Academy of Villains is a captivating blend of Greek mythology, a perilous magical academy, and a thrilling romance. As soon as I saw it on NetGalley, I was intrigued by its premise and knew I had to read it.
The story follows Kiara, a former assassin with a hidden magical gift, as she infiltrates a dangerous academy to assassinate Prince Lucian. Told through dual POVs, the book offers deep insight into both Kiara and Lucian, revealing their struggles, motivations, and the growing bond between them. With a looming prophecy and their intertwined destinies, the stakes are high as they confront their pasts and work together to save their world.
The immersive world-building brings the academy’s dark and mysterious setting to life, with details like a sentient school and a unique magic system cantered around grimoires. Which I loved. Also, the inclusion of Greek mythology, inspiration from Nyx and Erebus, adds depth, while secret societies and deadly trials create an atmosphere that’s impossible to resist.
Academy of Villains with its dark academia vibes and promising foundation, it’s an exciting start to a thrilling series.

This book was so so good!! I am ready for book 2 now! This book gives you everything you want in the fast-paced magical world. From the first page I was hooked :). I really loved the dynamic of the friendships, the secrets, the magnetic pull between the characters & the academic setting. Academy of Villains gives you strong Harry Potter vibes mixed with dark academia setting, except the students really are trying to kill each other and not only are there houses but secret societies. Aaanndddd enemies to lovers, missing students, deadly trials, elemental magic, cursed kingdom, star & shadow magic, heartbonds, and so so much more. It was every trope I loved wrapped into a book!
Thank you to Netgalley and the author for providing me with an ARC copy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**Academy of Villains** by Ever King is a wild, dark, and thoroughly entertaining ride into a school where the bad guys take center stage. The story follows a group of morally gray (and sometimes downright evil) students training to become the next generation of villains. From scheming classmates to dangerous secrets, the Academy is a place where survival takes cunning, alliances are fragile, and ambition is everything. It’s a mix of dark humor, action, and complex characters that keeps you hooked from the start.

This book is such a fun twist on the typical "hero academy" trope. The world-building is solid, and the characters are flawed but fascinating—you might not root for them, but you’ll definitely want to know what happens next. The pacing is spot-on, with enough twists and tension to keep the pages turning. The interpersonal drama and power struggles between the students are messy in the best way, and the dark, edgy tone makes it stand out.

That said, it’s not perfect. Some of the plot twists are a bit predictable, and there are moments where the story leans a little too hard into its own edginess. But honestly, it’s part of the charm. If you’re into morally gray characters, high-stakes competition, and a story that doesn’t shy away from the dark side, this one’s for you.

**Rating:** ★★★★ (4/5)

*Academy of Villains* is the perfect pick for fans of dark academia, anti-heroes, and a little chaos. It’s sharp, fun, and just twisted enough to leave you wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for an eArc of the book in exchange for a honest, unbiased review.

Dark academia, Greek mythology, an intriguing magic system and a slow-burn romance-- Academy of Villains has it all!

The story was exciting, easy to get into and gave me feelings of both nostalgia and FOMO 😂 Book one of this series was enjoyable and I look forward to seeing where the adventure leads!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for the e-ARC!

Thabk you so much for the arc!
Absolutely loved this book! Was an easy and fast read. The dark fantasy was well written, gave me harry potter vibes turned dark. Definitely recommend it.

The story idea of a cursed royal family set in a magic academy was what intrigued me and the magic system was very interesting. The plot was very creative! I loved that this was very Harry Potter coded.

However, the execution fell a bit flat for me. It lacked a level of depth that kept me in the story and a lot happened quickly without much description, so I had trouble getting to know the main characters past the anger and trauma and frustration from their pasts, and even had trouble picturing them.

We came a long way from the beginning of the book, but it felt a bit like the plot points and twists would fly in out of left field and then get blatantly explained.

It was a good start but felt just ok overall. Probably just not my cup of tea but a decent YA fantasy romance.

Kiara was raised to hate and kill the mages who suppressed the common people. When a job to kill the crown prince leads her into the magical academy, she never suspected that she might have magic too. Can she figure out what is going on, who she can trust, and where this old magic has come from?

This was an interesting re-telling of the myth. I really liked the cast of characters too. Ever King's writing style has a nice ebb and flow. I look forward to reading the next title in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for the ARC!

This story immediately hooked me with its opening, introducing Kiara, our fearless FMC—a “nameless” assassin on a mission to break the kingdom’s curse by killing the Prince. The premise was gripping and pulled me right in.

From there, nothing is as it seems. Kiara’s plan unravels as she discovers hidden truths and is forced to confront the essence of who she truly is.

This book reads like classic YA with closed-door spice (.5 🌶️)—kissing, making out, and some yearning that gives you all the angsty, slow-burn feels. The tension and interactions between Kiara and Prince Lucian were chef’s kiss.

The pacing is quick—while there are many elements and side characters introduced, I feel this is laying the groundwork for future novels and the heartstrings that connect their powers. ✨ I do wish we had more time to explore the dynamic between the FMC and MMC, but the story manages to pack a lot into its pages.

Tropes:
• Academia
• You’re mine
• Enemies to lovers
• Trials
• Shadow daddy vibes
• I’ll burn the world down for her

I’d recommend this to anyone who loves YA with a strong plot and a side of romance. If you enjoy immersive magical worlds, unique magic systems, and Greek mythology influences, this book will be right up your alley. I devoured it in less than 24 hours!

"He was the beast lurking in the shadows, and I was the prey who would fight back."

For a debut author - this was an excellent first book!

The first half really had me. The characters and their backstories are interesting, the magic system is very original and intriguing, what more does a girl want?

For the trope fans:
- enemies to lovers
- knife to the throat (this scene was HOT)
- fated mates (chef's kiss)
- who did this to youuuu
- chosen one (my guilty pleasure🥰)
- secret society (my boy Kaspian >>)
- original magic system!!

There were some ANGSTY scenes thrown in there that I literally wiggled my feet at🤭 I love me a good 'losing control of powers' scene. I also just ADORE her powers, they're so awesome. And the grimoire was a very nice touch.

To be honest, the second part of the book unfortunately didn't grab my attention like the first half did. The enemies to lovers started off well but it got weaker at the end. The pacing also felt a bit off ad then the book was just suddenly over.

Nonetheless, I had a wonderful time reading this book and will most certainly be looking forward to a part 2. Bc you can't just leave me hanging like that, I have QUESTIONS!!

Academy of Villains by @authoreverking had me hooked from the start. The action starts right away, as well as the slow burn between the MCs.

4/5 ⭐️

This book is a YA romantasy story that takes place at a Magic Academy with secret societies, so there are dark academia vibes everywhere.

I loved the banter between the main characters and within the secret society scenes. I chuckled out loud a few times. And even though I was hooked from the start, this is one of those books where you can't put it down after you hit a certain turning point in the plot. My sleep was sacrificed, but it was worth it. I adored the assassin and prince's storyline and was rooting for them the whole time.

I will be impatiently waiting for the next book in the series because I'm officially obsessed with the story.

4.5/5 ⭐️

I absolutely LOVED this book!! Even from chapter one I was hooked!! I'm a sucker for anything Greek mythology so I knew I was gonna love it!!

This story follows Kiara & Lucian who go to a magic academy. Kiara is an assassin from The Nameless, where she grew up learning how to kill & survive. Her assignment was to go to the Academy & assassinate Lucian. As she arrives at the Academy she learns things about magic and mages that she never knew growing up. Quickly she learns things aren't exactly how she was taught & her assignment becomes ... not a priority.

I LOVED the character development between Kiara & Lucian I was rooting for them the wholeeeeee book!! This book made me want to be a mage as well 😂😂

Thank you to Ever King & NetGalley for allowing me to read this book and give an honest opinion! Her second book will be coming out shortly!! ⭐️💛✨

I loved Academy of Villains! While it had Hogwarts vibes and was based on Greek mythology, the plot of this YA romantasy was completely original and kept me hooked.

Kiara is a trained assassin looking to rid the kingdom of its dark curse, which means killing the prince, Lucien. As the academy unveils its secrets, fates will change and fears will be faced.

I requested the ARC to preview it for the library, and I look forward to adding and recommending it to students!

A perfect mix of Harry Potter, dark academia, and Greek mythology. The story and the romance were amazing, and grabbed my attention from the beginning.

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a YA dark academia story!

Overall: 6.5
Plot: 6.5
Characters: 7
Spice: 1
Triggers: 0


Book: Academy of Villains
Series: Academy of Villains, Book 1
Author: Ever King
Completed Series: No
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Format: eBook

Storyline/Plot:
This book is a young adult. There is adventure, young love, and guy squads. I’m sure there will be girl squads in the coming books as well. It’s a Greek mythology retelling, and I like how King tells you a little about Greek mythology at the end of the book. It was also interesting to see a Erebus as a prince instead of a bright character such a Ares or one of the 3 gods' kids. There were a few parts that felt a little jumbled for me, but all and all it was a good read.

Favorite Characters:
Kaspian is my favorite character. He doesn’t get my page time (new phrase?) but I found him to be the one I gravitated towards. He is 100% a rogue in this series and I’m interested to see who he gets paired up with and which god he represents. I’m thinking Ares.

Spice:
This is a fade to black book. A little shadow play and a few make-outs, but nothing beyond that.

Triggers:
Nothing should trigger you. If you have read Harry Potter, you are good.
I will post this on Instagram tomorrow

If you love Dark Academia, Magic, Retelling and all things Trials then this is a book for you! With great world building, storytelling and characters that you fall in love with, this is a book.you won't put down.
The dual POV between Kiara and Lucian brings the story together. The slight hints to Greek myths there but kept open to the reader to interpret.

Hi so this book is one of the most well written greek mythology love story retellings i have ever read. I love Nyx and i have always wanted to see her story well represented in book culture. This book also gave major Harry Potter vibes but from a Slytherin perspective. The slow burn and pacing of the book was immaculate and I would definitely promote this book on my channel

Academy of Villains offers a fast-paced dive into a dark academia setting laced with magic, intrigue, and sizzling tension. Kiara’s journey from assassin to undercover mage at a perilous academy reveals a world of grimoires, secret societies, and shadowy prophecies.

The "enemies-to-lovers" trope sparks early but lacks the depth of slow-burn tension. While the academy setting is intriguing, it falls short of fostering the camaraderie and villainous atmosphere one might expect. The world-building and mythology shine, however, balancing the rushed romance.

A light, engaging read for fans of magical trials, dark secrets, and reluctant partnerships, though it leaves room for more depth in future installments.

First of all, I have to thanks NetGalley, publisher and author for providing me a Arc copy🖤

This book here was undoubtedly an adventure!!! This book was so good, the description of the academy, the description of each thought of the characters, the explanation of this new world is all incredible without a doubt, the author is to be congratulated for this book that captures our attention from the first page.
The romance and tension between Kiara and Lucian is PERFECT!😩
I can't wait for the next book, I highly recommend this book for those who want a book with romance, fantasy with elements of Greek mythology, with twists and turns!!!🖤

Tropes:
Cursed prince x Assassin
Enemies to lovers
Magic academy
Secret society
Greek Mythology Retelling

This book was my perfect mix of Harry Potter /dark academia vibes but with Greek mythology. So if that’s your thing then you must read this! Full of great twists and of course magic!

Perfect YA dark fantasy even though it’s full of villains! Thank you to Net galley and the author for the ARC highly recommended!!

Book title definitely pigued my interest! The blurb about the book sold me on reading the story. I'm a lover of Greek mythology and magic schools.

Largely I think this is a good start in a developing series.The atmosphere was spine chilling at times, we had romance, different magic types, secrets, assassins, cursed kingdom, and good characters.

My favorite Characters were the Twins and Bellatrix, she has a mysterious ambulance
That draws me to her. The male characters were pretty well developed. The FMC needed a little more development and it was a little hard to see her as an assassin at times.

The romance is cute! Its a close door romance that is soft on the "enemies to lovers" trope. I thought MMC and FMC had good tension. I think if the pacing was a little slower I would have felt the yearning between the two I little bit better.

Furthermore, I eagerly anticipate the continuation of this series! I would love to watch these characters and world to grow.

Thank you to the Author! 💜