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Wrack & Rune
A teenager born into a secret magical society begins to see his entire world differently after falling for a boy from the Outside.
Nineteen year old Rory Denborough was born into magic by way of the insular society known as The Translators. For his entire life, Rory has been given control over a world of awe-inspiring wonders -- telekinesis, shape-shifting, teleportation, advanced healing, even time travel. Everything is possible thanks to his family’s enchanted bloodline and an ancient language passed down through generations. Rory’s life is full of miracles. But he’s not happy.
Because Rory's world is also a world of secrets. Translators hide in the shadows, keeping their power from the world around them. Rory stuggles in this secrecy, sneaking out of his family's hidden highrise apartment to blend into the wonderfully normal streets and peoples of New York City.
After sneaking out one night, Rory meets Tyson, an Outsider, who knows nothing about the Translators or their gifts. Soon, the two young men are falling in love...but this idyllic romance starts to fall apart once Rory reveals his magical origins. Tyson raises a question--one that Rory has never considered and now must contend with--why keep magic secret, when so many people could be helped by it? The truth--and terrible danger--soon follows.
Nineteen year old Rory Denborough was born into magic by way of the insular society known as The Translators. For his entire life, Rory has been given control over a world of awe-inspiring wonders -- telekinesis, shape-shifting, teleportation, advanced healing, even time travel. Everything is possible thanks to his family’s enchanted bloodline and an ancient language passed down through generations. Rory’s life is full of miracles. But he’s not happy.
Because Rory's world is also a world of secrets. Translators hide in the shadows, keeping their power from the world around them. Rory stuggles in this secrecy, sneaking out of his family's hidden highrise apartment to blend into the wonderfully normal streets and peoples of New York City.
After sneaking out one night, Rory meets Tyson, an Outsider, who knows nothing about the Translators or their gifts. Soon, the two young men are falling in love...but this idyllic romance starts to fall apart once Rory reveals his magical origins. Tyson raises a question--one that Rory has never considered and now must contend with--why keep magic secret, when so many people could be helped by it? The truth--and terrible danger--soon follows.
184 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2025
100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
August 25, 2025
Rory is a magician who is used to the routine of hiding his life from the world. He believes he is protecting his society and those he loves...but what happens when he meets the person he never wants to keep secrets from?
I really loved this book. I watched an interview with the author on SLJ Teen Live!, and it was mentioned that there might be some more volumes in this series? I really hope there are. The characters were loveable, the plot was rich and developed (which can sometimes be lacking for me in graphic novels, just due to constraints in the genre). Graphic novels are such a huge deal at my location (as they are everywhere), and this is a new one I will be suggesting for the voracious GN readers! I'd love to hear more of Rory and Tyson's story.
Thanks to Netgalley, Maverick and Mad Cave Studios for the ARC of this book!
I really loved this book. I watched an interview with the author on SLJ Teen Live!, and it was mentioned that there might be some more volumes in this series? I really hope there are. The characters were loveable, the plot was rich and developed (which can sometimes be lacking for me in graphic novels, just due to constraints in the genre). Graphic novels are such a huge deal at my location (as they are everywhere), and this is a new one I will be suggesting for the voracious GN readers! I'd love to hear more of Rory and Tyson's story.
Thanks to Netgalley, Maverick and Mad Cave Studios for the ARC of this book!
August 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!
Rory and Tyson were so cute together! But maybe Rory kinda jumped a bit quickly into telling him his secret? He could have just talked about his life and family without mentioning he was magic. How long did they know each other? Also Tyson was super reasonable for being upset about Rory. I would probably act the same way and Rory just expects him to go along with everything. Rory’s family I’m not too sure about, but his Dad seemed really solid at the end. I’m hoping there’s more to this series because that cliffhanger was crazy!
Rory and Tyson were so cute together! But maybe Rory kinda jumped a bit quickly into telling him his secret? He could have just talked about his life and family without mentioning he was magic. How long did they know each other? Also Tyson was super reasonable for being upset about Rory. I would probably act the same way and Rory just expects him to go along with everything. Rory’s family I’m not too sure about, but his Dad seemed really solid at the end. I’m hoping there’s more to this series because that cliffhanger was crazy!
October 22, 2025
I thought the premise of this story had a lot of potential but didn't enjoy the execution.
We're shown almost nothing about Rory and Tyson's relationship, and Rory immediatly tells him his secret and risks everything for him.
The plot is so fast paced that everything else is underdeveloped, the characters and their relationships, the world itself, the dialogues
Sadly i didn't enjoy this one :(
We're shown almost nothing about Rory and Tyson's relationship, and Rory immediatly tells him his secret and risks everything for him.
The plot is so fast paced that everything else is underdeveloped, the characters and their relationships, the world itself, the dialogues
Sadly i didn't enjoy this one :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2025
I appreciated the exploration of legacy and what that meant for Rory both within his family history and the magic community at large. I did like Rory and Tyson's dynamic at its core, but it was very undeveloped in terms of believability. Part of the issue is that there's a lot of plot going on and, with the pacing moving so quickly, there's not really any downtime for the characters to portray development, have processing time, or express many emotions. At the same time, the passage of time is also really unclear. It's difficult to say how long Rory and Tyson have even known each other for at most stages of the book. With all of that said, the coloring of the art is vibrant and alluring. I'm not sure if this is getting more volumes but the story itself is really primed for them. If so, I hope that they delve more into Tyson's origins, worldbuilding lore, and proper relationship development.
Thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios / Maverick for the arc!
Thanks to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios / Maverick for the arc!
August 27, 2025
Representation: gay white protagonist, gay Black Usian protagonist, Black Usian secondary and tertiary characters.
Content Warning: violence, ethnic cleansing, alcohol.
I liked the idea, but I am not sure about the execution. It felt rushed and like it was not explored enough.
Content Warning: violence, ethnic cleansing, alcohol.
I liked the idea, but I am not sure about the execution. It felt rushed and like it was not explored enough.
August 25, 2025
I was drawn to the cover, and truly, what beautiful art.
I love the art style, and the vibrant colours of the comic. So beautiful.
Things I Loved:
1. The way magic works in this world
2. The ART! the characters' art and the way magic is shown. Just WOW.
Things that I didn't really enjoy:
There is A LOT going on. The pacing is very fast, which grabs the attention of the reader and is enjoyable in terms of trying to figure out what's going on plot-wise. However, this does come at a cost.
You don't get to see much of some characters, and their motivations. The book does its best, showing hints of what's going on with
It might have been better if it were a series, where the romance, the adventure, the plot could be better explored. But it was a fun experience, and interesting magic world. A solid 3.5/5.
P.S. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the advanced copy with which I have presented my honest review.
I love the art style, and the vibrant colours of the comic. So beautiful.
Things I Loved:
1. The way magic works in this world
2. The ART! the characters' art and the way magic is shown. Just WOW.
Things that I didn't really enjoy:
There is A LOT going on. The pacing is very fast, which grabs the attention of the reader and is enjoyable in terms of trying to figure out what's going on plot-wise. However, this does come at a cost.
You don't get to see much of some characters, and their motivations. The book does its best, showing hints of what's going on with
It might have been better if it were a series, where the romance, the adventure, the plot could be better explored. But it was a fun experience, and interesting magic world. A solid 3.5/5.
P.S. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for the advanced copy with which I have presented my honest review.
October 8, 2025
Rory gets into trouble when he tells his new boyfriend Tyson all about himself – not because his parents and alleged girlfriend think he's straight, but because he's one of a secret cabal of world-ruling magicians. Tyson is told his mind will have to be wiped of this awkward revelation to save him, and funnily enough doesn't like that. Rory's side determines the cover-up is to be maintained, at all cost…
Where this suffers is the fact that there's no real proof of the guys falling for each other – quite the opposite in fact, as they bicker about so much regarding this situation, and how evil Rory's side are. And this is vital, because of how determined Tyson is to stick on his path, and rely on Rory – it just never felt realistic or believable, with the relationship coming across like some cheap teenaged fling. Heck, if I was in Tyson's boat, being thrown around loft apartments by magic, I'd be a darned sight more fiery and emotional than he is, or I'd certainly want more connection already with the person imperilling me so.
No, fieriness is lacking here, in presentation and elsewhere – people saying they'll do anything necessary to get their way and then proceeding with the grittiness of a banana. It's Rory who has the emotion, but weeps his way into our bad books, as a result. This was an interesting story, but the characters weren't allowed to execute their place in the plot with any of the passion necessary to make it come alive for the reader. And the cliffhanger ending proves this a waste of our time.
Where this suffers is the fact that there's no real proof of the guys falling for each other – quite the opposite in fact, as they bicker about so much regarding this situation, and how evil Rory's side are. And this is vital, because of how determined Tyson is to stick on his path, and rely on Rory – it just never felt realistic or believable, with the relationship coming across like some cheap teenaged fling. Heck, if I was in Tyson's boat, being thrown around loft apartments by magic, I'd be a darned sight more fiery and emotional than he is, or I'd certainly want more connection already with the person imperilling me so.
No, fieriness is lacking here, in presentation and elsewhere – people saying they'll do anything necessary to get their way and then proceeding with the grittiness of a banana. It's Rory who has the emotion, but weeps his way into our bad books, as a result. This was an interesting story, but the characters weren't allowed to execute their place in the plot with any of the passion necessary to make it come alive for the reader. And the cliffhanger ending proves this a waste of our time.
August 20, 2025
The pacing of this graphic novel is … very fast. Rory goes from a first date to falling in love to telling Tyson his secret. And Tyson goes from 0 to 60 in the “how dare you keep this secret from the world!?!?” He blames Rory and walks off, Rory then spends quite a bit of time trying to track him down to win him back and save him from the bad guys — who are his dad and sister’s colleagues — and then Tyson yells at him some more, Rory breaks his trust, and then they get together to try to change the world.
There’s no time to breathe, no time for the characters to feel like people, no time for relationships to make sense. Honestly, this could have used another chapter or two (in my opinion) to show why the sister made the choice she did, and why exactly Tyson and Rory work together as a couple.
However, the art is gorgeous, the colors are vivid and bright, and the magic system is so well handled in the visual medium, with the whys and wherefores are really well established. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series! Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
There’s no time to breathe, no time for the characters to feel like people, no time for relationships to make sense. Honestly, this could have used another chapter or two (in my opinion) to show why the sister made the choice she did, and why exactly Tyson and Rory work together as a couple.
However, the art is gorgeous, the colors are vivid and bright, and the magic system is so well handled in the visual medium, with the whys and wherefores are really well established. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series! Thank you so much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.
September 7, 2025
Thank you, Netgalley for an advanced copy of this graphic novel for an honest review
Rory is a teenager who is also a magician living with a secret, until he meets a boy & admits to himself that his gay and also in love with the boy... Rory decides to risk it all in the name of love but what consequences will arise from it?
I highly enjoyed the beginning of this story & cannot wait to read more, I found it engaging, heartfelt and had a good storyline that kept me hooked wanting more with each page turn. Seeing someone willing to lose it all and turn both worlds upside down for love, truth and for doing what he feels to be right.
Rory is a teenager who is also a magician living with a secret, until he meets a boy & admits to himself that his gay and also in love with the boy... Rory decides to risk it all in the name of love but what consequences will arise from it?
I highly enjoyed the beginning of this story & cannot wait to read more, I found it engaging, heartfelt and had a good storyline that kept me hooked wanting more with each page turn. Seeing someone willing to lose it all and turn both worlds upside down for love, truth and for doing what he feels to be right.
November 26, 2025
I liked the idea behind this one. Rory’s magical world is detailed and imaginative, with a lot of cool powers and a unique secret society setup. It was easy to get invested in the worldbuilding, and I liked seeing Rory navigate both his magical life and the non magical world.
The romance between Rory and Tyson had some sweet moments, though Rory jumped a bit quickly into telling him his secret I would have liked a bit more of a build-up which might have made the story feel more grounded.
I'd give it a 3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for this ARC in return for honest feedback
The romance between Rory and Tyson had some sweet moments, though Rory jumped a bit quickly into telling him his secret I would have liked a bit more of a build-up which might have made the story feel more grounded.
I'd give it a 3.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for this ARC in return for honest feedback
October 12, 2025
I liked the concept of this, a magical boy from a magical family falling in love with a human. But after that, it all seemed evil against good, and people getting their memories erased, to hide their secret, and the boy on the run from the father, and his group. In other words, cliches.
And in the end, it was the first book in the series, so there is no real conclusion.
Other than that, nice drawings.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.This book is coming out the 2nd of December 2025
And in the end, it was the first book in the series, so there is no real conclusion.
Other than that, nice drawings.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.This book is coming out the 2nd of December 2025
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December 4, 2025This was a cute book with good art that I mostly enjoyed. I had a big quible with it by the end though. Firstly, the part of the reveal shows us that the secret society that had been the antagonists are actually way more evil than we thought. This was subtractive rather than additive for me, because it took them from the position of "Wrong, but you can see where they're coming from, and they have a few good points" to "One-dimensional cackling cartoon villains". But overall, this was a fun, quick read. The linework for the art was strong and I liked the bold and bright use of colors.
December 17, 2025
Like many reviewers, the premise of this book really caught me. I enjoyed it, although I see the flaws. It is a bit too fast-paced, and you have to suspend belief that someone would jump into a relationship and share their biggest secret as fast as Rory does. I'm not a huge reader of graphic novels, so the pace of most GN seems really fast to me.
However, I'm hoping that I get to read more about Tyson and Rory, because there's a really intriguing story there!
However, I'm hoping that I get to read more about Tyson and Rory, because there's a really intriguing story there!
January 14, 2026
2.45 stars. I really could not stand the sister, especially as the graphic novel continued. I felt some sympathy for her familial position at first, but she ruined all that goodwill. I found the magic system and the community surrounding it to be very interesting and wish I could have seen more of it. I thought the romance and plot were decent, but I wasn't super connected to any of these characters. There were some good elements of this book, I just didn't love any of them.
December 17, 2025
I wasn't a fan of how fast-paced the relationship was and I wasn't a fan of the magic system.
December 26, 2025
This felt fine. The world building felt surface level and the plot felt surface level for the amount of story we got.
January 6, 2026
3.5 It wasn't bad at all, very quick witted but just a little rushed. I couldn't get behind the characters or even feel betrayed because I didn't know or care about anyone. Not bad at all tho.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews