How Rare Is Aurelia Evangeline

by Elise Bebb

A secret world. A magic academy. Two enemies destined to ruin each other.

Eighteen-year-old Aurelia has never belonged anywhere—no home, no friends, no purpose. But when a haunting voice lures her into the woods, she finds herself trapped in a secret magical world and bound to a deadly prophecy she cannot escape.

Ramorya borders our world—home to rarities who possess extraordinary abilities. They have waited for her arrival, prayed to their gods that she will save them from the evil that stirs. She is their only hope. Destined to defeat the king of the Mallory—Janus. He has dreamed of her undoing for a century. And while he is imprisoned on an island for now, it won’t hold him forever.

Aurelia wants to go back home, to her boring, mundane life, but she has no choice. She must attend Ramorya Academy and learn to control her new eruptive powers. The fate of an entire world hangs in the balance. But those that are rare are feared; ancient secrets begin to unravel; danger lurks in the shadows; and Janus, who haunts her dreams, becomes her living nightmare.

It’s not only a world in danger . . . but her mind.

Will she learn to control her power?
Or will it consume her?

Perfect for fans of Zodiac Academy, One Dark Window, and X-men.

Tropes:

Magic Academy

Slow burn

Upper YA

Found family

Sarcastic FMC

Witty banter

Masquerade ball

BOOK 1 IN THE RARITIES SERIES

Genres: Fantasy, Romance

453 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 28, 2026

Reviews

[Andrea_books201]

And also paused and I'll come back when possible. So far It was quite good.

[Tracey]

Holy crap this book was good. Going into this book I was going in somewhat blind, I saw snippets pop up on TikTok but truthfully I tried to mostly look for what the artwork came up as that was what caught my attention. I am so glad I did it that way.

The family dynamic between Aurelia, her brother and mum was so lovely to see. Especially between brother and sister, it was refreshing to see their relationship and how they actually liked each other.

Now going into the academy setting you get a bit of everything.

Close proximity
Enemies to hopefully lovers???
Found family
Academy setting
No spice

And so much more…

So if you love all of those things then definitely read this book, you won’t be disappointed! It’s fast paced as well so everything is constant. The author also manages to give you a lot of information about the history without it ever getting boring which in itself is a huge achievement as most books who do a lot of history information tend to get lowkey tedious to me.

Thank you for the Arc. Cannot wait for the next book!

[Hannah Anderson]

I read this as an ARC reader and I’m so glad I got the opportunity.

I found it a bit slow to get into, but after about 20% I was hooked! The character development was great and I loved the sarcasm of the FMC. The found family aspect is a favourite of mine and this was really explored throughout the book.

I’m a sucker for a book with a magic academy, and whilst this wasn’t delved in too much, I think the second book will provide a lot of what was missing.

In typical fantasy fashion, it ended with a cliffhanger resulting in me needing the second book now 😅

Thank you again for allowing me to be an ARC reader. Please don’t let book 2 be too far away… I need to know what happens!!!

[Lucy's Storynook]

"Because... you are very powerful. If they don't like you, they will fear you. And you don't want that."

How Rare Is Aurelia Evangeline by Elise Bebb - or how to wish I was 17 again and had a chance to study at yet another school full of magic.

WARNING! This is not a serious review, just me sharing my reading experience.


First of all, let me thank the author for giving me the advance copy to review, it truly was my pleasure to be a part of this journey. And now let's dive into it.

Oh, Ramorya, what an intriguing world it is. Full of magic and stupid laws (like not calling from a phone). My favourite kind.

The world we enter through a portal is rich and well-developed. We learn about the places, the people and most importantly the stories we slowly uncover through the eyes of our Valencia, Aurelia.

The MC is a wild, stubborn teenager that I honestly had a hard time liking at the start, but then, isn't that exactly what teens are supposed to be like? A hundred percent against everything that is asked of them just for the sake of it. Aurelia delivered on that and towards the end, I rooted for her as much as I could. And not just for her.

I love me a found family and in this story, the characters are the heart of everything. The girl trio, just as much as the guys, are believable and well-written young characters. I have to say my favourites are Mogz and Noah, but I will not elaborate to avoid spoilers.

I also enjoyed the "romance" in this book, which is almost nonexistent and honestly, I believe that is the most natural development of teen love there can be. Glances, touches, flirting, joking... all very natural and heartwarming.

Another thing I really enjoyed was how well the questions surrounding the prophecy and everyone's place in it were planted throughout the story. It kept me turning the pages, craving more and questioning loyalties and intentions, which I found really entertaining.

HOWEVER...
There were a few things that took a star off my rating. First would be the painfully slow start before we got into what actually mattered.

Next - the lack of answers. So many question marks surround this story, I believe we deserved at least one answer to move things forward.

I also did not enjoy the amount of touching that was going on between Aurelia and Janus - our main villain. It gave me the wrong kind of chills.

And one last thing that did not sit right with me - certain moments lacked logic and I can't say much without spoilers, so to name at least one example - the evil siblings lacked a proper reason to be the way they were. While I suspect there is something bigger at play, as a reader I needed a little more to fully paint the picture.

With that being said - believe it or not - I found all of these little problems overlookable enough to LOVE the story and enjoy it. I can't wait for the next book, I need to know what happens next and how our "dead" royals fall into the picture (yes, that is my biggest desire!).

[Jamie-Lei Ackroyd]

OMG. 10 stars!!!
Aurelia Evangeline is an 18 year old girl who is very reluctant, sarcastic, and very much a baddie. She is forced to move around a lot with her mother and brother, Noah. The cottage is their last move…
The setting is dark academia vibes with portal fantasy AND its very own magic academy!!!
There is found family, prophecies, slow-burn romance and enemies to lovers tropes.
Poor Aurelia has never belonged anywhere until now. After she follows a haunting voice through a graveyard into a secret realm. She is linked to a prophecy and she needs to learn how to use her dangerous powers in order to fulfill it and save those she reluctantly begins to care for.

Below are my notes throughout the book (no spoilers):
-first LOVE the names.
-Hooked on first page. Prologue is so good wth!!!
-“They wouldn’t leave their mother.” Awh.
-Love the descriptions, I feel like I am actually here and I am all for it !!!
-“Again. Hell no.” LOL, I’d be running too queen
-Well, a woman’s intuition is never wrong.
-Raven???LOVE the mystery here.
-BLUE HAIR. Are you trying to kill me!!!
-So beautifully written !!!
-“Tragic tale.” OHHH, I have theories. Omg.
-Memories…DAMN, her mother too…
-“And she stopped fighting.” I WILL KEEP FIGHTING FOR YOU!!!
-Love that they use rings and not phones.
-No, Monday. I just know she felt so hollow :(.
-I LOVE MOGZ!!! He is so sweet, so kind, so funny, everything !!!
-Sienna seems so sweet.
-Time-travel??? I need that.
-The mirror scene…creepy.
-WAIT, I want to know who HE was.
-Hehe, I would have flushed too :).
-“I think that was you.” Me to Aurelia…
-“Scared people do stupid things.” WOW, what a quote!!!
-I was so enthralled by his speech, I litro heard him speaking. Or am I delusional???
“But the most beautiful flowers were often the deadliest.” DAMNNN. Sooo well written.
-I love Becks !!! Their relationship is like the best. It’s so funny and comfortable.
-Okay 1, love Ridley. I’d love for him to flirt with me in Italian ;). 2, maths is a language? I’m learning new things…
-“And I thought being a b**ch was outdated.” AHAHAH, go girl!!! Yesss BADDIE.
-Love Sienna!!! I would have played the Valencia card too.
-I love how Sienna always includes Morgz, their relationship is so unique in books as siblings and I’m here for it!!!
-Erm…
-Dreamwalked??? Huh…theories…
-I have been sooo entranced I forgot to take notes…but DAMN.
-THEORIES
-Go where? He can WHAT??? Tobias…hmmm…
-STILL not visited home makes me so sad :(. Her poor mother but Noah…it’s worse for him. Litro have tears rn.
-REUNITED AYYY.
-WOAH…HANG ON!!! Wtf just happened !!!
-Noah???
-Loved Emmaline POV
-“She couldn’t let him in.” But will she…???
-LOVE that Noah is here teehee.
-I litro picture everything. They all look STUNNING.
-“Same.” HOT DAMN!!! I KNEW IT. But it’s sooo much better than I imagined.
-The night could have been so good !!! Wtf
-Barrier…what…how?
-WOAH. HANG ON. WTF. NOT HER. You mean mean person !!!

[Isabella]

(arc - thank you to the author for providing me with an early copy, it was much appreciated!)

Rating: 3 stars (leaning towards 3.5)
Let me start by clarifying that for me, this is NOT a low rating. In fact, I had a lot of fun reading this book, and I see plenty of potential for the sequels.
This is a YA fantasy, though it leans on the darker side, and follows Aurelia's journey in discovering her magical abilities and the role she is expected to play in the new world she is thrust into. I must say, she is maybe the strongest feature of the book, for she is quite original as an FMC. First of all, she feels deeply "real", in the sense that she behaves like a person and not some badass, fantastical heroine. She has her doubts and fears, but is also fascinated by what she discovers. Finally an author who admits that finding out that magic is real would leave someone curious and excited! She is willing to put in the work to master her abilities, though she never loses her stubborness and beliefs. I appreciated how she stayed true to herself, while growing and evolving. In fact, do expect some emotional scenes, where trauma is explored and some tears are shed (well, mine were, anyway), in particular in relation to feeling out of place. Maybe this is why what I loved the most ended up being Aurelia's dedication to her family (that is not forgotten overnight, instead is very much present in the book, through her thoughts or mentions) and her friends, who actually become a second family (they were all so cute and wholesome together!). The emphasis was put in caring about each other, supporting each other and lifting others up, by believing in them and being there for those you love.
The biggest surprise, for me, was not being able to figure out who the MMC actually was; I'm still torn between two options. Worry not, both are quite villainous, so you have your tension and conflicted feelings either way!
The writing is such that makes the story easy to follow, it engages the reader and keeps you entertained till the very end. Even though this is Elise Bebb's debut, it doesn't read like one. There are some plot twists, though not anything jaw-dropping as of yet; I believe this is because the first book was more of a set-up for the upcoming conflict.
Overall, I highly recommend this book, especially if you want to get into reading, or into the genre; and for those who are already affectionados, this is a fun ride you don't want to miss! I am now eagerly waiting for the second book, this one kind of left me hanging with that finale!

[CwtchesAndChapter]

This story follows Aurelia Evangeline, an 18 year old girl who has spent most of her life moving from place to place with her mum and brother, Noah. Their latest move takes them to a rugged little cottage in England, but this time, things are about to get a lot more interesting.

Aurelia soon finds herself pulled into the magical world of Ramoyr, and her arrival is anything but quiet. She discovers she is connected to an ancient prophecy and is supposedly the chosen one who has to defeat a hundred year old evil. Her reaction is basically, “Why me?” and honestly, I completely understood her frustration. She’s 18, still trying to figure herself out, and suddenly she’s expected to save an entire world. I mean, no pressure, right?

Aurelia is thrown into an academy where she has to navigate magic, weird political history, friendships, mean girls (and boys), and all the chaos that comes with being the person everyone expects to save them.

The found family aspect was everything. From Mogz to Noah to Emmeline, and the rest of the characters, they each brought something special to the story. I became so attached to them, and their friendships, struggles, and personal growth.

I’d say that this book focuses much more on adventure, mystery, friendship, and character development rather than romance, and I actually really loved that. There is a little bit of tension and potential love interests (and I definitely have my theories), but nothing is rushed. I would definitely class this as YA. There is no spice, so if you’re expecting spicy scenes, this probably won’t be the book for you. But honestly, I think the lack of spice allowed the characters, friendships, and story itself to shine.

That cliffhanger was honestly cruel. I even had to message the author because like ‘WTF’?. The number of questions I have about what’s coming next is ridiculous, and I desperately need book two.

If you love magical academies, portal fantasy, sarcastic but strong female characters, found family, prophecies, and a story that leaves you with more questions than answers, then this is definitely one to pick up.

Thank you so much to the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. It was genuinely such a pleasure being part of this journey, and I cannot wait to see where the story goes next.

[Nadeen Ibrahim]

I received an ARC copy of this book, and I am so grateful I had the chance to read it.

From the very first chapters, I was completely drawn into the world of Aurelia Evangeline. The story has a wonderful sense of wonder and discovery, with a hidden magical society, unique powers, rich lore, and a mystery that kept me turning pages. While the premise initially reminded me of some classic magical-world stories, it quickly developed its own identity with fascinating worldbuilding and memorable characters.

One of the things I loved most was how alive the world felt. The author does an excellent job of making the magical society feel real, layered, and lived in. I found myself fully immersed in the setting and genuinely invested in what would happen next.

The characters were another highlight. Aurelia is a compelling protagonist who faces difficult challenges throughout the story, but I was also surprised by how attached I became to several of the side characters. Their struggles, growth, and relationships added depth to the story and made the emotional moments hit even harder.

This book focuses much more on adventure, mystery, friendship, and character growth than romance, and I appreciated that. The plot continually moved forward, revealing new secrets while raising new questions that kept me engaged until the very end.

And then there was that ending.

Without giving spoilers, the final chapters left me completely shocked and emotionally invested. The cliffhanger was the kind that makes you immediately want the next book in your hands.

If you enjoy magical worlds, hidden societies, prophecies, compelling characters, and stories that balance wonder with genuine emotional stakes, I highly recommend giving this book a chance.

I cannot wait to see where Aurelia's journey goes next.

[Sascha Bookeryhoard]

I read the book as an ARC recieved from the author in return for my review.
First up I want to thank the author for allowing me to ARC read this book, and to anyone to lazy (tldr) the overall review of the book is that it took some time to get into, but now that the suspense has been built I cannot wait for the second one!

This book is perfect for anyone who loves found family, world building and slower building tension.
While the book was a bit slow to get into, once in it, the story progressed nicely with new information coming to light all the time and staying interesting for the reader. There are also somethings that are still left mysterious and allow you to make your own theories, just as all good fantasy books do. I can already tell you my mind is spinning lots of conspiracy level theories about some things in this book (hint: ravens...).
The characters are all amazing and I love her friend group and how it expands throughout the story.
We follow our FMC as she learns about herself, the academy, the history of Ramoyra, and leaves the door open for her to learn some things about herself in the process, and perhaps uncover some uncomfortable truths about the world of Ramoyra?
I loved this book and will 100% be reading the second one when it comes out! The cliffhanger at the end of this book is diabolical and even at the end of the book I am left with many questions about what will happen. I certainty enjoyed it, but it was a slower pace than some as it is very clearly the first in a series where characters, worlds, and conflicts all need to be built and established which Elise Bebb does wonderfully!

[Elizabeth]

I have followed Elise on social media for a while now and loved seeing her writing journey. So I'm very grateful for receiving an ARC.

For me the story was set at just the right pace. It didn't go to fast, but it also didn't go to slow to lose interest. How the reader gets to discover the world along with Aurelia, instead of just getting pieces of information, was something I really loved and enjoyed.

How Elise portrayed Aurelia was lovely. She truly was a character with great depth and a lot of inner conflictions. The dynamic with her family and friends was fantastically written. I absolutely fell in love with Mogz, Sienna and Noah. The relationship between Mogz and Aurelia always left me guessing, which I loved. The mysterious male twin made the whole package compleet.

The magical world was amazing. The barrier, the academy, the Mallory and ofcourse the gods were very well written. How the differnet gods were intertwined in the story was lovely, not to much but just enough to be relevant. The fact that the barrier is controlled by the minister makes it more interesting.

And then Janus, he is an amazing mystery. He wasn't shown a lot throughout the story, but just enough to give the story a different angle. The cat and mouse game between him and Aurelia are amazing and made me look forward to there next encounter.

It is criminal to end the book with such a last chapter. So much happend and it ended on such a high note that makes me very excited for the next book. I look forward to coming back to this world with these lovely characters. I will await the next book eagerly!

[Kira]

This was so good, I wasn't entirely sure where it would go from the beginning but it took some really interesting turns. It was easy to follow the magic system and understand everything as you learn with Aurelia. I like the different magic abilities and how the world seems like the regular world just with some twists. Mogz is one of my favourite characters; I love that he loves being involved in the girls group and find him curling up to sleep on the foot of the bed so cute, id really like to see where his and Aurelias relationship develops as I already love their friendship. There were alot of moments fueled by emotion or intense things happening that helped building the sense that something is coming. I feel like theres still alot we and Aurelia are missing, there's alot of clues leading to the idea that everything isn't what she thinks; with tobias' interactions and all of the information were learning about the Royal family. Theres alot of suspense and the ending was a huge cliffhanger; i cant wait to see what they're going to do from there. Id like to know more about Aurelia and her mother; why her, what is her connection to all of this,etc. I liked all of the friendships that developed and I feel like we get a good connection to all of the characters and the way Noah was brought into it. Aurelia is still going to have something big happen, she has alot of magic and theres still alot that she's going to have to go through. I really liked the magic, friendships, academy aspects and was very emotional throughout; i sped through reading because I needed to know what happens next.

[Sharon]

So delighted to receive my first ARC read!

It has , Magical academy, Found family, sarcastic,fun yet strong friendships, strong but reluctant FMC.

I would definitely classify this book as YA. It has zero spice and very little attraction or tension, so anyone expecting spicy scenes may be disappointed — but honestly, I was quite pleased about that. The author lets the characters and their relationships develop naturally, without relying on the insta-attraction trope or using spice as page filler.

This book has good world-building and really strong characters. For me, the friendship group and found family dynamic are the stars of the show.

That said, I didn’t like the fact that there were some very strong similarities to, or influences from, some very popular books. At times, it felt a little too familiar. However, the story really came into its own about halfway through, and I feel that as the series develops, it can only improve.

Another trope I didn’t enjoy — and generally don’t like — was the “mean girls” dynamic, but that’s just a personal preference, as I’m not a fan of bullying tropes.

Overall, I’d say this book was one of two halves. The first half didn’t completely excite me, but I really enjoyed the second half. What I especially liked was that, by the end of the book, I was still asking questions: Who’s really in the wrong here? Who’s the real bad guy? Who’s the true love interest?

This book doesn’t give you all the easy answers and definitely leaves you looking forward to seeing the story expand. I know I’ll definitely be looking forward to the next one.

[Vi Arkley]

First off, thank you to Elise for providing me with my first ever ARC in exchange for an honest review ❤️

Unfortunately, I did decide to DNF this book just after the halfway mark.

That said, there were many aspects of the story that I genuinely enjoyed. The mystery at the heart of the plot was intriguing enough that I still find myself wanting answers, and I may return to the book in the future to see how everything unfolds- especially as more of the series comes out.

One of the strongest elements for me was Janus, our main villain. From the moment he appeared, he felt genuinely dangerous and unsettling. His appearances in Aurelia’s dreams and mind created an eerie atmosphere, and his influence over her mental state added a really interesting layer of tension. The scene where he appears in her reflection was particularly chilling and easily one of the most memorable moments I read.

Unfortunately, I struggled to stay fully immersed in the story and found it difficult to connect with the large cast of characters before reaching my stopping point.

While this book wasn’t the right fit for me personally, I can see it appealing to readers who enjoy prophetic fantasy mysteries, large ensemble casts (that ooze friendship and acceptance), and villains that leave a lasting impression. I do encourage everyone to read because while the story may not be for me I can absolutely see the audience and I’ll be recommending it to my friends 🫶

[Dee Darnell]

WOW!!! I read this book as an ARC and I absolutely ATE. IT. UP.

Our FMC, Aurelia, lives with her mother and brother, and ever since she was young, they have moved around a lot. While she and her brother don’t really understand why, they stick together and trust their mother has her reasons. When Aurelia and her family move into a small village, she and her brother go out to explore. She finds herself drawn to a graveyard, where a force she can’t explain calls to her. Before she knows what’s happening, Aurelia discovers that she has crossed into a realm where magic exists—and SHE is the chosen one who is destined to save this realm from dark forces.

Not only can Aurelia not return home, but she also possesses powerful magic that she must learn to use to fight these dark forces. Aurelia is enrolled in a magic school, where she must learn to control her powers while also navigating the complexities and challenges of being thrust into another realm and becoming the “chosen one” overnight.

Filled with action, political intrigue, slow burn romance, found family, and a magic system that is totally unique, this book grabs you and doesn’t let go. It is impossible to not root for Aurelia and her group of friends as you read this book. The pacing is great as well, and the world built here is totally immersive. I truly cannot wait for book 2 and can’t recommend this book enough!!

[A Novel Encounter]

Thank you for the ARC read Elise!

I have rated this 3.75

Firstly isn't the cover beautiful!?

This would be perfect for readers that enjoy Y.A stories leaning into slightly darker themes, magical academies, found families and no spice.

I liked the closeness of the family unit between her brother noah and her mother and also liked seeing the forming of plenty of strong friendships. I remember most of the characters too so considering there are lots they left a lasting impression!

I want to say there are three possible candidates for love interests and I can only hope after that ending that it's my pick 😂

I love the magical world that the author has created and feel like a lot of thought has gone into Ramorya there wasnt too much world building/info dumping so made the reading easier.

There are times where I would have liked to have seen more of certain characters (Tobias specifically, he's an intresting one) or a little more explanation into the why of certain things without giving any spoilers. It's slightly slower paced to what I am used to so needed to push through some sections - but having said that I had no problem finsihing it and enjoyed it!

I definitely have to read the next book especially after that cliffhanger to see where the story goes/develops! 😀

[Tammy]

I enjoyed this overall, but it is YA and ultimately felt younger than my usual reading taste. The premise was intriguing and I liked the magical world enough to keep turning the pages, but there was quite a bit of fluff and I found myself wishing the story would move forward more often.

My biggest frustration was how much mystery surrounded Tobias without much payoff. He remained one of the most interesting characters to me, yet his storyline felt largely put on hold by the end of the book. The minister also continued to reinforce my suspicions from early on, especially when things fell apart and he conveniently disappeared.

Since this was originally intended to be one book before being split into two, I could definitely feel that in the pacing. It occasionally felt stretched and I suspect some reveals were pushed into the sequel.

I also noticed enough typos that they pulled me out of the story from time to time. They weren’t enough to ruin my enjoyment, but they were noticeable.
Overall, I didn’t dislike it. I finished it and was entertained, but it didn’t leave me dying to pick up the next book. A solid 3-star read for me.

[Kimberly]

This book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and had everything that kept me hooked: an interesting magic system, a hidden magical world, an academy setting, a badass female main character destined to be the prophesied savior, a mysterious brooding male character (future love interest?), a fun cast of side characters, and an all-powerful villain...or is he?

I loved how the story unfolded throughout the first book, and the pacing felt just right. The characters were developed gradually, revealing more of who they were as the story progressed. I would have loved even more character development, but it was a fantastic start to what promises to be a great series.

I will say the story gave me strong Harry Potter and Zodiac Academy vibes—to the point that I actually wondered if it had started as a Dramione fanfic (it didn't!). If you enjoy accessible world-building, magical academies, and stories like Harry Potter and Zodiac Academy, I think you'll have a great time with this one.

And that cliffhanger? Absolutely brutal. I need book two ASAP!

Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

[Nance]

I was so grateful to receive this as an ARC read but I was so into the book I was reading at that time that I forgot that I had received this book.. (I’m sooooo sorry Elise!!)

At first a had trouble to get into the story, i think that was more my own fault than the book, read it in bed while I was really tired so I fell asleep quickly, but when I started to read by daytime, I was hooked!

Aurelia finds herself trapped in a secret magical world and bound to a deadly prophecy she cannot escape. Goes to a magical school.
Just like in “our world” there bullies and all.
She stubborn and sassy, makes mistakes but that’s what makes her real (and likable).

The dynamic between her and her new family is fantastic. Despite the fact that they haven’t known Aurelia long, she’s accepted as one of their own immediately, and this happens with other characters as well. I just loved seeing a group of friends love each other as much as this one.

I’m not giving away more, you just have to read the book. 😉😉

P.S. It ended with a cliffhanger and now I want book 2. So Elise pleaseeeee don’t take too long writing it😬😬
I need to know what’s happens!!

[Isa]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

(I received this book as an arc in exchange for an honest review)

This was not what I had in mind, but it was so much better!! The world building was really good and the history felt very real and well thought out, which I loved.

I also really liked the school setting, and the characters felt very real to me. Aurelia felt a little young sometimes, but I guess she was, so that makes sense. I loved her friendship with Mogz, but secretly I would be curious to see something become of the tension between her and Tobias.
I loved Mogz’s parents, and just their home in general. That place made me feel like the Weasley’s house in HP. In fact there were a lot of things that reminded me of that story/world, but I thought that was really fun.

The only reason this book didn’t get the full five stars was because there were some parts in the book that lost my interest a little bit, but aside from that I thought it was a very good book and I had a really good time reading it.

And I already can’t wait for book 2, because that ending was insane!!

[Elize Jackson]

Thank you so much to Elise for letting me ARC read!

How Rare Is Aurelia Evangeline completely pulled me in from the beginning. I absolutely loved being thrown into this secret magical world alongside Aurelia and the world building was incredible. The whole idea of rarities had me INVESTED! 🤭

Aurelia was such a badass and fun FMC in this book. She’s so sassy, sarcastic and relatable. I loved her development and watching her figure out her powers and realise she is where she actually belongs! And the BANTER! Oh it was so fun to read! I’m so excited to see where these characters go next…

This book gave me everything I love in a fantasy- magical world, academy, powers and getting completely lost in a world and not wanting to leave ♥️

If you love these tropes, you NEED to add this to your TBR…

✨ Magic
✨ Academy
✨ Prophecy
✨ Badass sarcastic FMC
✨ Slow Burn
✨ Enemies to lovers
✨ Found Family

Once again, thank you so much Elise for letting me read this. I’m super excited to see what happens next! I’m so sorry this review is late too ♥️

[Isabell]

Thank you to the author for letting me ARC read this book. Firstly, I will say. MAJOR Harry Potter vibes! In the way we get to walk theough the experience and discover everything along with her. I love that. A very fun magicsystem with all the different abilities, so creative. The unknown girl, placed in a academy setting, yeah we are here for it! also the BANTER in this book, and our FMCs quick reply was everything. She was very funny and I love those!!
This book was such a fun read all the way. The characters very much drive the story forward, well that and a very stong prohecy of course. Also we have him. The enemy, The dark one we all secretly want to root for. Along with a few other in proximity, I really like the way you make us wonder sometimes. I loved the friends she gained and her allies along the way. This book is purely joyful to read from start to finish, you will not regret picking this up!
The ending, major cliffhanger, I will await book 2!

[Lizzy]

This book was so good! When I saw it on tiktok I knew I had to read it and I had the honour of receiving an arc copy, and I have enjoyed every second of it.

I'm a sucker for slow burn romance, so this had me on the edge of my seat with every interaction between Aurelia and her love interest. Also Mogz is such a loveable guy, love his flirty behaviour. He is a really funny guy. Him and his family are so cute, its hard to dislike a family like his. Sofiza is adorable too, she needs to be protected at all costs!

My favourite quote from this has got to be when Aurelia said, "You don't want me! I was shit at PE." It makes her very realistic and gave me a bit of a laugh since she's very relatable in that sense 😂.

I cannot wait for book 2, I'm looking forward to seeing her progress with her power as well as her relationship with her love interest.

[Megthebookgoblin]

The ending, girl wtf!!!

This book is giving magical academy setting but with an 18 year old FMC who is an annoying 18 year old in the best way. Like she acts like an 18 year old would in this story so you aren't annoyed by her trying too hard.

There are multiple potential love interests and I honestly can't pick who I want for her more, the only thing I know for certain is I shouldn't be swooning over some of them 👀

This is a human girl thrust into a magical world trying to find her way, there's mystery, prophecy, found family, academy setting and brilliant build up of the plot.

I can't wait to know what happens to these characters!!

[Alexa]

First of all let me start with the fact that I am very grateful that I received and ARC for this book but it just wasn't for me.Unfortunately I had to DNF this book 50% in.I'm just not interested enough in the story to keep going and there are a lot of things that I didn't like about this up until the 50% mark(I'm not going to go into more detail about this).

I want to end this by saying that I am in no shape or form considering this as being a bad book it just wasn't for me.It it just my opinion and just because I didn't like it doen't mean someone else won't either and wjo knows maybe I'm gonna go back to it at some point.No rating though because I don't rate the books that I DNF.

[Tabitha King]

An interesting book. The author has had inspiration for her story as you can see some similarities with other, but around half way, they dissappear and her unique story comes through fully.

A fantasy novel with magic, mystery, family and murderous intentions. For fans of zodiac academy, Harry Potter and Holly Blacks work would love this first book. I found it enjoyable and towards the end I couldn't put it down.

It will be interesting to see where the author takes this with the next book and I look forward to reading it once she has finished.

[gargim]

Thanks to the author to give me the opportunity to receive this arc

The book was overall enjoyable though it took some time around like 30 percent where i was hooked to the plot
I love the fmc she's witty and sarcastic and i loved reading her pov
There wasn't as much romance in the book as I hoped but i assume there will be in book 2 which I'm rlly excited for.
The chosen one trope and the academy setting is done rlly well and the world building is amazing.
Oh and also that cliffhanger is criminal how dare you

[Grace]

⭐️ ARC Review ⭐️

Honestly it was a slow start but as soon as I was into it, I was gripped. The world building and writing is phenomenal, and I can't wait for the second book!

The way the author managed to teach you about the history of the world without making you feel too overloaded or bored was amazing, and the fact all the relationships were slowly created without spice was refreshing.

If you love magical worlds, found family, sarcasm and a fiery FMC, you'll love this book!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Yasmin]

I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this book and I got stuck in right away. I was hooked from the first page, I enjoyed the world building and character development in this book. The FMC is sarcastic and feisty which is my favourite type of FMC and I’m unsure who the love interest is yet but there’s 3 options all of which are delicious in their own way. The villain is diabolical and irresistible, sporting some sexy shadows that I am always happy to read about. We have found family and side characters that had me kicking my feet! The book is left is a cliffhanger which has me chomping at the bit for book 2! I’m excited to see where the story takes us on this series.

[Kelly k]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC copy of this! And I’m so glad I did, I really enjoyed this book! I loved the different kinds of magic, the characters (my favourite is Mogz) I loved how you didn’t have to wait too long into the book for something to happen, it was such an easy and good read!! If you love magic/school setting, found family/friendship you’ll love this! That ending though! What a cliffhanger I cannot wait for book 2! Overall really enjoyed this book! If I didn’t have work I wouldn’t have put the book down!

[A.G.]

A new magical world, a girl with a strong character and magic that she has yet to discover and accept.
New friendships, new enemies, enemies that become friends, secrets, there is everything a fantasy reader can dream of.
As a beta reader it was a pleasure for me to go through this adventure with Elise and follow the development of the characters and the story. There is so much potential in this book. The story is fascinating, and the questions it leaves behind are many. I can't wait for the second book to find out what happens to these characters in the future.