As Query, a half-succubus wizard, begins her freshman year at Dalton Academy for Monsters, she's got more problems than credits to earn. Between fending off demonic invasions, managing her homesickness for Hell, and suppressing the pulse of her succubus aura that leaves everyone at Dalton dangerously attracted to her, she's learning that control is the hardest magic of all.
All she wants is a spell powerful enough to fix her body-but the girls around her make it hard to focus. There's a vampire who likes control, a divine cleric who can't commit, and classmates who blur the line between friendship and temptation. At Dalton, desire is its own kind of spell, and some lessons can only be learned the hard way.
Even with an adventuring party at her side, the school's wards are failing, monsters are going missing, and the faculty would rather see students starve than thrive.
Quests & Queries is the first novel in Spells & Sundry, a dark, queer fantasy series set in a world where love, hunger, and power are never cleanly separated. Perfect for readers of A Dowry of Blood, The Scholomance Trilogy, and An Education in Malice or anyone who wishes Buffy the Vampire Slayer happened in college with more queer characters, The Name of the Wind traded its brooding bard for a succubus in Washington, DC., or The L Generation Q crossed over with D&D.
This book is a mix of Fantasy/ Spice with an ongoing problem of accepting one's self. It's storyline is based on the main character figuring out who she is and how she fits in with others. Check your triggers. I recommend this to anyone who has an ongoing battle and how they perceive themselves image wise. This book focuses on how your not always as alone as you think you are and to never lose hope.
Quests & Queries is a cozy, queer, character-driven fantasy that I devoured in just two days. I loved the warm, magical atmosphere, the found-family feel, and the incredible diversity and representation woven naturally throughout. The spice was immaculate, and the succubus perspective added such a unique and empowering layer to the story.
While it isn’t a tightly plotted book, I actually enjoyed the relaxed, slice-of-life pacing. There were a few moments where the dialogue or missing details made me reread, and quite a few loose ends, but the author’s note explaining that the story had to be split into two volumes helps that make sense. I’m also hoping future books might include chapters from other characters’ perspectives. Query’s self-image colors her inner dialogue in such an interesting way, and it would be great to see how others view her more lovingly than she views herself.
Overall, I loved the heart, the representation, and the cozy magic of this story. It’s a warm, inclusive fantasy full of self-acceptance and connection, and I can’t wait to see where Trixie Adara takes it next.
Quests & Queries follows Query, a young Devil leaving her home in Hell for the Dalton Adventuring Academy for Monsters. The story blends coming-of-age nerves, queer self-discovery, explicit desire, and creeping supernatural dread as Query wrestles with a seductive aura she can’t control and a nightmare creature that seems to have followed her into the mortal world. The book mixes cozy moments, raw vulnerability, messy hookups, strange magic, and a big, warm cast of monsters who fill every scene with energy and charm.
I was pulled in by the tone most of all. The writing swings between funny, tender, anxious, and sensual. It feels alive in a way that made me grin one moment and wince the next. The voice is confident and conversational. It jumps from casual jokes to heavy emotional beats without losing its footing. Some scenes ran hot enough to fog up my glasses, and others punched me right in the gut. I liked how boldly it sat with uncomfortable feelings, especially Query’s mix of shame, desire, and fear. The pacing is quick most of the time. I enjoyed being tossed around by it.
Query’s aura, which makes nearly everyone want her, could have stayed a simple erotic device. Instead, it carries weight. It shapes her loneliness, her guilt, her longing for connection that isn’t warped by magic. The book leans into that ache, and it made me care about her. I also felt something real in the way the academy welcomes her with open arms and sudden chaos. The crush of new people, the confusing attention, the tiny disasters piling up. It reminded me of how starting college feels. Big and scary and exciting. The worldbuilding is vibrant and wild, but the emotional heart is surprisingly grounded.
By the last pages, I realized how much the book aims to blend comfort with danger. Cute friendships sit right next to unsettling hauntings. Steamy encounters overlap with moments of deep insecurity. It’s a mix that works.
I’d recommend Quests & Queries to readers who enjoy queer fantasy with spice, humor, and a lot of emotional honesty. It’s perfect for anyone who likes character-driven stories packed with magic and heat and who doesn’t mind things getting messy. If you want a book that feels playful and cozy and sometimes downright chaotic, this one will hit the spot.
ARC Review: please read, don’t take my star rating at face value!!
This book has good bones and excellent LGBTQ+ representation from characters (if you’re into trans* rep you should check it out!). The story has a unique array of creatures/species, and some sweet found family and friends dynamics.
The book just wasn’t for me! The sexual encounters weren’t my cup of tea, especially because I completely missed out on a huge plot point that changes the sexual encounters for me. That plot point (trying to not spoil here) also felt buried; I guess I didn’t pick up on the right signs or misconstrued them for something else.
I also think the plot wasn’t as focused as I usually like. A lot of different things were happening at once, and I wish it would’ve focused on one plot at a time.
I loved the little mystery teaser at the very end. I think the story is worth it if the reader is into magic, sexy times, and a big cast of characters to dive into.
The series could continue to improve too, as the author keeps writing!
My goodness is this book spicy! It is full of all sorts of hot and steamy goodness that might leave you needing to take a cold shower. The characters are written incredibly well and you can’t help but to find Query to be charming, and precious, and all around the best little half succubus around. The other characters, at least those who aren’t villains are also wonderful. There’s action and drama and romance and spice all around, and enough that makes you excited to read more. I recommend this read to anyone who loves some queer and sapphic spice.
*Disclaimer, I read this book as an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review
This story was absolute chaos and I mean that in the best possible way. So much happens so fast and somehow it all kept me hooked. I wasn’t bored for a single second. The spice is wild and the way the author handles consent and gender identity feels real and natural, not forced. I honestly can’t wait to see what the next book throws at us.
I'm not even all the way through yet and I can tell this is a series I'm going to adore following. Its always a pleasure to meet a character you feel and click with and Query is definitely that for me. I'll be back to modify my review and I get further along but if if the tags that brought you to this book are what I think they are you'll definitely enjoy it.