Book picks similar to
First Project by Jennifer Rose McMahon


fantasy
paranormal
medium-or-empath
shifters

The Candidates


Inara Scott - 2010
    Cars skid. Structures collapse. Usually someone gets hurt. So Dancia does all she can to avoid getting close to anyone, hoping to suppress her powers and stay under the radar. But when recruiters from the prestigious Delcroix Academy offer her a scholarship, she accepts. After all, it's a school for diplomats' kids and prodigies, not B students with uncontrollable telekinetic tendencies. Or is it?This captivating debut, the first in a series, puts a paranormal twist on private school.

Spellcrest Academy


Michael Pierce - 2019
    However, when she stumbles upon a fallen, elderly woman, she stops and tries to do the right thing. Little does she know that this chance encounter will forever change the direction of her life.Marked with a new tattoo emblazoned across her chest and struggling to control a whole host of new powers, Maeve finds her life spiraling out of control. That is, until one more chance encounter offers an explanation… and a privileged opportunity to attend Spellcrest Academy.Paired with a shy elf and a moody Nephilim, Maeve quickly takes to her new home at the premier magical institution. Not to mention the dreamy senior advisor whom, for some idiotic reason, she can’t stop thinking about. Love at first sight is sappy sh—crap for fairy tales, not real life. However, she can’t deny the instant connection.As the school year progresses, Maeve discovers her invitation to the academy might not have been so innocent after all. Sinister forces want her unique abilities and are willing to kill for them.Maeve doesn’t just need to survive her classes, she must survive the plots against her, a decades-old magical war, and following her capricious heart. She’s never been a stranger to diving into danger. But this time, she might be in over her head.Start a fun and fierce magical adventure full of mystery and intrigue, laughs and sass, and unexpected turns sure to take your breath away.If you’re a fan of Bella Forrest or Leia Stone, then this will be one hell of a ride you won’t want to miss.

Insidious


Victoria Evers - 2016
    What she got was a death warrant. As it turns out, the quaint little hamlet of Mystic Harbor, Maine houses more than sandy beaches and adorable B&B’s. Beneath the New England charm rests a deadly world where shifters, demons, vampires, and angelic hunters all vie for power. A world where magic is the greatest weapon. Magic that Kat now possesses. After that one fateful night, she can feel the changes beginning to take hold of her. Only problem, she doesn’t even know what she’s turning into. With threats hiding in plain sight, deciphering the lines between friend and foe is nearly impossible. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Kat learns her only real ally rests in the one person she can’t stand: Reese Blackburn, an insufferably handsome magician whom the town fears most. Kat’s very soul is at stake, and destiny doesn't seem to be playing out in her favor. Can these two unlikely partners challenge fate itself before it's too late?

School for Reluctant Witches


Auburn Tempest - 2019
     Mystere LeJeune isn't only a witch--she's THE witch. Her family's magick roots weave deep into the rich soil and boggy swamps of the New Orleans paranormal community. It's no surprise that the LeJeune Book of Shadows is coveted by many--even those stupid enough to try to take it from her.

Legacies


Mercedes Lackey - 2010
    There she learns she is a legacy—not only to the school, which her parents also attended, but to magic.All the students at Oakhurst have magical powers, and although Spirit’s hasn’t manifested itself yet, the administrators insist she has one. Spirit isn’t sure she cares. Devastated by the loss of her family, she finds comfort with a group of friends: Burke Hallows, Lachlann Spears, Muirin Shae, and Adelaide Lake.But something strange is going on at Oakhurst. Students start disappearing under mysterious circumstances, and the school seems to be trying to cover it up. Spirit and her friends must find out what’s happening—before one of them becomes the next victim…

Kingdom of the Wicked


Kerri Maniscalco - 2020
    One night, Vittoria misses dinner service at the family's renowned Sicilian restaurant. Emilia soon finds the body of her beloved twin...desecrated beyond belief. Devastated, Emilia sets out to find her sister's killer and to seek vengeance at any cost—even if it means using dark magic that's been long forbidden.Then Emilia meets Wrath, one of the Wicked—princes of Hell she has been warned against in tales since she was a child. Wrath claims to be on Emilia's side, tasked by his master with solving the series of women's murders on the island. But when it comes to the Wicked, nothing is as it seems...

Heir of Shadows


Kel Carpenter - 2016
    Period.The day my sister broke that rule one too many times, I knew there would be consequences. I expected us to be sent to one of those schools for “troubled” kids—and maybe Daizlei Academy was, in a way. But really, it was far more complicated than that.You see, I thought that world had forgotten me. Forgotten us. For years we were left alone, and one day . . . we weren’t.It was only when I got there that I remembered the second rule:Trust no one.Because in our world? They would kill me if they knew the truth of what I am.Daizlei Academy is a school for Supernaturals.And me? I’m so much more.*This is a YA+ Academy series with slow-burn romance and a strong but flawed heroine. It is labeled YA(+) for stronger language and some mature situations. As the heroine ages and grows so does the content of the stories.*

Three Mages and a Margarita


Annette Marie - 2018
    Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig. It went downhill the moment they asked me to do a trial shift instead of an interview - to see if I'd mesh with their "special" clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete dickheads, and I was an asshole right back. That's the definition of fitting in, right? I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they...offered me the job? It turns out this place isn't a bar. It's a guild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I'm exactly the kind of takes-no-sh*t bartender this guild needs, or there's a good reason no one else wants to work here. So what's a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course - with a pay raise.

