We jumped right into the action in this book, which I liked. From the very first scene I wanted to root for Teddy, the book's heroine. Although I understand she's made big mistakes, she seems to have a good heart. 

My goodwill towards Teddy started to fade once she began school, as her actions began to try my patience. It seems there's always a special exception for her, and she's always late. I had a hard time buying her character as an adult, because she acted so immaturely. Teddy's friends were all one-dimensional and lacking in depth. They never developed past their cookie cutter "I talk to animals, by the way my name is" introduction. 

I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book, although not as much as I thought I would. The final third is when things really started to go off the rails for me. While the book cover described Teddy as, "She’s resourceful. She’s bright. She’s scrappy. She can also read people with uncanny precision." I found her to be none of those things. She held everything close to the chest and tried to bull through by herself, until she does a 180 and trusts people she has a great deal of reason to suspect. Their plan doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and then it immediately falls apart and new elements are added (why were there ropes involved suddenly?) 

By the end of the book I was just beyond frustrated with Teddy, the rebellion, and the school. I won't be reading future installments, but I did appreciate getting to read this one for free at NetGalley.

Finally, and this might just be a personal thing, but I was irritated that Teddy slept with two men and immediately regretted it both times. Then berates herself for sleeping with them but also not trusting them enough to have a relationship or be vulnerable with them. I get that the author was trying to show Teddy's self-destructive behavior, but I really wanted a heroine who could at least own her own sexuality.

good characterization, "real" people who do silly things have other agendas and oh incidentally abilities you and I don't have. the outline has been seen before but this incarnation of a hero's journey was well written and enjoyable.

I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I liked this book, I wasn't entirely sure that I would in the beginning. At first it felt like it might be a bit cheesy, especially from the name alone, but it was really good. It was a very unique take on psychic powers, in my opinion, which made it all the better. The story didn't feel rushed, or too slow, which happens with books with some kind of magical or physical training; it spent just enough time on it, but not too much time focusing on the training itself. The characters were well developed, and interesting. Overall I'm excited for the next book, and I would recommend this one to others who like psychic stuff.

I was provided a copy of this ebook by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of School for Psychics reeled me in. The actual book was not a success for me. I found the main character, Teddy, to be confusing. Teddy is written as an adult, gambling in casinos, but then she is written as having the maturity of a young teenager, particularly once she arrives at the psychics school. 

The book contains cliches galore, but it contains so many errors of time and place. I really wanted to like this book, such a great premise, but it was a fail for me.

An interesting idea, overshadowed by the revolving wheel of 'which enigmatic mentor figure do I believe today and which am I angry with'. The side characters blurred a little for me; only Kate, Molly and Jeremy really stood out. Teddy wasn't a pleasant person, alternating using and sucking up to her friends, so I didn't like her much.

The writing was good and the story was exciting, and it was a good idea. I just didn't enjoy the execution very much.


Receiving an ARC did not affect my review in any way.

Fun fantasy read with splashes of angstiness, #smellsliketeenspirit

This is an enthralling start to a new psychic series.  The Whitfield Institute is gathering and training young adults with psychic powers to hone their talents, so that they can work with the FBI, police and other law enforcement to keep the country safe.  
Teddy is a very successful gambler – so successful that she has been banned from every poker table in Las Vegas.  Unfortunately, she needs to make a lot of money very quickly, so disguises herself to get into a poker game at one of the big casinos.  Teddy has always been able to when someone is lying, so calling a bluff in poker is second nature.  What she does not realise, is that this is a manifestation of her psychic ability.  Even less does she realise, that the “flat-out gorgeous” guy at her table is not what he seems, and this is the one time that her ‘6th sense’ is going to go seriously wrong.  Her only option is to take up Clint’s ‘offer’ of enrolment at the Whitfield Institute. 
The set-up at the Whitfield Institute is very familiar – the recruits fit neatly into two teams – the Alpha jocks, and the Misfits.  Teddy, of course, is a Misfit.  Everyone gets a room-mate (something utterly inconceivable to any non-American – why can’t they have their own rooms, like adults?).  Teddy is paired with Jillian, who converses with birds.  The tutors come in ‘nice’, ‘sadist’, ‘nice & handsome’, and ‘irresistible’.  Apart from the faculty, there is also a recruit, who sets Teddy’s pulse racing.  
It was very fast-paced and twisted all over the place.  Adversaries become friends, and friends start acting in suspicious ways.  Teddy has always been bad at relationships, and always looked after number one.  Now, she needs help, and has to finally choose where to place her trust.
There are secrets everywhere, covert missions, mental breakdowns, students who want to save the world, love affairs …. It all reminded me so much of the glossy US TV series “Quantico”, but with the addition of psychic talents (and better characters!).  Hopefully, it will remain at this high level, and not descend into a ridiculous third series as “Quantico” did.  
I really enjoyed this rollercoaster story, and I look forward to the next instalment.

School for Psychics is the first book in a series about a top secret university for students who possess psychic abilities. The school is divided into the misfits who had no idea they were psychic and as a result were always in trouble, and the students who come from long lines of psychics. The books seem like they plan to follow the school year format - where the book starts at the beginning of the school year and there are mysteries that do not get solved until the end of the year. 

While the book was a fairly interesting read there were obvious plot holes. At one point a character is invited to attend a school saintened event, yet she had to sneak over on a contraband student boat. There were also human behaviors that sent up red flags that were instantly dismissed, only to become important at the end. When someone tries to kill you, you do not just brush it aside. 

The book itself is well written. While it could be more polished, there were no major spelling or grammar errors. The writing did not always flow as well as it could though. 

The story was interesting and had potential, however I do not think that I will be continuing on reading the rest of books in this series.

I’m not really a big fan of fantasy novels.  Psychic powers? yawn…  Schools for psychics?  puh-lease.  Didn’t we already do Harry Potter?

All of that being said, I *loved* the School for Psychics.   K.C. Archer is a fresh, sassy, smart addition to the crime-fighting super-hero genre, and I can’t wait for the next edition!

3⭐️— Schools for Psychics by KC Archer
•
Teddy is an adopted college dropout, misfit and in a horrible amount of gambling debt. Recruited by a school that trains psychics for government jobs, Teddy moved to the school without any other choice in her life. There, Teddy learns she has intense powers, as well as, the truth about her biological parents.
•
I had a little bit of trouble getting into this one at first. It started slow and I have mixed feelings towards Teddy. She is overly sarcastic and a jerk. However, i liked the psychic part and the qualities that her classmates and professors bring to the book. But about 50% the book hits its stride. It moves faster and the action comes quicker. We see Teddy navigate this new world she is in, while the plot thickens. Because there are a lot of plot points.
•
I didn’t love the book, but I didn’t hate it. I think it was good and I honestly will read the second one when it comes out. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Really different premise (at least for me)-Teddy Cannon is barely scraping by by "reading" others at the poker table in Las Vegas. Just before she's ready to lose everything to a loan shark, a man comes by to tell her she's pyschic and offers her the chance to go to a school for physics. At this fictional school, physics are taught to hone their powers and then are hired out into police or investigator  jobs. Teddy has a real problem with trusting others-namely because she's always been able to tell when people are lying. This world is fully realized and the book definitely has a satisfying ending but it is also obvious that it will be continued into a series. I liked Teddy's sarcastic sense of humor but she did have some lessons to learn about trusting others. The character kind of reminded me of Rose from the Vampire Diaries series-although she is not a vampire lol.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in return for my honest review.

When the chips are down and the going gets tough, what would you do? Teddy decided to go to school! It isn’t just any school, it is a school for psychics and for some reason, the dean thinks she has special abilities and has promised that all of her troubles will go away if she enrolls. Teddy has money troubles, she stole from her parents, and she owes a Russian mobster loan shark quite a chunk of change, and going to The Whitfield institute for Law Enforcement Training and Development will save her bacon.

SCHOOL FOR PSYCHICS by K.C. Archer may sound like a young adult book, but our heroine, the brash Theodora Cannon is far from a teen. Okay, and it must be asked, if she is psychic, gambling her life away in Las Vegas and in debt past her eyeballs, how could the institute dean think she is psychic? Ahh, that is part of the plot!

Follow along as Teddy, Ms. Attitude Extraordinaire goes to school, makes friends and gets herself into one intriguing situation after another, because there is more to Teddy than meets the eye. There is also more to the dean, and one super sexy instructor as school is in session and Teddy discovers that, yes, she does have psychic powers, but no, she will not become a pawn in a game of mental war, even if she gets a chance to learn more about her past!

Quirky, and definitely out there, I have to say, I really liked this one and K.C. Archer had me from the get-go! Typically shady bad guys, fascinating classmates and a mystery or two that unfold with surprising answers. I guess if I were psychic, I would have known how it ended, glad I’m not, this was a fun read. I definitely am looking forward to the next book in this new series.

Series: School for Psychics - Book 1
Publisher: Simon & Schuster (April 3, 2018)
Publication Date: April 3, 2018
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Print Length: 368 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Wow...loved this one! Teddy Cannon starts off in Las Vegas costumed trying to sneak into the casinos ... from which she was banned...to make enough money to pay off a Russian mobster. Her plan is foiled by a stranger who then offers her a choice, to go to the Whitfield Academy to learn to use her psychic abilities for good, or face the Russian mobster. Not really a choice, huh. 

Teddy grapples with her abilities, the school and her classmates. What makes this one special is Teddy. She's got issues, but a core of decency while trying to figure everything out. I just devoured the whole book, almost in one sitting. If you have any interests in psychics or coming of age stories, don't miss this one!

School for Psychics by K.C. Archer is a fast, fun read. Teddy, our main character, has always been able to sense when people are lying. Using this to her advantage, she’s gotten into a bit of trouble in the casinos of Las Vegas. Worried about the impact to her adoptive family, she’s in it for one last big gamble.

When a strange man rescues her and offers a place at Whitfield Institue for Law Enforcement Training and Development (i.e. a School for Psychics), Teddy reluctantly applies.

What follows is entertaining and fun.  At the Institute there is intrigue and mystery surrounding the forces behind the school and disappearing students.

As Teddy struggles to find her place, she learns about her psychic abilities, her past, and her birth parents.

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

This was a fast easy read which I enjoyed, but I'm not sure that I'm in for book 2. The main character is less than appealing, though she kind of grows through the book. I had to keep reminding myself that she was 24 because she feels younger. The other characters I couldn't describe except to list their psychic trick. The author seems to feel that "handsome" is a full character description which is weird and also makes the book seem YA.

First, to address other reviews on this page. I can't fathom the simmering anger or confusion as to who K.C. Archer is. S/he is an author who writes with a pen-name. Pretty simple stuff. So why must we complain about a writer's right (get it?) to privacy. Let it be, leave it alone, we are not entitled to absolutely everyone's personal details.

Now, with that said, let's move on to the actual review. 
Teddy is ... a little annoying, if I'm honest. At first, I think I will like her as she makes comments via monologue about the sleaziness (implied sexism/misogyny) of a taxi driver. Then, she dives into comments that border on derogatory about a woman on the pavement who looks like a barbie, essentially. This instantly pulled me away from the main character, and I judged her the way she judged the woman on the street--unjustly. Internalised misogyny is not something I'm down with. 
The plot has been done before. X-Men, Harry Potter, The Magicians, so on. The conflict is constructed from tropes, the romance is stiff, the character development is as interesting as a piece of beige cardboard and no pens to colour with. I struggled to finish this book, and had even finished 3 other ARCs on my TBR list during my breaks from this novel. It failed to pull me in, though I'm uncertain if the author is to blame for that. What can one expect when reading the same old books over and over again? Originality is well and truly dead, people. 

3 stars.

Oh. My. God. This book.  

Thank you Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this AMAZING book - all opinions are my own. 

I am SO FRIGGING HAPPY that this is the first book in a new series because, holy crap. I need to read many many many many more chapters to this story. 

Teddy Cannon is a scrappy, bright, resourceful woman - who finds herself in massive debt to a Russian mobster and living in her parents garage. When a mysterious stranger appears in her life, offering her an out if she will agree to enroll in a top secret School for Psychics, Teddy realizes that she may have finally found somewhere that has the answers to the strange abilities she's always had. 

Learning to hone skills she never understood, and making a group of friends that are just as strange as her, Teddy finally begins to settle in, until she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous situation that causes her to question everything and everyone in her new life. 

K.C. Archer has NAILED IT with this book. Quick paced, intriguing, mysterious, and quirky - I inhaled this book in one sitting. It completely captured me and will be added to the list of books that left me wishing desperately that I had awesome magical (in this case, telekinesis) skills. 

I am so excited for this book to hit shelves April 3rd so I can recommend this for my next book club read. Seriously guys, if you want a twist on a mystery read, THIS IS IT.

While a lot of readers are calling this a fantasy YA book, I'm not sure that is the correct genre for this book. 

Most of the characters are twenty-somethings and all have some type of special ability. Being a huge fan of the X Men, it felt a lot like that. A special school full of young adults learning to control their gifts and learn to use them in a productive way. In other words, working for the government.

There have been rumors for years that the government has experimented with using telekinetic powers and more to their advantage. While this can be a positive thing, you just know that some nut job is going to abuse the power.

Teddy is sarcastic and definitely her own person. Adopted, she has never known who or what she really is. It's only through dreams that she receives messages and hints of them.The question is what happened to them and why is there so much secrecy?

I personally enjoyed the story and am glad to see that there will be more. 

NetGalley/SimonSchuster  April 03, 2018

I first learned of this book last year and requested it through NetGalley a couple weeks ago when I saw it pop up on someone’s book haul list. I liked the title, hated the cover, and thought the synopsis was interesting. I decided to give it a try.

The story quickly appealed to me. I took a liking to the protagonist, Teddy, within the first few chapters when she’s at a casino gambling to set her life straight. When she’s recruited for the School for Psychics, my interested perked up even more because I wondered what that would be like, and I was compelled to sympathize with her as she reflected on the many ways she has fucked up and now feels like a disappointment, which led her to take the opportunity the school offers. I was hooked on this story until Teddy got to the School for Psychics and then everything went downhill.

I read about half of the story before giving up on it. I didn’t like the writing and was annoyed by the characters and numerous inconsistencies in the plot. The book is listed as “General Fiction (Adult), Sci Fi & Fantasy” on NetGalley, but as I read, it became increasingly obviously that the novel is YA. There is a level of maturity missing from the plot and the characters that makes me unable to believe this novel is intended for adults. Furthermore, the quick inclusion of a love triangle and the messy navigation of it strikes me more as YA, where such things often occur. (Sidenote: I’m annoyed by and tired of love triangles, unless it’s done well, which hardly ever happens.)

It was also difficult to keep track of the passage of time, and that’s not because the characters’ psychic abilities were messing with it. Events that occurred a day before in one paragraph would be said to have happened weeks before in the following paragraph. That wouldn’t have been a problem (I guess) if characters and their relationships were shown to have developed over the time passed, but that didn’t happen. It still seemed as if the event had occurred only the day before. It made me confused about when things happened and what exactly is the status of the characters’ relationships.

And the school itself was not appealing at all. It’s supposed to be an academy training psychic 20-somethings how to be FBI operatives or work in other law enforcement organizations, but instead it was like a high-school filled with immature teens. It just didn’t work for me.

The premise of the story is interesting and the protagonist was easy to like, but the story didn’t work because it needed more development. I could see where the author was going with this, and I wanted to go there too, but I couldn’t stand the inconsistencies. I couldn’t make it to the end.

Ok... so I was super intrigued by the premise of this book. Psychics?! I'm in... but wow this book was not what I was hoping or expecting at all.

Teddy our main character has a gift of being able to "read" people. She is offered a place in School of Psychics with others like herself that have different special abilities. I did not like Teddy whatsoever... felt like I was kind of reading a YA novel but Teddy was super immature to my liking but she's supposed to be an adult? But, haha I guess we all know one or two people that act like children lol :).

I thought the book would have picked up speed when Teddy arrived at this school but it fell extremely flat for me :(. I'm not really into fantasy/sci-fi novels and unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. 

2 stars for me on this one.

Thank you so much Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.
Publication date: 4/3/18
Published to GR: 3/23/18.