Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

A very secret society invites a very select few recent grad students from the New York University of Magical Arts. Six are selected, six accept but none of them have any idea of what they are getting into.
Once initiated they will have access to the Library of Alexandria where all their questions will be answered, their magical skills honed and the power of the ancients at their disposal. For medians of their skill level to be included in such a society would be worth murdering someone for. Each candidate is the top of their class, each has very different personalities and one of them won't make it. It is hard to believe that this first book in a trilogy was first self-published and you will be pulled into the story from the first page. With just the right mix of magic, jealousy, attraction, politics and danger as well as the perfect mix of character personalities you will feel like I do that I hope book two is well under way. Fans of Lev Grossman's THE MAGICIANS, Donna Tartt's SECRET HISTORY or those who wonder how Harry Potter would have turned out if he went to grad school for the dark arts.  4 1/2 stars