Part of Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, book 1
First published 2015
Simon Lewis stands at the gates of Shadowhunter Academy, barely believing this moment has arrived. His past lives feel like different people entirely. First he was just another Mundane teenager in New York. Then he became a vampire, navigating the dark world of the Downworlders. Now he faces something he never imagined possible: training to become a Shadowhunter, one of the angel-blooded warriors who protect the world from demons. The Academy walls hold centuries of tradition and rigid expectations. Simon must prove himself worthy among students born into this life, students who question whether someone like him belongs here at all. His memories of his supernatural past create both advantages and obstacles as he learns to wield seraph blades and master ancient combat techniques. The other students watch his every move, waiting for him to fail. Simon discovers that becoming a Shadowhunter means more than learning to fight demons. It means finding his place in a world that has never welcomed outsiders, while holding onto the parts of himself that make him different.
Genres: coming-of-age, fantasy, young-adult, urban-fantasy
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Shadowhunter Academy, New York
Period: Present Day
78 pages · Kindle Edition · Simon & Schuster