Ruthless Magic

Conspiracy of Magic #1

by Megan Crewe

In the contest to keep their magic, the only options may be die... or kill.

Each year, the North American Confederation of Mages assesses every sixteen-year-old novice. Some will be chosen. The rest must undergo a procedure to destroy their magical ability unless they prove themselves in the mysterious and brutal Mages' Exam.

Disadvantaged by her parents' low standing, Rocío Lopez has dedicated herself to expanding her considerable talent to earn a place in the Confederation. Their rejection leaves her reeling—and determined to fight to keep her magic.

Long ashamed of his mediocre abilities, Finn Lockwood knows the Confederation accepted him only because of his prominent family. Declaring for the Exam instead means a chance to confirm his true worth.

Thrown into the testing with little preparation, Rocío and Finn find themselves becoming unlikely allies—and possibly more. But the Exam holds secrets more horrifying than either could have imagined. What are the examiners really testing them for? And as the trials become increasingly vicious, how much are they willing to sacrifice to win?

The first in a new series by USA Today bestselling author Megan Crewe, Ruthless Magic combines the magic of Harry Potter with the ferocity of The Hunger Games alongside a poignant romance. Fans of Cassandra Clare and Holly Black, look no further for your next urban fantasy fix.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Magic, Romance, Young Adult Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, Dystopia

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2018

About the author

Like many authors, Megan Crewe finds writing about herself much more difficult than making things up. A few definite facts: she lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband and son (and does on occasion say "eh"), she tutors children and teens with special needs, and she's spent the last six years studying kung fu, so you should probably be nice to her. She has been making up stories about magic and spirits and other what ifs since before she knew how to write words on paper. These days the stories are just a lot longer.

Megan's first novel, GIVE UP THE GHOST, was shortlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic. Her second, THE WAY WE FALL, was nominated for the White Pine Award and made the International Reading Association Young Adults' Choices List. Her Fallen World trilogy (THE WAY WE FALL, THE LIVES WE LOST, THE WORLDS WE MAKE) is now complete and she has a new trilogy forthcoming in October 2014, beginning with EARTH & SKY. Her books have been published in translation in several countries around the world. She has also published short stories in magazines such as On Spec and Brutarian Quarterly.

Reviews

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm between 4 and 4.5 stars.

If The Hunger Games hooked up with Lev Grossman's The Magicians , the baby might somehow resemble Megan Crewe's newest book, Ruthless Magic . While the setting isn't quite as dystopian as the former, and there isn't the type of quest featured in the latter, this book shares elements of both without feeling like a retread of either.

In a society not too far into the future, there are people with magical abilities and there are those without, known as Dulls. The North American Confederation of Mages oversees the use of magic, and each year they decide which 16-year-olds will be chosen to become a part of the magic world, and which ones will be "dampened," essentially having their magical powers lessened so that they'll only be able to use one particular skill for professional purposes.

The Confederation is particular, though—they want to be able to control magic, so they only like to choose descendants of magical families rather than let "new magic" people in or those who came from less exclusive pedigrees. Those rejected by the Confederation have one course of appeal—they can stand for the Mages' Exam, a mysterious, brutal challenge that no one talks about—if they remember it, or survive.

Finn Lockwood is part of a prominent magical family, but his skills have always been lacking, much to his chagrin. Although it is his legacy to be accepted into the world of magic, he wants to be able to use his magic to make a difference; he doesn't want to be saddled with some low-level job. Declaring he'll stand for the Exam gives him the chance to succeed or fail on his own, and he's willing to take the risk.

Rocío Lopez grew up poor, the daughter of Dampened parents. She's spent all of her free time learning about magic and enhancing her skills, and she knows she's more talented than most. She should be a shoo-in for a place in the Confederation, but she is rejected because of her background, so she has no choice but to stand for the Exam, despite the risks that her family is all too sadly familiar with.

Everyone who believes themselves worthy of a place in the Confederation comes to Rikers Island to stand for the Mage's Exam. It will be unlike anything they've ever faced before—a test of will, intelligence, magical skill, and courage, and it will show them (and the Examiners) just how far they're willing to go in order to succeed. Although they have different reasons for wanting to succeed, Rocío and Finn become allies—and possibly more—and vow to protect one another, as well as others in their group, although when magic is involved, whom can you really trust?

I found this to be a really engaging, creative, and quick read. Ever since the Harry Potter series I've been completely fascinated by magic and those who have the skills, and love the dynamics among fledgling and skilled magicians with different abilities. I was really pleased Crewe decided to shift the narration of the book only between Finn and Rocío; I was afraid she'd alternate it among others as well and I thought that might get more confusing.

I've never read anything Crewe has written before, but I was really dazzled by her storytelling and her world-building (even if the world was our own). She has created some engaging characters with real emotions and real struggles, and even gave us those to root against. There's some great action in here, some brutal magical challenges, and the pace flowed really nicely.

Obviously, when I say the words "magic" or "fantasy," there are some who roll their eyes or immediately say, "This one's not for me." You know who you are. But if you're looking for something new, Ruthless Magic may be an interesting book to try. I'll be waiting for the next one in the series. (Apparently if you join Crewe's website, you get a free prequel to the book, so that's where I'm heading next!)

NetGalley and Spells & Stars Books provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com, or check out my list of the best books I read in 2017 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2017.html.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruthless Magic by Megan Crewe is the first full length book in the Conspiracy of Magic young adult urban fantasy series. There is a prequel novella that takes place four decades before the beginning of this story but it wouldn’t necessarily need to be read to understand Ruthless Magic.

The story alternates between the two main characters Finn Lockwood and Rocío Lopez. At sixteen Rocio and Finn are awaiting to hear from the North American Confederation of Mages as to whether they will continue their magical training of go through a dampening of their skills. If not chosen the only way left to prove themselves is to declare to join the brutal Mages’ Exam.

As Finn gets his letter he finds that he has been accepted to the college but his best friend who is much more powerful than his is gets rejected. Knowing that he was only chosen because of his family line Finn rejects his appointment and vows to join his friend in the trials. Rocio on the other hand is from new magic and is probably the most powerful mage of their generation but is still declined. She vows to join the trials and prove herself even after losing her brother to the trials three years before.

Ruthless Magic really was a powerful, action packed adventure to begin this new series. As the book blurb suggests this one really did remind me of a lot of other young adult fantasy reads out there. It’s a bit like taking Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, Divergent and many other’s and coming up with a nice blend. The trials seemed like a magical version of being tossed into the Hunger Game arena or the Divergent simulations, brutal and filled with fast paced action.

The one thing though that keeps me from passing out all the stars to this story just yet is the fact it did remind me of other stories quite often. This is a double edged sword really, yes, I liked the book but what I hope Megan Crewe does in the future installments is really make this one shine and become a star all on it’s own without hiding in the shadows of all those other books because when reading those I didn’t think of other things but only what was going on. Otherwise though a great beginning to the series that has me longing for more.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more review please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[✨faith✨trust✨pixiedust✨ Dead Account; Not Coming Back · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this eARC from Another World Press on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way.

He just saw how warped and wrong his Confed must be to have brought us here with their ruthless, brutal magic.

#RollCredits

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

The Writing and Worldbuilding

I have to admit, I was considering DNFing this, to the point where it basically convinced me that I don't actually really like urban fantasy all that much. The first 30% was actually quite dreadful, with confusing motivations, rushed exposition, and confusing worldbuilding--like how the magic system even worked in the first place--but once the Exam really picked up, it was smooth sailing from there on out and I was invested and intrigued.

Also, this is being compared to The Hunger Games, but honestly, besides that last challenge, it was way more like Ender's Game or Netflix's 3% in every regard.

The actual conspiracy of magic, though, was a little weird. I was pretty confused why the government was even allowing this kind of thing to even happen, especially because people knew that underage minors were dying in this magical government sanctioned competition. Why hasn't the Confed been sued yet? Some of this was kind of explained in the story, but it still kind of took me out of the world and made this whole thing seem really unrealistic.

The perspectives were often very confusing because there was little difference in the narrative voices of Finn and Rocío, the two POV characters, and the book was written in first person. I got lost a lot and had to go back and re-read just to see who was the perspective character at the moment several times.

The real-world insertion with the Twin Towers and the Middle Eastern terrorists kind of pissed me off, though it is really way more of a pet peeve than a problem with the book. I just hate real-world insertion in urban fantasy so much you don't even know.

Also, why the flip do they worship the Greek gods?? This is never explained, it just is, and it confused the heck out of me. If Crewe had made some connection to the sirens (which would have made sense given the magic system being sound-based), I would have understood to a degree, but she didn't.

Also, NOPE with that animal cruelty in the beginning part, like, um, who on earth would do that to make a point? A literal crazy person, that's who. Dude, I wouldn't trust her if I were you after witnessing her doing something like that just to make a point and then following it with:

"Could you use that weapon on another living being, Finn? Do you really want to become someone who has?"

Lady, you're someone who has.

The Characters

Note: My first impression of the introduction of Callum, Finn, Prisha, and Rocío was that the only boys were white and the only girls got all the diversity checkmarks, and that pissed me off, frankly. Later on, more diversity is introduced and it stopped feeling like Crewe was just writing stereotypes, but still.

Finn: He was honestly pretty funny, and his chill demeanor was honestly so great, because the kinds of jokes he made are the kinds of jokes I make, so I felt we were kindred spirits. His motivations for declaring were a little iffy at first, and his insta-love for Rocío was annoying, but I still really liked him.

Rocío: I feel like the beginning would have been much more powerful if she had been the focus of the first chapter, instead of Finn. While he really grew on me, the wit and charm he exhibited in the rest of the book didn't come across in that first chapter and it was just a load of exposition instead. Rocío, though, was very intriguing from the get-go. I loved her courage and her resolve, as well as her selflessness to the point of self-deprecation sometimes, despite her extreme level of power.

Prisha: She was the gay rep in the book and that was brought up like twice, but honestly, I appreciated that. It had nothing to do with the story and someone's sexuality doesn't define their entire character, so it was a breath of fresh air that she was just a normal person that so happened to also be gay. I was really worried when she was introduced that she would just end up being the literal gay best friend, but my fears were thankfully unfounded.

Desmond: I really liked Desmond. He was great and funny, with that knack for quoting his favorite media (which I do literally all the time because I'm a walking meme) so that was really appreciated. I was confused as heck though about his eye-sight issues. Dude, just get glasses, it isn't a big deal. I have glasses and without them, I'd probably be blinder than you. Glasses aren't that big of a deal, and if you don't want people to know, contacts work too, and they even make some that you can sleep in and wear for several days at a time as long as you aren't allergic to the material or have other eye issues, which would have been ideal for the Exam.

Judith and Mark: They were nice but I didn't really get attached to their characters much. Between the two, I liked Mark more though, despite his cheesy mohawk (who even has a mohawk any more??)

Lacey: What the flip was this girls problem? She was probably the most stereotypical character in this but I didn't mind too much, because it was interesting.

Callum: He was literally just the Cato of this book. Maybe that was where the Hunger Games connection was lol

Conclusion

Overall, I am glad I liked it by the end, even though it really pissed me off in the beginning. I found the action pretty good and the tests interesting, so I will probably continue this series.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finn and Rocio come from different worlds. One has money, status, and blue blood family connections that guarantee a place in society, but limited magical talent. The other is everything in reverse, a fiery power that can paint dragons in the sky for fun, but has had a life filled with pain and struggle, including losing an older brother to the deadly Mages' Exam they both now face. It's a survival of the fittest, Hunger Games style free for all and it turns out that the prize of becoming one of the North American Confederation of Mages's Chosen might not be all it's cracked up to be. But since failure means having their magic dulled or worse, death, it's not an option. The only way out is through, but each person must chose how far they'll go to win...

Both characters are pretty likeable and despite the instalove thing, they make an interesting pair. Neither are the typical frontrunners, they're more vulnerable with genuinely framed insecurities and backstories that explain their character and actions throughout. That said, neither they nor the plot offer anything particularly new or overwhelmingly engaging. Dystopian YA is a crowded market and this doesn't add much to it. The voices aren't distinctive enough and while there are some good ideas/moments threaded through the book, the overarching feeling is that it's been done before.

So now on to my major issue with the book, the weirdly inappropriate choices made for effect rather than reason. Primarily, this is revealed in an early scene when, to show Finn how dangerous a magical item was, his sister murdered her own pet with it. Melted her own pet in fact. Seriously. Could she not have, I don't know, used her WORDS?? If I warn someone about the deadly nature of a gun, I don't need to shoot someone in the head with it right in front of them. Look, see....how could you ever have known how dangerous this was unless you were covered in blood and brain matter?? It was just an excuse to describe mutilating an animal and I really can't abide that kind of thing. There was no point to it whatsoever. None. Violence for shock value and sick thrills is a big nope from me and I'm not going to lie, it put me in annoyed frame of mind that affected the rest of my reading. It's not the only scene in which the desire to show brutality outweighed plot or necessity, including a rather offhand reveal about part of the test that showed a careless disregard for human life to go alongside the animal. This shorthand for edginess is tired and I'm not a fan.

Hopefully the next in the series will address some of these issues. There's certainly enough going on in the background to allow for growth and the ending is indicative of the revolution that's got to come. Overall an easy read and worth a go if you like high action YA with some memorable magic.



Read for SPFBO 2018/19

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A group of sixteen-year-old novice mages will be thrown “to the lions” in a brutal exam to test their worthiness to keep their powers.

Rocio is a very talented mage, but she comes from the wrong side of the tracks and has been rejected by the elitist Confederation of Mages. The exam will be her one chance to prove her worth to stand among them.

Finn has the right family ties, the impressive pedigree, but his talents are fair at best. He now must prove his own worthiness and actually earn his place in the Confederation.

Neither Rocio nor Finn were prepared to fight for their very lives as the exams begin, and the vile “tests” prove deadly. Mage will stand against mage, deceit and trickery will abound as these teens form an unlikely alliance in order to stay alive and keep their magic. Their biggest test will be the test of their humanity and heart, compassion and sense of moral values as they very souls are challenged. Is this what they really want after all? Where is the good they thought they could do for the world? What does the Confederation really stand for?

With a perfectly apt title, RUTHLESS MAGIC by Megan Crewe is a jagged tale, filled with danger, action and the determination of teens to win at all costs. It is graphically violent, often heartless and one never knows what to expect next. A little confusing at first until the exams begin, as multiple POVs told through the innocence of youth will keep readers on the edge of their seats wondering how these children can endure and why would anyone put them through such derisive “tests.”

Hard-hitting action, disturbing scenes and some truly heroic characters make this a fascinating tale and a strong foundation for an edgy young adult series!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Another World Press!

Publisher: Another World Press (May 30, 2018)
Publication Date: May 30, 2018
Genre: YA Violent Fantasy
Page Count: 352
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Kitty G Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This book is one of the #SPFBO finalists for 2018 and I'm a judge for the competition*

I picked this one up at the right time for me I think as it's a bloody and brutal one, but it reads a lot like a YA and it's easy to get into. I think the reading mood that I was in suited the book, and I found myself enjoying it and thinking it comparable to huger games or battle royale.

This story follows Finn and Rocío who are virtually strangers when the book begins. They have each grown up with magic but they have learned very differently. Finn is from a good family and when to the Academy to learn, but he's one of the worst in his class. Rocío is easily one of the best in her class but she's from a "new magic" family so she is not granted a place to keep studying.
They both get a letter, one saying Finn is in (even though he knows he doesn't deserve to be over some of the others) and one saying Rocío is out. They then both declare to take the exam which no one really knows much about for the chance to come out the other side with their magic in tact or to be "burned out" if they fail.
From this point onwards we follow them with alternating viewpoints and we get to see their adventures against the examiners and one another.

Overall I think the pacing and storytelling here was fun, but I found it was often hard to distinguish Finn and Rocío from one another if you weren't on the chapter opening page because they didn't feel distinct enough to me. It was a fun (if bloody) read and one which I enjoyed but I'm not sure it's anything wholly original or something that will stay with me for too long. 6.5/10 from me (3.25*s) for #SPFBO.

[Page Grey (Editor) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one reminded me of The Hunger Games only with Magic.

Basically, in Ruthless Magic's Dystopian world, Mages are in the open. They are known since the so-called Unveiling. And since then, The North American Confederation of Mages have been recruiting every 16 -year-old Novices across the country to be assessed. Some are Chosen and can join the Academy with no problems but most aren't and they can choose to take a certain exam that's said to be brutal and fatal but once they became a Champion you can enter the Academy with the chosen. Or they can just accept their fate and be Dampened (Magic is lessened into one note) instead of taking the exam and take the risk of being BurnOut (No Magic at all).

Apparently the Confederation is the one behind all these which at first I thought is the government but they're not though they are supported by the government. The Confederation is governed by Ten Members of the Inner Circle. 

I really like the whole concept of this book, something like "Defy the Odds, Defend Your Magic", because that's what this book really is, at least in this first instalment. The MC's trying to defend their magic so they're not to be Dampened. Rocio Lopez wasn't chosen, thanks to her family background, so she declared to take the exam. On the other hand, Finn Lockwood, thanks to his family's connections, he was chosen but he knew his abilities are mediocre and so he declared for the exam too just so he can prove himself. But then the exam was truly dangerous and deadly that the MCs found themselves not only fighting to keep their magic but for so much more and they didn't like it. The exams sound very intriguing and it caught my interesting upon reading the description. And I must say, somehow it delivered. I really liked it. BUT there are just so many other aspects in the book I found lacking.

The entire world is confusing. Like, okay there's the Confed who's clearly doing something wrong but since supported by the Government, they get away with it. But still we're talking about 16-year olds here that's being put to danger. I think no matter what their goal is, the Confed should be sued or something. I mean they're not really the Government unlike in The Hunger Games. And why can't the entire Magical population just do something about it? Because 16-year olds die in that exam and they're juts letting their children take that. But of course there will be a rebellion, maybe in book 2. But why only now? Well, maybe, it will all be cleared/explained why in Book 2. 

I don't get the whole concept of the magic as well. The only thing I know is that it's based on Sound and that vibration and rythm are big factors that humming can produce magic. And that words, as in chants, just help the mage to focus. But I didn't get where they came from and the things they can do just felt random. Like, Rocio can produce  a gleaming dragon, not a real one, but it can hurt if she wants too. Something like that. They're too random. I don't see what's their connection with sound. So obviously I'm not a fan of the magic in this fantasy world, though it IS Unique.

The Characters. They're okay. No one's really memorable but they all did OK. Rocio and Finn are promising characters and I  wouldn't mind seeing them again. Although I was a bit put off by Finn's almost insta-love to Rocio to the point that Rocio's approval became one of his main goals in the exam. Not literally but hinted it. So yeah, I'm not a fan of the Romance too. 

WARNING: There's a scene in the first quarter of the book that involves brutal animal cruelty. It's with a rat and personally I didn't like it because I'm planning on getting hamsters as pets so OMG!!!

Do I recommend this? Maybe. I'll read book 2 if there's no death of a rat or anyone from the rodents family because by that time I already have hamsters and they'll be like my babies.

Hope you guys read this more than I did. :) :) :)

[h o l l i s · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm definitely the odd one out here so you should probably just ignore this review. That said, I probably should've liked RUTHLESS MAGIC.. I just didn't. I'd also like to preface this by saying I requested this title by this author because when I saw her name I mistook her for someone else. So that's pretty much my bad. Whoops? However the plot did sound intriguing anyway.

If you like THE HUNGER GAMES and magic, you'll probably like this. Because it's basically a magical version of said book. Go figure. It even comes complete with a very iconic homage to a scene from the second installment. As far as this series goes, though, I made the effort to read the freebie prequel novella that's available through Crewe's newsletter but I can honestly say.. you don't really need it. a) I wasn't entertained by it, and it actually took me longer to get through the novella than this full length, and b) it doesn't offer up enough additional information to warrant the investment. We learn basically everything in this first installment and as it's set forty years prior, the characters are only anecdotally relevant. Perhaps it'd be more interesting in hindsight? I can't speak to that because obvs.

As for the characters.. I mean.. they are okay? No one really stands out. The romance feels heightened in that 'this happened fast because of danger and proximity' way but almost dialed up to eleven, far beyond what it should, and while there is diversity in one of our leads, and in the variety of diversity offered, unfortunately the lot of them still end up feeling a little generic.

While Crewe does subvert some tropes within her magical quest-y 'overthrow the evil government' fantasy novel, and there's an interesting element to her magic system, overall this didn't feel all that original (see aforementioned comparison in previous paragraph) but the strength of the story might be in where it goes next. When it branches off from the familiar and goes.. possibly into more original directions. I don't know. I have a vague sense of curiosity about it, especially considering how things ended for one character in particular, but depending on the length of this series it might be one I continue only after completion.

Again, feel free to ignore this review. I'm definitely not trending where everyone else is. And in theory there is a lot to love in this world. I'm just not feeling it (yet?).


** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an arc of
Ruthless Magic in exchange for an honest review!

Overall, I really enjoyed the book! I loved the magical Hunger Games-ish plot. Rocio is a strong MC and I really felt like I could relate with her. The relationship between her and Finn could have used a little more building but overall I totally ship it! This story was full of twists, turns, and unexpected surprises and kept me on my toes the whole time. I liked the representation of lgbt and poc in this book as well. I can’t wait for the next one to come out!

[Sherwood Smith]

I probably should have been warned by the title, though I have to say, the magic is less ruthless than the human beings wielding it.

This is the latest teens-in-the-gladiator-pit offering, by an author whose first book I really liked. She seems to be going toward grimdark; this one begins early on with TRIGGER WARNING: animal cruelty, merely to make a point, which in turn signals plenty of human cruelty ahead.

And that’s exactly what we get. At the end, we discover that all the people the teens killed were simulacra, but that doesn’t seem to extend to the kids killed along the way.

The story is told in alternating first person POVs, first Finn, a white boy who has the right family ties, the impressive pedigree, but his talents are fair at best. He is so upset that his POC best friend was turned down for the academy that he signs up for the dreaded magic exam as a protest, which means he must earn his place in the standard gladiator-teen Evil Government, here With Magic.

His POV is alternated with Rocio, who is a very talented mage, but she’s poor and POC, so she’s turned down. Any of the kids turned down can opt to endure the magic test instead of having their magic burned out of them for Evil Government reasons.

Unfortunately, their voices were pretty much the same, except for occasional Spanish phrases thrown in once in a while for Rocio, so I was frequently confused, especially in the beginning, but as the adventure developed it became less important to know who the POV was, as the focus was on survival.

The pacing accelerates to the redline as horror after horror is inflicted on the kids, and they have to figure out how to survive. It doesn’t help that a bunch of their fellow testees turn into mass murderers, so they have to guard against them as well.

The magic system was confusing, but as Finn and Rocio begin to suss things out it became very interesting, and I found myself wishing the horror would abate so we could focus on character and the magic. But readers who like plenty of teen violence will really get into this book, as it’s vividly written, and the pacing doesn’t let up until the very last page.

The end sets up for the rest of the series.

Copy provided by NetGalley

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can also find my review here:https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....

I received a copy to review from Netgalley and Spells and Stars books.

I read the prequel before picking this up and it did add a little history to the background of the world that this book takes place in. Ruthless Magic occurs years after magic has been unveiled to the magic less society, where in Magic Unleashed those without magic don't know about its existence. The main character in the prequel is not one of the main characters in this novel, but Jonathan is Finn's father. Both novels can be read as standalones, but they both occur in the same world if you want more of Megan Crewe's writing.

Ruthless Magic was in an interesting urban fantasy novel. It is written in first-person and the viewpoint switches between Finn and Rocio. The prejudices that mages face from the non magical people and even from one another based on skin color or if they're "new" or "old" magic feel realistic. In society people judge each other and sometimes this aspect isn't shown in novels with magic. If magic was unveiled to exist I doubt everyone would accept it and this novel captures that sentiment well. The contrasting views from the two characters, one of which was considered "old magic"and the other was considered "new magic", help show the prejudices and the different viewpoints within the magical society.

The plot and pacing were both really good. The story kept moving at a steady pace and the plot kept me interested. The magic enchantments were so creative and cool. The different ways the mages hearkened magic were so neat. It took a little bit for this book to get really exciting, but once it did it was really cool.

I did get confused with who was who because of the point of view alternates, but both characters are written in first-person. Neither character's view has overwhelming personality and that makes first person necessary. I think it would've been less confusing and the same story could've been told if it was written in third person instead. Typically a first person doesn't bother me, and I rarely confuse viewpoints, but in this book there were several times that I did.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Think of this book like a mix of Harry Potter (new vs old magic families), Hunger Games (the Exam that Finn, Rocio, Prisha, Judith, Lacey, Desmond and Mark had to pass in order to become Champions). Part Fireblood, part Furyborn... Well, it’s something, and it’s everything. I jumped into the story from the start. Can’t wait to read book 2!

Many thanks to the publisher for my early copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for a honest review.

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, I admit it, it was that beautiful cover that drew me in! It just shows the importance of a great cover. Of course, I was captivated by the synopsis too, it sounded exactly the sort of read I enjoy - full of magic. I don't often agree with the comparisons made to previously published titles as they don't always ring true. Here however, they are spot on - this book does bear some resemblance to The Hunger Games. There is also a similarity to Ender's Game and Magicians.

I feel like I have been awarding 5 stars more of late, there are quite a few books around that deserve a high rating. This is undoubtedly one of them. It's a gem, and the first in the Conspiracy of Magic series by USA Today Bestselling Author Megan Crewe.

It's definitely a slow burner for the first half but changes to a much faster pace from just over the 50% mark and continues bustling along until the finale. This YA urban fantasy has some unique worldbuilding and unlike many others in the genre, it is done extremely well. Crewe also appears to know how to develop characters so they are vivid and intense. There is a little romance too, which I enjoy where it is organic and where it fits with the story, as here. There is nothing worse than forced romantic situations in a book, in my opinion.

I am so excited this is a series and cannot wait for the next one, i'm hoping there won't be a long wait. It deals with some sensitive issues such as race, class, sexuality, terrorism, and government corruption to name but a few.

I highly recommend this to YA lovers, it is well worth your time! It completely blew me away.

I would like to thank Megan Crewe, Another World Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest and impartial review.

[em · Rating 4 out of 5]

“He would be. I believed him then with total certainty. He saw just how warped and wrong his Confed must be to have brought us here with their ruthless, brutal magic. Maybe we’d grown up at opposite ends of the city, on opposite sides of that invisible divide between old magic and new, but in this moment we were feeling the exact same horror, and he would go every bit as far as I would to overcome it.”

If the pitch for a book mentions two of the greatest YA phenomenons, Harry Potter & The Hunger Games, trust me, I will definitely read it. And true to its word, Ruthless Magic does mix elements from those two gigantic franchises that not only rocked our world once upon a time, but that we are still living the aftershock years (or decades) after. The slight problem I see in getting inspiration from a formula that worked so well in the past is that you are not delivering anything new. So, while Ruthless Magic succeeded in making me feel all nostalgic and thoroughly engrossed, it did sort of fail in surprising me - hence the 4 stars instead of 5.

*I received a eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Megan Crewe's magic and dystopic world breathes in some familiarity, being a society divided by dulls (people with no magical abilities) and mages, who were and are seen as a threat and had to keep magic a secret until recently before the events of the book. Flashforward to present day, where the Confed, or magical govenrment, select only a portion of the mage society to keep their powers at age 18, leaving the ones rejected to accept being ripped out of their magic or going through THE EXAM - cue to the Hunger Games song - from where only a few are chosen Champion and even fewer get out of there intact. Or alive for that matter.

Nostalgia aside, Ruthless Magic, even if it felt familiar, it never failed in entertaining. I was engrossed from start to end and top to bottom. The cast of characters is super diverse, the story is action packed and it even has romance, that even though it never was the sole focus of the story it was important enough for me to swoon a little bit. And hey, I absolutely loved both main characters, which doesn't happen often.

So I will definitely, definitely continue this series.

[Annemieke / A Dance with Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ruthless Magic seems to be getting great reviews so far and I was so excited to read this book. But I am just going to stand in the corner again for being the odd one out, again.
It isn’t a bad book, do not get me wrong. I enjoyed reading this book. But that is about where it stayed. I think the biggest thing for me was that it just wasn’t memorable. It doesn’t quite stand out from the crowd.

A lot of that, for me, has to do with the characters. They are likable but not memorable. The story focuses on Finn, who comes from an old magical family, and Rocio, who is considered new magic and poor. Just from that one would think that they are quite different. Yet when I was reading the chapters I sometimes didn’t see the change in character. I sometimes mistook Rocio for Finn and vice versa halfway through a chapter. . They just didn’t have a distinct voice from one another. It didn’t help that the point of view changes every chapter.

Having said that, beyond the not distinct voices, I do think the book was written well. The pacing and set up of the plot were done well. The world building was also done well. Having two main characters from two different sides of the coin helped a lot with this. Though I thought Finn’s reasons for joining the exam were a bit flimsy.

I quite liked the idea of the magical community feeling the pressure on revealing itself to the rest of the world as they have done in this book and some of the troubles that brings. There is some commentary on privilege that Finn has for instance, and I liked that he was so aware of that for the most part or that he could be called out on it and he would listen.

Overall the book reminded me of Red Rising and The Hunger Games a lot with the different groups of people, the game element and some of the brutal element the story has. I think for that this book would be a good fit for those that quite liked these books.

I would like to warn for some animal cruelty at the start of the book where someone deliberately kills their own pet to make a point. That was not okay.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me.
There are things I love about it and things that were disappointing.

But first, the elephant in the room. The Hunger Games.

A lot of reviews mention the similarities, a few negatively. Personally I think it owed more to the Japanese novel Battle Royale which is, dare I say it, the influence for the Hunger Games. So, if I can annoy everyone else, it's like evolution...Ruthless Magic didn't evolve from The Hunger Games so much as they both have a common ancestor.

Enough of that.

I really liked the basic premise and the characters were great. I didn't much like the ending. Without going into too many details, it just wasn't satisfying.

[Cindy ✩☽♔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

True to pitch, this book does, in fact, read like Hunger Games with a dash of Harry Potter.

It is an interesting, engaging and rather quick read. Now I'm not usually much of an urban fantasy fan, but I did quite enjoy this one.

And definitely enjoyed our diverse cast (Possible minor spoilers)
Rocío - Our Latino female lead, whose stellar abilities should have put her on the fast-track for bigger and better things. But she is instead a victim of a rigged system.

Finn - Our privileged male lead, whose magic abilities are average at best. Still, due to his family name, he is Chosen by the Circle to keep his powers. But when his far more gifted best friend isn't Chosen, Finn beings to truly question the system. And sets out to prove his own worth amongst the rest of the magic novices.

Prisha - Finn's best friend, who not only is a POC, but also a lesbian. Gotta appreciate the effort for representation. Prisha is the only daughter of her family and also the only one to show any affinity for magic. Not willing to accept being dampered and giving up her value within her family she enters the exam prepared to do whatever it takes to become a Champion.

Desmond - Another member of the core gang, Desmond is a reasonably skilled magical novice with an affinity for healing. But his disability, at least in the eyes of the Confed and Council, puts him at a disadvantage and is likely the reason he is not initially Chosen. Not willing to let that stop him, he opts to take the exam. Where he meets the rest of the gang.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review is here, on my blog!~

This story is told in an alternate New York city where magic exists. Mages are out, so to speak, to the public, and as such, are highly regulated by the Confederation of Mages, who work with the government of the ‘Dulls’ (non-magic users). When a mage turns 16 years old, they are either accepted to magic school, or they are Dampened, which means that their magic is mostly taken away, leaving them with perhaps one magical skill that makes them better than normal at something, like sewing or cooking. They can contest this decision by agreeing to take ‘the Exam’ which would put them in a very dangerous test of magical ability. If they pass, they can keep their magic, and if they fail they’ll lose it forever.

Finn Lockwood is more or less from a rich mage family. His Granduncle is on the Circle of Mages and as such, on the day when all the 16 year olds get their letters, he gets one that invites him to the college. But, his best friend Prisha is from a ‘new magic’ family, and while they are rich, she is the first in her family to manifest magical ability. This of course means that the Confederation doesn’t trust her, and so she isn’t invited to magic college. Not wanting her magic taken away, she opts to take the Exam.

But Finn feels that this is very unfair, because Prisha is so much better at being a mage than he is. So he opts to take the Exam as well, so that he can prove to himself and his family that he actually deserves to be a mage and isn’t just riding on his family’s coattails.

Another talented mage, Rocío, is from a new magic and rather poor family. Of course she isn’t invited to the college either, and opts to take the test.

On Riker’s Island, where the Exam is performed, they all come together to show that they’re mage enough to keep their magic. And much shenanigans are had.

This was a fairly fast-paced novel, which kept my interest well into the wee hours of the morning. It’s well written, and had characters that I definitely cheered for. Finn is good people, especially given that he’s willing to risk his life and his magical skill in order to prove himself worthy of it in the first place. Rocío was easy to cheer for as well. I wanted her to win all the things and prove the Confederation wrong about who is worthy and who isn’t.

The Confederation and their Examiners who are giving this test started out as the obvious antagonist but as the story went on and the Exam became more and more dangerous, the institution became almost comically evil. It has this in common with the Hunger Games, except that this book takes place in more-or-less our world in our time, so, it went a little more over-the-top than I thought was necessary to get the point across that the Confed are monstrous and must be stopped. The idea is to make some of these kids into magical super-soldiers, which is fine as a premise but they go from relatively normal American teenagers (except magical) with no combat training to pretty much a battle royale to the death in the space of 3 days or so.

The magic system was interesting. It seems to be based largely around music or prose, but it varies in language from person to person, depending on what they’ve learned over the years. Finn often casts spells seemingly off the top of his head using a poem, or a song lyric, or a few words in Latin or Greek, as long as the intent is there, it’ll (usually) work. I can’t really imagine a world of mages wherein all mages would have to have… well, perhaps not perfect pitch, but enough musical skill that they could cast a spell properly, but it works without singing as well. Some people get away with humming to cast spells.

It had some romance in it, too, which was rather adorable at times. Finn and Rocío are cute together, and their cooperation to get through the exam despite being from different backgrounds was a nice counter to some of the more horrible events that began to happen as the book went on. I’m interested to see where this story goes past this novel, so here’s hoping that reading the sequel is in my future at some point. :D

All told, it was a pretty quick read that was well written and well edited. An interesting magic system combined with characters that I could root for and want to see win against an antagonist that was very, very obviously worth winning against made for an engaging and entertaining read.

[Lukasz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rarely read YA fiction, especially when it features romance. And yet I enjoyed Ruthless Magic. Crewe draws inspiration from Hunger Games, but she does everything right.

Each year, the North American Confederation of Mages assesses magically gifted teenagers. Some will succeed and enter the Confederation while unlucky or less-talented ones will lose magic. Anyone who doesn’t qualify in the initial stage of cutting the chaff from the wheat can enter a brutal Mages’ Exam. 

The story focuses on teenagers who had to (or decided to) try themselves in the exam. It alternates between two viewpoints.  

Rocío Lopez, a gifted magician, comes from a poor family. It turns out Confedaration picks Champions not only because of their talent but also because of their social standing.  

Finn Lockwood comes from an influential and wealthy family. He makes up for his mediocre magical abilities with natural charisma, charm and good-naturedness. 

Thrown into the testing with little preparation, Rocío and Finn become allies, and more. Painfully cliche? Probably. The execution, though, thrills and entertains. 

Crewe’s characters are instantly likeable and relatable. Their struggles with terrifying magical challenges felt exciting. I appreciate a twisted creativity behind the tests they undergo. Clear storytelling allows to see each situation easily, with all the details and emotional load.

YA characters often display insecurity and experience self-loathing. Rocio has a crush on Finn but she considers herself inferior to him. Despite her talent and magical skills, she still sees herself as a ghetto-trash girl. There’s no way a guy like Finn would care for her. 

In the meantime, Finn cares for her,  looks for her attention and deals with his own insecurities. As naïve as it sounds, it felt endearing. I liked them both and followed their chapters with pleasure. That said, I think Rocio‘ and Finn’s voices weren’t distinct enough. They narrated the events in a very similar way. If the chapters didn’t start with a narrator name, I would probably had to guess at times. 

Secondary characters remained underdeveloped. A pity, as I would gladly learn more about Prisha, Desmond or Lacey. A protagonist needs an antagonist. We get one. Callum is as wicked as they come - violent, calculating, utterly flat and boring.

The story develops at a breakneck pace, with short pauses for food and development of characters’ feelings toward each other. I dislike romance in books, but this one made me feel good. Crewe knows what she’s doing and even when the story becomes dark and unsettling, she smuggles hope to the events. I needed uplifting, clever story with solid character development and intriguing plot, and she delivered.

I really liked Ruthless Magic and I encourage you to try it. It has flaws, but it entertained me, made me feel good and engaged in the story. I even missed two metro stops while reading it, and if it’s not the best endorsement a book can get from a reader, I don’t know what else would it be.

Disclaimer : I'm one Fantasy Book Critic SPFBO judges, but this review doesn't reflect our collective rating or assessement. It's just my opinion. 

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the idea of the magical world being elitist and corrupt. This is being discovered by a group of college candidates taking part in a championship exam to secure their places. The championship itself becomes a bit Lord of the Flies and I can see why it’s been compared to HP (Goblet of Fire). The themes of school, magic and knockout competitions are very overdone in the YA market but I found this a new (to me) voice in the field and I’m looking forward to seeing how the MCs deal with the fallout from the championship.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good strong read, Yvan it’s by an experienced author with a few other books behind them.

Nice world building in an alternative world to ours, we get a brief glimpse into the background. Hope we see more in the next books in this series.

Good strong female characters.

Part of the spfbo2018 10 finalists.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s always hard when a book is neither good or bad, instead sort of stuck in this weird limbo of just alright enough to get through it but nothing you’ll remember.

“Ruthless Magic” tells the story of Finn, a boy born with the privilege of an old magic family who unfortunately doesn’t have the strongest talent to make it into college without the help of his family connections and Rocío, a young woman who uses anything she can to amplify her skills and work her magic to the best of her ability despite her less than ideal standing in society. When she is passed over for a spot in college she accepts the challenge of the infamous Exam in the hopes of being named Champion and keeping her magic, but the tests are far from easy and with the help of unlikely allies who have everything to lose they uncover sometimes the punishment for not accepting the judgement from authority is death itself.

So here’s the thing this book plays a bit to the larger more mundane problem of the rich white boy who gets whatever they want thanks to who they know and not what they offer over the people who aren’t as “desirable” in this case lgbtq and people of color who have to work twice as hard to make it half as far and even then that’s not always enough. Though there’s a magical element at work it’s easy to see this thread of symbolism play itself out in the larger plot along with a government system who keeps people in check and preserves their own power by making those who speak out against them or fit into the above categories obsolete by taking their magic away or punishing them during the tests with violence and even death.

Now on to the other parts of the novel, it follows a ‘Hunger Games’ type format where all these kids are faced with impossible tasks and put against one another in a fight to the death in an arena until there is a final victor where alliances and romances come into play to both help and hinder the overall goal of the Exam’s creators until the threat of public backlash causes them to end it which was a little too similar for me.

This book isn’t bad and if you liked Suzanne Collin’s trilogy and want a bit of social commentary that doesn’t really address anything full on, at least yet it sets itself up for more of that at the conclusion of this piece, than this book might work for you but if not you’re not really missing out on anything special.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

[Ashley Rich · Rating 2 out of 5]

This read started out great! It had a Hunger Games meets Harry Potter meets The Magicians feel, but unfortunately, I lost interest at around 20% and DNF'd at 35%. The problem for me was the delivery. The story is told through a handful of POV's, all of which are told in first-person. I often had to go back to figure out what POV I was in and it got to be a struggle to keep everyone's story in line. The magic system wasn't clear to me either, but it could have been that I just missed it because I was trying to figure out whose head I was in. I really wanted to like this one, but sadly, it wasn't a fit for me.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book! Magic is in the world and only the selected few are allowed to use it. For the others they must fight for it.
After graduating highschool those with strong talents are supposed to go on to college where they can develop their magic. Everyone else has two choices; allow their magic to be taken or enter a contest that can be deadly.
A book about friendship and finding the strength inside.

[Vicky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve heard a lot of chat on the blogosphere about Ruthless Magic reading like a retread of The Hunger Games. And while there are elements of that in this story, it’s also so much more- and damn enjoyable, too.

From the start, Crewe imbues her magical world with a sense of wonder and excitement that matches anything in Harry Potter. This is a parallel world where people with magical abilities live alongside non-magical ‘Dulls’, in a world regulated by The North American Confederation of Mages. Every year, young Mages compete for places in the Academy, to secure their future. Those that don’t make it have their magical abilities ‘Dampened’, or taken away. Those that don’t accept it can compete in the Mage’s Exam for their chance to retain their magical powers. There’s only one problem: the Mage’s Exam has only one winner. And it’s infamously brutal.

Our two heroes therefore have to fight for their chance to survive- and win. Finn Lockwood is part of an established, ancient magical family- who has next to no abilities at all. And Rocío Lopez is poor, the child of Dampened parents, extremely talented- but she has no connections, and therefore misses out on her Academy place. From the start, Crewe invests time into making the two protagonists likeable- Finn is desperate to prove himself to his family, and Rocio wants to show the Confederation that they were wrong to pass her over- and switching between both POVs means that we get inside both their heads from the start.

And what we see is bewitching. Crewe has a real gift for worldbuilding, and what she conjures up in the first five or six chapters alone is enough to flesh out an exciting, fully realised and intriguing world that I wanted to dive into. It’s almost a shame that we’re taken away to the confines of the Mage’s Exam for the rest of the novel, because I wanted to find out more about magical New York! From magical, illusionary dragons that fly above the skyline, to the way in which Mages conjure the magic- through music and poetry- feels fresh and exciting.

Fortunately, the Mage’s Exam makes up for my curiosity in nail-biting thrills. The challenges start slow- but part of the fun is seeing how our heroes, and their friends, try to puzzle their way through increasing difficulty, from a writing test, to the end where they’re battling automated machines to try and obtain a mysterious artefact as part of their test. People get mown down in ever-more inventive ways, and the twist- when it comes- is very satisfying, if a little predictable. You’re rooting for the main characters to win- not just Finn and Rocío, but their friends, too- as well as the romance subplot, which feels natural and sweet.

The ending is just as high-stakes- though I do feel that this is where it slips a little, and becomes a lot more Hunger Games thrills than magical test. Likewise, the Confederation comes across a little too much as ‘generic evil’ for this to feel like much more than a YA ‘kids fight the system’ type of novel.

But despite that, this was a solid, exciting debut that delivers thrills in spades.

In three words: magical. Different. Nail-biting.

[Zoë ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruthless Magic was so cool and fun to read! I couldn't stop reading, because I really wanted to know how it would end! The book was also filled with action, which was exciting.
I really liked the characters too, and I think their world and magical system has great potential for more books.

Rocío and Finn are two sixteen-year-olds who, like every other sixteen-year-old with magic, get their letter to inform them if they are accepted to the College of the North American Confederation of Mages or not. If they are not, they can decide to take the Exam. They both decide for their own reasons to take the Exam, but there is one problem: Nobody knows what will happen during the exam.

This book is like a mix of The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Divergent. So if you like those, I definitely recommend this book!

[Rambling Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruthless Magic was a fun, exciting dip into a new magical world filled with conspiracy and competition.

Finn Lockwood and Rocio Lopez are both part of the magical community, but they might as well have grown up worlds apart.

Finn is one of the privileged, a member from a historical mage family with the prestige of the North American Confederation of Mages behind his granduncle's every word. Unfortunately for Finn, his magical skills don't quite live up to the power of his family name and legacy.

Rocío Lopez is a beautifully gifted mage from a historically average family. Both of her parents have had their meager powers dampened, and her family is firmly below white collar. Rocio's future lies in impressing the Confederation to win a scholarship into the College that will prepare her for a future in their magical world.

Ruthless Magic follows Finn & Rocio as they find themselves in the deadly competition to become one of the Confederation's Champions. Without a formal invitation into the College of the North American Confederation of Mages, the teens must complete a series of high-risk, possibly even deadly, tasks to prove their worth.

Crewe's plot moves quickly, but it's equally packed with action and character-building. Since the novel is told through both Finn and Rocio's perspective, we get a pretty well-rounded look at the society they live in. All magic was not created equal, and there's brewing unrest on more than one front: between the Dulls (non-magical) and the old and new mages (family history vs. genetic anomalies). Throughout Ruthless Magic there are puzzles pieces dropped as the kids, more-so Finn than Rocio, start to understand what's rotten in their society. I think Crewe is setting us up for something big- the social unrest has Hunger Games potential- in order to change the way their world is run, these kids are going to have to do something daring, something to change their society from the inside out. The question is, how will they do it?

The society was interesting, as was the prejudice that divides them. In a world where lineage is gold, skills and authentic power really can't get you very far.

I liked both Finn and Rocio. Finn's smooth-talking, friendly nature balances out some of the rougher edges of Rocio, sharper social instincts that have been created by the challenges and prejudice she's faced in her life. Together, they provide what the other lacks, be it magic, ingenuity, technical theory, or just a simple sense of humor. Seeing the challenges through their dual perspectives lets us gain insight into how the brains of both the new and old mages work, and the teens work well to push each other's boundaries.

The supporting characters are also interesting- I particularly liked Desmond. I wish that there had been more time to develop him in this first installment, but Crewe leaves it at a point where I think we might be seeing more of him in the future.

I don't always agree with the blurbs that say, "If you like _______, then you'll love __________", but for once, I think there's some real merit. The Hunger Games, dystopian vibes are strong here, and I think there's a built-in audience who's just been waiting for something new to spark their interest.

I would definitely pick up the second book.

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruthless Magic is Hunger Games meets Mortal Instruments meets Shadowshaper (by Daniel Jose Older. Read it if you haven’t already!) This action-packed urban fantasy will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end, all while exploring ideas of race and privilege. I really hope this one gets turned into a movie!

Ruthless Magic is told in dual first-person perspective. The main characters are Finn, a boy from an old and prominent magical family, but with little power of his own, and Rocio, a Latina Brooklyn native who is extremely powerful, but comes from a “new-magic” family that is looked down upon. This is a world where the privileged “old-magic” families rule the magical community.

When they become older teens, potential mages can apply to the magical university where they will go on to develop their powers and ultimately get a job working as a full-mage. Those who are denied entry are “dampened”, their powers diminished to only a small ability. Often POC who are dampened, are left with abilities that make them fit only for domestic labor. Despite claims of objectivity and merit-based standards, new-magic candidates are heavily discriminated against despite their talent. Candidates who have been rejected have only one chance to redeem themselves and keep their magic - declaring for the Mages Test, a secretive days-long test where a few are Champions while the rest die in the process or have every bit of their magic removed.

Finn is accepted into the university despite his poor qualifications, while his talented new-magic (and Indian) friend is rejected. Knowing that this is only due to his family connections, Finn declares for the Mages Test in protest, determined to earn his way into being a mage. Rocio is perhaps the most talented and powerful magic user her age, but because of her heritage, she is denied entry to the University. Thrust together in the brutal Test, Finn and Rocio must work together to survive and perhaps uncover a larger conspiracy.

The story is tense, brutal, and fast-paced. But it is ultimately about choosing humanity, choosing love, and recognizing the value in everyone. This is one that really blew me away with how much it hooked me into the story and how important the underlying message was. Definitely recommend it! I received an e-arc of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol (StarAngel's Reviews) Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars

Wow! So much action that was non-stop throughout the book. I loved how these characters worked together to get through the exams to become champions!

[Lindsi (Do You Dog-ear?) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I really liked Ruthless Magic! It felt a little like The Hunger Games, but with mages and more secrecy. In The Hunger Games, President Snow and the Capital wanted to make a spectacle of the participants, so all of Panem witnessed the brutality of the Games. In Ruthless Magic, the rest of the world is blind to what the North American Confederation of Mages is up to, so they can do whatever they want to those who elect to take the Mages' Exam. People have died over the years, and no one is ever told how or why. It's just accepted, which is bananas! More often than not, the families aren't even given their bodies.

Both Rocio and Finn were excellent characters, and I found myself relating to them in different ways. Rocio has had to work for everything in her life, while Finn has been given every opportunity whether it was deserved or not. He doesn't realize how much people have coddled him until he earns a spot at the college and his best friend does not. It's then that he sees how flawed the system is, and chooses to try and prove he's worth his salt when it comes to using magic. Finn has lofty goals, and honestly wants to do his part to help people, but his magic is weaker than most. His good ideas take longer to execute, and often require more of his focus and energy than it conceivably would for the others.

Rocio was the opposite. She had the talent but not the training. She isn't from one of the original families, so they view her magic as untested and a liability. They don't want someone like her tarnishing their reputation, or questioning the way they've been doing things for years. Unbeknownst to everyone else, Rocio has an uncanny connection to the magic, and it's something she can feel on a level no one else can. It's almost like the magic itself interacts with her, so she sees it as another living thing to work with. Everyone else views magic as a tool to be wielded. Her connection gave her a small advantage in the trials, and she did her best to keep everyone in her group safe and alive. She desperately wanted to trust a system that had repeatedly failed her, and I respected her determination in the face of adversity.

The secondary characters were also interesting to read about, but I wanted to know more about their specific backgrounds. They all chose to take the Mages' Exam for a reason, just like Rocio and Finn, and we weren't always told what those reasons were. I also wanted to know more about Rocio's family and her life with her brother before.

I wasn't always 100% sure how the magic worked, only that it did. Finn was taught to use a certain language and specific texts to harness the magic, while Rocio used old lullabies and songs from her childhood. The differences were major, which was briefly touched on towards the end of the book, but I still wasn't sure why some people were able to use magic and others weren't. Where does the magic come from? Questions like this might be answered in later books, but I wish it had been expanded on a little throughout this one, since it was a such a prominent part of the story.

Ruthless Magic was also a lot darker than I was expecting. The Mages' Exam was BRUTAL, and not everyone made it out alive. Even the people that did survive until the end weren't necessarily named Champion. They still have their magic forcibly removed, despite enduring the tortures of the trials. People died in horrible ways, and the author doesn't skim over those deaths. We're told very clearly how they happen (also very The Hunger Games-like), and some of those descriptions will stay with me forever. I'm still not sure how the truth of the Exam hadn't leaked beyond the borders of the island and its participants.Someone had to tell or slip-up over the years, right? How could you not say anything about people trying to kill you in extremely extravagant ways over the course of 5 days? How could you not talk about the horrors you saw end endured?

Rising and Araya were amazing narrators, too. I was so engrossed in the story and thought they did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life. The story was good on its own, but they added an additional layer of authenticity. I highly recommend listening to this one if you get a chance! Wonderfully relatable characters, life-and-death experiences, and a setting that will make you cringe, rage, and cheer for the fictional people you've just met. (★★★⋆☆)

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