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annamickreads's review
4.0
Honestly I had no expectations going into this book and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it right from the get-go!! There's a really rich world building here, especially for a brand-new witchy school for fans of shows like "Fate: The Winx Saga" to dive into.
The story is told from the point of view of all six main characters, which is already a unique and interesting aspect. The main plot takes place in Florida at a magical school called Mesmortes. One of the characters, Logan, is immediately taken in by a group of powerful witches known as the "Red Three" who are attempting to break a centuries-old curse on the town, Haelsford. As much as having six main character is a delight and really exciting to get to know so many at once, there were also times when I felt like certain characters' stories were undeveloped compared to others.
I think the magic system was really fascinating and I wish we had received more explanations about the rules surrounding the system. Honestly, the concept of a witchy magical school for young adults is perfect for fall and frankly more interesting than That Other Magical School in that most of the students have known they were witches/have different ways of practicing magic/different specialties that make them unique.
TL;DR I think it was a strong debut and I look forward to seeing what S. Isabelle does next!!!
The story is told from the point of view of all six main characters, which is already a unique and interesting aspect. The main plot takes place in Florida at a magical school called Mesmortes. One of the characters, Logan, is immediately taken in by a group of powerful witches known as the "Red Three" who are attempting to break a centuries-old curse on the town, Haelsford. As much as having six main character is a delight and really exciting to get to know so many at once, there were also times when I felt like certain characters' stories were undeveloped compared to others.
I think the magic system was really fascinating and I wish we had received more explanations about the rules surrounding the system. Honestly, the concept of a witchy magical school for young adults is perfect for fall and frankly more interesting than That Other Magical School in that most of the students have known they were witches/have different ways of practicing magic/different specialties that make them unique.
TL;DR I think it was a strong debut and I look forward to seeing what S. Isabelle does next!!!
alexandramcgrew's review
there were too many pov splits in this book for there to be any kind of flow, and 84 pages in i still had no idea where the story was going/what the plot was
lsparrow's review
2.0
YA - witch school story. I found it hard to stay in the story or to feel invested in the characters
jamless_meme420's review
Couldn't get into it and the story telling was v confusing
naomidanae's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Isabelle's concept is a really intriguing one—a school for witches set in a town with an annual curse and where the "mundanes" interact with those with magic. I always really WANT to love ensemble cast books, but sometimes they're hard to follow. I felt that with this one for most of the book. I think because of the As and Is in their names, I had trouble determining between Thalia and Jailah for a while. There are a lot of things to love here, like the concept of this coven-within-a-coven, of the Wolves and the danger they pose, etc. Overall, I did sill enjoy this book, but I think I struggled with the number of perspectives. Part of me wishes that it was solely told from the POV of the girls, since they're the main witches and are the ones on the cover.
Some quotes:
"The truth can change."
"There was no prophecy placed on her head, no witch that foretold her future to her parents on the night of her birth. No swords to pull, curses to break, lore to be fulfilled. So, she'd make her own."
Some quotes:
"The truth can change."
"There was no prophecy placed on her head, no witch that foretold her future to her parents on the night of her birth. No swords to pull, curses to break, lore to be fulfilled. So, she'd make her own."
zoot's review
This story was interesting and the characters were good but I really struggled with the bouncing from chapter to chapter to different perspectives. This type of storytelling is always a struggle for me, I blame my ADHD, but I really had trouble keeping up with everyone’s individual stories and I definitely struggled understanding how it all fit together in the end. I just kept getting characters mixed up.
sapphicneverafter's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0