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The Last Academy
What is this prep school preparing them for?
Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam—and readers—stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel.
Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam—and readers—stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published April 28, 2013
About the author
Anne Applegate
1 book110 followersAnne Applegate is the author of THE LAST ACADEMY as well as this little blurb right here. She always thought writing about herself in third person would feel pretentious and weird, but it turns out she kind of enjoys it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
April 20, 2013
Originally Posted on:Confessions of an Opinionated Book Geek
I was 100 pages into this book when I had to ask myself what I was reading and why. The synopsis calls this a thriller, but I never experienced any form of thrill or anxiety. I was creeped out at most, but not in the way that “The Ring” creeped me out, but the way that stranger on the train who stares without blinking creeps me out. I just wanted to get away from the weirdness.
And it is weird. There is a scene where a 17 or 18 year old boy gets in a bed and cuddles with his mommy while his girlfriend watches…skeevy, right?! I just couldn’t see past the weirdness. When it’s not being weird, “Last Academy” is just a series of mundane boarding school scenes. It has this supernatural twist, but it doesn’t have the charm of a book like “Anna and the French Kiss” which is about boarding school life, but is never mundane or boring.
The synopsis basically gives away the big twist of this story, but there is a chance you totally missed it. If you missed it then this story makes absolutely no sense. I missed it, so after the first 100 pages of nothing happening I went back to the synopsis and was like “oh.” Until you realize what it is that’s happening you really have to wonder why the hell you should finish this book. When you realize what’s really happening you have to wonder if this is the best the author could do with this idea.
Camden spends a lot of time trying to investigate her school, the teachers and their financial backer. When the truth comes out it’s all dialogue. There is no action or excitement. Just two people talking in a room. Boring. There needed to be so much more action and emotion.
Wasn’t for me.
I was 100 pages into this book when I had to ask myself what I was reading and why. The synopsis calls this a thriller, but I never experienced any form of thrill or anxiety. I was creeped out at most, but not in the way that “The Ring” creeped me out, but the way that stranger on the train who stares without blinking creeps me out. I just wanted to get away from the weirdness.
And it is weird. There is a scene where a 17 or 18 year old boy gets in a bed and cuddles with his mommy while his girlfriend watches…skeevy, right?! I just couldn’t see past the weirdness. When it’s not being weird, “Last Academy” is just a series of mundane boarding school scenes. It has this supernatural twist, but it doesn’t have the charm of a book like “Anna and the French Kiss” which is about boarding school life, but is never mundane or boring.
The synopsis basically gives away the big twist of this story, but there is a chance you totally missed it. If you missed it then this story makes absolutely no sense. I missed it, so after the first 100 pages of nothing happening I went back to the synopsis and was like “oh.” Until you realize what it is that’s happening you really have to wonder why the hell you should finish this book. When you realize what’s really happening you have to wonder if this is the best the author could do with this idea.
Camden spends a lot of time trying to investigate her school, the teachers and their financial backer. When the truth comes out it’s all dialogue. There is no action or excitement. Just two people talking in a room. Boring. There needed to be so much more action and emotion.
Wasn’t for me.
June 17, 2013
0 stars, but if i put 0, it won't average in....
recommended to: not even my worst enemy.....i would not wish this torture on ANYONE!!!!!
absolutely awful! the writing was worse than that of a 6th grader....the author and Scholastic should be embarrassed that this was actually published!
normally, i'll have a disclaimer that: please don't take into consideration the amount of time spent reading the book as any indication of it being bad or not engrossing....yea, for this one, PLEASE DO take it into consideration! it took me over one hour to read 10 pages because of all the mistakes in it. and the mistakes were throughout the entire book....actually, the mistakes were the only thing that was actually consistent! and i'm talking basic fundamental rules of grammar....it was awful.
i am appalled that scholastic actually let it go to print in it's condition....i think incredibly less of them now, and can't see myself reading, let alone paying for another book they publish, if this is their level of standards....
i actually started drafting the letter i'm sending to scholastic while i was still reading the book....i NEED my money back....this book is doing a disservice to anyone that reads it....i'd love to get back the 4 days i WASTED trudging through this monstrosity, but i can't, so i want my 20$ back!
please, do NOT read this book. it will be a waste of your time, and there is nothing you can do to get those days back, wishing you had never come across it in the first place....
i finished it last night, and it was a real challenge to get through the book. i had NO idea what it was about! i mainly got it because of the blurb on the front cover: what is this prep school preparing them for?...and, i felt it had NOTHING to do with the actual book until the last few chapters! i determined what the big reveal would be the very first time the was mentioned. i think if i was also more well versed in the or certain aspects of it, i would have picked up on immediately....or in either of those, and i would have instantly picked up on ...that would have further ruined the book....if it's even possible to further ruin something so awful!
the writing was HORRENDOUS! scholastic should be ashamed that they published something that bad! there is not ONE PAGE in the book that doesn't have at least one mistake on it! really awful!
i also had a problem with how dumbed down everything was....the dialogue, the words in the narrative....the fact that after something happened, it had to be spelled out for the readers, it just shows how highly
Anne Applegate thinks of her readers....that they're dumb and can't comprehend the simplest of things....it's offensive...
recommended to: not even my worst enemy.....i would not wish this torture on ANYONE!!!!!
absolutely awful! the writing was worse than that of a 6th grader....the author and Scholastic should be embarrassed that this was actually published!
normally, i'll have a disclaimer that: please don't take into consideration the amount of time spent reading the book as any indication of it being bad or not engrossing....yea, for this one, PLEASE DO take it into consideration! it took me over one hour to read 10 pages because of all the mistakes in it. and the mistakes were throughout the entire book....actually, the mistakes were the only thing that was actually consistent! and i'm talking basic fundamental rules of grammar....it was awful.
i am appalled that scholastic actually let it go to print in it's condition....i think incredibly less of them now, and can't see myself reading, let alone paying for another book they publish, if this is their level of standards....
i actually started drafting the letter i'm sending to scholastic while i was still reading the book....i NEED my money back....this book is doing a disservice to anyone that reads it....i'd love to get back the 4 days i WASTED trudging through this monstrosity, but i can't, so i want my 20$ back!
please, do NOT read this book. it will be a waste of your time, and there is nothing you can do to get those days back, wishing you had never come across it in the first place....
i finished it last night, and it was a real challenge to get through the book. i had NO idea what it was about! i mainly got it because of the blurb on the front cover: what is this prep school preparing them for?...and, i felt it had NOTHING to do with the actual book until the last few chapters! i determined what the big reveal would be the very first time the was mentioned. i think if i was also more well versed in the or certain aspects of it, i would have picked up on immediately....or in either of those, and i would have instantly picked up on ...that would have further ruined the book....if it's even possible to further ruin something so awful!
the writing was HORRENDOUS! scholastic should be ashamed that they published something that bad! there is not ONE PAGE in the book that doesn't have at least one mistake on it! really awful!
i also had a problem with how dumbed down everything was....the dialogue, the words in the narrative....the fact that after something happened, it had to be spelled out for the readers, it just shows how highly
Anne Applegate thinks of her readers....that they're dumb and can't comprehend the simplest of things....it's offensive...
April 7, 2013
This review and others are posted at Read, Rinse, Repeat.
Like many other bloggers, I take notes while reading to aid in the writing of my reviews. While reading The Last Academy, my notes were comments like, "Is ANYTHING going to happen?" and "I feel like I'm missing something here." I considered giving up, because so much of this book just didn't make a lot of sense, and it didn't really engage me. The synopsis describes a thriller plot, but what I was actually reading was more of the mundane aspects of boarding school life: an obnoxious roommate, teenage crushes, and late-night pranks. Yes, the thriller parts were there, but they confused me more than frightened me. Most notably, I wondered how a sinister and seemingly dangerous man was allowed to torment Camden.
When I reached the 85% point of the book, BOOM! All of my notes went out the window. A nice twist, but then I remembered the Goodreads synopsis. It's right there! WHY, Scholastic? That one sentence is going to spoil the book for many readers. Fortunately, I read the intriguing synopsis some time prior to requesting the book from NetGalley, so I had pretty much forgotten about it by the time I began to read the book. I'm afraid this won't be the case for many people.
Note - Even though the GR synopsis contains the spoiler, I'm going to dance around it in the next paragraph. But if you glossed over the synopsis like I did, I may highlight something that didn't really stand out to you, so proceed with caution. (I'm going to include a suggestion to Scholastic in my NG feedback, so hopefully they will delete the spoiler. Incidentally, the Amazon synopsis does not include the spoiler.)
It is impossible not to compare this book to the film to which The Last Academy synopsis compares itself. In that case, the twist worked magnificently. In The Last Academy, the twist was not as successful. While there were no major plot holes, I had to plod through a great majority of the book to get to this point. And when I finally reached it, a character had to explain everything (and I mean, EVERYTHING) in order to make the twist work. So, the last 15% of the book essentially re-summarized the entire book, with the added perspective of the twist. This was not necessary in the film, and I was left feeling that I could have just picked up the book at the 85% point without missing anything. This makes me wonder if the twist was even necessary; perhaps I would have liked the book more if I knew from the beginning where it was headed, and it could have explored these points in more length and depth. There were some interesting insights and moving moments, but it's unfortunate that they came too little and too late.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Like many other bloggers, I take notes while reading to aid in the writing of my reviews. While reading The Last Academy, my notes were comments like, "Is ANYTHING going to happen?" and "I feel like I'm missing something here." I considered giving up, because so much of this book just didn't make a lot of sense, and it didn't really engage me. The synopsis describes a thriller plot, but what I was actually reading was more of the mundane aspects of boarding school life: an obnoxious roommate, teenage crushes, and late-night pranks. Yes, the thriller parts were there, but they confused me more than frightened me. Most notably, I wondered how a sinister and seemingly dangerous man was allowed to torment Camden.
When I reached the 85% point of the book, BOOM! All of my notes went out the window. A nice twist, but then I remembered the Goodreads synopsis. It's right there! WHY, Scholastic? That one sentence is going to spoil the book for many readers. Fortunately, I read the intriguing synopsis some time prior to requesting the book from NetGalley, so I had pretty much forgotten about it by the time I began to read the book. I'm afraid this won't be the case for many people.
Note - Even though the GR synopsis contains the spoiler, I'm going to dance around it in the next paragraph. But if you glossed over the synopsis like I did, I may highlight something that didn't really stand out to you, so proceed with caution. (I'm going to include a suggestion to Scholastic in my NG feedback, so hopefully they will delete the spoiler. Incidentally, the Amazon synopsis does not include the spoiler.)
It is impossible not to compare this book to the film to which The Last Academy synopsis compares itself. In that case, the twist worked magnificently. In The Last Academy, the twist was not as successful. While there were no major plot holes, I had to plod through a great majority of the book to get to this point. And when I finally reached it, a character had to explain everything (and I mean, EVERYTHING) in order to make the twist work. So, the last 15% of the book essentially re-summarized the entire book, with the added perspective of the twist. This was not necessary in the film, and I was left feeling that I could have just picked up the book at the 85% point without missing anything. This makes me wonder if the twist was even necessary; perhaps I would have liked the book more if I knew from the beginning where it was headed, and it could have explored these points in more length and depth. There were some interesting insights and moving moments, but it's unfortunate that they came too little and too late.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
May 20, 2013
I don't think I've had much look with Point books yet. But, okay, let's get on with this. At first glance, "The Last Academy" and its blurb sucked me in. Boarding schools? YEAH! Middle school protags? Okay, cool. Weird stuff happening? Yes please. But the blurb is probably the best part of this book, which is the saddest part of all. I wish I could recommend "The Last Academy", but I just can't.
Where to start? Even at the ARC point of things, this book really needed at least two more drafts to get really readable. All of the technical areas BADLY needed work - even the dialogue, which is something rare that I find a flaw in. Usually if there's even just one other technical area that's somewhat stronger, I can let the dialogue slide just a bit. But here, it just stuck out more - from the first sentence, which should ideally hook the audience, it was awkward and stilted, and just felt like the author was trying to write what a young teenager would say.
Second: the MC. She's said to be 14, but she sounds at most like a very young 13. The character building for all of the characters up until I DNFd this was nearly non-existent, and they all felt so very 1D it nearly physically hurt. Also, we have her boyfriend talking down to her, and the author actual dumbs down the MC for the audience - which really just broke the camel's back for me since everything else (non-existent sensory language, shoddy worldbuilding) just wasn't there.
One of my huge pet peeves within writing is dumbing down characters or ideas for the audience to digest. Seriously, guys, even kids aren't as simple as you think they are. There's also writing down to the audience, which occurs here.
While I did like the idea of this plot of vague supernatural mystery, it needed to start getting clearer the further we went through the book. It didn't. It stayed vague, and thus, really didn't develop, or help the characters develop in every way.
So, as I said before - needed at least two more drafts before getting to the ARC point of things because this felt more like first draft material. So disappointing, and I had high hopes for this one.
But that's just how I feel about it. "The Last Academy" is out now from Scholastic in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance. Hopefully it'll work better for you than it did for me.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
Where to start? Even at the ARC point of things, this book really needed at least two more drafts to get really readable. All of the technical areas BADLY needed work - even the dialogue, which is something rare that I find a flaw in. Usually if there's even just one other technical area that's somewhat stronger, I can let the dialogue slide just a bit. But here, it just stuck out more - from the first sentence, which should ideally hook the audience, it was awkward and stilted, and just felt like the author was trying to write what a young teenager would say.
Second: the MC. She's said to be 14, but she sounds at most like a very young 13. The character building for all of the characters up until I DNFd this was nearly non-existent, and they all felt so very 1D it nearly physically hurt. Also, we have her boyfriend talking down to her, and the author actual dumbs down the MC for the audience - which really just broke the camel's back for me since everything else (non-existent sensory language, shoddy worldbuilding) just wasn't there.
One of my huge pet peeves within writing is dumbing down characters or ideas for the audience to digest. Seriously, guys, even kids aren't as simple as you think they are. There's also writing down to the audience, which occurs here.
While I did like the idea of this plot of vague supernatural mystery, it needed to start getting clearer the further we went through the book. It didn't. It stayed vague, and thus, really didn't develop, or help the characters develop in every way.
So, as I said before - needed at least two more drafts before getting to the ARC point of things because this felt more like first draft material. So disappointing, and I had high hopes for this one.
But that's just how I feel about it. "The Last Academy" is out now from Scholastic in North America, so be sure to check it out when you get the chance. Hopefully it'll work better for you than it did for me.
(posted to goodreads, shelfari, and birthofanewwitch.wordpress.com)
May 6, 2019
I read TONS of books every year and one of the things I love is when an author doesn't make things too obvious. Now don't get me wrong, it still has to make sense and there has to be clues and facts that lead to the ending. This book has ALL OF THAT.
I love the characters. They all have their own issues and back stories. Camden becomes part of pretty awesome circle of friends. They bend over backwards to help each other and to understand what is happening at their new school.
I was literally almost done with the book and I couldn't figure out what was going on. The ending literally blew me away. The facts and hints were all there but I just never connected them. In fact, I saw one of the clues and thought "Hey that's an interesting coincidence". It wasn't a coincidence at all and I still didn't connect it. Well done, Miss Applegate! You have won yourself a new fan.
I love the characters. They all have their own issues and back stories. Camden becomes part of pretty awesome circle of friends. They bend over backwards to help each other and to understand what is happening at their new school.
I was literally almost done with the book and I couldn't figure out what was going on. The ending literally blew me away. The facts and hints were all there but I just never connected them. In fact, I saw one of the clues and thought "Hey that's an interesting coincidence". It wasn't a coincidence at all and I still didn't connect it. Well done, Miss Applegate! You have won yourself a new fan.
Want to read
December 15, 2012Honestly, it's because of the cover.
May 10, 2013
Honestly, I just don't even know.
The only way that I can describe this book, is weird. HOLY. Like, I can't even describe. To be honest, after reading the last word in this book, my only thought was, "I'm glad that's over." The Last Academy by Anne Applegate is a book that I was highly anticipating for 2013, and all I got was a bunch of uncomfortable weirdness. Y'all might be thinking: is that the only way Jen can describe this book? And the answer is yes! Throughout the entire novel I was constantly thinking how strange and utterly freaky this book was, and not necessarily in the good way. So many things went wrong for me in this book, and I have to admit, it was frustrating. The Last Academy is a curious book with its odd characteristics here and there (and everywhere).
One of my main problems (among many..) in this book is the plot. There's not much going for it, which makes it really confusing. At first, I kind of just went along with it, but by the midway point, I was completely befuddled as to where the story was going. I wasn't even sure if the genre of this book was contemporary, thriller, mystery, or supernatural? It's all over the place. It's not until 90% that the reader finds out the answers in this book. Ninety percent. That's a long time; usually, it's the halfway point or a little after that, not right before the very end. Sadly, only the last ten percent of this novel was redeemable and actually slightly enjoyable. So that's how the plot went. As you can tell, not very well…
I also had issues with the characters in The Last Academy. The main character, Camden, is one of those characters that's just kind of there. I have no feelings for her, none at all. I felt no connection during my time with this book whatsoever. She is flat, and a bit boring at that. Camden goes through a lot of problems, and not one of them made me empathize with her. And the other characters in the book? Nawwwt much better. I have to mention the staff in The Last Academy. UUUMM, creepers! They are all totally pedos and spine-tinglingly uncomfortable!
So, clearly, this book didn't work out for me. However, it did make me curious enough to read the whole thing, and not DNF it. It's like those things that are so gross but you just can't look away, you know? It's a weird feeling. I honestly expected so much more out of this book because I love boarding school books (lately, I've noticed that boarding school books haven't been working out for me..), but The Last Academy was not my cup of tea. Hopefully some readers out there will enjoy this novel, but I can't really recommend it, unless you want to be completely weirded out!
2 teacups for The Last Academy!
*Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review!*
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON A Reading Daydreamer:
http://a-reading-daydreamer.blogspot....
For more of my reviews, check out the blog:
The only way that I can describe this book, is weird. HOLY. Like, I can't even describe. To be honest, after reading the last word in this book, my only thought was, "I'm glad that's over." The Last Academy by Anne Applegate is a book that I was highly anticipating for 2013, and all I got was a bunch of uncomfortable weirdness. Y'all might be thinking: is that the only way Jen can describe this book? And the answer is yes! Throughout the entire novel I was constantly thinking how strange and utterly freaky this book was, and not necessarily in the good way. So many things went wrong for me in this book, and I have to admit, it was frustrating. The Last Academy is a curious book with its odd characteristics here and there (and everywhere).
One of my main problems (among many..) in this book is the plot. There's not much going for it, which makes it really confusing. At first, I kind of just went along with it, but by the midway point, I was completely befuddled as to where the story was going. I wasn't even sure if the genre of this book was contemporary, thriller, mystery, or supernatural? It's all over the place. It's not until 90% that the reader finds out the answers in this book. Ninety percent. That's a long time; usually, it's the halfway point or a little after that, not right before the very end. Sadly, only the last ten percent of this novel was redeemable and actually slightly enjoyable. So that's how the plot went. As you can tell, not very well…
I also had issues with the characters in The Last Academy. The main character, Camden, is one of those characters that's just kind of there. I have no feelings for her, none at all. I felt no connection during my time with this book whatsoever. She is flat, and a bit boring at that. Camden goes through a lot of problems, and not one of them made me empathize with her. And the other characters in the book? Nawwwt much better. I have to mention the staff in The Last Academy. UUUMM, creepers! They are all totally pedos and spine-tinglingly uncomfortable!
So, clearly, this book didn't work out for me. However, it did make me curious enough to read the whole thing, and not DNF it. It's like those things that are so gross but you just can't look away, you know? It's a weird feeling. I honestly expected so much more out of this book because I love boarding school books (lately, I've noticed that boarding school books haven't been working out for me..), but The Last Academy was not my cup of tea. Hopefully some readers out there will enjoy this novel, but I can't really recommend it, unless you want to be completely weirded out!
2 teacups for The Last Academy!
*Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review!*
THIS REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED ON A Reading Daydreamer:
http://a-reading-daydreamer.blogspot....
For more of my reviews, check out the blog:
April 21, 2013
DNF, gave up reading at page 189/316. The story is painfully disjointed and I had no idea what was going on, but not in the good keep my interest sort of way.
I was bored despite lots of unconnected "actions". I also couldn't remember the main characters name. And there was some strange insta-love/crush going on.
This was just really not my thing.
I was bored despite lots of unconnected "actions". I also couldn't remember the main characters name. And there was some strange insta-love/crush going on.
This was just really not my thing.
April 30, 2013
**1.5 STARS**
Original is here on my blog. (Note: due to copy-and-paste, formatting may be lost.)
First off, I should probably make the caveat that I'm not typically a fan of boarding school stories. But Scholastic was really kind in sending me this book, and it had a fun-sounding premise, so I figured... why not?
Oh, why not indeed.
It should be mentioned that this book wasn't all bad. Anne Applegate captures the life of a boarding school quite well--although, I can't speak from experience, only logical deductions. But I like that Cam really develops her character throughout the novel. I also thought that the twist was one of the cleverest ones I've read in a long time.
Unfortunately, there isn't much other praise I can sing.
Alright, look: this is probably just a personal thing. But from the synopsis (and the first few chapters alone) I guessed the twist in this book. But I'm an avid Greek mythology fan, so perhaps I should've lowered my radar just a bit when factoring that in. It' still a great revelation, just... The mystery was the only thing going for me and, once I cracked it, I had to force myself to keep on reading.
Also, gosh I know I'm so nitpicky, but the insta-love...
Cam could've thrived with her friends! But she's so obsessively in love with --I know, I know, I understand the hormones and all. But her relationship with Mark plays such a major part in her coming to terms with what's happened to her, I just wish it wasn't so quickly skimmed over and instead developed more realistically, yanno?
It's not that I didn't like Cam. It's that her voice was too inconsistent. I know that the teenage years are a growing and changing time (see above GIF), but having your eighth grade character say "creeptastic" and- actually, why don't I just give you a quote? (It's sort of a "big" spoiler, though, if you get it.)
How does Cam respond to this?
THAT, my friends, is probably my major issue with this book. The fact that it "dumbs down" the protagonist. Look, my cousin who's in third grade understood that sentence the guy said just fine. I really, really wish Cam wouldn't respond to everything with a "I'm new to this world and wow shiny what?"-type of attitude.
And the worst part is all the potential this book had. A boarding school full of intrigue? Prepping for something that is a new twist in an overfilled genre? Middle school protagonists? FRIENDSHIPS! :D And, from the beginning of the book, actual parents?
But to my deepest regret, none of those potentials were fulfilled.
Even the friendships. Read the first chapter and I dare you not to hate Lia. I literally was like this:
I felt so bad for Cam, but somehow in the end everything is just magically solved and it just depresses, depresses me, because there was potential for so much character growth and all that just fell incredibly flat and cliché. And though Cam became a better person at the end, I didn't really see the transformation occur--and I didn't see even a hint of development for so many other characters at all, even though they had a perfect opportunity to learn from their faults. Isn't that what makes a book triumphant? The beggar finding the hero inside?
Overall, this is one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write. I'm sorry that it's not the best review I've ever written--this is one of those books that you just don't know how you feel about. Because there's so much potential and you sort of idolize that premise but the way it just flops breaks your heart.
Give this book a try, if you're into boarding school and Pretty Little Liars-esque stories.
But if my feelings are anything to judge off of, don't expect a phenomenal tale.
Original is here on my blog. (Note: due to copy-and-paste, formatting may be lost.)
First off, I should probably make the caveat that I'm not typically a fan of boarding school stories. But Scholastic was really kind in sending me this book, and it had a fun-sounding premise, so I figured... why not?
Oh, why not indeed.
It should be mentioned that this book wasn't all bad. Anne Applegate captures the life of a boarding school quite well--although, I can't speak from experience, only logical deductions. But I like that Cam really develops her character throughout the novel. I also thought that the twist was one of the cleverest ones I've read in a long time.
Unfortunately, there isn't much other praise I can sing.
Alright, look: this is probably just a personal thing. But from the synopsis (and the first few chapters alone) I guessed the twist in this book. But I'm an avid Greek mythology fan, so perhaps I should've lowered my radar just a bit when factoring that in. It' still a great revelation, just... The mystery was the only thing going for me and, once I cracked it, I had to force myself to keep on reading.
Also, gosh I know I'm so nitpicky, but the insta-love...
Cam could've thrived with her friends! But she's so obsessively in love with --I know, I know, I understand the hormones and all. But her relationship with Mark plays such a major part in her coming to terms with what's happened to her, I just wish it wasn't so quickly skimmed over and instead developed more realistically, yanno?
It's not that I didn't like Cam. It's that her voice was too inconsistent. I know that the teenage years are a growing and changing time (see above GIF), but having your eighth grade character say "creeptastic" and- actually, why don't I just give you a quote? (It's sort of a "big" spoiler, though, if you get it.)
How does Cam respond to this?
THAT, my friends, is probably my major issue with this book. The fact that it "dumbs down" the protagonist. Look, my cousin who's in third grade understood that sentence the guy said just fine. I really, really wish Cam wouldn't respond to everything with a "I'm new to this world and wow shiny what?"-type of attitude.
And the worst part is all the potential this book had. A boarding school full of intrigue? Prepping for something that is a new twist in an overfilled genre? Middle school protagonists? FRIENDSHIPS! :D And, from the beginning of the book, actual parents?
But to my deepest regret, none of those potentials were fulfilled.
Even the friendships. Read the first chapter and I dare you not to hate Lia. I literally was like this:
I felt so bad for Cam, but somehow in the end everything is just magically solved and it just depresses, depresses me, because there was potential for so much character growth and all that just fell incredibly flat and cliché. And though Cam became a better person at the end, I didn't really see the transformation occur--and I didn't see even a hint of development for so many other characters at all, even though they had a perfect opportunity to learn from their faults. Isn't that what makes a book triumphant? The beggar finding the hero inside?
Overall, this is one of the hardest reviews I've ever had to write. I'm sorry that it's not the best review I've ever written--this is one of those books that you just don't know how you feel about. Because there's so much potential and you sort of idolize that premise but the way it just flops breaks your heart.
Give this book a try, if you're into boarding school and Pretty Little Liars-esque stories.
But if my feelings are anything to judge off of, don't expect a phenomenal tale.
June 11, 2017
Some reviews said it was obvious what was going on/ what the school is, but I don't agree. It wasn't obvious to me and I don't think it would be to teenagers either, unless they are experts in Greek mythology! I did get an inkling of what was happening with Camden and her classmates, especially after the visit to Mark's house but I still didn't get what was going on with Barnaby and Mr Cooper. Not the best written book, but it was a quick read and passed the time well enough. I would have lapped it up at age 12 or 13.
May 2, 2013
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
*A copy was provided by Scholastic for review purposes*
Something dark and terrible is brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam – and readers – stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut that must be re-read to be believed.
Yep. That sums it up pretty well.
When I started this book I thought it would be a typical goes-to-boarding-school-people-disappear-because-someone-is-killing-the-kids and I was waiting till the end to decide if I liked how Applegate formed the mystery and chose the culprit…but then I got to the end and it went a completely different way. I was completely surprised, but very pleased and impressed. I never, in a million years, saw that ending coming. The thing I was most impressed with was the staging. Throughout the book there were events that, at the time, you thought were just events and were there for no reason, but then you get to the end and look back and go like “Oooh, so that’s what that meant.”. This book is written in a very unique way, in that a ton of hints are dropped in the beginning and middle of the book, but nothing is actually explained until the end. I’m just amazed that Applegate managed to pull it off. She managed to keep my attention and pull me into the story. I loved her humor in the book, and her writing was really good. I liked the hint of romance in this book as well, even though it didn’t play a huge part in this book. And, like I said, the ending was amazing.
I really liked the character development in this book. You really got to know each character very well. Mark, the love interest, isn’t a huge part of this book, but you still feel like you know him because of his visits to his mom. You get to learn a bit about him. I also liked how Applegate developed Brynne and Nora, and how we got to connect with them. And I also loved getting to know Camden. She was a very strong character, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her.
What with the awesome staging and story line, jaw-dropping ending, and cute writing, this is a wonderful debut, and I can’t wait to see what Applegate comes up with next.
And I finally get what the title means LOL.
Favorite Quotes:
~Page 43-44, uncorrected ARC edition
~Page 48-49, uncorrected ARC edition
~Page 252, uncorrected ARC edition
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Emily's Crammed Bookshelf
*A copy was provided by Scholastic for review purposes*
Something dark and terrible is brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam – and readers – stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut that must be re-read to be believed.
Yep. That sums it up pretty well.
When I started this book I thought it would be a typical goes-to-boarding-school-people-disappear-because-someone-is-killing-the-kids and I was waiting till the end to decide if I liked how Applegate formed the mystery and chose the culprit…but then I got to the end and it went a completely different way. I was completely surprised, but very pleased and impressed. I never, in a million years, saw that ending coming. The thing I was most impressed with was the staging. Throughout the book there were events that, at the time, you thought were just events and were there for no reason, but then you get to the end and look back and go like “Oooh, so that’s what that meant.”. This book is written in a very unique way, in that a ton of hints are dropped in the beginning and middle of the book, but nothing is actually explained until the end. I’m just amazed that Applegate managed to pull it off. She managed to keep my attention and pull me into the story. I loved her humor in the book, and her writing was really good. I liked the hint of romance in this book as well, even though it didn’t play a huge part in this book. And, like I said, the ending was amazing.
I really liked the character development in this book. You really got to know each character very well. Mark, the love interest, isn’t a huge part of this book, but you still feel like you know him because of his visits to his mom. You get to learn a bit about him. I also liked how Applegate developed Brynne and Nora, and how we got to connect with them. And I also loved getting to know Camden. She was a very strong character, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her.
What with the awesome staging and story line, jaw-dropping ending, and cute writing, this is a wonderful debut, and I can’t wait to see what Applegate comes up with next.
And I finally get what the title means LOL.
Favorite Quotes:
#1 Favorite Quote of All Time: Nora got to the doors of Kelser first. She lay into them without slowing down, arms out to push them open. Her whole body smacked against them and she crumpled like a swatted fly. I made a note to remember the doors at Kelser House opened out instead of in. Nora picked herself up and pulled the door open.
~Page 43-44, uncorrected ARC edition
I glanced at my watch. 7:20 in the morning. I still had to get back down to my room, make my bed for inspection, brush my teeth, yell at Tamara for having guys in our room last night, and arrive on time for my first class. It was going to be a busy morning.
~Page 48-49, uncorrected ARC edition
If you ate nothing but old books and dust bunnies, this room would smell like your farts.
~Page 252, uncorrected ARC edition
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Emily's Crammed Bookshelf
June 21, 2013
There are a few words to sum up this book and none of them are good. The review contains major spoilers as there is no other way to clearly explain my disappointment in this book.
Word one: Obvious. There was no mystery to this book. If you know about Greek mythology this book was so painful obvious that it isn't even funny. When I first started reading it I didn't think twice about Lethe Academy but then we added Charon. Ugh, right there I knew what I was dealing with (and his name appears quite early in the book around page 30). Lethe, the river of forgetfulness and Charon the ferryman to the river Styx. If it wasn't obvious that every student was dead at the Academy that became painful obvious while one of the students talked about the death of her brother (which again is very early in the book). I thought to myself: You're all dead! Again if that didn't get you when Mark and Cam go and visit his mom and his brother John ignores Cam, it's almost like he doesn't see her. That's because she's dead! Dead!!!!! Then we added the gold coins that made people disappear. No they were payment for the ferryman. ARG!!!!!!!!!
Word two: Painful. This book was so painful to read. It was boring. Perhaps that was because I knew what was going to happen by page 30. I thought maybe the author will throw in a twist ending. Nope, it ended exactly how I thought it would. Painful because I felt insulted as a reader. It felt like the author truly thought the book was going to be a mystery so there shouldn't be a need to hide what the story was about, you could just clearly state the names Lethe and Charon and the readers would just be like, hey, what's that? Readers are not stupid people, I am not a stupid person. The relationship between Cam and Mark was unbelievable and quick. Friendships were formed without any real give and take and the characters were flat. I can't say anything good about this book because I couldn't find anything good. Perhaps it was because I felt so insulted. Congratulations, I don't think any other author has ever made me feel that way before.
I really wish the river Lethe was real because then I'd bathe in it so I could forget I ever read this book in the first place and I'd really like my money back.
Word one: Obvious. There was no mystery to this book. If you know about Greek mythology this book was so painful obvious that it isn't even funny. When I first started reading it I didn't think twice about Lethe Academy but then we added Charon. Ugh, right there I knew what I was dealing with (and his name appears quite early in the book around page 30). Lethe, the river of forgetfulness and Charon the ferryman to the river Styx. If it wasn't obvious that every student was dead at the Academy that became painful obvious while one of the students talked about the death of her brother (which again is very early in the book). I thought to myself: You're all dead! Again if that didn't get you when Mark and Cam go and visit his mom and his brother John ignores Cam, it's almost like he doesn't see her. That's because she's dead! Dead!!!!! Then we added the gold coins that made people disappear. No they were payment for the ferryman. ARG!!!!!!!!!
Word two: Painful. This book was so painful to read. It was boring. Perhaps that was because I knew what was going to happen by page 30. I thought maybe the author will throw in a twist ending. Nope, it ended exactly how I thought it would. Painful because I felt insulted as a reader. It felt like the author truly thought the book was going to be a mystery so there shouldn't be a need to hide what the story was about, you could just clearly state the names Lethe and Charon and the readers would just be like, hey, what's that? Readers are not stupid people, I am not a stupid person. The relationship between Cam and Mark was unbelievable and quick. Friendships were formed without any real give and take and the characters were flat. I can't say anything good about this book because I couldn't find anything good. Perhaps it was because I felt so insulted. Congratulations, I don't think any other author has ever made me feel that way before.
I really wish the river Lethe was real because then I'd bathe in it so I could forget I ever read this book in the first place and I'd really like my money back.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2013
Unlike several reviews who dissed this book, I actually enjoyed it. Yes, if someone reads it as just another prep school book, it would be disappointing. Or if someone takes seriously just how seemingly careless the faculty seems to be about the disappearance of their students, yes, it might seem quite weird. Even the odd encounter the protagonist, 14-year-old Camden Fisher, has with Barnaby Charon while flying to Lethe, her new boarding school, has creepy written all over it. But I enjoyed the hints that are provided that Lethe and Barnaby are not at all what they seem; for instance, the names, the coins, the way Camden takes forever before finally calling home, and then when she does, her father doesn't want to talk to her--all of these alert readers as to what's going on and where Camden is. I liked thinking about a place such as Lethe existing to prepare teens to go to their final resting places. Finally, it was hard not to root for Camden as she changed over the course of the book and was able to stand up for herself as well as forgive her best friend. The section in which she reads the clippings that describe how everyone has died was worth the rest of the book. Maybe I was just in a Goth mood and needed to be entertained as summer school starts tomorrow, but I found it engaging. Teen readers will too, and will enjoy it even more a second time once they know what's going on. It kind of reminds me of the ping that you get when you hear that line, "I see dead people" in that movie from years ago, and you realize, "Ah, so that's what's happening" and need to watch it again to appreciate how all the scenes have been tied together.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2013
Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2...
The great part of this story is the part I can't really talk about without giving away the amazing plot twist. But I'll try! In dealing with the issues the book deals with, including the falling-out with Cam's friend back home, The Last Academy is brilliant. The name of the school should have given it away to me, but I somehow skipped over that at the beginning of the book! Anyway, it's as scary as this issue should be, but it has such tenderness and soothing elements as well. And lots of good crying spots!
Cam is wonderful - essentially a good girl who starts experimenting with mischief. I love the big scene when she breaks all the rules. There's a sense of terror as she thinks she'll be found out at any second, and then there's the utter exhilaration when she gets back to her room and realizes she got away with it - or thinks she has.
I'm not entirely sure what purpose the romance serves in the plot, but in any case it was a great relationship to follow. Starting with irrational infatuation over a guy she knows simply as hot, Mark moves to being a real, real person, with issues of his own to muddle through. His story does add a lot to the overall story and the understanding that Cam comes to eventually.
The great part of this story is the part I can't really talk about without giving away the amazing plot twist. But I'll try! In dealing with the issues the book deals with, including the falling-out with Cam's friend back home, The Last Academy is brilliant. The name of the school should have given it away to me, but I somehow skipped over that at the beginning of the book! Anyway, it's as scary as this issue should be, but it has such tenderness and soothing elements as well. And lots of good crying spots!
Cam is wonderful - essentially a good girl who starts experimenting with mischief. I love the big scene when she breaks all the rules. There's a sense of terror as she thinks she'll be found out at any second, and then there's the utter exhilaration when she gets back to her room and realizes she got away with it - or thinks she has.
I'm not entirely sure what purpose the romance serves in the plot, but in any case it was a great relationship to follow. Starting with irrational infatuation over a guy she knows simply as hot, Mark moves to being a real, real person, with issues of his own to muddle through. His story does add a lot to the overall story and the understanding that Cam comes to eventually.
May 28, 2020
The mystery is a huge part of this book, but a lot of the book is internal reflection and reflection on life, death, love, friendship and family. The mystery, in the end, wasn't a typical mystery. I would consider this book a Young-Adult paranormal fiction mystery. Kind of one limb in each category.
Also had me REAL EMOTIONAL. If you're looking for a quick, introspective but also kind of sad YA read, this is it!
Also had me REAL EMOTIONAL. If you're looking for a quick, introspective but also kind of sad YA read, this is it!
August 28, 2017
Listened to this one because it was a short audio that I could get finished before the end of the month. The audios that I've listened to lately I've really enjoyed! I suppose I didn't follow this one as much as I could have, because I did get a little confused throughout, but I did still really enjoy it. The narrator was nice as well. The whole concept of I really liked at the end when it explained Almost wish this was a series haha.
June 26, 2017
"Akademie der Dämmerung" stand meiner Meinung nach schon viel zu lange ungelesen in meinem Regal, sodass ich es endlich daraus befreien wollte. Da ich Internatsgeschichten eigentlich ganz gerne mag und diese ganz interessant fand, habe ich mir hier eine spannende Geschichte erhofft, die ich jedoch leider nicht erhalten habe.
Ich möchte hier nicht sagen, dass der Schreibstil nicht gelungen ist, denn tolle Ansätze sind definitiv vorhanden, das Problem ist jedoch, dass in "Akademie der Dämmerung" streckenweise absolut nichts passiert, sodass sich die Geschichte stellenweise wie Kaugummi zieht. Die Grundidee ist an sich in Ordnung und ich fand es auch in Ordnung, wie Camden in der Geschichte aufgebaut wurde, allerdings war sie für mich keine große Sympathieträgerin, sodass ich stellenweise eher von ihr genervt war und mich nur selten in sie hineinversetzen konnte.
Camden hat sich nach einem Streit mit ihrer besten Freundin vollkommen zurückgezogen und wechselt nach dem Sommer auf die weit entfernte Lethe-Akademie, wo sie noch einmal komplett von vorne anfangen und neue Freude kennenlernen möchte. Dabei fällt auch schnell auf, dass die Akademie anders zu sein scheint, als man auf dem ersten Blick erahnen könnte, denn nicht nur die Schule an sich wirkt sehr geheimnisvoll, sondern auch die Schüler, denn oftmals hat man hierbei das Gefühl, als hätte jeder seine ganz eigenen Geheimnisse, die allerdings mal mehr, mal weniger interessant sind. Als Camden jedoch plötzlich Erinnerungen ereilen, von denen sie zunächst gar nichts wusste, merkt auch sie, dass die Schule alles andere als harmlos ist...
Hätte man hier die vielen Geheimnisse weiter ausgebaut und mehr Tiefe gegeben, hätte ich hier sicherlich das ein oder andere Auge zudrücken können. Problem ist jedoch, dass die Geschichte leider weitestgehend oberflächlich ist, sodass ich mich weder in die Geschichte und die Figuren hineinversetzen, noch in irgendeiner Form mitfiebern konnte. Es ist wirklich traurig, wie viel Potential hier nicht genutzt wurde.
Das Cover finde ich dagegen ganz hübsch und passt auch ganz gut zur Geschichte. Die Kurzbeschreibung hat mir ebenfalls gut gefallen, sodass ich mir hier eine gute Geschichte erhofft habe. Schade, dass es dann letztendlich doch nicht so der Fall war.
Kurz gesagt: "Akademie der Dämmerung" hätte ich sehr gerne gemocht, allerdings war dies leider nicht möglich, da hier alles nur sehr oberflächlich thematisiert wurde, keine Spannung aufkam und den Charakteren die nötige Tiefe fehlt. Sehr schade, aber manchmal soll es einfach nicht sein.
Ich möchte hier nicht sagen, dass der Schreibstil nicht gelungen ist, denn tolle Ansätze sind definitiv vorhanden, das Problem ist jedoch, dass in "Akademie der Dämmerung" streckenweise absolut nichts passiert, sodass sich die Geschichte stellenweise wie Kaugummi zieht. Die Grundidee ist an sich in Ordnung und ich fand es auch in Ordnung, wie Camden in der Geschichte aufgebaut wurde, allerdings war sie für mich keine große Sympathieträgerin, sodass ich stellenweise eher von ihr genervt war und mich nur selten in sie hineinversetzen konnte.
Camden hat sich nach einem Streit mit ihrer besten Freundin vollkommen zurückgezogen und wechselt nach dem Sommer auf die weit entfernte Lethe-Akademie, wo sie noch einmal komplett von vorne anfangen und neue Freude kennenlernen möchte. Dabei fällt auch schnell auf, dass die Akademie anders zu sein scheint, als man auf dem ersten Blick erahnen könnte, denn nicht nur die Schule an sich wirkt sehr geheimnisvoll, sondern auch die Schüler, denn oftmals hat man hierbei das Gefühl, als hätte jeder seine ganz eigenen Geheimnisse, die allerdings mal mehr, mal weniger interessant sind. Als Camden jedoch plötzlich Erinnerungen ereilen, von denen sie zunächst gar nichts wusste, merkt auch sie, dass die Schule alles andere als harmlos ist...
Hätte man hier die vielen Geheimnisse weiter ausgebaut und mehr Tiefe gegeben, hätte ich hier sicherlich das ein oder andere Auge zudrücken können. Problem ist jedoch, dass die Geschichte leider weitestgehend oberflächlich ist, sodass ich mich weder in die Geschichte und die Figuren hineinversetzen, noch in irgendeiner Form mitfiebern konnte. Es ist wirklich traurig, wie viel Potential hier nicht genutzt wurde.
Das Cover finde ich dagegen ganz hübsch und passt auch ganz gut zur Geschichte. Die Kurzbeschreibung hat mir ebenfalls gut gefallen, sodass ich mir hier eine gute Geschichte erhofft habe. Schade, dass es dann letztendlich doch nicht so der Fall war.
Kurz gesagt: "Akademie der Dämmerung" hätte ich sehr gerne gemocht, allerdings war dies leider nicht möglich, da hier alles nur sehr oberflächlich thematisiert wurde, keine Spannung aufkam und den Charakteren die nötige Tiefe fehlt. Sehr schade, aber manchmal soll es einfach nicht sein.
March 29, 2020
I came for a trashy YA Paranormal romance and I stayed for the intrigue and mystery. Wow this was actually pretty good?
April 23, 2017
General Overview (No Spoilers)
First of all the cover is beautiful, it’s menacing yet inviting. It’s what drew me in despite a few bad reviews, it had a few good ones too, so thought it was worth a shot. When I started it, it was great, was enjoying the set up of the story. Then it just went no-where, they was strange goings-on but no explanation. A few things did not make sense. I was getting frustrated with it, not sure if I wanted to carry on. I had heard the ending was the worst part, but I hate not finishing books and I so wanted to love this, I carried on. I am glad I did, the ending was amazing. Almost everything made sense, it was such a intense ending that i could not look away, I was racing to the finish, soaking in every word. The end made the story great but the execution of the middle lacked for me. Also quite a few gaps in the plot. It was not bad just not great.
3 stars out of 5
Step by Step Overview (Spoilers)
0% – Sounds like a typical YA novel with a twist of the paranormal. I have heard some terrible reviews about this book, but also some good ones. It is expensive for the kindle for a debut author at £6.99, just hoping it’s worth it.
10% – Starts in a very typical YA style, for some reason a kid is sent to boarding school, in this case she is glad to go because she has fallen out with her best friend.
“The designs were abstract, with nothing that might look like a cross or as crescent or a star anywhere.” – I have no idea why this is in there, there is no mention of why she might suspect a star of or a crescent is there? It is about a chapel so I can understand the cross but the other two? It’s a little out of the blue.
“Her tone implied I had asked her to stick her finger in a pot of honey and go slap a bear.” -I had to reread this comment four times to make sure I had read it right, it’s funny and without a doubt, original.
So there’s a pervert on campus? It’s different at least for paranormal YA, but since it is YA there’s a very thin line and I hope it is not crossed.
“It came out sounding like what horses eat.” – This was odd for me, how else is it pronounced? It’s always said like that. Confused.
20%- Could Brynn’s absent roommate be the girl from the plane and did the landlord do something to her? So I am guessing Tamara can teleport or stop time or something. So far the story is fine but the details are a little messy. Also not a fan of Brynn.
30%- I think skinny butt is Mark. Honestly have no clue about what is going on, there is a strange room where some people hear voices and others see past hairstyles of the other people in the room? Huh?
40% – I still have no clue as to what is going on. Does that mean students are going missing? Is Jessie dead or missing or gone home?
50% – Could Alan be an ally or is he just a bully too? Has something happened to Mark? There has been no mention of him for a while?
60% – Eh? What on earth was that phone call about?
70% – Why is Mr Cooper telling her personal secrets about all the other teachers?
80% – I now think all the students are dead and the creepy guy gives them coins to “move on” when they are ready. That’s why their parents don’t want them phoning because they are haunting them. It’s a wild idea but would explain quite a few things. The more I read the more I am positive that I am right about that theory. Maybe the random images Camden keeps seeing is how the other children died?
90% – I have actually been loving the last 10% or so, it’s much better written and things are making sense now. Did Camden die in the pool after her friend pushed her in?
100% – Lovely ending. Understand why certain things happened now. Was worth the read but the middle could do with some more work in my opinion. If the rest of the book had been as good as the ending it would have been 5 stars.
Who would I recommend this book to?
Anyone who likes YA paranormal. But does not mind filtering through a few things that do not quite make sense. The ending did make it worth it for me though.
First of all the cover is beautiful, it’s menacing yet inviting. It’s what drew me in despite a few bad reviews, it had a few good ones too, so thought it was worth a shot. When I started it, it was great, was enjoying the set up of the story. Then it just went no-where, they was strange goings-on but no explanation. A few things did not make sense. I was getting frustrated with it, not sure if I wanted to carry on. I had heard the ending was the worst part, but I hate not finishing books and I so wanted to love this, I carried on. I am glad I did, the ending was amazing. Almost everything made sense, it was such a intense ending that i could not look away, I was racing to the finish, soaking in every word. The end made the story great but the execution of the middle lacked for me. Also quite a few gaps in the plot. It was not bad just not great.
3 stars out of 5
Step by Step Overview (Spoilers)
0% – Sounds like a typical YA novel with a twist of the paranormal. I have heard some terrible reviews about this book, but also some good ones. It is expensive for the kindle for a debut author at £6.99, just hoping it’s worth it.
10% – Starts in a very typical YA style, for some reason a kid is sent to boarding school, in this case she is glad to go because she has fallen out with her best friend.
“The designs were abstract, with nothing that might look like a cross or as crescent or a star anywhere.” – I have no idea why this is in there, there is no mention of why she might suspect a star of or a crescent is there? It is about a chapel so I can understand the cross but the other two? It’s a little out of the blue.
“Her tone implied I had asked her to stick her finger in a pot of honey and go slap a bear.” -I had to reread this comment four times to make sure I had read it right, it’s funny and without a doubt, original.
So there’s a pervert on campus? It’s different at least for paranormal YA, but since it is YA there’s a very thin line and I hope it is not crossed.
“It came out sounding like what horses eat.” – This was odd for me, how else is it pronounced? It’s always said like that. Confused.
20%- Could Brynn’s absent roommate be the girl from the plane and did the landlord do something to her? So I am guessing Tamara can teleport or stop time or something. So far the story is fine but the details are a little messy. Also not a fan of Brynn.
30%- I think skinny butt is Mark. Honestly have no clue about what is going on, there is a strange room where some people hear voices and others see past hairstyles of the other people in the room? Huh?
40% – I still have no clue as to what is going on. Does that mean students are going missing? Is Jessie dead or missing or gone home?
50% – Could Alan be an ally or is he just a bully too? Has something happened to Mark? There has been no mention of him for a while?
60% – Eh? What on earth was that phone call about?
70% – Why is Mr Cooper telling her personal secrets about all the other teachers?
80% – I now think all the students are dead and the creepy guy gives them coins to “move on” when they are ready. That’s why their parents don’t want them phoning because they are haunting them. It’s a wild idea but would explain quite a few things. The more I read the more I am positive that I am right about that theory. Maybe the random images Camden keeps seeing is how the other children died?
90% – I have actually been loving the last 10% or so, it’s much better written and things are making sense now. Did Camden die in the pool after her friend pushed her in?
100% – Lovely ending. Understand why certain things happened now. Was worth the read but the middle could do with some more work in my opinion. If the rest of the book had been as good as the ending it would have been 5 stars.
Who would I recommend this book to?
Anyone who likes YA paranormal. But does not mind filtering through a few things that do not quite make sense. The ending did make it worth it for me though.
April 26, 2013
Originally Posted at Novel Reveries
Edit: Spoiler in synopsis has been removed :) Thanks!
Camden is being sent away to go to a boarding school and she’s forced to make new friends... and enemies. She meets and learns of a man named Barnaby Charon who owns the school grounds, and when people end up missing, she’s set to investigate the creep. Strange things are happening at the academy, where it’s not only teaching class lessons, but life lessons as well.
The first couple of chapters were quick and created a good ambience of mystery, humor and made the book relatable. That said, after those initial chapters, the book declined a bit into confusion for me. It started getting a little off-kilter with the series of events and there were no smooth transitions, and no real sense of time. This is probably how the author wanted things to go (all things considering) but it panned out as confusing for me. The way and the rate of Camden making friends and enemies seemed unrealistic as well. After about the 60% mark, the plot was phrased better and I understood more of what the author was trying to get across. At this point, if I hadn’t have read the synopsis, I’m sure I would have understood what was happening, what with Camden’s constant flashbacks and hallucinations. The ending was beautiful and brought tears to my own eyes. I suppose different people would react different ways towards this part depending on what they’ve personally went though in their own lives. Tears was my reaction. Good tears.
The characters in The Last Academy are all relatable, I feel, towards someone everyone knows in their life. There’s the know-it-all Nora, the tortured-pretty-girl Bryn, the immature-stuck-up Tammy, and etc. The point is it represents different people and different personalities, and they all end up at The Last Academy with different reasons of being there.
In all, I really liked the concept of the book, and how things played out, what with Camden being able to move on in a new school and experience love, loss and forgiveness. It was clever, and I would recommend it to those who want an atypical Young Adult suspense.
First Line: “You couldn’t pick a better night for a pool party: fire-red sunset, a breeze so hot it practically sparked as it floated across the lawn, chips and hot dogs and watermelon lined up and ready to eat.” (loc. 13)
Last Line: “Considering.” (loc.2414)
------------
*Quotes
“I’d held on tight, I drifted off, wishing I could call him, and knowing because of the time change, it was too late.” (loc. 1407)
“Teachers here are like students, except they’ve made more mistakes. The sooner you understand, the wiser you will be.” (loc. 1714)
“‘Receiving a coin is the mark of understanding.’” (loc. 2146)
-------------
Galley provided by NetGalley via Point (an imprint of Scholastic Inc.)
*Quotes are from uncorrected advanced galleys and may change before going to press. Please refer to the final printed book for official quotes.
Edit: Spoiler in synopsis has been removed :) Thanks!
Camden is being sent away to go to a boarding school and she’s forced to make new friends... and enemies. She meets and learns of a man named Barnaby Charon who owns the school grounds, and when people end up missing, she’s set to investigate the creep. Strange things are happening at the academy, where it’s not only teaching class lessons, but life lessons as well.
The first couple of chapters were quick and created a good ambience of mystery, humor and made the book relatable. That said, after those initial chapters, the book declined a bit into confusion for me. It started getting a little off-kilter with the series of events and there were no smooth transitions, and no real sense of time. This is probably how the author wanted things to go (all things considering) but it panned out as confusing for me. The way and the rate of Camden making friends and enemies seemed unrealistic as well. After about the 60% mark, the plot was phrased better and I understood more of what the author was trying to get across. At this point, if I hadn’t have read the synopsis, I’m sure I would have understood what was happening, what with Camden’s constant flashbacks and hallucinations. The ending was beautiful and brought tears to my own eyes. I suppose different people would react different ways towards this part depending on what they’ve personally went though in their own lives. Tears was my reaction. Good tears.
The characters in The Last Academy are all relatable, I feel, towards someone everyone knows in their life. There’s the know-it-all Nora, the tortured-pretty-girl Bryn, the immature-stuck-up Tammy, and etc. The point is it represents different people and different personalities, and they all end up at The Last Academy with different reasons of being there.
“Everything broken was something important to that person, I guessed.” (loc. 2087)
In all, I really liked the concept of the book, and how things played out, what with Camden being able to move on in a new school and experience love, loss and forgiveness. It was clever, and I would recommend it to those who want an atypical Young Adult suspense.
First Line: “You couldn’t pick a better night for a pool party: fire-red sunset, a breeze so hot it practically sparked as it floated across the lawn, chips and hot dogs and watermelon lined up and ready to eat.” (loc. 13)
Last Line: “Considering.” (loc.2414)
------------
*Quotes
“I’d held on tight, I drifted off, wishing I could call him, and knowing because of the time change, it was too late.” (loc. 1407)
“Teachers here are like students, except they’ve made more mistakes. The sooner you understand, the wiser you will be.” (loc. 1714)
“‘Receiving a coin is the mark of understanding.’” (loc. 2146)
-------------
Galley provided by NetGalley via Point (an imprint of Scholastic Inc.)
*Quotes are from uncorrected advanced galleys and may change before going to press. Please refer to the final printed book for official quotes.
August 11, 2015
Anne Applegates "Akademie der Dämmerung" war in jeder Art und Weise eine große Überraschung. Zu allererst muss ich gestehen, dass ich von Anne Applegates Akademie Geschichte mehr erwartet hätte. Der Klappentext klingt wahnsinnig verlockend und besonders als Akademie-Fan jeglicher Art war ich gleich Feuer und Flamme für das Lesen dieses neuen Akademie Buches. Leider wird relativ schnell deutlich, dass der Klappentext nicht halten kann was er verspricht.
Es macht mich so unfassbar traurig, dass Anne Applegate das Potential ihrer grandiosen Storyidee nicht voll ausgeschöpft hat und mich komplett von "Akademie der Dämmerung" überzeugen konnte. Denn zu einem gelungen Jugendbuch gehört nicht nur die Storyidee, sondern auch sympatische Charaktere, Spannung und ein fesselnder Schreibstil. Leider fehlte von diesen Kriterien beinahe alles.
Der Leser taucht in die Handlung an, als die Protagonistin Camden einen furchtbaren Streit mit ihrer besten Freundin erlebt und daraufhin einen Neuanfang an der Lethe-Akademie, weit entfernt von ihrem Zuhause, startet. Das Internat wirkt auf mich keinesfalls alterwürdig, sondern eher wie ein lockeres Sommercamp, wären die Regeln nicht. Die strengen Richtlinien an die sich die Schüler zu halten haben, wirken beinahe ein bisschen als würden diese in einer Hochsicherheitseinrichtung leben. Camden bleibt im Grunde keine Minute um sich ein zu leben, schon stürzt sie ein großes Abenteuer, voller Rätsel, mystischen Szenen, offener Fragen und Gefahr. Von der ersten Seite an konnte mich Anne Applegate nicht von ihrer Protagonistin Camden überzeugen. Ihre Gefühle sind einfach nicht bei mir angekommen, einmal ganz vom Identifizieren mit der Protagonisten, was man aufgrunddessen natürlich vergessen kann, abgesehen.
Und ohje die Nebencharaktere - ein Graus. Kein Einziger konnte mich emotional packen. Für mich wirkten alle Bewohner der Lethe-Akademie vollkommen unereichbar und extrem unsympatisch. Auch das ist super schade, denn als Leser spürt man deutlich, wie die Autorin versucht hat ihre Charaktere in verschiedene Rollen zu zwängen, wie zum Beispiel die der besten Freundinnen, des gut aussehenden Schwarms oder der gefürchteten Oberzicken. Dies ist ihr allerdings nur ansatzweise gelungen, denn die Gefühle, die diese eigentlich beim Leser auslösen sollten, wie Geborgenheit, Verliebtheit oder Aggression, kamen einfach nicht an.
Ganz überraschend ist allerdings das Ende von "Akademie der Dämmerung" gewesen. Bereits vor dem Lesen des Buches habe ich erfahren, dass es wohl ein Einzelband bleiben wird, obwohl das Ende relativ offen gestaltet wurde. Aber nicht nur das kommt überraschend, sondern die Story Aufklärung und die Beantwortung aller offenen Fragen, ist ziemlich ausfühlich ausgefallen. Natürlich gibt es immer noch offene Fragen, die sich auch dazu anbieten noch einen Folgeband zu schreiben, dennoch hat mir die Aufklärung gut gefallen. Alles in allem ist Anne Applegates "Akademie der Dämmerung" ein Jugendbuch, dass man durchaus zwischendurch lesen könnte, es allerdings auch lassen könnte, da es doch viele unbefriedigende Punkte in der Gesamtgestaltung des Buches gegeben hat.
Es macht mich so unfassbar traurig, dass Anne Applegate das Potential ihrer grandiosen Storyidee nicht voll ausgeschöpft hat und mich komplett von "Akademie der Dämmerung" überzeugen konnte. Denn zu einem gelungen Jugendbuch gehört nicht nur die Storyidee, sondern auch sympatische Charaktere, Spannung und ein fesselnder Schreibstil. Leider fehlte von diesen Kriterien beinahe alles.
Der Leser taucht in die Handlung an, als die Protagonistin Camden einen furchtbaren Streit mit ihrer besten Freundin erlebt und daraufhin einen Neuanfang an der Lethe-Akademie, weit entfernt von ihrem Zuhause, startet. Das Internat wirkt auf mich keinesfalls alterwürdig, sondern eher wie ein lockeres Sommercamp, wären die Regeln nicht. Die strengen Richtlinien an die sich die Schüler zu halten haben, wirken beinahe ein bisschen als würden diese in einer Hochsicherheitseinrichtung leben. Camden bleibt im Grunde keine Minute um sich ein zu leben, schon stürzt sie ein großes Abenteuer, voller Rätsel, mystischen Szenen, offener Fragen und Gefahr. Von der ersten Seite an konnte mich Anne Applegate nicht von ihrer Protagonistin Camden überzeugen. Ihre Gefühle sind einfach nicht bei mir angekommen, einmal ganz vom Identifizieren mit der Protagonisten, was man aufgrunddessen natürlich vergessen kann, abgesehen.
Und ohje die Nebencharaktere - ein Graus. Kein Einziger konnte mich emotional packen. Für mich wirkten alle Bewohner der Lethe-Akademie vollkommen unereichbar und extrem unsympatisch. Auch das ist super schade, denn als Leser spürt man deutlich, wie die Autorin versucht hat ihre Charaktere in verschiedene Rollen zu zwängen, wie zum Beispiel die der besten Freundinnen, des gut aussehenden Schwarms oder der gefürchteten Oberzicken. Dies ist ihr allerdings nur ansatzweise gelungen, denn die Gefühle, die diese eigentlich beim Leser auslösen sollten, wie Geborgenheit, Verliebtheit oder Aggression, kamen einfach nicht an.
Ganz überraschend ist allerdings das Ende von "Akademie der Dämmerung" gewesen. Bereits vor dem Lesen des Buches habe ich erfahren, dass es wohl ein Einzelband bleiben wird, obwohl das Ende relativ offen gestaltet wurde. Aber nicht nur das kommt überraschend, sondern die Story Aufklärung und die Beantwortung aller offenen Fragen, ist ziemlich ausfühlich ausgefallen. Natürlich gibt es immer noch offene Fragen, die sich auch dazu anbieten noch einen Folgeband zu schreiben, dennoch hat mir die Aufklärung gut gefallen. Alles in allem ist Anne Applegates "Akademie der Dämmerung" ein Jugendbuch, dass man durchaus zwischendurch lesen könnte, es allerdings auch lassen könnte, da es doch viele unbefriedigende Punkte in der Gesamtgestaltung des Buches gegeben hat.
June 21, 2013
If I was forced to make a choice between "like" and "dislike" for this book, I guess I'd say that I liked it. It's far from being the best book ever put out in the YA field and it's nice in a non-filling "popcorn and potato chips" sort of way. I'd go so far as to say that if this had been released back in the 80s or 90s, back when Point Horror and Point Thriller was at its height of popularity, odds are that this would have been one of their top sellers.
The problem? This isn't the 80s or 90s anymore and what readers of YA (adult or teen) want and expect from their writing has changed somewhat. It also doesn't help that throughout this novel I got the impression that this book could have been so much more than what it is. That's really what disappointed me the most about this book: that it never fully lives up to its potential. It's like the kid everyone expected to go to Harvard for a medical degree deciding to go to Wossamotta U and becoming a realtor.
One of the first things that I noticed straight away is that the symbolism for the Big Twist is pretty obvious. I won't really say what it is, but very early in the book you're introduced to Barnaby Charon and told that Camden is going to Lethe Academy. While some might say that I caught on to this because I'm an adult, I have to say that I read quite a bit of mythology when I was a child and teen. I would have noticed this symbolism as a teenager and I'm fairly certain that today's teens would as well. I can overlook this for the most part because part of the book's theme is having our characters see the obvious, but this is really just a symptom of an ongoing problem during TLA.
We're sort of led around by the nose when it comes to the plot and its characters. For the most part everyone is painted up to be a pretty basic character, as are the themes. This wouldn't be so bad except that this book is aimed at 12+ year old readers.
In the end I can't really hate this book. Despite it never living up to its full potential, it's still a fairly enjoyable book and there are some slightly disturbing parts to it, mostly surrounding the character of Mark. The ending is fairly bittersweet, which I liked. I just wish that Applegate had been able to really flesh this book out and make it into the type of book it was really trying to be. Although in her defense, I can't help but wonder if this was a constraint by the publisher, as it's still fairly common for YA publishers to hand their authors a set outline and page limit and then tell them to get started.
I'd recommend this as a fairly light read for YA fans and while I think that most will probably like it well enough, I think that the majority will long for something a bit more filling. This is definitely something I'd recommend to get from the library.
The problem? This isn't the 80s or 90s anymore and what readers of YA (adult or teen) want and expect from their writing has changed somewhat. It also doesn't help that throughout this novel I got the impression that this book could have been so much more than what it is. That's really what disappointed me the most about this book: that it never fully lives up to its potential. It's like the kid everyone expected to go to Harvard for a medical degree deciding to go to Wossamotta U and becoming a realtor.
One of the first things that I noticed straight away is that the symbolism for the Big Twist is pretty obvious. I won't really say what it is, but very early in the book you're introduced to Barnaby Charon and told that Camden is going to Lethe Academy. While some might say that I caught on to this because I'm an adult, I have to say that I read quite a bit of mythology when I was a child and teen. I would have noticed this symbolism as a teenager and I'm fairly certain that today's teens would as well. I can overlook this for the most part because part of the book's theme is having our characters see the obvious, but this is really just a symptom of an ongoing problem during TLA.
We're sort of led around by the nose when it comes to the plot and its characters. For the most part everyone is painted up to be a pretty basic character, as are the themes. This wouldn't be so bad except that this book is aimed at 12+ year old readers.
In the end I can't really hate this book. Despite it never living up to its full potential, it's still a fairly enjoyable book and there are some slightly disturbing parts to it, mostly surrounding the character of Mark. The ending is fairly bittersweet, which I liked. I just wish that Applegate had been able to really flesh this book out and make it into the type of book it was really trying to be. Although in her defense, I can't help but wonder if this was a constraint by the publisher, as it's still fairly common for YA publishers to hand their authors a set outline and page limit and then tell them to get started.
I'd recommend this as a fairly light read for YA fans and while I think that most will probably like it well enough, I think that the majority will long for something a bit more filling. This is definitely something I'd recommend to get from the library.
April 8, 2013
I received this through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can see this review and others on my blog at http://awriterswife-bcray.blogspot.co...
I surprisingly LOVED this book. It first started with the cover. It's hauntingly beautiful. And then I read the description and I was very excited when I got approved for it through Netgalley. However, I was disappointed that the version they sent me didn't have the awesome cover!
Ok, well, it is hard for me to review this book because I enjoyed it so much. I was so engrossed in the story, it's hard for me to pinpoint what I loved so much. It just all worked really well.
It's also hard for me to write up a summary of this story without plot spoilers. Basically, it is about Camden, a freshman heading off to a new boarding school. She makes some new friends there and then one goes missing. She has to find out what happened.
First, I really enjoyed the main character, Camden. Though she was younger than I thought (at 14 years old and a freshman), her voice was a lot of fun. She was sweet, but didn't take crap, and she had a little sarcasm and said some pretty funny things.
The book was a little bit slow at the beginning. It took a little while to establish some things. But about 25% in it started picking up. I was always a little confused one what was going on though. There were some scenes that seemed a little strange, but it all came together in the end.
I liked trying to solve the mystery of what was going on. It's very different than the types of books that are really popular lately. No paranormal stuff - no vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. It kept me guessing what was really going on.
Though I had a suspicion toward the beginning of the book, it did a great job of keeping me guessing until the end. I think that's what I really enjoyed.
But I absolutely appreciated that this book had a beginning, middle, and end. I am pretty sure this will be a stand alone book, which is actually kind of refreshing lately. Everything nowadays seems to be a series. It's refreshing to have a story that can be told in one book. And this book had so much closure at the end. I actually teared up at the very end and I loved that we got everyone's story.
I really loved this book. I wish I could say more, but it's hard for me to put my finger on just what I loved. I think everything worked together to tell a great story. I think this is a great debut novel by Anne Appelgate - and I look forward to reading more novels from her in the future.
You can see this review and others on my blog at http://awriterswife-bcray.blogspot.co...
I surprisingly LOVED this book. It first started with the cover. It's hauntingly beautiful. And then I read the description and I was very excited when I got approved for it through Netgalley. However, I was disappointed that the version they sent me didn't have the awesome cover!
Ok, well, it is hard for me to review this book because I enjoyed it so much. I was so engrossed in the story, it's hard for me to pinpoint what I loved so much. It just all worked really well.
It's also hard for me to write up a summary of this story without plot spoilers. Basically, it is about Camden, a freshman heading off to a new boarding school. She makes some new friends there and then one goes missing. She has to find out what happened.
First, I really enjoyed the main character, Camden. Though she was younger than I thought (at 14 years old and a freshman), her voice was a lot of fun. She was sweet, but didn't take crap, and she had a little sarcasm and said some pretty funny things.
The book was a little bit slow at the beginning. It took a little while to establish some things. But about 25% in it started picking up. I was always a little confused one what was going on though. There were some scenes that seemed a little strange, but it all came together in the end.
I liked trying to solve the mystery of what was going on. It's very different than the types of books that are really popular lately. No paranormal stuff - no vampires, werewolves, witches, etc. It kept me guessing what was really going on.
Though I had a suspicion toward the beginning of the book, it did a great job of keeping me guessing until the end. I think that's what I really enjoyed.
But I absolutely appreciated that this book had a beginning, middle, and end. I am pretty sure this will be a stand alone book, which is actually kind of refreshing lately. Everything nowadays seems to be a series. It's refreshing to have a story that can be told in one book. And this book had so much closure at the end. I actually teared up at the very end and I loved that we got everyone's story.
I really loved this book. I wish I could say more, but it's hard for me to put my finger on just what I loved. I think everything worked together to tell a great story. I think this is a great debut novel by Anne Appelgate - and I look forward to reading more novels from her in the future.
May 2, 2013
Full blog post @Book-Marks the Spot
Camden has just flown to California to her new boarding school. She had a falling out with her best friend and just wants to start over. When she gets there, it is like any other boarding school, curfews and strict rules. Camden is fine following the rules, until her friend and others start to go missing and the weird thing is, all the teachers act like its no big deal. Camden just can’t let it go and she will find out what’s going on one way or another.
The thing is will Camden be able to handle the truth when she finds out?
So I had to wait awhile before I could write this review because my thoughts were all over the place. I can start of by saying that this book is not going to be for everyone. Why? Well some pretty weird stuff happens and nothing really starts to happen until the end of the book. It kept me interested though and I wanted to know why all these kids were going missing. When I got around to page 253 I finally figured everything out and was like, what the heck. Everything that had happened so far started to make sense to me. There was a lot of foreshadowing, but I just ignored it. Also, even though Camden was only 14 she seemed a little older to me. I guess she was wise for her years. As you read the book, you are thinking it’s just a typical girl that moves to a new town and gets on the bad side of a snobby girl. Well it isn’t. Yes that happens, but it’s not what the book is about and it all just leads up to the ending.
Overall: A haunting good book that will give you chills.
Camden: She is just a 14 year old year girl trying to fit into a new school. She is what you would call a follower instead of a leader. She does come out of her shell and finally stands up for herself. With all that’s going on she keeps a cool head, where as I would be freaking out.
Nora: She is tall, super smart, and confident. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her, but she does care about what they say about her friends. She is not going to let someone step all over her friends and I loved that about her.
Brynn: She is the attention hog in the book. She always wants to be in the spotlight and she doesn’t care who has to get hurt in the process.
Mike: is a hunk of a tennis player, but he does have some baggage. He is really sweet and he is one of those guys that don't know how cute they are. :D
4 STARS!!!!!!!!!!
Camden has just flown to California to her new boarding school. She had a falling out with her best friend and just wants to start over. When she gets there, it is like any other boarding school, curfews and strict rules. Camden is fine following the rules, until her friend and others start to go missing and the weird thing is, all the teachers act like its no big deal. Camden just can’t let it go and she will find out what’s going on one way or another.
The thing is will Camden be able to handle the truth when she finds out?
So I had to wait awhile before I could write this review because my thoughts were all over the place. I can start of by saying that this book is not going to be for everyone. Why? Well some pretty weird stuff happens and nothing really starts to happen until the end of the book. It kept me interested though and I wanted to know why all these kids were going missing. When I got around to page 253 I finally figured everything out and was like, what the heck. Everything that had happened so far started to make sense to me. There was a lot of foreshadowing, but I just ignored it. Also, even though Camden was only 14 she seemed a little older to me. I guess she was wise for her years. As you read the book, you are thinking it’s just a typical girl that moves to a new town and gets on the bad side of a snobby girl. Well it isn’t. Yes that happens, but it’s not what the book is about and it all just leads up to the ending.
Overall: A haunting good book that will give you chills.
Camden: She is just a 14 year old year girl trying to fit into a new school. She is what you would call a follower instead of a leader. She does come out of her shell and finally stands up for herself. With all that’s going on she keeps a cool head, where as I would be freaking out.
Nora: She is tall, super smart, and confident. She doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her, but she does care about what they say about her friends. She is not going to let someone step all over her friends and I loved that about her.
Brynn: She is the attention hog in the book. She always wants to be in the spotlight and she doesn’t care who has to get hurt in the process.
Mike: is a hunk of a tennis player, but he does have some baggage. He is really sweet and he is one of those guys that don't know how cute they are. :D
4 STARS!!!!!!!!!!
July 29, 2013
The Last Academy is a difficult book to review because I didn’t really enjoy it the whole time I was reading it, but the ending was awesome and really brought all the elements of the story together. As much as I loved the ending, I feel like it wasn’t enough to warrant a high review or a stellar recommendation. And I can’t really say much about the story because the only things worth mentioning are incredible spoilers. If you read The Last Academy knowing how it ends, it would be a waste of your time. If you don’t know the end, you’ll only feel like it’s wasting your time until the end brings the story together.
Honestly, I don’t know that I can review the book properly or provide a decent synopsis because anything worth highlighting can ruin the story for people who are fairly good at predicting twists.
Camden arrived at boarding school sort of unexpectedly. She basically adjusted to her life there and dealt with the possibility that her parents might not want her around. Most of the kids had some sort of similar feelings, too, which I imagined was common for boarding school students. For most of the story, Camden attempted to fit in, win the affections of a popular boy, and make friends while avoiding making the same kinds of friends she had at home. And all the while, weird things start to happen and Camden unravels the mystery of her new home.
The majority of the book was slow and uninteresting to me. I didn’t care for Camden, I thought her crush on Mark was stupid because it was based on nothing and they had nothing in common. I didn’t like most of Camden’s friends, aside from Nora, but I didn’t feel like Camden was really learning her lesson after the summer incident back home. Until the twist, I was just waiting for the story to end. The twist in the story was brilliant, intelligent, and quite interesting, but I feel like the book was poorly executed overall. I’m not sure how it could have been done differently, but something about the execution missed the mark for me.
I don’t know that I’d recommend the book, although the overall themes were great. I suppose it would just depend on how fast of a reader the person is and how much time they are willing to spend on a book. If you can make it to the end, it’s a book that can be appreciated. It’s probably a great book club book so readers can discuss the ending and the themes.
Review originally published at Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog
Honestly, I don’t know that I can review the book properly or provide a decent synopsis because anything worth highlighting can ruin the story for people who are fairly good at predicting twists.
Camden arrived at boarding school sort of unexpectedly. She basically adjusted to her life there and dealt with the possibility that her parents might not want her around. Most of the kids had some sort of similar feelings, too, which I imagined was common for boarding school students. For most of the story, Camden attempted to fit in, win the affections of a popular boy, and make friends while avoiding making the same kinds of friends she had at home. And all the while, weird things start to happen and Camden unravels the mystery of her new home.
The majority of the book was slow and uninteresting to me. I didn’t care for Camden, I thought her crush on Mark was stupid because it was based on nothing and they had nothing in common. I didn’t like most of Camden’s friends, aside from Nora, but I didn’t feel like Camden was really learning her lesson after the summer incident back home. Until the twist, I was just waiting for the story to end. The twist in the story was brilliant, intelligent, and quite interesting, but I feel like the book was poorly executed overall. I’m not sure how it could have been done differently, but something about the execution missed the mark for me.
I don’t know that I’d recommend the book, although the overall themes were great. I suppose it would just depend on how fast of a reader the person is and how much time they are willing to spend on a book. If you can make it to the end, it’s a book that can be appreciated. It’s probably a great book club book so readers can discuss the ending and the themes.
Review originally published at Love, Literature, Art, and Reason book review blog
May 25, 2013
This review originally appeared on my blog, www.leeanna.me.
THE LAST ACADEMY is a book that is very difficult to describe without spoiling its gigantic twist. The summary somehow gave me the idea that it would be about a paranormal boarding school, which is why I originally wanted to read it. It is -- sort of -- but first there’s a lot of contemporary-style story going on.
After a huge, embarrassing fight with her best friend, Camden is happy she’s heading off to boarding school instead of going to high school with everyone else. Although she’s fourteen, Camden’s voice read to me like that of an older character … except where boys were concerned. After getting to Lethe (quirky name for a school, right?), Camden gets the hots for upperclassman Mark Elliot. It wasn’t quite insta-love, but it reminded me a lot of a first crush.
At first, THE LAST ACADEMY is about life at normal high school. Camden doesn’t get along with her mean roommate, but she does find a few friends, including Jessie, Nora, and Brynn. But when Jessie mysteriously disappears in the middle of the night, Camden starts to realize something’s wrong. The staff claim Jessie decided to go home, but Brynn says Jessie left with a guy. Add in Barnaby Charon, a guy who gives Camden the creeps, and you’ve got the beginning of a big mystery.
I’ll admit, I almost gave up by the first half of THE LAST ACADEMY. I wasn’t really getting into the happenings at Lethe, and was confused by the actions of some of the supporting characters. But then, then came the gigantic twist, and everything clicked into place. Suddenly all the things that didn’t make sense were clear, and I had an entirely new appreciation for the book.
There are a liberal amount of hints and foreshadowing pointing to the big twist, but even so, I didn’t predict how it would all come together. So in the end, I liked the way THE LAST ACADEMY turned out. The idea behind it was pretty creative, and though I would have liked more from the book overall, it was a good read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was also on the blog tour for this book.
See more of my reviews:
THE LAST ACADEMY is a book that is very difficult to describe without spoiling its gigantic twist. The summary somehow gave me the idea that it would be about a paranormal boarding school, which is why I originally wanted to read it. It is -- sort of -- but first there’s a lot of contemporary-style story going on.
After a huge, embarrassing fight with her best friend, Camden is happy she’s heading off to boarding school instead of going to high school with everyone else. Although she’s fourteen, Camden’s voice read to me like that of an older character … except where boys were concerned. After getting to Lethe (quirky name for a school, right?), Camden gets the hots for upperclassman Mark Elliot. It wasn’t quite insta-love, but it reminded me a lot of a first crush.
At first, THE LAST ACADEMY is about life at normal high school. Camden doesn’t get along with her mean roommate, but she does find a few friends, including Jessie, Nora, and Brynn. But when Jessie mysteriously disappears in the middle of the night, Camden starts to realize something’s wrong. The staff claim Jessie decided to go home, but Brynn says Jessie left with a guy. Add in Barnaby Charon, a guy who gives Camden the creeps, and you’ve got the beginning of a big mystery.
I’ll admit, I almost gave up by the first half of THE LAST ACADEMY. I wasn’t really getting into the happenings at Lethe, and was confused by the actions of some of the supporting characters. But then, then came the gigantic twist, and everything clicked into place. Suddenly all the things that didn’t make sense were clear, and I had an entirely new appreciation for the book.
There are a liberal amount of hints and foreshadowing pointing to the big twist, but even so, I didn’t predict how it would all come together. So in the end, I liked the way THE LAST ACADEMY turned out. The idea behind it was pretty creative, and though I would have liked more from the book overall, it was a good read.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was also on the blog tour for this book.
See more of my reviews:
May 3, 2013
When it comes to books, I’m an instant sucker for pretty covers and/or mentions of an “academy”. Therefore, the decision to read The Last Academy, was pretty much inevitable. The minute I saw the blog tour sign-up – I applied. Although, The Last Academy didn’t end up making my all-time favorites list, the ending was nothing short of spectacular.
I’m going to keep this review short and sweet.
Pros -
Ballsy main character. There’s a lot of spooky incidents and sketchy people running about Lethe Academy. If I was at this academy and like Camden, begun witnessing the extra-creepy that goes down, I’d probably be permanently attached to the underside of my mattress. Even though she practically faints at the sight of her crush, Camden always managed to keep it together when it counted the most. When she felt like her friends were in danger, she fearlessly ran towards and stood-up to whatever or whomever was the cause.
Amazing supernatural twist. So I’m kind of spoiling the fact that there is a supernatural aspect… but I won’t divulge any exacts. I will say however, that the ending was totally mind-boggling!!! I’m pretty good at guessing the big reveal, but not when it came to The Last Academy. My theories were not even close! Major props to Applegate for adding some new spice to the YA mix. She proves that there is still new material out there to work with.
Cons -
A dragging storyline. Like I said, there was a lot of spooky bits to The Last Academy. Being personally freaked out a time or two, I was constantly begging for the big reveal – or heck even a tiny one – while reading. The ending was outstanding, but the beginning and middle included nothing near-as stellar. This book could have easily been cut in half and still have been a decent story.
Instant love. Nuff’ said.
Overall, The Last Academy was an enjoyable couple hours. Sure, a lot of aspects frustrated me, but the ending left me with more positive than negative feelings which means I definitely look into future Applegate books.
I’m going to keep this review short and sweet.
Pros -
Ballsy main character. There’s a lot of spooky incidents and sketchy people running about Lethe Academy. If I was at this academy and like Camden, begun witnessing the extra-creepy that goes down, I’d probably be permanently attached to the underside of my mattress. Even though she practically faints at the sight of her crush, Camden always managed to keep it together when it counted the most. When she felt like her friends were in danger, she fearlessly ran towards and stood-up to whatever or whomever was the cause.
Amazing supernatural twist. So I’m kind of spoiling the fact that there is a supernatural aspect… but I won’t divulge any exacts. I will say however, that the ending was totally mind-boggling!!! I’m pretty good at guessing the big reveal, but not when it came to The Last Academy. My theories were not even close! Major props to Applegate for adding some new spice to the YA mix. She proves that there is still new material out there to work with.
Cons -
A dragging storyline. Like I said, there was a lot of spooky bits to The Last Academy. Being personally freaked out a time or two, I was constantly begging for the big reveal – or heck even a tiny one – while reading. The ending was outstanding, but the beginning and middle included nothing near-as stellar. This book could have easily been cut in half and still have been a decent story.
Instant love. Nuff’ said.
Overall, The Last Academy was an enjoyable couple hours. Sure, a lot of aspects frustrated me, but the ending left me with more positive than negative feelings which means I definitely look into future Applegate books.
August 5, 2013
There wasn't much I liked about The Last Academy. I was looking for something different to read so I thought I'd give this one a shot. I'm kind of regretting the few hours I wasted reading this one.
The Last Academy is categorized as YA but I would almost put it more in the MG category. The characters are immature, the writing is bland, and the story is predictable. Younger readers might not analyze this one as closely as I did and therefore might be able to enjoy it more.
I'll start with my issues with the characters. Camden, for instance. She's whiny, insecure, and completely oblivious to everything going on around her. Her roommate, Tamara, is the quintessential bitch. Then there's the pretty girl (whose name I can't remember) who uses her looks to get everything she wants. Nora and Jessie are the nerdy girls who befriend Cam. And Mark Elliott, the hot guy with absolutely no substance. I'm sorry but there just was nothing about these characters that appealed to me.
The story didn't seem all that predictable at first but once I was about halfway through the book I had the whole thing completely figured out. And I mean, completely. After that I don't even know why I bothered to keep reading. If you know anything about mythology you will be able to put the mystery together just like I did. I lost interest after that.
The reason I gave The Last Academy 3 stars and not less though is that it was a fun read. It's quick, there are some hilarious quotes, and I didn't completely hate it. I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times while reading and that was enough to make me enjoy it. I was hoping for something light and fun, and while it wasn't exactly a light read, it was funny.
Overall, some people have loved The Last Academy, I just wasn't one of them. If the story sounds appealing to you, give it a shot. However, I would recommend getting this one from the library.
The Last Academy is categorized as YA but I would almost put it more in the MG category. The characters are immature, the writing is bland, and the story is predictable. Younger readers might not analyze this one as closely as I did and therefore might be able to enjoy it more.
I'll start with my issues with the characters. Camden, for instance. She's whiny, insecure, and completely oblivious to everything going on around her. Her roommate, Tamara, is the quintessential bitch. Then there's the pretty girl (whose name I can't remember) who uses her looks to get everything she wants. Nora and Jessie are the nerdy girls who befriend Cam. And Mark Elliott, the hot guy with absolutely no substance. I'm sorry but there just was nothing about these characters that appealed to me.
The story didn't seem all that predictable at first but once I was about halfway through the book I had the whole thing completely figured out. And I mean, completely. After that I don't even know why I bothered to keep reading. If you know anything about mythology you will be able to put the mystery together just like I did. I lost interest after that.
The reason I gave The Last Academy 3 stars and not less though is that it was a fun read. It's quick, there are some hilarious quotes, and I didn't completely hate it. I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times while reading and that was enough to make me enjoy it. I was hoping for something light and fun, and while it wasn't exactly a light read, it was funny.
Overall, some people have loved The Last Academy, I just wasn't one of them. If the story sounds appealing to you, give it a shot. However, I would recommend getting this one from the library.
June 1, 2013
Hmm... This one left my brain feeling as cloudy as that fog on the cover. I really wasn't sure what I was reading 2/3 of the time. I found myself very confused in places. They felt patchy-- as if there were key parts of the plot that were removed like a missing puzzle piece. I knew there was something important going on, but I just couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly. I found that very frustrating at times. It didn't feel like a mystery; it felt like a gap.
None of the characters impressed me much. They all had this sense of mystery about them that was more annoying than intriguing. Brynn was way too wishy-washy, so I couldn't figure out what her deal was really. Nora was a little off as well. I never could connect, not even with the main character. The one character that does stand out is Mark, but in a really creepy way. I am not sure if he was supposed to cross into that weird creeper territory or not, but he sure made me feel that way. That scene with his mom... and the bed... bah! Way creepy. I did not recover from that.
I probably would have bumped this down a notch or two, but I did appreciate the mythology element. I thought I knew what was up with the one character haunting everyone, and it turns out I was correct. Of course, I had to make it through the whole book to find that validation. I did not get a sense of closure after finishing The Last Academy, which is a little disappointing. I (sometimes) appreciate open ended endings, but I want to feel complete when I get to those. I do not like wondering, "Well, what now?" Unfortunately, that's how I feel. I can assume what happens with Cameron, but I want to know what happens with the other characters. (Ok, again, I can assume, but I really want something finite!)
None of the characters impressed me much. They all had this sense of mystery about them that was more annoying than intriguing. Brynn was way too wishy-washy, so I couldn't figure out what her deal was really. Nora was a little off as well. I never could connect, not even with the main character. The one character that does stand out is Mark, but in a really creepy way. I am not sure if he was supposed to cross into that weird creeper territory or not, but he sure made me feel that way. That scene with his mom... and the bed... bah! Way creepy. I did not recover from that.
I probably would have bumped this down a notch or two, but I did appreciate the mythology element. I thought I knew what was up with the one character haunting everyone, and it turns out I was correct. Of course, I had to make it through the whole book to find that validation. I did not get a sense of closure after finishing The Last Academy, which is a little disappointing. I (sometimes) appreciate open ended endings, but I want to feel complete when I get to those. I do not like wondering, "Well, what now?" Unfortunately, that's how I feel. I can assume what happens with Cameron, but I want to know what happens with the other characters. (Ok, again, I can assume, but I really want something finite!)
June 26, 2013
The story itself, I really enjoyed; some of the characters and their relationships? Not so much. I should also say that after reading this book I went and checked out other reviews before writing this. Not something I normally do but I wanted to see why with only so many reviews the rating for this book wasn’t too high. I think I found the problem, I’m not a big Greek Mythology fan – though I enjoyed that lesson back in middle school it was never anything that stuck with me and that may be why I enjoyed this book a lot more than someone who is really in to that. Something to take in to consideration, I guess. I will also say that having read other reviews is not going to sway my opinion on the book or my review.
That being said, I really enjoyed this book. The ending completely threw me and I’m excited to say I didn’t see it coming. Maybe I should have, who knows but that’s not the point. The point is, I didn’t. I love reading books and not seeing something so huge (like an ending) happen before it happens. It’s refreshing and definitely takes how I feel about the book up a few notches.
Read full review at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Jessica
That being said, I really enjoyed this book. The ending completely threw me and I’m excited to say I didn’t see it coming. Maybe I should have, who knows but that’s not the point. The point is, I didn’t. I love reading books and not seeing something so huge (like an ending) happen before it happens. It’s refreshing and definitely takes how I feel about the book up a few notches.
Read full review at Step Into Fiction
Review completed by: Jessica
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