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Park Row Magic Academy #1
A Taste Of Magic
NYT bestseller J. Elle makes her MG debut in the delightful story of a girl who bakes up a plan to save her inner-city magic school.
Twelve-year-old Kyana has just discovered she’s a witch! This means classes every Saturday at Park Row Magic Academy, a learning center hidden in the back of the local beauty shop, and Kyana can’t wait to learn spells to help out at home. The only downside is having to keep her magic a secret from her BFF, Nae. But when the magic school loses funding, the students must pay huge fees at the fancy school across town or lose their magic! Determined to help, Kyana enters a baking contest with a big cash prize. Will she be able to keep up her grades while preparing for the competition and without revealing her magic? What about when a taste of magic works its way into her cupcakes?
Exciting up-and-coming author J. Elle combines the perfect balance of real-world issues and magical mishaps to create real magic.
Twelve-year-old Kyana has just discovered she’s a witch! This means classes every Saturday at Park Row Magic Academy, a learning center hidden in the back of the local beauty shop, and Kyana can’t wait to learn spells to help out at home. The only downside is having to keep her magic a secret from her BFF, Nae. But when the magic school loses funding, the students must pay huge fees at the fancy school across town or lose their magic! Determined to help, Kyana enters a baking contest with a big cash prize. Will she be able to keep up her grades while preparing for the competition and without revealing her magic? What about when a taste of magic works its way into her cupcakes?
Exciting up-and-coming author J. Elle combines the perfect balance of real-world issues and magical mishaps to create real magic.
357 pages, Hardcover
First published August 30, 2022
54 people are currently reading
5021 people want to read
About the author
J. Elle
23 books1,491 followersJ. ELLE is the New York Times bestselling author of young adult and middle-grade fantasy fiction and a 2022 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth and Teens. Her work has been translated into three languages. The former educator credits her nomadic lifestyle and humble inner-city beginnings as inspiration for her novels. When she’s not writing, Elle can be found on the hunt for new desserts sans Chocolat, looking for literally any excuse to get dressed up, and road-tripping her way across the country with her two dogs in tow.
Follow me on BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/j-elle
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
August 30, 2022
Kyana lives in the Park Row neighborhood with her mother and grandmother. After turning 12 she discovers that she descends from a long line of Magicks and is actually a witch. And there are more witches and wizards all around her neighborhood! Her mother enrolls her into a magic school that hosts sessions in a room behind their regular hair salon.
One thing I can say about all the Black girl magic school middle grade books releasing this year is that they're all very different and I appreciate the variety. While the spells are cool and cause some chaos I wanted more clarity about the inner workings of the magic system. There's so much room to tie in the beauty salon aspect more. And with Kyana being a potions witch I'm interested in seeing what she comes up with when she starts experimenting more in future books.
Where I think where this story truly shines is with the relationships Kyana has with her family, friends, and neighbors. Kyana lives in the hood where parts of the neighborhood are going through gentrification but at the same time lack of funding still affects her school including her new magic school which has less money compared to the other magic schools in the area. Themes of supporting your community are emphasized throughout the story. We're introduced to multiple characters of different economic standing and we see how that effects their day to day lives as well as attitudes.
The relationship Kyana has with her grandmother is not one I often see in books. Her grandmother or Memaw as she affectionately calls her, helps raise her and passes down family recipes and heirlooms. Memaw is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and J Elle takes care in her portrayal of how the family is dealing with it.
While the ending seemingly wraps up with a neat bow there's still much that can be explored. Overall the is was a pretty solid start and the fast pacing is sure to keep readers engaged.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
One thing I can say about all the Black girl magic school middle grade books releasing this year is that they're all very different and I appreciate the variety. While the spells are cool and cause some chaos I wanted more clarity about the inner workings of the magic system. There's so much room to tie in the beauty salon aspect more. And with Kyana being a potions witch I'm interested in seeing what she comes up with when she starts experimenting more in future books.
Where I think where this story truly shines is with the relationships Kyana has with her family, friends, and neighbors. Kyana lives in the hood where parts of the neighborhood are going through gentrification but at the same time lack of funding still affects her school including her new magic school which has less money compared to the other magic schools in the area. Themes of supporting your community are emphasized throughout the story. We're introduced to multiple characters of different economic standing and we see how that effects their day to day lives as well as attitudes.
The relationship Kyana has with her grandmother is not one I often see in books. Her grandmother or Memaw as she affectionately calls her, helps raise her and passes down family recipes and heirlooms. Memaw is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and J Elle takes care in her portrayal of how the family is dealing with it.
While the ending seemingly wraps up with a neat bow there's still much that can be explored. Overall the is was a pretty solid start and the fast pacing is sure to keep readers engaged.
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
April 24, 2020
This book was so sweet and fun and engaging and I didn't want to put it down! It feels so fresh and fun and I LOVE magic schools, and this was the magic school I've been WAITING for.
September 8, 2022
This was such a fantastic story centering Black girl magic!
November 29, 2022
3.5 stars
"once we have our trays of obligatory, unidentifiable cafeteria food, we veer through the crowd to a table. without a word, she takes my fruit and i take her chocolate milk. it's just our thing."
there’s a lot to love about this book. the history, the lore, the community, the worldbuilding, the politics interwoven (like gerrymandering), and the magic system were some of my favorite things. tethering unavailables—so cute and quirky in the best way possible! if you’ve read amari and the night brothers, it’s like finding out the lore of the elevators. it’s fantastic! the food was mouthwatering and i can’t wait to try the recipes in the back! the grandmother was the sweetest part of the book and made me miss mine 😭
with that said, this book should’ve been 50-100 pages shorter. it needed more of the coziness and camaraderie of the last 50 pages and less of the same chaos in the first 300. the mom never gives kyana time to feel upset (“don’t pout, get up and just do it” mentality) and i know she’s a kid but she kept making the SAME mistakes; she even admits it at around the 300page mark! beat for beat, it was kyana being a bad friend to her best friend naomi, making a magical blunder, and then trying to fix it and chase after her friend after getting ignored only for the cycle to restart. and the lifelong ride or die best friend who was getting sidelined and mistreated was the one to apologize! i can't stand that and it gave me some anxiety reading it constantly. i know all of the life changes were a lot for a 12-year-old to juggle and i wasn’t expecting therapy-level communication skills but 300 pages of miscommunication is too much. like i said, there’s so much to love about the world but this formula wasn’t one of them.
i can only hope that, with the bulk of the character development out of the way, we’ll get more magic than mayhem in the sequel.
trigger warnings: antiblack microaggressions (hair touching 2x; one done and another attempted), hair touching is unchallenged and only addressed as a brief inner dialogue of discomfort, bullying (kyana’s best friend naomi gets bullied pretty badly via recollection of her birthday party early in the book), ignoring friends and missing outings
"once we have our trays of obligatory, unidentifiable cafeteria food, we veer through the crowd to a table. without a word, she takes my fruit and i take her chocolate milk. it's just our thing."
there’s a lot to love about this book. the history, the lore, the community, the worldbuilding, the politics interwoven (like gerrymandering), and the magic system were some of my favorite things. tethering unavailables—so cute and quirky in the best way possible! if you’ve read amari and the night brothers, it’s like finding out the lore of the elevators. it’s fantastic! the food was mouthwatering and i can’t wait to try the recipes in the back! the grandmother was the sweetest part of the book and made me miss mine 😭
with that said, this book should’ve been 50-100 pages shorter. it needed more of the coziness and camaraderie of the last 50 pages and less of the same chaos in the first 300. the mom never gives kyana time to feel upset (“don’t pout, get up and just do it” mentality) and i know she’s a kid but she kept making the SAME mistakes; she even admits it at around the 300page mark! beat for beat, it was kyana being a bad friend to her best friend naomi, making a magical blunder, and then trying to fix it and chase after her friend after getting ignored only for the cycle to restart. and the lifelong ride or die best friend who was getting sidelined and mistreated was the one to apologize! i can't stand that and it gave me some anxiety reading it constantly. i know all of the life changes were a lot for a 12-year-old to juggle and i wasn’t expecting therapy-level communication skills but 300 pages of miscommunication is too much. like i said, there’s so much to love about the world but this formula wasn’t one of them.
i can only hope that, with the bulk of the character development out of the way, we’ll get more magic than mayhem in the sequel.
trigger warnings: antiblack microaggressions (hair touching 2x; one done and another attempted), hair touching is unchallenged and only addressed as a brief inner dialogue of discomfort, bullying (kyana’s best friend naomi gets bullied pretty badly via recollection of her birthday party early in the book), ignoring friends and missing outings
June 25, 2022
A magic school in a real world setting and some baking too!
I liked that this book is set in a regular town and focuses on some middle school kids instead of creating a fantasy land for witches. The characters are relatable and their struggles can be translated to real world issues.
This story isn't overly complex and a bit predictable, but a good amount of content for the intended age group.
I hope Kyana has some follow-up adventures now that she has figured out her magic more.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
I liked that this book is set in a regular town and focuses on some middle school kids instead of creating a fantasy land for witches. The characters are relatable and their struggles can be translated to real world issues.
This story isn't overly complex and a bit predictable, but a good amount of content for the intended age group.
I hope Kyana has some follow-up adventures now that she has figured out her magic more.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
Want to read
June 10, 2020June 10, 2020: Magical? Black MC? Ownvoices? OKAY, WOW.
May 14, 2020
This MG gem is such an incredible read, filled with hope, humor, food, magic, and love! Every kid struggling to accept themselves, flaws and hidden talents alike, needs to read this story!
September 15, 2022
Such a fun read
August 5, 2022
A Taste of Magic by J. Elle is one of those books that feels like a slice of childhood and personal nostalgia that's perfect for all ages. While I was more familiar with her darker Wings of Ebony series, the impact of the life lessons hits just as well here. With lots of baking, Black Girl Magic, friendship and family, this Middle Grade contemporary fantasy is a fun and sweet story I won't forget anytime soon.
Kyana Turner discovers on her twelfth birthday that she's a witch, thinking about how she's going to help her family. However, it's not so easy as she has to juggle magic life with friendship and math. Kyana is a great protagonist and relatable to many, outgoing with the urge to help her family, yet wanting to dive into this new magical world, and I love her growth and determination throughout. The supporting cast was fleshed out too, with several layers of depth, and some characters surprising me by the end.
The story's well paced, juggling between Kyana's school life, family life and witch life, with most of the first half focusing on the new world of magic she's enveloped in by her discovery, before the second half focuses on baking and saving the new life she's grown to love. I laughed quite a bit throughout, and I appreciated the nods to Black culture (I love that J Elle isn't shy to add all the things in her books), including the hair texture activated wands and that the magic school is in a hair salon! I'm sure my younger self would have loved that! Regarding the magic side of things, there's a whole culture under mainstream society that comes with rules, potions, spirits, magical ferrets, wands based on hair texture, but my favorite was the ability to transport people into Nintendo games (something that's been a dream of kids since the 1980's). The baking portions are just as prominent, reminding me of my childhood days in the kitchen, and with the focus on magical potions, it was a perfect match for this story. I like how everything ties into the themes of community and determination in something that's easy to grasp for kids, but still resonates with adult readers, making this a great read for both to read together. While parts of this book made me nostalgic of my own childhood, it fits right at home with the kids of 2022.
There's also three recipes in the back of the book, which I can't wait to try out.
This is highly recommended for those that like contemporary fantasy with a whimsical and more "Disney-esque" feel, no matter how old you are. I await to see what type of adventures Kyana will go on next and await more books from J. Elle!
*I received an ARC from the publisher, Bloomsbury. All opinions are my own.*
Kyana Turner discovers on her twelfth birthday that she's a witch, thinking about how she's going to help her family. However, it's not so easy as she has to juggle magic life with friendship and math. Kyana is a great protagonist and relatable to many, outgoing with the urge to help her family, yet wanting to dive into this new magical world, and I love her growth and determination throughout. The supporting cast was fleshed out too, with several layers of depth, and some characters surprising me by the end.
The story's well paced, juggling between Kyana's school life, family life and witch life, with most of the first half focusing on the new world of magic she's enveloped in by her discovery, before the second half focuses on baking and saving the new life she's grown to love. I laughed quite a bit throughout, and I appreciated the nods to Black culture (I love that J Elle isn't shy to add all the things in her books), including the hair texture activated wands and that the magic school is in a hair salon! I'm sure my younger self would have loved that! Regarding the magic side of things, there's a whole culture under mainstream society that comes with rules, potions, spirits, magical ferrets, wands based on hair texture, but my favorite was the ability to transport people into Nintendo games (something that's been a dream of kids since the 1980's). The baking portions are just as prominent, reminding me of my childhood days in the kitchen, and with the focus on magical potions, it was a perfect match for this story. I like how everything ties into the themes of community and determination in something that's easy to grasp for kids, but still resonates with adult readers, making this a great read for both to read together. While parts of this book made me nostalgic of my own childhood, it fits right at home with the kids of 2022.
There's also three recipes in the back of the book, which I can't wait to try out.
This is highly recommended for those that like contemporary fantasy with a whimsical and more "Disney-esque" feel, no matter how old you are. I await to see what type of adventures Kyana will go on next and await more books from J. Elle!
*I received an ARC from the publisher, Bloomsbury. All opinions are my own.*
August 30, 2022
This magical middle grade fantasy by author J. Elle was so good!
I really enjoyed the story of Kyana finding her magic, and the school she has to fight to keep open! This book addressed issues of racism and classism in an assessable way, giving the reader a fun magical adventure while tacking these important issues.
Kyana was such a strong character, and I really enjoyed her journey. I also liked most of the supporting characters, though Russ was hard to take, and his backstory didn't make sense to me fully.
But I still really enjoyed this book!
I really enjoyed the story of Kyana finding her magic, and the school she has to fight to keep open! This book addressed issues of racism and classism in an assessable way, giving the reader a fun magical adventure while tacking these important issues.
Kyana was such a strong character, and I really enjoyed her journey. I also liked most of the supporting characters, though Russ was hard to take, and his backstory didn't make sense to me fully.
But I still really enjoyed this book!
July 5, 2023
This was such a quick read, I couldn't put it down!! The magic system was really cool, intricate enough to be interesting without taking too much thought to get into. The characters, social commentary, and plot were all wonderful.
The only thing I didn't enjoy was the main friendship - it was so frustrating to see Kyana make the same mistakes over and over again, ditching her best friend and completely forgetting about her. I get it, and maybe this wouldn't have annoyed me as much if I was 12, but I kept rolling my eyes!
The only thing I didn't enjoy was the main friendship - it was so frustrating to see Kyana make the same mistakes over and over again, ditching her best friend and completely forgetting about her. I get it, and maybe this wouldn't have annoyed me as much if I was 12, but I kept rolling my eyes!
June 14, 2022
This is cute. I think that it checks a lot of boxes and people who are looking for those boxes will appreciate this addition to their collection/reading. My personal problem with it is the sloppy world building/magic system. It's kind of nonsensical but without it, there wouldn't be a story, but I don't like nonsensical magic systems.
April 1, 2022
My official blurb: Funny and sweet and absolutely charming. Middle grade readers will be going wild for this gem of a novel that is literal Black Girl Magic.
Obviously, I LOVED this book, and it was so fun reading it in book form this time!
Obviously, I LOVED this book, and it was so fun reading it in book form this time!
April 23, 2024
I’ve been finding some fantasy for youth written by Black authors. It’s different and good. In this case, fairly literally since the heroine’s magic talent is cooking. However, it takes her awhile to recognize that since she took her baking for granted. She wanted to be one of the two charms students but wasn’t picked for charms. She just begins to get the witch stuff down when she makes a BIG mistake. Can she face up to it and make it right? While improving her math grade so she passes? And making things right with her best friend so they don’t turn into enemies? While keeping her new friends? And get the family to accept Shirley (no I’m not saying who Shirley is!)? Read and find out!
Perhaps the most important part is the way she makes up with her best friend. I love the lesson that rules are not as important as best friends or family! I also love that the family, all three of them, are dealing with Meemaw’s Alzheimer’s. This is middle grade fiction, meant for around age 12. That tough period when you’re not a kid but not a teen. When life begins to open up but you also need to know your family is important. I do recommend this book, that has heart, as a thoroughly modern fantasy soaked in Black culture too. It’s fun and I got to get my hands on the next one! Wait, what do you mean it hasn’t been published yet??? Arrrgh!!!!
Perhaps the most important part is the way she makes up with her best friend. I love the lesson that rules are not as important as best friends or family! I also love that the family, all three of them, are dealing with Meemaw’s Alzheimer’s. This is middle grade fiction, meant for around age 12. That tough period when you’re not a kid but not a teen. When life begins to open up but you also need to know your family is important. I do recommend this book, that has heart, as a thoroughly modern fantasy soaked in Black culture too. It’s fun and I got to get my hands on the next one! Wait, what do you mean it hasn’t been published yet??? Arrrgh!!!!
August 13, 2022
Kyana has just found out that she is a witch. She has to balance her new weekend witch training, middle school classes, and her friends. What happens when all of a sudden her witch training school is going to be shut down, she makes a mistake while trying to save it, and she her best friend is mad at her? Well that’s a lot for one 12 year old girl.
This book isn’t just about magic and cooking. There are so many great things discussed like owning your mistakes, apologizing when your wrong, and so many others. I think this would make such a great middle school book club book. (I might even do it for my middle school library.) I will definitely get a copy and recommend it.
This book isn’t just about magic and cooking. There are so many great things discussed like owning your mistakes, apologizing when your wrong, and so many others. I think this would make such a great middle school book club book. (I might even do it for my middle school library.) I will definitely get a copy and recommend it.
August 3, 2022
A charming story about a magic school, baking, friendship, and determination. When Kyana discovers she's a witch she finds herself lying to her BFF, trying to learn spells that will help her overworked mom around the house, and entering a baking competition to save the magic school in her neighborhood. I loved the determination Kyana had to fix her mistakes, prove adults around her wrong, and show that even though she and her friends are young, they can solve big problems. Middle school students will truly enjoy it!
Thanks, NetGalley!
Thanks, NetGalley!
dnf
January 5, 2024Tried reading it, but watching the book's protagonist try to lie to others made me cringe like how Disney channel shows made me cringe growing up. This is my own fault for trying to read juvenile fiction in my 20s so take my words with a very very tiny grain of salt.
dnf-nfn
March 7, 2024DNF (Did Not Finish) @ 46%
The magic and world building in this were pretty fun, but there was a bit too much drama in this for my taste, and I struggled with the way the main character treated her friends and family.
Content Warnings:
illness
The magic and world building in this were pretty fun, but there was a bit too much drama in this for my taste, and I struggled with the way the main character treated her friends and family.
Content Warnings:
illness
March 24, 2024
This book was very cute!!! ☺️✨ I enjoyed reading this, it felt like Harry Potter but about a 12 year old girl, less scary and with more baking! I love that we’ve got recipes at the end, it feels so cute 🥰 Patiently waiting for more books :)
September 7, 2022
This was magicky and Blackity, Black, Black and I LOVED IT. Real review to come.
Read
June 10, 2023So adorable 🥰
November 1, 2023
I loved this book! It was magical and it made me hungry. The characters were amazing, and I loved watching Kyana's confidence grow as the book went on. Definitely would recommend this one, especially if you are looking for witchy books or books about magic schools.
January 29, 2025
Fantastic Middle Grade.
April 8, 2025
my reading pal liked this one!
Want to read
June 7, 2020Heard about this on Twitter and I just...I'm all in. I can't WAIT!! Magic school goodness! Black main character! How lovely!!!
February 27, 2022
Source: Netgalley
Review to come.
Review to come.
May 22, 2022
Elle's book about a Black girl who enters a baking contest to save her magic school is so full of fun and heart that I can't wait for more! Kyana's magic has just come in and she's started magic school on Saturdays in the secret room at her hairdressers. But redistricting means that her school might not be able to continue due to lack of funding. So what else is a new witch to do but use her baking skills to enter a contest, win the money, and save the day!
At first, I thought there was just too much going on. But I settled in and realized that it's not too much....it's just right. This was a fun one to read. It read older to me than, say, Amari and the Night Brothers. Not for content, but maybe because there was a good amount of slang that you don't usually see in middle grade? I don't know. It's nothing that would keep me from recommending this at all. In fact, I have a few customers in mind for this one at our store once it comes out...
At first, I thought there was just too much going on. But I settled in and realized that it's not too much....it's just right. This was a fun one to read. It read older to me than, say, Amari and the Night Brothers. Not for content, but maybe because there was a good amount of slang that you don't usually see in middle grade? I don't know. It's nothing that would keep me from recommending this at all. In fact, I have a few customers in mind for this one at our store once it comes out...
September 28, 2021
Black Girl Magic meets Great British Bake Off, what more does one need in this fun middle grade read. When Kyana, a talented baker and cook, turns 12, she discovers she's a witch. She soon attends weekly magic classes that become endangered due to lack of funding. So, she enters a baking contest with a big cash prize. While learning her new role, she has to navigate old friends and new as well as the dreaded math class. For readers who love Amari and the Night Brothers, Nevermoor, and Harry Potter.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
October 30, 2022
Love the diversity, culture, and tight community with magical shenanigans, but it got long-winded and boring towards the middle.
November 8, 2022
ARC provided by the publisher
Kyana lives in the Park Row neighborhood of Rockford, and goes to Thomspson Middle School with her best friend, Nae. It's an area that struggles a bit, but is progressive; Key is able to take a class on African American History and Diaspora studies. Her mother works long hours on her feet, but has the support of her mother, Meemaw. When Kyana sees sparks flying from her fingers and starts to notice similar light around various businesses in the neighborhood, she wonders what is going on, but her mother tells her that it is her magical powers coming to the surface a little early. There are a lot of rules surrounding dealing with magic, and one is that Kyana must attend a magical school for six months to learn how to use her powers. If she doesn't, she will have to be "sanitized" and have all of her magic removed. Even though it means missing Nae's birthday party, Kyana reports to Ms. Moesha's Park Row Magic Academy in the back of Ms. Moesha's beauty salon. There are about 30 other students, including the popular Russ, who goes to Kyana's school. She makes friends with Ashley, and hopes to get chosen for the Charms specialty, since that is a path that leads to good job prospects. There are only two people chosen for that, and only one chosen for Potions. Most students end up in the general magic path. Kyana struggles with math in her regular school, and struggles with many different aspects of her magical training as well. It is intersting to learn about the magical community, which has come to the US from Winzhobble, and is having some difficulties that aren't apparent to the outside world. She also has to deal with lying to Nae, which puts a strain on her relationship. Her grandmother is starting to slip further and further into dementia, which increases the burden on Kyana's mother. When funding runs out for the Park Row Academy, the students are all in danger of having their magic stripped from them. They are given the opportunity to go to other magical schools, but the cost, as well as the matter of transportation, is not something that Kyana and her family can bear. Hoping to save her school, Kyana uses her skills as a baker to enter a competition, but things don't go all that smoothly. Will Kyana be able to reverse her spells that have gone wrong, learn to control her magic, and save her neighborhood school?
Strengths: Kyana is a character with whom many readers will identify: she wants to do well, but gets distracted when she really needs to be putting in the work. Nae was a good foil for her, reminding her to spend ten minutes reviewing her math every day! It was fun to see a local, neighborhood magical school instead of the far flung magical boarding academies we usually see, and contrasting it with a posh local school points out the inequities of the US educational system. There are many, many details about magic, magical outfits, magical creatures, and magical food that will absolutely delight readers of series like Black and Clare's Magisterium. I appreciated the fact that there really wasn't a central, horrible magical villain that Kyana had to fight. That alone makes this fresher than many similar books!
Weaknesses: I often wonder why so many books about magic focus on the problems with it. Not only is the school in danger of closing, by Kyana has a lot of trouble mastering the spells, and there are a lot of rules and regulations. Younger readers may enjoy the wealth of details more than I did; subplots like the one involving Russ and the breeding and selling of Groits gave this book a lot of different facets to keep straight.
What I really think: This is another great choice for readers who liked Mbalia's Amari and the Night Brothers, Okogwu's Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun, Dumas' Wildseed Witch and Clayton's The Marvellers.
Kyana lives in the Park Row neighborhood of Rockford, and goes to Thomspson Middle School with her best friend, Nae. It's an area that struggles a bit, but is progressive; Key is able to take a class on African American History and Diaspora studies. Her mother works long hours on her feet, but has the support of her mother, Meemaw. When Kyana sees sparks flying from her fingers and starts to notice similar light around various businesses in the neighborhood, she wonders what is going on, but her mother tells her that it is her magical powers coming to the surface a little early. There are a lot of rules surrounding dealing with magic, and one is that Kyana must attend a magical school for six months to learn how to use her powers. If she doesn't, she will have to be "sanitized" and have all of her magic removed. Even though it means missing Nae's birthday party, Kyana reports to Ms. Moesha's Park Row Magic Academy in the back of Ms. Moesha's beauty salon. There are about 30 other students, including the popular Russ, who goes to Kyana's school. She makes friends with Ashley, and hopes to get chosen for the Charms specialty, since that is a path that leads to good job prospects. There are only two people chosen for that, and only one chosen for Potions. Most students end up in the general magic path. Kyana struggles with math in her regular school, and struggles with many different aspects of her magical training as well. It is intersting to learn about the magical community, which has come to the US from Winzhobble, and is having some difficulties that aren't apparent to the outside world. She also has to deal with lying to Nae, which puts a strain on her relationship. Her grandmother is starting to slip further and further into dementia, which increases the burden on Kyana's mother. When funding runs out for the Park Row Academy, the students are all in danger of having their magic stripped from them. They are given the opportunity to go to other magical schools, but the cost, as well as the matter of transportation, is not something that Kyana and her family can bear. Hoping to save her school, Kyana uses her skills as a baker to enter a competition, but things don't go all that smoothly. Will Kyana be able to reverse her spells that have gone wrong, learn to control her magic, and save her neighborhood school?
Strengths: Kyana is a character with whom many readers will identify: she wants to do well, but gets distracted when she really needs to be putting in the work. Nae was a good foil for her, reminding her to spend ten minutes reviewing her math every day! It was fun to see a local, neighborhood magical school instead of the far flung magical boarding academies we usually see, and contrasting it with a posh local school points out the inequities of the US educational system. There are many, many details about magic, magical outfits, magical creatures, and magical food that will absolutely delight readers of series like Black and Clare's Magisterium. I appreciated the fact that there really wasn't a central, horrible magical villain that Kyana had to fight. That alone makes this fresher than many similar books!
Weaknesses: I often wonder why so many books about magic focus on the problems with it. Not only is the school in danger of closing, by Kyana has a lot of trouble mastering the spells, and there are a lot of rules and regulations. Younger readers may enjoy the wealth of details more than I did; subplots like the one involving Russ and the breeding and selling of Groits gave this book a lot of different facets to keep straight.
What I really think: This is another great choice for readers who liked Mbalia's Amari and the Night Brothers, Okogwu's Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun, Dumas' Wildseed Witch and Clayton's The Marvellers.
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