Henrietta or Nettie is a young woman who lives in a time period where being a witch isn’t a good thing, because a witch along with a magician did the unthinkable by opening a portal letting monsters onto Earth. This book appears to be set in the possible eighteen hundreds England. Nettie lives an all girls school in a remote area where the monsters don’t usually go to. She despises the headmaster but is able to find friendship in a stable hand, Rook.

Once she is found during the routine checks, for girls who are witches, by the sorcerers guild she and Rook are taken to London. There she is placed in the residence of a sorcerer Agrippa. She is to be taught how to control her flame ability that he witnessed. When she gets to his residence there are four other apprentices: flirty Magnus, brooding Blackwood, gentle Dee, and sly Cellini. Agrippa believes that she is the answer to the prophecy that a girl of a sorcerers line will lead them to victory against the demons that had crossed through the portal. Except there is a hitch, she isn’t a sorcerer. She’s something else and that something else is about change her life forever.

I at first thought was going to be a reverse harem book but I was so happy it wasn’t. I like that the main character was more about saving herself and her friend instead of being stuck on one of the guys. Nettie is a well developed main characters and strong. She has her weak moments but she does learn from them. For antagonists I really liked Agrippa and Palehook. I felt for Rook though with the side effects of being an unclean. The world was excellent and an easy read. It took me about three days to finish, because I read this in between activities. I didn’t enjoy the stupid scene between her and Magnus after the celebration. It wasn’t necessary and it tainted a good friendship to me. Despite this I am hooked into seeing what happens next in book two! I give this a 5 out 5 stars and I recommend that you read this book!