"Deathbringer" by Sonia Tagliareni

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Necromancy, dark academia, enemies-to-lovers, and a murder mystery? Count me in! Deathbringer by Sonia Tagliareni is a marvelous dark academia romantasy, and the first of a planned trilogy. Set within the perilous halls of a magical institute against a 1939 backdrop, the book follows two protagonists and is told in dual POV. This book delivers exactly what the premise promises — dark magic, dangerous secrets, and plenty of twists.

Meet Viola, a Mortemagi — a death mage who can speak with the dead but hates her own magic. When her nonmagi sister, who studied at Gorhail to spare Viola the trouble, is brutally murdered, Viola is forced to attend Gorhail herself, where she must master her deadly skills while uncovering a murder — one of many, it seems.

And then there’s Sylas — an Immortal poison mage whose magic comes from three magical snakes and who despises death magic because of a complicated past. As more deaths occur and magical relics are stolen while the authorities do nothing, he and Viola are forced into an uneasy alliance to solve the mystery. With a killer on the loose, no one is safe.

Those are just the bare bones of the tale. It’s more complex than that, and I LOVED it! The world-building is satisfying, though naturally incomplete — after all, it’s just the first book in the series. The characters are unique, and the magic system is original. I especially enjoyed the division of the three houses and their distinct magical specialties — Mortemagi (death mages), Aspieri (poison mages), and Arkani (illusion mages). There are magical relics, bonding, and other inventive creations. I also loved the different personalities of the snakes.

The plot is full of rich details and is told through Viola and Sylas' perspectives in the third person. The cast of characters is large, yet somehow easy to follow. The characters are richly developed, with secrets that are gradually unraveled in the most thrilling way. I liked Viola and Sylas, as well as a few of the side characters, and rooted for them. I also enjoyed the dynamics between Viola and Sylas and the way their attachment gradually develops. Yes, Sylas was impulsive and prejudiced, and Viola could be full of self-pity at times, but I still connected with them.

Each chapter opens with excerpts from letters, decrees, and articles that illuminate the history of the world. With themes of friendship, trust, prejudice, injustice, loyalty, found family, grief, corruption, and moral conflicts, the author has woven a tale I thoroughly enjoyed. The dark atmosphere and intrigue are expertly crafted, creating a constant sense of tension throughout the story. Tagliareni's ability to weave complex, unpredictable plot twists kept me on my toes the entire way.

There are a few plot holes that weren’t fully explained and some loose ends, but hopefully they will be addressed in the next book. I would have liked more focus on the magic lessons — there were hardly any — though it didn’t bother me too much. While there were some similarities to Harry Potter, the execution felt entirely original.

All in all, I enjoyed the book immensely. The novel more than lived up to my expectations, with strong writing, clear plot developments, intriguing characters, and plenty of fascinating twists. If you’re looking for a story with a lot of panache, this is the one for you. The book ends on a cliffhanger, and I can’t wait for the next installment! Full marks from me! 

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "Deathbringer" by Sonia Tagliareni

"The Crescent Moon Tearoom" by Stacy Sivinski

 

"The Crescent Moon Tearoom" by Stacy Sivinski is a sweet, cozy fantasy following the triplets Anne, Beatrix, and Violet Quigley as they strive to stay together and challenge fate after the death of their parents.

The Quigley sisters are seers who live in a sentient house and run a tea shop. They also have a cool cat who can travel through time. Besides serving enchanted tea, they read their customers' fortunes via tea leaves. They can see anyone's future but their own. Their tranquil lives are disrupted when the Council of Witches demands that they reveal the tasks of three old witches or lose their shop. All witches have a task to complete before their death, or dire consequences will ensue.

Each sister has her own talent and personality. Anne is the most stable and powerful of the three, Violet is a creature of action, and Beatrix is the dreamy one. The plot thickens when the sisters discover there is a curse designed to separate them. They find themselves being pulled in different directions and have to find a way to stay together without losing their dreams if they can.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it was quite slow to start and took me a while to get into the meat of the story. Once I got in, I couldn't stop reading. I loved the premise and the idea of an enchanted tea shop and a sentient house. A house that cleans itself and does the dishes?? I want one too! And drinking tea while getting a reading is the perfect combination. I loved the writing and could envision the setting. I also loved the heading of each chapter and the descriptions beneath it, portending what is to come.

The book explores themes of sisterhood, self-discovery, fate, destiny, choices, and magic. The message that sometimes to stay close you have to let go came loud and clear. I loved the bond between the sisters, although they irritated me at times. They wanted to stay together, yet let their secrets (each has one) pull them apart. Besides Anne, the others didn't do much to overcome the curse. I did love how each found their own path, though.

The author writes the scenery and atmosphere of the Tearoom so well that you’ll be able to smell the mouth-watering scones and cakes and almost taste the flavors of tea. It certainly gave me the desire for a good cup of tea, preferably with my fortune told. If you're looking for a feel-good read that leaves you warm inside, this is your cup of tea (pun intended). This novel has great characters you can deeply connect with and care about, a great premise, and sweeping writing.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc.  All opinions are my own.

* For more info about the book: "The Crescent Moon Tearoom" by Stacy Sivinski