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?