3.5 stars.

Academy of Villains is the debut novel of Ever King. A Greek inspired retelling of Nyx and Erebus ignites the mind and imagination with this modern tale. In this story, we follow Kiara and Lucian, one a Prince, and the other, an assassin sent to kill him. But in a twist of Fate, Kiara finds herself with a power she never knew or considered she would ever possess; Magic. With a curse in need of breaking and more challenges than she considered she would face, Kiara sets off on a journey that will leave us with unanswered questions in preparation for the next installment of this series.

Have you ever finished a book and immediately missed it? I’m genuinely sad I had to leave this world and adventure behind! I feel like this is the book I wanted Throne of Glass to be. The magic system was fascinating, the banter is hilarious, the tension is palpable, the side characters are all interesting, and the journey is enthralling. I can’t wait for the next installment!

If you like magic academia, prophecies, assassins, secret societies, cursed kingdoms, enemies to lovers (who are actual enemies), witchcraft, and Greek mythology…run, don’t walk, to add this to your TBR.

Read this book!!! I couldn't put this down. The characters are perfectly written, the development of the two main characters is beautiful. I can't wait for book 2. I love all of the Raven boys. I absolutely loved this book from cover to cover.

This was an engaging and thrilling read that completely draws you into a unique world of magic. I liked the concept of the academy training the different mages in various subjects like battle and magical creatures.

The author does an excellent job of building this world making it feel real and immersive, all the characters are well developed, each with their own distinct personalities and backstories that add depth to the story.

Speaking of characters, my favourite was Kiara, and that might partly be because I have a cat called Kiara 😂 but it’s mainly because I love her strength, determination and courage. She doesn’t back down, even when she feels like she’s at a disadvantage, she powers on like a boss and I LOVED it. Her growth throughout the book is incredible too, going from an assassin thinking she has no magic at all, to suddenly having magic and accept that and grow with her power was amazing to see.

However, the pacing was uneven for me and felt slow. While the detailed world building and character exploration are incredible, there were moments that did feel slow and I wasn’t as invested as I’d like to be. Despite this, the books strengths far outweighs its weaknesses as I still throughly enjoyed it.

Overall, I really liked this book, an amazing fantasy with an incredible concept, if you like books about magic, mages and a slow burn romance (and of course more) you’ll love this.

Thank you for the ARC copy of this book!

I am so happy I got to read this book! The title is what got me, but then reading the blurb made me exited to read it also! However, I do not think (currently) that the title fits with the book... It is an academy of Magic and learning how to harness that magic, but not how to be a villian... There is obviously a lot more to this series still to come as so many questions were left unanswered. But even with them being unanswered, so much happens and the story actually carries on quite well.

I do like the unexpected things that happen throughout the book such as the lifelines pairing them with their perfect match, and her having a thought to be destroyed type of magic. There is so much more to come of this series and I can not wait to dive into the next book!

I’ve been seeing this book floating around social media for a little while and when I seen that there was an opportunity to read this through NetGalley I jumped at the chance.

This is such a fun book with a fun twist on mythology (with an extra helpful little guide at the end if you’re not up to speed like I was).

I really liked the academy setting - I’m a sucker for any academia based plot. A stabby FMC who was trained as an assassin is always a positive addition and then the classic shadow wielding MMC who is starry-eyed over the girl trying to kill him. You really can’t go wrong with all of the above.

The first half of the book I thought did a really good job with the world building. It wasn’t overly complicated, it gave enough information but also showed the reader rather than just including a history lesson.
The second half was quicker, a lot happened in a shorter time period and parts felt slightly rushed.

The side characters I probably could have done without most of them just because we got a lot of information without much content from them but I can see them being more involved as the books progress so I am excited.

Thank you to Ever King and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book free.
This is my honest opinion.

If you were a fan of Harry Potter when you were younger I guarantee that you will love this book! Adademy of Villains has everything from deadly trials and curses to banter and burning sexual tension.

The writing style had me hooked from the start, the world building was intruiging and easy to understand. The romance - closed door - had me kicking my feet and screaming into my pillow.

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Forbidden Love, Fated Bond

I need to know what happens next! Book two cannot come fast enough.

I got this as an arc on Netgalley and it has since come out. This was just not for me. I just didn't understand a whole bunch of stuff, it just didn't get explained very well and I was very confused.

Kiara is an assassin sent after the prince. But she doesn't kill him. She can't. She doesn't want to? Finding herself immersed in the academy with magic she didnt know she has, Kiara is now in a position where she's learning about her magic, and about the Prince.

While she discovers more about herself she also realizes that her magic has implications for all mages, not just her, and it could be both wonderful and catastrophic.

Thank you NetGalley and Ever King for providing me with a copy of Academy of Villains, in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoy dark academia, mixed with YA Romantasy and trials, then this one is for you! I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and found it easy to follow. This story had me hooked from the very start. I was especially fascinated by the unique magic system, with the use of grimoires as a source of magic being such an intriguing concept. I would love to learn more about the characters, especially the boys of the Raven Society and I suspect (and hope) we will in further books.

Overall, I enjoyed this debut and I'm excited to see what the author has in store for the series!

This was a fun and captivating read – I can’t wait for the next book. We meet Kiara, an assassin who tries to take out Prince Lucian, the heir to the throne, to try to break the curse on the kingdom. I love the ties to mythology in the book and the twists/unexpected surprises that Kiara and others face. The story has me hooked and I look forward to seeing how the rest of the series unfolds. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (3.8/5)

Academy of Villains by Ever King is a dark academia fantasy romance that throws together so many tropes, it’s like a bookish bingo card:
• Enemies to lovers
• Assassin x Cursed Prince (aka dark shadow wielder 🙌)
• Magic academy (which includes house sorting!!)
• Secret societies
• Greek mythology infused
• One bed/forced proximity
• Trials
• Fated mates

What I Loved:
The world-building is incredible. Ever King paints such a vivid picture and you're instantly immersed into the rich world and magic system. She's so good and nailing the big, dramatic settings and even the tiny, intricate details are so well done. For a debut author, King shows serious skill in crafting a rich and atmospheric world.

What Didn't Quite Work:
While the world-building is top-notch, the pacing of the story felt off. Some parts dragged on, while other key moments flew by too quickly. The ending especially felt rushed, leaving some plot threads hanging. Honestly, this book might have been better as a duology or trilogy to give everything the space it deserved.

Overall, Academy of Villains is a wild ride full of tropes, magic, and drama. It doesn’t nail everything, but it’s still a fun read with an incredible world and some truly creative ideas. If you’re into dark academia vibes, Greek mythology, and a dash of romance, this one’s worth checking out.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Ever King because I really enjoyed her writing and look forward to reading more of her work!

The concept of Academy of Villains was intriguing - a dark academia fantasy romance with Greek mythology inspiration is right up my alley. The magical elements, secret societies, and the darker tone gave the story some compelling moments.

That said, the romance didn’t fully land for me. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic felt rushed, with the prince falling for the FMC almost instantly, which lessened the tension and made it harder to feel invested in their relationship.

The pacing was another issue. Parts of the story dragged with overly detailed descriptions, while other moments raced by too quickly. Important events were crammed into a short span of time, making it tough to feel grounded in the narrative or connected to the characters’ development.

On the bright side, the secret societies brought a layer of intrigue, and the classic one-bed trope combined with forced proximity moments added a bit of fun to an otherwise dark tale. It was an enjoyable read in parts, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it had the potential to be something much greater.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Loved this read! It was so quick to get into and such an easy world to build around. I really enjoyed Kiara and Lucian’s story. Enemies to lovers.

TROPES:
Cursed prince x assassin
Villain get the girl
Enemies to lovers
Magic academy
Secret society
Greek mythology retelling

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

The Academy of Villains is the perfect stepping stone for any YA reader starting their Romantsy journey. The book had a fun magic system and was set in an Academia setting. There was a little Harry Potter vibes but the magic was different and Harry Potter didn't have little rival gangs. The magic in this book was fun. It showed how cool mages could be with their Grimoire and the powers they could hold and there wasn't a little to the magic.

The love story between our FMC and MMC was nice. It seemed a little rushed to me with no real building behind it besides a heartstring but for a YA book it does make sense and we don't need all the fluffy to get going. It's a slow burn with closed door spice so nothing that a younger reader can't see. The enemies to lovers was interesting too. We could all see where it was going to go but I felt like Kiara kept being hot and cold. One chapter she hated him, wanted to kill him, and the next he was the be all end all and she couldn't cope with parting from Lucian. It felt like there wasn't a true build up to that feeling for her.

Overall the book was good. The action towards the end was enticing and I was interested to see where it ended and we got a HEA sort of out of it.

Thank you to Ever King and the publisher for this ARC cope in exchange for my honest review!

This book was SO FUN to read. It was the exact book I needed for the exact mood I was looking for. If you're looking for a fun, lush, dark and suspenseful academy book this is it!

Ever King’s "Academy of Villains" delivers a thrilling dark fantasy romance with a unique twist, weaving elements of Greek mythology into a magical, high-stakes world. Inspired by the love story of Nyx and Erebus, the novel follows Kiara, a trained assassin with a thirst for vengeance, as she infiltrates a magic academy to assassinate the prince—only to uncover shocking truths about herself and the kingdom she seeks to destroy.

The setting, with its cruel academy and sinister secrets, feels like a blend of "Zodiac Academy"’s darkly competitive atmosphere and the magical intrigue of *Harry Potter*, with the added allure of Greek mythology. Kiara is a fierce, determined protagonist whose discovery of her own magic and reluctant connection to the cursed prince create compelling emotional stakes. The presence of secret societies, magical bonds, and a shadowy headmaster adds layers of suspense that keep readers hooked.

However, the pacing of the story, particularly toward the end, feels rushed. The novel introduces a richly developed world and complex characters, but the conclusion wraps up too quickly, leaving some threads underexplored. Given the depth and potential of the story, it feels like it would have benefited from a duology or trilogy format to fully unpack the rich world-building and character dynamics.

Despite its rushed ending, "Academy of Villains" is an engaging read for fans of dark fantasy romance who enjoy morally complex characters, forbidden love, and mythology-inspired magic. If you’re drawn to stories with a mix of vengeance, love, and destiny, this standalone novel is well worth diving into.

This is an electrifying, fast-paced fantasy that grabs your attention from the first page and doesn’t let go. As the first book in the series I’ve read, I’m thoroughly impressed by the authors storytelling and world-building, and I’m eager to see where this adventure goes next.

The story centers on Kiara, a skilled assassin given the seemingly impossible task of killing the prince. However, her mission takes an unexpected turn when she discovers she has magical abilities—powers she never knew existed. This revelation shifts everything, and she finds herself caught in a dangerous alliance with Prince Lucian, the very person she was sent to kill. Together, they must face a dark force threatening their world, embarking on a high-stakes quest that will test their strength, trust, and loyalties..

Kiara is a standout protagonist tough, resourceful, and deeply human in her flaws, which makes her easy to root for. Her evolving relationship with Prince Lucian adds rich layers to the story, full of tension and chemistry that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. The romance unfolds slowly but feels completely earned, adding emotional depth to an already gripping plot!!

Academy of Villains by Ever King ARC Review

Firstly thank you to the author Ever King and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book as an ARC! This is book 1 for the series, and is a fantastic romantasy read.

This book is a Nyx and Erebus Greek Mythology retelling with unique magic systems, enemies to lovers, fated bonds, hidden magic, self-discovery and so much more. The author has created a gripping world where the morally grey take the centre stage, with beautiful blends of dark academia vibes and a thrilling dose of deception and danger. WIth its captivating plot and flawed characters I was captivated.

The book is set in a vividly imagined academy where students train their magic, compete for power and survival in an unknowingly cruel world. The world-building is rich, with the academy itself feeling like its own character with its secrets and deadly politics that are as compelling as the students that navigate its halls.

The characters shine throughout the story, each one with their own unique struggles and complexity. The main characters' journeys were very compelling, ripe with clever maneuvers, vulnerability and inner conflict that made them relatable despite their morally grey inclinations. The rivalries and alliances between some of the students added a layer of intrigue as no one's true intentions can be trusted completely.

The plot developed at a good pace through most of the book, filled with twists and turns that keep me invested in the story. However towards the end of the book, the plot elements felt slightly rushed or underexplored. This I felt was mostly surrounding the main characters adventure to complete trials, with them being abrupt and under-whelming. I feel as though this would have been better suited to being in the next book in the series, to allow this book to set the foundations of the series.

Academy of Villains is a great read for fans of romantasy, dark academia, morally grey characters and enemies to lovers. The author has written an exhilarating and wildly entertaining tale that has left me eager for the next instalment in the series.

Academy of Villains is a fun YA fantasy adventure. It’s obviously the first in a series, but does not end in a cliffhanger. Kiara is an orphan raised as an assassin for an evil king. Lucian is the prince with the ability to control shadows and is living in the Academy, a school of magic the wealthy families. Kiara, sent to kill the prince, instead discovers her latent magical abilities. This is a fun fast read.