3.75 stars
This is a quick and fun read, with a snappy tone, quick-witted characters, and a unique but digestible magic system. It's a modern fantasy meets murder mystery, a bit like "The Inheritance Games" but with magic. Tabatha has a slightly different high school job than most of her classmates; she's the apprentice to a well-known and powerful fortuneteller, Sorceror Solomon. Despite her parents' hopes for her to pursue a more traditional career path, Tabatha loves her apprenticeship. Until one day, just as he foretold, Sorceror Solomon is murdered in his workshop. His loved ones are all determined to solve the mystery of his death, but since the infamous prophecy states that the killer would be his 'best beloved', suspicions run high among them. That, paired with the anticipation of who he named his official heir, makes the mourning period a bit ... tense.
Tabatha teams up with Callum, Sorceror Solomon's youngest son, to play the Nancy Drew to his Joe Hardy, if Nancy and Joe both also kind of suspected each other of the murder. Callum was my favorite character, and probably will be yours too, because he's got some trauma but buries it beneath sarcasm and quippy comments. Their relationship developed naturally and didn't feel cliche, despite following some of the expected beats.
The dynamics between the family members (Sorceror Solomon's ex-wife, son and daughter with her, and his current wife/Callum's mom, and Callum) are every-shifting, and I was genuinely surprised by the twist of the ending and murderer reveal. It felt like a satisfying resolution, with the pieces all clicking together, but I found myself wishing the book was longer. I think if it had been, then I'd have felt a deeper connection to the characters and given a higher rating. I enjoyed everything I read, just wanted a little bit more. I'd especially have loved more on the magic aspect and Tabatha's learning it, because everything that was included was so fascinating. It makes me wonder if there might be more books in this world. If so, I'll definitely read them! Thank you to Penguin Teen and the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
This is a quick and fun read, with a snappy tone, quick-witted characters, and a unique but digestible magic system. It's a modern fantasy meets murder mystery, a bit like "The Inheritance Games" but with magic. Tabatha has a slightly different high school job than most of her classmates; she's the apprentice to a well-known and powerful fortuneteller, Sorceror Solomon. Despite her parents' hopes for her to pursue a more traditional career path, Tabatha loves her apprenticeship. Until one day, just as he foretold, Sorceror Solomon is murdered in his workshop. His loved ones are all determined to solve the mystery of his death, but since the infamous prophecy states that the killer would be his 'best beloved', suspicions run high among them. That, paired with the anticipation of who he named his official heir, makes the mourning period a bit ... tense.
Tabatha teams up with Callum, Sorceror Solomon's youngest son, to play the Nancy Drew to his Joe Hardy, if Nancy and Joe both also kind of suspected each other of the murder. Callum was my favorite character, and probably will be yours too, because he's got some trauma but buries it beneath sarcasm and quippy comments. Their relationship developed naturally and didn't feel cliche, despite following some of the expected beats.
The dynamics between the family members (Sorceror Solomon's ex-wife, son and daughter with her, and his current wife/Callum's mom, and Callum) are every-shifting, and I was genuinely surprised by the twist of the ending and murderer reveal. It felt like a satisfying resolution, with the pieces all clicking together, but I found myself wishing the book was longer. I think if it had been, then I'd have felt a deeper connection to the characters and given a higher rating. I enjoyed everything I read, just wanted a little bit more. I'd especially have loved more on the magic aspect and Tabatha's learning it, because everything that was included was so fascinating. It makes me wonder if there might be more books in this world. If so, I'll definitely read them! Thank you to Penguin Teen and the author for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.