I am obsessed with death and dark academia, so this book was 100% up my alley. The characters of this book were incredible, and I don't say that very lightly. It's very difficult to juggle a large cast and make them feel distinct from one another without falling into stereotypes or bland cut-outs and I.V. Marie hit the nail on the head. I adored each and every one of them (though Irene is my favorite, sorry). Their growth through the story, though some of their decisions greatly annoyed me, was wonderful to read and I'm really intrigued to see where things go since this is the first in a series.

I really enjoyed this! It’s one of the first YA fantasies I’ve read in a while and it was definitely a breath of fresh air.

I particularly loved Wren and August’s relationship, but I honestly could have done with a bit more longing rather than having the relationship established in the first book. I think having their dynamic set up over a longer period would have added more to the chemistry. I’m not mad about it though! I love a good rivals to lovers relationship.

I’m excited for more world building in the rest of the series, obviously this first book most of the characters were in the dark about the way things worked, but hopefully there’s a bit more lore as things are uncovered.

The plot twist was a little obvious, but I think that just comes from experience with the genre.

Overall, an enjoyable and fast paced read!

⭐️4.5
Thank you NetGalley for sending me this arc!
(spoiler free)

Oh my god. This book. It was absolutely amazing and consumed me in the best ways possible. I.V Marie’s writing style is perfect and the pitch is amazing. (Six DEAD teens competing in a magical school in the afterlife- who wouldn’t like that?) one of my highly anticipated reads and boy it did not disappoint.
This book began as more character driven but then the trials begin and the plot gets intense (understatement). I loved seeing all the characters beginning to put things together as they saw problems appearing in the afterlife.
The six PoVs were amazing. MultiPov can be incredibly hard to write but Marie excecuted it well. I was begging for some of the characters to just kiss.
I absolutely adored Emilio and Olivier. Yes, August and Wren were amazing but these two just made me love this book even more if that’s possible.
I will say there were some things that were a little off- rather than rivals to lovers it was we both like each other but too stubborn to admit it, and one character seemed more like a token, but that’s all.
Olivier and Irene were my favourite characters- Olivier stan forever.
Overall, if you love dark academia, beautiful world building, jaw dropping plot twists and magical competitions you’ve got to preorder this lovely book. 🤍

Thank you to NetGalley and the Delacorte Press publishing team for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I honestly had mixed feelings about this book for the first 80%, but the final 20% had me on the edge of my seat. The beginning hooked me by the end of chapter four, but the middle section slowed down, making it harder to stay engaged. However, the ending made the journey worth it, and now I can't wait for book two.

The story is told in multiple POVs, which added complexity but also left me struggling at times to decide who to trust. Some characters immediately captivated me, while others took longer to connect with. I also have a few predictions about which characters might end up together, which keeps me eagerly anticipating the next installment.

Set in Blackwood Academy, a boarding school on the edge of the afterlife, the plot revolves around the Decennial competition. The stakes are high, as only one student can win the chance to either join the magical elite or cross to the Other Side. The mix of hairpin twists, shocking betrayals, and world-defying love definitely delivered on the promise for fans of The Atlas Six.

Despite the slower pacing in the middle, the atmosphere and the unique premise kept me intrigued. The tension and suspense built up to a thrilling climax that left me wanting more. If you enjoy dark academia with supernatural elements and morally complex characters, this is definitely worth checking out.

I love a fun magic system and this was it! I loved the characters and the storyline of this book. It was so creative and different, and it caught my attention immediately, and the entire time!

A telling of what happens after death. An entire other existence that ends in living for eternity or fading away into the ether. Characters were well written into an interesting storyline.

Oh my gosh. That ending!!!!!
Immortal Consequences is my new YA obsession. I was drawn to this from the day it was announced because the pitch sounded so completely fresh and unique. And I'm excited to say the book delivers!!! It's so, so delicious. I loved the writing and the characters (Irene was my favorite). The plot twists and the last 15% had me at the edge of my seat! I can't wait to read the sequel, because I just know it's going to be BRILLIANT after where we left off with book 1.

Im obsessed with the magic system in this book! The ending of this book...I'm on the edge of my seat for the second book!!!!! Absolutely phenomenal, beyond phenomenal.

I absolutely adored this book. It's been a while since I read a YA book that I liked as much as this one. I love a competition and a school setting. Plus, it has the dark academia vibe that I'm really enjoying right now--and it's well done, which I've found to be lacking in my recent reads. I love the relationship and angst between Wren and August. It's the exact kind of thing that I crave because it makes me feel all the frustration and heartbreak. Emilio and Olivier are also my favorites. I feel like their friendship and relationship is so pure. It has the angst but less of the heartbreak since we know they're both obsessed with each other. The twist was also really good. I was surprised and enjoyed the way everything began to come together. There were some elements that I'm still confused about (i.e. this third group that's just not picking a side? And kind of floating in the middle?), but I'm assuming we'll get some answers in the second book. The cliffhanger did it's job perfectly and left me wanting more.

Side note that I also appreciated the fade to black in this YA book.

Now that my word vomit is done, I have to mention a couple things that bothered me. I didn't mind the multi-POV (even though there was the token character I didn't really care about), but it was clear to me that Wren and August were the authors favorite characters. Maybe that's not true, but it's definitely the vibe. I don't feel like Masika did anything to benefit the plot, tbh, but correct me if I'm wrong. The trials I found to be a bit boring because I kind of didn't know what the actual goal was, but the action was well written and I know that can be difficult for some writers.

I'll likely be pre-ordering this one--and being sad that I have to wait extra long for the second book since I was lucky enough to get the first one as an ARC.

Immortal Consequences
by I. V. Marie
Pub Date: Jul 29 2025


Welcome to Blackwood Academy: the legendary school located on the fringes of the afterlife. Once a pupil enters the academy’s arched gates, there is no way out . . . except for the Decennial, a once-in-a-decade celebration in which a single, worthy student is tested and given a choice: Graduate and join Blackwood’s magical elite, or cross over to the mysterious Other Side.

This time, though, the rules have changed. This Decennial isn’t a celebration—it’s a competition. And there can only be one victor.

Two academic archrivals, whose strange connection blurs the lines between obsession and hate.

One girl driven solely by ambition, and another plagued by memories of the love she lost.

And a charming playboy who never cared for anyone—until he met the academy’s newest student.

Each of these six students has their own motivation to win . . . and their own secret to hide. But what none of them know? They aren’t the only ones playing Blackwood’s game. And if they lose. . . some fates are worse than death.

Immortal Consequences is dark academia at its most intoxicating. The atmosphere drips with tension, the characters are tangled in rivalries and heartbreak, and the twists are as ruthless as the school itself. Every page simmers with secrets, shifting alliances, and a romance that feels both inevitable and impossible. If you love scheming, power plays, and the kind of betrayal that leaves you breathless, this is your next obsession.

hey siri play my tears ricochet and the archer by t swift. Oh and queue up young and beautiful by lana del rey. I’m having a hard time coming up with words for this book. Immortal Consequences is my new favourite fantasy of all time. YUP!!! I want to be buried with this book. I want this entire book tattooed on my body. I want to erase my memory so I can go back and read it all over again. Ok here I go trying to convince you all to add this to your tbr immediately.

“six dead teens attending a magical school in the afterlife… all of them competing for the chance to escape their eternal fate”…. when I read this lil blurb for the first time a couple months ago, immortal consequences immediately became my top anticipated read for 2025. so when Isa (the lovely author of this novel) reached out to send me an arc my heart DROPPED. I was beyond excited.

Upon arriving at Blackwood Academy, you are introduced to Wren, August, Olivier, Emilio, Masika, and Irene who are some of the top students at the Academy. We are graced with all 6 of their POV’s, each one distinct and unforgettable. Each character etches themselves into your very soul. You quickly become invested and transported into their world. Throughout the entirety of the novel it felt like it played like a film in my mind. So atmospheric. So immersive. So cinematic.

I was in constant suspense. Always wondering what was going to happen next. You quickly form attachments to each of these characters that have so much depth and complexities about them that are just so beautifully raw.

If you love rivals to lovers, dark academia, multiple POV’s, found family, longing, captivating writing, that will keep you guessing what will happen next, you need to add this book to your tbr. The fact that this is Isa’s debut novel completely blows me away. The way that her writing made me forget I was even reading was truly outstanding. This book reconfirmed my stance on YA fantasies being the superior fantasies… yup I said what I said.

Pub date: July 29th !

The biggest crime of it all is that I have to wait God only knows how long for book 2….

Fantasy. 6 teens in the after life compete to become part of a powerful committee, hijinks abound. Really interesting concept, too many POVs to keep straight, too much going on.

I don't know that I've ever loved a collection of characters like this since the Harry Potter series released.

I'm in awe of this book. It feels like a story that can live beyond its years.

I have so much praise for this author. So much. Learning her story and how this story came to be was just the start, but when I started reading I was taken to a place I didn't know I needed and that was Blackwood Academy.

Every character in this book held such a deep story and significance. Every. Single. Character. Sometimes you read a book and kinda cling to one character because you see yourself in them or hold the qualities they do, but I found myself in every character. And I never once got disappointed to read a pov. I was always excited.

The way Blackwood is introduced to the reader as well as magical systems, functionality of the world, the decennial, it was all so beautifully written and easily digestable. I never once had to go back and reread something because I was confused.

The rivals to lovers in this book was my favorite that I've read in a very long time.

I love that any intimacy described in the book was just a work of art, tender, breathtaking, emotionally driven. It's the kind of love I love to read. It's real and relatable.

I'm sure I'll think of more wonderful things to say, but for now I'll leave this review where it is. If I could give it 10 stars I would.

Also, I can't decide if I would be placed in Pettyworth or Ivory.

PS- I'm manifesting Instant New York Times Best Seller at release!

Immortal Consequences is a multi pov YA fantasy. It centers around 6 dead teens in the afterlife at Blackwood Academy. They compete in a competition and if they win, they make a once in an eternity choice. They can either it’s over to the other side or Ascend and remain at Blackwood forever. But there are dark forces who are playing the games as well.

I loved this book! Dark academia with fantasy is the perfection combination and I loved it so much. I love the fantasy aspect of this book and I felt like it was very developed. The trials felt high pressure and I could perfectly picture the trials. This world building is so amazing and the lore behind this world is incredible. I am excited to explore the world more! You can tell that so much thought was put into the world building and it wasn’t lacking! The magic system was explained perfectly without being too info dumping and it was integrated well into the story. I just love the world building so much and it was done so beautifully

Multiple pov can be very tricky to pull off. It can be hard to create distinct voices for each character but IV Marie pulled this off perfectly! Each character has their own voice, motives and personalities. A criteria for me is good character creation and this book has it! The characters backstories were detailed and I love learning about the reasons for the character decisions and motives.

Overall I loved the story! Once I started reading I couldn’t put it down. This book was fantastic with great world building and character creation! I can’t wait for the next book and I’m dying to read it! I love the characters, world building, the twists and just everything!

Thank you IV Marie & NetGalley for sending me the advanced reader copy of this fantastic book!

★★★★.75

Thank you so much to PRH and I.V. Marie for the ARC! <3 One of my highly anticipated reads of 2025 and it did NOT disappoint. This book was everything to me... following six dead teens in an afterlife magical school, competing to determine their fates while uncovering the dark truths that surround them? Sign me UP.

The first half was heavily character-driven, but when the competition of the Decennial begins the plot gets intense and the stakes become immeasurably high. Every character has personal reasons for wanting to win, and they'll do anything to win until they learn the truth behind it all. Then they must question everything they've known since being at Blackwood Academy.

I loved having six different POV's and seeing the story told from all different perspectives. The dynamics between them all made the ending hurt that much more. Also the budding romances between some of the characters with the tension, the longing and yearning, omg I was screaming at the pairs to just kiss already.

I kind of put together who the villain was early on in the book, so it wasn't really a surprise during the reveal, but that made the scenes with said villain even more interesting because I was eager to see how the characters would come to realize and find out themselves.

I'll forever be an Olivier and Emilio stan now, same with Wren and August. Masika is my queen and Irene is a total badass.

Immortal Consequences is rightfully pitched as a return to the YA heyday of high-stakes, dark academia, slow burn romance. The cast of multi POVs all worked really well for me, the pacing was tremendously page-turning, and the setting was fully-realized. Cannot wait for book two!!

I wasn't wanting to get into yet another series but Immortal Consequences was too hard to resist with the startling new plot of a boarding school in purgatory where the students compete for a chance to change their fate.. Startling good and full of promise, a definite must read!

School after you kick the bucket? That literally is the definition of purgatory in this new twist on dark academia. Steeped with blood, magic, betrayal, and dark corridors of secrets...this book was a wild ride from cover to cover.

Immortal Consequences has such a fun concept! The idea of purgatory and what happens in the afterlife is really unique and hooked me right away. It had a strong start that pulled me in from the first chapter, but as the story went on, it started to feel a bit scattered.

The book jumps between a lot of different characters’ points of view (I believe 5 or 6), which was both good and bad for me. While this adds depth and nuance, it also made the narrative feel somewhat disjointed at times, as I had to frequently switch gears between characters. I think ultimately this was the downfall for me as I was unable to really connect with all these different voices.

The action scenes were super descriptive and kind of cool. I did feel there lacked clarity in the trials - like things felt "out of the blue" at times. And the thing about being able to feel pain and die again was a bit strange and ultimately pulled me out of the story more than I would have liked. While I understand the concept was needed in a way, to give us suspense and danger, I was just wondering how their organs are still working!? Maybe I'm an over-thinker lol!

That said, I think book two could be exciting! Now that the groundwork is laid, I’m hoping we’ll be able to delve into the depths of the afterlife and all its layers. There’s definitely potential for the series to grow into something really awesome.

Overall, it’s a creative story with some great ideas. If you like stories with a lot of different characters, unique world-building, and cool action scenes, this one's for you!