ADIA KELBARA AND THE CIRCLE OF SHAMANS

A 12-year-old orphan sets out to save herself and her homeland.

Adia Kelbara lives in the Swamplands of Zaria with her aunt, uncle, and cousin. Much to the dismay of Aunt Ife and Uncle Eric, who have embraced the missionaries’ new god, Adia’s year of practicality placement is an apprenticeship in the kitchens of the Academy of Shamans. Even worse, Adia suddenly develops magical powers, causes an earthquake in her village, and is labeled an ogbanje, or cursed child who’s destined to bring misfortune. Adia desperately hopes a shaman at the academy will help rid her of demonic influences. But life there is not what she expected. She meets Nami, a boy training to become one of the harshly punitive capital soldiers, and makes an enemy of Mallorie, the richest girl at school. She also learns that Emperor Darian, who will be visiting the academy, has been possessed by the demon Olark the Tormentor, whom many believe had perished—and the guardian goddess Ginikanwa thinks Adia may be critical in the plan to exorcise him. Hoping that helping Gini might also solve her own magical problems, Adia embarks on a quest with the goddess, Nami, and Thyme, a warrior girl from a centuries-old queendom. Hendrix’s skillfully built, West African–inspired fantasy is populated with multidimensional characters. Readers will become invested in Adia’s journey of self-discovery. The story organically touches on loss, grief, religion versus spirituality, and racial and socioeconomic inequalities.

An engrossing and layered series opener.