What do you think?
Rate this book
Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas
MIRACLE OR MISTAKE?
Aliyah Serin is extraordinary. She was born with the unique ability to control two of the five elements—fire, water, earth, air, and aether—in a society where each individual is limited to only one. If that isn’t enough for the newspapers to gossip about, her parents were murdered and the killer was never found.
One day, a frightening incident causes Aliyah to be sent to Petrovis School for Young Elementalists. Her Uncle Leo hopes that she will be kept safe and out of trouble at Petrovis, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Aliyah discovers a network of hidden passageways within the school that she believes are meant to protect the mysterious and powerful artifact known as the Box of Zenas. But she isn’t the only one who knows about the box. Someone else is after it, and with the help of her friends and the ghost of her great-great-great uncle, Aliyah must race to find the box before her opponent does. In the wrong hands, it could give someone the power to do terrible things, even spell the doom of the entire Elementalist society.
Aliyah Serin is extraordinary. She was born with the unique ability to control two of the five elements—fire, water, earth, air, and aether—in a society where each individual is limited to only one. If that isn’t enough for the newspapers to gossip about, her parents were murdered and the killer was never found.
One day, a frightening incident causes Aliyah to be sent to Petrovis School for Young Elementalists. Her Uncle Leo hopes that she will be kept safe and out of trouble at Petrovis, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Aliyah discovers a network of hidden passageways within the school that she believes are meant to protect the mysterious and powerful artifact known as the Box of Zenas. But she isn’t the only one who knows about the box. Someone else is after it, and with the help of her friends and the ghost of her great-great-great uncle, Aliyah must race to find the box before her opponent does. In the wrong hands, it could give someone the power to do terrible things, even spell the doom of the entire Elementalist society.
- GenresMiddle Grade
Unknown Binding
Published July 1, 2023
1 person is currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Anne Holland
4 books61 followersLucy Anne Holland is an author from Brantford, Ontario. Although she works as a composer and music educator, she still makes time to write as often as she can. Her literary works span across genres such as young adult fantasy, inspirational romance, and middle grade adventure. Besides writing and composing she loves gardening, drawing, taking long walks, and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 16, 2023
I received this as an ARC book in exchange for an honest review.
I will start my review with something I don’t normally say about a book. I LOVED IT and can't wait for book 2 to come out!If you are a fan of teen or young adult books, if you're a fan of the Harry Potter books, then you will like this book.
Aliyah Serin is a 13 year old girl who has spent most of her life with her 2 uncles, both of whom work for the elementalist government in Canada. She doesn't usually live at either of their homes but near the Capitol buildings.
She is different from other elementals. All the others have one element. From earth, air, water, fire, and eather,but Aliyah was born with two. She carries both the water and fire elements, something that lots of people said will be impossible to live with as they are so opposite from each other.
Aliyah's parents were murdered when she was about two years old, and no one has been caught for the crime, which is why she spends her time with her uncles, Uncle Leo, and Uncle Vincent. Her best friend Dorian also spends lots of his time in the Capitol, so much that they are tutored there instead of going to a school.
Together, one day, they were trying to figure out what was going on. Both her uncles and his father were so busy and beginning to look haggard. So the kids tried following them to see if they could find out what was going on. When caught, they were told to either to the library or the park-like area. As they were on their way Aliyah and Dorian see what looks like a rat run down the stairs to the basement. They decided to follow and see what they could find out. When they get down into the boiler room, they find that it's not a rat. It's bigger, and it isn't just one, it's dozens. But then they're lost in the boiler room, and the scrats are coming for them..........
Needless to say, trouble follows and in a few days the kids find out that Dorian's family is taking an extended vacation and he has no idea where they are going and Aliyah has been told by her uncle Leo that she is being sent off to a boarding school, the same one her mother went to and if she's good, tries to get along and make friends she can come home over the holidays.
You can see some of the images the book creates will remind you of Harry Potter and his friends, but once you get into the book you will find there are very few similarities.
Can't wait for the next book in this series:)
I will start my review with something I don’t normally say about a book. I LOVED IT and can't wait for book 2 to come out!If you are a fan of teen or young adult books, if you're a fan of the Harry Potter books, then you will like this book.
Aliyah Serin is a 13 year old girl who has spent most of her life with her 2 uncles, both of whom work for the elementalist government in Canada. She doesn't usually live at either of their homes but near the Capitol buildings.
She is different from other elementals. All the others have one element. From earth, air, water, fire, and eather,but Aliyah was born with two. She carries both the water and fire elements, something that lots of people said will be impossible to live with as they are so opposite from each other.
Aliyah's parents were murdered when she was about two years old, and no one has been caught for the crime, which is why she spends her time with her uncles, Uncle Leo, and Uncle Vincent. Her best friend Dorian also spends lots of his time in the Capitol, so much that they are tutored there instead of going to a school.
Together, one day, they were trying to figure out what was going on. Both her uncles and his father were so busy and beginning to look haggard. So the kids tried following them to see if they could find out what was going on. When caught, they were told to either to the library or the park-like area. As they were on their way Aliyah and Dorian see what looks like a rat run down the stairs to the basement. They decided to follow and see what they could find out. When they get down into the boiler room, they find that it's not a rat. It's bigger, and it isn't just one, it's dozens. But then they're lost in the boiler room, and the scrats are coming for them..........
Needless to say, trouble follows and in a few days the kids find out that Dorian's family is taking an extended vacation and he has no idea where they are going and Aliyah has been told by her uncle Leo that she is being sent off to a boarding school, the same one her mother went to and if she's good, tries to get along and make friends she can come home over the holidays.
You can see some of the images the book creates will remind you of Harry Potter and his friends, but once you get into the book you will find there are very few similarities.
Can't wait for the next book in this series:)
July 2, 2023
Having read the Harry Potter books, I'm a little conflicted about my rating for this middle-grade fantasy story. In the end, though, despite the fact that much of the world details felt like they'd been lifted from Harry Potter and renamed (elementalists instead of witches and wizards, Petrovis School instead of Hogwarts, non-elementalists being called "humdrums" instead of non-magical people being called "muggles", etc.), I felt like the characters themselves and the story were actually original. I quite enjoyed the relationships between Aliyah and her friends, and the mystery they were trying to solve was interesting, although I had the identity of this installment's "bad guy" figured out long before it was revealed. I also have suspicions about the identity of Thanatos, but I'll have to wait and see about those. ;) Looking forward to Book 2!
I received an e-ARC from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an e-ARC from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 20, 2024
KNOW BEFORE YOU READ
- Harry Potter meets Avatar: The Last Airbender.
- Upper middle-grade contemporary fantasy adventure.
- I had a lot of fun with the WORLDBUILDING, and I really hope you enjoy all of the elemental creatures, Naturaology ingredients, quirky characters, and maze challenges.
- ...so if you think the beginning is a little on the slow side, KEEP READING. The adventure will ramp up.
- I'm a self-published author with a limited budget and have to do most of the editing, formatting, and design myself so please be gracious. I try my best with the resources I have available.
- I'm CANADIAN so I use Canadian spellings (i.e. colour instead of color, labelled instead of labeled, etc.).
- Aliyah Serin #2 TBA
***As a self-published author, the greatest thing you can do for me is to leave a review and tell your friends about my stories.***
...but also, follow me on Instagram: @lucyanneholland
THANK YOU! :)
- Harry Potter meets Avatar: The Last Airbender.
- Upper middle-grade contemporary fantasy adventure.
- I had a lot of fun with the WORLDBUILDING, and I really hope you enjoy all of the elemental creatures, Naturaology ingredients, quirky characters, and maze challenges.
- ...so if you think the beginning is a little on the slow side, KEEP READING. The adventure will ramp up.
- I'm a self-published author with a limited budget and have to do most of the editing, formatting, and design myself so please be gracious. I try my best with the resources I have available.
- I'm CANADIAN so I use Canadian spellings (i.e. colour instead of color, labelled instead of labeled, etc.).
- Aliyah Serin #2 TBA
***As a self-published author, the greatest thing you can do for me is to leave a review and tell your friends about my stories.***
...but also, follow me on Instagram: @lucyanneholland
THANK YOU! :)
May 1, 2024
A fun and fast read! Imagine Harry Potter x Avatar the Last Airbender. I loved the friendships, the mystery, and the adventure.
Holland did a great job creating memorable characters even with a big cast. Lots of sweet, laughable moments and positive messages.
Some of the plot points in the first half felt similar to Harry Potter, but the story came into its own through the second half with an intriguing maze in the mansion and a missing box that holds the power of the five elements.
There were a lot of fun, new inventions and world building details. It was so easy to just keep reading!
The author laid down so many interesting clues and mysteries related to Aliyah's family and the magic in the world. Well done, Lucy!
Holland did a great job creating memorable characters even with a big cast. Lots of sweet, laughable moments and positive messages.
Some of the plot points in the first half felt similar to Harry Potter, but the story came into its own through the second half with an intriguing maze in the mansion and a missing box that holds the power of the five elements.
There were a lot of fun, new inventions and world building details. It was so easy to just keep reading!
The author laid down so many interesting clues and mysteries related to Aliyah's family and the magic in the world. Well done, Lucy!
March 26, 2025
Excellent novel. The plot was very well done and engaging, I finished in a day and half because I wanted to know what was happening next!
July 12, 2023
This book had a lot of potential, if only it was made into its own, unique story. Instead, it read like Harry Potter with a few changes.
Everything about it was similar to HP. From the characters, to the backstory, to the actual plot. The similarities kept on coming. So much so that it almost felt like a rewriting of HP. This was the main fact about this book that I noticed.
The school. The students. The teachers. Aliyah's trio of friends. The mischevious twin relatives. Secret passageways. Friendly janitor. Four different houses (almost four, that is. The fifth didn't count). Aliyah's specialness. The dangerous treasure that couldn't fall into the wrong hands. Dark magic. Solving puzzles. Team sports. And, at the very end,.
Yes, there were elements that were unique to this book. There were the important uncles. The fact that, even though Aliyah was an orphan, she grew up in this magical world. The compass that led its owner away from danger. The unique magical elements.
If this book was developed a bit more into its own story, it might have been an amazing story. It had a lot going for it. There were adventures, friendships, secrets, and danger. And, this made it even more unfortunately that it was so similar to HP.
As it was, I debated long and hard before rating it. It was cute in theory. However, it needed too much work. Between the HP-wannabe feel of it, the magical details that didn't always add up, and the too-sudden, too-convenient plot elements (such as the stranger who magically appeared and helped solve their problem, the chemistry talents that only worked that one time they really needed them, and the mischevious twin sidekicks who always seemed to know just enough to help and no more).
Children will probably love this story. Especially if they love fantasy, magical schools, mysterious, friendships, and, of course, Harry Potter.
Similar reads:
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content: clean
Valentine's Day and Xmas were celebrated.
There are some scary scenes, including people disappearing, and Aliyah and her friends being endangered, and falling unconcious.
In one or two scenes there were jokes about boyfriends, and liking girls.
Everything about it was similar to HP. From the characters, to the backstory, to the actual plot. The similarities kept on coming. So much so that it almost felt like a rewriting of HP. This was the main fact about this book that I noticed.
The school. The students. The teachers. Aliyah's trio of friends. The mischevious twin relatives. Secret passageways. Friendly janitor. Four different houses (almost four, that is. The fifth didn't count). Aliyah's specialness. The dangerous treasure that couldn't fall into the wrong hands. Dark magic. Solving puzzles. Team sports. And, at the very end,.
Yes, there were elements that were unique to this book. There were the important uncles. The fact that, even though Aliyah was an orphan, she grew up in this magical world. The compass that led its owner away from danger. The unique magical elements.
If this book was developed a bit more into its own story, it might have been an amazing story. It had a lot going for it. There were adventures, friendships, secrets, and danger. And, this made it even more unfortunately that it was so similar to HP.
As it was, I debated long and hard before rating it. It was cute in theory. However, it needed too much work. Between the HP-wannabe feel of it, the magical details that didn't always add up, and the too-sudden, too-convenient plot elements (such as the stranger who magically appeared and helped solve their problem, the chemistry talents that only worked that one time they really needed them, and the mischevious twin sidekicks who always seemed to know just enough to help and no more).
Children will probably love this story. Especially if they love fantasy, magical schools, mysterious, friendships, and, of course, Harry Potter.
Similar reads:
Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content: clean
Valentine's Day and Xmas were celebrated.
There are some scary scenes, including people disappearing, and Aliyah and her friends being endangered, and falling unconcious.
In one or two scenes there were jokes about boyfriends, and liking girls.
May 28, 2023
What worked:
After determining Aliyah is able to control two elements, her parents are murdered so she’s raised by her two uncles. The plot takes a turn when she’s suddenly sent to a private school for elemental students. Aliyah immediately becomes a curiosity at Petrovis since she must choose between the fire and water and elemental houses. Her training is always interesting since she has an affinity for water but working with fire is always volatile. She feels additional pressure to perform when she’s chosen to join one of the school’s quest teams as its fire elemental. Her self-doubt creates a conflict throughout the book as she’s afraid of letting her friends down or possibly causing them to be harmed.
With Aliyah being a bit of an outcast, it’s natural that she gravitates toward other students who aren’t readily accepted. Seth’s element is aether which makes other students uncomfortable. It’s a rare, mysterious ability they don’t understand and it’s even banned from the Atheneum, the building housing the leaders of all Canadian elementals. Rae is an earth elemental who has her own self-doubt and often messes up in critical moments. She’s also a bit impulsive which sometimes leads to endangering Aliyah and Seth. Together, the trio spends much of the plot investigating secret tunnels and passages where they enter a maze with increasingly difficult puzzles to solve. They also encounter the ghost of Aliyah’s relative who offers assistance in a frustrating manner. Rae immediately dislikes him but the trio probably can’t survive without his help.
The author creates a mystery when Aliyah is sent to the school due to her uncle’s ambiguous thinking. The actual reason establishes an underlying problem for the entire series but it’s not revealed until much later in the book. An unusual twist to the plot is how Aliya’s best friend Dorian flees to a secret destination with his family and the excuse is connected to Aliya’s own problems. Dorian isn’t physically part of the story but his communication with Aliya offers insightful information related to Petrovis and the Box of Zenas.
What didn’t work as well:
The antagonist is kept anonymous throughout the book and is never clearly identified. Aliyah and her friends suspect they must keep the Box of Zenas away from someone evil but they don’t know who or why. It’s sometimes easier to build tension from the conflict when there’s more clarity so the seriousness and intensity of the problem could have been elevated. On the other hand, not knowing the villain first lets readers’ imaginations free to imagine the many possibilities.
The Final Verdict:
Attending a school for kids with powers will be a familiar format but this book offers creative angles to make it different. Racing to navigate a maze of tunnels by decoding puzzles to beat an unknown opponent is novel and problems with Aliyah’s uncle are interesting. Overall, this book is an exciting start to a new series and I recommend you give it a shot.
After determining Aliyah is able to control two elements, her parents are murdered so she’s raised by her two uncles. The plot takes a turn when she’s suddenly sent to a private school for elemental students. Aliyah immediately becomes a curiosity at Petrovis since she must choose between the fire and water and elemental houses. Her training is always interesting since she has an affinity for water but working with fire is always volatile. She feels additional pressure to perform when she’s chosen to join one of the school’s quest teams as its fire elemental. Her self-doubt creates a conflict throughout the book as she’s afraid of letting her friends down or possibly causing them to be harmed.
With Aliyah being a bit of an outcast, it’s natural that she gravitates toward other students who aren’t readily accepted. Seth’s element is aether which makes other students uncomfortable. It’s a rare, mysterious ability they don’t understand and it’s even banned from the Atheneum, the building housing the leaders of all Canadian elementals. Rae is an earth elemental who has her own self-doubt and often messes up in critical moments. She’s also a bit impulsive which sometimes leads to endangering Aliyah and Seth. Together, the trio spends much of the plot investigating secret tunnels and passages where they enter a maze with increasingly difficult puzzles to solve. They also encounter the ghost of Aliyah’s relative who offers assistance in a frustrating manner. Rae immediately dislikes him but the trio probably can’t survive without his help.
The author creates a mystery when Aliyah is sent to the school due to her uncle’s ambiguous thinking. The actual reason establishes an underlying problem for the entire series but it’s not revealed until much later in the book. An unusual twist to the plot is how Aliya’s best friend Dorian flees to a secret destination with his family and the excuse is connected to Aliya’s own problems. Dorian isn’t physically part of the story but his communication with Aliya offers insightful information related to Petrovis and the Box of Zenas.
What didn’t work as well:
The antagonist is kept anonymous throughout the book and is never clearly identified. Aliyah and her friends suspect they must keep the Box of Zenas away from someone evil but they don’t know who or why. It’s sometimes easier to build tension from the conflict when there’s more clarity so the seriousness and intensity of the problem could have been elevated. On the other hand, not knowing the villain first lets readers’ imaginations free to imagine the many possibilities.
The Final Verdict:
Attending a school for kids with powers will be a familiar format but this book offers creative angles to make it different. Racing to navigate a maze of tunnels by decoding puzzles to beat an unknown opponent is novel and problems with Aliyah’s uncle are interesting. Overall, this book is an exciting start to a new series and I recommend you give it a shot.
June 5, 2023
3.5 stars
I requested this ARC because the title nostalgically reminded me of books and series I read years ago. Also, I recently read Ashes of Glass by the same author, and while it wasn’t the best I’ve ever read, I hoped her writing had improved by her third novel. Unfortunately, while I did still enjoy it, there were many things about Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas that were disappointing. It’s been a very long time since I read Harry Potter, but this book seemed uncannily similar to me. The spirit of imitation pervaded this book. If lack of originality bothers you, then you may not want to read it.
Characters: I wasn’t overly impressed by the characters. Perhaps I was expecting too much, and MG books of this sort never have lifelike, interesting characters–it’s been a while since I’ve read any–but I was hoping for at least a little development. I kept waiting for Aliyah to develop a personality, but she never did so. The side characters, including Aliyah’s friends, were fairly bland as well. However, I’m sure most readers in this book’s target audience don’t care whether characters are well-written or not–I certainly didn’t at that age.
Setting: Unfortunately, Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas fell short in this regard as well. But not because the setting was boring or poorly described–rather, it felt just too much like Harry Potter. The similarities once Aliyah arrived at Petrovis were alarming. Is it that hard to come up with an original setting, even when it’s a magical school? This felt like off-brand Harry Potter. Even the names of the Harry Potter-inspired characters vaguely reflect their originals.
Plot: As far as middle-grade magical realism plots go, I thought this one was pretty good. It is indeed slow at the beginning, but that didn’t bother me at all. I enjoy slow, slice-of-life plots, but if you don’t feel the same way, the first part of this book may bother you.
Style: Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas didn’t have a bad writing style, though there were plenty of errors. One character’s name was frequently spelled as both “McKinley” and “McKinnley”, which irked me. Additionally, this book is not nearly as humorous as others in its genre; in fact, it barely has any humor at all. I can understand that, though, as humor is difficult for me to write as well.
Theme: This book didn’t have much of a theme, except for maybe not being greedy for power. Some of the characters’ actions bothered me; I will detail those in the content section.
Content: This is a clean book, but there are still a few things that the reader should be aware of. This book contained more magic than I usually read, although that may or may not be an issue for you. Also, the characters rather frequently stole and lied without these actions being presented as wrong. I was bothered by Aliyah and her friends lying to get themselves out of trouble and not experiencing any repercussions.
I realize that I may have said several negative things about this book, but in actuality, I quite enjoyed it. The similarities to Harry Potter are off-putting, but it was still a pleasant read and very much of its genre. If you enjoy middle-grade contemporary fantasy and need something light to read, Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas would be a good choice.
I would like to thank the author for giving me a free ARC/review copy to honestly review.
I requested this ARC because the title nostalgically reminded me of books and series I read years ago. Also, I recently read Ashes of Glass by the same author, and while it wasn’t the best I’ve ever read, I hoped her writing had improved by her third novel. Unfortunately, while I did still enjoy it, there were many things about Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas that were disappointing. It’s been a very long time since I read Harry Potter, but this book seemed uncannily similar to me. The spirit of imitation pervaded this book. If lack of originality bothers you, then you may not want to read it.
Characters: I wasn’t overly impressed by the characters. Perhaps I was expecting too much, and MG books of this sort never have lifelike, interesting characters–it’s been a while since I’ve read any–but I was hoping for at least a little development. I kept waiting for Aliyah to develop a personality, but she never did so. The side characters, including Aliyah’s friends, were fairly bland as well. However, I’m sure most readers in this book’s target audience don’t care whether characters are well-written or not–I certainly didn’t at that age.
Setting: Unfortunately, Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas fell short in this regard as well. But not because the setting was boring or poorly described–rather, it felt just too much like Harry Potter. The similarities once Aliyah arrived at Petrovis were alarming. Is it that hard to come up with an original setting, even when it’s a magical school? This felt like off-brand Harry Potter. Even the names of the Harry Potter-inspired characters vaguely reflect their originals.
Plot: As far as middle-grade magical realism plots go, I thought this one was pretty good. It is indeed slow at the beginning, but that didn’t bother me at all. I enjoy slow, slice-of-life plots, but if you don’t feel the same way, the first part of this book may bother you.
Style: Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas didn’t have a bad writing style, though there were plenty of errors. One character’s name was frequently spelled as both “McKinley” and “McKinnley”, which irked me. Additionally, this book is not nearly as humorous as others in its genre; in fact, it barely has any humor at all. I can understand that, though, as humor is difficult for me to write as well.
Theme: This book didn’t have much of a theme, except for maybe not being greedy for power. Some of the characters’ actions bothered me; I will detail those in the content section.
Content: This is a clean book, but there are still a few things that the reader should be aware of. This book contained more magic than I usually read, although that may or may not be an issue for you. Also, the characters rather frequently stole and lied without these actions being presented as wrong. I was bothered by Aliyah and her friends lying to get themselves out of trouble and not experiencing any repercussions.
I realize that I may have said several negative things about this book, but in actuality, I quite enjoyed it. The similarities to Harry Potter are off-putting, but it was still a pleasant read and very much of its genre. If you enjoy middle-grade contemporary fantasy and need something light to read, Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas would be a good choice.
I would like to thank the author for giving me a free ARC/review copy to honestly review.
June 22, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I am torn between a 3 and 4. The writing, characters, and story as a whole were really engaging and well developed. I will read the next book when it comes out. However, the similarities to Harry Potter were not just vague or interpretive. There are three friends at the school of elementals who are on a discovery journey to find something hidden in the school. There is a giant room where everything unwanted is stored. There are two brother relatives who are mischievous and inventive. There are other similarities but you get the idea. If the reader is a purist they should not read it because they will grade it as a 1 or 2. However, if the reader can look over the similarities and see all the good it is a 4. Take that into consideration before reading it just to give it a bad score. Other than that though I want to reiterate that there are a lot of twists and some new ideas that make it a good story in its own right.
I am torn between a 3 and 4. The writing, characters, and story as a whole were really engaging and well developed. I will read the next book when it comes out. However, the similarities to Harry Potter were not just vague or interpretive. There are three friends at the school of elementals who are on a discovery journey to find something hidden in the school. There is a giant room where everything unwanted is stored. There are two brother relatives who are mischievous and inventive. There are other similarities but you get the idea. If the reader is a purist they should not read it because they will grade it as a 1 or 2. However, if the reader can look over the similarities and see all the good it is a 4. Take that into consideration before reading it just to give it a bad score. Other than that though I want to reiterate that there are a lot of twists and some new ideas that make it a good story in its own right.
July 6, 2023
Aside from some obvious correlations to another "world" we all know - I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be reading it with my daughter (who's almost 10) as I think she'll really love it too. I did find a lot of the books own originality refreshing and enjoyed the overall "mystery" and twists it brought. I think the world building and play on terms was clever and cannot wait for book 2!
February 14, 2026
I'm giving this 4 ⭐ because I believe it's one of Holland's first books and writing a book is quite a feat. Her characters are believable, which is challenging.
I can't give it 5 ⭐ because it seemed to learn heavily on Harry Potter and I think she has more talent than to copy-and-paste then put her own spin on someone else's story. She has the intelligence and creativity to be more original.
I can't give it 5 ⭐ because it seemed to learn heavily on Harry Potter and I think she has more talent than to copy-and-paste then put her own spin on someone else's story. She has the intelligence and creativity to be more original.
August 11, 2023
"… to such reasonable limits prescribed by law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic elemental society. All elementalists have the freedom of conscience, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association."
Aliyah likes her adventures with her best friend Dorian but suddenly he will leave with his family and she is sent to a mystery elemental school as a first year. Her world is about to change. She's used to elemental magic, but she doesn't know anyone in the new school. That doesn't stop her from picking the right friendships, supporting those in need, and sticking to her values. The author takes us along in flying buses to this gothic amazing building. Petrovis, School for Young Elementalists is an amazing school. All set in Canada, some words will have Canadian spelling, I like that.
The school is divided by houses (fire, air, water, and earth) but there are also aether students. I loved discovering this new society and world along with the main characters, meeting diverse characters, and joining amazing clubs (I would join the Questing team too).
There is a strong rivalry between Fire and Water houses that creates tension between students and sometimes we have bullies trying to undermine our favorite characters, but Aliyah has a strong personality and stands her ground. She also is the only person in this society who can control two elements instead of the regular one that you are born into. Trials, mystery, quests, searching secret passages, dealing with a fun ghost.
The story focuses on a mystery that is larger than just discovering what happened to Aliyah's parents, or what Petrovis is all about. There is something happening to adult elementalists too and this book sets for a larger conflict between good and evil. Still, this book starts and ends a quest that has to do with the box. On a personal level, Aliyah is trying to find her real home and a place to belong.
Cons (turned into positives): I felt it was a bit too long for a first book. But… Yay! It's more adventure and more pages that make Aliyah stay with us.
I am looking forward to reading the next on. I definitely want to visit this school.
Awesome cover artwork, that made me click on this book and read it.
I received an advance review copy for free via Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own and honest.
Aliyah likes her adventures with her best friend Dorian but suddenly he will leave with his family and she is sent to a mystery elemental school as a first year. Her world is about to change. She's used to elemental magic, but she doesn't know anyone in the new school. That doesn't stop her from picking the right friendships, supporting those in need, and sticking to her values. The author takes us along in flying buses to this gothic amazing building. Petrovis, School for Young Elementalists is an amazing school. All set in Canada, some words will have Canadian spelling, I like that.
The school is divided by houses (fire, air, water, and earth) but there are also aether students. I loved discovering this new society and world along with the main characters, meeting diverse characters, and joining amazing clubs (I would join the Questing team too).
There is a strong rivalry between Fire and Water houses that creates tension between students and sometimes we have bullies trying to undermine our favorite characters, but Aliyah has a strong personality and stands her ground. She also is the only person in this society who can control two elements instead of the regular one that you are born into. Trials, mystery, quests, searching secret passages, dealing with a fun ghost.
The story focuses on a mystery that is larger than just discovering what happened to Aliyah's parents, or what Petrovis is all about. There is something happening to adult elementalists too and this book sets for a larger conflict between good and evil. Still, this book starts and ends a quest that has to do with the box. On a personal level, Aliyah is trying to find her real home and a place to belong.
Cons (turned into positives): I felt it was a bit too long for a first book. But… Yay! It's more adventure and more pages that make Aliyah stay with us.
I am looking forward to reading the next on. I definitely want to visit this school.
Awesome cover artwork, that made me click on this book and read it.
I received an advance review copy for free via Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own and honest.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews