What do you think?
The Luminary #1
Florescentia
She summoned him for luck. He wants her for eternity. An inventor and a star-born beast collide in this hauntingly dark romantic fantasy by USA Today bestselling author I.V. Ophelia.
In the bioluminescent, star-worshipping city of Astraea, inventor and occultist Lucia Fairfax harvests a particular currency from the shadows—luck itself—drawn from a dimension she calls the Otherside. But when her latest ritual fails and her husband dies tragically, her carefully cultivated fortune bleeds dry.
Lucia’s desperate to restore her power, but her next ritual goes catastrophically wrong, summoning something far more Altair, a cosmic entity born of an ancient constellation. He is both human and not—impossibly seductive, unnervingly sentient, and the key to restoring what she’s a way to the Otherside.
Crossing into Altair’s realm is the most dangerous thing Lucia has ever done—and the most irresistible. There, she unravels the intoxicating secrets of the Otherside, the disturbing truth about her abilities, and the terrifying depth of his hunger. But with each revelation, escape slips further from reach. Trapped between worlds, Lucia must confront a devastating Love, desire, and ambition all have their price. And Altair is eager to collect.
In the bioluminescent, star-worshipping city of Astraea, inventor and occultist Lucia Fairfax harvests a particular currency from the shadows—luck itself—drawn from a dimension she calls the Otherside. But when her latest ritual fails and her husband dies tragically, her carefully cultivated fortune bleeds dry.
Lucia’s desperate to restore her power, but her next ritual goes catastrophically wrong, summoning something far more Altair, a cosmic entity born of an ancient constellation. He is both human and not—impossibly seductive, unnervingly sentient, and the key to restoring what she’s a way to the Otherside.
Crossing into Altair’s realm is the most dangerous thing Lucia has ever done—and the most irresistible. There, she unravels the intoxicating secrets of the Otherside, the disturbing truth about her abilities, and the terrifying depth of his hunger. But with each revelation, escape slips further from reach. Trapped between worlds, Lucia must confront a devastating Love, desire, and ambition all have their price. And Altair is eager to collect.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 29, 2026
About the author
I.V. Ophelia
8 books2,908 followersUSA Today Bestselling author I.V. Ophelia is known for the gothic vampire series The Poisoner. Born in small-town New England, she now haunts the streets of New York City, writing the most unhinged tales she can conjure. When not crafting gothic romance, she works as a full-time artist, hoards nineteenth-century gowns and antique furniture, dotes on her menagerie of pets, and plots her next literary transgression.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
July 5, 2026
Thank you I.V. for the early copy! I’m so grateful. What an incredibly unique, interesting and atmospheric world!! Admittedly it took me a minute to familiarise myself with the setting because it really is unlike any setting I have read before, but once I got to grips with this world I did not want to leave. Victorian gothic, steampunk setting with a celestial belief system, rituals to harvest luck 👀, shadow like creatures invisible to the untrained eye, inventor FMC and cosmic beast MMC (monster romance girls step to the front 🗣️🗣️). The writing was immersive and made the experience so vivid. I love how I.V. Ophelia does spice, the plot to spice balance is always perfect and we are given the exact amount to satisfy but also keeping us wanting more. I will say the spice in this one may not be for everyone because our MMC Altair is monstrous, however, it was in fact for me 👁️👄👁️. This was such a crazy ride, I devoured this and need book two yesterday!! If loving Altair is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Did Not Finish
August 5, 2026Putting this one down at 39% because I’m not enjoying it. I couldn’t tell you a single thing I liked. The writing is not engaging, the characters are dull, and the plot is duller.
Seriously, the first two chapters start with the FMC getting out of bed. After that, there’s a lot of meandering around and info-dumps. I was hoping things would finally pick up after the FMC’s husband got killed, but nope. It went right back to being a slog.
I’ve barely read a page of this in a week and I’m just not interested enough to finish. I don’t even understand the point of this book…
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: never read this author’s previous books so i’m going in blind. let’s see 🤞
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
Seriously, the first two chapters start with the FMC getting out of bed. After that, there’s a lot of meandering around and info-dumps. I was hoping things would finally pick up after the FMC’s husband got killed, but nope. It went right back to being a slog.
I’ve barely read a page of this in a week and I’m just not interested enough to finish. I don’t even understand the point of this book…
─ ✦ ────
✎ᝰ.┊ pre-read: never read this author’s previous books so i’m going in blind. let’s see 🤞
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!
Read
January 23, 2026My monster lovers, this is the book you've been waiting for from me. Eldritch, steampunk, monster loving debauchery with a splash of sciencey- mystique.
"She summoned him for luck. He wants her for eternity. An inventor and a star-born beast collide in this hauntingly dark romantic fantasy by USA Today bestselling author I.V. Ophelia."
TROPES & CONTENT:
✨Alt timeline 1890s NYC, now called Astraea
✨Vitiligo representation (with magical interactions)
✨Celestial culture ruled by the stars
✨Born Yesterday (but he’s as old as the galaxy)
✨Eldritch love / monster freak stuff 🌶️
✨Women in stem
✨Faustian bargains
✨Trippy shadow realms
Signed Books
Indie Incentives
Sprayed Edge Shop
"She summoned him for luck. He wants her for eternity. An inventor and a star-born beast collide in this hauntingly dark romantic fantasy by USA Today bestselling author I.V. Ophelia."
TROPES & CONTENT:
✨Alt timeline 1890s NYC, now called Astraea
✨Vitiligo representation (with magical interactions)
✨Celestial culture ruled by the stars
✨Born Yesterday (but he’s as old as the galaxy)
✨Eldritch love / monster freak stuff 🌶️
✨Women in stem
✨Faustian bargains
✨Trippy shadow realms
Signed Books
Indie Incentives
Sprayed Edge Shop
September 17, 2026
3.5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
“This world holds as many horrors as it does delights.”
At first, Florescentia captivated me with its cosmic imagery and dark steampunk ambience that had me geared up for an otherworldly experience—which, I.V. Ophelia did deliver!
The 1890s setting infused with science and magic alongside a melancholic journey was promising, and the concept of an affair between an ambitious inventor and a shadowy celestial being was quite intriguing.
Not to mention, the magic system and lore based on celestial cultures was utterly fascinating!
My biggest qualm is how rushed the pacing was. How quickly we have learned of the truth and uncovered most of the important answers.
The dynamic between Lucia and Altair was sizzling at first, but it dulled a little as a result of the rushed pacing.
I'm intrigued enough to follow the story in the next book, I.V. Ophelia's vivid and dark storytelling is a treat I enjoy indulging in.
Thank you NetGalley for gifting me with an eARC in exchange for a review.
“This world holds as many horrors as it does delights.”
At first, Florescentia captivated me with its cosmic imagery and dark steampunk ambience that had me geared up for an otherworldly experience—which, I.V. Ophelia did deliver!
The 1890s setting infused with science and magic alongside a melancholic journey was promising, and the concept of an affair between an ambitious inventor and a shadowy celestial being was quite intriguing.
Not to mention, the magic system and lore based on celestial cultures was utterly fascinating!
My biggest qualm is how rushed the pacing was. How quickly we have learned of the truth and uncovered most of the important answers.
The dynamic between Lucia and Altair was sizzling at first, but it dulled a little as a result of the rushed pacing.
I'm intrigued enough to follow the story in the next book, I.V. Ophelia's vivid and dark storytelling is a treat I enjoy indulging in.
Thank you NetGalley for gifting me with an eARC in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Holy mcfreak book— WHAT CAME OUT OF HIS GROIN AREA????
Florescentia is a duak POV book following Lucia and Altair (a cosmic entity). Lucia has always relied on her 'peculiars' for her good fortune but one day that goes badly and her husband passes away. Lucia wants to restore her good fortune and accidentally summons Altair, who has taken the form of her last husband. But Altair has secrets, and let's say I was not expecting what he'd do ngl.
my thoughts
This book started off strong, I was so invested in Lucia— I loved her character. The world building and magical cosmicness was really cool to learn about, like I.V. Ophelia never skimps on the world building, so we got plenty immersed into this cool world.
But then after her husband died idk, I lost interest and the book became boring. Altair was a good character but he didn't make up for the fact it felt like a big portion of this book was aimless wandering until at the end we actually GOT somewhere (that and the freaaaakkyyyy shite)
More could have happened in this book overall with a character like Altair, there are endless possibilites and I feel like the 'endless possibilities' was just invested into his flower dick (if you know, you know). Altair was a funny guy, at the end he made me chuckle more than a few times. As for Lucia, she lowkey reminded me of Petronille from Fruit of the Flesh (another book by I.V. Ophelia).
I wasn't sure if I'd read the 2nd book after this but after that ending I need to know what's gonna happen. The last 100 pages served what we readers DESERVEDDD.
thank you montlake and netgalley for a free copy for an honest review!
3 stars
Florescentia is a duak POV book following Lucia and Altair (a cosmic entity). Lucia has always relied on her 'peculiars' for her good fortune but one day that goes badly and her husband passes away. Lucia wants to restore her good fortune and accidentally summons Altair, who has taken the form of her last husband. But Altair has secrets, and let's say I was not expecting what he'd do ngl.
my thoughts
This book started off strong, I was so invested in Lucia— I loved her character. The world building and magical cosmicness was really cool to learn about, like I.V. Ophelia never skimps on the world building, so we got plenty immersed into this cool world.
But then after her husband died idk, I lost interest and the book became boring. Altair was a good character but he didn't make up for the fact it felt like a big portion of this book was aimless wandering until at the end we actually GOT somewhere (that and the freaaaakkyyyy shite)
More could have happened in this book overall with a character like Altair, there are endless possibilites and I feel like the 'endless possibilities' was just invested into his flower dick (if you know, you know). Altair was a funny guy, at the end he made me chuckle more than a few times. As for Lucia, she lowkey reminded me of Petronille from Fruit of the Flesh (another book by I.V. Ophelia).
I wasn't sure if I'd read the 2nd book after this but after that ending I need to know what's gonna happen. The last 100 pages served what we readers DESERVEDDD.
thank you montlake and netgalley for a free copy for an honest review!
3 stars
Want to Read
June 26, 2026Pre-read (26/06/2026): GUYS this is on "Read Now" at Netgalley! I'm so excited!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The city of Astraea worships the stars from afar; for Lucia, an inventor unafraid to dabble in the unknown, the stars are more of a nightly companion. She has spent years building a comfortable life for herself and her husband by bargaining for luck from the Otherside, a mysterious world it seems only she can access. But when one of her rituals goes horribly wrong, she is suddenly left completely without luck - and her husband pays the price with his life.
Desperate to get her husband back, Lucia accidentally goes too far with her next ritual and summons an ancient being with power beyond her wildest dreams. Altair, a creature of the stars, is the key to undoing her bad luck and reaching Dorian in the Otherside. However, she soon discovers that Altair has plans of his own - and those plans seem to involve her and her strange abilities. Lucia, always the mistress of her own fortune, now finds herself at the mercy of Altair - and the price for his help may not be one she’s willing to pay.
Florescentia is the first is a new romantasy duology from author I.V. Ophelia. My thoughts on various aspects of the story are given below.
*World-building/Plot: Though the city of Astraea seemed like a fascinating place, there wasn’t enough world-building in the book for it to feel fully-formed. Though I think the idea of an alternative, steam-punk New York is a great concept, that wasn’t what was delivered. Astraea seemed nothing more than a bunch of jumbled together, discordant ideas and “vibes” that made the world incredibly incoherent (for example, one moment the MC is rushing through an explanation of the spiritual world, religious icons and all, and then suddenly she is going off on tangent about paying her parents’ tax bill, which is too difficult for them to handle due to rapidly increasing property values). This disjointed nature also doesn’t help with the central plot - Lucia’s quest to reach the Otherside never feels particularly important because the reader never really understands what that *means* in the context of this world. Altair’s constant info-dumping about the world beyond also did more to confuse than clarify.
*Character Development: Unfortunately, I didn’t really care for either Lucia or Altair, so the romance in Florescentia fell flat for me. Lucia comes across as, quite frankly, a spoiled brat. She is rude to service workers, she treats her Particulars like absolute garbage, and she was annoyed with her dead husband’s mother for grieving at his grave site. She also spends much of this book “shrieking” at people, Altair included. Speaking of Altair - he takes the idea of a “broody” MMC way too far and is completely insufferable in the process. Two people being incredibly mean to each other does not an enemies-to-lovers make, and as a result the relationship between Lucia and Altair felt far-fetched. There were also moments of questionable consent in their spicy scenes that did not quite sit right with me.
*Pacing/Writing Style: The pacing is quite brisk at the beginning of the book, but then things start to churn a bit after Dorian’s funeral (about 25% into the book). At that point the central conflict between Lucia and Altair begins in earnest; since the actual details of this conflict don’t feel fully defined (and their relationship is quite abrasive), I had a hard time motivating myself to get through the rest of the book. The writing itself was a bit of a mixed bag; at times it was vividly atmospheric and beautiful, and others it seemed incredibly overwrought. However, the book did end on a heck of a cliffhanger; based on that, some of these issues might not be so prevalent in the next book.
Ultimately, Florescentia was not for me. Even though the ending was intriguing, I will most likely not continue with book two of this duology.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Desperate to get her husband back, Lucia accidentally goes too far with her next ritual and summons an ancient being with power beyond her wildest dreams. Altair, a creature of the stars, is the key to undoing her bad luck and reaching Dorian in the Otherside. However, she soon discovers that Altair has plans of his own - and those plans seem to involve her and her strange abilities. Lucia, always the mistress of her own fortune, now finds herself at the mercy of Altair - and the price for his help may not be one she’s willing to pay.
Florescentia is the first is a new romantasy duology from author I.V. Ophelia. My thoughts on various aspects of the story are given below.
*World-building/Plot: Though the city of Astraea seemed like a fascinating place, there wasn’t enough world-building in the book for it to feel fully-formed. Though I think the idea of an alternative, steam-punk New York is a great concept, that wasn’t what was delivered. Astraea seemed nothing more than a bunch of jumbled together, discordant ideas and “vibes” that made the world incredibly incoherent (for example, one moment the MC is rushing through an explanation of the spiritual world, religious icons and all, and then suddenly she is going off on tangent about paying her parents’ tax bill, which is too difficult for them to handle due to rapidly increasing property values). This disjointed nature also doesn’t help with the central plot - Lucia’s quest to reach the Otherside never feels particularly important because the reader never really understands what that *means* in the context of this world. Altair’s constant info-dumping about the world beyond also did more to confuse than clarify.
*Character Development: Unfortunately, I didn’t really care for either Lucia or Altair, so the romance in Florescentia fell flat for me. Lucia comes across as, quite frankly, a spoiled brat. She is rude to service workers, she treats her Particulars like absolute garbage, and she was annoyed with her dead husband’s mother for grieving at his grave site. She also spends much of this book “shrieking” at people, Altair included. Speaking of Altair - he takes the idea of a “broody” MMC way too far and is completely insufferable in the process. Two people being incredibly mean to each other does not an enemies-to-lovers make, and as a result the relationship between Lucia and Altair felt far-fetched. There were also moments of questionable consent in their spicy scenes that did not quite sit right with me.
*Pacing/Writing Style: The pacing is quite brisk at the beginning of the book, but then things start to churn a bit after Dorian’s funeral (about 25% into the book). At that point the central conflict between Lucia and Altair begins in earnest; since the actual details of this conflict don’t feel fully defined (and their relationship is quite abrasive), I had a hard time motivating myself to get through the rest of the book. The writing itself was a bit of a mixed bag; at times it was vividly atmospheric and beautiful, and others it seemed incredibly overwrought. However, the book did end on a heck of a cliffhanger; based on that, some of these issues might not be so prevalent in the next book.
Ultimately, Florescentia was not for me. Even though the ending was intriguing, I will most likely not continue with book two of this duology.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I just love the way I.V. Ophelia writes a book! the atmosphere and setting are always perfectly done! I didn't know a lot about this book going into it, other than her husband dies and she accidentally summons an entity from the stars - so for the most of the book I actually didn't really know where we would end up 🙈
I really like the bioluminescent and celestial inspired world Ophelia has created, I like how it feels like old times with some modern things in a world the humans have destroyed: is it called steam-punk? idk, I’m not sure I have read a steampunk novel before, but I really enjoyed it 👏🏼
I had no idea how harvesting luck would be done, but it was such a cool concept!🖤 I didn't really know what to think of Altair in the beginning (not because of him being a monster lol), but because I didn't know his motivations, so he really kept me on my toes (in a good way)😂
I did predict some of the twists at the end, but I’m very curious to see where it will go from here and learn more about what we learned in the end 👀
2.5/5 🌶️
thank you to Amazon Publishing for an ARC of this book 🫶🏼 this is my honest review, thoughts and opinions ✨
I really like the bioluminescent and celestial inspired world Ophelia has created, I like how it feels like old times with some modern things in a world the humans have destroyed: is it called steam-punk? idk, I’m not sure I have read a steampunk novel before, but I really enjoyed it 👏🏼
I had no idea how harvesting luck would be done, but it was such a cool concept!🖤 I didn't really know what to think of Altair in the beginning (not because of him being a monster lol), but because I didn't know his motivations, so he really kept me on my toes (in a good way)😂
I did predict some of the twists at the end, but I’m very curious to see where it will go from here and learn more about what we learned in the end 👀
2.5/5 🌶️
thank you to Amazon Publishing for an ARC of this book 🫶🏼 this is my honest review, thoughts and opinions ✨
July 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Florescentia completely pulled me into its hauntingly beautiful world. The gothic atmosphere, unique magic system, and constant sense of mystery made it so easy to get lost in the story. The plot follows Lucia as she’s forced to uncover dangerous secrets, navigate betrayals, and face impossible choices, all while trying to understand the truth behind the mysterious Altair and the world surrounding them.
Lucia was such a strong main character. I loved watching her grow throughout the story, and I found myself just as invested in Altair. Their relationship was complicated, emotional, and full of tension, and I never knew what to expect from either of them. The betrayals, longing, and emotional moments were some of my favorite parts of the book.
The magic system was incredibly unique and honestly one of the biggest highlights for me. It felt fresh and unlike anything I’ve read recently, which is always a huge plus in fantasy.
The only reason this wasn’t a 5-star read for me is that I wanted more. I wish the mystery surrounding Lucia’s father and Altair had been explored a little longer because I think it would’ve made the emotional payoff even stronger. Even so, I finished this book excited for what’s to come next.
If you enjoy gothic fantasy with beautiful worldbuilding, unique magic, emotional tension, betrayal, and morally gray characters, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Florescentia completely pulled me into its hauntingly beautiful world. The gothic atmosphere, unique magic system, and constant sense of mystery made it so easy to get lost in the story. The plot follows Lucia as she’s forced to uncover dangerous secrets, navigate betrayals, and face impossible choices, all while trying to understand the truth behind the mysterious Altair and the world surrounding them.
Lucia was such a strong main character. I loved watching her grow throughout the story, and I found myself just as invested in Altair. Their relationship was complicated, emotional, and full of tension, and I never knew what to expect from either of them. The betrayals, longing, and emotional moments were some of my favorite parts of the book.
The magic system was incredibly unique and honestly one of the biggest highlights for me. It felt fresh and unlike anything I’ve read recently, which is always a huge plus in fantasy.
The only reason this wasn’t a 5-star read for me is that I wanted more. I wish the mystery surrounding Lucia’s father and Altair had been explored a little longer because I think it would’ve made the emotional payoff even stronger. Even so, I finished this book excited for what’s to come next.
If you enjoy gothic fantasy with beautiful worldbuilding, unique magic, emotional tension, betrayal, and morally gray characters, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up. I can’t wait to see where this series goes next.
July 3, 2026
Thank you to Montlake, NetGalley, and the author for this advanced copy. I’m a bit conflicted on this rating because there were some things I really liked and some things I didn’t. For that, I’m going with a 3.5 ⭐️ rounded to 4⭐️.
This book was so unique. I’ve never read anything like it and can’t even fathom trying to summarize it for anyone.
What I liked:
- the FMC Lucia - her personality really came through and I connected to her more than anything else in the book
- the writing was beautiful and ethereal
- the concept was very unique and creative
- the setting and descriptions
- the ending was interesting
What I didn’t like or connect with:
- I liked the twists but some of them were a little easy to predict
- the MMC was interesting but I can’t say I connected with his character or am rooting for him
- while the concept and plot were so unique, they were also so strange and hard to connect with
- the spicy scenes were interesting - not sure if I’m a fan
This book was so unique. I’ve never read anything like it and can’t even fathom trying to summarize it for anyone.
What I liked:
- the FMC Lucia - her personality really came through and I connected to her more than anything else in the book
- the writing was beautiful and ethereal
- the concept was very unique and creative
- the setting and descriptions
- the ending was interesting
What I didn’t like or connect with:
- I liked the twists but some of them were a little easy to predict
- the MMC was interesting but I can’t say I connected with his character or am rooting for him
- while the concept and plot were so unique, they were also so strange and hard to connect with
- the spicy scenes were interesting - not sure if I’m a fan
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m part of I.V Ophelia’s street team. I got to read this book as an ARC. OMG! I love this book so much. The world is so beautiful 😍😍😍. I wanna live there👀🤭😈😈😈. I rate this book 6 stars 💙✨. Put this book on your TBR! I love Lucia and Altair. They are my favorite characters. Altair really reminded me of those stories that I used to hear about Slenderman in real life🙈🙈🙈.
Want to Read
January 23, 2026IM SO READY FOR THIS ONE AAHHH. can't wait for september
September 29, 2026
Please the nightmare, and you’d have safe dreams.
But what if said nightmare is so intent on keeping you in the dark with its intentions, and the only thing for certain is meddling w/ the Otherside can cause unforeseen consequences. Like letting something in that was meant to be kept out.
This was such a unique and interesting story. My intro to monster romance actually. I would describe this as a spooky, gothic, paranormal, steampunk monster romance ( think summonings, tarot, talking to the dead, dealing with shadows, portals to the other side etc. ) Actually perfect for spooky season, as a few chapters in this book definitely had chills run down my spine.
The star of the show for me was definitely Altair. His character stood out to me the most, and had the perfect amount of intrigue & growth to keep me hooked. I am SO curious to find out more about him, as I still only have a general idea of what he is. ( besides being of the cosmos? ) Guys and the things coming out of him lol. Please. I can’t even find the words to describe what was coming out, but the spice was definitely spicing. 😮💨
Lucia on the other hand is going through it. Really going through it lol. I think that she portrayed the ebbs and flows of grief in a realistic way ( as grief isn’t linear ), but I was like damn girl. I mean yeah I’d probably be all over the place too if shit hit the fan, BUT LUCIA LOL. At times I felt like we flew past some parts that needed more page time, and just a teensy bit of whiplash that had me kind of like wait what, but I was along for the ride.
I also started getting vibes in the back half of the book from a certain side character my gut is telling me not to trust.. and that ending??! The ending got me. I’m nosey enough to want to know what happens next lol.
But what if said nightmare is so intent on keeping you in the dark with its intentions, and the only thing for certain is meddling w/ the Otherside can cause unforeseen consequences. Like letting something in that was meant to be kept out.
This was such a unique and interesting story. My intro to monster romance actually. I would describe this as a spooky, gothic, paranormal, steampunk monster romance ( think summonings, tarot, talking to the dead, dealing with shadows, portals to the other side etc. ) Actually perfect for spooky season, as a few chapters in this book definitely had chills run down my spine.
The star of the show for me was definitely Altair. His character stood out to me the most, and had the perfect amount of intrigue & growth to keep me hooked. I am SO curious to find out more about him, as I still only have a general idea of what he is. ( besides being of the cosmos? ) Guys and the things coming out of him lol. Please. I can’t even find the words to describe what was coming out, but the spice was definitely spicing. 😮💨
Lucia on the other hand is going through it. Really going through it lol. I think that she portrayed the ebbs and flows of grief in a realistic way ( as grief isn’t linear ), but I was like damn girl. I mean yeah I’d probably be all over the place too if shit hit the fan, BUT LUCIA LOL. At times I felt like we flew past some parts that needed more page time, and just a teensy bit of whiplash that had me kind of like wait what, but I was along for the ride.
I also started getting vibes in the back half of the book from a certain side character my gut is telling me not to trust.. and that ending??! The ending got me. I’m nosey enough to want to know what happens next lol.
July 27, 2026
thank you Netgalley, I.V. Ophelia, and the publisher for this e-arc!
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1.5 stars
The concept sounded really intriguing, but sadly I got more frustration than enjoyment from this one.
I really didn't gel with the writing style; it read as very wordy with not a lot of payoff. While it had the potential to be beautiful, and I didn't think the world building felt really well fleshed out. A lot of the descriptions and plot seemed very surface level, but the writing still required a lot of my attention to get through and understand, and I still ended up feeling like things were unclear to me and a bit incoherent.
I also really wasn't emotionally invested in any of the characters, and we really didn't get to know any of them that deeply, so I found I didn't care too much about what was happening to them. A lot of the supporting cast seemed like they didn't really have much of a purpose, I can only hope and guess that they maybe play a bigger or more important role in the next book.
I found the main character, Lucia, incredibly unlikeable. She's rude, selfish, and spoiled, and she doesn't seem to care about consequences of her behaviour and how it impacts anyone else. She makes the most random, impulsive decisions even though she's supposed to be incredibly clever and then gets angry at everyone else when things don't work out as she expects. I usually don't mind an unlikeable character, but this was a bit too far for me. While I think she is supposed to be flawed, unfortunately I just didn't find any other more redeeming aspects to her character. Her role as this genius inventor also didn't really seem to go anywhere, and I really didn't understand her motivations for most of the book.
Overall, this just wasn't for me, but I do think this will find its audience and really appeal to a lot of romantasy readers with more appreciation for this particular type of atmospheric tone and writing style.
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC!
The concept sounded really intriguing, but sadly I got more frustration than enjoyment from this one.
I really didn't gel with the writing style; it read as very wordy with not a lot of payoff. While it had the potential to be beautiful, and I didn't think the world building felt really well fleshed out. A lot of the descriptions and plot seemed very surface level, but the writing still required a lot of my attention to get through and understand, and I still ended up feeling like things were unclear to me and a bit incoherent.
I also really wasn't emotionally invested in any of the characters, and we really didn't get to know any of them that deeply, so I found I didn't care too much about what was happening to them. A lot of the supporting cast seemed like they didn't really have much of a purpose, I can only hope and guess that they maybe play a bigger or more important role in the next book.
I found the main character, Lucia, incredibly unlikeable. She's rude, selfish, and spoiled, and she doesn't seem to care about consequences of her behaviour and how it impacts anyone else. She makes the most random, impulsive decisions even though she's supposed to be incredibly clever and then gets angry at everyone else when things don't work out as she expects. I usually don't mind an unlikeable character, but this was a bit too far for me. While I think she is supposed to be flawed, unfortunately I just didn't find any other more redeeming aspects to her character. Her role as this genius inventor also didn't really seem to go anywhere, and I really didn't understand her motivations for most of the book.
Overall, this just wasn't for me, but I do think this will find its audience and really appeal to a lot of romantasy readers with more appreciation for this particular type of atmospheric tone and writing style.
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you’ve ever longed for a cosmic shadow daddy with a shape shifting *ahem* appendage, this one is for you
Beware of the shadows that surround you because you truly never know what kind of being might crawl out of them…. And what they may want.
This was an interesting concept, truly something I haven’t seen before.
I liked the setting and the atmosphere.
I LOVED the mysterious FMC and the broody, morally grey MMC.
If you’ve read IV’s other works (Poisoner & Fruit of the Flesh) I’d say this book is like a mix of the two.
The ending also messed me up so be prepared for some classic IV Ophelia fuckery.
Beware of the shadows that surround you because you truly never know what kind of being might crawl out of them…. And what they may want.
This was an interesting concept, truly something I haven’t seen before.
I liked the setting and the atmosphere.
I LOVED the mysterious FMC and the broody, morally grey MMC.
If you’ve read IV’s other works (Poisoner & Fruit of the Flesh) I’d say this book is like a mix of the two.
The ending also messed me up so be prepared for some classic IV Ophelia fuckery.
September 7, 2026
I think I’m now a monster lover romance because this was mind blowing. The pure imagination was incredible, if you know what I mean.
I’m still unsure how to explain about how I feel about this after finishing because it’s left me confused with my emotions albeit I need the next book as soon as possible. We have our FMC who is an inventor - always trying to find the next best creation however this time, she can see beings or peculiars in this case that others can’t. It was a little sinister and the tension was electrifying. She found a way to another void but unsure what is lurking behind.
The spice was giving in all the best ways even though i didn’t know I would enjoy it as much as I did - it’s insanely creative. As all with Ophelia’s books I’ve read there are darker elements to each and they are all a complete entity on their own which I love. There were similar characteristics with some FMC’s but not hugely.
My only complaint is that I felt quite dumb, not in a bad way but it did feel like a science lesson, but in a good way? It was very interesting but in terms of some descriptions it was hard to understand.
Thank you for the EARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own
I’m still unsure how to explain about how I feel about this after finishing because it’s left me confused with my emotions albeit I need the next book as soon as possible. We have our FMC who is an inventor - always trying to find the next best creation however this time, she can see beings or peculiars in this case that others can’t. It was a little sinister and the tension was electrifying. She found a way to another void but unsure what is lurking behind.
The spice was giving in all the best ways even though i didn’t know I would enjoy it as much as I did - it’s insanely creative. As all with Ophelia’s books I’ve read there are darker elements to each and they are all a complete entity on their own which I love. There were similar characteristics with some FMC’s but not hugely.
My only complaint is that I felt quite dumb, not in a bad way but it did feel like a science lesson, but in a good way? It was very interesting but in terms of some descriptions it was hard to understand.
Thank you for the EARC, all thoughts and opinions are my own
July 10, 2026
Thank you to Montlake and Netgalley for my eARC in return for my honest review.
Infinite stars. The vibes? Absolutely immaculate, from the idea of harvesting luck, the magic system and the dark gothic steam punk setting Florescentia is unlike anything I've read before and the story flowed effortlessly. IV Ophelia hasn't let me down yet.
This story had me griped from the get go and I couldn't put it down. My thoughts were currently buzzing with ideas on what I thought might happen next and every time I was left with my mouth hanging open and I'll be counting down the days until book 2!
Infinite stars. The vibes? Absolutely immaculate, from the idea of harvesting luck, the magic system and the dark gothic steam punk setting Florescentia is unlike anything I've read before and the story flowed effortlessly. IV Ophelia hasn't let me down yet.
This story had me griped from the get go and I couldn't put it down. My thoughts were currently buzzing with ideas on what I thought might happen next and every time I was left with my mouth hanging open and I'll be counting down the days until book 2!
September 2, 2026
I love a gothic fantasy and the writing in this absolutely delivered. I really enjoyed the use of luck and Everie cards as a type of ‘magic’ system, which resembled Tarot cards.
This book balances grief, loss and loneliness with dark, romantic monster romance scenes, unsurprising for an IV Ophelia book! Not me googling what monstera fruit looks like 50% into the book… 😂
I do love Ophelia’s writing and found a few similarities between these new characters, Lucia and Altair, and characters from her other books.
I need the next book now!
This book balances grief, loss and loneliness with dark, romantic monster romance scenes, unsurprising for an IV Ophelia book! Not me googling what monstera fruit looks like 50% into the book… 😂
I do love Ophelia’s writing and found a few similarities between these new characters, Lucia and Altair, and characters from her other books.
I need the next book now!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I savored this book. I.V. took us into a world unlike anything she’s written before, and I was completely here for it. The eldritch horror/monster and his ever-shifting peen had me hooked from the start. 😂 I loved Altair!
Lucia was such an interesting FMC, and I really loved following her through her grief. Her mind was constantly working, and getting to follow her thoughts and unravel her story was so riveting.
I cannot wait for the next book! The ending threw me off completely.
Lucia was such an interesting FMC, and I really loved following her through her grief. Her mind was constantly working, and getting to follow her thoughts and unravel her story was so riveting.
I cannot wait for the next book! The ending threw me off completely.
September 29, 2026
3.5 stars 😭
I really wanted to LOVE this. I love her other books so I thought this would be another one to devour but it wasn’t (for ME)
I personally just didn’t feel a connection with these characters or what was happening- I was just bored throughout it.
Don’t get me wrong the writing it great, the pilot had promise, I just couldn’t get into it :(
I did find the ending intriguing though! I’ll have to keep reading once book two is released!
I really wanted to LOVE this. I love her other books so I thought this would be another one to devour but it wasn’t (for ME)
I personally just didn’t feel a connection with these characters or what was happening- I was just bored throughout it.
Don’t get me wrong the writing it great, the pilot had promise, I just couldn’t get into it :(
I did find the ending intriguing though! I’ll have to keep reading once book two is released!
July 15, 2026
Oh. My. GOD!
This book was absolutely phenomenal. I have never read a book so fast. I’ve been sat on this couch since this morning, and I genuinely can’t believe it’s finally over.
Wow.
This book took me on such a wild ride. First of all, I absolutely adore the way I.V. writes. The whole Victorian gothic world, the depth of the story, it feels so different from everything else on the market that it naturally stands out. It’s genuinely such a breath of fresh air. But Florescentia wasn’t just a breath of fresh air… it was a whole GUST. It completely knocked me out and pulled me in within the first ten pages. I did not see any of that coming. I mean, I just kept gasping!!
Altair… I don’t know if I love you or hate you, but all I know is that the spice had me… blushing, to say the least. It was all so freaking good.
ALSO I’m sorry… THAT ENDING?? I need more!! I need to know what on earth happens next. I’m officially manifesting Book 2.
Thank you so much I.V. for this early copy xx
This book was absolutely phenomenal. I have never read a book so fast. I’ve been sat on this couch since this morning, and I genuinely can’t believe it’s finally over.
Wow.
This book took me on such a wild ride. First of all, I absolutely adore the way I.V. writes. The whole Victorian gothic world, the depth of the story, it feels so different from everything else on the market that it naturally stands out. It’s genuinely such a breath of fresh air. But Florescentia wasn’t just a breath of fresh air… it was a whole GUST. It completely knocked me out and pulled me in within the first ten pages. I did not see any of that coming. I mean, I just kept gasping!!
Altair… I don’t know if I love you or hate you, but all I know is that the spice had me… blushing, to say the least. It was all so freaking good.
ALSO I’m sorry… THAT ENDING?? I need more!! I need to know what on earth happens next. I’m officially manifesting Book 2.
Thank you so much I.V. for this early copy xx
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I could not put this book down! I think it’s safe to say I just love the lyrical writing and beautiful worlds that I.V. Ophelia creates. She is also so great at making me fall for a problematic MMC (main male creature?) and question things about myself but I’m here for it!
Our FMC Lucia is really going through a lot! She’s smart and independent but she is also dealing with guilt and grief. She’s going through the roller coaster of emotions that comes with loss and I feel for her. Really, I’m just a sucker for an emotionally damaging series and this one making me feel all of the emotions! I NEED to learn more about this world and these characters! I can’t wait for Obscuria!
Thank you so much for the ARC!
Our FMC Lucia is really going through a lot! She’s smart and independent but she is also dealing with guilt and grief. She’s going through the roller coaster of emotions that comes with loss and I feel for her. Really, I’m just a sucker for an emotionally damaging series and this one making me feel all of the emotions! I NEED to learn more about this world and these characters! I can’t wait for Obscuria!
Thank you so much for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to the publisher & to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance!
I.V. Ophelia knocked it out of the park with this one, truly. This was an absolutely wild ride in all the best possible ways. A unique look at grief. A unique take on an obsessed MMC. VERY unique spice. Overall just great first installment to a new series. The atmosphere of this book was impeccable. It was a book that truly intrigued all of my senses with how detailed the writing and the world building was. This was great! That cliffhanger was jarring but I am excited for the continuation of this series!
I.V. Ophelia knocked it out of the park with this one, truly. This was an absolutely wild ride in all the best possible ways. A unique look at grief. A unique take on an obsessed MMC. VERY unique spice. Overall just great first installment to a new series. The atmosphere of this book was impeccable. It was a book that truly intrigued all of my senses with how detailed the writing and the world building was. This was great! That cliffhanger was jarring but I am excited for the continuation of this series!
August 28, 2026
HEY WHAT THE FUCK IM CRYING FOR A MAN I DONT WANNA CRY OVER OH MY GOD????????
the amount of gasps, tears and SCREAMING i let out in a 4 day period it took me to read this book. (i didn’t want to stop, it was SO hard too but work made me smh)
the world building? IMMACULATE. i’ve never finished a book and have sat and truly wanted to live in the world that has been created.
anyways, this is freak nasty. like freak nasty™️. plz read all the warnings.
I.V. thank you for this ARC and thank you a million times over for shattering my soul and putting it together again! i can not wait for book 2!!!
the amount of gasps, tears and SCREAMING i let out in a 4 day period it took me to read this book. (i didn’t want to stop, it was SO hard too but work made me smh)
the world building? IMMACULATE. i’ve never finished a book and have sat and truly wanted to live in the world that has been created.
anyways, this is freak nasty. like freak nasty™️. plz read all the warnings.
I.V. thank you for this ARC and thank you a million times over for shattering my soul and putting it together again! i can not wait for book 2!!!
August 18, 2026
Oh my gosh! First off I just have to say this story is beautiful!! This has a unique and beautiful way of describing grief and heartache!
Second, this book embraces uniqueness above all! Including in the spice department.
Third, thanks to the ending I am now staring at a wall hoping that some magical creature will come through obsessed with me! Thank you, and I will be sending I.V. Ophelia my therapy bills!
Second, this book embraces uniqueness above all! Including in the spice department.
Third, thanks to the ending I am now staring at a wall hoping that some magical creature will come through obsessed with me! Thank you, and I will be sending I.V. Ophelia my therapy bills!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I finished this three days ago and I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about it.
I really liked the world the author created for this story. Steampunk and gothic-y, but also magical and somewhat dystopian... it all played really well together. The descriptive nature of the authors voice played a large part in making everything cohesive. Altair is a fascinating being, and again, the descriptions from the author made an amorphous and complicated character make sense in each form he took on. He's clearly manipulative and reacts in ways that are unexpected, and I'm so curious to learn more about him in the future.
While the imagery was a highlight, I did have plenty of struggles with the story itself. Lucia was a challenge for me, and while I understand that her story had her facing a lot of change and grief, I felt like I never quite understood who she was. Up until the death of her husband I believed I had it - an independent and strong-willed inventor who loved her best friend of a husband. But after his death, some of her actions - especially in regards to Altair - felt out of character. Did she actually care for Dorian? Is this denial? I don't know and every time I thought I might have had a clue, it slipped through my fingers. I'm not sure if it was because of this or pacing that the middle of the book felt a bit bogged down and hard to get through.
I somehow missed that this was book one in a duology, so I had that fun experience of realizing there were not nearly enough pages left for the story to reach a final conclusion. So while there wasn't too harsh of a cliffhanger (it really felt like an intermission in a play), it still left me wanting more. So even though aspects of this didn't quite piece together for me, I'm very much still invested in how the rest plays out and will be on the lookout for book two. And who knows, maybe some of the inconsistencies and things I struggled with will be explained. ⭐3.5 Stars⭐
Thanks to Montlake for providing an ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I really liked the world the author created for this story. Steampunk and gothic-y, but also magical and somewhat dystopian... it all played really well together. The descriptive nature of the authors voice played a large part in making everything cohesive. Altair is a fascinating being, and again, the descriptions from the author made an amorphous and complicated character make sense in each form he took on. He's clearly manipulative and reacts in ways that are unexpected, and I'm so curious to learn more about him in the future.
While the imagery was a highlight, I did have plenty of struggles with the story itself. Lucia was a challenge for me, and while I understand that her story had her facing a lot of change and grief, I felt like I never quite understood who she was. Up until the death of her husband I believed I had it - an independent and strong-willed inventor who loved her best friend of a husband. But after his death, some of her actions - especially in regards to Altair - felt out of character. Did she actually care for Dorian? Is this denial? I don't know and every time I thought I might have had a clue, it slipped through my fingers. I'm not sure if it was because of this or pacing that the middle of the book felt a bit bogged down and hard to get through.
I somehow missed that this was book one in a duology, so I had that fun experience of realizing there were not nearly enough pages left for the story to reach a final conclusion. So while there wasn't too harsh of a cliffhanger (it really felt like an intermission in a play), it still left me wanting more. So even though aspects of this didn't quite piece together for me, I'm very much still invested in how the rest plays out and will be on the lookout for book two. And who knows, maybe some of the inconsistencies and things I struggled with will be explained. ⭐3.5 Stars⭐
Thanks to Montlake for providing an ARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF @ 37%
unfortunately I am not connecting with the FMC which has made this difficult to pick up. it seems she loves her husband but doesn’t at the same time based on her first scene with the otherside. then when he dies, she doesn’t seem to grieve? I know grieving looks different for many but it doesn’t add up to me. by not connecting with the FMC it’s making it difficult for me to care what happens to her.
I appreciate this story has a character with vitiligo representation because I don’t think I’ve read a book with this before!
I know theoretically which time period this is set in based on the tropes promoted, but it doesn’t seem to resonate through this book. I thought I’d be more intrigued by the premise, but the plot isn’t pulling me in and it’s super slow paced. I know there is more to come with the magic or whatever it is, but I’m not finding enough interest to figure out how it all plays out.
thanks to montlake and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
unfortunately I am not connecting with the FMC which has made this difficult to pick up. it seems she loves her husband but doesn’t at the same time based on her first scene with the otherside. then when he dies, she doesn’t seem to grieve? I know grieving looks different for many but it doesn’t add up to me. by not connecting with the FMC it’s making it difficult for me to care what happens to her.
I appreciate this story has a character with vitiligo representation because I don’t think I’ve read a book with this before!
I know theoretically which time period this is set in based on the tropes promoted, but it doesn’t seem to resonate through this book. I thought I’d be more intrigued by the premise, but the plot isn’t pulling me in and it’s super slow paced. I know there is more to come with the magic or whatever it is, but I’m not finding enough interest to figure out how it all plays out.
thanks to montlake and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2026
IV Ophelia has done it once again and this time she had me in my feelings more than I would like.
The grief in this novel is like a weighted blanket around your shoulders, ever present and somehow comforting in a morbid sense. The loss she feels on page and is preparing to feel pulled at my heart strings in a way that I am unfortunately accustomed to after losing a few loved ones of my own.
Lucia has always been different and is marked so outwardly by the star shaped vitiligo on her skin. She has figured out a way to harvest luck with a little help from her ‘peculiars’ (little shadow pets) from the Otherside. While her husband is away on a hopeful business trip, Lucia decides to harvest a bit more luck but ends up letting something monstrous in instead. Unlike others, this one doesn’t seem to want to eat her, but he does wish to keep her. Lucia’s curiosity proves to have an appetite of its own and leads her down a path she may not be able to come back from.
Beautifully written, Florescentia had me feeling a sense of nostalgia for places and people I’ve never known.
Absolutely well done. Cannot wait for the sequel.
The grief in this novel is like a weighted blanket around your shoulders, ever present and somehow comforting in a morbid sense. The loss she feels on page and is preparing to feel pulled at my heart strings in a way that I am unfortunately accustomed to after losing a few loved ones of my own.
Lucia has always been different and is marked so outwardly by the star shaped vitiligo on her skin. She has figured out a way to harvest luck with a little help from her ‘peculiars’ (little shadow pets) from the Otherside. While her husband is away on a hopeful business trip, Lucia decides to harvest a bit more luck but ends up letting something monstrous in instead. Unlike others, this one doesn’t seem to want to eat her, but he does wish to keep her. Lucia’s curiosity proves to have an appetite of its own and leads her down a path she may not be able to come back from.
Beautifully written, Florescentia had me feeling a sense of nostalgia for places and people I’ve never known.
Absolutely well done. Cannot wait for the sequel.
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