Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts
by Erika LewisPublished by: Starscape Books on March 1, 2022
Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure
Pages: 336
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
Brimming with Celtic mythology, action, and danger, Erika Lewis's Kelcie Murphy and The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts introduces readers to a new kind of magical school and a warrior who must choose with which side of an epic battle her destiny will lie.
The Otherworld is at war. The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts trains warriors. And Kelcie Murphy—a foster child raised in the human world—is dying to attend.
A place at AUA means meeting Scáthach, the legendary trainer of Celtic heroes. It means learning to fight with a sword. It means harnessing her hidden powers and—most importantly—finding out who her parents are, and why they abandoned her in Boston Harbor eight years ago.When Kelcie tests into the school, she learns that she’s a Saiga, one of the most ancient beings in the Otherworld. Secretive, shunned, and possessed of imposing elemental powers, the Saiga are also kin to the Otherworld's most infamous traitor.
But Kelcie is a survivor, and she’ll do whatever it takes to find her parents and her place in their world. Even if that means making a few enemies.
Content Tags:
Perfect for readers who want:
- Fast-paced adventure with Celtic mythology.
- A whole world of new creatures that will delight and terrify.
- Different types of magic!
- An academy-type school separated into four houses.
- Squad vibes and funny banter.
Many thanks to Starscape Books and JeanBookNerd for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. Quotes are taken from an unfinished product and may differ from the final version.
This book had me with Celtic mythology. It’s something I don’t see very often in middle grade, and I happen to love adventure/mythology middle grade, so it seemed to fit well. Plus, even if it’s been done so many times before, it’s hard to resist the magic school setting and the nostalgia it always triggers in me!
Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts plunges the reader headlong into a world full of magic and danger based on Celtic mythology. You will absolutely fall for this squad of characters and their struggle to find a place they can belong!
There were moments I felt like this book slowed down a bit and dragged a little, and the big fight at the end resolved a little easily, but I had a lot of fun with this book anyway. I was caught by surprise by a couple plot twists, which is always fun. The characters is where this book really shines! I absolutely loved Kelcie’s little squad, their varied personalities, and the way they banter and joke. I can’t wait to have more adventures with this group.
Kelcie Murphy is such a relatable character as she stumbles her way through this chaotic world she was so rudely thrust into.
What I really enjoyed about Kelcie is that she didn’t always do the logical thing (what kid ever does?!) or she sometimes makes silly decisions, but her character is so true to how normal people would react in the situation, for the most part. I mean, what else would you do if someone just started throwing ice at you, and then you end up in a world filled with magic and strange creatures?! It’d be a bit jarring, to say the least.
Then, after an entire life of thinking otherwise, she learns she has magic! Okay, sure, she maybe destroys some school property in the meantime, but who wouldn’t get a little carried away with their powers in that situation? I mean, nothing exploded, so I feel like she’s already got a leg up on how I’d probably react. Kelcie’s struggle, while not particularly fun for her, was very relatable, and I enjoyed the chance to discover the world with her. Plus, all she really wants to know is the truth about who she is, and is that not the most relatable desire of all time? It’s impossible not to root for her on her quest to find out more about herself and where she comes from.
The secondary characters are an absolute riot, each with their own personalities. They don’t always mesh smoothly, but they come through when it really matters. Which is all that matters, right?
There are a lot of characters in this book, which can sometimes make it difficult to keep track of everyone. That being said, each character had their own distinct personality, and it was a pleasure when they all came together and interacted. The other students in Kelcie’s house were delightful, and while still being supportive of her, they definitely took the chance to tease her when it arose.
Kelcie also has the three other students in her fianna, which is her fighting group. There’s one student from each house in the fianna, and they all bring their unique talents, but also their unique struggles. The leader is learning how to lead . . . and phew, let me say, he’s got his work cut out for him with this squad. Then there’s the warrior princess who has it all together on the surface but is definitely more than she seems. Even though she’s still a total badass, either way.
Don’t get me wrong, the fianna doesn’t always get along. How boring would that be? As Kelcie is learning and growing as herself, she’s also making connections with her peers and learning how to trust others. It isn’t always easy, but this group has to figure out how to come together to be an actual squad, and it’s delightful when they start to click.
“Oh, good to know.” Was that supposed to make Kelcie feel better? “You can stop talking now.”
One of the secondary characters, Niall, was born without a hand, and he faces a lot of struggles from people counting him out or assuming he can’t do what everyone else can. Not that he’s going to let that stop him. And not that it matters to his fianna.
Disability rep is growing in prevalence, but you still don’t see too many people missing limbs in fantasy, so I think the inclusion of Niall is super important. Especially because, despite missing a hand, he’s a core hero in this story and does some pretty amazing things. Yes, there are challenges he faces that are unique to his situation (like rope climbs!), but the point is he isn’t alone. He’s got a team that’s got his back. His uniqueness is their strength. Positive representation like this is so important, and Niall is a great character for it.
Niall isn’t just the “disability rep character,” either. He’s got so much depth and personality! While he doesn’t talk about his family much, it’s apparent that his family life is a bit complicated and he doesn’t always agree with his parents (and what kid does?!). He’s also caring and thoughtful and supportive of his teammates. Plus, his magic? Pretty awesome, not gonna lie. There’s also a teensy budding romance between him and Kelcie in a sort of baby crush middle grade way that was super adorable.
“Stepfather,” Niall corrected.
“Said I wasn’t to let you test. Thinks that arm of yours, the one missing a hand, should disqualify you from being a student here. Said it would be humiliating for your family, particularly your sister, when you fail the test.”
“Why would he say that? What does it matter if Niall’s missing a hand?” Kelcie blurted.
Roswen poked Kelcie’s forehead with the butt of her axe pen. “Not talking to you yet.” She sighed at Niall. “He finished off saying it would be my head if you were to get hurt, or worse.” Roswen leaned over him. “Are you going to get hurt? Will I be sending you home in pieces, Mr. O’Shea? I am rather attached to my head, you see.”
This world is absolutely bonkers, and I absolutely love it! It’s full of danger and magic and I never knew what to expect to appear next.
I mean, it starts with ice faeries, so I feel like it pretty well prepares the reader to expect something grand. Boy does Lewis deliver on that! This world is freaking awesome. I had no idea what the Otherworld would be like, other than magic and danger of course, but gosh, the different types of creatures there are super fun! I won’t talk too much about them, because the element of surprise is one thing that I loved about it so much. Rest assured, a visit to the Otherworld is definitely worth it, and I can’t wait to go back there in the next book. They even have Wolfbane that actually howls and very likely might attempt to eat you. If the plants are like that, imagine what the creatures are like!
Something howled in Deadly. Then its pack joined in. Kelcie inched backward, bumping into Niall.
He laughed. “Wolfbane.” He shook his head disapprovingly. “You really need to start doing the reading for Roswen’s class.”
“Why is it howling?”
“It’s twilight,” Brona answered, dancing into Medicinal.
About Erika Lewis
Erika Lewis grew up in Alexandria, Virginia, spent summers with her grandparents in Worcester, Massachusetts, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California. With a passion for storytelling set in magical places, she spends as much time as she can traveling. When she’s not writing, she can generally be found scribbling notes in a blank book while wandering through abandoned buildings, all kinds of museums, and graveyards.
A graduate of Vanderbilt University, her list of credits straddles the comics and novel space, including Game of Shadows from Macmillan’s Tor Books, Firebrand and Acursian from Legendary Comics, #Guardian from Awesome Media & Entertainment, and The 49th Key from Heavy Metal Publishing. The Color of Dragons is her debut YA, coming from HarperTeen October 19th, 2021, and Kelcie Murphy and The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts is her middle grade debut coming from Starscape/Macmillan March 1st, 2022.
Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
– 3 Winners will receive a Copy of KELCIE MURPHY AND THE ACADEMY FOR THE UNBREAKABLE ARTS by Erika Lewis.
– 1 Winner will receive a $20 Amazon Gift Card.
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