The positives: I really enjoyed the world building and magic system, as it was pretty unique, and it was easy to follow the FMC’s magical journey. The story was relatively easy to get though and was mostly enjoyable. 

I didn’t really care for the relationship between the two leads, especially the way Thorne treated her and talked to her when they first met. Yes, he went on a journey to change his views and see her as a person, which is the point of the book, but it I really disliked him in the beginning third of the book. At the end I also dislike the way he kept leaving her and not apologizing or really changing his behavior, when she’s expressed her fear of abandonment. I know he’s also dealing with the lies he’s believed his whole life but if they can’t properly communicate, it’s not a good foundation for a relationship. 

The story started out a bit slow and I did feel the end was a little rushed. The final battle at the end and the aftermath felt like it ended and was “solved” so quickly. The ending also left me unsatisfied. I’m assuming the villain getting away and her new “job” at the end left the story open to have a sequel, but the story arcs of the main character felt completed for now and I was unsatisfied with how the villainous characters didn’t really face any consequences. Willow seemingly got away and she’s she was banished but it kinda felt like “that’s it? No other on-page consequences?”  And don’t get me started on Jett. The way she mistreated the golems, especially Brick annoyed me to no end, especially when Marina was supposed to somewhat be her friend she has no qualms about her cruelty and mistreatment of the people she got to know at school. I would of loved to she her get to know Brick and change her mindset like Thorne, but she was cruel and bitter until the end. The dismissal that she was lied to by Willow, so that makes it okay for her to still have her position at the Guild and face no consequences for her mistreatment left a bitter taste in my mouth. I understand the author is trying to say that we should give people the benefit of the doubt to learn and change for the better, but unlike Quill or Thorne, Jett’s character had no actual growth or repentance to make getting away unscathed be a satisfying ending. 

Thank you to Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.