Spell Bound

Sweet, but corny

I got an ARC for this book from NetGalley.

Rook is trying desperately to get back into the magical community. Following the death of his grandmother he was forced out of it because he has no magical talent. His angle: getting a job with the most powerful sorceress in the world. But she doesn’t take apprentices anymore. And then to complicate things there’s Sun, a rival sorcerer’s apprentice who doesn’t like Rook at all, or do they?

I loved the characters in this story. Rook and Sun were very well realized and I was glad we got to see things from both of their POV. Without insight into Sun’s thoughts they might have felt too prickly and off putting. I liked the slow burn development of their relationship.

Antonia was extremely aggressive, with good reason, but sometimes came off a little bit too rash for someone who’s had her experiences. I felt like she would have been a little more careful about what she was doing. But it was entertaining to read.

I had only read one other book by F.T. Lukens before this (Ever After) but now I’m going to put them on my must read list! I love the witty dialog, the compassion their characters show and how damn inclusive and queer their books have been!

Pick this book up for disaster queer spell caster fun with just the right amount of overthrowing corrupt tyrannical governments. Plus there is really sweet hugging and someone turns into a cat for a while.

The best thing about this book are the characters. I’ve already cast them in my head, imaging how the book would translate into a tv show. Rook is both a genius and a dumbass, with golden retriever kind of energy. Sun is both confident and insecure and becoming friends with Rook changes their notions on following the rules of the Consortium, the very controlling magical governing body in this world. Antonia is mysterious and scary, both a rose blossom and its thorns. Fable is a little too lawful good for my liking, but their decisions always made sense for their character. I’m not nonbinary, but the rep here seems good and normal, with both Sun and mentor Fable using they/them pronouns. I would love to see more of Mavis if there is ever a sequel. The book achieves a great balance of having magic and whimsy exist alongside tech and the modern setting. It never feels odd or weird in a way that takes you out of the story. I love the ley lines magic system that exists with potions and spells that require precise steps and a lot of willpower. Some of the plot points felt more forced, like a certain someone going through Rook’s bag to look for his cell phone while Rook was incapacitated and stumbling upon his illegal tech for sensing magical ley lines. Like wouldn’t that tech have some kind of lock or password to open? And in an emergency would someone really study the screen and figure out the tech matches where the ley lines are, which regular humans cannot see? It’s forced but I’ll let it pass because there is much more great in this story than meh. But the book provided the fun, which is what I’m looking for in a witchy book. It felt like watching a fun streaming movie, with enough pathos to make you care and enough hijinks to keep you entertained. 7.5/10 stars, recommended for a good time. Ebook review copy provided by NetGalley, not sponsored.