4.5 stars

The Summoning of Mages is a great debut young adult fantasy novel and I look forward to future books in the series. I really enjoyed the world the story is set in and learning about the magic system.

The friendship between the two main characters is really believable and their indivdual journeys and challenges mesh well together. The romances are very true to life of teen romances.

The pacing is good and the little gingerbread crumbs of plot keep you engaged with the book.

With thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for this ARC.

This was such a great book! I love stories that take place in an magical academy/university, and this was no exception. As soon as it starts, the stakes are high. Gwen and Hazel must pass the entry exam to Saint Elias university, a school for mages. I really liked the progression of their friendship and how they had to learn to trust each other. The world building was extensive and made me immersed in this world. The magic system is well thought out. This book also has a dual POV, which was very nice. There is also a romance subplot which I enjoyed, but the story is more focused on and Gwen’s and Hazel’s discovery of their magic and themselves. There’s many characters, all of whom have different backgrounds and secrets that I’m very excited to explore in the next book.
I really liked the pace of the book, lots of events are happening over the school year like mysterious disappearances and deaths and it kept me engaged and eager to know more the whole time I was reading. I really got attached to Gwen and Hazel and I can’t wait to read more !
It’s definitely worth reading. I’m sure people will enjoy this book as much as I did!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book. Opinions are my own.

Over 700 pages to be left on a cliffhanger of sorts. Some things have resolved, but we have so much more to go, but I am totally here for it.

I loved the girls. Gwen and Hazel were fast friends, with none of the cattiness you often find in YA. They were both smart and strong, a duo to cheer for. I also love how Gwen’s family took in Hazel as one of their own. You could feel Hazel’s gratefulness pour off the page. Their roommates would have been near perfect too, but you can’t always have 100% perfect characters, and it felt authentic to have. I also really liked Rafe and Jordan, though Jordan’s disappearance 3/4s into the book was a bit of a disappointment.

If there was anything I didn’t love, it was Gwen’s relationship with someone inappropriate. But it didn’t deter my enjoyment of the book on the whole. I loved the magical systems, the way the girls were discovering what they could do, and I adored the school. These are authors to watch, and I, for one, will be anxiously waiting for the next book in the series. Kudos.

I absolutely devoured this Romantasy Academia delight. This book had such a unique premise and followed two compelling characters through their struggles. Secrets, magic, trials and mysteries all await you inside, are you brave enough to enter?

The world building was incredibly immersive and the whole cast of characters were well developed. The plot was riveting and well paced which gave an entertaining read.

The split POVs kept the story engaging with lots of suspense, and I didn’t find myself drawn to one more than the other which made the story feel well balanced. The ending to this book left me quaking for the next book, as this promises to be the first of a captivating saga.

Thank you to Nadia Tate and the publishing/NetGalley team for allowing me the opportunity to give an advance review of this book. The Summoning of Mages was a magically mysterious Romantasy that deserves a spot on everyone’s TBR, earning a sparkling 5/5 star rating ✨