What do I say about Nightspell? First of all, reading this further affirms that Leah Cypess reigns among the masters of fantasy world-building. When I first read Mistwood I was enthralled by the dark beauty that was the Ghostland. The thin line that separated the living from the dead was fascinating. So when I dove into Nightspell I was excited, as I should have been. Cypess takes the reader back to her fantastic world, but this time there are new characters to meet and fall in love with. For those you who have read the first story, you'll find that there are some characters present who you will recognize. However if you haven't had a chance to dive into the Mistwood, you don't need to be worried. Nightspell is a very solid stand alone novel.

I was really impressed by Darri, the main character, and how much I really fell in love with her. I'm always smitten when I meet a strong, fiery and independent character, and Darri fits the bill perfectly. Her willingness to break rules, her fierce love for her siblings, it all adds up into a character that I can really get behind. I'll admit that I was a little disappointed that I didn't get to know Callie better as well. She kind of hid out in the spotlight of Darri. In fact a lot of the characters were slightly shadowed by her. It wasn't enough to take me away from my love of this book, but I'm hoping perhaps we'll see more of them so I can get to know their personalities as well!

I loved the action sequences in this book. It is fast paced enough to be completely engrossing, without loosing you along the way. The undertones of romance are enough to sate the needs of the reader, without overtaking the entire story, which I also really appreciated. On top of all of this, there is a beautiful web of deceit woven throughout the story. I was never quite sure who was on what side, or who would jump teams next. The thin line I mentioned between the living and the dead pops in Nightspell, as Cypess shows us why these two factions are so tense.

Overall, I think was a fantastic story! The twists and turns, the characters, the beautiful world building, all of it created a gorgeous book that I devoured in one sitting. Lovers of fantasy will find a lot to love here, and if you're diving into this realm for the first time hold on tight! You're in for a ride, Leah Cypess style.
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If you were hoping for a sequel to Mistwood, You'll be sorely disappointed. from what I can surmise, this book takes place in a country completely separate from Samorna. In chapter three, when we met Clarisse, I jumped up and shouted for joy, because even though Clarisse is hardly a likable character, at least I was familiar with her.
this book was very confusing. often times i had to go back reread scenes and i still wasn't sure what happened. especially at the end. Are they all still ghosts, or are they all alive again? It was very confusing.
And I wish there had been more Isabel. I really liked Isabel. Darri is great, too, but... She's not Isabel. ( )

Welcome to my stop on the Nightspell paperback release blog tour!

From Goodreads: Here be ghosts, the maps said, and that was all.
In this haunted kingdom, ghosts linger--not just in the deepest forests or the darkest caverns, but alongside the living, as part of a twisted palace court that revels all night and sleeps through the daylight hours.
Darri's sister was trapped in this place of fear and shadows as a child. And now Darri has a chance to save her sister . . . if she agrees to a betrothal with the prince of the dead. But nothing is simple in this eerie kingdom--not her sister, who has changed beyond recognition; not her plan, which will be thrown off track almost at once; and not the undead prince, who seems more alive than anyone else.
In a court seething with the desire for vengeance, Darri holds the key to the balance between life and death. Can her warrior heart withstand the most wrenching choice of all?
First of all, HUGE THANKS to Leah Cypess for sending me a copy of Nightspell as part of the blog tour celebrating the paperback release. I'm excited to spread the word about this awesome book.
Because it really IS awesome. It's a ghost story like you've NEVER read before. There are things about the ghosts that will throw you. I knew it was a ghost story going in and I DIDN'T SUSPECT A THING.
I LOVED this twist on ghosts. That's really all I can say about them without ruining some of the fun, so just take my word for it that you'll want to read this one.
As far as characters, Darri was awesome. She's one of those really strong girls who can kick bottom and take names and then go to a dance afterwards. She has a lot to deal with: her sister being in Ghostland, her brother being a major douchebag, and a betrothal to an undead prince. She definitely holds her own.
I also really liked Callie. Poor girl. Sent off at age 11 to marry the prince of Ghostland. She is definitely affected by her time there and it affects her relationships with her siblings. I was very interested to see how she'd come to terms with Darri and Varis. It hurt my heart at times to see how she suffered, but I really like how things were resolved.
This story kept me engaged the entire time. I didn't want to put it down. It was a fantastic companion to Mistwood (though not a sequel...WOO! A stand-alone!) and one that I'll read again for sure. Go ahead and pick it up! It's a 'Pick Me' worthy book. ( )

The book is well written, but I did not connect with the people in the book. ( )

I loved Nightspell by Leah Cypess. I enjoyed Mistwood, but I admit to being rather confused by it – definitely drops you right into the story.

But I loved the story and the setting and everything about Nightspell. There’s mystery and murder and ghosts and knives and even though I never knew who the hell to trust, I sure had a lot of fun trying to figure it out with Darri, the protagonist.

There was a lot of point of view changing, which bothered me at first, but I enjoyed it more once I got used to it because I was able to see and understand story elements I wouldn’t have otherwise.

The setting was awesome. I loved the idea of there being a place where ghosts and humans inhabited the same space, where they knew of each other and accepted each other outwardly, but not so much on the inside.

Overall, I loved Nightspell even more than I liked Mistwood. The story and the setting was much more vibrant to me (despite it being set in Ghostland), and if you’re a fan of fantasy, I definitely recommend it.

Nightspell is a companion to Mistwood, so you don’t need to read Mistwood to understand, but I recommend you do so, just because of the character that appears in both novels :) ( )