DNF @ 35%

Queer fantasy w/ dark academia vibes would typically be alll the way up my alley, but I found this book really challenging to enjoy. The characters felt one-dimensional and the worldbuilding was flat. In attempting to create layers of mystery, the author just stacks one secret on top of another without revealing much of anything, so it all just ends up a confusing jumble. It's hard to care about big reveals, or even a storyline unfolding, when you aren't really sure what's going on.

Rounded up here to 4, from 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I think I struggled in and out of this one a bit. It was definitely worth the read, and I never thought about dropping it - it just had some plot and pacing issues that held it back from being really exciting for me.

Bits I liked:
- great representation: naturally, I loved the LGBTQIA+ inclusive cast, with a non-binary trans MC, transmasc LI, and queer friendship group
- the magic system: I loved how individuals had different kinds of magic depending on their family group and even within that, different skills between family members etc, and Rat's magic is really cool
- the Tower: the whole mystery around this is intriguing, and honestly the knight is probably the most interesting character in this, which is a shame as you don't spend much time with her yet
- start of a series: I like the fact that there's more to come and think this first book does leave us wanting to solve those remaining wider mysteries

Bits I liked less:
- character development: in areas this feels slow, and other reviewers have commented on Rat feeling very circular in their feelings; I do think they grow in elements, but a lot of the back-and-forth could have been cut for focus on the story elements
- plot/pacing: overall the plot was great, and I like the direction of the story, but there were elements that were made out to be a big deal that didn't really make sense, and the pacing was very slow at points - some of the best bits happened at the end, but felt relatively short compared to the lead up
- focus: this might be down to the author wanting to set up the series, but it felt like the focus was in the wrong areas at times, and it was weird setting it in a school but then almost nothing to do with school really being present

Overall, I'm still keen to know what happens next. I'm hoping for more of the knight's story, more world-building, more magic, and a stronger sense of character development for our main cast. I still believe it's a great debut, and has some wonderful rep, so I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book!

It's been a while since I read this one! I am so sorry for being so late to the review.

This was such a fun read! The world building and character development were great!

The magic systems through out were incredibly interesting and Rat's abilities to see doorways and passages that others cannot was interesting and kept me reading more. The right amounts of dark and captivating.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Rat has been sent to a school where they believe they will be protected, but not everything and everyone is as they seems. Secrets are hidden, especially in the depths of the grounds.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, it had trans main characters, magic and portals, but the start was an extremely slow burn. Its redemption was that it did eventually pick up (about half-way through...)

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. I like that the main character is non-binary. This started off good and got interesting but at times the story seemed to lag in places. I was a bit surprised to see several curse words in a middle grade book. I really wanted to get into this story but after a bit, it was hard to into it.

I really liked this! My favorite part is Rat's strange magic of finding and unlocking hidden passages. The backstory involving the Tower and the mysterious knight is haunting and terrifying. There's a wealth of worldbuilding and intrigue surrounding Bellamy Arts, the Council of Hours, and other elements to the larger magical society. The hidden layers of the school, the maps and the other worlds, the rivalry and broken relationships, the uncanny creatures and legends -- all of it created a tense and enthralling atmosphere. I also loved that there are so many trans and queer characters! I'm looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book.

A big thanks to NetGalley and ABRAMS kids for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I gotta admit, I requested this book due to the character on the cover looking a lot like Nikolai Lantsov. And I have no regrets.

A Hundred Vicious Turns by Lee Paige O'Brien is a YA fantasy novel about Rat Evans, nonbinary heir to one of the oldest magical bloodlines in New York, doesn’t cast spells anymore. For as long as Rat can remember, they’ve been surrounded by doorways no one else sees and corridors that aren’t on any map. Then one day, they opened a passage and found a broken tower in a field of weeds—and something followed them back.
When Rat is accepted into Bellamy Arts, all they want is a place to hide and to make sure they never open another passageway again. But when the only other person who knows what really happened last year—Harker Blakely, the dangerously gifted trans boy who used to be Rat’s closest friend—turns up on campus, Rat begins to realize that Bellamy Arts might not be as safe as they’d thought. And the tower might not be through with them yet. Soon, Rat finds themself caught in a web of secrets and long-buried magic, with their friend-turned-enemy at their throat. But the closer they come to uncovering the truth about the tower, the further they’re drawn toward the unsettling powers that threaten to swallow them whole.

I really wanted to love this book, but the characters were a bit dull and the plot lackluster. Honestly, the cover ultimately deceived me.

I really enjoyed the characters in this story. I liked all of them for the way they interacted and how they all felt pretty believable and appropriately flawed. My issues with this story came more from the plot and setting. The magic school aspect was not well-fleshed out/not as present as I would expect from a synopsis which mentions a magic school. I also felt like the plot itself was sort of circular--Rat does the same series of actions over and over (without a lot of depth in the prose, too). I don't know. This wasn't horrible by any means, but I felt like my experience reading this was a bit lackluster. Overall, I loved the characters and different identities represented in the story, but I wasn't a huge fan of the plot/pacing and the setting felt really underutilized.

I first heard about this book from its spotlight blurb in Tor.com’s “30 More SFF Titles to Look Foward to in 2023.” Specifically the lines, “There’s a certain sub-sub genre of fantasy novel, typically YA but not exclusively, written by largely queer and trans authors who grew up reading That Series and are now wielding their own magic.” That hooked me immediately. But the book isn’t just in conversation with past works, it stands beautifully on its own. Rat, Harker, and the other students in their cadre are all so well-drawn and I was pulled into suspense of the novel from the first page. The casual but meaningful inclusion of Rat’s, and to a lesser extent Harker’s, trans/non-binary/queer experiences especially brought me joy. If you enjoy found family, dark academia, architecture magic, and spiteful friendship, there’s a lot to love here. While some plot bogginess in the middle kept it from being a 5-star for me, I am incredibly interested in seeing where this series goes, especially with that cliffhanger ending.

I have mixed feelings about this book, and I'm sad about it. I think it had significant promise and the lead character shine through as the highlights, but it just never got beyond a half-formed plot that never quite felt as urgent as it needed to.

Plot: Rat Evans is the heir to one of the oldest magical bloodlines in New York, but has never been much of a spellcaster. In fact, when they join Bellamy Arts, they attend with the caveat that they will not be using magic at all. Rat has always had the ability to see doorways that no one else can see, leading to passages that no one else can access - and one day they and their one-time friend, Harker, paid the price for this ability. But something followed them back, and with Harker as their now-enemy and someone intent on digging up an ancient trove of magic on campus, it might just be up to Rat to use their abilities to save the day.

The lead characters are absolutely the highlight of the book. Rat is an interesting lead, especially being a (mostly) non-magical character at a magical academy who is traumatized by the events of something that happened before the start of the story. And their abilities, to see doorways that don't necessarily exist in the real world, are fascinating as they are revealed throughout the course of the book and how they play into the overall plot.
But I think Harker, the trans boy from a non-magical family with a chip on his shoulder and Rat's friend-turned-enemy, is the true star of the book. He's prickly and strong and mysterious and I found myself so absolutely fascinated by everything about what he was doing. More, though, it's interesting to see the reveal over time of how their friendship fell apart before the story started, and how Harker became the person that we come to know. Their relationship is a bit gut-wrenching, because you can feel that phantom love of feelings that once existed and were torn away: the friend that you would text first and can no longer reach out to, the one you want to ask for help who wants nothing to do with you.

Middling: The mystery of Rat's father, who shares their gift with doorways.

On the other hand, the plot that we follow through the book itself is... meh. I never felt the sense of urgency that I wanted to, and I solved who the Big Bad was early on. Really, the sense of mystery just wasn't quite there. If more energy had been spent on the story of the Tower and what had happened to Rat and Harker prior to the academy, I think I would have been more interested, but the mystery of the map just... didn't have my attention. And the other characters, Jinx, Agatha, and Will (I had to look up his name, that's how little role he plays in this story for all that he's supposed to be a great friend to Rat) just fall flat.

Overall, this book had its strengths and its weaknesses, but I'll be curious to see where the followup goes before I decide one way or the other!

A nonbinary heir to one of the oldest magical bloodlines finds themselves enrolling in magic college, facing their ex-best friend turned nemesis, and trying to hunt down a magical map all the while running from a mysterious entity that wants to capture them. Rat Evans is the heir to one of the oldest magical bloodlines and has refused to cast spells anymore. Their magical talent allows them to find doorways and paths that no one else has ever seen.... but when they open up a passage to a broken tower and face a mysterious entity... they know they are in danger. Rat is now going to attend Bellamy Arts, a magical school that promises to offer protection for Rat and make sure that Rat doesn't encounter anymore passageways. There's only one problem with going to this school, Harker Blakely, a dangerously gifted trans boy who used to be Rat's closest friend and was the only person who knew what happened to Rat when they encountered the dangerous entity, but now absolutely hates Rat. Rat realizes that the entity is closing in on them and now they have to solve dangerous secrets and figure out what Harker is truly up to if they want to survive.

For a book titled A Hundred Vicious Turns, the only vicious turn this book had was how boring it got. This book features a gorgeous cover, has great representation, and offers a magical school, which should be the formula to a great book I would love right? Wrong. I found this book so boring and I honestly slogged through it, and the worst part is that it's not even that long but it felt like forever. Rat is suppose to be an interesting and complex main character but I found everyone other than Rat to be an interesting character. Heck, even Harker was a more complex and interesting character, I was more invested in the side characters than I was ever invested in Rat, and that's just devastating. I really wanted to like it, but it just fell flat. For a book featuring a magical school, it sure didn't feel magical at all, they were barely even doing school work or school things half the time. Seriously this was such a let down and I won't be continuing with the series after this. The premise was promising and the cover was stunning, but beyond that, this really doesn't have much to going for it.

In the end, if you are looking for a magical school mystery featuring lots of rep, give this one a go, maybe you'll have a better time with it then I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I cannot tell you how excited I was for a MAGIC SCHOOL STORY featuring a NONBINARY MC. I mean. !!!!!!!!! And then that jaw-dropping cover?!

*chef’s kiss*

But…I ended up being so bored. For a start, you really shouldn’t go into this looking for a magic school story – yes, the main setting is a magic school, but apparently that does not a magic school story automatically make. Not only do we never get to see classes, but Rat actually hates magic and doesn’t want to learn about it, never mind use it, at all. That was a pretty big shock to me, and was kind of difficult to reconcile – I didn’t really understand how even the frightening interactions with the Tower could turn someone born into and raised with magic into someone anti-magic.

(That might be more of a personal hang-up than a failure of the writing, though. I can’t, off the top of my head, think of what might be enough to turn me against magic.)

That aside, A Hundred Vicious Turns just seemed to go in circles – I think I saw another review describing Rat’s actions as ‘running in place’, and yeah, that’s very much the vibe I got too. Rat is scared; Rat hates themself for [insert repetitive reason here]; Rat is sure Harker is Up To Something. Wash, rinse, repeat. Nothing seemed to actually happen, nothing moved forward, I had no idea why the stolen map mattered so much, the characters were superficially interesting but lacking the depth required to make them feel like real people, and the prose is very plain, with no appeal of its own. There’s none of the wonder or beauty I was hoping for, either in the magic, setting, or worldbuilding; there’s nothing very interesting about this set-up. I read the first 25% of the book and honestly, you could have set it in a normal high school and it wouldn’t have changed much.

Magic’s supposed to be magical, and this is just…dull.

I don’t even think this is a case of expectations not matching reality (although I do think readers should go in knowing this isn’t a magic school story); I think A Hundred Vicious Turns is just objectively really boring. The premise is still great, but it needed to be executed very differently to be a story I could care about.

HeartbreakingIy disappointed here.

Lee Paige O'Brien takes readers on a thrilling journey. While the story is filled with excitement and intriguing concepts, it is important to note that the writing style may be perceived as somewhat juvenile.

The protagonist, Rat, possesses a magical ability to see hidden doors inaccessible to others. However, aware of the potential dangers, Rat has decided to refrain from actively practicing magic. Despite this, they enroll in one of the most prestigious Magic Universities. To complicate matters further, Rat's long-lost friend, Harker, unexpectedly joins them at the school, even though it was not part of the original plan. As the story unfolds, Rat's life takes an unexpected turn when something sinister follows them back from behind one of the magical doors. Now, Rat must prevent a disaster and reconcile with Harker, while facing the unknown dangers lurking within the mystical realms.

While the writing style in "Doors of Destiny" may come across as juvenile at times, Lee Paige O'Brien has created a captivating world of magic. The fast-paced narrative keeps readers engaged and eager to discover what happens next. The concept of rats with magical abilities and the existence of hidden doors adds a unique and intriguing aspect to the story.

Rat, the protagonist, is portrayed as a kind and caring individual, which makes it easy to form a connection with them. Witnessing Rat's growth and determination throughout the book is an enjoyable experience. The relationship between Rat and Harker adds depth and complexity to the narrative, as readers root for their reunion and the resolution of their past issues.

Despite the occasionally juvenile writing, "A Hundred Vicious Turns" shines through its imaginative world-building and fast-paced plot. Lee Paige O'Brien has crafted an adventure that will entertain readers who enjoy magical realms, friendship, and unexpected twists. While the writing style may not resonate with all readers, the story's charm and the endearing qualities of Rat make it a worthwhile read.

In conclusion, "A Hundred Vicious Turns" offers an entertaining and fast-paced adventure in a magical world. While the writing style may be perceived as juvenile, the story's unique concept and endearing protagonist make it enjoyable. Fans of fantastical realms and tales of friendship will find themselves engrossed in Rat's journey as they strive to prevent disaster and reconnect with a long-lost friend.

Thank you Amulet Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. This book was very exciting! Rat's magic is unique, they can see doors that no one else can. But their magic can also be dangerous so they have decided that they will not actively practice magic. Even though they are going to one of the top Magic Universities in the world! To make things more complicated Harker, their friend who they haven't spoken to in a long time, is also attending the school even when he wasn't supposed to be. Things go even more wrong when something follows Rat back from behind one of the doors. Can they keep disaster from happening? Will they be able to reconnect with Harker? I enjoyed the magic of the Lee Paige O'Brien's world! A fast paced story that keeps readers intrigued and needing to find out what happens next! Rat is kind and caring and I fell in love with them! Can't wait to read this again!