My Name is Magic

A YA fantasy novel set in Finland

Taika Turunen has no magic.

Despite coming from a long line of powerful Finnish mages, and their name literally meaning magic, Taika can’t perform the simplest of spells.

Forced to attend Myrskyjärvi International School for the Magically Gifted on account of their mom being principal, Taika has a hard time fitting in. Sometimes, they wonder if not having magic has something to do with the fact they’re neither a girl nor a boy and if they’re fated to be Taika the Talentless forever.

Life goes from bad to worse when Taika sees a liekkiö and recognizes the spirit’s voice begging for help as that of their former BFF and major crush, Natalie Khumalo, whose recent absence from class hadn’t gone unnoticed. When more students go missing, Taika must take the lead in a race against time to save friends old and new before a powerful group of chaos mages can unleash the legendary Sampo, an artifact capable of either renewing the world’s waning magic or destroying everything Taika holds dear.

To rescue Natalie, Taika will have to journey to the liminal space between worlds where they’ll be forced to battle mythical monsters and their own flagging self-esteem. In doing so, Taika might just discover that magic—and love—comes in many different forms.

For fans of witchcraft and wizardry looking for a new, inclusive story, My Name Is Magic, is a story about finding strength from within and potential where you least expected it.

CW: Implied death of a child, children hurt by adults physically and magically without any graphic descriptions, misgendering, implied injuring of animals without any graphic descriptions

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Book cover of 'My Name is Magic' by Xan Van Rooyen featuring an illustrated scene of two characters, one in a purple plaid shirt and the other in a colorful jacket casting a glowing spell.

published by

Tiny Ghost Press

Book and review quotes

"I absolutely loved My Name Is Magic. The novel is a gripping, page-turning mystery and a wonderful, welcome addition to the Magic School subgenre. Drawing from Finnish mythology, Xan Van Rooyen creates a spellbinding setting brimming with wintry darkness and ancient sorcery while introducing a diverse cast with a marvelous non-binary main character. I found myself immediately longing for a continuation to Taika's story - in the meantime, I may just have to read My Name Is Magic again!"

Emmi Itäranta author of Memory of Water and The Moon Day Letters

"A whirlwind magic-school mystery, full of Finnish mythological lore. I adored Taika and their found family of delightfully complex misfit mages. A whimsical, edge-of-your seat adventure that navigates powerful themes of overconsumption and degrowth alongside queer adolescent challenges of bullying, unsupportive parents, and toxic thought patterns."

Sim Kern author of Seeds for the Swarm and Depart, Depart!

"Immersive, enchanting, and spellbinding! Xan van Rooyen weaves a powerful tale that's as inclusive as it is magical!"

Brooks Benjamin author of My Seventh Grade Life In Tights

"If you've been looking for a magic school fantasy that's also diverse and inclusive, My Name is Magic will give you what you need. Rich with Finnish mythology...van Rooyen gets inside the head of a misunderstood teen as they slowly realise their prejudices against others, and see their own worth. My Name is Magic perfectly captures the bittersweet emotional rollercoaster of the outsider teen, wraps it in magic, adventure, and mythology, and manages to be both dark and charming."

Cat Hellisen author of King of the Hollow Dark

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