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Academy of Shadowed Magic #1
Good Witches Don't Lie
Witches, wizards, and one judgmental, talking cat. Welcome to my new life.
I'm Clementine Cole. I thought I was a normal nineteen-year-old with anger issues, but I was wrong. I’m not angry, I'm just a witch.
After my cat started talking to me one night, I made a few discoveries:
First, magic is real and nightmares aren’t just in your dreams.
Second, I'm the last witch in the world.
Third, there's an academy for magic users just like me.
Trouble is, I don't quite fit in at the academy. Witches get a bad rap, and everyone thinks we're destined to turn evil. Okay, maybe I've been in a few fights and speak my mind, but I'm no villain.
"Good witches don't lie," my teachers tell me. If I don't want to get kicked out of the academy, I have to follow the rules. No fighting, no lying, and definitely no secrets.
But what if the one keeping secrets is the headmistress herself?
Welcome to the Academy of Shadowed Magic.
I'm Clementine Cole. I thought I was a normal nineteen-year-old with anger issues, but I was wrong. I’m not angry, I'm just a witch.
After my cat started talking to me one night, I made a few discoveries:
First, magic is real and nightmares aren’t just in your dreams.
Second, I'm the last witch in the world.
Third, there's an academy for magic users just like me.
Trouble is, I don't quite fit in at the academy. Witches get a bad rap, and everyone thinks we're destined to turn evil. Okay, maybe I've been in a few fights and speak my mind, but I'm no villain.
"Good witches don't lie," my teachers tell me. If I don't want to get kicked out of the academy, I have to follow the rules. No fighting, no lying, and definitely no secrets.
But what if the one keeping secrets is the headmistress herself?
Welcome to the Academy of Shadowed Magic.
377 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 8, 2020
399 people are currently reading
362 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
November 11, 2020
Our heroine discovers she is not only a witch, but the last of her kind. Guess it is time for remedial education.
This is book one of the series.
This is an urban fantasy story with an academy setting. The story is well written, easy to read and rather addictive. I have read a lot of academy stories and after a while they tend to blend together. This one, however, grabbed my attention right away and did not let go. Perhaps it was our snarky heroine who is trying to be good and fit it, even though the rest of the folks make it tough. I really loved her character, in case that was not obvious. The setting was well done and the story was very engaging. Overall, it was a highly enjoyable story and I am definitely looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
This is book one of the series.
This is an urban fantasy story with an academy setting. The story is well written, easy to read and rather addictive. I have read a lot of academy stories and after a while they tend to blend together. This one, however, grabbed my attention right away and did not let go. Perhaps it was our snarky heroine who is trying to be good and fit it, even though the rest of the folks make it tough. I really loved her character, in case that was not obvious. The setting was well done and the story was very engaging. Overall, it was a highly enjoyable story and I am definitely looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
January 20, 2021
I didn't like Clem in the beginning but she won me over! I enjoyed the story! Good characters!
October 4, 2023
ETA: having now read the whole series, I stand on what I said in this review about this first book but did find the series as a whole an entertaining read and recommend it.
_______________________________
More for adolescents.
Good
1) The settings were rendered beautifully
2) The series arc was clearly established
3) The female lead was fleshed-out, multi-dimensional, relatable and likable
4) The shunning of the female lead by the other students had a solid, justifiable rationale behind it
5) The bullying of the female lead by the designated 'mean girl' had an understandable, sympathetic rationale behind it
Neutral
1) It was more the first part is a serial than a stand alone story
2) The story had no plot-driven storyline and instead was basically the female lead trying to access her magic
3) No sex or romance
Mediocre
1) The world-building was done in rather broad, generic strokes
2) The world was trite
3) The storytelling was shallow
4) The female 'best friend' character's characterization was all over the map
5) The male 'best friend' character's characterization was shallow
Bad
1) The messaging was really, really bad
2) Those that were suppose to be on the side of good did not act like decent people, let alone good people
3) The hiding of information from the female lead reached critical level before the book was half over
4) That is not how you teach people
5) Allowing a student, especially a student with zero prior knowledge or ability in the material, into classes when there is only three weeks left to the semester made no sense. Allowing her to pass, despite having gathered little knowledge and still zero ability, into the second semester made even less.
The story would have worked much better if the characters were around sixteen instead of young adults and the 'good' characters actually behaved like decent human beings.
_______________________________
More for adolescents.
Good
1) The settings were rendered beautifully
2) The series arc was clearly established
3) The female lead was fleshed-out, multi-dimensional, relatable and likable
4) The shunning of the female lead by the other students had a solid, justifiable rationale behind it
5) The bullying of the female lead by the designated 'mean girl' had an understandable, sympathetic rationale behind it
Neutral
1) It was more the first part is a serial than a stand alone story
2) The story had no plot-driven storyline and instead was basically the female lead trying to access her magic
3) No sex or romance
Mediocre
1) The world-building was done in rather broad, generic strokes
2) The world was trite
3) The storytelling was shallow
4) The female 'best friend' character's characterization was all over the map
5) The male 'best friend' character's characterization was shallow
Bad
1) The messaging was really, really bad
2) Those that were suppose to be on the side of good did not act like decent people, let alone good people
3) The hiding of information from the female lead reached critical level before the book was half over
4) That is not how you teach people
5) Allowing a student, especially a student with zero prior knowledge or ability in the material, into classes when there is only three weeks left to the semester made no sense. Allowing her to pass, despite having gathered little knowledge and still zero ability, into the second semester made even less.
The story would have worked much better if the characters were around sixteen instead of young adults and the 'good' characters actually behaved like decent human beings.
October 19, 2020
Witches, wizards, and one judgmental, talking cat! Who wouldn’t want to read this.? This is a well written start to the Academy of shadowed magic series and it’s really good! A exciting urban fantasy with a slow burn romance, an addictive storyline and great characters including a sassy and snarky heroine! Hooked from the very start this is full of drama, action, magic and mayhem!
July 20, 2025
Good Witches Don’t Lie (Academy of Shadowed Magic Book 1)
Good Witches Don’t Lie (Academy of Shadowed Magic Book 1) ~~ What a fantastic start to this magical series! I was hooked from the very first page and absolutely couldn’t put this book down. The world-building is rich without being overwhelming, and I loved Clementine’s mix of sass and vulnerability. Her talking cat adds the perfect bit of humor, and the slow introduction to the academy and shadowed magic was exciting without feeling rushed. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the mystery and action, and I found myself staying up late to read “just one more chapter.” This book set up the series perfectly, and I genuinely fell in love with the characters and story. I absolutely loved this book!
Good Witches Don’t Lie (Academy of Shadowed Magic Book 1) ~~ What a fantastic start to this magical series! I was hooked from the very first page and absolutely couldn’t put this book down. The world-building is rich without being overwhelming, and I loved Clementine’s mix of sass and vulnerability. Her talking cat adds the perfect bit of humor, and the slow introduction to the academy and shadowed magic was exciting without feeling rushed. Every chapter pulled me deeper into the mystery and action, and I found myself staying up late to read “just one more chapter.” This book set up the series perfectly, and I genuinely fell in love with the characters and story. I absolutely loved this book!
March 9, 2025
I loved the fast pace, interesting characters, and a little drama. Friendships were great! Love her cat Loki! I can’t wait to read book 2!
January 24, 2021
The start of the story was quite well written and engaging, I suspect the rest would be also but I wasn’t grabbed by the first 5 chapters
The premise has been used a few times in the last year and I’m fatigued by it
The last witch dragged to an academy because bad forces want her
Yup very much the start of the heroes journey
I’ll likely shelve this sty for a while will edit reviews when that happens
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The premise has been used a few times in the last year and I’m fatigued by it
The last witch dragged to an academy because bad forces want her
Yup very much the start of the heroes journey
I’ll likely shelve this sty for a while will edit reviews when that happens
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 10, 2025
This series is going to inevitably get compared to Harry Potter, and sure - there are some similarities. But Harry Potter wasn’t the first with a lot of these themes either, so put that aside and read it for what it is.
I read the whole series in a week where I had a nasty cold and needed something not challenging - this fit the bill perfectly. This review is for the whole series. I’d say 3.75 all up.
The good
Clem is a believable character with flaws and grows over the series
The other characters have their own lives and agendas, and don’t always just form an adjunct to Clem
There was a good story arc across all the books
There were a couple of really decent twists
I liked that there was no real focus on ‘growing up’, but more a focus on learning and growing (not sure if this makes sense - I’m still taking cold and flu tablets!)
The neutral
The Magic system was a bit erratic and oftentimes made little sense, just like the curriculum…
The bad
There were some weird inconsistencies I just didn’t get - without trying to go in to spoiler territory there are questions that are glossed over and you just have to go with the flow
Eva was way too forgiving - I loved her (and after seeing Wicked pictured her as Ariana Grande the whole time…) but she way too quickly forgave Clem every single time
The Mages Council and their decisions made no sense at all
I read the whole series in a week where I had a nasty cold and needed something not challenging - this fit the bill perfectly. This review is for the whole series. I’d say 3.75 all up.
