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Kentree's Stolen Souls
Life was simply not magical enough for Eliza Paladin, who dreamed of becoming a dragon-riding hero. Now twenty-eight, she has nearly given up on fantasies of witchcraft and magic. But when she learns to harness the power of rain, her life is turned upside down as she and her talking cat, Pal, are invited into a world where magic is as real as taxes.
Even as Eliza's dreams are finally coming true, a dark force threatens to take away the very powers that have given her life meaning. If she cannot solve the mystery, Eliza could face returning to the mundane world forever.
Join thousands of readers in this cosy fantasy that will leave you wanting more. Kentree's Stolen Souls is a fun, fast-paced read for all those who crave a little more magic in their lives.
Imagine knowing you are destined for more; imagine magic can come to you at any age; imagine yourself at Kentree.
Even as Eliza's dreams are finally coming true, a dark force threatens to take away the very powers that have given her life meaning. If she cannot solve the mystery, Eliza could face returning to the mundane world forever.
Join thousands of readers in this cosy fantasy that will leave you wanting more. Kentree's Stolen Souls is a fun, fast-paced read for all those who crave a little more magic in their lives.
Imagine knowing you are destined for more; imagine magic can come to you at any age; imagine yourself at Kentree.
ebook
First published June 21, 2023
29 people are currently reading
326 people want to read
About the author
A. Iles
11 books41 followersYou were told you could be whatever you wanted to be, to shoot for the stars and you would land on the moon. The problem is, when you've been shooting for the stars, landing on the moon feels like a disappointment.
Enter our author. Angelique Iles grew up on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and she dreamed of having an exciting fantasy filled life with magic, fairies, and talking black cats. Imagine her disappointment when she found herself working a safe job with a pension and no cat or pixie in sight.
Instead of accepting her fate in the mundane world, Angelique pulled out her dusty laptop and crafted a story as nostalgic as it was new. A story where anyone could discover they belonged to a world of magic, even long after their eleventh birthday. Since then, Angelique has begun working in an animal shelter part-time, and escaping into her writing is almost as good as the real thing (though she is certain magical creatures live in her garden).
Enter our author. Angelique Iles grew up on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Harry Potter, Artemis Fowl, and she dreamed of having an exciting fantasy filled life with magic, fairies, and talking black cats. Imagine her disappointment when she found herself working a safe job with a pension and no cat or pixie in sight.
Instead of accepting her fate in the mundane world, Angelique pulled out her dusty laptop and crafted a story as nostalgic as it was new. A story where anyone could discover they belonged to a world of magic, even long after their eleventh birthday. Since then, Angelique has begun working in an animal shelter part-time, and escaping into her writing is almost as good as the real thing (though she is certain magical creatures live in her garden).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
January 21, 2024
5 stars. My first five star read of 2024.
This book follows the story of a woman who does not receive her letter to attend a magical school until she is 28 years old. The best thing I can compare it to is a hot, dirty chai latte for the soul. Eliza’s story was so relatable and refreshing. Kentree’s Stolen Souls was such a treat to read. I looked forward to time I could squeeze in a few extra pages!
🐾What I liked:🐾
-A talking cat companion who is sassy, snarky, and hilarious while still being helpful
-How Eliza’s insecurities as an older student—and just as a human being—were depicted.
-The descriptions of all of the magical courses.
-That this book took the magic that so many of us wished we could have after reading Harry Potter, but managed to weave a tale that is amazing in its own right AND is unproblematic.
-An ending and a reveal I didn’t see coming!
-How this book handles toxic positivity.
🤩My only complaint:🤩
Is that I wished the story would have been longer, because I wanted to read more about Eliza and Pal. However, there is a sequel so I’m quite excited for that!
This book is available on KU and Amazon. I would highly, highly recommend it for a fun read that will keep you engaged and out of the boring regular world for a few hours.
This book follows the story of a woman who does not receive her letter to attend a magical school until she is 28 years old. The best thing I can compare it to is a hot, dirty chai latte for the soul. Eliza’s story was so relatable and refreshing. Kentree’s Stolen Souls was such a treat to read. I looked forward to time I could squeeze in a few extra pages!
🐾What I liked:🐾
-A talking cat companion who is sassy, snarky, and hilarious while still being helpful
-How Eliza’s insecurities as an older student—and just as a human being—were depicted.
-The descriptions of all of the magical courses.
-That this book took the magic that so many of us wished we could have after reading Harry Potter, but managed to weave a tale that is amazing in its own right AND is unproblematic.
-An ending and a reveal I didn’t see coming!
-How this book handles toxic positivity.
🤩My only complaint:🤩
Is that I wished the story would have been longer, because I wanted to read more about Eliza and Pal. However, there is a sequel so I’m quite excited for that!
This book is available on KU and Amazon. I would highly, highly recommend it for a fun read that will keep you engaged and out of the boring regular world for a few hours.
September 16, 2023
It was the cutest most whimsical tale in the world. I was whisked away to magic!! Loved it! ❤️
January 5, 2024
Good read
A little "Harry Potter" like but not too bad. I liked the book! I could resonate with the main character being a 30-something year old myself and always feeling I had a connection to the elements much like Eliza.
It did surprise me in the ending when the "bad guy" was revealed as I didn't suspect them much at first.
Hopefully there are more in the series as Eliza's full story has not been told. I look forward to more!
Thank you for the book!
A little "Harry Potter" like but not too bad. I liked the book! I could resonate with the main character being a 30-something year old myself and always feeling I had a connection to the elements much like Eliza.
It did surprise me in the ending when the "bad guy" was revealed as I didn't suspect them much at first.
Hopefully there are more in the series as Eliza's full story has not been told. I look forward to more!
Thank you for the book!
July 6, 2023
Eliza is 28 years old when she receives her late acceptance letter to Kentree institute of magic. Being older than most students she has a hard time finding her way in the school but soon uncovers a nefarious plot. This book was cozy and full of magic and self discovery. I loved Pal her talking cat sidekick he added so much to her story I feel. I was sucked into the story and loved all the characters! I wasn’t expecting the twist at the end, it was well written. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!
December 3, 2023
What a fun read! I really enjoyed the fast-paced trip to a world of magic.
28-year-old Eliza just knows there is more than the mundane life she has been living. Growing up, she dabbles a bit in magic and learns she can talk to her cat Pal. One day, she is invited to Kentree's school for witches! And there begins the adventure!
A Iles builds a wonderful world of magic and magical creatures where Eliza finds her place. I highly encourage fans of Harry Potter and other magical stories to take a peek into Kentree's Stolen Souls!
28-year-old Eliza just knows there is more than the mundane life she has been living. Growing up, she dabbles a bit in magic and learns she can talk to her cat Pal. One day, she is invited to Kentree's school for witches! And there begins the adventure!
A Iles builds a wonderful world of magic and magical creatures where Eliza finds her place. I highly encourage fans of Harry Potter and other magical stories to take a peek into Kentree's Stolen Souls!
December 12, 2023
Rating: 4/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.
How would you feel if you were 28yrs old and finally got the news that you have felt your whole life, you’re a witch. You’re whisked away to a magical school, where you will be taught about magic and how to use different tools and learn how to harness the power of the elements. Everything seems normal until you start to notice that students are losing their magic and you along with your close friends are determined to find out who is behind all this weird stuff happening at school.
I was asked to review this book a few months ago and with the crazy way of life I am just now getting to it and wow it was a great book. I loved the plot, it had a little bit of everything: magic, mystery, a small amount of romance, fantasy creatures, and so much more. It was fast paced with a lot of things happening from the middle of the book to the end. In the beginning it was a little bit slow, but it gave you the information that you needed to build up the plot and allowed you to build a connection with the characters.
The characters in this book, for me Eliza, were easy to connect with and relate too. I know when I was younger, I loved to think of myself as a witch who had her powers bound and just needed to remember the magic to unlock it. Well, Eliza knew and believed that she was something else and had magic, but without being taught about magic she had to start somewhere, and she bought books about magic and started to practice. Along the way she meets and adopts a cat that can talk to her and helps her by teaching her about magic. I loved that family. I thought the other characters were well developed and each one had their right spots in the book.
I really liked that Eliza had a lot of self-discoveries in this book, and I know a lot of people can relate to wanting to know more about their parents or parents. I liked that we got to figure out information about her mother, but I would love to know more about her father, and I am hoping that we get to know more about him in the next book. I can say that I agree with everyone this book does give off HP vibes, with a little bit of the darker Sabrina.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys: HP mixed with Sabrina vibes, great plot, great characters, magic, and mystery.
I want to thank A. Iles for the opportunity to review this book.
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.
How would you feel if you were 28yrs old and finally got the news that you have felt your whole life, you’re a witch. You’re whisked away to a magical school, where you will be taught about magic and how to use different tools and learn how to harness the power of the elements. Everything seems normal until you start to notice that students are losing their magic and you along with your close friends are determined to find out who is behind all this weird stuff happening at school.
I was asked to review this book a few months ago and with the crazy way of life I am just now getting to it and wow it was a great book. I loved the plot, it had a little bit of everything: magic, mystery, a small amount of romance, fantasy creatures, and so much more. It was fast paced with a lot of things happening from the middle of the book to the end. In the beginning it was a little bit slow, but it gave you the information that you needed to build up the plot and allowed you to build a connection with the characters.
The characters in this book, for me Eliza, were easy to connect with and relate too. I know when I was younger, I loved to think of myself as a witch who had her powers bound and just needed to remember the magic to unlock it. Well, Eliza knew and believed that she was something else and had magic, but without being taught about magic she had to start somewhere, and she bought books about magic and started to practice. Along the way she meets and adopts a cat that can talk to her and helps her by teaching her about magic. I loved that family. I thought the other characters were well developed and each one had their right spots in the book.
I really liked that Eliza had a lot of self-discoveries in this book, and I know a lot of people can relate to wanting to know more about their parents or parents. I liked that we got to figure out information about her mother, but I would love to know more about her father, and I am hoping that we get to know more about him in the next book. I can say that I agree with everyone this book does give off HP vibes, with a little bit of the darker Sabrina.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys: HP mixed with Sabrina vibes, great plot, great characters, magic, and mystery.
I want to thank A. Iles for the opportunity to review this book.
September 12, 2023
Let me first start with congratulating the author on such an incredible book. I am so glad I came across them on Instagram and had the chance to read this; this will definitely be a book I will be recommending to everyone!
From the very first chapter I was hooked. I felt a connection to Eliza and how she viewed the world. One incredible quote that drew me in was:
"She remembered being a teenager and being told she had her whole life ahead of her, anything was possible, she was brimming with potential. But life had only brought her to become an assistant in an office where she contributed nothing, created nothing, and aspired to nothing."
This quote hit me in my soul! My whole childhood was filled with sayings of 'having potential', 'will live up to something' and so on! When I went to university, and didn't excel like I had in everything prior - reality sunk in, just as it had to Eliza.
[wheeew that was deep!]
However, don't be put off! The majority of this book is such a cozy and good vibe - it brings together the best parts of Sabrina, HP universe, Zodiac Academy, and so many more exciting fantasies! This is such a beautiful look on magic, and bringing it all together with some plot twists, friendships, and even a spark of romance.
I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book!
From the very first chapter I was hooked. I felt a connection to Eliza and how she viewed the world. One incredible quote that drew me in was:
"She remembered being a teenager and being told she had her whole life ahead of her, anything was possible, she was brimming with potential. But life had only brought her to become an assistant in an office where she contributed nothing, created nothing, and aspired to nothing."
This quote hit me in my soul! My whole childhood was filled with sayings of 'having potential', 'will live up to something' and so on! When I went to university, and didn't excel like I had in everything prior - reality sunk in, just as it had to Eliza.
[wheeew that was deep!]
However, don't be put off! The majority of this book is such a cozy and good vibe - it brings together the best parts of Sabrina, HP universe, Zodiac Academy, and so many more exciting fantasies! This is such a beautiful look on magic, and bringing it all together with some plot twists, friendships, and even a spark of romance.
I can't wait to find out what happens in the next book!
August 6, 2023
A magical book
What would you do if one day you wake up and realise you have magical powers?
That you are a witch?
I'd probably travel the world for free. 🙃
Kentree's stolen souls are all about witches and magic, about supernatural beings coming together to control the power they hold but magic can always turn dark.
What if you bought up without your real parents one day you found out the deepest darkest secret about them?
Would you still like to find out about them or would you rather not know at all?
What if you are the oldest person in school?
What if your magic was hidden from you?
There can be lots of what if's and lots more questions running through the mind.
This book is a well crafted magical book about a girl and her cat who was abandoned by her parents, whose magic was hidden from her which is why she had to get in late to magic school.
It is also about a magic that went dark, a friends soul which could not be saved and a lot more.
If you like being lost in a magical world this book is a must read for you.
A book filled with interesting turns of events, plots and ploys, it is without a doubt a big ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Can't wait for the next book to read what adventure awaits.
What would you do if one day you wake up and realise you have magical powers?
That you are a witch?
I'd probably travel the world for free. 🙃
Kentree's stolen souls are all about witches and magic, about supernatural beings coming together to control the power they hold but magic can always turn dark.
What if you bought up without your real parents one day you found out the deepest darkest secret about them?
Would you still like to find out about them or would you rather not know at all?
What if you are the oldest person in school?
What if your magic was hidden from you?
There can be lots of what if's and lots more questions running through the mind.
This book is a well crafted magical book about a girl and her cat who was abandoned by her parents, whose magic was hidden from her which is why she had to get in late to magic school.
It is also about a magic that went dark, a friends soul which could not be saved and a lot more.
If you like being lost in a magical world this book is a must read for you.
A book filled with interesting turns of events, plots and ploys, it is without a doubt a big ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Can't wait for the next book to read what adventure awaits.
June 15, 2023
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the first of a new series and is absolutely adorable. If you love talking cats and fantasy then this is for you! I love that the FMC is older and not just another “teen hero” I guess because I’m in my 30s 🤣 I’m excited to read the next book and I hop we get some character histories in the next one.
Eliza thinks she’s just a normal woman, except she has a talking cat. She yearns for something more magical and her wish is granted! But are all wishes as amazing as they seem? Eliza might have been granted her truest fantasy, but as she lives out her dreams, she learns that not everything is as magical as it seems. Can she figure out this mystery before her new life is stripped away from her?
This book is the first of a new series and is absolutely adorable. If you love talking cats and fantasy then this is for you! I love that the FMC is older and not just another “teen hero” I guess because I’m in my 30s 🤣 I’m excited to read the next book and I hop we get some character histories in the next one.
Eliza thinks she’s just a normal woman, except she has a talking cat. She yearns for something more magical and her wish is granted! But are all wishes as amazing as they seem? Eliza might have been granted her truest fantasy, but as she lives out her dreams, she learns that not everything is as magical as it seems. Can she figure out this mystery before her new life is stripped away from her?
September 19, 2023
I love a good mystery every once in a while and if you add in a little magic, it makes the perfect combination for me. Kentree’s Stolen Souls is a fun and cozy story of finding your place in life, no matter what age you may be.
I enjoyed the way the main character chose to use her magic, I can see great things to come in her future. Also who doesn’t want to speak to animals, have a garden with fairytale creatures living in it, or go to a school for magic?! All a winning combination in my opinion.
I saw a review saying that the story was slow. In my opinion there was no part that was slow. If anything, I felt a few parts could have used a little more depth, even with this, I enjoyed the story. I am looking forward to more books in this series and by the author!
I enjoyed the way the main character chose to use her magic, I can see great things to come in her future. Also who doesn’t want to speak to animals, have a garden with fairytale creatures living in it, or go to a school for magic?! All a winning combination in my opinion.
I saw a review saying that the story was slow. In my opinion there was no part that was slow. If anything, I felt a few parts could have used a little more depth, even with this, I enjoyed the story. I am looking forward to more books in this series and by the author!
June 25, 2023
This was such an interesting and cozy read. There was a lot of magic, mystery and danger.
February 9, 2025
Could not finish. Poor writing and a Harry Potter knockoff.
September 22, 2023
Kentree's Stolen Souls is a debut fantasy/academia/cozy mystery novel by A. Iles. Eliza, a 28 year old living in the mundane world, finds herself with magical powers. She is able to escape the mundane world when she is invited to attend Kentree Institute of Magic, where she develops her magical skill. While attending Kentree, students begin to lose their magic, and it's up to Eliza to solve the mystery.
The Story: I really liked the premise of this story! I was definitely a Hogwarts kid (still waiting for my letter), and it is still a dream of mine to receive a letter from a magical school telling me that I'm a witch. I feel like the concept of this book appeals to us Hogwarts kids and people tired of the mundane world. I also really liked the mystery aspect of this novel. It was definitely a cozy mystery that wasn't scary or gory (my kind of mystery). I found this book to be very wholesome, but there are definitely some loose ends. For example, I wish we knew more about Eliza's background - I want to know more about who her mother was, and why she did what she did. I'm also very curious about her father, where he is, and if he is good or evil. Lastly, I'm curious about who put a spell on Eliza so that her magic couldn't be detected and why? Hopefully we get answers in the next books!
The Characters: I did really enjoy Eliza as a character, although I did find her to be a bit immature for her age at times. Eliza did undergo a journey of self-discovery to find out who she was as a witch. I feel like she is still figuring stuff out as she seems to have a darker side - Eliza mentions a few times how she imagines herself ruling kingdoms, and seeking glory and praise. I'm curious to see where the author takes these feelings that Eliza has. I'm still on the fence about Professor Kent - I still can't tell if he is going to become the enemy or a lover. He reminds me too much of today's political climate, with what we would consider as "non-inclusive views".
Format: I purchased a paperback copy of the novel. I really enjoyed the larger font size and the thick pages. There were some grammar errors, but it didn't make or break the book!
Overall, Kentree's Stolen Souls was a quick and enjoyable read! Can't wait to see more books in this series! Great way to kick off the spooky season!
The Story: I really liked the premise of this story! I was definitely a Hogwarts kid (still waiting for my letter), and it is still a dream of mine to receive a letter from a magical school telling me that I'm a witch. I feel like the concept of this book appeals to us Hogwarts kids and people tired of the mundane world. I also really liked the mystery aspect of this novel. It was definitely a cozy mystery that wasn't scary or gory (my kind of mystery). I found this book to be very wholesome, but there are definitely some loose ends. For example, I wish we knew more about Eliza's background - I want to know more about who her mother was, and why she did what she did. I'm also very curious about her father, where he is, and if he is good or evil. Lastly, I'm curious about who put a spell on Eliza so that her magic couldn't be detected and why? Hopefully we get answers in the next books!
The Characters: I did really enjoy Eliza as a character, although I did find her to be a bit immature for her age at times. Eliza did undergo a journey of self-discovery to find out who she was as a witch. I feel like she is still figuring stuff out as she seems to have a darker side - Eliza mentions a few times how she imagines herself ruling kingdoms, and seeking glory and praise. I'm curious to see where the author takes these feelings that Eliza has. I'm still on the fence about Professor Kent - I still can't tell if he is going to become the enemy or a lover. He reminds me too much of today's political climate, with what we would consider as "non-inclusive views".
Format: I purchased a paperback copy of the novel. I really enjoyed the larger font size and the thick pages. There were some grammar errors, but it didn't make or break the book!
Overall, Kentree's Stolen Souls was a quick and enjoyable read! Can't wait to see more books in this series! Great way to kick off the spooky season!
July 31, 2024
I've had this on my kindle for so long and god knows why, I've been missing out! I'm literally obsessed.
This book was a real stand out for me because we have a character, Eliza, finding out she's a witch and being invited to a magic school. But she's not some teenager, she's actually twenty eight years old! Eliza was adopted as a child so there's lots of mystery about how she's only just found out she's a witch and who her real parents must be for her to have these abilities.
You should read this if you like :-
- Fantasy worlds which are not too long! And written in a way which pulls you in and keeps you there. It's not overly detailed either so the world building is understandable! That's always nice as some fantasy books can confuse me hehe
- A 'chosen one' vibes, but with a twenty eight year old!
- Magic schools and actually getting detail on the classes!
- A wide variety of diverse characters
- Lots of mystery!
- Who can we trust vibes?
- A miserable British teacher who constantly has you judging him and who he may be!
I've saved the best until last!! A talking black cat and other mysterious animals.
I highly recommend this to fantasy lovers. It was such an entertaining and fun book. I was completely gripped and I can't wait to jump into book two!
This book was a real stand out for me because we have a character, Eliza, finding out she's a witch and being invited to a magic school. But she's not some teenager, she's actually twenty eight years old! Eliza was adopted as a child so there's lots of mystery about how she's only just found out she's a witch and who her real parents must be for her to have these abilities.
You should read this if you like :-
- Fantasy worlds which are not too long! And written in a way which pulls you in and keeps you there. It's not overly detailed either so the world building is understandable! That's always nice as some fantasy books can confuse me hehe
- A 'chosen one' vibes, but with a twenty eight year old!
- Magic schools and actually getting detail on the classes!
- A wide variety of diverse characters
- Lots of mystery!
- Who can we trust vibes?
- A miserable British teacher who constantly has you judging him and who he may be!
I've saved the best until last!! A talking black cat and other mysterious animals.
I highly recommend this to fantasy lovers. It was such an entertaining and fun book. I was completely gripped and I can't wait to jump into book two!
September 28, 2024
Kentree’s Stolen Souls
🪄 Fantasy
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4 Stars
🚫 no romance or spice
Plot
28 year old Eliza Paladin has been living a regular life but she’s always dreamed of more. One day when she learns to harness the power of rain a whole new world of possibilities is opened to her. When she's invited to a school for witchcraft, she jumps at the chance for a more magical life. But someone is stealing magic in the school and Eliza is determined to help solve the mystery.
I really enjoyed Kentree’s Stolen Souls. I love that the FMC is 28, as a reader in my 30’s it gets a little tiring reading about teens over and over. I loved the characters. The side characters caught my attention a lot they had simple qualities that really stood out and made them fun.
The plot was fast paced and gave just the right amount of details to keep me interested but not bog me down. There wasn’t a romance plot in the story which is fine but I think that’s important for some people to know going into it.
I’d definitely recommend this book. It’s perfect for spooky season. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series.
🪄 Fantasy
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 4 Stars
🚫 no romance or spice
Plot
28 year old Eliza Paladin has been living a regular life but she’s always dreamed of more. One day when she learns to harness the power of rain a whole new world of possibilities is opened to her. When she's invited to a school for witchcraft, she jumps at the chance for a more magical life. But someone is stealing magic in the school and Eliza is determined to help solve the mystery.
I really enjoyed Kentree’s Stolen Souls. I love that the FMC is 28, as a reader in my 30’s it gets a little tiring reading about teens over and over. I loved the characters. The side characters caught my attention a lot they had simple qualities that really stood out and made them fun.
The plot was fast paced and gave just the right amount of details to keep me interested but not bog me down. There wasn’t a romance plot in the story which is fine but I think that’s important for some people to know going into it.
I’d definitely recommend this book. It’s perfect for spooky season. I can’t wait to see what happens next in the series.
June 26, 2024
When I bought this book it was at the bottom of my TBR list, (which is near 1700ish books long) But the cover on Kindle mixed with a comment on Instagram made me curious. So, I read the first page to see if I liked the writers style. About ten pages later I realized I’d become completely engrossed, lost in the depth of description and attention to detail. Completely immersed in the world woven by words and imagination. I moved it to the top of my reading list. But I had to finish the book I was reading first, Rhapsody. While reading that book my mind kept pulling back to this one as I wondered what would happen next. I began daydreaming about it, and as a result it took far longer to finish Rhapsody and get back to it. Though the moment I finished I came straight back. The actual story was far better than any of my imaginings. I found myself trying to sneak it out during D&D sessions, and moments when I was supposed to be editing my own books. Which is saying a lot as our DM is fairly engaging and I’m at the polishing stage, one of my favorite parts of the job. But this book completely captured my mind. This imaginative world, while holding elements like those of Harry Potter or The Wizard of Earthsea is truly an animal all it’s own. I’ve added it to the top of my list of books to get in physical form, once I finish my TBR. I’m only grateful I got it before I promised my husband I’d finish reading all the books we own before buying more.
Thank you for the adventure.
Thank you for the adventure.
November 10, 2023
This one was a cute and light read, fast paced and entertaining. It was interesting to see an older MC going back to school and having to struggle through it with younger classmates. I agree with other reviewers saying there were a lot of elements similar to HP but still, it was a fun book. When you need a palate cleanser and you're not in the mood for anything, this is a good choice. Perfect as a quick week-end read.
April 2, 2024
Kentree's Stolen Souls by A. Iles is a unique and fun fantasy novel that I would recommend to fans of Harry Potter and other series about magical schools. The protagonist Eliza is 28 years old when she is invited to attend Kentree Institute of Magic, where most of the other students are teenagers. Eliza has a funny talking cat named Pal who acts as her sidekick as she develops her abilities and eventually has to solve a mystery at the school. This book was a quick read that I couldn't put down!
December 30, 2024
So, I’ve come to realize that if a book has a talking animal involved I’m absolutely in. This was such a cozy witchy read and i loved learning about all that Kentree offered upcoming witches. All I know is if I were to attend, I would have the hardest time picking classes because they’re all so friggen cool.
I’m glad I could finish my year with a super cute witchy read with the cutest and bestest boy pal. I can’t wait to unravel more of the mystery in the next book!
I’m glad I could finish my year with a super cute witchy read with the cutest and bestest boy pal. I can’t wait to unravel more of the mystery in the next book!
February 17, 2024
I really loved this easy to read, cozy fantasy! It was just what I needed! This is a book about a woman who doesn’t receive her invitation to a magical school
until she is 28 years old! I love the concept of someone not finding out about magic until they’re an adult! I think the concept is super fun, and it would be my personal dream come true. I really connected with the main character’s struggle with the every day monotony of the rat race. I think we all would love for something magical to spice up our lives. I loved the world that the author built, and I was very interested in all of the different classes offered and types of magic practiced. The vibe of the book reminded me of Harry Potter a lot. I found it really nice to find a book with a similar feeling without the problematic aspects. They really dug into the prejudice against those born into non magical families a lot more in this novel, which I appreciated. The main character’s continued alliance with a known bigot did continue to perplex me though. Other than that, I found most of the characters to be interesting and likable! This book was very unpredictable, and it surprised me multiple times, especially with the final reveal! The ending wrapped up a little too easily for my taste, and I didn’t completely understand how the “villain” character did her thing, but I am still looking forward to reading the next book! I am hoping we learn more about the main character’s family in the sequel!
🌱 4 stars
until she is 28 years old! I love the concept of someone not finding out about magic until they’re an adult! I think the concept is super fun, and it would be my personal dream come true. I really connected with the main character’s struggle with the every day monotony of the rat race. I think we all would love for something magical to spice up our lives. I loved the world that the author built, and I was very interested in all of the different classes offered and types of magic practiced. The vibe of the book reminded me of Harry Potter a lot. I found it really nice to find a book with a similar feeling without the problematic aspects. They really dug into the prejudice against those born into non magical families a lot more in this novel, which I appreciated. The main character’s continued alliance with a known bigot did continue to perplex me though. Other than that, I found most of the characters to be interesting and likable! This book was very unpredictable, and it surprised me multiple times, especially with the final reveal! The ending wrapped up a little too easily for my taste, and I didn’t completely understand how the “villain” character did her thing, but I am still looking forward to reading the next book! I am hoping we learn more about the main character’s family in the sequel!
🌱 4 stars
October 19, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Kentree's Stolen Souls: Escape into Magic is perfect for fans of the magic school trope. It's cozy, the characters are likable, and there's one heck of a twist at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Kentree's Stolen Souls: Escape into Magic is perfect for fans of the magic school trope. It's cozy, the characters are likable, and there's one heck of a twist at the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
November 2, 2024
I love A Iles’ interpretation of magic for all ages! Just because one is not young but “mature” does not mean that we are incapable of learning or of imagining and magically creating a new existence! I can’t wait to read more of Eliza’s magical journey in Kentrees Haunted Halls!
August 16, 2024
What a fun and cozy read! Perfect to dip your toes in some fall vibes while summer's coming to an end. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the HP series and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina show.
November 28, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really enjoyed the pace and the way it was written, always love a book with magic and mayhem!
Really looking forward to see what happens next!
I really enjoyed the pace and the way it was written, always love a book with magic and mayhem!
Really looking forward to see what happens next!
October 22, 2025
What a delightful treasure! My coworker wrote this series and the trilogy is just as enchanting as the author! A whisper of the Harry Potter series breathes through these magical halls and the plot twists will leave you on the edge of your seat and long into the night because you won't be able to put the book down!
August 17, 2023
📖 Title: Kentree's Stolen Souls: Escape into Magic
✍ Author: Angelique Iles
📚 Series: Kentree #01
🌍 Country of origin: Canada
🔖 Genre: Fantasy, Academia, Arcane Academia, Mystery, Romance, Self-Discovery
👥 Favorite character: Melissa Sweet
💬 Favorite quote(s):
“We can’t know that Chad the Mediocre won’t grow up to be an incredibly powerful Wizard. It isn’t for us to decide.” - Professor Kent
"Despite the fact a spell is working for everyone else in the room, you have this instinct inside you telling you ‘don’t quit, you’re better than everyone here.’ An instinct I am willing to bet came from your mother and father. I think you truly are destined for more." - Professor Kent
🌟 Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Stars
Hi everyone! Rydia here and welp, if you haven't guessed it by the template above, allow me to welcome you to yet another RydiaReviews!
This time its another indie release and an extremely welcome addition to my library!
While I think its a disservice to this book and author to be compared to any other that are similar its a perfect way to start off giving you an idea of what to expect. (or not!)
In fact I think there should be a new category to this type of books, because comparisons in the style "Harry Potter but..." can become tiresome and to some extent deceptive, so I have decided to classify it as 'Arcane Academia'.
Have you ever felt tired of the common life? Have you felt there's more for you and somehow you've been denied it? Heck, lets not even talk about those events have you felt like you're either too old for Harry Potter or too late or young to jump on it's bandwagon?
Then there's a story, there's a place for you and its not Hogwarts. It's Kentree.
If you expect a Hogwarts copy-cat or some sort of poorly written OG Fanfiction then you're in for a surprise, as Kentree is stands on its own by being vastly different and unique in its worldbuilding, characters and lore!
I'll start by saying the thing I loved the most about Kentree is the relatability it has, while at first I didn't like much Eliza the main character which seemed to be extra bitter (and rightfully so!) but by the end of the book you could see how she actually had grown as a person, how her time in Kentree changed her, for the better, while at the same time not forgetting her roots and still trying to find out where she came from. Yeah I know it sounds a bit confusing but consider that Eliza was adopted and her cultural roots and upbringing can be different from those that come from her bloodline.
The author does also a wonderful job by weaving in real life myths and magick theory/knowledge into her book which at first I thought it was ruining in my immersion, since im a 'no real life stuff in my fantasy, pls' girl, but the more I read the book the more I could find it was quite easy for me to relate and connect some concepts with the ones mentioned in the book. If you've ever been curious about wicca, witchcraft, shamanism, herbalism and/or fortune telling, even in the slightlest there's going to be some winks to real life concepts and practices that would help you better relate to what the characters do and how the characters feel.
And lets not even talk about how some of the author's real life passion and knowledge, not research, was used to enrich the experience, lore and relatability! And it is done in such a way that previous knowledge in witchcraft or wizarding literature will only improve your experience with it and the lack of them wont hinder your experience with the story or the subjects. The way she uses her knowledge and how she portrays it in the story is done in such a manner that it doesnt seem presumptous, it doesnt 'insult' you for not knowing and it is organically interwoven in the story in such a way that if you dont know something that you'll want to research it just to get to know a bit more, like it happened to me with the rune names. It didnt feel like it was something I was supposed to know but if I knew a bit more maybe it would make even more sense to me.
All of the supporting characters are not far behind in relatability, if you didnt like much Eliza theres certainly someone else you can relate with. In my case it was Melissa Sweet! I dont want to spoil it but she's just the sweetest, most positive girl trying to do her best from a background where she's supposed not to and trying her best to achieve what she must in any way she knows will help. Theres everything, and im talking in a quite literal manner here! You got faeries, water sprites, illusions, yetis-bigfoot, half-fae, spirits, witches, warlocks, gnomes, talking cats, mice and every one of them has a charm of its own.
I've spoken about Melissa, Eliza's 'frenemy' which feels and reads like a complete character and not someone who is just there to fit a role, which has been sadly a common practice in modern literature nowadays, roles filled instead of full-fledged, fleshed out chacters. And I've yet to speak about Faye, a half fae who is literally trying to find her place in a world. A world? Isn't it supposed to be the world? Nope, she flickers between worlds! I've also not spoken about Mashu, another great character who is a half yeti, half bigfoot who is as mysterious as funny and friendly.
I've intentionally have left one of the most interesting characters to almost last. While there's many classes in Kentree and many professors with a background begging to be explored, one of them caught my interest, and I think it will do so for many girls out there, its Kent, a strict, british, professor as quiet as mysterious and helpful. I got very mysterious vibes from him and as with any good mystery about his past which he barely scratches the surface in the book I wanna know more about him and im championing the Eliza-Kent ship right now. It must be a thing! Heck I'd argue it is already something but they were just too busy with other stuff to pay attention to their latent feelings and the clear romantic tension ever growing between those two while they solve the mystery as to
✍ Author: Angelique Iles
📚 Series: Kentree #01
🌍 Country of origin: Canada
🔖 Genre: Fantasy, Academia, Arcane Academia, Mystery, Romance, Self-Discovery
👥 Favorite character: Melissa Sweet
💬 Favorite quote(s):
“We can’t know that Chad the Mediocre won’t grow up to be an incredibly powerful Wizard. It isn’t for us to decide.” - Professor Kent
"Despite the fact a spell is working for everyone else in the room, you have this instinct inside you telling you ‘don’t quit, you’re better than everyone here.’ An instinct I am willing to bet came from your mother and father. I think you truly are destined for more." - Professor Kent
🌟 Rating: ★★★★☆ 4/5 Stars
Hi everyone! Rydia here and welp, if you haven't guessed it by the template above, allow me to welcome you to yet another RydiaReviews!
This time its another indie release and an extremely welcome addition to my library!
While I think its a disservice to this book and author to be compared to any other that are similar its a perfect way to start off giving you an idea of what to expect. (or not!)
In fact I think there should be a new category to this type of books, because comparisons in the style "Harry Potter but..." can become tiresome and to some extent deceptive, so I have decided to classify it as 'Arcane Academia'.
Have you ever felt tired of the common life? Have you felt there's more for you and somehow you've been denied it? Heck, lets not even talk about those events have you felt like you're either too old for Harry Potter or too late or young to jump on it's bandwagon?
Then there's a story, there's a place for you and its not Hogwarts. It's Kentree.
If you expect a Hogwarts copy-cat or some sort of poorly written OG Fanfiction then you're in for a surprise, as Kentree is stands on its own by being vastly different and unique in its worldbuilding, characters and lore!
I'll start by saying the thing I loved the most about Kentree is the relatability it has, while at first I didn't like much Eliza the main character which seemed to be extra bitter (and rightfully so!) but by the end of the book you could see how she actually had grown as a person, how her time in Kentree changed her, for the better, while at the same time not forgetting her roots and still trying to find out where she came from. Yeah I know it sounds a bit confusing but consider that Eliza was adopted and her cultural roots and upbringing can be different from those that come from her bloodline.
The author does also a wonderful job by weaving in real life myths and magick theory/knowledge into her book which at first I thought it was ruining in my immersion, since im a 'no real life stuff in my fantasy, pls' girl, but the more I read the book the more I could find it was quite easy for me to relate and connect some concepts with the ones mentioned in the book. If you've ever been curious about wicca, witchcraft, shamanism, herbalism and/or fortune telling, even in the slightlest there's going to be some winks to real life concepts and practices that would help you better relate to what the characters do and how the characters feel.
And lets not even talk about how some of the author's real life passion and knowledge, not research, was used to enrich the experience, lore and relatability! And it is done in such a way that previous knowledge in witchcraft or wizarding literature will only improve your experience with it and the lack of them wont hinder your experience with the story or the subjects. The way she uses her knowledge and how she portrays it in the story is done in such a manner that it doesnt seem presumptous, it doesnt 'insult' you for not knowing and it is organically interwoven in the story in such a way that if you dont know something that you'll want to research it just to get to know a bit more, like it happened to me with the rune names. It didnt feel like it was something I was supposed to know but if I knew a bit more maybe it would make even more sense to me.
All of the supporting characters are not far behind in relatability, if you didnt like much Eliza theres certainly someone else you can relate with. In my case it was Melissa Sweet! I dont want to spoil it but she's just the sweetest, most positive girl trying to do her best from a background where she's supposed not to and trying her best to achieve what she must in any way she knows will help. Theres everything, and im talking in a quite literal manner here! You got faeries, water sprites, illusions, yetis-bigfoot, half-fae, spirits, witches, warlocks, gnomes, talking cats, mice and every one of them has a charm of its own.
I've spoken about Melissa, Eliza's 'frenemy' which feels and reads like a complete character and not someone who is just there to fit a role, which has been sadly a common practice in modern literature nowadays, roles filled instead of full-fledged, fleshed out chacters. And I've yet to speak about Faye, a half fae who is literally trying to find her place in a world. A world? Isn't it supposed to be the world? Nope, she flickers between worlds! I've also not spoken about Mashu, another great character who is a half yeti, half bigfoot who is as mysterious as funny and friendly.
I've intentionally have left one of the most interesting characters to almost last. While there's many classes in Kentree and many professors with a background begging to be explored, one of them caught my interest, and I think it will do so for many girls out there, its Kent, a strict, british, professor as quiet as mysterious and helpful. I got very mysterious vibes from him and as with any good mystery about his past which he barely scratches the surface in the book I wanna know more about him and im championing the Eliza-Kent ship right now. It must be a thing! Heck I'd argue it is already something but they were just too busy with other stuff to pay attention to their latent feelings and the clear romantic tension ever growing between those two while they solve the mystery as to
November 30, 2024
This gave me Harry Potter vibes, like if Hermione didn’t know she was a witch until she was nearly 30! Cosy, easy read and nice setting with mysteries to unfold. Plus I personally can never resist a talking cat!
January 25, 2025
Keeping this one for the home library ❤️
October 24, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. Discovering who you are, an academic setting, interesting characters...it was pure fun!
September 15, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! I picked it up at comic con on a whim. I'm glad I did. I will probably read the second book.
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