Book Review: The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones by Lex Croucher

I was in a bit of a reading slump when I started reading this book, but The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones by Lex Croucher has definitely cured my slump! This is the first time in a long time I've stayed up late into the night to finish a book. I couldn't put it down once I started reading.

Briar Jones, a nonbinary teenager, is hired to work at a mysterious boarding school for the summer. The school is attended by a number of rich, privileged people, one of whom is Briar's former best friend Sebastian Wolfe. The two have not been in contact since Sebastian started attending the school seven years ago. While working there, Briar has to contend with what happened between them. Luckily, they also make some friends with some of the students while they are working there.

I absolutely loved the character of Briar. They are so relatable, and felt so real to me! Their relationship with Sebastian is also complex and interesting. It kept me intrigued throughout the book.

I think the storyline and world building was fantastic. It really drew me in! At times it reminded me of the Scholomance series by Naomi Novik, so if you're a fan of that series I think you'll enjoy this book. I was a fan of Lex Croucher from their other books and this one did not disappoint! I highly recommend picking up The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones!

This book will be out in the US in June 2026.

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC. All opinions are my own.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Rating: 5 stars

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