Supernatural Academy: Year One by Jaymin EveMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Really enjoyable urban fantasy Academy book
There are a rash of Academy books floating around Amazon at the moment, in particular Kindle Unlimited. Some have been great and others mediocre enough to make me give up after a few chapters. This makes me conflicted every time I see a recommendation. I decided to take a chance on this book because I’ve read Jaymin Eve before and enjoyed her writing style. I was fairly sure it wouldn’t be a duff book.
One of the main things going for this particular book is that it revolved around NA rather than YA, a much more enjoyable genre for me. I like my characters to have grown up a little bit before they try to save the world. The MFC, Maddi has just turned 22 and is going through her birthday/New Year’s tradition of dyeing her hair a different colour. Whilst she is rinsing out her hair she is accosted by a woman who tells her that she is a supernatural and needs to go with her to an Academy so she doesn’t kill a lot of humans when she loses control.
Maddi is, unsurprisingly, sceptical. She has been alone since she was 17 when her drug addicted mother was killed. She was a witness and ran in fear for her life and has moved around every 12 months ever since, never getting too close to anyone because she knew she would be moving on. Finally the woman, Ilia, throws some magic cuffs on her and tells Maddi the only they way they are coming off is if she comes to the Academy.
When she arrives at the Academy she is captivated by the surroundings and eventually throws herself head first into learning about supernaturals. She never really has a major freak out about her change in circumstances and she even comments on it. It was one area I felt uncertain about, because though Maddi is a strong and independent character, learning you are supernatural has got to be a kick in the pants.
The other area I’m not sure of is that Maddi comes from an abusive and neglectful background and has been on her own for 5 years. The trauma and scarring that should be evident in anyone with her experiences is missing, despite her commenting on it. This felt like a lack to me and I’d be interested if it comes up in future books because what is the point of making her past traumatic if it has no relevance to the character or the plot? The only relevance I can see is that she has always been poor so she jumps at being giving a cash allowance, enough food and a warm comfortable place to stay. I suppose this has an impact on her easy acceptance of her change in circumstances but it seems to be a bit of a leap.
Once ensconced at the Academy Maddi learns a lot, makes friends and enemies (of course) and starts to find out about herself, because no one knows what she is.
There is plot a-plenty in this book and in particular I enjoyed the strong female characters and their support and friendship for each other. I also really enjoyed how Maddi and her love interest slowly got to know and trust each other as they dealt with all their problems.
There is lots lined up for the coming book/s and I look forward to reading them.
Borrow Free from Kindle Unlimited
Buy From Amazon UK
Buy From Amazon US
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