***CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE YOU READ THIS BOOK.***

Firstly- YAY for so much representation. Queerness, different races, we love to see it!

I typically enjoy internal dialogue, I like getting that insight to the characters feelings or thoughts past just their spoken words… but I needed Vicente’s internal dialogue to calm down. It felt like way too much and honestly messed with the pacing for me.

The story itself really snagged me and I was VERY invested, but then one big choice happened and it really changed the entire book and not necessarily for the better IMO.

Overall the writing is poetic, the story line had very powerful threads but it just didn’t catch me enough to want to stay in this world for the next book/s.

Thank you Netgalley, and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.

I enjoyed the premise, but had a hard time to go through the book. It dragged, was confusing and not really interesting. I love the cover though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a struggle to get through. The premise had potential, but the execution was confusing from the very start. Major plot points were introduced and then abandoned for long stretches, pacing was all over the place, and the worldbuilding left me with more questions than answers.

Character relationships and emotional beats didn’t feel earned—sudden romantic shifts, abrupt deaths, and big reveals came out of nowhere with little buildup or follow-through. Themes like addiction and grief were brought up but never meaningfully addressed, which made the story feel both disjointed and emotionally flat. By the rushed ending, I was left feeling unsatisfied and disconnected from both the characters and the plot.

3.5⭐️

This is definitely a bit of a heavy read with some of the parallels drawn between the magic and substance abuse. If this is something that triggers you, maybe precede with caution. There are also themes of grief and violence explored. I felt that these were brought up in a way that was important to the story.

The pacing was a bit all over the place and was a little like a roller coaster taking you to high, fast-paced scenes and then dropping down to long drawn out parts. However, if there is one place that I felt this story shined, it was the characters and their relationships with each other! They felt so well defined to me and are what kept me going with the story.

The premise of the magic system seemed really interesting but I feel like I don't really know much about it after finishing the story. I don't fell like it's completely necessary to enjoying the story but it just seemed to have so much potential in the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC !

I so wanted to love this book but sadly it fell flat for me.

I think my biggest issue was that the plot, world, and magic system especially felt incredibly under developed. It was a very interesting concept and had all the formulas for something incredible but I was left wanting more from it and being disappointed and confused.

I also felt that this was very "tell not show". Everything felt surface level with very little opportunity for the reader to piece things together themselves and infer from the information given. It felt spelt out and almost as though the author was concerned that the reader may not pick up on more subtle indications and not be able to read between the lines.

There's a definite emotional pull to the story but sadly this is weakened by the above issues and left me feeling disconnected and distanced from both the story and the characters in a way that really soured the emotional impact that this book could have made.

Beasts of Bearing was such an fascinating read! I absolutely loved it! The writing is extremely descriptive making it easy to get lost in the. However, some of the internal monolog portions of the story are way too long. The magic system was a super different style and one I haven't encountered prior to reading. I loved that you didn't always know who to trust when it came to the characters! This book is definitely perfect for readers who enjoy political tension and characters who a perfectly-imperfectly flawed. Please remember to check triggers as this book does contain some dark themes including references to self-harm, substance abuse, past trauma and sexual abuse.

Vicente, the first magic-user trained by the Crown, is a rising ambassador—and an unwilling pawn in the queen’s political games. Hoping to earn his freedom, he agrees to mediate a tense land dispute in a remote, divided town. He brings a trusted team, but the queen saddles them with Iver, a ruthless mercenary bent on pushing Vicente to the edge. As the town simmers with old grudges and bodies start turning up, Vicente must maintain the fragile peace while hiding a dangerous secret. With his grip on control slipping and Iver pursuing a secret mission that could unravel everything, Vicente must decide what he's willing to sacrifice—before he loses himself completely.

Beasts of Bearing was such an fascinating read. The writing is poetically descriptive making it easy to get lost in the world and I loved how the view of the towns were likened to cats. That being said, some of the internal monolog portions of the story are overly long and I would have loved if those pages were used for taking us on a deeper dive into the magic system and the lore. It also felt more like a Fantasy and a Sci-Fi had a love-baby than purely fantasy, since there are references to things like nanotechnology and radios, but they don’t have cars and need to use horses.

The magic system was super intriguing and one I haven’t encountered before. It added a complex layer to the plot. The characters and their group dynamic were compelling and well-developed and I loved that you didn’t always know who to trust. Plus the representation is fantastic!

I really enjoyed this read and think it is perfect for readers who enjoy political tension, high stakes and characters who a perfectly-imperfectly flawed.

Please note there some dark themes in this book including references to self-harm, substance abuse, past trauma and sexual abuse.

Thank you to Isabelle Törnqvist, Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The pacing felt a little off in this one, there were a lot of high tension moments followed by a lot of long internal monologues that dragged on. The magic system was a really cool concept, but it felt like it was not fleshed out enough for the reader to fully immerse themselves in. For me, this book was so close to being something I would enjoy, the high stakes tension and magical system with an undercurrent of addiction and love are all up my alley, but there were too many references to real life tech/things that pulled me out of the world.

Thank you to Victory Editing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book completely caught me off guard in the best way. It’s a slow-burn, character-focused fantasy that manages to balance magic, politics, queer identity, and emotional tension with impressive clarity.

The story follows Vicente, a mystic trained in a unique form of teleportation magic. Calling it ‘magic’, though, undersells how much it’s treated like a controlled substance. One of the strongest parts of this book is how the author draws a clear, nuanced parallel between Vicente’s relationship to his powers and addiction. Every time he uses “Stormwater,” there’s a rush, a euphoric high, and the consequences are real, both internal and external. It’s not glamorised. You feel the temptation, the spiral, and the shame that follows.

But where Beasts of Bearing really shines is its relationships. Vicente’s dynamic with Iver, a captured assassin sent with him on a diplomatic mission, is complicated, messy, and brilliantly written. There’s distrust, attraction, fear, and a slow, reluctant pull toward something more. The tension builds naturally, and when it breaks (yes, there is spice: I’d rate it a level 3), it feels earned. It’s intimate and raw.

At the same time, the book gives space to an already-established relationship: Marcia and her wife, Daiyu. Their marriage is tender and believable, full of in-jokes and emotional shorthand, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The two are navigating the difficult topic of whether or not to have children. Marcia isn’t sure she wants to be a parent, and Daiyu is increasingly vocal about her desire to start a family. This subplot is one of the quiet emotional backbones of the book, and it adds another layer to the already rich cast of characters. It’s nice to see a queer couple in fantasy negotiating that kind of future together with this much nuance.

Beyond the characters, the world-building is excellent. There’s a strong political element woven through everything, and it’s all grounded in believable cultural and social tensions. Nothing is black and white, and I appreciated that the book doesn’t try to wrap things up neatly.
Beasts of Bearing is character-driven fantasy at its best. Queer, emotionally intelligent, politically aware, and deeply immersive. Highly recommend for fans of slow-burn tension, moral complexity, and magic systems with real consequences.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Vicente's magic seemed like substance abuse in a different form. This book was good, but the pacing was a bit erratic and I don't understand the magic system; however, if you want to just read and not get too involved in a magic system and are okay with inconsistent pacing then I am sure it would be a great book.

✨Arc Review✨

Thank you to the author Isabelle Tornqvist And netgallery for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Gripping Tale of Magic, Power, and Self-Destruction

Beasts of Bearing by Isabelle Törnqvist is an ambitious dark fantasy debut that tackles heavy themes like addiction, power struggles, and the cost of magic. The premise grabbed me immediately — a magic user fighting both external enemies and his own internal demons in a world rife with political tension and old grudges. There’s a lot to admire here: the world-building is immersive, the characters are flawed and multi-layered, and the stakes feel very real.

Vicente, the protagonist, is a fascinating character whose struggle with addiction to his own magic adds a raw, emotional depth to the story. The tension between him and the mercenary Iver drives much of the narrative, creating moments of intense conflict and uneasy alliances. The setting—a small, isolated town with a history of violence—heightens the suspense and mystery.

That said, I found parts of the story a bit uneven. Some plot threads felt rushed or underdeveloped, especially toward the middle, and I struggled at times to fully connect with the pacing. While the darker, psychological elements add complexity, they occasionally made the narrative feel heavy or sluggish. The political intrigue, though promising, could have been expanded to give the story more dimension.

The writing style is evocative and poetic in places, which added to the atmosphere, but occasionally felt dense, which made reading a slower experience. The novel’s emotional intensity is a strength but might not appeal to everyone, especially those looking for a lighter or more fast-paced fantasy.

Overall, Beasts of Bearing is a compelling, thought-provoking book with strong characters and an original premise. While it didn’t fully meet my expectations, it’s a promising start from Isabelle Törnqvist, and I’m curious to see how the story and world develop in future books.

3.25 ⭐️

This one is hard to rate… there is depth to this story and emotional weight that really try to grab you. But despite some strong storylines, Beasts of Bearing never quite came together for me.

Vicente, Marcia, Daiyu and Iver are sent to a small town to help settle a land dispute, but that surface level conflict quickly falls apart. They begin to uncover different pieces of a much darker puzzle. Manipulation, child exploitation, and the whole system rotting from the inside out. As the plot unfolds, Vicente is constantly knocked down, retreating into his own magic, which is the source of his power and his euphoria.

The parallel between Vicente’s magic and substance abuse is not subtle, it’s a central theme to the story. His use of magic brings euphoria unmatched by drugs, alcohol or sex, and it always comes as a retreat from pain: childhood trauma, self loathing and loss. The deeper he goes, the harder it is for him to climb back out.

This truly was Beasts of Bearing (not Beasts of Burden) in that this is a story about what humans bear. Grief. Shame. Violence. Choices. And sometimes… how we fight and crawl and sacrifice… only to realize it wasn’t worth it. As said in the book… it’s an invisible silent corpse we drag around with us, not even knowing we’ve been pulling it around with us this whole time.

The pacing swings wildly… high tension revelations followed by long stretches of Vicente’s internal spiral. That cycle… conflict, collapse, magical escape, repeats again and again. There’s a turning point late in the book that forces Vicente to finally step into something like leadership. The stakes felt urgent… and I was finally really invested into the story. At one point though… we find Vicente faced with the decision to choose his own euphoria, his mission, or his love. The decision he makes is a life-changing one, and it left me asking, after almost 400 pages of story… why did any of the story matter, if he was just going to make that decision?

Moving on, the Magic system could have been really fun, but it’s never fully explained. There’s bonding to demigods, a pantheon of gods, divine politics and lore… but none is ever explored in depth. Maybe it was meant to be background noise to Vicente’s arc, but for me, it felt like a dropped storyline.

One thing that does stand out is the representation. Every one of the main characters is queer. We have brown skin and white skin, lesbians, gays, and bis. No one’s identity is really a sub plot point or a twist, it just is. It’s great to see queerness and racial diversity as a default and not a decoration.

One thing that didn’t really work for me was the tone. This fantasy world included radio, rifles, Latin phrases, and even had a Department of Defense. “I’ve got your six” was uttered way too many times for it to land as any sort of modern fantasy military concept, and was a little cringey.

In the end, I won’t be returning this world. The themes of trauma, addiction, sacrifice, all is very important, but the execution was too uneven… I just really wish those themes had been given the clarity and cohesion it needed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide a review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like being dropped into a storm that never quite let up. Beasts of Bearing is heavy—in tone, in emotion, in magic. It’s not a gentle read, but it’s not trying to be. Törnqvist is wrestling with big things here: addiction, power, control, autonomy, and the weight of consequence. And you feel that on every page.

Vicente is one of the more complicated protagonists I’ve read in a while. His magic is both euphoric and destructive, a high he can’t seem to quit—physically or emotionally. Watching him spiral, heal, backslide, and claw his way forward felt frustrating in that deeply human way, the kind that makes you sit with your own discomfort. There were times I wanted to shake him, and times I wanted to protect him. That duality is a strength.

The world around him—politically volatile and morally slippery—is full of characters with jagged edges, none of whom are easy to pin down. Iver, the mercenary, is brutal and relentless and probably one of the most compelling antagonists I’ve read this year. Every dynamic is strained. Every alliance feels like it could snap. And in the middle of it all is Vicente, barely holding it together.

There are moments where the pacing stumbles, and some transitions felt abrupt. But what kept me reading was the emotional clarity, the rawness of Vicente’s internal battle, and the way Törnqvist refuses to soften the reality of power’s cost—on the body, on the mind, on relationships.

It’s a dark book. But it’s also deeply honest. For readers drawn to magic systems with consequences, characters who spiral, and themes of queer identity, shame, and sovereignty, this is worth the emotional investment. Just… go in knowing it won’t hold your hand.

En un reino dividido por la guerra, los secretos y los dioses, Vicente Lamor es un místico en formación con la capacidad de abrir portales mediante un elixir mágico. Su mundo cambia cuando, en una operación encubierta, captura al temido asesino Far Cry, cuyo verdadero nombre es Iver Vasiliev, un joven francotirador con una puntería sobrenatural y un pasado secreto.

Su éxito lo lleva ante la reina Leandra, quien le asigna una misión diplomática en el conflictivo pueblo de Llyr. Pero no irá solo: Iver es liberado bajo palabra para acompañarlos como escolta, prometiéndole un perdón que tal vez nunca llegue. Junto a ellos viajan Marcia, quien dejó atrás un oscuro pasado en Llyr, y Daiyu, su brillante esposa científica.

Mientras navegan tensiones políticas, identidades falsas y peligros sobrenaturales, se revela un plan mayor: la posible existencia de un semidiós perdido que podría cambiar el curso de la guerra. El viaje los obliga a enfrentarse a sus miedos, pasados y a decidir si pueden confiar unos en otros cuando sus vidas y el destino del reino están en juego.


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Disfrute del libro, pero no me gusto el destino de uno de los personajes y lo que paso entre M y C, sobre todo por la rapidez en que se dio.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest