This unfortunately didn’t come together for me. While the back half of the book definitely got more interesting, I found the characters throughout to be underdeveloped and not compelling enough to drive the very dark and cool central plot.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Afterdark kicks off with a bang that sets the perfect tone for this spine-chilling YA horror. Evie Laurent from the jump is introduced as a morally complex and fascinating FMC, watching her literal evil twin Ada drown without lifting a finger. In the aftermath, she gets sent to the mysterious Northcroft Academy in her twin's place - where their dad is principal. The dark academia vibes are palpable from the start, but the book’s brilliance lies in the layers of mystery, suspense, and intrigue woven into every corner of this story.

Northcroft itself is a living, breathing entity - a school surrounded by a forest that transforms into a Lovecraftian nightmare after the bell tower chimes for a strictly held curfew. The Crown & Grave society, an exclusive and sinister group that seemingly controls the school, adds another layer of danger and allure.

The dual POVs of Evie and Holland Morgan, a former Disney Channel-esque child star turned brooding student, offer a rich and immersive experience that keeps you hooked. Their connection starts with a mysterious magnetic pull that evolves into an intoxicating mix of obsession and tenderness. Latimer beautifully captures the delicate dance of trust, attraction, and danger between the two as they navigate their growing feelings against the backdrop of the horrors surrounding them. The romance is not just a subplot but a vital thread that explores themes of vulnerability and embracing one’s dark truths, making it all the more compelling.

Every character is distinct and memorable, with unique voices and storylines that make you desperate to learn more. Despite the extensive cast, it never feels overwhelming.

Latimer’s writing perfectly balances lush prose and eerie atmosphere, keeping the suspense high and the pages turning. The themes of obsession, guilt, and embracing one’s darkness are expertly explored, giving the story emotional depth alongside its thrills.

Afterdark by E. Latimer is such a vibe. It’s got magic, curses, and just the right amount of spooky fairytale energy. The main character is messy (in the best way), and the friendships and tiny hints of romance are so well done. It’s a bit slow at times, but honestly, the payoff is worth it. If you’re into moody fantasy with a gothic twist, definitely check it out!

Gothic academia boarding school horror? Alright this book was a ride lol. I was hooked in the first chapter but as the book went on I felt less interested. The characters are complex and the world building is definitely intense and impressive but I couldn’t make myself connect much with either MC. Their relationship felt.. eh forced and not super connective. Though the book did come together in the end, it wasn’t for me. Definitely check this out if youre looking for a sapphic dark academic vibe.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me access this as an ARC in exchange for a review.

I loved just how dark and twisted this book was... I loved the Malory Towers and St Clare's series of books as a kid... as an adult, I seem to love dark academia... Northcroft is the perfect setting for the thrilling horror that unfolds, with its nightmare forest and secret society... Evie and Holland are so beautifully morally gray and complex... And the consensus seems to be that we want a second book...

The Afterdark was an amazing read! I normally am not one to read horror, but the premise of a boarding school on a secluded island with a forest that comes alive after dark caught my interest. I loved seeing Holland and Evie grow closer, and I was genuinely invested in the mystery of the Afterdark. The last 15% or so of the novel was an absolute rollercoaster, so many twists and turns that I did not see coming. I would recommend the Afterdark to anyone who likes horror, or dark academia settings.

Well, that first chapter certainly set the mood for the book, didn’t it? The words dark, creepy, mysterious, and deadly come to mind. There is a mysterious secret society, a couple of people stalking a few other people, and an eerie forrest that keeps drawing the characters in despite the impending danger.

I could see there being a sequel, but I would still love how this book ended if there wasn’t one. I was going to tell you why… but then I realized it would spoil a bit of the ending. All I can say is it reminds me of the horror movies I used to watch when I was a kid. I grew up in the 80’s when “rated R” used to mean “relax, its just a movie”, so yeah, I watched some horror movies I probably shouldnt have when I was a kid 😅, but they all ended sort of similarly.

I need to tell you that I could have finished this book a day earlier…but my husband went away for the night, and I was too creeped out to read this book without him home. 🤣😅💀 All I could think of was the dark woods surrounding my house. Anyway, if you’re looking for a book to suck you in and give you the creeps….this is it. This is the one.

This sapphic YA horror is everything I didn’t know I needed: a gothic boarding school, a creepy forest, haunting secrets, and an electric connection between two morally complex leads. Latimer masterfully crafts a world that’s as chilling as it is immersive, perfect for fans of dark academia and eerie love stories.

The vibes? Immaculate. The tension? Unbearable (in the best way).

THIS BOOK IS OUT OF BOUNDS! EVIE AND HOLLAND......YES!! This is a deliciously dark academia sapphic horror! This book kicks us in the face in the first chapter and doesn't let up! The way it ends feels like there will be another installment...PLEASE SAY THERE IS A SECOND BOOK ON THE WAY!!

This book's world and character building is a chef's kiss product. I liked the cover and really did not pay attention to the synopsis. This made it a fun read for me because I had no idea what the book was about. I tore through this book in one day!!

Thank you so much Netgalley, Penguin Random House, and E. Larimer for the ARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion without coercion

This is one I’m highly recommending. A blend of dark academia and secret societies, it’s a lush story steeped in rot, deception, and suspense.

Evie, still reeling from the tragic death of her twin sister Ada, is sent in Ada’s place to an elite boarding school hidden in the misty forests of the Pacific Northwest. From day one, something feels off. Strict curfews are enforced with threats of expulsion, nightly alarms are followed by automated shutters sealing everyone inside, and the island holds a grim history of disappearing students. Oh, and a secret society tied to it all? Sign me up.

But Evie isn’t just an outsider uncovering mysteries—she’s hiding secrets of her own. As she grows closer to her roommates and a sapphic romance blossoms, her hidden truths begin to surface, tying her fate to the island’s sinister madness in ways she never could’ve imagined.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The pacing was steady and engaging, with just enough twists and turns to keep me curious and wanting to know more. I appreciated how the multiple plotlines wove together, keeping my mind busy but not overwhelmed. The characters felt incredibly real—age-appropriate, flawed, and messy. Their relationships were equally dynamic, veering between good intentions, evil ones, and everything in between. The morally grey spectrum of the cast made it feel authentic, as did the raw angst that permeated their interactions.

While the prose wasn’t indulgent or overly poetic, it still carried weight, delivering moments that felt like holding something heavy, raw, and dripping with emotion. The Gothic atmosphere—with its rainy, windswept isolation—was the perfect backdrop for this haunting story.

If you love dark YA with sapphic vibes, Gothic dark academia settings, and twists that leave you gutted, this book is absolutely for you.

3.5

Unique. Creepy. Unusual. Intriguing. What a ride this read was! I mean, I was so crept out at times because I had no idea what was going on. I always loved reading books set at school and it was so fun discovering all the secrets of the school and its society.

The following will contain spoilers.

Evie was so easy to love. I enjoyed being in her head and seeing how internal struggle with the Afterdark while also seeing just how much control she had over it. I was rooting for her and Holland but unfortunately the ending went a different way.

That ending OMG!! Those last words literally broke my heart. I wished it had ended differently, because I wanted Holland and Evie to have a happy ending, but at the same time, I thought the ending was just PERFECT.

I was amazed by how well I was able to see everything that was described in this book and really enjoyed the writing. I wish we had a little bit more backstory on the origin of the Afterdark and Evie’s parents.

The Afterdark is a dark Academia book that follows Evie and Holland. They attend Northcroft an elite boarding school that every night when the bell tolls shutters come down shutting the school off from the forest. Evie and Holland share an attraction to each other that slowly builds to obsession.

Now it took me a while to get into this book. It seemed to start in the middle of the story. It just jumped right in. The relationship between Ada and Evie felt like I was supposed to know how they feel for each other already. The whole beginning was very abrupt to me.

I do like the setting. The school and the forest felt like their own characters. It was all very spooky and mysterious.

Was not a fan of the interactions of the characters, most of the relationships felt forced just to create drama. They didn't feel believable.

If you like dark academia with Sapphic relationships then this is a good book to tryout.

Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for an ARC of the Afterdark

This is a 4.5 star read and was so gripping from the very beginning. This is a dark academia saphic horror that just delivers in every area.
Having the Duel POVs was amazing and really let us feel the pining and growing love the two FMCs have for each other. This book has slight spice but the tension is amazing. From there we also have a beautiful Gothic school to which one of our FMCs is a legacy to and the other is a young actress. There is love, just betrayal not to mention a nasty entity in the forest who is causing the disappearance of female students. This book is released January 7th and I will be recommending it to anyone who likes a creepy paranormal horror. 10/10 on all fronts!

Northcroft is an elite boarding school on an isolated island, and as the bell tolls each night, students must be inside the shuttered building or risk the horrors of the forest. Evie is a new student, though connected to Northcroft in multiple ways. Within hours of her arrival she is obsessed with the secrets of the dark forest, and cannot take her eyes off of Holland Morgan. Holland has seen the forest corrupt people before, and though she knows getting involved with Evie might be a bad idea, she isn’t sure she cares.

Obsession and mystery weave through the narrative of this YA novel full of beautiful prose and told in alternating POVs. From the jump, it is clear that Evie is so much more than she appears. After watching her twin sister drown in the first chapter I wasn’t sure if I could trust her, but I couldn’t stop rooting for her. Holland is layered and motivated by friendship as much as recognition, never able to fully disconnect from her life as a child actor. I am not much of a horror reader, but I love a dark boarding school full of secrets and affluent students making risky choices, acting as typical teens while facing a macabre reality.

Thank you Tundra Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

The Afterdark is a thrilling, creepy, and dark queer horror. The writing is so beautifully detailed and compelling that it makes it hard to put down. This review will not be very detailed to avoid spoilers.

These characters are written so well. Holland and Evie were mutually obsessed with one another. Leta might have been my favorite! I have had to take time and process the ending before writing a review. The plot is well thought out and executed very well. Loved all the twists. Overall, this was such a chilling and intriguing read. I cannot wait to reread and annotate it!

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A queer sapphic horror story featuring secret societies, creepy forest, and obsessive romance?? I am all in. The story follows Evie Laurent, a girl who is moved into a boarding school in place of her sister... her twin sister who tried to kill her and died instead. Evie has always known there was something inside of her... some brutal angry thing, but has kept her impulses in checked as opposed to her twin who went out of her way to cave into every vicious thought. Yet after a fight with her sister leaves only Evie alive, her mother sends her to the boarding school that her sister was meant to go to. Welcome to Northcroft, an elite boarding school with strange deadly secrets. There Evie meets Holland Morgan, her former crush, an actress, and her sister's ex. Holland and Evie are magnets who can't seem to stay away from one another.... yet the longer Evie stays here the more she is beginning to realize something sinister and dark lives at this school, something deadly lies in the forest... and its getting closer and closer to Evie. The more entwined Holland and Evie become, the closer the danger closes in on them.... can their romance survive this school? This was such an interesting read that immediately hooks you from the first chapter. I was absolutely in love with Evie from the start, she's such a unique protagonist. The story itself was so much fun to follow and the slow dread and creepy vibes were perfect. I really loved the romance between Evie and Holland, an obsessive but undeniable romance that was so interesting to read about. THAT ENDING~!!! I really had so much fun reading this and will absolutely be recommending it for spooky season!

Release Date: January 7, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Penguin Random House Canada | Tundra Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed both of the MCs, and it was interesting to see things from both character's POV. This was a creepy, twisty mystery full of monsters and also a Sapphic romance. I did guess some of the outcomes, but was surprised quite a bit as well. I suggest avoiding spoilers and just diving in. I'll definitely be on the lookout for what E. Latimer comes out with next.

E. Latimer's The Afterdark is another thrilling addition to the YA dark academia genre. The inclusion of mystery, supernatural, and suspense elements adds much needed layers to this LGBTQIA+ horror tale. Highly enjoyed Evie and Holland's journey's.

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada | Tundra Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

75/100 or 3.75 stars

This was a well done YA thriller.
The dark academia vibes are good as well. The world-building was something that could have been done a little better, as I enjoyed what Latimer was doing with the story, but I did feel like that aspect of the book was lacking. The characters were interesting to follow. The twists were decent, a little bit predictable, but I still enjoyed it. I would definitely try another story from this author in the future!

okay this book had a LOT going on. couple kids at a boarding school with a creepy forest — what could possibly go wrong?? EVERYTHING.

this book had secret societies, obsessed friends, wlw romance, mlm romance, possessed nature (??), CLONES, the list goes on, but the plot was very enjoyable.

i appreciated the multiple POVs but it’s like each time we switched, the thoughts got crazier and crazier like who am i posed to believe?? the whole boarding school scene really amplified the thrill bc where are these kids parents?? thinking they’re safe at school and all these antics are happening.

solid writing, well rounded plot, just a lot of drama & interconnected timelines. 3.5 stars, def recommend!