Poseidon's Academy by Sarah A. Vogler ~ a Review

by MK French

Over sixteen hundred years ago, humans banded together to kill the gods that had been using them. The gods' powers then rained down onto humanity, so that they could wield those powers for themselves. There is a prophecy that the gods will return, and one with the power of Zeus will control lightning and save the world. Hailey Woods is the first person born with the powers of Zeus in a century, but she's thirteen years old and hardly knows how to handle the power she does have. She enrolls in Poseidon's Academy, an underwater school that is very exclusive. The benefit of being underwater also means that Hailey can't use her power or be harassed to put on a show, allowing her to feel like a normal teenager. However, she overhears nymphs plotting against the human students and will do what she can to stop them from enacting the prophecy.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

October 2018; Aurora House; 9780648350934
ebook, print (400 pages); YA, mythology

It's fun to see a new series aimed at teenagers that has them actually acting like teenagers. They can be jealous, petty, friendly and fiercely independent as well. Hailey arrives at the school with two of her friends from home and makes a few more. There is the requisite Mean Girl and her friends, who are literally a Venus and a pair of siren twins. Having powers means the bullying is a little more intense than the average name calling. Being a teen-centered novel, this means that the characters avoid most of the adults that are actually present on campus, so other than laying out rules when the teens run amok, we very rarely see them. That is one aspect I find annoying because there is surely a way to make adults in teen series be more than absent or morons. It can be understandable that teens don't always trust the adults around them, but for a boarding school full of powered children, you would think there is far more security present there.

Overall, I was drawn into Hailey's story and cheered her and her friends on. It's a little silly that she and her friends think a bunch of thirteen-year-olds that barely know magic or how to corral their powers are able to do half the things they attempt. They do get gravely hurt and scared for their efforts, so it's not entirely a cakewalk. This is an interesting start to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Buy Poseidon's Academy at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and golden retriever.

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