Ahoy there me mateys! I was mesmerized by books one and two of the Binti series but couldn’t get a hold of the third book quickly. I then spotted this book instead. I thought it was a novella. Nope!

While the Binti series is sci-fi, this one is young adult fantasy. It had a completely different feel from the author’s other works and I loved it.

The story centers around 12 year old Sunny. She was born in the US but currently lives in Nigeria with her family. Not only does Sunny’s Americanism set her apart but so does her albinism. Yet Sunny tries her best to be a normal kid and to do well in school. She is bullied and one day is attacked by a popular female classmate. Only one person tries to come to her aid, a boy named Orlu. As she and Orlu become friends, Sunny soon discovers that she may have the magical powers of the Leopard People. How did she get these powers? And how is she supposed to help stop a killer?

I loved the magical system of this book. I loved that magic had very dangerous side effects and rules. I loved that Sunny still has to stay in “regular” school in addition to her magical training. I loved her friendships. I loved that her family was present in the book even if there were problems. I loved the rich tapestry of world building involved with the Leopard People. I wanted to go into the magical bookstore!

This book was another that led me to read more about the history of the Leopard People, Igbo people, and Efik people. I loved reading about the Efik, particularly the section about the written language mentioned in the book. I will certainly be reading the next book in the series once I get ahold of it. Arrr!

Side note: Lots of people seem to be calling this series the African Harry Potter. Personally I think it trivializes a book that completely stands on its own.

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