Spellcrest Academy

Spellcrest Academy #1

by Michael Pierce

Keep your enemies close... Maeve Rhodes is not your typical Good Samaritan. However, when she stumbles upon a fallen, elderly woman, she stops and tries to do the right thing. Little does she know that this chance encounter will forever change the direction of her life. Marked with a new tattoo emblazoned across her chest and struggling to control a whole host of new powers, Maeve finds her life spiraling out of control. That is, until one more chance encounter offers an explanation… and a privileged opportunity to attend Spellcrest Academy. Paired with a shy elf and a moody Nephilim, Maeve quickly takes to her new home at the premier magical institution, not to mention the dreamy senior advisor whom, for some idiotic reason, she can’t stop thinking about. Love at first sight is sappy sh—crap for fairy tales, not real life. However, she can’t deny the instant connection. As the school year progresses, Maeve discovers her invitation to the academy might not have been so innocent after all. Sinister forces want her unique abilities and are willing to kill for them. Maeve doesn’t just need to survive her classes, she must survive the plots against her, a decades-old magical war, and following her own capricious heart. She’s never been averse to diving into danger. But this time, she might be in over her head. If you’re a fan of Bella Forrest or Leia Stone, then this will be one hell of a ride you won’t want to miss. Buy now! *Beware of spoilers in the reviews below without spoiler alerts*

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Romance, Urban Fantasy, Witches, Supernatural

342 pages, Paperback

Published May 14, 2019

About the author

Michael Pierce loves stories that are thrilling and unexpected, fantastical and romantic—addictive tales that keep you reading long past the witching hour.

He currently lives in Southern California with his wife, kids, and two blood-thirsty chiweenies. When he's not at the computer, he enjoys spending quality time with family, practicing yoga, playing guitar behind closed doors, and listening to audiobooks.

Find him on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Pierce...

Visit his website: www.michaelpierceauthor.com

List of Michael's books:

SPELLCREST ACADEMY

Spellcrest Academy (Book 1)
Crestfallen (Book 2)
Crystallize (Book 3)
Medial Candidate (Book 4)
Medial Candidate (Book 5)
Chrysalis (Book 6) ➜ Releasing July 10, 2020
Sapient Curse (Book 7) ➜ Releasing early 2021

ANGELES VAMPIRE

Angeles Vampire (Book 1)
Angeles Underground (Book 2)
Angeles Betrayal (Book 3)
Angeles Covenant (Book 4)
Angeles Prophecy (Book 5) ➜ Releasing Fall 2020

ROYAL REPLICAS (Completed Series)

Royal Replicas (Book 1)
Royal Captives (Book 2)
Royal Threat (Book 3)
Royal Return (Book 4)

HIGHER REALMS (Completed Series)

Provex City (Book 1)
SUSY Asylum (Book 2)
Doria Falls (Book 3)
Archanum Manor (Book 4)

And don't forget to say "hello" on...
Facebook: www.facebook.com/mrpierceauthor
Twitter: @mrpierceauthor
www.michaelpierceauthor.com

Reviews

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast paced and fun read

This book flew by. The story pretty much hits the ground running and we learn about the supernatural world as our main character Meave does. I liked the school she went to and that she made an interesting group of friends.

The romance didn't get too deep in this book, but it laid groundwork and we'll see if Maeve and Devon can make it through the craziness. I also like that Maeve cares so much for her brother and we see their sibling bond.

The ending is a huge cliffhanger and I wonder what Maeve will do now? I'll have to check out the second book and see!

[Alaina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spellcrest Academy was an okay book. It was honestly pretty predictable and I somehow zoomed through this entire thing. Which doesn't necessarily mean I loved it.. because the characters were just okay. At least the main ones. Now the side characters were a bit better in my opinion. For example, Razielle is basically my food twin.

Other than that, some parts of this book were pretty interesting. It just hurt the book more, for me at least, with all the parts that dragged. Boy, did they drag. It also didn't really help that Maeve really frustrated and annoyed me throughout the book with the way that she acted. I get that she was upset at the end.. but that didn't really matter to me anymore.

Don't know if I will dive into the next book but if I ever do - I hope it is a bit more interesting than this one.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s pretty obviously written by a man. Maeve reacts to emotion by punching, biting, and fighting. And there is way more talk about boobs than any young girl would normally include in her mental dialogue.

