Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is it! This is what rivals to lovers should be; no miscommunication, but a lot of personal growth, apologies and a healthy amount of coincidence. The beautiful writing had me flying through it at an astounding pace, and I found myself thinking about it almost constantly when I was not reading.

We follow Aurelia and Theodore, rival PhD students at Cambridge, who are left reeling after the murder of a fellow classmate. Aurelia is a green witch, which means she has power over nature, and not only has she been hiding this from everyone for years, her powers are starting to betray her. Theodore is an arrogant, aggravating mystery that Aurelia is frustratingly obsessed with (sorry Aurelia, you just are), and when the university closes down in the aftermath of the murder, Theodore invites Aurelia to stay with his family, rather than remain alone in Cambridge, after realising that she may also be a target.

The characters are where this book shines the brightest, and as a character driven reader this made the book for me. I loved these characters with my whole entire heart; they are young, and messy, and oh-so-relatable. Fellow over-sharers will love Aurelia; she is incessantly curious, and extremely uncomfortable with silence. The way that they pushed each other to grow, and through this grew closer to each other, was a joy to read. The care Theodore takes over his family was beautiful, his trauma broke my heart, and I would love to see more from his perspective in the second book, although I absolutely adored spending the majority of this story with Aurelia. The moments where she would catch him looking at her a certain way and not entirely know what to make of it were delicious as a reader.

The plot was less of a focus, so plot driven readers may struggle a little more with this one. There is a witchy mystery at the heart of the story, which our characters work together to unravel and eventually confront, but there are extended sections of the book where the plot does not move forward very much, and the majority of the book takes place is one location. Personally, I did not mind this; the witchy vibes were immaculate and the character relationships and banter were a joy to read. There was just enough plot to keep me ticking along, and I did feel like the slower pace at the start gave me a sense of security that then meant when things started to happen, they had a bigger impact.

I would have liked a bit more worldbuilding and lore, and perhaps to have seen a bit more of both MC's parents. They were so influential in the state in which we meet Aurelia and Theodore, so I would have liked to get a full circle moment of growth or confrontation, but I suspect this may be something addressed in the second book. Similarly, I have been left with many questions about the world and lore of this book; we are told that witches fear humans but it is unclear what exactly has led to this extreme fear. I would love to know more, but again suspect this will be addressed in the second book, and from the epilogue I believe we may get to see some locations too, as well as a better understanding of the antagonist in this book. Ultimately my only criticism is that I wanted more!

Overall, I loved this book, and I particularly loved how the ending left room for the sequel but wrapped up the main plot threads without feeling the need to leave us on a massive cliff-hanger. I'll definitely be recommending to character driven readers looking for an academic rivals to lovers or a witchy mystery.

Modern Divination is a stunning exploration of identity and the struggle to balance two worlds. Aurelia's journey is both thrilling and deeply emotional, capturing the essence of friendship, sacrifice, and the complexities of magic. The writing is enchanting, and the characters are beautifully developed, pulling you into a world where every choice has profound consequences. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a rich blend of magic and heartfelt storytelling.

I made quite a few brilliant decisions in the past year when it comes to my arc request, but none was better than asking for Modern Divination.

Brilliant. That's the only way to describe this book to do it justice and leave the review mysterious enough for the reader to be intrigued. It’s like tasting magic - fresh and dark and all-consuming. An experience like no other.

Teddy and Aurelia have my heart for eternity - both complex and flawed and just troublesome enough to be real and utterly lovable.

And while the ending broke my heart just a little bit I wouldn't change it for the world. Instead, I'm impatiently waiting for the sequel and convincing everyone that the book is more than worth reading.

Modern Divination by Isabel Agajanian is an utterly mesmerizing blend of dark academia, mystery, and slow-burn romance. Following the journey of Aurelia Schwartz—a young witch straddling the fragile balance between her human life and a world brimming with magic—the novel plunges into a story of concealed powers, forbidden promises, and precarious alliances. Aurelia’s waning green magic and a dangerous rivalry with another witch set her on a path that intertwines with that of a contentious classmate, forcing them into hiding within a family whose secrets and survival demand breaking all the rules she’s ever known.

What do you say about a book you loved and devoured in two days? This story is perfect and one I won’t soon forget. Agajanian’s writing style is gorgeously emotional, packed with metaphors that felt as if they were crafted just for me. Every line seemed to scratch an itch in my brain, pulling me further into the story and refusing to let go. The characters—imperfect, raw, and unforgettable—are the heart of this novel. Their development felt achingly real, with all the imperfections that make them resonate deeply. Rory and Teddy, the protagonists, were not only relatable but also brilliantly complex. They lingered with me long after I turned the last page, and I couldn’t help but see pieces of myself in them.

While the magic and world-building were incredibly engaging, it was the characters and their relationships that truly hooked me. I pulled countless quotes from this book because so many lines just hit me right in the heart. Modern Divination is an enchanting must-read that manages to be both magical and profoundly human, and I loved every moment of it.

I‘m beyond happy I got this one as an arc on NetGalley but I’ll surely want a physical copy of said masterpiece.

I first read (and loved) Modern Divination as an indie-published book, and I was thrilled to hear that it had been picked up by Macmillan for traditional publication. I'm happy to report that Isabel Agajanian has achieved what seemed impossible: this new version is even better than the original, which was already excellent. The prose feels richer, more emotional, and more mature. I immediately noticed the new sections and revisions compared to the indie version, and I’m amazed at how Isabel has elevated the book to such an extraordinary level.

Modern Divination is a contemporary fantasy featuring academic rivals at Cambridge, Aurelia Schwartz and Teddy Ingram. Without giving too much away to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that both possess magic, and at some point, they're forced to work together to save not only themselves but others as well. The plot masterfully balances mystery, a touch of dark academia, magic, and romance. It also delivers one of the most delicious slow burns in fantasy — the amount of pining between the two characters is indescribable. Isabel’s portrayal of Teddy and Aurelia’s evolving relationship — how they slowly realize they need each other and are stronger and better together than apart — is simply brilliant. They’ve become one of my all-time favorite fantasy couples.

That said, I have to spotlight just how wonderful Teddy is as a character. While Aurelia is fantastic in her own right, Teddy completely stole my heart. I’m so weak for Howl-coded characters in turtlenecks!!!!

You might think it’s impossible to experience the thrill of reading a favorite book for the first time again, but that’s exactly how it felt reading the traditionally published version of Modern Divination. This book is perfect for those who already know Isa’s work from their indie days, as well as new readers looking for an exquisitely written, atmospheric fantasy with characters you wish you could meet and a romance that stirs all the best emotions.

Aurelia has spent her entire life maintaining the equilibrium between her carefully curated human life and the magical one that she endured in secret. With a devoted best friend and a place at an elite college, she has everything one could possibly want neatly within her grasp.

Except for the fact that her gift of magic is fading. A fateful encounter with a power hungry witch with a penchant for stolen magic has threaded to unbalance her life and bring her to ruin. Cast into an unexpected alliance with her dreadfully arrogant class mate, she goes into hiding among a peculiar family of witches.

A beautiful exploration of identity and the struggle one must sometimes endure to balance two worlds. This story is deeply emotional while capturing the essence of friendship and the importance of sacrifice in your life. These characters are compelling and the complexities of magic are beautifully developed.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐓𝐨𝐫) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐈𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐣𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐧

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for sending me this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

Modern Divination truly has my heart. What a gorgeous and magical book. You follow two rivals at Cambridge who have to work together after disaster strikes, taking them to a hidden town filled with magic. I honestly can’t think of a better premise.

I adored both Aurelia and Teddy. So often when reading fantasy romances, I end up frustrated because the main couple don’t actually talk to each other enough or spend enough time together. But this book was perfect because they practically couldn’t shut their mouths, nor did they separate for long at all (if ever really?). I genuinely feel like we get such a sense of their personalities individually and their longing for one another. Don’t get me started on Teddy’s “Rory darling”.

This was wonderfully written. There are so many parts of this book I could pick out and quote here, but I’d probably end up just posting the whole book. So I’ll settle for one – “Looking at each other and seeing each other were two very different things. Be it her relief or her downfall, she and Ingham could do both.”

I have had my eye on this book for months, even before it got picked up by the publishers. So I was thrilled to get my hands on it. Truly truly truly, this was an easy five stars for me and I cannot wait for the next one.

4.5 stars
This was so dark and magical and deeply romantic. I loved the magic system from the very beginning. Witchy books do it for me every time and this one had such unique twists on witches and magic. The prose was very lyrical and poetic. It created such a dark and whimsical atmosphere that felt like I was actually there. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Ninth House and A Study in Drowning for the moody, gothic vibes. The romance was my favorite part to no one’s surprise. Rivals to reluctant allies to lovers and so much banter and tension you could cut with a knife. These characters were so down bad for each other that I was mentally screaming at them to kiss. Teddy is my favorite type of book boyfriend: protective, yearning, and tortured. I don’t want to spoil anything but this had one of my favorite tropes ever and without giving anything away I will say just say dreams. I’ve wanted to read Modern Divination for a long time and I’m so glad I waited for the newly revamped version to finally dive into this story. I absolutely loved this as much as I thought I would and I’m so excited for the next one.

Academic rivals, magic, and a dash of romance as they try to figure out who is trying to kill them and if they can stop arguing long enough to trust each other... and maybe... possibly, fall in love. Aurelia Schwartz has keeping her life in a carefully maintained way, separating her magic powers from her very human best friend and roommate. All she wants to do is defeat her academic rival, gain academic prestige, and hang out with her best friend.The only hiccup is that her powers are fading and it’s getting harder and harder to control and keep hidden from humans. So when she runs into another witch, which is very rare for her, she finds herself being threatened and the only person there to help her is the last person she ever expected or wanted... Theodore “Teddy” Ingram... and he just happens to possess magic of his own. Soon Aurelia is forced to the one person she can’t stand because he has a better grasp on what is actually happening and he is the only one she can turn to but Teddy is hiding his own secrets. Forced to spend the holiday with Teddy at his own home while trying to figure out why a witch is hunting them down and what she wants, Aurelia and Teddy will have to face their past hurts and answer the question of why they dislike each other so much and if they can even live in the same house together. It does not help that despite how much they argue and bicker, there is something else there growing between them. Magic, slow burn romance, enemies to lovers, angst, academic rivals, and a touch of Howl’s Moving Castle and what you get is a fantastic start to a series. To say I fell in love with this book is putting it lightly, it’s got everything I could ask for and the way Isa writes is just beautiful. The chemistry between Aurelia and Teddy is PALPABLE. This was an amazing slow burn romance, filled with so many memorable moments and honestly, I WOULD DATE BOTH OF THEM. I HAVE TWO HANDS, LET ME DATE BOTH OF YALL. I can’t wait to see where the second book goes and how Aurelia and Teddy grow!

Rating - 4.75⭐️

If you love Ninth House and Howl’s Moving Castle then I think you should give this book a try!

I’d say this is a dark contemporary fantasy set in a modern world where witches exist but they hide their identities from humans. Majority of the novel takes place in a small unknown town and it had a very cosy atmosphere.

This is a very character-driven story so the plot is very slow-paced and quite low-stakes but I honestly didn’t care because I loved the characters and they really took the spotlight.

I loved Aurelia’s and Theodore’s rivalry with their constant bickering and teasing. And yet🥹, they see through each other and understand each other so well. The cosy domesticity that naturally grew between the characters was so wholesome, it added years to my life😌.

And the slow burn? It was BURNINGGG‼️ The yearning in this book was so exquisite😩. I was devouring every single page of it. I kid you not I was LITERALLYY giggling and kicking my feet while lying down, on my stomach, in my bed reading😙✌🏻.

It’s always book boyfriend this, book boyfriend that, FORGET book boyfriends because Theodore Ingram is literally HUSBAND MATERIAL‼️ Every fricking page I read, especially the last quarter of the book, I had to stop & close the book to SQUEAL because the things he would say drove me insane🧎‍♀️.

The writing style is absolutely incredible. Just be aware that it’s purple prose, I understand it’s not many people’s cup of tea. I will admit, it did take me around 150 pages to get used to it but once I got the hang of it? I had so much admiration and appreciation for the writing. I was also tabbing every other page because the quotes and passages are literally perfection😌🤌🏻. You know when the writing is so good you end up gasping in awe? Yeah, that happened to me so many times in this book🙂‍↕️.

Overall, I’m already so excited for the sequel to release so I can read more of these characters.

Finally!! Real yearning for your nemesis is back.

Modern Divination is the dreamy, witchy, autumnal slow-burn academic rivals book of my dreams. From the start I was absolutely enthralled by Agajanian’s gorgeous and evocative prose and wanted to do nothing else but live in this beautiful world they have created. The characters feel extremely real - they are flawed and raw and messy - and I adore it. Aurelia is a fantastic protagonist, and I love the time and effort the narrative takes in allowing her to develop at her own pace. This then being paired with Teddy Ingram (and his own development), one of my favourite love interests for SUCH a long time results in the most scrumptious yearning and hauntingly beautiful relationship!!!! I could talk about them for hours. Their banter!!!!!!!!

Do yourself the biggest favour and read this book when it’s dark outside and you're under a blanket with a hot drink. It is how it is meant to be read.

Excited doesn’t even come close to describing how I feel about book 2. I can’t wait for this book to be [traditionally] published in Jan 2025 so we’re one step closer to returning to these characters.

Thank you to Tor, Pan Macmillan, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley, Tor Books and Isabel Agajanian for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

It's MODERN DIVINATION, folks. It was published before, but this is the new, edited edition, where words shine on the page (not literally, of course). You could say it's a story about two academics fighting for the coveted scholarship slot, or about two enemies working together to destroy a powerful witch, or maybe it's just about a boy and a girl realising that somewhere in between magic, spells, and winter holidays, they fell in love.

I wouldn't be surprised if Isabel Agajanian creeps in the corner of my living room while I read and blog, because this book feels as if it was written for me and me alone. It's got everything - dark academia, rivals to lovers, found family, sexual tension, confessions, and a villain that is both terrifying and a bit of a matchmaker for our two main characters. It wasn't perfect, but it didn't matter, because it felt perfect for me. We all know these reviews aren't meant to be objective.

If you're interested in any of the tropes, or just love a good, fun, well-written fantasy book that will have you screaming into your pillow at 3am because why won't these idiots just kiss!!!!!!! then this is the book for you. Please give it a chance. It'll be worth it.

Just a wonderful book. I enjoyed it from beginning to the end. I can’t wait to own this book. I highly recommend it. 10/10

5/5

Modern Divination is the perfect example of a book that only settles deeper into your bones the longer it sits with you. This book is an exquisitely crafted blend of tea steeped to perfection, with dark notes of magic and a hint of bitterness rendered sweet through its stimulating academic rivalry. Having read the independently published version of Modern Divination upon its initial release back in 2023, I never expected to read the revised edition and fall even more in love but somehow that is exactly what occurred. This revised edition of Isa Agajanian’s original text is an addictive combination of witchery and fate, complete with enough yearning to make me feel like I was being repeatedly stabbed in the chest. Isa has completely raised the bar with this revised edition — sharpening the atmosphere and the incredible tension between Aurelia and Teddy into something entirely its own. If reading this for the first time left me longing for its sequel, then the updated version left me a shell of my former self and I will not recover until Quiet Spells is in my hands.

I wanna thank Netgalley for giving me this eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my second read of this book since I’ve read the previous edition last year and now this edited and expanded new version.

“Perhaps it would have been wise to answer him with caution, but aurelia schwartz didnt yield to men who gave her orders. Not even pitiful ones that wielded the hand of death.”

I have loved every single thing about this book, I don’t think I’ve ever been so honest.

Let’s start off with the characters: both Rory and Teddy are so well built, from start to finish their dynamic feels real and well depicted, the rivals to lovers trope is there and developed so well that I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time and mind you, I’m not a romance reader but this worked on me. Loved Rory’s characterization, her way of handling situations made me see a bit of myself in her and i appreciated it.

The fantasy bit of it just revolves around the fact that they are magic, do not expect a magic world or whatever, the story is mainly set in Cambridge and this village called Townsend where they hide for a while, which felt realistic but magical at the same time.

The plot is amazing and I cannot wait for the sequel to be in my hands!! Not ready to let go of this story <3
so mad at Gemma tho, not gonna lie. (but that’s what expected right? Cause we see everything through Rory’s perspective and she is mad!!)

Just wanna add that the writing is brilliant and although I haven’t had the pleasure yet of reading anything else by Isabel, I feel like they could write everything, like the fantasy and plot driven part? immaculate. The romance part? equally immaculate. I need to read more from this author!!

“to love someone was to deface it - to give it a mark and change its identity forever.”
watch me go cry in my bedroom.

Would 100% recommend.

P.s. If Teddy Ingram wrote THAT letter to me, it would have been the end of me, done.

I don’t even know what to rate this because I was so invested in the romance in this book that I genuinely didn’t care that much about the plot but I can definitely see where the plot could have been a lot stronger. To me this focused so much on the romance between our two main characters which I don’t think was advertised in the synopsis. But the chemistry between them was top tier and the yearning ugh I was obsessed the entire time. This is an urban fantasy where we follow Aurelia who is a witch at a prestigious university and her magic starts to fade with no real reason as to why. Unexpectedly she almost has to form an alliance with her classmate Theodore where they loathe each other to figure out what is going on. This sounded amazing to me when I picked up the book but I was not expecting to fall in love with the romance that we had. I think the plot was lacking and honestly a lot more could have happened but I personally was very happy with where this went!

I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that felt so just like made for me? I can’t really explain how much I loved this because I literally JUST finished this but this was PERFECTION. Witchy, dark academia, rivals to lovers- like literally made for me

Beautifully written, and I can't wait for the next one!

I got absolutely lost and swept up in this, it’s magical!

✨✨✨

Premise:

Aurelia is a witch, hiding her true nature and not letting anyone get too close to her. Currently studying at Cambridge and trying to live a normal life among humans.

When a classmate, and it turns out, fellow witch is murdered, Aurelia find herself having to go into hiding with her University rival, Theodore Ingram.

Aurelia finds herself spending winter break in the middle of nowhere whilst they try to solve who's hunting witches. And finds herself discovering more and more about Teddy Ingram.

✨✨✨

Firstly Teddy Ingram is a bloody dark horse! When he's first introduced, I was like I'm not sure this guy will be my type, but I dare you not to fall in love with him! I want him to call me Darling 😅 He’s broody and broken, but so adorable and loveable!

I think the reason you fall for him though, is the writing. I felt so wrapped up in it, feeling everything that Aurelia felt. Her anxiety, her emotion and inevitably her falling for Teddy. It’s really beautifully executed.

And I will say, prose wise, it’s a far slower pace than I usual read. And very character driven, again not my usual preference. I often opt for fast pace and lots of plot, but I loved the lyrical nature of this writing, that I didn't mind the slow down!

And the plot itself, is intriguing, with still lots left to uncover. I loved the discovery and development of Aurelia’s magic, as well as her internal debate of whether this should be secret.

And finally the romance. It’s a slow burn with a bit of spice at the end, but oh I adore them together. They are perfectly pared with lots of sharp tongues at the beginning. It’s a great dynamic! Plus I loved the dream connection 🥰

Definitely recommend if you want a cosy character driven read! I could barely put this down!

Bring on book 2!

✨✨✨

Tropes/themes
Rivals to lovers ; dark academia ; hidden magic ; family trauma ; forced proximity ; bisexuality ; Contemporary fantasy ; dark academia ; murder.

4.5 rounded up to 5

Where do I even begin? This book, beautiful!

It's rivals done right, cosy and high stakes all at once, beautifully romantic and all consuming, and the epilogue had me melting.

If your a fan of dark academia, forced proximity, witches, slow burn, banter, grovelling or found family this is for you.

I will say that the pacing was ever so slightly off, and I feel some parts of the story could have been cut. But Rory, Teddy and the overall arc of the story totally made up for it.

Firstly I need to thank the kind publishing team at Tor UK / Pan Macmillan for offering me an ARC of this book, which I’ve grown to love even deeper than when I first was introduced to the tale of Aurelia, Teddy, Louisa and magic.

MODERN DIVINATION came into my life through the original self-published edition and I remember reading it all in one go. Unable to put it down as I was immediately enthralled by the characters and their story. This experience was no different. Right off the bat I could see where the plot was polished and the story more defined. From the glimpse into Aurelia and Ryan’s relationship as roommates and deep friends. To the infamous rivalry between Teddy and Aurelia. Once again I found myself completely immersed in this tale of magic, mystery, love and self-discovery.

I am a reader who greatly enjoys prose and MODERN DIVINATION’s ebbs and flows in a magical way, which enchases the story being told. Some may think it comes off as overwritten, as everyone has their own preference, but that’s not the case for me and I found myself getting further immersed as the story went on. One of my favorite adjustments from this edition was the attention to character relationships and expanding them past just Aurelia and Teddy. The further incarnation as Ryan as a more concrete character assisted in us seeing how Aurelia interacts with a variety of people. For those who enjoy books with well-thought-out character interactions, MODERN DIVINATION will give you just that and more.

The mystery of Gemma and her disappearance still gave me a bit of pause, but I found myself being able to really follow the situation more fully. There are still some holes of course, as there couldn’t be a book 2 without them. But I felt more satisfied in my understanding of everything that was happening. Also, this is really were Aurelia and Teddy go through their own self-journeys of trying to understand what they want for themselves, even if sacrifices must be made at the end of it all.

I will say the love affair between these two is always very engaging. The yearning is off the charts and the slow burn is quite impeccable. There is adult relationship activity, as they are ADULTS, so keep that in mind. But these two have stayed in my mind rent-free since finishing this book and my only hope is that others see the charm and appeal of these characters and their story.