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Normally "back to school" means gathering supplies and buying new clothes, but Frankie Caridi has never known normal. So when her "back to school" consists of learning how to use crystals to power her mind and trapping marauding spirits, she adapts. But the secrets of magic are nothing compared to the secrets she learns about her own past.

"Real and otherworldly dramas collide. A twisty story with broad reader appeal...and the cliffhanger ending will leave readers hungry for more." —Kirkus Reviews

"[H]umor, suspense, and a brisk pace will make for an enjoyable introduction to a promising contribution to the magical school genre." —BCCB, starred review

Frankie is used to living in her younger brother’s shadow. Lucie is outgoing, smart, kind, and has horns. Yes, horns. Frankie’s life has always revolved around Lucie, so when she's told she must attend a new boarding school because Lucie has been given a full scholarship, she knows she has no other choice. But something about The Pythagorean Institute is off. The building looks like a prison, half of the students have horns like her brother, and the headmaster acts more like a cult leader than a principal. Even weirder, however, are the dreams Frankie has been having since she moved into her dorm. Dreams that sometimes seem more like… memories.

Trapped in this new school with no way home, Frankie must get to the bottom of why the place unsettles her so much. But in learning about the Institute, Frankie learns more about herself--and her past--than she could ever have expected. What she discovers brings her out of her brother’s shadow and gives her powers beyond belief, but the spotlight comes with its own set of troubles.

Series Overview: Magic and mayhem run amok when young teen Frankie Caridi must attend a strange boarding school with a dark past.