Elise Kova

ICE IS IN HER BLOOD.Eira Landan was the most forgettable Waterrunner in the Tower of Sorcerers until the day she decided to compete for a spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. She knew going against the best sorcerers in the Empire wouldn't be easy.Eira expected a fight.She didn't expect that not everyone would make it out alive.

A Trial of Sorcerers

Perfect for fans of The Legend of Korra, Truthwitch, and A Sorcery of Thorns, this magical new fantasy will leave readers desperate for more. Ice is in her blood. Eighteen-year-old Waterrunner Eira Landan lives her life in the shadows - the shadow of her older brother, of her magic's whispers, and of the person she accidentally killed. She's the most unwanted apprentice in the Tower of Sorcerers until the day she decides to step out and compete for a spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. Pitted against the best sorcerers in the Empire, Eira fights to be one of four champions. Excelling in the trials has its rewards. She's invited to the royal court with the "Prince of the Tower," discovers her rare talent for forbidden magic, and at midnight, Eira secretly meets with a handsome elfin ambassador. But, Eira soon learns, no reward is without risk. As she comes into the spotlight, so too do the skeletons of a past she hadn't even realized was haunting her. Eira went into the trials ready for a fight. Ready to win. She wasn't ready for what it would cost her. No one expected the candidates might not make it out with their lives. A Trial of Sorcerers is the first book in a brand new, young adult, epic fantasy for readers who love stories involving: sorcerer competitions, slow-burn romance, adventures to distant lands, and elemental magic. **A TRIAL OF SORCERERS is set in the Air Awakens universe, but is it's own unique story. Readers new to the universe can start here!**

this has potential, similar to avatar with the elements and i enjoyed that , ONTO THE NEXT!

anna haskins 

I don't know where to start, I'm so excited to talk about it... 
I bought this book because I thought the cover was beautiful and the title was attractive, the summary definitely convinced me! 
And my god I have no regrets ! 
The universe, the characters, the plot ... everything is so well built !
I'm in love with the relationship between Eira and Cullen (never liked Ferro), I can't wait to read the rest! (March 2022 seems so far away...) 
But most of all, I can't wait to learn more about Eira's story and see what she is capable of! I got attached to her very quickly, she is so strong and so fragile at the same time...
I could talk for hours about each character and the plot but I will stop here ahaha 
Definitely one of my favorite books with the Cruel Prince! 
I already know I'm going to ask for the other series of this author for Christmas!

Aurora Corbett

Elise Kova never disappoints. This book was SO GOOD (almost as good as air awakens). I was going to read vortex visions but I think I am going to skip that and continue with this series. But I have to wait until March which sucks. At the beginning the main character kind of annoyed me, but I think that helped with her arc throughout the book and I ended up loving her at the end. Also I love Cullen too and I wish there was a little more of him in this book. Hopefully we'll see more of him in the second book.

Ashlee

Wow! This one consumed me, totally sucked me right in. If you’re a fan of Sorcery of Thorns or the Witchlands series, and love yourself a magical competition, this one is right up your alley.

Set in the Air Awakens world, this book absolutely delivered. There’s a bit of everything in this, too. Epic fantasy world building, an action packed tournament, forbidden romance, a mystery to solve, court politics, meaningful and complex friendships, as well as downright hilarious moments and witty banter. 

Eira is a sorcerer apprentice, but she’s been shunned by the others in the Tower of Sorcerers after a tragic accident years before, when she lost control of her power. She’s handled with kid gloves, and has her training stifled by those who think they know better. She dreams of visiting Meru, the Crescent Continent, and discovering more of the world beyond the Tower. Seeing it as an opportunity to visit Meru, and show that she isn’t weak or unpredictable, she enters the Trial of Sorcerers, for a chance to compete in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. 

But, not everything may be as it seems.

What ensues is a tournament that kept me on the edge of my seat. I love these storylines, but many of them tend to be repetitive or blend together. Not this one. You can see the care and thought Elise took in planning and writing the trials. This book is a nonstop page turner.

One of the plot twists in this was a bit predictable, but I actually didn’t mind it at all, because I liked having information before Eira did, it had me invested and made the way that storyline played out even more interesting.

If you’ve read Air Awakens or Vortex Visions, you’ll get cameos of those characters, but I don’t feel it’s necessary to read either before reading this—though there would, obviously, be some spoilers. 

Nonetheless: a million times, yes! on this one … can’t wait to see what happens next!

3.5


  “She was the one in charge of her own destiny; and, now that she knew this feeling, Eira would never let anyone take it from her again.”


I really enjoyed this book. Elemental magic and sorcerers and mysterious elfins and a girl trying to prove herself. 

The plot was interesting and the pace was quite right. Some of the characters were intolerable while I loved the others. The main character was definitely someone I have mixed feelings about. Eira was pretty gullible like it was so obvious she was heading into a trap set by herself. Plus I did NOT vibe with her manipulating family. And I gradually started warming up to Cullen. The only character I had no complain about was Alyss. 

The story could’ve been a much better if only the writing was a little better with a little more world building. But I really enjoyed this book and I can’t wait for the next one hopefully with some Adela revelations :D

Leah | @LeahsLittlePleasures

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬."
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This story is light and bright and full of magic. It's about a girl coming into her own and owning herself and her power, breaking away from the expectations and control of others. There's elemental sorcery, a mysterious pirate queen, a competition, and hidden agendas everywhere.⁣
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Eira Landan lives her life in the shadows — the shadow of her older brother, of her forbidden magic, and of the person she killed. But her life changes when she decides to compete for a spot in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. Pitted against the best sorcerers in the Empire, Eira fights to be one of four champions. But stepping into the spotlight is not without risk. By day she navigates the royal court with the "Prince of the Tower," by night she prepares for the trials with a handsome elfin ambassador, but the greatest threats are secrets she never knew were haunting her. She went into the trials ready for a fight. She wasn't ready for what it could cost her.⁣
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I loved the perfect pace and feel of the story. It never felt rushed nor did it ever feel like it was dragging. It was the perfect sweet spot of plot progression and interweaving storylines. I enjoyed the magic system and overall coming of age story. I struggled a bit with how awful Eira was treated by a lot of the characters, but otherwise, I liked the premise of the story!⁣
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Thank you @elise.kova and @bookofmatchesmedia for my early copy!

I was SO into it for the first part, with the bookish heroine and the trials, then (view spoiler)[the love triangle bit in the middle part of the book (hide spoiler)] made me consider it a 3-star, but then the end happened and bumped it up a star. Excited for the second book now!

Kristin

It's been so long since the last time I read a book this fast!!!!! Elise Kova's books always seem to cure my reading slumps... what sorcery is this!?

I COULDN'T STOP READING THIS!????? I mean, yes there were things I disliked and so on, but this story was just so FUN and interesting!

First of all, Eira's character arc was a pure joy, and I can't wait to see her develop further! Although she at one point in the book seemed to make a really stupid decision, (no spoilers!!) she still is a pretty likeable character who is both "quiet", stubborn AND bold!

THE FRIENDSHIP!!!!! FINALLY!!! Great friendship points to this one! I hope there will be much more of that in the future books as well!
I really just like this world and the elemental magic, and it was nice to be back in the world of Air Awakens again too. I actually didn't guess some of the plot twists, so that was nice. One of them was a bit obvious, but I was a bit shocked about how it all played out to be honest (my heart!). This is obviously a slow burn romance, so don't expect too much in the romantic aspect of the story, although there are some nice, cute scenes :))

There were some things I didn't like as much though... I wish there were added even more background as to why Eira's future/actions are so limited by certain people... and I just wish that some of Eira's actions would have more reason to them than they did? Some things seemed a bit over the top and a little cliche. Still though, this book saved me from yet another readings slump, so for that fact alone this is a must read if you love elemental magic and magical trials!

Katie Montemayor 

It wasn't that I didn't like this book, I enjoyed it, but I could never get into it. It didn't pull me in. I found myself skimming most of it just so I could finish. When the next one comes out, maybe I'll give it another go.

Ashling Brown

Life went on. She could let the mistakes she made along the way; however grave, define her or teach her.
I enjoyed the 'air awakens' series when I read it, so I knew that I would like a trial of sorcerers' as it would be a world I already loved and a magic system that I understood. 

I liked this book, and I admired Eira!!

Her character was so wonderful and reminded me a lot of Vhalla from the air awakens series. Eira wasn't particularly liked and had unique magic made me think of Vhalla, who, like Eira, loved books and had a special gift of her own as a whole; Eira was a strong character who grew throughout the book. She went from being weak to making her own decisions and accepting herself for who she was. 

The struggles she had to go through with the story were difficult to read about, and it made me ache for Eira; however, she overcame them and allowed them to aid her in the next steps of her journey!!

The rest of this review will most likely contain spoilers, so read on, but you've been warned!



“You know, I never wanted anything to do with you,” Eira murmured. “I never wanted anything to do with you, either,” he whispered. “But here we are…and now I will fight for you.” His knuckles stroked her cheek one last time and, without another word, Cullen left.

Okay, let's talk about the love triangle...I had a bad vibe from Ferro straight from the start, so the fact that he betrayed her in the end, wasn't a massive surprise, but hell, it still managed to stab me in the heart. That scene was heartbreaking to read; I honestly wanted to hit Ferro right where it hurt...I honestly think Eira should have, but I suppose at the time, she had more significant issues on her plate. 

Cullen...Okay, at first, I didn't like him as much, but then we got to know him more, and we got that super sexy hallway kiss that had me smiling...Hell is she doesn't love him; I will!! I love how misunderstood Cullen is, and he and Eira don't particularly like each other initially, but once they learn about each other's faults, they soon realise that, heck, they are a lot similar to what they thought. The end scene between them made my stomach churn, and I can't wait to see where this obvious slow-burn romance will take us. 

she allowed the world to slowly come into focus—a world that began and ended with him.



I loved how Elise incorporated a lot of the air awakens into this book; it was almost like reading about old friends, which was beautiful! I wish there was a little more about Aldrik, but I understand that this isn't their book, and if I want to read about them, I will need to re-read air awakens (I am not complaining)!!

To summarise this shortly, if you liked 'Air Awakens Series' I highly suggest reading 'A Trial Of Sorcerers' as it is a lot like Air Awakens but improved. I adored resisting the sorcerer's tower and seeing Aldrik and Vhalla in their rightful places. It was an incredible story and one I highly recommend.

Jess Ostrander

4.5! 
I really enjoyed this book! I'm always a sucker for magical competitions, so that really drew me in with this one. I really love Elise Kova's writing. It flows well and she really knows how to draw you into the story. This is an easy read and had me hooked pretty quickly. I really liked the world-building and the magic. If you've read the Air Awakens series, it's set in the same world. I haven't yet, but I definitely want to start it after this one! 
Character development was another strong point with this one! There are characters you love from the start and some that grow on you. And then there are some that just make you angry. 
Eira is a great character. She's got interesting magic, and she grows into it as the story goes. She starts off kind of meek and shy but grows in confidence and bravery. Her emotions and struggles are written really well and make her relatable. And her friendship with Alyss was one of my favorite things in the book! I love strong female friendships!! 
The competition was definitely my favorite part, and once it started it was hard to put the book down! I really enjoyed the fast pace and how exciting it was. And there were some parts of the plot that were somewhat predictable, but I still enjoyed everything. We get some romance set up, and this is definitely a slow burn! This series is going to have 5 books, so we can expect romance to develop over the course of it. The relationship seems to be forming in a really natural way, so I'm good with it! 
Overall, this was a great intro to the Air Awakens world for me, and I can't wait to read more! I think this is a very enjoyable YA fantasy, and if you like magical competitions, you're definitely going to want to pick this one up!

Lauren James

I LOVE this book! I loved returning to the Solaris Empire and the adventures to be had there! Eira was super likable and relatable. She’s got a few surprising secrets of her own. And I leeerrrrve the slow burn. I’m all about that! The magic is just as cool as ever with new discoveries being made and I love the Elves!! The magic competition is way cool too! Y’all, I could seriously go on and on about this book. 
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy!! I’ve loved Elise Kova since Air Awakens came out!

A Trial of Sorcerers

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