I thank the netgalley website for this partnership. I was immediately attracted by the cover, we see the beautiful and young Rocio with a magic necklace.

We learn directly that competitions are organized with the option of dying or killing.

Every year the mages of sixteen are evaluated, very few will be chosen, the others will have to be very persuasive during the examination of the mages.

Rocio will have to fight to keep his magic. She will ally with Finn.

A first volume filled with suspense and twists with endearing characters and a captivating story. Eager to read what follows.

The premise of Ruthless Magic was interesting and gave me Harry Potter vibes in some places, Hunger Games in some.

Although it wasn't incredibly amazing, it was an enjoyable read. I liked the characters - Rocio and Finn were likeable and they faced so many trials and challenges, the plot was never a bore to read through their eyes. I liked them as they had personality and the fact that they grew stronger and developed with each challenge was inspiring and it made me root for them the entire time. However, I didn't feel like they were distinguishable enough, both lacking unique voices to separate them from each other. Apart from this one thing, I thought they were great characters.

My favourite thing about this was the plot! So many challenges and adventures, it was very high-stakes, well paced. It kept me on my toes and I anticipated every page. Overusing particular tropes is very tiring, but the youth vs. government trope was well done in this story.

There's a lack of worldbuilding and explanations for things such as the magic system, which took some magic away for me. It kept me curious and I'm sure it will be further explored in the future, but I felt as if it should have been explained from the beginning.

Overall, this was a great book. The characters were strong and the plot went well. Perhaps it could have been fleshed out a bit more, but overall it was an enjoyable adventure.

Old magic mages aren't fond of new magic mages. They aren't given the same priorities and their schools aren't even taught the same way. When it comes to being accepted into the magical college new magic usually always has to declare for entrance while old magic mages are confirmed despite whether or not their magic is strong. This is sort of a new money/old money fight where the kids have to prove themselves in a magical Hunger Games.



The story is told in alternate chapters of either Rocio a new magic mage of great talent whose abilities seem to be feared by the confederation and Finn who is old magic and comes from a prominent family. He was confirmed but declined feeling that it was unfair and instead declared for a place. It was interesting to view the things going on through these two very different lenses.



Brutally pitting the kids against magic and each other the confed will only declare a few champions, to take their place in the magical world the others will have their magic burned out. After a brief introduction and set up there is non-stop action and chaos. Questions abound as to how much the magical world knows about what goes on during these trials and what the nature of magic really is. Is it alive? Great set-up for the next book but also very good as a stand alone.

Ruthless Magic is about a world of mages. You essentially have two viewpoints, the haves and the have-nots. If you have money/influence you get picked "Chosen" regardless if you have magical talent or not. If you have magical talent and your family does not have social standing then you have 2 choices, you can lose your magic (be dulled out) or you can declare you want to be champion. When you declare, you get thrown into a hunger games situation that you must survive. I felt that the story was flat. The characters weren't really well developed. The main character, who comes from influence, decides though he was picked chosen he really didn't earn it so he's going to reject the chosen nomination and declare champion. I thought his character was weak. The only character I thought was well written was his love interest. This book just didn't hold my interest and I loved the hunger games. I put this down several times and would have loved to not have to go back to it. It's not a terrible book. It's just not great.

This was a very good book. The author pays homage to a number of well-known fantasy/sci-fi stories — Lord of the Rings; Harry Potter (non-magical people are the Dulls); Hunger Games (a deadly exam that only a small portion will survive); X-Men (fear of those with magical abilities. There is also a strong class/insider versus outsider element, with old Magic families viewing new Magic families with contempt and fear.

The book has diverse and well-developed characters, including racial/ethnic diversity, sexual orientation, and physically handicapped. Readers will like the core four — Finn, Prisha, Rocio, and Desmond.

This book is very dark in parts, much darker than a lot of fantasy novels, and puts the characters in untenable positions, forcing them to confront who they are and who they want to be, the role of Magic in the world, the reality of what the leaders of the Confederation are willing to do and willing to condone. A thought provoking and challenging book.

Wow. This was such an unexpectedly good read.

Ruthless Magic is part Hunger Games and part Harry Potter. It follows a group of diverse and unique teens after they find out that they didn’t make it into the College of North American Confederation of Mages, which is like normal college, but for people with magic. They have the choice to either be “burned out” (aka lose their magic) or compete to become a Champion and receive a mentor at the college.

Ruthless Magic is not just a story about a competition, but a story of teenagers coming together and finding friendship and their similarities in the most terrifying situations, and also finding out how much each of us would do when pushed.

I really enjoyed Ruthless Magic a lot because of the characters. The main group consists of one boy from “old magic” (think old money and all of the class difference in discriminations that come with that), a Latina girl from new magic, an Indian girl from new magic, a boy with a Mohawk from new magic, a Canadian girl from new magic, a black half-blind boy from new magic, and (I think) an Asian girl from new magic. Each of these characters had different strengths and weaknesses, but also different fears and backgrounds and even though there was tons of action, these characters still really drove the book.

This was such a fun book to read, but also a good book with some serious topics.

This is the first book I have read by Megan Crewe so I have no idea what to expect from her but I've seen a lot of good reviews for this book so I expected it to be a good read. Ruthless Magic is a unique combination of Hunger Games brutality and Harry Potter's magic. The story was entertaining and I enjoyed reading it, but it didn't excite me as much as I hoped. It's a pretty decent read with an engaging plot but It isn't something that'll blow your mind away. The main characters Rocío and Finn seemed okay-ish. The setting was good but I wish the author provided more backstory.

Every year, the North American confederation of mages assesses all the sixteen year old novice to choose the ones who're eligible to keep their magic. People who didn't get selected are dampened of their magical abilities who are later called as Dulls. The failed candidates have a second chance by proving themselves in the mysterious and brutal Mages Exam but not many people comes out alive. Sixteen Year old Rocío Lopez comes from a low standing family. When she gets the rejection letter, She decides to enter the mage exam because she don't want to spend the rest of her life without magic. Finn Lockwood comes from a high standing family. His grand father is one of the Nine inner circle members of Confederation. Because of his prominent magical family, he gets selected even though his magical skills were lacking. To prove himself worthy, Finn rejects the acceptance letter and applies for the mage exam. People from all over the country gathers at Rikers Island to participate in the exam and no one has any idea what the tests are actually like. When Rocío and Finn meet, they quickly becomes allies and soon something more. They depend on each other and vow to protect each other. When the tests becomes more brutal and violent, they must use every ounce of their magical energy to survive.

I'm glad this book has some diverse characters. Rocío is a latina who comes from a poor background. She's strong, stubborn, skilled, and very much determined. She's a pretty likable character but her savior complex a little bit annoyed me. Finn Lockwood is sweet, fun, caring and very friendly person. Due to his lack in magical abilities, he feels that he's an embarrassment to his family and tries hard to improve his skills everyday. The romance between Rocío and Finn felt rushed and I didn't feel any chemistry between them but I did enjoyed seeing them working together. The secondary characters seemed okay-ish, they weren't memorable. Prisha Mathur, Finn's best friend is an Indian and she prefers girls. yep, she's a Lesbian. She enters the mage exam together with Finn. I'm actually not fond of her character but she does make a good friend. As for the other characters, Judith has nice magical skills, Desmond has a vulnerable secret that he don't want others to know. Lacey isn't eager to leave the exam and go back to her home, and finally there's Mark with his mohawk hairstyle who's broody and not very much friendly. Together they all form as a group to survive the tests by protecting each other. My least favorite guy in this book is definitely Callum, he's a total bully. I seriously hated this guy.

It has a good plot filled with magic, action, adventure, and little romance. The story was interesting with some unpredictable twists and turns. It's a past paced read, but honestly it lacked in building suspense and tension. And also I couldn't emotionally connect with any of the characters and I didn't cared if anyone died. The book was told in dual first person pov. The writing was not bad but sometimes I confused Rocío with Finn because they don't have their own distinctive voice. It wouldn't have been an issue if it was written in third person perspective. The world building seemed interesting, yet confusing. I wish the author provided more backstory and more info on the current world.

Overall this book was fun to read, but sadly I didn't loved it. Majority of the readers absolutely loved this book so I'm one of the oddball. There isn't any huge cliffhanger at the end but the final twist at the end was pretty good. I'm not sure whether I would continue this series or not but I hope the next book is better than this one.

I really enjoyed this book, for the most part. The characters are really interesting and well developed. The plot was interesting, but the worldbuilding was a little weak, and the magic system isn't explained all that well. It's sound based, so the magic involves singing, but it's not really explained why. There's a real-world element that was added as a plot device that I don't really care for, they could have made up an event, and not use the one they did. There was also that with the story being told in dual POV first-person, it was sometimes hard to tell who was narrating. Our two main characters didn't really have very distinct voices.

The side characters are, for me, sadly forgettable. This book has a lot of "The Hunger Games meets Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" comparison, and while I do see that to a degree the side characters who died in The Hunger Games were more memorable than the side characters in this book. Even the nameless characters from Hunger Games (Fox-face).

The trials, while interesting, were also sadly a little boring. The sense of urgency wasn't really there for me. Aside from some minor injuries, there didn't really seem to be that much danger, the group we are with during the course of the book get through the challenges fairly easily.

This book has potential, there are just some issues that kept me from loving it.

I found Ruthless Magic extremely well-written, it had me hooked from the beginning, the scenes are so intense, it's near impossible to put the book down. Each of the characters are well-written with great detail. I loved how Crewe decided to shift the narration of the book only between Finn and Rocío; as it complements the story beautifully. I was a little afraid in the beginning that she'd alternate it among other characters, I personally find at times it can slow down the speed of the story and a little annoying but hey personal opinion.

Once Ruthless Magic gets through the background needed for the story set up, the book was non-stop action. In a not too distant future, the human race is split between people with magical abilities and those without. The North American Confederation of Mages oversees the use of magic, and annually decide which 16-year-olds will be selected to become a part of the magic world, and which ones will Have their magical powers lessened so that they'll only be able to use one particular skill for professional purposes.

This is the first book I’ve read by Crewe, I enjoy her storytelling and the way she builds her world. She has created some engaging characters with real emotions and real struggles, and even gave us those to root against. There's some great action in here, some brutal magical challenges, and the pace flowed really nicely. I know there may be some people who see the words "magic" or "fantasy," it’s an instant turn off or people will immediately say, "This one's not for me." but I think this book is worth the risk so to speak.

I must admit, I wanted to DNF this about 50 pages in, but I am glad I didn't so I can write this quick review. I did find the two POV's a bit confusing sometimes and just the whole magical competition and how brutal it was. At times it was sort of jarring and I kept having to pan over the beginning to remember who I was reading about. Maybe I was the beginning and the casual killing of the rat that got me from the start. Overall, most of the characters were ok and the plot began to pick up quite a bit and I did enjoy the ending though, from reviews, i see some didn't.

To sum up this story in as few words as possible you can say they author took Hogwarts graduates and threw them into a hunger games setting.

The story focuses on two students as they fight to keep their magic, battling other students and forces in the process.

The book wasn't as engaging as I had hoped when I picked it up. I had no problem setting it down. The world was a little confusing, and could have used some more building work.

Overall it wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't a great book.

A high class fantasy and YA book that deals with very important issues like class, sex and ethnicity. I had no high expectations and it came as a surprise to find such a high quality book.
I think this is a series and look forward to reading the next instalments.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Another World Press and Netgalley for this ARC

I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to sequels. The author's treatment of magic is a bit different than most books with magic. There is diversity, character growth, and use of modern technology in this urban fantasy. I believe it's appropriate for teens and up.

Ruthless Magic is a 'Harry Potter meets The Hunger Games' YA Fantasy. In this not-too-distant setting, people with magical abilities (mages) have revealed themselves to the non-magical humans (Dulls). They revealed their abilities in order to use their magic to protect the world from terrorists, magical or otherwise. But mages are closely governed by The Confederation of Mages; only a select, talented few are allowed to keep their full magical ability, and most are Dampered, their skills permanently reduced to minuscule levels that they can use for careers. When teenage mages reach 16 they learn if they've been 'Chosen', or allowed to keep their abilities and sent to magical university, or must be "Dampered'. However, any student not chosen can challenge the ruling and compete in the Exam, a secretive and dangerous set of challenges. Passing the Exam results in keeping your magic; failing results in being 'burned out', or having every trace of your magic removed.

The story is told from two POVS; Finn, a boy from a wealthy old magic family but having only mediocre ability, and Rocio, a girl from a poor, new magic latinx family, but with incredible magical talent. Finn learns that he's been chosen, but knows that it's only because of his family's name and connections. In a shocking move, he chooses to stand for the Exam, wanting to rightfully earn his place though skill and effort. Despite her ability, Rocio is scheduled to be Dampered. She also chooses to stand for the Exam, despite the fact that her older brother died in the Exam three years before. I won't go into the details of their experience in the Exam, since the suspense makes it better, but the characters quickly learn that there is a sinister side to the Confederation, and that nothing is really as it seems.

Unfortunately this story did not work for me. It was weak on a lot of fronts; world building, characterization, originality. It tried to do a lot of things that have been done before, and been done better. The magic system was confusing and inconsistent, as well as awkward. Casting magic through random, spontaneous lines from poetry and songs? And then in the last few chapters they inexplicably cast spells through tapping their fingers..? The weirdness constantly pulled me from the story.

Another flaw: Finn and Rocio's POVs were indistinguishable from each other. While they had each had unique motivations, the first person voice and tone were identical.. Their little romance was sweet if somewhat bland; by the end I was skimming all of the internal thought process because they were boring and repetitive. The best part of the book is the Exam, as the action really picks up, but it borrows so heavily and obviously from The Hunger Games and HP and the Goblet of Fire.One scene in particular at the end was almost exactly like the end of Catching Fire.

This book is getting some good reviews, and I'm really glad that people are enjoying it. I know I'm one of the few who didn't. If you like magicky urban fantasy then definitely give it a try, but I can't give it more than 2.5 stars.

*A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

Ruthless Magic wasn't a terrible book - it will keep you entertained from cover and cover - and there is plenty of adventure. But it also wasn't a particularly original or distinct read, either. You'll have seen most of the different scenes in other big YA books from the last few years. That's not necessarily a bad thing - sometimes, you want a read that gave you the same type of experience as those other books. But for many, like myself, it is a detraction to have to read the same type of book over and over.

Story: In a NYC where magic users have come out, they are controlled by a Magic Board to ensure they are not a danger to the populace. The 'old magic' families control the scene; Finn's father is one of the heads in the 'old magic' council. He should be a shoe-in to be certified and given a position using magic, even though his abilities are very poor. Rocio, on the other hand, comes from a Mexican immigrant family and although her abilities are strong, she was not accepted to continue to use her magic. Those few not chosen are 'dampened' and lose their connection to the magic. Finn turns down his old magic family auto-acceptance and instead wants to compete in what is the latch ditch recourse to those who are about to be dampened: enter a trial with a reputation as being difficult. Together, they may have a chance to succeed; but what they don't expect is a ruthlessness by the trialists and trialers alike - and disillusionment as to what exactly it means to become a 'champion' and win the competition.

So what we have here is Hunger Games: teens trapped on an island battling each other with Magic instead of weapons. It's a bit more facile than Suzanne Collins' book: where Katniss was always conflicted and losing her will, here Rocio and Finn get stronger with every trial. They were perhaps a bit too idealized and 'nice' for me to really believe in them. But as with Hunger Games, Rocio is the strong character (and gets to show it) while Finn is much weaker and must depend on her to survive.

So many of the trialists felt like archetypes I've read in other novels; they aren't distinctive enough for us to really care if they fail or succeed. But there are some interesting twists with their subplots that make them worth inclusion beyond just concentrating on Rocio and Finn. In this aspect, it felt very much like Harry Potter, especially in the final books. A bunch of teens fighting to survive with magical battles and a small band of friends.

Beyond the obvious feeling that this is a 'blender book' (throw five novels into a blender and what it spits out is your plot), there were several key detractors for me:

-The POVs did not feel distinct or well developed. Other than Rocio using some Spanish, both Rocio and Finns POVs were interchangeable. I kept forgetting whose POV I was in and it was very frustrating. Both needed a much more unique voice.
- There was a distinct lack of worldbuilding. A magic system explanation was non existent (yes, I understand she will build it up more in future books) but at this point more should be known about how the magic works. Rocio should not be the one discovering some major secret about magic.
- Yet again, we have the usual "teens know everything and the government is eeeevil" plot trope.
- The teens are heavily injured, lose limbs, etc., but it never really seems to affect them. We are told about their injuries but they ignore them most of the time as if there is no agony. It is a classic 'tell but not show' detraction that is so prevalent in YA books.

So this was definitely not a terrible read and I think Hunger Fans and Harry Potter will really enjoy the book. It has so many hallmarks of those books (if perhaps on a shallower plane) that it feels like there is already a built in audience ready and waiting for a this type of YA Summer escape. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

This is a heart pounding, edge of your seat, frantic page turning and downright thrilling adventure filled with danger, secrets, betrayal and unimaginable magic.....

Rocío Lopez and Finn Lockwood are thrown together in an all out fight to save their magic and their lives... but is there really ever any winning this challenge. The testing is brutal, the competition fierce and it all makes for an exciting and highly entertaining reading experience.

The Prequel, Magic Unmasked (#0.5), to this series is available for a free download for a limited time if you subscribe to Megan Crewe’s Newsletter on this link:https:dl.bookfunnel.com/koyalpe4jq

Ruthless Magic
(Conspiracy of magic #1)
By Megan Crewe
Release Date: May 30, 2018

'In the contest to keep their magic, the only options may be die…or kill’

I requested this book on Netgalley after reading the blurb (sentence) ubove, and was not disappointed. The blurb says all you really need to know about the book before you start reading.

This is a story that I found myself immersed in, full of magic, sacrifices, and deadly trials.

In this story there are two types of families of magic users: Old-magic and New-magic.

Old-magic have had magic in their family for generations, while New-magical families only have one magic user in the family or the parent's were new-magic users and the children have magic as a result.

Our story starts when the main characters Finn Lockwood and Rocio Lopez are awaiting for their letters from the North American Confederation College; that would denote if they can continue their magcial study or be dampered. (Damperred-have their magic mostly taken away and left with a small sliver of magic)

Finn is accepted even with his feeble magic, as he is from an Old-magic family and his grand-uncle holds power in the magic Council. While his New-magic straight A stundent best-friend is not. Feeling that he did not deserve his Acceptance, Finn delcare's for the Exam left as a last choice for Uneccepted students.

Rocio is not accepted into the North American Confederation College, and her damperring appointment is scheduled on her letter. Even though she strong (magically) and has studied and followed all the Confed's rules, but she is New-magic and considered 'dangerous'. Rocio also delcares for the Exam.

Challenging the Exam means facing trials that can get an examinee killed, burned out (have all their magic taken away), or they can survive and become Champion. Becoming Champion means they get to keep all their power and be allowed to continue their magical studies as well as a personal mentor. But first they need to survive.

RUTHLESS MAGIC blends Harry Potter and The Hunger Games into an exhilarating mixture while also adding its own twist to the magical world. Readers looking for a story with a sharp edge will enjoy this fascinating examination of privilege and magic systems.

Megan Crewe deftly switches between two POVs. Both Finn and Rocío are easy to fall in love with. They have clear goals, clear stakes, and come from two different social spheres, which allows the reader to learn about magic from both a privileged and non-privileged experience. From the start, I wanted both of them to succeed, especially as time was spent on Finn's end examining the privilege he hadn't previously acknowledged. And because of their personal and introspective POVs, I was motivated to finish RUTHLESS MAGIC in two days.

Because the bulk of the book is dedicated to the arena, world building is implied but not fully developed. Characters, besides Finn, Rocío, and their small group, are one-dimensional. I am left with questions as to how magic being out in the open changed the world of RUTHLESS MAGIC and why Finn prays to Zeus. As it currently stands, the world is described as very similar to our own, just with magic pasted on. I look forward to my questions being answered in the next book.

Take the competition of The Hunger Games, mix in the magic of Harry Potter, and then go ahead and add some Divergent while you are at it. That will give you a feel for the vibe of this book, and the series it begins. In this version of our world, magic users have always existed, but they have finally come out to the public. The Confederation (like a Ministry of Magic), has all those with magical potential tested and then they choose the best to receive further training, notifying them with a magical letter. The testing and choosing also assigns where the Chosen will serve and what training they will receive (a bit like being in a faction). Those who don't make the cutoff may have their powers Dampered, or they may elect to face the Exam - a lovechild of the Triwizard Tournament and the Hunger Games.

This year's exam begins with 57 candidates hoping to earn a place as a Champion with a mentor to help them improve their skills to better serve society. Failure will leave them with their magic burned out of them, completely cut off from access to the power they have grown up with, or even dead. Among those gathered at Riker's Island to vie for one of the coveted spots are a mix of Old and New Magic. Some of the Old Magic families are like the Pure Bloods at Hogwarts who hold the Mud Bloods in contempt, treating those from New Magic families as upstarts and even dangerous.

The characters are intriguing. Finn comes from a powerful Old Magic family, but his skills are erratic and not as strong as expected. His friend Prisha was always in the top half of their classes, but she was not Chosen. From the New Magic side comes Rocio, whose brother died during the Exam three years ago. She has a Hermione-like affinity for magic, when she enchants something the magic rushes to her and through her, yet she was not Chosen either. Her mother speculates that it was because of prejudice against New Magic.

The Exam begins as soon as the candidates arrive and takes all their skills into account - even things like paying attention to details in their surroundings and following the rules. They are tested on creativity, offensive and defensive abilities, and much more. Some are cut very quickly, while others hang in even when it is clear they are not very powerful and have no qualms about ruining the chances of better-qualified candidates. What exactly is the Confederation looking for and why do they go about it in such a brutal way? As the five days of testing whittle away at the number of hopefuls, we as readers begin to have some suspicions of our own. Are we correct?

Highly recommended for readers of the series I have mentioned, or fans of other urban fantasy stories with strong characterization, some possible romantic vibes, and a perplexing mystery at the center of it all.

Ruthless Magic is a well executed YA novel that will excite fans of both Harry Potter and The Hunger Games series. This novel is told from the perspective of two Challenge participants, Finn and Rocio.

In a world where magic has recently been exposed as a real trait, the Old Magic families are trying to keep their places in the upper class of magical society, but new magical talents are allowed to test for admission to magical colleges, and if they are not accepted, can request to join a challenge for Champion, allowing them to show that their talents are worth keeping.

Finn is from an old magic family, but of middling magical talent. He begins to question the validity of the selection process when he is selected for a magical college, but his best friend who is far more magically talented is not. Finn decides that he will join her in the challenge.

Rocio is new magic - and one of the most talented young Mages that the world has ever seen. She too joins the Challenge, hoping not only to win champion, but to also find answers about how her brother died 3 years earlier while participating in the Challenge. She is surprised to find Finn in the competition, as she knows that he is Old Magic, and she harbors some doubts as to his participation...

A collection of teenagers create groups to face the challenges which are brutally complex, changing all of the participants forever.