First of all, thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and author for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

Things I liked:
🏰 The Academy setting, though we weren’t there long enough to really explore it
💫 Celestial vibes
🐦‍⬛ The secret societies
🌌 Magic merging
🐍 This had so much Slytherin vibes, like it felt like an HP fanfic at times which I didn’t entirely dislike

This book had the recipe to be really really good. And I still think some people may find it really good, but I unfortunately wasn’t one. I wanted to like it, I really did, but I just couldn’t. It felt too similar to a lot of other books. At times, it felt like there was too much thrown in to check a box. Fated mates, assassins, Academy, secret societies, magic, duels, trials, Greek Mythology, prophecies, etc. I like all of those things but there was almost too much of a good thing to where I didn’t feel like we could dive into the story. I didn’t feel connected to really anything because I felt like we got a surface-level version of everything. Like all of the secondary characters were so in the background because there was just so much plot all the time. There wasn’t much showing (like, we never saw Kiara as an assassin or saw her terrible past through her eyes) and some of the sentences felt like they explained too much so there wasn’t really any mystery. Cutting some of those wordy paragraphs might have opened up a word count for us to dive deeper into the plot. Also, this is more minor, but with a cool name like “Academy of Villains” I expected the characters to be more… villainous. Everyone seemed really nice, or if they were dark, they were dark for a justified reason. So it took away some of the vibes for me.

Overall, I don’t think I’ll be tuning in for the other books because this one wasn’t for me but I do think there will be an audience for this one. 2.5 rounded up.

Firstly thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The concept of this series amd cover art had me requesting this book so fast.

Very loose greek mythology bases for a world of magic and mundane. Magic school for mages, secret societies, cursed kingdom, female assassins, classes straight out of hogwarts. This has everything a fantasy dark academia could want.

Although I loved the concept and the side characters, this was not an enemies to lovers for me when it’s so obvious from both sides but especially his that there is something from the moment they meet. Which summaries my issue with the book as a whole, it had all the right elements but didn’t tease out clues or plot just hit you in the face with them and said look we figured it out. I just wasn’t convinced by the chemistry of the main characters unfortunately. By 65% I stopped really caring how we got on which really saddened me cause I was so looking forward to this book. Intrigued to see if it changes my opinion when book 2 comes out as it seems to focus on a different couple. I don’t want to give up on the series so will give book 2 a try

I enjoyed reading this book and loved the intertwining of Greek mythology with fantasy. I loved following along on Kiara and Lucian as they traveled through the trials and to the temple. I gave 3 stars as I felt there could have been more world building at the start and a slower build up to the romance. Overall enjoyed this book and look forward to finding out what happens next!

In a kingdom where magic is fading, an evil king expands his control, destroying towns while using orphaned children as assassins in his army. Mages are sent to a brutal academy to train their powerful magic. Kiara, one of the king's assassins, uncovers she has magic and joins forces with some of these students to stop the king. Inside the academy, she discovers secrets about the prince, shadow organizations, and a dark headmaster. As students vanish and heartstrings return, Kiara’s fight for justice becomes a battle between love and survival.

Absolutely loved this book! It’s like Harry Potter vibes—fast-paced, full of action, and with a dash of dark academia! I loved the characters and the enemies to lovers storyline. The main FMC is a badass and the MMC is mysterious, conflicted, and full of those sweet moments. There are deadly trials, mysterious characters, and secrets waiting to be discovered. Can’t wait for the next book, Lessons in Loyalty —definitely pick this one up if you enjoy Greek mythology, dark academia, and forbidden love!



review will be available on my Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram on 2/8/2025

Thank you to Netgalley and Ever King for the ARC.

Plot 5/5
Characters 5/5
Ending 4.5/5
Interest 5/5

Overall 4.75/5

-I was entirely hooked throughout this book and it truly almost made it to 5 stars but I feel like 5 stars for me are just entire perfection. This almost made the cut with the universe I was transported in with the different types of mages, the curses. But then we have the plot itself. And my oh my did I love it. I feel like I haven’t read a good fantasy with quite a few fun tropes I enjoy (one bed, enemies to lovers, secrets and betrayal, sent to kill). Everything was written in a way that was fats paced and every step there was something interesting. The trials were also a fun touch although I hoped for them to be more fun and make more sense.

-I also love the characters. Going to back to the tropes thing, the romance to do fun and cute at times I was swooning for both sides. And the fact that Kiara was sent to kill the prince is something that I will always. Especially since she actually tried to multiple times, it made things all the more better. Individually Kiara and Lucian are quite interesting even though I would have loved to see more of their respective pasts although I guess it wasn’t essential. The side characters were also interesting themselves.

-The ending was probably on of the only point where I though it could have been done better. I felt like it ended off on quite a loose ended note rather than a bang like I would have liked. The plot section ended and then it was very romance focused to then end. I would definitely love to read the sequel though.

ARC REVIEW// thank you NetGalley and Ever King for this arc copy.

This is a fun book for people like me who want to try a new genre & dip their toes into dark romantasy. I love the Greek mythology elements here! The pacing felt mostly consistent, but I was hooked enough to keep reading regardless. The characters were vibrant, the plot well-structured, and the story was captivating. I think King does a great job here with the world building!

Read if you like:
*Greek mythology retelling
*enemies to lovers
*fated mates
*forbidden magic

Academy of Villains has an intriguing premise and a strong magic system, but it doesn’t quite deliver on its potential. The romance feels predictable, and the worldbuilding is a bit thin, leaving questions about Kiara’s past and the academy’s dynamics. It’s entertaining enough, but it leans too heavily on familiar tropes without fully exploring its darker themes.

I enjoyed this book and will definitely continue on with the rest of the series. It did feel a little short to me in terms of world building and learning more about the curse and the king, but I assume more will be uncovered as the series progresses.

This was a really cool concept. I enjoyed the world-building, and introductions to the major characters. I felt like things tied together well at the end, but were left without any real conclusion at all which felt unsatisfying. I enjoyed the two perspectives instead of just the FMC because both characters are complicated, and you need both sides to really understand their interactions. The magic system was very cool and felt unique, it made me want to learn more about it. It felt like this book was predominately being used for the world-building and character introductions to help set up the next books in the series. I still really enjoyed reading it, and will definitely keep an eye out for the next book later this year.

This book had a lot of potential—a dark magic academy, secret societies, and an assassin sent to kill a cursed prince? I was hooked. The atmosphere is immersive, and the magic system with grimoires is a cool touch.

But while the premise was strong, the execution had issues. The romance felt rushed despite being a "slow burn," and the enemies-to-lovers tension wasn’t fully there. The plot was predictable, and the academy setting wasn’t as dark or intense as expected. Plus, some big plot holes made it hard to stay immersed.

That said, I still had fun reading it. If you love Zodiac Academy or Throne of Glass, you might enjoy this, but go in expecting more entertainment than depth.

Academy of Villains by Ever King is a thrilling and fast-paced fantasy novel that immerses readers in a dark, captivating world of power struggles, secrets, and complex characters. The plot centers around a prestigious academy where the next generation of assassins are trained, blending elements of romance, mystery, and suspense. King’s writing keeps you hooked, though some character development may feel a bit rushed. It’s a fun, action-packed read for fans of dark academia and villain-centric stories.

This book was a simple yet surprisingly complex fantasy with minimal world-building—but honestly, it worked! The magic system stole the show, especially the shadow wielding and that insanely cool star magic. Seriously, *chef’s kiss*.

The romance? Sweet, but not exactly groundbreaking. It was there, it was nice, but I won’t be daydreaming about it.

It’s a quick, enjoyable read, and the Greek mythology inspiration had so much potential—I just wish there had been *more* of it shining through. That being said, the descriptions? Stunning. The way the world and emotions were portrayed left a lasting impression.

Overall, a fun, magical escape that I’d recommend if you’re in the mood for something light yet enchanting!

A great new romantasy/fantasy series that will leave you waiting for the next book. Including elements of magic, deceit, romance, drama, and mystery this one was a real page turner.

I enjoyed every second of this read! The complexity of the plot and the ties to Greek metrology were so well thought out and executed. The flow of the story kept me captivated and wanting to read one more chapter (I stayed up all night finishing this book!). The magic and atmosphere made me so nostalgic and was comparable with reading Harry Potter/ zodiac academy for the first time! Anyone that’s a lover of fantasy and a good enemies to lovers will fall head over heels for this book and aching for more!

✨🐍 Imagine Hogwarts, but everyone is a Slytherin 🐍✨

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Academy of Villains to read and review. This book was a fun read. Set in a magical academy, it had so many element of my favourite Romantasy tropes: trials, fated mates… one bed….

The magic system is unique and well thought out. The FMC, Kiara, is a badass assassin, and the MMC, Lucian, is a broody prince… and her target.

My only complaint is that I wish there was a bit more depth. What was it like growing up as an assassin? What are the psychological effects of not having a name? How did it compare to life at the Academy? Did she leave behind any assassin friends? Was she pumped to have her own room? These things aren’t strictly necessary to the story, but would’ve helped connect with Kiara.

That being said, I did enjoy reading Academy of Villains. It had strong Harry Potter vibes, mixed with some Throne of Glass. There are a good amount of interesting side characters whose stories I hope we delve into in the future.

I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers so this book was perfect for me!

The romance when they actually got together was executed beautifully. It was somewhat confusing in the beginning with their situation, but that feeling disappeared about halfway through the book.

I didn’t like the predictability of the book, the plot was a little too obvious but other than that I loved this book.

Read if you love:
Enemies to lovers
Fated mates
FMC assassin
Forbidden magic

I was so surprised by the depths of this book! the world building was amazing, and so much fun. I loved the magic system so much. And don’t even get me started on the slow burn romance. I cannot wait for book 2!!

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I DNF’d this at 89 pages.. I just couldn’t get into it and didn’t connect to the characters. It picked up really quickly and then kind of went no where? It gave me huge HP vibes and I couldn’t stop comparing it. It just wasn’t my cup of tea!

Alright, so Academy of Villains had me hooked from the jump. A dark academia Greek mythology retelling with Nyx and Erebus at the core? Say less. I was ready for the magic, secrets, and messy characters, and this book absolutely delivered.

Kiara is that girl. An assassin sent to infiltrate a magic academy, only to realize she has magic herself? That’s drama. That’s tension. That’s exactly what I signed up for. The stakes are high, the world is dangerous, and the cursed prince? Let’s just say temptation comes in many forms. If you love slow-burn, high-stakes romance where trust is questionable and the chemistry is chemistry-ing, you’ll be eating this up.

The world-building is top-tier. The way the magic system weaves into the plot? Chef’s kiss. It felt rich, layered, and full of intrigue, especially with the secret societies lurking in the background. Ever King has a way of setting a dark, cinematic vibe that makes this book feel like you’re watching it unfold in real-time. I was invested.

Now, let’s keep it real—the pacing was fast, maybe a little too fast. I wanted more time to sit in Kiara’s past before she was tossed into the academy madness. There were also a few predictable moments if you’ve read other dark academia fantasies. Did that stop me from devouring it? Absolutely not.

The romance? TENSION. Kiara and Lucian have this push-and-pull dynamic that had me in a chokehold. If you live for the enemies-to-lovers energy, forbidden attraction, and that ‘I hate you but also maybe wanna kiss you’ vibe, this delivers. Hard.

Final verdict? Academy of Villains is dark, immersive, and full of twists, betrayals, and tension-filled romance. If you love morally gray characters, sinister magic academies, and a romance with actual stakes, add this to your list.

Rating: 4/5

An interesting, ya fantasy with a bit of a darker undertone. I love anything with an academy setting, so I was excited to read this. Our two characters are a slow burn enemies. This gives you a lot of what you’d expect with quest, magic, mages and princes. I found the pacing a bit slow at times, and overall this was lower on the romance side. However the detail it the world was excellent and I enjoyed reading it.