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!

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!

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!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 ⭐️

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.

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.

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!

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.

4.75 ⭐

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.

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⭐ 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!!

this book is so good and addictive, I love the plot where our main character tries to kill the princ at the academy but then get’s enrolled in the academy itself where she finds out she is a mage as well. I really liked the setting, but that is pretty easy when it’s set at an academy I really like those boos. the romance did move pretty fast I did not mind that because I love them and their banter. and it’s pretty enemies to lovers. the mythology was good maybe would love to see even more in book two. the magic is fun and for me original, love the secret society and the characters themself. maybe I would have liked to see more academy stuff like different classes.

- dark academia
- enemies to lovers
- mythology
- trials
- badass female main character

will post mine other reviews on Monday December 2 of 2024 on instagram and tiktok

When Harry Potter smashes into Percy Jackson and Throne of Glass, you get Academy of Villians. This book was a fantastic introduction to Ever King's fantasy world. There are some normal trope types in the book but also some really unique concepts such as the magic system and settings. Give this book a read!

Dies war das 1. Buch, welches ich von der Autorin gelesen habe. Cover und Klappentext haben mich neugierig gemacht und ich wollte direkt in die Geschichte eintauchen. Da das Buch relativ kurz ist, hatte ich anfangs die Befürchtung, dass eventuell zu viel Inhalt in relativ wenig Zeit gepresst sein könnte und sich die Handlung dadurch sehr schnelllebig anfühlen würde beim Lesen. Dies war jedoch überhaupt nicht der Fall. Ich konnte mich sehr gut in die Geschichte und die Charaktere hineinfühlen und fand den Plot gut ausgebaut. Der Schreibstil ist einfach gehalten und auch die Fantasy- und Mythologie-Aspekte sind so eingebaut, dass ich als Leserin nicht mit Fakten überschüttet wurde. Beide Hauptcharaktere gefielen mir sehr und haben sich gut ergänzt. Der MMC hat mit einem Fluch zu kämpfen, ein Schattenmagier und flirtet neckisch mit Kiara, der FMC - zusammengefasst also alles was ich an MMCs liebe. Was mir besonders gut gefallen hat, war, dass die Autorin Szenen mit viel Spannung und Action so geschrieben hat, dass ich beim Lesen die Emotionen der Charaktere sehr gut mitfühlen konnte und ich das Gefühl hatte Teil der Handlung zu sein. Spice technisch war es ein toller Slow Burn, mit ganz wenig Spice am Schluss, der jedoch nur sehr oberflächlich beschrieben wird. Da wünsche ich mir für die nächsten Bände definitiv Spice Szenen, die mehr ins Detail gehen. Alles in allem fand ich die Geschichte sehr gelungen und freue mich, vor allem nach dem offenen Ende aus Band 1, auf die weiteren Bänder dieser Reihe.

This was the first book I read by Ever King. The beautiful cover and the blurb of the book intrigued me and made me want to read the story immediately. As the book is relatively short, I was initially worried that there might be too much content crammed into a relatively short space of time, which would make the plot feel very fast-paced when reading. This was not the case at all. I was able to empathise with the story and the characters very well and liked how well developed the plot is. The style of writing is kept simple and the fantasy and mythology aspects are included in such a way that I, as a reader, was not overwhelmed with facts. Both main characters are sympathetic and have good chemestry with eachother. The MMC is cursed, a shadowmage and likes to flirt shamelessly with Kiara the FMC - sums up everything I like about MMCs. What I particularly liked was that the author wrote scenes with lots of suspense and action in a way that I could really empathise with the characters' emotions while reading and felt like I was part of the scene. Regarding the spice it is a great slow burn with a little bit of spice at the end which unfortunately is not described in much detail. I would definitely like to see Spice scenes that go into more detail in the next volumes. Overall, I really enjoyed reading the story which left me wanting more at the end. I am looking forward to more Books of this series.

I really enjoyed this book. It is well written and has your attention the whole time. Character development is wonderful & sets up the future of the series nicely.

I really enjoyed this book! I am a big fan of Greek mythology and love how this book is inspired by it. Definitely gives Dark Academia vibes and I thought there was a nice blend of magic, romance, and suspense. Definitely would recommend to fans of the romantasy/fantasy genre!

Magical adventure like no other!

The nameless trained her. Her mission is to kill the Cursed prince, not find a name for herself and explore magic she didn't think she had.
The prince didn't even know he was cursed. When a star mage arrives after many years, his world is turned upside down. Not only is she the complete opposite of everything he was raised to believe, but they have a connection unlike any other. Their heartstrings connect.
Will he hand her over to the King or will he fight for their future with her?

I loved the magic system in this book! and the idea of the star mage! I'm genuinely curious about the world prior to the disappearance of the star mages.

Can't wait to read the rest of the series!

✦ Academy of Villains ✦

A 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮 inspired by the 𝙂𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙈𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮 love story of Nyx and Erebus.

I found this book to be an enchanting, sweet tale that weaves together romance, Greek Myth, magic, and dark fantasy elements anchored by the pursuit to destroy the curse on the Kingdom. The author had me hooked from the first sentence: 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦. I mean!?!

Kiara – not magicborn. Orphaned, captured, and stripped of her name and identity and trained as an assassin for the King’s guard. Book begins with a mission gone wrong, and fate has another plan for her.

Lucian – Crown Prince of Ithaka. Powerful shadowmage with cursed, dark magic.

I just loved the love story between Kiara and Prince Lucian. It wasn’t insta-love, they grew into their bond and trust. Their scenes consisted of chin lifts, one bed, steamy kisses, deadly trials, and great banter. I loved the portrayal of the heartstring bonds; it was magical how the author described them. I could truly picture it. I loved the character growth in the book. Both the FMC and MMC grew individually as well as together. I like that most of the story took place at the magic academy but the story doesn’t focus on the academy aspect too much. The focus is on the bond between our powerful Shadowmage Prince and Starmage FMC. Also, I enjoyed the side characters tremendously.

“𝘒𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘢,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥, “𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

Hidden secrets, powerful spells, revenge, and heartfelt relationships, you would be remiss to not add this one to your tbr!

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of Academy of Villains!

Map: yes!
Pub Date: 15 Oct 2024
Rating: 4.5/5

If you love Zodiac Academy without the spice and Harry Potter then this book is for you.. I loved the way that the characters grow throughout the book and realise that together they're stronger.. doing what they must to save the kingdom from the Curse and finding themselves along the way.. the storyline and the trials were brilliant and I really enjoyed the flow throughout.. I can't wait to find out what comes next..

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

academy of villains by ever king is the first in the fantasy series which is inspired by greek mythology.

this story follows kiara, a nameless assassin with no magic, who has been tasked to infiltrate the magical academy to kill prince lucian whose family is linked to a curse that has plagued the lands that cost her her parents. she detests magic and mages for her loss and wants vengeance. however, in her efforts, she is forced into the mages sorting ceremony at the academy and discovers she is actually a mage herself and one of the most rare mages.

while she keeps her true identity to herself, she is still onto her plan of killing lucian. she learns more about the academy, secret societies, how to wield her magic and finds herself conflicted with not only her mission and her hatred for all things magic but how she feels with her own magic and most importantly, the prince himself.

this story amazed me from the get go. i honestly enjoy fantasy books set in dark, academic settings and throw in some greek mythology for extra layer of intrigue and… just wow. it’s fast paced with an amazing magic system and world building that feels so atmospheric. the trials at the end? on edge the entire time.

kiara is a badass and strong-willed FC despite her tragic backstory which only adds to the layers of her. her indecision mixed in with self discovery was written so well as she learns more about her own magic and how it influences her mission. lucian made me giggle many times with his sarcasm and broodiness. he is intrigued by kiara from the beginning and wants to know who she is and what her intentions are. (bonus points for being a shadowmage). their chemistry was insane as they both juggling their motives and feelings, conflicting at many times. his protectiveness and her learning to accept his help? their back and forth? the development? just chefs kiss. overall, i am obsessed and i need the next one tomorrow.

if you like harry potter, zodiac academy and throne of glass then this book should be on your TBR. !!!