Magic, race, and power all come together in this story about one girl’s journey about making a future for herself in a world that is set on putting her down. Set in 1937 New York City, the story follows 17 year old Laura Ann Langston who not only has to deal with racism but also the magical divide as there is a strong division between those who work in the magical arts and those who do not. In a world where you have to have a license in order to work magic and working magic illegally can land you in prison, all Laura wants is to get a license to work her magic in order to open her own bakery. Laura left home with the hopes of finally making it big in New York... but things are not working out and with no money to pay rent and a magical unicorn that advises her to go work for the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps ( a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the Dynaism, aka the catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force and threw America in disarray) Laura has no other options but to work for them. There she meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past who is reluctant to take Laura as her apprentice. The story follows Laura’s journey along with the Skylark as they try to fight against the Blight and work with other mages in order to save the world. The story felt a bit long and the overall reveal felt a bit late however the magic system was so fascinating and i definitely think this is an interesting read, especially with the way that the story includes photos, reports, and notes from the characters to make it fell so much more personal and real. It’s a great historical fantasy filled with adventure and magic, definitely give it a go!

*Thank you to Epic Reads and Balzer + Bray for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*