Amazing book full of twist and magic and. Just an all around great book. If you love magic you will love this book. Would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of this eARC for review.

This was a quick, fun read. While I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a paper copy, it was interesting enough to keep my attention and I enjoyed it. I haven't sought out the next books, but if I come across the next volume, I would read them.

This book has twists and turns in the plot and great characters. I enjoyed this story, and I really liked all the characters. Looking forward to reading more in this series.

A teenager in need of her place in the world finds it at magic school. A good start to the series and with enough action to keep you wanting more

This book is part of a really a great series. I liked that it isn’t an ordinary magical academy book. It is definitly something original and very well written. Through the book the characters all have to face some challenges that made them become stronger.

***Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

A fast paced amazing fantasy read! I really enjoyed the lore behind it and the introduction of the magic system. Looking forward for the rest of the series

I enjoyed this book, I find myself always searching for this genre and this did not disappoint at all. I loved the story line and it kept me entertained throughout

I thought the book was good. The story was interesting and easy to follow and I liked the main character.

I was provided an earc by netgalley and the publishers in exchange of an honest review.

So I know abusive foster parents exist but this just felt like one cliche after another. I’m not sure if the author has been in the care system but it read like a list of cliches along with siblings who won’t let each other out of their sight. The only trope that makes sense.

However it’s not obviously at first how old maeve is but it’s clear she’s in school. High school. And yet she has tattoos and no one questions this. Her best friend is an adult man five years older than her with alcohol and drug problems, and her other friend is her smaller brother.

It really does kind of read like a list of cliches. The writing itself isn’t bad but it’s obviously a man writing a female character and she’s not particularly likeable. The action is fast paced but so is the entire book so everything feels very surface level.

I didn’t love this book as you can tell and I really liked everyone else more than I liked Maeve.

WOW!

Ladies, gentlemen and all other, we finally have a YA heroine who has a family she risks it all for.

I feel like one of the best, and most underrated parts of at least the first book (there are three in this set), was Maeve's relationship with her little brother Finley. Not to spoil too much- I'll give a little more info on what I think really sold me on this story.

Maeve's parents are dead. She lives in the care system with her younger brother Finley, and looking after him is all she lives for. Whether its confronting high school bullies or risking her life to bring him into a life of magic and wonder.

A really quick paced read that is actually, stunningly original and fresh. It's fun, it's quick and it's heartwarming.

Why are you waiting to pick it up?

This was super good and fast YA. I did put it down for a while and came back and bought them on Amazon and finished. SO good. I'm really glad I finished and can't wait to see what Michael does next!

I was granted complimentary access to Spellcrest Academy Year One via NetGalley. Thank you to all involved in affording me this opportunity! My thoughts are my own and my review is honest.

This is a bind-up of books 1-3 in the Spellcrest Academy series by Michael Pierce and covers Maeve's first year at the academy. Part paranormal mystery, part dark academia, this is a female protagonist alternative to the Harry Potter franchise for today's teens and teens at heart. Full of magic, lots of action, and a generous dose of teen angst, these books are easy reads that will keep you turning page after page without any desire to put it down!

I very much appreciate an academic series that devotes more than a single book to each school year, as that really is such a large chunk of time in a young person's life and the sheer number of notable events big and small in a teen's life that happen in the span of one year really could fill multiple novels. This series gets that!

My favourite book within this book was the third, and I hope that means the rest of the series just keeps getting stronger! Perhaps I would rate a year 2 bind-up at a full 5?

Check out this series if you love YA fantasy, mysteries, or dark academia.

Did not finish at 30%, fairly predictable and not a fan of the characters. I would give it 2.5 stars, personally.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles.
I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

i received an arc from netgalley in exchange for an honest review (although it is no longer an arc)

spellcrest academy follows the story of maeve and rather selfish little brother finley as they embark on a new adventure in a magic academy after maeve inherits new powers from a stranger.

i’m going to make this short: if i have to be honest, the idea of this book wasn’t too enticing in the beginning. but as the author developed the idea, it got more interesting and i rather enjoyed it. however, i found it way too fast-paced. it was simple, understanding and a light read.

there wasn’t too much romance, which is a bonus point for me but i lacked real interactions between siblings and real feelings. maeve was likeable, but way too much. she acted like the big sister she is, true, and i like how she always stood up for her brother even when he didn’t want to see him, but i found it annoying how little she listened to him and how she did what she thought was best and didn’t even let him fight his own battles. i mean, i would probably do the same if i were in their same position but still. i couldn’t find it on me to believe that her reactions to the truth were real. if i were told i had been given the powers of a seamstress that died and made me more powerful than most people, my reaction would’ve been to send them off and tell them to f*ck off because that’s clearly insane isn’t it? i would’ve believed them nuts. and that attitude of being badass and “nothing can with me”, kinda made her look conceited. and the whole abandoning ben and then acting as if trish was the enemy? girl, you chose finley and left ben behind what did you expect? to have him waiting and expecting you to come back and to things be like they were before everything happened?

finley was okay at the beginning. till he ended up being that annoying little brother whom we could call the devil because he literally went and stabbed and betrayed his own sister just to be more powerful.

and devon? poor guy only wanted what was best for her and even gave up his “destiny” to be helena’s heir for her and look where it got him. i feel bad for him i truly liked his character.


the rest of the characters were meh. i don’t actually have a well formed opinion of them because we only saw their facade. and i truly want to believe the author put more effort into developing their characters in the following books. about that, i don’t know if i’ll be following the series. maybe i will just to find out what happened.

the writing style was simple and easy to follow and understand. the pace of the book was too fast for my liking but i still enjoyed the book nonetheless. it wasn’t excellent, but it wasn’t bad either. i consider it a light and fast read that can still capture your attention and leave you waiting for what’s going to happen in the next book. that’s why i give spellcrest academy #1 a rating of 2.5 stars.

thanks again to netgalley for the arc.

I enjoyed this series, it reminded me of the Harley Merlin series. I liked the setting of the hidden school, and the seamstress storyline was different. The author wrote the characters well as some I felt suspicious of from the beginning which I think was the aim.
I liked Maeve and the relationship between her and her group of friends. I look forward to seeing where Year 2 takes us.

The book is full of suspense and excitement, Maeve finds her life is at risk as her powers are very unusual, her room mates are a shy elf and a moody nephilim and she has a crush on her senior adviser. Michael Pierce writes well and the characters are well drawn, my only criticism is that the book ends on a cliffhanger, I don't usually bother to continue with series where the author does this but have made an exception in this case. Frankly, the book is good enough not to need this tactic, most people who enjoy a novel will buy at least one sequel. Spellcrest Academy is not Hogwarts and this is not Harry Potter fanfiction, that being said fans of Harry will enjoy these books.

This book was difficult to get through. I wasn’t drawn in by the characters nor the world. I think my daughter would enjoy this, but it seemed more like a middle grade book than a YA.

As I began this book it made me start to wonder and question what would happen next which for an avid reader is a good thing! The main character, Maeve, is fiesty and independent but shows her vulnerability while protecting her brother. The needle idea is inspired and brings a different scope to the purpose of magic between worlds. While the premise of a new magician learning her trade is a bit jaded the details and rollercoaster of how she progresses from having lots of power to little and back again keeps the reader interested. I feel there is some confusion over the war element as some characters swapped sides with no clear explanation, however thus does not detract from the overall plot. I was pleased there was no explicit scenes on character relationships as they are not needed to advance character development and there were several humourous scenes which were very believable. Each book is self contained but continues the overarching story line for the set. A good read. Definitely recommended!