In a world where shifters are powerful and shunned by witches, Orlando can't control their shift. They receive all the stigma (and more, since they were with their girlfriend when she died), yet none of the power. They attend Demdike College of Witchcraft, friendless and bullied, until a new boy comes along. Bastian, an insanely powerful witch, offers to help Lando resurrect their girlfriend. Lando is suspicious but desperate, desperate enough to steal a book from the library. But they didn't expect to connect to the book as fiercely and magically as they did...
I was so invested in the plot. Usually, I'm a huge romance fan (not to say there isn't romance here), but the plot had me hooked. I literally could not put my Kindle down by the end because I needed to know what happened next. I loved the fast pacing and witchy atmosphere; I felt like I was gathering ingredients and flashing back with Lando and Bastian. And the twist at the end was absolute genius. I almost predicted it, but it stayed elusive. The ending wrapped up nicely and everything fantastical felt realistic. I really connected with each character and I loved how they connected with each other. I'll admit I squealed whenever Lando and Bastian interacted. The denial really is pretty funny.

3.5 rounded up. I really enjoy the trans content, and having a nonbinary shifter getting used to a different body was super interesting. i wished it focused more on that. I thought that the main character went along too quickly with the idea of resurrecting their dead girlfriend, and didn't question it as much as they should've at the beginning. I think a lot of teen readers will appreciate its fast pace, but at times it felt more like vignettes rather than a cohesive story. with all that being said i still loved the voice and would enjoy trying different books from Emma Hinds!

This is my first book my Emma and I absolutely loved the premise. I think this might have been a situation of right book wrong time. I think I might have enjoyed this book a little more around the fall. I read paranormal all year long but I think this book would have hit differently in the right setting.

This book starts with an interesting concept. A magical school, a shapeshifter dealing with grief, and a risky spell to bring someone back from the dead definitely sets the stage for something exciting.

However, despite being centered around witchcraft, shapeshifting, and resurrection spells, the story didn’t feel very magical to me. The atmosphere lacked that sense of wonder or enchantment you usually expect in fantasy. The magical elements were there in theory, but they didn’t come to life in a way that felt immersive or exciting.

The emotional tone also felt flat at times. While the story deals with grief and identity, the characters’ inner thoughts were often repetitive and didn’t really add depth. The romance leaned heavily into clichés, and the pacing was bogged down by filler scenes that made it hard to stay engaged.

If you enjoy light fantasy and academy stories with a romantic twist, you might enjoy this book more than I did.

We have queer rep, dark academia (magical school) and a shapeshifter! The emotional stakes were high and this had brilliant vibes! It’s a true YA with writing style and pacing but I think people of all ages should try this one.

This was the first book I've read by this author and it won't be my last!
I love how much care and thought went into the book and it shows.

this book presents an ambitious blend of queer identity, grief & magic within a magical academy setting, following a shapeshifter named Lando on a desperate quest to bring their girlfriend back from the dead. the idea for this book is intriguing, with emotional stakes and a unique protagonist whose shifting gender is what originally drew me to requesting this book. however, the worldbuilding lacks in the sense of i was majorly confused about how lando’s identity shifting goes about, whether it’s whole being or how they present themselves and the magic system is not clearly explained, and left me wanting more clarity. the character development, specifically for Lando and Bastian, felt a bit repetitive to me, which it could entirely just be me!! this book definitely has strong representation and emotional potential, its pacing and YA writing style may not be everyone’s cup of tea. i still had a great time reading regardless of all these things and i will be buying a physical copy for my shelves!

This was fantastically done! Haunting and heartbreaking, we watch Orlando try and survive the events of his past. But a new friend may make the difference.

I love YA books with nonbinary shifters. Give me all the YA books with nonbinary shapeshifters. I really enjoyed this one! This was the first book I've read by this author and I was very impressed. Fun mix of magic, trying to bring the dead, and romance.