Arc review*
4.25

OOOOOOOOOOH MY GOODNESS well if you want a fun time, like dark academia, urban fantasy and magic then this is for you.
This gave me adult harry potter vibes with the FMC being 29 and thrusted back at school hahaha. Honestly i had fun reading this.
I thoroughly enjoyed it
And already can't wait for the second one.
I need to know things and don't know if i can wait long.
My first book by this author and it was a success, loved the writing style, it was so easy to read and get into

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you @penguinukbooks and @netgalley for the chance to read this one ahead of it's release on 24th July!

Interested? ⬇️

Neverthorn tells the story of Harlow, a twenty something year old drop out of Neverthorn Academy who's made her way by being a thief for hire.

The last thing she expects is for the school to make an offer: come back and join seven others with secret magical abilities in House Phoenix.

Because Nocta – a powerful dark wizard who has been plaguing the magical realm for decades – has the mortal world in his sights, and the students of House Phoenix are all that stand in his way.

But Harlow failed at Neverthorn once before. And nothing reminds her of this more than tall, brooding Typhon – Harlow’s old classmate and nemesis – who is now the professor tasked with their care.

Except Harlow is sure that Typhon and the other professors are hiding a dark secret...

⚔️

Perfect for fans of Zodiac Academy and Fate: The Winx Saga on Netflix. This definitely gave similar vibes.

I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers tension and the banter. I felt like the magic system was really interesting and I loved the relationships between the eclectic group of misfits that make up House Phoenix!

However, the actual plot felt quite similar,.like a lot of it has been told before? But overall it was still a solid read that I enjoyed.

Having the FMC at 29 and being dragged back to school, couldn't think of anything worse!

The magic system is intriguing but I want more background/details

The pacing was good, so many layers building into the story with character building and development of the plot was really good.

a good academic fantasy.

An intriguing start! I really loved Harlow as the MC, there's something about her rough around the edges personality that endeared her to me right away, and the devotion she feels for Opie is lovely. The pacing in this did ebb and flow in places, but the last section of the book was brilliant and left me wanting the sequel immediately

This took a bit to get into but it was a great story, a little academy, a little magic, a whole lot of found family. A great bunch of misfits who step into their own with some pretty unexpected twists. Definitely worth reading.

I loved this book, but damn that cliffhanger

I really enjoyed reading this book. Harlow is a 29 dropout from a magic school, who has to go back to Neverthorn academy. There she will join with seven others to help defeat a dark wizard.

I thought the storyline was great and it had plenty of hilarious scenes and enough unexpected turns that I wasn’t sure what was going to happen next which kept me enthralled in the story. .

It was a touch too slow burn for me from the romance side but hopefully that will ramp up in the next book

Overall really enjoyed it and would give it a 4 and a half stars

I adored this book, it has an engaging plot that keeps you invested in the characters and keeps you turning the pages. While it may not be the most well-written book I have encountered, the entertainment value far outweighs any stylistic shortcomings. The world-building has complexity in some areas while remaining straightforward in others and the story moves along quickly, allowing the world and its intricacies to unfold naturally. Harlow is forced back to Neverthorn Academy after dropping out many years ago due to a prophecy suggesting she might become the next hero. The humour throughout the book is both unexpected and amusing, particularly the magical gag on bad language, which consistently made me laugh. The friendships and the romance are captivating from start to finish, and the end leaves you eagerly anticipating the sequel.

THANK YOU Shannon Mayer and Michael Joseph for this ARC

Okay…. So you have no idea what to do now that Zodiac Academy is over? You’ve never received your invite for Hogwarts? - this is the book for you! Not only is Shannon Mayer’s writing style, so funny and filled with soooooo much banter but her character development and internal dialogues are to die for. Not to mention a sidekick talking raccoon?!?!

This story is fast paced, and has all the tropes you need… unknown powers, prophecies, found family, dark academia, teacher to lover, slow burn, YEARNING… fierce protective FMC

I am so lucky to be part of the Neverthorn Street team and this is going to be YOUR NEXT obsession and will explode into the dark academia fantasy lovers out there

The storyline has kept me guessing the whole time, the development of the whole character plot is amazing and there are unanswered questions that I just NEED to find out in book 2.. I can’t wait for you all to read it!!

Absolutely hooked!!

This book has so much going for it, I don't know where to start! Imagine everything you love in a Dark Academia vibes with magic read, and your part way to understanding why I loved this book.

What you get is a perfect mix of fantasy, romance and dark fairytale vibes. Set partly in a school for magic!! (I so want to be there) Like now!! The author creates a world of magic, mistrust and danger as Harlow returns to the magic school she hated. And worse, she still has to deal with her dark and moody professor.

I loved Harlow, as an older FMC with so much sass she was so easy to connect with and route for. I adored her banter with the super hot and moody MC. Talk about hot, slow burn fantasy romance.

This is definitely a book I'll be raving about for some time. And as this is the first book I've read by this author I now get the fun book addict joy of back reading her other books!

okay hear me out – i really wanted to love this. i’m a sucker for gothic fantasy and anything with an academic setting, but this just didn’t deliver the way i hoped it would

the premise is solid: harlow, a 29-year-old wizard school dropout, is blackmailed into returning to neverthorn academy to help fight off the dark wizard nocta. now she’s back in classes she once failed, stuck under the eye of the infuriatingly hot professor typhon, while trying to uncover whatever secret the staff are hiding. and of course, the clock’s ticking because nocta is on his way and harlow might be the only one who can stop him

unfortunately, i lost interest somewhere around the 50/60% mark. the pacing dragged in places, and while the stakes were high, i just didn’t feel them. it had flashes that reminded me of harry potter, but without that same magic or spark that makes you want to stay up all night reading

harlow being 29 but acting more like a teenager didn’t help. the ban on swearing was funny at first (the word “sheet” had its moments), but it was way overused and started to feel more cringe than clever

as for the romance – it had all the ingredients i usually love (slow burn, professor x student, a hint of enemies to lovers) but it ended up falling flat. the love triangle didn’t add much either and felt underdeveloped

there’s definitely some solid world-building here, and i can see what it could have been, but overall, this just wasn’t for me

I was sooo excited to get my hands on this book, and it did not disappoint!

I love an academy setting and a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic. The world-building and the characters were top tier- I was so happy to see a 29 year old FMC! There were twists and turns that kept me so drawn to this book.

It started a tad slow, but the pace really built up throughout the book.

I am very excited to see what the author does next!

Firstly thank you to penguin publishing house and netgalley for the ARC of this incredible book. Secondly, this is set up to be an absolutely phenomenal series and the ending is making me internally scream for more.

Having the FMC at 29 and being dragged back to school gives me nightmares cause honestly at 30 I can think of nothing worse than having to go back into education. The magic system is intriguing and I love that it's rune based but I want more background and details so I can get my teeth into how it all works properly.

The pacing was fast and addictive, so many layers building to so much were woven into the story with character building and development of the plot was fantastic. I honestly recommend anyone to read this if they love a good academic fantasy.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.5-4.75 stars.

I had been absolutely feral to get my hands on this book and it was worth it!

I am a sucker for a fantasy book with an academic setting and this really didn’t disappoint. The magic is unique and the reason for our characters path is just as unique. The story has quite a mysterious darkness to it and I still have many questions, I’m excited to see what happens next. I can already tell there’s more than meets the eye to the characters we’ve gotten to know so far and it’s incredibly hard to trust a single soul right now. I feel a little betrayed by one or two characters as their motivations feel a little inconsistent and I can’t tell if they are good or bad or just making the best of their situation.

Suffice to say I am totally locked in for book 2.

Absolutely fantastic YA fantasy. If you love Harry Potter and Shadow Hunters then you will love this. A school full of magic, secrets, trouble and more. Can't believe the ending and look forward to the next book

This book is right up my street. Academic setting, slow burn enemies to lovers. At points it did feel a bit repetitive however the story had me hooked and that ending... I don't know how I can wait for book two. This needs to be on your TBR list!

If Harry Potter was a female and in her late 20s and dropped out of wizarding school to fend for herself only to be forced back into the magical world. The villain also has a child and they along with a group of dropouts must stop him from destroying the world. Add in the magic summoning of The Magicians with the gothic style vibes of Wednesday and you have the aesthetic.

The world building, characters, and magical nuances were easy to picture and understand. I appreciated the setting being modern and relatable to our own with clear explanation of how the 2 worlds are separated (magical and non-magical).

Throughout the story, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop - who should you trust, who is acting suspicious, who is being coy for safety. You know it’s coming and the build up kept me entertained and didn’t always fall in line with my predictions. Not a spoiler - it does leave it open for a sequel and I’m enticed for the story to continue and see what happens next.

3.75⭐

I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it just didn't live up to what I was expecting. I love any type of magical academy setting and I was really looking forward to an FMC being 29 as it felt like it would deliver on a more mature vibes, sadly this wasn't the case the fmc was very immature for most of the time.

There is barely any romance in this book but I feel like this will be developed on more in the next book as there is very much a will they won't they with a professor and a lust situation with another. The pacing did slow down in the middle but towards the end it picked up rather quickly and I devoured it so fast.

I did really enjoy the vibes that this book gave and while it didn't live up to it's potential for me I can see some really enjoying it!

I think I had higher expectations for Neverthorn because I love magical academia and I was pumped to see that Harlow is 29 years old—a mature heroine is very refreshing in today's romantasy ecosystem!

However, I wish Harlow had actually behaved like an adult. Instead she was often impetuous and thoughtless. The romance, such that it was, did not feel natural, and it's clear there's a lot to their relationship that was hinted at but never shared or explained to the audience, which is honestly just frustrating for a 450+ page book. Typhon was possibly more frustrating than Harlow.

As for world-building, it was surprisingly flat. The magic system was vague and ironically pretty hand-wavy. I didn't understand the purpose of the few glimpses of the "education" provided by Neverthorn, such as the hand-to-hand combat and the Solstice Games.

I was interested enough to read until the end, but I don't know if I'll pick up the next book in the series, despite the admittedly really hooking cliffhanger.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Dark academia with magic, secrets, and a heroine who doesn’t quite fit the mold (in the best way)

Neverthorn was such a fun, fast-paced read that balances mystery, magic, and just the right amount of angst. It follows Harlow Daygon — a sharp, stubborn, emotionally messy ex-student who gets pulled back into the magical academy she once walked away from. Now she’s got a second chance (whether she wants it or not), and of course, the fate of the world may or may not be on the line.

What really stood out to me was Harlow herself. At 29, she’s a refreshing change from the usual younger protagonists. She doesn’t learn the "right" way, doesn’t follow the rules, and constantly doubts herself — but she’s clever, capable, and deeply intuitive. It's never spelled out, but there are subtle hints that she processes the world a little differently than others, and it makes her feel both real and easy to root for.

I also really liked the magic system — the use of runes and enchanted objects added a tactile, grounded feel to the spells. It wasn’t overly complex but still felt unique and immersive, especially when tied into the characters' different strengths and ways of learning.

The world of Neverthorn Academy is classic dark academia — secretive professors, ancient threats, hidden powers — and the found-family vibes in House Phoenix are great. Plus, the slow-burn tension between Harlow and her ex-classmate-turned-grumpy-professor Typhon is wonderfully executed, with hints of a possible love triangle adding extra layers of intrigue.

It dips into some familiar fantasy tropes (chosen one energy, mysterious pasts, dark wizard rising), but it does so with a lot of humor and heart. Harlow’s dry, self-aware narration keeps it all grounded.

For fans of Harry Potter looking for a fresh magical school story with a heroine who’s real, relatable, and far from perfect — this one’s a great pick.

Already counting down to book two.

It’s been a while since I started a book and loved every minute of it. There wasn’t a single dull moment in this book. The pacing was fantastic and the world was fascinating that it kept me turning the pages.

I loved the magical system, I could really visualise the runes being cast. The characters you weren’t meant to like, you really didn’t like. The headmaster, for example! He was so annoying and that’s exactly what his character needed.

I loved the lighthearted use of fake swear words. It really amused me. Intrigued to know if that spell sticks outside of Neverthorn.

The secrets littered through the book were masterfully revealed at the right times. Harlow really went on a journey and I was invested in her character’s development throughout.

All in all, I loved it!! It takes a lot for a book to bring out the double exclamation mark. This is everything I want from an urban fantasy book about a magical school. I’m so sad that I have to wait for the next one, I would have happily carried on reading.

I’m so grateful and honoured that I was able to read the e-arc, this book is going to be massive!