DNF at 50%

This book would be a good fit for readers who like detailed world-building on how magic works. Readers looking for more action and less academia will likely find the first quarter of the book slow. I found it too easy to put down.

I loved Thomil. He was clever, adaptable, and not afraid to push back. But I struggled to root for Sciona.

Despite her annoying, prejudiced colleagues, Sciona pressed on with energy. I was very hopeful when Thomil and Sciona began to compare their histories, revealing secrets and horrors that changed everything they thought they knew. But when the cause of the Blight was revealed, Sciona was so narrow-minded and bigoted, yelling about her god and the Kwen “savages” that all I could do was cringe.

When she then initiated an experiment that killed someone, her first feeling was of being “powerless” and despite her subsequent shock, horror, and regret, I couldn’t stomach her conversation with her mentor that focused on absolving her. Her despair and suicide attempt was so immediate and quickly written, that I struggled to empathize with her. She was focused solely on her own hurt—and I know in my head that’s realistic and I wanted to feel compassion—but I felt myself wishing for her to think about someone else’s pain, the losses the Kwen have suffered, and I wanted her to consider doing something helpful, even if just to make amends with Thomil.

Thomil also experienced suicidal ideation and yet his reaction to the truth was very complex. The scene with him reacting to the news and explaining everything to his niece was powerful.

Unfortunately, the next POV swap back to Sciona showed her entire focus was still on her own feelings and I just couldn’t continue. I hope she eventually transformed herself and upended the misogynistic, racist religion of her people and stopped the killing of the Kwen, but by the midpoint I was too disengaged to continue with the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC.

Brutal and unflinching, yet peppered with so many pure, tender moments. Beautifully written. Somehow both otherworldly and alarmingly close to home. Incredibly cool magic system and worldbuilding so clear it feels tangible. Everything is done well in this book. Everything.

This read really made me reflect and stretched my feelings to the max. I lost count of the number of times I gasped or clapped a hand over my mouth. Wang shocked me in ways few other authors have. Very eager to check out their other work now.

This is getting trad pubbed in two months and I'm so stoked for more people to experience this author!! I still think about this book many months after finishing it.

After Sword of Kaigen, I didn't think Wang could get any better and, while this may not be better, it is definitely on par with her first outing. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will continue to follow Wang. Also, I LOVE that they have no written two standalone novels vs. a triilogy (or more). Series' are great, but sometimes a good standalone is even better.

Is it better to be safe and broken or dead?

A la Lessons in Chemistry but make it fantasy, a woman rises to highmage status but deals with incredible barriers due to her gender.

Wow. So many things to discuss in this review. Am I even worthy of writing it? I haven’t read a stunning fantasy since last year’s Babel, and I hope this one gets the attention it deserves.

So not only does Wang treat us to an incredibly rich magic system based on our world’s computer programming, she develops a rich religious and cultural background. At first I was merely stunned by the attention to detail in crafting a fantasy, but as the story progresses and you watch our FMC battle sexism in her quest to break glass ceilings, it becomes apparent that she’s suffering from this fantasy world’s white feminism. It is truly a treat to watch her awaken to her own privilege as this book tackles xenophobia, as well as classicism and elitism. Much like Babel, what begins as a magical jaunt into a fantasyland becomes a compelling social commentary.

The love crumbles between our MCs didn’t hurt either. I’m such a sucker.

I’m really pleased that this is getting a rerelease in trad publishing. If you’re a fantasy reader, this should without a doubt be on your list.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: None
POV: Dual 3rd Past

M. L. Wang has absolutely no loyalty except to the vow that she has made to write a story worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blood Over Bright Haven is about a 27 year-old female mage fighting her way to the top of the male-dominated magical hierarchy in the technologically advanced city of Tiran. The people of Tiran are a deeply religious, sexist and racist due to the religious texts that were written by the Founding Mages that created the city three hundred years ago. Wang does an excellent job of addressing these themes throughout the book as well as themes of societal impact, legacy, survival, family, and love. Wang's story is equally emotionally touching as it is thought-provoking.

This is the first book that has ever microplaned my heart into dust in the very first chapter. Wang has the superior ability to write characters that sink their teeth into you within the space of a paragraph. She weaves the values of family, community, and love into each character and rips your heart out by taking away everything those characters hold dear. Her writing style makes for a story that touches your soul with it's honesty.

The second chapter drew out the complete opposite emotions in me. Even though the synopsis of this book told me what would happen, I was smiling and my heart beamed for Sciona's accomplishment. I should have despised Sciona for her ego and selfishness, and I did wrinkle my nose at her in the beginning. Sciona aware of her faults like her inability to remember someone's name if they are insignificant. However, she does not feel guilty about them. She has one drive: to be the first female highmage and be accepted into the boy's club, AKA the High Magistry. I believe any ambitious woman in the world be able to relate to her, and it's for this reason that despite her glaring faults I do have a soft spot for our FMC.

I also enjoyed the magic system. Wang cleverly combines aspects of science and coding. Mages use a spellograph, which is similar to a typewriter. It has a circular coil on top that is activated through a sourcing spell and holds a greyscale moving image of the Otherrealm, a alternate realm which provides energy to power spells. Mages have to compose spells on the spellograph in two parts: the action spell which describes the object and the action that it will take, and the sourcing spell which activates the coil and allows the mage to choose specific levels of energy for their spell. The magic system is a bit unwieldy at first, however Wang does an excellent job of easing you into it and cleverly explains it in more detail throughout the first half of the book without dumping all the information on you in a nonsensical way. I haven't come across another magic system that combines religion and science in it's structure, and in doing so perfectly supports the plot and themes of the story.

I can not wait to devour M. L. Wang's next book, whatever and whenever it may come to be. Between Blood Over Bright Haven and Sword of Kaigen, Wang has secured her spot in my top three favorite authors.

This was one of the coolest magic systems I’ve ever read about, and I appreciated the level of detail that made me feel like I truly understood it. I really enjoyed the main character and all her strengths and flaws, and the overall atmosphere was incredibly immersive. The darker aspects and the unique presentation of gore really gave it that extra kick for me as I’m a big horror fan. I devoured this book in a day and a half.

This book had me gripped from beginning to end. It covers themes such as classism, racism, sexism, oppression, and discrimination. It’s one of those fantasy books that will have you drawing comparisons to real life.

Aside from the powerful messages and themes, the book offers a unique magic system, a brilliant and brave FMC, and strong character development.

I don’t think I’ll ever stop thinking about this book and its themes. I highly recommend it for dark academia lovers, fantasy enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys emotionally packed reads.

I loved the worldbuilding in this! This story sets up a complex world and uses the characters and setting to comment on class structure, prejudice, and academia in the real world. I loved the main character, Sciona, but I wish her character had a little more depth, as well as the side characters. This is a very plot-driven book. I know this is meant to function as a standalone, but I loved the idea of the incredibly unique magic system that I hope the author revisits the world at some point.

ARC Review. 4 Stars! This was everything I was hoping that Babel would be. I am an avid Dark Academia reader and this definitely hit the mark.

Stunning in scope but heavy on all fronts.

Was this an easy read? Uh, that is a big NO.
However, Wang won me over with The Sword of Kaigen, and though that story is an entirely different beast, this was no less impactful.

Here, Sciona is the lone woman to have ever achieved highmage status in a world that thinks very little of a female’s place in anything other than nurturing the home. She is ready to impress, and no one is going to stop her. When she “jokingly” gets saddled with a janitor for an assistant, what Sciona and Thomil discover in the search for bettering the city of Tiran will change not only themselves, but everyone else’s belief system and their place in the world.

Be prepared to encounter a bunch of hot topics - misogyny, racism, oppression, prejudice, bigotry, religion, overpopulation and dwindling resources are just to name a few.

It’s best not to discuss too many details so one can be equally affected as Sciona and Thomil were. You will be challenged. You will be struck by an ingeniously complex magic system that relies heavily on religious justification. You will be impressed with a totally original world and its varied peoples that inhabit it and how close it mirrors our own dark history.

Overall, I think if you are a fan of Wang, or if you want to take a chance on something different, this author doesn’t shy away from tough subject matter. Again, so very far from being an easy read, but like The Sword of Kaigen, the truth is devastating and tragic, and there are plenty who will fight with their whole being to maintain the status quo, who will hide behind a system that doesn't want to upset their divine given entitlement, but because of a select few, there is a chance for something better. This author won’t sugarcoat things nor give you a perfect HEA, and the result is a moving tale that will make you ponder one’s own humanity and question what is just, fair, and kind. There is triumph, there is the start of change, and most of all, there is hope.

Just like Sciona and Thomil can never unsee or unknow what they find, I too was affected the same way and won’t soon forget.

Thank you to the author and Del Rey via NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review posted to GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208430658-blood-over-bright-haven

This was actually my first ML Wang book, and now I can’t wait to read her other books! There is so much to love here. The character development was very well done, and the atmosphere was captured impeccably. I loved the magic system, the setting and honestly everything about it. Will definitely recommend to my bookclubs and friends. Can’t wait to listen to the audio when it is released!

This was an amazing story of finding a purpose in a place that makes you feel like you don't belong. With her assistant, they discover a great secret while also navigating their new relationship and figuring out what that means.

Blood over bright haven blew me away. So many important topics are brought up dragging you deep into the story with racism, imperialism and supremacy. Throughly addicting and I highly recommend this to everyone who enjoys a rich fantasy adventure. New favorite author right here.

You follow along with Sciona and Thomil. Sciona is trying to break out becoming the first female high mage. However after testing and proving herself to all she is not treated with the respect she deserves and is saddled with a lowly assistant the janitor Thomil.

This book was absolutely amazing and I can't recommend it enough. Just do yourself a favor and read it. Soon you too will find a new favorite author. 10/10.

On it's face this is a beautifully crafted story set in a fantasy world built by a gifted author. A fool would think that's as far as it goes. This has so many underlying philosophical and societal equity themes that you find yourself outraged, rended and inspired in THIS world to be a better human. There is only one wish I have for this story and that would be to come back in a generation to see what happens as I feel like my ribcage was torn open and heart broken and not closed again. But then ....that was the point wasn't it?
Thank you to Netgalley, M.L. Wang and Del Rey for the advanced cooy.

I really wanted to love Blood Over Bright Haven because the world building and magic system was really intriguing, but I lost steam around 40% and struggled to stay engaged

I could not stop gasping while reading Blood Over the Bright Haven!
Sciona is a well-rounded protagonist whose strength, vulnerability, and moral complexity make her journey both engaging and relatable. The supporting characters are equally well-developed, each adding depth and nuance to the story. The plot is fast-paced and filled with twists and turns that keep readers on their toes. Wang skillfully weaves together personal and magical conflicts, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. The magic system was top tier once I understood it, it was little hard to follow it but I started understanding half way through. The themes of loyalty, power, and the search for identity are explored with depth and insight. Kudos the author for that ending, sometimes it feels like a cop out with a HEA.

I sadly really struggled with this book and it was one I was really looking forward to. I've not read anything by this author before and seeing the hype around this release, I was of course intrigued. The magic system and world building felt like a lot and that could absolutely just be my preference for fantasy books but Wang's writing was great, I unfortunately didn't end up finishing it because it felt like a little bit of a slog for me. May go back to give Sword of Kaigen a try!

This book was not for me. The first few chapters start out promising but then getting to about 40% felt like a chore. I'm a pretty fast reader but this took me weeks to get through. The explanation of magic was so boring and not really necessary to be that detailed in my opinion. I was starting to really get into it around 50% so I was optimistic this may be at least a 3 star read but I did not like the ending so this was a 2 star read for me.

This book is exciting and grasping you won’t be able to set this book down. Ml wang takes in to this academic world full of secrets and action that’ll keep you secound guessing

Blood Over Bright Haven flawlessly covered so many issues and hardships faced in the real world with such tact and great storytelling. I am officially a M. L. Wang lover and I think she did an excellent job telling the story of humanity and morality. I wanted so badly to give this book five stars and in a lot of ways this is a five star read but it took me quite a while to get into this book and really get the plot to move along. Overall, this book is definitely one of my top reads of the year and I will be reading the Sword of Kaigen next!