What I'm Reading: Firstborn Academy

I'm really getting into Academy books lately and I found a new series that is definitely worth a read. Recently, I stumbled onto Firstborn Academy by Isla Frost. This series is definitely worth a read.

There's 3 things I absolutely LOVE about this series. But first, how about a little background?

Firstborn Academy is set in a dystopian world where the first born child of every family is sent to the Walkers as a tribute, of sorts, to provide food and protection for the entire family.

World Walkers, that is. Wooo, sounds intriguing, right?

The Walkers have fun but scary magical abilities that turn living things into mythical monsters.

And the plot thickens ...

The only difference between this and Hunger Games is that there is no choice involved. The first born child, of any gender, MUST go through the portal as the sacrificial lamb. Their sacrifice provides food and protections for their whole family.

That's the agreement with the Walkers. Thanks, guys.

There is an unexpected magical twist, where the firstborns learn about magic. Which makes it more of a Harry Potter meets Hunger Games kind of story.

Without further ado, here are my three favorite things about Firstborn Academy.

1. The Main Character is Sacrificial
Lena knew her fate as a child. She grew up knowing she only had 18 years with her family. That definitely wreaks havoc on the family dynamics, but what a great twist!

2. The World Building is Unique
For you academy fiction fans, the academy theme is the main world the main character lives in. But it's a magical academy.

As you read each book, this dystopian but magical world gets more and more interesting. Layer upon layer of nuance is added as the author reveals the world slowly.

There are post-war ruins, magical creatures, and mythical beings on this dystopian earth.

But I won't spoil it for you!

3. There are Great Examples of Overcoming Prejudice.
The beings in charge are the Walkers. Humans don't know much about them, except that they're gorgeous. But mean.

Walkers are more powerful than humans, so they naturally look down on them. No surprise, there's a lot of prejudice between both sides.

Firstborn Academy does a good job of showing the prejudice, and finds small ways to overcome it. At least for the main character.

It's not a treatise on overcoming stereotypes and prejudice. But it's a start.

The only disappointing bit in this series is that there's no predominant love story.

Don't worry, it's there in the background. But this book is more about survival and saving the planet. Cool themes, too.

Overall, Firstborn Academy is a great read for YA Academy readers who also like dystopian and magical themes. There are enough unique elements and twists to keep avid YA readers entertained for the entire series.

Luckily, this series is free on Kindle Unlimited.
​
What YA books are you reading?
Leave a comment below to tell me all about it.

Maybe I'll review it next month. I always need new books to read.