Strange Familiars

The Seamere College Duology #1

by Keshe Chow, Sarah Heidelberger (Translator)

Chaos in London, magische Wesen außer Kontrolle – und zwei Rivalen, die sich zusammenraufen müssen. Gwendolynne Chan will nur ihren Abschluss am Seamere College für magische Tiermedizin schaffen und die Auszeichnung als Jahrgangsbeste erhalten. Doch Harrisford Briggs, ihr arroganter Kommilitone aus reichem Elternhaus, kommt ihr dabei ständig in die Quere. Als gefährliche Magieexplosionen die Stadt erschüttern, die etwas mit den magischen Tieren in Gwens und Harrisfords Obhut zu tun haben, bleibt ihnen nur eins: zusammenarbeiten. Zwischen knisternden Flirts, hitzigen Wortgefechten und einem mürrischen sprechenden Kater steht plötzlich mehr auf dem Spiel als nur ihr Abschluss – nämlich das Schicksal der ganzen magischen Welt.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy, Adult, Dark Academia, Fiction, Fantasy Romance

448 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2026

About the author

Keshe is a Sunday Times bestselling author and veterinarian. She currently lives in Australia with three humans and one cat. She has won multiple awards for short fiction, as well as the 2022 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Prize for an Unpublished Manuscript.

Her latest book, Strange Familiars, is an academic rivals-to-lovers contemporary romantasy set in a magical veterinary school that treats witch familiars and mythical creatures. It is inspired by Keshe's own experiences at vet school.

Reviews

[Ricarda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I can't possibly miss out on a book about a College of Magical Veterinary Sciences, can I? But maybe it should have been the first red flag that the cover isn't overflowing with magical animals and mythical creatures. The magical vet part played such a minor role in the story that the title and the synopsis are basically misleading, and I couldn't be more disappointed about it. Because I was so very intrigued at the beginning. We meet Gwen, a young woman who studies magical medicine at vet school. It's her job to heal witches' familiars when they are setting things on fire or vomit little frogs or leak magic, and if the entire book would have been about that, I would have been happy. Gwen even steals a cat familiar in the very first chapter and I really thought that this is the basis for the perfect story. But instead we get quickly introduced to Gwen's academic rival Harrisford (such a stupid name, really) and have to deal with a half-baked romance for a good chunk of the book. They are polar opposites and don't get along (of course), and they are also competing for the same position. I must admit that their rivalry was believable to me, because both of them had good reasons to become the top graduate and get the prestigious job that comes along with it. Gwen needs it because she literally can't pay for anything if she doesn't get it and Harrisford is under immense pressure coming from his father. At first I liked their dynamic: Gwen the hardworking daughter of an immigrant family and Harrisford being rich and privileged but also very aware of the pretentiousness of it all. But their interactions were just so weird all the time. They were often thinking the absolute worst of each other and suspecting the other of betrayal while also thinking stuff like "he's so pretty" or "I was totally not looking at her ass". And for some reason they were constantly talking about Twilight? Even during the sex scenes? What was that about?

The main plot of this book was about Gwen and Harrisford having to join forces after plenty of familiars start to act strangely and cause dangerous surges of magic. They do some amateur sleuthing to find out what is causing all of that, and they find out that corporations are evil and that the system is broken. That was the main plot and it was SO boring and lacking all of the cool magical vet stuff. The book really made so little of that premise. I think Gwen was in the animal hospital maybe twice and Harrisford once tended to a dragon and then there was this random Chinese unicorn birth scene and that is all we get. Okay, there also is a (telepathically) talking cat, but he couldn't carry the entire story either. I don't think that the author did a very good job in connecting different plot elements to make an intriguing whole. The magical animals were cool but utilized far to little, the main plot was boring, the romance was meh. I didn't hate reading it, but it sure was a disappointment on many levels. 2.5 stars.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

[rosie (jason todd's version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ʚɞ strange familiars by keshe chow ⋆.˚

⋆.˚ 13/4/26 — 9/5/26

⊱ ۫ ׅ book no. 59 of 2026 ── .✦

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

𑣲 ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ɪᴍᴘʀᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴꜱ/ᴘʀᴇ-ʀᴇᴀᴅ:

EEEEE I GOT ON THE STREET TEAM FOR THIS! one of (if not my most) anticipated releases EVER! 🥹🫶🏻 thank you so much to keshe chow and her team for sending me the e-ARC 🤭💗

Strange Familiars releases on May 19, 2026! 💓

₊˚ ✧ ━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━ ✧ ₊˚

╰› (⭐4.25)

❝ what's a little blackmail between friends? ❞

⋆.˚ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:

yet another hit from one of my favourite authors. is anybody surprised?! 😌🤍

genuinely no words for how LUCKY i feel to be able to read and review this book before it comes out, because i've been in love with keshe's writing ever since i read the girl with no reflection, and to be granted an e-ARC of her adult debut!? i must be in heaven 🥹💗

all that to say... KESHE, I HAVE WORDS TO SAY TO YOU ABOUT THAT ENDING 😭 the way that my heart DROPPED when i realised what was happening. HARRISFORD AUUGUGGGHH 😭😭😭

OKAY but let's start from the beginning and talk about the overall concept of this book. i think a school for magical vets and mythological creatures is possibly the COOLEST thing i've actually ever heard. 🙂‍↕️💖

i also adored the concepts of the familiars, and a certain magical familiar in particular (lord percival...) really made me fall in love with the world-building and plot of this book. the mystery was intriguing and the cast of characters were really loveable. 🤍🥹

harrisford... my glasses-wearing, pudding-loving, tea-memorising boy. ohhhhh my goodness my soul genuinely hurts if i think about him for too long, because WHY IS HE SUCH A CUTIE PIE 😭😭😭 the scene where he's healing gwendolynne's thighs... stop that actually made me tear up because ohhhhh my goodness. there is no way this man is not the sweetest character in this entire book. he texts like a dad, and he has so many unresolved daddy issues, and i adore him with every fibre of my being. ❤️🥹

i did love gwendolynne - she was such an endearing, sassy character, and her bond with percy was genuinely EVERYTHING to me. i loved her determination to beat harrisford in literally everything, but i regret to inform you all that i did in fact have a singular issue with her character that sadly prevented this book from getting a higher rating from me. :(

the one issue i had was how gut-wrenchingly OBLIVIOUS gwendolynne is to essentially everything about harrisford. the back-and-forth that this created made me honestly quite irritated, and the ending did not resolve this particular matter - though i'm assuming that the second book in this duology will smooth things over nicely, which just makes me EVEN MORE EXCITED!! 💗🙂‍↕️

i can't merely mention percy and then move on, so i'll allow myself to yap about lord percival the second, usurper of recently vacated chairs, a little longer 🥹💗 he was possibly the CUTEST possible creature that keshe could've written about, because i seriously have a soft spot for senior kitties, and my goodness this crotchety old man cat was one of the best characters in this book. this sarcastic, sardonic little guy tried to heal gwendolynne by purring on top of her 😭😭😭 my sweet old boy omg i love him sm

also, may i say, the casual lgbtq+ and POC representation in this book was a MASSIVE win. the way keshe would sneakily slip in little details about queer characters especially made my heart feel so full. the two old men dancing together... conall's dysphoria... gwendolynne's struggles with racism... the rep is absolutely beautiful and so vital, it makes me actually so so happy. 💖

・・・・・

𑣲 ᴅᴏ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ?

ABSOLUTELY!!

[Keshe Chow]

Hello! My name is Keshe Chow and I'm the author of this book, as well as a specialist cat veterinarian, and I'm here to share some content warnings for this book. Some of these things reflect real lived experiences of veterinarians, others reflect the lived experiences of marginalised people. Others are purely due to the nature of this being a fantasy novel.

If any of these topics might be triggering for you, please proceed with caution, or consider not reading at all. Whatever you choose, it's valid! Either way, I thank you wholeheartedly for supporting my work.


Major: classism, cursing/swearing, medical/veterinary content, racism (mostly microaggressions), self-harm, sexual content (open door)

Moderate: animal cruelty/neglect, animal death (occurs off page), human death (human death, occurs off page), blood, emotional abuse (parental), depictions of surgery, toxic relationship (parental), fire/fire injury, light gore, grief, animal pregnancy, animal birth, sexism

Minor: alcohol (consumption), bullying, chronic illness, drug abuse (illicit use of prescription medications), drug use (as above), dysphoria (mentioned), gaslighting, gun violence, kidnapping, confinement, mental illness, misogyny, murder (mentioned), transphobia (mentioned), violence

[rina (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‎ ‎ ੭୧‎ ‎ 3 stars‎ ‎ . ۫

overall thoughts — This was a solid, fun novel! I had a pleasant time with it. One trope I will never cease to eat up is academic rivals, and this executed it really well.

I mainly enjoyed the romance. I love pathetically whipped men, and Harrisford gave EXACTLY that. His relationship with Gwendolynne was easily the strongest and most compelling part of the book for me. I loved the banter - it wasn't overly done or juvenile (which can be the case with rival dynamics). I wouldn't necessarily classify their relationship as a slow burn, but the added bits of banter sprinkled throughout made the fast-paced progression more bearable for me.

I will ALWAYS prefer acts of intimacy over explicit scenes, so when Harrisford started healing and kissing her scars, then reassured her that every part of her she's insecure about is beautiful... I actually went feral.

I also really appreciated the small bits of veterinary knowledge. I could tell Keshe Chow put in the research, which is always something I value in fantasy - especially when it helps ground the setting.

To be honest, I wasn't as invested in the magic system or the mystery aspect of the plot. I kind of found it a slog to get through, hence the 3 stars. Some other things I didn't like: the class difference between Gwendolynne and Harrisford being mentioned so frequently became somewhat redundant. The ending was also a bit anticlimatic for me. I can understand the narrative choice Keshe made with Gwendolynne's character in order to progress the love story and the larger Magecorp plotline, but I was still disappointed in regard to a certain choice she made 😕

final thoughts — This was a fun, whimsical read that I did enjoy. While it has its flaws, the romance was VERY bingeable, and I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy contemporary romance, strong banter, and swoon-worthy academic rivals.

Thank you to Keshe Crow and Berkley for the ARC! Strange Familiars releases May 19, 2026.

CW: sexual content, self harm

────

finished: 05/03/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
i forgot this was a duology so the ending took me by surprise 😭 this wasn't bad i think? definitely have to do some thinking.

pre read: 04/28/26 𖥻𓈒 ꒱ ੭
so this one is about a magical vet school + academic rivals?? consider me intrigued!! i have heard mixed opinions, but if this doesn't work out, at least the fanart the author has been posting absolutely eats!!

i have read 5 books...in the past week 🌚 i desperately need to touch some grass or be restrained because clearly i am incapable of consuming ANYTHING in a healthy manner. anyways let's make it 6 books 😛

[Mai ༊*·˚]

Academic rivals to lovers set in a world with magical familiars and the vets taking care of them… yes, yes 🤝👏

_____________

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the ARC.

[Gali · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Strange Familiars" by Keshe Chow is the first book in the Seamere College duology, encompassing a magical veterinary school, academic rivals-to-lovers, conspiracies, and a dark academia setting - exactly the kind of book I adore. It introduces compelling characters whose rivalries, ambitions, and hidden depths make for a great read.

Told in dual first-person perspectives, the story follows two scholars of magical veterinary science: British-born Chinese Gwendolynne and upper-class Harrisford Briggs, whose father is one of the top executives at Magecorp, a major global distributor of magic. Both are top students, competing for the coveted Dux, their school’s valedictorian title, which guarantees the winner a prestigious position in the job market.

Magic is used to heal patients (both human and animal) taken from the Void, but uncontrollable surges of excess magic cause chaos and endanger lives. Along with Gwen’s snarky cat familiar and Harrisford’s bearded dragon familiar, the two must put aside their differences to get to the root of the problem and solve it. Alas, their feelings sometimes get in the way.

I absolutely loved this book! Magic and veterinary science are a winning combination. The writing is smooth, with clear, distinct narrative voices. I loved the division of veterinary departments—the Mythological Creatures stream versus the Magical Familiars stream—the telepathic bond between witches and their familiars, and the glimpses into treatments. Keshe Chow drew from her own experiences in veterinary science, which made the depictions authentic. I also loved how one of the patients, the Centaur - part human, part horse - made treating him so challenging.

The dual perspectives let us really get into the minds of both protagonists, which I appreciated. Gwen is a strong female heroine, and I loved her spirit and determination. Harrisford’s character growth was great too - he transforms from spoiled and privileged into a self-aware, empathetic person. I loved their interactions and watching their slow-burn romance unfold.

And then there are the magical familiars! Percy the cat stole the show for me. Kids and animals always steal the spotlight, don’t they? I loved his wit, gruffness, and arrogance - and I’m not even a cat person. There’s a solid cast of supporting characters, crisp and evocative world-building, richly drawn and alluring characters, and deeply felt friendships. While the world-building isn’t fully developed yet and there are a few plot holes, I’m hopeful these will be addressed in the next book.

The book explores themes of self-harm, racism, classism, social commentary, father–son relationships, and privilege. Content warnings include light gore, mentions of murder, depictions of animal birth, self-harm, surgical procedures, sexual scenes, non-legal prescriptions, sedative use, and alcohol consumption.

The vibe is intense, dark, and driven by academic pressure, the story unfolds at a steady pace, and readers who prefer fully fleshed-out world-building in book one or are sensitive to the content warnings may find it less suited to their tastes. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I can hardly wait for the sequel. If you love dark academia, rival scholars, talking animal familiars, and slow-burn romance, this one is for you. Full stars from me!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.
* Review on my blog: https://galibookish.blogspot.com/2025...

[S.A. MacLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

HELP I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS IS A DUOLOGY AND I NEED BOOK 2 IMMEDIATELY???

THAT ENDING.

This book. Incredible.

Sometimes you read a book that is so obviously written from a place of passion, an author who not only loves the subject matter but is also astoundingly knowledgeable about it. The magical vet school is so authentic. The pure love (and endless exhaustion) of animal care is so well captured. Give me more fantasy STEM that is SMART and proud of it!!!

Top marks for Percy being a cat who can speak and understand humans perfectly, but is still 100% a cat who is constantly judgmental and moody and barfing on random objects. I love Percy.

The two main characters are deliciously complex, both full of their own insecurities and blind spots to work through, both smart and amazing at what they do. This academic rivals to lovers romance is on fire! The chemistry! The camaraderie! The heartbreak! (Honestly, Chow, how dare you???)

And I was so delighted by the cast of side characters, amazing diversity, with all of them fleshed out in their own unique ways.

Impatiently awaiting the sequel.

[Sophie ❦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting! I went in thinking this was a cozy romance (my mistake! that cover gives off those vibes), but instead, I got:

Sleuthing, thieving, explosions, disappearances and murder!!

It was way heavier on the action, but I wasn’t even mad about it. This was a wild ride, and I was thoroughly entertained.

I loved the dynamic between Gwen and Harrisford, but they also drove me a little crazy. They are opinionated, stubborn, and love to assume the worst about each other. The banter and the chemistry were great, but I hated the miscommunication. Also, the attraction sometimes felt forced onto the reader rather than being a natural, slow burn. With that said, I was still really into it. I just loved their personalities so much, and the spicy scenes were so good.

I’m not sure I fully grasped the magic system. I think I understood most of it, but I was a little confused at times. The writing style was really easy and straightforward, but I also felt I was being told what happened rather than experiencing it.

Overall, I had a great time, and I’m really curious to know what happens next after that cliffhanger.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

[Nenia Campbell]

I'm absolutely feral for this 😭😭

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog

Okay so please do not let yourself be fooled by the charming cover and cozy-ish romantic set-up of Strange Familiars, because Keshe Chow is absolutely coming for our hearts here. Like yes, this is absolutely a fun academic rivals-to-lovers fantasy romance full of whimsy and magical creatures and chaotic banter, but then it’s also got dangerous conspiracies, magical surges causing absolute havoc, and enough trauma, tension and emotional damage to make me briefly forget how to function. And you know what, I love it for that.

Look, I am always a sucker for a good rivals to lovers set-up, especially when it’s not just a flimsy ‘they mildly dislike each other for two chapters before making out’ situation but a TRUE rivalry between two messy people with a messy history and deep issues, which is exactly what Strange Familiars delivers. See, Gwen is the daughter of a Chinese immigrant family and she genuinely needs the money and opportunities that come with becoming Dux, while Harrisford is the son of one of the top executives at Magecorp, carrying the crushing expectation that he must always be the best and eventually follow in his father’s footsteps. Their rivalry feels so deeply rooted in class differences and prejudice and insecurity and years of resentment, and I loved how much of a rocky road it was for them to realise maybe their assumptions about each other weren’t entirely right after all.

Now, I have to admit that Harrisford was really testing me in the beginning, so much so that I was not sure if I would ever come to like him. See, I was instantly rooting for Gwen, which meant I was also instantly judging Harrisford through her eyes, and unfortunately for him he really proved himself to be the arrogant, privileged twat that Gwen thought him to be, even in his own chapters. But thank all that is holy for the dual POV, because the more time I spent in his head, the more I realised how much complexity, vulnerability, trauma and daddy issues were hiding underneath all that haughtiness, which ended up being one of my favourite parts of Strange Familiars. Like, he may have been down BAD for Gwen, but I fear I was even more down bad for this emotionally constipated man, sorry not sorry.

And sure, the progression of feelings over a few weeks is kind of ridiculous if you really think about it, but somehow they completely sold me on it anyway. Maybe because they already had such a long complicated history, maybe because the chemistry and teasing banter is so good, maybe because these two idiots were lying to themselves all along (the glamour thing, iykyk!!). To me it all still felt slow-burn even when it technically wasn’t, and when they finally gave in and got together I was genuinely screaming because those scenes were somehow both so hot and so emotionally vulnerable at the same time. Keshe Chow, the woman that you are!!

But while the romance was obviously the beating heart of Strange Familiars for me, I really appreciated that it’s got so much more to love than just that. The worldbuilding feels so rich without ever becoming overwhelming, the atmosphere of the alternative magical Britain setting is so immersive and whimsical (especially on audio with the delicious British accents!), the casually queer vibes were giving me life, and I loved how you could really feel Keshe Chow’s veterinary experience and passion dripping off every page. Also, I can’t talk about this book without talking about the familiars and the sheer variety of magical creatures running around causing problems for everyone involved, which I loved. Especially Gwen’s opinionated, snarky cat familiar Percy really stole the show for me, and the unbreakable bond between Harrisford and his bearded dragon familiar called Pudding tugged on all my heartstrings.

And then to balance out all that whimsy, Strange Familiars has a seriously high stakes mystery plot which completely blindsided me with how tense and dark it became. The threat of the magical surges and the corruption within Magecorp and the Ministry are woven so intricately into the characters’ own emotional journeys and their complicated interpersonal relationships, and I loved how every twist just escalated things further and further into chaos and emotional devastation. Sometimes I did feel a bit overwhelmed by all the action, especially because I thought I had signed up for a cozy fantasy at first, but Keshe Chow just made it work so well. The stakes felt real, the twists and turns were so wild, and the way that the tension built on every single level just had me in an absolute chokehold. And then that cliffhanger? DIABOLICAL, what do you mean I have to wait for more now???

Strange Familiars was just such a wild emotional rollercoaster from start to finish, and I constantly felt torn between wanting to binge this audiobook as fast as possible because I was completely obsessed and wanting to savour it because I did not want to leave these characters behind yet. It’s whimsical and romantic and chaotic and painful and funny and full of yearning and weird little creatures and emotional damage, and I cannot recommend it highly enough if you want a diverse fantasy romance full of heart and hurt. Don’t mind me staring into the void while I impatiently wait for book 2 now, ugh.

Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder and Stoughton Audio for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Strange Familiars is scheduled for release on 19 May 2026.

[Bailey Chadwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I loathe cozy fantasy. But this should have been a cozy fantasy and left most of the plot out. The vet stuff with magical animals I liked. Everything else was a snooze fest. Terrible world building and two idiot main characters made this a real slog.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of 2026 and it’s 5 stars!

I absolutely loved this book. I’ve already decided to pre-order it—and I’ll be pre-ordering the sequel too.

The academic rivals-to-lovers trope was done so well. I loved watching them slowly open up and learn to trust each other. The magical world was also incredible to read about. I am endlessly jealous of anyone with a familiar—it’s been my obsession ever since I first read The Golden Compass. And honestly, any book with a talking cat and a lizard is already winning in my eyes.

The plot was engaging and well-paced. It’s open-door spice and ends on a cliffhanger.

I also appreciated the representation in this book regarding ethnicity, sexuality, and mental health.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this arc.

[Madison (madinotmaddiereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

here’s an ACTUAL four star review since some people want to be racist, xenophobic and transphobic in theirs.

Strange Familiars is a charming fantasy set in a world of magical veterinarians and their familiars. If you were someone that enjoyed the Fantastic Beasts franchise and the “dramione” fanfic dynamics, this is the perfect book to pick up as it scratches all those itches while giving thoughtful contribution to the BIPOC experience from the eyes of a Chinese main character. I also appreciated the glimpses into how classism impacted our FMC and seeing her navigate around calling out privilege in those with different backgrounds made me admire her strength so much more.

The world itself is really interesting with intriguing powers at play, full of twists and turns that left me feeling very excited for the next book in this duology! I loved the cast of supporting characters and have to give note to the wonderful bits of inclusion Keshe wrote into representing different identities in the side characters. I’m grateful stories like this exist where people across the spectrum can find themselves in the pages.

For the next book, I’m hoping for more development around the magic system and really looking forward to seeing how Gwendolynne steps more into herself, her power, and the fullness of who she will become.

Thank you to Ace and Berkley publishing for the advanced reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts 💌

[Marie]

Trying to keep the momentum going ✨🏃‍♀️‍➡️

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆]

⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: Hi, everyone! So what I’m NOT going to do here on my page EVER is write a transphobic, racist, xenophobic review for a book written by a BIPOC author or any author, especially a book written by an Asian author during ANHPI month, no less. I also will NOT tolerate anyone on my page showing any signs or behaviors reflecting anything along the lines of….THAT reviewer. (If you know, you know.) BIPOC authors and creators already have to work ten times as hard to get the same recognition at as our white counterparts, which is why it’s so important to uplift BIPOC creators (and underrepresented communities in general)!

Moving on from that, I wanted to say I got the eARC a while back (in December!) and I’m SO excited to start this. A dark academia VETERINARIAN romance with cute animals? Sign me up.

Thank you so much to Berkley | Ace Books, Keshe Chow, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Strange Familiars will be officially published on May 19th, 2026!

[Faiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up! this was a cute read! the strongest part for me was the magic system and world. this is a book truly steeped in magic. it’s not just that people have powers they use at opportune moments - but the whole world itself is dripping in magic.

the fmc gwendolynne is in magical vet school, and as weird stuff starts happening, her and her (ofc handsome) academic rival team up to figure out what’s going on.

the tone of this felt a bit jarring, i think it’s technically adult but it felt YA to me. the characters felt young imo, but there was a ridiculous amount of swearing. i felt like every other page had the f-word which felt a bit silly.

other than that though it was a fun read and im looking forward to book 2!

thank you berkley pub for the ARC!!!

[hailee · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

i thought thought the overall concept for this one was super interesting but, unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me.

ALSO: make sure you look at the content warnings inside the book before starting it!!!!! i’ve included them at the bottom of this review.

the first 20ish percent of this really had hooked me. i was so intrigued by the world, the magical veterinary school, and the academic rivalry going on between the two main characters. again, the beginning was really great and i had high hopes for this before it started to drag.

i think i was expecting more fantasy in this one than we got, which maybe is on me. i was hoping to have more with the actual magical veterinary school, classes, just overall scenes, etc. there was one really cool scene that i thought did an excellent job at showing us more magic while also building up the romance, and i wish we got some more of that.

the rivalry between gwen and harrisford was pretty believable, in my opinion, because i think they both had valid motivations to fight for the top spot in school. i thought the romance would be a great slow burn, but they randomly started moving VERY quickly. i guess i can understand this from one side (without spoilers), but i think it definitely took me out of the story. also i love twilight as much as the next person, but that t shirt thing was overplayed way too much i’m sorry.

also - some of the dialogue, inner monologue, and just overall writing choices felt a bit juvenile compared to what the ages of the characters were. i think they’re supposed to be in their early to mid twenties, but sometimes it felt like they were still in high school.

what i did like:
- diversity & representation!!
- concept of the story/setting
- the animals duh
- the bones of the romance

i think a lot of people will absolutely eat this one up, it just wasn’t for me.

content warnings: gore, murder, animal birth, on page surgery, self harm, discussions of racism, privilege, and class (and potentially more, these are just the big ones).

[Anna (annareadit)]

RTC

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Erin (erinsreadingroom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆ 3.5 stars

Strange Familiars is the first instalment in The Seamere College duology by author Keshe Chow. I immediately became obsessed in my need to get my hands on this book as quickly as humanly possible after falling in-love with the early premise. A rivals-to-lovers tale surrounding two academic students attending a school for magical veterinary science who suddenly find themselves forced to work together in facing against a nefarious mystery? Count me in. Despite knowing the synopsis I admittedly had been expecting a more light and cosy narrative tone throughout the story and therefore found myself (pleasantly) surprised at just how dark and sinister this reading journey turned out to be. I really enjoyed the magic system and the way that magic needs to be procured within this modern-day world. It was eye-opening to learn that just because magic is readily available… it does not mean that it is made to be accessible to everyone and that its access is rooted in privilege. The handling of the themes including but not limited to; classism, racism, societal privilege and financial struggles was executed with the upmost care whilst also refusing to undermine its importance and impact. The inclusion of representation (disability, mental illness, LGBTQ+ and more) felt flawless and read with ease with every new character that we meet.

I’ll forever love the concept of animal familiars in Fiction as I’m sure my fellow animal lovers can attest in just how badly we wish that we could communicate with our pets. Lord Percival the second (Percy) was an utter delight who kept me endlessly entertained with his grumpy demeanour and typical cat-like qualities, paired with the hidden softness that he harbours for his ‘hairless one.’ The variety of familiars on campus opened up a seamless introduction into the seemingly endless variety of creatures that exist within this universe and I loved getting the chance to learn about as many as of them as possible. It was interesting to learn about the surges and how they negatively impact the animals and their ties to magic, however I do wish that some of the explanations had been further expanded upon for greater clarification.

The world-building was executed well-enough for general understanding, however unfortunately for me I found a lot of this to follow a more ‘tell not show’ approach which caused some confusion throughout the book. It took me a while to even realise what a ‘dux’ was and why our two main characters had remained such fierce rivals in their competition for the coveted role over a seven-year period. The explanation surrounding the Void and its components necessary to the plot progression also felt a little lacklustre for me. The best way I can think to explain is it sometimes felt like (in my mind) I’d unintentionally skipped over a paragraph which contained the missing piece in my knowledge, so I’m definitely hoping some clearer expansion on this in the second instalment of the duology.

Admittedly I found myself grinning really hard at the ‘Pride and Prejudice (2005)’ cameo as prior to this moment I couldn’t stop thinking that the dynamic between our two main characters reminded me so much of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. I felt nothing but deep-rooted respect and admiration for Gwendolynne ‘Gwen’ Chan throughout her narrative point-of-view. I deeply sympathised with her struggles and the reality that she’s had to work significantly harder than her more privileged peers in order to be granted the same amount of academic recognition and respect that they receive. Her passionate drive and empathy for animals made her an easy character to like and I had a lot of fun getting to see her evolve as a character. However it also became clear that Gwen harbours a sense of pride that is derived from the insecurity of never wanting to have need or rely on others for survival. Her inability to trust in others finds Gwen in some difficult situations that she struggles to find her way out of, and overall I loved getting to witness her growth as she slowly begins to lean on others.

Harrisford Briggs is the type of character that will test your patience upon introduction as he presents himself to be a privileged, selfish and uncaring individual who cares only for his own ambitions. His privilege made him wilfully blind to the struggles of others which displayed him to regard others with apathy and a complete lack of sympathy. I absolutely loved getting to witness his steady growth as he finds himself in situations that made his own privilege blatantly obvious and the self-awareness that he acquired as a result. Harrisford grows into a deeply empathetic and self-aware man who realises that there’s more sinister things at play that he is in a position to try and resolve. I was obsessed with how deeply he yearned for Gwen and how committed he became in forsaking his own wants in the hopes of further attaining her affection. I love a man who yearns and earns which is exactly what Harrisford Briggs sets out to do, and I cannot wait to see what comes next for his character in the next book.

The relationship progression between Gwen and Harrisford remained fairly inconsistent throughout the majority of this book as every time they seemed to make progress in finding common ground… something else would happen and result in them ending back at the beginning of their tumultuous dynamic. A lot of their struggles came across to me as self-sabotage in their fear of acknowledging what their hidden feelings could warrant for their future. Both Gwen and Harrisford’s aspirations could be interpreted as self-centred and selfish at the beginning of their journey, however I think the exploration of their individual struggles throughout their independent narrative helps to showcase that it’s often much more complex than that. Communication isn’t their strongest attribute and this is something that I’m hoping to see them learn and grow from in the next book. Their chemistry is undeniable and I love nothing more than the tale of a love that should be doomed to fail that instead prospers through grit and determination. I adored getting to see both characters learn how to soften their defences and display their deepest vulnerabilities and fears with trust. There’s so much potential between Harrisford and Gwen that I cannot wait to further explore in the final book of the Seamere College duology, and I will be desperately counting down the days to see what will happen next after that shocking ending to Strange Familiars.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞.

[anzhelika ୨ৎ]

pre-read:
ahh this is so exciting, i got on the street team for this book! thank you so much to the author and her team for sending me a widget for the arc!

˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape, and Keshe Chow for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

[readwithacapricorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need this to be on everyone’s TBR because it was just that good - yearning, academic rivals, forced proximity and a DOWNBAD MMC?! Actual perfection.

[Nadja]

DNF

This is a DNF for me because I simply could not deal with the writing style any longer. And before someone jumps out from the shadows yelling “it’s YA!!” NO!!!! Absolutely not!!!! We as a society need to stop using YA as an excuse for weak writing because I have read YA books that absolutely obliterated me emotionally while also being gorgeously written. This was not that. This was not even in the same galaxy as that. This felt less like “YA” and more like somebody novelized a Tumblr roleplay from 2014 after consuming three energy drinks and absolutely no editing.

The biggest issue by far is that this book does not understand the concept of subtlety. At all. Not even a little bit. This book explains EVERYTHING to you like it’s terrified you’ll miss something. The magical system? Explained in painful detail. The emotional states of the characters? Explained repeatedly. Character dynamics? Explained every five minutes as if the author expected me to wake up from a medically induced coma between chapters.

I am not exaggerating when I say the book repeatedly reminds you that Gwendolyne and Harrisford hate each other like it’s groundbreaking new information every single time. WE GET IT!!! THEY HATE EACH OTHER!!! I PROMISE YOU THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN RECEIVED!!!! At one point I felt like the book was holding me hostage by the shoulders screaming “THEY DISLIKE EACH OTHER!!!!” directly into my face while I nodded politely trying to escape through a window.

And oh my GOD. Harrisford. I’m sorry but that name kept taking me OUT. Harrisford sounds less like a love interest and more like a failing 19th century bank. Or the last name of a man who owns seventeen haunted factories and definitely dies mysteriously in chapter two of a gothic novel. Every single time I read “Harrisford” I had to stop and recalibrate mentally because WHY are we naming men like cursed estates. And why are we always using the full names??? No nickname. Nobody shortens it. It’s constantly Harrisford in full every single time like I’m reading the attendance sheet at the world’s most magical tax office.

The dialogue also drove me insane because everyone talked like they were simultaneously thirty-five and fourteen years old. These characters are supposedly in their twenties but the emotional maturity level was giving freshman year lunch table drama. There were moments where I genuinely forgot these weren’t teenagers because the interactions felt so juvenile. Not youthful. Not playful. Juvenile. There’s a difference. Half the arguments sounded like they were one sentence away from ending with “well maybe I won’t sit with you at lunch anymore.”

And the inner monologues??? Lord help me. Every emotion had to be overexplained within an inch of its life. Instead of letting scenes breathe naturally, the narration constantly jumped in to tell me exactly what everyone was thinking and feeling at all times. There’s no trust in the reader whatsoever. None. The book doesn’t want you to interpret emotions or tension yourself because it’s too busy screaming the answers into a megaphone.

The info-dumping was also relentless. Absolutely relentless. I felt like I was trapped in a mandatory orientation seminar for a magical corporation. Every few pages the story would screech to a halt so somebody could explain another rule, another piece of lore, another detail about the world in the least organic way possible.

The final nail in the coffin for me was realizing I didn’t care. Not about the romance, not about the world, not about the conflict. Life is too short and my TBR is too terrifyingly long for me to continue suffering through a book that feels like it’s aggressively explaining itself at me every five seconds.

So yeah. Unfortunately this one just did not work for me whatsoever. If you loved it, genuinely happy for you, love that journey for you, congratulations on being stronger than me. But personally I felt like I was being slowly beaten over the head with exposition while two people named like haunted mansions insisted they hated each other for 300 pages straight.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Hodderscape for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

Release date: 19th May 2026

TW: death, veterinarians, medical content, racism, self harm, animal death, classism

Gwendolynne Chan just needs to get through her last year of Seamere College of Magical Veterinary Sciences without breaking down. Training to be a magical vet, she spends her days healing magical animal companions and her nights studying for her final exams. After she plucks a neglected magical cat Percy from the vet hospital, and brings him home with her, Gwen puts her entire life plan at risk. Gwen has been the top student in her stream for years, and is on track to be awarded Dux- the highest honours- but only if she can avoid being beaten by Harrisford Briggs, her nemesis. Born into privilege, Harrisford’s father is the Chief Financial Officer for a major global distributor of magic; he expects his son to be top of the year, no matter what. However, Harrisford has noticed that his father has been acting strange, especially after there have been rumours of magical surges in animal familiars across London which are being covered up. When these magical surges lead to a series of explosions and chaos caused by feral familiars, Gwen and Harrisford face losing their future careers as their sources of magic fades. They have to put aside their conflicting feelings of hatred and lust to solve the problem before it can impact the entire magical world.

I’ve been looking forward to this book for a while because I so loved Keshe’s YA books. This one is very different, set in modern day London in a world where magic is part of daily life. Gwendolynne is such a great main character, I loved her humour and her irritation at Harrisford so much. It took me a bit longer to like Harrisford but by the time we got his perspective I was really fond of him. Both of their perspectives reflect the lives that they’re leading- Gwen is broke, struggling to pay for magic and determined to be the best while Harrisford is popular, intelligent and wealthy but he’s feeling burdened by it. I adored the banter between Gwen and Harrisford, it’s flirty and addictive and just enough of a slow burn that I loved it. One thing I love is how much Harrisford notices about Gwen and how much that impacts their relationship; there’s a scene I really loved where Gwen talks about being confused for other Asian women and Harrisford loses it. The way this one ended is beyond evil considering we have to wait for a sequel but I’m so glad I read it- this is a brilliantly written urban fantasy combining magical animals with a great mystery and searing romance.
Finally, all books need a judgemental and sassy cat named Percy narrating your life decisions- especially when there’s life or death stakes.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley.

Thank you to Hodderscape, NetGalley and Keshe Chow for this e-arc for review!

4.5⭐️ | OUT May 19th

Described as cosy fantasy, light academia this book packed an absolute punch and was absolutely delicious!

Synopsis:
Gwen and Harrisford are academic rivals at the prestigious Seamere College of Magical Veterinary Sciences. Gwendolynne Chan spends her days using her magical powers to heal animal companions while her nights are spent studying hard for exams. She is on track to be top of her class if her rival Harrisford Briggs doesn’t mess this up for her. She needs to remain top of her class if she wants to secure a high up job in the ministry post-graduation.

However, magical surges begin to rock their way through London, causing calamity among the familiars and the humans without a reliable source of magic. To fix this they must put aside their duelling feels and diagnose the problem to save the fate of the magical world.

Review:

I loved the main characters Gwen and Harrisford (and their familiars Percy the cat and Pudding the lizard). Have I mentioned how much I love books with talking familiars??

Keshe’s writing is quick and witty. I love that her sense of humours shines in through in this book as well as her veterinary knowledge (as she is a veterinarian in real life!). Overall I devoured this in 3 days - I could not put this down due to the electric chemistry between Gwen and Harrisford, the banter and the super fun setting of a magical vet college.

While this book is mostly light-hearted it also tackles Gwen’s experience as a woman of colour which really resonated with my experiences and it was nice to feel seen.

I CANNOT wait for book 2 in this duology!!

🐈‍⬛Academic rivals to lovers
🦎Magical vet college
🦄Animal sidekicks
🐈‍⬛Found family
🦎Slow burn
🦄Diverse representation

You will enjoy this if you love books on girlies in STEM. The comparisons to The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy are not taken lightly so if you liked that book you may enjoy this as well!

[Milou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars ⭐️

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for giving me access to this ARC!

Am I a bit of a simpleton if I say the reason this caught my eye was because of the cover?? Maybe. But it’s pretty, and it did the job as far as I’m concerned. I got pulled in further when read the blurb, saw mythical creatures, academic rivalry, snarky familiars and a hint of… conspiracy? I also really liked the idea of our MC’s being in a magical veterinary school; I love it when a book gets into a funky little niche. It’s why I love Ali Hazelwood as well; I myself am not adept at science™ at all, but I love reading about how things work behind the scenes.

I loved how diverse the cast of characters was, how the author touched on privilege and racial bias and how both our FMC and MMC were actually very layered. They were true academic rivals for reasons that made sense to their individual backstories, not just for show. For characters in their mid-twenties though, I found their inner dialogue to be more reminiscent of teenagers than adults. I know this book is advertised as adult and dark academia, but I personally would see it more as a moderately cozy fantasy/paranormal romance with some mystery and action thrown in there; it just happens to be an academic setting. The only dark thing I can think of is that our FMC practices some version of magical self harm (but only because she needs blood as an element for a spell) and maybe the fact that people die off-page.
The worldbuilding is very minimal but I do think that’s because it’s just our world, with magic added in as a resource you buy? I mean, our FMC literally sleeps in a Twilight shirt and watches Pride & Prejudice as a comfort movie (same, girl, same) so it can’t be any world other than ours. I’m honestly a little unsure if humans are still a thing or if everyone is now a magical being, but I do know some people have special senses where others don’t. That’s the thing though; where some elements of the world seem very intricate and well-explained, others were just ‘assumed knowledge’. Like the unexplained british slang and very specific veterinary terms, or how I loved the idea of all the creatures and familiars we’d get to meet during their classes or rotations and we DID get some fun creature scenes, but it was all very surface level.

I’m having a bit of a hard time rating this book because of exactly that; surface level stuff. I thoroughly enjoyed the concept of the book, the idea behind these characters and the direction of the plot is taking, but I also think it’s just trying to put a little too much into the book without actually going in-depth on the elements that drive the story. Because of that, the pace wasn’t my favourite and I got a little bored at times, as well as the fact that I got frustrated with the inner dialogue surrounding the romance. It’s slowburn (which I usually love) but the reasons there was pushing and pulling just didn’t quite do it for me, and the pacing there was a little inconsistent. The MMC at times reminds me of Brendan Fraser in his mummy era for some unknown reason though and I gotta say that really does it for me?? Plus, he’s down BAD and I love me a simp.

I’m still very curious about the second part of this duology though, because we were finally starting to get to the good bits!! I’m loving the political intrigue the magic sourcing conspiracy brings, our MC’s have FINALLY admitted the tension isn’t just hormonal AND we left them with a very interesting cliffhanger, to say the least. Eek!

[Cozy Sabie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Gwendolynne is sitting against the opposite wall, cross-legged, staring wistfully at the foal. Her coveralls are splashed with muck, her hair is all messy and sticking out in odd directions, and she ... She looks more beautiful than ever."

GENRE: Fantasy
RATING: 5/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc
Tropes: Academic Rivals to lovers, Veterinary school, Witches' familiars, dual POV

Overall Impression: AHHH I loved Strange Familiars guys! You are all in for a treat, it was a lovely book, with actual rivalry between the MCs that has a satisfying development into lovers

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Review:
What a lovely book, one that is so wholesome and covers so many lovely topic, with a focus on veterinary medicine in a magical way! I think one of the things I love about this is that the author, Keshe Chow, is a veterinary herself and you can see the passion in the book itself! And the fact that Percy (our cat in the book) is based on Keshe's late cat is a beautiful ode as well

Also guys, the rivalry in here? TRUE rivals in the sense of academia! We have our MMC who is in a competition with our FMC and wants to up her in everything. I think our MMC undergoes a lot of character development throughout the book and we get to see him address his privileges, the way he goes around in the world and how this changes his thinking & interactions. I will say that in the beginning, Harrisford tests our patience with his understanding of Gwen's life though and the way we see this evolve is a satisfying development in my opinion

Meanwhile, our FMC is a strong MC, one who is fighting to keep her place in the academic world and to save her family as well. She loves with her whole heart WHEN she lets herself get close to others. I think there is a beauty in the internal struggles we see Gwen go through, the "Am I enough?", "Can I do it?" and so much more. (Also, the struggle with studying, how she can't just figure it all out in one go as Gwen says in this quote: "For me, medicine is like building the entire orchestra, one painstaking instrument at a time, only able to construct music from it once I've figured out all the parts."

And together? They bring out each other's competitive traits, they take it all the way in the hatred, only to have that change as they explore and investigate what is happening with the magical surges. I thought that the way we got to read about the twists, the REVEALS in the last few chapters?! OH MY GOD.

I also love that we get to see an insight into being a BiPOC student in academia as well and how this impacts Gwen and the way people treat her for it. This is shaped based on reality and I love that the author chooses to include this, which goes hand in hand with the Harrisford's character development

I think I may have to just somehow find a way to survive till book 2 comes out and I'm not sure how I can manage to do it BUT DO IT I WILL, because I need to know how this ends.

Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the publishers for the eArc in exchange for my honest review

[Sahana Ramnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me, but this book was perfect??? This was exaactly what I needed wrt banter and pining and romantasy and Keshe Chow DELIVERED 😭

Gwendolynne and Harrisford were really peak enemies to lovers, I loved theit obsession with each other, and snarky banter, and the slow, SLOW realisation (and then denial and then REALISATION) that they were in love 😭 they were really academic rivals-ing, and I loved each and every scene they teamed up snarkily and did the best job ever all whilst trading glares and pining glances and basically giving the best damn teamwork possible.

Also, shoutout to Percy, you are THE best cat. Ever.

That cliffhanger? I'm in PIECES. I need book 2 😭

Also the world-building and the magical animals and the plot? 10/10, Keshe Chow is a masterclass at writing these and this book just proves it even more.

So now, with this book AND For No Mortal Creature, I have two Keshe Chow cliffhangers to deal with, I need their book 2's rnnn 😭😭😭

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

[M. Stevenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely adored this book and its delightful cast of characters--human, animal, and mythical. This has it all: found family, a dark edge of mystery, wondrous enchantments, and banter that will make you snort into your tea. The ideal read for everyone who fell in love with magical schools as a child and wished for a version for adults. With a rivals-to-lovers romance that crackles with tension, a fantastical veterinary school, and your new favorite fictional feline, Strange Familiars is sure to become your next fantasy obsession!

[BonBon ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastical veterinary school set in a world where you pay for credits to use magic, can have a familiar, and have the option of riding a dragon as transportation?! Ugh I love it here!

The academic rivals to lovers who agree to pause their feud to work together to solve a dangerous magical mystery - had me sat! I adore this world, the characters, the friendship, and of course the animals ✨🔮

I cannot wait for book two, also I peeped some Dramione vibes 🤭 4.5⭐️


🖤Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!

[Karolyn Durocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Thank you so much to the lovely author, Keshe, for this ARC!*

I LOVED this!! I’ve always loved cats and animals in general so I thought the premise of this book being a magical veterinary school was the coolest thing ever.

The magic system is really unique and I love the diverse cast of characters in the book. The romance was frustratingly delicious, filled with yearning and slow burn and spice and more yearning!

Percy was the real star for me though - I wish he was real so I could steal him and bring him home! I loved how in the beginning he was super indifferent to Gwen but throughout the book, he started to truly care about her. I got scared at the end because I thought Percy was going to volunteer to take Harrisford’s place in the void and selfishly found myself hoping he wouldn’t! LOL

I also really enjoyed the humour in the book and actually found myself giggling quite a few times!

I can’t wait for book 2, this was such a fun read!