The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake

The Broken Veil #1

by Mara Rutherford

In Wisteria, the very act of innovation is forbidden. Any creation—art, music, engineering—conjures a demon from the other side. The greater the innovation, the more dangerous the demon.

This has never stopped Aurelie from inventing—but it has made it more difficult. Her inventions are small by necessity, producing demons that she is capable of dispatching alone. But she knows she’s meant for something greater, and each day has her chafing more at the boundaries of her society.

Destrier lost his parents to demons as a child, and has devoted his life to preventing more senseless murder at the hands of demons. He was young when he joined the hunters, and each year he’s grown stronger. But it’s never enough.

When a mysterious figure offers Aurelie a job she can’t refuse—an impossible, magnificent invention—her decision to accept sets off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of their world… and sparks the connection that will change both Aurelie and Des irrevocably.

With the fierce enemies-to-lovers romance of Heartless Hunter and the high-concept worldbuilding of Arcane, The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake will thrill readers looking for their new cross-genre favorite.
 

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Dark Academia, Demons, Young Adult Fantasy

Unknown Binding

First published April 14, 2026

About the author

Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara has lived all over the world with her diplomat husband and two sons. She is the author of YA books including Crown of Coral and Pearl, The Poison Season, A Multitude of Dreams, and A Curious Kind of Magic.

Reviews

[DianaRose · Rating 3 out of 5]

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

the demonic inventions of aurelie blake has a very interesting concept: the art of creation summons a demon from the other side... and i was originally intrigued! while the concept was interesting, i wasn’t particularly invested in the overall story, or the conflict and chemistry between our mcs.

i also listened to the audiobook on libby, and the narrator did a fine job!

[Val ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! Such a fun book! Mara Rutherford is an incredible writer. The plot is so intriguing and compelling. Female empowerment through and through! A world lured by creativity, but where creativity is banished. Inventions are no longer an option, not even books. Can you imagine?! If you dared to devise something new, a demon would be lurking in the next corner!

An intricate world building where you'll find the Iron Guard, who protects people from demons and, of course, different demon classes: Natia, Somnia, Verita, and Tenebra. I also loved the plot twists! Unpredictable and entertaining!

I think you'll love this book if you enjoy fantasy plots in dark academy settings accompanied by paranormal elements and filled with mystery rooted in history.

Thanks so much to Edelweiss, NetGalley, and HarperCollins for this advanced reader copy of The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake, to be published on April 14th, 2026.

Already waiting for the second book!!! 🤩

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 ★— This book’s title is so good that it completely mismanaged my expectations of this honestly very average YA fantasy story. Set in a fantasy kingdom ravaged by demons, Aurelie Blake is a university student who has her own secret pet demon and indulges in her world's highly illegal activity of inventing in her free time.

My biggest gripe with this book was the insta love trope I was presented with and how the thinness of this relationship persisted throughout the story.

Aurelie and Des meet and, from then on, we see them become suddenly obsessed with each other without having even properly talked, which leads to the story relying heavily on the whole “small girl/big, strong man” dynamic to somehow make them interesting. And, hey, I do enjoy that in plenty of books, but not when it’s a stand-in for actual romantic development.

I should not be rooting for the MMC to be with his female best friend just because those two actually have a proper dynamic and, you know, talk, but that’s exactly what happened here.

I also thought that Aurelie’s role as an inventor wasn’t explored enough for me. I wish I had gotten more scenes of her in her element! I wanted more scenes that actually showed this instead of the book constantly telling me how intelligent and talented she was!

Outside of that, the world-building and central premise of the story were just not unique or interesting enough to compensate for the rather milquetoast romance, so this book just did not end up working for me.

_____________

Thank you to HarperCollins for the gifted copy.

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake
By Mara Rutherford
The Broken Veil #1
YA Fantasy Cozy Dark Academia
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 14, 2026
HarperCollins Children's Books
Ages: 16+

Every time something is created in the land of Wisteria, a demon is conjured, and the greater the invention, the more dangerous the demon. Even dreaming and having a child can bring forth a demon, but those are accidental. But creating intentionally can either earn the innovator life in prison or death.

As a secret inventor of small but necessary things, Aurelie destroys the little demons she creates down in her lab at the college she attends. But she desires to create something bigger, and she knows she can do it. And when a man offers her a job, even though she knows if caught, she'll be sentenced to death, she couldn't say no.

After losing his parents at a young age to a demon attack, Destrier was inducted into the hunters, the soldiers who hunt demons and their creators, and there is nothing he hates more than those who intentionally create demons.


The idea of this story hit me. Just painting a picture could create a demon. I could not resist something that dark.... Nope, not dark...

I'm guessing that the author couldn't decide if they wanted to write a cozy or a dark fantasy. The MC, Aurelie, just turned eighteen and is so 'bubbly' that she comes across as a tween. Not mature at all. So overall, this story reads young, BUT there is semi-adult content that makes this not suitable for readers under sixteen. And yes, there is violence and a little gore.

I loved the idea of this story, but the execution, the MC, ruined it for me. She was not serious enough to make this story, or her, feel legit. Worse is that she is naive. It was clear that... spoiler...

While it's not a bad story, it does not live up to the dark potential it could have. Maybe in the next book, the story will live up to that potential and get darker, but I doubt I will read it.

2 Stars

[Sarah SG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope nope nope!!! I’m sick and tired of this, Grandpa!!!!
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Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for the arc! This was a wonderful concept, but it stayed a wonderful concept only. I have many critiques about the execution.

Here we have multiple instances of repetition that is non-intentional and grating to read. How many times are we gonna say the same thing with slightly different words!?

I say this as a petite woman, I’m sick and TIRED of romantasy authors constantly pointing out how eeny teeny weeny polka dot bikini their fmc is. Of course, Aurelie is so small and short and fragile and the mmc is so big and tall and brooding! Put me to fucking sleep ffs

We’ve got insta-lust! Besides wanting to bone for nearly all of the book I have no idea why the leads are attracted to each other. I felt no chemistry. The beaker was broken. They failed the class!!!!

I totally don’t despise characters that are only intelligent when the author requires it! Even though we’re told how brilliant they are, and more times than necessary!!! Sorry, they’re as dumb as a pile of dirt!

I’ve always wanted a formulaic, cartoony, big bad. 😍 I’m fucking yawning. I’m slumped over. Honesty, this entire book is formulaic, and it went limp in its restraints.

I was standing up, and I’m now stood! Unfortunately, this is yet another cookie-cutter, romantic fantasy book. I should put that romantic part in quotes though, as so many romantasy authors confuse lust with love as well as a contrived formula with tradition. Why do I even bother, dude? -2 stars

[Jaylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake was an intriguing and unique book with its magic system. Fans of young adult will definitely want to check this one out! The blurb had hooked me right away with this book, and the beginning of this story was my favorite to read.

Inventing of any kind is illegal as it conjures demons. Despite that, and knowing the risks, Aurelie our FMC can’t help her fascination and love for inventing. With Aurelie and Des-the MMC-they have opposing views with demons and inventing, and where because of that, they judge each other’s character before getting to know one another. Though, they start to find themselves alike in more ways than they thought.

I enjoyed the right vs wrong these characters experienced. Aurelie’s hunger for knowledge comes with consequences that she will find out about. We see these characters question what they know, what they believe in, and how they’ll grow from that. The magic system and the different demons are something I definitely want to learn more about as I really enjoyed reading about it!

What I didn’t enjoy was the insta-attraction and Aurelie constantly referring to Des’s stature definitely affected my reading experience as the book went on and lowered my rating for this book. Towards the end, despite the high stakes that was happening, I wasn’t feeling the sense of urgency. All of them were just ignoring the warning signs. The book felt a little rushed in some places and it was kind of predictable what was going to happen. Though the ending left me wanting to know what’s going to happen next and how everything will be expanded on!

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC!

[Avery Clason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Mara Rutherford’s other protagonists, I found Aurelie to be quite endearing and Des to be funny and quick-witted. The premise of this book was incredibly intriguing as we follow Aurelie in a world where invention and creative liberty are outlawed as their creation spawns demons (even if they’re cute like the little dragon demon Aurelie keeps as a pet).

I think this has some wonderful parallels to the anti-intellectual movement sweeping the world on a domestic and global scale with fake news, AI in art/writing, and banned/challenged books. Creativity is under attack and it felt like this book was able to harbor similar questions many of us have about our current world.

I’m very eager to see what happens in the next book as Rutherford steps further into her upper YA genre, but I think it’ll be equally ad wonderful as this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second I read the blurb for The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake I was locked in. I wanted, no I *needed,* to discover this world where invention is forbidden *and* conjures different types of demons! Like right away we have storyline that feels so uniquely its own, creating a swirl of anticipation and awe upon every turn of the page. And this book most certainly achieved just that for me. I was fascinated and intrigued all throughout the journey, and then the ending hit me like a brick wall and I can add desperate to the list of elicited emotions! Because that entire final act has left me desperately impatient for more and more! This book lured me into its world in all the best ways!

