What do you think?
Rate this book
Spookybrook Witch Academy #1
Year One
*New Expanded Edition* As I walked onto campus for the first time, looking up at the tall building looming above me I thought, this wasn't a campus; this was a castle.
And why had my father shipped me off here anyway? He'd mumbled something about traveling a lot, boarding school, the importance of education... blah blah blah...
It all sounded the same to me - like excuses! He'd been pawning me off to one place or another for 4 years now.
This was what he always did when he didn't want to deal with me anymore. Ever since my mom died when I was 11, my relationship with my father had been strained. In fact, sometimes it seemed as if he didn't want to be around me at all.
These days, the feeling was mutual.
There was a time when I cared, but I was over it. Who wants to waste their life away worrying about someone who doesn't even care about them?
Not this girl. I had far more important things to do. Like for now, figuring out where the cute boys were in this creepy mansion.
"Vivian?"
A voice from behind startled me out of my daydreams. I spun around and locked eyes with a friendly blond with big, blue eyes. Immediately,her outstretched hand reached for mine.
"I'm Kari, a Year Three at Spookybrook Witch Academy. I'll be here to show you around campus and to your room. If there's anything you want to know, don't hesitate to ask!"
Wait... "witch academy"?
This is the first book in the Spookybrook Witch Academy series, a spinoff of the Witches of Spookybrook series.
And why had my father shipped me off here anyway? He'd mumbled something about traveling a lot, boarding school, the importance of education... blah blah blah...
It all sounded the same to me - like excuses! He'd been pawning me off to one place or another for 4 years now.
This was what he always did when he didn't want to deal with me anymore. Ever since my mom died when I was 11, my relationship with my father had been strained. In fact, sometimes it seemed as if he didn't want to be around me at all.
These days, the feeling was mutual.
There was a time when I cared, but I was over it. Who wants to waste their life away worrying about someone who doesn't even care about them?
Not this girl. I had far more important things to do. Like for now, figuring out where the cute boys were in this creepy mansion.
"Vivian?"
A voice from behind startled me out of my daydreams. I spun around and locked eyes with a friendly blond with big, blue eyes. Immediately,her outstretched hand reached for mine.
"I'm Kari, a Year Three at Spookybrook Witch Academy. I'll be here to show you around campus and to your room. If there's anything you want to know, don't hesitate to ask!"
Wait... "witch academy"?
This is the first book in the Spookybrook Witch Academy series, a spinoff of the Witches of Spookybrook series.
- GenresWitchesParanormal
232 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2020
331 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Annalise Clark
42 books43 followersAnnalise writes spicy LGBTQ paranormal, fantasy, and sci-fi romance. She currently lives in the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina but spends as much time as she can traveling and writing from as many beautiful places as she can.
In addition to her foray into mature monster romance, vampire lore, and sapphic space operas, Annalise remains enthusiastic about exploring new territories in her writing. Her work in progress includes a captivating selection of spicy, sapphic fairy tale retellings, a werewolf series, a dragon shifter series, a couple of witch-centric series, and more paranormal excitement full of delightfully queer characters.
Annalise's passion for writing queer fantasy and paranormal romance stems from her personal desire for diverse representation within the genres she loves. Her goal is to create stories that resonate with people like her and her friends, and the positive feedback she receives is a constant inspiration.
Away from her writing desk, Annalise is a devoted nature enthusiast who enjoys hiking in the mountains. She also engages in rescue and volunteer work for cats and kittens in addition to wrangling her own house full of cats.
An avid reader, she continually enriches her craft by immersing herself in a wide range of literary works and she also manages a popular reader BookTok account full of indie book recommendations. Through her stories, Annalise continues to contribute to the diverse tapestry of modern speculative fiction, breathing life into characters that both enchant and empower.
In addition to her foray into mature monster romance, vampire lore, and sapphic space operas, Annalise remains enthusiastic about exploring new territories in her writing. Her work in progress includes a captivating selection of spicy, sapphic fairy tale retellings, a werewolf series, a dragon shifter series, a couple of witch-centric series, and more paranormal excitement full of delightfully queer characters.
Annalise's passion for writing queer fantasy and paranormal romance stems from her personal desire for diverse representation within the genres she loves. Her goal is to create stories that resonate with people like her and her friends, and the positive feedback she receives is a constant inspiration.
Away from her writing desk, Annalise is a devoted nature enthusiast who enjoys hiking in the mountains. She also engages in rescue and volunteer work for cats and kittens in addition to wrangling her own house full of cats.
An avid reader, she continually enriches her craft by immersing herself in a wide range of literary works and she also manages a popular reader BookTok account full of indie book recommendations. Through her stories, Annalise continues to contribute to the diverse tapestry of modern speculative fiction, breathing life into characters that both enchant and empower.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 9, 2020
The premise and cover of this book sounded amazing. I think if the author did a major revision while working with a developmental editor, this series would be awesome. As far as typos and grammatical errors, the book is pretty clean. However, the author tends to be very repetitive and there's a little verb tense hopping.
The author takes a unique approach by world building through textbook entries. This shows how much the author has invested in this world, but does feel a bit info dumpy and slows the pace. I think if done a little differently it would be cool and stand out as different as far as witch academy books.
Another problem this author has is telling. Almost the entire book is narration, and while this helps with character development for the main character, it deminiahes character development for any other character. All the side characters felt flat.
The author does do a good job with building tension and intrigue, especially with the detached mysterious voice that pops up every so often.
I was a little disappointed that the ending was so abrupt and everything wrapped up so nicely.
While this book needs work, it would be a lie to say I didn't enjoy reading it. I may continue the series, but I'll also keep an eye out for any revision the author may or may not do.
The author takes a unique approach by world building through textbook entries. This shows how much the author has invested in this world, but does feel a bit info dumpy and slows the pace. I think if done a little differently it would be cool and stand out as different as far as witch academy books.
Another problem this author has is telling. Almost the entire book is narration, and while this helps with character development for the main character, it deminiahes character development for any other character. All the side characters felt flat.
The author does do a good job with building tension and intrigue, especially with the detached mysterious voice that pops up every so often.
I was a little disappointed that the ending was so abrupt and everything wrapped up so nicely.
While this book needs work, it would be a lie to say I didn't enjoy reading it. I may continue the series, but I'll also keep an eye out for any revision the author may or may not do.
January 6, 2021
I really loved the enthusiasm for witchcraft, but not much of anything is happening in the story. I really wanted to love this book.
The story is not well written at all; it's structure and grammar were poor. It lacks a climax. It lacks character arc and story development. It's suppose to be a YA but the lead sounds like a thirty something woman. I did like the way she explained witchcraft. That is where the writer was her strongest. It's just that when you get to the end of the story, you feel like you wasted your time reading. Nothing much happened. Also, a lot did not make sense. Timelines and events were contradictory throughout the story.
The story is not well written at all; it's structure and grammar were poor. It lacks a climax. It lacks character arc and story development. It's suppose to be a YA but the lead sounds like a thirty something woman. I did like the way she explained witchcraft. That is where the writer was her strongest. It's just that when you get to the end of the story, you feel like you wasted your time reading. Nothing much happened. Also, a lot did not make sense. Timelines and events were contradictory throughout the story.
August 4, 2020
Needs an editor
Why normally I’ll read a story and try to take it the way the author has written it, but this one was so bad, so repetitive, one minute we knew the guys name and the next minute we have to figure out his name and then bam we knew it automatically again. (Head meet desk) desperate need if an editor, need to make it more of a story then a teaching lesson. At least get an honest beta reader. And don’t use muggles for humans make up your own human name , it just really bugged me.
Why normally I’ll read a story and try to take it the way the author has written it, but this one was so bad, so repetitive, one minute we knew the guys name and the next minute we have to figure out his name and then bam we knew it automatically again. (Head meet desk) desperate need if an editor, need to make it more of a story then a teaching lesson. At least get an honest beta reader. And don’t use muggles for humans make up your own human name , it just really bugged me.
March 24, 2020
Vivian is a strong, likeable character and it is interesting to see how her friendship develops with Kari.
A colourful, highly imaginative tale ensues and leaves you wanting to read the next book
A colourful, highly imaginative tale ensues and leaves you wanting to read the next book
January 14, 2025
I was trying to like the story but I can't take it anymore. Didn't like how it was written, I was waiting for the climax but it's really not there. Pacing was too slow.
August 26, 2020
Spookybrook Witch Academy: Year One: Beginnings
OMG... I can’t put this book down, I love ❤️ this series... I had a funny suspicion of Vivian was more than just a plain witch, I knew. And it doesn’t get any better than this, definitely a page turner, nail biting, can’t put the book down type....
I have to read the Year 2 ... I can’t wait, I hope I’m not up all night again. 😂 lol 😂
I love ❤️ the hooks I have read by Annalise Clark, her writing gets better with each book that I read...
I definitely recommend this book...
OMG... I can’t put this book down, I love ❤️ this series... I had a funny suspicion of Vivian was more than just a plain witch, I knew. And it doesn’t get any better than this, definitely a page turner, nail biting, can’t put the book down type....
I have to read the Year 2 ... I can’t wait, I hope I’m not up all night again. 😂 lol 😂
I love ❤️ the hooks I have read by Annalise Clark, her writing gets better with each book that I read...
I definitely recommend this book...
August 3, 2024
Interesting and fun
This was a really interesting & fun book to read. I enjoyed learning about the different kinds of witchcraft, all being introduced in the context of a witch high school setting. The main character was raised as a regular "normie" and didn't realize she had witch powers until her dad enrolled her at this school. There's a little bit of drama, but overall, this book seems to be setting up the foundation for future storylines. It's an easy read, and I liked it enough that I'd be interested in reading the next book.
This was a really interesting & fun book to read. I enjoyed learning about the different kinds of witchcraft, all being introduced in the context of a witch high school setting. The main character was raised as a regular "normie" and didn't realize she had witch powers until her dad enrolled her at this school. There's a little bit of drama, but overall, this book seems to be setting up the foundation for future storylines. It's an easy read, and I liked it enough that I'd be interested in reading the next book.
October 4, 2024
This story follows a new witch, Vivian, as she explores her new identity as well as trying to unfold the secrets of her past. At the same time, there is a threat to the school and her safety.
Unfortunately for me, a lot of this book felt undeveloped. I expected more action towards the end of the book to wrap it up, but it felt too quick. However, there were some twists that I wasn't expecting. I also really enjoyed the main character, but I wanted to see more development for her friends and the world around her. Overall, a good plot but I wish it was more developed.
Unfortunately for me, a lot of this book felt undeveloped. I expected more action towards the end of the book to wrap it up, but it felt too quick. However, there were some twists that I wasn't expecting. I also really enjoyed the main character, but I wanted to see more development for her friends and the world around her. Overall, a good plot but I wish it was more developed.
August 8, 2025
A good start to a new series
I enjoyed the characters and a little bit of world building. Author told more than showed the story. Loved the fast pace, action and a little bit of drama. Friendship with one friend Kari was great but wish the others had their moments too. I look forward to reading book 2!
I enjoyed the characters and a little bit of world building. Author told more than showed the story. Loved the fast pace, action and a little bit of drama. Friendship with one friend Kari was great but wish the others had their moments too. I look forward to reading book 2!
February 4, 2020
Pretty good
This is a really good book and great start to this series. Vivian has no clue what or who she really is and is now learning all of that and more. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next book to find out what's going to happen.
This is a really good book and great start to this series. Vivian has no clue what or who she really is and is now learning all of that and more. I really enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next book to find out what's going to happen.
April 27, 2020
First off, I have to say that this book would have been 4 stars. However, it needs some serious proofreading. Words missing, wrong words in sentences, etc irritated me constantly. That being said, I enjoyed the plot and the characters. I may read book 2 because the story was very interesting.
June 22, 2021
2.5 sterren.
Het begon wel leuk maar na het midden begon ik mij steeds meer te ergeren. De hoofdpersoon vind ik echt helemaal niks. En na mate het einde kwam werd het verhaal wat afgeraffeld. Erg jammer! Ik weet ook niet of ik deel 2 ga lezen.
Het begon wel leuk maar na het midden begon ik mij steeds meer te ergeren. De hoofdpersoon vind ik echt helemaal niks. En na mate het einde kwam werd het verhaal wat afgeraffeld. Erg jammer! Ik weet ook niet of ik deel 2 ga lezen.
January 13, 2025
DNF. I got 20% of the way into the book, and nothing was happening, except for a basic primer on the witch Academy. There wasn’t even really any interaction between students. There was one mention of a cute boy, but there hasn’t even been a meet cute yet. Seriously.
February 1, 2020
Great start to a new series
Really enjoyed this start to a new series. I'm looking forward to the next book and also learning more about the characters.
Really enjoyed this start to a new series. I'm looking forward to the next book and also learning more about the characters.
February 29, 2020
For me this was only 2 stars.
For young teens this could be wonderful, but not for me.
For young teens this could be wonderful, but not for me.
April 21, 2020
A spellbinding page turner
Makes me wish there was a actual school of magic. The story keeps going on until the end and then ends abruptly
Makes me wish there was a actual school of magic. The story keeps going on until the end and then ends abruptly
April 29, 2020
⭐️⭐️ And a half ⭐️
This book could’ve been a good one.
Frankly, I don’t know if I’ll read the next one.
We’ll see...
For this one though, two stars? Three stars?...
⭐️⭐️ 1/2⭐️
This book could’ve been a good one.
Frankly, I don’t know if I’ll read the next one.
We’ll see...
For this one though, two stars? Three stars?...
⭐️⭐️ 1/2⭐️
May 9, 2020
Enjoyable
There were a few editing errors but I enjoyed the story. I think the author
could have given more details about her childhood and her parents.
There were a few editing errors but I enjoyed the story. I think the author
could have given more details about her childhood and her parents.
May 24, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I can't wait for the next one to come out.
August 3, 2024
academy
Wow, so rare, an academy book that complies with an academic calendar. No real romance. Definitely set up for book 2
Wow, so rare, an academy book that complies with an academic calendar. No real romance. Definitely set up for book 2
November 24, 2021
So arriving at a school for witches with no idea that you're a witch would really be weird. Things get weirder and there are plenty of mysteries to go around. Fun book.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews