What do you think?
Rate this book
Magical Intelligence
When you are a member of Britain’s first team of wizard spies, every mission might be your last. But as the dawning of the 20th century draws ever nearer, magic grows weak. Violectric Dampening, the clash of man-made electricity with the Gifts of magekind, threatens M.I.’s existence. And if that isn’t enough, they’ve now been discharged from their own government. Obsolete. Distrusted.
And now hunted by one of their own.
Myra Wetherby has always feared her so-called fits, strange visions of people and places that she cannot explain. It is the emotional manipulation, however, a strange empathic connection to those around her, which threatens her very sanity. A danger to her family, Myra runs away, falling straight into the hands of the newly ousted Magical Intelligence team. Who just so happen to need an ability like hers.
Which makes Myra one of them . . . whether she likes it or not.
And now hunted by one of their own.
Myra Wetherby has always feared her so-called fits, strange visions of people and places that she cannot explain. It is the emotional manipulation, however, a strange empathic connection to those around her, which threatens her very sanity. A danger to her family, Myra runs away, falling straight into the hands of the newly ousted Magical Intelligence team. Who just so happen to need an ability like hers.
Which makes Myra one of them . . . whether she likes it or not.
426 pages, Paperback
Published May 5, 2020
14 people are currently reading
2719 people want to read
About the author
M.K. Wiseman
12 books242 followersM. K. Wiseman has degrees in Interarts & Technology and Library & Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her office, therefore, is a curious mix of storyboards and reference materials. Both help immensely in the writing of historical novels. She currently resides in Wisconsin but dreams often of her childhood home in New Mexico.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 7, 2021
CW: (mentioned? alluded to?) child death
I read this for my March 2021 challenge of only reading books by women writers for Women's History month! You can read more about my experience here!
While there were some excellent lines smattered throughout and some interesting magic concepts, I found myself utterly lost during the entire process. The story is incredibly fast-paced and at times to its significant detriment.
Although Myra is new to the world of magic at the start of the book, it takes her only a few chapters to fully accept and immerse herself in the world and the rules of magic - so quickly, in fact, that I didn’t have time to catch up. I spent the entire story feeling as if I was missing something important and/or wondering if this was a sequel, connected somehow to a world I didn't know. But no, it is so far singular.
More things I was confused about:
- The time period. T'ai-chi and electricity and corsets all at once?
- Why was Myra American? It didn't feel necessary to have the whole American plot when she could probably just as well have been British like everyone else and still been introduced to the general plot in a similar manner.
I felt terribly disconnected from the story and all of the characters. There's a relatively large cast, but I struggled to feel like I knew any of them especially well. I also felt like who we believed to be the antagonist shifted an awful lot...
- Why are government agents asking a foreign 14-year-old girl for help?? How old are all these people anyway?
Anyway. I'm not disappointed I read this, because I'm always happy to support Wisconsin authors (state I was born + raised + currently live in (for now...)), but it was a bit of a miss for me. I must admit, though, I'm still interested in checking out Wiseman's Sherlock Holmes novel!
I read this for my March 2021 challenge of only reading books by women writers for Women's History month! You can read more about my experience here!
While there were some excellent lines smattered throughout and some interesting magic concepts, I found myself utterly lost during the entire process. The story is incredibly fast-paced and at times to its significant detriment.
Although Myra is new to the world of magic at the start of the book, it takes her only a few chapters to fully accept and immerse herself in the world and the rules of magic - so quickly, in fact, that I didn’t have time to catch up. I spent the entire story feeling as if I was missing something important and/or wondering if this was a sequel, connected somehow to a world I didn't know. But no, it is so far singular.
More things I was confused about:
- The time period. T'ai-chi and electricity and corsets all at once?
- Why was Myra American? It didn't feel necessary to have the whole American plot when she could probably just as well have been British like everyone else and still been introduced to the general plot in a similar manner.
I felt terribly disconnected from the story and all of the characters. There's a relatively large cast, but I struggled to feel like I knew any of them especially well. I also felt like who we believed to be the antagonist shifted an awful lot...
- Why are government agents asking a foreign 14-year-old girl for help?? How old are all these people anyway?
Anyway. I'm not disappointed I read this, because I'm always happy to support Wisconsin authors (state I was born + raised + currently live in (for now...)), but it was a bit of a miss for me. I must admit, though, I'm still interested in checking out Wiseman's Sherlock Holmes novel!
August 7, 2022
Magical intelligence division of government. Magical Spies. Nice concept. Unfortunately I didnt feel the book held up to its potential. I had to keep reminding myself that Myra is only 14, and therefore its why she was so self centered and immature in her reactions. However, the people with her were supposedly no more than a few years older and much more mature. Just seemed very disjointed in the storytelling. Left me with lots of questions.
May 6, 2020
This was a fun read! Knowing that it’s part of a series I kind of wish it had slowed down and expanded on a few more things. Especially towards the end it started to feel rushed, as if everything had to come together ASAP. Can’t wait for the next one!
July 27, 2021
Magic, action, spy’s and young love.
The story takes place at the end of the 19th century in Britain under the rule of queen Victoria. The main protagonist is 14 year old Myra. After she starts getting visions at age 8 she runs away from home (to protect her family) and ends up in an orphanage. One night there is a fire in a near by warehouse, and as that connects to her visions, young Myra ends up inside. Not knowing how she got there, she tries to help as well as she can, and this becomes her introduction into a world of magic. Here she starts to learn the her way around her own powers, and the price for using them. The group she ends up entangled with, is a group of magical spy’s.
The world build in this story is very good. You get all of the Victorian times,with its ups and down, for the poor and the rich. It has a lot of action, and a little love too when Myra develops a crush toward one of their new colleagues.
I really liked the details of the world build and how the characters developed. It was hard to imagine how a 14 year old can have a crush like this, but in the Victorian times, girls did marry a lot younger than they do now, and there were no inappropriate behavior in the book.
There is a lot of details in this story, which was hard to keep track of in the audio version of the book. When that happened, I was grateful that I also bought the ebook version of the book, since it enabled me to go back and look up those details. It will be interesting to see where this story goes nexts.
The narrator was very good, which brought be great joy when listening to the story. All in all I loved the book. I got the audio version of this book for free, and bought the ebook version. Since I loved the story, I am leaving a voluntary review.
The story takes place at the end of the 19th century in Britain under the rule of queen Victoria. The main protagonist is 14 year old Myra. After she starts getting visions at age 8 she runs away from home (to protect her family) and ends up in an orphanage. One night there is a fire in a near by warehouse, and as that connects to her visions, young Myra ends up inside. Not knowing how she got there, she tries to help as well as she can, and this becomes her introduction into a world of magic. Here she starts to learn the her way around her own powers, and the price for using them. The group she ends up entangled with, is a group of magical spy’s.
The world build in this story is very good. You get all of the Victorian times,with its ups and down, for the poor and the rich. It has a lot of action, and a little love too when Myra develops a crush toward one of their new colleagues.
I really liked the details of the world build and how the characters developed. It was hard to imagine how a 14 year old can have a crush like this, but in the Victorian times, girls did marry a lot younger than they do now, and there were no inappropriate behavior in the book.
There is a lot of details in this story, which was hard to keep track of in the audio version of the book. When that happened, I was grateful that I also bought the ebook version of the book, since it enabled me to go back and look up those details. It will be interesting to see where this story goes nexts.
The narrator was very good, which brought be great joy when listening to the story. All in all I loved the book. I got the audio version of this book for free, and bought the ebook version. Since I loved the story, I am leaving a voluntary review.
July 14, 2025
The description for this book isn’t untrue, but it misdirects. It does not give an accurate impression of the story. Most of it is the history that the story builds on, rather than the story itself, and it more problematically leaves out the fact that the main character, Myra, is 14 years old, which makes this a much different story than one is led to expect by the blurb.
Having said that, nothing about the story actually feels like she is 14 years old. I say that as a parent of a 14-year-old. So, I feel ideally placed to say her young age does not work for the character or the plotline. She does not act 14, no one treats her as if she is 14, and the plot does not lend itself to a 14-year-old. Honestly, several of the other characters are also in their teens, and they don’t act their age either. But it is especially problematic for Myra, as the main character. Plus,14 feels so much younger than 18 in this context. Eighteen might round up to a young adult. 14 rounds down to a child.
Outside that one big glaring problem, I generally liked this. I didn’t love it, but I liked it well enough. However, the pacing is a bit off. Somehow, the beginning dragged on and on, and then the end rushed too fast. Honestly, I felt like I was constantly scrambling, being like, “Wait, who is this again?”
I do feel like this book did a lot of work setting up the series. So, the rest of the series might not suffer from the same pacing problems, which could just be a symptom of first-book syndrome. All in all, it was a middle-of-the-road read for me. Alyson Grauer did a nice job with the narration, however.
Having said that, nothing about the story actually feels like she is 14 years old. I say that as a parent of a 14-year-old. So, I feel ideally placed to say her young age does not work for the character or the plotline. She does not act 14, no one treats her as if she is 14, and the plot does not lend itself to a 14-year-old. Honestly, several of the other characters are also in their teens, and they don’t act their age either. But it is especially problematic for Myra, as the main character. Plus,14 feels so much younger than 18 in this context. Eighteen might round up to a young adult. 14 rounds down to a child.
Outside that one big glaring problem, I generally liked this. I didn’t love it, but I liked it well enough. However, the pacing is a bit off. Somehow, the beginning dragged on and on, and then the end rushed too fast. Honestly, I felt like I was constantly scrambling, being like, “Wait, who is this again?”
I do feel like this book did a lot of work setting up the series. So, the rest of the series might not suffer from the same pacing problems, which could just be a symptom of first-book syndrome. All in all, it was a middle-of-the-road read for me. Alyson Grauer did a nice job with the narration, however.
August 24, 2022
Super Fun Magic & Spies Combo
This was a ton of fun! What's better then a good magic story? Well mash it up with an M.I.(spy organization) and throw it back in the late 1800's and you get a truly awesome book. I have really loved this author's other books as well due to his fantastic story and character development, he just brings them all to life!
Parents: Really best for middle school and up
Language: PG
Violence: PG13- wizard duels, necormancy, sacrifice murder but none of it is very graphic
Sexual content: PG13- LGBT, no bedroom scenes, mostly kissing and light romance
Narrator was fun and easy to listen too, had great character differentiation, and fun accents.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
This was a ton of fun! What's better then a good magic story? Well mash it up with an M.I.(spy organization) and throw it back in the late 1800's and you get a truly awesome book. I have really loved this author's other books as well due to his fantastic story and character development, he just brings them all to life!
Parents: Really best for middle school and up
Language: PG
Violence: PG13- wizard duels, necormancy, sacrifice murder but none of it is very graphic
Sexual content: PG13- LGBT, no bedroom scenes, mostly kissing and light romance
Narrator was fun and easy to listen too, had great character differentiation, and fun accents.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
May 16, 2020
Magical Intelligence is the story of Myra, an orphan in Victorian era America, who as the story opens, dreams she’s in a warehouse the moment before it explodes. She’s fully in someone else’s skin, seeing the world through their eyes… and if we presume, feels the moment their world caves in. Waking up screaming, it’s assumed by the other girls in the room, an actual explosion across the town woke Myra up. Shaken by this, she tries to get back to sleep… but her issues are only just beginning. Myra is actually a mage, and before the night is over, she’ll taken from the life she’d always known, with what she thought was mental illness being in fact magic, and society as she thought she understood suddenly only being half correct. With Aidan, her new comrade, who she meets after the explosion, who happens to be the head of the American Magical Intelligence group, she goes to England. There, she’ll try to help take down Addair, the mage’s enemy, and learn who and what she truly is.
In this fast paced, fully immersed world, we go with them as they meet Mr James James, and the rest of the British Magical Intelligence. This is absolutely, and I just want to say this at the start, for anyone who loves urban fantasy, with secret agent esque characters, living their lives alongside people who have no idea what’s truly going on.
Written in 3rd person, with Myra as our narrator, this novel takes us back to the 1800s, in a wonderful, fully realized way. Even down to the rise of electricity affecting children from coming into their powers is a wonderful addition – as it blends our world with that of the mages fluidly. It’s exciting, and gets the reader wondering what else will be involved, how far this world differs to ours, and truthfully, who doesn’t enjoy a little Victorian era fantasy? As soon as I realized when this novel was set, I was excited. I’ve been playing a lot of Frost Punk during Lockdown, which while it has zero fantasy involved, is set around the same time, and has been fueling my love for hopping back in time. This is imaginative, beautifully described, and slots straight into our world without any struggle. The best part about all this, is that Myra is totally new to magic, so we learn everything as she does, giving us front and center seats. Going back to the beginning for a moment, this is most beautiful as Aidan gets Myra to England. She’s sure she’s dreaming. There’s no other way to reasonably explain any of it. She teleported to the warehouse through her sleep. They fly onto a train. They leap between ley lines. It’s wild, beautifully imagined, and had my own mind foaming at the mouth. From page one, I desperately needed to know what came next, and though this is 400 pages for me, I flew through it. Once my butt found a seat, and I had a coffee, I was in my spot until the end. I read this in a day, only taking breaks when I could peel my eyes away, and even then, they were short lived. If you love novels you’ll be sucked into, that’ll have your imagination watering, and things a ton of wonderful work has gone into, check this out.
My favorite part of this novel, beyond the obvious I’ve stated, was the characterizations. Everyone we meet are diverse, well realized, and effortlessly leaps off the page. Aidan was easily my favorite. He’s cheeky, cocksure, and has issues letting others be in charge. He’s arrogant, but so sweet to Myra. For someone who loves bad boys who are still good to those they care about, it was destiny I’d adore him. I also loved Myra. She’s torn by the fact she’d spent her life thinks she was mentally ill, yet actually had magic. This felt like a great way to merge reality with fantasy – but also made me laugh a little, as back in that time, everything was a mental illness, and the cure were institutions. Thinking maybe people just had magic is a funny, but great twist to our own world. Magical realism at its absolute best is when it could happen in our world, and this does exactly that. Fans of action-packed fantasy with adore this, and anyone who loves characters who could go from page to reality with ease will be right at home. Myra is able to feel other people’s emotions, so added to them being wonderful, we also get an extra level of characterization, which works very well to warm us to everyone. This was a long paragraph to simply say I loved everyone, and would happily read anything set in this universe, with these characters.
Did anything not work for me? Well, yes, but it’s little things. I’d have preferred if anything within Myra’s mind was in italics, and there was a change in perspective at the start that threw me – so I’d have liked some more differentiation between, but overall, everything about this novel made me very happy. It’s YA, it’s fun, and it’s done incredibly well. What’s not to love?
All in all, this may look like a chunky novel, but that time will fly by. Once you open this novel, you’ll be stuck in your seat, being whisked off to yesteryear. It’s fluid, beautifully written, and will become a fast favorite. Definitely one to add to your TBR.
In this fast paced, fully immersed world, we go with them as they meet Mr James James, and the rest of the British Magical Intelligence. This is absolutely, and I just want to say this at the start, for anyone who loves urban fantasy, with secret agent esque characters, living their lives alongside people who have no idea what’s truly going on.
Written in 3rd person, with Myra as our narrator, this novel takes us back to the 1800s, in a wonderful, fully realized way. Even down to the rise of electricity affecting children from coming into their powers is a wonderful addition – as it blends our world with that of the mages fluidly. It’s exciting, and gets the reader wondering what else will be involved, how far this world differs to ours, and truthfully, who doesn’t enjoy a little Victorian era fantasy? As soon as I realized when this novel was set, I was excited. I’ve been playing a lot of Frost Punk during Lockdown, which while it has zero fantasy involved, is set around the same time, and has been fueling my love for hopping back in time. This is imaginative, beautifully described, and slots straight into our world without any struggle. The best part about all this, is that Myra is totally new to magic, so we learn everything as she does, giving us front and center seats. Going back to the beginning for a moment, this is most beautiful as Aidan gets Myra to England. She’s sure she’s dreaming. There’s no other way to reasonably explain any of it. She teleported to the warehouse through her sleep. They fly onto a train. They leap between ley lines. It’s wild, beautifully imagined, and had my own mind foaming at the mouth. From page one, I desperately needed to know what came next, and though this is 400 pages for me, I flew through it. Once my butt found a seat, and I had a coffee, I was in my spot until the end. I read this in a day, only taking breaks when I could peel my eyes away, and even then, they were short lived. If you love novels you’ll be sucked into, that’ll have your imagination watering, and things a ton of wonderful work has gone into, check this out.
My favorite part of this novel, beyond the obvious I’ve stated, was the characterizations. Everyone we meet are diverse, well realized, and effortlessly leaps off the page. Aidan was easily my favorite. He’s cheeky, cocksure, and has issues letting others be in charge. He’s arrogant, but so sweet to Myra. For someone who loves bad boys who are still good to those they care about, it was destiny I’d adore him. I also loved Myra. She’s torn by the fact she’d spent her life thinks she was mentally ill, yet actually had magic. This felt like a great way to merge reality with fantasy – but also made me laugh a little, as back in that time, everything was a mental illness, and the cure were institutions. Thinking maybe people just had magic is a funny, but great twist to our own world. Magical realism at its absolute best is when it could happen in our world, and this does exactly that. Fans of action-packed fantasy with adore this, and anyone who loves characters who could go from page to reality with ease will be right at home. Myra is able to feel other people’s emotions, so added to them being wonderful, we also get an extra level of characterization, which works very well to warm us to everyone. This was a long paragraph to simply say I loved everyone, and would happily read anything set in this universe, with these characters.
Did anything not work for me? Well, yes, but it’s little things. I’d have preferred if anything within Myra’s mind was in italics, and there was a change in perspective at the start that threw me – so I’d have liked some more differentiation between, but overall, everything about this novel made me very happy. It’s YA, it’s fun, and it’s done incredibly well. What’s not to love?
All in all, this may look like a chunky novel, but that time will fly by. Once you open this novel, you’ll be stuck in your seat, being whisked off to yesteryear. It’s fluid, beautifully written, and will become a fast favorite. Definitely one to add to your TBR.
April 11, 2022
in chapter 7, I want to like it but finding hard to I dont know why but not enjoing the read.
August 22, 2022
First class story. Loved these characters. Would love more of them. Great pace, Twists and turns good and did I mention great characters!
February 20, 2025
The main character starts out confused, and I remained so. The story seemed to proceed in fits and starts, and the characterizations were hard to follow. I got bored and gave up.
November 30, 2024
Magical Intelligence is the first instalment of a planned eight book series and there is a good mix of information which is revealed here and that which is held back for later. Although the lead character, Myra Wetherby is just fourteen years old, this urban fantasy YA novel doesn't sugarcoat events in what turns out to be a dark and dramatic read.
At the start of the book, Myra is living in an orphanage having run away from home after years of medical tests and treatment for her mysterious fits and dreams. During what she thinks of as one of her strange visions, she comes to realise that what she is experiencing isn't just in her head, but before she has much chance to contemplate what this means, Aiden - the man who rescues her from the danger she finds herself in - whisks her away from America to a secret location in London. Here she learns of the existence of Magical Intelligence - a group of wizard spies who until recently have worked for the British government. The story takes place towards the end of Victoria's reign and it turns out that this time of great technological advancement may eventually lead to the demise of mages as their magical gifts are seriously weakened by electricity; a phenomenon known as Violectric Damping.
Myra also discovers that most young mages aren't coming into their full powers and must take a special elixir to ward of the effect of the Dampening but it is unfortunately in short supply having been invented and now withheld from them by their bitter enemy, Silas. However, she is different as she isn't affected by electricity and her own abilities as an Empath both enthral and concern the M.I. team who need to decide whether she can be trusted. Although there is some world-building here, this first book in a series mostly concentrates on introducing various characters, particularly those in M.I and they are brought to life well. Myra not only has to contend with learning about her own capabilities and the dangerous world she now inhabits, she also has to cope with the confused emotions of an inexperienced teenage girl. I must admit to finding a few scenes here a little uncomfortable and would have preferred her character to have been a couple of years older, Nothing untoward actually happens but there is some ambiguity regarding Aiden's interest in her and part of the storyline also suggests she is being used as bait in order to extract information from an 'ord' (ordinary non-magical person) man who is attracted to her. I actually liked Aiden very much and his ability as the truth-teller is fascinating. He is an honourable, trustworthy character so any misgivings I had were slight, I just felt certain scenes would have worked better if Myra was a little older. I much preferred her relationship with Ben and hope that this is something that will be explored further as the series develops, he is an intriguing character with abilities which are a curse as much as a blessing.
There are some very dark scenes in Magical Intelligence and little doubt that Myra's new life is going to completely change how she views the world. I thought the moments where she is torn between being horrified and excited by what she learns were especially interesting and an enticing prospect for how her character may develop in the future. There are suggestions throughout that for all her naivety, there is a ruthless streak in her too. As an organisation under threat, much of the wizarding undercover work here is carried out in order to protect themselves so I'm curious to see whether Myra will discover more about the role wizard spies play in the defence of the country in the future and how mages cope in a world increasingly depended on electricity. I would have liked to have learned more about her relationship with her family too, particularly exactly why she ran away and I welcomed the little hints that this is something which will be expanded upon later.
After a shocking confrontation which tests them all to their physical and emotional limits, the next steps for MI look to be most uncertain. Magical Intelligence is an interesting beginning to the series with good character development and intriguing questions left to be answered in the future. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more.
