Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon Nov 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Starred Review In the world of Lacelle's luminous debut, everyone is assigned to a house named for the phase of the moon during which they are born: new, waxing, waning, and full. A fifth, the House of Eclipse, is feared and loathed by the rest of society because its members have access to a range of magic. Emory Ainsleif is a potential Healer in her sophomore year at Ardryn College, but last spring she was the only survivor in an accident where she and eight others, including her best friend Romie, were swept out of a cave at high tide. In search of answers about the accident and its aftermath, Emory now turns to Romie's brother and House of Eclipse student Baz and the two embark on a complex journey. Lacelle's writing is absorbing; the plot is detailed and complicated, but everything fits together as neatly and tightly as a puzzle box. Emory is a sympathetic hero, full of self-doubt but brave enough to pursue the truth, and she plays off an assortment of well-rounded and distinct characters. Not a word is wasted in this hefty, suspenseful novel as the story, rich with its own mythology, draws the reader in as inexorably as the tide.

Kirkus Reviews

In a world where everyone has a magical ability based on the moon's phase on their day of birth, magical education is reserved for those with exceptional talent.Students at Aldryn College for Lunar Magics pursue the advanced study of magic. Emory Ainsleif is a Healer, an ability associated with House New Moon. Last spring, she followed her best friend, Romie Brysden, and seven others into the Dovermere Caves. In the deepest cave, known as the Belly of the Beast, Emory unwittingly took part in a ritual that left a peculiar mark on her wrist and left the other students dead. Back at Aldryn for the new school year, Emory begins to develop magical abilities that go beyond healing-and that she's unable to control. She turns to Baz, Romie's brother, for help-Baz was born during an eclipse, giving him unpredictable magic. Reluctant to train Emory but eager to find out what happened to his sister, Baz finally agrees, and together they begin to unravel what happened last spring. This dark fantasy, told in Emory's and Baz's alternating third-person perspectives, has a spooky atmosphere and rich worldbuilding. It slowly unfolds to reveal what really happened to Romie, but predictable plot twists and a gratuitous deus ex machina may frustrate readers. The central characters are described as having pale skin.The magical world is fresh, but the storyline is less satisfying. (content warnings, Sacred Lunar Houses & their tidal alignments) (Fantasy. 14-18)

Publishers Weekly (Thu Oct 03 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Moon phases and tidal alignments dictate the magical abilities with which one is born in debut author Lacelle’s alluring duology opener. The Dovermere Caves are off-limits for students of Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, so when Emory finds a note inviting her roommate and best friend, Romie, to a late-night meeting there, Emory follows out of curiosity and concern. As Romie and seven peers undergo a strange ritual, high tide floods the caverns, drowning four and washing Romie and three others out to sea. Following the event, Emory wakes on the beach with a spiral inked on her wrist and the ability to wield all forms of lunar magic, a mythical talent so heretical it could get her imprisoned. Bereft and terrified, Emory teams with Romie’s brother, Baz, to control her newfound powers and uncover answers about that fateful evening—a quest that reveals her ties to secret societies, grand conspiracies, and ancient gods. By combining elements common to fantastical dark academia novels with innovative worldbuilding, multifaceted plotting, and an intersectionally diverse cast boasting nuanced character arcs, Lacelle crafts a lavishly imagined dual-narrative tale that will capture readers like a rip current. Ages 14–up. Agent: Victoria Marini, Irene Goodman Literary. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2024)

Gr 9 Up —At Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, students train to use the magic they are born with. Emory, born under a new moon, is a healer mourning the loss of her best friend Romie, whose brother Baz holds the volatile and dangerous magic of those born under an eclipse. On the night of Romie's death, Emory followed her to a secretive meeting in the off-limits caves below the school and awoke the only survivor of a mysterious ritual. As Emory's powers begin to change in a way that should not be possible and could get her locked away, she seeks Baz's help. Baz agrees to keep Emory's secret and help her to control her power, but fears how far she'll go to solve the mystery of Romie's death. The first book in this planned duology establishes a rich magical world complete with secret societies, ancient myths, and cultural taboos. Baz and Emory are sympathetic leads, but the story drags under the weight of exposition. Numerous secondary characters seem to bleed together, especially because their motives are often boiled down to romantic jealousy or superstitious prejudice. VERDICT A good choice for teen fans of dramatic romantasy, but readers looking for excitement and action will be disappointed.—Amy Diegelman