What could be more serious than her supernatural power coming between her and the man she loves? A power struggle between Arcturus Academy and Firethorne Collegiate. The stakes? The entire Chaplin estate and all of its assets.
Does Saxony have what it takes to save the future of her school while her relationship is in turmoil?
A.L. Knorr is a USA Today Bestselling Author and award-winning Canadian conjurer of clean fantasy for teens and the young at heart. Her stories blend elemental magic, epic adventure, fierce female leads, and just enough romance to make your heart flutter (without needing to hide the book from your grandma).
Whether you’re chasing fire demons through Venice, swimming with mermaids off the coast of Poland, or unraveling supernatural conspiracies in ancient ruins, her immersive worlds pull you in—and don’t let go.
No explicit content. No f-bombs. Just page-turning plots, vivid magic, and characters you'll wish were real.
And if you like your fantasy with a little more grit, danger, and fallen angels? Check out Shadows of the Fallen—where secrets are deadly, powers come at a price, and trust is the rarest magic of all.
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This was an interesting addition to this series. Being set over summer break and adding a competition with a new school provided new characters and more action.
Another fabulous entry in this series. Lots of twists and turns that had me guessing until the end. Anxiety and heartbreak abound as well.
Just another quick gush for Ms. Knorr. With all the storylines and characters that have been created in this universe, it would be terribly easy to make each series a little formulaic. Thankfully, that is never the case. Each character's arc is its own. Each is colored with the flavor unique to the MC. It's a joy to read.
Really enjoyed this, the detail throughout was huge, especially in the escape room, I found myself shocked at some of the twists and turns. The cover is gorgeous and I am so glad that Ryan wasn't prominent in the book which is surprising considering the ending of the previous book. I think out of the books so far, this book is my favourite.
I loved the detail and creativity of the games. Lots of exciting action! As always, the characters are all so real, and for me, that makes the story come to life. I can't waot to see what happrns next in Saxony's life!
Okay gals listen up I've got some things to SAY and there will be SPOILERS so.
First of all I'm glad that there was some movement with the Gage storyline. Their chemistry is sweet and he is a good guy, but I mean our girl Saxony deserves someone better IMO. He always takes Ryan's side always and it's like....your brother is a psychopath???? Unless??
Loved the editional folklore added with the Valkaryie twist.
Okay so I was NOT ready for our boy Tommio to sweep in like that but like I could for sure ship them.
I was expecting to see more of Ryan in this book. I have secretly hoped for a redemption love story. I wanted her to start off with Gage and then empathize with Ryan. I want a progression that shows her acknowledging her dark side and not feeling like goody two shoes gets her. I wanted for her to melt the bully, put him in his place, and help him become the man he always could be. I still really like the idea of Ryan and Saxony together, but it's a bit late in the series and now that Tommio is in the mix... not sure what the heart wants right now. Truthfully they all have issues: Gage is oblivious and wayyy too nice, Tommio doesnt share a mage bond, and Ryan still is a 2 dimensional character although there is still potential for that to be developed.
Anyways, I love rooting for Saxony. She kicks butt, values integrity, and fights for those she loves. Such a good series!! Can't wait for the next one!
Also does ANYONE have theories on the mage bond?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Parents: idk why people think this is appropriate for preteens considering the positions these kids put themselves in… acceptable for 16+ Language: PG-13 Violence: G Sexual content: heavy making out/laying next to one another, alluding to wanting to “complete the deed”
This story was the most fast paced, edge of your seat in the series! So far this book has been my favorite. The complexity of the games, the tension that’s built up within the story itself, I can’t say more without spoiling this stellar audio experience, you’ll just have to drop those credits and get this fire gem into your library asap!
Narrator had great differentiations and was fun to listen to.
—I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
After the death of Basil's father, Saxony and Gage remained at Arcturus to offer their assistance while the other students are away for the spring break. Despite what his evil twin, Ryan, did to Saxony in the last book, Gage still takes sides with Ryan. Will he ever see Ryan for what he is or will he always make excuses for him, even though he keeps coming between him and Saxony.
Before Basil returns, a woman arrives at the academy and starts moving her stuff in. Turns out she is Basil's sister and runs her own fire mage academy, Fire Thorn, but has her sights set on taking over Arcturus.
When Basil arrives, he's incensed but the terms of their fathers will gives them both 50% each of the manor. Neither can agree to a resolution so they organise a tournament which pitches students against each other from the respective academies.
The games are well thought out and are described in detail. The final game is very emotional.
Saxony has matured a lot over her first year at the academy. Her love life has become complicated when Tommio returns to participate in the tournament.
There's a big twist towards the end which I wasn't expecting and it was goooooooooooood.
We get to see more of Saxony's adventures. After finishing her first year at Arcturus, she would expect life to get easier and to enjoy her summer vacation back home. Only Arcturus ends up being threatened by a competitor school. And the headmasters decide a "winner take all" approach, depending on whose student wins. And, of course, Arcturus needs its burned star, Saxony.
Overall, this was a very nice change of subject, because we've graduated from "fire school" to "fire Olympics". I loved the author's creativity with the tasks. I don't want to give any spoilers, but the tasks were super-exciting. Almost couldn't put the book down, because I needed to see what happened next.
Also, we got an announcement that this series will have 5 books, instead of the usual trilogy. So... there is a cliffhanger. Not games-related. But a shady character is back from the past to turn Saxony's life upside down. Poor girl can't get a break!
SNAP, CRACKLE, POP, SIZZLE! FREEZE! Wow! So much excitement jam packed into this third book of the Arcturus Academy series. I’m so glad there is another one coming up because then we can anticipate more excitement to come. Saxony is a great character. I love that she is a sincere, honest person with a big heart but also very competitive. She has a clever way of working through her challenges which allows her to stay at the top of her class. At the same time, she is willing to go to great lengths to call out a dishonest person. Babs was so underhanded and shady. I’m glad she got what she deserved. I was intrigued by the competitive games that Arcturus Academy played with Firethorne. They were very exciting. Ms Knorr wrote vivid descriptions of what Saxony experiences. Of course we were rooting for Saxony and expected her to win but wow, what a twist!
What a great series. I really like the characters and each story gets better and better. Saxony is a very complex character but always tries to see the good sides of people. In this one Bassels father has died and his will states that Bassel and his sister Babbs will run the school together. Bassel knows this won't work because his vision for the school is completely different than Babbs. She believes in getting students to go through the dangerouse burning ritual and Bassel fears students will die. Babbs already runs a school that is smaller than Arcturus but basically does the same thing. An agreement is made that they will compete in a sudden death challenge and the winner will get the academy. The competition is fierce and Saxony being the only one that is burned is expected to win. She is nervous when she realizes she will be competing in the final challenge of hand to hand combat with a girl named Ira. Saxony learns that Ira is a hybrid. She is a fire mage but also something else and Saxony has no idea what it is. She will have to be clever to win this challenge and save the school.
So this chapter of Saxony's story should have been exciting? But honestly I didn't enjoy this one as much. Saxony and Gage are left alone at the school when they overhear Basil's estranged sister return with plans to overhaul the school in the wake of their father's death. So a deal is struck to have 16 students compete the sibling's student that comes out on top will win ownership of the school, facilities and all. Saxony is set up for the finals as she watches her teammates lose. The details in the games seemed unnecessarily long. 🙄 I did like the twist in the end and the teamwork and deepening of the relationship between Tomio and Saxony. Poor Gage, though! He's such a likable guy. 🥲
This one picks up exactly where book 2 left off—which is fun if you read the series in order. Still has the HP air, aided by a character who smacks of Delores Umbridge.
This one also brings more trials. It’s not as intriguing as the first 2 books and lacks originality, but overall is fun, so I opted to read on for at least 1 more book. We do get a bit more from FMC’s past, which is redeeming for me.
The stakes are elevated in this one, immensely.
• YA-fantasy. • Juvenile-minded adults. • Academy setting. • Trials. • Puzzles / riddles. • Love triangle. • Scandal.
4 stars. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Audio: 5 stars on all fronts: performance, production, sound-quality, voice, etc. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This installment is the best so far i really enjoyed this audiobook. Fire games are held between the two fire mage academies. I really enjoyed listening to these trails and the twists and turns that also go on in the background.
Sax and Gage are in a bit of trouble, looks like there maybe another option as a love interest also going forward. No Ryan in this one either im guessing we will meet him again in the next installment with the baddy from the prequel when sax got the fire power.
4 star listen, YA novel with no smut but a few delicious kisses. narration is done well.
Really don't get the point of this book. According to Amazon this was originally suppose to be a trilogy, now there will be a 4th book.
Overall I thought this was the worst of the 3. You've spent 2 books being "Ryan, Ryan, Ryan" and then his name is mentioned like twice in this book. It's almost like the author realizes people like the series, so here let's throw in this side book with a fire version of the Hunger Games that doesn't advance the story at all.
Will say the best part of the book was seeing the storyline with Gage finally take a eventful turn. That was getting annoying.
Fire Games (Arcturus Academy, #3), my thirtieth read from author A.L. Knorr. WOW! Extremely well written, the characters, even the minor ones, are well developed with an attention-grabbing storyline. I’m a character reader, I get into the characters. Who and what they are. Why they do the things they do. The things that make the reader get invested in the characters and thereby the story. I’ll be reading more from this author and can't wait for Legends of Fire (Arcturus Academy #4)! (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
Diesen Teil fand ich recht spannend gemacht. Obwohl ich mir leider nicht ganz vorstellen konnte wie das Spielfeld und deren Aufgaben aussah. Vielleicht habe ich zu kompliziert gedacht oder es war doch zu komplex. Keine Ahnung, ich hatte da etwas Schwierigkeiten es mir vorzustellen. An sich war es aber teils interessant und es hat sich einiges entwickelt. An sich verfolge ich die Reihe ganz gerne, es gibt aber auch Stellen wo einfach gemerkt habe das ich da raus bin. Trotzdem bin ich auf den nächsten teil gespannt.
I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title within the series set box.
After the death of his father, the Academy, per the legality of the will, was to be shared equally between the two remaining triplets. As neither could get along, a wager of winner takes all, is proposed, with certain criteria being set, but the ownership of the Academy is placed in the hands of 16 young people, with four elimination rounds to decide the final outcome. Taking the characters of the main claiments, it's not necessarily a straightforward situation.
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series! Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believeable. Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story. Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read more of these. Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
This book takes on a Hunger Games-like theme. Two siblings, fighting for the ownership of a mage school left to them by their father in his will. They'll never work together. The only choice is mage games with their students the competitors. Winner takes all! A. L. Knorr writes a fast paced story, filled with fun and likeable (or hateable) characters. Babs is the Headmaster from Hell, while Basil (her twin) is her polar opposite. Full of twists and turns. Oh, and that ending!
A.L. Knorr is a favorite author of mine, and it’s “ Young Adult” fantasy series like Arcturus Academy that shows why. Great plots, fantastic leads (I adore Saxony in this series), perfectly crafted worlds, wonderful supporting casts and addictive story arcs. That’s certainly found here, with Fire Games (Book 3) keeping the quality and upping the ante. It’s a Total. Fun. Blast. Easy to highly recommend.
I love this series and with each book it just gets better and better and oh so more addictive! The amazing storyline is full of romance, mythology, intrigue, twists to make you head swim and let’s not forget the elemental magic! Our female mc Saxony is kick ass and strong and her adventure, action packed and so exciting. Once again the author has done an incredible job of sucking me into this world and I am so excited that there is going to be more!
Fire Games: A Young Adult Fantasy (Arcturus Academy Book 3)
Lots of twist and turns. The action was fast and brutal. You learn to hate Babs. I was on the edge of my seat throughout this book. I couldn’t put it down. And, I loved the very satisfying way A L Knorr wraps things up in the end. Can’t wait to see what’s going to happen next… onto book 4 Definitely recommend this book
Fire Games was a great book! I'm so glad it ended how it did. I honestly thought that Eira would be some kind of robot for a second lol once I read the part about her eyes. One being red and the other white. Poor Saxony caught up in her little love triangle, I hope she figures it out soon. I'm rooting for Tomio, but with the way books are written, she will probably end up with Ryan. Jk. Probably Gage. I have to read more to find out, though!
I think this was the best Saxony book so far, and I loved all the previous books. Saxony's inner confidence, the totally fascinating new character of Eira being introduced, and Saxony's romantic turmoil make this book "un-put-downable". The vivid description of the game trials were amazing!
It just gets better. Looking forward to the next book. I trully thought her fire was gonna pick Ryan boy was I wrong. Lol Know i need to know what happens next. I don't want to gove away any spoilers but the games that the students have to play to save the school keeps you on edge. 🥰
As an active gamer, I found the game side of this book interesting. The unique twist at the end had me upset, confused and then the denunciation of one of the combatants really upped the ante for where this series might go. I have found the books clever, challenging and the romance is just subtle enough to make me not gag all the time!
Saxony has to be in a tournament for her school to save it. Eight members from two schools. Winner wins all. Instant elimination if you lose game. Starting with sixteen going to eight. Each competitor has no idea what game is or who they are competing with. There is lots of suspense. Who will win?
I enjoyed this book tremendously. The book was filled with interesting twists and turns, and the ending was quite a surprise. Even though I am far from a YA, I can get lost in these books and enjoy them as "mind candy" that doesn't require thought on my part, but is fun to read.
This was the best of the bunch.The games were interesting and so were the new characters It made the world feel expansive.I loved the Ice elemental and the format of the games The challenges were fantastic too.Changing of boyfriend's was long overdue but I like how it was plotted.The detailed descriptions of fire magic are what I came for and this delivered and then some.
It took me a minute to get into because the situation at the beginning felt kind of forced and contrived, but it was worth continuing through. The tournament ended up being quite interesting and fun, and while the twist wasn't unexpected (heavy foreshadowing) the ending was original and satisfying. Best part of this book was that Ryan was absent.