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Academy of Falling Kingdoms #1
The Source of Magic
I can speak to demons. The punishment is death.
The mission: put on a dress, pretend to be a lady, and infiltrate the academy of mages to steal a journal from the forbidden archives.
The problem: I’m no mage and I’ve never worn a dress in my life.
But it’s not like I have a choice. My bastard of an uncle basically sold me to a dangerously pretty nobleman, and they can’t pull off this heist without me. Unfortunately, once I fake my way through the entrance exam with a piece of hacked mage tech, and reach the floating kingdom of Reverie, my problems are only just beginning.
Keeping my secret identity is hard enough without a suspicious prince following me around, and the jealous rich girl who wants to marry him threatening me at every turn. But I know I’m in real trouble when my magic sword starts to talk to me. If I can survive the demon attacks, the backstabbing nobles, and the piles of homework long enough, I may discover the source of magic… and if the truth gets out, it will shatter everything.
The Academy of Falling Kingdoms series is a young adult fantasy adventure full of monsters, murder and romantic intrigue. Fans who enjoyed Rachel Carter’s Black Mage series and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy will love this sprawling magic academy!
What reviewers are saying:
“OH MY GOD. I cannot rave enough about this book. It was PHENOMENAL!!! What a roller-coaster of emotions!” ★★★★★
“This book had me enchanted from page one. I love all the twists and turns. Everyone has a hidden agenda. And nothing is at seems on the floating city.” ★★★★★
“Action, mystery, danger, and adventure with a touch of romance. Some great twists and an amazing ending. I can’t wait to read what happens next.” ★★★★★
“WOW! Be prepared to stay reading once you start! Wonderful plot, interesting characters, and the setting is literally magical! Absolutely loved this book!” ★★★★★
BOOKS INCLUDED IN THIS SERIES
Book 1: The Source of Magic
“A roller-coaster of emotions.”
“I turned each page with breathless anticipation.”
Book 2: The Secret of Magic
“The characters are poignant and the story never fails.”
“More twists and turns in this book than I thought possible.”
Book 3: The Scourge of Magic
“Nothing about this series is disappointing.”
“Exciting, intense, imaginative. I could not put it down.”
Scroll up and grab your copy now!
The mission: put on a dress, pretend to be a lady, and infiltrate the academy of mages to steal a journal from the forbidden archives.
The problem: I’m no mage and I’ve never worn a dress in my life.
But it’s not like I have a choice. My bastard of an uncle basically sold me to a dangerously pretty nobleman, and they can’t pull off this heist without me. Unfortunately, once I fake my way through the entrance exam with a piece of hacked mage tech, and reach the floating kingdom of Reverie, my problems are only just beginning.
Keeping my secret identity is hard enough without a suspicious prince following me around, and the jealous rich girl who wants to marry him threatening me at every turn. But I know I’m in real trouble when my magic sword starts to talk to me. If I can survive the demon attacks, the backstabbing nobles, and the piles of homework long enough, I may discover the source of magic… and if the truth gets out, it will shatter everything.
The Academy of Falling Kingdoms series is a young adult fantasy adventure full of monsters, murder and romantic intrigue. Fans who enjoyed Rachel Carter’s Black Mage series and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy will love this sprawling magic academy!
What reviewers are saying:
“OH MY GOD. I cannot rave enough about this book. It was PHENOMENAL!!! What a roller-coaster of emotions!” ★★★★★
“This book had me enchanted from page one. I love all the twists and turns. Everyone has a hidden agenda. And nothing is at seems on the floating city.” ★★★★★
“Action, mystery, danger, and adventure with a touch of romance. Some great twists and an amazing ending. I can’t wait to read what happens next.” ★★★★★
“WOW! Be prepared to stay reading once you start! Wonderful plot, interesting characters, and the setting is literally magical! Absolutely loved this book!” ★★★★★
BOOKS INCLUDED IN THIS SERIES
Book 1: The Source of Magic
“A roller-coaster of emotions.”
“I turned each page with breathless anticipation.”
Book 2: The Secret of Magic
“The characters are poignant and the story never fails.”
“More twists and turns in this book than I thought possible.”
Book 3: The Scourge of Magic
“Nothing about this series is disappointing.”
“Exciting, intense, imaginative. I could not put it down.”
Scroll up and grab your copy now!
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2019
234 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Marisa Mills
10 books50 followersBorn in East Tennessee, Marisa has spent her whole life writing. Her first novel "Andraste" was published by Hydra Publications when she was eighteen. She has also published numerous short stories. A lover of the English language, she is presently a doctoral candidate in English literature.
When not writing or reading, she is busy playing video games, crocheting, and occupying her four cats: Shady, Meta, Botas, and Tigger.
When not writing or reading, she is busy playing video games, crocheting, and occupying her four cats: Shady, Meta, Botas, and Tigger.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 21, 2020
3.5 stars? I’m rounding up because goodreads. First 200 pages or so were kind of slow, not much happened beyond what was spelled out in the synopsis. Decent cliffhanger but that’s kind of how it goes with these kindle series.
On that note, a few reviews complained about said cliff hanger, and I can relate, except generally with these types of kindle series there are massive cliff hangers but they’re published within 2-3 months back to back so it didn’t need to be that serious. Also, a few reviews that I read stated that our MC should’ve been more aware of politics, but I’m not really sure why they felt that way. She lived with an abusive uncle and the only thing she knew about politics was that to keep herself, her brother, and Sterling alive she needed to keep him happy and that people generally did not mess with her uncle or his cronies. Beyond that though she didn’t really have much experience with that sort of thing.
I actually liked Alexander, generally even hints of budding romance tends to make me eye roll (it’s unfortunate and I really really really wish I wasn’t that way) but I didn’t really mind it with them whatsoever. Vivianne was a nice “villain” and I’m interested to see her role moving forward, though I have a feeling she’ll become more of a friend and less of a foe - also terribly curious as to what was going on with her. I liked Dorian quite a lot and I hope Lucian was wrong about him - on Lucian per the Riordan Apollo books I have a special love for talking swords.
Overall it was a decent read and with that ending, I have absolutely no clue where we’ll go from here, but I do have some hopes that it’ll go the direction I want!
On that note, a few reviews complained about said cliff hanger, and I can relate, except generally with these types of kindle series there are massive cliff hangers but they’re published within 2-3 months back to back so it didn’t need to be that serious. Also, a few reviews that I read stated that our MC should’ve been more aware of politics, but I’m not really sure why they felt that way. She lived with an abusive uncle and the only thing she knew about politics was that to keep herself, her brother, and Sterling alive she needed to keep him happy and that people generally did not mess with her uncle or his cronies. Beyond that though she didn’t really have much experience with that sort of thing.
I actually liked Alexander, generally even hints of budding romance tends to make me eye roll (it’s unfortunate and I really really really wish I wasn’t that way) but I didn’t really mind it with them whatsoever. Vivianne was a nice “villain” and I’m interested to see her role moving forward, though I have a feeling she’ll become more of a friend and less of a foe - also terribly curious as to what was going on with her. I liked Dorian quite a lot and I hope Lucian was wrong about him - on Lucian per the Riordan Apollo books I have a special love for talking swords.
Overall it was a decent read and with that ending, I have absolutely no clue where we’ll go from here, but I do have some hopes that it’ll go the direction I want!
July 4, 2019
The story is interesting, and had me reading it quickly, but it relies on so many standard YA Fantasy troupes that I am not sure it was really anything new.
Wynter is an orphan girl who can't remember her parents; she is raised, along with her brother, by her Uncle - a bully who uses terror to control all those around him, including his niece and nephew. He demands that the two, who are still children, rummage in the scrap heaps from the "Floats" for magetech, and if they do not meet their quota, there will be consequences. Soon after we meet Wynter, she is sold - or at least loaned out for a price, to a mage from the Floats who wants to use her to steal something. (I was a bit confused about that; up till now, we haven't even been told she is a thief. Why anyone thought she had the skill to be a burglar or thief was beyond me.) And so she is taken to the Floats - which is actually called Reverie - and given a crash course in how to behave and then set loose in the Academy to find a journal written by a given author but given no other information as to how to find it or what it may look like.
My main issue with Wynter was how naïve she is - despite growing up in some hard-knock circumstances, she doesn't understand how people interact or how politics works. For example, she is able to hear and communicate with the demons. She starts talking to the demon (Lucian) trapped in her sword, but instead of using the time to get to know him and how everything works she just uses him - all while maintaining the belief she is not like the (other) mages. When he calls her out on that, she is confused, and then hurt when he no longer wants anything to do with her and she can't call on him for help. It's like she didn't take to heart their previous conversation, when Lucian tells her: "I've never thought much of honor... It's a completely unsustainable system, built on the assumption that everyone in the world is equally honorable. And sometimes, you must do dishonorable things for your own survival, and there's no shame in that." She tries to cultivate trust in others, she doesn't believe those she probably could rely on and believes those she really shouldn't.
And that's what is most galling - how easily manipulatable she is. At least Lucien told her why he was being nice and what he wanted from her; everyone else she pretty much believed at face value. For example, the handsome price (I told you ever troupe was present in this book) warns Wynter not to trust demons, but she never questions why. True, some have been attacking her, but she also never questioned why they were attacking - and when she realized they were being controlled by someone else, she still didn't question why she should believe demons are inherently bad and just assumed that if Lucien was set free he would immediately attack. Yet when Prince Alexander tells her "We could be great together; you know. You have a real gift for understanding demons, and I'm working to understand them. I'd bet we can discover some exciting things, you and I." she gobbles it up and is ready to swoon at his feet, ready to divulge all her secrets and never once considers he could be playing her.
I would just think a girl growing up with a sadistic mob-boss of an uncle would be able to spot emotional manipulation more easily and not fall for it. There is no character development in this book - which ends on a cliff hanger, and so I can only hope she will start opening her eyes and using her head a bit more. Though I will say that at the very end, she used her sense of right to actually do the right thing! Since that was typically in line with her personality already, I'm not ready to concede that was a full developmental twist to the story.
There were some statements about love and honor in this book, as well as how confidence (one's beliefs, not abilities, that position you in life), that seemed profound in their own way. Like little nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout.
Overall, it was an interesting story and I would like to continue reading it to see how it ends. But in this first book of the series, I wasn't overwhelmed with anything novel. In fact, the story of a girl rising from the slums to live in the floating city above while not realizing she has the ability to access magic and yet is caught up in a conspiracy she doesn't understand was very reminiscent of Storm Glass and the The Harbinger Series. Because of that, it gets 3 stars - it is good, but it is also just average.
**I was provided a free ARC to read in exchange for my review.**
Additional Note: The ARC had some grammatical and other errors (referencing the tiara as a necklace at one point) that could have benefited from an additional read - or just fresh eyes reading it. Typically, such an issue would automatically make it lose an additional star, but since this was an ARC I am giving the authors/book the benefit of the doubt and letting my 3 stars stand.
Wynter is an orphan girl who can't remember her parents; she is raised, along with her brother, by her Uncle - a bully who uses terror to control all those around him, including his niece and nephew. He demands that the two, who are still children, rummage in the scrap heaps from the "Floats" for magetech, and if they do not meet their quota, there will be consequences. Soon after we meet Wynter, she is sold - or at least loaned out for a price, to a mage from the Floats who wants to use her to steal something. (I was a bit confused about that; up till now, we haven't even been told she is a thief. Why anyone thought she had the skill to be a burglar or thief was beyond me.) And so she is taken to the Floats - which is actually called Reverie - and given a crash course in how to behave and then set loose in the Academy to find a journal written by a given author but given no other information as to how to find it or what it may look like.
My main issue with Wynter was how naïve she is - despite growing up in some hard-knock circumstances, she doesn't understand how people interact or how politics works. For example, she is able to hear and communicate with the demons. She starts talking to the demon (Lucian) trapped in her sword, but instead of using the time to get to know him and how everything works she just uses him - all while maintaining the belief she is not like the (other) mages. When he calls her out on that, she is confused, and then hurt when he no longer wants anything to do with her and she can't call on him for help. It's like she didn't take to heart their previous conversation, when Lucian tells her: "I've never thought much of honor... It's a completely unsustainable system, built on the assumption that everyone in the world is equally honorable. And sometimes, you must do dishonorable things for your own survival, and there's no shame in that." She tries to cultivate trust in others, she doesn't believe those she probably could rely on and believes those she really shouldn't.
And that's what is most galling - how easily manipulatable she is. At least Lucien told her why he was being nice and what he wanted from her; everyone else she pretty much believed at face value. For example, the handsome price (I told you ever troupe was present in this book) warns Wynter not to trust demons, but she never questions why. True, some have been attacking her, but she also never questioned why they were attacking - and when she realized they were being controlled by someone else, she still didn't question why she should believe demons are inherently bad and just assumed that if Lucien was set free he would immediately attack. Yet when Prince Alexander tells her "We could be great together; you know. You have a real gift for understanding demons, and I'm working to understand them. I'd bet we can discover some exciting things, you and I." she gobbles it up and is ready to swoon at his feet, ready to divulge all her secrets and never once considers he could be playing her.
I would just think a girl growing up with a sadistic mob-boss of an uncle would be able to spot emotional manipulation more easily and not fall for it. There is no character development in this book - which ends on a cliff hanger, and so I can only hope she will start opening her eyes and using her head a bit more. Though I will say that at the very end, she used her sense of right to actually do the right thing! Since that was typically in line with her personality already, I'm not ready to concede that was a full developmental twist to the story.
There were some statements about love and honor in this book, as well as how confidence (one's beliefs, not abilities, that position you in life), that seemed profound in their own way. Like little nuggets of wisdom sprinkled throughout.
Overall, it was an interesting story and I would like to continue reading it to see how it ends. But in this first book of the series, I wasn't overwhelmed with anything novel. In fact, the story of a girl rising from the slums to live in the floating city above while not realizing she has the ability to access magic and yet is caught up in a conspiracy she doesn't understand was very reminiscent of Storm Glass and the The Harbinger Series. Because of that, it gets 3 stars - it is good, but it is also just average.
**I was provided a free ARC to read in exchange for my review.**
Additional Note: The ARC had some grammatical and other errors (referencing the tiara as a necklace at one point) that could have benefited from an additional read - or just fresh eyes reading it. Typically, such an issue would automatically make it lose an additional star, but since this was an ARC I am giving the authors/book the benefit of the doubt and letting my 3 stars stand.
July 21, 2019
A different type of fantasy story. A bit of intrigue to keep you reading. The characters and the plot were awesome. Ready for the next book. Don’t miss out
June 23, 2020
"I can speak to demons. The punishment is death."
If this tagline doesn't make you want to immediately pick up this book, then nothing will...
I am incredibly confused by this book, in the best way possible. Quite honestly, a whole lot of nothing happened for the largest part of this book, while so many small things also happened at the same time, things you don't really pick up on at first, culminating in the final few chapters that changes every single thing! But now I just have more questions, even more given the ending...
There are hints to the larger plot, something just outside my grasp. I'm sure that, when I pick up the second book, there will be a profound 'ah-hah' and 'no way' moment when I realize what I missed. But I don't know if I'm ready for that yet.
Wynter, our protagonist, is sent on an impossible mission - to infiltrate the Academy, fake that she has magic and steal a book for a client of her uncle. What could go wrong there?
Wynter has so much to learn about the high-class society and how they act. She can come across as a bit naive. As her journey progresses, she misses a lot of hints about the job she is trying to accomplish, and who might be responsible for some of the other problems she is facing.
I am certain the second book will have a faster pace, and a bigger plot. I'm also hoping that we might get some answers to the questions we now have, and I need more on Wynter's parents...
If this tagline doesn't make you want to immediately pick up this book, then nothing will...
I am incredibly confused by this book, in the best way possible. Quite honestly, a whole lot of nothing happened for the largest part of this book, while so many small things also happened at the same time, things you don't really pick up on at first, culminating in the final few chapters that changes every single thing! But now I just have more questions, even more given the ending...
There are hints to the larger plot, something just outside my grasp. I'm sure that, when I pick up the second book, there will be a profound 'ah-hah' and 'no way' moment when I realize what I missed. But I don't know if I'm ready for that yet.
Wynter, our protagonist, is sent on an impossible mission - to infiltrate the Academy, fake that she has magic and steal a book for a client of her uncle. What could go wrong there?
Wynter has so much to learn about the high-class society and how they act. She can come across as a bit naive. As her journey progresses, she misses a lot of hints about the job she is trying to accomplish, and who might be responsible for some of the other problems she is facing.
I am certain the second book will have a faster pace, and a bigger plot. I'm also hoping that we might get some answers to the questions we now have, and I need more on Wynter's parents...
July 1, 2019
This is one of my new favorites
October 4, 2020
more 3.5
What I like:
the plot is interesting. I like how Wynter has this secret power and doesn’t know what it means. How she fights for her and her brother and keeps them going. How she is sold but not sold into this secret agenda to someone who doesn’t really come off as bad but just trying to survive as well. Him and wynter are alike in that aspect but Wynter helps her benefactor want to be a better person. Lucien her benefactor doesn’t lie to her but doesn’t always tell her everything. i like all the secrets and reveals and how not everyone is as they seem.
Lucien I love him and his assassin/lover. I love how he doesn’t hold back on his punches. He is honest and real about where he stands. But I also like how he starts to see things differently and wants to change for Wynter. How he starts to see her as family as well.
Alexander: when I began the story I didn’t like him really but he grew on me. I love how he didn’t have the same views as his ruthless dad. And I love his relationships with his brothers.
Wynter: she was strong and smart. Stubborn and talented.
Didn;t like:
The betrayal of Wynter as naive. That card was just getting old over time. For someone growing up street smart she shouldn’t have been so gullable and naive.
Overall: enjoyed the way the book played out and how Wynter discovers herself along the way as does Lucien.
What I like:
the plot is interesting. I like how Wynter has this secret power and doesn’t know what it means. How she fights for her and her brother and keeps them going. How she is sold but not sold into this secret agenda to someone who doesn’t really come off as bad but just trying to survive as well. Him and wynter are alike in that aspect but Wynter helps her benefactor want to be a better person. Lucien her benefactor doesn’t lie to her but doesn’t always tell her everything. i like all the secrets and reveals and how not everyone is as they seem.
Lucien I love him and his assassin/lover. I love how he doesn’t hold back on his punches. He is honest and real about where he stands. But I also like how he starts to see things differently and wants to change for Wynter. How he starts to see her as family as well.
Alexander: when I began the story I didn’t like him really but he grew on me. I love how he didn’t have the same views as his ruthless dad. And I love his relationships with his brothers.
Wynter: she was strong and smart. Stubborn and talented.
Didn;t like:
The betrayal of Wynter as naive. That card was just getting old over time. For someone growing up street smart she shouldn’t have been so gullable and naive.
Overall: enjoyed the way the book played out and how Wynter discovers herself along the way as does Lucien.
May 24, 2021
I am not a big fan of dark magic! I am a coward and violence and I do not usually see eye to eye! I loved this book! I carried it with me everywhere and had trouble putting it down! I am going to see if I can get the next book in the series--it was that good! The poor lived beneath this beautiful world of magic. Wynter the heroine is compelled by her uncle to help someone steal something for one of the nobility on the lovely place of magic. She is forced to be a student of magic and somehow in this process she makes friends with a demon named Lucian and one of the royal princes. No spoilers, but the story kept me at the edge of my seat and the ending or this Book leads to Book 2. Well written and yes scary but an amazing read!
January 15, 2021
I loved it. the story was interesting from start to finish.
I feel as though winter is sort of naive which doesn't seem realistic considering her upbringing, but she's interesting.
I definitely don't like Alexander at all and find her interest in him kind of pathetic and very shallow.
besides that, I truly enjoyed the story.
I admire how unintrusive the world building is, the introduction of this entirely new world was very organic to the story, with pieces of the world being introduced at appropriate intervals until all was revealed.
I honestly enjoyed it, and am ready to read the next book.
I feel as though winter is sort of naive which doesn't seem realistic considering her upbringing, but she's interesting.
I definitely don't like Alexander at all and find her interest in him kind of pathetic and very shallow.
besides that, I truly enjoyed the story.
I admire how unintrusive the world building is, the introduction of this entirely new world was very organic to the story, with pieces of the world being introduced at appropriate intervals until all was revealed.
I honestly enjoyed it, and am ready to read the next book.
November 26, 2020
The Source Of Magic by Marisa Mills and Drake Mason
This is the first book in the Falling Kingdoms series and I really found myself getting pulled into this world of magic very quickly! Winter's world gets turned upside down when she finds herself sold to a rich Mage by her uncle for a job. Having to leave behind her brother and best friend, she is determined to get this job done and return to them. Great characters, looking forward to more!
This is the first book in the Falling Kingdoms series and I really found myself getting pulled into this world of magic very quickly! Winter's world gets turned upside down when she finds herself sold to a rich Mage by her uncle for a job. Having to leave behind her brother and best friend, she is determined to get this job done and return to them. Great characters, looking forward to more!
June 11, 2021
I loved the different levels of world and the floating kingdom. The aristocracy, social structure and academy have a Regency feel to them, like a Jane Austen setting, but bound by tradition of somewhere like Mervyn Peake's medieval Ghormenghast. Most of all I loved the characters. Wynter is super-cool and has nerves of steel. My absolute favourite is Lucian. Can't wait to see what he's like in real life. On to Book 2.
March 4, 2020
I liked the whole trilogy very much. The way the character's story was presented, fast paced action. I became acquainted with the main character of the book, at some moments I felt like crying. It was a pity to me Wynte especially when she was despised, mocked or when people close to her betrayed her.
August 23, 2020
The fantasy is rich and spellbinding. It is a new take on of mages and demons and their interaction. Wynter is intelligent and strong. She is not rushing into situations, always thinking through every angle. There are some romantic scenes but the focus is very much on Wynter and her discoveries and not some love-interests. It reads a bit like a crime story with an explosive ending, literally.
September 27, 2022
I loved this! The story kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Wynter is a great character with real motivations and logical reasoning, which I found refreshing in a YA novel. I'm intrigued to see where the story is going. The ending is quite abrupt but I've got the boxset so that's a relief.
March 26, 2020
No magic...
That is what Wynter believes. Living in the Lower Realms, considered the slums, she scraps for her uncle along with her brother and friend. Her uncle makes a deal and she finds herself in a new world of magic. An adventure she could never imagine...
That is what Wynter believes. Living in the Lower Realms, considered the slums, she scraps for her uncle along with her brother and friend. Her uncle makes a deal and she finds herself in a new world of magic. An adventure she could never imagine...
March 1, 2021
This showed so much potential but for me book 1 didn’t deliver in some areas! I got a little bored but ploughed on as I don’t like giving up! It was a 2.5 until the end which gave me a bit of a boost to try book 2!
May 9, 2021
Wow!!
I’ve read a lot of books over the years but this has to be one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The story just keeps me turning the page and the characters? You love them or you hate them. Awesome book.
I’ve read a lot of books over the years but this has to be one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. The story just keeps me turning the page and the characters? You love them or you hate them. Awesome book.
February 7, 2022
The beginning is pretty slow but once it picks up... AMAZING cliffhanger at the end! And the main character is easy to resonate with because she is learning the world she's entering. Can't wait to start book two!
June 5, 2025
A surprising read for me. I kept checking when this was published because I was surprised I hadn't heard about it before! Loved the writing style, characters, and setting. I'm not the biggest fantasy fan but I'm trying to get into it, and this one kept me hooked.
March 6, 2020
A great story
Love everything in this story from the characters like Wynter to Lucian. I am anxious to read part two for the next part of the story.
Love everything in this story from the characters like Wynter to Lucian. I am anxious to read part two for the next part of the story.
June 14, 2020
Love it!!!!
This book had me captivated from the first page. I can’t wait to read the next one. Read it now
This book had me captivated from the first page. I can’t wait to read the next one. Read it now
September 15, 2020
Nice plot!really gripping!
February 28, 2021
Not worth the hype the protagonist is just ... blah
June 22, 2023
Very enjoyable book. Love the character
tried-sample-not-interested
March 13, 2025This wasn’t bad and I probably would have loved it around age ten, but it’s not for me now.
October 1, 2025
fun and easy
October 30, 2025
3.5 stars!
January 21, 2020
Rereading as part of the box set edition in January 2020: I still love this as part one of a magical indie heist story, but even in this new edition there are still so many editorial/continuity discrepancies that just dampen things for me.
<----Original ARC Review June 2019---->
It's rare to find something original hidden inside one of the popular tropes. While Source of Magic does head down some well-worn paths and have a couple of world-building wavers there are twists and turns that make this one you won't be able to predict.
Wynter is a poor girl living with her brother and uncle in the slums beneath a huge, floating city. She and her childhood BFF scavenge for fallen mage tech - enchanted items discarded from the magical Kingdom of Reverie where the mages and aristocracy live. Along comes Dorian, one of those mages, who makes a proposition to Wynter's uncle: he'll pay to borrow her so that she can steal something important from the Reverie magical academy. Of course, she'll have to pass herself off as a rare low-born mage, but he's got some tech for that. If she looks the part and play-acts well, it should be simple... Of course, it's more than just one little (but elaborate) heist. The city's beset by rogue demons. The noble families are restless; just because they're kids doesn't mean the students aren't going to be involved in all the political intrigues. Oh, an a young prince has very much taken an interest in her despite the noble-born girl hanging on his arm. If a demon doesn't get her from the front, there's every chance Wynter could be stabbed in the back before she's even survived her first semester.
Think a lighter Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy combined with the tricks and traps of the heist in high society novel. Even if she's got one of those fantasy names, I really liked Wynter; as a YA heroine she's just the right balance of strength and self-doubt. Her relationships are comfortable, never overblown, and grow steadily as she learns more about herself and how life could be if she wasn't living in fear and poverty. Viviane and Alexander make interesting sort-of antagonists: the mean girl and the jock, but more complex than your usual tropes. Alex could be a bit odd and flip-floppy at times, knowing things that didn't always make sense when he hadn't been told them. Lucian is a bit of a mystery, making him both a strength and a weakness - I wished we could have understood him more early on so we'd connect with him when his role is more prominent later. Some of the teachers could have had a little more air-time too, just so we got to know them as people rather than names (or in Du Lac's case, Professor Snape stand-in).
I really loved feeling surprised by the way the story progressed. Not all of the execution is perfect, but it brings out unexpected twists as well as those ones you enjoy seeing a mile off. World-building is pretty good, but some of the references to it being a sort of dystopian future were a little odd. Why do mages wear what sounds like Victorian garb and use magical gas lamps, yet have showers and disco lighting? We discover what the titular source of magic is, but it's one of those things you have to take from inferences and piece together yourself, even though having it set out more clearly might have helped. It's not clear if things are secret or open secrets.
There is a cliffhanger ending. It's sudden and a bit of a rough cut-off, but I guess in context it makes sense. Having to wait to finish it though? Oooh, that's a tough one! It obviously does it's job.
For anyone triggered by punctuation I have to warn you the comma works especially hard in this one.
4.5 stars rounded up because being surprised and challenged by YA is always good, and with great writing skill the dual authors have built an intriguing YA-appropriate magical mystery. A really enjoyable read.
-I received a free ARC copy of this ebook in a giveaway-
<----Original ARC Review June 2019---->
It's rare to find something original hidden inside one of the popular tropes. While Source of Magic does head down some well-worn paths and have a couple of world-building wavers there are twists and turns that make this one you won't be able to predict.
Wynter is a poor girl living with her brother and uncle in the slums beneath a huge, floating city. She and her childhood BFF scavenge for fallen mage tech - enchanted items discarded from the magical Kingdom of Reverie where the mages and aristocracy live. Along comes Dorian, one of those mages, who makes a proposition to Wynter's uncle: he'll pay to borrow her so that she can steal something important from the Reverie magical academy. Of course, she'll have to pass herself off as a rare low-born mage, but he's got some tech for that. If she looks the part and play-acts well, it should be simple... Of course, it's more than just one little (but elaborate) heist. The city's beset by rogue demons. The noble families are restless; just because they're kids doesn't mean the students aren't going to be involved in all the political intrigues. Oh, an a young prince has very much taken an interest in her despite the noble-born girl hanging on his arm. If a demon doesn't get her from the front, there's every chance Wynter could be stabbed in the back before she's even survived her first semester.
Think a lighter Trudi Canavan's Black Magician trilogy combined with the tricks and traps of the heist in high society novel. Even if she's got one of those fantasy names, I really liked Wynter; as a YA heroine she's just the right balance of strength and self-doubt. Her relationships are comfortable, never overblown, and grow steadily as she learns more about herself and how life could be if she wasn't living in fear and poverty. Viviane and Alexander make interesting sort-of antagonists: the mean girl and the jock, but more complex than your usual tropes. Alex could be a bit odd and flip-floppy at times, knowing things that didn't always make sense when he hadn't been told them. Lucian is a bit of a mystery, making him both a strength and a weakness - I wished we could have understood him more early on so we'd connect with him when his role is more prominent later. Some of the teachers could have had a little more air-time too, just so we got to know them as people rather than names (or in Du Lac's case, Professor Snape stand-in).
I really loved feeling surprised by the way the story progressed. Not all of the execution is perfect, but it brings out unexpected twists as well as those ones you enjoy seeing a mile off. World-building is pretty good, but some of the references to it being a sort of dystopian future were a little odd. Why do mages wear what sounds like Victorian garb and use magical gas lamps, yet have showers and disco lighting? We discover what the titular source of magic is, but it's one of those things you have to take from inferences and piece together yourself, even though having it set out more clearly might have helped. It's not clear if things are secret or open secrets.
There is a cliffhanger ending. It's sudden and a bit of a rough cut-off, but I guess in context it makes sense. Having to wait to finish it though? Oooh, that's a tough one! It obviously does it's job.
For anyone triggered by punctuation I have to warn you the comma works especially hard in this one.
4.5 stars rounded up because being surprised and challenged by YA is always good, and with great writing skill the dual authors have built an intriguing YA-appropriate magical mystery. A really enjoyable read.
-I received a free ARC copy of this ebook in a giveaway-
February 5, 2020
Nice magic school story
A girl, who spends her time trawling through trash to find riches, is given the opportunity to attend an upper class magic school. The catch: she'll need to pretend she can do magic, and search for and steal an object her employer needs from that school. Can Wynter pull off this heist without failing her classes or giving herself away?
The plot was pretty interesting, and Wynter's character and her situation were well developed. The magic and world building were nicely fleshed out too. The romance could've been done somewhat better. It felt very YA and awkward. Thankfully, it didn't play a major part in this book, although I'm sure it'll be developed further in future books.
It was an enjoyable read. Lots of magic and nice characters.
A girl, who spends her time trawling through trash to find riches, is given the opportunity to attend an upper class magic school. The catch: she'll need to pretend she can do magic, and search for and steal an object her employer needs from that school. Can Wynter pull off this heist without failing her classes or giving herself away?
The plot was pretty interesting, and Wynter's character and her situation were well developed. The magic and world building were nicely fleshed out too. The romance could've been done somewhat better. It felt very YA and awkward. Thankfully, it didn't play a major part in this book, although I'm sure it'll be developed further in future books.
It was an enjoyable read. Lots of magic and nice characters.
July 9, 2019
The Falling Kingdoms were divided into sectors which the people referred to as the scraps, the dregs and the floats, whilst the magic wielders called these Plumba and the Reverie and obviously they lived in the Reverie, the floating city in the sky. Wynter and her friend Stirling used to go and look for mage tech in the dregs so that her uncle could sell what they scavenged and she would not be beaten, whilst her weaker brother Briar, scavenged only in the scraps. Their uncle Gabriel was a thug who bullied everyone but most particularly the children, oftentimes using Briar as collateral against Wynter who always looked out for him. This time he had gone too far, he had sold off Wynter's services to a Mage, Dorian who in turn wanted her to pretend to have magical powers and to enter the school for magic known as the Academy up in Reverie, to steal something important for him. A world which had always seamed like an alternative reality full of magic and wonder was going to be her world as of now, but once Wynter arrived at the school she found out that things where not as she thought they would be. Earthquakes and demons attacked the school and students were hurt, she ended up with a talking sword and soon realised that she might wield powers she never thought she possessed, when she started hearing demons talking to her. All she wanted was to return home to Briar and Stirling even though the poverty they lived in was so hard and life at the academy was comfortable, to say the least, but this was not home. She was belittled and envied by jealous fellow students who thought she was an upstart to come to the academy when she belonged in the lower realms but she had a job to carry out for Dorian which she hoped would change her life forever! The concept of the floating city is awesome and truly magical. This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger but has charismatic characters and is quite a thrilling read, with the social strata being so well defined and described. I look forward to reading book 2 in this series.
July 16, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of this book and volunteered to review it.
First of all the cover design is amazing - colourful and vibrant.
This book is an interesting and exciting combination of what seems like a dystopian/post-apocalyptic and magical fantasy. The world is split between extreme poverty in the Dregs and Scraps and extreme wealth, where the rich and magical live in a floating city in the sky - yeah, a floating city.
The character Wynter is blackmailed by her uncle and a bad noble (if she doesn't they'll sell her younger brother - typical family drama) into going undercover in a magical academy in order to steal something: she appears to have no magic and is scared to be exposed, but of course she shows to have an aptitude for some forbidden ability, which ultimately will endanger her. Additionally, she sorta makes friends with a talking, flaming sword called Lucian, who has ulterior motives. Prince Alexander might be intrigued by her, but his almost naive personality and at times arrogant nature keeps me from properly liking him. Viviane, of course, is the typical b*** who seeks to make Wynter's life miserable simply for being there, and for Alexander's interest.
There is magic, demons, mystery, secrets, sword fighting, sigils, magical professors, corrupt family and teachers, nobles, and other really cool stuff.
A worthy addition to the academy genre.
First of all the cover design is amazing - colourful and vibrant.
This book is an interesting and exciting combination of what seems like a dystopian/post-apocalyptic and magical fantasy. The world is split between extreme poverty in the Dregs and Scraps and extreme wealth, where the rich and magical live in a floating city in the sky - yeah, a floating city.
The character Wynter is blackmailed by her uncle and a bad noble (if she doesn't they'll sell her younger brother - typical family drama) into going undercover in a magical academy in order to steal something: she appears to have no magic and is scared to be exposed, but of course she shows to have an aptitude for some forbidden ability, which ultimately will endanger her. Additionally, she sorta makes friends with a talking, flaming sword called Lucian, who has ulterior motives. Prince Alexander might be intrigued by her, but his almost naive personality and at times arrogant nature keeps me from properly liking him. Viviane, of course, is the typical b*** who seeks to make Wynter's life miserable simply for being there, and for Alexander's interest.
There is magic, demons, mystery, secrets, sword fighting, sigils, magical professors, corrupt family and teachers, nobles, and other really cool stuff.
A worthy addition to the academy genre.
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