shesreadingagain_'s reviews
315 reviews

This book! I’m going to need to start seeing more people rave about this one. It had a perfect setting on a remote island north of Seattle in a hidden away magic school, Ellery Academy of Magic West. I loved this magic system and the way it was so clearly described from the onset of the story.

The eerie setting was perfect for the mystery that Bonnin laid at our feet. The story follows a group of characters as they try to uncover a mystery that we flash back to involving our FMC, Maria Castillo. Maria has the ability of fire and three years prior to our story Maria wakes up to realize she killed her best friend Sydney (or did she? 👀). Maria and her friends start to experience anomalies that even their powers can’t explain, they are determined to find out what is the force that is emanating from the forest behind the academy.

I just devoured this book. The pacing is spectacular , I couldn’t put it down! Typically I read about 60 pages an hour but I was tracking 93 pages per hour with this one. Which is insane for me and read it in one sitting. I loved every moment of this story. This is a perfect example of young adult done perfect. I can’t give this book enough praise. It is definitely the best YA book I’ve read this year. If premise interests you, I highly recommend picking this one up.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi

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2.75

The Witch who Trades with Death by C.M. Alongi

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Witch Who Trades with Death by C.M. Alongi
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Length: 488 pages
Release Date: March 11, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to Angry robot for the gifted physical arc of this new release.

Going into this book I had no expectations. The synopsis sounded intriguing and joined with the cover art I definitely had to give this one a shot. I’m so glad I did, it really captivated from from the very first page. This book is about 500 pages and I read it in two sittings if that tells you how much I couldn’t put it down I’m not sure what will. This is such a stunning debut of dark fantasy with a touch of romance.

Our FMC Kahana has pretty much the worst origin story. She happens to discover she can do magic at a young age, she and her friend go into hiding because she knows that if you are a witch you have to go be a concubine for the empire. Her parents eventually catch up with her and her friend, friend is killed, parents force her to go and to top it off the emperor is her long distant relative whom she is forced to bed. Kahana learns that the emperor has immortality because he traded with a god. This god goes by many names but Death is their most known moniker.

Yeah that would be my villain origin story but not for Kahana. She trades with Death in order to keep people around her safe. Small things at first like memories but nothing major. Somehow she finds the good in people, she is a great person despite all of the people in her life letting her down. This book is a story of fighting against your oppressor but not forgetting that the community you build will keep you sane when the world around you is nothing but harsh.

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shesreadingagain_'s reviews 315 reviews

shesreadingagain_'s reviews
315 reviews