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Spells for Life and Death #1
Modern divination
A Discovery of Witches meets The Atlas Six in Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian, a dark contemporary fantasy from a brilliant new talent. Modern Divination is the first book in the Spells for Life and Death duology.
The colour of magic was gold . . .
Twenty-three-year-old witch Aurelia Schwartz has always had to carefully balance her human life with her secret magical one. With a place at an elite Cambridge university college, she almost has everything she could possibly want within her grasp. Just so long as she follows the rules: Make no promises. Tell no one what you are. And never stay the night.
Except Aurelia’s gift of green magic has begun to fade. Worse still, someone is hunting witches – and stealing their powers. Reluctantly, Aurelia needs the help of fellow witch – and dreadfully arrogant classmate – Theodore Ingram. Together, they seek refuge among his family in the remote corners of an already-desolate town. But as she grows closer to Theodore, the power-hungry witch-killer, too, draws nearer. And they threaten to destroy everything Aurelia holds dear . . .
Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian is a magical cosy fantasy with witches, featuring an academic rivals-to-lovers romance, found family and yearning.
Praise for Modern Divination
‘Lush and atmospheric, full of magic and yearning’ – Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
‘The cosy contemporary fantasy of my dreams’ – Ava Reid, New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning
‘A gem of a book’ – Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of The Foxglove King
The colour of magic was gold . . .
Twenty-three-year-old witch Aurelia Schwartz has always had to carefully balance her human life with her secret magical one. With a place at an elite Cambridge university college, she almost has everything she could possibly want within her grasp. Just so long as she follows the rules: Make no promises. Tell no one what you are. And never stay the night.
Except Aurelia’s gift of green magic has begun to fade. Worse still, someone is hunting witches – and stealing their powers. Reluctantly, Aurelia needs the help of fellow witch – and dreadfully arrogant classmate – Theodore Ingram. Together, they seek refuge among his family in the remote corners of an already-desolate town. But as she grows closer to Theodore, the power-hungry witch-killer, too, draws nearer. And they threaten to destroy everything Aurelia holds dear . . .
Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian is a magical cosy fantasy with witches, featuring an academic rivals-to-lovers romance, found family and yearning.
Praise for Modern Divination
‘Lush and atmospheric, full of magic and yearning’ – Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
‘The cosy contemporary fantasy of my dreams’ – Ava Reid, New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Drowning
‘A gem of a book’ – Hannah Whitten, New York Times bestselling author of The Foxglove King
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 30, 2025
303 people are currently reading
35234 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 1,131 reviews
June 13, 2024
If you like to read about academic rivals, read this book
If you’re a winter person, read this book
If you rewatch Gilmore Girls and Supernatural every year, read this book
If you like cozy secluded settings, read this book
If you want magic and mystery but to focus mostly on the characters, read this book
Only one thing she was certain of: that Theodore Ingram had answers hidden somewhere behind his inky black veil of secrecy, and she would open him up to find them, piece by piece, even if it meant pulling him apart.
This originally came into my TBR because of the modern-corpse-bride look of the cover; the synopsis made it move to my 5-star-prediction list.
My Obligatory Taylor Swift Playlist:
-The Archer
-Anti-hero
-cowboy like me
-peace
-Snow on the Beach
“Can we pretend a little longer?” she whispered.
“If you want. Just until it’s real.”
If you’re a winter person, read this book
If you rewatch Gilmore Girls and Supernatural every year, read this book
If you like cozy secluded settings, read this book
If you want magic and mystery but to focus mostly on the characters, read this book
Only one thing she was certain of: that Theodore Ingram had answers hidden somewhere behind his inky black veil of secrecy, and she would open him up to find them, piece by piece, even if it meant pulling him apart.
This originally came into my TBR because of the modern-corpse-bride look of the cover; the synopsis made it move to my 5-star-prediction list.
My Obligatory Taylor Swift Playlist:
-The Archer
-Anti-hero
-cowboy like me
-peace
-Snow on the Beach
“Can we pretend a little longer?” she whispered.
“If you want. Just until it’s real.”
November 11, 2023
Eat up babies, new Howl-coded love interest just dropped!
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
His heartbeat leapt under her palm; and she was Icarus, unwinding as he held her to his chest. How far would she go until it was too late? Until enough of her had melted off that she could no longer be reshaped?... Just burn me, she thought. Let both our wings be damaged.
MODERN DIVINATION is a haunting fantasy romance featuring a dark academia backdrop, a witchy mystery, a rivals-to-lovers slow burn, and a magical bookstore I would give my soul to visit.
Rivalry, like love, required some measure of possession.
More than anything, MODERN DIVINATION is absolutely dripping with atmosphere. The prose lifts off the paper like mist, lingering in your mind long after putting the book down. Agajanian conjures a vivid, precise tonal setting that allows the book itself to feel precious and mystical. It's a tale you easily get lost in, as you forget about the world beyond the one at your fingertips, instead imagining yourself amongst the patter of rain on cobblestone, with warmth radiating from a mug of tea coddled between your palms, and the smell of lavender and petrichor just wafting beneath your nose. I found myself creating entire settings in which to read, wanting to replicate the sensory experience: surrounding myself with lit candles, putting on a curated playlist, and certainly never without a cozy drink. (I highly recommend a london fog or mint chocolate tea!)
There were many burned bridges behind her, but she made a point never to look back at them, because she thought it would hurt — like a wound beneath stitches, still tender and raw. Like Orpheus damning Eurydice with his affection.
This is certainly a very character-driven story, and these characters are brilliantly raw and messy and relatable to a fellow floundering and emotionally guarded 23-year-old. I couldn't help but see myself in their hopes and in their fears. Even the times they are solidly in the wrong or delusionally crafting their own misery, I found them easy to understand and connect with. Aurelia is so wonderfully stubborn and dense and a fantastic character to carry us on this journey. Her development is so rich and her perspective is so fabulously flawed. I think everyone who has had to fight and claw their way forward in life will really see themselves in her. And though it isn't a major part of the story, I do feel as though I have to mention that she's Jewish, which of course, won her some points with me. And Teddy is SUCH a delicious love interest. I'm literally gay and yet... he's my new book boyfriend. He's so broody and whimsical, and such a haunted little bird boy. I'm desperate for more of his POV in the second book.
You’d be surprised by all the things that scare me.” “Like what?” “You. You terrify me. And torture me a bit too.”
And the romance was heart-wrenching, poetic, and timeless. Teddy and Aurelia mirror each other and play off their similarities, finding moments of contention and attraction in tandem. It was such a joy getting to watch them learn to take down their walls, bit by bit, and learn to look at each other a little deeper. I loved the way that they grow throughout the text, not just individually, but together. They bring about each other's growth through their poking and prodding and yet also through their love for each other. Their chemistry (and their banter!!!) are absolutely unparalleled. The Icarus metaphor absolutely gutted me like a fish.
“You say that like your affection is a rotten thing,” he said. Aurelia shrugged. “Because it is. Mine is. Like you said, it’s all diluted.” And it’s just you I’m rotten with.
I will say, this book had a slow start, and for probably about the first half, I felt that at times the prose got so tangled in its beauty it lost a bit of clarity. (It sadly was most definitely overworked.) But at some point along the way, it just hit its stride and balanced itself out and all of that fell away to blossom into a gorgeous piece of storytelling. And especially for an indie debut, a slow start is nothing to hold back my praise. It's been a while since I've been so entranced into a book that it forces me to stay up past my bedtime, but I had to stay up til 2:30 AM because I refused to rip myself from the clutches of this story. Even writing up this review, my fingers are itching to return to this book's pages and to fill its margins with annotations, unravelling the strings of Agajanian's narrative brilliance. And even more, I cannot wait for book 2.
