Review: The Candidates (Delcroix Academy #1) by Inara Scott

Jun 24, 2010 by shanyn

Title: The Candidates (Delcroix Academy #1)
Hardcover, 304 pages
Author: Inara Scott
Publisher: Hyperion
Publication Date: August 24, 2010
Source: Book Expo America

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Book Summary:
Dancia Lewis is far from popular. And that’s not just because of her average grades or her less-than-glamorous wardrobe. In fact, Dancia’s mediocrity is a welcome cover for her secret: whenever she sees a person threatening someone she cares about, things just…happen. Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does everything possible to avoid getting close to anyone, belieiving this way she can supress her powers and keep them hidden. But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy show up in her living room to offer her a full scholarship, Dancia’s days of living under the radar may be over. Only, Delcroix is a school for diplomats’ kids and child geniuses–not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. So why are they treating Dancia like she’s special? Even the hottest guy on campus seems to be going out of his way to make Dancia feel welcome. And then there’s her mysterious new friend Jack, who can’t stay out of trouble. He suspects something dangerous is going on at the Academy and wants Dancia to help him figure out what. But Dancia isn’t convinced. She hopes that maybe the recruiters know more about her “gift” than they’re letting on. Maybe they can help her understand how to use it…But not even Dancia could have imagined what awaits her behind the gates of Delcroix Academy.

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I had a feeling about Delcroix Academy ever since I added it to my BEA wishlist. Something about it just clicked with me, and since I returned home from my trip, I’ve just been waiting for the right moment to read it.

Review:
I had a feeling about Delcroix Academy ever since I added it to my BEA wishlist. Something about it just clicked with me, and since I returned home from my trip, I’ve just been waiting for the right moment to read it.

That moment, folks, has happened. And it was glorious.

Delcroix Academy is a private school for ‘special’ students, and Dancia soon finds herself recruited to their ranks. Commence the boarding school/private school introduction – a (mean) roommate, a team of freshmen Dancia is supposed to get to know, new classes.

We find Dancia torn between two boys at the school – Jack and Cam. One’s sort of a bad guy, the other sort of a good guy – but it’s up to you to decide which is which. I kept flipping my opinions on that throughout the entire book, which was a major part of the appeal. Plus who doesn’t love a little romantic triangle?

The climax of the book takes a bit to get set up, but once it does it hits you hard and you begin to understand not only everything you’ve read so far, but the title of the book as well. From there you speed through to the ending, wishing it weren’t over because there are clearly many more things to discuss and many more adventures to be had.

I have a feeling that if Inara Scott keeps writing these books at this pace, they will be a new breed of the Vampire Academy series. The plot starts to show complexity, and the characters certainly have the potential.

I really loved The Candidates. I loved the intrigue, the mystery, the romance, the action. If you’ve read my reviews before you already know that I love boarding schools. I am very excited to read Delcroix Academy #2 (which doesn’t even have a tentative date yet, as far as I know)!

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