The cover is striking. I would definitely stop and pick up this book if I saw it in a bookstore. The synopsis is intriguing and made me want to read the excerpt. The excerpt started off pretty strong, setting up the backstory and providing a start to the world-building and magic system. The excerpt captivated me enough that I would get this book to find out what happens. Hopefully, the world-building and magic system are more fleshed out.