Mageborn

The Hollow King #1

by Jessica Thorne

A dark and addictive fantasy read for fans of Graceling and Sarah J. Maas. The life of an orphan soldier becomes entwined with that of the mysterious heir to the throne, whose very presence draws out the secret magic living inside her: a magic that breaks every law she is duty-bound to uphold…

The room is small and dark. Row upon row of jars line the shelves, each one sealed with blood-red wax. The seal’s mark is a twisted circle of briar with gleaming, gold-tipped thorns. And in each jar a flicker of forbidden magic dances… beautiful, but deadly.

Sold to the Crown in the aftermath of the Last Great War, Grace Marchant has never known her parents. Now, she trains as an elite soldier tracking down mageborn – those born with an ancient and long-outlawed magic – and destroying them if they don’t surrender their power to the Crown.

The mageborn who submit are collared, then handed over to the King’s cousin and heir: the elusive Bastien Larelwynn, Lord of Thorns, locked away in his shadowy workshop deep inside the castle. What becomes of them is hard to say – the Lord of Thorns keeps his secrets close.

Grace has always fought the voice inside her that questions whether the law is truly just – but when her closest friend is next on Bastien’s list, Grace’s loyalties are tested to the limit. Confronting Bastien – searching his strangely compelling obsidian-black eyes for answers – Grace is shocked to feel herself begin to change, to show the first signs of the wild magic she so fears.

Only the Lord of Thorns has the power to save her and the rest of the mageborn – if he doesn’t destroy them all first…

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Fantasy Romance, Young Adult, Audiobook, Fiction

303 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 18, 2020

About the author

Jessica Thorne watched far too much sci-fi and read far too much fantasy at an impressionable age. And it was awesome. She writes fantasy and sci-fi romance with a steampunk edge and just refuses to face reality.

Reviews

[B · Rating 2 out of 5]

"In the name of the crown I arrest you and charge you with the crime of being an unregistered and unsworn mageborn. You will yield up your magic for the greater good, or face certain death…"

~ Rating- 2 stars ~

Mageborn by Jessica Thorne is a fantasy romance novel. Before reading this book, I thought it was YA but after reading it I would categorize it as adult. This book is high on the romance and violence and I would not recommend it to anyone under 15 or 16.

I read this book a long time ago, so this review won't be detailed, sorry for that. But I thought I should write one as I gave it quite a low rating.

The plot

Grace Marchant has always questioned the harsh laws of the Kingdom of Rathlynn. When her closest friend is the next mageborn taken away to the shadowy dungeons, she has no choice but to take the help of Prince Bastien and beg him to spare her friend’s life.

When Grace discovers that the Queen of Rathlynn has a devastating plan to use the mageborn’s stolen powers to cement her rule forever she is worried because of the secret mageborn power she possess. Bastien, The Lord of Thorns is sympathetic towards the mageborn. Grace and Bastien then hatch a plan to change everything.

"When you chased monsters they tended to notice. They chased you back."

I think the plot of the book was ok, and I remember being intrigued in the earlier chapters. However, this book has A LOT of flashback scenes. I don't have an issue with flashbacks if they are essential to the story, but here the flashbacks felt more like a way of telling us the entire backstory of these characters.

Midway through the book, I was bored as I wasn't invested enough in anything to read further. This is a fantasy romance, but before reading it I did not know that. I had assumed it would have high focus on the magic and magic system but that is not the case here.

The romance overshadows the plot of the book, and the rest of the book just focuses on the two main characters and their love for each other. (which again, was insta-love, but more on that later)

I hated the fact that there was more focus on the romance than the plot, as I was interested in the initial sections of the book.

The ending for the book was completely chaotic. I remember putting the book down and wondering what I just read. Since the middle of the book was so romance-centered, the plot got sidelined and everything was wrapped up far too quickly in the ending. The sentences in the ending were repetitive and it was generally very plot-convenient.

I think my biggest issue with the plot is the fact that the stakes were not high enough. When I read the blurb, I expected a fast-paced, action-packed book that will keep me at the edge of my seat. Unfortunately, that was not the case here. This book is very slow-paced, and there wasn't enough of a plotline to keep me engaged. But I think that is more on me.


The world

I felt the world was the most interesting part of the book. I loved the concept of the Mageborn but I did not like how it was executed.

There is an academy here for everyone to train, but that's all we get to know about it. Who takes the training? Are there different teachers for each field? How many Mageborn are there? So many more questions unanswered.

There is an evil Queen, and the King seems to be ill/bed-ridden. No one has an issue with the fact that the Queen is literally doing all sorts of cruel things right in front of everyone. I honestly would have enjoyed to read about some kind of rebellion.

There is a possibility that some of the details were given and I have forgotten them, but as far as my memory the world was not completely developed.

The writing

This book is told in third person, through Grace and Bastien. I think this didn't work out that well, as they don't have much of a distinct character voice.

While I was fine with both the POV's, none of them stood out to me.

The writing is often times overly descriptive and metaphorical-

"Ripples and waves of light danced on the roof of the cave, the churning maelstrom of the glowing pool beneath reflected on the centuries-old rock worn smooth by the passage of time and water."

Some sentences were not that properly framed either-

“Grace punched the bag again, imagining it was him, imagining it bore his superior, snide look, his too bloody handsome face, that perfect nose which she was breaking, his freakish black eyes which she was turning into actual black eyes.”

I was not a huge fan of the writing, and I skimmed through some sections.


The characters

Grace

I liked Grace in the earlier chapters. She is strong and fierce, but she is also quite emotionally vulnerable.

I liked the way she cared for her friend and my heart ached for her.

But a few chapters in, I got bored of Grace and her POV. We are constantly in her flashbacks and info-dumped about everything regarding her life. When the romance came into the picture, I felt like the Grace in the beginning of the book and the one in the middle were completely different people.

Needless to say, I think her POV wasn't all bad.

Bastien

Bastien, The Lord of Thorns. We are told every single detail about him. He is supposed to be an extremely ruthless, immoral character, but each time we are in his POV he is the exact opposite of it.

His character is basically pretending to be wicked in front of everyone, but when he is the love interest his personality switches entirely to the extent that it is totally unbelievable.

I did not like him that much.

The side-characters

While reading the book, I found the side-characters to be more interesting, but now I can't remember anything about them.

In short, I think the characters were quite flat and bland with not much personality. They didn't seem well developed or realistic.

The romance

I usually do not mind romance in books, but this book had the two tropes I despise in romance: insta-love and the 'destined to be together'.

I want a couple I can root for without the entire romance being insta-love or just physical attraction.

These characters pretend to know each other very well and they ArE In LoVe after a few conversations and its too much for me to tolerate.

Why did I rate it 2 stars? And final thoughts

Despite its flaws, I finished the book. I wouldn't say its an all bad read, more like I wasn't the right reader. I would recommend it to someone who is a fan of the romance genre and wants to read fantasy as this book has a mix of both.

If you like books where there is more focus on the romance than the plot, then I would recommend it.

I won't be continuing on the series.

“She thought of Craine’s watchful eye, of the laughter ringing out through the mess hall, of blankets shared and boots handed down, borrowed clothes, the water of the baths, snatches of song and dirty jokes, and a hug when it was needed most.”

Review written on March 29th, 2021.

DISCLAIMER- All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.

How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

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Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

There's a hint of danger in hyping up a new book by putting it in the same category as other books with a big fan base. I understand why it's done, but you build up so much of it for the reader before they've even begun, that if the book does not match expectations—and often it does not—it's a swift disappointment.

I won't say that Mageborn disappointed me—and that's in part because I refused to let myself believe it would be anything like Sarah J. Maas' stories—but there were moments of misses, and a few hits.

The characters in this story are not fleshed out fully, and there were times when I did not feel like the author had a full grasp on them and their personality. Yes, it is okay, normal, welcomed even for a brooding character like Bastien to display a facade to the outside world out of necessity and yet be someone else—his real self, even—behind closed doors. What's a bit more difficult to believe is that as someone who has had to portray himself as a dangerous and even evil being for years so that he may gain and hold respect, suddenly drops every single barrier because the love interest in the story appears in his life.

Romance is not only welcomed for me in a novel, but it is delightful as a bonus. And that's how it began in Mageborn. I was on board, I was enjoying the tension-filled attraction that Grace and Bastien felt for one another... And then I started to notice that that plot was being sacrificed for the romance. This happened to such a degree, that there were moments when either Grace or Bastien seemed to be trying to move the story along after an action sequence, but the other would interrupt this to either flirt or initiate a sexual encounter.

It is distracting to force a romantic interaction between characters. This is something that should happen organically.

The writing itself was underdeveloped in sections. It failed to describe things too clearly and made me have to go back and re-read certain scenes. And now and again I would come across a run-in sentence that would read clumsily:

“Grace punched the bag again, imagining it was him, imagining it bore his superior, snide look, his too bloody handsome face, that perfect nose which she was breaking, his freakish black eyes which she was turning into actual black eyes.”

Yet, was I entertained despite these setbacks? Absolutely. Was it worth a read? I believe so.

This is a fun book overall.

Yes, it takes some time for the plot to take hold, but once that happens, it's a good time all around. The secondary characters are a nice addition—Ellyn, Daniel, Asher, even the queen. The antagonists are, interestingly, even more expanded than the leads. Celeste... I wish that we would have had more scenes of Celeste, because she is creepy, wonderfully insane, unpredictable. She has the potential to drive this story in the second book with her dark personality, and these types of roles are oftentimes the ones that grow the overall potential of the novel. At least or me.

The mythology of the Hollow King and the reveal at the end that Bastien discovers in himself was enjoyable and shocking. I was not expecting it, and mostly I think that's because I was focused on the story so strongly that I didn't have time to guess what was about to happen. That's great. Mageborn does hold your interest regardless of setbacks, it sucks you right in, and I devoured the words as fast as I could.

There was action, and plenty of it from the opening sequence. The moments devoted to these scenes were exciting and the way that the magic is used—as well as the way that the source of this magic is described—was very nicely done.

Despite room for growth, the first novel in The Hollow King series brings forth a gratifying read for fantasy-lovers.

[Andi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a crime to fantasy fiction.

I read the summary and I was wary. When people compare a book to another book, it not only seems a bit desperate but gives a bit of false advertisement because you're expecting something with the same gravitas.

This book not only failed to live up to the expectations of 'Graceling' and 'Sarah J. Maas' but needs an editor, a plot, and by god a lack of a love interest.

An editor:

This book had too many strange metaphors and or odd repetitive phrases. If I had to read the word 'Lord of Thorns' , 'he was no longer a boy, he was the Lord of Thorns', 'he became the Lord of Thorns again', ... ALL RIGHT. I get it. He is on a different plane of existence than every one in the book. I heard you the first time, I heard you the second time. This book tells you countless times that the 'Lord of Thorns' is not like everyone else and that he is misunderstood. Unfortunately you get little showing just a lot of telling about him.

400 pages also with nothing really going on? What? Yes. It's true.

Plot:

I very hazily understand this plot, but even still it makes not a lick of sense. Nor does the fantasy aspect. You have this 'Academy' but nobody learns anything and it's just for 'show' to house the characters when they have nothing to do or to give them a title to throw at people.

There is a King and for some strange reason he is in bed/invalid/sick/dying? He has an evil wife that .... nobody seems to care that she is doing openly evil things while she is alive? You have a girl who is apparently this captain of the guard and talks cocky but when faced with danger and or something outside her scope she whines and or complains. She has a group of friends (?) or team-mates she leads who aren't really either friends or team-mates, they just kind of dress the plot to give us reason for the Lord of Thorns and her to hook up.

This book was written just for the sake of getting them together. Honestly. I thought that the first time they met it would be a slow burn but you have her instantly fighting in her head and verbally to get with him - physically, mentally. I had to sit through countless pages of ham-fisted 'will they, won't they' to know that they obviously had a connection with one another because it was spelled out on every single page.

Which brings us to the romance:

This book would have been better with a slow burn. The 'story' and point of the world building was thrown aside just to have them constantly be in the center of each page or each bit of action. The book is told through both their point of views and that was a big fault in my opinion because you have an author who is sacrificing relationship over story and that's not how a book should be written. It should be plot first!

All in all, this book was a very painful read for me and the reviews are a bit shocking. I came into this book without bias, just to read a fantasy that sounded interesting but came away finding something that resembled a B- creative writing story.

I do not recommend this book.

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you chased monsters they tended to notice. They chased you back.

Mageborn was a pretty good read. My very first from this author. It’s fantasy read set in a magical medieval feeling world. There’s an ailing king, some magical mythology, and sort of a corrupt royal agenda.

I enjoyed the main plot of the story. And I liked most of the characters. These people who sort of edge the line of good and evil. Honestly most of the characters in this book do bad things, but they also have somewhat good intentions, or they are only doing what they believe is the right thing. I mean there are true bad characters in this story, but it’s difficult at times to weed them out. I enjoyed the heroine, Grace. She’s loyal to the crown and the Academy she fights for, but she also has secrets and an unexplainable connection with the Lord of Thorns. Bastien is said Lord of Thorns, a mageborn, who is also the heir to the crown as the ailing king has no children. Anyway. I don’t want to give the entire story away, so I’ll just give a few opinions. I think the bones of this story are good. There is so much potential for a GREAT story. Unfortunately, there was just something missing. The writing feels a bit choppy at some points. It feels like you’re expected to know history/background that were never mentioned, and the story moves very slowly until around 50% percent. I’d chalk that up to world building, but it didn’t feel like that was the issue. Anyway. As I said, I did mostly enjoy this story. I’ll most likely pick up the next one, but I’m hoping that it gets a little heavier of a content edit. I think that would have done wonders for this first book, and could have gained it a higher rating from me.

(Wanted to add that the publisher contacted ARC readers to let us know that the author took some of our critiques into consideration and gave the book another edit. Therefore some of my opinions on the edit may no longer apply!)

https://instagram.com/p/B8th_AWA4j_/
^bookish photo!

Available now!
*ARC

[greta · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was extremely boring.
it started out pretty great, i thought this was really gonna be a read worth at least 3 stars, but... it soon flopped af. nothing happened at all throughout the whole book, it only managed to pick up towards the end, but even then, after reading a few pages, i got bored as hell.
the idea of a story is brilliant, the way the magic worked, but no real action occured.
the character development was ok, but still not quite there for me to fully connect with them and feel for them.
the book would be quite interesting for me if there was more action, adventure and mischiefs. rn, i feel like this is a book that i will easily forget. i don't think i'll continue with the series either.
thank u, next 🤷‍♀️

[Inkslinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley and Bookouture. All opinions are mine and freely given.

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"Ripples and waves of light danced on the roof of the cave, the churning maelstrom of the glowing pool beneath reflected on the centuries-old rock worn smooth by the passage of time and water. The boy with the sword stopped in the entrance.."

02-24: Lately, I've become fascinated with the opening lines authors choose to use in their stories. After all, the cover is like a first glance at someone, the synopsis.. more like the ritual of approach, but those openers.. they're the greeting. They're the first impression and as they say, you only get one. Just as you might meet a new person, a lot can be gleaned from these first words. You get to see how they hold themselves.. are they confident or unsure.. reserved or aggressive.. how do they see the world around them?

From those first words, I bonded with this story and with this author. She was eloquently descriptive, but she didn't use the most complex language she had available just for the sake of the pretention of artistry. That's not to say her words lacked imagination or intelligence. Rather, she seemed to feel with her words. I could believe she had witnessed what she was describing.. and like the male lead, what she saw was stunningly beautiful and not just in the most obvious ways.

'Mageborn (The Hollow King Book 1),' is the story of a cynical, orphaned solder, Grace Marchant, who is charged with capturing dangerous magic wielders called the mageborn that have often gone rogue and begun harming people. There are others of course, but the magic that is born into them is outlawed, and if they don't volunteer to be enslaved to the crown, soldiers like Grace are sent to retrieve them. After an incident in the field, she becomes caught up with the heir to the throne.. a prince called the Lord of Thorns.. Bastien Larelwynn. A man that the entire city is terrified of, all is not as it seems with him or nearly anyone amongst those connected with the palace.


"She could read the pain, written all over his expression like letters on parchment. It hurt him. It was agony. Like drinking poison and trying to transmute it into something else through sheer force of will alone."


Jessica Thorne, the author, wasted no time breaking my heart. Before the story even really gets rolling, she sunk a character deep into my heart with his pain and left me feeling blindsided, wondering what exactly had just occurred as I stared down at the page questioning everything.

In addition to the descriptive passages, Thorne does an excellent job at managing deep backstories.. both known and unknown to the characters and a relatively creative approach to the magic system which has elemental aspects, but also much more. The mageborn wield many different kinds of abilities and learning new ones as I read was almost as interesting as the plot itself.

There are distinctive class differences at play, between the royals and other well-bred citizens, and the gritty underbelly deeper inside the city, where the soldiers come from. The sense of entitlement and disdain.. regarding those outside the poorer parts of town is palpable. There is a bit of pantheon building here as well, just a glimpse of their gods, which I'm hoping we'll see developed more widely in future releases for the series.


"His eyes flickered open. He didn't even seem to see her, or know where he was. He stared up at her through the light of the pool, helpless and confused. The misery in his voice was a spear in her chest."


The characters are complex. Some of them have had horrible experiences in their earlier years.. and their behaviors often reflect that. They hide things, not just from each other, but from us.. even from themselves at times. The deceit is heavily layered, especially in the court, but it doesn't stop there either. They're all richly formed, for better or worse. Even the villains in this story are great.

That being said, Grace is a little to quick to flip back and forth on what she should know sometimes. Not a writing flaw, more of an individual character flaw. I couldn't decide if I wanted to cheer her.. or shake her until she saw reason.. but she's inherently good and means to do what's right. Her love interest is a beauty though.. inside and out.. a lovely character I spent the entire novel just wanting to protect. The absolute horrors wrought upon him and through him opened up a hole in my chest as I read. At times he made me laugh because he could be such a brat, but I adored him all the same. Perhaps even more due to those parts of his personality. In fact, there's a comment about an omelette that made me laugh so much, I nearly had to explain myself to the other people in my house.


"'Grace,' he whispered. 'I know. You're fine. Where does it hurt?' He laughed, a short and bitter laugh. He couldn't help himself. 'Everywhere?'"


My only complaints are small ones. Periodically, more so toward the end, the author seemed to rely on repetition to draw out a dramatic scene. Something literally might be said in one paragraph.. and restated in the very next.. and it felt unnecessary. The pacing of the novel is great and those scenes would have been just fine without repeating anything. And occasionally, feelings flipped entirely too fast. 'Never' is forgotten very quickly.

Really though, that's the worst thing I can say about this book and it's so insignificant. So minor, it's barely worth mentioning. I genuinely loved this story, the characters, the world, the way it's written.. everything about it.. and would recommend it to anyone looking for a great new fantasy series that is only just beginning..

-------------------------

02-21: I managed to finish the non-fiction first after all and now I'm focused on this one. But wow.. I do NOT like Aurelia and Asher. AT. ALL. Bastien.... *sigh*

02-17: Just started this one and one other. I'd intended to get through the non-fiction title first.. but I keep thinking about Mageborn and may just hop to this one. lol.

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, not a completely horrible start to the series.

Mageborn was a pretty cool concept. In it, you will see a ton of magic, manipulation, betrayal, and hints of romance. Heck maybe a reunion or two. You will also meet Grace. Now she she grew up an orphan but is now the captain of her group of soldiers. Their mission is to find hollow mageborns and arrest or fight them. It's her duty to protect the kingdom.

Yet, that's not all. She is somehow on a new mission to protect the prince, Bastien. Which is weird because he is an actual mageborn. Or course these two bicker in a way and you could sense some sexual tension between them. However, I somehow couldn't remember how old everyone was... maybe it was mentioned maybe it wasn't. So when I got to some scenes I was like.. wait a hot damn minute - how old are these people?

Other than that, this book did have some predictable twists and turns throughout the book. I'm still not sure how I feel about the actual romance that happened in this but maybe my thoughts and opinions will change once I dive into the next book? Luckily, for me, I got the ARC of the next book. Hopefully it's good.

[Katie Gallagher · Rating 3 out of 5]

For other fun bookish stuff, visit my blog!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me a free advanced reader copy of this book for an honest review. Mageborn debuted February 18th.

Jessica Thorne’s book The Queen’s Wing blew me away last year; I fell in love with its characters, its science-fantasy feel, and the can’t-look-away plot. So when I saw that Thorne has a new series out, I immediately hit the request button on NetGalley. Mageborn was an all right read for me, but I don’t think that it measures up to Thorne’s other series, unfortunately. In all honesty, I do think that because I’ve read the other series and know Thorne’s potential, this knowledge kept me from fully falling in love with Mageborn.

The premise is pretty interesting–a woman who tracks down rogue magic users is given an assignment that puts her in close contact with the heir to the throne. There’s a lot of your standard fantasy tropes: court intrigue, prejudice against those with magical abilities, shaky or repressed memories, brewing rebellion. I saw some people on Goodreads complaining about the Graceling and Sarah J. Maas comps–I don’t see much of SJM in Mageborn, but I was reminded of Graceling throughout, especially because of the jumbled memory thread of the plot. The problem is that Graceling did it much better. It’s been a while since I read the trilogy, but it sticks pretty heavily in my mind, and I’m not sure if Mageborn will. I enjoyed it while I was reading, but there wasn’t one thing that stuck out to me as setting the book above other fantasy.

There’s another thing that I debated mentioning, but I’m just going to go ahead and say it: there are too many fragmented and repetitive sentences in this book for my taste. I don’t remember Thorne’s other series relying on these stylistic choices so much, or perhaps the intense plot of that series made it so that I didn’t notice. I noticed it here, though, a lot; it feels like you can’t go two sentences without a fragment or repetition. For example:

She didn’t pull away and for that he was grateful. Stupidly grateful.

Or this one, which takes the repetition to a ridiculous level:

“Tell him… tell him I didn’t want this. I didn’t want any of this.”

“He knows, pet,” said Simona. “Divinities protect and defend you, he knows.”

Did you count? That’s tell him, I didn’t want… this, and he knows, all repeated in the span of twenty-six words. Don’t get me wrong; repetition can be a powerful tool for writers to place emphasis on something, but you can’t go a page in Mageborn without seeing Thorne leaning on these writing tricks. It got old for me fast, sadly, in the same way that SJM’s writing can wear on a person.

Essentially, I had decent fun reading this book, but it didn’t leave me with a deep impression. Maybe I’ll pick up the next in series, but mostly I’ll be hoping for a third in Thorne’s other series, since there are still a lot of plot threads left to explore there.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

*THANK YOU to Bookouture for graciously providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

That magical extravaganza on the beautiful cover made me stop ,and look more thorough at the synopsis....and after that i was hitting the request buttoon in an instant.
In the aftermath of the Last Great War,that happened long ago, now every mageborn(those born with an ancient and now outlawed magic) should surrender their magical abilities to the Crown,or be destroyed.
Here steps in one of our main characters,named Grace Marchant,an elite soldier tracking down mageborn.
All of a sudden,a lot of mageborns start to disappear,or end up dead with burn marks on their hands...and all of their magic drained.
Her investigation leads her to the famous King’s cousin Bastien Larelwynn...or also known as Lord of Thorns in the whole kingdom of Rathlynn.
Unexpected alliance.... and more unexpected turn of events shake their lives upside down and nothing...or rather no one is what it seems to be...

The whole story is told from two POV's
Grace Marchant - an orphan that can't remember her past,now an elite soldier living in the Academy
I loved her character, she's tough as nails and did what had to be done....not what was easy.
Bastien Larelwynn - the mageborn King’s cousin and his only heir.
Well...to be honest....he got on my last nerves with his foolish decisions and naivety...but i gues that was part of his...charm maybe.
The only thing that was bugging me a little,there were a few chapters i really wished that they were from the oposite POV,so i could see what was going through the mind of the other character.

To wrap it up, that was quite the journey and would love to see what happens in the next book!
And again thank you for the opportunity to read Mageborn!


SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER
SPOILER SPOILER Another tiny thing that was hoping to see as the book unfold,was SPOILER SPOILER more about Grace's mage powers and more development in that SPOILER SPOILER aspect. Really curious what she would've done with more mage power on SPOILER SPOILER her hands. SPOLER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

[Yvonne · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

The writing in this book is just bad. Here's the opening line:

Ripples and waves of light danced on the roof of the cave, the churning maelstrom of the flowing pool beneath reflected on the centuries-old rock worn smooth by the passage of time and water.

This book tries really hard to be descriptive by throwing in lots of adjectives, adverbs, and by abusing the thesaurus, and yet I had a hard time picturing anything happening or what any of the characters looked like on the pages I read. None of it is actually well-described.

Another line: 'His unholy brethren rose like a tangle of briars.' This simile makes no sense. Also, there's a lot of gazing intently or impassively going on. I feel like anyone who's ever attempted to write anything and gotten constructive criticism has been told to pare down adverbs, but apparently this author either hasn't heard that advice or just has chosen to ignore it.

I can't even tell you if the story is any good because the writing was too distracting. Not gonna waste my time on this. Maybe someone who doesn't really notice the writing itself might enjoy this, but I am not that someone.

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

[Tams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an eARC of this book for review.

You know when you start a book and it immediately grabs you, and then when you’re not reading it, you keep thinking about it? That was Mageborn for me.

I really enjoyed the magical systems and mythology behind the Maegen and The Hollow King.

Grace is just awesome because she’s a somewhat taciturn control-freak who is actually a softie deep down - I can totally identify with that! Bastien gives me slight Rhysand vibes, and we all love Rhys, don’t we?

I don’t know why but it always makes me happy when there’s a mystery to unravel in fantasy books; what made Grace and Bastien forget their pasts? Can they trust ANYONE?! (I’m a skeptic and trusted no one throughout the book.) I also love not trusting anyone.

Basically this book was just right up my alley! This one is definitely for fans of YA fantasy similar to SJM or Shadow Frost by Coco Ma.

I cannot wait for the next book and expanding on this world and story!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the first couple of chapters, I expected to love this book with all my heart. The beginning made me feel so much for the characters and I could feel myself getting attached already. Sadly, this didn't end up to be the five stars book I thought it would be. It was still entertaining and enjoyable just not as much as I wanted it to be.

If you don't know, Mageborn follows Grace Marchant, a soldier in charge of a team who tracks Mageborn - those who are hiding from the Crown and the dangerous ones who needs to be controlled. In this world, magic can quickly turn to madness. To avoid that, Mageborn have to go to the Lord of Thorns, the Prince, and surrender some of their powers to him in order to keep the Darkness at bay.

When a mission goes wrong and the Lord of Thorns has to syphon all magic from one of her teammates, she'll learn with time that he's not the monster everyone think he is. Bastien (the Prince) has a really bad reputation but it turns out he's kind of a victim. He gets manipulated, drugged and almost raped. It made me really uncomfortable and I wanted them to get the karma those people deserved. Unfortunately, that didn't really happened.

The romance in this book disappointed me. It didn't feel natural. Instead, it felt awkward and forced. Another case of a love story existing simply because every YA Fantasy book out there feel the need to have a romance in it. When it's well done and I can feel the sparks of the pages, I'm all for it. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case here. I could have done without it, to be honest.

This book was a bit too predictable for my taste. I could see the twists and turns from far away but that's okay. I was still looking forward to the reveals. As for the ending, I wish this would have been made a standalone. I don't imagine myself picking up the sequel so I would have preferred to see things wrapped up in a more satisfying way. This is the second book I've read from this author and I'm still curious to see what she could come up with in the future.

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a fun read it with two main characters who were initially antagonists until they found a common foe who was taking advantage of the magical situation.

Grace Marchant had had her magic drained off in her childhood, and all she remembered was being left on the doorstep of the Academy from where she trained to become a great commander who would hunt down Mageborn, people having magic so that magic could be leeched or made to bow down.

Bastien was the cousin to the king who drained the Mageborn of their magic and conducted experiments to help them, or so he thought. The main leads had their duties cut out until someone began killing the Mageborns, and both were forced to work together to find out the truth. Secrets, plotting of an insane mind, and need for more power were all exposed down the line.

Having read a few books by author Jessica Thorne, I was quite excited by the beginning of this story. Rules of magic were clear. The attraction between the main characters was kept subtle. I loved how the two joined forces and worked not only against the power hungry people of the Kingdom but also the deep coil of dark power inside Bastien that was destroying him one cell at a time.

The story went through its adventure, and the wicked minds of folks kept me hooked to the story. The action scenes and the political treachery moved the story forward. The mid section slowed down, and the prose could have been more interesting. Luckily, the last few chapters more than made up for it. The ending was a shocker which had me reveling in joy at the sheer power that was unleashed. It was quite a secret that was kept hidden in the entire book.

Overall, quite an interesting read over tea and biscuits.

[Faultsareus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thankyou for approving me on netgalley for an honest review.

"Bastien: 'Apotheosis isn’t worth it if you lose what matters.’
Grace: Apotheosis.Trust him to find a big word she didn’t understand."
Well I agree with Grace on that one I had to look up the word myself!😂

#BookReview: #Mageborn by #JessicaThorne
Grace is an orphan sold to the crown who has been trained as an elite soldier to track down Mageborns– those who are born with forbidden magic– and destroy them if they dont surrender and serve the crown.
The mageborn who submit are collared, then handed over to the King’s cousin and heir: the elusive, shady and dangerous Bastien Larelwynn, Lord of Thorns.
But then Grace herself begins to show the first signs of magic which scares her. Bastien is the only one who can help her and the other mageborn most of who are shunned and enslaved. But ofcourse he has his own problems to deal with. What with the assassination attempts, conspiracy and trauma.

I genuinely enjoyed the book. There is royalty, magic, secrets, romance, curses, hidden identities! One question is answered and even more arise, the need to find those answers kept me glued to the book. The suspense never leaves. There are many funny moments and situations arising from interaction of the characters.
This book does not waste time. Everything happens swiftly, don't worry you wont get lost. Though you may not enjoy the lack of backstories. Why I say this?? Kai, Daniel and other companions of Grace. I want to know more about them. The world building is quite good and it gave a bit of Elizabethan England vibes for some reason.

Its written in POV of Bastien and Grace who are very different from each other and yet so alike. Like yin and yang. Both of them are tortured abused and yet find the the compassion and kindness for others. The romance is raw and heartwarming in spite of being a bit rushed.

There is one issue though, the moments where they save each other and their interaction with the Meagen felt repetitive. So much so that when the penultimate moment arrives it feels like deja vu and isn't as poignant as I hoped.
The epilogue left me with a 100 more questions and which I hope will be answered in the sequel also I suspect Bastien and Grace aren't done with their secrets and neither are the secrets done with them.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this novel from net galley and the publisher. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This novel was a great read! Magic and mayhem go hand in hand, beginning with a war hundreds of years ago and a boy who wanted to save his people made a deal. Power is everything and there are those who steal it for nefarious purposes. Grace Marchant had her powers stolen from her as a child and lost her memories as a result. However, she powers seem to be returning and she needs to keep them hidden. Grace does her duty and is loyal, but when mageborn are disappearing and bodies are appearing all over the city, it all points to the most powerful mageborn, Bastien Larelwynn, Lord of Thorns, cousin and heir to the king. Bastien has many gaps in his memories, does not want to be king, and trusts the wrong people, but is not the monster people claim him to be. Bastien gets involved with Grace's investigation, curious and concerned about what is happening to the mageborn. Grace and Bastien stumble upon plans that have been years in the making and will have to work together to stop the stealing of magic. Both will be betrayed by those closest to them and have to make sacrifices to protect those they care for. What neither expected, was to fall in love. Looking forward to the next novel in the series!

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy / Romance
*Rating* 3.5-4

*Thoughts*

Mageborn is the first installment in author Jessica Thorne's The Hollow King series. This story actually has two main characters which the author alternates her story with: Lieutenant Grace Marchant and Bastien Larelwynn. Grace was apparently dumped off at the Academy when she was a child after having her magic, called Flint (Firestarter), ripped out of her. Grace and her squad (Daniel, Ellyn, Kai) are trained to track down wild Mageborn, those who possess dangerous magic, who refuse to submit to the Crown.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Bookouture for providing me an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Hollow King:
1. Mageborn — 4⭐
2. Nightborn — coming soon!

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Grace Marchant is a trained soldier from the Academy. All the things she has done, horrible but necessary, were for the people who couldn't protect themselves against all the ruthless mageborn. It is her honour to serve the king, the crown, and the kingdom. It's what she knows.
The Lord of Thorns is feared by his people and that fear does not come from anywhere. His powerful magic is his blessing as well as his curse. With it, comes great responsibility and temptation. He was supposed to be the protector of the mageborn but he could also be the one person that would bring a terrible fate to the kingdom.
Many mageborn is missing and being killed. Grace Marchant is tasked to solve the case. All the proves could only lead to one person. The very person she is trying to avoid or else her secret will come out and destroy her. Past and present intertwined. Little did she know that there's a bigger thing took a part in this and that person she's dreading to know, might be the answer she's looking for.

MAGIC | AWESOME FIGHT SCENES | HOT BURNING ROMANCE | SECRETS FROM THE PAST | AWESOME FMC | POLITICAL INTRIGUES

I started reading Mageborn not knowing what to expect and now, after I finished it, it blew my mind. This is the perfect book for those who are a fan of fantasy, romance, a great world-building, an intricate magic system, and plot twists that will shake you to the core!

I loved everything about Mageborn. Aside from the alluring cover, the plot amazed me and I surely didn't see that one particular shocking twist coming. Though there were moments that got me confused, it didn't take long before I got the hang of the story. I was totally addicted, I couldn't put it down until the sun was about to come up!

“I'm the Lord of Thorns, remember? The king of the mageborn.”

The characters were as intriguing as the storyline. Grace, as the FMC, is everything I hope for in every fantasy book. She's strong, smart, and determined. While Bastien, our Lord of Thorns, though mysterious and powerful, he is kind, charming, and a fun person to be around. Other characters were interesting as well and I wish I'd see their great development in the sequel.

This book as the first installment in the series has a lot of potentials and it definitely lived up to each of my expectations and more. It sucked me right from the beginning and the action never slowed down. There were jaw-dropping secrets and sickening betrayals. Plus, the romance was not something to be missed. The sequel, Nightborn, sounds promising and I can't wait to dive back into Grace's and Bastien's story!

“I serve the crown, yes. I serve the king, the true king. And it is my honour to serve.”

Overall, I really enjoyed reading Mageborn. A gripping fantasy tale with a burning romance, unique magic system, loveable characters, great world-building, beautiful writing, and a pace that will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat. If you're looking for a next worthy read, search no more. I recommend adding this book to your TBR list!

Thank you for reading and liking my review! What are your thoughts on this book? I'd love to discuss it in the comments, so don't hesitate to write down your opinion! Follow my socials and get awesome book recommendations or we can just talk about books 24/7 😄

[Aoife · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full video review (spoiler free): https://bit.ly/2LFU5OS

Grace Marchant is a soldier whose job it is to find and arrest corrupt Mageborn (people born with magical powers) and deliver them to the crown for justice. When Grace's job ends up in her losing a valued member of the team, it puts her in contact with Bastien, the Lord of Thorns - a member of the Royal Family with his own powers, and also the heir to the throne. As a murder investigation spirals out of control, Grace ends up having to team up with Bastien, and also protect him from danger all around while they both figure out how to try and save their city from terrible forces of evil.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the age of the characters - who all seem to be in the early to mid-twenties. It was really refreshing to read a book with relatable characters who weren't also dealing with teen acne and hormones but also strong in their own right, with relative life experience already behind them and no hovering parental figures in the way (not to mention healthy sexual appetites and relations).

The city this story is set in was also built up very well by the author and it had all the things you would normally see in a typical fantasy - the palace itself, the highborn area, an armoury/soldiers' quarters and then the market place, plus taverns of varying repute and the slums. And also a lot of secret passageways.

There was a decent amount of chemistry between Bastien and Grace which I enjoyed, though personally I would have preferred more of a slow burn as when the story really began to get going with the mageborn murder investigation, the romance seemed to very suddenly take control. While I liked the interactions between Grace and Bastien, I also wanted a juicy murder mystery and I feel like this element of the story was lost completely which was disappointing.

Bastien, as a character - while a delicious mix between The Darkling and Prince Cardan of Elfhame, seemed to be a confusing juxtaposition of many different things. While he was thought to be strong and dangerous, and extremely powerful, we kept seeing him in moments where he seemed very weak and Grace is charged with protecting him - yet at times, it's proven he has crazy magic powers and really adept fighting ability. I couldn't figure it out, and I disliked feeling like he was a bit pathetic at times because what I was seeing was different than what we had been told. But also on the flip side of that, I liked the gender swap that was the female character being the main protector.

The magic system is quite intricate in this book, and when it's combined with the history of the gods, it can get a little bit confusing and I'm hoping the second book will make me feel more comfortable with the lore and provide me a true understanding of the gods and all their relations with each other, and how some of the reveals in Mageborn actually work.

This book is a really good stepping stone for people who may read mostly romance or contemporary, and who want to start reading more fantasy without diving head deep into a super long tome.

[Laura ☾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review * 
3 stars  

Grace, an orphan, is part of an elite corps of soldiers, fights corrupt or hollow Mageborn..Bastien is seneschal to the Mageborn, as well as the King's cousin, monitors Mageborn, punishes those who will not submit to the crown.

Overall, this was an alright read. It's engaging, slowly introducing the world initially. But overall, the plot (or lack thereof to fuel the romance aspect) leaves a bit to be desired, and comes off quite cliché . The language is very odd at times, and absolutely full of overwrought metaphors. There definitely could have been more world-building though, and I feel like none of the characters really got to shine much other than Grace and Bastien.

ALSO, the blurb compares it to SJM, which definitely is not a good thing. While this was somewhat entertaining in its own right, it's nothing like her writing, especially in terms of character depth, and comparing the two makes Mageborn look far worse than it is.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review.

Grace Marchant is a soldier, trained to track down wild Mageborn, those who possess dangerous magic, who refused to submit to the Crown. In a world where Mageborn are forced to obey to the Crown, collared and used by It, Grace struggles to keep her secret magic hidden. Helped by her team, Ellyn, Daniel and Kai, Grace fights for the Crown, trying not to question her loyalty, but when Kai's magic turns itself on him and his fate is decided by the Lord of Thorns, the heir of the crown Bastien Larelwynn, Grace finds herself conflicted. And when the dying king tasks her to protect him, Bastien and Grace are forced to work together, trying to discover the fate of murdered Mageborn in the city. But the plot is more complex that Grace would have thought and while she fights against her feelings for Bastien and tries to understand how to protect him and discover the truth, Bastien struggles with the same thoughts and emotions. In the meantime, forces rally to try to control Bastien's powers, to use him, to force him and the sake of all the mageborn of the kingdom is at stake.

Mageborn is the first book of The Hollow king saga and it's a complex tale of magic, love, adventure, intrigue and power.
While the beginning is slow and, at first, the story couldn't get my full attention, the story then becomes more interesting and fast paced.
Told by two POVs, Grace's and Bastien's, the story follows the main characters, while they trying to uncover a convoluted scheme. Both Grace and Bastien are interesting characters, both of them struggles with their memories and emotions for each other and they are strong and loyal to their people and family.
Grace is a loyal soldier, but she's able to think with her own head, to trust her instinct, magic or other, and to make the right decision. Burdened by her own missing memories and by her power, Grace is stubborn, smart and sarcastic.
Bastien, like Grace, is burdened by his own missing memories and powers, fighting to right the wrongs in his city and kingdom, fighting to protect the mageborn by others' clutches. He's witty, powerful and tormented. Unlike Grace, who found her family in the Academy with her team, Bastien's loneliness and being out of place is acutely written and clear.
Right away Bastien and Grace are attracted to each other, trusting one other in a fight for freedom and survival.
Their relationship is a complicated one, maybe fueled by the magic inside them, bringing them together, binding them. I liked reading their interactions, because they are witty, sarcastic and able to see and understand their own vulnerabilities, while learning to know and love each other.
Interesting are the side characters and the villains in the story. Ellyn is the trusted friend and soldier, Daniel is, maybe, the naive and in love guy, ready to do anything for the people he cared about. I really wished the author would have developed more Ellyn's and Daniel's characters, because I really liked them and I hope the next one will do, because I need to know more about Daniel's family, Misha and Kurt and Ellyn's.
I won't write about the villains, because I don't want to spoiler anyone, but they are interesting, power hungry and dangerous. Seeing Bastien used and manipulated was hard to read and it was interesting the dynamics between Bastien and his cousin Marius and the story about the Hollow King.

Jessica Thorne created a world where the magic is seen as a tool to be used in order to control it, to protect other people, a world where mageborn are captured and collared and where only few protest for their rights to be free. It was interesting reading about all kinds of mageborn exist and how they use their power, like the Flint, Zephyr, Leech and so on.
Written skillfully, Mageborn is a book full of adventure, romance, action and intrigue and I can't wait to know more about Grace's and Bastien's adventure and what will happen to Rathlynn.

[Hina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Erm....ah... HOW DO I EXPLAIN MY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS BOOK?



There are no words to describe how awesome this book is...BUT LET'S USE SOME WORDS TO DESCRIBE IT ANYWAYSSSSS. Maybe some Gifs here and there!

You can find a review for this book on my instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faemance/

Follow me for book rants, reviews and much more ♥

You can also find a spoiler filled review on my book blog: https://faemance.wixsite.com/blog

I will be providing a *SPOILER FREE* review for now.... The moment February 18 hits. I am editing this review and you can bet I will unleash my true ranty feelings about all the characters♥♥♥

So I always like to put my initial reaction to a synopsis because they either are total liars and terrible or they are on point.

So I feel like the synopsis is mysterious but a little too mysterious for my taste. After reading the book I would probably describe this book much differently than how the publisher's decided to go about it.



So I was intrigued though by the whole premise. I was excited to read a dark epic fantasy with some romance! The cover also helped me get sucked into reading this book.

This is how I personally would describe it. I will put this in spoilers because it does reveal some things but all of it happens in the first few chapters of the book...Read at your own peril :)



Grace Merchant was an orphan left on the steps of the Academy a group of elite soldiers who work for the crown. With no recollection of what happened to her or who she was, she was taken into the Academy and now heads a small team of soldiers that tracks down Mageborn (basically magic wielding beings in the kingdom) who end up not pledging their fealty to the crown or those who cause too much problems. She ends up running into a Mageborn who nearly costs her life when her close friend and colleague Kai, a mageborn with the ability to siphon abilities, ends up saving her by siphoning all the magic in her attacker. This in turn causes him to go hollow (mad with too much magic). In a desperate measure to saver her friend, Grace takes Kai to healers only to find Bastien Larelwynn, Lord of Thorns and keeper of Mageborn, called in. Beyond help, he takes Kai's life and Grace meets the prince and cousin to the King. From that point on, Grace finds out about various cases of siphoning deaths. Mageborns who are murdered by magic being leeched too quickly, but she only has witnessed one person who has the power to do that and it was the Lord of Thorns himself....



I loved this book so much for so many reasons. It broke my heart into a million pieces and put it all back together again. I laughed, smiled, and gasped in surprise at every step of the way. This book was my spirit animal. It sounds so extra, but I am EXTRA . I hate a lot of books, feel indifferent, but rarely do I love a book to the point where I am like PLEASE READ THIS NOW. I honestly think this is one of my favorite books and hopefully I feel the same way about the rest of the books in the series!

50 bajillion stars ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯ 5 clearly is not enough.



I nominate myself as the culty leader of this book series



So you will LOVE this book if you...

Really like sexual tension and denial based romances.



I personally do, but some people need frilly romances in their life. I for one.... DO NOT. I love the tension between Grace Merchant and Bastien Larelwynn. If I really had to describe or compare, think of Rhysand from A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. He is the dark broody misunderstood man. However I think Bastien is different. Tall dark and handsome yes, but he is a character I felt a refreshing change from the Alpha males in fantasy romances. BUT GRACE IS NOT FEYRE. Nope. I never liked Feyre.... Grace is strong-willed. She knows what she wants and what is good for her.

Really like a dark storyline.



This is a dark fantasy and because of that it has more darker elements. I personally felt like I was sucked into a universe where I just needed to know more. I was constantly at the edge of my bed, seat, any possible surface I was reading on.

Descriptive engaging world building



I loved the world of Rathlynn. I fell in love with Bastien and his dark personality and dangerous past. I understood Grace and her need for order in the middle of chaos and her quick thinking. The whole premise of the world Jessica Thorne was building was amazing.



You will HATE this book if you...

Only like fated/mated/ insta-love romances



Yeah nope. Not the book for you. If you're looking for the I LOVE YOU in an instant, and OMG I knew from the instant I saw you. I'm looking at you Halfway to the Grave Don't you dare read it and then be like OH BUT THERE WAS NO ROMANCE........ um Hi? There was romance. Just not the kind you like...It is a tension based romance. It's not some complex fated to be together type of romance. I've read so many romance tropes. Just trust me on this.

Have a hard time with dark premises and plotlines



There is a mystery element with a bunch of murders and bunch of other dark points in this fantasy hence it is a dark fantasy. If you are not a fan of dark fantasy, I wouldn't read it.

I would definitely recommend this book! Need a dark fantasy with a tension filled romance and a mystery in a world full of magic and danger thennnnnnnnn READ IT!

Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC :D

[maysri??? · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOINEEDTHESEQUELNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOINEEDTHESEQUELNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOINEEDTHESEQUELRIGHTNOOWNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAWHOLEMONTHOFWAITINGNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPEOPLEAREEVILNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFIRSTAERMIANFUEDS,THENPURPLEHYACINTH,THENMYDEEPESTSECRETANDNOWTHISSSSSSSNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (Congrats, you made it to the end. Comment "blurb" and I will be ever grateful to have you in my life. Even if I don't know you.)

[K.S. Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

For Grace, it is an honour to serve. Alongside her team, she is trained to stop evil magic-users. A new case, and a broodingly-handsome new ally are soon to unravel everything.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grace tracks down the mageborn, so they can be registered and put to useful work; or stopped if necessary. All the while, Grace keeps quiet that she once had magic, and there are traces of it still, allowing her to be super-effective at sniffing it out.
After a mageborn girl is killed, and left with scars on her hand, just like Grace's, the investigation becomes so much more important.

Bastien is the kings cousin, and 'Lord of Thorns' - the royal magic-user who traditionally cannot ever assume the throne. His cousin is sick, though, and Bastien finds himself the only (and unwilling) heir. His country fear him becoming a tyrannical king, if given the chance; and his court is full of schemers. Only Grace can be trusted.

This started off as a murder mystery, set in a city with oppressed magic. I was completely hooked by the world and the rules that the author had created.
Unfortunately, the plot quickly becomes swallowed by the romance between Bastien and Grace, which was quite sweet in places, but a bit overwhelming.
When it steers back to the mystery of the stolen magic, in the second half of the book, it was good, but not as great as the first section.
I did have an eye-rolling moment when the Bad Guys literally show off to everyone that they are Bad Guys. In front of the people investigating them, and the ones that could potentially stop them.

I do really like the dynamics between Grace and her team. They are more than just background characters, they have their parts to play, and I hope their in the rest of the series.

Overall this was a 3.5 out of 5 for me. It's a fun read, and I am intrigued as to what happens next.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an electronic version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an enjoyable read! The magic system was really interesting - I haven't read any other books with quite the same concept, where one incredibly strong magic-wielder is charged with protecting and strengthening the regular ones.

I really enjoyed the depth of the two main characters. Thorne clearly wrote them with much thought and research to make them so complex. The unspeakable, malicious and reckless nature of the antagonists was portrayed strongly as well.

I found that this book did somewhat lack a definite plot (mostly stuff just happened by coincidence), but I have noticed that this often happens with the first book in a series, and it forms a sort of introduction to the world and characters. However, I absolutely could not put this book down. I was completely captivated from the first page!

I highly recommend Mageborn for any lovers of fantasy who enjoy a bit of a romantic twist and some truly despicable bad guys.

[Book busy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give up. DNF. Just magic people dying or being horny in dream worlds for each other. This is partially a bias thing but I was just not engaged. It was sort of unique and I do urge others to maybe give it a try but YA fantasy is beginning to all read the same to me...

[Bevany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantasy book with some fun twists! The characters and world were interesting, and the ending was a fun surprise.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of fantasy and YA books , so when I heard about Mageborn I knew that I had to read it. It’s exactly the kind of thing I’m looking for these days.

Grace Marchant tracks down Mageborn (those who have ancient magic) and destroys them if they don’t surrender. Bastien Larelwynn is the Lord of Thorns and cousin to the king. Grace and Bastien cross paths when Grace is dealing with a Mageborn. One of her oldest friends ends up in trouble and Bastien steps in to help in the only way he knows how. This doesn’t sit well with Grace, and it also begins their intertwined fates in the story.

I can’t say that Mageborn is something I haven’t seen before, but I really enjoyed it. I have a soft spot for reading about highborns who are made out to be the worst in the world and then they go on this massive character arc journey. I really like seeing how the character will deal with what comes their way. Bastien is one such character. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Grace too, but I’m a sucker for a villain, and Mageborn has them in spades.

There were quite a few moral (if you can call,it that when magic is involved!) struggles for the characters, and I really liked how the author could take the reader on the journey with the characters. It was good to see the motivations, both good and bad.

Mageborn is a great fantasy read. I loved the world-building and I really liked the way the author used the magic and how it could change depending on which character was wielding it. The characters were well-drawn, devious, sharp, conflicted, and that’s just Bastien! Really likes the arc Grace took too. She really comes into her own by the end of the book and I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series!

Addictive, compelling and fun, I would definitely recommend Mageborn!

[Hayley Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading the synopsis and falling in love with the cover I requested a copy to read for myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me a copy for an honest review.

This story follows an orphaned soldier named Grace who tracks down rogue ‘Mageborns’. Grace has doubts about the law that tracks down Mageborns, that sees them collared to harness their powers and some are even handed over to the king’s cousin the Lord of Thorns. Being a soldier of the Academy comes first and she abides by the law regardless of her reservations. Grace has her own secrets and when her world collides with The Lord of Thorns himself, she finds he has secrets of his own too.

This story is told from two POVs – Grace and Bastien the Lord of Thorns and this gives a deeper insight into their true reactions to each other.

From the prologue I was hooked, the blend of despair and hope in those first few pages had me intrigued to find out how the story would unfold.

Typical for enemies to lovers, there is heartbreak from the very beginning, and this was something that continued throughout the story. Secrets are revealed, friends turn out to be enemies, and help came from an unexpected source in the end.

This story obviously caught my eye – but I enjoyed it so much more than I could have envisioned. There is a slow but rewarding build up to the dramatic conclusion, and reading through the last few chapters I was going through a rollercoaster of emotions – my heart felt like it had been ripped out, trampled on, and then trampled on some more for good measure. I was horrified at the grief and betrayal these characters were going through. My heart ached at one scene in particular – my frustration at the ‘what ifs’ had me taking a coffee break before continuing.

It was quite refreshing to see the vulnerabilities of not only Grace but Bastien too. Grace was in fact his saviour and there wasn’t any of the usual masculine bravado that you tend to see in these kinds of stories. Grace and Bastien complimented each other well and supported each other as equals (even after certain revelations).

This book is certainly a page turner, I read it over two afternoons. I am very much looking forward to the sequel.

I thoroughly recommend, if like me you’re a sucker for enemies to lovers, with just the right amount of sexual tension, magic and intrigue – to grab this book on 18th February!

This was the first book by Jessica Thorne that I have read and won’t be the last!

[Francisca Pinto · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recieved this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just WOOOOOW THIS IS MY BOOK STYLE!

Mageborn is one of this books with dark fantasy and no regrets to kill a character, and ok I know it's bad to kill a person but we need books with reality about wars and bad/mad people... no beautiful fantasy.

This is a story about people who born mageborn and for the kingdom, it's was a curse...

All the mageborns are collared and submit for the kingdom to take control of them. Some many years ago they have a very huge war: "Last Great War" where so many mageborns were dead and the Larelwynns take control of the kingdom.

Grace is a captain who don't remember anything about her past, she only know she had parents, her house was in flames and she was a mageborn, nothing else. Grace is going to be one on my favorite female characters!! I like her very much and I be very anxious to see her growing up in the next books. And Bastien or "The Lord of Thorns"... we need to know him better...

Merged review:

I recieved this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just WOOOOOW THIS IS MY BOOK STYLE!

Mageborn is one of this books with dark fantasy and no regrets to kill a character, and ok I know it's bad to kill a person but we need books with reality about wars and bad/mad people... no beautiful fantasy.

This is a story about people who born mageborn and for the kingdom, it's was a curse...

All the mageborns are collared and submit for the kingdom to take control of them. Some many years ago they have a very huge war: "Last Great War" where so many mageborns were dead and the Larelwynns take control of the kingdom.

Grace is a captain who don't remember anything about her past, she only know she had parents, her house was in flames and she was a mageborn, nothing else. Grace is going to be one on my favorite female characters!! I like her very much and I be very anxious to see her growing up in the next books. And Bastien or "The Lord of Thorns"... we need to know him better...

[Yolit Zacarías · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thing that caught my attention from the book was the wonderful cover, it was love at first sight. Mageborn is the first book in the series The Hollow King, a book that is full of magic from its impressive and compelling prologue to its magnificent finale. an ending that will make you want to read his second part as soon as possible.

It is an admirable story, dazzling and very addictive, full of magic, secrets, revenge and truths that will come out and make you want to know more.

The only thing against this book is that sometimes the story went a little slow, much of the beginning is extremely slow and it might take a little while to get into the reading, But after that, everything gets interesting and better.

It’s the first book I’ve read from Jessica Thorne and I’m really caught up in this magical new world. If you like Fantasy books this is a story you must read, I assure you that you will enjoy it from beginning to end.

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my sincere review. Soon you will have my opinion a little more detailed in my blog .