the concept of academy of villains was promising – i enjoyed the magical elements and the shadow daddy vibes, which added a darker allure to the story ✨

however, the romance didn’t quite hit for me. the enemies-to-lovers trope fell flat as he seemed to fall for her way too soon, and i found myself not fully invested in their relationship or rooting for them to end up together 🥹

the pacing was a major struggle

there were moments bogged down with unnecessary details that didn’t add much to the plot, while other parts felt overly rushed—so much happened in the span of days, sometimes within a single chapter, making it hard to stay grounded in the story

that said, the addition of secret societies added intrigue, and the classic one-bed trope with some forced proximity moments was a fun touch

4.75⭐ if you guys know anything about me, its that i LOVE myself a greek retelling and this is no different. im also not someone who can picture books easily in my head as read but this story and these characters came alive as a movie in my head and i devoured this ARC in two days.

just picture this: darker fantasy, antihero MC's, harry potter-esque world building, slow burn fated enemies to lovers, and chosen one FMC. these are the perfect ingredients for a fantasy book.

our FMC is Kiara, an assassin sent to kill Prince Lucian, our MMC (romantic right?) Kiara was such a badass magic warrior girly and seeing her development in her trust in Lucian and her own powers was just 🤌🤌

Prince Lucian... *screams in book boyfriend* your honor I fear I love this man. like how are you a prince of a corrupt kingdom with shadow powers yet also a cutie?? and this man was DOWN BAD for his girl. their relationship and bond was so precious because they are both such complex characters and i just love them.

I don't read fantasy that often but best believe I will be returning for this sequel and I would loveee to read more of the Raven Society boys and their bonds.
this book is criminally underrated and anyone who likes magic and romance should pick this up!!

A huge thank you to NetGalley , the publisher, and Ever King for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Academy of Villains by Ever King grabs your attention right from the first page. This fast-paced, captivating upper YA dark academia novel draws inspiration from the Greek mythology love story of Nyx and Erebus, with plenty of mythological Easter eggs sprinkled throughout.

The story follows Kiara, our fierce female protagonist and an assassin who discovers she is a starmage, gifted with celestial magic. The male lead, Lucian Darking, is the Crown Prince of Ithaka and a shadowmage wielding dark, cursed magic. Their dynamic leans heavily into the Enemies-to-Lovers trope, with Kiara determined to kill Lucian in order to break a dark curse that haunts the Kingdom of Ithaka. However, Lucian is instantly captivated by Kiara, and despite being opposites in almost every way, their connection is undeniable. Without giving too much away, the plot takes us on a thrilling journey as they meet at the Academy and set out to unravel the mystery of the curse.

Academy of Villains offers a darker, grittier take on Harry Potter, combined with the rich, complex world of Greek mythology—a heady and intriguing blend. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and can't wait to dive into the next installment. Below are a few quotes that really resonated with me, giving a taste of the magic and tension you can expect from this book.

“They’re coming for her … And I’ll be damned if they touch her”

“He was the darkness I craved, and I was the light he couldn’t escape”

“Nothing stays the same, not forever. The sea teaches us that. You may think you know the course of your journey, but the current has a way of shifting beneath your feet”

“Sacrifice is often the price of change”

“I won’t let fear or doubt hold me back. I am the one they should fear”

“As long as there’s breath in my body, nothing will touch her. Nothing will take her from me. If she hates me for it, so be it. Curse, or no curse, I’ll burn the whole world down before I let her fall”

“If his love is a curse, I’ll wear it like a crown”

“Loyalty can be a fragile thing easily swayed by ambition and fear”

4.75 ⭐

I loved the concept of mages and the academy followed in the story. It was similar to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with the set up except for the things like the magic systems and the characters being teenagers.

The book is said to be "Nyx and Erebus Greek Mythology Retelling" but I'm not really familiar with that myth so I don't know how in line it was to it. However, the plot had me hooked right from the beginning. The 2nd half of the book gave Reckless vibes which I enjoyed a lot.

At some places, I felt like things weren't explained better, like when Lucian's friends reacted some way to something he said and I didn't get why it was a big thing. Small things like that, which made me want to reread the part to understand better. Other than that, it was a good one. I would very much like to read the next one in the series when it's out.

Academy of Villains - by Ever King

I enjoyed this read, an interesting world full of culture and an interesting new magic system. A packed dark academia fantasy with trials and lessons, this was a great start to the series. I read this in one night and couldn't put it down.

Kiara and Lucien are drawn to each other and I absolutely loved their romance and characters both together and apart. So interested in hearing more about the Raven Society too! The closed door romance was well written and went well with the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.25! Okay, this one was a BIG surprise! The title and cover caught my attention and I’ll be forever grateful because I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. It was such a fun read and it reminded me a lot of the feeling of watching Harry Potter for the first time. I loved the characters, the friendships and especially the romance. I’m a sucker for a well-done enemies-to-lovers and I felt this one nailed it. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to everyone!

Great book with an amazing plot. It’ll keep you hooked from the first page to the last. A must read for lovers of fantasy

There are no heroes in this story'

An assassin sneaks into the castle to try to kill the prince and break the curse upon her people only to stumble into a magical sorting ceremony and discover she has a previously thought extinct type of magic. She accidentally reignites the magical bond of love between two people and finds herself bound to the Prince. The prince and the assassin learn that the only way to break the curse is to pass three trials, but they have to do it together.

Honestly, I feel like this book needs some more editing and development. The story and the premise of the book are great and I think it has real potential, I just didn't really like the writing. The beginning feels like we've jumped in mid series or missed a few chapters at the beginning. The world building is minimal and needs more character backstory or even description. I never really felt like I got to know our characters below a surface level. Why do the secret societies all hate each other and are always fighting? I feel like I'm missing something here. None of this is explained. They're all supposed to be Villains and the bad guy but they steal food to give it to starving children and they're off risking their lives to break a curse? Doesn't sound like bad guy behaviour to me.

There was no happy wrap up at the end of book and no massive cliffhanger either. Both of which I'm okay with. I really liked the secret scrolls - it's giving magical gossip girl and I am absolutely here for it. I wish there had been more 'school' because I'm greedy and the few classes we had just were not enough for me.

Tropes include:
- insta love AND slow burn?
- enemies to lovers but not much of the enemies
- only one bed
- fade to black, no real spice

Enemies to lovers. Fated mates. Elemental magic. Greek Mythology. Trials.

The premise of this hooked me from the get go! It’s giving Harry Potter meets Throne of glass.
The academy setting is really cozy, interesting and nostalgic.
I love the magic system - that the magic chooses you- and that each persons grimoire is uniquely their own and inaccessible to anyone else.
The male friendships within this book are brilliant and I love their interactions as a group.
There’s a lot we discover throughout the book with Kiara and Lucian, as both dismantle the views they had of the world and uniting towards a common goal. As a reader you piece it together at the same time.

There’s an interesting moment where as a reader I questioned whether Kiara’s integrity would be swayed when she realised as a mage she could reap the rewards of the system that tried to destroy her. Similarly Lucien refuses to look the other way once he realises the truth, though he’s not currently impacted by the suffering in his kingdom. Both protagonists continue down the hard path, despite the personal risk. This is always inspiring, in fantasy and in life.

Things that could be improved
- The friendships between the women are less fleshed out. Clearly they’re not as well established (eg length of time) which is fine as Kiara is the new kid on the block. I would’ve loved more details about Octavia and her life.
- Some of the passages are almost “over described” and the internal monologue can sound a little too formal which can pull you out of the plot

Bonus point for
- Bastian, hilarious
- Mavros, who doesn’t love an old man who speaks in riddles?
- some really poignant, hard hitting passages towards the end of the book.
- The questions left unanswered makes me want to read the next instalment immediately!

This book was really good but it definitely felt like the storylines were rushed a bit. I am excited to see how the author continues the stories with new characters but in the same universe.

“In that moment, it hits me - he was the darkness I craved, and I was the light he couldn’t escape.”

This was a magical and fun journey and I found the plot gripping and the writing immersive. The vibes are definitely giving Harry Potter mixed with Zodiac Academy and I loved the unique magic system and well established characters and relationships. The romantic part of the story felt natural and well developed and I loved the enemies to lovers trope. This was very much a fade to black romance but that’s what I expected going in, and it was very tastefully done.

I did find that there were certain parts of the story that felt slightly rushed and could have been further developed, but this didn’t happen often and overall I found the story flowed well and I certainly can’t wait for the next instalment!

Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for the ARC!

This story IMMEDIATELY hits in the ground running from the very first page, jumping straight into the action. While I do adore the wonders of world building, it was refreshing immediately being absorbed into this new, fantastic world.

This has the most immaculate dark academia vibes. Anyone who is a Harry Potter fan will fall in love with this book as it feels very nostalgic with a mature storyline. As a true Hufflepuff, it feels like I am moonlighting as a Slytherin, and it feels delectably naughty.
I will always be a sucker for a dual POV, and I really enjoy that both of our MCs are morally gray. It really adds a new perspective and depth that I don’t often get from the fluffy romances I read.

I admire the strength of Kiara. I will admit though, the whole book does amp her up like she is an exceptional assassin, however, the number of times she was caught, or she was being followed feels like the complete opposite. I still love my girly though.
I was swooning for the mysterious, protective nature of Lucian. I also am obsessed with his Raven boys. Surprisingly, I do think I was more infatuated with Kaspian or Atticus.

I know that the author has stated that this was the first book in the series and that “each book in this dark academia fantasy romance is inspired by a Greek mythology love story. Prepare for hidden secrets, powerful spells, and heartfelt relationships.” That makes me think there will definitely be a story for each Raven boy, and I cannot wait. I am absolutely desperate and completely feral for the next book.

First off, thanks for the ARC!

The cover caught my eye, and then the annotation intrigued me too. It's a cool concept, so keep developing it!

She’s supposed to kill the prince but accidentally ends up in an academy where she discovers she’s a mage. Then she decides to go undercover, but things don't go as planned.

I liked the atmosphere, even though everything seemed to move pretty fast, especially the quick spark between them, despite the slow burn (I love slow-burn relationships, with lots of hate stages). I didn’t really feel the "enemies to lovers" vibe since he felt drawn to her right away, but I was still reading with this face: 😏🤭

I enjoyed the mythology in the story, so that’s a plus.

I also liked that magic comes from grimoires, there are secret societies, and a few hot guys, plus the love ties are a bit unusual.

Unfortunately, by the end, I wasn't really dying to find out what happens next.

I expected to see more of the academy stuff, classes, and teamwork to witness the creation of a family that's not blood-related. There’s a bit of dark academia, but it didn’t give off Harry Potter vibes. Sure, there’s sorting and school stuff, but also it lacked a villainous atmosphere.

- Easy to read
- Academia
- Love connections
- From "gotta kill you" to "you’re mine, I’m yours"
- Trials
- Shadow daddy
🏫🗡❤️‍🔥✨️🌑

3.5/5⭐️
1/5🌶

Fated mates
One bed
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Academy fantasy
Harry Potter vibes

"Love is the frequency of magic."
This story is inspired by the Greek myths of the gods Nyx and Erebus, who were the goddess and god of night and darkness, respectively.
For a first time author, I thought this story was very well done. I enjoyed it, and the story flowed well. I really loved how protective and attached Lucian was to Kiara!
I only have two minor critiques. First, I wish the story had played up Kiara's background as an assassin a bit more. Second, there needed to be willing suspension of disbelief to account for how events in the story played out just perfectly. You know, how things just happen to be in the right place at the right time all the time? I got around it by attributing it to fate.
🌶️/5 just kisses with one fade to black scene.

This book was shockingly good! I chose the book based on the title and cover and boy am I glad I did. This book is for people who like dark academia Romantasy with a magical school and a Greek mythology retelling. It is about an assassin Kiara who has to survive in a dangerous academy and discover it secrets. I plan to pick up the next book as soon as I can and recommend this to everyone.

Read this if you like a dark academy YA romantasy!
A magic schoole with action and adventure - oh and did I mention romance?

This blew me away
A prince with dark powers, an assassin with a lost power, lot of secrets and an epic quest. It's a some what unique magic system with all the academy vibes you need and defently action-packed!
A well written, all comsuming and captivating fantasy world!

This book is giving Harry Potter and Percy Jackson vibes...

Post on IG 14. January 2025 ⭐️

I absolutely loved this book! The tension, twists and turns are everything! I love the romance between Kiara and Lucien and how they get through everything thrown at them together. Every page I turned was full of adventure, romance and friendship and I couldn't stop reading! The adventure is addictive and I found myself wanting to know what happens next after every page. Ever King is a fantastic writer and I cannot wait to read book two!

I would recommend this book to any reader who enjoys romantasy.

Thank you Net Galley, the publisher and Ever King for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I received the arc for Academy of Villains, I was intrigued to jump in as it was described as Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl - and they’re not wrong, in some cases they’re too right.

In the opening of the story we’re following a nameless assassin who’s been sent to unalive the prince, Lucien, but when the assassin arrives at the academy she’s quickly discovered by the Prince and a professor of Herbology… who guides them to a sorting ceremony… it felt a little too similar to Harry Potter in places - Kiara (assassin) and Lucien are are sent on a quest with three trials seems very triwizard tournament to me…

However, the writing was good, Ever King has a lovely style, she’s built a brilliant world and I loved the mage aspect and the different types of magic - I loved the fated mates with heartstrings and the combining of the magic and how it changed Kiara and Luciens magic into something new… I’d have loved to see more of the lore.

There are references to secret societies, I’d like to know more about them too, and how they come into play… and more bubbles, but next time please sign them xoxo 🤣

A good, albeit familiar, romantasy with a touch of spice towards the end.

ACADEMY OF VILLAINS - Ever King

🥷🏻 Kiara es una asesina. Su misión es matar al Príncipe Lucian y liberar al reino de la maldición que lo asola y de la opresión de los Magos. Para ello, se infiltra en la Escuela de Magia y, tras fallar en su propósito, descubre algo increíble. Ella también es una maga, pero de una clase que se creía desaparecida. Una Starmage. Eso hará que se le echen encima las Sociedades Secretas, el Rey Oscuro, más asesinos... y el propio Príncipe Lucian, con quien tendrá que colaborar si quieren sobrevivir en la Academia.🥷🏻

💫 Ever King nos trae un popurrí de elementos de muchas historias, que ha sido capaz de ensamblar bajo la premisa de la Leyenda Griega de Nyx y Erebo (Dioses de la Noche y la Oscuridad). Yo lo llamaría una mezcla de Harry Potter (protagonizada por Slytherin) y Black Clover (por los geniales Grimorios), con enemies to lovers, toques de Gossip Girl, y todo con referencias a la mitología Griega por todas partes. 💫

Mi reseña es gracias a un ARC facilitado por @NetGalley, por cierto.

¿Y qué tal? Pues tiene sus cosas buenas y sus cosas malas, está claro.

✅ La acción es trepidante e incesante. Las peleas de magos, los asesinos, las pruebas la descripión de la magia es BRU-TAL.
❌ Pero también hay que saber manejar los tempos. Y no puede ser que haya tal nivel de intensidad durante el primer tercio del libro. Hay que dejarlo respirar.
✅ Las Sociedades Secretas, en concreto, la Raven Society, que a la vez son los colegas de Lucian, son muy graciosos y a la vez unos cabrones.
❌ Falta un poco de infodump sobre el Worldbuilding. Muchas de las cosas se descubren una vez los personajes han llegado al punto.
✅ La novela está llena de pequeños easter eggs, referencias a otros mitos, a otras obras, y creo que es un homenaje.
❌ Adolece de los clichés típicos de enemies to lovers. Incluso el de "Sólo hay una cama". Pero bueno, sabíamos a lo que veníamos.

Entretenidísima, pero si llega a tener 100 páginas más para gestionar el ritmo, le daba 5 estrellas.

Valoración: 🧙🏻‍♂️🧙🏻‍♂️🧙🏻‍♂️➗ (3 Dumbledores y medio)

The first time I read this author and I did enjoy it. This gave me dark Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl vibes. This does have romance but not smut. It seems to be appropriate for high school age readers as it reads as a younger YA book. The world building and character development were great. I enjoyed the side characters as well. I liked the slow burn between Kiara and Lucian.