Abracadabra college!

Dear reader, I am so sorry about leaving you in the lurch for so long! I promised myself this would be a weekly blog, and here it's been almost a month since I've posted. My only excuse is that school is very intense this quarter. Having just completed midterms with mixed success, I decided to celebrate with a new post. About... you guessed it dear reader!... books about school. I'm going to reward your patience by posting three shorter reviews about some of my favorite, lesser known books centered around school (we all know the Boy Who Lived, so we'll just chalk those books up to fabulous reads that everyone should check out! and move along...) First up, dear reader, is A College of Magics by Caroline Stevermer!

At first glance, Greenlaw College appears to be nothing more than a finishing school for girls. But as Faris Nallaneen and her new friend Jane are about to find out, Greenlaw is more than it seems. Sent to the school by her uncle after inheriting a small duchy, Faris is surprised to find that she can major in magic at Greenlaw. As with many books about school, or magic, or both, hijinks ensue between students until the rivalry between Faris and another girl turns deadly. At the same time, Faris is convinced her uncle is trying to get her out of the way so that he can run the dukedom on his own.

Despite being compared with Harry Potter, and it would be easy as both characters attend a school that teaches magic, I would say that is where the similarity ends. It could have been very easy for Stevermer to take all of the elements of Harry Potter and spit them out in some "new" form for readers. But she does not, dear reader, instead engaging us in a new world, different magic, and fresh characters. Though I love Harry Potter, I also love Faris, Jane, and all of their trials and triumphs. I highly recommend picking up both this book and its companion novel, A Scholar of Magics, that follows the further adventures of Jane and American sharpshooter Samuel Lambert.

Our next book, dear reader, is a lovely reminder of favorite elementary school and its educators. Because of Mr. Terupt by Bob Buyea is a lovely middle grade book that will appeal to both children and adults - mostly for nostalgia reasons remembering that wonderful teacher who inspired and helped shape your elementary school years. Told through the eyes of his students, this awesome book follows a fifth grade class through a year with new teacher Mr. Terupt. There's Jessica, also new to Snow Hill Elementary; and Luke, the nerdy, brainy kid; Alexia, who likes to bully other students; and the school-hating Jeffrey. These students and others switch off chapters throughout which Mr. Terupt plays a pivotal part, becoming the main character through their eyes and narrative. Mr. Terupt can see all the cogs of his classroom and students, and takes steps - sometimes small, sometimes very large - to help his students realize how to solve their problems. This lovely book has generated two sequels, both of which are as equally wonderful as the first book. Bob Buyea is definitely an author to watch in the future.

Our final book about school in this education-centric blog post is Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. Anna Oliphant was looking forward to her senior year in Georgia, and is shocked and angry when her checked-out-of-reality author father transplants her in Paris at an American boarding school. Her best friend, her crush, all of the family and people she knows are in Atlanta for gosh darn sakes! Richard Castle her father is not, and that grates on Anna constantly. Once she gets to Paris, however, she discovers that making friends isn't so hard, developing a new crush pretty easy, and learning the French language practically impossible. Anna flounders, despite her group of friends, and tries not to spend too much time oogling Étienne St. Clair, who happens to have a girlfriend already. As the school year passes, Anna's life becomes easier and more complex. A fun, rom-com that's a perfect way to end the school year!