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A Tangled Magic
Rapunzel meets Six of Crows in this darkly imagined high fantasy for fans of T. Kingfisher’s Nettle & Bone, The Bone Shard Daughter by Andrea Stewart, Naomi Novik’s Uprooted, and Disney’s Tangled, as a woman with amnesia—and magical hair—searches for her lost memories while navigating a web of royal intrigue, bone magic, and secret monasteries.
All her life, Netta has only known the Tower—its musty shelves of books she cannot read, ink-splattered quills, and endless scrolls of paper. Her mother, ambitious and analytical, has spent decades perfecting her greatest masterpiece: a spellbook of unspeakable power. Netta’s only companions are her long red Hair, which moves of its own accord, and a telepathic raven named Baldbeak. Her only amusement lies in crafting intricate embroidery from scraps of silk and thread.
When attackers storm the Tower, her mother and the spellbook vanish. Determined to find her, Netta ventures into a kingdom on the brink of civil war. The monarch lies dying, while pious Temple fanatics and the noble elite scheme for the throne, forging secret alliances and building hidden armies. For reasons she cannot yet fathom, all these factions seek Netta—and the dangerous, uncontrollable magic in her Hair.
But whom can she trust? The sharp-eyed pickpocket bent on revolutionizing the use of magic? The elusive black market trader known only as the Book Man? The charming magician who slips between shadow and light? From masked carnivals to opulent ballrooms, from hidden monasteries to catacombs, Netta must untangle a web of lies and intrigue - not only to find her mother, but also to uncover the true nature of the power that has shaped her life.
All her life, Netta has only known the Tower—its musty shelves of books she cannot read, ink-splattered quills, and endless scrolls of paper. Her mother, ambitious and analytical, has spent decades perfecting her greatest masterpiece: a spellbook of unspeakable power. Netta’s only companions are her long red Hair, which moves of its own accord, and a telepathic raven named Baldbeak. Her only amusement lies in crafting intricate embroidery from scraps of silk and thread.
When attackers storm the Tower, her mother and the spellbook vanish. Determined to find her, Netta ventures into a kingdom on the brink of civil war. The monarch lies dying, while pious Temple fanatics and the noble elite scheme for the throne, forging secret alliances and building hidden armies. For reasons she cannot yet fathom, all these factions seek Netta—and the dangerous, uncontrollable magic in her Hair.
But whom can she trust? The sharp-eyed pickpocket bent on revolutionizing the use of magic? The elusive black market trader known only as the Book Man? The charming magician who slips between shadow and light? From masked carnivals to opulent ballrooms, from hidden monasteries to catacombs, Netta must untangle a web of lies and intrigue - not only to find her mother, but also to uncover the true nature of the power that has shaped her life.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2026
About the author
Andrea Eames
8 books272 followersAndrea Eames was born in 1985. She was brought up in Zimbabwe, where she attended a Jewish school for six years, a Hindu school for one, a Catholic convent school for two and a half, and then the American International School in Harare for two years. Andrea's family moved to New Zealand in 2002. Andrea has worked as a bookseller and editor and now lives in Austin, Texas with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 342 reviews
February 9, 2026
✨♥️ A Tangled Magic ♥️✨
🎉🙌🏾 Happy Release Day 🙌🏾🎉
I absolutely loved Netta. She was kind, wholesome, and such a people pleaser that it honestly broke my heart at times. I just wanted better for her. And if I’m being honest, I pretty much disliked everyone else in the book except for Baldbeak.
The only reason this isn’t a full 5 stars for me is the beginning. The first 100 pages were pretty confusing. There was a lot of information upfront, but it didn’t feel like the kind I actually wanted as a reader. It ended up being a little frustrating to get through.
But once the story settled in, I was fully invested in Netta and her journey. And I really loved how it all came together in the end. It genuinely felt like she reclaimed herself, and I was so happy!
🕯️ What to Expect
• Dark fairy tale fantasy
• Rapunzel inspired
• Amnesia FMC
• Living magical hair
• Royal intrigue
• Bone magic
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 4.5 stars
📅 Pub Date: July 28, 2026
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts are my own.
🎉🙌🏾 Happy Release Day 🙌🏾🎉
I absolutely loved Netta. She was kind, wholesome, and such a people pleaser that it honestly broke my heart at times. I just wanted better for her. And if I’m being honest, I pretty much disliked everyone else in the book except for Baldbeak.
The only reason this isn’t a full 5 stars for me is the beginning. The first 100 pages were pretty confusing. There was a lot of information upfront, but it didn’t feel like the kind I actually wanted as a reader. It ended up being a little frustrating to get through.
But once the story settled in, I was fully invested in Netta and her journey. And I really loved how it all came together in the end. It genuinely felt like she reclaimed herself, and I was so happy!
🕯️ What to Expect
• Dark fairy tale fantasy
• Rapunzel inspired
• Amnesia FMC
• Living magical hair
• Royal intrigue
• Bone magic
_ _ _ _
⭐ Final Score: 4.5 stars
📅 Pub Date: July 28, 2026
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy. All thoughts are my own.
April 7, 2026
I’ve read this author’s previous work, A Harvest of Hearts and gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed this one much more and can tell the author has really grown as a writer. There is a lot going on in this book. I wouldn’t call this a Rapunzel retelling. Maybe Rapunzel inspired? It has the key elements (the hair and the tower). But this book also feels completely original. The magic system is intricate and intriguing. There are different affinities and ways that mages wield magic. It is one of the stand out elements of the story. One of my other favorite elements was our lovely Raven companion. He is fiercely loyal and at times quite funny. I really liked that the main character’s hair was almost sentient. It often behaved like a cat. There’s a lot of emphasis on books in the story, specifically the making of books. I really enjoyed reading about the spell book making process. (Even though a lot of them were grotesque) The author created a magical twist on the art of book binding. I could’ve read a whole book just about scholarship and making spell books. Our main character definitely has some form of anxiety and I really appreciated how the author wrote her character. I loved that we actually saw the main character’s coping mechanisms and how she dealt with her anxiety. Sewing and embroidery are what kept her grounded throughout the story. As someone who reaches for her crochet hook at any sign of distress I found this incredibly relatable. There’s a complicated mother daughter relationship in the story that was heartbreaking, but very important to our main character’s growth. Netta is constantly put into difficult situations. I wanted something so badly to go right for her but at every turn another obstacle was right around the corner. I was honestly stressed for her! I felt as unsafe and unstable as she was. There is the slightest hint of romance that I wish was either omitted or we had more of. I’m not sure if this is meant to be a series or not. I personally don’t think it needs to be, but I would’ve liked an epilogue. Just to tie up things a little neater. I felt like a lot of the comp. titles were not all the accurate. This is being compared to Disney’s Tangled which I fear will disappoint a lot of people. Other than magical hair I don’t see any comparisons to it. It’s also being compared to Six of Crows and Uprooted which I personally don’t see. There are a lot of great messages one can take away from the book. My favorite being: it’s okay to be soft. Just because you’re soft doesn’t mean you aren’t strong.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
1.5
I feel so bad when I apply for an ARC and get selected, only to dislike the book I received. I want nothing more than to be able to support someone's hard work and dedication, and I feel so honored to be chosen for the opportunity to read books before the general public. That being said, I have had several just total misses lately in my ARC reads, this being one of them I honestly wish I could be a beta reader for some of these, because the potential is there, they just need better execution.
This book was described as a Rapunzel retelling meets Six of Crows. So, obviously, I wanted to read that! However, I was utterly bored for 80% of the book. The plotline served very little purpose. Struggles were resolved quickly throughout and just made way for the next quickly resolved issue. There were numerous events that if you deleted them entirely from the story, would have zero impact on the plot.
The romance was meh at best and the MMC was honestly just cringe. I like that the story wasn't about a romantic relationship but I would have preferred a friendship to that. The villains were boring and until the end with the exchange between Netta and her mother, I just really didn't feel strongly about anything that happened. Baldbeak was the best part, but even as an animal sidekick, he fell flat.
This book was not for me, but I appreciate the story the author was portraying.
I feel so bad when I apply for an ARC and get selected, only to dislike the book I received. I want nothing more than to be able to support someone's hard work and dedication, and I feel so honored to be chosen for the opportunity to read books before the general public. That being said, I have had several just total misses lately in my ARC reads, this being one of them I honestly wish I could be a beta reader for some of these, because the potential is there, they just need better execution.
This book was described as a Rapunzel retelling meets Six of Crows. So, obviously, I wanted to read that! However, I was utterly bored for 80% of the book. The plotline served very little purpose. Struggles were resolved quickly throughout and just made way for the next quickly resolved issue. There were numerous events that if you deleted them entirely from the story, would have zero impact on the plot.
The romance was meh at best and the MMC was honestly just cringe. I like that the story wasn't about a romantic relationship but I would have preferred a friendship to that. The villains were boring and until the end with the exchange between Netta and her mother, I just really didn't feel strongly about anything that happened. Baldbeak was the best part, but even as an animal sidekick, he fell flat.
This book was not for me, but I appreciate the story the author was portraying.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄!
˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
A Tangled Magic (spoiler free review)
💜👸🏼🐦⬛🏰 ✧
ׂ╰┈➤ 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵: 𝘑𝘶𝘯 13 | 𝘌𝘯𝘥: 𝘑𝘶𝘯 20 ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
rating → 3.75 ★★★☆☆
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
❈ 𝒫𝓁❀𝓉 ❈ :
Netta has spent her entire life locked away in a tower, her only companions being a raven named Baldbeak and her own long magical red hair. But when mysterious attackers storm her home, her mother and a powerful spellbook vanish. Forced into a dangerous kingdom on the brink of civil war, Netta must navigate a deadly web of royal, temple fanatics, and hidden armies all while trying to figure out why everyone is hunting her, and what the true, uncontrollable nature of her magic actually is.
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
✧ World building
✧ Magic
✧ Politics
✧ body horror
✧ Found Family
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝒩𝑒𝓉𝓉𝒶👸: She is a soft fmc described with long magical red hair just trying to find her mom. I had mixed feelings about her because she came across as naive and too trusting and there were times where she felt younger than her actual age but at the same time i understand why she acts that way because she had been isolated in a tower for so long. So i liked that she saw the good in everyone but i also wish she would just listen sometimes because of the situations she got herself into 😭. I did sympathize with her on this part because she felt like everyone was just using her, i feel that she is worth more than just her magical hair. 🥹
𝒫𝒶𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒸𝓀🪄: I dont have a lot to say but i enjoyed his character because he was kind and helpful in Netta’s journey.
𝐵𝒶𝓁𝒹𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓀🐦⬛: My fav character he was always there and helpful and a good friend to Netta. 🥹
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
⋆˚₊ 𖤓☽˚.⋆ 𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 🦴✨
❝ 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. ❞
❝ 𝘯𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯. ❞
❝ 𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩. 𝘛𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭. ❞
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
⋆˚₊ 𖤓☽˚.⋆ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I thought it would be a Rapunzel retelling but the only similar aspects are the long magical hair and the tower and how the mother isolated her. Although I really liked the magic system in A Tangled Of Magic because in this world, magic requires sacrifice. I really liked and found it unique of the use of needles and embroidery in this book and the politics. I loved the world building and the atmosphere the author used in this book because i could imagine it. However I didn’t really connect with the romance subplot and I had mixed feelings about some of the characters. Overall I would recommend this book to those who like fantasy! ✨👸💜🐦⬛🏰
Love, Avrielle 💌
⋆˚₊ 𖤓☽˚.⋆ 𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: Okay I know my cr is starting to get a BIT chaotic esp w exams coming up, YAYAYA I GOT APPROVED TO READ THE ARC and im so excited to read this because my favourite Disney princess is Rapunzel from Tangled and I lovelove dark fairytale fantasies.
💜👸🏼🏰🍳🦎☀
˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
A Tangled Magic (spoiler free review)
💜👸🏼🐦⬛🏰 ✧
ׂ╰┈➤ 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵: 𝘑𝘶𝘯 13 | 𝘌𝘯𝘥: 𝘑𝘶𝘯 20 ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
rating → 3.75 ★★★☆☆
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
❈ 𝒫𝓁❀𝓉 ❈ :
Netta has spent her entire life locked away in a tower, her only companions being a raven named Baldbeak and her own long magical red hair. But when mysterious attackers storm her home, her mother and a powerful spellbook vanish. Forced into a dangerous kingdom on the brink of civil war, Netta must navigate a deadly web of royal, temple fanatics, and hidden armies all while trying to figure out why everyone is hunting her, and what the true, uncontrollable nature of her magic actually is.
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭
✧ World building
✧ Magic
✧ Politics
✧ body horror
✧ Found Family
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝒩𝑒𝓉𝓉𝒶👸: She is a soft fmc described with long magical red hair just trying to find her mom. I had mixed feelings about her because she came across as naive and too trusting and there were times where she felt younger than her actual age but at the same time i understand why she acts that way because she had been isolated in a tower for so long. So i liked that she saw the good in everyone but i also wish she would just listen sometimes because of the situations she got herself into 😭. I did sympathize with her on this part because she felt like everyone was just using her, i feel that she is worth more than just her magical hair. 🥹
𝒫𝒶𝓉𝓇𝒾𝒸𝓀🪄: I dont have a lot to say but i enjoyed his character because he was kind and helpful in Netta’s journey.
𝐵𝒶𝓁𝒹𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓀🐦⬛: My fav character he was always there and helpful and a good friend to Netta. 🥹
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
⋆˚₊ 𖤓☽˚.⋆ 𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨 🦴✨
❝ 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥. ❞
❝ 𝘯𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯. ❞
❝ 𝘛𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩. 𝘛𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘭. ❞
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
⋆˚₊ 𖤓☽˚.⋆ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I thought it would be a Rapunzel retelling but the only similar aspects are the long magical hair and the tower and how the mother isolated her. Although I really liked the magic system in A Tangled Of Magic because in this world, magic requires sacrifice. I really liked and found it unique of the use of needles and embroidery in this book and the politics. I loved the world building and the atmosphere the author used in this book because i could imagine it. However I didn’t really connect with the romance subplot and I had mixed feelings about some of the characters. Overall I would recommend this book to those who like fantasy! ✨👸💜🐦⬛🏰
Love, Avrielle 💌
⋆˚₊ 𖤓☽˚.⋆ 𝐏𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: Okay I know my cr is starting to get a BIT chaotic esp w exams coming up, YAYAYA I GOT APPROVED TO READ THE ARC and im so excited to read this because my favourite Disney princess is Rapunzel from Tangled and I lovelove dark fairytale fantasies.
💜👸🏼🏰🍳🦎☀
August 18, 2026
Today is #review day!☺️
From me, #atangledmagic by Andrea Eames gets 3⭐! 😌
First of all, I want to thank @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the opportunity to read this eARC! Here's my voluntary honest review!
This #book was good🙂. I noticed some problems with the narrative, the magic system is a little confusing, containing both rigid rules and unexplained things that shouldn't work, and the characters besides the protagonists aren't really memorable ; buuut…I believe it's really easy to #read, the story, thankfully, doesn't focus on romance while we have to solve a situation, like many others do, and the ending is really satisfying.☺️ It's a mixed bag…probably the most seasoned fantasy readers won't find it remarkable, unless they really like the way to magic works here and are particularly interesting in seeing where Netta will end up. I believe this is perfect for those wanting to move from the ya category to the adult one. I found it to be a good transition story.🤓
General info: a Rapunzel-inspired fantasy with an interesting magic system, lots of scheming, religious bigotry and a little romantic tension ; great for fans of the movie Tangled but with a dark twist, for those loving to see a MC try to uncover horrible secrets and find her own path along the way ;
CW: elements of body horror, animal death, torture, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, religious bigotry
BOOK THOUGHTS
As I said in the beginning, this is very much a transition novel. It is categorized as adult, but, in my opinion, it will have the most success with ya readers wanting something darker.👀
We follow Netta, or Persinette, as she suddenly finds herself in an altercation one night. She doesn't remember what happened, nor does she understand what these people want from her, but she's determined to save her mother. All her life, she has only know The Tower, and now…she ventures outside for the first time.
Sooo…this was interesting 🤔. I don't know why, but it kept me reading up until the end, despite me losing almost all my interest by the 50% mark.🫣
I liked how the story started! It was tense, dangerous, and with an almost impossible quest, but with every chapter…things kept going in a direction I wasn't particularly impressed with. I don't know…maybe I really wanted to see more of the world, to have Netta understand some things sooner, or it's the secondary characters that did me in.🥲 Suffice to say…I don't have any feelings about this book.🤷♀️
The writing is good, with tense moments very well done, but we have that annoying trait not to explain things to our MC ( or to us), so when you're sure about something…the protagonists still has to put it all together 😅.
The pacing was strange…it feels ok..but when you think about the narrative and figure out it all happens in a couple of weeks at most…the story feels rushed 🤔. This is not uncommon ( the length of events) in the genre, nor for the target audience…but one character mentioned something about an event and I was: yeah…it's been that long…😟
Themes: well…I'm not sure 😅. I can make a case about the freedom of choice, about u healthy family dynamics and emotional manipulation…but it's more of : these are the bad guys, try to figure out how to outplay all of them and achieve your goals! type of story🤔
Now…the magic system. I said in the beginning that I found it confusing. We do have a couple of strict rules in terms of what needs to be sacrificed, but never any measurements of that sacrifice 🤷♀️. Do you need to give up one, two or several 'things' (cannot say what because of spoilers) in order to do magic? Or that's based on each situation, individual or level of power?? Seriously 😅…I don't understand 😟. And add to that magic hair ( that somehow is vital to a certain type of magic, but not really 😅�…after all I don't remember Margotte to have the same hair🤔), affinities, a supposed magic coming from the God of this world and strange abilities like what Margrave Morin has, or how MC's interesting way to speak with Baldbeak.🫠
So yeah…guess this is my fault 🥹..when I get a set of rules( even a few ones) for the magic, I expect stuff to make more sense…🫠
World building : ok🫣…I won't spend that much time here…you can either move past this issue, or be very bothered by it. I, for one, wasn't bothered. Yes, I noticed the lack of descriptions on pretty much everything outside the building our protagonist went into.😅 You can argue that besides a name, some vague info on the history, or significance of it, there's no use for more details for a story of this scope…but I disagree, so I have to bring it up here: this is as detailed as the plot needs it to be and nothing more. Take that however you want 🤷♀️…but I'm sure ya readers won't find a problem with this approach.
Characters: in my opinion, this is where the most care and effort went in this story.🧐 The author spent a lot of time trying to create complicated relationships between the MC and almost every single character. But, due to the fact that this story also has a pretty fast-paced plot…some of those relationships aren't all that great.🥲 They simply lack the time. From my perspective…the best ones are those between Netta and Baldbeak ( obviously we have to give credit to a great animal companion…however strange he is and totally not making sense in the context of this world 🤣), her and Patrick, and her and her mother!☺️
Regardless, I really appreciate the effort. It's very clear that Netta has insecurities instilled in her by her mother and her learning disability ( yes, we have rep for that in here!☺️) and those are carried with her in every interaction. Not only that, she becomes more and more confused, unsure and even spiteful with some people, due to events happening and those characters trying to use her in one way or another. That's why I love the ending!😆 After spending the whole book trying to find her place with someone, she ends up making that place for herself. She was deliberately raised to be naïve, to not know basic stuff about herself, and to be dependent on people who show her even the smallest interest / affection 🥲…she was very much manipulated all her life and I'm glad her journey is all about freeing herself from the shackles others try to put on her. 😄
Hmm…maybe that's why I finished the book🤔…I liked how she tried to take matters into her own hands!☺️
Plot: unfortunately, I don't really have much to say on this. If we were to eliminate the personal parts regarding our MC, everything seems to fall apart 🧐. Sometimes it feels like there's something bigger just around the corner, only to be reduced again to our MC's quest. I get what the author wanted to do here..and I appreciate the ending from that angle as well( I love when I book tries to be as realistic as possible)…but this is very much a plot revolving around one ambition, one key factor, one person.👀
It's neither good or bad…it just is.🤷♀️
Unfortunately, I didn't like the villains…so that's that.
Overall, this is a good book. The magic is darker, with a little body horror attached to it that doesn't really reflect the level of complexity one might expect; the character journey we follow becomes more and more compelling, but it lacks proper support from all the other elements…I believe it's a story that needed more time to develop, because the bones ( hehe😈) are there.
I recommend this to ya fantasy readers wanting a transition book, to fans of interesting concepts and those that loved the magic hair form Tangled and the classic story of Rapunzel.
From me, #atangledmagic by Andrea Eames gets 3⭐! 😌
First of all, I want to thank @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the opportunity to read this eARC! Here's my voluntary honest review!
This #book was good🙂. I noticed some problems with the narrative, the magic system is a little confusing, containing both rigid rules and unexplained things that shouldn't work, and the characters besides the protagonists aren't really memorable ; buuut…I believe it's really easy to #read, the story, thankfully, doesn't focus on romance while we have to solve a situation, like many others do, and the ending is really satisfying.☺️ It's a mixed bag…probably the most seasoned fantasy readers won't find it remarkable, unless they really like the way to magic works here and are particularly interesting in seeing where Netta will end up. I believe this is perfect for those wanting to move from the ya category to the adult one. I found it to be a good transition story.🤓
General info: a Rapunzel-inspired fantasy with an interesting magic system, lots of scheming, religious bigotry and a little romantic tension ; great for fans of the movie Tangled but with a dark twist, for those loving to see a MC try to uncover horrible secrets and find her own path along the way ;
CW: elements of body horror, animal death, torture, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, religious bigotry
BOOK THOUGHTS
As I said in the beginning, this is very much a transition novel. It is categorized as adult, but, in my opinion, it will have the most success with ya readers wanting something darker.👀
We follow Netta, or Persinette, as she suddenly finds herself in an altercation one night. She doesn't remember what happened, nor does she understand what these people want from her, but she's determined to save her mother. All her life, she has only know The Tower, and now…she ventures outside for the first time.
Sooo…this was interesting 🤔. I don't know why, but it kept me reading up until the end, despite me losing almost all my interest by the 50% mark.🫣
I liked how the story started! It was tense, dangerous, and with an almost impossible quest, but with every chapter…things kept going in a direction I wasn't particularly impressed with. I don't know…maybe I really wanted to see more of the world, to have Netta understand some things sooner, or it's the secondary characters that did me in.🥲 Suffice to say…I don't have any feelings about this book.🤷♀️
The writing is good, with tense moments very well done, but we have that annoying trait not to explain things to our MC ( or to us), so when you're sure about something…the protagonists still has to put it all together 😅.
The pacing was strange…it feels ok..but when you think about the narrative and figure out it all happens in a couple of weeks at most…the story feels rushed 🤔. This is not uncommon ( the length of events) in the genre, nor for the target audience…but one character mentioned something about an event and I was: yeah…it's been that long…😟
Themes: well…I'm not sure 😅. I can make a case about the freedom of choice, about u healthy family dynamics and emotional manipulation…but it's more of : these are the bad guys, try to figure out how to outplay all of them and achieve your goals! type of story🤔
Now…the magic system. I said in the beginning that I found it confusing. We do have a couple of strict rules in terms of what needs to be sacrificed, but never any measurements of that sacrifice 🤷♀️. Do you need to give up one, two or several 'things' (cannot say what because of spoilers) in order to do magic? Or that's based on each situation, individual or level of power?? Seriously 😅…I don't understand 😟. And add to that magic hair ( that somehow is vital to a certain type of magic, but not really 😅�…after all I don't remember Margotte to have the same hair🤔), affinities, a supposed magic coming from the God of this world and strange abilities like what Margrave Morin has, or how MC's interesting way to speak with Baldbeak.🫠
So yeah…guess this is my fault 🥹..when I get a set of rules( even a few ones) for the magic, I expect stuff to make more sense…🫠
World building : ok🫣…I won't spend that much time here…you can either move past this issue, or be very bothered by it. I, for one, wasn't bothered. Yes, I noticed the lack of descriptions on pretty much everything outside the building our protagonist went into.😅 You can argue that besides a name, some vague info on the history, or significance of it, there's no use for more details for a story of this scope…but I disagree, so I have to bring it up here: this is as detailed as the plot needs it to be and nothing more. Take that however you want 🤷♀️…but I'm sure ya readers won't find a problem with this approach.
Characters: in my opinion, this is where the most care and effort went in this story.🧐 The author spent a lot of time trying to create complicated relationships between the MC and almost every single character. But, due to the fact that this story also has a pretty fast-paced plot…some of those relationships aren't all that great.🥲 They simply lack the time. From my perspective…the best ones are those between Netta and Baldbeak ( obviously we have to give credit to a great animal companion…however strange he is and totally not making sense in the context of this world 🤣), her and Patrick, and her and her mother!☺️
Regardless, I really appreciate the effort. It's very clear that Netta has insecurities instilled in her by her mother and her learning disability ( yes, we have rep for that in here!☺️) and those are carried with her in every interaction. Not only that, she becomes more and more confused, unsure and even spiteful with some people, due to events happening and those characters trying to use her in one way or another. That's why I love the ending!😆 After spending the whole book trying to find her place with someone, she ends up making that place for herself. She was deliberately raised to be naïve, to not know basic stuff about herself, and to be dependent on people who show her even the smallest interest / affection 🥲…she was very much manipulated all her life and I'm glad her journey is all about freeing herself from the shackles others try to put on her. 😄
Hmm…maybe that's why I finished the book🤔…I liked how she tried to take matters into her own hands!☺️
Plot: unfortunately, I don't really have much to say on this. If we were to eliminate the personal parts regarding our MC, everything seems to fall apart 🧐. Sometimes it feels like there's something bigger just around the corner, only to be reduced again to our MC's quest. I get what the author wanted to do here..and I appreciate the ending from that angle as well( I love when I book tries to be as realistic as possible)…but this is very much a plot revolving around one ambition, one key factor, one person.👀
It's neither good or bad…it just is.🤷♀️
Unfortunately, I didn't like the villains…so that's that.
Overall, this is a good book. The magic is darker, with a little body horror attached to it that doesn't really reflect the level of complexity one might expect; the character journey we follow becomes more and more compelling, but it lacks proper support from all the other elements…I believe it's a story that needed more time to develop, because the bones ( hehe😈) are there.
I recommend this to ya fantasy readers wanting a transition book, to fans of interesting concepts and those that loved the magic hair form Tangled and the classic story of Rapunzel.
August 12, 2026
*Listened to through NetGalley*
I absolutely devoured this book, and the only thing that stopped me from finishing it sooner was a migraine!! 😤
I LOVE a dark, whimsical fantasy, and this one absolutely delivers. We have a soft FMC who is definitely not weak, a silly little animal sidekick, a cult-like religious system, and some absolutely wild magic. As someone who embroiders, I especially loved the symbolism woven throughout the story. The way each stitch type represented something specific made my heart so happy! 🥹🪡
The magic system also has a wonderfully gory element, with teeth, bones, hair, and nails being used in the magic, but somehow the author manages to balance that with so much whimsy that it never feels like a straight-up horror story. Everything felt intentional. Little details that seem insignificant at first eventually become HUGE pieces of the story and help explain what is happening and why.
I don't want to say too much because I genuinely think this is a book you should experience for yourself!
And just a heads up, this is NOT a romantasy. It's a fantasy with a very small romance plot. That said, I really loved the subtle love story that develops throughout the book. It never takes away from Netta's own story or identity, which I appreciated so much. A girl is more than who she loves.
I absolutely recommend this one if you love dark, whimsical fantasy with strange magic and gorgeous symbolism
I absolutely devoured this book, and the only thing that stopped me from finishing it sooner was a migraine!! 😤
I LOVE a dark, whimsical fantasy, and this one absolutely delivers. We have a soft FMC who is definitely not weak, a silly little animal sidekick, a cult-like religious system, and some absolutely wild magic. As someone who embroiders, I especially loved the symbolism woven throughout the story. The way each stitch type represented something specific made my heart so happy! 🥹🪡
The magic system also has a wonderfully gory element, with teeth, bones, hair, and nails being used in the magic, but somehow the author manages to balance that with so much whimsy that it never feels like a straight-up horror story. Everything felt intentional. Little details that seem insignificant at first eventually become HUGE pieces of the story and help explain what is happening and why.
I don't want to say too much because I genuinely think this is a book you should experience for yourself!
And just a heads up, this is NOT a romantasy. It's a fantasy with a very small romance plot. That said, I really loved the subtle love story that develops throughout the book. It never takes away from Netta's own story or identity, which I appreciated so much. A girl is more than who she loves.
I absolutely recommend this one if you love dark, whimsical fantasy with strange magic and gorgeous symbolism
Did Not Finish
March 18, 2026dnf'ed at 50%
there's gotta be some other term of endearment than "my dear", surely? and it would have been nice for a 20 year old protagonist to have at least the tiniest amount of common sense, surely? on top of that, there must exist some other form of magical skill not based on shadows, surely?
i really tried liking this because the synposis sounded like something i would very much enjoy. the story started rather promising, the premise was good, the magic system was not too elaborate but not too simple either with a solid conflict/question built on top and the rapunzel retelling could've been very exciting.
unfortunately, none of these factors were developed in a way i might have found satisfying. the story progression slowed dramatically after the first third of the book, nessa acts like a 14 year old at best (for real though, this is the third or fourth book i've read this year where a YA fmc acts like a stupid child. why? why ist this the route new fantasy books seem to be taking more and more often? what kind of representation and role model is that for young women?) and why does there have to be a romance subplot forced into every story nowadays?
story telling/world building wise this also didn't deliver for me since i'm not a fan of spelling everything out rather than showing the world to the reader in a more organic way.
oh, and if you couldn't tell from the first paragraph of this review, the writing style was highly redundant which annoyed me so much i decided to dnf because for all that maybe might have gotten more interesting in the second half the reading flow was hindered by the frequent repetition of the same phrases over and over and over again.
all in all, this read like a first draft for something that might have been good with more time and care to craft the characters and story.
Huge thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and Erewhon Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
there's gotta be some other term of endearment than "my dear", surely? and it would have been nice for a 20 year old protagonist to have at least the tiniest amount of common sense, surely? on top of that, there must exist some other form of magical skill not based on shadows, surely?
i really tried liking this because the synposis sounded like something i would very much enjoy. the story started rather promising, the premise was good, the magic system was not too elaborate but not too simple either with a solid conflict/question built on top and the rapunzel retelling could've been very exciting.
unfortunately, none of these factors were developed in a way i might have found satisfying. the story progression slowed dramatically after the first third of the book, nessa acts like a 14 year old at best (for real though, this is the third or fourth book i've read this year where a YA fmc acts like a stupid child. why? why ist this the route new fantasy books seem to be taking more and more often? what kind of representation and role model is that for young women?) and why does there have to be a romance subplot forced into every story nowadays?
story telling/world building wise this also didn't deliver for me since i'm not a fan of spelling everything out rather than showing the world to the reader in a more organic way.
oh, and if you couldn't tell from the first paragraph of this review, the writing style was highly redundant which annoyed me so much i decided to dnf because for all that maybe might have gotten more interesting in the second half the reading flow was hindered by the frequent repetition of the same phrases over and over and over again.
all in all, this read like a first draft for something that might have been good with more time and care to craft the characters and story.
Huge thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Publishing and Erewhon Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2026
A Tangled Magic is a Rapunzel retelling with sentient hair and a telepathic raven.
This fantasy adventure centers around Netta, who has spent her entire life alone in a tower with her mother, who is a mage that has dedicated her entire life to perfecting and recording a single spell of immense power. Mysteriously, Netta comes to one day to find herself half hanging out of a window, having lost all memory of the past day. Both her mother, and the spell book she was working on, are missing, and intruders are at the door. With her only friend in the world - a giant telepathic raven called Baldbeak - in tow, Netta sets out for the city to try and find her mother. She enters a world of civil unrest, magical books, nefarious clergy, and petty criminals.
The strongest point of the book is the fast-paced plot, which, after a slowish start, is chock full of adventure. There is a good pace which sweeps you merrily along with it. There were some mildly gory bits that I thought were done really well, and if not for these (or perhaps even despite these?) I would recommend this book for YA readers.
The character development is a bit wan for my tastes, and I feel the author missed the opportunity to add a layer of real emotional devastation - particularly around found family and the complex nature of parental relationships. There is a fine thread of romance woven in, but it is very much PG, and very much a subplot.
Very relieved that it is a standalone (as far as I know!) which is hard to find in fantasy these days.
Here are a couple quotes I loved:
“Mother had told me all about men, and had nothing good to say. They were almost on a level with petty magicians in her estimation.”
“This is a desperate escape attempt Patrick, not an opportunity to flirt.
“It can be two things.”
I listened to the audio version of this book, and enjoyed the soft British accent of the narrator. She made me picture Keira Knightly behind the mic 😂
Thanks NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.
This fantasy adventure centers around Netta, who has spent her entire life alone in a tower with her mother, who is a mage that has dedicated her entire life to perfecting and recording a single spell of immense power. Mysteriously, Netta comes to one day to find herself half hanging out of a window, having lost all memory of the past day. Both her mother, and the spell book she was working on, are missing, and intruders are at the door. With her only friend in the world - a giant telepathic raven called Baldbeak - in tow, Netta sets out for the city to try and find her mother. She enters a world of civil unrest, magical books, nefarious clergy, and petty criminals.
The strongest point of the book is the fast-paced plot, which, after a slowish start, is chock full of adventure. There is a good pace which sweeps you merrily along with it. There were some mildly gory bits that I thought were done really well, and if not for these (or perhaps even despite these?) I would recommend this book for YA readers.
The character development is a bit wan for my tastes, and I feel the author missed the opportunity to add a layer of real emotional devastation - particularly around found family and the complex nature of parental relationships. There is a fine thread of romance woven in, but it is very much PG, and very much a subplot.
Very relieved that it is a standalone (as far as I know!) which is hard to find in fantasy these days.
Here are a couple quotes I loved:
“Mother had told me all about men, and had nothing good to say. They were almost on a level with petty magicians in her estimation.”
“This is a desperate escape attempt Patrick, not an opportunity to flirt.
“It can be two things.”
I listened to the audio version of this book, and enjoyed the soft British accent of the narrator. She made me picture Keira Knightly behind the mic 😂
Thanks NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 24, 2026
First, thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC. My opinions are my own.
Little summary poem (don’t judge too harshly):
I wake up in the morning and do a little sewing.
Mom says the world outside is scary, no place worth going.
My best friend is a raven, and my Hair does this thing.
My memories are hazy; what will this journey bring?
Ps. I can’t read even though my mom spends a majority of time writing a book
Notes:
Netta’s hair was similar in concept to Auren’s gold ribbons in “Gild”by Raven Kennedy.
Come to think of it, there are a several similarities between the two works. Both FMCs are imprisoned and have a warped idea of what love and protection look like. Both have to step into their own truth regardless of the narrative fed to them their entire lives. Both are incredibly naive and must learn how to gauge deserved and undeserved trust.
Ultimately, both must come face-to-face with the question: was I protected because I was loved, or was I protected because I was valuable?
My favorite character was definitely Baldbeak. I have a particular fondness for ravens. They are the OGs of the bird world.
I will say, I enjoyed “Gild” more than “A Tangled Magic.” This novel was a little slow for my liking. I set it down and picked it back up a couple of times.
Eames has a talent for description: “Most of the dust had settled as we started our descent, and the sky was bruised with a slow and merciless dawn that cast dim light over Mirthwater’s broken skyline.” Beautiful imagery.
Solid three star read.
Little summary poem (don’t judge too harshly):
I wake up in the morning and do a little sewing.
Mom says the world outside is scary, no place worth going.
My best friend is a raven, and my Hair does this thing.
My memories are hazy; what will this journey bring?
Ps. I can’t read even though my mom spends a majority of time writing a book
Notes:
Netta’s hair was similar in concept to Auren’s gold ribbons in “Gild”by Raven Kennedy.
Come to think of it, there are a several similarities between the two works. Both FMCs are imprisoned and have a warped idea of what love and protection look like. Both have to step into their own truth regardless of the narrative fed to them their entire lives. Both are incredibly naive and must learn how to gauge deserved and undeserved trust.
Ultimately, both must come face-to-face with the question: was I protected because I was loved, or was I protected because I was valuable?
My favorite character was definitely Baldbeak. I have a particular fondness for ravens. They are the OGs of the bird world.
I will say, I enjoyed “Gild” more than “A Tangled Magic.” This novel was a little slow for my liking. I set it down and picked it back up a couple of times.
Eames has a talent for description: “Most of the dust had settled as we started our descent, and the sky was bruised with a slow and merciless dawn that cast dim light over Mirthwater’s broken skyline.” Beautiful imagery.
Solid three star read.
February 25, 2026
this story feels sweet and dreamy, very YA in tone. it’s not a negative thing, just something to be aware of😉
it starts strong, but then slows down with a lot of background and world-building. for me, there were too many long descriptions and not enough plot movement at all
i was much more interested in the mother’s past than in the daughter’s journey. FMC felt very young to me, which made it harder to connect. I’ll give her 15 years max, instead of 20 and in this case her behaviour would look reasonable in my eyes
i also wasn’t a big fan of convenient plot helpers appearing out of nowhere
this book just wasn’t fully for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. i actually think author has strong potential to create something truly unordinary in the future. overall, it has heart and atmosphere, but i just needed a bit more action and mature FMC
i received ARC from kensington publishing and netgalley, thank you for the opportunity💘
it starts strong, but then slows down with a lot of background and world-building. for me, there were too many long descriptions and not enough plot movement at all
i was much more interested in the mother’s past than in the daughter’s journey. FMC felt very young to me, which made it harder to connect. I’ll give her 15 years max, instead of 20 and in this case her behaviour would look reasonable in my eyes
i also wasn’t a big fan of convenient plot helpers appearing out of nowhere
this book just wasn’t fully for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. i actually think author has strong potential to create something truly unordinary in the future. overall, it has heart and atmosphere, but i just needed a bit more action and mature FMC
i received ARC from kensington publishing and netgalley, thank you for the opportunity💘
May 21, 2026
*1.5 stars*
The blurb makes this book out to be significantly more interesting than it is. All characters are one dimensional, the romance is bland, silted, and quite uncomfortable, the fantasy world doesn’t feel woven into the narrative, and there is SO SO much repetitiveness in prose, turns of phrases, and dialogue. The only reason I didn’t rate this one star is the magic system had the potential for depth.
Netta, canonically 20 years old, reads at most 14. Naive and bumbling, sure, due to her secluded upbringing, but arranging a romance between a girl who is mentally a teenager and a man nearing 30 is creepy. I had to skip the entire chapter where he dyed her hair because the intimate descriptions were too uncomfortable. In terms of plot, she’s largely reactive and doesn’t drive the story. There are plot conveniences at every turn, where she just so happens to stumble upon the only person who can help her. All the side characters exist in service of her—they do not feel like real people. Much of the plot is also contingent on Netta going “I don’t know why, but my gut is telling me to do this” or “for some reason” or “well not like I have other options.”
I found the Mother’s past to be much more intriguing. How she ended on a powerthirsty path. The one chapter on the mother’s childhood made me curious, and then it was only shallowly revisited then. I wish we got to properly know her motivations. What did she want power for? Did she want to prove something to her father? The altercation between her and Netta was not satisfactory.
The world, in general, doesn’t feel real. Outside of plot-relevant stories and uses, magic isn’t integrated in the land. The world could very much simply be a historical period on Earth, save for convenient uses of magic here and there, instead of high fantasy. Characters never interact with the world in a magical way, thus I found myself skimming over description paragraphs where I normally relish them in fantasy novels.
My biggest gripe is that the prose style incessantly repeats itself. Everything has to be concluded, summarized, then restated again. There’s significant “telling” in exposition dumps and dialogue. This does not read like an Adult category novel. For example, there is a scene where a character overhears others’ conversation, with the conversation ending with, “well, being loyal to XYZ is better than watching the kingdom fall apart.” The immediate next sentence of which the narrative has to conclude: “it sounds like the kingdom is coming apart at the seams.” Everything is told and repeated to the reader. This bogs down the narrative greatly and causes me to skim many chapters.
Only in the last couple of chapters did my attention finally catch a little. The extent of bone magic, the mother’s plans, the spellbook, etc. Things finally seemed interesting, and then boom final boss defeated in 2 minutes. Netta’s character growth arc also seemed promising, if we’d gotten to know the mother or Netta’s emotional interiority better.
Overall, this book fell short of my personal expectations and might’ve benefitted from more revision rounds in tightening prose and structure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The blurb makes this book out to be significantly more interesting than it is. All characters are one dimensional, the romance is bland, silted, and quite uncomfortable, the fantasy world doesn’t feel woven into the narrative, and there is SO SO much repetitiveness in prose, turns of phrases, and dialogue. The only reason I didn’t rate this one star is the magic system had the potential for depth.
Netta, canonically 20 years old, reads at most 14. Naive and bumbling, sure, due to her secluded upbringing, but arranging a romance between a girl who is mentally a teenager and a man nearing 30 is creepy. I had to skip the entire chapter where he dyed her hair because the intimate descriptions were too uncomfortable. In terms of plot, she’s largely reactive and doesn’t drive the story. There are plot conveniences at every turn, where she just so happens to stumble upon the only person who can help her. All the side characters exist in service of her—they do not feel like real people. Much of the plot is also contingent on Netta going “I don’t know why, but my gut is telling me to do this” or “for some reason” or “well not like I have other options.”
I found the Mother’s past to be much more intriguing. How she ended on a powerthirsty path. The one chapter on the mother’s childhood made me curious, and then it was only shallowly revisited then. I wish we got to properly know her motivations. What did she want power for? Did she want to prove something to her father? The altercation between her and Netta was not satisfactory.
The world, in general, doesn’t feel real. Outside of plot-relevant stories and uses, magic isn’t integrated in the land. The world could very much simply be a historical period on Earth, save for convenient uses of magic here and there, instead of high fantasy. Characters never interact with the world in a magical way, thus I found myself skimming over description paragraphs where I normally relish them in fantasy novels.
My biggest gripe is that the prose style incessantly repeats itself. Everything has to be concluded, summarized, then restated again. There’s significant “telling” in exposition dumps and dialogue. This does not read like an Adult category novel. For example, there is a scene where a character overhears others’ conversation, with the conversation ending with, “well, being loyal to XYZ is better than watching the kingdom fall apart.” The immediate next sentence of which the narrative has to conclude: “it sounds like the kingdom is coming apart at the seams.” Everything is told and repeated to the reader. This bogs down the narrative greatly and causes me to skim many chapters.
Only in the last couple of chapters did my attention finally catch a little. The extent of bone magic, the mother’s plans, the spellbook, etc. Things finally seemed interesting, and then boom final boss defeated in 2 minutes. Netta’s character growth arc also seemed promising, if we’d gotten to know the mother or Netta’s emotional interiority better.
Overall, this book fell short of my personal expectations and might’ve benefitted from more revision rounds in tightening prose and structure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
In this story we follow Netta as she grew up in a tower hidden away from everybody. One day her mother disappears and the tower is attacked by thieves. As she escapes she ends up dealing with thieves, the temple followers and evil magicians. Will Netta find her mother?
I personally am not a big fan of retellings, but tangled is my favorite and I really enjoyed this spin on it. It’s not super attached to the original story apart from the beginning of the book, which I really enjoyed. Netta was a good MC to follow, she trusted people way too easy, but it’s understandable considering how she was raised. I enjoyed majority of the characters and I really loved the magic system and the setting. One thing I appreciated was the ending because it showed the personal growth of Netta. Overall a quite dark fantasy with great animal companions and a lot of twists and turns.
In this story we follow Netta as she grew up in a tower hidden away from everybody. One day her mother disappears and the tower is attacked by thieves. As she escapes she ends up dealing with thieves, the temple followers and evil magicians. Will Netta find her mother?
I personally am not a big fan of retellings, but tangled is my favorite and I really enjoyed this spin on it. It’s not super attached to the original story apart from the beginning of the book, which I really enjoyed. Netta was a good MC to follow, she trusted people way too easy, but it’s understandable considering how she was raised. I enjoyed majority of the characters and I really loved the magic system and the setting. One thing I appreciated was the ending because it showed the personal growth of Netta. Overall a quite dark fantasy with great animal companions and a lot of twists and turns.
August 14, 2026
Unique take and reimagining of Rapunzel!
Netta, confined to a tower with her mother and a raven, is unable to read but has many other surprising talents - and other people want them. After her mother is taken, she finally leaves the tower to find her, only to discover there were too many secrets to count about the only person she has ever known.
I loved Netta's can-do, willfull attitude. For having spent most of her life locked up, she is sure of herself and knows she does not want to be used and that she does not exist for anyone but herself. The relationships she built along the way were interesting, while some lovely and others less-than. But it seems everyone wants something from this young woman who was once completely unknown.
This may be described as romantasy, but it is not - though it has some elements, and it's own version of a HEA, it is not a romantic HEA in the traditional sense. This is a single POV novel. The narrator for this book was perfect - I will listen to more books by this narrator. She was the perfect Netta!
I recommend this for readers who enjoyed Andra Eames other title, "Harvester of Hearts", as well as perhaps readers who are fans of "Howl's Moving Castle". While categorized as general fiction or fantasy, I think readers at any age 17+ will enjoy this.
Netta, confined to a tower with her mother and a raven, is unable to read but has many other surprising talents - and other people want them. After her mother is taken, she finally leaves the tower to find her, only to discover there were too many secrets to count about the only person she has ever known.
I loved Netta's can-do, willfull attitude. For having spent most of her life locked up, she is sure of herself and knows she does not want to be used and that she does not exist for anyone but herself. The relationships she built along the way were interesting, while some lovely and others less-than. But it seems everyone wants something from this young woman who was once completely unknown.
This may be described as romantasy, but it is not - though it has some elements, and it's own version of a HEA, it is not a romantic HEA in the traditional sense. This is a single POV novel. The narrator for this book was perfect - I will listen to more books by this narrator. She was the perfect Netta!
I recommend this for readers who enjoyed Andra Eames other title, "Harvester of Hearts", as well as perhaps readers who are fans of "Howl's Moving Castle". While categorized as general fiction or fantasy, I think readers at any age 17+ will enjoy this.
August 18, 2026
I really enjoyed this Rapunzel retelling. The sentient hair was such a fun addition and I really liked the magic system. The little sidekick was also so cute. I had a really good time reading this. It was such a fun and cute adventure.
4.25 stars
4.25 stars
August 8, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun and refreshing read for me! A Tangled Magic tells the story of Netta, a young woman raised in a tower that is forced to venture out into the world unexpectedly. We follow Netta on her search for her mother, which takes us through a politically divided kingdom home to a variety of characters, all while Netta navigates understanding her magic and those who seek to use her.
If you are expecting a dedicated Rapunzel retelling I do think you would be disappointed as this is more so inspired by that story rather than trying to replicate it. However, I really liked the way the author took the basic aspects of the original story and made it something wholly original. The magic system was really cool (although there were a few things I wish were further explained/built on in that regard). The world-building was solid and provided a strong history/context for the story to take place; the conflict between the Temple and the crown felt realistic and did a good job of showing how systems of power can come into being and hold onto/build their power.
Perhaps the highlight of this book for me was the characters. I find that a lot of the popular romantic fantasy books have characters that feel very similar from one book to the next, and I felt that Eames did a good job of creating unique and interesting characters. Our main character, Netta, is called "silly" and "slow" and her strengths lie in her sewing/embroidery skills, her tenacity, and her heart. Sometimes she does do things that are "silly" or "slow" but she has very little real-world life experience, so of course she will! I liked that she wasn't unrealistically skilled in everything and that she worked hard to overcome her problems and reach her goals. She is a good example of a character who is more soft and still compelling and strong in other ways.
I also really liked the character Patrick. Patrick is clever and ambitious, but not without flaws. I appreciated that his physical description was a lot more realistic than a lot of male main characters; Netta and Patrick are the same height, and Patrick isn't described like a greek god of a character. I felt that his personality was fairly strong in the sense that he felt like a distinct character if that makes sense? There are some other thoughts I have about his character and the dynamic between him and Netta but I can't really discuss it too much without venturing into spoiler-territory so I will leave it there.
Baldbeak was maybe my favourite character. He adds so much heart to the story! He manages to be at times a comedic relief without ever being too goofy or irritating. I enjoyed his and Netta's dynamic and the way he participates in the story. I think that Eames did a good job of making him important and useful without leaning too heavily into the "animal companion magically solves every issue" type of plot device.
I won't go into much detail about the rest of the characters, so here are my abbreviated thoughts on a few:
- Mieka was interesting but didn't get enough development, I felt that her and Netta's friendship was a bit quick, but I also don't know what could be changed without slowing the pacing down
- Netta's mother was interesting, I liked following Netta to try to understand where she went and why
- Book Man was really intriguing to me
- Milady was interesting enough, I don't really feel strongly one way or another
- Followers were cool and provided a lot of context to the world I felt
- Antagonists seemed fairly expected but there were some twists and they had goals that made sense
Overall I really liked this one and could see myself re-reading in the future which is always positive. The story did drag a little bit from around 20-40% or so, but not horribly so. I also wish that we got a bit more about the magic system, while it is explained I had some questions about it and just wanted to know more in general. I think this is also a preference thing similar to people sometimes enjoying hard scifi or soft scifi more than the other. However I would still definitely recommend this one. I liked exploring the world and characters with Netta and following along on her quest. This book also does a good job of including some romance aspects without overpowering the narrative or other characters. Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, I look forward to seeing what Eames writes in the future!
This was such a fun and refreshing read for me! A Tangled Magic tells the story of Netta, a young woman raised in a tower that is forced to venture out into the world unexpectedly. We follow Netta on her search for her mother, which takes us through a politically divided kingdom home to a variety of characters, all while Netta navigates understanding her magic and those who seek to use her.
If you are expecting a dedicated Rapunzel retelling I do think you would be disappointed as this is more so inspired by that story rather than trying to replicate it. However, I really liked the way the author took the basic aspects of the original story and made it something wholly original. The magic system was really cool (although there were a few things I wish were further explained/built on in that regard). The world-building was solid and provided a strong history/context for the story to take place; the conflict between the Temple and the crown felt realistic and did a good job of showing how systems of power can come into being and hold onto/build their power.
Perhaps the highlight of this book for me was the characters. I find that a lot of the popular romantic fantasy books have characters that feel very similar from one book to the next, and I felt that Eames did a good job of creating unique and interesting characters. Our main character, Netta, is called "silly" and "slow" and her strengths lie in her sewing/embroidery skills, her tenacity, and her heart. Sometimes she does do things that are "silly" or "slow" but she has very little real-world life experience, so of course she will! I liked that she wasn't unrealistically skilled in everything and that she worked hard to overcome her problems and reach her goals. She is a good example of a character who is more soft and still compelling and strong in other ways.
I also really liked the character Patrick. Patrick is clever and ambitious, but not without flaws. I appreciated that his physical description was a lot more realistic than a lot of male main characters; Netta and Patrick are the same height, and Patrick isn't described like a greek god of a character. I felt that his personality was fairly strong in the sense that he felt like a distinct character if that makes sense? There are some other thoughts I have about his character and the dynamic between him and Netta but I can't really discuss it too much without venturing into spoiler-territory so I will leave it there.
Baldbeak was maybe my favourite character. He adds so much heart to the story! He manages to be at times a comedic relief without ever being too goofy or irritating. I enjoyed his and Netta's dynamic and the way he participates in the story. I think that Eames did a good job of making him important and useful without leaning too heavily into the "animal companion magically solves every issue" type of plot device.
I won't go into much detail about the rest of the characters, so here are my abbreviated thoughts on a few:
- Mieka was interesting but didn't get enough development, I felt that her and Netta's friendship was a bit quick, but I also don't know what could be changed without slowing the pacing down
- Netta's mother was interesting, I liked following Netta to try to understand where she went and why
- Book Man was really intriguing to me
- Milady was interesting enough, I don't really feel strongly one way or another
- Followers were cool and provided a lot of context to the world I felt
- Antagonists seemed fairly expected but there were some twists and they had goals that made sense
Overall I really liked this one and could see myself re-reading in the future which is always positive. The story did drag a little bit from around 20-40% or so, but not horribly so. I also wish that we got a bit more about the magic system, while it is explained I had some questions about it and just wanted to know more in general. I think this is also a preference thing similar to people sometimes enjoying hard scifi or soft scifi more than the other. However I would still definitely recommend this one. I liked exploring the world and characters with Netta and following along on her quest. This book also does a good job of including some romance aspects without overpowering the narrative or other characters. Thank you again to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, I look forward to seeing what Eames writes in the future!
August 17, 2026
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5
A Tangled Magic had all the ingredients for a whimsical fantasy I should have loved—craft-based magic, enchanted hair, a crow companion!—and there were definitely pieces I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, I kept wanting the story to dig just a little deeper than it did.
One thing I really liked was the magic system. Netta's magical hair was such a fun idea, and as a crafter at heart, I especially loved that some of the magic was tied to stitching. Give me fiber arts with a magical purpose and I'm immediately interested. And Baldbeak? Easily one of my favorite parts of the book. I will apparently always be here for a good crow companion.
The overall story also had a lovely fairytale quality to it. There's a softness and whimsy to the world that worked really well, but I think that's also where some of my frustrations came in. The writing could feel repetitive, and the characters didn't always have distinct enough voices. At one point I realized that three or four different characters were calling Netta "my dear." Everyone cannot be "my dear"-ing this woman!
More importantly, I wanted more depth from both the characters and the world-building. There are hints of some really interesting magic—particularly bone magic—but I never felt like I understood enough about it to appreciate the gravity of what was happening. Netta doesn't fully understand it either because she's incredibly sheltered and innocent. There was also some magic involving her aunt and her gloves that I never really understood. If this is intended to be a standalone, I definitely needed more explanation of how this world and its different forms of magic actually work.
Netta's sheltered nature also made the book read much younger to me than I expected. At times, this felt more like YA fantasy than adult fantasy. The conflicts contributed to that feeling because potentially suspenseful scenes tended to resolve so quickly that they never had enough time to become truly tense. There were also what felt like four different villains or antagonistic forces popping up throughout the story. After a while, it became a little bit of, "Oh...you're bad too?"
And then there's the romance.
Spice Level: 0/10
I really wouldn't classify this as a romance. There is a romantic element, but that's very different from being a romance novel. Netta shares one kiss with the love interest, and there's some longing, but the two of them spend the majority of the book separated. I don't even feel like I really know him—which is why I'm intentionally not naming him here, because even his identity feels potentially spoiler-ish.
My biggest problem is that I never understood how Netta developed such strong feelings for him. It felt like they'd spent maybe two hours together in total before circumstances separated them. That's simply not enough interaction for me to become invested in their relationship, especially when I'm being asked to believe there's this significant emotional connection between them. The romantic development just wasn't on the page.
Audiobook Thoughts
This is absolutely where the book shined for me. Olivia Dowd was amazing! She's incredibly enjoyable to listen to, has a great range of voices, and brought a lot of personality to the characters. Even when I was frustrated with the story itself, I enjoyed listening to her tell it.
Final Thoughts
There are some genuinely charming ideas in A Tangled Magic. I loved Netta's hair magic, the stitching-based magic, Baldbeak, and the overall whimsical fairytale atmosphere. I just wish all of those ideas had been developed further.
The world needed more explanation, the conflicts needed more time to breathe, and the characters—especially the romantic relationship—needed considerably more development. I think readers looking for a gentle, whimsical fantasy with a fairytale feel may enjoy this more than readers specifically picking it up for the romance.
For me, the ideas were there. I just wanted more from almost all of them.
ARC Disclosure: I received an advanced audiobook copy of A Tangled Magic from RBmedia/Recorded Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
A Tangled Magic had all the ingredients for a whimsical fantasy I should have loved—craft-based magic, enchanted hair, a crow companion!—and there were definitely pieces I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, I kept wanting the story to dig just a little deeper than it did.
One thing I really liked was the magic system. Netta's magical hair was such a fun idea, and as a crafter at heart, I especially loved that some of the magic was tied to stitching. Give me fiber arts with a magical purpose and I'm immediately interested. And Baldbeak? Easily one of my favorite parts of the book. I will apparently always be here for a good crow companion.
The overall story also had a lovely fairytale quality to it. There's a softness and whimsy to the world that worked really well, but I think that's also where some of my frustrations came in. The writing could feel repetitive, and the characters didn't always have distinct enough voices. At one point I realized that three or four different characters were calling Netta "my dear." Everyone cannot be "my dear"-ing this woman!
More importantly, I wanted more depth from both the characters and the world-building. There are hints of some really interesting magic—particularly bone magic—but I never felt like I understood enough about it to appreciate the gravity of what was happening. Netta doesn't fully understand it either because she's incredibly sheltered and innocent. There was also some magic involving her aunt and her gloves that I never really understood. If this is intended to be a standalone, I definitely needed more explanation of how this world and its different forms of magic actually work.
Netta's sheltered nature also made the book read much younger to me than I expected. At times, this felt more like YA fantasy than adult fantasy. The conflicts contributed to that feeling because potentially suspenseful scenes tended to resolve so quickly that they never had enough time to become truly tense. There were also what felt like four different villains or antagonistic forces popping up throughout the story. After a while, it became a little bit of, "Oh...you're bad too?"
And then there's the romance.
Spice Level: 0/10
I really wouldn't classify this as a romance. There is a romantic element, but that's very different from being a romance novel. Netta shares one kiss with the love interest, and there's some longing, but the two of them spend the majority of the book separated. I don't even feel like I really know him—which is why I'm intentionally not naming him here, because even his identity feels potentially spoiler-ish.
My biggest problem is that I never understood how Netta developed such strong feelings for him. It felt like they'd spent maybe two hours together in total before circumstances separated them. That's simply not enough interaction for me to become invested in their relationship, especially when I'm being asked to believe there's this significant emotional connection between them. The romantic development just wasn't on the page.
Audiobook Thoughts
This is absolutely where the book shined for me. Olivia Dowd was amazing! She's incredibly enjoyable to listen to, has a great range of voices, and brought a lot of personality to the characters. Even when I was frustrated with the story itself, I enjoyed listening to her tell it.
Final Thoughts
There are some genuinely charming ideas in A Tangled Magic. I loved Netta's hair magic, the stitching-based magic, Baldbeak, and the overall whimsical fairytale atmosphere. I just wish all of those ideas had been developed further.
The world needed more explanation, the conflicts needed more time to breathe, and the characters—especially the romantic relationship—needed considerably more development. I think readers looking for a gentle, whimsical fantasy with a fairytale feel may enjoy this more than readers specifically picking it up for the romance.
For me, the ideas were there. I just wanted more from almost all of them.
ARC Disclosure: I received an advanced audiobook copy of A Tangled Magic from RBmedia/Recorded Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!
I went into this expecting a Rapunzel retelling with stronger ties to the original fairy tales. While it certainly has some familiar elements (the tower, the isolated upbringing, and the long hair) it then quickly branches off into its completely own story.
A Tangled Magic follows Netta, who leaves her tower home just a few chapters into the novel to search for her missing mother, who disappeared right under her nose during events she has no memory of) and the mysterious magical book she dedicated her life to creating. Along the way, Netta begins to discover the extent of her own magic and is forced to face dangerous enemies determined to exploit both her and her powers.
My favourite part of this book was, hands down, Baldbeak. What a great animal sidekick! Sassy, resourceful (he can even turn a key in a lock!) and fiercely loyal. I also enjoyed the magic system, which requires physical sacrifice from those who use it and is bound by so many societal rules, and I liked how it developed as the story progressed (I want to make a very specific example from the end but it would be too much of a spoiler).
While I enjoyed Netta as a protagonist for much of the book, I found her persistent refusal to accept Patrick's help quite frustrating. She was quick to trust and rely on other people, yet remained weirdly hostile towards him despite him doing very little to earn that level of suspicion.
It also took me a while to settle into the story. The opening felt quite dense with information and occasionally confusing, with a lot of information introduced before I felt grounded in the world. Once everything clicked into place, though, I became much more invested and flew through the final quarter of the book.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, even if it wasn't quite what I was expecting and the pacing was inconsistent. I'd recommend it to readers looking for a darker fairy tale reimagining and one of the best animal companions I've come across in a long time.
I went into this expecting a Rapunzel retelling with stronger ties to the original fairy tales. While it certainly has some familiar elements (the tower, the isolated upbringing, and the long hair) it then quickly branches off into its completely own story.
A Tangled Magic follows Netta, who leaves her tower home just a few chapters into the novel to search for her missing mother, who disappeared right under her nose during events she has no memory of) and the mysterious magical book she dedicated her life to creating. Along the way, Netta begins to discover the extent of her own magic and is forced to face dangerous enemies determined to exploit both her and her powers.
My favourite part of this book was, hands down, Baldbeak. What a great animal sidekick! Sassy, resourceful (he can even turn a key in a lock!) and fiercely loyal. I also enjoyed the magic system, which requires physical sacrifice from those who use it and is bound by so many societal rules, and I liked how it developed as the story progressed (I want to make a very specific example from the end but it would be too much of a spoiler).
While I enjoyed Netta as a protagonist for much of the book, I found her persistent refusal to accept Patrick's help quite frustrating. She was quick to trust and rely on other people, yet remained weirdly hostile towards him despite him doing very little to earn that level of suspicion.
It also took me a while to settle into the story. The opening felt quite dense with information and occasionally confusing, with a lot of information introduced before I felt grounded in the world. Once everything clicked into place, though, I became much more invested and flew through the final quarter of the book.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read, even if it wasn't quite what I was expecting and the pacing was inconsistent. I'd recommend it to readers looking for a darker fairy tale reimagining and one of the best animal companions I've come across in a long time.
September 20, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC.
This book sounds so amazing and right up my alley, so tell me why I was bored for most of it? Nothing happened for the bigger part of the novel, and when something did happen, it was not relevant to the story so I was just wondering why it had even happened, and for most of the novel I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell you it was supposed to be a Rapunzel retelling. (Also, idk if I just completely misremember the original story, but as far as I remember there was no magic hair in Rapunzel, other than in Disney's Tangled, which... also kind of annoyed me even though it was a cool touch all in all 😭)
The writing itself is good, it just... failed to make an interesting story. Even though there was so much potential here. Cut out some of the unnecessary stuff and add in a lot more of the necessary/relevant stuff, and you'd have a really great story. The author obviously has the writing skill when it comes to just putting cool words together, it's the pacing and various plotlines that lead nowhere that's the issue. Which, I know sounds like "this would've been such a great book if it'd been a completely different book", but again, the idea had POTENTIAL. The author just feels like me writing my master's thesis, where I include any and all data I collected, even when it turns out to ultimately be marginally relevant at best to what I actually set out to research, just because I HAVE this data and I don't want to just NOT use it. I feel like that's the author with ideas for this story. And, much like my master's thesis, this novel needs significant restructuring and either cutting out unnecessary stuff or then proving why it is relevant after all.
I was very unhappy about this novel, but silver lining: now I know how my supervisor feels reading my thesis, and feel more motivated to not end up like this novel. So thank you, Ms Eames, I guess.
This book sounds so amazing and right up my alley, so tell me why I was bored for most of it? Nothing happened for the bigger part of the novel, and when something did happen, it was not relevant to the story so I was just wondering why it had even happened, and for most of the novel I honestly wouldn't have been able to tell you it was supposed to be a Rapunzel retelling. (Also, idk if I just completely misremember the original story, but as far as I remember there was no magic hair in Rapunzel, other than in Disney's Tangled, which... also kind of annoyed me even though it was a cool touch all in all 😭)
The writing itself is good, it just... failed to make an interesting story. Even though there was so much potential here. Cut out some of the unnecessary stuff and add in a lot more of the necessary/relevant stuff, and you'd have a really great story. The author obviously has the writing skill when it comes to just putting cool words together, it's the pacing and various plotlines that lead nowhere that's the issue. Which, I know sounds like "this would've been such a great book if it'd been a completely different book", but again, the idea had POTENTIAL. The author just feels like me writing my master's thesis, where I include any and all data I collected, even when it turns out to ultimately be marginally relevant at best to what I actually set out to research, just because I HAVE this data and I don't want to just NOT use it. I feel like that's the author with ideas for this story. And, much like my master's thesis, this novel needs significant restructuring and either cutting out unnecessary stuff or then proving why it is relevant after all.
I was very unhappy about this novel, but silver lining: now I know how my supervisor feels reading my thesis, and feel more motivated to not end up like this novel. So thank you, Ms Eames, I guess.
September 13, 2026
Audiobook read/ALC
Overall: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Plot: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
World Building: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magic System 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Spice: 🫑
Narration: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s whimsy, a bit sad, and quite entertaining for a coming of age fantasy.
It did take a little bit for me to get into the story. There’s almost an unnecessary amount of specific details and time spent on early world building and side characters that didn’t seem relevant as the story continued. Honestly, I’m surprised this is a stand alone because it reads very much like book 1 of a series.
Netta’s quest as well as the magic system were quite interesting, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded. The narrator really brought this story to life, and it was a great listen.
Thanks NetGalley and Recorded Books for the ALC.
Overall: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Plot: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
World Building: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Magic System 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ending: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨💫
Spice: 🫑
Narration: 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s whimsy, a bit sad, and quite entertaining for a coming of age fantasy.
It did take a little bit for me to get into the story. There’s almost an unnecessary amount of specific details and time spent on early world building and side characters that didn’t seem relevant as the story continued. Honestly, I’m surprised this is a stand alone because it reads very much like book 1 of a series.
Netta’s quest as well as the magic system were quite interesting, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded. The narrator really brought this story to life, and it was a great listen.
Thanks NetGalley and Recorded Books for the ALC.
Did Not Finish
August 22, 2026Soft DNF.
@ 55%, and this just feels so long. Perhaps too cozy for me. There are aspects of the story that I love, but the strung-out dialogue is driving me a little bit crazy atp.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
@ 55%, and this just feels so long. Perhaps too cozy for me. There are aspects of the story that I love, but the strung-out dialogue is driving me a little bit crazy atp.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this book. All thoughts and feedback contained within this review are my own.
October 5, 2026
3.25⭐️
Thank you to RBmedia, and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this novel by Andrea Eames.
The narration of this book was done so well, and really made it an easy listen. It was similar to Rapunzel, but really it was just an original adventure with excellent pacing. I really liked the magical system in this story, as well as the content around magical bookmaking.
Thank you to RBmedia, and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this novel by Andrea Eames.
The narration of this book was done so well, and really made it an easy listen. It was similar to Rapunzel, but really it was just an original adventure with excellent pacing. I really liked the magical system in this story, as well as the content around magical bookmaking.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
August 14, 2026I gave it half the book, I am still bored, there's nothing I want to know about this world or its painfully naive protagonist, so I'm calling it quits. It was okay so far, but I don't have time for books that don't do anything for me.
August 31, 2026
3.75⭐️ This was “cute” and fun. It was a little slow at times, but overall a great read. The magic was interesting and the worldbuilding was well done.
This did read a bit more on the YA side. The FMC was sheltered and “innocent”, so it made sense for the story.
This did read a bit more on the YA side. The FMC was sheltered and “innocent”, so it made sense for the story.
October 3, 2026
3.5 sterren
Hier moest ik even inkomen, maar daarna heb ik er echt van genoten. Interessant gebruik van magie gecombineerd met een leuke FMC en een goed uitgewerkt verhaal. Hier en daar miste ik wat diepgang in de andere personages.
Heel veel liefde voor Baldbeak <3
Hier moest ik even inkomen, maar daarna heb ik er echt van genoten. Interessant gebruik van magie gecombineerd met een leuke FMC en een goed uitgewerkt verhaal. Hier en daar miste ik wat diepgang in de andere personages.
Heel veel liefde voor Baldbeak <3
October 7, 2026
Wowww just seen you can do half stars and things now! Cool! Not that it's needed for this book....I didn't enjoy it 😔 I like the idea of the different types of magic but it just felt so rushed and the plot was so confusing.
August 21, 2026
if I hear the term m’lady again in my lifetime, it will be too soon.
August 6, 2026
*Thank you to Kensington Publishing for providing a digital copy to review via NetGalley*
I just felt a sense of excitement and joy while reading this book, and I loved how unique the story was.
I love when there’s any type of magic, and I especially enjoy when it’s presented in a way I’ve not seen before. Hair, Bone, Teeth, and Nail magic were both interesting and kind of disturbing to read about, but I greatly enjoyed the lore that is tied to the magic.
The story is a bit of a Rapunzel retelling and includes magic hair. The hair was treated as its own character, which I thought was cool, and I loved the bond between it and Netta. There’s also an animal companion in the form of a magpie, and I just adored him.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters Netta meets on her journey, and there is a particular character that she has some tension with, which I greatly enjoyed. There’s only a slight hint of romance, but it just made me want to see more of their relationship.
Overall, I really enjoyed Netta’s journey, and I really hope that there will be some sort of sequel.
I just felt a sense of excitement and joy while reading this book, and I loved how unique the story was.
I love when there’s any type of magic, and I especially enjoy when it’s presented in a way I’ve not seen before. Hair, Bone, Teeth, and Nail magic were both interesting and kind of disturbing to read about, but I greatly enjoyed the lore that is tied to the magic.
The story is a bit of a Rapunzel retelling and includes magic hair. The hair was treated as its own character, which I thought was cool, and I loved the bond between it and Netta. There’s also an animal companion in the form of a magpie, and I just adored him.
I also enjoyed the secondary characters Netta meets on her journey, and there is a particular character that she has some tension with, which I greatly enjoyed. There’s only a slight hint of romance, but it just made me want to see more of their relationship.
Overall, I really enjoyed Netta’s journey, and I really hope that there will be some sort of sequel.
August 11, 2026
Thank you Erewhon for the free book and RBMedia for the gifted audiobook!
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
I went into A Tangled Magic expecting a charming, sweet Repunzel/Tangled retelling but this was actually quite dark (in the best way). The world building was very well done, and I felt that the author did a fantastic job combining the more whimsical and cozy aspects of this retelling with grimdark realism. I loved how bits and pieces of the magic system and societal structure were woven within each chapter, crafting a richly dark, atmospheric world weighed down by religious oppression and the looming threat of civil war.
The story itself focuses on Netta’s search for her missing mother, and her personal journey of self-discovery over the main romance, and I really enjoyed that balance. Netta was a complex, fascinating character that originally came across as sheltered and naive, but as the story went on, I loved seeing her lean into her instincts, stick up for herself and prove her immense, emotional endurance. Her protective, telepathic raven companion, Baldbeak, anchored the journey, providing fantastic comic relief and unwavering loyalty against a backdrop of treacherous, mysterious side characters.
The romance was a lovely sub-plot, with Patrick bringing lots of aloof charm to the dialogue. I thought their dynamic was wonderful, and appreciated how much gentle support he offered Netta throughout her journey.
My only real critique would be that I wish there were more, and I’m a little sad this is a stand alone.
Definitely add this one to your list if you’re in the mood for a darker, atmospheric fairytale retelling.
✦ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✦
Single Narration by: Olivia Dowd
Olivia Dowd did a fantastic job matching the varying tones of this story with her vocal delivery. She brought a wonderful depth and distinct, emotional personality to each character, especially all of the interesting side characters. Excellent sound quality and direction as well. If you’re an audio lover, be sure to grab this one!
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚:
Repunzel/Tangled Retelling
Animal Companion/Familiar
Opposites Attract
Female Autonomy
Self-Discovery
Craft as Magic
Religious Extremism
The Cost of Survival
Follow me on Instagram for more bookish content
✦ 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ✦
I went into A Tangled Magic expecting a charming, sweet Repunzel/Tangled retelling but this was actually quite dark (in the best way). The world building was very well done, and I felt that the author did a fantastic job combining the more whimsical and cozy aspects of this retelling with grimdark realism. I loved how bits and pieces of the magic system and societal structure were woven within each chapter, crafting a richly dark, atmospheric world weighed down by religious oppression and the looming threat of civil war.
The story itself focuses on Netta’s search for her missing mother, and her personal journey of self-discovery over the main romance, and I really enjoyed that balance. Netta was a complex, fascinating character that originally came across as sheltered and naive, but as the story went on, I loved seeing her lean into her instincts, stick up for herself and prove her immense, emotional endurance. Her protective, telepathic raven companion, Baldbeak, anchored the journey, providing fantastic comic relief and unwavering loyalty against a backdrop of treacherous, mysterious side characters.
The romance was a lovely sub-plot, with Patrick bringing lots of aloof charm to the dialogue. I thought their dynamic was wonderful, and appreciated how much gentle support he offered Netta throughout her journey.
My only real critique would be that I wish there were more, and I’m a little sad this is a stand alone.
Definitely add this one to your list if you’re in the mood for a darker, atmospheric fairytale retelling.
✦ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ✦
Single Narration by: Olivia Dowd
Olivia Dowd did a fantastic job matching the varying tones of this story with her vocal delivery. She brought a wonderful depth and distinct, emotional personality to each character, especially all of the interesting side characters. Excellent sound quality and direction as well. If you’re an audio lover, be sure to grab this one!
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚:
Repunzel/Tangled Retelling
Animal Companion/Familiar
Opposites Attract
Female Autonomy
Self-Discovery
Craft as Magic
Religious Extremism
The Cost of Survival
Follow me on Instagram for more bookish content
June 9, 2026
I received a copy through NetGalley for review.
I absolutely loved it, calling it a dark rapunzel retelling is correct.
Netta has spent her life living with her eccentric Mage of a mother, in a tower in the middle of nowhere. Although her mother is there, Netta is roughly by herself most of the time, because her mother spends all her time using her hair magic, to fuel her research to finish her life's work, a potentially world changing spell book, if she finishes it.
Netta's mother is taken, and the spell book with it. She makes the brave decision to leave the tower with Baldbeak in tow.
Netta has the best character growth arc, I enjoyed that the catalyst for her powers is through embroidery and textiles. she is a fantastic character, even as she starts out a bit naive she grows so much. I also enjoyed the personification of her hair, having its own personality and feelings about things.
By the end Netta is strong and confident in herself and ready to learn exactly what she can really do.
This does more read like a traditional fantasy, if you are looking for romance, there is very little of it, barely a whisper.
I absolutely loved it, calling it a dark rapunzel retelling is correct.
Netta has spent her life living with her eccentric Mage of a mother, in a tower in the middle of nowhere. Although her mother is there, Netta is roughly by herself most of the time, because her mother spends all her time using her hair magic, to fuel her research to finish her life's work, a potentially world changing spell book, if she finishes it.
Netta's mother is taken, and the spell book with it. She makes the brave decision to leave the tower with Baldbeak in tow.
Netta has the best character growth arc, I enjoyed that the catalyst for her powers is through embroidery and textiles. she is a fantastic character, even as she starts out a bit naive she grows so much. I also enjoyed the personification of her hair, having its own personality and feelings about things.
By the end Netta is strong and confident in herself and ready to learn exactly what she can really do.
This does more read like a traditional fantasy, if you are looking for romance, there is very little of it, barely a whisper.
August 24, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for the advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Minus no stars. I loved this book on so many levels.
I had seen this book on multiple lists of upcoming releases and was drawn in by the premise but also the beautiful cover design. Both lived up to expectations with this finely woven story about an illiterate woman raised in an isolated tower who leaves with her raven friend on a quest to find her mother who has disappeared.
Though many other reviews reference the Tangled/Rapunzel connection, I found the similarities to be very surface level as Netta's journey, and Eames' world, are so much deeper than a Disney movie. The magic system, politics, and religion are all twisted together in an unholy knot that is overwhelming for the FMC who was raised with only her mother's influence. Underneath that exists the class struggles that are examined through the experiences of the people she meets along the way, as well as her own disadvantages as somewhat with strong intrinsic magic and no outlet since magic can only be wielded using spellbooks, which a disability prevents her from understanding.
While Netta navigates a world she only understands through her mother's instruction, she makes so many mistakes. Sometimes it seems as if she makes the same mistakes over and over. To me this comes across as authentic to life. Someone with no social or societal experience is going to take a while to learn how to generalize lessons on who to trust and what feelings she should attend to our ignore.
The only things that bothered me were related to the audio editing. At times there were awkwardly long pauses in the narrative even as I listed at 1.5x sure. There were also occasional mouth sounds that took me out of the flow. Those are editing issues though, and the narration itself was well done.
I found this to be a book about resilience, discovery, and finding one's own path to shine. Though there is a romantic subplot, I wouldn't characterize this as a romance novel but more a coming of age/hero's journey. Finally, Baldbeak was truly amazing.
Minus no stars. I loved this book on so many levels.
I had seen this book on multiple lists of upcoming releases and was drawn in by the premise but also the beautiful cover design. Both lived up to expectations with this finely woven story about an illiterate woman raised in an isolated tower who leaves with her raven friend on a quest to find her mother who has disappeared.
Though many other reviews reference the Tangled/Rapunzel connection, I found the similarities to be very surface level as Netta's journey, and Eames' world, are so much deeper than a Disney movie. The magic system, politics, and religion are all twisted together in an unholy knot that is overwhelming for the FMC who was raised with only her mother's influence. Underneath that exists the class struggles that are examined through the experiences of the people she meets along the way, as well as her own disadvantages as somewhat with strong intrinsic magic and no outlet since magic can only be wielded using spellbooks, which a disability prevents her from understanding.
While Netta navigates a world she only understands through her mother's instruction, she makes so many mistakes. Sometimes it seems as if she makes the same mistakes over and over. To me this comes across as authentic to life. Someone with no social or societal experience is going to take a while to learn how to generalize lessons on who to trust and what feelings she should attend to our ignore.
The only things that bothered me were related to the audio editing. At times there were awkwardly long pauses in the narrative even as I listed at 1.5x sure. There were also occasional mouth sounds that took me out of the flow. Those are editing issues though, and the narration itself was well done.
I found this to be a book about resilience, discovery, and finding one's own path to shine. Though there is a romantic subplot, I wouldn't characterize this as a romance novel but more a coming of age/hero's journey. Finally, Baldbeak was truly amazing.
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