The Elemental Trilogy: “The Burning Sky” (Book 1), “The Perilous Sea” (Book 2) by Sherry Thomas

Plot: Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation – or so she accidentally discovers when she attempts to fix a ruined potion by calling down a lightning bolt. Seeing that burning sky is the sign Prince Titus, Master of the Domain, has waited for his whole life, the one prophesied by his mother. An elemental mage powerful enough to control lightning will help him defeat the Bane, the tyrannical commander of Atlantis that has oppressed the Domain for years. Revealing her unknown abilities makes Iolanthe a target for the Bane and his servants, led by the Inquisitor. Titus needs her in his battle to free the Domain and avenge his family. But first he has to keep Iolanthe safe. With limited options, Titus must hide Iolanthe at his school in the nonmage realm. There’s just one problem – he attends Eton College, an all-boys school in England.

Why you would recommend this book: I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys fantasy. It’s full of magic, adventure, intrigue, action and a touch of romance. The best part is it’s entertaining for all ages. I’ve recommended the series to everyone from my nephew in middle school to friends my age. Maybe it’s the Eton College setting, like attending Hogwarts in “Harry Potter,” but this book is one of those reads that feels perfect for fall and winter seasons.

That moment you were on the edge of your seat: This series is a pageturner from the beginning, the first few chapters full of action setting the plot in motion. When Iolanthe first discovers the extent of her magic, she flees the Inquistor through a portal that transports her to the inside of a trunk in nonmage London. Only she finds herself locked in with someone on the other side determined to suffocate her by sucking the air out of the trunk.

Lasting Impressions: I read a lot of books, and I enjoy a lot of what I read. As a matter of fact, call me a quitter, but I don’t finish books I don’t enjoy — too many books in the to-be-read pile, too little time. Even with all that reading, it’s very rare that I find a book that immediately stands out as a great love and elevates itself to my list of “favorites.” But “The Burning Sky” did just that.

A friend with similar reading tastes posted a glowing review of the book, and off I jetted to the library (in a storm worthy of Iolanthe’s elemental magic) to pick up the book. I knew from the following opening lines that I was reading something magical, something different: “Just before the start of Summer Half, in April 1883, a very minor event took place at Eton College, that venerable and illustrious English public school for boys. A 16-year-old pupil named Archer Fairfax returned from a three-month absence, caused by a fractured femur, to resume his education. Almost every word in the preceding sentence is false. Archer Fairfax had not suffered a broken limb. He had never before set foot in Eton. His name was not Archer Fairfax. And he was not, in fact, even a he.”

I was immediately intrigued by this introduction into the story. Author Sherry Thomas’ prose is masterful.

Thomas moved to the United States from China as a teen and honed the English language by reading Sci-Fi and romance novels. All that reading paid off. This book is a standout in the realm of young adult fantasy, and her world-building is rich and effortless with a creative magical system. But no book can stand on strong world-building alone — great characters, ones readers care for, are key, and Thomas delivers with Iolanthe and Titus.

Iolanthe is at first reluctant to accept her prophesied role as savior of the Domain, desiring nothing more than to lie low and survive. Titus views Iolanthe as a means to an end of Atlantis’ domination, a necessary weapon to stop the Bane. As the two train together, they develop a friendship that forges them into a team — character development that has the two growing into the roles of hero and heroine. The rapport between Iolanthe and Titus is humorous and rich with chemistry.

Thomas alternates perspectives between the protagonists. I find that this is often tricky for authors if the voices are not distinct, but this is not the case in the Elemental Trilogy. The shifts are effortless and feel necessary to the plot, in understanding both Titus and Iolanthe’s motives.

The worst part of finding a book you love is finding another book that maintains the same high. Fortunately, the sequel, “The Perilous Sea,” is just as engaging and absorbing.