Thank you to Netgalley and Redhook Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have heard many good things about this author’s previous books that when I received this e-ARC a set everything aside to dive in. I know this book is based of the classic book Carmilla, I have yet to read that book so I can’t really talk about the similarities and differences of these two books.

First thing I want to mention is the writing. It’s probably the most beautiful writing that I have read in a while. The way both FMC would talk about the other in their POV had me in complete awe. The details were so well that I was able to imagine majority of what was going on in the book.


My only issue with the book is towards the end when they were trying to solve the issue. It felt a bit rushed. And the way

Overall, I enjoyed the book and can’t wait to read more books by this author!

**I received this as an ARC from NetGalley**

3.5 stars

I enjoyed the writing style of the book a lot. The writing was very poetic and had me grasped from the beginning. The dark academia setting is a private all-girls college that holds more secrets than anyone on campus can fathom. The dual POV of the academic rivals is dark, delicious and full of tension.

I think the plot was slightly lacking throughout the book. There are three very important main characters but we only see two POVs. I think the plot could've been developed better if we also were able to read into the thoughts of the Professor, not just the two rival students. There were points where certain decisions were made that kind of left me wondering why.

I really enjoyed the relationships in the book. They were twisted and warped. The lines between lust and infatuation were blurry. It was a sort of love triangle with a power imbalance.

I think the ending was a little lackluster and had me wanting something different for the characters.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I would definitely read other books by the author but I do think this book left me wanting more.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Redhook for an e-arc of An Education in Malice.

I’m going to preface this by saying dark romance books are just not for me, so read this review with that information in mind.

First off, relationships between professors and students always feel icky (which this book succeeded in) and I just did not want to feel that way for the whole book. De Lafontaine still having this obsession for Carmilla even at the end of the book just did not sit well with me. That leads me to the other theme of this book I usually don’t read, which is relationships that feel like obsession, which is what Laura and Carmilla had.

That being said, I did like Laura and Carmilla’s relationship development from academic rivals to friends to lovers (though I wished we could have seen more of them being friends first). Again, their relationship teetering into obsession I could’ve gone without.

While I enjoyed the dark academia vibe of this story and the vampire/supernatural aspect, I would have liked to see more of the school and more intensity to the fact that a vampire was murdering students.

All-in-all I can see people really enjoying this story, but as I said, it just wasn’t for me.

Ok I loved A Dowry of Blood, so I was very excited for this book and wanted to love it too. But ultimately, this story just didn't hit as well for me. I did still enjoy it though, so I think it's 3.5 stars for me.

First off, the writing. I really enjoy S.T. Gibson's writing. The atmosphere she creates and her examination of toxic relationships are done so well that I will continue to read everything she writes.

I didn't really connect with the characters and I'm not a fan of poetry, so I think there was just too much I couldn't get into. But again, I loved the writing so I stuck with it and I'm happy I did.

Thanks to Redhook, S.T. Gibson, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book had immaculate vibes, with a gothic, dark academia setting, an enemies-to-lovers coming of age story, sapphic romance, and of course: vampires. I don't normally like retellings, but I had never read the original, "Carmilla," so I gave it a chance. I can't speak to how the two compare, but the characters in "An Education in Malice" were so compelling and the setting was so enthralling that now I can't wait to read the original just to continue living in this world. It was a quick, light read, without a ton of plot or mystery, but just enough going on to let the characters shine and keep us immersed in this dark, aesthetic setting. The 1960s small town university felt more like a boarding school than a college at times, but I assume the writer aged it up to better fit some of the adult themes. Regardless, it drew me in and made me want more. I immediately bought a copy of S.T. Gibson's "A Dowry of Blood," and if she ever comes out with a sequel to this book (which the ending theoretically left room for), I will be buying it right away.

Incredible writing. The prose is out of this world and gorgeous. I wish there was a longer ending, it felt a little abrupt. But overall a huge fan

Laura Sheridan is a sheltered girl from small-town Mississippi starting her freshman year at St. Perpetua’s College. There she meets Carmilla, a gorgeous but snobby senior whom Laura is immediately taken by. And after discovering they are in the same elite poetry cohort Laura becomes wholly obsessed. Fueled only further by Carmilla’s blatant aversion to her. So when their enigmatic Professor De Lafontaine invites Laura to her and Carmilla’s private lessons she thinks she has found her chance. However, she quickly realizes she may be in over her head.

Carmilla Karnstein is De Lafontaine’s prize pupil, having moved from Austria solely to study under her. So when undeniably talented freshman Laura threatens to take her favor, Carmilla knows she must do whatever she can to stay on top. But it seems the more she tries to push Laura out of her life, the more she digs her heels in. Slowly Carmilla realizes she may have met her match…and she likes it. However, nothing could have prepared them for De Lafontaine's bloody world of secrets, poetry, and murder. Will Carmilla and Laura succumb to the darkness, or is their growing bond enough to keep them in the light? The timeless story of Carmilla gets a brooding sapphic makeover in An Education in Malice.

What a haunting and captivating book. I knew I would love the writing style because I enjoyed S.T. Gibson’s previous work. Plus I loved the original Carmilla, but I did not expect this story to go the way it did. Of course, though, it did not disappoint.

As always S.T. Gibson’s writing on a line level is the highlight. Her utilization of the senses is captivating. And the amount of annotations I have is insane. The way her writing lures you into a false sense of security only to rip it from under you in the same paragraph is perfection. And you feel you are the character as they are so unique and relatable, despite the completely insane contents of the book.

The dual POV is crucial to the story. Seeing the events unfold through Laura and Carmilla’s eyes gave depth and contrast to their characters. Laura’s internal conflict regarding her desire for Carmilla and sexual proclivities fueled her character’s actions. Seeing Carmilla through Laura’s eyes versus Carmilla’s reality gave realism to the story. Not to mention the tension between them was dark academia to a T. I could not tear my eyes away from the page whenever they interacted.

In my opinion, the point of dark academia is a unique style of tension. Where, despite the reader knowing the “climax” there is still much left to uncover. And since this is a retelling many readers are familiar with the general story. However, true to form, the suspense is in how the plot points come to fruition. I can’t reveal much without going into spoiler territory but several plots are running concurrently throughout the story and each one left me stunned.

The multiple storylines keep you on your toes. I loved the contrast of Carmilla and Laura’s relationship with that of their professor. Each of them had a unique experience and being able to see it from both POVs allowed for a buildup of palpable tension. Not to mention the secrets De Lafontaine was keeping from both of them that start to come up around the halfway mark. It completely changes the trajectory of the story from a polyamorous sapphic academia rivalry to a vampy murder mystery with enough spilled blood to last a lifetime.

All in all this Carmilla retelling in a 1950s all-women’s college is a dark must-read. From the body-tingling descriptions to the gasp-worthy plot this book is a great time. Plus you can never go wrong with a plus-size MC. Quick reminder though to please read the trigger warnings!! If you like sapphic vampires and gothic books then this is the book for you. Happy reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for sending this eARC for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Drugs, Kink, Public Sex, Gore, Murder, Uneven Power Dynamics (disclaimer included in the book as well)

For more sapphic reviews follow @the.lebian.library on Instagram, Goodreads, and Tiktok.

An Education in Malice follows the story of Laura, a quiet southern girl, who is new to St. Perpetua's College. There she is propelled into an intense academic rivalry with Carmilla, who happens to be the singular obsession of their poetry prof. De Lafontaine. The three tangle in dark secrets, jealousy and power.

Set in the same world as A Dowry of Blood, I had really high expectations for this story and while I thought the atmosphere was amazing and the prose were beautiful, the characters and plot fell flat for me. The back and forth POVs were so scattered in their feelings it gave me whiplash at times. I LOVE complex characters but this story just didn't deliver that for me. The progression of rivals to lovers was blurry for me at best, I didn't get the tension I craved from a story like this. As for De Lafontaine, there was so much to unpack and explore with her and we barely skimmed the surface. The overall plot was fine, but kind of lackluster for me.
In the end, I think this book has some great moments and was an easy lowstakes read.
I think S.T. Gibson has some beautiful writing and I'm looking forward to Evocation.

Thank you to Redhook Books, Orbit and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. It was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2024.
I want to thank you NetGalley, Redhook Books, and S.T Gibson for the eARC in return for my honest opinion.

I really wanted to love this book. I read 50% of the way and it was a struggle to get through.
Gibson did a wonderful job setting the scene and the crafty word choices to convey a dark academia vibe could definitely be seen. I loved the representation in this novel. It's just that the plot wasn't all there for me to really enjoy. I absolutely love the dark, mysterious, and vampiric elements, but it left me wanting something more from this book.

I loved the dynamic between the two leading ladies, but desired more oomph.

I do look forward to reading more of S.T Gibson, but this book was not it for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Redbook Books for the ARC copy of this book!

This book has so much to offer for fans of dark academia, rivals to lovers, Sapphic romance, and of course vampires!

I really enjoyed everything about this book and my biggest criticism is only that there was not more of it. The story is heavy on vibes and beautiful language set in the world of two rival students competing for the attention of their poetry professor. The book dives right into the rivalry between our dual pov main characters Laura and Carmilla, who love to hate each other to the point of obsession. Their story is tumultuous and beautiful in every way.

The only reason that I did not give this 5 stars is because it left me wanting for more. I feel that the ending could have been more and things were wrapped up a bit too easily. I do feel that it was more of a stylistic choice by the author because even though the characters have to go through so much, their struggles are only a part of the story and not the main focus.

Gibson also did a really good job with writing the dual pov's. No matter when or where I picked up the book I could always tell whos pov we were in because the characters were build so well.

“Everybody’s got a nemesis”.

Laura’s is Carmilla, even though Laura never set out to have a nemesis at all and certainly never meant it to be Carmilla, a girl who burns with incandescence and whom Laura wants with an obscene passion. Every time Carmilla sneers at her Laura only wants to pin her to a wall and see her become pliant.

Carmilla’s nemesis is definitely Laura and she’ll tell you so. Laura’s been her nemesis since the very first evening she walked into Ms. De Lafontaine’s poetry seminar and showed her up. Carmilla’s used to enemies and backstabbing, though. She doesn’t know what to do with, or about, Laura.

And Ms. De Lafontaine? Well, she’s electric, enigmatic, enthralling, and possessive.

These are the most basic facts at the heart of An Education of Malice, and if the book just stopped there I would’ve loved it. But author S. T. Gibson took this concept of power imbalance between a possessive lecturer and her talented poetry students, a needy and obsessive student with no mother and an absentee father, and a earnest but erotic freshman student with a way with words and elevated it. Ms. De Lafonatine becomes a parasite, feeding on the lifeblood and youth of her needy student who longs for a mother figure of any kind. The needy and obsessive Carmilla is pushed and pulled between her admiration and thrall for Ms. De Lafontaine and her passion and fascination for the erotic and earnest Laura. Laura is torn between her all-consuming erotic desire for Carmilla and her pursuit of becoming a member of the Episcopalian clergy. Steadily events spiral and spin out of control.

This book gripped me from page one, with its late 1960s all-women’s small liberal arts college setting (my favorite fashion era, btw), sapphic gothic novella retelling cellular structure, original poetry excerpts, quoted poetry excerpts, and the almost cultish fervor that follows elite lecturers and the most brilliant darlings of smaller college campuses. The word choices are sublime, the imagery is gorgeous, and the sentence structure is immaculate. I enjoyed every single page. Best book I’ve read so far this year.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Dark Academia/Dark Fantasy/Historical Fantasy/Kink Friendly/LGBTQ Fantasy/Sapphic Romance/Vampire Fiction

I read this in ebook and audiobook form as that is ideal for my dyslexia.

ONE OF MY FAVOURITE BOOKS OF ALL TIME. I need this engraved in my skin. I loved it SO much. It was everything I ever dreamed or desired in a book. I cannot get enough. I actually wish I didn’t finish it. I need more now.

I loved a dowry of blood by St . Gibson but an education in malice was a miss for me . It is very trope heavy and there are far too many reminders of this being a retelling for my liking .
Thank you netgalley for the eARc.

I absolutely loved this modern retelling of Carmilla. Dark academia and sapphic vampires? Sign me up. S.T. Gibson's writing is beautiful and lyrical and I didn't want to leave this world. The plot ,the pace, the setting - all perfect.

Thank you to Redhook and NetGalley for the ARC.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

If you are looking for a sapphic, dark-academia, light on gothic horror, quick read, this is your book.

First, I did not know the source material going into reading this book. I'm not sure that this would've impacted my reading experience and I certainly don't think you need to know it to read this. I think the characters were the strongest part of this story and were immediately inviting. There were so many strong characters that I deeply wanted more information on from the beginning. They really drew me in.

While the beginning had a lot of info, the book had quick pacing, that allowed me to tear through the book. I really would have liked a bit more on the horror in this gothic horror. There was also a lot of sexual tension and while it leaned into the romantic aspects of a relationship, I was left wanting more. There were a lot of allusions to this sexual tension and while it sort of paid off eventually, it didn't really deliver all that it was offering earlier in the book.

Overall, a really solid read. I've never read a book that really explored power dynamics in the college setting and I think the author did an impeccable job covering this without romanticizing it. I will always cheer on sapphic love stories and it's so nice to see it in this genre.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

S. T Gibson could publish their grocery list and I would be first in line to enthusiastically read it.

An Education in Malice is a delicious adaptation of the classic Carmilla, starring Laura and the titular Carmilla as academic rivals at an all-girls college. Laura is a first year student at Saint Perpetua’s College, ready to experience a different world than her southern home, and all the firsts that come along with it. She’s immediately captivated by Carmilla, as well as the poetry teacher the girls share. Evelyn De Lafontaine is as beautiful as she is mysterious, and has a whole world to introduce the girls to.
This book is perfect for fans of dark academia, which I definitely am. I recommend checking content warnings before diving in, as it can be quite heavy handed, but I don’t feel it's ever at a disservice to the story.
I love the characterization of Carmilla and Laura, and the cast of characters that help flesh out the world around them. I wanted to be attending school with them, inserting myself into the friend groups and classes and glamor of it all.
I do wish there had been more focus on the development of Carmilla and Laura’s romantic relationship, because I loved the two of them so much, but as the book is not a romance, it’s hard to actually complain about the ‘lack’ of romantic content.
I loved this book so much, I can’t wait to buy a physical copy to share with all of my friends and fellow readers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the eARC!

Thank you Netgalley, Redhook Books, and Hachette Audio for the ARC.
An education in Malice is a sultry and sapphic Dark academia that set in the late 1960s. The story follows 2 FMC’s that attend Saint Perpetua Women’s College in Massachusetts, who gets tangled up with one of their professor who is also a 200 year old vampire.

I had a fantastic time immersion reading. The audio was so fun to listen to. The narrator really brought the characters to life. Very much recommend the audio.

This is my first S.T. Gibson book and I very much enjoy her story telling and can see why everyone loves it. S.T. Gibson’s way of writing romance is beautifully done. She really knows how to transport you right into her world through her writing. Everything flows so smoothly and it makes you feel sexy when you’re listening to the audio. It doesn’t come off as cheesy or cringy which is big bonus points.

I love a romance book that is full of desperation and longing. What would you do for love? Also the dark and mysterious themes in this book had me on a chokehold. I could not stop reading because I was so immersed in the story. But also a little scared at the same time (I don’t like to read gory scenes).

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would definitely recommend to put this on your TBR during the spooky season if you’re someone like me that reads accordingly to the weather and the seasons.

S. T. Gibson does it again. Another retelling of a famous story that focuses on the character development and their desires over the actual act. As a vintage lover, I needed this book considering it was set in the 60's, dark academia, and there was vampires. The dual POV between the two pupils of Professor De Lafontaine demonstrates that love is confusing when it comes to not being accepted by your peers. The dark themes Gibson uses in her story not only touch on what was going on back then, but now as well.

An Education in Malice really brought me into the story, kept me hook. It did end on a note that makes the reader decipher really what happened! I had to go back and reread the last couple of chapters to make sure I read them correctly.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the arc in exhange for an honest review!

S.T. Gibson's way with words continues to amaze me. I started this book last night and in less than 24 hours, I have already finished it. Every time I told myself that I would put it down, I kept saying one more chapter, until I eventually reached the end of the book. Gibson's prose is truly breathtaking and floored me. Their ability to weave words and imagery in a way that feels completely effortless is just astounding and leaves me in awe.

In AN EDUCATION IN MALICE, we follow Laura Sheridan, who has just transferred to Saint Perpetua's College to join Professor De Lafontaine's poetry cohort. There, she meets Carmilla Karnstein, the teacher's favorite, who immediately catches her eye. Just as quickly, when Carmilla feels threatened that Laura will take her place as the class protegee, they become rivals, vying for De Lafontaine's attention and approval. Both girls become increasingly more pulled into their professor's orbit, leading them down paths shrouded in darkness, where they uncover secrets beyond what they believed to be possible.

Much of this book is centered around obsession and idolization and how both can consume one's life, bit by bit. Similar to DOWRY, this novel deals with toxic (and in my opinion, abusive) relationships. The author shows how unbalanced power dynamics, like student-teacher relationships, can easily turn abusive. The way that Gibson showcases mental and emotional abuse, as well as navigating intense moodswings and mind games of an abuser is both chilling and upsetting. It was so mind-boggling seeing how swiftly a character can go from ridiculing and demeaning someone to giving them praise and adoration on the same page. I also appreciate the depiction of how abuse can be a cycle, even unintentionally. Gibson doesn't try to fit these characters into tidy boxes, but instead shows the complexities of being in a toxic relationship and its many nuances.

Despite my genuine love and enjoyment of Gibson's prose, I will say I feel like we never really went deeper than surface level with the three main characters. The characters seemed to have so many interesting layers that were lightly touched on and it was a little disappointing that they weren't delved into more. I particularly had a bit of a problem with the way De Lafontaine and her arc was handled. I also feel that this story should've been longer, to both give more page time to flesh out the characters and their dynamics, as well as the plot. Due to it being on the shorter side, I think the development between Laura and Carmilla was rushed, especially in the shift from rivals to friends. I wish there was a little more time dedicated to building their connection. Despite this book mainly being character focused, I believe the plot was underdeveloped and wish that it leaned more into the mystery and suspense of what was happining in the campus.

Nevertheless, I had such an enjoyable time with this book. Reading this only reaffirmed that I will check out anything S.T. Gibson releases, with pure delight. I will never tire of getting pulled into her lush and intoxicating writing. I am even more excited to pick Evocation soon and to see what Gibson does in the future.