The Ordeals by Rachel Greenlaw

This romantasy has everything, magic, danger, and heart. The worldbuilding is incredible, with a magic system divided into botanists, illusionists, and alchemists. Greenlaw explains it so beautifully that even a complex system feels effortless to understand.

Sophia DeWinter has spent her life bound to her cruel uncle, the Collector. Her only escape? Killmarth College, an elite academy where aspiring magic wielders must survive deadly trials known as the Ordeals. With her illusion magic faltering, Sophia teams up with Alden Locke,a powerful (and infuriatingly attractive) botanist, to stand a chance.

The story is fast-paced, emotional, and full of twists. I haven’t connected with a character this deeply in a while. The ending destroyed me, and I need book two yesterday.