The Incorruptibles

The Incorruptibles #1

by Lauren Magaziner

A girl joins the human resistance against sorcerer tyranny in this first book in the exciting upper middle grade fantasy series The Incorruptibles that’s Keeper of the Lost Cities meets The Marvellers.

Fiora Barrowling lives in a world where sorcerers rule over humans. After surviving an encounter with The Radiance—the very worst of the sorcerers—she’s whisked away to the incredible Incorruptibles (“Inc”) Academy, a school for resistance fighters in training. But most of the other students think Fiora hasn’t earned her place there, and when things start to go wrong and it seems the sorcerers have a spy in the academy, all eyes are on Fiora. With all odds stacked against her, can Fiora prove that she belongs?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Queer, Magic, Friendship, Adventure, Mystery

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2025

About the author

Lauren Magaziner is the internationally bestselling author of the The Incorruptibles series, the Case Closed series, The Mythics series. She is also the author of stand-alone humorous middle grade books: The Only Thing Worse Than Witches, Pilfer Academy, and Wizardmatch. Lauren is originally from New Hope, Pennsylvania, and she currently resides in Philadelphia, where she writes full-time. You can visit her at laurenmagaziner.com or follow along with her newsletter at laurenmagaziner.substack.com.

Reviews

[rachel x]

i'm in tears

look at that beautiful fat girl on the cover a middle-grade fantasy

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

The Incorruptibles by Lauren Magaziner is a third person-POV Middle Grade fantasy. Fiora’s world is run by sorcerer’s who abuse their power. When two of them harass her uncle over a cloak, Fiora fights back and ends up on the radar of the academy for Incorruptibles, students training to take the sorcerer’s down. But there’s a spy at the academy and several signs seem to point to Fiora herself.

The worldbuilding subverts the common trope of witches/sorcerers/mages being the oppressed and regular humans being the oppressors. This is not actually a secondary world fantasy—it’s set in our world in a future where humans figured out how to gain access to magic and the technology we have seems to have mostly fallen by the wayside. There are also modern topics being discussed, such as all fiction being labelled ‘Smut’ and the general populace is not allowed access to it. A lot of kids are a lot more plugged in these days to politics than we think they are, so some young readers might be very familiar with these topics due to what is happening in their own districts or in conversations around them.

Fiora has a budding potential Sapphic romance with Mel, a young girl who is determined to be the very best of the best of the Incorruptibles and take all the sorcerers down. Mel isn’t willing to wait and is a bit arrogant, but given what we learn of how corrupt the sorcerers are, it makes sense that she wants to get going right now. Fiora is more earnest in at least being on good terms with Mel and is more agreeable, though the tension is certainly there at times. This is more in the rivals-to-lovers camp if it does eventually evolve into a romance, though that isn’t one hundred percent clear quite yet. Given the normalization of Queer relationships in the text, the focus on the growth of their relationship, and how they do start out as rivals, I am inclined to believe it is highly possible.

I think a lot of readers of any age who are interested in topics of justice and wealth disparity will find a lot of parallels in this books and educators will be able to open up discussions about these topics in the classroom. The sorcerers having magic and then taking more and more, including displacing people from their homes, is a very clear allegory for what we’ve seen with the wealthy buying up so much property in some areas only to put them up on AirBnB that locals can no longer afford to live there.

