I did not think it was possible for a book to combine a cozy, whimsical fantasy with a grand adventure, but Sorcery and Small Magics has managed to do just that. This book follows Leo, who is a master of small magics. Leo writes the spells castors will cast, and he is determined to avoid grand magic at all costs. When he is partnered with his nemesis, Grimm, Leo decides that he is going to mess with Grimm. In that process, forbidden magic is accidentally cast, potentially destroying both of their careers before they have even graduated from school. Leo now is forced to obey Grimm’s every whim, and no one they turn to can figure out how to help them. With some reluctance on Grimm’s part, the two venture into the Unquiet Wood, a forest that is filled with dangerous monsters and outlaws alike. There they hope to find a powerful sorceress that they hope will be able to undo the curse. Along the way, they will learn the truth about Leo’s magic and discover as the boundaries between enemies and friends start to become blurry.

This book is not going to be for everyone. In the fantasy genre, some authors write more plot-driven books, others character-driven, and on occasion, there is a mix between the two. This book is heavily character-driven, and the character development is to die for. I loved being able to experience Grimm and Leo’s development as individuals and how it occurred at a gradual and natural pace. These are the books that I love. Being able to experience a character learn more about themselves and the driving force of their nature. However, it should be noted that because there is such magnificent character development, the plot feels much slower. It takes longer to read, though I enjoyed every second of it. This will not be for everyone, and that is okay. I already cannot wait for book two to come out. While this book does not end on a cliffhanger, there are plot threads that I am dying to know more about. For some, the book will feel nicely wrapped up, and in some ways it is, but I think there is so much potential for the rest of the trilogy, and cannot wait to see where the story takes us next.

Thank you to Orbit, Maiga Doocy, and NetGalley for giving me an eARC of Sorcery and Small Magics in exchange for my honest review.

Leo and Sebastian are sort of rivals and end up being assigned as casting partners at magic school. They accidentally cast a compulsion spell on Leo which they have to fix so they end up on an adventure to undo the spell. In doing so they spend lot of time together and learn a lot about each other - great tension and character building.

The book had great magical school and forest vibes. One thing to note is that is is the first in a trilogy and the relationships and world-building definitely read as a set up for the future books. Overall it was a great fall read and I highly recommend!

This was absolutely delightful. Listen, I too, can relate to being a huge disappointment to my parents! haha.

but seriously, I have not read many male - male romances and I will 1000000% be picking up the second installment of this series!

I received both the audiobook and kindle copy of this book and read along while listening. I thought the narrator had a great voice and told the story with proper emotions. I absolutely loved that this story was in first person! I really enjoy being in the mind of the characters. Orbit never fails to pick up books that are right up my alley. I cannot wait to read more from this author and of these characters.

Wow, the ending of this book has left me speechless—I honestly don’t even know what to say. The plot was amazing, like fanfiction for my favorite couple, but with all-new characters and a brand new universe. The romance had me feigning for more the whole freaking book; I just couldn’t put it down!

The universe and magic system were the most unique I’ve ever encountered. I’ve never seen a magic system like this before, and I’m completely invested. I can’t believe this is the start of a trilogy; I seriously can’t wait for the second and third books. I’ll be diving into them the moment they’re available!

If you love *Harry Potter*, enjoy romance, forced proximity, or curses that make people fall in love, then this is the book for you. And trust me, the clueless boys who don’t understand their feelings? Perfect. You need to read this book right now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an early release copy of Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy.

My enjoyment of Sorcery and Small Magics didn’t really pick up until I gotten a little more than half way through the book. I struggled to like these characters, the world, and just the magic system in general. I’m glad I stuck around though because it does pick up and the story elements/characters become more entertaining to read about, i’m still a little iffy on the this stories world but I didn’t mind the magic system or the characters towards the end. I liked reading from Leo’s perspective but I found him to be a little annoying at times, I would have loved to have gotten a flipped perspective between Leo and Grimm. I was a little worried going into this book that the curse element would be abused but it isn’t at all which I was happy with.

I wish we would have gotten a little more romance wise, there are very few scenes that could be considered romance in here. This series is definitely going to be a slow burn but I don’t mind, Depending on what the next books are going to be following I might be interested in continuing Leo and Grimm’s story! Side Note: I would love more of Cassius, we don’t get much on his character but he seems so soft and cutesy.

Trigger Warnings: Death of a parent (past), alcohol use, power imbalance (this isn’t abused), Guilt/self-loathing, and brief violence

I absolutely loved this book! I really enjoyed the characters, I think it's fairly uncommon to have the flaws of the main characters be so prominent in a book but it made them really realistic and helped the hate-to-love/enemies-to-lovers trope that was going on. I know a lot of people hate when an "enemies-to-lovers" trope has a really stupid/unserious reason for the hate but honestly I think it's kind of funny. I love when characters are so petty that any small slight will build up into an infamous animosity between two people. If anything it makes them feel more realistic and like normal stubborn people (I once had a friend who absolutely HATED some random girl for over a year bcs they bumped into her one time (by accident)) and it really lent to their characters.

I've read a few "magic bonds" before, but the way it was portrayed in this book felt fresh and incredibly interesting, the one-sidedness of it created a really complex dynamic (that I do wish had been a bit more explored) and the slight plot twist later on made it even more fun to read about. I did feel like Sebastian didn't really acknowledge the power he had over Leo which could have been really interesting to explore but the dangerous position Leo was in was a little glossed over. However, Maiga Doocy was great at portraying Sebastians thoughts/opinions without his POV, it was easy to tell where his dislike came from, and to see his feelings change as the story went on without making it seem like Leo was exaggeratedly oblivious (which sometimes authors do when trying to get another character's thoughts across). It was easy to sympathise with both characters despite their conflicting opinions, they were both flawed and dislikable in their own ways and the "enemies/hate" part could have been resolved MUCH quicker if they communicated but it didn't bother me at all, miscommunication can be funny and entertaining when well done but maybe think twice if you absolutely despise it.

I LOVED the ending, specifically the cliffhanger-esque part about their relationship and I desperatly hope the author will publish the next book soon bcs I can't wait!
Definitely recommend if you like slow-burn, hate-to-love with a kind of sunshine/grumpy dynamic (specifically where the sunshine character is lowkey arrogant and annoying, and the grumpy character is a bit stuck-up and judgemental)!

Thank you to Orbit books & Netgalley for an arc of this book!

This misadventure hosts all my favorite shenanigans; the Brash One & the Rational One, setting out on a quest together due to (magical) forced proximity, with some hurt/comfort and a bit of slow-burn rivals-to-endeared-rivals tossed in for delicious tension. This book was a perfect Autumnal kick-off!

This was phenomenal. The perfect slightly cozy magical adventure with a magical academy, forced proximity, an accidental magical bond, and my eternal favorite grumpy sunshine dynamic. I was swept away from the first sentence and loved every second of it. For fans of drarry fanfics, they even refer to one another by their last names. It's perfection.

The cast of characters was relatively small, but they all felt very real and unique. Leo and Grimm had a wonderful dynamic and I loved watching them reluctantly grow closer. The sorcerer in the tower was wonderful as well and the magical tower itself was a wonder and so imaginative! As was the wood and the many magical creatures within it.

I absolutely recommend this to fans of Freya Marske's Last Binding trilogy, as well as fans of KJ Charles' Magpie Lords books. It has a similarly perfect blend of realistic magical worldbuilding and m/m romance.

The audiobook narrator did a fantastic job bringing the characters and story to life. His narration was pleasant to listen to and easy to become lost in.

15/10 one of my favorite books of the year and exactly what I needed. I immediately preordered myself an audio copy after finishing it.

*Thanks to Orbit and Hachette Audio for providing an early copy for review.

We are getting a trilogy?! OMG I am so excited to see how this progresses.

This was such a fun, slow burn, opposites-attract, rivals to lovers story with a unique twist on magic - there are scrivers who write spells and casters who actually cast the spells. When Leo is paired with Grimm for a school project - two students who are forbidden to work together typically because of how opposite they are and how much they bicker - things become a bit more complicated when Leo accidentally has Grimm cast a curse that ties them together and is nearly impossible to break.

You can only imagine that clashing of personalities ensue along with hilarious bickering while they work together to try to fix the damage that they did, or risk explosion.

I had so much fun with this one!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the e-arc!
Now that was a truly excellent audiobook! The story, the pacing, everything fit together so well and created such an enjoyable experience. In this story, we follow Leovander Loveage after his rival, Sebastian Grimm, accidentally casts control magic on him and forces him to follow all of his commands. This starts them on their journey to the wicked woods in order to find a sorcerer to help get rid of the curse. Leo is flirty, flippant, and charming; constantly pulling out pranks and songs that hide his fear underneath. He is enjoyable and irritating in the best of ways, with a ton of emotion and depth hidden right below the surface. Sebastian is grumpy and adorable but with an honorable heart. The grumpy sunshine vibes are delicious and the rivals to tentative truce to lover but not really is so good. I cannot get over their dynamic and the bantering between them.
And the magic in the world was really interesting. If you're worried about some of the control aspects, they were actually a lot lighter in the story than I thought. The curse is not abused, and the relationship that grows between Leo and Sebastian is a very, very slow burn. By the end of the book, you have such a clear grasp of where these characters are, and I am craving the next book. We get a ton of character development, especially from Leo, with his magic and his disposition in general. We still see a ton about Sebastian, but it looks like book two will probably focus a bit more on his development. Overall the vibes were very cozy, whimsical, magical, and light creating a very entertaining story.

Sorcery and Small Magics gives me a little bit of Emily Wilde, a little bit of A Marvellous Light, BUT EMPHASIS ON THE LITTLE so don't go in with these big expectations. 😆 As soon as I finished I was like, "dang it, I forgot this was going to be a trilogy!" 😂 This was a nice debut and I honestly just blazed through this book. The magic system is neat, and the adventure was fun to follow too with the predicament that Leo finds himself in.

I really liked our leads and we do get some good characterization and some nice slowburn buildup. I'm happy with where book 1 ends up with their dynamic just after everything that happened here, and there was some good worldbuilding setup too. The side characters could have been fleshed out a little more, but this had a nice foundation.

It makes me more excited for book 2 because I can imagine the potential of the direction this will go!!

Loved this story about an accidental spell that makes it so the caster can control someone. Add in two polar opposites who get on each other’s nerves, and you’ve got a fantastic tale of adventure, magic and mayhem. This was book one, and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment of the trilogy!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for prov me with an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Sorcery and Small Magics is a fantasy novel following Leovander Loveage (Leo for short) as he works to undo a spell mix-up that causes Leo to obey all commands from his nemesis Sebastian Grimm. The two sorcerers must put their rivalry aside to find a way to break the spell by chasing rumors of a sorcerer powerful enough to fix their problem who lives in a forest full of monsters.
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I LOVED THIS BOOK!! Leo’s POV was so fun to read. His generally unserious (and dramatic) approach to a lot of things makes for an engaging viewpoint. The chaos he brings to every situation should be studied. I might be a bit biased towards fantasy stories that involve going on a quest to fix your problems because I always rate those highly, but this book also has some unique ideas (like the magic system) that I really like. The idea of sorcerers being split into scrivers and casters (and the consequences of such a split) is super interesting. Also, I LOVED Leo’s spellsongs! Music is always magical to me, so using magic to cast spells would literally be my dream.
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Leo and Sebastian’s reluctant alliance was also fun to witness. The romance here is slowwww burn and I’m loving it. I forgot how addictive slow burn can be when you’re looking for any phrase or action that might hint at a change in feelings. I found the supporting characters to be interesting enough to want to see a bit more about them in the next books. Character building is rightfully and wonderfully spent on Leo and Sebastian, but I’m hoping some of the supporting characters get their moment in the future too. Overall, I think this might be my new favorite read of 2024. I’m SO excited for the next book in the trilogy. I will be eagerly awaiting its release.
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Thank you Orbit Books for providing this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A delicious slowburn of enemies to lovers, maybe.

I loved the back and forth between the two MC's Leo and Grimm. It was like watching them both be completely oblivious as to what was right in front of them. I felt myself grinning throughout being like you silly boys, you really don't see it yet do you!?!
But on top of this slowburn possible love story, we have beautiful magical world building and adventure! We travel to a magical school of sorcerers, to the world of the sorcery elite, to the lovely countryside to the magical yet terrifying Unquiet Wood of monsters.

I couldn't get enough and and when I got to the last page and realized I had to wait to keep following these characters I was just about ready to curse Doocy! I cannot wait for the second installment <3

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy is a delightful, magical romp with a healthy dose of snark, charm, and a bit of slow-burn romance. Leovander Loveage is a master of small magics—think turning hair pink and summoning butterflies—so it’s no surprise that things go awry when he accidentally binds himself to his rival, the insufferably talented Sebastian Grimm. Cue the chaos and forced teamwork as these two polar opposites set off to break the curse in the perilous Unquiet Wood.

The heart of the story is the dynamic between Leo and Grimm. Their banter is sharp and witty, and watching them begrudgingly work together (while battling not just monsters but their growing attraction) is the highlight. Leo’s clumsy yet endearing magic and Grimm’s more polished style set up a fun contrast, and their begrudging respect for each other slowly evolves into something more. The chemistry between them is obvious, and the slow build of their relationship feels natural—though I wouldn’t have minded if the sparks flew a bit faster!

The world-building is another strong point. The Unquiet Wood is a vividly drawn place, teeming with danger and mystery, while the small magics that Leo wields add a whimsical touch to the more serious plot of breaking the curse. And can we take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous cover? It’s a beautiful reflection of the story’s lighthearted, magical core.

So why not the full five stars? While the plot is engaging, it does rely on some familiar fantasy tropes—rival magicians forced to work together, a dangerous quest, reluctant attraction. It’s a fun ride, but there are moments where the predictability took away a bit of the excitement. That said, Doocy adds enough charm and humor to keep things fresh, and Leo’s growth as a character (both magically and emotionally) keeps the story from feeling too familiar.

Overall, Sorcery and Small Magics is a fun, romantic, and magical read that fans of light fantasy and enemies-to-lovers stories will thoroughly enjoy. If you’re looking for a book with quirky magic, dangerous forests, and sizzling chemistry, you’ll want to dive into this one.

I cannot get over how much I love this book. I could not imagine a more perfect time for this book to release. With the Autumn season approaching and the weather getting chillier, there is no better time than to enjoy this cozy low-stake fantasy. It follows Leovander Loveage, a frivolous sciver, and Sebastian Grimm, a curmudgeon caster, as they navigate an accidental curse that causes them to be stuck with one another.

The reading experience was so wonderful. I felt immersed in the story and the pacing was smooth and engaging. The characters are distinct and well-explored. Each character arc made sense and felt satisfying to follow. I adore the slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers romance.

If you are craving a cozy fantasy to destress or practice escapism, please choose this book. I have only one last thing to say to Maiga Doocy, please give me the next book, I cannot wait.

Oh my god I cannot properly explain how much I love this story. It was so fun and cozy and I cannot recommend enough.

Absolutely enchanting.

Well. Well!

This came out of freaking nowhere. In so many good ways. When I saw this on NetGalley, I don't think I paid too much attention to the subject matter - only the genre and the cover. Something about the title struck me. And then I was a little worried. Sure - I've read some "romantasy" and I've certainly read a lot of rom-coms and fantasy novels. But it had been awhile since I'd read anything truly "queer" and I certainly hadn't read any LGBTQ+ in the fantasy/romantasy realm (I don't know whether or not to count Legends & Lattes...I mean, that book is queer friendly, certainly, but it is a very different thing - the romance here is far more overt...and yet not? JFC...this novel leaves me so tongue-tied!). And hey...I'm pretty straight as they come. But don't judge this book (me) by its cover because I absolutely adored this.

Is it cozy fantasy? In a way. I'd say it is more whimsical than cozy, but I get why the publisher might market it as such. The stakes are certainly more personal than "world in danger." Likewise, I don't know if it is truly romantasy - it has romantic stuff in it, but the burn is VERY slow. Maybe too slow for some. I'm somebody that has a pretty high "spice tolerance/desire" and this doesn't have that - if you're looking for hot action, this isn't going to be it.

But my goodness...what a charming debut novel. Here we have a curmudgeonly sorcerer and a deeply flawed main character - rivals/enemies brought together in an accident and in search of a way out. We get just enough world building to spark interest for the future (seriously - there are a ton of hooks that not all is great regarding the Coterie and this world in general). I won't get too into the plot because much of this is about the characters themselves. I've not loved every flawed character I've come across, but Leo was great. Likewise, not every grumpus works well...but Grimm was delightful as well.

Sweetening the pot...this is a delightful magic system. It seems in parts very familiar and in other parts very unique. It is certainly well conceived and executed on the page and there is a moment near the end that...well...calling it magical would be cliched, right? But I can't come up with another word. Magical. Enchanting.

Speaking personally, my only regret was that it ended and left so many things unanswered. I have a suspicion regarding events at the end (I think it is obvious what happened), but it is left open. And I wanted more of Leo's brother and Agnes and other side characters. But that's all something that can be there for the future. This is an outstanding debut and I love that it pulled me into something that I wouldn't normally gravitate towards.

Five solid unreserved stars. Get it. Out October 15th. Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful magical academia novel with an interesting spell-casting system and an unlikely enemies-ish to ??? pairing. This definitely had very little romance vibes, other than the love curse "these feelings aren't real" vibes, so I would guess the romance is more of a slow burn that spans the entire trilogy. This book was really more of an "enemies to friends." The interactions between Grimm and Leo and their arguing is a lot of fun regardless, and this is a pretty fun (although somewhat meandering) action/adventure fantasy.

Leo is a bit of a chaos agent with his reckless ideas, and Sebastian is adorable with his curmudgeonly ways but is ultimately kind of a pushover (at least when it comes to Leo). I really enjoyed the original magic system in this novel, where one magician is capable of composing spells (scriving) but only another is capable of casting them. I'm hoping in later books we might meet more exceptions to these rules, but so far I'm completely enthralled by the world Doocy is introducing us to, I can't wait to learn more about this magical society!

There's definitely great Ella Enchanted vibes with the curse itself. I could tell immediately from the wording of the curse what the nature of it was (really, Leo, you couldn't?) and I liked how it grew over time and became more and more insidious. The adventures Leo and Grimm get dragged on are just on the right side of action packed, with just enough danger to keep things interesting before things ultimately work out. There are a surprising amount of side characters, so I'm curious to see if we'll encounter them again in future books as well.

Some of the foreshadowing is quite heavy-handed, and I thought certain emotional moments could've used a lot more build up and tighter editing, but overall this is lovely concept and a very solid debut. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Leo and Grimm get up to in the rest of the series.

Thanks to Orbit Books for providing me with a free advanced review copy.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book I want a thousand more exactly like it I adore it.