Nigel Barrett spent his whole life preparing for the Culling - a spell-casting competition that determines which of the world’s teenage magicians get to keep their powers, and those who will be stripped of them, in order to keep and preserve the magical balance. He’d been ready - until he met Ori Olson.

The moment they meet, sparks fly, their powers are stronger, more thrilling, but also it seems, more dangerous. As the Culling field gets more and more narrow, Nigel and Orio realize just how much is at stake - and it may very well ride on the connection between them.

I don’t know where I saw this being marketed as “magical gay cowboys” but I grabbed this as soon as I could because of it. And boy, did it not disappoint! I also don’t know what it is about teenagers and them being on the verge of losing their magic forever that gets me into these stories, but I’m down.

I did give out quite a few eye rolls when Nigel would talk about his breakup with Jeremy. He’d talk about how he knew they wouldn’t work out and listed all this stuff - but then would compare interactions with Ori to Jeremy and I’d be sitting there going, “It’s not the same!”. And, the whole insta-romance thing is never my type. This book happens over 3 days!! <spoiler> I know this plays on soulmates, but it’s still a bit too fast </spoiler>.

But, even though I didn’t care all that much for the romance aspect of it (or rather, the pining on Nigel’s part for a partner who is no longer even in the photo), I still enjoyed the novel and its story. It ended on a cliffhanger and I’ll be keeping an eye out for the sequel for sure!

*Thank you Melissa de la Cruz Studio and NetGalley for a digital advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review

The Spells We Cast is magical, mysterious, and supernatural book by Jason June, one of my favorite YA authors. Nigel, a young man from a magical family, has to compete in the Culling to keep his magical powers. He has determination and unwavering resolve to win the Culling. His journey is one of self-discovery and growth, and I couldn't help but root for him every step of the way. He meets Ori, a brooding enigma with a dark past, and sparks fly in multiple ways. The magical elements are vividly described, making me feel like I was right there in the midst of the competition. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable, keeping me on the edge of my seat throughout. This was a really cute, magical YA adventure that is clearly set up for a sequel that I can't wait to get my hands on.

The Spells We Cast was a super cute story. Not my new favorite or anything but I enjoyed reading it! 3.5 stars rounded up.

Whew, this book!!!! Okay, first of all we LOVE a book that is read by the author, LOVE! Second, the queer joy that radiates from this book and the metaphor of love, particularly queer love, overcoming hate, greed, and evil was *chef's kiss.* This book reminded me a lot of The Sunbearer Trials in the BEST way -- both had great queer rep, amazing characters, and a thrilling fantasy plot. I think these would be awesome read-alikes. I am dying for a sequel for both. You would love The Spells We Cast if you like fantasy, strong characters, an interesting plot with twists and turns. This is my favorite book by Jason June so far and I can't wait for more. I'll definitely be adding this to our school library and I'd recommend adding it to classroom libraries or giving as a gift. Can't recommend enough!

This book is EVERYTHING. A young adult gay fantasy romance that fully delivers on plot twists, friendship, and humor.

Nigel has spent his life preparing to be a part of The Guild. While his family has a strong magical history not only succeeding in The Culling but, you know, saving the world he's be raised by his grandmother and his now non-magical father. You see, in The Culling you either become part of The Guild or you lose your magic. His father failed and has lived an angry, bitter life without his magic. Nigel is obsessed with making sure that doesn't happen to him.

Almost as soon as The Culling begins, Nigel finds himself accidentally partnered up with Ori, and the literal and figurative magic between them is no accident. But magic isn't what they think and neither is The Guild. Can friendship, love, and magic make a difference at all, or is Nigel doomed to end up just like his father?

This story was fun, sweet, romantic, and full of adventure. Nigel telling this story in first person is a joy. He had me laughing aloud a LOT and rolling my eyes a LOT and otherwise enjoying living his life beside of him. The story builds beautifully around Nigel and does a great job of worldbuilding and character building. This book is the first in a series, so be warned...you'll want book two immediately and it's just not happening right now.

Queer cowboys, enemies to lovers, and magic?! What else could Jason June do with this novel that was not already working?! I am excited to put this on the shelf at the library as it is unique and delightful.

I had a difficult time getting through this book. There was a lot of info dumping at the beginning and then Nigel is plunged into the Culling. Nigel is a very upbeat, fluffy character, so I was expecting a fun fantasy similar to Jason June's other YA books. However, the Guild is decidedly not a fun, happy place. There's a lot of dissonance that gets explained later, but throughout the entire book I felt off balance. Plus there's the push/pull between Nigel and Ori that constantly had me feeling bad for Nigel. That was theme for me the entire book - feeling bad for Nigel. Basically, nothing was working for me. I was annoyed with all of the characters the majority of the time and about half way through I checked out and was just trying to finish the book.

Urg… yeah like I wanted to like this book and there was so much potential. But it was so hard to understand it. Such a vast world thrown at us so quickly. And it’s so choppy with the pacing. Like there is some very cool elements at play but they and everyone around them needed to be flushed out more. Just everyone very 2D and basic plot reasons. Hate the strong kid, dead family member , too much parental pressure ,.. just yeah . I really liked Frosty though which is a shame in itself.

I really liked like the premise of this book, but it unfortunately fell a little flat to me. The pacing was off and the characters were kind of one-dimensional. They needed to fleshed out a little more and I think if the pacing was fixed, that would’ve happened. Overall not a bad read, the magic system was interesting and I liked the diversity of the characters and their magics.

I finished this as an audio arc and it was very cute and mostly sweet. The ending leaves things open so maybe we'll get ore with these characters.

✨The Spells We Cast

✨Magical, Comedic, FANTASTIC!
❤️ Full of love of all kinds
✨Kind-hearted, lasso wielding elf
✨Powerful, grumpy sprite
✨ Shape shifting goblins
✨ Nature wielding nymphs
✨ Singing fae
❤️ all learning how to use love and magic to combat hate ❤️


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This contemporary fantasy set in Texas had everything from a good ol’ ‘bless your heart’ southern Meema, to a loyal horse companion, Swiftie references, corny jokes, a magical competition, an unexplainable instant connection, parental pressure, cliques and cutthroats, and unconditional LOVE stronger than any hate. Jason June has done an amazing job with this campy YA magic! I have read three of his books this year, all wonderful, but this one is my favorite! Can’t wait for the sequel!

"The Spells We Cast" offers a unique blend of cowboy fantasy, but it falls short of fully realizing its grand potential. June attempts to squeeze what could pass for three books' worth of plot into a mere 350 pages, and this rushed pace unfortunately hampers the entire narrative. Yet, amidst this whirlwind of a plot, what truly shines is the passionate and tumultuous relationship between Nigel and Ori, which takes center stage in this tale of instant soulmates.

I don't know, y'all. I think, try as I might, I'm just not a fan of Jason June's writing. I'm zero for two on their books and I think I disliked this one even more than Out of the Blue. I think his books absolutely have a niche, and I'll even put them on on my school bookshelves because I can see a few students who will absolutely love the hell out of this one in particular, but they just aren't for me.

The Spells We Cast is a quirky, cowboy fantasy story that fails to ever live up to its grand potential. June crams three books worth of what kind of passes for a plot into 350-pages, and the entire story suffers for it - but, honestly, all of the plot takes a backseat to Nigel and Ori's hot-and-cold insta-soulmates story.

When we meet our hero, Nigel, he's just been dumped, but barely has time to mourn the end of his beloved relationship because it's the start of the Culling - which will, for hand wave-y don't over think it reasons, select only 5% of the current crop of magicians to keep their magic in a series of trials, while the rest are "culled" of their magic and doomed to live out their lives as normies. During his first trial, Nigel becomes absolutely smitten with cold, snarky Ori, becomes BFFs with Bex the shapeshifter, tames a wild magical ice horse he names Frosty, and manages to alienate himself from the entire rest of the incoming class (but especially Laurel and Jaleesa because of reasons or something). And then he enters the magical sanctum, where half the elder magical users also inexplicably hate him and his Meema is angry at him - but he has his magical horse just walking around with him and no one questions this at all. And so on.

I don't know. This story had potential. The bare bones of the plot are genuinely there and interesting! But we could have easily broken one book into a trilogy, cut back on the pop culture references and excess of cowboy puns and jokes, and had a reasonable story. As it was, I was just... bummed. Nothing ever has time to land with any emotional impact because it all feels so rushed (literally there is a couple of huge deaths near the end and we just keep rolling with next to no pause for a moment of sadness?!), and I never quite bought the relationships between the characters. Nigel's friendship with Bex was too instantaneous, his rivalry pops up out of nowhere, and the soulmate situation has next to no feeling.

As I said, I'm sure June's books are for someone and I hope my students will see the appeal. I just have to call that they aren't for me.

Coming into this story about a magical Culling, a competition that secures one's spot in an elite society called The Guild, I expected this to be much more focused on the mission at hand. Instead, this was a romance novel with fantasy and action in the background. Even in the midst of intense battles, Nigel was too busy focusing on the way Ori's touch gave him butterflies and the possibility of them being together once this was all over...Like, people's lives are on the line, dude. Get a room and settle all that tension later. Don't get me wrong. I love me a good romantasy. But this was not balanced at ALL, and romantic scenes were happening in all of the worst moments, making it seem like our characters cared more about each other and their own wants than the lives they were attempting to save.

This also read REALLY young, even for YA. If you liked the writing in Once Upon a Broken Heart, this felt very similar to me. Very "tell, don't show," with important points being repeated numerous times to leave no room for nuance or interpretation. If you're gonna spell everything out for me, though, make it make sense. There were a lot of points that contradicted themselves throughout the story, and one of them was a MAJORLY important (are these people really your friends, or were you not socialized enough as a child and are now "desperate enough" to be friends with your supposed soulmate and new bestie?).

I found myself getting sucked into the story at points. The action scenes that actually focused on the action were so fun to read, and I genuinely rooted for our main characters. The ending left room for a sequel, and I'd likely still read it. I love Jason June as a speaker, and I'm hoping fantasy just isn't his strongest genre because I really do want to love his writing too. This one just wasn't it.

Read-Alikes:
- Once Upon a Broken Heart
- The Marvellers
- Seekers of the Wild Realm

Nigel Barrett is heir to the Barrett name and legacy - a line of magic wielders that nearly stopped when his father was stripped of his magic for failing the Culling, an annual event in which all apprentice magicians compete to become members of the Guild. Those who make it through the Culling go on to be trained as full magicians, who then spend their lives fighting the Depraved, beings of soulless evil that are created from humanity's negative emotions.

Nigel and Orion (Ori to his friends) meet during the Culling, and find themselves oddly drawn to each other; they also find that when they touch, their magic is magnified, an effect they've never heard of before and are not quite sure how to manage. But when their magic goes awry, they may be the only ones who can fix the resultant release of not just Depraved, but the potential release of the Knife, the largest, most powerful Depraved the world has ever seen. Recommended for middle school to adult.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! This book was such a fun ride!

I mean, what's not to love here? Gay cowboy wizard in a magical competition with his powers on the line? Must read, obviously.

Nigel is absolutely the main character energy we're all missing. Simon Snow fans, your hero is here.

Nigel is gorgeous, self-effacing, gifted, and awkward. All the things that counterpart Orion is not. Think magical grumpy sunshine trope. Definitely a win!

And there's plenty of action and adventure in this story! Highly recommend for fans of magical training novels!

DID NOT FINISH at page 113 (34%)

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t do it.

The Spells We Cast has an interesting base idea. Humans descended from magical races (fae, elves, etc) have magic, but not everyone gets to keep their magic. They have to participate in this competition, the Culling, to see whether or not they are good enough magicians to keep their magic and go on to join the Guild in defeating the Depraved, monsters born from negative emotions.

However, beyond the concept, I didn’t like anything this book showed me in the first 100 pages.

To begin with, we have our main character, Nigel. His father failed in the Culling back when he was a teen, and he now resents his son’s magical abilities. Nigel’s entire life has been filled with needing to fight off the Depraved created from his father’s hatred of him, but rather than getting away from his father (or, I don’t know, telling his dad to get over it? Helping to stop the problem in any way?), Nigel and his grandma have just… dealt with this life threatening problem. For years.

Once we get a little further into the book and enter the Culling, we meet a larger cast of characters… and almost every single one hates Nigel for practically no reason! The book introduces us to an entire society full of stuck-up adults who never grew up and want their kids to get into the Guild solely based on nepotism. Not to mention their stuck-up kids who spread rumors about how “terrible” Nigel is. Yes, I get that this is a competition. Every teen out for themselves. They’re not going to be best friends. These teens are still absolutely horrible to Nigel for no reason.

This book just felt a little too hopeless and immature to me, and after 113 pages of severely disliking what I was reading, I thought it was best to just give up on this story.

It is the summer after high school, and Nigel Barrett should be enjoying everything about the last glorious weeks before college. Instead, he has just been dumped by his longtime high school boyfriend, and he is imminently beginning the infamous Culling that will determine whether or not he gets to keep his magical powers. Luckily, the universe has a sense of humor, and as Nigel is thrown unceremoniously into the three trials that will make or break his future, another compelling character enters his life. And as the two become closer over the course of the challenges they face, magic appears in more places than one.

This charming young adult romance blends all the whimsy of the magical world with the very real challenges of adolescence, parental discord, and slow simmering love stories. Nigel has had magical ability for most of his life, and this reality has caused a rift between him and his father, who failed his own Culling when he was eighteen. Therefore, Nigel is more determined than ever to be successful so he can finally depart from the abusive home life he has come to know. Alongside this overarching goal is Nigel’s overwhelming desire to be loved and to love in return, not only with another person but with himself as well. And each step of his journey brings Nigel closer to the happiness he envisions.

Told in the first person, this novel keeps readers on the edges of their seats as they await the ultimate resolution of Nigel’s story. Nothing is guaranteed, and there are ample roadblocks standing in Nigel’s way. Unlike many magical stories, readers enter Nigel’s long after he has begun practicing magic, so appropriate foundational information is included at the beginning of the novel to provide readers with an understanding of Nigel’s backstory. This design can feel a little forced—as though the reader has missed previous installments—but the remainder of the narrative makes up for this initial overwhelm. Filled with love, tears, and triumph, this magical young adult romance is sure to put smiles on the faces of readers of all ages.

Thank you to Disney Publishing, Disney Audiobooks, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book!

This story was really fun to read, and I enjoyed it so much! I don’t think I’ve ever read about a magical cowboy before, and I certainly didn’t know I would love it as much as I did. Nigel Barrett has grown up on a ranch in Texas and is the youngest generation of a very storied magical family. He is old enough to compete in the Culling, which is a magical tournament that determines which individuals are able to keep their magic as adults. Nigel so desperately wants to fit in and experience the acceptance that he’s been longing for his whole life. Then he meets Ori, another magical teenage boy, and sparks immediately begin to fly between the two. Not only is their connection both physical and emotional, but it also has a magical element that proves to be both powerful and dangerous.

I went back and forth between reading and listening to this story, and I enjoyed both formats very much. There’s a very complex magical world in this book, and it is well-explained without feeling like a major info dump throughout the book. The main and side characters are so developed and nuanced and unique. I felt like the pacing was fast from the beginning and never let up, and while I did feel like the overall arc had a predictable ending, I never lost interest while reading the book. The author definitely teed up a sequel intentionally, and I’ll be reading it!

A magical competition, deadly creatures, and a queer romance! Nigel Barrett has been training to enter into the Culling, a magical spell-casting competition that determines whether or not you will be stripped of your magic or be able to join the Guild. Nigel wants nothing more than to make his family proud, especially since his grandmother is a powerful member of the Guild and his own father failed and was stripped of his magic. Nigel wants to win and be accepted yet he never expects to be falling for a fellow competitor, Ori Olson, a broody rival. Ori and Nigel meet and they have sparks, yet their magical connection means something, but in a competition, can they truly trust one another? The competition itself is becoming deadlier as contestants try to sabotage and kill each other, it also doesn't help that they have to fight against deadly monsters known as The Depraved. Can Nigel figure out a way to win and to keep his heart from being broken by the mysterious rival? This is the first book in a series (definitely because of the way this one ends) but I found the book to be a bit eh, the story had a bit of a slow pacing and the only thing that really had going for it was that it had a fun queer romance. For a competition with such high stakes, I just didn't find myself that invested, which is so sad because it's suppose to be a deadly magical competition with a sweet cowboy and a broody magical rival romance too. Unfortunately I just don't think I'll be picking up the sequel and this one was a bit of a miss for me. If you like magical competitions with queer romances, give this a go though, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did!

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide, Melissa de la Cruz Studio for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*