Review: Red Madrassa (Algardis #1) by Terah Edun

Name of book: Red Madrassa (Algardis #1)
Author: Terah Edun
Publication: November 8th 2012
Genre: YA Fantasy
Source: Provided by the kind author...

A magical accident threw them together. But when Fate holds all the cards, it can be impossible to tell the difference between pure chance and Destiny... 

The Madrassa, a magical school for mage practitioners, is the stuff of legend. With selective entrance exams and quotas for only the most advanced of mage children, it's almost impossible to attend. 

When Allorna, a guardian trainee for the royal family, ends up on the doorstep of the citadel on the eve of the final day of a recruitment ceremony, she decides it must be fate.

She was sure she knew the path her life would take before she enrolled. But sometimes life has a way of throwing in magical curveballs and strange friends, just to see if you’ll trip up. 

Oh, and one of those friends is a mage accused of murder, another is a slightly psychotic dragon, the third a healer facing an existential crisis, and the last is a female storm-caller with more hidden secrets than a thief lord.

Do they all belong at the new school they call home?

This book is suitable for ages 12 and over. It is free of nudity, sexuality and only light cursing. The book is inclusive of LBGT and racial diversity.


-- My Rating --



-- My Thoughts --

     Fantasy is definitely my favorite genre. The imaginative places, the wonderful, out-of-the-world characters always peak my interest. And this book was no exception. By the way, the cover is absolutely GORGEOUS!
     A guardian, a dragon, a healer, a storm-caller, and a mage. Allorna, Vedaris, Sidimo, Sitara, and Maride are very different, but strange circumstances pull them all together into the enchanting, notorious Red Madrassa. With its different schools, and exotic assignments, these five become good friends. But the past is not so far behind, and it does not intend to leave them unharmed.
     First of all, I loved the concept of this book. The five characters are insanely different, all of them are unique in their own way, and they are very easy to relate to. Though, my favorite was Sitara, her quick wit and her ideas were believable, she would make a great best friend. Maride is also a very like-able characters, though his situations and ideas are far from normal. The plot is mainly about how the characters deal with going into such an exclusive school and their daily lessons. The lack of much action was fine by me.
     I appreciated the research the author has done on this book. The schools in the Madrassa were well thought-out. What I loved the most was the fact that the place was magical, other-worldly and Allorna even speaks some "Arabic", which I understood and appreciated. Loved the risks the author took with this book, and it was definitely worth my time. Red Madrassa is full of intrigue and interesting characters! Cannot wait to read book 2!

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