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Magic & mental health

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020

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Selena looked out for her two sisters ever since their parents died. Being the strongest & most powerful of her sisters, she took all the responsibility for their rebellious actions & looked out for them in every capacity. But there's only so much a teen can do, and when her sister Alexandra exposes her magical abilities in a fit of rage, they end up in a school for supernaturals like themselves. But Selena and her sisters have many secrets to hide, not the least of which is that Selena is more powerful than she lets on, and has severe mental & control issues. Will Daizlei Academy be the right fit for Selena & her sisters, or will their secrets be too much even among their own kind?

This isn't the cheery light magical Harry Potter type of magic school story. Selena has a lot of mental issues, mostly connected to her problems of keeping her powers dormant, but she also has relationship & trust issues, stress from trying to keep her sisters safe, and then difficulties with figuring out her own life once her sisters no longer rely on her so much. I'm no mental health professional, so I can't really diagnose her issues or determine how accurately they were portrayed, but I can say that it was very well written.

Instead of being the typical story of a super-powerful girl whose only obstacle is the fear of heights, Selena's extremely strong powers pain her & her blood lust & inner demons give her no peace. After years of neglect & keeping secrets, she also has trust issues and a hard time making friends or forming relationships. I related to Selena's need for isolation (although hers was unhealthily extreme) and had fun every time Selena pissed everyone off with her very blunt attitude. Her relationship with her sisters also felt very realistic - at times they were the closest and most loving friends, at other times, they were in a fight and couldn't stand each other.

The emotional issues were deep and very well addressed. The writing was captivating with comparisons easy to identify with. Selena used boxing as a physical relief, and the descriptions of her fights were bloody and engaging.

Despite the mental health issues and her constant struggle to suppress her emotions in an effort to control her magic, the story wasn't dark and depressing. It was dark and engrossing and powerful. If you like deeply developed characters, then I highly recommend this book. There's a lot of great magic. It's still a magical school genre story, but on a slightly darker and deeper level than Harry Potter type books. It's YA, but I'd recommend it for older teens and definitely for adults. The usual YA books are focused on teens with magic and their first romantic relationship. While there was a bit of romance at the very end, it was, thankfully, not the focus of this book. It has so much more to offer instead.

Much More then an Academy Book, Ending Worth the Slower Pace

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2020

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I know this is titled and listed as an academy book, however I would put it under supernatural, coming of age, angst that happens to be at an academy.

I was unsure of Selena for about 90% of this book. It was interesting to read a book and not quite connect or trust the main character. I think that was because she was so good at guarding and protecting herself and sisters that it translated into guarding the reader as well.

I liked the build up of the story and did find it was too slow at times, but the overall tidbits of details really made it worth it. I very much enjoyed the ending and hope the pace is kept for book two. There was very little romance in this book but it needed to be that way. There's plenty of time for that, as much as I love Lucas. 4.25 stars.

Ravens9308

Wow the FMC is a total BA! Really enjoyed this slower paced supernatural story ❤️

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2020

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I was intrigued from the get-go with book 1 of Kel's Daizlei Academy series. I have listened to Stacey before on audiobooks so I know I would like her rendition and I was not disappointed. I thought she did a phenomenal job with all the characters and their different personalities. Especially in academy settings, you could get lost with all the various characters but Stacey did a great job making them different so you could know who was who easily. I through the tension she created with Selena and Lucas was fabulous and I could feel it in my bones haha. And the sisters different personalities really shown through. Another great job by Stacey, looking forward to more from her!

For the story, I enjoyed the rollercoaster we got in book 1 and I really liked that it was a slowburn and really focused on the story, the relationship building, and the magic part of the world. I think it will really set the stage for the other books in the series (I will be getting them on audio once they are available, for sure!). I think sometimes I couldn't connect with parts of the storyline so that is why its a 4-4.5 star listen for me in that regard. I think the reveal of her power didnt jive with me. Like it didnt make 100% sense with her other powers and it came out of left field. I know authors don't want to give too many things away but I didnt get enough to make the reveal plausible, if that makes sense. Beside that, and sometimes Selena's anger/quick to jump to conclusions, like I said made me disconnect a bit from her. I overall enjoyed the story though and will definitely be checking the rest out because I am now invested haha. I need to know how things work out with Selena and her love interest, and how the fallout will be with the reveals at the end of the book!! I am also excited to see more powers and world building in book 2 and am already putting it on my list of audiobooks to check for weekly, since everything is so backed up in terms of releases (due to the pandemic).

I would definitely recommend this audiobook for people who love some twists in their stories, some darkness, and some exciting magic/supernatural elements. If you like the world and relationship building aspect of a story more than STEAM ALL THE TIME haha then this book is definitely for you. I am not a huge fan of academy books (I know this one came out before it became a craze) but this one definitely hooked me ❤️

Laura R.

Slow but good!!!

Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2020

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It went kind of slow in the beginning. I did get frustrated with Selena but now that i finished the book 1, it makes sense why she is who she is. It had a lot of teen angst! I was confused and felt left out as if the reader is being casted out of the girls conversation the way Selena would push away her roommates and other friends from knowing what’s going on. It all eventually connects as to the reasons why Selena her sisters were so secretive but it feels like it’s the first few puzzle pieces to the actual picture that defines who the three sisters are and their lineage. There’s more to their story! I have this theory they may have been part of an influential family because of the girls aunt of having that nice home or their parents were workers or in Selena’s words considered “slaves” to the council. I’m about to read the the novella and then book 2.

Top reviews from other countries

T. B.

Interesting, but hard to like

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 2, 2019

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Unusual - could say quirky, tempted to say disjointed - writing style, perhaps too 'deeply' in the heroine' s mind for a comfortably read, but that very awkwardness is what made it interesting. The story itself is fairly slow moving and not out of the ordinary, but there's enough potential there for it to maybe be a worthwhile read - I'm going to assume later works gain a little polish and a slightly more sympathetic lead.

In short: unlikable but interesting heroine ponders her superiority and her sister's well being, while attending magic school and hitting a lot of people with oh-so-mysterious strength.

Herbie

Boring

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 9, 2020

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I was really looking forward to reading this series when the first book came out. I don't read a book until the books are all available. So on reading the book I was massively disappointed as I gave up after 60% and couldn't read any more. While the concept of the story was good it lacked depth, the characters were developed but again no depth and no chemistry between the characters. The storyline was too static, it was all very much the same page after page.

Kindle Customer

Hiding in plain view is hard

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2017

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Absolutely terrific. Confusing at first but well worth the effort to keep reading. Three sisters (triplets)who have been shunted around since the death of their parents. Each has their own gift and once they are taken in by family they are sent to a school with other gifted teens. What they are unaware of is that they are special. One can heal, one had the affinity of fire and one has a gift that hasn't been seen in centuries. Watch as they struggle to come to terms with the new situation. As the sister (who has looked after the other two) struggles to keep them safe whilst fighting her dark self. A fast paced read with a understanding of angst and struggles that each face. Terrific vivid main characters and a wonderful cast of other characters. Have already go book 2 and can't wait to dig in.

Sarah Jayne Harry

An intriguing story full of twists and turns

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 21, 2020

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Heir of Shadows by Kel Carpenter is a story about three sisters (triplets) who have been forgotten by the supernatural world. After an accident that reveals their secret to a member of the human world, they are shipped off to a boarding school for supernatural beings, where they meet people like them for the first time. Friendships are made, relationships begin, and secrets are learnt. Can the sisters get through their first year? Heir of Shadows is an intriguing story full of twists and turns that leaves you guessing and wanting more.

The one thing that frustrated me throughout the whole book, was the fact that we are told nothing about Selena's powers until the very end. All we know is that she is way more powerful than her sisters, and that her power is extremely dangerous. This is what kept me reading. This is what kept me thinking 'I need to know what happens'. Now, I was expecting something mind-blowing when her power was finally revealed, and was ultimately disappointed by what happened.

Apart from that little bit though, Heir of Shadows is an incredible well-written story. The characters are very likable and well-developed. The relationship between the sisters does seem a bit toxic but you soon grow to love them, as well as the rest of them. The author has done a great job at the world-building and sets the scene quite nicely for us to explore. We jump right into the story with very little explanation and no idea of what's happening, but despite this, the plots grows and expands into something wonderful.

Overall, Heir of Shadows is a fascinating tale that keeps you on the edge of your seat. You won't put this book down until you have read every word. I highly recommend this book to those who love all things supernatural and magical.

GemmaxM

A good story

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 7, 2019

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This book took me a little while to get into as even though it started off at a good pace To understand the whole story you need to continue reading And persevere with-it as when you begin to read more the story opens up Introducing the characters in debt so that you relate to them and their situation. Young adults Who are supernatural trying to deal with life and school and for the 3 main triplets hiding a secret that could put everyone in danger. Was an interesting but good read

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