Pixie Dust

by Jenna E. Faas, Alexandria Groves (Editor)

All of her life, Jane has been despised by her stepmother, Marie. When she was five, her father unexpectedly passed, and she discovered she could move objects with her mind. Repulsed by Jane’s abilities, Marie forces Jane into a life of servitude, catering to Marie’s children, and completing the chores at the manor house. Jane endures her dreadful life for eleven years with no hope of escape.

Suddenly, a startling encounter changes her life. Jane discovers that she is a pixie just like her mother had been and is invited to attend the esteemed Jelf Academy of Magic. Jane is swept up in a magical world full of new experiences. However, things are not as wonderful as they seem. Despite her efforts, Jane is not fully accepted by the pixie community. Jane must find a way to prove herself before she is banished from the one place that feels like home.

Enchanting, fantastical, and fresh, Pixie Dust is a new twist on the concept of pixies, with a relatable heroine that is sure to captivate teens and adults alike.

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2021

About the author

Jenna E. Faas is the author of Pixie Dust, the first book in the Jelf Academy series. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband, son, and two Australian shepherds. From the first time Jenna turned the pages of a book, she became obsessed. As a young girl, she was always making up stories which she jotted down in school notebooks. An avid reader, she would get lost in fantasy and wished magic existed. Jenna began the concept of Pixie Dust when she was seventeen and expanded on the creation of the world through her college years. Her bachelors degree in Geology helped to inspire pixie magic, since gemstones and minerals are used to create pixie charms. When Jenna isn't writing or reading, she enjoys spending time with her family, working on arts and crafts, and singing to her favorite songs. She is currently working on the next installment of the Jelf Academy series: Dragon Scales

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a reading challenge - a book from a genre that I don't usually read.
Despite this being a style of book I don't usually pick for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I especially loved the imagery of the Jelf Academy - I thought it was really unique.
It was an easy and engaging read and it left me wanting to know more. It felt like a cross between Cinderella and Harry Potter, although also very different.
It has me intrigued to read book 2!

[Jade Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! When I finished the last page, I immediately went onto Amazon and bought a second copy so my middle school students could read it. They can have my paperback copy! I need the cool hardcover to keep forever.
If you like Harry Potter and the classic tale of Cinderella then you’ll fall for this book. The writing style is beautiful and descriptive. There’s mystery within and enticing chapter titles that made make it impossible to put the book down. I read parts of the book to my son (7) and he kept stopping me to remark how cool things were and to say, “That’s so smart! Why didn’t they do that in Harry Potter?”
Overall, I would classify this book as YA, but honestly, I would recommend this book for people of any age.

[Sheri Vasconcellos Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the read. Very sweet book. Loved the imagery it bought to my mind. Almost like a fanasty Cinderella story with a bit of pixie thrown in

[Cornelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new take on Pixies. This YA fantasy has similarities to many other books in that genre because it’s set at a magic school but is still a unique tale init’s on right and stands on its own. I love the name of the school and the series—Jelf Academy. Jelf is like self and Jane embers on self-discovery there and Jelf is also like elf—and Pixies are elf-like fairies. I googled it. 

Can you guess what one of the major sources of magic is in this world? You guessed it—Pixie Dust. 
Jane, the main protagonist, a strong, smart, kind, orphaned teen half-pixie girl, is easy to emotionally connect with from page one. Her step-family are bullies and emotional abusers. The book has the Cinderella touch there and even mentions the famous fairytale at one point. But Jane also has to deal with a bully at Jelf Academy as well as an unfair teacher.

The only imperfection I saw was the first few chapters have more narration than dialogue, just a bit more but some readers may be sensitive to it not being balanced. But that changes and it balances out once Jane starts school. The reason is all the back story and set up in the first chapters. I consider that a personal choice as I know some readers like books to begin with a decent amount of backstory and setup. If you are sensitive to a tad more narration than dialogue, I encourage you to keep reading. You’ll be glad you did. The narration and dialogue balance, once Jane goes to school, so the pacing quickens then to a fast modern pace.

Overall, I was swept away by this fun, enchanting story. You are rewarded, as you read to the end, with added suspense and danger that will probably carry on throughout the series. Also included at the novel's end is a sneak peek of book 2—Dragon Scales. 

If you like YA fantasy, or you’re looking for a book to gift to anyone who likes the genre, you can’t go wrong with this one. 

I can’t help thinking that someone, like the Disney Franchise, should grab this up and make a movie out of it.

[Christopher Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fresh take on the concept of pixies. I was enthralled from the first chapter and couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the world building, the concept of pixie magic, and the uncommon magical trope. I would highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers of all ages and I can’t wait for the release of the second book in the series.

[Benjamin Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pixie Dust is a solid first installment in the Jelf Academy series; a mix of magic and fairytale that wears its heart on its sleeve. The writing style is simple and straight forward with an air of drama thrown in for good measure. Delving into this hidden school of magic and mayhem, Middle Grade (MG) and budding Young Adult (YA) readers will doubtlessly find something to delight in between its pages.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Even though I am older than the intended YA & middle grade demographic, the book and writing style did not feel immature at all.

This was a book that had me hooked from the beginning and has me ready to grab the 2nd one to continue the journey. Loved the world building and the characters.

Its the pixie crossover of Cinderella and Harry Potter I never knew I needed.

[Ali Tappe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt like this was inspired by Harry Potter and Cinderella. Decent book- I liked the concept of it. Easy to read; could do with a bit more show don’t tell. The dialogue was also a bit too formal for me. But overall, enjoyed the book and looking forward to the next one!

[J.C. Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful middle-grade YA fantasy with characters you liked and ones you despised, encouraging you to keep turning pages to find out what happened next! I would highly recommend this book!