The worldbuilding is fantastically intricate. As a debtera, Andromeda must carve out amulets to vanquish the evil spirits. The descriptions of this process alone are fascinating, and it’s not even the most exciting part about everything going on. Every variation of the Evil Eye is unique, and each manifestation presents itself differently. Some are relatively benign (if not downright annoying), while others have killed without prejudice and have no intention of stopping unless by force.

When a handsome young heir named Magnus Rochester reaches out to hire her, she takes the job without question. Never mind that he’s rude and demanding and eccentric, that the contract comes with a number of outlandish rules... and that almost a dozen debtera had quit before her. If Andromeda wants to earn a living, she has no choice. But this is a job like no other, and Magnus is hiding far more than she has been trained for. Death is the likely outcome if she stays, the reason every debtera before her quit. But leaving Magnus to live out his curse isn’t an option because, heaven help her, she’s fallen for him. I really enjoyed this story. The atmosphere was fantastic, dripping with danger and dark gothic vibes. Andi was an incredible main character to follow; I felt like I could really get behind her. Some foreign travelers called it “exotic.” Others called it “hell.” The second was accurate, heat-wise. But to look at it? Heaven. Salt and iron crusted the land in yellow and rust, making the desert look alive with magic. But even a wonder like that wasn’t enough to get travelers to pass this way, not anymore. Magnus is your typical ya rich brat who’s inheriting his rich fathers money. Yeah... LIKE LITERALLY YOUR TOKEN YA love interest. And god the interactions were cringey. The dialogue in terms of how he flirts. Idk why im critical of this but it just urked me so much. Whenever Magnus is present its just an embarrassment HOW COULD THIS BOOK GO SO WRONG WITH THIS ONE THING??? Pretty much the banter was horrible and that one scene when they first kiss was so... uncomfortable to read about??? Yikes 😬.

Let me start off by saying that my tastes as of late have been drifting closer and closer to the horror aspect of dark fantasy, and this book gave me everything I wanted and a whole hell of a lot more. It's compelling from the start and the narrative solidly delivers what the synopsis promised. I definitely recommend this one for your Spooky Season TBR! Whew, here we go. Well it took me months and months but I FINALLY got this out of my DNFs, so that's exciting.

The relationship between Magnus and Andie does fall a little bit on the side of insta-love which really isn't my favorite in YA novels. I think it will work for the intended audience, but as an adult reader it really isn't my thing. Nevertheless, I did find some aspects of their relationship to be quite charming. There were two things that I wish this novel explored a little further: the relationship that Andie had with Jember as well as the magic system. While he did some not so great things in her childhood, she does consider him to be a father figure. The complexity of this relationship was handled in way that left me wanting more at the end. While I thought that the magic system was interesting, I wish there was just a little more exploration of the amulets utilized to fight the evil eye. There were some parts where I found myself to be a little confused. It’s not much of a spoiler, especially if you’re familiar with Jane Eyre, that Magnus and Andromeda fall in love and end up together. I couldn’t help thinking, however, that Andi could do better. Yes, Magnus is a chocolate magnate and all, but it was hard for me to understand what Andromeda saw in him, as he seemed to spend much of his time whining and waiting for others to save him. The story also touches on how his expectations of what their relationship will be in the future differ from what Andi would like. And there’s no real resolution of that. If there was a sequel, I’d be perfectly happy if the two were no longer together—there’s a whole world out there for Andi, and she doesn’t need a man, and certainly not a man like Magnus, to see it.The chemistry between Andromeda and Magnus is undeniable and the rising stakes as mysteries unravel and the Evil Eye unleashes its wrath, make their relationship worth rooting for. Andromeda is a debtera―an exorcist hired to cleanse households of the Evil Eye. She would be hired, that is, if her mentor hadn’t thrown her out before she could earn her license. Now her only hope of steady work is to find a Patron―a rich, well-connected individual who will vouch for her abilities. The romance was just gross, maybe because I hated Magnus so much, but it was definitely compounded by Andi constantly acting like his mom. Ugh A young woman must cleanse a haunted desert castle of the evil eye and save the equally cursed owner. Simply put, i did not like this book and i don’t have a lot of positive things to say about this book.