I started Celestial Academy because it promised to merge elements and magic from Crescent City, The Mortal Instruments, and Zodiac Academy.

As a HUGE fan of ZA, I couldn’t miss the chance to read it.

But let me tell you, Celestial Academy is something different. So far, the only thing in common was the incredibly creative complexity of the world-building and the fact it is set at this Academy.

Oh, and Wen slightly reminds me of Tory, but I'll tell you about that later.

Other than that, I found it quite different from ZA. Which is not a bad thing, in my opinion.

The love interest is slowly developed, giving space to the intricate magical elements and mythology.

We know there are vampires and other creatures, but we never see them in this book. The main focus remains angels, archangels, demons and archdemons (and all that is in between these two factions).

I want to take a moment and applaud the author's mythology, which merge biblical and fantasy elements to completely original features, resulting in great action and supernatural powers that will awe you!

Let’s talk about the main characters: Wen and Godric.

Wen is a human with a special skill: she can collect one of the rarest substances, which she sells in clandestine transactions to buy herself and her friends' freedom..

Wen is stubborn, grumpy, and constantly inclined to conflict. She never stops asking questions to literally anyone, and she has a great spirit of initiative, as she was taught she had only herself to rely on. She is a survivor and will always be one.

We see her go from zero to heavenly high levels in this book, as she has the best mentor: Godric.

Godric is something... unearthly. We never see his full potential, but his aura is enough to make Wen’s arms and legs tremble in intimidation (and something else, hehe).

There is one thing we know for sure: Wen is the greatest, most complicated pain in the arse he has had in years. Maybe centuries.

But every great hate-to-love story needs a considerable deal of hatred to fuel the love interest.

The first book feels like an introduction to the world and the characters, but it leaves us with more unanswered questions than Wen has ever encountered.

Characters like Sarah, Jinny, Aela, and Cara gain a lot of importance in the end. And we still have to see if Godric’s interesting younger brother has some sort of role in the next book.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this read. I would have loved more dialogues among the characters, but the amazing action and complex developments were so epic that I couldn’t stop reading. Above all, the final part.

If you love paranormal urban/mythological fantasy with epic characters and a slow burn enemies-to-lovers story, this book is for you!

Received a copy of Celestial Academy: Essence through NetGalley.

Definitely stayed up far too late in my rush to devour this book as quickly as possible. Wen and Godawful are such compelling characters and the lore surrounding their world so intricate that I am ravenous for book 2!

4/5⭐️

A brand-new urban fantasy obsession for me!

I was hooked right from chapter one. The plot, the world-building, the characters and the progression; everything was top-notch. There's a Training Academy, there's mystery, there's adventure, there's slow burn romance, enemies-to-lovers and forced proximity. Basically, everything I look for in a fantasy.
The whole set-up of angels and demons were very well done, characters were interesting, especially Wen. She's brave, outspoken and a survivor. Personally, I enjoyed her inner monologues and banter with Godric.

The twists kept the book interesting and the pace, going. I have a few theories about some characters and hope that my predictions turn out to be accurate in the next installment of the series, which I am super excited to pick up soon.
Overall, a must read!

I received an ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this series - we have a enemies to sort of lovers, forced proximity and plenty of shenanigans to keep us entertained

We meet Wen when she’s struggling to survive - turning to criminal enterprises to try and save her best friend. She is (ofcourse) caught and sentenced to an academy where she learns more than just how to fight but who she and her friends are.

You have the usual academy tropes but all with some very cool post apocalyptic magic in play. I enjoyed the story and totally didn’t see the twist coming

Holy smokes what a great book! This one has tons of great world building, good paced plot, lots of banter and snarky dialogue and the characters are enjoyable. I found it a little clunky, just not my preferred writing style I think but the story is great!

Holy, I was not ready for this book. Olivia Pharos did an incredible job on Celestial Academy: Essence and I cannot WAIT to read the second in the series. I had previously read reviews of Pharos’ take on a post-apocalyptic world akin with the world building and fantasy that I have come to know and love, but I dont think I was ready to love the book this much. The action, the witty banter, and again, the world-building is next level. I fell in love with the snarky comebacks between the FMC and her brooding counterpart and there were plenty of times where i just did not see the next plot twist coming. Brava for this one and I highly recommend it for anyone who fell in love reading Harry Potter at a young age and advanced into the fantasy lore of SJM, Rebecca Yarros or the like. Loved it.

Such a unique world! I loved the different elements that came together to create something totally new. This is definitely a book to recommend to those who enjoy the Zodiac Academy series. This book also has that little something that is found in ZA. The snark? Perfect. A random thing that I loved was the font choice. It was legible and easy to follow (if you know, you know). I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

Celestial Academy has a really interesting premise, but the writing style is not my personal favourite. I did really like the characters, especially how quippy Wen is, and how serious Godric is. I am very interested in seeing how the series ends, but I am unsure if I would be able to read through the books with the authors writing style. It isn't poorly written, its just a style I don't personally enjoy.

The world-building in this story is a mesmerizing blend of urban fantasy, dystopian elements, paranormal romance, and the excitement of a supernatural academy. It's a tapestry of genres seamlessly woven together, creating an experience akin to watching a blockbuster movie rather than simply reading a book.

Within this richly layered narrative, the characters emerge as multifaceted individuals, each harboring secrets and depths that continually surprise and captivate. The arcs of their relationships twist and turn in unexpected directions, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the romance blooms.

Speaking of romance, brace yourself for the emergence of a new book husband. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic between the protagonists is a revelation, unlike anything I've encountered before. It's a rollercoaster of emotions that grips you tightly, refusing to let go until the very last page.

