I listened to the clip sounds like would be a good I'll keep an eye out for for it when it is released.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I was looking for authors of books preteens would like when I saw this. When I saw it was published by Thomas Nelson I quickly requested for it and I am glad I did. I liked the story. Jack finds himself transported to a world he did not know existed and whilst there finds he is believed to be the Guardian that will save the world. Problem is Jack has no special skills and has been given three days to prove himself or he risks having his mind scraped of some memories. Together with a group of kids brought in to form a team these children race against time and meet several obstacles on the way including the imminent end of humanity as we know it.
Some characters were not properly fleshed out but that did not stop me from enjoying the story and I think most kids would love it too. I totally did not see the end. It did not read like Christian fiction but by the time I finished the book I realized why it was published by a Christian publisher. You don't have to be into Christian fiction to read this because there are no bible passages in it really.
Heartily recommend this
Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the complimentary book. The opinions above are my candid thoughts

Jack is dreading his science project and he is nervous about his friend's presentation too because Freddy is always spouting off about weird conspiracy theories. But then Jack is chased, rescued, and then magically transported to a mysterious island and the Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted. Soon his and a band of other "improbables" become a new 13th group. But who is Jack really, who are they fighting, and how can they possible defeat them.
This book had a lot of action. It was one I was reading in spurts in the morning on my elliptical. At times I got a bit confused and the climax was a bit convoluted but it was overall a good read. Those who have the opportunity to read it at a more steady pace may not experience the difficulties I did. This is the first in a series.

I liked this book and can’t wait for the movie. This story is movie-bound. I did love it more at the beginning. I felt that it lost some of its punch after the middle.

Hated the “terrifying” description of the shadow reapers. If this stays in the book, it’s going in the movie and that will cut most Christian audiences who are commanded to “abstain from all appearances of evil.”

I was a little confused why the cadets would hear crackling first before their band lights went off. Seems like the band would glow red to let you know a reaper was in the area, then you would listen for crackling as it approached. Otherwise, that’s pretty loud crackling, right? What would be the need for bands?

Around page 86 to 88, too much narrative that slows down the story. Same with 137 to 140, 178, 264. Chapter 25 is too long.

Also, the sheltered homeschooling conversation stunk. Would’ve been better if it was a positive spin to show that homeschooling is awesome: (e.g., “I’m not dead. I do have a phone, a laptop, and a television—and if you think you have more freedom sitting in mandatory classroom in a locked school guarded by security eight hours a day as opposed to my four hours studying anywhere I want on the device of my choice, you’ve been duped.”) Inspire our Christian children and let the homeschooler win the conversation.

Pg. 124 You might want to consider a new word to replace “darkening,” which is offensive to brown and black people. Try soul-sucking, life-vaping, death-creeping—anything but darkening.

There’s so much futuristic action, I wish the government wasn’t American.

If the darkening word changed along with the other suggestions, this book would get more stars for sure.

This is a story that readers will return to over and over again. Great for fans of the Maze Runner, Divergent, Harry Potter, and others like it. This is a wonderful title for middle grade readers. It is well paced and has amazing characters!! The 360+ pages flew by so fast that I didn't even realize that I was at the end until I couldn't go anymore in the ebook. I really hope that although this one ended very well that we get another one!! I need more stories set in this world that I have become a part of!


Go Into This One Knowing: Great Middle Grade Story!

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

Academy books are all around you right now. And I happen to love them and try to read as many as I can, so I got really happen when I get my ex av Hadley Academy. The cover looked great, the summary sounded great and I had high expectations. And the story almost met my expectations. I felt the story was rushed at points and nowhere did I read about zombies. I mean, sure, reapers could be a word for them but I didn’t make that connection. Honestly, I wouldn’t have picked up the book had I known. So I guess it was a good thing I didn’t. All in all, I liked the book and think there are a lot of younger readers which will love it.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jack Carlson was recruited by a man named Hans to go to the Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted. However, he doesn't seem to have a spade that would cause him to be improbable. Jack goes through the motions of trying to enter the dome until he learns something else about his blackouts that he experiences. Hadley Academy might just be in mortal peril because of Jack.

It took me a little bit to get into the novel, but I'm pretty sure I read over 200 pages in one day. I loved the characterization of Jack and his friends as they navigated trying to learn their spades and master them. I was shocked at how much I fell in love with this novel once I got into it. My favorite part of the novel was actually Hans and how he helped Jack but no one seemed to know who he was until Jack's mother mentioned who he was.

I definitely do want to read the sequel because I want to know what happens when Team Thirteen goes through the portal. I probably will check out more of Conor Grennan's work because he writes really well.

The Nitty-Gritty:
This fast-paced story is begging to be a movie. One part Percy Jackson, one part Divergent, one part Harry Potter, and two parts something all its own, this book is action-packed and vibrantly written. We’ve got the chosen-one trope, a magic school hidden from the rest of the world, and the discovery of a group of people with specialized improbable powers. It’s everything you know you love, all with a cast of main characters firmly in that middle-school age range that seems to be so hard to find.

My one issue with this book was the pacing. We start out a little slow, and then it really picks up at around the 100 page point. At that point, I really didn’t want to put the book down – I kept on thinking about what was happening in the story and every time I stopped reading I felt like I was just waiting for the moment that I could pick the book back up. But thinking back on the book, it honestly felt like two or three books worth of plot crammed into one. There were 3 very distinct acts that could have been their own book. The end result feels a little like the author wasn’t sure whether or not he was going to get a deal for the sequel, so he tried to get all the pertinent world-building information out in this first book.

That said, I fully intend to purchase this book for my classroom library. I already have three students in mind for this story.

The Verdict:
Perfect for readers who have finished Harry Potter and Percy Jackson and just need more vibrant world-building, action-packed, chosen-one stories.

Earc from netgalley

This book was nothing special. It dragged on and on and on. Maybe i'm just not the right audience, but there are other books like it that are better. It also seemed to rush through and drag at the same time. 2 stars.

I did not want to stop ready The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted by Conor Grennan. As I was reading, there were so many moments of, “That’s so awesome!” and, “Wait. What?!” and, “I can’t believe it! No way.” When I had to put the book down, the characters were often in my thoughts as I wondered what was going to happen to them next.

Jack Carlson just wants to pass eighth grade. Preferably without the embarrassment of his best friend, Freddy’s, conspiracy theories. But when a strange school security guard drags Jack through the streets while being chased by reapers, Jack starts to wonder if Freddy might not be right. And if he’s right? Oh, boy. They were all in for a wild ride.

Jack is thrown into the world of Hadley Academy where everyone has a talent (called a spade) that they will use to protect the world against the reapers, a shadowy force of evil created and controlled by a powerful man named Wyeth. Trouble is, Jack doesn’t seem to have a spade, but he is declared to be the Guardian, who was prophesied to save the world. Along with four other recruits, Jack sets off to learn who he is and what his role is in this dangerous and deadly fight.

I absolutely loved this book. There were so many surprises, and I definitely did not see the biggest one coming. The story flowed so well, the characters were layered and fun to spend time with, and I wanted to go to Elk Island to see all the amazing things they all could do. I highly recommend this book to kids and adults alike. It’s a heart-pounding, mind-bending adventure you will not want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Harry Potter" meets "A Wrinkle in Time." Fans of the secret magic boarding school will love this modern take on the genre. An imaginative tale with diverse characters, Grennan incorporated many of children's favorite aspects of novels--epic battles for good and evil, impossible--I mean improbable--odds, the help of a good group of friends, and even a dragon or two. The plot is complex without becoming convoluted--a bit of a trick with so much going on. Face-paced, without seeming rushed.

I assume this will be the first in a series, as the ending has a bit of the "the story continues" feeling to it.

**I received an electronic ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

In Conor Grennan's new novel, The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted, there is a military academy for gifted kids somewhere off the coast of Maine. The gifted students, called improbables, defend civilians against secret beings called reapers.

Let me begin by saying that I am not in the intended age range for this book. However, I still found the book to be interesting and entertaining. I liked a lot of the concepts that Grennan brought forward in how the "gifts" functioned. I liked that there were known types of gifts, but that the gifts could manifest differently for each person.

I did find myself detached from the characters in this book, and found it to be predominantly plot-driven. As a reader who can excuse weak plot for compelling characters, this fact made the book a little more difficult for me to get through.

Grennan definitely left himself room for this to be the beginning novel of a new series, and this series also could be easily adapted for film or tv. I can definitely see Grennan finding success with this book and any to follow it, even if it wasn't the perfect fit for me.

Make yourself comfortable when you pick up The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted because this book is hard to put down once you get started. With creatively crafted characters and a fast-paced story line, you will want to just keep reading, and then when it's over, you will beg for more!

There is a secret war going on all over the world that most people don’t know about and never will. Reapers look like humans to most people but they are creatures that freeze people to death. The only ones keeping people safe from these assassins are operatives from the Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted, people whose spades - special abilities – have awoken and are trained to take out Reapers. Jack knows nothing about Reapers or Hadley Academy when he is rescued from a Reaper by a man named Hans, handed a strange coin, told to show it to Superior Blue, and shoved through a portal. He finds himself in Hadley Academy where this man, Superior Blue, tells him he must be the Guardian, a prophesied hero who is supposed to save the world from Wyeth, who controls the Reapers and is unleashing a new darkness on humanity. Superior Blue, against the better judgment of other Hadley Academy leaders, assembles a team to help Jack save the world. There’s just one problem. None of them have their spades yet. And the best deal Superior Blue could get with Academy leaders is three days for the team to prove that they are really supposed to be there, and are indeed the best hope for humanity. The first group that needs to be convinced are the kids themselves, because Jack, Asha, Voss, and Freddy aren’t so sure (well, Freddy is, but he’s also a conspiracy theory nut).

Kids being trained to use special abilities in a secret academy will make many readers think of several other books (this one reminded me most of the Magisterium and Balance Keeper books). A kid who is supposed to be the promised one to save the world will also remind readers of several other books (I don’t even need to give you examples for this one). And a virus being unleashed on the world that is rapidly taking over the whole planet and changing humanity will make readers think of some books or movies they’ve seen (though I can’t think of a worldwide pandemic book aimed at middle graders other than The Scavengers). But this one differs in several aspects from any of those other books or movies. I think the biggest way was that usually the team of hero kids gets to make a hopeful dent in the tsunami wave of evil headed their way fairly quickly and have promising encounters against the opposition. They show up and immediately wow the school with how awesome they are. That isn’t the case here. In fact, Jack, his team, and readers aren’t sure for quite a while whether he’s the promised one or not. Or if his team belongs there either. (And I’m not saying one way or the other.) I’ll also say that this book had more surprise reveal moments than I’ve encountered in one book for quite a while. The only thing you can count on is getting thrown for a loop at least once, if not multiple times. The characters are complex and it isn’t super clear who is on the good side or bad side. Usually at the end of a magical training academy/world pandemic book I have a fairly good idea where the plot is headed next, but I’m really not sure where we’re headed after this book. A big point of the plot momentum of this book is resolved at the end. And it could go a number of different directions from here, continuing the unpredictable nature of Grennan’s writing. That’s not a bad thing at all. It’s nice to be surprised by the direction an author takes. So let the guessing commence after finishing this book and waiting for book two. (Though it isn’t anywhere nearly as bad of a cliffhanger as it could have been.) This is published by a Christian publisher but there isn’t anything religious per se in the plot. It isn’t even a clear-cut allegory at all. Just a fairly clean good versus evil scifi/dystopian adventure. Hand this to readers who enjoy reading about kids with special powers in a battle of good versus evil, readers who like fantastical boarding schools, those looking for a read that will keep them on their toes, and those who like dystopian fiction.

Notes on content [based on the ARC]: No language issues. No sexual content. There are several fights between the good guys and bad guys. Several people get taken over and then turn to dust when they are killed. Some serious injuries on page but nothing super gory (and the academy has a fantastic healing center and people can recover from just about anything if they can get to them in time).

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Kids with powers fighting to prevent the zombie apocalypse.

This reminded me vaguely of Holly Black's Magisterium series. We have kids with magic like abilities, who need to prevent a great evil from taking over. There's another reason I found it so similar, but that would be a spoiler.

The magic abilities were great, and the characters were engaging. The book had a great premise, plot, and lots of potential, but it felt like everything was forced to fit into one book, probably with a word count, and so, felt too rushed where it should've expounded, too condensed at the expense of the characters and other areas. Like, we were shown a few classes at the academy, but then the story jumped through their training and straight into world saving. When did the heroes suddenly earn everyone's trust? There were several other jumps throughout the book that confused me. I think this would've worked much better if it had been split into two books, and fixed app the jumps.

I didn't catch the dystopian mention in the book's summary before reading it. And I just reread the summary, and I see that there's hardly any mention of zombies. I probably wouldn't have read it if it did warn me, but this book was far more fantasy than it was dystopian. Any dystopian parts were told through a cheerful hero lens with lots of magic.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thirteen-year-old Jack is always a little embarrassed by his best friend, Freddie, who is constantly going on about the most ridiculous conspiracy theories. His latest is about a school, the Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted where children with special talents are taken to train for a war to save humanity against an enemy called the Reapers. So after Freddie presents this latest 'theory' to the entire class, Jack makes an excuse to leave. As he heads for the washroom, he is accosted by the new school security guard who tells him that he is there to take Jack to a new school...the Hadley Academy of the Improbably Gifted where Jack is needed because he is to play an important role in saving the world.

The Hadley Academy for the Improbably Gifted is a middle grade dystopian fantasy novel by author, Conor Grennan. It's intended audience is ten and up and as someone who is way way up, I really enjoyed it. It is an action-packed tale with plenty of likable characters and with enough tension to keep the pages turning frantically but not so scary that it will frighten a young reader. Overall, I found it great fun. The storyline here is complete but there are hints that there will be more books in the series. If you have or are a young (or young-at-heart) reader who is a fan of books like the Divergent Series or The Maze Runner, I highly recommend this novel.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

This is a great fantasy book for middle grade readers. It will pull them right into the world in the book. Great characters that are easily relatable.

What an amazing story this was the way this book was written was art. The main character Jack definitely underestimates his worth in this book. Along with his friend he somehow manages to really step up to the plate. Its such a great read, and the world its set in makes you want to dive in and be apart of it. Its one of those books where you read it once and you reread it over and over again. If you looking for a book with a world of possibility's this is the book for you. My rating for this book five stars and would recommend it all the way.