If I could give this book 6 stars - I WOULD!!!

This may be my favourite book of the year to date! I was gripped from start to finish and couldn’t get enough - it’s been so long since I’ve felt this way about a book! Where do I even begin:

The writing was amazing, the perfect style to keep me engaged and very fast-paced. I had no idea what the ending would be at all, and thankfully, the ending was great and didn’t at all let me down. I need the next book ASAP!

Great main characters but also intriguing side characters too! Following along as both Susenyos and Kidan grew and improved was so interesting, I really cared for both of them and wanted to know what was going to happen next for them.

The enemies to lovers??? This has to be the best written enemies I’ve ever read, they truly despised each other and it’s rare for me to read a book with this trope that actually does it justice. 10/10 for this and incredible slow burn with tension that had my shook.

Basically, READ THIS BOOK!!! I simply cannot wait for the next book and I am so thoroughly impressed, it’s a true work of art and Tigest Girma should be incredibly proud.

This was definitely a good debut novel!
I loved the dark academia x vampires vibes. Really loved how it had enemies to lovers as well as morally grey characters. I found the first half was a bit slow for me but once I got into it more and hit the 50% mark I found myself really enjoying it and wanting to read more. I cannot wait to see what the next book entails

This book has a little of everything and some of my most favourites being; vampires, dark academia, mystery and romance!! The premise was good, I do think it has the potential to be a good series.

The book starts off with a vengeful sister seeking retribution for her sister's murder, this spirals her down a pathway towards the one thing she hates the most, the vampires!

Definitely stacks of mystery in the book which was fun to read and find out and the romance was 🔥❤️‍🔥 I am looking forward to re-reading upon release of the book!

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma was an edge of your seat, dark academia, African origin vampire, gothic masterpiece. This book was filled with sacred sentient houses, powerful laws, art, violence and some of the best enemies to lovers tension I have read in a long time (like actual true enemies!). This book is YA - so no spice - but the tension built between the main characters is swoon worthy!

In a world with Humans and Vampires living side by side, Kidan (human!) and Susenyos (vampire!) the FMC and MMC and both are so rich, full of depth and complexities and so well written, you can't help but be invested in their story. The side characters are all so diverse and interesting, they all ass so much to the story. I really can't wait to see the development of Kidan and Susenyos and their journey to (hopefully) "lovers"!

I can not wait to see where this series leads!

Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Australia and Tigest Girma for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first dark academia read and my gosh I am so hooked!

If you love a book that has you on the edge of your seat, your mind fumbling clues to try to theorise what is happening or about to happen & every time you guess it is wrong… you will enjoy this.

Kidan who is so engulfed in self hate, grief & guilt she has become numb, she attends a secret University “Uxley” with vampires (who she loathes) and mortals who were born to feed and be companions to vampires to keep balance and order between the two. Kidan has one task here and will do anything to succeed, even let evil takeover but to what end…

“You bleed red, little bird. I’d think it was black with all that hatred of yours”

The found family is everything, like attracts like and the character development through this trope is so delicious.

“Abandoned as they all were by parents, and vulnerable and desperate for family love, Kidan cared for them more then she thought was capable”

Forced proximity, true enemies to lovers, the slowest slow burn that will have you craving more!

“I will teach you if you let me, I can teach you a thousand different ways to loving yourself”

“The world loves to punish girls who dream in the dark. I plan to worship them”

"Immortal Dark" by Tigest Girma is a dark, atmospheric masterpiece that breathes new life into vampire lore with a rich infusion of black African history and customs. As a debut novel, Girma's storytelling prowess is evident, creating a world that is nothing short of mesmerising. Filled with sentient houses and complex laws, the narrative draws you in from the first page. Kidan, our determined protagonist, embarks on a gripping quest to find her missing sister, June, navigating through a world teeming with folklore and a tantalising enemies-to-lovers dynamic with the enigmatic house vampire, Susenyos Sagad. With themes of found family and dark academia, "Immortal Dark" is a moody, thought-provoking read that will leave you enthralled. The ending leaves you eagerly anticipating the next installment, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

4.5 stars

Centuries-old family secrets haunt Kidan Adane as she searches for her missing sister June, believed to be taken by Susenyos Sagad, their own vampire kin. To unravel the mystery, Kidan infiltrates Uxlay University, where humans and vampires coexist, facing danger and temptation as she delves into a ruthless underworld. She must confront her own dark impulses and navigate deadly alliances to save June and uncover the truth that threatens them all.

Immortal Dark feels like it was written just for me. I lived for the tension, the nicknames, the dark and sexy taunts, and all those vampy antics (I'm not confirming they involve feeding scenes, but I'm not denying it either). Add in messy characters, secret societies, intriguing politics and lore, and an FMC driven by love, grief, and revenge, and it gets juicy!

Now it is YA, so don't expect any spice, but Tigest Girma comes through with so much enemies-to-lovers tension that you'll be hooked on every interaction between Kidan and Susenyos.

⚔️ African-origin vamps
⚔️ Dark academia backdrop with a twist
⚔️ A house that messes with your head
⚔️ Nicknames
⚔️ A wonderfully messy found family
⚔️ A heroine out for justice for her sister
⚔️ Taj, my fave character

It was a bit difficult to follow and read, sometimes felt disconnected. But I loved the Vampires & human idea in an academy setting.

A lost heiress, a soulless vampire and a secret drenched in blood. A dangerously romantic dark academia fantasy, where a lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family.

A layered plot line that will keep you guessing to the very last page, morally grey characters that you can’t help but fall I love with and a deliciously dark take on vampires. It’s a story that will sink it’s teeth into you and won’t let you go: not that you’ll want it too.

Weaving magic and myth into a story that is full realised with a main character that accepts her false and the darkness within her in her journey towards vengeance. A haunting debut with nuanced writing, immersive plot and filled with a beautiful kind of darkness.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚

If you enjoy;
Dark Academia
Vampires
Secret Societies
Intrigue
Sentient and Noble Houses
Ethiopian Mythology
Enemies turning into Allies and back
Unique Lore
You will absolutely love this book!

“You bleed red, little bird. I’d think it was black with that hatred of yours”

Immortal Dark presents a one-of-a-kind story set in a world where humans and vampires strive to coexist peacefully, governed by Sacred Houses and strong Laws within the mysterious and secretive Uxlay University. The narrative delves into themes of violence, a deep Black history, hidden secrets, and blood. The intricate World-Building and the incorporation of rich Ethiopian Mythology captivated me. The distinct Laws of each House and the rigorous education and testing that Humans must undergo to excel within their designated House was truly captivating.

“I love the shape of your mouth when you beg”

The storyline kept me guessing right from the start; nothing was as it appeared, and the suspense was expertly crafted. Immortal Dark is a book with a perfectly medium to fast pace – every chapter kept me engaged without a dull moment. If the second book were out, I'd grab it in a heartbeat! I'm eagerly anticipating how this story is going to develop.

“Your hatred burns like ocean ice. And it’s entirely . . . mine. I’ve never owned something so completely”

Kidan, our Morally Gray MFC, undergoes significant development in this book, which is one of the highlights of the story for me. Witnessing her transformation from a grieving and isolated older sister with no hope for the future to a determined and resilient woman seeking healing was an emotional journey I wasn’t anticipating. As an older sibling, I found this experience incredibly relatable. Susenyos Sagad remained an enigma to me, and it was intriguing to uncover his true intentions gradually throughout the entire book, which turned out to be completely unexpected. I enjoyed their enemies-to-lovers storyline, although there was quite a bit of mistrust and miscommunication, elements I typically am not fond of whatsoever. Nevertheless, in this particular story, I believe it adds depth, particularly given Kidan's intense distrust of vampires and Susenyos’ history. Additionally, there are captivating side characters with diverse personalities that enrich the overall narrative. I'm eagerly looking forward to delving deeper into their stories in the upcoming books and exploring their backgrounds further!

“I will teach you. If you let me, I can teach you a thousand different ways of loving yourself”

I can't wait to dive into book two and discover the next chapter of this captivating story! The unexpected double cliffhanger ending took me by surprise and left me in utter shock.

This book was just wow. The writing was insane and the metaphors were beautiful and the story was so well paced and the culture was rich and essential to the story. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I’m not disappointed in the slightest. All the characters were unique and had very clear goals and ambitions. I love how everyone was morally grey (almost bordering to the darker side) but that you could still sympathise with them. The plot twists were insane but I loved them and there was not a single point of this book in which I got bored. Such a beautiful debut

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette ANZ for my first (e)ARC!

3.5 stars

To find her sister, Kiran Adane returns to the secret society she escaped from as a child, where vampires and humans co-exist and where her parents were murdered all those years ago. Going back means living with Susenyos Sagad who she believes is responsible for not only her family’s downfall but her sisters’ disappearance. As Kiran falls deeper into the societies cursed web, she uncovers dark secrets that may or may not be the answer to it all.

Immortal Dark started strong with its gothic atmosphere and overall spooky vibes. There was a brutal cutthroat-ness throughout the entire novel that kept on shocking me (in a good way). I did struggle to grasp what was happening in the first few chapters, which I think was done for the sake of mystery, but it just felt a little too elusive for me. There were also a few other instances where things could have been explained better - there is a lot to understand about the plot and society, and it felt like at times I was missing pieces. This was all mostly in the first half of the novel, after that the writing really blossomed and I became more intrigued in the characters and the story. The romantic relationship also started brewing and it had me giggling and kicking my feet – that MMC isn’t playing around (if you want a touch her and 💀 rec, maybe give this a try). The last couple chapters had me at the edge of my seat, and interested to find out what happens next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow wow wow, this was oh so addictive!!

Vampires, dark academia vibes, enemies to lovers with quite literally some of the BEST Tension I have ever READ, AND murder & mystery vibes, I was instantly hooked by this book!

Kidan was such a badass FMC and i absolutely loved her character, the dynamic between her and Susenyos was incredible and full tension. Imagine this your attending a secret university in order to try and find your sister who you suspects was kidnapped and then you are forced to LIVE with your number 1 suspect, like come on, focus proximity at its FINEST! This was truly such an incredible book and every needs to read it!

Also that ending has be like I need book two immediately!!

4.5 ⭐️!

I was so excited for this book. I loved that we got to see representation and I am a massive fan of vampires. But it all felt too disconnected for me.
I had to DNF 😅 the Narration of the story was very disconnected to the personality of Kidan.
I’m not a big fan of a broody MC and that’s all I got from her unfortunately. I really tried
I think this will be a cult classic and i was try and give it another go…. One day.

5/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️

"The world loves to punish girls who dream in the dark. I plan to worship them."

A young adult, dark academia filled with the most rich and beautiful lore I have read in a long time. Black vampires and their future companions, with so many morally grey characters to sink your teeth into - pun intended. This book was captivating to read and superbly written.

We follow Kidan, the heiress of House Adane as she searches for her lost sister, tries to master her birthright, attends the dark and secretive Uxlay College, all while living with the vampire she believes kidnapped her sister. Kidan struggles thoughout the book not knowing who she can truly trust, and also dealing with her own dark past and changing viewpoints of the world she thought she knew everything about.

The ever building tension in this book had me on the edge of my seat. Kidan’s relationship with Susenyos developed so perfectly and left me wanting more from then both. The twists and turns in this book also kept my attention as even I wasn’t sure who Kidan’s true friends were at some points.

This may very well be my favourite fantasy read of 2024.

That was brilliant! I’m absolutely obsessed with this book! It was so unique and original I’m in awe 🙌🏻

I knew from 30% in that I was completely hooked and it was going to be a 5 star read and I was not let down, if anything it just got better and better!

We have a world with humans and vampires, and it’s nothing like you could imagine. There are sacred houses, powerful laws, violence, art, enough tension to start a fire and just so much more.

It’s dark academia meets vampires meets violence and all together it’s incredible!! I refuse to spoil anything as the story is just so unique and it will have you forever on your toes, it’s a must read!

Kidan & Yos. Well dam. I don’t know where to start and there will never be an end. The characters are just so rich and as you learn more about them you just never want to let them go, I cannot wait to read the second book just to learn more about them.

Just some of my favourite quotes:

“You will not blackmail me into caring for you.”💀

“The problem, little bird, is I can’t trust you. You are quite traitorous.” 🪶

“Lovely to hear you were a bastard from a young age.” 😅

“You can’t even fight a strong wind.” 🤣

“You made me your nightmare the moment you heard my name”

Dark and oh so seductive, I was instantly hooked!🩸

Kidan attends a secret university in order to track down her kidnapped sister, it just so happens her number 1 suspect is the vampire that’s bound to her family’s sentient home. HELLO enemies to lovers & forced proximity🙌🏼

The dance of morality takes place the entire book, it has you questioning how far would you go to save a loved one? Would you watch the world burn guilt free? Or would the guilt burn you alive ?

“If they burn , I’m afraid I’ll burn along with them” 🔥

“Cry, she ordered her image. Why? It asked. You would do it again…” 🪞

This book has it all :
>Vampires
>Dark academia
>Secret societies
>Mystery & Murder 🔪
>Enemies to lovers with allll the tension
>Sentient house
>Found family bound together is the darkest of ways
>Ethiopian mythology

Extra elements that live in my mind rent free:

🩸The location of the vampire bite reveals different memories or emotions
🩸Each room within the sentient house mirrors different emotions
🩸Not one, but 2 cliffhangers ?! I am prepared to sell my soul to a vampire for book 2!!

“The world loves to punish girls who dream in the dark. I plan to worship them.” 🙌🏼

Thank you NetGalley Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

They were two snakes with fangs drawn, the poison turning them mad with the need for release.

This book is the best example of dark academia I have ever had the distinct pleasure of reading.

It’s giving Enemies to reluctant allies to enemies to lovers BUT THE LOVERS IS A BIG FAT ? AND THE ENEMIES ARE LIKE REAL ENEMIES like I am trying to end you enemies like I am going to try and end you right this second enemies.

The writing is some of the most beautiful prose I have ever read. And then we are FED with the tension. The angst?!? The pain?!? The trauma?!? The longing??? GAGGED.

I am in a state of distress and it is about a book that ISNT EVEN OUT YET. And not only that but now I need book 2 like I need air. This is an phenomonal debut and I hope you are all ready for this to become my entire personality.

THIS BOOK IS GOING TO ACHIEVE CULT STATUS AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS IMMEDIATELY!!

This is truly fitting for the world as we know it. For the misfits who are so angry at the lack of the control they’re offered and are willing to take it back.

“Your hatred burns like ocean ice. And it’s entirely… mine. I’ve never owned something so completely.”

I don’t have enough words to express how much I loved this story. I’ve already preordered the special edition first print release because I needed it.

There are so many reasons I loved this book but nobody wants to read a narrative length review so I’ll try and keep it simple.

Cultural representation, Ethiopian mythology, dark academia, feminine rage, a refreshing take on vampires.
I would say morally grey but grey has left the chat and we are deep in pitch black territory and unapologetically so.

The language is beautiful, the world is an ethereal gothic masterpiece. Girma has created something truly stunning that deserves every inch of praise that is being thrown her way.

THE GALA SCENE!!! When I realised what item she was obtaining my heart quite literally stopped.

THE ENDING! How is it even possible to have TWO cliffhangers at the end?!

For lovers of political intrigue, secret societies and a revenge plot that might heal your heart instead.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an ARC copy. This review is left voluntarily

A fantastic read. Edge of your seat, vampires, witchcraft, university. Well written novel and I am looking forward to reading more from this author