This was a really fun read with great world building and an interesting magic system. Mages in this world are able to basically transfer their soul into another body at will. This gives alot of opportunity for great representation of identity and sexuality. The book also touches on classism, disability, and belonging. I loved being able to read the events through the different perspectives, including villains. Towards the end, there were some plot twists that I actually did not see coming, which is rare. I am excited to continue the series and can't wait to read the next book.

This book was amazing, I loved how it explored some decently heavy topics but in an easy to understand way.

Queen of Faces is a bold, dark-academia fantasy set in a grim dystopian world where bodies are bought and swapped like luxury goods. Ana, a trans mage trapped in a decaying male body, steals a new form to save herself—but gets caught and is coerced into becoming an assassin for an elite magic academy.

Her voice is raw, desperate, and morally complex. The magic system is unique—powered by different types of intelligence and identity. Worldbuilding feels cinematic: rising seas put cities on a timer, social inequality underpins body hierarchy, and rebellion simmers under oppression.

The story is propulsive and twisty, but the huge world setup means the first book mostly feels like setup. Multiple POVs dilute emotional impact—whenever focus shifts from Ana, momentum slows. Still, it's a thrilling debut with vivid characters and weighty themes.

In short: if you’re into gritty identity-based fantasy, fierce protagonists, and dark academia vibes, this delivers—even if pacing and scope lean heavy out the gate.

4.5/5.
The book itself is great, it had many elements that reminded me of so many other books I’ve loved throughout my life while still keeping me on edge about what was next.

This being said, the formatting on my kindle, at least for the ARC, was a nightmare. There were no page breaks for new chapters, the font was tiny in comparison to kindle books, words would randomly cut and continue in the next line, and one paragraph ‘ended’ in an incomplete sentence. I’ll never know what the other half of the sentence was.

Annabelle Gage is stuck in the body of a dying boy after falling ill as a child. She seeks to be accepted to the Paragon Academy where she will learn to become a mage and have the chance to replace her body. After failing the entrance exam for the 3rd time and almost being arrested while looking for alternative ways to get what she wants, Ana is forced into a life of crime.

-Dark Academia
-Enemies to Lovers
-LGBTQIA rep
-Mental Health

In a genre that includes many different takes on magic systems and magical schools, this book found a new unique way to explore both. It is action packed and full of surprises the whole way through.

My only complaint that kept it from being above 4 stars was there was less of Paragon Academy than I expected. I loved the idea of the school and the different classes of magic but it wasn’t as developed as I expected it to be. However, the crazy, twisty plot helped make up for anything lacking with the academy.

Definitely recommend this for anyone who loves a fantasy/dark academia/young adult novel. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC to read and review.

Anabelle Gage is desperate. She is trapped in a male body that is decaying & has limited time left. In Caimor, the elite buy & swap bodies like designer clothes, but Ana can’t afford to buy her way out. However, if she can earn a spot at the magical Paragon Academy, her problems would be solved. In her race against the clock, she is willing to do whatever it takes to get a new body before it’s too late. Meanwhile, a revolution is brewing in Caimor’s underworld against the magical elites. Ana is then propelled into a web of secrets & lies, causing her to question the blurred lines between good & evil and if she fighting for the correct side.

This fast paced adventure delivers twist after twist. Seriously, just when I thought I knew where the plot was going, Lord would flip the story on its head. This combined with the magic system left me on the edge of my seat wondering where this story would take us next. This magic system was refreshingly unique, I don’t think I’ve read anything like it.

Although this is YA, this book contains themes that may be upsetting for some readers. I suggest taking a look at the trigger warnings & making a decision that’s best for you. With that being said, a lot of representation is present & many will find these themes to be relatable & a great example of representation in the YA genre.

I will say that certain parts of the plot got slow for me, but the plot twists would promptly pull me back in. I also wished some of the emotional relationships between the characters were developed a little more. Overall this was an amazing read & I can’t wait to see where this band of characters goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the arc!!

This has got to be one of my top 5 reads of 2025. Queen of Faces’ group of criminals filled a Six-of-Crows-shaped hole in my heart. I am absolutely desperate for book 2!

The plot was excellent - had me tearing through the pages until the very last - but what really held my attention was the way this world treats the relationship between the soul and the body (and, by extension, gender). If you can swap bodies in a blink, what keeps you yourself? How much does your physical self matter if it is so easily changed? Just like the real world, some people are still attached to the idea of the “right” gender for them, sticking to male or female bodies depending on their preference. But just like our world, there are people who flow between both with ease, or who are forced to use the opposite sex only to discover that they quite like it that way. I think this was a beautiful way to explore something that can be very complicated for some people, in a way that might be easier for cis people to understand.

You know I love a good book with a lesson on the dangers of propaganda, and Queen of Faces knocked that one out of the park, too - don’t trust every story you’re fed, but be aware there are usually kernels of truth in every tale. The nuance between Khaoivhe and Paragon was excellently handled, and I can’t wait to see how that thread tangles further after that ending!

You absolutely MUST pick this up if you need a new cast of morally gray characters to adore. With a magical school, a criminal underbelly, and people doing the wrong things for the right reasons (or vice versa), this is certainly the start of a series you’ll be willing to sacrifice sleep for.

This was such a good story! Fighting with identity, belonging, and basic survival, this book addresses so many real issues too.

Queen of Faces has a fascinating premise, a striking atmosphere, and a unique magical system tied to identity. The world-building is creative and immersive, and there were definitely moments that kept me turning the pages.

This was a great read!

First and foremost, I loved the world that was built here—it was pretty unique from any other fantasy world I’ve read about (as far as young adult fantasy goes)! Jumping off of that, I loved how the world was almost like a trans-inspired fantasy world, which was really intriguing to read about.

I like that this book has multiple POVs, as it really gives the story different dimensions in that we get to see some interesting perspective (like that of the villain, for example). It certainly kept me guessing when all the different twists and turns that came along.

I will say that a critique I have is that I would’ve loved to see the story delve more into gender exploration and how it’s affected by all the body swapping that goes on. Also, I would’ve liked to see maybe a bit of criticism (within the story) towards some of the more icky body swapping that goes on (for example, an adult swapping into a child’s body, and the overall question of consent when it comes to body swapping h). But I still appreciated what we were presented with on these fronts.

I really liked Ana as our protagonist, and I really liked all the different character dynamics presented throughout the book. I look forward to seeing what happens with the characters in the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for allowing me to read the digital ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Queen of Faces by Petra Lord.

This book hooked me from the start and never let go. The tension builds beautifully, and just when I thought I had everything figured out—bam! The twist hit me completely out of nowhere. I genuinely didn’t see it coming, and it had me glued to the pages, heart racing, right up until the very end.

Those final chapters were electrifying. I was on the edge of my seat, desperate to see what would happen next, and Petra Lord kept delivering surprise after surprise until the very last page. This book was absolutely fantastic and I related so much to the characters! Petra Lord if you see this you have absolutely out done yourself and thank you so much for making me feel scene!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. Initially, I thought this would be a Harry Potter/Uglies/Divergent wannabe. I mean, the non magic folks are called Humdrums and there’s a seemingly goofy headmaster who enlists children to do deadly assignments. But as the world built up, the deaths mounted, and everyone’s motives became more curious, I was drawn in more and more. I’m already excited for a future installment and this doesn’t even release until 2026, which is criminal. I need answers. I need more Ana and Wes. I think this is solid for people who are looking for their next magical assassin, revenge story who loves underdogs, queer folks, and found family.

A hooky premise and intriguing magic system drew me in right away. Amid so many magic school/trials YA fantasies, this one truly promised something unique. However, I could have used a bit more time to slowly acclimate to the world, its ways and its rules. I had to pause frequently in the beginning as every chapter was dense with world-building, backstory, and pushing the plot forward. This lead to me rooting for Ana (our MC) but never really connecting with them.

What I liked:
-speculative take on trans identity
-magical academy
-body swapping (reminded me of Immortal Longings)

What I would have liked to see:
- more conversations around the ethics of body swapping
- a clearer sense of the world, it's time period, and its aesthetics
- better balance of action and character arcs

This was such a unique story! Strong LGBTQ+ themes, gender expression AND action-packed. The body swapping was a bit weird at some times but I was intrigued because I never read something like this before. Ana wants to get into a magic academy, because attendees get a new body when they enter. She turns out becoming a mercenary instead. I had a lot of fun reading this!

Thank you to Macmillan & Netgalley for the e-arc!

I absolutely adored this novel. Such a new premise that I've never seen before. The bodyswitching was such a great plot device, and I LOVED the twist at the end had me gasping for air and picking my jaw off the floor. I adore the concept of Ana taking over the black wraith's body and dismantling her forces from the inside. I love a book where I have no idea where it will end or what will happen. I loved how the romance was very much a subplot. I think this will have the fourth wing type hype whenever it FINALLY comes out. Petra I love this book WHEN DO WE GET ANOTHERRRRR

Pros: the cover and edges are stunning. The concept is unexpectedly unique and the characters are interesting. Unfortunately this book suffered from a choppy writing style that appeared intentional but read as if it needed an edit. Fragmented sentences for effect, couldn’t connect.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book!

I really enjoyed the premise of this new YA fantasy series. While not as suspenseful as others out there, it was a very fresh and original take on a fantasy which I love.

I recommend and can’t wait to continue the series!

This story was utterly CAPTIVATING! I was hooked from the first sentence of the blurb and knew I had to read this as soon as possible. Anabelle’s story is heartbreaking, untenable, and all too familiar for those of us with chronic health issues. Navigating the insanity and danger of Caimor society and the Paragon Academy would be challenging enough WITHOUT trying to escape a body that is slowly decaying before your eyes, yet that’s exactly where Ana finds herself. When her original plan for survival fails, she’s forced into the darkest and most dangerous corners of Caimor with a band of renegades that you’ll simultaneously adore and despise, and what they learn will change their world forever. These are some of my favorite characters that I’ve met so far in my reading this year!

The plot and world-building are epic, and the looming environmental threat adds an extra layer of absolute terror (in the best way), but what I loved the most about Queen of Faces is the concept of bodies as chassis for the characters’ Piths (souls). I felt much more connected to each character’s journey hunting the Black Wraith because of this—there’s more focus on the characters’ souls and emotions rather than their physical traits. As someone whose body rarely cooperates, this hit me HARD.

Fans of books like Blood Over Bright Haven, Foundryside, and We Who Have No Gods, this is DEFINITELY one for you! Prepare for emotional devastation, redemption, secrets, monsters, and magic!

I thought it had great LGBTQ representation. I enjoyed the romance & fantasy in this novel. It was a fantastic book. It did take me a while to read.

“Queen of Faces” is an amazing story. Every time I thought it was going to fall into a traditional YA trope, Lord flipped the script to make something new. I cannot wait to see what’s next for Anabelle Gage!

This book contains themes that may be upsetting for some readers. I would recommend looking at the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book. While some of the content may be upsetting, it can also be extremely relatable for many people. I personally related to the characters dealing with depression and ADHD like symptoms. Many other people may relate to the themes of body dysmorphia and family trauma. I believe this book will serve as a significant example of representation in the Young Adult literature community.

I received this book as an advanced copy from NetGalley and I am not paid for my review.