Voodoo Academy by Theophilus Monroe

Voodoo Academy, the first book in Theophilus Monroe’s “Gates of Eden: The Voodoo Legacy” Series, breathes new life into the already fiercely contested urban fantasy subgenre. The series provides a fair introduction of VooDoo lore for the informed reader without overwhelming those who are merely interested in the story as a fantasy storyline for pure pleasure. It does this by combining a solid understanding of VooDoo and conventional urban fantasy clichés.

This is already a tremendous achievement in and of itself. A lesson on the history of voodoo is also included. Annabelle is touched during the attack on her family when she was young, giving her abilities that can only be explained by the fact that she was possessed by a friendly spirit that coexists in her brain, but enables her to use its powers when a mad man rushes out at Annabelle and her sister while they are driving.

They hit the man after she slams on the brakes and spins the wheel, so they essentially broadside him. She also has a strong female lead character with her sister as her sidekick, who kick some bad guys butt, along with a variety of helpers along the way. The man turns out to be possessed, and the demon in him attacks Annabelle in an attempt to steal her friendly spirit and increase his power.

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At this point, Annabelle meets her first voodoo man, who invites her to the academy and promises to teach her how to better defend herself and kick demons in the butt. She will have to leave her sister (who is becoming friends with an Indian Shaman) even though she only has one invitation and will not be able to go with her. When she finds out that her sister is leaving for the reserve to pursue a Shaman education, she chooses to accept the invitation.

In order to produce a series that is both very entertaining and treats the voodoo world with the due respect, Theopilus Monroe managed to blend just the perfect amount of fact and fiction into the mix. He also used the voodoo-verse as a metaphor for adolescence. The book is brilliantly written, action-packed, and fast-paced with a few pauses to provide some insights into the typical teenage angst and the surprisingly direct solutions occasionally found by teenagers to their ostensibly highly difficult life.

About The Book

Annabelle Mulledy survived a Voodoo attack on her family as a child—but it left her possessed by the spirit of a nearly 200 year-old-girl. This girl, however, came with strange abilities bestowed upon her in the after life. When Kalfu, an evil Loa, discovers Annabelle he hopes to use her abilities to his advantage—to escape the spiritual realm and take a corporeal form. When Ogoun, the Loa of War, intervenes he recruits Annabelle to join him as a student at the Voodoo Academy. Will Annabelle master the arts, and fend off Kalfu’s spiritual assaults? Or, is she ultimately a puppet in a battle between Voodoo demigods?

Voodoo Academy is the first book in the Gates of Eden: The Voodoo Legacy series. Theophilus Monroe’s Annabelle Mulledy is a snarky badass heroine with attitude. Monroe draws on the legend and myth of Voodoo lore in a way that neither caricatures the arts as “demonic” nor glosses over the dark side of the Voodoo tradition. With dark magic, dragons, vampires, and a slow burn academy romance the Gates of Eden: The Voodoo Legacy series has something for everybody.

If you enjoy magic academy fantasy books and occult urban fantasy, especially books with a dark twist, then you will love Theophilus Monroe’s Voodoo Academy. Fans of authors like Michael Anderle, Shayne Silvers, G.K. DeRosa, or Ramy Vance will love this compelling coming of age urban fantasy. Pick up your copy today!