Kentree's Haunted Halls

by A. Iles

In a school where students are taught to raise the dead, twenty-nine-year-old Eliza Paladin finds no place to hide from her own ghosts and ghastly origins. With the help of her talking cat, Pal, Eliza must discover what the witching world has been hiding, and whether she can be complicit in the deception herself.

Kentree's Haunted Halls is the sequel to Kentree's Stolen Souls. There will be a third and final installment in the Kentree series.

441 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2024

About the author

You 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).

Reviews

[Niamh ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

cozy witchy vibes?? yes please!

I loved the first book in this series, and this second book pleasantly surprised me. We sway away from mystery and delved deeper into the world building of Kentree's universe.

The main thing that I love (other than Pal) is that the characters are normal, no one is earth-shatteringly beautiful, over-powerful, hell one of the MMC's has a belly! I love it.

Which leads me into why I love Eliza, because she is normal (despite the whole magic bit), she makes mistakes (some mistakes more questionable than others, iykyk) but that's life! The way that Eliza is perfectly imperfect is probably why I read this book so easily, nothing is too unbelievable.

high praise as usual to A. Iles 🩷 very excited to start on the next one, but I need to sleep first - maybe Melissa can brew me a potion so I can read in my sleep.

[Dana Westenbroek · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s in my DNA, now, when can I expect my admittance letter to Kentree’s?

[Rebecca Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read!

Eliza returns to Kentree for year 2 of her magical education. Her biological mothers ghost will not stop trying to get to Eliza. An important message about her future that her mom takes to extreme.
Eliza is very powerful, even so to be able to teach a couple of Mundunces how to perform magic! I have enjoyed reading her story in these books. I think a few of my favorite parts were when Pal explored new heights ;) When Jamar threw a wicked curveball and the ending when Eliza exacted revenge on a neighbor.
I'm so excited to read more!!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved being back in this magical world! This is my favourite magical school series - I love the characters, the description of the school/surroundings, the animals and just the general vibes etc

I won't dive too deeply into this one as its the second book in a series and I don't want to risk spoilers. What I shall say, this is just as good as the first. Exciting, interesting and just plain fun! There's a good balance of character development, side plot and action. I also really like some of the character relationships and enjoyed reading them progress further.

If you're looking for a magical school fantasy with an older main character, talking animals, a variety of side characters and just general autumn / spooky season vibes... Then I highly recommend this series. The third one is coming out soon too!

[Alayna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was just as fun as the first! It was great to read about Eliza’s next adventure! This book explored exactly what I wanted to hear more about. I loved that this one delved more into her birth parents, and I appreciated Eliza’s complex feelings about them. I really loved the twists and turns throughout the book, and I enjoyed the further exploration into the magical world. I was also pleased by the return of both Pal and Mashu. We got a lot more of Mashu’s personality and background in this book, and I loved it! He’s such a fun character! I also loved Pal even more in this book! He was truly the voice of reason the entire time, and he said exactly what I was thinking, especially when it came to Kent and Eliza’s mother. Eliza’s relationship with Kent was very interesting, and I definitely had mixed feelings about it. I appreciated his nuanced character and the changes he went through throughout the novel. He really developed as a character, and it reminded me that some people can actually change if you give them the chance. As stubborn as he is, he’s getting there. I just didn’t really understand Eliza’s interest in him, and her somewhat “I can fix him” attitude. There was also one part of the book that made me uncomfortable: Eliza’s fling with an 18 year old. I know that this is a common criticism of the book. That being said, I do understand the author’s argument that fantasy novels often put 18 year olds with people who are thousands of years old and everyone’s okay with it, and I can’t really argue with that. Despite understanding this, it still made me feel icky. Either way, I would love to read the third book in the series if/when it comes out! I love this magical world and the characters in it, and I am very invested in the fate of the magical world!

🌱 4 stars

[Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly good!
I enjoyed the magical element and the talking cat.
90% of the teachers in this school should be fired for sexual harassment.
The 29 year old main character sleeps with an 18 year old then dumps them. That’s… icky.
But the rest is good!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series and I didn’t think it could be better than the first but I was sooo suprised!!! I loved it so much. All the characters I loved, were brought into the story way more and the plot line was absolutely amazing. I really loved this book!! You don’t need to read the first to enjoy the second but I would definitely recommend book one and book 2! Both fantastic reads I love this author!

[Becky Segato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again so thankful the author set me on a path to these books. This one was even better than the first one and I can’t wait to read the third in this trilogy. A must read for people who want a cozy, mysterious, magical fantasy with a few darker elements thrown in. If you are a Harry Potter fan then you wouldn’t want to miss this series by a fabulous Canadian author. Plus there is still Pal the talking cat, who doesn’t love that. ❤️

[Theresa Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a school where students are taught to raise the dead, twenty-nine-year-old Eliza Paladin finds no place to hide from her own ghosts and ghastly origins. With the help of her talking cat, Pal, Eliza must discover what the witching world has been hiding, and whether she can be complicit in the deception herself.Last year you learned to control fire, make wands, and teleport objects with your mind. You stopped a mysterious force that threatened to destroy the world and made friends along the way. You were ready to escape normal life, you wanted adventure, and you found it at Kentree Institute of Magic. Pick up where you left off. Escape into magic!

Eliza and Pal are back at Kentree for year two. You guys, I am absolutely loving this story! Eliza learned a lot and helped save Kentree during her first year at the Magic Institute. You would think year two would run smoothly, but no! Eliza and Pal have to fight against evil once again. We see Eliza grow her magic and mature throughout the book. Her experiences are also shaping who she is as a witch. Is it all for the good? Only time will tell!
The story kept me enthralled from beginning to end. I have so many more questions that need answers! I can't wait for the next book!
This book is perfect for those who love:
Cozy Fantasy
Witches and Magic
Talking Cats
Good against Evil
Family Secrets

[Bryony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sequel to 'Kentree's Stolen Souls' (which it would definitely be best if you read first, although the author does recap its events well within the narrative), 'Kentree's Haunted Halls' follows Eliza Paladin, a 28 year old witch, in her second year at Kentree school of magic as a mature student. Eliza has a cat called Pal with whom she can speak, and has a particular affinity for magic involving nature. Having uncovered some information about her biological parents in the previous novel, her very dead and very bad mother is determined to make her presence felt and to get Eliza to fulfill a prophecy made about her...

Quite different to other 'magical school' books I have read - and I've read LOTS - this is an interesting and exciting read, which flows well and without being predictable. The large range of ages at the school give it a unique feel, and a more mature storyline (while still being entirely suited to younger readers, there is nothing explicit).

I enjoyed this very much and can't wait for the next volume in the series, particularly given the ending of this one! Highly recommended.

[Tee Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Magical Academy, A Mature Aged Student, A Talking Cat and Plenty of Adventure!
This series has been living rent free in my head since I read the first book! I Love this series so much!

Eliza is an extremely relatable character, who is now embarking on her second year at Kentree. In this book we get to delve deeper into the world and the background into the magic. We start to learn more about Eliza's heritage and why her powers were not revealed until so late in life.

There is character development in both the main and side characters and I could so easily visualise what was happening in the scenes. The vivid imagery made the story even more engaging.
There are books that I read, and months later I won't remember what they were about. This series is one of the ones that I know will stick with me for good.

[Kat Šprem · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a bit though to get into it as I haven't read first book, I got this one from the author.. but overall it was fun. Teen book, but cozy. Pal the cat is my favourite. Eliza seems a bit childish for her age, and her love interests were giving me a headache, but atleast she kept thing interesting. If there will be a book 3, I'll read it.

[Virginie Closson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful plot twists will keep you guessing and wondering what Pal will do next to get his poor human out of the pickle she keeps making for herself!

[Adrienne Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Recommended for fans of Harry Potter, Sabrina, and Buffy*

I read Kentree's Haunted Halls as a Beta reader, and I am so glad it did. It would be no exaggeration to say that late last year, it got me back into reading Fantasy. At a time when I felt like I was just going through endless reiterations of the same characters and tropes, Kentree's Haunted Halls was a breath of fresh air.

First of all, let's address the elephant in the room. Kentree's Haunted Halls is certainly inspired by magical school books like Harry Potter and Sabrina's Chilling Adventures. Inspired is the word to use, though. I am not a big fan of either Harry Potter or Sabrina, and I absolutely adored this book, due to the substantial and important distinctions between this and previous 'magical school' media.

Kentree's Haunted Halls does everything a magical school setting should - giving you interesting magic classes, complex dynamics between the students and teachers, and a fun overall mystery to solve - while adding some genuinely intriguing depth. It ruminates on the nature of magic, the discrimination inherent in separating magic casters from non-magical people, and the way in which radicalisation operates in subtle and insidious ways. If you ever hoped 'Harry Potter' would just *go there* - this does.

The book has a great level of character depth and maturity, but at the same time, it never felt like a heavy read. In some ways, it reminded me of the early seasons of Buffy and the way the show managed to seamlessly intertwine the school setting with allegories about Buffy's coming of age. In this story, Eliza is already an adult, but she has, nonetheless, considerable character development, which unfolds alongside the mysteries of Kentree's world slowly peeling away.

Overall, this is a great addition to the magical school genre, one that I feel adds genuine maturity and thoughtfulness without ever compromising the enjoyment of a light and easy read.

[Regan, Maze, and MK · Rating 5 out of 5]

💵💸✨ EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME!!! I want the third book EXPEDITIOUSLY!!! IMMEDIATELY!!! POST HASTE!!! ✨💸💵

Another 5 star feel good, low(er) stakes fantasy novel that helps you escape the 9 to 5 everyday game of life.

Y’all the ENDING!!! Did I get a slight case of whiplash from happy ending to BAM?! Yes, but you will not catch me close to complaining because anything A. Iles writes I will eat up.

Pal is the favorite character of 2024 and he is a sarcastic little cat. 🐈‍⬛ Half this book is highlighted and so much of it is from Pal.

The last book had me wishing for more background on Leonarda, this book delivered all that and then some. I love a female villain. I love vengeance and revenge.

5 stars.

[Mel · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.

The reviews have to be fake.
Bought this book after looking it up online and reading said reviews.

I could not overlook the basic/lazy writing style.
The FMC is 29 years old but acts like a 14 year old. Desperately seeking the approval of others like it’s her first time out in society.
Eliza, her name, is written SO many times. Like please, there are so many other words you can use to refer to her. It reminds me of how people made fun of Brimstone for saying “my mate” so frequently.

Anyway, if my review doesn’t get taken down, consider this your warning. Do not waste your time.

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grown-up's magic school story, with spells, spooky ghosts, and conspiracy. I particularly enjoyed the perspective of older students - there's new learners up to their 70s mingling with the typical college aged crowd.

Thanks so much to the author, who kindly reached out (a whole year ago T_T) to let me know of a sale, and assuring me this sequel can stand on its own (it does!).

[Rydia Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im still reading it but seriously its 5 stars awesome so far.

Might change later but I really dont think so.

[Cassy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been better, with all the good reviews I was expecting more. It seemed like it was missing something, I kept waiting for it to get interesting and for the plot to twist but it never did.

[Rydia Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im still reading it but seriously its 5 stars awesome so far.

Might change later but I really dont think so.

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this was a book to trash the Mundunces; I wish there had been more mystery/suspense like the first one, but her mom did add a little bit of that to the story