To love something was to deface it—to give it a mark and change its identity forever.
MODERN DIVINATION is for the tea lovers, the Howl's Moving Castle girlies, the readers who annotate their books into oblivion, the romantics with trust issues, the underestimated academics, the purple-prose lovers, the gays, and anyone looking for a book to cuddle up with on a blustering winter night.
CW: violence, murder, blood & gore, injury detail, dead body, bullying, loss of loved one, grief, limb loss, abusive parent, sexual content, emesis
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
His heartbeat leapt under her palm; and she was Icarus, unwinding as he held her to his chest. How far would she go until it was too late? Until enough of her had melted off that she could no longer be reshaped?... Just burn me, she thought. Let both our wings be damaged.
MODERN DIVINATION is a haunting fantasy romance featuring a dark academia backdrop, a witchy mystery, a rivals-to-lovers slow burn, and a magical bookstore I would give my soul to visit.
Rivalry, like love, required some measure of possession.
More than anything, MODERN DIVINATION is absolutely dripping with atmosphere. The prose lifts off the paper like mist, lingering in your mind long after putting the book down. Agajanian conjures a vivid, precise tonal setting that allows the book itself to feel precious and mystical. It's a tale you easily get lost in, as you forget about the world beyond the one at your fingertips, instead imagining yourself amongst the patter of rain on cobblestone, with warmth radiating from a mug of tea coddled between your palms, and the smell of lavender and petrichor just wafting beneath your nose. I found myself creating entire settings in which to read, wanting to replicate the sensory experience: surrounding myself with lit candles, putting on a curated playlist, and certainly never without a cozy drink. (I highly recommend a london fog or mint chocolate tea!)
There were many burned bridges behind her, but she made a point never to look back at them, because she thought it would hurt — like a wound beneath stitches, still tender and raw. Like Orpheus damning Eurydice with his affection.
This is certainly a very character-driven story, and these characters are brilliantly raw and messy and relatable to a fellow floundering and emotionally guarded 23-year-old. I couldn't help but see myself in their hopes and in their fears. Even the times they are solidly in the wrong or delusionally crafting their own misery, I found them easy to understand and connect with. Aurelia is so wonderfully stubborn and dense and a fantastic character to carry us on this journey. Her development is so rich and her perspective is so fabulously flawed. I think everyone who has had to fight and claw their way forward in life will really see themselves in her. And though it isn't a major part of the story, I do feel as though I have to mention that she's Jewish, which of course, won her some points with me. And Teddy is SUCH a delicious love interest. I'm literally gay and yet... he's my new book boyfriend. He's so broody and whimsical, and such a haunted little bird boy. I'm desperate for more of his POV in the second book.
You’d be surprised by all the things that scare me.” “Like what?” “You. You terrify me. And torture me a bit too.”
And the romance was heart-wrenching, poetic, and timeless. Teddy and Aurelia mirror each other and play off their similarities, finding moments of contention and attraction in tandem. It was such a joy getting to watch them learn to take down their walls, bit by bit, and learn to look at each other a little deeper. I loved the way that they grow throughout the text, not just individually, but together. They bring about each other's growth through their poking and prodding and yet also through their love for each other. Their chemistry (and their banter!!!) are absolutely unparalleled. The Icarus metaphor absolutely gutted me like a fish.
“You say that like your affection is a rotten thing,” he said. Aurelia shrugged. “Because it is. Mine is. Like you said, it’s all diluted.” And it’s just you I’m rotten with.
I will say, this book had a slow start, and for probably about the first half, I felt that at times the prose got so tangled in its beauty it lost a bit of clarity. (It sadly was most definitely overworked.) But at some point along the way, it just hit its stride and balanced itself out and all of that fell away to blossom into a gorgeous piece of storytelling. And especially for an indie debut, a slow start is nothing to hold back my praise. It's been a while since I've been so entranced into a book that it forces me to stay up past my bedtime, but I had to stay up til 2:30 AM because I refused to rip myself from the clutches of this story. Even writing up this review, my fingers are itching to return to this book's pages and to fill its margins with annotations, unravelling the strings of Agajanian's narrative brilliance. And even more, I cannot wait for book 2.
To love something was to deface it—to give it a mark and change its identity forever.
MODERN DIVINATION is for the tea lovers, the Howl's Moving Castle girlies, the readers who annotate their books into oblivion, the romantics with trust issues, the underestimated academics, the purple-prose lovers, the gays, and anyone looking for a book to cuddle up with on a blustering winter night.
CW: violence, murder, blood & gore, injury detail, dead body, bullying, loss of loved one, grief, limb loss, abusive parent, sexual content, emesis
January 9, 2025
i’m broken all over again
Read my full review
Bookstagram | Blog
Read my full review
Bookstagram | Blog
April 5, 2023
I think I need to stop taking book recommendations from TikTok.
I want to make a few things clear before I share my
opinions:
1)The author clearly loves their characters a lot, and invested tons of time and energy into crafting their story.
2)I don’t know where people are getting “Howl-coded” from the love interest in this book. If you pick this up hoping for a character even remotely similar to Howl, you’ll be sorely disappointed (as I was).
3)Some people have a high tolerance for self published books that haven’t gone through rigorous editing cycles, provided there’s enough “atmosphere” to sustain it. Sadly, I am not one of those people.
Moving on. This book is severely overwritten. While the author clearly has a grasp on good sentences structure and interesting vocab, they need someone with a critical eye to comb through their writing. There were so many instances of repetitive sentences and clunky word choice that could have been easily pared down. I think making this book about 40% shorter would have made it more bearable for me.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe the issues lie entirely in the lack of editing. About three-fourths of the way through I realized there really wasn’t much plot to speak of. The story seems to be held up entirely by repetitive, circular conversations between the two leads. Most of the story is spent milling around a singular location, caught in meaningless introspection. When the “climax” finally happened, it felt abrupt and quickly glazed over. The antagonist (?) was barely a character at all, and I’d be hard pressed to tell you anything about her other than the singular goal she monologued to the leads (which felt like an attempt to justify her place in the story).
Modern Divination also suffers from a bad case of telling and not showing. Almost all the information we learn is spelled out for us. Meanwhile, locations and scenes are so sparsely described, it often felt like the characters were standing around talking in an empty void.
Side note: This book is not dark academia. The first handful of chapters are set at a college (which is supposed to be Cambridge but honestly it had so little identity it didn’t feel like Cambridge). The first handful of chapters have a murder. That does not make it dark academia.
I have a feeling this book will be picked up for a traditional publishing release (à la Atlas Six). While MD wasn’t for me, I’m hoping the author gets a chance to really improve on their writing and story telling.
I want to make a few things clear before I share my
opinions:
1)The author clearly loves their characters a lot, and invested tons of time and energy into crafting their story.
2)I don’t know where people are getting “Howl-coded” from the love interest in this book. If you pick this up hoping for a character even remotely similar to Howl, you’ll be sorely disappointed (as I was).
3)Some people have a high tolerance for self published books that haven’t gone through rigorous editing cycles, provided there’s enough “atmosphere” to sustain it. Sadly, I am not one of those people.
Moving on. This book is severely overwritten. While the author clearly has a grasp on good sentences structure and interesting vocab, they need someone with a critical eye to comb through their writing. There were so many instances of repetitive sentences and clunky word choice that could have been easily pared down. I think making this book about 40% shorter would have made it more bearable for me.
Unfortunately, I don’t believe the issues lie entirely in the lack of editing. About three-fourths of the way through I realized there really wasn’t much plot to speak of. The story seems to be held up entirely by repetitive, circular conversations between the two leads. Most of the story is spent milling around a singular location, caught in meaningless introspection. When the “climax” finally happened, it felt abrupt and quickly glazed over. The antagonist (?) was barely a character at all, and I’d be hard pressed to tell you anything about her other than the singular goal she monologued to the leads (which felt like an attempt to justify her place in the story).
Modern Divination also suffers from a bad case of telling and not showing. Almost all the information we learn is spelled out for us. Meanwhile, locations and scenes are so sparsely described, it often felt like the characters were standing around talking in an empty void.
Side note: This book is not dark academia. The first handful of chapters are set at a college (which is supposed to be Cambridge but honestly it had so little identity it didn’t feel like Cambridge). The first handful of chapters have a murder. That does not make it dark academia.
I have a feeling this book will be picked up for a traditional publishing release (à la Atlas Six). While MD wasn’t for me, I’m hoping the author gets a chance to really improve on their writing and story telling.
January 29, 2025
Modern Divination reads as if the writing of Divine Rivals was mixed with an occult dark academia, and I ate it up.
From the get go we see an intense rivalry between Aurelia and Theodore, one fuelled by sharp tongues and vitriol so longwinded it’s hard to root out. But a magical conundrum soon forces the two into close proximity, and I loved the slow but steady progression in their relationship - their uncertainty, the small moments that meant more than expected, their relapses into bickering. I came to love reading about our lil duo, and could easily fall into their story.
The book did start to feel a little long, with that in turn making the stake feel…not as intense as they maybe should’ve been. But I was happy to experience this writing and enjoy my time with the characters, aided even more by the audiobook being fantastic. The narrator did a brilliant job at portraying emotions in a way that only heightened the intense back-and-forths, and their knack for accents is a wonder to listen to.
This definitely feels like the sort of dark academia that thrives off the definition of “ruminating”, with each character thinking over small moments and sayings and considering their place in the world at a constant rate. Both feel like lost souls, lonely despite having people around, and seeing their story unfold together is just heartwarming.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of both ebook and audiobook via Netgalley.
From the get go we see an intense rivalry between Aurelia and Theodore, one fuelled by sharp tongues and vitriol so longwinded it’s hard to root out. But a magical conundrum soon forces the two into close proximity, and I loved the slow but steady progression in their relationship - their uncertainty, the small moments that meant more than expected, their relapses into bickering. I came to love reading about our lil duo, and could easily fall into their story.
The book did start to feel a little long, with that in turn making the stake feel…not as intense as they maybe should’ve been. But I was happy to experience this writing and enjoy my time with the characters, aided even more by the audiobook being fantastic. The narrator did a brilliant job at portraying emotions in a way that only heightened the intense back-and-forths, and their knack for accents is a wonder to listen to.
This definitely feels like the sort of dark academia that thrives off the definition of “ruminating”, with each character thinking over small moments and sayings and considering their place in the world at a constant rate. Both feel like lost souls, lonely despite having people around, and seeing their story unfold together is just heartwarming.
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of both ebook and audiobook via Netgalley.
November 14, 2023
and guess what the only good thing about this book is the cover😍😀👍🏼
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i'm here bc of the cover😍
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i'm here bc of the cover😍
October 24, 2025
now this is how you write a slowburn!!!
May 12, 2023
THAT LETTER!!?!?!? dear god. i am so whipped. Teddy Ingram the man that you are <3
dnf
May 14, 2025 DNF at 12%
We had a Show vs Tell discussion at a book club just last week, and if I could time travel, I'd take this book back with me as an example of what not to do for a Tell-Only Narrative. I forced myself to make it to chapter four, and I was bored to tears the entire time.
I try to be kinder with debut authors, but man this really could have used an editor. The sentence structure was unnecessarily clunky and verbose, paragraphs started and ended in strange places, and the mc repeated her thoughts a lot? I had to reread multiple passages before I could parse what was actually written because a lot of this was utter word salad.
We had a Show vs Tell discussion at a book club just last week, and if I could time travel, I'd take this book back with me as an example of what not to do for a Tell-Only Narrative. I forced myself to make it to chapter four, and I was bored to tears the entire time.
I try to be kinder with debut authors, but man this really could have used an editor. The sentence structure was unnecessarily clunky and verbose, paragraphs started and ended in strange places, and the mc repeated her thoughts a lot? I had to reread multiple passages before I could parse what was actually written because a lot of this was utter word salad.
September 12, 2023
The vibes were immaculate and it absolutely delivered on the promised Howl/Sophie dynamic. The pacing lagged in a few spots for me, especially towards the end, and there are a few plot points that I’m still confused about. But overall this was exactly what I wanted it to be.
December 17, 2022
“The way he imbued her name with devotion was a sorcery of its own merit”
I am in love with how comforting this book feels. It is a warm hug during a cold winter day.
The writing is absolutely stunning, I’m so impressed and in awe with how beautiful everything was. It is a very atmospheric witchy reading with some dark academia vibes which makes it a perfect autumnal / wintery book. It is the PERFECT enemies / academic rivals to lovers slow burn. I’ve rarely read a book that has an enemies to lovers so well written and not rushed. You can really see the development of the relationship, it is so satisfying.
A MUST READ
I am in love with how comforting this book feels. It is a warm hug during a cold winter day.
The writing is absolutely stunning, I’m so impressed and in awe with how beautiful everything was. It is a very atmospheric witchy reading with some dark academia vibes which makes it a perfect autumnal / wintery book. It is the PERFECT enemies / academic rivals to lovers slow burn. I’ve rarely read a book that has an enemies to lovers so well written and not rushed. You can really see the development of the relationship, it is so satisfying.
A MUST READ
November 15, 2025
4.0 ★— This was lovely, and I fear that most of this book’s mixed reviews might be due to some mismarketing. This isn’t really dark academia, with most of the plot set during winter break from university. I also found the way this book handled magic very intriguing at first, but felt that the story really lacked follow-through with it, which definitely impacted some of my enjoyment.
Aurelia Schwartz is the main character here. She’s a brilliant mind from a modest background that’s led to her feeling her station in life compared to the many wealthy students around her. She’s quite bitter, very spiteful, and her interactions with the MMC, Theodore Ingram, were so acidic I thought she was almost over the top with how she treated him. For some, she really might not be a character they could enjoy, but spiky heroines with avoidant attachment are it for me, so I mostly liked getting to know her more.
Theodore, aforementioned receiver of much of her ire, has a relationship with her that I would call one of the most extreme cases of one-sided enemies-to-lovers I’ve seen, because that man has never hated Aurelia in his life. He only engages with her through their academic rivalry, since they’re both very academically driven. The book does reveal how much this little rivalry has impacted them both, though it’s quickly obvious just how much time he’s spent thinking about her, and how much his feelings veer into much mushier territory.
What didn’t work for me here was that I felt the book started many interesting story threads but never got to finish them. The magic, which is really interesting early on, is shown to be powerfully destructive through the Big Bad Villain of the book and through scenes of Aurelia struggling with her own abilities. Her body even starts to fail her, showing just how dangerous, devastating, and draining it can be. But about halfway through, the author just drops this without addressing her magic-related health problems again. Like, homegirl was seriously struggling, and then it’s simply not brought up after a while.
I also don’t think I much enjoyed the actual setting, wishing the book could have given me the university feelings I wanted instead of the small-town vibes it actually delivered.
The thing that I most loved here, though, and what elevated this book even with some of the problems I had, was the slow burn of it all! I really did enjoy the tension and relationship development, and two miserable idiots pining for each other while not being able to get over their own hang-ups will always get to me. So I’m being a bit lenient with some of this book’s shortcomings, because a proper, well-done slow burn is a rarity in this genre, and I really liked it here.
Aurelia Schwartz is the main character here. She’s a brilliant mind from a modest background that’s led to her feeling her station in life compared to the many wealthy students around her. She’s quite bitter, very spiteful, and her interactions with the MMC, Theodore Ingram, were so acidic I thought she was almost over the top with how she treated him. For some, she really might not be a character they could enjoy, but spiky heroines with avoidant attachment are it for me, so I mostly liked getting to know her more.
Theodore, aforementioned receiver of much of her ire, has a relationship with her that I would call one of the most extreme cases of one-sided enemies-to-lovers I’ve seen, because that man has never hated Aurelia in his life. He only engages with her through their academic rivalry, since they’re both very academically driven. The book does reveal how much this little rivalry has impacted them both, though it’s quickly obvious just how much time he’s spent thinking about her, and how much his feelings veer into much mushier territory.
What didn’t work for me here was that I felt the book started many interesting story threads but never got to finish them. The magic, which is really interesting early on, is shown to be powerfully destructive through the Big Bad Villain of the book and through scenes of Aurelia struggling with her own abilities. Her body even starts to fail her, showing just how dangerous, devastating, and draining it can be. But about halfway through, the author just drops this without addressing her magic-related health problems again. Like, homegirl was seriously struggling, and then it’s simply not brought up after a while.
I also don’t think I much enjoyed the actual setting, wishing the book could have given me the university feelings I wanted instead of the small-town vibes it actually delivered.
The thing that I most loved here, though, and what elevated this book even with some of the problems I had, was the slow burn of it all! I really did enjoy the tension and relationship development, and two miserable idiots pining for each other while not being able to get over their own hang-ups will always get to me. So I’m being a bit lenient with some of this book’s shortcomings, because a proper, well-done slow burn is a rarity in this genre, and I really liked it here.
February 14, 2023
DNF 38%
This book is about two adults behaving like teenagers, no I take that back one adult behaves like a teen, the other like a bloody child. He is beyond insufferable and oh so broken and life has just been soooo hard on him, he treats the main character like dirt but no, he’s not a bad person, he just wants to protect her… from himself 🤣. He whisks her away from university after a student is murdered, tells her it’s for her safety and when she asks normal questions like where are we going? and what are we doing? he rage quits and tells her “you just don’t understand” LIKE OFC SHE DOESN’T and then he tells her to leave if she thinks she can take care of herself, what? This is where I had to stop reading to protect my peace.
I’m sure the writer will give him a redemption arc and she’s going to explain how there are reasons✨ for his assholery, probably something really tragic like he killed his friend Kenny, but I really don’t care. Also there’s no plot, a girl was murdered and they are likely to be the next victims, you’d think there would be some urgency but nope, they spend all they’re time arguing with each other. And man do they argue, now I myself love a good academic to rivals/ enemies to lovers, but neither character had a personality trait outside of their dislike for each other. The writing felt so repetitive, like I get it, she doesn’t like him and he doesn’t like her, move on. Give me a reason to like either of them, maybe?
NOTE: I’ve seen some people class this as dark academia. It’s not. Setting a book in Cambridge doesn’t make it dark academia. Having a girl murdered doesn’t make it dark academia. Having every character be extremely dislikable and arrogant doesn’t make it dark academic. Tbh if the writer didn’t tell me it was set in Cambridge I don’t think I’d have noticed. The descriptions were poor and the pacing was too slow to keep me interested. The prose was littered with metaphors and tried to be dramatic all the time but it just came off stilted and juvenile. All in all not my cuppa tea.
This book is about two adults behaving like teenagers, no I take that back one adult behaves like a teen, the other like a bloody child. He is beyond insufferable and oh so broken and life has just been soooo hard on him, he treats the main character like dirt but no, he’s not a bad person, he just wants to protect her… from himself 🤣. He whisks her away from university after a student is murdered, tells her it’s for her safety and when she asks normal questions like where are we going? and what are we doing? he rage quits and tells her “you just don’t understand” LIKE OFC SHE DOESN’T and then he tells her to leave if she thinks she can take care of herself, what? This is where I had to stop reading to protect my peace.
I’m sure the writer will give him a redemption arc and she’s going to explain how there are reasons✨ for his assholery, probably something really tragic like he killed his friend Kenny, but I really don’t care. Also there’s no plot, a girl was murdered and they are likely to be the next victims, you’d think there would be some urgency but nope, they spend all they’re time arguing with each other. And man do they argue, now I myself love a good academic to rivals/ enemies to lovers, but neither character had a personality trait outside of their dislike for each other. The writing felt so repetitive, like I get it, she doesn’t like him and he doesn’t like her, move on. Give me a reason to like either of them, maybe?
NOTE: I’ve seen some people class this as dark academia. It’s not. Setting a book in Cambridge doesn’t make it dark academia. Having a girl murdered doesn’t make it dark academia. Having every character be extremely dislikable and arrogant doesn’t make it dark academic. Tbh if the writer didn’t tell me it was set in Cambridge I don’t think I’d have noticed. The descriptions were poor and the pacing was too slow to keep me interested. The prose was littered with metaphors and tried to be dramatic all the time but it just came off stilted and juvenile. All in all not my cuppa tea.
October 1, 2023
3.5. I enjoyed this, and the elements that work, really work, but at the end of the day I didn't quite love it as much as I wanted to.
What I liked:
Teddy and Aurelia are both great protagonists. I especially loved Aurelia's spikiness and the way it served her as a defense mechanism. I respect a grudge-carrying girl.
The story is perfectly steeped in autumnal atmosphere, with surprisingly cozy settings: I was obsessed with the quaint small town, the coffee shop with its terrible coffee, the magical bookshop and the warm witches' cottage.
The slow burn ? Is burning S L O W and it's to die for.
What I feel conflicted about:
I literally still, at the end of the book, cannot make my mind up about the prose. At times, it seemed to snap into place for me, and it worked beautifully with the story. But sometimes - maybe more often? - I found it actively distracting.
The pacing: I like vibes over plot stories, and this is definitely one of those. But I feel like it pushes the plotlessness just a *bit* too far for me. There are too many things that I was left unsatisfied with, which leads me, unfortunately, to:
What I did not like:
Spoilers past this point!!!!!
Too many elements are set up and not revisited or resolved for my personal taste (although I know that there is a sequel planned and I will definitely be picking it up.) What the hell happened with Gemma? What's up with Teddy's parents that's so terrible he would refuse urgent medical care? Teddy blames himself for his friend's death, but later mentions he was in another city when it happened - what's up with that? How does magic even work - I'm all for soft magic systems generally speaking, but it becomes frustrating when the plot literally hinges on the function of magic and also you want to hit me with a major reveal about the main characters' magical abilities in the last act but it doesn't land for me at all because I never really got any information about how their abilities functioned to begin with.
Most egregious of all was the villain: I'm sorry, but she was just a bit... cartoonish. Her motivations are flimsy and almost comically evil, and they don't emerge until the climax, in a dramatic villain monologue. That just didn't work for me at all.
Overall I want to stress that I definitely still liked this ! I just have a lot of Feelings about it
What I liked:
Teddy and Aurelia are both great protagonists. I especially loved Aurelia's spikiness and the way it served her as a defense mechanism. I respect a grudge-carrying girl.
The story is perfectly steeped in autumnal atmosphere, with surprisingly cozy settings: I was obsessed with the quaint small town, the coffee shop with its terrible coffee, the magical bookshop and the warm witches' cottage.
The slow burn ? Is burning S L O W and it's to die for.
What I feel conflicted about:
I literally still, at the end of the book, cannot make my mind up about the prose. At times, it seemed to snap into place for me, and it worked beautifully with the story. But sometimes - maybe more often? - I found it actively distracting.
The pacing: I like vibes over plot stories, and this is definitely one of those. But I feel like it pushes the plotlessness just a *bit* too far for me. There are too many things that I was left unsatisfied with, which leads me, unfortunately, to:
What I did not like:
Spoilers past this point!!!!!
Too many elements are set up and not revisited or resolved for my personal taste (although I know that there is a sequel planned and I will definitely be picking it up.) What the hell happened with Gemma? What's up with Teddy's parents that's so terrible he would refuse urgent medical care? Teddy blames himself for his friend's death, but later mentions he was in another city when it happened - what's up with that? How does magic even work - I'm all for soft magic systems generally speaking, but it becomes frustrating when the plot literally hinges on the function of magic and also you want to hit me with a major reveal about the main characters' magical abilities in the last act but it doesn't land for me at all because I never really got any information about how their abilities functioned to begin with.
Most egregious of all was the villain: I'm sorry, but she was just a bit... cartoonish. Her motivations are flimsy and almost comically evil, and they don't emerge until the climax, in a dramatic villain monologue. That just didn't work for me at all.
Overall I want to stress that I definitely still liked this ! I just have a lot of Feelings about it
March 9, 2025
Many thanks to the author for the ARC!! This review is entirely my own thoughts and will feature plenty of crying over how much I adore this book.
Modern Divination is a gorgeous contemporary romantic fantasy following our MC Aurelia as she navigates life, love, growing up and her own particular brand of magic. It’s set mostly at Cambridge and a few other spots around England and includes a touch of dark academia, a wonderfully witchy magic system, a gripping mystery plot line and some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever come across. I’m seriously in awe of Isa’s talent because this book perfectly captured the intricate complexity of letting yourself be seen and understood by another human, with all the vulnerability that comes alongside it.
There are three things that are guaranteed to make me love a story, and ModDiv has them all in droves. First— a truly sickening amount of yearning. Seriously, the pining in this book was absolutely immaculate. I’m always a sucker for characters who are slow to love and desperate for connection, but it takes them a long time to admit that to themselves and the other person. The way Isa was able to delve into Aurelia and Teddy’s relationship as they navigated the process of chipping down each others walls and letting the other person fully know them was so, so beautiful. I’ll be thinking about their relationship for a very long time.
The second thing I love in books is atmospheric and emotional prose. There were so many lines I had to stop and reread just to get the full impact of them. Isa has such a talent for crafting the most incredible metaphors and subtle observations to capture the emotion and tone of the story. Not only was the setting and descriptions clear and evocative, the inner monologue and conversations between Aurelia and Teddy really displayed how immensely talented they are at taking something as fragile and ambiguous as the human experience and putting words to it.
Lastly, and on a more of a niche note, Teddy is my perfect love interest. Seriously— I’m in love with him. At the start he and Aurelia had such a funny and entertaining academic rival type relationship, mostly fuelled by Aurelia, that slowly moved into begrudging allies into *more*. I loved the progression of their relationship so much and thought it moved at a very natural and realistic rate. I fully believe in their relationship and loved every minute of them together. It doesn’t hurt that Teddy has that particular brand of slightly ridiculous, grovelling nature that I love in a man (I call it the Howl effect, after the indomitable Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle). He was soft in all the right places and I already want to reread it just to experience their love story again.
Overall, Modern Divination is a heartbreakingly beautiful debut from a hugely talented author and I’m so honoured I got to read the story early. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a NA romantic fantasy with a focus on character building, gorgeous prose and a relationship that will stick with you long after the final page.
The easiest five stars ever!
Modern Divination is a gorgeous contemporary romantic fantasy following our MC Aurelia as she navigates life, love, growing up and her own particular brand of magic. It’s set mostly at Cambridge and a few other spots around England and includes a touch of dark academia, a wonderfully witchy magic system, a gripping mystery plot line and some of the most beautiful writing I’ve ever come across. I’m seriously in awe of Isa’s talent because this book perfectly captured the intricate complexity of letting yourself be seen and understood by another human, with all the vulnerability that comes alongside it.
There are three things that are guaranteed to make me love a story, and ModDiv has them all in droves. First— a truly sickening amount of yearning. Seriously, the pining in this book was absolutely immaculate. I’m always a sucker for characters who are slow to love and desperate for connection, but it takes them a long time to admit that to themselves and the other person. The way Isa was able to delve into Aurelia and Teddy’s relationship as they navigated the process of chipping down each others walls and letting the other person fully know them was so, so beautiful. I’ll be thinking about their relationship for a very long time.
The second thing I love in books is atmospheric and emotional prose. There were so many lines I had to stop and reread just to get the full impact of them. Isa has such a talent for crafting the most incredible metaphors and subtle observations to capture the emotion and tone of the story. Not only was the setting and descriptions clear and evocative, the inner monologue and conversations between Aurelia and Teddy really displayed how immensely talented they are at taking something as fragile and ambiguous as the human experience and putting words to it.
Lastly, and on a more of a niche note, Teddy is my perfect love interest. Seriously— I’m in love with him. At the start he and Aurelia had such a funny and entertaining academic rival type relationship, mostly fuelled by Aurelia, that slowly moved into begrudging allies into *more*. I loved the progression of their relationship so much and thought it moved at a very natural and realistic rate. I fully believe in their relationship and loved every minute of them together. It doesn’t hurt that Teddy has that particular brand of slightly ridiculous, grovelling nature that I love in a man (I call it the Howl effect, after the indomitable Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle). He was soft in all the right places and I already want to reread it just to experience their love story again.
Overall, Modern Divination is a heartbreakingly beautiful debut from a hugely talented author and I’m so honoured I got to read the story early. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a NA romantic fantasy with a focus on character building, gorgeous prose and a relationship that will stick with you long after the final page.
The easiest five stars ever!
March 27, 2024
ending a book like that is sick and twisted MY HEART
November 13, 2025
4.5 stars!!
i’m glad i restarted the audio when i did because if i hadn’t, i think i would have dnf’d. BOY am i glad i didn’t dnf — this was a fantastic magical dark academia novel perfect for those who read the all souls books. i’m ready for book two!!
i really appreciated the slow burn relationship between supposed enemies rory and theo — i loved the way they worked together and protected one another.
i’ve heard from other reviews that the indie pubbed version is different from the trad pubbed, and i’m very interested to see the differences between books!
i also listened to the audio through libby, and the narrator did a great job!
i’m glad i restarted the audio when i did because if i hadn’t, i think i would have dnf’d. BOY am i glad i didn’t dnf — this was a fantastic magical dark academia novel perfect for those who read the all souls books. i’m ready for book two!!
i really appreciated the slow burn relationship between supposed enemies rory and theo — i loved the way they worked together and protected one another.
i’ve heard from other reviews that the indie pubbed version is different from the trad pubbed, and i’m very interested to see the differences between books!
i also listened to the audio through libby, and the narrator did a great job!
February 10, 2024
This is real rivals-to-something-more done right.
”Because I like it when you're mean. I think that's when I like you best."
Aurelia Schwartz is a witch with a green thumb, capable of making plants grow. She’s attending Cambridge as the top student in the Medieval History programme, careful to keep her magic a secret as it can get her killed.
Aurelia spends her days warring for the favour of her professor with a tall, dark-haired boy called Theodore Ingram - her rival, her nemesis, the centre of her resentment.
They’re thrown together despite their mutual dislike in a tentative alliance when they see a witch get murdered at one of their department parties.
Aurelia’s vehement opposition to Ingram seemed so absolute. They lived to be at each other's throats with extended claws and venomous words, him epitomising everything she hated yet coveted.
This did sometimes feel frustrating at the start as it becomes clear Aurelia had festered this grievance against Ingram for years whilst he never even knew it existed. Of course he would react to her simmering contempt with similar behaviour.
That was the difference between men who grew up coddled, spoon-fed success until hunger formed only from its loss, and women who'd reached success by clawing through their own flesh.
The writing in this was beautiful. Lyrical, yet also filled with modern British terms like Tesco, sloshed that directly places you in an urban fantasy setting filled with magic, whimsy, and mystery.
It was not a love story after all— between Icarus and the sun-but an obsession, a chase.
Whilst I would classify this under the sub-genre of academia, I would also caveat it with the fact only the first 20% primarily occurs in the College. After that, they retreat to an isolated countryside cottage.
The last 20% did not to be there. The climax happened and then the plot just stopped and meandered and it felt more like fanfiction or an extremely extended epilogue.
For that reason, I’m tempted to give it a three stars, but ultimately I enjoyed the first 75% or so: 3.5🌟, but it would have been 4 if not for that last part!
I also don’t feel compelled to pick up book two when it comes out.
Bookstagram
”Because I like it when you're mean. I think that's when I like you best."
Aurelia Schwartz is a witch with a green thumb, capable of making plants grow. She’s attending Cambridge as the top student in the Medieval History programme, careful to keep her magic a secret as it can get her killed.
Aurelia spends her days warring for the favour of her professor with a tall, dark-haired boy called Theodore Ingram - her rival, her nemesis, the centre of her resentment.
They’re thrown together despite their mutual dislike in a tentative alliance when they see a witch get murdered at one of their department parties.
Aurelia’s vehement opposition to Ingram seemed so absolute. They lived to be at each other's throats with extended claws and venomous words, him epitomising everything she hated yet coveted.
This did sometimes feel frustrating at the start as it becomes clear Aurelia had festered this grievance against Ingram for years whilst he never even knew it existed. Of course he would react to her simmering contempt with similar behaviour.
That was the difference between men who grew up coddled, spoon-fed success until hunger formed only from its loss, and women who'd reached success by clawing through their own flesh.
The writing in this was beautiful. Lyrical, yet also filled with modern British terms like Tesco, sloshed that directly places you in an urban fantasy setting filled with magic, whimsy, and mystery.
It was not a love story after all— between Icarus and the sun-but an obsession, a chase.
Whilst I would classify this under the sub-genre of academia, I would also caveat it with the fact only the first 20% primarily occurs in the College. After that, they retreat to an isolated countryside cottage.
The last 20% did not to be there. The climax happened and then the plot just stopped and meandered and it felt more like fanfiction or an extremely extended epilogue.
For that reason, I’m tempted to give it a three stars, but ultimately I enjoyed the first 75% or so: 3.5🌟, but it would have been 4 if not for that last part!
I also don’t feel compelled to pick up book two when it comes out.
Bookstagram
August 5, 2025
Modern Divination is a cozy, witchy fantasy novel perfect for a rainy day. The plot isn't too intense, but the setting and characters draw you in. Although I found the enemies-to-lovers aspect of the romance a little bit forced, I did really enjoy the dynamic between Aurelia and Teddy, especially in the second half of the story. And as mentioned, I loved the setting. The home that the two of them hid away in felt so real and lived in, in a very enchanting way. Overall, I had fun with this book, but I don't know if I'll continue with the series. The plot didn't really keep me at the edge of my seat, but I really loved the characters and atmosphere, and may just end up picking up the sequel to get more of that.
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Pan Macmillan for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 27, 2023
“It’s you I want. As you are, as I am.”
I am in love, this book is so cozy and comforting. The writing was so beautiful, a perfect fall/winter read!
Modern Divination is a cozy, contemporary, fantasy romance with some dark academia vibes. There is academic rivals to lovers, slow-burn, great banter between the characters, forced proximity, a bit of found family, magic, witches, mystery, tending to wounds, and a beautiful heart-wrenching romance.
~
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile before. Not to me. Sometimes, I’d see you smile at someone else in passing; but knowing I was there, it would vanish.”
“Because I like it when you’re mean. I think that’s when I like you best.”
The rivalry was so well written! The banter, the hatred, the groveling, the emotion was perfectly executed and the slow-burn was paced perfectly. I loved how their relationship wasn’t rushed and we got to see those flawed and stubborn moments between the characters before the development.
“You’ve seen me, she thought. You, of all people. You see me still.”
“Sometimes you feel like the only thing that’s right in my world.”
“We’re not pretending anymore, are we?”
“I’m nothing anymore if not real for you,”
“Sometimes I think I was made for you,” he said. “To be yours. To touch you like this.”
THE ROMANCE!!!! It was so worth the wait. Aurelia and Teddy were made for each other! Even when they were just rivals they both noticed those small details about each other that no one else would think twice about, they knew each other so well. I loved their development and seeing them slowly open up to each other and take down each others walls and letting one another see and understand who they really are without hiding.
They have such a deep connection. Usually I don’t like reading spice in books as it makes me uncomfortable sometimes but not this one. It was so beautifully written. The vulnerability, the intimacy, the yearning, the love! I may have cried a little; I’ll be thinking about them for a long time, they have my heart.
~
I still have so many questions!! I need to know more about Ingrams parents and their relationship and how it got to that point! And I need more of Gemma after what happened and some explanations for that! I also hoped to see more of the magic system as I felt it wasn’t thoroughly explained. And that ending!!! It was so bittersweet, the letter!!! I really hope book 2 expands on all of this!
Speaking of book 2, I need it in my hands now!
~
Some more quotes I loved !!
(Theodore Ingram is being added to the fav book bfs list)
“You’re very pretty, you know that?”
“Tell me again. While you still can.”
“We’ve never done this before,” she told him.
“Haven’t we?” He murmured. “Maybe not in your dreams but in mine.”
“And I would have brought down all of bloody London for you if I had to. If that makes me irretrievably selfish, so be it. I wasn’t going to stand by and let someone touch you. Let someone hurt you.”
“I love the way you smell,”
“I know you do, Rory. I wear this stupid thing for you.”
I am in love, this book is so cozy and comforting. The writing was so beautiful, a perfect fall/winter read!
Modern Divination is a cozy, contemporary, fantasy romance with some dark academia vibes. There is academic rivals to lovers, slow-burn, great banter between the characters, forced proximity, a bit of found family, magic, witches, mystery, tending to wounds, and a beautiful heart-wrenching romance.
~
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile before. Not to me. Sometimes, I’d see you smile at someone else in passing; but knowing I was there, it would vanish.”
“Because I like it when you’re mean. I think that’s when I like you best.”
The rivalry was so well written! The banter, the hatred, the groveling, the emotion was perfectly executed and the slow-burn was paced perfectly. I loved how their relationship wasn’t rushed and we got to see those flawed and stubborn moments between the characters before the development.
“You’ve seen me, she thought. You, of all people. You see me still.”
“Sometimes you feel like the only thing that’s right in my world.”
“We’re not pretending anymore, are we?”
“I’m nothing anymore if not real for you,”
“Sometimes I think I was made for you,” he said. “To be yours. To touch you like this.”
THE ROMANCE!!!! It was so worth the wait. Aurelia and Teddy were made for each other! Even when they were just rivals they both noticed those small details about each other that no one else would think twice about, they knew each other so well. I loved their development and seeing them slowly open up to each other and take down each others walls and letting one another see and understand who they really are without hiding.
They have such a deep connection. Usually I don’t like reading spice in books as it makes me uncomfortable sometimes but not this one. It was so beautifully written. The vulnerability, the intimacy, the yearning, the love! I may have cried a little; I’ll be thinking about them for a long time, they have my heart.
~
I still have so many questions!! I need to know more about Ingrams parents and their relationship and how it got to that point! And I need more of Gemma after what happened and some explanations for that! I also hoped to see more of the magic system as I felt it wasn’t thoroughly explained. And that ending!!! It was so bittersweet, the letter!!! I really hope book 2 expands on all of this!
Speaking of book 2, I need it in my hands now!
~
Some more quotes I loved !!
(Theodore Ingram is being added to the fav book bfs list)
“You’re very pretty, you know that?”
“Tell me again. While you still can.”
“We’ve never done this before,” she told him.
“Haven’t we?” He murmured. “Maybe not in your dreams but in mine.”
“And I would have brought down all of bloody London for you if I had to. If that makes me irretrievably selfish, so be it. I wasn’t going to stand by and let someone touch you. Let someone hurt you.”
“I love the way you smell,”
“I know you do, Rory. I wear this stupid thing for you.”
January 30, 2024
No offense, but at some point I thought I was reading a Penelope Douglas' book.
Half of it, I did not understand, I kept getting lost in some weirdly articulated prose, the other half looked like it was written by a first grader.
I will never understand why, even at 80% of the book, they were referring to the caracters by their first AND last name. When they didn't, they kept changing the way they called them, for example Theodore was Theodore, of course, but also Teddy, Ingram and Theodore Ingram altogheter in the same chapter. For God's sake, just pick one! It bothered me so, so, so much.
I don't know why I even wasted my time reading – and the author writing – the last ten chapters, they were basically usleess, the story could have folded after Leona's departure. And I'm all for a beautiful, long prose that says basically nothing, words for the words' sake, so I don't really mind a slow paced book or an empty plot if it is well written. Sadly, this one was not. It was so very chaotic, I'd argue that she didn't reread it after writing it, because there's no way you wouldn't make those much needed corrections and cuts.
The character were as confusing – and confused – as the rest of it all. Their personalities were so foggy, like why did Gemma leave? What was Leona's motive? What exactly was the purpose of Ryan? What about Alaric? I'll only excuse the child, since she was a literal child. Theodore had the potential to be great, but at times he was very, very cringe, so I can't ultimately say I liked him. Don't even get me started on Aurelia because she was a mess, the worst of it all, the epitome of the messiness of this book.
Oh and dark academia was just their 'personalities', there was no trace of an academic setting – except for the spare and rare mentions of Cambridge – nor of smart arguments.
Half of it, I did not understand, I kept getting lost in some weirdly articulated prose, the other half looked like it was written by a first grader.
I will never understand why, even at 80% of the book, they were referring to the caracters by their first AND last name. When they didn't, they kept changing the way they called them, for example Theodore was Theodore, of course, but also Teddy, Ingram and Theodore Ingram altogheter in the same chapter. For God's sake, just pick one! It bothered me so, so, so much.
I don't know why I even wasted my time reading – and the author writing – the last ten chapters, they were basically usleess, the story could have folded after Leona's departure. And I'm all for a beautiful, long prose that says basically nothing, words for the words' sake, so I don't really mind a slow paced book or an empty plot if it is well written. Sadly, this one was not. It was so very chaotic, I'd argue that she didn't reread it after writing it, because there's no way you wouldn't make those much needed corrections and cuts.
The character were as confusing – and confused – as the rest of it all. Their personalities were so foggy, like why did Gemma leave? What was Leona's motive? What exactly was the purpose of Ryan? What about Alaric? I'll only excuse the child, since she was a literal child. Theodore had the potential to be great, but at times he was very, very cringe, so I can't ultimately say I liked him. Don't even get me started on Aurelia because she was a mess, the worst of it all, the epitome of the messiness of this book.
Oh and dark academia was just their 'personalities', there was no trace of an academic setting – except for the spare and rare mentions of Cambridge – nor of smart arguments.
Read
December 10, 2024i'm not going to rate since i read the prior indie version and the tradpub version is coming out soon, which is going to be quite different (source: the author commenting on my booksta post lol).
i will say that i do enjoy the author's writing style and the book was v atmospheric, however, the plot needed to be more driving for me and i was confused by the relationship development between them prior to the start of the book. also, i love soft magic systems, but i did need some more info than what we got.
i will be reading the new version though bc i'm curious to see the changes and how i feel about it!
i will say that i do enjoy the author's writing style and the book was v atmospheric, however, the plot needed to be more driving for me and i was confused by the relationship development between them prior to the start of the book. also, i love soft magic systems, but i did need some more info than what we got.
i will be reading the new version though bc i'm curious to see the changes and how i feel about it!
December 20, 2022
Magical, heart wrenching and utterly romantic. Modern Divination falls into my category of *books that are truly something special*.
Modern Divination follows Aurelia Schwartz and Theodore "Teddy" Ingram as their lives are uprooted, and inevitably tangled together in a dangerous and magical mystery.
I absolutely adored these characters. It was so refreshing reading a story that clearly depicted young adults who do not, in fact, have their lives together. Fumbling around, doing their best to navigate the world around them. It all felt so realistic and raw. Seeing their growth both separately and together, throughout the novel, was so tender and left me missing them so much after I finished the last page!
The pacing was phenomenal. I never found myself feeling that it was dragging, or wishing for certain parts to slow down. It only took me a few days to read through (because I literally could not put it down), but it was a book that made me feel like I'd been immersed in the world of Aurelia and Theodore for years; and I love that.
The magic system was very thorough and clear, and purposely left just enough mystery for me to ponder over until the next installation in the series comes out!
Above all, the way that this story was written, is mesmerizing. The language, the mood, the atmosphere...I have so many bookmarked and highlighted sections of this beautiful book. The prose is thoughtful, soft, vulnerable and intricate. The type of words that make you want to turn the pages delicately for fear of breaking the spell. I cannot praise the author enough for the way that they made some of the most beautiful quotes I've ever read, seem so effortless.
This is a book to curl up with. A book that you hug to your chest and it hugs you back. I felt ALL of the emotions; from giggling and kicking my feet, to gasping audibly, to downright face crumpling tears.
I truly cannot recommend Modern Divination enough!
Favorite Quotes:
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"Debt, she reasoned, was a strange way to measure something that should have been love."
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"If she could keep nothing else for herself, she would have his look of unparalleled reverence branded into her mind."
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"She had planted that poisonous seed of information in his head, and somehow expected it to flower into something beautiful."
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"Throughout her brief adulthood, she had cataloged men by the way they looked at her. She had filed away all their lingering stares into a locked drawer in her mind. Sometimes, she'd resurrect them, but most went there to die. To be forgotten. It was always one look, something just long enough for her to understand how she could become what they wanted."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Modern Divination follows Aurelia Schwartz and Theodore "Teddy" Ingram as their lives are uprooted, and inevitably tangled together in a dangerous and magical mystery.
I absolutely adored these characters. It was so refreshing reading a story that clearly depicted young adults who do not, in fact, have their lives together. Fumbling around, doing their best to navigate the world around them. It all felt so realistic and raw. Seeing their growth both separately and together, throughout the novel, was so tender and left me missing them so much after I finished the last page!
The pacing was phenomenal. I never found myself feeling that it was dragging, or wishing for certain parts to slow down. It only took me a few days to read through (because I literally could not put it down), but it was a book that made me feel like I'd been immersed in the world of Aurelia and Theodore for years; and I love that.
The magic system was very thorough and clear, and purposely left just enough mystery for me to ponder over until the next installation in the series comes out!
Above all, the way that this story was written, is mesmerizing. The language, the mood, the atmosphere...I have so many bookmarked and highlighted sections of this beautiful book. The prose is thoughtful, soft, vulnerable and intricate. The type of words that make you want to turn the pages delicately for fear of breaking the spell. I cannot praise the author enough for the way that they made some of the most beautiful quotes I've ever read, seem so effortless.
This is a book to curl up with. A book that you hug to your chest and it hugs you back. I felt ALL of the emotions; from giggling and kicking my feet, to gasping audibly, to downright face crumpling tears.
I truly cannot recommend Modern Divination enough!
Favorite Quotes:
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"Debt, she reasoned, was a strange way to measure something that should have been love."
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"If she could keep nothing else for herself, she would have his look of unparalleled reverence branded into her mind."
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"She had planted that poisonous seed of information in his head, and somehow expected it to flower into something beautiful."
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"Throughout her brief adulthood, she had cataloged men by the way they looked at her. She had filed away all their lingering stares into a locked drawer in her mind. Sometimes, she'd resurrect them, but most went there to die. To be forgotten. It was always one look, something just long enough for her to understand how she could become what they wanted."
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October 10, 2025
SECOND READ: (2025)
Baby has gone traditional publishing. 😁
I still adore this story. It’s quiet magic and “it’s complicated” relationship status. It truly is a delightful fall read. 🥰🥰🥰
Looking forward to the magic system picking up in book 2 in 2026!
Tea, anyone?
FIRST READ: (2023)
Scattered Review:
- I broke my bookish rule and started folding the corners of pages I loved and wanted to come back to swim in. 10 dog-eared pages later, I’m thinking - What has this book done to me?! Agajanian’s debut surprises and delights. I just didn't expect it to take my breath away.
- I think that troop, ask-me-to-stay is quickly becoming a favorite for me. I feel like a few scenes will live rent free in my head. *more magic world building scenes please*
- Academic Rivals + found family- this is was a perfect read for autumn season.
- Filed under// Books-I-refuse-to-criticize. I think the imperfections make it kinda perfect. I’ll be showing up with my thermos of tea when book 2 shows up.
Baby has gone traditional publishing. 😁
I still adore this story. It’s quiet magic and “it’s complicated” relationship status. It truly is a delightful fall read. 🥰🥰🥰
Looking forward to the magic system picking up in book 2 in 2026!
Tea, anyone?
FIRST READ: (2023)
Scattered Review:
- I broke my bookish rule and started folding the corners of pages I loved and wanted to come back to swim in. 10 dog-eared pages later, I’m thinking - What has this book done to me?! Agajanian’s debut surprises and delights. I just didn't expect it to take my breath away.
- I think that troop, ask-me-to-stay is quickly becoming a favorite for me. I feel like a few scenes will live rent free in my head. *more magic world building scenes please*
- Academic Rivals + found family- this is was a perfect read for autumn season.
- Filed under// Books-I-refuse-to-criticize. I think the imperfections make it kinda perfect. I’ll be showing up with my thermos of tea when book 2 shows up.
December 3, 2023
This slowburn of a story featuring an interesting background villain/mystery, a very sad howl-coded love interest, and a stubbornly flawed protagonist was everything I needed once the temperature dropped.
I don’t even like hot drinks but this book had me CRAVINGGG hot cocoa or a warm cup of tea.
I need that sequel NEEOOOWWWWW
CW: death (including dead loved ones), murder, grief, sexual content, kidnapping, violence, blood
I don’t even like hot drinks but this book had me CRAVINGGG hot cocoa or a warm cup of tea.
I need that sequel NEEOOOWWWWW
CW: death (including dead loved ones), murder, grief, sexual content, kidnapping, violence, blood
July 16, 2023
2.5 stars
This book has a lot of show, don't tell and it's so slow but romance is cute so I will probably read second book.
This book has a lot of show, don't tell and it's so slow but romance is cute so I will probably read second book.
July 19, 2025
Ecoutez, j'étais hypée par l'intrigue promise dans le résumé... et je dois avouer que j'ai trouvé que c'était finalement très en retrait. Pire, c'est résolu un peu facilement je trouve ? Je ne sais pas, j'ai eu du mal avec l'équilibre entre la romance et le reste de l'intrigue et pourtant, vous me connaissez je suis FULL PARTANTE POUR LES ROMANCES HEIN. Mais là c'était aussi beaucoup de blablas, certes pour construire les personnages, mais ça a vraiment ralenti tout le roman... je sais qu'il plaira à beaucoup car c'est une ambiance bien particulière, mais personnellement ce n'est pas tout à fait ce que j'attendais de ce roman on va dire, pas tout à fait ce que j'avais envie de lire à ce moment là. Reste que c'est un roman bien mené, avec une belle plume et une ambiance bien à lui : j'ai passé un chouette moment malgré tout !
March 14, 2024
If you believe yourself to have been emotionally wronged by hot yet irredeemably arrogant academic rivals, if you have ever kept affection at bay for ego's sake, if you have ever felt pride and if you have ever felt prejudice, you may be entitled to compensation. And you may just love Modern Divination as much as I do.
Basically, Aurelia Schwartz and Theodore Ingram are studying in the same tiny, specific field at Cambridge and have come to hate the very idea of the other. Yet the find themselves irrevocably intertwined when they witness a murder at an academic social. And they suspect the murderer may be seeking them as well. Because secretly, they are both witches. And now they must rely on one another to survive.
OLIVIE BLAKE + AVA REID FANS ASSEMBLE. The writing in this book is incandescent. The verbal sparring, the arrogance, the undampened ego, and the YEARNING. My god, it was the perfect storm and I reveled in it.
"Aurelia Schwartz couldn't admit to Ryan that she was the kind of person who let a grudge fester and grow, knowing she had more than enough time to quash it...Aurelia had never been above things like jealous and ego."
Aurelia is me and I am Aurelia. But truly, I have not related to a character like this in so long. She is unapologetically ambitious. She has no time to linger on human affection and other emotions. And yet, in the darkest hours of her darkest days, can she finally lay her sword down and concede that she needs help? And that it must come in the form of the one person she refuses to consider?
"Because I like it when you're mean. I think that's when I like you best."
EXCUSE ME with this self-pubbed debut? How DARE you portray the torturous, unsure, biting journey of a true enemies-to-lovers romance so correctly? The AUDACITY of this book to portray academic rivals so at odds with one another that you feel their hatred radiating from the pages?
I will be over here wallowing alone until 2025 when the revised version comes out and you all can scream about Modern Divination with me.
Basically, Aurelia Schwartz and Theodore Ingram are studying in the same tiny, specific field at Cambridge and have come to hate the very idea of the other. Yet the find themselves irrevocably intertwined when they witness a murder at an academic social. And they suspect the murderer may be seeking them as well. Because secretly, they are both witches. And now they must rely on one another to survive.
OLIVIE BLAKE + AVA REID FANS ASSEMBLE. The writing in this book is incandescent. The verbal sparring, the arrogance, the undampened ego, and the YEARNING. My god, it was the perfect storm and I reveled in it.
"Aurelia Schwartz couldn't admit to Ryan that she was the kind of person who let a grudge fester and grow, knowing she had more than enough time to quash it...Aurelia had never been above things like jealous and ego."
Aurelia is me and I am Aurelia. But truly, I have not related to a character like this in so long. She is unapologetically ambitious. She has no time to linger on human affection and other emotions. And yet, in the darkest hours of her darkest days, can she finally lay her sword down and concede that she needs help? And that it must come in the form of the one person she refuses to consider?
"Because I like it when you're mean. I think that's when I like you best."
EXCUSE ME with this self-pubbed debut? How DARE you portray the torturous, unsure, biting journey of a true enemies-to-lovers romance so correctly? The AUDACITY of this book to portray academic rivals so at odds with one another that you feel their hatred radiating from the pages?
I will be over here wallowing alone until 2025 when the revised version comes out and you all can scream about Modern Divination with me.
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