A well-developed and thoroughly entertaining fantasy novel that combines traditional and original lore.
A young sorcerer enters an intense and brutal training academy to restore her powers and learn the truth about her family in Cassidy’s fantasy novel.
Twenty-one-year-old Anamaya Onyx’s matriarchal side has been cursed for generations. Her great-great-grandaunt, Dharma Onyx, committed the heinous crime of destroying an incantor’s bloodline, compelling the ruling Arcanum Imperium to lock away the sorcerous powers of the entire Onyx bloodline. Dharma’s crime made the Onyx name an anathema; Anamaya and her mother Ariana have adopted the fake surname Denton in order to avoid complete ostracization. After Ariana dies following a long battle with a terminal illness, Anamaya finds Dharma’s journal, in which the disgraced ancestor claims she was framed and that a book called the Libra Veritas will prove her innocence. The Libra Veritas, according to Dharma’s journal entries, is hidden away in the library vaults at Nightsbridge Academy. Anamaya discovers a law that prohibits allowing an Arcanus (magical) bloodline to die out in order to protect all Arcanus bloodlines’ connection to the central source of magic known as the Weave. As Anamaya is the final member of the Onyx bloodline, she realizes she can make a case to have her powers restored. To do so, as well as learn the truth about Dharma Onyx, she’ll need to go to Nightsbridge Academy—a fortress and training center that conscripts members from certain magical and human bloodlines to contain and control the Horrors that have crept into their world. Anamaya attends classes on combat, Horrors, and the history of Nightsbridge, but her last name stokes the ire of many at the academy, and the Horrors seem to be targeting her, specifically. Cassidy delivers a spellbinding fantasy story that incorporates traditional lore from a plethora of cultures alongside original creatures and magic systems. Readers will be captivated by the author’s meticulous and richly detailed worldbuilding and entertained by narrator Anamaya’s wry humor (“Serendipity, you beautiful bitch”); the supporting characters are equally engaging. While the main story is compelling, readers may find a romantic subplot, which often relegates the otherwise self-sufficient protagonist to damsel-in-distress status, to be predictable and cliched.
A well-developed and thoroughly entertaining fantasy novel that combines traditional and original lore.Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2026
ISBN: 9781964264295
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Page & Vine
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.
Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.
Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.
A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781538704431
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Forever
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.
A reluctant princess is thrust into deadly political intrigue in Perry’s sweeping, high-stakes romantasy.
Odessa is the overlooked and underestimated princess of Quentis, whose life takes an unexpected turn when a deal is struck between her father and the formidable Turan warriors force her into an arranged marriage with their enigmatic prince, Zavier Wolfe. Intended as a mere formality to secure trade routes and military alliances, the betrothal spirals into something far more dangerous when ancient magic, a ruthless Guardian, and a looming war threaten to upend everything she knows. Finally emerging from the shadow of her seemingly perfect half sister, Mae, Odessa must navigate court politics, monstrous creatures, and her own uncertain place in a world where survival often depends on strategy rather than strength. As tensions rise, she finds herself entangled with the dangerous, enigmatic Guardian—a man whose silver eyes hold secrets of their own. Perry’s worldbuilding is lush and immersive, crafting a kingdom rife with old magic, deadly beasts, and political machinations that add depth. The pacing is relentless, carrying Odessa from one life-altering event to another as she grapples with duty, defiance, and a destiny she never chose. Her internal conflict is compelling, torn between the expectations placed upon her and the fierce independence that threatens to make her an outcast in her own kingdom. Romance simmers as Odessa struggles to reconcile her obligations with her growing attraction to the Guardian, whose past is as shadowed as his reputation. Mae is introduced as Odessa’s political foil, and although her presence drives much of Odessa’s internal drama—being constantly overshadowed or underestimated—she’s mostly seen through Odessa’s perspective. Her motivations, ambitions, and political maneuverings might have benefited from deeper exploration to give more nuance to the power dynamics. However, Perry’s evocative prose and intricate plotting make for a gripping tale. Readers looking for a slow-burn romantasy with rich political intrigue and a protagonist forced to create her own fate will find much to enjoy.
A thrilling, immersive tale that shows that some bargains demand more than just a crown.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781649378514
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Entangled: Red Tower Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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