The Incandescent was an enjoyable fantasy read about the Director of Magic at a boarding school. There is a theme of romance throughout the book - I would describe it as a fantasy book with romance rather than a romantasy. I enjoyed the magic system and found most characters likeable. It was the appropriate length for a standalone fantasy novel.

The audiobook was well-done. The narrator's American accent was not great, but there was only a short bit of text read in the American accent.

LOVED! This story told from Dr. Walden’s perspective as a teacher and administrator at a top magical boarding school. Her perspective reminds me of Emily Wilde (another favorite of mine), but darker and with demons.

As an educator myself, I laughed often at her perspective of what it means to work with teens and found the interactions with the teens to be very realistic (besides the magic, of course). I love the perspective of the story being told by the academic. I loved the witty humor, the tension, the mystery, the relationships and the dark elements. From beginning to end, this was an enjoyable story. Nothing ever felt slow or rushed - overall perfect pacing.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was great (although the brief minutes of an American accent could be better). She had a good pace, her cadence and voices for other characters was well done. Definitely recommend!

Since reading Some Desperate Glory I have been so excited to get another book from Emily Tesh. Her books just really work for me and this was one of my favorite reads of the year so far. I absolutely loved Dr. Sapphire Walden. She is so funny and wonderfully competent. I always love reading books with slightly older main characters. Having a dark academia book from the point of view of the school staff was also very fun. We still got a decent amount of the students and I really enjoyed them as well. Zara Ramm did an excellent job with the audiobook narration. I can see myself revisiting this book in the future while I wait for another book from Emily!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

It has a very interesting concept but this one just wasn’t for me. I found it difficult to get into the story. Dark academia can be very hit or miss and unfortunately this was a miss

Thank you Net Galley, Tor Publishing and Emily Tesh for the ALC of The Incandescent. I throughly enjoyed this book.

I loved Dr. Walden, the 38 year old professor at Chetwood (a magical, expensive, boarding school). Tesh crafted a story that feels both original and richly layered, beautifully capturing the complexities of academia, the weight of bureaucracy and the emotional depth of a character navigating it all. I also appreciated the sharp and thoughtful social commentary woven throughout the story, adding even more nuance to an already compelling narrative.

This was my first book by Emily Tesh, and I’ll definitely be exploring her previous work. I also would like to note that I love the cover art (both the North American and UK editions).

I rated this book 4.5 stars. I was a bit confused on what happened to Mark and would have liked more clarity there. Additionally, I think that I would have connected even more to this story as a physical book, as it is quite detailed and I had to relisten to several sections. That said the narration was excellent, and this is purely a personal preference.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for sending me an E-Audio copy of The Incandescent by Emily Tesh in exchange for review.

~4.25 Stars~

THIS…. IS… IT!!!!
I absolutely adore a dark academia magical demonic school setting. It gives spooky and studious and the atmosphere screams old class romantic. Unfortunately most of the books within this genre/setting are about students, and while many of those books are great and enjoyable…. As a 34yo I’ve been yearning for something a bit less juvenile. This book is from faculty POV which I am so incredibly happy about and am truly glad I was able to experience through audiobook. Emily knows what we really want.

The turmoil and longing between characters in this book is incredible, and the author really did want us to suffer (in a good way). I want to be on the edge of my seat waiting for the build up to finally peak and we literally could not have waited any longer (at least not for a standalone).

While there were bloodthirsty demons traipsing about to deeply haunt our FMC’s dark past… It still gave a realistic slice of life ambience that felt achingly believable.

This was a fantastic read, and I adored the narrator for the audio as well. Zara’s accent made the setting even more enveloping as if I was truly there.

What can I say, I love a sapphic fantasy… I am the target audience.

An academic and dangerous novel for anyone who grew up reading about magical boarding schools, but is now old enough to be one of the teachers. The Incandescent follows Dr. Sapphire Walden, head of magical education at Chetwood school. Intelligent, competent, and slightly overbearing, Walden is easy to root for. I particularly appreciated the attention Walden (and Tesh) put on GOOD pedagogy - where the focus is on helping students learn to learn rather than rotely drilling information. The first big demon problem appears about halfway through and is an absolutely stellar fight, with the dashing and rather blunt Marshall Kenning at its center. This big fight right in the middle of the book leads to a bit of a lull in pacing though. The introduction of Mark, a sleazy but charming new security consultant, made for interesting discussions on school governance and what is best for the students vs the school entire. He was, however, painfully obvious to everyone except Walden herself. I think Tesh was attempting commentary on Walden's own hubris in the circumstances - discussions about tuition and privilege also come up at this point - but instead I found it so frustrating to see Walden fall for the farce of school-boy charm. The ultimate ending to this new arc was completely rushed, and ultimately muddy in its execution. I'm still not really sure what happened to Mark or how Walden entered into her final predicament. All this to say, I still listened to this in under 2 days and enjoyed it thoroughly. A fun read that I'm glad I was able to do on audio, as I think that papered over some of the pacing issues. The narrator gives a phenomenal voice performance and I will definitely be looking for her name in the future.

I had to stay up way past my bedtime to finish this book. Incandescent is a dark academia novel that takes place in a British boarding school for children who use magic - but it is quite different from Hogwarts! Magic is not necessarily hidden from non-users, and demons come through weak parts of the world to wreak their havoc: anything from gremlins in copy machines to large scale demons that will possess or kill. I enjoyed the queer representation in the story (yay for bisexuality!). I also felt like it was written by a former or current teacher, as the classroom and pastoral scenes felt very accurate. I do feel that the ending was rather rushed and I can’t exactly picture what happened in the end of the climactic battle. However, I liked the characters and the story very much. I’ve read so many different fantasy novels that it can be hard to find unique takes on magic systems or mythology, but this had different ideas that kept it entertaining. I would read more in this universe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and MacMillan audio for the audio ARC!

ARC Review | The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 rounded up)

I received an audiobook ARC of The Incandescent from NetGalley, and overall, I really enjoyed the narration—it brought a lot of charm to this magical modern-day UK setting. This one follows Saphy (short for Sapphire), the director of a magical high school tasked with training students to battle the demon realm.

This was pitched as dark academia, but honestly, it leans more cozy slice-of-life with magical and academic elements. If you loved the academic vibes in Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries, this might be your next read.

I really appreciated getting to read about a 30-something woman navigating her career, love, and personal life—it’s refreshing to see older protagonists in fantasy. That said, I found myself a bit bored at times, especially when the demon studies breakdowns dragged on. I wanted more of Saphy’s backstory and less of her day-to-day admin work, but there were some fun twists that kept things moving.

A thoughtful, soft fantasy with a unique perspective—but not quite the dark academia I expected.

Really loving this. The romance feels organic. I love the humor, it got a chuckle out of me before it even hit the two minute mark. It really cements my love of academic books, while also reminding me why I never wanted to be a teacher. The kids make me want to shake them but they act like realistic teens.

I am obsessed with The Incandescent!! All told from Dr Saffy Walden's point of view we follow her through an extraordinary academic year. I loved the refreshingly adult characters (Saffy is in her late 30s) and a will they/won't they office romance. Without going into spoilers although this might seem mundane at times there is more going on than meets the eye initially and the pay off is worth it. Zara Ramm did a great job with the narration and I enjoyed listening to the book.

4.5 Stars?

I listened to the aARC and really enjoyed the narrator - I'm a sucker for a great accent! While some of the concepts are considered "dark academia", the cheery narrator didn't give off the "dark" vibe, even when battling demons. If you are looking for DARK, I don't know that physically reading would provide a different experience.

This was heavily focused on a teacher's perspective, honestly, with so many tips for managing student situations, it would probably be rather helpful for anyone working in a school setting.

I really enjoyed this kind of spellwork - if you were a fan of Sorcery and Small Magics, I think you would enjoy this too, just a teacher's POC vs student. I enjoyed the internal monologue, Doctor Walden is a relatable and lovable character who is dedicated to a fault, but doesn't see what is right in front of (and on) her.

This was close to being a full five-star read, but the pacing felt off - the beginning had a lot of action, then it kinda fizzled out until the very end instead of a large buildup.

A few things you will find:
🐦‍🔥 Bisexual 38-year-old FMC
🐦‍🔥 Magical academia
🐦‍🔥 Teaching 101
🐦‍🔥 Animal/demon tattoo "companion"

Thank you, NetGalley, for the aARC!

I loved this book. A dark academia book from the perspective of an elder millennial teacher/administrator trying to protect her students from demons and ghosts. I thought that this was witty and well written. I love the concept of telling this story about a magical school in the current age where demons are attracted to technology; mainly cell phones. I'm not sure that I enjoyed how the romance was tackled, but all in all, a great read that I will be recommending. I listed to the adio and loved the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Books for the advance listening copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

A magical school where the story is told from the perspective of the teacher, not the students. And the teacher is a queer, late thirties woman who loves her job and wants to protect these students with her life! Sign me up!

This book was a refreshing take on magical academia. Tesh really allows the reader to sit in the classrooms and listen to lectures where they debate magical theory, ethics, and philosophy. It was quite thrilling to think about the idea of consent when it comes to summoning demons, whether for good or for evil. And whether or not that even matters? Especially since demons do not seem to operate under any sort of ethical code, as they gain their power by feasting on and consuming children.

We love a reminder that you can still have multiple crushes, even as an adult!* The scrappy banter was a perfect cocktail of Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries mixed with the sapphic yearning of Plain Bad Heroins.
*“And it turned out, you didn’t grow out of fireworks, you didn’t grow out of shivers. You didn’t get too old for sexy to be sexy. Certainly not when you were only 38!”

I had a great time with the book! The narration was stunning and allowed the characters to flourish!

Thank you the NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Audio review: The narrator is lovely to listen to.

Review: I have sat on this for a moment. I tried to read this book several times and I enjoyed the start of it. However, it quickly fell off and I just wasn't enjoying the story. That's not to say that had I been in a different mood, or at a different time may have enjoyed it. Though I did try to wait it out and see. I think the main problem I had was that I was just bored. If you are more of a cozy fantasy reader then you will love this. Cozy fantasy just isn't usually my jam I've learned. So I'm writing this review now, so that the cozy fantasy readers will see it and pick it up!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me an early copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

You know when you’re reading an Academia book, and you wonder, “Where are all the grown-ups? They’re just going to let these kids fight all these monsters??” (It’s not just me is it? 😂) Well wonder no more, because here she is, the grown-up finally up to the task!

Not sure I’ve read a book from a “teacher’s” perspective…(unless it was a taboo romance…👀), but I really liked the take on it here.

The story kind of takes you through a whole school year, laying out the day to day life of our main character, Walden, including teaching, grading, interacting with students and other faculty, dating, and the occasional fighting of demons. And I enjoyed tagging along.

The magic system was pretty cool, and definitely different than I’ve seen before. And I really enjoyed the action sequences as they popped up.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this one, and think fans of Dark Academia would enjoy it too.

Audiobook notes: Love Zara Ramm! She narrates a series I love, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘺'𝘴, so maybe that’s why I was getting vibes of that series, but she definitely has a great “teacher” voice? 😜

What this book is giving:
✅ Dark Academia Fantasy
✅ Single POV
✅ Demons and Magic
✅ Teacher
✅ MC in her 30’s
✅ Standalone

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5

Thank you netgalley for the advance audio copy!

I had some high expectations for this book that I didn’t realize existed until they weren’t quite being met. I really loved the first 1/4 of the book, I had a lot of fun getting to see how this magical school functioned and getting to know Walden as a character. There is clearly a deep love for education here, and there was a lot of nuance about the difficulties and limitations of teaching that were effortlessly executed.

However, towards the half way mark it seemed evident that the major thing this book has going for it was the interesting world building. I kept waiting for something to happen and found myself rather underwhelmed.

I very much enjoy Tesh’s prose and overall style, so I’d be willing to give their other book a shot but I’m sad that this wasn’t more of an instant new fave for me. I think this is one of those “you gotta just love the vibe” books and it just wasn’t enough for me.

The narrator was an excellent choice and created the perfect voice for Walden. She delivered the characters poise and wit effortlessly and made listening a dream.

I adored Emily Tesh's first novel, SOME DESPERATE GLORY, so I was VERY excited that this audiobook was among the options for a recent Macmillan Audio program survey. Happy to say I enjoyed this as well! It wasn't quite as… intense? ruthless? as SDG, which was a tiny bummer, but I still fell totally in love with Walden as a main character. Her voice was so strong and confident and enjoyable to read. I found the "dark academia from a teachers POV" premise was executed well and felt refreshing. A nice pairing with my last read, if you will. I think folks who are drawn to this genre and looking for a twist on the classic formula will enjoy this!

This story was the perfect accompaniment for the stormy spring we have been having. Incandescent follows Dr. Sapphire Walden, the director of magic at a prestigious academy for students who are magically inclined.

I thoroughly enjoyed diving into this world and learning all of it's intricacies. I don't want to say more so I don't give away too much of the story! Just read it!

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. I found the narrator to have a great pace and diction. Her accent brought the story even more alive for me, but didn't get in the way of my listening.

Thank you to Emily Tesh, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Actual rating: 4.25 stars

Have I ever talked about how I love fantasy novels with an older protagonist? Because I LOOOVVEEE fantasy novels with an older protagonist. Not that Dr Walden is all that old but even mid-thirties protagonists are unfortunately scarce.
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Dr Walden is a fascinating character to follow, a professor in her mid thirties, struggling with the realities of working for a posh boarding school, alongside the inclusion of magic, demons, and students doing things they DEFINITELY shouldn’t be doing, while also being a great version of a disaster bisexual. The way this book slowly unfolds has you clicking together the puzzle pieces bit by bit until it all comes to a crashing conclusion and you’re so not ready to leave these characters behind.
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Some Desperate Glory was one of my favourite books of last year, and while The Incandescent doesn’t have the same massive gut punch that Some Desperate Glory delivered, I think its tone matches its execution perfectly.
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While Walden does have multiple love interests (which I enjoyed seeing), the ending of the non relationship was predictable enough to flatten some of the intensity of the ending which disappointed me a little bit, but besides the storyline of the one relationship, I think Tesh executes a brilliant and solid story.
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The audiobook narration by Zara Ramm was also excellently done and I genuinely listened to her narration for hours on end without tiring. I would definitely recommend trying this story out through audiobook!
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The Incandescent has solidified my need to go through Tesh’s entire backlist and I’m so ready.
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*I received an audio ARC from Macmillan Audio & NetGalley. All opinions are my own*
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Hisses & Kisses 🐍