Academy of Villains - Nyx & Erebus (Academy of Villains, #1) in Everkingdom Army ⚔️

Dec 05, 2024 chenaey ౨ৎ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

my rating: ★★★★

aesthetic: 💫🗡️🌲🧚🏼‍♂️💀📿🏛️🐦‍⬛🏰👑📔

A captivating entry in the dark academia fantasy romance genre, blending elements of Greek mythology with a magical academy setting. The story follows Kiara, a former assassin with a hidden magical gift, as she infiltrates a dangerous magic academy with the mission of assassinating Prince Lucian, a cursed royal whose life is entwined with the kingdom’s dark secrets.

The atmosphere of the academy is immersive, steeped in mystery, danger, and enchantment ...more

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Nov 10, 2024 mel. rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs

the title alone piqued my interest. anyone who knows me knows how much i love villain-gets-the-girl and enemies-to-lovers tropes. add in a dash of fantasy mystery, greek mythology, and a fearless FMC, and this book was right up my alley. Ever King's take on fated mates with the concept of heartstrings was a refreshing take on a well-loved trope. i wish the book was a bit longer to allow for more world-building, more hate-filled banter between kiara and lucian, and more development of side charac ...more

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Oct 30, 2024 Kate rated it really liked it

Shelves: arcs-net-galley

If you’ve ever wondered what Harry Potter would be like if the students were capable, and willing to kill each other, the ruling classes were totally corrupt by dark magics and there was sizzling sexual tension, look no further.

Ever King’s Academy of Villains is a light bite of steamy (closed door) magical adventure, littered with captivating world building and bag loads of intrigue. We explore the Academy alongside Kiara, peeling back its deadly layers to find a prophecy that could change the ...more

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Dec 16, 2024 Jozie Paterson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, my-ebooks, arc

Actual Rating: 4.5☆

Academy of Villains is a dark academia romance inspired by Nyx and Erebus.

The story begins with one of the Nameless hired to assassinate Prince Lucian at the Academy of Magic. She makes a careless mistake and finds herself at the sorting ceremony where the mages elemental magic are revealed. When she is called upon the platform, a stone pillar reacts to the magic she is unaware of even possessing. She is what she hates most, a mage. Kiara's element is celestial and believed t Actual Rating: 4.5☆

Academy of Villains is a dark academia romance inspired by Nyx and Erebus.

The story begins with one of the Nameless hired to assassinate Prince Lucian at the Academy of Magic. She makes a careless mistake and finds herself at the sorting ceremony where the mages elemental magic are revealed. When she is called upon the platform, a stone pillar reacts to the magic she is unaware of even possessing. She is what she hates most, a mage. Kiara's element is celestial and believed to be eradicated many years ago. As Kiara learns how to use her magic, she awakens a magical thread that may alter her original mission. Kiara might need the prince alive to save the kingdom.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The concept of this story was so interesting, and I enjoyed it way more than I was anticipating. This is a series I plan on devouring!

I loved the magic system. The mages receive their grimoire based on their elemental magic. The grimoires start out blank, and when needed, the spells appear to the user of the grimoire. To everyone other than the owner of the grimoire, it stays blank. The mages elemental magic also has a beast form. I loved Kiara and Lucian's beast forms! The mages also have an affinity, for example, healing or being able to know when someone is being dishonest.

Lucian is our shadow daddy, and I love him. He is respected as the prince and feared for his element. He is a Shadowmage. He possesses cursed, dark magic that he spent years learning to control. When he meets Kiara, his control falters. He was aware that Kiara was planning to assassinate him, and he was exhilarated. Like, this man had a fancy lamb chop dinner awaiting her, as if it were a date and not her sneaking into his room to assassinate him. As we get to know him, he is actually so sweet, caring, and genuine.

The imagery during battles was beautifully written. I could easily visualize Kiara's celestial magic: her starblades slicing through the air, stars shooting down from the sky, exploding in a glowing light as they hit their opponents.

I highly recommend this book if you love dark academia, trials, secret societies, and elemental magic.

dark academia • dark fantasy • dark romance • enemies to lovers • greek mythology • magic • retelling • romantasy • secret society • self discovery • shadow daddy ...more

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Nov 24, 2024 Fedythereader rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thank you so so much to the author for sharing a copy of this book with me!!!

“I’ve been hired to kill the prince”

“There you are. I’ve been waiting for you”

“It’s as if she’s concealing a dark secret, and I can’t resist the urge to uncover it”

I wish I could say I am surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. The truth is … I am not. From the first page, from the first sentence and from the premise I knew it was exactly something I would have absolutely loved !!! And boy what a wild ride i Thank you so so much to the author for sharing a copy of this book with me!!!

“I’ve been hired to kill the prince”

“There you are. I’ve been waiting for you”

“It’s as if she’s concealing a dark secret, and I can’t resist the urge to uncover it”

I wish I could say I am surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this book. The truth is … I am not. From the first page, from the first sentence and from the premise I knew it was exactly something I would have absolutely loved !!! And boy what a wild ride it was !!!! A dark academia, Greek mythology inspired, enemies to lovers fantasy romance with mages and shadow powers !!!! I loved reading the story of Kiara and Lucian. They were such a fun power couple to read about !!!! The tension between them was thick and it is a slow burn that will lead you to the ending before getting something different than hands touching. But those hand touching moments were like FIRE !!! And I wasn’t even sure if I wanted more. Every glances, every single inner thoughts one of them had (especially Lucian cause that guy knows what obsession is) felt priceless and I wanted more!!! Plus, the gothic academia vibes and setting and the journey they had to go through was so action packed and fast paced that I simply didn’t want to nor could stop reading!!!! I read this book in one sitting for goodness sake!!!! I picked it up and then I put it down only at the end!!!! To be fair, I’m such as suckers for stories like this one and when some of my favourite tropes were brought to life here (one bed, enemies to lovers and shadow powers) I simply could not deny my heart the experience it was craving!!! And after that ending … I need the next one already !!!!

“For the first time in a long while, I feel truly free. I’m in control of my own fate. In control of my destiny”

“I want her in ways that’ll erase that defiance, that hatred from her eyes. I want her to look at me differently. To see me. To want me. To need me. And I will make her look at me that way”

“There’s something seriously wrong with me because the thought of her fighting only makes me want her more” ...more

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Dec 06, 2024 holly rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, arcs

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

academy of villains by ever king is the first in the fantasy series which is inspired by greek mythology.

this story follows kiara, a nameless assassin with no magic, who has been tasked to infiltrate the magical academy to kill prince lucian whose family is linked to a curse that has plagued the lands that cost her her parents. she detests magic and mages for her loss and wants vengeance. however, in her efforts, she is forced i Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

academy of villains by ever king is the first in the fantasy series which is inspired by greek mythology.

this story follows kiara, a nameless assassin with no magic, who has been tasked to infiltrate the magical academy to kill prince lucian whose family is linked to a curse that has plagued the lands that cost her her parents. she detests magic and mages for her loss and wants vengeance. however, in her efforts, she is forced into the mages sorting ceremony at the academy and discovers she is actually a mage herself and one of the most rare mages.

while she keeps her true identity to herself, she is still onto her plan of killing lucian. she learns more about the academy, secret societies, how to wield her magic and finds herself conflicted with not only her mission and her hatred for all things magic but how she feels with her own magic and most importantly, the prince himself.

this story amazed me from the get go. i honestly enjoy fantasy books set in dark, academic settings and throw in some greek mythology for extra layer of intrigue and… just wow. it’s fast paced with an amazing magic system and world building that feels so atmospheric. the trials at the end? on edge the entire time.

kiara is a badass and strong-willed FC despite her tragic backstory which only adds to the layers of her. her indecision mixed in with self discovery was written so well as she learns more about her own magic and how it influences her mission. lucian made me giggle many times with his sarcasm and broodiness. he is intrigued by kiara from the beginning and wants to know who she is and what her intentions are. (bonus points for being a shadowmage). their chemistry was insane as they both juggling their motives and feelings, conflicting at many times. his protectiveness and her learning to accept his help? their back and forth? the development? just chefs kiss. overall, i am obsessed and i need the next one tomorrow.

if you like harry potter, zodiac academy and throne of glass then this book should be on your TBR !!! ...more

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Dec 12, 2024 Beth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

✦ Academy of Villains ✦

A 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 inspired by the 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙈𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 love story of Nyx and Erebus.

I found this book to be an enchanting, sweet tale that weaves together romance, Greek Myth, magic, and dark fantasy elements anchored by the pursuit to destroy the curse on the Kingdom. The author had me hooked from the first sentence: 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦. I mean!?!

Kiara – not magicborn. Orphaned, captured, and stripped of her name and identity and trained as an assassin for the King’ ✦ Academy of Villains ✦

A 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 inspired by the 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙈𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 love story of Nyx and Erebus.

I found this book to be an enchanting, sweet tale that weaves together romance, Greek Myth, magic, and dark fantasy elements anchored by the pursuit to destroy the curse on the Kingdom. The author had me hooked from the first sentence: 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦. I mean!?!

Kiara – not magicborn. Orphaned, captured, and stripped of her name and identity and trained as an assassin for the King’s guard. Book begins with a mission gone wrong, and fate has another plan for her.

Lucian – Crown Prince of Ithaka. Powerful shadowmage with cursed, dark magic.

I just loved the love story between Kiara and Prince Lucian. It wasn’t insta-love, they grew into their bond and trust. Their scenes consisted of chin lifts, one bed, steamy kisses, deadly trials, and great banter. I loved the portrayal of the heartstring bonds; it was magical how the author described them. I could truly picture it. I loved the character growth in the book. Both the FMC and MMC grew individually as well as together. I like that most of the story took place at the magic academy but the story doesn’t focus on the academy aspect too much. The focus is on the bond between our powerful Shadowmage Prince and Starmage FMC. Also, I enjoyed the side characters tremendously.

“𝘒𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘢,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥, “𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

Hidden secrets, powerful spells, revenge, and heartfelt relationships, you would be remiss to not add this one to your tbr!

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of Academy of Villains!

Map: yes!
Pub Date: 15 Oct 2024
Rating: 4.5/5 ...more

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Oct 31, 2024 Katie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I am a little late but I eventually made it! First, thank you, Ever King, for the ACR copy.

This book was an awesome start to a series! I had to use my 'read out loud' feature for this book because my phone's screen got broken. It was so well written that I was able to follow along with the story just fine even with it being read out loud.

This book is everything I love about enemies to lovers. Slow burn, good plot, full interesting character roster, and great world building. Our main female lead ...more

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Nov 12, 2024 Amanda Doehrer rated it it was amazing

This novel presents a captivating blend of magic, intrigue, and romance, set within a school that exudes a dark, Slytherin-like ambiance. The dynamic between the Nameless assassin, Kiara, and the crown prince, Lucian, unfolds as a compelling enemies-to-lovers trope, filled with tension and gradual emotional evolution. Their combined magic resurrects the ancient concept of soul mate bonds, or heartstrings, injecting delightful chaos and complexity into their world. The slow-burning romance is tas ...more

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Jul 31, 2025 Naomi rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-magic-realism, advanced-reader-copies, retellings, indie-reads

Inspired by the Greek mythology love story of Nyx and Erebus, Academy of Villains centres around the assassin Kiara and Prince Lucian Darkwing.

The characters
Kiara, a Nameless, is hired to assassinate the prince of darkness. So starts the story, delving straight into the story. It may feel overwhelming and vague as it plunges the reader into the kingdom of Ithaka. However, her motives soon become clear. As any Harry Potter lover with a wish to be accepted into a magical academy, Kiara soon finds ...more

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Dec 08, 2024 Danielle Brown rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

If you love Zodiac Academy without the spice and Harry Potter then this book is for you.. I loved the way that the characters grow throughout the book and realise that together they're stronger.. doing what they must to save the kingdom from the Curse and finding themselves along the way.. the storyline and the trials were brilliant and I really enjoyed the flow throughout.. I can't wait to find out what comes next.. ...more

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Nov 26, 2024 Ethereal Amorist rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

4.75 ⭐

Thank you to Netgalley and Ever King for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the concept of mages and the academy followed in the story. It was similar to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with the set up except for the things like the magic systems and the characters being teenagers.

The book is said to be "Nyx and Erebus Greek Mythology Retelling" but I'm not really familiar with that myth so I don't know how in line it was to it. However, the plot had me ho ...more

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Dec 04, 2024 Megan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

✨Academy of Villains✨

With Harry Potter meets dark academia vibes, this first in a series of magic academy books was so fun.

In AOV, we follow the POV of human assassin, Kiara, and our shadow daddy prince, Lucien. Kiara is on a mission to kill Lucien and hopefully break the curse that has been ravaging the suppressed humans. But after she gets caught and dragged into the sorting ceremony, Kiara finds her mundaneness isn’t so mundane. Instead, Kiara becomes the first starmage since their destructi ...more

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Nov 17, 2024 Ashley {_xamountofbooks} rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars

This gave me dark Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl vibes. I read this in one sitting. The world building and character development were great. I enjoyed the side characters as well. I liked the slow burn between Kiara and Lucian. (Closed door)

I'm hoping there's more because I'd like to see more from the characters and this world! ...more

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Dec 28, 2024 Danielle Stricklin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I honestly was not ready for this book to end. Once I started I could not put it down. I loved the connection with mythology and magic. Kiara was a FMC that has a lot of challenges and things to overcome. She is someone who doesn't need a man to fight her battles she will do it for herself and is not afraid to show that. The world building was really good. I could see and imagine everything that was mentioned. I enjoyed the plot and never was confused. I like how the magic was explained very det ...more

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Dec 17, 2024 Kyla Warner rated it really liked it · review of another edition

So good! If you're a Harry Potter x Throne of Glass fan, you need to read this! FMC is sent to assass$nate the morally grey MMC, but he falls for her hard. This book is a dual POV and is a very detailed and descriptive retelling of the Greek Mythology of Nyx and Erebus. I loved how thorough the author was in setting the scene and showing not telling me the plot. I really felt like I could see everything happening and like I was right there with the characters. The end just has me begging for the ...more

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Dec 15, 2024 Shelby rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2024-books, arc-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. First of all, thank you for the chance to be an ARC reader!
Secondly, I really loved this book, and here are my thoughts ~

4.5 ⭐️

Things I loved:
- slow burn, enemies to lovers romance
- The sexual tension was *chefs kiss* top tier. I was waiting the whole time for them to just admit they liked each other, and honestly, I found the wait worth it.
- I loved that there was explanation and exploration before they were just thrown into saving the world. I felt that the world building was really well bal First of all, thank you for the chance to be an ARC reader!
Secondly, I really loved this book, and here are my thoughts ~

4.5 ⭐️

Things I loved:
- slow burn, enemies to lovers romance
- The sexual tension was *chefs kiss* top tier. I was waiting the whole time for them to just admit they liked each other, and honestly, I found the wait worth it.
- I loved that there was explanation and exploration before they were just thrown into saving the world. I felt that the world building was really well balanced and gave great visuals.
- A sign of a good book for me is being able to picture it or see it like a movie in my head, and I definitely could with this book, which made it so fun to read!
- Not to make a comparison, but it had Harry Potter vibes? But with more exciting characters, circumstances, and locations.
- The dark acadamia vibe and the vibrant descriptions of magic were so fun to engage with, and it reminded me of how some Dungeons and Dragons' magic systems work? Which made me love it even more.
- ALSO? So many pieces are based on Greek myths?! You KNOW I love Greek mythology, and seeing the inspiration through the book made me so happy

Things that I wasn't a fan of:
- The trials seemed a bit short and simplistic for how important they are, in my opinion.
- I'm a little sad we didn't get to see more from the other classes besides battle magic. I know they aren't the main focus, but I think it would've been cool to have some of those a little more fleshed out.
- I'm definitely more curious about the Nameless assassins? It seemed like such a big plot point in the beginning, and it felt like it was dropped and never heard from again - even when they encountered them in the wild it felt like a random cameo more than anyrhing particularly scary.

Overall, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. I immediately loved the vibe of the book and in between a busy schedule, whenever I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. It was fun and adventurous and filled with a conglomerate of things that I enjoyed. I would definitely recommend it, and I can't wait to read the next books in the series!

