Supposedly, witches can’t kill. But Madison accidentally killed her boyfriend, and now a girl at her witch academy is dead, too.Madison spent her life avoiding her magical abilities, but when she’s forced to use them to save her best friend from a deadly storm and accidentally kills her boyfriend as a result, she decides she needs to enroll at La Voisin School for Young Witches after all.She … Young Witches after all.
She knew starting a year later than her peers would come with its own struggles; she just never expected one of those struggles would be the impossible murder of a classmate. The school is spelled for safety, and witches can’t kill…so how did Giselle end up dead?
Only Giselle and her killer know, and only Madison can find out. Because now, the dead witch is haunting her. Crazy thing is, Giselle’s murder isn’t even the biggest secret this school has.
Just ask the statues.
Fans of Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight and Bella Forrest’s Harley Merlin series will devour Curse of Stone, book one of Veronica Shade’s Academy of the Damned.
Scroll up and one-click to starting reading this haunting, slow burn paranormal academy romance today.more
Wow! I was caught up in this book from the first page and hated to get to the end. Between Madison’s trials and the mysteries involved it kept me turning pages. It was fulfilling to watch Madison blossom in spite of adversaries. Loved it and can hardly wait for the next one. The mysterious statue really has my curiosity piqued.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Great first installment to a new series. Filled with mystery, intrigue, frenemies and a exciting plot that leads you into anticipation of the next book. Madison and friends are strong, engaging characters that are filled with life and vivid detail.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a great story with great characters. This story has great suspense. I really enjoyed reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed the book, the main character was relatable and the story was entertaining. I would definitely recommend it.
I found “Curse of the Stone” to be a very enjoyable read. It breaks a lot of standard tropes I’ve read in a lot of recent paranormal series. It’s listed in the Urban paranormal romance, so as a male reader of female written urban paranormal I was a little bit skeptical. Keep in mind that I don’t object to romance in my stories. Romance is part of life. My problem is that many of the books that fall into this category allow the romance to become the dominant trait of the book, burying the narrative in an often absurd romance story.
The narrative of the book defies its own genre designation. As the summary indicates, Madison accidentally kills her boyfriend. In what world can you build a romance from that start. And yet, so many books I tend to dislike do just that. The heroines too frequently immediately move on without any recognition of grief in order to present what often feels like a manipulated or implausible romantic scenario “Karma cough, cough” or she hates him but is secretly drawn to him . So, having the main heroine avoid romantic entanglements was the first refreshing surprise of this book.
Other annoying tropes can be leveled at just about any paranormal series. Often the main protagonist has trust issues and stuff that would plausibly be discussed with friends or mentors aren’t, building an often false tension in the book. Madison genuinely doesn’t trust those around her and for reasons that are well presented. She’s a complete outsider in just about every aspect of her life, so it is unsurprising she has trust issues. That said, as she gets to know some people and make friends, she does develop trust and shares her insights and opinions in well-measured, reasoned doses.
So, for me, the character’s experiences ring true even though it is set in a paranormal universe. The author(s) of this book has created a really interesting new world, but just like the real world, what everyone is taught doesn’t always add up. Furthermore, though Madison is presented as smart and potentially powerful, she’s not annoyingly “omnipotent, but just doesn’t know it yet.” She actually needs and receives help from those around her and such help is presented as a natural part of life and her existence. Often the help she needs is a consequence of her lack of knowledge about the world she now inhabits or a lack of adequate training. but, she can learn from those around her.
Also, for what appears to be a book aimed at young adult readers there are some serious adult themes in the book. You learn quickly that her mother is a drug addict, which has consequences, and she does accidentally kill her boyfriend in what is presented as a traumatic event for Madison. There are also some fairly complex adult relationships that are presented in the book as well.
All in all, I found this to be an enjoyable read set in an interesting world with a really interesting main protagonist. We’ll see where the story goes from here, but I’ll definitely pick up the next book to check out Madison’s further exploits.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this book. Madison is a teenaged untrained witch. Her mother is a drug addict so Madison is on her own pretty much. She is contacted by a woman who introduces her to a school for witches. She goes, ends up with a rude, stuck up witch with for a roommate, who then is murdered and Madison finds herself right in the middle of it all. She has to solve that mystery and another that falls into her lap as result of the first as well as dealing with school life and her druggie mother. I look forward to reading the next book in the series!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really liked Madison as she has had a raw in life and decides to take control after a devastating accident. La Voisin Academy for witches might help her with her powers but it is still high school with mean girls, new friends, pressure to excel, but they also have murder and ghosts. We get to see Madison not only try and fit in at school but also try and solve a murder with the help of her friends which leads to suspense, mystery, laughs and intrigue. I can’t wait to read book two and see what happens next!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have not read any of this series but this was amazing. I was hooked in a few paragraphs. I love anything in the mystical or magical world and this was right up my ally.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
While the concept of this story was not new, the story hooked me from the start! Madison is a air witch, who faces obstacles! Giselle is now a ghost haunting Madison! The writing flowed effortlessly for me and I will definitely read more from this author!
I can’t wait to see what’s coming next in this series! She did it again, and like always I was on the edge of my proverbial seat waiting to see what turn the characters would take next!
Interesting twist on witches and how they get educated. I enjoyed reading about the various characters. The author did a great job of building this unique world. The plot was a mystery and I enjoyed seeing how it turned out. Definitely will need to read book two in the series!
I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was the first I have ever read a book by Rebecca Hamilton. I was intrigued by the summary, especially knowing the main character I’d a witch. From the first chapter, I was hooked.
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I love this book along with the characters can’t wait for the next installment. Madison who had no clue that she could use magic just happen to wake up on her 16th birthday and her whole world has come to an abrupt Halt and change.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved the storyline in this book. Kept me nailed to the pages and i didn’t want it to end. What a great book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was definitely a fast paced adventure woven with mystery, magic and mayhem. After a tragic accident that took the life of Madison’s boyfriend, she has decided to embrace her heritage and attend La Voisin School for Young Witches. Acceptance is difficult since she delayed her education for two years and must cram to catch up with everyone else. Her roommate is popular and makes no secret her dislike but Madison can seem to shake the feeling her death was not an accident.
This is the first book in the series Academy of the Damned and I am definitively looking forward to learning what happens next in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wonderful story of a teen witch with the power of air. She enrolls in the school for witches. Her roommate is murdered and she has to discover who is the killer. This is a great mystery and action story that will keep you turning pages. Well written with a nice storyline and great characters. I can not wait to read more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I found the teaching at La Voisin/Voison rather off putting: the authors’ strong, clear view a smack in the face. Fortunately, that only lasts for a few scenes.
Overall, It’s a good story with an interesting setting. But I found it a bit predictable.
I received a copy of this book as a gift. This is my honest review.
Madison has always tried to keep her powers hidden. When her best friend is in danger, she does everything she can to protect her, but it comes at a price. She decided it might be best to head to a special school that can help her gain more control of her powers and she takes off. She has a bit of a rocky start and ends up with a roommate that can’t stand her. Along the way she makes a few good friends.
I really enjoyed watching Madison make her way through her new school, and friendships. Her group of friends are great and I can’t wait to see what these 4 get up to in the next book.
Accidents happen. But at least the character tries and starts to find a way to help. Love mysteries. And i love magic. The mystery is still there. Cant wait til next book.
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Madison is an amazing character and I loved reading about her… she’s had no training and is a couple years behind her peers.. can she rise up and compete? This academy book is a wonderful start for a new series… and I can’t wait for more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.