Requiem – Tales of the Five Realms - Rachel V Knox

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Requiem by Rachel V Knox is a Paranormal Fantasy Romance that is more new adult than young adult.  The story follows Hagar as she performs magic in Sera, where all magic is against the law.  Her friend from childhood, Noq, is a magical creature, and only she sees him. After she is caught burning down the furrier’s barn, the elders offer her an offer she cannot refuse.  She is sent to Vanar university in Candesa as a spy; she is exiled from Sera, and only through spying on the University will she receive permission to see her father. 

Hagar takes the chance to study magic formally amongst other magical people her age.  She makes friends and enemies in her year at University.  She and her friends can join multiple legal and illegal secret societies, but navigating University politics and petty jealousy is difficult, mainly because negative emotions cause shade.  Shade is dangerous and poses a threat to Light in the world. Requiem is the one university-run society to which Hagar is invited.  She has to fulfil some obligations toward Requiem, but she has a way of getting in over her head and ends up in dangerous situations.

When all her snooping around culminates in the release of an aeons old mirage, she and her friends are placed in grave danger.  Loyalties shift, secrets are revealed, and futures shaped.  Through all this, love and friendship have to be steered to survive personal challenges and secrets.

Requiem is an exciting series starter in a genre where Young Adult books about school are many.  The milieu of University brings more aspects to play in the storyline and character development.  I would recommend this to any reader who loves YA books but is looking for something more than a teenager who “always knew she was different”.

 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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