Three of Magic

by Anne Zoelle

For readers who love power trios like KPop Demon Hunters, Three Musketeers, and Powerpuff Girls, this is a “Ride or Die” female friendship series about a Prodigy, a Pariah, and a Pretender who go from enemies to besties (and save the world!).

Epic Fantasy with dark and whimsical magic. Three of Magic is the first book in a trilogy.

Three girls. Two secrets. One unwanted bond.

Military service is compulsory in the four surviving domains of a declining, but extraordinary enclave. Eighteen-year-olds march to the front lines to save what remains—some burning to fight, others desperate to avoid it.

Aramus Mastri, has never met a fight she can’t win or an obstacle she can’t break—except for unlocking the rings of power that sit on her hands. Tazen Gin, collared and cursed, has never met a fight she hasn’t lost. Isini Farren, desperate to hide forbidden powers, faints at the sight of blood.

Prodigy, Pariah, Pretender.

Forced together and desperate to achieve their own goals, they train inside the dangerously shifting universe of an illuminated manuscript. Working together means sacrifice, rivalries spell death, and every secret demands retribution. And when the monster under the bed becomes the girl training at your side…every dance might be the last.

As dark rumors concerning the wall separating their world from ruin stir—and both military and monstrous gazes turn their way—they must decide: stand together, or fall alone?

Genres: Fantasy

533 pages, ebook

First published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Ornella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am much more of a plot-driven reader than character and unfortunately this was 90% character-driven. If this had been sold to me as the prequel introducing the characters and how they got together I would have gone in with the right expectations and enjoyed it much more. I still would have hated reading from Aramus pov, because it's just so freaking exhausting it got marginally better at the end, but that's probably just cause more interesting plot things were happening. With that said, I will be reading the next book.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to reading this new series by one of my favorite authors, Anne Zoelle, and I was not disappointed. As always, the world building is phenomenal, of course with it being the first book and where the second book will start off (per the sneak peek), the world building will be expanded and so many surprises will come along the way.

Anne Zoelle's writing has always been one of my favorites, the writing style, the creativity, the themes of found family and connections and the story of the characters growth plus a world in chaos has been found in her past 2 series that I've adored, and I'm glad that she's expanding the Pentalayerverse that she created. I assume this series takes place somewhere between The Scepter series and Ren Crown series, and I look forward to learning more about the mage lands/layer and how it will change/connect to the "present" time of the world in Ren's time. Maybe we might get a small story about Ren Crown and friends again one day.

The Blight and Starlight series starts off with a bang, throwing us into a world in chaos from an explosion of the Western Pillar and the blight that came from it. It's been almost 18 years since then and the present time is shown that the remaining states are at war, with blight becoming even more a problem, and the wall separating them from the destroyed lands, everything is coming to a surge, and not in a good way.

Isini, Tazen and Aramus attend the mage school where they suddenly have to do 2 years of mandatory military time in the war once they graduate, and they start off the story by having nothing to do with each other but soon things start going into motion and all three cross paths and thus strangers, or rather enemies, begin to train together and eventually despite all their secrets and problems they all have, (Isini has secrets of her true family being descendants from the last Origin Mage, Tazen is blight touched with increasing blight surges and a hatred , and Aramus is a combat mage hellbent on revenge for the deaths of her family with no knowledge on how to use her rings of power) they eventually decided to form a partnership (near the end of the story, still). Together, they train and get into trouble and situations trying to spy on the government with they experiments on the blight, and it all culminating into the three of them choosing to be work together to leave the school grounds to save their world and work together as a team, with hopes that their secrets and questions will also get answered.

Origin magic also makes a small appearance, in the form of the last Origin Mage Fra Ouris's family being important to the story and the world, but the last of the Ouris family have secrets and plans that are hard to decipher, specifically to how they have something to do with blight, their experiments, and how Isini is treated. It makes me wonder what they are truly hiding from Isini, like possibly something to do with her abilities, and just how strong Isini will turn out to be when she confidently grows into her self in the next books. I also wonder how Tazen will grow and be saved from the blight attacking her, and would love to see Aramus fully use all of her ring set to the full potential, plus all three grow closer as friends and save the world, of course!

[Aisha Reads Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first time I get to follow a release cycle for an Anne Zoelle series and I’m loving the experience so far.

I love how well a world has been created and how each series so far has managed to establish slightly different rules so you still need to read to find out what’s happening.

This book did a really good job of setting the scene, giving me answers but still making me feel like there’s so much I’m missing that will only make perfect sense once the trilogy finishes.

I loved the three main characters and how they interacted with each other. To have three characters so clearly linked even though we the reader still don’t know the depths and the truth of these connections was a really fun dynamic to get introduced to. Isini continues Anne’s pattern of female characters that are heartbreakingly selfless and I can’t wait to find out more about her. I could say the exact same about Tazen and Aramus which is what makes this book/series so engaging already.

I’m even willing to be a fan of a character introduced near the end because they’re giving ✨ complex ✨ - time will tell.

I’m really looking forward to the next two books in this trilogy. I tried really hard to take this slowly but it demanded to be read. I can’t wait for the rest even though it means I’ll need to start my wait for a new Anne Zoelle series all over again.

[pamela]

i can't believe in 5 days this will be officially published. it feels like it was just yesterday that anne announced the pre-order for it. i'm so happy and proud for you, anne 🥺 i know this is going to be another good one from you especially since you focused on what you write best which is sisterhood. i already cannot wait for the rest of the instalments.

[Fahdah]

you guys don't understand how excited I am to read this. I adore Anne Zoelle's writing