case and she's determined to find out what the problem really is. No matter what. Even if it means talking to Sebastian more and more--which becomes a noticeable problem to the Adepts when she comes back with info. Causing a rift between her and Jason.

The tension was done really well. I love how Lily is conflicted with the rules and ways of Reapers and Adepts, despite being an Adept herself. She is a wonderful character. She sees the world as it is, in greys instead of black and white like the rest of her friends.

Scout is still an amazing friend to her. Together they are there for one another as they each have their downfalls. They pick each other up and work together to try to solve the mystery.

I can't say that I truly saw it coming in all the gory details, but I did have my suspicions! The ending was good too. It doesn't necessarily give a concrete happy ending, those are only set in the finale of course, but it still leaves you satisfied and craving for more!

Charmfall was a spellbinding read! It captures you into a world that is ours, but here magic is real! I love this series and so can't wait for my next trip to Chicago!

Overall rating 4/5 stars