Academy 7

I'm an adult who's been on a young adult kick for a while, and yes there are a lot of good books out there in this genre that adults as well as younger readers can enjoy and this is definitely one of them. I'm surprised it doesn't have a bigger following than it does honestly. For me, characters are what makes a good book. The characters, Aerin and Dane and even a number of the supporting characters, are definitely compelling and I found myself very easily intrigued by and drawn into their world. I would also LOVE to see more of these characters in the future. The story flows and the only real problem I have with it is there could've been more. It is a short book and it really could've been longer. All in all, it's a truly enjoyable read that doesn't leave you hanging at the end. It wraps up very nicely but still leaves you longing to hear more from this world.

Aerin Renning is a girl on the run. A fugitive. Who happens to be offered the chance to attend the most prestigious school in her galaxy: Academy 7. The catch? You need to be a citizen of the Alliance. Which is something that Aerin isn't. Dane Madausin is the son of the Alliance's leading military officer, whose life should have been one of privilege and prestige, but has been that of a rebel. So, against his father's wishes, he is attending Academy 7. Aerin wants to stay unnoticed, doing her assignments and attending her classes without drawing undue attention to herself or the little differences between her and the other students that could give her away. Dane doesn't care about his reputation and when he thinks that his father is going to order him home, he pulls a stupid prank that lands Aerin in serious trouble. Dane feels guilty for implicating Aerin in his offense and tries to apologize but even though they work together daily on chores as punishment, Aerin wants nothing at all to do with Dane. He is a troublemaker, which leads to attention, which she cannot afford; he got her into trouble and due to other earlier misunderstandings and misleading statements from other spiteful students, Aerin has a very poor opinion of Dane. Still a tenuous friendship springs to life after Dane discovers that she is not a citizen and they form a bargain - Dane will coach Aerin on the Alliance and she'll teach him fighting, at which she excels. And as their friendship develops, surprising aspects of each character's history and personality are revealed. But is this friendship strong enough to overcome the scars that burden them, the walls that they have built to protect themselves, or the dark past that plagues both Aerin and Dane? Aerin has been so hurt, so injured by life. She trusts no one, cares for no one. But she retains her courage and dignity. Dane is able to bring a part of her to life that was never allowed to exist before. Dane, as well, as been damaged by his past - abused physically, verbally and emotionally by his father (who could use a few anger management classes), set upon by his brother Paul who plays him against their father. He is furious, lashing out, recklessly endangering his life. But that changes when he meets Aerin. She is the one person who doesn't treat him like the son of the General. She doesn't show him the least bit of respect or deference. But as much as she intrigues him and as much as he admires her, he cannot let her in because that would be too painful. The suspense and intrigue was overhyped. The big reveal, while certainly tragic, is not all that fraught with peril nor is it as immediately dark and dangerous and terrible as it is made to seem. I blame the cover blurb - don't overstate a matter to get me to read only to have me be disappointed by false advertising. That said, the friendship story, as it progresses toward something more romantically inclined, is very well done. And for as short a book as this is,

Anne Osterlund's Academy 7 surpassed my initial expectations of the book. She sets the stage for something greater yet to come and tells a story I'd like to hear until the end. Aerin and Dane's struggles to open up to each other and to the world was really cute and I hope to see a little bit more romance in the books yet to come. My only regret was that I felt the book was too short. I wanted to hear more and find out what lay in store for all the characters. Would Dane's father ever come around? Will Aerin try to finish the job her father left unfinished? Would she try to return to her mother's homeland of Mindowan? What will happen to the alliance? and finally what will their next year in academy 7 have in store for them? these are all questions that can be addressed in a sequel and can easily become a trilogy......

This book kept me interested from the first word and wanting to know what would happen next. A convincing romance with strong, believable characters involved in a realistic future world.

Really liked this book! Characters and setting were really well written. Teens who like adventure scifi or romance are sure to enjoy this one!