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Widdershins Supernatural Academy #1

Hexmate: A Gay Shifter Paranormal Academy Romance

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A witch without power. A werewolf with everything to lose. A forbidden love that will change it all.


Being a werewolf and the star of the wrestling team means my life is all about control—control on the mat, control under the full moon, and control over my emotions. I’ve spent years perfecting it. But then I met Caden, and all that control started to slip. He’s a witch without magic—or so everyone says—but there’s something about him that draws me in. He’s got this quiet intensity, a spark that feels more powerful than any spell I’ve ever seen.

But in a place like Widdershins Academy, where bloodlines and magical purism rule, witches and werewolves are not supposed to mix. The rules are clear, and breaking them could cost me everything—my pack, my title, and even my future. Yet, every time Caden looks at me, every time he brushes against me, it feels like the world shifts, and suddenly, those rules don’t seem so unbreakable. I can feel his soul calling to mine and when I finally get up the nerve to kiss him, I know I won’t be able to stop.

Caden:
I’ve spent my whole life feeling like a failure. Born into a legacy of pureblood witches, I should have been powerful, but my magic never came. In a world where worth is measured by power, I’ve always been on the outside, trying to blend in and failing miserably. And then there’s Atlas.

He’s everything I’m not—strong, confident, and untouchable. But somehow, he sees me, really sees me, in a way no one else ever has. When he’s near, it’s like I’m more than just a powerless witch. But I know better than to hope. He’s a werewolf, an alpha, and everything about our world is designed to keep us apart.

When a cruel prank leaves me stranded in the woods during a deadly snowstorm, it’s Atlas who finds me. He saves my life, his wolf instincts guiding him through the snow, but the storm traps us together in an abandoned cabin. There’s no escaping the truths we’ve been avoiding, and as the fire crackles, we give into the instincts we’ve been denying for too long. In those intimate moments, I see the vulnerability he tries to hide, and for the first time, I believe I might be someone he truly needs.

But the storm is only the beginning. When a magical attack threatens Widdershins Academy, we’re thrust into a battle bigger than either of us. As purists tighten their grip on our world, we’re faced with an impossible defy the rules that divide us and risk everything for the love we’ve found or let the system win and tear us apart before we’ve even had a chance.

Hexmate is a heart-pounding, magical sweet and spicy romance filled with forbidden love, sizzling chemistry, and the courage to challenge a world built on division. Set against the enchanting backdrop of Widdershins Academy, Caden and Atlas’s story is a spellbinding tale of resilience, redemption, and the power of love to rewrite destiny.

274 pages, Paperback

Published March 8, 2025

424 people are currently reading
5276 people want to read

About the author

Blake R. Wolfe

91 books370 followers
Blake R. Wolfe has adored werewolves and monsters since he was a child growing up in a small rural Michigan town. Now he lives near the shores of Lake Michigan with his two partners, two cats that need to be fed every three seconds, and a dog that is very spoiled. He spends most of his free time hiking through the nearby forest, thinking up the next great romance story for his readers.

Blake writes under three separate Pen Names:

--Blake R. Wolfe -- Gay Paranormal Romance

--Atreus Rosewood -- Gay Contemporary Romance

--Eoghan R. Cunningham -- LGBTQ+ Fantasy

Sign up for Blake’s newsletter for exclusive discounts and special editions at www.blakerwolfe.com

Get access to exclusive short stories on Blake’s Patreon!
www.patreon.com/blakerwolfe

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371 (37%)
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322 (32%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
Profile Image for Beew.
3 reviews1 follower
May 31, 2025
Good Plot, Terrible Execution

The plot, it the idea of the plot, is great. I had a lot of expectations for this one. Unfortunately, I was.very disappointed at how poorly written it was. It was as if no one actually proofread this before publishing it. There were minor continuity errors in almost every chapter, grammatical errors throughout the whole book, and at least one continuity error that impacted the plot. The errors were very distracting and took away from how good this story.could have been.
Profile Image for Bella.
96 reviews3 followers
February 5, 2026
Yeah, no.

I wanted to give this book the benefit of the doubt, but I absolutely could not get into it. The plot itself has potential, but the writing feels completely childish and underdeveloped. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me.
Profile Image for Kelan.
201 reviews2 followers
November 4, 2025
This had a lot of character issues, unnecessary plot elements that shouldn't be used in that way, and just why I'm the world would you basically make this character like they never had a past? At no point is there anything said about the woman that raised him or gore he felt about that, or admit anything that happened before the literal beginning of the book. People aren't just blank slates like that
Profile Image for Cata♡.
198 reviews5 followers
December 15, 2025
buena trama pero no me atrapó los suficiente, si bien la dinámica entre ambos personajes me encanto sentí que en si el libro es muy obvio en todo aspecto, lo que me aburrio desde la mitad en adelante.
Profile Image for Pazi ×Winter Of Books×.
71 reviews
November 25, 2025
Primero que nada, es una mezcla entre Romeo y Julieta, Harry Potter, Winx Club y Halloweentown.

¿Va a ser la gran obra literaria del siglo? No pero a quien le importa eso, es liviano, aunque al inicio te bombardea con información y te da vibes de novelucha de wattpad (literal).

Caden tuvo su intro digna de rayita en las epocas de tumblr, el único y diferente, medio ñoño, todos lo odian, hasta su papá.

Y entonces llega Atlas, entrando en todo lo alto al estilo Travis Maddox, lo vió (en los camarines, obvio) y se flechó (en realidad no fue un flechazo, fue otra cosa).

La trama fue bastante simple y hubo bastante spicy también pero no me voy a quejar esta vez.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Diana.
483 reviews7 followers
May 6, 2025
First of all, this has to be the most amazing cover that I have ever seen! It is so beautiful. And, the story is as good as the cover. I thought the story was great and that the author came up with a great universe. It was definitely giving me Romeo and Juliet vibes with them being from different species and are expected to hate each other. But, they don't let that get in the way of their love. There were so many cute moments throughout the book. Plus, not gonna lie, I do love a good monster x human romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
5 reviews
November 18, 2025
While not my favorite read, it wasn't "bad." However, it took longer than it should have to get into the story. At the very beginning, we are introduced to the MC in a moment of high drama. Without giving spoilers, it just became incredibly difficult to like the MC or see them as anything other than a whiny "Oh, woe is me!" type. For too long, the MC is just kind of mopey so it honestly took a lot to get through this book. And honestly, parts of it felt AI. Can't say that I'm a fan of Wolfe after reading this book. Long story short: Good idea, bad execution.
Profile Image for la review bleu.
213 reviews3 followers
April 9, 2025
I loved this book. Usually I don't read College romance, but this author is one of my favorite, and didn't disappoint at all. There is nothing I didn't loved in here. The characters were great, the plot phenomenal, and what else can I say - I loved it. The spice war hot af! The burning desire between Caden and Atlas was a treat. Overall, I loved the idea of mates, and familiars. Amazing world-building. Can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Betsy.
479 reviews66 followers
problematic-and-or-ai
May 3, 2025
AI cover
(+AI translation)
Profile Image for Brooklyn.
136 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2025
Man I wanted to dnf this book but I was like 80% through it. It’s not bad per say but it’s just not my cup of tea
Profile Image for Bri.
240 reviews1 follower
October 24, 2025
This book was so bad, oh my god.
Profile Image for Rafael Andrade.
430 reviews5 followers
July 8, 2025
A fast-paced supernatural MM romance, filled with action, ruthless enemies, and a couple that radiates sexiness and spice.
Profile Image for Cecilia.
762 reviews
October 23, 2025
This is so bad I want to give you a zero but thats not possible, so I give you a one.
Profile Image for colleen the convivial curmudgeon.
1,401 reviews308 followers
August 4, 2025
This was a cute, quick read, and I did enjoy it, overall. But it was also kind of a hot mess.

First off, I should say I'm not a huge fan of the fated mates trope, though I'm coming to expect it from any werewolf romances. It just smacks way too much of insta-love, and people swearing undying and eternal love after, like, three fucking days.

I do enjoy some forbidden, star-crossed romance vibes, though.

I found the villains a bit OTT. There's a typical school bully who has it in for Caden for no real reason aside from being a rich snob or something, and there's the prejudiced teacher, though at least

The biggest issue, writing wise, though, was there was a lot of repetition and weirdness in the dialogue. Something would get said and two pages later either the same thing would get said again, or someone would act like the thing was never said.

One example is, like, someone's dad shows up and he says, "Father", and then two pages later someone who was standing right there was like, "Who was that?". Stuff like that. And it's small stuff, but it happened, like, a lot. Like a lot a lot.

So, yeah, some major editing is needed, toot-sweet!

ETA: Oh, I should also mention that the plot, what there is of it, is interesting, but definitely more of a foil for the romance. Definitely more spice than story for this one.

But, like I said, I did enjoy it. It was cute and short, and I read it in, like, two days.
Profile Image for thebloggerandthegeek.
619 reviews16 followers
November 12, 2025
I think I finished reading this out of spite. I wanted the story to actually improve, but sadly, this was chaotic and not in the best way.

The characters were so underdeveloped.
Why did the witches and wolves hate each other?
We didn't get any explanation about Caden's mother, the one who raised him his entire life. No tear, no breakdown, NOTHING.
Caden is all "my father will kill me in a year," but damn, boy, find a way to escape. Get a clue. You had two years to plan something.
He tells Atlas immediately how he's all broke and how he's mistreated by everyone. Argh, I couldn't deal with the pity party. He's all 'I'm the powerless with everyone hates wa wa wa'.
The plot was all over the place.
The climax was also so blah.

I do not believe this author had a beta reader or editor for continuity and overall check.

I did judge the book by its cover, which is why I read this. From now on, I will try to see beyond the cover...
Profile Image for Axalia.
1,285 reviews122 followers
April 22, 2025
Caden et Atlas avec un Culomètre à 🍑🍆
Profile Image for Abigail Beckwith.
1,744 reviews
February 13, 2026
Continuing on a TBR/Beat-The-Backlog kick (and ignoring my ARCs kick). Here's "Hexmate" by Blake R Wolfe. It's the first novel in his Widdershins Supernatural Academy series.

["A witch without power. A werewolf with everything to lose. A forbidden love that will change it all.

Being a werewolf and the star of the wrestling team means my life is all about control—control on the mat, control under the full moon, and control over my emotions. I’ve spent years perfecting it. But then I met Caden, and all that control started to slip. He’s a witch without magic—or so everyone says—but there’s something about him that draws me in. He’s got this quiet intensity, a spark that feels more powerful than any spell I’ve ever seen.

But in a place like Widdershins Academy, where bloodlines and magical purism rule, witches and werewolves are not supposed to mix. The rules are clear, and breaking them could cost me everything—my pack, my title, and even my future. Yet, every time Caden looks at me, every time he brushes against me, it feels like the world shifts, and suddenly, those rules don’t seem so unbreakable. I can feel his soul calling to mine and when I finally get up the nerve to kiss him, I know I won’t be able to stop.

Caden:
I’ve spent my whole life feeling like a failure. Born into a legacy of pureblood witches, I should have been powerful, but my magic never came. In a world where worth is measured by power, I’ve always been on the outside, trying to blend in and failing miserably. And then there’s Atlas.
He’s everything I’m not—strong, confident, and untouchable. But somehow, he sees me, really sees me, in a way no one else ever has. When he’s near, it’s like I’m more than just a powerless witch. But I know better than to hope. He’s a werewolf, an alpha, and everything about our world is designed to keep us apart.
When a cruel prank leaves me stranded in the woods during a deadly snowstorm, it’s Atlas who finds me. He saves my life, his wolf instincts guiding him through the snow, but the storm traps us together in an abandoned cabin. There’s no escaping the truths we’ve been avoiding, and as the fire crackles, we give into the instincts we’ve been denying for too long. In those intimate moments, I see the vulnerability he tries to hide, and for the first time, I believe I might be someone he truly needs.
But the storm is only the beginning. When a magical attack threatens Widdershins Academy, we’re thrust into a battle bigger than either of us. As purists tighten their grip on our world, we’re faced with an impossible defy the rules that divide us and risk everything for the love we’ve found or let the system win and tear us apart before we’ve even had a chance."]

My GOD was this adorable as fuck. It was mix of fate moments and true love, which are magical as fuck on their own, mixed with real magic. Plus all of the fluffy moments and the protective moments. It was softer possession. It was also a connection to self and earth/nature and found family.

The angst was just enough to keep you reading and keeping you on the edge of your seat but not enough to make your chest ache or your heart race. And, spoiler alert, the angst wasn't between Caden and Atlas (not really). Watching them fall for each other, and then fall into the safety of loving each other, was beautiful. It was comfortable and confidence-boosting.

I honestly can't wait for more!!

Trigger Warnings: threats of violence, violence, borderline blackmail/definite coercion, toxic parents, attempted assault, bullying, discrimination,

#hexmate #faeheart #beastkin #dustborn #undertow #nightbound #evergreen #hearatflame #blakerwolfe #widdershinssupernaturalacademy #widdershinssupernaturalacademyseries #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks
Profile Image for Lily.
84 reviews2 followers
March 10, 2026
Okay, I'm a sucker for a good paranormal romance, I will eat it up every time. This was a cute insta love story and while it wasn't bad, I probably would not reread it.

Hear me out, the whole people being cursed and stuck in a days-weeks long coma while the person who cursed them is alive is definitely giving Harry Potter and the basilisk. Like the people who looked the basilisk in the eyes and then froze and couldn't come out of the coma until it had been killed? The witches are more superior than other supernatural creatures was definitely giving muggles vs wizards in Harry Potter too, especially the 5th movie. Once I saw it, I couldn't unsee it.

There were quite a few grammatical errors. Like one of the MCs being called a 'need sl*t' instead of a 'needy sl*t'.

Let's go back to the beginning for a second, how did we skip over Caden finding out his 'mom' of 18 years was actually not his mom and then the whole 'you're a wizard Harry' moment with his dad??? Like pre k pause because wtf was that??? Also, was he in a different realm? Because it seemed like he traveled to a new one, but then the school had wards to protect it from humans so...what realm are we in? Did he have other family members there? Friends? We literally get NO backstory on this MC and I have several questions.

Why did they STAY in the woods during the blizzard? Maybe I misread it, but it didn't seem like they were that far into the forest when things happened, so like, why go further INTO the woods when they could go back to their school?

The whole dryad/ not fully a witch thing had me confused. At that point, I just went with it, but do we know ANYTHING about this man's parents and his past???

Lasty, the whole being f*cked by a werewolf while he's in his Alpha/ very furry form with a snout, how are you making out with him? Because that was mentioned but like...logistically how? And Caden also mentioned his werewolf 🍆 was TWICE as big as his own, so at LEAST 12-14 inches. Babes, where is that going??? And with a knot??? There's no way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kurohagi.
96 reviews1 follower
April 13, 2025
A very promising new series. I love the world of magic, monsters and shifters.
This first installment features Caden, a wizard with special magic and son of one of the greatest mages known to man, and Atlas, a powerful werewolf, an alpha who must succeed his father as head of his pack. In this universe, relations between wizards and other species are forbidden.
The attraction between Altas and Caden is instantaneous. I loved watching them struggle to resist this attraction, which could only get them into trouble. And trouble they will get. But the bond between them is too strong to resist.
The characters are endearing, evolving as the story unfolds, asserting and discovering themselves as events force them to face their greatest fears.
My only regret is that this book is too short and could have used a few more chapters.
I can't wait for the sequel to discover Wild's story, a fae.

----

Une nouvelle série très prometteuse. J'adore l'univers mêlant magie, monstres et shifters.
Ce premier volet met en scène Caden, un sorcier à la magie particulière et fils d'un des plus grand mage connu, et Atlas un puissant loup-garou, un alpha qui doit succéder à son père à la tête de son clan. Dans cet univers, les relations entre sorciers et les autres espèces sont prohibés.
L'attraction entre Altas et Caden est instantanée. J'ai aimé les voir lutter pour tenter de résister à cette attraction qui ne pourrait leur attirer que des ennuis. Et des ennuis ils vont en avoir. Mais ce lien qui se créer entre eux est trop fort pour y renoncer.
Les personnages sont attachants, ils évoluent au fil de l'histoire, s'affirmant et se découvrant alors que les évènements vont les obliger à faire face à leurs plus grandes peurs.
Un seul regret, ce livre est trop court et aurait pu faire l'objet de quelques chapitres de plus.
J'attends avec impatience la suite pour découvrir l'histoire de Wild un fae.
616 reviews7 followers
April 18, 2025
3.5 stars
This book starts really great, it grabs your attention, and gives poor Caden a huge and devastating shock. From here we get to learn a lot about Caden, and how powerless and ignored he feels despite trying his best. Unfortunately he gets bullied quite a bit, but not just from his peers, but also from his dad. He only has one friend - who is a great and entertaing character that does add to this story - until he meets Atlas, our other MC. Where Caden struggles with pretty much everything, Atlas excels at whatever he does and has many friends. The spark of connection is strong with these two and only gets deeper the more time they spend together. Their bond develops and soon love follows.
There are some interesting events that take place throughout the book that pull an emotional response and help keep the book moving along.
My main issue with this book is that it feels incomple with respect to what happens next for Caden and Atlas - where they go and what they do after the main events of the book. Perhaps the next book in the series, while focused on a different couple, will continue to give info on Caden and Atlas. There was also a huge inconsistency in the book with regards to Atlas being able to speak while in his shifted alpha form. During his first time shifted he was clearly able to speak as he did it several times, but the next time it was stated a few times that he couldn't. Example "He attempted to speak, his voice a guttural growl that was only recognizable in meaning, but not in words." This book clearly needed more proof reading as there were several errors throughout. Hopefully all this will be corrected for the final copy.

I received an ARC, this is my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Jeanette Waters.
2,124 reviews5 followers
April 14, 2025
On the day after Caden graduates high school, he finds out his mom was only a woman paid to raise him, meets his dad and finds out he has magic. Weak magic. If he can't strengthen it, his dad will kill him. After two years at Widdershins Academy, Caden has one friend, his roommate Wild, a Fae. His peers ignore him because of his meager magic. And he's being bullied by Rowan, a student, who has more power. Caden saves Atlas, an alpha werewolf classmate, from nightshade poisoning and the two are drawn to each other. After rescuing Caden from assault, Atlas declares them mates.
Witches and werewolves are hereditary enemies because witches can force a familiar bond, enslaving wolves to boost their magic. Voluntary familiar bonds and mating bonds are forbidden at school. Grounds for expulsion. Then the school begins to pass rules which discriminate against non witch paranormals. There's a secondary plotline arc where students are being attacked. And an arc where Caden's dad wants Caden to force a familiar bond on Atlas.
With all that's going on, I think Caden and Atlas's relationship could have been put off a book. It felt a bit rushed. Their bonding was steamy, but there were a few too many I'll love you forevers for me. I did like the mystery resolution, although it was a bit expected. A means to tidy lose ends. Only book two will resolve whether Caden and Atlas are going to blow off the next two years of school or stay as secondary characters in another witch/monster romance.
I mostly enjoyed the book. And will be reading book two when it comes out. Probably.
I received an advanced copy of this book and this is my review.
1,175 reviews8 followers
May 13, 2025
4.25 stars!

This is book one in the author’s Widdershins Supernatural Academy series and features Caden, a lonely nature witch, scorned and ignored by fellow students and faculty alike due to his perceived lack of magical power, all at the behest of his father, one of the most powerful witches around and definitely the cruelest.

Atlas, a powerful alpha werewolf and destined to become the Alpha of his pack, was more than capable of striking fear into the bravest of creatures on the mat but when it came to Caden, mistreated and abused, yet stronger than he realized, he was the gentlest of souls and I loved him so much for his protectiveness.

Whispers about segregating the non magical creatures from the witches’ pure bloodlines sparked flames of fear, hate and prejudice, pitting the two groups against each other. It didn’t matter that they were supposed to be enemies and that interspecies relationships were expressly forbidden, Atlas and Caden felt like they were meant to be but, how can they fight it when everyone else is against them?

This was a pretty good book…it was a little darker than I was expecting but I still enjoyed it enough that I’m looking forward to reading the next one; I hope it’s about Wild, Caden’s roommate and Karrick, one of Atlas’s teammates. Professor Blackwood has some things she needs to atone for and I’m a little worried that Rowan, the school bully, will somehow be in a position to cause more trouble. All in all, there’s a lot to look forward to and I can’t wait. 4.25 stars!

I received a copy of this book for free but am voluntarily leaving a review.
122 reviews2 followers
April 28, 2025
Hexmate is an exciting tale incorporating the fantastical elements of werewolves, witches, vampires, and other supernatural beings. The story centers around two young men, Caden and Atlas, whose journey unfolds in the enchanting Widdershins Academy, an institution specifically designed for ‘monsters’.

Caden, a witch with limited abilities, is entangled with Atlas, an alpha werewolf. Their paths cross when Caden intervenes to help Atlas evade a dangerous encounter with a witch harboring malicious intentions. This act of bravery leads to Atlas inviting Caden for coffee as a gesture of thanks, marking the beginning of an unexpected bond.

Readers are immersed in a world rife with themes of forbidden love and the societal divide among mystical creatures. The tension between witches and other beings seen as inferior plays a crucial role, highlighting the prejudices ingrained within their society. Moreover, the sinister manipulation from the school’s powerful faculty adds an underlying sense of dread, particularly stemming from Caden’s father’s questionable motives.

Hexmate offers an imaginative reading experience that captures the heart and provokes thought on the dynamics of power and acceptance among different beings. While the story presents a rich tapestry of characters and plots, there is ample space for further exploration of the characters’ backgrounds and the intriguing environment of the academy itself. For anyone who enjoys stories filled with magic, mystery, and romance, Hexmate is a journey worth taking.
Profile Image for Beth.
2,953 reviews27 followers
March 18, 2026
Interesting story from a new to me author. I got the book in an author giveaway and it certainly served its purpose in encouraging me to seek out more from this author. I also liked that the author gave all the pen names they write under. I will be checking those other books out.

In this book a recent high school grad (like minutes ago recent!), Caden, finds out his life as he knows it is a lie. The woman who raised him is not his mother, he’s actually a witch, there’s a magical world he knows nothing about, oh and his father is an asshole who has threatened to kill him if he doesn’t come into his powers and do the family name proud. Not too much pressure! He attends a prestigious magic academy where he ostracized as a pathetic weak witch. When he intervenes in an encounter where a classmate witch who is an entitled prick is trying to drug and seduce an alpha wolf, Atlas. Atlas is grateful and the other witch, Rowan is pissed off and now and even bigger enemy and bully.

The trajectory of their relationship is a good read and it coincides with issues at the academy that deal with elitism, bigotry, and political machinations. I got worried as we got towards the end that it was going to be a cliffhanger but nope. The ending was fantastic and I was holding my breath for quite a while! I’ll be interested to see if there’s more in this universe. The book certainly set the stage for more.
Profile Image for Lucy  Larsen.
605 reviews3 followers
November 6, 2025
I’d say that this book wasn’t bad and I don’t regret reading it but it really did leave a bit to be desired and I’m glad I purchased the ebook and not a paper copy.

The writing itself, I think, is what made this story not great for me. There are levels to books, and I would classify the writing in this book as about mid-tier Wattpad or AO3. It was an interesting plot line and was done is a way that was kind of fun, but the scene transitions felt choppy, the characters were only slightly less than flat, and the world building left a bit to be desired. A good book that you could enjoy if you turned your brain off and just consumed it.

I personally didn’t mind reading it but I think, if I’d known what I was walking into with the writing style, I might have given it more stars than I did. I also had some issues with grammar and punctuation throughout. There were several sections that almost felt like they had never been edited by an editor and knowing that this is self-published I worry that is the case for this book. However, I did like the characters despite the fact that the they both only had slightly more personality than a flat character. The spicy rating was a level 5.

Overall, I would rate this book a 3.5 out of 5 star rating. Not bad and it was good, but I have 50/50 feelings about if I’m willing to read the second book or not.
Profile Image for Amy L.
30 reviews1 follower
July 27, 2025
The cover of this book is gorgeous and is what made me pick it up.

All the pieces of a great story are here- they really are. But the pacing is out of control. Everything happens so fast that we have no time to learn anything about anything or anyone. We know nothing about Caden until everything is different for Caden- we have to see what his normal life is first for a life-changing experience to have any sort of impact.

I have no issues with any single part of this book. The characters, the villain, the conflict, the school, the magic system. It’s all there and it’s all good. BUT. We are told a lot of stuff we should be shown. Characters are given no time to learn and grow and we the audience don’t get that time either. I know there’s a lot of Harry Potter comparison to be made, and say what you will about the horrible JK, but what HP does better is to give everyone TIME. Time to learn the magic system, time to care more about the characters (we are told Caden has a friend, not shown how that happens; we are told what Atlas’s dad thinks and does, not shown; we are told who a victim is and why they are important, never shown.)

All in all, this feels like an outline that could use a lot of filling in. It’s all there, I promise!
12 reviews
March 14, 2026
Not great.

**Spoilers!!**

I liked the idea for the story. The MCs were sweet together. The world was interesting. The writing just didn’t make sense. There were so many plot holes and errors. For instance, take when we first meet Atlas’ father. When he first walks in, the mystery man (from Caden’s POV) has silver hair and golden eyes denoting his alpha status. Then Atlas calls him “Father” in front of Caden. Pretty self-explanatory, right? Wrong. In the next chapter, Atlas’ POV, he is still calling him the silver-haired man, as if he doesn’t know who his own father is. Why wouldn’t he reference him as his father when literally just called him that? Then they leave the room and Caden asks Atlas who the man was, like Atlas didn’t just call him “Father” in front of everyone. THEN, when Atlas goes to speak with his father alone, his eyes are now described as SILVER.

Who the heck is editing some of these books? I seriously have to wonder - do authors read their own books cover to cover before they publish them? Or have literally anyone else read them first? These are careless errors that aggravate me to no end and cause me to DNF a book faster than you can say “proofread.”
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