I really enjoyed this book and I’ll probably continue reading the series. I feel like the age range for this is around 12-14 depending on the maturity of the reader. I would say younger, but there is a mention of sex in it. 

Reading this has been a simple and casual read and a nice break from more complex (is that the word?) books. I only wish it had more going on in it in terms of the plot and depth of the characters. I mean the MC is a 20 year old going to college but I kept feeling like it would have been better suited as a girl going to a special high school. I also was hoping there was more world building. I mean the whole world knows magic exists, I want to know how, why, and the politics of it! Do the non magical folk hate the magical? 

All in all it was a good quick read, but just needed more. The plot was okaaay, I was hoping it would be darker and not so aggravating while reading the book. The MC doesn’t know what power she has and spends most of the book complaining about it and that others are keeping “secrets” from her. SPOILER ALERT (it’s not that big of a secret or really worth hiding)... 
Thank you Net Galley and IBPA for giving me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the arc! I was attracted to this book due to the magical school element and of course witches! However it wasn’t really my cup of tea I DNF’d it about 20% into the book. I found it moved to quickly and was just a bit too unrealistic for me, ultimately I just wasn’t enjoying it. I will say the writing was nice so I would give another book from the author a try. If you like a really fast paced book, that comes across a bit more middle grade and doesn't have much world building than I think you may really enjoy this one!

I definitely have mixed feelings about this book. I'll be splitting this review into pros and cons, starting with the pros.

Pros: I am not usually a fan of suspenseful paranormal novels. However, this was pretty much at my perfect level of not so scary that I can't sleep, but a little creepy enough to add to the suspense. (Though admittedly, if this was a movie I would NOT be able to watch this aha). 

Cons: There was a slight inconsistency with her age that bothered me initially as well as with her personality. However, leaving that aside I just found this book a little too predictable (though that did help me handle the creeps a little better ) I had guessed the majority of the plot points before even getting through the first 40% of the novel. The romance was also not convincing.

Despite the cons, I finished the novel and still wouldn't mind continuing the series, so that says something!

So this book has a lot of potential. I'm not sure if it's to show a sheltered, naive young lady or the true lack of skill from the Author, but this book is written in a way that could be fantastic...however lack of vocabulary,  some flat dialogue, and inconsistencies in story or facts really detract from it being as high quality as it could be. Its captured enough of my attention that I would like to read more, hopefully the prose matures with the sequels.

**I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review**. 

I wanted to love this book, and towards the end I almost did. It started off rough - the writing was juvenile and choppy and the backstories felt paper thin.  The prose at times seemed to fall short of intended imagery, ending in piles of gibberish in both internal and character dialogue. The characters felt transparent; The main character, Autumn, is independent and off putting-ly not-like-the-other-girls, who suddenly loses autonomy as soon as a boy is involved. She makes several references to her bad history with relationships which is never expanded on, and when her Dad starts acting strange she blatantly ignores it. Wade, the requisite hot and mysterious boy who's new to town, is infuriatingly protective of Autumn and menacingly secretes testosterone if she's caught literally breathing the same air as another man. I love a good romance, but found myself thoroughly enjoying the book once he disappeared for a couple of chapters. The protagonist gives in every time he even questions her thoughts, as if they're not even her own. In 2020, this shouldn't still be a trope - but here we are. What’s more is that author could have done so much with the world-building and back story - some people are ordinary humans? Some are supernatural with a variety of gifts to choose from? The world-building felt lazy and confined to a small, dreary town and its Hogwarts counterpart. Finally, what drew me in initially as a 20 something graduate student was the description of a new adult paranormal romance touted with a college experience; and yet the author wrote it as if it were the first day of ninth grade. 

Despite all of my gripes, the plot was promising and picked up towards the end of the book. I would continue to read the series as long as it resembles the second half of the book; the beginning was disappointingly slow and set up a premise that never delivered. I felt almost as if I was reading a second book by the time Autumn turned towards scouring public record for answers that (frustratingly) everyone knew but didn't feel like telling her. There was a lot going on in this novel and I applaud the author for her creativity, but she bit off more than she could chew for the plot of this first installment.

I am so sorry, but the book is really not working for me. When I first read the synopsis of the book, I was a tad bit curious, it made me recall American Horror Story: Coven, so I decided to give the book a shot. However, I felt like the book had too many cliches in it that would make me enjoy it.

First off, I'm not into Insta-Love stories. Sometimes they work when done properly, but my god, the way it was executed here, really made me want to pull the brakes and stop near the 10% marker on my Kindle. I really wanted to push into this story, up until 50%, I made it into chapter nine and ten where some mystery surfaced, but again, it wasn't hooking, or urging me to read more.

Literally, I wanted to find out, Autumn's sudden full scholarship into a school she didn't apply for (seems so Harry Potter-ish start,) and somehow she's all cool with jumping headfirst into a school she just wanted to get into, when her mom is all, "NO".

Then, this boy, Angel/Wade, which she met in the Cemetary, Hmm, oddly suspicious, but somehow for Autumn, it's like a simple chance meeting at a cafe. By that point, I really faltered with the plot. I guess, after reading similar themes of magical schools/mystery crimes, I was expecting more, and the book just fell flat for me. 

Thank you, NetGalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

So let me start off this review with one word — ROLLERCOASTER. I love it when an author is able to pull me into another dimension, and I love it even more when they throw all these plot twists and surprises at me. There were a ton of moments where I had to take a minute to re-collect myself and my thoughts because my mind was in a whirlwind from certain situations and scenarios. I would also categorize this as a light romance/thriller kind of book. There were a lot of gasp and shock worthy parts in this book that I loved, and wasn’t expecting at all. It was so dark and twisty, and I was on the edge of my seat. It was slow in the beginning, but started picking up about a little more than halfway through. I am already dying for the next book because that’s how good the cliffhanger was. Seriously a phenomenal novel and author. If you like light romance, unexpected twists, and supernatural characters, then you’ll absolutely enjoy this book.

The book was alright but definitely YA. Kept me interested and the idea behind it all was cool. Really fast read. I only saw a few typos so that's always a plus.

Autumn is a 20 year old girl leaving with her mom while saving up to go to college. She’s always been attracted/interested in the supernatural even though she might be only human.

The story starts with Autumn being accepted to the prestigious school for the supernatural and her mom is not happy about it. But the thing is, Autumn DIDN’T apply! While trying to make a decision on going to a magical school when she’s not magical herself, she meets a super hot guy that gets her “nerdy” references. They have an instant connection.  He becomes both a obstacle and the push for Autumn’s decision to accept her place at Windhaven Academy.

Autumn moves in with her dad to be close to the school and that’s when the strange stuff starts. Blackwood Manor is one of the oldest houses in Windhaven and comes with all kinds of secrets. As Autumn starts school and meets new people, secrets and weird things keep being thrown at Autumn and instead of going to her dad for help she  follows the breadcrumbs her new friends are putting out for her to find the truth. 

I really enjoyed the story. Once I got started, I didn’t put the book down until I finished it. All the scary stuff and mysteries kept me on my toes making up my own theories as the story developed. Some of the things I didn’t get at the start of the book were cleared up at the end, which is good to tie up SOME loose ends. This is the first book or the series so obviously there has to things left to further explore. 

Something that I didn’t really like was how easily Autumn and Wade started having an exclusive relationship. From a couple of times hanging to full-on boyfriend/girlfriend was too abrupt for me. The other thing that left me wondering or wanting more was the relationship between Autumn and her mom. Besides the initial conflict of the acceptance letter, mom is completely dropped from the story. Wasn’t around to have concerns about the attachment to the new boyfriend, wasn’t there see Autumn off, no text back when Autumn text her, Hopefully that gets explained in the future or explored.

I’m looking forward to see where Autumn’s journey takes her. As people have mentioned, about a love triangle, I’m not against it but I may or may not have an inclination on who should be involved 😉

Safe to say that I’ll definitely be waiting for book 2 to see what happens next !!

Secret Legacy is a promising start for a new adult /paranormal mystery series . 

What I liked 
1. School settings provide structure to what type of events can be expected in a story .
2. Main character hadn’t started university at the younger age most readers anticipate.
3. Despite being the start of a series the book works well as a stand alone.

What I didn’t like as much

1. We don’t get a  great explanation of why she accepts the offer to attend a school she did not apply to and believes she does not belong at .

2. Instant love strikes again. While further books in the series may build the love interest up some more I do not have much invested in a relationship that forms before we have had time to even know the character.

Who would I recommend this one for ?

Readers of the throne of glass series will enjoy this female led paranormal tale.

I enjoyed this book but did not love it.  I was kept interested by the family secrets and discovering more about Autumn’s family, her past and her powers.  Unfortunately, the insta-love fell short for me.  I did not feel a connection between Wade and Autumn. There relationship lacked any spark.  Also, the possible love triangle with Colt really turned me off.  I personally hate love triangles.  I am not sure I will continue with the series.

Thank you Netgalley and author for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.  Secret Legacy will be released on September 15, 2020.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Seeing this book available for request, I knew I had to give it a shot. Not only did I like the cover but it is about witches...which I also love(see what I did there?). I personally really liked it but I can clearly see that the reviews are very mixed when it comes to this book. People seem to either really like it or really hate it. Much like with most other books, did I like it the whole entire way? Heck no...But I liked it enough to keep going... We start with Autumn Blackwood receiving an acceptance letter from a magical school she didn't even apply to. Okay, that's kinda weird but hey, it's already paid for, why wouldn't you go? And did I mention these kids have powers? Cool, right? Autumn meets Wade in a cemetery and when they start talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I knew I might befriend them myself. :) Buffy and I go way back. So, blah blah blah, Autumn thinks about backing out of the school for this boy she literally just met and fell in love with and if THAT had happened, I would have given up right there. I cannot stand when someone gives a big thing up for anyone else. The big things are meant to happen. So she goes off to school and starts meeting new(new to her) people and learning about what powers she might have. She sees the ghost of her dead greatgreatgreatgreat grandmother who seems to be trying to tell her something. And at one point she learns something HUGE about herself...but then also learns something huge about Wade. It can't all be good right? In book two, whenever that happens, I guess we will explore what happens in that story... hopefully it isn't too far in the future as I will forget all about what is going on right now.

I really enjoyed reading the book because it was an interesting story with a well written plot and good writing style. It was easy to find in the story and the characters were authentic and well described.

So, it took me a little while to get really invested in this story but the more I kept reading the more I liked it. Wade is sweet and mysterious and definitely my favorite character so far. Autumn is a good character as well and I’m rooting for her and Wade to keep their relationship going. I am not a fan of Colt but I also hate the majority of “the other guy” characters in general. Love triangles really grind my gears so I’m hoping Autumn doesn’t allow him to screw up her thing with Wade. 

Thanks Netgalley for letting me check this book out!

This was a nice solid book. I loved the characters and felt like the storyline kept me on my toes. Although I did wish that the book had a more adult vibe instead of ya.

Español:

Este libro lo solicité ya que la sinopsis me llamó mucho la atención. 

Nos cuenta la historia de Autumn Blackwood, quien es admitida en Windhaven Academy sin saber como, ya que ella no llenó la solicitud. Esto la lleva a vivir de vuelta a la mansión Blackwood con su padre y a partir de allí conocerá los misterios que rondan su pasado. Ah y antes de mudarse conoce a Wade, un chico perfecto del que se enamora.

Debo decir que el concepto está muy bueno, pero creo que falló en ejecución. El cliché del instalove con Wade se sintió tan falso que nunca pude conectar con esa pareja.  La relación de hermanos de Cat y Colt tampoco se siente tan real. Además quedaron algunos cabos sueltos que espero se cierren en la siguiente parte. 

Vamos con lo bueno: los capítulos cortos están muy bien y la forma de escribir de la autora te mantiene atrapado y el final te deja con ganas de saber más. El personaje con más aristas y de quien me gustaría saber más es Dominic. 

En fin, veremos que trae la segunda entrega.

“Netgalley me dio esta copia a cambio de una reseña honesta.”
——————————————————————————-

English:

I requested this book since the synopsis caught my attention.

This book is about  Autumn Blackwood, who is admitted to Windhaven Academy without knowing how, since she did not fill out the application. This leads her to live back to the Blackwood mansion with her father and from there she will know the mysteries that haunt her past. Oh, and before moving, she meets Wade, a perfect boy she falls in love with.

I must say that the concept is very good, but I think it failed in execution. The instalove  cliche with Wade felt so false that I could never connect with that couple. Cat and Colt's sibling relationship doesn't feel that real either. There were also some loose ends that I hope will be closed in the next part.

Let's go with the good: the short chapters are very good and the author's way of writing keeps you trapped and the end leaves you wanting to know more. The character with the most edges and who I would like to know more about is Dominic.

Anyway, we'll see what the secuel  brings around.

"Netgalley gave me this copy in exchange for an honest review."

I loved the premise of this story. And I really think it can be great. But there are a couple of things that didn't sit well with me while I was reading. The writing itself is fairly choppy, there are some confusing inconsistencies and gaps throughout the book, and the lead character's voice is extremely juvenile to me despite being in her 20s.
I would love to see where the story ends up going, but I'm not sure yet if I'm going to commit to three more books.

I read the whole book in a few hours. It is a New Adult paranormal romance. When 20 year old Autumn is unexpectedly accepted into a university for people with paranormal abilities, she moves back home with her father to attend the school although she didn't apply and doesn't think that she has paranormal abilities.. It was interesting enough for me to read it all, and I gave it a 3 star rating on Goodreads. I hope that people enjoy it. Thank you.

I love a book that leaves you wanting more and this book really nails it. 

This story starts with the main character just trying to learn more about herself and her family but is she ready to get the answers she’s looking for ? The main character Autumn jumps feet first into the world of magic after years of wishing for it and makes some friends along the way. With many dark twists and turns this book more than delivers on keeping you on the edge of your seat. I only wish I had gotten to know the characters a bit better. Although I am also left with the sneaky suspicion that it was very intentional that you are left wanting to know more. This left me struggling to get into the beginning of the book because I look for a little more depth in character relationships.  

All of that being said I personally haven’t read anything like this book and I am very excited to see where this story goes.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about this book.  Yes, it drew me in with a cool magic university and magical powers and such but I got really annoyed with how everybody but Autumn was in on a secret and they couldn't just tell her, but led her around to books and unhelpful hints. That really irritates me when that happens in books.

Other than that though, I enjoyed reading it, even though it ended on a cliffhanger and many unanswered questions. Autumn was cool (though I am iffy about Wade) and her friends Cat and Colt were neat. This was a fast read and I think I would have liked it better if the other books were out so I could get the answers.