The Tethered Mage is Melissa Caruso's debut novel that packs a punch. It features an original world reft with corruption and magic, political schemes and court intrigues. The characters are wonderfully dimensional and it was pleasant to read a book featuring relationships and friendships of strong women. It's a story of people not accepting the roles they were supposedly born into, of breaking molds. The magic system is fascinating, and the writing is top notch. This book will keep you reading well into the night and leave you wanting more. The good news is that there is going to be a sequel!

This book started off at a decent pace for me but as I went on somehow my reading pace slowed. But, I did find the characters and their development intriguing. This book is well written and the political intrigue is enough to keep a reader interested each time they pick up the book. This is a good book for fans of battles of wit more than brawn. It would make a good gift and I will be keeping an eye out for other books by this author.

The Tethered Mage is the perfect blend of politics and adventure where the politics do not overwhelm or drone out the story. Instead they highlight the events that occur. This story has not one but two conflicting heroines bound by a duty thrust onto them. One with politics and the other with the tether of burning fate that she can unleash upon others with just one word to release her. Amalia and Zaira must find a way to tolerate each other as they and their trusted companions try to solve a dire situation that arises.

Character development keeps the reader engaged wondering what is going to happen from page to page. There was not a character that I found uninteresting. I either loved, hated or felt sympathy for many. I have to admit Domenic is my favorite reluctant hero who steps up to the plate even though he would rather stay on the sidelines as the scholar.

If you give the book a chance, you'll find the characters memorable, the world building intricate, and really the politics were my favorite bit. It's not often politics are so well detailed, so intricate and well woven into a story. This is certainly a great beginning to a YA series! I would definitely recommend this book to others.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the characters and their development. However, it was a slow and increasingly political read that took me quite a while to really get into the story. As such, I almost didn't finish The Tethered Mage. Zaira and Amalia were the only reason I finished; I couldn't wait to continue to see their story develop. Overall, it was a pretty good novel, and I will definitely pick up the second one.

This book is so good. I feel that I should mention that this book, while fast-paced it's not what most would call "action-packed". Most of the book is a lot of political intrigue, and less battle/fighting. I find political intrigue very interesting and exciting but I am aware that there are people who don't. Which is fine, but if you are one of those people then this book might not be for you, but I do hope you still give it a chance.

Now the characters. Amalia is a really interesting character. She's pretty different from other characters from books I've read who are in a similar position as she is. For one, her parent is 110% invested in her life, verging on controlling, but since she's the heir her mother stands back enough to make sure her daughter can lead but is still in her life enough to make her make tough decisions. She's not a fighter, she's not very good at the deceptiveness that comes with her possition. She's a scholar, she likes reading and studying magic she can't wield.

Zaira is really sassy. and very blunt. She never hides her opinion on anything. But considering the how she's had to survive, it's understandable why she is the way she is. Though there is a lot about her that is kind of a mystery in a way. Since the book is told from Amalia's POV, we don't ever get to see what's going on inside Zaira's mind, or how her thought process works. She's not educated, but she's also not dumb.

There is a slight romance in this book, but it doesn't really take up any page time. It's mostly vague flirtation and attraction. But not really much beyond that. It stays very much in the background of the book.

I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

Political intrigue, magic, and romance combine to make this a generally fun read, if with a slow start.

Amalia's heir to her mother's place on the Raverran Council of Nine, but right now she's more interested in Alchemy than politics. That changes when she accidentally becomes a Falcon -- those charged with tethering the empire's magicians to control their magic. Fire warlock Zaira is now her charge, except she's unwilling to be anybody's slave. And Amalia isn't so sure the system is fair either, but the handsome Lieutenant Falcon Marcello is an added bonus to her new, unlooked for job.

Things get even more complicated when political intrigue and civil unrest threaten several of the empire's kingdoms, and what better way to quell the unrest than with the threat of a fire warlock? And so Amalia, Zaira, and Marcello find themselves in the middle of a possible war, unless they can stop it.

Some say this is YA, some not, but it definitely read like YA to me. The characters are probably a bit older -- 19-20 -- but the plot and writing struck me as YA. I found the 2nd half more engaging than the 1st, with lots of cliffhangers, so if you're a little bored at first, it does get more interesting. Mainly, this suffered from my own comparison of it to The Fifth Season, which is entirely unfair. But The Fifth Season has a similar political system, where the magic users are used and essentially enslaved, yet it presents a far more nuanced portrayal of slavery than The Tethered Mage.

However, I did find this a fun read. While I probably won't pick up book 2, I would still recommend the series to those who enjoys political and YA fantasy. The romance isn't too heavy, if that's something you try to avoid, though it is there for those of you who love that.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Posted on Goodreads 11/21]
[Posted on Amazon 11/21]
[Will post on personal blog in early December]

This is a very imaginative series, and would make a good gift for a teenager.

Awesome YA fantasy novel! I couldn't put it down- I literally stayed up all night just to finish (yay to responsible adulting). The heroine, Amalia, had some great character development and the romance angle is not the all consuming "I'll die without you" theme which I really appreciate in a YA novel. Set in a different world with varying political structures, the author does a good job of giving you some background to the world without dumbing it up or putting in a pointless conversation between characters to explain something. A good paced novel, with some intriguing characters, I enjoyed the plot twists and character motivations. I hope to see more development with Amalia's Falcon, Zaira, since the only vibe I got from her was the deeply wounded inside and tough as nails outside. Definitely reading the sequel!

Debut author, brand new YA fantasy series, badass female characters, creative plot line - yep, I was hooked. In the Raverran Empire, children who are 'mage-marked' (ie. they can do magic, insane magic like out of control fire, melting peoples' bones, building mirrors to trap intruders) are taken by the government at a young age and 'tethered.' Think falconry, as these young magicians, now known as Falcons, are imprisoned by a magical bracelet and a couple words that when spoken by their Falconer, release their devastating magic. Problems are inherent in this system, with underlying themes of enslavement, devotion to war, and political machinations to gain the upper hand with the empires that surround Raverra. Enter two incredibly powerful female characters: Amalia, daughter of a powerful council member and the Falcon she ensnares, Zaira, who has been able to avoid capture for all of her seventeen years and definitely does not want to be anyone's Falcon. This is an exciting first installment to a new series that has great potential. I do feel like it would have benefitted from further editing (definitely too long), and some stronger character development for some of the males. However, I did appreciate the way in which Caruso dealt with the cultural mores of Raverra, noting that many of their leaders are women, that Falcons and Falconers could be in a same sex marriage, that skin colors were different. All these ideas were just part of Raverra society, acceptable and nothing that really raised eyebrows; it's just the way their society works. That is powerful.

Are you looking for a diverse fantasy with kickass, strong and intelligent females, an amazing magic system and political scheming that will blow your mind? If your answer is YES, then this book is for you!

We follow Amalia Cornaro, an heir of one of the most powerful families in Raverra, as she accidentally gets herself stuck in the web of politics and scheming, by becoming the Falconer of a balefire mage, Zaira.

The story had a pretty promising premise and for the most part it delivered. The action starts from the very first pages and we are introduced to this new world and magic system. At first it was all very confusing, but as the story progresses things -fortunately- do become clearer.

The magic system is fascinating. There are people called the mage-marked, and they possess some kind of magic. The most common mage-marked are alchemists and artificers. Then there are vivomancers, mages who can control thunder(!) and the most powerful mages are the ones who control balefire, a fire that can destroy anything. My complain is that I wanted a liiiitle bit more focus on the mages, because they are so exciting!

Politics. The Tethered Mage is all about politics. YOUR MIND WILL BE BLOWN. For the most part of the story I had no idea who was an ally to who, who betrays who. And the plot twists DAMN! I couldn’t keep up with them. If you like your fantasies more on the political part rather than the action part, then definitely pick up this book!

Characters. The two main characters are Amalia and Zaira, and they couldn’t be more different. Amalia comes from a very privileged background, she has always had everything she wanted, whereas Zaira has lived her whole life as an orphan, stealing in order to survive. What I liked about those two is that they are both extremely strong but in total different ways. Amalia can get herself out of situations by using her mind and intelligence, by manipulating the others around her and exerting the power of her name. Zaira on the other hand, she is the stereotypical badass; if she decides to kill you, you don’t stand a chance.

Another character I adored is Marcello *heart eyes* HE IS SO CUTE! Marcello is another Falconer who has been assisgned to protect Amalia and Zaira. He is kind and patient, an an idealist, and the slow burn romance between him and Amalia had me ajdhsajgdD!!!!

Leaving the best for last, ZAIRA IS BISEXUAL! You have no idea how happy this makes me, seeing bisexual representation in a fantasy book. Also THERE IS A GAY MARRIED COUPLE!! And what is best, is that being a part of the LGBTQA+ community in The Tethered Mage is completely normal. There is no prejudice, or people having to hide who they truly are.

Overall I totally recommend The Tethered Mage to people who are funs of fantasy, magic and politics!

I received this e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. A big thank you to the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This was a good fantasy with some excellent political intrigue. However, I felt it tried to avoid truly discussing the forced labour of the Falcons, and I couldn't help feeling it would have been more interesting with Zaira as the main character.

I really loved this book. I was a bit dubious about Net Galley's claim that the book is in the vein of Leigh Bardugo, and I think that comparison actually doesn't do this book any favors It's in a style of its own and doesn't need to be marketed that way. The book was admittedly a bit slow to get into, and some of the terminology comes off as a bit cheesey (falcon, falconer, jess), but after a few chapters I didn't want to put the book down. Can't wait for the series to continue!

What a fantastic story! I give this book one of my highest recommendations. It absolutely transformed me into the world that Melissa Caruso created. I was so focused on the story that I missed my subway stop during a particularly good chapter. High praise indeed.

The characters and world are all well-formed and engrossing. In the main character, she created a strong woman who's not afraid to question the world around her and do what she thinks is the right thing.

The story started a little bit slow but then picked up with such a pace that I didn't want to put it down. I get really excited when a new author writes a great fantasy novel and Melissa Caruso definitely did that. I'm very much looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this trilogy.

Interesting storyline A little slow to start , worth persevering with to the end. . Would like to see a little more from this author.

What would you do if you had astounding power but it was controlled by someone else? To be tethered means that someone else controls you. Add political intrigue and possibility of war and you have a bomb ready and waiting to go off. This was a fun and interesting read, and I loved the city and canals and the characters were realistic and relatable.

The Tethered Mage is set in a world that is very similar to Renaissance Italy, with it's canals and doge's. Amalia is heir to one of the ruling families and sometimes chafes at that. Those with powerful magic are all falcons and are tethered to a keeper. Amalia accidentally becomes a falconer while trying to help an out of control mage. Her falcon has no interest in being caged and political shenanigans ensue. Parts of this book were a bit predictable, but I didn't catch all of the twist at the end. I'm interested to see where this series goes next and am looking forward to the next installment.

The Tethered Mage is pretty much my perfect fantasy novel. I really, really loved it. I'm struggling to articulate my love for it without just fangirling all over the place. I will admit, up front, that it may also not be for everyone. I'll explain why as I go. Let's start with the worldbuilding. It was well done. The book starts with a high-action scenario (where Zaira and Amalia first meet) and then delves into the repercussions of that meeting, which are many and varied. As the political and personal repercussions of the actions the girls took at that first meeting are exposed, the world continues to expand and build and grow before your eyes. You discover the Serene Empire, and you discover some very precarious political situations are going on. You discover how the doge (emperor) thinks that Zaira and Amalia are the answer to most of his problems, and you discover the Empire's interesting way of dealing with magic, that is not straightforwardly good or evil, but can be the source of multiple varied opinions amongst the characters.

The political background is rich here, and a lot of the book does deal with politics. Amalia, the main character and narrator, is the heir to a powerful seat on the Council of Nine that rules the Empire alongside the doge, so politics are a major part of her life. They govern how she should be spending her time, the words she speaks to anyone vaguely related to politics (bringing to mind for me the Orlesian "game" in Dragon Age: Inquisition--a video game I love), and who she can date/fall in love with. Since politics are such a central part of her life, they're also a central part of this book. If you don't love reading about a bunch of political intrigue in closed chambers and at garden parties, then this book may not be for you. I, on the other hand, adore politics in fantasy, so I was very excited to keep up with all the twists and turns of conversation.

While a lot of the book contains and focuses on politics, particularly regarding who rulers should be ruling for and the politics of war, it also has a good bit of action in it. There are many political scenes and situations that made me feel tense, and they were well written. However, there were also plenty of daring and fast-paced action sequences that made me hold my breath and hope for the best. I loved the mix of both in the book, and was glad that neither took a backseat. The plot was tight and well done and I really felt that every aspect of it, whether political or action-based, was integral to the plot and the building tension.

The characters were also amazing. Amalia is the narrator, as previously mentioned, and it was a wonderful journey as a reader to see her struggle with her life as an heir to power, and ultimately come into her own, but on her own terms. I felt like her story was very original and refreshing in many ways (which I can't delve into without spoilers). Zaira, whose life is inextricably linked to Amalia's from the beginning of the narrative, was great to have along for the ride. She's a strong female character who has always lived life on her own terms, and finds herself unhappy with her current situation. She's a snarky, sarcastic badass, and I loved watching her and Amalia bicker and banter and negotiate their new relationship as Falcon (mage/warlock) and Falconer (the person who can unleash the mage/warlock's power). I also appreciated how well drawn other characters were, including Amalia's mother and all of her political enemies and allies. There's also a villainous prince who will make your skin crawl, and a Falconer lieutenant who I absolutely adored (who is basically the third main character). I will admit that I kind of wished this book was from multiple perspectives, just because I really wanted to know more about all of the characters. I would love to see a spin-off novel telling Amalia's mother's story, for instance.

There is romance in this book and it takes multiple forms. However, this was NOT instalove, and I really appreciated the way it was handled. From the beginning, the romantic entanglement was bound to happen, but it did happen slowly, and at a believable pace with believable obstacles. I'll be interested to see how it continues to develop in future installments of the series, but I really like it when romance is realistic.

Overall, I really can't say enough about how much I loved this book. I didn't really want this to just be endless fangirling, but I'm kind of afraid that's what it turned into. If you love fantasy with great worldbuilding and don't mind politics as a central theme, I really think you'll love this novel. If reading a lot about politics isn't your thing, you may still like it, but the middle will be a little slow for you. I do, promise, though that there is plenty of action. If you do check it out, I'd love to see what you think!

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

This book is great. Great female friendship. Great m/f friendship. Healthy romance. I loved this so much.

Have you ever bought a book just because you really liked the cover? I fall into this trap every once and awhile and I will say that I sometimes it bites me in the butt but at least this time the inside of the book was about as substantial as the outside.

Political intrigues aren’t really my cup-o-tea. I’m more action/world building oriented in my fantasy but the Tethered Mage did a pretty decent job of holding my attention even so.

Amalia is heir to a powerful position on the council of nine. They pretty much run the Serene Empire. Her mother has spies everywhere, is two steps ahead of everyone and has been testing and training Amalia her entire life to be the most powerful woman in the Empire one day.

“You’ll do fine, child. Just remember who you are.”
Who I was, or who she wished me to be? My throat tightened. “I’m not good at these games. Not like you are, Mamma.”
“Then don’t play. Figure out what you are good at, and make that the game.”


Amalia however just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time and ended up saving the city but at a cost. She is now the proud Falconer of a Mage. Which means she has bound a powerful mage to her and can turn that mage’s magic on and off with a word.

Zaira is the powerful mage in question and she isn’t really happy about being saved and having a falconer. So at first there is some dissention between them. No matter how pretty the cage it is still a cage. Zaira takes awhile to warm up to she is somewhat of a brat through most of the book but the enemies to friends transition is one I usually like in a book

There is a bad guy or a few actually but the main bad guy probably won’t play into the story much until the next book. Ruven is a mage that can control your body. With just a touch of his skin he can seize control and cause pleasure, pain, numbness, healing etc. He was creepy, like over the top creepy.

There is a good guy Marcello and I can’t believe I’m going to say this but he is too good. I was actually hoping that he was tangled up in the plot somehow to make him a little more three dimensional. He just seemed too good to be true for most of the book and he is also the inappropriate love interest for Amalia. I feel just so-so about the very subdued love story that was thrown in.

Overall the book is too long. It just seemed to keep going and going and I was ready for a wrap up to the story about 2/3rds in. I liked Amalia but most of the other characters I didn’t form any emotional attachment too. I really wanted to explore a little more of the magic in this world and would have liked to have done some training with Amalia and Zaira while in the Mews (the place all mage marked live).

I’m hoping for a little more action in the next book in the series and not as much bickering. While well written I would have liked to cut at least 100 pages out of the book overall.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy