I think upper elementary and middle schoolers will love this original, magic boarding school tale that is rooted in Creole and Black American culture of the Deep South. It has a fresh and mesmerizing magic system, and taps into relevant social, family, and friend issues. As an adult reader, I felt like there were some pacing issues and then realized that I was just frustrated by the way Hasani has to struggle to piece together information about the school, her magic, the social cues of her classmates, and even what's going on in her own family — which is a pretty realistic portrayal of a middle schooler's life.