I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were really well developed, and the story was engaging. While I felt that at times it moved too slowly, there was a lot of mystery surrounding Autumn, and her journey of discovery really held my interest. Additionally, the book ended with only some of the answers, but not all, which builds anticipation for the next book in the series.

Autumn is shocked when she receives an acceptance letter from Windhaven University, especially since she never applied. She’s also shocked because Windhaven is for people with supernatural abilities, and she has none. Eager to start at Windhaven and take advantage of her good fortune, Autumn moves in with her father in their ancestral home.

Strange things immediately start happening. Vases fall and break without provocation, ghostly images appear, and weird noises become more frequent. On top of that, two girls go missing, and their disappearance hints towards similar happenings in the past. Can Autumn figure out what is happening in her home and what happened to the missing girls?

This is an entertaining, if a bit predictable, read. Autumn is a smart, strong, and dynamic protagonist. From the moment she receives her acceptance letter, her life changes and is filled with unexpected twists and turns (not to mention a ton of supernatural occurrences!). She had a great character arc, and I was surprised at the extent of her powers. However, I do wish the characters were a bit more developed, especially some of the minor characters.

Very early in the story, Autumn meets Wade, and they feel instantly connected (Yes, we have an insta-love situation here). They quickly develop a deep bond, but it seems a bit rushed to me. They barely know each other, and Autumn is ready to change her future for him. I liked their romance as the story progressed and felt it was better developed later in the book. I’m curious to see what happens to this pair, as some revelations are sure to cause conflicts in future books.

The title of the book is so appropriate, as secrets riddle the story. This includes family secrets, secret powers, secrets from the school’s past, and mysterious boyfriends who seem to be hiding something. Autumn has many mysteries to uncover, and this makes for a suspenseful read.

A well-paced story with interesting characters and more suspense than I anticipated (but that’s a good thing!), the book ends with a cliffhanger that definitely makes me want to find out more. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Author Revolution for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm gonna keep this review short.

The cover is pretty
The synopsis is intriguing.
But the book? None of the above.
This was almost a DNF for me. At several points in the first half of the book, I considered dropping it too.

The main character was quite annoying and felt underdeveloped. The story was riddled with clichés tbh and there wasn't anything refreshing. It was a mish-mash of of all those different books that I've read before but not in a good way.

Now about the writing. Why did I feel like the author just describes the same sort of scenes over and over again in different ways? The conversations between characters didn't feel natural too.

And the ending.... I don't even know what to say. It felt so abrupt to me. Here I was just starting to enjoy the book and bam! a few pages later, the story ends.

Such a shame... plot felt like a wasted potential.

This was an unquestionably fun story, even if it was treading a well-worn path.

There were a great number of tropes or cliches included, especially the dreaded 'insta-love' which I would probably be far more critical of if not for this being the start of the series that has the opportunity to explore and develop the ideas further. That being said, the plot is simple and paced well and as I said at the beginning, this book is FUN!

There are some similarities that will make this book appeal to fans of Twilight but this is a good read for anyone who loves magic, romance and mystery.

This story was immensely captivating and I can't wait to read more!!!

The way it starts out had me immediately loving Autumn, and it's not just because we're both redheads with A names! (Fun fact: my parents almost named me Autumn.) She has an extremely endearing personality, she loves her parents a lot despite the fact that they want different things. She asserts her independence without being disrespectful. When she meets Wade, his sultry sexiness is immediately apparent, and their banter works so well you can feel the sparks from a mile away. The quick closeness between them foreshadows some secrets being kept, it was a little too-good-to-be-true feeling for me, but you find out a little about the secrets before the end of the book, and it's satisfying without being a huge betrayal of her trust. His temper tantrums were a little annoying.

They acted a little younger than their stated ages to me, but I also don't remember what it was like being that age for some reason. So it could just possibly be my brain being completely switched to "almost thirty" and I just don't remember how young my mind was still at that age (even though it was only a few years ago). It wasn't so bad that it took away from the story.

Overall, the story kept me so hooked that I stayed up later than I should have because I couldn't put it down. The suspense was SO SUSPENSEFUL. I did not expect it to have such suspenseful moments, with the ghosts and all but it worked so well. I have some theories about some things, or rather, I have some questions still that I've been pondering and can't wait to delve into when I get to read the rest of the series!

This book had me hooked, and quite quickly. The first book in the Windaven Witch Series, and it really lives up to the supernatural elements it promises. I generally do not gravitate towards this genre, but I am so glad I took a chance on this book. It held my attention, and at times my breath. It is a fast-paced read that is enthralling from cover to cover. I didn't put it down once I started, and if I did I was thinking about it. I read a lot of books, and it is often easy for me to read a book and not give it much thought after. This book was different for me. I wanted to know what happened next. I wanted to keep reading and was super bummed when it ended. That to me is the start of a good book and a good series.

My only complaint is that it lacks a little bit of character depth in the beginning. I would have loved to be able to explore more of Autumn, and her life before Windaven. The reader gets thrust very quickly into this fast-paced book which definitely keeps their attention, but I think I would love to feel a deeper connection to her and her life with her mother. It would give it a little more depth. Other than that I absolutely loved this book, and am looking forward to the others in the series.

Autumn lives with her mother in Mistwood Point. One day she receives a large envelope with an acceptance letter from Windhaven Academy, a school for the supernatural, but Autumn doesn't have supernatural powers, or does she? What's more bizarre is she didn't even apply! To complicate matters she meets Wade, a newcomer who quickly dazzles Autumn with his charm. She has a choice to make, and she is unsure what's the right choice.

A push from Wade she agrees to attend the school's orientation. Maybe the school can help her unearth what possible supernatural powers she possesses if any at all. Upon arrival to orientation, she finds the school in chaos as two girls have turned up missing. As school starts, she is no closer to figuring out or understanding her powers. Two new friends attempt to help her uncover the sercrets to Blackwood Manor, and possibly the secrets to unlocking her own supernatural potential. An accident thrusts her to face death, and the possiblity that some secrets may her life and those around her forever.

This was a great introduction to a new genre for me, and honestly I will be sitting on my hands waiting for the next book. In fact, I think I may be looking into the author's other work because I enjoyed this book so much.

If you love Twilight and Hex Hall then you’ll LOVE Secret Society. What a fun and suspenseful ride. I was so engrossed in the plot that I read this all in one night! I loved Autumn and her friends were fleshed out (I want to know more about Colt!) and the romance was sizzling. I can’t wait for book 2, especially after that cliffhanger!

This story starts as unassumingly as the life of Autumn, which I think was a clever writing device. For the first part it feels like many NA/YA para stories, though I must mention better edited and constructed. I loved the slow build into getting to the school, mysteries etc as a contrast to the fast movement in the romance department- it gave good balance. Under the surface of the girl with new powers and mysteries to figure out a compelling an original story is waiting to grab you and pull you deeper. I enjoyed that Autumn was a little older than the usual heroine in these tales. I also really like Wade and attached to him tightly and first. So, Dominick, well all I can say is, I'm waiting to find out more about Wade in the next part. I was thrilled to see the release dates on the next parts since I struggle to remember to come back to a series if there is too long of a wait.

Fan of para- academy/romance will enjoy this.

Ahhhhhhh this was just such a wonderful book and I just thoroughly enjoyed myself. I didn’t want to put this book down. I just fell in love with this wonderful story and it’s wonderful characters. I will most definitely be reading more stories from this wonderful author.

This is a great addictive star-crossed love story, Lots of surprises, I can’t wait till the next book comes out.

I'm not a huge fan of fantasy, especially young adult, but this was a pretty solid ride. I don't read much witch fiction, but somehow the plot was smooth and bouncy and enticed me to continue reading. Thank you for the ARC!

Sadly this book was not for me. From reading the book summary I was intrigued and thought it would be right up my ally... sadly 7 chapters in and I just was not having it. I did finish reading this book but nothing really hooked and that’s saying a lot since this book has freaking necromancy! I didn’t really like any of the characters and don’t even get me started on the romance. No thank you. Insta-love was just too much for me. The story wasn’t working out for me plot wise and the pacing felt off. I just did not connect with this book as well as I had hoped I would.

It was easy to love this book.

For one, one of the first things we are introduced to is a character who I find funny, and has easy banter with our main character.

If there's one thing I love, it's banter.

But our main character is "not like other girls." She generally keeps to herself, wears minimal makeup, and spends her time in cemeteries.

Just like every girl who "isn't like other girls."

She also instantly falls in love with the funny character I wrote about earlier: a boy who just so happens to show up in that same cemetery. And while I don't mind insta-love (sometimes people are just hot), I'm not generally a fan of sex scenes. And having to read a character's sexual thoughts for a man she just met isn't my idea of a good time.

Early on, between chapters seven and eight, something happens to the main character. But we aren't allowed to know about it until later, when she calls her boyfriend. This scene in particular was super confusing to me, as she references "the moment" before she calls. I thought perhaps I had missed something, but I went back, and couldn't find anything matching the moment she speaks about. This was my first real negative point to the book.

It also seems like the only reason the main character doesn't just ask her parents what's going on is to further the plot and make it mysterious. Instead, we're given scenes of her sneaking around to try and find information herself, and none of the characters who know what she doesn't want to speak up. While I understand her friends not wanting to, as it is a family issue, there's nothing wrong with turning to your parents to ask about the family secrets.

Certain sections of this book, even by the ending, aren't explained. Of course, the final scene ends on a cliffhanger, to set up the mystery of the next book, and that's fine. But we're told of this part of her powers, which comes up three times in the book, but it is never explained why. Since the second book isn't released (and, to be fair, the first book isn't technically released either), I'm unsure whether this will get resolved later on.

In all, I really enjoyed this book, despite the bashing I'm giving it. I enjoyed the writing and the characters, and it was unlike anything I've read so far. I would almost compare it to a TV show, with its young adult character who learns suddenly that their family is involved in some sort of magic and is suddenly thrust into a life they never knew existed. I'm excited to see where this series takes us, and I'd honestly recommend this as a pretty good book.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

I was intrigued by both the cover and the blurb, and wasn’t disappointed.

While the characters could use some further developments ie. the main takeaways I got about Autumn, the main characters’ Father (who she moves in with) is that he does a lot of DIY, disappears regularly, and appears soundlessly - I hope I’m not preempting a future plot development reveal - but if I didn’t know better I’d think he was a ghost, too.

Because yes, there are ghosts in this story, magic powers, hidden family legacies, multitudinous secrets and a twist 2/3 of the way through.

Beware though, because the story does have that cliffhanger ending feel, and definitely leaves the reader wondering what will occur in the next title. (I personally dislike this type of ending where the current story has so many unanswered plot points and obvious new ones suggested, but you may not.)

Yet again, I seem to be reading a completely different book to some of the reviews I have seen on here. I saw the cover for this book and was instantly drawn to it. But I started reading this last night and although I forced myself to finish it, I struggled. I think if this wasn't an ARC and I understand the author needs reviews, I would have DNF this book on 10%.

I think my first issue was the writing. I have mentioned this in a few of my reviews and I genuinely hate when the writing tells you what is happening rather than describes it. Are we reading an interview transcript???
I am not a fan of overly flowery language but this writing was borderline the same as my eleven year old brothers when he is not trying.
I didn't like Autumn at all. I found her boring, not well developed and to be honest, whiny. Any of the other secondary characters were basically as dry. And Wade?? Someone pass me a bucket.
The plotting was...well, predictable if anything else. I couldn't help but roll my eyes the few times something was "revealed" and if I'm honest, I feel like I've read this book a million times.

Overall, I didn't like this at all which is a shame because the cover is beautiful! I think the only thing that made this a 2 stars rather than a 1 star was that I didn't mind the ending.
2 stars.
I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Secret Legacy stars Autumn Blackwood who discovers her past and all that she had forgotten. And there is something much more to her and her family than she thinks. It all starts with her acceptance to Windhaven Academy - an academy for supernaturals. But the problem is that Autumn is perfectly normal. There’s nothing supernatural about her.

As soon as she receives her acceptance letter, her life is full of twists and turns, secrets being kept from her. And no one is helping her. It seems like everyone knows everything about her except for herself.

This book was an absolutely amazing read. I loved everything about this book, no joke. One thing I really appreciated is how the main character is a full fledged adult. Most books with this type of plot tend to have a kid or a teenager as the main character. I don’t mind that, but it was a refreshing change. Because as an adult, you’re more mature. And your decisions are more rational. In terms of the plot line, it seems cliché in general. But Carissa Andrews keeps on surprising. Like I wasn’t surprised when it was revealed that Autumn was a ghost medium, but I was surprised when it was revealed that Autumn was a necromancer. I didn’t think it was possible for someone to have multiple powers.

I love all the characters. They were all unique, and their personalities clashed quite nicely with each other. I would like to know more about Cat’s powers. It would be cool if she and Colton shared the same powers as they are twins. Dominick is an interesting character as well as Wade. Though, there’s so much more to learn more about Wade. He seems lovable like your perfect boyfriend. He had me swooning. But it changed around so much when Dominick told Wade to go away. And you had people showing up to Wade telling him that the relationship was forbidden. So from that I’m going to guess that his powers are similar to the Grim Reaper, like collecting souls when it was one’s time to die.

I didn’t really have anything I didn’t like about this book. But I would’ve appreciated more details about the school; like it’s appearance or more about Autumn’s school life. But despite that, it was an amazing read. The ending was killer. This was a book of mystery, love, and secrets waiting to be revealed. And Carissa Andrews did not fail in making me fall in love with the story. I can’t wait for more.

Autumn Blackwood who lives with her mom in a small town called mistward whole life is about to change when she gets an acceptence letter from a college that she never applied for... To a university called Windhaven which is a special college for supernatural people. Funny thing she isn't considered supernatural well at least in her case and her life. She meets this guy named Wade Hoffman who is kind of a mystery but is super enchanting he is taking care of his grandpa who is in constant need of care. There are a lot of secrets that Autumn Blackwood should or shouldn't know about her family when she goes to live with her Dad she decides to go to Windhaven. It's an book full of mystery curiosity and dark secrets what more is there to love? Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.