Aurelie is a university student who uses her free time creating the most forbidden thing in Wisteria: new inventions. Every new invention conjures a small demon, but Aurelie is quick to vanquish them. Her innovation is secret but what truly gives her a path in life, which becomes more so when a mysterious patron requests she invent a very specific portal. While Aurelie invents, hunter Destrier takes down roaming demons, until he is tasked to secretly look after Aurelie whilst her uncle, dean to the university, is away. The more Des watches Aurelie from afar the more suspicious he becomes of what she is doing, until their paths inevitably and irrevocably cross...

Aurelie is brilliant protagonist. I loved her cleverness, how she used the way others underestime her to her advantage, and I love how clearly she loves to invent. It's simply part of her in a breathing is part of living. She can't do without. Something else I deeply loved about our heroine Aurelie is the fact she is utterly fallible. Pride is her great vice, as it places blinders on her, narrowing her otherwise excellent judgement. Personally, I love to feel I can relate to a protagonist and a way to achieve that is to make them feel as real and human as possible, and what's more real than vulnerability? Perhaps the perseverance we possess to pick ourselves up after every fall. And even when pride has gotten in her own way, Aurelie perseveres by trying to make things right. She is brilliant in mind, kind in heart, and strong in spirit. I loved her completely as a heroine.

As I did our hero Des. Whereas there is almost a controlled chaos about Aurelie, who is willing to push the limits of her ability even while maintaining as much boundaries to it as best she can, Des is all control, boundary and above all else: duty. He goes by the book and cannot fathom any other way of being, but Aurelie brings out a beautiful chaos in him. A chaos that looks to broaden perspective. And that's what I loved about Des. His vice is similar to Aurelie, in having blinders that hinder perspective, but like Aurelie he battles against it, against himself. The more proximity to Aurelie, the more his objectives change, to the point his own heart changes.

Something that I really took to, in terms of both leads, is the fact they are not static characters stuck in their ways. They are dynamic, changing, evolving, and whether right or wrong becomes characters who reclaim their agency to choose for themselves the next steps to take. And sacrifices to give up. It hooks me to their journeys so deeply!

I only wish I could have felt as hooked towards their romance. Their chemistry is 100% present, like without question. I loved, loved, loooved their every interaction. But the pacing felt a bit off, it went from a very slow burn to a very sudden and abrupt romance, and it threw me off. Nonetheless, the chemistry is so there and so something I enjoyed and look forward to seeing develop...especially considering *that* ending!

If you know, you know! Then you'll know how I screamed during that ending! Ahhhh! I was already buckled in for the long haul given how much I enjoyed this entire book, but if I hadn't been, I guarantee you that final act would have placed me right in that seat. Such an incredibly strong final act that will push this series into even greater heights!

I'm so excited to stick around to find out where it takes us next!

Thank you Mara Rutherford, Harper Collins Children's Books, and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Harper Collins for providing me with the aARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The land of Wisteria is cursed; any form of inventing new things summons demons. This has led to stagnant development as inventing is outlawed. Aurelie is a student who is passionate about inventing - outlawed it may be, she has made herself a hidden lab where she invents and eliminates demons that she conjures as a by product. Des of the Iron Guard, who are in charge of hunting demons and arresting inventors, is on Aurelie's trail when he notices more frequent demonic activity around all the places she goes.

While this may not be the focal point of the story, Aurelie keeps a multi-legged dragon-like demon as a pet, complete with catitude. I absolutely loved Mephisto and its scuttling around lab, I wouldn't mind one of my own! I also enjoyed Aurelie as a main character - not all her choices are good and she can be a little dislikable at times, but I do also think that it makes her a more realistic character. She has her dreams and passion and I do think she's in the right to think beyond a life where there is ever anything new. However, although she tries her best to kill any demons she summons, her actions can definitely been seen as selfish at times.

Des is her complete opposite in the sense that he is duty bound and would never stand for demon conjuring. It also makes it a rather interesting dynamic seeing as he is a demon hunter whereas Aurelie is a essentially an accidental demon summoner. They both view the situation Wisteria finds itself in in very different lights which at times had me wondering how any romantic plot could work out for them. I also really liked that the book was told in a dual POV between the two.

The magic system is interesting and I suspect there's even more to it which we won't get to see until the sequel. I will say that I felt the magic system had a fairly big loop hole; the perimeters of what counts as inventing was a little too vague. For example, if Aurelie builds a new invention, the demon is only conjured the moment her invention is completed. But at the same time, things like dreams or paintings can also conjure demons. Wouldn't this then actually mean simply having a new idea rather than giving it form should already count as inventing something new? Or equally, if painting can conjure a demon, shouldn't making blue prints for new inventions also count? Perhaps I am digging too much in the details here, but I just felt there was a bit of inconsistency around what was considered an invention. However, if you put that aside, I really did think it was an interesting and unique magic system.

Although we have a university as a setting, I wouldn't really call this dark academia - there's just too little of the school life involved to really have that academic feeling. But this is by no means a fault - as much as I like academia settings, this book doesn't need it. We do get fun professor characters such as Professor Sheldrake, but we get to see absolutely nothing of the classes. Instead, we focus more on Aurelie's explorations and what the life of the Iron Guard is like. What sets the plot rolling further is the appearance of Everard, an uncanny man who encourages Aurelie to invent something big. The plot becomes darker and stakes gradually feel higher until we end with a couple of twists that definitely have me curious for the sequel. A mild warning, there is a wee bit of spice which, while not overly graphic, did surprise me has the tone was otherwise middle ground YA rather than upper YA.

One final note - I've seen several reviews pointing out the frequent mention of Aurelie and Des' height difference. I believe it is a fairly popular trend among romantasy in particular but I have personally not read that many and thus it feels less like an overused trope to me than it might for others. Their difference in stature is mentioned a lot but I may not even have noticed had I not already seen others bring it up. To be fair, I do think that it's also plot relevant as Aurelie is often underrated based on her size and that does in a way give her a big more coverage as she doesn't want people to know what she is up to when she's alone in her lab.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so saddened by this rating — Mara Rutherford is an auto read author for me. I have loved all of her books and given them nothing less than 4 stars (and often 5s, which is rare for me).

I loved this book at the start. It had somewhat of a dark academia vibe, with Aurelie fighting to be an inventor even if the act of inventing conjures demons. Des is essentially part of a police force hunting down and killing demons and imprisoning those who conjure them, so it definitely had a forbidden lovers feeling and was giving me vibes of Serpent and Dove.

However, as the story progressed, I hated Aurelie more and more with each chapter (which then made me annoyed with Des’s infatuation with her).

This girl. She just came off as super spoiled and selfish with her “well I want to be an inventor” attitude. You’re literally conjuring demons from another dimension every time you invent something and putting others at risk! And then a man asks her to make a portal to the demon realm — and alarm bells weren’t going off in her head?!? It was painfully obvious that (a) the mysterious man was lying to her; (b) that he was the villain; and (c) who he was but Aurelie couldn’t connect the dots in her own head until it was way too late. I think she would have come off as a more sympathetic character to me if the villain had captured her uncle from the beginning and forced her to work for him, but for a good chunk of the book she went along with him because she ~~wanted to invent~~ and he played to her ego (“you’re such a brilliant inventor” etc). The fact that she worked for him willingly for as long as she did really called her character into question for me.

Des I liked well enough. He’s a demon hunter just trying to do his job. I could understand the motivations of his character (at least professionally). But what did he see in Aurelie??? He should have just arrested her and been done with it. He was just so attracted to her and I could not for the life of me see why. The ending with him literally sacrificing HIS SOUL to save her was ridiculous.

The setting, magic system, secondary characters and the writing was all good. I really liked Daisy (well, all of Des’s friends really) and Aurelie’s professor mentor. Mara Rutherford’s books are easy to read and the world building really gives a sense of the fantasy world and situation. As I said, generally I love her books. However, I really hated the character of Aurelie which unfortunately ruined the book for me. I’m still looking forward to this author’s next book though!

[mith · Rating 3 out of 5]

oh, its a series, is it? how many more books of readers being reminded of how big des is and how utterly tiny aurelie is? good god.

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A high concept, demon-filled fantasy with a steampunk-y fantasy plot that I found soo enjoyable!

Having loved Mara Rutherford’s The Poison Season (which had gorgeously lush prose and atmospheric, ethereal world-building) I jumped at the chance to read her newest, dark academia adjacent fantasy.

It wasn’t as immersive as I hoped, but with a premise exploring censorship and fears surrounding scientific (and technological) advancement via demons, I was NOT disappointed!

Set in a world where creativity and invention summons demons, we follow ambitious inventor Aurelie and her demon hunting rival, Des. Who find themselves drawn together when Aurelie’s ambitions see her embroiled in a monumental (illegal) invention, that could bring forth a demon so powerful it may alter her world forever.

I loved the eerie, dark academia/ Gaslamp Fantasy-vibes that Mara Rutherford’s prose conjures, and found the Serpent & Dove-esque dynamics between Aurelie and Des so intriguing.

Their internal struggles and opposing views, (on demons and inventions) as well as their experiences of tragedy and grief was where Rutherford truly shines. As she intricately delves into loss and trauma (and two very different experiences of orphanhood) in a way that had me invested in seeing how things would play out.

And play out they did! The second half was incredibly action packed, with cat-and-mouse-style interactions and a high stakes intensity that I found addictive.

The lore surrounding the various Demons, their abilities or reasons for being conjured was fascinating too. I really need an illustrated compendium ASAP!

Overall, a fun series starter that fans of Academic Fantasy, or coming of age-style plots should consider checking out.

Also, a huge thanks to Book Rambler PR & Harper360YA for the HB copy.

[Daphne · Rating 2 out of 5]

RTC

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aurelie is the ward of Dr. Leopold Blake, the Dean at Wisteria University. When her uncle departs to visit a sick friend, a mysterious man named Everard pays her a visit, inquiring about an invention. Ever curious, Aurelie invites him in, where he asks her to invent a door. Aurelie, however, has caught the attention of Des, an Iron Guard, tasked with destroying demons and punishing inventors. As Aurelie pursues her curiosity (much to the chagrin of her teachers and new friends), she'll conjure more than just a few small harmless demons in the process.

The premise of the book hooked me immediately. Nothing new can be invented in this world, and whether someone means to or not, invention spawns demons. Anything from having a baby to thinking of something new in a dream can create them. I haven't read anything like this, and it was this aspect that kept me reading to the end.

However, Aurelie as a main character was a bit difficult to tolerate at times. I loved that she was curious and passionate, which are great qualities to have in female protagonists. She is unique enough, but doesn't present herself as one of the "I'm-not-like-the other-girls" characters. And while some of her behavior can be overlooked because of the seventeen of it all, sometimes she ignores major red flags because of her own pride and self-interest and often argues it's for something else, like feminism or for the good of her family.

Des, who falls in love with her immediately, sees this dangerous self-interest and hates it; in fact, her actions go against everything he's ever believed in. And while he does attempt to stick to his own morals and his literal job, he ignores all of it because she's hot. When their relationship develops more, he admits he fell for her because of her brain, but that was difficult to see as a reader. In fact, beyond their attraction to each other, there was no other reason these two should have been together. I wish this book could have just been their developing interest in each other as their paths crossed without the romantic feelings from either party, with those developing in book two more naturally.

I'm intrigued by the larger plot that Aurelie and Des have found themselves involved in, and am a bit scared for a book two with a broodier Des.

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars

Cover? Gorgeous. Title? Fantastic. Description? Intriguing. Execution? Ehhh…

I am really sad that I couldn’t get into this book. It had all the infrastructure to be great but the reality is that it just wasn’t. I found it very difficult to get engaged and stay engaged. I had to force myself to pick it up. It felt like it was dragging. However, it doesn’t feel right to rate it lower than 2.5 stars. I enjoy Mara Rutherford’s prose, enjoyed the creativity of the story, and didn’t find anything offensive. Was the book rather repetitive? Unfortunately, yes. Did she love to remind you of the MMC’s HUGE stature and the FMC’s itty bitty size? Yes, and I think we’re all absolutely sick of that. But the book was fine.

I also am a bit frustrated that the book ended up being a part of a series and not a standalone. I wish that was better advertised. Unfortunately, I will not be continuing with the next book.

This is only my second book by Mara Rutherford and the first I read from them was a 5 star so I certainly plan to read more from them in the future. I just hope those books make me feel more like I did while reading A Curious Kind of Magic than while reading The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake!

[Kristin Valdez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I technically dnf at 86%. I already guessed all the plot twists.. I don’t care. If I have to hear about Aurelie (or whatever her name is) being SOFT, soft. So soft.. again I’m gonna lost it. We get it she’s tiny, she’s soft. And Des is big and hard. We get it. Jesus…. I just didn’t care. If there was less horrible romance and more demons and action it would be okay. But I guess who the bad guy was in the beginning, not hard to figure out…

Just wasn’t for me. Might be for some people. Not for me

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake - you have left me on tenterhooks!! (3.75 star rating - rounded up!)

I was intrigued by this story when I saw the demon hunter and inventor trope. Because what does the inventor have to do with demons? Well!! Let me tell you - it has EVERYTHING to do with demons in the world of Wisteria.

Aurelie is so realistic - from the off you’re rooting for this character who feels like she has so much to prove and who doesn’t want to be stuck in the world (both at large and in the upper society she’s being forced into by her peers). At times I felt like throwing my head into my hands with this girl, and I kind of loved that? As I said to start with, this character is so realistic, and I felt all of her feelings with her. I got why she made the mistakes, and why she was besotted with Des, and why she was so much more than what both sides on this story thought she was. I cannot wait to see her grow in book 2!! Des was an excellent MMC, while I don’t think he’s as strong as Aurelie’s character, I’m really hoping (without giving too much away from this book) that in book 2 we learn more about him and see a more complicated character exploration.

Now our villain. Our VILLAIN. Everard is a man I have on my hit list for fictional bad guys (not the hot ones, just the down right evil ones). Mara Rutherford has nailed this character - I was on such a journey trying to understand his motives, and watching him from beginning to end has been so fascinating. Again, I cannot wait to see what becomes of him in book 2!!

TDIOAB has a good narrative, I think, for the genre and audience. Knowing this is the first in a series, I feel like Rutherford did a great job of creating a world that felt limited through Aurelie’s eyes - both in it’s literal development in science, but also her limited world view after being penned in to the world of academia for so long. Equally in Des’ POV, we see a world through the eyes of an unloved orphan, someone who’s naturally inclined to only care about their duty to the kingdom and little else. When the two find each other, we see the narrative and world overall begin to bloom. It’s great writing, and having finished the story I feel like the pacing is well suited to the absolute crescendo at the end of it all. I think it’s important to remember this is a mid-to-upper YA fantasy, which I do love to return to from time to time because the ideas are so fun, and the characters can be a little silly because, oh my god, they’re young!! A little naivety is prone when you’re 18/19, and I think if you keep that in mind, this story is enjoyable and suits the genre.

(I will note here, one thing I wasn’t a hugeee fan of: the frequency of references to Aurelie’s size compared to not just Des, but everyone. While I get it’s a good metaphor for her limited worldly knowledge and youth, it was perhaps a little overdone. This is perhaps my biggest and only gripe with the story)

What really sold me was the world of Wisteria. The university fulfilled all of my brown academia needs, while the kind of lowkey victorian era/dilapidated steampunk vibes of the kingdom really drew me in!! I love that everything is falling apart and no one’s allowed to mend anything for fear of making a demon!! Speaking of demons, the different types of demon we could find in TDIOAB were so fun, and each time we found a new one I was so excited to learn their attributes - if I were Aurelie I’d also be sketching these weird guys down 😌

Overall, I loveddd this book a lot. The romance is closed-door but the yearning is so endearing - while I usually like spice in my books, I actually think that given the age of the characters, opting for a closed door romance makes a lot of sense and is appropriate for the age of them and the potential readers!! I loved the world so much, and wish I could visit this place for a day and grab a sickeningly sweet hot chocolate with Daisy and Jasper. I cannot wait to read book 2, and I cannot wait to read more from Rutherford in the future!!

A huge thank you to Mara Rutherford for having me on the street team, it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with so many amazing people in the build up to this release!!

[Michelle (Bamamele.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Harper Collins for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

This might be my new fav from Rutherford? I was so invested from the first chapters, and the end had me holding my breath. I'm insanely eager for the next book already, and I just had such a great time reading this book.

Aurelie is a compelling FMC. Is she naive and too trusting? Yes, but she's also just 18. Just as Des is a little rigid and idealistic. Again, he's just 19 and was raised from infancy into the Iron Guard, so the mistakes both of them make are super understandable. I loved the progression of mistrust to maybe friends to maybe more. They both had such complex motivations and conflicting loyalties, but it made for great reading.

The whole cast was great honestly. Daisy and Gareth and Jasper were great friends to Des, just as Kiara was a great friend to Aurelie. And Mephisto! Just a precious little demon bebe.
I did suspect who Everard really was, so I was excited to be proved correct there.

Seriously I'm so excited for the next book and cannot wait to see how they get out of this mess!
Highly recommended!

[KMart Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love most about the dark academia subgenre is how it leans into themes of escalating ambition, the hunger for knowledge, and the slow moral slide that comes with it. In this world, innovation itself is forbidden because every act of creation summons a demon. The greater the idea, the greater the danger. It's such a clever and nuanced concept and feels like a fascinating metaphor for the cost of chasing perfection and the slow moral slide that may come with escalating ambition.

Aurelie is an absolute gem, and her cat-and-mouse dynamic with Des is exactly the kind of enemies-to-lovers I live for. It's charged with tension, complicated by guilt and attraction, and impossible to look away from. It was so fun to watch it unfold.

I did feel like the romance aspect moved too quickly into emotional connection without the groundwork. The banter and tension are there, but they just seem to decide that they're in love and that's that. I wanted the slow build to actually be a slow burn. I also wished Aurelie's inventor aspect would have been explored more here. It's so fun and doesn't get the space it deserves. ALSO, I really disliked that repeated mention of how tiny she is compared to how enormous he is. I get it. We all get it. It was annoying.

The ending was shocking and I cannot wait to see where it goes. Fun read overall, and hoping for more depth in the next one.

Thank you so much to Epic Reads and Storygram tours for this beautiful gifted copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Daffodils_and_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake was SO good. I read all but three chapters in a day and still read the last three chapters first thing in the morning. The magic system is unique and there’s high stakes that as a reader you can be invested in. There’s duel POV between Aurelie and Des which I love. They’re so witty and cute. I’m too impatient to wait for the next book.

Thank you to HarperCollins for an ARC of the ebook.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has the best atmosphere! Dark Academia, cozy cottage, hot chocolate at the cafe, Yule, inventions in progress, and demon hunting. At the beginning of the story, Aurelie Blake cares about nothing other than inventing, her uncle and last living relative, and her friend. In this world, any new innovation leads to a demon being conjured. It’s clear that we don’t really understand what these creatures are, and the political messaging commands that they be killed by the Iron Guard (demon-hunters) and that people are not allowed to invent or innovate. I’m always drawn into a story where there’s question about the truth and what we are told to believe. Aurelie is approached by a mysterious man with a request for an invention, that may open up her understanding of the world. The romance was sweet and slow, the plot was engaging. My only request is that I wanted more variety in setting. The aesthetic was so well done, that I would have liked to follow these characters everywhere and experience more of the world and the Wisteria campus. But I fully understand that this story balances a lot of elements, and the book could only be so long. I’m intrigued to see how this story continues in the next installment.

For those who love:
📜 Enemies-Allies-Lovers romance
📜 Hunter + Inventor
📜 Dark Academia atmosphere
📜 Cute and evil monsters
📜 Friend group
📜 Political intrigue & secrets

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[S.B. Bartlett · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25!

[hijabi.booknook (Violet) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
In Aurelie’s town of Wisteria, inventions are banned because of the risk of conjuring paranormal creatures. This doesn’t stop Aurelie, a university student with a passion for science. When a mysterious stranger offers her a job, she can’t pass up the opportunity to do more.

Des is a demon hunter conscripted since childhood. Convinced Aurelie is doing illegal activities, he is determined to expose her—but it’s not that easy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the university setting and dark academia vibe. There was also a found family feel to the book. The romance was sweet and endearing. I was drawn in from the first page and read this quickly. Also the ending! I need to find out what happens in book two!

I am part of the street team for this book. Thank you so much @harpercollins for sending me a copy of this book!

Book review also posted on my Bookstagram @hijabi.booknook

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I love Mara’s writing. Every time I pick up one of her books I’m in awe. This follows Aurelie, an inventor in hiding in a world when inventions produce demons, and Des, a demon hunter. Aurelie is tasked with a project to rid the kingdom of demons and Des is suspicious that the innocent school girl has a dark secret. The banter is bantering and I loved it. I really liked all the world building and how the plot flows. All in all a great YA fantasy. I can’t wait for book 2!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always a fan of Mara’s books and this is no exception! This one revolves around Aurelie, a student with a passion for inventing. This is a problem considering inventing of any kind is illegal because it conjures demons. Does that stop her? Nope!

Aurelie is pretty sheltered and doesn’t always make the best choices, but her heart is in the right place. She and Des have a hate to love / opposites attract romance with him being an Iron Guard who kills demons and is firmly against inventing, but of course they’re drawn to each other in a way they can’t explain.

The romance is very sweet and there are some fun side characters including a cute little demon companion. The mysterious invention Aurelie is hired to build kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending broke my heart. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

[Skybid · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Review – The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake by Mara Rutherford✨

I just finished this last night and absolutely flew through it. If you enjoy witty banter, an eerie academic setting, and aggravating cliffhangers (in the best way), this one might be for you.

