The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents by Nicki Pau Preto

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

The Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents

by Nicki Pau Preto

Published by Viking Books for Young Readers on October 1, 2024
Setting: Hopetown, New Jersey
Genres: Middle Grade Fantasy
Format: Audible Audiobook, Hardcover, Kindle
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Bookhype
BookBub
Storygraph
Get Your Copy at: Amazon

A middle grade magic school fantasy perfect for fans of The School for Good and Evil and Witchlings, in which a girl with unparalleled power must work with her misfit classmates to save her new school.

Lavinia “Vin” Lucas is out of control and out of options. Stranded by parents who would rather use their average magical abilities to study dung beetles than raise her, Vin's been on her own for years. But she’s never been able to corral her own powerful, unpredictable magic. After years of detention, suspension, and expulsion from magic schools far and wide, she’s now being sent to the Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents. If she gets expelled, it’s the end of the line.

Now, Vin is determined to behave. Except no one at Last Hope seems to want her to. Her new teachers—particularly the school’s kind headmistress—push her to explore her magic, and her mischievous classmates delight in every accident. And all the while, a mysterious fire sprite, a suspicious instructor, and her overwhelming abilities might just sabotage Vin. But for the first time, she is not alone.

So when a former student begins attacking the school, Vin must question just how much she knows about the headmistress and her new home. Is this place worth saving? And are her budding abilities—and every trick, trap, and deception in her friends’ delinquent arsenal—enough to protect Last Hope?

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.

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,

Happy Reading!

Baroness’ Book Trove is an Amazon affiliate, meaning that if you click on a link to that retailer and purchase something, this blog gets a tiny percentage back. This helps with the cost of the website and a few giveaways.

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

• 2024 Goodreads RC
• 2024 Middle Grade Reading Challenge

Related Posts