The good
Clem is a believable character with flaws and grows over the series
The other characters have their own lives and agendas, and don’t always just form an adjunct to Clem
There was a good story arc across all the books
There were a couple of really decent twists
I liked that there was no real focus on ‘growing up’, but more a focus on learning and growing (not sure if this makes sense - I’m still taking cold and flu tablets!)
The neutral
The Magic system was a bit erratic and oftentimes made little sense, just like the curriculum…
The bad
There were some weird inconsistencies I just didn’t get - without trying to go in to spoiler territory there are questions that are glossed over and you just have to go with the flow
Eva was way too forgiving - I loved her (and after seeing Wicked pictured her as Ariana Grande the whole time…) but she way too quickly forgave Clem every single time
The Mages Council and their decisions made no sense at all
March 20, 2026
Clementine Cole follows an aged-out foster kid just trying to survive and carve out some kind of safe place in the world. That fragile sense of stability shatters when her protective charm fails, exposing her to a magical world that’s been lurking just out of sight—and putting a target on her back.
She’s taken to a magical academy, where she learns she’s the last witch standing… and completely behind everyone else. The story really shines in watching Clementine navigate this—she’s not effortlessly powerful or polished, she’s scrambling to keep up, figuring out her strengths, and slowly finding where she fits in both the school and the wider magical world.
The academy brings the expected mix of highs and lows—new alliances, tension, and self-discovery—but there’s always an undercurrent of danger. And when the people hunting her resurface, it reminds you that her story was never going to stay contained within classroom walls.
While this is part of a five-book KU bundle, this installment does wrap up its main arc in a satisfying way, while still leaving that “what’s next?” thread hanging. It gives you enough resolution to feel complete, but clearly sets the stage for bigger conflicts ahead.
She’s taken to a magical academy, where she learns she’s the last witch standing… and completely behind everyone else. The story really shines in watching Clementine navigate this—she’s not effortlessly powerful or polished, she’s scrambling to keep up, figuring out her strengths, and slowly finding where she fits in both the school and the wider magical world.
The academy brings the expected mix of highs and lows—new alliances, tension, and self-discovery—but there’s always an undercurrent of danger. And when the people hunting her resurface, it reminds you that her story was never going to stay contained within classroom walls.
While this is part of a five-book KU bundle, this installment does wrap up its main arc in a satisfying way, while still leaving that “what’s next?” thread hanging. It gives you enough resolution to feel complete, but clearly sets the stage for bigger conflicts ahead.
March 27, 2021
Much better than typical school of magic stories
I downloaded this half expecting not to get past the download sample but was very pleasantly surprised to find a well crafted credible story. It is less juvenile, giggly and sparkly than the typical school story, feels more real with each book building the story and developing the character in a sustainable exciting way. There are bits of Lilith Saintcrow here or Richelle Mead. The story itself is about the last witch finding her magic, being distrusted, how she finds her feet and friends, and prepares for a certain fight....but all done in a very realistic enjoyable tense way. A very enjoyable story and the subsequent books are just as good.
I downloaded this half expecting not to get past the download sample but was very pleasantly surprised to find a well crafted credible story. It is less juvenile, giggly and sparkly than the typical school story, feels more real with each book building the story and developing the character in a sustainable exciting way. There are bits of Lilith Saintcrow here or Richelle Mead. The story itself is about the last witch finding her magic, being distrusted, how she finds her feet and friends, and prepares for a certain fight....but all done in a very realistic enjoyable tense way. A very enjoyable story and the subsequent books are just as good.
March 27, 2026
I almost put this one on the back burner. It was getting hard for me to sort out whether this was meant to be a YA or adult title (though I think YA is the right call), I had trouble not thinking of Harry Pitter parallels, and then I had a tough time getting behind the main character through all the prickles. That said. I'm glad I stuck with it and am hopeful for more character development in the next installment as we get to know the characters. and the history. Some great potential here hoping it takes root and grows into its own as it progresses.
June 21, 2021
Clementine
Clem is rescued by Umbra the headmistress, and learns she is the last witch. She can understand Loki her cat familiar now. She hasn't come into her magic yet, and can't fly. She develops a relationship with Noir, the beautiful wild horse and thinks somehow they belong together. Her friend's Eva ( A fae) and Aiden (A mage) assist her in the adventures.
A very interesting, intriguing, enjoable story.
Clem is rescued by Umbra the headmistress, and learns she is the last witch. She can understand Loki her cat familiar now. She hasn't come into her magic yet, and can't fly. She develops a relationship with Noir, the beautiful wild horse and thinks somehow they belong together. Her friend's Eva ( A fae) and Aiden (A mage) assist her in the adventures.
A very interesting, intriguing, enjoable story.
September 3, 2020
First in a series. Hang on, it is a wild ride of adventure, learning to trust, to believe in your self,
trust others, make friends, as you adjust to being the ... sorry no spoilers. your in a magic academy
having to learn and figure out how to adjust, follow rules and learn how to access your...
with the help of a snarky familiar. great read, cant wait for the next one!!
trust others, make friends, as you adjust to being the ... sorry no spoilers. your in a magic academy
having to learn and figure out how to adjust, follow rules and learn how to access your...
with the help of a snarky familiar. great read, cant wait for the next one!!
September 11, 2020
Very good and snarky.
I can’t wait until the last witch comes into her own and saves everyone. I do not like the headmistress- she treats Clem as a trophy and refusing to help teach her anything doesn’t help anyone.
Love her two friends and curious about what happens next.
I can’t wait until the last witch comes into her own and saves everyone. I do not like the headmistress- she treats Clem as a trophy and refusing to help teach her anything doesn’t help anyone.
Love her two friends and curious about what happens next.
September 17, 2020
An enjoyable story that was well written and very engaging. I really liked the characters that the author crafted for the story. I liked how the story got better as the story progressed. I enjoyed reading this book
November 17, 2020
Good
An Academy for good mages, fae, wizards and the last witch. Clementine is the last witch, she has a familiar that is a cat who can talk to her. She and her familiar get into a few adventures. It was a good read.
An Academy for good mages, fae, wizards and the last witch. Clementine is the last witch, she has a familiar that is a cat who can talk to her. She and her familiar get into a few adventures. It was a good read.
May 28, 2022
good read
I’m so annoyed with everyone not giving her any answers. I get the reasoning but the more the don’t help or do anything for her she’s gonna hate them for that lack of teaching her anything. At least she has friends willing to help.
I’m so annoyed with everyone not giving her any answers. I get the reasoning but the more the don’t help or do anything for her she’s gonna hate them for that lack of teaching her anything. At least she has friends willing to help.
Read
June 28, 2022loved reading this book and am excited to read more from this author. easy to breeze through jin one night and kept me in suspense.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 12, 2025
It's an okay read. That's parts that grip you and parts where it gets a little boring.
With everything i had going on, it's one of those books where if you have to put it down, it's really easy to pick the story back up.
With everything i had going on, it's one of those books where if you have to put it down, it's really easy to pick the story back up.
September 1, 2025
Not a bad book, it's a slow build up with a main character that is prickly and at times not very likable, but you you can understand why she is the way she is. The choices she makes in the book are dumb. The other characters in the book are not flushed out very well.
November 3, 2025
Love it!
I love the story, the world building. So many secrets to uncover, I can't wait to read the second book! The only thing missing for me is a love interest, I want more romance.
I love the story, the world building. So many secrets to uncover, I can't wait to read the second book! The only thing missing for me is a love interest, I want more romance.
December 6, 2020
This is the first book for me by SW and wow I devoured it and looks like book 2 is out in a few days have it on my wish list already! Great story and wonderful characters!
January 9, 2021
This story was awesome! It was fast paced, detailed, and kept my interest the whole time. 🤓❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️📚
February 16, 2021
Some of the usual editing issues but not a lot. The story wouldn’t let me put the Kindle down until it was done. Then I had to download the next right away.
The heroine felt like a real person to me and I quickly became engaged in her story. There was at least some character development, enough to make me want to see more.
It is YA with minimal swearing and no sexual content.
The heroine felt like a real person to me and I quickly became engaged in her story. There was at least some character development, enough to make me want to see more.
It is YA with minimal swearing and no sexual content.
April 26, 2021
Awesome book, starting on the second one. Hard to put down.
August 22, 2021
Nice relaxing read
Been down with the flu and I am binging these books. They help me relax and are well written. Love the story and the internal conflict.
Been down with the flu and I am binging these books. They help me relax and are well written. Love the story and the internal conflict.
January 3, 2022
It is a really good book, but I just wasn't into it. I enjoyed reading the book. I will read the rest of the series in the future.
January 22, 2023
academy
An academy story where there are classes and school related drama. This actually follows a calendar pretty well. No romance
An academy story where there are classes and school related drama. This actually follows a calendar pretty well. No romance
December 17, 2024
What a bunch of sanctimonious drivel. I would join the dark side if the light side treated me like this.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews