Firstborn Academy: Shadow Trials

Fast moving, compelling, confusing, this story leads you through traps and tribulations, almost as blindfolded as the participating characters, waiting for the big reveal. Will it change our Berlin's view of the strange world she inhabits, or will she emerge defiantly of the same mind? Only one way to find out! Next episode, here I come.

I was really looked forward to reading this book after I had seen a bit of a hype. Initially it was a slow burner for me which I found disappointing. I think the descriptive element explaining the current living situation could have been a little more fluid to engage me as it felt disjointed. However, once I was able to piece together the wider picture the mid to end part of the book was really engaging.As per I really enjoyed the friendship elements and the funny back and fourth between the girls and Millicent the none building (she’s a building). I think the storyline has some real potential and some elements of survival of the fittest were really captivating.Character development really needs some work, I feel like some were introduced expecting them to be more prominent and were not and others were included but became repetitive to convey the danger and changes during their time at firstborn academy.I am intrigued by how it finished and how the plot could advance and I am hoping the next book will explore more of some of the characters and why different scenes were relevant to the overall plot.3.5 for me.

I could not put this trilogy down the story line was great although she did rattle on tooo much about how she loved her best friend etc, The characters could have been fleshed out a little more especially the walkers. In addition I am confused these books were expensive and there were not many words to a book meaning it took me what 2 1/2 hours to read one book so in todays times I read one a night so I spent nearly £12 a night just for that. I do not see why they could not have been put into two books and therefore cost much less. Is this about money again? Sigh the world will have to change.Having said all that I loved the fact that it was a mystery it was gentle and light with magic and it kept me enthralled. There was fighting (thank goodness not too much we have enough violence these days) romance, loyalty working together as a team, magic, different worlds, talking swords wonderful what else could you want. I look forward to seeing more from this author only at a more realistic price it rather spoils it paying all that money for something that is read so fast.

After reading Isla Frost's other series, I was happy to try this one too.Somewhat reluctantly though as the genre is a little different to what I usually read.I found the plot quite different & intriguing. The story moved at a swift pace and the main character is relatable. I finished this book in a day and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

This was a quick and easy read. The premise engaged my interest and I wanted to know what would happen to the characters. However, I felt some things were rushed. It seemed like the students learned their skills with very little instruction or accidentally discovered what they could do. I think if more time had been spent on world building once everyone was at the academy it might have worked a little better. Nor did I feel particularly close to any of the characters. We seemed to spend most of the story rushing about doing trials or training and there was not enough time to build emotional ties with the reader. More situations with dialogue exploring each character's past or motivations might have helped. If I truly want to get into a world, I need to be inside the characters and I didn't really feel that here. Still, the story is interesting enough to want to know what happens next.

In this mix of several genres, you can find aliens monsters magic and most intriguing of all a rune gate were the firstborns on stepping through vanish forever, or do they? I found this to be a fascinating story with storylines I've not encountered before. Although the characters are good I feel they could be improved by more background story perhaps that will happen in book two. On the whole, I found it to be an easy engrossing read, I actually read it in a few hours, we'll worth a look for fans of fantasy and mixed-genre stories, Baz

Enjoyable exciting tense but human enough to keep your attention. Anticipating book two greatly. I have high hopes of another good read.

At first I was sceptical, magical stories always have a way of letting you down, and being rip offs of other famous stories but this was a unique breath of fresh air. The end of the story has left me with more questions! I cannot wait to read the next one!

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.

The protagonist(s) - Nova, Ameline and Bryn, are bloody marvelous in how realistic they are as people, and their ability to exercise common sense and logic. Fantasy done logically!!!! I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but it is the opposite. The three girls behave like actual queens of sense and skill. And character. And humanity. Loved it! Thank you author!

A trilogia: O tema de academia é clichê, mas a trama é original e super bem escrita. Heroína forte e personagens interessantes. O romance, no entanto, tem um desenvolvimento bem lento, livro 1 e 2, trata sobre construir confiança e amizade e tem um pouco de romance no livro 3, pois trama principal é a luta e a fantasia. E também, como a personagem tem 17 anos, o romance é inocente e fofo. A autora conseguiu transmitir doses de suspense, mistério, e ação, além de bastante emoção. Não consegui parar de ler até terminar os 3 livros.

Oh my god, this book run me off my socks. I loved it. Good amount of twists and original thinking. I just had to buy the rest immediatly.

This is a dystopian book about a world in which all firstborns are taken to an unknown place at the age of 17. It is an awesome fantasy series!