I didn't hate it, I just didn't like it much.

My previous read felt like a new adult story was being told as YA. Spellcaster felt like a YA story being told as new adult. The main character and her friends all seemed younger than the 22 they were supposed to be. And other than being horny, the main character doesn't have much of a personality.

Some of the dialogue was cringe. The main character and the love interest have maybe ten pages together. Other than Logan being hot and tattooed, and the son of her father's enemy (with no real explain why the families hate each other), we know nothing about him. Pretty much nothing happens the entire book, and we get no answers for the sake of a cliffy.

“In the doorway stood my enemy.
But tonight I needed him.
To fight a monster, I needed a monster.”

Do you ever read a dedication and know right off the bat that a book is going to rock your world? Spellcaster instantly hooked its claws into me from the first page. Jaymin Eve's Shadow Beast Shifters series is one of my favorite series, so I couldn’t wait to dive into this new series. Her writing is addictive and enticing, effectively building steamy tension between the MCs while weaving a magically realistic story.

The magic system is detailed with four distinct affinities:
- Elementals (controlling air, water, metal, fire, or earth)
- Nature Sprites (bonding with animal familiars)
- Necromancers (communicating with spirits)
- Spellcasters (the rarest and most powerful)

Imagine joining a coven! It’s literally my dream to have magic and be in a coven. In this power-driven society, the strength of a coven directly impacts career opportunities and financial security. The FMC, Paisley, is refreshingly relatable with her self-deprecating humor and feelings of being an outsider and not good enough to be at Weatherstone (the most prestigious magical college in America).

Spellcaster intricately weaves a tale of power, connections, and alliances, where the dynamics of family and rivalry shape the destinies of its characters. I felt like this was the adult version of Harry Potter, but with an added twist of possessive and passionate relationships among mates. I loved every second of the nostalgic feelings it brought on and can’t wait to read more of this world.

𝓣𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓥𝓲𝓫𝓮𝓼:
🪄 Dark Academia
✨ Slow Burn
🪄 Enemies to Lovers
✨ ‘Who Hurt You?’
🪄 Elemental Magic
✨ "F* c k it" Moments
🪄 Consent is Sexy
✨ Fast-Paced
🪄 High Stakes
✨ Magical Creatures
🪄 Found Family
✨ Mates
🪄 Witches & Warlocks & Covens
✨ Fated Mates
🪄 Magical Realism
✨ Spicy Dreams


Thank you Jaymin, NetGalley, & HTP Canary Street Press for this advanced copy.

A witchy college, dark magic, suspense, and a "dangerous" Warlock MMC? Yes, please! I genuinely enjoyed and was invested in the story, not only the magical mystery side of it but the enemies-to-lovers romance with Pais and Logan as well. I feel like I don't always read enough witchy books but this one hit the spot overall. The ending left me anxiously awaiting Book 2!

Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!
✨
Spellcaster follows our FMC’s (Paisley) freshman year at the most prestigious witch college, Weatherstone. While there, Paisley meets our MMC who she has a history with that she cannot remember. Dark things start happening around the college, and monsters start appearing. It is up to Paisley to help determine who is creating these monsters and to stop them.
✨
Nothing. Happened. I really wanted to like this book based on its premise, but unfortunately it just did not do it for me. Our FMC is always either whiny or horny. We learn virtually nothing of our MMC even tho he is supposed to be a pivotal point in the book. The book was so slowly paced that it unfortunately made what could have been an interesting story quite boring. The magic system felt like something out of a Disney channel show, just very predictable with no interesting spins.
✨
Tropes:
^found family
^protective MMC
^grumpy x sunshine

Review also posted in Goodreads & TikTok

This is the ultimate dark fantasy experience topped with witches, an enemies-to-lovers plot, and a magical school that rivals those in On Wings of Blood by Briar Boleyn and Bewitched by Laura Thalassa. In fact, if you liked either of these books, you’ll love this one.

This book has a little bit of everything: horror, witches, monsters, a broody male main character, and a female main character who has some pretty spicy dreams.

I absolutely can see this book becoming popular on BookTok, partially because of the gorgeous sprayed edges, but mostly because it has a lot of the beloved tropes including who did this to you, touch her and die, and enemies-to-lovers where one of the characters has a forgotten past.

Did I love this book? No. But I had a fun time reading it. The found family in the book made me feel so nostalgic and provided a bit of a cozy atmosphere to the otherwise horror-fantasy world.

I would absolutely check this book out if you love fantasy with witches and an academy.

Warning: the ending will leave an impact.

Thank you very much to Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the manner in which I received it.

Please note: this review is also posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon and Instagram closer to the release date.

I've always been a huge Jaymin fan and Spellcaster is no different! If you're looking for a delicious read that you won't be able to put down, look no further!

Jaymin Eve does it AGAIN!

First off I'd like to say I read this book in one day it was that good I could not put this book down and I was seriously hooked from the first chapter!

Jaymin Eve's books always have the right amount of tension and the way she builds her characters and worlds pulls you in from the first page! You cannot help but love our girl Paisley and her family and the way her siblings acted and the banter has you feeling like your part of the family. I loved the little clues that allude to Jaymin's other books such as the witches getting a power boost at the age of 22. I liked the way this world was built and the witches use of magic and how there are so many different elements and things to explore it seems the skies the limit when it comes to where book 2 will take us! The FMC and MMC of this book have sizzling chemistry and the mystery surrounding them and their ties are so intriguing. I am so sad this book releases in September and I have to wait so long for book 2 but it will so be worth it and I really look forward to seeing more of Logan and Paisley!

Thank you to Jaymin and the Publishers for the opportunity to read Spellcaster as and ARC

✨ARC Review✨

Title: Spellcaster
Author: Jaymin Eve

Wow. I didn’t have a clue what to expect from Spellcaster before reading the book. To say that I was hooked from the start is an understatement. I finished this book in half a day.

First, I love Paisley (Paisley). She is funny, sweet, loves her family and friends. She even has hobbies that are same with mine. She is a very relatable FMC.

Second, we have Logan. He oozes confidence, power, and mystery. His dynamic with Pais hints at mates and bonds. If there is one trope that I love it’s that.

Pais and Logan’s interactions are sizzling. The slow burn is worth the wait. I had so much fun reading their way they trade barbs.

As for the other characters, they made the story more enjoyable. The Hallistar family reminds me of my own family. Their bond and love for each other is so heartfelt. Meanwhile, Pais’ friends are hilarious. Who won’t relate with Haley who carries her ebook reader or paperbacks everywhere to read romantasy?

The cliffhanger is agony. I really want to read the next book already to know more about demon-witches and Logan’s past with Paisley. Spellcaster will definitely be one of the books I will be purchasing a physical copy of.

I recommend this book to those who love academia, magic, slow burn romance, and enemies to lovers. It’s fantastic!

4.5 ✨ but rounded up. ATE THIS SHIT UP. but that CLIFFY? WHAT !? THATS JUST WRONG! Where can I submit my therapy bill? im literally fuming. GAHHHHHHHHH.

in all honesty, I genuinely enjoyed the magic system.

*breathe deeply*

Paisley & Logan? perfect. gimme MORE.

Logan had me kicking my feet and giggling like a school girl. 🥹

Noah’s big ass? I WANT MORE OF HIM. idk if he’s even a love interest but he’s hot & mean 😌🥰

it’s rare I enjoy an “academy” book so much but this was so much fun. the pace was fantastic and the friendships? amazing.

I need book 2. NOW PLEASE.

thank you to Harper Collins & Jaymin Eve for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for a slow burn without a cliff hanger this title isn’t for you. Quick and fun read! Super spice without much wait, cliffhanger that will leave you like ‘wait what?’. Definitely dying while waiting for the next one to come out because I have questions!

my goodness. i devoured this book. literally so so good and cannot wait for book 2 already. that ending was diabolical with that cliffy. cannot wait for more, big fan of logan and paisley. highly recommend!!

I just devoured this book!

I loved the premise of the story, the academy setting, witches and powers. The writing is engaging and there is so much potential for the next book. I'd love a bit more with certain characters and the time table of how things play out, but these things would only make the book stronger..

The FMC, Paisley, is sassy, smart and she cares about all the right things. She is coming in to her power but she is unaware of the secrets her family holds. The family dynamics are excellent and I love the relationships she has with them. It would be nice to see them a bit more because I do think they disappear for a bit, even though they're all at the same school. The MMC, Logan, needs all the screen time. He is powerful, mysterious, and completely obsessed with Paisley. I definitely need all of him in book 2. I can't wait for their relationship to develop further and for all the secrets to be revealed in book 2.

The ending leaves us wanting more. And I'm not sure I can wait for the next book. Hopefully, it comes out soon (even though I'm reading this book a full 6 months ahead of release) It's so good. This is perfect for dark romantasy girlies and this will for sure get better and better as the series continues.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the eARC. It's amazing!

3.5 ⭐
When I saw this stunning cover and the amazing tropes, I immediately wanted to read it!

At 22, Paisley receives an invitation to the most prestigious witch college in the world, where her siblings are already studying and her father is a professor. He warns her to stay away from Logan Kingston, the son of his enemy, even though their families used to be very close. But why is Paisley so drawn to Logan? And Logan himself doesn’t seem to see her as an enemy—quite the opposite, he actually helps her.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I didn’t really enjoy the first part—there were a lot of conversations between the heroine and her friends that didn’t add much to the story. It felt more like I was reading about high school students rather than characters in their twenties. Plus, Logan didn’t appear very often.

But the further I read, the more I liked it! The story became more intense, the chemistry between the main characters was undeniable, and the ending completely surprised me! Now I can’t wait for the sequel.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓dark academia
✓who hurt you?
✓slow burn
✓enemies to lovers
✓elemental magic

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing (Canary Street Press) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a quick read, perfect if you're looking for an escape! This is a fairly low stakes, fantasy romance set at a magical school, Weatherstone college. I really enjoyed the relationships between Paisley and her family and friends, plenty of wholesome, cute moments if you're looking for something light. Logan was hot, I didn't really buy him as Paisley's enemy, but I enjoyed their relationship nonetheless. While I'm not against angst in fantasy romance and really enjoy it at times, I appreciated that this was lower on the angst scale, it was a refreshing read! It did read a bit YA, but based on this world's academic system I can see why that is the case. The story was fairly predictable, but I didn't mind that, it only lent to this being a lighter read, and a nice escape!

This is a little hard to rate because I did enjoy it in the moment and I flew through it but I was left so unsatisfied. None of the questions posed at that beginning of the book are answered. If book 2 was already out, I’d jump right into because I want to know what happens next. However, I’m not sure I’ll go looking for the sequel whenever it does release. The romance was little lack luster also. It gave insta love but they only spoke a few sentences to each other at a time and only a handful of times through out the book. This was a middle of the road romantasy. I’ve read better but I’ve also read way worse. Worth a shot if you love witches and magical colleges.

3.5 ⭐️

I liked this, but some aspects felt very insta love. Like there was nooo need for both of them to just randomly constantly have sex dreams about each other. Like what’s the point?? Honestly, it’s been a week since I read this and I’m struggling to recall the plot. I was entertained in the moment, but I feel like it’s very similar to many other books of this genre, and doesn’t particularly stand out. I liked some of the aspects of the mystery, and am intrigued since there are some questions that have been left unanswered. But again, I think there’s a lot of insta love. The characters didn’t talk that much, but now they’re just obsessed with each other?? Okay. Also the “precious” nickname was really cringy, idc about the backstory. I’m definitely interested in reading more about their childhood and relationship when they were younger, and would read the sequel. Anyway, this wasn’t a bad book, but it wasn’t a particularly good or memorable book either. I don’t have any strong positive feelings.

I love everything that Jaymin writes I swear! I did find this book to be slow to get into in the beginning but once it got going it was hard to put it down. I loved the dynamic between Logan and Paisley and I really hope that we see more of it in book two. The magic system in this book was pretty interesting and I’d honestly love to live in it and experience it for myself. Overall, I found this book to be wonderfully written and the world building to be complex and easy to follow. I loved Paisley’s relationship with her friends and how they always have each others backs even when the other sounds crazy. I’m very excited to see where this story goes. Although, I can’t believe I have to wait so long for book two with it ending on that kind of cliffhanger!

IS IT TOMORROW YET?! 😂😂

This was SO MUCH FUN. I binged it. It was on my TBR for the summer and then mood reading got a hold of me so here we are. Witchy vibes x dark academia x tension filled enemies to lovers = a completely entertaining read. Full review to follow!

Starting off this review by saying thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this e-arc!

Kicking the actual review off by saying that I've read two series by Jaymin Eve and loved them. That being said, I didn't feel the same about Spellcaster. This story definitely has potential, but the characters read...like they were in high school? to me, at least. I also didn't love the dynamic between her and her family - I'm interested in the relationship with the love interest, but they also didn't interact for me to truly have a deep interest. Unsure if I'll continue this series - but would potentially try another book by this author!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. I was drawn in by the beautiful cover but alas I was let down. The characters are dull, the dark academia vibes lacking, the magic system boring, and worse of all the romance lacked tension, and they did not feel like real enemies.