Thank you to Netgalley and Ever King for the ARC of this book.

Holy cow, I loved this book. I read it in 1 day, barely able to put it down. The magic, the world, the mythology weaved within, and the overall storyline, it was all amazing. Kiara is an assassin sent to kill the Prince to break a curse on the kingsom. Lucian is the Prince, who quickly becomes obsessed with her. As they face-off with each other time and time again, her magic fully awakens. She finds out she's fated to the Prince, and they must find a way to break the curse that holds the kingdom hostage.
This story captivated me. I really hope book 2 can do the same. I'm already on edge for it.


Some tropes to expect:
Enemies to lovers
Fade to black romance (one time)
Very YA friendly
Curses
Mythology woven in

3.75 and in my opinion, a great start for a new series.

I enjoyed Academy of Villains and found it to be a fun and engaging read. The storyline had a familiar feel, blending a darker, grittier Harry Potter vibe with a fierce female main character reminiscent of Aelin from Throne of Glass. If you’re into secret societies, grimoires, and a magic system brimming with potential, this book will be right up your alley.

It did take me a little time to adjust to the characters, but I noticed the writing improved and became less repetitive as the story progressed, which kept me hooked. Without giving away spoilers, the setting changes almost made it feel like I was reading two books in one, and I’m excited to see how the next installment ties everything together.

While we got a glimpse into the academy itself, I’m hoping future books delve deeper into the secret societies and expand on the setting we’ve only begun exploring. I’m also intrigued by the character development and can’t wait to see what roles the side characters—who played prominent parts in this book—will have in the overarching storyline.

Overall, this was a great start to the series, and I’m looking forward to what’s next!

First thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for giving me this ARC!!

Oh my gosh.. so is just something about an assassin sent to do harm that makes me want to read… idk.. This story follows Kiara who accidentally becomes a student at the Academy. This story is very fast paced. Kiara is a strong FMC and is able to handle huge challenges. I love the power that she holds. Lucian is fascinated by her from the very beginning. I did feel like in the beginning there were a few holes that were missing, for example what is this Raven Society? But when it stated what the purpose of it is, I was ohh that’s a cute name for that.

Starmages and Shadowmages - a dance of power, a magnetic pull .. sounds like mates? Or just me? Okay. But it definitely explains the initial fascination. Kiara being the strong FMC awakens the “Heartstrings”. Probably one of my favorite parts of this book.

I don’t know what it is .. or maybe it was how he was introduced but I absolutely loved Kaspian. He had the bad boy vibes. There are few plot twist that had me shook. The curse was explained so well.. it had me hooked. Lucian and Kiara are a strong couple and I loved reading how their magic works in sync together. Overall a recommended read. - review on IG coming soon!!

Academy of Villains by Ever King completely swept me off my feet!

It’s a dark academia fantasy with all the elements I love: morally gray characters, forbidden romance, and a touch of mythology. The story follows Kiara, a former assassin sent to infiltrate a magic academy to kill the prince. But, of course, nothing goes as planned. She discovers her own hidden powers and starts to unravel secrets about herself—and the prince—that complicate everything.

What stood out to me the most was the atmosphere. The academy is so vividly described that I could almost feel the chill of its ancient halls and hear the whispers of magic in the air. Kiara is such a fierce, layered protagonist, and her chemistry with the prince is *chef’s kiss*. Their relationship is full of tension, banter, and just the right amount of angst.

That said, there were moments where the pacing felt a little uneven—some parts flew by too quickly while others lingered longer than necessary. And while Kiara and the prince are wonderfully fleshed out, I wish some of the side characters had been given more depth. Still, those are minor gripes compared to how much I enjoyed this book.

If you’re into dark academia vibes mixed with dangerous magic, morally complex characters, and a slow-burn romance that’ll leave you swooning, this one’s for you. It’s definitely one of those books that stays with you after you finish it—and I can’t wait to see where Ever King takes this series next!

I was kindly gifted an ARC copy of the academy of villains by author Ever King, which is something I will forever be grateful for. What initially drew me into the book was the cover of the book, it gave me Slytherin vibes which I totally love as a huge harry potter fan. The dark and mysterious aesthetic definitely piqued my interest right from the start.

The story also revolves around an academy for mages where students are taught to harness and control their magical powers, all while living comfortable lives. In stark contrast, the mundane—people without magic—are oppressed and treated unfairly. The tension between these two groups creates a compelling backdrop for the story, filled with power struggles and intriguing moral dilemmas.

It follows Kiara, a skilled assassin working for the King, who is tasked with killing the prince—a powerful mage. To carry out her mission, she is sent to the academy, only to discover that she, too, is a mage.

The characters were good, with Bastian, Lucian, and Kiara being my favorites. I really enjoyed the dual POVs from Kiara and Lucian—dual POVs are my favorite!
The plot was meant to be an enemies-to-lovers story, but it didn’t quite feel that way. It seemed more like Lucian fell for her first, and his feelings grew stronger, which I still liked. However, I do wish there had been a bit more banter between the two characters. I wish I got to know more about the characters, I did learn about their background but I wish I got to learn about them more as people especially Lucian's group of friends.

The book was incredibly nostalgic, giving off strong Harry Potter vibes, especially from Slytherin House, which I absolutely loved. It made me really happy (I'm a Hufflepuff, by the way!).

So, my final rating would be 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

Since this is the first book in the series, I understand that some things take time to develop, but I'm definitely excited for the second book. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next and to read more from Ever King.

Thank you again for the amazing opportunity to review and read this book!

GUYS. I really wanted to love Academy of Villains, but… this one just didn’t work for me. I’m actually so frustrated because the concept? AMAZING. Assassins, forbidden magic, secret societies—like, HOW could this go wrong? But unfortunately, it didn’t deliver, and I’m left feeling kind of meh about the whole thing.

Let’s start with the romance. It’s enemies-to-lovers, but barely. Like, I’m all for some angst and slow-burn tension, but this? It was so rushed that I couldn’t even feel the enemies part. He was into her immediately, and it made their whole dynamic fall flat. Where’s the hatred? The banter? The spark that makes me SCREAM? It just wasn’t there.

The plot… oof. It was predictable to the point where I was rolling my eyes at some of the “twists.” And the academy setting? Completely wasted. You tell me “dark academia,” and I’m expecting scheming, morally gray characters, and ALL the vibes. Instead, it felt surface-level, like the world was barely developed. I wanted so much more.

And don’t even get me started on the pacing—it was ALL over the place. Some parts dragged, while others rushed through important moments that deserved more attention. It felt like the story didn’t know what it wanted to be.

The writing? Honestly, not great. Repetitive, unsophisticated, and it felt like the author didn’t trust the reader to pick up on things without spelling them out. It just didn’t feel polished or engaging, which made it hard to stay invested.

I will say, the premise was solid, and there were a few moments that had potential. But overall, it felt like a rough draft rather than a finished book.

Would I read the sequel? Honestly, probably not. There’s potential here, but it needs a lot of work to bring it to life.

If you’re into:
✧ Assassin FMC (but don’t expect much depth)
✧ A super light enemies-to-lovers (if you squint)
✧ Forbidden magic

…maybe give it a try, but personally, this one missed the mark. 2/5 stars.

This book was so magical. I absolutely loved it. I couldn’t put it down Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this

Such an interesting story, it’s been a while since I’ve read something that had my attention but this book was everything!
I’m so excited to learn more about the heartstrings and to find out what happens next.
I absolutely adored our main characters and how they overcame their differences and fears for the greater good.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Ever King has the ability to put you in a whole new world and make you want to not stop reading. This was a dark academia themed romantasy filled with Mythology. I thought it was well written and plotted out. I was hooked from the beginning. I definitely recommend this book to the fantasy/Mythology/romantasy readers out there. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Ever King

It was definitely a cute story. I am unfamiliar with the Greek mythology story this is based on. It was giving harry potter vibes but then it got very interesting. I thought it was a bit predictable and the FMC was strong at first and then it was really just the MMC protecting her the entire time. I feel like everything moved so fast that I just couldn’t really connect with them. I think I’ll read the next book maybe.

Kiara is an assassin tasked with killing the prince of her kingdom. She must enter the magic academy the prince attends and complete her kill, but instead finds herself entering the academy with magical abilities she was previously unaware of. Kiara believes she can end the curse on the kingdom by completing her task.
In a magical academy setting, with games and trials and secret societies, there is plenty to love about this story. Kiara is headstrong and struggles with the introduction to her magical abilities as a rare and powerful mage. She has to integrate into the school and form relationships, and trust her new friend Octavia to help her through classes.
Lucian, the cursed prince, learns about more about the kingdom and non magical people from Kiara, who has grown up away from mages and high society. Though he is privileged and powerful, he shows he is so much more than that.
The minor characters in this story were vibrant, whether the spoilt students challenging Kiara’s right to be there, the professors who make an example of her, Lucian’s friends or Octavia supporting Kiara.
The plot was well structured, though I’m not familiar with the story of Nyx and Erebus to know whether this aligns closely to it. I loved the trials toward the end of the story.
I enjoyed this story and will definitely keep an eye out for the next book in the series, and future releases from Ever King.

If you’ve ever wished for a grown-up version of Harry Potter with a dark, twisted edge and a true enemies-to-lovers romance, Academy of Villains is your answer. I was hooked from start to finish. Slytherin girls, this is your moment, line up, because this book is your next obsession.

With morally gray characters, a razor-sharp plot, and a deliciously tense romance, it delivers everything you didn’t know you needed in a dark academia fantasy. Trust me, you’ll be spellbound. I’m already counting down the days until my inevitable reread!

As someone who is not a big fantasy reader, I really enjoyed this book! The magic system was really easy to understand and I liked how within the boom if there were unique words to this fantasy world in the text it would explain what it was. The angst and the romance were great aspects without being super overpowering to the main plotline. I do wish there was more dialogue over descriptions (personal preference) there were paragraphs where my eyes glazed over like details that could be done without. I still do not really understand the title connection if I am being perfectly honest I thought it would click as I was reading but it never did, but maybe I am just dense.

Thank you for the eARC! I really enjoyed this book! The plot was very interesting and kept me engaged. I would recommend to other romantasy readers! It does hold up to the throne of glass meets Harry Potter description!

This was so unexpectedly awesome! I am a huge fan of dark academia, dark fantasy, romantacy. This delivered in all genres. The magic, the romance burn, and the suspense were all really well done. Once I picked it up I kept wanting to come back to it. I also loved the mythos that was sprinkled in for those of us that are fans of Greek mythology.

Tropes I loved were: enemies to lovers, touch her and die, shadow daddy says so, slow burn.

Very well done Ever! I can't wait to read the next one.

I liked the concept of a magic academy and a girl who’s out of place with a prince love interest! However, it was very quick paced especially in the beginning few chapters and also it was very very similar to Harry’s potter with one of the characters even being called Bellatrix!

Overall I did enjoy reading this book but it felt quite rushed and familiar <3

Thank you Netgalley and Ever King for this Arc.

****This was such ana amazing read****

***Enemies to lovers***

***One bed***
***Harry Potter and Greek mythology vibes****

Kiara is sent to kill the Prince but there is more to the story that she soon finds out.

I am so excited to read the next book!!!

****A MUST READ****

Absolutely loved this! The world building was a little difficult to get into, but once I did I couldn't put it down. The characters are so real and compelling, especially because of their flaws! I recommend this book if you love dark fantasy and morally grey characters :)

DNF'd at 35%

I really thought I'd like this book based off of the summary but I had two main issues with it.

Firstly, it reminded me too much of the Harry Potter series. One of the reviews did mention Slytherin but I didn't think it would be so on the nose. The school has four houses. They have classes like Herbology, Care of Magical Beasts, History of Magic, and so on.

Secondly, there seemed to be little to no logic behind the characters' decisions. For example:

- On the first day, the 'Battle Magic' professor has students fighting with magic, though some of the students were just accepted the night before and don't know how to use magic. When Kiara is made to battle a student, she ends up knocking the student out physically with her grimoire. Instead of her being reprimanded, the professor just chuckles.

- During Care of Magical Beasts, it's mentioned that multiple students have died during the class. There seem to be no safety measures in place, as on their first day, they're asked to capture creatures that can paralyze and kill them (though, we never see the aftermath of that. Kiara goes off into the woods to find one, gets distracted by another assassin that sneaks onto the schoolgrounds, and then is called by the professor telling her that class is over and that they're going back to the school).

- Lucian, the love interest finds out fairly on that Kiara is planning on killing him. Instead of being worried, he plans a dinner?? Seriously, he sneaks into the kitchens and waits for her to come to kill him in his sleep. Then, after her attempt fails, he doesn't tell anyone that there's an assassin at the school??? His friends literally only know because one of them overheard her talking about killing Lucian.

- For some reason, despite that being one of two of their interactions, he is obsessed with her, calling her beautiful and the like. She's somewhat the same; though she still wants to kill him, she blushes around him and feels fluttery feelings in her chest.

- Kiara TELLS the Headmaster that she's a part of a group of assassins. He doesn't really do anything about this.

- Kiara decides to poison Lucian, and asks a random girl at the greenhouse for advice on an 'assignment'. The school apparently has multiple plants that can kill its students, and the random girl is all too easily convinced into telling this new student all about them.

I'm not sure if the book gets any better from here, but this is around where I stopped. I was interested in the different types of magic (Starmage, Shadowmage, Firemage, etc) but it wasn't enough to keep me interested. It also wasn't really explained how the students are sorted into the four houses, though it may be explained later on.

I absolutely adored Kiara! She is a strong, capable FMC that does not need saving. In fact she is likely to save you.
Lucian was an enjoyable MMC, he surprised me on a few occasions.
I enjoyed the Greek mythology references and similarities throughout.
The plot is fast paced and keeps the story moving forward and your interest peaked.
The villian in the story is truly someone you are on board with hating and want to see taken down.
I liked that the story kept me guessing and I was constantly trying to work out the clues and call what was going to happen with the information we are given.
I am definitely looking forward to book 2.