[Deanie Nelder · Rating 3 out of 5]

When foster child Maeve Rhodes stops to help an injured old woman in the park, she never dreams that she'll end up with magic powers because of it. She's recruited to go to Spellcrest Academy, and manages to give some of her magic to her little brother so she can bring him with her (to protect him). But nothing is as it seems...

So, Maeve has an anger management problem, but otherwise she's an interesting character. I really liked her roommates, too. The plot of the story is fairly predictable (until the end, where there's one thing that surprised me), but it's not bad. I think this series has potential, even if it hasn't reached it yet.

[SUZAN C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you get when you mix an unwilling human with a world of magic and lore? Something that could either spell disaster or success. In the case of Spellcrest Academy, we get to see exactly what would happen when a woman with no magical background suddenly gets mixed up in the world of magic.

Spellcrest Academy isn't your typical urban fantasy story. It's an origins story of Maeve Rhodes, a reluctant yet brave heroine fighting through diversity and change to finally accept herself for who she is and has become. In the story of Spellcrest Academy, you might not like the heroine right away, but she is someone who we can all relate to on some level and definitely a person who we want to succeed in the end!

I really enjoyed reading Spellcrest Academy and the story of Maeve and her brother, Finley, really captured the essence of the older/younger siblings syndrome. Reminded me very much of my own siblings who would always boss me around and act like they knew so much more than me. Well, maybe in some instances they did and with Maeve and Finley, the parallel of conflicts between most siblings were written very realistically. As with Spellcrest Academy, the core or the true heart of the story belongs to the siblings and how Maeve's love for her brother helps her through the toughest times.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but I didn't like Maeve in the beginning. I thought her too brash and rude and was wondering if her bravado was all an act. She was given this incredible magical gift and she acted too cocky about it. But, as the story went along, I grew to like Maeve and felt for her plight and situation. After all, she was just an insecure young woman thrust into yet another new world with her brother after years of abuse and neglect from foster homes. She never had a true family after her parents died and the mystery surrounding their deaths had always haunted her. Maeve grew on me as a reader as she herself grew as a person. She literally transforms from this rude and abrupt young woman to someone who embraces her powers and gift and doesn't give up without a fight. I often wonder about these types of heroines, but in the end, you can't help but support and love them for fighting through their own issues to help others. Because a heroine is nevertheless, always the one who must sacrifice herself in some way.

There are some really great supporting characters and some scrupulous ones. There are elves, vampires, angels, witches, and a whole slew of magical beings. There are also some Harry Potterish feels to it with the whole mundane and magical beings, but as a story of itself, Spellcrest Academy is definitely all original. Throw in a bratty brother, nefarious nemesis, and a drool-worthy hero, you've got all the great makings of a new series filled with clever schemes, great storytelling, and some heroes you can't help but cheer for. The pacing is on point and each character in the story has sort of their own arc to reveal. The story unfolds as you read along so you're never left wondering if you missed a step although the ending surprised me unexpectedly!

I'm eagerly waiting for the next installment since the ending left me with a "what the ---?" Michael has outdone himself again with this spellbinding new series!
Thank you for the ARC, Michael!

[Billie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maeve Rhodes is not your typical Good Samaritan. However, when she stumbles upon a fallen, elderly woman, she stops and tries to do the right thing. Little does she know that this chance encounter will forever change the direction of her life.
Marked with a new tattoo emblazoned across her chest and struggling to control a whole host of new powers, Maeve finds her life spiraling out of control. That is, until one more chance encounter offers an explanation… and a privileged opportunity to attend Spellcrest Academy.
Paired with a shy elf and a moody Nephilim, Maeve quickly takes to her new home at the premier magical institution. Not to mention the dreamy senior advisor whom, for some idiotic reason, she can’t stop thinking about. Love at first sight is sappy sh—crap for fairy tales, not real life. However, she can’t deny the instant connection.
As the school year progresses, Maeve discovers her invitation to the academy might not have been so innocent after all. Sinister forces want her unique abilities and are willing to kill for them.
Maeve doesn't just need to survive her classes, she must survive the plots against her, a decades-old magical war, and following her capricious heart. She’s never been a stranger to diving into danger. But this time, she might be in over her head.
If you’re a fan of Bella Forrest or Leia Stone, then this will be one hell of a ride you won’t want to miss.

