M. L. Wang has created such an interesting world and magic system in Blood Over Bright Haven - it had me hooked instantly. It was honestly insanely difficult to put this book down. I wanted to know more about Thomil and I wanted to watch Sciona’s discoveries unfold on the page. I got both of those things as well as an incredibly rich and unsubtle commentary on our own world (and when I say unsubtle I mean it positively like Kuang’s Babel).

I think Wang made some really smart decisions when crafting this book that helped get her message across in incredibly frustrating ways. There were so many times while reading this that I got mad at the characters and their choices and their prejudices and that’s kind of the point of putting us in Sciona’s head in the first place. You get to feel every slow stride she takes towards understanding where perhaps her viewpoint on the Kwen and her fellow mages, her world and her magic, are wrong. It takes a long time to get her there, but it’s so nice to watch it happen.

I fully thought this was going to be an easy five-star read for me, but at some point it starts to unravel a little. The narration itself felt almost young adult in nature in a way I fully didn’t expect. The characters don’t act like teenagers, really, but the cadence and flow of the writing felt like it was catering to a younger audience. It also swayed between entirely in-world language that wouldn’t make sense until a second read (or in retrospect) and assuming the reader is a little stupid and over-explaining simple things. While I don’t think either of those things make this a bad book, they did bother me personally while I was reading it.

I also think the relationship that forms between Sciona and Thomil feels a little off. Between the power dynamics and the way that Sciona views not only him but his people for a large portion of this book leaves their relationship in an odd place that was a little uncomfortable to read at times. I don’t know, but I think too much pressure was put on this side plot when it didn’t need to be there in the way that it was at all.

The mix of magic and women in STEM and fighting institutional racism all in a dark academia-esque setting felt like this book was built of off buzzwords catered directly towards me and what I’ve been enjoying lately. And to be fully transparent, I really enjoyed reading this most of the time. It was fun. It just also fell a little short of what it could have been.

Huge thanks to Random House and NetGalley for this eARC given in exchange for an honest review.

I totally loved this fantasy book about magic. Along with a completely unique magic system, it also includes oppression, colonialism, and misogyny, enough to anger you. I was angry most of the book, then the end pretty much broke me. No HEA here.

Everything about this book was something to experience, from the well developed characters, the fantastic world building to the incredible storyline. This was my first M. L. Wang book but it certainly will not be my last. This book was just so good. I liked it so much I immediately went and bought my own copy.

I highly recommend to anyone who loves fantasy books, especially about magic, because this one was definitely different.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a problematic read for me in that it is extremely well written with nuanced and very flawed characters but was contrasted with overly heavy messaging about religion, colonialism, and sexism. I guess that in a way, I look to books for escape from those issues, not to be hit over the head with them in a different fantastical setting. This is a stand alone and not a series.

Story: Sciona is very gifted at creating the magic that infuses and runs the City. Unfortunately for her, as a woman the high mage positions have been historically closed to her. But with an influential high mage mentor supporting her application, she now has a chance to show her true skills and attain her goal. She will not be forced to become a man's wife and have no accomplishments of her own. What Sciona finds, though, is that the odds are still stacked against her and skill alone does not offset the disadvantage of her gender. Assigned an immigrant janitor for her assistant as an insult, she knows she has never needed help before and she won't be hindered now as a deadline draws near for her first big magic presentation.

First and foremost, everything is very well explained and full of depth. From the character personalities to the magic system, it all makes sense and is very grounded/organic. Sciona is driven, single minded, and a loner. Her janitor assistant is traumatized, subsisting, and existing only as a relic of the last of his tribe. Where she is idealistic and even simplistic in her single-mindedness, he is realistic and grounded. Their decisions make sense from those viewpoints and it all felt logical and right. Similarly, the magic system is well developed, robust, and not your typical Harry Potter point and say a spell.

Make no mistake, this is a mature novel. Not just for the exploration of the repression themes but also in terms of the characters not being overidealized - you'll cringe at Sciona's naivete at the same time feel the deep despair of her assistant, Thomil. This story really is a blueprint of 1700s/1800s colonialism - from the view of anyone not of their race as being subhuman and disposable to the sexism that forces women into roles of caretaker or wife.

But I cannot rate this 5 star despite the layering and nuance. The blueprint was too close to reality and felt like we are being beat over the head continuously about the ills of white male patriarchy in history. It kept pulling me out of the story in frustration since I wanted a fantasy, not a retelling of European colonization horrors. Also, admittedly, the magic system was a bit too well explained, leading to too many pages dedicated to lecturing or analyzing it.

So yes, this is a very well written book. Your enjoyment may depend more on your tolerance of soapboxing rather than the story or the characters. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

I received an arc of this book and woooowwwww this might be some of the most beautiful writing and story telling I’ve ever read. I was hooked immediately (and how can you not with that opener) and continued to love every moment. This book was not for the faint of heart, the themes were very heavy and just became more complicated as it progressed which created this incredible web of conflict. The character development was beautiful and to see Sciona’s mindset change, I almost want to reread just to fully realize how far she came. All of the characters were incredibly unique and the way that Sciona and Thomil interacted with respect for each others beliefs but pushed their boundaries was beautiful. I don’t have a negative thing to say about this story, I will definitely be reading more book by this author as this was my first. If you want incredible writing, a unique storyline and characters, with a side of emotional damage wrapped in a dark academia fantasy then this is for you.

4/5 ⭐️

Thanks to Del Ray Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Once again, M.L. Wang has managed to pierce me right in the chest with the unforgiving realities of humanity. The depth of emotion and the rawness of the characters’ experiences left me needing to take a break to stare at my ceiling and reflect.

Thomil, oh Thomil. I found myself completely engrossed in his journey. I couldn't stop thinking about my own family while reading about him. His character felt so relatable showing both vulnerability and strength.

M.L. Wang’s storytelling continues to captivate me, and I will read anything she writes in the future. Her ability to weave complex characters and thought-provoking themes together is truly a gift. Highly recommend this book for anyone looking to experience a blend of emotional depth and social commentary!

I don’t even know what to say about this book! I’m shocked. I wanted to sit with it but I’m still sitting. I don’t know how I feel except I loved it!

Huge thank you to Random House and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

Wow. Just wow. Sciona is one of the best female main characters I have ever encountered. She’s confident/borderline cocky and can be stubborn (overplayed characteristics of FMCs lately in my opinion), but at the same time relatable in so many ways that I could not help but love her!! Her character development throughout the story is amazing.

This story is heavy on social expectations/“normalcy” of the world in which the story takes place that easily translate into real life.

The magic system is SO different than anything I’ve ever read and was a big part of what drew me in. It gets laid on a little thick in the beginning but it was so unique and interesting that it didn’t bother me.

This is a story about hope, courage, love, sacrifice, and doing what’s right in the face of ignorance and evil. It’s about paving the way to a better world. We’re all just human, right?

This book is easily one of my favorites of the year so far. Highly recommend!!!

In the industrial utopia of Tiran, Sciona’s goal is to become the first female highmage in history. Thinking this would be the hardest part, she is shocked by the misogyny of her colleagues in the High Magistry. To make sure she knows she is unwelcome, they make a Kwen janitor be her lab assistant instead of a more qualified Tiranish person. The janitor, Thomil, is the second main character. Sciona and Thomil must work together to make discoveries and uncover the truths of Tiran’s magic.

This is a dark academia standalone fantasy and it was done so well. There was strong character development and growth throughout the book. The writing, plot, and themes were well thought out and executed. I couldn’t put it down and probably won’t be able to stop thinking about it for a long time. Highly recommend!

This is a dark standalone fantasy by the author who wrote the Sword of Kaigan, A bit of a famous book if you haven’t heard or read it. I highly recommend! This author has planted her name in this fantasy space for good reason. This one is following a woman who is the very first to be attending a prestigious order of mages but she comes face to face with a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever. Dark academia, magic. A feast for the eyes, this one is going to be big.

I do not know how M. L. Wang does it. Last year when I read her first, award winning, novel, “The Sword of Kaigen,” I was left in utter awe of how she created such depth in her characters and such an immersive world. It was a 4.5 star book for me but upon reflection, I should probably bump that up to a five star.
Back to the book at hand.
When I discovered that her next book, a book coming years after “The Sword of Kaigen,” was an academic fantasy, I knew that I had to read it. I knew that the book would work for me and boy did it work. She first drew me into this academic world, an academic world built around magic, and then started pulling back the layers as the main character learned more about things that she always took for granted. I also highly appreciated how she developed the main character herself. She comes from a life of partial privilege, a place where she has long fought against misogyny but is blind to the racism endemic in her culture. She has imperfect but highly realistic reactions to her world getting rocked to its core. She hurts people around her but also learns from her mistake and how to truly make whatever change that she can.
Wow.
What a book.

I would like to thank Random House and NetGalley for an eARC of this title

ML Wang created a story of xenophobia, sexism, colonialism that was hard to read at some points but was an intriguing story that I am glad I had an opportunity to pick up. Sciona has such a drive to prove herself and such a love for magic and the worlds religion that it was all consuming in her life. I think the portrayal of those items unraveling for her are well done. I wish there had been more of a POV for Thomil, but this also a very well done portrayal.

I really enjoyed this story and I really appreciate how ML Wang had the story progress and how it is wrapped up in the end. The story is messy and heartbreaking and will sit with me for a long time. My only gripe is I struggled with, what I felt, was a slog of very specific magical training. This was extensive and felt much more of a 'telling' than a 'showing'.

Would recommend, but reader beware, this is not a feel good story.

Blood Over Bright Haven drew me in from the beginning. The opening of the book is a "hold your breath" type moment that will immediately have you wondering what comes next. I felt the world building was just enough to not be overwhelming and made space for the character development and progression of the plot. I thought the magic system was unique and I loved that there was similarity to Coding. I appreciated the intelligence and wit of the FMC. Her beliefs were challenged and she was beginning to grow. I felt the way the story wrapped up was authentic to the characters. This book felt exciting to read, stirred emotions and thoughts, and the pacing felt just right. I typically read a few books at a time and this book was the one I reached for over the others. Thank you to Net Galley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read the e-arc. Above was my honest review in exchange.

This was beautiful and very exciting. This book had me hooked and I didn't want to put it down! It is high fantasy that explores themes of racism, classism, sexism, and colonialism. It was a very entertaining read!

An amazing read that explores themes of race, class, and bigotry. This is an exciting and thought provoking fantasy novel about realizing everything you've been taught isn't what it appears to be. Its an amazing read for fantasy readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review.

Wow, the reviews really aren’t lying. M. L. Wang does it again with another fantastic, wholehearted enrapturing Fantasy.

I will easily admit that I am not a high Fantasy girly. And when I am, the majority of the time, they’re High Romantasies (if that terminology exists). I find it very difficult to not be bored with many High Fantasies without a heavily present romantic plot. A character flaw, maybe, but it’s the truth. When I previously read M. L. Wang’s The Sword of Kaigen, I thought it was great, truly, but it still wasn’t quite my vibe of Fantasy. Yes, it’s so much more than just a war story but, in general, stories containing strong war plots are not typically my favorite. So, I had similar assumptions going into this one, expecting good things but knowing that it may not capture my heart and attention as it may well deserve. Well I can thankfully say, it blew my expectations out of the water. This will simply be my go-to fantasy recommendation going forward. I think all fantasy lovers will eat this up, whether you’re a Brando Sando person or a SJM fan.

It really is incredible the scope of topics in which this novel touches on. Misogyny & Sexism, Classism, Racism, Religion, you name it. And while those themes are heavily explored, it is not torturously repetitive or bogged down in political propaganda. It was, however, infernally infuriating how relevant and realistic the themes were, Wang did such a fantastic job with them.

Our FMC was very flawed but incredibly relatable and realistic. It was easy to roll your eyes at her one moment and want to punch the people around her the next. She was clever, stubborn and passionate all in one, it was fantastic to get to know her. Then the MMC was quite easy to fall in love with. His mix of softness and strength was endearing, and his love for his niece was heartwarming. And I loved the dynamic between the FMC and MMC. It was unique to see the relationship between a FMC in a position of power, despite the endless sexism she faced, and the MMC in a vulnerable, position with no power. They really made quite the pair.

Truly, this book blew me away. I am so exited for it to be (re) released into the world and I think we will continue to see incredible things from M. L. Wang going forward.

Note: PLEASE check trigger warnings before picking this book up!

I haven’t gotten around to reading it, but I can’t count the number of times I’ve had the book “The Sword of Kaigen” pop up as a recommended title. So much so that I went ahead and ordered a copy through the recent Kickstarter that was live recently even though I still haven’t read it! All of this to say, I was very excited when I found an ARC of this title at ALA and immediately scheduled it down as one to review this fall. Let’s dive in!

As I said, it’s been unavoidable to not hear all of the praises sung for Wang’s previous novel. This left me with quite a high bar of expectation going into this one, and I’m happy to say that it largely lived up to this! So many aspects of this book were masterfully done, from the gaslamp/dark academia world-building, to the deep characterization of our two main characters, to the careful and thorough exploration of themes of misogyny, prejudice, ambition, and the careful balance between one’s intentions and the corresponding results.

As characters are always at the forefront for me, let’s start there. I really enjoyed both of our main POV characters. Sciona’s story, however, stood out. She begins as what I have to believe is an intentionally unlikable character, full of ambition and self-interest. Given the barriers that have been placed before her, however, it’s also easy to see how she has become the person she is. To succeed, she has had to “buy in” more fully than any of her peers, face added challenges, and constantly push through the prejudices of those around her. In doing so, she has needed to fully entrench herself in the culture into which she is trying to make headway. As her story unfolds, and she discovers more about her world, we see her grapple with the shocking revelations buried beneath much of her existence.

The story also grapples with many challenging topics. I was especially impressed with how carefully and thoroughly these themes were explored. Nothing was presented on a platter to the reader with a simple platitude or a bright arrow pointing towards “THE RIGHT WAY.” Instead, the book presents situations and conflicts, from the practical to the more abstract, and lets the reader, alongside the characters, struggle with the morality of it all. How far does one’s intentions take you when the results are bad? Or the opposite?

By the time we get to the end, I was deep in all of the feelings. As is expected, given the themes, the story goes to some dark places and there are no easy answers to be found here. However, I also can’t say that it doesn’t resolve in a way that felt earned and also necessary. Overall, I thought this was an excellent read and I’m excited to check out the author’s previous book when I finally get my hands on a copy!

Rating 8: Detailed world-building, intricate character work, and a thorough exploration of difficult but important themes all cement Wang’s place as a fantasy author to keep one’s eye on!

Review will go live on The Library Ladies on October 30.

Blood Over Bright Haven is a stand-alone high fantasy story with a complex and unique magic system, in a dark academia setting, and topped with female rage.

brief synopsis:
Once every 10 years, the city if Tiran allows a woman to take the test to become a highmage (a council of the highest magic wielders). The novel starts out by following Sciona, our fmc, as she is moments aways from taking the test. After she becomes highmage, she starts to uncover dark secrets and even darker lies that threatens to break the idyllic future she has devoted her entire career towards…

Things I liked
-I loved this book, point blank.
-the amount of heavy themes this book was able to successfully tackle, such as: systematic oppression and racism, wholistically trusting faith, and misogyny.
-I loved both main characters and their development arcs.
-I also really liked the supporting characters.
-I was absolutely shocked by that ending, but I believe it was the most fitting for Sciona’s character, and honestly, you don’t see that type of ending often, and it packed a punch.
-The pacing was consistent throughout the book, and the plot continued to move forward at a steady pace.
-Chapter titles - a small detail to add but I always appreciate when it’s done.
-Excerpts at the beginning of each chapter, it adds to the worldbuilding.

Didn’t like
-Long chapters
-Heavy world building in the beginning, it was necessary for the story, and I did enjoy it, but it was a bit confusing to follow at first

My goodreads review can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6616870381

It’s taken me like a week of sitting with this story to finally get my thoughts in order enough to write this review!

In the city of Tiran, magic fuels an industrial utopia, but at a steep cost. Sciona, an orphan with an unrelenting drive to become the first woman admitted to the prestigious High Magistry, has spent two decades mastering her craft. But when she finally earns her place as a highmage, she finds that her trials are far from over. Assigned a janitor as her assistant, Sciona is unaware that Thomil, a former nomadic hunter, harbors his own dark past—and a mission that could unravel the very foundations of magic. Together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change the world as they know it, though it may come at the ultimate cost.

Blood Over Bright Haven is a book that left me utterly speechless. M. L. Wang weaves a compelling narrative that not only captivates but also packs an emotional punch, drawing you into a story brimming with depth and introspection. From the very first page, I found myself hooked by the complex characters and the high stakes in this dark academia world.

One of the standout elements of this book is how the pursuit of truth serves as the driving force behind the characters’ growth and development. Sciona’s relentless ambition to break barriers as the first woman highmage and Thomil’s quest for answers about his past create a fascinating, tension-filled dynamic between them. Their struggles feel so real and raw, and Wang’s ability to weave their stories together with larger societal issues adds an even richer layer to the narrative.

Despite being a relatively small fantasy book, Blood Over Bright Haven delivers a ton of emotional weight, touching on themes like legacy, family, vengeance, gender injustice, misogyny, love, social status, faith, justice, sacrifice, extreme religionism, prejudice, and colonialism. Each theme is explored with care and nuance, leaving you as a reader introspective long after you’ve turned the final page.

The world-building in this book is immersive, and Wang’s storytelling is absolutely masterful. The action scenes are gripping, the emotional stakes are high, and the character arcs are beautifully written. I particularly loved how the book forces you to confront difficult questions about power, legacy, and the cost of magic—questions that linger with you as the story unfolds.

My advice: go into this book as blind as possible. Let Wang’s brilliant writing and the unforgettable character arcs sweep you away. Blood Over Bright Haven is a powerful standalone that leaves a lasting impact—don’t miss it!

I absolutely loved this retelling of Cinderella mixed with Brave with a "save the world" complex. The telling of a hero who must overcome the odds to save society will have you hooked until the end. Very well written and you will be skipping sleep to finish this.

Another standout book for M.L. Wang!

A thought provoking, interesting, fantasy books that explores the themes of colonialism, racism, sexism, classism through a unique magic system.
The FMC, Scions, is an unlikeable, privileged student trying to become the first female high mage in history. Though she sees the injustices to women in her culture, her sights do not go as far as to see the injustices done to the Kwen people by her own, including her.
Throughout the book we see Sciona grapple with the truth of her society, with the help of her assistant , a Kwen man, Thomil.
While I do feel that Sciona did have character growth, something about her role in the story bothered me, which stops me from giving this book 5 stars.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it.


Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an advanced e-reader copy of this book.