In a world where almost everyone possesses magic, Thea Winthrop, the seventh child of two seventh children, was expected to surpass them all. Thus, her total lack of magic dismays and disappoints her entire family. As a last-ditch effort, Thea is sent to study with a mysterious mentor who helps her to unlock her true potential – a potential she must keep secret from everyone, especially the sinister Alphiri, a cold, calculating mercantile race from another dimension. Sent to the Wandless Academy, a last-ditch school for people without, or adversely affected by, magic, Thea must further develop her gifts and bond with her new friends before a bizarre evil can destroy them all. An excellent start to a new series, with a fascinating premise, this nevertheless feels like two books joined in the middle. However, the concept is intriguing, and there’s a lot of potential left to be explored in future books. I’ll be keeping an eye on this series.