Into the Crooked Place by Alexandra Christo (review)

Magic-wielding Crafters were supposedly wiped out in the War of Ages in Creije. Now nineteen-year-old Wesley, a supplier of illegal low-level charms, learns that his boss, the Kingpin, is likely using Crafters to create a mind-controlling elixir and take over the city, so he decides that it's time to usurp the Kingpin. He wrangles help from Tavia, a childhood friend and magic dealer who unfortunately now hates him; Saxony, a Crafter in hiding who also hates him; and his bodyguard Karam, whose opinion on him varies. Successfully fighting off enemies both human and supernatural, the four travel to the Kingpin's secret location only to discover that their biggest adversaries may be one another. A mismatched group of hustlers out to save the world isn't a new premise, and the world building here is somewhat haphazard (the rules around magic are particularly flexible). It's the four main characters that really drive the story, however; Christo impressively manages to garner sympathy for them despite the dubiousness of their goal and their sometimes unlikable personalities. An action-filled ending brings an unexpected twist, pulling together some of the looser threads and setting a dramatic stage for a sequel.