Reviewing this book is harder than I thought. Not because it wasn’t a good book, because it truly was, but because I’ve just never read something like this.

This is a very complex sort of fish out water fantasy with a bit of monster romance that is very unique and often had me thinking about what makes good or evil. This book definitely made me think.

You definitely can’t go in expecting the sort of smutty monster romances we’ve all come to know, or you may be disappointed. But if you approach this book with an open mind like I did, you will find something beautiful and heart wrenching.

Overall, a unique read I won’t forget anytime soon.

I really loved this book! The way Art and Verick’s relationship blossoms really takes you on a journey that is unpredictable in the best way. The tension it builds is as impressive as the payoff. Also, the world building and magic system in this book is really unique and so well done.

I loved the idea of the art museum and being set in the UK is always a fun bonus.
I found the writing style a little stilted and had maybe a few too many plot twists to get truly shocked by them.

I had no idea this was a monster romance, but other than the few pages where I, also, was confused about the "logistics" of making out with a man whose head is a werewolf skull, I very much enjoyed this.

After the first few exciting pages, the story does slow, and at points I wanted to scan through long paragraphs of Art's thoughts to get to the good stuff. What kept me going was the unique, intricate magic system, the growing relationship between Art and Verick (I'm not ashamed to say I ship it - I just wasn't ready for the explicit fun time), and Art's determination to teach herself magic.

I took a star off because there's a fair amount of fluff to page through and some inconsistencies in the narration.

I'd definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers looking for a unique magic system who don't mind a bit of monster smut (legit it was only a few pages).

Loved loved loved this book. This gave me vibes similar to something like House on the Cerulean Sea with a dash of Discovery of Witches (but faster paced). I really enjoyed the world building, plus the unexpected romance! I also felt like this one was more realistic (as realistic as fantasy can be) the storytelling was. Also can we get an amen for a single entry fantasy read???

Thank you to NetGalley and Vital Works Publishing for the opportunity to read, rate and review this arc which will be available September 8,2023.

This was okay. The synopsis and cover and first few chapters gave a different story than what was actually written. I was utterly bored. The love story was weird. I just didn’t enjoy it.

Let’s start this very difficult review with something positive: this cover is gorgeous. The colours, the drawing, the character's placement; and even the title are so well done - and very intriguing. Everything on this cover is a masterpiece.

Which is exactly its purpose: it wants you to desire it, to read it, to like it. And I’d have been glad to, believe me, but fantasy is a complicated topic to write and not everyone can do it. Successfully, at least.

You know when the protagonist can't even breathe because everything that could happen, happens, and there's a point where it just becomes ridiculous? Here, it happened too fast.
The promises were good - the synopsis is perhaps too good - and the first few chapters were great - the first one hooked me at the page, breathless and stunned while I tried to understand what was going on. But, it's just that.
The magic world, the fights, the endless descriptions of everything you can think of… it became boring and kind of unrealistic - even for a fantasy book - too soon. For example, how many times has Verick said to Art to not talk about magic to normal people? And how quickly she fucked up the only rule he gave her, which led them to be chased by people in her family’s neighbourhood?
Also, how can work between them when he's not even human? Like, he has no face. I don't want to sound like a prick, and I'm sorry if I'm hurting the feelings of some of you, but there are things you can’t omit while writing about stuff like this.

There is a line in fantasy books between what they tell you about that world and that magic, and what you’re willing to accept. It can be small, it can be huge, it can be pointless or it can be you're new favourite version of the world.
But sometimes the line between magic and credibility is pushed too far to be believable.

Thanks to Vital Works Publishing and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.