Teenager Wren Nightingale has gone all her life believing that she is Mundane—a nonmagical person who was born outside of the conditions that would give her the power her late parents had. But on her 18th birthday, she realizes that she is Moonstruck, a status that allows her to attend Academia de la Luna, a school for magical youth, where she will be sorted into one of four houses: Taurus, Scorpio, Leo, or Aquarius. Accompanying her is Lee Young, her distractingly attractive childhood confidante, with whom she navigates adolescence, magical goings-on, and the Trials, challenges meant to test students’ magical abilities. When events at Academia de la Luna turn deadly, the friends must investigate a prophecy that threatens everything they know about their magic, their world, and their place within it. While this amalgamation of popular fantasy tropes by mother-daughter duo Cast (the Sisters of Salem series) seldom subverts expectations, Wren and Lee’s on-again, off-again relationship is compelling, and the open-ended resolution sows anticipation for the next installment in this lively romantasy series opener. Characters are described as having varying skin tones. Ages 12–up. Agent: Rebecca Scherer, Jane Rotrosen. (Apr.)

Gr 7 Up— Fans of the authors' House of Night and J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series will love this fantasy set in the Pacific Northwest. Wren is celebrating a prank with her best friend, Lee. He snaps a picture as Wren turns 18, posing in front of the soapy water fountain. After years of adjusting to having no magic, Wren feels the power of the moon awaken in her body. As she and Lee return to her uncles' house the next morning, they find Dean Rottingham from Academia de la Luna explaining how Wren will be leaving for Moon Isle and the school to begin training in her new magical powers. Her mundane (non-magical) uncles are persuaded to keep the secret of magically "moonstruck" people and allow Wren to go. As Lee, Wren, and Samantha (her other best friend) settle into school life, meet the Lunar Council, and find out about the Elemental spirits that protect the island, Wren gets strange vibes from some of the council. She starts to wonder what's really going on at the school, and what it has to do with its history, deaths, and the Elementals. As much as Wren is determined to find out the truth, Lee is determined to follow the rules. Written from alternating perspectives, this fantasy centers around characters dealing with changes in their relationship and a mystery critical to just about every aspect of their lives. VERDICT A must-have for tween and teen libraries.— Cathleen Ash