The Trials of Blackbriar Academy

Blackbriar Academy, Book 1

By: Olivia Ash

Narrated by: Amanda Dolan

Length: 10 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

I shouldn’t be here, and everyone knows it.

Blackbriar Academy is an enchanted school on a magical island, and everyone wants in. It’s a home away from home for the most advanced mages in the world - and only the absolute best of the best are given an invitation.

By some freak accident, I managed to get one.

If I pass the trials, I get to stay. With nowhere else to go, Blackbriar is my one shot at having a real life, and I won’t let anyone take this from me.

But there’s a catch.

It turns out the people on this island are being trained to hunt the darkness - basically, they’re being trained to hunt me.

To survive, I have to hide what I am. As a half-mage, I shouldn't have any magic at all. And yet, my natural abilities are almost impossibly powerful - and incredibly illegal. Over history, magic like mine has corrupted the souls of those who were born with it. They’ve all gone dark - razing towns and murdering hundreds of thousands throughout history.

All but me, and I have no idea why.

As the trials get more and more challenging, it’s clear I’m being hunted. If I’m caught - I die.

At Blackbriar Academy, nothing is ever as it seems...but I have nowhere else to go.

Nothing, and no one, will stand in my way.

The Trials of Blackbriar Academy is a full-length novel with a powerfully magical heroine, a riveting story line, and an alternative relationship dynamic that supports our badass heroine's right to choose more than one man. Get ready for a heart-pounding story filled with an academy fantasy romance unlike anything you’ve listened to before.

Buckle in for heart-pounding action, breathtaking magic, deadly assassins, four drop-dead gorgeous leading men, lots of toned muscles, and most importantly - a young woman’s journey of justice, self-discovery, and freedom.

Warning: The Blackbriar Academy saga is a reverse harem series with explicit scenes and is meant for mature listeners who enjoy spellbinding stories with a few very steamy, fan-your-face moments in their fantasy fiction.

Includes a special bonus note from the author.

©2019 Olivia Ash (P)2019 Podium Publishing

meh

So this is my own fault but I'll blame audible a little for only recommending the academy reverse harems to me (someone please adjust the algorithm!). Anyhow, I told myself the last one was it, but apparently I'm a glutton for punishment so I tried another. This isn't the worst one, but I feel like the tone didn't match the content. The main character was raised by abusive trolls and no one believes her! (I just pictured the plastic troll dolls with the neon hair - need I say more) Also, the conflict was too simplistic to hold my attention and I barely finished. There were some sexy times, but I was so bored of the story by then that I couldn't have cared less. Sadly, this book wasn't my cup of tea.

Ugh. Weak Plot. Too much Sex.

I love a paranormal romance and I love sex scenes. But, there REALLY needs to be a GOOD PLOT. This book is for those who want way more sec than story. And that’s not all bad. It’ll do for a certain purpose. But, it just jumps into the sex, really, and maybe the next book in the series will get better. But, the actual PLOT didn’t really begin until the last chapter. The rest was a basic introduction of the backstory, and the characters, BASIC. I’m a big fan of good series. Merry Gentry, Anita Blake, House of Night, even the dreaded Twilight. But, this just DIDN’T work for me. I don’t usually write less than great reviews. And I have NEVER returned a book, not on kindle or on audible. But, yeah..... I’m just saying if you want the sex, this is the book for you. If you want a solid story with good sex scenes. Maybe not.
Also, I have never heard anyone say “c@ck” the way this narrator does. It’s stuck in my head now and that’s one of my favorite words.

There’s so much that doesn’t make sense.

Narration: she hits her P’s hard on every. Single. Word. 🙉

Story: I wanted to like this story, I love the idea of it, but the actual writing lost me for a few reasons. The story jumps over big things that logistically need to be explained. E.g (spoiler) FMC blindly trusts someone she’s JUST met...given her background, not likely. Also - she is 14 when she’s kidnapped and 20 when rescued ... but has sex with no issue or fear of losing her virginity? Sorry, doesn’t make sense.

Started poorly and got worse and couldn't finish

A poor mix of old time Harlequin romance with parody Harry Potter and Sherrilyn Kenyon read with bated breath.

needs an editor

the story is pretty good, but the grammar and sentence structure is abysmal. she needs an editor...

love it!

95% of this book is awesome, there were times I wanted to pull my hair.

I think I literally just fell asleep at work.

This might be the most boring thing I've heard since the vice presidential campaign speeches. And I passed out twice as quickly. Narrator Amanda Dolan does a great job narrating, and is probably what kept me awake for this long. But I'm on chapter 9, and I can't do it anymore. Even though this was free, one of those audible collection things, I can't do it.

DNF.

Let this Academy story graduate your listen

Book 1 in a series . Olivia Ash blurb caught my attention. After listening to the first 2 chapters I had to listen to it , listened to it in one night . This listen is a reverse harem academy full of action , mystery, hot hero’s 4 of them and a bad @ss heroine.
Heroine is Wren . Hero’s are Soren, Gideon, Milo and Jessie.

When the story begins you see Wren living with Trolls , she’s battling to get to the gold horn , you think she’s going to touch it and be dropped into another world . After wondering from the troll village trying to escape she saves 2 children, and destroys a Lamina . A professor saves her from the trolls trying to get her back. The professor saves her and invites her to the academy. Wren accepts the invite . Once Wren arrives at the island where the academy is someone shows her t9 her room where she meets Jessie. She then meets Soran who gives her attitude. Wren magic grows strong with only certain men . Jessie is one of them , Wren can’t believe that Soren is the other . Her magic acts up when she sees Gildeon for the first time . There are 4 houses for the academy that each new student must feel comfortable and see what house their strength feels at home to . You also meet Anderson, who is a mag that steals energy . Anderson steals energy from Wren and after that he wants more . The professor invited Wren to the academy for a devious purpose. The professor is looking for a secret that Wren has no idea what it’s about . Wren thinks that Soran hates her but his bad vibe is for a reason
The narrator Amanda performance was good. Her voice is strong, clear and smooth

Didn't finish the book

I couldn't get over how she was enslaved from age 14 until the day the book picks up 6 years later, and she's completely normal, social, and seems to have zero lasting effects from the forced servitude and beatings. She just picks up casually and goes about making friends and having sex with everyone.

Good narrator

The narrator did a good job with the characters. The story is just okay. The main female character is repetitive in her mental monologues, and the story might have been enhanced by the male characters' POV. It's an interesting story, but it is dry in parts, lacks emotional depth in the romance department, and there are some plot holes that I scratched my head over.

Good storyline but sexual references too graphic

The storyline was a really good one and I did enjoy it however, the sexual scenes are far too graphic considering the main character is only 14. Teenage sexual tension can be explained without the need for everything said in the book, I had to fast forward several parts of the audio book as my children are around. I am far from a prude and have happily read true blood as well as similar books but none of those went into graphic detail regarding children. Wren is 14 therefore a child

Not a review more a note to the idiots...

For those concerned with the main characters age. You clearly missed what's actually gone on... At age 6 her parents died/disappeared. At age 14 trolls kidnapped her. 6 years later she attended Blackbriar. Do the math before claiming the book is some pedo dream, do you honestly think it would be published that being the case... Honestly, some people.

Interesting story. Not sure about the 5 way going on. I'll definitely keep reading though.

Good first book. Great storyline.

I really liked this book. Great storyline. It does have a bit if graphic adult content but it does warn readers in the description of this so I didn’t mind. I’d like to point out the other reviewer saying that Wren is 14 years old is wrong. She is meant to be 20. It says it at the start that something happened to her at 14 and she’s still there 6 years later. Although is it a little confusing as Blackbriar’s is referred to as a school. But it’s more of a university it says this maybe once in the entire book so I understand why the other reviewer might have missed it.
Overall I really liked the pace and idea of this alternative world. Wren is a good female lead if a little irritating at times. The idea of her magic reacting to certain people is very interesting and I hope we get to understand it more in the other books.
The narration in this isn’t great unfortunately. You need to be paying full attention otherwise you don’t know which character is talking as the narrator doesn’t do a great job at distinguishing the different characters. Despite this I still really enjoyed it.

Poor plot, rubbish character development

Poorly written prose. Repetitive, irrelevant sentences. Poor grammar and syntax. Why this heroine is so adored by all these ‘gorgeous’ men is hard to fathom. She certainly has a high opinion of herself. It’s as well it was free, or I’d have had to return it, and I hate to do that.
Poor plot. Undeveloped, one dimensional characters. Unlikeable heroine.

Grown up harry potter

this is an interesting take on the Magic school idea thatbis floating around at the moment but it is not a kids book.

a more adult twist of a classic idea.

Lead character doesn’t ring true

I maybe wrong as I only got an hour in… but the comments like “needing to read the small print” isn’t consistent with someone who’s been a guest of trolls for 6 years.

Astounding

This book is an amazing magical story written beautifully and performed amazingly, it’s both amusing and exciting, the story has twist and turns that keep you guessing what is happening next, after finishing I immediately bought the next book in the series.

She's freaking pissed and horny as hell.

This was ridiculously repetitive, it felt like the author was trying to increase the length of the book by using slightly reworded sentences to the previous sentence.
The lead character only has three modes angry, freaking pissed or horny. The background characters lack personality apart from also being bland and horny, and the world created is just a poundshop version of Hogwarts.

A great introduction to a fantasy genre

Its a interesting story that give an easier introduction to a magical world/ school while still offering mystery and wonder, The protagonist has charm and grit with a few steamy romances.

amazing

omg this book had me laughing, the interactions wren has with her boys especially sorren is intense I can't wait to get stuck into book 2