It was a funny audiobook to some parts but not my kind of book when it comes to fantasy.
The FMC has a funny way of storytelling, nonetheless sometimes it gets me confused. Maybe if I it wasn’t in audiobook I could follow better. I don’t know.
The MMC has a good introduction and I found the character really interesting.
Their relationship reminds me a lot of Violet and Xaden from fourth wing.
3 stars and a huge thank you for the opportunity to listen to it!!!

The book took a little while to get into at the start but the training scenes with the FMC and MMC kept me wanting to listen. However, I do think this book had almost a little bit too much happening. It also seems strange that Wen is super special but so Sarah is also special but we find out very little in this book. And what we do find out is rather confusing. From an audiobook standpoint it was hard at times to know who was speaking in terms of the roommates as they sounded similar. I think reading the actual words might have made the book less confusing overall..

It also felt like a Zodiac Academy and Crescent City mashup so that could be why it felt a little overloaded. I did however, very much enjoy the tension between the 2 main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ALC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Our FMC is conscripted to the Celestial Academy for her crimes, whilst carrying out her sentence she is assigned to Heavens most ruthless soldier and assassin. They hate each other and their forced proximity and yet they have cravings. Cravings they can't act upon as not only is it forbidden but it could lead to disaster for everybody.

The first chapter captivated me and I was taken on a journey with incredibly high stakes, an enemies to lovers trope, life or death trials, a moody soldier and a sassy female MC to go with it! I really enjoyed the characters and their interactions, not only in a one on one setting but also as a collective. The world building was easy to follow and I didn't feel like information was being thrown at me. There are many fantastical elements in this story, it makes me want to read the next instalment ASAP!

The narration of this was enjoyable. It really set the book for me. I was able to visualise and see what was being described throughout the book.

If you are a Fantasy lover you are going to want to pick this up.

An amazing story. Had no idea where it was going to go the whole time. Kept me intrigued and wanting more. I can’t wait to read the rest of the story. I want to know what happens. I was definitely living in the world. The narrator also did an amazing job. I would have to say one of my favorite.

4 Stars

What a unique take on fantasy! This book is Hunger Games meets Supernatural. I love how this author was able to take Angels and Demons and build a whole fantasy world around them. Throw in a hard headed human girl and you have the magic of this book. It was so creative and engaging. there is tons of action that keeps you on your toes. I am not a huge fan of Bully romance but it didn't make me want to stop reading. Overall a solid book with great narrators.

Thank you to NetGalley and Olivia Pharos for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.

I requested this title based on reviews saying it had similar vibes to Zodiac Academy and Mortal Instruments. I have not read either of those complete series, but based on the TV/Movie adaptions of Mortal Instruments, I would say that would definitely be a good comparison. A human girl learning that there is more to her than meets the eye and lusting after the MMC - that definitely sounds similar but with different spins and story lines. Seriously, I'm a sucker for this type of story. Add it to a post-apocalyptic world and I'm totally in.

I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. The narrator, Amanda Leigh Cobb, did a phenomenal job. She portrayed Wen in a way that made her relatable. I love how she changes accents depending on the character. This story is perfect for an audiobook, but some of the world-building details did get lost on me. I think I would have to reread it in the physical copy a couple of times for me to completely follow.

There were quite a few twists that I did not see coming. I am excited to continue reading/listening to this series to find out what happens next.

I don’t often listen to audiobooks so this was definitely a change of pace especially given that it takes in a fantasy world. But boy did this make me want to listen to more audiobooks now. Something about the narrator had me completely mesmerized and hooked to the story that I had literally finished it in less than a day. I sat from start to finish just listening to the book filled with amazing action and romance- politics and found family. A mix of everything with a complete turn within the fantasy genre I don’t typically encounter. A GREAT read🫶🫶

I love the nostalgia this book garnered for me!
The ‘Mortal Instruments’ meets ‘Lucifer’ feel, was really captivating as the author managed to keep the book still really unique.
"Celestial Academy: Essence" is a captivating journey into a richly imagined world of magic, mystery, and self-discovery. The author's descriptive writing style manages to vividly brings to life the enchanting setting and the intriguing characters in this story. The protagonist's journey is both thrilling and heartfelt, filled with twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages.
The author masterfully balances action with moments of introspection, creating a narrative that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining. While some pacing issues occasionally arose, the overall experience of reading this book was highly engaging and satisfying for me!
This book is a definite must-read for fans of fantasy!

This book was pretty good, I would definitely recommend

~This was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

While I didn't care for the audio as much as I thought, I really enjoyed this story. I can't wait to continue the series.

Wen and Sara are enslaved by demons in a post apocalyptic world where heaven and hell literally inhabit the earth. Wen will doing anything to get the money to buy their freedom. But perhaps Wen has gone too far as her latest exploits have them both sent to Celestial Academy where they can both lose their lives. Is her mentor Goderick there to help or hurt? Only time will tell.

This enemies to lovers new adult Academy romance was so much fun. Wen is quick with the mouth and her comments had giggling out loud . I love the names she has for Goderick. The world building was unique yet easy to follow. The narration was very good and added to the enjoyment of listening to the audiobook. I highly recommend this one to fantasy lovers.

I was really excited for this one because it was compared to one of my fav series....

It was decent. I was entertained but it was a little amateurish in spots. I actually think maybe it was more an editing thing rather than the fault of the author. It was well worth the read though and I am searching for book 2.

The characters were great and I thought the storyline was fun. It just didn't feel 100% cohesive in spots. It is an indie author and had I known that going on, I might have had a different mindset but having said that, it still stood up well to someone who can be super hard on fantasy books.

4 stars well done

This was an entertaining listen from start to finish. I'm excited for the next in the series! The characters are charming in the most disastrously wicked way. The whole vibe was giving very much Helluva Boss and I'm here for it. I loved the play on angels, the "apocalypse", demons and the true face of evil. I highly recommend this book, if you're not a delicate soul.

Very, VERY boring! I requested this book because of the comparison to Zodiac Academy which I thought was so silly it ended up being super entertaining. Here, it was just boring. Things happened but I couldn't have cared less for the characters and what happened to them. I pushed myself to finish the audiobook but I definitely won't be reading the sequel. 1.5 stars

Thank you Independent Book Publishers Association and NetGalley for allowing me to receive this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

The premise of this was really interesting to me and I was excited to listen to it but the way it panned out was not my favorite. I feel like it got so confusing at times that I just lost interesting in reading it. It could have been better if the way the book was presented was better.

I was gripped early, wasn't sure what to expect but I was engrossed and listened it solid every chance I got for 3 days. Then I was annoyed that I'd finished it too quick!
It's so detailed, but not useless detail, it's rich detail that gives the tale texture and makes you want to know more as you get to know and care about the characters.
Upon finishing I immediately wanted to grab the next book in the series and carry on. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat needing more.
Absolutely mesmerizing storytelling.

4.8/5

This story surprised me. It has a new story perspective from what I have read. The writing keeps me engaged and it is done is such a way that I rarely guessed what was coming. I look forward to reading the sequel!

Celestial Academy: Essence (Afterworld, Book 1)
By Olivia Pharos
Narrated by Amanda Leigh Cobb
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫 (3,75/5)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (2/5)

An incredibly sexy enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance set in a unique post-apocalyptic world where angels and demons walk the earth, CA: Essence's audiobook was a very fun listen.

~~Caught dealing the drug only she can make, Angelescence, our FMC Wen is catapulted from indentured servitude to a demon to sentencing by archangel tribune. MMC Godric, her captor, jailor and - after she is sentenced to conscript at Celestial Academy - reluctant mentor, is set on harnessing her unique and mysterious powers. Wen must navigate her newfound superhuman abilities, life at the academy and her intense attraction to Godric to survive. ~~

I was very torn about what to rate this book. CE: Essence offers amazingly interesting and unique world-building, complex characters and a thrilling plot. The banter between Wen and several other characters is hilarious, making me chuckle out loud several times. It's clear Pharos loves her own characters, making the reader fall in love with them as well. This, along with the absolutely sizzling and incredibly well-executed tension between Godric and Wen made me want to keep and keep reading. It's what immediately made me buy book 2 after finishing at 4am, to keep going with the story.

On the other hand, Pharos's writing style simply did not mesh with me well on many occasions. It's very colloquial and train-of-thought, centered almost fully on Wen's character. This makes the reading experience messy. Scenes sometimes drag on for about 3 times as long as they should, the characters repeating the same thoughts over and over again. While this makes sense when one considers some characters are immortal, that's a rationalisation I added myself - the painful slowness of some scenes does not seem an intentional tool. Sometimes the seriousness of predicaments is sacrificed to include more banter and almost slapstick situations. This, while definitely funny, did drag me out of immersion.
In the same vein, sometimes characters seem fickle, doing what the plot needs them to do, rather than what the character would do in this situation. The result is moments of stilted, frustrating pauses in the flow of the novel and slow plot progression.

Amanda Leigh Cobb's narration is an absolute saving grace here. She manages to make Wen's thoughts sound less chaotic than they sometimes are, masterfully inflecting every snarky barb and brazen forwardness into something far less stilting. Cobb's voice is personable and flexible without sacrificing clarity, clearly showing off every character's personality from their first sentence. Pharos's writing and Cobb's voice also combine to create an excruciatingly delicious slow-burn that had me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book.

In the end, I decided to go with the closest thing to 4 stars without actually going there, so a 3,75. I was given a copy of the audiobook to review via NetGalley, and I'm very glad to have found a series I'll enjoy reading when I'm after a fun, steamy read. Celestial Essence (or the Afterworld series) definitely gets my recommendation. While the informal writing style won't be for everyone, I know plenty of readers that will love the lighter voice Pharos uses. If given the choice, I would absolutely recommend going for the audiobook. Cobb's narration adds a polish to the story that I fear it might lack on the page, but that definitely suits Pharos's enticing world well.

NetGalley ARC review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thankful for the audiobook ARC! Life got in the way of starting this one, but I'm glad I got around to it this weekend. Usually I'm not a fan of academy-style storylines, but Heaven/Hell post-apolocalyptic academia certainly got my attention. Definitely unique in where this fits between subgenres (in a good way, I promise!).

Pros: Strong, outspoken, stubborn, yet likable FMC? Check. Magic? Check. Villains? Check. Plot twists that actually surprise you? Check. Unique take on all the above? Check. Happily entertained by both the storytelling itself and the reading of it.

Cons: At times, it would've helped me to have a hard copy of the book versus audiobook. I found myself missing key details and having to skip back to be sure I heard what I thought I heard. I'm sure I would've re-read hard copy pages too, so this is a personal problem more than a book problem.

All that said, I will be waiting to find out how the ending of this book plays out in book #2.

I thoroughly enjoyed Celestial Academy and will read parts two and three. 📚✨

I did think it was more young adult than new adult, and I feel like I would have rated it higher if the writing were a bit more advanced.

The narrators performance was great!