The Uncrossing

by Melissa Eastlake

Luke can uncross almost any curse—they unravel themselves for him like no one else. So working for the Kovrovs, one of the families controlling all the magic in New York, is exciting and dangerous, especially when he encounters the first curse he can't break. And it involves Jeremy, the beloved, sheltered prince of the Kovrov family—the one boy he absolutely shouldn't be falling for.

Jeremy's been in love with cocky, talented Luke since they were kids. But from their first kiss, something's missing. Jeremy's family keeps generations of deadly secrets, forcing him to choose between love and loyalty. As Luke fights to break the curse, a magical, citywide war starts crackling, and it's tied to Jeremy.

This might be the one curse Luke can't uncross. If true love's kiss fails, what's left for him and Jeremy?

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, LGBT, M M Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal

372 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2017

About the author

Melissa Eastlake’s debut novel, The Uncrossing, is coming in 2017 from Entangled Teen. She's a 2017 Lambda Literary Fellow and studied creative writing at Hollins University. She lives in Athens, Georgia with her partner and their dogs.

Reviews

[☆ Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars.

I read the blurb and immediately knew that this would be a must-read for me, so I started my reading with very high expectations.

And then the rains came...



While I did like the story a good bit, this one wasn't an easy read for me, to say the least.

With 56 chapters and roughly 293'ish pages (according to my eReader), the book wasn't insanely long, but it definitely *felt* long to me.

There was something about the writing style that didn't quite flow in my mind, like books normally do. I'd often find myself needing to go back and re-read paragraphs, just to make sure that I'd read the passage correctly.

In large part, this was due to the fact that there were just Sooooooo. Many. Em. Dashes.

*740* of them, to be precise. I counted. Twice!



Em-dashes are fine, when used SPARINGLY to interject more information into the middle of a moderately-related thought; however, seven-HUNDRED & forty of them? Sweet Jesus, I wanted to shoot myself in the face.

Then we have the interactions between Luke and Jeremy, whom I loved separately, but by half way through the book, I made the following review note:

OMMFG, can these two boys EVER talk without it turning into an argument???

Spoiler: The answer was a resounding "NO" -- until very shortly before the story ended.

See, I used an em-dash, there. One. Mainly to prove that they *can* be used in moderation.

So while I experienced some bonding and the beginnings of genuine feelings, their relationship ended up feeling like one or the other was constantly walking on egg shells. That didn't read as a deep, meant-to-be love to me, but more of an "I give them three weeks" situation. So the romance didn't leave me fully convinced that this was a one and only true love match.

Luke hadn’t texted or called. Well, of course he hadn’t. Jeremy had acted totally princessy. He wouldn’t have called himself, either.

Which brings me to my next point. Jeremy's "princessy" behavior *was* a real thing here, and Luke constant pushing, thinking that he always knew best, until everything exploded, that got old, too. Witnessing those high-octane emotions over and over again was a huge exercise in frustration.

The plot was very solid and didn't end quite as I'd expected, but I did feel that it could have easily been edited down by about 100 pages (and 600 em-dashes) and readability would have benefited greatly.

Despite what I saw as shortcomings, I'd still rate this one at 3.25 stars, because the story was fairly unique and mostly entertaining, with pretty on-point humor.

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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an accurate, unbiased review of my experience while reading the story.

See All My Latest Reads (Review Quick-Links)

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[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Uncrossing was a weird book for me.

First of all, I really, really wanted to love it. I mean, the cover was pretty engaging, and I'd go gaga for a great YA, M/M fantasy book. Alas, this book wasn't all that it appeared.

For the first 30% or so (maybe more), I had no idea what was happening. We are simply thrust into this world with magic and paranormal stuff with very little background or information. And, really, none ever comes. I still really didn't get this world of magic (do lots of people have the ability to do magic or just some? It is regional?) and the people in it (why are there paparazzi following around some of the characters? They seem so insulated.). The world never came together for me.

If you are reading this book for the romance... don't. The romance was measly at best, and it ends on a HFN or minor cliffhanger ending. I wasn't happy with the "romance" and don't really think this book should be categorized as such.

What brought up my rating at all was the concepts. Buried in the murky writing were a few very compelling concepts, and I think that if the author had fleshed out those ideas more or made the world more interesting and full, I would have been hooked. Jeremy had a absolutely fascinating backstory, and I wish the book did him justice.

The magic, the ending, the plot, the writing: it was all half-formed and not enough for me. While I really enjoyed some parts of the story, I enjoyed the potential most of all, and I'm sad the final story didn't live up to it.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

[h o l l i s · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted so badly to love this. But sadly, for me, THE UNCROSSING is better in synopsis format than in the expanded format that is the story itself. Mostly because the synopsis actually tells you what's going on.

"You should say you're crossed, not cursed. Curse makes it sound hopeless."
"Maybe in hoodoo you get crossed. But in Mother Russia, curse gets you."

Common complaints about any kind of fantasy, or urban fantasy, tend to lie in the 'info dump' category. Well Eastlake definitely is not guilty of that. We come into things right in the middle of it all. A pre-existing set of rules to this world, pre-existing relationships, pre-existing backstory. And we had to earn every single drop of information about the whys and the hows. It made the beginning confusing and slow and I almost considered starting over when, by the 10% mark, I was still so so lost. In addition, as the story kind of revolves around a mystery and secrets and a curse, and we're learning as the character are learning/revealing, it continued to be slow all the way through.

"Is it different, kissing boys and girls?"
"It's different with everyone, if you pay attention."

Not helping matters is the fact that one of the main characters.. is.. really.. frustrating-annoying-childish-sheltered. The last one not being his fault, just his circumstances, but oh god reading from Jeremy's POV was painful at times. The constant temper tantrums, the overblown overreactions, the push and pull conflict in his own mind that naturally didn't lend itself well to his words or actions, especially in regards to Luke only ever wanting more information to help.. it was not a good time, folks. And made it really hard to buy why suddenly Luke is all sorts of into this guy.

Jeremy had one social skill for when things went wrong -- freeze like a bunny and let someone else handle it -- so that's what he did.

The potential for awesome is here. In a lot of ways, I was really impressed that this was Eastlake's debut. There were some funny lines, some clever magical elements (some of which didn't get revealed or compared until the end? I just don't understand the timing on information availability in this one), and when I was liking it I was really liking it. But there was too much build-up, too much unknown, too much unexplained until the last minute, and unfortunately by the time everything came to a head.. I just wanted it over with.

He was over here falling in love, and Jeremy was getting to know Luke better and falling out of it.

I would definitely be willing to pick up the author's next book but sadly THE UNCROSSING went from something that was I liking but unsure about to something I wished I could just skim to get to the resolution.

2 stars


** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to read and review this neat debut from Melissa Eastlake. The world-building in "The Uncrossing" was really creative and unusual. I found myself drawn into ME's complicated magical world with its bargains and curses and relationship drama from the start.

Luke comes from a magical family that works for the Kovrovs. His sister curses people. He removes curses. Their parents run a store. This world is so complex, rich with story.

Our two main characters Luke and Jeremy are as different as night and day. I really found myself drawn to Luke. He's strong. A curse-breaker. Secure in himself. And I can definitely see why Jeremy would be attracted to him. Lots of emotional issues and various relationships were examined, which was interesting to read. Overall a strong debut.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author.

Please excuse typos. Entered on screen reader.

[Gem (The Creepy Geek) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had this sitting on my kindle for ages and for some reason I never picked it up but I’m so glad I did because I really enjoyed it! I don’t read that much Urban Fantasy but I think I found a new favourite genre!

The start of this was a bit hit and miss. I enjoyed the character introductions but I think the worldbuilding needed more attention. I slowly started to get into it but at the start it was a bit confusing because I felt like I was dropped into this world with no explanation. Sometimes, that’s not a bad thing but something about how it was in this just made it a little confusing and hard to get into.

I’m glad I pushed through that initial uncertainty because this book has a really great plot and interesting cast of characters. There is some nice representation in this and some issues are addressed with subtlety but it’s still clear what is being addressed.

There were a few things I didn’t like about this book was the character of Max and the ending. I think I needed more of Max’s backstory to fully understand what he brought to the story. The ending was quite abrupt which is fine but I can’t believe that after all that, ew still don’t know if the...thing worked! Not knowing is killing me! Also, in some places the writing could have used a bit of work but as this is a debut novel, it is to be expected to a certain degree I think. In fact, most of the book was very well written there were just occasional bits that were written in a way that was a bit confusing.

Back to the good stuff! I really loved the magic system and everyone’s different powers (once I got my head round what all the different words meant), I loved the relationships and how they built throughout the book and I also really enjoyed the mystery element of it.

Overall, a solid debut novel.


************

Really enjoyed this! RTC

[Susan]

DNF at 20%

I don't think I have ever quit an ARC before. Well, there's a first time for everything. And since this book is pretty long I don't want to go on.

The writing was so not my kind of writing. I'm often complaining about a book having too much tell and not enough show. Well, this was the other way around. We're told nothing. We just fall into this world and need to figure everything out by ourselves. I could follow along with that happened, but I didn't feel like I was actually in the story. More like I was somewhere far away trying to look in. With a wall in between, and a football field.

I also had a really hard time liking any of the characters because it all seemed so mysterious and confusing. It was like they talked but didn't really feel. We got the occasional glimpse of Jeremy's feelings, but they were quite different than how he acted and what he said. It was like he was 2 different people.

And Luke didn't once thought of Jeremy as a potential friend/hot guy/date/sex buddy/boyfriend. Nothing.

Sorry, but I'm not going to torture myself by continuing.

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An ARC of The Uncrossing was generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Atlas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Luke always smelled like church and magic

* * *
3 / 5

The Uncrossing was an odd little book. It’s about a curse on a young man called Jeremy Kovrov, the adopted son of a powerful family, and another boy who can unravel almost any curse. It’s about magic in New York, about power and history and the lengths we will go to to hide the past. But it was also just plain weird.

"I know he's hard to like," Alexei had said, "but he loves you." There was nothing as simple as word for that.

Luke is employed by the Kovrov family, who are sort of the magical gangster family of New York. They’re powerful and dangerous and they employ Luke, against the wishes of his parents, to unravel curses for them. In Jeremy Kovrov, Luke finds the first curse that he can’t seem to break. It’s just a weird twist of fate that Jeremy’s been in love with Luke since they were kids and Luke has a boyfriend who seems like a bit of a dick.

The Uncrossing is incredibly imaginative. Jeremy’s curse is really interesting (I won’t spoil it for you) and you really feel for him. His family has a lot of secrets that are slowly revealed throughout the book and his relationships with his two older brothers are complicated and interesting. Eastlake has written some really compelling relationships: Luke the curse-breaker and his curse-maker sister; Luke and his parents; Jeremy and his slightly insane family; Luke and Jeremy. The romance between Jeremy and Luke is a slow-burn, full of heart-break and pain, and I thought it was very nicely done.

Camille's glare was intimidating. She wore a thick layer of black lipstick like she wanted someone to ask her if it was a metaphor

But a lot of the book is just very confusing: I didn’t really understand how magic and New York fitted together. Do normal people know about magic? Is there just magical communities? Then there’s some sort of magical gangs? Huh. The way curses are made and unravelled is also sort of weird and not very well explained.

Overall, whilst I found The Uncrossing confusing to read, it had a lot going for it: interesting characters, a novel setting, and an imaginative plot.

My thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of this book.

Read this review and more on my blog: https://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.co...

[Briar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Uncrossing was genuinely one of the cutest novels I have read in a long time. Melissa Eastlake’s debut hit every single one of my favourite themes and tropes that I adore as a reader. Diversity? Check. Fairytales? Check. Consent? Check. Positive family relations? Check. The Uncrossing was a literal dream come true for me, and I basically had a huge smile on my face from beginning to end.

The Uncrossing is an urban fantasy and that is obvious from the very first page. Although I read almost exclusively from this genre from 2008-2011, I haven’t read much during the last few years, aside from Cassandra Clare’s books. To say I was intrigued by Eastlake’s world building, and the chance to immerse myself in this genre from a different perspective again, would be an understatement. And Eastlake delivered. Eastlake has interwoven a fascinating, complex magical system into a contemporary New York setting, and with each description and explanation of mojo and hoodoo, I wanted to know more and more. We have curses, magical mafia, powerful witch families, true love’s kiss … what more could you possibly want?

The inclusion of magic also felt realistic and the little bursts of exposition explaining the history or how to use it, were expertly placed in the text. Oftentimes with any fantasy story, I find the text is bogged down with info-dumping to ensure the reader understands what’s happening, but Eastlake reveals background information only when necessary. That meant I wasn’t constantly rereading paragraphs to make sure I didn’t miss any vital information, because oftentimes, Eastlake allows the reader to get there themselves, too.

The fairytale elements were by far my favourite parts of The Uncrossing. Eastlake has taken an old and tired fairytale trope and given it a fun and imaginative twist. Mix that in with a modern setting, organised crime, and forbidden love, and Eastlake has created something truly captivating.

So the characters … oh boy, oh boy the characters. I adored them so much and shipped them from their very first interaction. Jeremy is the sweetest – he’s painfully shy, friendly, loveable and tender. He has had a massive crush on Luke since he was six years old. I just wanted to give him a big hug each time he second-guessed himself or didn’t think he was good enough. He’s a little cinnamon role that needs to be protected – but jokes aside, many readers will be able to relate to him. He is so precious and I consider him to be my favourite male character I have read so far this year.

Luke was so genuinely likeable: he cared deeply for his family, and went out of his way to help people, even to his own detriment. He was also hilarious, and I loved how cared for Jeremy, not only physically, but mentally too. With Jeremy’s curse putting a strain on his life, Luke is there to help him in any way possible, from trying to uncross him to texting him silly jokes to remind Jeremy to laugh and that he’s not alone.

I was also highly impressed by the fact that the teenage characters act like teens: they use apps like Instagram and Snapchat, they sleep around, they talk about weird and random things that teens talk about – basically, they’re flawed, modern teenagers and it makes me so happy to see that in a fantasy. I’ve talked about this before, but it’s quite rare to find a book where teenagers behave like teenagers; there’s all this pressure on authors to make their characters “mature”, and I’m glad that in The Uncrossing, they were able to just be teens so teen readers will be able to see a reflection of themselves in Luke, Jeremy and all of the secondary characters too.

I will make a brief mention about something that I absolutely loved and really respect Eastlake for: how bi-postive the novel was. This might not mean a lot to some readers, but as someone who is bi, I really appreciated seeing my sexuality spoken about in such positive ways. When Luke realises Jeremy is queer, he doesn’t just think, ‘oh, he must be gay.’ No, he thinks, ‘oh so he’s either gay or bi.’ To me, it just reaffirms the existence of bisexuality. One of Jeremy’s brothers, Alexei, is bi and so is one of Luke’s friends, Wesley, and every mention of bisexuality just made me smile. Here are my favourite quotes:

“The first reason is when people say ‘Gay Wesley,’ he gets to give them his angry bisexual lecture.”
[This is SO me omg]
&
“You grow up with Alexei, see if you can forget about bi people.”

I was shocked when I discovered this is a debut novel, because Eastlake’s writing was absolute perfection. It sounds a little rude to say, but I think it obvious when you’re reading a debut novel: the writing can be a little clunky, the pacing is off – small things like that. That was not the case here. Eastlake’s writing flowed naturally and I was so impressed by her writing style. Some of the sentences and metaphors made my little editor heart swoon.

The Uncrossing is an impressive, outstanding debut and I am *this close* to emailing the author and asking her to write a sequel, because I want more from this world and these beautiful characters. I am definitely going to be reading anything else Eastlake published. Please do yourselves a favour and get your hands on a copy of The Uncrossing today.

[lacy white · Rating 4 out of 5]

A special thank you goes out to Entangled Teen for allowing me to read this book early. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by being given this book!

I got this dumb little smile on face and it's because of this book. This book was just so damn adorable. Luke and Jeremy just made my heart all sorts of happy. Of course, it had its serious moments and there were moments where I wanted to smack Luke and Jeremy but overall, I couldn't be happier with this book.

Luke has the gift of being able to uncross someone. I'm sure most of you have seen a Supernatural, where Sam and Dean are hunting witches and they have to find hex bags. Well the concept is similar. Luke can find those hex bags and cleanse the person or building of the hex. Cool right? Because I thought this was very cool. As for Luke as a character, I liked him. He was stuck up but I personally didn't mind it. It fit him and his friends and family certainly weren't afraid to knock him down a peg or two. And I think he did a lot of good for Jeremy, even if they fought a lot.

Jeremy is a precious cinnamon roll and must be protected at all costs. I never call anyone a cinnamon roll so that goes to show how much I adored this character. My heart hurt for this poor guy because of his secret, he couldn't really live a normal life. He has family that kind of accepts him/kind of doesn't in terms of him being gay. He basically has lived his life thinking that being gay and feminine is bad. I just wanted to reach into the book and tell him that he is perfect the way he is. Why can't people just accept others the way they are.

The world building was very cool. It combined the real world, with mentions of Instagram, Snapchat and saying "drag me" (which I have no idea what that means at all) and combining it with old world magic and old families. The side characters were well done. They weren't just placed there for the sake of being. Overall, I'm really impressed with this book and I'm anxious to see what else this author does.

[Kaylin (The Re-Read Queen) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

It wasn't bad, but it was underwhelming. RTC

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I realllllly enjoyed this. Seriously, I really enjoyed this. Eastlake creates a wonderfully unique New York with dueling magical families; an adorable ship that I so desperately wanted to sail; a unique little twist on a magical fairytale concept; and truly likable characters full of flaws and heart. I found myself devouring almost all of this in one sitting on a long car ride, and it was one of the most enjoyable car rides I've ever had because of it.

Let's start at the beginning! The world was unique and wonderful. When I first read the summary, I got some A Darker Shade of Magic vibes for some odd reasons, and trust me, this book had those vibes for me as well. Perhaps the biggest comparisons is how well done the worlds are. Eastlake takes regular ole New York City and adds in a layer of curses, famous magical families that are practically the magical mafia, and two boys with some epic magic. It was full of diversity, intriguing mythology, a little bit of an old school fairytale twist, and some very interesting powers/magic. It was so cool, and I never knew what was going to happen next.

The characters were amazing as well. I adored both Luke and Jeremy. They were flawed, but they were oh so real. They were likable and so well developed. They had facets to each of them, and they brought something a little bit different to the story. I loved reading about both of their families as well. They were both so involved in their families, and the dynamics were amazing. Usually in a story with two main characters, I find myself leaning or connecting to one of the characters more than the other, but I really did enjoy them both so immensely.

The ship was adorable as well. I lovedddddddddddd them together. I just sat there each page, going, but WHEN ARE MY TWO BABIES GOING TO GET TOGETHER BECAUSE I CAN'T DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS SEXUAL TENSION? They were so cute together, and I can't even deal. XD

There were only a few issues that I had with the book. At times, it felt like it was just taking far too long to get anywhere. Even though I enjoyed reading it and I didn't know what was coming, I just thought that it could get to a lot of things quite a bit faster. And there were a few things that just had my eyebrows raised. But overall, it was a good story, but a few little things left me from giving it a five crown read.

Overall, this story was a fantastic read. I'm still thinking about it quite a few days later, and I think these characters were super well done. There were a few things that I didn't connect with as much, but I think it was a very good book. I definitely recommend this book for anyone that is looking for a super cool fantasy book that is something a little bit different. Four crowns and an Ariel rating!

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You should say you're crossed, not cursed. Curse makes it sound hopeless."

This was just a fun-happy book that made me giddy and kept a smile on my face. I read so much urban fantasy from 2011-2015, but I’m really just getting back into the genre and I still love it. The Uncrossing creatively incorporated fairy tale elements into an imaginative New York, with ruling magical families and intricate spellwork. It was everything I wanted from the story.

Things I Liked
I really love the fairy tale elements incorporated into the story. Not only the magic and spells, but the power of true love’s kiss, all felt new fitting in this environment. The modern New York setting and the organized crime vibes creates a great forbidden love that was captivating and easy to become enveloped in.

I LOVE Jeremy Kovrov. He is such a good person and so kind and helpful. His curse could have easily made him bitter or resentful, but he was such a ray of light! Don’t get me wrong, he did get upset and was allowed to demonstrate his frustrations. But he was never one dimensional. And I really loved him and Luke too!

I also really loved the family dynamics in the story, especially the Kovrov’s. They were so adorably sweet teasing Jeremy about his crush on Luke. They were so playful and supportive and they gave me all the warm fuzzies!

Things I Didn’t Like
In the beginning of the story, it was hard for me to be grounded and grab onto anything. It kind of felt like I was just thrown into the story, and all these things were already happening and I had to catch up. It was just a bit disorienting and made me work to get into the story.

The Uncrossing is one of those books that just put you in a great mood. You love seeing Luke and Jeremy’s push-and-pull; you root for them and want them to be happy and adorable together. I loved the seeing the family dynamics and the wonderful magic. And even though I was a little overwhelmed in the beginning, I really loved this story.

I received a copy of the book from Entangled Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle's · Rating 5 out of 5]

The uncrossing is a unique and interesting story. It had me guessing right to the end.

Crossing is to curse so uncrossing is to uncurse. Luke has a gift just like his sister. They are opposites. Luke can Uncross almost any curse. Jeremy is the one puzzle he can't work out.

Two powerful families control the magic in New York. Jeremy belongs to the Kovrov family. They are known to protect their own and be ruthless. Luke is aware of the dangers when he starts working with the family, but the opportunity is too good to turn down. He works alongside Jeremy and can't help but be interested in the puzzle which has taken over his life.

Jeremy has always had a thing for Luke. He thinks he is the answer to his prayers. Everyone can see the crush Jeremy has. Everyone expects Luke.

Uncrossed is a gay romance novel with a complex fantasy storyline. The story is creative and I found it really interesting.

4.5 Stars out of 5. It's different and I haven't read anything similar.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review. My blog tour stop with Chapter by Chapter will be on the 13th October and will include an interview with the lovely author*

[rin]

sounds gay ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked right with the first sentence.

I'm always impressed when that happens, *especially* when its a genre I'm not that into, which in this case means fantasy YA. But I had seen the cover and was intrigued even before seeing several enthusiastic reviews on Goodreads, so I decided I'd give this a try, and I am glad I did.

The whole story is set in New York, and in this New York, there is magic. Different families rule or protect different areas - and Luke's family is protected by the Kovrovs. Luke himself is very good at "uncrossing", that is, undoing curses - and the summer where the story is set he works for the Kovrovs, doing odd jobs while getting closer to Jeremy, the youngest Kovrov brother. And getting closer to Jeremy leads to having to figure out how to do Luke's most important uncrossing yet..

I loved the characters and the setting, and while I can be a grumpy curmudgeon about this, I found their teenage awkwardness about falling in love utterly sweet and adorable while not being teethachingly cute (which is to say it never got too much). The way the plot unravelled took me by suprise and kept me on edge right until the end, and speaking of which, I *loved* the ending. I also liked the magic system, or what we got to see of it - I actually wouldn't have minded a closer look at the world and how everything works - as interesting as it was it was a bit frustrating at times to get only short glimpses rather than the big picture, although I much prefer the way it's done here to several pages of exposition. I would have liked to know more about stuff like schools and such- everything that happens to Luke and Jeremy felt oddly isolated. I think that is the only complaint I have - while there are some interesting side characters and while they do go out occasionally, it never felt like the story and the characters were grounded in the world around them. I don't know how to explain it better, but in that sense it lacked depth that might have made this even better.

I still highly enjoyed this and would recommend this to anyone looking for a good urban fantasy YA story.

My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

[Abi (The Knights Who Say Book) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review*

Magical mafia turf war. Boys falling in love. Death, life, and in between. Curses, and the unraveling thereof. A little too much angst for my taste, but it's balanced out by lots of neon fashion choices. Meet the book I've affectionately dubbed "the new Raven Cycle".

Luke comes from a magical family. Jeremy comes from another, much more dangerous magical family. Luke likes boys. Jeremy's been in love with Luke since they were six. Luke can uncross any curse. Which is lucky, because Jeremy happens to be cursed. (Oh fine, you want an actual synopsis? Luke's family is under the protection of the Kovrov family, who are more terrifying than they are helpful. When the Kovrovs hire Luke for a the summer to make use of his famous ability for uncrossing curses, he discovers that the youngest Kovrov — Jeremy — is under some kind of secret curse. And also that he really wants to kiss Jeremy. Which is sort of relevant to the curse.)

The reasons I like this book are pretty much the same reasons it's similar to the Raven Cycle. There are contrasting families that each have their own kind of deep love holding them together, and there's a love story that hinges around a curse that draws the two boys together even when it should push them apart, and there's a lot of magic practiced with either vengeful enjoyment or grim belief that it's the only way left. There's the creation of whimsical objects out of thin air, and boys making terrible fashion choices regarding colors and what should be worn on the body, and a wanting for so much more than they can have.

To be clear, this book isn't perfect — there's a lot of hot-and-cold going back and forth, and the angst is so thick you could stab it (which almost literally happens in the book). And I definitely enjoy the flirting with terrible jokes more than the abundance of kissing scenes (but that's just me). But besides all that, I love this ship. I love how Jeremy is so trapped and vulnerable but so brave, and how Luke may pretend to be the confident one but really he just cares so much. They both! care! so much! about everyone! Kill me!! And their families are so important to the story and so well-developed, from Jeremy's older brothers who sometimes act as his parents to Luke's twin Camille and their parents... everyone has so much loyalty it hurts. Which is sort of the point of a turf war, I guess.

The point is, read The Uncrossing for magic and blood and kissing and bad jokes and worse decisions and family and angst and curses, because it's really, really good.

[charlotte, · Rating 4 out of 5]

Galley provided by publisher

I had never heard of this book before requesting it, and what made me request it was the blurb. It's an urban fantasy set in New York, about these mob-like families who control the magic in the city, each with their own way of doing magic. There's not a lot in the way of actually telling you this information, so there are no big info-dumps (a good thing), but it's pretty easy to pick up as you go along.

The book tells the story of Jeremy and Luke. Jeremy is a member of the Kovrov family, brother to Sergei and Alexei, and he is under a curse, bound to his brother Sergei, and as such he can't leave Sergei's house between 1am and 12 midday every day. Luke is a Melnyk, a family who works for the Kovrov's but not directly, until he is called up by them to help unravelling curses (or, "uncrossing" as it's referred to).

The family relationships are perhaps the best thing about this book. The Kovrovs, despite being framed as a dangerous family, love each other so much, and just want to protect one another. The relationships between Sergei and Jeremy, and Alexei and Jeremy get me in particular. The brothers have completely different vibes around him, and different ideas of how he should act, but in the end they love him as one of their own. The Melnyk family is another example of a great relationship. They're supportive of one another, and would risk the wrath of the Kovrovs for each other.

One disappointment was the relationship between Luke and Jeremy. It felt like it was just missing something, a spark of some sort, perhaps. It fell a little flat, like although we were told that Jeremy has had a crush on Luke since he was six, it all felt a bit shallow. But there was potential there, and because I loved Luke and Jeremy individually so much, I couldn't bring myself to fully dislike their relationship.

One last point: that ending. Why would you do that??

[ren · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know when you are really excited for a book, but cautiously wary because you’ve been disappointed too many times? That was me when I started reading The Uncrossing. This book looked like everything I want from a retelling, minus the contemporary setting: it’s queer, the worldbuilding seemed incredible and I had heard only good things about it.

I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint.

The Uncrossing won me over at first because of said worldbuilding. I loved the world Eastlake created, with curses and uncrossing and magical families fighting over NYC, but it was the characters that made me love this book. Luke and Jeremy just worked, together or otherwise. I could understand them, sympathize with them and root for them since the beginning. Together they were awesome: Jeremy’s love for Luke was so endearing and I liked how the author managed to portray Luke falling in love with him too without it feeling forced.

The secondary characters were also great and so developed. My favorites were Luke’s sister and Jeremy’s uncles. Not because they are good people (Jeremy’s uncles are quite questionable) but because they were complex and interesting, and I liked reading about them just as much as about Luke and Jeremy.

My only complaint is the ending, which was a bit confusing. I couldn’t understand well what was going on, but maybe that’s just me and I need a reread to get it right. Still, I finished the book knowing I had loved it but confused at how it had ended.

In conclusion, The Uncrossing is fast read that manages to develop most if not all of its characters and still has an awesome plot. I can’t wait to read more from this author. 4.0 stars.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning debut with lovable characters, an enthralling plot, and one of the best romances I've read. (Plus, it's really gay.) You need this gorgeously written, captivating book. Review to come!

[Shan( Shans_Shelves) 💜 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Also on My Blog
The uncrossing is a debut novel by author Melissa Eastlake.It’s told from the POV of Jeremy, a 17 year old boy bound to a curse he didn’t ask for and Luke, a 17 year old boy with the power to uncross any curse he comes upon. Slowly Luke and Jeremy work to uncross Jeremy’s curse and fall in love along the way.

This novel wasn’t bad but wasn’t great either. I’ll start with what I liked: the characters and the romance. Jeremy and Luke were great main protagonists. They were both defined well and realistic. Luke drove me up the wall at times and Jeremy was precious. They both made mistakes throughout the novel which is expected considering their age and the shit they have to deal with. The author really knows how to write interesting characters. Some you want to hate but can’t help but loving. That’s exactly how I felt about some side characters. Mainly Jeremy’s family. I wanted to hate but I loved how much they genuinely cared for him. Luke’s family were amazing. I loved his sister and would be interested in reading more about her. Camille was badass.

I’ve seen some reviews complain about the romance between Luke and Jeremy but I’ve got to say I actually liked it. Yes they fought and yes they drove me crazy at time! But they’re teenagers and they’re dealing with shit no teenager should deal with. Their fights mostly happened over lack of communication. However they work and grow throughout the novel and I was rooting for their HEA.

Now onto what I disliked: everything else! This books biggest downfall was lack of world building. We got none. Nadda. Zilch. I had no idea what was happening for about 80 % overall. The Magic system isn’t explained at all. It frustrated me so much. I’m not someone who relies on the world building to love a book but I do need something. We didn’t get any information neither at the beginning or end. If this wasn’t an Arc and I didn’t like the characters as much as I did, it would have been an DNF. On top of that the writing was choppy and confusing.

The plot was so confusing at the beginning. It took me three weeks to read 16% of this. That’s how confused & irritated I was at the beginning. I’m sad to say, while it got easier to follow I still can’t tell you what happened and I’ve finished the novel. There were also times when paragraphs would finish at one subject without answers and the next paragraph is two days later and still no answers!

After everything that happens this ended terrible. Don’t even get me started on the ending. I feel like the way it ended made the whole book pointless.

Overall, it’s wasn’t the worse book ever but the bad defiantly outweighed the good. This book was hard to follow and frustrated me to no end. I did like the characters and I think the author could write some really funny dialogue and defined characters it’s a shame the world building fell like it did. Honestly I can’t recommend this.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy to review.*

[Laly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I fell in love with this book after the first ten pages. That doesn't really happen to me, and the last book that gave me such a ride and the need to both slap and hug the characters was Nora Sakavic's The Foxhole Court. No other book has called my attention this way since then, and anyone who knows me knows exactly what that means.

Uncrossing is about magic, love, fate, choices, and surprisingly the mob. The story follows two characters: Luke Melnyk and Jeremy Kovrov. Or rather, it follows two stories connected by Jeremy and Luke. 

Luke Melnyk comes from a family rooted in magic, and his speciality is to undo crossings (what we commonly see as "curses"). His twin sister Camille, on the other hand, can cast the nasties crossings on anyone. 

Jeremy Kovrov is crossed, but his crossing is something that Jeremy and Camille have never seen before. And which cannot be uncrossed. At least, not by conventional means.

The first note I wrote on this book is that it had a very good exposition. It never felt like it was taking your hand and guiding you through things, or being didactic. Instead, you are dropped in the middle of a story that started years, and years ago, and are trusted to be able to catch up and understand. And trust me, you will. 

The characters are incredibly real, flawed, and alive. They might not jump out of the pages all of the time, but they all have multiple layers that you can't help but want to understand. Even the characters you dislike (and trust me, you will dislike a couple of them intermittently) have more dimensions to them than the ones that might annoy you.

Luke and Jeremy are the characters that you're supposed to follow along, as they are the focused of the narrator's POV, but thankfully that doesn't mean that the rest of the characters are abandoned or underdeveloped. Usually, in MLM fiction, female characters tend to be butchered or made smaller, to benefit the male characters, but here it's not like that at all. Camille, Helene, Natalya, Katya, and Marta all have their own stories, characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, and they never appear to be an afterthought.

And the characters are not perfect! That is so uncommon to find! Not just: this character is clumsy, or this character is too wise or perfect so they are unperfect. No. Alexei is too self-involved, Sergei is... Sergei is too conservative and lowkey homophobic/racist. The Melnyks are too overprotective. And everyone is going behind everyone's backs thinking they know better and have the answers/solutions for things.

At the beginning, some of the dialogues felt strange or a bit stilted, but it was only because of the context. Every character has different ways in which they talk, and they all vary according to who's there with them, and when the Kovrovs are around the dialogue will always be a bit awkward and stiff.

The world building is very good, with bits and pieces of lore and history guiding the story, and then mentions of social networks, college, and celebrities to remind you that this is happening right now. It does leave some questions unanswered, but I believe that it simply adds to the feeling of entering in the middle of something that was already rounded and alive.

And at the heart of it: The distinction between predetermination (fate), and will (your choices) was the thing that fully sold me on this idea. The fact that the root of the romance between Jeremy and Luke was a choice, and what they wanted, as opposed to a written-in-the-stars kind of thing, was amazing. I would say that "choices" are the cornerstone of this story, everyone had different choices they could've made that might have drastically changed the course of the narrative at every turn, and these are acknowledged in the inner dialogue of the characters "why did I do that? Why didn't I say this?", or in some cases "that was the only say this?", or in some cases "that was the only choice I could realistically make".

This book will remind you that:

1. People are not always the way they seem.
2. You can't fight other people's battles.
3. People won't want you to take on their problems.
4. You can be supportive without forcing your opinions on others.
5. Choice is a thing! Fate does not control you!
6. Love has many dimensions and many definitions.
7. Family should be there for you through it all.
8. You can fall in love with a book.

I absolutely adored the book, and I will 100% not shut up about it, anytime soon. 
 

[Amanda Prado · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book caught my attention mostly because of the pitch tagline: "The Raven Boys meets Shadowhunters". I love one of these series and hate the other, so I was mostly morbidly curious to see how this book would work out. And then of course we got the horrid cover reveal (which btw doesn't even depict the characters as they are; Luke isn't white, for starters) and my expectations got even lower. I stayed interested mostly for the fun summary (prophecies, curses, fail of true love's kiss), but I wasn't expecting too much.

Which was probably the best thing I ever did, because with low expectations, I could easily get past the book's biggest weakness: its writing. I'm not saying the author is a bad writer, because she most definitely is not; but I AM saying The Uncrossing reads as a... very obvious debut. It's easy to see the writing isn't as polished as it could be, and the way the plot/core themes of the book are handled oscilates between very in your face/heavy handed, and so subtle it's actually obfuscating. It doesn't help that the plot is confusing by design either. A more unkindly reviewer would suggest the author bit more than she could chew.

But I really don't think that's the case.

Even if I don't think it was handled in the best way possible, this was still a really good book, and the author's intent was succesfully shown even throught the bumpiest spots. The deconstruction of destiny, "true love", happily ever afters, and fairytale cliches were all great. The author doesn't take any easy ways out, she doesn't try to make her job easier: on the contrary, this story is about how there are NO easy outs, and how not all problems can be solved; and even if they are, not always will it be in satisfactory ways. The author builds the "cliches" up in the first part of the story just to slowly and devastatingly shoot them down on the second part. You don't always find an YA story willing to deal with the messiness of real life, and that doesn't compromise its themes for the sake of a perfect HEA; the ending is a happy one, don't worry, but it's still appropriately open-ended, which works perfectly with the message it is trying to send.

The Uncrossing has sympathetic but flawed characters, a cute romance, ADULTS ACTING LIKE ADULS - the parents in this book actually exist and act like parents, trying to protect their children from fucked up magic and ACTIVELY involved in the plot!!! holy shit!!!!! -, and a refreshing take on the usual fairytale/paranormal romance tropes. All things I loved, which more than make up for the occasional messy writing (and occasional ott melodrama, though that could also be attributed to sympathetic but flawed teens acting like teens). I'm really impressed by the author's ideas, even if the execution wasn't always perfect. It just makes me interested to see how she'll evolve in her next books.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 / 5 Fangs

The Uncrossing was such an entertaining and fast-paced book. This was a book full of magic, romance, action, crime, and angst. What more could one want?!

I really enjoyed the urban fantasy world the author created. The world the author created took New York City and mixed it with fairytale elements, magic, and crime families. I found the world extremely interesting! My only issue with the world was that it was confusing to understand at first. When the book started, it felt like I was thrown into the world with little explanation of what was happening. It was hard to catch up, but once I did catch up, the book became a lot more enjoyable!

The characters in this book were all lovable in their own way. Jeremey was such a kind and thoughtful soul. I just wanted to squeeze the heck out of him! I felt so bad for him and the secret he was keeping and the pressures he faced. He was an adorable ray of sunshine, but there were times when he threw some childish temper tantrums. However, I still loved him anyway. The other main character, Luke, was such an interesting character. He had a really unique power that made him such a fun character to read about. He was a determined and loyal guy, but he was quite stuck up. It was nice that people put him in his place from time to time.

The romance in this book made my heart SWOOOON. I absolutely adored Jeremy and Luke together. The slow-burning tug and pull of their relationship killed my heart in the best way. From the first moment they first spoke to each other, I knew I was going to ship them until the end of time. The author did a great job at creating an adorable and steamy relationship between Jeremy and Luke.



Overall, this was addictive and unique fantasy novel! I really enjoyed myself while reading this book, and I cannot wait to see what the author comes out with next!

3.5 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Uncrossing is an engaging and entertaining novel that admittedly took me a little while to get pulled in to, but once I was, there was no putting this book down! It's confusing and mysterious and quite intriguing, it's everything you'd want in a young adult urban fantasy novel. And it has two totally endearing characters, which was just the icing on the cake!

Full of magic and mayhem and mystery, The Uncrossing also has a sweet romance brewing in its pages. Luke and Jeremy have known each other since they were children, as their families have an uneasy working relationship. It's not until recently, though, that things between them start to shift, thanks to some meddling by Jeremy's brother- meddling that I still can't figure out if it was for Jeremy's benefit or for Alex's, his brother. But no matter what, it was just the push both Luke and Jeremy needed to set things in motion.

Not all is what it seems when it comes to Jeremy, though, and Luke discovers secrets that he wasn't meant to know. This leads to some drama and confusion and discord between the families. But as the mystery and secrets are revealed, Luke plays a major part in helping to resolve at least some of it, and that helps to put the families back on even ground. And Jeremy and Luke are finally able to just be 2 teen boys who care about each other...

I really enjoyed everything about this book...except that ending, I need more! I don't know if Ms. Eastlake has plans for a follow-up, but I really hope there is one. I don't want to say good-bye just yet to Luke and Jeremy.

[Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Uncrossing' is as much about magic as it is a slow-burn YA romance. Author Melissa Eastlake drops readers in the middle of a set of families who have been working together for generations, each person specializing in a different type of magic. Eastlake has skillfully brought to life a unique and complex system of magic and an enchanting re-imagined New York City. She employs an enjoyable blend of fantasy with real-world subway transit and social media.

Luke and Jeremy are young men caught a web of magic spun generations prior. Though their families are allies, there are many secrets between them. As they slowly fall for each other, these secrets are unraveled lead to an old curse involving them all.

I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s.

[Linda Romer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Uncrossing by Melissa Eastlake

I really enjoyed The Uncrossing, I thought it was a unique read with elements of magic I've never read about before. This is an Entangled Teen Title with a M/M Romance, very sweet. I liked all the characters, Luke and Jeremy were very charming. The Kovrov and the Melnyk families were memorable and I enjoyed getting to know them. I liked the scare at the end and the story overall.

I give The Uncrossing 4 stars for its unique magical read with interesting characters.
I would recommend this book to everyone.

[gin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was good! It reminded me a lot of holly black's curse workers series (which I love) with the whole magical mobsters and all that. It's def my type of book.

luke and Jeremy were both great and I loved their romance. i also loved jeremy's family dynamics and his relationship with his brothers.
ngl I wish we had gotten more of Luke's sister tho she seemed so awesome.

I appreciated the rep a lot, such a cute m/m romance and luke being a black gay boy was great and bisexuality was treated so well too

[Angela C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book through Chapter by Chapter, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for the review copy!

It’s been 24 hours since I finished reading The Uncrossing, and I’m still starry-eyed over the wondrousness of this story. Usually it’s romance that makes or breaks a book for me, but in the case of Eastlake’s debut it was the world building and the tangled web of magic, secrets, curses, and complex family relationships that really swept me away.

The Uncrossing is set in an alternate-universe New York City where magic is an accepted part of everyday life. Protection spells, hex bags, magical herb farming, and the like are commonplace, and the most powerful families have carved out territories for themselves in a sort of sorcerous turf war. These families operate like magical mafias, exercising tremendous authority in their neighborhoods and vying with their rivals for control. The leaders specialize in different brands of magic and are celebrities in their own right, with the Zhangs running Manhattan, the Malcolms controlling New Jersey, and the Kovrovs holding court in Brooklyn and the boroughs.

“It was hard to name what the Kovrovs did – protection, cooperation, extortion – connecting magical suppliers and consumers across New York.”

Luke Melnyk, one of the book’s two protagonists, knows what it means to be under the thumb of such magical mafiosos. His family has been indebted to the Kovrovs for decades, and Luke himself is recruited at 17 to serve as the Kovrovs’ curse breaker. He goes into the job under strict instructions from his family to keep his head down and his mouth shut, but this directive becomes harder and harder to follow as he realizes there’s something not right with Jeremy, the Kovrovs’ cursed young protégé.

I want SO BADLY to gush about the brilliantly inventive curse at the center of Luke and Jeremy’s relationship, but I’d have to tiptoe around a minefield of spoilers in order to do so. Suffice it to say that the curse is a doozy, with fascinating repercussions both at a practical level and a relationship level. Complicating matters is a snarled mess of secrets, bindings, feuds, and blood magic, which Luke and Jeremy must attempt to unravel.

While I can’t talk about the plot itself, I can and will spend some time singing the praises of Melissa Eastlake’s character building. I was endlessly mesmerized by the Kovrovs, who are the definition of “morally gray.” While Jeremy loves them and sees them as protectors, Luke views them as self-serving monsters. It’s fascinating to see how adroitly Eastlake presents evidence in support of both of these views.

“Alexei’s bindings wove a web, and he, in the center, felt every twinge the way a spider feels her web catching flies. That was a bad metaphor, because it made it sound like an evil, stalking thing, and it wasn’t – it only meant that he knew what was happening, when his people were in trouble or pain. It took a lot out of him, too. His mind stretched in a hundred directions all the time, and the people he’d bound to him haunted his dreams. Alexei always said the Kovrovs worked hard for their people, and so they asked for very reasonable things in return: loyalty, compensation, occasional favors. He said the people they helped – he called it helping – were grateful.”

This is especially true when it comes to Jeremy’s interactions with Alexei and Sergei, the heads of the Kovrov family. Eastlake does a marvelous job of showing tenderness and affection side by side with gruffness and callousness, shouting matches and hurtful comments next to fond gestures and brotherly protectiveness. The relationship among the three main Kovrov men is a work of art, the family dynamic fantastically complicated and muddied by obligation and guilt and love.

“When you’re the Kovrovs’ people, they make it feel like a family. Except, you miss a payment? You make a mistake? You’ll find out real quick who their family is.”

There are so many other great elements of this book as well, too many to name; they include the painfully insightful explorations of identity, personal limitations, and what it means to call someone family. There are moments of wonderful humor, too, as shown in the quotes below:

“‘Hostage-taking is a valuable tool and a fine tradition.’ Alexei sat on the couch and turned on the TV. ‘I personally have been taken hostage three times. The night I spent as Linh Zhang’s prisoner remains one of my fondest memories.’”

“‘We have had adventures today. Apparently I am so evil that performing a routine cleansing on my place caused our witch doctor to swoon.’ He sounded terribly pleased with himself.”

If I had to list one complaint about The Uncrossing, it’s that I spent a decent chunk of the beginning of the book ranging from mildly to severely confused. I was completely lost at first and wasn’t able to figure out what the “rules” of the world were, nor could I immediately get a good handle on who/what the Kovrovs were and how I was supposed to view them. Everything eventually came together, but it took me a while to get a good "grip" on everything.

I also struggled with understanding the basic meaning of some of the sentences. For some reason the way certain passages were worded really confused me. I’m usually a fast reader, but I had to take my time with this novel to make sure I wasn’t misconstruing anything important. For example, Luke’s two best friends are both named Wesley, so he differentiates between them by jokingly referring to them as Straight Wesley and Short Wesley. Because this wasn’t explained until midway through the book, though, I initially assumed they were brothers with the last name Wesley, and “Short” and “Straight” were their (admittedly strange) first names. I realize that probably makes me sound incredibly stupid, but something about the way this book was presented left me really confused at times.

The ending threw me for a bit of a loop as well, and I can’t say that I fully understand what happened, why it happened, and what the significance was. (Anyone else who reads this book, please hit me up and let’s chat about it, okay? I want to hear your thoughts.) All the same, this book had me under its spell from beginning to end, and I will be eagerly awaiting more novels from Melissa Eastlake in the future.

This review can also be found on my blog, Angela's Library.

[Melissa]

Great diversity in this title. I was expecting a m/m romance with a fairytale retelling concept, but I was happily surprised that beyond the two main characters, Luke and Jeremy, there were other male bisexual characters in main roles in a way that was very well done. I particularly loved a conversation about the distinction between bisexuality and being a gay male and how one character, in particular, was adamant that his bisexuality not get erased as often happens.

Beyond the LGBTQIA+ representation, I was excited for this title because I'm a huge fairytale retelling fan, and I'm always interested to see how contemporary authors will translate the magic and fairytale rules we've come to expect into a new context. Melissa Eastlake does an amazing job with this, and I was personally in love with the magical mob and various types of magic that characters ascribe to.

Finally, how can you not swoon when seeing Luke and Jeremy together?

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

"The Uncrossing" takes us to a world of magic which thrives within our own. In this world, people with magical abilities live in a mafia-style society, which is controlled by certain families. Luke's family is part of the Kovrovs mafia-style group. While the Kovrovs tend to take care of the people under them, they do wield a lot of power over them and control their financial success (just think mafia that happens to have magic). The book begins with the Kovrovs coming over to see Luke and his twin sister, Camille. Camille is an expert at crossing things while Luke does just the opposite and can uncross just about anything. We learn about this as Camille examines some hexes the Kovrovs brought and then Luke undoes them.

The main plot here is really about Luke and Jeremy's relationship. Jeremy has liked Luke forever, but Luke is oblivious (although everyone else has seemed to notice). Luke is in a casual relationship with Max, which seems to be rapidly spiraling down the drain. When the Kovrovs make him an offer (which he can't refuse) to work for them, he begins to get to know Jeremy, the Kovrov prince, better. When Luke asks a question which seems simple, it undoes a binding that no one seemed to know existed and opens a much bigger can of worms. Jeremy is crossed- but can Luke uncross him and the large curse hanging over the Kovrovs?

Most of the book moves very slowly, as the two boys get to know each other and fight a lot- tensions are running high due to the undercurrent of Jeremy's crossing and what it means for him/how much he wants Luke to help. The mentions of a "citywide war" in the summary are perhaps exaggerated, as there just seems to be bad blood between the Kovrovs and Malcolms with some spying but not a full-blown war. The book is more about young love and the growth of their relationship against the odds- what love means/how you know you are in love. There is a bit of mystery shrouding the Kovrovs and Jeremy's crossing, but it seemed to be resolved at a snail's pace for most of the book. The last 20% or so really picks this up and runs with it, making it much more intricate than it had previously seemed. I wish the book had moved a little faster with these other elements and we could have unraveled this mystery sooner, as the first part of the book felt like a romance without much of the fantasy elements I was expecting.

I also was surprised that it ended without clear resolution, and people who hate open endings will be left unsatisfied. It makes me wonder if they are considering making this into a series/adding more books to it. This is unclear from what I can find, but it's good to know for people who need resolution! Overall, I think it was a solid (albeit drama-filled) YA romance with some fantasy elements, so not quite what I expected (I expected a YA fantasy with some romance)- but I still enjoyed it overall nevertheless!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher through netgalley. All opinions are my own.