Shadow Charmed

Misfit Magic Academy #1

by C.S. Churton, Keira Stone

She longs to be normal. When she’s forced to develop her powers, will she flunk saving her friends’ lives?
Norah Sheehan desperately wants to be free from magic. But when her application to have her abilities bound is flat-out denied, the frustrated eighteen-year-old begrudgingly enrolls in an academy for unclassified talents. And with the infamous legacy of a rebel older brother dogging her every step, the shy student is caught between mean classmates and those in the underground who covet her allegiance.

Trying to stay under everyone’s radar, Norah faces watchful druid enforcers, lingering curses tied to her imprisoned sibling, and an undying rebellion rumbling in the wind. And when she manifests a unique power, being unable to control it is only the start of her troubles…

Can an unwilling witch learn to love who she is before her school goes up in flames?

Shadow Charmed is the action-packed first book in the Misfit Magic Academy YA urban fantasy series. If you enjoy likable characters, lighthearted drama, and fun twists and turns, then you’ll adore C. S. Churton & Keira Stone’s spellbinding tale.

Genres: Paranormal, Fantasy

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 9, 2021

Reviews

[Cath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one of the Misfit Magic Academy and the main character is Norah Sheehan, who wants nothing more than for her magic, which hasn’t really manifested, to be bound and when the ruling druid council write to refuse her request, she doesn’t take it lying down. Having an older brother, Micah, who her parents have also compared her to and found her lacking, often ignoring her completely, due to her lack of magic. With her brother now locked up and awaiting trial for his actions in collusion with the mage Raphael and the damage he and others did and those he hurt. His magic has always been powerful and no matter how much she tried to be like him, it could never work. The Circle, the ruling druid council in charge of law enforcement within the supernatural environment, decide she must go to Braeseth Academy, the so called Misfits Academy, for those with really weak and unclassified magic, as they refuse to bind her magic, even when she appears in person, in front of them. She at least makes friends of a sort with Kelsey, an apprentice to the council and also someone her own brother hurt in his recent actions. Norah would love to remain anonymous at the school, but everyone knows what her brother did and wants to tar her with the same brush! When she gets up to her dorm room, one of the girls refuses to even stay in the room with her and she is left sharing with a quiet girl called Eva.
She makes an instant enemy of another girl, Celine and her posse, who eventually try to get her to join in with their rebellious plans for the academy, and the fact the unclassified are seen as the lowest of the low and can be punished for simply failing their classes. The academy has been bolstered with druid enforcers, keeping everyone off the third floor, apparently damaged and cursed during the rebels attack the previous year. Norah is to learn how to control and manifest her powers, but she has never even had a manifestation event during her puberty years. When she suddenly manifests a deadly power she injuries some other students, but not any that didn’t really deserve it! She must learn to control this strange new power or have all of her magic bound, just as she is getting used to maybe having some useful magic at long last. It helps that Eva is so helpful and sticks by her side, aiding her with lessons and always encouraging her to practice and try harder, even when she is ready to just give up. A possible romance with one of the enforcers, which Eva tries to push her to explore, provides a bit of a distraction from Celine and her posse’s plot for after the end of the year. She needs to get out from under her brother’s shadow and start to believe in herself and her own type of unique magic, to be able to learn to control it and apply it as needed. A plot between students is not the biggest danger she and everyone else at the academy will be facing, with even those at the top of the pile, wanting more control and power over others. A nice nod to a few characters from other series, if you have read any, but can be read totally on its own as a standalone read. I can’t wait to see what else is to come for the Misfit Academy and how these main characters will develop as the series continues. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.

[Melo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me DNF

Just couldn't get my brain around this one. 50% and nothing much has happened, the "heroine" is still harping on about not having powers. Does she actually try to use them... NO. Does she try to study... NO everything is a pity party. Halfway there I thought she had been trying to use her powers before the academy that would explain this whole defeatist attitude but again no.

We just get constant whining about how her brother is better. Hate to say it but yep he probably is. The only thing special about this heroine is her ability to be annoying, maybe that should be her special power. I had to stop reading when I thought, know what just bind her powers already.

Some Y/A reads are full of adventure and excitement, this isn't one of them.

[Larry J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable story.

An adorable coming of age story for an insecure teenage girl. It’s set in magic & a struggle among magic societal class.

I gave this book 5 stars because while I don’t very often like coming of age stories, I found this story interesting & compelling. It captures the insecurities of youth better than most of the stories I’ve read.

The story is not of an exceptional student, but rather a student learning to find strength of character. Not a perfect protagonist by any means, but one seeking to find her place in a manner least harmful, even to those she finds antagonizing.

For any who enjoy magical fiction coming of age stories, particularly with female protagonists, I very highly recommend this story. For all others, it’s not an expensive novel. Try it, you might just find you enjoy it.

[Mayhem-RW · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora Sheehan long ago gave up trying to keep up with her older brother in magic. Compared to him, she might as well have been a normal human, so she gave up on using and practicing magic even if her brother was so powerful he now sat in jail because he tried to buck the system. Now, she had come of age and was being forced to attend Braeseth Academy, AKA Misfit Academy, because the council would not bind her magic. The Academy for the Undeclared or those who had not found what they are good at.

The physical world-building does not leave you in the dark. The ethereal world-building is mostly personal when it is there. The character’s interaction is believable. The character’s history is part of the story.

This tome is full of magic and the learning of. I give this read five stars out of five stars.

[Kira Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora is a magic user with doubts about her abilities. Desperate to have her powers bound, she seeks a private audience with the Circle at their headquarters. They reject her plea and require her to attend Braeseth, an academy to hone her magical skills. There she tries her best to hide and be as unassuming as possible, but with her brother considered to be a criminal, she finds it hard to avoid confrontation. It's a story of self discovery, of learning to accept yourself for who you actually are instead of who you are told you are. Great storytelling as well as character and world building. If you enjoy academy series or a one of coming of age, I think you'll enjoy this book.

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

[Lcr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow Charmed is the first book in the new Misfit Academy series and it is a very good start to the series.
Norah wants her magical powers bound but instead she is forced to attend the school mockingly known as The Misfit Academy. It is well known her brother is a criminal so school is definitely not going to be fun but nothing could prepare Norah for the reality.
This is a good start to this new series and I really enjoyed the range of characters. I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Highly recommended.

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

[Scarolet Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shadow Charmed (Misfit Magic Academy Book 1) by C. S. Churton is a fantastic story that I have had the privilege to read and leave my honest review. This is book number one in this fantastic start to a brand new series that I am so hooked on and can not wait to read the rest. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about urban fantasy and young adult.

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

[Shweta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young magic user tries to bind her magic out of discomfort and fear of her magic, but is sent to the Misfit Magic Academy to hone her skills. With family baggage, her own fears, this new chapter of Nora's life becomes difficult to digest. Can't wait for book 2.

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

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay

This was well written but I didn’t fall in love with the characters. I would have liked more of Zachary. If there was at least one chapter from his pov I’d continue the series. As it is it’s just okay.

[Jerome’s Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read

Enjoyable addition to the magic university genre, good plotting and writing, likeable heroine. I look forward to the rest of the series.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars.

[Cheryl addie · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG loved it can't wait till I can get more of the series