Wicked Endeavors

Wicked Endeavors #1

by Kamilah Cole

This high-stakes romantasy follows a vengeful teen who cons her way into an elite society of tyrannical witches. But her warring feelings for two people—an enemy prince and a childhood friend—could ruin everything. Perfect for fans of The Shadows Between Us and Powerless .Order now and receive the SPECIAL FIRST EDITION while supplies last—featuring a designed case cover under the jacket, illustrated map endpapers, and deckled edges. This must-have special edition is only available in the limited first printing.Caya lived a charmed life under the protection of Coventry’s royal family ... until the three witch Houses seized power and wiped them out.Now eighteen, she’s ready to take revenge. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Caya slips into the witches' glittering world under a new Marisol Vinyet, a disarmingly beautiful aristocrat. As Marisol, she'll attend the annual Coronet, the witches’ cutthroat social season designed to strengthen their power. Even the prince of  neighboring Domingo—Tomás Castellan—will attend, just in time for “Marisol” to kill him.After all, his family set the witches upon Coventry in the first place.But Tomás is more charming than Caya anticipated. Worse the prince is protected by her estranged childhood friend, Bas Arroyo, who stirs up frustrating feelings that waver between attraction and hatred.To destroy the witches from within, Caya will need to keep her identity hidden, her heart in check, and her mission front and center. Because even though she’s made herself a weapon, she might be the one to bleed.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy, Witches, Young Adult Fantasy, Historical Fiction

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 8, 2026

About the author

Kamilah Cole is a USA Today & national indie bestselling Jamaican-American author, who has been nominated for a Dragon Award, a Lambda Award, a Lodestar Award, and an Astounding Award. She worked as a writer and entertainment editor at Bustle for four years, and her nonfiction has appeared in Marie Claire and Seventeen. A graduate of New York University, Kamilah lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she’s usually playing Kingdom Hearts for the hundredth time, quoting early SpongeBob SquarePants episodes, or crying her way through Zuko’s redemption arc in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Reviews

[Kamilah Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's that time again! Wicked Endeavors ARCs have come in, which means early reads will come soon. I wrote this book, and I am very proud of it, so I am giving it five stars. But I am also giving you a list of content warnings so you can read responsibly.

-Violent thoughts
-Violent acts (knife violence, threats with weapons, bleeding from an arrow wound)
-Violent fantasies (slit throats, dead bodies, stabbings)
-A hunting scene (animals are magically created, and none are killed or injured on the page, but still)
-Lots of talk of blood and death
-PG-13 kisses
-Character deaths (past)
-Child death (past)

Take care of yourselves, and I hope you enjoy this story. <3

[S.A. MacLean · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a phenomenal, fresh romantic fantasy that will court you through the most elegant Spanish galas then emotionally punch you in the face.

The Spanish Renaissance setting? Gorgeous, endlessly captivating
The witches and magic? Deliciously cutthroat
The FMC? I support her stabbing literally everyone, she deserves it

Also this romance had me on the edge of my seat, do I want them to kiss? Do I want them to engage in mortal combat??? Which one am I even rooting for????? I DON'T KNOW

Then that ending swooped in and left me *emotionally incapacitated*

I will be camped outside Kamilah's door, clawing for the sequel

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Armed with stolen magical power and determined to get revenge on those who killed her foster family, a girl infiltrates the world of the powerful witch Houses that rule the kingdom. But as she gets entangled with both her traitorous childhood friend Bas and the enemy prince Tomas, her resolve could waver and her carefully laid plans could end in disaster.

Reading Wicked Endeavors transported me to the time I was mostly reading (and loving) YA fantasy sagas, and I had a great time with it!

I really enjoy Kamilah Cole's writing, she always infuses her stories with such a rich world building and diverse cast of characters. In this case even if this is a fantasy world, I could totally see the aesthetics and the history of these kingdoms as being inspired in a Latin American setting.

"Kill me, and end this. Or kiss me, and ruin us both."

I really liked the romance, and the love triangle really works here. I never found it too far fetched that Caya could be swayed by the charm of Tomas and also drawn to the complicated history of her and Bas's relationship. The fact that Tomas and Bas also had romantic feelings for each other only made the yearning even more painful and sweet 🤭❤️

I admit I got a bit lost with the politics of this world many times, and for me the character's plans felt a bit as an excuse to have them go to parties and advance the romance plot, but since I really enjoyed the romance aspect I'm not complaining.

This was an entertaining YA romantasy that leaves me wanting to read the next book in the series!

Thanks to Atom via NetGalley for providing an eARC

[Tasha Corbett · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars - YA fantasy with romance

Orphan Caya teams up with Gaspar who offers her a way to bring down the witches responsible for her parents death. She magically morphs into socialite Marisol to infiltrate the upper society and along the way meets Tomas, the neighbouring prince and his friend Bas. Bas was Cayas childhood friend, until he became responsible for the killing of her adopted family so she seeks revenge on him also.

I loved this story. It opens up with Caya, in prison awaiting execution, telling her tale to someone who plans to write her story so from the offset there is this foreboding tension that something will eventually go wrong. Caya is a great character, who i instantly rooted for. She has been through some trauma at a young age and her reasons for revenge are justified. There are some twists and turns with Bas and Caya has to look at her childhood with fresh eyes.

There is a small love triangle with the Tomas and Bas but the romance does not overshadow the plot and I thought it was well done and very sweet. I also loved Noelia, a witch who Caya meets whilst undercover.

I have read this will be a duology and I'm already looking forward to the second book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read a free copy of the eBook.

[rachel x]

"A romantasy duology set in a Spanish Renaissance-inspired kingdom, about a vengeful teen who cons her way into a high society of elite witches, only for her revenge to be threatened by her warring feelings for both a manipulative enemy prince and the stoic childhood friend who betrayed her, pitched as a love letter to the power of Black women's anger."

[Courtney Zaccardi (courtneys__library) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. I wanted to love this because the author is so wonderful, but it felt a bit “half-baked” to me. The plot and ideas were interesting, but I actually don’t think I have a single clue what was accomplished in the story. There were a lot of moving parts that I couldn’t fully grasp so I think a lot of it went over my head.

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

LOVED the world building, but think the pacing waned a little in the middle. I hadn't read this author but will definitely try more from her.

[Duchess of Snark]

This probably won’t be out for a very long time but I have already decided I need it injected directly into my retinas thank you.

[Nim_reads_a_lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book for a person who needed a complex fantasy with diverse and queer characters set during a vaguely Renaissance period in Spain. Like, it was meaty and I’m still confused by the world building but I’m a vibes reader and I was able to move on without the full grasp. The story begins with an interview in a jail cell with a woman named Marisol and then a flashback to a year as she tells her story. Cataleya is an orphan and her life is rough. She has a lot of anger fueling her and it leads her to a mission where she takes stolen magic and disguises herself to take down witches. Witches who dominate society and leave the rest to suffer. It’s a story about class warfare and I am here for it. Everyone is a liar and the love triangle had me on edge. The ending clicked nicely and it was a cliffhanger that promises big things.

This book is YA with a little kissing. It’s a fantasy I would recommend to people who like stories about heists, queer normative worlds, diverse character representation, witches with power designations, flavorful food, and ham & cheese sandwiches.

Thanks to the publisher for the galley!

[Mylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cataleya has only one purpose: make the witches that took away her family and took over her country pay. As she is about to age out of her orphanage, a mysterious man named Gaspar offers her a way to get her revenge: take a potion giving her the powers of a morpher, con her way into witch society by posing as a foreign noble and steal the power source of the witches.
But in doing so, she'll need to ally with prince Teo of Domingo and Bas, an old friend who betrayed her and her adoptive family to the witches. As the Coronet events come and go, the story she knows and the alliances she makes slowly change shapes. Leya/Marisol will need to determine some things for certain: what and who is she fighting for?
Kamilah Cole is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. Her writing is compelling and descriptive without being too heavy or convoluted. The characters are colorful and layered. The heist and revenge plots are full of twists and they're not obscured by the romance plot. The story is eventful and since we start it with Cataleya/Marisol in prison in the prologue, the reader get curious to know what happened for her to end up there.
Wicked Endeavors is the first book of a duology and the ending will make you excited for this sequel!
Thanks to netgalley, Little, Brown Books for young readers, and Kamilah Cole for this wonderful story.

[Rayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you HBGCanada for the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

🗡 secret identity
✨ magic
🗡 true love triangle (yes the men are also in love and yes I want this to be a throuple)
✨ prince LI
🗡 guard LI
✨ everyone's bisexual
🗡 betrayal
✨ revenge quest

This is possibly my favourite book of 2026! Both the writing and the story itself were phenomenal. I absolutely LOVED it, and I am desperate to get my hands on book 2 of the duology

Kamilah Cole did something really interesting with this book, where the prologue tells the reader outright that the main character, Caya, is going to be betrayed. With that in mind, it's so easy to notice throughout the story that she is not as in control of everything as she thinks she is. It made for a really interesting story and a really fun reading experience!

This book has 2 potential love interests, but with a true love triangle; both love interests are also into each other. It's more of a slow burn, and more will likely happen with the romance in book 2. Yes, I am praying for a throuple. Give me my chaotic bisexual polycule!! I just like them both so much and I'm very curious to see what happens with the romance!

In terms of the magic and fantasy aspect, the magic system gave me Grishaverse and A Forbidden Alchemy vibes (a high compliment!) The way the magic system and the plot were written has me creating so many theories in my head while I read, which is my favourite kind of magic system! It was SO fun!

Just overall, this book has such a strong plot, amazing writing, and complex characters that you can't help but root for, even when they make mistakes. For me it was upper YA, so adults who enjoy YA will also love this book! I highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend it!

[Bookish Martina · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great start to Kamilah Cole's new series! As an avid fan of the author's previous work, it was such a pleasure to enter a new world of hers and enjoy her beautiful writing once again. As always, Kamilah Cole delivered a captivating story and a main character I was rooting for right from the start.

Wicked Endeavours sees orphaned Caya masquerading as the noble Marisol Vinyet to infiltrate a society of witches and steal the plants that could lead to their demise. Caya holds witches responsible for destroying the only family she ever knew (another country's royal family, who took her in as their ward) and is ready to destroy magic and bring them to their knees. Her plans for revenge also involve two men she holds responsible for what happened: a prince and her childhood best friend. But once she actually gets to know them (again), things don't go quite as planned, and Caya begins to struggle with both her identity and everything she thought she wanted...

