College of Witchcraft: Books 1-3

Hidden Legends Universe

by Alicia Rades

Nadine is the only witch of her kind. With unique powerful abilities, she’s a prime contender to sit on the witch’s council—yet she’s anything but welcome. A haunting family curse threatens to force her out of her magical college, and revealing her greatest secret may lead to the destruction of her people.

Lucas is the Reaper’s Apprentice, the only warlock of his generation destined to ferry the souls of the dead. Accepting his dark gift is as brutal as investigating the coven’s mysteries—from finding missing children to exposing the culprit behind a dangerous brew. He’s prepared to fight the darkness alone, until he receives a warning beyond the grave from Nadine’s mother.

Magic is disappearing from the town, and fear is causing the coven to turn against their own. Nadine and Lucas agree to come together to restore the coven’s magic, but the priestesses that rule their coven have other plans…

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College of Witchcraft: Books 1-3 includes the first three books in a new adult urban fantasy series. Witches, warlocks, and reapers solve mysteries in this college-aged paranormal romance featuring a diverse cast and disabled main characters.

Genres: Fantasy

1597 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 9, 2022

About the author

Alicia Rades is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over forty young adult and new adult paranormal novels. Her stories follow characters in equal-dynamic romantic relationships and feature themes of discovering and claiming one's inner power. When she's not dreaming up magical stories, she's either binge-watching paranormal TV shows, meditating, or making crafts and cooking with her family. Her favorite tropes are small-town mysteries, witches, and magical academies set in the modern world. She has an unhealthy obsession with psychic characters and writes with a deck of tarot cards next to her computer.

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Reviews

[Mandy Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Spellbinding Journey of Secrets and Sacrifice: The Complete College of Witchcraft Trilogy (Books 1-3 audiobooks)
Book One: The Coven’s Secret
What an incredible introduction to the Hidden Legends universe. This collection follows Nadine’s high-stakes journey from the tragic loss of her parents to the discovery of her magical heritage in Octavia Falls. After moving in with her grandmother, Nadine learns she is a witch, but gaining her powers requires passing a life-altering ceremony on her nineteenth birthday. If she cannot accept the Goddess’s laws, she faces permanent banishment from the only home she has left.
​Nadine proves to be a resilient protagonist as she navigates a magical academy filled with rivals determined to see her fail. Despite the sabotage, she refuses to back down. The tension is further heightened by her electric connection with Lucas, a mysterious student she is instantly drawn to despite a gut feeling that their bond could be dangerous. Narrators Logan Young and Johnathan M. Matthews deliver a polished performance that perfectly captures the chemistry and mounting suspense of this urban fantasy world.

Book Two: The Reaper's Shadow
Alicia Rades delivers a high-stakes sequel in The Reaper’s Shadow, masterfully expanding the world of Octavia Falls. The narrative is a fast-paced blend of mystery and dark magic, centered on the missing coven children and Nadine’s harrowing struggle as the sole living Curse Breaker. Her evolution as a character is both grounded and inspiring, particularly as she balances her awakening powers with the dangerous proximity of Lucas, the Reaper’s Apprentice. Narrators Logan Young and Johnathan M. Matthews provide a captivating performance, capturing every emotional beat leading up to a heart-wrenching, unpredictable conclusion. This is a must-listen for urban fantasy fans who enjoy complex magic and deep character development.

Book Three: The Cauldron's Curse
Alicia Rades delivers a gripping, high-stakes installment with The Cauldron’s Curse, masterfully narrated by Logan Young and Johnathan M. Matthews. This fast-paced chapter in the Hidden Legends universe pulls readers into the heart of Octavia Falls as Nadine faces the ultimate challenge: the Imperium Council has discovered her secret identity as a Curse Breaker. Blackmailed into hunting the Oaken Wands to restore the city's magic, Nadine must navigate her role as High Priestess while battling the stigma of being an outsider.
​The narrative excels in balancing intense action with profound emotional depth. While Lucas hunts the source of the magical drug Nightshade, he also struggles with a personal whirlwind of depression, finding solace in unexpected places. The tension between Nadine and Lucas is palpable; though they remain apart for the safety of the realm, their enduring connection adds a moving layer to the story. Supported by a fantastic cast of friends, including Talia and Grant, the group’s search for the Alchemy wand is fraught with mystery and few clues.
​Filled with shocking twists and a heartbreaking conclusion that I never saw coming, this book is a rollercoaster of drama and intrigue. Rades successfully blends the dark realities of the curse with moments of hope and loyalty. Whether you are drawn to the complex magic systems, the plight of the witches and wizards, or the atmospheric mystery of Octavia Falls, this is a must-listen. Grab your wand and prepare for an adventure that will leave you eager for the next chapter in the College of Witchcraft series.

[Vicky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Books reek of Mary Sue and a cardinal sin of writing

The author takes a tried and true premise, right out of Rowling, and botches it. The female lead feels like a Mary Sue / author's self insert. The worst problem is that she switches narrators back and forth every chapter in every book. It's an immersion breaking train wreck. Pick a POV and stick with it.

I gave two stars for her attempt to deal with issues of disability, mental health, and trauma in an inclusive and informative way, and for doing a decent bit of whodunit writing. I'd have rated better but that constant POV swapping is endlessly frustrating to read.

[Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rivetting read

Soft but consistent magic. The city stateish magic community is quite well done. The economy and regular lives of people make sense. The sicknesses and lgbtq stuff is also decently done. The gay person is not 'only' gay but has other personality traits. The sicknesses are well done but they make it a bit hard to connect with the character. Romance feels more early teen, but decently done. There's constant tension and things happening, no dull moments. Kept me up reading a few times.

[Sandy T · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the audible version of this box set and the different narration for each POV chapter is distracting since the main characters voices change. The story has many sub plots, lots of characters and several twists. I enjoyed the first 2 books lots more than the 3rd. I was not impressed with the steamy sex scenes in any of the books.
Unfortunately book 3 of the series has a huge cliffhanger ending and I am ending the series at this book. It doesn't seem to make a difference if the good characters succeed at anything as the evil forces keep prevailing.

[Neene · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was interesting but i don't know why the good cant prevail a little bit. why cant mother Miriam come to the priestesses and tell them that they are wrong. they only want to blame college kids and teachers, rather than the real culprits. which makes me think they were in it with the one that "betrayed them". book three ended on a cliffhanger and im annoyed because i cant find the other books on chirp and i think i have to use the kindle.....

[Josslynn Borders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this start to the series so much! I could not put it down! I love how they kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the world-building and character development in the story. I thought the banter between the characters was funny, and I loved how easily it was to get invested in the story.
I did struggle to get into the story at first, but after I got further into it, I could not stop reading. I look forward to reading the rest of this series!

[Brittany Britton · Rating 5 out of 5]

College of Witchcraft: Book1-3 by Alicia Rades and Hidden Legends is a fantastic urban paranormal fantasy. Logan Young and Jonathan M. Matthews did a wonderful job with the narration, But the narrative is a little odd to have two male narrators when some of the characters are girls. The story is entertaining, interesting, enjoyable, slow burn, some action and more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Doris Scales · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series, the books totally held me captive the whole time I was listening to it. The characters are absolutely fantastic. I love the plot of the book, and I also enjoyed the narration.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[T.A. Burke · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF about 3/4 through book1. It had a very interesting beginning and magic system. Then, it went completely Harry Potter Hogwarts-wanna be. Completely boring.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series focuses on Nadine the curse breaker and Lucas death's apprentice and the ups and downs of trying to have a relationship while learning to control their powers.