Received via netgalley as a free arc to review

I had moments of considering DNFing this book. At points it's more aesthetic than plot. It's honestly like reading a lesbians, Vampire themed Pinterest board 😂

Not for me, I'm sure some others will love it, but there's just too much fluff and not enough plot

I absolutely devoured An Education in Malice by S.T.Gibson.

I didn’t think it was possible for the author to wow me more than they did with A Dowry of Blood, but I was wrong.

I felt so connected to the main characters of the books and felt my emotions deeply when there was conflict.

The pacing of this book was superb and it has the perfect balance between harsh lines and flowery descriptions, I could not put it down and would recommend it to most.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this eARC

This is not quite a page turner but I found it a very easy read; the prose in this is beautiful and I found this book very atmospheric. I enjoyed the theme of obsession throughout the book from the various characters however it fell a little flat for me though as there was just one to many plot threads and I felt this lead to a lack of depth overall.

I liked all the parts individually; the rivals to lovers, the gothic academy setting and the mystery surrounding De Lafontaine, but the pacing felt rushed. Laura and Carmilla's relationship didn't really get that big rivals to lovers pay off as it wasn't quite developed enough even with the multiple POV chapters. Laura in particular seemed like a missed opportunity considering the time period; the timid student who had accepted her sexuality and proclivities but had never really had the chance to explore it. I did love the picnic scene with Elenore though and found it quite sweet. It also didn't really add anything to the plot that Laura had BDSM tendencies either and seemed a little tacked on as did her career choice of entering the priesthood. I expected that to go somewhere but it didn't.

De Lafontaine is an interesting character but she also peters out halfway through the book; her relationship with Carmilla (and later Laura) is manipulative throughout but after the change in Carmilla's circumstances (which was glossed over far too quickly) she seemed really one dimensional. I still don't understand why she chose Laura and what her end goal was regarding her and Camilla. De Lafontaine seemed aware of their attraction, kept them separated for days at a time but still had them both meet her for private lessons under the guise of Carmilla needing a foil. I actually thought Laura was being set up for the main plot and this would cause an interesting tension and a change in dynamic between Carmilla and De Lafontaine but that was not the case and it just seemed like the book couldn't quite decide what the central focus should be.

An Education in Malice is a dark-academia tale of (overly) ambitious students, vampires and obsessions. Laura and Carmilla are obsessed with besting each other, obsessed with getting closer to their mysterious professor De Lafontaine and eventually obsessed with each other and their mutual desire.

The story is set at the secluded Saint Perpetua college and has a gothic, eerie athmosphere. While the plot is relatively limited (in the sense that the events could be summarised quite quickly), it's the atmosphere and aesthetic feel that make this book. In my opinion. S. T. Gibson's writing is exceptional and makes the characters and scenes come alive on paper. All senses feel somehow involved in reading, as the girls every feeling is explored and described in detail with super detailed language. Sometimes double POVs can get confusing if the two characters aren't differentiated enough, but this worked really well! I felt like I got to distinguish Laura and Carmilla quite quickly, despite their similarly obsessive personalities.

On the other hand, De Lafontaine was a character I had mixed feelings about. The imbalanced-power situation between her and the girls and her own obsessions sometimes pushing boundaries too far for me... but it was an integral part of the plot, so...

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read! I wish there had been a bit more movement in the plot and a slightly less "easy" ending, but I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and the athmosphere created by the author.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books UK for giving me the chance to read an eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

An Education in Malice has beautiful enticing prose. You just can't put the book out of your hands once you started it.

I immediately became a fan of S.T. Gibson after reading Dowry of Blood, and An Education in Malice has solidified my obsession with her work. Following the world of vampires, An Education of Malice marries dark academia with the sultry, deceptive, gothic world of vampires in this retelling of Carmilla.

The setting of Saint Perpetua as the dark academia's gothic castle was perfect for Gibson's story as a place full mysteries and places to hide from the light.

The character development of Laura and Carmilla was amazing, their romance was a beautiful enemies-to-lovers story with some beautiful moments for a story that has a very sultry subtext. Poetry Professor, De Lafontaine, was such an enigmatic character that was both sultry and dangerous, beautiful and creepy that had me more infuriated with each scene she appears in.

An Education in Malice was, overall, a beautiful retelling of Europe's first lesbian vampire story brought into the 21st century. This is a must-read for any vampire fans, dark academic lovers and anyone who loves a story that breaks the mould.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Solid 4.5 stars, but a fantastic read. Laura and Carmilla are both incredible and flawed main characters i do wish it was longer to flush out some additional plot points on the end or with Isis because that story wasn’t clear enough. Overall, would defo read again, really enjoyed, and loved the characters. I think Laura had a lot of growth as a character, wish the others had similar lines.

3.5*? probably? this was a very quick enjoyable read, but it was nothing extraordinary. ST Gibson's writing is marvellous, as always, but i didn't really connect with the story. i loved the relationships between the characters (vampire milf taking care of her token sapphics, what more can i ask for really). the plot left a lot to be desired in my opinion, but my main qualm with this book is the fact that it's set in the us of a ??????? this should've 100% been set in london or something of the likes ??? alas. liked it was okay will definitely think about lesbian vampires for the next week <3

3 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2024/02/14/an-education-in-malice-by-st-gibson/
My Five Word TL:DR Review : I wanted to love it

I don’t know whether I just over egged the pudding for myself with An Education in Malice and raised it up onto such a high pedestal that it was perhaps never going to be able to achieve those lofty heights but this didn’t work as well for me as I’d anticipated. Dark Academia. Obsession. Secret desires and vampires – so much promise that felt to me a little lacking in direction.

The story is brought to us by two of the central characters, Laura and Carmilla. The setting is a prestigious all girls school and the real hook of the piece is a Professor, known as DeLafontaine, who most of the girls seem desperate to please. To gain a place on one of her selective courses is practically impossible, only a few achieve it and the rivalry and jealousy is intense.

Laura is a new student at Saint Perpetua’s College. She is a shy naive girl who feels a little out of place amongst all these other seemingly worldly wise students. In particular Carmilla. Laura has managed to achieve the unthinkable, a place on DeLafontaine’s poetry course – a year early no less – and Carmilla, always the favourite pupil has her nose put out of joint when this latest newbie arrives and somewhat steals the show. We then have a love/hate relationship between the two, spurred on by the teacher in an attempt to lead them to new heights of brilliance.

So, I will say Immediately that I loved the writing for this. Gibson easily creates this fantastic gothic setting in the mind’s eye and its incredibly atmospheric and I confess that I found the story very easy to get into due to the lush style.

To be honest, I’m finding it really difficult to pin down what didn’t work so well for me with this. I mean, I don’t really want to be overly negative because it’s not a bad book, just something kept it from knocking my socks off.

I actually think there was too much going on – possibly slight spoilers ahead. We have the love hate relationship between Laura and Carmilla – which suddenly clicked into something much more – and, yes,it felt rushed, like a light switch being flicked on. One minute they hated each other, then the next they didn’t. Then you have this sideline infatuation that Carmilla has for the professor – and, lets just say it as it is, the professor is being very unprofessional to say the least and definitely taking advantage of both students. Okay, DeLafontaine is a vampire. This element of the story felt kind of unnecessary really – particularly as it eventually involved a return love interest from the past and a number of grisly murders on campus – all of which seemed to remain very low key, not to mention all too easily resolved.

Looking at the above, the relationship with Laura and Carmilla. I think this was supposed to have a sensual/borderline erotic feel. I found it a bit lacking in chemistry and in one particular scene it lost all credulity with one character acting in a way that didn’t feel plausible.

Then the vampire aspects. DeLafontaine came across almost like an immature child at times. Her emotions were up and down and she went from being a polished, in control professor to someone who was clearly jealous of her students’ relationship. I understand the underlying theme here is all about obsession and that does come across really well with an almost love triangle situation playing out – but, I think I hoped for something more controlling, or in control from DeLafontaine.

I think I’ll finish there. I realise this probably comes across as overly critical and that isn’t really my intention. This is beautifully written and I imagine that it will probably work better for some readers than it did for me.

I received a copy through Netgalley courtesy of the publishers, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

An Education in Malice is my first S.T. Gibson book and wow, it did not disappoint!

Set in the 1960's, this story is full of dark academia and vampire decadence. I could not pt this down and read it in less than a day. The rivalry between Carmilla and Laura is so beautifully written as is the obsession with their teacher Evelyn.

I'm planning on reading A Dowry of Blood soon and Evocation later in the year, S.T. Gibson has became a new favourite author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the chance to read An Education in Malice.

We love to see rivalry to romance, academia settings, and vampires. An Education in Malice has been calling my name since I heard about it. That and combined with the fact that it's by S.T. Gibson - an author who I'm always intrigued to read - and I was hooked. An Education in Malice will satisfy those wanting a queer romance with vampires, deadly obsession, and rivals in academia. From the beginning, we can see how the rivalry is about envy and fixation. The ways we want to have their talent, driven like a moth to the flame.

A haunting gothic love story.
This was an interesting read. I disliked Carmilla to begin with, but as I read more of her POV, I grew to understand her a bit more.
I feel like the ending is set up in a way that it could be the end or it could very well be continued. I would be interested to find out what happens next for Carmilla and Laura. Especially under Magdalena's guidance.

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson is a dark academia tale that'll keep you hooked from start to finish. Set in the eerie hills of Massachusetts at Saint Perpetua's College, it's like Hogwarts, but with a darker twist—vampires included.
The story revolves around Laura Sheridan and Carmilla, two students caught up in a fierce academic rivalry. But as they dive deeper into their poetry seminar led by the enigmatic Professor De Lafontaine, things take a turn for the sinister. Secrets, dark magic, and a tangled web of desire unfold against the backdrop of St. Perpetua's gothic campus.
Gibson's writing is as addictive as it gets. She takes inspiration from the classic Carmilla tale but adds her own modern flair, especially in the sapphic tension between Laura and Carmilla. It's not just about academic competition; there's a whole lot of love, power struggles, and self-discovery thrown into the mix.
An Education in Malice is perfect for fans of gothic romance and supernatural intrigue. So if you're up for a thrilling ride filled with secrets and suspense, dive into this dark academia delight—you won't regret it.

[3.5]

An Education in Malice is a dark academia retelling of the classic novel Carmilla. We are following our two heroines: Laura, who is a naive girl who never steps out of her comfort zone (up till a certain point) and Carmilla, who is very competitive and strives to be the very best. We also have a teacher, De Lafontaine, who has a strange and inappropriate relationship with Carmilla

What this novel, in typical S. T. Gibson fashion, excels at is the prose. Her writing is always so beautiful, with so many hard hitting lines you want to underline while reading to come back to regularly. Gibson simply has a way with her words and I can't get enough of it. Along with the prose, I really enjoyed the setting and the atmosphere that the author created. The world was so easy to imagine and the gothic vibes were immaculate.

Sadly though, while I did enjoy An Education in Malice, it did not live up to my expectations -- I thought it was a book to stay with me like A Dowry of Blood did, but sadly I don't think that will be the case. That is to say, the book is not bad by any means -- it's good, just not quite as good as I had hoped.

The characters were memorable enough but nothing groundbreaking. I quite enjoyed Carmilla and her emotional reactions to things. I found that she felt quite real and I simply just wish the novel was longer to delve more into the psyche of these characters. Carmilla is a character I would simply love to have seen explored more, i wanna know everything that goes on in her head.
The romance starts out as rivals to lovers with a lot of lust and promise for a romance i could really get behind, but sadly it fell a little flat as the characters went from being rivals to being in love after a certain plot point with a sudden shift in their attitudes. The feelings between the characters just didn't develop organically, which (again) might simply be due to the length of the book. I still enjoyed the bond between the girls and many of their scenes, I just think it could've been so much more.

I think my biggest disappointment was the ending -- the climax was way too convenient, resolved way too fast with minimal tension. I felt like there build-up was preparing me for something more atmospheric and cruel, but it felt very uninspired and rushed. I also disliked the fact that one of the characters did not face any consequences for all of the shit they pulled, it all just got resolved way too easily and conveniently for my taste. That is to say, I also did thing that Dowry wrapped up a little quick but overall I was way more satisfied with that ending.

I will also say that the dark academia aspect takes a back seat once vampire plot line becomes more prominent. You are still in the school setting but the academic bits and pieces take the back seat. That did not bother me personally, but i figured I will point it out.

All in all, it's a very solid read that simply could've been so much more. I see myself revisiting one day and one that i can recommend to anyone looking for a short sapphic vampire story.

Thank for Netgalley & Little Brown Book UK for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I loved Dowry of Blood and since then have been a fan of S.T. Gibson as such I was excited to read her dark academia upcoming novel and I was not at all disappointed. The prose was one of the things I loved the most, told through dual point of views we get a beautiful, sultry and haunting look into the heart and minds of Laura and Carmilla. I was dragged into the world from the start.


The enemies to lovers is a trope I had not fully understood but I can say that now I am a fan. This is a beautiful if sometimes violent sapphic horror. As always Gibson brings her world to life in such a way that you feel as if you are alongside them. For me the main thing that kept me hooked was the yearning and elements of dark academia (it spoke to the academic in me).


If you are looking for a beautiful but haunting sapphic gothic horror this is it. it’s hard to mention more without spoilers but if you have read a Dowry of Blood you know exactly what to expect and will not be disappointed.

In Saint Perpetua's College, the academic rivalry between Laura and Carmilla took the main stage. Their struggle takes several twists and turns that are relatively addictive and ambitious, but eventually it won't be what it seems. Much less when they involve such a peculiar bloodthirsty professor, De Lafontaine, whose secrets will come out. Both will be caught in that web of lies and secrets, and they'll have to figure their way out of them. This was such as exquisite and enticing story. This is the first time I read a sapphic academic rivals to lovers book, but this gothic vampire romance is written in a rather captivating way. I loved the tension and dynamic between Laura and Carmilla but I was also fascinated with the development of each one. However, the plot was underwhelming at times, mostly in the second part of the book. There was a drastic change that had a counterproductive effect on the plot. The ending felt a bit rushed for me but despite that, I enjoyed the book.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

An Education in Malice is a captivating dark academia tale set in the ancient Saint Perpetua’s College. Laura Sheridan, a new student, engages in an intense rivalry with the enigmatic Carmilla. Their competition escalates as they both attract the attention of their poetry professor, De Lafontaine. Amidst secrets, dark magic, and forbidden desire, the novel weaves a hauntingly atmospheric narrative. S.T. Gibson’s storytelling shines in this must-read for fans of gothic romance and vampires.

This is a must read for fans of a Dowry of Blood and you may even meet a few familiar faces.
The story is inspired by the classic Carmilla. However, this sapphic retelling it is original enough that I was engaged the whole time and did not expect everything that was coming.

I highly recommend this for everyone, but most especially for fans of dark academia and sapphic drama.

This books was infuriating, in the way stories with great potential are: i loved the first part and wanted so badly to love the second but i really didn’t do it for me.

First, the wonderful part: the writing! The author took great care the craft her descriptions and dialogues, and it’s beautiful. The story is dark and atmospheric, and the first part is mostly vibes in a dark academia college setting. The initial build-up was slow, but i didn’t mind. I loved to see Laura and Carmilla discover their feelings for each other, and their academic rivals to lovers dynamic was immensely enjoyable. I rolled my eyes gently every other page at all the angst and teenage tortured poet talk, but i was also completely hooked!

However, i feel like the second part of the story was severely lacking. There is a big tonal and thematic change and we go from the love story to an half-assed detective/murder plot and i didn’t like that.

The resolve of that plot was underwhelming and very conventional. The perpetrator had been revealed beforehand, which killed all the tension, and the other people involved weren’t developed at all so i couldn’t care for their moral dilemmas or doubt their actions.

The overall ending was abrupt and didn’t fit the dark vibes of the rest. Lots of things were left uncovered (eg De Lafontaine’s past) and everything was wrapped in a pretty bow - very ironic for a twisted vampire story!

The romance - that was slow-burn in part 1 - suddenly gets resolved, and then we don’t get much emotions and romantic feelings from either. They go from rivals attracted to each other, to a full-on sex scene in 10 pages.

I wish we’d seen more development between them, and that we kept seeing their feelings for each other in the second part. It’s like once they got together their relationship stopped having any problems and we didn’t need to investigate it anymore.

Another problem is that they are way too similar. Even by the end of the book i couldn’t tell whose chapter i was on without reading their names. The girls have widely different backgrounds and upbringings, they shouldn’t feel so identical!

Ultimately, i felt that there wasn’t much “educating” in any kind of “malice”. I was expecting a coming of age story (albeit toxic), with an (inappropriate) mentor who’d initiate them to poetry, vampire stuff and sexuality. But in the end, De Lafontaine does nothing of this. Most vampire things happen off-screen, they don’t fuck (thank god because the grooming was bad enough without it) and even the poetry guidance part stops in the second part.

Coming into this book, I was very reluctant to see the grooming storyline. In the end, i’m unsure how to feel about it. On one hand, i think the author did an excellent job to show the allure of the teacher, and how easily the girls got caught in her web. I liked to see the juxtaposition of Carmilla already enthralled, and Laura slowly joining her. The girls struggle to admit the relationship they have with Ms. D is wrong, and neither can even bear to think of leaving.

On the other hand, i was missing some consequences. De Lafontaine doesn’t get reprimanded, and doesn’t apologise. Worse, she spins it all in the same way actors and directors do: she knew who i was (vampire), she was consenting, i was only teaching and helping her grow as a person. On its own, this could have been great (a sharper-than-life representation of abuse in the arts), but that can only work if you show the damage that was done to the girls. By the end of it, they are unscathed, don’t seem to have any kind of trauma related to the grooming, and are getting ready to enter their adult lives as if nothing happened. I was very disappointed in that.

Read if you like: dark academia vibes, sapphic vampires, rivals to lovers slow-burn
Please check the content guidance before reading (on the first page of the book, or on the author’s site).

An Education in Malice is the newest release from S T Gibson, author of A Dowry of Blood. The story follows Laura Sheridan, a young woman starting at Saint Perpetua’s College. There she forms an academic rivalry with a girl in her poetry class named Carmilla, but their teacher Ms De Lafontaine, has her own secrets, and as the two are drawn into her confidence, Laura and Carmilla find themselves tangled in a dark web of secrets.

A Dowry of Blood was one of my favourite reads of 2021 so I was very much looking forward to picking this one up. Much like A Dowry of Blood, this book is dark, bloody, and addictive. I ended up racing through this book in particularly one sitting and I enjoyed the story immensely. It does feel very different from A Dowry of Blood and I ultimately preferred Gibson’s previous novel but Gibson has crafted a very compelling and captivating tale in An Education in Malice.

I was interested to learn on picking this one up that the story is inspired by J Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, a book that I actually read last month. I enjoyed seeing the way Gibson took elements of the original and wove them into this dark academia tale. I really enjoyed the school setting and the way Laura and Carmilla’s relationship developed. I did feel things wrapped up a little quickly in the end but overall the story comes to a satisfying conclusion. Gibson does a brilliant job of exploring relationships and desire in this story as well as the meaning of obsession and desire.

Gibson has a really beautiful, vivid writing style and it was very easy to become completely absorbed in the story. I would have loved the story to be a little longer just to explore Iris and de Lafontaine’s relationship a little more. Overall An Education in Malice is an engrossing, fascinating tale and if you’re looking for a dark fantasy vampire story, this one is exactly what you’re looking for.

S.T. Gibson is an expert of enchanting vampire romance with dark themes. This sapphic, gothic academia truly lived up to the hype for me, and is an excellent addition to A Dowry of Blood. It’s a story of two girls trying to discover who they are, together and separately, while also trying to please their professor, who’s more than willing to use her power to manipulate them. There’s a lot of gore throughout the story (which I would expect with vampires) but the entire story is written in such a beautiful way