It took me 5days to read this. 5days. In a timeline where I can read a book in a day or two, 5days is a tell tale sign that I needed some time to compose myself because I am darn frustrated and at the verge of DNF'ing a book.

I really liked the side characters, especially the Jester (and then I didn't). I liked the concept of wizards protecting the royalty (fantasy book that includes magic, yes!). I liked the air of mystery, secret organizations, betrayal and uncovering the traitors part. What I did not like, the FMC; which is rather ironic since this book was told on the POV of the FMC and the underwhelming twists on how the book ended (Yeah, I know there is a second book but given the premise of this one, rather unnecessary)

The FMC has to be the most self absorbed, pretentiously self righteous and irritatingly st*pidest cast in this book (I am really so sorry for the lack of of a better term) It took her 30pages before the book ended to uncover the real villain behind the betrayals. The author tried portraying her as this intelligent and fierce badass FMC but truly, she is just a spineless lap dog unable to do sh*t for her friends. Stickler for rules even if the truth is right in front of her. As a reader, I find it sometimes offensive if authors brands their casts this way just to illicit emotions and extend the story. Who would want a lame as*s character all the way to the end?

The ending. My goodness. So each character has this secret on whatever lives they led before meeting the very oblivious FMC, which is all and great. Explanations were done at the ending, albeit not really helpful. A twist was mentioned which I think was an attempt to have a premise for the second book.

I'll end the review there are there's not much more that I can share that isn't a replication of the boorish repetitions from the book itself.

I'm seesawing with this book and what rating to give it. There were many good sides but the magic system and world building was a real big trigger.

Characters
Some of the characters like the mother were well written. She had a distinct personality that put pressure on the main character. I like it when authors give their characters flaws and personality, especially if they grow throughout the book. Leyla definitely had flaws and personality, she was selfish, jealous, grumpy, and a snob, but that seems normal for a spoiled noble living in luxury & given everything they want, unfortunately there wasn’t much growth to her character. The joker, of course, was a hoot, even if some of his lines were awkward and didn’t flow with the feeling in the moment.

Romance
The interactions between the Jester and Leyla were the most exciting part of the story, but given her bad personality, it wasn't clear why he was attracted to her at the beginning. Their relationship did grow from their many interactions, some of which were endearing, but initially, he had his eyes set on her and must come up with my own reasons why that could be.

Magic System & World
Unfortunately, the magic system philosophy is a negative influence for the reader since it's based on demonic/satanic philosophy. Because of this negative philosophy that can be harmful, I cannot recommend this book to anyone. The world was not enjoyable to read about and I almost quit the book.

Also, some of it wasn't clearly explained, are they using their hands or wands to use magic? Do they say spells in their minds or do they use a wand? Why is their source of magic a harmful source, when they at the same time ban anyone using books based on that same negative source?

Story
It felt like there was a missing book 1 of this series. Leyna mentioned how people at the school didn't like her, but the reader didn't see how or why that transpired. Nonetheless, the book had intrigue and suspense to keep the reader going in the beginning.

And I applaud the author's ability to write poetry.

Wizard's Masquerade
A Medieval Fantasy Romance for New Adults
by Jay Pellegrin
Earc: NetGalley
Publisher: Pellegrin Books
Publication Date: 30 Sep 2022
Genre:Romance, New Adult, Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Absolutely loved this book. Somehow, I was hooked from beginning to end.

Don't get me wrong. I didn't give it 5 stars because of some imperfections. The sometimes predictable plot and lack of development of the magic system deducted one star from my rating, but the romance between Layla and the Fool and the easy-to-understand writing fully make up for it.

I'm not usually a fan of romance, but these two were fun to read. I kept reading chapter after chapter, with jokes, chemistry, angst, dialogue, and sharp enough scenes, but dreaded getting to the end, knowing I'd have to wait for the sequel to come out to read more. was

#bookreview #goodreads#romance #SciFiandFantasy #romance #newadult

Thank you to Pellegrin books and NetGalley for the ARC. I absolutely loved reading this book. For anyone who’s a fan of “once upon a broken heart”, I think you’ll enjoy this book. There are similar elements of magic, balls, and the big mystery in the plot.
The first few chapters were action-packed but a bit slow, I wanted the action to begin earlier than expected. But I think the way the author paced the scenes went really well with the plot and its many twists (which I loved). The last half of the book kept me on my toes. And when you think you know the characters well, think again! You’re in for a treat! It was almost like reading a mystery book and figuring out what characters contributed negatively and positively to the plot (trying not to include spoilers). The two main characters were great. I gravitated more toward the jester, he is such a funny character. And the slow burn between the jester and the female protagonist was written so well. Their dynamics complimented each other. The ending of the book crushed me, I’m so glad that there’s another book on the way. I thought it couldn’t possibly end the way it did! This story was so much fun to read it has everything: humor, action, love, and magic.
My Goodreads review will be posted on 10/24/22.
as of 10/25/22 this review was posted on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3LEBO5P5DW8BY/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

While I actually really enjoyed the beginning and felt it was written well overall, the main conflict didn't really take place until 40% in and I found myself a little frustrated. I think it could have easily been a 5☆ for me if it was trimmed down.

The magic school setting and then later the castle were great. Definitely Harry Potter and Throne of Glass vibes!

Sadly, I expected more romance. I was indifferent to the FMC Leyna, but I did enjoy the Jester for the most part, especially once his character developed more. They did have an interesting relationship, and that's 100% what kept me reading - though I was kind of unsatisfied with the ending.

I'd recommend this if you enjoy court politics, easy to read mysteries, and magic/demons.

And what a cover! I put in a request for this one because it reminded me of the ball from Labyrinth 😂 Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

New adult romantacy that is full of mystery and intrigue. Journey of a young inexperienced woman of magic eventually discovering her strong side to making mature decisions. This is the first book in a duology. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read the book for an honest review.

*** I received an ARC Copy through Netgalley and this is my honest review***

This is a longer read for most readers but it has some vivid and enchanting characters. We are introduced to Layna whose goal is to graduate the wizard guild and become a huskarl to the king. The early part of the book does seem reminiscent of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire only because we are in a maze and at a magic school, but after that I failed to see the comparison. Most of the plot takes place at the kings castle and capitol city.

The book has some strong themes of secrets, court intrigue, slow burn romance, and betrayal. It started off slow for me, but finally picked up shortly before the 50% mark. Honestly what kept me reading was the characters, specifically the Jester (and Floofy of course).
There is some time dedicated to the romance but the plot heavily focuses on the mystery and court intrigue. However, the mystery fell short for me. Layna had far too many suspects when the true villain was revealed and I just wasn't drawn into the court mystery as much. HOWEVER, I was drawn into the mystery of the Jester and have to admit that the ending left me slightly frustrated. This is a duology though, so I should have expected something to pull me along to the next book.

There were several times where we were given the same information again and again (particularly about the magic system) that could have been better used to expand on the magic system or world. I did miss further worldbuilding in this book, probably because something of this length tends to paint a more vivid picture of the place and history. I wanted to know a bit more about the magic system, the war that was mentioned often, the current political situation which seemed stable but people immediately thought it wasn't when things went wrong.

I did really enjoy the continued discussion/theme that nothing is ever good or evil. There are many shades of grey. Always following the rules or adhering to your duty does not insure that you will not commit wrongs. I also appreciated the character development of both the jester and Layna. It was slow but well done and felt natural within the plot. The action sequences and battles were also well written and engaging.

This is definitely a NEW ADULT or adult fantasy. Layna is 22 and there are a few spicy scenes included. There's a strong coming of age theme as Layna learns a lot about how the world really works. The romance was absolutely there but I think it will be more fulfilling to the reader when the duology is complete.

Overall a solid read and I will probably be grabbing the 2nd book. The Jester stuck out the most just in how he was written but Layna also has an interesting character arc and I appreciate that she was believably flawed.

Excellent world building and fun, relatable characters. The FMC took a little bit of time to grow on me, but once she did I absolutely loved her. I enjoyed the system of magic and the court intrigue. The book is pretty political with romance as a secondary story, but with a strong slow burn in the background. It was an adventurous books filled with twists and turns (and hidden nooks and crannies) I thoroughly enjoyed being immersed in the story.

An okay read with 5-star potential

Thank you to Netgalley and Pellegrin Books for granting me an eARC ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

I did enjoy reading this book, but there's quite a few things that are off-putting and might have made me put it down, had I not been asked to review it. There's some truly great stuff in there though and I believe that a few more rounds of re-writes and editing would have made this book reach its' true potential. Thus also get a higher rating from me. For now, it lands on 2 stars.

To begin with, It's about 200 pages too long. I don't mind reading longer books, but this is 550 pages filled to the brim with info-dumping. I understand that there's need for world building, but I found myself skimming a few pages here and there because it just felt excessive. Such a shame, because I actually find both the world and the magic system very interesting. But when there's pages upon pages of describing the same things? You'll unfortunately loose my interest. On top of that there's quite a few occasions where the information is repeated. Don't know if this is intentional or not.

The male main character is fantastic. Well rounded and developed, fun person to read about! Would have loved to get a few chapters from his POV.

The female MC however... Oh, I wish the author had spent more time on crafting Leyna that she evidently did with the jester. To me she seems oblivious to most things happening around her and her actions and wants seems to be two very different things.

I have to say the cover is beautiful! Absolutely stunning artwork!

I gave this a 3 star because of how long the introduction was in terms of the intro to this world the author wants us to know and it was dragging a bit... slow romance too

I want to thank Netgalley and Jay Pellegrin for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

My opinion is very mixed about this book, I had a lot of trouble at the beginning of the story to be into the story, I even almost stopped at a time. But I wanted to finish the book to give my final opinion and I am happy because I finally liked this book!

Let me explain

The first 40-50% of the book is for me a 3-3.5 star. Half of the book is an introduction to the world of the author, I unfortunately found this introduction quite long with very little action and with a romance not yet present. I would have liked a few more scenes with action so that the story goes a little faster.

I liked the second part of the book very much. The story finally progresses, the romance is present, and the mysteries evolve. Many things are discovered, and relationships evolve.
The last 15 percent of the book is intense in emotions. The end really surprised me, the series could almost ended there, but I’m glad to know that there is a sequel because I would have been very frustrated.

You will find in this book magic, enemies to lovers, mystery, conspiracy, masquerade, soldiers, and family.

Well can I first say the cover for this book is amazing and so pretty. This was the first thing that drew me into the book and made me want to review it.

I loved the characters and how they interacted with each other and how their friendships developed into more in 2 occasions, The story starts with a bang and does not slow down throughout the story with its twists and turns and never knowing who you can trust.

Pick this up and have as much fun as i did.

Thank you to the publisher, Pellegrin Books, for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

🌟🌟🌟🌟
📚 - Adult Fantasy / Mythology Romance
📖 - 550 pages
💃 - 🌶

I really enjoyed this book! The opening setting was a fun nod to a Hogwarts-esque kind of school, but I found that from there things went their own way rather quickly. The magic system was unique (although I'm hoping we get more about that in the next book!) and I found the main character, Leyna very easy to relate to. Growing up and having to choose between what is right and wrong or moral or not can be so hard. Leyna had big decisions to make and wrestled with them.

I did find that the mystery portion of this book was very easy to guess. The ending did come as a bit of a surprise though, and I look forward to book 2 and continuing Leyna's adventure!

This book got one pepper for the spice scale. The first spicy scene was more than 40% of the way through the book and there was one more after that.

Leyna Saunders dreams of becoming a wizard huskarl, a protector of the royal family. She almost loses her chance after a harrowing incident leaves her injured. A mysterious wizard gives Leyna an opportunity to achieve her career goals. Her first task as a huskarl is to escort an annoying jester and his troupe to the royal castle. The man exasperates Leyna at every turn. She soon finds herself deeply entrenched in a dangerous game of intrigue, secrets, and lies. Can Leyna find the true perpetrator behind the king’s death? Is the Jester an ally? Or is he, her foe?
Jester is just one of the many personas he adopts to hide being the king’s spy. He cannot help but taunt the moralistic huskarl escorting him to the castle. There is something about the young woman that fascinates him. News of the king and his court’s demise forces him to include Leyna into his dangerous world. She could prove instrumental in ferreting out the perpetrators behind the massacre and ensuring the crown prince’s safety. Can Jester entrust Leyna with the truth of his identity and his job? Or will her strict morals doom them?
Leyna really annoyed me at the start of the book. She came off as too sanctimonious, self-absorbed, and ambitious for my tastes. However, my opinion of Leyna started to change as the story progressed. Her moments of vulnerability and doubts helped endear her to me. I like how Leyna’s mindset changes for the good. She learns the valuable lesson that the things she wants are always best for her or what she needs. Leyna also realizes that everything is not laid out in black and white, but in shades of gray. This change allows her to adapt to situations and her surroundings.
Jester won my heart instantly! He is such an entertaining and delightful hero. I never thought I would enjoy his character type the way I did. It is a nice change of pace than the usual brooding, alpha warrior-types in the fantasy genre. I absolutely adore Jester’s banter and interaction with Leyna. It helped lighten the serious mood in certain places of the storyline. His ne’er-do-well persona helped balance out Leyna’s strait-laced attitude. What I love the most about Jester is how he secretly admired Leyna for her single-minded drive. He may have teased her mercilessly about it, but he respected that aspect of her nature.
WIZARD’S MASQUERADE is the first book in Jay Pellegrin’s fantasy romance series, THE HUSKARL DUOLOGY. I believe this is the author’s debut novel. I admit the cover is what first drew me to the book, then the synopsis. The concept of a jester being the hero intrigued me. And it did not disappoint! I found myself quickly and deeply immersed in the plot and characters. The author does a superb job setting up the intricacies of her world, especially their magic system.
WIZARD’S MASQUERADE is a must read for high fantasy readers. It has a little bit of everything from wizards to demons, castles and political intrigue all wrapped in a spellbinding romantical tale. I cannot wait for the next installment!

Wizard's Masquerade is the first book of the Huskarl duology.
Enchanting from the very first page!
The cover is exquisite like a fine wine and to be honest, the cover is what grabbed my attention instantly!
With the atmosphere of a gorgeous painting yet with some modern vibe, all blended into one gorgeous result.
Straight from the beginning, we dive into heart pounding action as our female lead Leyna makes her final steps towards her dream.
To become an esteemed wizard and part of the Royal Guard.
After plenty of obstacles, she finally receives the much desired offer to be a huskarl.
But soon she realizes that not everything is black and white and everyone plays a game of their own.
Entangled in a web of lies, spies, and a jester that is so alluring and charming as the lies he tells, she no longer knows what to believe and what to do.
Leyna's character was most impressive to follow as you witness her shift to self-righteous and little arrogant to humble self discovery.
And I think the mantra is suiting her perfectly :
“We fight, even without hope.”
I loved how well-made and complex was the character of the jester, and the fact that we follow the story only from Leyna's POV gives him more mystery.
And although I was dying to learn what goes through his head, it was a bittersweet to anticipate all his reactions and trying to decipher the enigma that he is.
I'm in abstinence after finishing the book and desperately want to see where the story will lead us.

A fantasy Romance that left me wanting more, I loved reading this story. It was well written and the cover itself is eye catching. A whodunit mystery with a splash of magic, it was a great adventure, I loved the moments between the Jester and Leyna, they were great characters that made the story all the more amazing. I can not wait for the second book, which I know will be just as great as this one.

Thankyou so much Netgalley and Jay Pellegrin for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review,

Wizard's Masquerade is the first book in Huskral Duology. It is a NA, medieval Fantasy and Romance with a little bit of Spice..
Well actually the first thing that I like about the book is its cover (ngl, I requested the book for its super awesome cover) But then after receiving the book, I started reading and OMFG, I fell in love with the book!!
The book was well - written! I started and completed this book very soon.. though it has like 500+ pages, it took me just three days to complete it. It has an amazing plot and all the characters are so interesting and fascinating and intriguing! Speaking about the characters, Jester ( tall. mysterious, handsome, hot, flirty court fool?????? so much description for a court fool??? read the book to find who this man is) has my heart mannnn!!! and also also about Leyna, like bro, she is such a smartas* and harworking woman and also has a sexy brain! I love the author's writing style ( I'm on my knees for your writing style ma'am )
And speaking about the romance, this book *for no freaking reason* made me blush *during Jester and Leyna's interactions and conversations!!! I've always envied Leyna for having Jester by her side *huhhh, kinda hurts you know* *I'm jealous gurl* <Amazing and sexy characters *wink wink*> The ending is lit!!!!! and??? it made me emotional??? YESSS YESSSS!! And am I waiting for the second boookkk??? YESSS!
FINALLY,
I enjoyed and adored this book so much! A perfect book with a super hot and page turning plot!
People, looking for a magical adventure? with a bit of spice? Fantasy, spells and wizards? bit of action? super hot MCs? then this book is a perfect treat for y'all!!!

A massive thank you to @jay_pellegrin for the privilege of reviewing her premiere novel, Wizard’s Masquerade. This is my first ARC, {thank you NetGalley} and what a wonderful one to kick this off!

This was a world I did not want to leave. The gorgeous cover art initially drew me in alongside the online reviews. I was gripped from the first scene in the maze, this is the book for us now grown Harry Potter fans who are still waiting for their Hogwarts letter.

The magic! Beasts, masquerade balls… The escapism is perfect, and the characters keep you invested. The dynamics between Leyna and the Jester have set up for an incredible sequel, which I cannot wait to read. There were times where I wanted a little more development for the characters, but I know that is coming in the subsequent book, and I can hardly wait.

The prose was beautifully done, it was so well written. I was truly sad when I finished the book. I am eager for the sequel to come out to finish Leyna’s story, thank you again @jay_pellegrin for letting me review your exceptional work! Congratulations on your first book, and hopefully the many to come!

Content Warnings:
Sexual/Explicit Scenes
Mild Fantasy Violence (Death, Execution)
Reference to Suicidal Ideation

18+

🌶🌶

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book opened with a bang and the pace didn’t slow down….I was gripped from the start.

I absolutely loved the dynamic of the two MCs and cannot wait for the second instalment.

After an injury Leyna finds her career that she worked so hard for in ruins. That is until she receives an offer to join the royal guard. This soon turns into a nightmare when news arrives of an attack. Leyna throws everything she has in a quest to find out who the real curpits of this attack are in a story about friendship, deception and a lot of secrets and magic.

I loved this book and it pulled me in almost from the beginning! The characters where well written and I really liked following Leyna her journey and learning with her who was to be trusted and who was not. In the end, I don't think anything I thought to be true was true. I felt her annoyance and her love and adored every minute of this book. For me, this is a definite 4 star read and I can't wait for book 2!

Thank you for Pellegrin Books and Netgalley for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. #WizardsMasquerade #NetGalley