Flickerstate

by F.A. Davidson

A Study In Drowning meets Neverworld Wake in this debut YA fantasy filled with lush world-building, heart stopping romance, and high-stakes competition that could be the key to everything.  

Norah Sullivan has just discovered she's a a person who can manipulate probability. The same day Norah's navigation manifests, she and her father are swarmed by possibility beasts. When a possibility beast bites you, your risk of death skyrockets. And pretty soon, her father gets sick. 

Desperate to find a cure, Norah applies to the Academy of Navigation, where there are rumors of restricted information on beast bites hidden in research archives. Once on campus, Norah learns that only senior research assistants are allowed in the archives—and you can only become one by winning a team trial designed to push your navigation abilities to the brink.

She'll need to rely on her roommates, as well as her peer mentor, the handsome Vik Souza, to win the competition. But trouble arises at every turn. There are tensions in the group, romantic complications, and unexplained student disappearances. As Norah gets deeper into the competition, she realizes not everything is as it seems, and the stakes are much higher than she ever could have imagined.

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

400 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

Reviews

[sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

✎ᝰ.┊My thoughts: This story really surprised me. I found myself unexpectedly invested in these characters, and by the end, I was completely rooting for them! The plot was well paced, and I stayed intrigued the whole way through. I needed to know what was going to happen to the people I’d grown so attached to.

Norah, our lead, is incredibly stubborn and intense, but she’s also afraid. Afraid of letting her family down, afraid of being vulnerable, and afraid of dying. She makes plenty of bad decisions, like not trusting her friends when she clearly needs them, that made me want to shake sense into her. This girl drove me absolutely insane, but I also related to her so much.

˖᯽ ݁˖┊What worked for me:
⇢ I honestly didn’t expect to love Vik this much, but here we are! He’s that quiet, reserved type who feels things so deeply, which makes him so likable to me personally. Ahhh, he’s the best.
⇢ The side characters felt fleshed out and real, not just background noise. I loved the found family aspect.
⇢ The story is well balanced between action and emotional stakes.

˖᯽ ݁˖┊What didn’t:
⇢ I know it’s YA and the romance is a subplot, but I’m still so salty that we only get crumbs of them together. I admit I might be a little too obsessed with Vik.
⇢ I struggled with Norah’s secrecy. I understood her being closed off with Bree, but keeping Candace in the dark for so long felt a bit forced and didn’t make sense to me.
⇢ Since it’s an Academy setting, I wanted more actual classroom moments.

✔ ┊Read this if you like:
⇢ Rivals to friends to lovers
⇢ Contemporary fantasy (modern tech meets magic)
⇢ High-stakes competition

I wish this was a duology so I could have more time with these characters.

─ ✦ ────

✎ᝰ.┊pre-read: Heart stopping romance, and a high stakes competition? I’m so ready to dive in.

⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

[ambersometimesreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️’s. I LOVE discovering an amazing book before it’s even released 😭⭐️ if you’re a fan of the one dark window magic system, this is that but 10x better!!

this is a YA fantasy that follows norah, who can manipulate probability. her and her dad are attacked by beasts and develop horrible bites. these bites don’t heal on their own, they actually cause you to die faster. since norah is younger, the bites won’t kill her as fast but her dad has 9 bites and a way higher chance. norah gets into a magical academy (think babel) to search for a cure for her and her dad but ends up uncovering a corrupt system within the school with people who know way more than they claim.

this was so well thought out. the world building and magic system is probably one of the most unique I’ve read in a really long time and I’m gonna need other fantasies to take notes! all of the characters were so fun and I also loved the mystery and romance aspect. this really had it all

[charisse ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

book 5 of my 24hr arc readathon!

the magic system was kinda confusing at first ngl so it took some time for me to understand it but other than that i loved it!! it was so fun!!, full rtc!

⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶

₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
saw this on read now and the cover looks fun??

[Freya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has a very complex magical system that I still don’t fully understand but it is very fascinating. Flickerstate is a YA Dark Academia fantasy book that will definitely surprise you. The story gets really tense and Norah uncovers sinister secrets that change everything. The dialogue is quirky and fun. Strong character development. I enjoyed seeing Norah’s character grow and how she finally let people in. Also, the growth within the circle friends, especially when one of them is very unexpected. We also have a love interest. Book left on sort of a cliffhanger. I highly recommend this book to teenagers being that the book is adolescent.

Thank you to the author, Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Brusven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book isn’t even out yet and I’m already eager for a sequel! Norah is a powerful protagonist with a worthy mission when she gets to The Academy to study “navigation”. The magic in this book is well done and I love how the author incorporates it into the modern world in a way that feels contemporary. Vik, Cadance, Griffin, Bree and Mirabel are all fantastic side characters that add depth to the plot in different ways. There are lots of themes explored in this book, but the most prominent ones were class and access. A must read!

[Mella aka Maron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Source Books for the eARC!

This may very well be my favorite YA fantasy of the year. Not only did we get an incredibly UNIQUE magic system based on future prediction and manipulation, but we had a fabulously hardcore female main character to make this story possible.

Norah is the FMC of my dreams. She’s intelligent and snarky, blunt and focused. She’s the girl that you want leading you in a fight… and also the girl you don’t want to piss off. 😂 I loved how easily she accepted her flaws (stubborn, willful, doesn’t like to ask for help) and ultimately embraced them. She is a female character that kids can look up to. I am so incredibly impressed and proud of her and of Davidson for creating her.

Now Vik is an exceptional MMC as well. He’s the “afterthought”, the one who was always just there beside his more impressive friends. Even though he’s an amazing navigator, he feels “less” because of the way others see him. Watching him blossom under Norah’s focused and confident gaze… it’s so breathtakingly beautiful. I love their dynamic and their chemistry. You can tell that they boost each other’s strength and cover each other’s faults. The two make a great team.

The plot itself was SO brilliant. I loved every second of reading it and couldn’t wait to get all the answers. Again, the magic system was flawlessly designed. I loved the ingenuity!

And the side characters were great too: each one concisely designed and beautifully crafted to make them unique and memorable. I truly felt like I was there with these girls, as a block mate.

I’d recommend this one to anyone who likes YA fantasy academia books and anyone looking for a unique magic system with a fierce FMC.

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting young adult fantasy with a dark academia setting. I was easily immersed into the world the author created.

I was super intrigued by the magic system right off the bat. However, it was quite complex and I had a hard time visualizing certain aspects surrounding the magical elements of the story. Maybe this was just a me problem though.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book. There was a lot of character development and growth, especially with Norah, which I loved to see. I was definitely rooting for the characters throughout.

Read this if you like:
🃏Deadly trials
♠️Academy setting
🃏Rivals to lovers
♠️Probability magic

Thank you @sourcebooksfire for the gifted copy of the book.

[Adriann Frerichs · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked this book so so much! i picked it up on such a whim and i’m so happy i did! this book was fun and SUPER unique and i can’t wait for more people to read it so i can see their reviews too! also can i just shoutout the cover real fast? stunning. definitely thinking i need a shelf copy

i liked our characters quite a lot! i thought norah was so strong and relatable. i will admit tho at times she annoyed me but like.. i also understood the girls hesitations and fears around the situation she was in. i just wish she had been a little faster to trust/ been less whiny at times LOL. i liked vik a lot too. he seemed very mysterious, but strong and loyal. and powerful omg. kinda wish we had seen more of him in flickerstate!!! i liked candace and bree too! bree was just your typical bubbly roomie girly girl and candace seemed so nonchalant but like still caring? i liked their dynamic. especially as a team. marabel and griffen i have love hate relationships with lol

the plot was SO fun. i liked how unique it was, while still feeling familiar in a way where i wasn’t lost! i said in an earlier update to the book that the vibes were kinda reminding me of sky high and i stand by that. we follow norah and her friends as they go through this magic school to learn more about their powers! but like the powers themselves? iconic and super unlike anything else i’ve read before.

