Thank you to both netgalley and the publisher for access to the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I gave this 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

I first fell in love with the cover and was pleasantly surprised by how much i liked the story inside! A very fascinating world with a super unique magic system with interesting rituals. i was heavily invested in the main characters, the family dynamic of the female main character, as well as the relationship between her and the prince. A compelling driving reason that made the plot believable, and i wish i could have spent more time in this world. Actually the fact that it’s a standalone is a big contributor to the rating because this would’ve excelled as a duology. At just one book I felt like it’s full potential wasn’t quite realized.

Good, but this either could have been longer or extended into a duology.

The worldbuilding in this was surprisingly really very in-depth for a book a little over 300 pages. There's multiple gods, witches, nations, it's whole world that really felt so alive despite how little was shown/told t us through the narrative. Serratura, a nation of floating islands was my favorite place in the book that I wish got more page-time than it does. I also wish there was, one, a map of this world, and two, more time dedicated to Elia and Trys traveling around so we could see more of it first hand.

Speaking of which, I did like Elia and Trys' banter a lot. Their romance was definitely paced way too quick, but there was some genuine good chemistry. Again, there should have been more to than the journey than just 'go here and get the scroll,' because the traveling would have given the duo more time to bond organically. I just feel the potential was too good to make it go by so fast.

All in all, a fine read that I believe could have been more. This does make me interested to see if Hawk will do anything else; I'll definitely will be keeping an eye out just in case.

DNF at 47%

The premise of this book was super interesting but the execution just wasn't it for me. The characters were bland, the story boring, and the conflict is the only thing holding it partially together.

I couldn't tell you the characters names right now because I haven't even wanted to pick this up for two weeks. FMC is underprivileged poor girl with hardship, ala Katniss. MMC is hidden royalty and she starts to like him romantically very quickly.

The reason for her exile was....the dumbest thing I've ever read. The unleashing was cool but the plague of forgetting was so unbelievably stupid. I honestly don't care if they get the scroll or whatever. She deserves the God of death getting his revenge.

The world building in Unlock the Dark is fabulous. We are given information as it becomes relevant in the story so its not an info dump, which makes it so much more enjoyable to me. The magic in this world is so unique and cool! I will say I do wish maybe there was more time for the characters to develop both individually and together. I would like to have had more details in the second half of the book and maybe it would have felt more complete if it were a duology.

This YA novel is pitched as a fantasy romance, but I’d say it leans much more toward fantasy than romance. The focus of the love in the beginning is primarily familial—Elias, the eldest sibling, is deeply devoted to her family. As a Conjurista, she has the ability to unlock doors and craft keys, skills she uses to earn money while keeping her ailing father alive long enough for her to become an adult and legally care for her younger siblings. When a prince named Trys offers her a wild bargain to get him through a door to a magical floating library, she takes the risk in order to save herself, her brother, and her whole family really. They set off on an adventure filled with magic, danger, and duty.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its depiction of family. The dynamics feel authentic—the love, the obligation, and the banter all hit home, especially for someone from a larger family like me. The pacing starts off strong, drawing me in with its worldbuilding and magic system, but the second half felt rushed, leaving me wanting more depth, particularly when it came to the magic, growth of the characters, and building romance.

The romance didn’t quite work for me, mostly because it leaned into insta-love, and Trys as a character felt underdeveloped. While Elias undergoes some growth, Trys remains largely static, making their relationship feel flat. Also, I have to mention Cuddles—the creature was fantastic, and I was incredibly disappointed with how his story wrapped up. You will see, I think he deserved better after all they had been through. It felt like a large build up to be cast aside.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, especially for those who love rich family dynamics and inventive magic. I just wish the second half had been fleshed out more, the romance had been given more development, and, most importantly, that we learned more about Cuddles and how he is living in the end.

3.75 stars
Thank you HarperCollins and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Firstly, I just adored our two main characters. The world and magic system was so whimsical and refreshing. This is a true young adult, and I would feel comfortable letting my tweens (if I had any) read it. That being said, because of that, I can see why certain details were glazed over. However, after the halfway mark, my attention kept wandering. It seemed like a lot of excessive details were added into Elia’s quest. On the other hand, solutions and other details seemed to pop into the storyline too easily?

Trys was hands down my favorite character, and it was such a bummer that he went “missing” for a good chunk of the book. Regardless, I absolutely LOVED the flirtatious banter between him and Elia during their expedition to Serratura. I wanted more of that because it seemed like they went from zero to “I love you” way too quickly by the end of the book, without much relationship development.

Overall it was fun and an appropriate read for a beginner fantasy reader!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Unlock the Dark by Sasa Hawk is a third person-POV YA romantic fantasy. Elia has been siphoning off her father’s magic in order to keep her and her siblings together until she finally comes of age. When one of the gods demands that she finally let her father go and takes her youngest brother, Elia agrees to help Prince Trys and retrieve a scroll to end their kingdom’s ongoing war. But the scroll isn’t what they thought it was.

I love magic systems that have a variety of ways in which magic manifests in different people. Elia is a Conjurista, which means she can create keys and break wards by licking them. There’s also magic related to baking, making fabric, mathematics, studying, and more. Most people have magic and there are witch covens that operate independent of most of the other magic users. Of all of the systems, the one relating to fabric and threading stories into that fabric is the one I am the most interested in and would love a book exploring it more.

Elia and Trys have more of a sweet romance, in part because they are separated for a decent part of the novel, but also because they haven’t had a lot of time together before they were separated. They become engaged almost immediately but that’s more Trys trying to sweeten the pot to convince her to help him rather than out of romantic interest (though he is indeed attracted to her by that point). The romance is a fast burn in terms of pacing and overall page time that the pair spend together, but it does take the whole book for them to get together properly.

I can honestly say that the story didn’t go the direction I thought it was going to go at several different turns. I thought the romance arc was going to go in a very different direction but it did not. The main thing that I was not expecting was the halfway point and where Elia went after that. It’s interesting because she had a whole adventure before meeting Trys and an adventure after meeting him, so he’s not really her adventure but he is tied to it in a lot of ways. And I think that’s why I landed on this being a romantic fantasy rather than a fantasy romance: the story can go without Trys, but he does get the ball rolling.

I would recommend this to fans of YA romantic fantasies in third person POV, readers looking for a fantasy with a varied magic system, and those looking for a magic system relating to keys

It was actually, very good and entertaining! I loved the fast pace and I love reading standalone books so this book was perfect in regards to that! The worldbuilding was also pretty incredible for a standalone book! I'm a little disappointed though because the fast pace of this book meant sacrificing the build up of the relationship and some other details.

This magical fantasy explores what you would really do for love and family with our main characters Elia and Trys going on an adventure to seek a magical scroll and save Elia's family. This stand-alone is the perfect read for Stephanie Garber fans!

I'm a huge fantasy reader, so you can often find me with my nose in a fantasy book. I am also a teacher, so I tend to look for books that would fit the interests of high school readers. This is a book that I will consider bringing up to the school library. Sasa created a very fun/unique magical system. On top of that, the world building was fantastic and each character felt like there was much potential for their own story. This book ended in a good spot to be a "one and done," but also has the potential for a continued series, or a series of standalones following the side characters. Genuinely enjoyed this, and was very impressed that it's a debut novel! I will keep my eye out for future releases from Sasa!

The world-building and magic system in the early chapters were really intriguing and had a lot of potential, but as the story progressed, it felt like they weren’t explained enough. The pacing was also very off. It felt way too rushed for a standalone. I think it would’ve been much better if it had been slower, maybe even turned into a duology.

One of my biggest disappointments was the romance between Elia and Trys. It felt like insta-love with no real buildup or convincing development. The chemistry between them at the start had promise, but then suddenly, they were all about each other. They needed more time to build a genuine connection for it to feel real. Their characters also felt a bit immature at times, lacking the depth I was hoping for. And Elia’s decision to leave Trys for weeks to protect her family didn’t really make sense to me.

Overall, I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the second half left me wanting more and felt like it could’ve been done better.

I came across UNLOCK THE DARK by chance and I am so glad I did. This story has one of those voices that will keep you reading well past bedtime.

Working through my backlog here, I want to take a quick moment to say thank you to NetGalley and HwrperCollins for the opportunity to read and review this debut!

“They had been burdened with secrets, loss, and launch too young, and now they saw it as a normal fact of life. Well, she would change that.”

Our girl Elia is trying to keep her dying father alive, keep the family shop running, and keep debtors away from her long enough she can lie, or commission the next few until she can set up her four younger siblings into a better life. No matter the cost. When a Prince of her country comes to her with a proposition, in order to save her youngest brother she has to confront her past in order to seek her future.

This is very YA, but it’s also multilayered. The love is a bit instant, but this is a standalone. It also moves at a breakneck pace, and with all the lore pieces(multiple magics, countries, witches and creatures) this book probably could have been broken up into a duology. Just to give us some more depth to the elements introduced and smoothed out some of the plot conveniences and made it feel more whole.

I enjoyed it, but I really wanted more depth. Especially with all the magical elements.
3.75 stars

This one was fun! I adored the magic and the world-building. The creatures, witches, gods, various types of magic-imaginative and unique. I was hooked! This story follows some familiar paths of an older sister as caretaker trying to hold her family together. Elia will go to any lengths to protect her siblings. She forms an alliance with Trys, a scholar and prince, in order to pay off her family’s debts and ensure their future. When things go awry, she must draw upon her own strengths to survive. I want more of this world- a prequel? Maybe a sequel? Either way, here’s hoping the author pens another novel in this universe. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm so delighted I stumbled upon this book. I ordered a physical copy because I loved it so much. This is my type of fantasy. I loved the magic and curses. Both are new and refreshing. There are also magical creatures, who make great side characters. Elia is such an interesting character. She takes responsibility for everyone, but she also makes rash decisions and tackles the impossible. Trys is another interesting character. His background is complex, and I love his growing relationship with Elia. Their moments are cute. I could see more opportunities to go back to this world, so I'll wait and see.

A great debut young adult fantasy! Our protagonist Elia, is a key conjurist with the ability to unlock anything. To save her family she accepts a Prince's contract and opens a portal to a world she swore she'd never return to.

Unlock the Door has a unique magic system and intricate yet accessible world building. I thoroughly enjoyed it. My only complaint is the breakneck pacing in the second half. We needed more time to become invested in the stakes and I think the romance would have benefited from an increased page count as well. I would recommend to anyone in the market for a romantic young adult fantasy and I'm look forward to reading Sasa Hawk's future works.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much HarperCollins for the advanced copy!

I enjoyed reading it. I was fascinated with the world-building and the magic system. I also related a lot to Elia, the eldest in the family, who would do anything for her family.

However, there were some aspects I did not like. For instance, it would have been great if there were more pages or a duology since I did feel that some parts were rushed and or parts that were confusing. This also adds to wanting more character development for Elia, like pushing more of the boundaries of her magic.

Despite that, I would recommend reading this!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books | Storytide, and Sasa Hawk for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review of Unlock the Dark!

Not only is this a debut novel, but the way the magic works in this world is unlike anything I’ve ever read. I loved the twist on portal magic and how Elia will do anything to save her siblings, even if it hurts.

But she draws the line at a vengeful god determined to punish her for trying to do whatever she can to survive. Desperate for a way to save her little brother, she finds a solution in Trys, a handsome prince that offers his hand in marriage and every opportunity she’s ever wanted for her siblings in exchange for passage into a forbidden realm.

We get introduced to the MMC pretty much right away but he doesn’t become a main plot point until a bit later and I loved that approach. She’s reluctant to accept his offer at first but she comes around, especially when she realizes helping him achieve his goals also opens the door for her to save her brother from the gods wrath. But just when they seem to have all the answers to their problems, the unthinkable happens, Trys is transformed into a terrible beast. Now Elia must go to even greater lengths to save Trys and the rest of her family.

The way that their solution to both issues introduces a totally new and bigger problem that they have to face together was done so well. I loved that this wasn’t a twist that was glossed over in a few pages, we see Elia truly work at helping her family and Trys. We also never have those moments where Elia as an FMC forgets her goals. She continues to struggle with her choices but in the end she knows her heart is in the right place.

One of my favorite things by far was that the author was committed to making the reader care about all the characters. Whether that be character's that we meet briefly in a single chapter or Elia's own siblings, everyone that is introduced and plays a part in this story is dynamic and it was refreshing to read a story where side characters aren’t just plot fodder. It contributed to a more well-developed story and really brought this world to life in my opinion.

I’m so glad I requested this ARC because I truly believe this could be one of the best YA romantasy releases this year!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

My review was posted to Goodreads on 1/7/24.
My Instagram review will be posted on 1/10/24.

This book was fine but nothing ground-breaking. I enjoyed it well enough, but I probably won’t go out of my way to recommend it.

This book is a sweet but still intense upper YA fantasy. Full of family loyalty as well as found family. Elia will do anything for her siblings and father and eventually Trys. The beginning of this book is a lot of backstory, and the magic system is definitely unique. I thought Elia and Trys’ love story was cute, however I do wish this had been a duology or maybe even an additional 200 pages, since so much occurs and some parts felt rushed or glossed over.
Overall if you love a quirky witch, found family x real family, unique magic, a sweet and gentle MMC, and a fierce FMC then you should definitely pick this book up.
Thank you so much HarperCollins for the advanced copy!