*Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Man S.T. Gibson can write! I devoured this book in less that 36 hours and I loved it. It's one of those books that you want to read it again for the first time and you wished you had a time machine to change back the time. Yes, I want to go back in time. Dark, mysterious it draws you in from the first page. I loved it. Also, I was wrong about the professor. You don't know that I mean? Read it and let me know.

This was absolutely exquisite. I sped through this in less than 48 hours and had the best time. You know when you get a feeling about a book right from the get go? This was one of those books for me, and I just knew it would be five stars.

The characters are intriguing, the prose is absolutely gorgeous, the dark academia and gothic vibes are immaculate. I loved the sapphic romance and the spice, both of which added so much to the story without overtaking the other plot elements.

I genuinely don’t have a bad word to say, I kind of want to read it again already…

I honestly loved this one so so much! I litterally read it in one day (on a day after I had to stay awake all night, might I add).
I had loved "A dowry of blood" so much, that I was afraid I would be disappointed, but now I think this one is even better! The dark academia vibes were immaculate tbh, and I want more stories in this universe please!
The romance was *chef's kiss* and the spooky vibes went well with the story! One of my favourite Sapphic romances tbh!.

I simply adored “A dowry of blood” with it’s enchanting writing style, and a melancholic, gloomy vibe. Add in the dark academia setting – a sequel in the series was highly anticipated!
“An education in malice” is a gothic dark academia, enemies to lovers, and Carmilla reimagination. Writing style isn’t as poetic, jeweled as in the first book, but S.T.Gibson keeps that evocative, lush writing style. There is tension and obsession, but it’s very much refined, and multilayered.

Characters felt unique and distinct. Laura is a bit shy, timid young woman, who comes to Saint Perpetua's College. There she meets her rival Carmilla – enchanting prodigy, but quite a bitch, who is insecure inside. They both compete for the title of the best poet in the class, but also for the attention of the professor, Miss De Lafontaine. The simple competition turns into so much more.

The story is told in two povs. The pace is even, the plot kept me involved in the story, I simply enjoyed reading a very well written book. The setting is sufficient, there is attention to the fashion and make-up details of that time.

Two young poetry students are rivals, the obsession isn’t just academic rivalry, but it is also about love, and attention, which makes the story even more compelling. I delighted at how perfectly S.T.Gibson mixes cultured, art-loving characters with their primal feelings of bloodlust and love, while also going through relevant themes as well. It‘s masterful.

Sensual writing style and manipulation theme is continued through the series, and I liked that. The end was a bit dramatic, but it suited the story well! I am looking forward to the next books in the series!

I received ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit and NetGalley,

Thank you, NetGalley and Little Brown Book, for giving me an eARC of this book .

Relase date : 15 / 02 / 2024

I didn't know what to expect while reading it , to my shame I did not read the synopsis before asking for an eARC , i just saw that the author had a new book coming up and i jump to the oportuniti to get one , and that it will be enemies to lovers sprinkled with dark academia. 

I loved A Dowry of Blood, and I thought it would be in the same writing style , but I was wrong. For some reason, ADOB was more poetically written , which is odd because AEIM is the one with the poets and literature, but it was still beautiful written , I was just expected something else.

I didn't really like that we got 2 POVs , i think i am the type of reader that likes to be only in one's head and have the love interest be more mysterious .

The enemies - to lovers was my favourite part , but it wasn't really enemies, more like , competition - to - lovers . When I see " enemies," I think of destroying one another,  and they didn't do that. It would have been better if that portion of the book was a little longer , but I like it nonetheless.

I didn't understand why the professor was so possessed with Carmilla , she wanted her in what way ? It was unclear to me.  One time, they shared a kiss, and then she said it better to have boundaries,  and then she was jealous of Laura when she was with Carmilla , I just did not understand her actions.

And the plot line with Isis was a little .. meh ?  I wasn't sure how this book would end, but I did not expect it to end like this that for sure . It feels rushed in a way . It didn't make sense why this character was introduced at almost the end of the book .

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I can't wait to have it in my little hands and highlight all my favourite quotes <3

I was excited for this read after reading A Dowry of Blood and enjoying it so much. And like the previous book, I loved the prose and the gothic atmosphere that Gibson is able to create. With that academic environment and the premise of rivals to lovers I was excited. And to be honest, I was pretty obsessed with the book for most of it.

I was caught up in the dynamics of Carmilla and Laura's relationship, the passion and impulsivity of the young women, the mystery and secrets of each character, the complex relationships, and, I can't say it enough, the glorious academic setting. I loved this sapphic dark academy.

Until we met Isis. It kind of discouraged me. I think it could have given the story a great twist if it had been told differently. But as it is, it really confused me because I wasn't sure where the book was going anymore. Suddenly, De Lafonte was acting very reckless and the girls were ignoring all the murders. I feel like Isis unbalanced the pacing of the story in a bad way. She came, we didn't know her very well but she made a mess and then left unceremoniously. Maybe if we knew her better...

Anyway, I think she's the only part of the novel that I didn't like. And thanks to her Carmilla joined the vampire world and we got to met again dear Magdalena. It was really nice to meet an old character and see where life had taken her, namely back to our shared home country of Spain.

Overall I enjoyed this book, it's light, short and exciting and in a karmic way each character got what they deserved in the end. I'm pleased with it and although A Dowry of Blood is my favorite, An Education in Malice was at least a 3 star read.

This was quite enjoyable and beautifully written. I enjoyed the aspects of academia, poetry and the rivalry between Laura and Carmilla. De Lafontaine was a very intense and intriguing character that added a lot of mystery to the story at the beginning.
But that was just the beginning.

As the story progresses it loses most of the romantic aspects of academia and poetry and becomes (in my opinion) merely a story about vampires and old grudges. In the second half I was really wondering where the story was going because things were happening of the pages and there was no urgency and no stakes for our two main characters until the second to last chapter.
People were dying but Laura and Carmilla where mostly unfazed by it.

At the beginning I found them both to be very different and distinctive but both of their POVs started to sound the same after maybe 1/3 of the story. The chapter title always told me who’s POV I’m reading but if I didn’t pay full attention to it both of them sounded the exact same to me and I sometimes had to go back and check whose POV I’m reading. Especially Carmilla lost some of her charms of being this headstrong and quite rude but smart and fierce character which made the distinction harder.

Nevertheless I enjoyed the story and really liked the main characters. Even with some of the mentioned points I think this will be a great new entry in the Dark Academia canon.

“It’s strange to be sure of so little”
I’m not sure how this book reached into my chest, touched my soul and poured it within these pages but it did. I have never seen life and obsession (including how blurred these lines become) represented so well within literature. I could not put it down. I was so enthralled by the relationship amongst all of the characters, the enemies to lovers with academic rivals? amazing and definitely something that will take off within the book community.
I think my favourite thing was the complexity of the relationships, they weren’t just clear cut. they had depth where you were unsure of if you loved and supported them or were slightly uncomfortable with the nature of it all. I think the way this was handled was so intelligent and filled with so much beauty. I would ADORE more books within this world, including what choice laura decides to make!!

also, the atmosphere and descriptions of the scenery and schooling? to die for. the perfect dark academia read that really sets the scene and transports readers into a new world.

This was my first book by S.T. Gibson. I really enjoyed the writing style, it was atmospheric and the premise of the story really intrigued me.

However, after a while I realized I wasn’t really connecting to the characters. It seemed their characterization was pretty shallow. The love story felt also rushed. I am not a fan of insta love, so watching Laura’s immediate obsession with Carmilla was a letdown. But I really enjoyed the rivals to lovers trope, which isn’t done often in books especially not with two female main characters. I don’t read sapphic books often, but the spice was good and I liked to see a softer side towards Laura.

The plot wasn’t too deep and lacked suspense. There wasn’t much happening at all to move the story forward. Therefore it was hard for me to stay interested in the story.

I have really mixed feelings when it comes to the book. It features amazing tropes such as
- dark academia
- Rivals to lovers
- Gothic atmosphere
- Vampires
- Spice
But the lack of plot and shallow characters didn’t make it easy to stay invested in the story. For me the writing style was really good, but the plot was bland and dragged out. I was just underwhelmed. It’s a nice gothic story, perfect for Autumn and probably fans of sapphic love stories, but for me there was something missing.

I received this free from the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Rtc on goodreads and storygraph closer to publishing date.

An Education In Malice confirmed my love for the world of A Dowry Of Blood and for S. T. Gibson, both in terms of storytelling and the manipulation of words to make them as delicate as they are sharp.

As in A Dowry Of Blood, the writing and prose were spellbinding, enchanting us in a gloomy, melancholy atmosphere.

I loved the setting in which the story takes place, and the dynamics of the relationship between Laura and Carmilla are captivating, especially the dom/sub elements. But what particularly stands out in this book is the strange relationship between Laura, Carmilla and Ms De La Fontaine. It's an excellent illustration of toxic relationships and how easy it is to get caught up in them. What I appreciated was that, although this toxicity is portrayed, it's not normalized and romanticized.

The only small negative I can point out is the subplot with Isis, which could have done with a little more fleshing out. I personally found it too light, and for the little it's touched on, it could have been removed altogether, even if I understand its interest in the development of Mme De Lafontaine.

This was one of my most anticipated books for 2024, and it didn't disappoint. I'm all the more eager to read her next work, Evocation.

This is my first S.T Gibson book and certainly not my last. I am absolutely blown away by this magnificent book, so poignant and brilliant and everything wonderful. Words are not enough for me to describe this book- it completely transformed me as a person. What a journey reading this book was.

An education in Malice truly lived up to its hype- a gothic, dark academia book that deals with devotion and loyalty filled with twists and toe-gripping moments. Gibson’s proses and poetic writing truly made this book shine. If you want a sapphic enemies-to-lovers book then look no further, An Education in Malice really came through.

I also appreciate the author listing the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book because it prepares you as a reader on what to expect. Let me sit with my thoughts while I try to come up with more praises for this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC. I loved A Dowry of Blood, so I was so excited to get approved for this!

I hadn't read Carmilla before, so I read it just before starting An Education in Malice. Wasn't necessary, though. I think the inspiration was just in the names (and the vampires, of course). Just an observation, though, it didn't bother me.

S. T. Gibson's writing was beautiful (to match that gorgeous cover) - I suppose I should have expected nothing less: the main characters are passionate about poetry, after all.

It started off quite atmospheric and I was intrigued to see where it would go.

Unfortunately for me, I just didn't click with the characters. I didn't like either of them, and didn't feel like I got to know them enough, or that they knew each other enough, either. Laura's instant obsession and lust for Carmilla was a bit disappointing too, as was their veneration of De Lafontaine, the poetry professor. I didn't see her allure, so it was difficult not to get frustrated with Laura and especially Carmilla for putting up with everything. It is an exploration of toxic, manipulative and unethical relationships, but it didn't feel developed enough to me.

I didn't expect a plot-driven book, but because I didn't enjoy the characters and their interactions, I also struggled with the lack of plot. Very little happens to move things forward, and none of it piqued my interest, sadly. There were also things I didn't find very believable, but they weren't significant to the story, really.

It's a little too similar to Dowry of Blood, in many ways, but things that worked there didn't work for me here. For example all secondary characters are so underdeveloped in Malice. It was fine in Dowry, because the characters lived in relative isolation, or travelled often, but we are in a university setting here. There was a lot of telling when it came to interactions with the other students or professors, and a slightly forced sudden friendship with another girl.

It's dual p.o.v. with alternating chapters, and maybe it was just me, but I kept forgetting whose p.o.v. it was, because the voices seemed so similar. They also sounded quite young. If it weren't for some of the content, I would easily say this is YA, although I've been feeling this way about a lot of books lately. Maybe it's just me getting old XD

Finally, the dom/sub element did nothing for me, but that's just personal preference.

Overall, beautiful writing with an interesting concept, but it wasn't for me.
2.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

What a masterpiece.

This is the first work I've read from S.T.Gibson and she seriously did not disappoint. I read this in one sitting, I seriously couldn't put it down. Just the lyrical, poetic way in which it's written (which I heard a lot of from The Dowry of Blood which I will be reading immediately), the characters, the setting, the plot, it was just amazing - I couldn't put it down even if I wanted to.

Things I loved:
- This is a true enemies to lovers, you could feel the hatred pouring off the page between Carmilla and Laura. And the fact they were academic rivals just hits the spot that little bit more.
- The seduction! The way both the girls were written, it genuinely made me blush at times, you fell in love with them and yet hated them both through the eyes of the other.
- The writing just flows straight off the page, I was just as obsessed with this book as Carmilla and Laura are with each other.
- the dark academia/ gothic vibes
- How the plot just seemed to ramp up out of nowhere, my head was spinning by the end of it, and the ending!! I need to know what happened next

I also find it very full circle when authors stick with one specific subgenre, with S.T.Gibsons very clearly being retelling famous Vampire books (dare I say better than the originals).

Anyway, please pick this book up/ request it from netgalley! It is the PERFECT autumn/ winter read and you'll be captivated from the first page.

An Education in Malice is an… okay book. I was very excited to receive this ARC and to get stuck into it as it seemed like the perfect read for me especially since it’s currently October. I want to say a big thank you to Little, Brown Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book. The description of An Education in Malice states ‘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.’ but unfortunately I feel as though the book falls a little flat in living up to that statement. ‘Dark magic’ is incredibly misleading as the only instance of magic within the entire book is vampires and I feel as though that is a different theme entirely. There is only a small amount of politics to be found and this book doesn’t really know what it wants to be.

Despite being billed as dark academia, An Education in Malice feels much more like a gothic romance set in an old school to me. I can see how it could be seen as dark academia due to the theme of being corrupted through something academic but the corruption is much more of a Teacher x Student trope than corruption stemming from academia. It doesn’t really fit the aesthetic of dark academia either.

S. T. Gibson’s writing is good but it doesn’t feel like anything particularly special to me. The choice to use multiple points of view felt a little unnecessary and I feel as though it was only used as a way to show up just how toxic and possessive Ms. De Lafontaine is. I would’ve been perfectly happy with just having Laura’s POV and not having Carmilla’s. A choice that Gibson made that I actually enjoyed was the way she chose to write Ms. D’s dialogue as it felt old fashioned which made a lot of sense since the character is a vampire from the 1800s. An Education in Malice is dark but its not too dark despite the themes explored within it. I really enjoyed the setting of Saint Perpetua’s and the late 60s which we really got a feel for when Laura goes to Elenore’s for Thanksgiving. There were moments of gore and violence that I really enjoyed but I can’t help but wish there was more of it included as I think that could’ve made this book better.

Let’s move onto the vampires and the way they are portrayed within this book. I felt as though we found out about their existence way too soon. I would’ve preferred to find out about it in Chapter 12 when Laura watches Evelyn and Carmilla through the crack in the door. I think that would’ve given a sense of suspense and thrill that this book is definitely lacking in. Sometimes the vampire aspect felt like a sub plot and other times it felt like the main focus. I would’ve liked it if the author had chosen one or the other instead of flipping between the two since it felt very lackluster. The vampires couldn’t help but come across as something familiar and done before as they were very similar to that of the TV show ‘The Vampire Diaries’ since we see Isis desiccated similar to how the vampires do in that show and how a vampire’s blood can heal and turn humans. I would’ve preferred if they were more unique but I understand how hard that can be when it's a theme that has been used a lot.

I had many thoughts and feelings when I was reading the progression of Ms. D and Carmilla’s relationship. At first I didn’t mind it despite the fact that it was entirely inappropriate as I saw a nurturing nature come from Evelyn at times that made it seem like she really did care about Carmilla and that she wasn’t just a walking blood bag to the professor. I felt a little sorry for Evelyn as the night she turns Carmilla, we get to see more of her vulnerable side and the aura of sadness that surrounds her. She begs for Carmilla to stay and tells her that she will never leave her in a hundred years. When Carmilla starts to get closer to Laura, we start to see just how toxic, obsessive and controlling Ms D is which really reminds us how inappropriate this relationship is. The way Evelyn would react to the girls showing love and affection really started to make me uncomfortable which I suppose it was meant to considering the nature of their relationship. I liked the mystery surrounding Evelyn but I really do wish we got to know more about her as a person and not just the backstory of what happened with Isis. I would’ve liked to know her first name before we find it out at the vampire society party but I can understand why the choice was made to keep the mystery for awhile.

Something I enjoyed was the rivals to lovers trope within this book and I really liked the fact that it was between two Female Main Characters as it brings something different to the table than the typical heterosexual relationships I’ve seen recently. I absolutely adore the sapphic energy found throughout An Education in Malice and the acceptance of women loving women by the characters really brought a smile to my face. I thought the way Carmilla started to show a softer and sweeter side towards Laura once she was turned was a really nice choice made by the author. There were two moments that stood out to me in particular. The first is when they become an item on the roof of the clock tower which I found heartwarming and adorable. The other was when they are in the bathroom at Ms. D’s apartment and Carmilla asks Laura not to leave her alone with Evelyn despite her not being able to hear. It’s a nice break from the toxic energy that comes from Ms. De Lafontaine’s obsession with Carmilla.

The spice… was alright. I wasn't a fan of the scene at the party at first because I didn't think it suited the girls' relationship at all but once Carmilla made it about just them, it was sweet and loving but it still felt lackluster to me. I would've liked more from their second time together in the apartment but the most intense moments were skipped so we never really got a feel for Laura's more dominant side despite it being made clear in the beginning of the book that this is a big part of who she is and what she struggles with internally

Magdalena was the only character that stood out to me as she seemed to actually have depth to her with her choice of early 20th century fashion and the way she carried herself. I really would've loved more of her. I loved how she was referred to as 'the princess in shadows' by Evelyn at the end of the book. I liked how they brought her back into the picture to look after and guide the girls when Ms. D finally sees how obsessive and toxic she has become in regards to Carmilla. Magdalena is definitely my favourite character because she stays true to herself each time we come across her, be it in a letter or in person, and I think more of her would've been amazing.

I felt as though Isis was forgotten a lot of the time despite obviously being the main antagonist and she was only really used in an effort to make Evelyn redeemable which didn't sit right with me. So much could've been done with this character to make the book spookier and darker but there was definitely missed potential there. She was only really focused on in the very last part of the book and we still didn't get to know much about her other than she's manipulating Evelyn. I think Gibson really dropped the ball with trying to make Isis this scary character as we really didn’t get to see enough of her to make it believable.

Chapter 29 left much to be desired honestly. I liked the twist of Evelyn killing Isis to protect Carmilla but it was incredibly predictable and I could see it coming a mile off. I also found it strange how the author changed Evelyn from being a toxic and obsessive woman to an almost maternal figure and it happened quickly and with no real explanation which didn't sit right with me. As the climax of the plot, this chapter should’ve been much more in my opinion.

The ending was a cliffhanger of sorts because it is never explicitly stated if Laura chooses to turn or not but I feel it is very obvious that she did choose to as she calls herself Laura the night creature. She loves Carmilla and wants to spend eternity with the girl she loves so why wouldn’t she take Magdalena’s offer? This book is supposed to be a standalone but the use of a cliffhanger leaves much to be desired.

Overall this book was okay but it definitely wasn't my favourite that I've ever read. It was marketed as having 'dark magic' but the only sort of magic to be found is vampires. I wish that had been stated in the description of the book instead of dark magic as that is quite misleading. I love a good vampire romance and dark academia book but this one wasn't either of those things. It was an okay vampire romance set in an old college with an obsessive and frankly creepy teacher. It was more gothic than dark academia and the dark parts of the story left much to be desired. I didn't mind this book and it wasn't a hard read but I don't think I'll be picking up any more works by this author.

This review will be posted to my blog 'Read by Moon' on the 1st of February 2024. The main blog page can be found linked below. It will also be posted to GoodReads on that day to0.

A retelling of Carmilla with a pinch of dark academia and sapphic romance.
I really enjoyed Gibson's previous book, Dowry of Blood, and was looking forward to more gothic, vampire goodness in this enemy to lovers story.

I enjoyed the characters and the vampire drama, but the pacing was kind of slow and the most dramatic things seemed to only happen in the background. But that is only my preference and doesn't make it a bad book.

It was beautifully written, very poetic, and perfect if you want something slower but still enjoyable.

A book I thought I would really love and instead it was okay :(

Plot:
The easiest part for me to critique, because the plot is that there's a vampire going around killing people. Sounds fun! Unfortunately the main characters aren't involved in the plot at all. They don't do anything about it, they don't push it along, they spend large swathes of time sitting indoors literally avoiding it, actually

Characters:
Laura is the most straightforward, and I like her. She's consistent, she knows what she wants and I get her

Carmilla is difficult for me to like because she is presented as an ice queen, super cool, elegant, but the problem is we then immediately get her POV and she's not, she's whiny and clingy and desperate so that breaks my belief of that

DeLafontaine is a similar problem to Carmilla. She cool, she's edgy, and then we see her more and the illusion is broken

The relationship:
Starts out really interesting! Academic rivals, Laura is the virgin, Carmilla is not but Laura dommy and Carmilla is subby. But they resolve everything between them very easily, that was a let down. Also given the amount of time we're in Laura's head where she's thinking about kinky sex, the sex is... well, if you're vanilla, you'll like it and think it's spicy. If you actually wanted to read kinky sex, it's very bland.

The writing:
It's nice! It's atmospheric! But I wanted more than vibes.

Amazing! S.T Gibson has done it again with an incredible book! I can’t wait to see this published and become completely obsessed

"An Education in Malice" is a dark academia book, with gothic overtones, written by S.T. Gibson and retelling of "Carmilla."

I loved this book and was enchanted by the author's elegant, sophisticated and poetic writing! It is a dark, bewitching and seductive novel full of obsessions, passions, secrets, grudges and remorse! A story in which rivalry, desire, love and pain mix to form a magnificent plot, imbued with blood, art and poetry. Accomplice the fast and fluent pace, combined with the presence of short chapters, I couldn't tear myself away from the pages and finished it in less than a day!

The story takes place in 1968, at Saint Perpetua's College, an ancient and isolated structure in the hills of Massachusetts. A dark, elegant and mysterious place, which I enjoyed a lot! The dark academia component, in my opinion, is magnificent! The author manages to convey beautifully the atmosphere of turmoil, anguish and pressure that hovers over the tale, effectively portraying the characters' feverish obsession for poetry, art, knowledge and perfection. All interwoven with excellent gothic and horror overtones, never vulgar or exaggerated.

I loved Laura and Carmilla, protagonists with their respective first person povs. Laura is a girl from a small town in Mississippi, plagued by numerous insecurities, mainly concerning her body, which withholds her dark desires under a good girl mask. Carmilla, a senior student of Austrian origins, is a mischievous, cheeky and enigmatic girl, marked by a past of neglect and abandonment, who hides a deep loneliness. Both passionate about poetry, determined to be the best, they become rivals right away. Theirs is a powerful, intense, conflicted and tormented rivals to lovers, handled superbly. There are some tasty spicy scenes, but for the most part a sizzling sexual tension dominates.

Another character who intrigued me was the poetry professor De Lafontaine, a fascinating, pretentious, ambiguous and manipulative woman. Her toxic relationship with Carmilla, their mutual obsession, disturbed and at the same time captured me. She is the one who initially pushes Laura and Carmilla to compete, and later invites Laura into their small private circle, made up of secret meetings based on alcohol and poetry.

All in all, this is a stunning book, featuring a spellbinding plot, lyrical prose, and incredible characters, which I absolutely recommend to dark academia lovers!

Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

'An Education in Malice' is one of the most beautifully written books I have read this year. The language draws you in and doesn't let go, fully immersing you in intriguing academia, mysterious poetry seminars, and a deeper underlying secret. From difficult relationships to the slow descent into obsession and madness, I was hooked till the very end.
One critique I have concerns the plot's pacing and how we pull away from the academic setting as a focus about halfway through with the poetry seminars only being mentioned in passing. Being a lover of literature and poetry I would have liked to see this continued throughout with the seminars becoming more ominous with an underlying sense of danger reflecting the changing attitude of De Lafontein. I do, however, understand that the average reader might be put off by a deep focus on the academic and poetic side of the novel.
The relationship that is built between the two main characters is expertly developed and I feel that their ending was very fitting while simultaneously sticking true to their characters.

I really enjoyed this book, although I found it a little slow to begin with and took a while till I got into the story line, I really enjoyed all of the complexities of the characters such as carmilla who appears to be a harsh feeling mean spirited person but as the story develops laura pulls the good and kindness out from with her.

The dark academia vibes made a lovely change for me as a reader and also I really enjoyed the poetics of this book .

*a big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*