The FMC, Paisley, Pais for short, is a truly remarkable and compassionate FMC who had so much growth throughout the entire story. Her development was gracefully written and well paced.

The MMC, Logan, is a free spirit who encourages us to tap into our own inner strength as we read. I have a feeling that the second book will help us get deeper into Logan's journey, and who he truly is.

The relationships and friendships created in this book have me needing to know more. It was exactly what I wanted from their banter to their “secrets”.

The book follows her through her first year as a student. Pas attending an extremely prestigious collage for Witches and Wizards. She attends classes, starts to make some friends, spends time with her (quirky) siblings, and tries not to be killed by the mysterious monsters. Oh and she is suppose to stay away from our MMC, yet when trouble comes knocking, he is the one who is there…is he trying to save her or kill her???

The cliffhanger is killing me but definitely means I’ll continue to find out what happens, well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jaymin Eve, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the sibling dynamic and strong family ties. The magic system was fascinating. I wanted to know more about it. I hope there is more in book 2. The mysterious and powerful MMC is everything. I can’t forget he has tattoos. She is drawn to him. Loved it! I also adored the FMC's friend group. I will say that the pace was off. I found there to be a decent amount of slow moments. I love mundane activities that happened it felt like the plot wasn’t moving forward. I can’t wait to find out more about the reveals at the end of the book. I need book two now!! I highly recommend it!

Witches, dark academia vibes, magic school? SIGN ME UP!!! The characters in this story definitely need more growth and maybe we can see that with another book but I felt like the characters came off immature a majority of the time which really made it hard for me in a lot of moments. Paisley felt like a “good girl” who was rebelling as a cry for attention which drove me insane. Logan felt like he was taking the blame for things he had no control over which felt so unfair. And so of course Paisley and Logan have to have a moment, why wouldn’t they! Haha! This felt very much like a YA, so if this continues as a series I’d love to see it be what it claims, new adult. Overall, this was fine but I’m not sure if I’ll be obsessed with it and need to read if the story turns into a series.

When I tell you that I screamed while reading this book so many time. I gave this book a 4.5 stars. It was utterly amazing the perfect blend of Dark Academia, magic, monsters, and "Who Touched You". Jaymin Eve did an amazing job portraying Paisley's character as a person who is an underdog who just so happens to be one of the most powerful witches in the universe. I also would call this an enemies to lovers more so a friend to lovers, because Logan in essence did not hate Paisley and I would even go as far as to say that there was a one sided beef with Logan. Because although Logan's Dad, Mr. Kingston hated Paisley family, it did not seem like that hatred was passed down to Logan.

This book would have been 5 stars for me if it wasnt for the obsessive talk of sex sometimes. I think that certain parts of the plot there was no need for sexual commentary or when Logan gave Paisley foreplay and it healed her... It didnt make sense to me at the moment. But other than that I really liked the book. Leaving it on the plot twist that it was left on with Paisley trying to figure out what the hell is going on with her mother and her creating the monsters were insane . But I love a good cliff hanger so I will be waiting patiently for the next book.

Overall, I loved the concept of this book and cannot wait to get my hands on the next book of the series! Such a good read.

I am really conflicted on this one. Logan was a great male main, and I enjoyed the mystery built around him. I also actually really liked the overall story, and the pacing was fast and kept me engaged the whole time. That being said, there was just so much that started to grate.

The first being that there were times this felt a bit juvenile, and like I was reading a book about high school students rather than college students. A big part of this, I think, was Paisley herself. She kept doing that really annoying thing where people tell her not to go off on her own, she knows she shouldn’t, agrees, and then does it anyways, and OF COURSE, something bad happens. I cannot tell you the number of times this happened and it got to be so annoying. Also, the amount of love for her family and friends was just harped on way too much. After a certain point it just didn’t feel genuine and again made her seem really juvenile. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate Paisley, I may just have wanted to throw an object or two at her during the course of the book.

I also wasn’t a fan of how the book ended. I was left with the feeling, “was that it?” Like it was sort of a cliffhanger because we are left with a lot of questions but it also felt kind of…flat?

Overall there was enough intrigue with the plot that I think I will keep going with the series, and I am hoping Paisley experiences some growth between this book and book 2.

