OK so this is like Harry Potter, Twilight, Divergent, and a little bit of Fourth Wing all tangled together for adults. The author credits Buffy, The Vampire Slayer as her inspiration for writing this. I have never watched the show so I can only take her word for it. It was really good with some great characters, an interesting plotline and a twist that I didn't see coming. I loved the main character Sophia. She's everything you want in a female heroine without all the unnecessary drama. This looks to be a great series and I look forward to reading more. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for this advanced copy read!
The Ordeals is a perfect blend of Harry Potter, the Hinger Games, and Twilight, creating its own unique spin on magic, werewolves, vampires, trials, and academia. I loved this story. I loved the beautifully cultivated friendships and found family. I loved the relationship between Sophia and Alden. And I loved the intricate magic system!
All in all, I cannot wait for the next installment [and my heart is shattered with that ending].

As an illusionist, Sofia is trying to earn a spot at an elusive academy. But she doesn't realize she'll be fighting for more than just a spot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this arc of The Ordeals by Rachel Greenlaw.

I had a difficult time getting through this novel. While the writing was beautiful, I felt the world building and story was haphazardly done and the reader was forced to just accept things. Boom: gargoyles are real. Boom: Knox just appears back in the ordeals. Boom: Sophia is in love.

The romance aspect of the story was the hardest for me. There was no build up. No tension. There was talk again and again about being rivals but they constantly chose each other every step of the way. And it wasn’t just in the ordeals, they chose to train together as well.

I liked the “twist” with Ezra and Sophia coming into her own power. I felt like the deaths at the end were unnecessary for shock alone. They really didn’t resonate with the reader because the relationships were underdeveloped with the writing.

Overall, the concept of the story was very interesting. It just needed a cleaner execution.

Sophia DeWinter, una joven ilusionista marcada por un pacto de sangre con su cruel tío, ve en Killmarth College su única vía de escape. Pero para llegar allí, deberá sobrevivir a las temidas Pruebas, donde la magia, la estrategia y la traición lo son todo.

Con una ambientación oscura y envolvente, personajes secundarios memorables y un ritmo que, aunque tiene altibajos, mantiene el interés, esta novela es ideal para fans de los torneos mágicos y las protagonistas resilientes. Greenlaw logra un equilibrio entre acción, emoción y un mundo lleno de secretos. Un inicio prometedor que pide a gritos una continuación.



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Mi yo adolescente habría disfrutado más de esta lectura.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest.

I really enjoyed the previous book I read from this author, The Woodsmoke Women’s Book of Spells. After reading this, I know one thing for certain, this author excels at atmosphere and exquisite writing. It’s what I enjoy most about her. This book is fast paced and extremely bingeable. It took me back to the YA paranormal romance boom, in a good way. It made me nostalgic for the books I read as a teenager. The story is almost a mash up of all the stories/books I grew up devouring. The ordeals themselves reminded me of the tasks in The Goblet of Fire, which happens to be my favorite of the Harry Potter series. It kept my interest and eagerly reading those chapters. I think the romance in this book just wasn’t for me, which is a shame because it’s a big part of the book. I wanted more build up with relationship. It happened a little too quickly for my taste. There was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. We are constantly told that the FMC and her love interest are rivals but it never really felt like they were. I never doubted they wouldn’t be together. I think I might have enjoyed it more if the romance was a slower burn or there wasn’t as much focus on the relationship. I also wish the world building was more fleshed out. Overall, I think a lot of people will enjoy this and eat this up. It was entertaining and fast paced, but just wasn’t for me.

Full of danger, magic, and romance, this is a story that keeps you on your toes and leaves you craving the next chapter.

In a world full of magic and mystery, this book manages to be frighteningly boring.

The Ordeals features Sophia DeWinter, an illusionist stuck under the thumb of her controlling uncle, the Collector. In order to escape, she must earn her way into the ordeals, a series of magical tests determining entry into the magical school of Killmarth College. In doing so, she's forced to work her rival, Aiden Locke, a magical botanist she can't seem to stay away from.

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me in execution. I was drawn in during the beginning, but from then on, it felt like a series of overdone tropes with no real added twists. Sophia was fine as a FMC, but just that: fine. She didn't really stand out in any particular way, much like the rest of this book. Aiden, her "rival" and love interest, was about the same. They are never really rivals; in fact, they're kissing in the opening chapters. He fell into the "perfect love interest" too cleanly. There was no real tension or chemistry between the two, and I never really found myself rooting for them.

The ordeals themselves were fine. That's the running theme of this review. Everything was just meh. Not bad, but not particularly interesting in any way. However, this book left off on a cliffhanger that honestly seemed more interesting than anything happening in this book. I'm curious on where this author will take the rest of the series, as there was some potential for a better plot.

"The Ordeals" by Rachel Greenlaw
4.5/5

As soon as I came across this title, I knew I had to read it! Deadly Trials? Magical school? Count me in! This book was like if Harry Potter and The Hunger Games had a baby!

First of all, our FMC is an underdog. I love it when a story can connect me with a character that isn't as physically strong as her peers, but her mental strength was inspiring, and you just can't help but root for her!

The amount of romance was perfect, and their connection was beautifully written.

I was able to connect well not just with the main characters, but with the side characters as well, and the author really nailed the creepy, haunting setting.

My only critiques are that some of the plot in the middle dragged, while the ending was very rushed. Some of the conversations were a little difficult to follow, as well as a few of the action-packed scenes.
That being said, the ending only left me wanting more, and I do hope this continues as a series!

Special thanks to the author, as well as Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the chance to review this advanced copy! I thoroughly enjoyed this title! A review on Goodreads is already live, and I will also be posting to Instagram by 4/26!

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC of The Ordeals in exchange for my honest review.
Without giving to many characters names away and plots here is my review 😀
So this book honestly pulled me in with its eerie atmosphere and emotionally complicated cast. It opens like a storm you don’t realize you’re standing in until it’s too late—dark, a little twisted, and full of weight. It centers around a character who’s haunted not just by her past but by a literal kind of reckoning. The writing itself was vivid and haunting, and I really liked how raw the tension felt between the characters, especially in the quieter scenes where not much was said but so much was felt.One thing I did like was how the setting basically felt like another character. Isolated, grim, beautiful in the strangest way. The whole place had this vibe like it knew more than it let on. I loved the relationships too,especially how flawed and human everyone felt. No one was written as perfect or easy to trust, and that honestly made them easier to connect with. They made some real dumb choices sometimes but like... who doesn’t, right?😂😂
The pacing did get a little heavy at certain points though. Not slow exactly, just kind of dense. Like I’d find myself re-reading🥴 a few lines trying to catch what the vibe shift was. It wasn’t a deal breaker or anything, but it did pull me out of the story every once in a while. Just something that could’ve been a lil tighter or cleared up with more flow. Still, the tension and emotional depth carried the plot when that happened.
Overall, I’m rating it 4 stars. I loved the themes of identity, pain, and survival, and the whole tone was just rich and thick with meaning. If you like atmospheric reads that lean into the messiness of being human (with a little horror on the side), this one’s worth your time. Messy, thoughtful, a little chilling I liked it a lot.

The Ordeals was one of my most anticipated 2025 releases so you better believe I immediately started this book as soon as it hit my kindle.

The premise was so intriguing, I loved magic and the ordeals and how it all intertwined with the story. I didn’t see the twists coming.

The only reason this isn’t a five star is just because I didn’t fully connect with the characters.

Also, that ending?! I really hope this is the start of a series!

I was really intrigued by the premise and the plot absolutely delivered but some things felt a bit off.

✔ I love a good underdog! Sophia wasn’t overly powerful but she utilized problem-solving, logic, and just a lot of stubbornness to earn her place in each trial. It made her progress very satisfying!
✔ The relationship between Sophia and Alden felt very lovely and well put together. Their relationship didn’t feel too rushed or nonsensical given the stakes at hand.
✔ I love magical school settings - those are always a joy - but this one in particular still felt enjoyable and fresh despite it having a lot of the fantasy/dark academia concepts/tropes.

✖ Despite the trials being present throughout the story, I didn’t really feel a lot of urgency/thrill until the last 100 pages or so. I was hoping to be a bit more excited throughout.
✖ This read very YA or maybe young-ish NA despite the aim for adult/the college age characters. This doesn’t necessarily hurt the story but I was expecting a slightly different tone.
✖ The major side character death at the end felt rushed and very… underwhelming. I liked that character a lot but their death felt so pointless and almost glossed over. This may be expanded on in a sequel but within this book, the expected emotional punch felt not very punchy.

3.5/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Delacorte Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For a book marketed as new adult, this really felt like YA, especially because the protagonist is 20. My disconnection with the character is definitely my fault, as I find those characters a bit hard to relate to these days.

The Ordeals surprised me in the best way. I expected an epic fantasy adventure, but what I found was a powerful, emotional story about survival, identity, and inner strength. Rachel Greenclaw has written a book that feels deeply personal, with a main character who goes through not only physical trials, but emotional and mental ones too.

The story moves at a slower pace, but I never felt bored. Every moment felt important, and the quiet parts hit just as hard as the intense ones. Greenclaw’s writing is beautiful and honest—there were lines that made me stop and think, and others that made me feel like I was right there with the character.

What I appreciated most is how real the struggles felt. The protagonist isn’t perfect, and her journey isn’t easy. But that made it all the more meaningful. It’s not just about surviving—it’s about finding your way back to yourself.

The Ordeals is one of those books that completely pulls you in with its high-stakes magic, layered characters, and just the right amount of danger and heart. I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but by the end, I was fully invested in Sophia’s journey and rooting hard for her every step of the way.

Sophia DeWinter is an illusionist trapped in a blood pact with her creepy, power-hungry uncle known as the Collector. Her life is pretty bleak until she hears about Killmarth College, a hidden academy for magical students. It’s her one shot at freedom, but there’s a catch. To even be considered, she has to survive the Ordeals, a brutal series of magical trials that test skill, strength, and nerve. And people have definitely died trying.

Sophia is the kind of underdog I love. She’s not the strongest in the room and her magic isn’t flashy, but she’s clever and stubborn and just refuses to give up. Watching her go from someone who’s been controlled and underestimated her whole life to someone who starts to own her power was so satisfying.

The trials are intense and filled with a perfect mix of magic and danger. The pacing is fast enough to keep you hooked without feeling rushed. There’s also a really lovely connection between Sophia and Alden Locke, a mysterious botanist with secrets of his own. Their relationship builds slowly and quietly, which felt really natural in the middle of all the chaos.

Rachel Greenlaw does a great job balancing the dark, magical atmosphere with real emotional stakes. The world feels vivid and a little eerie, which I loved. There were a few familiar tropes, especially if you’ve read a lot of magical school or competition-style fantasy, but the emotional depth and strong character work made it feel fresh.

4 stars. This is a great pick for anyone who loves magical trials, resilient heroines, and stories about fighting for your freedom. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on what Rachel Greenlaw writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my GOD!! This was such a great read! Thrilling and intriguing from the start. I loved the unique magic system. The wold building was immaculate. The chemistry between the characters had me screaming!

A rough start but a satisfying finish. This book can get a bit silly, but the plot is compelling, the characters likable (if a bit too genuine for my taste) and the romance engaging (if a bit too sweet). I think readers looking for a rivals-to-lovers romance will be disappointed as everyone is essentially a rival, even the MC’s friends, simply due to the nature of the Ordeals. There’s some brutal moments (shocking murders, for example) but they get little reaction from the characters, so this one should be good for those who don’t like too much horror with their fantasy.

This book is a light romantasy. With in my opinion hogwart/twilight vibes. Werewolves, vampires and gargoyle oh my!