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Symphony
They told her Lesser Magic was lesser. She's starting to think that was the point.
Her magic can silence a room, shatter glass, and cancel out a fireball. At Solmere Academy, they call that lesser.
Nessa Halloway's sound magic has been a problem her whole life. Unpredictable, unwanted, whispered about in the village she grew up in. It's something worse here: a liability. For the first time, she has a chance to belong somewhere if she can keep her head down.
Except the rules make less sense the longer she watches noble students train while she's taught to disappear. So she stops asking permission.
The better she gets, the louder the objections from people who were never supposed to notice her at all. The problem is that not all of them object. Some of them want to know exactly how far she can go, and Nessa's starting to think their interest is the more dangerous problem.
Somewhere between late-night training sessions and the girl who watches her like she's something worth studying, Nessa stops thinking about fitting in. She starts thinking about what she actually wants—from her magic, from Solmere, and from her roommate Maiya.
Her magic can silence a room, shatter glass, and cancel out a fireball. At Solmere Academy, they call that lesser.
Nessa Halloway's sound magic has been a problem her whole life. Unpredictable, unwanted, whispered about in the village she grew up in. It's something worse here: a liability. For the first time, she has a chance to belong somewhere if she can keep her head down.
Except the rules make less sense the longer she watches noble students train while she's taught to disappear. So she stops asking permission.
The better she gets, the louder the objections from people who were never supposed to notice her at all. The problem is that not all of them object. Some of them want to know exactly how far she can go, and Nessa's starting to think their interest is the more dangerous problem.
Somewhere between late-night training sessions and the girl who watches her like she's something worth studying, Nessa stops thinking about fitting in. She starts thinking about what she actually wants—from her magic, from Solmere, and from her roommate Maiya.
- GenresFantasy
ebook
Published July 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
July 31, 2026
Symphony by Vel Everlin is a sapphic coming-of-age fantasy perfect for readers looking for a main character with strong character development, a unique magic system, and a classic magical academy.
I was initially drawn in by the beautiful cover art, and became even more excited to pick up this ARC once I learned that Everlin writes queer romances and that this is her debut novel.
The story started off strong. I immediately sympathised with Nessa and how she always felt like she had to hide herself and make herself invisible just to avoid harassment. Her character growth was undoubtedly the strongest aspect of the novel, and it was incredibly satisfying to watch her grow from someone who constantly shrank herself into someone who exuded confidence by the final act.
While this made for a compelling character arc on paper, I ultimately struggled to connect with Nessa as a character. II found her inner monologue to be rather bland and repetitive. She often revisits the same emotional beats without adding much nuance or insight, which frequently pulled me out of the story. For a novel so heavily centred on character growth, I also would've loved to see the found family aspect explored more deeply. Many of the side characters (Besides maybe Leo) felt defined by one or two standout traits, making it difficult for them to hold their own as characters and for me to become invested in them.
I also felt the novel didn't make full use of its 300-page length. Around the halfway mark, the pacing slowed considerably, and while I normally don't mind a slower story, I found myself wishing that time had been spent further developing the supporting cast or exploring the relationships between them. The final 20% did pick up nicely, however, and wrapped the story up at a satisfying pace.
The writing felt well suited to the younger end of the YA audience, with its more straightforward prose that was easy to follow. I honestly think I would've adored this book had I read it five years ago, so I'd have no hesitation recommending it to younger YA readers.
The magic system was another standout. I don't think I've ever come across anything like sound manipulation as a magical affinity before, and I really enjoyed how unique it felt. However, a lot of the time, the magic system is explored solely through Nessa's perspective. While I enjoyed seeing how she used her SoundWeaving magic, I would've loved to see how different abilities could've complemented one another in a team setting.
While this ultimately wasn't the right book for me, I still think it's a lovely recommendation for readers who enjoy coming-of-age YA fantasies. And although I wished the romance had been given a little more room to develop, the sapphic relationship still felt incredibly tender and genuine.
Thank you Vel Everlin for providing this book for review consideration via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
I was initially drawn in by the beautiful cover art, and became even more excited to pick up this ARC once I learned that Everlin writes queer romances and that this is her debut novel.
The story started off strong. I immediately sympathised with Nessa and how she always felt like she had to hide herself and make herself invisible just to avoid harassment. Her character growth was undoubtedly the strongest aspect of the novel, and it was incredibly satisfying to watch her grow from someone who constantly shrank herself into someone who exuded confidence by the final act.
While this made for a compelling character arc on paper, I ultimately struggled to connect with Nessa as a character. II found her inner monologue to be rather bland and repetitive. She often revisits the same emotional beats without adding much nuance or insight, which frequently pulled me out of the story. For a novel so heavily centred on character growth, I also would've loved to see the found family aspect explored more deeply. Many of the side characters (Besides maybe Leo) felt defined by one or two standout traits, making it difficult for them to hold their own as characters and for me to become invested in them.
I also felt the novel didn't make full use of its 300-page length. Around the halfway mark, the pacing slowed considerably, and while I normally don't mind a slower story, I found myself wishing that time had been spent further developing the supporting cast or exploring the relationships between them. The final 20% did pick up nicely, however, and wrapped the story up at a satisfying pace.
The writing felt well suited to the younger end of the YA audience, with its more straightforward prose that was easy to follow. I honestly think I would've adored this book had I read it five years ago, so I'd have no hesitation recommending it to younger YA readers.
The magic system was another standout. I don't think I've ever come across anything like sound manipulation as a magical affinity before, and I really enjoyed how unique it felt. However, a lot of the time, the magic system is explored solely through Nessa's perspective. While I enjoyed seeing how she used her SoundWeaving magic, I would've loved to see how different abilities could've complemented one another in a team setting.
While this ultimately wasn't the right book for me, I still think it's a lovely recommendation for readers who enjoy coming-of-age YA fantasies. And although I wished the romance had been given a little more room to develop, the sapphic relationship still felt incredibly tender and genuine.
Thank you Vel Everlin for providing this book for review consideration via BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Not another book I want to escape into...
Symphony is the first book in a queer YA fantasy series set in a magical academy - one of my favorite settings for books to have, especially in the YA age range. It read toward the younger side of YA to me (though not quite middle grade), and it almost had some cozy vibes to it as well, even though I wouldn't consider it cozy fantasy. This book also covers a lot of ground in terms of tropes and topics, including a magic system with rules to be tested, a roommates-to-something more dynamic, commentary on classism, and a developing found family. I read this in less than 24 hours, and I definitely would've been obsessed with this book back in middle school/high school.
Nessa Halloway has always believed she's cursed. Sound behaves oddly around her, and its unpredictability has led to her ostracization. Then the miraculous happens: a professor from Solmere Academy sees Nessa's curse in action and reveals the truth: Nessa has magic, specifically a form of "lesser magic" called SoundWeaving. Now, attending a magical school to control her magic, Nessa is exposed to the true division between true and lesser magic, and with the help of her roommate and the other lesser magic students, she intends to reach her true potential. Most of the book is spent developing Nessa's magic and her relationships with her friends; I would consider the first 75% or so build-up for the actual major plot points. Because of this, the pacing was a bit of a struggle for me, and it's part of the reason this kind of gave cozy vibes to me. Nessa makes friends fairly quickly, and there aren't many tensions between them. Her classes provide a bit of conflict, but most of it is resolved, and the stakes are never super high. As the story progresses, some conflict blossoms as the other students take notice of Nessa and her friends, but I wouldn't consider the stakes "high" until the very end. I did enjoy the action and mild twists of the ending, and I would be interested in reading more books in this world (I'm looking forward to checking out the prequel on the author's website!). I might've preferred a bit more conflict/suspense, but that's a matter of personal taste, and I think plenty of readers will adore this story.
I wasn't expecting a mini found family, but I'm so glad it was included. Nessa Halloway, our protagonist, comes from a humble background that matches her humble magic of SoundWeaving. I really enjoyed the applications of sound magic (I haven't seen it used much in other books). I also liked Nessa's drive to learn more and to prove her worth, and I related to her more introverted nature. Maiya is Nessa's roommate, who has illusion magic. Given the blurb, I was expecting a lot more page time with her, so I'm hoping to see more of her in book 2. Illusion magic is one of my favorite types of magic, and I feel like her backstory would've helped me to connect to her more. The rest of Nessa's cohort intrigued me as well, and I'm hoping future books continue to explore them beyond just their powers and base personalities. There's Ivan, who can float and is kind of the beefy but lovable character; Samira, who's super cheery and can talk to plants; and Leif, who can fix things with magic and loves a good book/research. As some other reviewers have mentioned, Leo was one of the more interesting characters to me due to his complexity. He comes from a more noble background than the other lesser mages, so he's automatically more isolated. Nessa's friendship with him was touching, and overall, I like the kindness and connection shared between all of the main characters.
Symphony is the first book in a queer YA fantasy series set in a magical academy, which I'd recommend to fans of Petra Lord's Queen of Faces and Adriana Mather's Alchemy of Souls.
Thanks to the author for the free e-ARC of this book!
3.5/5
Symphony is the first book in a queer YA fantasy series set in a magical academy - one of my favorite settings for books to have, especially in the YA age range. It read toward the younger side of YA to me (though not quite middle grade), and it almost had some cozy vibes to it as well, even though I wouldn't consider it cozy fantasy. This book also covers a lot of ground in terms of tropes and topics, including a magic system with rules to be tested, a roommates-to-something more dynamic, commentary on classism, and a developing found family. I read this in less than 24 hours, and I definitely would've been obsessed with this book back in middle school/high school.
Nessa Halloway has always believed she's cursed. Sound behaves oddly around her, and its unpredictability has led to her ostracization. Then the miraculous happens: a professor from Solmere Academy sees Nessa's curse in action and reveals the truth: Nessa has magic, specifically a form of "lesser magic" called SoundWeaving. Now, attending a magical school to control her magic, Nessa is exposed to the true division between true and lesser magic, and with the help of her roommate and the other lesser magic students, she intends to reach her true potential. Most of the book is spent developing Nessa's magic and her relationships with her friends; I would consider the first 75% or so build-up for the actual major plot points. Because of this, the pacing was a bit of a struggle for me, and it's part of the reason this kind of gave cozy vibes to me. Nessa makes friends fairly quickly, and there aren't many tensions between them. Her classes provide a bit of conflict, but most of it is resolved, and the stakes are never super high. As the story progresses, some conflict blossoms as the other students take notice of Nessa and her friends, but I wouldn't consider the stakes "high" until the very end. I did enjoy the action and mild twists of the ending, and I would be interested in reading more books in this world (I'm looking forward to checking out the prequel on the author's website!). I might've preferred a bit more conflict/suspense, but that's a matter of personal taste, and I think plenty of readers will adore this story.
I wasn't expecting a mini found family, but I'm so glad it was included. Nessa Halloway, our protagonist, comes from a humble background that matches her humble magic of SoundWeaving. I really enjoyed the applications of sound magic (I haven't seen it used much in other books). I also liked Nessa's drive to learn more and to prove her worth, and I related to her more introverted nature. Maiya is Nessa's roommate, who has illusion magic. Given the blurb, I was expecting a lot more page time with her, so I'm hoping to see more of her in book 2. Illusion magic is one of my favorite types of magic, and I feel like her backstory would've helped me to connect to her more. The rest of Nessa's cohort intrigued me as well, and I'm hoping future books continue to explore them beyond just their powers and base personalities. There's Ivan, who can float and is kind of the beefy but lovable character; Samira, who's super cheery and can talk to plants; and Leif, who can fix things with magic and loves a good book/research. As some other reviewers have mentioned, Leo was one of the more interesting characters to me due to his complexity. He comes from a more noble background than the other lesser mages, so he's automatically more isolated. Nessa's friendship with him was touching, and overall, I like the kindness and connection shared between all of the main characters.
Symphony is the first book in a queer YA fantasy series set in a magical academy, which I'd recommend to fans of Petra Lord's Queen of Faces and Adriana Mather's Alchemy of Souls.
Thanks to the author for the free e-ARC of this book!
3.5/5
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was really excited to pick this one up because magical schools are almost always a win for me, and the premise immediately caught my attention. We follow Nessa Halloway, a girl whose unpredictable magic has made her an outsider her entire life. When she's given the chance to attend Solmere and finally learn to control her abilities, she hopes she'll be able to prove that her magic is worth something. The problem is that almost everyone around her sees it as weak, making her the underdog from the very beginning.
I really wanted to connect with Nessa because I understood where her insecurities came from. Spending your whole life being told that you're not enough is bound to leave its mark, and watching her slowly learn to embrace her magic instead of hiding it was genuinely satisfying. By the end of the book, she's noticeably stronger and more confident, and I appreciated seeing her realize that her abilities were never as limited as everyone believed.
That said, I struggled to connect with her emotionally.
For me, one of the best parts of YA is seeing characters gradually learn to trust the people around them, but Nessa remained so guarded that it became difficult for me to feel invested in her relationships. Even after finding a new group of friends, she rarely let anyone in, and because of that, the found family aspect never fully landed for me. I kept wanting those friendships to feel warmer and more genuine.
The only relationship that really stood out was the one she shared with Leontius. I understood why they gravitated toward each other, and I liked the similarities between them, but even then I wished their bond had been explored a little more deeply.
The romance also ended up being much smaller than I expected. It's very clear that this story prioritizes Nessa's personal growth over romance, and I don't think that's inherently a bad choice. Unfortunately, because I wasn't completely invested in Nessa's emotional journey, I found myself hoping the romance would make me connect with the story more. Instead, it remained mostly in the background.
Honestly, I felt more chemistry between Nessa and her ex than I did between Nessa and Maiya (the love interest). It often felt like Maiya was doing most of the emotional heavy lifting while Nessa stayed focused on everything else. Between still thinking about her past relationship and dedicating herself to understanding her magic, it took such a long time for her to truly open up that I never completely believed in the romance.
One thing I absolutely loved, though, was the magic system. Even though the story is much more character focused than lore heavy, I really enjoyed learning about the different types of magic and seeing how Nessa's abilities worked. It feels like there's still so much potential for her powers to grow, and that's probably the aspect that left me most excited for future books.
At the end of the day, I think this was simply one of those "it's me, not the book" situations. I can absolutely see why other readers would connect with Nessa's journey because her character development is there, and the fantasy elements are genuinely enjoyable. I just never formed the emotional connection I was hoping for. Even so, I definitely think this world has a lot of potential, and I'm curious to see where it goes next.
Thanks to the author for the early read!
I really wanted to connect with Nessa because I understood where her insecurities came from. Spending your whole life being told that you're not enough is bound to leave its mark, and watching her slowly learn to embrace her magic instead of hiding it was genuinely satisfying. By the end of the book, she's noticeably stronger and more confident, and I appreciated seeing her realize that her abilities were never as limited as everyone believed.
That said, I struggled to connect with her emotionally.
For me, one of the best parts of YA is seeing characters gradually learn to trust the people around them, but Nessa remained so guarded that it became difficult for me to feel invested in her relationships. Even after finding a new group of friends, she rarely let anyone in, and because of that, the found family aspect never fully landed for me. I kept wanting those friendships to feel warmer and more genuine.
The only relationship that really stood out was the one she shared with Leontius. I understood why they gravitated toward each other, and I liked the similarities between them, but even then I wished their bond had been explored a little more deeply.
The romance also ended up being much smaller than I expected. It's very clear that this story prioritizes Nessa's personal growth over romance, and I don't think that's inherently a bad choice. Unfortunately, because I wasn't completely invested in Nessa's emotional journey, I found myself hoping the romance would make me connect with the story more. Instead, it remained mostly in the background.
Honestly, I felt more chemistry between Nessa and her ex than I did between Nessa and Maiya (the love interest). It often felt like Maiya was doing most of the emotional heavy lifting while Nessa stayed focused on everything else. Between still thinking about her past relationship and dedicating herself to understanding her magic, it took such a long time for her to truly open up that I never completely believed in the romance.
One thing I absolutely loved, though, was the magic system. Even though the story is much more character focused than lore heavy, I really enjoyed learning about the different types of magic and seeing how Nessa's abilities worked. It feels like there's still so much potential for her powers to grow, and that's probably the aspect that left me most excited for future books.
At the end of the day, I think this was simply one of those "it's me, not the book" situations. I can absolutely see why other readers would connect with Nessa's journey because her character development is there, and the fantasy elements are genuinely enjoyable. I just never formed the emotional connection I was hoping for. Even so, I definitely think this world has a lot of potential, and I'm curious to see where it goes next.
Thanks to the author for the early read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Anytime I read a book about a magical academy, I’m hoping it’ll fill the hole left behind by other magical academy series I don’t read anymore, and SYMPHONY is the closest I’ve ever actually come to filling it. Nessa is capable of SoundWeaving, a complex and layered magic that primarily affects sound, though a big part of her journey is learning what, exactly, she is capable of. Her friend and roommate Maiya is a steady, encouraging presence at Nessa’s side, helping her work through the emotions involved in the transition from her small town to Solmere Academy and learn to master her magic. There is a clear class divide, and I hope that’s something that is explored more in future novels in this series. The characters feel real and embodied within the world, and I really liked reading about them. I was left wanting more of Maiya’s feelings and thoughts, and I wish we had seen more of Maiya and Nessa acknowledging and processing their feelings, rather than ignoring them – their tension was great, but their relationship still somehow felt very rushed in the end because we didn’t really get to see them process any of it.
I do think that this reads as sort of a younger YA, despite the characters being teenagers, and I wasn’t necessarily expecting that. The pacing felt a bit odd at times; there’s a sense that time is passing in the story, but because so much of the training Nessa and her friends do together and the classes they attend are sort of glossed over or “montaged,” I couldn’t really get a sense of how much time had passed until the very end of the book. There are a couple of discrepancies in some of the descriptions, which added confusion. I also think the writing was pretty repetitive at times – Nessa’s internal monologue in particular is pretty repetitive, but the brief peeks we get into Leo and Maiya’s minds are similar, which points to this being a general writing quirk rather than an individual character quirk. There are also a few moments where characters seem to know things that they did not witness, and we don’t get an explanation for how they know the things they know. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing (I’m capable of making assumptions! I’m sure the characters are filling each other in off-page!) but it isn’t always explained or addressed, which is sort of jarring. Despite these few nitpicks, SYMPHONY is extremely readable and entertaining, and I didn’t want to put it down. I also think the last few chapters really do a great job of resolving some of the immediate conflicts while also setting up some additional tension and conflict for the future books. I think teen me would have eaten this up, honestly.
Overall, I enjoyed SYMPHONY, and I am eager to read more of this world and these characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a ride-or-die sapphic friendship and/or unique conceptions of magic.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
I do think that this reads as sort of a younger YA, despite the characters being teenagers, and I wasn’t necessarily expecting that. The pacing felt a bit odd at times; there’s a sense that time is passing in the story, but because so much of the training Nessa and her friends do together and the classes they attend are sort of glossed over or “montaged,” I couldn’t really get a sense of how much time had passed until the very end of the book. There are a couple of discrepancies in some of the descriptions, which added confusion. I also think the writing was pretty repetitive at times – Nessa’s internal monologue in particular is pretty repetitive, but the brief peeks we get into Leo and Maiya’s minds are similar, which points to this being a general writing quirk rather than an individual character quirk. There are also a few moments where characters seem to know things that they did not witness, and we don’t get an explanation for how they know the things they know. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing (I’m capable of making assumptions! I’m sure the characters are filling each other in off-page!) but it isn’t always explained or addressed, which is sort of jarring. Despite these few nitpicks, SYMPHONY is extremely readable and entertaining, and I didn’t want to put it down. I also think the last few chapters really do a great job of resolving some of the immediate conflicts while also setting up some additional tension and conflict for the future books. I think teen me would have eaten this up, honestly.
Overall, I enjoyed SYMPHONY, and I am eager to read more of this world and these characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a ride-or-die sapphic friendship and/or unique conceptions of magic.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
Review of advance copy
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
While some YA academy books go down the heavy romance route, this debut dares to be different by being more about character growth than how gorgeous her classmates might be. It's also something that I would have zero hesitation in recommending to an actual younger end of YA reader.
Our story takes us to a world where magic is something for the rich to hoard, leaving the poor to be afraid of the things they cannot explain. Nessa is a victim of this attitude; growing up in a village where she causes strange effects to happen around her, she's considered cursed. Maybe she amplifies her voice unexpectedly, or overhears distant whispered conversations that no normal person could, sound doesn't act right. But when a tutor traveling to Solmere Academy spots Nessa's potential, Nessa decides to not be ruled by fear any more. She will leave everything she's ever known to learn how to control her powers, no matter her self doubt.
First things first: it's hard not to want to reference other magical academy series in relation to this, as for me it had that younger reader feel. The plot and politics are simple, and there's a little more tell than show, directing us towards the thoughts and feelings of the characters or things of significance. As an older reader, I could see what it was doing but didn't feel put off by it because it reads right for the intended audience. I'd have been more than happy with the narrative style where I was an actual young adult!
The aspects that didn't hit quite so well for me were the relationships that came about. I didn't see them evolve as smoothly as maybe I'd have liked, particularly the mild romance angle that arose from events in a way I felt I didn't understand. I didn't feel that the characters were deeply explored, though each did have a very obvious persona to ensure you'd never mix them up. Maybe I'd have liked a bit more description too, just to set the scene, and a little less of Nessa's self pity monologues towards the end.
What I did love here are the magic lessons, which is surely the point of reading a magical academy book in the first place. We don't focus on people who can throw fire or lightning or ice, not the "True Magic", no. Nessa and her friends all have "Lesser Magic"; little skills that are very specific and considered useless by the upper classes who dominate magical bloodlines. Nessa's SoundWeaving skill gets properly delved into, combining magic lessons with her tale of self discovery.
There's plenty to love about this easy reading first in series if you're craving that uncomplicated joy of watching a character start to learn to be themselves.
While some YA academy books go down the heavy romance route, this debut dares to be different by being more about character growth than how gorgeous her classmates might be. It's also something that I would have zero hesitation in recommending to an actual younger end of YA reader.
Our story takes us to a world where magic is something for the rich to hoard, leaving the poor to be afraid of the things they cannot explain. Nessa is a victim of this attitude; growing up in a village where she causes strange effects to happen around her, she's considered cursed. Maybe she amplifies her voice unexpectedly, or overhears distant whispered conversations that no normal person could, sound doesn't act right. But when a tutor traveling to Solmere Academy spots Nessa's potential, Nessa decides to not be ruled by fear any more. She will leave everything she's ever known to learn how to control her powers, no matter her self doubt.
First things first: it's hard not to want to reference other magical academy series in relation to this, as for me it had that younger reader feel. The plot and politics are simple, and there's a little more tell than show, directing us towards the thoughts and feelings of the characters or things of significance. As an older reader, I could see what it was doing but didn't feel put off by it because it reads right for the intended audience. I'd have been more than happy with the narrative style where I was an actual young adult!
The aspects that didn't hit quite so well for me were the relationships that came about. I didn't see them evolve as smoothly as maybe I'd have liked, particularly the mild romance angle that arose from events in a way I felt I didn't understand. I didn't feel that the characters were deeply explored, though each did have a very obvious persona to ensure you'd never mix them up. Maybe I'd have liked a bit more description too, just to set the scene, and a little less of Nessa's self pity monologues towards the end.
What I did love here are the magic lessons, which is surely the point of reading a magical academy book in the first place. We don't focus on people who can throw fire or lightning or ice, not the "True Magic", no. Nessa and her friends all have "Lesser Magic"; little skills that are very specific and considered useless by the upper classes who dominate magical bloodlines. Nessa's SoundWeaving skill gets properly delved into, combining magic lessons with her tale of self discovery.
There's plenty to love about this easy reading first in series if you're craving that uncomplicated joy of watching a character start to learn to be themselves.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Symphony 🔊
Firstly,I want to thank BookSirens and Vel Everlin for trusting me with this ARC!🎀
Nessa can finally belong.
After years of spending her life in the dark,due to her unwanted sound magic, life maybe started showing up for her.Until she understands that in order to be in the Academy she also has to hide,be quiet ,never take space,likewise her other classmates who are truly there,truly studying their magic.
Yet Nessa will be stuck in late night training lessons and secrets,until she finds a girl that thinks that her magic is worthy of showing off ,worth mastering and making Nessa feel worthy too.
WHAT AN AMAZING STORY THIS WAS.⚡
Truly,if I did not knew that this was a debut novel I do not think I would believe it.I was unable to put it down for even a minute,and the writing was one of its kind.I can say I felt that magic-ish aura that I want to experience in this book.
Plus,I loved the tension that it had even in the silent moments.It was a journey that showed us how self doubt can turn into confidence,how love can be always there in every version there is and that the only person that you have in your ENTIRE life is none other that your own self.
Nessa was the character that I needed to read about,and if you ask me every girl must.She had all the unfortunate circumstances in her life,and still with the right support she choose to show up to really study her magic,and that didn't fail her when she needed it.
Continuing,I loved the absolute slow burn romance that Symphony had and I expect it blossom even more in the next books that are to come. Nessa's love story really symbolized stability and what we define quiet love to be today.Her girl showed her that she was here and she will be here always by her side.
So,if you love a good magical romance with an unforgettable heroine,Symphony is the perfect book for you
Out On July,17th🫶🏻
4⭐
Firstly,I want to thank BookSirens and Vel Everlin for trusting me with this ARC!🎀
Nessa can finally belong.
After years of spending her life in the dark,due to her unwanted sound magic, life maybe started showing up for her.Until she understands that in order to be in the Academy she also has to hide,be quiet ,never take space,likewise her other classmates who are truly there,truly studying their magic.
Yet Nessa will be stuck in late night training lessons and secrets,until she finds a girl that thinks that her magic is worthy of showing off ,worth mastering and making Nessa feel worthy too.
WHAT AN AMAZING STORY THIS WAS.⚡
Truly,if I did not knew that this was a debut novel I do not think I would believe it.I was unable to put it down for even a minute,and the writing was one of its kind.I can say I felt that magic-ish aura that I want to experience in this book.
Plus,I loved the tension that it had even in the silent moments.It was a journey that showed us how self doubt can turn into confidence,how love can be always there in every version there is and that the only person that you have in your ENTIRE life is none other that your own self.
Nessa was the character that I needed to read about,and if you ask me every girl must.She had all the unfortunate circumstances in her life,and still with the right support she choose to show up to really study her magic,and that didn't fail her when she needed it.
Continuing,I loved the absolute slow burn romance that Symphony had and I expect it blossom even more in the next books that are to come. Nessa's love story really symbolized stability and what we define quiet love to be today.Her girl showed her that she was here and she will be here always by her side.
So,if you love a good magical romance with an unforgettable heroine,Symphony is the perfect book for you
Out On July,17th🫶🏻
4⭐
Review of advance copy
I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I would like to read more.
The book is a beautiful coming of age book set in a world where magic is divided into 2 groups, "true" magic - fireballs, lightning and so on mostly destructive and the property of the nobles and "lesser" magic so called as it is less "flashy".
The sapphic romance - it really works, Nessa and Maiya are a really beautiful couple and the chemistry be tween them is perfect. The slow burn romance is perfectly done, the whole package feels real and it is totally believable.
The magic - nobles and true magic, the rest of the folk (actually referred to as peasants by the entitled few) with their lesser magic that is until the lesser magic practitioners start to question everything - is their magic being "dumbed down" to perpetuate the class system, with the proper training could they really fly and is there not lesser and true magic but just magic.
This book has so many thread, coming of age, slow burn sapphic romance, social commentary and others all combined to produce a truly great work.
To people who read my reviews, I really recommend that you buy this book both because I feel it is a really great book that in my opinion should be in every High School library and on recommended reading lists as it could lead to some amazing class discussions and also as I have said many times before new authors producing excellent work like this deserve to be supported
Five stars and I am really looking forward to following Nessa and Maiya's story in the future. What a great couple.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I would like to read more.
The book is a beautiful coming of age book set in a world where magic is divided into 2 groups, "true" magic - fireballs, lightning and so on mostly destructive and the property of the nobles and "lesser" magic so called as it is less "flashy".
The sapphic romance - it really works, Nessa and Maiya are a really beautiful couple and the chemistry be tween them is perfect. The slow burn romance is perfectly done, the whole package feels real and it is totally believable.
The magic - nobles and true magic, the rest of the folk (actually referred to as peasants by the entitled few) with their lesser magic that is until the lesser magic practitioners start to question everything - is their magic being "dumbed down" to perpetuate the class system, with the proper training could they really fly and is there not lesser and true magic but just magic.
This book has so many thread, coming of age, slow burn sapphic romance, social commentary and others all combined to produce a truly great work.
To people who read my reviews, I really recommend that you buy this book both because I feel it is a really great book that in my opinion should be in every High School library and on recommended reading lists as it could lead to some amazing class discussions and also as I have said many times before new authors producing excellent work like this deserve to be supported
Five stars and I am really looking forward to following Nessa and Maiya's story in the future. What a great couple.
July 22, 2026
Symphony Solmere Academy book 1 is a YA Sapphic friends-to-lovers romantasy that is similar in concept to the Harry Potter books, The Princess's Pet, Serpentine Valentine and Her Spell That Binds Me, but without delving too much into the dark element. The writing language is beautiful and in structure reminds me of Moira Darling's writing style. Good world building, interesting idea of magical reality, diverse characters, good storytelling, but for me something small was missing. The pace was uneven, not annoying enough to stop reading, but it seemed like the balance between the different story lines was slightly off. On the one hand, we have a slowly developing love story, on the other - the political dynamics defining the panoramic picture of life at Solmere Academy, and it seemed like the action was moving at two speeds. At one point there was a gradation due to the general development of events, at the next - a stagnation due to the attempt to generate tension with the love line, which would escalate until the last chapter. In the book, the story is presented mainly from Nessa's point of view, with inclusions from Maiya and Leo (antagonist). The characters were interesting, lovable, each with a well-developed psychological profile and identity, but the focus was blurred, as if the main characters Nessa and Maiya were not in the spotlight long enough, which distracted me. Nevertheless, the first book in the series is interesting and promises a good development in its magical world. I hope Vel Everlin improves the dynamics in the next parts, because what they have created so far has huge potential.
July 21, 2026
I enjoyed the magic of this world, especially the MCs unique powers, the politics interwoven through the magic system and the inevitable fight against inequality this story begins. The writing style is incredibly simplistic, the dialogue almost cartoonish, especially in the bullying set up and the moments of self-depreciation... Well suited to a younger audience perhaps, but it did get fairly annoying quite quickly. The characters were all fairly one dimensional, the MC's only personality trait was crippling insecurity, easily faltering at one misconstrued glance, one somewhat mean comment, unchanging even as she grasped her power and received support from real friends, good tutors and even the judgemental, classist archmage/headmaster.
Her being the one to change everything for those with 'lesser magic', her accidental heroism being the trigger for slow reform, worked well. However, her increased status and power not coming with and personality growth? It was annoying... Even if she'd been consumed by overconfidence at least she would have developed? She doesn't gain a new perspective, she doesn't shift her motivations, she doesn't gain confidence. She fails, then puts herself in a room with a bad friend she forced upon her group, where she almost fails again... But, hey, she gets the girl, gets to be a hero and she'll be back in school next term!
An enjoyable concept, a good plot, but weak characters... I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Her being the one to change everything for those with 'lesser magic', her accidental heroism being the trigger for slow reform, worked well. However, her increased status and power not coming with and personality growth? It was annoying... Even if she'd been consumed by overconfidence at least she would have developed? She doesn't gain a new perspective, she doesn't shift her motivations, she doesn't gain confidence. She fails, then puts herself in a room with a bad friend she forced upon her group, where she almost fails again... But, hey, she gets the girl, gets to be a hero and she'll be back in school next term!
An enjoyable concept, a good plot, but weak characters... I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 6, 2026
I was so excited to be included in the ARC team for this book!
The moment I heard this book was about a magic academy, and also contained sapphic romance, I was immediately sold. Having read it, I can happily say I would read another ten books set in this world.
Nessa’s magic is unbelievably cool. The way she could manipulate and amplify sound was awesome. I loved the descriptions of her use of magic and also the way she learned her magic. Her lessons were brilliant. I would have happily spent hours just reading about Nessa’s classes.
I also loved the distinctions between the higher magics (elemental magics) and the lower magics (literally anything else) and the way the lower magic users were starting to fight back against the status quo.
I adored the relationships and the found family dynamic between Nessa and her friends. The relationship between her and Maiya was absolutely adorable. Ivan was also one of my favourite characters, because he was always so unserious.
If you want to read a book with a super cool magic system and a slow burn sapphic romance, I cannot recommend this one enough!!
The moment I heard this book was about a magic academy, and also contained sapphic romance, I was immediately sold. Having read it, I can happily say I would read another ten books set in this world.
Nessa’s magic is unbelievably cool. The way she could manipulate and amplify sound was awesome. I loved the descriptions of her use of magic and also the way she learned her magic. Her lessons were brilliant. I would have happily spent hours just reading about Nessa’s classes.
I also loved the distinctions between the higher magics (elemental magics) and the lower magics (literally anything else) and the way the lower magic users were starting to fight back against the status quo.
I adored the relationships and the found family dynamic between Nessa and her friends. The relationship between her and Maiya was absolutely adorable. Ivan was also one of my favourite characters, because he was always so unserious.
If you want to read a book with a super cool magic system and a slow burn sapphic romance, I cannot recommend this one enough!!
Review of advance copy
Solmere was an excellent read. It was a page turner, and I finished it so much faster than I expected! Overall, Symphony introduced the world of Solmere Academy as a place with varying stances on magic and a class system behind it. While the world-building was solid for a first book, it still left me wanting more.
In many ways, it felt like the plot was pulling the characters along. The POV changes to Leo were also jarring at times, and it felt like his intentions were all over the place. It really just felt like the only characters were Nessa, Leo, and Maiya. I also would've liked to see more relationship development. It felt like it really only happened at random times to move a romantic sub-plot along.
Despite all this, I did really enjoy Nessa as a character and how her abilities and character blossomed over the course of the story. Sound magic is a really unique concept, and I enjoyed seeing the many possibilities it had and how they were explored and enhanced.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
In many ways, it felt like the plot was pulling the characters along. The POV changes to Leo were also jarring at times, and it felt like his intentions were all over the place. It really just felt like the only characters were Nessa, Leo, and Maiya. I also would've liked to see more relationship development. It felt like it really only happened at random times to move a romantic sub-plot along.
Despite all this, I did really enjoy Nessa as a character and how her abilities and character blossomed over the course of the story. Sound magic is a really unique concept, and I enjoyed seeing the many possibilities it had and how they were explored and enhanced.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 16, 2026
‘Symphony’ is the first sapphic romance I’ve read and I absolutely loved it, I love discovering new genres to read.
I found this read to be engaging yet cosy, this was a really sweet read, I enjoyed how picturesque the setting was, I liked how letters were included and most of all I loved how much magic features in the storyline, it’s so mystical!
I adored reading the romance between Nessa and Maiya, they care a lot for eachother and it gave me a subtle touch her or die vibes. In general I loved the change and growth we see with Nessa and how she slowly becomes confident in herself and her power.
This is book 1 in the Solmere Academy Series and I definitely will be picking up book two.
If you’re a lover of YA, academia vibes and sapphic romance the add this to your TBR!
I found this read to be engaging yet cosy, this was a really sweet read, I enjoyed how picturesque the setting was, I liked how letters were included and most of all I loved how much magic features in the storyline, it’s so mystical!
I adored reading the romance between Nessa and Maiya, they care a lot for eachother and it gave me a subtle touch her or die vibes. In general I loved the change and growth we see with Nessa and how she slowly becomes confident in herself and her power.
This is book 1 in the Solmere Academy Series and I definitely will be picking up book two.
If you’re a lover of YA, academia vibes and sapphic romance the add this to your TBR!
July 31, 2026
ARC REVIEW
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a sweet fantasy treat with great writing that didn't leave me hanging or wondering. The author has a really good way with words! One thing I will say though, I wish there was more to the sapphic romance part of it. Understandably, it is slow burn, but once we kinda got there, I felt like it still could've used more build up, especially from Nessa's side. Even then, romance wasn't the main attraction of this story, and thats okay! The world building, the magic, the fantasy aspects, the friendship; these are all things that shaped this story for me and I felt immersed in it and really enjoyed it overall! A must read for ya fantasy fans with a sapphic touch.
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a sweet fantasy treat with great writing that didn't leave me hanging or wondering. The author has a really good way with words! One thing I will say though, I wish there was more to the sapphic romance part of it. Understandably, it is slow burn, but once we kinda got there, I felt like it still could've used more build up, especially from Nessa's side. Even then, romance wasn't the main attraction of this story, and thats okay! The world building, the magic, the fantasy aspects, the friendship; these are all things that shaped this story for me and I felt immersed in it and really enjoyed it overall! A must read for ya fantasy fans with a sapphic touch.
July 19, 2026
This was my very first sapphic book ever and I can honestly say I loved it. This book pulled me from the start bc I wanted to know what this curse was that Nessa had and then finding out that’s she attends a magical school to help her control a power she always assumed was a curse and learning herself ask well with roommate by her side the entire time there’s nothing she can’t get through. It was a slow burn but it didn’t make the story hard to read I look forward to reading other books by this author
August 1, 2026
This was such a nice YA read. It was warm, sweet and had great characters.
It was full of the feelings of first love, found family and navigating the shift from young adolescence to a more complicated, darker world order.
The magic system was simple, but effective. The FMC uses sound magic and I really enjoyed that ability! It was different and handled very nicely. There is a lot of potential for that ability and her magic growth in future books as well, which is exciting.
I am looking forward to read the next installment of this great book series!
It was full of the feelings of first love, found family and navigating the shift from young adolescence to a more complicated, darker world order.
The magic system was simple, but effective. The FMC uses sound magic and I really enjoyed that ability! It was different and handled very nicely. There is a lot of potential for that ability and her magic growth in future books as well, which is exciting.
I am looking forward to read the next installment of this great book series!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 🌟
This was such an amazing read. I was hooked immediately and was so curious about Nessa and her curse. I loved her character and related a lot to her self-doubt and the way she kept her guard up—she reminded me so much of myself! Solmere Academy seems like the perfect place to escape into and never come home. I really enjoyed the found family aspect, and I honestly wish we got a bit more of the side characters because their banter was great. The slow-burn romance between Nessa and Maiya was also really beautifully done. I’m so grateful to the author for sending me an ARC, and I am so excited to continue the series!
This was such an amazing read. I was hooked immediately and was so curious about Nessa and her curse. I loved her character and related a lot to her self-doubt and the way she kept her guard up—she reminded me so much of myself! Solmere Academy seems like the perfect place to escape into and never come home. I really enjoyed the found family aspect, and I honestly wish we got a bit more of the side characters because their banter was great. The slow-burn romance between Nessa and Maiya was also really beautifully done. I’m so grateful to the author for sending me an ARC, and I am so excited to continue the series!
July 29, 2026
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to see what the author does with this world.
I really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to see what the author does with this world.
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