Actual rating: 3.5/5 .


I'm a simple girl - I see 'sapphic' 'dark academia' and 'vampires' together and I'm going to read that book no questions asked. Throw in the fact that it's written by S.T. Gibson, who wrote "A Dowry of Blood" and it sounded like a recipe for success.
And it was, for the most part. I honestly can't say what I didn't like about this book, because there isn't really anything about this book that I strongly disliked. I simply don't have any strong emotions towards it, positive or negative.
I will say that the tension between all 3 characters was really great, and I enjoyed reading about it. the sort of toxic obsessive relationship between Carmilla and De Lafontaine was intriguing and hard to read at the same time. There were times I loved the professor, and times where I wanted to reach into the book and strangle her.
This is definitely a character driven novel, with very little plot. And that is okay for me, as long as I love the characters or at least care about them, but I didn't really feel too much for them or feel attached to them in any way, and I think that's where it felt short for me. For a book to get 5 stars, I need to be deeply attached to those characters - I need to cry when they cry, smile when they smile. I need to deeply feel things with them.
Overall, I did really enjoy this book, just not as much as I may have liked to. I still would recommend this to people who love dark academia novels, and Gibson's previous work.

Gonna preface this by saying I've never read Carmilla and am not familiar with the story other than it has to do with vampires, so this is more or less a fresh read for me.

An Education in Malice is the first of S.T. Gibson's works I've read. A Dowry of Blood is praised so much that I was really looking forward to reading it. The writing did not disappoint. S.T. Gibson has a really beautiful and immerse prose. This book was all atmosphere--good atmosphere--but lacked in plot/character development. The tension between Carmilla and Laura was done fairly well, but the jump from hate to love felt rushed. I'd also would've liked so much more from Carmilla and De Lefontaine. The fact that Carmilla gets left in the dark so much is meant to build up the mystery but I often found it a convenient way for stuff to just happen without much build up or explanation. And honestly, the addition of Laura to their little duo was really.. strange.

Overall I really enjoyed my read due to the writing. Had this been written any other way, I'm not sure I would have liked it as much.

3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and RedHook for the ARC. All thoughts and opinion are my own.

Sapphic vampires in a dark academia setting?? Yes, PLEASE! An Education in Malice explores themes of obsession, hunger, and manipulation in a dark and evocative Carmilla retelling. Full of gothic motifs, S. T. Gibson’s writing is incredibly atmospheric. I loved the juxtaposition between Laura and Carmilla’s youthful naivety and De Lafontaine’s effortless manipulation. I particularly loved the quiet moments where Laura and Carmilla were able to experience the reckless abandon of youth despite knowing that De Lafontaine was using them as pawns in her larger plan. These moments were refreshing reminders of life in a story with death at its core.

My only two critiques:
- Laura and Carmilla are both incredibly quick to excuse/very dismissive of De Lafontaine’s behaviors. While I understand that each of their relationships with her were born out of obsession, I found it a bit unrealistic that they could be so vehemently enraged with her yet not even five minutes later be enthralled with her to the same extreme degree. For example, both Carmilla and Laura quickly accept Carmilla’s vampirism as the new normal, and Carmilla doesn’t seem to struggle with the change very much, which felt unrealistic to me. I would have liked to see more of Carmilla’s struggle to adjust to the new reality of her life (or lack thereof).
- Towards the end, I felt like there was a lot more telling than showing with some of the major plot points; for example, readers are told that Carmilla is now able to complete her coursework from De Lafontaine’s apartment, but we don’t see how school officials are convinced to go along with this. Additionally, we are told that De Lafontaine is helping Carmilla adjust, but we don’t actually see that happening. I also felt that the ending was a bit anticlimactic. I would have loved to see De Lafontaine struggle with her emotions for Isis a bit more than we did, especially in the aftermath of things.

Overall, I really enjoyed An Education in Malice. I read it in one sitting as there weren’t any slow points/places where I felt like the plot was dragging. I felt entirely immersed in the setting from the first page to the last, and thoroughly enjoyed S. T. Gibson’s writing. I highly recommend An Education in Malice to anyone that enjoys sapphic and/or dark academia novels.

Thank you to NetGalley, Redhook, and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! Review will be posted to my Bookstagram account on Monday, February 5th, 2024.

This was my first book from this author and I quite enjoyed it. The sapphic romance, rivals to lovers, vampires, and a mystery are all things that grabbed my attention. I loved how the relationship evolved for Laura and Carmilla with De LaFontaine peering over their shoulders to complicate things. My one critique is that I wish the mystery had been more fleshed out as the ending seemed a tad bit rushed. I think the author meant to have the relationship dynamics between the three women to be the start of the show but I would have loved to see more build up with Isis. Very enjoyable read and I would read more by this author.

I'm so happy I gave S.T. Gibson another chance! I had originally DNF'd A Dowry of Blood when I tried to read it years ago when it was still indie-published. I couldn't get into the writing and didn't think that the author was for me. Fast forward to now and I think I have a greater appreciation for prose and atmospheric writing.

"An Education in Malice," a dark academic narrative is set in the secluded Saint Perpetua's College in Massachusetts, where secrets reign and ambition thrives. The story follows Laura Sheridan's initiation into an intense academic rivalry with the mysterious Carmilla. As they navigate the intrigues orchestrated by their poetry professor, De Lafontaine, a dark obsession begins to unfold. Amidst a backdrop of politics, a bloodthirsty professor, and dark magic, Laura and Carmilla must grapple with their ruthless pursuit of knowledge, uncovering their own insatiable hunger in this sumptuous and addictive tale of blood and secrets.

S.T. Gibson skillfully captures the atmospheric and romantic essence in "An Education in Malice." The strength of the narrative lies in the evocative writing, though at times, the story seems stretched. Surprisingly, these drawn-out portions became more enjoyable as the characters and plot deepened. While there was an impactful behind-the-scenes event, it felt somewhat neglected and could have been explored further, potentially altering the storyline for the better.

The casual portrayal of academia and the students' intense obsession with their teacher, particularly her private seminars, firmly cements this book as a dark academia gem that enthusiasts will relish. "An Education in Malice" is a sensual and luscious journey, akin to indulging in a forbidden fruit.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced readers copy of this book and for the chance to read the book before publication.

This book was an absolute dark academia dream, and I could not put it down (I'm not exaggerating; I finished it in a day). The atmosphere was moodily perfect and the story immediately sucked me in.

An Education in Malice is a Carmilla retelling, but even though I haven't read the classic sapphic vampire story yet (as much as it pains me to admit that 😩), I never felt like I was missing out on anything in this book. After reading this, I will definitely be making Carmilla more of a priority in the near future, though.

I ate up the rivalry and sexual tension between the two main characters, and it constantly kept me on the edge of my seat. The will-they-won't-they never felt overdone or trite, and helped advance the main plot. I also loved that despite their outward emotions, deep down Laura and Carmilla had opposing but complementary personalities.

Professor De Lafontaine had me feeling for these girls. She is craftily predatory and perfectly written. Her intelligence and years of experience are honed to lure and snare her unsuspecting prey.

I loved that there was a callback to a character from A Dowry of Blood. It's not necessary to read the book previous to this one (but you should definitely check it out!), but it was wonderful to see the two vampire stories intersect.

If you're looking for a dark academia vampire book with a bit of sapphic romance thrown in and complex characters, I definitely recommend checking out An Education in Malice when it's released on February 13th.

Thank you NetGalley & Orbit Books for the eARC.

"An Education in Malice" weaves a captivating tale of dark academia, sapphic romance, and vampires, set against the atmospheric backdrop of New England. The author's vivid descriptions immerse readers in the fall setting, and the audiobook enhances the experience with a narrator skillfully employing different accents for dual POVs, distinguishing Laura and Carmilla. The story delves into themes of obsession and lust, unfolding an intriguing enemies-to-lovers narrative. However, the swift transition between enmity and romance might leave some readers wishing for a more gradual development. While the overall experience is enjoyable, the ending falls slightly short for me, leaving room for a deeper exploration of the story's potential.

I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley and Redhook, all opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook/Orbit for an early eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I thoroughly enjoyed this! I loved seeing the developing romance between Carmilla and Laura, and I liked the path that their romantic journey took even after a big event that happened to Carmilla. The sex scenes were great (get it, Laura!) and the rivals to lovers was very well done.

The dark-ish academia setting was also well done, and De Lafontaine was a character who kept me guessing at her intentions throughout most of the book. The side characters were also wonderful and I would have loved to see more of them (but also that's the whole point of side characters haha!).

The ending of the book had me tearing up with hopeful tears for Carmilla's and Laura's future together <3

3.5

At times extremely dark and delicious, I wanted just a bit MORE from this on the whole. Gibson does vampires so well and that is where this book shines. There are lots of bloody scenes and biting, lust and obsession, while also exploring the detriments of uneven power dynamics. The characters weren’t lacking but the abrupt shift in their dynamic did kind of throw me.

I mainly wanted the setting and school to be more of a factor. I was feeling the dark academia in the beginning and was even toying with the idea of calling this a scaled down, sapphic, The Secret History. But the dark academia elements were left behind quickly.

Not at all a bad book, but not something that can compete with A Dowry of Blood, in my opinion. If you’ve never read from the author before, start here for a taste of what the author does and then pick up A Dowry of Blood to have your socks knocked off!

S. T. Gibson's writing style is quickly becoming one of my favourites. The way I can read it so easily because it just flows so nicely. This style also makes the pace of the book so lively and rapid. You just can't be bored, and you don't ever want to put the book down.

I loved how the two main characters, Carmilla and Laura changed throughout how the story was developing. It makes them feel more real, and as the reader, we could easily attach ourselves to them. The same can be said for the other characters, mainly Laura's friend Eleanor whom I really loved. She was portrayed as a really good friend when Laura needed it. The way she understood Laura's feelings and teased her for it made their friendship feel real.

The romance is described as enemies to lovers but I would say it is more academic rivals to lovers because they never really hated each other. I really loved their dynamic.

The only thing that made me irk a little bit was Mrs D., her whole character was making me cringe. The dynamic between her and the two girls was weird because sometimes it would be described as a Family or mother-daughter relationship but sometimes it would have romantic tendencies. That was the thing I didn't like. There was also a teacher and student relationship which could be triggering for some people but it wasn't the main thing that was bugging me.

Overall, this book is a 4.5 stars book and I would recommend it to people who already like S. T. Gibson's flowy writing style or for people who like a good academic rival to lovers sapphic vampire romance.
Thank you, NetGalley for the amazing opportunity of reading this book before the release date, in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so atmospheric and I loved it. Very dark academia, very well-realized, so good. The narrative voice, the setting, the world, it's all so good. I have to say, though, you are trading plot for aesthetic a bit. The plot is there, but I found myself wanting a bit more from it--the murder, the affair, the climax, the romance, the resolution, they just left me wanting. I loved the aesthetic so much, and the plot was okay but could use a little more presence.

Sapphic vampires? Carmilla retelling? What more could I ask for from S.T. Gibson. The story revolves around an all-girls college and the intense and entangled relationship between two students. Laura, an innocent girl from a small town; Carmilla, an outspoken star student; and De Lafontaine, their poetry professor, all share this weird and oftentimes uncomfortable bond with each other. As Laura and Carmilla become more than just academic rivals, their professor is there to unleash a secret that can ruin everything.

This is a Carmilla retelling filled with sapphic romance, vampires, lush aesthetics, queer exploration...and murder

[1.5 Stars]

What an absolute disappointment after the brilliance that was A Dowry of Blood.

1: the characters were so flat, sounded exactly the same, and none of their actions were believable
2: the plot was all over the place. the main conflict was introduced, and then forgotten, and then resolved entirely too fast. the ending was too neat imo. And the main relationship was rushed at times but too slow at others
3: there were a lot of similar themes as in A Dowry of Blood but they weren't handled nearly as well
4: I didn't get any of the poetic melancholy I had come to expect from S. T. Gibson's writing

I still want to read whatever S. T. Gibson comes out with next. But this really was a dud for me

DNF at 17% I just couldn’t get into it. The opening she was lovely and so atmospheric but it just didn’t click for me. Laura’s attitude/feelings about Carmilla like the immediate obsession but loving that she got under her skin was kind of an eye roll. Them being rivals because of poetry -I know that we as the viewer can see it’s deeper than that, but to read their interpretation as it being about being a teachers favorite and how talented they were at writing said poetry.. I just didn’t care. The idea of a sapphic rivals to lovers, academic, with a touch of vampirism is cool, I think anyone who reads those taglines and finds it enticing should still give it a shot. But it wasn’t the mood read for me.

An Education In Malice is one of my top reads of the year so far. It is a dark academia, sapphic retelling of Carmilla. S.T. Gibson is a master of retelling classic stories, so please also read A Dowry of Blood if you haven’t already. S.T. Gibson’s writing is also exceptional, and you can literally feel the atmosphere of the story. This specific story is a complex tale of rivals turned to lovers, with an eccentric professor with a mysterious identity in the middle of their already complicated relationship. I loved every moment of reading this book, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this e-arc!

3.5⭐️

Thank you to Rehook Books and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The overall premise of this book definitely had me excited. Dark academia? Vampires? Sapphic? Sounds amazing.

The aesthetic was great, but I think it was overall lacking in substance. I really enjoyed Laura and Carmilla’s academic rival to lovers process. You could feel the tension between them and how much they wanted to outdo the other in De Lafontaine’s class. I enjoyed Laura having a friendship with Elenore, and I was definitely disappointed that it almost immediately dissolved and became unimportant the moment she decided to be with Carmilla, but I understand the reasoning behind it given the ending of the book.

For the rest of the book though, I felt like there was just something missing. I felt like the vampire aspect needed to be delved into more, because it all felt like too low stakes for me to be fully invested. De Lafontaine’s relationship with Carmilla was a main focal point of the book, and it just felt off to me. All of this to say: it felt very anticlimactic.

Now, I will say: I really enjoyed the ending of the book between Laura and Magdalena. Leaving the ending of the book with that ending was a great choice. I think it was the only choice given that Laura and Carmilla were committed to each other.

Overall I think this was a good book, just not enough substance for me.

I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the author's writing style. I would highly recommend this to so many of my friends; I'm certain it's the next dark academia standard. Super lush and enchanting. Horror isn't really my thing, but I think that was so secondary and I was never put off by it. Dual POV is something else I can be picky about, but I thought it really served the story well here and I liked both Laura and Carmilla's characters and as narrators. I was completely enthralled, I sped through this book.

However, I didn't feel like there was enough of a resolution of the relationship between Carmilla/Laura/Ms. De Lafountaine. After everything that happened, it felt anticlimatic, and I wish there had been more of a decisive conclusion. Also, I think calling this book a "Carmilla retelling" is doing it a disservice. I've read Carmilla, and this so different (themes of academia and the whole character of De Lafountaine) that goes beyond a modernization can stand on its own.

Thank you so much to the publisher for gifting me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 3.5/5

An Education in Malice is a reimagining of Carmilla set at an eerie and atmospheric college. We follow Carmilla and Laura who become academic rivals and fight for the attention of their professor, Ms. De Lafontaine. Throughout the story, Carmilla and Laura's relationship grows while they find themselves wrapped up in Ms. De Lafontaine's secrets and obsessions.

Overall, I did enjoy the book. I enjoyed ST Gibson's writing, especially the way she crafted the atmosphere of the setting. The vibes are great and dark however, the plot was lacking. This story was a little too slow at times and it left me wanting more by the end. The plot is very simple and straight forward, which isn't a bad thing, but it didn't capture me the way I hoped it would. I also have mixed feelings about the characters. There were parts where I connected with the characters and felt for them. But then there were other times where Carmilla and Laura's voices were too similar and it was hard to distinguish between the two.

I'm disappointed that this book didn't become a new favorite but I'm still very intrigued to see what ST Gibson does next.

A darkly atmospheric novel with just the right amount of obsessive sapphic yearning and bloody academic rivalry

Rating: 5/5 ✰

Background:
I actually haven't read Carmilla before (this is a sin I know), so I can't exactly compare with the original. Not knowing the background didn't detract from my enjoyment in any way though - I absolutely devoured this book and fell in love with every single sentence. S.T. Gibson has a piercing way with words that works perfectly with dark academia vampires; I don't know if I've ever highlighted a book more, and still I feel like there's more I just want to keep written down somewhere forever. I had the highest expectations for this book, since the summary described itself as having all of my absolute favorite themes, and I wasn't let down in the slightest.

An Education in Malice flips back and forth between the perspectives of two students, Carmilla and Laura, and their relationships with each other and their enigmatic poetry professor De Lafontaine. There's some blood and violence (this is a story about vampires, after all), but I wouldn't necessarily call it horror - more just darkly atmospheric.

Characters:
We start off with Laura, a sheltered country girl who hasn't had many experiences except through the pages of books and poetry. Laura is a bit shy and meek, not used to standing out in class or capturing anyone's attention. She adores literature and poetry, but her own writing - despite being gorgeous - shows her lack of experience in the world. Even thought the book is multi-perspective, she definitely has more of the main character vibes both through her story arc and because of her personality. I think she's the perfect conduit to tell this kind of story, allowing the world to slowly open up to both the character and the reader.

Once Laura arrives at her new school we quickly meet her rival, Carmilla, who is a foreign exchange student that seems wildly more experienced in the ways of the world. She's definitely used to receiving all the attention from teachers and students alike, which Laura finds incredibly alluring and grating at the same time. Carmilla is talented, confident, stunning, and even a bit entitled - which influences both her greatest strengths and her greatest weaknesses. De Lafontaine, their ruthless and overbearing professor, also seems to have a mysterious relationship with Carmilla. Both girls, craving approval and academic achievement, can't help but obsessively vie for De Lafontaine's attention, turning it into a dark competition.

Constantly pitted against each other, the girls get more and more intertwined, all under the watchful eye of De Lafontaine. It's an incredibly delicious dynamic. There's anger and confusion and intrigue and yearning and possessiveness and it's all just SO GOOD! Every character is so fascinating and well-written, I just couldn't get enough of their unique voices both in their thoughts and in their poetry. We get to see Laura and Carmilla really blossom into their own, sharpening their skills and mixing their worlds together. Even De Lafontaine, who seemed ancient and immovable, surprised me with different sides of herself and her changes in character.

Closing thoughts:
Another banger by S.T. Gibson that will live forever in my favorites shelf. Considering how much I loved A Dowry of Blood, I was literally twirling my hair kicking my feet in excitement when I got approved for this ARC. Overall an incredibly delicious read, I honestly only wish the book was longer. Literally my only real complaint is that I wanted more content. Highly recommend for anyone who likes dark academia, vampires, sapphic yearning, rivalry, toxic professors, and appreciates - or at least doesn't mind - some spicy scenes (they are vampires after all).

Thank you to NetGalley for providing the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and not sponsored in any way.

thank you to netgalley for sending me this arc for an honest review.

after reading dowry of blood and thrilled to pick up anything by s.t. gibson, I sort of feel...... stood up with this book? generally it had a great moody setting and a compelling enough story to keep me going but there was just something missing here. I suppose it felt like a rehash of what was done in a dowry of blood, which didn't need a repeat of. the ending felt a bit anticlimactic as well, like, okay were done with that, don't need to write a better conclusion. just felt a little flat.