A girl with the ability the forbidden ability to heal, to control, and know the body and control it with a single touch finds herself in over her head when she begins working for a wealthy family to heal their relative... who is the only witness to the murder of their father... and not to mention the strangely antagonistic boy who hides behind a fox masks that knows her secret. Nhika is what some would call a bloodcarver, someone who can alter human biology with just a touch... but what she truly is is a heartsoother, she heals. Yet her healing is illegal and so many people fear people gifted with her abilities. Yet when her latest client outs her and she is kidnapped by the city's criminal underbelly... she is sold to a wealthy girl who asks her to heal her uncle who was in an accident with her father... her father whom she believes was murdered. Nhika is foisted into a world of wealthy society with a complicated family that needs her to solve their murder mystery. It doesn't help that she has to keep her abilities as much of a secret as possible and somebody knows who and what she truly is, and he just happens to be the assistant to the family friend's doctor... and he also happens to be the boy in the fox masked that had initially tried to help her. Nhika can't make out what Kochin wants and what his goals are... he keeps trying to push her out yet he knows more than he is letting on about who she truly is. Nhika will have to find a way to save herself and solve the mystery... but once the killer is revealed... she might be in danger too. Romance, magic, and a murder mystery! This was a really fun world to get immersed in and I really enjoyed the magic system that the author created. This is the first book in a duology and I am so so excited to see where the next book goes ( especially with how this one ends). I always enjoy a fun murder mystery and I love the little bit of romance and the unique magic system that was put there.This is definitely a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a murder mystery with unique magic and an overall really good time!

Spoiler

Nhika and Kochin first met when he was in a fox mask and had tried to get the criminals chasing her off her trail but she was captured. Nhika and Kochin meet again and he keeps trying to warn her away but he fails, it is revealed that the family friend and the person who Kochin works for, Dr. Santo was the real killer who forced Kochin to kill Mimi and Andoin's dad. Dr. Santo found out that Kochin was also a heartsoother (not as strong as Nhika) and threatened to kill his family if he didn't do what he wanted. Kochin saved Hedon (mimi's uncle who was the witness in the accident). Nhika and Kochin work together to try and reveal Dr. Santo as the killer. Dr. Santo wanted Kochin and Nhika's abilities to resurrect his son. He shots both Kochin and Nhika and planned on harvesting Kochin's heart but Nhika stopped him. Kochin is mortally wounded and Nhika uses her abilities to save him, transferring her gift in him (she dies). Before she does they both have confessed their love together. Before facing Dr. Santo they had planned to return to Kochin's family together and find peace and family together. Dr. Santo is sentenced to life and Mimi and her family get justice. While visiting Nhika's grave Kochin decides that he is going to do everything in his powers to find a way to bring back Nhika.

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*