Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing an alc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: February 13, 2024

3.5

An Education in Malice is a blend of historical dark academia and tantalizing sapphic dynamics with an added element of teacher/student and vampires.

Laura is originally from Mississippi and has just enrolled at Saint Perpetua Women’s College in Massachusetts. Through her writing classes, she meets Carmilla and Professor De Lafontaine who have an established relationship.

This was definitely more character driven than I was expecting and I was left wanting more in terms of plot substance and motivations, but if we’re going solely on vibes here, it was great and I loved how much sexual tension there was with the rivalry.

cw: public sex, toxic power dynamics

Audiobook Narrator:
The narrator is very talented and did a fantastic job at making this feel like a full-cast production. Each character (even down to the side characters who had very minimal dialogue) had distinct voices with appropriate accents, and there were no issues with deciphering which pov I was in if I set down the book for an extended period of time.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the ARC of An Education in Malice in exchange for an honest review.

WOW, wow, woooooow! This book consumed me. I haven’t done a same day start to finish in awhile. The academic rival and tension between Laura and Carmilla is delicious. This sapphic, dark academia novel has everything and more. I devoured this and I cannot stop thinking about this story.

I enjoyed this more than A Dowry of Blood, but at the same time, the story as a whole fell flat for me. It didn't have the same gothic vibe as the first in the series, and the mystery and antagonist were set on the back burner for too long in favor of surface level character exploration.

I appreciated the lack of men in this story, and the shameless romantic prose of Laura's POV as her desire for Carmilla grows. I also liked it being set in the same universe, and the brief, but memorable reintroduction to Magdalena.

However, the halfway point of An Education in Malice rises in a swell of suspense and tension, and then drops unceremoniously - almost as if the author couldn't fathom how to keep the wave going. I really couldn't believe how quickly it dropped off, and had to go back to make sure I hadn't missed something. Also, the reasoning behind De Lafontaine's actions were flimsy at times, and while I lived for the mystery of her character, I found the lack of depth in her to be just as aggravating. I also wish the opportunity to explore the modern (aka the 1960s compared to the older time periods of ADoB) world of vampire society had presented itself, but c'est la vie.

The narrator, Stephanie Cannon, did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life with utterly perfect inflections and attitude.

Overall, I was here for Laura and Carmilla's budding rivals to lovers romance, and the dark academia vibes.

This story is very well written and the audiobook narration was equally good. I liked the character development and the overall gothic feel. Unfortunately, the story left an overall bland impression on me. I don’t fault the story; it just wasn’t for me. If banter is important to you, proceed with caution - it’s limited. If not and it looks interesting to you, go for it! Happy Reading 🖤

Audiobook ARC - thank you netgalley and Hachette Audio

𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙠𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙏𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙩.

Laura is the new girl at Saint Perpetua’s College, where she has been accepted into a Senior level poetry class with Professor De Lafontaine. Carmilla is also in that class, and is none too pleased to find she has a new rival vying for the attention of the professor she is obsessed with.

I haven’t yet read 𝘈 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥, but I’d heard good things, and was very much looking forward to this book. It wasn’t everything I expected it to be, but it was an enjoyable enough read for what it was.

I really enjoyed the setting, and the start of story revolving around the academic rivalry. I thought there was good groundwork laid between our two MCs, but as the story progressed, I didn’t feel as much connection between the two as I’d have liked. Unfortunately, by the end, the relationship felt a bit superficial to me. I could have done with a few more scenes between the two, building on their connection.

I also wanted a little bit more with the darker malevolence that was just sort of lurking in the background until the very end of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed the read, but it wasn’t one that will be sticking with me in the end.

Audiobook specific thoughts: The narrator did a fantastic job differentiating between the characters, especially the two POVs. She had some accents to do, and I thought she pulled them off fantastically, without overdoing it.

Thank you to @hachetteaudio and @netgalley for providing me an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What this book is giving:
✅ Dark Academia
✅ Sapphic
✅ Vampires
✅ Rivals to Lovers
✅ 1968
✅ All Girls College
✅ Power Dynamics

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ /5

I love the writing in this is was lyrical and engaging just like A Dowry of Blood. I liked seeing an entirely different story in every way that led to old characters and the same kind of freedom ending.

Author S.T. Gibson and narrator Stephanie Cannon have both gained a loyal reader because of this audiobook!!!

Carmilla, Laura, and De Lafontaine completely drew me in and hooked me on every aspect of their stories. Each character was crafted beautifully with detail and care. Romance, vampiric elements, and complicated power dynamics made this book a truly enrapturing read.

I appreciated the content warnings at the beginning. I was hesitant when I began this book, as I’m not usually one for books with such blatant eroticism, but it was written so elegantly with focus on character thoughts and drives, rather than erotica-for-erotica’s sake, that I was able to forgo any dislike for it all.

Stephanie Cannon, as audiobook narrator, had me checking the info for the recording multiple times as she flowed seamlessly between character voices and accents. I was continually surprised this book had only one narrator for both POVs in the book! Each voice distinctly and excellently embodied each character.

As a queer reader, it can be difficult to find books so nicely crafted with a detailed plot, interesting characters, especially while including a lesbian romance so well crafted it did not feel forced or performative. I was surprised and pleased with this book, and hope to see many more similar books (and maybe even a sequel!!!)

Thank you Redhook Books, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for an eARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review!!

S.T. Gibson knows what the people (me) want, and what we (I) want is toxic, sapphic obsession, and An Education in Malice absolutely delivers. Gibson’s prose is so lush and atmospheric that it’s always a treat to read, and the vibes of this were immaculate. I really liked Laura and Carmilla as POV characters and I think Gibson balanced their perspectives out nicely. I also thought that the development of their relationship (and also their relationship to De Lafontaine) was really compelling. As a historically women’s college grad, I was delighted by Saint Perpetua’s College.

While I don’t think this work was as strong as A Dowry of Blood, it’s still very compelling and an evocative read. Gibson writes sex and emotion so well and the atmosphere is incredible. I do think this meanders a bit plot-wise in the middle and could have been tightened up a bit on that front (though it also could have been a bit longer to really flesh out Carmilla and Laura’s relationship, too). It’s also not as Gothic as I’d been expecting, but that’s okay, especially because it felt very on point for dark academia. The ending is lovely, and I fully recommend this.

The audio for this is also a delight. Stephanie Cannon was a wonderful narrator and each voice felt distinct and definitely contributed to the atmosphere.

I think this would have been better if it wasn't trying to put off Carmilla vibes. This wasn't really the Gothic experience of the classic but more a YA story about a romance at a boarding school with vampires and a groomer teacher.
The narrator was excellent and convincing with the way she portrayed the characters and represented their different backgrounds.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me listen to this

An Education in Malice is supposedly a more modern retelling of Carmilla from A Dowry of Blood but for me it lacked the dark gothic vibes that Dowry had. I think this book is written well, and as a standalone, it's fine and since it's not labeled as part of a series, I'll take that for what it's worth. I really wanted to love this book, but I found the characters unlikeable (maybe that is the point?). Laura....while I appreciate her insta-lust for Carmilla, I didn't really buy into their relationship. DeLafontaine was an obsessed, jealous, petulant and arrogant twit considering her age. Carmilla was just "meh". It almost felt to me like the vampirism was a side note to the grooming going on and could almost be left out of the book all together. Maybe I'm being too judgemental but I feel this book was a letdown and that makes me sad.

I know people will love this book and eat it up. The audiobook narration was done well, with distinguishing accents that makes it easy to follow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, Redhook and S.T. Gibson for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Narration was perfect. The narrator was clear, and the slight shift in voice made my experience as a whole.

OBS! The following review is translated from my review for Instagram. The above statement is due to lack of space on the Instagram post.
______
A Carmilla Retelling? SIGN. ME. UP
"I'm positively made in wanting"

//Reklame, ARC modtaget af @netgalley og @hachette. (disclaimer as I live in Denmark)

An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson is a dark academia retelling of Carmilla, and it takes place in the same universe as a Dowry of Blood. The Story is about Carmilla and Laura Sheridan, who attend Saint Perpetua's College. They have both been selected to attend De La Fontaine's exclusive course on poetry. Both Laura and Carmilla fight for the eye of De Lafontaine, and a rivalry blossoms.

An Education in Malice has all I could want in a book. It refers to Milton's Paradise Lost. My tiny heart for classics IS STILL BLEEDING. The characters were complex, and I could never quite place their intentions. They were awful and heinous, as they should be in a dark academia novel. However, their chemistry and relations to one another are worth a read in and of themselves. Carmilla's unhealthy relationship with Lafontaine was tragic to behold, but wow...

The school setting and the dark atmosphere was well executed, and the little spicy addition of vampires. Especially, sapphic vampires... CHEFS KISS.

The best about this book is Gibson's exemplary treatment of Sheridan Le Fanu's Gothic tale, Carmilla. It has been turned on its head, and this old tale of homophobia and sexism is flipped. Instead, the book celebrates women and the queer, I am absolutely in love with it. (And it's awesome that Laura has the surname Sheridan)

The only thing I could have wanted was a bit more character exploration of Lafontaine. However, this book was nearly perfect for me, considering all the CAWPILE factors. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Lastly, I must recommend reading the triggerwarnings for this books, as sensitive topics are treated within this work.

A dark, academia gothic story! Thank you to Hachette Audio for an ARC audiobook. The audiobook was 5/5 for production. I loved the voices used by the narrator. I actually thought it was 3 different voices for a while until I further researched! I’ve never been enthralled by an audiobook this deeply before! I finished this in a little over 24 hours as I could not put it down! The story for me is a 3.5. I enjoyed it for sure but make sure you check your trigger warnings before you read. The ENDING ahhh!!! I won’t spoil anything but my jaw dropped. Thanks for a great book!

My heart has been forever changed... every element of this story comes together seamlessly to create a truly captivating reading experience.

The pacing of the narrative is masterfully crafted, it kept me engaged from start to finish. The characters are brought to life with such depth and authenticity that they felt so real to me & the sapphic romance of the FMC's adds a beautiful layer of complexity, capturing the overwhelming feelings of need, lust, and desire with a poignant intensity.

Gibson's writing style and prose are nothing short of breathtaking, with a perfect balance in length that allows the story to unfold organically. The setting of this story is perfect, and the atmosphere created is on pare with what the girls in the story experience. What sets this book apart is its refreshing divergence from conventional narratives – the inclusion of strictly female vampires and the exclusion of men from the central and sub plot. Both the main and subplots are intricately woven, offering a rich and fulfilling reading experience. It's evident that S. T. Gibson is a master storyteller, and this book deserves nothing less than a solid 5-star rating. Here's hoping that Gibson continues to enchant myself and other readers with their literary prowess for years to come - She has been officially added to my Auto-Buy authors list!

**Thank you Hatchett Books & Netgalley for this ARC - All opinions are my own**

This book was inspired by Carmilla. I wouldn't say it's a retelling because it is quite different on the whole.

The vibe of this book is very poetic and academic and lusty. The prose is lush and the thoughts of the characters are exotic and drawn out. It would be a good book to go back and read in print just to highlight the quotes, because there would be many.

That said, the book felt extremely detached and the narration had a weird super past tense quality like this was a story being recalled from a fever dream. It made it hard for me to really attach to the characters.

Otherwise I thought it was a beautifully written book. I can see this becoming popular with a very certain type of crowd.

"One of us was always going to bleed for the other."

This lush tale is a dark academia sapphic love story between two young students who start as academic rivals. However, there are other complex relationships at play that threaten their new love.
The story draws you in with possessive and manipulative love, jealously, isolating secrets, old rituals, desire, and debauchery. It also builds you up with acts of strength, empowerment, selflessness, and breaking away from toxicity. The ending was quite satisfying. I didn't think it was as dark as A Dowry of Blood (not that it was supposed to be, just an observation).

The audiobook narrator, Stephanie Cannon, was excellent! You almost wouldn't believe it was only one person. She nailed the different accents and mannerisms of the characters. The speed of speaking and cadence were perfect. The overall production of the audiobook was wonderful. The sound quality and lack of background noise or any skipping/static, etc. undesirable noises made for an enjoyable listening experience, where I could fully focus on the book without distractions.

Thank you so much NetGalley and HachetteAudio for the advance audiobook!

Dark academic, sapphic rivals, mysterious women's college, poetry, and vampires? Say less.

Set in the 1960's, Laura starts at a prestigious Boston women's college to study poetry and writing. She finds herself thrust into an academic rivalry with her classmate, Carmilla, and both girls are competing for the undivided affection and praise of their poetry teacher, De LaFontaine. But something more sinister is at play, and nothing is as it seems as Laura unravels the secrets lurking on campus, and between her professor and rival.

This book captivated me from the beginning, and was lyrically written, mysterious, dark, and eery (in the best way). This book dives into themes of obsession, power, lust, and femininity. I listened to the audiobook first and while I did receive an eARC as well, the audiobook was my first run through of the book and I loved it.

The narration and production, and the different accents, were exceptionally well done and made for an engaging and easy to follow experience. I felt immersed in the story like I was there with the characters, and I highly recommend the audiobook format!

Thank you NetGalley and Hatchette Audio for the audiobook ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC.

The narrator did a wonderful job and made it easy to tell the different POVs with her accents. I think this book had potential to be great, but fell flat for me. I loved the themes throughout and it was refreshing to read a sapphic vampire love story.

This was my first read by this author but I’d be eager to read more from them!

An Education in Malice, loosely inspired by Sheridan Le Fanu’s ‘Carmilla,’ follows Laura Sheridan as she finds herself drawn to her academic rival Carmilla, but as they compete for the attention of their poetry professor, Laura finds that more sinister things may be at work.

What you need to know:
- sapphic vampires
- dark academia set at a Massachusetts college

Carmilla is one of my favourite classics, not so much for what it is as much as what it has become and how it has been reclaimed, so I jumped at the chance to read this arc. I think to fully appreciate this story you have to distance yourself from the original ‘Carmilla’ and Gibson’s past work because this project is quite the departure.

As always, Gibson’s prose is seductive and impossible to not get lost in. I picked it up and finished it in one sitting. The production and audiobook narrators were phenomenal, I felt they really embodied the characters. I cannot wait for more from her.

An Education in Malice

The character development is AMAZING. In the beginning, I absolutely hated Carmilla. She seemed bratty and selfish, not wanting De Lafontaine (the professor). to take Laura under her wing, but she quickly became my favorite character in a book so far this year (it’s only January, I know).

Laura seemed a bit naive to me in the beginning but quickly came out of that when dealing with Carmilla. The rivalry between them is fun and interesting, the tension between them was SO BEAUTIFULLY DONE! By the middle of the book, I realized I never wanted two characters together so much in a long time.

I really liked De Lafontaine in the beginning. She was the mentor we’ve all wanted. After Carmilla’s change, she came off jealous of the bond between Laura and Carmilla.

I was given this work of PURE ART in audiobook form. The flow was about medium paced, but I was hooked from the beginning. The narrator easily deserves 5 stars. The voices of the characters? *chef’s kiss*. When voicing the character Carmilla, the narrator sounded like Julia Garner as Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna, I could not get that out of my head!

There is a bit of spice around the 65% mark. It was quick but definitely worth the wait. “We’re long overdue for this” gave me butterflies!

This sapphic, vampire, dark academia, gothic novel will always put me over the moon. This book will be my personality moving forward and I’m so sorry to everyone who knows me. I’m so happy I got to listen to it early. Best read of the year, so far. 10/10 would and will recommend to anyone who will listen!

This is my first longer review. Sorry if I sound scatter brained. I was trying not to give any spoilers.

#AnEducationInMalice #NetGalley #Arc #Sapphic #DarkAcadamia #Vampire

"I wasn't obsessed, I was just curious"

Sapphic academic rivals vampires??? say no more.

"bloodstained love letter to ambitious girls,
allconsuming desires, and the agonies and ecstasies of academia" This description fits "An Education in Malice" perfectly.

I literally flew through this audiobook, the narrators were amazing and the story was so captivating, I was literally sitting on my a$$ and listening to the whole thing in one go. The characters were so complex and well written. Perfect dark academia read for rainy evenings.

I loved "A Dowry of Blood" so much, I did a reread the next day, cus I wanted to annotate my physical copy, but I think I like "An Education in Malice" even better🤭

"Your best is not good enough Carmilla, not in a world of art. You must excell or else fade into obscurity"

~"I'm still a believer, but I don't know why, I've never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try"~

Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review