This is a standalone engaging fantasy novel about Sciona, a determined orphan who spends her life studying magic to join the prestigious High Magistry. Once she finally makes it, she faces hostility from her new colleagues and is given a janitor, Thomil, as her assistant. However, Thomil is not just a janitor—he has a mysterious past as a nomadic hunter from beyond the magical barrier. As Sciona and Thomil work together, they uncover an ancient secret that could change everything. The story is full of magic, secrets, and danger, with well-developed characters and an exciting plot that keeps you hooked until the end. It’s a great read for fans of magic and adventure. I'd totally recommend it! 4.5 Stars!

Blood Over Bright Haven is my second M.L. Wang book, and I absolutely loved it. Wang is absolutely an auto buy author for me.

Characters: Sciona’s character development truly inspired personal introspection. She displayed such depth - Her exploration of religion, magic, ethics, and humanity was so raw and real to me. She is selfish at times in our actions and thoughts, but she also believes in preserving human life and dignity. She stood out to me as a character that I won’t forget. Thomil served as a foil to her, but in some ways he also showed similarities. Thomil’s voice was powerful and painful but absolutely necessary.

Themes: The exploration of the insidiousness of prejudice, religion, and imperialism was dealt with carefully and displayed through the magic system of this world. I felt myself pausing at parts to reflect upon my own feelings regarding these subjects.

Setting: The setting was bloody and violent - Tiran was exploitive and power-hungry. It was perfect for the themes of this story.

I can’t wait to read more of Wang’s works as she releases more books (fingers crossed). I will read anything she writes. 5 easiest stars.

I wasn't able to pick up Blood Over Bright Haven before it was pulled to be trad published and antagonized over having to wait for it to be re-released. I can say with certainty that this book was worth the wait.

I went into this completely blind and had a WILD ride. Dark academia with a magic system that feels like computer coding that was also a commentary on the exploitative costs of overconsumption and greed? Infuse it into my veins.

Blood Over Bright Haven is my first novel by M.L. Wang and it certainly will not be the last. This is a dark academia standalone fantasy. The book is so well written with themes of sacrifice, family, and love. This book is one that I think people should go in blind because it will blow you away!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review!

M.L. Wang, please write me a better life, because you have the most beautiful way with words.

Holy cow was this book a wild ride. Everything I could want, all rolled together: standalone, sci-fi/magic system, "other dimensions", political intrigue, and rebellion (with a *dash* of romance). Sciona and Tieran were AMAZING characters, both together and on their own, and they both had so much depth to them. Neither was a perfect person, and they both had their reasons for why they were the way they were. I also loved that this book called to attention the current concept of women (namely white women) trying to act as though their oppression is worse than that of other marginalized people. It really shone through in this story, and I think Wang did an excellent job in drawing the parallels.

Overall, I don't have much to say because I think that this is a novel that needs to be experienced for yourself. Me explaining it won't do it justice, so please just go out and pick this one up! I highly, highly recommend.

Blood Over Bright Haven was my most anticipated read and I was excited to receive an ARC. Dark academia at its finest, this story is immediately engaging. The writing was clear, descriptive and thoughtful. The characters were dynamic and even if they were unlikable at time, they had depth. Takes big topics like sexism in meaningful ways. A beautiful story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I’m normally stingy with my 5 stars, but giving this book anything less feels morally wrong. The writing here was phenomenal and there was such a thoughtful discussion of religion, racial ideologies, and the perception of men versus women in professional settings. For a fantasy story, this was painfully real, and it will definitely make readers think.

Wow this was absolutely incredible! This allegory is spot on for the current state of affairs on so many levels. Also many times through this story I would hit lines and Wicked would start playing because the tropes are so similar.

I loved every thought provoking moment of this book. The characters were rich and full of many layers, the world was unique, and the over all story was full of so much.

What do you do when everything you have fought to attain has been built on lies and deceit. Do you find safety in compliance or find hope in truth?

There are not enough words in the English language to convey the amount of love I have for this book and the level of obsession I'm have for it now. I'll be attempting to in a full video review but for now know that this is my new favorite book and it is not a book you should skip by any means. It has SUCH an impact and while fantasy has such good parallels to the real world that I implore everyone to read this now and consider the messages, consider the challenges it puts forward for one's own character. It's an absolutely stunning, heartwrenching, and impactful novel it has shifted how I evaluate my reading for sure.

I could not put this book down, it was such a profound and deep read. It deals with many heavy themes, doing such a great job of bringing them to life with magic. This was one of my most favorite reads of 2024 and appreciate NetGalley and Del Ray for letting me read this masterpiece.

M.L. Wang continues to be an amazing author that writes the most in depth, real, and emotional characters and stories. This book hooked me right from chapter 1. The harrowing journey of the characters in this first chapter already had me crying because the author knows how to get a reader emotionally invested. The world the author created here personally really hooked me in. I love the kind of mystery aspect of trying to figure out what’s really going on and how to possibly fix the messed up situation our characters are living in. I also found the magic system to be very enjoyable, I love the coding aspect of it and the research and academia environment. It was also frustrating to read at times though because there are so many horrible characters in this world that are so stuck in their messed up beliefs and you keep hoping for better and not getting it. By the end I was very happy to support our main character in all of her violent, destructive, rage. I don’t know that I’ve read another book that ended like this but I think the very bleak setting helped me be satisfied with the ending even though it’s not the most “happy” of endings.

4.6 ⭐️ Dare I say this was better than “The Poppy War”?!

I went into this book blind, having heard of its praise and was pleasantly (ironic considering the less than pleasant themes) surprised! This book touches on themes of classism, capitalism, colonialism, religious extremism, racism, sexism, xenophobia and even manifest destiny; with the Kwen representative of the immigrant working class, forced to work for their rich oppressors under the guise of god and the city’s founders. The Tiranish mages having “built” the magical utopian city of Tiran 5,000 years prior to the events of this book, live lavishly at the expense of the Kwen and lower class Tiranish. To me, there were definitely similarities between the Tiranish and the U.S. Government and white Americans and the Kwen and Native North Americans (both with devastating histories of oppression, violence and forced assimilation).

Sciona Freynan is our female main character and embodies female rage. Having been snubbed for years on the basis of her sex, she is finally admitted to the highmagistry and eager to prove her intelligence. Thomil Siernes-Caldon is a Kwen; a hunter and survivor of Blight and one of the two remaining Caldonnae. Once a janitor, Thomil is now Sciona’s new assistant and has much to learn about magic. As progress is made on Sciona’s barrier expansion project, a big secret is uncovered, changing the course of Tiran’s history.

The writing and world building were incredible; wonderfully detailed and thought out. The themes brought up were intensional and interesting, but had me extremely heated. A big reason I couldn’t give this book 5 stars was because I was getting so angry at the behaviors so many characters displayed, I had to put down the book multiple times. Sciona especially was extremely hypocritical and I couldn’t stand her for a good quarter of the book. As the story went on, her naivety dwindled and we started to see her “good” side mixed with her darker, egotistical side. Without revealing too much, I would say despite her “good” actions, she’s a flawed character, very morally gray. She still had me rooting for her though and in the end, despite the destruction, stood by her morals and the truth. Thomil and Carra however, I adored. Carra especially was so badass and lovely, I actually want a novella with Carra as the main character…

Although, I will say, I wish M.L. Wang hadn’t included Sciona and Thomil’s “love-story.” I get why they ultimately decided to go with it but I think it would have hit just as much if they had developed a deep friendship instead. The oppressor x oppressed romantic dynamic is definitely an ick for me and while it wasn’t TOO pronounced in this book, Sciona was definitely very ignorant and hurtful in the beginning. I simply had a hard time connecting with their love. Kind of the same way I don’t understand nor support Dramione…

In closing, I deeply recommend this book and have a feeling it’s going to stick with me for a while. I’m now even more intrigued to read “The Sword of Kaigen,” hopefully it doesn’t disappoint.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Del Rey for the e-arc copy!

This book is brutal and captivating. It gripped me from the first page and never let go. The pacing was fast without feeling rushed. Character wise, I appreciated how flawed and complex they were. I loved the unique magic system and the worldbuilding was so well done. My only issue with Blood Over Bright Haven is the predictability. I was able to guess where the plot was going which took away from the overall emotional impact for me. Sword of Kaigen is still my favorite book by this author but I would still highly recommend reading Blood Over Bright Haven if you like dark academia fantasy!

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for providing me with an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this title.

Blood Over Bright Haven is the second book by ML Wang. I will be honest and say that I have not read Sword of Kaigen, but it is very high on my TBR.

This novel is not set in the same universe, and it follows a girl named Sciona in her quest to become a highmage. But her journey isn't as straightforward as she thought it would be. As the only girl in her group, she knows she is unwelcome in the predominantly male world of the Magistry. One way that they make sure she gets this message is by giving her an assistant that turns out to not only be a janitor, but also someone that came from the outside tribes.

Sciona figures that showing any weakness by pushing back would not help her cause, and she finds that her assistant, Thomil, might actually teach her more than any other assistant would. It's not long before.a friendship is formed - but the Magistry did not count on the teamwork of a brilliant girl and a janitor coming from an opressed people making breakthroughs that might shatter their world.

I've seen a lot of love for this book online, but I would be lying if I said it didn't leave me a little bit disappointed. The writing was really good, and the message was also important. It just felt like I've read the story before. I could also see where the story was going, and guessed at the ending.

I still think this is an important book, and it shows that we should question things around us, no matter if we are in the minority.

I still look forward to reading Sword of Kaigen and will keep an eye out for any other books by ML Wang in the future!

This book devastated me in the best way. The parallels between the world of Tiran and our world (particularly the US) are striking. Sciona, Thomil, and Carra are well-rounded, flawed characters that I fell in love with. I really, really hope there's another book in this world focusing on one of the younger characters (I don't want to say who to avoid any spoilers of who makes it out of the story alive, but if you've read it, I'm sure you know who I mean!).

I have been thinking about this book nonstop since I finished it, and I don't think that will stop anytime soon. Few stories have impacted me in quite the same way, forcing me to question practices and interrogate my complicity in systems I participate in--willingly or not.

HOT DAMN! What a book! I'm here for whatever M.L. Wang puts out next.

This was nothing like what I expected it to be and I loved it. The characters are so well thought out and rounded and I really appreciate how the author takes the time to fully examine a character's beliefs from all sides and point out the flaws in their logic. Sciona is a perfectly flawed character and I really enjoyed seeing her growth as she battles the belief systems she thought she had. Her relationship with Thomil didn't feel rushed or forced; they felt natural together and I really enjoyed their philosophical debates and how Thomil was able to change Sciona's beliefs, which also seemed like it came naturally. I really thought the overall message and intention of this novel and feel it's incredibly important, even if some of the lessons may be a bit obvious to minority groups. Still very fun and I really enjoyed the characters.

One of the most unique magic systems I’ve ever read. It reminded me a lot of coding, and felt very logical and beautiful. Even throughout all of the explaining of the system, it never once felt like “too much” or “boring…” it was absolutely fascinating. Though it had dire consequences, I completely ate it up. The story, though not super long, was so complete. It was dark and disturbing, yet full of hope, and utterly addictive. I loved the characters and how true to themselves they remained, for better or for worse. I loved how it dove into topics of sexism, racism, elitism, imperialism, supremacy… the connections that can be drawn to todays world left me feeling so emotional, in a way I haven’t felt from a book in a very long time. It absolutely delivers on being an emotional roller coaster, bold risks within the writing, gut wrenching twists, and somehow still, a satisfying ending. An amazing standalone fantasy that I implore you to read this year. Don’t wait.

I absolutely love this book and how hooked it had me from the very beginning! The characters, the magic, the mystery had me so glad I was able to get a copy of this one and can't wait to see more from this author!

This will have you on the edge of your seat!!! It was such a fun journey and I liked how Sciona had to wrestle with the reality of the world around her. So much intrigue and turmoil throughout all the elements of this book, I loved every page. This is the type of book that appeals to any reader.