An Education in Malice by S.T. Gibson
Narrator: Stephanie Cannon
Rating: 3.5
Pub date: 2/13

This dark, gothic tale takes readers into the world of Saint Perpetua's College, where the story seamlessly blends dark academia, enemies-to-lovers, and a Carmilla retelling, along with tales of blood, secrets, and intense rivalries.
As Laura Sheridan arrives at Saint Perpetua's, she becomes entangled in an academic rivalry with the captivating Carmilla. Laura is drawn to Carmilla, but Carmilla is involved with the mysterious poetry professor, De Lafontaine, whose dark obsession with Carmilla becomes apparent right from the start. Themes of power manipulation, toxic learning environments, and codependency are front and center, even when we aren’t sure what’s going on. It’s best to go into this one blind so as not to spoil the surprise.
I’m glad that is a dual POV because I enjoyed getting glimpses into the evolving dynamics of Laura and Carmilla’s rivalry from both their perspectives. It was hard to get a read on Carmilla at first, but once we are in her head, it’s easier to understand her motivations. Her scenes are intense, which adds an element of foreboding as her dark past unfolds. Meanwhile, Laura's assertiveness and determination make her a compelling sparring partner for Carmilla.
I listened to this on audio, and the narrator, Stephanie Cannon, did a fantastic job! You wouldn’t even know it was only one person speaking. She nailed the accents and brought all of the characters to life.
This was a captivating read that kept my interest for the first half of the story but then started to drag. The pacing was slower on purpose, which I wasn’t ready for, and I had a difficult time paying attention.
While I found it to be slow, it delivered on the promise of a gothic dark academia with a nuanced exploration of power, rivalry, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. There are already countless five-star ratings for this one, so check it out if you like:

*dark academia
*sapphic love stories
*taboo relationships (teacher/student)
*academic rivals to lovers

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Redhook for my advanced copy and Hachette Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

An Education in Malice emerges as a compelling dark academia narrative that intricately weaves elements of gothic horror, vampiric allure, and modern romance within the eerie confines of Saint Perpetua's College. S.T. Gibson revitalizes the classic tale of Carmilla with a fresh perspective, offering readers a tantalizing story of rivalry, forbidden desires, and the pursuit of knowledge at a sinister cost. This novel is a must-read for fans who love sapphic romances, blending a rich, atmospheric setting with complex characters and a plot that holds you captive until the very end.

I think it is safe to say that in the last few years I have become a massive fan of dark academia in literature. The reason I point this out is so that I can communicate that the genre as a whole is not new to me, and so that perhaps you might understand my true meaning when I claim that out of all the books of this kind I have read, this feels the most “academic” in its construction.
The majority of the first half of the novel almost exclusively took place in a classroom or lecture setting, with the occasional interlude of private conversation or party. Perhaps I should not be as shocked by this as I am, but I will say it was refreshing to not just be told these women were attending or teaching at a prestigious post-secondary school, but actually be shown it as well. It made the world building feel less intrusive, even when the plot shifted and the more supernatural elements started to leak through.
Admittedly, I have never read Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu, so while An Education in Malice is meant to be a reimagining, that aspect of the novel was lost on me (for now). However, that being said, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything—except maybe some reason for the immediate obsession Laura has with Carmilla. I am unsure, but that part feels like a relic of the original work that while not completely out of place, did sort of pale next to the romantic and emotional progression of all of the characters that occurs later in the novel.
All in all, I found An Education in Malice a well formed and beautifully worded gothic charter of love, obsession, decadence, theology-tinted hedonism, and sapphicism. Certainly a must-read for anyone that doesn’t mind a slower paced mystery-horror plot with a lot of romantic pining and jealousy.

A 1960s version of Carmilla. Laura Sheridan finds herself thrust into an academic rivalry at St. Perpetua's College with the charming and beautiful Carmilla Carnstein. They are both drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, Evelyn De LaFontaine. However, things between Laura and Carmilla take a turn toward romance and they must decide how much they're willing to give to the pursuit of knowledge and the keeping of secrets.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for this e-arc.*

This book was moody and atmospheric and there were parts of it that I just wanted to jump into. The Dante's inferno party! I want every party I go to be like that!

I loved the interludes with characters outside of the main three. They served to develop Laura as a well-rounded character. I would have loved a deeper dive into the relationship between Ms. D and Carmilla.

The ending was equal parts anticlimactic (the resolution of the antagonist seemed rushed) and satisfying (The open-endedness for the characters I loved!). It allowed me to envision a continuation for some of these characters who seemed to have So much more story to give. I hope there's a sequel!

5 stars, would definitely recommend!

4.5/5 Stars

Thank you to Orbit/RedHook Books for providing me with an arc.

I read Dowry of Blood at the end of 2022 and I really enjoyed it. I love S.T. Gibson’s writing style and it so perfectly fits gothic dark academia. This sapphic Carmilla retelling was everything I wanted, I couldn’t put it down and was entranced by the writing.

Laura is trying to survive her first year at Saint Perpetua’s College but she is thrust into an academic rivalry with Carmilla. Together both of them are drawn towards each other and into the confidence of their poetry professor, De Lafontaine. De Lafontaine has a dark obsession with Carmillia and Carmillia is drawn towards both De Lafontaine and Laura in different ways. But when their rivalry grows into something even more passionate they are both drawn into the darkness they never knew existed.

Gibson knows how to write toxic vampire relationships and I love it. If there is one thing I absolutely love it is toxic relationships and breaking free of them. I really liked Laura and Carmilla and enjoyed how their relationship progressed throughout the book. I also liked reading Carmilla’s pov with everything going on in this book. I did wish for a tiny bit more romance in this book but overall I really loved it.

I can’t wait to see what ST Gibson writes next as she quickly has become an instant buy author. I recommend this even if you didn’t like Dowry of Blood, it has similar vibes but it is first person instead of second and is amazing.

An Education in Malice is a dark, tantalizing look into vampires, a bit of dark academia, and a world where teachers are sometimes more than they seem. Thank You to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of such an amazing novel! I leave this review honestly!

Set in the darkness of St. Perpetua's in Massachusetts, this retelling is a dark gripping tale of vampires, enemies to lovers (rivals to lovers) and a tale of sapphic vampires. These vampires/humans make their way through a school year that is filled with competition, poetry (be still my heart!) and a classic story of vampiric power struggles set amidst the secret world they inhabit.

I absolutely adored the story between Carmilla and Laura. Their rivals to lovers story really clicked with me immediately. De Lafontaine wielding her power over them gave an extra level of will they/won't they to the story that really kept me engaged in the book.

I feel like maybe the secret De Lafontaine was seeking could have been fleshed out a little more to make the store a bit richer during world building, but other than that little quirk, I really enjoyed this story and give it 5 stars!

A sapphic dark academia retelling of Carmilla that’s oozing with intrigue and desire. If you’ve read A Dowry of Blood and enjoyed it, you’ll absolutely devour this new novel from S.T. Gibson. Enemies to lovers, ancient vampires, crossover characters, and more. Well worth the read.

It doesn't happen often for me to run after finishing a book at midnight to write a review, yet here I am conflicted. On one side, I realize how silly this story was, except for the spicy part; it read very much like a contemporary YA with elements of magical realism. But for the love of everything that's pink, we are talking vampires! I needed more. I needed deeper relationships. I need more explanation for erratic behavior than just jealousy. A part of it came out very shallow. I think it would come out so much better if we were to change Carmilla's POV to De Lafontaine, who is the driving force of the plot.

On the other hand, there is another side that charmed me with a simple love story between college girls: one who's so lonely and one who's so perfect in everything she does. I know it doesn't sound yummy, but somehow it works. Both of them sank into darkness and had such different perceptions of events.

In the end, it averages out to be a strong 2.5 due to the scale being evened out. I will round it up because of the possibility of characters living in my mind, maybe up to August.

Thank you Redhook Books and NetGalley for this ARC copy!

Heard so many amazing things about this author and was influenced by a friend to read this! This was my first S.T.Gibson and will not be my last. I will definitely be picking up A Dowry of Blood soon!

An Education in Malice is a beautiful, intriguing story filled with complex characters and secrets. The story is told in dual POV, by Laura and Carmilla, both students at the same school. Gibson’s writing is beautiful yet eerie, which sets the vibe of the entire book.

I loved this book. I read a dowry of blood with my bookclub about a year ago and had high expectations for my next read from this author, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint.

I found myself absolutely drawn in by the characters and their ongoing journeys and the writing style was fantastic. I loved the rivals to lovers aspect of Laura and Carmilla’s relationship and the tension was impeccable.

Overall I think this was a great read and I’m incredibly excited to read more fromn S.T. Gibson.

so good!!!!! sapphic, dark academia, and vampires????? sign me UP!!! ST GIBSON THE AUTHOR YOU ARE!! On a real note, this was incredible and so much fun to read. 4.5 stars. The atmosphere was palpable and incredible and I felt so immersed in the story. Recommending to everyone!!!!!! Will be making more TikToks about it but I talked ab it in my January wrap up as well.
So grateful to have been sent this arc.

An Education in Malice is my first novel by ST Gibson, so thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This book is super vibey - dark academia at its finest. The atmosphere is, for me, the highlight of the book. The author does a wonderful job of making you feel the setting, creating an environment where it feels like you are there too.

The plot itself centres on a lot of favourable content - sapphic, enemies to lovers, vampirism, gothic, dark academia. It’s all present, and it’s the makings of a great book, but for me it was really just ‘fine’.

I would give this a solid 3/5 stars.

A retelling of the classic novel Carmilla, An Education in Malice is a sapphic love story dripping in the intoxicating vibes of gothic academia. I found myself immersed in this tale of eternal love, desperation, and the enemies-to-lovers/poetic rivalry between Laura and Carmilla such fun to read.
The trick of the intriguing world of a gothic academia is it can sometimes be more aesthetics than substance, and I found myself yearning for more from the plot. The murders around campus lacked a certain level of suspense, and I found the ending quite conventional for a book that took such risks in other areas. I also felt like we were rushing towards the enemies-to-lovers realization to move forward in the story, where more yearning between the two would have strengthened their relationship even further.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this gory, sometimes explicit, and dark read showing the desperation and fatal attraction that can come from vampire stories. It left me intrigued to read more of S.T. Gibson’s work, and looking forward to diving into the classic novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook Books for the ARC!

4.5 rounded up. I really enjoyed this ARC! I didn't find the prose to be quite as evocative as A Dowry of Blood but the dark academia vibes were immaculate. I enjoyed the academic rivals to lovers plot and the complexity that their competing relationship with their teacher added to that. Speaking of, I did almost wish we could have seen more of Ms De LaFontaine's relationship with her sire - I think a brief flashback or her telling more to Laura and Carmilla could have added a level of emotional impact. That's just getting nitpicky though, I really enjoyed this!

An Education in Malice was a solid 3.5 ⭐️ read for me and my first book by S.T. Gibson. It is a dark academia romance with some *spice*, great academic rivals to lovers vibes, and a secret vampire society.

I wanted more of basically everything! I wanted more between Laura and Carmilla, I wanted more description, I wanted more dialogue and I think I just wanted more plot overall!

I was interested in this sapphic dark academia, but with the teacher angle… I wasn’t too thrilled with it or its conclusion. It could be that the relationship between the three is to emphasized, but I also ended up uninterested in the two students and just wanting the teacher to burn… so I was disappointed in this book

S.T Gibson's writing always pulls me in. This book was a wonderful experience.
The first part is a lot of character introduction and really focuses on making sure you understand their motivations and decisions.
the 2nd part brought a lot of twist and turns and kept me invested till the end.
Also that ending!! My mouth was left gaping open.
Beautiful writing and wonderful prose.


Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

This book has all of the classic benchmarks that define dark academia. Plus vampires? The writing is poetic and luxurious, making you feel with the characters and wonder how far you would go for love. Not for the faint of heart or stomach.

Summary:

Saint Perpetua's College, isolated and ancient, is sequestered in the rolling hills of Massachusetts. When Laura Sheridan, a timid Mississippian, arrives for classes, she is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the effusive Carmilla. Both girls are drawn to their enigmatic poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who has her own dark and illicit obsession with Carmilla. As Carmilla and Laura are constantly pitted against each other, their rivalry becomes more delicious and exciting. Tangled in bloodthirsty competition, Laura and Carmilla must decide what they will sacrifice in their pursuit of knowledge.

Review:

Let's begin with the positives.

Much like in the first book of the series, Gibson's writing is the shining star of the novel. She writes such compelling characters, especially those questioning their sexuality, that they feel so real and tangible. The characters' banter and sexual tension feel appropriate for someone unsure of their sexuality. Secondly, the setting is immaculate and 1000% dark academia. You can picture the demanding poetry course set in Seward Hall with all the feeling of an ancient castle. Lastly, there are moments of simply transcendent prose. While there are many beautiful quotes, my favorite is "You make me into architecture, into a sanctuary of soft and holy spaces." When you read Gibson's writing, there are frankly moments of awe at her finesse and control of words. Metaphors you have never heard. Beautiful descriptions of love and sexuality. She is a stellar writer who holds the power of words in her hands and molds them in new and exciting ways. Her voice is lyrical and mesmerizing.

As a former Twilight stan, I genuinely like vampire books and enjoy reading the debauchery and gore of it all. While not nearly as strong as A Dowry of Blood, Gibson does delve into creating new rules for the vampire world, and I always think that's fun. I mean, there's a reason I've never read Dracula. However, because Gibson is such a talented writer, she offers up the world of vampires on a silver platter, if you will. Even in describing bloodletting and hunting, she excels in writing an almost beautiful moment. Because much of the vampire world is steeped in sexuality, it seems appropriate that even the most disgusting moments would be written with such respect and lyricism.

Now, onto what I didn't like. The novel's plot frankly fails to gain any leverage with rising tension. The first half of this book is extraordinary with dark academic vibes, sexual tension, and uncomfortable, toxic relationships. However, the second half falters and never picks up the pace one would expect in a gothic fiction story. The subplot that's introduced at the midway point is incredibly pointless and boring. Much like a Dowry of Blood, I was reading for the vampiric vibes and sapphic romance of it all. I think if Gibson had continued to simply tell Laura and Carmilla's story, I would have enjoyed it much better. Her writing is exceptional, and she flaunts that in the first half, but the second half fails to develop the characters or the plot any further. I will no doubt continue reading from Gibson, but I hope she takes note and develops deeper plot points.

Overall, I give this novel a 3.5 out of five. Gibson's prose and lyricism saved the novel from a 2.5 rating, but I love her voice so much that I cannot give her lower than a three.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.