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danielcrogers's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Misogyny, Murder, Alcohol, Blood, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
lunar_song's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
A fun adventure with time travel (think 1700s), thievery, a secret island academy, the Antikythera Mechanism, magic, and futuristic technology. This is very much a young adult read with both sci-fi and fantasy elements.
WARNINGS: Attempted Rape (the main character is almost raped, but fights the attacker off), kidnapping, parental neglect
It’s the first in a series and while it doesn’t quite end on a cliffhanger, many questions are yet to be answered and many plotlines yet to come to a head. Nothing’s really resolved at the end. This book really wouldn’t work as a stand-alone.
The main character, Natasha, is likeable, intelligent, pragmatic, and a little bit morally grey. Between Natasha and some intriguing mysteries yet to be explained, I’m drawn in enough to want to read book 2 despite the lack of resolution at the end of book 1.
THE PREMISE:
Natasha’s just a (mostly) normal 17 year old. After her father left and never came back years ago, her mother basically checked out and gave up, they’ve been barely getting by, and Natasha basically stopped trying and let her grades plummet. Then, things get weird. Natasha gets framed for theft and extorted into attending a reclusive trillionaire’s mysterious Gray Wolf Academy on an island in the middle of nowhere.
Now, Natasha’s terrifying and seemingly random bouts of seeing through time that her father told her to always keep secret are back, she’s already made one enemy among her classmates, and the Grey Wolf Academy clearly teaches students things far more strange and dangerous than a typical high school curriculum, like sword-fighting, thievery, horseback riding, and the fundamentals of general relativity and space-time. The trillionaire running the school says he expects her to help complete his life’s ambition (no pressure or red flags there). Now, Natasha’s trying to rise up ranks at the academy, deal with a crush on the ever-secretive Braxton, and figure out what the academy is for and what the trillionaire head of the academy is really after.
It’s not all bad. In exchange for joining the academy, her mother is being financially taken care of. The part of her that loves fine art and aesthetics is in heaven with all the art, antiques, fancy clothes, and expensive decor at Gray Wolf Academy. One thing’s for sure, Natasha’s got her ambition and sense of adventure back, because apathy is a luxury she can’t afford at Grey Wolf and she’s starting to get the sense that there aren’t many ways to leave the academy and none of them are good. Failing is no longer an option.
THE WORLD:
It’s set in a part fantasy, part sci-fi world. On a reclusive tech trillionaire’s island, there are holograms and tons of technology that’s way ahead of the rest of the world. There’s also enchantments and time travel of a yet to be revealed and seemingly magical origin. Natasha seems to have the unique magical ability to see through time and glimpse things from other time periods. Although, she doesn’t have any control over it. There also seems to be some significance placed on numerology and tarot cards that I can only assume is supposed to be somehow mystically related to time, magic, fate, or Natasha’s abities.
THE CHARACTERS:
The main character, Natasha, can be a bit naive at times, but in a way that’s pretty realistic for her age. It’s not enough to really make her stupid (for her age) and she’s still fairly pragmatic, suspicious, and quick on her feet. She’s empathetic and likeable, but also pragmatic and a little bit morally gray. She’s not overly-forgiving, but she also bides her time for an opportunity for revenge instead of being a shortsighted hothead or tipping her hand prematurely. She lies when it’s smart to and she makes her fair share of mistakes. She’s not above being tempted or distracted. She doesn’t lose all perspective and spill all her secrets to the first guy she crushes on. She also doesn’t trust him completely. Natasha also undergoes growth, getting her ambition and sense of adventure back.
You don’t really get to the other characters very well yet, with the exception of Elodie, a classic antagonist that is impressive, pitiable, dangerous, diabolical, and never boring. Every character seems to be at least a bit morally grey, including Natasha. Most characters have a dark backstory for how they came to Greg Wolf Academy, like Natasha.
This book really keeps you guessing about who’s trustworthy and what hidden agendas and secrets everyone on the island has. Everyone seems to be hiding things.
THE ROMANCE:
There’s a bit of not exactly insta-love, but insta-attraction with the main love interest. However, it doesn’t completely overwhelm the main character’s good sense or, so I’m okay with it. (Although, I’m hoping for another love interest in Killian or a new character in book two cause I’m not liking Braxton and his whole mysterious, secretive, I-protect-people-by-keeping-them-in-dark-and-giving-vague-warnings, guy-with-a-dark-tortured-past-looking-for-redeption-by-getting-the-girl shtick. I thought it was weird and creepy that he Spoilerliked Natasha and gave her a nickname before he even met her because he read her file and basically stalked her at the behest of his boss.)
THE PLOT & ENDING:
It’s a bit predictable at times, but not enough to spoil the major mysteries too much. There were definitely still surprises. The mysteries were interesting and kept my attention.
At times, I thought the pace was bogged down a bit by descriptions of clothes, picking out clothes, and fancy things. The main character had an interest in fashion/fancy things and sometimes these descriptions were relevant to the plot, so it made sense to include them. I’m not really interested in fashion or general fanciness, so I found those (usually brief) digressions a bit boring.
The only major problem with the plot was that it felt…. unfinished. No major plot arcs are resolved. No short-term plot arcs are resolved to give you closure while a long-term arc remains unfinished. You don’t even know what the main antagonist wants or is planning. Add to that a twist introduced at the end of the book that introduced a new plotline and created a mini cliffhanger.
All in all, this book wouldn’t be a complete story as a standalone.This makes it hard to judge the story on its own. It all depends on Book 2 in this series.
I received a free digital advanced reader copy via NetGalley. I am writing this review completely honestly and voluntarily.
WARNINGS: Attempted Rape (the main character is almost raped, but fights the attacker off), kidnapping, parental neglect
It’s the first in a series and while it doesn’t quite end on a cliffhanger, many questions are yet to be answered and many plotlines yet to come to a head. Nothing’s really resolved at the end. This book really wouldn’t work as a stand-alone.
The main character, Natasha, is likeable, intelligent, pragmatic, and a little bit morally grey. Between Natasha and some intriguing mysteries yet to be explained, I’m drawn in enough to want to read book 2 despite the lack of resolution at the end of book 1.
THE PREMISE:
Natasha’s just a (mostly) normal 17 year old. After her father left and never came back years ago, her mother basically checked out and gave up, they’ve been barely getting by, and Natasha basically stopped trying and let her grades plummet. Then, things get weird. Natasha gets framed for theft and extorted into attending a reclusive trillionaire’s mysterious Gray Wolf Academy on an island in the middle of nowhere.
Now, Natasha’s terrifying and seemingly random bouts of seeing through time that her father told her to always keep secret are back, she’s already made one enemy among her classmates, and the Grey Wolf Academy clearly teaches students things far more strange and dangerous than a typical high school curriculum, like sword-fighting, thievery, horseback riding, and the fundamentals of general relativity and space-time. The trillionaire running the school says he expects her to help complete his life’s ambition (no pressure or red flags there). Now, Natasha’s trying to rise up ranks at the academy, deal with a crush on the ever-secretive Braxton, and figure out what the academy is for and what the trillionaire head of the academy is really after.
It’s not all bad. In exchange for joining the academy, her mother is being financially taken care of. The part of her that loves fine art and aesthetics is in heaven with all the art, antiques, fancy clothes, and expensive decor at Gray Wolf Academy. One thing’s for sure, Natasha’s got her ambition and sense of adventure back, because apathy is a luxury she can’t afford at Grey Wolf and she’s starting to get the sense that there aren’t many ways to leave the academy and none of them are good. Failing is no longer an option.
THE WORLD:
It’s set in a part fantasy, part sci-fi world. On a reclusive tech trillionaire’s island, there are holograms and tons of technology that’s way ahead of the rest of the world. There’s also enchantments and time travel of a yet to be revealed and seemingly magical origin. Natasha seems to have the unique magical ability to see through time and glimpse things from other time periods. Although, she doesn’t have any control over it. There also seems to be some significance placed on numerology and tarot cards that I can only assume is supposed to be somehow mystically related to time, magic, fate, or Natasha’s abities.
THE CHARACTERS:
The main character, Natasha, can be a bit naive at times, but in a way that’s pretty realistic for her age. It’s not enough to really make her stupid (for her age) and she’s still fairly pragmatic, suspicious, and quick on her feet. She’s empathetic and likeable, but also pragmatic and a little bit morally gray. She’s not overly-forgiving, but she also bides her time for an opportunity for revenge instead of being a shortsighted hothead or tipping her hand prematurely. She lies when it’s smart to and she makes her fair share of mistakes. She’s not above being tempted or distracted. She doesn’t lose all perspective and spill all her secrets to the first guy she crushes on. She also doesn’t trust him completely. Natasha also undergoes growth, getting her ambition and sense of adventure back.
You don’t really get to the other characters very well yet, with the exception of Elodie, a classic antagonist that is impressive, pitiable, dangerous, diabolical, and never boring. Every character seems to be at least a bit morally grey, including Natasha. Most characters have a dark backstory for how they came to Greg Wolf Academy, like Natasha.
This book really keeps you guessing about who’s trustworthy and what hidden agendas and secrets everyone on the island has. Everyone seems to be hiding things.
THE ROMANCE:
There’s a bit of not exactly insta-love, but insta-attraction with the main love interest. However, it doesn’t completely overwhelm the main character’s good sense or, so I’m okay with it. (Although, I’m hoping for another love interest in Killian or a new character in book two cause I’m not liking Braxton and his whole mysterious, secretive, I-protect-people-by-keeping-them-in-dark-and-giving-vague-warnings, guy-with-a-dark-tortured-past-looking-for-redeption-by-getting-the-girl shtick. I thought it was weird and creepy that he Spoilerliked Natasha and gave her a nickname before he even met her because he read her file and basically stalked her at the behest of his boss.)
THE PLOT & ENDING:
It’s a bit predictable at times, but not enough to spoil the major mysteries too much. There were definitely still surprises. The mysteries were interesting and kept my attention.
At times, I thought the pace was bogged down a bit by descriptions of clothes, picking out clothes, and fancy things. The main character had an interest in fashion/fancy things and sometimes these descriptions were relevant to the plot, so it made sense to include them. I’m not really interested in fashion or general fanciness, so I found those (usually brief) digressions a bit boring.
The only major problem with the plot was that it felt…. unfinished. No major plot arcs are resolved. No short-term plot arcs are resolved to give you closure while a long-term arc remains unfinished. You don’t even know what the main antagonist wants or is planning. Add to that a twist introduced at the end of the book that introduced a new plotline and created a mini cliffhanger.
All in all, this book wouldn’t be a complete story as a standalone.This makes it hard to judge the story on its own. It all depends on Book 2 in this series.
I received a free digital advanced reader copy via NetGalley. I am writing this review completely honestly and voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault
Minor: Sexual content, Kidnapping, Sexism, Abandonment, and Alcohol
Blackmail, coercion, rape attemptmaryannc's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Kidnapping, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, and Confinement
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