Lyssa > Recent Status Updates

The new plot development is a good set-up. Leaves room for misinterpretation of the reader & characters… but almost too obvious. Still nothing incredible about the book but I’m enjoying the character development of Tory and Darcy.

Once you adjust to the writing style, it’s actually a quick read. The plot includes far more sexual harassment, abuse and manipulation than anticipated though… It’s difficult to feel any sort of way towards the male leads at this point.

Clever points for designing a unique magical academy though.

First impressions:
• Darcy is a sassy one with a strong imagination. Willing to take risks- no matter how stupid.

• Writing style isn’t the best. I found punctuation errors and the style reminds me of rp/fanfiction.

• Mildly entertaining.

Phew! The last few chapters give you emotional whiplash. It’s the equivalent of watching a train wreck. I thought the climax of the battle scene would have been prolonged, but in hindsight, I quite enjoyed the pace because it showcased the reality of their grim predicament. I also was NOT expecting the surprise Orion gave El. That was a funny moment, arguably one of my favorites out of this book.

Love seeing the social progression of El and how she still doesn’t lose her snarky streak. The alliance warms my heart.

Delicious backstory of Orion adds dimension to a character we’ve only ever seen through El’s red-tinted glasses. I’m absolutely loving the parallels!

The intensity of El’s feelings are palpable enough to feel burning in your chest. I’m loving the complicated dynamics of social status and challenging the abstract definition of right versus wrong.

I was holding my breath the entire time as I read Chapter 6. The maw-mouth scene was painfully potent at ripping at your heart strings and providing the right amount of gory detail that made you feel the horrific decision El had to make. Wow wow WOW!

The author did a fantastic job at narrating El’s inner dialogue that showcased not only her own insecurities, but also the unjustness of the hand she was dealt in life. It made me think about every child that is bullied, treated poorly for no other reason than being considered “different” by someone else’s cruel standards. A sad poetic tale but one with a (hopefully) brighter ending?

Now I’m invested in El’s snarky attitude and the way the tables turned on a dime. It’s quite fun to have a main character that isn’t just about “justice & equality & goodness”; she displays her virtues in other ways, even if it’s not recognized by the masses. Loving the developments of her and Orion too lol.

Chapter 3 is really cementing my joy in reading this book so far. It’s got more action and interpersonal relationships developing, making the narrative less of a monologue. I’m fascinated by this imagination of magic usage and looking forward to seeing how it develops!

Chapter 2 was a touch more engaging, but still read very quickly. The narrative feels almost too quick and packed in together to read in a nice, slow go. Otherwise, still enjoyable!

Chapter 1 was a bit lengthy and filled with seemingly never-ending narrative. It was a nice way to provide insight on the main character, El, and also knowledge of the lore (mana, Scholomance, malia, enclaves, how the world operates, etc). It didn’t provide much on other narratives, but I expect that to follow in the next few chapters now that the author has provided the necessary lore details.