Book Review: Masquerade of Mirrors by Samantha Hartwood

Title: Masquerade of Mirrors
Author: Samantha Hartwood
Series: Halls of Glass #1
Pages: 592
Publication Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:

The only thing more dangerous than falling for a lie
is falling for the liar.

Don’t look at the desert. Don’t think about the desert. Never step onto the sand. Taera has followed these rules her entire life—until he arrives.

Impossibly gorgeous, with a face masked in magic, Nikolai kidnaps Taera and drags her deep into the dunes. He says she’s powerful and needs to be trained…if she ever wants to see her family again.

Thrust into a deadly school of illusions and lies, Taera can’t trust anyone. Especially not her breathtaking, ruthless captor. Top student and notorious liar, his secrets run deeper than the sand. He’s her worst nightmare—and everything she craves.

The cutthroat Halls of Glass have a mind of their own. Trapped within their looping corridors, Taera is surrounded by hostile students and forced to rely on Nikolai.

Taera knows she shouldn’t fall for his illusions. But magic requires a partnership, and he’s the only mage who can handle her wild, untamed power.

And the only way he’ll help her is if she pretends to be his.

LINKS: Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon

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Masquerade of Mirrors, the debut novel by Samantha Hartwood and first book in the Halls of Glass series, has such an intriguing premise, and the opening hooked me right away. I love the author’s writing style and how she pulls the reader into this unique and dangerous world.

The strongest part of this book for me was absolutely the world and the magic. The desert feels ominous and bleak, and it mirrors the stark lives of Taera and her family. The academy, where most of the story takes place, was atmospheric and eerie, and the magic system with sources, conduits, and relics felt fresh and different. There is something so interesting about a world built on deception where you constantly question what is real, and I loved the idea of illusionists hiding behind literal masks.

I also enjoyed Taera’s growth over the course of the story. She starts off sheltered, burdened, and resentful of the life she’s leading. Seeing her step into her power was one of my favorite parts. That said, I did sometimes forget she was twenty-four because her inner thoughts and actions felt younger than I expected, especially in the school setting. I kind of felt that way about several of the characters and wanted a bit more maturity in certain moments.

The romance is a mix for me. The enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, fake relationship is usually a big hit for me, but some of the things Nikolai said and did to Taera were a little too bullying. They go through a lot, and he’s not the most dependable person. I think, because his whole persona is based on illusions, secrecy, and lies, it’s hard to fully trust and understand him. However, between the meanness, betrayal, and shadiness, there were little spots of kindness and consideration. They were a little too far and few between for me, though, and I wanted a little more groveling and emotional connection between the pair. Once their relationship progresses, and he reveals more to her, I definitely enjoyed their relationship more, and he did end up winning me over by the end.

Overall, I enjoyed this read. It was immersive with an interesting plot and vivid worldbuilding. And I really loved how the author explored the concept of illusion vs. reality. For Taera, it was impossible to trust anything at face value, and it definitely made me question everyone’s motives, sincerity, and trustworthiness. I’m genuinely intrigued by this world and would absolutely read more set in it.