A gorgeous debut from Loxton! Stunning world building and a really interesting and fresh magic system. I really enjoyed the trails, and loved Talia (or Maeve!) she was a main character to really root for. I felt the suspense throughout and praise Loxton's lush writing for immersing me in the world. I can't wait to buy a physical copy of this!

4.5✨ Wow what a book 😍 After losing their parents at such a young age Talia being the oldest takes care of her younger sister, she’s steals anything she’s can find that is worth selling for a small price. After stealing jewellery from a cottage and giving them away a suspicious pattern has accord, 3 pieces of jewellery sold and given to 3 people that had turned into 3 deaths. One being her younger sister who soul has been taken by a Soulreaper. The same Soulreaper that killed her sister makes a deal that she’s can bring back her sister if she’s competes in the Reckoning trials, but competing in the Reckoning can only leave 3 possible outcomes: victory for the winner, and for the rest, death of something for worse.
Taron a mystery he’s grumpy, quite and don’t give much away when it comes to what agreement he has with the Soulreaper is to enter the trails along side Talia. Taron a Luna he can manipulate gravity, he’s also protective and willing to let a teenager go after he stole from him. Now Talia and Taron have to trust one another to win and compete the games to win a Wish for the Soulreaper.
The end has a plot twist I did not see coming at all!! 😱

Thank you NetGalley & Scholastic Uk for the arc 😍

Thank you Netgalley and Scholastic UK for giving me a chance to read this ARC!

First of all, I devoured this book. I loved every second of it. The magic system felt very fresh and was very interesting! Originally, I was apprehensive about reading another trials/hunger games like book since they can be hit and miss but this one was so clever and fast paced, didn’t get boring reading the characters go through them! I didn’t feel like I was reading the same sort of characters again that usually feature in fantasy romances/romantasys so I ended up really loving our FMC and MMC! The whole book kept me on my toes and excited, very impatient for the second book already!

If you loved Caraval, Once Upon A Broken Heart and Serpents and The Wings of Nights. I do feel like you’d love this book!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of A Wish So Deadly, and I devoured it in two sittings in the same day. That alone should tell you everything.

From the very first chapter, this book had me completely hooked. The pacing is relentless in the best way every chapter ends in a way that makes it impossible to stop “just for the night.” I told myself I’d read a few chapters… and suddenly half the book was gone.

The tension in this story is delicious. The stakes feel real, the choices feel impossible, and the emotional punches land exactly where they should. There’s something about the atmosphere, dark, dangerous, and edged with longing, that wraps around you and refuses to let go.

The character dynamics? Chef’s kiss. The chemistry simmers, the banter cuts, and when things escalate, they escalate. Every interaction feels charged with meaning, and I was fully invested in every decision, every betrayal, every moment of vulnerability.

What really made this a five-star read for me was how immersive it felt. I wasn’t just reading; I was in it. The world-building felt natural and vivid without ever slowing the pace, and the emotional stakes were just as gripping as the plot twists.

By the time I turned the final page, I was stunned, satisfied, and already wanting more. If a book can make me clear my schedule and finish it in a single day, it’s earned every single one of those five stars.

Highly recommend if you love high stakes, sharp tension, and stories that refuse to let you breathe.

This was a brilliant beginning to what I assume will be a multi-book series. Love and hate go hand in hand with danger and a mystery that has you gripped from the first page. The characters are fresh and representative of all genders which is encouraging in today's day and age. I adored the magic system as it was unique and compelled me to dive more into the world and the lore of the author's story. I would say anyone who loves trials, task and life or death situations fraught with perils will enjoy this first thrilling installment. I can't wait for the next book!

I’ve been thinking about this book even after the last page. From the first chapter, I was pulled straight into the story, and I couldn’t stop reading it. The way it handles a desperate action for money that was a fatal mistake, leading to a brutal three-stage deadly tournament, is just captivating.

Talia (FMC) is half-Emo, and Taron (MMC) is Lunar; this is such a fresh perspective in a magical world. They have a high-tension dynamic. Talia can sense negative emotions, and her sister Elara can sense positive ones. In Talia’s case, everything she feels is so deep, and every moment of the Reckoning feels incredibly high stakes. Talia and Taron have an electric chemistry.

Then there is Cyrus, who looks like a narcissist, but you can see the lack of love and recognition from his family shaped his behaviour. I think there was a spark of interest towards Talia, which added a nice layer to the story.

The ending is saving on massive twists, and that caught me off guard. Cliffhanger? Yes, it left me wanting the next book like yesterday. Fast-paced and high stakes romantasy with surprises, a must-read.