The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake

The Broken Veil #1

by Mara Rutherford

In Wisteria, the very act of innovation is forbidden. Any creation—art, music, engineering—conjures a demon from the other side. The greater the innovation, the more dangerous the demon.

This has never stopped Aurelie from inventing—but it has made it more difficult. Her inventions are small by necessity, producing demons that she is capable of dispatching alone. But she knows she’s meant for something greater, and each day has her chafing more at the boundaries of her society.

Destrier lost his parents to demons as a child, and has devoted his life to preventing more senseless murder at the hands of demons. He was young when he joined the hunters, and each year he’s grown stronger. But it’s never enough.

When a mysterious figure offers Aurelie a job she can’t refuse—an impossible, magnificent invention—her decision to accept sets off a chain of events that will alter every aspect of their world… and sparks the connection that will change both Aurelie and Des irrevocably.

With the fierce enemies-to-lovers romance of Heartless Hunter and the high-concept worldbuilding of Arcane, The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake will thrill readers looking for their new cross-genre favorite.
 

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Romantasy, Dark Academia, Demons, Young Adult Fantasy

382 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 14, 2026

About the author

Mara Rutherford began her writing career as a journalist but quickly discovered she far preferred fantasy to reality. A triplet born on Leap Day, Mara has lived all over the world with her diplomat husband and two sons. She is the author of YA books including Crown of Coral and Pearl, The Poison Season, A Multitude of Dreams, and A Curious Kind of Magic.

Reviews

[Val ── .✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! Such a fun book! Mara Rutherford is an incredible writer. The plot is so intriguing and compelling. Female empowerment through and through! A world lured by creativity, but where creativity is banished. Inventions are no longer an option, not even books. Can you imagine?! If you dared to devise something new, a demon would be lurking in the next corner!

An intricate world building where you'll find the Iron Guard, who protects people from demons and, of course, different demon classes: Natia, Somnia, Verita, and Tenebra. I also loved the plot twists! Unpredictable and entertaining!

I think you'll love this book if you enjoy fantasy plots in dark academy settings accompanied by paranormal elements and filled with mystery rooted in history.

Thanks so much to Edelweiss, NetGalley, and HarperCollins for this advanced reader copy of The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake, to be published on April 14th, 2026.

Already waiting for the second book!!! 🤩

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 ★— This book’s title is so good that it completely mismanaged my expectations of this honestly very average YA fantasy story. Set in a fantasy kingdom ravaged by demons, Aurelie Blake is a university student who has her own secret pet demon and indulges in her world's highly illegal activity of inventing in her free time.

My biggest gripe with this book was the insta love trope I was presented with and how the thinness of this relationship persisted throughout the story.

Aurelie and Des meet and, from then on, we see them become suddenly obsessed with each other without having even properly talked, which leads to the story relying heavily on the whole “small girl/big, strong man” dynamic to somehow make them interesting. And, hey, I do enjoy that in plenty of books, but not when it’s a stand-in for actual romantic development.

I should not be rooting for the MMC to be with his female best friend just because those two actually have a proper dynamic and, you know, talk, but that’s exactly what happened here.

I also thought that Aurelie’s role as an inventor wasn’t explored enough for me. I wish I had gotten more scenes of her in her element! I wanted more scenes that actually showed this instead of the book constantly telling me how intelligent and talented she was!

Outside of that, the world-building and central premise of the story were just not unique or interesting enough to compensate for the rather milquetoast romance, so this book just did not end up working for me.

_____________

Thank you to HarperCollins for the gifted copy.

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake
By Mara Rutherford
The Broken Veil #1
YA Fantasy Cozy Dark Academia
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Apr 14, 2026
HarperCollins Children's Books
Ages: 16+

Every time something is created in the land of Wisteria, a demon is conjured, and the greater the invention, the more dangerous the demon. Even dreaming and having a child can bring forth a demon, but those are accidental. But creating intentionally can either earn the innovator life in prison or death.

As a secret inventor of small but necessary things, Aurelie destroys the little demons she creates down in her lab at the college she attends. But she desires to create something bigger, and she knows she can do it. And when a man offers her a job, even though she knows if caught, she'll be sentenced to death, she couldn't say no.

After losing his parents at a young age to a demon attack, Destrier was inducted into the hunters, the soldiers who hunt demons and their creators, and there is nothing he hates more than those who intentionally create demons.


The idea of this story hit me. Just painting a picture could create a demon. I could not resist something that dark.... Nope, not dark...

I'm guessing that the author couldn't decide if they wanted to write a cozy or a dark fantasy. The MC, Aurelie, just turned eighteen and is so 'bubbly' that she comes across as a tween. Not mature at all. So overall, this story reads young, BUT there is semi-adult content that makes this not suitable for readers under sixteen. And yes, there is violence and a little gore.

I loved the idea of this story, but the execution, the MC, ruined it for me. She was not serious enough to make this story, or her, feel legit. Worse is that she is naive. It was clear that... spoiler...

While it's not a bad story, it does not live up to the dark potential it could have. Maybe in the next book, the story will live up to that potential and get darker, but I doubt I will read it.

2 Stars

[Sarah SG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope nope nope!!! I’m sick and tired of this, Grandpa!!!!
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Thank you to NetGalley and HarperTeen for the arc! This was a wonderful concept, but it stayed a wonderful concept only. I have many critiques about the execution.

Here we have multiple instances of repetition that is non-intentional and grating to read. How many times are we gonna say the same thing with slightly different words!?

I say this as a petite woman, I’m sick and TIRED of romantasy authors constantly pointing out how eeny teeny weeny polka dot bikini their fmc is. Of course, Aurelie is so small and short and fragile and the mmc is so big and tall and brooding! Put me to fucking sleep ffs

We’ve got insta-lust! Besides wanting to bone for nearly all of the book I have no idea why the leads are attracted to each other. I felt no chemistry. The beaker was broken. They failed the class!!!!

I totally don’t despise characters that are only intelligent when the author requires it! Even though we’re told how brilliant they are, and more times than necessary!!! Sorry, they’re as dumb as a pile of dirt!