"Celestial Academy: Essence" by Olivia Pharos is a great read! I give it 4.5 stars. The story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where angels are not soft and caring and demons are not always monsters. The main character, Wen, is a survivor who goes through a lot. She's snarky, determined, and always puts her friends first. She also can't keep her mouth shut, which leads to some funny scenes. The story is full of trials, overcoming prejudices, and a female lead who doesn't have it all together. I can't wait for book 2!

Angels not quite as you may think, and a world so rich it feels real. Awesome paranormal adventure, never a dull moment or what you might expect!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

2.5 stars

I loved the idea for this book, and it definitely gave Hunt/Bryce vibes in the beginning. It has outspoken FMC and broody MMC. However, I could never get interested in or 'involved' in their story, whereas I was obsessed with Bryce and Hunt. The FMC was over the top with her 'snarkiness' and always thought about how hot the MMC was, even when he was plain mean to her. Now, my number one favorite trope is enemies to lovers, but it just didn't work for me in this story. I ended up not finishing it because I knew this wasn't a book that meshed with me. This book was recommended for fans of Zodiac Academy and Crescent City (my two favorite series), and I was disappointed that it didn't live up to the hype I saw.

Celestial Academy is a post apocalyptic urban fantasy with a focus on Angels and Demons. It is first and foremost written in a first person POV, which I have come to learn is not my cup of tea. I overall found the writing jarring because of this probably because I feel like I'm being told everything versus feeling like the story is unfolding before me. However, this is a very personal preference so it might not bother other people.

Wen, our "human" FMC, reminds me a lot of Bryce from Crescent City. She is very outspoken and does not seem to care what others think about her. She is also very loyal to those she care about. It makes a lot of sense when you understand how she grew up - she's had to fend for herself all her life. However, as much I love a strong FMC, she almost seems one-dimensional at least until the last part of the book. Godrick, the MMC, is a Nephilim and it can be described as a jerk throughout the majority of the book. I didn't really learn much about him. Their banter was hilarious and there was definitely a sexual tension.

I like the idea of the story and was really hoping for more in this book, but I feel like it fell flat until the last couple of chapters. I guess it makes sense because it's a series and this is meant to be an introduction to it. I just wished it was less info dumping.

I really enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait for the next one. It was a good combination of romance and action and I couldn’t put it down.
Wen’s life completely changed overnight and she found herself in the Celestial Academy learning that she had some special abilities. Hopefully with Godric’s help she’ll be able to find out the truth about herself.
Love the slow burn between the main characters and looking forward for more about their connection!
Definitely would recommend reading this book!

Let me just say if you want a brave, loyal, non shit taking, tell you how she really feels Main character then Wen is 100% your girl!

Wen is a demon owned human just trying to help her and her best friend survive in this insane world filled with demons, angels, and every other supernatural. When all of a sudden an Angelhole named Godawful .... I mean Godric slams into her life. Trying to figure out exactly what Wen is while making her attend the Celestial Academy and putting Godawful as her mentor. This slow slow burn that keeps you questioning will they or wont they along with the AMAZING world building that Olivia Pharos has done will keep you hooked page by page.

I can not wait for book 2 to be released and am counting down the days!!!!

⭐️Enemies to Lovers
⭐️Sassy FMC
⭐️Found Family
⭐️Academy Setting
⭐️Mentor/Mentee

This FMC is a mouthy human just trying to survive and ends up getting in to trouble leading her to Celestial Academy.

The start of this book is super intense with the magic/race/world descriptions and was a little bit confusing at times. As the story builds, the class system and races become clearer and you begin to really appreciate the characters within the story!

The intense romance between the two enemies is positively 🫠 and keeps you captivated throughout, constantly waiting for a scene between the pair to see where it goes!

I really enjoyed this book, it’s witty and fun the obsession with Sarah is a bit wild but I’ll continue this series and I’m looking forward to the next one already!

I loved the idea of this book. Angels and demons, what really is right and wrong, good and bad. The post apocalypse. I was eager to dive into this book from the back blurb alone. Some of the characters stuck with me and yet the main character irked me sometimes. Her priorities tried to be in the right place, the good of her friend before herself and all that and yet if I went back to count how many times she was drooling or thinking about jumping Godwin's bones the book would have probably been a hundred pages shorter.

I liked the dynamic between the two characters, there was tension and development but sometimes less is more and sometimes I found myself thinking, okay I get it. There is so much sexual tension. and they both feel it, but they can't do anything about. There was no need to remind me every other page.

I really did like the unique spin the author put on angels and demons. The whole lure around them and the graced vs the blightened. There were so many good things in this book that I would have happily read more about it.

This is a dark book and somewhat offensive. I just did not like it and cannot recommend it but others may like it.

I loved this. So much. I started reading this last night, and could not put it down; I needed to finish it and I am sad that it's finished and that I have to wait to read book 2. I will be reading book 2 as soon as I possibly can.

Wen and Godric had me entranced. I loved the two of them.

I can't wait to read what comes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC, I understand parts of the book may have changed between the version I have read the final but only in writing this review I have found out it has been largely rewriten so I will just comment on the story in general.

I want to caveat this by saying I don't read urban fantasy often but thought this might be one I enjoy due to the intriguing description and I have enjoyed stories in this vein before.

To kick things off I was not a fan of the writing style. I like a fast paced opening and while the beginning was intriguing the info dumping really slowed it down and made it hard to get into.

The story was intresting but felt slow and I didn't connect to any of the characters, I specifically didn't like Godric and his lead... I'm also not a fan of angelhole, it felt very Crescent City.