This book follows Fiadh as she tries to uncover the truth behind her cousin Muriel’s mysterious disappearance six months ago. To investigate, she joins the same internship Muriel had, only to find herself entangled in the darker world of the Society of Solicitors (SoS). Now, she must balance her internship, the secrets of the SoS, and the search for Muriel.

✔ Fast-paced and engaging mystery – The premise is intriguing, and despite some flaws, the story keeps you turning pages. The short, bingeable chapters make it an easy read.
✔ Secret societies & cult dynamics – The SoS adds an eerie, shadowy layer that keeps things interesting.
✔ Irish influences – The use of phraseologies and Irish Gaelic gives the book a distinct atmosphere.
✔ A surprising touch of magic – Unexpected but oddly fitting, the magical elements complement the legal thriller aspects in a unique way.

Where It Fell Short:

❌ Uneven pacing & lack of buildup – The story starts strong, but the mystery surrounding Muriel’s disappearance lacks clues and development. After a long stretch with little progress, major revelations are suddenly crammed into the last 15% of the book, making the ending feel rushed and chaotic.
❌ Weak Dark Academia elements – While set in an academic environment, the internship and class aspects feel underdeveloped. The setting ends up feeling secondary rather than integral.
❌ Inconsistencies & logic gaps – Some timeline inconsistencies and dramatic leaps in logic weaken the narrative. Characters sometimes jump to conclusions without sufficient reasoning.
❌ Underdeveloped characters – Some characters feel one-dimensional, and Fiadh’s expectations about friendships and loyalty can feel questionable. Additionally, the overuse of the nickname “Swan Man” instead of using Keefe’s actual name feels unnecessary.

Final Thoughts:

“The Lost Apprentice” has a strong concept and an engaging setup, but its execution could have used more polishing. A more structured buildup to the climax, stronger character development, and a better integration of the academic setting would have made this a standout read. As it is, it’s a decent, fast-paced mystery with potential, but it doesn’t quite reach its full promise.

⭐ 3/5 – An entertaining but flawed read.

Thank you NetGalley and Tara O'Toole for the ARC!

While I enjoyed the dark academia setting and mystery, I found that the plot could have been more cohesive. That said, I did enjoy the complex characters!

I'm torn about this book. I liked the magic system and the dark academia setting, but it just didn't spark or keep my interest.

The Lost Apprentice is the kind of book that pulls you in and doesn’t let go. It’s got that perfect mix of dark academia, mystery, and magic, all set against the hauntingly beautiful backdrop of Ireland.

Fiadh isn’t just another ambitious apprentice—she has a mission. Her cousin vanished after joining this elite (and ruthless) legal program, and she’s determined to find out why. But the deeper she digs, the more she realizes that the truth isn’t just buried—it’s protected by something far more powerful than law. The magic system is fresh and brilliantly woven into the mystery, making every revelation even more intense.

And the characters? Messy, flawed, and completely compelling. Fiadh’s circle is full of tension, shifting dynamics, and relationships that make it impossible to tell who’s friend or foe. The Irish setting only adds to the book’s immersive, almost eerie tone, and I loved that Tara O’Toole included a pronunciation guide (lifesaver!). The bits of Irish language scattered throughout made the world feel even more vivid and left me wanting to learn more.

I couldn’t put this one down. The pacing is razor-sharp, the twists are relentless, and just when I thought I had it figured out—bam, another curveball. It’s been a while since a mystery kept me this hooked.

If you love fast-paced, twisty stories with magic, tension, and just the right touch of romance, The Lost Apprentice needs to be on your list.

I loved this so much! The build up to the secret society was perfect. I loved each character, the secrets and mystery that surrounded everything and I really enjoyed the atmosphere to this book!

such a great read!

3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

What caught my eye was the cover. I think it reflects the themes/vibes present in the story. The concept is there. You can see it as you read. There is mystery that (initially) engages curiosity. Though this story wasn’t what I thought it would be, the potential is there. I’m rooting for author and can appreciate the time they put into this work.

I think this has a really interesting premise, I love mysteries but ultimately this failed to keep me interested. The mystery aspect of the book felt like an afterthought, instead the secret society takes main stage. I think the author could have found a better balance between the two to make the story more cohesive. There was also a lot of focus on the legal profession which is not something I’m not well versed in. I skimmed through some of those parts because I don’t feel like they contributed to the overall story.

I really love The Lost Apprentice. I am so excited to see a fantasy/dark academia/thriller that takes place in Ireland. The inclusion of Irish folklore was very interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Overall, I would say this was an entertaining mystery to become absorbed in if you are looking for a quick read. It definitely could have used some more work on the plot itself, as there were many times when I would begin to lose interest and some of the comedic elements felt forced and out of place. The characters were all unique and I did enjoy their connections and the romantic element of the plot. The nickname "swan man" did seem overused at points and just strange after a while. I would definitely recommend this to others!

DNF @ 28%. I love a dark academia setting, but one of the things I love about it is pairing the setting with an academic level of writing. I’ve read this in books like The Secret History, Babel, and The Historian. Unfortunately the writing in the Lost Apprentice doesn’t live up to its setting or predecessors and reading it was more akin to fan fiction than literary fiction it’s aspiring to.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I’m so sad that I didn’t enjoy this book like I thought I was going to. I wasn’t fully invested in the characters but I loved the premise of the book. I felt like I was forcing myself to continue the story because I wanted to know what happened to Muriel but didn’t have the patience to continue so I did DNF at 55%.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a fun thriller! I liked the magic system, the characters felt distinct and diverse, and it was really interesting to dive into Ireland’s apprentice program. The ending was a little rushed for me and it felt a little predictable, but overall, it was an enjoyable read.

A fantasy novel where the main characters are lawyers?! Sign. Me. Up.

As a law student, this book was an absolute treat! The Lost Apprentice takes legal drama, blends it with magic, and sets it all against an atmospheric Dublin backdrop—what’s not to love?

What Worked:
✅ Engaging writing style – The sentence structure and rich vocabulary made for a compelling read. No dry prose here!
✅ Fast-paced plot – The story moves quickly, keeping you hooked from start to finish.
✅ Subtle (but well-executed) romance – I didn’t expect smut in this book, but hey, it was tastefully done!
✅ Dublin’s magic – The setting felt alive, with just the right touch of Irish history to add depth.

What Could’ve Been Better:
⚖️ The mystery element wasn’t all that mysterious, but it did its job moving the plot forward.
⚖️ The ending felt a bit Scooby-Doo-esque—not necessarily a bad thing, but it could have packed more punch.

Final Verdict: If you’re a fan of dark academia with a legal twist, this one’s for you. I’d love to own a physical copy myself! ✨📖

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

"First impressions matter, so make it a good one." But can you ever really trust your first impression of someone? #TheLostApprentice focuses on young men and women in the midst of their first years working in law, and striving to "earn their places" while also being confronted with things that are not always as they seem surface-level.

Love, hate, insecurity and determination are mixed in with a little magic and soul-selling in this story that catches you off-guard with plot twists.

This story follows Fiadh Whelan, who is trying to figure out what happened to her cousin Muriel, who went missing 6 months ago. In order to find out what actually happened to her, Fiadh ends up applying to the same rigorous internship that Muriel was a part of as she believes that it has something to do with her disappearance. During the first meet-up of the apprentices, Fiadh gets sucked into an even darker world, which is a secret society called the Society of Solicitors. Believing her cousin was also involved, she now must juggle her intense internship, becoming a member of this society, and still trying to find out what happened to her cousin. Eventually, Fiadh does become a member of the society and learns that members have a tool for a sort of magic that can make people behave in certain ways, but doing so causes part of their soul to be taken from them. Soon things start happening to Fiadh and her co-apprentices at the firm she is interning at, and they all realize that someone is hexing them. Fiadh is convinced it is one of the older apprentices that knew her cousin, and she stops at nothing to figure out the truth.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. Once the action starts happening, the book kept me interested the whole time and I couldn't put it down. I really enjoyed the secret society aspect of the novel especially with the added use of magic, which was done in a really unique way I thought. It was a fun legal thriller. The one thing I wish the author expanded more on was the actually schooling/classes/internship stuff more because once the action started up, it was go go go go. This book was definitely unexpected for me, and I'm glad! I honestly hope the author writes more books set in this world with these characters!

Dark academia, winter vibes. The authors writing was fairly predictable so I wasn't shocked when the twists happened but overall decent read

3,5/5

I picked up this book while deep in my binge-watching-law-TV-series phase, fresh off catching up on an ongoing show, and "The Lost Apprentice" seamlessly filled the void.

You think you're getting a legal mystery, but surprise! You also get secret societies, a dash of cultism, and a bucketful of unexpected magic.

What worked for me:

✔ Quick, snappy, and impossible to put down – A fast-paced read with just the right amount of twists, made even more addictive by its short, bingeable chapters.
✔ The secret society/cult dynamic—nothing like some good old-fashioned shady traditions to keep things interesting.
✔ The classic Scooby-Doo gang dynamic – This book serves up a perfect example of how *group projects* actually work. PTSD reactivated.
✔ The Irish flavor—the use of phraseologies, along with the sprinkling of Irish Gaelic, gave the book a unique voice.
✔ Magic? In MY legal thriller? You wouldn’t expect it, but it works surprisingly well—an unexpected yet oddly fitting touch, complete with a cozy magic system.

What didn’t quite win me over:

❌ Some characters felt like they were missing a key argument—and for the first time ever, I wasn’t a big fan of the comic relief character, but he did have his good moments as well.
❌ The predictability factor: Once I got into the rhythm of Tara O’Toole’s writing, I started guessing major twists before they happened. Not necessarily a dealbreaker, but it did take away some of the mystery.
❌ Some moments seemed designed for foreshadowing but instead felt out of place.
❌ Dramatic leaps in logic – Certain characters had a talent for drawing conclusions out of thin air rather than actual facts.
❌ Main character’s questionable expectations – She makes some bold assumptions about friendships and loyalty, and let’s just say… I had some thoughts.


While the book's concept and genre might not be a "trending read" right now, it’s a solid case of “unexpected but enjoyable.” If you like legal mysteries with a side of cults and a *dash* of magic, it’s worth adding to your reading docket.

La premisa del libro me pareció bastante interesante, es sobre una sociedad secreta y tiene elementos de academia oscura, genero que me gusta mucho y el misterio que nuestra protagonista esta intentando descubrir. Desafortunadamente si bien la trama logró atraparme por momentos siento que el estilo de escritura no es mi favorito y el ritmo de la trama no lo sentí completamente fluido.

What sets this story apart is its emotional resonance. Fiadh’s relentless pursuit of the truth is not just about solving a mystery; it’s about justice, grief, and the desperate need for closure. Her internal conflict that is balancing her ambition with the emotional toll of her mission, feels raw and real. The novel doesn't shy away from exploring the burden of expectations, both self-imposed and societal, making Fiadh a protagonist readers can root for.

let's talk about the pacing. The pacing is taut and relentless, reflecting Fiadh’s urgency. I think the novel balances legal procedural elements with suspenseful twists. The tension builds methodically, and just when you think you have the plot figured out, the story pivots in unexpected ways. The stakes feel genuine, and the consequences of each revelation hit hard, making for a read that is difficult to put down.

The setting is an elite legal environment steeped in secrecy and is vividly rendered, creating an atmosphere that is both alluring and ominous. The world of The Lost Apprentice feels richly developed, from the rigid hierarchy of apprenticeships to the veiled machinations. Every scene is meticulously written, drawing me into Fiadh’s world with striking imagery and immersive descriptions. Tara O'Toole's ability to depict both the sterile professionalism of the law firm and the underlying darkness lurking beneath its surface adds to the novel’s layered storytelling.

The Lost Apprentice is more than just a mystery but it’s a story about resilience, the cost of ambition, and the gray morality of power. It’s a book that doesn’t just entertain; it challenges readers to consider what they would sacrifice in pursuit of the truth. A compelling, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.

The mystery was not a mystery. The romance was not romancing. The fantasy was barely fantasy. The Dark Academia was not dark or even really academia.

For a book that's supposed to be about the MC's lost cousin, 50% in and no attempts have been made at all to figure out what happened. 75% and still minimal attempts! And you want to know why? Because it's actually not really that much of a mystery at all, so instead of putting the story towards that, we just get random nonsense for the majority of the book to distract you from the fact that this could've been sorted out with Fiadh asking her "suspect" once at all anything about Muriel. But nope, why do that when we can run around on a mountain or throw turnips at each other!

Literally nothing any characters said or did made sense at all, and the story was so shallow. You can't give me a magical secret society and say this person is gonna teach them everything, then show nothing at all. And basically immediately people are doing hexing? When they are explicitly told that will get them kicked out? What?

I actually chose to watch the Super Bowl rather than finish reading this book, and I hate football. So... yeah.

Thanks to NetGalley providing an eARC of The Lost Apprentice.