Nocturna (A Forgery of Magic #1) by Maya Motayne - Restarting December 3rd 2021

[Evelyn]

Set in a Latinx-inspired world, a face-changing thief and a risk-taking prince must team up to defeat a powerful evil they accidentally unleashed.

To Finn Voy, magic is two things: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her…and a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks.

As a talented faceshifter, it’s been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that’s exactly how she likes it. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster, she’s forced into an impossible mission: steal a legendary treasure from Castallan’s royal palace or be stripped of her magic forever.

After the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. But Alfie can’t help but feel that he will never live up to his brother’s legacy. Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.

But when Finn and Alfie’s fates collide, they accidentally unlock a terrible, ancient power—which, if not contained, will devour the world. And with Castallan’s fate in their hands, Alfie and Finn must race to vanquish what they have unleashed, even if it means facing the deepest darkness in their pasts.

[Johanna]

I would love to join!

[Laura]

Welcome! I am excited to get started reading this one!

[Evelyn]

Chapter 9
(view spoiler)[ I like Finn a lot, but Alfie has done nothing but trying to find a way to find Dez. I get that, but he's had months to mourn and just like Luka said, he's going to be king soon and he's kinda being selfish. The magic system is good, but I feel like it's a bit all over the place (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Chapter 19
(view spoiler)[ So this Ignacio wants to kill his daughter Finn?! uh... I'm not sure what happened between them, but like WOW, what father could do that to his child?
Alfie has found out the magic spirit belongs to the death god which is terrible and of course I get that he wanted to save Luka and he didn't know what he was dealing with, but like man, this situation is really bad. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 9
(view spoiler)[I really feel I love this book: this is really interesting because the pacing is perfect. I have recently read several slow-paced books so I'm really enjoying this one. I love the atmosphere and for me the characters are really interesting and likable. Our thief is so extremely lovely, I love how brave she is and I like her humor - she is funny. Now I can't wait to see if she gets the cloak and if she really kills that evil lady. Maybe our thief and prince meet during her heist. This is so enjoyable read! (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 9
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Finn is also my favorit! Alfie is not bad either but it's true that he's a bit melancholic. His parts are not as light and funny to read than Finn's. But I think this is still going to be interesting if/when Alfie finally finds the way to save Dez or if he and Finn have to team up for some adventure. What did you mean by "a bit all over the place"? (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Johanna wrote: "Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 9
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[ I just feel like the propio magic and elemental magic aren't really being distinguished fully (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Johanna wrote: "Chapter 9
[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[ I like the atmosphere a lot too! The Latinx world is really refreshing even though I don't understand some of the words they use xD (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Evelyn wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 9
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Oh yes, you're right! (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Evelyn wrote: "Johanna wrote: "Chapter 9
[spoilers removed]"
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Haha, neither do I xD (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Just about started it. Like it so far.

[Evelyn]

Chapter 27
(view spoiler)[ I hope Finn will be able to complete their mission! I feel like something is definitely going to go wrong though so we'll see.
The Dragon Ball thing kind of reminds me of the ring from Lord of the rings 😂 (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 19
(view spoiler)[I guessed earlier that Alfie and Finn would get to some adventure together and everything went so smoothly/thrillingly and interestingly. It has been so interesting to follow how everything is happening and things they have to do / problems they're facing. It was only disappointing moment when magic picked up his first body because I guessed immediately it was Finn's father. I would have hoped something else because that twist was too easy to guess. And what were the odds that it would be him? It was too easy solution. But otherwise I'm still enjoying this really much. I love the pacing!! (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 19

(view spoiler)[I was like: no no no no, don't ever do deals with dark magic. And then while reading that chapter I was so on the edge - well you could guess how it's going to end but it was still somehow thrilling and interesting. You waited to see how bad that deal is going to end and ending was... really bad :D :D In some point I was quite sure magic would pick up Finn and I actually started to think that could have been really good twist because it would have been really hard to say how the story would have been went after that. (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[I feel like the ending closed off pretty well with them defeating Ignacio and everything wrapping up nicely, but there's a second one coming next month so I'll be reading that sometime next year.
Xiomara was great. I liked her self redemption so it was kinda sad when she died.
I like the slow burn romance a lot! I'm surprised they never kissed because main protagonists usually do. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Chapter 27
(view spoiler)[I really love Finn, I've had so many funny moments with dialogies :D Now I'm eager to see what's going to happen in the prison and how this bad situation would be solved... (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 27

(view spoiler)[Haha, I see it too now when you said it xD (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Johanna wrote: "Chapter 27
[spoilers removed]"
(view spoiler)[ Omg yes, Finn's dialogue is 👌🏻 (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[I liked this very much! I loved this because the setting was a bit different than usual, even exotic :D Finn was so super, I don't remember when I have last meet a character I like this much. Finn was likable for me and I liked her humor. Dialogies made me sometimes laugh and here was also a bit creepy dark/creepy scenes that I also liked very much (I'm horror junkie). And the end.It was really good: it was a bit touching and NOT a cliffhanger. I liked that romance played only a minor part here and through that this was somehow so cute romantic. (hide spoiler)]

[Johanna]

Evelyn wrote: "Finished!"

(view spoiler)[Yes I agree, Xiomara's faith was really sad :( And also A's brother's - even though we never met him. I really loved too this slow romance!! We definitely should have more of them!! (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting December 3rd 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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[As You Wish]

Chapter 3
(view spoiler)[ We're off to a good start! Forbidden magic, a girl who can change her face, a lost prince in some unknown dimension (maybe), and high-stakes card game. I feel like this was a really intriguing, strong start. (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

18%
(view spoiler)[Wow, I hate her “dad” so much (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

JBask wrote: "Chapter 3
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Agreed!! Very very excited to see where this story goes. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

akacya ♡̷̷ˎˊ wrote: "18%
[spoilers removed]"

Yes, signs that a relationship is terrible #1: controlling the other person's every move and interaction. (view spoiler)[ so glad she was able to get out of there. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 10
(view spoiler)[ I love that she's looking for an invisible cloak.....and finally turned around and checked the "empty" mannequin to find it. I'm worried this is all going to fall apart because she can't change her face. If she kills Kol before she gets her propio back, will she even get it back? (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 19
(view spoiler)[ That bar scene was so gross. I hope if this ever gets made into a movie they forget to put that part in. This showdown in the market place where everyone is frozen is very intriguing. Why does the magic work for Alfie? What's he doing right? What's he doing wrong? I can't believe after all the work it took him to free it, he thought he could jaunt out and capture it on his own. (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

JBask wrote: "akacya ♡̷̷ˎˊ wrote: "18%
[spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I’m glad too!! (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

JBask wrote: "Chapter 10
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Hahaha, the empty mannequin does seem like a good place for the invisible cloak. (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

47%
(view spoiler)[Creepy children’s rhymes kill me every time😂 (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

73%
(view spoiler)[Oh my gosh…so Finn killed a girl for bread, and then Ignacio killed her parents?! (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

86%
(view spoiler)[They’re planning where and how to die…at this point they’ve just accepted it😂😂 (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 24

(view spoiler)[ Finn’s self-awareness is really outpacing the Prince’s.
“I don’t like who I become when I give in to anger. That person is not me.”
“Yes it is, estupido. …It doesn’t have to be all of you, but it’s a piece of you all the same. If you deny that, you might as well deny your whole self. …Some things you can’t outrun.” (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

akacya ♡̷̷ˎˊ wrote: "73%
[spoilers removed]"

It's tears atop tears. I love that (view spoiler)[ Alfie is telling her over and over she's more than what she's done. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 32
(view spoiler)[ At last they can admit they're friends! It was such a shock for Alfie en route to the prison that people don't think the monarchy is the epitome of society. And now Finn's advice:
"Just accept that your kingdom is a giant cesspool... forget about everything that came before you, look at this place as it is, and deal with what you see."
Good advice for anyone in government! (hide spoiler)]

[akacya ❦]

JBask wrote: "akacya ♡̷̷ˎˊ wrote: "73%
[spoilers removed]"

It's tears atop tears. I love that [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[Yes that made me so emotional!! (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ The ending felt a little deux ex machina how Alfie was suddenly able to contain all the magic in the dragon and Xiomara was able to open a void when there was a whole point made about how these criminal mages had their tongues cut out so they couldn't perform magic. Does that exclude propio? I felt like that was a little too neat in the last few pages. Overall I enjoyed the writing and the pages flew by. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

If you want to buddy read the sequel Oculta in January, I have it! Let me know.

[akacya ❦]

I’m down! I have a buddy read starting on the 2nd but besides that my January is free.

[As You Wish]

Shall we say the 8th?

[akacya ❦]

Sounds good! Can’t wait (: