YA Review – Illuminary – young adult fantasy

Book Categories – YA Review – review of books for teens

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About the Book

Book: Illuminary (The Sceptre & the Stylus Book One)

Author: Chawna Schroeder

Genre: YA Fantasy inspired by A Little Princess

Release date: April 8, 2025

Glimpse the past, illuminate the future.

Yosarai Patican dreams of becoming an illuminator in a country that values art above all else. A lofty goal that finally seems within reach when she earns a position at the prestigious Academy of the Seven

Arts. Although Yosarai loathes to leave behind her quiet country life, she travels to the capital, determined to live up to her mother’s fame asone of Indel’s greatest artists.

Prince Xander never planned to become king. Indeed, he never wanted to become king. But when his father dies suddenly, he is thrust into the middle of coronation preparations—and assassination attempts. With everyone around him in increasing danger, Xander decides to hide in neighboring Indel until the time for him to be crowned king arrives.

Posing as an inventor struggling with aesthetics, Xander enlists Yosarai’s aid as part of his cover, but soon he suspects she knows more than she should. But when danger threatens and secrets are exposed, entering a competition reputed as cutthroat may be the only way for them to protect everything they hold dear.

Click here to get your copy!

 My YA Review

Schroeder, Chawna. Illuminary. Carol Stream, IL: Enclave Publishing, 2025.

The Sceptre and the Stylus book 1

Illuminary was one of those books I did not want to put down. Schroeder has once again crafted a wonderful fantasy book. There is a contest that reminds me of Hunger Games (although not to the death).

Yosi has a tender heart that is striving to me in tune with the will of the Sustainer. Her father is a judge. As the story opens he is sending Yosi to a distant city to attend school. Yosi will be staying with her aunt, who is not a kind woman. 

Xander is the prince (soon to be king) of a neighboring country. He is visiting Yosi’s country under an alias. Yosi’s father introduces them but Yosi is not aware of his royalty.

A friendship is formed and together they form a team to compete in the Festival. However, their time is made up of Yosi and her cousin (who by society’s standards deserve to compete), along with Yosi’s maid, a friend who is mixed breed, Xander and his body guard (both foreigners and not known to be royalty). They compete with dignity and conquer all of the tests they face. They learn to follow the Sustainer rather than their personal desires. 

The book does end with a sad cliff hanger leaving me with questions so I look forward to finding those answers in the second book. 

Written for the young adult audience, Illuminary would be a good addition to a K-12 Christian school library. It is appropriate for eighth grade and up. 

I received a complimentary copy of Illuminary. This  is my honest review. 

About the Author – Chawna Schroeder

Chawna Schroeder loves exploring the wonder of God through the intersection of imagination and faith. When she isn’t reading or writing, she may be found practicing piano, reading biblical Greek or Hebrew, preparing for the Bible study she teaches, or working onone of her handwork projects while enjoying a movie.

More from Chawna Schroeder

Why I Love “A Little Princess”

Illuminary begins a fantasy trilogy loosely inspired by A Little Princess. This classic novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett is a book I’ve read almost annually since I was a preteen, with some years containing two or more readings. It is a story that never fails to enchant me no matter how often I read it, and it carries for me the same magic that Anne of Green Gables has for many other girls.

Yet unlike Anne, who endears herself to almost all who meet her, the young heroine of A Little Princess, Sara Crewe, is known to be a somewhat divisive character—the kind you either adore or hate the moment you meet her, much like the characters within the story itself. So, what draws me back to this young protagonist again and again?

The reasons are many. I love her imagination, her intelligence, her ability for the perfect comeback, her courage in the face of horrifying circumstances, her uniqueness—all characteristics that I’ve tried to endow upon the heroine of Illuminary to some extent.

But I think the thing I hope my heroine in Illuminary emulates most is Sara’s unshakeable character. For Sara is a principled young lady, and no matter what is thrown at her, she holds onto those principles without wavering.

Often in literature, it seems like the good, principled characters, when they are faced with great difficulty, end up struggling with their principles, debating whether they are good or worthwhile. In some stories, those characters even outright reject those principles for a time.

While these are good and needed stories to tell, sometimes they are portrayed as the only accurate arcs for such characters—as if characters holding onto their principles and maintaining their integrity is somehow unrealistic. A charge originating, I suppose, from those too sweet, too perfect characters found in morality tales.

Yet while such characters of integrity and principle might be rare, Scripture shows us that hard times don’t have to shake one’s principles or undermine one’s integrity. Both Joseph in the book of Genesis and Daniel in the book bearing his name exemplify this kind of life. And we see this same principled integrity in Sara Crewe.

It is not that she is some perfectly sweet heroine. Sara has a temper, struggles with some uncharitable thoughts toward others, and even misjudges another character terribly. Nor does she fail to grow. The Sara at the end of the story is definitely a more mature, thoughtful, and understanding girl than the one who began the tale.

But the core essence of her character—her politeness, generosity, and compassion as summarized by her wish to act like a princess—does not change in the story. The core characteristics that make Sara Crewe, Sara Crewe, are unshaken. They may grow and expand with the character, but these essential attributes characterize her throughout the entire story. Even in her darkest moments she holds fast to them.

That is both hopeful and encouraging. For we all will face hard and difficult times. A Little Princess doesn’t deny that reality. Rather, it says that those hard times don’t have to destroy us and that holding onto one’s integrity, one’s faith, is possible.

For me, that is what makes Sara Crewe and A Little Princess truly magical—and what I hope will make Illuminary magical for its readers.

Blog Stops

Library Lady’s Kid Lit, April 29

Artistic Nobody, April 30 (Author Interview)

CeCe Reads and Sings, April 30

The Lofty Pages, May 1

Wishful Endings, May 2

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, May 3 (Spotlight)

Simple Harvest Reads, May 3 (Guest Review from Mindy)

Locks, Hooks and Books, May 4

Guild Master, May 5 (Author Interview)

Texas Book-aholic, May 6

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, May 7

Tell Tale Book Reviews, May 8

Inklings and Notions, May 9

Fiction Book Lover, May 10 (Author Interview)

Blogging With Carol, May 11

Labor Not in Vain, May 12

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Chawna is giving away the grand prize of a 2.5” x 9.5” poster of Psalm 46:5 and 10-11 illuminated by artist and calligrapher Timothy Botts, a signed copy of the book, a $25 Amazon gift card, a glass stylus, and 5 bookish stickers!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf54208

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