• Elements of Power by Kate Stoessel
5
Elements of Power Book Cover Elements of Power
Council of the Harvest Moon
Kate Stoessel
Young Adult Paranormal
Independently Published
April 5, 2021
eBook
330

As the descendant of two prominent New England witching families, Khlorie Lethestone’s life was destined to fit into the neat, color-coded boxes established by the American Continental Coven (ACC). When it is discovered that Khlorie has “extra elemental powers” beyond that of a typical witch, she is sent to Spindlewick College, a secret institution designed to help witches develop non-conforming gifts into tools for the greater good of witching society. Once there, she meets the attractive, but distant Perry Prentice, who is assigned to help her understand her gifts. But becoming one of the most powerful witches in the world means that you are watched closely, and Khlorie learns that there are secrets she must keep hidden to survive.

You are Elite. You are Powerful. You are Spindlewick.

Elements of Power is the second release by author Kate Stoessel and her first in the Council of the Harvest Moon series. I am personally not an avid YA paranormal reader and tend to only veer that direction for a few notable exceptions.. witches and/or magical schools or any combination of the two. Luckily for me and anyone who is like-minded that we get BOTH in Elements of Power. Our leading lady Khlorie is a witch with prestigious magical bloodlines and upon finishing school at the top of her class is anxiously awaiting being assigned her specialty which will determine her profession as she reaches adulthood. In an unexpected turn of events Khlorie doesn’t receive an assignment and is instead whisked away to a magical school hidden from the rest of the world with other students who have powers unlike anything she has ever seen.  Her new classmates are different from anyone she has ever met and they open her eyes to experiences she could never have dreamed of. Her powers start to manifest in unexpected ways, making her realize that she may have underestimated her abilities and how they could be used in the wrong hands.

The first thing that stood out for me was how quickly Kate Stoessel was able to develop a new world that felt natural. She was able to weave witchy politics and fae rebellions into the plot as though she was merely reciting a fact of history rather than forcing a far-fetched story line. Khlorie’s High School experience felt familiar with a dose of magic which left a pang of jealousy that my own school did not provide me with a lifelong magical specialty to base my entire life around. Step it up muggle schools! Allow this to be my formal request for an online quiz to get sorted into our respective specialties.. I’ll wait!

Along with the world building Kate Stoessel was a master at developing relationships that felt authentic. Khlorie’s relationship with her mother was a mixture of admiration and disappointment as she desperately tries to live up to her high expectations. Regardless of her abilities and high performance in school there was a self-doubt and humbleness that only comes from never quite feeling good enough.  Once she moves to her new school the cast of characters she meets allow her to fully explore her magic and push the limits of her abilities.  Among her new friends she is also given a mentor, Perry, who has similar powers and is tasked with helping her explore her potential. Initially there is tension between them as Perry tries to maintain his distance but as her powers grow so does their connection. Watching them develop from reluctant study buddies to a pair bonded by more than affection is the perfect amount of sweet tension.

If you are looking for a new magical world to lose yourself in I cannot recommend Elements of Power by Kate Stoessel enough.  If this release is any indication of what we can expect from this author than I think we are seeing the beginning of what I hope will be a long and successful series! Congratulations on your new release!