After reading the Clan Hakon series back in 2018, I have been eager to read something by Quinn Loftis again, so I had really high hopes for the first book in the Nature Hunters Academy. Loftis' Clan Hakon series was truly one of my favorite and most memorable reads, and I was happy to fall back into her world of action, romance, and witty humor. However, I was surprised by the very juvenile feeling of the humor and banter (although, at the same time, the humor didn't seem appropriate for my 15-year-old). 🤔💁‍♀️ It just seemed immature and tacky. I read a lot of YA books, and I don't typically feel that I am too mature of an audience… but looking back at the Clan Hakon series, I realize that while it was considered YA, it was also labeled 'new adult’, so maybe that's the difference I'm seeing. Anyhow, once I got past all of this, I did rather enjoy the story and the premise of the series.

This series is all about the supernatural world, good and evil. There are good and bad Elementalist (earth, fire, water, and air) that are at war with each other unbeknownst to humans. Tara, a high school senior, has always known that she was a little different after the death of her parents; however, she had no idea that she was gifted with earth-elemental magic and that she was soul bonded to another.

When Tara and Shelly (Tara's BFFF) go to a recruitment fair at school and meet Elias, who works at a geological testing company, TGTE, Tara and Elias are overcome by their connection to one another. Elias, good earth Elementalist, discovers that they are soul-bonded, and things begin to happen to them that they never expected.

This is a funny, fast-paced read that will keep you turning the pages and leave you with a cliffhanger that will make reading book two a must! 3.8 stars. ( )