Magic and the adventure of friendship!

The book follows apprentice Witch Meda reluctantly working alongside Kalcedon, who is way more powerful. They give very enemies to lovers vibes, but he was a little mean, it is addressed but it was sad. I liked the romance it was fast and then slow and then fast again, kind of threw me for a loop but I’m happy they figured it out in the end! I liked Oraik he was oftentimes good comedic relief but he was always running off which was frustrating.

Over all the story was an easy read and had a decent flow, I will say there were a few grammatical errors throughout the book in my ARC copy, but I’m sure those will be edited by launch date! 3.5 ⭐️ (Chose to round up to 4⭐️)

Thank you to the Author Juliette Caruso for your art.

Huge thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op along with Book Sirens for my free copy of “Minor Works of Meda”

I received this advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Read this if you like:
- Older characters (30s)
- Independent/experienced FMCs without recycled snark
- Queernormative worlds
- Creepy faeries
- Cozy fantasy

I had a great time with this book until the 40% mark and then got a little bored. This is <b>not</b> the book's fault, though, I simply failed to realize it's a cozy fantasy before requesting the ARC, and I'm not much of a cozy fantasy enjoyer. I still think it's a good book. My only con is I wish the romance developed more on-page.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

[thank you to netgalley for providing me with an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review]

Meda is a witch who has very little magical power, despite this, she makes up for it by understanding magic in a very unique way. Her world is suddenly turned upside down and she is forced to embark on a journey to stop the magical dome that protects the islands from wicked fae magic from crumbling down.

Her half-witch, half-fae magical rival (soon-to-be, lover) Kalcedon, cannot bear to let her do it alone with no power to protect herself, so he follows (despite his annoyance with it). We soon meet Oraik, a filthy rich runaway prince who loves himself, people around him and spending money a bit too much for his own good. As the magical dome continues to crumble, the three of them travel around the islands in an attempt to fix it before any more people are killed in the process. What they don’t know, is that all is not as it seems, and perhaps the reason why the dome was being broken down wasn’t quite who they thought it was… but you’ll have to read it to find out more in this easy to read, cosy, indie fae romantasy!

BOOK CW: emetophobia, death, violence, alcohol consumption, blood, animal death

Meda and Oraik are very likeable characters from the get go, whereas at first Kalcedon appears to just be a grumpy rival who sees her as an inconvenience. Very quickly this changes - too quickly in my opinion. I didn’t feel like there was enough of a build up of their relationship. We kept getting glimpses of it and no real storyline. I found myself wanting MORE of them and their story. I think that I would have almost preferred for this book to have no element of romance between them, or perhaps the fruition of it. It would have kept it more interesting and on edge if they continued being rivals for longer, and if that was the reason why he stuck around - not that he had feelings for her. With so little backstory and relationship build up, it kind of just felt like the one fairly spicy scene was thrown in for the sake of tagging this as a spicy fae romantasy.

At about 75-80% through the book I felt like I was no longer reading the same story. The main plot of Meda’s adventure gets derailed. Fortunately, in the end it all ties in but I felt like there wasn’t really much of a build up or even a suggestion of the big plot twist - whether maybe someone whispering, or a rumour heard upon their travels that speculated who Kalcedon actually was, or a point made about questioning his parentage more? I felt like I got a bit of whiplash just how quickly and how much we found out during the last quarter of the book. It also felt like Meda’s neurodivergence magically disappeared about halfway through the book…

However, all in all, I still enjoyed the book and would likely recommend it! I definitely wish this wasn’t a standalone book and the cover art and the maps are beautiful.

To start this off, unfortunately this book wasn't my cup of tea. The idea of it was great and I liked that the protagonists weren't kids but in their 30s/40s so you can relate to them a bit more. At least that's what I was hopng for because I didn't built a connection to them and their romance felt very flat to me, which is a bit of a dealbreaker on my side. The writing style is ok, not the best I've seen but not the worst, it was just very slow and a bit scattered.

So lets talk about magic and a woman with lack of social skills, with a half fae has her supposed enemy.. Both have magic but while Kalcedon the half fae has a well of magic, Mera always makes a mess when she tries to cast a spell... However something is causing an devastation on their lands and they go on a quest to try to find what's happening, also that quest can lead to the discover of higher feeling that they also have between them

4 stars! I think "Minor Works of Meda" is perfect for someone who enjoys a grumpy x grumpy romance and cozy fantasies.

I knew from the first chapter that I would like this book. It has several of my favorite tropes: rivals-to-lovers romance, witty banter, wicked fae, and a fantasy world you can escape to. There's also an academic element and a slower-paced plot, which I think creates the perfect foundation for a cozy fantasy! I haven't had a chance to read many cozy fantasies, but after finishing this book, I understand the hype. I can't wait to read more books in this subgenre.

The worldbuilding plays a HUGE role in this story, and I like how the setting is easy to visualize and unique to the story. Most of the story takes place along a series of islands. A magical dome surrounds the islands, killing anyone with fae blood who touches it. The dome has kept the islands safe for centuries. Unfortunately, an evil faerie king has decided to destroy the dome... and he doesn't care how many humans die in the process.

Enter our unlikely trio: a runaway prince, a half-blooded fae, and a bookish witch with little actual magic. I think the author does an amazing job distinguishing the characters' voices and giving them well-rounded personalities. I also LOVE the trio's witty banter and reluctant alliance. I was a little concerned their relationship dynamics would edge into love-triangle territory (a trope I despise), but the author establishes a platonic friendship with one of them instead. I feel like we don't see enough platonic friendships between male and female characters, and I'm really happy it's shown in this book! As for the romance...

This book DELIVERS on its slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers romance. There's sooo much tension between the love interests! There's also a grumpy x grumpy element to their relationship, which is a trope I didn't know existed and now feel desperate to read more of.

If you couldn't already tell, I love this story! The only reason I'm giving it four stars is because it feels a little slow at times. However, I think that's part of what makes this book a perfect cozy fantasy. I can see someone enjoying this if they like that genre or are looking for a cure for their book hangover.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the author and Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

I liked the concept but the execution if it wasn’t for me. It feels so slow at the beginning, which I believe causes the plot to feel scattered all over the place. I’m not a fan of writing, and I think it doesn’t do a great job of building the world for me. I didn’t find anything interesting about the characters and without knowing how old Meda is, Kalcedon being forty creeps me out a little bit.

I won't be posting my review anywhere.

I could not put this book down! A late nighter here with this one.

The story I found easy to follow along with shorter chapters and I just needed to know what happened next.

I love how I couldn’t predict what was happening with the story line! I did predict the love story but I love the slow burn and realisation of each other’s feelings are mutual!

I resonate a lot with Meda is terms of wanting to be less around people and having her own time in books so I loved her as a FMC! She also didn’t take no for an answer and didn’t let much upset her.

The adventure and friendship she makes along the way was beautiful.

I really enjoyed this book as a whole!

It was an interesting book which kept me entertained enough to finish it. The plot was good and action packed. That being said, I think overall it just wasn’t for me. I did not connect with the romance part of the story, which is always a big factor for me. The MMC was pretty harsh towards the FMC and I just couldn’t feel a romantic relationship between them.
I loved that both MCs were in their 30s, this is what drew me into the book in the first place.

This book was—as it’s characters would say—a kick! Oh my goodness, the action. The twists. It’s been a long time since a book just kidnapped me and took me on a ride, but I was captivated. I missed lunch and devoured this instead.

I’ll be honest, I hated Kalcedon at first. Instantly repulsed by his character. I just don’t care for mean boys and much preferred her sweet new friend, Oraik. But the careful characterization, the way Kalcedon chooses to grow and change to be a better person 100% sold me on him. I love the effort the author took here, painting him just so and allowing him to undertake the growth and effort that ultimately makes him worthy of the main character.

And what a main character. God, I empathized with Meda so hard sometimes my chest hurts. The author never specifically diagnoses her with any kind of neurodivergence but if you know, you know. I absolutely adore her. When she hyperfixates, you feel her joy and you root for her discoveries. I can’t tell you how much I love a research arc so to read a character who essentially saves the kingdom through extensive research and practice? Adore it. Flawless book is flawless.

Amazon informs me this Juliette Caruso also has another book KNIGHT’S BRIDE available for free on Kindle Unlimited. I enjoyed this one so much, I can’t wait to check out the rest of her catalog. Highly recommend.

*ARC Review via NetGalley*
Title: Minor Works of Media
Release Date: July 15th, 2024

4✨! This book is a fun read for those who love YA Fantasy. The book is written from the FMC’s POV as she tries to the save the wards with the MMC, who is incredibly rude to her. The book is full of adventure, as the pair journey across their lands. Although the couple are older than what we typically see in fantasy, the characters are written in a very youthful manner. Additionally, another MC provides thoughtful and obnoxious thoughts/comments on the pair throughout the journey. He’s basically an oversized Labrador Retriever with lots of money and a desire for attention. The ending of this book is not what I would chosen; however, that’s not to say it wasn’t good. The book is set up to go one direction and abruptly changes from that in the last 25%. I did appreciate the final chapter tying things together, though. It’s a cute read in the fantasy category, and the cover is stunning.

While this story wasn't entirely for me, I still did enjoy it a lot. I enjoyed the world building, and most of the characters, but at times I found it a little difficult to concentrate on it, but that might just be on me. It wasn't a bad story by any means, and I could see this becoming a lot of people's favourite read.

This was the cosiest of cosy fantasy books! I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I initially thought I would.

Meda is a neurodivergent FMC, who I really grew a soft spot for throughout the story. Her strong self-belief and perseverance, coupled with a desire to connect with those around her made for an endearing and unique character in a genre where the FMCs have a habit of blending into one. The magic was interesting and the storytelling engaging, with the perfect balance of urgency and quieter emotional moments to keep the pace going at an enjoyable rate.

I wouldn't describe this as an 'enemies to lovers', which I expected going into it, but a 'mentor and reluctant apprentice to lovers' with more of a complex backstory. I would have loved to see more of their off-page relationship history and life in the tower prior to where we join them in the story, but their slow-burn relationship development was so cute it had me giggling. Both characters have a more realistic blend of black cat/golden retriever energy respectively throughout different scenarios which added to the authenticity of their character development and avoided the charicature pitfalls Romantasy characters risk falling into. Overall they were just so refreshing and had a maturity that added to the readability.

After reading some fairly intense back to back high-concept Romantasy novels, Minor Works of Meda was just what I needed, and I would definitely recommend! I can't wait to read more of Ms Caruso's work in future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the E-ARC!

Minor Works of Meda by Juliette Caruso
4.5 ⭐
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: July 15, 2024

I knew from the first sentence alone that I was going to love this book. It has all the elements I enjoy: an interesting magic system, adventure, an incredibly smart and feisty FMC, a grumpy-but-fine-I’ll-help-you-anyway MMC, a very loveable side character, and banter that is so fun and engaging to read. Also, there is a slow, simmering romance that I found quite delicious and absolutely happy-squeely-little-feet-kicks-inducing 😉 I read this book for hours, even stayed up until 2 AM because I could not put this book down!

Minor Works of Meda is set in the Calachian Protectorate, a large group of islands that are under the protection of a Ward, a shield that has protected them from the Fae for over 300 years.

Meda is an ambitious witch, highly skilled in sigils and spellwork, but her magic is weak. She can only do the most basic of spells before she is in danger of using up all her energy and dying. Kalcedon, her rival, is half-Fae. With magic running so strongly in his veins, he is a powerful witch in ways that Meda can only dream about. Meda and Kalcedon both work for the seer Eudoria, with Kalcedon as her apprentice, and Meda as her assistant.

Then one day, the Ward falls, causing accidents all over the Protectorate. This spurs Meda and Kalcedon on a quest to figure out what happened to the Ward-spell, and whether there is anything she can do to fix it before the Ward falls for good and the Protectorate is left open to the merciless fae lord ruling just outside their borders.
✨
The characters are such a loveable bunch. Meda really reminded me of Emily Wilde. They have the same brilliant mind, a thirst for knowledge and research, a stubborn and focused determination to achieve their goals. Both are also socially inept, preferring to focus all their attention on the one thing they really care about (magic for Meda, Faeries for Emily Wilde). I love her. Kalcedon, my grumpy little half-fae. He’s a grumpy boi with a soft spot for Meda. And that’s a dynamic I always adore in fantasy! And Oraik, the carefree soul that just wants to see and experience everything the world has to offer. Their trio dynamics were so fun to read.

This book is fast-paced, but Juliette Caruso writes it in such a way that still gives you a lot of rich details. The world-building is done well, with a lot of established lore that affects the characters in the present. Each island also had a distinct culture, and I never felt lost, despite the characters doing a lot of traveling across the Protectorate. The magic system is unique as well, with clear in-world rules and consequences. The characters feel fleshed out, with their unique set of flaws, history, dreams, and goals. I felt the weight of their position in the world, and how that has affected them and influenced the way they are.

I absolutely loved this book. If you enjoy fantasy, adventure, magic, and rivals-to-allies with a dash or romance and spice, then you should definitely read Minor Works of Meda.

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and the author Juliette Caruso for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I found the book very boring. And the characters unlikeable.
I really did not enjoy reading it. I kept wishing I was done. Others may like it, but it just didn’t do it for me.

5 stars from me. Loved this book so much. I wish everyone that likes fantasy books could read this masterpiece!!! Omg it has everything!!!

Title: Minor Works of Meda

Author: Juliette Caruso

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: ★★★★☆
Release Date: 15th July 2024

What first called out to me was the stunning cover! As you all now, imagine a sucker for amazing covers.

However putting the cover aside, this tale of an underdog witch with a sharp mind and a half-faerie rival with immense power is a delightful escape into a richly imagined world.


Meda dreams of becoming a great witch, but with weak magic and no social graces, her aspirations seem impossible. Her rival, Kalcedon, a heartless half-faerie, has so much magic that just being near him makes her blood sing with envy.

However, when an ancient Ward-spell starts to fail, threatening the Protectorate with devastation at the hands of the cruelest fae lord ever known, Meda finds herself with a chance to prove her worth. If she can translate the ancient spell and figure out who is destroying it and how she can save the isles—and maybe her dreams along the way.

What I Loved:

1. Compelling Protagonist: Meda is a wonderfully relatable character. Despite her weak magic, her determination and intelligence make her an inspiring heroine. Her journey from self-doubt to self-discovery is beautifully portrayed.
2. Rival-Turned-Partner Dynamic: The tension between Meda and Kalcedon is electric. Their rivalry evolves into a partnership filled with banter, mutual respect, and growing affection. Kalcedon’s transformation from a seemingly heartless rival to a protective ally adds depth to the story.
3. Rich World-Building: The Protectorate’s islands are vividly described, creating an immersive setting. The magic system, the ancient spells, and the looming threat of the fae lord enhance the world’s allure and complexity.
4. High Stakes Adventure: The plot’s urgency, with the failing Ward-spell and the race against time, keeps you on the edge of your seat. The balance of action, mystery, and emotional moments makes for a well-rounded narrative.


Meda’s attempts at translating the ancient spell provide a unique and intriguing aspect to the story. Her meticulous work with dusty tomes and cryptic languages adds an intellectual challenge to the adventure, making her triumphs feel well-earned and satisfying.


"Minor Works of Meda" is a magical journey that celebrates the power of determination and the unexpected alliances that can change everything. Juliette Caruso has crafted a story that is as heartwarming as it is thrilling, with characters that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

This book is perfect for fans of fantasy who enjoy a mix of magic, adventure, and slow-burn romance. Meda’s quest to save her world and prove her worth is a tale that will enchant you from beginning to end.


Thank you to The Publisher Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | ,The Author Juliette Caruso & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Juliet Caruso for granting me this eARC! The plot was interesting and very fast-paced, but I found the romance and world building to be very underdeveloped.
The book is being marketed as rivals-to-lovers but they are never on equal footing to actually be rivals; he's constantly referring to her as "barely a witch" and she's dependent on him to demonstrate her skills. It was extremely frustrating to see Meda continually write off Kalecedon's feelings because "fae don't have hearts", when the world building never actually established that. This was exacerbated by Meda's belief apparently coming from an unsubstantiated folktale which was later discredited in one brief conversation (which is extra ridiculous considering Meda's supposed strong research skills). There was also fair bit of "not like other girls" energy from Meda, which I'm never a fan of.
All in all, the romance fell flat to me - it didn't seem like she grew past viewing him as an attractive yet incompetent power source.

This was pretty mediocre. It was pretty shallow, pretty superficial, and pretty cliche. That being said, it was an easy read.

A delightful adult romantic fantasy that blends strong characters with serene storytelling! The author's writing is enchanting, weaving a world of magic and romance that captivates from start to finish. A must-read for those seeking both adventure and heartfelt moments in their romantasy books.