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Brighten Magic Academy #1
Reflections of You
What do you do when your Mother signs you up for the prestigious Brighten Academy of Magic? You pack up your things, grab your familiar, and pray this doesn’t go horribly wrong.
Having a sweet Mother like mine, whose mind is slowly deteriorating thanks to her Alzheimer’s, it’s my role to make her happy. After my older brother’s death, I vowed to make her smile and do whatever she asked.
So when she pulls some strings and gets me a golden ticket into the all male school, Brighten Magic Academy, there’s no way I can refuse.
Well here I am, stuck in a dorm house with six sexy males - their attraction having no chill and magic that can make you fall to your knees in submission.
But I can survive this trial because I’m a boy. Well, between you and me, I’m a girl using magic, pretending to be a guy, but you get my dilemma.
What’s the worst that can happen? I guess you're about to find out.
Reflections of You is a REVERSE HAREM paranormal romance. Suggested for 18+ audience, containing mature sexual content, violence and strong language. It will involve M/M and F/F partnerships. You’ve been warned.
Having a sweet Mother like mine, whose mind is slowly deteriorating thanks to her Alzheimer’s, it’s my role to make her happy. After my older brother’s death, I vowed to make her smile and do whatever she asked.
So when she pulls some strings and gets me a golden ticket into the all male school, Brighten Magic Academy, there’s no way I can refuse.
Well here I am, stuck in a dorm house with six sexy males - their attraction having no chill and magic that can make you fall to your knees in submission.
But I can survive this trial because I’m a boy. Well, between you and me, I’m a girl using magic, pretending to be a guy, but you get my dilemma.
What’s the worst that can happen? I guess you're about to find out.
Reflections of You is a REVERSE HAREM paranormal romance. Suggested for 18+ audience, containing mature sexual content, violence and strong language. It will involve M/M and F/F partnerships. You’ve been warned.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2018
1157 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
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May 7, 2018
Candy floss!
I'm afraid this one just didn't work for me, and a large part of that was the writing style. It seemed to be confused about its identity. It wanted to be an adult/NA RH paranormal novel one minute - complete with explicit sexual references, porno discussions, and steamy thoughts about sex. And the next minute it was a middle school book that chastely discussed "getting to second base" and overly simplistically described what was happening to the reader rather than letting the reader draw their own conclusions based on what was occurring. Please, show! Don't tell.
The best thing about the book, and what kept me reading, was the harem. And I enjoyed the tentative explorations of what magic is like in this world (though it was extremely under-developed). The guys surrounding the MC have a ton of potential. I loved Nixon and Braxton in particular. They were interesting and compelling and I would have loved to see more of them. Kage and Maximus were really starting to grow on my by the end. Zane has not yet been developed, and Logan was up and down for me. But overall, they were the best part of the book.
(In terms of Logan, the biggest "down" was the scene where he and Jewel finally had sex - both virgins - that was very clinical and rather unsexy and was followed by a discussion about which sperm of all the guys would get there first in a sperm war and make her pregnant. Uh...okaaaay. And I am sorry, sex with a virgin does not equate to being "like a horror movie" on the sheets. Really!?)
The regular flashbacks to a 6 year old girl felt even too young for that age. I found them to be quite irritating. She was constantly squealing and her thoughts felt more appropriate to a three year old.
Actually, that was the case for much of the book. The author made a very specific point, despite it being strange, to have all the students going to this Brighten Magic Academy at 21-24 years old when they start their freshman year. So she was clearly trying to go for an older crowd. However, most of the behavior was much more appropriate to a high school crowd (or younger in some cases!).
This slightly schizophrenic perspective was just as present with the main character. Not only did she vacillate between being this innocent, naive, pure virgin that thought it terms of what it would be like to get to second base and whether "it would even fit in there". But she also thought continually about sex and being pressed against the wall and had graphic and crude thoughts (including language changes that included things like c*ck and f*ck). And on top of that, she had the built-in dichotomy of being both female and male and attempting to have thoughts appropriate to each.
Which leads me to another issue I had with the book. Jewel was female (and always had been). But to go to Brighten Academy, which is all male, she had to become a male. So she used magic to turn herself into a guy, using her imagination to craft how he would look. Once she had "shifted" into this male body, she was essentially male. Meaning she had to adapt to being in a male body - one that was a lot taller, built differently, and with different plumbing. So much fodder for really interesting thoughts and scenes!
Yet the only two things the author ever explored in this rich arena were:
1) What it was like to now have a c*ck - and all the twitching and hardening it did in reaction to various stimuli - as well as how on earth to pee.
2) How as a guy she needed to act confident and hide that she was feeling anxiety or vulnerability, because that is what guys do. (Uh..right)
That's it. No thoughts about how it probably would have been difficult to even walk at first with the rapid change in body. Nothing about practicing magic use while in a different body before heading off to the school to test. Nothing about changing her mannerisms and style of walking, because they probably would look really feminine as a guy. Etc etc.
It was just disappointing. Honestly, I am not sure I was surprised, because I had half-expected the bubble gum, cotton candy, crazy juvenile feel from reading her blurbs and the style of the covers. But I hadn't expected it to be quite so jumpy or underdeveloped.
And, please, let's not even get into the name - Jewel Starfire - whose nickname is "Precious" and is often called "Precious Jewel". Ugh.
There is also a lot of preachy, rather heavy-handed social commentary happening. Everything from discussions about bullying, to LGBT issues, gender identity, and helping others out of the goodness of your heart and not requiring something in return. I am all for my fiction including social messages, but I prefer not to be hit over the head with it. I only want it included when it is an integrated and integral part of the story.
We'll see how the series progresses. I do love the gender bending trope, and you rarely see it outside of high fantasy or early historical fiction where there is a believable world to have a woman needing to pretend to be a man because women don't have the same rights. (And funny how it is almost always taking some position as a guard somewhere!) But I will need to see more development and a more uniform voice to really enjoy this series.
UPDATE PROGRESS NOTES:
96.0% "Wait... getting an award for bravery and selflessness (uh, what? are we in kindergarten?) after the fight at the tower. But she was Jewel, not Jinn. How is that going to work?"
93.0% "Sigh...ridiculously cludgy denouement."
90.0% "Uh...protection guys? Give any thought to something like that?
And don't be absurd! There is not that much blood 99% of the time. Seriously :/"
90.0% "A rather unsexy, clinical first time. Too detached. Foreplay and arousal do help ya know...."
89.0% "Make up your mind already! One moment you have Jewel crude and porno experienced. The next it is all "second base" and "teasing my bud" and "I debated if it would even fit inside me". Seriously!?"
88.0% "Sigh... this is so all over the place! I mean, strange enough that they are 21-24 going to this academy...so the author has made a point to have this not be YA. And yet the MC is constantly talking about "going to second base" and "going to third base"...which is unbelievably juvenile and makes them seem more like young teenagers. A mess!"
84.0% "These shoulder tattoos are gonna give the game away. Someone is gonna notice them on both Jewel and Jinn and make the connection."
82.0% "Smart man, Brax! Well, that solves one worry I had been having."
82.0% "I can't believe this is the first you guys are considering the fact that people can see in the windows and see Jewel as a girl. LOL"
79.0% "God she is an idiot! A whiny idiot!
Her nickname is "Precious". Ugh!"
70.0% "Uh, his instincts are telling him they only have 2 minutes until other guys enter the shower room? I don't see how that would happen. Some sort of prophetic ability?"
68.0% "Very good question! 'Cause you are TSTL and the author wanted a MM shower scene? ;)"
63.0% "Yep. Totally realistic thoughts for a virgin. Mmmhmm."
53.0% "And...uh... isn't it very difficult (impossible?) for guys to pee with an erection?"
52.0% "Alright, so Jewel/Jinn is both an annoyingly passive doormat and a truly Special Snowflake. And her male "persona" is incredibly awkward and rather irritating. Not a fan so far."
46.0% "A lot of preachy, heavy-handed social commentary happening. Bullying, LGBT issues, gender identity, helping others out of the goodness of your heart and not requiring something in return..."
41.0% "OMG.... there is a paragraph for each character listing all their statistics, looks and key personality traits? Like the summary on a character review? DON'T put stuff like that in the book!"
25.0% "Well, this is the most... different book I have ever read. An MC who is BOTH male and female, and is reacting sexually in both capacities. Some very strange scenes as a result. True gender bending here..."
18.0% "Well edited (as in typo-free) but very awkwardly written. Rather juvenile. And the dialogue is incredibly stilted. The result? Most characters come across more like a 12 than 21-24 year old."
14.0% "This book is candy floss. Between the MC's name (Jewel Starfire) and all the strange rainbow eyes and hair, and comments like Logan being as sexy as a "fresh plate of pancakes with a glorious amount of maple syrup"..."
9.0% "Hmmm... Freshman year at 23???"
7.0% "All the backstory/world-building elements really feel info-dumped. Not very well woven into the story. It keeps breaking the flow for me."
5.0% ""Also, why would you have a sleepover with Logan? Are you gay, sweetheart?" Again, huh? No one stays at a friend's house that is the same sex? Actually it is generally more problematic to "have a sleepover" with the opposite sex! Awkward again."
5.0% "Uh...so people go to Brighten Magic Academy at 21? So Gabriel/Brother was 21-22 or something like that to Jewel's 6? Odd"
3.0% "This little kid POV prologue is really awkward. From calling Gabriel "Brother" all the time (capitalized, no less) to the all caps and bubbling, it is rather stereotypical and doesn't feel at all real."
I'm afraid this one just didn't work for me, and a large part of that was the writing style. It seemed to be confused about its identity. It wanted to be an adult/NA RH paranormal novel one minute - complete with explicit sexual references, porno discussions, and steamy thoughts about sex. And the next minute it was a middle school book that chastely discussed "getting to second base" and overly simplistically described what was happening to the reader rather than letting the reader draw their own conclusions based on what was occurring. Please, show! Don't tell.
The best thing about the book, and what kept me reading, was the harem. And I enjoyed the tentative explorations of what magic is like in this world (though it was extremely under-developed). The guys surrounding the MC have a ton of potential. I loved Nixon and Braxton in particular. They were interesting and compelling and I would have loved to see more of them. Kage and Maximus were really starting to grow on my by the end. Zane has not yet been developed, and Logan was up and down for me. But overall, they were the best part of the book.
(In terms of Logan, the biggest "down" was the scene where he and Jewel finally had sex - both virgins - that was very clinical and rather unsexy and was followed by a discussion about which sperm of all the guys would get there first in a sperm war and make her pregnant. Uh...okaaaay. And I am sorry, sex with a virgin does not equate to being "like a horror movie" on the sheets. Really!?)
The regular flashbacks to a 6 year old girl felt even too young for that age. I found them to be quite irritating. She was constantly squealing and her thoughts felt more appropriate to a three year old.
Actually, that was the case for much of the book. The author made a very specific point, despite it being strange, to have all the students going to this Brighten Magic Academy at 21-24 years old when they start their freshman year. So she was clearly trying to go for an older crowd. However, most of the behavior was much more appropriate to a high school crowd (or younger in some cases!).
This slightly schizophrenic perspective was just as present with the main character. Not only did she vacillate between being this innocent, naive, pure virgin that thought it terms of what it would be like to get to second base and whether "it would even fit in there". But she also thought continually about sex and being pressed against the wall and had graphic and crude thoughts (including language changes that included things like c*ck and f*ck). And on top of that, she had the built-in dichotomy of being both female and male and attempting to have thoughts appropriate to each.
Which leads me to another issue I had with the book. Jewel was female (and always had been). But to go to Brighten Academy, which is all male, she had to become a male. So she used magic to turn herself into a guy, using her imagination to craft how he would look. Once she had "shifted" into this male body, she was essentially male. Meaning she had to adapt to being in a male body - one that was a lot taller, built differently, and with different plumbing. So much fodder for really interesting thoughts and scenes!
Yet the only two things the author ever explored in this rich arena were:
1) What it was like to now have a c*ck - and all the twitching and hardening it did in reaction to various stimuli - as well as how on earth to pee.
2) How as a guy she needed to act confident and hide that she was feeling anxiety or vulnerability, because that is what guys do. (Uh..right)
That's it. No thoughts about how it probably would have been difficult to even walk at first with the rapid change in body. Nothing about practicing magic use while in a different body before heading off to the school to test. Nothing about changing her mannerisms and style of walking, because they probably would look really feminine as a guy. Etc etc.
It was just disappointing. Honestly, I am not sure I was surprised, because I had half-expected the bubble gum, cotton candy, crazy juvenile feel from reading her blurbs and the style of the covers. But I hadn't expected it to be quite so jumpy or underdeveloped.
And, please, let's not even get into the name - Jewel Starfire - whose nickname is "Precious" and is often called "Precious Jewel". Ugh.
There is also a lot of preachy, rather heavy-handed social commentary happening. Everything from discussions about bullying, to LGBT issues, gender identity, and helping others out of the goodness of your heart and not requiring something in return. I am all for my fiction including social messages, but I prefer not to be hit over the head with it. I only want it included when it is an integrated and integral part of the story.
We'll see how the series progresses. I do love the gender bending trope, and you rarely see it outside of high fantasy or early historical fiction where there is a believable world to have a woman needing to pretend to be a man because women don't have the same rights. (And funny how it is almost always taking some position as a guard somewhere!) But I will need to see more development and a more uniform voice to really enjoy this series.
UPDATE PROGRESS NOTES:
96.0% "Wait... getting an award for bravery and selflessness (uh, what? are we in kindergarten?) after the fight at the tower. But she was Jewel, not Jinn. How is that going to work?"
93.0% "Sigh...ridiculously cludgy denouement."
90.0% "Uh...protection guys? Give any thought to something like that?
And don't be absurd! There is not that much blood 99% of the time. Seriously :/"
90.0% "A rather unsexy, clinical first time. Too detached. Foreplay and arousal do help ya know...."
89.0% "Make up your mind already! One moment you have Jewel crude and porno experienced. The next it is all "second base" and "teasing my bud" and "I debated if it would even fit inside me". Seriously!?"
88.0% "Sigh... this is so all over the place! I mean, strange enough that they are 21-24 going to this academy...so the author has made a point to have this not be YA. And yet the MC is constantly talking about "going to second base" and "going to third base"...which is unbelievably juvenile and makes them seem more like young teenagers. A mess!"
84.0% "These shoulder tattoos are gonna give the game away. Someone is gonna notice them on both Jewel and Jinn and make the connection."
82.0% "Smart man, Brax! Well, that solves one worry I had been having."
82.0% "I can't believe this is the first you guys are considering the fact that people can see in the windows and see Jewel as a girl. LOL"
79.0% "God she is an idiot! A whiny idiot!
"I get it, but I couldn't just lose. I made it this far. Why is it fair that I have to do poorly not because I lacked in power, but because of Zane's 'I want friends' plot?" I whined.78.0% "Precious Jewel Starfire. It has gotten worse. Sigh
Her nickname is "Precious". Ugh!"
70.0% "Uh, his instincts are telling him they only have 2 minutes until other guys enter the shower room? I don't see how that would happen. Some sort of prophetic ability?"
68.0% "Very good question! 'Cause you are TSTL and the author wanted a MM shower scene? ;)"
63.0% "Yep. Totally realistic thoughts for a virgin. Mmmhmm."
53.0% "And...uh... isn't it very difficult (impossible?) for guys to pee with an erection?"
52.0% "Alright, so Jewel/Jinn is both an annoyingly passive doormat and a truly Special Snowflake. And her male "persona" is incredibly awkward and rather irritating. Not a fan so far."
46.0% "A lot of preachy, heavy-handed social commentary happening. Bullying, LGBT issues, gender identity, helping others out of the goodness of your heart and not requiring something in return..."
41.0% "OMG.... there is a paragraph for each character listing all their statistics, looks and key personality traits? Like the summary on a character review? DON'T put stuff like that in the book!"
25.0% "Well, this is the most... different book I have ever read. An MC who is BOTH male and female, and is reacting sexually in both capacities. Some very strange scenes as a result. True gender bending here..."
18.0% "Well edited (as in typo-free) but very awkwardly written. Rather juvenile. And the dialogue is incredibly stilted. The result? Most characters come across more like a 12 than 21-24 year old."
14.0% "This book is candy floss. Between the MC's name (Jewel Starfire) and all the strange rainbow eyes and hair, and comments like Logan being as sexy as a "fresh plate of pancakes with a glorious amount of maple syrup"..."
9.0% "Hmmm... Freshman year at 23???"
7.0% "All the backstory/world-building elements really feel info-dumped. Not very well woven into the story. It keeps breaking the flow for me."
5.0% ""Also, why would you have a sleepover with Logan? Are you gay, sweetheart?" Again, huh? No one stays at a friend's house that is the same sex? Actually it is generally more problematic to "have a sleepover" with the opposite sex! Awkward again."
5.0% "Uh...so people go to Brighten Magic Academy at 21? So Gabriel/Brother was 21-22 or something like that to Jewel's 6? Odd"
3.0% "This little kid POV prologue is really awkward. From calling Gabriel "Brother" all the time (capitalized, no less) to the all caps and bubbling, it is rather stereotypical and doesn't feel at all real."
July 1, 2018
This book counts towards my 2018 Reverse Harem Revolution book BINGO challenge. "The Pact"
This is the first book I read by this author & I felt it was originally written in a different language & later translated into English. If not that, it suffered from an identity crisis. The sexual fantasies were very much adult, unlike the rest of the book. The author has an overly simplistic writing style. The story was completely character driven without subplots. The author doesn’t encourage any but the most superficial thoughts. The characters felt young instead of early to mid-20’s & suffered from poor dialogue & lack of chemistry. Tbh I felt like I was reading manga without the artwork. Overall It’s not a format I prefer but will continue the series. I would recommend this series to those who are fans of manga. If you’re looking for intrigue & plot twist look elsewhere. 2.5 I’m happy this was a kindle unlimited book stars.
Pet peeve: Jewel & Logan are virgins.
FYI This is not an all smiles happy throughout read. A death in the family is revisited continuously. The h, Jewel suffers from an extreme case of survivors guilt. This book deals with some serious realities Jewel's mother has Alzheimer's Disease & Jewel is her main caregiver. The beginning of the book especially deals with typical caregiver's emotions - guilt, anger, lack of social life & overall sacrifices. These are not uplifting topics.
This is the first book I read by this author & I felt it was originally written in a different language & later translated into English. If not that, it suffered from an identity crisis. The sexual fantasies were very much adult, unlike the rest of the book. The author has an overly simplistic writing style. The story was completely character driven without subplots. The author doesn’t encourage any but the most superficial thoughts. The characters felt young instead of early to mid-20’s & suffered from poor dialogue & lack of chemistry. Tbh I felt like I was reading manga without the artwork. Overall It’s not a format I prefer but will continue the series. I would recommend this series to those who are fans of manga. If you’re looking for intrigue & plot twist look elsewhere. 2.5 I’m happy this was a kindle unlimited book stars.
Pet peeve: Jewel & Logan are virgins.
FYI This is not an all smiles happy throughout read. A death in the family is revisited continuously. The h, Jewel suffers from an extreme case of survivors guilt. This book deals with some serious realities Jewel's mother has Alzheimer's Disease & Jewel is her main caregiver. The beginning of the book especially deals with typical caregiver's emotions - guilt, anger, lack of social life & overall sacrifices. These are not uplifting topics.
December 7, 2018
This book is basically what would happen if someone took every gender bender manga/anime there is out there mixed it together, sprinkled some yaoi, and added plenty of smut. While I enjoy some of those themes in manga and anime, sadly as a book it is just a bit cringeworthy. Add in that it just made me think of actual anime I have watched and I just wasn’t engaged. This book has some decent reviews so obviously so people liked it, it just wasn’t for me.
May 14, 2018
Review copy kindly provided by the author in exchange for a honest review
If a book makes you stay up to the early hours of the morning to finish it. It’s a sure winner in my books and the fact I immediately start into another book of this author I have to shared this author everywhere as this author is a gem . I was fortunate that I get the opportunity to take a chance, a new author to me and she didn’t disappoint. Yumoyori Wilson has caused a serious case of book hangover and doesn’t help I’m devouring more of her words every day since then
It’s been 6 days since I finished this book and my appetite for this author’s words has only grown. Wilson undoubtedly is a talented writer and storyteller. Reflections of You gave everything I wanted in a book and more. In a category that has exploded recently, Wilson stands out with her quirky unique characters and their stories.
Reflection from You is the first book in one of her newest stories. Telling the story of Jewel who has grown up with huge expectations on her shoulders and a tragic past. As a result is a slow burn paranormal novel that packs quite a punch as we join her on a journey that full of magic and plenty of surprises .
Whilst it’s slow burn , this book does deliver some punch with the heat, Wilson knows how dangle the carrot in front of us.
Jewel is no shy women and I love the gang in this novel. Considering that school days are something I can totally relate to. I totally would want to attend this school and join the classes instead of attending my own classes. As it not just Jewel’s story, the boys do play key roles and I can’t wait to see more of them in the future given what happened in this novel .
The plot, world building and characters make this book tick a lot of boxes in this novel . I love the connections formed and the whole back story to this current situation. There seemed a lot but it worked. It’s carefully told and this why it so addictive
Wilson presented a lot in this novel and whilst I was satisfied for now, there is totally a hunger for the next novel. Wilson has found her own niche and I love the play on things with this series. Definitely worth a read if you want a reverse harem with a difference.
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May 9, 2018
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I so loved this book! It has a story line that follows a plot I could not have dreamed of before as the MC hides at an all boy magic school even though she is a girl. I was laughing, cheering, fanning myself, and so much more as the story went on. The characters are so well developed I feel like I have known them forever and the world building is so awesome I want to live there myself. If you are a fan of PNR RH novels then this is a must read. I absolutely loved it so it gets 5/5 stars and I will be waiting anxiously for the next installment.
I so loved this book! It has a story line that follows a plot I could not have dreamed of before as the MC hides at an all boy magic school even though she is a girl. I was laughing, cheering, fanning myself, and so much more as the story went on. The characters are so well developed I feel like I have known them forever and the world building is so awesome I want to live there myself. If you are a fan of PNR RH novels then this is a must read. I absolutely loved it so it gets 5/5 stars and I will be waiting anxiously for the next installment.
September 13, 2018
2.75 ish. I’m a little on the fence about this book. There were some things I really liked and there were some parts that were just awkward and cringeworthy.
So Jewel as an FMC was good. She is sassy, maybe a little spoiled by every man in the world, but she has a great sense of humor and is super loyal. Alice, my sister from another mister, love loved her! Character depth wise, even though I don’t feel we have really gotten to know all our guys, I feel like they are showing an adequate amount of depth and a diversity of personalities. Nixon and Kage are my favorites surprisingly since they got the least amount of “air time.”
I’m not really sure where the plot line is going on this. It seems pretty far fetched that she would disguise herself as a boy to go to this school...for this reason. Just because her mom confused her as Gabe...which she hates...she is going to go? Seems super wishy washy to me. Now if her brother had started with the “break the cycle” stuff before her actually getting in and if her mom’s mind was so deteriorated that she never recognized jewel then maybe I can see her going in undercover to find and expose everything out of vengeance and to set her brothers soul free. It’s obvious that her brother can’t move on because jewel has him trapped to her at least to me it was....my theory was the glowing amulet she was wearing when her brother passed, however there was never a mention of this amulet again. Seemed important when it happened however was left to rot..maybe in the void. *rolls eyes*
I have to say that I feel like the author is using this series as a soapbox...or rather maybe standing on a group of soapboxes with this. I felt like the author tried to cram a lot of issues most regarding issues of acceptance and maybe went a little far by adding in too many issues at once. I don’t really know but I felt like I was getting a lecture at times whereas just showing a character’s acceptance toward others etc can go along way in inspiring others to do the same. I felt like it was being crammed down my throat in a cringeworthy way. I mean I’m here, I’m reading the book, acceptance granted let’s move on.
The transforming back and forth from a dude to a chick was a little awkward. Sometimes I didn’t even know when she was what. It was really confusing. The romance...though sometimes seemed sincere was a lot of times more rushed and forced than it should have been. Jewel goes from never dating a guy, to dating one a week, and bam she now has 6 boyfriends...huh? Why does she even feel she needs to date them all anyway? Just because they share a dorm? And not just that but she thinks she “loves” them all. Heck she doesn’t even know half of them. I feel her connection to Kage, Braxton, and Logan but the others it was just weird.
Lastly, I felt that almost every character here was more immature than not only their age but their life experiences also. I get the whole college frat vibe but leave that crap at the parties. Where is the MAGIC... we are supposed to be learning it here. Any instances of learning magic etc were glossed over or few and far between. I feel like they should be taking it way more seriously. I feel like we have an entire group of talented individuals here and it’s being played down the entire book. I also have a theory about dear old dad...noticed he wasn’t with Gabe in the afterlife.... I’m holding out hope for book 2 but if my dreams don’t come true I may have to can this series.
So Jewel as an FMC was good. She is sassy, maybe a little spoiled by every man in the world, but she has a great sense of humor and is super loyal. Alice, my sister from another mister, love loved her! Character depth wise, even though I don’t feel we have really gotten to know all our guys, I feel like they are showing an adequate amount of depth and a diversity of personalities. Nixon and Kage are my favorites surprisingly since they got the least amount of “air time.”
I’m not really sure where the plot line is going on this. It seems pretty far fetched that she would disguise herself as a boy to go to this school...for this reason. Just because her mom confused her as Gabe...which she hates...she is going to go? Seems super wishy washy to me. Now if her brother had started with the “break the cycle” stuff before her actually getting in and if her mom’s mind was so deteriorated that she never recognized jewel then maybe I can see her going in undercover to find and expose everything out of vengeance and to set her brothers soul free. It’s obvious that her brother can’t move on because jewel has him trapped to her at least to me it was....my theory was the glowing amulet she was wearing when her brother passed, however there was never a mention of this amulet again. Seemed important when it happened however was left to rot..maybe in the void. *rolls eyes*
I have to say that I feel like the author is using this series as a soapbox...or rather maybe standing on a group of soapboxes with this. I felt like the author tried to cram a lot of issues most regarding issues of acceptance and maybe went a little far by adding in too many issues at once. I don’t really know but I felt like I was getting a lecture at times whereas just showing a character’s acceptance toward others etc can go along way in inspiring others to do the same. I felt like it was being crammed down my throat in a cringeworthy way. I mean I’m here, I’m reading the book, acceptance granted let’s move on.
The transforming back and forth from a dude to a chick was a little awkward. Sometimes I didn’t even know when she was what. It was really confusing. The romance...though sometimes seemed sincere was a lot of times more rushed and forced than it should have been. Jewel goes from never dating a guy, to dating one a week, and bam she now has 6 boyfriends...huh? Why does she even feel she needs to date them all anyway? Just because they share a dorm? And not just that but she thinks she “loves” them all. Heck she doesn’t even know half of them. I feel her connection to Kage, Braxton, and Logan but the others it was just weird.
Lastly, I felt that almost every character here was more immature than not only their age but their life experiences also. I get the whole college frat vibe but leave that crap at the parties. Where is the MAGIC... we are supposed to be learning it here. Any instances of learning magic etc were glossed over or few and far between. I feel like they should be taking it way more seriously. I feel like we have an entire group of talented individuals here and it’s being played down the entire book. I also have a theory about dear old dad...noticed he wasn’t with Gabe in the afterlife.... I’m holding out hope for book 2 but if my dreams don’t come true I may have to can this series.
August 22, 2023
New read. Had to skip quite a bit to get through it.
Listened to the audiobook. 1 female narrator, had a good voice - especially given all the male parts she had to read.
Spoilers below:
Things I liked
- The gender bending idea itself was interesting.
- The occasions the characters spoke about thing’s directly (e.g. when the FMC first mentioned the idea of polyamory to Logan, when Logan shared his fears about not being seen as not good enough when the other guys were stronger than him, etc.)
Things that forced me out of my ability to suspend disbelief:
General things:
- calling a brother, “brother” instead of his name. Is this a cultural thing? It feels weird to me, like de-individualizing someone. It’s not WHO you are but WHAT you are. I get it with parents - but siblings? 🤔
- The reaction of other guys to the FMC in her male form… like really? Are there no straight, masculine males in this universe? Dudes were all agog, they weren’t even… neutral. If this was standard for the world- it certainly wasn’t indicated.
- The experiences of the FMC in her male and female forms. The stereotypes stated so blandly without any interesting self-reflection about them.
- Felt kinda preachy in some moments. Though, to be fair, some people IRL can get on a soapbox.
- The dichotomy of how often they talked to each other about sex versus the non-existent to lackluster experience of it. Are they behaving like they are 22 or 14? Talking out their asses or serious? It was weirdly jarring how often this aspect seemed to flip-flop in the book.
- The anti-bullying soapbox moments coupled with the hypocrisy of how the FMC spoke to the “bitch” that looked like a “hooker.”
Some FMC things:
- Thinking she can have multiple guys but being furious when another girl hits on one of the guys - especially when there’s been no discussions about it, the relationship isn’t cemented yet, and/or there is no context as to why the 1 woman, multiple men dynamic is pretty standard. I obviously get the fantasy, but at least acknowledge the selfishness or provide a rationalization.
- Wanting multiple guys…. Why? I get Logan, but look how long it took to come to fruition and was barely even developed. Then, all of a sudden she has a bunch of guys “next in line.” Why all of a sudden? Why them?
- She’s a Mary Sue sometimes while being cranky and dumb sometimes.
- Not getting why her boyfriend might be annoyed seeing other guys touch her in more than platonic ways (prior to having any discussions about it) without her saying anything or even really reacting to it. Like girl, don’t play dumb.
- She legit said something along the lines of “I wish I was in my girl form so I could cry and he would automatically feel sympathy for me.” - manipulate much!?
Some Harem things:
- Logan early on said something about “sharing” the FMC- like out of the blue. Like… WTF?
- All the other guys immediately ok with sharing …and flirting with the FMC even when she looked like a guy (again when no context given to set precedent of normalcy).
I stopped adding grievances halfway through the book because otherwise this list would be massive. 😂
Suffice it to say, I won’t be reading any more in this series.
Listened to the audiobook. 1 female narrator, had a good voice - especially given all the male parts she had to read.
Spoilers below:
Things I liked
- The gender bending idea itself was interesting.
- The occasions the characters spoke about thing’s directly (e.g. when the FMC first mentioned the idea of polyamory to Logan, when Logan shared his fears about not being seen as not good enough when the other guys were stronger than him, etc.)
Things that forced me out of my ability to suspend disbelief:
General things:
- calling a brother, “brother” instead of his name. Is this a cultural thing? It feels weird to me, like de-individualizing someone. It’s not WHO you are but WHAT you are. I get it with parents - but siblings? 🤔
- The reaction of other guys to the FMC in her male form… like really? Are there no straight, masculine males in this universe? Dudes were all agog, they weren’t even… neutral. If this was standard for the world- it certainly wasn’t indicated.
- The experiences of the FMC in her male and female forms. The stereotypes stated so blandly without any interesting self-reflection about them.
- Felt kinda preachy in some moments. Though, to be fair, some people IRL can get on a soapbox.
- The dichotomy of how often they talked to each other about sex versus the non-existent to lackluster experience of it. Are they behaving like they are 22 or 14? Talking out their asses or serious? It was weirdly jarring how often this aspect seemed to flip-flop in the book.
- The anti-bullying soapbox moments coupled with the hypocrisy of how the FMC spoke to the “bitch” that looked like a “hooker.”
Some FMC things:
- Thinking she can have multiple guys but being furious when another girl hits on one of the guys - especially when there’s been no discussions about it, the relationship isn’t cemented yet, and/or there is no context as to why the 1 woman, multiple men dynamic is pretty standard. I obviously get the fantasy, but at least acknowledge the selfishness or provide a rationalization.
- Wanting multiple guys…. Why? I get Logan, but look how long it took to come to fruition and was barely even developed. Then, all of a sudden she has a bunch of guys “next in line.” Why all of a sudden? Why them?
- She’s a Mary Sue sometimes while being cranky and dumb sometimes.
- Not getting why her boyfriend might be annoyed seeing other guys touch her in more than platonic ways (prior to having any discussions about it) without her saying anything or even really reacting to it. Like girl, don’t play dumb.
- She legit said something along the lines of “I wish I was in my girl form so I could cry and he would automatically feel sympathy for me.” - manipulate much!?
Some Harem things:
- Logan early on said something about “sharing” the FMC- like out of the blue. Like… WTF?
- All the other guys immediately ok with sharing …and flirting with the FMC even when she looked like a guy (again when no context given to set precedent of normalcy).
I stopped adding grievances halfway through the book because otherwise this list would be massive. 😂
Suffice it to say, I won’t be reading any more in this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2018
New
As a woman pretending to be a man just to attend a school your mom got you in? This story had an awesome character build up and I can’t wait until next book!
As a woman pretending to be a man just to attend a school your mom got you in? This story had an awesome character build up and I can’t wait until next book!
April 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! It came recommended to me by the author and I am so happy she told me about it. I read some of the bad reviews and was hesitant until a friend of mine actually said this author was one of her favorites. I decided to give it a try! I have to admit... all the bad reviews I read... I disagree with them. The plot was a little strange but it kept me intrigued. Suddenly I couldn't put the book down. The action, humor and just plain curiosity pulled me through this book so fast! I loved it. It was like Yumoyori wrote this book for us book nerds who also love anime or manga. I admit I am new to the anime world but I felt like this was a fun, guilty read, written just for me. I can't wait to read more of your books! (4.5 stars for keeping me so damn entertained)
March 9, 2019
Who calls their brother, brother with a capital B?
Maybe this would've turned out to be a great story if I read more that just a few pages but I can't see past the appalling writing.
Maybe this would've turned out to be a great story if I read more that just a few pages but I can't see past the appalling writing.
May 10, 2018
Very unique storyline.
November 4, 2018
SPOILERS!!
The concept of this book was interesting, very reminiscent of that movie She’s the Man with a reverse harem twist.
There are a few areas where if it had occurred between an actual male character and a female, it would considered sexual harassment. So just because it’s a female posing as a guy, it’s ok?
And as the female target in question, it’s supposed to be ok to treat her like that just because she’s the villain? Even the female teachers were laughing. This scene occurred about 62% into the book (according to my kindle anyway) and I stopped reading the book right there because I found this part in particular so incredibly offensive and demeaning. And it takes a LOT for me so say something like that.
I found the idea her automatically feeling more confident as a male a bit short sighted. Her mentality shouldn’t have changed just because gender did. That’s almost assuming that all males are confident.
I do think the book has a great background message, with the guys loving her regardless of which gender she is and their desire to prevent bullying. But how Jewel was portrayed when she was Jinn was incredibly disappointing. The concept is interesting and could be fun, but as it stands now I am not a fan.
The concept of this book was interesting, very reminiscent of that movie She’s the Man with a reverse harem twist.
There are a few areas where if it had occurred between an actual male character and a female, it would considered sexual harassment. So just because it’s a female posing as a guy, it’s ok?
And as the female target in question, it’s supposed to be ok to treat her like that just because she’s the villain? Even the female teachers were laughing. This scene occurred about 62% into the book (according to my kindle anyway) and I stopped reading the book right there because I found this part in particular so incredibly offensive and demeaning. And it takes a LOT for me so say something like that.
I found the idea her automatically feeling more confident as a male a bit short sighted. Her mentality shouldn’t have changed just because gender did. That’s almost assuming that all males are confident.
I do think the book has a great background message, with the guys loving her regardless of which gender she is and their desire to prevent bullying. But how Jewel was portrayed when she was Jinn was incredibly disappointing. The concept is interesting and could be fun, but as it stands now I am not a fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2018
Humm, how best to describe Reflections of You... It's a straight up melting pot of genres, Skulls, Manga and High School!
This book man tries so hard, so very hard and although it had a good premise and some really good scenes/interactions the book itself was at times so jarring I had to double check it wasn't written by two different author's.
Some of the dialogue was ao awkward it felt like a separate person had come in to write social conversations, featuring high school clichés and teen heartthrobes.
I thought perhaps at first it was cultural difference, with some characters descriptions seemingly heavily based in the frequently referenced manga, but in the end I didn't care how long it had been since I was in high school no one speaks like that. Well not unless they're an 11 year old at a Justin Bieber concert.
Overall despite really, like really, really liking some parts I'd have to rate it a 2.75 as it was ultimately a seesaw of love and disbelief.
This book man tries so hard, so very hard and although it had a good premise and some really good scenes/interactions the book itself was at times so jarring I had to double check it wasn't written by two different author's.
Some of the dialogue was ao awkward it felt like a separate person had come in to write social conversations, featuring high school clichés and teen heartthrobes.
I thought perhaps at first it was cultural difference, with some characters descriptions seemingly heavily based in the frequently referenced manga, but in the end I didn't care how long it had been since I was in high school no one speaks like that. Well not unless they're an 11 year old at a Justin Bieber concert.
Overall despite really, like really, really liking some parts I'd have to rate it a 2.75 as it was ultimately a seesaw of love and disbelief.
May 6, 2018
Fun book!
I really enjoyed this. When I first read the blurb I thought it would be a little different of a storyline. I wasn’t positive I would like it but I lived the storyline. It was really fun with Jewel pretending to be a boy. I wasn’t sure if there would be some MM. which I wouldn’t have been against. It was great the way it was though. I love that she already had Logan but he was accepting of the others. And they like Manga. Great little cliffhangers the end.
I really enjoyed this. When I first read the blurb I thought it would be a little different of a storyline. I wasn’t positive I would like it but I lived the storyline. It was really fun with Jewel pretending to be a boy. I wasn’t sure if there would be some MM. which I wouldn’t have been against. It was great the way it was though. I love that she already had Logan but he was accepting of the others. And they like Manga. Great little cliffhangers the end.
May 7, 2018
Meh...
Don’t bother. The entire book was like one giant political push for the LGBT community. I’m all for loving someone and this book definitely had some interesting twists but if I have to hear “I’ll love you if your a boy or a girl” one more time...
- I get that this was the main point of the book but the author does not have to repeat it a thousand times. Became pretty redundant and got in the way of the other details in the book.
Don’t bother. The entire book was like one giant political push for the LGBT community. I’m all for loving someone and this book definitely had some interesting twists but if I have to hear “I’ll love you if your a boy or a girl” one more time...
- I get that this was the main point of the book but the author does not have to repeat it a thousand times. Became pretty redundant and got in the way of the other details in the book.
December 14, 2022
Actual rating: 2.5 stars
It sounded promising... I think the FMC should've been able to keep her secret a bit longer. It also would've been nice to explore and grow the relationship with the housemates as friends first instead of the insta-lust/crush. There were moments when it felt like it was written as sort of a fanfiction/wattpad story... than it may just be a me problem.
It sounded promising... I think the FMC should've been able to keep her secret a bit longer. It also would've been nice to explore and grow the relationship with the housemates as friends first instead of the insta-lust/crush. There were moments when it felt like it was written as sort of a fanfiction/wattpad story... than it may just be a me problem.
May 8, 2018
Jewel/Jinn. Jewel has suffered so much loss in her life already; the deaths of her father and dear brother Gabriel and the deterioration of her mother due to Alzheimer’s. She feels the weight of the responsibility to care for her mother and make her happy but it's difficult when her mother doesn't see her but her deceased brother when she looks at Jewel. When her mother pulls some strings and gets Gabriel enrolled in the all-male school, Brighten Magic Academy, Jewel decides to 'become' her cousin Jinn and attend the academy with her best friend/boyfriend Logan. Acing the entrance exam Jinn and Logan are housed with 6 other mages of similar abilities. It takes all of one day for Jewel's secret to be revealed but everyone is in agreement that she should stay as part of their team. A girl using magic, pretending to be a guy in a demanding academy living in a house full of sexy guys. It's going to be a very interesting year.
Reflections of You is extremely entertaining. It's also a bit of a mess at times. The lead female is an innocent in many ways but watches lots of porn. Brighten Academy is confusing. Jewel's brother, Gabriel attended yet he still seemed to live at home. How old was he? Jewel/Jinn and Logan didn't attend until their 20's. Was Gabriel that much older than Jewel or is there a younger version of the Academy? There were some issues with Jewel/Jinn at the ending. One was present and acknowledged but the other was the schoolmate. Which one will the school award? But most of my problems center around the mother's Alzheimer's and may be unique to me. Jewel's mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at an unusually early age and then it didn't seem to progress for the next decade. It's also referred to as a 'silly disease" and as a mental illness. As someone who worked as a home health care worker specializing in dementia both of these labels, as well as her behavior, bothered me tremendously. They were so poorly handled. I realize that I am reading a book about a girl magically becoming a boy and this is what bothers me may seem ridiculous to some but I can allow a book to suspend all reality to exist in a magical world and still expect the non-magical aspects to be realistic. I had to ignore this part of the storyline completely in order to enjoy the rest of the story. Luckily, the rest of the story was delightful.
Jewel is powerful, loving, sweet, an all-around lovely girl and the guys are awesome. Logan is pure perfection, always putting Jewel's happiness and safety first. I'm not sure he was always written realistically; he agreed way too quickly to share the love of his life with others. I loved him anyway. The only negative thing I can say about him is that he went from being romantic and sweet the entire book to being less than romantic and sweet after his first time with Jewel. It was out of character. Nixon, Maximus, Braxton, Kage, and even his twin Zane were all accepting and sweet. I look forward to more time with them in future books. Braxton has the potential to equal Logan as a terrific character. The guys made this book worthwhile. For the first time in one of Yumoyori's books, I was not a huge fan of the familiar Alice. I loved her when she was in animal form but not as a human. Her personality as a human was too much for me but I loved her as a fox, kitten or an owl.
This book felt rushed and uneven at times. It also pushed it's messages too hard. This author is at her best when her character's actions reflect acceptance and the world as it should be rather than when they talk about sexual ideology or bullying too much. There was an absorbing story with clever twists that made the argument without having to repeat the message so many times. I do believe that the series has nice potential because of the intriguing magic, the great guys, the gender-bending role, and the normal angst that accompanies a live-in school and relationships.
Reflections of You is extremely entertaining. It's also a bit of a mess at times. The lead female is an innocent in many ways but watches lots of porn. Brighten Academy is confusing. Jewel's brother, Gabriel attended yet he still seemed to live at home. How old was he? Jewel/Jinn and Logan didn't attend until their 20's. Was Gabriel that much older than Jewel or is there a younger version of the Academy? There were some issues with Jewel/Jinn at the ending. One was present and acknowledged but the other was the schoolmate. Which one will the school award? But most of my problems center around the mother's Alzheimer's and may be unique to me. Jewel's mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at an unusually early age and then it didn't seem to progress for the next decade. It's also referred to as a 'silly disease" and as a mental illness. As someone who worked as a home health care worker specializing in dementia both of these labels, as well as her behavior, bothered me tremendously. They were so poorly handled. I realize that I am reading a book about a girl magically becoming a boy and this is what bothers me may seem ridiculous to some but I can allow a book to suspend all reality to exist in a magical world and still expect the non-magical aspects to be realistic. I had to ignore this part of the storyline completely in order to enjoy the rest of the story. Luckily, the rest of the story was delightful.
Jewel is powerful, loving, sweet, an all-around lovely girl and the guys are awesome. Logan is pure perfection, always putting Jewel's happiness and safety first. I'm not sure he was always written realistically; he agreed way too quickly to share the love of his life with others. I loved him anyway. The only negative thing I can say about him is that he went from being romantic and sweet the entire book to being less than romantic and sweet after his first time with Jewel. It was out of character. Nixon, Maximus, Braxton, Kage, and even his twin Zane were all accepting and sweet. I look forward to more time with them in future books. Braxton has the potential to equal Logan as a terrific character. The guys made this book worthwhile. For the first time in one of Yumoyori's books, I was not a huge fan of the familiar Alice. I loved her when she was in animal form but not as a human. Her personality as a human was too much for me but I loved her as a fox, kitten or an owl.
This book felt rushed and uneven at times. It also pushed it's messages too hard. This author is at her best when her character's actions reflect acceptance and the world as it should be rather than when they talk about sexual ideology or bullying too much. There was an absorbing story with clever twists that made the argument without having to repeat the message so many times. I do believe that the series has nice potential because of the intriguing magic, the great guys, the gender-bending role, and the normal angst that accompanies a live-in school and relationships.
May 19, 2018
I see why this is in best selling! I was a little nervous about this book seeing as I've been reading a lot of reverse harems lately and only a handful of them are actually worth reading and spices up the norm of reverse harem series lately. This book was everything I didn't know I wanted in a reverse harem. It was like Yumoyori took my favorite fantasy book and magically combined it with my favorite manga or anime flawlessly.
I like the fact that bullying is highlighted in this book as it's a current topics in our world today. I really don't write review so I'm just going to state my favorite aspects of this book. I love Jewels relationship with Logan. It takes some serious love to be into your girlfriend as a dude even though you're straight ( am I the only one who feels like Logan is bisexual?) The fact that the heroine can turn into a guy and from what I read most of her harem are totally interested in both versions of her is amazing.That aspect alone makes this book unique, after reading this I literally went on deep deep Google search trying to find a gender bender book not manga; where the female or the male actually magically turned into the opposite gender! And I couldn't find zilch and that in of itself is so sad for me but also makes me crave the second book. I love how the whole group had different levels of magic capabilities it made it more realistic than having everybody overpowered. I do wish that the magic was explored more, there weren't a lot of instances where the magic was being either explained or shown, as I'd wished it was. It was kind of like since she's so powerful and it's so easy for her to do the work in these classes that her powers didn't need to be explained/shown which I found a little disappointing. And the last thing I didn't enjoy, was how weak she was being portrayed. Since where told at the beginning that she's a prodigy and that her body will adapt to switching genders but as soon as she gets to The Institute she's constantly weak and sleepy, constantly passing out and constantly needs to be taken care of. I understand that these things would happen sometimes! but it never stopped. I thought that was inconsistent with what we were told in the beginning about her having such a big Mana pool. Also I found it a bit weird that she didn't even question why she kept being drained of energy. But maybe that's just me being dramatic and picky.
To wrap it up, I just love how fun but serious this book was. I enjoyed all the relationships and I really adore that while all of her harem are into her, they're not in love with her yet. It's refreshing to see these young guys not fall in love with her after 2 seconds I'd rather see them be in lust than in love, it's more realistic even if this is A fantasy. The cherry on top is that they're attracted to both her female and the male version. ( sorry my otaku is coming out again, keep going back to that shower scene with Brax lol)
I like the fact that bullying is highlighted in this book as it's a current topics in our world today. I really don't write review so I'm just going to state my favorite aspects of this book. I love Jewels relationship with Logan. It takes some serious love to be into your girlfriend as a dude even though you're straight ( am I the only one who feels like Logan is bisexual?) The fact that the heroine can turn into a guy and from what I read most of her harem are totally interested in both versions of her is amazing.That aspect alone makes this book unique, after reading this I literally went on deep deep Google search trying to find a gender bender book not manga; where the female or the male actually magically turned into the opposite gender! And I couldn't find zilch and that in of itself is so sad for me but also makes me crave the second book. I love how the whole group had different levels of magic capabilities it made it more realistic than having everybody overpowered. I do wish that the magic was explored more, there weren't a lot of instances where the magic was being either explained or shown, as I'd wished it was. It was kind of like since she's so powerful and it's so easy for her to do the work in these classes that her powers didn't need to be explained/shown which I found a little disappointing. And the last thing I didn't enjoy, was how weak she was being portrayed. Since where told at the beginning that she's a prodigy and that her body will adapt to switching genders but as soon as she gets to The Institute she's constantly weak and sleepy, constantly passing out and constantly needs to be taken care of. I understand that these things would happen sometimes! but it never stopped. I thought that was inconsistent with what we were told in the beginning about her having such a big Mana pool. Also I found it a bit weird that she didn't even question why she kept being drained of energy. But maybe that's just me being dramatic and picky.
To wrap it up, I just love how fun but serious this book was. I enjoyed all the relationships and I really adore that while all of her harem are into her, they're not in love with her yet. It's refreshing to see these young guys not fall in love with her after 2 seconds I'd rather see them be in lust than in love, it's more realistic even if this is A fantasy. The cherry on top is that they're attracted to both her female and the male version. ( sorry my otaku is coming out again, keep going back to that shower scene with Brax lol)
November 30, 2018
Just....WOW! A magical reverse Tootsie (Dustin Hofman film)
A young Jewel's world is rocked when her idol and beloved big brother Gabriel plummets to his death in front of her eyes at his school. Shoved over the edge by an orange haired bully, only she and her best friend Logan saw what happened. Thankfully a truthsayer was there and told all they spoke the truth. From that day forth her life would never be the same.
Years later Jewel is looking after her mother. Since Brother's death she sank into a deep depression which evolved into early Alzheimer's. Making things worse is most of the time she mistakes Jewel for her brother. Nothing she does works, and through her mother's eyes she is now Brother. So much so that one day she excitedly tells jewel she pulled strings to get her into Brighten Magic Academy. Prior to his death Jewel always wanted to go there! Now? How could she go to the place where she lost her beloved Brother? Not to mention it's a school for only guys. Maybe Logan will help her figure things out. Ahhh Logan ....her best friend that she's had feelings for as long as she can remember
...and it seems he feels the same. He too is headed to Brighten. Could she swallow her fears and possibly find a way? It seems she can when Logan figures she and her familiar Alice can go as a magically disguised "cousin" named Jinn....and so begins this crazy adventure. Heading to the lowest point in her past, Jewels beginning starts. Many surprises happen throughout this book...close friends/family are formed, secrets begin to be revealed, and lots of magic. One thing is for certain...if the majority of the students learned she was a female and that she had the strongest magic and manna amongst them all...it might not be a good school year. Luckily on day one she and Logan make friends with the guys they eventually become suite mates with. Having met while all being paired in the first exercise, the group works together to accomplish their goals. All are magically strong, highly intelligent and have heart. Now if only she can keep her true form from them....follow Jewel and her guys in this exciting first book of the series. Like with all her books, I fully admit I LOVE this series! At this point I greedily want to read each and every book released by this author. I'm never disappointed and always thrilled with each and every read! This book was no exception. Cute guys, a strong woman, a few familiars and lots of magic....I pity the fool who tries to go up against Jewell/Jinn...... Gabriel visits Jewel in her dreams...she's uncertain if it's really him or just her subconscious. Either way those few moments are precious to her....until his words start having underlying meanings. Can Jewel figure out what's going on? Thankfully she has her harem of guys to back her up. Enjoy the read!
A young Jewel's world is rocked when her idol and beloved big brother Gabriel plummets to his death in front of her eyes at his school. Shoved over the edge by an orange haired bully, only she and her best friend Logan saw what happened. Thankfully a truthsayer was there and told all they spoke the truth. From that day forth her life would never be the same.
Years later Jewel is looking after her mother. Since Brother's death she sank into a deep depression which evolved into early Alzheimer's. Making things worse is most of the time she mistakes Jewel for her brother. Nothing she does works, and through her mother's eyes she is now Brother. So much so that one day she excitedly tells jewel she pulled strings to get her into Brighten Magic Academy. Prior to his death Jewel always wanted to go there! Now? How could she go to the place where she lost her beloved Brother? Not to mention it's a school for only guys. Maybe Logan will help her figure things out. Ahhh Logan ....her best friend that she's had feelings for as long as she can remember
...and it seems he feels the same. He too is headed to Brighten. Could she swallow her fears and possibly find a way? It seems she can when Logan figures she and her familiar Alice can go as a magically disguised "cousin" named Jinn....and so begins this crazy adventure. Heading to the lowest point in her past, Jewels beginning starts. Many surprises happen throughout this book...close friends/family are formed, secrets begin to be revealed, and lots of magic. One thing is for certain...if the majority of the students learned she was a female and that she had the strongest magic and manna amongst them all...it might not be a good school year. Luckily on day one she and Logan make friends with the guys they eventually become suite mates with. Having met while all being paired in the first exercise, the group works together to accomplish their goals. All are magically strong, highly intelligent and have heart. Now if only she can keep her true form from them....follow Jewel and her guys in this exciting first book of the series. Like with all her books, I fully admit I LOVE this series! At this point I greedily want to read each and every book released by this author. I'm never disappointed and always thrilled with each and every read! This book was no exception. Cute guys, a strong woman, a few familiars and lots of magic....I pity the fool who tries to go up against Jewell/Jinn...... Gabriel visits Jewel in her dreams...she's uncertain if it's really him or just her subconscious. Either way those few moments are precious to her....until his words start having underlying meanings. Can Jewel figure out what's going on? Thankfully she has her harem of guys to back her up. Enjoy the read!
April 28, 2019
Wow just wow
That was wild and hilarious. The main character is so adorable and funny. I like the uniqueness of this story too. I'm a sucker for stories where a girl has to pretend to be a boy, I have no idea why, and this one is probably one of the best I've ever read. I
The guys are all unique and don't just blend together personality whise. I appreciate the realistic depiction of how hard it can be in the LGBT community, I thought those parts were handled well.
I love these characters and cannot wait to read the next book! Also the ending is a cliffhanger so I'm probably not sleeping tonight!
Slight plot spoilers ahead. You've been warned. (And no I don't ruin the ending or anything).
I only had three complaints. First it seemed like Logan got over being possessive entirely too fast. Like I like how cute the friendship with the guys is, but would've liked to see more of the development of how they all started to be friends outside of just liking Jewel. Especially because he goes from, "I don't share," to, "I'm okay with sharing." I just would've liked to see more of the character development actually happening instead of just knowing that it must have happened.
My other complaint is what is up with how much this character sleeps? Like at one point Jewel has just woken up and is planning on taking a nap when it seems like she has only been awake for a few minutes. And practically every time she wakes up she's disoriented, like I get being slightly disoriented after some of the dramatic things like when she was knocked out, but after heat regular sleep sometimes she forgets things like a lot. I don't know if that's something similar to what her Mom has or not but it struck me as weird and hopefully it'll be explained. Also I'm just not a fan of reading a lot of just woken up scenes when it doesn't seem like they were all necessary. I understand having those types of scenes a few times but it just seemed overdone. It got to the point that I was almost surprised when she wasn't tired and planning on napping, or so tired that she essentially passes out, or if a scene changed and the first thing happening wasn't her waking up.
And the last complaint isn't necessarily a complaint and I'm sure it'll be explained in the next book, but the ending made absolutely no sense to me. It is a cliffhanger ending, which I don't mind. And it definitely almost made me scream from surprise, it just doesn't make sense to me, so hopefully the next book will properly explain it, otherwise it seems like something done just to add extra drama.
That was wild and hilarious. The main character is so adorable and funny. I like the uniqueness of this story too. I'm a sucker for stories where a girl has to pretend to be a boy, I have no idea why, and this one is probably one of the best I've ever read. I
The guys are all unique and don't just blend together personality whise. I appreciate the realistic depiction of how hard it can be in the LGBT community, I thought those parts were handled well.
I love these characters and cannot wait to read the next book! Also the ending is a cliffhanger so I'm probably not sleeping tonight!
Slight plot spoilers ahead. You've been warned. (And no I don't ruin the ending or anything).
I only had three complaints. First it seemed like Logan got over being possessive entirely too fast. Like I like how cute the friendship with the guys is, but would've liked to see more of the development of how they all started to be friends outside of just liking Jewel. Especially because he goes from, "I don't share," to, "I'm okay with sharing." I just would've liked to see more of the character development actually happening instead of just knowing that it must have happened.
My other complaint is what is up with how much this character sleeps? Like at one point Jewel has just woken up and is planning on taking a nap when it seems like she has only been awake for a few minutes. And practically every time she wakes up she's disoriented, like I get being slightly disoriented after some of the dramatic things like when she was knocked out, but after heat regular sleep sometimes she forgets things like a lot. I don't know if that's something similar to what her Mom has or not but it struck me as weird and hopefully it'll be explained. Also I'm just not a fan of reading a lot of just woken up scenes when it doesn't seem like they were all necessary. I understand having those types of scenes a few times but it just seemed overdone. It got to the point that I was almost surprised when she wasn't tired and planning on napping, or so tired that she essentially passes out, or if a scene changed and the first thing happening wasn't her waking up.
And the last complaint isn't necessarily a complaint and I'm sure it'll be explained in the next book, but the ending made absolutely no sense to me. It is a cliffhanger ending, which I don't mind. And it definitely almost made me scream from surprise, it just doesn't make sense to me, so hopefully the next book will properly explain it, otherwise it seems like something done just to add extra drama.
June 10, 2020
Reflections of You takes the 'girl disguised as a boy' trope to a whole new level. The story is centred around the FMC who turns herself into a man to attend an all-boys magic academy to honour her ill mother (who has Alzheimer's) and her deceased brother.
Now, Jewel didn’t just cast an illusion spell to appear as a man to other people, she physically transformed herself into a man to attend a school.
I really enjoyed the story, and I thought that Jewel as an MC was very entertaining and compelling. Jewel's characterization is very similar to most FMC's in academy RH novels:
• Super powerful–but more tell vs show
• Sweet and very shy (her nickname is precious)
• Special snowflake
Her relationship with her roommates (the boys who make up her harem) was also very sweet and loving. To demonstrate, Jewel's (first) boyfriend, Logan, identifies as straight, yet consistently assures Jewel/Jinn that he loves her whether or not she's a man.
However, it was never addressed whether Jewel identifies as both female/male (or maybe neither). I felt that someone who was routinely physically transforming herself would reflect on her gender identification (but, I could be making assumptions or maybe this comes later on in the series).
However, I also felt the story was very unbalanced. Sometimes Jewel/Jinn was incredibly naive and other times acted very "adult." Jewel is innocent in all things sexual, and as a woman, this constantly comes across in her characterization. However, as Jinn, she discusses explicit sex frequently which contradicts her characterization as Jewel.
This behaviour could be because there are two personalities occupying one body. But, because the novel doesn't really interrogate how Jewel differs between herself and Jinn–that is, if Jinn is simply an alias or if she is also Jinn–the reader doesn't really know what to make of these contradictions. (Because maybe they aren't really contradictions at all but a demonstration of the MC's whole personality.)
Also, Jewel was supposed to be 21 and her roommates (the guys) were supposed to be somewhere between 21 and 24, yet their antics were very 'high school-drama.'
Honestly, the disjointed narration and lack of focus on the magic put me off, so I won't be continuing the series.
As an aside, not to be nit-picky, but an 'academy' is typically synonymous with high school not college/university.
Now, Jewel didn’t just cast an illusion spell to appear as a man to other people, she physically transformed herself into a man to attend a school.
I really enjoyed the story, and I thought that Jewel as an MC was very entertaining and compelling. Jewel's characterization is very similar to most FMC's in academy RH novels:
• Super powerful–but more tell vs show
• Sweet and very shy (her nickname is precious)
• Special snowflake
Her relationship with her roommates (the boys who make up her harem) was also very sweet and loving. To demonstrate, Jewel's (first) boyfriend, Logan, identifies as straight, yet consistently assures Jewel/Jinn that he loves her whether or not she's a man.
However, it was never addressed whether Jewel identifies as both female/male (or maybe neither). I felt that someone who was routinely physically transforming herself would reflect on her gender identification (but, I could be making assumptions or maybe this comes later on in the series).
However, I also felt the story was very unbalanced. Sometimes Jewel/Jinn was incredibly naive and other times acted very "adult." Jewel is innocent in all things sexual, and as a woman, this constantly comes across in her characterization. However, as Jinn, she discusses explicit sex frequently which contradicts her characterization as Jewel.
This behaviour could be because there are two personalities occupying one body. But, because the novel doesn't really interrogate how Jewel differs between herself and Jinn–that is, if Jinn is simply an alias or if she is also Jinn–the reader doesn't really know what to make of these contradictions. (Because maybe they aren't really contradictions at all but a demonstration of the MC's whole personality.)
Also, Jewel was supposed to be 21 and her roommates (the guys) were supposed to be somewhere between 21 and 24, yet their antics were very 'high school-drama.'
Honestly, the disjointed narration and lack of focus on the magic put me off, so I won't be continuing the series.
As an aside, not to be nit-picky, but an 'academy' is typically synonymous with high school not college/university.
May 7, 2018
3.5 stars.
This was such a tough one to rate!
On one hand I really liked the idea behind it, and it had such potential, but sadly I personally felt it fell a little short.
All in all it was a good book, but could've been so much better.
This was such a tough one to rate!
On one hand I really liked the idea behind it, and it had such potential, but sadly I personally felt it fell a little short.
All in all it was a good book, but could've been so much better.
July 29, 2018
I was super shocked by this series, not gonna lie. I didn't know how it was going to go with the MC switching back and forth from her female to male form. I was worried it wouldn't be as strong in the male perspective but I was pleasantly surprised!! Yumo did a fantastic job with it and I couldn't put the book down once I started. I loved how Yumo created this amazing world with amazing magic powers and showcased the strengths and weaknesses of all the characters. I wanted to throttle some of the characters in the middle and end of the book, but that is a sure sign that I got invested already in this series haha. I liked the side characters as well in this one (Alice is hilarious and I loved Jewel's mom and Gabe). Liked the message throughout the books, I think it could have been stronger at points (in terms of bullying and taking down the people involved, but maybe it will get taken care of in the rest of the series). BTW loved the learning to pee scene haha. Also had the same questions about being a dude that Jewel had so those inner monologues definitely made me giggle!!
Definitely am in love with Jewel and Jinn and cant wait to see what happens with her and the guys! I love how mysterious Nixon is and how protective Brax is. Maxi is responsible but shy (I just want to hug him!) and Kage is going to be the biggest surprise I bet. I cant help smile when Logan, he and Jewel are so adorable ❤️. Definitely now my top 5 harems of all time, can't wait for the walls to come down and for the guys to each get their steamy moments with Jewel/Jinn and maybe each other haha. If you aren't a fan of M/M be prepared to have some moments of it since the character is learning/experimenting being a guy (I loved every second of it, I cant wait for more in the following books!).
Definitely am in love with Jewel and Jinn and cant wait to see what happens with her and the guys! I love how mysterious Nixon is and how protective Brax is. Maxi is responsible but shy (I just want to hug him!) and Kage is going to be the biggest surprise I bet. I cant help smile when Logan, he and Jewel are so adorable ❤️. Definitely now my top 5 harems of all time, can't wait for the walls to come down and for the guys to each get their steamy moments with Jewel/Jinn and maybe each other haha. If you aren't a fan of M/M be prepared to have some moments of it since the character is learning/experimenting being a guy (I loved every second of it, I cant wait for more in the following books!).
December 27, 2025
DNF at 47%.
I feel like if I had read this when I was in secondary school, I would have loved this. It has the exact same vibes I used to seek out in the Wattpad/FF.net books I would read. Unfortunately, I am 25 years old and I can't understand this being an appealing book to anybody over the age of 16.
This feels like what I imagine you would get if you asked ChatGPT to write an anime inspired RH academy fantasy book. As a whole the book feels sloppily written, almost juvenile. I'm super disappointed by this because I love the premise! I found this specifically whilst hunting down books where the FMC has to hide their gender, and this ticked all my boxes - the execution is just terrible. The writing is poor, the pacing is far too quick, the interactions between characters feel unbelievably fake, and it's just nonsensical.
My final straw was the fact there was literally no attempt to hide her gender to the harem past the first day. Not a single struggle. All of the roommates discovered her secret less than 12 hours after knowing her, all decided "yeah sure the massive secret of this woman we just met!" for literally no reason. She has given them no reason to like her outside of the fact she's apparently some magical prodigy (but has only used minimal amounts of magic since she was 6 btw). I'm so annoyed by this book, this is probably the only review I've left with actual depth to it. Honestly I may update this again after I've slept to elaborate further. I'm never taking recommendations for books from Facebook groups again.
2 stars literally only because Nixon didn't out Jewel (awful name) just in case she was trans. Solid ally Nixon, sorry you're stuck in this universe.
I feel like if I had read this when I was in secondary school, I would have loved this. It has the exact same vibes I used to seek out in the Wattpad/FF.net books I would read. Unfortunately, I am 25 years old and I can't understand this being an appealing book to anybody over the age of 16.
This feels like what I imagine you would get if you asked ChatGPT to write an anime inspired RH academy fantasy book. As a whole the book feels sloppily written, almost juvenile. I'm super disappointed by this because I love the premise! I found this specifically whilst hunting down books where the FMC has to hide their gender, and this ticked all my boxes - the execution is just terrible. The writing is poor, the pacing is far too quick, the interactions between characters feel unbelievably fake, and it's just nonsensical.
My final straw was the fact there was literally no attempt to hide her gender to the harem past the first day. Not a single struggle. All of the roommates discovered her secret less than 12 hours after knowing her, all decided "yeah sure the massive secret of this woman we just met!" for literally no reason. She has given them no reason to like her outside of the fact she's apparently some magical prodigy (but has only used minimal amounts of magic since she was 6 btw). I'm so annoyed by this book, this is probably the only review I've left with actual depth to it. Honestly I may update this again after I've slept to elaborate further. I'm never taking recommendations for books from Facebook groups again.
2 stars literally only because Nixon didn't out Jewel (awful name) just in case she was trans. Solid ally Nixon, sorry you're stuck in this universe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 22, 2024
really great, but…
So I really liked the story and the characters are all great. The story follows the standard RH academy script but has a few unique qualities that lets it stand apart. HOWEVER, I gave it three stars due to the terrible misogyny that came from the FEMALE main character while she was in her boy disguise. There really isn’t an excuse for it since it’s a glamour and it doesn’t affect the mind. I just feel like there were several other things she could have clowned on Katherina for like consent etc than to target her clothes and appearance and use it to demean her and call her a hooker because of what she was wearing. There was also some sex shaming later on as well in front of a whole room full of other dudes. That’s some classic misogyny BS that I’m super disappointed a female character chose to spew out against another female character. Those words from a male at a party like that could have dangerous consequences for the female those types of words are being thrown at. Jewel could have used her man words to be better but she chose not to. Like seriously she could have came at her for not taking no as an answer since as a female Katherina should have known better and knew what that felt like which is why to me it would have made more sense to have jewel say something while in her guy form. That would have been a much better option. Now I just feel betrayed by the FMC with some major pick me vibes. Hopefully jewel/jinn wakes up to that in the next book or I’ll be right back here lol
So I really liked the story and the characters are all great. The story follows the standard RH academy script but has a few unique qualities that lets it stand apart. HOWEVER, I gave it three stars due to the terrible misogyny that came from the FEMALE main character while she was in her boy disguise. There really isn’t an excuse for it since it’s a glamour and it doesn’t affect the mind. I just feel like there were several other things she could have clowned on Katherina for like consent etc than to target her clothes and appearance and use it to demean her and call her a hooker because of what she was wearing. There was also some sex shaming later on as well in front of a whole room full of other dudes. That’s some classic misogyny BS that I’m super disappointed a female character chose to spew out against another female character. Those words from a male at a party like that could have dangerous consequences for the female those types of words are being thrown at. Jewel could have used her man words to be better but she chose not to. Like seriously she could have came at her for not taking no as an answer since as a female Katherina should have known better and knew what that felt like which is why to me it would have made more sense to have jewel say something while in her guy form. That would have been a much better option. Now I just feel betrayed by the FMC with some major pick me vibes. Hopefully jewel/jinn wakes up to that in the next book or I’ll be right back here lol
May 6, 2018
Wow! WOW!!
Totally blown away by this book! I can’t even say how much I love the storyline of a younger sister in the shadow of her older (deceased) brother, and as she grows older dealing with her mothers illness. And does it stop there? Noooo, we have magic. A sweet first love story. And gender bending. And bullying... wait... isn’t this a reverse harem romance?!
Yes, yes it is. So much is packed into this first book in the Brighten Magic Academy series. But it works. The relationship progression with Jewel and Logan/Nixon/Maximus/Brax/Kage& Zane was not awkward or forced, but not so slow progressing that it was frustrating or didn’t keep the readers attention. I absolutely LOVED the girl to boy by magic and addressing the LBGQT fears/misconceptions, and ultimately portraying love is love - no matter how many people are involved, and what gender(s) are attractive to others.
Jewel had many trials to deal with and I really liked when she was assertive and sure of herself. Sometimes she came across whiny and damsel-y when the guys always had to worry about her because she was always getting hurt and waking up with no memory. Otherwise the writing was fantastic and the steady build romance along with the magic aspect (and her familiar) was totally 5 start worthy.
Totally blown away by this book! I can’t even say how much I love the storyline of a younger sister in the shadow of her older (deceased) brother, and as she grows older dealing with her mothers illness. And does it stop there? Noooo, we have magic. A sweet first love story. And gender bending. And bullying... wait... isn’t this a reverse harem romance?!
Yes, yes it is. So much is packed into this first book in the Brighten Magic Academy series. But it works. The relationship progression with Jewel and Logan/Nixon/Maximus/Brax/Kage& Zane was not awkward or forced, but not so slow progressing that it was frustrating or didn’t keep the readers attention. I absolutely LOVED the girl to boy by magic and addressing the LBGQT fears/misconceptions, and ultimately portraying love is love - no matter how many people are involved, and what gender(s) are attractive to others.
Jewel had many trials to deal with and I really liked when she was assertive and sure of herself. Sometimes she came across whiny and damsel-y when the guys always had to worry about her because she was always getting hurt and waking up with no memory. Otherwise the writing was fantastic and the steady build romance along with the magic aspect (and her familiar) was totally 5 start worthy.
May 6, 2018
Like all of Yumoyori Wilson’s book this book captivated my attention from the very beginning and from the very first page I was already fully invested in the MC lives!! This book starts with such a tragedy and as I reader I could feel the emotions coming off the page! Jewel is an interesting and compelling FMC who really grasp the readers attention with her heart and her caring towards those that she care for. Add to that Logan her BF and you can just feel their love through the story! We then meet the rest of the guys and they are just all so different and bring something different to this story. I liked that the characters were able to develop their relationships slowly and at different levels, which is a lot more realistic! Not only is this an emotional book I also had some real laugh out loud moments from Jewell and Alice and I just love the development between Jewel/Jinn, Logan, Brax and Nixon...these really develop further than the others but you really get to see the potential of Maxi and Kage!! Let’s hope that Zane steps up in book 2 and sorts out the mess from book 1!! Like always Ms Wilson writes an emotionally charged book that is full of great character development and leaves the reader wishing the second book was already finished! Highly recommended!!
May 10, 2018
Jewel mother have Alzheimer’s and have a hard time understanding that Jewel brother are dead. Because of his she sign her up for Brighten Magic Academy, an all boys magic school. With magic Jewel changes in to Jinn and starts attending the school. Here she meets a group of hot guys and with their help she sets out to solve a mystery and avenge her brother.
I think this book is written at a perfect time since the transgender topic is hot. This book opens up a way of thought into how transgender people can fall in love and how important it is to have supportive people around you.
Two things bothered me in this story, the first was how guilty Jewel felt that she didn't save her brother. And it just feels ridiculous since she was six years old and there where a ton of people there who could have saved him yet she feels that the responsibility is hers... This have led to her aversion to magic and clearly affected her whole life.
Also the people who attend the academy is over 20 but the behavior from everyone even the MC feels childish and very high schoolish at times.
However this was a good book that at times had me laugh out loud. I will definitely read the next one in the series.
I think this book is written at a perfect time since the transgender topic is hot. This book opens up a way of thought into how transgender people can fall in love and how important it is to have supportive people around you.
Two things bothered me in this story, the first was how guilty Jewel felt that she didn't save her brother. And it just feels ridiculous since she was six years old and there where a ton of people there who could have saved him yet she feels that the responsibility is hers... This have led to her aversion to magic and clearly affected her whole life.
Also the people who attend the academy is over 20 but the behavior from everyone even the MC feels childish and very high schoolish at times.
However this was a good book that at times had me laugh out loud. I will definitely read the next one in the series.
November 29, 2025
I like the concept and the core idea of the story, and the secret girl trope is one of my all-time favorites, but to be honest, I really wish the story had been better executed. The main problem in this book felt a little weak; I was expecting some major suspense or something big to happen... but then again, it's just Book One. Despite that, I still enjoyed reading it.
Quick thought: If there were more tension from the mistaken-identity scenes where people thought the FMC and MMCs were gay, that would have been way more fun! That specific dynamic is something I feel like they could never overuse because it fits perfectly here. I also got a little annoyed that the FMC and the MMCs weren't more careful about her secret identity. Like, seriously, when she's 'Jinn,' just call her Jinn! This is a world with magic; someone could totally be listening in with a spell, you know?
Anyway, I'm totally obsessed with the MMCs here, especially Logan! His moment of insecurity made sense, though—it's natural to fear losing the person you've loved since you were kids when she's suddenly got guys all around her. His worry was about the rivals, not the FMC's commitment, so I was fine with it. Also, Alice is a whole vibe; she gave me so many good laughs.
Quick thought: If there were more tension from the mistaken-identity scenes where people thought the FMC and MMCs were gay, that would have been way more fun! That specific dynamic is something I feel like they could never overuse because it fits perfectly here. I also got a little annoyed that the FMC and the MMCs weren't more careful about her secret identity. Like, seriously, when she's 'Jinn,' just call her Jinn! This is a world with magic; someone could totally be listening in with a spell, you know?
Anyway, I'm totally obsessed with the MMCs here, especially Logan! His moment of insecurity made sense, though—it's natural to fear losing the person you've loved since you were kids when she's suddenly got guys all around her. His worry was about the rivals, not the FMC's commitment, so I was fine with it. Also, Alice is a whole vibe; she gave me so many good laughs.
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