Like many readers, I absolutely loved Gibson's Dracula-inspired A Dowry of Blood, so I was excited to get my hands on An Education in Malice. Although this occurs in the same universe as Dowry, it's not necessary to have read the first book to enjoy this novel. Loosely inspired by Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, the story follows Laura and Carmilla, two students at a prestigious college as they are drawn into a world of dark bloodlust and sapphic longing by their enigmatic poetry professor, De LaFontaine.

The burgeoning relationship between Laura and Carmilla is sweet and a joy to read about, while De LaFontaine makes for a fascinating character with a suitably mysterious past. I enjoyed the 1960s dark academia setting, and the book is especially gripping during the darkly erotic scenes, which Gibson writes with flare and passion. More depth and development generally would have been my preference, and I would particularly have liked to know more about De LaFontaine's background - although she is the most interesting character, the limits of Laura and Carmilla's viewpoints mean we never get to know much about her. I'm hoping there will be another book to draw us even deeper into the vampire world that Gibson has created, because I get the feeling we've so far only scratched the surface.

I really enjoyed A Dowry of Blood and eagerly awaited S.T Gibson's next novel and I wasn't disappointed as quite honestly I thought An Education in Malice was better. The dark academia setting, the characters and the story line all drew me in and I read the book in one sitting. I loved the enemies to lovers relationship with their academic rivalry and the intense feelings they have for each other and the dark history that they have been swept up into.

Overall, a dark academia book with intense rivalry's and relationships that are not only lustful but have a bloodlust.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

An education in malice is the long awaited second work of St Gibson author of A dowry of blood.

I have got to be honest : I preferred Gibson's debut over this. It's a good book. It has the elegant writing and rich descriptions one has come to expect from Gibson. The poetry, the aesthetics,the characters were wonderful. Laura's and Camilla's antagonism and their professors innapropriate behaviour towards them was well captured.

My only issue with this is the pacing. I wanted more development of Laura and Camillas relationship from academic rivals to lovers. I have conflicting feelings about the ending, which I also think was Gibsons intent.

I will definitely be reading Gibsons following works, thank you so much to netgalley for the wonderful opportunity to read this advanced readers copy.

The strongest point of this book for me was the atmosphere and writing.

I feel like we didn't get into the character minds enough to understand their motivations and obsessions. Because of that, I didn't really feel invested in them. I find it easier to read about unreasonable decisions or changes in attitude when I'm given some background as to why someone is behaving a certain way.

Also, for me, the plot was too focused on the main characters and I'm not really used to reading such small scope situations.

The book also was too explicit for me personally, I don't pick up books with such content and if I'd known, I would pass on that one. I mean one scene in particular by that, and how it didn't really make much sense in the grand scope of things to me.

Overall, the book didn't do anything for me and felt a bit pointless.

The 3* are for the dark academia atmosphere and very nice flowing writing. I think I'll pick up this author's other books, but this one wasn't really for me.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I loved this author's previous work A Dowry of Blood, with the beautiful prose and descriptions of horrific things in such a flowery way, and this book did not disappoint with that - it was to me even better.

I loved the reinvention almost of the Carmilla vampire story, as well as the themes of gaslighting, religion, mentor/student relationships, and problematic relationships in general. The main characters Carmilla and Laura were really well fleshed out, and I loved the kind of rivals-to-lovers romance between the two.

This is the perfect spooky dark academic read for autumn, and I can't wait to see what else this author has to offer!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love everything written by this author. She can do no wrong in my opinion.

This book had all of the Gothic, dark acedamia vibes I crave in a book. The vampire genre can be a tricky one, but this was done so well.

The poetic writing, the Sapphic romance, the character diversity, it had it all.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a finished copy.

An Education in Malice by @stgibsonauthor is a beautifully written evocative novel following Laura, an aspiring poet/writer as she begins the next stage in her life at St Perpetua University.
She gets into an exclusive poetry class with the mysterious Professor De Lafontaine, and the enigmatic Carmilla.
The pov switches between Carmilla and Laura throughout the novel, showing us two sides to the story both are living; and how easily a darker force can be concealed under the adoration of a teacher.

I absolutely loved this book so much, it was wonderfully written and the characterisation was incredible. I also think it was a very believable plotline behind the fantasy elements; we've all had that teacher we loved who just shaped us as a person - and I think the obsession Carmilla has with gaining Ms De Lafontaines approval is something that could very much happen. The fantasy/supernatural elements were written amazingly as well, explained enough to be believable without lore dumping, and the the range of people represented within the fantasy world was so lovely to see 🥰

I would warn people to read the trigger / content warnings for this book as it does have some themes that could be distressing for some re: inappropriate relations / abuse of power between student and teacher and fairly explicit secx scenes but in my opinion I didn't think it was all too bad. The gore included was appropriate for the characters within the book and wasn't gratuitous.
Absolutely absolutely recommend though, I thought it was a beautiful read with fabulous representation and I'm definitely going to be reading A Dowry of Blood asap and seeking out the possibility of an arc for Evocation! I feel like she's going to definitely be an auto buy author!
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massive thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for giving me this e-arc!

Actual rating 1.5.

Thank you Little Brown Book Group & NetGalley for this ARC.

I want to preface this review by saying I have not read A Dowry In Blood, so cannot comment on the links to the initial book in this world. I read this on the understanding that this can be read as a standalone and agree that it holds up well by itself.

Even though I had no preconceived knowledge of this book the summary interested me and I was looking forward to diving into a dark academia novel! The premise drew me in and I thought this would fit with my usual tastes. Unfortunately I ended up being really disappointed by this book.

The writing felt very immature and the storyline just was not believable to me at all. I felt myself rolling my eyes at times at how inconceivable some of the actions of the characters were and also how quickly minds could be changed and issues resolved. The characters personality traits did not seem to continue throughout the book either, and this wasn't due to character growth.

This is a dual POV story and the voices of each character are very similar, so that I felt I had to keep checking who's POV I was reading from in that chapter as neither had a distinct voice. The themes are also a little out of my comfort zone too so I think future readers could benefit from looking up trigger warnings.

On the flip side though, I did fly through the book and found it an easy read. Maybe this was just not my cup of tea and I'm sure readers of A Dowry In Blood will love this new addition to the world!

I had just finished A Dowry of Blood when I got the email to say I had bean sent the E-ARC of this book by NetGalley and the publisher and I was delighted! I loved every second of A Dowry of Blood and dived right into this story as soon as I could.

I love S.T Gibsons writing and will read anything they produce. Especially after reading this book, it proved my point even more about how good of a writer Gibson is.

The atmosphere and intensity had me hooked from page one. I can’t get over how creative Gibson is by mixing a all time classic like Carmilla and turn it into a dark academia tale to satisfy the masses.

I barely read any books that have given me this many different emotions throughout reading it. I was infatuated with the characters and the deep feelings that they gave me.

I would suggest this to anybody who would love a sapphic vampire retelling in dark academia setting because no other book would compare to this

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of An Education in Malice.

I was really excited for this one! The premise of this book really drew me in, and anything with dark academia vibes is instantly onto my TBR list.

This book was really atmospheric and the writing style was decadent and really draws you in.

However, overall it fell a bit flat for me. I just don’t think I really resonated with the characters. I found Laura and Carmilla’s enemies-to-lovers relationship moved very fast and I didn’t feel the character development from them to lead them into their relationship. I also found Carmilla’s continued unquestioning infatuation with De Lafontaine, even when she was doing everything to keep her and Laura apart, very unrealistic.

This was a good read but really missed the mark in places (character development and unrealistic decisions/feelings) and I think I expected more.

Nice, short and snappy read, if you enjoy dark academia and want to sink your teeth into something that’s easy reading but with a few twists, turns and mysterious themes then this is worth picking up.

Laura and Carmilla are both under their enigmatic professors spell, with a shared love of poetry and a dark side of their own they find themselves in strange circumstances surrounding their professor and the life she really leads.

Carmilla’s character is fantastically fleshed out as is their professors, Laura was a bit more mysterious and at times I wondered if the author really know what she wanted from Laura or who she really wanted her to be. As this is a shorter read I think we could have benefitted from a little more exploration on this.

It’s fair to say that this book is not ‘spicy’ so if that’s what you’re looking for this isn’t for you, there are sexual themes and some explicit content but this was done tastefully and I feel was essential to the storyline.

I enjoyed the story and the dark themes, I do think the ending was predictable and wrapped up a little too quickly, another twist would have just rounded things off perfectly for me, but no fault to the author, I think I just needed a little more from the situation!

Overall I enjoyed this and would definitely pick up another of this author’s work. (3.5 Stars)

I was enticed by the synopsis on this book.
I enjoy dark academia novels - the likes of Naomi novik, Olivie Blake,
However I could tell from the first few pages this was not for me. I found the writing style very immature, the plot ridiculous and incredibly rushed. The character development was not there and the relationships were unrealistic.
If you like an easier read filled with queer smut, then this one’s for you.
I love a gothic novel, but this failed to deliver.
A disappointing 2 stars

I wasn't sure how this was supposed to follow A Dowry of Blood, but it did, and so wonderfully. I loved this dark, sensual novel and the intoxicating dynamics between Laura, Carmilla and De Lafontaine. This is a perfect read for an atmospheric, moody, sexy (and bloody) experience and I highly recommend it!

An Education in Malice is a darkly, seductive tale set in the isolated world of St. Perpetua's College. This book is heartachingly tense and full of intense moments; the kind that leave you reeling on the edge of your seat. With a hauntingly gothic atmosphere and an sharp-toothed academic rivals to lovers, this book might just become my newest obsession.

S.T. Gibson crafts a dark, delectable and lush tale, building up searing tension between our three characters. Gibson's writing flows off the page and drowns you in this sapphic tale of intense rivalry, toxic dynamics and dark creatures hunting in the night. The writing style is very hedonistic (at least I feel so). The story is just perfect and keeps you on your toes.

If there's one thing I've learnt from reading S.T. Gibson's books, it's that Gibson writes very character-driven tales. So, whether it be Laura or Carmilla or the enigmatic poetry professor, De Lafontaine, each of the characters shine in their own way.

An Education in Malice ticks all the right boxes for me and suffice to say, it is one of my favourite reads of the year.

Thank you little brown books and NetGalley for the arc of this book. I did not realise this was connected to A dowry of blood which I have seen all over TikTok for its popularity. This is my first sapphic novel and I must admit I surprisingly enjoyed it more than I thought. This novel follows Professor Delafontaine and her protégées Camilla and Laura. This book has gothic tones, dark academia, secrets, obsession and I really enjoyed my first experience of S.T Gibson. The reason I haven’t rated higher is because it was missing something I can’t quite put my finger on and perhaps it was purely that I am used to a male female dynamic in my fantasy romance preferences which is personal to us all.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little Brown for the arc.

I've been eyeing S.T Gibson's work since reading Dowry which I enjoyed and for a long time I've been wanting a Carmilla retelling that embraces the more darker elements and the intense vibes of Carmilla/Laura's relationship. An Education in Malice was it for me and I really enjoyed the callbacks to Dowry. Gibson has now been added to my autobuy list and I'm excited to read Evocation and her new trilogy when that comes out!

Special thanks to Little, Brown Group UK, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of “An Education in Malice” in exchange for an honest review.

S.T. Gibson’s “An Education in Malice” was just okay. I liked it, and I have no real complaints or gripes with it. It just didn’t impress me.

Don’t get me wrong– this book is ideal if you’re looking for a vampiric dark academia book that builds on the themes explored in “A Dowry of Blood” i.e. codependency, abuse, youth, individualism and interpersonal relationships. But I found that every prominent selling point of the book barely dipped below the surface. From unhealthy sapphic relationships to the toxicity of prestigious academic institutions to vampirism as a metaphor– all of these elements could have been explored with more depth or been given more emphasis in my opinion.

I enjoyed “An Education in Malice” as an homage to “Carmilla” and as a unequivocal portrayal of how power imbalances turn nasty even when a man isn’t the least involved. But I found this sequel a little lackluster overall. We’ll see how I feel about “Evocation” and hope I like it more!

An Education in Malice is one of my most anticipated books releasing early next year & I was so excited to get an arc!

I really enjoyed A Dowry of Blood, so went into Malice expecting great things, now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad book, but even though it’s part of the same series it didn’t give me the same feelings or even feel cohesive with Dowry. When the first book in a series is so great, it’s very hard not to compare & I think putting these 2 books in the same series does Malice a bit of a disservice by inserting directly into peoples minds that they are linked & therefore comparable. They aren’t, they almost feel like they’re in completely different genres & if Goodreads hadn’t told me it was in the same series I genuinely wouldn’t have known.

The book overall didn’t really seem to have a clear direction, the plot meandered & never really gained much traction. It almost seemed like it tried to be too many things at once, while also not saying anything. I am usually a quick reader, but this really felt like a slog due to the pacing & slow plot.

The writing, while still lyrical & flowery, felt more stilted & forced than before. Dowry was probably the first book I read with “purple prose” & again this just doesn’t stack up unfortunately. The 2 main characters, Carmilla & Laura each have their own POV’s with Laura being the main, however I did find myself missing the unique POV of Dowry. I enjoyed the swap between them, although their characters generally were pretty similar in terms of voice & tone so the distinction in chapters wasn’t great. Didn’t rate Mrs. D really, for the main antagonist of the book she was actually pretty boring.

So yeah…readable but don’t go into it expecting Dowry pt. 2!

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group/Orbit and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

If you are familiar with her previous work, A Dowry of Blood, you will know Gibson creates gothic atmosphere, intimate longing and romantic danger with such attention that you are drawn into her beautiful writing and layered characters.

Dark fascination, deep and dangerous devotion, uneven power dynamics, alluring intimacy, toxic academic rivalry - all themes Gibson draws attention to in an evocative short book that draws blood. *wink*

I don’t want to give too much away of the plot because I think this is the type of book you should go into blind and just know it plays into what you might be familiar with from her earlier book - A Dowry of Blood.

This has to be one of the best dark academia settings I have read. Gibson’s writing style lends perfectly to this dark yet alluring genre and the inclusion of poetry taunts you with haunting connections.

“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.”

Also, as a side note, I’m currently studying Queerness in my English degree and the signals and hints I inferred through that lens astounded me and opened me up to a new way of reading. Dyke hands, the ambiguity of poetry, immortalising youth, smoke blurring boundaries, jasmine flowers… Heck, the names Carmilla and Sheridan!

Why not 5 stars?
I think because sometimes the language and content felt too indulgent for me. Kind of like a fan fiction of lesbian longing and ecstasy.
The sexual content also is something that is not to my personal taste, but again this is more an individual preference.

They'd always been with me, these hungers. As a child I played villain in every game of "capture the princess..”

Thank you to Orbit for providing an arc in exchange for a review!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for and ARC of this book :)

I loved a Dowry of Blood so much I was so excited to read this book and see even just a smidgen more of the world we were immersed into in it.

I was not disappointed as everything regarding the vampires, De LaFontaine and Carmilla & Laura’s relationship was fascinating to me.

The exploration of power dynamics, relationships, co-dependency and rivalry really was the meat of this book for me. I love how DeLafontaine saw kindred spirits in Carmilla and Laura and brought them both under her wing. And how it eventually lead to them ending up entangled in a way Miss D was not expecting.

I would have adored a book about her alone as I found her (De LaFontaine) endlessly fascinating and her desire for companionship compelling. More history on her relationship with Isis and how it appeared to morph into a slightly toxic idol worship love would have been the cherry on the cake here.

I did also love Carmilla and Laura’s blossoming relationship and the immediate attraction but denial of their feelings kept things interesting. I do wish there had been a bit more of a push and pull but then again that’s what I like personally.

As always, Saints writing is impeccable and created such biblically academic imagery with the prose I felt like I was drinking a dark glass of merlot with every sentence. It was a highlight every time I dove back into the story.

Overall the plot did lack a bit of direction and felt like it wanted to do too many things at once. I was also expecting some kind of twist with the Isis story near the end with the way things were building up. I feel like if the Isis plot was focused on more in the latter half of the book (as I thought it was) this would have been a five star read for me and turn into a sapphic mystery book set in an all girls school.

In the end I’ll give this 3.5 stars and still recommend it to those around me for the characters, representation and writing alone.