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Exemplar Hall #3

The Makings of a Magi Knight

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I survived the first semester and despite Dean Belmont's agenda and the Celestial Council's misogynistic belief that women are the weaker sex and incapable of harnessing power, I showed them just how wrong they are.

The Plus One taunting has ended, and instead of disdain, the looks being thrown at me heading into the second semester are wary and confused.

Doesn't matter. After the explosion at the end of the semester skills test, I'll probably be expelled. Which—and I can't believe I'm going to say this—would kill me.

I need to learn more about my dad, my powers, and best of all...my guys:
♥ Maverick - my distant and broody wolf.
♥ River - my loveable and loyal bear.
♥ Brody - my... vampire, hot for teacher crush? Yeah, I'm not sure where that's going.

They call to the wildness in me and there's no way I'm not going to answer that call.

Go up and claim your copy of The Makings of a Magi Knight and continue on the journey with Jesse and her men.

This is a fast-paced, medium-burn, twenty-somethings romance series set in a world where magical beings harness astrological power to get what they want. The heroine will end up with multiple love interests so you never have to pick a favourite. Expect hot romance, spine-tingling action, sword-crossing, sassy humor, and a continuation of story that takes you through five books.

361 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 31, 2020

291 people are currently reading
184 people want to read

About the author

J.L. Madore

104 books292 followers

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5 stars
677 (56%)
4 stars
352 (29%)
3 stars
146 (12%)
2 stars
23 (1%)
1 star
6 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Cat H.
1,987 reviews220 followers
May 3, 2023
4.6 stars.
Fuck.
The relationships really put us through the ringer in this book.
And then that ending.
Holy shit! So fucking cool!

I’m so fucking pumped to see how this continues.

We still aren’t 100% sure who is all in Jesse’s group of lovebugs.
I still wanna see how this rebellion shapes up.
We gotta get Wyatt set to rights.
Their father still needs a reunion and his name cleared and life free.

A lot of things still need to happen, and we’ve only got 2 books to do it in.
I’m super excited to see how it all plays out.
Profile Image for Arenia.
356 reviews26 followers
July 12, 2023
Continues to be great

Really loving the drama that’s happening in this one, especially between the twins (I know, I’m a masochist). Definitely stills leaves many things hanging and I’m looking forward to getting more answers in the next book.

I am, however, a little let down by the relationships in this one. Jesse and Mav are starting to get on my nerves, so I hope things are resolved quickly in the next book. We also get some MM in the RH in this one, but I have to say, I’m not convinced? Idk, I just really wasn’t feeling the connections between the MM pairs; they still felt more connected to Jesse. I hope we’ll get some solo MM scenes where we can see their feelings develop on their own.

Finally, it’s BANDEAU, not bando. It’s driving my crazy.
Profile Image for Katelin.
72 reviews
November 11, 2025
I hope Wyatt gets his moment to shine, everything seems so disproportionally awesome for Jesse. They’re twins and should be equal but it’s not and it’s irks me like crazy
Profile Image for Sasha.
400 reviews12 followers
October 18, 2023
Jesse

I have a strong dislike for the main character in this book. What truly captivated me throughout this story was the incredible bond between the twins. However, in this latest installment, that bond is shattered, and I’m left with a constantly complaining female character who appears eager to become involved with almost anyone, which I find quite annoying. It’s disappointing to witness the deterioration of what I initially admired.

Additionally, I share your sentiment about her hasty forgiveness of her father and her disregard for her brother’s feelings. It’s disheartening to see her act in such a manner, as it diminishes the emotional depth I had hoped for in the story. This is the point at which I’m seriously considering concluding my journey with this book.
369 reviews6 followers
January 4, 2024
This series has me excited to continue reading.
My biggest beef is the 'fade to black', skipped over or FMC undetailed POV for every MM encounter. Huge moments, firsts, highly anticipated actions... they're all missing. The FMCs scenes are pretty well fleshed out, and the build up/tension between the guys is well done.
Profile Image for Karina.
580 reviews5 followers
September 30, 2024
I had to DNF this at 80%.

I have been trying to give Jesse the benefit of the doubt. It's hard being 20, and finding out you're magic, and your father is alive, and all of that other BS. Girl is going through a lot.

The rest, the reason I stopped at 80%, is not really spoilers but I'll hide it anyway.



