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The Witchling Academy #1
Seventh Born
Abomination. Curse. Murderer. All names hurled at eighteen-year-old Seraphina Dovetail. As the seventh-born daughter to a witch, she's the cause of her mother losing her powers and, in turn, her life.
Abandoned as a child, Sera dreams of becoming an inspector and finding her family. To do that, she must be referred into the Advanced Studies Program at the Aetherium's Witchling Academy. Her birth order, quick temper, and tendency to set things on fire, however, have left her an outcast with failing marks…and just what Professor Nikolai Barrington is looking for.
The tall, brooding, yet exceedingly handsome young professor makes her a proposition: become his assistant and he'll give her the referral she needs. Sera is quickly thrust into a world where witches are being kidnapped, bodies are raised from the dead, and someone is burning seventhborns alive. As Sera and Barrington grow ever closer, she'll discover that some secrets are best left buried…and fire isn't the only thing that makes a witch burn.
Abandoned as a child, Sera dreams of becoming an inspector and finding her family. To do that, she must be referred into the Advanced Studies Program at the Aetherium's Witchling Academy. Her birth order, quick temper, and tendency to set things on fire, however, have left her an outcast with failing marks…and just what Professor Nikolai Barrington is looking for.
The tall, brooding, yet exceedingly handsome young professor makes her a proposition: become his assistant and he'll give her the referral she needs. Sera is quickly thrust into a world where witches are being kidnapped, bodies are raised from the dead, and someone is burning seventhborns alive. As Sera and Barrington grow ever closer, she'll discover that some secrets are best left buried…and fire isn't the only thing that makes a witch burn.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 2018
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4007 people want to read
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September 5, 2018
I enjoyed it so much more than I expected!
Listen up, folks. Seventh Born is definitely neither a miracle nor a flawless piece of art. One of my biggest pet peeves (aside from love triangles, instalovetriangles, love squares and every other variation of love geometry) is the lack of solid worldbuilding, and in this case there was zero. Zilch. Nada. Rien. There were also some things about seventhborns, their power and the hatred towards them that were fuzzy to say the least, and Sera was your typical act first-think of consequences later YA heroine. I am sure you're perplexed by now, but there are some serious reasons to grab Seventh Born, since it was an utterly fun and addictive ride.
✔️ Professor Nikolai Barrington
✔️ Witchling Academy
✔️ Mystery
✔️ Magic
✔️ Barrington
✔️ Gruesome murders
✔️ Necromancy
✔️ Slow burn romance
✔️ Dangerous cult
✔️ Cute supernatural pet
✔️ BARRINGTON
Monica Sanz inadvertently (or not so much?) described her novel in the above sentence. Seventh Born emanates a sinister vibe, coated in mist, smoke, and scars, smelling of burning flesh and sulfur, touching forbidden aspects of magic. It's the story of a seventhborn, a pariah constantly bullied because of her birth order and things out of her control; about a girl who wishes nothing but to become an investigator and find her family, and is brought one step closer to her goal when her moody and brooding professor asks her help in order to solve some mysterious deaths. Their research will bring them to dangerous paths that will uncover secrets that may shake their beliefs to the core, but they cannot stop, or else more bodies will pile up. And Sera might be one of them.
And oh my, this novel was full of monsters of all kinds. Most of them were human, embracing cruelty over compassion, power over gentleness, prejudice over justice. And you simply wanted to wear a cape, shed your glasses and defend Sera and all those unfortunate souls like her. But enough with the somber tone, let's focus on other aspects of the story. Namely, Barrington.
The boorish professor clad in black is definitely made of book boyfriend material. That is if you like your book boyfriends shady, mysterious and dangerous but also big softies when it comes to all the things that matter. I loved how he respected Sera, gave her space and time and treated her like a partner (most of the times). There was swooning involved, which arised out of simple gestures and light touches.
Setting Barrington aside, the writing flow was fluid, and the combination of crime, suspense and magic made it difficult to put it down. Mind, though, that there are aspects of the lore that will left you confused, and questions about the world outside the Academy that will not be answered, cue minor frustration. In my case, though, these deficiencies, albeit important, did not deter me from savoring all the things that were done right. Seventh Born is a delicious lil' candy waiting to be relished, and I had a great time doing so!
*ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Note: The quotes used in this review are from an uncorrected text and subject to changes.
Review also posted on BookNest!
Listen up, folks. Seventh Born is definitely neither a miracle nor a flawless piece of art. One of my biggest pet peeves (aside from love triangles, instalovetriangles, love squares and every other variation of love geometry) is the lack of solid worldbuilding, and in this case there was zero. Zilch. Nada. Rien. There were also some things about seventhborns, their power and the hatred towards them that were fuzzy to say the least, and Sera was your typical act first-think of consequences later YA heroine. I am sure you're perplexed by now, but there are some serious reasons to grab Seventh Born, since it was an utterly fun and addictive ride.
✔️ Professor Nikolai Barrington
✔️ Witchling Academy
✔️ Mystery
✔️ Magic
✔️ Barrington
✔️ Gruesome murders
✔️ Necromancy
✔️ Slow burn romance
✔️ Dangerous cult
✔️ Cute supernatural pet
✔️ BARRINGTON
“Safety, companionship, and adventure with the possibility of blood, murder, and death, all the while investigating love.”
Monica Sanz inadvertently (or not so much?) described her novel in the above sentence. Seventh Born emanates a sinister vibe, coated in mist, smoke, and scars, smelling of burning flesh and sulfur, touching forbidden aspects of magic. It's the story of a seventhborn, a pariah constantly bullied because of her birth order and things out of her control; about a girl who wishes nothing but to become an investigator and find her family, and is brought one step closer to her goal when her moody and brooding professor asks her help in order to solve some mysterious deaths. Their research will bring them to dangerous paths that will uncover secrets that may shake their beliefs to the core, but they cannot stop, or else more bodies will pile up. And Sera might be one of them.
“There would always be monsters to find.”
And oh my, this novel was full of monsters of all kinds. Most of them were human, embracing cruelty over compassion, power over gentleness, prejudice over justice. And you simply wanted to wear a cape, shed your glasses and defend Sera and all those unfortunate souls like her. But enough with the somber tone, let's focus on other aspects of the story. Namely, Barrington.
The boorish professor clad in black is definitely made of book boyfriend material. That is if you like your book boyfriends shady, mysterious and dangerous but also big softies when it comes to all the things that matter. I loved how he respected Sera, gave her space and time and treated her like a partner (most of the times). There was swooning involved, which arised out of simple gestures and light touches.
Setting Barrington aside, the writing flow was fluid, and the combination of crime, suspense and magic made it difficult to put it down. Mind, though, that there are aspects of the lore that will left you confused, and questions about the world outside the Academy that will not be answered, cue minor frustration. In my case, though, these deficiencies, albeit important, did not deter me from savoring all the things that were done right. Seventh Born is a delicious lil' candy waiting to be relished, and I had a great time doing so!
*ARC generously provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Note: The quotes used in this review are from an uncorrected text and subject to changes.
Review also posted on BookNest!
August 5, 2018
The seventh-born daughter is brought into the world with distaste, her mother is gone and the world is unwelcoming. The seventh-born has to fight for what she wants and will find many doors closed. She is said to be cursed and many will not give her a chance, but the seventh-born daughter is truly special.
Seraphina Dovetail wants to become an inspector. She works hard at her magic, but her temper sometimes gets the best of her. Her past is painful and she doesn't remember her family. Her hopes lie with the witchling school, where she is a scholarship student. She is a seventh-born and people tend to avoid her or make fun of her. Her teachers are cruel and she has to be on her best behaviour at all times. Unfortunately, it isn't easy for Sera to stay out of trouble. The word seems to follow her around. She has a secret best friend who she loves dearly and she tries to keep her head down. Unfortunately, she isn't very successful and becomes a target. She attracts the attention of the cruel boy, Whittaker but also the most desirable boy, Timothy and her Professor.
Professor Barrington is in need of an assistant and after seeing Sera display of anger he approaches her. He offers to help her with her studies and recommendations, in exchange for her help with some murders. This unlikely friendship becomes a bond Sera never imaged she would have.
Timothy Delacort is from a respectable, powerful family. He is destined for great things. Unfortunately, they are not what he wants. Sera catches his eye and he hopes for a chance with her. He doesn't care his family will not approve. Sera doesn't really know what to do with Timothy affections, especially since her best friend Mary has a crush on him. Her friend means the world to her and she doesn't want to do anything that may upset her.
The murders are brutal rituals and the victims suffered a painful death. The authorities are clueless. They cannot link the victims together. It's up to Sera and Professor Barrington to solve the case.
This book is excellent and I was hooked on every word. Luckily there is more to be added to this series. Seventh born is a full-length novel which you can really sink your teeth into. It is dark and Sera becomes the light. She isn't perfect but her actions are understandable. She has had a tough life and she still fights for what she wants. She's a powerful witch in training but not everyone sees the good in her.
There are also some great supporting characters in this book and the plot came together nicely. It can be read as a standalone but the door is left open a slither for more. Seventh born is a fantastic gripping story. It's imaginative and creates a believable world with magic. I could easily read this book again which is unusual for me. A modern-day fantasy Sherlock Holmes. 5 + stars out of 5. Very highly recommended.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Blog tour date 6th September 2018.
Seraphina Dovetail wants to become an inspector. She works hard at her magic, but her temper sometimes gets the best of her. Her past is painful and she doesn't remember her family. Her hopes lie with the witchling school, where she is a scholarship student. She is a seventh-born and people tend to avoid her or make fun of her. Her teachers are cruel and she has to be on her best behaviour at all times. Unfortunately, it isn't easy for Sera to stay out of trouble. The word seems to follow her around. She has a secret best friend who she loves dearly and she tries to keep her head down. Unfortunately, she isn't very successful and becomes a target. She attracts the attention of the cruel boy, Whittaker but also the most desirable boy, Timothy and her Professor.
Professor Barrington is in need of an assistant and after seeing Sera display of anger he approaches her. He offers to help her with her studies and recommendations, in exchange for her help with some murders. This unlikely friendship becomes a bond Sera never imaged she would have.
Timothy Delacort is from a respectable, powerful family. He is destined for great things. Unfortunately, they are not what he wants. Sera catches his eye and he hopes for a chance with her. He doesn't care his family will not approve. Sera doesn't really know what to do with Timothy affections, especially since her best friend Mary has a crush on him. Her friend means the world to her and she doesn't want to do anything that may upset her.
The murders are brutal rituals and the victims suffered a painful death. The authorities are clueless. They cannot link the victims together. It's up to Sera and Professor Barrington to solve the case.
This book is excellent and I was hooked on every word. Luckily there is more to be added to this series. Seventh born is a full-length novel which you can really sink your teeth into. It is dark and Sera becomes the light. She isn't perfect but her actions are understandable. She has had a tough life and she still fights for what she wants. She's a powerful witch in training but not everyone sees the good in her.
There are also some great supporting characters in this book and the plot came together nicely. It can be read as a standalone but the door is left open a slither for more. Seventh born is a fantastic gripping story. It's imaginative and creates a believable world with magic. I could easily read this book again which is unusual for me. A modern-day fantasy Sherlock Holmes. 5 + stars out of 5. Very highly recommended.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Blog tour date 6th September 2018.
September 6, 2018
Seventh Born by Monica Sanz is the first book of the young adult paranormal fantasy The Witchling Academy. Really this series has a bit of everything wrapped into it with some romance, a historical feel and a murder mystery.
Seraphina Dovetail is a seventh born, and seventh borns are not exactly at the top of the list in the witch community. Despite her unlucky birth order and being abandoned as a child Sera has managed to fulfill her dream of studying at Aetherium’s Witchling Academy.
Things are not easy for Sera at the academy however and when pushed a bit too far Sera finds herself caught using magic without a wand. However instead of punishment Professor Barrington proposes an offer to make Sera his assistant to help with solving murders.
Nope, not for me at all. I really wanted to love this one as it had such an intriguing mix of elements to the story but there were a few things holding me back. First, I felt like this is one that the world and character building were lacking and it was more like being thrust into the deep end without a life jacket. On the other hand I also felt the story dragged and could get a little overly wordy so figure that out, not enough but too much. Then I’m really not a fan of pushing towards a teacher/student relationship so I think I will be skipping any more of the series unfortunately.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Seraphina Dovetail is a seventh born, and seventh borns are not exactly at the top of the list in the witch community. Despite her unlucky birth order and being abandoned as a child Sera has managed to fulfill her dream of studying at Aetherium’s Witchling Academy.
Things are not easy for Sera at the academy however and when pushed a bit too far Sera finds herself caught using magic without a wand. However instead of punishment Professor Barrington proposes an offer to make Sera his assistant to help with solving murders.
Nope, not for me at all. I really wanted to love this one as it had such an intriguing mix of elements to the story but there were a few things holding me back. First, I felt like this is one that the world and character building were lacking and it was more like being thrust into the deep end without a life jacket. On the other hand I also felt the story dragged and could get a little overly wordy so figure that out, not enough but too much. Then I’m really not a fan of pushing towards a teacher/student relationship so I think I will be skipping any more of the series unfortunately.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
January 11, 2023
Another case of me struggling to enjoy a book because I don't like the main character. Sera was angry and defensive a lot of the time. I get why. She was treated with disdain and mistrust because of her lowly seventh born status. She was held captive and has scars all over her body as a result of the evil magician draining her of her magic. I'd be angry too. As a Reader though, I need there to be qualities that will provide some balance so I can actually get behind a character. For me there were not. Plus the ratio of inner monologue to action as a way to move the plot forward was off. Others have enjoyed it so just a case of not for me.
September 4, 2018
*Thanks again to Entangled Teen for sending me an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Seraphina Dovetail is a witch. But not just any witch. She is a seventh-born one and in order for her to live, her mother had to die. Thus, she’s subject to a lot of hostility. All kinds of horrible names are hurled at her on a daily basis at the academy she’s training at, but Seraphina willingly puts up with all that because she has one dream. She wants to become an inspector and find her real family. For that to happen though she needs a referral for the Aetherium’s Witchling Academy to start training there and getting a referral sounds easier than it is for someone like her. But one of her professors seems to have a solution. He needs her help with one of his projects and in return, he’ll give her the referral she needs. But will that really be as easy as it sounds?
Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I originally requested it because I thought the premise of “Seventh Born” sounded very promising and like something I might really enjoy but there were just so many things that ultimately resulted in me losing interest in this novel quite quickly.
My main problem with the book was definitely that there was almost zero world-building and that a lot of information and context I would’ve needed to fully understand the story was just missing. Quite early in the book, I already started feeling pretty lost and the whole plot just began being very confusing because it often just wasn’t explained what they’re doing and how things work in the magical world Sanz created. It was a little like starting a good fantasy series but deciding to skip the first few books and just reading the third or fourth part right away. Due to this, the story also dove right into action and the first half of the book was just way too rushed and the pacing was really off.
But not only the world wasn’t properly introduced, I also felt like a proper introduction of most of the characters was missing completely and thus I just didn’t care about any of them. This also meant that the romance in this book wasn’t really that interesting to me. Also, quite early on it is said that Seraphina is actually scared of closeness to men due to something that happened in her past and so I found it extremely weird and random that suddenly from one chapter to the next one, she completely trusted her professor and even began fancying him. Furthermore, she also just let one of her classmates kiss her and didn’t seem to have any problem with that which I think just didn’t make sense when you keep in mind how scared she’d still been of men just a few pages earlier.
So due to all of this, I just didn’t enjoy reading the book and lost interest in it quite quickly. I actually only skimmed the last 40% of it and it’s definitely a series I unfortunately won’t be continuing. I have to say though that I actually liked the author’s writing style and that I wouldn’t be averse to reading some of her future work if she ends up publishing a new series at some point. However, “Seventh Born” ultimately just wasn’t for me and even though I always hate giving only one star to a book, I just can’t give this a higher rating.
instagram || my blog || twitter
Seraphina Dovetail is a witch. But not just any witch. She is a seventh-born one and in order for her to live, her mother had to die. Thus, she’s subject to a lot of hostility. All kinds of horrible names are hurled at her on a daily basis at the academy she’s training at, but Seraphina willingly puts up with all that because she has one dream. She wants to become an inspector and find her real family. For that to happen though she needs a referral for the Aetherium’s Witchling Academy to start training there and getting a referral sounds easier than it is for someone like her. But one of her professors seems to have a solution. He needs her help with one of his projects and in return, he’ll give her the referral she needs. But will that really be as easy as it sounds?
Unfortunately, this book just wasn’t for me. I originally requested it because I thought the premise of “Seventh Born” sounded very promising and like something I might really enjoy but there were just so many things that ultimately resulted in me losing interest in this novel quite quickly.
My main problem with the book was definitely that there was almost zero world-building and that a lot of information and context I would’ve needed to fully understand the story was just missing. Quite early in the book, I already started feeling pretty lost and the whole plot just began being very confusing because it often just wasn’t explained what they’re doing and how things work in the magical world Sanz created. It was a little like starting a good fantasy series but deciding to skip the first few books and just reading the third or fourth part right away. Due to this, the story also dove right into action and the first half of the book was just way too rushed and the pacing was really off.
But not only the world wasn’t properly introduced, I also felt like a proper introduction of most of the characters was missing completely and thus I just didn’t care about any of them. This also meant that the romance in this book wasn’t really that interesting to me. Also, quite early on it is said that Seraphina is actually scared of closeness to men due to something that happened in her past and so I found it extremely weird and random that suddenly from one chapter to the next one, she completely trusted her professor and even began fancying him. Furthermore, she also just let one of her classmates kiss her and didn’t seem to have any problem with that which I think just didn’t make sense when you keep in mind how scared she’d still been of men just a few pages earlier.
So due to all of this, I just didn’t enjoy reading the book and lost interest in it quite quickly. I actually only skimmed the last 40% of it and it’s definitely a series I unfortunately won’t be continuing. I have to say though that I actually liked the author’s writing style and that I wouldn’t be averse to reading some of her future work if she ends up publishing a new series at some point. However, “Seventh Born” ultimately just wasn’t for me and even though I always hate giving only one star to a book, I just can’t give this a higher rating.
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June 15, 2020
3.5
Review to come.
Review to come.
August 21, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great twist on the 7th child theme. The 7th son of a 7th son is always very positive for male wizards – but here the 7th daughter is marked (literally) as socially undesirable, cursed, and is to have her magic constrained. The same does not applied to seventh sons, so definitely some misogyny here. Reportedly, the mother dies giving birth to the seventh daughter – thus accenting the daughter’s maliciousness. Personally, I am always amazed that women chose to give birth even once, being such a painful and fraught affair – so dying after the seventh birth seems pretty logical to me (This world definitely needs some birth control and celibacy!). In former days, the seventh born daughters were persecuted, hunted and killed, so there has been some little progress on the moral front.
The book’s heroine, Sera Dovetail, is seventh born, a trainee witch enrolled in the Aetherium’s Witchling Academy. She is limited in which courses she may take, and which books she may read. Any trouble, and – guilty or no – she gets the blame. It does not help that picking on the seventh-born is an accepted Academy pastime, and that she is very quick to react and retaliate.
Because of her painful past experiences (not all of which she can remember), Sera has serious trust issues, and repulses most attempts to connect with her. Only her one true friend, Mary, is allowed to get close – and certainly not the highly desirable Timothy Delcourt.
When the tall, dark, handsome and brooding Professor Barrington (a romantic hero in waiting if ever there was one – Mr D’arcy eat your heart out!) offers Sera private lessons and the much needed referral for future studies, in exchange for her working as his assistant, she reservedly agrees. Their relationship has to remain secret, as it is completely inappropriate for a professor to be alone with a pupil – especially a derided seventh born.
Family plays a huge part for all the main characters. Sera needs to become an inspector, to find her family and uncover her history. Barrington is an unofficial inspector, and is determined to absolve his dead father and brother of the crimes of which they are accused. Both are driven by a desire to bring to justice the necromancers and murderers who are leaving a trail of exhumed and burned corpses behind them.
Timothy and Mary are driven by the demands of their respective families, pushing them against their true desires, and leaving them feeling inadequate and hopeless.
The world and its characters are beautifully drawn, and you quickly become involved. Even the minor characters – such as Mrs York, Lucas Davenport (cf John Sandford?) and the Barghest – really grab your attention. There is romance (just the right amount for me), mystery, friendship and betrayal. While you may guess the eventual outcome, you would be hard-pressed to work out how the ending is reached. Although much is resolved, there is still enough left for many more books in this series. I can hardly wait.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
The book’s heroine, Sera Dovetail, is seventh born, a trainee witch enrolled in the Aetherium’s Witchling Academy. She is limited in which courses she may take, and which books she may read. Any trouble, and – guilty or no – she gets the blame. It does not help that picking on the seventh-born is an accepted Academy pastime, and that she is very quick to react and retaliate.
Because of her painful past experiences (not all of which she can remember), Sera has serious trust issues, and repulses most attempts to connect with her. Only her one true friend, Mary, is allowed to get close – and certainly not the highly desirable Timothy Delcourt.
When the tall, dark, handsome and brooding Professor Barrington (a romantic hero in waiting if ever there was one – Mr D’arcy eat your heart out!) offers Sera private lessons and the much needed referral for future studies, in exchange for her working as his assistant, she reservedly agrees. Their relationship has to remain secret, as it is completely inappropriate for a professor to be alone with a pupil – especially a derided seventh born.
Family plays a huge part for all the main characters. Sera needs to become an inspector, to find her family and uncover her history. Barrington is an unofficial inspector, and is determined to absolve his dead father and brother of the crimes of which they are accused. Both are driven by a desire to bring to justice the necromancers and murderers who are leaving a trail of exhumed and burned corpses behind them.
Timothy and Mary are driven by the demands of their respective families, pushing them against their true desires, and leaving them feeling inadequate and hopeless.
The world and its characters are beautifully drawn, and you quickly become involved. Even the minor characters – such as Mrs York, Lucas Davenport (cf John Sandford?) and the Barghest – really grab your attention. There is romance (just the right amount for me), mystery, friendship and betrayal. While you may guess the eventual outcome, you would be hard-pressed to work out how the ending is reached. Although much is resolved, there is still enough left for many more books in this series. I can hardly wait.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
December 30, 2021
⭐ 4 Stars ⭐
Although I did enjoy this, certain aspects let the book down for me, the majority being the world-building.
With this being the first book in the duology, I expected an in-depth description of the world, but that was not the case. I would have liked a lot more world-building in this book, but this might be explained in the second book. Not only this but also clarify the social dynamics of seventh borns. For example, why would women have a seventh child knowing that they would die and leave that child to become an outcast in society and suffer from abuse?
I loved the characters so much, especially Professor Barrington! Sera was great too. She was more of an act first think later, which was the complete opposite of the calm, calculated Barrington. The friendship and respect these two have for each other was quite lovely to see and super cute at times. However, I've read too many teacher-student romances to want them to develop some form of feelings which I don't think will happen, but a girl can dream XD.
The side characters from the school were kind of a letdown because I just wasn't interested in them at all. Sera's best friend and potential love interest were there primarily to add drama; they honestly felt pointless to me as I didn't care for them. The other side characters were pretty good though.
Interesting book; I just hope we get to understand the world more in the next book.
Although I did enjoy this, certain aspects let the book down for me, the majority being the world-building.
With this being the first book in the duology, I expected an in-depth description of the world, but that was not the case. I would have liked a lot more world-building in this book, but this might be explained in the second book. Not only this but also clarify the social dynamics of seventh borns. For example, why would women have a seventh child knowing that they would die and leave that child to become an outcast in society and suffer from abuse?
I loved the characters so much, especially Professor Barrington! Sera was great too. She was more of an act first think later, which was the complete opposite of the calm, calculated Barrington. The friendship and respect these two have for each other was quite lovely to see and super cute at times. However, I've read too many teacher-student romances to want them to develop some form of feelings which I don't think will happen, but a girl can dream XD.
The side characters from the school were kind of a letdown because I just wasn't interested in them at all. Sera's best friend and potential love interest were there primarily to add drama; they honestly felt pointless to me as I didn't care for them. The other side characters were pretty good though.
Interesting book; I just hope we get to understand the world more in the next book.
September 14, 2019
I loved, loved, loved the book. This was everything I love in a book. There was magic, there was an amnesiac witch who wanted to be an inspektor, a kind and intelligent professor who mentored her, a belief about the seventh born, and a murder investigation.
My first book by author Monica Sanz, and believe me, I savored the book. Each word was a haunting melody that spoke to my soul. I love my thrillers and this too was as enthralling, if not more.
The writing was superfluous which spoke of a greater command of the storytelling. The author has enriched the prose with subtext and nuances. The mystery of the seventh born dogged my steps as I kept reading.
The magic and the spells filled me with a sense of breathlessness so deep that I could just submerge myself in it. This was a murder investigation at its core. Someone was using the great magical power of the seventh born to raise the dead and get to the secrets of dark magic.
Professor Barrington was investigating it, and Sera, the seventh born witch studying at the Wichling Academy, was asked to be his assistant. Sera remembered nothing of her life before joining the academy. Her memories of her family and childhood were locked.
The seventh born were considers an abomination meant to be shunned, even though they had vast reserves of magic. This book did not explain much about the world they lived in or why the seventh born were hated, but it captivated me from the first page.
The characters were just breaking out of their mold in this book, slowly spreading their wings showing me who they really were. I loved Sera, a hot tempered witch who was broken by a sadistic abuser, but her anger and the professor slowly healed her. Anger is a great power if used aptly.
For me, this book had the power to heal my mind. I was captured by this story from the very beginning, the strands of the author's rich storytelling pulling me into the book with each page. A haunting read!!
My first book by author Monica Sanz, and believe me, I savored the book. Each word was a haunting melody that spoke to my soul. I love my thrillers and this too was as enthralling, if not more.
The writing was superfluous which spoke of a greater command of the storytelling. The author has enriched the prose with subtext and nuances. The mystery of the seventh born dogged my steps as I kept reading.
The magic and the spells filled me with a sense of breathlessness so deep that I could just submerge myself in it. This was a murder investigation at its core. Someone was using the great magical power of the seventh born to raise the dead and get to the secrets of dark magic.
Professor Barrington was investigating it, and Sera, the seventh born witch studying at the Wichling Academy, was asked to be his assistant. Sera remembered nothing of her life before joining the academy. Her memories of her family and childhood were locked.
The seventh born were considers an abomination meant to be shunned, even though they had vast reserves of magic. This book did not explain much about the world they lived in or why the seventh born were hated, but it captivated me from the first page.
The characters were just breaking out of their mold in this book, slowly spreading their wings showing me who they really were. I loved Sera, a hot tempered witch who was broken by a sadistic abuser, but her anger and the professor slowly healed her. Anger is a great power if used aptly.
For me, this book had the power to heal my mind. I was captured by this story from the very beginning, the strands of the author's rich storytelling pulling me into the book with each page. A haunting read!!
July 28, 2018
I really enjoyed the magic in this story.
Sera is the seventh-born daughter to her witch mother. The seventhborns take their mother's magic which in turn kills them. Seventhborns were looked upon as bad for a long time, beaten, and even killed. While this changed a bit, they are still looked at as less than human. Most people won't even talk to them. Sera was taken in to a school with a program for seventhborns. Most of the kids are horrible to her. Even the teachers are. She does have one best friend, Mary.
Sera has no real memory of her life except the past two years. She wants to become an inspector and find her family. She does remember Noah. Noah took her in and was nice to her at first. But then he began taking her power and abusing her. Sera set fire to his house with him inside, but she still fears him.
Professor Barrington is an inspector that asks Sera for her help. It has to be kept secret, but he promises to give her a referral which she knows she won't get from anyone else. Barrington is looking into murders of other witches. He sees the potential in Sera, even when she struggles to control her emotions and powers. Seventhborns get the second site when they come into their powers and Sera is able to see the ghosts of the dead witches. The investigation is dangerous and Sera has to confront ghosts of her past, too.
The pacing of the book was a bit slow for me, but I did enjoy how descriptive the writing was. The ending felt a bit rushed compared to the lead up, so I do wish that would have been a bit more detailed. But I enjoyed the story, characters, and writing. I really hope we get a book two because there were definitely things left open and unfinished.
There is a bit of a love triangle in a way. Also, the teacher/student relationship was definitely heading towards romantic, but it never quite got there. This didn't bother me because Sera is eighteen, and this obviously took place in a different time. But just a little warning in case these things bother you.
I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to netgalley and Entangled Teen for the chance to read this one early.
Sera is the seventh-born daughter to her witch mother. The seventhborns take their mother's magic which in turn kills them. Seventhborns were looked upon as bad for a long time, beaten, and even killed. While this changed a bit, they are still looked at as less than human. Most people won't even talk to them. Sera was taken in to a school with a program for seventhborns. Most of the kids are horrible to her. Even the teachers are. She does have one best friend, Mary.
Sera has no real memory of her life except the past two years. She wants to become an inspector and find her family. She does remember Noah. Noah took her in and was nice to her at first. But then he began taking her power and abusing her. Sera set fire to his house with him inside, but she still fears him.
Professor Barrington is an inspector that asks Sera for her help. It has to be kept secret, but he promises to give her a referral which she knows she won't get from anyone else. Barrington is looking into murders of other witches. He sees the potential in Sera, even when she struggles to control her emotions and powers. Seventhborns get the second site when they come into their powers and Sera is able to see the ghosts of the dead witches. The investigation is dangerous and Sera has to confront ghosts of her past, too.
The pacing of the book was a bit slow for me, but I did enjoy how descriptive the writing was. The ending felt a bit rushed compared to the lead up, so I do wish that would have been a bit more detailed. But I enjoyed the story, characters, and writing. I really hope we get a book two because there were definitely things left open and unfinished.
There is a bit of a love triangle in a way. Also, the teacher/student relationship was definitely heading towards romantic, but it never quite got there. This didn't bother me because Sera is eighteen, and this obviously took place in a different time. But just a little warning in case these things bother you.
I gave this book 4 stars. Thank you to netgalley and Entangled Teen for the chance to read this one early.
August 21, 2019
I adored this charming clean YA magical novel and cannot wait for the next book in this series! When we meet Seraphina, she is justifiably wild and easy to set off, as she is unfairly targeted and bullied due to her birth order. She is a likable and relatable character with aspirations, goals, and amazing strength of character.
Professor Barrington manages to be absolutely charming at all times, even when he’s a bit infuriating. As Seraphina learns more about him while working together, she grows to trust him and understand his motives. Barrington is the epitome of a ‘historical romance’ gentleman; gentle and kind, but efficient, effective, and capable of anything to protect those he cares about.
‘Seventh Born’ had elements that reminded me of Harry Potter, which is a good thing. Author Monica Sanz introduces a new system of magic, including magic school for teenagers and advanced education for specific careers in the magical community.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
#SeventhBorn #NetGalley
Professor Barrington manages to be absolutely charming at all times, even when he’s a bit infuriating. As Seraphina learns more about him while working together, she grows to trust him and understand his motives. Barrington is the epitome of a ‘historical romance’ gentleman; gentle and kind, but efficient, effective, and capable of anything to protect those he cares about.
‘Seventh Born’ had elements that reminded me of Harry Potter, which is a good thing. Author Monica Sanz introduces a new system of magic, including magic school for teenagers and advanced education for specific careers in the magical community.
I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. Read more reviews! http://dreamerjbookreviews.blogspot.com
#SeventhBorn #NetGalley
September 6, 2018
Seraphina “Sera” Dovetail is a witch studying at the Aetheriums Witchling Academy. Not only a witch, Sera is also the seventh-born daughter to a witch. Cursed from birth, she is also the reason why her mother lost all of her powers and ultimately her life as well. Her cursed birthright afforded her no luxuries at the Aetheriums Witchling Academy. She is shunned by the other students and the professors at the academy treat her as if she was nothing. Sera should be grateful to even be attending the witchling academy given her status as a seventhborn. All Sera wants to do is study hard and pass her exams and gain a referral so she can attend The Aetherium School of Continuing Magic. Her only goal is to become an inspector and to hopefully find her father and her other brothers and sisters. Sera’s life is about to change though with the help of Professor Barrington who requires her assistance on a case he is working on and in turn he will give Sera the referral she needs, but what does the case have to do with her and does the case have anything to do with the troubled past she was rescued from?
Seventh Born by Monica Sanz is everything! I cannot gush enough about how much I absolutely adored this story. I will admit I do not read enough books based on the paranormal, but Sanz opened me up to world and a genre I mostly shied away from. The world building is absolutely phenomenal and I felt as if I was taken to a different time and place. The historical aspect of the story really drew me in. I love anything historical from the gowns to the carriages and just the different mannerisms that are so different than today. The magical aspect really shines here because the way Sanz describes magic really feels as if it is brought to life and you can feel the heat radiating in your belly and through your fingertips. The magical aspect was superbly done and really made me fall in love with the lure of magic.
Sera is a character you will instantly feel a connection to. She might not be the most grounded, but she is spirited and has heart. She shows real feelings such as anger and passion and although she may not be able to control her anger at times, hence her always getting into trouble at the academy, she is still passionate about what she is learning as she works to her goal of becoming an inspector. She is faced with many obstacles in her way including the cruelty of the other students making fun of her or just being downright cruel. I am so glad her spirit was never broken during these times. Although, I did feel sorry for her having to go through life feeling as if she didn’t matter. Sera has a heartbreaking backstory, one that is so evil and so emotional, but yet she survived it and even though it made her stronger, you can still see and feel the lingering effects it has on her today. Little by little Professor barrington starts to break down her barriers and in turn it allows Sera to grow as a person and also become stronger. I loved seeing her growth and progress throughout the story.
Professor NIkolai Barrington is definitely my new book boyfriend. He is just so swoon worthy! He is very mysterious, demanding, confident, and definitely very alpha in both demeanor and through his words. He is in his early twenties, but he demands attention. I love the secrecy surrounding him and his family and felt his story interweaved between the main story was done quite well. His interactions with Sera were definitely of the professor and assistant variety, but you can see the spark instantly between Barrington and Sera right from the beginning. I loved seeing the connection they both shared and even though they both tried to fight it, you can feel the passion building up between the both of them. I have to say Barrington was very much a gentleman to Sera as he gained her trust little by little. Like Sera, Barrington also grew as a character and came into his own with the help of Sera. He was also very protective of Sera throughout all of their time together. Barrington is just to die for!
Seventh Born by Monica sanz is a captivating and richly told story full of magic and lure that had me hooked right from the beginning! The story is beautifully written and grabs your attention right from the first page. The story is shrouded in mystery and as you peel back the layers one by one you will be deeply entranced by what is discovered. I highly recommend Seventh Born to be read by fans of both fantasy and the paranormal. Seventh Born is the first book in the Witchling Academy series and I, for one, am wholeheartedly looking forward to more of Sera and Barrington.
Seventh Born by Monica Sanz is everything! I cannot gush enough about how much I absolutely adored this story. I will admit I do not read enough books based on the paranormal, but Sanz opened me up to world and a genre I mostly shied away from. The world building is absolutely phenomenal and I felt as if I was taken to a different time and place. The historical aspect of the story really drew me in. I love anything historical from the gowns to the carriages and just the different mannerisms that are so different than today. The magical aspect really shines here because the way Sanz describes magic really feels as if it is brought to life and you can feel the heat radiating in your belly and through your fingertips. The magical aspect was superbly done and really made me fall in love with the lure of magic.
Sera is a character you will instantly feel a connection to. She might not be the most grounded, but she is spirited and has heart. She shows real feelings such as anger and passion and although she may not be able to control her anger at times, hence her always getting into trouble at the academy, she is still passionate about what she is learning as she works to her goal of becoming an inspector. She is faced with many obstacles in her way including the cruelty of the other students making fun of her or just being downright cruel. I am so glad her spirit was never broken during these times. Although, I did feel sorry for her having to go through life feeling as if she didn’t matter. Sera has a heartbreaking backstory, one that is so evil and so emotional, but yet she survived it and even though it made her stronger, you can still see and feel the lingering effects it has on her today. Little by little Professor barrington starts to break down her barriers and in turn it allows Sera to grow as a person and also become stronger. I loved seeing her growth and progress throughout the story.
Professor NIkolai Barrington is definitely my new book boyfriend. He is just so swoon worthy! He is very mysterious, demanding, confident, and definitely very alpha in both demeanor and through his words. He is in his early twenties, but he demands attention. I love the secrecy surrounding him and his family and felt his story interweaved between the main story was done quite well. His interactions with Sera were definitely of the professor and assistant variety, but you can see the spark instantly between Barrington and Sera right from the beginning. I loved seeing the connection they both shared and even though they both tried to fight it, you can feel the passion building up between the both of them. I have to say Barrington was very much a gentleman to Sera as he gained her trust little by little. Like Sera, Barrington also grew as a character and came into his own with the help of Sera. He was also very protective of Sera throughout all of their time together. Barrington is just to die for!
Seventh Born by Monica sanz is a captivating and richly told story full of magic and lure that had me hooked right from the beginning! The story is beautifully written and grabs your attention right from the first page. The story is shrouded in mystery and as you peel back the layers one by one you will be deeply entranced by what is discovered. I highly recommend Seventh Born to be read by fans of both fantasy and the paranormal. Seventh Born is the first book in the Witchling Academy series and I, for one, am wholeheartedly looking forward to more of Sera and Barrington.
April 14, 2020
I enjoyed this story a good deal. The tropes are strong in this one, as is the abundance of tragic backstories, but it's all handled quite well, and you can't help rooting for Sera even if she does make the occasional bad decision (at least she's self-aware!), and even if our romantic interest is All The Broody. ;) Broody is, apparently, much better than cinnamon buns, which I think is extremely unfair, but that's neither here nor there. If you're intrigued, I encourage you to give this story a try.
Actual rating 3.5
Actual rating 3.5
August 26, 2018
I unfortunately did not like this. I mean it started off interesting and I got kind of Harry Potter vibes from it, but the world (and loads of other stuff) were kept so extremely vague to me that I could not keep my attention anymore. I had to kind of skim the last 50% of the book. I just could not get into it. I cared a little bit about the romance, but not the witchy/murdery stuff. It was just so vague.
October 16, 2018
Review here (will be live on 10/19/18)
May 27, 2019
Seventh Born is a mix of historical, paranormal and mystery solving book! There are elements that I liked a lot. Professor Nikolai Barrington being the most important! There is a murder mystery, magic, necromancy and a slow burning romance.
What I didn't like was the world building, mainly because there was non existent. I couldn't even understand the time period for half the book, and it confused me a lot. I don't have a lot to say, since this story has a lot of elements that I liked and that's why I enjoyed it a lot, but I have to be honest and it's not unique or original. It's a story with potential and I believe the strongest element is the relationship of Nikolai and Seraphina, and the mystery solving, so I would like to see more of that in the next book and better world-building!
What I didn't like was the world building, mainly because there was non existent. I couldn't even understand the time period for half the book, and it confused me a lot. I don't have a lot to say, since this story has a lot of elements that I liked and that's why I enjoyed it a lot, but I have to be honest and it's not unique or original. It's a story with potential and I believe the strongest element is the relationship of Nikolai and Seraphina, and the mystery solving, so I would like to see more of that in the next book and better world-building!
September 8, 2018
Same Review Also Posted On My Blog: Dreamy Addictions
*ARC Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Seventh born is a first book in The Witchling Academy series. I didn't put any high expectations on this book because I'm not familiar with this author, but boy this book was really good. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The witchy magic in this book was the best thing I loved about it and I quite enjoyed the main characters Sera and Mr. Barrington. Besides the slow burn romance, I really liked the historical vibes, necromancy aspect, and murder mystery in this novel. There is a triangle in this book which is so many reader's pet peeve, but don't worry it's not really central focus of the book and it won't hinder your enjoyment at all. The story was very entertaining and I enjoyed every minute of it. This isn't an action packed novel, it's more like a murder investigation novel and trust me, the twists really surprised me even though I had my suspicions on some of the characters.
The Seventh born witches are cursed abominations in Seraphina Dovetail's world because they not only take away their birth mother's powers but also their life. They're treated like a bad omen because of their birth order. After Seraphina's mother died giving birth to her, she was abandoned. She remembers nothing about her family and her life before except for the past two years. To bring a new change regarding their cruel treatment towards the Seventh born's, the prestigious Aetherium’s Witchling Academy accepts her as a student in their school, but sadly she wasn't treated as their equal. She was always look down on with disdain by her fellow students and teachers. Sera dreams to become inspector and find her family, but rebelling against them will jeopardize everything and she tries hard to control her quick temper which always sets things on fire. Then she meets the tall, handsome and brooding Young Professor Barrington who makes an offer to become his assistant in exchange for his referral which she really needs. Sera agrees to be his assistant and soon she was thrust into a world filled with illegal and dangerous murder investigations, forbidden necromancy magic, and dark secrets. If the Witchling academy finds about their secret investigations, it'll ruin both of their careers.
I really enjoyed the main characters Sera and Mr. Barrington. Both of them were pretty much flawed and complex. Sera was fierce, stubborn, and a strong girl with quick temper. I really liked her character. She's a survivor who's gone through physical abuse in her past and I'm glad that she fought back her abuser. Mr. Barrington is a broody and handsome guy who harbored many secrets. His character was very intriguing and I really wanted to know more about him. He's totally swoon worthy. I enjoyed Sera and Barrington working as a team. There is a very light slow burning romance between them, and I can't wait to see how it develops in the second book. Timothy Delacort was the second love interest. He was a pretty likeable guy with sweet personality. He genuinely loves Sera and I felt bad for him at the end. Mary was another character that I liked. She's the only friend of Sera in Witchling Academy. I really liked her, but she does something at the end which really disappointed me.
The plot was very interesting filled with mystery, suspense, crime, dark magic, horror, and a light romance. Even though it's a little bit slow paced read, the story held my attention throughout. I expected this to be another cliched YA love story, but it really surprised me. The story was very unique and there are a lot of twists and turns which I didn't see coming. I quite enjoyed the mystery surrounding the gruesome murders and also the magic. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. It was very descriptive and easy to understand. The whole book was written in Seraphina's third person pov. The world the author created was pretty good. I loved the historical stetting and the dark atmosphere she has created in the story. The magic was the best thing I loved about this book. I love necromancy and cult aspects in my fantasy reads.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book! It was a fun read with enjoyable characters. The book finally concluded with no cliffhangers but there are still lots of unresolved questions and I can't wait to find them out in the next book.
*ARC Received from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Seventh born is a first book in The Witchling Academy series. I didn't put any high expectations on this book because I'm not familiar with this author, but boy this book was really good. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The witchy magic in this book was the best thing I loved about it and I quite enjoyed the main characters Sera and Mr. Barrington. Besides the slow burn romance, I really liked the historical vibes, necromancy aspect, and murder mystery in this novel. There is a triangle in this book which is so many reader's pet peeve, but don't worry it's not really central focus of the book and it won't hinder your enjoyment at all. The story was very entertaining and I enjoyed every minute of it. This isn't an action packed novel, it's more like a murder investigation novel and trust me, the twists really surprised me even though I had my suspicions on some of the characters.
The Seventh born witches are cursed abominations in Seraphina Dovetail's world because they not only take away their birth mother's powers but also their life. They're treated like a bad omen because of their birth order. After Seraphina's mother died giving birth to her, she was abandoned. She remembers nothing about her family and her life before except for the past two years. To bring a new change regarding their cruel treatment towards the Seventh born's, the prestigious Aetherium’s Witchling Academy accepts her as a student in their school, but sadly she wasn't treated as their equal. She was always look down on with disdain by her fellow students and teachers. Sera dreams to become inspector and find her family, but rebelling against them will jeopardize everything and she tries hard to control her quick temper which always sets things on fire. Then she meets the tall, handsome and brooding Young Professor Barrington who makes an offer to become his assistant in exchange for his referral which she really needs. Sera agrees to be his assistant and soon she was thrust into a world filled with illegal and dangerous murder investigations, forbidden necromancy magic, and dark secrets. If the Witchling academy finds about their secret investigations, it'll ruin both of their careers.
I really enjoyed the main characters Sera and Mr. Barrington. Both of them were pretty much flawed and complex. Sera was fierce, stubborn, and a strong girl with quick temper. I really liked her character. She's a survivor who's gone through physical abuse in her past and I'm glad that she fought back her abuser. Mr. Barrington is a broody and handsome guy who harbored many secrets. His character was very intriguing and I really wanted to know more about him. He's totally swoon worthy. I enjoyed Sera and Barrington working as a team. There is a very light slow burning romance between them, and I can't wait to see how it develops in the second book. Timothy Delacort was the second love interest. He was a pretty likeable guy with sweet personality. He genuinely loves Sera and I felt bad for him at the end. Mary was another character that I liked. She's the only friend of Sera in Witchling Academy. I really liked her, but she does something at the end which really disappointed me.
The plot was very interesting filled with mystery, suspense, crime, dark magic, horror, and a light romance. Even though it's a little bit slow paced read, the story held my attention throughout. I expected this to be another cliched YA love story, but it really surprised me. The story was very unique and there are a lot of twists and turns which I didn't see coming. I quite enjoyed the mystery surrounding the gruesome murders and also the magic. I enjoyed the writing style of the author. It was very descriptive and easy to understand. The whole book was written in Seraphina's third person pov. The world the author created was pretty good. I loved the historical stetting and the dark atmosphere she has created in the story. The magic was the best thing I loved about this book. I love necromancy and cult aspects in my fantasy reads.
Overall, I had a great time reading this book! It was a fun read with enjoyable characters. The book finally concluded with no cliffhangers but there are still lots of unresolved questions and I can't wait to find them out in the next book.
January 13, 2019
[I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.]
This novel was partly a good surprise: I expected to see romance in it, but after so many YA books where said romance is just rushed in, let’s say that I’ve become pretty jaded… and fortunately, here, the romance was of the slow-building type, and not the be all-end all it too often is. Mostly the story focuses on Sera’s life at the Academy and on her collaboration with Barrington in his investigating gruesome witches’ murders—in other words, it was more about the mystery than about the usual ‘true love’ stuff that (just as usually) detracts from the fantasy plot. This definitely endeared me to it.
Getting into it was a bit of a strange process: the novel puts the reader in medias res when it comes to both world-building and characters. It’s something I tend to appreciate, rather than having to contend with history lessons/typical fantasy prologues, and I quickly found my marks. As for the characters, while the main chars were alright (with a sort of Rochester/Jane Eyre dynamic, e.g. Barrington’s way of infuriating people), the secondary ones really felt more on the cookie-cutter side: the bully, the teachers who generally blame Sera just because she’s a seventhborn, the best friend obsessed with boys, the cute and wealthy love interest, etc. So I didn’t care much for them; some more development was needed here, especially regarding two of them, since they become more important in the second half of the story.
The love relationships have their problematic sides, too, whether the boy who’s in love with Sera and keeps pushing (including stealing a kiss a couple of times when obviously Sera isn’t interested), or the potential student/teacher relationship (granted, she’s 18 and soon out of school, buuuut… it’s a YA novel, after all). On the other hand, it could also have been much worse, whether it came to the boy or to the ‘forbidden romance’ (that one, at least, moved slowly enough as to be believable, and they didn’t just fall into each other’s arms out of the blue by the end of the first third).
I would also have liked more details about the magic system and the world itself, particularly when it came to seventhborns. We know they are disliked because when they come into this world, their mothers lose their powers and die, and that they were linked to a plague, so people disliked them and still do… However, I can’t help but wonder: why do people in that world keep having seven children, since the (well-known) outcome is so bad for the families? Why don’t they stop at four or five: because they can’t? Or because they don’t want to? Couldn’t a witch use her powers to prevent herself from even conceiving this seventh child? This is the kind of ‘curse’ that could be easily avoided in a world with magic, so I have no clue why these kids are still born, and… that is a major plot hole here.
This said, I did enjoy the mystery/investigation part. Its direct impact is solved by the end of the book, so we get some resolution, but at the same time, there are still mysteries lingering in the characters’ backgrounds, that would make good material in a next book.
Conclusion: 2.5 stars. This novel has its problematic sides, but others I did like nonetheless. I might pick the second volume at some point to see if there’s more world-building there.
This novel was partly a good surprise: I expected to see romance in it, but after so many YA books where said romance is just rushed in, let’s say that I’ve become pretty jaded… and fortunately, here, the romance was of the slow-building type, and not the be all-end all it too often is. Mostly the story focuses on Sera’s life at the Academy and on her collaboration with Barrington in his investigating gruesome witches’ murders—in other words, it was more about the mystery than about the usual ‘true love’ stuff that (just as usually) detracts from the fantasy plot. This definitely endeared me to it.
Getting into it was a bit of a strange process: the novel puts the reader in medias res when it comes to both world-building and characters. It’s something I tend to appreciate, rather than having to contend with history lessons/typical fantasy prologues, and I quickly found my marks. As for the characters, while the main chars were alright (with a sort of Rochester/Jane Eyre dynamic, e.g. Barrington’s way of infuriating people), the secondary ones really felt more on the cookie-cutter side: the bully, the teachers who generally blame Sera just because she’s a seventhborn, the best friend obsessed with boys, the cute and wealthy love interest, etc. So I didn’t care much for them; some more development was needed here, especially regarding two of them, since they become more important in the second half of the story.
The love relationships have their problematic sides, too, whether the boy who’s in love with Sera and keeps pushing (including stealing a kiss a couple of times when obviously Sera isn’t interested), or the potential student/teacher relationship (granted, she’s 18 and soon out of school, buuuut… it’s a YA novel, after all). On the other hand, it could also have been much worse, whether it came to the boy or to the ‘forbidden romance’ (that one, at least, moved slowly enough as to be believable, and they didn’t just fall into each other’s arms out of the blue by the end of the first third).
I would also have liked more details about the magic system and the world itself, particularly when it came to seventhborns. We know they are disliked because when they come into this world, their mothers lose their powers and die, and that they were linked to a plague, so people disliked them and still do… However, I can’t help but wonder: why do people in that world keep having seven children, since the (well-known) outcome is so bad for the families? Why don’t they stop at four or five: because they can’t? Or because they don’t want to? Couldn’t a witch use her powers to prevent herself from even conceiving this seventh child? This is the kind of ‘curse’ that could be easily avoided in a world with magic, so I have no clue why these kids are still born, and… that is a major plot hole here.
This said, I did enjoy the mystery/investigation part. Its direct impact is solved by the end of the book, so we get some resolution, but at the same time, there are still mysteries lingering in the characters’ backgrounds, that would make good material in a next book.
Conclusion: 2.5 stars. This novel has its problematic sides, but others I did like nonetheless. I might pick the second volume at some point to see if there’s more world-building there.
July 24, 2019
This was fun to read! It's a good book with quite a few elements that one would appreciate like a slow burn romance and necromancy or other aspects that you often find in books with witches. But it lacked in many places that could've otherwise made this one of my favorites. The world in this story is set in is a mix of fantasy and paranormal settings but the information available is so limited that it's almost impossible, at times, to figure out what is a particular backdrop for a scene. This often led me away from many scenes that I might've liked. This book felt a lot like a latter installment in a series that already had an introductory book to give the readers a glimpse of the characters because there wasn't even a good enough character building. How could I have liked any of them? Though, some characters and the overall story was enjoyable enough to win an average rating.
I received a digital copy of this via Netgally but that, in no way, influences my rating or review. Thank you, Monica Sanz and Entangled Teen!
Want to read
July 6, 2018**I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
**And since this is an ARC book opinions or details may change by the time of publication**
Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for letting me read and review this book!! ^_^
Before Thoughts:
I actually didn't know about the book until the author told me through email that it was available on Netgalley as ARC editions.
And does it sound like stories I've read before?? Yes it does. But does that mean it'll be bad?? No, the book might be really good which is why I need to read through it first so I can give my most honest of opinions.
Review:
Read on: _/_/18
To be Published: 09/04/18
Plot:
Character(s):
Final Thoughts:
Recommends to:
Hope you enjoyed my review!! Thanks for reading!! ^_^
And go catch that good book!! ^_^
My Blog Site
**And since this is an ARC book opinions or details may change by the time of publication**
Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for letting me read and review this book!! ^_^
Before Thoughts:
I actually didn't know about the book until the author told me through email that it was available on Netgalley as ARC editions.
And does it sound like stories I've read before?? Yes it does. But does that mean it'll be bad?? No, the book might be really good which is why I need to read through it first so I can give my most honest of opinions.
Review:
Read on: _/_/18
To be Published: 09/04/18
Plot:
Character(s):
Final Thoughts:
Recommends to:
Hope you enjoyed my review!! Thanks for reading!! ^_^
And go catch that good book!! ^_^
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December 9, 2018
I really loved this book! I was on edge the entire time reading. I LOVED Sera! Don't even get me started on Barrington. *swoons* Why isn't this book more popular? I highly recommend this one.
August 21, 2018
And I'm finally, finally done with this title.
2.5/5
But where do I begin? Will it turn people off when I say that this was like a Snape x Hermione fanfiction? But don't worry, this time Snape is actually the youngest professor in this magical school and is actually good looking. Will it also piss people off if I mention that there is a scene in this novel that is reminiscent to a scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? There is literally a spare in this one and I hated it.
Needless to say, this is another "like Harry Potter" book, except the chosen one is a muggle born. I mean, a seventh born. Sorry, I got confused for a second (not really). Then Snape, I mean, Barrington (LOL THAT NAME), employs the help of a seventh born to assist him in his investigation regarding some magic stuff I'm not exactly clear about. You see, there is a magic system in this book. It was just unmemorable so I could say there are plot holes, when in reality I could have just forgotten some details. This could either mean that (A.) I'm inattentive with what I'm reading, or (B.) The magic system needs to be clearer than what was presented.
In exchange for Sera's help, Barrington was willing to write her a recommendation (you know, for her future career!) or referral? However, the reader (such as myself) can't help but wonder if a recommendation will even make a difference. Most magical people were against Seventh borns and it's unclear why. The only explanation I remembered was because some people believed that Seventh borns caused a plague. I might be wrong though (which is why I don't mind mentioning it) because this had been an unnecessarily long and "too-wordy" young adult novel with A LOT of information dump. I'm not exaggerating.
While this novel appealed to me at first, I didn't think the magical system or even the world building was explained very well. The reader was just supposed to assume details and rely on info dumping. The characters were seemingly ordinary and one-dimensional. They weren't complex, like this is a book that defines good vs. bad characters. The bad characters become bad because they target seventh borns for their own reasons, which again, I am not sure about. I don't even remember how and why they were targeted by the antagonist.
As for the romance, again, Snape and Hermione shippers... there is a chance for you yet. I just won't be reading the sequel to see it happening.
**Huge thanks to Entangled Teen for approving my request to read this book in exchanging for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
2.5/5
But where do I begin? Will it turn people off when I say that this was like a Snape x Hermione fanfiction? But don't worry, this time Snape is actually the youngest professor in this magical school and is actually good looking. Will it also piss people off if I mention that there is a scene in this novel that is reminiscent to a scene in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire? There is literally a spare in this one and I hated it.
Needless to say, this is another "like Harry Potter" book, except the chosen one is a muggle born. I mean, a seventh born. Sorry, I got confused for a second (not really). Then Snape, I mean, Barrington (LOL THAT NAME), employs the help of a seventh born to assist him in his investigation regarding some magic stuff I'm not exactly clear about. You see, there is a magic system in this book. It was just unmemorable so I could say there are plot holes, when in reality I could have just forgotten some details. This could either mean that (A.) I'm inattentive with what I'm reading, or (B.) The magic system needs to be clearer than what was presented.
In exchange for Sera's help, Barrington was willing to write her a recommendation (you know, for her future career!) or referral? However, the reader (such as myself) can't help but wonder if a recommendation will even make a difference. Most magical people were against Seventh borns and it's unclear why. The only explanation I remembered was because some people believed that Seventh borns caused a plague. I might be wrong though (which is why I don't mind mentioning it) because this had been an unnecessarily long and "too-wordy" young adult novel with A LOT of information dump. I'm not exaggerating.
While this novel appealed to me at first, I didn't think the magical system or even the world building was explained very well. The reader was just supposed to assume details and rely on info dumping. The characters were seemingly ordinary and one-dimensional. They weren't complex, like this is a book that defines good vs. bad characters. The bad characters become bad because they target seventh borns for their own reasons, which again, I am not sure about. I don't even remember how and why they were targeted by the antagonist.
As for the romance, again, Snape and Hermione shippers... there is a chance for you yet. I just won't be reading the sequel to see it happening.
**Huge thanks to Entangled Teen for approving my request to read this book in exchanging for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 17, 2019
The Laughing Listener
September 2018
Format: Ebook
*I was graciously given a free copy in exchange for an honest review*
Rating: 4 Stars
Yet another book that was nothing like I had imagined! I have no idea why, but for some reason I thought this was going to be a witch story set in present day. In my head it was like the girl version of The Covenant, but with less nudity and more actual plot. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this actually leans more toward historical fiction, which I loved!
I admit that I was a little unsure in the beginning, mostly because I couldn’t tell what Professor Barrington’s intentions were. Both his age and position gave him power over Sera and I was worried he would take advantage. Luckily I had nothing to fear! And as I kept reading, I was captivated by this world and the mystery they were trying to solve so much that it became easy to forget about my initial hesitations.
Actually I really loved both Sera and Professor Barrington! Sera is so fiesty and she doesn’t take anyone’s bad mouthing, so obviously she was my favorite. She’s a seventh born and in this world, every seventh child born causes their mother to die. Because of this, all seventh borns are looked down upon and lead harsh lives filled with prejudice. Just to give you a taste, Sera has to constantly deal with horrid comments like this on a regular basis:
“Unlike you, the students in this school hope to contribute to the magical community. At least have the dignity to appreciate you mother’s sacrifice… or stupidity.”
WHOA. Watching Sera deal with this kind of hostility made me feel for her and I loved that she didn’t lose that fire to fight back. I think that’s really what made me fall for Barrington because he’s the only one that treats her with respect and kindness. Watching their relationship slowly grow over the book was so great and now I’m dying for more! They’re so cute together and I liked watching them lean on one another for support.
I also really had fun with the story itself. It’s cool combination of historical fiction meets Sherlock Holmes meets romance. But with witches!! And I’m totally here for it. I can’t wait for the next installment!
FINAL WORD
This was a super fun book that I totally recommend to anyone who loves mysteries, witches, and historical fiction!
September 5, 2018
Seventh Born is a book full of surprises. You think at first that this book might not be everything you thought it to be but you’re quickly proven wrong. It’s addicting. Fast paced. Suspenseful. Gory. Scary. Full of twist and turns that leaves your jaw on the floor and keeping it that way until the last page.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I finally found a Witch book that was addicting and exciting. One that is still on my mind. I loved it so much that I dreamt about dead girls being raised from the dead and the mysterious Professor Barrington. You may think that sounds like a nightmare but to me it wasn’t. When a book gets under your skin that much that you dream about it, to me, is a great book.
This book is about seventh born witches. They are born of death and therefore hated. The prejudice is real in this book and I found myself seriously pissed off at some of the side characters. My emotions were everywhere. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and sometimes I did both.
I loved Sera so much. She’s lost everything and went through some horrible things but she was so strong. She’s like a willow tree bending in the wind. You think it might break but it still stands strong and tall. My heart went out to her so much. I was also proud of her. She’s a strong feminine character. She’s really a badass. Lol
Professor Barrington is book boyfriend material. He’s mysterious, strong, handsome, and a bad boy we all love to hate. At first you think he’s a jerk but there’s so much behind his tough guy exterior. I have so much hope for him in the next book.
Overall, this is one book you don’t want to miss out on. The writing isn’t perfect by any means but I think it added to the eerie feel of the book. Book 2 can’t come quick enough. I’m itching to read more!
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I finally found a Witch book that was addicting and exciting. One that is still on my mind. I loved it so much that I dreamt about dead girls being raised from the dead and the mysterious Professor Barrington. You may think that sounds like a nightmare but to me it wasn’t. When a book gets under your skin that much that you dream about it, to me, is a great book.
This book is about seventh born witches. They are born of death and therefore hated. The prejudice is real in this book and I found myself seriously pissed off at some of the side characters. My emotions were everywhere. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry and sometimes I did both.
I loved Sera so much. She’s lost everything and went through some horrible things but she was so strong. She’s like a willow tree bending in the wind. You think it might break but it still stands strong and tall. My heart went out to her so much. I was also proud of her. She’s a strong feminine character. She’s really a badass. Lol
Professor Barrington is book boyfriend material. He’s mysterious, strong, handsome, and a bad boy we all love to hate. At first you think he’s a jerk but there’s so much behind his tough guy exterior. I have so much hope for him in the next book.
Overall, this is one book you don’t want to miss out on. The writing isn’t perfect by any means but I think it added to the eerie feel of the book. Book 2 can’t come quick enough. I’m itching to read more!
August 23, 2018
I received a copy through NetGalley in exchange for review.
Seraphina Dovetail is a Seventhborn, the seventh child born of a witch, will spend their lives connected with the power of death and the aether because of their entrance in the world, the ending of their mother's lives upon birth.
Believed to be cursed and treated as second class citizens, they face a high amount of prejudice and persecution for merely existing. But the history of the Seventhborn is even worse, shrouded in plague, and murders of the worst kind at the hands of Purists. A sect who abused and absorbed Seventhborn's powers until death, all in a quest to gain control over time.
Things may have changed, but history has a way of repeating its self...
And soon Seraphina, finds herself in the middle of a dark plot. As a student at the Aetherium's Witchling Academy all she wants to do is make it though her exams, and get a referral to move on to have a chance to become an Inspector. With her classmates and professors making her life harder than necessary and keep a lid on her powers from blowing the place up she's already well occupied.
I really enjoyed this one, It's a story of two people racing into the unknown to clear the mystery surrounding their pasts and family. Friends come in the most unlikely forms, betrayal, intrigue, and a generations long murder plot await you.
I look forward to seeing where her, and Barrington's story and partnership take them next.
Seraphina Dovetail is a Seventhborn, the seventh child born of a witch, will spend their lives connected with the power of death and the aether because of their entrance in the world, the ending of their mother's lives upon birth.
Believed to be cursed and treated as second class citizens, they face a high amount of prejudice and persecution for merely existing. But the history of the Seventhborn is even worse, shrouded in plague, and murders of the worst kind at the hands of Purists. A sect who abused and absorbed Seventhborn's powers until death, all in a quest to gain control over time.
Things may have changed, but history has a way of repeating its self...
And soon Seraphina, finds herself in the middle of a dark plot. As a student at the Aetherium's Witchling Academy all she wants to do is make it though her exams, and get a referral to move on to have a chance to become an Inspector. With her classmates and professors making her life harder than necessary and keep a lid on her powers from blowing the place up she's already well occupied.
I really enjoyed this one, It's a story of two people racing into the unknown to clear the mystery surrounding their pasts and family. Friends come in the most unlikely forms, betrayal, intrigue, and a generations long murder plot await you.
I look forward to seeing where her, and Barrington's story and partnership take them next.
September 9, 2018
This was definitely one of the best dark fantasy novels I have read in a long time. Even though it was fairly long, I finished it all in one day in about 2 sittings. It was just that addictive!
For starters, let me talk about Sera. She has been through a lot as a seventhborn and has traumatic memories from some of the things that she went through earlier in her life. This is also discussed throughout the story, as she has to come to terms with some of these horrible memories. She meets Professor Barrington and is not sure whether or not she wants to help him. Soon, she is drawn into the world of witches being drained and used to raise others from the dead, and some of the links seem to trace back to her school, the place where she has felt trapped for several years of her life. She wants to be able to avenge the witches who had been killed, but she is afraid of getting close to Professor Barrington. What if his intentions aren't as pure as she thinks that they are? She must learn to trust again before she can enhance her skill and make sure that no other witches are killed.
I was astonished by how detailed this universe was. The seventhborns were considered as less than human by certain groups, but the poor sometimes envied the seventhborns who were sometimes supported by the government so that they wouldn't be killed. Then, there were extremist groups who wanted to kill all seventhborns without any remorse. This world seemed to be so alive, and each person in the book had their own unique backstory and their own unique personality.
The only thing that I felt wasn't explained was why women chose to have seventh children. If they knew that having a seventh child would kill them and leave their families motherless, why would the family not just stop at 6? I'm sure there is probably some sort of reason behind this, but I might have just missed it as I was reading the story.
I enjoyed the romance that was in this story, even though there wasn't that much of it. I felt that it allowed the readers to focus more on Sera's character rather than who she wanted to be with. She was such a strong character that I just wanted to read about her without too much distraction.
I hope that there is going to be a sequel to this book, I need to know more about Sera and Professor Barrington ASAP! I have officially fallen in love with the both of them and I want to see more of their future adventures.
Also, I didn't notice this until I saw the author, but even though Sera looks "white" on the cover, her ethnicity isn't really specified in the book. This definitely makes it easy for readers of all ethnicities to related to her and enjoy this book even more!
I would recommend this book to lovers of NA/upper YA fantasy novels with detailed universes and strong female main characters.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
For starters, let me talk about Sera. She has been through a lot as a seventhborn and has traumatic memories from some of the things that she went through earlier in her life. This is also discussed throughout the story, as she has to come to terms with some of these horrible memories. She meets Professor Barrington and is not sure whether or not she wants to help him. Soon, she is drawn into the world of witches being drained and used to raise others from the dead, and some of the links seem to trace back to her school, the place where she has felt trapped for several years of her life. She wants to be able to avenge the witches who had been killed, but she is afraid of getting close to Professor Barrington. What if his intentions aren't as pure as she thinks that they are? She must learn to trust again before she can enhance her skill and make sure that no other witches are killed.
I was astonished by how detailed this universe was. The seventhborns were considered as less than human by certain groups, but the poor sometimes envied the seventhborns who were sometimes supported by the government so that they wouldn't be killed. Then, there were extremist groups who wanted to kill all seventhborns without any remorse. This world seemed to be so alive, and each person in the book had their own unique backstory and their own unique personality.
The only thing that I felt wasn't explained was why women chose to have seventh children. If they knew that having a seventh child would kill them and leave their families motherless, why would the family not just stop at 6? I'm sure there is probably some sort of reason behind this, but I might have just missed it as I was reading the story.
I enjoyed the romance that was in this story, even though there wasn't that much of it. I felt that it allowed the readers to focus more on Sera's character rather than who she wanted to be with. She was such a strong character that I just wanted to read about her without too much distraction.
I hope that there is going to be a sequel to this book, I need to know more about Sera and Professor Barrington ASAP! I have officially fallen in love with the both of them and I want to see more of their future adventures.
Also, I didn't notice this until I saw the author, but even though Sera looks "white" on the cover, her ethnicity isn't really specified in the book. This definitely makes it easy for readers of all ethnicities to related to her and enjoy this book even more!
I would recommend this book to lovers of NA/upper YA fantasy novels with detailed universes and strong female main characters.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my voluntary review.
September 16, 2019
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the YA Bound Book Tours. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Seventh Born by Monica Sanz is an exciting book that takes us on a ride following a seventh born witch. In a time where they aren't prosecuted but aren't wanted. During our time with these characters, we discover a mystery and the consequences of knowing the said mystery.
Can Seraphina protect the ones that need to be protected?
Seraphina Dovetail
Seraphina Dovetail is said seventh born witch, but the problem is that she doesn't know much about her life before a specific period. She isn't like most seventh borns though. Sera has led quite a strange life, especially in the academy where she is learning how to control her magic. Well, up to a point where the professor's care about her well being. She is a pretty interesting character since she isn't much like the other seventh borns or into caring what is politically correct for her to do as a female. Sera wants to be an inspector so that she can find her family and be able to help a lot of other people.
Nikolai Barrington
Nikolai Barrington is both a professor at the Academy and an inspector. He wants Seraphina as his assistant so that it would to help with his workload and help her control her magic in a way that the academy can't help her. Nik is a great guy who only wants what is best for Seraphina, which is the first in a very long time. Nik needs her help with a current case that isn't an easy one.
Mystery
The mystery is the case that both Nikolai and Seraphina have been working on throughout the whole book. They are trying to determine why som many witches are using necromancy just to be burned beyond recognition. That though is a crucial plot point so; I won't get into it. You will have to read the book. Let's say that poor Seraphina has lost a lot.
Four Stars
Seventh Born by Monica Sanz is an excellent book that kept me entertained. I am giving Seventh Born by Monica Sanz, a four-star rating and recommending it to every single Young Adult Fantasy reader out there.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Seventh Born by Monica Sanz.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
Can Seraphina protect the ones that need to be protected?
Seraphina Dovetail
Seraphina Dovetail is said seventh born witch, but the problem is that she doesn't know much about her life before a specific period. She isn't like most seventh borns though. Sera has led quite a strange life, especially in the academy where she is learning how to control her magic. Well, up to a point where the professor's care about her well being. She is a pretty interesting character since she isn't much like the other seventh borns or into caring what is politically correct for her to do as a female. Sera wants to be an inspector so that she can find her family and be able to help a lot of other people.
Nikolai Barrington
Nikolai Barrington is both a professor at the Academy and an inspector. He wants Seraphina as his assistant so that it would to help with his workload and help her control her magic in a way that the academy can't help her. Nik is a great guy who only wants what is best for Seraphina, which is the first in a very long time. Nik needs her help with a current case that isn't an easy one.
Mystery
The mystery is the case that both Nikolai and Seraphina have been working on throughout the whole book. They are trying to determine why som many witches are using necromancy just to be burned beyond recognition. That though is a crucial plot point so; I won't get into it. You will have to read the book. Let's say that poor Seraphina has lost a lot.
Four Stars
Seventh Born by Monica Sanz is an excellent book that kept me entertained. I am giving Seventh Born by Monica Sanz, a four-star rating and recommending it to every single Young Adult Fantasy reader out there.
Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Seventh Born by Monica Sanz.
Until the next time,
Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove
August 24, 2018
Review
I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel, the first in the Witching Academy series. Basically Sera is an outcast, only accepted into the Academy because of an 'outreach' program of sorts, which is trying to reinforce that seventhborns aren't quite the cursed witches as they were perceived years ago. Sera was found two years prior to the events in the book, having escaped from a year of abuse at the hands of an evil Warlock who held her captive - she knew nothing other than her name and age and doesn't know where she came from. Her only friend, a friendly witch named Mary, brings joy into her otherwise lonely life, until a chance encounter with the mysterious Professor Barrington *swoon* brings some intrigue too.
And so Sera and Barrington begin to work together to try to discover who is using seventhborns to raise the dead, and Sera may just discover a bit more about herself in the process...
Age Range
I’d say that this book is marketed at the YA category; so would suit ages 13+
Summary
This YA fantasy novel is well written, I found the characters very likeable and the story engaging. Whilst I was reading it, the one thing I thought to compare it as would be Sherlock with witches - which is great because I love Sherlock, and witches.
Also can we just take a minute to talk about Barrington? Aside from the fact that he shares the name of a character in The Raven Boys which is only one of my favourite series ever (though TRC Barrington isn't...well...very nice); I just loved the character!
Finally – Would I Recommend It?
Yes definitely – my only issue is that it isn't even out yet so I have a while to wait for the sequel!
4/5 ✰
I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel, the first in the Witching Academy series. Basically Sera is an outcast, only accepted into the Academy because of an 'outreach' program of sorts, which is trying to reinforce that seventhborns aren't quite the cursed witches as they were perceived years ago. Sera was found two years prior to the events in the book, having escaped from a year of abuse at the hands of an evil Warlock who held her captive - she knew nothing other than her name and age and doesn't know where she came from. Her only friend, a friendly witch named Mary, brings joy into her otherwise lonely life, until a chance encounter with the mysterious Professor Barrington *swoon* brings some intrigue too.
And so Sera and Barrington begin to work together to try to discover who is using seventhborns to raise the dead, and Sera may just discover a bit more about herself in the process...
Age Range
I’d say that this book is marketed at the YA category; so would suit ages 13+
Summary
This YA fantasy novel is well written, I found the characters very likeable and the story engaging. Whilst I was reading it, the one thing I thought to compare it as would be Sherlock with witches - which is great because I love Sherlock, and witches.
Also can we just take a minute to talk about Barrington? Aside from the fact that he shares the name of a character in The Raven Boys which is only one of my favourite series ever (though TRC Barrington isn't...well...very nice); I just loved the character!
Finally – Would I Recommend It?
Yes definitely – my only issue is that it isn't even out yet so I have a while to wait for the sequel!
4/5 ✰
August 24, 2018
★★★★☆/★★★★★
ARC Book Review: Seventh Born
Positives
⚰ developed characters
⚰ good storyline
⚰ BARRINGTON!!!
Negatives
⚰ it did initially take me a while to get into, but once I got around 15% I was hooked
I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel, the first in the Witching Academy series. Basically Sera is an outcast, only accepted into the Academy because of an 'outreach' program of sorts, which is trying to reinforce that seventhborns aren't quite the cursed witches as they were perceived years ago. Sera was found two years prior to the events in the book, having escaped from a year of physical and mental abuse at the hands of an evil Warlock who held her captive - she knew nothing other than her name and age and doesn't know where she came from. Her only friend, a friendly witch named Mary, brings joy into her otherwise lonely life, until a chance encounter with the mysterious Professor Barrington *swoon* brings some intrigue too.
And so Sera and Barrington begin to work together to try to discover who is using seventhborns to raise the dead, and Sera may just discover a bit more about herself in the process...
This YA fantasy novel is well written, I found the characters very likeable and the story engaging. Whilst I was reading it, the one thing I thought to compare it as would be Sherlock with witches - which is great because I love Sherlock, and witches.
Also can we just take a minute to talk about Barrington? Aside from the fact that he shares the name of a character in The Raven Boys which is only one of my favourite series ever (though TRC Barrington isn't...well...very nice); but Seventh Born Barrington I just loved.
ARC Book Review: Seventh Born
Positives
⚰ developed characters
⚰ good storyline
⚰ BARRINGTON!!!
Negatives
⚰ it did initially take me a while to get into, but once I got around 15% I was hooked
I really enjoyed this YA fantasy novel, the first in the Witching Academy series. Basically Sera is an outcast, only accepted into the Academy because of an 'outreach' program of sorts, which is trying to reinforce that seventhborns aren't quite the cursed witches as they were perceived years ago. Sera was found two years prior to the events in the book, having escaped from a year of physical and mental abuse at the hands of an evil Warlock who held her captive - she knew nothing other than her name and age and doesn't know where she came from. Her only friend, a friendly witch named Mary, brings joy into her otherwise lonely life, until a chance encounter with the mysterious Professor Barrington *swoon* brings some intrigue too.
And so Sera and Barrington begin to work together to try to discover who is using seventhborns to raise the dead, and Sera may just discover a bit more about herself in the process...
This YA fantasy novel is well written, I found the characters very likeable and the story engaging. Whilst I was reading it, the one thing I thought to compare it as would be Sherlock with witches - which is great because I love Sherlock, and witches.
Also can we just take a minute to talk about Barrington? Aside from the fact that he shares the name of a character in The Raven Boys which is only one of my favourite series ever (though TRC Barrington isn't...well...very nice); but Seventh Born Barrington I just loved.
July 19, 2018
Seventh Born tells the story of Seraphina Dovetail, a witch who is attending a witchling academy and is about to graduate. She hasn't it easy because she is a seventhborn. The 7th daughter or son born brings disgrace to the whole family and leads the mother to die. Many regard seventhborns as disguting and Sera is not treated well at the school she goes to because of this, save for a few people. One of these people is Professor Barrington, a handsome professor of the Academy that asks for her help in solving a mystery behind a series of murders.
I liked the story overall. It was a mix of Harry Potter and other fantasy books, so it was 50/50 predictable but it had its surprising moments. There are many sides to this story that are slowly uncovered and the relationship of the main characters, Sera and Barrington, is a slow-burn type. They are professor and student, but he isn't much older than her. We'll see what will happen with them in the next book.
The reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is the style of writing. I am not a fan of third POV narration, because it can be confusing. The scenes were very descriptive but sometimes I got lost in the words. I think that a 1st person POV of either Sera or Sera and Barrington would have been better so the characters would have been deeper. They are not monodimensional, but maybe if we read their thoughts we would have had more insight and connection.
I liked the story overall. It was a mix of Harry Potter and other fantasy books, so it was 50/50 predictable but it had its surprising moments. There are many sides to this story that are slowly uncovered and the relationship of the main characters, Sera and Barrington, is a slow-burn type. They are professor and student, but he isn't much older than her. We'll see what will happen with them in the next book.
The reason why I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is the style of writing. I am not a fan of third POV narration, because it can be confusing. The scenes were very descriptive but sometimes I got lost in the words. I think that a 1st person POV of either Sera or Sera and Barrington would have been better so the characters would have been deeper. They are not monodimensional, but maybe if we read their thoughts we would have had more insight and connection.
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