I’ve always wanted a formulaic, cartoony, big bad. 😍 I’m fucking yawning. I’m slumped over. Honesty, this entire book is formulaic, and it went limp in its restraints.

I was standing up, and I’m now stood! Unfortunately, this is yet another cookie-cutter, romantic fantasy book. I should put that romantic part in quotes though, as so many romantasy authors confuse lust with love as well as a contrived formula with tradition. Why do I even bother, dude? -2 stars

[Avery Clason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like Mara Rutherford’s other protagonists, I found Aurelie to be quite endearing and Des to be funny and quick-witted. The premise of this book was incredibly intriguing as we follow Aurelie in a world where invention and creative liberty are outlawed as their creation spawns demons (even if they’re cute like the little dragon demon Aurelie keeps as a pet).

I think this has some wonderful parallels to the anti-intellectual movement sweeping the world on a domestic and global scale with fake news, AI in art/writing, and banned/challenged books. Creativity is under attack and it felt like this book was able to harbor similar questions many of us have about our current world.

I’m very eager to see what happens in the next book as Rutherford steps further into her upper YA genre, but I think it’ll be equally ad wonderful as this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second I read the blurb for The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake I was locked in. I wanted, no I *needed,* to discover this world where invention is forbidden *and* conjures different types of demons! Like right away we have storyline that feels so uniquely its own, creating a swirl of anticipation and awe upon every turn of the page. And this book most certainly achieved just that for me. I was fascinated and intrigued all throughout the journey, and then the ending hit me like a brick wall and I can add desperate to the list of elicited emotions! Because that entire final act has left me desperately impatient for more and more! This book lured me into its world in all the best ways!

Aurelie is a university student who uses her free time creating the most forbidden thing in Wisteria: new inventions. Every new invention conjures a small demon, but Aurelie is quick to vanquish them. Her innovation is secret but what truly gives her a path in life, which becomes more so when a mysterious patron requests she invent a very specific portal. While Aurelie invents, hunter Destrier takes down roaming demons, until he is tasked to secretly look after Aurelie whilst her uncle, dean to the university, is away. The more Des watches Aurelie from afar the more suspicious he becomes of what she is doing, until their paths inevitably and irrevocably cross...

Aurelie is brilliant protagonist. I loved her cleverness, how she used the way others underestime her to her advantage, and I love how clearly she loves to invent. It's simply part of her in a breathing is part of living. She can't do without. Something else I deeply loved about our heroine Aurelie is the fact she is utterly fallible. Pride is her great vice, as it places blinders on her, narrowing her otherwise excellent judgement. Personally, I love to feel I can relate to a protagonist and a way to achieve that is to make them feel as real and human as possible, and what's more real than vulnerability? Perhaps the perseverance we possess to pick ourselves up after every fall. And even when pride has gotten in her own way, Aurelie perseveres by trying to make things right. She is brilliant in mind, kind in heart, and strong in spirit. I loved her completely as a heroine.

As I did our hero Des. Whereas there is almost a controlled chaos about Aurelie, who is willing to push the limits of her ability even while maintaining as much boundaries to it as best she can, Des is all control, boundary and above all else: duty. He goes by the book and cannot fathom any other way of being, but Aurelie brings out a beautiful chaos in him. A chaos that looks to broaden perspective. And that's what I loved about Des. His vice is similar to Aurelie, in having blinders that hinder perspective, but like Aurelie he battles against it, against himself. The more proximity to Aurelie, the more his objectives change, to the point his own heart changes.

Something that I really took to, in terms of both leads, is the fact they are not static characters stuck in their ways. They are dynamic, changing, evolving, and whether right or wrong becomes characters who reclaim their agency to choose for themselves the next steps to take. And sacrifices to give up. It hooks me to their journeys so deeply!

I only wish I could have felt as hooked towards their romance. Their chemistry is 100% present, like without question. I loved, loved, loooved their every interaction. But the pacing felt a bit off, it went from a very slow burn to a very sudden and abrupt romance, and it threw me off. Nonetheless, the chemistry is so there and so something I enjoyed and look forward to seeing develop...especially considering *that* ending!

If you know, you know! Then you'll know how I screamed during that ending! Ahhhh! I was already buckled in for the long haul given how much I enjoyed this entire book, but if I hadn't been, I guarantee you that final act would have placed me right in that seat. Such an incredibly strong final act that will push this series into even greater heights!

I'm so excited to stick around to find out where it takes us next!

Thank you Mara Rutherford, Harper Collins Children's Books, and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Harper Collins for providing me with the aARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The land of Wisteria is cursed; any form of inventing new things summons demons. This has led to stagnant development as inventing is outlawed. Aurelie is a student who is passionate about inventing - outlawed it may be, she has made herself a hidden lab where she invents and eliminates demons that she conjures as a by product. Des of the Iron Guard, who are in charge of hunting demons and arresting inventors, is on Aurelie's trail when he notices more frequent demonic activity around all the places she goes.

While this may not be the focal point of the story, Aurelie keeps a multi-legged dragon-like demon as a pet, complete with catitude. I absolutely loved Mephisto and its scuttling around lab, I wouldn't mind one of my own! I also enjoyed Aurelie as a main character - not all her choices are good and she can be a little dislikable at times, but I do also think that it makes her a more realistic character. She has her dreams and passion and I do think she's in the right to think beyond a life where there is ever anything new. However, although she tries her best to kill any demons she summons, her actions can definitely been seen as selfish at times.

Des is her complete opposite in the sense that he is duty bound and would never stand for demon conjuring. It also makes it a rather interesting dynamic seeing as he is a demon hunter whereas Aurelie is a essentially an accidental demon summoner. They both view the situation Wisteria finds itself in in very different lights which at times had me wondering how any romantic plot could work out for them. I also really liked that the book was told in a dual POV between the two.

The magic system is interesting and I suspect there's even more to it which we won't get to see until the sequel. I will say that I felt the magic system had a fairly big loop hole; the perimeters of what counts as inventing was a little too vague. For example, if Aurelie builds a new invention, the demon is only conjured the moment her invention is completed. But at the same time, things like dreams or paintings can also conjure demons. Wouldn't this then actually mean simply having a new idea rather than giving it form should already count as inventing something new? Or equally, if painting can conjure a demon, shouldn't making blue prints for new inventions also count? Perhaps I am digging too much in the details here, but I just felt there was a bit of inconsistency around what was considered an invention. However, if you put that aside, I really did think it was an interesting and unique magic system.

Although we have a university as a setting, I wouldn't really call this dark academia - there's just too little of the school life involved to really have that academic feeling. But this is by no means a fault - as much as I like academia settings, this book doesn't need it. We do get fun professor characters such as Professor Sheldrake, but we get to see absolutely nothing of the classes. Instead, we focus more on Aurelie's explorations and what the life of the Iron Guard is like. What sets the plot rolling further is the appearance of Everard, an uncanny man who encourages Aurelie to invent something big. The plot becomes darker and stakes gradually feel higher until we end with a couple of twists that definitely have me curious for the sequel. A mild warning, there is a wee bit of spice which, while not overly graphic, did surprise me has the tone was otherwise middle ground YA rather than upper YA.

One final note - I've seen several reviews pointing out the frequent mention of Aurelie and Des' height difference. I believe it is a fairly popular trend among romantasy in particular but I have personally not read that many and thus it feels less like an overused trope to me than it might for others. Their difference in stature is mentioned a lot but I may not even have noticed had I not already seen others bring it up. To be fair, I do think that it's also plot relevant as Aurelie is often underrated based on her size and that does in a way give her a big more coverage as she doesn't want people to know what she is up to when she's alone in her lab.

[Natasha Leighton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A high concept, demon-filled fantasy with a steampunk-y fantasy plot that I found soo enjoyable!

Having loved Mara Rutherford’s The Poison Season (which had gorgeously lush prose and atmospheric, ethereal world-building) I jumped at the chance to read her newest, dark academia adjacent fantasy.

It wasn’t as immersive as I hoped, but with a premise exploring censorship and fears surrounding scientific (and technological) advancement via demons, I was NOT disappointed!

Set in a world where creativity and invention summons demons, we follow ambitious inventor Aurelie and her demon hunting rival, Des. Who find themselves drawn together when Aurelie’s ambitions see her embroiled in a monumental (illegal) invention, that could bring forth a demon so powerful it may alter her world forever.

I loved the eerie, dark academia/ Gaslamp Fantasy-vibes that Mara Rutherford’s prose conjures, and found the Serpent & Dove-esque dynamics between Aurelie and Des so intriguing.

Their internal struggles and opposing views, (on demons and inventions) as well as their experiences of tragedy and grief was where Rutherford truly shines. As she intricately delves into loss and trauma (and two very different experiences of orphanhood) in a way that had me invested in seeing how things would play out.

And play out they did! The second half was incredibly action packed, with cat-and-mouse-style interactions and a high stakes intensity that I found addictive.

The lore surrounding the various Demons, their abilities or reasons for being conjured was fascinating too. I really need an illustrated compendium ASAP!

Overall, a fun series starter that fans of Academic Fantasy, or coming of age-style plots should consider checking out.

Also, a huge thanks to Book Rambler PR & Harper360YA for the HB copy.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so saddened by this rating — Mara Rutherford is an auto read author for me. I have loved all of her books and given them nothing less than 4 stars (and often 5s, which is rare for me).

I loved this book at the start. It had somewhat of a dark academia vibe, with Aurelie fighting to be an inventor even if the act of inventing conjures demons. Des is essentially part of a police force hunting down and killing demons and imprisoning those who conjure them, so it definitely had a forbidden lovers feeling and was giving me vibes of Serpent and Dove.

However, as the story progressed, I hated Aurelie more and more with each chapter (which then made me annoyed with Des’s infatuation with her).

This girl. She just came off as super spoiled and selfish with her “well I want to be an inventor” attitude. You’re literally conjuring demons from another dimension every time you invent something and putting others at risk! And then a man asks her to make a portal to the demon realm — and alarm bells weren’t going off in her head?!? It was painfully obvious that (a) the mysterious man was lying to her; (b) that he was the villain; and (c) who he was but Aurelie couldn’t connect the dots in her own head until it was way too late. I think she would have come off as a more sympathetic character to me if the villain had captured her uncle from the beginning and forced her to work for him, but for a good chunk of the book she went along with him because she ~~wanted to invent~~ and he played to her ego (“you’re such a brilliant inventor” etc). The fact that she worked for him willingly for as long as she did really called her character into question for me.

Des I liked well enough. He’s a demon hunter just trying to do his job. I could understand the motivations of his character (at least professionally). But what did he see in Aurelie??? He should have just arrested her and been done with it. He was just so attracted to her and I could not for the life of me see why. The ending with him literally sacrificing HIS SOUL to save her was ridiculous.

The setting, magic system, secondary characters and the writing was all good. I really liked Daisy (well, all of Des’s friends really) and Aurelie’s professor mentor. Mara Rutherford’s books are easy to read and the world building really gives a sense of the fantasy world and situation. As I said, generally I love her books. However, I really hated the character of Aurelie which unfortunately ruined the book for me. I’m still looking forward to this author’s next book though!

[Jaylin · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Genevieve (GenLikesToRead) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars

Cover? Gorgeous. Title? Fantastic. Description? Intriguing. Execution? Ehhh…

I am really sad that I couldn’t get into this book. It had all the infrastructure to be great but the reality is that it just wasn’t. I found it very difficult to get engaged and stay engaged. I had to force myself to pick it up. It felt like it was dragging. However, it doesn’t feel right to rate it lower than 2.5 stars. I enjoy Mara Rutherford’s prose, enjoyed the creativity of the story, and didn’t find anything offensive. Was the book rather repetitive? Unfortunately, yes. Did she love to remind you of the MMC’s HUGE stature and the FMC’s itty bitty size? Yes, and I think we’re all absolutely sick of that. But the book was fine.

I also am a bit frustrated that the book ended up being a part of a series and not a standalone. I wish that was better advertised. Unfortunately, I will not be continuing with the next book.

This is only my second book by Mara Rutherford and the first I read from them was a 5 star so I certainly plan to read more from them in the future. I just hope those books make me feel more like I did while reading A Curious Kind of Magic than while reading The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake!

[mith · Rating 3 out of 5]

oh, its a series, is it? how many more books of readers being reminded of how big des is and how utterly tiny aurelie is? good god.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake - you have left me on tenterhooks!! (3.75 star rating - rounded up!)

I was intrigued by this story when I saw the demon hunter and inventor trope. Because what does the inventor have to do with demons? Well!! Let me tell you - it has EVERYTHING to do with demons in the world of Wisteria.

Aurelie is so realistic - from the off you’re rooting for this character who feels like she has so much to prove and who doesn’t want to be stuck in the world (both at large and in the upper society she’s being forced into by her peers). At times I felt like throwing my head into my hands with this girl, and I kind of loved that? As I said to start with, this character is so realistic, and I felt all of her feelings with her. I got why she made the mistakes, and why she was besotted with Des, and why she was so much more than what both sides on this story thought she was. I cannot wait to see her grow in book 2!! Des was an excellent MMC, while I don’t think he’s as strong as Aurelie’s character, I’m really hoping (without giving too much away from this book) that in book 2 we learn more about him and see a more complicated character exploration.

Now our villain. Our VILLAIN. Everard is a man I have on my hit list for fictional bad guys (not the hot ones, just the down right evil ones). Mara Rutherford has nailed this character - I was on such a journey trying to understand his motives, and watching him from beginning to end has been so fascinating. Again, I cannot wait to see what becomes of him in book 2!!

TDIOAB has a good narrative, I think, for the genre and audience. Knowing this is the first in a series, I feel like Rutherford did a great job of creating a world that felt limited through Aurelie’s eyes - both in it’s literal development in science, but also her limited world view after being penned in to the world of academia for so long. Equally in Des’ POV, we see a world through the eyes of an unloved orphan, someone who’s naturally inclined to only care about their duty to the kingdom and little else. When the two find each other, we see the narrative and world overall begin to bloom. It’s great writing, and having finished the story I feel like the pacing is well suited to the absolute crescendo at the end of it all. I think it’s important to remember this is a mid-to-upper YA fantasy, which I do love to return to from time to time because the ideas are so fun, and the characters can be a little silly because, oh my god, they’re young!! A little naivety is prone when you’re 18/19, and I think if you keep that in mind, this story is enjoyable and suits the genre.

(I will note here, one thing I wasn’t a hugeee fan of: the frequency of references to Aurelie’s size compared to not just Des, but everyone. While I get it’s a good metaphor for her limited worldly knowledge and youth, it was perhaps a little overdone. This is perhaps my biggest and only gripe with the story)

What really sold me was the world of Wisteria. The university fulfilled all of my brown academia needs, while the kind of lowkey victorian era/dilapidated steampunk vibes of the kingdom really drew me in!! I love that everything is falling apart and no one’s allowed to mend anything for fear of making a demon!! Speaking of demons, the different types of demon we could find in TDIOAB were so fun, and each time we found a new one I was so excited to learn their attributes - if I were Aurelie I’d also be sketching these weird guys down 😌

Overall, I loveddd this book a lot. The romance is closed-door but the yearning is so endearing - while I usually like spice in my books, I actually think that given the age of the characters, opting for a closed door romance makes a lot of sense and is appropriate for the age of them and the potential readers!! I loved the world so much, and wish I could visit this place for a day and grab a sickeningly sweet hot chocolate with Daisy and Jasper. I cannot wait to read book 2, and I cannot wait to read more from Rutherford in the future!!

A huge thank you to Mara Rutherford for having me on the street team, it’s been an absolute pleasure to work with so many amazing people in the build up to this release!!

[Michelle (Bamamele.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Harper Collins for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars

This might be my new fav from Rutherford? I was so invested from the first chapters, and the end had me holding my breath. I'm insanely eager for the next book already, and I just had such a great time reading this book.

Aurelie is a compelling FMC. Is she naive and too trusting? Yes, but she's also just 18. Just as Des is a little rigid and idealistic. Again, he's just 19 and was raised from infancy into the Iron Guard, so the mistakes both of them make are super understandable. I loved the progression of mistrust to maybe friends to maybe more. They both had such complex motivations and conflicting loyalties, but it made for great reading.

The whole cast was great honestly. Daisy and Gareth and Jasper were great friends to Des, just as Kiara was a great friend to Aurelie. And Mephisto! Just a precious little demon bebe.
I did suspect who Everard really was, so I was excited to be proved correct there.

Seriously I'm so excited for the next book and cannot wait to see how they get out of this mess!
Highly recommended!

[KMart Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love most about the dark academia subgenre is how it leans into themes of escalating ambition, the hunger for knowledge, and the slow moral slide that comes with it. In this world, innovation itself is forbidden because every act of creation summons a demon. The greater the idea, the greater the danger. It's such a clever and nuanced concept and feels like a fascinating metaphor for the cost of chasing perfection and the slow moral slide that may come with escalating ambition.

Aurelie is an absolute gem, and her cat-and-mouse dynamic with Des is exactly the kind of enemies-to-lovers I live for. It's charged with tension, complicated by guilt and attraction, and impossible to look away from. It was so fun to watch it unfold.

I did feel like the romance aspect moved too quickly into emotional connection without the groundwork. The banter and tension are there, but they just seem to decide that they're in love and that's that. I wanted the slow build to actually be a slow burn. I also wished Aurelie's inventor aspect would have been explored more here. It's so fun and doesn't get the space it deserves. ALSO, I really disliked that repeated mention of how tiny she is compared to how enormous he is. I get it. We all get it. It was annoying.

The ending was shocking and I cannot wait to see where it goes. Fun read overall, and hoping for more depth in the next one.

Thank you so much to Epic Reads and Storygram tours for this beautiful gifted copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Daffodils_and_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake was SO good. I read all but three chapters in a day and still read the last three chapters first thing in the morning. The magic system is unique and there’s high stakes that as a reader you can be invested in. There’s duel POV between Aurelie and Des which I love. They’re so witty and cute. I’m too impatient to wait for the next book.

Thank you to HarperCollins for an ARC of the ebook.

[Lexi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel has the best atmosphere! Dark Academia, cozy cottage, hot chocolate at the cafe, Yule, inventions in progress, and demon hunting. At the beginning of the story, Aurelie Blake cares about nothing other than inventing, her uncle and last living relative, and her friend. In this world, any new innovation leads to a demon being conjured. It’s clear that we don’t really understand what these creatures are, and the political messaging commands that they be killed by the Iron Guard (demon-hunters) and that people are not allowed to invent or innovate. I’m always drawn into a story where there’s question about the truth and what we are told to believe. Aurelie is approached by a mysterious man with a request for an invention, that may open up her understanding of the world. The romance was sweet and slow, the plot was engaging. My only request is that I wanted more variety in setting. The aesthetic was so well done, that I would have liked to follow these characters everywhere and experience more of the world and the Wisteria campus. But I fully understand that this story balances a lot of elements, and the book could only be so long. I’m intrigued to see how this story continues in the next installment.

For those who love:
📜 Enemies-Allies-Lovers romance
📜 Hunter + Inventor
📜 Dark Academia atmosphere
📜 Cute and evil monsters
📜 Friend group
📜 Political intrigue & secrets

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Skybid · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Review – The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Black by Mara Rutherford✨

I just finished this last night and absolutely flew through it. If you enjoy witty banter, an eerie academic setting, and aggravating cliffhangers (in the best way), this one might be for you.

Aurelie Black was orphaned as a child and raised in Wisteria at the university where her uncle serves as dean. To fill the void left by losing her parents, Aurelie dreams of becoming an inventor and spends her time secretly creating new devices. But in Wisteria, invention is forbidden—because inventions lead to the creation of demons.

When a mysterious stranger offers Aurelie the chance to build an invention that could change everything, how could she possibly turn it down… no matter how dangerous it might be?

Des is an Iron Guard, a soldier sworn to hunt down and destroy demons to protect the city. Many Iron Guards, including Des, were orphaned by demon attacks and joined to avenge their families. When Des begins to notice strange demon activity surrounding Aurelie, he can’t help but investigate.

This story has:
⚙️ nemesis-to-lovers tension
⚙️ dark academia vibes
⚙️ magic and dangerous inventions
⚙️ betrayals and twists
⚙️ “good girl”

The banter and tension reminded me of The Heartless Hunter, and the eerie academic setting added such a unique atmosphere.

I rated this ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5. The ending definitely left me eager (and a little desperate) to see where book two goes next.

Thank you to the publisher and Mara Rutherford for the opportunity to read this story early. Keep an eye out for its release on April 14th.

[hijabi.booknook (Violet) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
In Aurelie’s town of Wisteria, inventions are banned because of the risk of conjuring paranormal creatures. This doesn’t stop Aurelie, a university student with a passion for science. When a mysterious stranger offers her a job, she can’t pass up the opportunity to do more.

Des is a demon hunter conscripted since childhood. Convinced Aurelie is doing illegal activities, he is determined to expose her—but it’s not that easy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved the university setting and dark academia vibe. There was also a found family feel to the book. The romance was sweet and endearing. I was drawn in from the first page and read this quickly. Also the ending! I need to find out what happens in book two!

I am part of the street team for this book. Thank you so much @harpercollins for sending me a copy of this book!

Book review also posted on my Bookstagram @hijabi.booknook

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all I love Mara’s writing. Every time I pick up one of her books I’m in awe. This follows Aurelie, an inventor in hiding in a world when inventions produce demons, and Des, a demon hunter. Aurelie is tasked with a project to rid the kingdom of demons and Des is suspicious that the innocent school girl has a dark secret. The banter is bantering and I loved it. I really liked all the world building and how the plot flows. All in all a great YA fantasy. I can’t wait for book 2!

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always a fan of Mara’s books and this is no exception! This one revolves around Aurelie, a student with a passion for inventing. This is a problem considering inventing of any kind is illegal because it conjures demons. Does that stop her? Nope!

Aurelie is pretty sheltered and doesn’t always make the best choices, but her heart is in the right place. She and Des have a hate to love / opposites attract romance with him being an Iron Guard who kills demons and is firmly against inventing, but of course they’re drawn to each other in a way they can’t explain.

The romance is very sweet and there are some fun side characters including a cute little demon companion. The mysterious invention Aurelie is hired to build kept me on the edge of my seat and the ending broke my heart. I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next one!

Thank you to the author for the ARC!

[Kristin Valdez · Rating 2 out of 5]

I technically dnf at 86%. I already guessed all the plot twists.. I don’t care. If I have to hear about Aurelie (or whatever her name is) being SOFT, soft. So soft.. again I’m gonna lost it. We get it she’s tiny, she’s soft. And Des is big and hard. We get it. Jesus…. I just didn’t care. If there was less horrible romance and more demons and action it would be okay. But I guess who the bad guy was in the beginning, not hard to figure out…

Just wasn’t for me. Might be for some people. Not for me

[Mere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperTeen for an e-arc.

This book definitely is an upper YA book, it is much more mature in theme and content than her other YA books, but it also seems to be written at a higher level as well. This book will hold huge crossover appeal to a younger and an older audience.

I really enjoyed Aurelie and her characterization and her growth in this book. I'm really looking forward to seeing how her character changes in the future.

Mara writes side characters so well - even if they don't hold a main spot or spend a lot of time in the spotlight, and they're still full and well rounded characters. The main romantic relationship was also done well, it was enemies to lovers (my fave)/opposites attract. If you're into books where the girl is on the "wrong side" of the law and the guy is on the "right side" I definitely think this is a romance you will enjoy. I liked the buildup between Des and Aurelie.

Another aspect that I want to point out is that her world building is always done very simplistically, but in a way that works. It's mostly because we don't need a lot of details to understand the world in it's totality, we just need to understand the important parts. And we get more that is fleshed out on the way along.

I had figured out the "twist" in this book fairly early on.

While this book is fantasy, it has a dark academia bit of feel to it, with a bit of...something else. It definitely wasn't dark academia at the core, the school was a place that things happened, but it wasn't a huge focus of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book!

PS: when I was reading I did not notice the height/size differences being super repetitive. I might have just blocked it out though.

[Asma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book was so fun and a great read. The writing was beautiful and flowed well. I knew that everytime i opened the book, i was bound to get immediately immersed. I had to read this book during whatever little time i had at break times at work or on a night before sleeping and whilst i can never concentrate on my reading when there's background noise, i found that i had no problem immersing myself into this world and tuning out everyone else. I loved that the story pulled me in enough to be able to do that.

I adored the characters and the bickering between Aurelie and Des was cute. Can i also just say, THAT CLIFFHANGER! Now i'll have to wait until i find out what happens next 😭. I had a feeling it would go in that direction and it did. I sussed out who the villain was pretty early on but i can't wait to see more evil schemes in the next book!

Thank you Mara for allowing me to be part of your street team and letting me read an e-arc. "The Demonic Inventions Of Aurelie Blake" will be out May 7th in the UK so don't forget to grab your copy!

[Farah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so intrigued by the title that I wasted no time starting this. Unfortunately, I liked the idea and premise of this more than the actual execution. I had no interest in the romance aspect (rare for me) as it was so unimaginative compared to the overall plot, and they had poor chemistry on top of it.

I enjoyed it enough to complete it and I don't regret listening to it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.

[Sequoia Cron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for allowing me to read and review The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Quotes used may differ in the finished version.

"There have always been demons, Aurelie. Some are just more obvious than others."

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake is the newest upcoming release by Mara Rutherford, the author of A Curious Kind of Magic and The Poison Season. Aurelie is an inventor, hiding away in her dingy room from he prying eyes of her Uncle Leo and the Iron Guard. She resides at the University of Wisteria where she and her best friend Kiara, the groundskeeper's daughter, spend a lot of time together. Creating inventions is illegal as they spawn different demons with each creative and artistic idea, awake or asleep. The demon population is dwindling down as less and less people are taking creative liberties. Aurelie is visited by her Uncle's friend Everard, who propositions her to use her inventing abilities to help him create a demonic door, which could either lead to

In between her time figuring out the pieces of this curious and magnetic door, she meets Destrier 'Des' Whitlow, an up-and-coming guard in the Iron Guard program. Des was made an orphan when demons murdered his parents at a young age. All orphans are brought to the Iron Guard to give them shelter and to teach them how to fight demons. The Iron Guard has three rules: never hunt alone, never act on impulse, and never underestimate a demon. Des and Aurelie meet with bad first impressions, leading to Des commanded to watch over Aurelie after he sees her acting suspiciously.

"Mondays were an excellent day for inventing. After all, they were the first day of the week, and if one were to begin something new, one ought to start at the beginning."

Mara Rutherford does a great job entering her Upper-YA era. I really liked how she built Aurelie and Des's slow-burn romance. They have similar life changes, but very different upbringings. Aurelie is brought up by her Uncle Leo, the University Headmaster, after her parents perished in a carriage accident whereas Des was brought up by the Iron Guard. He was trained and taught on sword fighting and the war against the demonic presence. He doesn't understand the rich frills and secured lifestyle Aurelie has always known. They both dislike the other from the start and they have a playful way of avoiding the other, but they always end up next to each other in the end. Knowing this is the start of a duology helped me accept that their relationship would take some time to build from dislike to 'oh wait, I like this person now?' I think Mara did well with executing their growing trust and relationship.

"She knew better than anyone that progress was not a straight path; it featured all the topography of an uncharted world, and all the promise."

With that said, the pacing can be slow at times. The story did take a while to capture my attention and hold it for long periods of time. After a couple of speed bumps, I was able to enjoy the story-telling and the characters. Besides the pacing, the only other negative for me is the repetitive mentions of how big Des is or how small Aurelie is. After reading a review with the same thoughts, I could not stop seeing it. It's mentioned a lot on how tiny or huge they are and it became a very distracting and slightly frustrating reading experience.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake does remind me a little bit of The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare, but for a new generation of readers. I think many will enjoy the banter between Aurelie and Des, the demons, and the secondary cast of characters. I did like the back and forth point of views between Aurelie and Des. I love that Mara included Mephisto, a dragon-like demon Aurelie spawned from an invention she made when she was younger. I really like when creatures are included as pets when they're not supposed to be kept as one.

Overall, an intriguing read that needs a little patience because the twist at the end is totally worth it.

4 stars

[bella ⊹₊⟡⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book! The following review is completely my own.

The mixed feelings I have about this book resulted in a three star rating, maybe even just a little lower (but rounded up due to the Goodreads format). I like Mara Rutherford's work, so I was hoping I would like The Demonic Inventions as much as I enjoyed A Curious Kind of Magic. Unfortunately, I didn't, but the premise was so intriguing—a young woman who loves to create in a world where innovation is dangerous and illegal, and a hunter who chases down the demons that spawn from inventions makes for one of the most unique plots and worlds I've seen in recent years.

The world building and circumstances that Aurelie finds herself in seem to be a reflection of the current state of the world with AI usage and anti-intellectualism on the rise, though I'm not sure if Rutherford wrote it like that on purpose. Regardless, it made for an interesting setting, but I feel like it wasn't built up on as much as it should've been. Instead of expanding the world building or even letting readers see more than just the university Aurelie studies at, Rutherford seemed to focus more on the romance, which I had trouble believing in. There were world building crumbs and explanations where there needed to be, but overall, the world felt like it was an afterthought, pushed to the back in favor of developing the characters more.

Aurelie was a fun protagonist to follow, and I think I liked her POV chapters more than Des's. She has so much personality and feels so human with her clear goals and things she likes, inner thoughts, and emotions as her situation starts to slip out of her control. She's unapologetically herself and genuinely loves what she does, though I wish we actually saw her inventing more things throughout the book, not just the giant project she was commissioned to do. It took me some time to like Des, as he was rather standoffish towards Aurelie for a long time, though he was easy to understand once I got used to him. The side characters were also charming and fun (shout-out to Daisy!) and breathed more life into the narrative.

Aurelie and Des are good individual characters (Aurelie more so, in my opinion) but unfortunately, I just couldn't feel the romance between them. Des hated and crushed on her for the longest time—I understand where the hate came from, but not the love, and his moments of thinking about kissing and holding her felt so out of place and random. I also thought some of the other reviews were exaggerating about the constant size comparisons between Aurelie and Des, but nope, they were true. Aurelie is described as teeny-tiny and small in every Des chapter, and Des is said to be built like a brick wall and is so giant and towering that he has to squeeze through doorways in almost every Aurelie chapter. I don't mind occasional comparisons, but it became unbearable! With this being the first book in a series, I dread the possibility of there being even more reminders of their heights in the sequel(s). Aurelie written from Des's POV also felt disjointed from how she was in her POV chapters, as if Rutherford was writing her to be a certain way to suit the romantic dynamic she had in mind as opposed to the way Aurelie actually was.

Though the line-to-line writing was technically solid, I just felt like there wasn't enough activity either. The work that went into creating and writing Aurelie was good, as well as crafting the initial exposition of the world building, but like I said earlier, there didn't seem to be that much inventing. The book says what Aurelie invented and does show her inventing something right at the beginning, but other than that, there's not much. It constantly seemed like the plot was just Aurelie and Des butting heads with them dealing with their personal problems off to the side, then rinse and repeat. There wasn't nearly enough done with the anti-progress attitude that Wisteria adopted (what others thought of it, such as the general public), or the revelation that Des uncovers when he's on a mission with the Iron Swords. These details make for such a good story background that is really suitable for the way the world is right now, and it would've been great if Rutherford had decided to enhance those aspects! I think this book would've been better as a fantasy with a romantic subplot as opposed to the romantasy that it actually is, but since Rutherford likes writing romances, I can't exactly blame her for wanting to write it this way.

To sum it up, The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake had a promising premise, but focusing on some aspects more than others led to it not quite living up to its potential. Though the ending was fascinating, I don't think it was enough to persuade me to await the sequel.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shoutout to Mephisto for being absolutely adorable.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake is the first book in a YA fantasy duology where creation of any kind - art, music, invention - breeds demons. The premise of this book was extremely intriguing, but the execution fell flat for me for a few different reasons. Despite the fact that creation spawns demons in this world, we barely ever address how the humanities might be impacted beyond the FMC claiming history is boring (as a history major, she's not 100% wrong, but still) and that another student who is studying history only does so because he "lacks creativity." I wish there were a bit more time devoted to the worldbuilding and what exactly counts as "creation." The protagonists bake at one point, and I feel like baking/cooking could count as creation? Especially considering babies being born counts as creation... I also think it would've been cool to learn how the world has developed without music, art, or fiction. Focusing on an FMC who is a woman in STEM is fine, but I just think it would've been interesting to explore other aspects of the worldbuilding more thoroughly.

Aurelie Blake is an inventor. Her passion is illegal, but that hasn't stopped her from pursuing her dreams of finding a purpose and changing the world...no matter the cost. Des is a member of the Iron Guard; he was orphaned by demons, and now his sole purpose in life is to hunt them down for revenge. When Aurelie is given the opportunity to create an invention that could very well secure her place in history, she takes it, but Des has been charged with watching her while her uncle is away, and he's not so sure she can be trusted. This reads as a younger YA for the most part, which isn't bad, but it was surprising considering how risqué some of the romance gets at times (fade to black, though). I would've probably enjoyed this more had a) the romance not been so over-the-top and b) the twists not been so predictable. The romance was very "hate to instalove" in the matter of a few chapters, and once we hit the actual romance phase, it felt like the plot was shoved aside in favor of kissing scenes. Some people might like that. I didn't. I guessed the plot twists fairly early on and didn't have many doubts regarding them, but I did enjoy collecting clues that proved my point. The twists are foreshadowed well...almost too well. The pacing was fine for the most part; there's a bit of action throughout that kept me entertained. The ending is more exciting, but it is fairly rushed, and it sets up for a tense sequel. I'm not sure that I'll read the sequel because I struggled to get through this one, but I do want to know what happens next, so we'll see what happens.

The biggest issue for me was the characters. As a short woman (I'm 5 feet exactly), please, for the love of all things holy, stop making half the FMCs out there petite just to make the height gap bigger. Some other reviews mentioned how repetitive the heights/sizes are in this book, but I didn't understand how bad it was until Aurelie's teeny-tininess was being mentioned every chapter, while Des was also beefy, muscular, and like, bigger than doorframes (that's how I'm picturing it, at least). To be fair, I was beefing with Aurelie pretty early on since she was hating on humanities students, and it only got worse as I realized how naive she was. One of my biggest bookish pet peeves is when characters who are supposed to be smart consistently make the dumbest decisions, and Aurelie felt like one of them. I really struggled to like her when she was overly oblivious about everything while simultaneously having a superiority complex. Again, I'm sure other people will relate to her, which is fine, but I struggled. I wanted to like Des, but he was overly grumpy and then did a 180 halfway through. I didn't mind him too much; I just thought he had more potential. The side characters were fine. I didn't have any strong feelings toward any of them. I completely misread Uncle Leo...that's my bad, y'all. If it weren't for the cast of characters, I probably would've liked this a lot more, but their personalities made this read feel 10x longer than it was.

The Demonic Inventions of Aurelie Blake is the first book in a YA fantasy duology with blossoming romance, demons spawned from creativity, and the vibes of Laura E. Weymouth's Steel & Spellfire and Sophie Clark's Cruel is the Light.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free e-ARC!

3.25/5


Bonus Thought (that will make sense to no one except me and literally one other person): of course I know him...I created him

[Elia · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE DEMONIC INVENTIONS OF AURELIE BLAKE by Mara Rutherford is an upper Young Adult Fantasy dual POV novel set in a land where creation and invention spawns demons. It's the first in a duology. I requested this eARC because I've enjoyed everything I've ever read by this author. I really enjoyed my trip into this new world. The characters were original, flawed, yet honest, the dark academia setting totally my jam, and the enemies-to-lovers romance compelling. Before I gush on, I'll share the premise and setup.

In the village of Wisteria, there's been a curse kicked off long ago by one of two feuding royal brothers. If anyone in town creates or invents anything new and innovative, a demon is spawned. Aurelie Blake doesn't let that stop her from inventing, she's just careful to kill the demon before it can hurt anyone. Living a quiet life in her uncle's cottage after her parents died in a tragic accident, she knows that if she's caught by the Iron Guard, the police-like demon-hunters, she'll be arrested for breaking the law. Invention is part of her soul, she just has to be careful not to get caught. She has a laboratory in the university where she invents on the sly.

Des (Destrier) Whitlow was raised from infanthood by the Iron Guard after his parents were killed by demons. He's spent his entire life learning to hunt and destroy them and to arrest those guilty of conjuring and harboring them. He's great at what he does, but there's something missing from his life.

When a mysterious man offers Aurelie the opportunity to work on an invention that could change their world, she accepts the challenge. What follows is an adventure, action, romance that does, indeed change their world. Tune in and read to find out just how.

What I loved most:
- I'll start with Aurelie. She's such an original, interesting, smart, and yet flawed character. There's so much she's capable of, and I love that she's got confidence in herself and her abilities. She has her insecurities, like any person, and her vulnerable moments with Des were some of the highlights of this novel
- Des is the grumpy Iron Guard with a heart of gold. His life has only involved working to eliminate demons, and it's wonderful to see his evolution from grumpy, surly and judgy, to the supportive, protective, and open-minded foil to Aurelie.
- Kudos to the side characters in this novel. I adored Aurelie,'s best friend, Kiki who was supportive but also realistic about the dangers her friend was putting herself in. Daisy and Gareth in the Iron Guard were the found family that supported Des through his journey
- I'm so impressed by the unique and original magic system in this story. The runes, the demons, I feel like there's so much more to explore, which is why I'm glad there's another book to round out the series
- the enemies to lovers romance was a heated slow burn and when they finally get together is fire
- The descriptions and settings made this an immersive read. Such great vibes from the academic buildings, to the town of Wisteria.
- Mephisto was adorable and under my protection until further notice
- the villain of this book was revealed pretty early on, but it didn't mess with the momentum of the story. When at last his true nature is revealed, it's unsurprising but also a fantastic and fantastical moment. As all good writers do, Mara hinted at this person's identity and I was satisfied that I guessed it before the big reveal.

What didn't work:
- I'm sure this is a matter of preference, and this issue will likely be addressed in pass pages: there were a couple of places where this book got info-dumpy, especially when sharing the background of Wisteria. It may be owing to the fact that I was reading this book kind of late that I caught this small nit-picky issue.

THE DEMONIC INVENTIONS OF AURELIE BLAKE is a creative, original, and immersive read brimming with well-crafted characters, romance, a unique magic system, and a dark academia setting. I highly recommend it. Run, don't walk, to purchase this fantastic novel!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins US for providing me with an eARC of this book for my honest feedback.

[Beth’s Book Collection · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It was exquisitely bittersweet, knowing he'd never be satisfied by anything less ever again."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶

What you'll find in this book:
• She's An Inventor
• He's A Demon Hunter
• Duology
• Demonology
• Dark Academia
• Enemies to Lovera
• I Hate You But I'd Die for You

I have been so unbelievably excited for this book, and let me tell you, it lived up to all my expectations and then some. With sharp twists that will leave you breathless this story is gripping in the best possible way. Blending a steampunk and gorgeously gothic world steeped in dark academia where we follow a young inventor whose creations are birthing demons and the demon hunter sent to investigate her whose paths cross in a way that leaves them both inevitably changed. In a world where demons are created by the inventions and dreams of mortals, those who seek to create are well in the knowledge that they are risking it all with the ultimate persecution by the demon hunters that work to keep the world safe. When Aurelie is offered the opportunity to make the world safe for inventors she doesn't hesitate but when more inventions come to light and darker intentions start to come to light she is forced to ask for help in the most of unlikely of places.

Aurelie is a girl after my own heart, she truly seeks to see the best in those around her, even the demons that could do her harm. Truly believing that not all is as it seems, and that there is information to be learned and secrets to uncover. Believing that there is a better way is truly a pure thought and very fitting for Aurelie's personality especially in the dark and mystery filled world we find ourselves in. You can tell that Mara has put her all into these characters, creating someone deftly sharp witted in Aurelie but also naive in the face of her optimism. Des is cold and aloof but we get over to course of this book to see his softer underbelly, further demonstrating how Mara has created characters with duality when it comes to their personalities, giving them depth and allowing for that relatability despite the fantastical story being told. I adore how Aurelis starts of as this girl that Des, but in the end is willing to risk anything for. It is this flip of the characters and clear and evident growth as they come to know one another past the preconceptions that they had that is something I truly loves

The banter between all of the characters is top tier and allows for that formation of a tight found family unit which in the case of these orphans feels so important bringing their heartbreaking history to the forefront of their story being told now. I must admit the banter between Aurelie and Des had me both cackling and kicking my feet, when she called him a clod it had me in absolute hysterics. How these two see eachother in the beginning and their preconceptions that how their story moves from one that is dislike to something filled with longing, warmth and care.

When it comes to the world that Mara has created, Wisteria doesn't feel large and vast but instead feels compact with the world consisting of a series of key locations that are built upon massively throughout the story. This is not a bad thing at all but instead works beautifully for this story that feels dark and full of shadows where danger is at your doorstep and a miscalculation can mean the most dire of consequences. The pacing was slow and careful almost representing the calculated manner in which Aurelie approaches her experiments. The ending had me absolutely gobsmacked! I did not expect that at all, Mara has officially blown me away and I already need more. This world has enticed me in with its magic, characters and lore and honestly if you're looking for a new dark academia fantasy romance to sink your teeth into, where there is a true balance between the story and the romance then look no further.

Thank you so much to the author and the publisher for sending me an e-ARC to read and review early.

Author: Mara Rutherford
Series: The Broken Veil
Publisher: Harper Collins
Release Date: April 14th, 2026
Pages: 382