Ruthless Magic by Megan Crewe

Ruthless Magic indeed. The story begins with a young man named Finn trying to impress his family with his feeble magical ability. Finn comes from a long-time magical family, and yet he's struggles to keep up with his magical peers. He's desperate to prove himself to his granduncle and his father that he deserves placement at The Academy, and doesn't want to be given a placement simply because of his familial relations.

The magical confederation determines which youth will be granted admission into the Academy for tutoring, and which will instead be "dampered". If you're not chosen for The Academy, your magical ability is dampered down to just a single enhanced ability, such as being a great cook. Finn's best friend Prisha is the first in her family to be magical. The Confed doesn't trust new magic. Their intent with their magical ability can't be trusted. Discrimination runs rampant throughout this story.

Clearly a few young and brave souls need to change the hierarchy while surviving the test.

If not chosen for The Academy, a person can challenge the decision by declaring for "The Exam", a magical test put on by The Confed. No one knows just what The Exam entails, only that it is dangerous. Rocio, our second point of view in Ruthless Magic knows all too well that the exam has cost lives of previous participants. Passing The Exam allows each champion to retain all of their magical ability. Failure is worse than the dampering. All of your magical ability is stripped away.

Hunger Games, meets Dumbledore's Army with a Divergent twist.

Naturally, The Exam is much more dangerous than any of the examinees could have imagined. A few of them are suspicious of The Confed but wisely keep it to themselves. When met with very unsettling news from the examiners, all of them must make a difficult choice. They can forfeit and lose their magic, or they can continue for a chance to keep their magic while sacrificing their morals. Definitely an awful twist in the story.

In Ruthless Magic, no one is a witch/wizard, all simply mages. There are no wands. Magic is intertwined with the mage and is released with a rhythm or song lyric. This lends to a more honest and organic feeling of magic. Megan Crewe did a fantastic job of setting up the series for the next book. There is enough conclusion to be satisfied with this portion of Finn and Rocio's story; however, there is definitely more Ruthless Magic ahead of them.

Everless by Sara Holland

According to my own tween, Everless by Sara Holland is a great read for a mother/daughter bookclub.

The people of Sempera survive on the blood of the less fortunate in their society. We’re not talking vampires. Because of an ancient spat between an Alchemist and a Sorceress, the life expectancy of a Semperan citizen depends on how well they “spend” their life blood. Days, months, and years of time are drawn from a person’s blood and bound into a coin. The coins are dropped into drinks and extend the life of the more fortunate drinker. It pays rent, it buys food, and it is drawn in large quantities as punishments for crimes. 

Time is currency - blood iron extends lives by centuries.

In Everless, we witness the vast difference between the poor working class and the aristocracy. Where our main character Jules Ember is desperate to earn back the years her father has had to sacrifice for their meager living, people like the Gerlings are frivolous with their wealth earned from the life blood of those they tax so harshly.

In a last ditch effort to provide for herself and her withering father, Jules joins the influx of servants at the Everless Estate. Roan Gerling is soon to marry the Princess of Sempera and the Estate needs many people to prep the wedding. Immediately her presence causes trouble for herself and those around her. She promised her father she’d never return to Everless, the home of her childhood, her first love Roan Gerling, and his cruel brother Liam Gerling.

If you see Liam Gerling run away. Leave Everless. Stay far away from the Queen.

As you can expect from a seventeen year old girl, Jules is drawn to do the opposite of what her father begs her to do. She can’t believe she’s in any danger from the Queen because her father won’t tell her why. She knows she should avoid Liam; however, she needs to know what trouble he’s up to. What secrets is he keeping in that journal, and is he a danger to his brother Roan?

Jules will take great risks to get to know the Queen of Sempera, as well as her adopted daughter that is soon to marry Roan. Sara Holland’s debut novel might have a few twists you’ll see coming but you will definitely be surprised by Jules’ connection to the Queen, and the dramatic ending to this first installment.