Fallen Academy: Year One - A Book Review

Hcobler
Jan 25
3 min read

Author: Leia Stone

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Memorable Passages:

There is a specific quote in this book that I had to go back and find because I didn't realize how much it would stick with me. It’s a moment that addresses the nature of God and faith, essentially saying:

"It doesn’t matter what path you take to get to Him, as long as you get there. All paths lead to the same place."

I thought this was a powerful takeaway because it reminds me of real life. To me, it suggests that maybe every religion only has a certain percentage of the truth right, and in the end, it doesn’t matter because all paths lead to the same destination.

What is it about? ❓❔

The premise of this book is incredibly unique. It starts with the idea that when Angels and Demons fought in Heaven, they fell to Earth. During their fall, their power exploded through humanity, endowing regular people with Angelic and Demonic gifts.

The story follows a young girl’s struggle to live in this world while discovering just how special her own powers really are. The setting is fascinating—California cities are split into places like "Angel City" and "Demon City." People go to work and school like things are normal, barely realizing a war is raging right outside the border. The book does a great job of showing the battle between good and evil, not just in the world at large, but the battle that exists within all of us.

What I Liked 👍

I love fantasy, especially when it involves Angels and Demons. I feel like those themes were overlooked for a while, and it's great to see them being explored again. What I really liked was that the author didn't just make up random traits for the Archangels; she used characteristics and orders that actually align with biblical references. It made the characters feel more authentic because they matched the "mental map" I already had for them.

I also liked that the world-building included more than just celestial beings. The story incorporates vampires, mages, and shapeshifters, and I enjoyed how the author used all these different players to move the novel forward.

What I Didn't Like 👎

I didn't clasify this as a paranormal romance, because the romance bits of this were mostly hate in the love/hate relationship. The romance felt a bit disjointed to me. I usually enjoy a good paranormal romance, but the pacing here was off. The author would occasionally jump three months forward, and suddenly the characters’ relationship had shifted entirely without us seeing the growth.

I was also a little confused about the target audience. Some scenes were very descriptive leading up to an "encounter", while other parts felt strictly more tame and appropriate for teenagers. Young Adult is typically suitable for 12-18 year olds. It felt like the author was trying to avoid "forbidden" words to ensure she hit this target, but still describing inappropriate "acts" for a 12 year old to read, which made it hard to tell if this was intended for younger readers.

Final Overall Rating

This is not simply an average of the previous 3 ratings, but its own rating about how all the separate pieces came together and if it is worth your time to read it!

Story: 🪶🪶🪶🪶✧ (4/5 Quills)
Writing Style: 🪶🪶🪶🪶✧ (4/5 Quills)
Overall Enjoyment: 🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶 (5/5 Quills

Fallen Academy: Year One is an exceptional novel with a premise that pulls you in and doesn't let go. While the romance pacing and certain dialogue choices were minor hurdles, they don’t take away from the sheer immersion of the world Leia Stone has built. The blend of celestial lore, internal struggle, and high stakes makes this an unforgettable experience. If you are a fan of urban fantasy that tackles deep themes of faith and destiny with a supernatural twist, this is absolutely Required Reading.

🪶🪶🪶🪶🪶