⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I went into this one blind, and it took me by surprise. This adult romantasy is full of mystery, angst, and romance. There is a unique magic system throughout that involves mirrors, and I wanted to know everything about them. The murder mystery aspect had me suspecting so many of the characters. I loved that we got to follow clues along the way. The enemies to lovers was phenomenal in this one. The hate was prominent between Quinn and Emrys immediately.

✨Quinn is a brilliant medical examiner who is striving to become a ballerina. She is a character with great representation of Dyslexia. She isn’t afraid to make a dangerous deal if it will help her achieve her goals.

✨ Emrys is the well-known prince. He is secretive from the beginning. I was so eager for any piece of information we could get about him. I went back and forth between thinking he’s the enemy or not. I will be happy with either lol

Gilded Wicked Mirrors has:
🪞 Enemies to lovers
🖤 Slow burn
🩰 Murder mystery
💚 ADHD & Dyslexia rep
🖼️ Bargains and betrayal
🪞 Knife-to-throat

✨Blurb: Quinn wants nothing to do with the Bargainers, but at twenty-three, she is getting too old to make it into the Royalle Ballet, and with only one shot left, she’ll do anything-including make a twisted deal with an evil god. The agreement is to passionately kiss her archnemesis, Prince Emrys, and she will receive her dream spot in the Royalle Ballet. Unfortunately, when Quinn’s deal with the Bargainer backfires, her beloved friend turns up dead. Feeling utterly responsible, Quinn vows to get vengeance and use her medical examiner skills to solve the murder, but she is far outmatched. If she wants to survive, she must team up with the wicked Prince Emrys.

First, the cover is the prettiest thing I've ever seen. GILDED WICKED MIRRORS has everything I love in a book and more. I also thought the concept unique.

Hazel is a new to me author and I was glad to get an ARC of this book.
Gilded Wicked Mirrors has vampires, magic, mirrors, and more; sound promising and right up my alley, right?
However, at some point in reading this book I began skimming and not fully into it.
I really wanted to love it and give it a chance but for now I will DNF it and maybe one day I will give it another chance.
I hate DNFing books but sometimes it is a must or else I will dive into a slump.

Thank you NetGalley and Hazel for this eARC, I appreciate it.

Fun and unique read!
I love the mirror portals concept. This story has a fresh take on magic that’s so different from what else I’ve read. Quinn is such an interesting character, part artist and part scientist. There’s a lot to her and you have to peel back the layers. A ballerina and medical examiner mashup is so original. I ate it up!
The world was also unique. I got steampunk city vibes from it but the magic mirrors really made it awesome. The descriptions are amazing. The author really paints a pretty picture with words. I highlighted so many things, more than any other book 🤓. The murder mystery kept me hooked. I doubted multiple friends multiple times. The author placed a little seed of doubt in my mind for each friend. I couldn’t decide and kept changing my mind!
So basically everything about this book is original and unique, and you should def check it out!

Fav tropes:
Slow burn 🔥
Banter 👀
Magic 🔮
Ballerina 🩰
Vampires 🦇
Murder mystery 🕵️‍♀️
Magic mirrors 🪞
Portals 🦋
Royalty 🏰
Secret society ⚖️
Cliffhanger ⛰️

Fav quote:
“By my side, little ballerina”

Thank you Hazel St. Lewis and NetGalley for this book!

I am honestly not quite sure how I feel about this book, I kind of liked it, but once again am unsure. Give it a go?

This tale grips you from the very first line, enveloping your mind and heart until the final word. It masterfully blends fantasy, romance, and a thrilling murder mystery that keeps you guessing. The enchanting elements of mirrors and perilous bargains drew me in immediately. The murder mystery compels the protagonists to join forces in their quest for the truth, heightening the tension. I relished the witty exchanges between Emrys and Quinn, although their charged interactions occasionally tested my patience. That jaw-dropping cliffhanger left me breathless, eagerly anticipating the next chapter. While I adored much of the narrative, the concluding sections felt somewhat hurried, leaving me with unanswered questions that I hope will be explored in the sequel. Overall, it was an engaging read with an inventive magic system and compelling characters, and I can't wait for the next installment.

I really enjoyed Gilded Wicked Mirrors! I loved the magic system and thought it was so unique. There’s a ton of room for more exploration into the mirrors in future books. The murder mystery aspect was also really great. I always love when fantasy combines with the mystery genre. While I did solve the mystery pretty early on, that’s also something I intentionally try to do. I like to work with the facts the main character knows to see if I can solve it before they do.

I’ve seen some comparing Gilded Wicked Mirrors to Crescent City, and while I could see that, I actually think it matches the vibe of Kingdom of the Wicked more. The storylines were of course different but invoked similar feelings in me while reading.

I think this book is a really solid start to a new series. I’m not sure how many books are planned yet, but there’s tons of potential in the world that Hazel St. Lewis created.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Hazel St. Lewis, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the advance copy of Gilded Wicked Mirrors. All opinions are my own.

Thank you SO MUCH to Hazel and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

This book is about Quinn, a ballet dancer who is forced to work with her enemy in finding the murderer of her best friend.
She has nine days to do it. With her life on the line, she has to rely on her friends and her enemy, Emrys, the prince, to help her.
As the days pass, she struggles to finish the investigation and everything starts to crumble. In a world where vampires are extinct and mirrors grant great wishes and also terrible consequences, Quinn discovers the truth about the world and her life.

I can't tell you how much I've screamed to this book.
I tried to wrap my head around the mystery BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. In less than 10 minutes I went through THREE (3) suspects. And in the end, it was the person I suspected at the VERY BEGINNING.

It was hard getting into the book and it felt like too much information being dumped all at once.
However, as the book went on, everything started to make sense and the story started flowing in a great timing.
The characters are all very secretive and the mystery is mind blowing.
THE PLOTWISTS?! And the end... I'll never be able to forget this book.
I cried in fetal position as soon as I read the last phrase. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT TO ME?

If you like mystery, betrayal, enemies-to-lovers, fantasy and vampires, this is the perfect book for you.

3.5 / 5

Thanks so much to the author and Netgalley for the advanced copy (although I did read it on KU to support the author)!!

I really think this was right book, wrong time. It's 100% not the books fault because the premise is amazing and I feel like if I gave the book a second chance I would love it so I probably will when I'm in the mood for it.

Everything though was so good, the plot and the characters. The setting, I don't think I've read something so atmospheric from page 1, the 1920's New Orleans just screams The Originals and I loved that.

This book was amazing. I highly enjoyed it. The world building was fascinating. Which had me hooked. It has murder mystery, which is my least favorite but the author did such an amazing job, that I was invested and fascinated. I loved the tension between Quinn and Prince Emrys. I think the tease that the author gave us between them is building the anticipation for when they finally do it. I’m so looking forward to all the sparks between them both. It does leave us in a cliffhanger. Which I’m dying for book two. I absolutely recommend this book if you love fantasy, romance, murder mystery, betrayal, enemies to lovers, shadow daddy, banter, gangs, vampires, monsters, magic, gods etc.

This book was everything I needed and more. As a romantasy girlie this fed every need I had. The tropes are:

-Murder mystery
-Enemies to lovers
-Slow Burn
-Mental health rep
-Vampires
-Deadly Bargains

The magic system was amazing and so unique and creative. I loved the main characters and learning more about them. The FMC is a medical examiner and ballerina, truly both sides of the coin and such an interesting combo. The MMC is amusing and charming and I am HERE FOR IT. Also, the slow burn between these enemies to lovers IS EVERYTHING. Prepare yourself for that cliffhanger though...

Thank you to the Nerdfam for gifting me an ARC of this book!
Review is posted on Goodreads as on 8/5/2024

I hate to leave a bad review, but I'm very confused and overwhelmed by this story.

The writing is choppy. The dialogue is immature. The actual story progression relies completely on "Oh now this can happen because this world is magical!". I almost DNF'd several times, but wanted to stick it out to see how it ends.... of course, it ends on a massive cliffhanger and there is no resolution. This story also reads like YA, but it's marketed as NA (outside of the few spicy scenes).

Almost every chapter had a massive info dump, the dialogue is stretched out and needs editing (the characters' speech feels off and repetitive). The plot development and twists are unbelievable. It's like the author just pulled plot devices and explanations out of a fantasy-plot-devices jar.

It's unfortunate because I loved the concept at first. The mirror magic is interesting, but just gets more and more muddled. The ballet aspect? Loved it, I love our FMC's passion for dance and also the fact that she can perform autopsies and has medical knowledge.

I think there was a really good idea here, but the execution is lacking.

Thank you to Victory Editing Co-Op and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬

⟡

I wanted to love this one so much but it just really fell flat for me. I absolutely loved the world and the premise but the story itself felt very repetitive and I was just bored and couldn't connect to any of the characters.

I really did like the world it was set in and the idea of the mirrors and gangs but it felt a little disjointed. It feels like you're just thrown right in the middle of everything and the mirrors were a bit confusing are they actual mirrors or people? Are they only people when you go into them?? Maybe it was just me but it felt under explained.

The characters were very one dimensional. The main character had more depth to her but even at that it wasn't much. The writing was always trying to tell us how they were great friends and found family but two of them borderline hated each other and none of them really know each other past surface level? Their friendships just didn't feel authentic at all. And of course the one who dies has loads of secrets but it wasn't mysterious it was just annoying because it was the same conversations constantly repeated and when she's alive they just don't seem that close passed their words so I just didn't care about any of it.

The love interest is really just another cardboard cut out of the mysterious hot prince, who likes to lean attractively?? A lot. Whatever that means. It's pretty clear what his secret is but I'm not reading on to find out for sure.

This just really wasn't for me. I love the idea but I think it needed fleshing out more, especially the characters, and I think the writing could do with editing.

This book was dark and gritty, bloody and fantastic. There are magic mirrors throughout the city where Quinn lives, and when she turns 23 she makes her celebratory bargain. Planned out to have the least amount of issues and consequences, Quinn will go to her selected mirror. But everything begins to go wrong when she's shoved into another by her friend.

Secrets are kept by those they affect, and they're bound by magic not to speak of anything to anyone unless they already know th secrets. Emrys desperately wants to let Quinn in on what's happening and finds a way to make that happen. As they work together in search of the Blood Mirrors, horror and desperation take over her life.

She's decided that she wants to be more than just a girl to Emrys, and he's possibly decided the same long ago. But now they must fight for their lives and the ability to be together as the monster in their midst is destroying everything Quinn holds dear.

This was such an enjoyable read and I loved the world that the author created for our reading pleasure. This is definitely going to be a book I recommend everyone to read.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Give me vampires and murder investigation and I'm sold. This was a really enjoyable read about an aspiring ballerina apprentice who tries to solve her best friends murder set in a world full of magic and dangerous vampires. Such a fun read and I'm looking forward to the sequel

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

Ballerina by day, medical examiner by night, Gilded Wicked Mirrors by Hazel St. Lewis follows Quinnivere Ashelle as she juggles trying to earn an esteemed apprenticeship at the Royalle Ballet while also attempting to solve the unexpected murder of her best friend. With a world where humans can make magical deals with mirror deities, a dark past full of vicious vampires, and a buzzing festival in which the young prince chooses a bride, this new adult fantasy has lots to offer.

I have complicated feelings about this book. One of the main issues I had was with the world-building. This was a pretty fast-paced book, but because of that, I think some of the world-building was expanded upon as little as possible. This was tough because I could tell the author had such an interesting, complex world in mind, but some things were explained so briefly that I was left confused for a good portion of this book. I also had a subjective issue with the writing at points. Sometimes, it seemed like the author would bluntly explain characters motives/thoughts/emotions even though she implied those things with the character's actions in the sentences prior. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but it was something I noticed throughout the book that took me out of the story a bit. I also would have liked if the characters dialogue was tailored a little bit more to the setting/time period the author tried to convey, as I felt that took me out of the story a few times as well.

These criticisms aside, this was by no means a bad book. Even if I was confused with the world/plot, I think the fast pace kept me on my toes. I thought Quinn and Emrys’s characters were very thought out, and I loved watching how their relationship morphed as the story went on. The twists were delightful in this book, and the ending had my jaw on the floor. I didn’t think she’d go there, but she did! Even if this wasn’t my favorite book ever, I wouldn’t be shocked if I picked up the sequel just to find out what happens.

Since I read another book by this author before, I was really curious about this one, and it did not disappoint.

I loved many things about this book:
-starting with the main character, I resonated a lot with her, she's really smart, loves science and to think logically, she's a great ballerina and would do many things for her friends
-the world is not actually what it seems and there are many secrets tainted with betrayal (or so it seems), many plot twists and mysteries
-a really cute LGBTQ+ couple, and I'm happy the author didn't make it weird (I've seen it a bit too many times)
-vampires
-the romance is quite cute and the trope is very popular
-finally, the mirrors. I found the whole idea very interesting, each mirror being a god and having its own universe. They can give you whatever you want, but everything has a price and consequences.

Oh, and the cover too! It is just gorgeous.

This is a wonderful book! It's not usually what I would've picked for myself. but it was so enjoyable. I thought it was going to be too "dark" for my liking, but I found that I really enjoyed the vibe. The plot was fairly decent, but the romance was the winner. Swoonworthy! And we all know I'm a sucker for a good vampire book any day of the week. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 4.5/5

It is truly one of the best books I've read since I gave myself the badge of a professional reader.

If you know me even on a surface level, you definitely know that my favorite trope is enemies to lovers, and Gilded Wicked Mirrors did not disappoint me in the least bit regarding this aspect. I felt everything on macro level, and the love-hate relationship was simply perfect for my taste. It is proof that a fantasy book can give you an incredibly good love story, better even than most books that focus on love.

The concept of the story is unique. I have read many books with all kinds of vampires so far and I would have expected the same old clichés, but Gilded Wicked Mirrors far exceeded my expectations. Some details seemed a little strange and hard to understand at first (the thing with the paintings for instance), but everything started to make sense along the way.

I hate cliff-hangers with a passion and I usually wait until all the volumes in a series are out to get started, but this book is worth my sacrifice of living with the question "what will happen next?" until the next volume appears.

All in all, this book surprised me in the most pleasant way possible, and I "devoured" it, my mind being on it even when I wasn't reading.

A simply incredible journey and Hazel St. Lewis is guilty of stealing my heart along the way. 💜