Sunday 27 September 2015

The Academy First Days | The Ghost Bird Series | Book 2 | My Thoughts

The Academy, First Days, Book 2 from The Ghost Bird Series by C.L. Stone.
Sang Sorenson used to be the invisible girl in class. As a new student to Ashley Waters High School, Sang hopes that her new friends will be the change she’s been craving and will make fitting in a breeze.

But Academy students aren’t there to take it easy. The high school is overcrowded and rife with violence. When fights begin, Sang will uncover the true reason the boys traded in their private school life for a public one. 

This year, Sang will no longer be invisible. This year, Sang is a target.

The principal and vice principal are hot to take Sang down, and her own mother is determined to entrap Sang forever in her belief that the safest place to be is in the shadows. Despite this, Nathan, Luke, Kota, North, Silas, Victor, and Gabriel will discover Sang’s unyielding loyalty.

And they will sorely need it.

The Academy, supremely influential.

After reading the first book back in June, I thought it was about time to move on to the second book in this series. (The books come as E-books which I purchase on iBooks.) The first book slapped me in the face with my low expectations and I realized that this series was a lot more than I thought it would be, so I thought I would repeat what I did with the first book - record my thoughts after each chapter. This way, you can read my worries, concerns, expectations, thoughts and opinions as and when I reach each chapter. I have just finished reading the book today so I thought I would now compile my thoughts into another book related blog post. Consider this a slight twist on your bog-standard book review!
The Academy First Days - (may contain spoilers)

Monday

Following the leader - If you haven't read the first book, you won't understand this book. It carries straight on from where the first book left off, there's not much introduction so you really would have had to read the first book in order to grasp an understanding of this one.

Misery Loves - Sang's mother is the most melodramatic character I think I have ever read about in a book. If I were Sang I would just run away and never come back. So far there hasn't been much of a story line, but I'm still hopeful :)

Polaris - This chapter ends Monday really well, it concludes everything that happens and gives a bit of closure on Sang's punishment. It was a really sweet chapter but I still can't see the plot moving anywhere, maybe I'm just too impatient!

Tuesday

First day - uggghh Greg.

Unusual classmates - I'm really interested in North's past and character, I really like how he's more present in this chapter as he's probably one of my favourite characters. Mr Blackbourne however, I really dislike, I find him creepy and what 19 year old has a job as a music teacher?! It all seems a little strange and too unrealistic.

Hungry - Not much happens in this chapter, it just sort of follow their day at school, I'm not really sure when a proper story-line will come in but not much has happened so far. Mr McCoy is a really odd character though, I'm not really sure what I think of him.

Flirting - So now Dr. Green is supposedly 19?! Teachers can't be that young..! And his behaviour towards Sang - a student?! Dr. Green does not seem like a teacher and he certainly isn't acting like one. And how can he possibly be a doctor..?

Painful secrets - Okay. I'm 1/4 of the way through the book and I'm pretty sure I'm getting some plot line here, so that's pretty fun. I'm really intrigued by what goes on in this chapter - more mystery is created about the Academy and Sang starts to ask the questions she's been keeping to herself. In this chapter Sang also questions herself which is really upsetting to see, her family is so negative around her that it's sad to see her starting to think the same way and I feel like she's starting to doubt who she is. This is probably the best chapter of the book so far :)

Deeper - Okay, now I'm really curious about the Academy. I noticed this in the last book but C.L. Stone is really good at creating suspense and curiosity in the reader which is exactly what he achieved with this chapter. This chapter may have been one of the shortest but it was really able to create a lot of mystery surrounding the boys and the Academy.

Wednesday

No Longer Invisible - I feel like the majority of the chapter was just filler, but I really liked some of the description towards the end of the chapter.

Whatever you need - This chapter has really hooked me into reading more. Sang has finally been let in a little more and I feel like the mystery surrounding The Academy is starting to be revealed.

Notes and Proposals - I feel like Sang is too naive, overly naive, completely and utterly naive. It's becoming quite frustrating to be honest. I know the point of portraying her like this is to show how trapped she's been - not getting the chance to see the outside world and interact with others, but it's getting a bit patronising now...

Tooth and Nail - A lot happens in this chapter and it really kept me hooked. Sang gets involved in a huge fight and really tries to stand up for herself. What I didn't like about this was that in the end she couldn't stand up for herself. The guys had to come in and save the day. Which admittedly is fine, Sang has no real experience of the outside world, how was she supposed to know what to do!? But it just frustrates me that it seems she can't do anything for herself.
I guess I'm just used to reading books with strong female leads who tend to be trained in kickboxing, and advanced sciences (Ally Carter in looking at you).
I just wish Sang would do something for herself for once.

Swinging Hammers - I have to say, I'm really not a fan of these little nicknames that are starting to pop up for Sang. The feel really forced and uncomfortable and some of the things the guys say to her are really awkward. The characters aren't fluid in this book and the way they are with Sang is really weird sometimes.

Grounded - This was such a good chapter, it was nice to see the guys let Sang into their 'Academy' lives a bit more and her let them into hers. Luke was so sweet at the end, staying with her whilst she suffered through her mother's punishments.

Thursday

Inappropriate - I feel like most of this was just a filler chapter, so it was quite boring to read. Mr. McCoy did raise some suspicion however, and I'm interested to see how the Academy works around him and what he's up to.

One of Us - Sang is really being let into the group now, and although she is incredibly dependent on them it's still nice to see her with a large circle of friends.

Change of Plans - Finally I can see a story line! Sang is going to get the chance to be more independent and she's been let into the Academy and now knows a little more. I think I'm finally starting to warm up to her character now that she's been given the opportunity to be more independent and limit her own vulnerability.

Bait - Sang really takes initiative when she's talking with her sister, I feel like she's becoming more confident and becoming a stronger character. I feel like the story is really progressing, I just wished this would have happened earlier in the book as it took so long for a plot line to show.

Friday

Alone - Sang's character is becoming a lot more stronger, which is great because I hate to see such weak and helpless female protagonists. This chapter's really sweet and I really like the way the story is heading.

Trouble - I don't really have much to say about this chapter, apart from that I'm intrigued to keep reading :)

Friday Fall - Friday Fall is vicious. I don't know what kind of school they go to, but it has messed up traditions. This chapter really made me proud of Sang, she fell from a two story building and then went back up to fight those who threw her off the balcony. - Finally she's showing some initiative and strength! 

Double Grounded - Sang is not a helpless weak stereotypical 'do nothing' girl! She actually has substance to her and I honestly feel so relieved.

A - I've finished the book and I still don't know what the Academy is! It's so intriguing though and the chapter really showed just how powerful Sang is to the others. For the entirety of this book I considered her to be really weak and quite a limp character; I didn't realize how much power she'd acquired and what she is capable of doing.

I didn't realize how much actually happened in the book itself. The story covers less than a week; Monday-Friday, and the previous book covers a similar time period. As a result the books flow on from one another really easily, continuing where the last left off. But because so much happens, it honestly feels like the books is covering weeks if not months.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to continue reading the books in this series, there's so much curiosity surrounding the Academy I think it would be hard for me to avoid reading the next book!
Some of my favourite quotes from the book - 
"Death would have been gentler."

"Somehow, amid all the other things going on, he sought me out in the darkness."

"In my mind, the dark mystery school I envisioned the Academy being was full of ninjas all sparring in silence."

"I was no longer invisible."

"His eyes demanded my answer, unrelenting."

"Guilt for their charity etched into me, prickling my skin."

"Anything hurt?"
I shook my head. Nothing outside of my lip and cheek and my own pride. "I'm fine."

"My heart went from pounding a mile a minute, to dead still."

"Normalcy was never my strong suit."

"No rest for the wicked."

"It displaces the burden instead of solving anything."

"For prisoners like us, a key would be like gold."

"She had the power to bring everything he'd worked for down with one single look. Only she didn't know she had that ability, and that made her even more dangerous."


Useful links - 
Where to fine me - 
For business inquiries:
painttherosesred123@gmail.com

No comments:

Post a Comment