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offservicebookrecs 's review for:
The Demon Familiar
by Tamsin Hawthorn
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Torch Lit Ink, Moss & Cypress, and Tamsin Hawthorn for an Advanced Reader's Copy of this title!
Layla and Costi have achieved their childhood dream of being paired together as Spell Caster and Guardian, but at what cost? The secret of Layla's magic leaves more questions than answers, and in staying together as witches, they may be forcing themselves apart as...something more. As the Arcanum Council of Witches continues to fracture and news of attacks on sister communities continues to pour in, Costi and Layla - as well as their friends and neighbors - are forced to realize that the angels (who have mysteriously disappeared, by the way) are not the only enemy they're facing. Can Layla and Costi hold the last line of defense, learn more about Layla's magic and its shocking origins, avoid the eyes of those who would separate them permanently, and hold their friendships and their society together - all while keeping their hands off each other?
Another great installment in the Imperium War/Spell Caster's Familiar series that somehow managed to expand on the first novel while also leaving more questions and an even bigger cliffhanger than the last book! The witch commune vibes that I loved in the first book are still here, but the story definitely starts to take a darker turn as our favorite Spell Caster/Guardian pair are faced with even more realities of war; continued pushback from the adults in charge; the slow horror of realizing your communal society is quietly tuning into a dictatorship run by a deranged, mad fool and his yes-men (anyone living in 2025 America can probably relate); the frustration of a man who can't take "no" for an answer; the importance of friendships and the idea that 'what is right' and 'what is easy' are not necessarily the same thing; and the juicy, juicy, delight of forbidden romance (grab life by the horns, kids!). I hope we continue to delve deeper into the witch/demon/angel lore and I have a feeling based on where we ended (completely criminal to leave readers perched on the edge of their seats, by the way) that we'll learn much more about the angel 'monsters' and the demon world in the next book, which I am really excited about!
Layla and Costi have achieved their childhood dream of being paired together as Spell Caster and Guardian, but at what cost? The secret of Layla's magic leaves more questions than answers, and in staying together as witches, they may be forcing themselves apart as...something more. As the Arcanum Council of Witches continues to fracture and news of attacks on sister communities continues to pour in, Costi and Layla - as well as their friends and neighbors - are forced to realize that the angels (who have mysteriously disappeared, by the way) are not the only enemy they're facing. Can Layla and Costi hold the last line of defense, learn more about Layla's magic and its shocking origins, avoid the eyes of those who would separate them permanently, and hold their friendships and their society together - all while keeping their hands off each other?
Another great installment in the Imperium War/Spell Caster's Familiar series that somehow managed to expand on the first novel while also leaving more questions and an even bigger cliffhanger than the last book! The witch commune vibes that I loved in the first book are still here, but the story definitely starts to take a darker turn as our favorite Spell Caster/Guardian pair are faced with even more realities of war; continued pushback from the adults in charge; the slow horror of realizing your communal society is quietly tuning into a dictatorship run by a deranged, mad fool and his yes-men (anyone living in 2025 America can probably relate); the frustration of a man who can't take "no" for an answer; the importance of friendships and the idea that 'what is right' and 'what is easy' are not necessarily the same thing; and the juicy, juicy, delight of forbidden romance (grab life by the horns, kids!). I hope we continue to delve deeper into the witch/demon/angel lore and I have a feeling based on where we ended (completely criminal to leave readers perched on the edge of their seats, by the way) that we'll learn much more about the angel 'monsters' and the demon world in the next book, which I am really excited about!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, War