Back when I first received The Last Magician, I tried to start reading it and I just could not get into it. Recently I bought myself an Audible subscription and decided that I should try the Audiobook version to see if that helped my focus. I got about 20% of the way through and I decided to give up on it.

The plot was starting to pick up and the characters were developing and new characters were even being introduced but I was not able to feel for them or the situation at all... and I really tried. I just was not feeling this book, which is sad because I know so many people really enjoyed it.

The book has a bunch of time jumps and various characters that all come together eventually I assume (probably in the end ...which I didn't get to), however with all the different characters and all the time changes it was hard for me to follow since it wasn't already grabbing my full focus.

Esta, the main character, from the beginning, seemed stubborn and impulsive and so when things happened to her I wasn't surprised that she was getting into trouble, nor did I feel for her as the protagonist.

This has the potential to be the beginning to a great fantasy series, it just wasn't for me right now, maybe I will try it again down the road.

The author created a world where magic exists but the use of it is illegal and the ones who use magic is done so in secret. In the modern-day New York, Manhattan, any Mageus who enters is trapped in the Brink causing them to lose their magic and sometimes their lives. A very dangerous world for the Mageus as they are hunted by The Order and gangs alike.

Esta is a Mageus and has been training a long time stealing artifacts from The Order by using her affinity of time travel. The ultimate goal is to steal an ancient magic book from 1902, but once there, there are complications she cannot avoid. Esta’s adventure is full of mystery, betrayals, a tidbit of romance.

I enjoyed this book last year and enjoyed it again after rereading it in preparation for the second instalment of this series. I love the idea of Esta’s affinity of slowing time and time travel. A very cool magic to have. I love seeing Esta’s character grow from a student to finding her own way. Especially after learning truths about her past and the plot twist at the end surprised me.

I enjoyed the world Miss Maxwell created. She painted this world clear with secret societies that reminded me of the movie National Treasures. There was action, mystery, and an ending that left you wanting more. I will admit that there was a part in the end that I sort of predicted, yet still caught me off guard.

Next installment is out October 9, and I’m excited to get the beautiful print copy in my hands.

I loved this book! The full review will be posted soon at kaitgoodwin.com/books! Thank you very much for this wonderful opportunity to connect books to their readers!

Wow, so much backstabbing and deceit in this book. I really liked that part because it kept me on the tip of my toes wondering what was going to happen next! I’m not overly fond of mafia type books, but as I read the story I’ve come to admire some of the characters. No one is perfect by any means, not even Esta and Harte. That’s what I liked about them though. Even if they were backstabbing one another, they learned to trust each other with the best interests at heart. When those two weren’t fighting (which was almost every scene lol), their chemistry was steamy. You could feel the tension between them. I hope they can learn to trust each other better in the next book. Other than the slow start, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. With Maxwell’s books I’ve come to learn that if you’re patient in the beginning of her books, you will get an awesome adventure in the end. Can’t wait to continue the series.

***RATING IT NOT A TRUE RATING***

Unfortunately I am unable to review this novel at this time. While I make all attempts to review every novel I receive or request, it is not always feasible to do so. I will reconsider reviewing the novel at a later time in the future. I appreciate the opportunity and will look out for more novels by the publishing imprint for review. Thank you!

Please note that I am unable to submit this feedback without including a rating. The rating I have chosen is NOT a representation of the book, as I have not read the book.

Netgalley never fixed the issue with not being able to read this title. I've since purchased a physical copy of the book, and will be reviewing it soon.

I honestly don't even know where to start. YOU GUYS. This book.
I LOVED it. I had had a lot of luck with fantasy novels this year, and during this time I have learned something about myself - I am really drawn to fantasy where Magicians are involved or certain types of magic are involved.

This book was pretty exciting from beginning to end. It was a long-ish story too, so it easily could have hit slow patches and lulls, but the pacing was actually kind of perfect. I love when stories like this take place in our world, not like fantasy that is complete made up worlds, we are here, in America, in various places in time. There are historical figures tied in, all kinds of history and real locations. And anyway, TIME TRAVEL! Love it. I have always loved the whole "if you change the past, you change the future" concept used in books and movies and that plays a big part here.

The characters seem to jump off the page. Maybe it's because this played like a movie in my head (this would be an AMAZING movie!). Esta is witty and brave, and I love her for it. I love them all for different reason really, even the bad guys are done so well I can really feel my anger and hate boiling for them, haha. As far as romance or relationships go, while you will definitely want some from a couple of people, we don't really get too much into any romance! I mean, there is some tension lurking, and the nearer we get to the end the more you want it, but nothing takes off. So as much as I want that so badly (next book maybe?) I also really appreciate when an author can leave romance off the table and focus so intently on the story. The romance at this time would not have done anything to further the plot.

I really appreciate the magic systems they use, and how everything is tied in to history. I am DYING for the next book, and I'm sure I have a long wait ahead of me, so I will sit and suffer and dream of The Magician....

A time-traveling historical with romance and the paranormal, The Last Magician is an intricately woven tale of adventure and danger. Set mostly in the early 1900s, Maxwell really set the scene of Old New York, a time of gangs and power seekers, but with the added flare of magic. One could almost see the costumes, feel the cigarette smoke clogging the air, and ache with the impossible struggle for survival in a divided city (a bit reminiscent of Gangs of New York).

With the twist of magic, Maxwell’s story takes readers deep into the struggle of the magic-having and the magic-less; the Mageus versus The Order, those without magic but feeling owed it or in eradicating it (or them) completely. Being tasked with travelling back in time to stop the Magician from stealing the book that could be the answer to saving magic and those with it for the future, her own time, Esta is wholly unprepared for the time she arrives in and all of its landmines. She’s alone, thrust in a time where nothing is remotely the same, and with characters that she has no idea how to read; her fear and lack of knowing how to complete her task without changing anything else in the future was palpable. And even with her affinity, Maxwell allowed her to feel unsure of herself and to struggle with finding who she was among a whole cast of characters (that were equally as diverse and palpable), qualities that likened her to the reader and made her visceral.

The parallel between the dividing of the people in this story mirrors greatly the division of race in the real world. With the Mageus being immigrants to New York, possessing of a quality that frightens those without it, I couldn’t help but see the direct references to our world. I have no idea if this was something the author meant to tie it to, and even if not, there are many interpretations that a reader could make with it. There was such strength, though, in risking that connection or powering into it with full intent, most especially in the easy way she wrote it. The passion Maxwell put into her characters, the issues, and the worldbuilding was beautifully done from start to finish, and it was unlike anything I had read before.

With a big story such as this, both in length and in worldbuilding, I wasn’t surprised to find it slow for some of the first half as it set the scene. Maxwell really rolled up her sleeves and dug in when making this an accurate and well-thought-out book that featured heavily in alchemy and magic. And, to me, it felt like much more than a Young Adult story in that the characters felt well beyond their years, expectant of those down-trodden times, and that it was so very detailed. The twists and turns were vast and quite frequent once the story got going, and I flew through the last half of the book in no time at all. The Last Magician was a unique and grand adventure, one that is just getting started. And I am desperate for the second half of this story.

*Huge thanks to Simon & Schuster, Netgalley, & Lisa Maxwell for the eGalley copy of The Last Magician in exchange for an honest review

***5 STARS***

PLOT

Some of you may have already noticed my header but for those that haven't, this will be for all intents and purposes be a Gush Review!

The Last Magician was after my heart with its magic infused Gangs of New York/Six of Crows vibes *heart eyes emoji* 

We get introduced to our main protagonist Esta who is a Mageus with the ability to time travel. As an orphan Esta was taken in and trained by Professor Lachlan to steal magical artifacts. The purpose of each task is to prepare her for her toughest and take her back the furthest in time...going back to New York City 1902. Esta has studied many different languages, fashions, ways of life but nothing will prove as challenging as the early 1900's. So much depends on her succeeding in stealing the Ars Arcana aka the oldest book of magic out of 1902 & getting it back to professor Lachlan. The Ars Arcana contains many of the oldest secrets of magic & is protected by The Order, an elite society created to protect the city against magic by way of the Ars Arcana and The Brink. At the very edge of the city is The Brink which serves as a barrier to contain those with magical abilities inside NYC. Those who have dared to cross it have either died or been left as empty vessels of their former selves unable to live life stripped from their magic. Esta travels back to 1902 to steal the Ars Arcana before The Magician can get away with it altering Present time for the worse.

Much of the book is spent in 1902 due to unforeseen circumstances & since this was a time where Old magic was alive & vibrant, the city is crawling with hidden Mageus. For Esta this comes as a surprise since in present time NYC where she comes from, much of the Old magic no longer exists having been weakened through the passage of time & generations. Esta finds her way into one of the gangs roaming the streets of NYC who happen to all be Mageus by using her abilities to prove her worth. I LOVED EVERYTHING about this plot line! Maxwell covered everything so well from gang rivalry, politics, and the slums of the Lower East side Manhattan to the Mageus and each of their individual abilities. I was sucked in from the very 1st page!

CHARACTERS

Esta- Our main protagonist is a Feminist Mageus with the ability to time travel & manipulate time...need I say more? HAHA! On a serious note, seeing her in 1902 NYC surrounded by men who viewed women as the inferior sex gave readers a realistic view of the times. Misogyny wasn't a word being thrown around, it was the norm. Esta at times found herself scoffing at comments made at her more risqué choice of clothing only to remind herself that these people are a product of their time. Esta is also very loyal, smarter and plays her cards close to her chest which made her an instant fave of mine.

Harte Darrigan- Not a part of anyones gang really, he's a loner with a dark past & an even more messed up childhood. Harte is also a Mageus (won't spoil his affinity since its spoilery) & is completely taken aback by Esta, a women so ahead of her times that he can't spend more than 5 minutes around her w/out turning 50 shades of read & yea I enjoyed their interactions a ton! Harte also has his own agenda that may or may not be an issue for Esta...

Dolph Saunders- The leader of the gang Esta joins & this character has that Kaz Brekker feel but he's def way more cold hearted when need be. Dolph is a man carrying around his regrets & on a mission for vengeance by way of freeing all Mageus from the constraints of The Brink & The Order. He's only interested interested in your loyalty & your affinity otherwise you have no seat at his table.

Nibs- The right hand young man Dolph keeps around handling the finances at the bar where he conducts all matters of business. Dolph trusts Nibs more than he does anyone else & often will look to him for their next move ;)

Viola- LOVE HER! described as Italian with darker skin & lavender colored eyes, Viola is sick with blades & her affinity is very valuable. She also happens to be the sister of another major gang boss. Dolph offered her a home & safety once her family turned against her. Viola is a lesbian & these times were no where near as accepting as Present time. I really wanted to see this character get her happy ending but understood that it wouldn't be true to the time.

Jianyu- A man more comfortable hidden within the shadows he is VERY valuable as well. Jianyu is the equivalent of Varys The Spider on Game of Thrones only not as manipulative lol. He is observant & similarly to Viola, has a family head who is the head of a gang in Chinatown. Jianyu however, opted for the lesser of two evils with Dolph ;)

