Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans by Isi Hendrix

Pages: 356 

Publisher: Usborne 

Released: 28th of September 2023 

Life in the Swamplands is tough for twelve-year-old orphan Adia. Her aunt and uncle believe she is an ogbanje, a demon-possessed child thought to bring misfortune. And when Adia manifests mysterious powers, accidentally destroying her village, she starts to think they might be right.

Adia flees to the faraway Academy of Shamans, hoping someone at the school can figure out what is wrong with her and fix it. But she doesn't expect to stumble across a bunch of squabbling deities with a secret...

Joining forces with a snarky Goddess, a 500 year old warrior girl and a status-obsessed soldier boy, Adia goes on a mission through hidden realms to save her kingdom. But if she is to succeed, she must learn to wield her mysterious powers and figure out who she really is.

Discover an action-packed new series from a brilliantly exciting debut author, perfect for fans of SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL and NEVERMOOR.

What I Have to Say 

A great book for younger readers! Adventure, action, girls with magic and fighting skills, this book even has a cute cat. I think this series has a lot of potential to be something great. I loved the mystery and the prophecies, the use of loopholes in magic to fight against evil. It was really clever. 

I think these are characters that I could grow to love as much as some of the characters from my childhood. Though there is one character who I really disliked, the others I liked a lot. I really believe that they can capture the hearts and minds of today's children. 

It's great to see an afrofantasy as a children's book that's filled with Nigerian culture and Igbo traditions. I can't wait to see more from this author in the future. 

4 stars 

My thanks go to Usborne for providing me with this gifted copy for review.