Thank you to Simon Teen for providing me this ARC!!

This is a 3.5/5 star read.

I just wanna start out by saying this book isn’t normally the type of thing I read. I go for more epic fantasies, usually something part of a series.

But reading Steel & Spellfire I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself enjoying it. There were a lot of aspects I liked, and some I didn’t. So here are the pros and cons!

Pros:

• The fantasy aspects of this book were really well done. The world felt very alive and I loved the magic system so much!
• The characters were relatable and layered, and they weren’t perfect, which was great!
• I liked the air of mystery/suspense in this book a lot. It kept me on edge and kept me wanting to confine reading.

Cons:

• I was really bored for the first hundred or so pages, which is not good at all. I understand it was a lot of buildup but I considered DNFing this book more than once.
• I wasn’t a fan of some of the characters names. For some reason, some of them just made me cringe (but I think that’s more of a me thing lol)
• I didn’t like how Pandora kept be described as small and fragile and little. I get that she was, but to keep saying it over and over got kind of annoying to me…also her last name being Small and then having her being described as a mouse, as petite, etc. Just wasn’t a fan of it!

Overall, I liked this book. It was easily digestible, nothing that stood out as phenomenal or life-changing, but a pleasant read. Definitely worth it if you enjoy Bridgerton mixed with fantasy!

This was an interesting one! I felt that the romance was too insta-lovey but once I realized at the end that this was a standalone (I think?) I forgave it a little bit. I was much more invested in the relationships between Pandora/Imogen and Theo/Imogen! Loved seeing Pan and Imogen’s friendship blossom. The magic system was kind of hit or miss at some points, and I didn’t really care about the final patron reveal. Overall, it was just alright.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for the DRC!

𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘭 & 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 follows a talented young mage escaping persecution by posing as an Ingenue during court season. She's hoping to locate, and destroy, her magic-bound patron, but her mission becomes complicated as her fellow Ingenues are murdered and a handsome guard discovers her secret. This entertaining escape is full of mystery, intrigue, and forbidden romance.

When I saw 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 as a comp title, I knew I was going to need this book like I need air. It's a fun and bingeable YA fantasy with a sweet romantic subplot, which is exactly what I expect from Simon Teen titles. It's not anything groundbreaking, but it delivers to its target audience in a way it means to.

We have a society that fears the unknown and misunderstood - which results in hunting a population with magical gifts. We meet an orphan girl with a mysterious past and powerful magic, and we watch as she infiltrates high society and falls for a palace guard. It's a bit formulaic, but I think that's to be expected.

I wasn't expecting the love interest, Beacon, to be attracted to Pan so quickly, but it made some sense and was rather sweet in its protective nature. However, you may want to pass if you aren't looking for insta-love.

I would recommend this for fans of 𝘉𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 and 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘏𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯.