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.

Such a good story... I loved every single detail in this story... the plot, the characters, wowww!!! I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can.

A sorting ceremony ✅
Harry Potter style school but students and teachers that actually unalive each other ✅
Slow burn ✅

I absolutely loved Academy of Villains. The characters and plot are well written and held me hostage for a weekend.

I need book 2 asap!!

Academy of Villains is if you wanted a slightly darker version of Harry Potter that meets Black Clover. This was giving me major if 'Slytherin were the main point of view versus Gryffindor' vibes. Let’s not forget the nods to the retelling of Nyx and Erebus’ Greek Mythology Love Story. If you’re not fully paying attention you’ll miss many clues. I, however, was just super excited to see this retelling done as Nyx has always been one of my favorite Goddesses.

I did not get bored of this novel and found it evenly paced. There was something new in every chapter which I thought would get overwhelming but I surprisingly did not see it as such. The Bromance is bromancing. The mysteries, the vengeance, and the betrayals were 'yes, thank you'. The romance between our leads is a bit of a slow start but will become more flourished about halfway and I know that might take a bit for some readers to get through but I promise, it’s worth it.

The Raven Society? I hope you all get your own novel.

I’ll be looking forward to book two.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC for an honest review.

This book was a super fun read, like a dangerous Harry Potter meets throne of glass…. But unfortunately it’s fade to black.
It’s definitely more YA centric than adult
The FMC sounds and acts like a teen (she is annoying and wishy washy sometimes)
The MMC sounds and acts like a 30 year old man, so he’s kinda out of place. He’s a little too touch her and die. I’m with you forever. “my life and heart in your hands” for it to feel believable that he’s a teen.

The biggest reason this isn’t a five star is the same reason that I had issues with the first few books in the throne of glass series. The FMC is hyped up as this tough as nails,kill anyone, do anything assassin, but then she’s weak and fumbling through 90% of the book, and basically relies on the men around her to take care of her. There’s only one scene where she isn’t bumbling her way to survival.

The world is also kinda off, or maybe it’s not explained well, I don’t know if they’re going into some sort of space time Vortexx every time they go through these trials, but how are you walking for less than a day and seeing a part of the country you’ve never seen before? You would literally be able to see that from a window of this massive academy.
So it kind of concerns me that all of these characters have no idea that most of the country is in ruins and people are starving and dying, being killed left and right when it’s literally 20 miles away.

I definitely wish we found out more of the back stories, not just of the mains, but the side characters as well.
The idea that the MMC has this strong group of friends around him is really cool, but we know almost nothing about them and how they are related or close to him.
The FMC is starting to have friends, but again we know nothing about them.

The professors definitely remind me of Hogwarts, they can be tough, but they are still supportive of the students learning their magic, and I’m definitely a sucker for a magic Academy! If anything I want more of the magic Academy

The book does and in a cliffhanger, but it’s not an unhinged cliffhanger like iron flame 😂

Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice. .5 🌶️
Humor 😂
Crying ❌
Kicking feet ❌

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

4.5 stars

This gave me dark Harry Potter meets Gossip Girl vibes. I read this in one sitting. The world building and character development were great. I enjoyed the side characters as well. I liked the slow burn between Kiara and Lucian. (Closed door)

I'm hoping there's more because I'd like to see more from the characters and this world!

Ok this met my expectations and the pacing was wonderful, it didn’t mess around one bit.

Kiara is fierce and determined, this character and the plot dynamic really gave me Throne Of Glass vibes which is amazing because I miss the feeling that book gave me.

Lucian is broody and well connected as the prince which also leaves him trusting few people, especially Kiara.

The romance, magic and evil plaguing this realm created some HIGH stakes. I’m so excited to find out more about the magic systems and what it will take to bring the villain of this story down.

Tropes/themes included are: enemies to lovers, curses and greek mythology.

**Academy of Villains** by Ever King is an exciting dark academia fantasy romance with a Greek mythology twist. Following Kiara, a former assassin discovering her magical powers, the story is packed with intrigue, secret societies, and a simmering romance with the cursed prince. With a unique magic system, thrilling twists, and a perfect balance of action and emotion, this is a must-read for fans of mythology and dark, magical worlds!

If you like Harry Potter, Throne of Glass, and Percy Jackson, I think you'll like this.

I truly did love the story, which is why I'm giving it a 4. However, I do think this book needed more world building and that it was slightly underdeveloped. It felt a little rushed and the exposition throughout was more like temporary patches to help things make sense. Overall, it just needed more detail and probably about 100 more pages