At the start of the book, Myra is living in an orphanage having run away from home after years of medical tests and treatment for her mysterious fits and dreams. During what she thinks of as one of her strange visions, she comes to realise that what she is experiencing isn't just in her head, but before she has much chance to contemplate what this means, Aiden - the man who rescues her from the danger she finds herself in - whisks her away from America to a secret location in London. Here she learns of the existence of Magical Intelligence - a group of wizard spies who until recently have worked for the British government. The story takes place towards the end of Victoria's reign and it turns out that this time of great technological advancement may eventually lead to the demise of mages as their magical gifts are seriously weakened by electricity; a phenomenon known as Violectric Damping.
Myra also discovers that most young mages aren't coming into their full powers and must take a special elixir to ward of the effect of the Dampening but it is unfortunately in short supply having been invented and now withheld from them by their bitter enemy, Silas. However, she is different as she isn't affected by electricity and her own abilities as an Empath both enthral and concern the M.I. team who need to decide whether she can be trusted. Although there is some world-building here, this first book in a series mostly concentrates on introducing various characters, particularly those in M.I and they are brought to life well. Myra not only has to contend with learning about her own capabilities and the dangerous world she now inhabits, she also has to cope with the confused emotions of an inexperienced teenage girl. I must admit to finding a few scenes here a little uncomfortable and would have preferred her character to have been a couple of years older, Nothing untoward actually happens but there is some ambiguity regarding Aiden's interest in her and part of the storyline also suggests she is being used as bait in order to extract information from an 'ord' (ordinary non-magical person) man who is attracted to her. I actually liked Aiden very much and his ability as the truth-teller is fascinating. He is an honourable, trustworthy character so any misgivings I had were slight, I just felt certain scenes would have worked better if Myra was a little older. I much preferred her relationship with Ben and hope that this is something that will be explored further as the series develops, he is an intriguing character with abilities which are a curse as much as a blessing.
There are some very dark scenes in Magical Intelligence and little doubt that Myra's new life is going to completely change how she views the world. I thought the moments where she is torn between being horrified and excited by what she learns were especially interesting and an enticing prospect for how her character may develop in the future. There are suggestions throughout that for all her naivety, there is a ruthless streak in her too. As an organisation under threat, much of the wizarding undercover work here is carried out in order to protect themselves so I'm curious to see whether Myra will discover more about the role wizard spies play in the defence of the country in the future and how mages cope in a world increasingly depended on electricity. I would have liked to have learned more about her relationship with her family too, particularly exactly why she ran away and I welcomed the little hints that this is something which will be expanded upon later.
After a shocking confrontation which tests them all to their physical and emotional limits, the next steps for MI look to be most uncertain. Magical Intelligence is an interesting beginning to the series with good character development and intriguing questions left to be answered in the future. I enjoyed reading it and look forward to reading more.
May 18, 2020
Magical Intelligence is a fantasy story where the wonder of magic is mixed with the harsh dark grittiness of a spy novel, creating an exciting mix that increases the depth and complexity of the book in unexpected ways.
Favorite Character: James James
He is a natural-born leader – every ounce a professional spy – and his name made me giggle every time I read it. He is not scared to do what must be done to catch the bad guy, even if it means that it will cost him his life. There are a few humanizing scenes that just showed how complex James James is.
My favorite part of the story is the plot concept—mage wielders, who form a Department of Magical Intelligence that work with MI2. I have read plots with magic in a more cozy mystery setting but never the dark world of professional spies. It intrigued me throughout the novel, just thinking about where future stories can go. I love, love, love this very creative concept.
The characters are all so complicated, especially the main character, Myra Wetherby. Discovering she is magical instead of insane and going through the slow process of learning what her powers entail provides her with a newfound strength that her young self has never known before. She is a somewhat broken 14-year-old, but learning about this secret and this secret spy agency is empowering her in very needed ways. I also love that the teenagers in the story show very little angst. They are all mature beyond their years because this world requires them to be this way.
The enemy is delightfully wicked – a perfect spy story enemy like you would find in a James Bond movie. And the magic could be as much a hindrance as it could be a benefit. The spy plot is action-packed and held my attention throughout the novel. The setting also adds to the atmosphere and providing a bit of posh in an otherwise bleak world.
Magical Intelligence is like a slice of flourless chocolate cake. It has a density that contains such rich complexities that it must be savored in small bites to fully appreciate all of the subtle nuances contained within the story. If you want a new type of fantasy story, it is worth savoring.
Favorite Character: James James
He is a natural-born leader – every ounce a professional spy – and his name made me giggle every time I read it. He is not scared to do what must be done to catch the bad guy, even if it means that it will cost him his life. There are a few humanizing scenes that just showed how complex James James is.
My favorite part of the story is the plot concept—mage wielders, who form a Department of Magical Intelligence that work with MI2. I have read plots with magic in a more cozy mystery setting but never the dark world of professional spies. It intrigued me throughout the novel, just thinking about where future stories can go. I love, love, love this very creative concept.
The characters are all so complicated, especially the main character, Myra Wetherby. Discovering she is magical instead of insane and going through the slow process of learning what her powers entail provides her with a newfound strength that her young self has never known before. She is a somewhat broken 14-year-old, but learning about this secret and this secret spy agency is empowering her in very needed ways. I also love that the teenagers in the story show very little angst. They are all mature beyond their years because this world requires them to be this way.
The enemy is delightfully wicked – a perfect spy story enemy like you would find in a James Bond movie. And the magic could be as much a hindrance as it could be a benefit. The spy plot is action-packed and held my attention throughout the novel. The setting also adds to the atmosphere and providing a bit of posh in an otherwise bleak world.
Magical Intelligence is like a slice of flourless chocolate cake. It has a density that contains such rich complexities that it must be savored in small bites to fully appreciate all of the subtle nuances contained within the story. If you want a new type of fantasy story, it is worth savoring.
May 5, 2020
Set in Victorian times, Myra ‘suffers’ with strange visions and dreams, and is a danger to her family so she runs away – finding herself in the middle of something she never imaged. Meeting Aidan first, she’s taken to a strange place where she meets the British Magical Intelligence Team. They’ve recently been ousted by the Government, but that’s not their only worry. With electricity causing ‘dampening’ some of them are start losing their powers……Realising that her empathic connection is more than just that, Myra must become one of the team. But what must she risk to protect Queen and Country?
I really enjoyed this! It’s a spy thriller/historical fantasy with lots and lots of magic! It was interesting to see how the development of mankind and electricity causes such an issue for the secret mage community, and how they are trying to deal with. There is constant action throughout the book, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you sucked in at all times. That being said, I did find it a bit confusing at times and struggled to keep up. I found myself having to really think about which character was affected/taking action so that it made sense to me. However, I really did enjoy it. It’s just one of those books that I think I’d have to read again as I’m sure I’ve missed bits!
The characters are fantastic and will each bring out different emotions in you. It’s fantastic to see our protagonist, Myra develop from the fourteen year old that we meet at the beginning of the book, to the tough cookie that she is by the end. I wasn’t sure about some of the characters and kept convincing myself that there was something fishy about them……you’ll have to read to make your own decisions! However, some of them I loved from the start! Benjamin is one of my favourites!
Overall, I really did enjoy this. Being an historical fiction/fantasy fan and loving HP, I thoroughly absorbed myself in the magical world. The spy action keeps it thrilling and keeps you on your toes, and there is plenty going on to shock you! I’m glad this is the first in a series and am definitely looking forward to Book 2!
I really enjoyed this! It’s a spy thriller/historical fantasy with lots and lots of magic! It was interesting to see how the development of mankind and electricity causes such an issue for the secret mage community, and how they are trying to deal with. There is constant action throughout the book, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you sucked in at all times. That being said, I did find it a bit confusing at times and struggled to keep up. I found myself having to really think about which character was affected/taking action so that it made sense to me. However, I really did enjoy it. It’s just one of those books that I think I’d have to read again as I’m sure I’ve missed bits!
The characters are fantastic and will each bring out different emotions in you. It’s fantastic to see our protagonist, Myra develop from the fourteen year old that we meet at the beginning of the book, to the tough cookie that she is by the end. I wasn’t sure about some of the characters and kept convincing myself that there was something fishy about them……you’ll have to read to make your own decisions! However, some of them I loved from the start! Benjamin is one of my favourites!
Overall, I really did enjoy this. Being an historical fiction/fantasy fan and loving HP, I thoroughly absorbed myself in the magical world. The spy action keeps it thrilling and keeps you on your toes, and there is plenty going on to shock you! I’m glad this is the first in a series and am definitely looking forward to Book 2!
June 12, 2020
A delightful read, engrossing and entertaining.
I liked the world building, the characters and the plot that flows.
Look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the world building, the characters and the plot that flows.
Look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
April 19, 2020
I received a review copy of this book through Edelweiss. The description caught my attention in an email from Edelweiss ... MI? Magical Intelligence? Precursor to today's MI sections??? Could be a refreshing alternate. Cool! So I downloaded it.
Note up front: I rarely summarize fiction, mainly because I think it unfair to the author - there are usually plenty of people who do for those on the hunt, and there is almost always a teaser blurb. And secondly, I think it unfair to a reader who, like me, dislikes spoilers.
So...a month to read this? Yes, I've had other books on my plate, and adjusting to working from home seems to have had an effect on non-work reading in general, but something was different about this. I have a hard time getting into it, and a hard time working through it until about 2/3 through. There was a little of "all this will make sense later", and there was an inconsistency rubbing me - it was a good thing Ms. Wiseman kept reminding me through the book that the protagonist was only 14 years old because too many times she didn't come off that way. I suppose the reason she was the protagonist could have enabled thoughts/wisdom beyond her years, but in another breath...no. I also think I was looking for more of the MI (which I hope to see in the next in the series; yes, I plan to read it when it comes out.) This book was more of establishing the personalities than the backdrop, which is fine but not what I was expecting, though I admit I didn't know what to expect.
I liked the concept. I will read the next, and I'm interested in the Bookminder series, but for later...I'm still behind on so much other reading!
Note up front: I rarely summarize fiction, mainly because I think it unfair to the author - there are usually plenty of people who do for those on the hunt, and there is almost always a teaser blurb. And secondly, I think it unfair to a reader who, like me, dislikes spoilers.
So...a month to read this? Yes, I've had other books on my plate, and adjusting to working from home seems to have had an effect on non-work reading in general, but something was different about this. I have a hard time getting into it, and a hard time working through it until about 2/3 through. There was a little of "all this will make sense later", and there was an inconsistency rubbing me - it was a good thing Ms. Wiseman kept reminding me through the book that the protagonist was only 14 years old because too many times she didn't come off that way. I suppose the reason she was the protagonist could have enabled thoughts/wisdom beyond her years, but in another breath...no. I also think I was looking for more of the MI (which I hope to see in the next in the series; yes, I plan to read it when it comes out.) This book was more of establishing the personalities than the backdrop, which is fine but not what I was expecting, though I admit I didn't know what to expect.
I liked the concept. I will read the next, and I'm interested in the Bookminder series, but for later...I'm still behind on so much other reading!
April 30, 2020
This is the first book I have ever read by this author, and since I love fantasy, and this is the first novel in a brand new series, I had to jump in and give it a go. Plus, the synopsis was very intriguing to me.
As we follow Myra's journey in this novel and get to uncover all the interesting aspect about the world, we are taken to a world that isn't exactly ours, but still has some elements of connection, and I do enjoy a book that in a fantasy world that is kind of our own reality but has some magical elements to it, that we don't quite have.
I loved the concept of this story and how the magic worked because I always find the intricacy of a fantasy world so fascinating. Plus... it's not just magic... it has spies! To be honest, when I read the synopsis and saw that word, I wasn't entirely sure what to think, but the more I tried to come up with possibilities, the more intrigued I was.
It's just the beginning of a series and there was a lot that I'm still uncertain and curious about. One of the things I'm interested in seeing more is the characters development, especially Myra's. There are questions to be answers, mysteries to be revealed, and more to learn about the characters and the world.
Overall, I found that it was a different story and I liked it. I will keep my eyes open for the next books in the series so I can keep going because I am curious about what will happen next.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and M.K. Wiseman for the eCopy of this book, and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
As we follow Myra's journey in this novel and get to uncover all the interesting aspect about the world, we are taken to a world that isn't exactly ours, but still has some elements of connection, and I do enjoy a book that in a fantasy world that is kind of our own reality but has some magical elements to it, that we don't quite have.
I loved the concept of this story and how the magic worked because I always find the intricacy of a fantasy world so fascinating. Plus... it's not just magic... it has spies! To be honest, when I read the synopsis and saw that word, I wasn't entirely sure what to think, but the more I tried to come up with possibilities, the more intrigued I was.
It's just the beginning of a series and there was a lot that I'm still uncertain and curious about. One of the things I'm interested in seeing more is the characters development, especially Myra's. There are questions to be answers, mysteries to be revealed, and more to learn about the characters and the world.
Overall, I found that it was a different story and I liked it. I will keep my eyes open for the next books in the series so I can keep going because I am curious about what will happen next.
[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and M.K. Wiseman for the eCopy of this book, and for allowing me to join in the fun and being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]
November 12, 2020
At the dawning of the 20th century the scrabble and enthusiasm to electrify the world in underway. Little did anyone know that the secret world of mages and magic are being dampened as the workings of magic and the man-made electricity do not mix. The Magical Intelligence division of Britain is fighting to stay afloat as they're being disavowed by their county, pursued and experimented on by a former colleague and losing their abilities.
Myra has always been highly attuned to the world around her, but the constant visions of people and places that she cannot be explained is what drove her family to institutionalize her and her eventual flee to safety. When she is confronted with real proof that her visions are not fantasy but connections to real people, she is thrown into danger and intrigue of the ousted Magical Intelligence team. But when the danger is followed by understanding of her own abilities and appreciation for her unique magic, which is not affected by the same Violectric Dampening as the others, Myra steps up to save her new friends and confront their enemy.
Thrown into the interesting world of the dawning 20th century Britain and magic combination was really fun to read about. It was slightly disturbing to realize that Myra is only fourteen years old, as she does not think or act at all like a young teenager as we know them, but that is quickly overlooked during the rush to learn magic, and enjoy the intrigue in the early spy games of England. MI1 appears to have been created solely to bring mage-spies into the fold, growing and adapting into MI2 during the story we're engrossed in. Fun times all around.
Myra has always been highly attuned to the world around her, but the constant visions of people and places that she cannot be explained is what drove her family to institutionalize her and her eventual flee to safety. When she is confronted with real proof that her visions are not fantasy but connections to real people, she is thrown into danger and intrigue of the ousted Magical Intelligence team. But when the danger is followed by understanding of her own abilities and appreciation for her unique magic, which is not affected by the same Violectric Dampening as the others, Myra steps up to save her new friends and confront their enemy.
Thrown into the interesting world of the dawning 20th century Britain and magic combination was really fun to read about. It was slightly disturbing to realize that Myra is only fourteen years old, as she does not think or act at all like a young teenager as we know them, but that is quickly overlooked during the rush to learn magic, and enjoy the intrigue in the early spy games of England. MI1 appears to have been created solely to bring mage-spies into the fold, growing and adapting into MI2 during the story we're engrossed in. Fun times all around.
May 11, 2020
Magical Intelligence is a bit of a tricky book for me to review. When I read the blurb I think I saw the words “wizards” and “magic” and completely bypassed the fact that this was largely a spy novel. Unfortunately, this is a genre that I struggle with, mainly because it completely baffles me and I spend big chunks of the book not having the faintest clue what is going on. That said, this book had the feel of the classic espionage tale, and reminded me of some of the recognised greats in the genre that I have tried to read in the past. If this is a genre that you enjoy I think you will love this book.
Setting my own genre issues aside, I loved the characters in this book, and found each of their personal stories utterly intriguing. I instantly fell for the charming Aidan, but felt equally drawn to mysterious Benjamin too. It was easy to understand Myra’s confusion over the pair.
The magic system that M.K. Wiseman has created is well thought out and original, and I particularly liked the concept that the onset of the modern world would have an adverse effect on the strength of magekind’s powers.
Even though I struggled with the spy side of things, the characters and the magic are more than enough to make me want to read any future books that should come from this universe.
Setting my own genre issues aside, I loved the characters in this book, and found each of their personal stories utterly intriguing. I instantly fell for the charming Aidan, but felt equally drawn to mysterious Benjamin too. It was easy to understand Myra’s confusion over the pair.
The magic system that M.K. Wiseman has created is well thought out and original, and I particularly liked the concept that the onset of the modern world would have an adverse effect on the strength of magekind’s powers.
