One of my fabourite books I've ever read and It was so fun getting to re-experience a re-edited verison!

This book is the definition of a slow burn, enemies to lover romance! It's moody, and Teddy and Aurelia truly yearned for each other. While it took me about 32% to get fully into the book, I was loving the dark academic and magical vibes. It truly fit the colder weather that I'm experiencing in late October and made me feel really cozy. Who doesn't love a good witchcraft and magical story, with some angsty love? Even though it wasn't my favourite book ever, I still enjoyed it and would recommend to anyone that resonated with what I mentioned above!

I really enjoyed this book, I found myself falling into the universe and being fully emerged into the story. I’m looking forward to more of Isabel’s work!

I loved this book. It was well paced and I enjoyed the story.
I appreciated how the details of the story were slow to unfold in a way that was exciting (and not irritating). It made me fall for the characters. I would have appreciated more of a description and backstory of the supporting characters, as they did fall a little flat.
Without giving any spoilers, the twist that happens near the end was a little hard to believe and seemed completely out of character. The search was non-existent and that confused me.
I do want to know where the story goes from here though... I'm invested!

I enjoyed the atmosphere of this book and it have beautiful prose with imperfect characters that you come to care deeply about.

If you are looking for an academic rivals to something more trope, this is your book.

Aurelia Schwartz green witch who is the top student in the Medieval History program at her University. While in school, she does her utmost to be careful and keep her magic a secret, as people finding out would result in her death.

Theodore Ingram is the dark and tall boy who she is battling for the attention and praise of her professor. Although they dislike and resent each other, they band together and form an alliance following a murder at one of their school parties.

While I really enjoyed the writing and through the prose to be skillfully crafted, I did find that it kind of dragged at times, and the pacing to be extremely uneven. The ending felt unnecessarily long, feeling as though a good chunk of it did not need to be there. It could have benefitted from it being shorter.

Overall, I had a fun time reading it and would recommend it to anyone wanting to dip their toes in the academia genre or for anyone wanting a quick, fun, and intriguing read.

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

I thoroughly enjoyed Modern Divination and adored our protagonists, Aurelia and Teddy. This is truly a slow-burn and Agajanian captured their yearning incredibly well. I was fully immersed with the academic atmosphere and the author did an excellent job describing the pressures within academia, especially through Aurelia’s character.

However, after Part 3, the story began to drag and I felt as though it has lost sight of the stakes. While the characters kept emphasizing the “life-and-death” situation they were in, not enough was happening externally to keep me interested. Occasionally, the action scenes can be hard to follow. I found myself having to re-read these scenes to better understand the logistics and overall placement of the characters. I also would’ve appreciated more world-building with lore on the history of witches as well as more fleshed out explanations on *how* the magic worked.

Overall, Modern Divination was an enjoyable read with strong, interesting, and equally flawed characters to keep readers hooked on the story throughout. I’m excited to see where Agajanian takes the next book! Having followed them on social media as well, I also look forward to their future projects!

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is for the fans of the slow-burn, the Howl’s Moving Castle tortured-yet-loveable man, and most importantly the yearners. I enjoyed my time spent with Aurelia and Teddy, the academic atmosphere, and the development of their rivals-to-lovers relationship.

Unfortunately, this was the only thing that kept me pulling through the 500 pages. I found that the plot began to drag from the midpoint on, and I was a fair bit confused at the progression of events. If not for my desire to find out if Teddy and Aurelia end up together I fear I would not have been able to pull through. I was left with many questions on the magic and the world building, which felt as if they fell wayside to the development of our characters budding relationship. I did not feel the “life or death” of the story at all, it felt rather secondary and forgettable to the couple (which for me as a yearner, was not enough to put it down). I found myself thinking while they were in Townsend that I wished it was a “cozy” story, that it could just be the pair of academics solving a puzzle of sorts and less an action driven witch hunt.

I enjoyed my time reading Modern Divination and would recommend it to fans of Divine Rivals in particular, for a pair of flawed yet compelling characters. I will be reading the second instalment to see where we go from here! The authors writing is very easy to read and the prose was excellent. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 (rounded up)

Modern Divination is a character-focused and atmospheric adult fantasy with slow-burn academic rivals full of yearning, and a found family that hits you right in the heart.

Aurelia and Theodore are two witches and long-standing academic rivals at Cambridge, but they suddenly find themselves needing to team up after another power-hungry witch begins threatening their magic and lives. I devoured this one in the span of a night and just need to say that the vibes were immaculate. While I absolutely adored the character-driven nature of the narrative, I do think that it is not without its faults as the plot was not as well-developed as it could be in terms of the antagonist (honestly I wasn’t mad about it because I loved seeing the two characters relationship develop and did I mention the yearning? But if you are someone who likes a plot-centric book, this one is probably not for you).

All in all, I am so excited for the second book and I can’t wait to meet Aurelia and Teddy again!

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for providing this eArc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Modern Divination is a slow-burn, character-driven academic rivals-to-lovers story set in our world, but with a rich layer of magic woven throughout. While the book centres around students, the academic rivalry is only a small part of the narrative. Instead of delving deeply into their studies or the origins of their competition, the story focuses more on the evolving relationship between the two protagonists. I did find myself wanting more backstory to help establish a stronger connection with the characters, as they sometimes felt a bit underdeveloped.

The magic system was one of the most intriguing aspects of the story, especially its connection to different senses. However, due to the secretive nature of the witches in this world, I found it took a while to fully grasp the nuances of the magic, and the book doesn’t reveal much about it early on, which left me feeling somewhat lost at times. This added a layer of mystery, but also some frustration, as I struggled to visualise and understand the mechanics of the magic.

In terms of pacing, the book maintains a steady rhythm throughout, with a strong emphasis on character exploration rather than action. For the most part, this worked for me, but by the end, I found myself wishing for a bit more momentum. I suspect this was because I wasn’t as emotionally invested in the characters as I would have liked to be, which made the slower pace feel longer than anticipated.

While the main plot didn’t quite captivate me as much as I’d hoped, I did appreciate the overall atmosphere and was particularly intrigued by some of the side characters. I’m hopeful that these characters will play a larger role in future instalments, as they added depth and intrigue to the story. Ultimately, the lack of clarity around the world-building and magic system prevented me from fully connecting with the book, but I do think it has potential. Now that I have a better sense of the world, I’d be open to exploring more books in this setting and learning more about the magic system.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for this eARC to review.

This is a beautifully well-written book. The characters have depth, and you connect with them; the slow burn is well-written. However, the pacing was off, which made me enjoy it less than I would have if it had a better flow. It felt rushed at some points, and other parts dragged so much that I skimmed or skipped multiple pages and missed nothing. It could have gone through another round of editing, but overall, it is a decent book if you like dark academia-type books.

The first time I picked up this book, it was because the boy on the cover reminded me of Kaz Brekker and I was instantly intrigued, but I was never able to get through the first chapter. So when I heard that it was getting republished, I decided I wanted to give it another try since I knew so many who loved this book and I am super glad that I did.

The vibes alone of this book are immaculate, I mean rivalling bi witches at Cambridge university, be still my dark academia heart. Especially when our mmc was not-so-secretly in love with Rory the whole time. (I've read books recently that have attempted to have that level of misunderstood feelings and it has not worked so I was very glad to see a successful attempt here)

Parts of the book were still hard to get through and took a lot more mental capacity to stay focused on than I would like personally, and parts of the relationship near the end I didn't love BUT overall the aesthetic of the book and the ambience of it all were super cozy for winter and were very much up my alley.

The new cover fits the book a lot better, despite how much I will miss the art of the old edition.
dark, moody, and tea; what more could you ask for?

thanks to tor and netgalley for the arc!

I originally added this book to my TBR because of the absolutely gorgeous cover, however, I can officially say that this book was everything it needed to be. I was obsessed with the autumnal vibes of this book; small town, coffee and bookshops, warm cottages, I felt like i was there in the moment as a spectator with Teddy and Aurelia. Speaking of, they were both great protagonists, and I especially loved Aurelia’s spicy attitude! Although I would say the book dragged in a few parts, I would 100% recommend this to other readers who live cozy fall/magic vibes.

" She craved it. Not like a leap towards danger, but a slow tantalizing seduction towards some other monster she wasn't ready to face."
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Modern Divination follows two academic rivals who find themselves in the center of a mysterious murder and must band together in a reluctant alliance to save themselves from becoming the next victims...

This story gave me all the soft, cozy, witchy winter vibes I was craving with the most satisfying of slow burns I've read in a while.

It was everything I hoped and wanted. Moody winter vibes, complex and interesting characters, beautiful writing, an interesting magic system. I couldn't get enough of. I loved it and am looking forward to book 2.

I recommend this one for anyone who likes...
✨️Academic Rivals
✨️Tea sharing
✨️SLOW burn
✨️Secret Witches
✨️A little mystery

Thank you to Pan Macmillan | Tor and Netgalley for sending me an eARC. All opinions are my own.

3.5⭐️

This book had all the witchy, moody, rain and tea drenched vibes. I liked reading about Teddy, Aurelia, and the additional cast, oh and especially the yearning these to had.
I wanted to enjoy this book more thoroughly as it took me awhile to get into and sometimes I wasn’t sure what was really happening. That’s on my end since I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book, and I plan on revisiting this story when the sequel releases!

Academic rivals, witchy magic, and romance. What isn’t there to love? I originally read the indie version of this, before it was picked up by the traditional publisher. I loved it then, and I still enjoy it now just as much if not more! I loved the characters and the world the author created. 4.5 stars due to the slow pacing at the start of the story

This was a surprisingly cozy read. I really enjoyed the atmosphere the author created, combined with the academic rivals trope. The writing style reminded me a lot of Divine Rivals, which I loved. Definitely recommend this to those who enjoyed reading that duology and love a nice slow burn. The story is definitely more character-driven and not as high-stakes as I thought, but I have a feeling that we will get much more action in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isabel Agajanian, you have a fan for life. Teddy Ingram might be one of THE most pathetic and devoted book boyfriends to ever book boyfriend, and Aurelia Schwartz deserves it all.

Modern Divination follows Aurelia Schwartz, a witch with a green thumb completing a PhD in medieval history at Cambridge University. She spends her days warring for the favour of her professor with a tall, dark-haired boy named Theodore Ingram - her rival, her nemesis, the centre of her resentment. When she's not working on her research, exchanging biting remarks with Teddy, or hanging with her roommate and best friend Ryan, Aurelia is using her magic to grow plants and make tea, and she's safe - as long as no one else finds out about her powers. When one of Aurelia's colleagues - and unbeknownst to her, a fellow witch - is murdered at a faculty event, Aurelia and Teddy are thrown together, and forced to fight for their families and their lives.

Modern Divination was one of my most anticipated new releases this year. I read the indie published edition years ago, and fell in love with the atmosphere, the yearning, and Isabel Agajanian's beautiful prose. There were so many lines that truly took my breath away without ever feeling forced or purple-prose-y. If I were rating this book on vibes, on romance, and on writing alone - immediate 5 stars.

Unfrotunately, I think this needed a few more rounds of developmental editing before it was ready for traditional publication. I read it because I know these characters and love them, and I was looking forward to seeing what changes (if any) were made, but like....nothing really happens that would convince any of my fantasy reader friends to keep going after the first few chapters. It is so, so, so slow, and pretty uneventful. The plot is pretty basic, and is only partially resolved, and that partial resolution happens quietly, only 70-80% of the way in. There were so many really interesting threads introduced - Teddy's parents, the bookshop, the crows - that just sort of fizzled away into the background. Meanwhile, we spend scene after scene after scene watching Rory and Teddy have the same circular arguments about their hatred of one another. It was fun at first, but got tired very quickly. I love them - I'd listen to them sing terribly in the shower or discuss their grocery lists - but even i was getting bored of them after a while.

Still, despite my issues, I still think Modern Divination is a solid book, and I'm looking forward to picking up a physical copy to shelve next to my indie edition. Isabel Agajanian has so much talent, and I'm really looking forward to reading the sequel, and any future projects.

Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian centers on Aurelia Schwartz, a witch who has kept her magical identity a secret for twenty-three years, carefully balancing her life between the normal and the supernatural. Her hidden life is thrown into turmoil after a fellow witch is murdered at a campus event, and Aurelia unexpectedly becomes involved in the investigation alongside her academic rival, Theodore “Teddy” Ingram. Teddy, who has always looked down on Aurelia, reveals that he too has magic and insists that they team up to solve the murder. As they retreat to his family’s magical home, their rivalry slowly gives way to a deeper connection.

The novel delves into themes of isolation, loss, and the walls people build to avoid emotional connection. As Aurelia and Teddy work together, their relationship shifts from hostile competition to a slow-burn romance, forcing them to confront their pasts and their vulnerabilities. The revised edition of the book has been praised for enhancing the emotional tension between the two leads and intensifying the atmosphere, especially in the romantic dynamic. It blends an academic rivalry with magical intrigue, illustrating how love and vulnerability can transform people, even when they try to resist.

At its core, Modern Divination is a compelling mix of mystery, magic, and an evolving romance, driven by the push and pull between two characters who must confront their flaws and fears. The emotional payoff of their journey makes the story all the more addictive, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next book in the series.

Aurelia Schwartz has a secret. She is a witch but her magic is fading. Aurelia must work together with her academic rival to save their magic from the power hungry witch that threatens to steal their power.
Modern Divination is a dark academia, fantasy romance that will appeal to readers of Divine Rivals.