Introductions by C L Stone

Introductions (Academy: the Ghost Bird, #1)

by C L Stone

With an agoraphobic mother and a barely-there father, Sang abhors the isolation keeping her in the shadows. The only thing Sang craves is a fresh start and to be accepted as ordinary by her peers, because for her being different meant being cast out alone.

When her family moves to a new school district, Sang infiltrates a group of boys nearly perfect in every way. Grateful for an influence outside of her parents’ negativity, she quickly bonds with the boys, hoping to blend in and learn from them what it means to have a natural relationship with friends.

Only the boys have secrets of their own and they’ll do anything to keep her safe from the knowledge of the mysterious Academy that they've sworn allegiance to. Bit by bit, Sang discovers that her friends are far from the normalcy she expected. Will her loyalty change when she's forced to remain in the dark, or will she accept that she's traded one house of secrets for another?

Meet Kota, Victor, Silas, Nathan, Gabriel, Luke and North in a story about differences and loyalty, truth and mystery, friendships and heart-throbbing intimacy.

The Academy, ever vigilant.

Reviewed by Angie on

2 of 5 stars

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Introductions was certainly something different. It kind of had a serial vibe, since this really was just an introduction to the characters. There's no plot whatsoever. Sang and her family have just moved to a new town at the end of Summer. She's feeling trapped at home, so she heads out and runs into Kota. Then from there, she meets some of Kora's friends, and feels like she belongs somewhere. But she can tell they're keeping something from her.

Introductions was just strange. Sang is...I don't even know. Her parents don't let her have any kind of freedom. Her dad isn't so bad, but her mom has tried to convince Sang that if she leaves the house alone she'll be kidnapped, raped, murdered, or some combination of the three. The blurb says she's agoraphobic, but I didn't really get that sense, especially when Sang mentions the punishments that she and her sister get for the smallest things. She's definitely abusive, but there's something else going on there.

And speaking of Sang's strict parents, I really didn't believe it. We do see Sang's mom punish her for having a boy call the house for her, so the abuse is not in question. I just have to wonder how someone who is supposedly so strict (no cell phone, no boys calling, no visitors, clean your room, etc) wouldn't notice that Sang is gone all day. She says she can sneak out in the morning, be gone all day, and then come home at night and no one will ask where she's been. Really? Her mother threatens to make her drink bleach the next time a boy calls, and yet she isn't bothered by her being gone for hours at a time, possibly with boys?! I don't think so.

Introductions was just weird, and repetitive, and Sang has no personality whatsoever. The whole thing was Sang going out, falling and/or getting wet, meeting a boy who helps her up, offers her dry clothes, patches up her wounds, and then introduces her to other boys. Lather, rinse, repeat. It's obvious something weird is going on with these boys, and it's semi-revealed at the end, but I'm really not interested in continuing.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 17 January, 2015: Finished reading
  • 17 January, 2015: Reviewed