i liked the first 2/3rds a little more than the ending.. but the ending 1/3rd was still good! i just liked the ~competition~ vibes more than the ending. plus the ending did feel a wee rushed? are we getting another book? i genuinely couldn’t tell lol

my only complaint really was at times like i said the characters were a little whiny, but also sometimes the phrasing in the book felt a little too modern or goofy for my personal taste. but overall i was enjoying the plot enough and it was so infrequent that i was able to look past it. plus the pacing did feel a little off sometimes, but not bad. just sometimes felt like we spent a little too long in like “transitional scenes” (like them getting meals, walking to class, ect does that make sense?) instead of actually exploring the scenes themselves? idk hard to explain kinda… but iykyk i guess haha

overall i would definitely recommend this book, and had such a great time reading it! i am so so so happy that i got the chance to read and review this book for netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire! thank you so much for the opportunity!

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flickerstate • F.A. Davidson

One phrase: dark academia with probability magic ✨📚

Flickerstate is a YA dark academia fantasy with one of the most fascinating magic systems I have read in a while.

Do I fully understand it?

Honestly, not completely.

Was I still completely intrigued?

Absolutely.

Norah Sullivan discovers she can manipulate probability on the same day her life starts unraveling. After she and her father are attacked by possibility beasts, and her father becomes sick from a bite, Norah is desperate to find a cure. That desperation leads her to the Academy of Navigation, where restricted information may be hidden in the research archives.

The problem? She can only access them if she becomes a senior research assistant.

And to do that, she has to win a team trial designed to push her abilities to the edge.

Immediately yes.

I loved the dark academia setting and the way the story keeps getting more tense as Norah uncovers secrets that make everything feel bigger and more sinister than she expected. The Academy has all the competition, mystery, strange magic, and unexplained disappearances you want from a YA fantasy campus setting.

Norah’s growth was one of my favorite parts. She starts off trying to handle everything herself, but watching her slowly learn to let people in made the story feel really satisfying. I also loved the development within her friend group, especially the unexpected connections that formed along the way.

The dialogue was quirky and fun, the stakes kept building, and the romance added just enough tension without taking over the story.

And that ending?

Definitely left me needing more.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
📚 dark academia
✨ probability magic
🧭 magical academy
🐉 possibility beasts
🏆 high stakes team trial
🔍 hidden research archives
👀 student disappearances
💞 slow romance thread
🫶 found friend group
🧠 complex magic system
🌙 sinister secrets
😱 cliffhanger ending

📚 Read this if you like:
YA fantasy, dark academia settings, magical competitions, complex magic systems, mysterious campus secrets, found friendships, and heroines who have to learn they do not have to carry everything alone.

This was unique, tense, surprising, and such an intriguing start to a fantasy world I want to understand even more.

#Flickerstate #FADavidson #YAFantasy #DarkAcademia #BookReview @sourcebooksfire

[Prose Before Brose · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something quite sharp about this book. The magic system was interesting, the FMC had a wicked sense of humor, and I quite enjoyed both as an adult reader. I also found the melodrama that often plagues YA to be fairly mellow here. Yes, the characters are impulsive at times, but they acted reasonably enough given their circumstances. It was well-balanced that way.

While I loved the humor, the number of very modern pop culture references did give me pause. As a soon-to-be thirty-five-year-old woman, should I really understand every pop culture reference in a younger book? Probably not, and it made me feel a little uncomfortable, as though I could pinpoint the author’s age through the inside jokes I recognized. It also felt odd that in an alternate reality where magic has changed the course of U.S. political events, so many pop culture moments remain exactly the same as in our world. Overall, I think these references were a bit too heavily peppered in and occasionally distracted from the story. The author has plenty of wit without leaning on them quite so much, though I do understand why a teen POV might think this way. It is a tricky thing to balance.

The romance felt less like a slow burn and more like a glacial burn that suddenly became, “Oh, they had feelings for each other?” Still, I really enjoyed Vik as a love interest. He was quiet, steady, and a great example for young readers. YA often gives us miniature versions of the romantasy Shadow Daddy, and while those characters can absolutely be mysterious and fun, I adore when we get upstanding citizens like Vik, or James from When Dealing with Dragons by Dana Swift. Vik was a treat, and so was Griffin.

Overall, the magic system was both internal and external, and loaded with possibility. The romance was cute, and the mystery gave me just enough to keep turning pages. I did not feel as immersed as I would have liked, but I suspect I may have connected with it more deeply at a younger age. I am interested to see what Davidson writes next, especially if they ever write for an adult audience.

Thank you to Netgalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and F.A. Davidson for providing the opportunity to access this debut early! 3.5 ⭐

[Wera Niyom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

FLICKERSTATE is a YA Fantasy with a complex, intriguing magic system based on foretelling, high-stakes competitions, an academic setting, and a rivals-to-lovers romance. When Norah Sullivan discovers she is a navigator, a person capable of manipulating probability, possibility beasts swarm her and her father. When a possibility beast bites a person, the chances of death increase. She enters the Academy of Navigation in search of a cure, but the only way into the archives is by defeating other students in a high-stakes team trial.

It was very easy to become absorbed in the story. A magic system based on possibility is unique, though its complexity lent to confusion at times. A deck of cards is used as a motif to demonstrate how far a navigator looks into their future, but beyond that, I didn’t quite understand cards as a symbol for foretelling. I wanted more elaboration in certain situations beyond the character entering flickerstate and summoning cards in a suit. The latter half of the book grew lax with the magic, summarizing key moments the reader waited to see. However, I still found the author’s creation gripping enough to follow the characters.

Norah is an admirable main character. Any character who’ll risk anything to ensure the safety of their loved ones creates empathy for the reader. Although she will resort to less than sportsmanlike tactics, she still carries guilt over the choices she will have to make. Her moral compass makes her a compelling character. Regarding the romance, I wish Vik was a little more developed, as sometimes he gave very little reaction to certain situations. The story is told mostly through Norah, but she observes Vik so closely from the very beginning, I expected her to notice more of his emotional cues and question those. Her overconfidence is a bit frustrating, but overall, I thought how the characters handled the conflicts was very much in line with its YA tone.

[thiscreeperlovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really interesting and fun!

We have Norah, our main character, who is desperate to get into the Archive at the Academy of Navigation, which might have hidden information to cure her and her father. She and her father were bitten by Flickerbeasts -- she was bitten once, her dad 9 times -- and they're both running on borrowed time, especially her dad. If she becomes a senior Archive assistant with her team, she gets to access the Archive. As the story takes off, she teams with Candace and Bree, her blockmates (something like roommates).

Candace is introduced into the story as someone with healed bites, and she's shunned because of them. It's intriguing because it's a sign that someone CAN heal from these wounds. Bree officially joins their team later, though she isn't as ambitious as the others at first. I liked both girls, especially their budding friendship with Norah. I really enjoyed how attention was given to their sisterhood (and the bumpiness of it!) as they worked through the trials to get the assistanceship.

I can't say I'm the biggest fan of Vik, Norah's assigned mentor, even though I understand his reasons. It still annoyed me that he didn't do his job of mentoring Norah at first because she was "competition," lmao. He only agreed to start assisting her because he was desperate to experiment on something with someone, and Norah was the only person willing to try it with him in exchange for his help. I just didn't find him very interesting.

All in all, this was a fun read. The whole magic system was unique, the trials interesting, though I sometimes got a bit of a start from the modern language. Yes, I know the book is set in modern times (there's even VPN and mentions of memes and stuff) so it makes sense. I guess I've become used to stories with academies and trials in a more second-world fantasy/historical setting, which is no one's fault but my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flickerstate introduces a unique, science-based magic system in which select individuals, known as navigators, can slip into a mental realm called the flickerstate to manipulate the probability of near-future events. However, this power comes at a cost: using it summons Beasts into the real world. If a Beast bites you, it drastically increases your chances of dying within 18 months by random means.

Norah is a newly manifested navigator, and her first experience with her power is catastrophic, multiple Beasts are summoned, resulting in her father being bitten nine times and Norah herself being bitten as well. Desperate to save them both, Norah seeks out the Academy of Navigators, a secretive school rumored to hold a cure within its restricted Archives. She transfers there for her senior year, only to discover a cutthroat environment where students compete fiercely and some even go missing. As Norah learns to control her abilities, she must also find a way into the locked Archives. She quickly realizes she can’t do it alone and begins to rely on her new roommates, Bree and Candace, as well as her mentor, and love interest, Vik. Together all of them must learn to harness and pool their powers to save not only Norah and her father, but their fellow students as well.

The book is well-paced and engaging, with a compelling cast of characters. Both main and side characters are given meaningful development, which adds depth to the story. While race is not explicitly addressed, there are hints of Norah being biracial, Candace being Asian, and Vik described as having brown skin. Bree and Candace’s same sex relationship is portrayed naturally and without fanfare. The inventive science/magic system is a refreshing twist on the dark academia genre, and the mystery surrounding the missing students and the search for a cure keeps the pages turning. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Read_with_Beans · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars - rounded up

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the ARC of Flickerstate by F. A. Davidson

This book’s synopsis had all of my favorite buzz words:
YA fantasy
School setting
Competition
Unique magic system
Monsters
Rivals to lovers

I truly enjoyed the magic system which felt fresh and new which is extremely difficult in the current surge in fantasy books. I have turned to reading more YA fantasy as I am not a fan of spice and find that most fantasy books (romantasy) are full of it. I can confirm this book does not contain explicit sexual scenes.

This book comes in at 400 pages and is a standalone book. I think that was the problem I encountered, meaning, the story arcs and pacing of plot and relationships and everything for that matter felt rushed. I am a fan of fast paced books, but this was fast paced so much as it felt rushed, like the countdown was one and they have to write everything and cram it into the book ASAP. Additionally, there was alot more Telling than Showing, which I am not a fan of.

My biggest complaint was the juvenile story telling. This is hard to articulate, but readers will understand what I am talking about if they just read the first 15 pages or so. The book is written in a style that sounds like an extremely casual conversation between tweens. I understand that this book is YA, but so is the Ember in the Ashes series and that read much more polished and mature. Due to this writing style, I found myself being pulled out of the story and causing my to lose interest. From reading other reviews, I have not seen other people mention this concern, so this is likely a ME problem.

Overall, I would recommend this book because there were so many strong points and the few issues that I had are completely subjective. There are a lot of things to enjoy in the book. It is definitely worth giving it a try.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norah is a navigator, someone who can manipulate probability, but her manifesting this ability is the reason her father is going to die. Her only hope of saving him is in the research archives of the Academy of Navigation, but even when she secures a coveted place at the school gaining access to the archives isn’t going to be easy. Only three students get selected as research assistants and if Norah wants to be one of them she will need to compete against students who have years more training than she does.

I devoured this book in a single sitting because I didn’t want to stop reading. Norah as a main character was relatable and competent without being perfect, she does pick up the magic system very fast which could be considered unlikely but this is largely due to her drive to save her father. I really enjoyed the relationships that Norah formed with her roommates and Vik which demonstrated that relationships can sometimes have setbacks. There were times I wished that Norah would better communicate and stop hiding what was bothering her but she also had valid reasons to hide things.

I found the magic system where she could see a number of possible futures and choose which one she desired to be interesting particularly with the ability to share or steal power. I would have enjoyed a little more focus on the academy aspect and learning about navigation, but I enjoyed the competition and other aspects of boarding school life.
Overall this was a fun fast read with great friendship and a unique magic system.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelly Hadaller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d give Flickerstate a solid four stars. It was genuinely different...The concept alone pulled me in, but what really kept me reading was how invested I got in the characters and their outcomes. I liked the FMC Norah and the magic system is super unique... kind of like a blend of science and probability and while I won’t pretend I fully understood it the entire time, it was fascinating enough to keep me hooked. BAck to Norah...she is… a lot. She’s stubborn, intense, and makes some frustrating decisions, especially when it comes to trusting the people around her. But at the same time, her fear and pressure felt very real, and I appreciated her growth by the end. I also didn’t expect to get as attached to the side characters as I did—Candace, Bree, and even Vik all added something meaningful to the story. The found family dynamic was definitely one of my favorite parts - that's always something I love in books when done right. Some pacing felt slightly uneven at times, especially early on, and there were moments where the complexity of the magic system or certain character choices felt a bit unclear. I also would’ve loved more actual academy scenes to really lean into that setting. Overall, this was a fun, unique read that surprised me in a good way. I’d absolutely continue if this turns into a series because I’m not ready to be done with these characters yet.

And shoutout to Goodreads for the free copy—always love when a random giveaway turns into a genuinely enjoyable read.

[Jenifer Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norah has just discovered she is a navigator, someone who enters an altered state and can affect the future, but when she did for the first time, beasts appeared and bit her and her father. Now Norah needs to enter the academy to get access to the archives so she can try to find a way to cure the bites before they kill her and her father. Once admitted, she must compete in a team competition to become one of the interns for the archive. Since Norah's ability manifested so late, she is far behind in learning how to navigate. Luckily Vik, a cute boy who has been at the academy for a while, has agreed to tutor her in exchange for helping him with one of his theories. As the semester advances, they learn that students are disappearing or being taken out under strange circumstances. Will they be able to find out what is happening to the students before one of their own friends disappears or will there be another casualty?

The pacing of the story was great, it kept my interest the entire book. The world building was good and the magic system was well developed. I just wish the beasts were explained a bit better as to why they would appear. The chemistry between Norah and Vik was great. There was only kissing mentioned and the book contained minimal strong language.

[EmRooker · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Minor spoilers below

This one took a bit to hook me at the start, I found the pacing slower than I typically prefer, and it took some time to really connect with both the story and the characters. However, once it found its footing, I was completely pulled in and invested in where everything was going.

One of the standout elements for me was the magic system. It felt incredibly unique and unlike anything I’ve read before, which made the world feel fresh and exciting. That originality really carried the story and kept me engaged as things picked up.

That said, I did feel like some of the relationships, especially Norah’s friendships, lacked depth. At times, the characters’ words and actions didn’t fully align for me, which made certain interactions a bit confusing and harder to fully buy into emotionally.

Overall, though, this was a strong and enjoyable read. I’d absolutely continue on if this becomes a duology, I’m especially curious to see what the next semester holds for this group and whether they’re able to successfully heal the bite wounds affecting her dad.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary debut novel, which imagines an almost-our-own world in which a handful of people have the power to change the probability of future events, and one young woman's desperate quest to use that power to save people she loves. Past crisp, vivid prose, and well-paced, extremely engaging plot, Davidson does an amazing job slowly inviting the reader to consider the moral dilemmas that attend the use of such power -- dilemmas which turn out to concern power *in general* as much as mere magic, and which weigh and work on the hearts of compelling, richly-rendered, and often surprising characters. Even beyond these characters, Davidson's world is well-built; the "magical" system is, by conceit, only imperfectly understood by its inhabitants, who are still struggling to figure out what indeed their power is and how to use it, but its *consequences* for the world are carefully thought-through and intriguing. I was left wanting to keep exploring that world, in the company of these characters, whom I came to care about more than I ever anticipated -- I sincerely hope a sequel is in the works.

[Emma Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Sourcebookfire and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book started off pretty slow, and I won't lie, I thought about dnfing it countless times, and it did put me in a temporary reading slump. But I told myself to keep going and to finish the book, and that's what I did. And I'm extremely glad I did. Cause after the 60% mark, the book gets very good. I got super attached to the characters. At first I will say I found the fmc a tad annoying, but I always did understand where she was coming from. And we got A LOT of character development with her, which I'm very happy about. Now I will say, don't go into this expecting a fantasy. It's more of an urban fantasy. So we have everything we have right now in real life, but we're just adding a complex magic system to it. And I know some people don't like phones and modern technology in fantasy books. So if you don't like it, I wouldn't recommend this book. But if you're like me and don't really care about that stuff, I highly suggest you pick up this book!

[Severine Bambang · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book, the concept is interesting.

Can you navigate your way into a probable future?Does knowing a probable future could be your advantage or your own beast?
But it is also a little bit confusing, that's why I only give it 4 stars.

Even until near the ending, I found that the writer is still trying to explain what Flickerstate is and its way of working.
Yes it is an academia, where we are supposed to understand the way of working in their world, but if you only want to make it finish in 1 book, maybe no need to add the level of complexity near the climax.

What I like in this book is the relationship between characters. It really emphasized the importance of trust and teamwork.

My favorite is Candace, seems like a no BS girl.
If I was stuck on an island and I was only permitted to have one friend accompanying me, it would definitely be someone like her.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC. This is my honest review and I did it voluntarily.

[Tess Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

F. A. Davidson's debut is quite impressive on several fronts - most especially its unique magic system built on probability. However, I think this book was extremely rushed. I think the character development and the plot arc could have been extended into a complete duology or trilogy, especially considering it is a YA. There was certainly enough intrigue for it.

I think, if this hadn't been squeezed into one book, some of the other issues I had, such as the miscommunication, the lack of antagonist development, and the plot twist issues I had with the book would have been resolved by giving them more time to flesh out. F. A. Davidson is obviously a creative and talented author and I can't wait to see what else they come up with.

This is a great, clean YA fantasy with dark elements for teens who love magical books revolving around danger and a boarding school environment with a sprinkling of romance.

[Megan Maradiago · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an early release copy of Flickersate from NetGalley, and what stood out most was how it felt both modern and timeless. It had an old-soul quality while still feeling grounded in today’s world, which made it a really interesting read.

My favorite part was how deeply the story explored identity, perception, and connection. I loved seeing how each character viewed themselves, how they viewed one another, and how those perspectives resonated through their flicker state. That added a thoughtful depth that made the story feel especially engaging.

The characters each brought their own layers, struggles, and perspectives, which made the world feel fuller and more immersive.

Overall, this was a fun, quick, and enjoyable read that offered more depth than I expected.

[A.K. Adler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the way the magic was woven into the modern world, giving the magic system a sci-fi edge. But the vibe was still pure romantasy. Initially, I thought 'oh no - this has all the tropes I hate.' (Seriously, why can't the romantic stakes be 'will they make me happy?' rather than 'will they killme/betray me/turn me into a vampire?') But then I failed to hate the romance. (Okay, I loved it.) It was high-stakes, but for once the stakes felt believable.

And my other least-favourite trope? Competitions. I do not enjoy teenagers trying to kill each other. But here, we have a book built around a competition with a theme of cooperation. That's more like it!

Oh, and it's compulsive, impossible to put down, and reads smooth as chocolate.

[Hannah Levinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Flickerstate is an incredible read! The world building is superb from the beginning to the end- grounded enough in our reality to feel very true and with enough new lore to keep the reader fully engaged throughout. The characters are thoughtfully created and are an honest reflection of the complexities of being a teenager with the additional drama of being able to potentially change the probability of events. The dialogue is smart and quippy while still sounding authentic and adolescent. I cannot wait for this book to come out so I can recommend it to my high school students and my friends. Truly fantastic!

[Fátima Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What an incredible book! And what an interesting magic system! Of course, I can't say it's a perfect book, especially since, from what I've read, this is the author's debut, but the enormous care she put into the story and the universe is evident. And it's even more evident how her writing is destined to only improve as more books are published.

In the beginning, things happen to fast, and I wanted to understand more about nav, and how to do that. I wanted to see more of the preparation, day to day classes, and how body and mind works before, during and after navigation. But then, things just kept getting better and better, to the point where I found myself increasingly understanding how nav and Flickerstate worked, and I started imagining what the world would be like with all that magic in it.

Before continuing, I think I need to point out that, at times, especially in more "normal school/college" scenes, like parties and other gatherings, I felt the reading dragged a little, but I have to attribute that to the fact that I was very focused on the main story and anxious to get to the answers quickly.

Aside from that, the book was almost perfect for me. The characters, despite being young, were quite mature, and I especially enjoyed the friendships and the romance. Above all, I loved Norah's complexity and sensitivity, and I believe she has become one of my favorite female characters in YA fantasy. Or rather, in YA in general.

I loved the pop culture references (probably because I love doing that in my own writing, so I guess that's more of a biased point on my part haha). And as a history nerd, I loved how the author inserted magic and the universe into the real context, and it would be easy to believe that something like that happened after that specific historical moment (I don't want to give spoilers).

Finally, I was very surprised by the plot and, at the same time, every little detail was properly connected at the end and nothing was left out, and I believe the book ended right there, with no chance for sequels. But I would totally read any other book in the universe and would be eager to see more characters using this magic, and maybe discovering new things... Or even see Norah learning more things. And I highly recommend reading it and, even though the book hasn't been released yet, I'm eagerly waiting for another book by F.A. Davidson.

Talking about this book: https://youtu.be/P0toVkCLsXA

[Cheyenne Mcdonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book had a complex magic system that was somewhat hard to understand, I loved this.

I love how Norah would do anything for her family. I love the friends she made at the academy and honestly I loved the betrayal/twist. I was shocked.

This would have been a 5 star for me but the way it ended, made me mad. Did they heal her dad? Will he live? I need more info.

If there is a book 2 and it explains what happens to her father, I may move this to a 5 star. I’m not a fan of cliff hangers like that especially if the book is a standalone.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an interesting concept. A lot of contemporary fantasy books tend to have the fantasy world hidden from the human world, and I found it intriguing that this world was so ingrained in human culture. They had a government official in charge of nav, county nav offices, a school to train young navigators that didn't have to hide under some other premise. There was also an element of science to it to explain the fantastical element, which I also enjoyed. I also loved the characters and their journeys.

[Jill Elza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This tense, atmospheric thriller hooked me from the first page. F. A. Davidson builds a quietly unnerving world where technology and memory blur, and the characters feel lived-in and morally messy. The pacing kept me turning pages, and the final revelations landed with satisfying emotional weight. Favorite line: "We remember what we can afford to keep." Highly recommended for readers who like smart, suspenseful stories with a slow-burn creep.

[Makayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Sourcebooks for the ARC copy.

Some fantasy books give you magic. Flickerstate gave me a whole new way of thinking about it.

The magic system was hands down my favorite part of this book. The concept of navigating probabilities and manipulating outcomes through the flickerstate felt incredibly original, and I loved piecing together how it all worked as the story unfolded. It challenged me in the best way and made the world feel rich, layered, and completely its own.

Norah was easy to root for, and I found myself fully invested in her determination to uncover the truth and protect the people she loves. Between the academy setting, dangerous competitions, hidden secrets, and the constant feeling that something bigger was lurking beneath the surface, I was hooked from start to finish.

If you’re looking for a fantasy that steps outside the usual magic-school formula and delivers something fresh, clever, and immersive, Flickerstate is absolutely worth the read.