“Where did you learn how to dance?” She asked. “Jester school,” he said.
-Wizard's Masquerade, Jay Pellegrin
☆☆☆☆
I found this book through bookstagram and the cover drew me in immediately, (it is seriously gorgeous). Jay graciously gave me an ARC copy and I completely loved it. It has the same vibes as Sorcery of Thorns so if you liked that book this one is definitely up your alley. It has magically beasts, demons, royalty, balls, castles, and everything one could want. The book is full of magic and romance.
The story is told in third-person POV its main focus is on Leyna. The plot follows Leyna as she graduates from wizard’s school and becomes a part of the king’s royal guard. When the king and queen are murdered in cold blood Leyna is set on discovering the truth. I liked the plot of the book there were a few slower moments but the rest of the book was well paced. There were many mysteries left unsolved for the purpose of the second book, and the author left enough pieces of the puzzle to leave the reader wanting.
I liked Leyna but there’s a lot of character growth needed for her in the second book. Her life she’s grown up in a castle and throughout the book, she looked down on people who were of a lower status than her. Even when she’s courting the jester she questions what those around her will think because he is of such low status compared to her. She’s also loyal to a fault. There were times when her loyalty to the crown overweighed her loyalty to her friends. This book was set up to be a duology so in the second book, I hope to see Leyna grow more.
The second big part of the plot is the jester. When Lenya gets to the castle the jester immediately teases and flirts with her. They have some good banter and a lot of witty remarks. There is some sexual tension and a fair bit of spice. There’s a lot of growth that needs to happen between this two because the miscommunication troupe was a killer. I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for the duo.
The world reminded me of Harry Poter (I’ve never read the books but I was forced to watch the movies). It was Harry Poter meets royalty and ball music. It was a beautiful fantastical world. The magical system I loved! These wizards use demons and “the other side” which comes with a cost with every spell they do. Magic is dangerous and we’re reminded of that countless times. There was an excellent grasp of the magic system and it was explained well to readers.
Again a huge thanks to Jay for an ARC copy of this book! This book is perfect for fantasy lovers wanting a touch of romance and spice. It reminded me of Sorcery of Thorns meets royalty and I loved it. It had great slow-burn and enemies to lovers troupe. Be warned there’s a cliffhanger! I truly loved the book and am very excited to read the next book!
Follow Jay on Instagram: jay_pellegrin
TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mild fantasy violence, death, execution
RATING: 17+, new adult
SPICE: 2/5
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