Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Let down by another one this year :(

The pros:
-Super cool concept with a secret society based on legal/law magic
-Some slight anticapitalist vibes

The cons:
-Dynamic characters where? NONE of the characters are dynamic. They could have been replaced by pieces of wood and the story would operate the same way
-No chemistry romance. They're acquaintices who kinda annoy each other and then they're kissing? Where is the build up???
-The last 15% was a DUMP of plot twists and wrapping things up, but like not in a fun way. The reveals made me roll my eyes and the breakneck pacing at the end compared the meandering pace the rest of the novel was icky.
-Not so much dark academia at a college as dark internship at a law firm. That could be okay, but I did feel a little lied to in the blurb and marketing.

It gained a star for me solely because the concept was so neat. If the characters were developed more, it would have earned more stars from me.

A great book that parallels binge worthy TV. I enjoyed Tara O’Toole’s writing style and how it kept me on my toes and wanting more. The magical world that overlaps the modern world was fun and the uniqueness of the law office was a hook for me. However, the plot twists never really felt like a surprise and there was a certain amount of logical leaps that lead to more conflict that wasn’t necessary.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for lending me an ARC copy of "The Lost Apprentice". This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

So, both the title and the cover are what really called me for this book, I skimmed through the premise and the enjoyed the book all the way through. And here we are. But first, what is "The Lost Apprentice" about?

In it we follow Fiadh Welan, a 23 year old law student who, after months of hard work and late-nighters, has pull off opportunities for apprenticeships at the most prestigious places. Until her cousin Muriel Hunt goes missing and her world falls apart completely, grief overtaking her every thought and breath. Yet she refuses to accept this truth, of Muriel messing up at work and just running away of her own volition. In fact, Fiadh suspects Muriel's former colleagues to be lying, so, she accepts an apprenticeship at the firm responsible for her cousin’s disappearance: Heron Early LLP.
The plan is simple: stay under the radar and investigate everyone, even the walls if needed. Annoyingly, that plan goes awry when her rival, Keefe "swan man" O’Kelly, sticks his beak where it’s not wanted, nor required, wanting insight into a past Fiadh rather remains buried. She cannot tell anyone what she's looking for, she risk loosing her chances and alerting the culprit of her presence. Because everybody around her seems to hide secrets, some even worse than her own. Yet, it’s sink or swim at Heron Early LLP, and Fiadh also has to compete for a coveted spot in the SoS, a secret society of solicitors she believes may be the key to finding Muriel. There, she could find the truth or she could find death.

We start with Fiah already at Blackhall, the place were she'll take the theoretical lessons of her apprenticeship and where she'll be with the other 29 lucky students. After that, little by little, we get to know her better, to know what Muriel was to her, the friends (or enemies) she'll made. The other part of her apprenticeship happens at the Heron Early offices, practical lessons where she'll share space with professionals and help them with an important contract from their best client; a project in which Muriel was also helping and that she abandon in the middle of doing, messing it up.

While all this is happening, she also makes acquaintances: Brigid, Peadar and the swan man himself, Keefe. These four get tangle when they're force to face the trials to enter the SoS together, and so a relationship of trust and mistrust starts with them and Fiadh, who would like to have them as friends, but she can't be friends with them and keep secrets, moreover because Keefe is friends with Oscar Pierce (the main suspect of Muriel's disappearance), so it is far more complicated, but they go trough it all together and start building...definitely something they can work with. I loved that Fiadh was able to make some friends or. at least, people that would have her back no matter what as they went through tough times together.

So, yes, the element that most carried the book for me where the characters and, once we were introduce to it, the magic system, which was spectacular, dare I say. Because the law part and those explanations... none of it stick by the end of the book😂 It was interested to read, not going to lie, but it also was way too saturating at points and using some terminology that I ignore. Overall, of course, it added to the story and gave the sense of the characters actually being involve in the law world, being solicitors and such. And, since the magic was also written in relation to this world, I'd say it all comes full circle almost in a holistic way, It's good to see a book whose magic system complements the world the characters live in so well.

Basically, the magic is done through "dark deeds", by which the characters can affect other people's minds either by making them think something, change opinions or goals, or even force them to do some small acts as long as the mind plays a part in it. Of course, it comes with limitation, or else it would be omnipotent power and uncontrolled, which is always something dangerous, so it is also refreshing to see a magic system so potential and yet be so limited at the same time so the people in it don't abuse the power.
I'm not Irish but it was nice to see a dark academia story, a magic system, based there and being so influenced by its myths and stories. I always loved learning these bits of other cultures/countries through books.

Following with the secondary characters, and even the antagonists and the ultimate villain, they were all pretty believable, with goals and motivations that explained why the acted how they acted. Some of them were plainly assholes, but that's how life is, and in some others cases it explained though not justified treating Fiadh and company so bad since it was not their fault. But I can understand the characters thanks to it all.

I think characters might be the strongest point of the author in this book, because the dark academia was a bit insufficient some times, leaving this being a work of law and magic more than DA, but it wasn't so egregious that I would take the book out of the genre completely, though it could have been more immersive in that aspect, in my opinion.

My only complaint, because nothing is perfect, is that the romance in this book between Fiadh and Keefe (don't think this is a spoiler because you can feel it from the book's synopses) could have been more develop, written more deeply. I'm not saying they don't spend time together and that the romance is not felt, but it could have been so much better, with feelings more there. Because they go form rivals to lovers too fast, without having some state of animosity or friendship in between. And while it is not wrong in an objective way for them to go from one extreme to the other directly, I prefer my romances to be more curated and for the characters to show what they liked about the other and such.
The romance was believable, Keefe was there for Fiadh when needed and Fiadh appreciated his brains and manners, there was a base for the romance, I just wanted more from it and more development before them going "kissy-kissy" and tangling with the bed sheets, is all.

Ultimately, "The Lost Apprentice" shows how ambitious and demanding the law world can be, how soul-consuming, to the point of losing yourself in it if you let it take control of everything in your life. Have to find a balance, as with anything.

Overall, an enjoyable read that kept me guessing and looking for the truth and the bad guy in every page until the end. For fans of dark academia with a magical element mixed with suspenseful mysteries embrace by the mantle of grief and family themes. Really, I may have complaint about the development of the romance, but it plays such little part in the big picture of the plot and the novel, that I)'m considering "The Lost Apprentice" a favorite of the year (25') all in all!

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars I loved the idea of the woman not giving up on family but the dark academia vibes in it aswell were also amazing as well. It kept me on my toes and was very enjoyable I think the readers would enjoy

unfortunately DNF’d; a little too much deference to shallow ‘dark academia’ factors to make this feel like anything other than a rehashing of books i’ve read before. before we begin to care about any of the characters, the book makes brave attempts at thrills and suspense—most of which depend on the reader caring much more than i really did at this point. having a group of strangers caught in games of life or death does little to ingratiate the reader towards any of the characters at hand, and having them bicker over morals before we know anything about any of them having those morals does even less.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

this had all the pieces for me to LOVE but unfortunately just didn’t keep my attention. I have it a second chance and was still uninterested, hopefully this finds its audience!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review

Unfortunately, I had a very hard time getting into this book and keeping my attention in it. I'm sure it'll find its audience--it just isn't me. I finally DNF'd about 50 pages in...

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC, though.

This book starts off with an intriguing premise: a young woman joins a prestigious Dublin law firm as an apprentice, secretly hoping to uncover the mystery behind her cousin’s disappearance—who also worked at the same firm. Add in some secret societies, cryptic trials, wax-sealed magic, and a suspiciously charming Swan Man… and you’ve got the setup for something delightfully strange.

The early parts of the story had a compelling, almost dark academia vibe—law firm politics, hidden clues, a found-family friendship group—but somewhere along the way, things got a little too wild to follow. The plot began to spiral into a mix of magical realism, legal fantasy, and elaborate secret rituals involving masked figures, sacred stones, and soul-draining “deeds” signed with wax seals.

While the ideas were ambitious and entertaining at times, the tone felt inconsistent. The characters are in their early twenties but often read much younger, and the frequent use of legal jargon made certain sections hard to follow unless you’re familiar with that world. I found myself confused about the intended genre and target audience.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF at 55%—not because I didn’t appreciate the imagination behind it, but because I genuinely couldn’t figure out where it was going or what the central focus was meant to be. That said, readers who enjoy eccentric magical secret societies, dramatic group dynamics, and offbeat law firm mysteries might still enjoy the ride..

Dark academia tale with an attempt of romance with a meet cute moment. The book felt quite linear to me without much development.

The Lost Apprentice has an interesting premise and I was absolutely hooked by the pitch of "dark academia does a graduate recruitment scheme", combined with a setting in modern Ireland and incorporation of the Irish language. Unfortunately, the book is full of overwrought, almost entirely purple prose, uneven pacing, and lack of sufficient character/plot development.

I was not enthused by this book. It was marketed as dark academia and yet… that was not the vibe I was getting. The “meet cute” at the beginning was boring. Also that the FMC keeps calling him “swan man” for the rest of the book along with his name made me cringe so hard. Writing was bland, repetitive and all over the place. 1/5 ⭐️ Did not enjoy.

This book at times reminded me of the dynamic between the scooby doo gang, and as someone who will forever love that tv show, i loved this book. At first you think it was going to be a mystery surrounding the legal sector, well aren’t you in for a shock. From the cultism and secret societies seen throughout the book? I was hooked to say the least.

A fast paced read with the perfect amount of twists and turns mixed with the short and snappy chapters, which made the book impossible to put down.

I do recommend this book if you are into this type of mystery with the side and twists of cultist aspects and magic.

I always love it when authors come up with unique magic systems. Tara O’Toole based her magic on dark deeds which ties in perfectly with the setting of law firms, apprenticeships and the mysterious SoS society.

I wish the mystery of cousins disappearance was more fleshed out. The only reason Fiadh chose to apprentice in this law firm was to get close to people and find out about her cousin, but it often felt like her mission took a backseat. We only came across a few clues guiding us in the right direction during the better part of the book, and then everything happened in the last quarter.
The pacing really picked up then and key moments of the story weren’t given appropriate attention.
Fiadh finds her cousin, who is under a spell, but this is resolved right away. She is going to be kicked out of SoS society, but again it was fixed immediately.
I would have liked to see the final parts of the book having more time to develop and play out, see longer and more complex solutions to problems (especially with the dark deed affecting the cousin).

Even though I had some problems with the pacing of the book and the way some things were resolved, I still really enjoyed reading this book. I finished it really quickly and the atmosphere really drew me in from the start.

The Lost Apprentice is a perfect mix of dark academia, thrill, and magic, set in Ireland. The story follows Fiadh, a law apprentice, as she attempts to solve her cousin's disappearance case and win a place in a secret society. O'Toole's characters are rich and complex, each one flawed but interesting. A book full of tension and comedy, The Lost Apprentice is a quick read that is hard to put down.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tara O'Toole for the eARC!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was ok. It had some interesting ideas, but everything happened so quickly and it felt a little preachy with all of the stuff about a work life balance. If you want a shorter read with a more modern take on magic this is an ok book.

Thank you Netgalley and Tara O'Toole for access to this Arc!

I loved the story being set in Ireland, hadn't expected the way the story would go but overall a good read!

I read this book in a day and stayed up until 1am to finish this book, I could not put it down 😭 It had me hooked right from the start and the pacing was perfect, I just had to know what happened next. Love how the author somehow made a really complex plot so easy to read!

unfortunately i didn’t finish this; there were quite a few spelling and grammar mistakes and this ultimately became too distracting for me. but the content was very entertaining if not a little boring; the setting was super fun, but everything was part of the ‘tell’ camp rather than the show. just a little slow for me!

This book follows Fiadh as she tries to uncover the truth behind her cousin Muriel’s mysterious disappearance six months ago. To investigate, she joins the same internship Muriel had, only to find herself entangled in the darker world of the Society of Solicitors (SoS). Now, she must balance her internship, the secrets of the SoS, and the search for Muriel.

✔ Fast-paced and engaging mystery – The premise is intriguing, and despite some flaws, the story keeps you turning pages. The short, bingeable chapters make it an easy read.
✔ Secret societies & cult dynamics – The SoS adds an eerie, shadowy layer that keeps things interesting.
✔ Irish influences – The use of phraseologies and Irish Gaelic gives the book a distinct atmosphere.
✔ A surprising touch of magic – Unexpected but oddly fitting, the magical elements complement the legal thriller aspects in a unique way.

Where It Fell Short:

❌ Uneven pacing & lack of buildup – The story starts strong, but the mystery surrounding Muriel’s disappearance lacks clues and development. After a long stretch with little progress, major revelations are suddenly crammed into the last 15% of the book, making the ending feel rushed and chaotic.
❌ Weak Dark Academia elements – While set in an academic environment, the internship and class aspects feel underdeveloped. The setting ends up feeling secondary rather than integral.
❌ Inconsistencies & logic gaps – Some timeline inconsistencies and dramatic leaps in logic weaken the narrative. Characters sometimes jump to conclusions without sufficient reasoning.
❌ Underdeveloped characters – Some characters feel one-dimensional, and Fiadh’s expectations about friendships and loyalty can feel questionable. Additionally, the overuse of the nickname “Swan Man” instead of using Keefe’s actual name feels unnecessary.

Final Thoughts:

“The Lost Apprentice” has a strong concept and an engaging setup, but its execution could have used more polishing. A more structured buildup to the climax, stronger character development, and a better integration of the academic setting would have made this a standout read. As it is, it’s a decent, fast-paced mystery with potential, but it doesn’t quite reach its full promise.

⭐ 3/5 – An entertaining but flawed read.