Three sexy elemental mages, a shifter and a magic freak who sparks their magic in weird ways. Yeah, what could go wrong in this scenario? Welcome to the Protectors Academy!
I don’t know who I am. I don’t know how I got here. But I know if I stop running, I will never be free.
When I burst from the woods into a rush of headlights and asphalt and open night sky, I think I’ve made it. I’m safe.
Then a blinding burst of energy explodes in front of me and the last thing I see before it all goes dark is a handsome face hovering over mine. Yay me, right?
But when I open my eyes, I find myself magicked to a hospital bed with some non-handsome guy telling me they’ve never seen my kind of magic before. At least, not in this world.
The way they see it, the choice is simple: enroll in their magic academy and learn to manage my power or spend the rest of my life in a cage.
And that’s how I land at Protectors Academy, a cut-throat magic boarding school where the heirs of the rich and important rule while they compete for an elite position on the borderlands.
But I am not safe here, either. I’m being followed, a group of mean girls is on my case and four of the hottest guys on campus don’t know what to do with me. And that’s before someone comes after me and the entire school blames me for burning down my own dorm room.
All I want to do is pass their tests and get out of here. But first, I have to survive.
Reverse Harem Academy readers will want to scroll up and one-click to this action-packed, mystery-filled steamy romance.
Publisher’s Note: Protectors Academy: Sparking Magic is a full-length reverse harem supernatural fantasy academy series with magic and steam meant for mature readers.
Nika Gray is living her happily-ever-after with her family in sunny California. She loves stories that are both supernatural and have a big swoon factor to them. Her heroines are strong, strong-willed and sassy and are fully appreciated by their mates.
I'm apparently in the minority with my rating. Most of the reviews on here are giving it 4 stars or more. My opinion: two stars is a stretch (mainly because I don't wanna be a butthole)
The premise had me interested and the beginning was good. Then she meets the "it" girls and the guys and I gave myself a headache with the eye rolls. The girls are perfect and b*tchy. They're elite and know they're gorgeous and there's the whole "stay away from [insert guys name here], or else," scene.
The guys are gorgeous and distracting. There's really no build up to anything. She meets them, and them wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. There are very few conversations and there isn't any getting to know each other... just let's play put the hot dog in the bun. Of course they're all playboys known for their commitment-phobia but that all changes after doing the no-pants-dance with Sadie.
Also, her memory comes back fairly early in the book and I thought that revelation was anti-climactic. I felt when she remembers, its like it isn't all that big of a deal when in reality what she's describing are some pretty traumatic experiences. I mean, she was kidnapped for goodness sakes and she glosses over it like, "oh, yeah I escaped captivity. Wanna kiss some more?" People don't get snatched from their job, kept imprisoned, kill a bunch of folks in their ensuing escape, and then just move on like its any other Tuesday.
Sadie was an okay-ish heroine. We don't really get much about her powers in this other than they're different from everyone else's.
Anyways, it's obvious she's something different, and I'm pretty sure I know what, but we aren't told definitively before the book ends. She's easily distracted when there are pretty guys around, which was a little annoying, but what can you expect. Amiright? We get a little about her backstory when her memories come back to her and they're typical damsel-in-distress issues. Though, she seems unperturbed by all the adversity she's faced, so....
The guys weren't anything to write home about. Typical reverse harem arch-types. We don't really get to know them that well over the course of the book. One of the guys she doesn't even interact with and another one it's only a quick convo even though they're essentially living together. The other two are head-over-heels in love with her and all devoted and shit like they've had more than a few conversations when in reality they touched naughty bits a few times and are obsessed with Sadie.
Author Nika Gray brings us the tale of Sadie. She is found running through the woods and picked up by the headmaster of the Protectors Academy. For a while Sadie doesn't know who she is or where she's from but the headmaster wants to protect her after she preformed some magic that he had never seen before. Sadie goes along with it and is introduced to his daughter Kelly and they set her up to take classes. One of the classes who's book had interested her was the magical history and the sections about that fae war that happened twenty-two years before. She regains her memory after having fun with someone whom the headmaster had asked to train her and bring her up to speed with everything. Her magic and his begin to change. This a great opening book to this series and I'm looking forward to reading the next book. I highly recommend this Academy series for all mature fantasy fans.
First I would say read the free prequel, before you read this. We have a story that brings new ideas into this academy readings.. Sadie has been in foster car for most of her life. An outsider, who realizes she can trust no-one. Then one night at work her life changes, but is it for the good or bad? Who do you trust now? Why still and outsider in a new school? Can anyone help her?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So far a interesting story line and I do like her writing style. The rushed sex scenes weren’t fun. Who hooks up with not only one but two guys that fast.. after everything she had been through... and some cheesy lines like sexy Sadie had me rolling my eyes.
This book wasn’t quite there yet for me but I think there’s a lot of potential in her writing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Sparking Magic was a bit of a wild experience: from the chaotic and confusing beginning to the extreme horniness, to the short timespan covered by the book (one week), to the big questions—with what I’m guessing will be predictable answers—that are yet to be unveiled.
Honestly, this novel needed a fair—as in extreme amounts—bit of work. There was a lot of repetition going on, the dialogues felt like a vehicle to dump exposition—making them unnatural and not organic—and there was a myriad of mistakes ranging from missing commas to weirdly placed periods, grammar and spelling mistakes, switching characters’ names, and other continuity mishaps. Here are a few examples.
Reading the blurb, you basically get the plot in a few paragraphs. Sparking Magic opens with our girl Sadie fleeing through the woods and almost getting run over by a car, only mto wake up in the house of the principal of Protectors Academy—an elite institution for top-level mages (primarily, the children of The Council, aka the ruling group of this fictional universe).
And why does this academy exist? To train these mages. Train for what? To protect the veil and keep everyone safe from the allegedly evil Fae who are trapped on the other side of it. Why are the Fae considered evil? We don’t know. And it doesn’t really matter. What matters are these unusual magical powers Sadie has—that allow her to do magic without the special ring everyone else needs—the identity of the people after her, and, most importantly, the uber-hot guys that turn her brain to mush and her nethers into a waterfall.
Yes, Sparking Magic was very insta-lusty and Sadie was for sure boy crazy, but since that aspect was fueled by the magic binding Sadie and the guys together, I can forgive it (even if it got to be beyond cringe at times).
Speaking of the guys, I kept calling Fergus "Tristan" in my mind, and I don't know why. Maybe it's because Disney's Brave had me thinking red hair, kilts, sexy brogues, and the rolling green hills of the Scottish highlands every time I read Fergus—said in a quintessentially Scottish accent—instead of the California surfer boy he was described as.
As I can already predict each of the boys will be tied to one of the famous fae courts, here's the name/court match-ups I would have done for them:
But they each would have needed looks to match. Cole's frosty blue eyes and white-blond hair were well suited for winter, but I feel his name would have gone better with a golden-skinned, cerulean-eyed dude with longish, sun-bleached, wavy hair, which is what I picture when I think "Summer". For Spring, rich, dark brown locks—the color of fertile soil—and shamrock-green irises, and Fall would have gotten hazel eyes and tousled auburn hair. Super original and creative, I know.
Anyway, I've been playing around on Pinterest and making a mood board with character castings and other things based on the descriptions I remembered, so I can attempt to override my brain's biases.
In any case, while the magical powers of Sadie’s vagina have unlocked the dormant magic inside Cole and Fergus, the harem is not yet complete, since Declan is still on the fence—and in his feels about making a move on who he thinks of as his BFF’s girl—and Aiden is wary and unwilling to trust anything Sadie says or does.
Trouble is on the horizon, there are still people after Sadie (as explained in the book’s description), things with the Fae may not be as mages were led to believe and the Council parents are sure to oppose their valuable baby boys dating a girl of no standing with unusual and dangerous powers. I can guess where this story is going, and even if the writing leaves a lot to be desired, what with the range of mistakes big and small, the repetition of ideas and feelings, and the bits of plot that were not explained clearly, I'm still intrigued enough that I decided to rate this a very generous 3 stars and will be picking the second book in the Protectors Academy series.
This is my first book by this author and I absolutely loved it. A good storyline and fantastic characters. The story flowed effortlessly and there was never a dull moment.
Sadie never knew magic existed until right before she was kidnapped. Then, nothing. All her memories, gone. The next thing she knows, she’s running for her life through the forest. Professor Hotchkiss comes across her and brings her home. He’s the headmaster at an academy for mages. Until she gets her memory back, and her magic under control, she must remain there as a student.
Sadie’s character is pretty pragmatic and easy to like. Her no nonsense style when going up against the ubiquitous academy mean girls is kind of fun to watch. I hate bullies, but for some reason I live for the mean girl antics and comeuppance that are nearly always a part of academy stories. But I’m cool with it.
Obviously, her four (count ‘em 4!) guys are the best looking, most sought after hunks on campus. Fergus, Declan, Cole and Aiden. I like each of them, although we only really know Fergus and Cole at this point. They’re also the only ones she has done the deed with. I have no doubt that Declan and Aiden will have their turn in the next book.
This book grabbed me from the opening pages and I read through until I was done! I do recommend this book to fans of PNR books. It appears that here is a prequel book, but it’s not on Amazon. I’ll have to check out the author’s website, perhaps she offers it there.
ONE FANTASTIC MAGICAL OVERLOAD!!! Flipping freak! Nika brusts through full throttle, riding the wings of a raging inferno, lighting up the night and watching it burn, fusing this little guy together piece by jagged piece. Braided, bound and entangled, showcasing the explosive ups and agonizing downs, testing our characters in ways they could have never anticipated. Anarchy runs rampant and havoc is rife, rolling out the drama, intrigue, turmoil, spiraling suspense and intense situations, along with a boatload of danger, you have one jaw dropping adventure. Lines blur and boundaries crossed, limitations are stretched and bent, booting this baby forward, kicking it into overdrive, slamming it into a frenzy with astonishing results. Navigating the taunting trials and stunning tribulations, stumbling through the crazy twists and wicked turns, drawing our characters closer than they could have ever envisioned. The characters are realistic, intriguing and authentic with depth and qualities that add just enough flaws for diversity. The scenes are so vividly detailed and descriptive it gives the illusion you were right there in the middle of ground zero with them. Fantastic job Nika, thanks for sharing this bad boy with us.
This was a great start to a new series. I’m not overly fond of series that are actually just installments of a single story/book, so I always check first to make sure the full series is out and published before I start one. I don’t understand the ego of authors that think we should wait a year to read the next installment, and be happy about it!
This book is a strong start. The main character, Sadie, develops with us. She doesn’t know herself any more than we do, so we get discover who she is with her. The men in her life are just getting introduced - two as of the end of book 1. (We know there will be four). Their characters are not as clearly drawn, but they are starting to develop, and I feel they will be fleshed out more soon.
The story line is a bit slow in developing: not much actually happens in book 1, but it’s going in the right direction, so I’m on to book 2!
Sparking Magic (Protectors Academy, #1) by Nika Gray, I got an email saying get book 3 free.. Went to the site and it was 5.99 USA.. I looked at the first book and it was free, given the blurb for the book, it sounded interesting. This book is very Sexual, very 18+, I was almost put off the book with grammar issues in the begging the word by instead of be, and sentences were you know it makes no sense unless the word who is inserted, also issues with.. You and I (since there were 2 people) and the statement is you and we (more then once)... These are little issues that could of been proof red out.. The build up of the characters are good. I like the well described depictions of each person. Not what I expected from the blurb, but it is an interesting story.. It feels similar to other books I read except for the erotic scenes in the book.
Shes running for her life from the screams and the people who did this who are they and more importantly who is she. Her name is Sadie but she doesn't remember it write away shes saved by the Dean of the Protectors Academy something is wrong the boys here are different shes drawn to them her enemies are many and even those she thought she could trust may betray her. And if her secret comes out she will be killed. I think this is a good start to a new series my only issue was the multiple POV it was jarring at times.
I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book via Booksprout and this is my honest review.
I am so glad that I gave this new author a try the book was very good! The characters are well developed and the storyline flows nicely. There were a few spots in the book that could have gone a little smoother but for a brand new author's first book, I was highly impressed. This is an RH paranormal academy story about a girl who has unusual powers, shifters, and mages. There are plenty of sexy men, fun times, and lots of twists and turns to keep you glued to the pages in this book! I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this new author!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The start of this book is a great start to a series. Our heroine is fleeing, but from what? She finds refuge, maybe? As Sadie works to remember who she is and to try to fit in at the Protectors Academy, she’s also fighting some strong urges towards some of her classmates. Can Sadie begin to uncover who she really is and learn to control her magic? Can the guys she’s meeting be any help at all?
If you want a super quick, easy to read, zodiac academy but why choose, this is not a bad choice.
It was obvious there wasn’t an editor (misspelled names, plot holes, & grammatical errors). It was like reading a wattpad story so it’s a good bad if you know what I mean.
The fantasy part of the storyline was interesting, but Sadie’s magical vagina unlocking the guys powers was a tad ridiculous ☠️.
So, overall it wasn’t bad, but just felt like a worse version of zodiac academy!
This book is very well written. Characters are well developed and are relatable. They feel like actual people with emotion and all. It's a poor girl who had a bad life due to foster system. One night everything changes but who do you trust when meeting new people. It's academy set. Can't go wrong there. Very good.
I loved it and would recommend it! I could definitely tell that Alexis was up to no good that much was obvious. And man I wouldn’t mind being Sadie with all these strong mages. If she isn’t human what is she?!! Also is Declan and Aiden going to be apart of the “team!” I just got the second book so I hope I will find out soon haha
3.75 This was a little predictable, but surprisingly good. (Coming off a dnf so perspective might be skewed). Our MFC is an orphan who discovers she has unusual magic. After escaping from a lab she is discovered and taken to an academy where they train kids to fight the fae. The problem with this scenario is our MFC just might be the very thing she's being trained to fight against.
This book definitely set the tone for the series. The RH is slow burn but the characters development and the world building is fast paced. This is a fast read and has a bit of action although not a lot of variety. I would say 18+ instead of total family friendly rating.
This is a good story, that still needs work. The overall story has great potential and I find myself needing to find out more. The characters are developing nicely and are quite interesting. The plot is straightforward and the premise in this book was finding out what kind of magic Sadie has, and learning how to focus it and keep it under her control. I definitely recommend this book.
I don’t like putting a bad rating on books with few reviews, but this was not my cup of tea. I guess the reverse harem is not for me but the story also felt flat. The worldbuilding was not great, the characters were not well developed, especially the guys and overall, the romance stories were a bit rush.
Interesting storyline and I look forward to the next book in this series. Hope we get to learn more about those fae wars and the heroines mysterious past.
This story lives me wanting more. There was a story before this one which remained murky and leaves the audience wanting to know more about the main character. The mystery of Sadie's life is slowly evolving and I'm curious to know what happened next.
Sparking Magic, the first book of the Protectors Academy series, is an ebook I downloaded from Kindle Unlimited. There were an awful lot of coincidental circumstances to move this storyline forward, but overall I enjoyed the story quite a bit.
Sadie wakes up at Protectors Academy. She had been kidnapped from her work as a waitress, and then escaped from the lab they had her in. At the Academy she learns of magic and has a magnetic compulsion to several of the guys.
Story was ok, unfortunately i was put off by the poorly written sentences and grammar errors. At one point one of the main characters names was spelled wrong. It felt like nothing really happened and the romances were a bit forced.
Complex characters and a healthy storyline. I enjoyed this read, and its little twist and turn. The mystery of Sadie's background and of those hunting her keeps you immersed in the story. Can't wait to see what happens next!
It was delightful and fun. I enjoyed it, and even the sex scenes were enjoyable (obviously not for kids). I only wish it came complete with all the books/story. I might go buy more of the series when I get money (yeah, I'm extremely broke).
She grew up alone in an uncaring foster system moving from family to family. She got abducted from work and found herself in a lab. She escaped and was rescued by a teacher of a magical school.