Aurelie Blake was orphaned as a child and raised in Wisteria at the university where her uncle serves as dean. To fill the void left by losing her parents, Aurelie dreams of becoming an inventor and spends her time secretly creating new devices. But in Wisteria, invention is forbidden—because inventions lead to the creation of demons.

When a mysterious stranger offers Aurelie the chance to build an invention that could change everything, how could she possibly turn it down… no matter how dangerous it might be?

Des is an Iron Guard, a soldier sworn to hunt down and destroy demons to protect the city. Many Iron Guards, including Des, were orphaned by demon attacks and joined to avenge their families. When Des begins to notice strange demon activity surrounding Aurelie, he can’t help but investigate.

This story has:
⚙️ nemesis-to-lovers tension
⚙️ dark academia vibes
⚙️ magic and dangerous inventions
⚙️ betrayals and twists
⚙️ “good girl”

The banter and tension reminded me of The Heartless Hunter, and the eerie academic setting added such a unique atmosphere.

I rated this ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. The ending definitely left me eager (and a little desperate) to see where book two goes next.

Thank you to the publisher and Mara Rutherford for the opportunity to read this story early. Keep an eye out for its release on April 14th.

[Mere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperTeen for an e-arc.

This book definitely is an upper YA book, it is much more mature in theme and content than her other YA books, but it also seems to be written at a higher level as well. This book will hold huge crossover appeal to a younger and an older audience.

I really enjoyed Aurelie and her characterization and her growth in this book. I'm really looking forward to seeing how her character changes in the future.

Mara writes side characters so well - even if they don't hold a main spot or spend a lot of time in the spotlight, and they're still full and well rounded characters. The main romantic relationship was also done well, it was enemies to lovers (my fave)/opposites attract. If you're into books where the girl is on the "wrong side" of the law and the guy is on the "right side" I definitely think this is a romance you will enjoy. I liked the buildup between Des and Aurelie.

Another aspect that I want to point out is that her world building is always done very simplistically, but in a way that works. It's mostly because we don't need a lot of details to understand the world in it's totality, we just need to understand the important parts. And we get more that is fleshed out on the way along.

I had figured out the "twist" in this book fairly early on.

While this book is fantasy, it has a dark academia bit of feel to it, with a bit of...something else. It definitely wasn't dark academia at the core, the school was a place that things happened, but it wasn't a huge focus of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book!

PS: when I was reading I did not notice the height/size differences being super repetitive. I might have just blocked it out though.

[Asma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was so fun and a great read. The writing was beautiful and flowed well. I knew that everytime i opened the book, i was bound to get immediately immersed. I had to read this book during whatever little time i had at break times at work or on a night before sleeping and whilst i can never concentrate on my reading when there's background noise, i found that i had no problem immersing myself into this world and tuning out everyone else. I loved that the story pulled me in enough to be able to do that.

I adored the characters and the bickering between Aurelie and Des was cute. Can i also just say, THAT CLIFFHANGER! Now i'll have to wait until i find out what happens next 😭. I had a feeling it would go in that direction and it did. I sussed out who the villain was pretty early on but i can't wait to see more evil schemes in the next book!

Thank you Mara for allowing me to be part of your street team and letting me read an e-arc. "The Demonic Inventions Of Aurelie Blake" will be out May 7th in the UK so don't forget to grab your copy!

[amity𖦹 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the world that Rutherford created in this story. I haven't read too many novels focused on demonic creatures/identities, so this was really fun. I liked that the story was dual pov, because I always much prefer seeing both sides of a relationship portrayed. Aurelie as a protagonist, was witty and stubborn and I found her very fun to follow. Des and Aurelie's growth was very interesting to see as they started to have to view things from each other's perspectives and I loved how that made them change their minds about each other. There was a lot of action and tense moments in this story that made it hard to ever get bored. I didn't even realize at first that this was a developing series! I'm glad I got the chance to read it early and I'm excited to see where things go in book 2! If you need something fast-paced, entertaining, and with a compelling love story, I recommend you this fantasy!

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so intrigued by the title that I wasted no time starting this. Unfortunately, I liked the idea and premise of this more than the actual execution. I had no interest in the romance aspect (rare for me) as it was so unimaginative compared to the overall plot, and they had poor chemistry on top of it.

I enjoyed it enough to complete it and I don't regret listening to it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.