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the_bookishmum's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
3.5 stars
I wasn’t 100% sold on this book when I first started reading it. The pacing at the beginning feels off and the magic school where we first meet Leyna and her friends feels like it’s only there to introduce how the magic system works. Things really start getting interesting the moment they leave the wizard school and go to work at the castle. The characters are very fleshed out and the descriptions are done well and easy to visualise. What starts out as a book about a girl becoming a Huskarl (a King’s guard with magic) becomes a fantasy mystery/romance. The story is filled with intrigue with the puzzle pieces laced throughout. I enjoyed the interactions between Leyna and the Jester.
Things I didn’t love: some of the word choices were a little lazy and as I said above the parts in the wizard school felt as though they went on for far too long.
I do look forward to reading the second book in the duology.
Thank you NetGalley, Jay Pellegrin and the publisher for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.
I wasn’t 100% sold on this book when I first started reading it. The pacing at the beginning feels off and the magic school where we first meet Leyna and her friends feels like it’s only there to introduce how the magic system works. Things really start getting interesting the moment they leave the wizard school and go to work at the castle. The characters are very fleshed out and the descriptions are done well and easy to visualise. What starts out as a book about a girl becoming a Huskarl (a King’s guard with magic) becomes a fantasy mystery/romance. The story is filled with intrigue with the puzzle pieces laced throughout. I enjoyed the interactions between Leyna and the Jester.
Things I didn’t love: some of the word choices were a little lazy and as I said above the parts in the wizard school felt as though they went on for far too long.
I do look forward to reading the second book in the duology.
Thank you NetGalley, Jay Pellegrin and the publisher for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Torture, War, Genocide, Physical abuse, Sexual content, and Gore
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