A school for children with magical abilities. Sounds like Hogwarts, but AUA has its own unique plot with a memorable cast of characters.

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The Otherworld is at war. The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts trains warriors. And Kelcie Murphy—a foster child raised in the human world—is dying to attend.

A place at AUA means meeting Scáthach, the legendary trainer of Celtic heroes. It means learning to fight with a sword. It means harnessing her hidden powers and—most importantly—finding out who her parents are, and why they abandoned her in Boston Harbor eight years ago.

When Kelcie tests into the school, she learns that she’s a Saiga, one of the most ancient beings in the Otherworld. Secretive, shunned, and possessed of imposing elemental powers, the Saiga are also kin to the Otherworld’s most infamous traitor.

But Kelcie is a survivor, and she’ll do whatever it takes to find her parents and her place in their world. Even if that means making a few enemies.

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This first book in the series covers year one at the Academy in 34 fast paced chapters. Readers get a full understanding of Kelcie’s past, present, and near future. Thankfully, there are no intense cliff hangers. A fresh continuation will occur when book 2 is released.

The third person narration stays close to Kelcie. It all begins at the at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts where she is is kidnapped and sent to a non-human world and a very unique school.

Kelcie is the only student who arrives without any prior knowledge as to why she is there. In order to gain entrance you have to cross a nasty acting bridge or be sent home. Yes, Kelcie makes it as do others. They are assigned to units (called a Fianna) of 4 students. They live together and as a group partake in training and trials to enhance their magical skills.

Fantasy and friendship are intertwined into a winning formula. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have action, danger and mystery thrown in to keep the pages turning. The twist and reveals will keep you reading way past bedtime.

It’s great to have another fantasy series to recommend and Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts is a welcome addition to the shelves.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: MARCH 1, 2022 PAGE COUNT: 331

Five more Things to Like About: Kelcie Murphy and the Academy of Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis

1. The magical characters are introduced into the world building scenes and doing so makes them more than memorable. There are GRAPPLER EELS; GRINDYLOWS who are pond dwelling,unfriendly creatures—especially to children; SPRIGGANS, a woodland creature from Cornish mythology whose sap has healing powers.; and TROLLS, FAIRIES, and GOBLINS.
2. Kelcie’s tough nature is equaled by classmate Brona. These two girls see each other in an entirely different way by the end. A marvelous twist.
3. The other interesting character in my reading was Niall. He is a a sweet young boy who is Kelcie’s first friend. He’s missing one hand but is out to prove he can survive better than anyone else.
4. Celtic mythology is a fascinating component of the tale.
5. I was getting a little bit confused with all the new terminology. That is until I discovered in the back pages a handy glossary. You could even read this first as an introduction to the world you are about to enter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Erika Lewis grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, spent summers with her grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California. With a passion for storytelling set in magical places, she spends as much time as she can traveling. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found scribbling notes in a blank book while wondering through abandoned buildings, all kinds of museums, and graveyards. A graduate of Vanderbilt University, her list of credits straddles the comics and novel space, including Game of Shadows from Macmillan’s Tor Books, Firebrand and Acursian from Legendary Comics, #Guardian from Awesome Media & Entertainment, and The 49^th Key from Heavy Metal Publishing. The Color of Dragons (HarperCollins), her debut novel for young adults, published in Fall 2021. 

Visit her website at https://erikalewis.com/

Twitter: @ErikaElyLewis

Facebook: @TheErikaLewis

Instagram: @erikaelylewis

TikTok: @erikalewisauthor

Goodreads: Erika Lewis | Goodreads

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I received a copy of the book in exchange for my honest critique. Please comment below!