Despite having an incredibly terrible title (seriously, who approved this? Is it too late to change it?) this is a really fun story that I devoured in less than a day because I just couldn't stop reading.

This has some similarities to Jennifer Lynn Barnes' Naturals series, though the setting is far better and the characters decidedly less hokey. Teddy is easy to root for, as are her allies. Their quirks are more believable and they're less prone to irritating snark than Barnes' crew.

The book does have some problems: It's not hard to figure out who the bad guy(s) are, the plot point regarding the birth mother feels tired, and maybe most problematic...are we seriously just never going to address that the main character has an EXTREMELY serious gambling addiction? I say "has" because despite the fact that this was ignored from the second Teddy left Vegas, I'm pretty sure being whisked off to magic school doesn't cure this.

I also could have done without a few of the eye-rolling drama moments: To symbolize my newfound freedom, I shall exuberantly fling my epilepsy pills into the churning sea! UGH.

But despite the gripes, this was exceptionally compelling to the point where I felt like I couldn't put it down. And mostly, it's just really, really likable. Hope the wait for the second book isn't too long...

A very entertaining YA read. Not the most original setup: Teddy finds out that she is a psychic and is admitted to a special institution for people like her. The characters are what's truly enjoyable (well, that and the insanely addictive plot). Teddy's schoolmates are likable and sympathetic. Plus, they all have awesome abilities (especially Jillian, who can talk to animals... my most desired superpower ever). They all have their quirks and learn along with Teddy. As usual, they all discover that there is a dark side to their skills. Yes, they can communicate without words but they can also influence people and make them do things against their will. When Teddy discovers that her trusted mentor tricked her into a corner from which she could only escape by joining the institute, she loses all her faith. The classes, exercises and exams are a lot of fun, but the heist in the last part of the book had me hyperventilating. This is only book one, so be advised that there are big cliffhangers at the end. I can't wait to see what happens next.

School for Psychics, an up-and-coming new series in young adult fiction, is a sort of blending of FBI and the Hunger Games. The story centers around a training facility for young psychics to prepare them to use their powers to protect and serve our country. At least that is what they claim to be.

The main character, Teddy Cannon, was recruited from a poker table in Vegas after losing a high-stakes game. She agrees to go to Whitfield in an effort to make her adoptive parents proud and to try and turn her life around. Easier said than done.

Once at Whitfield, Teddy learns that being a psychic is hard work and even harder is learning to trust others and become a team player. Time after time, Teddy finds herself in sticky situations, which ultimately lead her to find out some long-buried secrets.

I enjoyed the story and feel like this will be a hit with the target audience. As I stated earlier, it’s part of a series, and I would definitely be interested in reading the next book by KC Archer.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

Teddy, 24-year-old adopted orphan, is a professional poker player in Vegas. Being able to sense if her opponent is bluffing she is fairly successful, however, when the Russian mob and casino security is after her a stranger offers to help her if she attends his school for psychics.
At the school Teddy meets with her fellow first semester students, a group of young adults in their early twenties with mixed psychic abilities. While dealing with typical school drama (unfair teachers, bullies, hot guy, …) a break-in occurs, a student goes missing, and Teddy and her new-found friends have to solve the mystery.

While this book is advertised as an adult book, it reads more like YA. It has too much high school flair to rate as anything else. However, I am 40+ years old and usually skip YA novels, but this one was well written and enjoyable. The beginning was a bit murky and farfetched, but the story evolved from there, and so did our female protagonist. I enjoyed how the characters dealt with their special abilities and learned to control them. It was refreshing that these kid’s powers were limited and they struggled to get better.
This book, while not ending with a cliff hanger, is planned as the first one in a series, and I would definitely go for the next book.

Narration: 3rd person female protagonist’s POV
Sexual content: couple of scenes but not descriptive
Setting: contemporary, San Francisco and island at the coast of San Francisco

I loved this book, it had romance, paranormal and teenage angst. The was fun to read. This is the first book I have read by this author, and I will definitely read more by this author. I cared about the characters and can hardly wait for the next book. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read an early copy of this book for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is basically the plot of every “X-Men” movie out there but substitute mutants for psychics. And instead of the Government looking to exterminate them they’re look to exploit their talents. Add in the fact that all of students are 21+ so there’s a large amount of hangover-talk and occasional sex and you have “School for Psychics”.

I don’t want to say the book was bad because it really wasn’t it just was not for me. The writing is average and the character development is virtually non-existing but if you’re looking for a new sci-fi book series then I guess you could give this one a try. As for me, I’ll probably pass on reading the rest of the books to come.

An intriguing concept and a great start. I was gripped at the powerful opening. A likeable character is dealt a handful of trouble only to be rescued with the promise of an exclusive school for people with extraordinary gifts. Rather than being epileptic like she has always thought, our plucky heroine is physic and has the opportunity to hone her gifts for good. Unfortunately that's where the story gets a little slow. On the island we meet multiple characters, and although they are all adults, they act like teenagers and proceed to make bad decisions rather than devote themselves to this once in a lifetime opportunity. This book wasn't for me, but fans of The Magicians (another book I found lacking) are sure to enjoy this novel.

I'm 19% finished with this book and I have to put it down. My life is too short to read books that I cannot get into.

I was really excited to read this book. The advertising was spectacular and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to read a "Harry Potter with millenials." Unfortunately this book has fell so flat I'm having to DNF it. The characters seem to be extremely chiche & their descriptions were just awful. If this is supposed to be adult fiction you really don't need to have a description being "the hot" guy. I would expect more from any author.

The plot line seemed interesting enough but the writing has ruined any chance for me to enjoy it. It reads like a mix between young adult and middle grade fiction. This would be all fine and dandy if it wasn't being advertised as adult fiction.

All in all, I would not recommend this book.

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review*

Filled to the brim with clichés, shrugs characters, and The Magicians's adult Harry Potter vibes with a hint of Quantico. Seeing as I only made it through the first two or three episodes of the former show, this book was unfortunately not the one for me. I wish it was.

I had no attachment to any of the characters whatsoever, whether it was the way they were portrayed or just the lack of substance that came with all of them; the weird potential love interests galore thing going on with the MC only added to my disinterest.

I like the idea of School for Psychics? An adult with a questionable life has to seriously re-evaluate everything she's ever known and deal with some otherworldly jazz. Theme-wise, the "whole people don't simply do things without benefit to themselves" stuff that ended up dumped over the MC's head was one of the more appreciated aspects of the book.

Kind of blah, but I couldn't connect with this–characters, plot, and all. Forgive the crude comparison because I can't seem to think of a better way to describe it. Reading the book was like clapping for a comedian who forgot every single line and lacked humor to begin with.

Toward the end, when revelations were being made and whatnot, nothing really stuck with me. It was like "Oh, okay, that's nice I think." Sigh.

Even though I probably won't be reading the sequel, applause to the author for building an interesting world for some interesting characters.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC :))

"School for Psychics"

By: K.C. Archer

A different take on discovering paranormal talents. Ever wonder why some are so lucky with cards, dice or the horses? Maybe, just maybe, they have a touch of a 6th sense! (Oh, please let that be me!)

I really liked the main character Teddy, a 24 year old with a gambling addiction and in serious trouble for her debts. There are probably a few of those out there that would take the chance Teddy had been given to erase their debts and start fresh!

I have read quite a few "School for...." type books from various authors. I enjoyed the majority of them and most share similar storyboards. Even though Teddy is 24, I felt like this read could qualify for the YA genre just as well as fantasy/paranormal. Archer did a great job of character development and storyline while connecting some real life scenarios. Anytime I pick up a new story and want to read to the end tells me the author has more than accomplished their purpose of great entertainment. I will look forward to any other installments in this series!

The School for Psychics was a mostly enjoyable bit of fluff; nothing horrible, nothing great, nothing to stick with you after you finish. We’ve all seen these characters before and in similar situations, only the details have changed. I did like having the book set in a school outside San Francisco. That was a nice touch.

Really, though, if the main characters had just talked to each other honestly on occasion there probably would not even have been a book! So annoying when much of the plot depends on characters not trusting people they really should.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was an awesome read, right up my alley! I would recommend to fans of Charmed, the TV show.

I couldn't finish this book. Sorry. I liked the basic idea, but I felt the author put too much in one book. First book should be finishing school with hints of her parents being more than she thought. Just hints. Second book, she starts work then learns more about her parents and so on. I felt there needed to be more world building.

I loved this book. It kept me verry interested and I even liked the third person point of view. It does have a MAJOR cliff hanger but I would highly reccommend this book to readers.

I liked this well enough, it just didn't blow my socks off. It is a bit science fiction, mystery and thriller.

My thanks to netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this advanced readers copy.

I have to start by copying what another reviewer said, “I inhaled this book, ignoring chores and everything else”! Brilliant plot, amazing characters, telekinetics, psychics, astral telepaths, it was all here! The story was reminiscent of the Harry Potter series, which I adored. This book is not about magic, but more about psychical development. Teddy, a 24 year old gambling addict, owes a fortune to a loan shark. She is recruited by an organisation which will train and develop those with special abilities, like telekinesis, telepathy and so forth. If she accepts to work with them, her debt to the loan shark will be erased. The story was also about friendships, trust, working within a team and a little romance too! I just loved it and can’t wait for the second book in the series to come!

This book is ideal for someone who loves YA books, but wants to read about grown-ups (or 20-somethings). It had the same irresistible structure of a smash YA hit--orphan protagonist who doesn't realize potential, quests, conspiracies--and just enough grit to make it appeal to a slightly older audience. A super quick read and could definitely be as successful as The Magicians, so I'll look for the TV adaptation.

I received a free advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one kept me guessing! It was a very pleasurable new twist on a mystery/detective-type series! I really enjoyed this book. Just getting to know the flawed, yet lovable, characters and begin to understand their abilities was great fun! I found myself rooting for Teddy, (an unlikely heroine) making the action all the more real and believable. Some of my idealistic expectations were altered as the drama unfolded—and in the most wonderful, down-to-earth ways. I am extremely grateful that I was able to read this first installment, because not only did I devour the novelty of a “School For Psychics” concept in a few days’ time, but I also CANNOT WAIT for more!!! Thank you to NetGalley and K.C. Archer!

(pub date April 3, 2018 - billed as General Fiction and SF / Fantasy; also suitable for YA)
Writing: 4 Plot: 4.5 Characters: 4.5

New words (to me):
Algor mortis - the second stage of death, is the change in body temperature post mortem, until the ambient temperature is matched.
liver mortis - also known as hypostasis, is the discoloration of the skin due to the pooling of blood in the dependent parts of the body following death.

A Harry Potter-style story for millennials with a menagerie of psychic powers nurtured by a blend of science, chakras, vegan diets and computer hacking in a School for Psychics. A fun book — well paced, great plot development, cool characters, and multiple layers of mystery. Also, nothing egregiously stupid which frankly tends to pepper this kind of book. I gobbled it down quickly.

Teddy Cannon is a bit of a screw-up. She is your typical, irreverent, smart-ass complete with multiple ear piercings and combat boots. She’s been banned from every casino in Las Vegas, even though they could never prove she cheated. That’s because she never did — she just has an uncanny ability to tell when someone is lying. Right as she hits rock bottom she is given an opportunity to attend the Whitfield Institute for Law Enforcement Training and Development — a School for Psychics. She is lured in when told “The world needs people like us.” She hadn’t previously felt like much of an “us”.

Strong moral themes around friendship, trust, and “choosing public service over public menace” integrate with millennial style self-discovery (at one point she wonders if this is “a school for wayward psychic millennials” which was not what she signed up for!). For San Franciscans, the action takes place on Angel Island!

Overall, a good mix of action, reflection, learning, and mystery. The action scenes are good but don’t take over the book (no ridiculously long car chase scenes, thank goodness). A strong ending. While clearly the beginning of a series, the denouement provided closure to the plot while still leaving several mysteries on the back burner for future installments. I plan to keep an eye out for book 2!