Also...the fact that she is attracted to literally every single person she interacts with squicks me out a bit. I mean it's fine to acknowledge that people are hot, but she has complete randos in her head and is thinking about how she wants to make out with them. Three books in and I'm still honestly not sure how many or who is in the harem?? Jack seems to be, but she keeps infantalizing him which is also just such an unappealing behavior.

I was really for these books as fun casual reads, and maybe I'll come back to them at some point.
Profile Image for Tedra.
386 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2026
Decent

Sometimes this FMC is just too much- her always choosing a difficult route.
Why would she go to the Dean about the sprites with the way he's treated her?

After Jack was attacked in the library why didnt she go to Floyd & report it? He's told her a 100 times that he's there to protect the kids.

I DO not feel the connection with the FMC & Jack. It was more of a sharing thing , like between River & Jesse it comes aceoss as "free love" type thing rather than an actual relationship and Jack comes across as totally weak, he's being horribly bullied & then boom love scene- not feeling it.

How she treated Brody about the bond was shitty. He's explained it a 100 times why it should not exist & she's been a b!tch about it- but is TOTALLY FINE with Maverick having marked her BEFORE she was even aware of magik & shifters.
How about sitting there while men around d her undress infront of her in the locker room not realizing she's a girl? Why wasn't she worried about invasion of privacy for then?

Read another review about them being mad that the FMC refused to forgive Maverick. GOOD
He's a jerk & only reason he came around d was because she almost died. I'm so tired of him being wishy washy & now he's spending time away from her to be with River. Excuse me? He's suddenly has free time to get laid with a guy but not his gf. His supposed love for the FMC doesn't ring true either.

None of them are very lovey dovey, it's just sex & friendship & the fmc hitting on more guys. Every guy is written as a potential love interest that you honestly get worried.

Then she has sex with Brody, doesn't bring it up at all to her mates or nothing. Zero condom use, no bc is ever mentioned. No bodily fluids leaking or dripping are ever mentioned, it's weird

Why is she hitting on EVERY guy, seriously?!
Even ones who show zero interest in her.
Profile Image for O’rion Risher.
373 reviews6 followers
February 20, 2024
I’m sorry! I just don’t think RH are for me. I feel like Jesse is just so greedy and horny all the time. Yeah, it’s explained because she’s sooo amazing and powerful… but it’s kind of annoying how amazing she is. Plus she thinks everyone is sexy. Lol and the guys are all pretty much fine with adding in whomever she is sexually attracted to. I really thought she was going to add Drake, Kade and Pink Floyd to the mix the way she was thinking about their hotness. 🤣 and the random others we have been introduced to here and there.

She also doesn’t seem overly cautious about keeping her identity a secret. The guys remember to cast spells because she’s a screamer and thinks nothing of outing herself. Shes repeatedly reminded to act more like a guy. And don’t get me started on how some people just seem to know she’s a girl or were told, but the secret remains for a good chunk of people. lol it doesn’t really make a lot of sense here…

She seems more focused on getting laid than anything important. There were 3 chapters for one sex scene… ehhh… it’s just excessive in my opinion.

I’ve officially lost interest now that they have blown up magi-tek.
Profile Image for Zoe.
169 reviews9 followers
September 3, 2024
DNF somewhere in chapter 12 — progress is a little messed up since I was reading this as a single omnibus collection. I just can’t make myself care about Jesse; I don’t like how she thinks and that she constantly forgets about important things to focus on minor shit. And I despise Maverick, plus Brody is extremely dumb and I have no idea where the thing with Dean Belmont is going. No one seems to know anything but they also don’t seem to care that much about figuring shit out.

Bah.

Also a side note: River is constantly referred to as First Nations. He was raised with his family, there’s no mention of colonial/family trauma (residential schools etc) and he has traditional tats. But he has a purple Mohawk and not braids/long hair? There’s no reference to him being 2Spirit or shaman etc either, nor anything of his culture despite that he saved everyone about six times over in book one due to his tracking/hunting skills. Dude just never goes outside again after that? Not a fan of a book/series that uses indigenous folks/culture without an effort to get it right much less consider the implications to the storyline.
Profile Image for Anto~mcbr.
712 reviews41 followers
November 26, 2025
3.5⭐

While still fun, this third installment in the Examplar Hall series felt a bit like a filler book. More of an opportunity to lay the groundwork and set things up for further down the line, than a novel with a specific arc developed fully from beginning to end. Editing is also getting rougher, with more typos and grammar mistakes sprouting in each subsequent book.

Mysteries small and large keep popping up, and attempts on Jessie's life continue to be made. Someone is going after the legacies, and someone is brainwashing those close to Jessie into hating her. And even with the castle now recovering thanks to magitec being taken out—perhaps even because of it—the unidentified dark forces are getting bolder and more dangerous.

But with secrets shed, identities revealed, and stances taken, perhaps now will be the time when the student body, and particularly the other legacies, start figuring out there's shady business afoot. And that they'll have to soon choose between getting kidnapped and murdered or standing alonside Jessie and her harem to fight these sinister entities.
12 reviews
August 26, 2023
keep it going Ladies hells yes !!!

Will wonders of wonders excitement and love life and the pursuit of happiness honor love…this series gives me everything I believe in for moral compass with my fantasy of a magical world all in a series I’m proud to read thank you ladies I’m in lurrve with this amazing series.
Profile Image for Lauren Taylor.
51 reviews
September 20, 2023
Still loving this

I absolutely adore this series. This one has many twists and turns and unexpected heartache. The only thing I do not like (and this is just me, because it's not really my cup of tea) is the M/M sexcapades. Other than that, I cannot put these down! I cannot wait to see Jesse James and her crew take down the stuffy council!!
147 reviews
June 6, 2024
Yay!

Story to spice ratio is spot on in this book.
Our girl finally gets to be herself.
I love how this book has pulled things together. I would love more details on each of our girls men but I guess that's the sign of a good writer, making you greedy to know more. I'm looking forward to the next book.
9 reviews
August 4, 2024
You know girls rule the world, right....

It's a good saucy read, kick ass fml who could also do with a kick in the was now and again. She seems to represent the sun so naturally she expects everything to revolve around her (eyeroll).
I have enjoyed reading it and looking forward to completing the series.
2 reviews
December 8, 2022
love love love!

I love this book (and the series). I can easily picture the different locations in the book. I can’t put it down and ended up reading till all hours of the night. Bring on book 4. I can’t wait.
Profile Image for Sammy Motz.
80 reviews
August 10, 2023
Ok this books had me tearing up and cheering Jesse on! Even had my cheeks blushing. After the first two book this one by far was my favorite!

The main character is really beginning to find who she really is and I love how she was able to gain a little control of her life at the end.
Profile Image for T..
Author 13 books572 followers
November 28, 2023
Makings of a Magi Knight, book three of the Zodiac Magic Academy-Exemplar Hall series, is an ebook I borrowed through Kindle Unlimited (KU). Not only does each new installment get better, but the fast pace, plot twists, and the relationship development are fun.
Profile Image for Shannon Beadnell-Harvey.
190 reviews
October 10, 2025
Another great story!

The ending of this book is epic! I totally loved it! Lots of hot sex. I’m not into guy on guy sex but I liked the idea of them all being a “pack”. Looking forward to the next one!
277 reviews4 followers
January 19, 2023
Good to the last drop…

The highs and lows of this book took me through an emotional roller coaster ride that I’m still recovering from.
150 reviews1 follower
January 20, 2023
Great Series

This series has been a blast to read. There are enough twists and Turns to make it difficult to put it down.
155 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2023
I love the interactions between Jesse, Mav, River and Jack. Hopefully Jesse will be able to save her brother in the next book
Profile Image for CassInTheStacks.
1,068 reviews
August 16, 2023
Is plot-tastic a word?

Seriously! I am I am loving this story. The FMC is a total badass, and I'm here for it! On to the next book!
Profile Image for Bri.
258 reviews
October 28, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️/5 spice

Tropes:
Supernatural romance
Why choose
Magik/shifters
Mates
Academy/NA
Profile Image for Tenasha Gummybear_smutbookreder.
224 reviews9 followers
January 12, 2024
🤷🏽‍♀️

Wow some of the shit the twins go through is absolutely wack this book is absolutely amazing it’s fast paced well written 10/10 recommend
566 reviews1 follower
August 19, 2024
A very exciting book!! Lots of drama and an exciting magikal world. Truth!! And conflict. Looking forward to the next book!
Profile Image for lisa jung.
5,490 reviews44 followers
August 28, 2024
Jessie

Jessie is finding her self and her circle. And her brother Wyatt might be the biggest challenge. But things are changing and secrets are revealed to all.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
4,071 reviews
October 29, 2024
awesome read

Holy hells that was nuts and we still don’t have answers but everything is unraveling and truths are coming out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

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