Grave Digger Academy by C.A. King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was the first thing I have ever read by C.A. King, and I couldn’t put it down. The world building is amazing I found myself seeing the images in my mind of similar places I have seen. Makayla is a very relatable character not only for physically looking different from her family but in her thinking. Good or bad Makayla had questions that she shouldn’t leading to an interesting first year.
Makayla is the seventh born child in her family, having six older brothers, she was the only one with red hair and bright green eyes. Growing up she was always treated differently from her brothers by her family, her one hope was that she would get into a prestigious academy and would make her parents proud. On the morning of her first day at academy Makayla’s mother gives her a family heirloom, it is said that it hasn’t worked in 3-5 generations or more, the necklace refusing to even stay on her when it was passed to her, only now the clasp as disappeared the moment it was placed on Makayla, surprising both herself and her mother. The biggest fear was not getting accepted into her three choices, which would send her straight to Grave Digger Academy (GDA). Over the years it has been the most neglected profession in the magical world, despite being one of the most crucial jobs. The first lesson she learns is the difference between gravediggers and grave diggers. Gravediggers are the ones who dig the holes for the coffins, while grave diggers are those who prevent the already dead from returning. What started off as a disappointment at being sent to GDA quickly became a bigger mystery. Starting with the well-known urban legend of the seventh born in a family of witches. Immediately Makayla and her friends are invested in the thought of it being possible as the physical attributes of the seventh born were true for Makayla. For the first time she has friends but after an impossible moment she is kept from them, until the end of the semester.
From the first day of classes Makayla had questions about a now illegal practice of magic, seeing glimpses of the long-forgotten academy across the graveyard flickers of light seen inside makes her determined for some answers. She is finally reunited with her friends at the end of the semester, their stories of that night filling in the questions she had only now they had a plan. Knowing a glimpse of her heritage Makayla and her friends leave with missions during the break. Accepting they will be back at Grave Digger Academy soon for year two. Cali is determined to find out more about her mysterious classmates’ pasts. Thomas is to learn more about portals from his parents. Makayla is determined to learn more about her family history. They are to meet on the first day of year two and fill each other in on what they learned during the break. I cannot wait to begin reading Grave Digger Academy 2 and learn more about Makayla’s family history and why her mother kept it secret from her father.

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