For as long as they can remember, Briar Jones dreamed of attending the Temple School of Thaumaturgy. Behind its looming ornate gates, the elite boarding school-the place that has produced the most CEOs and Prime Ministers in British history-is whispered to be magical.

Briar's best friend, Sebastian Wolfe, never cared about Temple. He just wanted them to stay together forever.

When, at age eleven, Seb gets an acceptance letter and Briar doesn't, their childhood friendship is shattered. Seb vanishes onto Temple's grounds and Briar resigns themself to a mundane life. But they can't completely forget their yearning for Temple, for the extraordinary, to be one of the chosen in the ivory tower.

Seven years later, Briar secures a temp job sorting through the junk in Temple's attics. And when Briar takes it, they discover that quiet, sensitive Seb, the boy they once loved more than anything else in the world, has become Bastian: a beautiful, arrogant villain feared by the entire school. And worse, the secrets Temple is hiding might not be so enchanting after all.

The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones by Lex Croucher has powerful truths, both about power and abuse, whether magical or otherwise. The dark academia aspects are intriguing and I especially like that Briar is nonbinary. As Briar begins work at Temple School, they find out that what they thought about the school and Seb is not the reality. As Briar explores the school, with the help of new friends, they learn truths about both the school, themself and Seb that shake them to the core.

I love the powerful nature of the story, the way both Seb and Briar gain insight into each other. I also like that Briar gains knowledge that the others don't realize is available. And just as Temple rocks Briar's world, so too does Briar change the world around them as well. This story will change your view of the world, especially the rich and powerful.

If you like stories about power and abuse, magic and reality, this novel is for you. The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones is magical, full of powerful truths and incredible characters. Briar Jones is intriguing and full of imperfections. The emotional journey that Briar takes will keep readers fascinated until the end.

Rating: 5 out of 5 journals ~~ Andrea Rittschof