In this latest from New York Times best-selling Novik, author of the Nebula and Hugo finalist Spinning Silver, a reluctant dark sorceress is about to change the world of magic. Meanwhile, she's aiming simply to survive the Scholomance and knock off the hero-worshiped Orion Lake, who has dared to save her life not once but twice.

From the time she was young, living with her mother on a commune, Galadriel has had a special bond with magical forces. As this novel opens, she is in her third year in the Scholomance, a school for magically gifted children. In Scholomance, students are tested daily on not only their magical abilities but their ability to survive the other students, the magical inhabitants of the school, the creepy cafeteria, and the dangerous coursework. Outcast Galadriel can rely on no help from the other students, except for Orion, who appears to be "some kind of inhumanly heroic monster slayer." But is he trying to help, or does he have sinister ulterior motives for always showing up when she's in danger? An unresolved ending leaves readers eager for the next installment. VERDICT This latest from Novik ("Temeraire" series) launches a new series that should appeal to aficionados of fantastical fiction as well as to those who have felt they never quite fit in and don't understand why. The magic and mystery of this chillingly lovely novel will appeal to both YA and adult fans of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. [See Prepub Alert, 3/18/20.]—Jane Henriksen Baird, formerly at Anchorage P.L., AK

Novik (Spinning Silver) puts a refreshingly dark, adult spin on the magical boarding school setting of the spellbinding first fantasy in her Scholomance trilogy. The students of Scholomance, a boarding school for sorcerers, must weather survival-of-the-fittest trials, fighting off the Lovecraftian monsters known as maleficaria (or "mals") that routinely break in to eat students. Graduation is the greatest challenge of all, and requires the students to fight their way through the sea of mals clustered outside the building. Dark sorceress El (short for Galadriel) has a plan for how she'll make it through the gates alive next year: she'll learn to control her affinity for destruction, make allies by impressing other students with her abilities, and stockpile magical energy. But monster-slayer Orion Lake throws a wrench in the works. He keeps saving El before she can display her talents, and has killed so many lesser mals that the ones left are huge—and hungry. El and Orion must strike up an alliance to save themselves and their schoolmates from monstrous destruction. Readers will delight in the push-and-pull of El and Orion's relationship, the fantastically detailed world, the clever magic system, and the matter-of-fact diversity of the student body. This is a must-read for fantasy fans. (Oct.)