WRITING & FINAL THOUGHTS

I've always been a fan of time pieces & seeing YA books dipping into Historical Fiction has been so much fun! this YA Historical Fiction/Fantasy was EVERYTHING I never knew I needed! Seeing my city back in the 1900's was a real treat sans the misogyny of course lol. The author calls The Last Magician a "behemoth" of a book in the Authors Afterward & that it is but I enjoyed every minute I spent in this world. I can see this heist playing out on the big screen with flashes of old NYC & present day modern NYC, I'd buy that ticket ASAP! This was my 1st Lisa Maxwell book & I've fallen in love with her writing! I've heard mention that this is a standalone & yet THAT ENDING! bookworms...dare I grasp on to hope for more? I really hope we get at least a Duology *fingers crossed*

Lovely Bookworms! who has already read The Last Magician? Thoughts? Who was your fave Mageus? & if you had to choose, would you live in 1902 NYC or Present Day NYC?

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

"His life might have been built on illusions, but his death would be his greatest trick. Because for once there would be no deception. For once it would be only the truth. His ultimate escape."

Present-day New York City holds more secrets than one may think. Century-old organizations, generational feuds, an invisible force surrounding the city that traps and isolates magicians within its grasp...

Known as the Mageus, this small group of individuals have different magical abilities. Esta, being one of the few to have been born with such an affinity, is able to bend time to her will. Working against the Order of Ortus Aurea, Esta frequently jumps through time to take important artifacts and weaken her enemy's position. In doing so, she unknowingly prepares herself for her biggest task yet---to go back one hundred years to steal the book that holds the secrets of the Order and to the Brink, itself.

As she travels back in time, she realizes that the task at hand is much more difficult than she originally thought. Having to assimilate with the politics of the era, she finds herself ensnared with the lives of those who lived before her.

--------------------------------

For a 500-something page book, I don't have much to say on it. Even writing this review is difficult for me.

There is no doubt that this was well written with a beautiful plot premise. However, I found the plot to be overly-predictable and too drawn out for my taste. There definitely were some twists---unfortunately I guessed the big one right from the get go.

I found that the plot actually worked against itself. Instead of building tension throughout, it was anticlimactic and never had a "big reveal" at the end. Clues and information where exposed throughout the text, taking away from the apogee.

I will not deny the elaborate and beautiful magic system built and intertwined throughout the length of this text. I very much appreciate the work that an author puts into the details of there plots, and that is definitely reflected here.

"This was what Professor Lachlan had saved her for. This was why he'd rescued her, kept her out of the system, and had given her the only home she remembered. If she couldn't do this one thing he asked of her, where would she go? Who would she be?"

Our main character Esta is the oh-so-typical strong female character---which is fine, but I'm getting a little tired of this cliche. I'm sorry Esta, it's me, not you. Rather capable, she was well versed in the arts of language, manipulation, thievery and time travel. Not to mention, sass. Esta, employed by Professor Lachlan, is used to being under pressure and delivering on the difficult tasks assigned to her, no matter what. She has everything to lose if she doesn't. Delivering the book is not only her hardest task, but also the one to challenge her loyalty when she finally encounters the last Magician, Harte Darrigan.

Set in present-day New York, and early 1900s New York, the reader gets to witness the gloomy, gang-riddled society that ran the streets in that time, and just how dangerous it is to be on the "wrong side."

I believe this book may call for a reread in the near future. Maybe after knowing the entire story, I will appreciate all of the revelations throughout that much more. Seeing how this book doesn't end in finality, I'll definitely need to reread it before moving forward with this series, if it proves to be one.

Vulgarity: Moderate.
Sexual content: Some.
Violence: Some.

For now, 2.5 stars.

A big thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Wow. The writing was beautiful, the story was entertaining and I devoured the whole thing in a sitting. Another thing I must point out is that I struggled with getting the reading material provided, and it left me in a really bad mood, but this story was so good, it got me out of the funk. If any book can change your day, it's a book worth checking out, which is something I highly recommend.

Esta was an interesting character to follow, and while the whole book's told through multiple POVs, I thought it really worked. Loved the timeline, loved the variety of personalities. The pace worked well with the intensity levels and it just all flowed amazingly. I don't always come across a writing style like this but I suspect it'll soon be on everyone's shells. All I'll say is that it's beautiful writing, beautiful story telling, and a beautiful tone with the perfect blend of action, romance, suspense and thriller. It's a definite recommend.

The Last Magician was a book I was more than excited to read. It has a heist, magic and a historical setting, all elements that made it seem like a book I would love. Unfortunately, the book let me down. However, I don't think that should stop anyone from picking this one up, because I really think a lot of my lack of enjoyment of the book had to do with my personal preferences when it comes to book lengths.

You see, The Last Magician is close to 500+ pages long, and while normally that would have taken me 2-3 days to read, I struggled through this one for about 6 days. I was reading about 2-3 hours daily, and every time I checked my progressed, I would get annoyed that I had only made it through 20%. Additionally, I just didn't feel like the book warranted that many pages, because there's a huge chunk in the middle when the story in The Last Magician remained stagnant. I feel like 200 pages or so could have been cut down from this book, and it would have made for a more intense, action-packed story. Instead, it just dragged and dragged with no end in sight. Boredom and distracted not what I expect to feel when I'm reading a book about a heist!

The characters themselves were decent. They weren't in any way memorable for me, mostly because there's quite the cast here, and I tend to struggle with big casts. The main character, Esta, I liked. She was very brash, confident and sassy, which made for great characteristics in a heroine. Her potential love interest, Harte Darrigan, I was very skeptical about. He was a little too mysterious for my tastes, and I'm still not quite sure what his agenda was in the The Last Magician.

Overall, I wasn't bowled over by this book I was expecting to be. The world building was good and great potential, I just didn't feel like the execution worked for me. But like I said, I still say give it a shot if you're interested in reading it because I don't think other readers will have the same issues with The Last Magician as I did. Be warned though, this is apparently not a standalone.

There are some books that you read and hope that it’ll be a movie, and there are others that you see a movie as you read. The Last Magician is a part of the latter. With her book Unhooked and now this one, Lisa Maxwell is quickly becoming one of my favorite fantasy writers of recent years. Filled with dynamic characters, great romance, and an intricate and unique magic system, The Last Magician is a whirlwind of a novel that will suck you in full mind and body.

The world building in this book was incredible; the amount of research that Maxwell must have put into unraveling what life was like in early 1900s New York City is clear on every page. The plot is complex, detailed, and easy to understand. It is full of action and depth, and continuously took turns in places I didn’t expect. At first I was a bit hesitant since this novel dealt with time travel. While time travel is one of my favorite sci-fi/fantasy tropes, it’s also the trope I’m the pickiest about. However, Maxwell handles time travel in all it’s aspects and consequences so well that it didn’t bother me one bit. The logic behind it was reminiscent of Doctor Who which I absolutely loved.

The characters were truly the heart of this book. Dynamic and real, Maxwell didn’t leave any stone unturned when creating them. Each had their own distinct personality, morality, and goals that helped push the entire novel forward flawlessly. The characters very much deal in a morally gray area of life, which was my favorite aspect of this book. There wasn’t one person who was the clear cut “good guy” — no one was afraid of doing whatever it took to get what they wanted. To use Hogwarts houses as a reference, this entire book was filled with Slytherins and it was just incredible to read.

I thought I loved Maxwell’s romance in her last novel I read, Unhooked, but this one was even better. The romance that develops is the most delicious slow burn romance that I’ve read in the longest time. It left my skin crawling in the best way at moments throughout the book. Their banter was incredible, and I just wanted more from them constantly.

The Last Magician was one of my most anticipated releases of 2017, and it completely lived up to my own hype. The story flew by so quickly, and I just wanted more once I turned the final page. If you’re a fan of fantasy, this is not one to miss.

The Last Magician is a novel full of a richly described world and story, with characters that jump off the page and linger in my mind long after I've finished the novel. It is great for fans of historical fiction, readers who like magic, and readers who want to follow a woman as she tries to set her timeline right while worrying about changing the past. I look forward to reading the next novel!