Even though I struggled with the spy side of things, the characters and the magic are more than enough to make me want to read any future books that should come from this universe.
April 18, 2020
I’m giving 3 stars because though the book’s description caught my attention the story itself did not. I feel sorry about that because I love books about magic. I finished the book but it was a struggle.
I usually do some research before I start reading a book, meaning I read some of the reviews, check out the book’s rating but I must confess that when it comes to books about magic I just can’t help myself and I need to read the book.
Okay, I’m not saying Magical Intelligence doesn’t have good parts. It does. I liked Myra. She has to grow up pretty quickly, has to learn magic pretty fast, has to learn how to wield her own magic. And she is only 14. So that’s a lot to take in. She struggles, tries to come to grips with the idea that she is not mad after all.
I liked the magic. I just wish it was explained it more detail, how it works.
Unfortunately, I found the story confusing. And I couldn't get into it.
I usually do some research before I start reading a book, meaning I read some of the reviews, check out the book’s rating but I must confess that when it comes to books about magic I just can’t help myself and I need to read the book.
Okay, I’m not saying Magical Intelligence doesn’t have good parts. It does. I liked Myra. She has to grow up pretty quickly, has to learn magic pretty fast, has to learn how to wield her own magic. And she is only 14. So that’s a lot to take in. She struggles, tries to come to grips with the idea that she is not mad after all.
I liked the magic. I just wish it was explained it more detail, how it works.
Unfortunately, I found the story confusing. And I couldn't get into it.
May 3, 2020
Magical Intelligence is the first book in the M.I. series. I have to admit that the cover and the synopsis intrigued me, and I was curious to see how it would all play out. Unfortunately, I did struggle a bit with the book. It started off with a bit of a bang, but I was a little confused by everything that was going on. There wasn't much of an explanation for why Myra was having visions, or how she had traveled from her orphanage to the site of her visions (except she's magic, I guess) in a matter of seconds. The story does take a little while to get going, and things slowly start to make a little more sense once you get to a certain part, but I still wasn't really sure about some things.
It's an interesting start to a new series, and I know fans of fantasy books with magic as a main element will most likely enjoy it.
3.5 stars.
It's an interesting start to a new series, and I know fans of fantasy books with magic as a main element will most likely enjoy it.
3.5 stars.
May 5, 2020
The opening chapter of this book evokes confusion and mystery. It's unsettling for the reader. It gives an early insight into Myra's life. Myra's abilities and her meeting with Aiden introduce her to a dangerous, magical world and the magical intelligence team.
The historical late Victorian setting makes the battle of industrialisation and magic relatable. There is some world building in this first book of the series, but it also relies on the reader's knowledge of the era.
Aimed at the young and new adult audience Myra makes a good protagonist she presumably grows with her audience throughout the series. There is a good mix of action and internal reflection.
This series has potential.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
The historical late Victorian setting makes the battle of industrialisation and magic relatable. There is some world building in this first book of the series, but it also relies on the reader's knowledge of the era.
Aimed at the young and new adult audience Myra makes a good protagonist she presumably grows with her audience throughout the series. There is a good mix of action and internal reflection.
This series has potential.
I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
May 15, 2020
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
M.K. Wiseman’s third book, Magical Intelligence is set primary in the Victorian era of London.
A thrilling tale of intrigue and magic, fourteen year old Myra is a runaway.
She doubts herself and questions her mental stability. She has been gifted with a strange incredible power that allows her into other minds.
This a engaging hybrid of historical fiction, one that is called magical realism.
M.K, takes a step further and effortlessly blends spy-craft with this wonderful book.
A delightful read, and
I will be looking forward to reading the next installment
Thanks so much.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
M.K. Wiseman’s third book, Magical Intelligence is set primary in the Victorian era of London.
A thrilling tale of intrigue and magic, fourteen year old Myra is a runaway.
She doubts herself and questions her mental stability. She has been gifted with a strange incredible power that allows her into other minds.
This a engaging hybrid of historical fiction, one that is called magical realism.
M.K, takes a step further and effortlessly blends spy-craft with this wonderful book.
A delightful read, and
I will be looking forward to reading the next installment
Thanks so much.
August 19, 2020
A teenage girl comes to terms with her magical abilities in Victorian-Era England with the help of a former government task force of mages, while trying to fight a mysterious doctor threatening to eradicate magic and her friends with the use of newly adopted electronic energy.
This book was a good read, the story and characters were interesting and I enjoyed learning more about their magical world. The plot isn't just all information up top and then just action after and it takes time to learn about all the characters and their backgrounds, the magical world and how it all connects.
Pros - Good Story, good pacing and plot, creative world building
Cons - The prose needed getting used to, the protagonist was very young for the kind of story so she was a bit at odds with it all.
This book was a good read, the story and characters were interesting and I enjoyed learning more about their magical world. The plot isn't just all information up top and then just action after and it takes time to learn about all the characters and their backgrounds, the magical world and how it all connects.
Pros - Good Story, good pacing and plot, creative world building
Cons - The prose needed getting used to, the protagonist was very young for the kind of story so she was a bit at odds with it all.
July 30, 2021
Just could not get into it. Read about half before I just gave up (which I've only done 4 times in my life). Characters seem not very fleshed out, and the main character is definitely a "Mary Sue." I think the plot was supposed to be romantic? I got bored before I could figure that out.
May 5, 2020
Just...meh. Hard to follow and didn’t start getting interesting until the last third of the book. I won’t be continuing the series.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews