Thursday, October 4, 2018

Review: Seventh Born by Monica Sanz (@MonicaBSanz, @entangledteen)

Seventh Born
Author: Monica Sanz
Release Date: September 4, 2018
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
ISBN:  1640631925
ISBN13: 9781640631922
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

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.

I enjoyed learning about the world and the characters in SEVENTH BORN.

Seventh born's are treated like the scum of the earth. As a seventh born, Sera is used to being bullied and treated like a nuisance by both the students and staff of the Aetherium Witchling Academy. It was easy to like Sera and feel for her circumstances. We learn that her current troubles aren't even the worse things she has gone through in her life and we still have a lot to learn about her that wasn't revealed in SEVENTH BORN.

I wasn't sure how I felt about Professor Barrington when he was first introduced. I didn't immediately like him, but he grew on me as the story unfolded. There is still a ton of mystery to his character, but his bond with Sera grew a lot in SEVENTH BORN and I have some hopes for them in future books.

I had no trouble getting into the story. I felt that the characters were well rounded and I enjoyed watching their personalities and growth unfold. The world was interesting and well built. The mysteries involved in SEVENTH BORN were gripping. I'm not sure where the author plans to take everything, but I'm adding this series to my watch list.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.