I've been on a Paranormal Academy kick lately. However, after reading two pretty good Academy series back to back Hald-Blood didn't impress me in the slightest. I actually couldn't even finish it and DNF around 25%.
Our h is Luna. Luna is 18, human, an orphan, and about to graduate high school. We learn in the prologue that on the day Luna was born her mother didn't want her because of who and what her father is... a warlock. So the father, who is apparently super powerful, gives Luna to someone to be raised as a clueless human and then disappears from her life. Luna is completely in the dark about what she is and the paranormal world until Sups out themselves to the world.
And get this... they out themselves by a realty TV dating show similar to THE BACHELORETTE, called Hitched. One human woman dating 25 supernatural men.
-cringes-
You expect me to buy that supernatural beings are going to out themselves to the entire world by being on a reality TV dating show? So silly, cheesy, and unbelievable.
Totally ridiculous but okay.
So when a year after they out themselves the star of the show, the Bachelorette herself, -gasps- actress Kimmie Jayne, shows up at Luna's group home to confess that Luna is her half sister, are daughters of the current president (who is secretly a powerful warlock), and Luna is going to Darkblood Academy, I honestly didn't think this book could get anymore ridiculous.
Apparently Hitched is another series by the author and Darkblood Academy is a spinoff of that series. From my understanding you do not have to read the Hitched series to understand Darkblood Academy but I did feel slightly lost when characters from that series were constantly introduced.
My biggest issues:
1. The continuous mentions of Hitched. It felt like the reality TV show was mentioned every page. Honestly, I felt like the author was trying to promote the damn books in this series it was mentioned so much. And I found the premise of how the sups were outed and the idea of the dating show so cheesy.
2. All the super powerful males introduced or mentioned were ALL on Hitched and apparently Luna's sister is a super special human who all the powerful men fell in love with. There's her husband, the man she chose, the alpha dragon, leader of all the dragons. Then there's the headmaster of the Academy who is a drop dead gorgeous powerful angel who was the runner up on the show and clearly still has a thing for the sister. Of course there's Luna's love interest, Lucifer's son himself, her demon teacher who was on the show as well and clearly has a like for the sister as well. And we can't forget the Fae King.
They all were on her sisters show and all have a thing for her.
-rolls eyes-
Nothing like having the dude you pine for to have had a thing for your sister at one point. And honestly the fact that all these powerful supernatural men went on the supernatural equivalent to The Bachelorette is so laughable and takes their hotness factor down by a lot.
2. Luna is 18 but came across slightly juvenile. Even the ADULTS (this is a college) around her came across the same. It felt more like a bunch of 14 to 16 year olds. This included Ryder her demon combat teacher/love interest.
3. This kinda goes with number 3 in that the dialogue between characters seemed, again, juvenile and unbelievable for the ages of the characters.
4. Everything happened so fast and Luna takes it all in stride without finding the entire thing completely crazy and unbelievable. In less than 24 hours she finds out a reality TV star is her half sister, her dad is the president, her dad is a powerful warlock, she is a half blood and will likely have powers surface, she is leaving her home to go live at a supernatural Academy in another world, goes to the Academy, is introduced to her roommate (a dragon shifter), and the powerful elite 7 (the students who "rule" the school.)
Like, slow down.
5. Lastly, were the tropes. I don't mind the usual tropes used, especially in a YA/NA Academy series, I actually love them. BUT. They need to be done right, maybe with a fresh twist on it, or at least written in a way I'm not rolling my eyes or bored because I've read it a thousand times. In Half Blood the tropes were unfortunately cringe worthy.
So why didn't I give Half Blood one star? Well, I didn't finish it so it could possibly get better, the book just didn't catch my interest enough to finish and see. Also it isn't completely BAD, it's just not good. It's meh at best. I think a lot is because, like I mentioned above, I just read two really good Academy books so maybe my expectations are running high.
Whatever the case Half Blood just didn't do it for me.