I was genuinely enthralled by ST Gibson‘s writing. Her poetic writing style and unique plot made for an increasingly interesting retelling of ‘Carmilla’.

Set in 1968 at an All Girls’ Catholic College (flashbacks to my high school days), An Education in Malice centers around the academic rivalry and eventual intimate relationship between Laura and Carmilla. This is an interesting study on power dynamics and the ‘maternal’ role that Professor De Lafontaine played for the two protagonists made for an illicit affair that had me hooked.

This was a very character forward story but it was still interesting in its own way. The tensions and obsessive relationships was written so eloquently and realistically that I genuinely was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. The discussions on the intersectionality of religion and sexuality was definitely something I didn’t expect going into this but I adored seeing good catholic girl, Laura, come into her own and discover her inner kinkiness

I thoroughly enjoyed this and I will absolutely go on to read S.T. Gibsons backlist!

This review is for An Education in Malice by S.T Gibson, which releases in the UK on 15th February! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for giving me an eArc copy for this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I have ever read by S.T Gibson, and I really enjoyed it. I cannot wait to read A Dowry In Blood as well, as I’ve heard it is just as good, if even better than this one.

One thing this author is very good at, is building atmosphere and tension. The first 100 pages of this book were filled with such incredibly poetic atmosphere building, really pulling you into the story world. And the tension between Laura and Carmilla… *chefs kiss* However, it did feel a little rushed towards the middle and end where I feel it could have been built up a little more. The hate/rivalry moved really quickly to love and lust, and it fell a little flat.

It does feature some intense topics, like teacher-student obsession, with De Lafontaine being a really interesting character. But towards the end she just seemed to really irritate me, acting very childish for someone of her age. Laura was by far my favourite character. You get to see her shy side, but then also get to see little teasers of her hidden depths and desires. Again, I felt her character development could have definitely been featured a lot more, and hopefully we get to see more of her.

The end of the book felt very rushed and didn’t really fit with the rest of the story for me, I was waiting for more to come from it and wish there had been a little more drama! Overall, a very enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys dark academia and a little spice!

<b>disclaimer: i did receive an arc of this book before publication, but as i write this, my preorder that i paid for myself arrived, so do with that what you will <3 </b>

after reading a dowry of blood by saint gibson, i was so scared to read their follow up novels. 'a carmilla retelling set at a new england elite university' sounded just too perfect to be true. however i shouldn't have worried because (i'm just gonna say it) this book was perfect.

i read this in just one fever-dream-like sitting, and i felt like i was coming up for air when i finished. the atmosphere was masterful; the gloomy darkness was pervasive, which made the moments of lightness with the characters all the sweeter.

the writing in general was fantastic. the word choices in parts truly did take my breath away, particularly in the tenser moments. the descriptions have stuck with me in the few weeks its been since i read it too. i felt like i *was* attending class, i could *feel* the cobbles beneath my feet, i could *taste* the red wine, i could *smell* the paper and ink of the library.

for those who have read a dowry of blood, i think you'll be pleased by a few cameos of familiar faces too. it felt natural, like of course the girls would meet X person and Y person. i was a bit hesitant at first because i do think it could've been easy to shoe-horn beloved characters in, but again i needn't have worried!

i have evocation, the author's next book, already pre-ordered and there are absolutely no words for how READY i am for it. the queerness, the vibes, the writing, everything was genuinely perfect.

Sapphic vampires?! What more can I ask for. I really enjoyed this one and really couldn’t put it down. I was able to finish it in one sitting because I was just so invested in the story. This was and perfect mix of academia and supernatural. I really loved both Carmilla and Laura their enemies/rival to lovers arc was just so good! My one issue with this book was that I wish it was a little longer and explained more of the vampire lore. I also really dislike books that end with a more open ending so hence why I took 1 star off. I wish this book would have come out in the fall because the vibes are perfect for it!! I would definitely reccomend this to anyone who enjoys a sapphic romance with a twist!

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Book Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “An Education in Malice” will be published February 15th.

The review will be published on my Goodreads account linked to my account and it will be published February 8.

Another glorious book by S.T. Gibson.
This one enthralled me even more than A Dowry of Blood did.
The writing, the atmosphere, the dark academia,... Everything got me hooked.

There is so much toxicity, but also love in this book. And you understand every point of view, even though you can see their mistakes. It was truly fascinating to read.

Obviously I would recommend this book to everyone.

I really enjoyed An Education in Malice at first. The dark academia vibes were excellent, and the rivals to lovers very well written but I thought it lacked a bit of something in the end. Maybe the overall stakes didn't get to me but, I felt like the second part of the book was missing something. Great prose and setting nonetheless.

I absolutely loved the setting in this book; I adore dark academia and this one did not disappoint.

Unfortunately, the setting was probably the best part of the story for me. The plot itself was great but I didn't enjoy the execution. There was a whole subplot that kept seemingly being forgotten about until the ending which made it really anticlimactic.

I didn't really buy into Laura and Carmilla's attraction either, it all felt very immature. I still don't know what to think about De Lafontaine either; none of the questions I had about her were answered but all I know is that in my head she's Gillian Anderson 😍

The book wasn't badly written at all, there was quite a bit of beautiful poetry and some self discovery but sadly it just fell flat for me.

I definitely recommend giving it a go if any of the themes are up your alley. Thank you to the author & Orbit books for the opportunity to review the book

This is a book about devotion, when interest turns to dark obsession, when rivalry turns into passion. I meanie it's a dark academia but make it sapphic (and erotic). Thro

I'm really glad that this is the work that introduced me to S.t Gibson and Im very keen to try out her backlist and other things she might publish. The writing is very easy to read and the vibes are immaculate.

This book takes place in the '60s in an All Girl's Catholic school (What a setting right?). As short as this book was I am glad it showed some lovely female friendships. My only gripe is some plot points seemed a bit convenient and skimmed over (granted this is a very short book).

Nonetheless this was a great standalone and I love that vampires are making a comeback :)

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 Stars!

The authors other novel "A Dowry of Blood" was one of my favourite reads last year, so I was immensely looking forward to reading „An Education in Malice“.
While I have not read the original „Carmilla“ or even knew anything about it the fact that this book has vampires, academic rivals, sapphic and plus sized MC‘s was all I needed to push it to the very top of my TBR.

The book was a quick, easy and entertaining read and in typical S.T. Gibson manner very atmospheric. While there are some parts that are a bit slower, it was never boring or dragging.
I enjoyed the dual POV and the way we really got to know and understand the MC‘s and see their relationship (with each other and different people) change and develop as well as the different dynamics between them. I will say that some parts of this book made me want for more and felt a bit superficial, e.g. Miss D. and her background as well as the storyline concerning her maker in the middle of the book.

That being said, I really enjoyed „An Education in Malice“ and will definitely read whatever book S.T. Gibson decided to put out there!

An Education in Malice is a sapphic retelling of Carmilla. If you are a fan of dark academia, enemies to lovers, and vampires this book is definitely worth reading. As for me, I liked it enough. I liked the story and I think S.T. Gibson's writing style is beautiful. Actually one of the things I like about her other book A Dowry of Blood is the poetic writing style. However, this book is more focused on characters and aesthetics than the plot. So, if you prefer plot-driven books rather than character-driven ones, this might not be the right book for you. Overall, I enjoyed the dark atmosphere and interesting characters. If you're already a fan of S.T. Gibson's other books, you'll likely enjoy this one as well. Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy.

I absolutely love vampires and when I found out it was a queer romance, I was overjoyed! And S.T.Gibson did not disappoint. This story is full of mystery, intrigue and the right amount of romance mixed with danger. From the beginning, I was hooked, pulled into the dark academia theme that spans at the center of the story. I am not one for stories with teacher/student relationships, however I thought this one fitted the story very well. I will definitely be reading it again and recommending it to my friends!

I was given both an e-arc and an audiobook arc for this book via Netgalley thanks to the respective publishers.

The first half of the review will be book based, and the second half will be based on the audiobook. Even though I was given these in the exchange of a review, this is my honest thought on Education in Malice.

There are a few triggers and they did show themselves but it wasn't too bad or maybe they just didn't trigger me like perhaps others. This book does hit a few sexual taboos on the head like exhibitionism and minor voyeurism. But I knew to expect it as it was one of the triggers written. I read a review stating they 1 starred it because they had no idea there was sex in it and public sex at that, the list of triggers literally state this, obviously it wasn't read correctly. The sex scenes were dominant in the moments they took place but it was more of sexual tensions and thoughts vs the actual acts. The other thing I am reading some say it was Grooming, but perhaps it was now I think of it but at the time, I saw it as a very unhealthy odd mother/daughter relationship and nothing more. Cause those weird parent child relationships the children will do anything for that parent, in some cases even kill.

I will try to keep spoilers at bay. I have given this book 4💫

For those who are picking up this Carmilla, remagining; expecting it to be similar or a retelling as often remagining and retelling is confused. You will be disappointed, though I went into it knowing it was a remagining and Gibson did not disappoint! I truly enjoyed it and her vision of Carmilla and how to intertwine it and make it her own absolute perfection.

The story takes place in the late 60s. In an all girls religious college based in Massachusetts. This is what gives it the Dark Academia vibe, the old stone gothic buildings, the chapel, the catacomb like hidden passage, and tunnels. The fact was that it was a school. Though it only focuses on a one class really and then primarily private tutor lessons, its more of a background for the stage of characters Gibson has cast in her story of love, loss, betrayal, and death.

The story revolves around the main characters Laura, who comes to St. Perpetua's from the southern United States. Carmilla, an Austrian exchange student who came just for the courses taught by Ms. Delafontane. Who is a side character, but she has a main role to the plot of the book and a strong connection to Carmilla and eventually Laura.

Laura and Carmilla are rivals with underlying tension. The compete in Ms. D's courses, and within the girls at the course and for Delafontane's praises, admirations, and affections. These tensions soon let loose to a rivals to lovers romance. They both have a bit of "touch her and die vibe," too. Other tropes are touched upon and other dark desires, but I won't get too into them due to spoilers.

Now, the twist that happened Halloween night was NOT expecting as to what led the changing of Carmilla. Though it made for a good plot turn and story. It is around the same time St. Perpetua is home to a string of unsavoury murders and especially liked Laura's thoughts on the bathtub scene. The fact it seemed perhaps the killer had stayed with this one a little longer. Definitely hit a spot with my true crime, love.

Character building was good. I wish we saw more of Eleanor I know she is a very small side character role, but I went from hating her to loving her based on how she treated and interacted with Laura; from start to Thanksgiving. Didn't see too much of the other side characters. The star roles were the three I listed previously. The scene setting was great. I did wish for a bit more about the college aspect or the surroundings and more of what it was like, but overall, it was a decent execution.

The read was pretty quick read and flowed well, and the time jumps were seamless and not clunky like other quick paced books. Each end scene seemed pretty closed, and nothing left loose. The greenhouse scene at the end was what I was expecting per the plan, but also not at the same time. Had me feeling bad for Delafontane. The ending..... this had me a little more perplexed. It was like a cliffhanger and not at the same time, or at least that's what I gathered from it. Did she pick up the cup and drink, or did she not? I STILL NEED TO KNOW!!!!

Overall, S.T. Gibson did a fabulous job at taking an 1872 Gothic Novella and remagining it into something relatable and understandable to the present. Well done, and I recommend this read.

Now for the audio portion. This will be short as same as above but with length and narration rating.

Length is about 8hrs 22mins normal speed. So those of you who can listen to things while working or doing your errands this is definitely one you can finish in a day, maybe quicker if you're like me and can listen to things at faster speeds and still retain.

Narrator, she was okay. She lost her southern accent a couple times as Laura. Her Austrian accent sounded like a poshy British accent/old Hollywood. Her Boston accent wasn't very Hahvid Yahd sounding. It would drift in and out. This was more prominent in her voicing Mazie. The way she portrayed Ms. D was EXACTLY how I pictured her to sound. Though with dialogue between Delafontane and Isis, I did get confused about who was talking as their voices were identical, it felt like. Overall, she did a pretty good job at bringing the characters to life, though isnt my favourite narrator, at least the minor issues didn't break immersion. Which was great.

Lastly, during her normal speed of speech, I found it a bit too slow for me and my liking at 1x speed. For some reason, my brain processes recordings at normal speed
1x. Speed as if it's on slowmo. So I listened to Education in Malice at 1.75x speed, and it was perfect for me. She sounded normal speed to me and did t get all high-pitched and chipmunkie.

Thank you for reading my long review, I hope it helps you decide. Thank you to the publishers, Netgalley and Gibson herself. I truly did enjoy Education in Malice

Many thanks to NetGallery and Little Brown Book Group for providing an e-book arc of An Education in Malice in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 4/5 stars

I've heard so many great things about S.T Gibson's work that I was delighted to be approved to review this arc. Gibson's work promises dark academia and devilish delights in abundance and this was no exception. Atmospheric, vampiric and sultry, it had me hooked on every word.

We follow Laura and Carmilla, two very different personalities with one thing in common; their love of poetry and fixation with their professor, De Lafontaine. What follows is a twisted, sapphic and passion fueled adventure.

The dual pov really helped us understand the characters inner thoughts and motivations as well as building ample steamy tension. This book gives enemies to lovers dynamite and paranormal romance within the backdrop of a gothic college setting - it's everything the Pinterest girlies want and more.

I also really enjoyed the side characters and little moments of levity in between, such as the moments with Eleanore and the depictions of college parties. It made the fantasy elements feel more grounded and really took us into the story, providing a wonderful contrast between the typical elements of college life and the surreal ones that also take place in this story.

It does found family in a new way which I appreciated. However, whilst the festive scene was charming and heartwarming it also felt a little out of place for this genre of book.

Despite the student teacher dynamic overstepping boundaries, it's not expected or pulled off in the manner that's been so overdone. I found De Lafontaine's involvement really interesting and I wish we had gotten more insight into the character dynamics from her perspective. I feel readers would have also benefitted from more of her history as she did feel not as fleshed out as I would have preferred.

Overall this was a dark and promising novel and I'd definitely want to pick up more of this author's work in the future.

— 3.75 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

📖 | 352 pages
👤 | author S.T. Gibson
🏢 | publisher Orbit UK
📅 | release date 15 February 2024

What you can expect:
— Adult Dark Academia Standalone
— Carmilla Reimagining
— First-Person POV
— Dual POV
— Academia Rivals-To-Lovers
— Sapphic Romances
— Plus Size Heroine
— Found Family
— Debauched Vampire Societies
— Kink And Exhibition

Trigger & Content Warnings include: sexually explicit content (including kink and public sex), uneven power dynamics, inappropriate relationships between a professor and students, drug and alcohol use, referenced racist political policies, homophobia and religious discrimination against women.

An Education in Malice is a Dark Academia standalone by author S.T. Gibson. Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua's College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold. On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla. But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and dark magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.

An Education in Malice was my first read by this author and I have found myself feeling pleasantly surprised and more insightful to the world of Dark Academia. This richly seductive and gothic tale was unputdownable with its compelling narrative, captivating setting and its fast-paced storyline. Education explores the dark themes to be found within love with its obsessive and possessive nature, and the emotional complications that can come with it. The relationship between Carmilla and De Lafontaine was as grossly disturbing as it was enriching. Was De Lafontaine to be viewed as a mentor, a mother, a friend or a lover? The complexities to be found within their toxic dynamic was addictive and disturbing as I found myself enriched within their emotional turmoil.

Laura added a much needed narrative to the plot with her fresh eyes and 'outsider' stance heavily placed by De Lafontaine. Her sweet southern charm, hidden desires and overall sheltered outlook on life made her the perfect victim of her mentor's manipulation. It was interesting to read as Laura desperately sought approval and validation whilst battling her inner-instincts that were screaming at her about the off-ness of her situation. All Laura wanted was to improve her craft whilst being able to remain close to her new obsession, Carmilla, and instead found herself thrust into a world of bloodlust, secrets and insatiable hunger. Carmilla is exactly as described with charming exterior which sets to hide her deepest desires and feelings of envy. Her relationship with De Lafontaine is perplexing with its comforting undertones and sinister feel. Carmilla is deeply possessive over her companionship with her mentor, and is quick to view anybody as a threat. Yet at her core, Carmilla is an abandoned young woman who desperately seeks love and whatever definition of family she can attain. The vulnerabilities and insecurities deeply rooted within Carmilla made for an interesting character arc, and I found myself emotionally invested in her tale.

What I personally did not enjoy was how surface level the characters felt. There is an apparent theme of progression and growth to be found within An Education in Malice, and yet I found myself yearning for more. Carmilla and Laura displayed the most basic expectations of growth to be expected within the storyline, and I found that they lacked the gut-wrenching and emotionally-driven kind of growth that would have enabled me to better connect with their characters. The pacing from their rivalry into lovers felt very abrupt which could be excused as the impatient and addictive passion to be found within new and young love, and I had just hope for a little more within their characters than what was presented. I needed more tension and yearnings in their convictions, which I unfortunately did not find as resulted in the love story feeling shallow and undivulged. De Lafontaine was the most interesting character for me, and I deeply wished to have been granted a more personal insight into her history which largely fuelled the acts and decisions of her character which is presented on page.

Overall, I enjoyed by first novel by author S.T. Gibson. Whilst there were elements that I wished had been more expanded upon, I still had fun with the story as is and definitely recommend to readers looking for something to read on a rainy day.

Thank you to Orbit Books UK for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I know that these books are not for everyone, but I actually really enjoyed A Dowry of Blood. I was therefore really curious about this book, inspired by the vampire story of Carmilla. I have to admit that I'm less familiar with Carmilla than I was with Dracula, but since A Dowry of Blood was only very loosely inspired by the Dracula tale I assumed it wouldn't be much of a problem. So, when I found this book on Netgalley I requested a copy and Orbit granted me one.

Just like A Dowry of Blood this book is a quick, easy and fast read. Of course, that doesn't mean the themes in this book are light. They are anything but. I personally don't really need trigger warnings, but in this case it's good to check them before reading if you do have triggers. The relationships in this book are at times quite disturbing, there are quite a few intriguing but also confronting sexual scenes and of course there is some blood and gore because of the vampires.

The writing style of this book however makes sure that there is a little distance between us and the story. Normally I'm not a huge fan of that, but in this case that actually felt quite comfortable. I could witness this story without actually living through all the emotions and since so many of them were twisted, poisoned or not entirely healthy I was quite glad I didn't have to feel them all. However, I do believe the ending is fitting and in a way also quite satisfying.

Because at its core this book is about love. Love both as the most beautiful thing in the world and the most dangerous weapon mankind holds in its hands. Love can be twisted, used and abused. Love can be wonderful, intoxicating and all consuming. Love can make you a far better person than you ever believed yourself to be. Or it can make you cross lines you never believed you'd cross. The characters in this story experience it all. They're experiencing love both in its horrible and miraculous glory.

I will certainly keep an eye on future books by this author.

Thank you Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for giving me an ARC.

This was a magnificent take on dark academia, vampires, and one of my favorite tropes: rivals to lovers. I was captivated by the gothic atmosphere and the beautiful prose. The pace was just right, I found myself anticipating what more is there in this world.

We have a sapphic, slow-burn, sub and dom romance between our characters that was tantalizing. The POV switches between Laura and Carmilla. Professor De Lafontaine was central to them, both in similar and different ways. The story is very character driven and Laura's duality was my favorite. There was so much depth and passion to our characters that I wished for more plot.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. If you want a dark, emotional, and seductive read then this one's for you.

A reimaging of Carmilla, this is a sultry and evocative dark academia novel. Definitely ones for lovers of a gothic vampire story to sink your teeth into (pun intended). The atmosphere it sets up is fantastic, I really felt in the world of the school. The characterisation was decent but I would have liked a richer view of them, especially ealier on. I get that it was balancing mystery and suspense though. Overall enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

4 stars

I really enjoyed the story. It's the first time that I read a book by this author and I find her writing style so unique. I haven't read a lot of fantasy books but this is already one of my favourites. If you want to read a dark academia book about vampires, this is a book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group for providing me an eARC to review.

An Education in Malice is a reimagining of Carmilla, set in 1960s New England. This story follows academic rivals, Laura and Carmilla as they battle for the praise of their poetry lecturer. This is a sapphic vampire novel focusing on obsession, life and death.

Personally, I have not read many classics or much poetry, so a lot of the references went over my head. Though this is the case, it was clear that the environment portrayed here is one that S. T. Gibson is familiar with. I didn't delve too much in to the story before beginning and so the 60s setting was a surprise to me. I felt that we were successfully transported to a college campus during this time period. I liked the snippets of other friendships the girls had and would have liked to have seen these more as I felt Laura's character benefitted from them greatly.

I enjoyed the dynamic between the 2 main characters, sexually and otherwise. It was also a pleasant surprise to see familiar faces from A Dowry of Blood. I do think that the relationship developed quite quickly and I would have like to have seen how things would have turned out with their rivalry if it had been allowed to stew. I feel that both of S. T. Gibson books I have read so far could have benefited from being longer. They just need that extra 100 or so pages to flesh out more so that I can really care about what is going on. Regardless, I though appreciated Laura's character development and how she began to bloom throughout the story.

Overall I did enjoy this book and will be reading future released by S. T. Gibson

I think "An Education in Malice" is going to be a very popular book, but I just found the development of the story far too forced. The characters felt like puppets going through the motions, and I really didn't care what happened to any of them. S.T. Gibson writes very well though, and I'll be interested to see what comes next. Much as I wish it could be different, this one just wasn't for me.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.