Crying Out For Magic

by P.S.C. Willis

A meet-cute across worlds!

Draven Montrose’s world, Galdorsfarne, is like a soggy firework; so much potential, so little sparkle. Magic is running out, and so are his dating options. Whilst he should be grateful for a cruelty-free world, he’s never known anything else. His (entirely realistic and modest) goals for the year are to solve the magical energy crisis…and get a proper boyfriend.

Niall Silverstein lives in Northern England, wishing fantasy stories were real and he had the guts to talk to cute boys. He isn’t out to his parents, he’s never kissed anyone, and he’s convinced he’ll die alone in a corner of the library, a spotty and unloved nerd.

A magical portal between worlds and a chance meeting might be all that’s needed to fix both their broken worlds. But does Draven’s world contain enough magic to keep their meetings going?
Find out in Crying Out for Magic, by P.S.C. Willis!

Fantasy / Romance / LGBT / gay / BL

Adult and New Adult

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, LGBT

Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[ancientreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really sweet (complimentary).

Draven (not the most euphonious name ever, but let that pass) lives in a literally magical world, only magic runs chronically low, and also niceness is socially enforced to the extent that I was reminded of the Southern "Bless your heart," in that there's a fair amount of anger and anxiety simmering not very far under the surface, as we see whenever D's mother wrings her hands over whether he and his lifelong friend Yvette are being too mean in their verbal play-fights, and, more significantly, whether D, who's sixteen and newly apprenticed, can manage to behave in sufficiently conformist ways.

Spoiler: he can't. Also, does his world's emphasis on niceness and conformity set off your Spidey-sense, by any chance? Yeah, mine too.

On our side of the magical/mundane divide, we have Niall, a shy, smart, skinny student who worries about his chest acne and has never had a boyfriend. I've forgotten how old he is or even if we find out exactly, so let's say he's in his late teens.

Draven discovers a portal between his world and ours, which he's able to use once a week, on Sunday afternoons. The portal exits in a quiet aisle of Niall's local library, where Niall spends a lot of his free time, and so he and Draven meet and fall in love, which does a lot to diminish Niall's self-doubt, besides which Draven's travels wind up giving him some insights into what's going on with the magic at home.

P.S.C. Willis's worldbuilding leans too hard on expository dialogue and inner monologue, but maybe that suits a novel about teenagers and best suited for those readers. The same goes for the moral and relationship lessons (speaking of which, Niall's buddy Ellen gets a big speech in which she sounds like every standard-issue fictional therapist ever and not like someone in her late teens). On the other hand, all the lessons are good ones and Niall and Draven are endearing both individually and as a couple. Having said that: I was happy to accept the in-universe existence of magic but I have a hard time believing in an HEA, rather than just an HFN, for characters this young no matter how much I like them. And as always I worry about logistics -- for example, how is Draven's legal existence to be established?

But! As noted above, a sweet story; appealing characters; exploration of some surprisingly serious issues for a book whose overall tone is low on serious angst; and solidly well-put-together writing that doesn't get in its own way. I'd recommend this to teenagers for sure,* and also to adults looking for something gentle but substantive to read.

Thanks to the author and BookSirens for the ARC.


*Niall and Draven never go past making out, which considering they're teenagers might be less realistic than the existence of magic. I can't help but think of Gregory Ashe's Colt and Ashley, with respect to whom Emery Hazard must exercise constant vigilance.

[Rosie Reid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute cosy read, Ellen and Yvette and the grandma were my fave sidekicks (a potential sequel with their stories?)

[George Hobbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC edition
Crying Out for Magic was an easy read with a YA vibe. Which made it a perfect read while being sick half way across the world from home.
As the cast were mostly college students, a little more adult themed content would have played in nicely. As written, the cast came across more like middle school students - first love, first kiss, awkwardness - not a bad thing, just a bit light.
Also, I would have enjoyed seeing additional plot development of some key features. For example: the "happy new year" castle and the pendant.
On the plus side - libraries play main stage, which was awesome!
As far as the overall theme, the concept of "paying it forward" crossing over into doing so for your own benefit was an intriguing conundrum!
Being nice/thoughtful can always bring a bit of magic into someone's life. And karma is a thing, but is not something you should expect to be handed to you.

[Lina Keit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a lot of fun with this book. It starts really slow, but I liked so much exploring Draven's world I don't mind (Niall was just there, at the start, but still, he's somawhat amusing). The vives are funny and cozy, the exitement of meeting someone new from somewhere new. Someone who gets you. The "twist" is extremely obvious (I bet you can figure it out with the blurb). It's not a mystery tale or a story about (magic) thecnology development, or a story about an epic quest to save magic.

I really liked Draven's conflict. (Almost) everything is great him and with his world, and yet he doesn't feel content. He overfocuses on the one real problem his society has to get over the insatisfaction in his life. There is something that doesn't make sense. Niall just has to get over himself, but that's hard because he is very socially awkward.

I'd say the ending is HEA, unless you like overanalysing things like me, in which case is a HFN, after all, how is Draven going to live in modern England without birth certificate, higschool degree, any sort of citizen identification? Always taking jobs under the table, never getting even a bank account? He is a stateless person! He can do magic, but we're never lead to believe that he can conjure food and shelter. And he can't use the portal to go back because he's been banned from the Special collections. Maybe I'm just overthinking this, but a lot of times, when the ending is "Person from one world decides to secretly move to another with a modern or futuristic setting" I can't help but ponder the logistics of the matter.

Still, great book, a standalone complete story, but I would love a follow just to see the situation play out. And also because I liked it.

[Ayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.50 ⭐️

This book is a sweet story about a boys first love and of his comeing out. But it's also much more complicated than that. Their love story transcends over different worlds. Niall from a world as we know it and Draven from a world with failing magic, but magic nevertheless!

At first I couldn't see this book ending on a happy note but it kinda did. But also not completely. I feel like the ending was very cute and it made me smile but at the same time not completely realistic.
If I put myself in Dravens shoes I'm note sure I could have made the choice he did. But maybe that's more of a me problem than a non-realistic problem..?

Anyway, no matter how the book ended I still loved the story. It contains lots of lovely characters, beautiful relationships and it is funny.

I would love for there to be a sequel to this book though. I want to know what happens to the worlds after the choices made. I want to know how Ellens future pans out and how Yvettes life proceeds. Will there be a way back? Will the choices made help? So many things I want to know. But yeah it was a beautifully sweet story and I'm happy that I got to read it.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, queer, magical story of love, hope and new beginnings. A magical world cut off from the 'other world', the human world, living through an energy shortage, a young mage determined to solve the world's problems and restore magic, a portal to the other world and a disillusioned young man losing himself in fantasy novels. The two meet and fall in love but their world isn't simple and not everything can be solved. It's a short book, definitely a whirlwind romance, but fun, magical and sweet, easy to read, with a dash of secrecy and mystery around the magical world, and a touch of sacrifice for love.

The characters were believable, balancing one another out, one naive, optimistic, hopeful, the other defeatist, informed and hopeless. They need communication to thrive, but their meetings are limited and a foolish mistake, accidental magic, threatens to separate them for good. They have different experiences and world views, but they do not ultimately let that come between them, they are able to overcome obstacles and make sacrifices to stay together and work together for good.

A short, enjoyable read! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute. Went slow as molasses at first, but it’s understandable, seeing that Niall goes as slow as molasses with change. Matthias was annoying, but I was so disappointed in Mage Starkweather… Draven’s grandma is gold though, she’s the best of them all. I really hoped for a different end. It’s understandable that it ends the way it does, but… it felt like it was building for something very different, and the ending, even though it was good, bittersweetness and all, felt wrong somehow. Like it wasn’t meant to be that way. I don’t know. It’s a good book, it makes sense in a way, but I hoped for a better ending, even though it couldn’t have ended any other way, the build up for something better for everyone fizzled out, and it felt odd. I really liked the writing style, and the worlds she built, so I’ll be reading more by this author for sure.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Susan Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the premise of Crying Out for Magic by P.S.C. Willis. The idea of multiple worlds that are the same in some ways but radically different in other, maybe more important, ways and people can move between them. I liked the dual POVs, Nial in our Earth, and Draven from the small utopia that is the other world. It was refreshing to read about two misfits in their own worlds finding that they fit together to become stronger and to overcome many obstacles. The building in the cover background has an important role to play (not a spoiler). It also was interesting to see what elements were the same in both worlds, like the building. While I assumed there was going to be a HFN, maybe a HEA, the author kept me guessing how it was going to happen. Again, the hook of falling in love across worlds is what motivated me to read the book, even though I don’t typically read YA. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a cute novel and the whole pitch 'Heartstopper but fantasy' feels appropriate. I'd even go farther and say Heartstopper meets portal fantasy/Heartstopper meets Narnia, because that's a little what it feels like. It's cute, it's low-stakes, it's as queer as they come and therefore an enjoyable read.
I do want to say that in the portal fantasies I love the two worlds come together faster than happens in this book; it takes a while to get where it needs to go.
At the same time, I also wonder if maybe there's a sequel in the works? I really like the idea of Draven's world coming back to 'get' him and Draven and Niall working together to make the magic work again. However, the sequel in the way that I envision it would be high-stakes, and this novel isn't meant to be.
So, all in all; an enjoyable novel, I liked it cover to cover, and I think this might be some people's favorite book. Unfortunately, I am not among them, but I still had a good time.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Draven’s world has magic and an energy crisis that he is intent on solving. Between bolstering it through acts of kindness and positivity, he finds a portal between his world and the North East (Newcastle) and encounters Niall, an anxious and partially closeted boy.

This was a sweet if heavy handed romance between two teenagers (16/17) and my god, their ages shone through. Minor incidents were inflated to massive crisis and the overarching conflict of the book was similarly blunt. It’s a positive message about doing good to others but it’s hammered home throughout the book at the expense of character development. The romance between the two is sweet if immediate, but I would have liked to see more build up between the two as it verges into instalove which I’m not a fan of.

[B. Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

On its surface, this is a book about magic and two boys finding each other across worlds. Yet beneath that, the author addresses much deeper issues, such as difficulties of existing as a queer teenager in spaces that aren’t welcoming, and how a narrowed historical perspective can be used to breed prejudice.

Author P.S.C. Willis delicately exposes the hurt and hatred we are exposed to in modern society, but juxtaposed with hope and happiness. They convey an important message: even small positive changes can make a big difference.

With loveable, relatable characters, libraries, and lots of tea, readers of Crying Out For Magic will enjoy getting to know Niall and Draven, and root for them to find happiness.

[Suzanne Irving · Rating 4 out of 5]

The contrast between the two worlds in this book is more than just that one has magic and the other one doesn’t. Draven comes from the magic world and he meets Niall in a library in what you might call our world. This book is written well and is an interesting read. I think it didn’t resonate with me as much as I would like because I am 63 and these characters are so young (mid teens). I still liked the story and thought that the magic was especially well thought out and the contrast between the two worlds was a great plot point.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lily Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to read P.S.C Willis' debut novel. Time flew by as I gobbled it up. The author's easy writing style combined with an ability to make us care enough to root for Niall and Draven as they face unusual challenges to be together. I smiled at the familiar references and there is more than one location I am tempted to visit. If cosy fantasy is your cup of tea and you find yourself crying out for magic this will warm your heart.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had that element that I was looking for and thought worked as a fantasy romance novel. Everything was what I was hoping for from a fantasy romance concept and how realistic it was.. The characters were wonderfully done and worked in this universe. P.S.C. Willis has a strong writing style and am excited for more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Moomicorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually tend to go the more YA route when it comes to my MM reads, but when it came to the love across worlds aspects depicted here, I knew I had to give this a look in. I was pleasantly happy with what I got.

The book is very easy to read, the characters are likeable, and the sweet romance between Niall & Draven is believable.

It's nicely written.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jasmine Ketcham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crying Out for Magic was an easy read story with a YA vibe that I loved. The magic system of Draven's world was so fun to figure out! I really loved the way the two worlds collided, though the ending was a bit sad to me. The sacrifice made was necessary, but I have to wonder what the overall outcome will be for them. I recommend giving this book a chance!

[Alethea Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written, cosy tale of queer joy with a deep message at its heart.

Come fall in love with Niall and Draven as they fall in love with each other, and learn a thing or two about the world on the way.

With a sparkle of magic (on high amber days at least), extremely quotable prose, quirky humour, and well-rounded characters, this is a must-read for YA fantasy lovers. Warning though, the last couple of chapters made me cry my eyes out (in a very satisfying conclusion kind of way).

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous book! I enjoyed every moment, even though I'm not a huge romantasy fan. I love Heartstopper, though, and this had big Heartstopper vibes...but with magic. I feel like I could find a little bit of myself in both Niall and Draven. Also, I loved all the references to tea. :-)

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

rtc

[c_reads_books_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely wonderful; it is written with such authenticity that it felt like the author actually lived the events (if only there were portals to other worlds), and the observations of the different worlds was fascinating. I had been a little worried that I had outgrown YA literature (not that I think you can, but I was struggling to enjoy it as much as I used to), but Crying Out for magic had me hooked from the jump. I had such love and empathy for Draven & Niall and I had no idea how they were going to figure their way out of the circumstance they found themselves in!

This is a really cosy, feel-good story with a lot of heart and some important real-life lessons thrown in. I loved it!

Thank you to PSC Willis & booksirens for the opportunity to read and review Crying Out for Magic prior to its release.