Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family’s interest or to be committed to a witches’ asylum. In an original world reminiscent of Edwardian England in the shadow of a World War, cabals of noble families use their unique magical gifts to control the fates of nations, while one young man seeks only to live a life of his own. Polk arrives on the scene with Witchmark, a stunning, addictive fantasy that combines intrigue, magic, betrayal, and romance. A great start to a new series – I will be reading.

A suspected murder and a mysterious PTSD of his patients lead him on a wild ride at great personal risk. The end of the war and the family issues come to a head, along with a new friendship. He has some great friends and some serious family issues.

He fought in the war as a healer and now treats soldiers at a hospital with mental issues after a war. He is a doctor and compassionate for the all classes, those with magic and those who don’t have it. There always some greedy bastards who not only have to be in charge of a kingdom and take everything for themselves while making others work hard but then they also want to take over more land and workers. Each kingdom has its own sorts of magics and there is fighting between kingdoms. The feel is historical, sort of steampunk. It had enough details for realism but not to be overwhelming. I enjoyed the world-building of a unique time and place. Witchmark is also the first in the Kingston Cycle series and has magic. I’m not often influenced by the cover of a book but I loved this cover. To find the truth he’ll need to rely on the family he despises, and on the kindness of the most gorgeous man he’s ever seen.

When a fatally poisoned patient exposes Miles’ healing gift and his witchmark, he must put his anonymity and freedom at risk to investigate his patient’s murder. The war between Aeland and Laneer leaves men changed, strangers to their friends and family, but even after faking his own death and reinventing himself as a doctor at a cash-strapped veterans' hospital, Miles can’t hide what he truly is.

He went to war to escape his destiny and came home a different man, but he couldn’t leave his past behind. Magic marked Miles Singer for suffering the day he was born, doomed either to be enslaved to his family's interest or to be committed to a witches' asylum. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Witchmark by cl polk