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Our Dark Incantations
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26In this achingly romantic dark academia fantasy a young woman must embrace Dark Magic and an alliance with a deadly Wielder to fight a powerful threat cloaked in shadow.
After the war, ex-healer Mira Winters swore she’d never touch magic again. And yet here she is attending the newly reopened Ivercrest University, enrolled in the wrong magic department, paired up with the absolute wrong partner—the infuriating Aidric Dawson.
Instead of learning how to make a potion strong enough to heal her incurable scar, Mira attends demonology lessons, casts deadly spells…and is accidentally dragged into a murder investigation on campus—one with devastating ripples that bleed into the magical world far beyond the university.
Even more devastating? Aidric Dawson. Rumored to have been a high-ranking soldier during the war, the lethal Wielder is arrogant, aristocratic, and shrouded in secrets…but with his own wounds from the war, he may also be the only one who truly understands Mira.
A labyrinth of clues pulls Mira and Aidric deep into a sinister plot hiding in the shadows of magical society, threatening war once more. Can the two enemies work together without losing their hearts—or their lives—in the process?
After the war, ex-healer Mira Winters swore she’d never touch magic again. And yet here she is attending the newly reopened Ivercrest University, enrolled in the wrong magic department, paired up with the absolute wrong partner—the infuriating Aidric Dawson.
Instead of learning how to make a potion strong enough to heal her incurable scar, Mira attends demonology lessons, casts deadly spells…and is accidentally dragged into a murder investigation on campus—one with devastating ripples that bleed into the magical world far beyond the university.
Even more devastating? Aidric Dawson. Rumored to have been a high-ranking soldier during the war, the lethal Wielder is arrogant, aristocratic, and shrouded in secrets…but with his own wounds from the war, he may also be the only one who truly understands Mira.
A labyrinth of clues pulls Mira and Aidric deep into a sinister plot hiding in the shadows of magical society, threatening war once more. Can the two enemies work together without losing their hearts—or their lives—in the process?
528 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
Wanda Hellmund
2 books68 followersWanda Hellmund grew up in Germany with a penchant for storytelling and a love for scary books. She wrote her first murder-mystery in fourth grade and hasn’t stopped writing since.
After studying politics in London, she moved to New York where she earned her master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University.
She lives in Southern California with her husband and their rescue dog (who is whatever breed you want her to be).
When she isn’t immersed in a fantasy book, you can find her watching horror movies and drinking copious amounts of coffee.
After studying politics in London, she moved to New York where she earned her master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University.
She lives in Southern California with her husband and their rescue dog (who is whatever breed you want her to be).
When she isn’t immersed in a fantasy book, you can find her watching horror movies and drinking copious amounts of coffee.
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Want to Read
May 16, 2026Sometimes I just pick up books based on the covers and this one caught my eye!
Two enemies begin working together in the shadows of a magical society to fight something sinister that is lurking around the university. She's a healer, he's a deadly wielder and together they must fight a powerful threat. He is infuriating, arrogant, shrouded in secrets but yet he's the only one who truly understands her.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group/Ace and the author, Wanda Hellmund for an early copy!
Publication date: October 20, 2026
Two enemies begin working together in the shadows of a magical society to fight something sinister that is lurking around the university. She's a healer, he's a deadly wielder and together they must fight a powerful threat. He is infuriating, arrogant, shrouded in secrets but yet he's the only one who truly understands her.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group/Ace and the author, Wanda Hellmund for an early copy!
Publication date: October 20, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Our Dark Incantations was nearly an infinity star read for me! I was gulping this story down so quickly; I was simultaneously excited to experience what was to come next and sad that I was getting closer to the end.
My short version of how I would summarize this book, giving no spoilers: this story is explosive, heartbreaking, effortlessly funny, toe curling sexy, and the last 11 Chapters halt what should have been a beautiful goodbye to this world. Up to the 79% (Chapter 45) mark, this was hands down an Infinity-Star-Obsessed-With-This-Book. But, those last 11 Chapters are a 2 Star. They felt like planning notes/ideas that got thrown in for whatever reason and was like a rockslide blocking the path to success that was in reach.
My long version:
-I absolutely loved Mira Winters! From Chapter 1, she immediately made my heart ache and I wanted to walk up to her to become friends. She was extremely relatable.
-Aidric Dawson. I am a sucker for this type of character. Suffering in silence, resilient, deadly, will defend what he loves, and be extremely selective on who he allows to get close to him. I loved how wicked he was. Aidric Dawson was a charming devil that I fell in love with.
-The Spheres and Gates were so cool!
-Coin Travel. Loved that! It actually went right over my head in the beginning and then I understood and thought that this was so much fun.
-Contraceptive spell. Convenient and genius. Loved it.
-Plague Doctor Mask. 1 million percent I want to read this more in books. I freaking loved it!
-Mira's anxiety was done really well. As someone who lives with anxiety, I felt a lot of her panic scenes and overthinking scenes myself.
-Amelia Montgomery. She was iconic. I loved her. I wished she had a lot more "screen time", especially over Ella. I felt that Amelia served a purpose in Mira's life.
-The banter was genuinely funny and oozed sexual tension. I loved it!
There were some INCREDIBLE, chest clutching quotes that I want to carry with me. I can't list them all, as some will be spoilers...but here are just a few that I loved:
Nothing about it was warm or inviting, but she supposed that was the point of it all.
"Say it again. From your lips, it sounds like sin."
He was much gentler with her than she had ever been with herself.
"She simply doesn't understand you anymore. She's trying to help someone who is drowning by giving them more water. And she doesn't even notice it. But I do. I see you drowning."
She wanted all of his sins and to make them her own...
"I guess fine is the wrong word. I'm never fine. I'm alive. Made it another day."
"I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness."
"...Please. Don't go where I can't follow."
"...I told the stars about you."
Things that I think need revisions (without being spoilery):
-Mira's hair. It wasn't initially described, but it popped up here and there throughout the story. And when it did, with a _____ descriptive word, I was left wondering why it mattered by that point. I am a Harry Potter Universe fan and am also familiar with FanFiction...so for me, I knew why the random hair descriptors were there. But, if I didn't have this prior knowledge, then I would have probably found it extremely odd that Mira was randomly complaining about her hair.
-Ella: I didn't think she served any other purpose than The-Friend-Who-Invites-Mira-To-Things. I loved that Ella was a friend before Mira changed. But, I think it was clear that they didn't fit anymore as Mira currently was.
-Evren: I felt he was too faded into the background. He was introduced and then I didn't get nearly as much time with him as I would have liked. I would have loved for him and Rylan to have been in more scenes together sooner, with the rest of the wielder group.
-Scion: I was really confused with the authors use of this word. It was used as 1) in reference to Aidric. And 2) a place that Mira had graduated from.
-Kane Harrington: I personally, and strongly, suggest this name being reworked. I think it's a bit too closely sounding to another MMC that I read, that also started off as a HP FanFiction.
-Epilogue: I felt like Mira was off. I didn't like the pop up of a new character. And I felt that Aidric's character was handed too similar a fate as I mentioned above with the hinted at HP FanFiction that was made into an original piece of work through TradPub.
-Climax: I was expecting A LOT more. An error I do not enjoy in books, is when characters are in the middle of battle and they seem to have the time for a lengthy conversation. Enemies are closing in, my adrenaline is pumping, and then the characters just decide to have a sidebar. I think an easy remedy for this would be to edit out some earlier chapters (that could afford to be cut) and add in some battle planning/training so that when the big scene comes up, we as readers already know that this was something the characters prepared for.
-Rakkiyah and Zhardak: Zhardak didn't really serve much of a purpose, as much as I thought he probably should have. Rakkiyah was the weighted presence and that surprised me. In the back of my mind, I kept waiting for Zhardak to have this jaw dropping addition to the story.
-The scar: I was genuinely confused at the importance of this goal. At one point it was the main goal, then it kind of got shelved, then it was cast off as not important, then it was again of importance. I felt a lot of whiplash with this element in the story. It did have relevance to the final chapters, but I don't think that was necessary; especially if the author went a different way with those chapters.
-I was hoping for more huzzah with the Primemage Corvin and Mira scene in his office.
I am debating between a 3, 3.5, and 4 Star rating....I loved so much but, there is a lot to be edited and reworked in my opinion. I am curious if this book will get similar notes from other ARC readers and if there will be any revisions. If in the small chance that that happens, I would love to do a reread and give an updated review!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, NetGalley, and the Author for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy.
My short version of how I would summarize this book, giving no spoilers: this story is explosive, heartbreaking, effortlessly funny, toe curling sexy, and the last 11 Chapters halt what should have been a beautiful goodbye to this world. Up to the 79% (Chapter 45) mark, this was hands down an Infinity-Star-Obsessed-With-This-Book. But, those last 11 Chapters are a 2 Star. They felt like planning notes/ideas that got thrown in for whatever reason and was like a rockslide blocking the path to success that was in reach.
My long version:
-I absolutely loved Mira Winters! From Chapter 1, she immediately made my heart ache and I wanted to walk up to her to become friends. She was extremely relatable.
-Aidric Dawson. I am a sucker for this type of character. Suffering in silence, resilient, deadly, will defend what he loves, and be extremely selective on who he allows to get close to him. I loved how wicked he was. Aidric Dawson was a charming devil that I fell in love with.
-The Spheres and Gates were so cool!
-Coin Travel. Loved that! It actually went right over my head in the beginning and then I understood and thought that this was so much fun.
-Contraceptive spell. Convenient and genius. Loved it.
-Plague Doctor Mask. 1 million percent I want to read this more in books. I freaking loved it!
-Mira's anxiety was done really well. As someone who lives with anxiety, I felt a lot of her panic scenes and overthinking scenes myself.
-Amelia Montgomery. She was iconic. I loved her. I wished she had a lot more "screen time", especially over Ella. I felt that Amelia served a purpose in Mira's life.
-The banter was genuinely funny and oozed sexual tension. I loved it!
There were some INCREDIBLE, chest clutching quotes that I want to carry with me. I can't list them all, as some will be spoilers...but here are just a few that I loved:
Nothing about it was warm or inviting, but she supposed that was the point of it all.
"Say it again. From your lips, it sounds like sin."
He was much gentler with her than she had ever been with herself.
"She simply doesn't understand you anymore. She's trying to help someone who is drowning by giving them more water. And she doesn't even notice it. But I do. I see you drowning."
She wanted all of his sins and to make them her own...
"I guess fine is the wrong word. I'm never fine. I'm alive. Made it another day."
"I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness."
"...Please. Don't go where I can't follow."
"...I told the stars about you."
Things that I think need revisions (without being spoilery):
-Mira's hair. It wasn't initially described, but it popped up here and there throughout the story. And when it did, with a _____ descriptive word, I was left wondering why it mattered by that point. I am a Harry Potter Universe fan and am also familiar with FanFiction...so for me, I knew why the random hair descriptors were there. But, if I didn't have this prior knowledge, then I would have probably found it extremely odd that Mira was randomly complaining about her hair.
-Ella: I didn't think she served any other purpose than The-Friend-Who-Invites-Mira-To-Things. I loved that Ella was a friend before Mira changed. But, I think it was clear that they didn't fit anymore as Mira currently was.
-Evren: I felt he was too faded into the background. He was introduced and then I didn't get nearly as much time with him as I would have liked. I would have loved for him and Rylan to have been in more scenes together sooner, with the rest of the wielder group.
-Scion: I was really confused with the authors use of this word. It was used as 1) in reference to Aidric. And 2) a place that Mira had graduated from.
-Kane Harrington: I personally, and strongly, suggest this name being reworked. I think it's a bit too closely sounding to another MMC that I read, that also started off as a HP FanFiction.
-Epilogue: I felt like Mira was off. I didn't like the pop up of a new character. And I felt that Aidric's character was handed too similar a fate as I mentioned above with the hinted at HP FanFiction that was made into an original piece of work through TradPub.
-Climax: I was expecting A LOT more. An error I do not enjoy in books, is when characters are in the middle of battle and they seem to have the time for a lengthy conversation. Enemies are closing in, my adrenaline is pumping, and then the characters just decide to have a sidebar. I think an easy remedy for this would be to edit out some earlier chapters (that could afford to be cut) and add in some battle planning/training so that when the big scene comes up, we as readers already know that this was something the characters prepared for.
-Rakkiyah and Zhardak: Zhardak didn't really serve much of a purpose, as much as I thought he probably should have. Rakkiyah was the weighted presence and that surprised me. In the back of my mind, I kept waiting for Zhardak to have this jaw dropping addition to the story.
-The scar: I was genuinely confused at the importance of this goal. At one point it was the main goal, then it kind of got shelved, then it was cast off as not important, then it was again of importance. I felt a lot of whiplash with this element in the story. It did have relevance to the final chapters, but I don't think that was necessary; especially if the author went a different way with those chapters.
-I was hoping for more huzzah with the Primemage Corvin and Mira scene in his office.
I am debating between a 3, 3.5, and 4 Star rating....I loved so much but, there is a lot to be edited and reworked in my opinion. I am curious if this book will get similar notes from other ARC readers and if there will be any revisions. If in the small chance that that happens, I would love to do a reread and give an updated review!
Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group, Ace, NetGalley, and the Author for providing me with a digital advanced reading copy.
June 3, 2026
I feel very conflicted on this one because I did actually really enjoy it. Wanda Hellmund has a knack for writing an engaging story. This novel very much stands on it's own when it's compared to the fanfic it was based on (although, the cover is a dead giveaway - not sure how I feel about that).
This book is over 500 pages long so it's unsurprising that my main critique is that it felt far too long. The last 15% of the novel felt really unnecessary. There was a point int he plot where the book felt like it had come to a definitive end but then it just kept on going. Without that 'twist', I think this book would've been a 4 star read for me.
The book itself moved at a good pace otherwise. The friendships were strong and interesting, the ptsd storyline worked well and the magic system made sense for the most part (it got a little iffy when it came to potions, especially towards the end but I could overlook it because everything else was mostly working). Giving credit where credit is due, this book is one of the most successful of it's fanfic-turned-fantasy predecessors at reworking a magic system in a way that allows the spirit of the plot to remain without the magical elements feeling shoehorned in,
Overall, I enjoyed this, particularly the first 70%. This debut proved that Hellmund has immense talent and I can’t wait to read whatever they come out with next. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc. 3.25 stars.
This book is over 500 pages long so it's unsurprising that my main critique is that it felt far too long. The last 15% of the novel felt really unnecessary. There was a point int he plot where the book felt like it had come to a definitive end but then it just kept on going. Without that 'twist', I think this book would've been a 4 star read for me.
The book itself moved at a good pace otherwise. The friendships were strong and interesting, the ptsd storyline worked well and the magic system made sense for the most part (it got a little iffy when it came to potions, especially towards the end but I could overlook it because everything else was mostly working). Giving credit where credit is due, this book is one of the most successful of it's fanfic-turned-fantasy predecessors at reworking a magic system in a way that allows the spirit of the plot to remain without the magical elements feeling shoehorned in,
Overall, I enjoyed this, particularly the first 70%. This debut proved that Hellmund has immense talent and I can’t wait to read whatever they come out with next. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this e-arc. 3.25 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
this hasn’t even been published yet and I’m already on my third re-read. this book is, in fact, my entire brand. please refer to me as Ash OurDarkIncantations from here on out.
Our Dark Incantations is truly THE PERFECT dark academia fantasy romance.
I’ll never move on. never recover.
“SAY THE WORD, WINTERS. FOR YOU, I’LL BREAK EVERY F*CKING RULE THERE IS.”
I need every edition, every special edition, every international copy, every version that has ever existed or will ever exist. I beg everyone to read this masterpiece so we can ride this high together 🖤🖤🖤
_______
He was her damnation.
Her affliction.
Dawson is my ideal mmc: silver-white hair, broody, powerful, arrogant, observant, jealous, possessive, and a bit of a bully
and Winters is my ideal fmc: intelligent, tortured, sad, but still has the gall to put Dawson in his place.
full review to come. I need a minute to gather my thoughts (and unpack some extremely intense biases considering the original iteration is literally my favorite story of all time 😅)
Thanks Headline Eternal for the GORGEOUS proof.
________
eARC acquired!! I’m fully prepared for this to be the best story I’ve ever read 🖤
________
I won’t know peace until an ARC of this book is in my hands 😩🤞🏼
Our Dark Incantations is truly THE PERFECT dark academia fantasy romance.
I’ll never move on. never recover.
“SAY THE WORD, WINTERS. FOR YOU, I’LL BREAK EVERY F*CKING RULE THERE IS.”
I need every edition, every special edition, every international copy, every version that has ever existed or will ever exist. I beg everyone to read this masterpiece so we can ride this high together 🖤🖤🖤
_______
He was her damnation.
Her affliction.
Dawson is my ideal mmc: silver-white hair, broody, powerful, arrogant, observant, jealous, possessive, and a bit of a bully
and Winters is my ideal fmc: intelligent, tortured, sad, but still has the gall to put Dawson in his place.
full review to come. I need a minute to gather my thoughts (and unpack some extremely intense biases considering the original iteration is literally my favorite story of all time 😅)
Thanks Headline Eternal for the GORGEOUS proof.
________
eARC acquired!! I’m fully prepared for this to be the best story I’ve ever read 🖤
________
I won’t know peace until an ARC of this book is in my hands 😩🤞🏼
Want to Read
February 26, 2026I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE! dhr girlies here we go
Want to Read
February 18, 2026AM I THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY THEY WANT TO READ THIS? * GIGGLES IN MANIA *
June 9, 2026
"Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you" yep that still hits
May 17, 2026
Our Dark Incantations
Thanks Berkley for the e-arc!
I wish this would have been a hit for me, I really expected it to be and am sadly disappointed.
Our Dark Incantations is a dark academia romantasy standalone about Mira Winters, a former healer with PTSD, who must embrace dark magic at a magical university in the aftermath of a war. She teams up with the captivating Wielder, Aidric Dawson, to solve a suspicious murder and unveil a sinister conspiracy.
Unfortunately this fell very flat for me. the world building and magic system felt underdeveloped imo and the characters motivations made little sense outside or Mira’s (and even then she made a LOT of extremely questionable choices.) It was very TELL instead of SHOW and some characterization choices had no explanation within the story and felt like we should just accept it bc that’s how these characters are portrayed in this novels former life.
The romance had its moments but again, I felt like I was being told to care about their relationship instead of being shown why I should. Same thing with the supporting characters, at one point we’re literally told that Mira and another character have become “good friends” but it’s the readers first time seeing them interact outside of their initial meeting.
Fans of the original work will likely love this, as it follows the original almost beat for beat, so there’s definitely an audience for it. It just didn’t quite work for me and I would have loved to see this get another pass through editing to make it more cohesive as a standalone trad pub.
2.5 ⭐️ but the half star is only cause it got me at the end and I cried.
Thanks Berkley for the e-arc!
I wish this would have been a hit for me, I really expected it to be and am sadly disappointed.
Our Dark Incantations is a dark academia romantasy standalone about Mira Winters, a former healer with PTSD, who must embrace dark magic at a magical university in the aftermath of a war. She teams up with the captivating Wielder, Aidric Dawson, to solve a suspicious murder and unveil a sinister conspiracy.
Unfortunately this fell very flat for me. the world building and magic system felt underdeveloped imo and the characters motivations made little sense outside or Mira’s (and even then she made a LOT of extremely questionable choices.) It was very TELL instead of SHOW and some characterization choices had no explanation within the story and felt like we should just accept it bc that’s how these characters are portrayed in this novels former life.
The romance had its moments but again, I felt like I was being told to care about their relationship instead of being shown why I should. Same thing with the supporting characters, at one point we’re literally told that Mira and another character have become “good friends” but it’s the readers first time seeing them interact outside of their initial meeting.
Fans of the original work will likely love this, as it follows the original almost beat for beat, so there’s definitely an audience for it. It just didn’t quite work for me and I would have loved to see this get another pass through editing to make it more cohesive as a standalone trad pub.
2.5 ⭐️ but the half star is only cause it got me at the end and I cried.
June 19, 2026
first half was 4 stars but it started to lose me when so much random shit started happening 😭
thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! full review to come
thank you to NetGalley for the ARC! full review to come
June 16, 2026
Star rating: 4.25 🌟
Spice rating: 3 🥵🔥
Thank you so much to ACE for providing me this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you.”
OH MY FUCKING HEART 😫🥲 I fear I will never get over this one because I did indeed finish this over a week ago and it has not left my mind since. I went into with extremely HIGH expectations, since I loved and adored the fanfic, but this adaptation… WAS EVERYTHING 🫠 it was perfect in every single way. I loved the way that the story was its own slice of magic, while also maintaining pieces of the original magic the fanfic held.
And Aidric… welcome to my exclusive list of book boyfriends I would simp over 🫠 BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU THIS MAN… the general public is going to go crazy for him when this is released… I can already see it and I’m telling you all now HE IS MINE 🤨 DIBS 🤚🏻
Our Dark Incantations is a standalone, but I honestly sorta wish they maybe cut this story into two books and crafted it into a duology… because that plot twist at like 60% was CRIMINAL and imagining that as a cliffhanger… that would have ruined my life/sanity in the best way possible. I felt like there were little moments, especially towards the end that so many things happened at once or back to back that could have been stretched out more evenly if given the chance of being a duology instead of a standalone (since she was trying to wrap it up in a singular book). That is quite literally my ONLY critique.
This is releasing on October 20th, and is a MUST READ… but please read trigger warnings and be prepared to maybe shed a tear or two 🤭🖤
For more bookish content and reviews, please consider giving my bookstagram a follow💕
https://www.instagram.com/lovinmyshelf
Spice rating: 3 🥵🔥
Thank you so much to ACE for providing me this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you.”
OH MY FUCKING HEART 😫🥲 I fear I will never get over this one because I did indeed finish this over a week ago and it has not left my mind since. I went into with extremely HIGH expectations, since I loved and adored the fanfic, but this adaptation… WAS EVERYTHING 🫠 it was perfect in every single way. I loved the way that the story was its own slice of magic, while also maintaining pieces of the original magic the fanfic held.
And Aidric… welcome to my exclusive list of book boyfriends I would simp over 🫠 BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU THIS MAN… the general public is going to go crazy for him when this is released… I can already see it and I’m telling you all now HE IS MINE 🤨 DIBS 🤚🏻
Our Dark Incantations is a standalone, but I honestly sorta wish they maybe cut this story into two books and crafted it into a duology… because that plot twist at like 60% was CRIMINAL and imagining that as a cliffhanger… that would have ruined my life/sanity in the best way possible. I felt like there were little moments, especially towards the end that so many things happened at once or back to back that could have been stretched out more evenly if given the chance of being a duology instead of a standalone (since she was trying to wrap it up in a singular book). That is quite literally my ONLY critique.
This is releasing on October 20th, and is a MUST READ… but please read trigger warnings and be prepared to maybe shed a tear or two 🤭🖤
For more bookish content and reviews, please consider giving my bookstagram a follow💕
https://www.instagram.com/lovinmyshelf
June 10, 2026
3.5 rounded up
Thank you edelweiss for the eARC
RTC
I did not read the AO3 version before it got taken down so my opinion is just this version alone.
While I did enjoy reading the first half read very YA and then the scenes got New Adult but the writing throughout still felt on the YA side.
I thought that Mira was a little bland but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story I have noticed in fanfics of the dramione stories that the "Hermione" character is rather bland.
I do always enjoy the brooding and dark and mystery of the "Draco" character and Dawson is that. And I'm okay with it ;)
The plot was good I will say the first 40% nothing really happened. I'm more of a action girl.
But all in all it was a good read and I think people who liked Alchemised but want something not as dark and depressing would like this.
Thank you edelweiss for the eARC
RTC
I did not read the AO3 version before it got taken down so my opinion is just this version alone.
While I did enjoy reading the first half read very YA and then the scenes got New Adult but the writing throughout still felt on the YA side.
I thought that Mira was a little bland but that didn't stop me from enjoying the story I have noticed in fanfics of the dramione stories that the "Hermione" character is rather bland.
I do always enjoy the brooding and dark and mystery of the "Draco" character and Dawson is that. And I'm okay with it ;)
The plot was good I will say the first 40% nothing really happened. I'm more of a action girl.
But all in all it was a good read and I think people who liked Alchemised but want something not as dark and depressing would like this.
May 22, 2026
Our Dark Incantations is a gothic magical mystery with a romance that will leave you begging for more.
Hellmund creates a vivid world of white and dark magic, dark academia, and a male main character that is very much morally grey.
Let’s start with the plot: Mira decides to head to Ivercrest to research a cure for her scar that burns her and creates nightmares. When she gets there she knows she’ll be placed in the white magic department, until she’s not and she’s dragged into dark magic and there is no way back. To help train her new magic she gets paired up with Aidric Dawson (yes our beautiful silver haired snotty rich boy.) While training with him she gets entangled in a mystery Aidric and her Highmage teacher is trying to solve. Full of action, adventure, some amazing spice, the plot is plotting.
The world build and magic system: I like how easy this world was. It wasn’t super involved. I didn’t have to make a flow chart. It was all very digestible and enjoyable. The land is made up of different spheres (I visualize like islands,) and you can jump through magical gates to get from one to the next. They have a coin that can make them fast travel.
The world is filled with white magic (defensive) and dark (offensive.) White is natural so it’s unlimited. Dark is not so it takes a toll on the caster and leaves small residual dark magic behind. The school system is your typical college style.
The romance: I love this style of romance. It’s snarky banter with smirking and teasing. It wasn’t insta lust, they fell for each other while working on a mystery. I would say this isn’t really enemies to lovers maybe more rivals to lovers? The spice is so good y’all. The passion is some of the best I’ve read.
“She wanted his jealousy. His wrath. His lust. She wanted all of his sins and to make them her own, wanted to taste them on his lips just as fiercely as she felt them in her heart.”
Um swoon!
“Let the world burn. I’ll gladly walk on its ashes if it means you’re alive.”
These two are fire and I love them.
Some small things: Aidric sometimes seemed like an over powered super hero (or villian however you want to look at it.) He was always there somehow saving our heroine. He was magical assassin with kick ass fighting moves too.
The ending, I won’t spoil it but I didn’t love what he did and not sure how trusting I would be afterwards. The ending was also a little longer than I expected. The main conflict wound down and we were only at 86%. Did I know what was coming yes, but I feel like it could have been shortened a little.
Everything seemed a little too tidy. All things just seemed like it was magically solved easily even after thousands of people tried a millions times to do the same thing.
But anyway, these were just very small things and they weren’t bothersome just there.
4.25/5 stars!
All in all I loved this book. Wanda Hellmund did a fantastic job and everyone should definitely read this book when it publishes in October.
A huge thank you to Headline Books and NetGalley for the arc!!!
Hellmund creates a vivid world of white and dark magic, dark academia, and a male main character that is very much morally grey.
Let’s start with the plot: Mira decides to head to Ivercrest to research a cure for her scar that burns her and creates nightmares. When she gets there she knows she’ll be placed in the white magic department, until she’s not and she’s dragged into dark magic and there is no way back. To help train her new magic she gets paired up with Aidric Dawson (yes our beautiful silver haired snotty rich boy.) While training with him she gets entangled in a mystery Aidric and her Highmage teacher is trying to solve. Full of action, adventure, some amazing spice, the plot is plotting.
The world build and magic system: I like how easy this world was. It wasn’t super involved. I didn’t have to make a flow chart. It was all very digestible and enjoyable. The land is made up of different spheres (I visualize like islands,) and you can jump through magical gates to get from one to the next. They have a coin that can make them fast travel.
The world is filled with white magic (defensive) and dark (offensive.) White is natural so it’s unlimited. Dark is not so it takes a toll on the caster and leaves small residual dark magic behind. The school system is your typical college style.
The romance: I love this style of romance. It’s snarky banter with smirking and teasing. It wasn’t insta lust, they fell for each other while working on a mystery. I would say this isn’t really enemies to lovers maybe more rivals to lovers? The spice is so good y’all. The passion is some of the best I’ve read.
“She wanted his jealousy. His wrath. His lust. She wanted all of his sins and to make them her own, wanted to taste them on his lips just as fiercely as she felt them in her heart.”
Um swoon!
“Let the world burn. I’ll gladly walk on its ashes if it means you’re alive.”
These two are fire and I love them.
Some small things: Aidric sometimes seemed like an over powered super hero (or villian however you want to look at it.) He was always there somehow saving our heroine. He was magical assassin with kick ass fighting moves too.
The ending, I won’t spoil it but I didn’t love what he did and not sure how trusting I would be afterwards. The ending was also a little longer than I expected. The main conflict wound down and we were only at 86%. Did I know what was coming yes, but I feel like it could have been shortened a little.
Everything seemed a little too tidy. All things just seemed like it was magically solved easily even after thousands of people tried a millions times to do the same thing.
But anyway, these were just very small things and they weren’t bothersome just there.
4.25/5 stars!
All in all I loved this book. Wanda Hellmund did a fantastic job and everyone should definitely read this book when it publishes in October.
A huge thank you to Headline Books and NetGalley for the arc!!!
June 10, 2026
Round up to 2.75, I’m sad honestly.
I have read the OG Dramione ➡️➡️ I feel like that needs to be stated upfront because it definitely influenced my reading experience here.
This was one of my most anticipated reads and I really wanted to love it. Unfortunately, it just didn’t quite work for me.
Mira is a healer with PTSD who arrives at Ivercrest University expecting to study healing magic, only to find herself placed amongst the Wielders instead, practitioners of dark magic alongside the infuriating Aidric Dawson.
My biggest issue was the worldbuilding. For a story built around an entirely new magical world, I never felt fully immersed in it. The magic system, politics, and character motivations all felt underdeveloped, and I kept waiting for the world to open up in a way that never quite happened.
And then there’s the romance…
I know. Trust me. I am equally stressed that this was my least favourite part.
I actually enjoyed the friendship and tension that started to build between Mira and Aidric. There were moments of genuine care, vulnerability and healing that I really liked. But once the romance shifted gears, it completely lost me. It felt incredibly fast, very lust-forward and I never fully bought into the depth of feelings being declared. Aidric was ready to hand over the moon, the stars and his entire soul while I was still sitting there thinking: nah bru, I don’t believe you.
There were also moments where important emotional beats felt brushed over, while other scenes dragged longer than they needed to. Mira’s past is central to so much of the story, but I never felt like I fully understood the scope of what she’d been through, which made some of the emotional moments land softer than they should have.
Overall, I didn’t hate this. I can absolutely see why it will work for some readers, especially those looking for dark academia and a romance heavy fantasy. For me though, it never quite stepped out from the shadow of its inspiration and I was left wanting much more from both the world and the romance.
You’ll eat this up if you enjoy:
✨ Dark academia
✨ Light magic x dark magic
✨ Magical murder mystery
✨ Rivals** to lovers
✨ Morally grey love interest
✨ University setting
I have read the OG Dramione ➡️➡️ I feel like that needs to be stated upfront because it definitely influenced my reading experience here.
This was one of my most anticipated reads and I really wanted to love it. Unfortunately, it just didn’t quite work for me.
Mira is a healer with PTSD who arrives at Ivercrest University expecting to study healing magic, only to find herself placed amongst the Wielders instead, practitioners of dark magic alongside the infuriating Aidric Dawson.
My biggest issue was the worldbuilding. For a story built around an entirely new magical world, I never felt fully immersed in it. The magic system, politics, and character motivations all felt underdeveloped, and I kept waiting for the world to open up in a way that never quite happened.
And then there’s the romance…
I know. Trust me. I am equally stressed that this was my least favourite part.
I actually enjoyed the friendship and tension that started to build between Mira and Aidric. There were moments of genuine care, vulnerability and healing that I really liked. But once the romance shifted gears, it completely lost me. It felt incredibly fast, very lust-forward and I never fully bought into the depth of feelings being declared. Aidric was ready to hand over the moon, the stars and his entire soul while I was still sitting there thinking: nah bru, I don’t believe you.
There were also moments where important emotional beats felt brushed over, while other scenes dragged longer than they needed to. Mira’s past is central to so much of the story, but I never felt like I fully understood the scope of what she’d been through, which made some of the emotional moments land softer than they should have.
Overall, I didn’t hate this. I can absolutely see why it will work for some readers, especially those looking for dark academia and a romance heavy fantasy. For me though, it never quite stepped out from the shadow of its inspiration and I was left wanting much more from both the world and the romance.
You’ll eat this up if you enjoy:
✨ Dark academia
✨ Light magic x dark magic
✨ Magical murder mystery
✨ Rivals** to lovers
✨ Morally grey love interest
✨ University setting
July 8, 2026
I’m such a sucker for Draco/Hermione fanfiction, so take this review with that in mind—but I absolutely loved this one.
One of the things I appreciate most about this author is that it never feels like you’re reading fanfiction. The story has its own world, its own magic system, and completely stands on its own. (I did read this with a slight bug, though, so I spent a lot of time flipping back a page to make sure I hadn’t missed anything!)
This is a dark academia fantasy with magic, a touch of bully romance, and an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance that absolutely delivered. Our main character, Mira, is trying to gain admission to a magical academy in hopes of finding a cure for the scar that’s causing her constant pain. Instead of ending up in the healing school, she’s placed in the dark magic program, where she meets Adric, a high-ranking soldier on the opposite side from the war. As they work together to uncover the truth behind her scar, she gets pulled into much bigger mysteries.
The tension? 10/10. The banter? Also 10/10.
I won’t spoil anything, but if you’ve read a lot of Draco/Hermione-inspired fantasy, there’s one particular trope that seems to pop up every time, and the second it appeared I couldn’t help but sigh because, of course it did.
I also loved that this is a standalone. It’s so refreshing to get a complete fantasy story in one book.
My only critiques are that some of the action scenes moved a little too quickly, and I would’ve loved more time with the secondary characters. We get to know them enough to care, but I wanted even more. I’m also a very character-driven reader, so I always enjoy the quieter relationship-building moments more than the action.
Overall, this was an easy 5 out of 5 stars for me. If you’re a fellow Draco/Hermione fanfiction lover, I have a feeling you’re going to eat this one up too.
One of the things I appreciate most about this author is that it never feels like you’re reading fanfiction. The story has its own world, its own magic system, and completely stands on its own. (I did read this with a slight bug, though, so I spent a lot of time flipping back a page to make sure I hadn’t missed anything!)
This is a dark academia fantasy with magic, a touch of bully romance, and an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance that absolutely delivered. Our main character, Mira, is trying to gain admission to a magical academy in hopes of finding a cure for the scar that’s causing her constant pain. Instead of ending up in the healing school, she’s placed in the dark magic program, where she meets Adric, a high-ranking soldier on the opposite side from the war. As they work together to uncover the truth behind her scar, she gets pulled into much bigger mysteries.
The tension? 10/10. The banter? Also 10/10.
I won’t spoil anything, but if you’ve read a lot of Draco/Hermione-inspired fantasy, there’s one particular trope that seems to pop up every time, and the second it appeared I couldn’t help but sigh because, of course it did.
I also loved that this is a standalone. It’s so refreshing to get a complete fantasy story in one book.
My only critiques are that some of the action scenes moved a little too quickly, and I would’ve loved more time with the secondary characters. We get to know them enough to care, but I wanted even more. I’m also a very character-driven reader, so I always enjoy the quieter relationship-building moments more than the action.
Overall, this was an easy 5 out of 5 stars for me. If you’re a fellow Draco/Hermione fanfiction lover, I have a feeling you’re going to eat this one up too.
June 11, 2026
This book was completely addictive. Every time I put it down, I found myself thinking about it and wanting to pick it back up again.
The magic system was easily one of my favourite parts. The concepts of wielders and casters, shadow flames, and coin travel were all incredibly interesting, and I never got tired of learning more about how the world worked. I also absolutely loved Aidric and Mira, who kept me invested from start to finish.
If I have one small complaint, it’s that I wanted more of everything. More time at the school, more exploration of the magic system, more insight into the war, and more time with some of the side characters. The world was so fascinating that I often found myself wishing the story would slow down and let me sit in it for a little longer.
The pacing moved very quickly, and occasionally I felt like major moments were resolved sooner than I expected. The final section also felt a little unexpected in its placement. But honestly, these are minor quibbles in a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
At the end of the day, I loved this. The characters had me hooked, the magic was unique and compelling, and despite wanting more time in this world, I never wanted to stop reading. A brilliant debut, and one I’ll definitely be recommending.
Thank you to Hachette and Netgallery for allowing me to read this one early.
The magic system was easily one of my favourite parts. The concepts of wielders and casters, shadow flames, and coin travel were all incredibly interesting, and I never got tired of learning more about how the world worked. I also absolutely loved Aidric and Mira, who kept me invested from start to finish.
If I have one small complaint, it’s that I wanted more of everything. More time at the school, more exploration of the magic system, more insight into the war, and more time with some of the side characters. The world was so fascinating that I often found myself wishing the story would slow down and let me sit in it for a little longer.
The pacing moved very quickly, and occasionally I felt like major moments were resolved sooner than I expected. The final section also felt a little unexpected in its placement. But honestly, these are minor quibbles in a book that I thoroughly enjoyed.
At the end of the day, I loved this. The characters had me hooked, the magic was unique and compelling, and despite wanting more time in this world, I never wanted to stop reading. A brilliant debut, and one I’ll definitely be recommending.
Thank you to Hachette and Netgallery for allowing me to read this one early.
May 30, 2026
Review of an advanced reading copy (via NetGalley)
This review pains me to write because Our Dark Incantations had the bones of being SUCH a great book. Despite a few issues here and there, I absolutely devoured the first half of the story. The magical academia setting with adult characters who’ve experienced their own traumas, the intrigue around the murder investigation, the push and pull relationship between Mira and Aidric, the Wielders vs. Casters magic system… I was hooked.
However, as the book progressed, the story began to unravel for me. The writing became increasingly tell rather than show, the side characters were flat and one-dimensional, and it felt like we were missing important explanations, like how the potions worked or why Mira seemed to be a rarity in having both Wielder and Caster magic and yet almost nobody seemed to comment on this??
Despite the touching moments towards the end of the book, I ended up feeling like I wanted so much more from the story. I hope there’s still time for some more editing and revisions before the publishing date as there’s so much potential here!
Rating: 5/10 (rounded up)
Format: eARC
This review pains me to write because Our Dark Incantations had the bones of being SUCH a great book. Despite a few issues here and there, I absolutely devoured the first half of the story. The magical academia setting with adult characters who’ve experienced their own traumas, the intrigue around the murder investigation, the push and pull relationship between Mira and Aidric, the Wielders vs. Casters magic system… I was hooked.
However, as the book progressed, the story began to unravel for me. The writing became increasingly tell rather than show, the side characters were flat and one-dimensional, and it felt like we were missing important explanations, like how the potions worked or why Mira seemed to be a rarity in having both Wielder and Caster magic and yet almost nobody seemed to comment on this??
Despite the touching moments towards the end of the book, I ended up feeling like I wanted so much more from the story. I hope there’s still time for some more editing and revisions before the publishing date as there’s so much potential here!
Rating: 5/10 (rounded up)
Format: eARC
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"I went into this book with dangerously high expectations. The kind that usually end with me apologising to my own imagination. Somehow, Wanda Hellmund looked those expectations dead in the eye, smiled, and said, 'Cute.'"
There are very few moments in the book world that feel as surreal as this one.
Years ago, I fell headfirst into Wanda's Dramione fanfiction and very quickly understood why so many readers adored her writing. She had this incredible ability to make me laugh one chapter, emotionally devastate me the next, and somehow convince me that sleep was entirely optional because obviously I had to keep reading.
So when she announced she was traditionally publishing Our Dark Incantations, it instantly became one of my most anticipated releases.
Needless to say, my expectations were alarmingly high.
Somehow...
She exceeded every single one of them.
I finished this book three days ago, and I'm beginning to think Mira and Aidric should start contributing towards my rent because they have been living in my head completely free of charge ever since.
I'm standing in Tesco trying to decide which pasta to buy? Thinking about Mira and Aidric.
I'm sitting at work pretending to understand an Excel spreadsheet? Thinking about Mira and Aidric.
Trying to fall asleep?
Mira.
Aidric.
One of my favourite things about fantasy is discovering a magic system that feels genuinely fresh, and Wanda absolutely nailed it.
The entire world revolves around one deceptively simple question:
Are you a Caster or a Wielder?
Casters draw their magic from nature. They heal. They protect. They shield.
Wielders command dark magic. They're the kingdom's warriors, the ones who hunt demons and stand on the front lines protecting everyone else. But every spell comes at a cost. Push yourself too far, and the magic begins taking from you. The only people capable of healing them? Casters.
It's such a brilliantly balanced system because neither side can truly exist without the other. One protects. One heals. One cannot survive without the other. That balance is woven beautifully throughout the entire story, and it's one of the most unique magic systems I've read in a long time.
The novel begins six years after a devastating war between Casters and Wielders. The war may be over, but its scars aren't. Trauma lingers in classrooms, friendships, politics, families—every corner of this world bears the weight of what happened.
And that's what makes this story feel so incredibly human.
Mira isn't simply carrying physical scars. She's carrying years of grief, fear, guilt and survival. After spending six years isolated from magic entirely, she's suddenly thrust into an academy where everything she thought she knew is challenged almost immediately.
Without spoiling anything, the opening of this book completely blindsided me.
Within the first few chapters, Wanda pulled the rug out from underneath both Mira and me. I genuinely had no idea where this story was heading after that, and honestly?
I loved that. Because here's the thing about Wanda's writing. You learn to trust her. Even when she's dragging your emotions through broken glass.
The way Wanda writes trauma deserves its own paragraph.
Nobody magically "gets over it" because the plot needs them to. Healing is messy. It's frustrating. Sometimes it looks like progress, and sometimes it looks like taking ten steps backwards. I could genuinely feel the weight of Mira's scars through the page. Watching both her and Adric slowly rediscover who they are after surviving something unimaginable was every bit as compelling as the romance itself. Wanda treats trauma with so much compassion and honesty that it never feels like a plot device. It feels painfully, beautifully human.
Now let's discuss Aidric.
Unfortunately for both my objectivity and my blood pressure, he arrived looking exactly like the kind of fictional man I've been known to make deeply questionable life choices over.
Over six foot.
Platinum blond.
Rich.
Arrogant.
Signet ring. iykyk 😈
I fear I never stood a chance.
At first, he's exactly the sort of smug, infuriating rich boy who seems to enjoy getting under Mira's skin purely for entertainment. But underneath all of that arrogance is someone carrying the exact same invisible wounds she is.
There's a moment where he essentially tells her, I see you. Stop hiding.
And that completely broke me.
Because while everyone else sees the walls Mira has built around herself, Adric sees the pain she's trying so desperately to pretend isn't there.
Their relationship is built so beautifully.
The trust.
The banter.
The quiet understanding.
The way they challenge each other.
The way they slowly become each other's safe place.
Every single moment felt earned.
And then Wanda started checking off every trope I love as if she'd somehow hacked into my Kindle.
Reluctant allies? ✔️
Forced to work together on a secret project? ✔️
"Oh no, we have to attend a ball together..." ✔️
"Oh no, I don't have a dress..." ✔️
"Don't worry, I may have had one custom-made that perfectly matches my colouring." ✔️
Excuse me while I scream into the nearest pillow.
Every time I found myself thinking, surely she won't give me that trope as well...
Wanda very politely replied,
"Actually... I will."
The yearning in this book deserves scientific study.
Aidric isn't loud about the way he loves Mira. It's found in the smallest gestures. The quiet moments. The unwavering belief in her long before she can believe in herself.
Those moments honestly made my heart ache just as much as the bigger romantic scenes.
Then I reached 80%.
Wanda...
Respectfully...
What on earth was that?
I experienced genuine emotional whiplash.
Every single time I convinced myself I'd figured out where the story was going, Wanda calmly pulled the rug out from underneath me before somehow revealing there was another rug underneath that one.
By the time I reached 90%, I wasn't reading anymore.
I was bargaining.
I cried so hard I genuinely gave myself a headache.
I was staring at my Kindle whispering,
"Please... just let them be happy."
Thankfully, I can report there is a happy ending.
Getting there, however, was an Olympic sport.
One of the things I admire most about Wanda's writing is how effortlessly she balances humour, romance, political intrigue, grief, hope and healing. This isn't just a fantasy romance.
It's a story about surviving unimaginable trauma and slowly learning that surviving isn't the same thing as living.
It's about allowing yourself to trust again.
To hope again.
To love again.
And somehow she wraps all of that inside a world so immersive that I never wanted to leave it.
Also...
When the spice finally hits...
It HITS.
You're in for an absolute treat.
Finally, I'd like to file a formal complaint against Wanda Hellmund.
I currently have exactly one tattoo.
This book has me seriously considering booking a second appointment purely for the quote:
"The world is a much more brighter place with you in it."
If a book has you contemplating permanent body art, I think it's safe to say it left its mark.
Our Dark Incantations is everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's beautifully written, emotionally devastating, endlessly immersive, wonderfully romantic, and proof that Wanda's storytelling is every bit as magical in original fiction as it was when so many of us first discovered her writing years ago.
I adored every single page.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be returning to my regularly scheduled activity of thinking about Mira and Aidric at wildly inappropriate times of the day.
"I went into this book with dangerously high expectations. The kind that usually end with me apologising to my own imagination. Somehow, Wanda Hellmund looked those expectations dead in the eye, smiled, and said, 'Cute.'"
There are very few moments in the book world that feel as surreal as this one.
Years ago, I fell headfirst into Wanda's Dramione fanfiction and very quickly understood why so many readers adored her writing. She had this incredible ability to make me laugh one chapter, emotionally devastate me the next, and somehow convince me that sleep was entirely optional because obviously I had to keep reading.
So when she announced she was traditionally publishing Our Dark Incantations, it instantly became one of my most anticipated releases.
Needless to say, my expectations were alarmingly high.
Somehow...
She exceeded every single one of them.
I finished this book three days ago, and I'm beginning to think Mira and Aidric should start contributing towards my rent because they have been living in my head completely free of charge ever since.
I'm standing in Tesco trying to decide which pasta to buy? Thinking about Mira and Aidric.
I'm sitting at work pretending to understand an Excel spreadsheet? Thinking about Mira and Aidric.
Trying to fall asleep?
Mira.
Aidric.
One of my favourite things about fantasy is discovering a magic system that feels genuinely fresh, and Wanda absolutely nailed it.
The entire world revolves around one deceptively simple question:
Are you a Caster or a Wielder?
Casters draw their magic from nature. They heal. They protect. They shield.
Wielders command dark magic. They're the kingdom's warriors, the ones who hunt demons and stand on the front lines protecting everyone else. But every spell comes at a cost. Push yourself too far, and the magic begins taking from you. The only people capable of healing them? Casters.
It's such a brilliantly balanced system because neither side can truly exist without the other. One protects. One heals. One cannot survive without the other. That balance is woven beautifully throughout the entire story, and it's one of the most unique magic systems I've read in a long time.
The novel begins six years after a devastating war between Casters and Wielders. The war may be over, but its scars aren't. Trauma lingers in classrooms, friendships, politics, families—every corner of this world bears the weight of what happened.
And that's what makes this story feel so incredibly human.
Mira isn't simply carrying physical scars. She's carrying years of grief, fear, guilt and survival. After spending six years isolated from magic entirely, she's suddenly thrust into an academy where everything she thought she knew is challenged almost immediately.
Without spoiling anything, the opening of this book completely blindsided me.
Within the first few chapters, Wanda pulled the rug out from underneath both Mira and me. I genuinely had no idea where this story was heading after that, and honestly?
I loved that. Because here's the thing about Wanda's writing. You learn to trust her. Even when she's dragging your emotions through broken glass.
The way Wanda writes trauma deserves its own paragraph.
Nobody magically "gets over it" because the plot needs them to. Healing is messy. It's frustrating. Sometimes it looks like progress, and sometimes it looks like taking ten steps backwards. I could genuinely feel the weight of Mira's scars through the page. Watching both her and Adric slowly rediscover who they are after surviving something unimaginable was every bit as compelling as the romance itself. Wanda treats trauma with so much compassion and honesty that it never feels like a plot device. It feels painfully, beautifully human.
Now let's discuss Aidric.
Unfortunately for both my objectivity and my blood pressure, he arrived looking exactly like the kind of fictional man I've been known to make deeply questionable life choices over.
Over six foot.
Platinum blond.
Rich.
Arrogant.
Signet ring. iykyk 😈
I fear I never stood a chance.
At first, he's exactly the sort of smug, infuriating rich boy who seems to enjoy getting under Mira's skin purely for entertainment. But underneath all of that arrogance is someone carrying the exact same invisible wounds she is.
There's a moment where he essentially tells her, I see you. Stop hiding.
And that completely broke me.
Because while everyone else sees the walls Mira has built around herself, Adric sees the pain she's trying so desperately to pretend isn't there.
Their relationship is built so beautifully.
The trust.
The banter.
The quiet understanding.
The way they challenge each other.
The way they slowly become each other's safe place.
Every single moment felt earned.
And then Wanda started checking off every trope I love as if she'd somehow hacked into my Kindle.
Reluctant allies? ✔️
Forced to work together on a secret project? ✔️
"Oh no, we have to attend a ball together..." ✔️
"Oh no, I don't have a dress..." ✔️
"Don't worry, I may have had one custom-made that perfectly matches my colouring." ✔️
Excuse me while I scream into the nearest pillow.
Every time I found myself thinking, surely she won't give me that trope as well...
Wanda very politely replied,
"Actually... I will."
The yearning in this book deserves scientific study.
Aidric isn't loud about the way he loves Mira. It's found in the smallest gestures. The quiet moments. The unwavering belief in her long before she can believe in herself.
Those moments honestly made my heart ache just as much as the bigger romantic scenes.
Then I reached 80%.
Wanda...
Respectfully...
What on earth was that?
I experienced genuine emotional whiplash.
Every single time I convinced myself I'd figured out where the story was going, Wanda calmly pulled the rug out from underneath me before somehow revealing there was another rug underneath that one.
By the time I reached 90%, I wasn't reading anymore.
I was bargaining.
I cried so hard I genuinely gave myself a headache.
I was staring at my Kindle whispering,
"Please... just let them be happy."
Thankfully, I can report there is a happy ending.
Getting there, however, was an Olympic sport.
One of the things I admire most about Wanda's writing is how effortlessly she balances humour, romance, political intrigue, grief, hope and healing. This isn't just a fantasy romance.
It's a story about surviving unimaginable trauma and slowly learning that surviving isn't the same thing as living.
It's about allowing yourself to trust again.
To hope again.
To love again.
And somehow she wraps all of that inside a world so immersive that I never wanted to leave it.
Also...
When the spice finally hits...
It HITS.
You're in for an absolute treat.
Finally, I'd like to file a formal complaint against Wanda Hellmund.
I currently have exactly one tattoo.
This book has me seriously considering booking a second appointment purely for the quote:
"The world is a much more brighter place with you in it."
If a book has you contemplating permanent body art, I think it's safe to say it left its mark.
Our Dark Incantations is everything I hoped it would be and so much more. It's beautifully written, emotionally devastating, endlessly immersive, wonderfully romantic, and proof that Wanda's storytelling is every bit as magical in original fiction as it was when so many of us first discovered her writing years ago.
I adored every single page.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be returning to my regularly scheduled activity of thinking about Mira and Aidric at wildly inappropriate times of the day.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Headline Books for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I went into this fic-rewrite hoping a traditionally published version would smooth out some of the issues I had with the original and make the story feel more cohesive. Instead, I was genuinely shocked by just how little had changed, with literal copy-pasting from beginning to end .Some things made no sense to carry over into an original fantasy setting, which alone left me disappointed.
But even setting the adaptation aside entirely, I still struggled with the book on almost every level.
The writing leans so heavily into fragmented sentences and dramatic emphasis that it often ends up feeling unintentionally melodramatic. The narration has a habit of taking perfectly ordinary actions and inflating them into something that feels almost cinematic, even when nothing particularly noteworthy is happening.
Take lines like:
“Dawson stood on the other side of the counter with poise. It seemed everything this man did was like a well-rehearsed dance move. Elegant. Precise. Never losing control.”
The man is literally just standing, how is that a well-rehearsed dance move?
“Without another word, he coin traveled them to the lab, and even that seemed different. Stormy. Not quite as measured.”
“She felt cornered. Walls closing in on her. Anything but Dark Magic. He couldn’t make her.”
“When she turned, Dawson was gone. Not in the water. Not waiting for her. Just gone.”
“Dawson turned ashen with rage. His face transformed into something almost inhuman. A cold mask. Eyes set hard.”
“The silence from Aidric was deafening. She could feel his magic still in the air. Cold. Threatening. His jaw set hard, fingers digging into the armchair.”
“She was convinced the Dawson scion didn’t mind the winter air. If anything, he seemed in his element. Perhaps what flowed in his veins wasn’t blood but ice.”
... At this point in the story, Mira barely knows this man. She has no idea what he’s capable of, what he did during the war, or who he really is, yet the narration constantly jumps to these dramatic, almost fanfiction-esque declarations about him. It felt less like an observation she would realistically make and more like the book desperately trying to convince me he was intimidating.
Anyway, this cadence is everywhere. Almost every tense moment is broken into these clunky, clipped, fragmented sentences. I’ll let everyone make their own judgement about what this style of prose reminds them of… Personally, I found it incredibly distracting, and I struggled to understand how so many of these passages made it through to publication unchanged.
Another thing that really stood out to me was the complete lack of physical description for Mira. By the end of the book, I genuinely had no idea what the protagonist looked like. If we all collectively pretend I hadn’t seen the cover art (which is gorgeous) I couldn’t describe her to you. I have absolutely nothing except maybe one time her curly hair is mentioned I think? Obviously this is a result of copy-pasting a fic where it’s easy to forget character descriptions, since most people know the character you’re writing.
Another issue I had was with the romance.
I never bought Mira and Aidric together. They’re marketed as enemies to lovers, but... enemies because of what? They don’t know each other. They have no personal history, no longstanding rivalry, no betrayal between them. They’re essentially strangers, yet she hates him from the first meeting (why?). And then they immediately begin bickering with the familiarity of people who’ve known each other for years. It only clicked later why that felt so off: it’s because those interactions belonged to the original pairing, who DID have years of history together (and this is when I noticed the copy-pasting after I checked). Transplanting that exact dynamic onto two characters meeting for the first time makes the relationship feel artificial from the start.
Even beyond that, the emotional development was incredibly abrupt. Aidric’s feelings become intensely devoted almost overnight, and the story repeatedly insists that he understands Mira better than anyone else, that he sees every one of her scars, that they’re uniquely connected... but I never felt like I’d actually watched them earn that intimacy. We don’t really see them bond on that level at all. The novel tells us they’re soul-deep connected long before it convinces us of it, so every emotional declaration fell completely flat for me.
The worldbuilding also needed a lot more work.
The entire magic system is built around “white” and “dark” magic, but I don’t understand where half the magic actually fits. For example, characters use contraceptive charms, warming spells, cleaning spells, unlocking spells and other everyday enchantments. What category do those belong to? Mira and Aidric both use them, so they aren’t exclusive to one discipline or the other. Is there a third category of magic? Is everyone capable of basic spells regardless of magical affinity? The book never explains it, leaving the system feeling frustratingly inconsistent.
On a smaller note, I also found the terminology itself odd. Calling healing or pure magic “white” in direct opposition to “dark” (not “black”) magic carries obvious associations if you ask me… so it’s a strange choice, but that is a personal opinion.
Mira’s character also left me wanting much more. Her trauma is presented as one of the defining aspects of both her personality and her journey, yet it never feels particularly explored. Yes, her parents were murdered, and that’s undeniably horrific, but beyond repeatedly being TOLD how deeply scarred she is, how much she HATES magic because of it, I never felt like I truly understood how that loss had shaped her. Her grief and PTSD often felt more like narrative shorthand than something the story was genuinely interested in unpacking.
Ultimately, this book had a recurring problem of telling rather than showing. It TELLS us the romance is profound, that the characters understand each other like no one else, that Mira’s trauma runs deep… But so often, the groundwork just wasn’t there for me to arrive at those conclusions on my own.
I know this book is going to work for readers who already loved the original fic, especially because it’s so faithful to it. Unfortunately, as someone who was hoping the transition to traditional publishing would refine the story and strengthen its weaker elements, I came away feeling like very little had actually been reworked.
Ultimately, I don’t think this succeeds as an original fantasy novel because it never really feels like one. The emotional beats rely on history these characters don’t have, the worldbuilding isn’t developed enough to support the setting, the romance asks the reader to accept intimacy that hasn't been earned, and the prose constantly mistakes fragmentation for intensity. I went into this hoping to see what the story could become with the benefit of traditional editing and revision. Instead, I finished it wondering what had actually been edited at all.
Overall, this was unfortunately a disappointing read. There were moments where I could see the potential, but between the unconvincing romance, inconsistent worldbuilding, underdeveloped emotional arcs, the repetitive prose, and the almost untouched adaptation, it never came together for me.
I went into this fic-rewrite hoping a traditionally published version would smooth out some of the issues I had with the original and make the story feel more cohesive. Instead, I was genuinely shocked by just how little had changed, with literal copy-pasting from beginning to end .Some things made no sense to carry over into an original fantasy setting, which alone left me disappointed.
But even setting the adaptation aside entirely, I still struggled with the book on almost every level.
The writing leans so heavily into fragmented sentences and dramatic emphasis that it often ends up feeling unintentionally melodramatic. The narration has a habit of taking perfectly ordinary actions and inflating them into something that feels almost cinematic, even when nothing particularly noteworthy is happening.
Take lines like:
“Dawson stood on the other side of the counter with poise. It seemed everything this man did was like a well-rehearsed dance move. Elegant. Precise. Never losing control.”
The man is literally just standing, how is that a well-rehearsed dance move?
“Without another word, he coin traveled them to the lab, and even that seemed different. Stormy. Not quite as measured.”
“She felt cornered. Walls closing in on her. Anything but Dark Magic. He couldn’t make her.”
“When she turned, Dawson was gone. Not in the water. Not waiting for her. Just gone.”
“Dawson turned ashen with rage. His face transformed into something almost inhuman. A cold mask. Eyes set hard.”
“The silence from Aidric was deafening. She could feel his magic still in the air. Cold. Threatening. His jaw set hard, fingers digging into the armchair.”
“She was convinced the Dawson scion didn’t mind the winter air. If anything, he seemed in his element. Perhaps what flowed in his veins wasn’t blood but ice.”
... At this point in the story, Mira barely knows this man. She has no idea what he’s capable of, what he did during the war, or who he really is, yet the narration constantly jumps to these dramatic, almost fanfiction-esque declarations about him. It felt less like an observation she would realistically make and more like the book desperately trying to convince me he was intimidating.
Anyway, this cadence is everywhere. Almost every tense moment is broken into these clunky, clipped, fragmented sentences. I’ll let everyone make their own judgement about what this style of prose reminds them of… Personally, I found it incredibly distracting, and I struggled to understand how so many of these passages made it through to publication unchanged.
Another thing that really stood out to me was the complete lack of physical description for Mira. By the end of the book, I genuinely had no idea what the protagonist looked like. If we all collectively pretend I hadn’t seen the cover art (which is gorgeous) I couldn’t describe her to you. I have absolutely nothing except maybe one time her curly hair is mentioned I think? Obviously this is a result of copy-pasting a fic where it’s easy to forget character descriptions, since most people know the character you’re writing.
Another issue I had was with the romance.
I never bought Mira and Aidric together. They’re marketed as enemies to lovers, but... enemies because of what? They don’t know each other. They have no personal history, no longstanding rivalry, no betrayal between them. They’re essentially strangers, yet she hates him from the first meeting (why?). And then they immediately begin bickering with the familiarity of people who’ve known each other for years. It only clicked later why that felt so off: it’s because those interactions belonged to the original pairing, who DID have years of history together (and this is when I noticed the copy-pasting after I checked). Transplanting that exact dynamic onto two characters meeting for the first time makes the relationship feel artificial from the start.
Even beyond that, the emotional development was incredibly abrupt. Aidric’s feelings become intensely devoted almost overnight, and the story repeatedly insists that he understands Mira better than anyone else, that he sees every one of her scars, that they’re uniquely connected... but I never felt like I’d actually watched them earn that intimacy. We don’t really see them bond on that level at all. The novel tells us they’re soul-deep connected long before it convinces us of it, so every emotional declaration fell completely flat for me.
The worldbuilding also needed a lot more work.
The entire magic system is built around “white” and “dark” magic, but I don’t understand where half the magic actually fits. For example, characters use contraceptive charms, warming spells, cleaning spells, unlocking spells and other everyday enchantments. What category do those belong to? Mira and Aidric both use them, so they aren’t exclusive to one discipline or the other. Is there a third category of magic? Is everyone capable of basic spells regardless of magical affinity? The book never explains it, leaving the system feeling frustratingly inconsistent.
On a smaller note, I also found the terminology itself odd. Calling healing or pure magic “white” in direct opposition to “dark” (not “black”) magic carries obvious associations if you ask me… so it’s a strange choice, but that is a personal opinion.
Mira’s character also left me wanting much more. Her trauma is presented as one of the defining aspects of both her personality and her journey, yet it never feels particularly explored. Yes, her parents were murdered, and that’s undeniably horrific, but beyond repeatedly being TOLD how deeply scarred she is, how much she HATES magic because of it, I never felt like I truly understood how that loss had shaped her. Her grief and PTSD often felt more like narrative shorthand than something the story was genuinely interested in unpacking.
Ultimately, this book had a recurring problem of telling rather than showing. It TELLS us the romance is profound, that the characters understand each other like no one else, that Mira’s trauma runs deep… But so often, the groundwork just wasn’t there for me to arrive at those conclusions on my own.
I know this book is going to work for readers who already loved the original fic, especially because it’s so faithful to it. Unfortunately, as someone who was hoping the transition to traditional publishing would refine the story and strengthen its weaker elements, I came away feeling like very little had actually been reworked.
Ultimately, I don’t think this succeeds as an original fantasy novel because it never really feels like one. The emotional beats rely on history these characters don’t have, the worldbuilding isn’t developed enough to support the setting, the romance asks the reader to accept intimacy that hasn't been earned, and the prose constantly mistakes fragmentation for intensity. I went into this hoping to see what the story could become with the benefit of traditional editing and revision. Instead, I finished it wondering what had actually been edited at all.
Overall, this was unfortunately a disappointing read. There were moments where I could see the potential, but between the unconvincing romance, inconsistent worldbuilding, underdeveloped emotional arcs, the repetitive prose, and the almost untouched adaptation, it never came together for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"She wanted his jealousy. His wrath. His lust. She wanted all of his sins and to make them her own, wanted to taste them on his lips just as fiercely as she felt them in her heart."
You know the little niggling feeling of dread and excitement you get when you read a sentence and you now know deep in your bones that a book is going to cause you emotional pain and distress for years to come? This book is one of those ones.
Our Dark Incantations is the kind of book that reminds me why I love fantasy so much and why I always come back to it. It manages to be both devastatingly romantic, wonderfully funny, toe curling sexy yet also incredibly sad. Wanda Hellmand captures a nostalgic feeling that only certain authors are capable of doing, especially for a debut author.
I was instantly drawn to the premise, A healer and a deadly wielder, two sides of the same coin, enemies yet made to become allies to work amongst a secret magical society to fight powerful threat. Both irrevocably changed by a devastating war they barely survived, and yet still must continue fight to save themselves and their world as they know it.
The world building was very well thought out, it carries a really gothic atmosphere that lends very well to the dark academia nature of the story. It was very easy to conjure up what the Dawson Estate and Ivercrest University looked like.
The magic system of is clear, interesting and easy to understand. From the Wielders Shadow Flame, to the Casters White Magic, Coin Travel ( This was so fun, and very visually interesting) and the Contraceptive spell. (Convenient and genius. Loved it!) The feeders and demons were also a very scary but exciting element. I also really liked the use of potions, especially the way they were used for an array of reason, from protection, truth serums, to creating certain emotions, for pain medication.. and most fun of all was the party drugs, because why wouldn't magically gifted students be partaking in a little recreational fun? It just made the characters come across very real and relatable young adults.
Aidric Dawson, what can I say, I am a sucker for this kind of MMC, suffering in silence, resilient, deadly, will defend what he loves, I loved how wicked he was. Aidric Dawson was a charming and hilarious devil that I fell in love with.
Mira Winters, I loved her, instantly she is the kind of FMC you can see your self in, tenacious, brave, intelligent, gentle yet when given the right motivations she is deadly and full of wrath and vengeance.
The relationship between the two was perfection, hilarious banter and incredible tension, they truly understood and respected each other in a way no one else had. I loved them, even thought I was happy with how the story ended I could easily read multiple books about these two.
All in all, I loved this story, the ending was so panic inducing I felt like I was going to be sick!! Every element of this story was perfectly executed, I was laughing, crying, giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. I have read a few of the similar fan fiction to traditionally published titles, including Rose In Chains, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy and Alchemised and Our Dark Incantations falls right in second place behind Alchemised as my favourite.
Highlights -
"The scar looked like roots. It felt like it, too because something had taken hold in her that day. A darkness had settled in her and never let go."
"Unattainable. Cold. Aristocratic. But there was a fire in him, and she wondered if that fire was getting slowly smothered by the coldness around him. Not just by the mansion, but by the wall of ice he seemingly had built up around himself."
"He held on to his secrets like a cloak. Anytime he had to reveal something, it seemed to cause him physical pain."
"Say the word, Winters. For you, l'll break every fucking rule there is." With that, he disappeared into the night."
"Can you feel my initials on you?" His voice dripped with desire. "If I could brand every inch of your body with my name, I would." The possessiveness in his gaze crushed her.”
"She simply doesn't understand you anymore. She's trying to help someone who is drowning by giving them more water. And she doesn't even notice it. But I do. I see you drowning."
"I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness."
"Because watching you in agony might have been the worst form of torture I've ever had to endure."
You know the little niggling feeling of dread and excitement you get when you read a sentence and you now know deep in your bones that a book is going to cause you emotional pain and distress for years to come? This book is one of those ones.
Our Dark Incantations is the kind of book that reminds me why I love fantasy so much and why I always come back to it. It manages to be both devastatingly romantic, wonderfully funny, toe curling sexy yet also incredibly sad. Wanda Hellmand captures a nostalgic feeling that only certain authors are capable of doing, especially for a debut author.
I was instantly drawn to the premise, A healer and a deadly wielder, two sides of the same coin, enemies yet made to become allies to work amongst a secret magical society to fight powerful threat. Both irrevocably changed by a devastating war they barely survived, and yet still must continue fight to save themselves and their world as they know it.
The world building was very well thought out, it carries a really gothic atmosphere that lends very well to the dark academia nature of the story. It was very easy to conjure up what the Dawson Estate and Ivercrest University looked like.
The magic system of is clear, interesting and easy to understand. From the Wielders Shadow Flame, to the Casters White Magic, Coin Travel ( This was so fun, and very visually interesting) and the Contraceptive spell. (Convenient and genius. Loved it!) The feeders and demons were also a very scary but exciting element. I also really liked the use of potions, especially the way they were used for an array of reason, from protection, truth serums, to creating certain emotions, for pain medication.. and most fun of all was the party drugs, because why wouldn't magically gifted students be partaking in a little recreational fun? It just made the characters come across very real and relatable young adults.
Aidric Dawson, what can I say, I am a sucker for this kind of MMC, suffering in silence, resilient, deadly, will defend what he loves, I loved how wicked he was. Aidric Dawson was a charming and hilarious devil that I fell in love with.
Mira Winters, I loved her, instantly she is the kind of FMC you can see your self in, tenacious, brave, intelligent, gentle yet when given the right motivations she is deadly and full of wrath and vengeance.
The relationship between the two was perfection, hilarious banter and incredible tension, they truly understood and respected each other in a way no one else had. I loved them, even thought I was happy with how the story ended I could easily read multiple books about these two.
All in all, I loved this story, the ending was so panic inducing I felt like I was going to be sick!! Every element of this story was perfectly executed, I was laughing, crying, giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. I have read a few of the similar fan fiction to traditionally published titles, including Rose In Chains, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy and Alchemised and Our Dark Incantations falls right in second place behind Alchemised as my favourite.
Highlights -
"The scar looked like roots. It felt like it, too because something had taken hold in her that day. A darkness had settled in her and never let go."
"Unattainable. Cold. Aristocratic. But there was a fire in him, and she wondered if that fire was getting slowly smothered by the coldness around him. Not just by the mansion, but by the wall of ice he seemingly had built up around himself."
"He held on to his secrets like a cloak. Anytime he had to reveal something, it seemed to cause him physical pain."
"Say the word, Winters. For you, l'll break every fucking rule there is." With that, he disappeared into the night."
"Can you feel my initials on you?" His voice dripped with desire. "If I could brand every inch of your body with my name, I would." The possessiveness in his gaze crushed her.”
"She simply doesn't understand you anymore. She's trying to help someone who is drowning by giving them more water. And she doesn't even notice it. But I do. I see you drowning."
"I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness."
"Because watching you in agony might have been the worst form of torture I've ever had to endure."
June 27, 2026
This was a lovely and heart-wrenching 5 stars and I enjoyed everything from beginning to epilogue.
Set in a magical world full of secrets, horrible creatures and more evil people vying for power, we meet an FMC so resilient that she doesn't think she is. We experience a love so deep amidst all the chaos and trauma, that it took us on a whirlwind. Both my heart and me were enthralled the entire time!
I loved this debut novel more than I can say. I can tell that the characters, the plot and the world were crafted with a lot of love. I'm aware of this book's previous iteration, while it was on my TBR, I will confess that I have not read that work yet. The rest of this review is really just from a life-long reader of every genre of literature without any expectations and as spoiler free as possible.
Our FMC had a lot of growth to go through and I felt very immersed while she handled her anxiety, her trauma and her reluctance to use a very integral part of who she is. These struggles remained to be the crux of her development as well as the overall plot. Even though we had several antagonists, I felt this part to be the most developed and it became the most important part of the story for me. Mira made me care, made me nervous for her health and sanity, made me think that she was but a failure of a Caster and therein made her slightly unreliable as a narrator. But I loved that she kept proving herself wrong by her own actions. Her struggles made the story and resolving them was as delicious as the romance plot.
The world-building was nicely done. The mechanics of the world and the dichotomy between white and dark magic was well constructed and detailed enough that it didn't fail to keep me interested. The politics were present but not made to be central to the story (besides the divide between White Casters and Dark Magic Wielders) so we didn't spend a lot of time learning about the council or the leaders of past and present. We got enough information to advise the gravity of the situation. I don't think its necessary to have more politics added but I wished there was even deeper development of the magical minutiae during research times with Rylan or Obryn. It would've made the last 30% of the book more satisfying and would have taken this beyond five stars. Especially because potions and ingredients were so important to the story.
We already know we would melt into a cute little sparkly puddle if we ever bumped into our MMC. He was very well done. His banter with Mira was amazing and so tension-filled that it kept me tense and squealing. The air of mystery and trepidation whenever he was on was very palpable and I enjoyed that aspect of his presence. I enjoyed the snippets of scenes we got when their relationship developed. I wished we had more of their moments in repose.
I cried many times, as expected, with characters so enmeshed in darkness and trauma and love. I know that I had some wishes and you might be wondering why I still have a 5 star rating. My rating is based very much on the overall read and feel from the book. I cared, I learned, I experienced things beyond my natural world and I felt things beyond my own world. Speculative fiction and literature from all genres come in a variety of packages. And I've read many a books that were amazing reads that didn't necessarily satisfy every specific itch to be a lovely experience.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline Eternal for the eARC of this book!
Set in a magical world full of secrets, horrible creatures and more evil people vying for power, we meet an FMC so resilient that she doesn't think she is. We experience a love so deep amidst all the chaos and trauma, that it took us on a whirlwind. Both my heart and me were enthralled the entire time!
I loved this debut novel more than I can say. I can tell that the characters, the plot and the world were crafted with a lot of love. I'm aware of this book's previous iteration, while it was on my TBR, I will confess that I have not read that work yet. The rest of this review is really just from a life-long reader of every genre of literature without any expectations and as spoiler free as possible.
Our FMC had a lot of growth to go through and I felt very immersed while she handled her anxiety, her trauma and her reluctance to use a very integral part of who she is. These struggles remained to be the crux of her development as well as the overall plot. Even though we had several antagonists, I felt this part to be the most developed and it became the most important part of the story for me. Mira made me care, made me nervous for her health and sanity, made me think that she was but a failure of a Caster and therein made her slightly unreliable as a narrator. But I loved that she kept proving herself wrong by her own actions. Her struggles made the story and resolving them was as delicious as the romance plot.
The world-building was nicely done. The mechanics of the world and the dichotomy between white and dark magic was well constructed and detailed enough that it didn't fail to keep me interested. The politics were present but not made to be central to the story (besides the divide between White Casters and Dark Magic Wielders) so we didn't spend a lot of time learning about the council or the leaders of past and present. We got enough information to advise the gravity of the situation. I don't think its necessary to have more politics added but I wished there was even deeper development of the magical minutiae during research times with Rylan or Obryn. It would've made the last 30% of the book more satisfying and would have taken this beyond five stars. Especially because potions and ingredients were so important to the story.
We already know we would melt into a cute little sparkly puddle if we ever bumped into our MMC. He was very well done. His banter with Mira was amazing and so tension-filled that it kept me tense and squealing. The air of mystery and trepidation whenever he was on was very palpable and I enjoyed that aspect of his presence. I enjoyed the snippets of scenes we got when their relationship developed. I wished we had more of their moments in repose.
I cried many times, as expected, with characters so enmeshed in darkness and trauma and love. I know that I had some wishes and you might be wondering why I still have a 5 star rating. My rating is based very much on the overall read and feel from the book. I cared, I learned, I experienced things beyond my natural world and I felt things beyond my own world. Speculative fiction and literature from all genres come in a variety of packages. And I've read many a books that were amazing reads that didn't necessarily satisfy every specific itch to be a lovely experience.
Thank you NetGalley and Headline Eternal for the eARC of this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars!
I had no idea going into this that it originated as fan fiction, which honestly usually isn’t my thing… but this is now the second time I’ve accidentally loved a fic-to-published fantasy after Alchemised, so maybe I need to retire that bias entirely because I absolutely DEVOURED this book.
I did clock the (very vague but there if you're looking) similarities to the source material fairly early on and, after a small amount of Googling, confirmed my suspicions, but Wanda has done such a good job building on those foundations that the story was very much its own thing for me. The magic system felt unique and genuinely immersive, the worldbuilding was rich without becoming overwhelming, and the story itself completely consumed me. There were twists, betrayals, emotional gut punches and enough mounting tension that I physically could not put it down. I was reading at still 3am telling myself “one more chapter” over and over again, which is always a sign of both a obsessively good book and a truly unproductive day at work to follow.
And honestly? Thank goodness for third person perspective. I hadn’t realised how much I missed it in fantasy until reading this. There's a lot of first person narrative out there and when third person is done well, I think it will always be superior for my tastes.
One of the things I appreciated most was that, despite being set within a magical university, the story never became bogged down in repetitive classroom scenes or overly trope-heavy academic structure. There’s such a strong sense of movement throughout the novel, both physically and emotionally, and the variety in locations really helped the pacing feel dynamic. It managed to capture the atmosphere of a magical academy setting, and wider world, without getting trapped in the mundanity that can sometimes come with that.
I also initially worried that the relationship between Mira and Aidric was moving too quickly, but I ended up completely eating my words. The pacing of their relationship actually set up the emotional stakes perfectly. The tension, the vulnerability, the shared trauma, the moments of triumph and devastation… it all landed so well for me. Their physical and emotional scars became such an important point of connection, both between the characters themselves and between the characters and the reader.
What really worked was that none of it felt overcooked. The angst was intense, but it never tipped into melodrama. The writing trusted the emotional weight of the story instead of forcing it, and because of that, the heartbreak hit even harder.
This absolutely gripped me right up until the final page and I already fear it’s going to put me into a reading slump. Thank you, NetGalley for sending me an ARC.
I had no idea going into this that it originated as fan fiction, which honestly usually isn’t my thing… but this is now the second time I’ve accidentally loved a fic-to-published fantasy after Alchemised, so maybe I need to retire that bias entirely because I absolutely DEVOURED this book.
I did clock the (very vague but there if you're looking) similarities to the source material fairly early on and, after a small amount of Googling, confirmed my suspicions, but Wanda has done such a good job building on those foundations that the story was very much its own thing for me. The magic system felt unique and genuinely immersive, the worldbuilding was rich without becoming overwhelming, and the story itself completely consumed me. There were twists, betrayals, emotional gut punches and enough mounting tension that I physically could not put it down. I was reading at still 3am telling myself “one more chapter” over and over again, which is always a sign of both a obsessively good book and a truly unproductive day at work to follow.
And honestly? Thank goodness for third person perspective. I hadn’t realised how much I missed it in fantasy until reading this. There's a lot of first person narrative out there and when third person is done well, I think it will always be superior for my tastes.
One of the things I appreciated most was that, despite being set within a magical university, the story never became bogged down in repetitive classroom scenes or overly trope-heavy academic structure. There’s such a strong sense of movement throughout the novel, both physically and emotionally, and the variety in locations really helped the pacing feel dynamic. It managed to capture the atmosphere of a magical academy setting, and wider world, without getting trapped in the mundanity that can sometimes come with that.
I also initially worried that the relationship between Mira and Aidric was moving too quickly, but I ended up completely eating my words. The pacing of their relationship actually set up the emotional stakes perfectly. The tension, the vulnerability, the shared trauma, the moments of triumph and devastation… it all landed so well for me. Their physical and emotional scars became such an important point of connection, both between the characters themselves and between the characters and the reader.
What really worked was that none of it felt overcooked. The angst was intense, but it never tipped into melodrama. The writing trusted the emotional weight of the story instead of forcing it, and because of that, the heartbreak hit even harder.
This absolutely gripped me right up until the final page and I already fear it’s going to put me into a reading slump. Thank you, NetGalley for sending me an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
OK I AM SO EXCITED TO GET THIS!! Thank you so much to Headline for the ARC. I actually have read Damaged Goods, so I was anticipating this like a starving wolf. When I saw the announcement that it would be a trad pub book, I was sooo ecstatic!
And yes, I tore through this in one sitting and am writing this with dark circles under my eyes. Wanda!! Thank you so much for the food. I appreciate how much effort you have taken to rework this. The core of the story is still the same, but the worldbuilding is excellently done. Instead of Slytherins and Gryffindors, we have Casters (who do defensive/healing white magic) and Wielders (who do destructive Dark Magic). In a twist of events, Mira ends up From there, she meets Dawson, an extremely powerful Wielder, and they start working together on a mission.
I think that Damaged Goods had areas that were stronger -- in this book, Mira, after the tragedy she suffered in the war, is trying her best to overcome her PTSD and be "normal" with her best friend Ella, and Dawson tells her she shouldn't need to push herself to be something she isn't. In Damaged Goods, the impact of that feels stronger because (without going into explicit detail) there was an ex-boyfriend who constantly derided her because she couldn't heal from the war and become "her old self" again. However, Ella has always been nice to Mira and supported her decisions! So I didn't feel Mira's struggle on this front as much. I think it would have been beneficial to have the ex-boyfriend role remain in this version, just IMO.
That said, these are not major gripes! I loved other changes in this story, like how Dawson and Mira's romance is now a slower burn!! In the fanfic, there is an element of smut that takes place earlier. But here we get to see a nice slow build-up before they share their first kiss, and the smut scene takes off! PHEW!!!! I adored this. The author wrote a lot of new scenes around their first meetings in school, and they were terrific!
I found so many parts delightful: Dawson comforting Mira through her nightmares, the "truth" potion, his jealousy when she danced with Sebastian, him training her, etc!! I will be going back to those scenes over and over. This was such a wonderful read!! Thank you again for the lovely opportunity to dig into this book. I strongly recommend all romantasy lovers, whether or not you've read Damaged Goods beforehand, to give this a try when it comes out in October!! You will not be disappointed!!
And yes, I tore through this in one sitting and am writing this with dark circles under my eyes. Wanda!! Thank you so much for the food. I appreciate how much effort you have taken to rework this. The core of the story is still the same, but the worldbuilding is excellently done. Instead of Slytherins and Gryffindors, we have Casters (who do defensive/healing white magic) and Wielders (who do destructive Dark Magic). In a twist of events, Mira ends up From there, she meets Dawson, an extremely powerful Wielder, and they start working together on a mission.
I think that Damaged Goods had areas that were stronger -- in this book, Mira, after the tragedy she suffered in the war, is trying her best to overcome her PTSD and be "normal" with her best friend Ella, and Dawson tells her she shouldn't need to push herself to be something she isn't. In Damaged Goods, the impact of that feels stronger because (without going into explicit detail) there was an ex-boyfriend who constantly derided her because she couldn't heal from the war and become "her old self" again. However, Ella has always been nice to Mira and supported her decisions! So I didn't feel Mira's struggle on this front as much. I think it would have been beneficial to have the ex-boyfriend role remain in this version, just IMO.
That said, these are not major gripes! I loved other changes in this story, like how Dawson and Mira's romance is now a slower burn!! In the fanfic, there is an element of smut that takes place earlier. But here we get to see a nice slow build-up before they share their first kiss, and the smut scene takes off! PHEW!!!! I adored this. The author wrote a lot of new scenes around their first meetings in school, and they were terrific!
I found so many parts delightful: Dawson comforting Mira through her nightmares, the "truth" potion, his jealousy when she danced with Sebastian, him training her, etc!! I will be going back to those scenes over and over. This was such a wonderful read!! Thank you again for the lovely opportunity to dig into this book. I strongly recommend all romantasy lovers, whether or not you've read Damaged Goods beforehand, to give this a try when it comes out in October!! You will not be disappointed!!
June 30, 2026
4⭐️ Really liked it! Highly recommend.
Read this if you like dark magic academies, murder mysteries, and Dramione-coded reluctant allies.
📖What’s inside:
🪄 Magic academy
Single POV
Letters 💌
On-page intimacy 🔴
Demons
🌈 Inclusive
Sentient house
Explicit language
🧐 Murder mystery
“Mine”
✨Vibes: Nocticadia meets A Study in Drowning
Book boyfriend meter: 🧡
Would consider. Would absolutely regret something.
💭Thoughts: I was excited to go into this Dramione adaptation completely blind, having never read the original fic, and I think the author did an okay job making it stand on its own as a fantasy romance. Yeah, just “okay.” I’ll get into the details in a minute, but first, the good stuff. The real standout for me was the murder mystery. I didn't realize that element was part of the story (like I said, I went in blind), and it added so much depth beyond the magic academy setting. The mystery and action scenes kept me turning pages, even when the romance didn't fully land for me. Now here’s my criticisms… I never quite bought the FMCs hatred for the MMC—it felt more like a flimsy plot device to keep tension high. And while I appreciated the MMC's complicated situation, I never connected with him on the level I hoped to. I wanted more showing and less telling to really make me feel for him. There was a few other small things that worked against the story, but largely it was the ending that was a mess. Idk what happened there tbh, but it nearly lost me. If I were to rate this book on the execution of the ending alone, it would be a 3 star. However, I genuinely enjoyed this book overall. So I decided to round up on my star rating since I loved the first 70% but there is certainly room for improvement. Regardless, Dramione readers will absolutely eat it up, and fantasy romance readers looking for mystery, dark magic, and atmospheric vibes should have a great time.
➕Should you add this to your TBR? Dramione fans, absolutely. Fantasy romance readers, also yes. This is an acceptable adaptation with room for improvement but overall a good story.
Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book. Keeping it real with my honest thoughts as always. 🖤
For my full review + more fantasy book recs, check out my blog here → https://www.abookfortheendoftheworld.com
Read this if you like dark magic academies, murder mysteries, and Dramione-coded reluctant allies.
📖What’s inside:
🪄 Magic academy
Single POV
Letters 💌
On-page intimacy 🔴
Demons
🌈 Inclusive
Sentient house
Explicit language
🧐 Murder mystery
“Mine”
✨Vibes: Nocticadia meets A Study in Drowning
Book boyfriend meter: 🧡
Would consider. Would absolutely regret something.
💭Thoughts: I was excited to go into this Dramione adaptation completely blind, having never read the original fic, and I think the author did an okay job making it stand on its own as a fantasy romance. Yeah, just “okay.” I’ll get into the details in a minute, but first, the good stuff. The real standout for me was the murder mystery. I didn't realize that element was part of the story (like I said, I went in blind), and it added so much depth beyond the magic academy setting. The mystery and action scenes kept me turning pages, even when the romance didn't fully land for me. Now here’s my criticisms… I never quite bought the FMCs hatred for the MMC—it felt more like a flimsy plot device to keep tension high. And while I appreciated the MMC's complicated situation, I never connected with him on the level I hoped to. I wanted more showing and less telling to really make me feel for him. There was a few other small things that worked against the story, but largely it was the ending that was a mess. Idk what happened there tbh, but it nearly lost me. If I were to rate this book on the execution of the ending alone, it would be a 3 star. However, I genuinely enjoyed this book overall. So I decided to round up on my star rating since I loved the first 70% but there is certainly room for improvement. Regardless, Dramione readers will absolutely eat it up, and fantasy romance readers looking for mystery, dark magic, and atmospheric vibes should have a great time.
➕Should you add this to your TBR? Dramione fans, absolutely. Fantasy romance readers, also yes. This is an acceptable adaptation with room for improvement but overall a good story.
Thank you to Netgalley for an eARC copy of this book. Keeping it real with my honest thoughts as always. 🖤
For my full review + more fantasy book recs, check out my blog here → https://www.abookfortheendoftheworld.com
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Our Dark Incantations follows Mira, an ex-healer who has developed a level of hatred and fear towards her own magic following a huge war. Struggling with trauma from the war, she comes to study at Ivercrest University to try and figure out how to remove a large magical scar on her arm. After an unexpected start to her time there, Mira is drawn into a secret investigation with Aidric Dawson. As they continue working together their relationship evolves in unexpected ways while magic and the world around them gets darker and more dangerous.
Wowwww did I love this book! It sucked me in and I was so incredibly emotionally invested. While some elements of the book have been done before, e.g. a school/academy setting, a magic war, "opposing" magical sides, the way the author put these elements all together was impressive. She weaved unique elements and storylines throughout ones we've seen before to create a beautifully written and incredibly well done story. There were certain plot points i didn't expect and I found myself constantly desperate to know what happened next.
The author did a wonderful job at building a layered, fleshed out world with so many different elements and so much depth. The magic system was well written and it was enjoyable to see an academy setting where the characters were older and used magic freely outside of their classes. The magic system was explained well and made sense, as did the other key elements of the world.
The author did an amazing job at creating characters with so much depth to them. Very few people were as they seemed at first glance and the characters were all thoroughly fleshed out. It was so fun to see how the different relationships in the book developed and I found it easy to become deeply invested in them. The relationships seemed to build naturally and made sense despite initially not appearing this way. Mira and Aidric were both such relatable characters as well as being very complex characters. Mira's difficulties following the war and Aidric's trauma gave them an understanding of each other that definitely made sense.
Our Dark Incantations made me cry more than any book I've ever read. I was so emotionally invested! I gasped, I cried, I held my breath, I cried happy tears, I panicked, I laughed.....I felt so many emotions while reading this book and I loved every minute of it. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone possible, thankyou for giving me the pleasure of reading the ARC!
Our Dark Incantations follows Mira, an ex-healer who has developed a level of hatred and fear towards her own magic following a huge war. Struggling with trauma from the war, she comes to study at Ivercrest University to try and figure out how to remove a large magical scar on her arm. After an unexpected start to her time there, Mira is drawn into a secret investigation with Aidric Dawson. As they continue working together their relationship evolves in unexpected ways while magic and the world around them gets darker and more dangerous.
Wowwww did I love this book! It sucked me in and I was so incredibly emotionally invested. While some elements of the book have been done before, e.g. a school/academy setting, a magic war, "opposing" magical sides, the way the author put these elements all together was impressive. She weaved unique elements and storylines throughout ones we've seen before to create a beautifully written and incredibly well done story. There were certain plot points i didn't expect and I found myself constantly desperate to know what happened next.
The author did a wonderful job at building a layered, fleshed out world with so many different elements and so much depth. The magic system was well written and it was enjoyable to see an academy setting where the characters were older and used magic freely outside of their classes. The magic system was explained well and made sense, as did the other key elements of the world.
The author did an amazing job at creating characters with so much depth to them. Very few people were as they seemed at first glance and the characters were all thoroughly fleshed out. It was so fun to see how the different relationships in the book developed and I found it easy to become deeply invested in them. The relationships seemed to build naturally and made sense despite initially not appearing this way. Mira and Aidric were both such relatable characters as well as being very complex characters. Mira's difficulties following the war and Aidric's trauma gave them an understanding of each other that definitely made sense.
Our Dark Incantations made me cry more than any book I've ever read. I was so emotionally invested! I gasped, I cried, I held my breath, I cried happy tears, I panicked, I laughed.....I felt so many emotions while reading this book and I loved every minute of it. I will definitely be recommending this book to everyone possible, thankyou for giving me the pleasure of reading the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Our Dark Incantations is a dark academia romantasy set in a magic university split into two colleges: one for "dark magic" and one for "white magic." Our main character is Mira Winters, a healer trained in light magic who is dealing with trauma from the war between the Casters, those who use light magic, and the Wielders, those who use dark magic. Part of the PTSD she suffers from stems from the scar on her arm, which she received from a substance used during the war called "Synth," a substance that essentially kills anyone who touches it. Our MMC, Dawson, is a very powerful Wielder from an affluent family who must train her in the ways of dark magic after the magic in her scar causes her to be assigned to the dark magic college instead of the light magic one.
Overall, Wanda Hellmund writes a very interesting story. Her prose is engaging, and there is constantly a plot to follow. I just felt that the fanfiction-to-book conversion was a bit underdeveloped. The magic system was very interesting, but it felt too nonsensical at times. The whole light magic versus dark magic conflict, combined with the addition of demons and the war, felt like a lot of exposition used to explain the characters' emotional states rather than allowing the characters to develop naturally on the page.
I read Damaged Goods when it came out, and I do believe it was the stronger story because, as a reader, I already had the context for the characters' emotional states, their feelings about the world they existed in, and their feelings toward each other. Without all of that original context surrounding the scar, the world, and the relationship, I just didn't feel as connected to either the world or the characters. The story felt like a husk of itself, and the characters didn't quite stand on their own. It was a fun read, but I think it relies too heavily on the original work 3.5/5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Wanda Hellmund, NetGalley UK, and Headline for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Overall, Wanda Hellmund writes a very interesting story. Her prose is engaging, and there is constantly a plot to follow. I just felt that the fanfiction-to-book conversion was a bit underdeveloped. The magic system was very interesting, but it felt too nonsensical at times. The whole light magic versus dark magic conflict, combined with the addition of demons and the war, felt like a lot of exposition used to explain the characters' emotional states rather than allowing the characters to develop naturally on the page.
I read Damaged Goods when it came out, and I do believe it was the stronger story because, as a reader, I already had the context for the characters' emotional states, their feelings about the world they existed in, and their feelings toward each other. Without all of that original context surrounding the scar, the world, and the relationship, I just didn't feel as connected to either the world or the characters. The story felt like a husk of itself, and the characters didn't quite stand on their own. It was a fun read, but I think it relies too heavily on the original work 3.5/5 stars rounded up.
Thank you to Wanda Hellmund, NetGalley UK, and Headline for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
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June 6, 2026For the most part, I enjoyed Our Dark Incantations, though there were a few aspects of the story that could have been developed more. Dawson and Mira were layered characters, and I liked that their story took place post war. Both of them had compelling story arcs. A big part of Mira's story was fixing her scar and there were times where that storyline took a backseat. Dawson's storyline was just as tragic and seeing him struggle was heartbreaking. I liked how Dawson and Mira's relationship developed, and that they were working together. Their banter was great and their scroll writing was fun. They had some cute moments together, but my favorite was the coin traveling "home" storyline. For the most part, the worldbuilding was easy to understand. The setting wasn't as fleshed out as I had hoped. I had a difficult time visualizing the different spheres and action scenes. Some of the action scenes were hard to imagine. The amulet scene felt underwhelming and too easy for such an important moment. I also felt that the major action scene around the 80% mark came somewhat out of nowhere and created a few plot holes. The side characters could have used more development. For example, Rylan was repeatedly described as a good friend, yet we rarely saw any interactions between him and Mira. The pacing was another area where I struggled. While the story held my interest overall, parts of it felt uneven. The final 10% of the book, particularly the last twist, felt unnecessary to me. Overall, this wasn't a bad read. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships, but I think the pacing, action scenes, and some aspects of the worldbuilding could have been tightened up more. Thank you to NetGalley and Ace for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️
This is the kind of Gothic fantasy I will keep coming back for again and again.
Our Dark Incantations brings everything I enjoy in a fantasy. Dark academia, a magical university, spicy romance, delicious banter, high stakes danger, found family and mystery that will keep you guessing.
I did not expect this book to rip my heart out the way it did! I was not prepared to be crying into my kindle last night, but here we are.
As one of my most anticipated debut releases this year, it did not disappoint. If you love a Dramoine coded fantasy with a cocky white haired male lead who also happens to be a deadly assassin with a tortured past, then this is for you.
Aldric, the man you are!! I loved him at first smirk. I loved how he goes from emotionally unavailable asshole to yearner extraordinaire. He takes touch her and die to the extreme. He’s more like…. touch her and he’ll commit war crimes. His audacity had me cackling at times.
And Mira… I loved her character growth, a “light magic” caster who finds herself thrown into the lions den of “dark magic” wielders and having to embrace a side of herself she doesn’t want to acknowledge. I admired her determination and the way she came into her power.
The plot had me intrigued throughout and I found the magic system really fun. From spells to various magical potions, teleporting and magical sentient houses. There’s also your fair share of horrifying creatures and scary villains.
The romance was probably my favourite part. I wouldn’t call it super slow burn, it’s spicy, with enemies to reluctant allies to lovers. And oh man, did it tear my heart out in the end. I lived for the yearning and angst. 🥹
Add to your TBR if you like:
🖤Dark Academia
🖤Gothic setting
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Forced proximity
🖤Magical murder mystery
🖤Trauma and healing
🖤Banter and tension
This is the kind of Gothic fantasy I will keep coming back for again and again.
Our Dark Incantations brings everything I enjoy in a fantasy. Dark academia, a magical university, spicy romance, delicious banter, high stakes danger, found family and mystery that will keep you guessing.
I did not expect this book to rip my heart out the way it did! I was not prepared to be crying into my kindle last night, but here we are.
As one of my most anticipated debut releases this year, it did not disappoint. If you love a Dramoine coded fantasy with a cocky white haired male lead who also happens to be a deadly assassin with a tortured past, then this is for you.
Aldric, the man you are!! I loved him at first smirk. I loved how he goes from emotionally unavailable asshole to yearner extraordinaire. He takes touch her and die to the extreme. He’s more like…. touch her and he’ll commit war crimes. His audacity had me cackling at times.
And Mira… I loved her character growth, a “light magic” caster who finds herself thrown into the lions den of “dark magic” wielders and having to embrace a side of herself she doesn’t want to acknowledge. I admired her determination and the way she came into her power.
The plot had me intrigued throughout and I found the magic system really fun. From spells to various magical potions, teleporting and magical sentient houses. There’s also your fair share of horrifying creatures and scary villains.
The romance was probably my favourite part. I wouldn’t call it super slow burn, it’s spicy, with enemies to reluctant allies to lovers. And oh man, did it tear my heart out in the end. I lived for the yearning and angst. 🥹
Add to your TBR if you like:
🖤Dark Academia
🖤Gothic setting
🖤Enemies to lovers
🖤Forced proximity
🖤Magical murder mystery
🖤Trauma and healing
🖤Banter and tension
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Rating: 4.25⭐️
This book genuinely did not come to play when it comes to banter and tension. I was giggling, squealing, kicking my feet like an absolute loser every five pages, it stopped being embarrassing and started becoming a lifestyle.
Did Aidric just officially join my i-have-a-thing-for-morally-questionable-lethal-witty-chaotic-but-actually-a-total-softie-silver-haired-men club? The membership has been approved.
Mira was SUCH a pleasant surprise too. I absolutely loved seeing her feistier side once she entered the world of Wielders and dark magic. She’s intelligent, capable, emotionally layered, and genuinely likable.
Mira and Aidric together fit just right. The chemistry is chemistrying, the tension is tensioning, and the slow burn is slow burning EXACTLY the way it should. They both carry their own scars and flaws, and somehow that makes their bond feel stronger and more meaningful.
Now, I’m not gonna say too much about the plot because spoilers, but OH MY GOD. The world-building, the magic system, the eerie atmosphere, the endless amount of twists??? This book constantly feels like it’s pulling you deeper into something dangerous and mesmerizing at the same time.
However, there were definitely a few sections that felt a little too long. Some scenes dragged more than they needed to, and I think the pacing would’ve flowed better if certain parts had been tightened up.
But honestly, if you’re a romantasy reader who lives for addictive tension, dangerous magic, emotionally damaged people with unresolved issues, and a romance that makes you stare at the wall for a bit (or a lot, if we’re being honest), this book is absolutely for you.
════════════════════════
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC!
This book genuinely did not come to play when it comes to banter and tension. I was giggling, squealing, kicking my feet like an absolute loser every five pages, it stopped being embarrassing and started becoming a lifestyle.
Did Aidric just officially join my i-have-a-thing-for-morally-questionable-lethal-witty-chaotic-but-actually-a-total-softie-silver-haired-men club? The membership has been approved.
Mira was SUCH a pleasant surprise too. I absolutely loved seeing her feistier side once she entered the world of Wielders and dark magic. She’s intelligent, capable, emotionally layered, and genuinely likable.
Mira and Aidric together fit just right. The chemistry is chemistrying, the tension is tensioning, and the slow burn is slow burning EXACTLY the way it should. They both carry their own scars and flaws, and somehow that makes their bond feel stronger and more meaningful.
Now, I’m not gonna say too much about the plot because spoilers, but OH MY GOD. The world-building, the magic system, the eerie atmosphere, the endless amount of twists??? This book constantly feels like it’s pulling you deeper into something dangerous and mesmerizing at the same time.
However, there were definitely a few sections that felt a little too long. Some scenes dragged more than they needed to, and I think the pacing would’ve flowed better if certain parts had been tightened up.
But honestly, if you’re a romantasy reader who lives for addictive tension, dangerous magic, emotionally damaged people with unresolved issues, and a romance that makes you stare at the wall for a bit (or a lot, if we’re being honest), this book is absolutely for you.
════════════════════════
Thank you to Headline and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Two words : AIDRIC DAWSON.
I love him, he deserves the world and I need 20 other books with him please.
I ADORED this book. It took a tiny bit of time to get into it as the beginning is a bit slow (for needed reasons) but damn was it worth it. I loved everything about this book - the characters and their growth (Mira is the perfect example!), the storyline, the ANGST (if you LOVE angst, please read this book right now!) and of course the romance. For me it was the perfect balance between all of these (and spice of course).
Mira is such a good MMC - the way she finds her identity, her strength, her resilience throughout the story and slowly accepts who she really is (and becomes proud of herself) is admirable. Aidric - honestly, he has absolutely everything I love about a good MMC. Morally grey, will do anything for Mira, full of sarcasm to hide how much he actually hurts. God how I wish I could witness him fight - the way it is described in the book is everything.
Their connection is exactly the type of romance I crave for - explosive, full of sexual tension and passionate. They’re just inevitable and it’s just beautiful to see their story. The way they love each other so desperately will honestly make you tear up.
I’m not going to say too much about the storyline to avoid any spoilers but honestly, I got so into it. I also loved the magic system and the world building behind it. Very unique and intriguing.
One thing I would say is that I’m so glad this wasn’t a serie because I would have NEVER survived a cliffhanger with these two - however, I would also absolutely LOVE more books with Mira and Aidric. Please pick up this book as soon as you can - you won’t regret it.
I love him, he deserves the world and I need 20 other books with him please.
I ADORED this book. It took a tiny bit of time to get into it as the beginning is a bit slow (for needed reasons) but damn was it worth it. I loved everything about this book - the characters and their growth (Mira is the perfect example!), the storyline, the ANGST (if you LOVE angst, please read this book right now!) and of course the romance. For me it was the perfect balance between all of these (and spice of course).
Mira is such a good MMC - the way she finds her identity, her strength, her resilience throughout the story and slowly accepts who she really is (and becomes proud of herself) is admirable. Aidric - honestly, he has absolutely everything I love about a good MMC. Morally grey, will do anything for Mira, full of sarcasm to hide how much he actually hurts. God how I wish I could witness him fight - the way it is described in the book is everything.
Their connection is exactly the type of romance I crave for - explosive, full of sexual tension and passionate. They’re just inevitable and it’s just beautiful to see their story. The way they love each other so desperately will honestly make you tear up.
I’m not going to say too much about the storyline to avoid any spoilers but honestly, I got so into it. I also loved the magic system and the world building behind it. Very unique and intriguing.
One thing I would say is that I’m so glad this wasn’t a serie because I would have NEVER survived a cliffhanger with these two - however, I would also absolutely LOVE more books with Mira and Aidric. Please pick up this book as soon as you can - you won’t regret it.
June 16, 2026
Our dark incantations
Genre: Gothic fantasy
Pages: 507
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“I never said I was the hero in your story.”
“To save you, I would use all my powers, even if it killed me.”
“I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness.”
Aidric Dawson, the man you are!! I bloody love you!!
This is a masterpiece.
This book ruined me in the best way possible. It has ripped my heart out then patched it back up again, then shattered it and put it back together again. So it’s safe to say my heart is super fragile.
I went into this book super excited and it’s safe to say it exceeded my expectations!! I felt every emotion reading this, i screamed, i cried, i bawled, i laughed, i sat on the end of my seat with anticipation.
I LOVED the book so much from the world building, to all of the characters and their characters growth, but most importantly i adored Aidric and Mira! The tension, the yearning, the angst! You could feel the chemistry flow between them. The magic is actually amazing, i loved the magic system it was so intriguing. I enjoyed how there were was light and dark and the dark had more complex elements on how to work with their magic.
I don’t think words can actually express how much i loved this book without spoiling anything but I’ll be continuing to yap and recommend this book for the foreseeable future.
I just want to say a special thanks to Wanda for not making this book leave with a cliffhanger because i don’t think i would’ve survived that and needed to know more like i need oxygen!
Tropes:
❦ Dark academia
❦ Magical murder mystery
❦ Forbidden magic
❦ Enemies to lovers
❦ Morally grey
❦ Touch her & d!e
Thank-you so much to Headline Eternal for allowing me to have an ARC.
Genre: Gothic fantasy
Pages: 507
Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆
“I never said I was the hero in your story.”
“To save you, I would use all my powers, even if it killed me.”
“I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness.”
Aidric Dawson, the man you are!! I bloody love you!!
This is a masterpiece.
This book ruined me in the best way possible. It has ripped my heart out then patched it back up again, then shattered it and put it back together again. So it’s safe to say my heart is super fragile.
I went into this book super excited and it’s safe to say it exceeded my expectations!! I felt every emotion reading this, i screamed, i cried, i bawled, i laughed, i sat on the end of my seat with anticipation.
I LOVED the book so much from the world building, to all of the characters and their characters growth, but most importantly i adored Aidric and Mira! The tension, the yearning, the angst! You could feel the chemistry flow between them. The magic is actually amazing, i loved the magic system it was so intriguing. I enjoyed how there were was light and dark and the dark had more complex elements on how to work with their magic.
I don’t think words can actually express how much i loved this book without spoiling anything but I’ll be continuing to yap and recommend this book for the foreseeable future.
I just want to say a special thanks to Wanda for not making this book leave with a cliffhanger because i don’t think i would’ve survived that and needed to know more like i need oxygen!
Tropes:
❦ Dark academia
❦ Magical murder mystery
❦ Forbidden magic
❦ Enemies to lovers
❦ Morally grey
❦ Touch her & d!e
Thank-you so much to Headline Eternal for allowing me to have an ARC.
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