MINERVA PEARLSTAR AND THE WEAVERS OF FATE

A teen discovers her magical lineage and possible doomed future in this YA fantasy.

Thirteen-year-old Minerva Pearlstar lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her widowed mother, who barely makes ends meet working at Serenity Gardens Mortuary. The pair moves often to avoid discovery of the fact that Minerva can wield electricity with her hands. The girl believes that she’s a freak, but then an old man, accompanied by two ravens, invites her to the Asgard School for the Exceptionally Gifted in Midgard, Maine. He’s none other than Odin, the Allfather from Norse myth; Minerva is actually a heksen (or witch) demigod who’s been in hiding from a dark fate foreseen by the dangerous Nornir people. In Maine, Minerva is greeted by future roommate Alice Cleverly and “bear-mage” Markas Nightshade. Midgard is a tourist destination on the surface, designed like an old Viking village; secretly, its school trains heksen in spellcasting and gives them animal familiars. Minerva also gets a job at the You Only Die Once Funerarium, run by Baynard Nightshade. Just as Minerva begins to enjoy her new life, she learns that the complexities of her lineage lead to a scary place—the apocalypse known as Ragnarok. Riddle brings Harry Potter devotees a comforting magic-school tale based around Norse folklore and fairy tales. Minerva has plenty of odd quirks that make her easy to root for, including homemade clothing reworked from Halloween costumes. The plot’s most intriguing mystery is the whereabouts of the main character’s older sister, whom she’s never met. An extra touch of intrigue comes in the novel’s exploration of the funeral industry: You Only Die Once is a green business, and Baynard uses natural elements like cloves and vanilla, rather than toxic formaldehyde, to freshen corpses. This series starter spends a lot of time on worldbuilding, introducing such lore as an elf-mage war and a Blood Pact. Minerva also has a complicated relationship with nemesis Prince Thorn, and the two share a devastating kiss that foreshadows a deeper emotional struggle in the future.

Fans of magic-school tales and Norse mythology will adore this exceptionally detailed YA series opener.