The Culling Trials – Book 3 by K.F. Breene & Shannon Mayer

Posted June 12, 2019 by Booksandblurbs in Reviews, Urban Fantasy, YA/NA / 3 Comments

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The Culling Trials Book 3

(Shadowspell Academy #3)

by K.F. Breene & Shannon Mayer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Academy, YA/NA Urban Fantasy

Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down and Dirty

A fast paced and heart pounding end to the astounding Culling Trials trilogy. Must Read – Free on KU!

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

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.

Thoughts on The Culling Trials Book 3

Culling trials are over!

This installment sees the end to the dreaded culling trials – and the true beginnings of a grouping that will most likely rock Shadowspell Academy when the final names are called.

Mysteries are solved, answers are given and a whole slew of new problems emerge, just waiting for the next book (possibly different trilogy?) to expand on.

It’s fast paced, adventure heavy and totally worthy of binging in one sitting.

Pros:

Wild is just that, wild. And badass!
Other Characters come into their own here, it’s not just Wild. ALL of the group steps up, even Ethan (how did THAT happen??)
So many questions!!
Great world building.
Well edited.

Cons:

Some scenes felt rushed or didn’t transition as well as I have come to expect from these two fantastic authors.
Certain places could have used more description to allow for vivid detail and better mental imagery.

Favorite Line

“The dead are everywhere. Statistically speaking, there is not one place on the planet’s surface that doesn’t contain dead material of some sort or another.” (92%)

Perspective

First Person, Single POV

Ending Type

Episodic…. I wouldn’t really call this a HEA, even though The Culling Trials are over. This isn’t even a Happy For Now ending, more like a, “Well… that’s done… what’s next?”

Rating

Violence edges this one up from PG-13 to R, though I hesitate to do it. Maybe PG-16 or PG-17? Is there such a thing as PG-16? Well, there is now. I’m owning it.

Verdict

4 out of 5 Stars

This is a fantastic end to a high octane trilogy, bringing the Characters and the story full circle while showcasing the extreme growth they were forced to undergo. I recommend this with no reservations for any lover of Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance or Academy Reads. It is labeled a YA, but the writing and subject matter negate that tag, introducing a complex narrative fans of K.F. Breene and Shannon Mayer (Love, love, LOVE Mayer!) are sure to enjoy.

Published June 11th, 2019

186 Pages

If you enjoyed this review of The Culling Trials Book 3, please consider checking out a few of my other articles.

Your Turn

What are you reading today? Have you read this series? How about other Breene or Mayer books? What are your favorites? Leave a comment, I would love to talk!