purplepenning's Reviews (1.72k)

Well, this was far more charming than I expected! In trope lingo, you've got grumpy/sunshine, enemies to "it's complicated," with magically imposed forced proximity. In story lingo, you have nemesis sorcerer trainees having to work together to break an unintentional curse. There's questing into the deadly Wilderlands, an intriguing sorceress in a tower that's bigger on the inside, magical beasts galore, an interesting magic system that includes a bit of rogue magic woven into music, and a sweet thread of growing understanding and regard throughout. It's the first of a trilogy, which is really my only complaint — I would've preferred it as a standalone with a bit more development and conclusion. But it does stand on its own fairly well, with no horrible cliffhangers, and I will be looking for book two. 

Top-tier banter and chemistry brought to life by superb narration

Fantastic Beasts and the Socially Anxious Zookeeper Who Loves Them! 

An example of an objectively excellent, well-researched, sizzling steamy, sapphic historical romance that ... just didn't hold my attention. I had to skim-read and double-time the audiobook just to keep from DNFing. 

Interesting characters, fun gender-flipped Romancing the Stone vibes, and a good premise, but the writing falters, affecting the character development and the flow of action.