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Academy of Peculiars #1
Stranger
Sophie Harper has a secret. A peculiar one. By the time she gets to the Academy for Peculiars, she's already killed a man. From there, she learns that the superhuman strength she was born with and abandoned because of means she's a peculiar - a human with abnormal DNA - yet that same strength alienates her from her peculiar peers because of its rarity. As she settles into her new home, she makes friends with her dorm mates, stresses out about catching up with schoolwork, and starts dating one of the most popular guys at the academy. Normalcy is what Sophie wants more than anything, but she can't change the fact that she's different, even among peculiars. She starts falling for her infuriating trainer, a rugged shifter named Will, despite the fact that it's forbidden. When she finds out there's only one other man with her physical strength, she yearns to learn more about him - yet he's someone everyone refuses to discuss. She starts to realize that being a peculiar means more than just being strong, and that just she shares her ability with her mysterious counterpart, it doesn't mean he isn't a threat.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2012
433 people are currently reading
750 people want to read
About the author
Isadora Brown
125 books1,163 followersIsadora Brown loves all things dark, dangerous, and deadly. Things that go bump in the night and send shivers down backs are things she adores. She loves (and writes) sexy, forbidden romance, usually with some bite and a hint of magic. She is the author of The Somerset Series, The Dark Paradise Trilogy, The Stranger Trilogy, and The Neverland Trilogy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
December 19, 2015
3.5*
Opinião em português: http://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2015/...
The first thing that crossed my mind when I started reading this book was “wow, this sound like X-men”.
Welcome to AckPec, the Academy for Peculiars. Sophie is a physical, a peculiar with huge physical force, and the book stars with her meeting Will and Ethan in the exact moment she thinks she’s killing a man.
Sophie doesn’t have anyone in the world and she’s a freak, until she’s called to the Academy. The school dean, Ethan, is a peculiar, like everyone else in the Academy (except the football coach), and he’s a man that everyone likes – even though I believe there’s more to him than meets the eye (of course that that is normal, considering he’s over 700 years old). I’m hoping that his past will be explored and developed in the next books.
There’s a lot of young romance that tries to behave like “adult” love (the author shows girls behaving and acting like young teenagers most of the time, and them they this huge, strong love for someone who is their-…well, someone they shouldn’t fall in love with). I really liked professor Depogare, although I believe that, sometimes, the character is very coherent.
Calvin, a newly come to the Academy, is the most annoying and irritating person ever, and I get why Jane, a girl who is training her powers (she’s an mental, someone who can red thoughts) with him, gets to the point that she’s willing to drain all her energy just to make him shut up.
Jane and Ella are Sophie’s roommates and they’re the ones who’ll help Sophie to become a real student of the Academy. I really liked their friendship and the evolution of their relationship, but I do think that maybe it all happened a bit too fast.
I liked exploring the powers that character had, and I liked knowing them as human beings and not only someone who can/does A, B or C.
A light and pleasant story that hold my attention enough to make me want to read the next book.
Opinião em português: http://pepitamagica.blogspot.pt/2015/...
The first thing that crossed my mind when I started reading this book was “wow, this sound like X-men”.
Welcome to AckPec, the Academy for Peculiars. Sophie is a physical, a peculiar with huge physical force, and the book stars with her meeting Will and Ethan in the exact moment she thinks she’s killing a man.
Sophie doesn’t have anyone in the world and she’s a freak, until she’s called to the Academy. The school dean, Ethan, is a peculiar, like everyone else in the Academy (except the football coach), and he’s a man that everyone likes – even though I believe there’s more to him than meets the eye (of course that that is normal, considering he’s over 700 years old). I’m hoping that his past will be explored and developed in the next books.
There’s a lot of young romance that tries to behave like “adult” love (the author shows girls behaving and acting like young teenagers most of the time, and them they this huge, strong love for someone who is their-…well, someone they shouldn’t fall in love with). I really liked professor Depogare, although I believe that, sometimes, the character is very coherent.
Calvin, a newly come to the Academy, is the most annoying and irritating person ever, and I get why Jane, a girl who is training her powers (she’s an mental, someone who can red thoughts) with him, gets to the point that she’s willing to drain all her energy just to make him shut up.
Jane and Ella are Sophie’s roommates and they’re the ones who’ll help Sophie to become a real student of the Academy. I really liked their friendship and the evolution of their relationship, but I do think that maybe it all happened a bit too fast.
I liked exploring the powers that character had, and I liked knowing them as human beings and not only someone who can/does A, B or C.
A light and pleasant story that hold my attention enough to make me want to read the next book.
February 5, 2020
I am not sure what age range this book is aimed at but for me it is strictly pre-teen from the 1970s. It seems a million miles away from anything that a teenager would want from their recreational reading in a modern world. What's even worse is that the whole super-powers thing feels bolted on and not thought through at all; this is especially heinous because the whole premise of the title and the blurb make you think that it is going to be about this sub-X-Men school when really it is a thinly veiled romance story.
Then we get to our characters who are only interested in "copping off" with the opposite sex, I seem to recall a couple of vague references to same sex romantic relationships but they get quashed pretty quickly. The height of the weekend for our three intrepid "heroines" appears to be sneaking out of school to go partying at a local nightclub that has a very lax alcohol policy. How very 1980s of them. I found it difficult to wrap my head around how they got away with this every single weekend when one of the powers that peculiars can have is an intimate knowledge of just what is going on in people's minds whether they wish them to or not.
It all felt a little like "Wow, Hogwarts was a really successful franchise how can I develop a similar thing". What you don't do is half bake it and this is more like quarter baked. So, we have school houses split by the traditional four elements used in astrology - well I presume there's four we only get to meet two of them. Could have worked but somehow really doesn't; maybe because the rivalry between fire and water is not explained you are just supposed to accept it. Then you have the differentiation of the powers people can be born with and they all just feel made up on the fly and infinitely mutable as though the author felt some of them were a bit boring really so had to throw something new in to the mix at a minutes notice three quarters of the way through the book.
Then we get to find out that having these powers make you more or less immortal and somehow you stop ageing at a point in your early twenties. What? I can go with longevity being a nifty side effect of super strength or telekinesis but it is stretched to an nth degree here. Even worse are the extremely inappropriate relationships between pupils and staff. Honestly, it made my skin crawl. I can understand schoolgirls getting crushes on teachers but the reciprocity of it was downright sickening (and not in a Queenly way).
Honestly, avoid, avoid, AVOID. So many red flags in this book from not only dubious behavioural standpoints but the execution of it is lacklustre at best.
Then we get to our characters who are only interested in "copping off" with the opposite sex, I seem to recall a couple of vague references to same sex romantic relationships but they get quashed pretty quickly. The height of the weekend for our three intrepid "heroines" appears to be sneaking out of school to go partying at a local nightclub that has a very lax alcohol policy. How very 1980s of them. I found it difficult to wrap my head around how they got away with this every single weekend when one of the powers that peculiars can have is an intimate knowledge of just what is going on in people's minds whether they wish them to or not.
It all felt a little like "Wow, Hogwarts was a really successful franchise how can I develop a similar thing". What you don't do is half bake it and this is more like quarter baked. So, we have school houses split by the traditional four elements used in astrology - well I presume there's four we only get to meet two of them. Could have worked but somehow really doesn't; maybe because the rivalry between fire and water is not explained you are just supposed to accept it. Then you have the differentiation of the powers people can be born with and they all just feel made up on the fly and infinitely mutable as though the author felt some of them were a bit boring really so had to throw something new in to the mix at a minutes notice three quarters of the way through the book.
Then we get to find out that having these powers make you more or less immortal and somehow you stop ageing at a point in your early twenties. What? I can go with longevity being a nifty side effect of super strength or telekinesis but it is stretched to an nth degree here. Even worse are the extremely inappropriate relationships between pupils and staff. Honestly, it made my skin crawl. I can understand schoolgirls getting crushes on teachers but the reciprocity of it was downright sickening (and not in a Queenly way).
Honestly, avoid, avoid, AVOID. So many red flags in this book from not only dubious behavioural standpoints but the execution of it is lacklustre at best.
July 26, 2016
I have read a number of books by Heather C. Myers – Tempting the Flesh and Losing Myself In You (the first two Somerset novels), Death in Neverland (the first Neverland novel), Heroes and Thieves, A Beauty Dark and Deadly – and I can honestly say I consider Stranger to be my favourite. All of her stories have been enjoyable reads, yet this one had something a bit more to it.
Stranger reads like X-Men, with a bit more romance and more focus upon the individual storylines. In many ways, it reflects countless other stories whereby we’re given a school full of special students, but that does not make it any less enjoyable. In fact, I’ve found Heather C. Myers is more than capable of taking a general theme that has been done before – in this case the school of special teens – and putting an enjoyable spin on it. Therefore, whilst it may sound like just another one of those stories, I can assure you it is more than worth reading.
The story itself is great. There are multiple aspects to it, and whilst at first I was put out by the different focuses, I soon found myself pulled into both aspects. I found myself favouring the aspect I was reading… until I started a new chapter and my focus changed to the other part. Basically, I loved all of the different storylines that were being told. Fortunately, it did not feel as though one aspect was being given more attention than the other aspect. We follow the different parts of the story at an equal pace, with enough being told for each to ensure you are pulled completely into it. There are also aspects that are ignored, working to ensure we have enough mystery surrounding certain parts of the story to ensure we want to know more.
The world building is also a lot of fun. It’s simple yet elegant, with enough thrown in to ensure it is not boring. We find out about the basics pretty quickly, yet by the end of the book we’re still not one hundred percent of all this supernatural world is capable of. In fact, that is part of the mystery of the book. It is part of the mystery of the series, and has more than ensured I wish to carry on to see where things go. I need to get answers to certain storylines, not only because I’m invested in the characters but also because I’m invested in the world.
Speaking of the characters, they are a lot of fun. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about some of them. In fact, I was sure I was going to dislike some. However, as the story continued I came to enjoy them more and more. Each character has a great storyline. There are some clichés to be found, especially when it comes to the romantic element of the story, but it was possible to overlook these things due to the diverse cast. Our characters gave us a little bit of everything, and it was fun to watch a lot of the interaction play out.
Honestly, I know I’m not saying much, but it’s because I fear I will say too much. I really did enjoy this one. I’m curious as to where the story is going to head next, and I plan to find out sooner rather than later. It’s certainly a series I want to finish.
If nothing else, you should pick it up because it’s free. Sometimes free books can be a bit of hit and miss, yet such is not the case here. I promise you’ll enjoy it.
Stranger reads like X-Men, with a bit more romance and more focus upon the individual storylines. In many ways, it reflects countless other stories whereby we’re given a school full of special students, but that does not make it any less enjoyable. In fact, I’ve found Heather C. Myers is more than capable of taking a general theme that has been done before – in this case the school of special teens – and putting an enjoyable spin on it. Therefore, whilst it may sound like just another one of those stories, I can assure you it is more than worth reading.
The story itself is great. There are multiple aspects to it, and whilst at first I was put out by the different focuses, I soon found myself pulled into both aspects. I found myself favouring the aspect I was reading… until I started a new chapter and my focus changed to the other part. Basically, I loved all of the different storylines that were being told. Fortunately, it did not feel as though one aspect was being given more attention than the other aspect. We follow the different parts of the story at an equal pace, with enough being told for each to ensure you are pulled completely into it. There are also aspects that are ignored, working to ensure we have enough mystery surrounding certain parts of the story to ensure we want to know more.
The world building is also a lot of fun. It’s simple yet elegant, with enough thrown in to ensure it is not boring. We find out about the basics pretty quickly, yet by the end of the book we’re still not one hundred percent of all this supernatural world is capable of. In fact, that is part of the mystery of the book. It is part of the mystery of the series, and has more than ensured I wish to carry on to see where things go. I need to get answers to certain storylines, not only because I’m invested in the characters but also because I’m invested in the world.
Speaking of the characters, they are a lot of fun. At first, I wasn’t sure how I felt about some of them. In fact, I was sure I was going to dislike some. However, as the story continued I came to enjoy them more and more. Each character has a great storyline. There are some clichés to be found, especially when it comes to the romantic element of the story, but it was possible to overlook these things due to the diverse cast. Our characters gave us a little bit of everything, and it was fun to watch a lot of the interaction play out.
Honestly, I know I’m not saying much, but it’s because I fear I will say too much. I really did enjoy this one. I’m curious as to where the story is going to head next, and I plan to find out sooner rather than later. It’s certainly a series I want to finish.
If nothing else, you should pick it up because it’s free. Sometimes free books can be a bit of hit and miss, yet such is not the case here. I promise you’ll enjoy it.
July 25, 2016
This was a pleasant read. It begins with a girl named Sophie who finds out that she is a peculiar. She always knew she was different so finding this out was wonderful for her. They send her to a school where she can learn and embrace what she is. While there she becomes friends with a girl named Jane. She is the other person the book follows. Jane discovers that she is more than what she thought. She is a rare thing called a Quis. Sophie & Jane have to be careful of what they do since they are so rare that people will do anything to use them and their gifts. Needless to say they try to have a life and it backfires in their face. The ending of the book left me wanting to know more so I will definitely be reading the next book.
July 25, 2016
This is a cute story about Sophie who has physical strength powers, so she is a peculiar. She goes to a school where she meets others with special gifts, including Jane. Sophie's power is very rare as the other girls in the school had never met someone who had the powers she does. The two learn a lot about who they are/what then can do, and Jane discovers she has more than one gift which is rare.
March 14, 2020
This is a fantastic paranormal academy romance! Fast paced i find myself totally loving this and engrossed in the storyline and am unable to put this down and cannot wait to read book 2!
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April 5, 2019
This book was bad. I finished. Barely. The girls were incredibly stupid even for teenagers and they spend the whole book falling in love with teachers. Not teachers a few yrs older but hundreds of years older than them. Which are eventually reciprocated. I don’t care what world it is it’s beyond inappropriate. & creepy.
They repeatedly make stupid mistakes and then blow them off as normal. Soph goes clubbing, gets drunk and literally has to be carried out of the club covered in her own vomit. But it’s ok don’t give her a hard time about it cause that’s what normal 17yr olds do. Apparently it is because they get no punishment for sneaking out of a boarding school after curfew and underage drinking. When cautioned about poor choices and the life threatening danger she put herself in Jane’s reaction is “so I can never go dancing again!” There are no consequences for their actions at all until suddenly it progresses very quickly with an unnecessary plot development.
Jane gets raped....and this is a VERY fine line with victim blaming and I apologize if anyone is triggered but really?! A guy you don’t know, whom you don’t trust, who gives you bad vibes, that has already sexually harassed you by kissing you without your permission just says hey I want to show you something at my house and you just go oh ok. ?????? The author went through all the trouble of establishing her as the responsible one even going as far as having her recite rules for clubbing and drinking, but she literally leaves with a stranger for no discernible reason only to get assaulted. Her rape and all the actions leading up to it were sloppy and insulting to the reader. No one is as stupid as this girl is portrayed to be. Even a naive 17yr old would be able to put two and two together better that this. All the characters are just so poorly formed. For example Brielle serves no purpose whatsoever. They literally just talk about her clothes and how her cheeks constantly burn from blushing since she’s so shy. She’s not even 2 dimensional.
Elle has 0 character development. There’s just an insane amount of time spent on how pretty she is and how her full name is Eleanor and how her family hates her because of her birthday. That’s all there is to her folks sorry.
Jane is the combination of every trope and cliche there is. She’s beautiful but doesn’t know. Everyone loves her. She’s rich but hey she still shops at Payless. Whether she’s meant to be or not she’s selfish. Like when her friend complains of her strained relationships with her family she sits there thinking “I’m an only child so I don’t know what any of this is like and I wish you’d just shut up”. Wow. Amazing sense of empathy and compassion.
And Sophie? I don’t even know where to start with her. She’s irresponsible, immature and complains about everything. We’re supposed to buy into to this magnetic attraction between her and Will but all we really see is her being whiny and him being condescending. And of course it culminates with her calling him a coward afraid to love her and him agreeing then spouting some line about how everything is so different with her and some lone wolf bs.
I said it before and I’ll say it again. This book is bad. The cliches, tropes and plot are essentially insulting to the reader. There is more time spent on poorly describing clothes than on making the characters possess any depth. ( a halter dress is described as being open to mid back and sleeveless. Ya think? If a halter had sleeves it’d be a regular dress). The language which is probably meant to be poetic is cringeworthy. At one point while thinking about some guy a character says he’s “ like a sunset in a rainstorm.” Yeah ok. The main characters are 17yr old idiots. They never seem to possess common sense of depth or anything resembling the emotional maturity beyond a preteen. Random characters are thrown in that serve no purpose and just as quickly disappear. Events happen off page that are mentioned but never explained. This entire book was like reading something a tween wrote after reading Mrs Peregrine and twilight. Do yourself a favor and just don’t.
They repeatedly make stupid mistakes and then blow them off as normal. Soph goes clubbing, gets drunk and literally has to be carried out of the club covered in her own vomit. But it’s ok don’t give her a hard time about it cause that’s what normal 17yr olds do. Apparently it is because they get no punishment for sneaking out of a boarding school after curfew and underage drinking. When cautioned about poor choices and the life threatening danger she put herself in Jane’s reaction is “so I can never go dancing again!” There are no consequences for their actions at all until suddenly it progresses very quickly with an unnecessary plot development.
Jane gets raped....and this is a VERY fine line with victim blaming and I apologize if anyone is triggered but really?! A guy you don’t know, whom you don’t trust, who gives you bad vibes, that has already sexually harassed you by kissing you without your permission just says hey I want to show you something at my house and you just go oh ok. ?????? The author went through all the trouble of establishing her as the responsible one even going as far as having her recite rules for clubbing and drinking, but she literally leaves with a stranger for no discernible reason only to get assaulted. Her rape and all the actions leading up to it were sloppy and insulting to the reader. No one is as stupid as this girl is portrayed to be. Even a naive 17yr old would be able to put two and two together better that this. All the characters are just so poorly formed. For example Brielle serves no purpose whatsoever. They literally just talk about her clothes and how her cheeks constantly burn from blushing since she’s so shy. She’s not even 2 dimensional.
Elle has 0 character development. There’s just an insane amount of time spent on how pretty she is and how her full name is Eleanor and how her family hates her because of her birthday. That’s all there is to her folks sorry.
Jane is the combination of every trope and cliche there is. She’s beautiful but doesn’t know. Everyone loves her. She’s rich but hey she still shops at Payless. Whether she’s meant to be or not she’s selfish. Like when her friend complains of her strained relationships with her family she sits there thinking “I’m an only child so I don’t know what any of this is like and I wish you’d just shut up”. Wow. Amazing sense of empathy and compassion.
And Sophie? I don’t even know where to start with her. She’s irresponsible, immature and complains about everything. We’re supposed to buy into to this magnetic attraction between her and Will but all we really see is her being whiny and him being condescending. And of course it culminates with her calling him a coward afraid to love her and him agreeing then spouting some line about how everything is so different with her and some lone wolf bs.
I said it before and I’ll say it again. This book is bad. The cliches, tropes and plot are essentially insulting to the reader. There is more time spent on poorly describing clothes than on making the characters possess any depth. ( a halter dress is described as being open to mid back and sleeveless. Ya think? If a halter had sleeves it’d be a regular dress). The language which is probably meant to be poetic is cringeworthy. At one point while thinking about some guy a character says he’s “ like a sunset in a rainstorm.” Yeah ok. The main characters are 17yr old idiots. They never seem to possess common sense of depth or anything resembling the emotional maturity beyond a preteen. Random characters are thrown in that serve no purpose and just as quickly disappear. Events happen off page that are mentioned but never explained. This entire book was like reading something a tween wrote after reading Mrs Peregrine and twilight. Do yourself a favor and just don’t.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2016
New and Different
Solid four stars rating. This was a nice and different outlook on PRN reads for me. I found the characters, their interactions, build up on friendship, feelings, and chemistry rather compelling. The author did a great job at creating not only a unique storyline but one with such diverse characters that you feel as if you're living each of their lives there at the academy. I do believe this is my first read from this author and I'm truly looking forward to the next one.
Solid four stars rating. This was a nice and different outlook on PRN reads for me. I found the characters, their interactions, build up on friendship, feelings, and chemistry rather compelling. The author did a great job at creating not only a unique storyline but one with such diverse characters that you feel as if you're living each of their lives there at the academy. I do believe this is my first read from this author and I'm truly looking forward to the next one.
September 9, 2018
I’m torn between giving this book two or three stars. There was a lot that bugged me about the book, but something about it kept me reading it all the way through.
Things I didn’t like:
SO MANY continuity errors
Lots of cliche characters and relationships
Book could really use another round or two of both content editing and proofreading.
Things I did like:
The premise of the story is very “X-Men” “Miss Peregrine” but with a little bit of a new twist and some romance mixed in.
Things I didn’t like:
SO MANY continuity errors
Lots of cliche characters and relationships
Book could really use another round or two of both content editing and proofreading.
Things I did like:
The premise of the story is very “X-Men” “Miss Peregrine” but with a little bit of a new twist and some romance mixed in.
January 11, 2022
All style, no substance
If you want to read a book that details clothing, more than plotlines, this is the book for you. One the surface what looks like the emotional turmoil of teenage girls with crushes on men hundreds of years older than them, actually comes over as men grooming underage children. A painful read.
If you want to read a book that details clothing, more than plotlines, this is the book for you. One the surface what looks like the emotional turmoil of teenage girls with crushes on men hundreds of years older than them, actually comes over as men grooming underage children. A painful read.
December 3, 2019
This is book one in the Academy of the Peculiars Saga series and starts with seventeen year old Sophie Harper, having left foster care and looking out for herself, making her way south for warmer weather. She was abandoned soon after birth, possibly for her superhuman strength. On her way south, she is followed out from a bar in a dodgy area and has to kill the man to escape. Or so she believes. She then hears another voice and a man called Will, who we find out later is a wolf shifter, tells her to come with him if she wants to be safe.
She eventually is persuaded by another man with Will, the head of the Academy for Peculiars, to come with them before the police arrive and arrest her. They tell her that the school is for people like her with supernatural powers, such as her super strength. The Academy is set on an island and has its own share of tourists, but is a remote and quiet location. Normally students would come to the academy t about age twelve, so Sophie has some five missing years of studies to make up for.
She ends up sharing a large room in one of the towers surrounding the main building of the academy, with another two sixth year girls, Jane and Ellie. She soon finds that for the first time in her life she has friends, a bed of her own and no worries about where to find her next meal. Plus an education all at the same time. Her main trainer is going to be Will, who as a shifter should be strong enough to withstand her strength when training but who at first she hated but now begins to have feelings for. The head of the academy, Ethan, will carry out experiments on her, due to the rarity of someone like her. Ethan only knows of two others of her kind and one is not spoken of by name.
As well as following Sophie’s story, we also get to follow events of her roommates as well. One can read minds, but then finds she can move items as well, which makes her almost as rare as Sophie. She is told to keep this secret because some may use her to their own evil purposes. The three girls break curfew to go to one of the island’s nightclub, to dance away the night, but find trouble waiting for them. Sophie finds it hard mixing with any other students, especially when a teacher outs her, letting one and all know what sort of peculiar she is!
There are the usual sort of school shenanigans going on and the petty feelings of others who see her as an oddball or someone to be feared. Late nights out dancing and experimenting with alcohol and boys. Along with lots of new and unusual topics to learn about. Sophie is falling for Will, but also for a normal boy, and one of her roommates seems to be falling for her professor! An exciting series of events culminating in danger, all have to be overcome. This is an interesting start to a magical series and I think it can only get better. This is one of the first academy series’ I have read and I shall be looking out for more in this series. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
She eventually is persuaded by another man with Will, the head of the Academy for Peculiars, to come with them before the police arrive and arrest her. They tell her that the school is for people like her with supernatural powers, such as her super strength. The Academy is set on an island and has its own share of tourists, but is a remote and quiet location. Normally students would come to the academy t about age twelve, so Sophie has some five missing years of studies to make up for.
She ends up sharing a large room in one of the towers surrounding the main building of the academy, with another two sixth year girls, Jane and Ellie. She soon finds that for the first time in her life she has friends, a bed of her own and no worries about where to find her next meal. Plus an education all at the same time. Her main trainer is going to be Will, who as a shifter should be strong enough to withstand her strength when training but who at first she hated but now begins to have feelings for. The head of the academy, Ethan, will carry out experiments on her, due to the rarity of someone like her. Ethan only knows of two others of her kind and one is not spoken of by name.
As well as following Sophie’s story, we also get to follow events of her roommates as well. One can read minds, but then finds she can move items as well, which makes her almost as rare as Sophie. She is told to keep this secret because some may use her to their own evil purposes. The three girls break curfew to go to one of the island’s nightclub, to dance away the night, but find trouble waiting for them. Sophie finds it hard mixing with any other students, especially when a teacher outs her, letting one and all know what sort of peculiar she is!
There are the usual sort of school shenanigans going on and the petty feelings of others who see her as an oddball or someone to be feared. Late nights out dancing and experimenting with alcohol and boys. Along with lots of new and unusual topics to learn about. Sophie is falling for Will, but also for a normal boy, and one of her roommates seems to be falling for her professor! An exciting series of events culminating in danger, all have to be overcome. This is an interesting start to a magical series and I think it can only get better. This is one of the first academy series’ I have read and I shall be looking out for more in this series. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
February 20, 2019
Isadora Brown is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. She has impressive abilities & boundless imagination that she injects into each novel she writes. The magic she applies pulls you into the storyline’s world without hesitation or resistance. As you join Stranger at Dark, we find a young lady who has been suffering with an ability she dosnt understand. At the exact moment it turns lethal, The Owner of an Academy that houses & teaches people who have abilities humans don’t, presents Sophie with an offer she can’t refuse. Join the home of Peculiars, or stay on the run. You will be drawn into a world full of Mystery, Missions, Forbidden Love, Friendships, Loyalty & Homework !! Sophie finally begins a life she has wanted. However not is all as it seems. Has she been lied to? Does an unexpected meeting with a sudden & strong draw, which everyone argues she must ignore, offer her more answers to the questions she now needs. There are cracks showing in the truth of the Academy, Lies she is uncovering & secrets hidden in the walls. Stranger at dark is definitely a page turner that catches your imagination keeping you enthralled until the end. This is a series you won’t be able to stop at one book. The addiction of realism and emotions will keep you wanting more. Isadora Brown has taken a young girls desperation and woven her into a world that sets her one path, then trips her up, turns her around, pointing her in a different direction in the blink of an eye. There are many different threads to this storyline weaving them between each other. Why ? That is the mystery? We don’t know where they will lead, but you definitely want to follow them. It’s a puzzle you must finish, a crossword offering riddles to solve.
June 27, 2020
I read The Academy of Peculiars Box Set: A Paranormal Academy Romance (Academy of the Peculiars Saga Book 4) several months ago. I found the boxset to be engaging and very much a page-turner. Reading each book outside of the boxset is no different. The stories are a cross between the Miss Peregrine series and X-Men. Unlike the kids in the Miss Peregrine books, these young people's libido gets much exercise. Of course, I love the book Stranger, which is the first book in the series. There is action in the story via the Peculiars using those powers in paranormal fights, typically to protect themselves or someone else. There are also budding romances, suspense, and mysteries that are unfolding. Unfortunately, one of the young women experiences what she calls "the incident" that far too many young people experience, especially during their college years.
There are parallels to characters from X-Men and quite a few distinctions. Ethan reminds me of Xavier, and where would a story like this be without a wolf shifter who reminds me of both Wolverine and Wolfsbane. The female characters are different. Sophie, Ellie, Jane, and Brie are best friends, each with a unique power and a vulnerability that makes the men around them quite protective. They are young adults, but there is still an immaturity about them that makes you want to scream at them one minute and protect them from the world the next. There is an interesting and evolving theme of absolute power corrupting absolutely. How it plays out in this story and future storylines will keep you engaged.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
There are parallels to characters from X-Men and quite a few distinctions. Ethan reminds me of Xavier, and where would a story like this be without a wolf shifter who reminds me of both Wolverine and Wolfsbane. The female characters are different. Sophie, Ellie, Jane, and Brie are best friends, each with a unique power and a vulnerability that makes the men around them quite protective. They are young adults, but there is still an immaturity about them that makes you want to scream at them one minute and protect them from the world the next. There is an interesting and evolving theme of absolute power corrupting absolutely. How it plays out in this story and future storylines will keep you engaged.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this book, it’s fun, exciting, and quirky. The characters are relatable and the behaviors and dialogue are realistic. The descriptions are great and the story engages the reader, pulling them in to experience this story in all it’s awkward glory.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
5 ⭐️s= Perfect story, exciting, engrossing, well developed complex characters, solid plot with few to no holes, descriptive environments and place settings, great mystery elements, realistic dialogue, believable reactions and behaviors, loved this story so much I’d buy it.
4 ⭐️s= Great story, highly entertaining and enjoyable, exciting storyline, well developed characters and settings, a few discrepancies but nothing that can’t be overlooked. Believable actions and reactions, realistic dialogue, a book I would consider buying.
3 ⭐️s= Good but not great story, noticeable discrepancies, grammatical and or spelling errors, undeveloped characters or unbelievable behaviors but still readable. Nothing majorly wrong with the story, just not interesting enough for me to continue. Would not buy the book.
2 ⭐️s= Not offended by the story, but not interested enough to finish. Unbelievable characters, poor writing, many mistakes, big holes or discrepancies, many spelling or grammatical errors, characters not believable, unlikeable or TSTL.
1 ⭐️= Offensive, extremely poor writing, horrible characters, victimization, gaslighting, blatant abuse, unnecessary violence, child endangerment, or any other highly objectionable behaviors by Main characters. Would never buy this book, and do not recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 9, 2020
God, I have a book hangover after reading this book. I just love it. Though I'm not a fan of Harry. Potter, I'm a fan of Vampire Academy book series and The Legacies TV series. And I loved reading a book something similar to them but different. We have shifter, not just werewolf though one of the main lead is the werewolf, all types of shifters can be seen her. A physical who is stronger, people who read others mind and move objects with their mind and few who can do both.
Sophie Harper and Jane Cabot are the female of the series. When it comes to Isadora Brown, it's always more than one pair in her books. While Jane's ability was noticed by her supportive parents and was getting trained by the experts at Academy of Peculiars (AckPec), Sophie was abonanded by her parents as a toddler and lead a lone life until 17. When Sophie brought in their school, Jane and roommate Ellie was more welcoming to Sophie then she thought and become immediate friends.
Both girls go through emotional turmoil when it comes to their instructors Will for Sophie and Depogare for Jane. Their forbidden crush/crush and it's not just one sided. Also there was no much age difference lookwise, though Depogare is alive since 1300s and Will from 1800s they both stopped aging in their 20s.
Ok before I could reveal more, I stop here. I recommend everyone to read the book. It's just amazing. I'm just waiting to learn what more is going to happen in these Peculiars life.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Sophie Harper and Jane Cabot are the female of the series. When it comes to Isadora Brown, it's always more than one pair in her books. While Jane's ability was noticed by her supportive parents and was getting trained by the experts at Academy of Peculiars (AckPec), Sophie was abonanded by her parents as a toddler and lead a lone life until 17. When Sophie brought in their school, Jane and roommate Ellie was more welcoming to Sophie then she thought and become immediate friends.
Both girls go through emotional turmoil when it comes to their instructors Will for Sophie and Depogare for Jane. Their forbidden crush/crush and it's not just one sided. Also there was no much age difference lookwise, though Depogare is alive since 1300s and Will from 1800s they both stopped aging in their 20s.
Ok before I could reveal more, I stop here. I recommend everyone to read the book. It's just amazing. I'm just waiting to learn what more is going to happen in these Peculiars life.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 1, 2020
Sophie Harper, even among the Peculiars, is different and doesn’t totally fit in. As she starts her attendance at the Academy for Peculiars, she has already killed a man and is finding out that her superhuman strength makes her a Peculiar and will alienate her even from some of her Peculiar peers at school because her talent is very rare.
The story will focus on Sophie, Elle and Jane and their experiences as they find out more about themselves and their own particular talents. Will Sophie find others like herself, even with the rare talent she has? Will her peers accept her, even when her talent goes beyond what they possess? Will the school be able to teach her control so she won’t inadvertently harm anyone else? Will Sophie and her roommates escape the danger that will come from a different group at school with the same abilities?
This was a good story line. I liked the theme of people being different and their desire to find acceptance and fit in. No one likes to be alone. Friendship is so very important. And in this case, with so many varied talents, it must be even harder to fit in and find a place of safety. Grab your copy and see how the students cope with their Peculiar status.
The story will focus on Sophie, Elle and Jane and their experiences as they find out more about themselves and their own particular talents. Will Sophie find others like herself, even with the rare talent she has? Will her peers accept her, even when her talent goes beyond what they possess? Will the school be able to teach her control so she won’t inadvertently harm anyone else? Will Sophie and her roommates escape the danger that will come from a different group at school with the same abilities?
This was a good story line. I liked the theme of people being different and their desire to find acceptance and fit in. No one likes to be alone. Friendship is so very important. And in this case, with so many varied talents, it must be even harder to fit in and find a place of safety. Grab your copy and see how the students cope with their Peculiar status.
December 5, 2019
An unusual power. A dead body. Nowhere to turn.
By the time she gets to the Academy for Peculiars, Sophie Harper has already killed a man. The superhuman strength she was born with and abandoned because of means she's a peculiar, but her unique gift still alienates her from her peculiar peers because of its rarity.
As she settles into her new home, she struggles to catch up with schoolwork, and starts falling for her infuriating trainer, a rugged shifter named Will, despite the fact that a relationship between them is forbidden.
Sophie should be focused on fitting in, but she can’t change that she’s different, even among peculiars. So when she finds out there's one other person with her same preternatural gift, she yearns to learn more about him. Only problem is, he's someone everyone refuses to discuss.
Especially with her.
This was a brilliant read that had me engaged from the start.
Excellent well written plot and story line.
Well fleshed out characters that were fun to read about.
Wonderful world building which adds great depth to the story.
Recommend Reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
By the time she gets to the Academy for Peculiars, Sophie Harper has already killed a man. The superhuman strength she was born with and abandoned because of means she's a peculiar, but her unique gift still alienates her from her peculiar peers because of its rarity.
As she settles into her new home, she struggles to catch up with schoolwork, and starts falling for her infuriating trainer, a rugged shifter named Will, despite the fact that a relationship between them is forbidden.
Sophie should be focused on fitting in, but she can’t change that she’s different, even among peculiars. So when she finds out there's one other person with her same preternatural gift, she yearns to learn more about him. Only problem is, he's someone everyone refuses to discuss.
Especially with her.
This was a brilliant read that had me engaged from the start.
Excellent well written plot and story line.
Well fleshed out characters that were fun to read about.
Wonderful world building which adds great depth to the story.
Recommend Reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 5, 2024
"Stranger" by Isadora Brown is a compelling paranormal romance about Sophie Harper, a young lady with superhuman power who navigates the Academy for Peculiars. Fans of paranormal academy stories, X-Men, and The Umbrella Academy will adore this book, which combines extraordinary talents, forbidden love, and self-discovery. Sophie's adventure to discover the truth about her special skill, as well as her desire to learn more about the mystery person who shares her powers, is both interesting and relatable. The novel is filled of suspense, romance, and intrigue, with a well-detailed academy and interesting characters.
The language is vivid and immersive, allowing you to imagine the people and their environment. The author's world-building abilities are outstanding, resulting in a distinct and fascinating paranormal realm. Overall, "Stranger" is an intriguing and fascinating book that paves the way for an exciting series. Fans of paranormal academy romance will devour this novel and look forward to the next installment in the Academy of the Peculiars Saga.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The language is vivid and immersive, allowing you to imagine the people and their environment. The author's world-building abilities are outstanding, resulting in a distinct and fascinating paranormal realm. Overall, "Stranger" is an intriguing and fascinating book that paves the way for an exciting series. Fans of paranormal academy romance will devour this novel and look forward to the next installment in the Academy of the Peculiars Saga.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2019
A super strong girl whose strength can cause heart attacks, is she a normal human being or a supernatural?
An academy for gifted humans and a brand new set of adventures. A new concept in a widely written about genre, this book was mainly different in a few aspects, some of these were
1. The characters are not paranormals, they are peculiars, humans with special powers
2. There are mainly 3 categories of peculiars
3. Peculiars with more than 1 power are called quis
There are hints romantic emotional bonding between students & teachers, so those who do not enjoy such emotions, relationships should probably skip this book. Though this book has only hints of such relationships, I'm sure that these relationships will blossom at some point in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An academy for gifted humans and a brand new set of adventures. A new concept in a widely written about genre, this book was mainly different in a few aspects, some of these were
1. The characters are not paranormals, they are peculiars, humans with special powers
2. There are mainly 3 categories of peculiars
3. Peculiars with more than 1 power are called quis
There are hints romantic emotional bonding between students & teachers, so those who do not enjoy such emotions, relationships should probably skip this book. Though this book has only hints of such relationships, I'm sure that these relationships will blossom at some point in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 18, 2019
Our heroine is a peculiar, one with special gifts that set her apart from everyone, including other peculiars. Will she be able to learn to accept her power and find a place to fit in?
I have read a lot of academy style stories recently from multiple different authors and this one is among the best in my opinion. Whereas you still get some of the standard school/academy tropes like cliches and bullies, there is far less of a focus on them and more on the storyline and our heroine. I found that to be rather refreshing.
I also found the story to be well written and easy to read with a diverse cast of characters that had some depth to them. Overall, it was a fun read and I am looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
I have read a lot of academy style stories recently from multiple different authors and this one is among the best in my opinion. Whereas you still get some of the standard school/academy tropes like cliches and bullies, there is far less of a focus on them and more on the storyline and our heroine. I found that to be rather refreshing.
I also found the story to be well written and easy to read with a diverse cast of characters that had some depth to them. Overall, it was a fun read and I am looking forward to the next book.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
July 4, 2020
This was a interesting premise, take if you will on Paranormal races/abilities. Sophie is no wallflower, despite the fact she is WAY stronger than your average 17 year old, she is still 17 years old. She fir the first time, maybe ever, has a chance at a home, friends and an education.
She meets Teachers & Staff that will help her grow as well as one staffer that maybe become more (we can only hope!). She makes friends and would certainly be a force to be reckoned with when they are threatened.
Then Sophie and her friends are threatened, used, abused and now wre on the radar if trouble incarnate.
How will this turn out for them? This was well written with fantastic characters and a world familiar and not familiar at the same time.
I received this as an Advance Reader Copy from Booksprout.
She meets Teachers & Staff that will help her grow as well as one staffer that maybe become more (we can only hope!). She makes friends and would certainly be a force to be reckoned with when they are threatened.
Then Sophie and her friends are threatened, used, abused and now wre on the radar if trouble incarnate.
How will this turn out for them? This was well written with fantastic characters and a world familiar and not familiar at the same time.
I received this as an Advance Reader Copy from Booksprout.
October 25, 2024
This book was nice or at least I thought so until the end. She throws in a situation that in no was needed or helped the book in anyway. I read the whole thing thinking this is nice it is just a story of friends with abilities. It was said that one was very special never found out why she was so special. Besides being the only one but we never say her do anything impressive. Then the next girl is even more special. Then the one part were a girl gets raped. It was not needed for the story. In fact for me it ruined the whole book. There was no need for it. It didn’t have a purpose besides I guess the author wanted it to be in there. But what the heck for. Then towards the end of the book she stoped all of the sudden decided to use the “f” word instead of the word sex. It was like two different people wrote this book. I won’t read her again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2025
From the very first page, Stranger completely pulled me in. I loved following Sophie Harper’s journey—a girl with impossible strength and an even stronger will—who’s thrown into a mysterious world of “peculiars.” The story had the perfect mix of fantasy, mystery, and heart. I really connected with Sophie’s inner struggles to find belonging and control over her powers, and the Academy setting reminded me of my favorite paranormal school stories, but with a fresh, unique twist.
What I especially loved was how Isadora Brown brought the characters to life. The alternating points of view between Sophie and Jane kept the story dynamic and layered, and the dialogue was sharp and realistic. The world-building felt rich without being overwhelming, and the pacing kept me hooked from start to finish.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What I especially loved was how Isadora Brown brought the characters to life. The alternating points of view between Sophie and Jane kept the story dynamic and layered, and the dialogue was sharp and realistic. The world-building felt rich without being overwhelming, and the pacing kept me hooked from start to finish.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2019
ONE REMARKABLE TREAT!!!
Wipe out! Isadora brings all the heat and magic with this mind blowing bombshell that blasts this baby wide open. Jumping hoops, hurdling trials and tribulations that tests our characters in ways they never saw coming. Mastering the ups and downs, weaving a cocoon so intricately and tight, draws you deeper into this tangled web until everything else ceases to exist. The attraction and chemistry is intense and palpable. Heart stopping drama, intrigue, tension and suspense surges keeping you riveted on a razors edge. Add turmoil and distress along with perplexing situations that propels this gem into a tailspin with staggering results. The characters and their personalities are authentic, intriguing and realistic. Solid individuals who balance out and play off one another brilliantly. The scenes are so graphically detailed to give you a full understanding and realism that flows smoothly from each scenario without a hitch. Remarkable job Isadora, thanks for sharing this incredible jewel with us.
Wipe out! Isadora brings all the heat and magic with this mind blowing bombshell that blasts this baby wide open. Jumping hoops, hurdling trials and tribulations that tests our characters in ways they never saw coming. Mastering the ups and downs, weaving a cocoon so intricately and tight, draws you deeper into this tangled web until everything else ceases to exist. The attraction and chemistry is intense and palpable. Heart stopping drama, intrigue, tension and suspense surges keeping you riveted on a razors edge. Add turmoil and distress along with perplexing situations that propels this gem into a tailspin with staggering results. The characters and their personalities are authentic, intriguing and realistic. Solid individuals who balance out and play off one another brilliantly. The scenes are so graphically detailed to give you a full understanding and realism that flows smoothly from each scenario without a hitch. Remarkable job Isadora, thanks for sharing this incredible jewel with us.
December 16, 2019
This book is an introduction to the Academy of Peculiars, a school for supernaturals. It is a haven for peculiars and trains them to use and control their powers. The series follows three female students, Sophie, Jane and Brielle. Sophie deserved a place she fit in and not be a "freak". She was dumped by her parents when she was 4 years old. She has never had a family or friends so this is new for her. This author has a way to bring these characters to life in the pages and I am drawn so deeply into the story I end up reading it nonstop until I'm through. I highly recommend this book. I requested an advanced reader copy from Booksprout and am under no obligation to leave this review.
October 15, 2023
This book was a quick read for me. I was invested into the story. I do wish there were more in depth writing into the characters, and the story itself. That's the only reason for 4 stars.
The book follows Sophie Harper. Sophie has a rare gift that gives her superhuman strength. She doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere, not even at the Academy. Her gift is so rare she doesn't think anyone else has it.
She does have Jane, whose a Quis. She also starts falling for her trainer, Will. Will is a shifter. Is is forbidden for them to have a relationship, but she can't stop her feelings.
She does find out 1 other person has her gift. But for some reason no one wants to talk about him. She has to get answers!
It's dangerous because she has already killed a man.
The book follows Sophie Harper. Sophie has a rare gift that gives her superhuman strength. She doesn't feel like she belongs anywhere, not even at the Academy. Her gift is so rare she doesn't think anyone else has it.
She does have Jane, whose a Quis. She also starts falling for her trainer, Will. Will is a shifter. Is is forbidden for them to have a relationship, but she can't stop her feelings.
She does find out 1 other person has her gift. But for some reason no one wants to talk about him. She has to get answers!
It's dangerous because she has already killed a man.
March 1, 2019
Sophie had an awful encounter with a handsy man outside a diner.
She defends herself, and is left with an apparent body, when two men offer her an alternative: an education for those with unusual gifts. Sophie and her super strength are apparently a rare gift.
Her dormmates become close friends, and at least one of them also has rare gifts, which make them and the people around them targets for the unbalanced and those greed for prestige, power or money.
Sticking together they can try to survive and learn, but it seems more challenges lie ahead.
An awesome KU read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She defends herself, and is left with an apparent body, when two men offer her an alternative: an education for those with unusual gifts. Sophie and her super strength are apparently a rare gift.
Her dormmates become close friends, and at least one of them also has rare gifts, which make them and the people around them targets for the unbalanced and those greed for prestige, power or money.
Sticking together they can try to survive and learn, but it seems more challenges lie ahead.
An awesome KU read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
March 7, 2019
Sophie is sent to the Academy for Peculiars because of her strength and she even feels out of place there, she hears about another person who has the same strength as her but no one wants to talk about him which intrigues Sophie more. Sophie has been sent to Will who is a teacher and a shifter because he’s the only one who can handle her strength but Sophie starts to have feelings towards Will but that is a no no for teacher and student relationships. This is an amazing story and finding out about the different characters and their special abilities I really enjoyed it immensely, I highly recommend this book it’s definitely well worth the read.
November 24, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
This is the first book that I have read by this author.
This book is a slow start, but once it does start it is a good read.
The book is mainly about a trio of girls at an Academy for peculiars, people with special abilities, Jane, Ellie and Sophie.
Both Sophie and Jane are extra special and need to keep their ability secret. And need training by professors that can help them with their ability.
There are twists and turns throughout, as the girl's are typical teenagers.
I enjoyed this book, although it just ends, I'm sure there is going to be another book, but I didn't like the ending that's why it only got 4 stars.
This is the first book that I have read by this author.
This book is a slow start, but once it does start it is a good read.
The book is mainly about a trio of girls at an Academy for peculiars, people with special abilities, Jane, Ellie and Sophie.
Both Sophie and Jane are extra special and need to keep their ability secret. And need training by professors that can help them with their ability.
There are twists and turns throughout, as the girl's are typical teenagers.
I enjoyed this book, although it just ends, I'm sure there is going to be another book, but I didn't like the ending that's why it only got 4 stars.
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