Review Detail

This is how to do a confident, grounded heroine. As a courtier and secret wielder, Alissa is aware of her strengths and weaknesses and attempts to use them effectively. She bluffs and blunders and meets strong personalities toe to toe, asserting her agency without falling into the trap of sassy caricature.

The strong characterization extends to the rest of the cast, and I've gotta say, I was taken by surprise. Just when I thought I knew it all, the story zigged instead of zagged. For example, the pattern of childhood friends divided into witch and witch hunter? Solid, we've seen that. But when the hunter openly knows what she is? That's an extra interesting dynamic, with an element of guilty obsession that took me right back to the webcomic The Hand That Once Fed (iykyk).

The danger is real; the villain is a creep. But there's nothing that crosses the line for YA.

If you're on the fence, I'd give it a shot. I think you'll be surprised.