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The Not So Chosen One
Lucy is just a regular teenager with regular worries: homework, friends, getting home for dinner on time. Oh, and there’s the small matter of how she’s going to tell her mother about her unplanned pregnancy.
So when she first hears about Drake’s College, a school for students with magical talent, she’s sure someone’s messing with her. But despite her scepticism, she’s soon swept up into a world beyond her wildest imaginings—and now she’s got something else to hide.
At Drake’s, Lucy befriends Jack, a teacher’s assistant who has secrets of his own. More concerningly, Lucy’s ‘talent’ doesn’t seem to be materialising, and one of the other students collapses in a mysterious incident. There’s danger in the air…
Populated with charming characters, and laugh-out-loud funny at times, The Not So Chosen One is a clever, rollicking ride.
So when she first hears about Drake’s College, a school for students with magical talent, she’s sure someone’s messing with her. But despite her scepticism, she’s soon swept up into a world beyond her wildest imaginings—and now she’s got something else to hide.
At Drake’s, Lucy befriends Jack, a teacher’s assistant who has secrets of his own. More concerningly, Lucy’s ‘talent’ doesn’t seem to be materialising, and one of the other students collapses in a mysterious incident. There’s danger in the air…
Populated with charming characters, and laugh-out-loud funny at times, The Not So Chosen One is a clever, rollicking ride.
304 pages, Unknown Binding
First published July 5, 2022
6 people are currently reading
472 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
November 1, 2023
i refuse to believe this is not a series. i requested this by netgalley soley bc of the cute cover. yes i judge a book by its cover. i wanted a witchy book for halloween (yes i read this one year after i was supposed to, we digress). i did not read one bit of the synopsis. my fault? yes (also is such a hot movie. again i digress)
in case u missed it in the synopsis let me put it here so u don't make the same mistake i did: THE CREEPIEST SURPRISE PREGNANCY TROPE.
ok back to why it should be a series- literally not one thing was resolved. something i DID like about the book (bc i haven't said anything good yet), was the romance. i really did ship them together. not like that was resolved either tho. oh and the plot twists were plot twisty.
im not sure if this is too honest for an honest review of a netgalley book but i still want to thank you for sending it to me.
in case u missed it in the synopsis let me put it here so u don't make the same mistake i did: THE CREEPIEST SURPRISE PREGNANCY TROPE.
ok back to why it should be a series- literally not one thing was resolved. something i DID like about the book (bc i haven't said anything good yet), was the romance. i really did ship them together. not like that was resolved either tho. oh and the plot twists were plot twisty.
im not sure if this is too honest for an honest review of a netgalley book but i still want to thank you for sending it to me.
March 5, 2023
This was a most pleasant surprise. I picked it up as an ebook from my local library after reading a short blurb about it. As it was written by an author from Perth and I'm pretty sure I haven't read any books about Perth except for Cloudstreet, I took a chance. I'm very glad I did as I enjoyed this book throroughly.
The writing is chatty and clever, the genre is between YA, fantasy, mystery and thriller, I was enthralled the entire way. Some reviews question the ending, but I absolutely loved the ending. Lucy is a spunky non magical schoolgirl who is suddenly enrolled in a secret magical school. The characters, the story, the entire entity moves along very well indeed. I loved this one, 4.5 stars.
A couple of excerpts I liked:
"Ms Allen heads for the counter to order and Mr Horster comes over, looking thinner and older than the last time I saw him. He's gone from someone's cool, somewhat young(ish) dad to someone's divorced dad, with a cologne of melancholy from sleeping on a friend's futon."
"Jack touches my shoulder, not hard enough to turn me around but just enough to get me to look at him and I risk it, fixing my gaze on the space just above his nose so he might think I'm gazing at his eyes but all I'm seeing is a tiny patch of skin. Hello little patch of skin, you have no power over me."
The writing is chatty and clever, the genre is between YA, fantasy, mystery and thriller, I was enthralled the entire way. Some reviews question the ending, but I absolutely loved the ending. Lucy is a spunky non magical schoolgirl who is suddenly enrolled in a secret magical school. The characters, the story, the entire entity moves along very well indeed. I loved this one, 4.5 stars.
A couple of excerpts I liked:
"Ms Allen heads for the counter to order and Mr Horster comes over, looking thinner and older than the last time I saw him. He's gone from someone's cool, somewhat young(ish) dad to someone's divorced dad, with a cologne of melancholy from sleeping on a friend's futon."
"Jack touches my shoulder, not hard enough to turn me around but just enough to get me to look at him and I risk it, fixing my gaze on the space just above his nose so he might think I'm gazing at his eyes but all I'm seeing is a tiny patch of skin. Hello little patch of skin, you have no power over me."
July 27, 2022
What was that ending??? I am usually okay with open endings but there was way too much left open for a (currently) standalone book. Nothing felt like it got resolved and it just seemed like everything was too convenient.
September 29, 2024
ending was ASS my GOD
January 20, 2025
i had really high hopes for this one. i thought 'omg, a fantasy story set in aus, this must be a hidden gem!' it was not.
the ending was not an ending. i need a sequel just to know if she kept the damn baby or not and just to ive me a tiny bit of closure. like seriously, at least add an epilogue ugh
the ending was not an ending. i need a sequel just to know if she kept the damn baby or not and just to ive me a tiny bit of closure. like seriously, at least add an epilogue ugh
July 13, 2022
Rating 3.5
I really struggled to get into The Not So Chosen One at first. The characters didn’t seem interesting and it felt like it was going to be a carbon copy of The Magicians, which is referenced multiple times throughout. Thankfully this changed, but it did take me until around the halfway mark to get actually invested.
Again around the halfway mark, I was starting to wonder why the author decided to make Lucy pregnant as it did seem like a pointless plot point. At this point, it bore no significance to what was happening and I entirely forgot she was pregnant. There was, however, a scene where Lucy throws up because of her pregnancy and a background character made a dig at Lucy about her having an eating disorder which really wasn’t cool. There was literally no point for that to be added it made me a little angry I won’t lie.
After this point, I did figure out very quickly why Lucy is pregnant and it became very clear to me where this story was going. No spoilers here but it was a pretty good plot twist, if not a little guessable.
You don’t see a whole lot of the magic system in this world, but it did seem very interesting. But also quite complex. Having to use specific hand gestures and knowing the positioning of the sun and moon for spells to work means I would not like to be a caster in this world. Usually, I dream of being a magic user in these types of books, but The Not So Chosen One world is not one of those. Nothing wrong with that obviously, it’s actually quite refreshing to see a magic system that isn’t just ‘I’ve somehow figured out how to do everything myself and now I’m the best magic user in the world’.
The Not So Chosen One was quite slow to get going but I actually quite enjoyed it in the end. At times it felt like the story wasn’t moving, but the last half of the book was pretty fast-paced and the last few chapters were exciting and also very explanatory. The ending of the book suggests that maybe another instalment will be coming in the future and honestly I would look forward to reading it.
I really struggled to get into The Not So Chosen One at first. The characters didn’t seem interesting and it felt like it was going to be a carbon copy of The Magicians, which is referenced multiple times throughout. Thankfully this changed, but it did take me until around the halfway mark to get actually invested.
Again around the halfway mark, I was starting to wonder why the author decided to make Lucy pregnant as it did seem like a pointless plot point. At this point, it bore no significance to what was happening and I entirely forgot she was pregnant. There was, however, a scene where Lucy throws up because of her pregnancy and a background character made a dig at Lucy about her having an eating disorder which really wasn’t cool. There was literally no point for that to be added it made me a little angry I won’t lie.
After this point, I did figure out very quickly why Lucy is pregnant and it became very clear to me where this story was going. No spoilers here but it was a pretty good plot twist, if not a little guessable.
You don’t see a whole lot of the magic system in this world, but it did seem very interesting. But also quite complex. Having to use specific hand gestures and knowing the positioning of the sun and moon for spells to work means I would not like to be a caster in this world. Usually, I dream of being a magic user in these types of books, but The Not So Chosen One world is not one of those. Nothing wrong with that obviously, it’s actually quite refreshing to see a magic system that isn’t just ‘I’ve somehow figured out how to do everything myself and now I’m the best magic user in the world’.
The Not So Chosen One was quite slow to get going but I actually quite enjoyed it in the end. At times it felt like the story wasn’t moving, but the last half of the book was pretty fast-paced and the last few chapters were exciting and also very explanatory. The ending of the book suggests that maybe another instalment will be coming in the future and honestly I would look forward to reading it.
Read
January 19, 2023The following book reviews have been shared by Text Publishing – publisher of The Not So Chosen One
‘The Not So Chosen One has everything I want in a portal fantasy—a protagonist with a strong, relatable and likable voice; a setting that feels real and grounded, both in our world and the magical one; and a plot that feels like a genuinely fresh take on a beloved trope. I loved this book to pieces.’
Jodi McAlister
‘Lucy’s voice is funny…[The] combination of a school for magic (in Perth!) and a mystery works well…The suspense is kept up right to the surprising conclusion.’
ReadPlus
‘Emery writes with a sharply ironic sense of humour and a knack for creating characters that combine comedic exaggeration with emotional authenticity.’
Gemma Nisbet, West Australian
‘With a sharp, shrewd, self-deprecating humour.’
Magpies
‘[Kate Emery] manages to maintain a sense of pace without ever breaking into some of the more obvious tropes of the YA genre…[The Not So Chosen One is] a great addition to the…genre, and a thoroughly enjoyable, pacey and funny book that will entertain even the most reluctant of readers.’
NZ Booklovers
‘[Kate Emery] writes with beautiful clarity…[The Not So Chosen One] is immensely enjoyable and laugh out loud funny…Fresh and original with a touch of Hogwarts and teenage angst.’
Storylinks
‘The Not So Chosen One has everything I want in a portal fantasy—a protagonist with a strong, relatable and likable voice; a setting that feels real and grounded, both in our world and the magical one; and a plot that feels like a genuinely fresh take on a beloved trope. I loved this book to pieces.’
Jodi McAlister
‘Lucy’s voice is funny…[The] combination of a school for magic (in Perth!) and a mystery works well…The suspense is kept up right to the surprising conclusion.’
ReadPlus
‘Emery writes with a sharply ironic sense of humour and a knack for creating characters that combine comedic exaggeration with emotional authenticity.’
Gemma Nisbet, West Australian
‘With a sharp, shrewd, self-deprecating humour.’
Magpies
‘[Kate Emery] manages to maintain a sense of pace without ever breaking into some of the more obvious tropes of the YA genre…[The Not So Chosen One is] a great addition to the…genre, and a thoroughly enjoyable, pacey and funny book that will entertain even the most reluctant of readers.’
NZ Booklovers
‘[Kate Emery] writes with beautiful clarity…[The Not So Chosen One] is immensely enjoyable and laugh out loud funny…Fresh and original with a touch of Hogwarts and teenage angst.’
Storylinks
April 22, 2022
Okay so that was weird.
Just at the end really.
Mostly it was snarky, witty and clever.
Just at the end really.
Mostly it was snarky, witty and clever.
August 20, 2022
Reviewed thanks to netgallery
keywords- Teenagers, magic school, magic, mystery
in short- A good, fun read about a theme many will be familiar with despite this familiarity this tale is full of fresh new ideas that will keep you reading long into the night.
Full review:
Kate Emery is a new author for me and after reading the not so chosen one I’ll definitely be picking up her books again.
I was first drawn to this book by the intriguing and fun cover and I quickly found that although not necessarily a game changer in the magical school troupe, the not so chosen one is a fun and entertaining read that once you start you wont want to stop.
Kate Emery introduces us to her main character Lucy who live in Australia and finds herself attending a school for the magical, Lucy has a strong, sarcastic personality which Kate has perfected into a realistic 17 year old who is mature but at the same is immature and rash in her decision making and responses. Kate also gives an added layer of depth and emotion to this story by bringing in the element of a teen pregnancy, this also gives the readers a more serious element to grapple with amongst the magic and mystery. The whole cast of people that Kate has created are fully lifelike while still retaining plenty for the readers to want to learn about in any future books.
Although a fun read with a good group of characters and a few surprising twists that few will see coming I would have personally like the magic to have been more of the main focus as I felt for a story based on the element of magic it was rather subtle and not present enough within the world building compared to other threads within this tale.
Despite this small negative this story is a unique, funny and enigmatic take on the magic school and teen hero troupe, with lots of potential for a sequel, this book is definitely worth picking up.
keywords- Teenagers, magic school, magic, mystery
in short- A good, fun read about a theme many will be familiar with despite this familiarity this tale is full of fresh new ideas that will keep you reading long into the night.
Full review:
Kate Emery is a new author for me and after reading the not so chosen one I’ll definitely be picking up her books again.
I was first drawn to this book by the intriguing and fun cover and I quickly found that although not necessarily a game changer in the magical school troupe, the not so chosen one is a fun and entertaining read that once you start you wont want to stop.
Kate Emery introduces us to her main character Lucy who live in Australia and finds herself attending a school for the magical, Lucy has a strong, sarcastic personality which Kate has perfected into a realistic 17 year old who is mature but at the same is immature and rash in her decision making and responses. Kate also gives an added layer of depth and emotion to this story by bringing in the element of a teen pregnancy, this also gives the readers a more serious element to grapple with amongst the magic and mystery. The whole cast of people that Kate has created are fully lifelike while still retaining plenty for the readers to want to learn about in any future books.
Although a fun read with a good group of characters and a few surprising twists that few will see coming I would have personally like the magic to have been more of the main focus as I felt for a story based on the element of magic it was rather subtle and not present enough within the world building compared to other threads within this tale.
Despite this small negative this story is a unique, funny and enigmatic take on the magic school and teen hero troupe, with lots of potential for a sequel, this book is definitely worth picking up.
October 31, 2022
Trigger warnings: teen pregnancy, ghosting, kidnapping, mentions/discussions of abortion, death, murder, death of a friend.
I wanted to love this because there are so few fantasy stories set in Australia, particularly ones that feature some kind of magical school. And not only does this have a magical school, but it's set in Perth so it's not even the east coast!
Uuuuuunfortunately, this just didn't work for me. I guessed every single plot twist well before it happened. I struggled with Lucy as a narrator, particularly the fact that she was like "OMG NO I'M PREGNANT" and then seemed to promptly forget that she was pregnant for weeks at a time and then suddenly go into panic mode all over again. Like...I understand that she's just been made aware that magic is real and she's now in a magical school. But GIRL. Make better choices jfc.
Anyway. I wanted to like it. It was FINE but ultimately forgettable.
I wanted to love this because there are so few fantasy stories set in Australia, particularly ones that feature some kind of magical school. And not only does this have a magical school, but it's set in Perth so it's not even the east coast!
Uuuuuunfortunately, this just didn't work for me. I guessed every single plot twist well before it happened. I struggled with Lucy as a narrator, particularly the fact that she was like "OMG NO I'M PREGNANT" and then seemed to promptly forget that she was pregnant for weeks at a time and then suddenly go into panic mode all over again. Like...I understand that she's just been made aware that magic is real and she's now in a magical school. But GIRL. Make better choices jfc.
Anyway. I wanted to like it. It was FINE but ultimately forgettable.
July 14, 2022
Ahh I loved this! This is a genuinely fresh, funny and clever book. I adored Lucy's snark and humour, the WA setting, and the twisty turny plot. I could not put it down in the last third! It's so nice to read a YA book that doesn't take itself too seriously, in the best way possible. I recommend this for urban fantasy fans looking for something set in Australia, or for anyone who just wants to escape into a unique world and be entertained.
August 14, 2023
During the beginning and middle of this book I was obsessed and loved the writing style but the ending of this book was terrible I was actually mad with how it ended and wished I never bought it. The ending of this book wasn’t done well and wasn’t satisfying, the book didn’t need to be made if that was how it was going to end. If there isn’t a second book it really wouldn’t be a worthwhile read
March 21, 2024
Unexpected and satisfying. Loved the authors voice, the credibility of the story, which isn’t easy to do in a modern fantasy. Australian, grounded and engaging, lots in the story to love- I picked it up randomly and then raced through it! Excellent writing and the main character was so natural and easy to join with…
June 26, 2024
This book was such a surprise and the fact it's been on my shelf for over a year. It definitely read as a young adult book but that didn't take away from the story. I got so much joy out of knowing the book was set in Perth and reading about places I know was so fun!
There were so many twists and turns in the plot but it all worked really well. Some of my guesses were spot on but some l did not see coming and that is exactly what you want in a mystery. Whilst the book was set at a magic school and we learnt a little about it, magic wasn't really the main focus and I would've liked a bit more in the story.
The book was left with a massive open ending and there is no sequel. I would ve loved to continue the story line and see what happened next but I can put my school hat on and interpret the plot.
I think the author did a great job though I don't know how I would describe the book as it was just a little sprinkling of multiple genres.
There were so many twists and turns in the plot but it all worked really well. Some of my guesses were spot on but some l did not see coming and that is exactly what you want in a mystery. Whilst the book was set at a magic school and we learnt a little about it, magic wasn't really the main focus and I would've liked a bit more in the story.
The book was left with a massive open ending and there is no sequel. I would ve loved to continue the story line and see what happened next but I can put my school hat on and interpret the plot.
I think the author did a great job though I don't know how I would describe the book as it was just a little sprinkling of multiple genres.
June 15, 2022
With thanks to Netgalley and Text Publishing for my ARC.
My interest was initially peaked by the title, and then by the blurb. The book itself, held my interest, even if the ending is ambiguous - but that’s not a terrible thing as it lets the reader decide the outcome.
Set in Perth, Australia, this is an urban fantasy with mystery elements.
Enjoy!
My interest was initially peaked by the title, and then by the blurb. The book itself, held my interest, even if the ending is ambiguous - but that’s not a terrible thing as it lets the reader decide the outcome.
Set in Perth, Australia, this is an urban fantasy with mystery elements.
Enjoy!
October 29, 2025
4.5/5 I loved this book! The plot twists were crazy
August 8, 2024
A very fun read. Full of female sass, magic and mystery. Didn’t see the twists coming and left me wanting more. Sequel please?
June 27, 2022
I feel like I discovered a hidden gem here!!
If you know me, you might know that Rainbow Rowell's Carry On is one of my favourite books, so it's no surprise that I loved this.
The first hundred pages felt a little slow, and the writing style (why does the author hate commas so much???) takes time to get used to - but once it picks up, it picks up, and I was HOOKED. I read most of this book in a day because I was so drawn into it.
It's your typical 'regular teen finds out they have magic and gets to go to a secret magic school - but wait, not everything is as it seems!' story, but with the addition of unique elements like dry Australian humour and teen pregnancy.
I really enjoyed the way humour was used as a storytelling tool. It felt forced at times, but elements like well-timed swearing, which you normally wouldn't get in a 'magic school' novel, were so shockingly funny. (And if you love banter, ohhh you'll LOVE this.)
The mystery behind the attacks happening at the school was really fun. I definitely suspected who the villain was going to be, but the ending still shocked me and I loved it. To be honest I'm still not sure I fully understand it. But the way the author gave little hints throughout the book that lead up to the big-reveal ending was fantastic!
I enjoyed Lucy as a main character. The way she sees the world through a lens of such strong cynicism and sarcasm was really refreshing. She isn't afraid to speak her mind and ask questions, she gets herself into trouble, and most importantly she's really brave. She felt like an authentic 17-year-old, just the right blend of naïve and mature. The pregnancy aspect of the book also gave her character another interesting layer. (Usually I hate pregnancy in fiction, but it really enhanced the story here.)
So, onto the negatives, which I'll keep brief because I really did love this:
- The writing was a bit hard to read/jarring due to the author's style choices
- I wanted there to be a lot more magic considering it's a book where magic is a major theme. Though it seemed unique and funny, the magic system and worldbuilding weren't there. We see 'spells' only a handful of times.
- I wasn't sure when the book was meant to be set, because a lot of the references to pop culture (and the humour) felt very millennial. I wasn't sure if this was intentional or not.
- A lot of the story could've been condensed. There were many long conversations that weren't really necessary, and more action/magic could've filled these spaces. I also wasn't sure about the timeline and how quickly events were happening.
- Lucy needed to react emotionally a bit more. Very traumatic things would happen and I just didn't feel her fear, grief, etc.
The ending was a bit abrupt/ambiguous - I think intentionally so - and I'm SO SO SO hoping for a sequel, because there is so much more of this world and these characters that I want to explore! If not, I'll still be reading more of the author's work if they write more.
I highly recommend The Not So Chosen One to anyone who loves the magic school trope but wants something unique and funny.
(Thank you to Text Publishing for my review copy)
If you know me, you might know that Rainbow Rowell's Carry On is one of my favourite books, so it's no surprise that I loved this.
The first hundred pages felt a little slow, and the writing style (why does the author hate commas so much???) takes time to get used to - but once it picks up, it picks up, and I was HOOKED. I read most of this book in a day because I was so drawn into it.
It's your typical 'regular teen finds out they have magic and gets to go to a secret magic school - but wait, not everything is as it seems!' story, but with the addition of unique elements like dry Australian humour and teen pregnancy.
I really enjoyed the way humour was used as a storytelling tool. It felt forced at times, but elements like well-timed swearing, which you normally wouldn't get in a 'magic school' novel, were so shockingly funny. (And if you love banter, ohhh you'll LOVE this.)
The mystery behind the attacks happening at the school was really fun. I definitely suspected who the villain was going to be, but the ending still shocked me and I loved it. To be honest I'm still not sure I fully understand it. But the way the author gave little hints throughout the book that lead up to the big-reveal ending was fantastic!
I enjoyed Lucy as a main character. The way she sees the world through a lens of such strong cynicism and sarcasm was really refreshing. She isn't afraid to speak her mind and ask questions, she gets herself into trouble, and most importantly she's really brave. She felt like an authentic 17-year-old, just the right blend of naïve and mature. The pregnancy aspect of the book also gave her character another interesting layer. (Usually I hate pregnancy in fiction, but it really enhanced the story here.)
So, onto the negatives, which I'll keep brief because I really did love this:
- The writing was a bit hard to read/jarring due to the author's style choices
- I wanted there to be a lot more magic considering it's a book where magic is a major theme. Though it seemed unique and funny, the magic system and worldbuilding weren't there. We see 'spells' only a handful of times.
- I wasn't sure when the book was meant to be set, because a lot of the references to pop culture (and the humour) felt very millennial. I wasn't sure if this was intentional or not.
- A lot of the story could've been condensed. There were many long conversations that weren't really necessary, and more action/magic could've filled these spaces. I also wasn't sure about the timeline and how quickly events were happening.
- Lucy needed to react emotionally a bit more. Very traumatic things would happen and I just didn't feel her fear, grief, etc.
The ending was a bit abrupt/ambiguous - I think intentionally so - and I'm SO SO SO hoping for a sequel, because there is so much more of this world and these characters that I want to explore! If not, I'll still be reading more of the author's work if they write more.
I highly recommend The Not So Chosen One to anyone who loves the magic school trope but wants something unique and funny.
(Thank you to Text Publishing for my review copy)
June 17, 2022
CW: unplanned teen pregnancy, parental death (mentioned), induced coma, murder, violence, abortion, kidnapping
I would like to thank NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Lucy is just like any other regular teenage girl, except for two things. She recently found out that she’s pregnant and that she has been accepted into Drake’s College, an Australian school for magical talent. Alongside new friend and teaching assistant at Drake’s, Jack, she navigates this new world she never knew existed while also coinciding with mysterious incidents happening at the school.
The Not So Chosen One has some really interesting plot dynamics about the magical world of Drake’s and spellcasting. I really like some of the intricacies that Emery put into creating Drake’s magical world and it really made me want to learn more about what goes on in their world. As I am a fan of the Harry Potter books, it was neat to compare and contrast the two magical worlds.
You can also tell the amount of work Emery has done near the middle and end of the book to keep readers sucked in. I’m not giving away any spoilers here, but I was definitely shocked and did not see what was coming. I think in some ways Emery intentionally had that way, and it definitely makes me want to read a sequel from her (or at the very least an author Q&A where I can ask her a bunch of questions about the book.
My only issue with the book was how Lucy’s pregnancy was addressed in The Not So Chosen One. Again, I’m not giving away any spoilers about the book. I just didn’t like how it was presented in the book.
Nevertheless, this is a good read for any Harry Potter or fantasy fans out there that want more of a modern magical academy story.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Lucy is just like any other regular teenage girl, except for two things. She recently found out that she’s pregnant and that she has been accepted into Drake’s College, an Australian school for magical talent. Alongside new friend and teaching assistant at Drake’s, Jack, she navigates this new world she never knew existed while also coinciding with mysterious incidents happening at the school.
The Not So Chosen One has some really interesting plot dynamics about the magical world of Drake’s and spellcasting. I really like some of the intricacies that Emery put into creating Drake’s magical world and it really made me want to learn more about what goes on in their world. As I am a fan of the Harry Potter books, it was neat to compare and contrast the two magical worlds.
You can also tell the amount of work Emery has done near the middle and end of the book to keep readers sucked in. I’m not giving away any spoilers here, but I was definitely shocked and did not see what was coming. I think in some ways Emery intentionally had that way, and it definitely makes me want to read a sequel from her (or at the very least an author Q&A where I can ask her a bunch of questions about the book.
My only issue with the book was how Lucy’s pregnancy was addressed in The Not So Chosen One. Again, I’m not giving away any spoilers about the book. I just didn’t like how it was presented in the book.
Nevertheless, this is a good read for any Harry Potter or fantasy fans out there that want more of a modern magical academy story.
January 1, 2023
~ snap book review ~
‘The Not so chosen one’ by Kate Emery
Average Goodreads rating: 3.59
———————————————————————
I loved this book with my whole heart. It is such a fun and fresh take one a trope that I’d long forgotten I love.
This book is unashamedly Aussie and is hilarious. It has all the right elements to be an incredible story but also a light-hearted read that kept my attention late into the night.
It’s safe to say that I will continue to watch the Kate Emery space and would pick up her next book in a heart beat!
I will definitely be revisiting this book for many years to come and it will be a number 1 rec for people looking for humour and great story.
Thank you for sending me a copy in return for an honest review @text_publishing ! ✨
Read if you like: Harry Potter, Medoran Chronicles, Gallagher Girls, A good girl’s guide to murder.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
‘The Not so chosen one’ by Kate Emery
Average Goodreads rating: 3.59
———————————————————————
I loved this book with my whole heart. It is such a fun and fresh take one a trope that I’d long forgotten I love.
This book is unashamedly Aussie and is hilarious. It has all the right elements to be an incredible story but also a light-hearted read that kept my attention late into the night.
It’s safe to say that I will continue to watch the Kate Emery space and would pick up her next book in a heart beat!
I will definitely be revisiting this book for many years to come and it will be a number 1 rec for people looking for humour and great story.
Thank you for sending me a copy in return for an honest review @text_publishing ! ✨
Read if you like: Harry Potter, Medoran Chronicles, Gallagher Girls, A good girl’s guide to murder.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 10, 2022
That non-ending was extremely annoying.
I liked that it was set in Perth, I was only slightly annoyed by the abject stupidity of Lucy most of the time, but the ending totally killed any enjoyment I’d previously had.
I liked that it was set in Perth, I was only slightly annoyed by the abject stupidity of Lucy most of the time, but the ending totally killed any enjoyment I’d previously had.
Read
June 18, 2022Trigger & Content Warnings:
Teen pregnancy
Abortion
Coma
Death of a parent mentioned
Murder
Kidnapping
Teen pregnancy
Abortion
Coma
Death of a parent mentioned
Murder
Kidnapping
June 24, 2022
Magic schools are not a new concept in literature. You know the drill. Someone reaches an age in their life, they have someone show up and tell them they’re special, magical, and need to come to a secret school to harness their power. And occasionally, this person will be the ‘chosen one’ to defeat a villain along the way. We all know those stories, right? Well, what happens when someone is picked to go to a magical school…and they’re not the perfect candidate the school first anticipated? And they’re far from being the chosen one at all? That is this book right here.
This book will probably not change the course of history. But from the first page of reading, I was hooked. This book reminded me what reading is all about; reading is about discovering stories, reading about magic and adventure and wonder. As I read this book, I loved joining Lucy as she went to a magical school, as she made friends with characters I couldn’t help but love, as she sat in on magic lessons – and we got to learn about magic with her!
The book does not delay with the plot. It moves quickly and is a fast-paced and really easy read, which made it easy for me to fly through it all in only two days! It’s worth me saying, that just because a book is a quick and easy read, that doesn’t in any way take away my enjoyment for the book. Sometimes a quick, easy and fun story to fly through is exactly what we need! As it is, I think this book did wonders for my reading, as when I finished it I instantly wanted to read more books, with this one having reminded me how magical reading is and why I love it so! I also instantly wanted to know if this book is going to have a sequel, but given that this book isn’t even out yet, I think that is a little premature thinking on my part…
The fast-paced plot I found engrossing and intriguing. There was magic, adventure, strange occurrences and a mystery to be solved. There was also a second subplot which I spent the first half of the book wondering about its relevance, only to have the penny drop in the second half of the book. I think it was actually all really cleverly woven together, and even when I figured some parts of the plot out, there were still so many questions running around in my head and I loved seeing how everything got answered and neatly tied up by the end! I enjoyed the world-building and learning about Drake’s magic school, how they keep it a secret from the outside world and everyone who doesn’t know about magic. I even liked the lessons on the magic we got to have a glimpse into in some of the chapters! I could tell this is a world that’s had a lot of thought put into it by the author. All of this combined with the plot twists and turns throughout the book meant I sped my way through it, desperate to know what came next and how everything would turn out in the end.
The book does cover some more complex themes and complex characters, but in a way that is accessible for younger audiences, which I not only liked that they were included, but think doing it in this way does take quite a bit of skill to do, and do it right – as can be seen in this book, which is indeed a great example of it being done right. Although I will say, sometimes I felt a little confused if this book is Ya OR NA (New Adult), as whilst it mostly reads like YA and the content feels YA, occasionally explicit language would be used that I would expect in an adult book. Or maybe these words just don’t have as strong an effect in Australia as they do here in the UK! It wasn’t something that bothered me, but something to be aware of if you’re wanting to read and/or recommend this book to someone.
I found whilst the characters didn’t have huge amounts of depth to them and weren’t the most well-written characters ever, I did still love them nonetheless. They have natural charm and cheekiness that brought them to life and made them enjoyable to read about and made their personalities jump right out of the pages. I loved their ‘normal-ness’ – their sarcasm and banter peppered throughout the pages, which actually did get me to laugh out loud a couple of times. In fact, after finishing the books, I found I was missing these characters and was wanting to read about them some more! The characters, the world-building, and the plot are the three key ingredients for making a good book – for me, anyway – and luckily, ‘The Not SO Chosen One‘ delivered on all three of these elements!
Will this book change history? No. Is it groundbreaking? Probably not. But it’s put a spin on the traditional ‘chosen one’ trope which felt fresh to me, and it had enough twists thrown into the book to keep me hanging and wanting more. Plus, a huge part of reading is to escape, to have adventures through books, to have fun. And if that is what you’re looking for, then ‘The Not So Chosen One‘ can provide just that. I had a wonderful time powering my way through this magical book quicker than I’ve read a lot of books lately – and now, I just want more! After an ending that has clearly been left open to interpretation, I can only hope this means this is not the last we have seen of Lucy and her adventures, nor Drake’s magic school.
This book will probably not change the course of history. But from the first page of reading, I was hooked. This book reminded me what reading is all about; reading is about discovering stories, reading about magic and adventure and wonder. As I read this book, I loved joining Lucy as she went to a magical school, as she made friends with characters I couldn’t help but love, as she sat in on magic lessons – and we got to learn about magic with her!
The book does not delay with the plot. It moves quickly and is a fast-paced and really easy read, which made it easy for me to fly through it all in only two days! It’s worth me saying, that just because a book is a quick and easy read, that doesn’t in any way take away my enjoyment for the book. Sometimes a quick, easy and fun story to fly through is exactly what we need! As it is, I think this book did wonders for my reading, as when I finished it I instantly wanted to read more books, with this one having reminded me how magical reading is and why I love it so! I also instantly wanted to know if this book is going to have a sequel, but given that this book isn’t even out yet, I think that is a little premature thinking on my part…
The fast-paced plot I found engrossing and intriguing. There was magic, adventure, strange occurrences and a mystery to be solved. There was also a second subplot which I spent the first half of the book wondering about its relevance, only to have the penny drop in the second half of the book. I think it was actually all really cleverly woven together, and even when I figured some parts of the plot out, there were still so many questions running around in my head and I loved seeing how everything got answered and neatly tied up by the end! I enjoyed the world-building and learning about Drake’s magic school, how they keep it a secret from the outside world and everyone who doesn’t know about magic. I even liked the lessons on the magic we got to have a glimpse into in some of the chapters! I could tell this is a world that’s had a lot of thought put into it by the author. All of this combined with the plot twists and turns throughout the book meant I sped my way through it, desperate to know what came next and how everything would turn out in the end.
The book does cover some more complex themes and complex characters, but in a way that is accessible for younger audiences, which I not only liked that they were included, but think doing it in this way does take quite a bit of skill to do, and do it right – as can be seen in this book, which is indeed a great example of it being done right. Although I will say, sometimes I felt a little confused if this book is Ya OR NA (New Adult), as whilst it mostly reads like YA and the content feels YA, occasionally explicit language would be used that I would expect in an adult book. Or maybe these words just don’t have as strong an effect in Australia as they do here in the UK! It wasn’t something that bothered me, but something to be aware of if you’re wanting to read and/or recommend this book to someone.
I found whilst the characters didn’t have huge amounts of depth to them and weren’t the most well-written characters ever, I did still love them nonetheless. They have natural charm and cheekiness that brought them to life and made them enjoyable to read about and made their personalities jump right out of the pages. I loved their ‘normal-ness’ – their sarcasm and banter peppered throughout the pages, which actually did get me to laugh out loud a couple of times. In fact, after finishing the books, I found I was missing these characters and was wanting to read about them some more! The characters, the world-building, and the plot are the three key ingredients for making a good book – for me, anyway – and luckily, ‘The Not SO Chosen One‘ delivered on all three of these elements!
Will this book change history? No. Is it groundbreaking? Probably not. But it’s put a spin on the traditional ‘chosen one’ trope which felt fresh to me, and it had enough twists thrown into the book to keep me hanging and wanting more. Plus, a huge part of reading is to escape, to have adventures through books, to have fun. And if that is what you’re looking for, then ‘The Not So Chosen One‘ can provide just that. I had a wonderful time powering my way through this magical book quicker than I’ve read a lot of books lately – and now, I just want more! After an ending that has clearly been left open to interpretation, I can only hope this means this is not the last we have seen of Lucy and her adventures, nor Drake’s magic school.
July 2, 2022
Interesting premise and great main characters.
July 6, 2022
THE ENDING?!! HELLOOOOOOO
July 10, 2022
I found this book so so funny, and quite the page turner. Really enjoyed the ending - can’t wait for the sequel.
July 15, 2022
I live for books about witchcraft and this did not disappoint! I did not want to put it down and devoured it in a day, if you love reading about magic give this a go..
June 20, 2022
*I would like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*
This was a cool little book. The title grabbed my attention, the description piqued my interest and I was excited when I was granted a copy to read. I was trying to decide if this would be my next book to conquer and was previewing the first few pages to select. Needless to say, once I picked it up, I didn't put it back down until the end. From page one, I was pulled into this entertaining story and its humorous telling. I found our protagonist to be so relatable and witty. I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed her flippant, clever sense of humor. I loved her facetious narration throughout the entire book. Sometimes, you come across a similar character and the sarcasm gets old and tired. Not with Lucy. I found her attitude fresh and spunky. I kind of loved her. I enjoyed most of the characters in this story and found them all to be entertaining in their own, unique ways. I even had a soft spot for our protagonist until his identity was revealed. (Which btw, I did NOT see coming!) Each character had just enough development to form a picture of how they fit into this story while not taking too much spotlight away from our main character.
I can certainly appreciate the premise of this book. Being accepted into a school of magic? Sound familiar? While there were some similarities in this book to a book-who-shall-not-be-named, the basis is about where the likeness begins and ends. I had to laugh when HP was actually mentioned by our Lucy, clearly making a distinction between worlds. I was impressed by how seamlessly the worlds were joined. I did not find it to be far-fetched or unrealistic even. This was based in modern-day Australia with a secret twist of a hidden, unknown world of magic. Even the magical world in this book seemed so realistic, it was almost a nonpoint. That being said, I feel like there could have been some more elaboration on the magical side of things. Being a primary paranormal reader, I crave the unreal. The fantasy. The escape from reality. This might have missed the mark a little on that aspect. There could definitely have been more magical contributions to the story. As much as I desired the magical content, I can understand the lack thereof. While it was a nice little footnote, it definitely did not take away from our main story. I just wish there had been a smidge more of it.
The story read with a nice flow. It kept pace with enough intrigue to keep you reading. The characters were well defined, funny, and relatable. The world was built efficiently. The story and plot kept a steady pace yet still hit you with some surprises so as to not be predictable.
There are only 2 reasons behind me not awarding this book 5 stars.
The tip-toeing around the pregnancy issue. It is mentioned frequently. It is a primary topic and focal point of the main character. However, for being talked about as much as it is, it is never really discussed with much seriousness. It doesn't hold much weight for being such a ruminative situation. This is a pretty considerable position to be in yet I don't feel like it was given the depth it deserved. Maybe that was intentional. Maybe our author did not want to delve too deeply into teen pregnancy and the hot-button, controversial solutions. Maybe it was meant to be kept a little lighter. I just found it to be a disservice to our main character and what kind of feelings she was really having over this discovery because that was never really covered. It soon became part of her identity as opposed to something she was dealing with.
The other mark against this otherwise entertaining tale is THAT ENDING! I have noticed several reviews are screaming the same thing I am but WTH?! I think the book could have ended a chapter, even 2, earlier and I would have been okay. A good book doesn't always need to have all its loose ends wrapped up in a pretty little bow at the end. I get that. I am okay with that. I am NOT okay with being left hanging like that! I had 3 major questions that NEEDED to be answered and they were definitely not! I was left with more questions! Everything else was pretty great and left me feeling good about this book but I am disappointed with the ending. I am not okay. Hence a 5-star rating dropped down to 3.5, which I will graciously award 4.
This was a cool little book. The title grabbed my attention, the description piqued my interest and I was excited when I was granted a copy to read. I was trying to decide if this would be my next book to conquer and was previewing the first few pages to select. Needless to say, once I picked it up, I didn't put it back down until the end. From page one, I was pulled into this entertaining story and its humorous telling. I found our protagonist to be so relatable and witty. I must admit, I thoroughly enjoyed her flippant, clever sense of humor. I loved her facetious narration throughout the entire book. Sometimes, you come across a similar character and the sarcasm gets old and tired. Not with Lucy. I found her attitude fresh and spunky. I kind of loved her. I enjoyed most of the characters in this story and found them all to be entertaining in their own, unique ways. I even had a soft spot for our protagonist until his identity was revealed. (Which btw, I did NOT see coming!) Each character had just enough development to form a picture of how they fit into this story while not taking too much spotlight away from our main character.
I can certainly appreciate the premise of this book. Being accepted into a school of magic? Sound familiar? While there were some similarities in this book to a book-who-shall-not-be-named, the basis is about where the likeness begins and ends. I had to laugh when HP was actually mentioned by our Lucy, clearly making a distinction between worlds. I was impressed by how seamlessly the worlds were joined. I did not find it to be far-fetched or unrealistic even. This was based in modern-day Australia with a secret twist of a hidden, unknown world of magic. Even the magical world in this book seemed so realistic, it was almost a nonpoint. That being said, I feel like there could have been some more elaboration on the magical side of things. Being a primary paranormal reader, I crave the unreal. The fantasy. The escape from reality. This might have missed the mark a little on that aspect. There could definitely have been more magical contributions to the story. As much as I desired the magical content, I can understand the lack thereof. While it was a nice little footnote, it definitely did not take away from our main story. I just wish there had been a smidge more of it.
The story read with a nice flow. It kept pace with enough intrigue to keep you reading. The characters were well defined, funny, and relatable. The world was built efficiently. The story and plot kept a steady pace yet still hit you with some surprises so as to not be predictable.
There are only 2 reasons behind me not awarding this book 5 stars.
The tip-toeing around the pregnancy issue. It is mentioned frequently. It is a primary topic and focal point of the main character. However, for being talked about as much as it is, it is never really discussed with much seriousness. It doesn't hold much weight for being such a ruminative situation. This is a pretty considerable position to be in yet I don't feel like it was given the depth it deserved. Maybe that was intentional. Maybe our author did not want to delve too deeply into teen pregnancy and the hot-button, controversial solutions. Maybe it was meant to be kept a little lighter. I just found it to be a disservice to our main character and what kind of feelings she was really having over this discovery because that was never really covered. It soon became part of her identity as opposed to something she was dealing with.
The other mark against this otherwise entertaining tale is THAT ENDING! I have noticed several reviews are screaming the same thing I am but WTH?! I think the book could have ended a chapter, even 2, earlier and I would have been okay. A good book doesn't always need to have all its loose ends wrapped up in a pretty little bow at the end. I get that. I am okay with that. I am NOT okay with being left hanging like that! I had 3 major questions that NEEDED to be answered and they were definitely not! I was left with more questions! Everything else was pretty great and left me feeling good about this book but I am disappointed with the ending. I am not okay. Hence a 5-star rating dropped down to 3.5, which I will graciously award 4.
July 8, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for the e-arc, I’m slightly after the release date.
Read with caution - may be some spoilers ahead.
For the most part I enjoyed this one, I enjoyed the characters however a lot of the plot was predictable but I still enjoyed it none the less. I enjoyed the witty writing, and the fact it’s set in Australia so several relatable themes are presented throughout, I had a few laughs about some of them like missing your parcel from Australia Post!
Plot: overall I enjoyed the plot, teen pregnancy turned into surprise magic school, followed by a few plot twists. Some I expected, some I did not. 70% of the time I found the book exciting and wanted to keep reading, but the rest of the time I found it a bit slow. There was a lot of ups and downs throughout this book. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book right up to the ending. I felt like it was very abrupt especially for a planned standalone. With the ending I almost expect a second book however there doesn’t appear to be a plan for one.
Characters: I think Jack was my favourite. Trying his best but crumbling under all the pressure. I’ll have to be honest, I didn’t quite predict the attacker to be who it was.
Writing: I enjoyed Kate Emery’s writing, there’s something about the casual-ness of the tone, the not too fancy words that just made it easy to read and more relatable.
Overall, given its a first time publishing author, I enjoyed this book. I’m rating it 4 stars (I’d give 3.5 if I could), for the mix of real life Australia, to the magic school giving off Harry Potter vibes, to the teen pregnancy. There was several great aspects however there is a few gaps that have brought down the rating.
Read with caution - may be some spoilers ahead.
For the most part I enjoyed this one, I enjoyed the characters however a lot of the plot was predictable but I still enjoyed it none the less. I enjoyed the witty writing, and the fact it’s set in Australia so several relatable themes are presented throughout, I had a few laughs about some of them like missing your parcel from Australia Post!
Plot: overall I enjoyed the plot, teen pregnancy turned into surprise magic school, followed by a few plot twists. Some I expected, some I did not. 70% of the time I found the book exciting and wanted to keep reading, but the rest of the time I found it a bit slow. There was a lot of ups and downs throughout this book. Ultimately, I enjoyed the book right up to the ending. I felt like it was very abrupt especially for a planned standalone. With the ending I almost expect a second book however there doesn’t appear to be a plan for one.
Characters: I think Jack was my favourite. Trying his best but crumbling under all the pressure. I’ll have to be honest, I didn’t quite predict the attacker to be who it was.
Writing: I enjoyed Kate Emery’s writing, there’s something about the casual-ness of the tone, the not too fancy words that just made it easy to read and more relatable.
Overall, given its a first time publishing author, I enjoyed this book. I’m rating it 4 stars (I’d give 3.5 if I could), for the mix of real life Australia, to the magic school giving off Harry Potter vibes, to the teen pregnancy. There was several great aspects however there is a few gaps that have brought down the rating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2022
The Not so Chosen One follows Lucy, your average everyday teenager except she has a small secret - an unplanned pregnancy. She learns of Drake's College, a school for students with magical abilities, where she befriends Jack, a teacher's assistant with tons of secrets. Things get even more chaotic when her talent doesn't seem to materialize and other students collapse mysteriously.
I was really intrigued by this one but it lost me right away when it had some suicidal ideations at the very beginning of the book with absolutely no warning. As a suicide attempt survivor and the child of someone lost to suicide this is very triggering to me, and I personally feel a warning should be placed. (and no this isn't your place to whine about trigger warnings not being necessary and only for the weak).
The book wasn't what I expected at all and the pregnancy plot is described as being a bigger part of the story in the synopsis when really it's brushed aside and only there for convenience. She has an unplanned pregnancy with no idea what to do, yet she seems completely unphased by it and that's kinda weird to me. It doesn't add up and was definitely only in the book so there was an excuse for a plot twist.
I'm not sure this book knew what it wanted to do. Some topics discussed were very sensitive, but other things felt very childish and unnecessary. Almost like they weren't sure what audience they are going for. I just genuinely didn't enjoy this book, and I really wanted to - it just felt confusing to me.
I was really intrigued by this one but it lost me right away when it had some suicidal ideations at the very beginning of the book with absolutely no warning. As a suicide attempt survivor and the child of someone lost to suicide this is very triggering to me, and I personally feel a warning should be placed. (and no this isn't your place to whine about trigger warnings not being necessary and only for the weak).
The book wasn't what I expected at all and the pregnancy plot is described as being a bigger part of the story in the synopsis when really it's brushed aside and only there for convenience. She has an unplanned pregnancy with no idea what to do, yet she seems completely unphased by it and that's kinda weird to me. It doesn't add up and was definitely only in the book so there was an excuse for a plot twist.
I'm not sure this book knew what it wanted to do. Some topics discussed were very sensitive, but other things felt very childish and unnecessary. Almost like they weren't sure what audience they are going for. I just genuinely didn't enjoy this book, and I really wanted to - it just felt confusing to me.
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