Hello everyone! I hope that you are all doing well. Today I bring to you another review, this one is s novel I enjoyed more than I thought I would. It is a bewitching tale that really grabbed my attention…haha bewitching, get it? Well, you will. It is a perfect read for October!
So…let me move on to the book. Shall we?
Seventh Born (The Witchling Academy Series) 
Author: Monica Sanz
Published: September 4th, 2018
Publisher: Entangled (Teen)
Book Length: 400 Pages
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository (Use my referral ID: TheBibliophagist), Kobo
**Disclaimer: I received this novel for free, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.**
Abomination. Curse. Murderer. All names hurled at eighteen-year-old Seraphina Dovetail. As the seventh-born daughter to a witch, she’s the cause of her mother losing her powers and, in turn, her life.
Abandoned as a child, Sera dreams of becoming an inspector and finding her family. To do that, she must be referred into the Advanced Studies Program at the Aetherium’s Witchling Academy. Her birth order, quick temper, and tendency to set things on fire, however, have left her an outcast with failing marks…and just what Professor Nikolai Barrington is looking for.
The tall, brooding, yet exceedingly handsome young professor makes her a proposition: become his assistant and he’ll give her the referral she needs. Sera is quickly thrust into a world where witches are being kidnapped, bodies are raised from the dead, and someone is burning seventhborns alive. As Sera and Barrington grow ever closer, she’ll discover that some secrets are best left buried…and fire isn’t the only thing that makes a witch burn.
First, I really loved the cover if this novel. Black and the various shades of blue work well together. Seeing a woman (Ms. Dovetail) in a spellcasting circle instantly lets you know what type of story this is. Though I like the cover, it is part of what made me skeptical. It has an armature vibe but really hides a story with good bones that needs some work.
Things I didn’t like:
- Lack of world building
- I felt lost at the beginning of this book. The reader is not told where this academy is located or even what time period the story is taking place in. It was almost as if the academy was the only place that existed…until further into the story. Give me at least something!! Heck, Harry Potter had more than simply Hogwarts! Smaller towns are mentioned here, but only in passing. It was really frustrating to have no idea where this was taking place.
- No background information about magic
- I wanted to know more about how the magic was used, where it came from…what was it? I was given nothing. The story really leaves a reader having to take what they are given without leaving room for questions to be asked. Are there those that are only partly magical? I just need so much more here. Again, I just feel it was lacking development.
- Why so many kids?!?!
- I just have to ask…how common is it to have SEVEN kids?! I have two and love them to pieces but I do not think I could handle seven. Maybe with magic…but knowing the consequences of having a seventh child wouldn’t you avoid that? Why have a child for them to live that kind of life? In this magical realm, is there no condoms or other forms of birth control? Why are people not taking precautions? I mean if they are withces, why not cast a spell to prevent pregnancy? I would have loved more background on this. I think it would have fit the story better if it was rare to have a seventh child or something along those lines. Kind of how “mudbloods” were treated poorly in Harry Potter.
Things I liked:
- Well written
- I really enjoyed the writing style of this book. It was the perfect October read! Spooky and engrossing. I mean honestly, what is better for October than dead bodies, witches, graveyards, etc…
- Characters
- Sera
- Now…I really enjoyed Sera. The fact that she has no memories of her past makes her a mystery that I simply must solve! She is strong-willed, she does not take being bullied. She takes advantage of her affinity for fire and it is amazing. She doesn’t even need a wand!! How amazing is that, though it is frowned upon to use magic with no wand…
- Barrington
- Oh man! Talk about the older man trope. He is swoon-worthy. Mysterious but also smart and protective, he is everything a young woman would look for. And he is not reeeeaaally her professor, or that much older. Sera is 18 and he is 25, seven years apart is less than the ten my husband and I are. I really love that their interactions have not turned into an instant love romance. They slowly learn to trust one another as their affection grows but they have shown no specific romantic interest as of yet.
- Sera
- Plot and pacing
- I really enjoyed the underlying plot. Mystery, magic, handsome men…what more do you want? The ending of the story leaves the reader knowing there is more to come and I am looking forward to it. As far as pacing goes, I only felt my reading was slowed when I had no barrings…no idea where this was all taking place. Once more things began taking place, the pace picked up and never really came back down.
Final Thoughts
In the end, I really was surprised by how much I enjoyed this story. I was really hoping it wasn’t going to become a cheezy witch story. It was the complete opposite. If you are looking for a wonderful witchy read for October…or maybe for SCAREtober BINGO (hint hint) be sure to check out this book. It is the first in the series and I really hope the author expands the world building in the sequel.
Would you read this novel? Buy it or borrow it? If you have read it, what did you think? DWhat type of books have you been reading in October? Will you be participating in SCAREtober BINGO? If so, do you ahve a TBR list?
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Haha I love the no contraception plot hole, that would annoy me as well! This sounds like it’s definitely worth a read ?
Thanks! It’s a nice Halloween read for sure