Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire by Antonio Galarza is a fantasy adventure novel dripping with action and mystery, which is a good start for the first installment in a series. Set in the Edwardian period, a teenager by the name of Victor Waltz has been experiencing seizures that trigger strange dreams that he could not fathom. As his dreams intensify, it causes disturbance in the normal run of his existence. A tall, dark-haired woman with a long cloak and a large black grimoire intends to take Victor along with her, for his presence cannot be allowed to remain in the world unattended. It turns out that Victor has a certain special skill within him—an ability to manipulate matter at an atomic level. As Victor trains under Darklight’s Warlock & Sorceress Academy, he learns about his lineage and a menacing entity known as the Lightbringer. Victor's fate is to put a stop to this risen king of sin, especially knowing that his father is the warlock who survived the Lightbringer’s wrath.

Many young hero tales begin where the protagonist is either an underdog or struggling to understand the sudden strange gift that they wield. In the case of Victor, it is the latter. As the story progresses in The Timeless Grimoire, it is entertaining to see him gaining an edge in a way that did not come easily, and you can probably expect him to grow more as the series progresses. For now, he struggles with the fear that his dreams are symptoms that he is becoming a Veil, but his stint at the academy is already filled with action and mystery. I like the fact that teenagers do not dominate the pages of this story. Hats off to AntonioGalarza for providing adult characters who are equally instrumental in shaping a good storyline. The Timeless Grimoire has its own charm and delight that will linger in your head.

Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire is the first volume of author Antonio Galarza's Division of Global Magic Affairs series. Set in 1907 in the English countryside, the book follows Victor Waltz, a gifted teenager plagued by seizures and visions caused by an unearthly demonic parasite known as the Veil. After a visit to his home by the High Enchantress and Headmistress of the Darklight Academy of Eden, Victor soon realizes that he has inherited the abilities of the immortal bloodline of his father's family. As Victor and his friends, Casey Cardnell and Tyler Windwood, join the Darklight Academy, they find themselves sorted into the Dawn Coven. But they will soon be called to action as a nefarious faction pursues The Timeless Grimoire.

Fans of books such as Harry Potter are in for a treat, for Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire will entertain readers of young adult fantasy novels. Antonio Galarza crafts a highly imaginative world full of monsters and magic that instantly fills you with a sense of wonder and awe. I found the characters likable and easy to root for, and the relationship dynamic between Victor, Casey, and Tyler reminded me of the famous trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. The plot moves quickly with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader hooked throughout the pages. I felt enamored by the world of Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire, and I'm looking forward to reading the sequels. I would recommend it to fans of young adult fantasy novels.

Everybody around Victor thinks he has magic due to his blackouts and nightmares, but he refuses to acknowledge the existence of this said magic. Eventually, he is made to join the Darklight's Military Academy to control and master his skills to become a trained warrior like his father and uncle and learn to control the "Veil" inside him. The trained students of the magic academy he will be attending prepare for an endless war against celestial forces in the world of Eden. Meanwhile, a secret group named The Blight aims to set the Lightbringer free by stealing the timeless, powerful Grimoire to finally end all wars. Warlocks & Sorceresses by Antonio Galarza immerses readers in a magnificent and breathtaking world of magic, sorcery, and demons.

There is so much to be excited about in Warlocks & Sorceresses; the challenging game played by warlocks and sorceresses designed to increase their survivability, having to solve a puzzle to unlock a door, the Seith magic used to control the earth, and much more. I was impressed by the elaborateness of the magical world and the academy for warlocks and sorceresses, which reminds me of the Harry Potter series. Antonio Galarza's book is highly descriptive and lifelike; it took an effort to calm myself after reading some frightening scenes. The only issue was I thought the characters could be better developed because I wanted to know more about their thoughts and what drives them. It was a memorable and thrilling experience, regardless, and I recommend Warlocks & Sorceresses to lovers of dark fantasy books with surprising twists, intense action, and themes of rivalry, predestination, and battling evil.

Warlocks & Sorceresses: The Timeless Grimoire by Antonio Galarza is the first book in the Division of Global Magic Affairs series, and a great treat for fans of fantasy. Life could be peaceful for young Victor Waltz living in a home close to the meadows, but then he suffers from unusually disturbing nightmares caused by the Veil. A visit from the powerful Sorceress, Amber Wolflight, who is recruiting young magical talent for the Division of Global Magic Affairs, raises Victor’s hopes as she encourages him to attend Darklight Academy. Victor finds it hard to believe that he has magical roots, but he quickly finds himself embroiled in the struggle to stop The Blight, a secret society with the mission to free the Lightbringer. Victor happens to be the child of the warlock who survived Lightbringer’s wrath, but is he made of the same stuff, really?

Warlocks & Sorceresses is written in an atmospheric style and the author’s descriptions are terrific. For instance, the reader gets a clear picture of the desolated lime green meadows of Calne, Wiltshire. The setting is written with details that are fascinating and Antonio Galarza writes scenes that are focused, ensuring that the points of view come out distinctly in the story. Readers will be interested in the fully drawn characters like Victor, Amber, Raven, Sherlock, Edward, Professor Diem, and others. The prose is excellent, embellished with carefully crafted dialogues, and these dialogues are revealing of strong character traits and plot points. The author has a gift for character development, and I enjoyed seeing the protagonist struggle to accept that he might have what the entire magical world has been looking for. This self-doubt, while it can be crippling, builds genuine humanity into the character that will appeal to readers. Warlocks & Sorceresses is deft and balanced, a breezy read for fans of tales with magic and incredibly powerful and compelling characters. Harry Potter fans will discover a likable protagonist in Victor Waltz.