This was everything I wanted and more! It took me awhile to finish but 100% worth it. Can’t wait for the next book!

OMG OMG OMG that ending!!! I was lucky enough to get an ARC from Netgalley, and this was a great sequel. I did get a bit annoyed with El, especially when it came to her interaction with Orion. A bit too drawn out IMO. However, several characters became more defined, and some of the new ones definitely added to the story. I can not wait for the next one.....and I'm reasonably sure there will be a third book, there is no way the author can just leave us hanging like that!

El spent the last moments of her junior year at the deadly Scholomance school for young wizards helping to fix the school's broken machinery and save the senior class from a massacre. Now that she's done it--along with help from the annoyingly heroic Orion Lake--all that's left to do is make it through senior year. She's made friends and allies and finally stands a chance at surviving graduation, but what happens when the school starts throwing wrenches in her plans?

My heart is still pumping with adrenaline after speeding through the last few pages of Naomi Novik's The Last Graduate. This book, along with the first book in the series--A Deadly Education--are two of my favorite recent fantasy reads. Novik has masterfully built a fantasy world filled with thrilling magic and danger. I can't wait for the third and final book in the series, especially after she left us with that massive cliffhanger!!

Wow, this book was GREAT! I was so happy to receive this ARC to review—A Deadly Education was such a breath of fresh air in fantasy land, and this sequel didn’t disappoint. It starts immediately after the first book ends, so there’s no need for a lot of re-hashing of details (something that personally annoys me).

This book definitely feels like a bit more of a filler in a way—there’s a serious lull in the second act of the book that’s bogged down with a LOT of details, planning, El’s inner monologue, and more details. It makes sense why the book is like that, but it did feel like a slog for a bit. It was worth it, however—the final portion of the book was so thrilling, and I couldn’t stop tearing through until I was done. And, of course, Novik left us off with another cliff hanger… I’m dying for the next book already!

Naomi Novik picks up right where we left off with El and Orion and it's a heart-pounding ride to the last page. Make sure your schedule is clear, you won't want to put this down once you pick it up.

El and her friends have made it to their senior year at the Scholomance. After the cleansing of the graduation hall last term, they are hoping more seniors than usual will survive this year. Then the school puts El in a class with several freshman, where she finds herself protecting them. Before long, she realizes she is actually starting to care about people other than her friends, and then she finds herself wanting to ensure that *all* of the seniors survive graduation. Can she save them all? Will the others trust her? And will she follow her mother's guidance in the note she sent, to keep away from Orion Lake?

The writing style in these books is quite enjoyable, told in El's conversational tone, though she does keep it all from her perspective as she cuts off another student's dialogue at least once, for the mercy of the reader, she explains. El is also very aware that she is more powerful than anyone else in the school, except maybe Orion, but before it makes her unlikeable to the reader, she acknowledges the strengths of other students as well, even if it is begrudgingly.

El and Orion are cute together, despite El's attempts to keep her distance, and perhaps it is her sometimes fury at him that makes them all the more adorable.

Overall I'm pleased with this second volume of the series!

After finishing book one I went on the hunt for a review copy of book two which as you can see above won't be out until Sept. this year. Well I have finished it and it was a bad choice to dive into this one without book three. Because, now I am dying inside and my husband thinks i'm crazy. I finished this and of course it ended on a massive cliffhanger and I will not be able to live anymore without book three in my life.

This one picks up right after the last students graduate and our heroine El has received a message from her mother to stay away from Orion. I have to say that this one picking up right where the other one left off was perfect. With what this book does I would say read them back to back. Because they are pretty seamless if you do. It is more like they took a really long book and cut it into two books. The characters in this one lord we find out so much more about them and fall in love with each of them. Then of course the Mels come to play and all h*ll breaks loose and then the story twists out of no where and these new graduates have to deal with a new set of issues.

