“The Umbrella Academy meets the Hunger Games in this bold twist on a classic magical young adult adventure.” Jaymin Eve, Bestselling Author of Supernatural Academy You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You. I had no idea how those words would change my life. Or how they’d changed my life already… Until the day the most dangerous man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a … man I’ve ever met waltzed onto my farm and left us a death sentence.
In an invitation.
My younger brother has been chosen for the prestigious, secret magical school hidden within the folds of our mundane world. A place so dangerous, they don’t guarantee you’ll make it out alive.
If he doesn’t go our entire family will be killed.
It’s the same invitation my older brother received three years ago—the same place he mysteriously died.
The academy has already killed one sibling. I’ll be damned if they take another.
I do the only thing an older sister can: chop off my hair, strap on two bras to flatten the girls, and take my brother’s place.
Magic and monsters are real. Assassins are coming for me, and the dead are prone to rise. What’s a girl faking it as a boy supposed to do? That’s right—beat the academy at its own game.
Or die trying.
Shadowspell Academy Book 1 and Shadowspell Academy Book 2 end with a cliffhanger
Book 2 will release May 14, 2019
Book 3 will release June 11, 2019
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This new series is a fun twist. It’s what you get if you read Harry Potter and the Hunger Games! It is filled with action, twists and turns. It literally kept me on the edge of the seat till the very last sentence!! I binged on this book and was unable to put it down!! I love the characters that popped up in this book and I can’t wait to learn more about them. I absolutely LOVE this book. I’m not sure how the ladies will top the second book, but I’m sure they will!! They have knocked it out of the park!! Both K.F. & Shannon add smart ass lines that just leave you laughing and memorizing so that you can say them too!! “Hotter than Satan’s thong and about as humid!”
Y’all nailed it!!
What a wild ride! These two authors spun together an amazing beginning to a series. It was reminiscent of Harry Potter and Mulan twisted together with a comedic kick. The characters are unique and I can’t wait to read more!
This delightful collaboration between Shannon Mayer and K. F. Breene is a great beginning to a series. The Trials at the Shadowspell Academy are difficult to pass, and sometimes deadly. Wild takes the place of her younger brother, to save his life, and the adventure begins.
There is so much action and adventure in this book it’s hard to not leave spoilers, so all I’ll say is do yourself a favor and read this book, and pre-order the next two. You are in for a great ride.
OMG this is just amazing! An awesome collaboration between two fab authors that will have you on the edge of your seat! Well written and action packed with some awesome characters and an awesome addictive storyline that will leave you wanting, no needing the next book a.s.a.p!
I’m a huge KF Breene fan and have heard a lot of good things about Shannon Mayer so I decided to give this book a try. It reminded me a little of Divergent and the Hunger Games.
Wild goes to the Culling Trials to save her younger brother without any real knowledge about the games or any type of magic or magical beings. To survive, she uses her skills from growing up with her older brother and his friend Rory and from growing up and working on their farm. She also comes into some natural abilities along the way.
I loved her group she picked up with. They were all unique and good additions to the story. I liked Wild and her personality. She was sharp, smart and witty.
The storyline was good and the story flowed nicely. The trial had me engrossed in the story and, of course, the writing was great.
I’m very interested to see how this all plays out.
Need help. Pls send next book immediately!!! =)
“This can’t be the end of the book!! Why!!! When is the next one coming out?! I need it now!!!” These were my exact thoughts when finishing this book. At 66% I was already upset I was over half finished and knew I wanted the next book immediately; it’s seriously that good. This book pulls you in right away and I could not/can not wait to see what happens next. I honestly couldn’t tell it was a YA book. This has so much adventure and action it’s really for anyone of any age. I absolutely love the main character. She’s feisty and cunning but also caring and I love reading her story. I’m honestly still in awe and need book 2 right now. And if you don’t mind sending over books 3-5 or so over next that would also be great. This is honestly one of my new favorite series. Keep them coming pleaseeeee!!
I’m not normally one to read, let alone enjoy, author collaborations but I certainly did enjoy this one! I was also pleasantly surprised I enjoyed it since Shadowspell Academy reminds me of a magical mix of the Divergent and Hunger Games books. The book begins with little background, and continues to build on the mystery throughout the entire book. The reason why I’m leaving this as a 4 star review is because the level of mystery caused some confusion for me in the beginning. Also this leaves room for improvement in the next book.
There are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises along the way. I enjoyed how the authors gradually added supporting characters with their own unique characteristics about them. The book is aptly written in the Young Adult genre with no sex, and some mild to moderate cussing. Although I enjoy more adult books, I am grateful and hope it remains that way so I can share this story with my daughter, 14. Book 1 covers the main character’s first Trial, and considering there are 4 more trials to go, I’m not sure how they’ll wrap up the story in just two more books. As explained in the excerpt, Book 1 does indeed end in a huge cliffhanger, but the fact that Book 2 will be published in one short month eases the blow. I can’t wait to read more in this series by KF Breene and Shannon Mayer!
This book is a mash-up of epic proportions! Take the best things from Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) & Divergent (Veronica Roth), add some Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling) & Mulan and throw it all in to the House of Night (P.C. & Kristin Cast)! Two amazing authors combine to create a world of magic, narrow escapes, mind games & tests of mental and physical strengths meant to cull those who are unworthy!
Wild did not know there was real magic in the world but as she quickly learns, nothing is as it seems and she will be tested beyond her limits in a battle to save her family and she doesn’t even know what she is up against! How can you make it through trials you do not even understand? If that weren’t enough of a hindrance she also has to pretend to be someone she’s not!
Welcome to the Culling Trials…whether you like it or not!
I really enjoyed this book, it’s a bit shorter than normal for what I usually grab but that didn’t keep it from being a worthy read in my opinion. As a woman from Texas/Oklahoma who grew up on a farm, I instantly connected to the lead character, Wild, and her sassy attitude and tough inner (and outer) strength. In a bid to protect brother and save her family, in more ways than one, Wild has left home to take part in a set of trials in which she only just found out about. Now she is smack dab in the middle of a whole new reality just days before she would have told you was something that only existed in a book of fantasy, and she has to maneuver her way through these trials or face death. Now she must not only make it through the trials, but also figure out this whole new world of magic as she works to find the answers in her older brothers death and what is really going on at this Academy.
What happens when you combine Shannon Mayer and K.F. Breene? It’s like a peanut butter cup, it’s perfect together! This book grabbed me from the start and I couldn’t put it down. Where’s book 2? I need it now! This is a brand new series/world from these two fabulous authors, so even if you’ve never read anything from either of them, grab this book now, you won’t regret it.
After losing one brother to the mysterious invitation that suddenly appears on the kitchen table Wild wasn’t prepared to lose another quite so easily & despite warnings to the contrary opens the invite for her younger brother Billy to attend the trials for Shadowspell Academy & no way in hell was she letting him accept it . After trying to make it to New York on her own , disguised as a boy , & keep to the deadline on the watch that came with the invite Wild is kidnapped & thrown on a helicopter with other kids who seem to know a lot more than she does about whats going on . The culling trials are what you get if you were to breed Harry Potter with the hunger games , only the culling trials allows you to gather friends & allies even if some of them are more tolerated than liked . In all honesty i couldn’t really tell for definite who wrote what parts of the story but Shannon Meyer & K F Breene have brought us a story that won’t let you put it down until its finished.
I keep saying I’m not going to read anymore YA/NA books because they really aren’t in my top three favorite genres (probably in the top 10, though). However, when one of the authors I like write a book, I almost always have to read it. This book was quite fun from beginning to end with lots of action and adventure. I adored the main character Wild who is posing as a boy. We all know how that works out in the end, but I enjoyed the ride to getting there. And, on top of that, I can’t wait to see what will happen next as she goes through more trials while learning about her magic she never knew she had. If you love YA/NA, you really need to try this one. I do recommend this book! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.
Shadowspell Academy: The Culling Trials by Shannon Mayer and K.F. Breene two of my favorite authors. Collaborating together they are explosive. It is a YA but doesn’t necessarily feel like it. Their quirky minds melded beautifully to give us a story that is wonderfully woven. The story is full of action and intrigue and there is never a dull moment, whether death is at your door or the humour of the characters that have you laughing out loud.
Wild discovers that there are a heck of a lot more than humans in the world and she learns there is more to what has happened to her family than she had known. Protecting her brother leads her to a world where the supernatural beings not only exist but is the norm.
Grab a copy you will not be disappointed. I am anxiously awaiting the next one.
Shannon Mayer and K.F. Breene are two of my favorite authors, so I was beyond thrilled when I found out they were writing a series together. Book one definitely did not disappoint!
Join Wild as she discovers that supernatural beings exist and she is one of them! Will she be able to pass herself off as her brother? Will she survive the Culling Trials? And what exactly are her supernatural abilities? Pick up a copy of the book to find out and get ready for a “Wild” ride!
Shadowspell Academy: The Culling Trials by Shannon Mayer and K.F. Breene is the first book in a collaborative effort of a new series by these two fabulous authors. And what a start to this series. My impression is a little “Hunger Games” and a little “Harry Potter” feel to this story. This is a Y/A fantasy that ends on a cliff hanger so it doesn’t read as a stand alone. The next release date is fairly soon though. There is a seamless transition of humor, magic, and action throughout the whole book as Wild inserts herself into the Trials followed by her wayward group. I’m looking forward to being just as entertained by the next book as much as I was by this one.
I’m not a massive fan of YA/NA, but this was too good of an opportunity to pass up – very glad I read it too, as it was really good – a mixture between Hunger Games / Maze Runner / Divergent / Harry Potter, if this is up your street then this will be the series for you!
Wild is a strapping girl working hard on her dad’s rural farm, boring, plain, normal are her everyday, looking after her failing dad and younger twin siblings. Until a stranger with a letter arrives for her younger brother inviting him to take part in the Culling Trials for The Academy. Not much of an invite really, it was either come or your family dies. Wild has already lost an older brother to this exact same thing already and isn’t about to lose another one. So she steps up and takes his place, hopefully saving her family in the process. She hasn’t a clue what she has let herself in for, but it turns out that magic is very real and she is now part of a world she never knew existed.
Lots of action and adventure, its fast paced and Wild meets a lot of new and interesting characters along the way, friends and foes alike! She’s smart, strong and runs with her gut feelings, not afraid of taking chances and doing what needs to be done. The crew that forms around her are all different with very individual skills and magics, all working together trying to form one unit in order to get them through the trials.
A great start to a new series, it will have you on the edge of your seat and rooting for Wild and her team to pull through, while laughing along at their antics and one liners that appear in all of K.F. Breene’s books! Looking forward to the next book in this series!
So Much Adventure But With A Tsunami Of Tension & Fear!! 4.5 Stars
This is a ‘YA’ series opener but I can, hand on heart, state that this could be read by a Grandmother (I am one & I did ) and they’ll be as swept away as any teen. I believe any age group is going to love it!!
This tale is based on a family from Texas. Originally there are two parents, an older brother Tommy, our main character Wild, then twins Billy & Sam. Their Mum died before her time in a bizarre, unexplained accident. Their Dad, who’s in his 40’s, is practically a cripple but he refuses to say why. Tommy is offered a scholarship to a College where he becomes top of his class. Then a year or so later, they are heartbroken when they’re informed he’s died. No one would give any further information on how, they wouldn’t even return his body and the Police wouldn’t help them either!!
Several years later is when the book stars & we meet Wild. Horrifyingly another letter arrives that she manages to intercept. They want her brother, Billy 16 yrs old, to attend the ‘Culling Trials’ to gain the same scholarship Tommy had. Wild wants answers & to protect her family. So with very few facts, Sam’s help to cut her hair like a boys, and her boobies strapped down she’s going to take Billy’s place!! She tells her sister, Sam, all she needs to know to keep their farm running. Then Wild sets off without a clue about what she’s going to face & only saying goodbye to Sam!! Sam knows Wild stands a better chance than Billy, he’s just not ready to face anything like this and Wild is tough & wiley!
Wild finds out that magic is actually real & is not just in fantasy books, but that’s not the half of it!! This is a magical mystery with trails that can kill Plus it’s full of backstabbers, ego maniacs, possible murderers but also hopefully friends too. She’s met a great group of potential friends, if they’ can turn out to be trustworthy There are secrets & potential curses at play throughout and she really needs to keep her true identity hidden from everyone for her safety but especially her family’s!! Mostly she needs to survive the Culling Trials to get to the bottom of it all, obviously!!
A wonderful start to this thrilling series! Roll on Book #2
Debbie, 1970, UK
Top ten favorites! This book had me completely sucked into their word. I couldn’t put it down. The authors blended their work seamlessly. I couldn’t tell who wrote what. The characters are so awesome. The main character is a badass per usual. Her friends are all so unique and entertaining. Even the “villain” is extremely intriguing. I cant wait for the next books. I hope this will be a long long series because I want more nowwwww.
5 BIG STARS!!
This book had me hooked from the very first page. It has great world building, characters & an action packed story line, that keeps you wanting more.
It’s been a very long time since I’ve read a co-authored book that flowed so seamlessly.
It’s definitely one that will be reread again & again.
I cannot wait for more.
I think I preferred Harry Potters acceptance letter from Hogwarts than Billy’s letter…lol
I’m remembering how awesome a mash-up between Harry Potter and the hunger games would be, Shadowspell Academy hits every mark and so much more.
A strange man with stupid sideburns, mysterious threatening letters, magic, and mystery surround the academy but can they be ignored?
Is Sideburns good friend or bad friend hmmmmm this was a question I’m still wondering about which makes me excited for book 2.
Fantastical, fantasy wrapped up in mysterious mystery… Shadowspell Academy where all your magical dreams come true and maybe some nightmares too.
Wild and Wally, what a team, I do the Pete as well the rest I’m not sure yet.
The House of Shade… A very cool name for a magic academy.
Dramatic much ‘doomed to a life as a lesser…’ seriously bwahahahaha, now that’s funny.
Freckles crack’s me up, especially when he screeches at Wally.
This was one sick and twisted game of magical survivor
Seriously ‘Jesus Murphy on a limping donkey’???? Where do you guys come up with these things lol
Omfg you can’t end it there I was just getting into it