Night Shade Academy by Kelly Carrero

Night Shade Academy #1

Publish Date: August 14th, 2019

Format: Kindle Edition
Series: Night Shade Academy 1
Author: Kelly Carrero
Author’s Goodreads
My Review on Goodreads

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Introduction

If you are born to a supernatural family, before you can live in polite society with regular humans, you have to graduate from Night Shade Academy. Here you will hone your skills and learn to live amongst the other "factions", or beings other than yourself. You have to live with your own people, being werewolves, vampires, light witches, or dark witches. Twins Kayla and Rozalia (Zalia) were born and raised as light witches, the self-proclaimed superior clan. But when they get to school, Zalia cannot enter the dorm of the light witches. She has been detected as a dark witch. Forced to leave her sister, her boyfriend, and all the values she has held, she has to go live and learn with the Darks. To make matters worse, she discovers that she is beyond being a magic prodigy, and her powers have to be reigned in or she risks hurting everyone around her. She is something so different from what she always thought she was, and the truth behind the other factions isn't what she was lead to believe.

Story

I really enjoyed how the book immediately subverted my expectations. I was expecting the twins to go into their dorm and be all happy but BAM, subverted. It didn't deliver in my other expectations, though, which can be both good and bad. The vampires and werewolves weren't really utilized as different characters. I'd like to know how they live, what their powers are, and you get a tiny little bit of werewolf action, and that's it.

Love Story/Relationship

Uh...the obvious relationship isn't exactly something I can root for because of the young man's position. He is a teacher/tutor to her. The ick factor is here and I don't know why people like this, unless you are 15 and still fantasize about your teachers. It's the same problem that I had with The Queen's Rising.

Look, the love interest here isn't bad bad. He seems to have his head on his shoulders - unless you look at their first kiss. Yikes. But, no, wait, seriously, he doesn't pressure her. He has her best interest and well-being in mind. It's difficult. Buuutt....

Good Messages

At the core of this story is generational prejudice against other people. Being switched factions, Zalia is confronted with the reality that what she has taught previously by other Light Witches was...false. She has thought the others -- vampires and werewolves, plus Dark Witches -- were terrible, especially the Darks. Can you imagine how hard it would be to have the truth told to you, and in a room full of people, you're the only one who didn't know? Part of Zalia's task is to learn to get to know the others, and treat them like people...which was hard for her? Those bits were a little hard to read, but she gets over it. I still think she should have learned a little more but hopefully that happens in book 2.  

Main Character

Oh, we're all shocked that ROZALIA is basically the chosen one?! Nooooo waaaaay!

Seriously though. You have two kids. One is Kayla, the other is ROZALIA. Not Rose, ZALIA. 

Final Verdict

Overall, I loved this book. The twist at the end was great, and the red herring was fantastic. I hope to see more done with the vampires, werewolves, familiars, and the other elements that were introduced in this book. I still have some questions, so I'll just have to get my hands on the second book?

An Ignorant Witch by E.M. Graham

Witch Kin Chronicles 

An Ignorant Witch

Publish Date: July 17th, 2019
Publisher: OneEar Press
Format: Kindle Edition
Series: Witch Kin Chronicles
Author: E.M. Graham
Author’s Goodreads
My Review on Goodreads

Introduction

Dara goes to school, has a best friend, and has an average life. She shouldn't. She's a half-witch, untrained, and shunned by her witch father. Magical creatures also reside in her hometown in Newfoundland and she is capable of magic, but forbidden to venture into such territory. Her mother disappeared years ago and she resides with her aunt. Then her best friend's brother disappears and Dara becomes entangled in a magical mess she's not equipped to deal with. 

Audience

I'm not sure who the audience is supposed to be. Dara is 20 but immature, the book occasionally uses curse words, and the writing is straight forward and mostly easy to read. It makes it difficult to recommend because it sounds New YA based on story/ages but it reads like a young YA book. It's the same issue I had with The New Keeper. It really could have been written to strongly suit one specific audience.

Setting

The book has a strong setting on Granby Island, Newfoundland. Graham does a fantastic job describing Newfoundland's landscapes, people, and berry pail quirks. I've never been there so I can't confirm, but Dara lists off the directions she's taking by naming streets and local points-of-interest, along with the names of various hills and describes the terrain. I also enjoyed the juxtaposition of her aunt's cozy kitchen/home and Dara's step-mother's home. I know Dara points it out, but I still enjoy how the sterility of their home is not "witchy" but Edna's home has more of said qualities.   

I don't remember there being Newfoundland
dogs in this, but there should be. They are
good bois.

Writing

The book does a lot of telling rather than showing. The beginning pages of the book goes into her appearance, her house, her family drama - Dara just tells the reader. She legitamitely talks to the reader and that drives me bananas. All this information could have been explored naturally such as: she gets a glimpse of herself in the mirror, brushes her unruly hair, comes home to her aunt's house so she can describe it, a slow dribble her family history to the reader to keep interest and mystery. Dumping it on the reader was jarring, but if you can take the dumps of information and run with the story, I think you can have a fun time.  

Final Verdict 

If you're looking for a new book of witches who aren't instantly over-powered and who make mistakes, and even a book set in Newfoundland, this book may strike your fancy. The core story is what kept me reading. This author has a lot of potential and I sincerely hope they continue writing. As for this book, I hope this is Dara's introduction to the Witch Kin in terms of magic and politics that will follow in book 2. 

Blameless by Gail Carriger

Parasol Protectorate

Soulless * Changeless * Blameless * Heartless * Timeless

Publish Date: September 1st, 2010
Publisher: Orbit
Format: Paperback
Series: Parasol Protectorate
Author: Gail Carriger
Author’s Goodreads
Wikia (has spoilers!)
My Review on Goodreads

Disclaimer

This book is not typically found in the YA section of a library as the characters are older (MC is 26). It has some sexual content. Not as much as Soulless, but it is there. I do contend that teens can enjoy the story and world, but some people may be upset about the sexual content. Totally fair. I usually only review content that is clearly marketed to teens, and this is not. I'm reviewing this because it is in the same universe as the YA Prudence and is the pre-story to that. So...

If you don't like some steamy content, please skip this review/book!

Introduction

Cast out from Woolsey Castle after her husband accuses her of infidelity, Alexia returns to her parents' home. She is desperate for answers to her pregnancy, and when she seeks her friend Lord Akeldama, she discovers that he is missing. Thus she turns to her last remaining allies to seek the truth of her "infant inconvenience" to prove to her husband that he is wrong (and an idiot). Together they travel to new territory with murder constantly on their heels.

Biffy

The best thing this book did was with Biffy. Not with the main characters, the setting, or the explanation of the pregnancy. It's Lord Akeldama's favourite drone. I hated that the book had so many POVs, because I just wanted to know about Biffy and how it would be worked out with Lord Akeldama. Best couple: Biffy and Lord Akeldama.       

Ivy

Alright, so the second-best thing that this novel did was redeeming Ivy. She isn't nearly as annoying. I stand by that this is the life that she was always supposed to have, but she was confined by her station at birth. I'm happy that she's happy. Perhaps the author realized making her absurdly stupid in the second book was a mistake. 

Romance Genre?

No romance here, unless you count the cringy steamy scene at the end. I was hoping someone else would come along to test/hit on/be with Alexia, but it didn't happen. I'll admit though, I don't need romance in every book I read, I just want Alexia to be with ANYONE else (alas, I know what happens because I've read Prudence). She has a beautiful French inventor who is into her, is totally cool with the pregnancy/raising kids, and STANDING RIGHT BESIDE HER. But no, let's be boring.

Final Verdict

I'm extremely impressed that maternal instincts just don't magically spring up on Alexia. She was resigned to never having children, probably before she ever met with Lord Maccon. I don't see this in fiction nearly as often as I ought to. In this one there's tonnes of fighting and fleeing, near escapes, and fantastical gadgetry. It's adventurous (fun) fluff, that's all, and if that's what you're looking for, you may have a good time. 

SPOILER RANT

If you don't want to read any spoilers, please don't read anything beyond this point. Three things in this book really bothered me.

Piping hot, loose-leaf tea.

1. Connal

He just shows up at the end and they...just make up? Making up implies that she did something wrong, which she didn't. And he didn't do much to convince her to take him back, she was just willing to do so. If he could have dashed in during one of the fights that were taking place just minutes before, it would have been a tad bit more convincing.

2. The Little Dog

So why did the little white dog have to die? He was doing what dogs do and that's reason enough to murder it? Ok, psychopaths. How did beta readers/agents/the publisher let that slide?

3. The Vampires

Ok...why are the vampires trying to kill her too? The werewolves don't seem to give a hoot...but the vampires do. Did I miss something? I feel like this wasn't explained.