I rarely say this, but I'm kind of loving the love triangle here?! I like that it's a *true* triangle, with Caya caught between the two guys, but the two of them just as taken with each other as they are with her. So, of course, I'm now hoping this will turn into a throuple by the time book 2 comes around 👀 Caya's chemistry with both of them develops throughout the book, one connection faster than the other, but I like her with both of them!! And Bas and Teo together are so adorable that I can't imagine them being parted by a woman... I love how protective they are of each other, and Bas' dedication to Teo as "he is all that I have" (is he, though? 👀).

The world Kamilah Cole builds throughout the book sounds brutal, with so many people in need while the nobility sits at the top and does little to help. Everyone is scheming, everyone is trying to do what they think will get them ahead, and there are so many different factions at play. At times, it was a little tricky to keep straight exactly who was fighting for what, but I really enjoyed the intrigue that came from these overlapping factions that sometimes even share interests while remaining rivals or outright enemies.

The structure of the book was interesting, too. You already get a glimpse of the end when reading the prologue, as the story begins with Caya/Marisol having been captured (not a spoiler, it's literally the prologue!). So you know that something must have gone awfully wrong and someone must have betrayed her. I spent so much of the book wondering: But who?! How did it all unravel?! And how is she going to get out of this situation? I really enjoyed how the author came back to the situation from the prologue at the end of the book and the choices she made there. I'm so curious to see what happens in book 2!

Anyway, I rated this 4 stars because some elements could have been a little clearer (particularly the dynamics between different factions), and I think the characters could still be fleshed out further, especially the two men. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and am really looking forward to the continuation!

Highly recommended if you enjoy fantasy with witches, rebellion, secrets, betrayal, and a true love triangle! Oh, and all the main characters are bisexual, so we've also gotta love the queerness here.

[Quaterria Brown · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

What a captivating and epic YA romantic fantasy!

Caya is determined to seek justice for her family by going undercover, even if it means getting involved in thievery and murder. In order to take down the witches as planned, Caya has to take on the persona of Marisol Vinyet, but with her end goal being to murder the enemy prince, Caya finds herself distracted by feelings that could throw her entire plan off course.

I was so invested and on edge while reading because the scheming and trickery had me hooked!

My favorite part of this alluring story, aside from the action, is how the author explores identity and what it means to become someone you’re not just to survive and accomplish your goals.

I need book 2 with a quickness because I just know there is so much more to come!

[Marina Marcello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicked Endeavors is my fourth read by Kamilah Cole, and it might be my favorite! Kamilah is so good at designing fantasy worlds characterized by flawed royals, magic, and colonial/post-colonial politics. I absolutely love a revenge plot, and this feels very Count of Monte Cristo! Caya is a wronged-woman who seeks vengeance and justice, and she will stop at nothing to get it, especially because she has nothing to lose. But her coconspirators, and would-be victims of her revenge, Bas and Teo surprise her at every turn. All of these characters are wonderfully, and colorfully, fleshed out. The heist elements are intriguing and exciting. The fracturing society feels to be teetering on a precipice throughout the story, and it would seem that Caya is the fulcrum.

This world is rife with malcontent and the plot is full of twists and turns. I absolutely loved every moment of the enthralling scheming and growing anguish over whether Caya would rather kiss or unalive Teo and Bas. I cannot wait for the next installment—five stars!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the very beginning, the prologue is exactly the type of prologue I love. Overall, I thought this was a really strong start to a duology. It got me invested in the characters and the story and I'm dying to get my hands on the next book and find out what happens next. I think the main character, who can be frustrating at times, had some really interesting growth that will have a lot of payoff in the next book

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

🔥 A deadly masquerade, three powerful witch Houses, a revenge mission, and TWO dangerously complicated relationships? I was absolutely hooked. 🖤✨

Wicked Endeavors by Kamilah Cole pulled me straight into a glittering, ruthless world where magic, power, revenge, and desire collide, and honestly, I did not want to leave.

Caya has every reason to want revenge. Once the ward of Coventry’s royal family, she watched everything she knew get destroyed by the three witch Houses now ruling the peninsula. At eighteen, she’s done waiting. With the help of a mysterious benefactor, Caya steps into the identity of the beautiful aristocrat Marisol Vinyet and infiltrates the witches’ cutthroat social season known as the Coronet.

Her mission? Get close. Gather power. And kill Prince Tomás Castellan.

Simple enough…until Tomás turns out to be far more charming than she expected. 😏 And then there’s Bas Arroyo, her estranged childhood friend, and Tomás’s protector, who brings an entirely different kind of complication to Caya’s carefully controlled plan.

I loved the tension of watching Caya try to balance revenge with feelings she absolutely does NOT have time for. The Coronet’s glittering world hides some seriously dangerous secrets, and underneath all the beautiful gowns, magic, and aristocratic drama is a story about grief, betrayal, power, and what happens when vengeance becomes the thing keeping you alive.

The atmosphere was everything I wanted from a dark fantasy: dangerous witches, secret identities, political intrigue, complicated relationships, and a heroine who has turned herself into a weapon even when she knows she might be the one who gets cut. 🩸

If you’re looking for a YA fantasy packed with magic, revenge, romance, courtly intrigue, and deliciously dangerous secrets, add Wicked Endeavors to your TBR. This one brings the DRAMA. 🔥🖤

📚 Thank you, Little, Brown Young Readers, and Kamilah Cole, for sharing Wicked Endeavors with me!

[Kim Reads (Read Your Writes Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kamilah Cole’s Wicked Endeavors is the story of Cataleya Donant, an eighteen-year-old who’s desperate, full of rage, and set on revenge.

Inspired by her home country of Jamaica and the Spanish Renaissance, Kamilah has created a fantasy world with diverse characters, set against a backdrop of the haves and have-nots, where royalty and witches rule, and those without magic survive on scraps and sheer will.

Very few of Caya’s eighteen years on this Earth have been happy. By the age of five, she lost both her parents. By the age of seven, she lost her guardian family, King Oberon, Queen Evaline, and her pseudo-sister Princess Yoselin Seaward of Coventry. Moments after those losses, she lost her childhood best friend Sebastjan “Bas” Arroyo, whom she learned was responsible for their deaths. For the past ten years, Caya has been living at Kindred Orphanage, hoping that one day she will be deemed worthy of being adopted. But as her eighteenth birthday approaches, Caya knows her time is running out and that life on the streets is no way to live.

For Caya, her saving grace is Lord Gaspar Ruiz, who informs her that he’s been looking for her. Gaspar thinks they can work together and get their revenge on the witches for taking their families. He agrees to give Caya shelter and training to become the weapon he needs, and the opportunity to make Coventry a place for all. Caya has no idea that Gaspar expects her to work alongside Prince Tomas “Teo” Castellan of Domingo, or that his guard is none other than Bas. Now, Caya wants to avenge her family and make Bas pay by killing someone he cares for, Teo, and ultimately Bas himself.

As Marisol Vinyet, Caya infiltrates the Coronet (the witches' period of galas, balls, parties, and house recruitment) with a new face, body, and name. Posing as a couple, Marisol and Teo spend time scheming while forming a friendship and romantic connection, even as Marisol sees Bas in a new light and finds herself drawn to him as well. Meanwhile, there is no denying the strong attraction between Teo and Bas.

Marisol enters the Coronet fully determined to exact revenge against the witches and Bas. However, as time passes, she gains a deeper understanding of Teo, Bas, and Noelia, a young witch who insists on becoming her friend. But can these newfound friendships be real and sustained when betrayal is like a mist off the ocean, waiting to roll in?

Wicked Endeavors contains twists both expected and surprising. Caya, Bas, and Teo are multi-layered characters who I believe are still waiting to fully reveal their true selves. Each character plays a high-stakes game of chess, convinced they hold the upper hand, leading to an ending that will leave you with a sly smile on your face. I am so looking forward to seeing how Cataleya Donant/Marisol Vinyet will truly become a legend in the final installment of this duology.

~ Favorite Quotes ~


“One should never berate oneself for hoping. To hope is to be human.”

“A revolution is nothing if not anger left to kindle.”

“Trust needs to be earned.”

“If you let someone close enough to stab you, you shouldn’t be surprised by the knife between your ribs.”

“In every ending, there is a beginning.”

**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it.**

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this. This is the story of a rage carried for over a decade and then further stoked by others to push our main character, Caya/Leya/Marisol on the path toward her vengeance.

Caya's parents died when she was really young, and she was taken in as a ward by the royal family of Coventry, the Seawards because their daughter Yoselin was around her same age and they were best friends. The two played with a kitchen boy named Bas regularly, and Caya expected she would grow up and fall in love with Bas and the two would get married.

Except Bas guided the witches into Coventry. He snuck Caya out of the palace, but for the second time in her young life, Caya lost her family.

A decade later, Caya spots Bas along with the prince of Domingo, clearly close and on a visit to Coventry. She's close to aging out of the orphanage she has been living in and is expecting to be pushed to a life on the streets. But that same day, a man shows up offering to adopt her and train her to be someone else. In doing so, she can work with the Domingan royalty to steal magic from the witches and get vengeance by taking their magic away. He also offers it up to her as an opportunity to kill Bas.

Caya jumps at this change, both because it will keep her off the streets and because she hates nothing more than Bas. After a year of training, she connects with Bas and the prince, Teo, to join the parties of the Coronet, witch recruitment season, on the false offer to allow the witches back to the previous home in Domingo. They....surprise her and she starts to question what she really wants to do.

I really enjoyed the world in this, including the little bit we learn about Domingo through Teo and Gaspar, and the Trident of witch houses and control through their magic houses was interesting. Bas was a bit boring to me compared to Caya/Marisol, Teo, and Noelia but the relationship between him and Teo helped build him up well and show the side to him that Marisol doesn't want to see.

What is most interesting to me about this book, though is how Caya's rage and desire for vengeance sets her up to be easily manipulated and how only having privileged childhood memories gives a rose-colored glasses view to the history of Coventry. One of the lines that really stood out to me is "The truth was everywhere, had she cared to look."

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Kamilah Cole for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[The Bookish Chimera - Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A revolution is nothing if not anger left to kindle.”

