Clara Collins thought she was ordinary. Growing up in Hull with her dad, she dreamed of becoming a Vet. But when a mysterious invitation arrives, everything changes pulling her into a world she never knew existed.
At a festival filled with impossible wonders, Clara discovers the truth: she belongs to a powerful magical family on her late mother’s side, a family who had no idea she existed. Thrust into a world of spells, secrets, and expectations, Clara struggles to find her place, especially
when she’s sent to Crowstone Academy of Magic, a school beyond her wildest dreams!
But as Clara navigates newfound friendships, magical lessons, and the weight of her family’s legacy, whispers of something darker begin to stir. A ruthless wizard tied to her family’s past has escaped from prison. Strange disturbances ripple through the school. Clara may not yet understand the full weight of her lineage, but the shadows closing in around her will force her to confront it sooner than she’s ready for.
Magic is real, but it comes at a cost.
My name is Nicky Cooper, and I’m a dyslexic ADHD author who has been writing for as long as I can remember. For years, I struggled to finish anything I started. With ADHD, completing tasks, especially full stories, has always been incredibly difficult. That changed when I wrote a children’s book for one of my kids. The feedback was so encouraging, it gave me the belief that maybe I could actually do this.
That moment of confidence led to my first full-length novel, Guardians of the Veil, which was published last month. It follows two teenagers who stumble upon a magical pendant and are thrown into a hidden war between realms. As they uncover ancient secrets and battle powerful enemies, they must decide what kind of guardians they are meant to be.
Shortly after, my second book, The Legacy of the Lost Witch, was accepted for publication and is due out in the coming months. It is a darker fantasy that follows a girl who discovers her magical bloodline and is thrust into a world of hidden academies, dangerous legacies, and a dark wizard tied to her past.
I am now working on my third book. It is a challenge with ADHD, but I am more determined than ever to keep going. I have learned that it does not matter how good your stories are if no one knows they exist, so I am here to share my work, connect with readers, and keep building the worlds that have lived in my head for so long
My thoughts: Clara receives an invitation to a festival of magic, she’s a bit sceptical, but goes along, not expecting her whole life to change. She’s only fourteen, but a new work awaits her, if she chooses it.
Her mum died when she was little and she has no idea that she comes from a long line of powerful witches and wizards. Meeting her grandparents, snobby uncle and the rest of the family is a bit overwhelming, but more is to come when she’s accepted into an elite school for magic.
There are secrets and rumours to unravel, Clara hasn’t been told the whole truth about her mum, or about the mysterious and dangerous Dark Wizard, recently escaped from prison. The things she learns will change everything.
If you’re looking for a YA book about magic, a young witch on a quest for the truth and an alternative to a certain book series, this is a pretty good option. Clara’s a likeable protagonist, there’s plenty of intrigue and action to hold your attention and it’s also quite funny at times, Clara isn’t from the world of magic and finds some of it a bit strange, a total fish out of water experience.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 