Eighteen-year-old heiress Alissa Paine wipes blood-red paint off a door marked with the Hunter’s Mark, a symbol that marks her closest friend’s death. It signifies the lives taken by the Hunters who cruelly track down and execute people like Alissa. But Alissa has a secret: she has magic in her blood. Magic that was never supposed to be there. 

There are two types of people living in Daradon: Wholeborns, those born without powers, and Wielders, those born with a magical part of them called a spector. For centuries, the kingdom of Daradon has hunted Wielders, fearing they would bring destruction and thereafter rule the kingdom. Alissa’s father is the lord of the province of Vereen, the kingdom’s craft capital, which means Alissa is under constant watchful eyes, including those of her distant relatives, the Capewells. The Capewells are the famous Hunters who rid Daradon of its “dangerous” Wielders. Although Alissa is expected by her father to stay in the shadows, she loves to bend the rules, especially in court. She catches the eye of the crowned king, which might be wonderful for anyone but Alissa. The king is known for his ruthlessness, especially toward those with magic. 

While all eyes are drawn to her, Alissa’s attention is caught by a rumor that a young ambassador is arriving in their kingdom. She is intrigued by him and the possibility that he has the same magic as she does, so they end up forming a unique connection. As the famous Rose Season encroaches, a time of celebration and loyalty to the monarchy, Alissa is pulled into a sudden mission to uncover an ancient object that needs her as the key to its success. Follow Alissa as she is drawn into the court’s dangerous social web, and possibly, a dangerous romance. How will Alissa, the thorn, weave her way through the delicate roses of the court?

Going into this book, I had no idea what to expect. I had heard nothing about it, good or bad. I think this is a great way to go into a book because reading well-known “BookTok” titles nowadays is often spoiled by social media. Nevertheless, I found the main character a little disappointing, mostly because of her lack of action in the first part of the book. Many authors depict female main characters as naive, who have a dangerous secret that could get them killed, yet they never know how to defend themselves. I found that during this book, when Alissa was in immediate danger, she stood like a deer in headlights, unable to protect herself. That said, her character arc definitely had an intense shift, which changed my perspective of her. She shifts from being a passive protagonist who only reacts to events to being angry and confused. These emotions lead her to become a more determined character who drives the plot. Her character developed as the book went on, but ultimately, I disliked how she was portrayed at the beginning. 

Although I had a love-hate relationship with the main character, I found her best friend, Tari, quite lovable, especially in dialogue. Although she does not play a big role in the story, I could always count on her to make me laugh, which is important for me as a reader. 

There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the book. Some lived up to expectations, but others were underwhelming. I also think a couple of the plot twists were disappointingly predictable. Despite this, there were definitely a couple of surprise moments that kept me invested in the book.   

Overall, I found the author uniquely blended social and political plots that kept me hooked, and even included a romance subplot. I think this is a great starter read for anyone interested in jumping into the romantasy genre, and I would rate it a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars. If you have any books you’d like for me to read and review in a future issue, please email me at [email protected]. Happy reading!