Addicting, politically poignant, gangs, and power loosely inspired by colonial India.

Poppy is the adopted daughter of the Duke of Cloudcliff, the viceroy of Viryana. She is Virian - dark-haired and brown-skinned, backward. She had to be the perfect Welkish daughter, or she would be no one at all.

Hasan is an oddly idealistic leader of a a gang, alongside his brothers, a daivyakt able to control fire due to divine power counted as heresy by the Welkish.

<b>He reminded her of the tigers that noblemen were fond of hunting: handsome at a distance, but lethal in close quarters.
</b>
This tackles prejudice and self-hatred - the feeling of being an imposter everywhere. How we define being civilised. How to tackle ingrained bias and perceptions.

The over-simplified moral convictions did grate on me at times as it felt like a mouthpiece to get across an agenda. However, knowing this is probably the purpose of the book, I accepted this angle.

My main issue was our heroine, Poppy. She was very wishy-washy and she was not a character I found myself automatically rooting for.

The world-building was immense but also light in the sense that not much was explained. This made it easy to fly through, but the more I think on it, the more I realise there was so much potential - from the elemental magic, to the gods, to the technology.

This felt like a Dickinson-type setting, yet there are instances where there is a modern technology which throws the reading experience off.

The ending felt very rushed, as well as the setting up for the next book. The prose was simple and easy to tear through.

I think I have guessed the reveal of the series - I clocked it at 57%. I look forward to seeing if I am right in latter books.

Arc gifted by Bindery Books.

Wow!! Took me a day after finishing to even start this review! The author did an incredible job with this story. I love a strong FMC and this one is top tier! There is a lot going on, but the author was able to write it in a way that I didn’t get lost or overwhelmed. I will be patiently counting down the days till book two is released.

It was interesting enough to keep me going into the book because of the commentary it makes about colonialism. The impact that has to someone whose a BIPOC that assimilates to white culture. But like make it fantastical, interesting and full of intrigue. I actually really liked it!!!

And my man, Hasan... he's so cute to me but he'll probably hate being described that!! I adoreeeee the relationship he has with his brothers, it's really sweet and strong. It's refreshing.

Another thing though, the quiet moments where we're learning more about the characters, the plot, and the society they live in felt boring SOMETIMES. Because with the idea being colonialism, I felt like I knew how things were going to go so it felt quiet predictable.

Would still recommend this book if the ideas it explores intrigues you. It's a great read!!

I stumbled across this book on TikTok because I follow Emma Skies, who acquired this book through Bindery. The cover is GORGEOUS, and as an international adoptee I was wary of but intrigued by the premise.

I needn’t have worried. I don't even fully know where to begin, but I thought this book -- once I got over the first 26% or so -- was brilliant. I only really got pulled in once our main characters' goals came together, but after that it simply flew by.

I loved all of the characters in this. The main characters, Poppy and Hasan, have a kind of naivety to their worldviews, and they both come to understandings, by the end of the book, that left me feeling relieved. There's a lot that happens towards the end of the book, and I think all of it is earned... and therefore extremely satisfying to see. The side characters are numerous, and I enjoyed what all of them brought to the narrative. Our main characters are often challenged for their words/decisions, and I loved how characters are not easily let off the hook for their choices.

Poppy, especially, was such a wonderful character. Without giving too much away, I think her growth over the course of the book was such a joy to witness. Underlying all of her actions is this desperate longing to belong somewhere, and that’s a feeling that resonated with me so deeply, as an asian adoptee raised by white people. I just loved her.

I have so many thoughts about this book, and not all of them are super coherent at the moment, but I am looking forward to this book's release and cannot wait for the sequel.

Thank you to Bindery & NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have to say, this story… it’s a pretty engaging read. The story follows Poppy Sutherland, who’s been away for seven years and is now trying to find her place in Welkish society. Along the way, she meets Hasan Devar, a notorious gang leader, and together they get tangled up in some serious political intrigue. 

Poppy’s struggles a lot with her identity through this story, which I found added a lot of richness to the plot. The world-building was amazing too, with a unique magic system that adds to the story.

The pacing (for me) was absolutely perfect! It had me hooked from page 1 and I really, really loved that the book doesn’t end on a cliffhanger. It wraps up nicely while leaving just enough to make you want more. Overall, it’s a thought-provoking debut that blends political intrigue, magic, and complex characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bindery Books

Thank you Bindery Books, Skies Press, and NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I overall rated this a 4 star out of 5.

The character’s depth felt rigid. While we learn their inner thoughts and workings via the shifting POVs and through their words and actions, I feel like I was told more than shown. The relationship between Poppy and Hasan felt like it solidified too fast while the story itself felt too slow.

There was a lot that felt like fluff that could have been removed and would have made the book a bit faster paced and less full of info dumping. It could be 50-75 pages shorter and still pack a powerful punch with the themes presented. It felt like maybe book one’s main goal was to give a deeper understanding of the lore, political structure, and magical system, and then possibly more intricacies to the magic system and character depth will be introduced in the next book? I definitely hope the magic system comes more into play in the next book.

Having said that, I did enjoy the story as a whole. I think the themes are strong pillars throughout the book and incredibly necessary for people to read. The politics are eerily similar to our current climate, and I felt those similarities are so important to be shared.

I enjoyed watching Poppy learn and fall in love with her culture after so many years being forced into a box that didn’t fit her. The fights against systemic racism and sexism are also relevant and powerfully written and presented. This was the strongest part of the book and rightfully should be.

The author’s voice is so strong. She writes with a beautiful cadence that’s easy to follow. I highlighted so many one liners that were so powerful and made me incredibly emotional. Overall this is an incredible freshman novel.

I enjoyed this a lot and love the themes.

A good solid debut from an obviously veryv talented author. Great female lead character with an interesting and unique magic system. Reminded me a bit of a cross between Brandon Sanderson and Gourav Mohanty. Recomended for sure!

3.5 stars! Thank you so much NetGalley and Skies Press for the advance copy! As always this review is completely my own honest opinion. Review incoming ¨̮
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To Bargain with Mortals did some things really really well, and other parts fell flat for me so this book lands in the solid 3 range for me. It was overall a very powerful and well written book, and the social commentary made in it was phenomenal. This book covered lots of heavy topics like colonialism, racism, sexism, classism, prejudice vs privilege, religious intolerance and abuse of power.

What I really loved about this book was that every single issue was shown from multiple sides, and nothing was black and white. We also got to see how upbringing plays a big part in internal biases that are hard to break, even when you know they’re wrong. The social commentary in this book is so impactful and is very relevant to the world today.

Beneath all of that however, the actual plot fell extremely flat for me. The story was extremely predictable and had nothing uniquely special to it. While the issues the story highlighted and the message it had were very profound, there was nothing in the plot that hooked me in. It was a basic story of a young woman coming in to her power and becoming a ruler. I was very happy that romance played such a small role, they very much set the romance up to be a bigger plot in the sequel which was nice. The book focused so much on Poppy becoming her own person and coming in to her own power that a romance plot would have been way too much on top. The pacing was very strange to me, with the ending feeling very rushed. The main plot of the book only spans about 3 weeks and in it way too much is accomplished. We’re talking huge political movements and revolutions. Everything also came together way too easily in the end, it all worked out way too perfectly. It almost felt idealistic instead of realistic. I really enjoyed the first half of the book but the second half just didn’t flow as well structurally. The writing of the book was very well done and it flowed very well. A lot of the statements made were very poetic, profound, and deep. I had a really hard time connecting with the dialogue though, which made it really hard to connect to the characters. A lot of the dialogue sounded very childish to me and not very natural.

I think the main character Poppy had an amazing character arc and growth. There were so many times where she was infuriating me to no end, but was then checked by other characters and immediately self reflected to grow as a person. She changes so much throughout the story and uses every experience to evolve her world view and perspective. Despite all this however she still wasn’t my favorite character and I never really cared if she accomplished her goal or not. My main issue was that even until the very end, after she had learned and experienced so much, her motivations still felt selfish. She always said she wanted the title because it was her birthright, not because she wanted to help others when asked. I very much loved all of the side characters!! Hasan and the brothers were amazing. As well as Samina and Harithi. I think all of them carried the story more than Poppy. Even Catherine and Theodore had more personality than Poppy. Overall I think this book did an amazing job of highlighting very real and very relevant societal problems, and it did it in a very profound way. I just think the rest of the underlying plot was average. I still thought this was a very well written book and a great debut novel!

To Bargain with Mortal is a magnificent read, point blank, nothing else to say. But since I love to yap, here's a little bit of my opinions: I thought the writing style was gorgeous, I thought the characters jumped straight out the page and I loved how human they all felt like while reading, and I thought the magic system was to die for.

Fantasy is one of my favorite genres in the whole world, and this one was the exact type of fantasy I was looking for. I was never bored, never tired and never disappointed throughout all the twists-and-turns this book took, and I'm inmensely thankful for the opportunity to have read it early.

I loved this book a lot! The magic system was wonderfully done and it was a great story! Would highly recommend.

Nope! No no no. Put this down at 16%, and I have no desire to pick it up again. For me, it’s obvious this is a debut. The author relies on telling instead of showing, and mutilates a dead horse with her over explaining. On top of it all, the plot is average at best, and adds nothing to the fantasy genre. I was really looking forward to this one, so it sucks that I have to write this, but… no. That’s all, folks.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚Rating*ੈ✩‧₊˚
3.5/5 Stars
(Rounded Up)

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗Tropes˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗
🌊 Broken Society
🔥 Dual POV
🌊 Underestimated Fmc
🔥 Unique Magic System

𓂃🖊Notes and Highlights-

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･“You don’t have to have the same experience as someone to feel for them, only the desire to understand.”°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

💭 Thoughts-
I thought this was a very interesting book that was fun to read, with a lot of political intrigue in the plot and lots of power struggle and stuff like that. I liked the magic system that was in the book and thought it was pretty unique too. I did struggle with really connecting with the main character Poppy though. Not only that, but I thought she was a bit annoying at times and a little pick me just with the whole I’m not like the girls like I get it you aren't like all the other high society girls but like still get over yourself girlie. 🙄. I will say I did enjoy seeing the growth she went through throughout the book and just how she come to realize the actual state of her society and everything. All in all a good book, butt not the best by any means.

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This was amazing. 10/10 no notes. I loved it so much and I need the second book injected into my veins ASAP.

Thank you NetGalley and Bindery Books for this ARC.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but that wasn't it. Politics, intrigue, gangs and magic with a young woman stuck in the middle trying to make her mark. Can't wait to read the sequel

To Bargain with Mortals is a sharp, evocative, and beautifully layered fantasy that grabbed me from the very first page and refused to let go.

Set in the colonized nation of Viryana, this story offers so much more than the enemies-to-allies dynamic between a disgraced heiress and a feared gang leader. It's a story about power, identity, and the fractures left by empire. Poppy and Hasan are two magnetic leads, equally flawed and driven, both caught in a system that wants them silent. And yet, together, they spark change.

What I loved most was how this book blends intimate character growth with big political stakes. The worldbuilding is rich and immersive, but never gets in the way of the emotional core. Poppy’s internal conflict—caught between the world that raised her and the one she longs to fight for—feels achingly real. Hasan, with his fury, grief, and reluctant hope, is equally unforgettable.

The writing is clear, powerful, and full of purpose. The tension (emotional, political, romantic) is perfectly paced, and the magic system tied to divine inheritance is both elegant and thematically meaningful. Every element—colonial critique, rebellion, romance—feels essential.

This book made me feel angry, inspired, and breathless in the best way. It’s about what we owe to ourselves and each other. About how survival, in the face of oppression, is both resistance and reclamation.

A must-read for fans of political fantasy, slow-burn romance, and stories that challenge the systems they’re set in.

I have been absolutely, on every level, blown away by this story. I don't think I've ever been so invested in a character as I have been with our wonderful Poppy and the character arc she embarks on. Its very much a character driven story and to have a MCs like Poppy and Hasan at the helm made the chapters fly by. The writing was absolutely amazing and the pace has never been so perfect. Through every page I was completely immersed in this world and its dynamics. The vibes are here, the vibes are great. I would have like a little more of its magic system displayed but I'm happy with what was shown and can't wait to read what's to come!
Thank you Netgalley and Bindery for the chance to read this awesome debut!

Thank you to Bindery and Netgalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.75 stars rounded up. I devoured this book. After I got past the 10% mark I was invested. I do wish the first 10% hooked me quicker than it did but once it had me, it had me.

I loved the character growth our main character goes through and I can't wait to see how much she changes in the sequel. These were lovable and complicated characters and I really enjoyed their depth.

The magic system in this book was also interesting and I can't wait to see how it plays out in the second book. I have a feeling this series will be one of my favorites once it progresses even more!

I have conflicting thoughts about this one, and unfortunately to get into it I would need to mention things that are spoilers so I will just do some commentary now and wait to write a more in depth review when the book is officially released on October 28th.
With that out of the way I’ll start with the downsides: To Bargain With Mortals is mainly worldbuilding for the second book in the duology, a very long prologue or prequel, if you will. We are shown many cultural and political aspects that will play a part in the continuation, get to know the characters and setting as well as the historic events that lead us to where the territory is at present. It lacked action and stronger plot points, so it felt a bit underwhelming at times. Another problem that will(hopefully) be fixed on the final product is not enough editing, as an example there is some information that is given to us at multiple occasions.
However the good vastly outweighs the bad. It’s a very good book about colonization and the erasure of customs and culture that comes with it. The commentary about occupation, racism, privilege of class and gender and marginalization is so relevant to current world problems, making it an important book nowadays.
Overall I enjoyed the book, and am excited for the sequel.

Thank you Netgalley and Bindery Books for the ARC!

This is a great debut fantasy novel. I mean it has everything if you think about it; an interesting magical system, political warfare, a strong but underestimated female lead and a hot headed but kind male lead. It is well written, fast paced, and a page turner. There is also growth and development in the characters which makes them more appealing and real. The racism and subjugation have also been depicted aptly by the writer.

I really like the fact that there is no black and white in the story, even the supposedly good people Virians have discrimination amongst them. Which gives the plot depth and makes it feel even better when they all come together.

I can’t wait to read the sequel and am eagerly waiting for the romance.

Thank you NetGalley and BinderyBooks for the title.

4.5 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I found each of the main and secondary characters to be very dynamic. I loved the elemental magic system and the world of politics created. I’m excited to see where the next book leads.