You had me at Wicked!!!!

First book by B.L. lewis and I can say I am ready for more.

A magic library, time travel, angst, AND morally grey!! What else do we need?!

Enemies to Lovers will always get me.
Touch her and ☠️
Mental health rep is always a plus

Check the trigger warnings. I didn’t. I survived. But at what cost? So, Winter is a mage who burps without covering her mouth, eats her dinner like a starving Labrador, and paints her lips with the blood of her enemies. She also has a boyfriend who likes snacking in the library if you know what I mean, gods and Tartarus bless him. While she’s strutting around 1917 in lululemon leggings, which is that time period’s equivalent of full-frontal nudity, she meets a werewolf so broad he has to go through doors sideways. For real. His name is Tank Top Westley the Chronic Masturbator; he hates everyone for no reason and has turned jumping to conclusions into a competitive sport. His poor sister, Mel, has a lot to put up with, even without taking into account the fact that she has a human body except for one wolfy leg. Mel’s bar for men is on the floor, giving her baby daddy praise for *checks notes* remembering the names of his own children. Winter then decides to go into a house that smells of gingerbread, which was always going to be a bad idea in a fairytale. She meets a witch who thinks Winter is a strange name. Bold, coming from someone named Lennethy. Westley thinks about how sexy Winter is a lot while clutching his TWICE THE SIZE OF A HUMAN’s lycanthropic salami. Twice! Unnecessary! 30% mark up is the max anyone needs. Westley also admits he uses the pull out and pray method because he’s too good for condoms or something, and any scrap of respect I had for this man has evaporated. After lots of hiking and pretending to hate each other, they visit Queen Mara, who’s like Amarantha if she had the hots for Feyre and had the imagination to strap a nude menstruating woman to a turntable and just let her spin like a scarlet Catherine wheel. Her minions are naked a lot, rarely of their own accord.

good for fans of: Broomstick lessons (not an innuendo this time),Timey-wimey stuff, NC-17 Penn and Teller shows, Lassoing werewolves, Free bleeding in a ballgown, Immortal politics
bad for fans of: ladylike FMCs

Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

The blurb was interesting - a mage without magic, a Wizard of Oz retelling? I was sold!

The start was interesting and we got to know Winter, the protagonist, who is working in a library. YES! But something happened to her and she time travels into the past. Unfortunately this is where the story lost me and never got me back.

Try this if you enjoy paranormal shifter, don't mind a "turn-off-your-brain" read, really fast-paced scenes, but this one was not for me.

This cover is stunning!
I really enjoyed this. It’s a bit dark as well for those who may not enjoy that.
The world building was amazing done. The storyline and plot were so well executed I honestly could not put this down. I am so highly impressed!! Seriously I cannot wait for the next book I NEED to know what happens or I might combust lol. Such a great debut!

This was my first book by B.L Lewis and it didn't disappoint!!

Winter is a strong FMC knowing who she is (and isn't). I adored reading her journey and watching her story unfold. Coming to terms of her current situation and determined to get back, but meeting Wes was an uninspected event.

Wes, a grumpy, stubborn, over protective Were that will do anything to protect his family and nest and Pack. Meeting Winter was a thorn in his side, until she wasn't.

Wes and Winter together help each other learn more about themselves.
A true slow burn romance is building.

Honestly one of the most intriguing books I've read this year and I'm very much looking forward to the second instalment!

I received a free eARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

An amazing slow burn read, not so much spice between the MC’s, as yet…lots of tension though.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, I’m not the biggest fan of Wizard of Oz, but this book has so many unique qualities all of its own.
Fantastic characters, lots of emotion, suspense and twists.
I can’t wait for the next book!

I have been banging the war drum for The Magicless Mage for MONTHS, even more so after @littleliteraryfaery blessed us with a snippet of chapter one. It’s one of the most anticipated ARCs I have in my possession - so ARC order be damned, I was diving in the second I had a break.

It’s everything I wanted, everything I didn’t know I needed, and a perfectly unhinged, diabolical, wicked little thing. Think Outlander if everyone is slightly insane, think Through the Looking Glass, but with an FMC like a horny Buffy Summers, with enough sass to have you cackling out loud and bags and bags of spirit hiding just how broken she is. Lewis’ world is immersive from the very first chapter; her characters fully realised and sharply written, the worlds they navigate full of wonder and intrigue, the tone serious but laced with sarcasm and wry wit, masking a vulnerability that absolutely devastated me from both Winter and Westley, whose outer edges are sharp to protect them from the world and their previous experiences. As those walls begin to crumble, as their magnetic pull threatens to destroy them both, my heart cracked CLEAN in two for them.

Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. Magnificent, unique, breathtaking and devastating - basically everything you’d want in your next addictive unhinged read. I need book two in my little paws asap.

Somehow even with the dark parts this book felt lighthearted. It definitely had some wtf moments 🤣🫣. I was disgusted and yet amused. I was laughing, cringing, and even a few times completely shocked. That ending had me saying WHAT!?!? I will definitely be reading book two. This was a wildly fun read sprinkled with fairy tale tidbits that just added to the story. Sometimes I felt like it included some satire and I laughed so much. I really enjoyed the book. If you read it and you get to the midpoint where your like wtf is happening keep reading 🤣.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book! 📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

I really enjoyed The Magicless Mage! It was a refreshing, yet DARK retelling of The Wizard of Oz, which I was skeptical about going in. This was a true enemies to lovers, slow burn romance, but the tension.. the yearning. ATE. IT. UP. Winter is our feisty FMC who is, well, without magic in a world where magic defines one’s worth. Then we have our super grumpy, werewolf MMC, Westley. The banter between our two main characters was.. chef’s kiss!

I felt that the world building was perfectly immersive without being too overwhelming, but the plot sometimes jumped around a bit and left me confused at times. The plot seemed to drag at times, and then took off running after the halfway mark. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to continue this series. THAT CLIFFHANGER?

PLEASE check trigger warnings for this book!

I wanted to love this, the premise sounds fun and interesting with a promise that this is a wizard of oz retelling, but I wasn’t really seeing enough to make this a retelling, maybe some inspiration though.

The fact that the FMC starts off in a relationship really sets the tone for a trope I’m not fond of, especially when this is advertised at enemies to lovers, so you just know her current partner isn’t her enemy. In addition, this relies heavily on my least favorite trope, miscommunications.

I liked the fast pace, but also felt like some of the twists revelations came too quickly, and rushed.

I don’t mind spice, but it has to make sense, it felt like some times it was just there to be there, and didn’t flow well.

Let's talk about the "Magicless Mage" by B.L. Lewis.

"Should I make you sit and beg first?”

Whoa. I knew already going into this book that it was going to take me for a ride, but I didn't know it was going to literally take me by the hips, grab a hold of my hair, yank me back and push me forward. It was the whiplash that kept coming and coming and coming...and I was here for it. First things first - check your trigger warnings, because B.L. keeps it dark, ad twisted, and deliciously delectable for those who want it.

“You’re welcome to call me Wolfie.” He lingered there, sniffling. “Witch.”

Winter - oh you ruthless, witchy wordsmith - who is just a ferocious bish. She is the villainous FMC that I love to hate, and need to have because she is just a peachy delight. She's sassy, pushy, and straight forward. She'll wrap your soul around her pinky finger, then pluck your eye out with the same one. She is all about getting what she wants and getting it now. And when life gives her a little slip, she finds herself tossed into the past and into the path of Westley, an alpha werewolf just trying to keep his pack together. He doesn't have time for wayward witches. Especially one that he wants to tear apart on one side and totally do unspeakable, dirty things to on the other. Who's to say that you can't have both?

What we have is a darkly, provocative narration of two unlikely miscreants who want nothing to do with one another, but need to use each other to get what they want. Even if that means, keeping close, playing dirty, and not trying to screw each other over - and not in the good kind of screw.

If you like a story that keeps you on your toes, that is twisted, full of surprises, succulent, and delicious, then this ride down the yellow brick road is right for you and I highly recommend the thrill.

Thank you to B.L. Lewis for allowing me to review and give my open and honest feedback.

✨ Fated Mates
✨ Cat & Mouse
✨ Enemies to Lovers (TRUE!)
✨ Slow Burn
✨ Time Travel
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Blood Play
✨ Trauma Bonding & PTSD

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥
Series: Book 1 of 3

First of all, I want to thank Netgalley for allowing me on reading this book as an ARC. I really do appreciate it. This book wasn’t for me because there’s lack of character development and plot.

Talk about a wild ride! This book was unhinged fun and I enjoyed it so much! While I wouldn’t say it’s completely a dark Wizard of Oz retelling, there are a lot of parallels between the two that I loved seeing! This is fast paced filled with forced proximity, shifters, witches/wizards, time traveling, and enemies to (almost but not quite) lovers.

Now, for Winter and Wes? These two are angst and tension personified. I knew this was going to be a slowburn but damn. I NEED the next book and for these two to finally give in to each other because when they do? It is going to be so intense and worth the wait.

Perfect book for someone who loves mages, shifters, vamps, and time travel! The first in the series and I can’t wait to read the second book! Excellent world building and the story is phenomenal!

ARC copy read

We are introduced to Winter. She is a witch without natural magic and works at a library, which she worked hard to get into. One night, she accidentally time travels 700 years back in time, where she meets a werewolf called Westley, who makes her time difficult but could be a potential ally in helping her to travel back to her time. But she realizes maybe what she knew about herself, was not all true.

Unfortunately, as the story went on, I struggled to connect with Winter’s character. I couldn’t fully relate to her or to the other characters, which made it harder for me to stay emotionally engaged. Winter had a lot of ups and downs and her personality didn’t feel very consistent, so I sometimes found it difficult to follow her development. The pacing of the story also felt a bit too abrupt and fast for me. I wasn’t the biggest fan of how the plot unfolded overall, but I do think the concept was interesting and there were moments that stood out. It just didn’t fully come together for me.

Let me start by saying I wanted to keep coming back and reading this book, I did enjoy it. I’m having a hard time finding the connection between Magicless Mage and Wizard of Oz (unless it’s a super loose reimagining?). There were some chapters that happened too quickly, or too conveniently, but again I did enjoy this book. I love the side characters and I hope they get more page time in book 2 and I really hope the blossoming romance between West and Winn is explored more in book 2.

I love a good time travel trope and this book most definitely hit the spot! Along with the slow burn, it's doing its best to burn as slowly as possible. Chef’s kiss. The world building was so fascinating, and I can’t wait to dive more into it. The banter from the MCs was top tier. I need to befriend Winter asap. I can’t wait to see where this story takes us.

Thank you for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

The world building in this story was super clear, the magic was easy to understand and the issues between the different magical races was also explained well. The writing was phenomenal. This is a true enemies to lovers. Westley, who is a wolf, is very violent towards the FMC Winter. I loved how totally obsessed Westley was with Winter, who is a mage, even when he thought he hated her. He was so obsessed. Winter was so much fun too. Her sass was impeccable. They are both actually quite unhinged and I loved it. I also loved how when secrets came to light, they finally started to work together instead of against each other. This book is like a much darker twisted version of the Wizard of Oz with its own unique spin on the story. I loved it.

The Magicless Mage is a dark Wizard of Oz retelling, and I really enjoyed it! Retellings are either a hit or miss for me and this was written very well. It was so creative and unique. The characters were written well and developed throughout the story. I loved how it was true enemies to lovers with the slowest burn! The inclusion of time travel in the story and how it was done was really neat. There were a lot of twists and turns I didn’t see coming and kept me on the edge of my seat. The world building was descriptive and immersive, and it was a magical action-packed rollercoaster. There is a cliffhanger at the end that I feel was done well and has me looking forward to the next book!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for a gifted eARC.

The Magicless Mage by B.L. Lewis
Pub Date: 03/10/2025
Rating: 5 ⭐️

Winter Leroux is a librarian living in 2617, whose life has turned upside down when a violent incident in the archives accidentally sends her 700 years into the past. Stranded in 1917 and cut off from her magic, Winter must learn to navigate this unfamiliar world while searching for a way back home and finding unexpected connections along the way.

This book blew me away. The pacing was sharp, the world building was rich, and the way the two timelines woven together feels seamless and believable. Winter is such compelling character and her chemistry with Westley is intense and perfectly executed.

B. L. Lewis’ s writing is exceptional; her attention to detail makes the story feel immersive and alive. This is one of the best ARCs I have read so far, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. If you enjoy dark fantasy, sci-fi and romance with depth, high stakes this is a must read.