ARC from NetGalley

4.25 stars. The extra .25 is solely because of how hard I laughed at the following quote: "Ooh, prostitute omelette," Ellyn cooed. "You're spoiling us."

I quite liked this one. It was definitely a page-turner. It was full of all the magical, enemy-lovery, lusty goodness that I look for in a book.

There was nothing groundbreaking about this book. I have most definitely read this kind of magic system before (not 100%) but I wasn't bothered by it. It was still interesting. I am hoping it is expanded upon further in the next books. The book was a slow starter. It kind of thrusts you into this future/past fantasy cop situation, which I honestly didn't love. The magic really started when Bastien shows up, at least for me.

There were a few times that I raised an eyebrow because things didn't make a whole lot of sense. Like with Marius <spoiler> and his whore wife. If you know that your wife is plotting to subdue and/or murder your cousin who you adore and who is meant to inherit your crown, why don't you... oh I don't know, dump her ass and throw her in the dungeon? Like oh no, I don't know what to do about this. I'm only the fucking King? Please.</spoiler>

I normally tend to find strong female MCs a bit overdone these days, but I didn't find that with Grace. The author didn't go out of her way to cram it down my throat. I mean, it was there and it was obvious, but it wasn't punch in the face over and over obvious. She wasn't doing things out of the storyline just to prove how tough and strong and bad she was.

This book isn't going to blow your mind, but if you like YA fantasy, enemies to lovers, magic, deceit, and sexy bits, you will probably enjoy reading this.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an eARC of this book for review.

You know when you start a book and it immediately grabs you, and then when you’re not reading it, you keep thinking about it? That was Mageborn for me.

I really enjoyed the magical systems and mythology behind the Maegen and The Hollow King.

Grace is just awesome because she’s a somewhat taciturn control-freak who is actually a softie deep down - I can totally identify with that! Bastien gives me slight Rhysand vibes, and we all love Rhys, don’t we?

I don’t know why but it always makes me happy when there’s a mystery to unravel in fantasy books; what made Grace and Bastien forget their pasts? Can they trust ANYONE?! (I’m a skeptic and trusted no one throughout the book.) I also love not trusting anyone.

Basically this book was just right up my alley! This one is definitely for fans of YA fantasy similar to SJM or Shadow Frost by Coco Ma.

I cannot wait for the next book and expanding on this world and story!

Thank you so much NetGalley for an advanced copy of Mageborn by Jessica Thorne. This book was a bit grim compared to my initial expectations but it wasn't something that stopped me from reading. I am always excited to have a female lead who is strong and determined despite having so many obstacles to overcome. Then there is the aspect of the brooding 'bad boy' with a soft interior, that is something I always love to see.

There were some parts that I felt needed a little more help. I felt like the magic system wasn't explained very well, I continued through several chapter completely confused by it. It's refreshing to see a book do a spin on magic systems but it's so important that it's properly explained. I felt myself drifting away from this book while reading because there was so much going on so quickly without much explanation. There needed to be more early on for me to feel invested and connected to these characters, something to really hook me from the beginning. If I don't feel emotionally invested within the first 3-4 chapters, it puts me in a mode of speeding through just to finish the book.

I’m a sucker for fantasy. And I’m happy to say the plot and world building was interesting. Other than that, the book is terribly long, some paragraphs are pointless and the writing was boring, I often got distracted and ended up looking at my phone.

The premise is something like this: in a land where some people are born with magic, the royals came up with a system to control the Mageborn so they can’t hurt others. Sounds about fair, right? Unfortunately, some people are taking advantage of that system.

Grace is a cadet of the Academy, she hunts rogue Mageborns and believes in the system.

She was fierce for some things, but for others she was so meek. I often found myself thinking maybe she’s bipolar or has an evil twin? Her character appeared uneven, every little thing she did she second and triple guessed. So much time was lost in her head I was skipping paragraphs.

Bastien is the Lord of Thorns, he’s in charge of controlling the Mageborn. He is feared and hated, but the more I read about him the more I realized he’s zero scary, and can be easily manipulated.

He’s another flaky character. His romantic outburst came out nowhere and his thoughts were as undecided as Grace’s.

Overall this book is interesting and entertaining. I wanted to know what came next. I just wished it was condensed better.

Mageborn by Jessica Thorne gave me some intense feelings.
It seemed as though each chapter brought with it a more shocking revelation than the chapter before. Several times I imagined that I’d conclude reading for the night, only to binge-read until 3:00 am.

Golden magic resides in the Prince of Thorns
The mageborn of Rathlynn are mistrusted. All of them are to be collared to keep a control of their power. All mageborn are to pledge their dedication to the crown. When a mageborn loses control, they’re sent to the Prince of Thorns. The prince whom can siphon all of the magic from your body. Naturally, this is why Bastien (the prince) is greatly feared.

Red hot stubbornness lives within Grace
An orphan left to The Academy, Grace is a talented soldier. Loyal to the crown, but even more so to her own team of officers. Truth and justice are what rule her. Even so, she has her own secrets to protect. Secrets she doesn’t fully understand herself.

Grace and Bastien are thrown together under dire circumstances and find themselves up against unknown enemies of great force. Honestly there are too many twists in this story to count them on two hands. The pace of their journey will have you feeling electrified. Readers of Mageborn will be tensed at the edge, ready for a happily-ever-after before being thrown off balance, again and again.

Pre-order Mageborn on Amazon for $0.99 (a steal for such a great story) or read with Kindle Unlimited!

#Mageborn #NetGalley

Jessica Thorne's Queens Wing was an amazing series and I truly believe Thorne is an amazing writer, but this one was not for me. It was very graphic, with violence, a little, but also graphic with relationships and personal experiences. There were some things that were contradictory. (i.e.: the gore waiting for the victim to die ... it made it sound like it always happened, but then it said this was the first time).

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. The opinions are my own.

A sympathetic red-headed heroine, a broody dark antihero and a world where magic is harnessed and controlled - barely.
I really enjoyed this book, and though it was easy to make comparisons at the outset to the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (Bastien reminded me a bit of Rhys) as it progressed it was clear that it had its own story. In the end it was another YA series that this book seemingly mirrored its twist from - Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone. This realisation aside, Mageborn was a fun and exciting ride. Others may have complained about the pacing but I had no problems with the narrative, being swept up in the action which I think takes place over the course of only about three days.
The love story was enough to leave my heart aching and the supporting cast fleshed out for the most part. We did not get to know Ellyn as well as we did Daniel, but as this is a series no doubt we will learn more about her.
Our protagonist Grace is likeable, an extremely difficult thing to pull off in YA where striking the balance between a heroine who is super special and amazing with one who you would hate in real life is difficult. Her backstory unfolds throughout the story and though a little predictable, it makes sense to the reader.
What didn’t make sense to me was the magic in this world, and how it works. One of the cardinal rules of fantasy is making sure your magic system not only has clear rules but also makes sense. Unfortunately I’m still not clear on what the Maegan is, why it nearly destroyed the Hollow King and how exactly the Mageborn draw on and use their powers. Why the powers are different for different people is also never explained, and Bastien’s role in “protecting” the Mageborn is also unclear. We hear quite a bit about Days of Homage but beyond learning the fact that Mageborn have to be “balanced” I was still very much in the dark about it all.
Apart from a vaguely explained magic system the world-building was quite good. Overall, I rate this book at the higher end of the scale, it’s actually a more enjoyable read than some by big name authors I’ve read lately.
Will I read the sequel? Yes.

A good fantasy read overall.

Let's start with what I liked about this book.
I loved the plot. It was well written and overall a good story line. It's a wonderful new world.
The characters are well developped and likeable.

What I disliked about this book.
It was very confusing at times. Sometimes I had to reread some parts because it wasn't clear.
The relationship between the main characters wasn't belivable. I didn't feel the chemistry.

Don't get me wrong, I'll still read the second book if there is one. But I wasn't able to fully immersed myself in this new world.

Like I said before, a good read overall.

Title: Mageborn
Series : The Hollow King #1
Author: Jessica Thorne
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Rating:5

A dark and addictive fantasy read for fans of Graceling and Sarah J. Maas. The life of an orphan soldier becomes entwined with that of the mysterious heir to the throne, whose very presence draws out the secret magic living inside her: a magic that breaks every law she is duty-bound to uphold…

The room is small and dark. Row upon row of jars line the shelves, each one sealed with blood-red wax. The seal’s mark is a twisted circle of briar with gleaming, gold-tipped thorns. And in each jar a flicker of forbidden magic dances… beautiful, but deadly.

Sold to the Crown in the aftermath of the Last Great War, Grace Marchant has never known her parents. Now, she trains as an elite soldier tracking down mageborn – those born with an ancient and long-outlawed magic – and destroying them if they don’t surrender their power to the Crown.
The mageborn who submit are collared, then handed over to the King’s cousin and heir: the elusive Bastien Larelwynn, Lord of Thorns, locked away in his shadowy workshop deep inside the castle. What becomes of them is hard to say – the Lord of Thorns keeps his secrets close.
Grace has always fought the voice inside her that questions whether the law is truly just – but when her closest friend is next on Bastien’s list, Grace’s loyalties are tested to the limit. Confronting Bastien – searching his strangely compelling obsidian-black eyes for answers – Grace is shocked to feel herself begin to change, to show the first signs of the wild magic she so fears.
Only the Lord of Thorns has the power to save her and the rest of the mageborn – if he doesn’t destroy them all first…

My thoughts
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I read more of this series?Yes
Would I read more of this author? Yes
A great start to new fantasy series, where the introduction to the world and the magic is spot on, the characters seem to come to life off the page and the magic is unlike anything I've read so far,and the story is told in the prospective of Grace and Bastien ( Lord Thorns ),each having a reason to finding out what is happening to the mageborns and why someone or something is killing them before they themselves become next. Another thing I loved was how you see bits and pieces of Grace's unknown past and you find out that there are ways that magic can be stolen from others .And the more you read the more you see not everything is what it seems, there's twist and turns and hiding secrets,as well lies and don't forget the betrayals. With that said I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read and review it .

This book surprised me. Strangely enough, by the time I was about a quarter of the way through the book I had become more interested in the characters as individuals than I was in the romance. Unfortunately, I wish there had been less focus on the romance and more focus on character development and world-building. The magic system and social/political structure of the world were intriguing enough and I feel like the author could have done more but they didn't.

Mageborn was an interesting take on  fantasy style novel from a publisher not really known for the style.


Let's first say that this is definitely more unique novel and one that is very confusing as well.  It has so many good points including some amazing character design.


Also what an interesting system for magic.  I really enjoyed it a lot. I like the idea that its al.ost spiritual magic instead of arcane magic.  For those who aren't really aware of the difference in terms of old school they would be clerics and not wizards.


The only item I wish there wasn't any of was the romantic parts.  Those I can do without in fantasy that I read but as they weren't an overarching plot point it doesn't really detract from the book.


Definitely a well thought out book and while I did enjoy it I wanted more as I am a much harder judge of fantasy than other styles.

Starting this one, I wasn't sure how it was going to go or if I would like it. It started a little confusing, but made sense once it got moving.

Pretty quick moving story. Lots of details. Interesting "romance"

Good story.

I thought this book was good. I thought it started out really good and fast paced, then I felt like the writing got a little over the top with lots of very detailed descriptions. I have hopes for the second one and hope the author finds her groove. Because the series definitely has promise!

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve read and enjoyed the other two books released by Jessica Thorne so I was excited to read Mageborn. I’m also a big fan of fantasy romance and Sarah J Mass. The cover for Mageborn is gorgeous and I was delighted to receive an advanced copy from Netgalley and the publisher. The story begins with a prologue that sets a lot of questions in motion. I found the writing engaging and I loved the two main characters. Grace is a strong and solid. Bastien was my favorite. I liked him from the first moment he was introduced in the story. I read the second 60% of this book in one sitting and I am looking forward to see what happens in book 2. The action scenes were great and the descriptions really helped to bring this magical world to life. There were a few questions that I would have liked to have been given the answers to, especially the pact that was made with the Hollow King. I’d also like to know how Grace’s powers came back and if this is something that will happen to all the Mageborn who had their powers drained.

There were some fantastic moments in this story, especially towards the end as things came to a head and a lot of secrets were revealed. Celeste was a great character and I expect she will feature a lot in book two. There were a few occasions where I struggled to figure out which character was speaking and I felt that dialogue tags were required in certain places.

Overall, I enjoyed reading Mageborn and will definitely be looking forward to book 2 in the series.

Thank you to Bookouture for the ARC! All opinions are mine.

Mageborn is the first book of The Hollow King series. We follow Grace and her crew who are tasked with hunting down rogue mageborn (who can control fire, water, other stuff) and subduing them for the government. We also follow Bastien, cousin to the king and trademark Dark Boi who has the ability to manipulate magic itself, a power unique to him. The two team up to investigate a string of related murders and upon doing so, discover much more darkness within in the city they call home.

Mageborn started out really well in my eyes, I was immediately hooked and loved the premise. The prologue was the best part and I proceeded to fly through the first half in only a couple sittings! It feels exactly like a fantasy-lover’s beach read, due mainly to the fact that Jessica Thorne’s writing is not overly descriptive or convoluted. When reading fantasy with complex political and magic systems, I generally appreciate that.

That being said, I can’t review this without acknowledging the comparison to Sarah J. Maas, who’s in my opinion one of the best, if not THE best writers of all time. As someone who’s read each of her books two to five times, I can say Mageborn does not compare nearly enough to warrant the statement. It’s no more like Throne of Glass or A Court of Thorns and Roses than any other book featuring a castle and elemental magic. Honestly, comparing Grace to Celaena or Feyre feels quite generous. A better comparison would be to authors like Margaret Rogerson (An Enchantment of Ravens, Sorcery of Thorns), Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me) or Morgan Rhodes (Falling Kingdoms).

The two main characters on their own are great, but force them into a relationship and things get uncomfortable. For the entirety of the book, Grace and Bastien have sex dreams about each other and are wholly attracted for no apparent reason, even before meeting. This is not at all explained and I can’t even theorize what the connection might be or why it’s there, other than that it’s just ~meant to be~

There is also a noticeable inconsistency within Bastien’s character. When we initially meet him, he’s described as dark, mysterious and insanely powerful. Your classic untouchable, cold, broody, all the adjectives dude. For the first few chapters he really exudes that. Then, for some reason, he ends up needing Grace’s protection for the rest of the book and proceeds to barely show any of his generously described power. Grace is nothing special, there’s no reason why she’s assigned to be his guardian. The king knows nothing about her, and yet entrusts his only heir’s life to some Randy the Rando lieutenant? Alright bud.

And then there’s the ending that quite literally 4-strand French braided my brain. The last 20% of the story has so many plot twists and reveals that I felt genuinely whip lashed. It might be partially due to the fact that the book up until then is relatively low-key in comparison. But it really felt like the author decided to implement every possible plot twist, which ended up dulling the impact of them all. I’m sitting here still struggling to piece together what happened and what could possibly follow in the sequel, but it’s just too all over the place.

Would I recommend Mageborn? To someone who wants some light and smutty enjoyment and wouldn’t delve too much into the details, yes.

**SPOILERS AHEAD** READ AT YOUR OWN RISK **
I received a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review via NetGalley.

This is a wonderful concept for a novel. I love the idea, the basic storyline, and the characters. But this felt more like a manuscript in need of a final edit. There were a lot of moments where repetitive description tags were over-used, and I really disliked the single quotation marks used for dialogue. However, that isn't what my main concerns for the novel were. The reasons for the two stars falls heavily on the plot.

The story itself focuses on Grace, our strong, secretly magical heroine. We follow her on her journey to the palace where we meet the brooding, misunderstood prince, Bastien. The romance in some parts felt a bit forced, particularly some of the more physical moments. Bastien, being seen by the kingdom as the evil, punisher, seemed too quick to let his guard down with Grace. I think the plot would have benefitted from a bit more romantic tension before Bastien accepted Grace, particularly since she becomes another individual to hold power/the potential to control him.

The prologue grabbed my attention right away, the Hollow King being begged to make a deal to save the land, a land that the Hollow King wanted to save as well. Save from what? Not entirely sure—by the end of the novel it seems like a hell, full of monsters but we don't really get an image of what the Hollow King was holding back. The clarity on the deal that was made was not entirely clear either. The Hollow King essentially submits to the young boy, a Larelwynn, but the pact is vague. I'm not sure if that is intentional or not, because the Hollow King, later revealed as Bastien, has been losing his memories for decades/lifetimes.

The Mageborns were really interesting. I liked the names each power was given, the Gore we meet first was vicious and really dragged me in to the story with his apprehension. But, the particular Gore that was arrested, had an odd story line. One that seemed a bit unrefined. First, this Gore was murdering people. Torturing his victims and leaving their remains behind. "He'd want to wait until she died, to feel the last connection die with her," but this was contradictory, he didn't remain around for the last murders, "Every one of them left like this. In the dark, alone, twisted, and broken. Not dead. Not yet." —so I was curious why this particular murder was different, why he would remain behind for her. We never learn that.

Kai, one of Grace's teammates and friends, drains him of his power as punishment, and to protect Grace. We then meet the Gore again later down the line during a demonstration of Mother Miranda, where she pulls power from the mageborn and essentially gives the power to non-mageborn to "play" with. I was a bit confused, because I was uncertain how he had any power left if Kai had drained him. This isn't discussed either. Even Grace, who had been drained as a child, ends up with her magic back (even before she meets Bastien) this plot point is barely a plot point because we never learn, or even ask the question, WHY/HOW did her power return? Will it return to the other mageborn who were drained? If not, why is Grace different?

There were other smaller bits of story that I thought needed fleshing out but the biggest plot flaw, in my opinion, was the moment Bastien brings Grace back to life the first time. She has been given the warrant, and had commanded him never to use magic on her, she also commanded him never to touch her without being asked to do so. But he was able to use magic on her with no problem, except for the brief moment when Bastien acknowledges that she'll be mad. Which she isn't, at all. Not until he uses his magic AGAIN to put her to sleep. The warrant is used to control Bastien but apparently the control only works when the plot needs it to,

I loved Bastien's sister Celeste, though. I wish we had more of her presence in the story. She was unpredictable, rash, childish one moment but then a scorned woman in the next. Her psychosis was well done, and her character is main reason I will pick up the next book in the series when it comes out. She was a character I'd love to dive into a lot more. Overall, I think the novel was interesting and if you're looking for a quick, action-packed fantasy novel, I'd definitely give this a go. I also loved the cover, which is why I requested the read initially. I'd suggest going in with low expectations, the novels the publisher's relate this book to are a bit of a stretch and may provide a higher expectation for the reading experience. I've subscribed to be kept informed of when the next novel comes out....hopefully with a lot of dark, angry Celeste!

I cannot express my excitement at getting my hands on another book by Jessica Thorne! The Queen’s Wing was amazing and Mageborn did not disappoint! I couldn’t go to 5 stars because I feel like there wasn’t enough world building and explaining of the mageborn, divinity, and Maegen. However, I can go a solid four stars for the solid story and intriguing world that was offered. I would have liked to see more character development as well because there wasn’t enough background for me to completely fall for the Grace/Bastien pairing. I look forward to further development!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Mageborn was an enjoyable read.
The worldbuilding was great and I loved the mythology and magic system. The characters were wonderfully written, though it was hard at times getting through Grace's and Bastien's mysteries. Also, their romance was too fast for my taste, but that's just me, I enjoy well written slow burn more.
Overall, the legend of the Hollow King was a great idea and the different manifestations of magic were amazing. I just couldn't get really into it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

I am going to give this novel a 2/5. I think that starting off a book by comparing it to another one Cand set you up to fail. I started this novel with a lot of expectations since it was for fans of Sarah j. Mass and Graceling. The book did other meet these expectations.

The book starts off with what should be world building but is really written as if you already now all of the information. Bastien is supposed to be a 'bad boy' (think the darkling without the abuse) but turns just into a fluff ball the second he sees Grace (the main character)

Another problem is with the romance. I like fast romances, slow burns bore me, but this is just a world record. Grace meets Bastien (mind you, at this point she believes he killed her friend) and that same night she has a wet dreamy about him......EH??

There were some nice things too. For one, this would be a light read. The story has a lot of potential and we'll written antagonist. There is talk about heavy topics like rape which brings attention to the fact that males do get raped by females. Personally, I believe the antagonist were more developed than the protagonist and that's a bit of an issue. Either way, 2/5


Thank you Netgalley

DNF @ 40%
This was poorly marketed as being very similar to the works of Sarah J Maas which is setting the reader expectations extremely high! I struggled to read as much as I did and only continued as I feel compelled to read review copies and ARC’s all the way through. The story is one that we have seen many times before within YA fantasy and for a book to succeed within this genre it needs to be very new and innovative in its ideas and/or the writing needs to be of a high quality. Sadly in the case of Mageborn the story is very similar and the writing not brilliant. The author has some good ideas but the book needs much more in the way of editing and revising. I was confused and disinterested from the beginning and I felt disconnected from the characters. There was lots of information and more telling than showing and I was forcing myself to read. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this book.