Nocturna by Maya Motayne (A Forgery of Magic #1)

Hey guys!
Today I bring you a book I got via a subscription box. Or via two, to be precise. Both Fairyloot and Magic Chest featured the book at some time, so I’ve got the special blue edition you see below and the regular red version. It took me a while to actually get started with this one, but here we are!

Nocturna on Goodreads

The Plot (according to Goodreads):

To Finn Voy, magic is two things. The first: a knife to hold under the chin of anyone who crosses her. The second: a disguise she shrugs on as easily as others pull on cloaks. A talented shapeshifter, it’s been years since Finn has seen her own face, and that’s exactly how she likes it. But when Finn gets caught by a powerful mobster she’s indebted to, she’s forced into an impossible mission—steal a legendary treasure from the palace or lose her shapeshifting magic forever.

After the murder of his older brother, Prince Alfehr is first in line for the Castallan throne. But Alfie can’t help but feel that he will never live up to his brother’s legacy. Riddled with grief, Alfie is obsessed with finding a way to bring his brother back, even if it means dabbling in forbidden magic.

In a cruel twist of fate, Alfie’s best friend is nearly killed in the crossfire of Finn’s heist, and Alfie accidentally unlocks a terrible, ancient magic to save him—a magic, which, if not contained, will devour the world. Alfie and Finn race to vanquish what they have unleashed. But to do so, they each must contend with the darkness hiding in their pasts.

Set in a Latin-inspired kingdom based in part on the author’s own Dominican heritage.

The Rating:

Oh, this was delightful!
First of all, the setting was really cool and the world-building spot on. It’s nice to have a Latin-inspired kingdom for a change. Motayne also peppers in some Spanish words, which was super beneficial for me as I started learning Spanish last year.

The magic-concept introduced in Nocturna is also pretty interesting and different enough from other books that I was super intrigued. I’d like to know more about it, so I hope there’ll be another book!

I enjoyed that Maya Motayne managed to get to the point rather quickly without first introducing her world for 300 pages. She still managed to get her idea across wonderfully so the world-building wasn’t comprised in the least.

Nocturna is the kind of book you don’t want to put down and you’ll finish in within three days max. It features lots of interesting plot twists and the story is smart enough to keep you on your toes.

Although there are little hints at a love story I really appreciate that she didn’t actually go there. Honestly, there is nothing that I find more annoying than those unnecessary yet inevitable love stories (or even worse: love triangles) you usually find in this kind of book. So, big thumbs up to Motayne for being different!

Nocturna is a delightful and quick read. It’s probably one of my favorites from all the subscription box books I’ve got so far. A fresh take on magic in a cool and different setting!

Did you read this book? Let me know in the comments what you think!

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