Thank you for the opportunity to read this for a review.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel this story or writing was for me. I felt the plot was a bit too fast paced for my liking, and as a result I struggled to get invested in the characters and their relationships.

I also think this book is better geared to a younger audience, hence the YA description. As a twenty something year old, this story read too young for me (which is on me for not researching properly). Perhaps the fast pace is better suited for this younger audience.

Thanks again to the author and I wish you all the best with everything.

First thank you to Netgalley and the author for a free copy of this book. I have only a few complaints about the book. Things were sometimes repetitive, especially when it came to the inner dialogue. I also would have liked it if the relationship built up slowly. Everything happened so fast, and all of a sudden, they were in love. I would have liked it to have built up into the second book. Despite all that, I absolutely loved this book. It was a fun read and I couldn't put the book down. I can't wait to finish this story because I need to know what happens next.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7328159834

Academy of Villans is a great start to what promises to be a thrilling series. I loved the world building and suspense. Kiara a former assassin enters a dark magic academy with the mission to kill Prince Lucian. Can’t wait to see where this all goes!

Thank you to Ever King and NetGalley for an eARC of Academy of Villains!

"Curse or no curse, I'll burn the whole world down before I let her fall."

3/5 Stars

The premise of this book is really interesting - while it took a different turn than I thought it would, I still thought the book was an enjoyable read and. I would be interested to read more in the series. I felt like this book was a combination of so many other popular fantasy books. There was a bit of Throne of Glass, a bit of Harry Potter, and ever some Blood and Ash in there, too. While the parallels were there, this book had it's own unique spin.

I enjoyed the concept of secret societies and the scavenger hunt for secret symbols - I wish this had been expanded upon a bit more. We were only really introduced to one secret society but early in the book it seemed like the secret societies were going to play a bigger part in the story.

I enjoyed the cast of characters - particularly Lucian's friends. They provided some intrigue and comedic relief and I am interested to hear more about their story later in the series. While Kiara makes a couple friends the relationships don't seem that close and the friendships she does have seem a bit contentious. I hope this gets built out a bit more as the series develops because otherwise her stay at the academy will be pretty lonely.

I like the enemies to lovers concept for the love story, but I felt like the couple was enemies and all of a sudden they fell for each other. I didn't think there were enough scenes where the couple actually got along or got to know each other before they turned into lovers.

The ending of the book left quite a few plot points open so I am interested to see where this leads in future installments.

Overall, I think the pacing of the book could use some work and the world building for the series should have been spread over a few more books. Despite that, this series has potential and I definitely want to see what Ever King has in store for us with the second book!

Really fun and great concept to it, pacing was a bit weird but overall enjoyed this one!! Excited for the other books!!

I’ll admit, it took me some time to get into Academy of Villains, but once I did I was hooked!
It gives you enemies to lovers, one bed, found family, magic academy, shadow daddy, dark curse, magic trials, fated mates, and unknown/hidden magic!
There is just so much to enjoy and I really liked the characters. I love that Kiara’s development was slow and that they didn't become lovers right away. I loved that she still had doubts and I love that Lucian understood that and stayed by her side anyways and let her make choices.
The world sounds incredible that they are in and it sounds like book 2 will give us even more of a look at the world building!
Academy of Villains is pretty fast paced, there is a lot that happens, but it doesn’t skimp out on anything you need to understand and enjoy the story!

This was a mess. The world building was all over the place. It’s clear the author has a whole lot of ideas but all of them were poorly executed. It felt more like a first draft than a locked and loaded book. There were so many times where I was wondering my if I’d hallucinated while reading. Some prime examples: girl cuts her hand and opens a secret passage; she explains the whole thing to the guy and how she cut her hand; in the next chapter they’re in the secret passage and she’s like woah I know this place and he’s like how and she says “long story”. I’m sorry but you literally just explained this to him. Girl is an assassin sent to kill the prince. She decides to go to the greenhouse to get some poisons and asks the greenhouse attendant to show her poisonous plants and describe how they work. She’d be identified as the assassin in two seconds. It was almost like there was a checklist of things and tropes the author wanted to have in the book and the list got longer as the book was being written. The only reason I’m giving it two stars over one is because I want to find out how the curse gets broken and there were a whole lot of ideas here (too many) even if they were poorly executed.

Enemies to lovers, academia and trials. This fantasy had everything needed to grab the readers attention! The mmc controls shadows and is a broody, mysterious prince. The fmc is an assassin who finds out she has magic when she’s on a mission to kill the prince.

I was obsessed with this book! I couldn’t put it down. The story was fast paced with the characters dealing with trying to overcome a curse.

I liked how the magic system and how they had grimories to access their magic which grew alongside their abilities. Plus the story had hot guys, secret societies and mysteries to uncover.

I’m curious to see how the story unfolded.

Thank you Netgalley and Ever King for the ARC 💕

I would be completely honest and tell you that I had a hard time finishing this book. It's because there are no spacing between the paragraphs 😭 With my poor eyesight, I struggled a lot and it feels like the letters or sentences are crammed together.

The story... The magic system is unique. I have never heard of any fantasy book using grimoire(s). Imagining them using each of their own is so magical. The flow is kinda TOO fast-paced though. It's like your going on a vacation and you want to bring everything with you so just put them all in a single suit case and now your struggling to close it in. I also had a hard time understanding the FMC. As an assassin there's these moments of clumsiness in her part that didn't fit her job description.

But if you're looking for just the VIBES and not the plot, there are a lot of swoon worthy moments written in here that made me kicking my feet and giggling like a lunatic 🤭 Also, perks for putting a reference at the end of the book. I'm not that well-versed in mythologies, so it really is nice to have some kind of explaination at the end in how how things are related in Greek Mythology.

I'm rating this 3.0⭐ There's room for improvements but still a nice read.

Okay I loved this! This was definitely giving dark Harry Potter vibes and the magic system was so unique!
This story follows our mage-hating, assassin FMC Kiara, sent on a mission to end the Cursed Prince, Lucian. But her quest for vengeance quickly becomes a battle for survival, as she gets swept into the Academy of Magic and learns things about herself she never thought possible.
This was a fun read and I loved the enemies to lovers trope!

Academy of Villain is a dark academia filled with mystery and suspense. The world building in this was great and super easy to following. The author did an amazing job with portraying characters and the overall storytelling, it made it seem as if I was really in the book. I’m super excited to see what is to come in the next books in the series

I loved this dark academia, with an assassin GMC, novel! It's based on Greek mythology and drew me in from the very beginning. I loved the characters, the setting, all of it!

If you’re a fan of Greek mythology, dark academia, and fast-paced fantasy with an addictive enemies-to-lovers romance, this book is a must-read! From the very first page, the story pulls you in with its rich worldbuilding, intricate magic system, and compelling characters. Ever King’s writing is enchanting, weaving together a tale that feels like a modern fairy tale while still delivering action, intrigue, and emotional depth.

The story follows Kiara, an assassin who discovers her own magical abilities and becomes entangled in a world of secret societies, a dark and mysterious academy, and a dangerous prince with secrets of his own. The plot is full of twists, and the tension between Kiara and Lucian is palpable—especially with classic tropes like he falls first and enemies to lovers playing out beautifully. There’s also an incredible found family dynamic, high-stakes trials, and layers of mystery that keep you turning the pages.

What sets this book apart from other fantasy academy stories is its balance of action and character development. Kiara and Lucian both undergo significant growth, and the side characters are just as intriguing—I can’t wait to learn more about them in the sequel. Plus, the way mythology is woven into the story adds a unique touch that makes this world feel immersive and distinct.

With its heart-pounding plot, unforgettable characters, and a romance that makes you ache for more, this book is impossible to put down. If you love stories like Harry Potter, Throne of Glass, or anything with dark academia and mythological influences, add this to your shelf immediately.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! I love greek mythology retellings! I was instantly drawn in by the story. It was easy to follow and get hooked on. The characters were amazing and easy to like. Kiara was definitely my favorite character. I am always a huge fan of a badass, assassin FMC.

I cannot wait to read to read more from Ever King! I recommend giving this book a read especially if you love Greek Mythology retellings!





Thank you Ever King for the copy of this book!

I am obsessed with this Greek myth inspired book, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel. It's unputdownable, fast-paced, and full of twists. If I didn't have responsibilities I would have read this book in one day. There's something about a story that makes you forget that you are reading a book, that pulls you into the lives of the characters so thoroughly that you cannot make yourself put the book down, that is unforgettable. This book did just that, making me steal time away to read just one more page, to learn just one more thing. I had to know how this story will end.

"Her presence stirs the darkness within me, the familiar beast lurking beneath the surface, restless and eager for release."

Ever King's writing lures you in with her unique worldbuilding, magic system, the history of her world (that I still want to learn more of), the mythology references, and how the book reads like a fairy tale. And the tropes: enemies to lovers, he falls first, secret societies, a magical academy, and more... Kiara and Lucien had so much growth as the main protagonists, but there were also mention of a few other characters that I would love to learn more about in the next books.

"I'll fight for her, for us, until there's nothing left. Even if it means losing myself in the process. She's worth it."

I am ready to get back to this world immediately when the sequel releases later this year. Greek myth inspired stories have always been a favourite of mine, and this is already becoming a top new read for my Greek shelf!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Author. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I rely enjoyed this book. I am intrigued by the magic systems and the overall vibe of the students are good so far. There isn't any bullying for bullying sake like in other young adult academic books.
There is assassin vibes, found family, magic everywhere, and quick plot points that keep you engaged throughout! I can not wait for book 2! This is an author ill be following from now on

I struggled to read this book. It reminded me a lot of other stories I’ve read and that made it difficult for me to stay in this story. After about 30% in, it was hard to keep focused and I had to force myself to finish it. I don’t think the story itself was bad and I actually think I would really enjoy it as a movie; but reading it just wasn’t for me. Thank you for letting me have early access!!

Academy of Villains: Ever King delivers an engaging YA fantasy with a dual POV that kept me hooked from start to finish. Loosely inspired by Greek mythology, the plot is exciting and full of twists. Kiara, a fierce and resilient fighter, and Lucien, a cursed yet devoted character, share a delicious slow-burn enemies-to-tethered bond that adds depth to their dynamic. The writing style is straightforward, less flowery than I’m used to, but fits the tone of the story. A unique read that I’d highly recommend for YA fantasy fans!

Dark fantasy romance meets magic school for the elite. Say LESS. I enjoyed every single second of this book. Truly. I tried to highlight on my kindle different important/powerful sentences in the book but at the around the 20-25% mark I was too invested to even pause to do that. The writing was superb, I loved every single trope in the book (enemies to lovers but also fated pair was so dreamy!)

Thank you, NetGalley and Ever King for allowing me to read and review this book! I really really enjoyed it!

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.