[Review] Rae of Hope by W.J. May

Goodreads:

 How hard do you have to shake a family tree to find out the truth of the past?
Fifteen-year-old Rae Kerrigan has never questioned her family’s history. That is until she accepted a scholarship to Guilder Boarding School in England. Guilder is a very unique, gifted school.

Rae has no idea what she is getting herself into or that her family’s past is going to come back and taunt her. She learns she is part of an unparalleled group of individuals who become marked with a unique tattoo (tatù) on their sixteenth birthday. The tatù enables them to have supernatural powers particular to the shape of their marking.

Both her parents were marked though Rae never knew, as they passed away when she was young and never told her. Learning about her family’s past, her evil father and sacrificial mother, Rae needs to decide if there is a ray of hope for her own life.

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In General

I found this book really interesting and unique. It mimics Harry Potter in some ways, but the world that is woven is interesting enough that it doesn't really bother me. I would recommend you read it :D

About the Plot

A couple months before Rae's 16th birthday, she was sent to a school for the gifted in England. She has no clue what she's getting into until she reaches there since her Uncle and Aunt have never told her anything about her past. Everyone at Guilder except for her knows about her past, and know her as the girl who's father used his magic for evil, which they are not supposed to do, and then died in a fire. All the students at Guilder get a tatù  on their 16th birthday (it pretty much grows on their skin) because of their bloodlines. This tatù gives them special powers, each conforming to the marking, which they are training to use. Rae's tatù is a huge fairy that's really pretty :) Throughout the book you learn about Rae's past along with her, especially about her father. There are people who want to harm her and people who want to enlist her.

About the Main Character

Rae Kerrigan is a strong character, although slightly naive. She's really cool, and does what she seems is right, which is a strong point. At first she seems slightly confused and seems to think it's the world against her but she soon realizes she has true friends at Guilder. It seems all the guys at Guilder have a crush on her, and that gets quite amusing xD

About the Love Interest

The love interest (the main one) is called Devon Wardell. He's really nice and well.. amazing. He's got a tatù of a Fennec Fox and has some fox-like skills.Some of them arecool nocturnal talents apparently, and super speed. On of Rae's inner thoughts were, "Hmm... cute, superhero, tactful and now, trustworthy... nice package." 

That sums him up pretty well ;) 

About Other Characters

My favorite among the more minor was Molly, Rae's roommate :D She's super cool and her tatù lets her meddle with electricity. She's a curious chatterbox, but a nice curious chatterbox, and on the first day Molly went around asking all the 16+ people about their tatù xD Julian (a student who can draw the future) is pretty cool too xD And of course, who could forget Riley? They most prominent member of the boy with a crush on Rae (other than Devon). He was really funny too :P

The Ending

I really didn't know who the bad guy was until it was revealed >.< Neither did I know who the good guy was. The ending had a bunch of twists that wasn't revealed before, and I found it really interesting :) I can't give away much with out spoilers, but yay!

Quotes xD

"A boy on the opposite team dribbled the ball near his goalkeeper. In the blink of an eye, he’d passed midfield and streaked around a defense player. He took a shot on the net, scoring easily. Rae blinked and rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was seeing things.
“No goal! No goal!” Devon waved his arms in the air. “Riley, you know the rules. Only natural play—no gifts!”
“Give me a break! I can’t help if my slow running is faster than everyone else’s,” Riley shouted. His teammates cheered and slapped him on the shoulder.
“You’re not faster than the speed of light without your gift! No way can you argue with the laws of physics.” Devon tapped his head and the other boys laughed. “Trying to impress the girls?” The guys started walking over to where the girls sat.“No goal! No goal!” Devon waved his arms in the air. “Riley, you know the rules. Only natural play—no gifts!”“Give me a break! I can’t help if my slow running is faster than everyone else’s,” Riley shouted. His teammates cheered and slapped him on the shoulder.“You’re not faster than the speed of light without your gift! No way can you argue with the laws of physics.” Devon tapped his head and the other boys laughed. “Trying to impress the girls?” The guys started walking over to where the girls sat." -page 19

and then when Molly got her tatu

"Molly scrunched her face into a puzzled look, then suddenly she brightened. “Holy crap! You’re right. I’m going to be able to create electricity or something super cool like that. Oh my goodness, this is going to be so awesome.” She swung around and grabbed Rae’s hands as she jumped up and down.
Rae went flying across the room. She slammed into the wall and slid down onto the bed. She rubbed her head, just above her ponytail. Shocked, she stared at Molly who stood with her mouth open, surprise written across her face.
They both started laughing.
Molly offered Rae her hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think…I had no idea…”
Rae crawled around the outstretched arm, shaking her own hand. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll avoid the hand contact for a bit.” She stood. “I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting that.”
“Neither was I.” She spread her arms wide, bumping the wall. The lights dulled and then began flickering above them. “What the -- ?”
“Hand.” Rae pointed. “On the wall.” Shouts sounded outside the hall.
“Oops. Guess I’d better figure out how to control this.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets. The lights stopped flickering and the shouts outside stopped.Rae went flying across the room. She slammed into the wall and slid down onto the bed. She rubbed her head, just above her ponytail. Shocked, she stared at Molly who stood with her mouth open, surprise written across her face.They both started laughing.Molly offered Rae her hand. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think…I had no idea…”Rae crawled around the outstretched arm, shaking her own hand. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll avoid the hand contact for a bit.” She stood. “I’m fine. Just wasn’t expecting that.”“Neither was I.” She spread her arms wide, bumping the wall. The lights dulled and then began flickering above them. “What the -- ?”“Hand.” Rae pointed. “On the wall.” Shouts sounded outside the hall.“Oops. Guess I’d better figure out how to control this.” She stuffed her hands into her pockets. The lights stopped flickering and the shouts outside stopped."

        -page 59

5 out of 5 stars
I can't wait for the next book :O