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Werewolf High #1
The Truth Spell
As soon as I stepped onto the grounds of Amaris High, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I could never fit in at such a snobbish school – I was more IT girl than "it girl". But then I saw him.
Sam Spencer. My childhood best friend. But it couldn't be. Sam Spencer had died three years ago, on the night that changed everything. I need to know what happened, why he's suddenly not dead and is hanging out with a bunch of rich kids.
When the school is hit by a truth spell, it seems like the perfect chance to find out what Sam and his creepy new friends are hiding, but the weirder things get, the less I'm sure I want to know. Even for Sam, even for the free food, Amaris High might be more trouble than it's worth.
Sam Spencer. My childhood best friend. But it couldn't be. Sam Spencer had died three years ago, on the night that changed everything. I need to know what happened, why he's suddenly not dead and is hanging out with a bunch of rich kids.
When the school is hit by a truth spell, it seems like the perfect chance to find out what Sam and his creepy new friends are hiding, but the weirder things get, the less I'm sure I want to know. Even for Sam, even for the free food, Amaris High might be more trouble than it's worth.
First published November 21, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
January 17, 2016
“A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
-----Mark Twain
Anita Oh, a debut author, pens her new YA fantasy book, The Truth Spell which is the first book in the Werewolf High series. The book unfolds the story of a teenage girl named Lucy, who gets a scholarship into one of the most decorated and posh high school, where she stumbles upon her childhood best friend who died a long time ago. Hence Lucy begins an investigation to find out if that boy is her dead friend when the whole school is hit by a truth curse.
Synopsis:
As soon as I stepped onto the grounds of Amaris High, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I could never fit in at such a snobbish school – I was more IT girl than "it girl". But then I saw him.
Sam Spencer. My childhood best friend. But it couldn't be. Sam Spencer had died three years ago, on the night that changed everything. I need to know what happened, why he's suddenly not dead and is hanging out with a bunch of rich kids.
When the school is hit by a truth spell, it seems like the perfect chance to find out what Sam and his creepy new friends are hiding, but the weirder things get, the less I'm sure I want to know. Even for Sam, even for the free food, Amaris High might be more trouble than it's worth.
Lucy O’Connor won a scholarship to a dignified boarding school that is divided into three houses- red for the poor students, yellow for the rich kids and golden for the elite kids and select few. Lucy is bullied by the rich kids a lot, but she is determined to find the truth behind her once-upon-a-time-dead-best-friend, Sam's past to know how he is still alive when he was killed along with his whole family in an accident. Luckily, the whole school gets hit by a truth speaking curse, that made the golden house students sick since they were hiding something in their house and it becomes easy for Lucy to get to the bottom of the mystery behind her friend's identity.
If you're a Potter-head, then this book is ideal for you , since the school has dorms and houses and werewolves hanging in the grounds with magic spell being cast here and there. The whole setup of boarding school is very fascinating and the author did a marvelous job in making the story as one hell of a fast roller coaster ride of action, mystery, magic and drama.
The writing style of the author is extremely articulate and the story line is often filled with funny anecdotes and even with some laugh-out-loud moments. The story is balanced with both humor and mystery. The mystery part is writing extremely well with few twists and turns that will only keep the readers guessing till the very end. The pace of the story is very fast thus demanding the readers to keep on turning the pages till the very end.
The character of Lucy is extremely well developed, she is a nerd who is a gadget freak but has a strong aspect of not letting the bullies to push her down. She is determined and brave enough to fight for the truth as well as carry on her investigation despite of the threat of werewolves. The rest of the supporting characters are also quite interesting to read about, in fact, the negative characters are written by highlighting the darkness and evil in their demeanor thus making the readers hate them as well as like them for their roles. Although the world building could have been done with little bit more intricate detailing, rather than just giving the readers a glimpse.
In a nutshell, the story is captivating, thrilling and mystifying with a realistic heroine and set up in a Harry Potter-kind of boarding school.
Verdict: If YA Fantasy is your poison, then definitely grab a copy of this book for sure.
Courtesy: Thanks to YA Bound Blog Book Tours for giving me a copy of the book to read and review.
-----Mark Twain
Anita Oh, a debut author, pens her new YA fantasy book, The Truth Spell which is the first book in the Werewolf High series. The book unfolds the story of a teenage girl named Lucy, who gets a scholarship into one of the most decorated and posh high school, where she stumbles upon her childhood best friend who died a long time ago. Hence Lucy begins an investigation to find out if that boy is her dead friend when the whole school is hit by a truth curse.
Synopsis:
As soon as I stepped onto the grounds of Amaris High, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I could never fit in at such a snobbish school – I was more IT girl than "it girl". But then I saw him.
Sam Spencer. My childhood best friend. But it couldn't be. Sam Spencer had died three years ago, on the night that changed everything. I need to know what happened, why he's suddenly not dead and is hanging out with a bunch of rich kids.
When the school is hit by a truth spell, it seems like the perfect chance to find out what Sam and his creepy new friends are hiding, but the weirder things get, the less I'm sure I want to know. Even for Sam, even for the free food, Amaris High might be more trouble than it's worth.
Lucy O’Connor won a scholarship to a dignified boarding school that is divided into three houses- red for the poor students, yellow for the rich kids and golden for the elite kids and select few. Lucy is bullied by the rich kids a lot, but she is determined to find the truth behind her once-upon-a-time-dead-best-friend, Sam's past to know how he is still alive when he was killed along with his whole family in an accident. Luckily, the whole school gets hit by a truth speaking curse, that made the golden house students sick since they were hiding something in their house and it becomes easy for Lucy to get to the bottom of the mystery behind her friend's identity.
If you're a Potter-head, then this book is ideal for you , since the school has dorms and houses and werewolves hanging in the grounds with magic spell being cast here and there. The whole setup of boarding school is very fascinating and the author did a marvelous job in making the story as one hell of a fast roller coaster ride of action, mystery, magic and drama.
The writing style of the author is extremely articulate and the story line is often filled with funny anecdotes and even with some laugh-out-loud moments. The story is balanced with both humor and mystery. The mystery part is writing extremely well with few twists and turns that will only keep the readers guessing till the very end. The pace of the story is very fast thus demanding the readers to keep on turning the pages till the very end.
The character of Lucy is extremely well developed, she is a nerd who is a gadget freak but has a strong aspect of not letting the bullies to push her down. She is determined and brave enough to fight for the truth as well as carry on her investigation despite of the threat of werewolves. The rest of the supporting characters are also quite interesting to read about, in fact, the negative characters are written by highlighting the darkness and evil in their demeanor thus making the readers hate them as well as like them for their roles. Although the world building could have been done with little bit more intricate detailing, rather than just giving the readers a glimpse.
In a nutshell, the story is captivating, thrilling and mystifying with a realistic heroine and set up in a Harry Potter-kind of boarding school.
Verdict: If YA Fantasy is your poison, then definitely grab a copy of this book for sure.
Courtesy: Thanks to YA Bound Blog Book Tours for giving me a copy of the book to read and review.
December 5, 2015
This is a relatively short story about mysterious happenings at the very special boarding school, Amaris High. With a truth spell making it impossible to tell lies, werewolves and someone endangering everyone’s safety it is a fast paced start to a new series!
Lucy O’Connor’s first experiences at a very special boarding school which she’s won a scholarship to attend really don’t go well -even getting to the school isn’t straightforward!. Fortunately her room mate Hannah Morgan, comes to meet her, take her to their room and generally introduce Lucy to life in the school. Unfortunately, very soon after arriving Lucy manages to aggravate one of the most influential students, thinks she’s seen her childhood best friend and neighbour (who died several years ago) Sam Spencer and, within a day of arriving, she’s being ostracised by most of her fellow students!
Told in the first person, this is a story of contrasts. Students are segregated into three groups - red for the poorest, including scholarship students, green for the wealthy and entitled ones and golden for the elite few. One thing that doesn’t discriminate by wealth is the truth and when the whole school is hit by a truth spell it will have many unexpected consequences as Lucy tries to discover if she’s seeing things or Sam is really still alive. When someone uses witchcraft on everyone, the danger is potentially lethal for the majority of them - unless someone can intervene and counteract the spell’s potent effect.
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys boarding school dramas with lycanthropes, witchcraft, peer pressure, secrets to be revealed and lives to be saved.
Lucy O’Connor’s first experiences at a very special boarding school which she’s won a scholarship to attend really don’t go well -even getting to the school isn’t straightforward!. Fortunately her room mate Hannah Morgan, comes to meet her, take her to their room and generally introduce Lucy to life in the school. Unfortunately, very soon after arriving Lucy manages to aggravate one of the most influential students, thinks she’s seen her childhood best friend and neighbour (who died several years ago) Sam Spencer and, within a day of arriving, she’s being ostracised by most of her fellow students!
Told in the first person, this is a story of contrasts. Students are segregated into three groups - red for the poorest, including scholarship students, green for the wealthy and entitled ones and golden for the elite few. One thing that doesn’t discriminate by wealth is the truth and when the whole school is hit by a truth spell it will have many unexpected consequences as Lucy tries to discover if she’s seeing things or Sam is really still alive. When someone uses witchcraft on everyone, the danger is potentially lethal for the majority of them - unless someone can intervene and counteract the spell’s potent effect.
I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys boarding school dramas with lycanthropes, witchcraft, peer pressure, secrets to be revealed and lives to be saved.
January 30, 2016
*I received an ebook copy from YA Bound Book Tours. This does not affect my review.*
EDITED: 01/30/16
Lucy O' Connor is a scholar student of this prestigious school. Her roommate Hannah Morgan welcomes her and told her things that she needs to know about this school. The school is divided with 2 groups/ divisions or whatever you want to name and it's the Red and Green. Red is the basic package-basic foods, dorms, and services. Green is the so called "better package"-better services, dorms and etc. BUT we also have the Gold, who is the most popular in this school and basically owns the continents. When the Golds made an entrance with a helicopter, she saw Sam. Sam is her childhood bestfriend and she was shocked because all this time she thought that he was dead.
IT'S A WEREWOLF BOOK. OF COURSE I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT TEEN WOLF but this book was so different f in many ways. The Truth Spell was fast paced and an enjoyable read. It was an "easy-to-read" kind of book. In fact, this is the first book that I read in one sitting and it was worth it.
The plot was so simple, plain and ordinary. First day of school, protagonist get's bullied, noticed with the popular squad, then her world turned upside down-well not really. Just a bit. While reading this book, I can't stop wondering how this book is in the Young Adult shelf. It feels like a middle grade book to me. No plot twists nor revelations. I expected this book to be mind blowing, but it wasn't. It was also unbelievable. I know ya'll gonna say "Say what? This is a fantasy book Ricah so why is it unbelievable? Anything can happen." *snorts* Let me explain you this way, If your gonna meet a girl that's new to your school are you gonna trust her/him easily? Althea Wilde was bitching with her but the other day she was given a gold card thing to enter their dorm. Then talk to her like they're some kind of good friends? Uhm. Am I missing out something?
The characters were entertaining, especially the Golden. Nikolai's family owns Europe and half of South America. Althea Wilde is a model and her twin Tennyson Wilde is the "worst person in the planet." And of course, Sam Spencer.
“They’re Golden,” said Hannah. “Their lives are golden, everything about them is golden.”
-
“And that’s Tennyson Wilde, of course,” said Hannah. “He’s the actual worst person on the planet. He makes Althea Wilde look like a cuddle bunny. He is like, if Hitler had a baby with Voldemort, that baby would be like, ‘Hold up there, buddy, keep me away from this guy. He is too evil for me.’ I am not even kidding. You want to stay away from Tennyson Wilde. He is not someone you want to mess with. I don’t even know if he’s human.”
Lucy is a brave character. (WOW. I did not hate the protagonist this time, not like the other books. *coughs* ) Even if she was bullied, she doesn't cry or whatsoever. Instead she always think positive. Plus she also loves foods. However, I can't connect with her.
“Think about the free food,” I said to my reflection as I tightened my ponytail and straightened my glasses. “Even if rich people are creepy and weird, it’s worth it for the food.”
Other NEGATIVES:
-There was no real actions. I WAS WAITING FOR IT UGH.
-The setting was not explained well.
-There was no explanation with the school history.
The writing style was so articulate. It was straight to the point and doesn't include "oh so hard and deep words." Also there were some Harry Potter references here which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a fun read and if you currently have a reading slump this might shoo it away. I'd recommend this to readers who wants to read a light and short book.
EDITED: 01/30/16
Lucy O' Connor is a scholar student of this prestigious school. Her roommate Hannah Morgan welcomes her and told her things that she needs to know about this school. The school is divided with 2 groups/ divisions or whatever you want to name and it's the Red and Green. Red is the basic package-basic foods, dorms, and services. Green is the so called "better package"-better services, dorms and etc. BUT we also have the Gold, who is the most popular in this school and basically owns the continents. When the Golds made an entrance with a helicopter, she saw Sam. Sam is her childhood bestfriend and she was shocked because all this time she thought that he was dead.
The plot was so simple, plain and ordinary. First day of school, protagonist get's bullied, noticed with the popular squad, then her world turned upside down-well not really. Just a bit. While reading this book, I can't stop wondering how this book is in the Young Adult shelf. It feels like a middle grade book to me. No plot twists nor revelations. I expected this book to be mind blowing, but it wasn't. It was also unbelievable. I know ya'll gonna say "Say what? This is a fantasy book Ricah so why is it unbelievable? Anything can happen." *snorts* Let me explain you this way, If your gonna meet a girl that's new to your school are you gonna trust her/him easily? Althea Wilde was bitching with her but the other day she was given a gold card thing to enter their dorm. Then talk to her like they're some kind of good friends? Uhm. Am I missing out something?
The characters were entertaining, especially the Golden. Nikolai's family owns Europe and half of South America. Althea Wilde is a model and her twin Tennyson Wilde is the "worst person in the planet." And of course, Sam Spencer.
“They’re Golden,” said Hannah. “Their lives are golden, everything about them is golden.”
-
“And that’s Tennyson Wilde, of course,” said Hannah. “He’s the actual worst person on the planet. He makes Althea Wilde look like a cuddle bunny. He is like, if Hitler had a baby with Voldemort, that baby would be like, ‘Hold up there, buddy, keep me away from this guy. He is too evil for me.’ I am not even kidding. You want to stay away from Tennyson Wilde. He is not someone you want to mess with. I don’t even know if he’s human.”
Lucy is a brave character. (WOW. I did not hate the protagonist this time, not like the other books. *coughs* ) Even if she was bullied, she doesn't cry or whatsoever. Instead she always think positive. Plus she also loves foods. However, I can't connect with her.
“Think about the free food,” I said to my reflection as I tightened my ponytail and straightened my glasses. “Even if rich people are creepy and weird, it’s worth it for the food.”
Other NEGATIVES:
-There was no real actions. I WAS WAITING FOR IT UGH.
-The setting was not explained well.
-There was no explanation with the school history.
The writing style was so articulate. It was straight to the point and doesn't include "oh so hard and deep words." Also there were some Harry Potter references here which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a fun read and if you currently have a reading slump this might shoo it away. I'd recommend this to readers who wants to read a light and short book.
September 12, 2017
Bewitched by the Truth
This is one of the best high school Academy novels I have read, and Lucy one of the most credible protagonists. The Amaris school is not unique to the genre but together with the general atmosphere and school environment the novel is well crafted. The writing is exceptional for a YA novel with a good style, good general knowledge and well executed prose. I'm definitely up for the next book in the series.
This is one of the best high school Academy novels I have read, and Lucy one of the most credible protagonists. The Amaris school is not unique to the genre but together with the general atmosphere and school environment the novel is well crafted. The writing is exceptional for a YA novel with a good style, good general knowledge and well executed prose. I'm definitely up for the next book in the series.
January 25, 2016
See this review in its natural environment, Dani Reviews Things.
I am completely in love with this book! It's a short book (128 pages), so it's easily read in a sitting, but the sarcastic humour and genuinely mysterious plot make it feel like a breeze to get through. A very insistent breeze that wants you to sit down and keep reading.
I read while on a 7-hour Skype call with my book besties from Books Are My Fandom, who got to hear all my reactions and some choice quotes. Especially the sexual innuendos and insults (which, in context, don't sound as dirty, FYI.) Lucy was basically me: IT geek, with my sarcasm and just general way of talking. I loved it. (Are you getting that I loved this book yet?)
I am glad that @dani_reviews is telling me her thoughts on this book as she reads it. Makes me and @IrisjeXx laugh.
— Jamie (@booksandladders) January 24, 2016
"My family owns the media," he said, unbothered as he twiddled his knobs. The big knob twiddler.
The story is told from the perspective of Lucy. She's dirt poor and has mysteriously received a scholarship to the exclusive Amaris boarding school for the stupidly rich. The school has a colour-coded social structure with corresponding boarding houses and treatment: Reds are rich, Greens are really rich and Golds basically own the planet. When the Golds arrive (in a helicopter), she spies a boy...a boy she thought had died three years ago. So begins her hunt to discover the truth – whether it is her best friend Sam and how he's alive. The problem is that this guy who looks like Sam happens to be protected by the Golds, the leader being "bag of dicks" Tennyson Wilde.
[Tennyson] had the same dark hair and pale skin, same ethereal beauty, but there was an edge to it, a wildness. Rather than moonlight, he seemed formed from a supernova, from the chaos of total destruction, and I could well believe that if you got too close to him, you'd be pulled in; you'd collapse on yourself.
And then someone goes and drops a truth spell, which, as you can imagine, has rather humorous effects in a boarding school full of teenagers.
"You're always complaining that your butt looks big, but I don't see you swapping out those Doritos for a salad," I heard a girl say as I passed the door to the house kitchen.
"Didn't hear your boyfriend complaining when he was grabbing it in the common room last night," said the other girl.
And some people have some pretty huge secrets to hide. (I mean, the series is called WEREWOLF High.) The more people don't let out the truth, the worse the side effects get. There was an urgency to the book, as Lucy needed to figure out who was behind the spell while Tennyson was busy blaming her. I stopped updating Goodreads because I was so caught up in the excitement.
As for romance, there is a hint at it, but I think that'll really come out in the sequel. And it's not what you expect, FYI. I was expecting a certain trope, and that didn't happen. BUT I still think it might. You know what, though, I don't mind tropes, and I might actually want this one to happen as a sort of personal wish fulfilment.
By no means is this book perfect, but it is so utterly charming that I was enamoured by the end and immediately preordered the second book, The Tiny Spell. Get this... she suddenly finds herself two inches tall and has to live in Tennyson's SOCK DRAWER. -Falls to the floor in hysterics-
Snapshot
Thank you so much to Anita Oh and YA Bound Book Tours for letting me read this book because I needed a good giggle. :D
June 27, 2018
The plot was so simple, plain and ordinary. First day of school, protagonist get's bullied, noticed with the popular squad, then her world turned upside down-well not really. Just a bit. While reading this book It feels like a middle grade book to me. No plot twists nor revelations. I expected this book to be mind blowing, but it wasn't. It was also unbelievable. This is a fantasy book, so why is it unbelievable? Anything can happen." snorts Let me explain you this way, If your gonna meet a girl that's new to your school are you gonna trust her/him easily? Althea Wilde was bitching with her but the other day she was given a gold card thing to enter their dorm. Then talk to her like they're some kind of good friends.
This is one of the best high school Academy novels I have read, and Lucy one of the most credible protagonists. The Amaris school is not unique to the genre but together with the general atmosphere and school environment the novel is well crafted. The writing is exceptional for a YA novel with a good general knowledge and well executed prose. I'm definitely up for the next book in the series.
The writing style was so articulate. It was straight to the point and doesn't include "oh so hard and deep words." Also there were some Harry Potter references here which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a fun read and if you currently have a reading slump this might shoo it away. I'd recommend this to readers who wants to read a light and short book.
This is one of the best high school Academy novels I have read, and Lucy one of the most credible protagonists. The Amaris school is not unique to the genre but together with the general atmosphere and school environment the novel is well crafted. The writing is exceptional for a YA novel with a good general knowledge and well executed prose. I'm definitely up for the next book in the series.
The writing style was so articulate. It was straight to the point and doesn't include "oh so hard and deep words." Also there were some Harry Potter references here which I enjoyed. Overall, this was a fun read and if you currently have a reading slump this might shoo it away. I'd recommend this to readers who wants to read a light and short book.
September 27, 2017
The Truth Spell
This book is a little confusing and I'm now struggling to remember the names of the characters other than Tennyson. I still don't know whether I like Sam or not and why they're in love because she's drawn to Tennyson then Sam. I realized I don't even remember the protagonists name right now. I'm done. The books become progressively more expensive and it ends oddly also. 1 and out!
This book is a little confusing and I'm now struggling to remember the names of the characters other than Tennyson. I still don't know whether I like Sam or not and why they're in love because she's drawn to Tennyson then Sam. I realized I don't even remember the protagonists name right now. I'm done. The books become progressively more expensive and it ends oddly also. 1 and out!
January 5, 2016
I received The Truth Spell in return for an honest review from YA Bound. Lucy has been a scholarship to a very special boarding school that is divided by color and level of the package. Hopefully this will be the chance she needed after leaving her family who’s hurting for money. Right away she is befriended by her future roommate who explains everything to Lucy getting her settled in the red house. However things aren’t as they seem and when the Golden house members arrive by helicopter she catches the glimpse of someone from her past she thought was dead.
Determined to figure out the truth she sets out to figure out if she really did see her best friend who died Sam but catches attention from one of the other Golden students. Which pushes her to the outside being treated like an outsider who isn’t wanted even at the school. He even offers her money that her family could really use if she would just leave. Yet Lucy is determined to see if it really was Sam and in that a magical truth spell is unleashed on the school keeping everyone from being able to lie. As wolves roam the grounds will Lucy find the truth before it’s too late?
I like Lucy she’s kind of nerdy and fixes computers for extra money to help her family and she wears glasses. Which I have to admit has been rare until recently in young adult novels I’ve noticed. I didn’t like Tennyson at first because he was determined to have Lucy leave but he kind of grew on me the more we know. I also liked Sam after we learn about him it all makes sense.
I had been seeing this one around for a while and when the chance came up to review it I had to sign up. After all who wouldn’t want to read a werewolf boarding school? Right away it reminded me a little of Harry Potter since it opens up at the station. However that is where the similarities end it’s a unique spin on the boarding school concept. Lucy is an interesting character super nerdy but I think it works. I kind of love the concept of our main character being nerd made her easy to connect with. A fast paced hard to put down novel it was easy to finish in a few short hours. I enjoyed the first person writing style it really worked in this novel. I can’t wait to read the next one and see how things are going to work out for Lucy after all there is still a briefcase to talk about.
Determined to figure out the truth she sets out to figure out if she really did see her best friend who died Sam but catches attention from one of the other Golden students. Which pushes her to the outside being treated like an outsider who isn’t wanted even at the school. He even offers her money that her family could really use if she would just leave. Yet Lucy is determined to see if it really was Sam and in that a magical truth spell is unleashed on the school keeping everyone from being able to lie. As wolves roam the grounds will Lucy find the truth before it’s too late?
I like Lucy she’s kind of nerdy and fixes computers for extra money to help her family and she wears glasses. Which I have to admit has been rare until recently in young adult novels I’ve noticed. I didn’t like Tennyson at first because he was determined to have Lucy leave but he kind of grew on me the more we know. I also liked Sam after we learn about him it all makes sense.
I had been seeing this one around for a while and when the chance came up to review it I had to sign up. After all who wouldn’t want to read a werewolf boarding school? Right away it reminded me a little of Harry Potter since it opens up at the station. However that is where the similarities end it’s a unique spin on the boarding school concept. Lucy is an interesting character super nerdy but I think it works. I kind of love the concept of our main character being nerd made her easy to connect with. A fast paced hard to put down novel it was easy to finish in a few short hours. I enjoyed the first person writing style it really worked in this novel. I can’t wait to read the next one and see how things are going to work out for Lucy after all there is still a briefcase to talk about.
January 26, 2016
I received an eARC via the YA Bound Book Tours review library. I made no guarantee of a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are unbiased and my own.
What a fantabulous YA read!! I just couldn't get enough of this book. Lucy comes from a poor family and has been fortunate in receiving a scholarship to a prestigious and very private high school. Upon arrival at the school she is greeted by her roommate Hannah who tries to acclimate Lucy to her new surroundings however, she immediately gets on golden boy Terryson's bad side and she becomes the school pariah. Lucy has also suffered devasting losses in her young life but things aren't always what they seem and she is quickly cast into some paranormal/supernatural drama and time is not only running out for her but also for the entire student body.
This fast paced read was well written, suspenseful and the characters all have unique characteristics. The world building was so vivid that I quickly became a part of the student body. My favorite quote from this book is; "The truth is everything. Every work of art aims to reveal the fundamental truths that we all yearn for. We study them to uncover the truths we've not yet discovered for ourselves." I cannot wait to see how the story continues in the next book.
[IMG]http://i66.tinypic.com/2a5klsn.jpg[/IMG]
August 19, 2017
I loved this book. The MC's voice was fresh and fun. I never got tired of her spunky strength and even though she wasn't over the top super duper, she wasn't whiny or helpless either.
I loved the mystery, the school, her friends, family, and the boys. Tennyson is very intriguing. I can't wait to finish this series, but I might put it off until it's actually finished.
I loved the mystery, the school, her friends, family, and the boys. Tennyson is very intriguing. I can't wait to finish this series, but I might put it off until it's actually finished.
July 29, 2019
A girl from a poor family gets an unexpected invitation to a secretive, elite high school. She's mostly shunned due to her status, but stumbles upon some paranormal activity. She always seems to be at the center of all the trouble. Her attitude is often amusing.
Typo: Inconsistent punctuation placement, less used for fewer.
Typo: Inconsistent punctuation placement, less used for fewer.
May 20, 2018
***1/2
Interesting and different.
Interesting and different.
July 3, 2018
Nope. Did not like it - only finished it because it was short and the first half BELJPN was boring!
January 19, 2016
Picture this: You come from a meager, practically poor, background, and people close to you from your past are dead. You’re the new student at an exclusive (and somewhat geographically hidden) boarding school—one with majestic architecture, a sweeping landscape which borders a forest. The new school has different houses for the students, including one for the elite students. You suddenly find yourself in a world where magic and werewolves exists, and you’re the only person who can save the school from some sort of disaster.
Sound somewhat familiar?
But our hero isn’t Harry Potter, and this school isn’t Hogwarts. Instead, our plucky and likeable heroine is Lucy O’Connor, and the school is Amaris High. There seems to be the usual “types” found in a typical high school here: the overachievers, the wants-to-be-involved-in-everything girl, some bullying, the popular crowd including the brooding bad boy. What exactly could those rich and popular residents of “Gold House” be hiding inside?
Lucy comes with an exceptional and mysterious backstory. Her neighbor and best friend Sam supposedly died a few years earlier, brutally killed along with the rest of his family. Her father is also unaccounted for. The real initial incident of the book comes when Lucy spots Sam—or someone that looks like Sam—at school, hanging out with golden boy Tennyson Wilde. When Lucy tries to investigate, she’s targeted by the Wildes, who try bullying her into leaving the school.
I admire Lucy’s attitude through the story. She’s not going to let the Widles get the best of her. She’s going to find out if who she sees is Sam or not. She’s going to get to the bottom of the potentially catastrophic dilemma that has befallen the school—or at least use a part of it to her advantage.
Somehow, a spell has been cast upon the school which compels everyone to tell the truth. Think of the Jim Carrey film Liar, Liar, but in less of a slapstick comedic way and more in a borderline scary way. The students and faculty can only speak the truth, and some of them become gravely ill as they avoid attending classes for fear revealing things. For some reason, Lucy didn’t come across as affected as others by this spell. I really like the idea of the secrets people holding inside them literally making them sick, and I wish the book had explored this idea a little further than it did.
I actually found this book through the product page for its upcoming sequel—The Tiny Curse—which sounded very interesting to me. I’m not going to read book two before book one, so I figured hey, the book’s inexpensive; what great loss is there if I don’t enjoy it? But you know what? I did enjoy it—in a very Harry-Potter-lite kind of way. It has nowhere near the depth of world building that J.K. Rowling is capable of—but other than say J.R.R. Tolkein and George R.R. Martin, who else really is?
The plot of The Truth Spell is engaging, the conflict is intriguing, and the characters are believable enough. I wish there was a little more depth to the world, and some seemingly important details were left hanging, but both of those may be resolved in later books. Nonetheless, it was an easy, quick, and fun read. No truth spell is needed for me to give it THREE AND A HALF STARS, hoping that Book Two, The Tiny Curse, is at least a tiny bit better.
Sound somewhat familiar?
But our hero isn’t Harry Potter, and this school isn’t Hogwarts. Instead, our plucky and likeable heroine is Lucy O’Connor, and the school is Amaris High. There seems to be the usual “types” found in a typical high school here: the overachievers, the wants-to-be-involved-in-everything girl, some bullying, the popular crowd including the brooding bad boy. What exactly could those rich and popular residents of “Gold House” be hiding inside?
Lucy comes with an exceptional and mysterious backstory. Her neighbor and best friend Sam supposedly died a few years earlier, brutally killed along with the rest of his family. Her father is also unaccounted for. The real initial incident of the book comes when Lucy spots Sam—or someone that looks like Sam—at school, hanging out with golden boy Tennyson Wilde. When Lucy tries to investigate, she’s targeted by the Wildes, who try bullying her into leaving the school.
I admire Lucy’s attitude through the story. She’s not going to let the Widles get the best of her. She’s going to find out if who she sees is Sam or not. She’s going to get to the bottom of the potentially catastrophic dilemma that has befallen the school—or at least use a part of it to her advantage.
Somehow, a spell has been cast upon the school which compels everyone to tell the truth. Think of the Jim Carrey film Liar, Liar, but in less of a slapstick comedic way and more in a borderline scary way. The students and faculty can only speak the truth, and some of them become gravely ill as they avoid attending classes for fear revealing things. For some reason, Lucy didn’t come across as affected as others by this spell. I really like the idea of the secrets people holding inside them literally making them sick, and I wish the book had explored this idea a little further than it did.
I actually found this book through the product page for its upcoming sequel—The Tiny Curse—which sounded very interesting to me. I’m not going to read book two before book one, so I figured hey, the book’s inexpensive; what great loss is there if I don’t enjoy it? But you know what? I did enjoy it—in a very Harry-Potter-lite kind of way. It has nowhere near the depth of world building that J.K. Rowling is capable of—but other than say J.R.R. Tolkein and George R.R. Martin, who else really is?
The plot of The Truth Spell is engaging, the conflict is intriguing, and the characters are believable enough. I wish there was a little more depth to the world, and some seemingly important details were left hanging, but both of those may be resolved in later books. Nonetheless, it was an easy, quick, and fun read. No truth spell is needed for me to give it THREE AND A HALF STARS, hoping that Book Two, The Tiny Curse, is at least a tiny bit better.
January 29, 2017
BEST HIGHSCHOOL MAGIC BOOK WITH WEREWOLVES!
I love this series!!! I don't think I can get through them fast enough. The covers are awesome, which pulled me in right away. I absolutely adore stories written at schools and when there's magic involved, hello pure bliss! Anita created a whole social system unlike anything I've ever seen and it totally works. I love how she chose to set up the location of the school. It adds an air of mystery and does create a whole set of problems in and of itself. Her writing is so gripping that I felt like I was the main character at times and it was so addictive. I find that I want to know more about the Golden just like all of her side characters or other students in the books and I was flipping pages as fast as I could. I'm going to go purchase book 2 now but you just ha e to start here.
I love this series!!! I don't think I can get through them fast enough. The covers are awesome, which pulled me in right away. I absolutely adore stories written at schools and when there's magic involved, hello pure bliss! Anita created a whole social system unlike anything I've ever seen and it totally works. I love how she chose to set up the location of the school. It adds an air of mystery and does create a whole set of problems in and of itself. Her writing is so gripping that I felt like I was the main character at times and it was so addictive. I find that I want to know more about the Golden just like all of her side characters or other students in the books and I was flipping pages as fast as I could. I'm going to go purchase book 2 now but you just ha e to start here.
October 15, 2017
As strange as life is....Lucy accepted into and on scholarship to Armisis was shocking. In no time after arriving she learns her best friend and guy she loves may still be alive, of course she doesn’t believe. A spell is cast upon the school and all that live there, it’s a truth spell. Lucy is trying to figure it out as well as the Golden’s secret. She learns her father, who left the family, wrote a book with her BFF mother, about werewolves. Kudos to her on defeating Uber evil. she bears her heart to Sam and in the end he does the same. But here we don’t know what that means.
As strange as life is....Lucy accepted into and on scholarship to Armisis was shocking. In no time after arriving she learns her best friend and guy she loves may still be alive, of course she doesn’t believe. A spell is cast upon the school and all that live there, it’s a truth spell. Lucy is trying to figure it out as well as the Golden’s secret. She learns her father, who left the family, wrote a book with her BFF mother, about werewolves. Kudos to her on defeating Uber evil. she bears her heart to Sam and in the end he does the same. But here we don’t know what that means.
December 8, 2018
This book gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars for me. But, not like a regular 4.5, like I would give to a literary classic. More like a casual, easy read, lovey kind of 4.5. This book, and all of its counterparts had just about enough of everything you could want out of YA fantasy fiction. The only thing was that as time went on, each story was predictable in a kind of elementary way at times. But other wise I really liked this book, and continued on to read all 10 (I believe) of the rest of them. Looking forward to the next one!
December 22, 2017
Interesting concept...
The title is misleading...there are no werewolves at a high school but it is a very well written story.
The main character he been given a scholarship to an elite school, but this school has many secrets. And someone wants those secrets revealed. Follow as we unravel this mystery and find more questions than answers.
I want to read book 2 immediately now....it's that good
The title is misleading...there are no werewolves at a high school but it is a very well written story.
The main character he been given a scholarship to an elite school, but this school has many secrets. And someone wants those secrets revealed. Follow as we unravel this mystery and find more questions than answers.
I want to read book 2 immediately now....it's that good
July 30, 2017
Loved every minute
Oh why was this book so short! I loved it so much that I read it in a day and decided to buy the second in the series. I enjoyed the humour, the characters and the skilful writing. It drew me in and kept me guessing as to which way the storyline would go. I think I just found a new author to be a fan of.
Oh why was this book so short! I loved it so much that I read it in a day and decided to buy the second in the series. I enjoyed the humour, the characters and the skilful writing. It drew me in and kept me guessing as to which way the storyline would go. I think I just found a new author to be a fan of.
September 24, 2017
A bit different set up and I did enjoy it!
January 1, 2019
I wasn't sure mixing high school and werewolves, but off to a great start so far.
September 28, 2017
I love werewolves and I was drawn to this book by its cover.
Never judge a book by its cover – but this time I wasn't disappointed.
The main character Lucy is quite funny, I love her obsession with food. There are a bit too much “Harry Potter” references at the beginning, maybe in an attempt to make her own story more believable. There are indeed a lot similarities, as Lucy gets thrown into a mysterious boarding school (like Harry P.) and has to fight against prejudice as the outsider. Also like the Potter story, there is quite a bit of magic and supernatural going on. I might not have made this comparison if it wouldn't have been mentioned in the books itself so often.
Book 1
Lucy arrives at the super expensive boarding school and faces bullying and magic. Why she is there, we don't know and she is not asking too many questions herself. With no money from home and even having to provide for her siblings, it's quite a wonder she went there in the first place instead of working. But where does she get money for food and blood samples to be tested?
She soon learns that magic and werewolves are real and that her dead friend Sam isn't so dead.
It was a well paced story with characters I wanted to get to know more. And wowsers, I had an epiphany regarding boys' underpants!
Never judge a book by its cover – but this time I wasn't disappointed.
The main character Lucy is quite funny, I love her obsession with food. There are a bit too much “Harry Potter” references at the beginning, maybe in an attempt to make her own story more believable. There are indeed a lot similarities, as Lucy gets thrown into a mysterious boarding school (like Harry P.) and has to fight against prejudice as the outsider. Also like the Potter story, there is quite a bit of magic and supernatural going on. I might not have made this comparison if it wouldn't have been mentioned in the books itself so often.
Book 1
Lucy arrives at the super expensive boarding school and faces bullying and magic. Why she is there, we don't know and she is not asking too many questions herself. With no money from home and even having to provide for her siblings, it's quite a wonder she went there in the first place instead of working. But where does she get money for food and blood samples to be tested?
She soon learns that magic and werewolves are real and that her dead friend Sam isn't so dead.
It was a well paced story with characters I wanted to get to know more. And wowsers, I had an epiphany regarding boys' underpants!
September 7, 2017
Also on: http://diaryofawannabewriter.blogspot...
We follow Lucy, down to Earth girl, who just got scholarship to prestigious high school. She knew she would never really fit in, but had to try, for her family sake. Her mother got sick and her father left them, so she was left to take care for her brothers and make money. She learned to fix computers, so she could buy food.
People at school are divided in groups, Red (where she is), Green (people with a lot more money are) and Golden (richest of the rich). More money, more power, even at school.
At school she catches glimps of a guy that look like her childhood best friend, that died 3 years ago. He is hanging with Golden.
She buts heads with Tennyson Wilde, one of Golden's, almost immediately. It bring her a lot of bullying and trouble.
It an easy, quick read, with really fast pace and good writing. I got pulled in immediately and couldn't stop reading. The characters are well developed and interesting. I really like the dynamics between them. And I actually liked the lightness of it.
We follow Lucy, down to Earth girl, who just got scholarship to prestigious high school. She knew she would never really fit in, but had to try, for her family sake. Her mother got sick and her father left them, so she was left to take care for her brothers and make money. She learned to fix computers, so she could buy food.
People at school are divided in groups, Red (where she is), Green (people with a lot more money are) and Golden (richest of the rich). More money, more power, even at school.
At school she catches glimps of a guy that look like her childhood best friend, that died 3 years ago. He is hanging with Golden.
She buts heads with Tennyson Wilde, one of Golden's, almost immediately. It bring her a lot of bullying and trouble.
It an easy, quick read, with really fast pace and good writing. I got pulled in immediately and couldn't stop reading. The characters are well developed and interesting. I really like the dynamics between them. And I actually liked the lightness of it.
September 21, 2017
I purchased this and the next two in a series boxed set. Generally this is a good series. I'm rating this as a 3 because there were several errors in the books such as timeline issues (i.e. it had been 5 years since Sam supposedly died, Lucy was 12 years old, but in the story she's 15 yo.--she should be 17) and many missing words throughout the whole series. The characters as a whole, however, were well done and interesting. The whole rich, good-looking, charismatic characters a bit cliche, and Lucy being the hardened, poor girl who lucks into being with the rich, good-looking, etc... along with the mean girls who hate Lucy for being accepted by the hot guys also cliche. If you get beyond that, I really liked the story. I liked that Lucy was not perfect and the Oh showed the imperfections in the others as well. I love supernatural werewolf stories and I read past all of the cliches and errors to find a story I enjoyed and wanted to read more of.
August 24, 2017
Interesting concept and nicely illustrated characters. Occasionally, narration and dialogue are repetitive or contrived. I also have a MAJOR issue with the context/ scene. People go to bed; they wake up, and suddenly its night and the moon is out. Huh?? This is one of my pet peeves with novels: the passage of time is not realistically illustrated. Also, colors are too vivid in the dark. I feel like in creative writing 101 classes, there should be an assignment to go outside on a full moon and write what they see. So many authors do this and it's so unrealistic that I sometimes have a difficult time believing anything else the writer wants me to believe. Their credibility is shot. Regardless, the plot and mystery kept me intrigued. So I'll continue reading the series.
August 19, 2018
I honestly felt like i was reading a fanfic you'd find on Wattpad, made back in 2012 by a 10 y/o, in the beginning of the book. The text kept going back and forth between present tense and past tense, not to mention the constant reuse of the same phrases. But fortunately, it only lasts the first 30-50 pages (there definitely is a huge improvement after). The main plot was as stereo typical as the characters in it. However, i did highly appreciate the main character's humour and how much i could relate to her awkwardness (and especially her love for food). Its a pretty light and fun read though. But do i think its worth buying? Unfortunately, no :/ so, official rating is 2.5/5. Not the best, but definitely not the worst either.
June 6, 2021
Great
Lucy is poor and get a scholarship to a rich school. While there she see the golden kids the lost richest kids in the school. The golden kids are Althea her twin brother Tennyson and Nikolai Volkov but there is also a 4th boy but it cant be Sam her child hood friend the boy she loved and died years ago.
While trying to get info on Sam she becomes the latest topic at school she get bullied her food card dont work all because of Tennyson. She dont believe in magic or paranormal but this school is making her beliefs crash all around her.
Good book love Lucy's determination , grit, and fierceness.
Lucy is poor and get a scholarship to a rich school. While there she see the golden kids the lost richest kids in the school. The golden kids are Althea her twin brother Tennyson and Nikolai Volkov but there is also a 4th boy but it cant be Sam her child hood friend the boy she loved and died years ago.
While trying to get info on Sam she becomes the latest topic at school she get bullied her food card dont work all because of Tennyson. She dont believe in magic or paranormal but this school is making her beliefs crash all around her.
Good book love Lucy's determination , grit, and fierceness.
July 26, 2018
i really like these books! even though there are three books in each year, each book is actually a story in itself. the main characters are well developed and very different from each other. the main character is hilariously sarcastic and has a great sense of self. she finds humor in her worst situations and always finds a reason to keep going. a great example for teens.
really enjoyable series!
some swearing but her most used derogatory word is jerk often with some great adjective added to it.
really enjoyable series!
some swearing but her most used derogatory word is jerk often with some great adjective added to it.
June 2, 2022
Okay, after becoming an adult and with the passage of time, I stopped enjoying most books with teenagers point of view.
But I really liked this one.
Lucy is funny, smart and fairly sarcastic when in danger(I can really vibe with this last characteristic, considering that the only time I was robbed I distinctly noticed the very ridiculous moustache of the robber).
I also like that she was not the young maiden that needs a man to save her, and this made it very comfortable to read.
Anyway, it was a very good book, and I'm planning on reading the series. I look forward to it.
But I really liked this one.
Lucy is funny, smart and fairly sarcastic when in danger(I can really vibe with this last characteristic, considering that the only time I was robbed I distinctly noticed the very ridiculous moustache of the robber).
I also like that she was not the young maiden that needs a man to save her, and this made it very comfortable to read.
Anyway, it was a very good book, and I'm planning on reading the series. I look forward to it.
December 28, 2016
It wasn't so bad. I like how the story flowed especially with the rivalry between Tennyson and Lucy. Made me like Lucy a little bit more and more and not so much for Tennyson. I'm glad that She got closure. However the bad guy who caster the spell...I did not see it coming! It was BAM! A Frying pan the head. I'm still seeing stars. Great fun!
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