Gr 3–7—Onyeka has always felt insecure about her hair, which she can never get under control. After her friend
almost drowns, she discovers she is a Solari with psychokinetic powers connected to her hair. Onyeka travels to the
Academy of the Sun where she learns to harness her powers in this adventure that's Black Panther meets X-Men.

I wish Onyeka and her mother had an easier relationship, but I appreciate the realism of it nonetheless. Fastpace fantasy with cool hair-based superpowers (in Onyeka's case), a mysterious disappearance, and a school full of talented Nigerian kids. The plot doesn't wholly hang together, but it's an enjoyable read. ( )

This sells as a Black Panther meets X-Men, tosses a nod at the Harry Potter series, and skims along with a slight feeling of the Percy Jackson books but adds science and high-tech to the mix. So, to say that this one packs a punch is an understatement.

Onyeka lives under the over-protective eyes of her strict but loving mother and wishes she could stretch into a little more independence...and finally find a way to tame her overly difficult hair. When a battle with a swim cap and a hard fought for trip to the swimming pool finds her best friend drowning in front of her eyes, her worries shoot into high gear. And so does her hair. Her mother has no choice but to admit that Onyeka is a Solari, a not-quite-human with exceptional powers, and she inherited these from her missing father. Unable to deal with the new situation alone, the two fly back to Nigeria where the mother embarks on a search for Onyeka's father, while leaving her in a school for Solari, so that Onyeka can learn more about her powers and find protection from those hunting her mother and her. While Onyeka is eager to meet those like her, fitting in is hard when everyone around her has wielded their powers since they were young kids. She's a misfit. Again. But there's more to it than that, and it's exactly those secrets, which are about to expose an intrigue even superpowers may not be able to fight.

The plot in these pages is rich and full and woven, and packs more than just a little intrigue of a few secrets and surprises. The beginning starts out smooth, slow, and gives hints at the super-power, making it not so surprising when Onyeka's hair suddenly rescues her friend. But this also allows the reader to gain more sympathy with Onyeka and not only center on her hair before the story launches into high-gear.

From the minute Onyeka sets foot in the academy, she's got her hands full. Starting with the usual bullying and problem of not fitting in, the more over-reaching plot also grows. There are tons of characters, each layered with good and bad. All the while, Onyeka's dealing with her new powers, but even there, other aspects slowly roll into play. There's definitely a lot of weaving and laying out of plot threads to lead into the rest of the series. The ending isn't well-rounded, leaving the reader, instead, to wait for the next book to appear...one I'm definitely looking forward to now.

Action fans are going to love this one. It stretches past fantasy to take a more scientific twist. Ike, the name they give to the center of their powers, comes in a variety of forms and has an surprising origin, which will delight STEM fans. The Nigerian culture flows in naturally and even a bit of history is added, which I found to be a nice touch. I did miss a little more description on Nigeria (the landscape, housing, and such) outside of the academy and high-tech, solar-supported area, since I doubt many readers know much about the country. Some of the character relationships and logic glides over a little superficial, but then, action is key and is what makes this book a fun and easy read.

This is a quick-paced story, which packs tons of tropes but still weaves it around for an original and exciting twist. It's definitely not easy to put down and lays the ground work for what promises to be an exciting series. I received an ARC and enjoyed the adventure quite a bit. ( )