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The Maker of Spells
“You are only your actions past and your intentions for actions to come.”
Juno didn’t ask to be an ambassador. She’s a spellwright, skilled in balancing the elements and healing the sick with magic. But a year ago, when a crisis of magic struck the Six Realms, she proved her diplomatic skill.
Now, the king has been assassinated, and his newly crowned daughter receives an ultimatum: her hand in marriage to a hated rival king, or war. To negotiate on her behalf, Queen Artemis appoints Juno, who has healed enough wartime injuries to understand the stakes. There’s just one problem: they were betrothed until the queen broke it off, and Juno is still in love with Artemis.
Juno accepts the diplomatic mission and even finds connections among her new acquaintances
that might heal her broken heart. But King Amorgo is not the only one with a hidden agenda, and war is not the only looming threat. A web of intrigue and sorcery ensnares the Six Realms, and the more Juno untangles it, the more she struggles to reconcile her many roles: subject, lover, diplomat, healer. Can she save her world? And will she lose herself?
Character-driven epic fantasy meets bisexual romance in this story of sacrifice and resilience. Read it today!
Juno didn’t ask to be an ambassador. She’s a spellwright, skilled in balancing the elements and healing the sick with magic. But a year ago, when a crisis of magic struck the Six Realms, she proved her diplomatic skill.
Now, the king has been assassinated, and his newly crowned daughter receives an ultimatum: her hand in marriage to a hated rival king, or war. To negotiate on her behalf, Queen Artemis appoints Juno, who has healed enough wartime injuries to understand the stakes. There’s just one problem: they were betrothed until the queen broke it off, and Juno is still in love with Artemis.
Juno accepts the diplomatic mission and even finds connections among her new acquaintances
that might heal her broken heart. But King Amorgo is not the only one with a hidden agenda, and war is not the only looming threat. A web of intrigue and sorcery ensnares the Six Realms, and the more Juno untangles it, the more she struggles to reconcile her many roles: subject, lover, diplomat, healer. Can she save her world? And will she lose herself?
Character-driven epic fantasy meets bisexual romance in this story of sacrifice and resilience. Read it today!
355 pages, Paperback
Published December 2, 2024
42 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 28, 2025
The Maker of Spells by Jenny O'kell was a must-read. I'm not much of a fantasy girlie, but this book was an enjoyable intro to the genre! Jenny wrote with such great detail that I could envision the world created. I really liked Juno, and I think she made great choices as a spell maker and an ambassador. There was just the right amount of spice, too. I loved the magical elements!
Romantasy lovers should definitely check this one out!
Romantasy lovers should definitely check this one out!
November 2, 2025
I wasn’t expecting much when I picked up Maker of Spells by Jenny O'Kell. I’d just come off a string of disappointing indie reads and hadn’t touched a book in weeks. But the idea of bird-like dragons caught my attention—and I’m so glad it did.
This book surprised me. It’s not just about dragons (though they’re awesome); it’s about dreams, danger, and a protagonist who feels real. I actually found myself thinking of Metallica’s Enter Sandman while reading:
> “Dreams of war, dreams of liars, dreams of dragons’ fire…”
That lyric nails the vibe of this story. It’s dark, adventurous, and emotionally grounded. The pacing is solid, and while it leaves room for a sequel, it doesn’t leave you hanging in frustration. I’m not desperate for book two—but I’ll definitely read it when it comes.
The main character is a standout. She’s older, wiser, and still growing. She’s loved and lost, and her emotional depth made her easy to connect with—even for me, as someone who doesn’t share her gender or background.If you’re into fantasy with mature characters, rich world-building, and a touch of grit, this one’s worth checking out. It reminded me why I love reading.
This book surprised me. It’s not just about dragons (though they’re awesome); it’s about dreams, danger, and a protagonist who feels real. I actually found myself thinking of Metallica’s Enter Sandman while reading:
> “Dreams of war, dreams of liars, dreams of dragons’ fire…”
That lyric nails the vibe of this story. It’s dark, adventurous, and emotionally grounded. The pacing is solid, and while it leaves room for a sequel, it doesn’t leave you hanging in frustration. I’m not desperate for book two—but I’ll definitely read it when it comes.
The main character is a standout. She’s older, wiser, and still growing. She’s loved and lost, and her emotional depth made her easy to connect with—even for me, as someone who doesn’t share her gender or background.If you’re into fantasy with mature characters, rich world-building, and a touch of grit, this one’s worth checking out. It reminded me why I love reading.
March 25, 2025
4.5 rounded up to 5 stars
Juno has been sent as an Ambassador from the Queen of her land, her previously betrothed, to attempt to stop a forced betrothal to a kingdom of another land. Her queen has tasked her with finding a way to escape without marriage - or war - while she's still working through her own complex feelings on their betrothal being withdrawn. Juno is never one to disappoint those she loves, so she takes on the mission with a sense of determination the king and his people are not expecting. Scheming and machinations are abound though, and Juno finds herself thrust into an atmosphere she's unprepared for.
*****
It took me a couple dozen pages to get invested into the story as we do get a lot of names and details up front. From there the author weaves a beautiful tale of lands full of magic, myths, varying customs, and of course, dragons. The prose in this novel is everything. It isn't just a well-written book, but a stunning one. The author has such a way with words that I blew through this in a single night and was genuinely hoping for more.
I wasn't expecting this novel to be what it was. I went in blind, and I was blown away not only by the world building, but how simply and perfectly ethnic, gender and sexual diversity was woven into the novel. As a bisexual person myself, it was entirely satisfying to have bisexual characters that fit into the world as they were without overt notice. It wasn't sensational, it was part of the fabric of life as it should be, and it warmed me so much to read it included in that way. It's so easy to fall into the novel and get wrapped up in the story itself, and feel the tangible scenery the author lays out. Even the intimate scenes are written poetically without turning awkward or cheesy, which is rare to do in a way that includes details but doesn't feel extortionary or overly modest.
I also enjoyed that Juno was a strong and capable lead. Her talent with spellcasting and political schemes had me engaged the entire time. I loved her companionship with Justine and how she encouraged her natural inclinations and growth. I also loved how she opened her heart for more with Larance, despite her still feeling the pain of her ended betrothal and her being pushed to a different land. Her forgiveness was such a strength and made the character endlessly relatable. I think the only point of the story that felt unnatural was how fast she and Larance were devoted to each other (I think it was less than a week?) yet it didn't overtake the story as a whole.
I also adored how it ended. I don't want to spoil anything, but Juno's choice was perfection for who she was. She focused on her needs and wants, instead of external pressures and it had such a satisfying ending to the novel. If you want a beautiful story with strong characters, this one is for you.
*****
Thank you to the author, Jenny O'Kell for generously sending me a copy of her book to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Juno has been sent as an Ambassador from the Queen of her land, her previously betrothed, to attempt to stop a forced betrothal to a kingdom of another land. Her queen has tasked her with finding a way to escape without marriage - or war - while she's still working through her own complex feelings on their betrothal being withdrawn. Juno is never one to disappoint those she loves, so she takes on the mission with a sense of determination the king and his people are not expecting. Scheming and machinations are abound though, and Juno finds herself thrust into an atmosphere she's unprepared for.
*****
It took me a couple dozen pages to get invested into the story as we do get a lot of names and details up front. From there the author weaves a beautiful tale of lands full of magic, myths, varying customs, and of course, dragons. The prose in this novel is everything. It isn't just a well-written book, but a stunning one. The author has such a way with words that I blew through this in a single night and was genuinely hoping for more.
I wasn't expecting this novel to be what it was. I went in blind, and I was blown away not only by the world building, but how simply and perfectly ethnic, gender and sexual diversity was woven into the novel. As a bisexual person myself, it was entirely satisfying to have bisexual characters that fit into the world as they were without overt notice. It wasn't sensational, it was part of the fabric of life as it should be, and it warmed me so much to read it included in that way. It's so easy to fall into the novel and get wrapped up in the story itself, and feel the tangible scenery the author lays out. Even the intimate scenes are written poetically without turning awkward or cheesy, which is rare to do in a way that includes details but doesn't feel extortionary or overly modest.
I also enjoyed that Juno was a strong and capable lead. Her talent with spellcasting and political schemes had me engaged the entire time. I loved her companionship with Justine and how she encouraged her natural inclinations and growth. I also loved how she opened her heart for more with Larance, despite her still feeling the pain of her ended betrothal and her being pushed to a different land. Her forgiveness was such a strength and made the character endlessly relatable. I think the only point of the story that felt unnatural was how fast she and Larance were devoted to each other (I think it was less than a week?) yet it didn't overtake the story as a whole.
I also adored how it ended. I don't want to spoil anything, but Juno's choice was perfection for who she was. She focused on her needs and wants, instead of external pressures and it had such a satisfying ending to the novel. If you want a beautiful story with strong characters, this one is for you.
*****
Thank you to the author, Jenny O'Kell for generously sending me a copy of her book to read. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 19, 2025
My review doesn't have spoilers so to speak, but might be considered spoiler-y so please proceed with caution. LOL.
The Maker of Spells is Jenny O’Kell’s debut Romantasy—the first in The Eleniqi Cycle books—and it captivated me from the first page. Juno Vera is our Main: the Spellworker turned Ambassador we didn’t know we have been waiting for! She is feisty, intelligent, unwilling to be pushed around—yet still full of compassion. We see this in the beginning where after having had her heart recently broken, she completely shifts her life to help the woman she still loves.
This story has quickly become a new comfort read, the reason I feel that way is: this first book is full of Character and World building, sure, there are a few action scenes, but even those are woven into the story in a beautifully meticulous way that keeps the flow of the story from shifting completely. I found this extremely refreshing and thoroughly enjoyed learning about this world O’Kell has created.
Juno might be the main, but this book is filled to the brim with strong female characters. A Dark Sorceress who has secrets of her own, a Diplomat with her own agenda and desires for Juno, a servant girl who is as brave and loyal as they come and who possibly possesses some strange form of magic herself. Male or Female or somewhere in between the characters all bring so much to the heart of this story with their banter, antics, espionage, and promises of possibility.
This story has a strong focus on the magic system and how it affects the world around them. I was intrigued to see how O’Kell would let things play out, and I have to admit, I was not disappointed at all. Reading about Juno’s past and her experiences with what happens when magic is misused was entertaining with a healthy dash of “holy shit!”
When it comes to love triangles O’Kell outdid herself with this one. She brought in a gorgeous Black Queen (most of the Royalty in her world are Black) who is also a warrior known for her compassion and fortitude, and threw in a Broody CisWhite “commoner” turned Steward to the King to swoon Juno into their beds. Spice is minimal, but the burning and longing are real. There are secrets to be explored and earned trust that is shaken, but will love prevail? If so, will there be a singular choice? Only O’Kell Knows the answer to that at the moment, but I am living for Juno’s ability and desire to see herself as a dragon sees her.
All in all, this was a book I could not put down, and will certainly be reading again. I am looking forward to more of this story in upcoming books, and more from this Author in the future.
The Maker of Spells is Jenny O’Kell’s debut Romantasy—the first in The Eleniqi Cycle books—and it captivated me from the first page. Juno Vera is our Main: the Spellworker turned Ambassador we didn’t know we have been waiting for! She is feisty, intelligent, unwilling to be pushed around—yet still full of compassion. We see this in the beginning where after having had her heart recently broken, she completely shifts her life to help the woman she still loves.
This story has quickly become a new comfort read, the reason I feel that way is: this first book is full of Character and World building, sure, there are a few action scenes, but even those are woven into the story in a beautifully meticulous way that keeps the flow of the story from shifting completely. I found this extremely refreshing and thoroughly enjoyed learning about this world O’Kell has created.
Juno might be the main, but this book is filled to the brim with strong female characters. A Dark Sorceress who has secrets of her own, a Diplomat with her own agenda and desires for Juno, a servant girl who is as brave and loyal as they come and who possibly possesses some strange form of magic herself. Male or Female or somewhere in between the characters all bring so much to the heart of this story with their banter, antics, espionage, and promises of possibility.
This story has a strong focus on the magic system and how it affects the world around them. I was intrigued to see how O’Kell would let things play out, and I have to admit, I was not disappointed at all. Reading about Juno’s past and her experiences with what happens when magic is misused was entertaining with a healthy dash of “holy shit!”
When it comes to love triangles O’Kell outdid herself with this one. She brought in a gorgeous Black Queen (most of the Royalty in her world are Black) who is also a warrior known for her compassion and fortitude, and threw in a Broody CisWhite “commoner” turned Steward to the King to swoon Juno into their beds. Spice is minimal, but the burning and longing are real. There are secrets to be explored and earned trust that is shaken, but will love prevail? If so, will there be a singular choice? Only O’Kell Knows the answer to that at the moment, but I am living for Juno’s ability and desire to see herself as a dragon sees her.
All in all, this was a book I could not put down, and will certainly be reading again. I am looking forward to more of this story in upcoming books, and more from this Author in the future.
December 21, 2024
Book Summary:
Juno Vera is a talented spellwright who has made a name for herself in this world. Once betrothed to the queen, Juno is now tasked with speaking for her. It’s not the role Juno would have asked for in life, but she’s a talented speaker; if anybody can sway the king of a neighboring nation, it’s her.
Unfortunately, King Amorgo is a determined individual. He wants Artemis’ hand in marriage, likely in one of many moves to subjugate the kingdoms around him. It will take everything Juno has to prevent an all-out war.
My Review:
The Maker of Spells is a rich and complex fantasy novel. When I say this book has layers, I mean it. Juno’s history alone is enough to keep readers occupied. Then there’s the magical system, political situation, secondary characters, poisons, dragons, and more.
It’s a lot but in a good way. I’m unsure what I enjoyed more, the political system or the magic. Probably the magic, but only because I’m a sucker for a solid grounding in magical systems. I hope Jenny O’Kell turns this story into a series, as I would love to revisit this world.
There are so many characters in this world. I would suggest making a little list to track who’s who. This has less to do with the sheer number of characters and more to do with the fact that each character had a backstory, motivation, and complex reason for being included. It’s the sort of thing you want to keep track of.
The characters are where The Maker of Spells shines. I cannot stress this enough. They turn a magical world into something that feels real and alive. You can see how much effort the author put into making her characters feel this way, so once again, I hope we’ll return to this world. These characters deserve more time on the pages.
Highlights:
Magic & Balance
Poison & Healing
Complicated Political System
Trigger Warnings:
Poisoning
Gaslighting & Kidnapping
Thanks to Jenny O’Kell and Reedsy for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Reedsy
Juno Vera is a talented spellwright who has made a name for herself in this world. Once betrothed to the queen, Juno is now tasked with speaking for her. It’s not the role Juno would have asked for in life, but she’s a talented speaker; if anybody can sway the king of a neighboring nation, it’s her.
Unfortunately, King Amorgo is a determined individual. He wants Artemis’ hand in marriage, likely in one of many moves to subjugate the kingdoms around him. It will take everything Juno has to prevent an all-out war.
My Review:
The Maker of Spells is a rich and complex fantasy novel. When I say this book has layers, I mean it. Juno’s history alone is enough to keep readers occupied. Then there’s the magical system, political situation, secondary characters, poisons, dragons, and more.
It’s a lot but in a good way. I’m unsure what I enjoyed more, the political system or the magic. Probably the magic, but only because I’m a sucker for a solid grounding in magical systems. I hope Jenny O’Kell turns this story into a series, as I would love to revisit this world.
There are so many characters in this world. I would suggest making a little list to track who’s who. This has less to do with the sheer number of characters and more to do with the fact that each character had a backstory, motivation, and complex reason for being included. It’s the sort of thing you want to keep track of.
The characters are where The Maker of Spells shines. I cannot stress this enough. They turn a magical world into something that feels real and alive. You can see how much effort the author put into making her characters feel this way, so once again, I hope we’ll return to this world. These characters deserve more time on the pages.
Highlights:
Magic & Balance
Poison & Healing
Complicated Political System
Trigger Warnings:
Poisoning
Gaslighting & Kidnapping
Thanks to Jenny O’Kell and Reedsy for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.
You Can Also Find Me On:
Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks | Quirky Cat's Comics | Monkeys Fighting Robots | Storygraph | Bookhype | Bookstagram | Tumblr | Reedsy
January 19, 2025
I highly recommend this engaging fantasy, perfect to lighten your mood and warm your heart. Delve into this new novel on a cold wet day and be transported as I was to an imaginary world of dragons and royalty, where magic rules. You will enjoy the well developed characters, who become real in your own imagination.
This good read is perfect for young adults and the young at heart. Created with a feminist touch. A harrowing adventure that holds the attention all the way to a satisfying conclusion. Cannot wait for more from this author.
This good read is perfect for young adults and the young at heart. Created with a feminist touch. A harrowing adventure that holds the attention all the way to a satisfying conclusion. Cannot wait for more from this author.
December 22, 2024
A great read! This is a beautifully written fantasy romance, with a riveting plot and captivating characters. In an enchanting but endangered fantasy world, feisty Juno Vera encounters love, lust, political conflict, and palace intrigue as she is compelled to set right a disordered world. The fantasy world and the characters are expertly developed--they come to life on every page. I hope there will be lots more of delightful Justine in the next volume of this series--she is enchanting!
May 23, 2025
This book was full of mystery, political intrigue, and romance (including a love triangle). The worldbuilding had a Game of Thrones level of painstaking detail. I would have liked a little more information about what Justine was doing near the end, however, or for the protagonist, Juno, to have been involved in more action throughout the book apart from making spells. But otherwise, it was an entertaining read and I look forward to the next.
Read
January 30, 2025In “The Maker of Spells” we follow Spellwright and Ambassador Juno Vera as she tries to navigate a desperate situation for newly Queened Artemis of Demeterra who is stuck between two difficult choices, war with neighboring realm Aresia or marrying Aresia’s King Amorgo. These choices are compounded with even more difficulty due to Juno and the Queen being formally betrothed to each other and the assassination of the Queens parents. This story had a lot going on but in the best way. There was always something happening with the addition of a couple of mystery subplots. In addition to the interesting storyline, I adored several of the characters in this story and I felt like they really drew everything together. My favorite character, Spellwright Vera was cunning, clever, and lovelably raw. I will read the next book in this series and in fact I look forward to it.
December 24, 2024
This is Jenny O’Kell’s first book and I really enjoyed it. I found the diplomatic premise interesting and the book moves quickly through a well conceptualized world. Complete with an interesting magic system and well executed love scenes. Looking forward to the next in the series!
August 25, 2025
Ooooo the plot was intriguing. Diplomacy, magic, dragons. Main characters older than 25. It was so good!
September 16, 2025
A queer main world setting? A heroine who is MY AGE?? DRAGONS? Hell yes!!
November 14, 2025
The Maker of Spells is a beautifully crafted fantasy filled with intrigue, elemental magic, dragons, and a compelling heroine navigating love, duty, and danger.”
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews