Wizard's Masquerade

"Could she reimagine herself and her beliefs? Because if she could, it was like the opening of a mental portcullis, the lowering of a drawbridge, and there, beyond the rigid walls she'd built for herself, a world of possibility awaited.
It was liberating to realize that her past self's convictions did not have to dictate her future."

Leyna is days away from completing her exams, passing her 7 year long studies at the Wizard Guild, and her dreams of being a Wizard and Huskarl, a guard to the royal family.

Everything about her dream isn't playing out the way she had envisioned all her life. Starting with an accident that almost set her back a year, that perfect dream is cracking. After finally getting her offer letter to be a Huskarl, Leyna leaves the Guild with Grace and Quinn, friends from her class, to head to the castle and accept her official Huskarl title from the king.

Only a couple days after arriving, word arrives that the king, queen, and their entire court and guards were attacked while traveling. With her world completely thrown off its axis, she is determined to figure out what happened.

The more she digs, the more she begins to question everything she's ever known. It isn't much easier with the Jester constantly around. She knows he has secrets, and is possibly dangerous, but can't help but be drawn to him. Leyna has to figure out who to trust, including unraveling her life and ambitions as a Huskarl.

MY GOD THIS BOOK IS CAPTIVATING!! Jay Pellegrin's world takes me right back to the years of reading fantasy as a teenager, but higher stakes, and definitely with an adult spin on it. We have magic schools, a castle, spells, wizards, shapeshifters, demons, royal hierarchy, secrets and betrayals, AND A JESTER!!

This is a world you really can immerse yourself in while reading, and characters that develop really well throughout. Pellegrin admits herself that Leyna is a "strong flawed female protagonist" and it's a perfect description for her. She has a one track mind, only dreaming of ever being a Huskarl, and she is naïve, selfish, jealous, spoiled, and infuriating when the book starts. Everything that is happening around her forces her to dismantle her belief system, and it really isn't easy for anyone, especially with Leyna, it's like pulling teeth. By the end it's like a huge sigh of relief, she had wonderful character development and her story is set up perfect for more growth into the second book of this duology.

The shining star of this book is Jester. We are told right off the bat that he is dangerous and charming. Both so true, and he is the perfect MC in a story with lies and secrets. We are along with Leyna on the journey and get to watch her figure out how much she's going to let him in. He is snarky, rude, and dazzling to say the least. I was constantly looking forward to any scene with him in it, because it really forced Leyna to think and evolve. I fell in love with him and I really hope there is a lot more of him in the next book and the chance for them really explore their feelings.

The story is very long and could definitely do with a lot of trimming for some parts that felt repetitive, but Pellegrin announced on Instagram that they worked with editors and are cutting it down, so I have high hopes that the published copy will fix this issue. I definitely think we could have gotten a little more back story from the side characters, especially Grace, Quinn, and Seth. Their relationships with Leyna would give her that extra bit of dimension that I think she could benefit from.

Overall this is a fantastic first book, and Medival Fantasy Romance. I am 100% invested and will be reading the second one. This first part of the duology is out soon, and I think is a great read if you want a longish romantic fantasy that has reverse grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers, lots of banter, a flawed (BUT EVOLVING) FMC, dances in castles, magic/wizards and a smidge of spice.

UPDATE 09/23/22: Since reading this copy, the author has made many changes based on feedback provided by readers! From the author's suggestion, I went back and reread the end of the book and absolutely loved the changes. Overall there is more jester in the story, and minor story changes that made the book flow better! I will be (not so) patiently waiting for the second half of this duology.

Thank you Netgalley, Jay Pellegrin, and BooksGoSocial/Pellegrin for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

↠ 4.75 stars

"I don't have any dreams of my own, you see---at least, I didn't, until I met you..."

Leyna Saunders has a plan set in stone for her life: graduate from the Guild as a wizard and become a Huskarl of the Royal Guard, serving the king.

All this and more DOES happen, but at what cost? The picture-perfect life Leyna painted for herself is derailed as lies, courtships from a meddling mother, Royal politics, and a sneaky Jester shatter the life Leyna always thought she wanted.

Castles and wizards and magic, oh my! This BOOK. I'm a sucker for fantasy romance, so this one took my heart and RAN WITH IT. The world that Jay Pellegrin creates in "Wizard's Masquerade" is full of vibrant, magical wonder. There's nothing better than being sucked into a fantasy book and I was intrigued from the very first chapter!

I absolutely loved Leyna and her thorough character arc. She had a SET vision for her life, but when that vision didn't pan out as expected, reality sunk in and she was left with a life at the castle full of mystery and deception. Reading her from beginning to end was SUCH a treat. She's definitely a character that comes with her flaws, but I'm so excited to see how she grows throughout book 2.

JESTER. My sweet Jester. An absolute little sh*t, but I adored every second of it. He has his secrets, and divulging them was a hardship, but getting to know him was a WHIRLWIND. His character arc in particular was fantastic, and as he and Leyna grew closer, that emotional wall was chipped away bit by bit.

I was SOBBING BY THE END. I was in absolute SHAMBLES as the story wrapped up. Such a fantastic start to a new series! I highly recommend this if you're into fantasy romance, castles, magic, a charming Jester, fluffy little pets, a sloooow burn, and a protagonist with a good head on her shoulders! I can't wait to see how everything pans out in book 2.

Thank you to Jay Pellegrin and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

RATING: 5 out of 5 🤍

Update: Based on feedback, the author made some revisions to the book - and in my opinion, these have only strengthened an already very strong, well-paced narrative. My rating remains a solid 5/5 - this book is a delight and I am so excited for readers to have the chance to check it out!

I picked this up purely based on the cover art, which I found so beautiful and intriguing that I simply had to know what this book was about. I tried not to get my hopes up - I’ve been pulled in by too many beautiful covers before only to be disappointed. I am happy to report, however, that Wizard’s Masquerade is a wonderful romantic fantasy that far exceeded my expectations!

The Plot:

“After surviving a horrendous injury, Leyna knows her chances of becoming a wizard are dashed—so no one is more surprised than her when the Wizarding Guild allows her to graduate and she receives her offer to join the Royal Guard.

But when tragic news arrives of a monstrous attack on the king and his court, Leyna devotes herself to hunting down the traitors responsible and restoring the kingdom’s peace and way of life.

As Leyna is drawn deeper into a web of secrets and lies, she soon becomes entangled with the jester in a treacherous game of trust and betrayal.”

I loved our heroine Leyna - she’s ambitious, strong-willed, and a bit stubborn. This makes her slow burn romance with the Jester who just can’t seem to stop teasing her absolutely delicious. Their dynamic is one of my favorites, and I miss them already. And speaking of the Jester - never did I expect that a man wearing bells could make me blush!

This book is also simply a pleasure to read - the prose is elegant and the story flows along at the perfect pace. The settings and spaces are described so well that I could perfectly envision them, and I found myself wishing I could occupy a cozy little corner of the castle myself. I adored the side characters, who all got the chance to shine. I cannot wait for the next installment!

If you love slow burn romances, ballrooms, gowns, political intrigue, courtly manners, spies, steamy encounters in secret, and of course, magic, Wizard’s Masquerade is the book for you!

5 Stars ⭐

Wizard’s Masquerade will be released on September 30, 2022.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the ARC!

Can you imagine Harry Potter mixed with Hamlet mixed with demons? Yeah, I didn't expect it to work, but Jay Pellegrin managed to do it!

Honestly, it was not what I was expecting based off of the cover art. If you are looking just for a smut in this New Adult novel, turn around. While there IS romance, there is lots more included in the storyline, such as politics, secrets, personal growth, magic, demons, and more...

An intriguing new voice to fantasy and New Adult fiction. I'm looking forward to the next book in this duology.

Wizard's Masquerade
A Medieval Fantasy Romance for New Adults
by Jay Pellegrin
Earc: NetGalley
Publisher: Pellegrin Books
Publication Date: 30 Sep 2022
Genre:Romance, New Adult, Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Absolutely loved this book. Somehow, I was hooked from beginning to end.

Don't get me wrong. I didn't give it 5 stars because of some imperfections. The sometimes predictable plot and lack of development of the magic system deducted one star from my rating, but the romance between Layla and the Fool and the easy-to-understand writing fully make up for it.

I'm not usually a fan of romance, but these two were fun to read. I kept reading chapter after chapter, with jokes, chemistry, angst, dialogue, and sharp enough scenes, but dreaded getting to the end, knowing I'd have to wait for the sequel to come out to read more. was

#bookreview #goodreads#romance #SciFiandFantasy #romance #newadult

Thank you to Pellegrin books and NetGalley for the ARC. I absolutely loved reading this book. For anyone who’s a fan of “once upon a broken heart”, I think you’ll enjoy this book. There are similar elements of magic, balls, and the big mystery in the plot.
The first few chapters were action-packed but a bit slow, I wanted the action to begin earlier than expected. But I think the way the author paced the scenes went really well with the plot and its many twists (which I loved). The last half of the book kept me on my toes. And when you think you know the characters well, think again! You’re in for a treat! It was almost like reading a mystery book and figuring out what characters contributed negatively and positively to the plot (trying not to include spoilers). The two main characters were great. I gravitated more toward the jester, he is such a funny character. And the slow burn between the jester and the female protagonist was written so well. Their dynamics complimented each other. The ending of the book crushed me, I’m so glad that there’s another book on the way. I thought it couldn’t possibly end the way it did! This story was so much fun to read it has everything: humor, action, love, and magic.
My Goodreads review will be posted on 10/24/22.
as of 10/25/22 this review was posted on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3LEBO5P5DW8BY/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

New adult romantacy that is full of mystery and intrigue. Journey of a young inexperienced woman of magic eventually discovering her strong side to making mature decisions. This is the first book in a duology. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the book for an honest review.

*** I received an ARC Copy through Netgalley and this is my honest review***

This is a longer read for most readers but it has some vivid and enchanting characters. We are introduced to Layna whose goal is to graduate the wizard guild and become a huskarl to the king. The early part of the book does seem reminiscent of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire only because we are in a maze and at a magic school, but after that I failed to see the comparison. Most of the plot takes place at the kings castle and capitol city.

The book has some strong themes of secrets, court intrigue, slow burn romance, and betrayal. It started off slow for me, but finally picked up shortly before the 50% mark. Honestly what kept me reading was the characters, specifically the Jester (and Floofy of course).
There is some time dedicated to the romance but the plot heavily focuses on the mystery and court intrigue. However, the mystery fell short for me. Layna had far too many suspects when the true villain was revealed and I just wasn't drawn into the court mystery as much. HOWEVER, I was drawn into the mystery of the Jester and have to admit that the ending left me slightly frustrated. This is a duology though, so I should have expected something to pull me along to the next book.

There were several times where we were given the same information again and again (particularly about the magic system) that could have been better used to expand on the magic system or world. I did miss further worldbuilding in this book, probably because something of this length tends to paint a more vivid picture of the place and history. I wanted to know a bit more about the magic system, the war that was mentioned often, the current political situation which seemed stable but people immediately thought it wasn't when things went wrong.

I did really enjoy the continued discussion/theme that nothing is ever good or evil. There are many shades of grey. Always following the rules or adhering to your duty does not insure that you will not commit wrongs. I also appreciated the character development of both the jester and Layna. It was slow but well done and felt natural within the plot. The action sequences and battles were also well written and engaging.

This is definitely a NEW ADULT or adult fantasy. Layna is 22 and there are a few spicy scenes included. There's a strong coming of age theme as Layna learns a lot about how the world really works. The romance was absolutely there but I think it will be more fulfilling to the reader when the duology is complete.

Overall a solid read and I will probably be grabbing the 2nd book. The Jester stuck out the most just in how he was written but Layna also has an interesting character arc and I appreciate that she was believably flawed.

Well can I first say the cover for this book is amazing and so pretty. This was the first thing that drew me into the book and made me want to review it.

I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other and how their friendships developed into more in 2 occasions, The story starts with a bang and does not slow down throughout the story with its twists and turns and never knowing who you can trust.

Pick this up and have as much fun as i did.

Thank you to the publisher, Pellegrin Books, for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

🌟🌟🌟🌟
📚 - Adult Fantasy / Mythology Romance
📖 - 550 pages
💃 - 🌶

I really enjoyed this book! The opening setting was a fun nod to a Hogwarts-esque kind of school, but I found that from there things went their own way rather quickly. The magic system was unique (although I'm hoping we get more about that in the next book!) and I found the main character, Leyna very easy to relate to. Growing up and having to choose between what is right and wrong or moral or not can be so hard. Leyna had big decisions to make and wrestled with them.

