The Culling Trials (#3 Shadowspell Academy) by K.F. Breene - Starting September 9th 2021

[Vippi]

You Don’t Choose The Academy. The Academy Chooses You.

The last of the Culling Trials is here. I foolishly thought I’d survived the worst.

My team is falling to pieces around me and my heart is shattered for the losses I’ve endured. But I can’t stop when I’m so close to the end. There are too many people depending on me.

I foolishly thought there wasn’t much more I could lose…until the nature of my bloodline comes to light.

I’m not what I thought I was. Not what anyone thought I was.
But to tell people the truth would be to kill us all.

To fail the trials will mean death, but to succeed might damn me for life.

[Vippi]

5%
(view spoiler)[mmm... I would have bet that the cliffhanger would have led to something... "juicier" between Wild-Rory-Colt... instead, it all ended up in a few punches and two guys ko 😅 (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

Vippi wrote: "5%
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[It feels like everything resolves pretty fast in this book. I had to laugh a little that Wild just left Colt k.o. in the hallway... :D (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

20 %, chapter 4 (view spoiler)[This whole Zombie/House of Night sequence isn't gripping me as much as I thought. And I don't think Rory is dead. (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

29 % (view spoiler)[ "As everyone knew I wasn't a boy." - Well, EVERYONE already knew. (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

53 % (view spoiler)[I feel like I'm missing something important from the plot. It's not adding up and it all feels so... flat? (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

71 % (view spoiler)[What the HELL is going on? Is Ethan dead? That was very anticlimatic. (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

79 % (view spoiler)[Okay, that's so stupid. When they pretended Wild was a boy, Wally was allowed to sleep in their dorm. Alone with 4 guys. Now, that everyone knows Wild is a girl, they are not allowed to? Isn't it much more concerning when one girl shares a room with 4 guys than 2 girls with 3? And they shared a room for weeks now... (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

100 % (view spoiler)[Okay, they saved Ethan even if it was forbidden. I don't know why, though. It didn't seem to have any negative effect on Ethan? Wild picked the House of Shade, I wonder how much we get to see the others in the next books. As we don't know how the different houses connect in the academy... I mean, we still don't know anything about that world, so... :D

Do you want to continue the series? I read that the next one is only by one of the authors and also longer. (hide spoiler)]

[Vippi]

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[
Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "20 %, chapter 4 [spoilers removed]"

I second your thoughts. The all scene was not so gripping (especially how Wally won the battle against the other necromancer) and I don't buy Rory's death. Not only he is a powerful Shadow, but he's also a key character for this story...

why the Director has a file that states Wild is missing? If I recall correctly, she also had the name of the last girl gone missing on her list way before her disappearance was confirmed... Something is amiss...
And this trial was even more strange, considering that it was altered specifically for Wild's team. (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

Vippi wrote: "Chapter 5

Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "20 %, chapter 4 [spoilers removed]"

I second your thoughts. The all scene was not so gripping (especially how Wally won the battle against the other necrom..."

(view spoiler)[I know what you mean. That all felt very strange for me to. (hide spoiler)]

[Vippi]

37%

Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "29 % [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I think Wally made a good point: the whole school knows but they pretend otherwise. So why?!

I know it's no surprise at this point, but even though I am still enjoying it, it also feels too rushed, too action-driven. And it's frustrating.
I think a bit more descriptions and moments to pause and reflect on what's going on would have made this series stronger.

For instance, Wild assumed Rory died during the trial, but she never questioned it. You know, I would have at least asked the director/Sandman something about him... but she seemed pretty 'satisfied' to declare him deceased... It doesn't seem so believable to me. (hide spoiler)]

[Vippi]

btw, sorry I am so behind but these have been very busy days 😅

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

Vippi wrote: "btw, sorry I am so behind but these have been very busy days 😅"

Don't worry about it. I enjoy reading your comments anyway. :D

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

Vippi wrote: "37%

Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "29 % [spoilers removed]"

I think Wally made a good point: the whole school knows but they pretend otherwise. So why?!

I know it's no surprise at this point, but..."

(view spoiler)[Yes! I was wondering about that, too. I feel especially in this book Wild's character is much more shallow and not as elaborate as in the other books. (hide spoiler)]

[Vippi]

Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "53 % [spoilers removed]"

Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "71 % [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I really hope Ethan is still alive. In the previous books, I didn't like him so much, but he grew on me in this one (and maybe also on Wild?).

On the other hand, I had the same feeling that something is missing. The sabotaged trials didn't thrill me as the previous one... and, as we commented before, considering how heavily action-packed it is, I don't see much plot development.

Btw, they left Orin behind because he was to heavy to carry... but... the others carried Wild during the Night House Trial... I didn't like this choice so much. (hide spoiler)]

[Vippi]

72%
(view spoiler)[Thanks holiness, Ethan is (still) alive. And Orin is back (even though it's not clear how).

The Sandman seems to be behind all this mess. But who are the others he talked about? (hide spoiler)]

[Vippi]

Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "100 % Okay, they saved..."

Just finished.
(view spoiler)[I am so relieved that Ethan is still alive even though I don't fathom the actual consequences of they bringing him back from death. (Otherwise, why is it forbidden?!) Maybe it will be explained... Or maybe not 😜 considering how things go with this series.

I still don't get exactly why Director Frost and Jared kidnapped the kids and took them alive... What did they plan to do with them in the long term?

This book was honestly the messiest, most confusing of the lot. I liked more Ethan as a character, but less Wild. Plus, I missed the apport Gregory gave to the overall balance.
Nonetheless (I could copy/past from our two previous buddy reads 😅) I am still curious to see how it's going on. And I hope we'll still see the crew interacting even though their training will be in different houses (btw, as you pointed out, we dunno enough about how the Academy works to have clear expectations or fears).

I am up to read the next book if you're still interested.it has been a pleasure to buddy read these ones with you 🙂 (hide spoiler)]

[Ta || bookishbluehead]

Vippi wrote: "Ta || bookishbluehead wrote: "100 % Okay, they saved..."
[Spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I don't really know if there was a longterm goal, I think she wanted to use their power (or lifeenergy or whatever) to be young forever? Or whatever she wanted with them... Like everything in this series, nothing is explained and all we can do is guess. :D (hide spoiler)]

Yes, still want to continue, I'll send you a DM. :)