What do you think?
Rate this book
Elemental Mage #1
Alius Academy
Thrust into a world of magic, monsters, aliens and secrets, Lori’s in way over her head. And now she must pass a series of treacherous trials… or die trying.
Laurel-Leah Fields isn’t who she thought she was. She’s been snatched away to the most prestigious magical combat school in the world: the Alius Academy. Not only can she never see her parents again, but she only has two options—go to a detention facility or accept an invitation to the Academy Trials, to learn magic.
To protect her family from the dangers she never knew existed, Lori chooses the trials—but only the use of her new-found magic, something she barely understands, will save her from their deadly challenges.
It soon becomes clear that there’s far more to Alius Academy than beating the trials. Lori must learn to navigate a world full of speciesism, murderous mythical creatures, and boys who might want to either kill her or kiss her. She needs allies to survive, and there seem to be more secrets at every turn.
If she can’t discover who unbound her magic and who seems hellbent on hunting her down, she might not survive this…
Escape to a fantasy world of mages, shapeshifters, flying horses, teacup alicorns, formidable dwarves, needling vampires, alien creatures, and much more! If you’d like a blend of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Divergent, you’ll love this first instalment in the Elemental Mage series. Lara Wray writes young adult, action-packed fantasy that will have you gripped to the very last page. Suitable for young adult readers 16 years and up!
Laurel-Leah Fields isn’t who she thought she was. She’s been snatched away to the most prestigious magical combat school in the world: the Alius Academy. Not only can she never see her parents again, but she only has two options—go to a detention facility or accept an invitation to the Academy Trials, to learn magic.
To protect her family from the dangers she never knew existed, Lori chooses the trials—but only the use of her new-found magic, something she barely understands, will save her from their deadly challenges.
It soon becomes clear that there’s far more to Alius Academy than beating the trials. Lori must learn to navigate a world full of speciesism, murderous mythical creatures, and boys who might want to either kill her or kiss her. She needs allies to survive, and there seem to be more secrets at every turn.
If she can’t discover who unbound her magic and who seems hellbent on hunting her down, she might not survive this…
Escape to a fantasy world of mages, shapeshifters, flying horses, teacup alicorns, formidable dwarves, needling vampires, alien creatures, and much more! If you’d like a blend of Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Divergent, you’ll love this first instalment in the Elemental Mage series. Lara Wray writes young adult, action-packed fantasy that will have you gripped to the very last page. Suitable for young adult readers 16 years and up!
- GenresFantasyParanormal
Kindle Edition
Published March 29, 2023
143 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Lara Wray
2 books52 followersAlius Trials: Elemental Mage Series Book 2 is out now in paperback and eBook on Amazon and the eBook is in Kindle Unlimited. Here's the link if you want to buy or borrow it: https://geni.us/aliustrialsebook
Alius Academy is available on Amazon in; eBook, paperback and on Kindle Unlimited. It's a full-length novel, just over 70,000 words. Here is the link to purchase it:
https://geni.us/aliusacademyebook
Lara is currently working hard on Book 3 in the Elemental Mage Series.
Sign up for her newsletter and get the free companion novella to Alius Academy, named Seeker Mage. The link is here https://geni.us/newslettergr
For a map of the Academy, and more information visit www.larawray.com
Lara Wray is a pen name for the debut author. She spends her days befriending, evading, and battling mythical or alien people and creatures – and by night she loves to read about them. She writes strong, quirky heroines in stories that you can't put down, packed with magic, danger, and action that will leave you wanting more.
When she can’t catch a pegasus, she loves to catch a bus to her favourite café for a brownie slice and a smooth latte.
In all seriousness, the author does love a latte, hanging out with her husband and family, going on walks, trips or on holidays to beautiful places, usually rich with historical background.
Alius Academy is available on Amazon in; eBook, paperback and on Kindle Unlimited. It's a full-length novel, just over 70,000 words. Here is the link to purchase it:
https://geni.us/aliusacademyebook
Lara is currently working hard on Book 3 in the Elemental Mage Series.
Sign up for her newsletter and get the free companion novella to Alius Academy, named Seeker Mage. The link is here https://geni.us/newslettergr
For a map of the Academy, and more information visit www.larawray.com
Lara Wray is a pen name for the debut author. She spends her days befriending, evading, and battling mythical or alien people and creatures – and by night she loves to read about them. She writes strong, quirky heroines in stories that you can't put down, packed with magic, danger, and action that will leave you wanting more.
When she can’t catch a pegasus, she loves to catch a bus to her favourite café for a brownie slice and a smooth latte.
In all seriousness, the author does love a latte, hanging out with her husband and family, going on walks, trips or on holidays to beautiful places, usually rich with historical background.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
March 13, 2023
Picture this - you’re 18, thinking about your future, and working every waking moment of your life to help support your doting parents, and suddenly you hear a voice in your head and an other-worldly assassin is hunting you. This is where Lori finds herself before being whisked away by members of the Alius Academy.
Lori is not who she thinks she is thanks to memory-altering magic, her parents are not who she thinks they are, and her true identity may just get her killed. She is an unregistered Alius living on Earth which leaves her with two options: complete the Alius Academy trials to secure a spot at the most prestigious magical combat school on the planet (or die trying), or be sent to a detention centre to await her fate.
I cannot tell you how much I LOVED this book!! I read this in one sitting and I will definitely pick it up again. Anything with a magic school premise, I’m there, but Alius Academy is head and shoulders above others in the genre in my opinion. This is the start of very promising YA series with a simple magic system (I mean that in the best way), high stakes and INCREDIBLE social commentary. Lara Wray put a lot of nods into this book around human issues such as racism (or as we see in AA, speciesism) and the hatred towards undocumented immigrants. I can’t praise this book enough!
I see this series being huge, and there are so many directions Wray can take us in. I will be (im)patiently awaiting the next instalment.
Thank you Netgalley and BookSirens for allowing me an ARC of this wonderful book. Alius Academy will be released on March 29th 2023.
Lori is not who she thinks she is thanks to memory-altering magic, her parents are not who she thinks they are, and her true identity may just get her killed. She is an unregistered Alius living on Earth which leaves her with two options: complete the Alius Academy trials to secure a spot at the most prestigious magical combat school on the planet (or die trying), or be sent to a detention centre to await her fate.
I cannot tell you how much I LOVED this book!! I read this in one sitting and I will definitely pick it up again. Anything with a magic school premise, I’m there, but Alius Academy is head and shoulders above others in the genre in my opinion. This is the start of very promising YA series with a simple magic system (I mean that in the best way), high stakes and INCREDIBLE social commentary. Lara Wray put a lot of nods into this book around human issues such as racism (or as we see in AA, speciesism) and the hatred towards undocumented immigrants. I can’t praise this book enough!
I see this series being huge, and there are so many directions Wray can take us in. I will be (im)patiently awaiting the next instalment.
Thank you Netgalley and BookSirens for allowing me an ARC of this wonderful book. Alius Academy will be released on March 29th 2023.
March 24, 2023
A magical school ya fantasy. The world built in this book was fun and creative. The story was compelling to read and kept the reader engaged. The different types of magic are introduced but not fully explained. I really enjoyed this book, but I wish they would have gone further with the plot as it doesn't feel like a book ending but the end of a chapter. Also, a lot of the character names are alliteration, which seems to read a bit strange for me when there are so many. The writing and characters are very ya but likeable even with a few teenage cringe moments. I recommend this book to magical school and fantasy readers. I will definitely continue to read this series to see what happens next!
March 25, 2023
Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for providing me an ARC of this book!
An enjoyable YA fantasy! Our FMC, Lori, is suddenly taken to a mysterious school to learn about powers and magic users that she never knew about. She needs to learn quickly to secure a spot in the school during their annual trials. All while also navigating mean girls, trying to make new friends, and learning her past may not be what she thought it was.
Whenever there is a main character dropped into a new fantasy world, there is the danger of just dumping a ton of new information at once! I was pleasantly surprised with the pacing of this information and really only ever felt overwhelmed during the first "trial". Luckily, some of that information was repeated later and explained more when it was relevant. I hope the author continues to do that with the upcoming books because there is a lot of different magic types and users in this world!
I love a good romance and while there isn't a ton in this book, I feel like some groundwork was laid out for it in the series. But really, secretly, I am hoping for a why choose :)
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I cannot wait for the next one. The story was easy to follow for the most part and had good pacing, but sometimes I would get a few of the more minor side character mixed up. This was because some of the more unique names would almost be similar to each other in the book, or I would forget their magic type/power. However, that is really only my biggest issue with this book.
An enjoyable YA fantasy! Our FMC, Lori, is suddenly taken to a mysterious school to learn about powers and magic users that she never knew about. She needs to learn quickly to secure a spot in the school during their annual trials. All while also navigating mean girls, trying to make new friends, and learning her past may not be what she thought it was.
Whenever there is a main character dropped into a new fantasy world, there is the danger of just dumping a ton of new information at once! I was pleasantly surprised with the pacing of this information and really only ever felt overwhelmed during the first "trial". Luckily, some of that information was repeated later and explained more when it was relevant. I hope the author continues to do that with the upcoming books because there is a lot of different magic types and users in this world!
I love a good romance and while there isn't a ton in this book, I feel like some groundwork was laid out for it in the series. But really, secretly, I am hoping for a why choose :)
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and I cannot wait for the next one. The story was easy to follow for the most part and had good pacing, but sometimes I would get a few of the more minor side character mixed up. This was because some of the more unique names would almost be similar to each other in the book, or I would forget their magic type/power. However, that is really only my biggest issue with this book.
March 13, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up for Goodreads.
Thank you Net galley for a copy of this book.
I really enjoyed the twist on the i have no idea who am or why I have magic but now I’m at a really specific and special school for it. I wish we could have gotten a little bit farther in the story, at least to see where the second book would take place. I feel like where we left out when book 2 is published it will be more of at part 2 to book 1.
I enjoyed the writing style and the world she built, I feel like we have a pretty good world without the book feeling like just world building. I enjoy our main character and the friends she has made and I’m excited to see how everything connects in future books.
Thank you Net galley for a copy of this book.
I really enjoyed the twist on the i have no idea who am or why I have magic but now I’m at a really specific and special school for it. I wish we could have gotten a little bit farther in the story, at least to see where the second book would take place. I feel like where we left out when book 2 is published it will be more of at part 2 to book 1.
I enjoyed the writing style and the world she built, I feel like we have a pretty good world without the book feeling like just world building. I enjoy our main character and the friends she has made and I’m excited to see how everything connects in future books.
June 17, 2023
This book was a lovely read... I really enjoyed exploring the world of the Alius Academy and following Lori through the trials to become part of the magic world...I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys anything to do with magic and fantasy and I can't wait to read the next one in the series
Thankyou net galley
Thankyou net galley
April 19, 2023
Tropes / Key Points:
✨Unique Magic System
✨Fantastical Creatures
✨Hidden/Suppressed Magic
✨Academy Setting
✨Magical Trials
✨Multiple Potential Love Interests (Back-burner Plot)
✨Fish Out of Water
✨Memory Erased / Unknown Identity
Blurb:
Lori is your typical 18-year-old living in England. She has spent her life with her parents in an unassuming way, getting a job to help take care of things. All of this changes when a voice in her head appears telling her that she is unbound and that he is coming to her, things start to get a little weird. On her way to visit a friend one evening she thinks she sees things that aren’t there and has this feeling of someone watching her when no one is around.
She gets confronted by someone who attacks her after revealing that he was invisible, and saved by two men who come out of a magical portal. She wakes up the next morning, healed from the damage of her fight in an unknown place called Alius Academy. She is informed about the magical world that she had no idea she was a part of and told that she has to stay at the Academy and participate in magical trials, or spend her life at what is essentially a prison.
Choosing to take part in the trials, Lori realizes she isn’t who she thought she was. Starting with a disadvantage from the other contestants, Lori tries her best to understand her new found magic as it’s the only thing that may save her from the deadly challenges ahead. It quickly becomes clear that there is more than meets the eye and beating the trials isn’t her only hurdle. Lori must learn to navigate a world filled with speciesists, accusations that she’s a spy, and men who look like they want to kiss her as much as strangle her.
One thing is for certain she can trust no one… Does that include the voice in her head?
Review:
I cannot tell you how much I actually enjoyed the story. It’s very YA feeling and I don’t hate it. I actually enjoy taking a break from some of the more adult themed books and stepping back into an innocent and less sexual story. I also wouldn’t mind if the future books did ramp up into more of the adult themes. It did take a little bit to get into the story as the beginning felt a little slow. But I have to applaud the author that she did not do a lot of info dumping. She really did nicely at spreading out the information throughout the story as you learn it along side the FMC.
There are a lot of nods in this book towards social commentary of today’s world that aren’t overtly in your face. She uses the different species in her book as a way to address today’s themes of racism and the general hatred if you are different. It was a very nice undertone that doesn’t feel like she’s preaching towards you.
I absolutely enjoyed the magic system that was introduced in this world. Keep in mind that we are learning about the magic alongside Lori so there are still a lot of gaps in knowledge for us as readers because the main character doesn’t know them. I do hope that in the next book we can see more of the pieces falling into place so that it doesn’t feel as unfinished as it currently does.
And that brings me towards my criticisms. This book feels unfinished. The ending of book one felt like it should be the ending of part one. It felt like we got cut off right in the middle of a story and not the cliffhanger of excitement that I would expect. Don’t get me wrong. I will for sure be reading the second book because I did enjoy the story and characters that were presented to us, but I do think that there was some refining that was needed. There are a lot of questions by the end of the book that have zero answers. I feel like the author was looking more at the series as a whole, then, looking at the individual books, which is some thing that needs to happen when you are writing a series. You can’t just think about the full story. You have to look at each book as an individual story in itself and I think that’s where the disconnect happened here.
There was very very little romance in this story. And I don’t know if it was marketed that way or if the author is just setting up the romance for the future books. She gives you lots of different love interests that could be chosen. I think I counted four potential partners in the story and honestly, I would not turn my nose up at a reverse harem series. One of the romances that was nodded towards seems to be a bully romance.
I do think that the pacing of this book was really well done. I didn’t see many gaps where it slowed down or randomly sped up. I feel it was extremely consistent all the way through, and it obviously kicked off once the trials started. But once you get there you’re pretty much at the last quarter of the story and while it doesn’t feel rushed, it feels unfinished.
We are told in the book that there’s gonna be five trials, and we only get the first two. As you can see in my review, I keep going back to the fact that this story just feels incomplete. There’s so many things that I expected only to be let down. And the trials are a big part of it. I assumed going into this book that we would be getting through the five trials and finding out that we only got through two was extremely disappointing. I really hope the author isn’t trying to stretch this out in a way to make more money because I know that’s what some people do and it’s just an offputting discovery if that is what is going on here. I don’t think it is but the way she setting it up—book one and two should have been one book.
My last complaint of the story is that we got presented with a lot of side characters, and it was a little bit overwhelming. It was really hard to differentiate them all and keep them separate. It just felt like the author was trying so hard to set up the world that this part kind of slipped. I usually praise authors for introducing a well rounded cast of characters and she does it well in terms of having a little bit of every species in this world represented, but there’s just so many that outside that the few main side characters I’m at a loss for who the rest are. I’m hoping that going forward the author kind of shears down how many side characters she has involved. I do understand that a part of having this many is because she’s in an Academy setting with these tests that she has to overcome with all these other students, but it just felt like a lot of people were being shoved at you.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the story. And I look forward to reading the next one.
✨Unique Magic System
✨Fantastical Creatures
✨Hidden/Suppressed Magic
✨Academy Setting
✨Magical Trials
✨Multiple Potential Love Interests (Back-burner Plot)
✨Fish Out of Water
✨Memory Erased / Unknown Identity
Blurb:
Lori is your typical 18-year-old living in England. She has spent her life with her parents in an unassuming way, getting a job to help take care of things. All of this changes when a voice in her head appears telling her that she is unbound and that he is coming to her, things start to get a little weird. On her way to visit a friend one evening she thinks she sees things that aren’t there and has this feeling of someone watching her when no one is around.
She gets confronted by someone who attacks her after revealing that he was invisible, and saved by two men who come out of a magical portal. She wakes up the next morning, healed from the damage of her fight in an unknown place called Alius Academy. She is informed about the magical world that she had no idea she was a part of and told that she has to stay at the Academy and participate in magical trials, or spend her life at what is essentially a prison.
Choosing to take part in the trials, Lori realizes she isn’t who she thought she was. Starting with a disadvantage from the other contestants, Lori tries her best to understand her new found magic as it’s the only thing that may save her from the deadly challenges ahead. It quickly becomes clear that there is more than meets the eye and beating the trials isn’t her only hurdle. Lori must learn to navigate a world filled with speciesists, accusations that she’s a spy, and men who look like they want to kiss her as much as strangle her.
One thing is for certain she can trust no one… Does that include the voice in her head?
Review:
I cannot tell you how much I actually enjoyed the story. It’s very YA feeling and I don’t hate it. I actually enjoy taking a break from some of the more adult themed books and stepping back into an innocent and less sexual story. I also wouldn’t mind if the future books did ramp up into more of the adult themes. It did take a little bit to get into the story as the beginning felt a little slow. But I have to applaud the author that she did not do a lot of info dumping. She really did nicely at spreading out the information throughout the story as you learn it along side the FMC.
There are a lot of nods in this book towards social commentary of today’s world that aren’t overtly in your face. She uses the different species in her book as a way to address today’s themes of racism and the general hatred if you are different. It was a very nice undertone that doesn’t feel like she’s preaching towards you.
I absolutely enjoyed the magic system that was introduced in this world. Keep in mind that we are learning about the magic alongside Lori so there are still a lot of gaps in knowledge for us as readers because the main character doesn’t know them. I do hope that in the next book we can see more of the pieces falling into place so that it doesn’t feel as unfinished as it currently does.
And that brings me towards my criticisms. This book feels unfinished. The ending of book one felt like it should be the ending of part one. It felt like we got cut off right in the middle of a story and not the cliffhanger of excitement that I would expect. Don’t get me wrong. I will for sure be reading the second book because I did enjoy the story and characters that were presented to us, but I do think that there was some refining that was needed. There are a lot of questions by the end of the book that have zero answers. I feel like the author was looking more at the series as a whole, then, looking at the individual books, which is some thing that needs to happen when you are writing a series. You can’t just think about the full story. You have to look at each book as an individual story in itself and I think that’s where the disconnect happened here.
There was very very little romance in this story. And I don’t know if it was marketed that way or if the author is just setting up the romance for the future books. She gives you lots of different love interests that could be chosen. I think I counted four potential partners in the story and honestly, I would not turn my nose up at a reverse harem series. One of the romances that was nodded towards seems to be a bully romance.
I do think that the pacing of this book was really well done. I didn’t see many gaps where it slowed down or randomly sped up. I feel it was extremely consistent all the way through, and it obviously kicked off once the trials started. But once you get there you’re pretty much at the last quarter of the story and while it doesn’t feel rushed, it feels unfinished.
We are told in the book that there’s gonna be five trials, and we only get the first two. As you can see in my review, I keep going back to the fact that this story just feels incomplete. There’s so many things that I expected only to be let down. And the trials are a big part of it. I assumed going into this book that we would be getting through the five trials and finding out that we only got through two was extremely disappointing. I really hope the author isn’t trying to stretch this out in a way to make more money because I know that’s what some people do and it’s just an offputting discovery if that is what is going on here. I don’t think it is but the way she setting it up—book one and two should have been one book.
My last complaint of the story is that we got presented with a lot of side characters, and it was a little bit overwhelming. It was really hard to differentiate them all and keep them separate. It just felt like the author was trying so hard to set up the world that this part kind of slipped. I usually praise authors for introducing a well rounded cast of characters and she does it well in terms of having a little bit of every species in this world represented, but there’s just so many that outside that the few main side characters I’m at a loss for who the rest are. I’m hoping that going forward the author kind of shears down how many side characters she has involved. I do understand that a part of having this many is because she’s in an Academy setting with these tests that she has to overcome with all these other students, but it just felt like a lot of people were being shoved at you.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the story. And I look forward to reading the next one.
March 28, 2023
Alius Academy has a fun magical world that you explore along with the main character, Lori, as she stumbles through it. A magical school with possibly deadly trials, this book scratches the exact fantasy itch you want it to.
I was sucked into the plot of this book and I read this book in basically one sitting, The characters are all interesting and I'm excited for the next book to be able to learn more about them and watch them develop. There are complex inter-species relations in the new world of the alius, and I eagerly await the next book to find out certain characters' motivations–*cough* Eyebrows'.
What lead to my lower rating of this book is that it has a certain unfinished feel to it. There are a few sentences that cut off unfinished, but the main offender is that this book is less of a book one, and more of a part one. The book ends at what would typically be the halfway point. You're just far enough in to finally feel comfortable in the world and start getting sucked into the story, for it to end abruptly. You don't get the satisfaction of having any of the narrative questions posed answered.
Despite the early ending (or perhaps, because of it) I eagerly await the next book and the continuation of Lori's journey. I enjoyed this story and can't wait for it to be finished!
I was sucked into the plot of this book and I read this book in basically one sitting, The characters are all interesting and I'm excited for the next book to be able to learn more about them and watch them develop. There are complex inter-species relations in the new world of the alius, and I eagerly await the next book to find out certain characters' motivations–*cough* Eyebrows'.
What lead to my lower rating of this book is that it has a certain unfinished feel to it. There are a few sentences that cut off unfinished, but the main offender is that this book is less of a book one, and more of a part one. The book ends at what would typically be the halfway point. You're just far enough in to finally feel comfortable in the world and start getting sucked into the story, for it to end abruptly. You don't get the satisfaction of having any of the narrative questions posed answered.
Despite the early ending (or perhaps, because of it) I eagerly await the next book and the continuation of Lori's journey. I enjoyed this story and can't wait for it to be finished!
March 22, 2023
Oh my word this book 😱
First if all, I want to say that the world building in this book is just amazing! I sometimes had a hard time keeping up with everything, but once you're introduced to it all, things slowly start to make sense.
I have to admit that this book took over my dreams at some point (in a good way if course). I love Lori and her spunkiness and her confidence. She is definitely someone I would want to read about more.
I can't wait to see what the second book is all about because I have so many questions, and a lot of them were definitely left unanswered at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
First if all, I want to say that the world building in this book is just amazing! I sometimes had a hard time keeping up with everything, but once you're introduced to it all, things slowly start to make sense.
I have to admit that this book took over my dreams at some point (in a good way if course). I love Lori and her spunkiness and her confidence. She is definitely someone I would want to read about more.
I can't wait to see what the second book is all about because I have so many questions, and a lot of them were definitely left unanswered at the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 15, 2023
This surprised me in a good way. Lara Wray is a new-to-me author and she created a world different than I expected. I am a big fan of plots where the mc doesn’t know they have power, comes to find out they’re rare and really powerful, and then has to master said power. That was this story to a T. Add in the interesting friends and allies Lori began to make during her time at the school, multiple possible love interests, and the trials she was thrust into which made for an entertaining read.
Lori discovered early on in the book that she had powers, was an unregistered immigrant with tampered memories and had no recollection of where she came from/who her parents were. There’s a lot of potential to where this story will go and I’m excited for it!
This is the first book in a series, which meant it ended before the story really began and I was really sad to when I was all of the sudden at the “about the author” bit. All in all, I’d read the rest of the series when they come out, especially since they’re easy reads and I love the covers!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Lori discovered early on in the book that she had powers, was an unregistered immigrant with tampered memories and had no recollection of where she came from/who her parents were. There’s a lot of potential to where this story will go and I’m excited for it!
This is the first book in a series, which meant it ended before the story really began and I was really sad to when I was all of the sudden at the “about the author” bit. All in all, I’d read the rest of the series when they come out, especially since they’re easy reads and I love the covers!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 23, 2023
Hmmm.. this was an interesting one. I really like the concept and storyline, but the book feels unfinished. I’ve read a lot of books in this genre, and I would expect the first book to cover the complete initial trials, it doesn’t feel enough of the story to justify a whole book. There was also no big final conclusion/event or promise of more to make you want to read the next one. It felt like it was just cut off. I would have wanted the rest of the trial, and to finish with finding out it she got to stay at the academy or not. It’s a natural end.
April 16, 2023
Really enthralling
I love supernatural stories. It has been some time since I enjoyed one as much as this one. Has all the elements you want friendships, cockiness, fraenemies, magic, mystery, adventures,challenges,.. very complete!! Cannot wait to read volume 2!! Thank you so much!
I love supernatural stories. It has been some time since I enjoyed one as much as this one. Has all the elements you want friendships, cockiness, fraenemies, magic, mystery, adventures,challenges,.. very complete!! Cannot wait to read volume 2!! Thank you so much!
April 6, 2023
Can't wait for 2nd book
Best academy book I have read in ages.I am tempted to reread right away, I couldn't sleep until I finished, did not put down once!
Best academy book I have read in ages.I am tempted to reread right away, I couldn't sleep until I finished, did not put down once!
March 28, 2023
First of all wow, this book was so good it surprised me in the best way possible and honestly it might have become one of my favorite series. The stakes in the book were high the magic system was easy to understand and the story was so interesting and captured the attention of the reader really well. Alius Academy just gave me so many Zodiac Academy vibes with some divergent and Harry Potter thrown into the mix. This book has Pegasus, Fae, vampires, shifters and other creatures that made the book so much better. Since I started I couldn’t t put the book down and when I did all that I could think about were theories about what would happen next. It honestly has passed such a long time since a book made me feel all the things this book did. I felt happiness, anger, embarrassment, curiosity, and so many other emotions. I personally love the magical academy premise in books but this one just gave me the feeling that my favorite series, Zodiac Academy, gives me while reading it.
I love that I don’t truly know who the main love interest is or who will Lori end up with which makes me all the more exited to continue this series. Lori as a main character was great and I loved to read her point of view and see her slowly adapt to this new world she was thrown into. Also this book also deals with some serious themes like racism and the hatred towards undocumented immigrants.
I honestly can’t wait to continue this series and see if I was correct in some of my theories. I absolutely recommend this book and recommend that before reading it you grab the companion free novella called seekers mage from the author’s newsletter because it just makes the experience so much better. Reading it before hand really helped me care about some of the characters before starting this book and understand more of this world and the story. It also gives you another point of view of the events that occurred at the start of the book. If you are starting this series I truly recommend reading it first.
The only thing I can complain about is that we were presented with many characters back to back that it made it dificult to keep track of them and know who was who. But that didn’t really take away from my enjoyment, it really was a great book as I said before and it is one of my favorite reads of the books I have read so far this year.
❗️I requested an advance review copy from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.❗️
I love that I don’t truly know who the main love interest is or who will Lori end up with which makes me all the more exited to continue this series. Lori as a main character was great and I loved to read her point of view and see her slowly adapt to this new world she was thrown into. Also this book also deals with some serious themes like racism and the hatred towards undocumented immigrants.
I honestly can’t wait to continue this series and see if I was correct in some of my theories. I absolutely recommend this book and recommend that before reading it you grab the companion free novella called seekers mage from the author’s newsletter because it just makes the experience so much better. Reading it before hand really helped me care about some of the characters before starting this book and understand more of this world and the story. It also gives you another point of view of the events that occurred at the start of the book. If you are starting this series I truly recommend reading it first.
The only thing I can complain about is that we were presented with many characters back to back that it made it dificult to keep track of them and know who was who. But that didn’t really take away from my enjoyment, it really was a great book as I said before and it is one of my favorite reads of the books I have read so far this year.
❗️I requested an advance review copy from the author and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.❗️
April 3, 2023
Laurel-Leah Fields is an average 18 year old, working and living with her parents, trying to figure out what she wants to do next in her life, when she finds herself the victim of a magical attack. Her rescuers take her to a place of magic, have her healed, and explain that she actually has magical abilities of her own. However, she is undocumented, which means she's got to choose between attempting to pass the dangerous and sometimes deadly trials to earn a spot in the Alius Academy, or going to a detention center and likely being a low-level, low-paid worker for the rest of her life. Despite the possibility of death, Lori opts for the trials. Will she make it through and enter into the Alius Academy?
Well, I don't have the answer for that one, since the story stops short of where I thought it was going. I really enjoyed the world building and the different types of magical beings, and I am really intrigued to find out more about it all, but I was disappointed to find that this is less a book one of a series and more a part one of a book. At the point where it ends, I felt like I was only halfway through the story, so my review dropped a star as a result. That being said, I would absolutely like to know what is going to happen next, who some of the characters will turn out to be (looking at you, Eyebrows), and whether Lori will uncover the secrets about who she really is. So I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series, and hope that it will have a more conclusive ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC; I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
Well, I don't have the answer for that one, since the story stops short of where I thought it was going. I really enjoyed the world building and the different types of magical beings, and I am really intrigued to find out more about it all, but I was disappointed to find that this is less a book one of a series and more a part one of a book. At the point where it ends, I felt like I was only halfway through the story, so my review dropped a star as a result. That being said, I would absolutely like to know what is going to happen next, who some of the characters will turn out to be (looking at you, Eyebrows), and whether Lori will uncover the secrets about who she really is. So I will definitely be on the lookout for the next book in the series, and hope that it will have a more conclusive ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC; I am reviewing this book voluntarily.
November 7, 2023
there is room to grow
This is a standard bully academy urban fantasy with a kitchen sink of paranormals, including aliens called Elusussians. Growing up human and taking on a restaurant job has not helped Lora when she gets attacked and then ‘saved’....only to be given a choice between prison (hey, she was the victim here!) and a military academy for paranormals.
The writing is not outstandingly beautiful, but the plain prose style works for this kind of story. What really elevates the novel is how polite Lora can be; it’s so refreshing! While under duress to complete a set of trials to decide who can actually attend the academy:
“I thought an introduction was in order, though time was ticking away, and I’d wasted loads of it already. “Saffron, this is Vil – Vil, Saffron.”
I hesitate to call it a paranormal romance. It seems like every guy she meets is hawt with a capital H, which is a teaser, but you would think she would become immune to their looks over time. The plot overshadows any attraction, though.
💘 There is the telepathic Sebastian, a Hulk-like mage, who rivals her.
💘 Or Vil, the gorgeous Elusussian...he lacks any kind of description for me
💘 Or the teaching assistant, another Elusussian, Art
-- and so on.
Is this a reverse harem? It does remind me of a favorite, unfinished series by A&A Kirk. At the time, I loved the formulaic chapters and strange take on Snow White surrounded by her superheroes...and I see possibilities here.
The world:
Magic is used to replace technology. For example, there is a flying drone that Lori names Maximus. Food at the cafeteria is ordered through a virtual menu. It should seem familiar even as new supernaturals are introduced.
This is a standard bully academy urban fantasy with a kitchen sink of paranormals, including aliens called Elusussians. Growing up human and taking on a restaurant job has not helped Lora when she gets attacked and then ‘saved’....only to be given a choice between prison (hey, she was the victim here!) and a military academy for paranormals.
The writing is not outstandingly beautiful, but the plain prose style works for this kind of story. What really elevates the novel is how polite Lora can be; it’s so refreshing! While under duress to complete a set of trials to decide who can actually attend the academy:
“I thought an introduction was in order, though time was ticking away, and I’d wasted loads of it already. “Saffron, this is Vil – Vil, Saffron.”
I hesitate to call it a paranormal romance. It seems like every guy she meets is hawt with a capital H, which is a teaser, but you would think she would become immune to their looks over time. The plot overshadows any attraction, though.
💘 There is the telepathic Sebastian, a Hulk-like mage, who rivals her.
💘 Or Vil, the gorgeous Elusussian...he lacks any kind of description for me
💘 Or the teaching assistant, another Elusussian, Art
-- and so on.
Is this a reverse harem? It does remind me of a favorite, unfinished series by A&A Kirk. At the time, I loved the formulaic chapters and strange take on Snow White surrounded by her superheroes...and I see possibilities here.
The world:
Magic is used to replace technology. For example, there is a flying drone that Lori names Maximus. Food at the cafeteria is ordered through a virtual menu. It should seem familiar even as new supernaturals are introduced.
April 2, 2023
Alius Academy follows Lori, who unbeknownst to her possesses magical powers. She is whisked away from the life she knows and brought to Alius Academy, where she learns she is Alius. She's told that she has 2 choices: compete and pass the trials, or go somewhere a lot less glamorous. The story is perfect for fans of Harry Potter and Divergent, with the set-up of the trials that need to be passed in order to gain entrance into Alius Academy. That's where the similarities end, however. I haven't read any books with elemental magic before, and this certainly will not be my last.
Overall, I really enjoyed Alius Academy. The book started off fast and mysterious, raising a fair amount of questions in the first 2 chapters alone. After the first 2 chapters, the pace slowed down, but the story and world being built are interesting so the slowing pace is not a detriment. It helped me to have some time to digest all the information coming at me while I was reading. Alius Academy was a comfortable, quick, and enjoyable read, with an ending setting up for sequels. The ending leaves many unanswered questions, and I for one can't wait to find out what Alius Academy has in store for us next! I'd definitely recommend Alius Academy to lovers of magic, trials, and YA novels.
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Overall, I really enjoyed Alius Academy. The book started off fast and mysterious, raising a fair amount of questions in the first 2 chapters alone. After the first 2 chapters, the pace slowed down, but the story and world being built are interesting so the slowing pace is not a detriment. It helped me to have some time to digest all the information coming at me while I was reading. Alius Academy was a comfortable, quick, and enjoyable read, with an ending setting up for sequels. The ending leaves many unanswered questions, and I for one can't wait to find out what Alius Academy has in store for us next! I'd definitely recommend Alius Academy to lovers of magic, trials, and YA novels.
Thank you to NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed in this review are entirely my own.
April 20, 2023
Thanks Netgalley for the advance reader copy. More like 3.5 stars but rounded up for Goodreads. Let me start off by saying I absolutely LOVE any & all magic academy books. They can be written badly & I'll still love it. Unfortunately, I didn't love this one.
For one thing, I hated the main character, Laurel/Lori. When she wasn't whining about how unfair it was to throw her into trials without having any knowledge of magic, she was commenting on how hot some guy is. Also, pretty sure she's probably a masochist because who gets turned on when they're shoved? I get shoved & I want to throw hands, not kiss the one who shoved me.
I found the minor characters to be more relatable than Lori & honestly, I hated some of them too. For example, Eyebrows. What's up with the attraction to someone who A. shoved you & is constantly talking crap to you & following you & B. you nicknamed Eyebrows? I don't understand the purpose of the attraction or him following her, nor do I understand the purpose in bringing constant attention to his eyebrows.
This book would have gotten five stars though if it didn't just abruptly end. I was finally, FINALLY getting into it. It took me a long time to get interested in it because I hated the characters for the longest time. Then it finally catches my attention, for the book to abruptly end. I get cliffhangers, I love & hate them, but this wasn't a cliffhanger. It was just deciding to leave your readers upset.
For one thing, I hated the main character, Laurel/Lori. When she wasn't whining about how unfair it was to throw her into trials without having any knowledge of magic, she was commenting on how hot some guy is. Also, pretty sure she's probably a masochist because who gets turned on when they're shoved? I get shoved & I want to throw hands, not kiss the one who shoved me.
I found the minor characters to be more relatable than Lori & honestly, I hated some of them too. For example, Eyebrows. What's up with the attraction to someone who A. shoved you & is constantly talking crap to you & following you & B. you nicknamed Eyebrows? I don't understand the purpose of the attraction or him following her, nor do I understand the purpose in bringing constant attention to his eyebrows.
This book would have gotten five stars though if it didn't just abruptly end. I was finally, FINALLY getting into it. It took me a long time to get interested in it because I hated the characters for the longest time. Then it finally catches my attention, for the book to abruptly end. I get cliffhangers, I love & hate them, but this wasn't a cliffhanger. It was just deciding to leave your readers upset.
February 10, 2024
An insecure female Harry Potter with mean girls and uncontrollable romantic feelings
This novel is a bit frustrating. First, it has strong parallels to Harry Potter: a magic user raised as a normal person without knowledge of her abilities suddenly goes to a magic-user university, to find out that she’s very powerful and has an important birthright. Additionally, the author heavily implied that she will be part of a sports team where the players ride flying horses and collect target hoops using a lance. She immediately starts making friends and enemies.
The other part I don’t really understand is that these aren’t children—they’re all adults at a university—yet we get the mean girl stuff as if they were in secondary school. Most people seem to grow out of that by the time they get to college, yet here we are.
The protagonist is insecure, which seems to be pretty standard for this type of story, but in her case it goes to extremes and gets a bit absurd. As does her tendency to get all tingly about any good looking guy. And she’s falling for the bad guy, despite not wanting to.
That said, the writing is good, the story is interesting. I plan to read the second book because I want to see how the story goes. But it’s still frustrating to read. She’s so stupid.
I give it 3/5 stars.
This novel is a bit frustrating. First, it has strong parallels to Harry Potter: a magic user raised as a normal person without knowledge of her abilities suddenly goes to a magic-user university, to find out that she’s very powerful and has an important birthright. Additionally, the author heavily implied that she will be part of a sports team where the players ride flying horses and collect target hoops using a lance. She immediately starts making friends and enemies.
The other part I don’t really understand is that these aren’t children—they’re all adults at a university—yet we get the mean girl stuff as if they were in secondary school. Most people seem to grow out of that by the time they get to college, yet here we are.
The protagonist is insecure, which seems to be pretty standard for this type of story, but in her case it goes to extremes and gets a bit absurd. As does her tendency to get all tingly about any good looking guy. And she’s falling for the bad guy, despite not wanting to.
That said, the writing is good, the story is interesting. I plan to read the second book because I want to see how the story goes. But it’s still frustrating to read. She’s so stupid.
I give it 3/5 stars.
March 27, 2023
The introduction to this YA series is compulsive and mysterious. . A teenage girl suddenly discovers that she is not who she thinks she is. When attacked by some mystical beings, she is transported to Alius, where she discovers a whole new world. Various mystical beings who occupy another dimension take her under their wings where she embarks on the most magical journey.
She struggles with her identity trying to make sense of her new discoveries. She devotes herself to the trials which either she undertakes or face an alternative. She adapts fairly well by making new friends and meeting the other supernatural beings. She has a long journey ahead, but she faces it head on. Is she in danger of being identified as a spy? Will she find out who removed her bond?
She is strong and perseveres with all her challenges,no matter how hard they are. There are some interesting characters as well as various supernatural beings. The pegasus is a novelty worth being part of the story. She attracts unwanted attention and sometimes feels insecure of their intent. A great start to this series.
She struggles with her identity trying to make sense of her new discoveries. She devotes herself to the trials which either she undertakes or face an alternative. She adapts fairly well by making new friends and meeting the other supernatural beings. She has a long journey ahead, but she faces it head on. Is she in danger of being identified as a spy? Will she find out who removed her bond?
She is strong and perseveres with all her challenges,no matter how hard they are. There are some interesting characters as well as various supernatural beings. The pegasus is a novelty worth being part of the story. She attracts unwanted attention and sometimes feels insecure of their intent. A great start to this series.
March 27, 2023
Rcvd an advanced reader copy from BookSirens for giving my two cents. We meet 18 yr old waitress Lori who after working an overtime shift at thr diner hears a voice in her head saying she is "unbound." The next thing she knows is that she is being attacked in an alley by a guy who had a snake coming out of him...what on earth. He called her smtg that she didn't understand and before things could get worse she felt smtg inside her fight back. The next thing she sees are two guys coming to her rescue and waking up in a strange room. Lori is told that she has magic and this is an academy that can help her learn. However Lori feels more alone now than she ever has been..people look at her like a traitor, a mixed breed mutt and an assassin. The trials will be soon and it will determine the weak from the strong. When her magic and animal affinity are revealed...there is a collective gasp from everyone. It's fight or be destroyed. People are waiting for her downfall...but can Lori overcome her fear and persevere?
April 5, 2023
Think Hogwarts meets Hunger Games with a splash of Nevermore Academy and you have the perfect setting for this enchanting ride. Lori has been thrown into this unexpected world of foreign creatures, secrets & deadly trials yet she’s handling it with as much grace and sass as one could muster being completely out of her element (pun intended 😉).
My head was truly left spinning with all of the people she encounters in such a short time and all the questions I begun to have on the roles they would play throughout her journey. There’s even a hint of love interest that has me on edge, with this novel you truly get a bit of everything, fantasy, mystery, romance this author has thought of everything.
Though it seemed to have a Narie start, once invested I found myself truly wanting more and by the end I was enraptured wondering just how Lori would fair and what lies ahead for this spunky, headstrong girl. Truly a great read!! The cliff hanger has me absolutely dying to see what happens next 🥰
My head was truly left spinning with all of the people she encounters in such a short time and all the questions I begun to have on the roles they would play throughout her journey. There’s even a hint of love interest that has me on edge, with this novel you truly get a bit of everything, fantasy, mystery, romance this author has thought of everything.
Though it seemed to have a Narie start, once invested I found myself truly wanting more and by the end I was enraptured wondering just how Lori would fair and what lies ahead for this spunky, headstrong girl. Truly a great read!! The cliff hanger has me absolutely dying to see what happens next 🥰
February 5, 2024
Great start
I enjoyed this first in a series. The writing flowed and the story held my attention. I didn't stumble over misspelled words, misplaced punctuation, or editorial gaffes. That alone made it better than most. The characters are young and act like it, but their language is adult.
Spoilers:
The prologue reveals the fmc is a magical royal being hidden away in human society with her magic bound and memory wiped. Refreshingly, her human parents love and cherish her. When her magic is unbound she is discovered as magical and must pass trials to attend an academy to master her gifts. This book introduces the world via the different magical characters and the trials reveal their diverse gifts and societal hierarchy. Book 1 ends with the fmc still not knowing who she is.
No real cliff hanger, no burn, numerous potential love interests? On to book 2. No idea how many books this series is? Frustrating.
I enjoyed this first in a series. The writing flowed and the story held my attention. I didn't stumble over misspelled words, misplaced punctuation, or editorial gaffes. That alone made it better than most. The characters are young and act like it, but their language is adult.
Spoilers:
The prologue reveals the fmc is a magical royal being hidden away in human society with her magic bound and memory wiped. Refreshingly, her human parents love and cherish her. When her magic is unbound she is discovered as magical and must pass trials to attend an academy to master her gifts. This book introduces the world via the different magical characters and the trials reveal their diverse gifts and societal hierarchy. Book 1 ends with the fmc still not knowing who she is.
No real cliff hanger, no burn, numerous potential love interests? On to book 2. No idea how many books this series is? Frustrating.
April 1, 2023
Thrust into a world of magic, monsters, aliens and secrets, Lori’s in way over her head. And now she must pass a series of treacherous trials… or die trying.
Think Tri-Wizards Tournament but with more meaning. If you lose you're out. Our heroine Lori is making a strong case for a mixed breed. I love her character and her unique cast of allies she's picked up along the way. Also, who will be her romantic counterpart? I guess it's too early to tell. This first installment in the Elemental Mage Series will leave you wanting for more. I need six books please. It's just a really fun read with lots of fun magical creatures. How can you go wrong? Strongly recommend for fantasy readers who love mythical creatures and trials of aptitude.
Thank you @netgalley and #larawray for allowing me to read this delightful book.
Think Tri-Wizards Tournament but with more meaning. If you lose you're out. Our heroine Lori is making a strong case for a mixed breed. I love her character and her unique cast of allies she's picked up along the way. Also, who will be her romantic counterpart? I guess it's too early to tell. This first installment in the Elemental Mage Series will leave you wanting for more. I need six books please. It's just a really fun read with lots of fun magical creatures. How can you go wrong? Strongly recommend for fantasy readers who love mythical creatures and trials of aptitude.
Thank you @netgalley and #larawray for allowing me to read this delightful book.
June 14, 2024
Well done Lara Wray... 👏
I really enjoyed reading Alius Academy and cant wait to start the next in the series! I love how Lori is just a normal working class girl struggling to keep up with her mundane job and trying to support her family, when her whole life gets flipped upside down!
She is thrown into this completely unfamiliar yet very exciting world of magic and intrigue that she never even knew existed.
The characters that she meets each have their own characters, abilities and quirks that I'm sooo looking forward to learning more about in book 2 of the series.
The world building is fun and thrilling, the Academy along with its students and magical creature had me enthralled from page one the rest of the series won't sit on my TBR list for long, can't wait to get started on them! 🥳📚
I really enjoyed reading Alius Academy and cant wait to start the next in the series! I love how Lori is just a normal working class girl struggling to keep up with her mundane job and trying to support her family, when her whole life gets flipped upside down!
She is thrown into this completely unfamiliar yet very exciting world of magic and intrigue that she never even knew existed.
The characters that she meets each have their own characters, abilities and quirks that I'm sooo looking forward to learning more about in book 2 of the series.
The world building is fun and thrilling, the Academy along with its students and magical creature had me enthralled from page one the rest of the series won't sit on my TBR list for long, can't wait to get started on them! 🥳📚
April 5, 2023
Ok so. Bare with me.
When I first started this book I really thought it wouldn't be for me, I found the writing style overly descriptive and maybe a little scattered and il be honest, it took me a little while to get into the book.
However! Having persevered I realised it's simply a different style of writing to what I've been reading recently and is not at all an issue. This book gives me everything I like from fantasy writing except maybe a little spice 🌶️
The characters are well written, the author has done an excellent job of making me hate Seb but also thinking maybe I don't…. I also LOVE Saffron, what a bad ass biznitch!
If you love magic, drama, emotional turmoil and magical creatures then this is the one for you!
I am impatiently waiting for the next book XD
When I first started this book I really thought it wouldn't be for me, I found the writing style overly descriptive and maybe a little scattered and il be honest, it took me a little while to get into the book.
However! Having persevered I realised it's simply a different style of writing to what I've been reading recently and is not at all an issue. This book gives me everything I like from fantasy writing except maybe a little spice 🌶️
The characters are well written, the author has done an excellent job of making me hate Seb but also thinking maybe I don't…. I also LOVE Saffron, what a bad ass biznitch!
If you love magic, drama, emotional turmoil and magical creatures then this is the one for you!
I am impatiently waiting for the next book XD
August 5, 2023
Lori Fields is suddenly thrown into a world she knows nothing about. Fortunately for the reader, that means we're learning about the alius together. I read this book after the companion novella, Seeker Mage, which is a reading order I have to say I would recommend. Going in this order means you have a brief introduction to Lara's incredible magical world and are then able to follow it up by seeing the opening scenes from the other side.
I cannot recommend this book enough. There's an incredible depth of species, lifelike characters, and rich and robust magical systems. If you like or liked Harry Potter and want to be impressed by a better quality series, Elemental Mage is the series for you.
I cannot recommend this book enough. There's an incredible depth of species, lifelike characters, and rich and robust magical systems. If you like or liked Harry Potter and want to be impressed by a better quality series, Elemental Mage is the series for you.
Read
November 25, 2023Good
Lori finds herself in a magical academy after being attacked by a mysterious magical being. She is surprised to discover that not only does she have magic, but her whole life is a lie!
Made to participate in some trials, with the threat of being held in a detention centre if she fails, Lori has to figure out how to use her magic, and how to survive when it seems so many want her to fail!
An enjoyable book, it is a little slow to start as it begins to introduce the characters and the world. It’s an intriguing world with an interesting magical system, and a premise that promises to keep the reader engaged.
An entertaining read, this is one that magical academy enthusiasts will enjoy.
Lori finds herself in a magical academy after being attacked by a mysterious magical being. She is surprised to discover that not only does she have magic, but her whole life is a lie!
Made to participate in some trials, with the threat of being held in a detention centre if she fails, Lori has to figure out how to use her magic, and how to survive when it seems so many want her to fail!
An enjoyable book, it is a little slow to start as it begins to introduce the characters and the world. It’s an intriguing world with an interesting magical system, and a premise that promises to keep the reader engaged.
An entertaining read, this is one that magical academy enthusiasts will enjoy.
March 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this first book in this new series. I love books featuring magic and schools and this one was perfect.
The main character Laurel-Leah Fields has just found out about being a magical being after being attacked. Now faced with the decision of passing the school trials or going to a detention centre Laurel- Leah chooses to face the trials.
I enjoyed all the characters we met in this series and found them well rounded. I enjoyed the plot but did feel that the ending was kind of cut a little short.
I really enjoyed this authors writing style too.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.
The main character Laurel-Leah Fields has just found out about being a magical being after being attacked. Now faced with the decision of passing the school trials or going to a detention centre Laurel- Leah chooses to face the trials.
I enjoyed all the characters we met in this series and found them well rounded. I enjoyed the plot but did feel that the ending was kind of cut a little short.
I really enjoyed this authors writing style too.
I’m really looking forward to the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2023
Welcome to the world of Magic and Fae and Vampires and More, Oh My! The Alius Academy is open to invitees from dwarves to vampires, mages to wolf shifters to fae/fairies, and a species from out of this world -- the Eassusians. Literally out of this world because they are from another planet. A planet that tries to murder citizens that are a threat to the supposed imposter Emporer.
At the center of the story, we have Lori -- a young, ordinary woman who just wants to get through life without causing her parents to have too much trouble and not be a problem to anyone. That is until she is attacked one day and ends up at the infirmary of Alius Academy. Before she knows it, she's thrown into a battle of trials to fight her place at the Academy, or she'll be sent to a Detention Center for being Unregistered. As if she knew she was supposed to be registered. She's had magic for 2 days and has no idea how to use it and needs it to survive. Everyone wants something from her or hates her for being who she is. She's in a fight for her life. Will she survive.
I admire the world-building in this book. It's fantastic. Very well done. I would like to see the dialog tighten up. At times, it is stuntened. I feel Lori is very timid and needs to develop a real backbone very quickly. She's developed a good support system, but she needs to show belief in her own powers. Open herself to her own strength.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I can see this becoming a popular series.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
At the center of the story, we have Lori -- a young, ordinary woman who just wants to get through life without causing her parents to have too much trouble and not be a problem to anyone. That is until she is attacked one day and ends up at the infirmary of Alius Academy. Before she knows it, she's thrown into a battle of trials to fight her place at the Academy, or she'll be sent to a Detention Center for being Unregistered. As if she knew she was supposed to be registered. She's had magic for 2 days and has no idea how to use it and needs it to survive. Everyone wants something from her or hates her for being who she is. She's in a fight for her life. Will she survive.
I admire the world-building in this book. It's fantastic. Very well done. I would like to see the dialog tighten up. At times, it is stuntened. I feel Lori is very timid and needs to develop a real backbone very quickly. She's developed a good support system, but she needs to show belief in her own powers. Open herself to her own strength.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I can see this becoming a popular series.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2023
A big thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is the first in a new series. This was a bit convoluted and had a lot of different world building. Probably more for young adults/teens. There was no true conclusion. It did have good characters. I did like Laurel-Leah and the book. I would recommend, and I would read the 2nd. 3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews