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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So glad I came across this series’ kindle ad. I’m a Harry Potter fan so I jumped right away when I saw that this for those who are looking for a grown up book similar to Harry Potter. Help! I can’t stop reading! I’m on book 3 already and reading non-stop. For Harry Potter fans who wants another dose, this is it for you. Its like a grown up version full of magic  Pick book 1 up and you’ll never regret it. Harley Merlin is like Harry Potter, while Alton Waterhouse is like Dumbledore but younger, Katherine Shipton is like Voldemort. This book is really exciting, full of magic and adventure. So for Potter fans, pick this series up and start reading, say Wingardium Leviosa.
This is not great literature, but my brain doesn’t seem to be able to focus on anything remotely heavy right now. So this was a delicious distraction: female lead, magic, gargoyles, a little budding romance. Very enjoyable, and a very quick read. Good enough for me!
DNF @ 41%
This book just confused me. It's labeled as young adult (or at least is in my library), and with the beginning of the book, her being 19 showed maturity, thoughtfulness, and street smarts. Given the background you learn in the first chapters, her outlook and personality make sense, as does her higher level of maturity. But it's all downhill from there.
Anyone she interacts with are around her age, about 18 to 21, but their banter reads like bickering 15 year olds. The whole coven makeup makes no sense. It is set up like a magic school. You've got popular and unpopular "coven members" who attend classes consisting of knowledge that these practicing wizards and witches should know. There is a ridiculous point system for popularity amongst other coven for protecting a monster prison. The monster prison explanation and the beginning casino scenes were the only good parts of this book, hence 2 stars.
The declining maturity as the book continues just made finishing the book seem unbearable. It went from reading like mid to upper young adult to the bickering sounding like something closer to middle grade and a magic system bordering on Harry Potter rip off. Had the potential to be great but squandered it.
Also, putting "Merlin" in the book synopsis spoils the reveal because up to and beyond the 41% mark where I stopped, that is not her last name.
This book just confused me. It's labeled as young adult (or at least is in my library), and with the beginning of the book, her being 19 showed maturity, thoughtfulness, and street smarts. Given the background you learn in the first chapters, her outlook and personality make sense, as does her higher level of maturity. But it's all downhill from there.
Anyone she interacts with are around her age, about 18 to 21, but their banter reads like bickering 15 year olds. The whole coven makeup makes no sense. It is set up like a magic school. You've got popular and unpopular "coven members" who attend classes consisting of knowledge that these practicing wizards and witches should know. There is a ridiculous point system for popularity amongst other coven for protecting a monster prison. The monster prison explanation and the beginning casino scenes were the only good parts of this book, hence 2 stars.
The declining maturity as the book continues just made finishing the book seem unbearable. It went from reading like mid to upper young adult to the bickering sounding like something closer to middle grade and a magic system bordering on Harry Potter rip off. Had the potential to be great but squandered it.
Also, putting "Merlin" in the book synopsis spoils the reveal because up to and beyond the 41% mark where I stopped, that is not her last name.
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Slow until about half way through but then couldnt put it down!
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Definitely a good book for those that loved Harry Potter!
This book isn't going to win awards, but it's entertaining for a light, quick read.
For those of you who saw it marketed as "the next Harry Potter" - it is not. It has similarities to Harry Potter in terms of content (magical orphan learning that magic really exists and even has cool secret hideouts in the non-magical world), but you will be disappointed if you come into this book thinking you're getting Harry Potter quality.
Come in with no expectations, and you'll be a lot happier.
If it stays around this quality, I plan on reading the rest, because hey I've got a 2020 reading challenge to complete and this is entertaining - but it is not the type of book a theme park is built around if you catch my drift.
For those of you who saw it marketed as "the next Harry Potter" - it is not. It has similarities to Harry Potter in terms of content (magical orphan learning that magic really exists and even has cool secret hideouts in the non-magical world), but you will be disappointed if you come into this book thinking you're getting Harry Potter quality.
Come in with no expectations, and you'll be a lot happier.
If it stays around this quality, I plan on reading the rest, because hey I've got a 2020 reading challenge to complete and this is entertaining - but it is not the type of book a theme park is built around if you catch my drift.
2.5 - when they say it’s the adult Harry Potter they mean that she took blueprints and plugged in her own characters. I’ll keep reading because it’s entertaining but meh. She also does way too much over explaining with inner dialogue that really annoys me.