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Mirrorwoven #1
Mirrorwoven
You are cordially invited to the Dragon Masquerade …
Del has two rules. stay away from royalty. don’t fall in love.
The first – because Del is secretly a runaway princess. After the death of her sister at the hand of her boyfriend, Del flees her family, home and all the responsibilities that come with being the queendom’s new heir. With a magically constructed mirrorwoven face, Del is now unrecognisable, and disappears to the faraway opaline lagoon-city of Salato.
The second rule – because the enchantment hiding Del’s identity can only be unravelled by true love’s kiss. But that’s just fine. Del’s had enough of love anyway.
When Del breaks Rule One and becomes court bard to the newly widowed First of Salato, she is resolved to keep her head down. But Clara is naïve and trusts too easily, and soon Del finds herself having to guide Clara through the shoals of court life, somehow without revealing her own secret.
As Del grows closer to both Clara and Nasca, Clara’s brilliant, dangerous sister-in-law, it will only take a push to bring Del’s house of cards tumbling down.
Like, for example, breaking Rule Two.
Del has two rules. stay away from royalty. don’t fall in love.
The first – because Del is secretly a runaway princess. After the death of her sister at the hand of her boyfriend, Del flees her family, home and all the responsibilities that come with being the queendom’s new heir. With a magically constructed mirrorwoven face, Del is now unrecognisable, and disappears to the faraway opaline lagoon-city of Salato.
The second rule – because the enchantment hiding Del’s identity can only be unravelled by true love’s kiss. But that’s just fine. Del’s had enough of love anyway.
When Del breaks Rule One and becomes court bard to the newly widowed First of Salato, she is resolved to keep her head down. But Clara is naïve and trusts too easily, and soon Del finds herself having to guide Clara through the shoals of court life, somehow without revealing her own secret.
As Del grows closer to both Clara and Nasca, Clara’s brilliant, dangerous sister-in-law, it will only take a push to bring Del’s house of cards tumbling down.
Like, for example, breaking Rule Two.
333 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
✨👑 Mirrorwoven 🪞🎶
Sapphic Princess🤝🏾 Love Triangle
I definitely need more sapphic princess romances in my life! 👑🌈
This was such a fun romantasy! It was a bit predictable at times, but honestly, I didn't mind.
And seriously... give me more sapphic princesses, please! 👏🏾
4.5 Star read!
What to Expect
👑 Runaway Princess
🎶 Musician FMC
🪞 Hidden Identity
✨ Magical Disguise
🌈 Sapphic Romance
🏰 Court Politics
💕 Love Triangle
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 4.5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Sapphic Princess🤝🏾 Love Triangle
I definitely need more sapphic princess romances in my life! 👑🌈
This was such a fun romantasy! It was a bit predictable at times, but honestly, I didn't mind.
And seriously... give me more sapphic princesses, please! 👏🏾
4.5 Star read!
What to Expect
👑 Runaway Princess
🎶 Musician FMC
🪞 Hidden Identity
✨ Magical Disguise
🌈 Sapphic Romance
🏰 Court Politics
💕 Love Triangle
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Rating: 4.5 Stars
📅 Pub Date: August 25, 2026
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
August 5, 2026
Mirrorwoven is a story about a princess of Gilnea (which is like a fantasy Scotland) being overwhelmed after the death of her sister and deciding to drop everything, disguise herself with illusion magic, and run away to far away Salato (which is like a fantasy Venice) to become a musician. There she catches an eye of Nasca, who's a sister of the late ruler of the city, and gets invited to become a court bard to the new ruler, Nasca's sister in law. A sapphic love triangle ensues, and also lots of court intrigue.
The good:
🪕 the voice pops off the page
🪕 the snarky humour adds to the vibe of the story
🪕 the characters are vivid, memorable and standing out - also most of them are messy and flawed
🪕 diverse side characters, including lesbian, ace, trans and nonbinary representation and characters of various ethnicities and skin colours
🪕 the setting is immersive, and both the social structure and visuals of the place are conveyed well without infodumping
🪕 no overdone tropes like trials/tournaments/competitions, magical schools, chosen ones, "I hate you but can't resist you", oppressed witches, beauty & the beast retellings, rebellions against an evil empire, etc. - it's an overall fairly unique blend of story elements that includes princesses and unique magic, but not in an iteration we've seen dozens times over already
🪕 no insta-love, it takes a while for the mc to warm up towards the endgame love interest
🪕 the tavern sub-plot was a well-done Chekhov's gun hung and then used;
🪕 the moral of the story was conveyed organically, without therapy speak or anvilicious beating the reader over the head with it, which seriously shouldn't be so rare, even in YA, but here we are
The bad:
🎺 the love triangle is giga obvious who's gonna be the winner and who's the third wheel
🎺 not a fan of inserting random Italian words to worldbuild when we're in a fantasy world not actual historical Italy; it reminded me of This Vicious Grace and I find it a cheap way to exoticize the setting
🎺 a character making racist remarks to foreshadow "this is the villain", I swear 90% of fantasy novels I pick have cartoonish villains who can be summed up as "greedy & powerhungry" (and the other 10% have a similar thing but the villain also has a sob backstory), and a good portion of them are also bigoted because it's the easiest way after kicking puppies and eating babies for breakfast to signpost "villain here"
🎺 the villain was revealed to be totally overpowered basically out of nowhere, after signalling in the narrative multiple times that such a thing is impossible - and then the author tried to lampshade it of sorts, that this character never cared about limitations; not caring doesn't mean they shouldn't apply
🎺 generally the last quarter of the story took a weird turn, I thought we'll be dealing with but no, that went totally to the backburner and then wasn't even solved outside of implying it'll be, and instead focused on
🎺 the ending... why is this a 3rd sapphic book I'm reading this year that
🎺 it was sometimes hard to understand Del's decisions, she was so scared of her real identity being revealed as if she was a wanted criminal, not a runaway princess. Was there even anything at stake?
🎺 what's the deal with constantly reassuring a bloody riot is not that bloody, nothing to see here? This book would have been better if it didn't try to shoehorn a "violence is always evil" message that requires downplaying it when it's unavoidable.
Overall, this is a pretty interesting and unique YA fantasy debut. I was especially enchanted by the writing style that was smooth and flowing, and the story didn't bore me at any point. However, from the final plot twist to the ending, the story slowly lost me in how ridiculous it became. I would recommend it to readers of YA fantasy who want a detour from predictable tropes and endings.
Thank you Netgalley, Harper Fire and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC!
The good:
🪕 the voice pops off the page
🪕 the snarky humour adds to the vibe of the story
🪕 the characters are vivid, memorable and standing out - also most of them are messy and flawed
🪕 diverse side characters, including lesbian, ace, trans and nonbinary representation and characters of various ethnicities and skin colours
🪕 the setting is immersive, and both the social structure and visuals of the place are conveyed well without infodumping
🪕 no overdone tropes like trials/tournaments/competitions, magical schools, chosen ones, "I hate you but can't resist you", oppressed witches, beauty & the beast retellings, rebellions against an evil empire, etc. - it's an overall fairly unique blend of story elements that includes princesses and unique magic, but not in an iteration we've seen dozens times over already
🪕 no insta-love, it takes a while for the mc to warm up towards the endgame love interest
🪕 the tavern sub-plot was a well-done Chekhov's gun hung and then used;
🪕 the moral of the story was conveyed organically, without therapy speak or anvilicious beating the reader over the head with it, which seriously shouldn't be so rare, even in YA, but here we are
The bad:
🎺 the love triangle is giga obvious who's gonna be the winner and who's the third wheel
🎺 not a fan of inserting random Italian words to worldbuild when we're in a fantasy world not actual historical Italy; it reminded me of This Vicious Grace and I find it a cheap way to exoticize the setting
🎺 a character making racist remarks to foreshadow "this is the villain", I swear 90% of fantasy novels I pick have cartoonish villains who can be summed up as "greedy & powerhungry" (and the other 10% have a similar thing but the villain also has a sob backstory), and a good portion of them are also bigoted because it's the easiest way after kicking puppies and eating babies for breakfast to signpost "villain here"
🎺 the villain was revealed to be totally overpowered basically out of nowhere, after signalling in the narrative multiple times that such a thing is impossible - and then the author tried to lampshade it of sorts, that this character never cared about limitations; not caring doesn't mean they shouldn't apply
🎺 generally the last quarter of the story took a weird turn, I thought we'll be dealing with but no, that went totally to the backburner and then wasn't even solved outside of implying it'll be, and instead focused on
🎺 the ending... why is this a 3rd sapphic book I'm reading this year that
🎺 it was sometimes hard to understand Del's decisions, she was so scared of her real identity being revealed as if she was a wanted criminal, not a runaway princess. Was there even anything at stake?
