A Reading Daydreamer: the last academy

11 May 2013

REVIEW: The Last Academy by Anne Applegate

Jen's Review

The Last Academy
by Anne Applegate
April 30, 2013
Point
320 pages, Hardcover

Honestly, I just don't even know.

The only way that I can describe this book, is weird. HOLY. Like, I can't even describe. To be honest, after reading the last word in this book, my only thought was, "I'm glad that's over." The Last Academy by Anne Applegate is a book that I was highly anticipating for 2013, and all I got was a bunch of uncomfortable weirdness. Y'all might be thinking: is that the only way Jen can describe this book? And the answer is yes! Throughout the entire novel I was constantly thinking how strange and utterly freaky this book was, and not necessarily in the good way. So many things went wrong for me in this book, and I have to admit, it was frustrating. The Last Academy is a curious book with its odd characteristics here and there (and everywhere).

One of my main problems (among many..) in this book is the plot. There's not much going for it, which makes it really confusing. At first, I kind of just went along with it, but by the midway point, I was completely befuddled as to where the story was going. I wasn't even sure if the genre of this book was contemporary, thriller, mystery, or supernatural? It's all over the place. It's not until 90% that the reader finds out the answers in this book. Ninety percent. That's a long time; usually, it's the halfway point or a little after that, not right before the very end. Sadly, only the last ten percent of this novel was redeemable and actually slightly enjoyable. So that's how the plot went. As you can tell, not very well…

I also had issues with the characters in The Last Academy. The main character, Camden, is one of those characters that's just kind of there. I have no feelings for her, none at all. I felt no connection during my time with this book whatsoever. She is flat, and a bit boring at that. Camden goes through a lot of problems, and not one of them made me empathize with her. And the other characters in the book? Nawwwt much better. I have to mention the staff in The Last Academy. UUUMM, creepers! They are all totally pedos and spine-tinglingly uncomfortable!

So, clearly, this book didn't work out for me. However, it did make me curious enough to read the whole thing, and not DNF it. It's like those things that are so gross but you just can't look away, you know? It's a weird feeling. I honestly expected so much more out of this book because I love boarding school books (lately, I've noticed that boarding school books haven't been working out for me..), but The Last Academy was not my cup of tea. Hopefully some readers out there will enjoy this novel, but I can't really recommend it, unless you want to be completely weirded out!

2 teacups for The Last Academy!

*Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review!*

1 May 2013

Blog Tour: The Last Academy Excerpt and Giveaway!

Hey y'all! Today I have a blurb, excerpt, and giveaway to share with you all, as I am part of The Last Academy blog tour hosted by Shane at Itching for Books! Thanks for letting me be a part of this tour. To see the full tour schedule, click here.

Blurb

The Last Academy
by Anne Applegate
Publisher: Point
Release Date: May 1, 2013
Synopsis via Goodreads:

Curtis Sittenfeld's PREP meets THE SIXTH SENSE in this spine-tingling, unforgettable debut.
Camden Fisher arrives at boarding school haunted by a falling-out with her best friend back home. But the manicured grounds of Lethe Academy are like nothing Cam has ever known. There are gorgeous, preppy boys wielding tennis rackets, and circles of girls with secrets to spare. Only . . . something is not quite right. One of Cam's new friends mysteriously disappears, but the teachers don't seem too concerned. Cam wakes up to strangers in her room, who then melt into the night. She is suddenly plagued by odd memories, and senses there might be something dark and terrible brewing. But what? The answer will leave Cam--and readers--stunned and breathless, in this thrilling debut novel.

Amazon - Author Website - Twitter

Excerpt

*This excerpt was taken from an uncorrected proof*

When I'd been in fourth grade, my parents didn't get along so great. That year, I biked the five miles from my house to Lia's practically every day. The stuff with my folks eventually evened out, but ever since, I'd more or less been adopted by Lia's family.

I grabbed the knife and went out to set it on the table. "Go put on your suit." Lia elbowed me, frowning at my lavender skirt and white T-shirt. The basketball guys had just dropped in -- about eight of them, all wearing cutoffs. Lia's other friends, Brooke and Grace, were decked out in jeans and tank tops. Lia was the only one in a swimsuit. A brand-new cherry-red bikini, and it showed off her tan perfectly.

I went over to the lawn chairs, grabbed my bag, and made an act of riffling through it. I knew what I'd find.

"I can't believe I forgot to bring it," I had to tell her a minute later. By then Lia was asking Hank from basketball which of the four city high schools he'd go to next year. The question sent a zing of excited nervousness through me. High school! Lia rolled an unbelieving eye at me. I tried not to act guilty. I hadn't forgotten my swimsuit. It was right where I'd left it. At home. The thing was, lately I'd been… well, developing like a Polaroid picture. When I'd tried my suit on that afternoon, it didn't fit. My plan had been to wallflower it up by the onion dip while Lia flirted with Kevin, who hadn't arrived yet.

"Cam… den," Lia whined. She adjusted her bikini and heaved a sigh. "My yellow swimsuit's in the dresser. Go put that on."

I knew the yellow suit. One-piece, old, and ugly. Lia wore it for swim meets last year.

"I'm fine," I said.

"Please," she whispered, smiling nervously as Brooke and Grace walked over. "I'm the only one in a suit. Super please?"

Lia made puppy eyes at me that were impossible to resist. So I nodded, and she hugged me, and I trudged into the house. The sliding glass door closed on Lia's laughter as the basketball guys threatened to throw each other into the pool.

When I finally found the yellow swimsuit, stuffed in the back of Lia's bedroom dresser, it was uglier than I remembered. It was even worse on, making me look like a weird fried egg, my thighs the color of the white. I spend a few minutes telling myself how nervous Lia was, waiting for her crush to show up, standing around practically naked, by herself. It wouldn't hurt me to look a little ugly for one stupid party. Then I told myself Lia would totally owe me.

On my way out, I stepped on a bag from Girl from Ipanema swimwear shop. When it crinkled under my foot, I could tell there was something there. Slowly, I pulled it out. It was a bikini, in a bunch of different shades of green. Lia must have bought two and decided last-minute on the red. That was so completely like her. Probably, with all the craziness of getting the party together, she'd forgotten to mention it.

I held it up in the mirror. Thing was scandalous pretty. I tried it on.

I actually look good, I thought, shocked as I twisted and turned in front of the mirror. Unlike my swimsuit at home, this fit me perfectly. I mean, I didn't even look like myself. And since my other option was fried egg…

I walked back to the party. At the sliding glass door, I had to do a little happy dance for my BFF-- Kevin had arrived. He stood with Lia, right next to the Jacuzzi. He slouched as she talked, his hands in his jeans pockets, tossing his head every few minutes to get his glossy brown hair out of his eyes.

The underwater lights for the pool were on, and the sky was twilight. Hank peeled off his shirt, cannon-balled into the water, and came back up, laughing. One of his buddies dove in after, and Grace laughed. Out of nowhere, Hank caught my eye and smiled at me. Completely giddy, I sort of pranced down the path toward Lia.

"Whaddaya think?" I asked, pointing at the suit and laughing. I though Lia'd laugh, too. Instead, Kevin let out a low whistle.

"Whoa there. Niiiii-ce," he said, checking me out. I blushed, embarrassed by his tone. I didn't know what Lia saw in him. "You are smoking hot." He grabbed my hand and spun me like we were dancing. I heard myself giggle, but I could see Lia's face going red. I was messing up her plan. Worse, I was hurting her somehow. I pulled my hand away.

"That's not the yellow suit," she said. "It's my brand new one."

Brooke came over. "Isn't that Lia's new suit?" she asked, which made me mad, because Brooke was just saying it because Lia had said it. My best friend flashed the fakest smile I'd ever seen. It hit me like a ton of bricks: She hadn't forgotten about the green bikini at all. She'd wanted me to look ugly.

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