THIS IS A REVISED AND EXTENDED EDITION Rachel Griffin wants to know everything. As a freshman at Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts, she has been granted to opportunity to study both mundane and magical subjects. But even her perfect recollection of every book she has ever read does not help her when she finds a strange statue in the forest—a statue of a woman with wings. Nowhere—neither in the arcane tomes of the Wise, nor in the dictionary and encyclopedia of the non-magic-using Unwary—can she find mention of such a creature. What could it be? And why are the statue’s wings missing when she returns? When someone tries to kill a fellow student, Rachel soon realizes that, in the same way her World of the Wise hides from mundane folk, there is another, more secret world hiding from everyone—which her perfect recall allows her to remember. Her need to know everything drives her to investigate. Rushing forward where others fear to tread, Rachel finds herself beset by wraiths, magical pranks, homework, a Raven said to bring the doom of worlds, love’s first blush, and at least one fire-breathing teacher. Curiosity might kill a cat, but nothing stops Rachel Griffin! “The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin, a plucky band of children join forces to fight evil, despite the best efforts of incompetent adults, at a school for wizards. YA fiction really doesn’t get better than that.”—Jonathan Moeller, author of The Ghosts series “Rachel Griffin is curious, eager and smart, and ready to begin her new life at Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts, but she didn’t expect to be faced with a mystery as soon as she got there. Fortunately she’s up to the task. Take all the best of the classic girl detective, throw in a good dose of magic and surround it all with entertaining, likeable friends and an intriguing conundrum, and you’ll have The Unexpected Enlightenment of Rachel Griffin, a thrilling adventure tailor-made for the folks who’ve been missing Harry Potter. Exciting, fantastical events draw readers into Rachel’s world and solid storytelling keeps them there.”—Misty Massey, author of Mad Kestrel

"The British boarding school mystery meets the best imagined of fantasies at breakneck speed and with fully realized characters."-Sarah A. Hoyt, author of the best-selling Darkship Thieves. Before coming to Roanoke Academy, Rachel Griffin had been an obedient girl-but it's hard to obey the rules when the world is in danger, and no one will listen. Now, she's eavesdropping on Wisecraft Agents and breaking a lot of rules. Because if the adults will not believe her, then it is up to Rachel and her friends-crazy, orphan-boy Sigfried the Dragonslayer and Nastasia, the Princess of Magical Australia-to stop the insidious Mortimer Egg from destroying the world. But first she must survive truth spells, fights with her brother, detention, Alchemy experiments, talking to elves, and conjuring class. As if that were not bad enough, someone has turned the boy she likes into a sheep. Oh, and the Raven with blood-red eyes continues to watch her. It is said to be an omen of the Doom of Worlds. Will her attempts to save her world bring the Raven's wrath down upon her?

It’s Halloween at the Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts, and Rachel Griffin is stirring up the dead! As Halloween approaches, Rachel Griffin is starting to fit into life at Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts. She’s made friends with the world-famous Sigfried Smith and his dragon Lucky, and with the princess of Magical Australia. Though, at thirteen, Rachel is the youngest student, she actually has a boyfriend—an older boy, no less, the infamous Gaius Valiant. On her very first night at Roanoke Academy, Rachel discovered that mysterious forces were at work, forces that threatened everything she held dear. Before she could catch her breath, she was in the thick of a magical battle that threatened the lives of her fellow students. Despite her short stature and tender years, Rachel has already fought demons and fire-breathing dragons, and she has seen unseen things hidden from sight of others. But when the magical Elf who watches over her warns her of a terrible danger, Rachel is unable to convince either Roanoke Tutors or Agents of the Wisecraft that malevolent forces are gathering and a larger battle looms. Even the ghostly gaiety of the Dead Man’s Ball, on All Hallow’s Eve, can’t distract Rachel. The doom she has feared is more imminent than even her Elf could have imagined. And neither time, distance, nor her gifted magical family can save her from a dire fate in a distant land . . .

Winter brings its own magic to the Roanoke Academy for the Sorcerous Arts. Petite Rachel Griffin should be having an amazing freshman year. She has the Princess of Magical Australia and crazy, orphan Sigfried the Dragonslayer for friends, and a handsome sorcerer boyfriend romancing her with charms magical and otherwise. But otherworldly forces keep conspiring against the people and world she loves. What she knows, she dare not tell. Rachel’s perfect memory is a blessing…and a curse. While everyone around her can be made to forget the truth, Rachel cannot. When she runs afoul of the true force responsible for hiding these terrible secrets, Rachel must face her most desperate hour yet. This on top of winter fairies, missing friends, Yule gifts, flying practice, and a rampaging ogre…oh, and schoolwork. Then there is the matter of the state of her heart and a certain undeniably attractive older boy…

...She has discovered she has an older sister named Amber, who was stolen-away as a baby. Nobody but Rachel remembers her—not even their parents. Rachel is determined to find Amber and restore her to the family. But how? She doubts it will be as easy as overhearing the name Rumpelstiltskin. Meanwhile, Rachel has bigger problems. Wild fey have invaded the campus. If they so much as bewitch even one more student, Roanoke Academy will be forced to close its doors. Rachel and her friends must solve this menace before the academy cancels more classes or, worse, the Year of the Dragon Ball! But she has hope—if she can keep the school open—because, as Rachel's late grandmother told her, Masquerade balls are a time of wonder... when anything is possible.