Thank you to Bookouture for letting me take part in this tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley. I love a good fantasy novel so I jumped at the chance to join in with this tour.

This is the first book I have read by this author but I do have her previous books on my TBR pile. This is one of the things that drew me to the book and of course the absolutely gorgeous cover and intriguing blurb.

Our main character is Grace Marchant. Grace is an officer of the Academy. The Academy hunt down rogue Mageborn that are essentially hurting others. I really liked Grace. While she clearly has a troubled past she has a good sense of right and wrong and will stick to her morals even in some of the most perilous circumstances.

This book took quite a while for me to really get into it. I think I spent a good few days just getting to 30%. Once I got past that I really raced through it but the beginning was slow going. It took a while to work out who was who and what was going on. I think the world-building could be improved here to help with this. It was all so confusing for a while. Once I did work it all out it was a very addictive read.

The story is full of action, twist and turns along with a sprinkle of magic. Everything you need for a good fantasy tale. I can't wait to see where Jessica takes this series next.

Wow, wow, wow!

The Mageborn (those born with magic) are in danger. The Lord of Thornes demands they pay their day of homage and some have never disappeared.

Grace is tasked with the mission of locating the Mageborn gone rogue and to find out about the recent spike of killed Mageborns with mysteriously burned marks on their hands, when she comes across the infamous Lord of the Thornes, Bastien. Bastien's magic is the strongest of them all and heir to the throne even though laws forbid a Mageborn to be crowned.

She wants to hate the man who finished off her ailing friend, rather than try to help him, but Grace finds herself drawn to Bastien and how he is able to unfurl her magic that she thought was long gone.

A showstopping book that was hard to put down. Just as the story's characters were drawn to the temptation of magic, this story kept compelling me to continue reading it. An addicting adventure you will not want to miss out on.

I can't wait for the second book in the Hollow King series!

Quite a fun read it with two main characters who were initially antagonists until they found a common foe who was taking advantage of the magical situation.

Grace Marchant had had her magic drained off in her childhood, and all she remembered was being left on the doorstep of the Academy from where she trained to become a great commander who would hunt down Mageborn, people having magic so that magic could be leeched or made to bow down.

Bastien was the cousin to the king who drained the Mageborn of their magic and conducted experiments to help them, or so he thought. The main leads had their duties cut out until someone began killing the Mageborns, and both were forced to work together to find out the truth. Secrets, plotting of an insane mind, and need for more power were all exposed down the line.

Having read a few books by author Jessica Thorne, I was quite excited by the beginning of this story. Rules of magic were clear. The attraction between the main characters was kept subtle. I loved how the two joined forces and worked not only against the power hungry people of the Kingdom but also the deep coil of dark power inside Bastien that was destroying him one cell at a time.

The story went through its adventure, and the wicked minds of folks kept me hooked to the story. The action scenes and the political treachery moved the story forward. The mid section slowed down, and the prose could have been more interesting. Luckily, the last few chapters more than made up for it. The ending was a shocker which had me reveling in joy at the sheer power that was unleashed. It was quite a secret that was kept hidden in the entire book.

Overall, quite an interesting read over tea and biscuits.

Title: Mageborn (The Hollow King #1)
Author: Jessica Thorne
Pub. Date: February 18, 2020
Rating: 4.5

This will be a spoiler free review. Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this book to review, and thanks for bringing it to my attention! Otherwise I might have missed it completely.

Have you ever just picked up a book, and almost immediately know you’re going to absolutely love it, and be absolute trash for it?
Yes?
Then you know exactly the feeling I’m talking about.
I was pretty much sold on this book, from this line alone:

A dark and addictive fantasy read for fans of Graceling and Sarah J. Maas.

But, honestly, I think a better comparison is to Elise Kova’s Air Awakens Series. I got major Vhalla and Aldrik vibes from Grace and Bastien.
Ugh, Grace and Bastien.
I love them.
Basically, if you’re a fan of Aelin + Rowan, Vhalla + Aldrik and Lou + Reid, you’ll really love Grace and Bastien. They all share very similar dynamics, but definitely the most comparable is Vhalla and Aldrik. Which, I’m totally okay with, because those books are some of my favorite fantasy books.
Anyways…god, I always digress in reviews. Back to Mageborn, the book you’re actually here to read about.
This was such a good, upper YA, borderline NA fantasy read. It should be on everyone’s radar.
I mean, the cover alone should make you want to buy it, because look at it – it’s stunning!

From the start of this book, we’re taken on Grace’s journey as she tries to ignore the blankness of her past, and the ever-growing power inside of her. We follow her as she does her job, dutifully upholding the laws. Her job causes her to come in contact with Bastien, the Lord of Thorns, a supposed ‘monster’ and there’s instant attraction, because tall, dark and handsome is everyone’s type. Let’s be real.
Things get a little chaotic, a kingdom is on the line, and everything they do, could lead to the end of everything. Overall, it’s a very, very good read, easy to sink into and get lost in.

I think my favorite thing about these less popular fantasy books – though, this one needs all of the hype, I’ll be screaming about it for days, be ready – is that they don’t feel tired. They feel fresh and easy to fall into. Like, I don’t know what I’m getting into when I open the book.
I didn’t see the reveal coming at the end of this book. Not at all. I would not have pegged this book for doing that.

I need book 2. I desperately need it! I need to know what happens next.
Slipping back to my statement about the end of the book, can someone who has read this book message me, because THOSE LAST FEW CHAPTERS?? Jfc, I thought I was going to die. I was so nervous and terrified and quite honestly upset with how those last few chapters went down.
I mean, they were SO GOOD, I just didn’t want it to [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS]. Sigh.
So, yeah, I need book 2.

Absolutely loved this book, and I highly recommend it to everyone!

**I received an E-ARC of the book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions listed herein are my own**

I thought this was a fun, easy, and entertaining read! The world and the magic system was interesting, and I love how strong-willed the main character is. I especially love how she did not allow her self to become the stereotypical damsel-in-distress when there were times that the story could have easily fallen into that plot-device. I honestly did not see the plot twist until more than half-way through the book, but once I did, I thought: ok this is kinda neat, I dig it.

My only complaint is that the writing (both dialogue and action) was a bit confusing at times (example: at one instance, a character moved to do something and then another character was suddenly falling supposedly at the hands of this other character but, this was not clearly described and it took me out of the story for a moment. this happened a small handful of times) There was more telling than showing, specifically with regard to the characters' feelings/reactions. (Example the author flat out telling us a character is nervous rather than describing them in such a way that we can infer that they are nervous) Tighter editing of these minor errors would have made the story stronger.

I also recall reading a review in which the reader complained that this fantasy had too much romance to which I reply that this is marketed as a FANTASY ROMANCE. The author's afterword even states that she was asked to write a fantasy romance series and this is the result of that endeavor. This is very much a romance that takes place in a fantasy setting so if that if not your thing, be forewarned.

And to those who say the world-building could be stronger, I agree; but I have also come to learn that fantasy romances, however compelling and creative the world may seem, are never developed in-depth. I wish it would have been because there is something here.

Regardless: I, for one, look forward to the next installment!

<i>e-ARC provided by the publisher Bookotoure via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>

Lord, what did I just put myself through...

I have no idea how to review this book, not only because it was just a mess of a plot (which I will get into later), but also because apparently the author did a rewrite before publication. According to the email the NetGalley reviewers got from the publisher, the author listened to early reviews and rewrote <i>Mageborn</i> to make it more streamlined and have the plot flow smoother. I think this is great, considering my biggest critique of this arc was that it needed a major rewrite.

However, now I'm torn on how to proceed with the review. I'll just say be warned that a lot of what I say in this review might have been changed in the rewrite. For the sake of this book, I certainly hope that is the case. This review will probably be a mess because I don't want to critique things that might not be in the final product. My brain is also mush after finishing this overly long book so there's that...

I cannot give a synopsis on what this book is about. Not for reasons you may think but because the plot is just one giant mess. I'm sorry, that's a really harsh thing to say, but there is no better way to describe how convuluted the plot is. The magic system was pitifully underdeveloped, all of the characters were one dimensional, the political system was nonexistant, and the world building was all over the place. I'm <i>still</i> confused on what was going on in the book and I just finished it. Reading the synopsis Goodreads provides is probably your best bet on figuring out what this book is about.

It's not that a book can't be good if it is confusing--I have read and loved books by William Faulkner before and his works require a lot of brain power. I just would like to understand the reason behind why things are happening. Everything is so underdeveloped in this book that nothing made sense to me. I kept waiting and waiting for the plot to become cohesive but it does not even come close until the very end.

<i>Mageborn</i> is also unecessarily repetitive. Characters would have a conversation about something and then have the exact same conversation a few pages later, acting like the first conversation never happened. For example, the story of the Hollow King and why Bastien could never be king came up at least a dozen times. Each time the characters would act like it's some new revelation that people don't want a mageborn king, but I was like "we just went over this twenty pages ago?!". The repetition made me more angry the more it happened.

I have more I could rant about, but it seems kind of pointless after learning the author rewrote the book. I think she changed quite a bit, considering the length seems to have gone down by 100 pages. Just read some of the other lackluster reviews and know I agree with everything they say. I wish I had read the final version, because I have so much confidence that it's better than the arc. The bones of the story are good; this book was just in desperate need of another round of edits.

I will say that i think the first third and the last 20ish percent were interesting, though. I was interested enough that if the sequel goes up for review on NetGalley or if I find it for free I will more than likely pick it up.

Grace Marchant is a soldier whose job it is to find and arrest corrupt Mageborn (people born with magical powers) and deliver them to the crown for justice. When Grace's job ends up in her losing a valued member of the team, it puts her in contact with Bastien, the Lord of Thorns - a member of the Royal Family with his own powers, and also the heir to the throne. As a murder investigation spirals out of control, Grace ends up having to team up with Bastien, and also protect him from danger all around while they both figure out how to try and save their city from terrible forces of evil.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the age of the characters - who all seem to be in the early to mid-twenties. It was really refreshing to read a book with relatable characters who weren't also dealing with teen acne and hormones but also strong in their own right, with relative life experience already behind them and no hovering parental figures in the way (not to mention healthy sexual appetites and relations).

The city this story is set in was also built up very well by the author and it had all the things you would normally see in a typical fantasy - the palace itself, the highborn area, an armoury/soldiers' quarters and then the market place, plus taverns of varying repute and the slums. And also a lot of secret passageways.

There was a decent amount of chemistry between Bastien and Grace which I enjoyed, though personally I would have preferred more of a slow burn as when the story really began to get going with the mageborn murder investigation, the romance seemed to very suddenly take control. While I liked the interactions between Grace and Bastien, I also wanted a juicy murder mystery and I feel like this element of the story was lost completely which was disappointing.

Bastien, as a character - while a delicious mix between The Darkling and Prince Cardan of Elfhame, seemed to be a confusing juxtaposition of many different things. While he was thought to be strong and dangerous, and extremely powerful, we kept seeing him in moments where he seemed very weak and Grace is charged with protecting him - yet at times, it's proven he has crazy magic powers and really adept fighting ability. I couldn't figure it out, and I disliked feeling like he was a bit pathetic at times because what I was seeing was different than what we had been told. But also on the flip side of that, I liked the gender swap that was the female character being the main protector.

The magic system is quite intricate in this book, and when it's combined with the history of the gods, it can get a little bit confusing and I'm hoping the second book will make me feel more comfortable with the lore and provide me a true understanding of the gods and all their relations with each other, and how some of the reveals in Mageborn actually work.

This book is a really good stepping stone for people who may read mostly romance or contemporary, and who want to start reading more fantasy without diving head deep into a super long tome.

First of all, this cover is beautiful. I just wanted to throw that out there. This book was a nice and entertaining read. The world-building was done really well and the character introductions were great. The magical elements were interesting and I liked the romance aspects of the book. The biggest problems for me were that it was extremely wordy and the flow was off. It didn't feel effortless and because of that, it was hard to get into and stay into the story. Before reading this book, I did get an email from the author through Netgalley stating that the author has taken some of the reviews into consideration and will be reworking certain elements to make it more streamlined and faster-paced. I think that this will help the book tremendously and I would definitely be interested in reading with the new revisions.

Grace lost her family when she was just a child. Abandoned and from a past she can’t remember, Grace builds a family around her team at the Academy. Grace and her team track the uncollared Mageborn – those that do not serve the King and commit crimes with their magical powers. Unexpectedly named by the King himself to protect Bastien - his cousin and heir to the crown, Grace’s duty brings her face to face with the most dangerous and powerful magic in the kingdom. But as her mystifying desire for Bastien grows, so does the need of her buried past, burn to expose itself.

Bastien, more brother than a cousin to the King, is known as the Lord of Thorns. Powerful, handsome, secretive, Bastien governs all Mageborn and is the King’s named heir. As the King’s imminent death draws ever nearer, Bastien’s life is in danger from enemies who want the throne for themselves and wish him dead. When Grace is put in charge of safeguarding his life, Bastien is far from pleased but finds himself slowly trusting her as their circumstances grow more treacherous.

Jessica Thorne is an adept artist in world-building. Exciting and imaginative, the reader is easily fascinated by her Mageborn realm of magic. I was vividly visualizing this uniquely inventive world. The ending is open to going further on and easily leaves you wanting more.

I can’t wait to see what awaits. Very much recommended.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for Jessica Thorne’s read of, Mageborn: (The Hollow King Book 1 ).

Opinions expressed in my reviews are my own.

This was a solid read. It has an interesting magic system and some fun characters, however it all felt very familiar to me. It seems to be a typical YA fantasy, which is not a bad thing, especially if you're new to the fantasy genre. I think you could easily fall for this book. The characters are entertaining and the plot is quite compelling, particularly for those who enjoy a good romance. As a long time fantasy reader, this book didn't do a lot for me, but I think for others it has the potential to be very enjoyable.

Mageborn had a unique storyline. It captured a fresh perspective of magic in the land of fantasy. I think what kept me reading was learning more about the world of the characters. Both Grace and Bastien were strong characters - and it was interesting to learn about how their history shaped their lives. Learning about how magic worked in this world was intriguing- I think it ultimately sets this fantasy world apart from others. I would rate this a three out of five! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #NetGalley

Thanks Netgalley for letting me read this and give an honest review.

I love how this book started out. The way the magic worked was pretty unique and I love how it was outlined. The friendships were pretty great. The memory loss helped to not need a whole lot of backstory upfront. The sexual tension between Grace and Bastien was fun.... until they were forced together and all of a sudden he was an open book. I felt like that was pretty rushed. It also felt like it was all that was holding the story together at the end.

All in all, I enjoyed the story.

"Mageborn" by Jessica Thorne starts with the key event the plot hinges on centuries later before introducing us to Grace and her team of officers.
From the beginning, "Mageborn" is dynamic. The opening was intriguing, and the story was unpredictable. There was a lot going on from the beginning, and the intrigue took off early on as well, but it was written in such a way that I had no trouble keeping up with what was happening.
The world of "Mageborn" is also very rich. Between the different kingdoms and political tension, the magic system, and the folklore, Jessica Thorne made it come alive in a way that captivated me all my attention. I can’t wait to learn more about it and how it’ll play into the sequel. I did, however, find that I had trouble connecting the type of wizard to the magic, because they weren’t always explained and there was no glossary at the end.

The strongest point of the novel was the characters and particularly the relationships they build. Grace is incredible. She’s incredibly layered, with a fierce protective streak when it comes to her friends whom she considers family. This bond between them is at the forefront of everything and it’s all I’ve ever wanted out of the found family trope. As for Bastien, he’s even more complicated. His reputation doesn’t quite match up with his personality, so seeing through Grace’s POV and then getting to know him through his own chapters was great. I really enjoyed how their relationship develops, even though it went a little fast for my taste.
My only real issue with this book comes from the side characters. There are a couple women that were one dimensional. Their only characteristic was how power hungry they were, which didn’t lend any complexity especially when contrasted with the third such woman and the lackeys who formed a great evil team.

"Mageborn" by Jessica Thorne was an incredible start to a new fantasy series and I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book.

3.5

In this dark fantasy, Grace Marchant works for the Crown hunting down mageborns who are people with magical gifts, forcing them to be subjugated or eliminated. As a child, Grace had such power but it was brutally taken from her. She was left on the doorsteps of the Academy as an orphan with no memory of her early life. When Grace’s closest friend is attacked, he is taken away by Bastien Larelynn, the Lord of Thorns, who controls the mageborn and drains them of their powers.

Grace has always done her duty; however, she is beginning to think that the laws and demands of the Crown are not so just. The rich seem to be profiting from the poor and usurping those magical powers for their own pleasure while people suffer at their behest. Bastien has been experimenting to find a way to ease the suffering of mageborns, but there are those who would use his skills in nefarious ways.

Grace and Bastien become allies as she is tasked with protecting him by his cousin, the king. Grace sees first hand what the queen and her allies are doing to the people using them in the worst ways. As a romance develops between them, Grace and Bastien must fight not only their enemies, but the immense and dark deep power within Bastien that threatens to overtake him burning away his humanity.

The world building in this first book in the Hollow King series is interesting and the characters well developed for the most part. Bastien seems a bit weak to me at times for someone so powerful, but his compassion makes likeable. Fans of this genre will be intrigued and likely enjoy giving it a go.

Mageborn is the first installment in author Jessica Thorne's The Hollow King series. This story actually has two main characters which the author alternates her story with: Lieutenant Grace Marchant and Bastien Larelwynn. Grace was apparently dumped off at the Academy when she was a child after having her magic, called Flint (Firestarter), ripped out of her. Grace and her squad (Daniel, Ellyn, Kai) are trained to track down wild Mageborn, those who possess dangerous magic, who refuse to submit to the Crown.

After four bodies are found in four weeks with hands that looked like they were burnt, and her own mageborn teammate (Kai) goes hollow, Grace's only hope might lie with Bastien, the so called Lord of Thorns, to understand what is happening and why. Coincidentally, Grace also has burns on her hands. Grace, who is a rising star among the Academy elite, hasn't told anyone that she was born a mageborn since she no longer has access to her powers, nor does she care to be collared like other mageborn are required to be.

Grace wants to hate the man who finished off her ailing friend, but Grace & her supposed non-existent magic, finds herself drawn to Bastien and how he is able to unfurl her magic that she thought was long gone. In a world where Mageborn are forced to obey the Crown, collared and used by It, Grace struggles to keep her secret magic hidden. Grace has tried hard not to have her loyalty questioned by the Crown, but with Bastien watching her like a hawk, she finds herself conflicted.

As the two work together seeking answers to multilevel mysteries, Grace starts to see Bastien in a new light. He's not the boogeyman that everyone claims he is. Yes, he is dangerous, but he also genuinely cares for the mageborn as proven in one particular scene at the Academy. Grace swore to uphold the law and protect those who cannot help themselves. But, what if the law is actually hurting people? Curiously, both Grace and Bastien struggle with memories of their past. Grace doesn't remember her parents, or who took away her powers, or how she ended up at the Academy. Sure, there are those who probably do know the truth, but Grace hasn't solved that mystery yet.

This world is built on a legacy where the Hollow King was supposedly defeated by a man known as Lucien Larelwynn. The pact Lucien demanded of the Hollow King bound one member of his bloodline to control all the mageborn. Fast forward, Bastien Larelwynn is the cousin to the King known as Marius the Good. Marius is slowly dying and without a heir with Queen Aurelie, the crown will likely end up Bastien's. However, as a mageborn himself, Bastien isn't supposed to sit on the throne.

Herein lies the crux of the story. Bastien is powerful but he also struggles with memories that seem to have been erased. He can take magic away from any mageborn and he knows that there is something about Grace that she isn't saying. He's under constant attack by those who don't want to see Bastien as King. Grace is given the King's Warrant by Marius so that she can protect Bastien. But, protecting him might cost her everything that she's done since becoming a squad leader, and given a raise to the rank of Captain.

There are political games and betrayal deeply ingrained into this story from the Queen herself, to various other secondary characters, to Bastien's sister Celeste who might be the creepiest character in this story. Everywhere Grace and Bastien go, they are hunted by forces that want to control Bastien and thus the mageborn. As the story unravels, the more readers will learn about Grace, her past, and her powers that seem to somehow grow stronger, and Bastien's past which will make sense once you realize there is so much more to him than meets the eye test.

Personally, I think the overall story could have benefited from going even more in debt on the whole mage born history and current affairs. Another wish of mine; more character development especially for Ellyn and Daniel who have been with Grace since they were kids. The ending builds up the suspense for what is supposed to come in the next installment.

Long ago there was a war, and the mageborn were the losers. An attempt by the Hollow King, a powerful magical being with the ability and reserves of dark magic was defeated by Larelwynn, bound to the ruling family to control others born with magical talents and put them to work for the benefit of all. Mageborn, or those with magical powers were obligated to submit to the crown, or subject to punishment. Currently, the Lord of Thorns, cousin to the current king, is Sebastien – he loves his cousin, worries for his sister hidden in the uppermost tower – a sort of imprisonment as she is frightfully insane, deliciously evil and Sebastian, not fully remembering all that led to her confinement is her one champion.

Enter Grace – an orphan and captain of a small team of ‘guards’ who are tasked with investigating and tracking down illicit use of magical powers, and bringing the perpetrators to the Lord of Thorns for his judgment and punishment. But all pales when her friend and a member of her team absorbs too much magic from a dangerous suspect, and Grace refuses to leave him.

Told in two points of view, Grace and Sebastien both have huge gaps in their memories of childhood, with recurring dreams, moments that don’t quite ‘sit right’ with the world before them, and an attraction between them that is both scaring them and intriguing them in equal measure. With Grace’s need to see ‘right done’ and the worry about the seeming increase in her own magic, Sebastien’s worries about his cousin’s wife, the Queen, and her overreach for power and control, and his cousin’s illness – there are a ton of threads to unravel and secrets to unearth. But moving quickly, there are some moments that could have been developed more, Sebastien and Grace’s friendship and reliance on one another for both grounding and support, and Grace’s friends, the twists come quickly and leave readers ready for more. And then – the big reveal – with a ton of secrets coming to light, a recognition of the forgotten memories and moments with Sebastien’s sister that are delightfully twisted – the story is easy to follow and snap up, and the missed moments of development of character backstory become secondary to the what is possible next.

To be fair, the Arc copy that I read was a re-edited copy to address earlier concerns from early reviewers – and I found that most of the issues mentioned in those early reviews were addressed here. This is a great story – perhaps not quite as “dark” as promised, a bit more ominous and unpacks much like a mystery to be solved, but the story was a solid read and sure to please readers from about 14 or 15 years or older – fans of the Circle of Magic series from Tamora Pierce (or those who, as children, enjoyed her Tortall series) are well placed to enjoy this.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aD4 /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I loved this!!
The world-building is really good and Bastien is such an intriguing character! Grace is a great main character, reliable and dependable. She's also stubborn but surprisingly open-minded considering the rules she must follow.
I'd say my main criticism about this book is that the plot moved very slowly and more action could have take place way earlier in the book.
The plot twist at the end was shocking! Didn't expect that ending and I definitely want to read the sequel when it comes out!
Solid YA fantasy with some romance thrown into the mix. Definitely recommend!

This book started off with a bang! There were a lot of interesting things going on and I was immediately intrigued. There was a bit of a lull point in the middle, I had to push myself through it. However, it definitely paid off and the book ended with a BANG! It left me wanting so much more. Lucky for us there is another book coming out and I for one can not wait!!

The female MC is mysterious with her past. She is loyal and believes in her duty, but of course things make her question a lot of situations. I love that she doesn’t necessarily leave her traits behind and become somebody different, she applies them to the person she becomes. It was nice to see somebody simply grow, instead of change instantly.

The male MC has the same concept as the female except it is sort of swapped. His past is not necessarily as mysterious as the female, yet things are revealed that push the reader to ask questions.

Don’t even get me started on the phenomenal plot twists that ensue. I mean OH MY WORD! It was like I knew something was going on but could not put my finger on it and then BOOM it slapped you in the face.

I definitely recommend this book to fantasy readers who enjoy the layout of fantasy worlds, but this gives us a little bit of a change up.

-Stone

After reading the synopsis and falling in love with the cover I requested a copy to read for myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me a copy for an honest review.

This story follows an orphaned soldier named Grace who tracks down rogue ‘Mageborns’. Grace has doubts about the law that tracks down Mageborns, that sees them collared to harness their powers and some are even handed over to the king’s cousin the Lord of Thorns. Being a soldier of the Academy comes first and she abides by the law regardless of her reservations. Grace has her own secrets and when her world collides with The Lord of Thorns himself, she finds he has secrets of his own too.

This story is told from two POVs – Grace and Bastien the Lord of Thorns and this gives a deeper insight into their true reactions to each other.

From the prologue I was hooked, the blend of despair and hope in those first few pages had me intrigued to find out how the story would unfold.

Typical for enemies to lovers, there is heartbreak from the very beginning, and this was something that continued throughout the story. Secrets are revealed, friends turn out to be enemies, and help came from an unexpected source in the end.

This story obviously caught my eye – but I enjoyed it so much more than I could have envisioned. There is a slow but rewarding build up to the dramatic conclusion, and reading through the last few chapters I was going through a rollercoaster of emotions – my heart felt like it had been ripped out, trampled on, and then trampled on some more for good measure. I was horrified at the grief and betrayal these characters were going through. My heart ached at one scene in particular – my frustration at the ‘what ifs’ had me taking a coffee break before continuing.

It was quite refreshing to see the vulnerabilities of not only Grace but Bastien too. Grace was in fact his saviour and there wasn’t any of the usual masculine bravado that you tend to see in these kinds of stories. Grace and Bastien complimented each other well and supported each other as equals (even after certain revelations).

Things I Didn’t Enjoy: (possible trigger)

A potential rape scene – although it didn’t happen on this occasion the flippancy at how the aftermath was dealt with irritated me. It was quite literally brushed under the carpet – and implied that it wouldn’t be the first or even the last time it may have happened.

This story is portrayed as a dark fantasy, and with that it’s obvious there will be some elements of the story that not everyone will be comfortable with. For me, it wasn’t the actual scene itself, it was how it was handled afterwards.


This book is certainly a page turner, I read it over two afternoons. I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

I thoroughly recommend, if like me you’re a sucker for enemies to lovers, with just the right amount of sexual tension, magic and intrigue – to grab this book on 18th February.

This was the first book by Jessica Thorne that I have read and won’t be the last!

Lush and gorgeous! Mageborn by Jessica Thorne is a heart-stopping book that will stick with you long after it's finished. And the world-building! I swoon for good world-building and Jessica Thorne has done it again!