It really is like reading The Scholomance series from a teacher's POV (if there were teachers). This is dark academia done right. It was engaging from the start. I thought I knew who the big bad was going to be, then was pleasantly surprised to find it all come back around.

This book was a little difficult to rate. At least, more difficult than usual for me. I LOVED having a woman in her mid/late thirties as the main character! I cannot stress this enough. Outside of the fight/battle scenes, the book is quite (intentionally) mundane. I really liked this perspective on the magical boarding school plot. It was refreshing and intriguing. I don’t think I need to dig into the themes here because they were very obvious while reading. Not a bad thing by any means.

I felt the book is character-driven but I felt like Phoenix and Laura were criminally underdeveloped. The love-interest plot line gave me a bit of whip-lash. Not quite frenemies but definitely not friends. Coworkers but they don't agree with one another and harbor some judgment... to instalove?! Weighing pros and cons of long-distance relationship before even going on a single date? I don't think so. I felt cheated here. This is advertised as sapphic but the WLW relationship never goes anywhere. We do see quite a bit of the hetero relationship later which is also a big ick.
Sorry to say, the villain was obvious and also underdeveloped. What was the motivation of the villain? If that didn’t matter and it was the rest of Dr. Walden’s life, then why were those plot lines also so surface level?

The book also felt like it was two separate stories and that break/change did not flow well..

Aside from her American accent, the audiobook narrator did a really wonderful job!

The Incandescent is a fantastic magic school book but with the unique twist of being from the perspective of one of the teacher. I've always loved a good magic school book and as a middle age person myself it was interesting to see the trope from a completely different perspective.

A sapphic dark academia book from the perspective of the late-30s school director of magic! I was sold from the premise alone - I didn't know that magical dark academia from the teacher's perspective was something that I was missing in my life.

Dr. Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood School, a boarding school for rich magically-inclined children. She spends her days teaching invocation to 6th formers, attending and leading meetings, and making sure that the school's magical boundaries are safe from demonic incursions. But then, a lesson goes wrong and she and her 6th formers find themselves fighting off a high level demon who has lingered in the school's background for centuries, and it won't go away quietly.

As a teacher, it is SO rare that I find a book told from a teacher's PoV that actually understands the job and everything that comes with it. But, Doctor Walden genuinely LOVES her job. She loves her students, she loves the work, and Tesh as an author does such an amazing job of depicting that. I found myself nodding along to some of Walden's commentary about the school as I was listening - and in particular about being seen as a real person outside of the classroom to students. While the romance itself was kind of secondary, it was still an interesting build up.
More than that, though, I loved the premise of the magic system in this universe that Tesh created. Walden's magical tattoos for siphoning power and summoning a demon are such a fun idea. Students going to a magical boarding school to be funneled on to very normal prestigious colleges, and magical majors that (just like non-magical ones) don't always have any real world practicality. Magical law enforcement.

Overall this was a blast of a book and I would love to see more in this universe!

A dark academia tale from the perspective of a bi FMC, how refreshing! While most dark academia seem to focus on students, this is from the perspective of the school administrator, and I definitely loved the fresh take.

This book absolutely cured a recent reading slump I was struggling to pull myself out of! The Incandescent was everything I ever want from a fantasy book! I was lucky enough to get approved for an Audiobook ARC for this book, and the narrator really brought this story to LIFE! I felt like I was at Chetwood Academy, fighting a long side Dr. Walden to keep her school safe from the nefarious magical entities trying to claim the school as their own.

I LOVED that this book featured an approaching middle aged women as the main character. It added a nuance and a relatability that is lacking in many offerings in the genre. Walden is a BAD ASS! She is one of the most powerful magical wielders in the world. And she uses this power to protect her school and her students. She found a way to bound a demon to herself using a phoenix tattoo on her arm. This demon helps her fight, and ultimately, protect the school.

This book is a lot of internal dialogue within Dr. Walden's psyche. I love books like that, where we can follow the thought process of one person throughout the story.

Please pick this book, especially the audiobook, if you want an enchanting tale of magic, an older heroine who is perfectly happy in her life and with her choices, or if you're just looking for a narrator who knows how to bring a story to life with her storytelling! I loved every minute of this book that I got to listen to!

I’ve had my eyes on this one for months and it really did live up to the hype. A sapphic dark academia with demons and such a cool magic system! This is definitely worth the read/listen!

The narrators voice was literal perfection, their name isn’t listed for me but BRAVO!

I really was so excited for this book AND I can’t believe I got an ARC! Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio!

Dr. Walden is the Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy, a picturesque boarding school in rural England. She spends her days in meetings, teaching a small group of upper level invocation students, attending more meetings, sorting out the complicated lives of more teenagers, maintaining safety on the school grounds, banishing demons, and preparing for more meetings. But all is not as scheduled at Chetwood - will Walden be able to keep more powerful demons away?

We are immediately dropped into a world that is familiar, yet not, to us. This is expertly written: the writing style is descriptive and easy to follow, with fantastical, yet believable, world building and a perfect touch of smart humour. It was refreshing to read about an older main character who has relatable flaws, and I was very invested in her day to day life and ultimate outcome. The narrator of the audiobook deftly captures this setting and slight humourous tilt, and was a perfect match for the tone of the book

Personally, this book is and is not for me. First, I started, but didn’t finish a previous book by this author (Some Desperate Glory) because I didn’t like the themes or direction. But mostly I usually avoid dark academia and school stories because I used to be a school teacher and currently teach in academia, and do not find it “fun and escapist” to read about my stressful job. And this book was no different: I initially couldn’t quite get immersed in the world because it did feel too much like my real life (minus the magic and demons of course), though this was a strength of the author who has realistically captured the intended setting. What I did particularly appreciate about this, which was again personal to me, was that the setting mirrors a UK school setting, using English concepts and vocabulary, which had me nostalgic for the brief time I taught school in England.

To my surprise though, as I kept reading, I got wrapped up in the main character’s life, the school setting, and the overall plot points! In the end I really enjoyed my time spent at this school, and I came to quite like the main character and was satisfied with the ending. I would for sure read more by this author, and I think I’ll likely reread this at some point as well!

Overall, if you're looking for a well written, modern magical boarding school story, from the point of view of a somewhat antisocial, slightly jaded, yet brilliant demon vanquishing professor of magic, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gosh gosh I have mixed feelings about this book. Part of it comes from this: if you're coming because this book is tagged as lesbian you will be pretty disappointed because it was 10% lesbian relationship and 90% het relationship. I would not come expecting very much sapphic content. The main character is bisexual and most of her time is spent in a heterosexual relationship which is completely fine but when the book is advertised as lesbian it is frustrating. The world itself was incredibly fascinating and cool. Emily Tesh is a brilliant writer and the story was interesting and well written. I think the way it ended was a little frustrating to me because I thought it could have gone differently and it would have been better. But that's just me. Conflicting feelings abound with this review but overall I think the quality of the writing outweighs my general gripes.

Thank you to the publisher for providing this audioARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was able to read this early because of Netgalley, so thank you Netgalley! I loved having the point of view of the teacher in a magic school, whose used to teenage drama, but also at the end learns that sometimes adults who think they are smart can also do stupid things. I find it a bit difficult to review this without getting into some spoilers, but I loved how the author integrated demons into the universe. I found it very charming, and I loved the main love interest. In general, the book felt like a breath of fresh air amongst a very common genre.

The Incandescent delivered on what all us elder millennial fantasy readers have been clamoring for....a well thought out fantastical plot that runs parallel to an adult MC with all sort of adulty hurdles to clear. What a breath of fresh air!!

I think it can be a difficult to balance the mundane with the magical and make it both compelling and sparkling but Tesh does it effortlessly here. Readers follow Doctor Walden who is the Director of Magic at Chetwood Academy. She is a magician with immense power and skill but that doesn't excuse her from the monotony of her teaching position. We get to see her triumphs and failures as she navigated wicked demons and students alike!

I had the opportunity to listen to The Incandescent and I couldn't recommend it enough. The narrator took great care in reading the tale with a nuance that made the story feel tangible and evocative!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Publishing for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This was so good! The narrator was perfect. This book had everything- a dark academia (but cozy) setting, spells, demons, heart and a little romance. I really enjoyed the main character’s point of view, and the pacing was great. Very enjoyable story to listen to over the weekend.

The Incandescent by Emily Tesh
This was my second book of Tesh’s. Desperate Glory was such a weird read, I really really wanted to like it and kind of did? But it also had some social things to say that threw me off.

THIS though, was perfection. An absolute five star read. I felt attached to each of the characters. Their motivations, back stories, passions, fears, all made sense. Even in a book about magic, it was all real. The writing hit perfectly. I’m a huge fan of Robin McKinley, who tends to wander in and out of the plot, often going on tangents only vaguely related. This scratched that itch. I didn’t know I wanted to know so much minute detail about these topics until I was told them. It enthralled me.

Sapphire Walden is, honestly, one of my favorite characters I’ve read in recent history. The audiobook narrator did an incredible job of creating a clear and vivid image of who she is. Every moment I spent with her I loved. Her core traits are ones I admire in myself and others. I don’t want to say too much, because I think getting to know her is the best part of the book, and it’s best to go in relatively blind.

It was vaguely predictable at points, which didn’t bother me all that much. It wasn’t so much about the plot as it was about the way people connect with one another on various levels.

The world building was a delight. Tesh’s description of the magical system was so intricate and seamless. I never once thought “huh, that’s odd. It seems out of place compared to this other facet.” It was a very solid foundation on which to build the characters, especially needed since so many of the characters backstories were rooted in traumatic situations involving the magic. I appreciate that while there were solid hard lines on how academic magic worked, there was wiggle room for untrained, more intuitional magic like the groundskeeper had.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys an expansive description of a small try facet. While I don’t know much about the overall workings of a world with magic, I do know a lot about how a magical boarding school plagued by demons operates.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review

I’m not sure if cozy and demons go well together in the same sentence, but that is what this book was for me. I love the idea of this dark academia book from the perspective of Dr. Walden. Millennials needed an FMC! This book was wonderful and I can’t wait to buy it in print for my shelf.

A delightful, diverse, Sapphic adventure with demons set at a magic school and told from the point of view of an aministrator with midlife and regrets looming over her. 

The book won me over with demonology, flashes of humor and profanity, and the vivid, quirky campus. TUnexpectedly, the challenges of bisexuality and dating later in life caught me in the book’s grip. I had a blast with The Incandescent on multiple levels. It’s a rare, satisfying book I’d enjoy experiencing again.

The narrator fits the book perfectly, and the entire production is excellent.
The novel’s architecture works beautifully. There's enough detail about the campus, antique wards, academic demands, power structure, branches of magic, demonology, and personalities to create a fully immersive world. The intersections of Chatwood and contemporary life including cell phones, social media, vehicles, and excursions to London are impressive–and the magic system accounts for technology. This is one of the best, realistic, diverse-cast books I’ve read in the past 150 new releases I’ve experienced.

The consciousness about class differences is refreshing and goes beyond the common device of having one poor scholarship student. Likewise, the novel's feminism feels organic, shown in the characters, events, and Walden's at times understandably acerbic thoughts. The book moved me. I became choked up more than once.

The Incandescent shines. It’s a fun, ambitious, imaginative, thought-provoking, loving, humorous, bristly, and at times magical journey into growth, change, risk, and possibility in youth and later in life. Highly recommended to readers of Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, and everyone seeking a new vision of a magic school. You don't want to miss demonology.

Thank you for the ALC for consideration. These are solely my own opinions.

Incandescent by Emily Tesh

I loved this book and it’s going to be on my Hugo ballot next year!

I picked up Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh last year when it was nominated for the Hugo Awards and I loved it! I suggested it to a friend who didn’t know what to have our SF Book Club read next, and our entire book club ended up enjoying it. So I was very excited when NetGalley and the publisher gave me an eARC of Tesh’s next book, The Incandescent.

It was billed as dark magical academia, which is a genre I love. It reminded me a bit of Magic for Liars (which I also loved!) in that it was set at a school and focused more on faculty than on students.

I loved Doctor Walden, the professor who is the protagonist. I felt we really got to know her in an intimate, visceral way. I was very surprised at the late twist in the book and enjoyed everything immensely. I may need to reread it, because I felt like I may have missed the motivation behind the ultimate antagonist (being vague here to avoid spoilers) when I was so wow’d by the twist.

Definitely this will be on next year’s Hugo ballot.

I listened to this audiobook at 2x speed.

I gave this a shot but I didn’t love the execution. The demon in the photocopier was fun! I unfortunately didn’t love all the exposition. Felt a bit too much at the start of the book. I feel like this could be good but it wasn’t hitting and I struggled to go back to it. It felt more boring than it should be. I gave it a go but just couldn’t do it unfortunately. It could definitely be for those who enjoy academic stories with magic!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: Absolutely Loved It, 5 stars

This is easily one of my top books of the year, and I loved it so much!

This is a dark academia book is from the perspective of a teacher, which I thought was such a brilliant idea. I am a hard sell on dark academia, but reading from the perspective of an adult who genuinely cares for and safeguards the children at an elite, magical boarding school felt like it flipped all my expectations on their head. We follow Doctor Walden, the 38 year old Director of Magic at Chetwood. She is one of the best magicians in the country and her days are consumed with meetings, paperwork, teaching, and the ever-present issue of how to protect magical teenagers from themselves and the demons that are drawn by their magic. She has a dry and acerbic wit that made me instantly like her, and her devotion to her students and their well-being is what made me love her.

This feels very slice of life for a large part of it, and you can feel that it is written by someone who has experienced being an educator herself. We get a lot of the ins and outs of teaching, the pride and exasperation you feel in your students, the frustration with the broken system we work within, and the genuine care that Walden has for her charges. As an educator, I felt very seen by this portrayal.

I also loved that being a dark academia, the students get up to absolute shenanigans that have dire and potentially world-changing consequences, but the adults actually step in and act like adults! It's not just left to the students to muddle through and figure out. And the way that it was done was handled so well. Weldon looked at her charges with the exasperated care and love that I know so well, and she actually helped them. I also loved the perspective that she held on aging, which felt very tender almost. It was just handled so well.

I also appreciated the questions that were raised throughout about privilege and the broken systems at play within the world of education, and the impact that has upon those who work in that field, and the lengths they will go to to protect their students from that impact. I wasn't sure where exactly the story was going to go, but I was 100% along for the ride! I absolutely devoured this book in just a few days. I thought that the ending was remarkably well done, and I loved every second of this book.

And that this wasn't just about the students. It also focused on the separation of Walden from her professional life and how difficult that is. We get to see her sort of reclaim her personhood outside of being a teacher, which was a delight as well. As a bisexual woman who returns to dating/situationships in her late 30s, that was just a fun time going on that journey with her as well.

The audiobook narrator especially did a fantastic job at bringing Walden to life. We are in her perspective, and I could feel the emotion in the way the narrator told the story. It really led to some of her humor and sarcasm hitting better, I think. While I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy to see how some of the formatting choices were made, I loved experiencing the audiobook narration.

Overall, this is easily going down as a favorite of the year, and I am so glad that I read it! It feels like a fresh take on a subgenre that has been very hit-or-miss for me historically. I highly recommend! I received an Advanced Listening Copy from Macmillan Audio through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The Incandescent releases on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Macmillan Audio for the ARC of The Incandescent by Emily Tesh.

I have seen Tesh's name pop up in multiple places since winning the Hugo Award, and this is my first foray into reading her work. Unquestionably, through my listening, Tesh has a strong and solid writing style, and she has evocative descriptions and layered characters that help to bring The Incandescent to life. As someone who has worked in education for 15 years, I really connected with how she described the relationships with the students / the pride and protection educators feel for them. I felt she really captured the part of academia that rarely gets told in featuring a story from the Director of Magic at the Chetwood School as opposed to the student perspective. In its own way, this reads like Naomi Novik's Scholomance IF teachers existed there and the general sort of frustration they would feel at students testing the limits and faculty needing to step in to protect them.

The magic system at play here is also really interesting - again, similar to Novik - but a bit more cozy-ish urban fantasy as regular life seems to take a similar hold on the amount of time we spend in the story. Demons are the main worry for magical youths and for the general populace, and they love to store themselves in technology - a great risk in the 21st century. Doctor Walden helps to prevent demonic incursions, and she maintains the two-century old mechanics that keep the School safe from the demonic realm that longs to feed off the magical energy the students generate.

My reasoning for removing stars, even though I liked much of the book, is that the description didn't really match with the novel itself. I felt it started off really strongly, but it seems the first act ends about a third of the way through, and then we spend about another 40% of the book with very little happening except being subjected to an absolutely awful love interest where the main character seems to throw all her self-assurances and self-respect out the window for no reason, and then it picks up again for the last 15% to come to a resolution. I don't think I would really call this dark academia or cozy.... Doctor Walden is just such a competent main character to follow that even when there are stressors or dangers everything remains fairly level. If anything, it's hard to see a description that "the entity Walden most needs to keep her school safe from - is herself" and then to have that exposure feel so lackluster for such a large chunk of the book. I would have loved to stay in an extended first third of this book, and to keep Kenning around longer, and to somehow get to that last 15% in other ways. It's not that the story lacks action per se, but it doesn't have any urgency and it's all resolved so quickly that the overall impact felt muffled.

Zara Ramm does an excellent narration and I enjoyed listening to her.

Audio review: Overall I liked the audio, I feel like the voice fit well with the main character and I could imagine Saffy sounding just like that, which always helps me get immersed. The American accent was a bit forced, but that was brief and the audiobook was otherwise enjoyable performance and good quality.

I've read pretty much every fantasy dark academia or academia adjacent fantasy book I can get my hands on, and I'm a huge Emily Tesh fan. Needless to say, this book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025. I loved experiencing the magical school from the adult/professor perspective, especially the older I get, it is less enjoyable to read younger characters sometimes.

The Incandescent examines issues in education, has the action of demon incursions, slice-of-life teacher moments, I don't really come to Emily Tesh books for the romance, and this is no exception as I could have done without it.

Audio: 4/5