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The Cross Chronicles #1
Evading The Dark
High school sucks. It doesn't matter who you ask; jock, cheerleader, computer nerd, or band geek, they will all say the same thing: It's a nightmare. But Casey is still wondering how she got the short end of the stick. Just a Sophomore at the prestigious Luthos Academy for Magical Beings, Casey already knows more about heartache and fear than any almost-sixteen-year-old should. Orphaned and left to be raised by the Academy, she spends her days training to become a Guardian, but that dream is looking dimmer with every day that passes.Unlike the wand-waving heroines in all her favorite books, Witches in her world don't cast spells, they are born wielding the power of nature: water, fire, earth, or air; powers Casey never developed. She'll be lucky if they even allow her to take her final exams. She is top of her training class, but that doesn't keep her from being looked down upon by every other being at her school. All Casey wants is to be given a chance, instead she finds the only life she's ever known targeted by an unfathomable evil. Thrust into the center of an age-old prophecy, a war is coming with Casey at the reins. Will relying on her hard earned training be enough for her to make it out alive?
218 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2016
34 people are currently reading
475 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
December 10, 2018
WHY AM I SO BAD AT LEAVING REVIEWS?
I literally read this and only this book last month. Really interesting start to a supernatural series. E. M. is great at making the reader feel for a character. I really related to the main MC. Especially with the bullying scenes. Reminded me of my time at school. What I loved was the amount of compassion the author had when writing the scenes and dealing with it.
Moral of this story? FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT.
I literally read this and only this book last month. Really interesting start to a supernatural series. E. M. is great at making the reader feel for a character. I really related to the main MC. Especially with the bullying scenes. Reminded me of my time at school. What I loved was the amount of compassion the author had when writing the scenes and dealing with it.
Moral of this story? FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT.
Read
May 13, 2016This book was kindly given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
First of all, high five for that blurb! Finally, a blurb that gives enough information about the tone of the book, but not too much that we already know everything that is going on. I've found good blurbs to be really scarce lately. The blurb immediately attracted me to the book, Magical school, check; ancient prophecy check; unfathomable evil, check!
Casey, is our main protagonist and the book is in first person. We all know how much I love kick ass girls, and Casey can totally take on any physical challenge even without any magical powers. She is extremely loyal to the few friends she has and her guardian. However, she has her flaws just like any good character should... ugh don't you hate those perfect characters! Casey is over dramatic which is often quite amusing, but also wants to make you shake her and tell her to pull it together. She is very grim and untrusting and has no problem in telling some lies. She has good reasons for all of these of course, but it makes her far from your perfect little angel.
Some of this book takes place in a creepy forest... oh how I love creepy forests, I seriously have a thing for them! The scenes that took place there were satisfyingly chilling and kept me reading way past my bed time. Please can't more books include creepy forests, pretty please??? What I'm trying to say is that there is a definite creepy factor to this book that is very mysterious and makes you hear strange noises in your very domesticated garden. The mystery keeps growing, and even when we find out parts of the puzzle things just seem to get more obscure... layers upon layers. That's good, because I really dislike a one dimensional plot. You land up not knowing who to trust, and finally you're as paranoid as Casey with who to rely on.
The supporting characters were very likable. Cedric is Casey's best friend. He always supports her no matter what, and it helps that he is rather gorgeous even if he isn't a blonde! ;) He did begin to annoy me, when he tried to quash Casey's independence and I wanted to slap him a few times, but I could understand his fear for his best friend. Casey is also lucky enough to get a new roommate, Falon, during the book. Now I loved loved loved Falon! She is a short petite fae with a very dry sense of humour. She is adorable, but very strong willed. I admired her fierce loyalty and her ability to do the dirty work when necessary. I wish there had been some more background information on her, so I could really understand what made her the person she is.
Eli is Casey's guardian. He is also the training master at the school. I loved how dedicated he was to trying to raise Casey the best way he knew how. He is a very deep character with so many secrets, he also needs a good shake!
The school is for magical students, witches, shifters and fae. I liked the History of how the school was founded and the relationship between the different magical beings. I just wanted more!!! I would have liked a deeper understanding of the rules of the magic and what powers were possible, and what their limits were. I'm most likely impatient, since this is of course the first book in the series! ;) The "Unfathomable" evil is really interesting, because you never quite know what it is. Is it really what is being told, or is it something else. Trust me, the creepy forest definitely makes you question everything that was told.
And oh my soul, was there a cliff hanger of note! I finished the book, went up in the document, read it again, looked for more, but the document was finished! No! I need to know what happens next! Aaaah! :) All in all, this is a really nice and entertaining read that will have you staying away from forests. If you like a kick ass heroine with hang ups and an interesting back story as well as layered characters, then you have to pick this book up!
Again, thank you so much to E.M. Rinaldi for giving me this opportunity to read and review her book. Please continue writing, we need more of this story! :)
Follow the author at:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/E_M_Rinaldi
Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/EvadingTheDark...
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can buy the book from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01E36Y...
You can also read the review on my blog:
http://www.bookrantorrave.com/blog/ev...
First of all, high five for that blurb! Finally, a blurb that gives enough information about the tone of the book, but not too much that we already know everything that is going on. I've found good blurbs to be really scarce lately. The blurb immediately attracted me to the book, Magical school, check; ancient prophecy check; unfathomable evil, check!
Casey, is our main protagonist and the book is in first person. We all know how much I love kick ass girls, and Casey can totally take on any physical challenge even without any magical powers. She is extremely loyal to the few friends she has and her guardian. However, she has her flaws just like any good character should... ugh don't you hate those perfect characters! Casey is over dramatic which is often quite amusing, but also wants to make you shake her and tell her to pull it together. She is very grim and untrusting and has no problem in telling some lies. She has good reasons for all of these of course, but it makes her far from your perfect little angel.
Some of this book takes place in a creepy forest... oh how I love creepy forests, I seriously have a thing for them! The scenes that took place there were satisfyingly chilling and kept me reading way past my bed time. Please can't more books include creepy forests, pretty please??? What I'm trying to say is that there is a definite creepy factor to this book that is very mysterious and makes you hear strange noises in your very domesticated garden. The mystery keeps growing, and even when we find out parts of the puzzle things just seem to get more obscure... layers upon layers. That's good, because I really dislike a one dimensional plot. You land up not knowing who to trust, and finally you're as paranoid as Casey with who to rely on.
The supporting characters were very likable. Cedric is Casey's best friend. He always supports her no matter what, and it helps that he is rather gorgeous even if he isn't a blonde! ;) He did begin to annoy me, when he tried to quash Casey's independence and I wanted to slap him a few times, but I could understand his fear for his best friend. Casey is also lucky enough to get a new roommate, Falon, during the book. Now I loved loved loved Falon! She is a short petite fae with a very dry sense of humour. She is adorable, but very strong willed. I admired her fierce loyalty and her ability to do the dirty work when necessary. I wish there had been some more background information on her, so I could really understand what made her the person she is.
Eli is Casey's guardian. He is also the training master at the school. I loved how dedicated he was to trying to raise Casey the best way he knew how. He is a very deep character with so many secrets, he also needs a good shake!
The school is for magical students, witches, shifters and fae. I liked the History of how the school was founded and the relationship between the different magical beings. I just wanted more!!! I would have liked a deeper understanding of the rules of the magic and what powers were possible, and what their limits were. I'm most likely impatient, since this is of course the first book in the series! ;) The "Unfathomable" evil is really interesting, because you never quite know what it is. Is it really what is being told, or is it something else. Trust me, the creepy forest definitely makes you question everything that was told.
And oh my soul, was there a cliff hanger of note! I finished the book, went up in the document, read it again, looked for more, but the document was finished! No! I need to know what happens next! Aaaah! :) All in all, this is a really nice and entertaining read that will have you staying away from forests. If you like a kick ass heroine with hang ups and an interesting back story as well as layered characters, then you have to pick this book up!
Again, thank you so much to E.M. Rinaldi for giving me this opportunity to read and review her book. Please continue writing, we need more of this story! :)
Follow the author at:
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/E_M_Rinaldi
Facebook:
https://m.facebook.com/EvadingTheDark...
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
You can buy the book from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01E36Y...
You can also read the review on my blog:
http://www.bookrantorrave.com/blog/ev...
July 12, 2018
Reviewed on behalf of 3 Degrees of Fiction Book Blog
It was nice to come back to the world of paranormal after being away for quite some time. Evading the Dark by E.M. Rinaldi is the start of a new series, the Cross Chronicles, where witches are top notch at their school for magical beings. This story was different in a way I haven't come across before which made the read that much more refreshing and enjoyable.
I love that even though this is just book one, I never felt overwhelmed with learning about these creatures or the setting they live in, which is Luthos Academy, a school filled with shifters, fae, and of course witches. These witches are written differently, where they each are attuned to an element and that is what they learn to harness while also training in combat to become guardians in their communities.
This is where the main character, Casey Cross, is set apart from the rest. Born a witch and now a top notch student, but no powers have yet to show. This makes her a target for bullying throughout her life with only her best friend, Cedric Blake, to comfort her. The writing was so well done I wanted to jump into the story and take on the school right along with Casey and Cedric, and later on Falon as well. These characters I couldn't help but love and they were a big part of making this book so great.
Usually I'm big on passion and romance but in this case I liked the lack of anything lovey dovey. The whole mindset for Evading the Dark was around Casey and everything that came to happen to her and I didn't feel the need for anything more to take place. E.M. Rinaldi does hint at something throughout the story and I absolutely love the slow tease of what's to come. Great pacing with the right amount of action and mystery, Evading the Dark is one book that can be appreciated by both paranormal lovers and anyone looking for a change in what to read next.
It was nice to come back to the world of paranormal after being away for quite some time. Evading the Dark by E.M. Rinaldi is the start of a new series, the Cross Chronicles, where witches are top notch at their school for magical beings. This story was different in a way I haven't come across before which made the read that much more refreshing and enjoyable.
I love that even though this is just book one, I never felt overwhelmed with learning about these creatures or the setting they live in, which is Luthos Academy, a school filled with shifters, fae, and of course witches. These witches are written differently, where they each are attuned to an element and that is what they learn to harness while also training in combat to become guardians in their communities.
This is where the main character, Casey Cross, is set apart from the rest. Born a witch and now a top notch student, but no powers have yet to show. This makes her a target for bullying throughout her life with only her best friend, Cedric Blake, to comfort her. The writing was so well done I wanted to jump into the story and take on the school right along with Casey and Cedric, and later on Falon as well. These characters I couldn't help but love and they were a big part of making this book so great.
Usually I'm big on passion and romance but in this case I liked the lack of anything lovey dovey. The whole mindset for Evading the Dark was around Casey and everything that came to happen to her and I didn't feel the need for anything more to take place. E.M. Rinaldi does hint at something throughout the story and I absolutely love the slow tease of what's to come. Great pacing with the right amount of action and mystery, Evading the Dark is one book that can be appreciated by both paranormal lovers and anyone looking for a change in what to read next.
May 27, 2019
This month, all I read were books that were too f*cking long. This was a damn refresher! It had just enough information/detail but also short and to the point! The ending has a cliffhanger and that means I need to go read the next book!
Casey is an orphaned girl who is bullied by all her fellow witch/fae/shifter classmates. This is a great story for those who love some fantasy and a hint of romance. It is a teen book, the kids are all 16ish. Usually, I don't like young adult books but this has a great storyline to it.
Casey is an orphaned girl who is bullied by all her fellow witch/fae/shifter classmates. This is a great story for those who love some fantasy and a hint of romance. It is a teen book, the kids are all 16ish. Usually, I don't like young adult books but this has a great storyline to it.
June 12, 2018
Okay, so I'm going to admit that I do have a slight problem reading ebooks. I don't know about anyone else out there, but for some reason, ebooks often detract from my reading experience. They take me a lot longer to read and I often get distracted. Reading a book on my laptop or iPad just doesn't feel the same as reading a physical book -- I especially miss the flipping of pages, the fresh smell of paper, and just holding the story in my hands. Then again, it could just be my vehement disdain for constantly having to read articles, sciences journals, and many other electronic resources for college. It kind of sucks to feel this way, as digital books are such a great way for new authors to enter the writing scene and it provides a much more economic platform to distribute books to audiences. Anyway, I often wonder if my preferment of actual books sometimes detracts from my enjoyment of ebooks. Nonetheless, I think I've finally found an ebook that has broken my recent string of digital book woes and holy sh*t, was this book good.
When I initially began to read Evading the Dark, I was definitely deep in my ebook reading slump, but after about 10 to 15 pages, I really began to enjoy it. As mentioned before, I don't usually feel this way with ebooks, but Rinaldi just has a certain jena se qua to her writing that made me want to read more.
First of all, the story follows Casey Cross, the descendant of a powerful Witch bloodline. However, the catch is that she hasn't displayed any signs of magical abilities. Thus, she's the social outcast of Luthos Academy and the student that everyone likes to screw with. I have to say that Rinaldi had a pretty accurate depiction of what my high school career was like -- tons of bullies and no individual in authority wanting to admit that sh*t was going down. Needless to say, I could identify with Casey and her situation and all the crap that can get thrown at someone just because they're not like every other sheep in the herd. Besides, I think that one of my favorite childhood witches sums up this situation pretty well:
Anywho, Casey also has a fabulous best friend named Cedric. And I must admit, this was the first thing that came to mind when this name was mentioned -- good ol' Cedric Diggory :
(Aahhh...the very beginning of Robert Pattinson's acting career. You'll be seeing more of him later.)
I just loved the banter between the two. It was witty and humorous. And you've all gotta know by now that I'm a true sucker for smart-ass character banter. This is just a little taste of what you can find in Evading the Dark:
"He blew out a breath and walked over to the little window. He seemed focused, and I could tell that he was throwing everything that happened today around in his mind. After a few tense minutes he spoke, “I think you should listen to this feeling and pay attention to it if it gets stronger. Until we get to the bottom of this, it’s safer to listen to all of our instincts. And don’t go in the woods alone.”
“Okay.” I agreed, “that sounds smart.”
His infamous smirk slowly formed on his face. “I have nothing if not genius ideas.”"
I also love the fact that Rinaldi makes some pop culture references. This book does involve vampires. And everyone knows by now that you can't involve vampires in a book in this day and age without bringing up Twilight -- it's just not possible. Plus, Rinaldi uses the killer scary kind:
"The Normal world has a very twisted view of these creatures, but we know the truth. They do not fall in love with human females and save them, like princes to some damsel in distress. They have no issue being in the sun, and they sure as hell don’t sparkle in it—I would love to know what they think of that— and they are not capable of love or gooey feelings they are portrayed with in the norm."
(Told you he'd be back.)
(It gets me every time.)
All jokes aside, Casey was just a character that I truly connected with. The book is told using a first person perspective and her inner monologue and thoughts were things that I really enjoyed reading. I also didn't mind how Rinaldi often when back and forth between the past and present to fill in or bring light to important details in Casey's past. I guess what I'm ultimately saying is that Casey was a believable teenage character and that's what drew me in. She also stole a special place in my heart with this:
"Due to the awkward shaping of the roof, my room supported a small, pushed out niche that was lined floor to ceiling with bookshelves that housed my mini library. These books were my gateway to another world when mine wasn’t being so nice."
Aside from me gushing over Casey's love of books and great personality, she's a strong female protagonist who can stand her ground when facing odds that aren't exactly in her favor. Additionally, I felt that the pace of the plot was pretty solid and events didn't happen too quickly or at a snail's pace -- it was just right.
Also, just a heads-up....there is a cliffhanger.
Thus, I can't wait to read the next book! And, I will add that I hope to buy a physical copy of this book in the future. I shall save a spot on my shelf for one of my new favorite reads.
When I initially began to read Evading the Dark, I was definitely deep in my ebook reading slump, but after about 10 to 15 pages, I really began to enjoy it. As mentioned before, I don't usually feel this way with ebooks, but Rinaldi just has a certain jena se qua to her writing that made me want to read more.
First of all, the story follows Casey Cross, the descendant of a powerful Witch bloodline. However, the catch is that she hasn't displayed any signs of magical abilities. Thus, she's the social outcast of Luthos Academy and the student that everyone likes to screw with. I have to say that Rinaldi had a pretty accurate depiction of what my high school career was like -- tons of bullies and no individual in authority wanting to admit that sh*t was going down. Needless to say, I could identify with Casey and her situation and all the crap that can get thrown at someone just because they're not like every other sheep in the herd. Besides, I think that one of my favorite childhood witches sums up this situation pretty well:
Anywho, Casey also has a fabulous best friend named Cedric. And I must admit, this was the first thing that came to mind when this name was mentioned -- good ol' Cedric Diggory :
(Aahhh...the very beginning of Robert Pattinson's acting career. You'll be seeing more of him later.)
I just loved the banter between the two. It was witty and humorous. And you've all gotta know by now that I'm a true sucker for smart-ass character banter. This is just a little taste of what you can find in Evading the Dark:
"He blew out a breath and walked over to the little window. He seemed focused, and I could tell that he was throwing everything that happened today around in his mind. After a few tense minutes he spoke, “I think you should listen to this feeling and pay attention to it if it gets stronger. Until we get to the bottom of this, it’s safer to listen to all of our instincts. And don’t go in the woods alone.”
“Okay.” I agreed, “that sounds smart.”
His infamous smirk slowly formed on his face. “I have nothing if not genius ideas.”"
I also love the fact that Rinaldi makes some pop culture references. This book does involve vampires. And everyone knows by now that you can't involve vampires in a book in this day and age without bringing up Twilight -- it's just not possible. Plus, Rinaldi uses the killer scary kind:
"The Normal world has a very twisted view of these creatures, but we know the truth. They do not fall in love with human females and save them, like princes to some damsel in distress. They have no issue being in the sun, and they sure as hell don’t sparkle in it—I would love to know what they think of that— and they are not capable of love or gooey feelings they are portrayed with in the norm."
(Told you he'd be back.)
(It gets me every time.)
All jokes aside, Casey was just a character that I truly connected with. The book is told using a first person perspective and her inner monologue and thoughts were things that I really enjoyed reading. I also didn't mind how Rinaldi often when back and forth between the past and present to fill in or bring light to important details in Casey's past. I guess what I'm ultimately saying is that Casey was a believable teenage character and that's what drew me in. She also stole a special place in my heart with this:
"Due to the awkward shaping of the roof, my room supported a small, pushed out niche that was lined floor to ceiling with bookshelves that housed my mini library. These books were my gateway to another world when mine wasn’t being so nice."
Aside from me gushing over Casey's love of books and great personality, she's a strong female protagonist who can stand her ground when facing odds that aren't exactly in her favor. Additionally, I felt that the pace of the plot was pretty solid and events didn't happen too quickly or at a snail's pace -- it was just right.
Also, just a heads-up....there is a cliffhanger.
Thus, I can't wait to read the next book! And, I will add that I hope to buy a physical copy of this book in the future. I shall save a spot on my shelf for one of my new favorite reads.
September 22, 2019
Great characters and storyline. I thought this was an entertaining read with a plot that moved at a good pace and kept me engaged throughout.
I love the friendship between Casey, Cedric and Falon. They are well written and interesting characters.
The cliffhanger ending was unexpected but this first book has made me keen to read more...I received a copy of this book from the author via Quirky Blind Date With A Book.
I love the friendship between Casey, Cedric and Falon. They are well written and interesting characters.
The cliffhanger ending was unexpected but this first book has made me keen to read more...I received a copy of this book from the author via Quirky Blind Date With A Book.
April 22, 2019
What a story!! I am so honored to be one of the first people to lay eyes on this wonderful book! Right off the bat your heart is attached to Casey and the sad situation she finds herself in. Her mother and only friend are ripped from her life in a devastating way, and life only gets more turbulent from there. Now living at a school for magics with Eli, her mother’s friend who took her in, but feeling like she doesn’t belong. The kids are cruel, I mean, I wish I could get my hands on Tony!!! But there are always those bright flowers in people’s lives that give you a reason to smile every day. Meet Cedric and Falon, the bright spots in Casey’s life. Falon is epic, I wish she was my BFF!! But things are just starting to get interesting and scary for Casey. The morning of Casey’s 16th birthday changes everything for her, for the good and the bad.
The characters in this story are so well written and developed, you feel a deep connection with them...or hate for them. And the storyline grips you right from the beginning. But you will be left wanting! Wanting more!! Definitely leaves you at a cliff hanger NEEDING to know what happens and guessing with so many possibilities! I have many theories, and I can’t wait to see how wrong or right I am. Full of fun chuckle worthy moments, including a Scooby reference!, scary situations that leave you wide eyed, and anger inducing rage for some of the people in the book that I found myself yelling at them while reading. This page turner is a must read!
The characters in this story are so well written and developed, you feel a deep connection with them...or hate for them. And the storyline grips you right from the beginning. But you will be left wanting! Wanting more!! Definitely leaves you at a cliff hanger NEEDING to know what happens and guessing with so many possibilities! I have many theories, and I can’t wait to see how wrong or right I am. Full of fun chuckle worthy moments, including a Scooby reference!, scary situations that leave you wide eyed, and anger inducing rage for some of the people in the book that I found myself yelling at them while reading. This page turner is a must read!
July 15, 2018
Evading the Dark takes us to a world where witches, vampires, fae, and shifters remain in secret. Their progeny are sent to hidden schools for the talented beings throughout the world. Casey, an orphaned child of notorious witch Carina, is taken into the Luthos Academy under the guise of her Guardian Eli in order to grow in her powers. The downside – Casey does not have any powers.
The witches at Luthos are held at an extremely high standard. Each one is drawn to one of the four elements (fire, water, air, & earth). Since Casey does not wield any of these powers, her fellow students (except her friends Cedric and Falon) go out of their way to torment her day after day for something she cannot control. I spent a good part of the book angry at her horrible treatment and the instructors turning a blind eye to it. How can you allow students harm an innocent one who cannot even fully defend herself? But, I digress. The turning point of the novel could not come at a better time when it did.
There are not many characters like Casey, period. Despite the torment, she still fights for herself even when others turn a blind eye and carries her addicting personality in tow. Even with a prophecy over her head, she doesn’t give up trying to discover her place and how she may succeed.
Wonderful story, well-thought out characters and enticing plot – one to keep an eye for sure!
The witches at Luthos are held at an extremely high standard. Each one is drawn to one of the four elements (fire, water, air, & earth). Since Casey does not wield any of these powers, her fellow students (except her friends Cedric and Falon) go out of their way to torment her day after day for something she cannot control. I spent a good part of the book angry at her horrible treatment and the instructors turning a blind eye to it. How can you allow students harm an innocent one who cannot even fully defend herself? But, I digress. The turning point of the novel could not come at a better time when it did.
There are not many characters like Casey, period. Despite the torment, she still fights for herself even when others turn a blind eye and carries her addicting personality in tow. Even with a prophecy over her head, she doesn’t give up trying to discover her place and how she may succeed.
Wonderful story, well-thought out characters and enticing plot – one to keep an eye for sure!
July 18, 2018
Received from Xpresso Book Tours
It's one of those stories I immediately fell in. I was hooked from reading the synopsis, I mean school for supernaturals, hidden away from the worlds and all kinds of thing keep on happening. There have different supernaturals coexisting, shapeshifters, Fae and witches, and then there is Casey. She is technically a witch, but with no powers of her own. She gets picked on, bullied from classmates and teachers alike. I LOVE the way she takes it, she fight back-hard. :) She lives in school all year round, so it's hard to escape. Her best friend stick up for her and is there for her all the time. They have amazing bond.
After her sixteen birthday everything changes, something inside of her awaken, she gets trusted into some ancient prophecy and horrible situation with the Dean.
The best and worst part of the story is the ending. Talk about cliffhanger :D. It's like: this is so amazing & WTF just happened - I need the second book, like yesterday. :))
Highly recommend it!
It's one of those stories I immediately fell in. I was hooked from reading the synopsis, I mean school for supernaturals, hidden away from the worlds and all kinds of thing keep on happening. There have different supernaturals coexisting, shapeshifters, Fae and witches, and then there is Casey. She is technically a witch, but with no powers of her own. She gets picked on, bullied from classmates and teachers alike. I LOVE the way she takes it, she fight back-hard. :) She lives in school all year round, so it's hard to escape. Her best friend stick up for her and is there for her all the time. They have amazing bond.
After her sixteen birthday everything changes, something inside of her awaken, she gets trusted into some ancient prophecy and horrible situation with the Dean.
The best and worst part of the story is the ending. Talk about cliffhanger :D. It's like: this is so amazing & WTF just happened - I need the second book, like yesterday. :))
Highly recommend it!
June 2, 2022
Characters and plot are fantastic. This was an enjoyable book with a plot that moved along at a nice speed and kept me interested throughout. I adore Casey, Cedric, and Falon's friendship. They're well-written characters with intriguing personalities. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.
Want to read
May 25, 2018You can request a review copy here: [closed - other review opportunities found here]
December 30, 2016
3-3.5 Stars
This was the authors debut novel and I was very impressed with the way the author really pulled it all together as the story progressed. I fell in love with the fact that this story has so much potentional. It took me a little while to connect with the characters and the storyline being that the beginning was not as cohesive as I would have liked. Towards the middle of the book I was really starting to connect with the characters and truly enjoy the world the author created. So, I was very surprised with the abrupt ending. This was one of those Cliffhangers that really left me slack jawed.
All in all, I absolutely love books that have a lot of action and let me tell you, this book did not disappoint! With witches, shifters and fae at Luthos Academy there is never a dull moment. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
This was the authors debut novel and I was very impressed with the way the author really pulled it all together as the story progressed. I fell in love with the fact that this story has so much potentional. It took me a little while to connect with the characters and the storyline being that the beginning was not as cohesive as I would have liked. Towards the middle of the book I was really starting to connect with the characters and truly enjoy the world the author created. So, I was very surprised with the abrupt ending. This was one of those Cliffhangers that really left me slack jawed.
All in all, I absolutely love books that have a lot of action and let me tell you, this book did not disappoint! With witches, shifters and fae at Luthos Academy there is never a dull moment. I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
July 1, 2018
I LOVED the cover and was so excited to be able to read it. I fell in love with Casey immediately, and the other characters were built so well it was easy to connect with them also.
I thought this was going to be kind of a light read, from how it started off, but OH NO! There is a lot of wonderfully dark elements. I love what the author did with the villains in this story and cannot wait to read more from her!
I thought this was going to be kind of a light read, from how it started off, but OH NO! There is a lot of wonderfully dark elements. I love what the author did with the villains in this story and cannot wait to read more from her!
August 31, 2020
So good! Loooved Casey's sassy attitude! Her attitude made me never want to put the book down. Some questions running through my head though, but I'm sure they will all be answered in the next book. Can't wait!
May 10, 2018
4.5 stars!
I have to be honest and start by saying that I hadn't heard of this book until the author approached me and asked me if I'd like to review an ARC of a new version! I said yes because this book sounded interesting and I love the cover! I started this book after I had finished my current read, and after reading, I can say that I enjoyed it! It did take me a few chapters to get into the plot, but once I did, I found myself wanting to read on to find out what was going to happen next! It also took me quite a while to read this book because life got in the way, but I was still able to remember what had happened in it every time I picked it up! The plot also developed at a nice pace and a lot happened in it! There was some mystery and a hint of romance! I loved both these elements and I can see them being developed more in the next book! There was a bit of action and suspense too! The characters were also amazing! Casey was the main character, and in this book she was in a type of boarding school with very few friends! This instantly made me feel sorry for her because she was judged for something that she couldn't control! Casey was strong though and she bit back sometimes, which was completely understandable, but she let most of it bounce off her! I connected with Casey a lot too and I liked her more and more as this book developed! Casey also found out something about herself that she wasn't expecting and this had a big impact on her, but she tried her best to come to terms with it! Cedric was the love interest of Casey! Cedric started out as a friend to Casey, but this soon developed into a romance relationship! It actually took a while for any romance to happen between them lol! I liked Cedric a lot in this book! He always treated Casey with respect and he never brought her down or bullied her like others did! He stuck up for her too! Cedric was also always there for Casey and supported her any way he could! He was protective of her too! This book was only written from Casey's point of view, which didn't really surprise me because the synopsis made it sound like it was only going to be written from her point of view! Would I have liked some chapters to have been written from some of the other characters point of views? Yes, but I could also completely understand why it was only written from her point of view because it was Casey's story! I also can't wait to read the next book in this series! This book was left at a sort of cliff-hanger and has me excited to find out what's going to happen next for the characters! If the plot of the next book goes the way I'm sort of thinking, then I might even prefer it to this book! I guess we'll wait and see after I've read it lol! I'm really happy that it's releasing soon too! The cover for this book is also stunning! I love it a lot and it would definitely have made me click on it if I saw it whilst browsing on Amazon! It suits the book perfectly too and so does the model for Casey! Big thank you to E.M. Rinaldi for a review copy of Evading the Dark!
I have to be honest and start by saying that I hadn't heard of this book until the author approached me and asked me if I'd like to review an ARC of a new version! I said yes because this book sounded interesting and I love the cover! I started this book after I had finished my current read, and after reading, I can say that I enjoyed it! It did take me a few chapters to get into the plot, but once I did, I found myself wanting to read on to find out what was going to happen next! It also took me quite a while to read this book because life got in the way, but I was still able to remember what had happened in it every time I picked it up! The plot also developed at a nice pace and a lot happened in it! There was some mystery and a hint of romance! I loved both these elements and I can see them being developed more in the next book! There was a bit of action and suspense too! The characters were also amazing! Casey was the main character, and in this book she was in a type of boarding school with very few friends! This instantly made me feel sorry for her because she was judged for something that she couldn't control! Casey was strong though and she bit back sometimes, which was completely understandable, but she let most of it bounce off her! I connected with Casey a lot too and I liked her more and more as this book developed! Casey also found out something about herself that she wasn't expecting and this had a big impact on her, but she tried her best to come to terms with it! Cedric was the love interest of Casey! Cedric started out as a friend to Casey, but this soon developed into a romance relationship! It actually took a while for any romance to happen between them lol! I liked Cedric a lot in this book! He always treated Casey with respect and he never brought her down or bullied her like others did! He stuck up for her too! Cedric was also always there for Casey and supported her any way he could! He was protective of her too! This book was only written from Casey's point of view, which didn't really surprise me because the synopsis made it sound like it was only going to be written from her point of view! Would I have liked some chapters to have been written from some of the other characters point of views? Yes, but I could also completely understand why it was only written from her point of view because it was Casey's story! I also can't wait to read the next book in this series! This book was left at a sort of cliff-hanger and has me excited to find out what's going to happen next for the characters! If the plot of the next book goes the way I'm sort of thinking, then I might even prefer it to this book! I guess we'll wait and see after I've read it lol! I'm really happy that it's releasing soon too! The cover for this book is also stunning! I love it a lot and it would definitely have made me click on it if I saw it whilst browsing on Amazon! It suits the book perfectly too and so does the model for Casey! Big thank you to E.M. Rinaldi for a review copy of Evading the Dark!
June 29, 2018
After reading the blurb, I grabbed this one up and hoped it wouldn't be too cliche so that I could love it. And that's exactly what happened.
Casey sits at the bottom of the social list at her school thanks to her being of mage blood but without a drop of magic in her. She's broken, and there's especially one boy who's determined to make it painfully clear how terribly she fits in. Luckily, she has one ever loyal friend. However, her world isn't safe. There are attacks on the school, and one ends Casey in a strange predicament which draws the creepy and unwanted attention of a dangerous man. Soon, Casey finds herself involved in an evil plot which threatens to shake the magical world.
The author, at first, paints a high school as familiar and normal as can be allowing the magical aspect to sneak in after the first impressions are built. This was wonderful in so far that the characters and their lives took center stage before the fantasy elements dropped in.
Casey is a girl with lots of baggage, but she's not weak. Her desire to be accepted is understandable but never pitiful. The way the other kids treat her is to the extreme (and slightly unbelievable) but for the story, it holds well. It's easy to feel for her, wish things will change for her, and fever for her when the real trouble sets in.
While the first chapters ease into the story, the rest of the plot is fast paced with many unexpected twists and turns. The mystery mounts as the dark yet unknown threat hangs outside the school walls. The uncertainty to what it means or its importance adds just the right amount of darkness before the true problem sets in. The 'real' evil is easy to hate, and the author does a great job at keeping the reader guessing at the true reasoning behind the threat. While the danger was extreme, the reasoning behind the evil actions did have some holes toward the end. Still, it flows well enough to make the reader hang on to see what will happen with Casey and her friends.
The ending is a cliff-hanger and many questions remain open. Still, I'll be looking forward to see where Casey's adventures take her to next.
I received a complimentary copy and ended up enjoying this one so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
Casey sits at the bottom of the social list at her school thanks to her being of mage blood but without a drop of magic in her. She's broken, and there's especially one boy who's determined to make it painfully clear how terribly she fits in. Luckily, she has one ever loyal friend. However, her world isn't safe. There are attacks on the school, and one ends Casey in a strange predicament which draws the creepy and unwanted attention of a dangerous man. Soon, Casey finds herself involved in an evil plot which threatens to shake the magical world.
The author, at first, paints a high school as familiar and normal as can be allowing the magical aspect to sneak in after the first impressions are built. This was wonderful in so far that the characters and their lives took center stage before the fantasy elements dropped in.
Casey is a girl with lots of baggage, but she's not weak. Her desire to be accepted is understandable but never pitiful. The way the other kids treat her is to the extreme (and slightly unbelievable) but for the story, it holds well. It's easy to feel for her, wish things will change for her, and fever for her when the real trouble sets in.
While the first chapters ease into the story, the rest of the plot is fast paced with many unexpected twists and turns. The mystery mounts as the dark yet unknown threat hangs outside the school walls. The uncertainty to what it means or its importance adds just the right amount of darkness before the true problem sets in. The 'real' evil is easy to hate, and the author does a great job at keeping the reader guessing at the true reasoning behind the threat. While the danger was extreme, the reasoning behind the evil actions did have some holes toward the end. Still, it flows well enough to make the reader hang on to see what will happen with Casey and her friends.
The ending is a cliff-hanger and many questions remain open. Still, I'll be looking forward to see where Casey's adventures take her to next.
I received a complimentary copy and ended up enjoying this one so much that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.
August 28, 2019
I wanted to like this so much more than I did. I love the characters, the relationships were great, but I have some very strong problems with the lack of good editing and parts of the plot.
The editing fails started on page one, "that I could feel its eyes on my while its hungry breath" - my? is there a noun missing here like "my face" or should this be "me"? Then further along one character says that another character is "viscous", umm, sorry but it's kind of weird to call someone adhesive. I might have let these fairly minor issues pass, except for the weird switching in verb tenses and odd time jumps through the second half of the book. It was painful to read.
My other problem with this book was the stereotypical-mean-kids-abusing-the-loner trope and the utter disregard of the adults around them. It was too ridiculous for a setup. Unless her BFF Cedric is considered an outcast by the rest of them, and there's nothing to show that he was, then why was everyone else so willing to treat Casey like dirt? Wouldn't Cedric have friends who were willing to be friendly with Casey? He seemed like he would be a popular guy. Why would EVERY OTHER STUDENT want to fall in line with Tony's treatment of Casey? It's too unbelievable that Tony would have that much power over the entire student body.
And don't get me started on the faculty! Aren't the witches supposed to be the good guys? Why is apparently every damn adult tolerant of the abuse that Casey suffers from Tony? Are they all blind or do they have their heads up their behinds 24/7 and if that's the case then how do they teach?
I hope the author can do better in the next books because the characters deserve better.
The editing fails started on page one, "that I could feel its eyes on my while its hungry breath" - my? is there a noun missing here like "my face" or should this be "me"? Then further along one character says that another character is "viscous", umm, sorry but it's kind of weird to call someone adhesive. I might have let these fairly minor issues pass, except for the weird switching in verb tenses and odd time jumps through the second half of the book. It was painful to read.
My other problem with this book was the stereotypical-mean-kids-abusing-the-loner trope and the utter disregard of the adults around them. It was too ridiculous for a setup. Unless her BFF Cedric is considered an outcast by the rest of them, and there's nothing to show that he was, then why was everyone else so willing to treat Casey like dirt? Wouldn't Cedric have friends who were willing to be friendly with Casey? He seemed like he would be a popular guy. Why would EVERY OTHER STUDENT want to fall in line with Tony's treatment of Casey? It's too unbelievable that Tony would have that much power over the entire student body.
And don't get me started on the faculty! Aren't the witches supposed to be the good guys? Why is apparently every damn adult tolerant of the abuse that Casey suffers from Tony? Are they all blind or do they have their heads up their behinds 24/7 and if that's the case then how do they teach?
I hope the author can do better in the next books because the characters deserve better.
January 18, 2020
I really wanted to like this book, but it had several issues that I couldn't get past. First things first, this book needed to be edited again. There were so many typos, grammatical errors, formatting issues, and timeline inconsistencies that could have easily been fixed. The naming of the characters was awkward. The main character is Casey, and the mean girl is Lacey. The Dean is the bad guy, and his henchman is Deon. What really bothered me about the book was that it really could have used some sensitivity readers. The main character refers to her nurse as a Nazi, and repeatedly makes jokes about it. There is a whole confrontation between Casey and her nemesis, Tony, that ends when Casey starts accusing Tony of being gay, as if that is the worst thing in the world. She says that she personally doesn't care that he's gay, but that doesn't stop her from using it as an insult. Casey's relationship with her teacher/mentor/father figure, Eli, seemed very inappropriate. It may not have been so strange if the readers had been given any background information, or any scenes from Casey's past that showed what exactly made her and Eli so close.
Like I said, I really wanted to like this, but it had some problems that I couldn't overlook. It had a lot of potential, and maybe if the book had gone through some more rounds of editing, it could have been a really good story. E.M. Rinaldi seems like she has a lot of potential, and I hope the next books in the series show more of her talent.
Like I said, I really wanted to like this, but it had some problems that I couldn't overlook. It had a lot of potential, and maybe if the book had gone through some more rounds of editing, it could have been a really good story. E.M. Rinaldi seems like she has a lot of potential, and I hope the next books in the series show more of her talent.
May 22, 2017
The cover caught my eye from the start, but the blurb totally sucked me in. A girl with no known magical abilities attending a school full of magical beings, color me intrigued. I had to read it. And believe me when I say, this book did not disappoint.
Orphaned at a young age, Casey is raised by a friend of her mothers at the academy in which she attends. There she’s being trained to become a future guardian despite being the outcast. And even though she doesn’t display any magical qualities, the girl can definitely kick some butt and hold her own against the bullies at school. A quality—along with her sarcastic sassiness—that made me love her character from the start. Throw in a fae with glitchy powers, the beginning of a budding romance between Casey and her bestie Cedric (because who doesn’t love a little bit of romance here and there), a demented head Dean of the school with torturous capabilities, and a prophecy that’s about to turn Casey’s world upside down, and you’re looking at a book you can’t stop reading. I know I couldn’t. And then that ending…ahhh...with a cliffhanger like that, I’ll definitely be rushing off to read the next in the series. Well done, E.M. Rinaldi!
Orphaned at a young age, Casey is raised by a friend of her mothers at the academy in which she attends. There she’s being trained to become a future guardian despite being the outcast. And even though she doesn’t display any magical qualities, the girl can definitely kick some butt and hold her own against the bullies at school. A quality—along with her sarcastic sassiness—that made me love her character from the start. Throw in a fae with glitchy powers, the beginning of a budding romance between Casey and her bestie Cedric (because who doesn’t love a little bit of romance here and there), a demented head Dean of the school with torturous capabilities, and a prophecy that’s about to turn Casey’s world upside down, and you’re looking at a book you can’t stop reading. I know I couldn’t. And then that ending…ahhh...with a cliffhanger like that, I’ll definitely be rushing off to read the next in the series. Well done, E.M. Rinaldi!
September 6, 2019
If I could give half stars this would be a 3.5 rating. I enjoyed the story. It kept me hanging on at every turn. I am still full of questions due to the cliffhanger ending and I want to immediately go buy the next book to get answers. I did have some problems with the story though, mainly the fact that the main characters are children attending a special school, and they are allowed to physically abuse another student to the point of needing medical attention and the adults in charge do nothing about it. I find that unrealistic and although the story isn't based on reality (i.e. vampires, witches, fae...) I don't think even in a fantasy world it's acceptable to allow a child to be physically abused and not punish the person responsible. Other than that the story was interesting and exciting and I would definitely recommend it.
February 27, 2019
This book was really good! Casey Cross is a witch with no powers at a school full of supernaturals who hate her. She is beat on, ridiculed, tortured, and more. And yet, she keeps going. Witches are the first, last, and only line of defense against the vampires and Casey is in training to be a Guardian. But can she really be a Guardian when she has no power? This book tells you of her strength and perseverance, but mostly her strong-willed determination not to let anyone keep her down. I finished this book in a day and had to order the second one to find out what was going to happen next! So so good!
June 20, 2018
First off, that cover is a major eye catcher, I just love it so much!! Secondly, what lays inside is even more amazing!!
From the first page I was sucked in, I found myself unable to put the book down.
With a compelling storyline, lovable characters, laugh out loud moments and an ending that'll leave you wanting more, this story is a must read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and have already one-clicked book 2, Hiding Till Dawn, which after that ending I was so glad I didn't have to wait to dive back into this story.
From the first page I was sucked in, I found myself unable to put the book down.
With a compelling storyline, lovable characters, laugh out loud moments and an ending that'll leave you wanting more, this story is a must read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it and have already one-clicked book 2, Hiding Till Dawn, which after that ending I was so glad I didn't have to wait to dive back into this story.
June 12, 2022
Loved the story line!
I downloaded this for the June TBR challenge. Storyline was great, thought I knew where it was heading, boy was I wrong lol. Character dynamics were really good, especially Casey and Cedric's friendship, I just knew they were destined for more. My only peeve with this book--the constant mistakes, especially at the beginning of the book, and way too many sentences starting with 'And' (I know it's hard to eliminate all the mistakes, however it's extremely distracting if they're really bad)
I downloaded this for the June TBR challenge. Storyline was great, thought I knew where it was heading, boy was I wrong lol. Character dynamics were really good, especially Casey and Cedric's friendship, I just knew they were destined for more. My only peeve with this book--the constant mistakes, especially at the beginning of the book, and way too many sentences starting with 'And' (I know it's hard to eliminate all the mistakes, however it's extremely distracting if they're really bad)
July 1, 2022
The story follows Cassie. She's orphaned and left to be raised by the prestigious lerhos academy. Which is full of magic. The only downfall is magic isn't learned You're born with it. One thing, Cassie knows all too well. Her power is never developed. Because of this. She is an outcast. I love the story and I was super drawn to the main character. The author's way of writing makes you want to continue reading. And I had a really hard time putting the book down. Let alone. The book is full of magic in the school beings and the dangerous adventure begins
June 29, 2018
I loved this book!! I thought the plot was amazing, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I love all the characters, Casey especially. She is a great independent woman and I love how we see her grow throughout the story. I love the mystery surrounding her background and learning bits and pieces about her which feed the plot of the story.
Can Casey find out where she fits in her world? And after learning of a prophecy, she may just be the person who saves the world.
Can Casey find out where she fits in her world? And after learning of a prophecy, she may just be the person who saves the world.
May 2, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. It has magic, supernatural characters and a B.A. main character who just wants to fit in. Casey is a witch who doesn't have any powers and has had to grow up an orphan. She constantly has to fight not only her peers but others who seek to harm her. And now there is a prophecy. Read this book to find out what it all means!
June 5, 2022
Amazing!
Several puzzle pieces slowly present themselves but don't actually fit together. You're left wondering what's to come and wanting to read more to find out. Brilliantly written!
Several puzzle pieces slowly present themselves but don't actually fit together. You're left wondering what's to come and wanting to read more to find out. Brilliantly written!
May 8, 2017
This book is amazing. The characters are so well developed. The plot line is incredible and I am so excited to start reading the second book, hiding till dawn! this author has some real talent!
April 23, 2018
Great Book
Great Book I love it !you should get this book it was a very powerful
Book and I know you will love this book
Thank You For Letting Me Read This Book I love it
Great Book I love it !you should get this book it was a very powerful
Book and I know you will love this book
Thank You For Letting Me Read This Book I love it
July 25, 2018
review to come
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