The idea of a dark academia school stuck in purgatory takes a fresh spin on the 'school' trope! The book starts with exciting action of a new soul dropped into the academy using a dark magic, a PERFECT way to grasp any readers attention. It sparked curiosity, giving small pieces of the world that left me wanting to fly through the pages. I also thought the twist of who the new soul actually was was very well done. I hadn't seen it coming!

The biggest thing that took this book down several notches for me were the amount of POVs. There were times when the book felt disjointed by the multitudes of POVs we jumped through. There were various side stories going on where I felt like these challenges they were all facing could have just gone into 2 characters instead of 6. The two distinct POVs for me were Wren and August. I knew their motivations and understood their unique voices, most of the other characters ended up slightly flat.

I also struggled to entirely grasp the magic/rules of the trials. I knew the Ether needed to be fed, but wasn't entirely certain of why? And I was struggling to grasp why they could feel pain during the Decennial. But, these were small things that I could look past to still be engaged in the story.

Ahh, this book was perfection! One of my most anticipated reads of 2025, and I’m beyond grateful to Random House, NetGalley, and I.V. Marie for the ARC—thank you so much!

This dark academia fantasy is set in an academy on the fringes of the afterlife, where six students must compete for a chance to change their fates forever. It’s fast-paced and told from six POVs, which I actually loved!
It felt like stepping into each character’s life and experiencing the world through their eyes. The vibes? Immaculate.
Dark academia, the afterlife, an academy setting—it all creates such a haunting, atmospheric read.
And the author’s descriptions? So vivid, I felt like I was there.

Now, onto the characters. There are six, but my absolute favorites were Wren and August obsessed with them. I also really loved Emilio and Olivier; they were so sweet!
Honestly, every POV was compelling. And the romance? It was everything.
The banter, the yearning, the tension, the swoon worthy moments—you’ll love it.
On top of that, the friendships were both fun and heartwarming!

This book features academia rivals to lovers, one of my all-time favorite tropes, and it was done so well. The tension and banter were top-tier. The writing and world-building? Absolutely captivating—I was completely pulled in. And the magic system? Incredible!

And the plot twists?!! I didn’t see it coming. The ending left me desperate for book two! I’ll definitely be getting a physical copy because this book needs a spot on my shelf! Now, off to make more moodboards for all the characters!

Some of my favorite things: 🤎
⟡ dangerous trials
⟡ dark academia
⟡ six pov
⟡ magical academy in the afterlife
⟡ academia rivals to lovers
⟡ plot twists

4.75 MAYBE 5 stars. WWWWOOOOWWWWWWW!! I devouredddd this. So thoroughly entertaining and written sooooo well! I'd recommend this to anyone. The tension, angst, plot twists, action, everything about this was amazing. Some parts were a little predictable but this was so much fun

4.5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and I. V. Marie for the chance to read this arc.

The story starts off kind of confusing with the multiple POVs, but as the story goes on and you remember which characters are which, it makes more sense.

I really enjoyed the story as a whole and the trials were very interesting. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers, but didn’t really like the miscommunication between the boys, I wish they would have listened and told each other their feelings sooner so we could see more of that relationship blossom.

I’m excited for the next book and to see how every one handles being in the two separate groups.

Wow!!!!! This book had me hooked from the start and I couldn’t stop reading. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time! Blackwood Academy was the coolest setting. I loved the entire concept, loved the multiple POVs, and everything about this. I immediately ordered the hardcover and will be telling everyone to read this book!

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC!

Just wow. The world this book takes place in is different and intriguing. The book follows 6 students at Blackwood Academy in purgatory. So yes all of them are de@d. However, each year there’s this trial at the academy where the very best is picked to participate and if they make it past all 4 trials they essentially graduate from being a student.

The book is in the POV of all 6 students, which at first I didn’t think I was going to enjoy. I really just wanted the POV of the rivals. But then each character really grows on you.

This book was giving me Harry Potter vibes with the academy, trial, and ball (and omg the ball!!), Zodiac Academy vibes with the characters POV and found family, with a dash of Hunger Games. This book was so easy to read to the point that I read it on one sitting on a Sunday.

During the book you know there is something off going on and once you find out it’s like wow wasn’t expecting that. This book just keeps you hooked. It’s also not super heavy on the world building so it made it easy to get into. I really got into once the trials started happened.

And the twists, yes because there’s a few, were amazing! Loved the pacing of the book. Loved the characters. Loved the world! I’m SUPER excited to buy my own copy when it comes out in July. Super sad because the book doesn’t come out until July so who knows when the second one comes out

This was a very young YA fantasy that seems to be setting up a lot for future books, so the ending was slightly unsatisfying. But the concept and the world were very fun and I like the character dynamics.

4.5
Immortal Consequences follows six teenagers who attend Blackwood Academy, a boarding school located in the afterlife, that trains students to wield magic, and reap lost souls. Every decade, one student is selected, and given the decision to either rest their souls by crossing to the other side, or become one of the magical elite of Blackwood. However, this year, tradition is broken with the shocking announcement that a competition will ensue between Blackwood’s finest.
I LOVE the characters and their dynamics so incredibly much, and beg for more of Wren and August. The atmosphere was perfectly eerie, making this the perfect autumnal read. (I also happen to have a billion questions that need answers, and I fear I won’t be able to function until the second book is in my hands.)

This is one of those stories you won’t be able to put down. I loved everything about it!
Immortal Consequences takes place at Blackwood Academy, a school at the edge of the afterlife. The young students, who have been predetermined to attend Blackwood once they die, are taught to master their magic and learn how to guide lost souls.
What you might think is a nice little place to end up actually has some downfalls, if you stay too long you lose all memory of your former life. In order to avoid this happening there is a festival called the Decennial where one student can either choose to “cross over to the other side” (where you put your soul to rest permanently) or become an Ascended. Those of the Ascended are free from their eternal reaping duties and gain all their magical powers.
Immortal Consequences is told through the point of view of six students, all competing to become an Ascended.
The four trials they have to compete in are dangerous, there are lies and betrayal everywhere, enemies become lovers and lovers become enemies. World building is one of the best I’ve experienced, character development also top notch! I felt the betrayal in my soul, like they had betrayed me personally!!
And that ending?!
Miss IV Marie, Ma’am!!! 😲
I need book 2, NOW 😭

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful and while the multiple perspectives initially were confusing, I appreciated the different characters and how they added to the story. The world building was fun and though the book was a bit cliche, I was on the edge of my seat in the end. I predict 'Immortal Consequences' will become a must-read for any YA aficionado, and while that may not be me, I did enjoy it and will definitely be reading the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I feel so honored that I get to be one of the first readers of I. V. Marie’s debut novel! This book had me locked in from start to finish. I’m almost sad that I got to read it so early because now I have to wait even longer before I know what happens next!! Following these characters through this journey was an amazing experience. There were so many familiar elements from the comfort stories of my youth but also a completely new world for me to explore. This book has everything you could want from magic to dark academia to everyone’s favorite enemies to lovers trope! I cannot wait for everyone to read it so I can talk about all of my theories and hopes for the books to come!! Also I’m definitely preordering the physical copy it’s going to be gorgeous 😍

This book!!! I'm calling it now: it's going to be a massive hit among fantasy and romantasy readers and for good reason.

Imagine Nevermore Academy (like in "Wednesday"), but with dead students in purgatory. There’s magic, various houses, and themes of light versus dark and good versus evil, along with delicious, tension-filled yearning between our FMC and MMC, who start as “enemies.” Wink, wink.

The otherworldly dark academia atmosphere and excellent pacing made it hard to put down.

It's worth noting that I'm usually not a fan of books with so many points of view—this one has six—but it was executed so well that it was easy to follow.

This story reminded me of Emily Henry's young adult books. Many people, including myself, adore her romantic comedies, but her early YA works were pure creative magic.

Was it perfect? Not quite (though it was seriously close), but I loved every second of it. Bring on book two!

Thanks to NetGally and Randomhouse for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.25 - Holy crap this was a heck of a debut novel! Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the advanced copy, pub day: July 29th!

Immortal Consequences takes the reader into the world of dark academia at Blackwood Academy, a school in the afterlife that the students cannot escape. Students are tasked with mastering their magic and shepherding lost souls. Their only chance of leaving is by a once-in-a-decade tournament, the Decennial. Except this year, tradition is not what it seems and all is not well at Blackwood Academy.

We follow six students as they are entered into the Decennial tournament. I absolutely loved the multi-POV! The YEARNING and slow-burn tension of a couple of the characters was fantastic. The PLOT TWISTS!!!! My jaw was on the floor and I can't wait to see where everything goes. The magic was so cool and I loved seeing it in action. My only wish for this book was that I wanted more! I wish everything was a little more fleshed out and that we got to spend more time with all the characters. This is a YA novel though so I understand why it wasn't 900 pages but I absolutely would've still devoured this story if it was longer.

⏳ Dark academia
🖤 Magical academy in the afterlife
⏳ Rival classmates
🖤 Six POV
⏳ Tournament and trials
🖤 Tension, slow burn, and YEARNING
⏳ Plot twists
Spice: 🫑 fade to black

This book was INCREDIBLE! I went through every emotion the pacing wasn’t too fast the characters were developed well. I do wish that the order of the chapter repeated like it went Wren, August Irene masika, Olivier, Emilio (or any order) and repeated because sometimes I felt like the amount of pov we got from the characters weren’t equal. But besides that this book was so so good and I need a sequel immediately

first five star of 2025 WHOOOOO!!! I have no words this was exactly what i’ve been needing. everything about this is chef’s kiss (especially august chapters!!!). loved the multiple POV so easy to comprehend and get into. I definitely enjoyed the multiple little romance stories thrown in here ( i have highlighted SO MANY LINES), and all the friendships (and lowkey found family!!). All the plot twist were crazy, especially at the end!!! I am so thankful to have gotten to read a early copy of this it was truly amazing and I CANT WAIT (literally can not wait, i am so upset i have to wait😭😭) for the next book. Again, what an amazing, spectacular, heart wrenching book🥹🥰 i can’t wait to get my physical copy in a few months!!!

Two things I can never resist in books—dark academia and the enemies-to-lovers trope! The moment I spot them, I dive in headfirst, completely ignoring the page count or even the plot. I just know these elements will always provide the kind of entertainment that feeds my soul and makes for an unforgettable reading experience.

Surprisingly, I adored Wren and August’s sizzling chemistry and their thrilling cat-and-mouse game along the fine line between love and hate. But if I had to choose the sweetest couple, Oliver and Emilio stole my heart. Their bond felt more authentic, tender, and deeply touching. Emilio and Masika became my absolute favorite characters—I wish I could wrap them in a protective shield to keep them safe from all harm.

The world-building of the afterlife was absolutely captivating. The story unfolds at an enigmatic boarding school where souls, aged eighteen to nineteen, are trained to become Reapers, guiding the dead to the other side. Each year, one student is chosen to participate in the Decennial—an intense competition featuring four perilous trials. The winner earns the right to ascend and join the magical elite, or they can choose to pass into the afterlife, embracing the unknown.

But this year, everything changes. Instead of selecting just one competitor, the council names twelve students to compete. The reason? The Demon Order is growing stronger, breaking through the academy’s protective spells and infiltrating with spies. When six students witness dark magic taking control of a newcomer, Louise, Headmaster Silas forces them to swear secrecy. But as if that weren’t enough, those same six are thrust into the Decennial, where survival is anything but guaranteed.

Wren is haunted by nightmares and guilt over the accident that led to her death. Determined to redeem herself, she seizes her second chance at Blackwood Academy—only to find herself drawn, like a moth to flame, to August. He’s her greatest rival, her tormentor, and yet… something more. Meanwhile, Emilio longs for the family he left behind, yet he can’t help but fall for sweet, old-soul Oliver, a boy from the 1800s who hides a devastating secret that keeps him from confessing his feelings. Masika, still reeling from betrayal, keeps her own secrets locked away, while Irene, possibly the most ruthless of them all, is determined to win. After years of suffering under her mother’s cruelty, she finally has a taste of power—and her hunger for more may lead her down a dangerous path.

One of them will emerge victorious, claiming a place among the magical elite or choosing the afterlife, as Emilio longs to do. But what happens to the ones who fail? Will they simply return to their old routines—or is the academy hiding something far more sinister? As the Demon Order’s strength continues to rise, threatening to upend the entire afterlife, the trials will test not only their skills but their deepest secrets—some of which have the power to shatter everything they believe in.

Let the trials begin. Who will rise? Who will survive?

Overall, the cliffhanger left me breathless! The fast pacing and addictive chapters make this long read fly by, keeping you entertained every second. I’m rounding my 4.5 stars up to a glowing 5—dark, magical, and utterly thrilling! I can’t wait for the sequel and hope it comes out soon!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Delacorte Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this addictive YA fantasy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC! I would like to state upfront that I did not finish this book at 35% after realizing I was not the intended audience for it.

This book is a dark academia fantasy set in the purgatory where students must compete for the chance to change their fates forever. I was immediately hooked on this summary, and this book is exactly as described: a dangerous competition, a found family where everyone's hiding their own secrets and past, and a dark academia setting that had me wishing I had magical abilities. While I typically love having a whole group of characters to learn about, I think the multiple points of views pulled me out of the story a bit and prevented me from really connecting with any of them, so I couldn't feel like I wanted to root for any of them. I also felt like the writing wasn't what I was expecting, so it was hard for me to want to enjoy reading, although I think for some people, it won't be a problem.

I think the premise of this book is so unique and fun. I enjoyed the setting and there is definitely a lot of action, especially when the competition starts, so there's definitely an audience for this book!

Overall, this book just wasn't for me, however, I do see other readers enjoying it, especially those who love fast-paced competitions, groups of characters coming together when least expected, and learning more about the secrets of all the characters and the setting they're in.

This book was absolutely phenomenal. I am completely obsessed with it. The combination of dark academia, academic rivals to lovers, and the afterlife setting is equally unique and undeniably nostalgic five out of five stars.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The way I devoured this book in two days, should go to show how amazing it is! I could not put it down!

Immortal Consequences follows 6 students who all attend Blackwood Academy, a school for the dead. There is no way to leave Blackwood Academy unless you win the Decennial. The only problem with that? The Decennial only takes place every 10 years. Normally there is one student who is selected to attend the Decennial and prove themselves by winning the trial. Once they win the trial they can either stay in Blackwood the rest of their lives or Ascend. Normally only one student is chosen to be in the Decennial, that is until this year. Each student who is chosen for the Decennial has their own agenda on why they want to win, so who will win this year?

The way this book flowed and you were able to hear all 6 students perspectives was amazing. One thing I love about books is when they give multiple viewpoints. I think that it adds a lot of really important perspectives to each character hearing from all of them. Also, the way in which I.V. Marie is able to make all the stories flow and connect was amazing. I loved the magic system that they had in the book, it felt so new and refreshing.

I loved all the characters in the book, so I can't just talk about one of them. I love how all their stories entwined with each other and the budding romances between different characters. Each character has their secrets that you discover along the way. So, you can't help but root for all of them, but loving the characters made the ending that much harder. The competitions that the students are in are all so original, which is something that I love. I feel like sometimes authors will write books with trials, and they all kinda feel the same, but this feels like nothing I've read before. I.V. Marie was also able to give each character a voice and made them all so different, which can be hard to do. So, needless to say, I can't wait until the next book comes out!

Overall, it was an amazing book and I highly recommend it if you like dark academia fantasy books.

Absolutely Amazing book!
Blackwood Academy is truly Harry Potter meets the afterlife. Houses and magic and gut gripping moments that will make you not want to put this book down.!
I’m not going to describe the book. It’s been done already in the synopsis, but no matter what you’ve read it will not prepare you for what you’re about to read. I truly cannot find the words to express the constant tension this book had on me. I wish I had a physical copy of this book to hold in my hands. On second thought, I probably would’ve dropped it too many times. This book has it all Magic, Afterlife, Death, Life, Monsters, Fear, Excitement., Deception, Friendships, Tears, and Laughter I could go on and on but I won’t just trust me and GET THIS BOOK!!!!
I. V. MARIE. Is definitely an incredible author to watch!! She’s going to be very very popular with great success!
Thank you so much for honoring me with this ARC and I truly cannot wait to hold my own copy!