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jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
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? It's complicated
4.0
What a book this was, filled with enigmatic world building this is a unique tale unlike anything I have been blessed with in a book before. A unique magic system influenced by the tides and the moon phases is the centre of this story, where tides can strengthen and the moon phases influence what magics those born under them may carry. With outliers in the form of those born under lunar or solar eclipses, many fear and shun them due to their unique and varying magics that are often unlike any born below a normal cycle.
With mystery and magic, we follow Emory on a mission to understand her new mysterious powers as she holds magic never before seen after an encounter in the caves of Dovermere that saw several casualties and some missing.
Filled with diversity we have several tropes from best friends brother to lovers to enemies, different presences with a dystopian aspect with the institute and dark academia with the presence of Aldryn College. Additionally we have cultural diversity with characters from various backgrounds as well as queer representation within several relationships and forms in this book.
I could not reccomend this more, with hopes that we get to continue to follow Romie and Emory beyond the gate as they continue into mystery against all odds.
With mystery and magic, we follow Emory on a mission to understand her new mysterious powers as she holds magic never before seen after an encounter in the caves of Dovermere that saw several casualties and some missing.
Filled with diversity we have several tropes from best friends brother to lovers to enemies, different presences with a dystopian aspect with the institute and dark academia with the presence of Aldryn College. Additionally we have cultural diversity with characters from various backgrounds as well as queer representation within several relationships and forms in this book.
I could not reccomend this more, with hopes that we get to continue to follow Romie and Emory beyond the gate as they continue into mystery against all odds.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Drug use, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
trips's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
his book did a lot of things right for me that made up for some of the parts I didn't like as much.
I'm always drawn to Dark Academia but I often do not end up liking the stories they're telling. But for whatever reason this one worked for me.
Out of the dual POV's Baz's is leaps and bounds more interesting, with Emory's POV being relatable in her inability to really process her grief but she makes such bad decisions its kinda hard to root for her at times.
The magic system was quite interesting to me (ooo Moon Magic) although nothing gets explored in depth in book 1. I hope we get more analysis into it in the 2nd book!
Overall though, I had a good time with it, I appreciate that it was dark, but didn't feel 'edgy' like some Dark Academia novels do.
I'm always drawn to Dark Academia but I often do not end up liking the stories they're telling. But for whatever reason this one worked for me.
Out of the dual POV's Baz's is leaps and bounds more interesting, with Emory's POV being relatable in her inability to really process her grief but she makes such bad decisions its kinda hard to root for her at times.
The magic system was quite interesting to me (ooo Moon Magic) although nothing gets explored in depth in book 1. I hope we get more analysis into it in the 2nd book!
Overall though, I had a good time with it, I appreciate that it was dark, but didn't feel 'edgy' like some Dark Academia novels do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
callistag1's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Violence, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Torture, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder
heathergudaz95's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Grief
emwith's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
Found this book difficult to get through even though i really like it. I just spent sooo long on it and i don’y know Why it was such a struggle to get through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Body horror, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Torture
courtsport3000's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
5.0
An absolutely addictive read that delivers on everything it promises.
It's got:
-dark academia vibes featuring a big old school on a cliff by the sea (with multiple libraries!)
-secret societies with eerie initiation practices
-a unique magic system boasting a diverse array of abilities, each influenced by phases of the moon
-a creepy sanitorium type facility where something sinister is happening
-family secrets on family secrets on family secrets
-dual POVs where both characters are actually equally engaging
-New Adult energy with YA grade romance (not in a bad way)
-betrayals, cover ups, murders, rescues - alll the drama
This is everything I want from a dark academia fantasy. It was thrill to experience and I cannot overstate how eagerly I'm anticipating the sequel later this year. I want to lose myself in this mysterious world again as soon as possible. Highly recommend.
Special thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books for an ARC in exchange for review.
It's got:
-dark academia vibes featuring a big old school on a cliff by the sea (with multiple libraries!)
-secret societies with eerie initiation practices
-a unique magic system boasting a diverse array of abilities, each influenced by phases of the moon
-a creepy sanitorium type facility where something sinister is happening
-family secrets on family secrets on family secrets
-dual POVs where both characters are actually equally engaging
-New Adult energy with YA grade romance (not in a bad way)
-betrayals, cover ups, murders, rescues - alll the drama
This is everything I want from a dark academia fantasy. It was thrill to experience and I cannot overstate how eagerly I'm anticipating the sequel later this year. I want to lose myself in this mysterious world again as soon as possible. Highly recommend.
Special thanks to Margaret K. McElderry Books for an ARC in exchange for review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use and Death of parent
ladypalutena's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
tense
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
4.5
THIS IS NOT A STAND-ALONE STORY. I foolishly picked up this book thinking it was a single novel, since nothing indicated that it was going to be either a duology or a series. In fact, if the author wanted to torture us, she could just leave it here. It does wrap up well enough that it could be a "hopeful look to the future" and another book not be published, but that would be rude.
Of course, now that I've said all that, I've done my due diligence with Googling the book and it's going to be a duology. Great. And I read it way too long before the next book could even conceivably be written. Excellent.
Anyway.
The magic system in this book is phenomenal. Everything is hooked to the lunar cycle, and your magic is tied to the specific phase of the moon you were born under. You can only use your magic during that phase of the moon, unless you do some bloodletting and "borrow" some of your future magic. It's the most interesting magic system I've seen in a long time, and I am looking forward to reading more about it in the future.
The characters - you can sort of tell that everyone has shifty secrets and something isn't going to go as planned from about 1/3 of the way through the book, but when it hits, it really hits.I saw it coming, and still felt the breath knocked out of me when Keiran ended up revealing his entire plan to Emory.
The plot had me guessing almost the entire time, and towards the ending of the book, I was literally checking how much longer I had left because "There's no way they can wrap it up in that many pages, can they?" And no, they can't.
If you're looking for a dark academia setting, mysterious deaths, people with mysterious secrets, and the most interesting magic system I've seen in a while, this is the book for you. I will be waiting for the next one to come out.
Of course, now that I've said all that, I've done my due diligence with Googling the book and it's going to be a duology. Great. And I read it way too long before the next book could even conceivably be written. Excellent.
Anyway.
The magic system in this book is phenomenal. Everything is hooked to the lunar cycle, and your magic is tied to the specific phase of the moon you were born under. You can only use your magic during that phase of the moon, unless you do some bloodletting and "borrow" some of your future magic. It's the most interesting magic system I've seen in a long time, and I am looking forward to reading more about it in the future.
The characters - you can sort of tell that everyone has shifty secrets and something isn't going to go as planned from about 1/3 of the way through the book, but when it hits, it really hits.
The plot had me guessing almost the entire time, and towards the ending of the book, I was literally checking how much longer I had left because "There's no way they can wrap it up in that many pages, can they?" And no, they can't.
If you're looking for a dark academia setting, mysterious deaths, people with mysterious secrets, and the most interesting magic system I've seen in a while, this is the book for you. I will be waiting for the next one to come out.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, and Grief
Minor: Blood and Alcohol
booksemmahasread's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Drug use and Violence
Minor: Physical abuse and Police brutality
pbeeandj's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Alcohol