Firstborn Academy - Jahr 2 (Die Schule für Magie)

Firstborn Academy #2

by Isla Frost

Nova has the magic of the enemy.

No one knows whether it's the power they've been waiting for--or a curse that will destroy the world.

And not everyone at the Firstborn Academy is willing to let Nova live long enough to find out...


Fans of Harry Potter, Shadowspell Academy, Harley Merlin, and The Hunger Games, welcome to a magical new world packed with adventure, intrigue, romance, and characters you'll fall in love with. 



Trilogy Reading Order and Release Dates:

Firstborn Academy: Shadow Trials (Book 1) releases September 2019 
Firstborn Academy: Shadow Witch (Book 2) releases October 2019
Firstborn Academy: Shadow Reaper (Book 3) releases December 2019

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Fiction, Magic, Dystopia

274 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2019

About the author

Isla Frost is a bestselling fantasy author who loves apple pie. She writes about strong heroines in fast-paced stories full of danger, magic, and adventure that leave you feeling warm and satisfied...

Kind of like eating apple pie.

Reviews

[Dallass · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, that was an interesting turn of events.

Nova has been transformed and from the moment she wakes, the sh!t has hit the fan because her gift was a doozy. Now, feared and ostracised by students and teachers alike, she must rely on her friends more than ever if she is to survive.

We are introduced to a new nemesis, Ellbereth, who has no qualms about attacking Nova, and one of the teachers has more than an issue with teaching her. Fairly fast paced, and has pretty good action scenes. There is a nice little twist in the tail at the end as Nova learns the truth about the Malus.

3 stars ⭐️

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this a 3.5 because this book had me really wanting to continue in parts, than parts i wanted to dnf. The story is okay and easy to read. But I'm starting to get annoyed with the main character. Maybe she will get better by book 3. The end of book 2 gave me hopes to continue. Lol. I really like the concept of the book. Magic and alien races all in one!! Super cool! So I'll finish series.

[Daisy Delfin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pages: 270
My rating: 3.5

I liked most of the book, but the end was off. It was not really a cliffhanger, but whatever happened at the place in Antarctica, it is not explained. There is a gap, where in other parts the author told many details.
I will read the next book, because I want to know how this series end. Up to now there is no romance. Nova and Theus get closer but more like friends.


The Characters: Names and descriptions of the persons

Nova: first child of her family, has to go through a runagate after she turned 17, does not know what to expect, but plans to bring the walkers down and so earth can be free of the walkers and monsters.
Reuben, Mila, Dad: Nova’s family, who loves her and cared for her, when her mother distanced herself, Nova looks after Mila and Reuben.
Ameline: firstborn, best friend of Nova and same age too, leaves with Nova, magic speciality is communicating with animals and maybe she will be able to communicate with people she knows
Bryn: firstborn, meets Ameline and Nova in the waiting room, is streetsmart and had to take care of herself, because her father is a drunk. Can crave wood and used to blow up thing to find treasures to sell. Magic speciality is fire.
Theus: walker, he pairs up with the human kids in the first trial, he is called the prophesied by a fellow walker, most of the other walkers ignore him. He tries to get to know Nova a little better and Nova agrees to be more friendly with him, mainly so that she can gain information
Lirielle: walker, friend and follower of Theus, can see at least a little of the future and is different than other walkers. She teams up with the humans in the first trial. She is a fierce fighter.
Glennis and Glenn: goblins, work for the firstborn academy, they were saved by the walkers and work for them
Millicent: Name of the building of the firstborn Academy, the building has an own conscience and it prefers to be called Millicent than building. Millicent for example controls the access to the dorm rooms, also helps to guide the new students to their classes by showing different animals on the wallpaper pointing out the way. Makes Bryn’s and Nova’s life difficult, because they created footholds and handholds into the wall of the waiting room.
Invermoore: Walker and healer
Ellbereth: Walker, daughter of a council politician, wants to reverse Nova’s transformation
Gus: Nickname of Nova’s sword
Griff: Ameline’s pygmy griffin friend, he is small when Ameline gets him, but grows during the book



Summery: detailed, lot’s of spoiler

Nova awakes after going through the ceremony. She feel good but when she gets up she sees that there is a dead walker woman lying on the floor. And Nova does not know what happened. But she wants to go and see her friends, so she leaves the basement and runs into Professor Grimworth, who grabs her. He ask her why she is up and alone. She tries to answer but he has already dragged her back into the basement room. There he sees the walker woman - Kyrrha, who is one of the professors friend - dead. Other Professors arrive and they look Nova into the waiting room, while discussing what to do with Nova.
Professor Cricklewood (the PE teacher) comes to visit Nova, bringing a plant and a flum, a fluff ball of a creature. He tells Nova to use her second sight and she can suddenly see the professors life energy. The Professor tells her to call the life energy of the flum to her, but it does not work, until the Professor knicks the flum with a knife. After that Nova takes all of the plum’s life energy and the flum is dead. Nova is upset, that she killed an animal without reason.
The Professors decide to let her live, but she has to keep in line and do all her classes. But when she goes to Professor Grimworth’s magic class, he tells her to leave, because he is not teaching an abomination like her. He tells her to out and get herself killed. Nova leaves ans practice magic on her own. Theus and sometime Lirielle accompany her.

There are trials again, but this time, the walker and human have to work together. Nova shows the walker, that she is pretty good in fighting but still some of her class mates, do not accept her.

Another Classmate, a walker called Ellbereth, tries to get Nova to do a ritual, so that her magic is taken away. But Nova survives all attacks. But Theus is worried, that Nova gets killed one day. So he takes her through a runagate to Antarktika, where the sous are bound. He tells her that there is a way, how she can bind Ellbereth, so she can’t harm her without repercussion. She has to bind her should and Ellbereth soul together.

While she thinks about this solution somebody interrupts them. Theus thinks that he will be punished for bringing her to the place where the life force of the Hollows is stored. He is not supposed to tell a human the secrets he told Nova. Nova tells him that she will take the blame and that somebody has to stand up for him and she is going to do this.

We only get to know that Nova bound herself to Ellbereth’s life force. And that she shows Ellbereth. After that there are no attacks on Nova (because Ellbereth would die when Nova dies, since the bonding of their life forces).
Then the book ends, even though the Academy semester has ended.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Kindle Unlimited
*Genre* Young Adult / Fantasy
*Rating* 3.5

*Thoughts*

Shadow Witch is the second installment in author Isla Frost's Firstborn Academy trilogy and picks up right where the first book ended. Nova and her friends Ameline and Bryn have survived the first stage of their training. Now, they have to deal with a transformation ritual which will alter their bodies and make them part of a specialized contingent of elite warriors of humans and hollows to fight a force called Malus who has destroyed Europe.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Jeanny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Speciesism.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second book of this trilogy, we find out that Nova has passed through the first 3 months of the trials and she is passed through to the next section along with her two best friends. They discover exactly what they are supposed to be fighting against and discover that there is more to the "war" than they have previously been told.

There was a "transition" that the humans had to go through that ended up giving them expanded "powers" to be able to fight alongside the Walkers. Nova is the Wildcard, and her unique power is something that no one has seen in 150 years - and it just might cost her her life.

I listened to the first two books on audio and enjoyed the narration. I am liking Nova as a FMC and there is a really strong group of secondary characters that surround her. Looks like everything is building up to the last book in the trilogy and its up next to discover who is going to win the war.

[Sabrina Wannet · Rating 5 out of 5]

dammit. This girl is strong and I love her. A girl to be carefull of and to respect. but the walkers are scared of her. What will happen to her and how about Theus? Theus trust her so much that he is willing to risk everything or is there more for them in the future? this book gives you answers but it gives also many questions. now on to book 3

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova finds out she has death magic simular to the enemy. Half the school wants her gone, permanently. The other half thinks she is their savior. Nova just wants to get through school alive. Another fun read.

[Catriona Kupper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter makes you want to read more, will be reading he next straight away

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this was a good second book. I like the world and the ideas behind the story. Loving the fact that she's a super bad ass and has the powers she has, but that has brought bout some problems. Will she live long enough to do what she's been asked to do or will others fears of her end her too soon?

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is much like the last one. The idea of the world and story are good. The world building is less confusing. Not that the author is writing it better but because you know things from the 1st book.

I like the characters. I really want to be more invested in them. You get to know Nova and her human friends but the walker friends are another story. There are bits and pieces you get to see their relationships build but like in the 1st book they are built more off page and then you are told about them later. There is a budding romance I want to feel and see but it feels so surface. You are told how they feel more than shown. I want to be more attached to them.

None of this book ever gets me in the feels. Anger, happiness, fear, the tingle and heart flutterings of the unknown; it is hardly more than words on a page. It could be as simple as the writer does not write emotions the way you can really feel them come off the page. I wish they would. And maybe they do, just not for me.

As in the 1st book, even though things are not as fleshed out as I would like, there is something that keeps me reading. Something that I can’t quite put my finger on. Maybe it is I just like the idea of the characters and the world and really just want to know where it all goes.
I have hope that the next book will be better just like this one was better than the 1st. I hope I feel the feels and see this thing come to a really good end.

[Laney Estel · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ The Title/Cover Draw:
My friend gifted the first book to me and I enjoyed it very much. Since the next 2 are available on Kindle Unlimited, I felt like it was a good time to read them.
💜 What I liked:
We continue Nova’s story through the academy after she wakes up from the ritual. The action is fast paced and really moves you through the story of the academy. We learn a little more about Theus and Lirielle, which I am happy for.
😱 What I didn’t like:
The book seems short and there wasn’t enough character development as I wanted. Also, see my thoughts about the ending.
💁‍♀️ The Characters:
Nova, Ameline, and Brynn are still finding their way through the academy, especially since people want to kill Nova for her new abilities.
🚦 The Ending:
For me, the ending was too abrupt. There is a rather large scene at the end with too many questions left for the third book. This was done for a cliffhanger effect so I understand why, but it frustrated me a little. I immediately started the 3rd book in order to answer them. It was effective but I felt like there could have been more foreshadowing and explanation and still keep the cliff hanger.

💭 Reminds me of:
Percy Jackson since it’s about magical school age kids.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Robert Deal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prepare for a wild ride!!

This is the second book and I'll be diving into the next one immediately. I've already stayed up too late but I'm going to be go a bit longer. This is a great series. Teenagers to boomers can enjoy them. Our hero and her friends are trying to save the world. They just have to avoid the people who are too afraid to let them try.
I love characters that come to life and this book has them. My only complaint is that I'm going to going to be done too soon.

[Toni ~married to a hunk~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. It was very interesting and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the first book in this series; however, I feel as though the second book fell a little short for me.
*Contains slight spoilers*
My first problem with this sequel was how Nova was treated by the Professors and her new Nemesis. Professor Grimwort behaved more so like a child than an adult who was tasked with training future soldiers who could potentially end an 150 year war. None of the 'adults' did anything to keep Nova safe and while it made me upset/annoyed, I can see in hindsight how it may have been used with the intention to give Nova some character growth.
I also didn't like how the whole book centered around the multiple attempts on Nova's life.
Although I have my grievances about the Shadow Witch, I still can't wait to read the last book to see if Nova finally gives into her attraction to a certain hollow, learn about what else has been left in the dark from the humans, and how Nova goes about defeating the malus- which I know she will.

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first

I enjoyed this second book in the series more than I did the first. It felt like it had more emotion behind it and was centred more on the characters than explaining events. I much prefer it when a story is character driven because it feels like I am being pulled into their world and experiences. There are more challenges to overcome in this story and we learn more about the reasons for the Agreement, the true nature of the evil faced by the characters, what it means for Walkers, humans, and the survival of the planet...what is left of it anyway. We also come to understand the extent of the prophesy in play. So far the story has built up to what should be an exciting conclusion in the third book. However, these books are such a quick read I can't help but think they might have worked better as a single volume. On to the next one then.

[Avid · Rating 2 out of 5]

I get tired of characters, illustrated as being worldly-wise and tough, who fail to recognize when they need to ask for help. The whole bullying thing was poorly handled. She should have told every professor about it and asked for help, whether via advice or actual intervention. The FMC, for all her determination and goals, is stuck in this polarized thinking, as if she only has 2 options in any situation. There were so many other options. She just didn’t ASK for help immediately, so she didn’t know what her options were. And can we just be clear: evil people who make deals are NEVER going to stop coming for you. When you give someone exactly what they want, why would they ever stop?? Infuriating.

[Tegan Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole series just seems one note, I didn’t care about Nova or any of the others. Too many characters to care about without more character development. Like am I to believe this super close relationship with old neighbour Fletcher like okay.

Several of the reveals fall super flat, especially the circlet discovered when snooping turns out to be a training tool. I was overall disappointed with this being an ongoing theme. Most life altering knowledge hits people harder than Nova and her friends. Hey the evil aliens who massacred humans to the brink of extinction are gonna teach them magic wahhhhh, Nova and her friends are able to accept and move on. They move on to fast for it to stick.

[PepperP0t · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nova’s used to the way teachers and walkers regard humans but now that the transformation is complete, it’s become a whole other thing, at least in her case. It’s not enough Nova’s human, it’s unclear if her wildcard magic is a blessing or a curse but she’s now a peculiar human that inspires, envy, malice, fear, admiration, hate, joy and murderous intent.

The population at the academy is further polarized After a display of Nova’s magic during a class assignment, the school population is more openly polarized as Nova’s reunited with a friend, softens toward Theus, finds common ground Lirielle and learns more about her allies and enemies. Little to unknown facts plus enemy actions help Nova fit puzzle pieces together that could ultimately work in her favor.
Rating: 4stars

[Rosemary Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title within the series set box. (Audible)

After graduating the three months at the Academy, their futures were revealed in two lists.
One list sent two thirds of them to some unknown destination, to while their lives away.
The second list led to a ritual and possibly enhanced magical skills.
Nova's experience was a bit of wonder and a whole lot of suspicion and distrust. Very good friends and enemies willing to kill to eradicate a perceived threat.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Getting better. Still needs more fleshing out of characters, storyline, world building, etc. especially considering the scale its set on, with the fate of not just one but two worlds hanging in the balance.
I'm mean it's kinda sad when the two best characters happen to be inanimate objects.
And the storytelling felt a bit one-sided in this one. Not much going on apart from Ellbereth and her machinations.

[Lee Ann Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in this series starts with a big surprise. Nova undergoes her transformation and unlike everyone else is not exactly overjoyed with her newly acquired magic which also makes her a target.
Her friends stick by her and try to protect her as much as they can.
Nearing the end she finds out more of what she can do and how, and what the relationship between the Walkers -Humans -and Malus really means for her , her power and her future and that of her friends.
A solid second YA book.

[Mary Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Similar to Vampire Academy and Hunger games with an interesting twist.

I honestly thought this book would be trite but honestly I devoured the first two books with delight. I love Nova and want her to find more than friendship with one of the swallows. Love Gus and the whole excalibur vibes they have going on.. I normally read much spicer novels, but like to go to YA for a break, and I’m so glad I did..

Now if they just made this novel in the grow up 🥵 version. 😆

[Tammy Agdeppa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent 2nd Book of the Series

This 2nd book of the series continues to engage, entertain, and draw the viewer in. While setting up for the 3rd book of the series, it ends with you actually wanting to get the last book and start reading instead of needing to take a break. Many series leaves the reader drained by the end of the 2nd book due to frequent slownesses in the writing. This series, so far, has a speed to all the pages that keeps you on edge and eager for more.

[fred jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impressive

An impressive continuation of this entertaining series. The trial has gifted Nova with a dark and contentious power that many fear. With friends old and new she begins to explore what she has been given. Magical snail and slime to the rescue. Highly inventive and entertaining story that is impossible to out down. Intrigue and adventure with Great characters. Highly recommended and I am already reading the final book.

[Sammi Bland-Kanes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a magical tale about secrets, power and discovering who you can really trust. When Nova enters the academy, the story quickly takes on a darker twist full of mystery and excitement. The journey continues with plenty of struggles, hidden truths, and moments of bravery that keep you turning the pages. The writing is clear and easy to follow, making it enjoyable while still full of surprises. This is a gripping and fun read for anyone who enjoys stories of magic with a darker edge.

[Mrgana Wyze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Non-stop action! A heroine who is motivated by love and empathy. A complete lack of teen hormones, language, or romance. Smart choices, good characters and absolutely an improvement on the numerous dreary teen romance/Hogwarts academy serial stories. Would that they were all this good.

[Celeste Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

unexpected plot twists

I love that I can’t just figure out what’s going to happen next - a lot of books I read feel too predictable.

However, it’s not also so far out of left field that it’s unbelievable either.

Very good mix of “I did not see that coming” without being unrealistic.

[John Nicolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome series, exceedingly exciting and enjoyable!!!!!

Congratulations to Isla Frost for this book in this amazing series. It’s extremely hard to find such an interesting and exciting author who not only writes intelligently but also provides top rated plots, characters and excitement in the stories.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

The series keeps getting better! Loved the book. The main character is relatable, funny, and has emotions, which some main characters surprisingly lack. The plot was great, but could Nova just shut up about the walkers and kiss Theus already? It's torture watching Theus hold back waiting on Nova to make up her damn mind. Good grief. Other than that, it was such a fun read!