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Our Dark Incantations: The devastating dark academia romantasy to fuel your enemies-to-lovers desires
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Expected 20 Oct 26Win a free kindle copy of this book!
24 days and 04:39:23
50 copies available
U.S. only
SHE MUST EMBRACE THE DARK.
BEFORE THE DARK COMES FOR HER.
After the war, ex-healer Mira Winters swore she'd never touch magic again. And yet, here she is, enrolled in the wrong magic department of Ivercrest University, paired up with an utterly wrong partner.
Instead of learning how to heal her incurable scar, Mira's attending Demonology lessons, learning wicked spells . . . and accidentally being dragged into a murder investigation on campus - one with devastating ripples that bleed into the magical world.
Her partner-in-crime? The infuriating Aidric Dawson. He's arrogant, he's a lethal Wielder, and he's a former soldier shrouded in secrets. But, he pushes Mira to face her demons and embrace her dark powers . . . and with wounds from the war, he may be the only one who truly understands her.
A labyrinth of clues pull Mira and Aidric deep into a sinister plot in the shadows of magical society, the threat of war looming once more. Can the two enemies work together in the darkness without losing their hearts - or their lives - in the process?
Nightshade meets Phantasma in this achingly romantic debut novel, where a young woman must learn to embrace her dark powers in a devastatingly beautiful (and spicy!) love story for the ages.
- Dark academia
- Redemption and recovery
- Demonology lessons
- Magical murder mystery
- SO much angst
- Sinister magical conspiracies
BEFORE THE DARK COMES FOR HER.
After the war, ex-healer Mira Winters swore she'd never touch magic again. And yet, here she is, enrolled in the wrong magic department of Ivercrest University, paired up with an utterly wrong partner.
Instead of learning how to heal her incurable scar, Mira's attending Demonology lessons, learning wicked spells . . . and accidentally being dragged into a murder investigation on campus - one with devastating ripples that bleed into the magical world.
Her partner-in-crime? The infuriating Aidric Dawson. He's arrogant, he's a lethal Wielder, and he's a former soldier shrouded in secrets. But, he pushes Mira to face her demons and embrace her dark powers . . . and with wounds from the war, he may be the only one who truly understands her.
A labyrinth of clues pull Mira and Aidric deep into a sinister plot in the shadows of magical society, the threat of war looming once more. Can the two enemies work together in the darkness without losing their hearts - or their lives - in the process?
Nightshade meets Phantasma in this achingly romantic debut novel, where a young woman must learn to embrace her dark powers in a devastatingly beautiful (and spicy!) love story for the ages.
- Dark academia
- Redemption and recovery
- Demonology lessons
- Magical murder mystery
- SO much angst
- Sinister magical conspiracies
Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
Wanda Hellmund
2 books116 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
HUGE thanks to NetGalley & Berkley publishing group | Ace to have been offered this arc 💗
3.25-3.5✨
Our dark incantations is a story based on a Dramione fan fiction. I’ve never read any of those fan fictions but I do tend to like the books inspired by them.
I’m feeling really conflicted for this one because I loved the story and didn’t want to put it down for at least 80%. I was going to give it 4 stars but the last 20% was really unnecessary in my opinion. The thing is that I was really looking past all the issues because I really loved it but the ending enlightened them even more.
The two mc’s are absolutely well written. Mira & Aidric had distinct personalities that were fun to read about. Mira was more serious and rigid, while Aidric was dark, mysterious & broody. Their motivations felt authentic.
The side characters were the problems in this story. They didn’t have a distinct personality and only seemed to be in the story to serve a function. Ella had so many opportunities to be mad or upset about the fact that Mira was purposely keeping her in the dark about everything and Mira had many opportunities to tell Ella that she was making her feel bad about her PTSD. We knew what the issues were but none of it was discussed. Ella only appeared to invite Mira everywhere and they barely had interactions. It gave me the feeling that her friendship was only used to show how bad Mira felt to Aidric’s eyes. In the second group of friend, the only one who was a bit more explored was Amelia but even then, it felt insufficient.
The PTSD, anxiety & panic attacks elements were extremely well depicted. Suffering from all of these myself, I could relate and was happy to find such great representation.
The first plot was about Mira’s scar, then it shifted to helping out with the murder investigations, then helping Aidric, then having to defeat the entity, sometimes it came back to the scar, then it shifted into something else, went back again to the scar, etc. It was really all over the place. The thing is that all of those things were actually interesting, it just shifted too much. There’s two evil presence and one of them is mentioned so much that I thought he would be the one to come back… I was really surprised when it was the other one that wasn’t really mentioned by that point. I kept feeling I had missed something while reading.
I can’t really say anything about the ending without spoiling but it would’ve been so easy to just end it at 85% or so. The ‘second’ ending was just really unnecessary and I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the epilogue.
Honestly though, I really thought this author’s writing was good. It was compelling & I definitely want to read everything else she’ll write. Her ideas are also really great so I’m curious to see what she comes up with next. If it wasn’t for the ending, this book would’ve been a 4 stars. I’m happy I read it though and I do recommend it.
3.25-3.5✨
Our dark incantations is a story based on a Dramione fan fiction. I’ve never read any of those fan fictions but I do tend to like the books inspired by them.
I’m feeling really conflicted for this one because I loved the story and didn’t want to put it down for at least 80%. I was going to give it 4 stars but the last 20% was really unnecessary in my opinion. The thing is that I was really looking past all the issues because I really loved it but the ending enlightened them even more.
The two mc’s are absolutely well written. Mira & Aidric had distinct personalities that were fun to read about. Mira was more serious and rigid, while Aidric was dark, mysterious & broody. Their motivations felt authentic.
The side characters were the problems in this story. They didn’t have a distinct personality and only seemed to be in the story to serve a function. Ella had so many opportunities to be mad or upset about the fact that Mira was purposely keeping her in the dark about everything and Mira had many opportunities to tell Ella that she was making her feel bad about her PTSD. We knew what the issues were but none of it was discussed. Ella only appeared to invite Mira everywhere and they barely had interactions. It gave me the feeling that her friendship was only used to show how bad Mira felt to Aidric’s eyes. In the second group of friend, the only one who was a bit more explored was Amelia but even then, it felt insufficient.
The PTSD, anxiety & panic attacks elements were extremely well depicted. Suffering from all of these myself, I could relate and was happy to find such great representation.
The first plot was about Mira’s scar, then it shifted to helping out with the murder investigations, then helping Aidric, then having to defeat the entity, sometimes it came back to the scar, then it shifted into something else, went back again to the scar, etc. It was really all over the place. The thing is that all of those things were actually interesting, it just shifted too much. There’s two evil presence and one of them is mentioned so much that I thought he would be the one to come back… I was really surprised when it was the other one that wasn’t really mentioned by that point. I kept feeling I had missed something while reading.
I can’t really say anything about the ending without spoiling but it would’ve been so easy to just end it at 85% or so. The ‘second’ ending was just really unnecessary and I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the epilogue.
Honestly though, I really thought this author’s writing was good. It was compelling & I definitely want to read everything else she’ll write. Her ideas are also really great so I’m curious to see what she comes up with next. If it wasn’t for the ending, this book would’ve been a 4 stars. I’m happy I read it though and I do recommend it.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Edit: Bumping this up to 4.5 stars bc I think about it every single day. I still stand by everything I said below, BUT UGH!!!! I JUST LOVE HER!!
New comfort read unlocked🖤🖤🖤 This story was grounded in mystery and pain, found family and fanfiction. It felt like an October thunderstorm and I devoured every single word.
Mira is an ex-healer who has PTSD and physical trauma from a recently ended war. Though she never wants to touch magic again, she is forced to accept the fact that a scar in her arm has traces of magic that are slowly burning her soul away. This pain sends her to Ivercrest Academy, where she is not only thrown into a full course load but also a murder investigation with the lethal, aristocratic Aidric Dawson.
The characters were giving me Twilight brainrot (complimentary.) Mira especially reminded me SO MUCH of Bella Swan. We have not one, but TWO found families and I adore them both. I do wish we had gotten more friendship moments and that Mira had just been a better friend overall (especially to Ella.)
The writing was a little ~clunky~ at times and I found like 27 typos, but in full wattpad style, I ignored them and life went on.🧚 This was so fanfic in the way that it was both wildly inconvenient at times and wildly convenient at other times. I really wish we had gotten more information on the recently ended war rather than just hearing that it happened. But a moment for THE MAGIC SYSTEM. It was brilliant, easy to understand and it felt so believable.
I know a lot of people hated the last 15%, but I actually loved how unique it was! I did dislike the epilogue, though😀 No found family reunion? I will never stop feeling like the story is unfinished in that way.
But I LOVED that this was a standalone, and I honestly just found it to be deeply emotionally intelligent, campy and comforting.
Finally….we have a magical house. What more could you want? I LOVE BEING A MILLENNIAL! I LOVE CHARACTERS WHO HAVE PANIC ATTACKS! I LOVE SILVER-EYED MANIAC MEN WITH BLEEDING HEARTS! I LOVE MAGICAL ACADEMIES! This will absolutely be purchased on October 20th🙂↕️
Thank you soooo much to Netgalley for this arc!⭐️
New comfort read unlocked🖤🖤🖤 This story was grounded in mystery and pain, found family and fanfiction. It felt like an October thunderstorm and I devoured every single word.
Mira is an ex-healer who has PTSD and physical trauma from a recently ended war. Though she never wants to touch magic again, she is forced to accept the fact that a scar in her arm has traces of magic that are slowly burning her soul away. This pain sends her to Ivercrest Academy, where she is not only thrown into a full course load but also a murder investigation with the lethal, aristocratic Aidric Dawson.
The characters were giving me Twilight brainrot (complimentary.) Mira especially reminded me SO MUCH of Bella Swan. We have not one, but TWO found families and I adore them both. I do wish we had gotten more friendship moments and that Mira had just been a better friend overall (especially to Ella.)
The writing was a little ~clunky~ at times and I found like 27 typos, but in full wattpad style, I ignored them and life went on.🧚 This was so fanfic in the way that it was both wildly inconvenient at times and wildly convenient at other times. I really wish we had gotten more information on the recently ended war rather than just hearing that it happened. But a moment for THE MAGIC SYSTEM. It was brilliant, easy to understand and it felt so believable.
I know a lot of people hated the last 15%, but I actually loved how unique it was! I did dislike the epilogue, though😀 No found family reunion? I will never stop feeling like the story is unfinished in that way.
But I LOVED that this was a standalone, and I honestly just found it to be deeply emotionally intelligent, campy and comforting.
Finally….we have a magical house. What more could you want? I LOVE BEING A MILLENNIAL! I LOVE CHARACTERS WHO HAVE PANIC ATTACKS! I LOVE SILVER-EYED MANIAC MEN WITH BLEEDING HEARTS! I LOVE MAGICAL ACADEMIES! This will absolutely be purchased on October 20th🙂↕️
Thank you soooo much to Netgalley for this arc!⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Infinity stars. I can feel this becoming my entire personality. Such a masterful take on gothic fantasy romance. Wanda is a genius.
This book was genuinely art on a page. Every single paragraph was masterfully written and impossibly beautiful. So compelling and vivid.
The pacing was perfect, the story picks up so quick and it sucks you in immediately. The dark gothic atmosphere and the academy sitting made this a perfect autumn read. You fall in love with the characters instantly, their emotions become your emotions. The MMC is a tortured soul who is terribly witty & I couldn't help but be interested in since his introduction. A true "touch her and 💀" type of man. The FMC (my name twin) is so relatable, also super witty, and a genius! Their tension, chemistry, and banter was literally out of this world. The love story was devastating in the best possible way. There were so many quotes that made my chest physically hurt. I think I highlighted 70% of the book.
"I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness."
"You could never lose me. Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you."
"Let the world burn. I'll gladly walk on its ashes if it means you're alive."
"Mira." Her first name on his lips sounded like a prayer. As if it was the first time anyone had ever spoken it.
The magic system was so unique and intricate!! I thought the concept of coin traveling was such a clever and fun idea. All the spells, spheres, and gates were very cool as well. The world building was extremely lush and more complex than I anticipated!! I really enjoyed how it wasn’t info-dumpy though, it was very well done and very illustrative.
The PTSD and mental health rep in this book was magnificent. It was done so right!! It felt very raw, real, and relatable. Definitely a new comfort read for me.
Thinking of the epilogue still hurts my heart and I will continue to weep for the rest of my days. I will never forget this book and I’m sure I will obsess over it until the end of time!!!
(Thank you sm to the publishers for my arc <3)
This book was genuinely art on a page. Every single paragraph was masterfully written and impossibly beautiful. So compelling and vivid.
The pacing was perfect, the story picks up so quick and it sucks you in immediately. The dark gothic atmosphere and the academy sitting made this a perfect autumn read. You fall in love with the characters instantly, their emotions become your emotions. The MMC is a tortured soul who is terribly witty & I couldn't help but be interested in since his introduction. A true "touch her and 💀" type of man. The FMC (my name twin) is so relatable, also super witty, and a genius! Their tension, chemistry, and banter was literally out of this world. The love story was devastating in the best possible way. There were so many quotes that made my chest physically hurt. I think I highlighted 70% of the book.
"I always felt alone, but somehow only the absence of you taught me the true meaning of loneliness."
"You could never lose me. Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you."
"Let the world burn. I'll gladly walk on its ashes if it means you're alive."
"Mira." Her first name on his lips sounded like a prayer. As if it was the first time anyone had ever spoken it.
The magic system was so unique and intricate!! I thought the concept of coin traveling was such a clever and fun idea. All the spells, spheres, and gates were very cool as well. The world building was extremely lush and more complex than I anticipated!! I really enjoyed how it wasn’t info-dumpy though, it was very well done and very illustrative.
The PTSD and mental health rep in this book was magnificent. It was done so right!! It felt very raw, real, and relatable. Definitely a new comfort read for me.
Thinking of the epilogue still hurts my heart and I will continue to weep for the rest of my days. I will never forget this book and I’m sure I will obsess over it until the end of time!!!
(Thank you sm to the publishers for my arc <3)
May 18, 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 18, 2026AM I THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY THEY WANT TO READ THIS? * GIGGLES IN MANIA *
Want to Read
February 26, 2026I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ONE! dhr girlies here we go
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"She flipped her coin to travel. Home"
Let me start by saying the premise of this book was excellent. The synopsis drew me in and after reading the first couple of chapters, I really thought I was going to like this.
Unfortunately, I felt like I was reading a Romantasy book I've read before. I also think I needed this to be more of a slow burn because after the main characters kissed around 30%, I lost some interest.
The ending was really good and I think that made me appreciate the book even more but sadly, this one fell flat for me.
Let me start by saying the premise of this book was excellent. The synopsis drew me in and after reading the first couple of chapters, I really thought I was going to like this.
Unfortunately, I felt like I was reading a Romantasy book I've read before. I also think I needed this to be more of a slow burn because after the main characters kissed around 30%, I lost some interest.
The ending was really good and I think that made me appreciate the book even more but sadly, this one fell flat for me.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4/5
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc!
What a wonderful debut novel! I am such a fan of debuts, because finding an author at the start of what is sure to be an exciting literary career is one of the best feelings ever, and that is the exact feeling I had while reading Wanda Hellmund's words in Our Dark Incantations. Her writing is smooth and easy to read, her world-building is delightful, and her character work is really nice!
I think my favourite thing about this novel was the world. Ivercrest University is a fascinating place, but the Spheres as a whole is incredibly unique. The magic coins being used as means of transportation, tattoos indicating what powers you have, the various demons we saw...it was all just very fresh. And I really was delighted by how unique it was considering this is an adaptation of a fanfiction. It truly stands on its own. The Wielders and Casters were both interesting classes of magic, but I do wish we'd seen more of the inner politics happening in the council in regards to how they'll interact after the war. I also feel like details about the war were really sparse, which was a shame because I think we could have gotten even more depth by exploring what was really going on in the minds of people during the war. Too many people seemed to have had nothing to do with it and while I get most of these characters were 17 when the war broke out, it felt unrealistic that none of them would have fought in it other than Aidric.
Wanda's writing is very nice. It's not the most sophisticated writing but it's never clunky, and she describes winter so vividly. I can see room for it to grow and become more subtle, which excites me!
Our two main characters, Mira and Aidric, are both really well developed characters! I do want to say that any complaints I have about not going into the nitty-gritty of certain aspects of their characters is likely because this is a standalone. So I can't fault the novel for not having the depth I sometimes craved, more so in regards to Aidric's trauma. Mira is a really easy to root for main character. She has clear goals, she's smart and bold, and she's just so sincere in what she feels. Her battle with depression and trauma is heartfelt and I just really enjoyed watching her heal.
Aidric, while more of a mystery, was really nicely developed. I do wish more of his backstory had been explored in ways other than him just explaining all of it but I did really enjoy his character! I do think the end wraps up abruptly for his arc but I can understand why.
The plot is sort of where this novel lost me. By no means terrible, I was really into the murder mystery, but found that the focus became larger scale a bit too fast for my liking. The plot isn't really that twisty, but it's still really entertaining and serves as a great backdrop for the romance and character development, intertwining in significantly emotional ways. I do think a lot of plot issues were solved too quickly or conveniently, and wish we saw more of a struggle against Rakkiyah. The last 15% of this novel is bonkers. One of the most useless sub-plots in existence strolls in along with probably my least favourite trope. Nothing in me enjoyed any of this. It was pointless, didn't fit with the rest of the novel, and only existed in my opinion to just delay a happy ending. The entire section at the end with this plot point could have easily been cut and I would have been so grateful for it. It's a shame that I don't feel the book stuck the landing, but I do think that the epilogue was cute at least!
Romance wise, it's a really cute romance. While being too much of a fast-burn for me to fully fall in love, the banter is really fun, and the way their love for each other is described just made my heart squeeze. I do sort of wish we could have seen more of Aidric falling for her because it does feel kind of sudden and 'where did this come from' rather than being a by product of intense yearning.
The side characters could have used a bit more development overall but I really did enjoy all of them anyways!
Overall, Our Dark Incantations was a thoroughly enjoyable debut novel, and there is so much potential for Wanda Hellmund's future. Excited see what she writes next!
The perfect book to settle into winter with, Our Dark Incantations hits shelves October 20th!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc!
What a wonderful debut novel! I am such a fan of debuts, because finding an author at the start of what is sure to be an exciting literary career is one of the best feelings ever, and that is the exact feeling I had while reading Wanda Hellmund's words in Our Dark Incantations. Her writing is smooth and easy to read, her world-building is delightful, and her character work is really nice!
I think my favourite thing about this novel was the world. Ivercrest University is a fascinating place, but the Spheres as a whole is incredibly unique. The magic coins being used as means of transportation, tattoos indicating what powers you have, the various demons we saw...it was all just very fresh. And I really was delighted by how unique it was considering this is an adaptation of a fanfiction. It truly stands on its own. The Wielders and Casters were both interesting classes of magic, but I do wish we'd seen more of the inner politics happening in the council in regards to how they'll interact after the war. I also feel like details about the war were really sparse, which was a shame because I think we could have gotten even more depth by exploring what was really going on in the minds of people during the war. Too many people seemed to have had nothing to do with it and while I get most of these characters were 17 when the war broke out, it felt unrealistic that none of them would have fought in it other than Aidric.
Wanda's writing is very nice. It's not the most sophisticated writing but it's never clunky, and she describes winter so vividly. I can see room for it to grow and become more subtle, which excites me!
Our two main characters, Mira and Aidric, are both really well developed characters! I do want to say that any complaints I have about not going into the nitty-gritty of certain aspects of their characters is likely because this is a standalone. So I can't fault the novel for not having the depth I sometimes craved, more so in regards to Aidric's trauma. Mira is a really easy to root for main character. She has clear goals, she's smart and bold, and she's just so sincere in what she feels. Her battle with depression and trauma is heartfelt and I just really enjoyed watching her heal.
Aidric, while more of a mystery, was really nicely developed. I do wish more of his backstory had been explored in ways other than him just explaining all of it but I did really enjoy his character! I do think the end wraps up abruptly for his arc but I can understand why.
The plot is sort of where this novel lost me. By no means terrible, I was really into the murder mystery, but found that the focus became larger scale a bit too fast for my liking. The plot isn't really that twisty, but it's still really entertaining and serves as a great backdrop for the romance and character development, intertwining in significantly emotional ways. I do think a lot of plot issues were solved too quickly or conveniently, and wish we saw more of a struggle against Rakkiyah. The last 15% of this novel is bonkers. One of the most useless sub-plots in existence strolls in along with probably my least favourite trope. Nothing in me enjoyed any of this. It was pointless, didn't fit with the rest of the novel, and only existed in my opinion to just delay a happy ending. The entire section at the end with this plot point could have easily been cut and I would have been so grateful for it. It's a shame that I don't feel the book stuck the landing, but I do think that the epilogue was cute at least!
Romance wise, it's a really cute romance. While being too much of a fast-burn for me to fully fall in love, the banter is really fun, and the way their love for each other is described just made my heart squeeze. I do sort of wish we could have seen more of Aidric falling for her because it does feel kind of sudden and 'where did this come from' rather than being a by product of intense yearning.
The side characters could have used a bit more development overall but I really did enjoy all of them anyways!
Overall, Our Dark Incantations was a thoroughly enjoyable debut novel, and there is so much potential for Wanda Hellmund's future. Excited see what she writes next!
The perfect book to settle into winter with, Our Dark Incantations hits shelves October 20th!
June 18, 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
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
➵pre-read:
NO ONE TALK TO ME, I JUST GOT THE ARC!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭 THANK YOU ARIANA, I HOPE YOUR PILLOW IS ALWAYS COLD 😭🫶🏻
__________________________________
I'm still sobbing
This was as good as I hoped 😭 I have no words for how much I loved it.
This review is gonna be so hard to write because I loved everything, and what more do I need to say?
I was enthralled right from the start. The writing was very atmospheric—magical and gothic. The world was so captivating—I was immersed the whole time and didn't wanna leave.
Now, I wasn't sure how this is going to work being a standalone and all, and there were some parts in the second part of the book that I felt were resolved pretty quickly (maybe because of what I'm usually used to) but I shouldn't have worried at all because this was damn near perfect and I wouldn't change a thing.
I'm absolutely obsessed with Aidric and Mira (plus just about everyone from Aidric's friends group 😂).
The mysteries surrounding the deaths and Aidric (and also like all of them in general 😆) were soooo good, I was shocked so many times. And the magic system?! It was so intricate and well thought-out; Mira training to get her signifiers and Aidric showing off his skills were some of my fav chapters.
Do I even need to say anything about the romance?? *chef's kiss*, no notes, gimme 14. Obsessed doesn't even cover it.
I cried my eyes out so many times during the last part of the book. Completely wasn't expecting the turn this book took, and spheres, what an emotional roller-coaster it was!!
I just want to mention over here because I've seen other reviewers complaining that they didn't like the actions of a certain character towards the end and even though I understand why they feel the way they do I strongly disagree and here is why:
I don't know what else to say except that I can't wait to read more by WH and this story will stay with me, one of my absolute favs this year!! 🖤🖤🖤
eternal gratitude to Ariana, Berkley and netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
NO ONE TALK TO ME, I JUST GOT THE ARC!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭 THANK YOU ARIANA, I HOPE YOUR PILLOW IS ALWAYS COLD 😭🫶🏻
__________________________________
"You could never lose me. Even when everything went dark, I told the stars about you."
I'm still sobbing
This was as good as I hoped 😭 I have no words for how much I loved it.
This review is gonna be so hard to write because I loved everything, and what more do I need to say?
I was enthralled right from the start. The writing was very atmospheric—magical and gothic. The world was so captivating—I was immersed the whole time and didn't wanna leave.
Now, I wasn't sure how this is going to work being a standalone and all, and there were some parts in the second part of the book that I felt were resolved pretty quickly (maybe because of what I'm usually used to) but I shouldn't have worried at all because this was damn near perfect and I wouldn't change a thing.
"You have infected me like poison," he rasped against her skin, and she wanted to drink him in. "You're in my blood. Clawing at my chest. Drumming in my veins."
I'm absolutely obsessed with Aidric and Mira (plus just about everyone from Aidric's friends group 😂).
The mysteries surrounding the deaths and Aidric (and also like all of them in general 😆) were soooo good, I was shocked so many times. And the magic system?! It was so intricate and well thought-out; Mira training to get her signifiers and Aidric showing off his skills were some of my fav chapters.
"It's just a kiss, Winters."
Nothing was ever just anything with him.
Do I even need to say anything about the romance?? *chef's kiss*, no notes, gimme 14. Obsessed doesn't even cover it.
"Say the word, Winters. For you, I'll break every fucking rule there is."
I cried my eyes out so many times during the last part of the book. Completely wasn't expecting the turn this book took, and spheres, what an emotional roller-coaster it was!!
I just want to mention over here because I've seen other reviewers complaining that they didn't like the actions of a certain character towards the end and even though I understand why they feel the way they do I strongly disagree and here is why:
I don't know what else to say except that I can't wait to read more by WH and this story will stay with me, one of my absolute favs this year!! 🖤🖤🖤
eternal gratitude to Ariana, Berkley and netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC!!! 💖
3.5⭐️ Aidric Dawson that mouth of yours will be the death of me 😮💨
i enjoyed this overall - love forced proximity 😏 + the murder mystery!!
the pacing was a bit of an issue for me. everything moved so quickly (then sometimes slowed down?) that some of the bigger moments lost their emotional impact and overall weight. the stakes didn’t always feel as high when things were resolved somewhat “easily.” the final resolution also felt a little unnecessary. it made me sad for sure, but we didn’t really get to “sit” with it for long :(
i also wanted more from the magic system, worldbuilding, and politics. i did enjoy see Mira evolve throughout the story <3
still, the banter alone had me entertained, and the chemistry between Mira and Aidric was phenomenal!!!
3.5⭐️ Aidric Dawson that mouth of yours will be the death of me 😮💨
i enjoyed this overall - love forced proximity 😏 + the murder mystery!!
the pacing was a bit of an issue for me. everything moved so quickly (then sometimes slowed down?) that some of the bigger moments lost their emotional impact and overall weight. the stakes didn’t always feel as high when things were resolved somewhat “easily.” the final resolution also felt a little unnecessary. it made me sad for sure, but we didn’t really get to “sit” with it for long :(
i also wanted more from the magic system, worldbuilding, and politics. i did enjoy see Mira evolve throughout the story <3
still, the banter alone had me entertained, and the chemistry between Mira and Aidric was phenomenal!!!
Want to Read
August 13, 2026I guess I will just spend the fall reading Dramione and Dramione adaptations... 🤷♀️
June 7, 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
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
To no one’s surprise, I cried. This is one of my favorite books now. Obviously I am a massive Dramione fan in every universe and every version of them as new characters with new names and new events.
I actually had not read the fanfic of this so the entire story was completely new to me but I would have recognized Aidric and Mira instantly. Added bonus, every time I read a single Oberyn line, I could hear Professor Snapes voice in my mind, his exact accent and mannerisms.
Loved Mira. Her character growth thought the book was spectacular to me, she went from having PTSD and being afraid of everything to becoming the embodiment of female rage and vengeance which, as a Scorpio, I was absolutely sat for. And in the end, overcoming both her fears and her rage and finding some well deserved peace. The romance with Aidric was immaculate and it’s going to live in my head for a long time. I really liked that the author kept the last name usage trend that was so prevalent in fanfics and this, combined with their specific dynamic, just hits a spot in my brain.
If there was one thing I see as a downside to this being a standalone is that I didn’t get enough of the secondary characters, especially Amelia. Yes, it’s definitely some namesake bias but also I really found her super interesting and I wanted to know more.
This comes out in October, a gothic dark academia standalone, in the middle of spooky season. Perfection.
I actually had not read the fanfic of this so the entire story was completely new to me but I would have recognized Aidric and Mira instantly. Added bonus, every time I read a single Oberyn line, I could hear Professor Snapes voice in my mind, his exact accent and mannerisms.
Loved Mira. Her character growth thought the book was spectacular to me, she went from having PTSD and being afraid of everything to becoming the embodiment of female rage and vengeance which, as a Scorpio, I was absolutely sat for. And in the end, overcoming both her fears and her rage and finding some well deserved peace. The romance with Aidric was immaculate and it’s going to live in my head for a long time. I really liked that the author kept the last name usage trend that was so prevalent in fanfics and this, combined with their specific dynamic, just hits a spot in my brain.
If there was one thing I see as a downside to this being a standalone is that I didn’t get enough of the secondary characters, especially Amelia. Yes, it’s definitely some namesake bias but also I really found her super interesting and I wanted to know more.
This comes out in October, a gothic dark academia standalone, in the middle of spooky season. Perfection.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A hero would sacrifice you for the world, a villain would sacrifice the world for you. This man? He was the DEFINITION of down bad, he would burn spheres to the ground if it meant having her. 😮💨
Obsession doesn’t even begin to cover it.
I genuinely don’t think I could ever move on from this book. The pacing, the banter, the chemistry, I loved every single second. Mira and Dawson took me on an emotional rollercoaster and all I wanted to do was stay glued to my kindle and read. I laughed, ached, swooned, cried, and somehow, even after all the tears, all I wanted to do was turn back to page one.
Not a single thing I didn’t like about this, and I basically devoured the majority of this book in one sitting. The perfect standalone, start to finish. The ending?! 😫😭🥹
I had SO much fun reading this w/ my girl @girlzgottaread, and we had the BEST time crashing out.
Truly a roman empire god tier book that deserves all the stars in the world.
( thank you to headline eternal, ace, berkley for the early egalleys )
Obsession doesn’t even begin to cover it.
I genuinely don’t think I could ever move on from this book. The pacing, the banter, the chemistry, I loved every single second. Mira and Dawson took me on an emotional rollercoaster and all I wanted to do was stay glued to my kindle and read. I laughed, ached, swooned, cried, and somehow, even after all the tears, all I wanted to do was turn back to page one.
Not a single thing I didn’t like about this, and I basically devoured the majority of this book in one sitting. The perfect standalone, start to finish. The ending?! 😫😭🥹
I had SO much fun reading this w/ my girl @girlzgottaread, and we had the BEST time crashing out.
Truly a roman empire god tier book that deserves all the stars in the world.
( thank you to headline eternal, ace, berkley for the early egalleys )
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Dark academia + dangerous magic + a murder mystery + a broody morally grey man? Obviously I was going to love this!
I really enjoyed Our Dark Incantations. Mira was easily one of my favorite parts of the story. She’s carrying so much from the war—physically and emotionally—and I loved that her journey wasn’t just about learning magic, but figuring out who she is after everything she survived. The divide between Casters and Wielders was also such an interesting magic system, especially with Mira being forced into a side of magic she never wanted anything to do with.
And then there’s Aidric Dawson. SIR. The arrogance, the secrets, the morally grey behavior, the “I’ll handle it” energy??? Mira and Aidric’s banter and tension had me hooked, but I also loved the quieter moments where you realize just how much these two understand the broken pieces of each other.
The murder mystery kept me turning pages, and there were definitely a few moments where I thought I knew where the story was going only for it to completely change direction. THE BANTER is so delicious!
My biggest issue was the final stretch. There is A LOT happening, and at times it felt like the story had already reached its natural ending…and then just kept going. I think tightening some of those later plot points would have made the emotional payoff hit even harder.
Still, this was such a fun, atmospheric read and a really strong debut from Wanda Hellmund. Give me a magical university, morally questionable magic, traumatized characters finding each other, murder, secrets, and a man like Aidric Dawson and apparently that's all I need to fold!
I really enjoyed Our Dark Incantations. Mira was easily one of my favorite parts of the story. She’s carrying so much from the war—physically and emotionally—and I loved that her journey wasn’t just about learning magic, but figuring out who she is after everything she survived. The divide between Casters and Wielders was also such an interesting magic system, especially with Mira being forced into a side of magic she never wanted anything to do with.
And then there’s Aidric Dawson. SIR. The arrogance, the secrets, the morally grey behavior, the “I’ll handle it” energy??? Mira and Aidric’s banter and tension had me hooked, but I also loved the quieter moments where you realize just how much these two understand the broken pieces of each other.
The murder mystery kept me turning pages, and there were definitely a few moments where I thought I knew where the story was going only for it to completely change direction. THE BANTER is so delicious!
My biggest issue was the final stretch. There is A LOT happening, and at times it felt like the story had already reached its natural ending…and then just kept going. I think tightening some of those later plot points would have made the emotional payoff hit even harder.
Still, this was such a fun, atmospheric read and a really strong debut from Wanda Hellmund. Give me a magical university, morally questionable magic, traumatized characters finding each other, murder, secrets, and a man like Aidric Dawson and apparently that's all I need to fold!
August 20, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
I really wanted to love this one so much more, especially bc the beginning was so promising. It had this really intriguing, mysterious vibe, but I felt like the mystery was resolved way too quickly while some less interesting things were dragged out for much longer than they needed to be. The final resolution to the main plot also felt extremely convenient, which is probably one of my biggest pet peeves in books. Of all the fanfic adaptations I’ve read, this one also felt the closest to the original work. Like, the names were literally changed and that’s it 😭
That being said, there were definitely things I really enjoyed, especially the main characters. I loved their relationship and watching it grow and develop throughout the book. I just wish we’d gotten more scenes with the side characters bc I absolutely adored all of them. I also really enjoyed the magic and the school setting, and tbh, those were probably my favorite parts of the entire book.
I really wanted to love this one so much more, especially bc the beginning was so promising. It had this really intriguing, mysterious vibe, but I felt like the mystery was resolved way too quickly while some less interesting things were dragged out for much longer than they needed to be. The final resolution to the main plot also felt extremely convenient, which is probably one of my biggest pet peeves in books. Of all the fanfic adaptations I’ve read, this one also felt the closest to the original work. Like, the names were literally changed and that’s it 😭
That being said, there were definitely things I really enjoyed, especially the main characters. I loved their relationship and watching it grow and develop throughout the book. I just wish we’d gotten more scenes with the side characters bc I absolutely adored all of them. I also really enjoyed the magic and the school setting, and tbh, those were probably my favorite parts of the entire book.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I don’t even know where to begin?
This ruined me.
I was immediately entranced by the dark academia setting, the magic system intrigued me, and the characters shattered my heart into a million pieces.
Our tortured MCs are just everything, both trying to deal w/ their trauma from the war—
My heart 😭🤍
And the tension? Insane.
I don’t even mind that things got going at 30%, the chemistry between them was just HAWT. I wouldn’t even be able to resist 🫦
The way I would’ve had—
“Property of Aidric Dawson” tramp stamped on me.
AND AM 💅🏽
But seriously, THE WAY HE TALKS YOU THROUGH IT IS SOOOO GOOD 🥵
Whewww, Aidric the man that you are!!!!
Literally feral for him.
He’s just so rich and shitty, I love it lmfaoo. Like literally comparing estates? I was dying.
“And yet, you require my help. How embarrassing for a Wielder.” Such a shit lol.
His banter was soooo top tier, and the magic scroll sending bit? One of my faves lol!!
The way he notices the little things too, I was just swooning w/ every scene. Even the bargains and ballrooms— SO GOOD. I also really really enjoyed how magical the buildings are, lowkey sentient even.
So many of my faves tropes tbh, and they’re all so well written. I just wanted to scream into my pillow, and kick my feet up giggling!!!!
I seriously couldn’t recommend this enough 🫶🏽
Mira was also such an amazing FMC. Soooo brilliant, and so quick witted. I loved all her comebacks!!
The banter was truly amazing.
But she’s also A BAD ASS—
“I am not mercy,” she responded. “I’m your reckoning.” Queen sh*t fr 👑
The side characters were so good too, and added so much to the story 🥹🤍
I literally loved them all.
Highly recommend this, especially if you want a good cry. I was sobbing for like a good 20min lmfaoo.
Such an amazing piece of work.
This ruined me.
I was immediately entranced by the dark academia setting, the magic system intrigued me, and the characters shattered my heart into a million pieces.
Our tortured MCs are just everything, both trying to deal w/ their trauma from the war—
My heart 😭🤍
And the tension? Insane.
I don’t even mind that things got going at 30%, the chemistry between them was just HAWT. I wouldn’t even be able to resist 🫦
The way I would’ve had—
“Property of Aidric Dawson” tramp stamped on me.
AND AM 💅🏽
But seriously, THE WAY HE TALKS YOU THROUGH IT IS SOOOO GOOD 🥵
Whewww, Aidric the man that you are!!!!
Literally feral for him.
He’s just so rich and shitty, I love it lmfaoo. Like literally comparing estates? I was dying.
“And yet, you require my help. How embarrassing for a Wielder.” Such a shit lol.
His banter was soooo top tier, and the magic scroll sending bit? One of my faves lol!!
The way he notices the little things too, I was just swooning w/ every scene. Even the bargains and ballrooms— SO GOOD. I also really really enjoyed how magical the buildings are, lowkey sentient even.
So many of my faves tropes tbh, and they’re all so well written. I just wanted to scream into my pillow, and kick my feet up giggling!!!!
I seriously couldn’t recommend this enough 🫶🏽
Mira was also such an amazing FMC. Soooo brilliant, and so quick witted. I loved all her comebacks!!
The banter was truly amazing.
But she’s also A BAD ASS—
“I am not mercy,” she responded. “I’m your reckoning.” Queen sh*t fr 👑
The side characters were so good too, and added so much to the story 🥹🤍
I literally loved them all.
Highly recommend this, especially if you want a good cry. I was sobbing for like a good 20min lmfaoo.
Such an amazing piece of work.
May 20, 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!!!
August 16, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.25 stars.
I am a sucker for an academic setting so was immediately sold by the plot. I like how we have a slight rivalry between white and dark magic that presents challenges throughout the plot. There’s prejudice and expectations that are at the forefront of peoples behaviour, but there’s this thin veneer of equality where everyone pretends they aren’t still reeling from the war.
We pick up the story with our FMC who is afflicted from the war herself leading her to the academy to try rid herself of the aftermath she continually suffers from. This leads her to be caught up in a murder investigation with a guy she detests, but she’s literally willing to do whatever she must if it gets her the end result she wants.
There’s romance, devastation, sacrifice and a magic system I loved. Highly recommend this one!
I am a sucker for an academic setting so was immediately sold by the plot. I like how we have a slight rivalry between white and dark magic that presents challenges throughout the plot. There’s prejudice and expectations that are at the forefront of peoples behaviour, but there’s this thin veneer of equality where everyone pretends they aren’t still reeling from the war.
We pick up the story with our FMC who is afflicted from the war herself leading her to the academy to try rid herself of the aftermath she continually suffers from. This leads her to be caught up in a murder investigation with a guy she detests, but she’s literally willing to do whatever she must if it gets her the end result she wants.
There’s romance, devastation, sacrifice and a magic system I loved. Highly recommend this one!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Our Dark Incantations ✨️
Wanda Hellmund
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star
This dark Academia, slow-burn romance was so good. Enemies to lovers and loads of secrets. I liked the idea of the murder mystery tied in, it kept the story so intriguing. The pacing of the book made me want to pick it up even when I had to put it down. The FMC is a healer with PTSD and it was handled so well in the book. This book is definitely a recommendation, and I did cry at the end.
Thank you @netgalley and Berkley publishing for the arc!
Wanda Hellmund
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star
This dark Academia, slow-burn romance was so good. Enemies to lovers and loads of secrets. I liked the idea of the murder mystery tied in, it kept the story so intriguing. The pacing of the book made me want to pick it up even when I had to put it down. The FMC is a healer with PTSD and it was handled so well in the book. This book is definitely a recommendation, and I did cry at the end.
Thank you @netgalley and Berkley publishing 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
August 4, 2026
sorry netgalley it needs to be said — lots of thoughts on this one so let’s break it up
pros:
fantastic magic system
AMAZING MMC
plot twists
jaw dropping one liners
cons:
MMC not amazing from 75% to end
FMC frustrating throughout entire book
plot twists
some of the worst pacing in a book that I’ve ever seen
pros:
fantastic magic system
AMAZING MMC
plot twists
jaw dropping one liners
cons:
MMC not amazing from 75% to end
FMC frustrating throughout entire book
plot twists
some of the worst pacing in a book that I’ve ever seen
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.
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