Book Review: Evergreen Academy

Book #61 for 2025: Evergreen Academy by Heather Schneider, 3/5 ★
320 pages / published October 2024 / available here

Goodreads blurb: Welcome to Evergreen Academy, the secret college for Magical Botanists. I’d always sensed something peculiar about the reclusive Evergreen Academy, tucked deep in the woods of my hometown. But I never could have imagined it was a college for magical botanists–and that I am one of them. An invitation to the academy opens up a whole new world of wonder, yet my plant affinity powers remain elusive, and my scientific training is far behind that of my peers. … But disaster looms as the verdant shield that protects the academy from the prying eyes of nonmagical people begins to falter. Can Callan and the other founder’s descendants sustain the magic on their own, or will the clock finally start to tick on figuring out my powers?

My review: Heavy on the “young” part of YA, this whimsical story was intriguing but struggled to deliver as much as it could’ve. The worldbuilding of the school (and potential beyond it) was delightful, but there was far too much adolescent waffling when the page space would’ve been better devoted to the plot. There are a few minor events, and it felt like there was potential for some really satisfying conflict & resolution, but ultimately, nothing happens and the book ends incredibly abruptly. I really dislike the “I’ll just leave everything open-ended for book two” move. Additionally, the overused nickname from the tattooed, brooding, mysterious, tattooed, super special, and did you see – he has tattoos!! – love interest got very old. All in all, this series has promise and reminds me strongly of Greenwild, just…with more adolescent guff.

CW: mother death (prior to story)