sjj169's review against another edition
3.0
But of course!
Sixteen year old Bianca's family is cursed. The thing is the curse of three's entails that when she turns seventeen Bianca will die from the curse.
Who placed the curse in the first place? Miss Mabel. The head of the girl's witchcraft school. Bianca plans on being taken as her head student so that she can convince Mabel to lift the curse.
First she must compete against girls that have been at the school longer than she has to win the competition. Once she does she realizes that Mabel is not as nice as she wants people to believe.
This is not a bad little book. The main character never resorts to the typical young adult woes that usually tick me off.
Terror had me in her awful grip. I was nothing more than a big balls of nerves and fear. No amount of confidence or acting calm would take a curse away from a terrified sixteen-year-old in far over her head. I hid behind my own determination and confidence, pretending to be brave, pretending it would change reality, when fate wouldn't allow us to change anything. Would she?
colinmeldrum's review against another edition
2.0
Got 40 pages in, and I was being generous because I was interested in the nearly all-female cast of characters. Due to its premise, it begs to be compared with The Philosopher’s Stone (and maybe The Goblet of Fire), but just about every element of storytelling was less interesting. It’s not a terrible book, but why bother reading it when there are better YA and children’s novels out there?
jodyladuemcgrath's review against another edition
3.0
I want to start by saying this was good. I had some problems with the logic of the Competition. Some of it seemed really simple for something that was suppose to be soooo dangerous. It didn't seem like a very big deal. The story also dragged quite a bit. The author went on and on about the food, but it wasn't unique and quirky like Harry Potter. It was just food. Same with the setting. She seemed to be trying to describe the scenes in a magical way, like Harry Potter. She failed. The setting seemed pretty mundane and when it wasn't it was hard to imagine. That being said, the story was interesting and well thought out. It would have been nice to have been told more concrete details about different things and spells. Like how they worked, how she practiced, what was the curse exactly. It was all sort of outlined and then glossed over. I wanted more concrete details, so I could think for myself during the battles and trials. Instead, everything was new each time. The main character already knew everything, so we don't get to learn with her, or think with her. We just reacted to what she did. That was the amazing thing about Harry Potter. The reader learned with Harry and got to figure out things with him. The reader had the information. In this story, we did not.
atlantic_reader_wannabe's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it to be really engaging and entertaining, with magic all around. It was hard for me to put it down. I definitely recommend it.
chelsgoddard's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
morgangoesbam's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a few chapters to really get into the book, but once the story took off, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It was nearly impossible for me to put the book down until I finished. A really great story, exciting from beginning to end.
alice_33's review against another edition
Listened to audiobook, didn’t love the narrator. Sounded young and a bit forced.
zaheerah's review against another edition
3.0
~ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~
Bianca Monroe is a witch, stuck with a dominant Inheritance curse has been placed on her mother and grandmother. The witch behind the curse is none other than Miss Mabel of Miss Mabel’s School for Girls. The school is the most prestigious one in the Witches’ Network and every year, it hosts a Student Competition, the prize of which is private lessons with the school’s High Witch. Within the first few hours of arriving at the school, Bianca volunteers for the Competition – the first first-year volunteer in centuries. But what she doesn’t realise, and what she has been warned about, is that winning the Competition was the easiest part – Miss Mabel is cunning and ruthless, for which Bianca could be the perfect weapon.
For a debut author, the world of The Networks is good – I read a lot of fantasy and paranormal books, and witches are amongst my least favourite premises. I love the concept, but the stories aren’t executed well enough. Katie Cross did manage to make it work for me. The writing is decent and sets the fast pace quite nicely.
Bianca was a good protagonist. For once, I’m glad I wasn’t irritated continuously at the action of the main character. She’s determined but doubtful, and the lengths she was willing to go for her family are commendable. Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is about young women growing up and taking on responsibilities of adulthood, witching, and the good of the witch networks. There were no love triangles! (I’m pretty sure there are only three male speaking characters) It was refreshing to see female characters that don’t revolve around the male character.
However, I felt like the development between Bianca’s relationships with her family should have been emphasised more. They are an essential aspect of the events that occur, and the stakes are high against them, yet I felt no sympathy towards them because I didn’t feel Bianca’s love for them. Also, I know Bianca quickly masters particular skills for the sake of the story, but it still felt too convenient. Despite her years of training, there are some forces too powerful for Bianca to have performed as she did.
Bianca Monroe is a witch, stuck with a dominant Inheritance curse has been placed on her mother and grandmother. The witch behind the curse is none other than Miss Mabel of Miss Mabel’s School for Girls. The school is the most prestigious one in the Witches’ Network and every year, it hosts a Student Competition, the prize of which is private lessons with the school’s High Witch. Within the first few hours of arriving at the school, Bianca volunteers for the Competition – the first first-year volunteer in centuries. But what she doesn’t realise, and what she has been warned about, is that winning the Competition was the easiest part – Miss Mabel is cunning and ruthless, for which Bianca could be the perfect weapon.
For a debut author, the world of The Networks is good – I read a lot of fantasy and paranormal books, and witches are amongst my least favourite premises. I love the concept, but the stories aren’t executed well enough. Katie Cross did manage to make it work for me. The writing is decent and sets the fast pace quite nicely.
Bianca was a good protagonist. For once, I’m glad I wasn’t irritated continuously at the action of the main character. She’s determined but doubtful, and the lengths she was willing to go for her family are commendable. Miss Mabel’s School for Girls is about young women growing up and taking on responsibilities of adulthood, witching, and the good of the witch networks. There were no love triangles! (I’m pretty sure there are only three male speaking characters) It was refreshing to see female characters that don’t revolve around the male character.
However, I felt like the development between Bianca’s relationships with her family should have been emphasised more. They are an essential aspect of the events that occur, and the stakes are high against them, yet I felt no sympathy towards them because I didn’t feel Bianca’s love for them. Also, I know Bianca quickly masters particular skills for the sake of the story, but it still felt too convenient. Despite her years of training, there are some forces too powerful for Bianca to have performed as she did.
charlotte_owl's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book! I don't read YA that much, but I wanted to give this book a try because of it's premise. I love the idea of a magical school book. However, this book isn't really a magical school book. Or, at least, not the way I imagined it to be. Nonetheless, the setting is at a school, and there are many female characters. One thing I really liked was that there was no romance (although who knows if that will continue). I wish that it did go more into details about the magic itself though.
The story is focused around a curse, and the removal of the curse. There are a lot of mind games, and the main character trying to trick the 'bad guy,' and getting tricked in turn. The female main character herself is strong, even if she is not fully developed.
Altogether, if you want a YA book with a main female character that has no romance and mentions of magic, perhaps you should give this book a try. I myself will read the rest of the series when I can get them at an affordable price.
The story is focused around a curse, and the removal of the curse. There are a lot of mind games, and the main character trying to trick the 'bad guy,' and getting tricked in turn. The female main character herself is strong, even if she is not fully developed.
Altogether, if you want a YA book with a main female character that has no romance and mentions of magic, perhaps you should give this book a try. I myself will read the rest of the series when I can get them at an affordable price.
mandygris's review against another edition
3.0
Who doesn't want a story about a witch with pluck? One who acquires, hones, and applies her skills to a noble purpose. One who does not give up when faced with difficult challenges. One who can cleverly think around problems.
As far as YA stories go, I was relieved to see one with these qualities. Extra bonus - there was no romantic interest. It's nice to see a story where a girl works to solve her own problems and takes comfort in her friends and family.
My concerns are with two items primarily:
1) The scene where our young heroine stands up to a bully, but does so by making her trip and fall, then mocking her weight in front of her peers. Our heroine's friends never discuss how this is a cruddy thing to do. No one does. Sure, girls are catty and that is a reality, but can no one speak up? It seems ignoble in action for a YA heroine.
2)
As far as YA stories go, I was relieved to see one with these qualities. Extra bonus - there was no romantic interest. It's nice to see a story where a girl works to solve her own problems and takes comfort in her friends and family.
My concerns are with two items primarily:
1) The scene where our young heroine stands up to a bully, but does so by making her trip and fall, then mocking her weight in front of her peers. Our heroine's friends never discuss how this is a cruddy thing to do. No one does. Sure, girls are catty and that is a reality, but can no one speak up? It seems ignoble in action for a YA heroine.
2)