Author: K. C. Archer
Publication Information: Simon & Schuster. 2018. 368 pages.
ISBN: 150115933X / 978-1501159336
Book Source: I received this book through NetGalley free of cost in exchange for an honest review.
Opening Sentence: "The Strop. If there was any place in the world as apporpriately named, Teddy Cannon didn't know what it was."
Favorite Quote: "Life isn't fair, Teddy. but you have the change to make it just."
This book very much has a young adult feel at times. This comes from the formulaic setup. The main characters are a group of misfits. The main characters all have special psychic abilities. Some have known about this, and others like the lead character Teddy Cannon has not. Teddy knows there is something different about her; she has been told that she is epileptic. All the students have been recruited for a special school. This diverse group comes together, becomes friends, and are off on an adventure/mystery. Some teachers feature as the other mysterious characters in the book. There is a mystery from the past that has implications for this group even today. Sound familiar?
The biggest difference of this book is that these students are in their mid-twenties with the themes to match. Teddy Cannon, before coming to the school, is a Las Vegas gambler in trouble with the law and the Vegas mafia. Once at the school, the relationships between the students and even between students and teachers are adult ones with some physical relationships thrown in.
The other difference in this book is that the main character Teddy Cannon comes from a loving home. She was adopted as a child, but the story indicates that her adoptive parents love and care for her. In fact, they have dealt with her choices and decisions in a loving way. The mystery of her life is the identity and fate of her birth parents. Her adoptive family does not play a big role in this book, and I wish they did. It would be nice to see that relationship depicted in a stronger, positive light. It would also reinforce the point that even surrounded by love, it is possible to seek answers to the questions in your life. The two are not mutually exclusive.
The theme of a search for belonging and acceptance, however, is one found in this book as it is many other that follow this story line. Along with that conversations about trust. Both points are made. Everyone needs people in their life to trust. Every person must choose with care the people they trust. Friendship is built on that trust. "I guess the skill I've learned the most is that I have to trust my team." The lesson again has very much a YA feel, not that adults don't need to hear it.
This book is very much the start of a new series because the ending is not really an ending. It is not a cliffhanger either, but rather just a pause in the story that must wait until the next installment comes out. The ending seems more the end of a chapter rather than the end of a book. It does not leave me excited as a cliffhanger might but somewhat interested as in I wonder what happens next. However, I also wonder if I would have to reread part of this book to pick up the thread of the story in the next installment when it comes out. Will I move on to the next book when it comes? Maybe. This one was entertaining, but I am not on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one.
This book very much has a young adult feel at times. This comes from the formulaic setup. The main characters are a group of misfits. The main characters all have special psychic abilities. Some have known about this, and others like the lead character Teddy Cannon has not. Teddy knows there is something different about her; she has been told that she is epileptic. All the students have been recruited for a special school. This diverse group comes together, becomes friends, and are off on an adventure/mystery. Some teachers feature as the other mysterious characters in the book. There is a mystery from the past that has implications for this group even today. Sound familiar?
The biggest difference of this book is that these students are in their mid-twenties with the themes to match. Teddy Cannon, before coming to the school, is a Las Vegas gambler in trouble with the law and the Vegas mafia. Once at the school, the relationships between the students and even between students and teachers are adult ones with some physical relationships thrown in.
The other difference in this book is that the main character Teddy Cannon comes from a loving home. She was adopted as a child, but the story indicates that her adoptive parents love and care for her. In fact, they have dealt with her choices and decisions in a loving way. The mystery of her life is the identity and fate of her birth parents. Her adoptive family does not play a big role in this book, and I wish they did. It would be nice to see that relationship depicted in a stronger, positive light. It would also reinforce the point that even surrounded by love, it is possible to seek answers to the questions in your life. The two are not mutually exclusive.
The theme of a search for belonging and acceptance, however, is one found in this book as it is many other that follow this story line. Along with that conversations about trust. Both points are made. Everyone needs people in their life to trust. Every person must choose with care the people they trust. Friendship is built on that trust. "I guess the skill I've learned the most is that I have to trust my team." The lesson again has very much a YA feel, not that adults don't need to hear it.
This book is very much the start of a new series because the ending is not really an ending. It is not a cliffhanger either, but rather just a pause in the story that must wait until the next installment comes out. The ending seems more the end of a chapter rather than the end of a book. It does not leave me excited as a cliffhanger might but somewhat interested as in I wonder what happens next. However, I also wonder if I would have to reread part of this book to pick up the thread of the story in the next installment when it comes out. Will I move on to the next book when it comes? Maybe. This one was entertaining, but I am not on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one.
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