4.5⭐️/5
🌶🌶/5 ...more

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Dec 12, 2024 jaylen gavie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 20, 2024 Karissa Sperry rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved this book! It’s very well written, has a badass feisty sarcastic fmc and a shadow daddy mmc. Kiera is an assassin who gets hired to off the prince but she finds out she has magic and gets roped into attending a mage academy. Along the way she is on a quest to end a curse of the royal bloodline and free the kingdom of this dark plague! I can’t wait for book 2!

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Nov 14, 2024 ForTheLoveofReading_Crysy rated it it was amazing

From the first page, I was hooked! This story is full of adventure, banter, tension, heartbreak, trials and so much more. This will send you through a rollercoaster of emotions while keeping you enthralled. What a great first book to the series and I can't wait to see what book 2 brings us.
...more

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Jan 04, 2025 Nicala Rey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“Love is the frequency of magic.”
What better way to start a new year than with a 5 out of 5 star book! I adored this story! I felt like I was at the academy and in the classrooms at times. I’d get so lost in the places and descriptions. The magic and the love was palpable in the pages of this book. I’m a sucker for games/trials and those really were just the icing on the cake. What’s not to love? 💚

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Oct 27, 2024 Sami rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book caught me in its grasp from page 1! It was such a wild ride! Every time I thought I had it figured out, a curveball would be thrown at me! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants adventure, magic, a magic school, and fated mates. Seriously though, go read this book!

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Nov 21, 2024 Julianne rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, net-galley

I absolutely loved this book! The tension, twists and turns are everything! I love the romance between Kiara and Lucien and how they get through everything thrown at them together. Every page I turned was full of adventure, romance and friendship and I couldn't stop reading! The adventure is addictive and I found myself wanting to know what happens next after every page. Ever King is a fantastic writer and I cannot wait to read book two!

I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys romant ...more

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Feb 12, 2025 Lauri rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I really enjoyed this!! I mean, its…

💚Fated Mates
🤫Secret Societies
🪄 Magic Academy
🗡️Enemies to Lovers

& those are most of my favorite tropes. I LOVED the whole concept of Heartstrings. I thought it gave the Fated Mates trope something new.

The tension between Kiara and Prince Lucian was so good. Love, Love, Loved all the side characters. I can’t decide which is my favorite Raven Society member.

I am assuming each member might get a book in the series? Or maybe that’s just me throwing that out into ...more

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Nov 03, 2024 Zyria 🩷 rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.75 ⭐️

The way I inhaled this book omg there was things I didn’t see coming and things that finally clicked as you read more of the story. The ending left me wanting more and also had me staring at my phone for a good 5 minutes 😂😂

• Cursed prince x Assassin
• Villain gets the girl
• enemies to lovers
• Secret society
• Greek mythology and retelling
• Magic academy

“ she’s dangerous and beautiful. Stunningly so, but it’s the kind of beauty that you’d expect from a colorful but poisonous flower”

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Nov 22, 2024 Julia Cash rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book was shockingly good! I chose the book based on the title and cover and boy am I glad I did. This book is for people who like dark academia Romantasy with a magical school and a Greek mythology retelling. It is about an assassin Kiara who has to survive in a dangerous academy and discover it secrets. I plan to pick up the next book as soon as I can and recommend this to everyone.

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Nov 23, 2024 Emma Floyd rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley

The Honest Bunny Review:

https://www.instagram.com/thehonestbu...

💚 Dual POV
✨ Enemies-to-Lovers
🐦‍⬛ Dark academia‍
🖤 Fated mates
🐍 Greek mythology retelling
⚔️ Morally gray MCs

This story IMMEDIATELY hits the ground running from the very first page, jumping straight into the action. While I do adore the wonders of world building, it was refreshing immediately being absorbed into this new, fantastic world.

This has the most immaculate dark academia vibes. Anyone who is a Harry Potter fan will fall in lov ...more

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Dec 30, 2024 Christine rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3.5⭐️
🫑-🌶️(closed door)

"When the world is at its darkest, follow the stars."

Fast paced and easy to read YA dark academia, fantasy, romantasy with elements of Greek mythology, mages and assassins. The Greek mythology is sprinkled throughout using different lore which is really intriguing. This novel is inspired by the love story of Nyx and Erebus (and now I want to learn more about Nyx and Erebus.)

Kiara's world goes from being an assassin for the king to being a mage - a mission for vengeance turn ...more

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