Arc given by Netgalley
This book had an interesting premise, though I have to say it reads more as a YA historical romance fantasy rathern than adult.
I liked the idea of it mixed with I'm used to about the season in all the historical romances I've previously read. It's a fun idea to mix them together and I enjoyed reading the book. I specially liked the female relationships.

The Midnight Bargain is a romance that takes place in an alternate universe or world, with a setting reminiscent of a cross between Georgian and Regency England. As such, the customs and culture are familiar but the names of places are different. The feminist message of the book is somewhat lost in the egregious insta-luv, partially explained world building, and cardboard characterization. As such, it can feel a bit thin and unsatisfying a read.

Story: Beatrice is gifted with strong magical abilities. But only men get to use their magic; it is too dangerous for women due to the fear of demons possessing their magical children in utero. Beatrice would prefer not to marry so she never has to wear the silver collar that would dim her talent; unfortunately, her family's wealth is in jeopardy and she needs a rich husband to save their future. Along comes a fabulously wealthy, supportive, and handsome nobleman from overseas. Will she give up everything to be with Ianthe - and allow herself to be dimmed for the rest of her life?

Magic in this book is a metaphor for knowledge; men are allowed to develop their talents in secret schools and societies while women are there to continue bloodlines. This should sound familiar to anyone who has read Regency or Georgian romances. The thrust of the magic 'system' is summoning demons from another dimensional plane and enslaving them. Beatrice has figured out a secret code among female sorceresses and intends to summon a major demon and ensure she would no longer be eligible for marriage. Until she manages it, however, she will have to attend balls and seek suitors.

I didn't find the imagination I was looking for in this type of speculative fiction. Beatrice was stubborn but not too intelligent. If anything, I was thinking it would be better if she did marry and not use magic so dangerously. Ianthe, as the love interest, was so hoary a cliche as to be a cardboard cutout that just stood in front of Beatrice fawning over her and pontificating about how wonderfully progressive she is. Ianthe's sister was even looser drawn and didn't really have a place in the story. I have to wonder if her tale will be told next and that's why she is in this book at all.

The author had a tendency to repeat the same things over and over until I felt like whole paragraphs had been copied and pasted into the storyline over and over. I get that this is a feminist-focused novel about female empowerment. But it can be done much more subtly in order to give a more organic and realistic read. Instead, I have to read over and over and over about the unfairness of women when it comes to magic. That Ianthe is fabulously wealthy. That she has to find that special summoning book. etc. etc. I get it already.

The plot was predictable and the happily ever after ending as unrealistic as it gets. That was perhaps the greatest let down for me: there just wasn't any tension and I never worried that Beatrice was in danger. The magic amounted to only summoning demons, leaving me disappointed that the magic system wasn't more defined or pronounced. Once summoned, the demons did everything and felt a bit too powerful to be true. If all sorcerers were wandering around with demons manipulating things, that society would be very different than written.

In all, the insta luv was perhaps the biggest disappointment. It amounted to Beatrice being seen once and then fawned over for the rest of the book. There was no organic meeting of minds or any reason for Ianthe to fall so hard for Beatrice other than looks. He was perhaps the emptiest of all the characters in the book.

Is this book terrible? No, I think undemanding readers can just enjoy this on a very shallow level. But I think those looking for depth, nuance, intelligence lead characters, realistic world building, and a great romance will be disappointed. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

“The Midnight Bargain” is a young adult fantasy novel centered around a sorceress named Beatrice Clayborn, who lives in a world where women no longer have magical abilities once they get married.

While I wasn’t as captivated by it as I initially anticipated I would be, I still enjoyed this book. The plot description was very intriguing, and I still found the plot to be pretty interesting while I was reading the book. I think it’s a pretty good YA fantasy and I would recommend that fans of that genre check this book out once it releases.

Stepping into a C.L. Polk books is like sinking into a warm pool of water - one that's on another world, and might be just slightly dangerous. The Midnight Bargain blends humor, romance and sly social commentary in a compelling novel.

I won't be finishing this one. Despite not having too many expectations for The Midnight Bargain, I didn't care enough for the protagonist's dilemma or the instalove romance in this to continue reading.

It's not badly written, but the plot is far from unique. Which is not necessarily something that'd break a book if it has tropes you're looking for, every reader has a certain set of them that they always come back to and consider as 'comfort food'. But it has to have some element of intrigue, mystery, or really well done version of a trope, to keep the reader's interest.

I'd like to see more feminist characters who WANT to get married and all that, instead of giving subtexts that marriage is a shackle. Yes, I know there are many regions in the world where their approach to marriage IS akin to a form of imprisonment, it's just that I'd like to see a different outlook. I didn't appreciate how the younger sister was painted in a not so positive light because of her wanting more girly things like attending balls and finding suitors. I also feel this is a bit of a 'fan-service' kind of feminist book, what are the chances that the guy you're attracted to is so understanding and open, and has such RIGHT views on feminism, AND coincidentally very interested in you?? Not to mention you get to KISS him on your second encounter, no less, while you try to act like you have 'no choice'? Wouldn't you not need to go through with the spirit's pact if you now know that you're still getting access to the grimoire as agreed upon? And on what grounds made her so convinced that the siblings were lying and tricked her? This isn't very spoilery because it happens very early in to the story, about 3 chapters in.

And good lord, 'I fetched my own cake', as if that's so forward of you. You're telling me not ONE girl thought she could go and get her own cake?? The whole thing reeks of not-like-other-girls. However, I do appreciate the author not making the MC look down upon her sister's wants just because that's not what she wants(but she still made it seem to the READERS that the sister was immature for it). I would prefer if the feminist theme was handled in a more nuanced way, it makes it more realistic and adds depth.

The romance. Look, I can deal with instant attraction, but instant attraction with deep feelings? Strong and deeper feelings only occur AFTER you've gotten to know each other well! Two extremely brief encounters do not make strong feelings!

This is either a very mediocre story that'll annoy and bore you if you dislike all the elements I mentioned, or enjoyable for those who prefer them.

I received a copy through NetGalley for review.

So overall I enjoyed this one.

We meet Beatrice, eldest daughter of a once well off family. All their hopes for redemption and returned wealth are pinned on her finding a wealthy match in the 6 weeks of the Bargaining Season.
Where women who would have been sorceresses, like their male counterparts, except for a sexist view of women, magic and a good ole boys club of magicians that are all but barred to women.

Although having powers makes you a very desirable wife, to breed more powerful sorcerers and magic into your bloodline. A warding collar is placed on women at the wedding ceremony, which effectively cuts them off from accessing their power. Because spirits prey on pregnancies, looking to fill the void of a being that does not yet contain a soul. They possess the unborn child, of an unwarded woman. The punishment for birthing a spirit child, for both mother and child is death at the stake. A warding collar is the only known thing to protect both mother and child.

Beatrice has no wish to marry, she wants to escape her fate, and become a fully fledged magician. Hoping to bond herself with a Greater Spirit, and save her family on her own.
But she is not the only one looking to do the same.

I liked Beatrice's character for the most part. Ianthe was almost too perfect a romantic lead.

The very ending was fantastic.

The Midnight Bargain is a feminist regency romance story that follows Beatrice, an ambitious sorceress who is desperately trying to save her family from crippling debt but also save herself from the chained life of marriage that prohibits her from using her talent at sorcery. Her struggles involve those of familial responsibility, and staying true to herself and her own desires, which all ties back to the misogyny present in her world and restraints imposed on sorceresses.

The tale, however fantastical and romantic it is, tackles very real sexism and women’s rights problems, and alludes to events such as the historical witch-hunting. Polk does a wonderful job of making the issues feel high-stakes to the reader despite the removal into a historical fantasy setting. In Beatrice’s world, no matter how powerful and talented a woman may be, ultimately her worth came down to her ability to carry in her womb. Being a woman with sorcery is a double-edged sword – with the end pointing towards oneself significantly sharper. No – more like an axe pointed toward yourself. A sorceress is powerful, but also at the risk of birthing a spirit-born, a baby housing a spirit. Any woman practicing conjuration is at risk of this, and will be burned alive. As a result, women are prohibited from casting magic stronger than mere charms, and are locked (horrifically) into warding collars the day they are married until they grow out of their child-bearing years.

The two main female characters are quite well-developed, with similar ambitions to escape chains in marriage, but starkly contrasting each other in background and personality. Beatrice Clayborn is focused and daring, but tends not to think outside her line of vision, and leads to many problems she could have avoided in hindsight, such as communication with her sister. This of course stems from her tension with family members, whom she believes do not wish the best for her, and she harbors some resentment towards them for locking her into a bleak future. Ysbeta Lavan is proud and rebellious, coming from a vastly powerful family. Due to her upbringing, Ysbeta often brushes off Beatrice’s concerns, which I also found frustrating because it led to major problems. However, all that is a sign of good character work by Polk.

And of course, there is spectacular romance between Beatrice Clayborn and Ianthe Lavan. There is so much yearning between them you can feel it through the pages! Ianthe only wants the best for Beatrice, but is torn between wanting her to be free and keeping her from the dangers of spirit conjuration. (TBH, Ianthe was probably the only character who didn’t cause conflict by jumping to conclusions, love that for him.)

I have not read/watched many regency romance works or period pieces, but thoroughly enjoyed this magical tale despite the slower pacing compared to my usual reads – it was a refreshing change of pace and I ate up the ~yearning~ between Beatrice and Ianthe. It gave me Pride and Prejudice (2005) vibes and aesthetics, so if you’re into that, go pick up this book! You’ll love it!!

I did feel like the world was not expanded out much for a fantasy tale, but for a standalone novel and considering its settings, it was very solid, and enough to immerse the reader. The dialogue felt a little dragged out at times, but that’s because I am used to fast action and quick dialogue in epic fantasies. For a newbie to regency-inspired tales, The Midnight Bargain does a great job at setting the tone and time the characters are in – a slow life full of traditions, mannerisms, and small-talk.

All in all, this was a wonderful read! Might be my go-to recommendation for romance now.

This is an engaging historical fantasy with romance and feminist themes. I loved the well-drawn characters and in-depth world building. The plot was so well done and the tension had me turning pages well into the night. This is my favorite from this author so far. I am a fan!

#netgalley #themidnightbargain

This was a good book about magic that had many twists and turns. A good read that I would highly recommend to those who enjoy sorcery type books.

Such a satisfying book, I read this in pretty much one sitting, I couldn't put it down, I had to see what came next.

I did have a concern that it would have a certain type of ending but I think it bucked the trend and I was so happy it ended the way it did (and I didn't expect). I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who will stop still long enough for me to shout about it!

The Midnight Bargain by C. L. Polk is a high fantasy novel which focuses on the lives of two main protagonists - Ianthe Antonidas Lavan and Beatrice Amara Clayborn. We see a strong magic system in this book which I absolutely enjoyed.

The world building is beautiful, the characters are strong. We see strong women characters like Beatrice Clayborn and Ysbeta Lavan. The start of the book is very beautifully done and also a very strong start. The romance between the two was something which was abit flat.

The bargaining system to choose yourself a charming husband, the magic system of summoning the spirits, etc was really something I enjoyed reading about and was very well potrayed. The character which I really loved the most was Nadi, the spirit whom Beatrice had summoned.

The character of Ianthe Lavan was charming and could be your next bookish boyfriend/crush. I liked how he helped Beatrice in achieving her goals of being magus and change the rules for women in this country. The epilogue was beautiful. But the family drama which went in the end was kinda not necessary felt abit rushed.

The character of Ysbeta Lavan, was also good, a charming lady who is ambitious and wants to travel the world and love all the magic from grimoires from across the globe. Their parents were little bit annoying in the end but that clearance between all of them was necessary.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and if you like 'Sorcery Of Thorns' by Margaret Rogerson like I did then I would recommend you to try this book. I got very similar vibes from both these books. The book cover could have been more attractive.
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Thanks to NetGalley and the Erewhon Publisher for province me eArc in exchange for a honest opinion.

"You aim to turn the world upside-down.”

I was provided an Advanced Reader’s Copy by NetGallery-all opinions are my own.
The blurb describing this novel captured me immediately-Magicians? Yes. Romance? Double yes. Women rights? That’s it, I’m sold.

From there-I had a love/hate relationship with the book. The underlying story was great, and parallels issues women face all the time about having to choose A or B when Beatrice strives to remind us “why not both?”
The characters were interesting and well developed, I love watching Beatrice and Nadi’s relationship grow, and the kinship Ysbeta and Beatrice found in each other. On the flip side I wish the author would have spent more time developing Beatrice and Ianthe’s relationship-as I felt they didn’t really have many opportunities throughout the book to enjoy each other’s company and get to know one another.

One thing I will say is that I felt like there was too much time spent on unnecessary world development. Ianthe and Beatrice both enjoyed reading the same series, but I didn’t need to know more than that, If even that. I would have rather them shared more experiences together than learn about things they had done in the past. As well, as great as the author was in keeping you up to speed on what the character was thinking-I wish she would have added in more physical reactions. There was a lot of room for showing more and telling less
.
The final thing I will say is that I loved the author’s take of bringing a really real issue and applying it to a fantasy realm. She did a great job portraying the real struggles women face when wanting to do something against the social norms (and tackled it from multiple characters!)

All in all-this novel is a solid 4 stars. It had its issues but I enjoyed the deeper story and I’m excited to read more by C. L. Polk in the future!

The midnight bargain is a fantasy standalone about a young woman who wants to continue using her power in a patriarchal society.

The midnight bargain was a really good read, fast paced with an interesting plot.

I loved the main character, Beatrice was very relatable and her friendship with Nadi was one of the best thing in the book.

The midnight bargain was a really good read, fast paced with an interesting plot.

I loved the feminism aspect of the book as it brings issues that are also present in our world (my body, my choice).

I really liked the richly imagined world-building and I appreciated the diversity in it.

The romance was the only thing I didn't enjoyed in this book. Ianthe and Beatrice met two times and then hop fall in love. I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between them, it could have been handled better.

I would definitely recommend the midnight bargain and I would love to read a book about Ysbeta's adventures.

Thank you for NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable tropey fantasy full of action and intrigue, though a mismatch between the world’s politics and main characters' arcs created some narrative dissatisfaction. Some sparkling moments involving the magic system and setting foregrounded theme to very good effect. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a rompy fantasy-romance in an Edwardian-like setting.


PLOT, CHARACTER, AND WORLD

The book’s themes and the world’s politics are oriented around gendered oppression: women are basically stripped of agency and power to be reproductive servants. Beatrice, a woman trying to navigate this misogynistic world, is keen to please her family and uphold the traditions she was born into, but on the other hand she wants to practice magic, something that is forcibly stripped from married women.

I think the tension of this arc worked through most of the leading action. The conflict featured prominently in Beatrice's mind and actions. But when the world has such dehumanizing politics, Beatrice trying to please her family creates the feeling of an unsatisfying narrative. The biggest flaw of the book was that the protagonist accepted the premise posed by the plot: that she must either marry or abandon her family in favour of magic with no in-between. Beatrice describes to Ianthe that tradition would have her literally collared and used, in her own severe words, as an “exhausted” vessel for childbearing, and that she does not want this—but still she pursues it through much of the book. The additional options that shape the story’s conclusion are not imagined until there's no other recourse.

Ysbeta was the best developed character, with the clearest motives and clearest politics. Ysbeta’s central inclusion in the narrative served to competently shape the world’s politics as well as Beatrice’s relationship to those politics; Ysbeta’s politics importantly diverged from both Beatrice and Ianthe.

The book’s characters in general are positioned as archetypes and foils in relation to the book’s politics. On the ‘tradition’ side there is Beatrice’s family; on the ‘progression’ side there is Ysbeta. These represent the two worlds Beatrice is trying to reconcile. Ianthe, like Beatrice, inhabits a middle ground; he clearly prefers to work the system from within. All of his friends are adherent to the standards of the world, making Ianthe look progressive only in contrast. Later in the book, Ianthe looks down at his sister and forbids her from pursuing magic as though he was her keeper, showing his true position until extreme circumstances force his hand.

I found Ianthe milquetoast; I found Beatrice milquetoast. This may be more revealing of my politics than the book.

Ysbeta’s role as a character, meanwhile, was to encourage Beatrice toward personhood, a role no one else held in the book (except arguably her mother). Personhood is a notion even Beatrice herself seems uncomfortable with. She is keen to make her own decisions throughout the book, and yet every decision she actually makes is in the service of upholding the system by unconventional means. Ysbeta and Beatrice's relationship was a highlight of the book. One powerful scene saw them opening each other’s stays in order to breathe more deeply and connect privately over magic. Some of the best moments of the book happened when seemingly aesthetic elements of the world combined with the politics to create strong images like this.

But while highlighting how important the relationship between Ysbeta and Beatrice was, scenes like these also painted Ianthe in such an unfavourable light that I wasn’t engaged by the romance. In another powerful scene, for example, Ysbeta is begging Ianthe not to force her to marry while Beatrice is reinstalling the very restrictive clothing that goes so far as to impede her breathing. A powerful image—made even more so when Ianthe repeatedly uses his authority to put his foot down and put an end to this nonsense (i.e., their expressions of personhood and agency). Both Ysbeta’s and, crucially, Beatrice’s interactions with Ianthe felt like they was making constant appeals to authority for personhood. Ianthe’s role landed unromantically with me for that reason.

The characters and their roles shaped the tone of the book and outlined the plot. Harriet pulled Beatrice in one direction; Ysbeta pulled her in another. Ianthe, her mirror but with actual power, pulled her this way and that according to what he determined his power was useful for that day. At times, the characters felt more like their roles than they did complete persons.

Never is this more apparent than in Ysbeta’s endgame. <spoiler>The ending felt rushed, the importance of Ysbeta’s agency again made secondary to the romance for reasons I cannot fathom. Then, at the book’s conclusion, Ysbeta remembers that she cannot be extradited from her own ship and that there she will have asylum. …What? Now? Surely she could have done this from the beginning. This serves as an analogy for the plot’s main problems: each woman might have acted for her agency alone but, for reasons not remotely apparent, only made those choices when their personhood had been already stripped.

I will also say that, given the degree of cruelty shown particularly to Beatrice, I didn't find the reconciliation of Beatrice and the Lavans to their respective families especially compelling. It played into the idea that staying loyal to family was a remotely favourable idea, and that the happiest ending of all was that Beatrice never actually had to choose; she got her family's loyalty and her freedom. This was where I felt most prominently that this was attempting fairy tale logic—something that feels out of place in most adult narratives, and it landed highly unfavourably with me.</spoiler>

The narrative felt overall unable to resolve the tension between the politics of the world and the characters’ baked-in arcs. The world’s politics were themselves layered—but the protagonist’s ability to explore them was limited, since her role in the story was to serve as the bridge between tradition and progression. The result was a protagonist who verbally opposed what she seemed to perceive as reproductive servitude without, somehow, taking Ysbeta by the hand and running away together to her ship to be lesbian witch pirates from the very beginning.


WORLDBUILDING AND MAGIC

I found some descriptions abstract and that the imagery of the world was sometimes more intuited than developed on the page. One manor “boasted the symmetry that was so important in beautiful houses,” but the characteristics of that symmetry are not described. What was symmetrical—pillars, windows? What was the colour of the house, the architectural style, were there lawns, what made this manor spectacular? This description, lacking specifics, is not quite immersive: the reader must leave the world and draw from examples from real life, then make that image fantastical themselves. Later in this same paragraph, a statue is described: “her fingers folded elegantly in the sign that the initiated recognized as a welcome and promise of hospitality.” Again, specifics are not given: how are her fingers folded? Are we talking about a fist in the air? Are we talking about crossed fingers? Lacking specifics, I pictured the statue of liberty. Maybe that’s a failure of my imagination—I showed friends the paragraph, and many of them found these descriptions very persuasive. But for me, the point of reading fantasy is to draw me into a world I could not imagine myself, which was not established here.

There were small political details in the worldbuilding that were very cool to see, notably the use of language. That Beatrice was fluent but not perfect in Ysbeta’s native tongue was a really nice detail that added a lot. When linguistic diversity appears in fantasy books, non-protagonists often adapt to the common language for the protagonist’s sake, and I enjoyed that the POV character was the one to adapt most of the time.

Finally: I love a well thought out magic system, and this was that. Some of the best exploration of society’s expectations of gender were focused around the literal practice of the magic. That Beatrice and Ysbeta had to undo their stays to get enough breath to muster power, I found that a powerful image. It was these moments of subtlety where the exploration of the book’s themes of oppression most shone, especially when combined with the implications of the robust magic system that itself shaped society economically as well as socially and politically.

The final action was quite impactful and featured deeply enjoyable tropes for me, but I wish it had been paced out a bit to preserve this feeling of completeness of the magic system. I like Polk’s dedication to rapid pacing, but either end of the book served action more prominently than world. Many will prefer the action; I preferred exploring the world.


PROSE AND STYLE

Some descriptions were vivid, especially about the cherry trees, carriages, and Ianthe’s code of dress. Colours are a particular strength of Polk’s prose; outfits were beautifully described.

At other times, prose felt thin and repetitious. A paragraph would start, “Ysbeta shrugged”—and so would the next paragraph with her dialogue in it. These telegraphing phrases are good for pacing in scenes heavy with dialogue, but they should be used with purpose. Ysbeta’s shrugging, Ianthe’s head shaking, or Beatrice’s trembling (her heart trembled, her stomach trembled, much of Beatrice trembled at one time or another) might be made clear in the dialogue or by some other means of phrasing instead of incurring this repetition. This sort of basic telegraphy contributed to why the characters and/or writing sometimes felt flat: in a section where Beatrice had been caught in her magic, the phrase “She was caught” appeared several times, as did “This ends now” from the male characters. More interiority or tailoring of dialogue for each character might have advanced the writing—but as it is, the prose values action, and action may be more important to the book.


CONCLUSIONS

There are a few elements that make this a compelling read: it’s a successful genre blend effort, it’s a fantastic example of a complete and comprehensible magic system, and it showed a world with layered politics. One of the central characters was largely successful at displaying those politics and nudging the protagonist toward questioning them. But as a whole, competition between fixed character arcs and the worldbuilding prevented some narrative satisfaction, while prose style sometimes flattened an otherwise sparkling and enchanting atmosphere.

A good book about magic and with many twists and turns. A good read that I enjoyed reading and would highly recommend to those who enjoy sorcery.

In this richly-detailed fantasy, a woman must give up magic when she marries. (This is not the result, as you first suspect, of misogyny. In this world, a woman must give up magic to protect her unborn children from vicious spirits.) Beatrice Clayborn wants above all to be a Magus, and so she is determined not to marry in order to realize her dreams.

Her family, on the other hand, is determined that she find a man of means during the yearly “Bargaining Season” so that she can help them get out of debt.

While pursuing a grimoire that may help Beatrice overcome obstacles and become a mage, she encounters the male and female Lavan siblings, magical in every way, who complicate Beatrice’s desires. In fact, it is unclear at first which sibling, Ysbeta or Ianthe, attracted Beatrice more. In any event, the choices for Beatrice are now not so clear cut. Can the allure of love win out over the allure of magic?

The world building was fascinating, but the characterizations less so. Nevertheless, it was mildly diverting, and I liked the Regency vibe.

This fantasy novel resonates with the struggles contemporary women face today in American and beyond. At its core, this book is a feminist story about women and who has the right to control their bodies during their reproductive years and where women fit in the hierarchy of the world. . The author creates a world in which young women with high magic, This book was an exciting oceanic adventure who are denied magical instruction due to their sex, are in essence sold to less powerful male magicians for the express purpose of breeding more magicians. These girls own magic is suppressed while they do this. Full of spirits, strong willed young women, and scheming families, this book touches on the topics of autonomy and a women’s place in the world. Set in a richly imagined, historical world, this book is not only timely, it is highly enjoyable.

Okay okay hold on I was super wary of this book because once i started it got a little boring and wordy and i was confused because i didnt know what was going on, but after i found my footing and went past the 30 percent mark, i found that i enjoyed this so much more than i expected. The romance was so sweet and actually my favourite part.

Elegant, stylish and sparkling, with a fantastic and fascinating magic system, great characters, and a really nuanced look at how different people choose to maneuver (and what's worth sacrificing - or not) in a glittering but unjust society.

Categorically speaking, were I to compare this book to others I've read, I'd say it's the romance equivalent of The Selection meets the power, sorcery, and ambitious yearning of The Folk of the Air series.

The result was an intriguing mash-up of genre, of theme. It was one where fantasy waltzes with feminism, with magical agency, then tangos with the restrictions of a regency-era patriarchy.

The book was enjoyable overall. Just not hit-it-out-of-the-park outstanding.

I found the world-building to be immersive yet also lacking in detail. I would've liked to have a better understanding of the world the characters were inhabiting - the kingdoms/countries, the languages, the chapterhouses etc- because you're thrown into the middle of it all without a tether. Without any kind of explanation as to where these places are or how they've come to exist. It would've been nice to be able to picture some of the locations better. Imagine the varying cultures and customs.

Ianthe and Beatrice were a tad too instalove-y for my taste as well. They converse for two seconds in a bookshop and PLING! Cupid's arrow strikes! That said, I did appreciate the way he listened to her charges about the injustices women face with regards to magic later on, taking the time to evaluate her arguments, giving them serious thought and consideration. I like a man who fights for his lady to be free and happy, to have agency. That's the way it should be!

Nadi was my favorite character by far, though. She was such an infectious little spirit--so vivacious and gleeful, so "carpe diem" in attitude. I particularly loved that she was always hex-ready to defend her friend from meanies. In fact, I think Casper may have a new rival for the Cutest Spirit Award!

Though I wished the magical system had been explored more and that the romance had been more dynamic, I still found a lot to enchant here. It's definitely worth a bargain. So read it, why don't you?

Thank you to NetGalley and Erewhon Books for the ARC!