The Anatomy of Magic – Past Midnight Book Reviews & More

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Title: Daybreak (Sorrowsong University, #2)

Author: Autumn Woods

Pages: 479

Format: ebook (own)

Publication Date: 7/28/26

Categories: New Adult, Dark Academia, Dark Romance, Romance, Mystery, Series

Alex’s Corbeau-Green’s world is burning down around him, and Ophelia Winters is desperate to prove she didn’t light the fire.

When Ophelia first accepted a scholarship from Sorrowsong, an elite university in the Scottish Highlands, she wanted nothing more than to destroy Alex and his family at any cost. But that was before she knew him, before they became each other’s everything. Now, after an unthinkable betrayal and the disappearance of his father, Alex is forced to return to New York, desperate to forget what they had, and salvage the damage done to his family. In Scotland, Ophelia is left reeling, alone . . . and watched.

With a new anonymous tormentor threatening to release evidence that Ophelia and Alex committed a murder on campus, it’s clear that they’re going to need each other once again. But can they find a way to trust each other, and repair the love that they had? And even if they can—will it be enough this time to keep them alive?

Content Warning: mentions of abuse, death, grief, illness, mental health, depression, stalker

I loved Nightshade so I had to get this book ASAP.

I have to say this book is less dark academia and mystery than the first book and more romance. I did feel like the mystery of the stalker and where Alex’s dad was hiding out got a little lost in the romance between Ophelia and Alex. I would have loved more breadcrumbs about the stalker and Alex’s dad. The stalker reveal felt a bit anticlimactic too and the way the situation played out was just sad.

Speaking of Alex, if I was rating this book just because of him alone, it’s 5 stars. He is dealing with depression, dealing with his horrible father in hiding and trying to keep his mom and sisters safe. Plus he is so madly in love with Ophelia and needs her so bad…it broke my heart so bad to see him try and hold on and not fall apart. I feel like this is Alex’s book. It shined a light on his troubles, his vulnerabilities and the story really focuses on mental health and depression. I don’t know if I’ve loved a male character as I love Alex – he’s just so gentle with the women in his life. Okay, maybe he is just outnumbered and they wear him down 😅 but the way he loves them is just amazing and all I wanted was for him to feel loved back. He’s just trying his best and I needed him to have a happy ever after with Ophelia.

And the romance? Ugh, my heart…Alex and Ophelia are my favorite young couple and they have the best banter. And I love their inside jokes and things only that is special to them like the crossword puzzles, and the “until midnight” sayings. 🥰 They are the cutest couple ever when they aren’t trying to push the other away. They even try to have a long distance romance. They are two broken people, who find each other in the midst of grief, depression, revenge and secrets. They had so much to work to do in their relationship…and I love that they DO work things out. There is spice, but with them I feel like their spicy moments are fun and heartfelt.

Also, the secondary characters are great. Ophelia finally has friends, and I love Colette, she is so funny! I also love how Bella who isn’t her “friend” actually, tells her off because sometimes Ophelia needed it! She’s found a family with Alex’s mom and sisters, she grows and accepts help and open up to people. And Vincenzo? He is such a goofball and made me laugh.

Quotes From the Book:

“Right people, wrong universe. That’s what she thinks about us.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“To be loved by Alex Corbeau-Green is unlike anything I’ve ever known.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“A relationship won’t fix your depression, no matter how much you love her.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

“She’s everything. She’s the words, the clues, the black spaces that hold the whole puzzle together.” – Daybreak by. Autumn Woods

Final Thoughts:

This is Alex’s book and I love Alex so I’m biased. The romance is a 5 star, the whole book and how it flowed I’d actually give 4 stars so I’m settling at 4.5. This sequel is filled with trauma, heartache, mental health issues like depression, but so much love also and even some hope. Alex’s love is amazing – he loves his mom and sisters like crazy and his love for Ophelia? Never ending. As for Ophelia, she grows, finds friendship and even a family (Alex’s family) – she learns to open up to others. Did the mystery about the stalker and even Alex’s dad become a little lost among the romance drama? I think it did a little. The stalker reveal felt anticlimactic and overall it was a sad situation. I wish it played out differently. But despite that issue this story had me in a chokehold because of the romance and Mr. Alex Corbeau-Green. Alex and Ophelia has been through so much and I’m glad they get their happily ever after! Can’t wait to see what this author writes next.

Read if you like:

Alex Corbeau-Green 🥰 yearning
mystery
romance with dark themes – mental health

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Other Books I’ve Read From This Author:

Nightshade by. Autumn Woods| Book Review – 4.5 stars/2 🌶️

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice Rating: 🌶️.5

Title: The Anatomy of Magic (#1)

Author: Alexis L. Menard

Pages: 479

Format: ebook (kindle unlimited)

Publication Date: 6/30/26

Categories: Steampunk Fantasy, Romance, Magic, Series

Enter a world of forbidden magic . . . where falling in love could be the last mistake you ever make.

Nina Veyr has a dangerous secret—illegal magical abilities she cannot explain. If the city of Valveron’s enforcers found her, she would be executed . . . or worse. For years, Nina has stayed in the shadows, picking pockets and smuggling enchanted relics to get by. Then she steals from the wrong man.

Max Antonin is the most powerful crime boss in the city. Cold, deadly, and breathtakingly attractive, Max has his sights set on Nina, and nothing will stand in his way. But when Nina is framed for a shocking murder, Max offers to help her find the true killers. She knows she can’t trust him—that deals with a devil always come at a cost. But there’s no way she can survive on her own.

As they follow a trail of bodies into the city’s underworld, Nina feels a dangerous attraction pulling her ever closer to him. But can she trust her life and her heart to the city’s most ruthless criminal?

Content Warning: violence, death, medical horror

World Building: The world building for this story really fascinated me – it’s got steampunk elements. There is magic and science, which took some time to grasp but for the most part I think it was explain pretty well. There was lots of political intrigue which made the story move quick. I didn’t expect the body horror – the medical experiments done on people. We also get to explore the underground crime world in Valveron.

Characters: Nina is a surgeon’s assistant but on the side she is delivering dead bodies to make money. The money is needed to help her mom who isn’t in good health. But then she is framed for the murder of a top official and things go haywire for her. Max, is one of the Cursed – basically a modified Vampire, with elemental powers. He is a tortured MMC with a dark past and a crime boss. Together Nina and Max become reluctant allies looking to find the “buyer” of these bodies because it might give them all the answers they are searching for. There are a few other characters we meet that form Max’s found family, and I loved a few of them.

Romance: Nina and Max are enemies then reluctant allies turned into lovers and I thoroughly enjoyed watching them fall in love because it doesn’t start off on the right foot. I love their banter and I didn’t mind that this wasn’t as spicy as I was expecting. There was only one spicy scene. But I love their forced proximity, and the build-up between them was great. I love seeing Max open up because Nina sees past his scars and happy that Nina has someone that cares about her.

Story: There is a lot of world building and it took a little time to understand the magic/science system in this story but I actually found it refreshing and something way different than the books I’ve been reading. The steampunk elements made it even more interesting. I enjoyed the characters, the found family and the banter and romance. The ending makes me eager to see what will happen in book two!

Final Thoughts:

This is the first book I’ve read from this author but definitely not the last and I’ll be checking out her last series because I had so much fun reading this one. I liked the magic and science (though there is a lot of information to process about it), and the steampunk fantasy setting. I love the banter and romance between Nina who is a woman that doesn’t give up and Max who is a tortured man – I love them together! There was lots of action, and political intrigue to make this story move fast. I’m looking forward to book two.

Read if you like: