In the Afterworld, Heaven and Hell are on earth, literally. Wen, a demon owned orphan, is working to buy back her and her best friend’s freedom by selling Angelescence, a drug only Wen can make. When the angels track down Wen, they send her to Celestial academy until they can figure out how she is able to make the drug. Grodic, heavens most ruthless soldier, is charged with discovering Wen’s unique ability.

The world with angels and demons and other creatures roaming around was very interesting, though could have been developed more. The plot itself was intriguing. There were so many questions I wanted answered that kept me reading the book!

The book did start somewhat abruptly and I had trouble keeping up with the hierarchy of supernatural beings. It did come together in the end. I had trouble relating to the main character. She has a snarky attitude which I usually love but her stream of consciousness started to get old. I did love a lot of the side characters, especially Lorcan.

Overall, this book was a promising start but some parts really dragged and other parts I didn’t feel we had enough information.

Celestial Academy audiobook was definitely an entertaining 🎧 listen. The narration of this book was great, the only caveat would be to have duel narration on the next audiobooks. 📚

The banter between “Angelhole” aka Godric and Wen had me cracking and kicking my feet, however, the slowest burn 🔥 ever. So was agonizing.

Wen is reminiscent of Alein (tog) or Bryce (cc) to me, absolutely loved her badass and quick witted banter. The side characters also interesting side storylines can’t wait for this to unravel in the upcoming books.

You will enjoy this book if you love a fast pace action packed book and the below tropes interest you.

Tropes:
- Forced Proximity
- Enemies to Lovers
- Greek Mythology
- Paranormal Romance
- Morally grey characters
- Slow burn
- Hidden powers
- Academy
- Angels and Demons
- Friendship/found family
- Amazing banter
- Training sessions with MMC
- Trials

Thank you to NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers for this audiobook.

First of all the narrator for this book was AMAZING!! She did a fantastic job with this book. She had different tones and voices for different characters. It was a very enjoyable listening experience. The story was so good too. I got wrapped up and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. I am very much looking forward to reading more from this author!

A quite interesting new fantasy series. As far as I remember, I have never read a fantasy book where angels are one of the main focuses. So that was quite refreshing.
Our MC, Wen, is very likeable and has an interesting background/-story. At last what we know so far. She is saved from her fate of being enslaved by a demon drug lord by the angel Godric. Not sure I vibe with the name, as it doesn't feel quite fitting for celestial / angelic being - to me at least.

Some parts of the book feel a bit too long winded and could probably have used a bit more editing (or rather shortening), but it is an engaging first book in a series and I'm looking forward to reading more.

4.5⭐️ for the narration!
2.5⭐️ for the actual prose.

I am thankful to have gotten the Audio/ ALC for free from Netgalley and the author so I can leave my voluntary review.

I’ll be honest, I needed an audiobook and didn’t feel like searching for one. This has been as a “listen now” in Netgalley for a while and I always passed it by. Why? I had a feeling it wouldn’t live up to its description and would be a copy of other current popular fantasy books and I was right.

But I’m going to focus on the audio part of it as that’s what I am tasked to review.

The narration is great! The way Amanda Leigh Cobb handles the material is great. At first I chided myself for putting this off so long as I got completely engaged with the FMC because of the narration. She was funny and spunky and her energy reading the character just drew me in. So A+ for the narration which makes this a better book than it is!

Sadly once the FMC gets to the academy itself it just doesn’t have the power to keep one hooked. That’s not the narrators fault at all. It’s like when you have a fabulous actor working with a bad script, there’s only so much they can do.

So if you haven’t read any other popular fantasy of late that are similar or have a real penchant for angel and demon content then you may really like this.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thank you netgalley and Olivia Pharos for the audio book arc in exchange for an honest review.

Well this was an almighty surprise!
So as I started listening to this I got major zodiac academy vibes.
This was all action, all banter and all consuming slow burn from the start.

Wen is a demons slave and her bestie sarah is also a slave together it’s a struggle to just get through every day without drawing attention to themselves.
Wen has started saving her money from selling angel essence on the side to get them out of the slavery. Until she is tracked down and arrested by Godric an archangel son.

Wen is then thrown in the celestial academy by the archangels to discover what and who she is.
Godric is forced to become her mentor and train her for the trails.

This is an extremelyyyyyyy slow burn enemies to not lovers (yet)
Not quite yet but possibly found family
Major action packed
Hogwarts meets zodiac academy with their bestie fourth wing.
It’s definitely worth a read/listen for sure.
The narrator is top she’s so good and I’ve listened to some of her narrations before and she is great.

My only gripe on this is there is a whole lot of info and action so at some points it was over whelming and I had to go back and re listen.

But 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Join Wen on a heavenly adventure filled with magic, romance, and unforgettable characters.

Olivia Pharos' debut novel, Celestial Academy: Essence, is a captivating and splendiferous (IYKYK) read that will leave you breathless. With its fast-paced plot, witty humor, and dynamic characters, this book is a must-read for fans of fantasy and romance.

Why you'll love it:
* A unique and magical world: Step into a realm filled with celestial beings, ancient magic, and breathtaking landscapes. Pharos' world-building is both imaginative and immersive, drawing you into the story from the very beginning and taking you across multiple realms.
* A sassy and unforgettable heroine: Wen is a witty and snarky protagonist who will quickly win your heart. Her sharp tongue and quick wit add a touch of humor and relatability to the story.
* A slow-burn romance that will keep you on the edge of your seat: The enemies-to-lovers romance between Wen and her celestial mentor is a slow-burn that will leave you longing for more. Their banter, tension, and undeniable chemistry will keep you captivated.
* A diverse and lovable cast of characters: From the mischievous Jinny to the cinnamon roll Lorcan, the characters in Celestial Academy: Essence are well-developed and full of personality. You'll find yourself rooting for their friendships and love stories.

Genre: The line between YA and New Adult (NA) can sometimes be blurry but, this first book in the series feels more YA to me especially with the book cover art. I expect more adult themes to surface as the series progresses.
Perfect for fans of:
* Powerless
* Mortal Instruments
* Crescent City
* Crave

Grab your copy of Celestial Academy: Essence today and embark on a celestial adventure you won't forget!

Listened to this via audiobook at 1.5 speed, which is what I found to sound more like a natural speech rate via my Bluetooth ear buds. The narrator did a good job.

Engaging story, fast paced start to draw you in. The lead female isn't too ditzy or self deprecating, which can be really annoying. I look forward to the next installment to see how things pan out.

This is suitable for young adults, the love interest is only blooming at this stage.

There were some good puns which made me laugh :D

Nice to not have a cliff hanger ending, but enough opening for the next book.

This book had a very interesting plot but it was kind of all over the place. The ending didn't feel like a resolution to all the questions that were brought up throughout the story. The audio narration was good and easy to follow and I enjoyed listening to it. If you like a school setting with challenges about angels and demons you will probably enjoy this book! Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGallery for the audiobook listen!

This book: Instantly was addicted to this book. Mixture of hogwarts (the main characters are at a college type of school- 18+ aged characters) mixed with Percy Jackson but for adults. Looking forward to reading the next one!

Narrator: She did a great job!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️4.5 Stars

This book was quite the surprise. It has the makings of a very interesting fantasy series. It is set after the apocalypse and demons and angels have taken over the world. Wen has been demon owned for most of her life as most humans are. Along with her best friend Sarah, they have been working on getting free. She has been selling "angel essence" a street drug she makes from angels to help get enough money to obtain their freedom. She gets caught and has to go to celestial academy. This book is axction packed and the fantasy elements are easy to follow. My only problem is the romance. It almost feels like an after thought and godric is so harsh to her throughout most of it that it does not feel like romance at all. Other than that it is a very fun read and the narration was very well done. I am looking forward to book two.

This was a gripping listen! I thoroughly enjoyed landing right in the middle of something in chapter one - no slow world building here.

As a story, I enjoyed this - it's a post-apocalyptic setting set in our world with angels, demons and a few other types of beings. There are hierarchies involved within these races too, giving a scope for some political movements. There's also a magic-type school and trial involved. And cliffhangers. Yes. Plural... This book is told from the FMCs point of view, and the epilogue is from another character's POV - I thought this was clever and a really good way to set up book two!

I listened to this as an audiobook and want to just talk about Amanda Leigh Cobb's performance for a second... I'm not new to this narrator and really enjoyed her narrating other books. Her ability to sound annoyed and frustrated, be feisty and sneaky and also be a whole host of other character voices is brilliant. It helped tell this story. I never felt confused as to who was speaking, or when thoughts were internal or external.

Her speed is also perfect - sometimes I speed up a book to 1.25/1.5 but this narrator keeps a good pace and listening at 1x speed was good enough for me.

Overall, an enjoyable listen. Yes, some people may not enjoy this type of book, but it's a well narrated book with a storyline that includes magic, plotting, and the slowest of slow burns I have ever read.

What a ride! It’s told from Wen’s POV. We don’t get Godrick’s POV until the epilogue and WHAT?!? Like we didn’t get enough of a cliffhanger without it. I’m not the biggest fan of a cliffhanger but to leave me with two is not okay. Olivia Pharos does it so well that she leaves me with a “thank you” on my lips.

Let’s talk about the TROPES.

* It’s supposed to be enemies to lovers but it only ever gets to a kiss so don’t expect spicy scenes. They don’t even happen off the page.

* Hints of competing for her heart/love triangle shenanigans to come.

* The Chosen One/prophecy vibes but the ever present question as to which side will she ultimately benefit.

* The best friend (Sarah) has something about her that’s shrouded in mystery.

* Forced proximity as she’s bound to him by a celestial leash that he can make visible at will. He’s tasked with being in charge of her and her extra training.

Not a trope but the witty banter is wonderful.

It’s an audiobook so let’s talk NARRATION.

Amanda Leigh Cobb is a narrator that’s new to me and I swear she sounds like another that I love when she does her masculine and accented voices. She does a fantastic job of keeping her characters straight so the listener doesn’t get confused as to who is talking and there is quite the cast. She does an excellent job with her accents. At first I thought that they were going to be gimmicky but she does an excellent job at keeping them regionalized.

I thank NetGalley, Olivia Pharos, and IBPA for the ALC of this audiobook and the opportunity to share my thoughts and opinions with others. I’ve discovered I can read book 2 on Kindle Unlimited so I’m going to torture myself by reading it while knowing that the final book won’t be out until 2025.

Yeah, it’s really that good.

Can I just say WOW 🤩 I need the book and need to know what happens! I really enjoyed the audio of this book, I think the narrator did really well. I liked the writing style and will be recommending it to some friends who also enjoy fantasy.

This one just wasn’t for me. I know some will love it but I didn’t like the characters so it took away the enjoyment.

I loved every second of this book ! I found the premise of this book interesting the female protagonist was bold ,funny and I enjoyed seeing her relationships develop with other characters in the story. The narrator was great and fit the role perfectly ,her voice worked for all the different characters while making them all easy to distinguish each one and it makes this a book I would definitely recommend as an audio book .
The pace was steady and kept my interest throughout, but my favourite bit of the book was the character interaction and banter .

Good narration with interesting world building. I enjoyed the story and it kept me coming back. I want to read the next book in the series to see what happens.

I enjoyed the book but it sid not captivated as many other books have done. I enjoyed the story but it was almost to much to keep up with.

I thank Netgalley, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), and Members‘ Audiobooks for providing me with this audio review copy.

Synopsis

In a post-apocalyptic world where Angels, Demons, and other fairy tale creatures made themselves known and took control over world governments, Wen White and her best friend Sarah barely scrape by as indented assistants to the demon lords. Wen is determined to buy them out by selling the only-to-her visible substance she dubs ‘Angelesence’ but when a deal goes awry and she is captured by the alluring and almighty nephilim Godric, she is carted off to celestial academy to determine what kind of being she truly is. Under the private tutelage of Godric and her other angelic teachers, she learns to harness her own strength, discovers millennia-old mysteries, and learns to trust in her ‘friends’.

My Experience

As we are thrown into the story it moves at a good pace and the double pack of humour in the writing told through Wen’s snarky personality had me gripped. To see quite serious situations and terrifying people made fun of was a really nice twist to the usually somber dystopian atmosphere. As soon as the plot progressed to the academic setting though, the humor felt overused.

This was also the point where the plot progression halted for a sizeable portion of the book and only picked up again at the end. Instead, we got overly extensive banter and inner thoughts, that took up so much space, that from time to time I forgot that Wen was in an actual conversation at the moment.

As more characters are introduced you get that the author shoots for the found family vibe that may come in book two, as Wen slowly combats her paranoia with strangers (really slowly though). I could have used more flesh to the secondary characters‘ personalities to get this thought across better so that they also mean something to you by the end.

Godric was an interesting character who would have shone with a little more to him than just protecting Wen.

The story was really intriguing in the beginning but the longer it went and nothing was answered with the simple explanation of ‘I can’t tell you’ or ‘I don’t know yet’ was aggravating.

As the end was in sight though the plot progressed again and gave me enough to be curious about the second book. As many plot points were set up and not addressed in this title I hope those to pass in the next one.

As for the spice

This is truly a slow burn with only overly graphic thoughts thrown around.

The Narration

The Narrator gives her all with different tones of voice and accent for every character and she nails Wen’s personality. Fantastic narration.

My Rating

C A W P I L E
5 6 6 6 7 8 6

3.5 ⭐️ | 1 🌶️

This book just isn’t for me. I could get into it and can’t say I found any buy in for finishing it. I found the main characters annoying. Sadly I dnf the book

I did like the narrator