Nightgrove Academy Book One

by Bailey Blackwell

Nightgrove Academy, where friends might be enemies, and enemies might be deadly...

Seventeen-year-old track star Isabelle Beckett just got plucked from Nowheresville, Wyoming and thrust into a world of magic and secrets, where danger lurks around every corner. She’ll have to deal with more than one bully, including the insufferable Jake Watkins, while learning to master the powers she never knew she had. But when a forbidden night outside the school walls goes horribly wrong, and the Academy’s top students begin to disappear under mysterious circumstances, Izzy wonders if accepting this scholarship might cost far more than she’d ever bargained for.

209 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 27, 2019

Reviews

[☆☆Hannah☆☆]

This was a good read. Isabelle is approached about attending a special school. At first she doesn't think it's real. However, she soon sees that it is. The only problem is that her bully is also attending. Thankfully that is taken care of by the end. Now that things have come to light it will interesting to see hoe it all will turn out in the next book.

[Brianna Belbin]

This was a fantastic start to a new series! Isabelle was offered a mysterious college scholarship the day of her last track meet and only days before graduation. With her mom no longer in the picture and her dad putting in overtime working the graveyard shift to make ends meet for the two of them leaving him exhausted all of the time, it was hard for her to not pass up a full ride for her education. As it turns out, Nightgrove Academy isn’t a normal school and it definitely doesn’t take in normal students. Izzy, along with everyone else, students and staff alike, are evolved humans who have special powers. The school is meant to be a safe haven for each individual to learn to harness, wield, and grow their abilities, but everything becomes more mysterious when top students tap out for unknown reasons. I really enjoyed the fast friendships that formed between Izzy and her roommates and how well they bonded and stuck together no matter what. I loved Jake, Trent, and Miguel even though they each had their faults and secrets. Professor Baxter and Tom, the magical cook, were by far my favorite staff members who genuinely seemed to care for every students needs and formed professional relationships with them to where they felt like family. This book was filled with great characters, a good backstory for the academy setting and itself overall, with a great plot twist that left you wanting more!
*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christina Luberts]

This book I feel would be loved by teens and young adults. The book is written very smoothly. We have Isabelle who runs track and hoping for a scholarship. She has one enemy Jessica. When Isabelle and her best friend Sam are leaving, she gets a offer that does not make sense. Should she call this guy? Why all the secrecy? What will her dad think? Who is this guy Jake? Why does he get on her nerves so much? Can she make the grade? Can she make friends, even when she finds out her worse enemy is here too?

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Scarolet Ellis]

Nightgrove Academy Book 1 by Bailey Blackwell is a story that I have read and set my head spinning saying OMG YES !!!!! This is book number one in this amazing,wonderful ,awesome start to a brand new series that I have loved reading writen by a brand new author for me. I highly recommend this story to everyone who loves reading about magic and paranormal romances in their stories.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelsie]

Okay, so I really enjoyed this book. There are so many "academy" books out there that it's hard to curate good ones. This book is pretty well written, but there are some words that were wrong here and there. That really doesn't bug me if I enjoy the story. What DOES bug me though is picking up this book and realizing after I finish that there is no update on when the next book with be coming out. This book as been out over a year and a half and the fact there is no sign of a next book in a very blatant series bugs me. I'm almost tempted to knock off a few stars for that reason alone as a warning for others. But we'll see. Maybe the author is suffering from writer's block or has some personal or family obligations, but it's still frustrating as a reader. I don't generally pick up a book in a series that isn't finished, but I thought when I bought this book that there were two books out which usually is a good indicator that the series is at least rolling. So I suppose that's on me. I have followed the author so that I can hear if and when there is an update, but it's just frustrating.

As for the book itself. The plot seems to be a culmination of several has read series, but it's unique in its own way. The end ties up its book plot nicely, but leads into several bigger overall plots that have made me anxious for a resolution. I really liked the our protagonist and her bevy of friends. If this series ends I would happily read on.

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[Destiny Bridwell]

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This is a bit of a unique storyline. I like Isbelle for she is doing her best for herself and her father. That is why she took the scholarship. There are times she wonders if she should have taken it. She does struggle with learning how to use her abilities and dealing with bullies and keeping herself sane. She is not sure who is friends and who is out to get her. 

[Suzanne Hare]

Running was her thing. When Izzy found her groove there was no catching her. With their tight finances there was no way she would get to college unless she got a scholarship. She was approach by a representative from the Nightgrove Academy but he said he could not tell her anything until she agreed to go. So she sneaks out to catch a train and finds out exactly what the Academy is about.

This a contemporary, academy action/adventure paranormal romance targeted at teens and young adults. I think that older adults would like it as well. The characters are well written, interesting and chalked full of personality. They draw you into the story and you become invested in their progress. What I enjoyed most was how the characters matured, developed their skills, coped with loss, maintained friendships all while overcoming their personal insecurities and fears. Their determination to protect each other was inspiring. The action sequences were described well. The romances are charming and add more substance to the storyline. This book while easy to read, was hard to put down. I look forward to the next instalment in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie Fraser]

I loved this book. It was well written and the story and characters are well developed. I thought the book provided good background as well as having an excellent story. The individual character personalities and the character dynamics were excellent. The story was amazing. It was packed full of twists and turns and was action packed. There was romance, emotion, intrigue, and suspense. The book was high intensity and I can’t wait for the next book in this new series!! I’d highly recommend this book!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Annalisa]

Danger, bullies, magic, secrets and enemies are just a bit of what you must deal with being a student at nightgrove high. This is a great book. I have not been able to put it down since i first started reading it. The story just reaches out and grabs you and dont let go. I cant wait for the next one to come out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Katrina]

I really enjoyed this new adult series opener. The characters that you think you know turn out to be the opposite. Ms. Blackwell kept me on the edge of my seat long into the night, and made me read "just one more page" over and over again. I can't wait for book 2 to come out later this year!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather Bane]

My new thing lately has been academy books. This one did not disappoint. It’s very well written and I enjoyed the characters. If you love the paranormal or academy books you will love this book. I highly recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Casey Ainsworth]

Awesome.

The story drug me in from the beginning and I could not put it down. Ready for book 2. If you like paranormal books like I do this is a must read!

[Ann White]

Good story.

I liked it a lot. Loved the characters,n the storyline. Y/A. Hoping the characters grow more as the series continues. But all in all Avery good story