The Ordeals (Killmarth Trials, Book 1)
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Get 3 months for £0.99/mo
The Ordeals (Killmarth Trials, Book 1)
Buy Now for £12.99
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Narrated by:
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Maddy Lenny
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By:
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Rachel Greenlaw
About this listen
'A rich romantasy ideal for fans of dark academia' The Mirror
'The magic system is captivating, and the ending will leave you yearning for the second book' The Express
'Sizzling and addictive romantasy' Sunday Post
'I absolutely treasured it from beginning to end' Cecelia Ahern, Sunday Times Number One bestseller on The Woodsmoke Women's Book of Spells
Old Magic. New power. A contest to die for.
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Sophia DeWinter has been bound to her cruel uncle, the Collector since he exacted a blood bond from her as a child. When she learns of Killmarth, an elite academy for magic wielders outside of the Collector’s control, she grabs it as her only chance to break free.
Each hopeful must prove their worth by competing in brutal and deadly challenges – the Ordeals. And that’s just the beginning, because hopefuls are also being viciously picked off one-by-one. To survive, Sophia could team up with another challenger. Perhaps the powerful wielder Alden Locke. But how to identify an ally from a rival? Or even a murderer?
In her haste to escape the Collector's power over her, has Sophia risked everything only to run from the flames and into the fire?
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets the Scholomance series!' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐******************************************************
'If you like your romantic fantasy books thrumming with magic and atmosphere, The Ordeals will have you hooked from the start' Culturefly
'Combines captivating world building, a seriously twisty plot, and a steamy romance… impossible to put down' Demi Winters, author of The Road of Bones
'Deliciously dark with high stakes and a sizzling hot romance, The Ordeals is not to be missed!’ Tessonja Odette, author of A Rivalry of Hearts
Readers ADORE The Ordeals:
'Mysterious, chilling, and utterly addictive' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'This completely swept me away. The world-building is absolutely stunning' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Exciting and unique, quick paced and kept you guessing throughout' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I could not put down and devoured in one sitting. I absolutely recommend this book' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A quite creepy atmosphere and… Buffy-esque vampire slaying into the mix' Reader review,⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
©2025 Rachel Greenlaw (P)2025 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...
I would have maybe liked a little bit more world building as it currently feels a bit thin, but I hope (and suspect) that this may be a deliberate choice to allow for more interesting revelations and deeper world forming in later instalments. The world that has been started is exciting and intriguing and I particularly enjoy the magic system used.
I appreciated that while there was a broad and varied cast of characters I was never left desperately wondering who anyone was or what their role was like I have in other fantasy series. The linear narrative and strong character building and a healthy dose of gentle reminders of someone’s place in the story where necessary made this pleasantly easy to follow!
My main gripe that docks this a star on the story front is the somewhat jolting direction of the romance. The expressed inner monologue of the main character was often at odds with her actions, and she also had a slightly bizarre interpretation of her counterpart’s words and actions. I frequently found myself surprised by the direction the romance plot took, not due to there being some sort of twist but because it didn’t logically follow from the events and emotions at play immediately beforehand. This resulted in a loss of realism and investment in that relationship which is a shame because I really loved all the other aspects and those two main characters in particular!
Enjoyable start to the series
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