Our Gift, Their Glory: Book One of the Aurelia Trilogy

by Imade Ilentamhen, Anna Butova (Illustrator)

THEY GAVE POWER A NAME.
THEN THEY DECIDED WHO DESERVED IT.

In Aurelia, being born without the Meredial gene means you don’t matter.

Sixteen-year-old Bobby is Fallow, born without the gene that grants Averals their privilege and, for a rare few, extraordinary powers. At Northwall Academy, he has one rule for remain invisible.

Raven has the opposite problem. She is Averal, gifted with the ability to read what people want and how they feel. She’s spent her life trying to escape the very identity Bobby has been taught makes her superior.

Then Northwall students come under attack, and Bobby can’t stay invisible anymore.

The Council insists an outside enemy is responsible. Bobby, Raven, and their friends aren’t so sure, especially when Bobby begins having visions no Fallow should be capable of having. The deeper they dig, the harder it becomes to believe the Council's version of events.

In a society built on the certainty that power belongs to the right bloodlines, what if the most dangerous secret is Bobby himself? And how far will those in power go to keep the truth buried?

229 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication November 19, 2026

Reviews

[Freya Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m utterly blown away! 🤯
Can we all just remember this is the first book this author has EVER wrote!!

We have an upper YA fantasy book with a dark academia setting which I absolutely loved,this made it feel unique and not just like a typical fantasy book! 🖤

We have some people with powers and some people who don’t and this usually stems from the parents and whether they had the powers or not.However this wasn’t all,we have a couple of different characters who are experiencing signs of progressing powers who technically “shouldn’t be” and this is where it gets super interesting!

We have a great element in this story where it’s talking about feelings and emotions and how having a power really feels (how lonely it is) compared to how the outside world or the fallows (the people with no power who are seen as less) might think it is!

There is also weird and wonderful creatures that pop up throughout the book who we don’t fully know what they are but this makes it be a constant page turner.🐙

I am hoping in book 2 we will find out more about said creatures!! 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Throughout all the mystery and underlying secrets in the story there is that massive element of trust-
Who can we trust?
How much can we trust?
Or should we trust at all?

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time whilst reading this!!

I really enjoyed this way this book was written and the multiple POV’s made sure I was never bored!!

Overall I really really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for book 2&3 eventually,I will definitely continue to read this new authors work!! 🫶

3 days after I finished the book-
I have returned to change my rating to 5 stars!
Many days later I’m still thinking about this book in such detail! For me that means I definitely enjoyed this book even more than I originally thought!! 🙈🙈

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book in general has great potential. Fantastic story, wonderful narrative, but it was lacking. There was no story building, character building, or world building. Everything felt rushed and matter of fact. I was so lost so fast. I wanted to know how these characters were defined and what made them who they are. What determined their statuses and what their differences were outside of sigil and powers and what caused such a drift among their kinds. Like I said the overall thought behind the story was great but there was too much left unsaid that needed to be included.

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

[Angela Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book for a first book was a incredible story the world building and charectors are 5 * loved it cant wait to read other books by this author

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I absolutely got lost in this book in the best way! I didn’t want to put it down… the pacing is fast and action-packed. I genuinely can’t wait for the next two books to come out so we can see what happens next to everyone and find out the secrets. I also enjoyed the character development throughout the book. I think the only thing that makes me hesitate giving the book 5 stars is the ending. The ending was a little anticlimactic (not that I’m a fan of diabolical cliffhangers, I’m not) but I fear because there wasn’t something there to catch my attention that I could easily forget about this series in a year when the next book comes out. Other than that it was a great book, highly recommend and can’t wait to continue the series!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW: The story was very fast paced, and the world building described was quite detailed. I enjoyed the multiple POV structure, which gave more depth to each character. The Academy setting and political council power struggle integrated well with the plot, giving ample time spent on both the youth in the story as well as the adults. The magical systems & powers barely scratch the surface because the true extent of them have yet to be explored, but are quite unique and mysterious. They are definitely something I’m intrigued to learn more about as the story evolves in future books of the series.

[Angela Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Our Gift, Their Glory — it’s a fast-paced book that kept me locked in from start to finish, and the plot twist was well thought out. There’s no heavy world building to keep track of, so it’s not a complicated read. It’s set in Aurelia, where the Fallows are a lower class than the ones with power which are the Averals. At it’s heart, it’s a story about unlikely friendships that become strong bonds. The only thing that kept it from being a five star book for me is I wanted more character development for the other friends in the group because they ended u being such a major part of the book. I gave it four stars and I am looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.

[No Chapter Left Behind · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

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

I enjoyed this one! I thought it was an interesting world with a new take on gifted/not gifted people and how they interact and live together. I was invested in the characters and actually enjoyed each time I got a new POV which is something I usually don’t enjoy. Each POV was equally valuable and created more background for the events. There was just enough suspense to have my interested in reading the next book when it becomes available!

Once again there was no chapter left behind!

[Ree · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly good read. It gives you just enough background on the main characters so you never feel lost while getting to know them, laying a solid foundation for the friendships that will develop in future books. Each character brings just the right amount of 'teenage drama' to keep the pacing engaging, while the real-life parallels provide the real hook. I love how the plot promises there’s plenty more to come, and I’m certain this story will resonate with readers from all walks of life.

[Jermol Jupiter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book! I was captivated from the very first paragraph. The author did a really good job at building suspense between chapters. It was difficult to put it down (one of the few times I read a book so quickly lol). The characters were also done really well! Many were very interesting, and I connected really well with a few ..., and maybe I should stop talking before I give something away 😁

Overall I loved this book. I'm excited to get a physical copy when it releases.

[Madison Harris · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

ARC review: I loved this book. Dark academia YA - It was fast paced and had my attention as soon as I started it. The magic system is very interesting and I'm very excited to learn more about it as the series goes on. I also appreciated multiple POVs throughout the book. I will definitely be getting the second book when it comes out!

[Holly Clifford · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

ARC Reader so leaving a general review with no spoilers.

This was a very unique book with a different magic system. I got a dark academic and dystopia vibe from the book. I was immediately pulled in and loved the ending! It didnt end on a cliff hanger but enough to build for book 2.