A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon/Schuster for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. First time reading this author. This book is not for kids, it's not Harry Potter! This is about psychics training in a school as in college. I enjoyed the book, I was confused a few times as knowledge is withheld. It has a lot of characters, some are flawed. Theodore (Teddy,) isn't an angel by any means, but she is interesting . I say give this a try but keep an open mind. If you start thinking it's a Harry Potter you may be disappointed. These are adults who are old enough to drink. I give it a 4.

This was a book I was a bit hesitant to read because once you start mixing psychic abilities and a special school for those with the gift it’s not that hard for it to become somewhat corny and thankfully that was not the case with this novel.

“School for Psychics” kicks off in the heart of Las Vegas as our main girl Teddy is dressed in disguise trying to win big and settle her debt using her talent at calling players bluffs, but when her plan falls apart she’s made an offer to join a school for others like her who have more than just a gift for reading people.

What I enjoy most is that this book takes place over the course of Teddy’s first year so we get a chance to see her progress both with her gift and allowing herself to be more open to the other students and creating their own group, the Misfits, as they tackle their courses that are handled in a way reminiscent to “Quantico”, while also exploring a bit of the paranormal.

The underlying conflict is spaced out over the course of the novel so you get bits and pieces that don’t seem too important until a big reveal and it all clicks together and eventually comes full circle in the end setting the stage for a showdown among two very powerful groups who both believe they are the good guys.

My only real critique is that there are a lot of characters and I know that probably sounds strange to put as a negative but there were a couple of times I had to stop and try to remember who was who and what abilities they had or else I’d be all mixed up but I’m hoping that it’s something that will be easy to manage moving forward.

This book was a lot of fun and if you’re a fan of the sort of true crime format of solving cases with the flair of special training for the FBI this is a great book for you and the psychic fun is an added bonus.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Wowza! Psychics, clairvoyants, telepathy, mystery, and a strong character in search of her true self....yep, I'm in!!! I could not put this book down!!
Adopted Theodora (Teddy) is struggling to keep her life together. She finds herself with gambling debts, living in her parents garage and just plain lost. At this low point, a man enters her life that can make all her debts go away IF she agrees to drop everything to attend a school for people with special abilities. Does Teddy have what it takes? Does she truly have these so called special abilities??

I can't wait to get my hands on the next book!!!

Thank you to Net Galley for this great read!

I really enjoyed this book! It is not typically the type of book that I read. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters in the story about a school for psychic young adults. The San Francisco Bay setting was also wonderful and a bonus. The book ending more than hinted at a series, and I am looking forward to more!

I loved this start to a new series. Teddy and all of the quirky characters drew me right in. Very well written and I can’t wait for the next one.

After a slow start this book kept going. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to read the next one. Really liked the characters and all the twists in the plot.

I will start by saying that I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series, mainly because I grew up reading British children's books and Rowling read like a modern Enid Blyton (for adults). Now it seems that any time there is a school or magic in a book, it is compared to Harry Potter. Sadly, they have all fallen short or are nothing like HP but I still try to read them in the hopes of finding a good read. This book had a school...that's about as close as it gets.

I found the he main character, Teddy, to be a tired mix of immature and barely tolerable, coming across more like a 16 year old than a young adult. I'm not so far out of my own 20s that I can't relate but it's not as much fun to read about as it was to live it. Bad decision making, lack of impulse control, unfocused, stealing from her adoptive parents, inconsiderate, rude to others (snarky isn't as endearing as people think it is, esp. when overdone) and selfish. Oh, and then I see the phrase "hot guy" repeatedly and I get hives. The characters in this book are trying WAY too hard to be quirky individuals and just end up annoying and stereotypical. Relationship development isn't even a consideration. And would I trust any of these silly people in law enforcement of any kind? No. Add in the very irritating use of ridiculous words like "adulting" and terrible dialogue that goes on for pages, I could barely finish. Heads up - this is a decent writer with a fun idea but unfortunately, this was not a great book.

I loved the idea, loved the setting and the excitement. I'm a sucker for boarding schools, and a college of misfits and trained citizens all being psychics who were recruited to protect our fair country is a cool idea. Teddy was a tough cookie with a one-track mind. This was both a helpful and faulty thing for her, and I think it made her more interesting for it. My whole concentration was on her issues and the plot unfolding behind her, and I was kept on my toes. I liked the people she ended up calling friends, and though I didn't see them as much as I'd have liked, I still have to remember that this is Teddy's first year of opening up and trusting others. I don't expect homegirl to grow genuine social skills and immerse herself in all their lives. I still don't know how I feel about them but I'll wait until the second book to see if they get any deeper.

I didn't know what to expect when I started this book, but I got sucked into it immediately. Twenty-something Teddy is rescued from a dangerous situation in a casino by a quiet mysterious stranger who offers her a fresh start. Come to San Francisco to a special law enforcement training school and her debts and threats to family would be dealt with. Teddy has always been able to read people when playing poker but the stranger's assertion that she has psychic abilities leaves her wondering if this could really work out for her. Her life has been a mess and she hates disappointing her adoptive parents yet again. So she takes the deal and is plunged into a new world of fellow misfits and training. This book covers her freshman year and her interactions with fellow students, faculty, and outside forces-good and bad. I definitely want to read the next book in this series!

Typical run of the mill book about a school for people with very special talents. But, there are some twists. I loved that the students are older (no teeneagers here!), often having a career before they end up at he School. Very well-written and am looking forward to more stories.

Kept me on the edge of my seat. Action packed and mysterious. Teddy is a kickass female who overcomes a lot to make a difference.

For all her smarts, Teddy can't stop shooting herself in the foot. Her newest low involves raiding her adoptive parents' retirement account and hitting the casino to pay off a mobster. It should work: Teddy is a poker savant who can always spot a bluff. Instead, she loses big and is forced to accept a timely invitation to the Whitfield Institute, which trains psychics for law enforcement careers. Turns out Teddy is a telepath and she's got one chance to hone her skills and learn to be a decent human being but she keeps getting distracted by petty squabbles, disappearances, and mysteries about her own past. Great fun.

This is the first book of a much-anticipated series about Teddy Cannon and her fellow students at a government-sanctioned school to train psychics who are graced in various levels of capability. Teddy can read your mind; another can see the future, and another can start a fire with the touch of his finger, and so on. The imagination and mix make for an interesting cast of characters who sometimes like, sometimes despise one another.
If you’re a young reader and enjoyed the Dragon Tattoo books, you’ll enjoy this, but thankfully this book doesn’t have such graphic sex. It’s a little heavier on the imagination and less so on human evil.
Teddy’s trying to improve herself, crawling out of the pit of debt she’s created for herself by her extreme weakness to gamble in Vegas. Her choice was pretty much down to attend this school r be killed by her bookie. She’s vigorously trying to live, but she doesn’t lose her sense of humor and desire in the process.
I’m looking forward to the next chapter of Teddy and her classmates as they graduate and venture into the real purpose of their training.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for making it available.)

The expression "don't judge a book by its cover" is very apropos here. When I read the title, I was quite unimpressed as it comes across as being very generic. The description was intriguing enough that I requested a review copy and I am very happy that I did. One I started reading the book I could not put it down, finishing it the same day I started it. Wonderful characters, creative plot twists, and an ending that begs for a sequel. Thank you for creating a wonderful world of psychic fantasy.

The School for Psychics is the first book in a new series by K. C. Archer, due for release 03 April, 2018 from Simon and Schuster. The book covers the recruitment and first year of a group of young paranormals at a training college for psychics of all types from a pyrokinetic (Lucas, inevitably nicknamed 'Pyro') to animal medium (Jillian) and psychometrist (Jeremy). The main character, Theodora/Teddy is an astral telepath who combines a bad attitude and trust issues with out of control psychic ability.

The entire setup has a very X-Men/New Mutants vibe, but the author has successfully resisted much of the temptation to play off of the usual stereotypes. There is, however, a lot of 'cool kids' vs. 'misfits' included as well as breaking curfew and sleeping around. The sex (clean, and implied rather than graphic), drinking, etc, isn't as disturbing as it would be in another YA novel, since all of the principle players are over the age of consent, but the book certainly feels like a YA book. All of the content is safe for work, so no need to avoid reading it on the bus commute or lunchtime.

The book is well written technically. The dialogue flows well and the story moves along at a good clip. The psychic dialogue was well handled (mostly in italics), and wasn't confusing to read. I never had trouble figuring out what was going on.

Available in ebook, paperback, and audio formats, 368 pages, due out 3rd April. I recently saw that the movie rights have already been optioned, so a film is likely at some point.

Three and a half stars, shadowy government agencies, good vs. evil psychics, escapist fun.

2.5 stars

The book begins as Teddy Cannon is gambling in Vegas. She is in disguise as she has been banned from most casinos. She doesn't count cards or cheat, but she does have an ability to "read" people. She knows what they are going to do and can make her moves accordingly. She owes a lot of money and needs to make it back so that she can pay off her debts and start over.

What Teddy sees as an "ability" is proof that she is "psychic". She is approached at the casino and offered a chance to work on her skills and to learn more about her abilities. Where? At a school for psychics of course. There she meets others with various abilities and they all must pass the test to study at the school.

Teddy seems to digress a little in age for me. At the beginning of the book she comes off as older and more mature. Yes, she is playing a role at the casino, but still her thoughts and mannerisms make her appear older. When she gets to the school, she suddenly feels like a teenager who can't decide what "hot" guy she wants to be with or what she is going to do.

She, and the other students do get to learn new skills and perfect the one skills they already possess to help their government. Plus, Teddy finds out some secrets about her past which also add to the intrigue and story-line. Also, this book has mystery, romance, the element of who can I trust, secrets, etc. Sounds like an interesting premise but it fell flat for me. Was this the case of "it's not you - it's me" I just had a hard time getting into this book. I think there are parts of this book that many will like but this just wasn't really my cup of tea.


I received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Teddy is a risk taker, gambler, and in trouble. Kicked out of college for gambling, banned from the strip in Vegas she is down on her luck and is itching for a fix. Picked up by the founder of a school for psychics Teddy is out of options and decides to give it a try. I didn’t like Teddy, I really tried I just could not warm up to her. The story felt very predictable and I really could not find myself liking anyone by the end of the book.

This one was surprisingly uneven, hence only three stars despite some things I really liked... It started out strong, with some hysterical insights and one-liners. Teddy is a snarky cynic - two qualities I quite admire in protagonists. She's also willful and self-deceptive and nowhere near as independent as she wants everyone (including herself) to think she is. Those characteristics often combine into complex and interesting main characters. But they can also combine into tropes fairly easily. Teddy dances the line between C&I and T a little too much for my taste - which is the cause for most of my "surprisingly uneven" comment...

There's some really cool and fun stuff here. None of it is altogether original. A misfit finds out she's more than anyone (again, including herself) thought. An orphan learns secrets about her birth parents. A loner discovers she needs people. The quiet unprepossessing types are the ones hiding the most. Kids have to save the world. It's a lot of stuff that's been done before. That isn't to say that it isn't a fun read - it was, for the most part, largely because of the snark and cynicism of Teddy. But there were parts that I skimmed because they felt all too "been there, done that" too...

Teddy is immediately likeable because she has panache and has beaten the system at an early age. On notice with every Vegas casino and owing money she gambles in disguise hoping for a big payout. Things start to go downhill and she is saved by a mysterious good looking man who wants to recruit her for a special spy school for psychics. She won't go back to Stamford and returning in disgrace to her aunt and uncle's house is not an option so she tries her luck at honing her psychic abilities to do good. At the school she bonds with a group of misfits and is pretty happy until strange things begin to happen making her question the school and what she knew of her parents. You will love the irascible Teddy and her band of merry misfits. This is a promising start to a new approach to the standard spy novel. Think of it like "The Magicians" meets "Homeland". My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.