This book is ideal for middle-grade readers who loved Upside Down Magic and are ready for a more mature story. The story begins with Lavinia (Vin), who struggles to fit in at every magical school she attends. After being expelled once again, she’s sent to the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. There, Vin finally finds friends and the freedom to embrace her chaotic magic. But when mysterious attacks on students begin, Vin is quickly blamed. Can she and her friends uncover the real culprit before it’s too late?
This book weaves powerful messages for young readers through themes of magic, friendship, and self-acceptance. For anyone who’s ever felt like an outcast, Preto’s powerful message is that even amongst loneliness there is still hope in friendship and embracing who you truly are.

*Thank you to Nicki Pau Preto, ​​PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the ARC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

If you're looking for a book to fill the magical school hole in your heart, definitely give The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents a try.

Lavinia “Vin” Lucas is on her last school. If The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents kicks her out, she doesn't know what she'll do. Vin is so used to being kicked out of schools for magical mishaps she doesn't understand, that she never even unpacks when she arrives at a new school. This school has been thought to be where the worst students with magical abilities are houses, the ones no other school can handle. When Vin learns though is that this is a school where they take special care for their students. Where the students are offered a cup of hot chocolate on a hard day and asked to explore their magical abilities. Vin quickly finds here people at this school. When an outside force comes to threaten the school, it's up to the students to protect their home.

I have no doubt in my mind that this is the first in a future middle grade series. Although made for younger readers, this series is perfect for adults seeking a little magic in their lives. If you love a certain series with a horrible author, you know the one, give this one a shot. They seem to be good companions. It's also a good book for those that enjoyed the series Wednesday on Netflix and are looking for something similar.

The "darkness" in the book isn't overwhelming and can be easily read by sensitive readers. I can't wait for Preto to write the next book in this series. I look forward to gifting this to younger readers in my life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

If you're a Harry Potter lover, this is book would be up your alley! Nicki Pau Preto created a unique, fun magic system with the most lovable characters! Vin, our main character, is a delinquent-as the title eludes to-and has gotten kicked out of so many schools she finally ends up at Last Hope School. She is challenged along the way, not only to hone her exceptional powers, but to trust others and make friends. The end will have you on your toes, screaming for more!

A great read. The characters were lovable and their relationships were so heartwarming.
I loved Brucifer, he is iconic.
Not going to lie, I thought the leaders would be someone else, but it kind of still makes sense.
The one thing is, it didn’t seem like a 12/13 year old’s pov. I know she would be bound to be more mature based on what she has gone through, but still.
I highly recommend this for you to read for a cozy, fun, and thought inducing read. I hope to read the continuation.

Great book and interesting story. will keep children and anyone else interested in the story from the beginning. would recommend

This is a great pick for middle grade readers who love magical stories set in magical schools with great underdog characters who rise up to save the day. Vin has been kicked out of almost every magical school possible. Her parents never visit her, and she's never really had friends. And she's never really understood her powers. Until she ends up at the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. Friendships form, and powers are revealed. I was furiously turning pages for the last 1/4 of the book, in particular, to find out what happened next. Excellent characters and big themes about good vs. evil, how to be a good friend, owning your power, and forgiveness of self and others give this book an emotional charge that complements the fast-paced fantasy nature of the book. I highly recommend it to fans of books like School for Good & Evil, Keeper of the Lost Cities, and Harry Potter.

A cute, fun read for younger middle grade. I went in with slightly different expectations which it didn't quite reach, but I think that is a fault of me and not the book.
I enjoyed the magic system and thought that it was well fleshed out, and I think there is a good base for the next installment!

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is an exciting read for kids who are especially drawn to “boarding school” and magical fantasy books/series — think The School for Good and Evil, Witchlings, Harry Potter, etc.

Vin is such a likeable character, accidentally causing havoc while trying to remain invisible. She’s street smart but doesn’t believe in herself or her magic. She’s relatable, even though her story is set in a world of magic.

And what a world of magic. Author Nicki Pau Preto has created a magical system that’s intriguing without being confusing. It’s these magical elements that really bring the story to life. The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is Preto’s middle-grade debut, but it doesn’t feel like one. Preto’s writing is strong and assured and fun to read.

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents is a standalone novel, but there’s room for more books in this world. Fingers crossed!

Fun magic school book for older middle graders. I really enjoyed the set up of this school, the fact that it’s all the delinquent students kicked out of all the other magic schools. Very cool magic system and some great characters.

This was delightful. A mix of Upside Down Magic and Harry Potter, it takes the kids with strange and unexpected magic concept from Upside Down Magic and gives it higher stakes.

I loved the characters. They were all charming delinquents with unexpected magic, including the headmaster. Brucifer was just wonderful.

I was thoroughly hooked the entire time and I can't wait to read more books in this series. I will be looking up Nicki Pau Preto's other books now based on how much I enjoyed this one.

I would recommend it to kids who loved Harry Potter and Nevermoor, and would consider it a step up in maturity from Upside Down Magic and a great next step for kids who loved that.

*Thanks to Viking Books for Young Readers for providing an early copy for review.

Great fun read! reminiscent of Harry Potter with a little bit of X-men mixed in. The school sounds amazing I want to go there myself. The magic systems is simple but well done. The story had me hooked from start to finish. The book does leave off on a cliffhanger so I am hoping the next one comes out soon!

OKAY FOLKS

This book was SO GOOD!

I've always loved Nicki's writing style and world building, and when I saw she was coming out with a middle-grade magical boarding school series, I just knew I had to check it out. This exceeded all my expectations. It was cute, whimsical, and just left me feeling so happy.

I know many of us grew up with another magical boarding school series written by a super horrible person who should not be named. I also understand the feeling of nostalgia when you think about that series and the memories associated with those books. But this book and hopefully series has a lot of similar vibes and feel-goodness.

I'm struggling to review this because every aspect was so perfect–the friendships, Vin's relationship with the headmistress, capture the flag, the Free Mages, all the mysteries, and the final "battle" scene. I loved seeing Vin grow as a character and learn to embrace herself and her magic and open herself up to the people around her. I also loved how the students all worked together at the end to protect the school and their headmistress. While I did kind of predict where things are headed, it just makes me so excited to see what happens next.

I'm also obsessed with Brucifer. He reminds me of Calcifer from Howl's Moving Castle, and I love him and his need for expensive wood chips so much. I NEED MORE OF HIM. And possibly a little water spirit to join the gang.

You just feel so good reading this book, and it's a feeling I've missed from other books I've been reading, and I think is sometimes almost exclusive to middle-grade books. There is danger and the unknown, but there's also such great friendship and camaraderie. It can have a lot of the typical tropes you would expect, but I never feel annoyed with them, because it does feel like coming home.

I really hope there's more books to come. And I'm just so curious to see what happens with the Free Mages. In part I kind of agree with what they stand for because it is unfair for kids who have different magical abilities to be excluded from magical society and schools, but I can also understand why the headmistress mistrusts them because of what they've done. I'm really curious to see if the plot thickens and gets more complicated, because it is something Nicki's done with her YA books, and I think it would be an interesting direction to take this series too.

This was a very cute story for middle grade kids who love magic. My 9yo’s favorite part was Brucifer and the twisty ending. The core group of characters are incredibly supportive of each other and there as just a good dynamic of students. Lots of age appropriate lessons to be learned. We’re hoping it’s a series.

An excellent take on the magical school genre! With a colorful cast of characters, interesting magical abilities and categories, and believable world building, this book kept me enthralled. Heavy found-family themes here for those of us that just don't fit into the societal mold, even the already outcasted magical one! The only thing that I can say is that most plot-twists were predictable, but that may just be for me; the target audience, middle-schoolers, probably won't see it coming!

Such a fun book to read with my seven year old daughter! We had to stop reading it before bed, because it was making her so excited! It was the perfect book to read in the morning though, while we were both waking up:)

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents by Nicki Pau Preto sets up Vin to realize what she truly wants.

Will Vin save the school and her friends? Can Vin say that the school is her new home?

Lavinia "Vin" Lucas
Vin Lucas is at the end of the line for magical schools, and if she doesn't do well at this school, she can't continue her education. Her magic isn't like everyone else's since it causes magical outbursts, leading her to The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents, where other kids like her can finish their education. But here's the problem: Vin is too scared to use her magic. I loved Vin and how she slowly changed about using her magic at the school over time. This school is good for Vin. Once Vin is comfortable using her magic, she can do so freely without any teacher wanting to expel her.

Her Friends
Once Vin arrived at the school, she met three students who became her friends. They are Gilly Reid, Theo, and Araminta Singh. The three of them each have their specialty of magic that isn't exactly what the Treaty wanted from their classifications. Gilly initiated the friendship with Vin, and the other two followed. I love the four of them together since they all helped Vin realize that she isn't a bad person and that her magic isn't dangerous.

The School
Headmistress Ava Hope runs the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. Ms. Ava Hope reminded me a bit of Franny Fisher from Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The school is made for these students to get their education while also feeling free to use their magic. This way helps them to grow healthily. Especially in the way they gain control of their magic. However, unlike the other young mages that have a similar power to them, the Delinquents's magic works differently. I love this school. The students encourage each other to do things with their magic that they wouldn't think to do otherwise. It's fun seeing how all the students came together under one goal and how if push comes to shove, they will all stand together to protect their school, even if it is against the other students in classes.

Five Stars
I am giving five stars to The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents by Nicki Pau Preto and recommend it. Ms. Pau Preto is an excellent storyteller, and I thought I was right there with Vin exploring her world. I loved every minute of this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents by Nicki Pau Preto.

Until the next time,
Karen the Baroness

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

This book felt like a combination of the best parts of the Harry Potter series, the Percy Jackson series, and the Divergent Series. It starts with a mage who has been expelled from every school she has been in. She now has to adapt to a new school, where the headmistress takes a special interest in her (Sounds much like Harry Potter). Why? Because she has an unusual magical power that no one else has. She is a chameleon (Sounds like Divergent). She now has to save her school along with some of her bullies (Sounds like Percy Jackson) from other mages, who are out to retaliate against her headmistress. I enjoyed this book. It was an easy read. I am looking forward if the author writes a Book 2.

I loved this book. It was well written and had great characters who, were, as much as can be done in one book, well developed.. The plot was great - a young girl with magic keeps getting expelled from magic schools because she can’t control her magic - gets sent to a school that is her last hope for success. There, with many downs and a few ups, she finds herself and her place in the magical world.
I have read many middle grade books with magic schools and students with issues, some good, many mediocre, and some just plant bad, but I can easily see this one developing into a multi-book series. There is enough left unfinished that it should be able to take the characters to the end of their school careers. I truly hope it does.

Liv (short for Lavonia) has been expelled from almost every magical school on the planet. She's now been sent to the Last Hope School and is desperate to "fly under the radar" so she can finally graduate and move on with her life. Getting expelled from Last Hope means no future for her. Always placed in the wrong category of magic, Liv can't seem to control the huge swell of magic that resides within her and how destructive she can be. It is only the headmistress of Last Hope, Ava, who can see Liv's vast potential and is willing to help her learn how to control her magic. But there are others who want to destroy the Last Hope school and are willing to use an unsuspecting Liv as their agent of destruction.
For younger fans of "Harry Potter" type tales. There are a lot of similarities between the two stories. The ending leaves an opportunity for a sequel as it appears that the evil isn't totally vanquished.

I recieved an eARC of this book. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

Things go wrong for Vin at school. Every school. Her magic is uncontrolled and bursts out, unexpectedly. She is at risk of being labeled a magical dropout, unable to get any form of education past middle school, When she is sent to the Last Hope School, she's terrified this will happen again. But, she finds a true refuge. She makes friends, and discovers that her magical outbursts are due to being a Chameleon, one who picks up and amplifies magic from other sources. But, things also keep going wrong. Viv and her friends need to figure out what's happening and save Last Hope.

This is an enjoyable addition to the Magical School genre, and hopefully the start of a new series.