Wow... this one was definitely different then any other magical novels I have read.
This is a brilliantly written story about a normal girl who was not born magical but wakes up after an incident to find herself now magical.
This story is her journey through finding herself, finding her way and learning to harness her abilities.
I loved the whole story line this is taking.
Wonderfully written. I love the characters and their interaction.
This is filled with with some twists and turns and an amazing ending that I didn't expect to happen.
I can't wait to read more of Maeves' story and see what happens next in the Academy!
Really enjoyed and recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suzanne Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series dealing with paranormal and magic. It begins with Maeve and her brother, Finley, in a group home. They have been bounced around in the systems since their parents died in an accident. They just have each other and their bond is close. One night she sneaks out to help a friend and comes across a body of an elderly woman in the street. The woman is dying and Maeve calls for help. But before tha ambulance gets there, the elderly woman grabs her arm and a needle comes out of the woman’s finger and slides into Maeve’s finger and keeps going until it disappears. Then she hands Maeve a Chrystal pendant and tells her to never take it off. Maeve blacks out and by the time the EMT get there, there is no sign of the woman. Maeve sneaks back to the group home but the next day strange things happen. She has some kind of power and a brand new tattoo on her chest. The siblings are approached by a recruiter for Spellcrest Academy. Even though Finley has no magic of his own, she transfers just enough that he can go too. Then the true adventure unfolds.

This book introduces some interesting characters and the setting is described inexpertly, allowing the reader to envision the people and places as the story unfolds. The storyline, while complex, is easy to follow. There is plenty going on, a whole new world really for us as readers to get wrapped up in. Because it is the first in a series, the story is naturally not complete so you will look forward to the next books. It is an exciting, action-packed tale that is well written and definitely worth a read. Just don’t blame me if you get hooked on the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shweta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of snark, sarcasm, wit and courage this book about a rough edged orphan girl leaves you very distinctly connected to the story.

The story in turn interested & irritated me
This is the level at which I got involved in the book. I have cried, laughed and smiled with Maeve through each episode in her life.

It's a very new twist to the multi dimension universe genre and I very much enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Laura Witte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Great characters, cool magic and intriguing plot twists. Also, I appreciate that it is well-written, with very few editing errors. Take a chance and read this book!

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic start to this series and I just could not put it down! Well written this has an exciting storyline and exciting characters and is full of drama and twists and turns and a very surprising ending!

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were so full of life and exciting and the story was unique and fun. The drama was interesting and I can’t wait to read the next installment!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of twists and drama with a cast of well developed characters and the storyline flowed smoothly from the beginning to the last page.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and exciting read. Characters brought the book to life throughout I was captivated and thrilled. Looking forward to the next

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s so annoying how often I love a story line but the main character annoys me. I REALLY need some character growth in the book 2

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover art is amazing and the characters are awesome. The author is new to me. This not my normal read. I will read more from this author.

[Buttercup1201 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down. Love the characters and the interactions with each other. With the expectation of magic, I could relate to the storyline. Looking forward to the 2nd book. If you are a House of Night fan, you will love this.

Maeve is given an unexpected magical gift from a stranger. Not knowing how to use her gift, she is taken to a school where she can learn how to use her gift. She meets Nym, Razielle, Ivanic and other students who are different but the same. Maeve is finally fitting in when an unexpected twist throws her world upside down.

Received this as a ARC.

[Lacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Pierce has come a long way from Royal Replicas. As much as I liked that series, each series I've read since then, the writing just keeps getting better. I was hesitant to start Spellcrest Academy because I've been let down by so many hyped Paranormal/Fantasy Academy books. And I wasn't sure it would live up to my love of Angeles Vampire. At this point, I still favor Angeles. But Spellcrest is growing on me. I honestly don't know how I missed so many of his books getting published. I'm getting caught up, though! Buying Kindle Unlimited during the pandemic has turned out to be my safe haven.

Spellcrest is, of course, a Fantasy Academy book. Maeve, (Not my favorite name choice. Thanks, TOG. 😒) is an average teenager who, along with her younger brother, Finley, are just trying to survive in the Foster Care system. Until Maeve sneaks out to help a friend one night and literally stumbles into a universe of magic. She suddenly has crazy supernatural abilities that result in her and Finley being whisked off to Spellcrest. And that's where the story takes off.

Maeve is sarcastic at best and annoyingly controlling at worst. She's overprotective and overbearing of her brother to the point he starts to resent her. It's also completely understandable after everything they've been through. One thing Michael does well, is that he lets he characters act their actual ages. Teenagers are bratty. Teenagers are spontaneous. Teenagers are ridiculous. They're still children. Maeve does start to grow and develop some character development by the end but she's still got a long way to go if she's ever going to reach a protagonist role. Luckily, for her and for me, it looks like she has a large span of books to do so. Spellcrest Academy is a great series starter. Though, the ending felt more abrupt than much of a cliffhanger.

I've seen some reviews talking about how you can tell this was written by a man. Yes. Yes, it was. There are some bits and pieces of misogyny. There's talk of boobs, the use of the word 'bitch', and the underlying theme of girls being catty sprinkled throughout the book. It's cringy. It caused me to roll my eyes a lot. Men authors can and need to do better. But there are way more extremely problematic people and books and irl problems out there, that, that energy could be used for. I don't read many non-queer (as far as I'm aware) male authors. Michael is one of them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Elda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn’t your ordinary magical creatures academy book. Far from it. Very original and well written. I enjoyed Mr Pierce’s world of wonders unlike any other. Maeve was propelled unwittingly into a magical world when she attempted to save the life of a woman lying injured in the dark, but instead was given a rare token to help save a world that was literally being ripped open by evil. Spellcrest Academy was a place where she was to learn how to use her newly acquired gift. However, some things just don’t go according to plan. After many twists and turns to this story and a surprise ending you are left to wonder how in the heck Maeve is going to handle the next one. I can’t wait to find out. This story is well worth the read. I highly recommend it.

[Gea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!
Maeve is caring and secretive for all the right reasons!
Normally I don’t like the secrecy much, but now it really makes sense.
I look forward to the next book!

[D. · Rating 1 out of 5]

i received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review (although it is no longer an arc)

spellcrest academy follows the story of maeve and rather selfish little brother finley as they embark on a new adventure in a magic academy after maeve inherits new powers from a stranger.

i’m going to make this short: if i have to be honest, the idea of this book wasn’t too enticing in the beginning. but as the author developed the idea, it got more interesting and i rather enjoyed it. however, i found it way too fast-paced. it was simple, understanding and a light read.

there wasn’t too much romance, which is a bonus point for me but i lacked real interactions between siblings and real feelings. maeve was likeable, but way too much. she acted like the big sister she is, true, and i like how she always stood up for her brother even when he didn’t want to see him, but i found it annoying how little she listened to him and how she did what she thought was best and didn’t even let him fight his own battles. i mean, i would probably do the same if i were in their same position but still. i couldn’t find it on me to believe that her reactions to the truth were real. if i were told i had been given the powers of a seamstress that died and made me more powerful than most people, my reaction would’ve been to send them off and tell them to f*ck off because that’s clearly insane isn’t it? i would’ve believed them nuts. and that attitude of being badass and “nothing can with me”, kinda made her look conceited. and the whole abandoning ben and then acting as if trish was the enemy? girl, you chose finley and left ben behind what did you expect? to have him waiting and expecting you to come back and to things be like they were before everything happened?

finley was okay at the beginning. till he ended up being that annoying little brother whom we could call the devil because he literally went and stabbed and betrayed his own sister just to be more powerful.

and devon? poor guy only wanted what was best for her and even gave up his “destiny” to be helena’s heir for her and look where it got him. i feel bad for him i truly liked his character.


the rest of the characters were meh. i don’t actually have a well formed opinion of them because we only saw their facade. and i truly want to believe the author put more effort into developing their characters in the following books. about that, i don’t know if i’ll be following the series. maybe i will just to find out what happened.

the writing style was simple and easy to follow and understand. the pace of the book was too fast for my liking but i still enjoyed the book nonetheless. it wasn’t excellent, but it wasn’t bad either. i consider it a light and fast read that can still capture your attention and leave you waiting for what’s going to happen in the next book. that’s why i give spellcrest academy #1 a rating of 1 star.

thanks again to netgalley for the arc.

[beth m · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tried

I really tried to like this book I just didn’t know what it was. Not trying to be prejudiced, I just don’t know of many male authors that can write a solid academy romance. I also could not get into the characters- any of them. The main lead I just couldn’t get a grasp on and then her romance. It kinda came out of nowhere? There was no build it’s like he wasn’t into her treated her rudely, then all of a sudden chemistry? It seemed incredibly one-sided. She was all drooling over him then he was mean to her again, this just was a poorly developed book. Don’t even get me started on her crappy whiny little brother. What a little s***. Completely ungrateful and they’re supposed to have such a “ you and me against the world” relationship but then he just gets entitled and wants nothing to do with her. I just feel like the book had poor development within characters and moved really quickly to the point where you scratched your head trying to recall when certain characters got to a certain point.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I Just Can’t...

Maeve is so...foolish, selfish, self-centered, childish...unlikeable...doesn’t listen...should I go on? I get that she’s 17 and her life has been shook up but c’mon! She apologizes for being such a hot-head yet does nothing about it. She’s insincere. She’s also stupid. Doesn’t even think about how her actions affect anyone else. It’s...incredible how someone could write a female character that is just such a two year old when she’s supposed to be 17.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent beginning to what will hopefully be a series, not just two books. The main characters are Maeve Rhodes, a 17 yr old girl and her brother, 14 yr old Finley. They are orphans and currently live in a group foster home.

One evening, when Maeve has snuck out of the foster home, she finds an elderly lady dying. The woman is Helena, a magical being known as a seamstress. She is dying after being injured by another magical being. When Maeve stops to help Helena, she gets more than she bargained for. Helena gives Maeve a crystal necklace as well as a needle with red thread that will help her in the future. And a large tattoo on her chest identifying her as a seamstress.

Over the next few days, Maeve starts to realize that she has developed some special powers. Then she meets a man named Otis, who turns out to be a recruiter for Spellcrest Academy, a four year training academy for beings, not just humans, with magical powers. Otis wants to take Maeve there but Maeve will not go without her brother. Maeve ends up giving Finley some of her power so that he can go with her. But they cannot let anyone know that they are related.

At the Academy, Maeve meets all sorts of interesting characters. My favorite is one of her roommates, Riselle, who is part angel 👼, wings and all. There are a lot of twists and turns in the storyline. It is a very enjoyable read. Don't want to give anything away but if you enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series, you will enjoy this.

I originally got a free ARC of this book to read and give an honest review but I had trouble with the book and ended up buying the ebook to finish reading the book. And I am very glad I did. This is a very enjoyable book and I love most of the characters, except the spoiled whiney brat Finley. He did not grow on me. He just irritated me. Like a real brother.

I cannot wait to read the next book.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spellcrest Academy by
Michael Pierce.
Maeve Rhodes is not your typical Good Samaritan. However, when she stumbles upon a fallen, elderly woman, she stops and tries to do the right thing. Little does she know that this chance encounter will forever change the direction of her life.

Marked with a new tattoo emblazoned across her chest and struggling to control a whole host of new powers, Maeve finds her life spiraling out of control. That is, until one more chance encounter offers an explanation… and a privileged opportunity to attend Spellcrest Academy.

Paired with a shy elf and a moody Nephilim, Maeve quickly takes to her new home at the premier magical institution. Not to mention the dreamy senior advisor whom, for some idiotic reason, she can’t stop thinking about. Love at first sight is sappy sh—crap for fairy tales, not real life. However, she can’t deny the instant connection.

As the school year progresses, Maeve discovers her invitation to the academy might not have been so innocent after all. Sinister forces want her unique abilities and are willing to kill for them.

Maeve doesn’t just need to survive her classes, she must survive the plots against her, a decades-old magical war, and following her capricious heart. She’s never been a stranger to diving into danger. But this time, she might be in over her head.
A fantastic read with some great characters. What a twist to. Brilliant. 5*.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read and I definitely enjoyed it enough to want to move forward in the series. Still, this book ended rather abruptly, and I'm not sure if it's because it's part of the omnibus year one collection and they edited it so that it would read more as a single book, but this first book really does just stop and the next book (I've started book 2) picks up immediately where the first book leaves off. So if you're going to read this, I would recommend you just read the year one omnibus edition rather than the individual books and just think of it as a single book.

So on to the story itself. In some ways, it reminds me of Harry Potter (they even have references to the book in a few of the places), except Harry Potter WAS born as a wizard, but he was raised ignorant of that fact. In this one, the magical world exists, and Maeve is ignorant of it, but she is not pulled in until she meets a mysterious woman at the beginning that starts her journey in the magical world. She goes to Spellcrest Academy with her brother as a first-year student.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, and I really liked some of the other characters, but I was iffy on Maeve, the main character. She is quick to anger, especially when it comes to her little brother (both at him and at anyone who she perceives as a threat to his well-being), but she is also funny (well, snarky) and there are definitely times when I like her. Still, time will tell how she turns out. I'm hoping the continuing story will find her growing and learning and being a bit more likable!

On to the second book!

[Lior · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.75✨
I initially DNFed this at 70 pages, but then decided to give this a chance, also I got this book as an ARC on netgalley and felt like I had to try and finish it, so I did.
when I started the book it sounded very promising, the beginning of the story sounded very interesting, with the seamstress and the power she holds and how she passed it on to Maeve. but then the story deteriorated.
the premise of the book sounds so good, but I felt like the execution was not great. it read more like middle grade than ya because the writing wasn't great. also, nothing really happened. we get this set up for a very intriguing plot, the people that killed Helena, the power of being a seamstress, but that storyline was paused to get the academy storyline and we only came back to it in the very end of the book, which was quite disappointing for me. the first book just felt very underwhelming for me.
the relationship between Maeve and Finley is pretty annoying, it doesn't sound like Finley likes Maeve too much. the other relationships aren't that great either, it felt like insta-love with every friendship Maeve has at that school, which is a trope I didn't think could be used with friendships but here we are.
and also Maeve and Devon have 0 chemistry.
I think this book had a lot of potential I just don't think it was realized.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maeve Rhodes and her brother Finley have been shuffled around between foster and group homes since their parents died. One night, after sneaking out of their current group home, Maeve finds an elderly woman lying on the ground, clearly the victim of an attack. When she stops to help the woman, she is giving more than she could have ever imagined: magical powers. With this new gift, she is invited to attend the Spellcrest Academy, a prestigious school for magic users. However, if she goes, she would be forced to leave her brother behind, something that she is not willing to do.

This book was a pleasant surprise. Maeve has the snarky, rough-and-tumble survivor personality you would find with someone who was shuffled from home to home throughout her childhood. Her brother Finley is clearly the innocent as he is dragged into Maeve’s adventures and then tempted to the “dark side” by some not-so-innocent characters. It was well written and had enough plot twists to keep this interesting. Very rarely do I find young adult books that I cannot put down. I am truly looking forward to the second book in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

[Caroline Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this magical fantasy, in fact I enjoyed it so much that I bought the box set of the first three books. Maeve Rhodes, a 17 year old orphan and her 14 year old brother, Finley live in a foster home at the start of the novel. One night Maeve sneaks out and finds an old lady who has been attacked, stopping to help her, she little realises that this caring action is about to change her entire life! Without giving anything away, Maeve discovers that she has magical powers and she and Finley are off to Spellcrest Academy.

The book is full of suspense and excitement, Maeve finds her life is at risk as her powers are very unusual, her room mates are a shy elf and a moody nephilim and she has a crush on her senior adviser. Michael Pierce writes well and the characters are well drawn, my only criticism is that the book ends on a cliffhanger, I don't usually bother to continue with series where the author does this but have made an exception in this case. Frankly, the book is good enough not to need this tactic, most people who enjoy a novel will buy at least one sequel. Spellcrest Academy is not Hogwarts and this is not Harry Potter fanfiction, that being said fans of Harry will enjoy these books.

[Mary A. Muchowicz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maeve's parents were killed in an accident and the only other person she has is her little brother. They have managed to stay together in foster homes, but just barely. Maeve sneaks out one night and comes upon a woman who has been attacked. Maeve tries to help her, but the woman is dying and takes Maeve's hand and forces her to take the needle that comes out from her fingertip and goes into Maeve's. The next thing Maeve knows she has been told that she is being taken to Spellcrest Academy and that she is now the Seamstress who cuts windows into other dimensions and then sews them shut. Maeve manages to have her brother accepted at Spellcrest Academy as well. Maeve enters as a freshman although she is old enough to be in her final year. Her brother has a very hard time adjusting and Maeve is not doing too well with her magical studies either. There are a lot of secrets such as Maeve's tutor is actually the headmistress's son who goes by another last name and the headmistress had intended him to take over for the previous seamstress. Maeve's new roommates become her good friends, but there is a lot of power struggles going on at Spellcrest Academy.

[Cathy P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cliffhanger ending

I think authors do a huge disservice to readers when they don't warn of cliffhangers. I will usually quit a series of I don't know in advance. I read to many books, then forget all the details by the time the next book is finally out. If I know, I wait until series completed, then read it through.
Interesting world building and characters. Magee is strong and loyal, but a hot head. I liked her. Her brother Finley is an ungrateful brat, but I feel bad for the terrible luck he has had in life.
Maeve has incredible power thrust upon her and her whole life turns upside down. She is forced to accept placement at spellcraft academy and figures out a way to drag her brother along for the ride. New friends are made, bonds broken, and real danger is coming down on the school. Looking forward to the series, once all of the books are out.