“I’m the illusionist for the troupe.” She said the words with exactly the cool confidence she’d wanted, and it hit her then: they have no power over me.

This one reads like a cozy ACOTAR. With short chapters ending in small cliffhangers, it was hard to put this book down.

Hetta is the family’s outcast. Having left home six years ago to join a troupe and flaunting her illusion powers in a job unsuitable for her station she’s now back for her father’s funeral, but unexpected circumstances extend her stay.

I loved Hetta and her relationship with her cousins and siblings. She’s beyond the gossip that accompanies her arrival and plans to enjoy her time there before she has to go back to the judgement-free life she loves.

I found it anticlimactic that the resolution was abrupt and the villain predictable, ending in something like “Fine, you win”. Many loose threads (including the prologue) are left to discover in future installments, so there wasn’t much in terms of plot, but it’s full of mystery and twists to keep you hooked.

This was a short and engaging read full of likeable characters. It has YA vibes (which I love), with Hetta being an outsider in a love triangle with handsome suitors. I had a favourite from the start and I can’t wait to see more of them.