The Temptation of Magic

You sold me on the comp of Serpent and Dove.

The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott is a YA fantasy novel that is filled with supernatural and dark academia vibes. Nicole Palmer and her family have been in hiding for years from the Wake—a shadowy organization that governs all supernatural creatures. If the Wake discovers that Nicole is an Empyreal—a rare kind of creature that can shapeshift into any creature’s natural predator—they’ll force her to join them or kill her for resisting. Like they did her mother. Nicole is close to uncovering a secret message hidden in a supernatural art collection—a message from her mother about how to destroy the Wake for good. But when the collector is murdered and a key painting stolen, the Wake sends their best Empyreal assassin to track down the dangerous creature on the loose. Kyan McCarter is handsome, perceptive, and the last person Nicole wants to work with to find the stolen painting. Their search sparks a powerful connection between them, but if Kyan finds out that Nicole is a rogue Empyreal, he’ll have no choice but to hunt her next. After all, no one disobeys the Wake and survives.

What I really liked about The Temptation of Magic, was the pure joy that came from it. The magic system wasn't all that complicated and the romance was compelling. I really liked it. And I am thoroughly impressed with the fact that this is Scott's debut novel. What I appreciated the most is the diverse set of characters Scott presents. Like, there isn't a single character that feels out of place or needed more development. Instead each felt balanced had plenty of time to shine and grow between the pages.

The only real qualm I had about this book (and this is totally just a me problem) is the amount of spice. I for one don't like my books all that steamy, instead I opt for more emotional character connections instead of physical ones. But hey. That's just me. I know there are plenty of other readers who are glad that Scott included such scenes.

Overall this book is a *chefs kiss.* I feel like it's the perfect book to rebound after a slum caused by Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli and Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin.

The Temptation of Magic by Megan Scott is a contemporary fantasy with a forbidden romance, enemies to lovers, paranormal academia vibes, and many creatures, magic, and powers! We get a double POV story from Nicole and Kyan, a forced proximity forbidden romance with a slow burn and a great payoff. We get a couple destined to be together forever, fighting the obstacles to be closer.

We get a whole cast of supernatural characters, all nuanced and well-written; we get an old manor house setting; we get libraries full of art and history books; we get an elite art university. We get great suspense but also cozy vibes. It combines dark academia and high-stakes fantasy perfectly, with a tremendous romantic subplot set in a British seaside town. It’s very well-written and atmospheric. I loved this book but felt world-building could have been more detailed. Learning more about Nicole’s family history and her mother’s adventures would also be great. Perhaps we will get that in the upcoming books of this trilogy. I would recommend this for older young adult teens as it does get into the steamier realm of a sexual relationship between our two characters.