I couldn’t put this book down, I finished it in less than 24 hours! Dark Academia, Carmilla retelling, sapphic enemies to lovers, what more could you want? I loved both POV’s but especially Laura’s. The story left me wanting more, sequel maybe? This is why I gave 4 stars not 5. I look forward to reading all of S.T. Gibson’s books going forward. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this title overall, though I my enjoyment definitely lessened the further I got into it. I felt there were some real issues surrounding pacing and tension, both in the romance aspect and in the external plot--primarily in that it felt like we needed a lot more of the latter, which likely would have fixed the former. For a book with such a dark, lush promise everything came very *easy*; I never felt the heart-stopping fear or gut-churning yearning I expected of this kind of dark academia romance, especially after the initial (and BRILLIANT) enemies/rivals part of the romance and the early 'uncertainty' part of the plot. I guess overall I felt it could have gone a lot harder, instead of ending up almost something of a comfort read. I also felt the characters' narrative voices needed to be more distinct; I'd often lose track for a bit of who was actually narrating that chapter because Laura and Carmilla's voices were so similar, which is a real problem in first person.

That being said! There was a lot I really liked, too. First of all I'll always be here for a properly sapphic Carmilla retelling. The prose was lovely, hitting the right blend of gothic lushness while still feeling appropriate for the more modern time period the book was set in; as was the atmosphere. Laura and Carmilla were great characters both individually and together, even if I felt they could have been pushed further. Ditto for the supporting cast. I also really enjoyed the romance itself.

Overall I found this a quick, easy, comfortable read which was wonderfully lush, erotic and dark, though left me feeling like it didn't quite live up to its potential. 3.5 stars.

Thank you very much to Little, Brown UK and NetGalley for the eARC!

An Education in Malice has gorgeous, atmospheric writing and dark academia vibes. I thought Laura, Carmilla, and Ms D were well fleshed out, and I liked their characters chemistry/interactions, but I found the pacing of Carmilla and Laura's relationship a little off- the jump from rivals-to-lovers was a little sudden compared to how drawn out their relationship was initially. Nevertheless, I still rooted for them and I really liked the ending.

Gibson always write such beautiful and darkly lush stories. Her characters, especially in this book, just feel so intimate and real. For the first 30% of this book I was absolutely enthralled but then when the vampire elements were involved more I felt like some of the dark academia was lost. I wish that the romance, poetry, and Isis mystery had been woven together a bit more rather than feeling like separate elements. But all in all it was still such a rich, layered, engrossing story.

‘For those who didn’t make it out of the ivory tower unscathed: you have always been worthy.’ A gothic dark academia retelling of Carmilla? You know it’s been on my list from the second I finished A Dowry of Blood let me tell you, it exceeded all my expectations.
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I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like dark academia books and that says something - I’ve said it before, but it always reminds me of this literature seminar I had at uni which was the best thing it ever happened during my uni years (the whole reason it made that time almost bearable). I hope everyone gets to experience that at least once in life (and if you haven’t already, please google literature classes and try to take one, they’re available online!!)
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‘It felt like standing on the edge of an abyss, looking down at the velvety darkness below and feeling help by it.’
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Laura and Carmilla start off as rivals on Laura’s first day at Saint Perpetua's College, where she’s chosen to attend De Lafontaine’s poetry seminar, a very exclusive class. Slowly, the needed to best the other’s opinions and lyrical creativity turns into something much deeper, all under the dazzling influence of their teacher.
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‘This heart: a confessional dark enough for your sins.
This mouth: a bell driving away demons and calling you home.’
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Please read the book, we need to talk about it!! Thank you @littlebrownbook for the copy!

An education in malice is dark and gothic Carmilla retelling set in an isolated all girls college in 1968 with themes of religion, professor/student dynamic, murder and a lot of poetry. (and of course vampires). Did I also mention its sapphic?!! There is tension and obsession throughout the story which made it utterly addictive.

When I received this arc and saw it was set in the same universe of a Dowry in Blood and I was so excited. Even though this book can be read as a stand alone I would recommend reading after a Dowry of Blood as it has a camo which was so great to see.

Gibson's writing is lyrical and poetic and she created a dark and seductive atmosphere with this story. This is dark academia done right, it felt so authentic and fit into the story and characters. There were a lot of heavy themes throughout the books, such as professor/student dynamics, homophobia, stalking, gore and death. (Check trigger warnings for the full list)

At the heart of this captivating toxic story is Laura and Camilla, who are both completely unique characters drawn together in this hate to love relationship. I found them both complex characters in their own way and had such strong character growth throughout the book.

Overall I found this story so addicting and it really dove into power imbalance and religion. It was deadly, intense and extremely hard to put down

”Right and wrong don't exist, Laura. They're fairy tales made up by priests and parents. There is only art and ugliness, and I'm willing to suffer any indignity for the sake of art.”

This was my first book by this author, and it just didn't really work for me. I was looking more for proper dark academia in terms of students being trained to do something, and this was not it. It was much more focused on the odd relationships between the professor and her student(s).

What did work was the lovely prose and poetry. It was a delightfully dark, gothic novel.

However, the pacing was slow and the characters were quite flat and changed from somewhat interesting at the beginning to being quite dull and completely different at the end.

Firstly - thank you so so much to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me the opportunity to read this stunning and atmospheric eARC.

S. T. Gibson hooked me with A Dowry of Blood and continued this tradition with An Education in Malice, which immediately drew me in with beautiful and evocative prose.

Watching Laura and Carmilla’s relationship grow from rivalry and reluctant longing to obsession with one another (while dealing with an envious sire in De Lafontaine) was fascinating.

Both of the FMCs also had thoughts that I could relate all too easily to - Laura not knowing what to do with her hands or feeling awkward, Carmilla lamenting the passing of time.

Not being religious myself, I didn’t really connect with Laura’s desire to work with the church, but it was also interesting to see that world collide with her darker, sensual side.

I also loved the Dowry cameo.

Overall this was a gorgeous read, I need more from this world, and I will continue devouring (pun not intended?) anything and everything S. T. Gibson releases.

This review will be shared to Goodreads on 5 February 2024.

4,5 ⭐

When I think about Gibson's style, only one word comes to mind: uniqueness.
It's also difficult to put into words what I feel and what I felt reading both this book and A dowry of blood. They are so complex and yet so easily lovable. This book puts a twist to the old vampire stories and tells a modern and original tale of love and obsession, combined with an academic setting and a mystery to solve.

This book started slow, I have to admit it, but once you get a bit into it you are completely enveloped. The plot was truly interesting and Gibson delivered perfect characters. It's not easy to create a world like this one, keeping all the details coherent and still making it work.

What I really love about Gibson's work is how she was able to write a short book and still being great at giving all the necessary space and time to the characters. Even though we only have two points of view, we get to know a lot about other characters, more or less important to the story. Carmilla and Laura spoke to me and even if they were so different, they got to understand each other.

I enjoy S. T. Gibson’s writing and her characters — she’s very good at coming up with interesting stories that grab the reader’s attention. The tumultuous and mysterious atmosphere that dark academia is known for is certainly here, as also are the themes of obsession and unbalanced power dynamics.

The beginning of this book is very good and it introduces all the important characters while also establishing a gothic scenario that follows the rest of the story. Unfortunately, the pacing seems off as the story progresses. The characters start to fall flat and end up totally different from how they were at the beginning seemingly without a reason why. The jump between enemies to lovers feels too abrupt, though Gibson did a good job in nailing the tension in between them. The big villain shows up way too little and is easy to forget, lacking more depth. The initial dynamics established between the characters vanish and they seem like entirely new ones by the end.

Overall, it was a good book. I do enjoy Gibson’s storytelling and I can’t wait to read more of her works. This one didn’t work for me nor I was able to enjoy it as much as I expected to, but while it had its faults, it was an intriguing read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an e-ARC of this book to review.

S.T Gibson creates masterpieces!! They are dark and sensual and just incredible. I simply adored this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for sending an eARC for me to OBSESS over.

The only way I can describe this book is absolutely devastating - and I mean that in the best way. S.T. Gibson has once again written such sensual, evocative prose that I found myself utterly captivated from start to finish.

This book reminded me very much of The Moth Diaries (a contributor to my bisexual awakening as a tween). A mysterious, beautiful girl capturing the interest of a student who is new to their school. However this book goes far beyond their mere attraction for each other, exploring many complicated and tumultuous relationships with a longing and emotional depth that made my heart hurt.

One of my favourite reads of the year, I urge everyone to read this when it's released.

4.5 stars

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and the publisher for accepting my request to read and review this book!

I read A Dowry of Blood last year and I was blown away by S T Gibsons sheer talent with writing, and sucking the reader in.

This book was no different.

Laura and Carmilla are addicting characters to follow, their personalities are compelling and complex and watching the downfall of their infatuation with their teacher was fascinating.

I loved the romance and smutty scenes a lot, in fact the whole party scene was great.

Much like A Dowry of Blood this feels like such a modern classic, it would fit in between A Secret History and If We Were Villains.

Another thing I enjoyed was that the vampires were a little toned down in this unlike so many other vampire books where they are able to mind control and turn into bats and do all kinds of other bizarre things. Instead, these vampires seem to have a bit of strength and that’s it?

Overall, I loved the writing, loved the characters, loved the setting and the aesthetic. My only complaint is that the ending felt just a little bit anticlimactic. I would have enjoyed a bit more of a plot twist or a conflict.

Wasn't sure what to expect when I asked for this and it is certainly different. Overall a very enjoyable read . I haven't read any previous books so I'm not sure if this was a disadvantage. Dark, gothic, vampiric , intriguing.

Do you ever read a book and think, this is my favourite and nothing can ever beat it? Yeah I had that and then i read this book and it absolutely smashed my all time favourites out of the park and had me beyond obsessed with this from start to finish.

A retelling of the famous sapphic vampire classic Carmilla, our main characters are named Carmilla after the vampire, Laura Sheridan after the human in the original book with the original authors surname and their teacher and i guess vampiric found family being named after the famous poet de la fontaine.

Enemies to lovers, dark academia and such passionate dedication to your lover that you are prepared to give up everything for your love, even life as you know it? What more can you want in a novel? I cannot reccommend this more, all I would say as i would with any book is check the warnings and make sure you are in the right headspace as it does have murder/death and graphic content.

This book was exquisite.
Set in the same universe as A Dowry of Blood, I was expecting big things and it delivered. It was dark and atmospheric, somehow capturing the same sultry, tempting vibe from ADoB, but in a completely different setting.
Gibson's character work is masterful. Her two leads are infuriating as they dance around each other and their mentor is distant but captivating.
The prose is where the novel shines. Every word feels carefully thought over. It drips from the page like blood spilled or melted chocolate; rich and dark, but tantalising.

An incredible piece of work; I want more.

This was okay and I mean just that. I loved Dowry of Blood so i had very high hopes for this however it just fell short. The pacing was a little off and some of the bold characters we started off with completely lost themselves by the end of the book. The dark academia vibes were there for sure but it just wasn't enough to save the book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

Once again, S.T. Gibson delivers a beautifully written, indulgent work of dark academia. An Education in Malice is lyrical and opulent and ensnares you into a gothic world of cutthroat academia and obsessive, lascivious romance stained with a thirst for blood. There’s no doubt that this novel maintains that intoxicating quality I’ve come to associate with S.T. Gibson’s work. However, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

I was absolutely hooked from the beginning; the peculiarity of Laura’s character and the gothic setting of Saint Perpetua’s enough to leave me hopeful. Even more so as the electric rivalry amidst all the tempting secrets began to unfold. However, I felt like once the main plot point picked up, all the other components that made the premise of this book so intriguing in the first place were neglected.

There were so many compelling components of this book that could have been explored further. I adored the setting, but its dark atmosphere sort of melted into the background as the novel went on, and it lost that eerie quality of gothic-dark academia. I also struggled to connect with the characters, especially Carmilla and Laura, who eventually became difficult to distinguish without first checking the names at the beginning of the chapter. They were both initially so distinct in their personalities, but their characterisation ended up reading as uncertain and vague. I felt the same about Isis, who just kind of showed up and went away without much exploration into her character, despite how pivotal she was to the entire conflict of the novel.

Thus, while indulgent and beautifully poetic, An Education in Malice was just okay. I don’t think it lives up to its predecessor, A Dowry in Blood, which was stunning and thorough in the way it crafted each intricate aspect of its story. However, it does indulge in all of the same themes that make S.T. Gibson’s work so intoxicating: codependency within abusive relationships, toxic power dynamics, obsessive love, and all the romanticised horrors of vampirism. Despite its flaws, it’s still a great read for anyone who enjoys dark academia and the themes of S.T. Gibson’s prose, and I’m excited to get my hands on her next instalment, Evocation!

An Education in Malice is a captivating gothic academia novel that intricately weaves together themes of fraught relationships, desire, and obsession. The stunning cover immediately draws you in, setting the tone for the great vibe that permeates throughout the book. As a fan of dark academia settings, I can confidently say that this is one of the best I have come across.

Gibson's writing style is perfectly suited for this dark and alluring genre, immersing readers in a world filled with mystery and intrigue. The inclusion of poetry adds an extra layer of depth to the narrative, teasing readers with haunting connections that linger long after the pages have been turned.

Overall, An Education in Malice is a mesmerizing read that will leave you spellbound. With its intoxicating blend of gothic academia, complex relationships, and tantalizing obsessions, it is a must-read for fans of the genre. Gibson's masterful storytelling will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson 3.75/5 stars
S.T. Gibson knows how to create a gothic athmosphere. I absolutely loved her first book, but where Dowry of Blood is soaked in Gothic Horror, An Education in Malice feels lighter in a Dark Academia setting with a lot of yearning and obsession with art.

"She kissed me with a martyr's agonized desperation, like I was the only sword she ever wanted to fall on."

Even though I read this book in one setting because Gibson's writing is amazing and hooks you from page one, I was not in love with the story and it took me quite a while to figure out the connection to Dowry. Where Dowry of Blood is a Dracula retelling from his brides' perspective, Malice is a Camilla retelling of her origin.

In this book we follow Camilla and Laura two academic rivals at a boarding school. Who are two special students in a poetry class, with a very interesting teacher. Who teaches them about life, love, mortality and despair. Basically Gibson's love language. Through these courses they try to impress the teacher by their poems making for some very dramatic and lyrical language that is beautiful in the beginning but gets a bit too much for me as the book goes on.

A big trigger warning for mentally abusive relationships, in a unfair power dynamic between teacher and student that made me quite unconfortable at times.

There is a lot of lesbian longing and sexual content in this book that took me out of the athmosphere of the book and academic setting quite some time (personal preference).

Even though this book was not particularly for me I am very grateful for the ARC and cannot wait to see what the author writes next.