I hate to say this, but I really did not enjoy reading this MG fantasy. I can see the appeal, for sure- it feels like a magical school set in a dystopian world. The introduction to the world was very promising. I was invested in Keynan and his parents, as well as the side characters. There was a great sense of community and place. However, once he arrived at Peerless, I felt that the novel went flat. I became slightly more invested in Leah towards the end of the book, but never connected to Amari or Dez. The professors weren't really distinguishable as characters for me, and the magic system didn't seem to have any rules or purpose. There were a lot of questions I had toward the beginning of the book that I felt were never answered, mainly about the Storms. I didn't get a sense of place from Peerless at all. Finally, in the Peerless half of the book, Keynan becomes much more selfish and uses a lot of slang that I think will most likely be dated by next year. The backbone of the story was promising, and I thought the cliffhanger was well done. I just struggle to see how this would hold a middle grader's attention. If it does, that's awesome, but I don't think it would have held mine.