*Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the arc copy in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 ⭐ rounded up.

This was different from a lot of things I've read before. I didn't read the blurb for this one. I was drawn in by the cover and the author. The title made me think it would be dark academia, and that was all I needed to know.

I was pleasantly surprised that it was less dark academia and more vampire and sapphic romance. I don't think I have read a vampire book since my Twilight days so when I found out it was a vampire book, I was taken aback. Part of me didn't want to continue purely because it was different than what I was expecting, but since it was one of my most anticipated reads, I kept going. And I am glad I did.

This book focused a lot on the budding rivalry and romance between Carmilla and Laura. I personally enjoy the romance aspects of fantasy novels, but it may help some readers to think of this book as a romance with fantasy subplots.

The characters in the book were so well written. They definitely read as young girls falling hopelessly in love and a controlling, and overbearing professor who is actually quite predatory. I loved Carmilla and Laura together so much. I loathed Professor De Lafontaine (who I ended up calling Del as I was reading because her name was too long for me) and her jealousy of Carmilla and Laura's relationship. Whenever she came around, I would visibly roll my eyes. But I was still so sad for her at the end of the book. I almost feel like while reading the book, she developed some sort of hold on me like she did Carmilla and Laura.

There are a few spicy scenes in the book. I am not one for spice normally, but I thought this spice in this book was very well written. Especially that *public* scene. None of it made me uncomfortable or felt cringeworthy. I enjoyed it.

It does take a bit for the plot of the book to gain traction. It is a lot of worldbuilding for a stand-alone book so I am hoping there is some sort of spin-off book in the future. After the plot does get going, it is still slow and takes a backburner to the romance. Whether or not this is a good thing will entirely be a personal preference; I didn't mind.

I definitely can't wait to see what else this author does in the future!

The way I described this to friends is it's a sapphic If We Were Villains but with a smaller cast of characters who are unhealthily obsessed with each other and poetry, but also there are vampires.

S.T. Gibson is very quickly cementing herself as a must-read author for me. I mean, A Dowry of Blood was incredible. So incredible, that I wasn't sure if she'd be able to replicate such magic again. Well consider me humbled because she did. I could not put this down! The pages were literally flying, it was that compelling. The prose is not as flowery as Dowry but is no less effective for it. The metaphors and introflection that Gibson draws forth are stunning. Like, there's no other word for it.

These characters are messy. The dynamics between the three main players, two of which have POVs, are absolutely fascinating. A professor giving an unhealthy amount of attention to a senior student, that student going out of her way to make a freshman student feel unworthy despite them both being obsessed with each other. Reading about their relationships and how they unfolded is the core appeal of this book and I could not get enough of it.

Thank you very much to Hachette Canada for the early copy!

An Education in Malice promises a dark and delicious rivals-to-lovers with its sapphic retelling of Carmilla.
Set in Saint Perpetua, a selective school for girls, Laura (our mc and aspiring writer) struggles to find her clique. Yet, she becomes obsessed with the poetry professor, De Lafontaine, and of course Carmilla, De Lafontaine’s mysterious and brightest pupil. Laura obsesses over Carmilla: the two quickly (if not instantly) developing into rivals-to-lovers.

The story somewhat delivers its promise of the synopsis, although it lacked plot for a LONG time. I quickly discovered that the showy writing, though beautiful, did not impress me. I do enjoy dark academia and enemies-to-lovers, but the atmosphere here fell flat. Instead, Laura fixates on Carmilla the millisecond she sees her and let’s just say that I have whiplash. After finishing this book, I feel disappointed because I loved the setting at first but Laura and Carmilla were not particularly memorable characters as they had zero personality or chemistry.

An Education in Malice is so familiar to me, and yet so mysterious at the same time.
The pace of the novel is wonderful, and you're gripped very early on.

I was intrigued about the characters and was pulled into their grasp. They were clever, addictive, and yes, malicious.

There is something so sexy about girls being mean and flirtatious in the same breath.

This book was as if Cruel Intentions and Interview with a Vampire were woven together.

I didn't realize that this was a retelling of a movie called Carmilla that was based on a novel, but after reading this, I will look into it more!

The setting was already in a different period but still not modern enough to spoil its intention.

Gothic, female centered academia? Hells yes!

This novel is beautifully written and the love the author clearly has for literature and poetry made me want to join a creative writing class!

i liked this. it might not be for everyone, given the inappropriate professor/student relationships going on in this book, but there is a good list of trigger warnings provided at the start of the book that are super helpful! i was pleased to see that; not many authors provide those sort of things. the prose itself was incredibly pretty, and doesn't everyone like vampires? i'd read more from this author for sure.

S.T. Gibson has a way with words. I could not put this down, and the prose in it sucked me in. The entire story wasn't necessarily for me, but she does a fantastic job of making you feel for her characters. I loved both Laura and Carmilla. It's an exciting take on rivals to lovers.

If you are a Rivals to Lovers or Enemy to Lovers fan, go pick this up. There's a darkness to it but it's still wonderful for a Galentine's Day release.

Meanwhile, De Lafontaine and Carmilla have a special relationship that Carmilla fears losing. Her motivations are so solid and understandable. A young woman who was always sent to boarding school and never got the attention she wanted from her parents. She fights with De Lafontaine as a child fights with her parents to get their attention from a sibling.

Laura is a young freshman from the South and has spent her life hiding her romantic interests; she's always been attracted to other girls but never acted on it because it wasn't ok in the 1960s to be gay. Now, attending an all-girls university, she is forced to look into herself to explore her truth both through poetry and through her rivalry with Carmilla.

Thank you to Redhook Books and NetGalley for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange of my honest review. I’ll start off by saying that it is clear S.T. Gibson is a very poetic writer. Given her popularity, I feel as though this is a case of her writing style simply not being for me. I felt like the story, although technically short, felt like it was taking a long time to progress, and when something finally happened, it fell flat. I did not feel connected to the characters nor to the story. Given I had the same feeling while reading A Dowry of Blood, I don’t think I will be reading any more of her work.

I absolutely loved this book as a Carmilla retelling – it’s dark, gothic, full-on vampiric and unapologetic in its obsession. The dark academia setting gives so much mood to this story and highlights the twisting relationships. I loved the contrast of Carmilla & Laura’s relationship to De LaFontaine & Isis’ past and the full on sapphic nature of this book was amazing.

I found myself at the end of the story wanting to know more – it felt like Carmilla and Laura’s journey had just begun, and we were left to wonder what came next (which I believe was the intent.) This story was a lot of pining and while it fit the mood, I do wish we’d gotten more of the characters being together and explored more of Laura’s potential desires... I wouldn’t mind a sequel at all.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Redhook for an E-ARC copy of this book!

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4
3/5 spice

Tropes:
-dark academia
-rivals to lovers
-uneven power dynamics
-sapphic romance
-LGBT representation
-Carmilla retelling



Thank you to NetGalley and RedHook books for providing me with an e-ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest review.



“If I couldn’t touch her, I would settle for making her squirm.”

Laura and Carmilla are academic rivals vying for the attention and praise of their esteemed poetry professor, Ms. De Lafontaine. The rivalry is teeming with rage, jealousy, and deeply compartmentalized lust and obsession. As a lover of poetry and literature, I was captivated by the academic feud and the visceral obsession with poetry harbored by the main characters. The transition from rivals to lovers was brought to life by the dual POV (I don’t consider this a spoiler because it’s pretty obvious where things are going from the start of the book). I felt quite invested in the rivalry, however, the addition of the paranormal elements were more of a distractor for me. The marriage of the two themes just didn’t work for me. The poetic dreaminess of the story quickly faded about halfway through the book and my enthusiasm for the story tapered off. I struggled with the pacing- languid and unhurried, with sudden disruptions from bouts of drama, sex, or violence. Overall, I enjoyed the story. The fierce fragility of the relationship between the two main characters sustained the story.

Bonus points because I have long since harbored an obsession with Anais Nin.
“I had developed a taste for erotic literature early in my teens, when a well-meaning distant relation had gifted me a copy of Delta of Venus, thinking it to be one of Anaïs Nin’s autobiographical works….Reading those books felt like slipping on a beribboned mask and surrendering myself to the whirl of a hedonistic masquerade, plunging into a world where I was at once at home and a stranger in a strange land.”

4.5 ⭐️

Personally, i liked this book more than A Dowery of Blood, which is hard to say because i absolutely adore that book.
An Education in Malice really brought me into the story right away, and i couldn’t put it down. the entire book was read in 4 hours. Laura and Carmilla were such great characters, and i loved their relationship. De lafontaine was such a interesting character, and i enjoyed learning about her in the small bits i was given throughout the story.
My only grievance with this book is that some parts were a tad bit rushed, but it’s easy to look past.
This is a must read for anyone who loves queer stories. Please read this book. The cover being absolutely gorgeous is a added bonus.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit books for allowing me to read this book early.

‘“There are easier ways to reach out to a lover” she muttered, half to herself as she worked, “than resurrection and murder.”’

First off, thank you @orbitbooks_us and @netgalley for the advanced readers copy of “An Education in Malice” in exchange for an honest review.

Now, this is my type of romance! A dark academia, sapphic, retelling of the vampire classic “Carmilla”, and it’s written by S.T. Gibson, yes please!

So let’s get into it!

What I liked:

1. The story telling and pacing was good. Gibson balanced both nicely and I found it hard to put this book down. I finished it in a couple of days and, if I had time, I probably would have finished it in one.

2. The character development of Laura and Carmilla was well done. The way that their relationship played out wasn’t rushed and felt organic. So often this can feel forced/rushed or even dragged out when it comes to academic rivals but the development of these two characters, both as individuals and peers, was well paced.

3. I really enjoy Gibson’s writing style. Her prose compliment the classics that she draws inspiration from but was not overly flowery, or forced, leaving her work very readable and engaging.

4. I loved the duel points of view from both Laura and Carmilla. It did really add to better understanding both characters and I was evenly engaged with both voices.

Now for what I didn’t like:

1. The side characters and side relationships were not developed enough for me, especially in regards to Laura’s friends. They felt like props and even De Lafontaine, who is a pretty big character, didn’t feel flushed out enough. I needed more depth with her than what was given.

2. Some of the phrases and things the characters said were a little too cliche for me and I did have a few eye roll moments.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and I think a lot of other people will as well. Especially those that enjoy dark academia, romance and vampire novels.

S.T. Gibson's gothic aesthetic is sublime. AN EDUCATION IN MALICE is lush and filled with all of the sexual tension that we've come to expect from her work. Sapphic fans rejoice. That said, the first half of the book is certainly more entertaining and I found the second half and conclusion to be a little underwhelming. There was room for more pages so I found the overall story to be a little underwhelming.

Spicy, dark academia, sapphic, and vampires. Can't say there was much in the way of plot, although I guess there was *some* but this is more of a character-driven novel, and I liked the vibes. Dual POV between Laura and Carmilla.
 
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

AEIM includes:
🩸sapphic vampires
🩸academic rivals to lovers
🩸slight mystery vibes
🩸bloody-good time
🩸character transformations
🩸amazing writing

My brain is filled with a fog of obsession after finishing this enrapturing, titillating, intoxicating, hexing, swoonworthy (in more ways than one), and sensual gothic academia novel involving sapphic vampires.

An Education in Malice focuses on the intense relationships and different power dynamics between Laura, Carmilla, and Ms. De Lafontaine. Laura and Carmilla are rival students in De Lafontaine’s exclusive poetry seminar at Saint Perpetua’s Women’s College in Massachusetts in 1968 and are fighting for the attention of their brilliant, elegant, and tantalizing professor; however, Carmilla and De Lafontaine already seem familiar with each other outside of their professor/student relationship. As Laura becomes closer to Carmilla, she’s drawn into a dark world that a girl from Mississippi aspiring to be one of the first women Episcopal priests could never have imagined, deemed possible, or wanted to be a part of.

S.T. Gibson’s writing in An Education of Malice was so eloquent and lyrical, and it OOZED sex, even at the parts where there was no sex. I felt the contemporaneous feelings of lust, love, intimidation, fear, jealousy, desire, and anger that these characters felt for each other, and I, too, would do anything for De LaFontaine. The different relationships were intriguing in their own way and were all very intense, and the lengths these characters go for love and devotion are just… woah.

Even though it’s only February, I have a feeling that this book will be my favorite of the year, and I’m sure I won’t be able to stop thinking about it.

I have not yet had the pleasure of reading Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, but An Education in Malice seems to be a more modern retelling/reimagining. I would also recommend A Long Time Dead by Samara Berger if you end up enjoying this book.

🫦🚬👩🏻‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏼

This genre of this book would be “gothic dark academia Sapphic vampire enemies-to-lovers paranormal romance,” (GDASVETLPNR, as it were) which if I’m being honest sounds like a punchline. I’ve only read one or two PNRs ever, and not a huge amount of vampire stuff, so I’m hardly a genre expert here. But I burned through this and enjoyed every minute.

There are two protagonists: one, Laura, from a Mississippi backwater, an incoming freshman at a small, prestigious women’s college in Massachusetts. And then there’s Carmilla, a rising senior at the same college. Carmilla has been the favorite in Professor De Lafontaine’s select poetry seminar, but Laura was invited to join (very unusually for a freshman) and the two find themselves competing for Professor De Lafontaine’s rather capricious favor.

Carmilla can’t stand her young upstart rival, and finds her very existence a constant irritation in the back of her mind. She is determined to keep her place as Professor De Lafontaine’s favorite and confidant. Laura, meanwhile, finds Carmilla arrogant, infuriating, and unreasonably attractive. And Laura also wonders at the closeness of the relationship between Carmilla and Professor De Lafontaine; it clearly goes beyond the normal relationship between a teacher and pupil.

This book didn’t particularly catch me by surprise anywhere - it definitely adheres to a bunch of traditional tropes. But it caught me easily and read very quickly. It is rich, atmospheric, fun, and unapologetically smutty. A very enjoyable read.

A great follow up book to A Dowry of Blood. ST Gibson wows again with gorgeous writing . This unique twist on a vampire story is a delight to read and I greatly enjoyed the sapphic romance as well as student/teacher, age gap, and academic rivals dynamics shown in the main relationships.

An Education in Malice is going down in my book hall of fame as a stellar five star read. I knew from the first paragraph that this book wouldn't let me down and I was absolutely correct. S.T. Gibson is a one of a kind mind and is easily becoming a favourite author. I will read everything she writes.
This book was the most perfect blend of dark academia and vampire romance. I actually feel that describing it in terms of those classifiers does the book a disservice, as it is so much more than a collection of trendy book tropes. Dracula and Carmilla are my two favourite classic novels, so naturally I would be excited to read A Dowry of Blood and An Education in Malice. Both books delivered on my every expectation. An Education in Malice beautifully comments on youth and obsession, toxic relationships, breaking cycles of abuse and toxicity. The plot was gripping and tense, and the prose was so absolutely beautiful I had to re-read sentences over and over again so I could bask in them a little longer. The juxtaposition between descriptions of beautiful poetry, people, and settings, and of gruesome, bloody murder were jarring and impactful. The chemistry between Laura and Carmilla was palpable. The character arcs were satisfying and compelling. And of course, the Dowry character cameo was everything.
I am stuck between wanting to shout from the rooftops about how much I adored this story and wanting to horde it for myself in a cave so only I may hold it. Of course I will do the former, and already have. The second this book is in store I am going to brandish it with my staff pick sticker loudly and proudly.

This was a book I was really excited to receive because I’ve been wanting another vampire book for a bit. Sadly, it didn’t work for me as well as I would’ve liked. I didn’t think the book quite lived up to its description and while the title does technically fit, it didn’t give me the visceral feelings I was hoping to have while reading it.

While I really liked the idea of this book and thought it had a strong sense of setting as well as an interesting general outline, I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it had been longer and more in-depth in multiple aspects, especially when it comes to emotions though. I can’t even say I disliked the book because that wouldn’t be true. It’s more of an… ambivalence than anything else. I just didn’t really feel much at all while reading it. We were told regularly what to feel by the characters but I don’t think the feelings of apprehension, of fear, of love and jealousy, actually really came through in the writing.

The only one I could be on board with was the lust. That worked. And I liked the choice of MCs as well. Though I would’ve liked to go more in-depth with their personalities as well, I thought their characteristics in general were great choices for this story.

Gibson definitely chose the components that I would like in a story. She just didn’t dive deeply enough into them for me to enjoy this particular one. I’m eager to give her another try though. Especially with Dowry.

I didn’t realize the sexual elements would be so blatant. I was expecting more subtlety and I’m just not a fan of explicit sexuality in books. I find it super distracting and unnecessary.

I have never read Carmilla but I adored this!! I absolutely loved the writing style and the depth of the characters, it was a very enjoyable time! It did take me a little while to get into the story and I felt as though the ending was simultaneously prolonged and accelerated. Apart from that, I loved it!

(Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.)