A witch hiding a dangerous secret is thrust into an elite magical academy, where survival means risking her life and her heart—in the standalone follow-up to Spells, Strings, and Forgotten Things.

Dark secrets. Deadly choices. A destiny that can’t be outrun. Welcome to Shadowcraft Academy.

Eléa Deniz dreads going home to the French countryside after leaving four years ago. Upon her return, she finds the estate has become host to the Shadowcraft Academy, an elite graduate school where a world of mysteries and power plays await. What’s worse, her father is the enigmatic and ruthless headmaster with an agenda of his own. And then she discovers a prophecy about her magic that could change everything.

As her power is tested, Eléa becomes torn between Alex, her stoic first love whose loyalties are as murky as his past, and the brash, irreverent Logan, who challenges her to see herself in new ways. Faced with family secrets, a secret society, and the weight of her own magic, Eléa must reclaim her power and forge her own path. Destiny is calling . . . and it demands a price

My Review

This book immediately caught my attention because I’m a sucker for anything involving curses and secret societies. There is a trigger warning for this story, so definitely take note of that. The playlist attached to this book is very telling, and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

Elea has both fond and not so fond memories tied to her childhood home in France, but she’s heading back anyway. Her family and their home are deeply connected to magic, and Elea herself is a shadow crafter, able to draw from a powerful well of magic within her. Her return home is not at all what I expected. Instead of easing into something familiar, the story throws you straight into something darker and far less comforting.

I loved how this book instantly transported me from California to France. The author doesn’t waste time easing you in. The story jumps right into the action, and I appreciated that momentum right from the start.

Alex, Elea’s childhood friend and first love, clearly plays an important role, appearing in both the past and present. This is a layered, complex story, and I really enjoyed discovering things alongside Elea as she navigates it all. The wraiths, dark magic, academy setting, and secret societies are intriguing, even if they raise more questions than answers at first. And then there is that moment that is entirely unhelpful, throws Elea onto a path she never saw coming, and left me reeling.

Elea’s sweet romance with Logan is one of the highlights for me. His fierce loyalty and steady presence add a lot of heart to the story. I also really appreciated the cultural representation woven throughout the book, with French, Hawaiian, Turkish, and more included thoughtfully and naturally. It adds so much richness to the worldbuilding.

As Elea’s magic grows stronger, everything becomes more complicated. Her feelings for both Logan and Alex intensify, her powers evolve, and the revelations just keep coming. If the bedroll scenes don’t completely scramble your brain, the final fifteen percent of the book absolutely will. I genuinely needed time to process all the secrets revealed, the light versus dark battles, and how everything ultimately came together, including the satisfying ending.

This is a complicated, witchy, magic heavy story, but it’s also written with a lot of heart. It’s not a quick, forgettable paranormal romance. It pulls at emotions, challenges expectations, and plays with ideas of fate, power, and choice. I loved the cultural connections, Elea’s quiet strength, and the way the story allows her to choose who she becomes. She is not the heroine you expect, and that makes her all the more compelling.

if you would like to read Curses, Keys and Secret Societies by Breanne Randall you can find this book on Amazon. It releases 5/26 for all to enjoy but if you think you will love it preorder it now. As an Amazon Associate I earn on qualifying purchases.

If you enjoy this book you may also enjoy books with thees tags and categories: Magic, Academy and New Adult.