The Source of Magic


Marisa Mills - 2019
    The punishment is death. The mission: put on a dress, pretend to be a lady, and infiltrate the academy of mages to steal a journal from the forbidden archives. The problem: I’m no mage and I’ve never worn a dress in my life. But it’s not like I have a choice. My bastard of an uncle basically sold me to a dangerously pretty nobleman, and they can’t pull off this heist without me. Unfortunately, once I fake my way through the entrance exam with a piece of hacked mage tech, and reach the floating kingdom of Reverie, my problems are only just beginning. Keeping my secret identity is hard enough without a suspicious prince following me around, and the jealous rich girl who wants to marry him threatening me at every turn. But I know I’m in real trouble when my magic sword starts to talk to me. If I can survive the demon attacks, the backstabbing nobles, and the piles of homework long enough, I may discover the source of magic… and if the truth gets out, it will shatter everything. The Academy of Falling Kingdoms series is a young adult fantasy adventure full of monsters, murder and romantic intrigue. Fans who enjoyed Rachel Carter’s Black Mage series and Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy will love this sprawling magic academy! What reviewers are saying: “OH MY GOD. I cannot rave enough about this book. It was PHENOMENAL!!! What a roller-coaster of emotions!” ★★★★★ “This book had me enchanted from page one. I love all the twists and turns. Everyone has a hidden agenda. And nothing is at seems on the floating city.” ★★★★★ “Action, mystery, danger, and adventure with a touch of romance. Some great twists and an amazing ending. I can’t wait to read what happens next.” ★★★★★ “WOW! Be prepared to stay reading once you start! Wonderful plot, interesting characters, and the setting is literally magical! Absolutely loved this book!” ★★★★★ BOOKS INCLUDED IN THIS SERIES Book 1: The Source of Magic “A roller-coaster of emotions.” “I turned each page with breathless anticipation.” Book 2: The Secret of Magic “The characters are poignant and the story never fails.” “More twists and turns in this book than I thought possible.” Book 3: The Scourge of Magic “Nothing about this series is disappointing.” “Exciting, intense, imaginative. I could not put it down.” Scroll up and grab your copy now!

Troy Ounce


Phillip S. Power - 2017
    Why? Because as the only openly vampire police officer in the world, even after disclosure, he's been put on one of the very few supernatural divisions anywhere. Meaning it's his job.It also doesn't hurt that the demon whose area he works in has been targeted as well, seemingly by the same group.If he and his new partner can't figure the case out in time, things might well end up going very badly, indeed.

Forbidden


Selene Charles - 2014
    Where the guys are hot. The girls are sweet. And nothing is what it seems... Flint DeLuca is sick and tired of moving. Her and her dad have moved three times in the past year. But that's the life of a carnie. Even an ex-carnie like her. Her father swears this is the last move. All Flint wants now is to graduate from High School and put the carnival life behind her. Unfortunately, one of the two ain't gonna happen. So now not only is she back in the life she can never seem to get away from, she's also met this guy who pushes all her "I totally hate you" buttons.Cain. No last name. Wears shades in school. Dresses entirely in black. And only speaks to her when he's insulting her. She hates him. Hates him. And yet... there's something about the Goth boy that draws her like a moth to flame. God, she can't wait to graduate and get away from Whispering Bluff, only problem is she's pretty sure her high school is infested by vampires. Cain might be one of them. And for some reason, she seems to be on their menu.Sometimes High School really sucks...

Chosen


Lauren Chow - 2017
     Clara Evans’ needs a fresh start. Exhausted from the taunts of her classmates and the neglect of her careless foster parents, she is counting down the days until graduation when she can move away and leave her miserable life behind. When swoon-worthy Jay Woods transfers to Ford High School, Clara’s eyes are opened to a universe she never knew existed. As the life she once knew shatters and ancient secrets are revealed, Clara must learn to control her newfound powers while defeating a raging darkness that will change the world forever. Could “The Freak” from Ford High be the key to saving the human race?

Recurve


Shannon Mayer - 2015
    I should be at my father's side as a royal princess. But as a half-breed, bastard child, that isn't going to happen. I've been accused of attacking the queen, my wicked stepmother, and my life is suddenly on the line. I have only two options left to me: banishment, or training to become one of the King's Elite Guards, an Ender.Option one will kill me.Option two is meant to break me, but it's the only way to survive.Did I mention I have no power like the rest of the elementals, and my connection to the earth is worth next to nothing?Could things get any worse? Of course they can. Welcome to being an Elemental.

The Darkening Dream


Andy Gavin - 2011
    God, demon, monster, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs.1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand. With the help of Alex, an attractive Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to the factory mills of Salem, on a midnight boat ride to spy on an eerie coastal lair, and back, unexpectedly, to their own homes. What can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father tell them? And what do Sarah’s continuing visions reveal?No less than Gabriel’s Trumpet, the tool that will announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces that have banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling cast is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

Half-Blood


G.K. DeRosa - 2019
    There are three rules to survive the elite supernatural school:1. Do not talk or even look at The Seven, the uber-powerful supes that rule the academy.2. Never go into the Fae forest on a full moon… or else.3. And most definitely do not fall for one of the extremely hot and unattainable instructors.Too bad I’ve never really been a rule follower…A year ago the supernaturals came out of the closet on primetime TV, and about a minute ago I found out I was one of them—well, a half-blood anyway. So here I am at Darkhen Academy, the only human and no magical abilities to speak of. The only reason I’m here is because of my father—a man I didn’t even know existed until now. He’s crazy powerful, and they think I could be too. But what could I possibly contribute to an exclusive squad of dragon shifters, fae, witches, and vampires? I guess we’re about to find out because the merging of the supernatural and human realms isn’t going as smoothly as planned. If word gets out that humans are no longer safe from the supes, our worlds will once again be closed off. It’s up to us to stop that from happening.The "Darkblood Academy" books are a spinoff of the "Hitched" series by G.K. DeRosa. The storyline is set after the events in "Hitched". It references some of it's storyline and shares some characters that were introduced there. Therefore it is advisable to read the "Hitched" books first.