I would recommend this to readers who love fantasy with strong social justice themes and readers of magic school books who want a twist on classic tropes

[Skye Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of The Incorruptibles. This is my honest review.
Okay, first of all, wow!!
This book is really intriguing and suspenseful.
The moment I started the first chapter, I knew this was going to be one of my favorites!! And turns out I can predict the future because this is one of my new favorite books!!!
But the traitor!?! I kind of saw it coming a chapter before I found out. But still a big shocker!
Totally recommend everyone should read this, and when does book 2 come out? Because I need answers, like now. 💫🌟💫📚

[Lauren Magaziner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this!!! So naturally, I'm really proud of it 😊. I hope you enjoy spending time at Inc Academy! Thank you so much for reading! 💚💜💛

I'm actually here to review the audiobook version of The Incorruptibles, narrated by Caitlin Kelly. Because that version is her own spin on it... and it hits a bit different when you hear the story acted out. Here are my thoughts on the performance:

Audiobook narrator Caitlin Kelly has a thousand voices, and they’re all genius. Distinct—so you can always tell them apart, even before dialogue tags. And so perfectly fitting of each character’s personality. Her bright, clear narrative voice is addicting to listen to; at some point, I just couldn’t put it down. (And I already know what happens!)

Caitlin Kelly has this unique talent for emotional scenes. So many times, the voices punched me in the gut, causing me to get emotional too! And wow, does she play banter well! Also, in the action-packed battle sequences, she made it so easy to follow along—and added so much energy, excitement, and verve into every scene! ⚡ An electrifying performance ⚡

Highly HIGHLY recommend this audiobook version for your next road trip, especially with kids ages 10-14. They’ll be entranced the whole ride!!!! ✨🎧⚔️

[Barb reads......it ALL! · Rating 5 out of 5]

That's right, friends! This is a 5-star review.
The first in an amazing, inclusive, good-vs-evil series for middle schoolers.
Fantasy? You bet. But in this world, the sorcerers are the bad guys and the Incorruptibles, a gifted group of humans, young and old fight with right and technology on their side.
I checked this out from my library, but just ordered 3 copies, 1 for me and 2 for gifts...make room Percy Jackson, cuz Fiora and the rest of the Incs are coming!!

[Helen (they or he) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so good! I have tears in my eyes from that ending but I also feel hopeful and excited about their futures. I have a lot of thoughts about this but I rushed here so fast to rate it so I'll need a while to rearrange my thoughts.

First of all, the world building is spectacular. This is a world taken over by "Sorcerers" who made dark deals with demons to become powerful and rule the world, and their strongest leaders are called "the Radiance." And of course, the resistance group called "The Incorruptibles" or Incs for short are rising up against the sorcerers by using technology against the Sorcerer's supernatural powers. When our main character, Fiora decided to leave her little town after fightint the Radiance, she was put on a trial basis to join the incorruptibles. But beware, there's a traitor in the mist who are sabotaging the incs...

I am extremely satisfied with the way this is written. The world-building happens naturally without any infodumping, and the characters are distinct and interesting, while being multidimensional. There are so many people in this book, yet I never find myself complaining about it because I was so excited to see what they're going to be like. I was looking forward to every single page, every single dialogue and every single scene.

I also like the way the Incs were arranged, in little squads named after flowers and plants. And this is a tangent but as someone who had to submit to the British style of schooling, the house system is so boring. In my country's case, we had five teams named after five kings. No, thanks. Who cares about who did what in the past, and why should we idolize any historical colonizer figures anyway? So I was skeptical when the author introduced cape colors. I was thinking "oh, no, not again." But guess what? There are over a dozen squads! All named after plants! And the plants/flowers symbolize what the squads represent! Our Fiora chose Thistles, and this describes her relationship to being an Inc. Not to mention the captians of each team used to have their old squads, but when they're leading a new team, they take on the new team's name and colors. This seems pretty seamless and well-thoughtout, not to mention a very memorable system.

I'm not gonna go into details about the characters because it's so much fun to discover them as you go, but I've got to say it's a pretty diverse cast of characters, and it's done without tokenization. Nothing felt shoe-horned in but natural, because of course, the world is just diverse like that. It felt normal but very validating. I also won't go into relationship dynamics but you won't be disappointed by a lot of the progressions in this book.

I'm really looking forward to its sequel (or sequels) and I really want to see what the author comes up with next!

[Carter Siporin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book Was A 10/10! I loved the storyline, the suspense, and all of the squad names!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Interesting world and powers, and I love a good magic school, but I personally don't feel the need to continue reading the series.

[Dill Werner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to work on this book as a diversity consultant. From an outsider's perspective, this book is BRILLIANT! It has amazing diverse representation not only of various genders and disabilities, but also of backgrounds and experiences. I can't wait to read the next part!!

[Miss Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an advanced reader copy through the southwestern ohio young adult media review group. Fiora has been apprenticed to her tailor uncle ever since her parents were killed by sorcerers, who rule over the whole world. When Fiora attacks a powerful sorcerer that is trying to steal a magical cloak her uncle has made for them, she is quickly defended by strangers with amazing technology that allows them to fight against the tyrannical sorcerers. Fiora is then whisked away to a secret academy that trains resistance fighters called the Incorruptibles. Can Fiora find acceptance and gain the skills she needs to get revenge for her parents’ murder? This is the first in a fantasy series for middle grade readers. The cast of characters are distinct and diverse. Fiora, the main character, is a plus sized girl who has crushes on other girls. Several other characters are members of the LGBTQ+ community. The world building is interesting and the plot fast paced. Perfect for readers who have finished Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books and are looking for a new series to dive into. Recommended for any library serving children in grades 3rd through 8th.

[Traci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! Fiora is an apprentice in her uncle’s shop when a shady deal takes place and she gets whisked away to the Inc Academy.

I was a huge fan of the magical elements and Fiora fighting for a spot at the Inc Academy! There was definitely some suspense, which made it hard to put the book down. I think one of my favorite parts was the amount of inclusivity that was incorporated. It was easy to find a character to identify with ✨

Thank you @laurenmagaziner and @simonkids for the gifted copy for me to read and review. I can’t wait for the 2nd book!

[Shany Bloch · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Incorruptibles is an exhilarating adventure that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. With a perfect blend of love, hate, and evil sorcerers, the story delivers high stakes and fantastic character development. The humor throughout adds a refreshing touch, while the diverse cast of characters ensures that all readers feel represented. This book is an absolute joy to read, and I can't wait to dive into book #2!

[Ryo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway.

The training academy for kids in a fantasy setting is a pretty standard one, though it's an anti-magic school for a change. The main character and her classmates are interesting and diverse characters, but the villains do not feel like they're adequately explained, nor is the world around them explored much. The ending is obviously a setup for a sequel or a series of books, but it did leave this particular book feeling a bit unfinished.

The main character, Fiora, works as an apprentice for her uncle, who's a tailor. Her parents were killed by sorcerers when she was young, and they continue to make life difficult for her and the people in town. One day, she fights back, and she is helped by a member of the Incorruptibles, who are an anti-sorcerer resistance group. Fiora and her uncle escape with the two Incorruptibles, and she wants to help fight the sorcerers, so she enters Inc Academy, where children train to combat sorcerers. Fiora would have to wait months for the entrance exam, so she is given a trial period where she has to prove herself. But then some strange accidents happen at the academy, so suspicion naturally falls on her, and she also needs to find the spy amongst them. It's a pretty standard tale of a young person joining some sort of academy and having to rise up in the ranks, though this time it's the magic users who are evil and the academy is training non-magic users to fight them. It's also the usual setup of the new person struggling to fit in but still eventually making friends, and this is no different. Fiora's classmates, at least the ones she interacts with most often, are well-developed and have distinct personalities, though. And there's also good representation with at least one trans character and a non-binary one, along with some same-sex romances.

The sorcerers are the villains of the book, and they are cruel to non-sorcerers. But why that is never felt adequately explained. It's understandable that they want to rescue some of their fellow sorcerers who are imprisoned, but it's not clear why they're tormenting Fiora and the villagers, especially with a later revelation that there's a cost to their use of magic. The world has some interesting parallels to our own, but it never really feels that fleshed out, with the plot being heavily concentrated within the academy walls. There's a brief mention of fiction being banned from the world, for example, but the book doesn't go into detail about the reasons behind it or the consequences of not having fiction readily available.

The ending is also a bit disappointing. The spy within Inc Academy is eventually uncovered near the end, but it's only because they reveal themselves, and not because Fiora or any of the other students doing a bunch of detective work actually figure it out, so all of the time they spend on the investigation seems like a frustrating waste. There's also a convenient escape of some major players near the end that cleanly separates them from the rest of the characters, and it ends in a cliffhanger that's the start of a new adventure of sorts, an obvious setup for a future book or books, and yet it does not resolve a lot of the questions raised in this book, frustratingly. Like what does happen to the imprisoned sorcerers, or what happened to Fiora's uncle, or what really happened in Quinn's past, etc.

It's a cute story with the usual magic users being oppressed trope being flipped, but still a pretty standard kid going to an academy kind of plot. The villains felt like they weren't fleshed out enough, nor did the world around them, though that may come in future installments. I wish this first book answered more of the questions it raises, too. It was moderately entertaining, but I don't know if it's enough to make me want to read the next book in the series.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What worked:
This imaginary world finds sorcerers controlling the world and humans oppressed. Sorcerers can do anything they want to humans with no fear of retaliation. Humans have their homes and property stolen, and they’ll likely be killed if they challenge the sorcerers. The Incorruptibles, or Incs, are an organized group of human resistance fighters who create the plot’s conflict. The sorcerers have specific abilities, such as teleportation, physical transformation, and hands of fire or knives. The Radiance are the top sorcerers, and the most dangerous of them kills anyone he touches. It’s difficult for readers to imagine how non-magical humans can stop a world run by sorcerers.
Fiora doesn’t have any special powers, but she unexpectedly ends up at an academy that trains future Incorruptibles. She’s immediately resented by almost every student there, especially one of her teammates. Mel seems angry with everyone, but she’s especially antagonistic toward Fiora. Onyx and Cameron are more open to Fiora’s presence, and Quinn, the team leader, is the one who broke regulations and brought her to the academy. Fiora and the others are dealing with grief and other trauma that are still affecting their lives. Fiora is given sixty days, not a minute more, to prove herself or be thrown out of the academy. And Mel seems to be making it her mission to make sure Fiora fails.
The author adds mystery to the plot by creating mystery at the academy. Things start going wrong even as Quinn is transporting Fiora and her uncle away from a Radiance attack. Then, “safe” missions result in injuries and surprise attacks from sorcerers who aren’t supposed to be there. The Incs decide there must be a spy inside the academy, so everyone, along with readers, begins to suss out suspects. Fiora is an immediate target, since she doesn’t arrive it the usual way. She makes it her mission to find the mole and save other students from further injuries. Clues point to various characters, and the author saves some twists for later in the story. The plot’s resolution is unexpected, but it steers the sequel into new possibilities.
What didn’t work as well:
Maybe I missed something, but there’s no explanation behind the name Incorruptibles. It makes sense that the name derives from humans unwilling to be corrupted by the sorcerers’ promise of power, but readers are left to make that assumption. It’s not a big deal, but it’s something.
The final verdict:
The war between sorcerers and humans will grab readers’ interests, and they’ll root for Fiora’s success. The mystery of the spy adds intrigue, and an eventual confrontation with the Radiance is looming. I recommend you give this series a shot.

[Jaime Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW:Violence with lots of blood, mentions of child watching his sisters be tortured and then being gravely injured, abuse of power, multiple parents dead in the past (both instances recounted), hospital and surgery scenes, lots of death and severe injury to minors.

CW: Surprisingly a lot of almost cursing that gets cut off but the reader can clearly tell what the curse was going to be. I feel like this might be a problem for parents trying to recommend this to their middle grade children, especially younger MG readers.

Rep: Lots! Queer main character, lesbian side character crush, multiple trans side characters, mentions of various queer pairings for a dance, a main villain who uses a glove to represent their diverse gender identities, and a celebration of multiple disabilities, including limb differences and deafness. I'm sure I'm missing some because it was packed but in a way where each difference was normal and celebrated - not forcibly included.

I *devoured* this book in a way I wasn't expecting. I vibed so much with Magaziner's writing, the unique twist on the sorcerer/human dynamic and all of the characters - so many little cinnamon rolls.
I didn't 100% love the way the Mel/Fiora relationship unfolded. I feel like that wasn't signaled much in the first 3/4 of the book until the last 1/4 really leaned into it. I like their pairing. I just think it could have been less abrupt to go from intense dislike/rivals to interests. I also think the big reveal of the traitor fell a bit flat for me. I think it is because it is very obvious in the last 3/4 who it was and it didn't feel big when everything was revealed. Maybe it would have packed more of a punch if it was a character that the reader was closer to? However, MG readers may not see it as obvious and will likely be more surprised. I did appreciate how much good commentary was stuffed into this including messages about identifying the early signs of depression in friends, how someone may be lashing out because of their unresolved trauma when it really isn't about you at all, about how important boundaries are within friendships, about standing up to what is wrong and fighting back against bullying - these are just a few. Again, none of the diversity, disabilities, or lessons felt forced in any way. They were all excellently integrated and added great depth to an otherwise cool story.

I would definitely recommend this and I hope more people read it the longer it is out! Looking forward to book #2.

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Plus Stars. Although this is an academy novel, it feels refreshing because the sorcerers and those who can use magic are dark, mean, and evil. The author makes us feel it from the start with the tension about the curfew, and how Fiora is so afraid. She knows what they are capable of doing. She knows all she has already lost... but she will never, bow, join, or accept to deal with them.

An incident makes her lose her home and the only family left. She is forced to leave, and her life changes, but not for the better. She has 60 days to prove she belongs to an amazing academy that trains young rebels to defeat The Radiance (the most powerful sorcerers). It's not easy to belong. The rumors make her the focus of attention, and there are secrets to unveil that we discover slowly as Fiora learns to fight and avoid the promise of death made by The Radiance.

Amazing teams, amazing characters, great trans representation, diversity. There are lots of characters from the good side whom I already love besides Fiora, or her captain. I even love Mel, who can be arrogant and always refuses everyone's help. The names of the teams are awesome, and the powers of the multiple bad guys are impressive, and some are easy to fear.

The writing flows so well that it's hard to put this one down, and we feel each scene, the fear, the hope, the high stakes, the fights, the sounds, the emotions, from the smallest (falling asleep curled and rolled in a brown new cloak) to larger events, hitting one of the meanest Radiance with lightning that destroyed the ceiling of the store. I can't wait for book 2.

The cover art is from one of my favorite cover art artists, Devin Elle Kurtz

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely the start of a series with some serious potential. I like the twist of it being a non-magic school where the kids are training to fight sorcerers and the world building is pretty extensive! One of the most interesting parts of her world building was religion - where most people worship three gods but Fiora seems to come from Jewish ancestry (not ever explicitly stated but she has a star necklace and she mentions apples and honey for the new year so...you know...it's Jewish) but that was probably one of the least expanded upon concepts so I hope it gets more developed in the series. I think the other thing that makes this book pretty successful is that the characters sound like real 13 year olds (the amount of times they almost say someone was full of shit was so funny to me, I know it's a fine line for cussing in middle grade books and I think this was kind of a good solution) and the stakes were really high. I love that Fiora is chubby, we need more chubby main girls in fantasy books! There are very likeable/interesting characters in this book I just think that there are a LOT of them. I am a grown women and it was so hard for me to keep track of all of those damn kids. I assumed that the rest of the series would also take place at the school but judging by the ending I'm not sure that is the case so that kind of disappoints me but I still am interested in reading the next installment.

[Cristy (Quinnbook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shut the front door, because this book is absolutely amazing. It has so many elements I love in a middle grade read. Although it’s an upper middle grade read, the author has created an impressive and outstanding cast of characters that will steal your heart from page one. The diversity and inclusiveness in this book are impressive, from body positivity to gender inclusive. Get ready to choose who you want to be and how far are you willing to go to achieve it.

I absolutely love how versatile Lauren’s writing is, she has books with characters with disability that conquer all obstacles and magical worlds where diversity is welcomed. The Incorruptibles has such an incredible premise and it delivers on every aspect. Fiora is an orphan that lives with her tailored uncle, there she learns to create clothing for the villagers. Unfortunately the sorcerers are evil and love to create havoc. One night changes her life when she meets an Incorruptible, believing they were a myth she is smitten with their beliefs and is swept away in the adventure of a lifetime. I can’t gush enough about this book, this is perfect for pride month and if you are looking for a world building and magical elements like none other pick this up asap.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read - This perfect tween summer read tells the thrilling tale of a girl who must decide between a quiet life and joining a resistance movement to free the world of evil sorcerers. Fiora is an apprentice tailor in her uncle's shop after losing her parents to a sorcerer attack when she meets an Incorruptible, a member of the underground tech force working to protect humans from bad magic. In standing up to sorcerers, Fiora uses an Incorruptible weapon against them and becomes one of their targets. Now she has to decide: retreat into a safe town with her uncle or join the fight by becoming an Incorruptible herself. Thrilling action, found family, lots of friendship drama follow as the students must overcome trust and interpersonal issues to form a true team that can defeat the big bad. Kids are going to absolutely adore this wild ride, picking which squad they would join, and deciding on their favorite tech. I can't wait for the next book!!!

[Sakhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Incorruptibles is a fast-paced, fantasy adventure that upper middle-grade students will absolutely adore. As a teacher, I have shared many of Lauren Magaziner’s previous books with my students, watching them light up with excitement, race to finish chapters, and beg for “just one more page." Needless to say, I was anxious to get my hands on The Incorruptibles to see if this new series would capture their imaginations the same way. And...It absolutely does just that and more. Sabotage, spies, and impossible missions abound, drawing readers in from the very first page and keeping them on the hook until the very last page. Fiora Barrowling, the protagonist, is authentic, bold, and compasionate. Readers cannot help becoming fiercely invested in her journey to prove her self-worth while she battles ruthless sorcerers. Kudos to Magaziner who has written an engaging novel that entertains, empowers, and inspires. Every teacher needs this book in their class library!

[Yapha · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for your next dystopian/hero training school series, this is it! Taking place at least 100 years in the future, the world as we know it has been taken over by sorcerers who achieve their power through "Dark Deals." The Incorruptibles are fighting them, using technology instead of magic. Fiora has been living with her uncle, a tailor, under the harsh rule of sorcerers. After a shocking series of events, she is whisked away to the Incorruptibles' Academy and must prove herself. There is an incredible amount of fantastic representation in the students and teachers at the academy. Any reader should be able to see themselves there. My younger self would have been positively giddy with Fiora's references to her Jewish heritage. This action packed adventure is highly recommended for grades 5 and up. I can't wait for book 2!

eARC provided by publisher via Edelweiss

[Colton Alton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must-Read from a Master of Middle Grade Mystery

I first stumbled onto Lauren Magaziner’s books with Case Closed and read it together with my son at bedtime. That one book turned my son into a full-on reading detective. Since then, we’ve been hooked.

This latest book? Absolute gold.

It's witty, wild, and full of twists that had us laughing one minute and guessing the next. Lauren somehow makes every story feel like an adventure you never want to leave. My son couldn’t put it down, and I’ll admit it... I stuck around for “just one more chapter” more than once.

If you're hunting for a book that’s clever, fun, and makes kids fall in love with reading, this is the one. Lauren’s done it again.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most incredibly immersive upper middle grade fantasy. It’s the start to the most exciting new series and I’m already craving more! Lauren has created such lovable characters that readers will root for until the end. Not to mention, the world that Lauren has crafted in this book, specifically the community within Inc Academy is the most safe and loving space that will be a new favorite home for so many young readers. This is the perfect book for fantasy lovers, anyone looking for a beautifully queer-normative world and it’s just the beginning of an epic new adventure. I need book 2 STAT!

[Gabrielle]

This is the beginning of a middle grade fantasy series with some great diversity. It's a fun story about students who learn to defeat evil sorcerers. There's great bonding between the students, passionate characters, lots of action and a bit of a mystery.  The writing is definitely geared towards children, so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to adult readers who don't usually pick up this genre. But if you have a child around this age this seems like it would be a fun read for them.

P.S. I don't read very much middle grade and since I'm not the target audience I don't feel comfortable giving this a rating.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fiora is apprenticed to her Uncle Randal, making robes for hard-to-please sorcerers in the unfriendly town of Barrowburgh, but after a run in with particularly nasty sorcerers, is sent to the Incorruptibles Academy to train with the resistance. Fans of Ursu's The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy, Alston's Amari books, or Perry's Jaden Powers and the Inheritance Magic will enjoy this fantasy adventure. I keep hoping for fantasy books where the magical world is a little more fun; there are clearly a lot of unpleasantries caused by the evil sorcerers.

[Madison LibraryBookFamily · Rating 5 out of 5]

After seeing all the buzz on social media I knew I wanted to read this. I was excited to see it on NetGalley. Simon and Schuster sent me a digital ARC and I devoured the book in less than 24 hours.
This middle grade magic society book is delightful. Fiora is full of pluck. She stands up for what is right and loves fiercely. The only way for Fiora to escape from evil sorcerers attention is to head to a secret school to be an Incorruptible agent.
Loved the tech, the relationships between students and the magic system. A fun read for those looking to branch out from older wizard books.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books I could not put down! Even when it was past 1am and I had work the next day, I found myself calculating how much sleep I could get if I read just one more chapter. I love how inclusive the story is—the pages are filled with queer characters, characters with disabilities, and characters with different body types. So many kids will be able to see themselves in this book! Lauren Magaziner flips the script on the magic boarding school trope and gives us a story about fighting those who abuse their power and resisting oppression. The world building is incredible. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and I need the second book now!!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thrilling fantasy ride as Fiora joins the Inc resistance against the evil sorcerers who have taken over the world. Positives: good representation of a non-skinny protagonist, beginnings of realization that people are generally not totally bad or totally good, and the beginning of a lesbian love interest. Negatives: technology almost as convenient as magic, why would they have basically a boarding school separated from the sorcerers they fight against (rather than skulking in the towns where the sorcerers are). But a thrilling ride with a cliff-hangar of an ending.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Fiora is attacked by sorcerers who rule over her land, she is rescued by a pair of resistance fighters called the Incorruptibles. Fiora is whisked back to their school (Inc or Incorruptibles Academy) and somehow convinces the headmistress to take her on as a probationary student. As Fiora becomes more comfortable with her teammates, attacks on the resistance ramp up and it appears there is a mole at Inc. Can Fiora find the mole and convince her school mates of her innocence? Readers will enjoy the nonstop action in this sweeping fantasy and clamor for the next adventure.

[Karen Clements · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is an easy read. It is exciting and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. Lauren Magaziner's creative and witty writing style brings to life a group known as the Incorruptibles who fight the sorcerers to protect the human world. Fiora has to prove herself to the Incorruptibles to show that she is loyal to their cause and and is capable of fighting the Sorcerers. It's a perfect book for middle schoolers but also for adults who enjoy the fantasy genre. I highly recommend reading this novel.