The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake

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, Dark Academia, Romantasy, Demons, Young Adult Fantasy

Unknown Binding

Expected publication 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 Crown of Coral and Pearl and its sequel, Kingdom of Sea and Stone; Luminous; The Poison Season; and A Multitude of Dreams. Her next book, A CURIOUS KIND OF MAGIC, releases Fall '25 from Wednesday Books.

Reviews

[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!!! 🤩

[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

[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!

[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.

[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!

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shoutout to Mephisto for being absolutely adorable.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake is the first book in a YA fantasy duology where creation of any kind - art, music, invention - breeds demons. The premise of this book was extremely intriguing, but the execution fell flat for me for a few different reasons. Despite the fact that creation spawns demons in this world, we barely ever address how the humanities might be impacted beyond the FMC claiming history is boring (as a history major, she's not 100% wrong, but still) and that another student who is studying history only does so because he "lacks creativity." I wish there were a bit more time devoted to the worldbuilding and what exactly counts as "creation." The protagonists bake at one point, and I feel like baking/cooking could count as creation? Especially considering babies being born counts as creation... I also think it would've been cool to learn how the world has developed without music, art, or fiction. Focusing on an FMC who is a woman in STEM is fine, but I just think it would've been interesting to explore other aspects of the worldbuilding more thoroughly.

Aurelie Blake is an inventor. Her passion is illegal, but that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her dreams of finding a purpose and changing the world...no matter the cost. Des is a member of the Iron Guard; he was orphaned by demons, and now his sole purpose in life is to hunt them down for revenge. When Aurelie is given the opportunity to create an invention that could very well secure her place in history, she takes it, but Des has been charged with watching her while her uncle is away, and he's not so sure she can be trusted. This reads as a younger YA for the most part, which isn't bad, but it was surprising considering how risqué some of the romance gets at times (fade to black, though). I would've probably enjoyed this more had a) the romance not been so over-the-top and b) the twists not been so predictable. The romance was very "hate to instalove" in the matter of a few chapters, and once we hit the actual romance phase, it felt like the plot was shoved aside in favor of kissing scenes. Some people might like that. I didn't. I guessed the plot twists fairly early on and didn't have many doubts regarding them, but I did enjoy collecting clues that proved my point. The twists are foreshadowed well...almost too well. The pacing was fine for the most part; there's a bit of action throughout that kept me entertained. The ending is more exciting, but it is fairly rushed, and it sets up for a tense sequel. I'm not sure that I'll read the sequel because I struggled to get through this one, but I do want to know what happens next, so we'll see what happens.

The biggest issue for me was the characters. As a short woman (I'm 5 feet exactly), please, for the love of all things holy, stop making half the FMCs out there petite just to make the height gap bigger. Some other reviews mentioned how repetitive the heights/sizes are in this book, but I didn't understand how bad it was until Aurelie's teeny-tininess was being mentioned every chapter, while Des was also beefy, muscular, and like, bigger than doorframes (that's how I'm picturing it, at least). To be fair, I was beefing with Aurelie pretty early on since she was hating on humanities students, and it only got worse as I realized how naive she was. One of my biggest bookish pet peeves is when characters who are supposed to be smart consistently make the dumbest decisions, and Aurelie felt like one of them. I really struggled to like her when she was overly oblivious about everything while simultaneously having a superiority complex. Again, I'm sure other people will relate to her, which is fine, but I struggled. I wanted to like Des, but he was overly grumpy and then did a 180 halfway through. I didn't mind him too much; I just thought he had more potential. The side characters were fine. I didn't have any strong feelings toward any of them. I completely misread Uncle Leo...that's my bad, y'all. If it weren't for the cast of characters, I probably would've liked this a lot more, but their personalities made this read feel 10x longer than it was.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake is the first book in a YA fantasy duology with blossoming romance, demons spawned from creativity, and the vibes of Laura E. Weymouth's Steel & Spellfire and Sophie Clark's Cruel is the Light.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.25/5


Bonus Thought (that will make sense to no one except me and literally one other person): of course I know him...I created him

[Sequoia Cron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read and review The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Quotes used may differ in the finished version.

"There have always been demons, Aurelie. Some are just more obvious than others."

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake is the newest upcoming release by Mara Rutherford, the author of A Curious Kind of Magic and The Poison Season. Aurelie is an inventor, hiding away in her dingy room from he prying eyes of her Uncle Leo and the Iron Guard. She resides at the University of Wisteria where she and her best friend Kiara, the groundskeeper's daughter, spend a lot of time together. Creating inventions is illegal as they spawn different demons with each creative and artistic idea, awake or asleep. The demon population is dwindling down as less and less people are taking creative liberties. Aurelie is visited by her Uncle's friend Everard, who propositions her to use her inventing abilities to help him create a demonic door, which could either lead to

In between her time figuring out the pieces of this curious and magnetic door, she meets Destrier 'Des' Whitlow, an up-and-coming guard in the Iron Guard program. Des was made an orphan when demons murdered his parents at a young age. All orphans are brought to the Iron Guard to give them shelter and to teach them how to fight demons. The Iron Guard has three rules: never hunt alone, never act on impulse, and never underestimate a demon. Des and Aurelie meet with bad first impressions, leading to Des commanded to watch over Aurelie after he sees her acting suspiciously.

"Mondays were an excellent day for inventing. After all, they were the first day of the week, and if one were to begin something new, one ought to start at the beginning."

Mara Rutherford does a great job entering her Upper-YA era. I really liked how she built Aurelie and Des's slow-burn romance. They have similar life changes, but very different upbringings. Aurelie is brought up by her Uncle Leo, the University Headmaster, after her parents perished in a carriage accident whereas Des was brought up by the Iron Guard. He was trained and taught on sword fighting and the war against the demonic presence. He doesn't understand the rich frills and secured lifestyle Aurelie has always known. They both dislike the other from the start and they have a playful way of avoiding the other, but they always end up next to each other in the end. Knowing this is the start of a duology helped me accept that their relationship would take some time to build from dislike to 'oh wait, I like this person now?' I think Mara did well with executing their growing trust and relationship.

"She knew better than anyone that progress was not a straight path; it featured all the topography of an uncharted world, and all the promise."

With that said, the pacing can be slow at times. The story did take a while to capture my attention and hold it for long periods of time. After a couple of speed bumps, I was able to enjoy the story-telling and the characters. Besides the pacing, the only other negative for me is the repetitive mentions of how big Des is or how small Aurelie is. After reading a review with the same thoughts, I could not stop seeing it. It's mentioned a lot on how tiny or huge they are and it became a very distracting and slightly frustrating reading experience.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake does remind me a little bit of The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, but for a new generation of readers. I think many will enjoy the banter between Aurelie and Des, the demons, and the secondary cast of characters. I did like the back and forth point of views between Aurelie and Des. I love that Mara included Mephisto, a dragon-like demon Aurelie spawned from an invention she made when she was younger. I really like when creatures are included as pets when they're not supposed to be kept as one.

Overall, an intriguing read that needs a little patience because the twist at the end is totally worth it.

4 stars

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Mara Rutherford’s “The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake” marks a bold step into upper YA fantasy with a darkly imaginative, emotionally charged story that fuses steampunk aesthetics, forbidden creativity, and slow-burn romance into a world teetering on the edge of collapse. The story features a richly built setting, witty banter, and the lingering question of whether invention itself can be both a gift and a curse.

In the city of Wisteria, creativity is forbidden. Every new invention or artistic act risks spawning demons, which are creatures of chaos that threaten to unravel the fragile balance of society. Yet Aurelie Blake, a brilliant and defiant young inventor, can’t help but tinker in secret, crafting mechanical wonders in her attic workshop. Her latest creation: Mephisto, a mischievous little dragon demon who’s more adorable than dangerous. When her uncle’s mysterious associate, Everard, asks Aurelie to help him construct a demonic door, a device that could alter the fabric of their world, Aurelie is thrust into a dangerous web of secrets, science, and temptation.

Enter Destrier “Des” Whitlow, a stoic young soldier of the Iron Guard, raised to destroy demons after they took his parents’ lives. When Des catches Aurelie acting suspiciously, he’s ordered to watch her—a duty that soon spirals into something far more complicated. As their paths intertwine, Aurelie’s boundless curiosity clashes with Des’s rigid discipline, leading to a delightful enemies-to-lovers tension that evolves through witty sparring, mutual exasperation, and reluctant understanding.

Rutherford’s worldbuilding shines here. Wisteria feels both gothic and lived-in, a place where magic, science, and faith collide in eerie harmony. The idea that invention itself gives birth to demons is both fascinating and deeply symbolic, evoking modern anxieties about creativity, technology, and censorship.

That said, “The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake” isn’t without flaws. The pacing can be uneven where the first half drags a bit, especially before the plot’s central mystery takes shape, and it’s a bit tiresome with the repetitive mentions of Des’s size versus Aurelie’s “tiny” frame, which is, unfortunately, common in romantasy books. These details, while meant to heighten contrast, sometimes distract from the otherwise strong chemistry and character growth, and there is some insta-lust, which definitely doesn’t help. Still, the dual points of view keep the story dynamic, and Rutherford’s lyrical prose and keen emotional insight ensure the momentum never falters for long.

Aurelie herself is classic Rutherford. She is endearing, clever, and flawed, a heroine who questions authority and refuses to apologize for her intellect. Des, by contrast, brings humor and heart to the story with his dry wit and quiet vulnerability. Their dynamic, underscored by Rutherford’s knack for sharp dialogue, makes for some of the book’s best moments. And Mephisto, the tiny dragon-like demon, absolutely steals the show, adding warmth and levity to the otherwise shadowy tone.

Overall, “The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake” lays solid groundwork for what promises to be a thrilling duology. The final twist recontextualizes much of what came before, rewarding you with an ending that’s both surprising and deeply satisfying. Inventive, atmospheric, and thematically resonant, “The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake” is a story about the price of creation and the courage to imagine freely in a world that fears originality. Despite some pacing hiccups, it’s a beautifully written fantasy that balances romance, danger, and social commentary with skill.

[Sophia Dyer • bookishly.vintage · Rating 4 out of 5]

New Mara Rutherford had me clicking request before I even read what the book was about! The Poison Season is one of my all time favorites, so I am down to read anything she writes. Then I read the synopsis, and I was intrigued. A world with no inventions, because that creates demons?! Now THAT is a dystopian I can get behind.

However, I feel like that part of the story was so underexplored. There were mentions about how Wisteria is "stuck" but I feel like this could have been explored so much more. Instead, this book feels like a 50/50 split between romance and the "problem" the character is trying to solve.

Then I thought this would have a sequel, but then maybe a standalone, but maybe there will be a sequel?? Hard to tell, with the book not even being out yet. I feel like there will be a sequel, because there's not a "perfect" HEA and so many questions at the end of the book.

The romance is sweet, and it's something I clocked from the start. The two care about each other but don't really try to hide it, and there's no real miscommunication or third act breakup between them. They both try to protect and better each other, and I liked the motley crew they formed near the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, even if I wanted some more of the world building aspects. Rutherford has a way of pulling me into the story and creating unique characters you can't help but to root for. I am excited to read A Curious Kind of Magic next on my list, and to see what she does after this one!
Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Content warnings: violence, murder, loss of a loved one, body gore, blood, cursing, sexual content (fade to black)

[LL Garland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aurelie Blake is an inventor, but she must work in secret because invention has been outlawed in Wisteria. Every act of creation conjures a demon. When she’s approached by a shadowy figure with a risky proposition for a new invention, Aurelie lets her pride override her doubts. Unfortunately, she’s also drawn the attention of Des, a determined (and handsome) member of the Iron Guard, Wisteria’s protectors against the demons and those who conjure them.

I had to force myself to finish The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake. The narrative was heavy on the will they/won’t they, light on demons, and left the inventions all but neglected. Unfortunately, that ratio never improved. The one ‘invention’ at the center of the plot was just something Aurelie built to someone else’s specifications. I wish we’d seen more of Aurelie’s ingenuity rather than another scene between her and Des. Granted, I don’t read much romance, but this one lacked spark to me. Every time they met, the author took great pains to remind us how tiny the heroine is compared to her giant, hulking love interest. Honestly, that’s a stale trope I can do without. I wish more care had gone into making me, the reader, like these characters than trying to convince me they liked each other. Character development was sorely lacking. By the time the book ended I didn’t care what happened to them, which was fine because most of the plot was left unresolved leading into book two. I will not be taking a second trip to Wisteria.

Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s and NetGalley for providing the e-arc for my honest review.

[Sam Rude · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was compulsively readable, although some characters (cough cough Aurelie) had me shaking my head with exasperation at points, I found I could not put this book down. While Aurelie is sometimes willfully naive I do get her frustration of not only being stuck in the box of what society expects for a young woman but also stuck in a society where any kind of invention or innovation is banded due to demons. That kind of forced stagnation would likely convince a lot of people (myself included) to do something risky if it has a chance to make some real changes.

The romance between Aurelie and Des is sweet although I quickly got tired of the “she’s so tiny”/“he’s so tall” thing. And while the more romantic scenes are fade-to-black (or closed door) what’s around them is probably too explicit for the “children’s fiction” tag I’ve seen on this book. The demons aren’t scary but they do result in a fair amount of maiming and death.

Overall I don’t think you’d have a bad time with this book I certainly found it engaging and will definitely be picking up the a sequel when it comes along. Raising a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Stephanie Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting premise… if you invent something or dream something new or bring a new life into the world a demon materializes. This is from a curse that essentially seeks to stop progress in the kingdom.

The Iron guard hunts these demons and keeps the citizens safe. They despise demons (they’ve lost parents and loved ones to the demons) and have no compassion for the people who summon them.

Aurelie, our FMC, receives a mysterious proposition from a man named Everard. He wants her to invent something that will rid the world of demons. It’s a daunting task, but Aurelie agrees to do it. Greater good and all that. Oh, did I mention that she has a pet demon? Because she does.

Unfortunately, Aurelie captures the attention of the Iron Guard, which is a bad thing because she is breaking their most sacred law…

Read this if you like:
-a FMC who can think on her feet
-a MMC who absolutely despises her… until he doesn’t
-forbidden love
-will he or won’t he…take her to prison?
-grudgingly working together
-provocative clavicle bones

This is the first book of a series and I will absolutely be reading the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collin’s for the eARC!!!

[bells · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake had me sold the moment I learned that creating anything new literally conjures demons. Like… innovation = crime. INSANE concept.

Aurelie is such a strong, compelling main character. I just know that she graduated from the University of Servington with master’s in Girlbossism and double majored in Motherological Studies. Watching her push against a world that actively punishes creativity was frustrating in the best way.

And the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers situation??? I’m living for the banter alone. Though the romance could’ve used slightly more buildup too, just to make the emotional payoff hit teeny tiny bit harder.

The pacing did feel a bit slow at times, especially in the beginning, and I wished the rules of the world were explored a little more deeply. That said, the world building is still pretty imaginative and atmospheric.

This was such a fun and chaotic read with a unique premise, I’m excited to see where the story goes next!


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Thank you to HarperCollins and Edelweiss+ for the ARC!

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has such a cool and unique world and magic system.

We have demons, murder, inventions (that's forbidden, by the way), mysterious connections and figures, and detailed world-building.

I did find the romance here to be a bit more insta-love/insta-lust than I was expecting (especially from something marketed as enemies to lovers). But I know I am very particular about that sort of thing.

This is a case of amazing concept and world, but lackluster execution on the things that I wanted emphasized. I wanted the characters to have more to them, for them to be more consistent in their characterization. And more unique. But I still think plenty of people will enjoy this. It's still fun and entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HaperCollins Children's Books for providing an advanced copy for review.

I typically am wary of enemies-to-lovers stories as they are fraught with tropes like insta-love and miscommunications, but Mara Rutherford navigated the balance of comfortable tropes we know while breathing new life into the dynamic. Aurelie and Des represent opposing mindsets in a world where demons can be created through inventions and their connection builds on their previously held beliefs. This was refreshing as typically in these types of stories, one person has to give up core tenents in order for them to be together. I would highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a slightly different spin on enemies to lovers. There is also a very adorable cockroach hunting demon named Mephisto to enjoy if you pick up this book.

[Shelby Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this e-ARC.

This book had excellent characters fueled by their ambitions. I especially liked Aurelie's personality full of caffeine and dangerous creativity. Her jaded nature was fun to read and her relationships with Kiki and Mephisto. Aurelie's aspirations to be more than her expected future roles as a wife → mother were relatable.

However, the worldbuilding fell a little flat. I wanted to know more about how such a limited kingdom would survive without creativity. Then again, I feel that perhaps I placed expectations for more complex prose that may deter others. If the author included more explanations or descriptions, it may lead to needless exposition or info-dumping.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seem to have this habit of completely inhaling anything Mara Rutherford writes! Brimming with atmosphere, this story was a crafty invention of storytelling, including a cursed city, a resolute innovator, a gloomy (and somehow cozy) university, a demon hunter, and of course, demons! (Oh, Mephisto!) Told in dual points of view (which I loved), this book brought all the tension between the two main characters to the forefront, and my favorite part was witnessing how Aurelie and Des saw each other—and how they warred with their competing feelings of frustration/distrust, attraction/understanding. Can't wait for book 2!

[Annie Deo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The heroine is obnoxiously outrageously stupid and selfish beyond words, ignoring every red flag that warns her off a course of action she pursues recklessly to the detriment of the entire kingdom. And pays zero consequences for it coz of course not.

The love interest at least wants to keep people safe and risks his life to protect innocents, but his level of vitriol towards Aurelie without reasonable justification and the way he verbally abused her was not a good look. But oh, he finds her physically attractive so I guess an epic romance is afoot.

[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

[Mimsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the e-ARC of The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake!
4 / 5 ⭐
The pacing for the relationship wasn’t quite right for me, but it was good to see an enemies-to-lovers situation where the pair are more than slightly inconvenienced by each other. I love a unique magic system, and I didn’t catch all of the twists in advance. It was a very enjoyable read; I read it in one day.

"There have always been demons, Aurelie. Some are just more obvious than others."

[lindsay (taylor's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. ARC received in exchange for an honest review. this was unique! i loved the way things like inventions are what summon demons and the descriptions of the demons themselves were interesting. i enjoyed the romance and i liked Des as a character, though the ending felt a tiny bit rushed and unexplained, especially with little explanation for Des losing his soul. i understand it's meant to be a cliffhanger but i still felt a bit unsatisfied with the ending. the world is intriguing though and i'm not opposed to reading book two whenever it comes out.

[Erin Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the world building was pretty unique.

Due to a curse, any form of creation of something new allows a demon into the world. So, invention is outlawed. Civilization has stagnated. Birth and dreams also lead to demons- but since those can't be outlawed, we have the Iron Guard who hunt demons.

Aurelie seemed realistic to me. A young woman who is curious and just wants the freedom to live her life on her terms.
I enjoyed the pacing of the story.

Definitely interested in the next one-as the story definitely isn't over yet!

Thanks to Netgalley for an early copy for review.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique enemies to lovers romantasy set in an academic, wintry world that’s grappling with tension of conventionality/resistance to change versus innovation and progress. I loved that the protagonist Aurelie is more than meets the eye - her intellect and bravery shining through. This is a fun read with some mild spice. Thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins for providing a free electronic advanced reader copy. Excited for Mara Rutherford to continue this series.

[Nelly]

need this book or the covers just perfect <3