Spearwood Academy Volume 1 by [a:A.S. Oren|7417674|A.S. Oren|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1393750284p2/7417674.jpg] follows the story of a young girl Avalon Clementine who every night since birth turns into a dragon. Abandoned as an infant and raised by a kind farmer, she believes she is a monster and the only one of her kind. Turns out at 15, she isn't the only one and finds herself attending Spearwood Academy, an all boys boarding school. And guess what? The boys all turn to dragons too, but they can control it and turn only parts of themselves and are not forced to change with the moon. So Avalon who was alone, now finds herself in a world of magic and mystery as she tries to discover the truth about her curse.

I really, really liked the characters of this series. Avalon is a jaded 15 year old girl. Too smart for regular school, her adoptive father had to homeschool her. Then with her curse of turning to a dragon every night, she is a loner because no one can know her secret. When she finds out about Spearwood Academy, she's both intrigued and scared to find others like her. Then she's annoyed when she finds out she's the only girl at this all boys school. I found her character funny, mature for her age, and definitely with a big chip on her shoulder. Yet she's also brave in facing this unknown world and quick-witted with the boys who test/tease her.

I fell in love with her gaggle of boys that take up with her on her first day at the academy. Triton, Dante, Amr, and Horace are tasked with showing her the ropes of the school and their characters are diverse and funny! Triton is the first boy to meet Avalon and he is a little snobbish at least to Avalon. Horace is the first-year class president and too refined for her. Dante is a flirt and highly outspoken, he's also the comic relief. Amr is familiar to Avalon though she doesn't know why and she takes an instant liking to him (just a friendship liking). What I truly liked about the characters of this series is that the author doesn't force the relationships, or make any corny romance out of Avalon's friendships with the boys. In fact, she is treated like one of the guys, which bothers Avalon a little, but not enough for her to complain. It's the first time she's ever had friends.

The plot really centers around Avalon discovering more and more about the reason she turns to a dragon and the world of magic it entails. She's given small pieces at a time and winds up more confused with the more information she receives. Lots of action!!!

The world-building is awesome as the detail of the dragons and their magic are slowly revealed. The only dislike I had was there was some repetitiveness, however this volume was originally published in 5 episodes, a month apart. So the things that are repeated are more as a reminder for those of us that were not lucky enough to read them in one volume. The story flows well and is fast-paced, making it a page-turner.

Also I kinda loved the pop culture references!! The author throws in a lot of Harry Potter, Doctor Who, and even some Princess Bride quotes and references that only true fans would get, like the below quote...

Give me Severus Snape, the hot one in my head, or the Eleventh doctor, he would do too; those two are older men that could make me swoon. -Avalon

Overall I highly recommend this series if you are looking for a quick, fun read. It's fast-paced, action packed with some mystery and lots of fantasy. Also it's appropriate for all ages, not just the young adult audience. The author kept it clean with only mild violence. FYI if you do not like cliff hangers, be forewarned, each episode ends in a major cliff hanger!!! So if you enjoy fantasy, short stories, pop culture references and young adult lit, I highly recommend you check out this series. (Episodes 6 & 7 are already out and I read them as well, they are just as good!!)

I received a copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.