I really love the cover of this book, it’s spectacular. This was an easy, enjoyable read which I got through rather quickly. The world-building was interesting, and the magic system and characters were well fleshed out. I appreciated the dual POV of Ezra and Jonas. This book ended on a cliff-hanger, which has me eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

Did not finish.

I requested this book from Netgalley because the concept appealed to me. I read 20% and couldn’t continue. It just didn’t grab me - maybe our timing is off and this book and I will need to try again in the future.

I found the dialogue very stilted and unnatural. The phrasing was uncomfortable - can you confiscate features?
“With a profound seriousness confiscating his features, Jonas struggled to meet Diego’s eyes.”

The language was overplayed - “devoured with untamed ferocity” - or overused - “ah, we meet again.”

Every character sounded the same or like an overblown stereotype.

However, the concept felt sound - even this early in the book. I want to know what happens to Ezra. The world building was solid - the Magi history was delivered clearly and enticingly - and I wanted to know how the magic worked and what they could do.

I just struggled with the delivery.

I might pick it up and try again another time but right now I will keep reading other books that already have me hooked.

Cover thoughts: eye-catching and arresting. It has a magical YA film poster feel to it (the font, maybe?) and the gears feel very steampunk magic. I’d definitely pick this cover up in store.

The book was enjoyable. The characters were interesting, and I did enjoy the bit of LGBT representation in there. The world building and magic system was fascinating, and I am eager to learn more about it in future books (which I am interested in reading due to the cliffhanger at the end). The story also featured the 'found family' trope, which I am such a huge sucker for. The story as a whole felt like it felt a little short on the plot, which is why I am only giving it four stars, but still a very much enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this book! The way it was written, the world-building, the magic system, the characters, all of it! Not to mention the amazing cover, stunning! Once I started reading this book I could not put it down. I do not normally enjoy books from more than one POV but I think the 2 POV's in this book (Ezra and Jonas) added something extra to the book that I genuinely enjoyed. Overall I gave this book 4.5/5 stars because I do not appreciate cliffhangers at the end of books! I cannot wait for the next book to come out!

The story is told from Ezra’s and Jonas’ point of view. Ezra was a really interesting character. Through out his journey, I felt for him. There were even a few times that my eyes welled up. I felt frustrated when he was frustrated, and I felt just as lost when he was left to his devices. Jonas, is a Magus, a part of the Third Order of the Magi. The minute we meet Jonas, I loved him. I loved reading from his point of view and seeing the politics that he dealt with.

There’s a romance arc between Jonas and another male character and I was so here it. I liked how the dangers of a LGBTQIA relationship in that period of time was done. I felt so scared for them. Although, the forbidden romance was definitely welcomed. I ate it up.

I liked all of the supporting characters as well, they felt like they had their own personalities. The story also has the ‘found family’ trope, which I’m a sucker for. It was well executed and added to my enjoyment.

The worldbuilding was handled well. By the end of the book, I had a fairly good understanding of the magic system and the politics. I didn’t feel bored by an big portions of info dumps. Instead, there were little bits of information woven into the story.

As soon as I got to the end, and I read the cliffhanger that we ended on, I wanted to scream. I cannot wait for the next book.

I just want to take a moment to appreciate the diversity in this book. I don’t practice Islam nor am I queer, but the topics handled in the book felt like they were done well.

I’m still not able to put my finger on it, but something felt amiss for me. I think it may just have been my mood. So I’m adding this to my pile of books to re-read so I can give it the proper shot it deserves.

I highly recommend this for anyone that likes a good worldbuilding, great characters, forbidden romance and the ‘found family’ trope.

Thanks, NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!
What actually distinguished this novel for me from the others I've read this season is how well described the world setting is. With each word, it blooms into your head and it's not difficult to imagine it and actually live it into your own mind. I always love to imagine every scene while I read, so this time it was a bit more vivid compared with other books, which was really fun. The characters introduced are different - both by cultural background and inner world, which adds to the uniqueness of the novel. It's not often to happen to read a novel with a Turkish teenage boy as the main character. This is the first thing that grabs your attention and from there on the novel doesn't disappoint! It's another amazing read for me. The story behind the conflict between the Third Order and the Legerdemain Brotherhood is awesome to discover page after page, so can't wait to see what the sequel will offer and if Ezra and Jonas will finally catch a break. ^^