The story flows ever so nicely and we even get some major heat in this one so be on the look out for some uber sexy!! This one isn't as gory as book one which was a twist I didn't see coming. The cliffhanger of course will rip out your soul and I need the next one like yesterday. I swear if it comes up for review I will drop everything and start reading it. Because it was just that good.

To be honest, I was so-so about the first book in this series. I like the characters and the universe, but I wasn't completely pulled in. I think in my mind it tried to be "Woke Harry Potter." Not that that's a problem, I just think the book was trying to course correct. The wizarding school genre is linked to JK, and I don't see that changing. Therefore, I imagine it'd be difficult to write any book that features a wizarding school. Authors are going to have to work around the damage Rowling left behind.

However, I do think the sequel is much stronger. Novik responded well to critique over the first Scholomance book.

I do think this series has a lot of infodumping, though. The reader doesn't have much time to just soak in the world. Every action, magical object, and classroom is introduced with a page of explanation. I understand the need to do this, but it has a tendency to condescend the reader's ability to accept the worldbuilding. Novik did a great job worldbuilding this series and it doesn't need that much explanation to back it up.

I have been looking forward to this for awhile. I did not like it as much as the first (its rare when like the the second book in a series as much as the first) but still thoroughly enjoyed it. I did have some problems with the information dumps and some logistics of life inside this place. Before each situation El was put in there was a massive info dump or story that pertained to it. I don’t think it was needed every. Single. Time. And I don’t really remember that from the first book, maybe I blocked it out? it got real annoying sometimes to get through those sections. But with that cliffhanger ending, I can’t wait for the next one.

First, a very big thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Second, I firmly recommend that anyone should go and buy this book right away. And the first book as well, if you haven't yet already.

This review will contain slight spoilers.

The first book in this series, A Deadly Education, was one of my very favorite reads of 2019 and absolutely became a 2020 comfort read. Please see my review of that work for more info on my opinions there. (Spoilers: I really loved almost everything about it.)

This next book in the Scholomance series jumps right in exactly at in the last moment that the first book ended (thank goodness). Once again we follow our protagonist El through the triumphs and tragedies of what is now her senior year at the scariest magical school ever concocted. I've seen a lot of criticism of the first book be about the author spending too much time in world building - to which I say, haters back off. Seriously, if you didn't like that part of the first book, buckle up because this does have more of the same. But seriously I think it is all leading to a purpose, and I very very much I liked the amount of world building and details about the monsters and cultures of the school that we get to see in both of the books, and as I will mention later in the review, I think it really is all building to a very cool conclusion.

The pace of this book is much more rapid than the prior novel, as the time period is quite extended (the whole term) compared to the two weeks or so that the first book gave us. The characters evolve and mature in a realistic, organic way. We get to explore more deeply into the idea of heroism, sacrifice, societal hierarchy and class systems, and what it means to do the right thing even when others are against it (a message we surely need more of now). El makes the best bad decisions, and I love her for it. I love the exploration of her bonds with others, and how it changes her and opens her world, even as everything she has worked for and knows is about to change (ah, pending adulthood)

What I appreciate about this book is that even though it is a sequel, it contains a necessary and complete story in and of itself; it makes a point of including all the good parts of a uniquely unfolding plot as well as the necessary wrap up and set up parts that are companion in a trilogy or longer series.

I am still emotionally recovering from the ending of this book. In fact, I had to go reread the first book again, and then reread the second book just to help me get through the fact that I will now have to (very eagerly) wait for another installment in this series before I can find out what happens next. What I appreciate about Novik's writing and her care in storytelling is that I was delightfully able to pick up new details and foreshadowing that appeared in the first book that directly impacted the second and probably third books.. I also think it is a bit cheeky that this book literally has a devouring monster named Patience which must be fiercely battled, which is about how I feel about waiting for the next book to come out.

Written for Tiny Paper Forest and Netgalley - Additional Details to be shared at
and GoodReads upon a read of the completed work in September 2021.

Monsters, a deadly school, and students desperate to survive Graduation.

Another year in the school that's built to torture, maim, traumatize, and preferably eat its students by means of magical monsters and similar hazards, while also being the safest place for said students. As expected, senior year is significantly worse than ever, where the school has it in for El, the students glimpse El's own horrific capabilities, and El has to balance her precarious social life, which for her, is way more difficult than casting mass murder spells.

The story picks off right where it ended, with El receiving a charming letter from the mother she hasn't heard from in years, warning her away from the first friend she ever made in her entire life. Since this warning could be related to El's potential turnover to wicked witch of the world, it's probably good advice. In the meantime, she still has to pass and survive daily life at the school, make plans for surviving Graduation (some monsters are big, some are BIGGER), and avoid getting entangled in any enclave schemes. Best of all, even with friends and a bit more optimism, El is still the same aggressive, rude, pragmatic girl that I love. Where others put breaks on their rudeness for social politeness, El speaks from the depths of her dark hating heart, free and true to herself.

Worst of all, her exposure to friends, to hope, and all those horrible good things like getting to know and care about other people has El getting concerned for those people and doing crazy things like sticking her neck out for them. Growing a conscience before Graduation is the worst possible timing.

There were plenty of plot twists in this book. Everything seemed so clear and obvious, only to turn completely inside out halfway through in a way that works perfectly in hindsight. I also liked how some of the side characters got their own mini arcs and backstories without taking over the main plot.

The ending - wow, was that a shocker. Be warned: even though it feels like everything is all neatly wrapped up on the penultimate pages, the final words throw a major shock p that I can't even imagine how the next book in the series will fix. Usually, by the time one gets up to the final book in a series, all the major plot points have been set up, and it's smooth sailing through the final book. We only read those final books for the details and satisfaction of coming to the end of the journey. Here, I totally thought we hit happily ever after, only to be hit on the head with a hammer. Not an evil hammer, per say. It just reverberated louder because I wasn't expecting it at all. But who am I to complain? This means that there's going to be completely new adventures in the next book, and where is it already?

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

If I didn't have small kids to take care of, I would have happily devoured this in one sitting! In book #2 of The Scholomance series, El and the rest of seniors are busy preparing for graduation day. They are submitting the last of their schoolwork, firming up alliances, learning new spells, and making weapons. However, something extra weird is going on. The school seems to be targeting El as if it's either trying to kill her off or communicate something important. El is still delightfully snarky, but having friends has mellowed her oh so slightly. This dark magical tale will have you riveted to the last page and screaming for book #3.

As soon as I finished A Deadly Education, I frantically scrambled onto the NetGalley site to see if Novik's latest novel was available. I was in luck, and I tore through The Last Graduate at a record-breaking pace. The Last Graduate was a worthy follow-up to A Deadly Education and brought El's sarcasm and wit to the forefront. The cliffhanger ending has me hoping that Novik is hard at work on the third installment of the series, because I'm not sure how long I'll be able to wait!

This book is best read after a thorough reread of the first book. It's a bit hefty at the beginning, but once you get past that, it's lovely. I got overly invested in the characters and when I reached the end, I damn near cried. I need the third book now, because that cliffhanger caused me physical pain. Thank you to NetGalley and Naomi Novik for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love this book SO. MUCH.

Characters: The same characters you know and love but EVERYONE gets an A+ character growth arc EVEN THE SCHOOL

Plot: I worried. I got angry. I got my hopes up and spirits soaring and got ABSOLUTELY CRUSHED BY THE LAST LINE IN THE LAST GRADUATE I HAVE NEVER KNOWN SUCH HEARTBREAK

Diversity and representation: Excellent, seamless, completely natural diverse cast.

On my shelf: In a heartbeat

Buying for others: Buying for STRANGERS This book needs to be in as many hands as possible.


Full on fangirl review here: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMdym4kES/

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, until the end. The end made me want to throw my reader across the room, but that's the way a good story will do you. My only real criticism is that it can go on and on sometimes, focusing on minutia instead of story. Despite that I would recommend this sequel.

Hold onto your butts friends, because this book is EVERYTHING. We get the dark academia vibes, the creative worldbuilding, and all the spells a girl could dream of, and even then I'm left gasping. I couldn't put it down, mostly due to the stream of consciousness narration that placed me firmly in El's head, and finished it in under a day. If you enjoyed the first book, you won't be disappointed with this follow-up.

And I will say for someone who often guesses plot points and is a common "I knew it" sayer, I literally screamed during this book. Big, huge, ENORMOUS fan!!

*Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

That ending, what the hell!

I didn't realize going into this book that it was the 2nd in a trilogy - I thought this was meant to be a duology. So my feelings at the end were an array of shock, anger, and "oh no she didn't."

Then I found out there will be a good three, and breathed easier. :)

I found this one a little less engaging than the first book in the series, but I think I would have found it easier if I'd read them back to back, so not the book's fault. It took me a bit to catch up on everyone's names and alliances, but once I did I found it easier going.

I think this will end up being a clear bridge sort of book (good old middle book syndrome), but it left me VERY eager for book three.

Having just finished the final words of the last chapter, I'm not yet emotionally okay. What a ride. I had issues with the writing style of "A Deadly Education", and though those book followed a similar style, it honestly didn't bother me that much. There is still a lot of extra background information and not much in the way of dialogue, but the story itself is excellent.

El becomes a completely different person in this book. All of her shortcomings, all of the things that made me expect her to become the villain slowly led to her becoming a hero in her own right. She grew in so many ways, and gained herself so many friends and connections along the way.

I won't give any spoilers, but I will say that the ending broke my heart. I can't wait to see where the author takes the story with the next book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3863710720

The Last Graduate picks up where A Deadly Education left off--with a warning to El to stay away from Orion Lake. Like most teenagers, El chooses to avoid this advice and continues being friends (or more, but she doesn't want to say that sort of thing out loud) with Orion as they embark on their senior year at the Scholomance.

Much like the first installment of this series, The Last Graduate follows El through her school year, but we do get a much better look at the school itself in this book. We start to understand the school and its desires, as well as its history. The downside to reaching that understanding is that you have to go through an absolute ocean of worldbuilding and backstory. I am not opposed to worldbuilding. There are many authors who have done an incredible job in creating the worlds they set their stories in. I wouldn't say that Novik does a "bad" job per se, but she does occasionally provide far more than is interesting. The Last Graduate gets a little too deep into the geopolitical landscape of the world outside the Scholomance--which does provide information about alliances and enclaves, but given that none of that is really coming into play inside the school it makes for rather dry reading. El's wry voice does a decent job of keeping things interesting, but at a certain point I had to start skimming. I was being given more information than I needed to follow the story and it was starting to bog me down.

The relationships that began in the first book are continued in The Last Graduate, and I loved seeing El's friendship with Aadhya and Liu deepen. El's relationships with other students are also shown, giving El a chance to reluctantly prove that she does care about other people even if she doesn't want to. The development of side characters was really good, and I appreciated that they were given a chance to grow.

El is also given a chance to really dive into her magical abilities and we finally start to see why she is feared as a potential dark sorceress, and my gods is it an incredible show of power. El easily takes the lead as a badass wizard and I definitely want to see where she goes after this book.

Speaking of after: this book ends with another cliffhanger. The ending of A Deadly Education is certainly a tantalizing cliffhanger--ooh what did her mother mean, I can't wait to find out! But the ending of The Last Graduate left me a little mad. It was *too* much of a cliffhanger. Like I get it, you want me to buy/read the next book and I will, but you didn't have to end your book this way to get me to pick it up. It seemed unnecessarily shocking and left me annoyed instead of satisfied and curious. I will still read the next book, but I hope it is either the final book or that it at least doesn't end in such a jarring way.

Finally, I've read the criticism by other reviewers of A Deadly Education in regards to the representation of other cultures and ethnicities. I do not have enough knowledge to provide my own opinion on the matter, so I look forward to reading other reviewers' takes on this subject.