I LOVED this story! Think Harry Potter but make it Slytherin, add a FMC assassin who wants to kill the prince, a fated romance that binds them, and Greek mythology references and you’ll have this amazing book, it is SO good.

We follow Kiara, an assassin who on behalf of the king, infiltrates the magic academy to kill the prince. However once there she is thrown into the schools magical sorting ceremony where she finds out she has not only magic, but celestial magic—long thought to be eradicated. Kiara finds out that not everything is as it seems but now when is forced to work with Prince Lucian to break the curse. We get to follow along through magic classes and trials as they work to solve the mysteries and curses.

This is exactly what I wanted in a story and would highly recommend picking up immediately for older teens, young adults, or even older adults if you are like me and love these types of vibes.

Unfortunately this book really wasn't for me i was really looking forward to it but I dnf at 65% and it was a struggle getting that far ,it really wasn't gripping me and felt a bit all over the place if I'm honest ,it lacked world building and the characters were lack luster and lacking descriptions

Imagine throwing Greek mythology, sexy fated bonds, and secretive magical societies into a blender and hitting FRAPPE! That's Academy of Villains in a nutshell—a romantasy cocktail that promises to be your next book obsession if you've got a soft spot for Throne of Glass, Sailor Moon, AND Harry Potter!

This dark academia series follows different couples in each book (all inspired by Greek love stories) as they navigate a cursed kingdom full of political schemes, monsters, and magical trials that'll make your head spin! Plus, you get both characters' perspectives, which is always a treat for the nosy reader in me!

Did I enjoy it? Well, I definitely vibed with the atmospheric setting! Though everything zoomed by faster than my last coffee buzz—especially the romantic connection.

The mythology elements were chef's kiss—definitely the highlight! And can we talk about the magic system? Grimoires as power sources? Secret societies? Several scorching-hot potential love interests? Sign me up! I especially enjoyed the unique twist on love bonds—not your typical fated mate scenario!

But here's the thing… by the finale, I wasn't exactly clawing at invisible pages for the next instalment. I went in expecting more actual ACADEMY stuff, you know? Where were all the magical classes? The study groups? The found-family vibes with classmates bonding over homework and hexes? There were hints of dark academia aesthetics, but anyone expecting more (like me) might be disappointed.

Would I recommend it? If you're in the mood for mythology-inspired romance with magic and intrigue—absolutely! Just don't expect to be enrolling anytime soon!

If you’re looking for your next magical fantasy read this book is for you! It has a new magic system that I found very creative! The book follows a FMC as she is tasked to complete a mission as an assassin and suddenly ends up in a magical school where she must use her new found powers to survive!

The tension between the MMC and FMC as the struggle between wanting to be near each other but also wanting to kill each other gives the best enemies to lovers vibes!

Overall it was a good blend of romance, magic and fantasy!

Thank you to Netgally and the author for this gifted ARC. All opinions are my own!

Academy of Villains - Nyx & Erebus

Massive thanks to NetGalley and author Ever King for the ARC!

The cover and the blurb of this book caught my eye and I knew I wanted and needed to read it.

I had so much fun reading it! A dark fantasy with a FMC assassin and MMC named Lucian? It’s giving Slytherin vibes and I’m 100% here for it.

Secrets, love, magic and trials you’ll find it all in Academy of Villains. The magic system is based on grimoires, making it feel fresh and interesting. The academy itself is more of a background for the whole plot, but we still get to see some lessons and the scholar life. The trials were a great addition to keep the pace.

The romance definitely takes center stage here, with the fate angle playing a big role. I also love how well-developed the side characters are - and Kaspian? I’m obsessed. I need his book immediately.


Now onto some complaining (only a little bit, just some observation).
I feel like the synopsis promised a bit more than the book actually delivered. Don’t get me wrong - I still really enjoyed it - but some elements either didn’t fully show up, felt rushed, or were too predictable. I also wish the enemies-to-lovers tension between Kiara and Lucian lasted longer. I would’ve loved to see them battle it out a little more before giving in.


That said, it was still a fast, fun, and engaging read that kept me entertained from start to finish. It’s one of those simpler romantasy stories that completely pulls you in and doesn’t let go.
A solid start to a promising series. Can’t wait for book two!


Rating:
7/10


Fated mates • Greek mythology retelling • Enemies to lovers • Magic • Dark academia fantasy • FMC assassin • Secret society

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the author, Ever King, for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Truthfully, I loved the premise of this book, especially the unique magic system. What do you mean they summon magic using a book, the Grimoire??? And the rules that govern it are so cool! These elements alone had me instantly hooked.

I loved the brotherhood within the Raven Society and how quickly Kiara became friends with Octavia. They opened up to each other so naturally and started uncovering the truth about the kingdom’s magic together. Even the magical history of the kingdom was incredibly intriguing.

However, the romance fell flat for me. I was expecting a proper enemies-to-lovers dynamic, but I didn’t feel much chemistry between them, especially with how quickly Lucian seemed attracted to Kiara, mostly due to the “bond” they unknowingly shared. When it was revealed that they were connected by the Heartstring, their relationship started to feel forced.

I loved Lucian’s obsession with Kiara, which made sense, especially with how she was described as such a strong-willed girl (𝘠’𝘈𝘓𝘓 𝘕𝘌𝘌𝘋 𝘛𝘖 𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘋 𝘏𝘖𝘞 𝘖𝘉𝘚𝘌𝘚𝘚𝘌𝘋 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘋𝘌𝘓𝘜𝘚𝘐𝘖𝘕𝘈𝘓 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘚 𝘗𝘙𝘐𝘕𝘊𝘌 𝘐𝘚), but I struggled to enjoy their moments together. Kiara’s attraction towards Lucian felt mostly physical, and the Heartstring just pushed them closer without enough emotional development.

Plot-wise, I think the confusion was partly on me. I started this without revisiting the blurb, so I was caught off guard when the characters were suddenly thrown into a series of trials to break the kingdom’s curse. It felt like those trials were more of a setup to give the MCs more scenes together. I was hoping for more intense challenges, especially with the mention of magical creatures, but the trials ended too quickly. (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 🫣)

Overall, it was still a good read, and I had a great time while reading it. However, I don’t feel compelled to pick up the next book, even though this one ended on a cliffhanger.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook

I binged this in one sitting, too caught up in the story to take a break or sleep. This was a fun read, and I loved the Academy setting and the magical system was different and intriguing. I really enjoyed Kiara and Lucien, her black cat personality worked well against his confident, snarky, yet caring one. Both had truths change everything they thought they knew, and the way their trust in each other built made their romance feel so much more satisfying. I can’t wait to read more in this series, there are still mysteries to unlock, and The Ravens to get to know.

“You’re mine now, Kiara”

This book was such a fast-paced and magical ride. The worldbuilding was fun and unique, especially the grimoire-based magic system ( I loved the Grimoire rules)! I also appreciated the lore section at the back of the (version I had) the Kindle version, it gave me a really interesting insight into the universe.

The plot moved very quickly. The Trials, they felt a little rushed, but the stakes were high and the danger felt real, so I was still hooked. Kiara and Lucien’s relationship, developed fast but I can’t lie their chemistry was sweet. Their fated connection was soft and intense all at once. This books was fun, and sometimes that’s what matters most.

Rating: ★ ★ ★.5 /5
Spice: ♥︎/5

Thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for the ebook copy.

A dark magic academy, secret societies, Greek myths retellings… say no more, this sounded like a great read for me! And you know what? It was!

The story of Nyx and Erebus is not one I was very familiar with, so this didn’t end up being the driving factor for my interest. What completely drew me in was the setting (dark academia is a favourite trope of mine) and more than anything the unfolding relationship between the main characters.

The pacing was fast, which meant I hardly ever skipped ahead - if you’re expecting lengthy descriptions you might be left wanting more, but I myself was happy to run along with the action.

The atmosphere throughout is vaguely oppressing, with the feeling of an unrealised threat looming. I think this was done very well and really fitted with the dark academia factor. I kept expecting an unknown enemy to jump out of the shadows - but the shadows themselves might be the scariest things here… Do not pick up this book if you’re looking for a sunny setting! It’s full of malevolent, swampy forest, dangerous monsters, a cursed bloodline, murderous classmates, and faculty verging on psychopathic.

There were a few scenes that truly made my heart race and chills run down my back, however bear in mind though that I am very easy to scare. If you’re used to reading horror / crime, you’ll likely find this very mild. This was just the right level of scary for me!

Now, kept the best for last: I loved the romance between the characters. The dual POV was well done. I got very attached to the MMC and enjoyed the fact he fell first and wasn’t shy about telling her, while not pressuring her about returning his feelings. Also, I’m actually a fan of protective MMCs!

I feel Ever King has a knack for crafting “quotable” dialogue. I highlighted a LOT of passages. I’ll give you 2 of my favourites:

“- I’m not here to light up your life, Lucian.
He steps closer - closer than I’m ready for - his body nearly brushing mine. He tilts my chin with two fingers, his touch feather-light.
- But you do, Kiara. You light up everything around you.”

“Love is the frequency of magic.”

All in all, I had a great time with this book, and I can’t wait for the second tome in the series, Lessons in Loyalty, which thankfully will be out shortly!!

Lions, and Tigers and bears oh my... nah, Mages, Starmages, and Shadowmages oh my. Academy of Villains starts off right in the thick of things which left me a little confused, but that's okay. This book is fast paced and action packed. A lot of information is thrown your way, but keeping up wasn't a huge problem.

Kiara was sent to assassinate Prince Lucian, so yes this was a true enemies to lovers story. Besides being hired to kill Lucian there was other obstacles in their way and watching them navigate through it all was heartwarming and I could't help but smile through out their journey.

Lucian I loved and Kiara had to grow on me. She was so abrasive, but I could understand why she was.

I liked the story and was excited to see their journey continue because I felt like it was unfinished so to my surprise the second book is about different characters. I'm confused to say the least.

*Thank you to the Author, Ever King and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Okay listen. I’m not a literary critic, I review books based on ✨vibes✨ — and the vibes here were amazing.😌
Was the writing perfect? Not necessarily. Sometimes it was clunky, a little repetitive, descriptions that made me go “wait what??” because things were happening but like… why though? But did I care? No. I got over it fast because I was having so much fun. This book gave me fated mates, magic academy, secret societies, assassins, TRIALS (inspired by greek mythology so think labyrinth, medusa, etc..), and even a one-bed moment (hehe).

Also. The MMC?? Obsessed. With. Her. She literally shows up planning to kill him and he’s like “mhm, let’s turn this into a date” and sets her up a full BUFFET. I mean?? This man said: “On the days I don’t see her, I think about her, and the days that I do see her, I still can’t stop thinking about her.” And I just—!!! Yes please, thank you very much.

Anyway. I loved it. Might not be for everyone. Bring on book two.

I received an ARC of this book and it was a fun and enjoyable read. It had everything I wanted from a YA romantasy - an assassin FMC, a charming prince MMC, lots of tension, angst & yearning, a dual POV, secret societies, found family, lots of magic, and an inn with *only one* bed!!

The FMC was likable and strong — we got snippets of her story, but it feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface in this first installment and there’s a lot more to learn about her story. It will be interesting to explore more of her past in future books.

The greek mythology aspect of the story was well done — it was woven through the story seamlessly and my favorite part was the emergence of some Greek mythology inspired creatures toward the end of the book.

All in all, this was a fun and engaging story perfect for young teens (there is no spice - only fade to black scenes) or those who love YA romantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ever King for the arc for an honest review.


Kiara is on a mission to end the Prince and thus the royal bloodline. She successfully infiltrates the Magic Academy and discovers a shocking truth. She has Magic. Magic that will change everything. Whilst fighting for her own survival she must choose between completing her mission or saving the world with the man she was sent to kill.
What will Kiara do?


I really enjoyed this book.
The characters are badass, mysterious with a touch of sweetness thrown in too.
I loved the dual POV following Kiara and Lucian throughout the story.
If you're into enemies to lovers, secret societys, mysterious characters and deadly trials then this dark academia book is for you!

For those who like magic or really enjoyed reading Zodiac Academy, this is a book you’ll fall for. It has magic Academy’s secret societies and of course, a villain.

She has come to kill the prince. It’s just a job. This isn’t any different than things she’s done before or so she thinks. She’s one of the nameless and this is going to help the kingdom…

He is a princeling. He has his group of friends that are all in his secret society and have his back always. But things are not always as they seem.

One faithful meeting, a sorting ceremony of sorts and a hidden bombshell start the series with a bang.

Get ready to jump into a quick paced action with a side of interest inflamed in interesting ways.

I was lucky enough to get an ARC from NetGalley. Thank you so much and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I reached eight percent of the book before deciding to mark it as dnf, mostly because I kept fiding plot holes- like how the fmc was mistaken for a mage among the crowd even though she hadn't put on the green uniform everyone else was wearing.

The writing was easy and smooth to read and even though I wasn't into the story, I was never bored as there was alot going on, but not to the point that it was confusing or had to reread a sentence to process it.

If I had read this in my early teens, I would probably have enjoyed it.

This is such a fun ride! I loved the magic system and the dark academia feel of this book! Can’t wait for the second one!

I loved the magic system in this book and the secret society really attracted me to this novel. Both didn't disappoint.

I loved the dark academia magic vibes and I especially liked how the two main characters were well developed and fleshed out while at the same time being romantic and not taking away from the wider plot.

I especially enjoyed that the side characters were well rounded and contributed well to the plot in their own right.

I loved the unique magic system and how fast and well done the world building was. It was so easy to immerse myself into the world and focus on the story! I also loved how strong the FMC was and how she was able to meld into the world even though she didn't feel like she could fit in. She still showed some vulnerability which was a refreshing change. I also loved the academy atmosphere and wished we could have gotten more of that. While there was one point of confusion with a location change, I did not feel that it took away from the storyline at all. I cannot wait to read book 2!

I just finished Academy of Villains by Ever King, and I am absolutely empty now that I finished it—in the best way. This book delivered everything I crave in a fantasy: high stakes, rich worldbuilding, magnetic characters, and a magic system that felt both fresh and deeply immersive.

Our fierce FMC, Kiara, is no ordinary protagonist. Stolen from her childhood and shaped into a lethal weapon by “The Nameless,” a covert assassin program, she is cold, calculated, and undeniably compelling. Her mission? Infiltrate the elite Academy of Magic, track down the cursed prince, and end his life to save a kingdom shrouded in darkness. But nothing is ever that simple. She must remember “without question, without fear.”

Enter Lucien Darkwing—the cursed prince himself. And let me just say: he has firmly claimed a spot in my top five book boyfriends. For those who fell for Xaden Riorson, Lucien is going to steal your heart (and probably your soul). He’s a dark, dangerous, and devastatingly charming shadow-wielder, and yet still feels entirely his own. Every scene with him crackles with intensity.

As the story unfolds, Kiara discovers she possesses a rare and long-lost magic—one that might be the key to breaking the curse strangling their realm. Together, she and Lucien must face ancient trials, unravel tangled secrets, and confront a kingdom corrupted from within. Their connection is electric, their mission nearly impossible—and I couldn’t tear myself away.

The magic system in Academy of Villains was pure brilliance—so vivid it felt like I could grab a grimoire and start casting spells myself. This was a five-star read through and through. Huge thanks to Ever King for crafting such an immersive, unforgettable world. I’m already itching for the next installment!

This book is set at an academy for people have magic and our main character, Kiara, is an assassin on a mission to kill the prince and ends up at the academy and finds out that she has magic. The setting was written so well and I loved reading about the different places at the school. While trying to navigate learning she has magic and completing her mission more and more secrets are being revealed.

The first half of this book was amazing but I feel like pacing in the second half was off and everything felt very rushed. Because of the book feeling rushed there isn’t a ton of world building and I feel like it was hard to really get to know the characters. The concept of this book is great I just wish it had been split into two books so everything could be expanded on.