Wicked Academia: Lost Stars: 1

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Cannot wait to get my hands on book 2—even tho I’ll definitely be diving into the weekly chapters ASAP. The whole ending definitely left me wanting more and I can’t wait to see where the story goes from here! A university in the sky. Clouds that rain starlight. Students with terrible magic and worse intentions. The Academy will test not only the triplets' ability to survive, but their loyalty to each other.

Wicked Academia: A Celebration Among the Stars eBook Wicked Academia: A Celebration Among the Stars eBook

Now about the plot itself: I love it. I think it's unique and different from a lot of NA books nowadays. I liked the world building too, it's mostly straight to the point and I didn't feel confused. However I think it's only the beginning and I hope it will be more developped later because there's definitely potential. And just to complicate things, Vivian falls in love with a prince who hates vampires (LIKE A LOT). She so happens to love drinking blood (LIKE A LOT). the only thing I have to say about the book is that it felt more like a YA book than an adult one except for certain scenes you wouldn't see in adult books. I hope this will change in the following books. Also that the art was all the same made it a bit hard for me to picture the characters as I wanted to. Some books I’ve read that have included art tip-ins have had art of the same character is different (but still cohesive) styles which have not been all exactly the same but have also worked to support the book itself, not just be thrown in for the sake of it. Some of the characters descriptions in scenes didn’t even match the images drawn (Marion seemed to be described as a lot fuller than the image drawn of her with Khalid??) One of my favourite things about this book is that the representation is pretty good! Of course, I'd want more interaction with the characters that are POC, aside from Khalid as much as I like him, but in general it was quite nice seeing things like the triplets being fed bowls of kheer. As someone who is South Asian, it's little tidbits like the mentioning of kheer that makes me happy!I was looking forward to reading the New Adult aspects of the book but honestly they were fairly basic scenes with a lot of build up that didn’t really add to the relationships of the characters or leave anyone feeling satisfied. The book reads more like YA, except for the language and intent during these (few) scenes. I hope the next book allows the characters to explore their desires and relationships more than this one did and lives up to the expectations held for a “New Adult” novel. I like the 3 main characters. They all have really distinct personalities and are likeable. As a twin, I liked their dynamic: super close but still individuals. It might sound obvious to some, but that's rare to see an accurate representation of multiples' relationship (they too often act nasty to each other or are codependent to a ridiculous extent) and they nailed it !

Wicked Academia: A Celebration Among the Stars - Goodreads Wicked Academia: A Celebration Among the Stars - Goodreads

Loremaster Setviren takes the triplets down to Thraina to parade their holy ability to glow on moonless nights in front of the people. This is an adult fantasy book and let’s start here: something I have to point out is the fact that this book reads on the younger side even thought it has +18 content. Don’t know if it is the fast pace of the story or the personality of the characters but they read younger than they are and I would love to see a more “adult demeanor” in the next book. Themes, Tropes, & Warnings: Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, Blood, Murder, Discrimination, War, Parental Death, LGBTQ+, Vampires, Magic, Bullying, Magic Academy, Children of Gods, Multiple POVsHow does the web novel differ from the version being published? The web novel is our first version; the published version is edited and revised. Chapters may be rearranged, there may be new scenes, POVs might be switched, etc. Scenes from our SFW and NSFW collections may or may not be included in the published version. The heart of the story is the same, it just looks a little different! Marion discovers a plot that can topple kingdoms and unseat even a god’s power if she claims it for herself. From what I gather, the authors drew the art themselves? Some of which are fine, cute, but again, middle grade vibes. Then there are some art pieces that genuinely detracted me from the story that was happening because all I could think about was how this book did not look adult. Please understand that designers and artists are literally trained to receive, interpret and deliver on a brief. If you want these characters, you can bring these sketches and ideas to them and get a final product that is more worthy and succinct with the book that’s being written.) I liked that this was fantasy geared for a new adult audience - there’s a dearth of these stories for this specific age group, and I’m glad more inroads are being made on this genre/age intersection. The main characters all are likable enough, even though most of them are a bit clichée (unfortunately). We have the secret reluctant vampire, the protective sister, the lovable idiot brother. Their love interests are introduced in the same way and there is little to no suspense on who will end up with whom. Here lies one of the problems I discovered during the read... the insta love between Darius and Vivian. I don't mind love at first sight, but this was just a bit much. Maybe it wouldn't have bothered me as much, if Marion and Khalid had gone a different route. They may seem to be reluctant, but there is instant chemistry between them.

Wicked Academia: Lost Stars: Jenkins, Jasmine, Suliman

If you have enjoyed following along with the web novel and reading the book as we write it, we invite you to consider subscribing to our Celestial Light tier, as we will continue to post chapter drops.This book has been sitting in my Goodreads TBR for too long, so when I saw the opportunity to get an ARC I jumped. A wonderful new adult, fantasy web serial updated weekly from authors Jasmine Jenkins and Sophie Suliman. The lore and the world building crafted in this series is truly where it shines. It has just enough familiarity and delicious trope-y goodness (the swallowing stars immediately bringing to mind the iconic scene in Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle, and the gods having a distinctly Final Fantasy-esque edge to them) without being overburdened with references to keep lovers of those things hooked, me included. It is fun, original, and deeply fascinating. The parts of the story where the lore was delved into in depth were some of my favorites, and there are elements of the story that have me buzzing with theories and questions. Overall, it is a wonderful fantasy tale. I liked Khalid and Marion relationship, the details, the tension and their dynamic - it gave me “enemies to lovers” kind of vibes which I stan. However, despite Darius and Vivien’s romance being cute, it felt very insta lovey, which some people might not appreciate.

Wicked Academia

Lastly, I think that the time span in the book is a problem. The story happens in the course of three days, but the characters behave as if it has been years since they have met. This is especially distracting during the last couple of chapters. I was really confused by the way Valentine spoke in certain scenes. I also got distracted by the hard cuts during the last say 5 - 10 chapters. They were cut off to extend the suspense, but the cliffhangers didn't really work for me (with the exception being the final one). Also, the switch between characters got annoying from time to time, even though I can see, what the authors tried to do. Also, Timothée being the bisexual little cinnamon roll that he is makes me want to protect him with my life. I think given his story was the one that left on the biggest cliffhanger ending I’m most curious to see where the next part of his story leads. My only qualm—if I can really even call it that, was that at times, certain relationships felt a bit insta love-y BUT I loved the characters and their romances so much that I ended up not even caring that much about the insta love (which I normally cannot stand in books). I liked how it slowly built up to the triplets going to the Celestial Academy, and didn't rush into it, like many other fantasy books. The triplets are each so unique and different, completing each other. Marion is a traumatised, sweet girl who takes a lot of responsibility, Vivian is sweet and romantic, and Timothee deserves to be wrapped in a blanket because he is stepped on too much.Here are eight dark academia novels that explore queer themes, have LGBTQ+ characters, and/or dig deep into the trenches of sexuality and our complicated relationships with identity. If you’re anything like me, these books are not only entertainingly delectable. They also help us look inward and feel seen.