🎺 what's the deal with constantly reassuring a bloody riot is not that bloody, nothing to see here? This book would have been better if it didn't try to shoehorn a "violence is always evil" message that requires downplaying it when it's unavoidable.
Overall, this is a pretty interesting and unique YA fantasy debut. I was especially enchanted by the writing style that was smooth and flowing, and the story didn't bore me at any point. However, from the final plot twist to the ending, the story slowly lost me in how ridiculous it became. I would recommend it to readers of YA fantasy who want a detour from predictable tropes and endings.
Thank you Netgalley, Harper Fire and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC!
Want to Read
January 3, 2026YA sapphic fantasy w/ love triangle
September 7, 2026
Mirrorwoven is such a seriously fun setup. A runaway princess hiding behind a magically crafted face and reinventing herself as a bard? A young, newly widowed queen who is genuinely kind but a little too trusting? And a sharp, politically savvy sister-in-law who pulls strings to get the bard into the palace while also becoming increasingly intrigued? So fun!
I loved the characters in this, both the main cast and the supporting characters. There is so much interpersonal drama happening beneath the political maneuvering, and I was completely invested in watching these relationships develop. There’s a ton of yearning, secrets, complicated loyalties, and people not trusting one another. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Del, Clara, and Nasca. They each bring something completely different to the story, and I loved how their relationships overlap and shift as more secrets come to light. They all have their own motivations, histories, and emotional baggage. And Minnow and her family is the BEST; love them so much.
And honestly, this was just FUN to read. There’s political intrigue, romantic tension, dramatic reveals, complicated family dynamics, and plenty of moments where I needed to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely flew through it.
The ending is a little bittersweet, though, and I am choosing to believe that means there is another book coming because... that felt a little cruel to do to your main character. It left just a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but it could be pulled off with another book. I also think a next book will be even more interesting with this setup! Edit: There is one!!!
Overall, I had such a good time with Mirrorwoven. It has a great cast of characters, plenty of drama and yearning, and a story that kept me turning pages.
Thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
I loved the characters in this, both the main cast and the supporting characters. There is so much interpersonal drama happening beneath the political maneuvering, and I was completely invested in watching these relationships develop. There’s a ton of yearning, secrets, complicated loyalties, and people not trusting one another. I also really enjoyed the dynamic between Del, Clara, and Nasca. They each bring something completely different to the story, and I loved how their relationships overlap and shift as more secrets come to light. They all have their own motivations, histories, and emotional baggage. And Minnow and her family is the BEST; love them so much.
And honestly, this was just FUN to read. There’s political intrigue, romantic tension, dramatic reveals, complicated family dynamics, and plenty of moments where I needed to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely flew through it.
The ending is a little bittersweet, though, and I am choosing to believe that means there is another book coming because... that felt a little cruel to do to your main character. It left just a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but it could be pulled off with another book. I also think a next book will be even more interesting with this setup! Edit: There is one!!!
Overall, I had such a good time with Mirrorwoven. It has a great cast of characters, plenty of drama and yearning, and a story that kept me turning pages.
Thank you to Toppling Stacks Tours and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.
June 30, 2026
This was amazing and I’m kinda sad that it’s a standalone because I’m so not ready to say goodbye to these characters😭 Like don’t get me wrong, the story has a satisfying ending as is, but I want more! I loved this so much, I am absolutely looking forward to this author’s future work.
Tropes and such:
- sapphic fantasy in a Venice-inspired setting
- musician FMC x queen
- princess in hiding
- faking your death to start over from nothing
- mirror magic
- friends to enemies
- family trauma and dead siblings
Do the queer characters get a happy ending?
----
Thank you to HarperCollins UK for the ARC
Tropes and such:
- sapphic fantasy in a Venice-inspired setting
- musician FMC x queen
- princess in hiding
- faking your death to start over from nothing
- mirror magic
- friends to enemies
- family trauma and dead siblings
Do the queer characters get a happy ending?
----
Thank you to HarperCollins UK for the ARC
August 5, 2026
I like the idea behind Mirrorwoven, unfortunately, it felt like everything happens in the second half leaving it feeling quite unbalanced.
Not a lot happens in the first half, and while I can sometimes enjoy a book that's not doing much and leaves me uncertain if there is a plot or just the character's day to day life, I have to go in knowing to expect that. Thankfully the second half does have some more urgency and stakes, but it came a little bit too late leaving the pacing feeling off.
The setting and world-building are nicely done and I really enjoyed it, however, the magic system left me wanting a bit more. It seemed interesting and unique but it wasn't explored enough.
While I do like Del as a character, I didn't find myself invested in any of the characters. We get some background on the main character Del, but we never know the full reason for her running away until way late, and it didn't feel impactful enough to have been withheld for so long. I think had we known Del's full story earlier on it would have been easier to make a connection with her. And though we ultimately get some development for side characters, I was past the point of caring.
Not a lot happens in the first half, and while I can sometimes enjoy a book that's not doing much and leaves me uncertain if there is a plot or just the character's day to day life, I have to go in knowing to expect that. Thankfully the second half does have some more urgency and stakes, but it came a little bit too late leaving the pacing feeling off.
The setting and world-building are nicely done and I really enjoyed it, however, the magic system left me wanting a bit more. It seemed interesting and unique but it wasn't explored enough.
While I do like Del as a character, I didn't find myself invested in any of the characters. We get some background on the main character Del, but we never know the full reason for her running away until way late, and it didn't feel impactful enough to have been withheld for so long. I think had we known Del's full story earlier on it would have been easier to make a connection with her. And though we ultimately get some development for side characters, I was past the point of caring.
October 14, 2026
This was such a fun, magical read with a sapphic love triangle and a beautiful ode to music, magic and enchantments. The characters were all so fun with their hidden motivations, and there were so many twists and turns that constantly kept me guessing.
Inspired by Venice, the world of Solato was so vibrant with its rich language and culture, ruled by the First - a woman who married into the ruling. What you get is a world embroiled with political intrigue as Del becomes her bard and advisor to all things politics. It was great to see flawed characters who learn as they make decisions, who don't have all the answers at the start, where you can follow along their journey. It's refreshing to have a female main character not as the main character of the story, but yet an advisor who needs to make her own allies and learn who to trust. As a musician, you could feel Del's talent and love for her craft.
The sapphic yearning in this book was so so good! I loved how there was not one but two sapphic romances between sisters (not by blood) which added nonstop romantic tension in the story.
I had a really great time with Mirrorwoven and I am looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with next!
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Inspired by Venice, the world of Solato was so vibrant with its rich language and culture, ruled by the First - a woman who married into the ruling. What you get is a world embroiled with political intrigue as Del becomes her bard and advisor to all things politics. It was great to see flawed characters who learn as they make decisions, who don't have all the answers at the start, where you can follow along their journey. It's refreshing to have a female main character not as the main character of the story, but yet an advisor who needs to make her own allies and learn who to trust. As a musician, you could feel Del's talent and love for her craft.
The sapphic yearning in this book was so so good! I loved how there was not one but two sapphic romances between sisters (not by blood) which added nonstop romantic tension in the story.
I had a really great time with Mirrorwoven and I am looking forward to seeing what the author comes out with next!
I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 3, 2026
Thank you to Net Galley for providing an ARC for review.
Del is on the run. An heir to a magical kingdom in magical disguise, all she wants is to become a guild bard in Solato, a supposed democratic lagoon-city. Through a series of events however she finds herself court bard to the widowed First of Solato, which is a nightmare because of course, Rule 1 is to stay away from royalty. Rule 2 is not to fall in love - and of course Del, the disaster bisexual that she is, finds herself falling head over heels for the city's ruler. Oh, and there's also Clara's hot sister in law. Del must somehow keep herself hidden while helping the naive Clara the First navigate the leadership of a city roiling with class tension. What could go wrong?
Bori crafted a unique Venice inspired setting, interesting characters, a well voiced protagonist and of course, an enormous amount of sapphic yearning (and payoff). The twists in this were very satisfying, and once the pace picks up in the back half of the book it was difficult to put down.
This is an atypical read for me and I still found myself struggling to really connect with the story and characters, but I still ultimately enjoyed the read and am impressed at the quality of this debut.
Great work Bori, I'm proud of you!
Del is on the run. An heir to a magical kingdom in magical disguise, all she wants is to become a guild bard in Solato, a supposed democratic lagoon-city. Through a series of events however she finds herself court bard to the widowed First of Solato, which is a nightmare because of course, Rule 1 is to stay away from royalty. Rule 2 is not to fall in love - and of course Del, the disaster bisexual that she is, finds herself falling head over heels for the city's ruler. Oh, and there's also Clara's hot sister in law. Del must somehow keep herself hidden while helping the naive Clara the First navigate the leadership of a city roiling with class tension. What could go wrong?
Bori crafted a unique Venice inspired setting, interesting characters, a well voiced protagonist and of course, an enormous amount of sapphic yearning (and payoff). The twists in this were very satisfying, and once the pace picks up in the back half of the book it was difficult to put down.
This is an atypical read for me and I still found myself struggling to really connect with the story and characters, but I still ultimately enjoyed the read and am impressed at the quality of this debut.
Great work Bori, I'm proud of you!
August 24, 2026
Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.
First of all, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and was the first reason I was drawn to this book. Second, I loved this story. There are vivid characters that are unique in their own way and have their own voices. The main female main character Del is a musician and a princess in hiding which was an excellent and different character than I would normally see. Also, the author does not stop their and includes an interesting view of magic through mirrors. Honestly I wanted a bit more from the mirror magic but that is just my personal opinion. It had enough but I love more details from the story. Overall, I very much enjoyed reading Mirrorwoven.
First of all, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and was the first reason I was drawn to this book. Second, I loved this story. There are vivid characters that are unique in their own way and have their own voices. The main female main character Del is a musician and a princess in hiding which was an excellent and different character than I would normally see. Also, the author does not stop their and includes an interesting view of magic through mirrors. Honestly I wanted a bit more from the mirror magic but that is just my personal opinion. It had enough but I love more details from the story. Overall, I very much enjoyed reading Mirrorwoven.
September 5, 2026
mirrorwoven was sooo good!!!! it had such unique world building and magic system, and i loved that the writing itself had a very lyrical quality to it. the sapphic love triangle was actually so well done and might be one of my favourite love triangles that i’ve ever read. all in all, this was such a great fantasy read, and definitely something i’m gonna be recommending to people now!
longer rtc!
longer rtc!
August 31, 2026
It's always nice to read a book where the characters are allowed to be extremely stupid, but get over it and make up for their mistakes. This wasn't a perfect book, but it was a very good one, and I'm looking forward to reading more by the author.
October 15, 2025
Read an early copy of this and I CANNOT WAIT for it to be out in the world. One of the best YA fantasies I've read, hands down. So imaginative, so funny, and so damn heartbreaking. (Bori, you're the worst. But your books slaps.)
May 31, 2026
Note: I was granted access to an e-ARC of this book by the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
Mirrorwoven is a YA standalone fantasy novel and the debut novel of the author, Bori Cser. The writing style is quite impressive for a debut: clear, smooth, well-structured, with a very good balance of dialogue to prose, and little to no info-dumping.
The setting is, more than inspired by Venice, actually Venice itself, albeit a fantasy version of it — but barely discernible from the real thing in a lot of ways, including in the history and traditions of the real Italian city which is used as lore for the purposes of the novel (yes, the Marriage of the Sea is a real thing that happens in Venice, a tradition going back nearly a full
Millennium, that still occurs and is celebrated every year in May).
Yes, some things were embellished or enriched but for the most part a lot of the setting and setup of the Nation of Salato is based on the historical city state of Venice.
I have a personal pet-peeve with books using foreign languages peppered throughout to enrich their worldbuilding, but aside from a few instances (starting with the name Salato, which means “salty, savory” in Italian) I have to admit that this book is actually an example that it can actually be done in such a way that isn’t offensive to the original language and culture (a first in my personal reading experience).
The book is told in first person and the MC’s story is quite interesting, though her background is approached in too rushed a manner and unclear until the very end of the book, for no discernible reason.
Knowing why Del was running away and had changed her appearance would not have detracted from the story at all in my opinion — in fact, it would have upped the stakes and helped the reader understand the urgency in keeping her secret and her real appearance from anyone around her.
I think we could have used that urgency and higher stakes, because although the premise is interesting, I found it hard to connect with the characters for most of the book. They all seemed a bit remote, not quite fully shaped or solid enough — Del as the MC was the better one in that regard, partially helped along by the first-person narrative which gave us direct insight into her thoughts and how she viewed and experienced things, but even then it felt like something was missing or rushed at times. The secondary characters were definitely less solid than they should have been and that took away from the impact of various events Del experienced.
There were also a few instances in which a development or decision felt rushed, too sudden, lacking development in its approach.
The first half of the book was mostly coasting along for me but after an important twist in the story a little after the half-way point, the story gains urgency and one of the side characters gains some dimension which nearly pays off but loses a little steam towards the end.
Overall a pretty good read and pretty solid debut, but I feel like it could have used more character development and less rushed background stories, especially for the MC but really for most of the secondary characters that she interacts with throughout the novel.
Because of that it’s not quite a 4-star for me, more a 3 1/2, which I’m rounding down because I can’t do half-stars here.
Mirrorwoven is a YA standalone fantasy novel and the debut novel of the author, Bori Cser. The writing style is quite impressive for a debut: clear, smooth, well-structured, with a very good balance of dialogue to prose, and little to no info-dumping.
The setting is, more than inspired by Venice, actually Venice itself, albeit a fantasy version of it — but barely discernible from the real thing in a lot of ways, including in the history and traditions of the real Italian city which is used as lore for the purposes of the novel (yes, the Marriage of the Sea is a real thing that happens in Venice, a tradition going back nearly a full
Millennium, that still occurs and is celebrated every year in May).
Yes, some things were embellished or enriched but for the most part a lot of the setting and setup of the Nation of Salato is based on the historical city state of Venice.
I have a personal pet-peeve with books using foreign languages peppered throughout to enrich their worldbuilding, but aside from a few instances (starting with the name Salato, which means “salty, savory” in Italian) I have to admit that this book is actually an example that it can actually be done in such a way that isn’t offensive to the original language and culture (a first in my personal reading experience).
The book is told in first person and the MC’s story is quite interesting, though her background is approached in too rushed a manner and unclear until the very end of the book, for no discernible reason.
Knowing why Del was running away and had changed her appearance would not have detracted from the story at all in my opinion — in fact, it would have upped the stakes and helped the reader understand the urgency in keeping her secret and her real appearance from anyone around her.
I think we could have used that urgency and higher stakes, because although the premise is interesting, I found it hard to connect with the characters for most of the book. They all seemed a bit remote, not quite fully shaped or solid enough — Del as the MC was the better one in that regard, partially helped along by the first-person narrative which gave us direct insight into her thoughts and how she viewed and experienced things, but even then it felt like something was missing or rushed at times. The secondary characters were definitely less solid than they should have been and that took away from the impact of various events Del experienced.
There were also a few instances in which a development or decision felt rushed, too sudden, lacking development in its approach.
The first half of the book was mostly coasting along for me but after an important twist in the story a little after the half-way point, the story gains urgency and one of the side characters gains some dimension which nearly pays off but loses a little steam towards the end.
Overall a pretty good read and pretty solid debut, but I feel like it could have used more character development and less rushed background stories, especially for the MC but really for most of the secondary characters that she interacts with throughout the novel.
Because of that it’s not quite a 4-star for me, more a 3 1/2, which I’m rounding down because I can’t do half-stars here.
September 28, 2026
I really like the cover & the title of this book, especially the blurb. It gave me the impression that this was going to be a fun & exciting read.
However, I struggled quite a bit with the first chapter & had to reread it several times before I could fully understand what was going on. Then I realized that Del is actually a princess who has run away from the palace to pursue her dream of becoming a musician lute player.
She move to another far away country & believing that she will finally be safe & remain unknown to the royal family. But as it turns out, she is actually the heir to the throne following the death of her older sister.
Unfortunately, I couldnt fully enjoy the book bcs of the storytelling style. There was a lot of lengthy narration and description, while the dialogue felt quite limited. At times, I found myself feeling exhausted trying to get through and process all the details being explained.
Perhaps this book wasnt for me. But No worries, it may still be a wonderful choice for other readers who enjoy this kind of book especially the prwmise.
However, I struggled quite a bit with the first chapter & had to reread it several times before I could fully understand what was going on. Then I realized that Del is actually a princess who has run away from the palace to pursue her dream of becoming a musician lute player.