I knew I was going to love this book.

Maxwell has taken us for a trip in the past where New York is still New York, just a tad more magical. I’ve never been to keen on time travel books but I’m not sure I would classify this one as such (sure, it has time travel in it but I wouldn’t say that’s the main purpose of the story). But I’ll get to that in a sec.

This book is longer than many of the young adult novels I’ve read recently, and you really need all that space. The story builds up from the beginning, starting with the first part of alternating points of view throughout history. A lot of this felt more like backstory, filling in the details for the bulk of the story to come later on (the part that I was eagerly awaiting for after reading the synopsis). Once everyone’s in the same time, the PoVs still alternate but I found it easier to follow and much more interesting, especially when the action picked up.

In terms of all the time traveling, it wasn’t done in a way where the protagonist spent lots of page time moving through history and I found that the scenes moved fairly seamlessly between time periods so if time travel isn’t your thing, don’t let that push you away from The Last Magician.

Esta was a fun thief to follow. Though she’s not the only character, I enjoyed her scenes the most (except one personality trait that seemed to run rampant in most of the cast). I found her both intriguing and refreshing. She has a hidden courage and isn’t above doing work to get things done.

But I did get tired of the distrust between all the characters. A lot of the tension from this book seemed to come from the fact that no one trusted anyone else. In some cases it worked, in others it seemed illogical after a while because nothing was happening. This was especially true with the romance (though I did quite enjoy it); it was a bit odd that they continued to distrust the other even after growing closer.

Also, okay, so maybe I’m just trying to see things that aren’t really there but the gang leader Dolph TOTALLY reminded me of Kaz from Six of Crows. Like. A lot. First thing I thought of when I read his scenes. Which totally isn’t a bad thing and, in fact, if you liked that book you’d probably like The Last Magician too so there you go.

This book is the perfect combination of history and fantasy wrapped up in box full of surprises. I loved how everything came together and each twist and turn only added to the adventure. I would absolutely recommend The Last Magician to, well, anyone really, but especially readers of young adult, fantasy, and historical fiction.

It’s time to join the Devil’s Own, y’all!

**Thanks so much to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review!**

what i liked
I feel like I start off every review lately by saying I liked the worldbuilding, but it's true again with this one!! Plus, there's time travel, and I feel like young adult novels have been lacking in the time travel department lately. Mix in fantasy and that's even better.
The entire plot of this novel was so intense. Esta has to go back in time to find an ancient book artifact before the Magician gets to it, but she gets stuck in the past and ends up finding a crew which helps her in the hunt. Literally, it's a whirlwind.
Esta was such a lovable main character. I really liked her and she never got on my nerves, which was great.

what i didn't like
The size was the only thing I didn't like, but that's a personal thing. I just hate reading super long ebooks! However, it allowed me to spend more time in this awesome world with all the characters, so honestly, it's a good thing.

My review link will go live on July 17.

An epic time traveling magical ride. Lisa Maxwell has done a wonderful job of melding current time New York with the rough and tumble New York of the past. I really enjoyed the magical elements, and the magic shows strewn throughout the story. Its not just about the magic shows though, there is a fantastic thriller intertwined within. I was sucked into the world of The Last Magician as we followed Esta on her journey to steal a magical book and somehow get back to the future.

A fun, atmospheric YA fantasy that has a few too many elements to fully satisfy on any specific one. I was never bored by it, I was not excited to pick it up again whenever I put it down.

I would agree with the author's own statement that "It's like magical newsies [sic] without the singing or gangs [sic] of New York with magic." I enjoyed the depiction of Gilded Age New York -- a magical AU version of it, that is! -- though I was rather confused by the convoluted magic system(s) and power struggles between various groups, who seemed to be at odds for under-described reasons. Having finished this book some time ago and thought about it for a while before the sanctioned date for posting reviews, I've realized that I still don't even understand parts of the basic premise, e.g., The Order vs "naturally" magical people, how and why the latter are enticed to come to NYC, or how the time-travel paradoxes are supposed to resolve through the characters' actions.

Although the main character, Esta, is from modern times (more or less today, but an AU), almost the entire book takes place in (or around) 1902, where Esta has been tasked to retrieve something from the past and ultimately change history. So much care has been put into the 1902 setting that little is left for the modern parts, so the stakes for Esta's modern cohort do not feel very high. In this way, the book reminds me of Heidi Helig's "The Girl From Everywhere" (2016, Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins), which also set expectations high that the main character would visit many times/places but focused narrowly on one. Maxwell's idea of a New York City divided by magical barrier also reminded me a little of Sarah Rees Brennan's "Tell the Wind and Fire" (2016, Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). In fact I would say that these three books are all quite similar in many of their strengths and weaknesses, beyond the fact that they are all YA fantasy.

Esta, is a capable and likeable heroine even if she does fit neatly into the Sassy Thief Girl trope. My favorite scenes in the book are those that involve her sneaking, talking, or magicking her way out of sticky situations (booby-trapped rooms, for example). She's a well-trained spy, really, but also a hormonal teenage girl. Her chemistry with Harte Darrigan, the titular Magician, is rather good -- at least when their scenes together are written from her POV. When written from his the scenes have a tone problem: they seem dropped in from a different book; a rom-com, perhaps, inserted into an otherwise pretty grim story.

I applaud the level of diversity in the supporting cast, though the LGBT character in particular smacked of tokenism (and Esta's accepting reaction to this character was so anachronistic for 1902 that it should have been more of a giveaway that she didn't quite belong there). It would have been nice to have the diversity extended to the main characters too. Why not have Esta or Harte be a POC? Or even the wealthy Rockefeller-style robber baron scions? It's an AU, after all.

I'm being a bit hard on this book, and in fact I've waffled between giving it 3 and 4 stars. I don't expect as much from YA world-building as I do from adult fantasy fiction, but I really would have liked this world to be a lot more developed beyond just floating on old-timey atmosphere.

I have to admit I was first drawn to this book because of the cover; it was giving me flashbacks of The Neverending Story so I became deeply intrigued.

The fantasy and historical settings of the book flowed beautifully and definitely lived up to the amazing artwork on the outside that draws you in. Maxwell knows how to create detailed worlds that are magical but somehow feel very realistic too as if you could walk down the streets of New York and believe her characters and their lives actually unfolded on these streets.

Getting to travel back in time was a delight to experience and her writing is so fresh and vivacious I was able to pull away from the modern era and dive full in as if I was walking alongside her characters which are absolutely delicious. A book with such strong, independent, kickass female characters is a must for me since I have 2 daughters who need books showing they can be just as strong as their imaginations.

My only complaint is that the length and amount of detail would have been easier to read and enjoy in paper form than tablet. My eyes felt like they were going to burn out so I’m looking forward to giving this another try when I can do it the old fashioned way.

First - this is a gorgeous cover and, combined with the description, immediately intrigued me. Second - at over 500 pages, it's a chunk, and I hesitated to request it because of time limitations. Third - the time commitment was completely worth it, as this is one of the better books I've read this year.

The author has created a unique world, unlike any other I've read involving magic, and from the first page, I was captivated. Esta is clever, impulsive, and a skilled thief and the friction between her and cunning magician Harte is born from the moment they see each other. The supporting characters are all well-drawn and untrustworthy and through Esta and Harte's eyes, the reader gradually learns who is reliable.

With grand heists, sleight of hand, time travel, and wicked, unexpected twists, this didn't seem as hefty of a book once I got into it. I was somewhat disappointed at the end when realizing this isn't a standalone, but honestly don't mind spending more time with these characters.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC.