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The Wolf Queen Chronicles
The Magicless Mage
Clutch your broomstick, The Magicless Mage is a dark and twisted Wizard of Oz retelling about a witch finding her way home and wolf who's lost his heart. It’s especially unhinged, full of twists, and has the slowest of slow burns. Expect morally grey characters, explicit content, knife-to-throat tension, and overall weirdness.
This tale is not light.
It is not whimsy.
The road is long and dark,
so do protect your heart.
Mini Blurb:
Winter, a witch working in a magical library, accidentally sets off a time traveling spell that catapults her 700 years into the past. There she meets Westley, a 6'5 white-haired alpha with a pack to protect. He doesn't trust the unfamiliar witch that tumbled into his woods, but she is desperate for his help. When timelines, hearts, and lies collide, will Winter ever make it back to the future alive?
Full Blurb:
The year is 2617.
Librarian Winter Leroux is a witch working the night shift at Caldwell Archives. Using her wand, she protects the inventory from vampires—master thieves. One evening she misses her mark. In a rush to save an ancient book, she unlocks a sentient spell, catapulting her seven hundred years into the past.
She learns the Witch Queen can help her get back to the future, but trapped in another time, she needs help finding the palace.
The year is 1917.
Westley Sterling is an alpha with werewolves to protect. When an unfamiliar witch tumbles into his woods, he tries to kill her, but she’s a master of seduction and equally resilient. He’s ashamed of his aching attraction towards her. When she exposes a wicked secret beyond his evergreens, he takes her to see the Witch Queen.
En route to the palace, their walls crumble and tension builds. Westley shifts from wanting to be Winter’s enemy into wanting her to stay. Beyond the gates, twists unravel, weaving both their fates. Will Winter make it home after all?
*This story is for adults only, a reflection of immortal culture, and incorporates dark themes. Omegaverse concepts are touched. Please check all trigger warnings to be sure the material in this book is the right fit for you before reading.
The Wolf Queen Chronicles is a dark fantasy series. Please note: book one is not a love story.
This tale is not light.
It is not whimsy.
The road is long and dark,
so do protect your heart.
Mini Blurb:
Winter, a witch working in a magical library, accidentally sets off a time traveling spell that catapults her 700 years into the past. There she meets Westley, a 6'5 white-haired alpha with a pack to protect. He doesn't trust the unfamiliar witch that tumbled into his woods, but she is desperate for his help. When timelines, hearts, and lies collide, will Winter ever make it back to the future alive?
Full Blurb:
The year is 2617.
Librarian Winter Leroux is a witch working the night shift at Caldwell Archives. Using her wand, she protects the inventory from vampires—master thieves. One evening she misses her mark. In a rush to save an ancient book, she unlocks a sentient spell, catapulting her seven hundred years into the past.
She learns the Witch Queen can help her get back to the future, but trapped in another time, she needs help finding the palace.
The year is 1917.
Westley Sterling is an alpha with werewolves to protect. When an unfamiliar witch tumbles into his woods, he tries to kill her, but she’s a master of seduction and equally resilient. He’s ashamed of his aching attraction towards her. When she exposes a wicked secret beyond his evergreens, he takes her to see the Witch Queen.
En route to the palace, their walls crumble and tension builds. Westley shifts from wanting to be Winter’s enemy into wanting her to stay. Beyond the gates, twists unravel, weaving both their fates. Will Winter make it home after all?
*This story is for adults only, a reflection of immortal culture, and incorporates dark themes. Omegaverse concepts are touched. Please check all trigger warnings to be sure the material in this book is the right fit for you before reading.
The Wolf Queen Chronicles is a dark fantasy series. Please note: book one is not a love story.
480 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2025
29 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
B.L. Lewis
4 books143 followersB. L. Lewis has one foot in a faery portal and one out. She has a soft spot for happy endings, animals, riddles, and monsters.
Her writing is inspired by Ali Hazelwood, Holly Black, and Emily Dickinson, crafting darker themes into lighter concepts.
Her writing is inspired by Ali Hazelwood, Holly Black, and Emily Dickinson, crafting darker themes into lighter concepts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
December 31, 2025
Did I just ARC read this two months ago? Yep.
Am I rereading it in preparation to ARC read book two that comes out next week because I fucking ADORED IT and want to make sure everything is fresh in my mind before jumping to the rest of the story? Abso-fucking-lutely!
*Bite me* 👹👹👹
—————————
4.5 ⭐️ Thank you so much B.L. Lewis & NetGalley for providing me with this ARC ❤️🔥 I had an absolutely wicked time diving into this!
First and foremost : WHAT WAS THAT ENDING 😳?!!!!! I am so glad I already have the next ARC on hand because that was criminal & I would have gone out of my mind having to wait until December to find out what happens next !
But first I’ll be jumping into the prequel that’s already available to help settle my curiosity about a certain unhinged female character…
Now, onto the actual review :
By the time I started reading this ARC I had pretty much completely forgotten the entire premise, which is a blessing for me as I love nothing more than going into a new story blind.
Let me tell you, it 100% OVERdelivered. This whole book left me speechless for quite some time. There is so much I want to say but it would spoil all the delicious & deranged surprises the author has cooked up; so instead I will give you a bit more insight into the book and grant you the pleasure of discovering everything else on your own ❤️🔥
The vibes :
👹 Devious > This is a true enemies to (almost) lovers! I’m talking pure hatred despite the attraction, threats and vile words, murder adjacent levels of violence and abuse. And all of that nasty behaviour extends beyond just the FMC and MMC’s relationship, and actually applies to most of the characters in the book.
🔥 Chaotic > this story was all over the place but in the ABSOLUTE BEST FREAKING WAY!! If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that with the amount of information, magic systems, plot twists, characters, stories, etc. it would be really hard to read.
But that would be being sorely mistaken, because as unhinged and bizzare as it might sometimes be, everything.makes.sense! I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it and the chaos goblin in me got instantly HOOKED.
🌶️ Salacious > expect copious amounts of dirty thoughts and dirty mouths, and while it definitely falls into the spicy category, dirty deeds aren’t as prevalent as I’d expected (unless we’re talking violence, then yeah there’s copious amounts of that too lol).
The tension is ridiiiiiiculously good & at times quite enfuriating, because like MAKE UP YOUR MIIIIINDS! Hate? Lust? Contempt? Love? WHAT IS IT THIS TIME ?
The storyline :
✨ Fascinating > I absolutely ADORED the science behind the magic aspect of this book ! Honestly I can’t even find the words to explain or emphasize how utterly fantastic I found that concept.
And before you start thinking the author might have thrown in a couple of “sciency words/concepts”, let me inform you that she is a science major and this is the REAL DEAL. It is truly a unique and enthralling approach (to me) & I am BEYOND EXCITED to get more of it in the next books!!
🕸️ Intricate > the world building, magic system, the creatures, storylines, and plot twists make this story feel like a spiderweb that stretches so far beyond what your eyes are able to see, and with every bit of sight you gain your shock and obsession only grows more entangled.
What is even more incredible is the little details that she progressively and steadily unveils which only build up the story and tension. Those will leave you baffled and mumbling “HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT EARLIER!"
💥 Mind blowing > THE PLOT TWITS & REVELATIONS!!! HOLY FREAKING HELL !!!
1. I did NOT see the majority of them coming (which rarely happens as I am cursed by the universe to sniff those out from a million words away),
2. the sheer amount of them is dizzying (I started to count and then lost track),
3. the fact that they are so perfectly fleshed out and seamlessly woven into the story is a feat I cannot comprehend.
The characters :
🥺 Endearing > I think this is best described by sharing my favorite quote of this book “When you walk beside darkness for so long you find friends among the shadows.”.
Behind the harsh truths, complicated histories, unavoidable violence, deep seated loathing, and heartbreaking moments, this book hides a whole lot of unending love, ferocious need to care and reverent devotion.
🤣 Hilarious > the overall banter throughout the entire book is exquisite and the way Winter & Westley tease, roast and relentlessly poke at each other was fantastic in it’s own respect; the use of the language barrier as a humour device was wickedly smart; the amount of references to animals for jokes is so ridiculous and unexpected it had me cackling obnoxiously.
😳 Disturbing > Before you jump into this book, you definitely need to check your trigger warnings. While the main characters might seem like unhinged maniacs at times, the villains are unscrupulous psychopaths with sickening tendecies. And yet all of them have cracks in their gruesome armors that will intrigue you so much they will inevitably make you question your morals & sanity.
If it wasn’t clear by now, I loved it and GOBBLED THIS UP like I was starving ❤️🔥
I will 100% read the prequel (already started it actually) and the next book (Wondrous Wolf) because this was one of the most unique tales I’ve read all year ✨
Now with all the praise I know some might wonder why not 5 star ? Truthfully I might change my mind and upp it, because it might be just a me thing, but there were a few things that snagged.
I think it was a combination of the fact that :
- the writing took some getting used to (not exactly sure why, and I want to be clear that it did not hinder the reading in any way, and once I was used to it I very much enjoyed it),
- sometimes the POV switch wasn’t as well defined as I would have wanted it to be,
- some situations/conversations felt rushed through, as in I would move on to the next paragraph or page, then come back to see if I skipped through reading something.
Am I rereading it in preparation to ARC read book two that comes out next week because I fucking ADORED IT and want to make sure everything is fresh in my mind before jumping to the rest of the story? Abso-fucking-lutely!
*Bite me* 👹👹👹
—————————
4.5 ⭐️ Thank you so much B.L. Lewis & NetGalley for providing me with this ARC ❤️🔥 I had an absolutely wicked time diving into this!
First and foremost : WHAT WAS THAT ENDING 😳?!!!!! I am so glad I already have the next ARC on hand because that was criminal & I would have gone out of my mind having to wait until December to find out what happens next !
But first I’ll be jumping into the prequel that’s already available to help settle my curiosity about a certain unhinged female character…
Now, onto the actual review :
By the time I started reading this ARC I had pretty much completely forgotten the entire premise, which is a blessing for me as I love nothing more than going into a new story blind.
Let me tell you, it 100% OVERdelivered. This whole book left me speechless for quite some time. There is so much I want to say but it would spoil all the delicious & deranged surprises the author has cooked up; so instead I will give you a bit more insight into the book and grant you the pleasure of discovering everything else on your own ❤️🔥
The vibes :
👹 Devious > This is a true enemies to (almost) lovers! I’m talking pure hatred despite the attraction, threats and vile words, murder adjacent levels of violence and abuse. And all of that nasty behaviour extends beyond just the FMC and MMC’s relationship, and actually applies to most of the characters in the book.
🔥 Chaotic > this story was all over the place but in the ABSOLUTE BEST FREAKING WAY!! If I didn’t know better, I would have thought that with the amount of information, magic systems, plot twists, characters, stories, etc. it would be really hard to read.
But that would be being sorely mistaken, because as unhinged and bizzare as it might sometimes be, everything.makes.sense! I don’t think I’ve ever read anything quite like it and the chaos goblin in me got instantly HOOKED.
🌶️ Salacious > expect copious amounts of dirty thoughts and dirty mouths, and while it definitely falls into the spicy category, dirty deeds aren’t as prevalent as I’d expected (unless we’re talking violence, then yeah there’s copious amounts of that too lol).
The tension is ridiiiiiiculously good & at times quite enfuriating, because like MAKE UP YOUR MIIIIINDS! Hate? Lust? Contempt? Love? WHAT IS IT THIS TIME ?
The storyline :
✨ Fascinating > I absolutely ADORED the science behind the magic aspect of this book ! Honestly I can’t even find the words to explain or emphasize how utterly fantastic I found that concept.
And before you start thinking the author might have thrown in a couple of “sciency words/concepts”, let me inform you that she is a science major and this is the REAL DEAL. It is truly a unique and enthralling approach (to me) & I am BEYOND EXCITED to get more of it in the next books!!
🕸️ Intricate > the world building, magic system, the creatures, storylines, and plot twists make this story feel like a spiderweb that stretches so far beyond what your eyes are able to see, and with every bit of sight you gain your shock and obsession only grows more entangled.
What is even more incredible is the little details that she progressively and steadily unveils which only build up the story and tension. Those will leave you baffled and mumbling “HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT EARLIER!"
💥 Mind blowing > THE PLOT TWITS & REVELATIONS!!! HOLY FREAKING HELL !!!
1. I did NOT see the majority of them coming (which rarely happens as I am cursed by the universe to sniff those out from a million words away),
2. the sheer amount of them is dizzying (I started to count and then lost track),
3. the fact that they are so perfectly fleshed out and seamlessly woven into the story is a feat I cannot comprehend.
The characters :
🥺 Endearing > I think this is best described by sharing my favorite quote of this book “When you walk beside darkness for so long you find friends among the shadows.”.
Behind the harsh truths, complicated histories, unavoidable violence, deep seated loathing, and heartbreaking moments, this book hides a whole lot of unending love, ferocious need to care and reverent devotion.
🤣 Hilarious > the overall banter throughout the entire book is exquisite and the way Winter & Westley tease, roast and relentlessly poke at each other was fantastic in it’s own respect; the use of the language barrier as a humour device was wickedly smart; the amount of references to animals for jokes is so ridiculous and unexpected it had me cackling obnoxiously.
😳 Disturbing > Before you jump into this book, you definitely need to check your trigger warnings. While the main characters might seem like unhinged maniacs at times, the villains are unscrupulous psychopaths with sickening tendecies. And yet all of them have cracks in their gruesome armors that will intrigue you so much they will inevitably make you question your morals & sanity.
If it wasn’t clear by now, I loved it and GOBBLED THIS UP like I was starving ❤️🔥
I will 100% read the prequel (already started it actually) and the next book (Wondrous Wolf) because this was one of the most unique tales I’ve read all year ✨
Now with all the praise I know some might wonder why not 5 star ? Truthfully I might change my mind and upp it, because it might be just a me thing, but there were a few things that snagged.
I think it was a combination of the fact that :
- the writing took some getting used to (not exactly sure why, and I want to be clear that it did not hinder the reading in any way, and once I was used to it I very much enjoyed it),
- sometimes the POV switch wasn’t as well defined as I would have wanted it to be,
- some situations/conversations felt rushed through, as in I would move on to the next paragraph or page, then come back to see if I skipped through reading something.
June 30, 2025
RAAAAHHH I LOVED THIS
Winter and Wes are so goddamn UNNGH CHEFS KISS with their slow burn, tension, reluctant flirting, and overall horny violence towards each other. I’m so happy I get another 2 (I think lol) books with them because YES.
The pacing in this book, especially considering it’s the first in its series, is stunning. At !no point! was I pushing myself past a lull period because things had been calm for too long. Lewis balanced the quieter scenes out with suspense and anticipation so beautifully that I couldn’t put it down until I was physically unable to stay awake any longer.
I feel like *I* went in prepared for it, but this is a slow burn ACROSS the series. And while I was fed more than enough chemistry and tension (10/10) between the two MC’s in this book, I don’t want anyone reading this review to expect full-blown spice directly between W + W, YET. However, we all read acotar etc., so have some patience my heathens 💅🏻🫶🏻
Also hold onto your tits for the cliffhanger here—I loooove a good life-threatening dangle over the edge in my books, but I know some of us are not of my mindset with that lmao you will survive! Be strong! This book is WORTH IT.
Winter and Wes are so goddamn UNNGH CHEFS KISS with their slow burn, tension, reluctant flirting, and overall horny violence towards each other. I’m so happy I get another 2 (I think lol) books with them because YES.
The pacing in this book, especially considering it’s the first in its series, is stunning. At !no point! was I pushing myself past a lull period because things had been calm for too long. Lewis balanced the quieter scenes out with suspense and anticipation so beautifully that I couldn’t put it down until I was physically unable to stay awake any longer.
I feel like *I* went in prepared for it, but this is a slow burn ACROSS the series. And while I was fed more than enough chemistry and tension (10/10) between the two MC’s in this book, I don’t want anyone reading this review to expect full-blown spice directly between W + W, YET. However, we all read acotar etc., so have some patience my heathens 💅🏻🫶🏻
Also hold onto your tits for the cliffhanger here—I loooove a good life-threatening dangle over the edge in my books, but I know some of us are not of my mindset with that lmao you will survive! Be strong! This book is WORTH IT.
June 25, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
I really wanted to love this book because I was very interested as soon as I read the blurb, but unfortunately, this just missed the mark for me. It is promoted as a Wizard of Oz retelling but besides a few similarities (like a character called The Wizard, red slippers, and some quirky chapter titles, to name a few…) I wouldn’t consider this to be a retelling. The story was fast-paced and had a lot of twists and turns, but I started getting bored 30% in and had to make myself finish it.
There is a lot of vulgarity in this book, but honestly, it did not flow well. It felt like it was spicy just to be spicy since it’s so “trendy” right now, but it was not well executed, in my opinion. It felt unnecessary and took away from the story. Aside from the book being face-paced, it also felt like it was rushed because there were so many revelations and random twists that happened seemingly out of nowhere that did not help the plot. The two MC’s also irritated me because they hated each other just to hate each other but everything was just a miscommunication and their refusal to listen to the other. I find that I really don’t like the miscommunication trope.
Overall, I doubt I will continue this series unless the next book has some serious improvement because this was a struggle.
I really wanted to love this book because I was very interested as soon as I read the blurb, but unfortunately, this just missed the mark for me. It is promoted as a Wizard of Oz retelling but besides a few similarities (like a character called The Wizard, red slippers, and some quirky chapter titles, to name a few…) I wouldn’t consider this to be a retelling. The story was fast-paced and had a lot of twists and turns, but I started getting bored 30% in and had to make myself finish it.
There is a lot of vulgarity in this book, but honestly, it did not flow well. It felt like it was spicy just to be spicy since it’s so “trendy” right now, but it was not well executed, in my opinion. It felt unnecessary and took away from the story. Aside from the book being face-paced, it also felt like it was rushed because there were so many revelations and random twists that happened seemingly out of nowhere that did not help the plot. The two MC’s also irritated me because they hated each other just to hate each other but everything was just a miscommunication and their refusal to listen to the other. I find that I really don’t like the miscommunication trope.
Overall, I doubt I will continue this series unless the next book has some serious improvement because this was a struggle.
October 24, 2025
BUY THIS BOOK NOW. I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved The Magicless Mage! It is a super unique and dark Wizard of Oz retelling featuring allll of my favorite magical beings: wizards/witches, werewolves, and vampires.
Winter LeRoux is a vibe. She’s feisty, loves to eat, appreciates the art of a legging, and has VERY specific opinions on the color red. Westley Sterling is also a vibe. He has a hard exterior and comes off as a grump, but the façade is real. Of course, our MCs are hot af and that is what we love in our books. The side characters were intriguing and I can’t wait to learn more about them!
The tropes? Could not get enough. We’ve got forced proximity, time traveling, and YEARNING via the slowest of slow burns. AND?! There’s a magical library. Some microtropes I loved were he falls first (swoon), wound tending (gets me every time), and OF COURSE, good girl/boy (brb salivating).
World building was on point. I was able to vividly see the environment and everything just made sense. And, the plot be plottin bc Y’ALL, THERE IS A HELLA GOOD TWIST. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book! I canNOT wait for book two!!
Winter LeRoux is a vibe. She’s feisty, loves to eat, appreciates the art of a legging, and has VERY specific opinions on the color red. Westley Sterling is also a vibe. He has a hard exterior and comes off as a grump, but the façade is real. Of course, our MCs are hot af and that is what we love in our books. The side characters were intriguing and I can’t wait to learn more about them!
The tropes? Could not get enough. We’ve got forced proximity, time traveling, and YEARNING via the slowest of slow burns. AND?! There’s a magical library. Some microtropes I loved were he falls first (swoon), wound tending (gets me every time), and OF COURSE, good girl/boy (brb salivating).
World building was on point. I was able to vividly see the environment and everything just made sense. And, the plot be plottin bc Y’ALL, THERE IS A HELLA GOOD TWIST. Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book! I canNOT wait for book two!!
October 23, 2025
I cannot get enough of this book OMGGG! The fact that it doesn’t come out till October is absolutely criminal!!! I finished this book in less than 2 days and I could not put it down. I was completely enraptured by the world and these characters. This was real hate to love, enemies to lovers, where they violently wanted to, and were thinking about off-ing eachother every second. The yearning, the tension!? The intrigue was there the whole time, I felt like I was following the breadcrumbs every page of the book trying to figure out what direction the book was going. Mages/witches, Werewolves, Vampires, Wizards, Familiars, and time travel?? Like what more could you want!? The ties to Lies of the Wicked had me going CRAZY!!! I was blown away honestly! The ending was unbelievable but a perfect way to set up the next book! I’m so pumped for the rest of this series.
September 30, 2025
Okay so imagine a Wizard’s of Oz retelling, but a LOT more unhinged, with a crap ton more sexual tension and ideals, and an absolutely crazy plot that has twists coming from left field every 69 seconds —
that’s The Magicless Mage.
When I’m telling you that the banter in this book is TOP TIER, I mean it. And it’s not just between the MCs, Winter and Westley. Winter is a sarcastic devil to everyone and I absolutely love her so much. She’s bloodthirsty, savage in her own way, and carries a lot of emotional baggage, but we love her for that. And West?! Don’t even get me started. Actually allow me. Yum. Absolutely yum. He’s dark, angry, bitter… literally everything we want in a fictional man and not a real one.
When they finally f*ck this tension out in book 2, I know it’s going to be something for the history books.
The side characters. THE SIDE CHARACTERS !!!! Shisoba is my fav, and so is Emrys, and nobody can tell me nothin. They deserve the world.
This was hell of a fun ride. I couldn’t make any of this up. I couldn’t if I tried. It was dark and angry and twisted and had a lot of sexual energy but literally no payoff between MCs (not in a bad way, I LOVE a yummy slow burn) — the energy was from everyone else and I kinda lived for it?!
Quite literally everything came back around tenfold in this story already and I couldn’t even see plot holes so I can’t imagine what book 2 is going to do for us. I’m diving in now BYE
Overall, 5 ⭐️, 1 🌶️
Now if we were talkin dirty mouths, they’d be getting 5 🌶️ because everyone had a mouth on them, even the villains 😅
Thank you SO MUCH to the author and team for allowing me an advanced copy of The Magicless Mage!
that’s The Magicless Mage.
When I’m telling you that the banter in this book is TOP TIER, I mean it. And it’s not just between the MCs, Winter and Westley. Winter is a sarcastic devil to everyone and I absolutely love her so much. She’s bloodthirsty, savage in her own way, and carries a lot of emotional baggage, but we love her for that. And West?! Don’t even get me started. Actually allow me. Yum. Absolutely yum. He’s dark, angry, bitter… literally everything we want in a fictional man and not a real one.
When they finally f*ck this tension out in book 2, I know it’s going to be something for the history books.
The side characters. THE SIDE CHARACTERS !!!! Shisoba is my fav, and so is Emrys, and nobody can tell me nothin. They deserve the world.
This was hell of a fun ride. I couldn’t make any of this up. I couldn’t if I tried. It was dark and angry and twisted and had a lot of sexual energy but literally no payoff between MCs (not in a bad way, I LOVE a yummy slow burn) — the energy was from everyone else and I kinda lived for it?!
Quite literally everything came back around tenfold in this story already and I couldn’t even see plot holes so I can’t imagine what book 2 is going to do for us. I’m diving in now BYE
Overall, 5 ⭐️, 1 🌶️
Now if we were talkin dirty mouths, they’d be getting 5 🌶️ because everyone had a mouth on them, even the villains 😅
Thank you SO MUCH to the author and team for allowing me an advanced copy of The Magicless Mage!
August 30, 2025
2/5 Stars
Winter is a witch who works in a library. One moment she’s fighting a vampire, and the next she’s falling back 700 years into the past. In 1917 Winter encounters Westley, an alpha with a distrust for witches. After clashing several times they find a common goal, to ask a favor of the witch queen. Westley wants to protect his pack, and Winter wants the spell to go back to 2617.
The Magicless Mage was described as a retelling of The Wizard of Oz. Besides the quirky chapter titles, red pumps, and there being an evil witch, I didn’t see it. The pacing of this book is fast, and I would go as far as to say rushed. It felt like there was a long checklist of what needed to happen in this first book.
I was unable to connect with the characters. There was one plot twist after another, that there was no time to build main characters with depth. Winter is meant to be a feisty heroine who perseveres after being thrown to the wolves. I found her to be rude. Her redeeming quality was protecting animals. Westley’s character felt passive. He fantasized about Winter, yet treated her terribly to just about the end. I understand this is the first novel in the series, so there is plenty of time for them to transition to lovers. There was simply no indication that’s what they wanted. Maybe the evident lust was meant to hint at it.
The only instance of them trying to get to know each other was when Westley asked Winter about her hobbies. This book heavily uses the miscommunication trope. The only character I found myself rooting for was Mel, and I think her character was dealt a tragic hand.
I’m happy to see how positive other reviews are. This book may not have been for me, but I'm sure plenty of people will love it. Best of wishes to the author with the rest of this series.
A warm thanks to B. L. Lewis and NetGalley for this ARC!
Winter is a witch who works in a library. One moment she’s fighting a vampire, and the next she’s falling back 700 years into the past. In 1917 Winter encounters Westley, an alpha with a distrust for witches. After clashing several times they find a common goal, to ask a favor of the witch queen. Westley wants to protect his pack, and Winter wants the spell to go back to 2617.
The Magicless Mage was described as a retelling of The Wizard of Oz. Besides the quirky chapter titles, red pumps, and there being an evil witch, I didn’t see it. The pacing of this book is fast, and I would go as far as to say rushed. It felt like there was a long checklist of what needed to happen in this first book.
I was unable to connect with the characters. There was one plot twist after another, that there was no time to build main characters with depth. Winter is meant to be a feisty heroine who perseveres after being thrown to the wolves. I found her to be rude. Her redeeming quality was protecting animals. Westley’s character felt passive. He fantasized about Winter, yet treated her terribly to just about the end. I understand this is the first novel in the series, so there is plenty of time for them to transition to lovers. There was simply no indication that’s what they wanted. Maybe the evident lust was meant to hint at it.
The only instance of them trying to get to know each other was when Westley asked Winter about her hobbies. This book heavily uses the miscommunication trope. The only character I found myself rooting for was Mel, and I think her character was dealt a tragic hand.
I’m happy to see how positive other reviews are. This book may not have been for me, but I'm sure plenty of people will love it. Best of wishes to the author with the rest of this series.
A warm thanks to B. L. Lewis and NetGalley for this ARC!
October 1, 2025
👠 Wizard of Oz Inspired
🐺 Omegaverse Adjacent
👠 Chaotic & Unhinged
🐺 COIN TOSS (iykyk)
👠 Fast Paced
~
This was so chaotically unhinged and hysterical, I had an amazing time.
When a magicless mage librarian has a magical mishap at work, she stumbles into the past and desperately needs to find her way back to her fiancé and "normal" life.
So this book can be quite dark (check your TWs) but it's also just so much fun. B.L. Lewis drops us right into the action, and it never stops.
I love our FMC‐Winter, I think her reaction to everything is pretty genuine even if she's sometimes flippant. She's kind of like a wonderful mix of diva and chaos gremlin and it makes you want to root for her and also kind of be her best friend? Because the dull moments would be few and far between. Wes (mmc) has this grumbly alpha wolf thing going on, he's a moody dude who takes life pretty seriously all while waltzing around in slutty little crop tops. The dynamic between our MCs? Flawless. And they actually want to kill each other... 10/10.
Honestly, it's kind of hard to review this one because it is kind of... bonkers? But I love that. It's fast-paced, easy to read, and extremely hard to look away from. There are some great side characters as well and I can't wait to see where this story goes next!
~
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓿𝓲𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷
🐺 Omegaverse Adjacent
👠 Chaotic & Unhinged
🐺 COIN TOSS (iykyk)
👠 Fast Paced
~
This was so chaotically unhinged and hysterical, I had an amazing time.
When a magicless mage librarian has a magical mishap at work, she stumbles into the past and desperately needs to find her way back to her fiancé and "normal" life.
So this book can be quite dark (check your TWs) but it's also just so much fun. B.L. Lewis drops us right into the action, and it never stops.
I love our FMC‐Winter, I think her reaction to everything is pretty genuine even if she's sometimes flippant. She's kind of like a wonderful mix of diva and chaos gremlin and it makes you want to root for her and also kind of be her best friend? Because the dull moments would be few and far between. Wes (mmc) has this grumbly alpha wolf thing going on, he's a moody dude who takes life pretty seriously all while waltzing around in slutty little crop tops. The dynamic between our MCs? Flawless. And they actually want to kill each other... 10/10.
Honestly, it's kind of hard to review this one because it is kind of... bonkers? But I love that. It's fast-paced, easy to read, and extremely hard to look away from. There are some great side characters as well and I can't wait to see where this story goes next!
~
𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓽𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓿𝓲𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴. 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓸𝔀𝓷
June 8, 2025
The Magicless Mage by B.L. Lewis
B.L. Lewis does it again! This story is a wild ride start to finish and you will absolutely not regret picking this book up! The ending will leave you reeling and wanting more And you will be absolutely unruptured from start to finish!
The story reads very cinematically and can paint a wonderful picture while you’re reading with colorful vocabulary and interesting characters that will make you love them or make you hate them! This is a 18+ Book and there are some content warning so definitely read those before diving in!
The characters have wonderful snarky, sassy, and glorious back-and-forth throughout the book while also having a deeply serious and interesting character dynamics! Both characters are also amazingly, flushed out along with honestly most of the rest of the characters!
This is a twisted interesting Wizard of Oz retelling that has many tropes and micro tropes that will leave you excited to see what the future holds! Or should I say the past? Step into the world of the magically made soon!
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️
Please check content warnings!
B.L. Lewis does it again! This story is a wild ride start to finish and you will absolutely not regret picking this book up! The ending will leave you reeling and wanting more And you will be absolutely unruptured from start to finish!
The story reads very cinematically and can paint a wonderful picture while you’re reading with colorful vocabulary and interesting characters that will make you love them or make you hate them! This is a 18+ Book and there are some content warning so definitely read those before diving in!
The characters have wonderful snarky, sassy, and glorious back-and-forth throughout the book while also having a deeply serious and interesting character dynamics! Both characters are also amazingly, flushed out along with honestly most of the rest of the characters!
This is a twisted interesting Wizard of Oz retelling that has many tropes and micro tropes that will leave you excited to see what the future holds! Or should I say the past? Step into the world of the magically made soon!
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️
Please check content warnings!
November 2, 2025
Such a fun and refreshing re-telling of the Wizard of Oz. This had a few similarities but felt strikingly different in so many ways. The banter, wit, and one-liners had me cackling the whole way through.
Winter is quirky, sassy, and fearless—equal parts savage and vulnerable—and I loved every layer of her character. Westley had that alpha energy, but his flaws and insecurities made him feel real and gave his growth more weight.
The chaotic (more like psychotic?!) twins, the sidekicks, Mel, and the pups were all standouts—I hope we see much more of them. And those last fifty pages? Absolutely wild with twists that left me desperate for the next book. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
Winter is quirky, sassy, and fearless—equal parts savage and vulnerable—and I loved every layer of her character. Westley had that alpha energy, but his flaws and insecurities made him feel real and gave his growth more weight.
The chaotic (more like psychotic?!) twins, the sidekicks, Mel, and the pups were all standouts—I hope we see much more of them. And those last fifty pages? Absolutely wild with twists that left me desperate for the next book. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
October 3, 2025
4.5⭐️
This was my first Wizard of Oz inspired book and I loved it! It was absolutely wild and unhinged at times & I could not put it down!! B.L.'s writing style and world building was *chef’s kiss*—making the book play out like a movie in my head. The chapter titles were also such a cute detail!! “Winter’s not bad. She’s just drawn that way” & “Westley’s shifting into a great, big coward!” were favorites!!
OH! And it’s an *actual* enemies to lovers. Winter and Westley LOOOATHE each other at first, which made for the best snarky banter. 😏
“𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙖𝙬 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙛.”
The ending had me SHOOK & I can’t wait for the next book!!
What to expect:
🤍 Witch x wolf shifter
🪄 Enemies to lovers
🤍 Cat & mouse
🪄 Magical library
🤍 Time travel
🪄 Slow burn
🤍 Omegaverse themes
🪄 Unhinged goodness 🤌🏻
“𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙, 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙡.”
“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙮. 𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩?”
This was my first Wizard of Oz inspired book and I loved it! It was absolutely wild and unhinged at times & I could not put it down!! B.L.'s writing style and world building was *chef’s kiss*—making the book play out like a movie in my head. The chapter titles were also such a cute detail!! “Winter’s not bad. She’s just drawn that way” & “Westley’s shifting into a great, big coward!” were favorites!!
OH! And it’s an *actual* enemies to lovers. Winter and Westley LOOOATHE each other at first, which made for the best snarky banter. 😏
“𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙨𝙣𝙖𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙟𝙖𝙬 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙛.”
The ending had me SHOOK & I can’t wait for the next book!!
What to expect:
🤍 Witch x wolf shifter
🪄 Enemies to lovers
🤍 Cat & mouse
🪄 Magical library
🤍 Time travel
🪄 Slow burn
🤍 Omegaverse themes
🪄 Unhinged goodness 🤌🏻
“𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙, 𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙡.”
“𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙮. 𝙉𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙, 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩?”
September 4, 2025
While there are a few Wizard of Oz references, I'm unsure whether or not to firmly call this a "fairytale retelling", but I do know that I was captivated by this ARC from the first page in a way than I usually am not (*pops champagne*).
What a wild doozy of a ride y'all! This is my first ever omegaverse read and let me tell ya, this shit is complex. It's wild and exciting and deeply unhinged and funny? and wholly devourable.
It is sweet, beautiful chaos, full of unhinged comic book-like characters, and we stan our beautiful blood-thirsty queen.
That being said, the places that lost me were generally regarding violence - I would like to be clear that I adore a violent, gritty story, but found the treatment of violent happenings often occurred without any sort of padding or linguistic flair, making them feel like they lacked enough weight to really make an impact.
Our overprotective alpha himbo is pretty ignorant in his frequent leaps to violence without thinking, much of the early plot is also “no I won’t listen to your explanations, shut up or I’ll kill you” which I suppose one may expect but he never quite comes back from it to redeem himself. Although Winter is also nuts so maybe none of that matters and it will all come together in the next book <3
Overall, I can embrace a chaotic, unhinged read that knows exactly what it is, and look forward to catching the next installment soon! I need to know what happens to our wolfy babes!
What a wild doozy of a ride y'all! This is my first ever omegaverse read and let me tell ya, this shit is complex. It's wild and exciting and deeply unhinged and funny? and wholly devourable.
It is sweet, beautiful chaos, full of unhinged comic book-like characters, and we stan our beautiful blood-thirsty queen.
That being said, the places that lost me were generally regarding violence - I would like to be clear that I adore a violent, gritty story, but found the treatment of violent happenings often occurred without any sort of padding or linguistic flair, making them feel like they lacked enough weight to really make an impact.
Our overprotective alpha himbo is pretty ignorant in his frequent leaps to violence without thinking, much of the early plot is also “no I won’t listen to your explanations, shut up or I’ll kill you” which I suppose one may expect but he never quite comes back from it to redeem himself. Although Winter is also nuts so maybe none of that matters and it will all come together in the next book <3
Overall, I can embrace a chaotic, unhinged read that knows exactly what it is, and look forward to catching the next installment soon! I need to know what happens to our wolfy babes!
November 21, 2025
4.5 🌟
"She hadn’t intended to kill anyone today, but it would be her pleasure to do so. Blood, after all, was her favorite color." (Ch 9)
Omegaverse | Romantasy | Time Traveling | Witches, Werewolves, Vampires | Fated
In a world where mortals were wiped out by vampires, Winter is a librarian witch, and while distracted by her mage boyfriend, she fails at her main task... to keep precious rare tomes from evil hands. Specifically, a spell book that winds up yanking her back through time where she is met with many dark, many painful and vicious encounters. She stoically survives, through blood and sweat, tooth and nail, through assault, humiliation, torture, kidnapping, and abuse at the hands of the cruel and vicious... or uninformed.
The time period she's sucked into is not kind to her at all and pushes her to the edge. However, the werewolf that she stumbles upon stirs not only hate within her, but something stronger, something more ancient that proves to be difficult to fight off.
But Winter is no docile pup.
"There was a monster inside her— the kind that destroyed themselves." (Ch 17)
""....my favorite color is red.” After swiping a finger through the river of blood running down the dead.... Winter painted her lips with it." (Ch 9)
Westley, an alpha werewolf, sees Winter as a threat that he must eliminate in order to keep his family safe. But there is more to Winter than he'd like to admit, more to her than even she knows. He is stubborn, but fiercely protective of what is his. He has a shameful secret, though.
"Her scent, as strong as it was sinful, blew towards him. Trouble must trickle from her pores like sap tapped from a maple tree." (Ch 10)
Quick read, a lot of brutal moments that had me wincing or silently aghast, but nose-to-the-page intriguing, nonetheless! And the surprising twist toward the end would make even non-shifters growl.
eARC courtesy of NetGalley
"She hadn’t intended to kill anyone today, but it would be her pleasure to do so. Blood, after all, was her favorite color." (Ch 9)
Omegaverse | Romantasy | Time Traveling | Witches, Werewolves, Vampires | Fated
In a world where mortals were wiped out by vampires, Winter is a librarian witch, and while distracted by her mage boyfriend, she fails at her main task... to keep precious rare tomes from evil hands. Specifically, a spell book that winds up yanking her back through time where she is met with many dark, many painful and vicious encounters. She stoically survives, through blood and sweat, tooth and nail, through assault, humiliation, torture, kidnapping, and abuse at the hands of the cruel and vicious... or uninformed.
The time period she's sucked into is not kind to her at all and pushes her to the edge. However, the werewolf that she stumbles upon stirs not only hate within her, but something stronger, something more ancient that proves to be difficult to fight off.
But Winter is no docile pup.
"There was a monster inside her— the kind that destroyed themselves." (Ch 17)
""....my favorite color is red.” After swiping a finger through the river of blood running down the dead.... Winter painted her lips with it." (Ch 9)
Westley, an alpha werewolf, sees Winter as a threat that he must eliminate in order to keep his family safe. But there is more to Winter than he'd like to admit, more to her than even she knows. He is stubborn, but fiercely protective of what is his. He has a shameful secret, though.
"Her scent, as strong as it was sinful, blew towards him. Trouble must trickle from her pores like sap tapped from a maple tree." (Ch 10)
Quick read, a lot of brutal moments that had me wincing or silently aghast, but nose-to-the-page intriguing, nonetheless! And the surprising twist toward the end would make even non-shifters growl.
eARC courtesy of NetGalley
October 5, 2025
What a BLAST! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve laughed THIS MUCH during a book. It’s so delightfully unhinged and chaotic. Have you ever seen Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill?! Those are the vibes I got with the speed and insanity of this story. I DEVOURED IT! 40% in and I knew I needed to order all of her books. This is the kind of fast-paced ride that could pull anyone out of a reading slump! It was dark, and gory, but also had some delicious tension, a big, bad villain, and a little trauma. There was a twist I DID NOT see coming and I’m excited to see how things are going to play out with the next book that I fully intend to binge soon. 🙌🏻 🔥
October 3, 2025
arc review to come 🖤
June 27, 2025
You want it? It’s got it. Just to name a few -
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Shifter x Witch
Magic Library
Time Travel
Unhinged MCs
Wound tending
This story is so much more than first meets the eye. It’s unique and packs a fantasy punch. You’re in for a wild ride!!
Yes it is an unhinged re-telling of the Wizard of Oz. It’s full of angst, it’s (very) hot, it has Shifters, Witches, Vampires, magical creatures and a magical library but along with all of these amazing fantasy wants and needs It’s also about survival, finding out who you are in a world you’re not sure you belong in and trying to find yourself and your place in a whole new world. This is about being a woman in a world that takes what it wants.
It isn't always the yellow brick road, darlings.
This is true enemies-to-lovers, the slowest burn (do not get this confused thinking that means boring), IT BUILDS. Angst and yearning pours from the pages.
“Winter wondered if he knew she planned on killing him. If not, she wanted to make that clear. She swiped two fingers across her neck in a slicing motion.”
Winter and West know exactly how to push each other’s buttons. Winter should have a degree in West because she knows exactly how to make this big bad wolf mad.
“She held out the slice of gingerbread, waggling it. “Come on, have some.” A wicked smile crested her lips. “Or should I make you sit and beg first? Here boy,” she cooed, making kissy sounds”
Winter - a librarian (yes, our reader hearts are singing at this), she’s snarky, she has bite and wit to match. She has her own unique charm and I felt so much joy reading her vulnerable moments and really getting to know her.
Oh, and did I mention, she enjoys using her enemies blood as lip tint?
“I love a good red lip, but not every shade is the same, y’know? Crimson is rich and robust, just like your eyes were, which may appeal to some, but nope, not me. Scarlet is brighter. Don’t you see?” She smacked her lips together. “That's why I prefer fresh blood,”
West - broody alpha male, he’s protective, bossy, and has a big weight on those lovely broad shoulders. Underneath it all, really is a cinnamon roll (just for her), who falls first and hard, even if he doesn’t want to admit it to himself. I look forward to getting more of Wests layers in the coming books.
“Winter,” he rumbled.
She lifted her chin, forever challenging him. “Yes?”
“I do hope you know that tongue of yours plagues me.”
Full of exciting twists and turns, betrayal, friendships and found family, it’ll make you laugh, swoon and cry. You’ll be putting pieces together along the way and be wonderfully surprised with a carefully and brilliantly curated cliffhanger.
This book is the warmth of the Winter sun. And I adore it.
I can’t wait to get my greedy little reader hands on the next instalment!
Oh and let’s give some serious appreciation for chapter titles!!! Like why has this universally died off?! B.L Lewis has bought it back and made them her own!
Thank you so much for this arc!
*please check trigger warnings*
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Shifter x Witch
Magic Library
Time Travel
Unhinged MCs
Wound tending
This story is so much more than first meets the eye. It’s unique and packs a fantasy punch. You’re in for a wild ride!!
Yes it is an unhinged re-telling of the Wizard of Oz. It’s full of angst, it’s (very) hot, it has Shifters, Witches, Vampires, magical creatures and a magical library but along with all of these amazing fantasy wants and needs It’s also about survival, finding out who you are in a world you’re not sure you belong in and trying to find yourself and your place in a whole new world. This is about being a woman in a world that takes what it wants.
It isn't always the yellow brick road, darlings.
This is true enemies-to-lovers, the slowest burn (do not get this confused thinking that means boring), IT BUILDS. Angst and yearning pours from the pages.
“Winter wondered if he knew she planned on killing him. If not, she wanted to make that clear. She swiped two fingers across her neck in a slicing motion.”
Winter and West know exactly how to push each other’s buttons. Winter should have a degree in West because she knows exactly how to make this big bad wolf mad.
“She held out the slice of gingerbread, waggling it. “Come on, have some.” A wicked smile crested her lips. “Or should I make you sit and beg first? Here boy,” she cooed, making kissy sounds”
Winter - a librarian (yes, our reader hearts are singing at this), she’s snarky, she has bite and wit to match. She has her own unique charm and I felt so much joy reading her vulnerable moments and really getting to know her.
Oh, and did I mention, she enjoys using her enemies blood as lip tint?
“I love a good red lip, but not every shade is the same, y’know? Crimson is rich and robust, just like your eyes were, which may appeal to some, but nope, not me. Scarlet is brighter. Don’t you see?” She smacked her lips together. “That's why I prefer fresh blood,”
West - broody alpha male, he’s protective, bossy, and has a big weight on those lovely broad shoulders. Underneath it all, really is a cinnamon roll (just for her), who falls first and hard, even if he doesn’t want to admit it to himself. I look forward to getting more of Wests layers in the coming books.
“Winter,” he rumbled.
She lifted her chin, forever challenging him. “Yes?”
“I do hope you know that tongue of yours plagues me.”
Full of exciting twists and turns, betrayal, friendships and found family, it’ll make you laugh, swoon and cry. You’ll be putting pieces together along the way and be wonderfully surprised with a carefully and brilliantly curated cliffhanger.
This book is the warmth of the Winter sun. And I adore it.
I can’t wait to get my greedy little reader hands on the next instalment!
Oh and let’s give some serious appreciation for chapter titles!!! Like why has this universally died off?! B.L Lewis has bought it back and made them her own!
Thank you so much for this arc!
*please check trigger warnings*
June 21, 2025
If you're a fan of futuristic retellings and don't mind overlooking some problematic elements, this might be worth a read. There were so many moments where I literally laughed out loud at the sheer absurdity of it all. It's like the author knew exactly how close to the edge she was walking, creating something so juvenile, and ridiculous, but somehow, it works?
I'm just going to leave this here: kinky.
I really struggled with the relationships between the main characters, I'm not going to lie, I found it deeply unsettling. Though, despite all my criticisms, I was completely immersed in the story. I was annoyed half the time, but I couldn't put it down. And the ending? Super fast-paced.
I'm just going to leave this here: kinky.
I really struggled with the relationships between the main characters, I'm not going to lie, I found it deeply unsettling. Though, despite all my criticisms, I was completely immersed in the story. I was annoyed half the time, but I couldn't put it down. And the ending? Super fast-paced.
September 30, 2025
This was fun, entertaining, and fast paced! This caught my attention from the beginning but as I kept going idk what it was but it got a little boring for me and I couldn’t keep going 😢 I think it was a little too fast paced and got hard for me to connect to the characters throughout the book.
I liked the idea of this story you got a witch, time travel, vampires and werewolves. It was quirky with the chapter titles which was different and I did like that but I felt myself not really connecting to the story as I kept going.
I liked the idea of this story you got a witch, time travel, vampires and werewolves. It was quirky with the chapter titles which was different and I did like that but I felt myself not really connecting to the story as I kept going.
June 21, 2025
I got this book as an arc reader, and don’t worry, I’m not paid to write a review. I usually zip through books, but this one I really wanted to savor. The writing is simply incredible, and the world-building is out of this world. You feel like you’ve stepped right into the story. The main character is just right - she’s fierce and caring, but she doesn’t necessarily want to grow as a person. But guess what? She does throughout the book. I can’t believe this book isn’t out until October. That means I have to wait even longer for the second book! I have to say, I give this book a solid five stars.
June 19, 2025
What an amazing story! If you like wizard of oz vibes but with major twist this is for you! The slow burn is so delicious and heart breaking. The plot twists especially at the end leaving us with a major cliffhanger just holds you in the books thralls such a great read!
May 27, 2025
I beta read this story and it was such a unique setting! We have time travel, witches, werewolves, and chaotic Queen of Hearts vibes in one tale where the slow burn is BURNING and the simping is at an all time high! I cannot wait to reread the final product and see where the series goes from here!
August 11, 2025
Thank you for the ARC!
Check the trigger warnings. I didn’t. I survived. But at what cost? So, Winter is a mage who burps without covering her mouth, eats her dinner like a starving Labrador, and paints her lips with the blood of her enemies. She also has a boyfriend who likes snacking in the library if you know what I mean, gods and Tartarus bless him. While she’s strutting around 1917 in lululemon leggings, which is that time period’s equivalent of full-frontal nudity, she meets a werewolf so broad he has to go through doors sideways. For real. His name is Tank Top Westley the Chronic Masturbator; he hates everyone for no reason and has turned jumping to conclusions into a competitive sport. His poor sister, Mel, has a lot to put up with, even without taking into account the fact that she has a human body except for one wolfy leg. Mel’s bar for men is on the floor, giving her baby daddy praise for *checks notes* remembering the names of his own children. Winter then decides to go into a house that smells of gingerbread, which was always going to be a bad idea in a fairytale. She meets a witch who thinks Winter is a strange name. Bold, coming from someone named Lennethy. Westley thinks about how sexy Winter is a lot while clutching his TWICE THE SIZE OF A HUMAN’s lycanthropic salami. Twice! Unnecessary! 30% mark up is the max anyone needs. Westley also admits he uses the pull out and pray method because he’s too good for condoms or something, and any scrap of respect I had for this man has evaporated. After lots of hiking and pretending to hate each other, they visit Queen Mara, who’s like Amarantha if she had the hots for Feyre and had the imagination to strap a nude menstruating woman to a turntable and just let her spin like a scarlet Catherine wheel. Her minions are naked a lot, rarely of their own accord.
good for fans of: Broomstick lessons (not an innuendo this time),Timey-wimey stuff, NC-17 Penn and Teller shows, Lassoing werewolves, Free bleeding in a ballgown, Immortal politics
bad for fans of: ladylike FMCs
Check the trigger warnings. I didn’t. I survived. But at what cost? So, Winter is a mage who burps without covering her mouth, eats her dinner like a starving Labrador, and paints her lips with the blood of her enemies. She also has a boyfriend who likes snacking in the library if you know what I mean, gods and Tartarus bless him. While she’s strutting around 1917 in lululemon leggings, which is that time period’s equivalent of full-frontal nudity, she meets a werewolf so broad he has to go through doors sideways. For real. His name is Tank Top Westley the Chronic Masturbator; he hates everyone for no reason and has turned jumping to conclusions into a competitive sport. His poor sister, Mel, has a lot to put up with, even without taking into account the fact that she has a human body except for one wolfy leg. Mel’s bar for men is on the floor, giving her baby daddy praise for *checks notes* remembering the names of his own children. Winter then decides to go into a house that smells of gingerbread, which was always going to be a bad idea in a fairytale. She meets a witch who thinks Winter is a strange name. Bold, coming from someone named Lennethy. Westley thinks about how sexy Winter is a lot while clutching his TWICE THE SIZE OF A HUMAN’s lycanthropic salami. Twice! Unnecessary! 30% mark up is the max anyone needs. Westley also admits he uses the pull out and pray method because he’s too good for condoms or something, and any scrap of respect I had for this man has evaporated. After lots of hiking and pretending to hate each other, they visit Queen Mara, who’s like Amarantha if she had the hots for Feyre and had the imagination to strap a nude menstruating woman to a turntable and just let her spin like a scarlet Catherine wheel. Her minions are naked a lot, rarely of their own accord.
good for fans of: Broomstick lessons (not an innuendo this time),Timey-wimey stuff, NC-17 Penn and Teller shows, Lassoing werewolves, Free bleeding in a ballgown, Immortal politics
bad for fans of: ladylike FMCs
July 17, 2025
This dark and twisted Wizard of Oz retelling was fast-paced and unhinged. Winter is a witch that works in a magical library protecting ancient texts. After accidentally casting a spell from one of the ancient tomes, she is transported 700 years in the past. Without many options Winter reluctantly teams up with a werewolf. Westley doesn't trust witches and he especially doesn't trust Winter. In order to protect his pack, he agrees to journey to the Witch Queen with Winter who hopes the queen will return her to her timeline. While distracted by his conflicting feelings for Winter, Westley fails to fully explain what dealing with the Witch Queen means.
The Magicless Mage is a tale of self discovery and second chances. Winter has always felt less than due to her lack of magic. She protects her vulnerability through snark and bravado but is ultimately forced to face her insecurities when some realizations about herself come to light. Similarly, Westley questions his worth as an alpha when he fails to protect those around him, and almost gives up his position entirely. While Winter and Westley find healing in each other, it's almost too late.
This story was gripping and heartbreaking and there were multiple times throughout the story I just wanted to reach through the book and give a character a hug. I adored Winter's character, and I want to strongly suggest some therapy to our sexy walking miscommunication Westley. Baby boy, you really need to learn how to share your feelings. The setting was clear in my mind and the plot was easy to follow. I am so excited to see where Winter and Westley's story goes next, and to finally get some action between these two!!
Thank you so much to B.L. for the opportunity to ARC read this book! You killed it babe!
The Magicless Mage is a tale of self discovery and second chances. Winter has always felt less than due to her lack of magic. She protects her vulnerability through snark and bravado but is ultimately forced to face her insecurities when some realizations about herself come to light. Similarly, Westley questions his worth as an alpha when he fails to protect those around him, and almost gives up his position entirely. While Winter and Westley find healing in each other, it's almost too late.
This story was gripping and heartbreaking and there were multiple times throughout the story I just wanted to reach through the book and give a character a hug. I adored Winter's character, and I want to strongly suggest some therapy to our sexy walking miscommunication Westley. Baby boy, you really need to learn how to share your feelings. The setting was clear in my mind and the plot was easy to follow. I am so excited to see where Winter and Westley's story goes next, and to finally get some action between these two!!
Thank you so much to B.L. for the opportunity to ARC read this book! You killed it babe!
July 13, 2025
UM, WHAT?! I ATE this book up. From the first chapter, I was completely invested. It was fast paced, wildly entertaining, and most of all, refreshingly unique.
The way time travel is woven in with the dynamics between the immortals and what was going on with magic felt so original and unexpected, it all just worked. I found myself flying through the chapters. (it was 4:35am when I wrote this review if that says anything, I literally could not put this book down )
Even the chapter titles deserve a shoutout, they were cheeky, quirky, and unlike anything l've seen before. Each one felt like a statement while giving you just the right taste of dramatic flair.
This was a true enemies to reluctant allies, to budding lovers done right! Winter? | ADORE her. She's fierce, sassy, smart, and totally her own person. The MMC is perfectly matched for her, and the banter between the two definitely kept me fed! But let's talk about the plot twists. Layer after layer, twist after twist, my jaw was on the floor. I had a few theories, sure but even then, I was still caught off guard.
& THE LIBRARY SCENE?! WITH _______ ?! PAIN.
This book is brilliant, and just the right amount of diabolical. I genuinely cannot wait for book two!
The way time travel is woven in with the dynamics between the immortals and what was going on with magic felt so original and unexpected, it all just worked. I found myself flying through the chapters. (it was 4:35am when I wrote this review if that says anything, I literally could not put this book down )
Even the chapter titles deserve a shoutout, they were cheeky, quirky, and unlike anything l've seen before. Each one felt like a statement while giving you just the right taste of dramatic flair.
This was a true enemies to reluctant allies, to budding lovers done right! Winter? | ADORE her. She's fierce, sassy, smart, and totally her own person. The MMC is perfectly matched for her, and the banter between the two definitely kept me fed! But let's talk about the plot twists. Layer after layer, twist after twist, my jaw was on the floor. I had a few theories, sure but even then, I was still caught off guard.
& THE LIBRARY SCENE?! WITH _______ ?! PAIN.
This book is brilliant, and just the right amount of diabolical. I genuinely cannot wait for book two!
August 29, 2025
You know when you thought you were going for a nice stroll on a sunny day, but it turns out you accidentally end up in a roller coaster that rattles your brain. And when the ride is over you are just standing there thinking “what the hell was this and why do I need more?”. Yup, that’s what it was like to read The Magicless Mage🤣🫶🏽
This book was unputdownable and I devoured it in two evenings! It’s fast paced and will keep you one your toes with plot twist that will blow your mind, and unhinged events that will have you say WTF loudly! I am addicted! Who doesn’t love magic species like werewolves, mages and vampires, time travelling and bat shit crazy villains?!
I absolutely fell for the FMC because she has a real passion for biology and natural wonders! Winter is our FMC and I absolutely loved reading her POV’s! She is so funny and I laughed out loud so many times, and had to reread it so I could laugh some more!
Our MMC is everything! Alpha werewolf who doesn’t know what love is, or perhaps a beautiful mage might change his black heart?👀
The Magicless Mage is book one in the Wolf Queen Chronicles and releases on October 3th, 2025! And the second book will be out this December so the wait won’t be long!!
Thank you B.L. Lewis for letting me read your book🫶🏽!
This book was unputdownable and I devoured it in two evenings! It’s fast paced and will keep you one your toes with plot twist that will blow your mind, and unhinged events that will have you say WTF loudly! I am addicted! Who doesn’t love magic species like werewolves, mages and vampires, time travelling and bat shit crazy villains?!
I absolutely fell for the FMC because she has a real passion for biology and natural wonders! Winter is our FMC and I absolutely loved reading her POV’s! She is so funny and I laughed out loud so many times, and had to reread it so I could laugh some more!
Our MMC is everything! Alpha werewolf who doesn’t know what love is, or perhaps a beautiful mage might change his black heart?👀
The Magicless Mage is book one in the Wolf Queen Chronicles and releases on October 3th, 2025! And the second book will be out this December so the wait won’t be long!!
Thank you B.L. Lewis for letting me read your book🫶🏽!
July 11, 2025
Note: This is an ARC review!
5⭐️
If you're looking for a fantasy book with these tropes:
- Witch x Shifter
- Enemies to lovers
- Slow Burn
- Time travelling
Then this book is perfect for you!! I read and finished this book in 4 hours. That is how hooked I was with the story, and when I tell you, the tension between the two characters is absolutely BOILING 🔥
The lore itself is simple and well-established, which is a small thing that some books fail to achieve in their first book. Maybe it doesn't matter much, but for a reader like me, who most of the time is just going with the flow with unclear fantasy world building in the first 15 chapters before starting to understand, this detail is crucial.
I'm already looking forward to the next book and to more works from the author! Definitely a job well done 👏👏👏
5⭐️
If you're looking for a fantasy book with these tropes:
- Witch x Shifter
- Enemies to lovers
- Slow Burn
- Time travelling
Then this book is perfect for you!! I read and finished this book in 4 hours. That is how hooked I was with the story, and when I tell you, the tension between the two characters is absolutely BOILING 🔥
The lore itself is simple and well-established, which is a small thing that some books fail to achieve in their first book. Maybe it doesn't matter much, but for a reader like me, who most of the time is just going with the flow with unclear fantasy world building in the first 15 chapters before starting to understand, this detail is crucial.
I'm already looking forward to the next book and to more works from the author! Definitely a job well done 👏👏👏
October 7, 2025
Y’all. This book is perfectly unhinged in all the best ways!! If you’re looking for the perfect book to start off spooky season with, definitely check this one out. You can’t go wrong with witches, shifters, and vampires!
While you can definitely see where this series will be a fantastic enemies to lovers storyline eventually, don’t expect a love story in this book. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of angst, tension, and banter to keep you satisfied in Book 1 of The Wolf Queen Chronicles.
We follow our FMC Winter, our Magicless mage, as she somehow finds herself time traveling back in time from 2617 to 1917. She’s in for a rough time in the past, and our Alpha werewolf MMC Westley does not make things any easier on her.
I loved that this book was dual POV so we could see when Westley’s walls finally started to come down as he realized Winter was telling him the truth the whole time. And it was even better that we got to see him begin to fall first in his POV.
The world building in this book was beautifully done, and I adored the development in Winter and Westley’s relationship throughout the story. I’m so excited to see what’s next for them in Book 2!
You definitely don’t want to miss the dark and unhinged Wizard of Oz retelling. Now’s is a great time to read it since Book 2, The Wondrous Wolf, releases soon on December 3rd!
Thank you so much to B.L. Lewis for the gifted copy of this masterpiece! 🪄🐺
While you can definitely see where this series will be a fantastic enemies to lovers storyline eventually, don’t expect a love story in this book. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of angst, tension, and banter to keep you satisfied in Book 1 of The Wolf Queen Chronicles.
We follow our FMC Winter, our Magicless mage, as she somehow finds herself time traveling back in time from 2617 to 1917. She’s in for a rough time in the past, and our Alpha werewolf MMC Westley does not make things any easier on her.
I loved that this book was dual POV so we could see when Westley’s walls finally started to come down as he realized Winter was telling him the truth the whole time. And it was even better that we got to see him begin to fall first in his POV.
The world building in this book was beautifully done, and I adored the development in Winter and Westley’s relationship throughout the story. I’m so excited to see what’s next for them in Book 2!
You definitely don’t want to miss the dark and unhinged Wizard of Oz retelling. Now’s is a great time to read it since Book 2, The Wondrous Wolf, releases soon on December 3rd!
Thank you so much to B.L. Lewis for the gifted copy of this masterpiece! 🪄🐺
September 16, 2025
3.5 🌟
Overall it was an ok read for me. Sometimes I felt like a little whiplash with the twists and the changes in mood for the MC's.
I feel conflicted. I didn't love it, but still felt compelled to devour it in about 2 days.
I like the time travel and the paranormal beings. I was getting a little fatigued with the miscommunication and the overall abrasiveness. I'm still curious enough to read book 2.
One last statement...I will never be able to look at a coin purse the same 👀🤣
Overall it was an ok read for me. Sometimes I felt like a little whiplash with the twists and the changes in mood for the MC's.
I feel conflicted. I didn't love it, but still felt compelled to devour it in about 2 days.
I like the time travel and the paranormal beings. I was getting a little fatigued with the miscommunication and the overall abrasiveness. I'm still curious enough to read book 2.
One last statement...I will never be able to look at a coin purse the same 👀🤣
July 7, 2025
Everything that happened to Winter happened for a reason.
Going back in time might have seemed like the biggest ordeal, until you learn about all of the important pieces to Winters story and how the alpha (Westley) has such a huge impact on her.
Going back in time might have seemed like the biggest ordeal, until you learn about all of the important pieces to Winters story and how the alpha (Westley) has such a huge impact on her.
August 10, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.
The blurb was interesting - a mage without magic, a Wizard of Oz retelling? I was sold!
The start was interesting and we got to know Winter, the protagonist, who is working in a library. YES! But something happened to her and she time travels into the past. Unfortunately this is where the story lost me and never got me back.
Try this if you enjoy paranormal shifter, don't mind a "turn-off-your-brain" read, really fast-paced scenes, but this one was not for me.
The blurb was interesting - a mage without magic, a Wizard of Oz retelling? I was sold!
The start was interesting and we got to know Winter, the protagonist, who is working in a library. YES! But something happened to her and she time travels into the past. Unfortunately this is where the story lost me and never got me back.
Try this if you enjoy paranormal shifter, don't mind a "turn-off-your-brain" read, really fast-paced scenes, but this one was not for me.
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