Night School - C.J. Daugherty

I actually bought this book while I was busy reading another and I had planned to wait until the first was finished before I dug into this one. However, this one just kept looking so tempting just lying on my table that I abandoned the first book.
<---- I mean, just look at it!

Anyway, after completely ignoring my reading principles, I opened this book with high hopes - the description was as alluring as the front cover.

I'd expected to find some supernatural elements to this book, but it turned out there was as much magic in it as a lawnmower. But in the end that hardly mattered - there was enough going on without it. Far most grisley and gritty than expected, lots of plot twists - though they became more and more predictable - and lashings of humor.

Some characters were a little flat and I didn't like the fact that a couple of them kept switching from loveable to someone-I'd-be-willing-to-punch-in-the-face (okay, when it's someone who's fighting feelings I can cope with it, but when that someone is meant to be the 'best friend' ?), but the developed characters were well done and there are plenty that you know have a back story but you just don't know what it is yet. I liked our protagonist, Allie, who was nice and spunky, by no means a push-over and really relatable. And you could see her change and grow throughout the book, opening up more and becoming much more steady on her feet.

There were points where the story dragged a little and it was pretty obvious from the start who Allison was going to end up with, plus the inevitable love triangle situation that will no doubt play a part in the sequel. There were also far too many unanswered questions for my tastes. One or two things still unexplained are fine, but most of the things that were mysteries at the beginning still are by the time you close the book.
A good book to occupy yourself with but not one to read if you don't want to commit to a series. It's definitely only the start.