Paisley Hallistar is the youngest witch of five siblings and it's finally her turn to head to college. With no expectations of following in her families legacy, Paisley is shocked when she receives an invite to Weatherstone College in main. The most sought after and prestigious, Paisley feels like a fish out of water when she hasn't even unlocked her magic's affinity yet. With her father as a professor and four older siblings ahead of her, you'd think Paisley would be safe at Weatherstone but with the transfer of third year, Logan Kingston and a long family feud between the Hallistar's and the Kingston's it is anything but an ordinary year.

The first time I picked up Spellcaster it was suddenly 5:30 AM and I had to get some sleep, the next time I read it until I was finished. A vice grip from the prologue, I am a sucker for an enemies to lovers, forbidden romance especially when it involves hidden secrets and a family's blood oath. The energy between Paisley and Logan was push and pull during the entire book which I really, really enjoyed. Paisley also develops a strong group of friends and I really liked their relationships, friendly banter, and the levity their interactions brought to the serious moments within the book. The Hallistar clan is also exceptionally bonded together and I liked the in and out moments we saw between Paisley and her siblings.

The book ends on a fairly drastic cliffhanger with more questions than answers so I'll be begging for an ARC when the next book releases...hopefully sooner rather than later!

Thank you HTP Books for the gifted ARC.

Holy h e l l!! That ending! I’m still in shock honestly. I knew going in that Jaymin would leave us on a cliffhanger but this one is brutal. I need more, I’m sitting here just finishing this book and my theory from about 50% or so in has come to a reality and I’m just left with so many questions. I mean I would expect nothing less from Jaymin she loves to leave us on a cliffhanger.

Paisley was just accepted into the top witch college in the country shortly after her power started to manifest after her 22nd bday and even though her affinity hasn’t she goes hoping she can figure out her powers. One her first day she finds out her families mortal enemy’s son is also transferring in from a different school.

So what do you get when your enemy is also the hottest warlock in the school? Well I think you should read this book because I don’t want to give anything away and plus it’s full of hotness, plot, magic and monsters. What more could you ask for?

Now, I’m just over here impatiently waiting for book 2 to release. 🫣🤣

Spellcaster has a lot of potential. I flew through the book easily, the characters making it a breeze to dive into the story and stay engrossed.
The female main character has a healthy family dynamic, which is refreshing to read in a genre known for killing off parents and/or siblings so the author doesn't have to weave them into the narrative. Eve does not shy away from this challenge and handles it extremely well.
The dynamic between Paisley and Logan is an odd battle between enemies and allies, with no real feeling behind the enemies aspect despite how much both seem to insist they hate each other. There seems to be a hesitance in the author to trust the reader in still believing Paisley still finds Logan attractive after she blames him for several bad things happening in her life. Don't worry, the author fixes this by outright stating many, many times how hot Paisley thinks Logan is.
The story unfolds in a rapid pace, with plot points opening and closing one after the other. I wish there was a more pressing, over-arching theme to carry the readers through the novel other than the budding romance.
My two biggest gripes with this book are 1) the juvenile dialogue between grown adult characters and 2) a personal pet peeve: siblings referring to each other as "bro" and "sis." Otherwise, I enjoyed their familial closeness and supportive attitude.

This review will be posted on Goodreads the week of publication: September 23, 2025. I will attach the review link once it has gone up.

I devoured this book!!!

The academy vibe, witches, powers, and everything were on point. The writing had me hooked from start to finish, and I’m already counting down the days for the next book. While I’d love a little more development with some of the characters and the pacing of certain events, I’m sure these will only make the next book even stronger.

Paisley, the FMC, is sassy, sharp, and totally grounded in the things that matter. She’s starting to tap into her power, but there are some big family secrets she’s completely in the dark about. The family dynamics were great, and I really enjoyed her relationships with them. That said, they kind of fade into the background a bit, even though they’re all at the same school, so I’d love to see more of that in the next book.

Logan, the MMC, absolutely needs more screen time. He’s powerful, mysterious, and completely obsessed with Paisley (which, yes, I am HERE for). I’m dying to see their relationship unfold even more in book 2, especially with all the secrets left to uncover.

The ending is a total cliffhanger that leaves you craving more. I’m honestly not sure how I’ll survive until the next book comes out. It’s so good! If you’re into dark romantasy this will definitely be for you, and it’s only going to get better from here!

4.5 Stars

Spellcaster was my first book by Jaymin Eve and it did not disappoint. This book had all of the paranormal romance vibes that I love, and I read it in one sitting! Paisley and Logan were the perfect enemies to lovers couple, and I really enjoyed all of the side characters in the book. The close-knit Hallister family gave the story the perfect heart-warming feel, and I loved Paisley's female found family friend group.

Eve sets up great tension between Paisley and Logan's family, as well as with Paisley's struggle to master her magic. And the threat of monsters and dark magic on Weatherstone's campus, brings just the right amount of suspense, and adds great pacing to the story.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Academic Setting
* Enemies to Lovers
* Emerging Magic
* Elemental Magic
* Slow Burn
* Monsters/Creatures
* Family Secrets

𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
😘 (Medium)

If you enjoy books like Crave by Tracy Wolff and Gothikana by RunNyx or tv series like Legacies and Wednesday, then I would definitely recommend Spellcaster.

Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve (Release Date Sept 23, 2025)

I applied for this ARC on NetGalley because one, LOOK AT THE COVER. Two the synopsis sucked me in so fast and I knew I had to have it. When I tell you that this book had me by the figurative nutsack… I mean it. I FLEW through this book and I didn’t want it to end, and now I need the next book like I need air. The world, lore, magic systems, relationships, and the TENSION. I wanted to die in the best way. This book put Jaymin Eve on my radar and now I’m gonna hyperfixate and be adding her backlog to my TBR cause I love how her brain works.

If you don’t like this book, talk to the wall cause I’m obsessed.

5/5 🦝🦝🦝🦝🦝
3/5🌶️🌶️🌶️

What you can find:
- Slow Burn
- Elemental Magic
- Enemies to Lovers
- “Who did this to you?”
- Consent is Sexy
- “F*ck it” Moments
- Magic College / Dark Academia
- “Mine”

Muddled Summary:

She finally manifested some kind of magic, right before she miraculously got accepted into Weatherstone College. She still has no clue what her affinity will be, she just hopes she will be a fraction as powerful as her older siblings. All in all she’s excited to just be going and to be accepted. Until her father gets the news that Logan Kingston, the son of her father’s enemy, has now transferred to Weatherstone. Not only that but he is one of the most powerful spell casters in their world, and is irritatingly attractive - because of course he is. She just has convince her parents she can stay, avoid her newest enemy, and live through the first year, and to discover her affinity… all while avoiding the darkness that lurks in the concealed areas of Weatherstone.

This just didn’t work for me.

It read really young, like a paranormal story for teens. Except it had sex and cursing thrown in that felt totally out of place. In two consecutive paragraphs the word “shit” was written three different times.

There was no world building and most of the story was just a lot of meaningless dialogue. It kept throwing in unnecessary details while skipping over things that could have actually benefited from having more description.

The dynamic between the main characters didn’t feel believable. It didn’t even seem like they disliked each other. They just “hated” each other without actually knowing one another. Their relationship was very surface level without any real tension.

I really struggled to get through this. Honestly if the adult content had been taken out, this could have worked better as a light paranormal romance for teens. It gave Wizards of Waverly Place goes to college. If it had leaned into that think it would have made more sense.

Thank you HTP and NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange this is my honest review.

Spellcaster by Jaymin Eve is a dark academia, slow burn, spicy romantasy that I liked.

Eve starts by introducing Paisley Hallistar as she gets her acceptance to the prestigious Weatherstone College. She can’t wait to discover her magical affinity and join her siblings, until she learns Logan Kingston is transferring. Not only is Logan one of the most powerful warlocks, her father and his have a blood oath against each other after Logan’s mom was killed while with Paisley’s mom. Between classes, monsters, and finding herself, she attempts to avoid Logan, but something draws her to him.

This is not enemies to lovers. It shouldn’t be marketed as such. Logan shows no indication of thinking of her as an enemy. Instead she creates that fantasy in her head. He isn’t her “enemy” or “rival”. Someone to be wary of? Maybe? But at the end of the day he never says “I want you dead”. They don’t have enough interactions for me to believe they have that relationship.

I liked the magic system, it has promise. I enjoyed Paisley’s friends and family were supportive. There was a lot of “filler” (her doing daily stuff) and it slowed the pace down. There is a lot of repetitive ideas, adjectives, and concepts. Like “bloom of my magic” or the idea human alcohol can’t get them drunk, I don’t need to be reminded, or she needs to find the “key” to “unlock” her magic.

The burn is slow, with few interactions with Logan and plot movement. I wish there was more between them. They had a childhood together and it is neglected but the author. And the ending isn’t a cliffhanger so much as it is confusing. Paisley also gets the plot benefits of being the FMC so without spoiling the book take that as you will.

Overall 3/5 stars. I liked it enough. The spice was fine and the premise was interesting; however the writing didn’t always match up to the plot. I am curious to see where this goes. Buy or pre-order September 23, 2025.

There were many parts of this that I loved and I read the whole thing in one day, which was fun and fab! I’m very curious to see what happens next. I did find that for a FMC in her twenties it was written a little young? May be just me but besides the spicy scenes it felt a younger. Not a problem, just an observation. Very family oriented too ✨♥️ go fam!

Great elements, but left hanging, literally.

I loved the elemental magic system, the magical academia setting, and the coven dynamics, those aspects absolutely pulled me in. Jaymin Eve builds an intriguing world that had so much potential. However, the world-building occasionally felt drawn out, with sections that seemed like filler rather than necessary depth.

The biggest letdown? The plot ends mid-breath. There’s zero resolution, just vague promises that things will be explained “later” and characters saying they’ll talk... eventually. I don't mind cliffhangers, but this felt more like the story simply stopped.

That said, I gave it 3 stars because I am hopeful the next book delivers on the buildup. Less filler, more clarity and I’ll be all in.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
Spellcaster is a fun, moody blend of modern witchcraft 🪄, dark academia and slow burn enemies to lovers! Paisley’s unpredictable magic and family legacy make Weatherstone College a fun place to be.. especially with a brooding rival warlock constantly nearby 😏

The mystery kept me hooked, the romance was good and slow and while the pacing dragged in a few places, the twist ending has me eagerly waiting for book two!!

Thanks to Mira Publishing and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The character dynamics in this book were fantastic, especially the friendships that our FMC Paisley builds at Weatherstone College. The elemental magic added excitement to the story and I really appreciated the strong bond between Paisley and her family. The MMC was intriguing and kept me on my toes with his mysterious motives. The ending was shocking and I can’t wait for the second book! I hope to see more interactions between Paisley and the MMC as I felt they didn’t share as much time together as I would have liked in book one. Overall this was a fun, fast-paced romantasy that kept me hooked and wanting more!

I really enjoyed the familial aspects and relationships of story but it was the only stand out for me. Its packed full of fun tropes and classic themes but it felt like a very typical fantasy/paranormal romance which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I had higher hopes for its writing.
It reads much younger than its intended and has so many scenes and conversations that just don't do anything for the story.. Without stronger writing and a tighter story to back up some of the more unoriginal aspects it, it doesn't feel like anything overly special.

- the mystery is half the fun -
(3.75,rounded up) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spellcaster was truly a fun read. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to see modern day girls in a witch college, this is the book for you!

Paisley is accepted into Weatherstone college, but when her family learns that their family nemesis is going to transfer… things get rocky. But, if the family nemesis has wished harm on you, is it safe to stay there? I mean, at least he’s a hot brooding third year who’s strong enough to protect you.

Spellcaster had some pacing issues that I didn’t enjoy, but the plot was a fun loving urban fantasy novel. The way it ended wasn’t w hat I was expecting and now I will be waiting for book two to come out.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I received this book as an ARC.

I really struggled through this book. I found myself uninterested in the character or premise multiple times. The conversations for frankly juvenile and the ones during the first portion of the book added nothing of value to the story.

I did not resonate with any of the characters and therefore, did not care about their storylines. I wish that the author had fine-tuned the book and focused on the content more than trying to create drama and intrigue.