Book Review: Van Helsing Academy (Supernatural Rehab) by Stacey O'Neale

Van Helsing Academy is the first book in the young adult Supernatural Rehab series by Stacey O'Neale. Mina can't remember anything about the night she was attacked. All she knows is what she's been told: she got separated from her team during a mission and turned up two months later covered in cuts and bruises alongside two dead vampires. After being blamed for their deaths, she is sentenced to three years at the supernatural rehabilitation center, the Van Helsing Academy. As Mina searches for answers, lies are slowly unraveled and alliances forged. Soon she will uncover a secret plot that threatens to destroy her family legacy and ignite a war between the supernatural factions.

Van Helsing Academy is a solid series opener. I thought that the world and character building was well done. There were many of the usual boarding school tropes, but there were definitely deviations from that as well. I liked the development for Mina, and while I was not always happy with her I thought she was consistent and true to character. There were some high points, and I enjoyed  those very much. To be honest, I saw at least some of the big twists coming. There were some hints and dropped bits of information that I really expected to become important, and maybe they do later in the series, but I felt like some great potential was there and just not followed through. So many possible twists or characters that were left behind. 

Van Helsing Academy is a good read, and I think fans of the genre will really enjoy it. 

Book Review: Underdogs (Underdogs) by Geonn Cannon

Underdogs is the first book in the Underdogs series by Geonn Cannon. Ariadne Willow is a private investigator with a secret weapon. She’s a canidae, a person with the ability to transform into a wolf at will. Using her heightened senses to track and her shapeshifting to follow people without being seen, she’s made a decent business for herself and her associate Dale Frye. When one of the richest women in Seattle wishes to hire her, Ari and Dale think their ship has finally come in. All Ari has to do is observe the client’s tabloid-friendly daughter, fresh out of rehab, and confirm that she’s truly clean. Ari thinks the case will be a piece of cake, but a moment of shocking violence changes everything. Soon Ari finds herself backed into a corner with no way out, forced to either run or risk losing everything she holds dear by fighting an enemy with unlimited power and resources. With Dale refusing to leave her side, Ari decides to make a stand to remind her enemies that there’s only one rule in betting.

Underdogs is a urban fantasy mystery with a little bit of everything. There is the paranormal element, which was different enough from things I have already read that I kept wondering what else might exist in that world, and who else might be other. The detective and mystery portion had some twists that I rather expected but some that took me by surprise. The world and character building was very well done, and I felt like a good amount of reveals were made without any overwhelming info dumps. Although, I would not mind more information on some past events in some kind of novella or prequel. Not that that would be necessary, but rather because I liked the characters enough to want more. Ari and Dale make a great team, and there are clearly some interesting stories in both their pasts. I am not sure where the series will go from here, but I do plan on finding out.

There are some triggers in here- there are several kinds of abuse and betrayal referenced that might be hard for survivors to get past. Just so those that need to prepare themselves can.

Underdogs is a solid series starter that left me satisfied but intrigued.