Thank you to Net Galley and Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for an opportunity to read and review this book. All views are my own.

This was a very enjoyable read! Its the 2nd book in the series (Whispers most foul being book 1). The premise is that this book is about our FMC Rose who attends a magic school with trials and tournaments, exploration of new powers and ofcourse a love triangle.

Whilst i can see some familiarities to some other magic school series', that doesn't take away from the enjoyable read that this was and that Emma has done her own thing with it. I thought the world setting and magic was cool and the characters were written well enough that you can draw an emotional connection to them.

I can see this being a bigger series if Emma chooses to do this and I do recommend giving this a read!

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Thankyou for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I will say that there are very similar vibes to a popular wizard school series.
However, this is a fun read in its own right. I didn't realise this was 2nd in a series and went off to read the 1st before starting this, which was equally an easy and fun journey.

Definitely give them a go if you like trials and tournaments, love triangles, magic world and systems tropes.

rating: 4/5

First of all I want to say thank you to Emma and to Netgalley for this ARC!

This was an amazing story that I got straight into! Dunhollow, a magic school that very much gives hogwarts vibes, sees FMC Rose exploring her new powers and juggling a love triangle. Rose and Sylvie reunited and being themselves was so nice to read. This whole book really did give me Goblet of Fire vibes with the trials and the two other schools.

Even though there was heavy similarities to another magic school series, i enjoyed Emma’s take on the story. Overall, if you like:

✅love triangles
✅ cool world and magic systems
✅ harry potter vibes?
✅ trials and tournaments
✅ emotional connection to characters

I say give it a go!

Having read whispers most foul as an arc and loving the paranormal elements, dynamics between characters and romantic connections I knew I had to request this immediately to explore where Emma took us next. Whispers most deadly sees us return to Dunhollow following the haunting events of the previous book and I was so happy to see Rose and Sylvie reunited as it meant getting to explore more of their sapphic relationship . As with the last book found family is central to the story and is so well written it makes you want to belong too, though the darkness continues to seep in as theres secrets still to be unravelled.

I was surprised (happily) by the presence of some intimate scenes in this book as although they aren't normally my jam they were deeply sensual and with a developing love triangle and potential polyamory you will be left in ruin by the end. One part that particularly got me was a bit in chapter 45 about confronting fear, raw and emotional you will feel seen, especially if you've experienced self-doubt.

It is important to note the concept/plot of this book is VERY reminiscent to a VERY POPULAR MAGIC SCHOOL SERIES and their own magical tournament, but it was unique in its take, worked as a framework to build the story and the relationships on and is ultimately something I would recommend as a better alternative to the series and author who shall not be named. The overall ending left me a bit stumped, with potential for continuation if new challenges were introduced but equally being a stone ending if this is to remain as just a duology.