I did find that the mystery portion of this book was very easy to guess. The ending did come as a bit of a surprise though, and I look forward to book 2 and continuing Leyna's adventure!

This book got one pepper for the spice scale. The first spicy scene was more than 40% of the way through the book and there was one more after that.

Leyna Saunders dreams of becoming a wizard huskarl, a protector of the royal family. She almost loses her chance after a harrowing incident leaves her injured. A mysterious wizard gives Leyna an opportunity to achieve her career goals. Her first task as a huskarl is to escort an annoying jester and his troupe to the royal castle. The man exasperates Leyna at every turn. She soon finds herself deeply entrenched in a dangerous game of intrigue, secrets, and lies. Can Leyna find the true perpetrator behind the king’s death? Is the Jester an ally? Or is he, her foe?
Jester is just one of the many personas he adopts to hide being the king’s spy. He cannot help but taunt the moralistic huskarl escorting him to the castle. There is something about the young woman that fascinates him. News of the king and his court’s demise forces him to include Leyna into his dangerous world. She could prove instrumental in ferreting out the perpetrators behind the massacre and ensuring the crown prince’s safety. Can Jester entrust Leyna with the truth of his identity and his job? Or will her strict morals doom them?
Leyna really annoyed me at the start of the book. She came off as too sanctimonious, self-absorbed, and ambitious for my tastes. However, my opinion of Leyna started to change as the story progressed. Her moments of vulnerability and doubts helped endear her to me. I like how Leyna’s mindset changes for the good. She learns the valuable lesson that the things she wants are always best for her or what she needs. Leyna also realizes that everything is not laid out in black and white, but in shades of gray. This change allows her to adapt to situations and her surroundings.
Jester won my heart instantly! He is such an entertaining and delightful hero. I never thought I would enjoy his character type the way I did. It is a nice change of pace than the usual brooding, alpha warrior-types in the fantasy genre. I absolutely adore Jester’s banter and interaction with Leyna. It helped lighten the serious mood in certain places of the storyline. His ne’er-do-well persona helped balance out Leyna’s strait-laced attitude. What I love the most about Jester is how he secretly admired Leyna for her single-minded drive. He may have teased her mercilessly about it, but he respected that aspect of her nature.
WIZARD’S MASQUERADE is the first book in Jay Pellegrin’s fantasy romance series, THE HUSKARL DUOLOGY. I believe this is the author’s debut novel. I admit the cover is what first drew me to the book, then the synopsis. The concept of a jester being the hero intrigued me. And it did not disappoint! I found myself quickly and deeply immersed in the plot and characters. The author does a superb job setting up the intricacies of her world, especially their magic system.
WIZARD’S MASQUERADE is a must read for high fantasy readers. It has a little bit of everything from wizards to demons, castles and political intrigue all wrapped in a spellbinding romantical tale. I cannot wait for the next installment!

Wizard's Masquerade is the first book of the Huskarl duology.
Enchanting from the very first page!
The cover is exquisite like a fine wine and to be honest, the cover is what grabbed my attention instantly!
With the atmosphere of a gorgeous painting yet with some modern vibe, all blended into one gorgeous result.
Straight from the beginning, we dive into heart pounding action as our female lead Leyna makes her final steps towards her dream.
To become an esteemed wizard and part of the Royal Guard.
After plenty of obstacles, she finally receives the much desired offer to be a huskarl.
But soon she realizes that not everything is black and white and everyone plays a game of their own.
Entangled in a web of lies, spies, and a jester that is so alluring and charming as the lies he tells, she no longer knows what to believe and what to do.
Leyna's character was most impressive to follow as you witness her shift to self-righteous and little arrogant to humble self discovery.
And I think the mantra is suiting her perfectly :
“We fight, even without hope.”
I loved how well-made and complex was the character of the jester, and the fact that we follow the story only from Leyna's POV gives him more mystery.
And although I was dying to learn what goes through his head, it was a bittersweet to anticipate all his reactions and trying to decipher the enigma that he is.
I'm in abstinence after finishing the book and desperately want to see where the story will lead us.

A fantasy Romance that left me wanting more, I loved reading this story. It was well written and the cover itself is eye catching. A whodunit mystery with a splash of magic, it was a great adventure, I loved the moments between the Jester and Leyna, they were great characters that made the story all the more amazing. I can not wait for the second book, which I know will be just as great as this one.

Thankyou so much Netgalley and Jay Pellegrin for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review,

Wizard's Masquerade is the first book in Huskral Duology. It is a NA, medieval Fantasy and Romance with a little bit of Spice..
Well actually the first thing that I like about the book is its cover (ngl, I requested the book for its super awesome cover) But then after receiving the book, I started reading and OMFG, I fell in love with the book!!
The book was well - written! I started and completed this book very soon.. though it has like 500+ pages, it took me just three days to complete it. It has an amazing plot and all the characters are so interesting and fascinating and intriguing! Speaking about the characters, Jester ( tall. mysterious, handsome, hot, flirty court fool?????? so much description for a court fool??? read the book to find who this man is) has my heart mannnn!!! and also also about Leyna, like bro, she is such a smartas* and harworking woman and also has a sexy brain! I love the author's writing style ( I'm on my knees for your writing style ma'am )
And speaking about the romance, this book *for no freaking reason* made me blush *during Jester and Leyna's interactions and conversations!!! I've always envied Leyna for having Jester by her side *huhhh, kinda hurts you know* *I'm jealous gurl* <Amazing and sexy characters *wink wink*> The ending is lit!!!!! and??? it made me emotional??? YESSS YESSSS!! And am I waiting for the second boookkk??? YESSS!
FINALLY,
I enjoyed and adored this book so much! A perfect book with a super hot and page turning plot!
People, looking for a magical adventure? with a bit of spice? Fantasy, spells and wizards? bit of action? super hot MCs? then this book is a perfect treat for y'all!!!

After an injury Leyna finds her career that she worked so hard for in ruins. That is until she receives an offer to join the royal guard. This soon turns into a nightmare when news arrives of an attack. Leyna throws everything she has in a quest to find out who the real curpits of this attack are in a story about friendship, deception and a lot of secrets and magic.

I loved this book and it pulled me in almost from the beginning! The characters where well written and I really liked following Leyna her journey and learning with her who was to be trusted and who was not. In the end, I don't think anything I thought to be true was true. I felt her annoyance and her love and adored every minute of this book. For me, this is a definite 4 star read and I can't wait for book 2!

Thank you for Pellegrin Books and Netgalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. #WizardsMasquerade #NetGalley

This book opened with a bang and the pace didn’t slow down….I was gripped from the start.

I absolutely loved the dynamic of the two MCs and cannot wait for the second instalment.

Do you ever read a book and have to take a break from reading for a while? That’s exactly what happened to me after finishing this book.

Wizards Masquerade is a long, slow burn fantasy novel that features wizards, demons, and court politics. I often found myself envisioning Hogwarts from the 1800s, as much of this book takes place in a castle.

I thoroughly enjoyed the romance in this novel, though much of the book felt like it dragged on. This book is over 500 pages long and took me 8 days to read. It’s not a book you can read in one sitting, and I found myself only able to consume it a few chapters at a time, otherwise I was too overwhelmed and drained to keep reading. In short, the world building is heavy and the court politics is very prevalent.

If you’re someone who enjoys fantasy with an edge of mystery, and romance as a subplot, then this is the book for you.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5033632000

I am obsessed, I don't know how much more there is to say, I started this and finished it in two days and loved every second of it.

Beautiful, haunting, dark, and magical, everything I look for in a fantasy is within these pages, from the sweeping scenery to magical creatures I'm in love with this book.

We begin with a trio of friends competing to finish their education at a magical academy so that they can begin their adult lives, through good and bad, life and death we see our characters blossom into the adults they were always meant to be.

Without saying too much I'll say this, Layla has lived a lifetime and died a thousand little deaths in this coming of age saga.

Having her trust and faith tested more than once we get to see her evolution just as her magic is evolving.

In the end this book is the perfect setup for the second book and I can't wait to get my hands on that one. After reading this it feels like Jay Pellegrin could write anything and I'd just say ok sign me up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pellegrin Books for this beautiful book, I've voluntarily read and reviewed it and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I am so glad I gave this book a try! I went into it not knowing what to expect but I was in the mood for a romance and I was not disappointed!

The plot itself was interesting but I would say that it is slower in the beginning but once you get about half way through it gets more pacy and by that point I was flipping through this book at rapid speed.

All the characters were indepth and I found myself being able to predict their reactions to things just because I felt that I knew them so well.

I really found it interesting how the MC had all these achievements she wanted for herself but when she got them she noted how underwhelmed she was when it became a reality. Even though she was extremely arrogant and conceited at the beginning I could see that this was a part of her that was going to change as the book progressed and I was glad to see I was right.

The romance was SO good. I guessed who Jester was from the offset but that doesn't ruin anything, it's fun to see the MC wonder who he is and how she behaves when she is around him and his other identity. I loved the interactions they had throughout, the Jester was amazing and so fun!

Our heroine, Leyna, initially dreams of joining the Wizarding Guild, and the book starts out with the fairly-terrifying Maze Trials, and from here she goes to a wizarding school, reminiscent of Harry Potter's Hogwarts, where she makes friends and rivals, until she is injured in a terrible conjuring accident.

The story picks up when we meet the Jester, who honestly lights up every scene he's in, and though I never really grew attached to Leyna herself, he is a delight. We also have a mystery involving a Demon Book and the murder of the king.

However, I don't think this was quite the book for me -- I was drawn in by the promise of romantic fantasy, with sparks practically flying from that glorious cover and a blurb that focuses more on the romance than the magic and the mystery. Too much time is spent in exposition and unnecessary dialogue. The characters discuss everything that is on their minds, and this unfortunately brought down the pace of the story. I think a reader looking for more of a coming-of-age story would have enjoyed reading how Leyna got where she was, but I would have preferred if the story started afterwards.

The magic system was intriguing, and I would have loved to see it developed more. The story has a lot of potential, and I know some readers who will love the leisurely pace -- I just prefer a bit more unpredictability.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy to review!

So this book... I'm still processed it if y'all can't tell.

Okay let me just convince you to read this with a few words.

- enemies to lovers
- magic
- mysterious men
- masquerade balls
- battles
- FLOOFY

This book was absolutely so cute. For some reason the beginning was slow for be (idk I read it while in a slump) then suddenly it hit with a bang. Plot twists, secret admirers and don't even get me started on the ending. Almost had me in tears a couple of times.

Absolutely love it! Even though I'm not giving it 5 stars it was definitely a 4.5/5

Excellent world building and fun, relatable characters. The FMC took a little bit of time to grow on me, but once she did I absolutely loved her. I enjoyed the system of magic and the court intrigue. The book is pretty political with romance as a secondary story, but with a strong slow burn in the background. It was an adventurous books filled with twists and turns (and hidden nooks and crannies) I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the story.

A massive thank you to @jay_pellegrin for the privilege of reviewing her premiere novel, Wizard’s Masquerade. This is my first ARC, {thank you NetGalley} and what a wonderful one to kick this off!

This was a world I did not want to leave. The gorgeous cover art initially drew me in alongside the online reviews. I was gripped from the first scene in the maze, this is the book for us now grown Harry Potter fans who are still waiting for their Hogwarts letter.

The magic! Beasts, masquerade balls… The escapism is perfect, and the characters keep you invested. The dynamics between Leyna and the Jester have set up for an incredible sequel, which I cannot wait to read. There were times where I wanted a little more development for the characters, but I know that is coming in the subsequent book, and I can hardly wait.

The prose was beautifully done, it was so well written. I was truly sad when I finished the book. I am eager for the sequel to come out to finish Leyna’s story, thank you again @jay_pellegrin for letting me review your exceptional work! Congratulations on your first book, and hopefully the many to come!

Content Warnings:
Sexual/Explicit Scenes
Mild Fantasy Violence (Death, Execution)
Reference to Suicidal Ideation

18+

🌶🌶

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and the author for the arc.

I loved this novel!!

What I adored were the characters. The differences in all their personalities were well done.

The story itself is quite interesting. The world-building is light, you insert yourself quite easily into the story. And we start off with a bang with action right from the beginning. The magic system with the otherworld is something I haven't seen before. Just the general relationship with the other world was super intriguing.

The different settings were interesting as well. The characters developed differently in each different setting.

As for the characters themselves, can't say there's one I didn't enjoy reading about.

Leyna was struggling with her dreams, her aspirations, and what the world actually gave her. In a new part of her life, where she wanted to settle but no. Changes upon changes kept happening and had. her morals were questioned all throughout.

The Jester. By far my favorite character. I won't go into too much detail about him as I want the other readers to be as mesmerized as I was. So mysterious, funny, conniving, yet sweet and all the good things. He truly brought a smile to my face whenever he appeared on the page.

And obviously had to mention Floofy. Our mascot for the story. May I just say that I want one very badly.

Overall highly recommend it! I cannot wait to see where this story goes CAUSE I CANT STICK WITH THAT ENDING.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read an advanced ebook of Wizard’s Masquerade.

This book was so engaging, from the very first page it held all of my attention. I read it in 2 days! The pacing was amazing, the slow burn romance and the mystery of the mass murder of the court kept me glued to the screen, there was never a dull moment.

The romance felt exciting, until the betrayal chapter, that was really painful to read. I wouldn’t call it steamy though, there wasn’t much spice. The only time it actually occurred they were interrupted! How could you do that to us!

Jester was the man of the hour, I knew instantly he was Cornelius because every time she looked at his eyes the color was never mentioned! But he was a treat. I can’t believe he just left her, that wasn’t much of a goodbye.

The ending was a nice twist regarding her sister being a highwayman. EVERY twist honestly was really well done. It was obvious Grace was into Quinn but I guess because of Leyna’s lack of social awareness, it was a surprise to me that Grace and Quinn are a couple.

The reasons I deducted 1 star are (1) because Leyna is spoiled, entitled, and naive. She grows as a character, but I’m excited to see how much she’ll grow in the sequel. Her actions didn’t always make sense. She goes and tells Jester things she could have been quiet about, though I understand the story wouldn’t have progressed in the direction the author wanted, but then she couldn’t follow a normal conversation with him sometimes? (2) I don’t see how she never got any backlash from all the unladylike behavior the court saw from her (3) how come only Fry called Leyna out on her privilege? (4) that prank should have been followed by a lecture.

I just personally want Leyna to be more mindful of her position in society and of the people around her, though I know it’s not up to me. But on a different note, it was actually good to see how disappointed she was in her chosen profession. It happens to so many people, it’s all about finding one self, though I guess in Leyna’s case it’s finding Finnigan.

The perfect soft fantasy romance to curl up with and get swept away.

Leyna is a recent graduate from wizard school who achieves her dream of becoming part of the royal guard. However it’s not everything she imagined it would be and things get further complicated when tragedy befalls the kingdom. She doesn’t know who to trust or what the right thing to do is. Also she’s being pursued romantically by the court jester?!

I love an unusual love interest and boy does Jester deliver. From the first moment he appeared I knew he was going to be such a fun character. He’s charming, beautiful, witty, flirty, and mysterious - he probably never lies but he has a way of not answering questions and getting Leyna tangled up in wordplay so you’re never sure if he’s being honest.

Leyna was the perfect match for him. She has limited life experience and is so hyper focused on her goals it made her easy to tease and Jester really made her question everything she thought she knew. At the same time though, she’s no pushover and she gave as good as she got.

I felt a whole range of emotions reading this book: disappointment, anger, surprise, I laughed so much, and I absolutely swooned over the romance. I will say it was lighter in romance than I expected - it takes a fair bit of time for the romance to really begin and then there’s only two particularly intimate scenes if I recall correctly. We do get lots of softer moments typical in historical romances like close dancing, kisses on the wrist/palm, and some moments that feel like they might lead to more but unfortunately get interrupted or put on hold because he insists on courting her properly.

I can’t say I “loved” the ending because it physically hurt to read but I’m so excited for book 2! The world building was really interesting and I hope there will be more books in this universe. The wizard exams alone deserve more time to shine. Overall an incredible debut.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Jay Pellegrin for the ARC)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 🌶️ 5/5
Alright. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC, and this does not influence my review. I literally have no words. DISCLAIMER: slight spoilers
Let’s start off with that gorgeous hot cover, like damn. You already know what the jester is going to be like. Jay Pellegrin had a great writing style, and I absolutely adored this book. The world-building was great, and I was genuinely invested in both the plot and the romance. The book delved straight into action which was great. I loved the chapter titles as well! This book was very realistic in reality vs. expectations and could be classified as both young adult and new adult. This book was like Jester by Brielle D. Porter and the Jester reminded me of Usui from KWMS!!!
Tropes included: grumpy/sunshine, court intrigue, hidden identities, wizard academy, guy falls first (head over heels;)) ballroom, hate to love, secrets and spying, witty banter, secret admirer, slow burn SWOOONWORTHY romance, touch her and you die, betrayals.
The FMC was a smart, witty, and hard-working woman and I loved her brains! Whenever she was stuck in a situation she would be willing to play along. We don’t get many of those in books. The JESTER GOD DAMNNN he was a tall dark and handsome, mischievous, hot, flirty, gave BUTTERFLIES🦋🦋🦋🦋. Overall their chemistry was off the charts!!! I loved it!!!!!! And the fact that the jester was very ballsy and never shied away from his feelings, but when <spoiler> the FMC was getting a little spicy, he acted like a gentleman🥲🥺</spoiler>. And did I mention he’s hot??? I will literally print the book cover and look at it. Some of my favorite moments were: <spoiler> the searching scene😏😏😏😏, the chasing scene (and when she overheard some stuff), when ahem ahem came to court her, the meet the parents (and impress the parents🥺🥺🥺🥺) the FMCS dream!!!😳😳😳 </spoiler>

The cover instantly drew me to this book. The artwork is incredible and paints a beautiful picture for the story.

This book was wonderfully good. The characters and detail of the story are superbly written. With detail to spare we follow Leyna through her journey of accomplishing her dreams, only to find out not everything is as she imagined. After meeting Jester she will find he isn’t the only one with many faces.

I can’t wait for the next book. I’d love to see where Leyna finds herself next.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley and the author for this ARC.

After reading the very promising premise for this book, I was really excited to dive into a new fantasy world. And what can I say… I absolutely enjoyed reading this book.

The story starts with a suspenseful scene in a maze, where we already meet our lead protagonist Leyna who is in the middle of one of her exams. This scene already grabbed my attention because we get everything a good fantasy book needs on the first page: a strong and maybe a bit stubborn female protagonist who doesn’t give up. Magic. Suspense and mysteries. I was definitely hooked.

Apart from the beginning, I also liked our different characters. In my opinion, the main and side characters were all interesting to read and I didn’t feel like there was someone who didn’t add anything to the plot. My favourite character was Leyna because I admired her loyalty and loved her character development. I think it was nice and authentic to see how she struggled when she had to question the dreams she grew up with.

Another character I enjoyed reading about is of course the jester. Finding out his real identity is definitely one of the things that kept me reading all day. I loved his banter with Leyna and that he is such a complex character. Also, his and Leyna’s relationship is so good! If you love a slow burn romance, then this is definitely the book for you

I’m also a fan of the plot (especially the plot twists!) and the world building. However, I feel like there could have been more information about the magic system and the two kingdoms in general. Furthermore, I personally think the book was a bit too long.

To conclude, Wizards Masquerade is a great fantasy debut with complex characters, a steamy slow burn romance and shocking plot twists. I give the book 4,5 stars :)

* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review* Fantasy is a genre I tend to gravitate toward, and this one was rich and decadent. The beginning is incredibly vivid and gripping, and is able to maintain the intensity throughout the book. I enjoyed the character dynamics especially. My only complaint was that while enjoyable, it ran a little long and felt heftier than I wanted it to be. But all in all, it’s fantasy at its finest: cool magic system, excellent world building, fun cast of characters, and a dose of chemistry. Rewarding but lengthy read.

Leyna born of distant royal blood, has ambitions to graduate from the Wizard's Guild and join the Royal Guard, but she most prove to herself and others that she is worthy of such a prestigious position. However, after leaving the Guild and while recovering from a serious injury, a major tragedy occurs, which firmly introduces a mysterious Jester into her life. There are evil forces afoot which Leyna is tasked to uncover however, she doesn't know if Jester is an ally to be trusted or a wolf in colourful clothing.

To be honest I wasn't sure whether to pick this book or not due to a jester being a main character, but the description won me through. I was pleasantly surprised when the book turned out to be fantastic. It is very well written and enjoyable to read as I was fully engaged with the mystery and magic surrounding this book. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

Thank you to Net Galley and Jay Pellegrin for providing me with an E- ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I cannot wait until the second book comes out for this duology. The magical set up and world building was very fun in this book. I was so excited to see the friendship between leyna and the jester, it made the story so lighthearted in many places the story needed it. The story had so many twists and turns trying to figure out what was going on in the castle and who was causing the mayhem.


Would recommend reading especially if you are looking for a book to escape into.