I enjoyed this book a lot! I liked the Renaissance and historical aspects. The main character acts a little immature, but she is a teenager. I'm not thrilled by the love triangle set up, but it might go better than I expect. I will definitely be reading the sequel!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4.5/5 stars.

Okay, so....yes this is a late review HOWEVER I enjoyed this SO MUCH. The plot was new with YA, the world building was fine considering it's the first book in the series. The romance? the YEARNING with Rafe and the slow enemies to lovers, fake dating, but wait they can't but their energy matches? THE BANTER. I loved it. Give me more. I didn't like the whole love triangle...but it's fine. I also enjoyed just the science and magic and the influence from Judaism. I also didn't see the twist at the end (although it makes sense). Anyways, GIVE ME BOOK 2.

This book delivers everything you’d want from a secret-society-meets-hidden-school story—plus unexpected ethical dilemmas, romance, and high-stakes drama.

Ada Castle is a lovable disaster, the world-building is chef’s kiss, and the mentor-recruiter romance? Yes, please. The tension between Genesis hoarding its advancements versus sharing them adds depth, making Ada’s mission more than just sneaky espionage.

Fast-paced, unique, and entertaining—I’d absolutely enroll at Genesis. Would I survive Ada’s chaos? Doubtful.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon Teen for this eARC and for sending the physical copy!

Contemporary Fantasy debut? Say less!

Thank you @simonteen for my digital galley . The Art of Exile released in May and I am little surprised that I haven’t seen it around much because I actually quite enjoyed it

I am talking secret societies with a high tech style magical academy for people with special innate abilities. They get to train their ability and perform before the guild masters to be chosen into a special guild. The most fun part was that it has immaculate renaissance vibes along with sci-fi ish technology and somehow they both work in tandem and keeps you engaged

Ada is infiltrating Genesis academy, a long last school for descendants of renaissance masters that were once exiled. After her ancestors fruitless endeavors in finding this highly secretive academy, Ada finally manages to get in. She needs to steal the advanced technology and innovations from the school to take it to the rest of the world because Genesis academy is unwilling to share as the prior trials were not able to provide positive outcomes. However, everything Ada was raised to believe gets tested during her time at the academy and she might be the only chance to bring the two communities together before the world falls into a chaos

There is intrigue, there is romance, camaraderie, messy teenage angst and much more. It definitely had the Da Vinci code vibes with a blend of myths and legends seamlessly mixing with futuristic elements. I was quite impressed with the author for pulling off this mashup of the genres! I am really excited to see how the sequel develops from here on.

If you are looking for something fascinating that’d would definitely keep you engaged from the beginning do give it a try. It felt like a breath of fresh air to me.

RATING: 3 out of 5 Enchanted Roses

ONE-WORD REVIEW: Alchemical

OPENING LINE: It figures that when I’m finally chosen for something, it’s to be kidnapped.

REVIEW:

First, I want to thank Simon & Schuster for an e-ARC of 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝐸𝓍𝒾𝓁𝑒!


𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝐸𝓍𝒾𝓁𝑒 felt like it was built from the best pieces of the stories we all grew up on—Harry Potter secret trains, Sailor Moon clumsiness, and Divergent-style moral chaos—but filtered through something much more self-aware, sparkly, and Jewish. Ada is your classic disaster teen: brilliant in weird ways, thirsty as hell, and carrying enough angst to power Florence. She's trying to prove herself to everyone—her secretive mom, her intimidating classmates, the entire Utopian society of the Makers—and keeps stumbling headfirst into moral grey zones and steamy hallway moments. Her voice is so endearing and awkward and real, it almost feels like reading a text from your younger self (if your younger self got fake-kidnapped into a Renaissance-inspired science cult).

"𝐻𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝑜𝓊𝓉𝒽 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝒾𝓁𝓈 𝓊𝓅 𝓉𝑜 𝓃𝒾𝓅 𝒶𝓉 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝒶𝓇, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓌𝑒 𝓉𝑜𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝒾𝓈 𝑜𝓃 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒. 𝒩𝑜𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓁𝒾𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒻𝓁𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝒸𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓁𝑒, 𝒷𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓇𝓊𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒷𝓁𝒶𝓏𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝒾𝓃 𝒻𝓁𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓈."

The world-building is a hybrid of history nerd dreams and slick, high-concept fantasy tech. There’s hoverjousting, secret tunnels, and a morally ambiguous magical society that thinks it knows better than the rest of the world. And sure, the romance gets melodramatic, the plot slows some in the middle, and a few tropes are loud—but it works. The Makers' utopia is both dazzling and uncomfortable, and Ada’s internal conflict about whether it deserves to exist at all? That is where the book shines.

And, of course, you know I have to mention the romance. The romance is very YA in the best possible way: intense, confusing, deliciously forbidden. There's a love triangle—which you know I hate—, but it works because both love interests are compelling in totally different ways. Ada is PARCHED, and it’s actually hilarious—but it’s also very real for a seventeen-year-old grappling with identity, insecurity, and the pressure to matter. Her romantic arc parallels her emotional growth, and the way she navigates her feelings (and her choices) adds to the heart of the story. You’ll swoon. You’ll yell at her. You’ll maybe cry.

𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈

✨Renaissance-era Lore
✨Secret societies
✨Magic school
✨Found family
✨Gripping ethical dilemmas
✨Diverse and Inclusive Cast—Jewish mythology rep & LGBTQ+ rep
✨ Magic Powers
✨ Romance Tropes—fake dating, love triangle, enemies-to-lovers

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉: 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝐸𝓍𝒾𝓁𝑒 is a whip-smart, romantic, twisty debut that does what every good magical school story should: sweep you into another world while asking big, uncomfortable questions. Come for the magic and hoverjousting tournaments, stay for the moral philosophy, queer joy, and hilarious teenage yearning. I can’t wait to see what chaos the sequel brings.

Happy Reading!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
Bookstagram: @TheTatteredPage

www.TheTatteredPage.com

If you like academia books, secret societies, utopian worlds and Harry Potter (but more upper ya/new adult) then you'll get hooked on this series? Stunning world building, great characters, love triangle, mythological creatures, magic, this book has it all. It was a fun ride from beginning to end. I can't wait for more.

Love me some hidden magical schools. This had secrets and drama, and magic topped off with pretty solid characters. The pacing was good, and I felt engaged through out by the plot. This had a really interesting sort of speculative, magical realism vibe, too. I really liked that, it gave the story some unique-ness and made it a more compelling read.

A intriguing story about a hidden magical school and magical student with secrets,magic,drama,doubt and possible romance.
Good characters that share the story.
Voluntarily reviewed.

YA fantasy that blends secret societies, lost Renaissance knowledge, and a protagonist trying to prove she’s more than just the family screw-up—and it works so well. Think Legendborn meets The Da Vinci Code with a splash of light academia vibes.

We follow Ada Castle, who infiltrates the ultra-secret Genesis Institute, a school where descendants of exiled Renaissance masters keep ancient magical arts and sciences alive. Her mission? Steal their secrets for her own family’s society. But of course, things get messy when Ada starts to fall in love with the school—and maybe her off-limits recruiter, too. 👀

What makes this book shine is the setting—hoverjousting, sustainable tech, golems—it’s the kind of magical realism that feels fresh and exciting. Ada’s voice is relatable, witty, and full of heart. Her inner conflict, torn between loyalty to her family and her new friends, gives the story real emotional weight.

Add in mysterious disappearances, secret agendas, and a touch of romance, and you’ve got a page-turner that doesn’t let go.

Dark academia can be very hit or miss with me but I found this one was really enjoyable. I was really intrigued by the synopsis and it did not disappoint :)

The Art of Exile by Andrea Max is the first in the Academy of Muses Series and is such a fun ride from the start. It pulls you in from the very first line! I really enjoyed this story. I was drawn to it from the book cover and once I read the Legendborn meets Da Vinci Code line in the description, I was absolutely hooked!

The writing in this book was so freaking refreshing. The way Andrea uses her words to express even the tiniest things is so beautifully perfect. It sets the tone, allows for more emotion and even visualizations.

I liked that this was rooted in family dynamics and trying to prove oneself. It’s such a relatable things for many, if not everyone. That feeling of being less than everybody else around you and having to live up to other people’s expectations of you. It’s a lot, but people get through it. I also liked that at the same time as Ada feeling down on herself, she also had to hide herself and not know the extent of her true self. Such a fun dynamic to play with for her journey.

It was interesting to see things from a teen’s perspective, not only traveling alone to a foreign country but also put into so many different circumstances. I loved her snarkiness and the art history throughout the story.

If you love things like fantasy, kidnapping, magical schools, art history, magical gifts, mysteries, and some twists and turns, this is for you!

I can’t wait for the next book to come out!

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The Art of Exile from Andrea Max via NetGalley

Thank you to SimonTeen for an eARC of this book.
#SimonTeenInfluencers

I gave myself until 20% before I could DNF this book. While 20% isn't very far, I was not hooked.
The opening chapters were a good start and did pull me in, but the more we learn about the society and the FMC situation I became disinterested.
Unfortunately the emotional investment for any character or situation wasn't there so I was not compelled to keep reading.
The premise was interesting, and the first couple of chapters were good, but this just wasn't for me!

2.5 rounded down

while the blurb was intriguing to me, this book unfortunately did not end up being to my taste.

to be glib about it- the book’s plot relies on you buying a whole lot of Europe-glazing (which I don’t), accepting a high schooler-teacher relationship as romantic a la pretty little liars (I don’t), finding our MC’s fixation on her bladder amusing (still don’t), and accepting that someone can be hot and bothered by someone who keeps calling them slurs (I don’t, but it is commonplace in romantasy). so it’s not for me…..

I think the prose and narration was very juvenile, but upon reflection, that’s okay for a juvenile audience. I actually think the overall tone, plot cohesion, and humor is not that far removed from stuff like PJO which I loved when I read. unfortunately, the book does incorporate more maturity into the romance, so I can’t recommend it to middle grade audiences.

Thank you to SimonTeen for an eARC and physical arc of this book. #SimonTeenInfluencers

W0w! This was so good! I had such a good time with this one. The world building was fabulous. The descriptions of the world were so rich that I felt like I could close my eyes and be there. I thought the relationship dynamics between our main characters came into interesting play and will continue to in the future. I was hooked and HAD to know what happened next. The plot was set up well and I look forward to reading more from this author. I love Ada and I am excited to hear more about Rafe and Michael. I can't wait for book 2!

Side note: I know the book was talking about the actual artists when they mentioned Raphael and Michaelangelo but my first thought was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles which was a very fun visual for me.

From the moment I started reading, I knew I was going to love this book. By chapter 12, I was completely hooked—this quickly became one of my most memorable reads, and I’d give it six stars if I could! The rich descriptions of Avant’s scenery, the spot-on depictions of New York, and the fascinating details about Maker society were all beautifully done.
As a big fantasy fan, I was a little nervous when I noticed some sci-fi elements creeping in, but the author makes them incredibly accessible and easy to follow—I was pleasantly surprised!
And the romance? It had me hanging on by a thread! Ada’s love triangle (or love pyramid?) had me flipping pages just to see what she’d decide. While the romance had its steamy moments of tension, it’s perfect for readers who want something with spark but not spice—think intense kisses and touches that could’ve led to more.
The only downside? It’s a new release—so now I have to wait in agony for the sequel! I found myself slowing down just to savor it, even though I was desperate to know what would happen next. BRAVO!

I am a lover of dark academia so I was a little unsure whether I would like “light academia.” If this book is that, the answer is yes! It was still atmospheric, lots of world building, some humor, some love (and a love triangle to boot!) and I ate it UP. CANT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!

The Art of Exile almost made me exile the book. Much of the plot felt delivered through telling and the dialogue often felt awkward, and so I gave my self to 50% to decide if I should DNF. While I continued to rage read, there were some interesting plot points that started to show up. I made it to 50% and kept going. There are some parts of this that felt like a mashup of a bunch of other YA series… Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter in particular… the being sorted into guilds that have hoverjousting teams that compete against each other. But I did finish it, so that counts for something. Will I read the next one… I honestly don’t know.

A secret magical school for descendants of Renaissance masters on an island hidden away from “normal” humans. There’s magic, a love triangle, and high stakes.

Thank you @simonteen #partner for the gifted copies of this book!

Book friends — The Art of Exile by Andrea Max completely took me by surprise. No really, it blew my mind! This was my first read by Andrea, and let’s just say I’ve officially laced up my running shoes so I can sprint to grab whatever she writes next. Seriously… this book was an absolute blast.

I had no idea how much I was going to fall in love with this world. Secret schools? Check. Houses with actual personalities (yep, you read that right — houses with attitudes). Magic, talent rankings, gifted characters, loveable weirdos, heart, humor — it’s all here, and somehow it just works. It gave me major Harry Potter-meets-secret-society vibes with its own fresh, original spin that made it feel totally unique.

I don’t think any review I write will fully capture how much fun this book was, but if you’re a fan of fantasy, magic, secret societies, or just stories that feel wonderfully different from anything else out there, do yourself a favor and pick this one up. I’m already itching for a reread just to soak it all in again. And thank goodness this is book one because I am hooked. Bravo, Andrea Max — you’ve got a new fan over here! 5 big, sparkling stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Oh, this was different!

This magical school includes those with and without magic; those without magic are highly intelligent with a twist. I loved this book, and Ada was a wonderful main female character. She is looking for her place, her tribe, a place to belong. Reading her reflection of hw poorly she felt, thinking that she wasn't gifted and a failure to her family, drew tears from my eyes. I place a lot of weight on ensuring my family is pleased, so this part of the story snatched Ada's character from the page and made her a real person for me. This was such a real moment. The character and world-building were solid, though I wish we dove deeper into the world and its magic system. However, considering that this is a series, I am sure we will get more. I appreciated Ada's morals and willingness to go against the norm to support what she felt was right.

This book is a journey. It has a magic school, an interesting magic system, a soft love triangle, flying, a magical sporting event, and a solid enemies-to-lovers, fake dating trope. I can't wait for the next installment of this series.

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books, and Andrea Max for the ARC of The Art of Exile