Wicked Endeavors is one of these books that hits you even more AFTER finishing it than while you were reading. The characters are no less than brilliant, very fleshed, with flawless dynamics (manner of speaking, bcs how complicated they are —for the better) that got me rooted to my seat.
I’m not one to like love triangles (I might have to re-examine my POV bcs I tend to say that quite a lot these days), but I loved this one (probably bcs it’s a real love triangle, in which all the characters are involved). They have TRUE grievances, BIG motivations, and from one page (one sentence!) to another, I didn’t know if I wanted them to attack each other, dagger to the throat, or if I wanted them to kiss, passionately. Both? Probably. At the same time? Maybe…
As a consequence, I was completely invested in that court intrigue and its very social commentary (I’m always here for that), but the author also made me unable to have a favorite ship, as everything felt completely balanced (VERY far away from the “teenagers’ indecision”).
In the end, my time with this story was a great adventure that I’ll read again in the future with great pleasure. Is it bad to say that I would love more of it?

Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the free access to the eARC on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

4.5/5

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kamilah Cole's Wicked Endeavors is a revenge filled drama, with high stakes, twists and betrayals.

The magic system was creative, however I did sometimes find it confusing. The explanation of the different factions and how the power worked was done well. However, at times I felt it was a bit confusing. I initially believed that people were born with and could only use one power, however later on it was stated how it was chosen for them/they picked one and then joined a House. I wish things were made just a little bit clearer and that we got to see more of the magic.

Caya is a powerful main character and I was invested in her story. She was complex and compelling in her yearning, her grief, and her sorrow. She had a lot to learn throughout this book. I felt for her deeply whenever she learned something new which turned the perception of her world upside down.

The overall plot was intriguing and quite the page turner. There was lots of complex history between the countries, but also with the people ruling them. I like how the book slowly revealed things, revealing an even darker truth than the one already presented.

I liked the romance and often didn't know which way I was leaning! The tension between the three of them was excellent.

There were some good moments that really took me back in this book, even if I did see them coming. I felt Caya did move on a little too quickly at the end of the novel but I hope that in the sequel (please be a sequel!) that Cole explores the fallout from the events in more depth.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK | Atom via Netgalley for this e-arc

[Kelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Toppling Stacks and Little , Brown Books for the gifted copy!

This is the sort of high stakes revenge plot I’ve been waiting for. It’s dark and dangerous, and constantly has you questioning who to trust. Cara is such an easy character to root for with her well deserved rage and thirst for vengeance against those who ruined her life years ago. She has nothing left to lose, and the one she holds most responsible just fell into her lap.

I loved how twisty the plot was, and I am so intrigued by the world! The frame narrative was a really interesting and fun way to tell the story because knowing where the story ends up has you questioning the entire time how we get there.

This is a YA Romantasy with a strong focus on politics full of revenge, witches, and a love triangle that constantly leaves you guessing. It explores segregation and classism with a protagonist who’s ready to burn it all to the ground.

Overall another fantastic story from Kamilah Cole!!!

[Rallie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up at a recommendation from a friend and DAMN was that a good choice! Wicked Endeavors is another entry into Kamilah Cole's excellent growing canon of books about young women who won't just roll over and take what is thrown at them (and if you think they have, you haven't been paying attention). There are stark similarities between Wicked Endeavors and So Let It Burn as Cole explores the reality of colonialism and diaspora, and racism and legacy with Arcane Inheritance (and trust o____o).

Cole has a gift when it comes to prose that slaps you in the face and draws you in - like oh my god the first lines in her books have never not been perfect; and in addition to all that perfection in this book we also get the line "A revolution is nothing if not anger left to kindle."

And isn't that just so true?

[Cyd’s Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.0 stars.

I devoured this book & have zero regrets, from the first few chapters I knew I would enjoy this.

The story has a lot of political moving parts, feminine rage, magic and cruelty. Our story follows an FMC who lost everything when the hands of power changed, and she has survived off rage alone it seems. We get to see that rage turn into a weapon and it leads her on a path of scheming, friendship, betrayals and romance. Things are complicated and definitely not what they seem on the surface. I highly recommend this for any fantasy lover.

[Kim (readerbydusk) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Wicked Endeavors not really sure whether it was going to be my thing, but it pleasantly surprised me!

This is a fast-paced, plot-driven fantasy. I found myself completely absorbed from start to finish. There was always something going on, whether it’s revenge schemes, hidden agendas, dangerous magic, or characters pretending to be someone they’re not while secretly plotting everyone else’s downfall. It was very entertaining to read!

It's fun, with plenty of intrigue and twists. A solid four stars from me, and definitely one I'm glad I took a chance on.

↪ 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Timitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wicked Endeavors was such a great story. It was interesting, intriguing and enjoyable. While I loved it I did have issues with it like, I found it repetitive, it felt long and drawn out in places and the pacing was off it dragged in quite a few places. That said it was packed with action, adventure, drama, treachery, lies, deceit, political machinations, twists and turns and so much more. I loved the world, the magic and the characters and so can't wait to get my hands on the next book.


Copy provided by publisher through NetGalley

[Sam Reads Books *Just the Highlights* · Rating 4 out of 5]

2026: 3.5

I’m not the biggest fan of main characters who decide murder is their best course of action at the beginning of the story, especially when we don’t experience their formative event. I just don’t feel like most people could have murder in their hearts so easily.

[Milda]

It's not bad, but I'm just not vibing with it right now

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thrilling exploration of trust, trauma, and how those things can clash in devastating ways. Rich and tense, with a world that feels deeply lived-in.

[B]

I already didn’t care by the first chapter. The writing was so stilted and there were mass amounts of info dumping.

[Stress Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wicked Endeavors ARC Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐
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🗓️ Sept 8, 2026

Thank you to Kamilah Cole, Little Brown Books for Young Readers and netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely given.


📗 What happens when rage becomes a weapon—and then the person wielding it realizes she may no longer know exactly where to point it? Wicked Endeavors takes the familiar ingredients of romantasy—witches, royal politics, secret identities, revenge, dangerous attraction, and a love triangle—and gives them a sharper political edge. Its exploration of segregation, classism, and colorism is very compelling. At its strongest, this is a story about what happens when oppression turns anger into ideology: Caya enters the glittering world of the people she blames with one goal in mind, only to discover that power, loyalty, justice, and revenge are considerably messier than she imagined. The result is a lush, politically charged YA fantasy whose greatest strength is its emotionally combustible protagonist and whose biggest weakness is that its fascinating world sometimes feels more sketched than explored.

Wicked Endeavors ultimately succeeds because its most interesting magic isn't the supernatural kind—it's the way anger, privilege, identity, and desire can transform people's understanding of one another. Cole has created a world where magic determines social status, revenge collides with politics, and nearly every relationship contains some degree of deception. The book isn't flawless: the worldbuilding can be exposition-heavy, the magic system could use clearer early explanation, and the romance won't convince everyone—but Caya's fury, the book's political undercurrents, and its lush atmosphere make it considerably more than a standard "girl infiltrates magical elite" fantasy.

If you want YA romantasy with witches, revenge, secret identities, political intrigue, morally complicated characters, a messy love triangle, class commentary, and a gorgeous Renaissance-inspired setting, however, Wicked Endeavors has a lot to offer—and its greatest strength may be that it leaves you wanting to see what these characters and this society become next.

📓 Synopsis
After her family is destroyed by the witches who now rule her homeland, eighteen-year-old Caya is determined to make them pay. Disguised as a wealthy aristocrat, she infiltrates their glittering social season with revenge on her mind—but an enemy prince and the childhood friend who betrayed her threaten to complicate both her carefully constructed identity and her heart.

🫵🏼 Wicked Endeavors is for readers who enjoy:
Vengeful heroines who aren't afraid to get their hands dirty
Romantasy with court intrigue, political maneuvering, and dangerous secrets
Witches, magic, and decadent fantasy settings
Enemies-to-lovers/complicated romance
Love triangles—or, more accurately, romantic tension involving two very different relationships
Protagonists infiltrating the world of their enemies
Stories about classism, colorism, segregation, oppression, and resistance
The Shadows Between Us, Red Queen, Heartless Hunter, or For She Is Wrath–style YA romantasy


🚫 You may not love this if you don't enjoy
• any and all love triangles
• morally complicated characters
• revenge plots
• court/political intrigue
• action-driven fantasy over social maneuvering and romantic tension

📗 Plot 4
The central premise is immediately compelling: Caya, an eighteen-year-old orphan whose life was devastated by the witches who now dominate Coventry, gets an opportunity to infiltrate their elite society under a false identity. Her mission combines revenge, political intrigue, espionage, magic, and romantic complications, giving the story several engines rather than relying on romance alone.

What makes the plot particularly effective is that Caya's revenge isn't treated as a simple good person versus bad people equation. The further she gets into the world she's trying to destroy, the more complicated her understanding of justice becomes. Her anger is initially extremely focused, but the story keeps testing whether revenge actually produces justice—or simply creates another cycle of people hurting one another.

The opening structure also helps. Beginning with a glimpse of Caya's future before moving backward creates immediate curiosity: How did she get there? It immediately establishes a sense of impending disaster without giving away exactly how the story will arrive at it, and I loved that.

The primary weakness is that the political machinery occasionally becomes harder to follow than the author intends. While I enjoyed the political intrigue, I did find it a bit confusing at times. The relationships between the kingdoms, witches, welks, and non-magical populations in particular.

The book wants you to question revenge, justice, loyalty, and who gets to define the truth, and those questions are woven into the actual mechanics of the plot rather than simply being stated.

➕ Loved
• Strong revenge premise
• Lots of secrets and shifting loyalties
• Political intrigue
• High-stakes infiltration
• Twists and betrayals
• An ending that encourages readers to want the next installment
• That ending!!! (The last ~10% but especially the finale)

➖ Didn't Love
• Some political relationships can be confusing
• The middle didn't quite grip me like the first and last acts
• Caya's revenge motivation wasn't always developed enough emotionally
• The budding romance can occasionally overshadows the original mission


📖 Themes, Metaphors, & Deeper Meaning 4.5
This is arguably where Wicked Endeavors becomes more interesting than a straightforward revenge romantasy.

🔌 Power and Privilege
The world is fundamentally stratified between witches and welks—people without magic. Magical ability isn't merely a cool fantasy trait; it determines social status and access to power. Young people who demonstrate magical abilities are claimed by powerful High Houses, while welks occupy the bottom of the social hierarchy.

That makes magic a metaphor for inherited privilege.

The important question isn't simply:
Who has power?

It's: What happens when a society decides that possessing a particular trait makes someone inherently more valuable than everyone else?

🪧 Segregation and Systemic Oppression
Cole's society explicitly engages with segregation, classism, and colorism. That gives the fantasy hierarchy a recognizable real-world parallel. The book explores how marginalized groups can be excluded from institutions, resources, political power, and social mobility—and how oppression can eventually generate resistance.

Importantly, the book doesn't present rebellion as completely uncomplicated either. That's one of its more mature ideas: being oppressed doesn't automatically make every action taken in resistance morally pure.

🛠️ Anger as both Weapon and Burden
Caya's rage is perhaps the book's central emotional metaphor. Her anger gives her strength. It motivates her. It keeps her moving when she could otherwise collapse. But it also threatens to consume her. That makes Caya's revenge story a variation on the familiar question of whether revenge liberates the victim or allows the person who caused the harm to continue controlling them.

🪪 Identity
Caya's false identity introduces another fascinating layer: if you spend enough time pretending to be someone else, where does the performance end and the real person begin?

Her transformation isn't merely a plot device for infiltrating high society. It allows Cole to examine class performance, belonging, femininity, beauty, social expectations, and the psychological consequences of having to suppress parts of yourself to survive.

🧑‍🧑‍🧒 Belonging and Found Family
There's also a quieter emotional theme underneath all the political maneuvering: what does it mean to belong somewhere when the institutions that were supposed to protect you have failed you?

Caya's relationships, including her friendship with Noelia, help make that question personal rather than abstract. That female friendship was something I thoroughly enjoyed, especially since there was no competition or jealous between them.

➕ Loved
• Strong political themes
• Commentary on class and privilege
• Rage/revenge as an emotional throughline
• Questions about justice versus vengeance
• Interesting parallels to real-world marginalization
• Identity and belonging themes

➖ Didn't Love
• The larger world occasionally feels like it has more lore than the book has room to unpack
• The thematic potential of the magic system wasn't fully exploited (maybe that's to come?)

✍🏼 Prose & Dialogue 4.5
Cole's prose is lush, vivid, atmospheric, evocative, and highly visual, particularly when describing the world, the Coronet, and the contrast between wealth and deprivation. There's a noticeable emphasis on sensory description. Rather than simply telling you that a place is luxurious or sinister, Cole tends to build the atmosphere through texture, clothing, architecture, setting, physical sensation, and visual contrast. There's a nice cadence to Cole's prose that elevates the emotional impact.

Dialogue tends to be most effective when characters are concealing something. Conversations aren't merely information exchanges; they frequently function as battles of perception.

For the most part, characters have distinct voices. Caya has the strongest individual voice because her narration is so deeply colored by her anger, suspicion, determination, and emotional defensiveness. Bas and Tomás are differentiated more through their personalities, social positions, and interpersonal dynamics than through radically different linguistic styles (they are differentiated, just not radically so).

➕ Loved
• Lush descriptions
• Strong atmosphere
• Beautiful cadence
• Precise prose
• Good balance of dialogue and description
• Strong emotional voice

➖ Didn't Love
• Early exposition can feel info-dumpy
• Some explanations felt stilted


⏳ Pacing 4
I'd classify Wicked Endeavors as character-driven plot with a strong external plot.

The opening is especially effective because the future-facing framing immediately creates momentum. Once Caya's infiltration begins, the story becomes more relationship-heavy, with much of the tension coming from who trusts whom, who is lying, and what people actually want.

The first and last acts are fast-paced, suspenseful, with some well executed twists in the last act. I found these sections hard to put down. However, the middle was comparatively slower and not quite as engaging. Especially during the section when the romantic and interpersonal material temporarily takes precedence over Caya's mission.


➕ Loved
• Immediately gripping hook
• Strong opening structure
• Frequent interpersonal tension
• Increasing momentum toward the finale
• Twists kept me engaged

➖ Didn't Love
• Middle felt slower
• Social/romantic sections felt a bit like a detour
• The revenge plot temporarily receded too far into the background


🗺️ Worldbuilding 4
This is a richly imagined world with more depth than the first book can completely explore.
The Spanish Renaissance-inspired aesthetic is one of the most distinctive aspects. Rather than defaulting to vaguely European medieval fantasy, Cole creates a setting with its own kingdoms, social hierarchies, witch Houses, political conflicts, and cultural atmosphere.
The strongest aspect is the social architecture.
The world isn't just "fantasy world + witches." Magic has fundamentally altered the political and socioeconomic structure of society.
The contrast between orphanages, elite estates, luxurious social gatherings, political institutions, and underground/darker spaceshelps make the class hierarchy tangible.

The biggest limitation is exposition density. I found myself occasionally confused by the kingdoms and political relationships early on. While there's an impressive amount of worldbuilding packed into a relatively short book, it feels more sketched out than intricately detailed.

I would characterize the worldbuilding as ambitious and layered, but not always seamlessly delivered.

➕ Loved
• Spanish Renaissance-inspired aesthetic
• Distinct social hierarchy
• Witch Houses
• Political history
• Class divisions
• Contrast between opulence and poverty
• Strong sense that there is much more history beneath the surface

➖ Didn't Love
• Early information overload
• Political geography can be confusing
• I'd have loved more lore
• I'd have loved for the Coronet/social system to be explored more deeply

🧙🏼‍♀️ Magic System 4
Rather than having magic simply function as generalized spellcasting, magical ability is institutionalized through Houses, with three Houses corresponding to different types of magic. The system therefore isn't separate from the politics—it is the foundation of the political hierarchy.

Individual components—witch Houses, shapeshifting, magical plants, potions—aren't individually revolutionary. What's more distinctive is how magic is tied to class, geography, political power, and social status.

➕ Loved
• Three witch houses
• Magic tied to social hierarchy
• Morpher ability
• Interesting magical mechanics
• Political implications of magic
• Potential for further interesting development in later books

➖ Didn't Love
• Initial explanations can be confusing
• I'd have loved to see more magic in action
• I'd have loved a deeper exploration and explanation of witch houses


🎒 Series Set-Up 4.5
Wicked Endeavors is the first book in a planned romantasy duology, so it necessarily has one eye on the larger story.

The book establishes its world, political factions, magic system, interpersonal conflicts, and central mysteries while deliberately leaving room for the larger consequences to unfold.

I think this works because the first book has a complete enough emotional journey to feel purposeful while still leaving substantial questions about the world and characters.

➕ Loved
• Strong sequel hook
• Plenty of unresolved political questions
• Character relationships remain compelling
• World has obvious room to expand

➖ Didn't Love
• Readers wanting a completely self-contained story may find the ending frustrating


👥 Character Development 4
We get a diverse cast with Black MCs as well as normalized inclusion. From a literary perspective, Caya's most interesting characteristic isn't simply that she's angry—it's that her anger has become part of her identity. She's compelling, complex, intelligent, fierce, resourceful, determined, emotionally layered and wounded, suspicious, morally complicated, capable of kindness, and capable of making questionable choices. That combination prevents her from becoming a generic "badass revenge heroine."

The more interesting question is whether Caya can distinguish justice from vengeance once her assumptions about the people involved begin to become unstable.

As much as I enjoyed Caya, I felt like her rage wasn't present—until it was. It's framed as having been there for years, but I didn't really see or feel it. Even still, I feel like I had a better understanding of her rage than of her. Which maybe was intentional, due to her secret identity.

The secondary characters are somewhat more divisive. Bas is arguably the most complicated of the two major romantic figures because his relationship with Caya carries history, betrayal, and unresolved emotional baggage.

I wanted more interiority and development from the supporting cast, particularly the romantic characters, Seb and Teo.

➕ Loved
• Morally gray protagonist
• Caya's anger feels mostly authentic
• Strong internal conflict
• Complicated relationships
• Secrets create character tension
• Female friendship/found family

➖ Didn't Love
• I wanted more of her personality beneath the rage
• Some secondary characters feel less developed
• Certain motivations can feel deliberately withheld for suspense

🩷 Romance 3.5
There is a love triangle involving Caya, Tomás, and Bas, with the romantic tension complicated by deception, political loyalties, childhood history, and Caya's larger mission. Love triangles don't often work for me, and this one I'm not yet sold on (but not willing to write off, either).

The upside is that the romantic relationships actually serve the central plot. Caya's attraction isn't occurring in a vacuum; it creates additional complications for her mission and forces her to question assumptions she thought were immutable.
The Bas/Caya relationship has the strongest built-in emotional foundation because of their shared history.

The Tomás/Caya relationship provides a different kind of tension because of the conflict between attraction and Caya's intentions toward him.

However, I don't feel a romance with either of them feels earned currently. It felt a bit too insta for me. My biggest criticism is that the romantic development occasionally feels more accelerated than the underlying emotional intimacy warrants.

That said, I actually think the love triangle works better as a dramatic mechanism than as a conventional romance. Its purpose is less "watch these two people fall beautifully in love" and more "watch attraction complicate an already impossible web of deception."

➕Loved
• Angsty love triangle
• Complicated history
• Strong tension
• Constant uncertainty over romantic loyalties
• Romance genuinely complicates the mission

➖ Didn't Love
• Some attraction develops too quickly
• Emotional payoff can feel underdeveloped
• I didn't find the chemistry convincing
• Love triangle almost overshadows the plot in a couple places



🫑 Spice 4.5
This is YA romantasy, so the most it has are PG-13 kisses.

The romantic tension comes from yearning, jealousy, attraction, emotional history, secrecy, and proximity, rather than sexual content.

And importantly, the lack of spice doesn't mean the romance is toothless. The book gets its romantic tension from the characters being emotionally and politically entangled.

➕ Loved
• Appropriate for YA
• Romance doesn't overwhelm the fantasy with explicit content
• Plenty of romantic tension
• Kissing feels appropriate to the story's age category

➖ Didn't Love
• I wanted to see and feel chemistry that felt believable

📚 Read if you enjoyed these comps:

BIPOC Comp
For She is Wrath by Emily Varga
Or
Her Soul for a Crown by Alysha Rameera


Queer Comp
The Witch and the Vampire by Francesca Flores


Indie Comp
Of Fates and Ruin by Alaya Wells


Non-Big Five Comp
Night of the Witch by Sara Raasch & Beth Revis


Big Five Comp
The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller


Indirect Comp
The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinson