Lavender and Steel
by J.P. Feather
Blurb:
After encountering death in Obsidian Prison, nightmares claw at her mind, so vivid and merciless they blur the line between dream and reality, leaving her to wonder if something far darker has followed her back from the brink.
Her chains are broken, yet her fate is sealed at War Nova Academy, where magic spirits rule life and death. Maela must survive brutal trials that crush body and will, face cadets thirsting for vengeance, and endure a final exam where survival itself becomes a cruel gamble.
As the secrets of war claw into the light, loyalties shatter, truth becomes a weapon, and lies a shield.
Maela slips. Her grip on reality blurs as her nightmares begin to bleed into the waking world.
My Review:
This
book completely consumed me! From page one, we’re thrown into a world where
magic means death, and Maela is sent to Obsidian Prison for a crime she didn’t
commit. The danger feels immediate, and the mystery surrounding her
imprisonment gave me so many questions that I had to keep reading. Maela’s
fear, determination, and refusal to give up made her easy to root for,
especially as she tried to survive a brutal system designed to break her.
The
world-building was incredible, Nova War Academy, spirit bonds, elemental magic,
fae, demons, hellhounds, manticores… there was SO much going on! Every new
reveal made the world feel larger, stranger, and more dangerous, and I loved
learning how the different magical beings, powers, and bonds fit together. Nova
War Academy had the perfect mix of competition, danger, and uncertainty, so
even the quieter moments felt like something could go wrong at any second. Add
forbidden romance, secrets, found family, a possessive MMC, and plenty of
suspense, and I was hooked. The relationships brought some much-needed warmth
to the darker parts of the story, while the unanswered questions kept the
tension high.
I
definitely got some Fourth
Wing vibes, but with manticores instead of dragons. There’s the
dangerous academy setting, the intense training, the powerful bonds, and the
constant feeling that no one is completely safe. Even so, Lavender and Steel brings
its own darker atmosphere and magical mythology to the mix. The story had its
flaws, especially with pacing, transitions, and some confusing moments. A few
scenes moved so quickly that I wanted more time to understand what had happened
or let an emotional moment land. Still, the central mystery, the romance, and
Maela’s growth kept pulling me back in, and I was invested enough to keep
turning the pages.
And
THAT ENDING?! Absolutely not. The final twists changed so much and left me
staring at the page, trying to process everything that had just happened. I
have even more questions now about the secrets surrounding Maela, the true
nature of her power, and who she can actually trust. I need book two
immediately. I’m so curious to see where Maela’s journey goes next, how the
consequences of that ending will reshape her relationships, and whether the
bonds she has formed will survive what’s coming. I’m also definitely hoping for
more Luan POV because I need to know what he’s thinking, what he’s hiding, and
how deeply he is involved in everything. This was a dramatic, addictive start
to the series, and despite a few rough edges, it left me eager for more.
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