Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook of Olivia Pharos debut novel. If you loved Zodiac Academy this book might be right up your alley.

There is good world building and character development, I just wish were a little more deep or kept you invested more. Godric was the best part of the book. I wish that Wen’s could have been emotionally deeper, rather than so snarky all the time.

I think this book is worth picking up to see if it’s for you.

Loved it - it was witty, clever and fast paced - Wen is very likable all around. And story line just kept giving.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to review this book!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me and I DNFed pretty early on. The main obstacle for me was the language. I do not enjoy listening to swear words. Mild language is fine, but I would categorize this as a notch or two more than mild.

The fantasy plot is set in a post-apocalyptic world where angels and demons live alongside humans. It’s interesting if fantasy and post-apocalyptic settings are your thing. Just wasn’t for me.

This book seemed to drag on a bit and felt like a lot happened but I have no idea what it was. The FMC was hilarious with no filter, giving people sass wherever she saw fit and I appreciated that about her. I'll still read the next one, though. I'm invested enough to want to know what's going on. #MF #angels #demons #supernaturalschool #supernaturalagegap (is he 30 or 3000, who knows?)

This book is interesting in a subject I don't usually read. I rarely pick up a book with Angels and Demons as characters. However, this book was delightfully entertaining. The FMC is very protective of those she loves and the relationship she has with others continues to develop. I enjoyed the banter between her and all others she interacts with, however, it does seem somewhat tiresome that the only response she tends to have to others is sarcasm. The enemies to lovers storyline is extremely slow to develop and the story does not end with them officially getting together, but you can see the relationship development. The narrator is enjoyable and able to keep my attention. Overall, this is a good book that ends in a cliffhanger that I am excited for the next book.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book. Unfortunately, due to some unforeseen circumstances I was unable to download and review this book on time. That said, I have since purchased this book and have read it, there fore would still love to complete this review.

I read the kindle version of this book, so I unable to comment on the narration but have thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am glad that I made the decision to purchase the second book as well!

Ive seen comments where people have said this gives a cross between ACOTAR and Forth Wing vibes and have to agree and I have also seem comments where people have said that it also gives Zodiac Academy vibes and maybe my BFF is onto something with her telling me I have to read that series!

This book though, had so many great elements and I couldnt put it down!

I'd give this one 3.5 stars—it was an entertaining book to listen to. If you enjoy ACOTAR, the main character gives Nesta vibes. The author tries to relay the importance of understanding and practicing consent throughout the story. I would describe the main character’s inner thoughts as "thirsty" at unexpected and inappropriate times. I am not overly committed to the plot- I may or may not continue the series.

I really enjoyed this book! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this! I loved the humor and the banter. And I will always be a fan of a sassy FMC and a moody MMC. This is a unique take on the Angels and Demons trope and putting them all together in a school setting is usually going to mean a good time for this reader. One of my favorite parts of the story is the fact that it's basically a post-apocalyptic world but the basic elements of life haven't really changed. We're not without electricity and hunting for food. Instead, the angels are in charge and the humans are struggling to survive a little lower on the food chain. I'm excited to see where the next book in the series goes! I listened to the audiobook version and absolutely loved the narrator!
Thank you to NetGalley for the Audiobook version in exchange for my honest review.

Interesting book with great dynamic between characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the main character and her crazy humor. Her sass was top notch entertainment.

3.5 Stars! I wish I could give a half star but I am sticking with rounding down to 3 stars in this instance because of a few difficulties I had with the book. I experienced some difficulty adjusting to the narration for this audiobook; there were several moments when I would double check if I had accidentally set the speed of the playback higher than normal speed. The narrator reads a bit too fast for my preferences, but ultimately aside from this one detail, they did a splendid job. I really felt like the narration brought the FMC to life, as she has quite a spunky personality that comes across better in audio than it would in print.

That being said, once I adjusted to the fast pace of the narration, and to the 'new world' the author was presenting, I found myself enjoying this book very much! As I mentioned, the FMC is very spunky, she has a big and sarcastic personality and I ended up really loving that. Especially her nicknames for the MMC - Godawful, Angelhole, etc. I also enjoyed FMC's little daydreams, which give a hint of spice but allow the actual romantic burn to be slow. The plot was unique and interesting enough to keep me on my toes and waiting to find out what would happen next, and the angelic and demonic lore aspects were very fun, and I was glad there was no heavy religious themes.

Though I was initially frustrated with this read, I found myself completely charmed by it and wanting to hear more. I saw the author comment on Goodreads that this will be a five book series and that left me simultaneously excited for more and dreading having to wait! I need Book 2 now, but I find that I am willing to wait until the second one is released in audio because it really does bring the story to life for me.

Overall: Narration a bit too quick, but energetic and lively, really bringing life to the characters. The story kind of throws you in at the beginning and leaves you out of sorts, but once you adjust and get into the story it is overall fun, and enjoyable. Will continue the series as the books are released on audio!

2.25 ⭐️

This book was super meh. It was a lot longer than it needed to be, there was so much teenage drama and pining, the FMC was incredibly whiny and dumb despite being really smart, I couldn’t keep track of the characters and what kind of beings they were, and in general I had to force myself to keep going with it. That is, until the last 15-20%, when it finally got interesting and exciting and we actually got a few answers that we had been waiting for the entire book. I probably won’t continue the series, but who really knows what my TBR will look like in the future (not me).

The audiobook narration was 4 ⭐️ Amanda Leigh Cobb is good, but the few screaming parts were like nails on a chalkboard to my ears, and some of the female voices ran together for me.

Thanks to NetGalley, Olivia Pharos, and Independent Book Publishers Association for the free copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I read this book in Audiobook form and the narrator was fairly okay in narration in my opinion. If we go into the sorry telling this book obviously felt like setting up to a big book series.
It has celestial beings from angels, demons, half-gods, nephiliams...etc. within a dystopian setting. Our main character is a thief who lives with her best friend or in her perspective, her only family member surviving with all the chaos related to gods and demons. The story is basically romantasy I guess with little spice. You may describe it as little to no spice as well since the scenes were not that 'hot' I think. I wasn't that interested in the romance part as always but it was a slow burn for the male character even though the main girl is somewhat stereotypical. I was more interested in the world with all these famous god characters and demons and their generations and backgrounds and interaction and the rules and rituals...etc.

The story was not that compelling though the world-building was a bit intriguing to me. I'm not that eager to grab the second book of this series. But I would interested in seeing where the story goes from here for all the characters since the side characters were more interesting. This was more of a 2.75 starts read rounding up to 3 starts which I would recommend to anyone who likes YA, slow burn romantasy books with fewer books to expect in the future

Angels, demons and all powerful celestial beings make for a captivating story. Wen’s story from being demon owned to ending up in Celestial Academy and being trained by the very sexy Godric is a fun story. I like the idea of angels having secrets and not having answers to everything.

everyone is saying this is very Zodiac Academy Vibes, and now I wanna read it too.

Going to search other books of OP for sure.

A great surprise this one!

Book One of Celestial Acadamy introduces us to a fascinating world where angels and demons coexist. The story centres around Wen, a young woman struggling to survive in a society dominated by the powerful Nephilim. Wen uses her unique ability to capture Angel Essence and sell it as a drug to save enough money for her and her friend to escape servitude and start a new life. However, she attracts the attention of Godric, the most ruthless Nephilim, sending her life spinning in an entirely new direction.
The Academy swirls with ancient magic and supernatural creatures both good and evil. I found the pace of the novel to be quite slow. But, the world-building is impressive and detailed.
Much of the story at the Academy involved a lot of training and getting to know the characters so there were good chunks where not a lot happened. The slow-burn romance added to this feeling. However, once it came time for Wen and her friends to face the gruelling challenges together the story took an exciting and suspenseful turn. The twist at the end I didn't see coming left me needing to read the next book in the series.
The narrator, Amanda Leigh Cobb, transports listeners to this fantasy world of celestial beings, magic and forbidden romance. Her impressive performance captures the diverse range of characters and emotions. It was just great to listen to and will be a perfect treat for fans of dark academia and enemies-to-lovers stories.

Can she save her friend from conscription? Can she survive the annoying and overbearing Godrick? And how will she get through this forced conscription to celestial Academy now? What’s so special about this measly human anyway? Or is there more to her than meets the eye? A lowly human girl is caught selling angel essence, something that no one else has ever been able to collect. She is put on the radar of the Nephilim and picked up forcibly to be assessed at the celestial Academy. If you like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, grumpy, sunshine, magical realism, and slow burn with quirky characters, this book is for you! I really enjoyed this adventure and look forward to the sequel a celestial Academy. I received an art copy of this title from NetGalley in the girls exchange for an honest review.

Wen, a human bound to a demon, harbors a dangerous secret. By night, she serves her demon master, Kundar, at his nightclub, Demonica. By day, she hunts for angel essence to create Angelescence, an illegal drug that induces euphoria and grants powers. Wen never intended to become a drug dealer, but stumbling upon angel essence left behind by a supernatural being changed her fate. This discovery offers her a chance to earn money to pay off her and her friend Sarah's indenture. Sarah is Wen's only family, so when Wen walks into a trap while meeting a client, she fears for Sarah's safety.

Enter Godric, a formidable angel and son of Azrael, the Archangel of Death. Tasked by the Archangels to track down the creator of Angelescence, Godric is determined to uncover its secrets, as even the Seraphim have failed to harness its power. To keep a closer watch on Wen and unravel her true nature, the Archangels send her to Celestial Academy, a school for angels and demons. There, Godric continues his investigation, seeking to understand who—or what—Wen truly is.

The plot of this book is overshadowed by Wen's excessive and often unnecessary inner monologue. The narrative feels unfocused, attempting to juggle too many elements at once. Instead of providing answers, it raises more questions, and the information revealed often lacks coherence. The book could benefit from being at least 150 pages shorter, as many events do not advance the plot. The story doesn't introduce Celestial Academy until 28% into the book, and Wen is unaware of its existence until then. The academy aspect feels underdeveloped, making the title "Celestial Academy" seem like a ploy to attract "Zodiac Academy" fans due to the similar-sounding names.

Godric is an incredibly flat character, resembling a generic, dark, magical being from countless other fantasy novels. He lacks redeeming qualities, his motivations are unclear, and his interactions with Wen are devoid of chemistry. Despite his apparent loathing for her, Wen is inexplicably obsessed with him. Their dynamic suggests a severe lack of self-confidence, where any form of attention is romanticized, cruelty is mistaken for affection, and an anxious attachment develops.

This book feels like a hastily assembled mishmash of flashy tropes from various series. The plot needs significant revisions, the book requires thorough editing, and the characters demand more development. While there is potential from a big-picture perspective, readers will likely be put off by the numerous issues mentioned above.

Celestial Academy had me at Heaven and Hell, Archangels, Dystopian, and Zodiac Academy.

If you love all those things, and of course, Fantasy, you'll love Celestial Academy. Now she is thick, which, I'll be honest, worried me. Usually, thick books are filled with unnecessary fluff that will have no point later on. However, every page and every second within the audiobook was well worth it! This will be one of those books which, when the next installment comes out—because yes, it does end on a cliffhanger,—you'll for sure relisten/reread again and again for each new installment.

Within jumping into Celestial Academy, you'll be hooked. Your attention will be captured. The world-building was amazing! (Many new fantasy world-building has been subpar, but Celestial is a chef's kiss!)

Even though it's a fantasy, you will find the characters relatable, and the banter is FUNNY! You'll have the tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, touch her and die, suspense, and sooo much...so much angst!

Can we talk about the invisible leash? 😏 (Me over here swallowing a golf ball.)

As for Fantasies, I loved it more than Fourth Wing... 😜

What a pleasant surprise. I got to listen to this audiobook for free, and I loved it. It was fun and action-packed. The pace was good. The MFC sarcasm was hilarious. I thought it was going to be spicy from the MFC detailed fantasies of the MMC, but nothing happened between them. I'm excited about book 2. Detailed sex fantasies and mature language.

I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed the narration of this book! The narrators used so much intentional inflection and put so much personality into the audiobook that I was sucked in right away.
The main character, Wen, was a snarky and witty which is exactly what I want from a fantasy FMC but I felt that it might have gone a little overboard and was unrealistic that she would have said a lot of those things aloud.
I was rooting for the romance between the MCs the whole time but I was waiting for the author to create more tension. We saw the insta-lust side from Wen but did not get that feeling from the MMC so I was a little disappointed the whole time to the point where the ending between them didn’t feel aligned with their romance.
My main criticism was that the book felt very long. I’m not new to the fantasy genre so it’s not that the book was longer than I’m used to, but it felt that way. Maybe it was the writing style and the need for more editing to focus on the plot since I often found myself a little lost without explanations needed for the world building.
Overall I did enjoy this book and the storyline, I just wish the romance was written a little differently.

Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.