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.

Blood Over Bright Haven is an exciting academia fantasy book about realizing everything you’ve been taught and believe isn’t quite what it appears. It’s a wonderful story about finding the truth. There are topics surrounding race, class, and bigotry. I really want to recommend this book to all fans of fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After coming off of the high of Sword of Kaigen, I was extremely excited to read more from M.L. Wang. She does such a good job at pacing and characters. I haven't read too many dark academia books, but this was so addicting. I recommend everyone stop and read this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an eARC of this book.
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I… did not like this at all. I wanted to so badly - the concept was super interesting, but ugh. The first half of the book is dreadfully slow. So much time is spent describing a magic system that I still found super confusing. It was a strange mix of magic and science that I just don’t think worked.

The main character, Sciona, undergoes exactly zero character development. She’s annoying the *entire* time. Everything she does serves to stroke her own ego, including her big “sacrifice” at the end.

I saw a few other reviewers call this a “colonizer romance” and I have to agree. The white lady (Sciona) decided that she knew best despite the marginalized character (Thomil) literally telling her “Hey, don’t do this, I don’t want this for my people”, and yet she implements her big plan at the end anyways and is shocked when no one sides with her or the Kwen, and the Archmages and Highmages begin killing them in the streets.

Overall this felt like it was trying to shove every theme of racism and sexism into one book, and it continuously shoves them in your face to the point that it’s annoying. It even goes so far as to have the FMC be sexually assaulted randomly by another Highmage, and yet nothing happens after the fact to build off of the tension from the scene. I would have DNF’d this around the 30% mark if it hadn’t been an ARC.

Thank you for an earc. This book was incredible. M.L. Wang is an autobuy for me. I loved Kaigen, but this book was even better in my opinion. I'll immediately fell in love with the 2 main characters and thought the world building was done very well.

Thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

The only word that I can think of to describe this book right now is brilliant. It is brilliant in its ideas and in its execution. I’m at a loss for words writing this review because there aren’t enough words to describe the feelings this book ignited in me.

We follow our two main characters. One of them is Sciona, who has lived in the city of Tiran her whole life and has devoted herself to the magic that powers the city. She dreams of becoming the first woman to enter the high magistracy. When her dreams come true, she is faced with the cost of being the first woman in a male dominated field and the cost of a revelation that may cost her life.

Thomil watched his entire family die ten years while attempting to cross into the great city of Tiran. He watched as the Blight took them one by one, stripping flesh from bone and bone from body. He knows what pain is and continues to suffer it under the boot of the high magistracy where he is employed. Until a new highmage enters the picture, one who is willing to question the world and finally beyond all else, listen.

This book explores the depths of intersectionality and discrimination in its many forms by exploring more than one kind. We see Sciona struggle as a woman and Thomil struggle as Kwen, what the Tiranish call the people beyond the border of the city. The insight that these characters provide to each other is so incredible and the way that they help each other progress is the reason this book is as amazing as it is.

The characters in this story what the definition of morally gray should be viewed as. There is a massive discussion throughout the book of what makes a person “good” in the eyes of God. Intention or effect? And it is addressed wonderfully through these characters who are a realistic mix of right and wrong. The entire focal point of religion in this book is also incredibly impactful because we see the characters question the ideals of this God who is supposedly “all good” and the way that this commentary is discussed and how it contributes to the story honestly leaves me without words to describe it.

We’re also introduced to an incredibly complex magic system in a very simplistic way that positively impacts the reading experience for the rest of the book. This magic system is through spells on a “spellograph” which is basically a type writer used to form and power spells and the amount of thought and consideration into the limits and powers of these spells as well as correlating them to a industrial revolution inspired city? Its brilliant.

The pacing in this book is reason enough to pick it up. It’s fast paced but thorough in its explanations and it pushed by the development of the characters throughout, meaning the world changes as these characters change the way they see it. I genuinely finished this book in two sittings because I couldn’t put it down.

The last thing I will say, read the last few pages with “Like a Prayer”, but the choir version, playing. It will make you cry.