Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays—Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids. Which doesn’t sit well with any of them.
A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.
If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…
Goodreads | Amazon
Rating: 2 Stars
My Review: I didn't care for this one it was kind of boring and felt disconnected.
From School Library Journal
Gr 9 Up—Magic comes out of the ground, from land once inhabited by dragons. People travel on waxways, portalling from one location to another via concentration and candles. Those in the lower city strive to raise their status, hoping to improve their lives and their monthly allotment of magic. But protagonist Ren's ambition is darker and stronger than most. She seeks revenge for her father's murder at the hands of one man at the top of society. She attends Balmerick, the magic school, becoming the perfect student in order to gain the best employment upon graduation. But on a waxways trip home with fellow students, something goes horribly wrong, sending all of them far into the Dires, menacing wilderness days outside of the city. One of them is already gruesomely dead upon arrival, and now they are being hunted. Fleeing for safety across treacherous slopes with scant supplies and dwindling magic, Ren determines her best path not only back home but to impress her companions to secure her future. The only problem? One of these students is a killer. Part locked-room mystery, part glorious new fantasy world, Reintgen's latest novel is filled with unexpected friendships, surprising moments of comedy, deadly adventure, and a cleverly explained magical world. An explosive ending with a major plot twist in the final paragraphs will have readers clamoring for the sequel the moment they close the cover on the first. VERDICT A must purchase for libraries serving teens.—Kristen Rademacher
Review
* "A pulse-pounding series launch from Reintgen. Reintgen combines inventive worldbuilding, intricate plotting, and a strongly developed, racially diverse cast to craft a twisty tale of classism, redemption, and revenge." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review ― 1/30/2023
* "Placing elements of a locked-room mystery and an original magic system within the familiar trappings of a school for magic, this is a no-holds-barred tale of revenge, atonement, and the pursuit of justice set in a world diverse in skin color and social classes. Ren is a protagonist for the ages: equal parts smart, calculating, and ruthless, forming a lethal package as an avenging angel. Truly fantastic." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Readers craving the electrifying twists and turns of a thriller alongside a healthy dose of magic will find their prayers spectacularly answered in Reintgen’s A Door in the Dark. With dexterous prose, an impellent plot, and characters you can’t turn away from, this story sinks its claws into you and doesn’t let go." -- --Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy
"Magical boarding school students mysteriously stranded in a hostile wilderness? Yes, please. Reintgen blends thriller and fantasy in an absolute page-turner. I love when you don't see the twists coming, and this flawlessly delivers." -- --K.D. Edwards, author of The Tarot Sequence
* "Placing elements of a locked-room mystery and an original magic system within the familiar trappings of a school for magic, this is a no-holds-barred tale of revenge, atonement, and the pursuit of justice set in a world diverse in skin color and social classes. Ren is a protagonist for the ages: equal parts smart, calculating, and ruthless, forming a lethal package as an avenging angel. Truly fantastic." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"Readers craving the electrifying twists and turns of a thriller alongside a healthy dose of magic will find their prayers spectacularly answered in Reintgen’s A Door in the Dark. With dexterous prose, an impellent plot, and characters you can’t turn away from, this story sinks its claws into you and doesn’t let go." -- --Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of the Beasts of Prey trilogy
"Magical boarding school students mysteriously stranded in a hostile wilderness? Yes, please. Reintgen blends thriller and fantasy in an absolute page-turner. I love when you don't see the twists coming, and this flawlessly delivers." -- --K.D. Edwards, author of The Tarot Sequence
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FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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