She move to another far away country & believing that she will finally be safe & remain unknown to the royal family. But as it turns out, she is actually the heir to the throne following the death of her older sister.
Unfortunately, I couldnt fully enjoy the book bcs of the storytelling style. There was a lot of lengthy narration and description, while the dialogue felt quite limited. At times, I found myself feeling exhausted trying to get through and process all the details being explained.
Perhaps this book wasnt for me. But No worries, it may still be a wonderful choice for other readers who enjoy this kind of book especially the prwmise.
September 16, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was perfect read for me
Nasca that stinking sack of rotting fishguts like Clara called her. I HATE THAT TROPE OF SOMEONE USING MAGIC TO TAKE SOMEONE'S FREE WILL.
Nasca was giving Obsession,not only Made Del not care for eating or anything else but also for music uuuhgh ik something was going to happen to her hands,not fair.
Del and Clara are my babies and are going to work really well together.
The magic is really interesting and i want to see more of it,also Del you foolish idiot and Clara aaaaaaaa not to be underestimated
This was perfect read for me
Nasca that stinking sack of rotting fishguts like Clara called her. I HATE THAT TROPE OF SOMEONE USING MAGIC TO TAKE SOMEONE'S FREE WILL.
Nasca was giving Obsession,not only Made Del not care for eating or anything else but also for music uuuhgh ik something was going to happen to her hands,not fair.
Del and Clara are my babies and are going to work really well together.
The magic is really interesting and i want to see more of it,also Del you foolish idiot and Clara aaaaaaaa not to be underestimated
October 5, 2026
Unexpected! I went into this book knowing nothing and was very pleasantly suprised.
July 4, 2026
Review to come 🩷
August 6, 2026
4.5 Stars
Thank you Feiwel & Friends for the eARC!
Del is a musician, and a damn good one too. She's traveled all the way to the city of Salato, know for it's guild of bards, to restart her life and live out her days performing for throngs of people in grand venues. Del hasn't always strived to live out her days as a bard, though. In fact, Del hasn't even lived with this new face of hers for more than a few months. Unknown to practically everyone, Del is actually the runaway princess of Gilnea, Adelene, who has fled from home after a tragic incident involving her ex boyfriend and sister. In order to become unrecognizable, she used her court's penchant for mirror magic to craft herself a brand new mirrorwoven face. The enchantment will stay in place as long as Del doesn't fall in love and receive true loves kiss, which is perfectly fine by Del. After the incident that caused her to flee in the first place, the last thing she desires is to fall in love. That is until she's caught up in the lives of the recently widowed First of Salato and her dead husbands sister. As she continues to grow closer to the two, things only get trickier for Del, especially when those pesky feelings seem to creep in to spell possible disaster for her newly crafted facade.
What a fun and amazing debut book! I went into this story with no expectations and was hooked almost immediately. Del, Clara, and Nasca were all amazing multifaceted characters who I loved learning more about, though I must say that I especially loved Clara and her growth throughout the story. The world was fun and the mirror magic system is truly unique. My only complaint is I wish things were expanded upon more, but that tends to be how I feel with most standalones I read. All in all, this was a fun story that I absolutely DEVOURED and I look forward to reading more from Bori Cser!
Thank you Feiwel & Friends for the eARC!
Del is a musician, and a damn good one too. She's traveled all the way to the city of Salato, know for it's guild of bards, to restart her life and live out her days performing for throngs of people in grand venues. Del hasn't always strived to live out her days as a bard, though. In fact, Del hasn't even lived with this new face of hers for more than a few months. Unknown to practically everyone, Del is actually the runaway princess of Gilnea, Adelene, who has fled from home after a tragic incident involving her ex boyfriend and sister. In order to become unrecognizable, she used her court's penchant for mirror magic to craft herself a brand new mirrorwoven face. The enchantment will stay in place as long as Del doesn't fall in love and receive true loves kiss, which is perfectly fine by Del. After the incident that caused her to flee in the first place, the last thing she desires is to fall in love. That is until she's caught up in the lives of the recently widowed First of Salato and her dead husbands sister. As she continues to grow closer to the two, things only get trickier for Del, especially when those pesky feelings seem to creep in to spell possible disaster for her newly crafted facade.
What a fun and amazing debut book! I went into this story with no expectations and was hooked almost immediately. Del, Clara, and Nasca were all amazing multifaceted characters who I loved learning more about, though I must say that I especially loved Clara and her growth throughout the story. The world was fun and the mirror magic system is truly unique. My only complaint is I wish things were expanded upon more, but that tends to be how I feel with most standalones I read. All in all, this was a fun story that I absolutely DEVOURED and I look forward to reading more from Bori Cser!
August 8, 2026
3.5 stars
I think the magic should have been a lot more prevalent, especially given that it is super important to both the starting situation and the climax. Having Del be generally ignorant/indifferent to the magic really does the story a disservice. However, I really liked seeing how Del matured through the story; she’s running from tragedy and her responsibilities, seeking solace in the hobby that brings her joy (music), but we really get to see how her knowledge of politics and diplomacy can’t really be tamped down even by her own self preservation.
I also loved that we had a (mostly) queernorm world - but I wish we dug deeper into Alex’s situation. Tiny magical queendom won’t allow a trans man to take the throne?? And Del is just going to… run away and not fight for her brother’s right to rule?? I wanted more about Del’s homeland in general; we only saw situational flashbacks rather than cultural or political information. Obviously Beth’s death was the major turning point in Del’s life, but the politics are super important. Was this supposed to be a signal that actually the lagoon country is more progressive despite their classism? I don’t know enough to speculate.
It’s also wildly impractical that only (?) true love’s kiss can unravel an enchantment. And if that’s not true, then the magic truly was not explained very well (see paragraph one).
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
I think the magic should have been a lot more prevalent, especially given that it is super important to both the starting situation and the climax. Having Del be generally ignorant/indifferent to the magic really does the story a disservice. However, I really liked seeing how Del matured through the story; she’s running from tragedy and her responsibilities, seeking solace in the hobby that brings her joy (music), but we really get to see how her knowledge of politics and diplomacy can’t really be tamped down even by her own self preservation.
I also loved that we had a (mostly) queernorm world - but I wish we dug deeper into Alex’s situation. Tiny magical queendom won’t allow a trans man to take the throne?? And Del is just going to… run away and not fight for her brother’s right to rule?? I wanted more about Del’s homeland in general; we only saw situational flashbacks rather than cultural or political information. Obviously Beth’s death was the major turning point in Del’s life, but the politics are super important. Was this supposed to be a signal that actually the lagoon country is more progressive despite their classism? I don’t know enough to speculate.
It’s also wildly impractical that only (?) true love’s kiss can unravel an enchantment. And if that’s not true, then the magic truly was not explained very well (see paragraph one).
{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}
August 25, 2026
Thanks so much to MacMillan Children’s Publishing | Fierce Reads for the ARC. All opinions are voluntarily offered and honest.
This was truly a fantastic YA sapphic fantasy debut. I loved the world, loosely based on a historical Venice with the addition of magic and populated by a wide array of engaging characters (love you, Minnow!). I really enjoyed Del and her passion for music and desire to disappear into it. Clara… sometimes frustrated me. There were times I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and demand she wake up to the reality of the world she’s supposed to be ruling.
The love story is so sweet, but this is definitely a fantasy and not a romantasy - the fantasy elements stand on their own so strongly.
Would definitely read more from this author!
This was truly a fantastic YA sapphic fantasy debut. I loved the world, loosely based on a historical Venice with the addition of magic and populated by a wide array of engaging characters (love you, Minnow!). I really enjoyed Del and her passion for music and desire to disappear into it. Clara… sometimes frustrated me. There were times I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and demand she wake up to the reality of the world she’s supposed to be ruling.
The love story is so sweet, but this is definitely a fantasy and not a romantasy - the fantasy elements stand on their own so strongly.
Would definitely read more from this author!
August 26, 2026
The cover for this one is stunning. I love the colours. The story is unique with a leisurely pace for the first half. An Heir hidding in plan sightworking as the royal musician. The characters are relatable and make you want to like them. This is a sapphic love triangle between Sister in laws. One weak and one is strong and dominant. The flirty vibes are so good. I was yelling at Del through the whole second half. I love Clara and Nasca up until about 65% and then the frustration started. I was so so mad. Dels secret might not be a secret anymore. This was narrated by Sarah Ovens who did an epic job. She had me falling in love then raging and devistated and then happy and teary. Just an amazing cast for this story and it was so well done.
Read
March 17, 2026Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!
September 3, 2026
Second book when??????
September 4, 2026
3.75 stars
I honestly had no idea where this was going the entire time i was reading it. Most of the plot doesn’t happen until the end of the book which makes it kind of hard to get into. Clara was the main reason i stuck with it and i wish there were more magic included throughout the book.
I honestly had no idea where this was going the entire time i was reading it. Most of the plot doesn’t happen until the end of the book which makes it kind of hard to get into. Clara was the main reason i stuck with it and i wish there were more magic included throughout the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Harper Fire, Bori Cser and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of Mirrorwoven.
Mirrorwoven follows Del, a princess of Gilnea who has fled her home after a tragedy struck her family and left her as the heir to the throne. She enlists the help of her grandmother, who weaves her a new face with her illusion magic, and sets off to the merchant city of Salato to do the thing she loves most; play her lute. To protect herself, she establishes two rules. One; don't go near royalty. Two; never fall in love as true love's kiss will break the illusion on her face. When Del reaches Salato, she unknowingly breaks rule one and becomes the court bard to the First of Salato, the ruler of the city, and ends up getting closer to the First, the innocent and naive Clara, and her wily sister-in-law, Nasca. As Del draws closer to each of these captivating girls, she finds herself at risk of breaking both of her rules and revealing her true self.
3.5 stars!
I had a lot of fun with this debut sapphic YA fantasy. It's written in such an engaging and fun way, and it really pulled me into the Venetian-inspired city from the onset. While the worldbuilding isn't as detailed as I personally like, I did still really appreciate what we were given, and I think it was the perfect amount of worldbuilding for this story. Salato was so atmospheric that it felt like you were truly there; I felt like I was walking down a canal or sailing on a gondola when those scenes were described. I also liked the hints of other countries that we got, especially Gilnea, which seemed more rural than the gilded Salato. I wish we'd got to visit Gilnea to see a parallel to Salato for ourselves, rather than just seeing it through Del's commentary. The magic was also interesting; again I wish it had been described and established a bit more, such as its rules, but the amount of detail we got was suitable for the story and didn't leave me with too many questions. I did really like the use of mirrors to cast enchantments, and therefore the Gilnean superstition of covering mirrors to be safe from enchantment, that was a really cool addition and not something that I've seen too much of in fantasy before.
Del was such a fun character to follow. She's determined and loyal but makes mistakes and has real flaws, which makes her all the more engaging to read about. While some of her decisions through the book, and even before the book starts, had me questioning her and getting frustrated at her, they were still understandable decisions for someone in her situation to have made. Her connection to music really stood out to me as well; I really enjoy when a main character has a hobby that they're truly passionate about, and for Del it was music and her lute. Seeing her find comfort and happiness in music was really lovely to see, and I really enjoyed the sections where she was playing. Outside of those scenes, I did lose a bit of connection to her due to some of the decisions she made, but I still did enjoy following along in her story.
Our two love interests, Clara and Nasca, were both really interesting characters as well. In love triangles I usually will pick a preferred love interest and stick with it, and this time was no exception; I was a Clara girl through and through. I did enjoy how the two of them felt quite different from each other; Clara as the more naive and innocent one whereas Nasca was more politically savvy and witty. However, both of the romances progressed a little faster than I'd prefer; although months did pass in the story, the shorter page count meant that the romances felt slightly rushed and didn't have as much yearning as I personally like. But that's just a me thing!
If you enjoy sapphic YA fantasy with queer-normative worlds and fun and engaging characters then I'd definitely recommend Mirrorwoven. The ending seemed to wrap up nicely with a few questions, however I've learnt that this will be a duology, so hopefully those questions will be answered in the sequel.
Mirrorwoven follows Del, a princess of Gilnea who has fled her home after a tragedy struck her family and left her as the heir to the throne. She enlists the help of her grandmother, who weaves her a new face with her illusion magic, and sets off to the merchant city of Salato to do the thing she loves most; play her lute. To protect herself, she establishes two rules. One; don't go near royalty. Two; never fall in love as true love's kiss will break the illusion on her face. When Del reaches Salato, she unknowingly breaks rule one and becomes the court bard to the First of Salato, the ruler of the city, and ends up getting closer to the First, the innocent and naive Clara, and her wily sister-in-law, Nasca. As Del draws closer to each of these captivating girls, she finds herself at risk of breaking both of her rules and revealing her true self.
3.5 stars!
I had a lot of fun with this debut sapphic YA fantasy. It's written in such an engaging and fun way, and it really pulled me into the Venetian-inspired city from the onset. While the worldbuilding isn't as detailed as I personally like, I did still really appreciate what we were given, and I think it was the perfect amount of worldbuilding for this story. Salato was so atmospheric that it felt like you were truly there; I felt like I was walking down a canal or sailing on a gondola when those scenes were described. I also liked the hints of other countries that we got, especially Gilnea, which seemed more rural than the gilded Salato. I wish we'd got to visit Gilnea to see a parallel to Salato for ourselves, rather than just seeing it through Del's commentary. The magic was also interesting; again I wish it had been described and established a bit more, such as its rules, but the amount of detail we got was suitable for the story and didn't leave me with too many questions. I did really like the use of mirrors to cast enchantments, and therefore the Gilnean superstition of covering mirrors to be safe from enchantment, that was a really cool addition and not something that I've seen too much of in fantasy before.
Del was such a fun character to follow. She's determined and loyal but makes mistakes and has real flaws, which makes her all the more engaging to read about. While some of her decisions through the book, and even before the book starts, had me questioning her and getting frustrated at her, they were still understandable decisions for someone in her situation to have made. Her connection to music really stood out to me as well; I really enjoy when a main character has a hobby that they're truly passionate about, and for Del it was music and her lute. Seeing her find comfort and happiness in music was really lovely to see, and I really enjoyed the sections where she was playing. Outside of those scenes, I did lose a bit of connection to her due to some of the decisions she made, but I still did enjoy following along in her story.
Our two love interests, Clara and Nasca, were both really interesting characters as well. In love triangles I usually will pick a preferred love interest and stick with it, and this time was no exception; I was a Clara girl through and through. I did enjoy how the two of them felt quite different from each other; Clara as the more naive and innocent one whereas Nasca was more politically savvy and witty. However, both of the romances progressed a little faster than I'd prefer; although months did pass in the story, the shorter page count meant that the romances felt slightly rushed and didn't have as much yearning as I personally like. But that's just a me thing!
If you enjoy sapphic YA fantasy with queer-normative worlds and fun and engaging characters then I'd definitely recommend Mirrorwoven. The ending seemed to wrap up nicely with a few questions, however I've learnt that this will be a duology, so hopefully those questions will be answered in the sequel.
August 16, 2026
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A beautiful, wonderfully atmospheric fantasy that unfortunately took far too long to become a story I actually wanted to follow.
I really wanted to love Mirrorwoven. There are several things here that genuinely worked for me, particularly the atmosphere. Salato is probably the strongest part of the book. It has this lovely Mediterranean feeling that reminded me of a mix of Venice, the Greek islands, and Braavos from A Song of Ice and Fire. The descriptions are vivid without becoming tedious, and I could picture the city and its people very easily. The narrator is also excellent. I particularly loved her accent, and she brought a lot of personality to the audiobook. The book is written in first person, present tense, which is normally something I struggle with, but surprisingly it didn't bother me much here. There is also plenty of fun banter and some genuinely funny wording. The immigration and refugee elements were probably my favorite part of the actual world-building. Salato is an egalitarian state that attracts immigrants and refugees, and I liked the idea of exploring what that kind of society looks like. It also feels particularly timely. Unfortunately, I wish the book had done more with this aspect because it ended up being one of the more interesting political ideas in the story.
My biggest problem was the pacing. I reached around 60% before feeling like the actual story had properly started. A huge portion of the book consists of characters talking, going about their daily lives, and developing relationships, while very little actually happens. That can work wonderfully in a character-driven novel, but I didn't connect with most of the characters enough for that approach to work for me. In fact, I struggled with the characters quite a lot. Many of them were annoying or simply cruel, and several felt underdeveloped. Clara was the character I liked most, but even she sometimes felt so deliberately wholesome and idealized that I had trouble believing in her as a person. I had trouble simply experiencing most of the characters as people.
The romance was another major problem for me. There are some fun ingredients here such as sapphic romance, a love triangle, secret identities, political relationships, magical disguises, and true love's kiss. Unfortunately, the relationships themselves felt very immature. The romantic conflicts repeatedly came down to jealousy, misunderstandings, and increasingly dramatic magical solutions, and I found much of it more frustrating than romantic. Yes, it's YA, but I was expecting more chemistry, more depth to the characters' feelings.
The fantasy element was also surprisingly weak for a book called Mirrorwoven. The titular magic is barely mentioned for most of the book, and meaningful magic doesn't really become part of the story until roughly 75%. Even then, it feels more like a subplot than the foundation of the story. I kept waiting for the magical aspect that the premise seemed to promise. That was such a pity because the magic system sounds excellent and I would have loved to see it explored moew, even if through retellings.
The final act felt very anticlimactic. The story very clearly needs a sequel. I don't mind an ending that leaves room for another book, but after such a long buildup, I wanted this book to feel more complete on its own.
For readers who enjoy The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Jasmine Throne, and very trope-heavy YA sapphic fantasy with secret identities, political romance, and magical disguises.
Tropes & Vibes:
Sapphic romance
Love triangle
Secret princess
Magical disguise
True love's kiss
Queer fantasy
Refugees & immigration
Jealous rival
Fake death
Cozy inn
Review copy provided by Macmillan Audio @ Net Galley
A beautiful, wonderfully atmospheric fantasy that unfortunately took far too long to become a story I actually wanted to follow.
I really wanted to love Mirrorwoven. There are several things here that genuinely worked for me, particularly the atmosphere. Salato is probably the strongest part of the book. It has this lovely Mediterranean feeling that reminded me of a mix of Venice, the Greek islands, and Braavos from A Song of Ice and Fire. The descriptions are vivid without becoming tedious, and I could picture the city and its people very easily. The narrator is also excellent. I particularly loved her accent, and she brought a lot of personality to the audiobook. The book is written in first person, present tense, which is normally something I struggle with, but surprisingly it didn't bother me much here. There is also plenty of fun banter and some genuinely funny wording. The immigration and refugee elements were probably my favorite part of the actual world-building. Salato is an egalitarian state that attracts immigrants and refugees, and I liked the idea of exploring what that kind of society looks like. It also feels particularly timely. Unfortunately, I wish the book had done more with this aspect because it ended up being one of the more interesting political ideas in the story.
My biggest problem was the pacing. I reached around 60% before feeling like the actual story had properly started. A huge portion of the book consists of characters talking, going about their daily lives, and developing relationships, while very little actually happens. That can work wonderfully in a character-driven novel, but I didn't connect with most of the characters enough for that approach to work for me. In fact, I struggled with the characters quite a lot. Many of them were annoying or simply cruel, and several felt underdeveloped. Clara was the character I liked most, but even she sometimes felt so deliberately wholesome and idealized that I had trouble believing in her as a person. I had trouble simply experiencing most of the characters as people.
The romance was another major problem for me. There are some fun ingredients here such as sapphic romance, a love triangle, secret identities, political relationships, magical disguises, and true love's kiss. Unfortunately, the relationships themselves felt very immature. The romantic conflicts repeatedly came down to jealousy, misunderstandings, and increasingly dramatic magical solutions, and I found much of it more frustrating than romantic. Yes, it's YA, but I was expecting more chemistry, more depth to the characters' feelings.
The fantasy element was also surprisingly weak for a book called Mirrorwoven. The titular magic is barely mentioned for most of the book, and meaningful magic doesn't really become part of the story until roughly 75%. Even then, it feels more like a subplot than the foundation of the story. I kept waiting for the magical aspect that the premise seemed to promise. That was such a pity because the magic system sounds excellent and I would have loved to see it explored moew, even if through retellings.
The final act felt very anticlimactic. The story very clearly needs a sequel. I don't mind an ending that leaves room for another book, but after such a long buildup, I wanted this book to feel more complete on its own.
For readers who enjoy The Priory of the Orange Tree, The Jasmine Throne, and very trope-heavy YA sapphic fantasy with secret identities, political romance, and magical disguises.
Tropes & Vibes:
Sapphic romance
Love triangle
Secret princess
Magical disguise
True love's kiss
Queer fantasy
Refugees & immigration
Jealous rival
Fake death
Cozy inn
Review copy provided by Macmillan Audio @ Net Galley
July 15, 2026
SYNOPSIS
Del has two rules. One: stay away from royalty. Two: don’t fall in love.
The first – because Del is secretly a runaway princess. After the death of her sister at the hand of her boyfriend, Del flees her family, home and all the responsibilities that come with being the queendom’s new heir. With a magically constructed mirrorwoven face, Del is now unrecognisable, and disappears to the faraway opaline lagoon-city of Salato.
The second rule – because the enchantment hiding Del’s identity can only be unravelled by true love’s kiss. But that’s just fine. Del’s had enough of love anyway.
When Del breaks Rule One and becomes court bard to the newly widowed First of Salato, she is resolved to keep her head down. But Clara is naïve and trusts too easily, and soon Del finds herself having to guide Clara through the shoals of court life, somehow without revealing her own secret.
As Del grows closer to both Clara and Nasca, Clara’s brilliant, dangerous sister-in-law, it will only take a push to bring Del’s house of cards tumbling down.
Like, for example, breaking Rule Two.
TROPES
🎶 Renaissance Venice-inspired setting
☀️ Sapphic love triangle
🎶 Angst and yearning x 100000
☀️ Disaster bi FMC
🎶 Mirror magic
☀️ Court intrigue
🎶 Messy families
☀️ True love's kiss breaks the spell... which must be avoided at all costs
THOUGHTS
Gah... Yet another one of those YA books that sneaks up on me. Because I don't read YA all the time, but when I do... Girrrrrrl. 🤣 There is so much to love about "Mirrorwoven"!
The world-building was so rich with Venice-inspired locations and imagery: intricate systems of canals, floating markets, Italian-inspired naming conventions, decrepit inns where you can find the most loyal of friends... All EXTREMELY charming, although I will admit a bit of the worldbuilding went over my head because of all the Italian-sounding words 🤣
I felt particularly inspired by how Mirrorwoven grappelled with anti-immigrant sentiments in this fictional world- obviously very relevant to our own Earthly political climate. In Salato, immigrants are ridiculed, all but prevented from being naturalised by Salato's laws of citizenship for YEARS, have access to far fewer opportunities, and have next to no input as to how their home is governed. That plays a crucial role in Mirrorwiven's climax.
The love triangle trope was one of the main factors that made me buy this book. I will say that, if you're looking for 2 love interests who are both equally desirable options for the FMC: you will be disappointed. What we have here is more of a "desire triangle" where our FMC, Del, is "in lust" with one character and "in love" with the other. And Del's relationship with each of the women evolves so rapidly that, by the end, her choice is very obvious. But the journey to getting there was cataclysmic, and so full of twists and turns (and heart!) that I found I didn't mind much at all!
I was also surprised to find myself so thoroughly enraptured and amused by how Clara and Del handled the diplomacy and intrigue of court. Clara, as barely-adult newly-minted First of Salato, has no clue how to navigate the delicate intricacies of court relations. The fact that Del could (for example) discern that the gardener was, in actuality, a spymaster, while Clara had no clue whatsoever, was both incredibly awkward and hilariously endearing.
And to have the book end where it did, with things left so unfinished and unresolved and emotional... I don't think "Mirrowoven" is officially a series, but I think the ending made room for the possibility of a sequel or an interconnected standalone. I'd certainly love to reconnect with this beautiful world of Bori's again one day.
Stunning.
⭐ 4.25/5
🌶️ 0/5
Del has two rules. One: stay away from royalty. Two: don’t fall in love.
The first – because Del is secretly a runaway princess. After the death of her sister at the hand of her boyfriend, Del flees her family, home and all the responsibilities that come with being the queendom’s new heir. With a magically constructed mirrorwoven face, Del is now unrecognisable, and disappears to the faraway opaline lagoon-city of Salato.
The second rule – because the enchantment hiding Del’s identity can only be unravelled by true love’s kiss. But that’s just fine. Del’s had enough of love anyway.
When Del breaks Rule One and becomes court bard to the newly widowed First of Salato, she is resolved to keep her head down. But Clara is naïve and trusts too easily, and soon Del finds herself having to guide Clara through the shoals of court life, somehow without revealing her own secret.
As Del grows closer to both Clara and Nasca, Clara’s brilliant, dangerous sister-in-law, it will only take a push to bring Del’s house of cards tumbling down.
Like, for example, breaking Rule Two.
TROPES
🎶 Renaissance Venice-inspired setting
☀️ Sapphic love triangle
🎶 Angst and yearning x 100000
☀️ Disaster bi FMC
🎶 Mirror magic
☀️ Court intrigue
🎶 Messy families
☀️ True love's kiss breaks the spell... which must be avoided at all costs
THOUGHTS
Gah... Yet another one of those YA books that sneaks up on me. Because I don't read YA all the time, but when I do... Girrrrrrl. 🤣 There is so much to love about "Mirrorwoven"!
The world-building was so rich with Venice-inspired locations and imagery: intricate systems of canals, floating markets, Italian-inspired naming conventions, decrepit inns where you can find the most loyal of friends... All EXTREMELY charming, although I will admit a bit of the worldbuilding went over my head because of all the Italian-sounding words 🤣
I felt particularly inspired by how Mirrorwoven grappelled with anti-immigrant sentiments in this fictional world- obviously very relevant to our own Earthly political climate. In Salato, immigrants are ridiculed, all but prevented from being naturalised by Salato's laws of citizenship for YEARS, have access to far fewer opportunities, and have next to no input as to how their home is governed. That plays a crucial role in Mirrorwiven's climax.
The love triangle trope was one of the main factors that made me buy this book. I will say that, if you're looking for 2 love interests who are both equally desirable options for the FMC: you will be disappointed. What we have here is more of a "desire triangle" where our FMC, Del, is "in lust" with one character and "in love" with the other. And Del's relationship with each of the women evolves so rapidly that, by the end, her choice is very obvious. But the journey to getting there was cataclysmic, and so full of twists and turns (and heart!) that I found I didn't mind much at all!
I was also surprised to find myself so thoroughly enraptured and amused by how Clara and Del handled the diplomacy and intrigue of court. Clara, as barely-adult newly-minted First of Salato, has no clue how to navigate the delicate intricacies of court relations. The fact that Del could (for example) discern that the gardener was, in actuality, a spymaster, while Clara had no clue whatsoever, was both incredibly awkward and hilariously endearing.
And to have the book end where it did, with things left so unfinished and unresolved and emotional... I don't think "Mirrowoven" is officially a series, but I think the ending made room for the possibility of a sequel or an interconnected standalone. I'd certainly love to reconnect with this beautiful world of Bori's again one day.
Stunning.
⭐ 4.25/5
🌶️ 0/5
August 18, 2026
Thanks to Libro.fm and Macmillan Audio for giving me access to the ALC, this review and opinions are my own.
From the second Sarah Ovens started speaking I knew I was going to adore this book. And I was right! It's the sweet, funny, soulful sapphic YA romantasy I didn't know I needed (and you need it too). I can't believe this is Bori Cser's debut! I was all set to start searching for her other work until I read the Acknowledgements (always read the acknowledgements class)! So, alas for me, I guess I'll have to wait for whatever she comes up with next, because I'm pretty sure she's captured me for life.
I was an orchestra kid so I'm always going to be hot for Venice/fantasy Venice as a setting, and Salato fit perfectly within that fascination! Whenever you start describing a city with canals and gondole I start getting excited, and it was as Cser started rolling out the pattern of fairly complex (to an outsider) Venetian politics - and managing to do so without it ever feeling like exposition - that I was fully just hooked. I love how she made the setting special, like adding setting-specific elements to the marriage of the sea that had a real impact on the story itself.
Del is the perfect YA fantasy protagonist - she's headstrong and self-assured on the surface while still nursing internal doubts tied to the traumatic experiences she's running away from, she's funny and a good friend (and has the presence of mind to realize when she isn't) - and a damned good lutenist, which again as an orchestra kid (violin) I have the greatest respect for. Who wouldn't want to be a devestatingly talented musician with the charisma to easily talk your way into a job as entertainment while waiting for your Big Break to come, especially when that Big Break comes in the form of a mysterious hottie?
Her relationships with Nasca and with Clara are delightful and so different, although from the get-go I was Team Clara. Nasca is alluring, enticing, a rich-bitch and a little dangerous; Clara is soft and kind and the way Del was exasperated by her made for the cutest sapphic romance. Going from "where did they FIND this girl???" to "oh no I'm in love with her" absolutely slayed me. I love a sapphic love-ish triangle-ish, the power politics of it feel totally different to me from a hetero triangle.
I absolutely loved Minnow and the whole Aster family, the little family of immigrants who take Del in unquestioningly and give her her first home in Salato brought a level of love to the book that puts Mirrorwoven in the category of books where the "found family" trope goes a step further into "found home". Thaddeus was exactly who Del needed him to be, at all moments.
This book made me laugh. It made me cry. I sat through all ten hours totally engrossed (ok it was three hours one night and then I immediately put it on when I woke up the next day to listen all the way through) because this book really is just that good. It gave me almost YA-Kushiel's Legacy vibes, if that makes sense at all - courtly intrigue, charismatic female main characters, a fantasy analogue to a familiar historical setting/time, sapphic romance, dangerous secrets and strange magic, and a main character who is capable of doing the hard things when they need to get done. I feel like it would make an incredible graphic novel, as well? Or animated show, maybe? Either way, I'm not ready to be done with Mirrorwoven and as soon as it comes out you'd better believe I'm snatching a copy of the book so I can revisit it with my eyeballs!
From the second Sarah Ovens started speaking I knew I was going to adore this book. And I was right! It's the sweet, funny, soulful sapphic YA romantasy I didn't know I needed (and you need it too). I can't believe this is Bori Cser's debut! I was all set to start searching for her other work until I read the Acknowledgements (always read the acknowledgements class)! So, alas for me, I guess I'll have to wait for whatever she comes up with next, because I'm pretty sure she's captured me for life.
I was an orchestra kid so I'm always going to be hot for Venice/fantasy Venice as a setting, and Salato fit perfectly within that fascination! Whenever you start describing a city with canals and gondole I start getting excited, and it was as Cser started rolling out the pattern of fairly complex (to an outsider) Venetian politics - and managing to do so without it ever feeling like exposition - that I was fully just hooked. I love how she made the setting special, like adding setting-specific elements to the marriage of the sea that had a real impact on the story itself.
Del is the perfect YA fantasy protagonist - she's headstrong and self-assured on the surface while still nursing internal doubts tied to the traumatic experiences she's running away from, she's funny and a good friend (and has the presence of mind to realize when she isn't) - and a damned good lutenist, which again as an orchestra kid (violin) I have the greatest respect for. Who wouldn't want to be a devestatingly talented musician with the charisma to easily talk your way into a job as entertainment while waiting for your Big Break to come, especially when that Big Break comes in the form of a mysterious hottie?
Her relationships with Nasca and with Clara are delightful and so different, although from the get-go I was Team Clara. Nasca is alluring, enticing, a rich-bitch and a little dangerous; Clara is soft and kind and the way Del was exasperated by her made for the cutest sapphic romance. Going from "where did they FIND this girl???" to "oh no I'm in love with her" absolutely slayed me. I love a sapphic love-ish triangle-ish, the power politics of it feel totally different to me from a hetero triangle.
I absolutely loved Minnow and the whole Aster family, the little family of immigrants who take Del in unquestioningly and give her her first home in Salato brought a level of love to the book that puts Mirrorwoven in the category of books where the "found family" trope goes a step further into "found home". Thaddeus was exactly who Del needed him to be, at all moments.
This book made me laugh. It made me cry. I sat through all ten hours totally engrossed (ok it was three hours one night and then I immediately put it on when I woke up the next day to listen all the way through) because this book really is just that good. It gave me almost YA-Kushiel's Legacy vibes, if that makes sense at all - courtly intrigue, charismatic female main characters, a fantasy analogue to a familiar historical setting/time, sapphic romance, dangerous secrets and strange magic, and a main character who is capable of doing the hard things when they need to get done. I feel like it would make an incredible graphic novel, as well? Or animated show, maybe? Either way, I'm not ready to be done with Mirrorwoven and as soon as it comes out you'd better believe I'm snatching a copy of the book so I can revisit it with my eyeballs!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Full disclosure: This is not a book I can review without bias. I've been cheering it on since its inception - since its predecessor's inception! - and seeing Cser's hard work come to fruition fills me with an admiration and pride that was always going to colour my reading experience.
By the same token, I'm fairly miserly with my star ratings, and have only become pickier and more discerning as my reading journey has gone on. I love and support my friends, but I also believe strongly in honesty, and in the boundaries between readerly and writerly spaces.
Thankfully, though unsurprisingly, Mirrorwoven was fantastic, and I can gush with integrity. Mirrorwoven follows Del, a runaway princess who soon finds that she has inadvertently traded the trials and tribulations of one court and kingdom - well, queendom: her home, Gilnea - for another. It is in this latter nation, the Venice-inspired city-state Salato, that Del must learn to stand her ground, navigating her appointment as court bard to its ruler, the First; her budding relationships with two very different, though equally alluring, sisters-by-marriage, Clara and Nasca; the fraught politics of a much larger, wealthier foreign body; and all that follows as a result.
I loved these characters from the very first page, and soon found myself as swept up in the happenings of their lives as they were. This debut is written with so much self assurance, such attention to detail and respect for the craft of writing, that it almost transcends genre. I say almost, because this is very much a young adult fantasy novel, and it shows too much respect for both the genre and its readers to waste page space trying to convert the uninitiated, no matter how much it knows they're missing out. But for the casual fantasy reader, it's a joyous reminder of all that is good about the genre, and for the fantasy lover, it's a no-brainer.
In some respects, Cser shows her hand early. There are no deus ex machinas here, only Chekhov's guns and Occam's razors. Setup and payoff go hand in hand, and in Mirrorwoven, such narrative principles are deftly balanced against surprise and intrigue, always in harmony. The joy is not in watching the cards being revealed, but in seeing how expertly Cser stacks them up, only to make them tumble at just the right moment. The whole thing is spectacularly orchestrated; never is that clearer than in its conclusion, which ties up just enough to leave you happy and hopeful, but not so much that you're totally satisfied - because such completion, of course, comes with Mirrorwoven #2, just as intended.
I can't wait to have this book in my hot little hands come pub day. If you like sapphic romances, if you like love triangles, forbidden love, YEARNING (my God, the yearning), rich historical Venetian fantasy settings, world-building as natural as breathing and as exciting as your dream holiday, court politics, masquerade balls, music, love, life, light - give Mirrorwoven a try. I doubt you'll regret it.
Thank you to Bori Cser, Harper Fire, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. What a fun week of reading this has been!
By the same token, I'm fairly miserly with my star ratings, and have only become pickier and more discerning as my reading journey has gone on. I love and support my friends, but I also believe strongly in honesty, and in the boundaries between readerly and writerly spaces.
Thankfully, though unsurprisingly, Mirrorwoven was fantastic, and I can gush with integrity. Mirrorwoven follows Del, a runaway princess who soon finds that she has inadvertently traded the trials and tribulations of one court and kingdom - well, queendom: her home, Gilnea - for another. It is in this latter nation, the Venice-inspired city-state Salato, that Del must learn to stand her ground, navigating her appointment as court bard to its ruler, the First; her budding relationships with two very different, though equally alluring, sisters-by-marriage, Clara and Nasca; the fraught politics of a much larger, wealthier foreign body; and all that follows as a result.
I loved these characters from the very first page, and soon found myself as swept up in the happenings of their lives as they were. This debut is written with so much self assurance, such attention to detail and respect for the craft of writing, that it almost transcends genre. I say almost, because this is very much a young adult fantasy novel, and it shows too much respect for both the genre and its readers to waste page space trying to convert the uninitiated, no matter how much it knows they're missing out. But for the casual fantasy reader, it's a joyous reminder of all that is good about the genre, and for the fantasy lover, it's a no-brainer.
In some respects, Cser shows her hand early. There are no deus ex machinas here, only Chekhov's guns and Occam's razors. Setup and payoff go hand in hand, and in Mirrorwoven, such narrative principles are deftly balanced against surprise and intrigue, always in harmony. The joy is not in watching the cards being revealed, but in seeing how expertly Cser stacks them up, only to make them tumble at just the right moment. The whole thing is spectacularly orchestrated; never is that clearer than in its conclusion, which ties up just enough to leave you happy and hopeful, but not so much that you're totally satisfied - because such completion, of course, comes with Mirrorwoven #2, just as intended.
I can't wait to have this book in my hot little hands come pub day. If you like sapphic romances, if you like love triangles, forbidden love, YEARNING (my God, the yearning), rich historical Venetian fantasy settings, world-building as natural as breathing and as exciting as your dream holiday, court politics, masquerade balls, music, love, life, light - give Mirrorwoven a try. I doubt you'll regret it.
Thank you to Bori Cser, Harper Fire, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. What a fun week of reading this has been!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A runaway princess in the midst of a journey
Imagine your situation when you create only two rules and quickly end up breaking both? That's exactly what happens to Del in "Mirrorwoven". First of all, I wanted to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Generally, love triangles are very hit or miss for me, and this one was a miss. Unfortunately, I didn't like Nasca at all, and nothing about her convinced me of her feelings or that anyone could feel anything for her (that was quite sad, actually), but I have a vague impression that perhaps it was a reaction the author expected (and perhaps it was her intention, I can't say).
Therefore, for me, I saw the story more as a romance between Del and Clara, and I anxiously awaited the moment when things would work out for them... But I was nervous thinking about everything Del was hiding from Clara, including her identity. What actually makes it more interesting and more to my liking, because I love stories where one side hides who they are, and has reasons for doing so.
I loved how the musical element was handled in the story, and the importance it had. It was very moving to feel how much music really meant to Del, but I'll try not to say too much about it so you can have the same sense of discovery while reading. I also loved the vivid descriptions, well-connected to the sensory side, making them easy to imagine and experience.
However, I felt something was missing. In the world-building and the magic, mainly, but I don't know if I can name everything I felt was missing. The truth is that the story had the potential to be even more, and I missed seeing that. Maybe I had too high expectations, but I really felt it lacked a spark. It had a lot of potential to be a wonderful book, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I think one of the things that took me out of the reading a bit was the fact that I felt part of the way the plot was handled, and part of the language, didn't quite match the YA genre that's so often mentioned in the synopsis, and perhaps that's something the author could pay attention to in the future when writing another YA book. Maybe because I read and write YA I'm a bit more picky about this, so I think it's important to say that maybe my opinion is biased.
I was also sad that some characters just disappeared and lost importance throughout the plot, when the book gave the impression that they would have an important role in the story. I also missed seeing more of "Mirrorwoven," but it had a secondary role in the story.
Finally, I recommend the book to those who like lighter fantasies with a fairy tale touch, as well as easy-to-visualize universes. And definitely the highlight of the book is the beautiful romance. I will certainly read the books that the author publishes in the future.
Imagine your situation when you create only two rules and quickly end up breaking both? That's exactly what happens to Del in "Mirrorwoven". First of all, I wanted to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Generally, love triangles are very hit or miss for me, and this one was a miss. Unfortunately, I didn't like Nasca at all, and nothing about her convinced me of her feelings or that anyone could feel anything for her (that was quite sad, actually), but I have a vague impression that perhaps it was a reaction the author expected (and perhaps it was her intention, I can't say).
Therefore, for me, I saw the story more as a romance between Del and Clara, and I anxiously awaited the moment when things would work out for them... But I was nervous thinking about everything Del was hiding from Clara, including her identity. What actually makes it more interesting and more to my liking, because I love stories where one side hides who they are, and has reasons for doing so.
I loved how the musical element was handled in the story, and the importance it had. It was very moving to feel how much music really meant to Del, but I'll try not to say too much about it so you can have the same sense of discovery while reading. I also loved the vivid descriptions, well-connected to the sensory side, making them easy to imagine and experience.
However, I felt something was missing. In the world-building and the magic, mainly, but I don't know if I can name everything I felt was missing. The truth is that the story had the potential to be even more, and I missed seeing that. Maybe I had too high expectations, but I really felt it lacked a spark. It had a lot of potential to be a wonderful book, but I enjoyed it anyway.
I think one of the things that took me out of the reading a bit was the fact that I felt part of the way the plot was handled, and part of the language, didn't quite match the YA genre that's so often mentioned in the synopsis, and perhaps that's something the author could pay attention to in the future when writing another YA book. Maybe because I read and write YA I'm a bit more picky about this, so I think it's important to say that maybe my opinion is biased.
I was also sad that some characters just disappeared and lost importance throughout the plot, when the book gave the impression that they would have an important role in the story. I also missed seeing more of "Mirrorwoven," but it had a secondary role in the story.
Finally, I recommend the book to those who like lighter fantasies with a fairy tale touch, as well as easy-to-visualize universes. And definitely the highlight of the book is the beautiful romance. I will certainly read the books that the author publishes in the future.
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