Everything you want in a gothic fiction. I was so immersed in the story I felt like I was actually there. I am so grateful for this ARC thank you so much. TikTok coming soon @kassidyyy6

This is such a cool read! I have never read a book by this author before, and I'm so happy that I got this chance to experience Gibson's writing.

So the story is amazing, and the writing is perfection. Laura, a "good girl" type who may harbor some carnal desires, starts college and immediately falls for senior Carmilla. Carmilla is in the same poetry seminar Laura is in. And, when she sees her beloved teacher pay attention to Laura (a new girl and a freshman at that!), immediate jealousy sparks, and this turns into just the best enemies-to-lovers read.

By the way, this book takes place in the 60s, and the author really made me feel that vibe through their writing and descriptions. I'm talking about word choice, things I imagine people would say at that time period.

The atmosphere was haunting and a perfect setup for this sapphic romance to bloom in the shadows and for Laura to learn the secret between Carmilla and their teacher.

I really enjoyed this and definitely recommend it!

Out February 13, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Thank you NetGalley and Red Hook Books for providing me with an e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

As a fan of A Dowry of Blood I was excited for a new gothic release by the author. An Education in Malice is a dark academia story following Laura and Carmilla as rivals to lovers in this gothic tale based in a religious college campus setting in Massachusetts.

From the beginning until the very end I did not like these characters but this does not usually impact the enjoyment a story for me. I can read unlikeable characters however, I struggled since this is a character driven story. The tension and chemistry between the girls is electric yet I cannot fathom why they are interested in each other. Then incorporating the student teacher mentor mentee mother daughter relationship between Laura, Carmilla and De Lafontaine and you have the most intriguing and objectionable dynamic that ebbs and flows throughout the story.

There were some scenes where something would happen and I would have so many questions that wasn’t answered or vaguely brushed over. Other times the author tackled certain themes such as sexual exploration, LGBTQ+ support well. Overall, the climax and the conclusion left me unsatisfied as certain revelations were too rushed for my liking.

The writing itself is beautiful but alas the story fell short of my expectations after reading the masterpiece A Dowry of Blood.

This is a Carmilla retelling that takes place in 1960's all girls college. Wow, this book was intoxicating. Instantly I was hooked and fully invested in the characters and the setting. S.T. Gibson just became one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read ADOB too.

I was very excited when I got approved to read an ARC of this book; I read S.T. Gibson's "A Dowry of Blood" around Halloween 2023. I loved it; it was such an atmospheric book, and the storytelling was very intimate. So, I had high hopes for this book. It was marketed as an enemies-to-lovers sapphic, dark-academia vampire book (which is everything I could want in a story!)I think this book gets 3.75/5 stars from me.

Once again, I loved the atmosphere and world-building in "An Education in Malice." I felt like I was a student at Saint Perpetua's, enjoying the festivities of Bonfire Night and Halloween; I felt like I was sitting beside two of our main characters, Laura and Carmilla, in De Lafontaine's class reciting, or the private recitation meetings the three of them have every Friday night. From day one, Laura and Carmilla are pitted against each other, vying for De Lafontaine's praise and approval in such a hard, time-consuming course. This hatred for each other (stemming from their own insecurities and self-doubt) was so well-written. I was genuinely enjoying this part of their relationship; it was very petty but also very relatable, especially to a former gifted kid who took pride in getting good grades and having the teacher's approval. At one point in the book, both Laura and Carmilla go to the library to check out a book for De Lafontaine's class, and Laura gets the last copy. I think this is one of the first scenes where both girls realize the other one is more than just an enemy, and it's probably my favorite scene in the entire book. It was fun and flirty, but there was also that underlying hatred and darkness in both girls.

Another thing I enjoyed was the vampire lore S.T. Gibson gives us in this novel. It's not a lot, but it's just enough without being overwhelming. The idea of a "vampire society" being gatherings of vampires indulging in sin and carnal desires and pleasures was a nice feature, and I enjoyed that whole aspect of the book. I think the vampire society really shows Carmilla and Laura that they care about one another and want to be together. and just everything about this part was so beautifully crafted (also shoutout to Magdelena- perhaps a reference to A Dowry of Blood?!)

The final thing I really loved was the ending, it just seemed so perfect for everyone involved, and you can definitely see character growth and development, and it leaves just enough to the imagination (or perhaps a sequel) that I really liked this.

Now that I've gone over what I enjoyed about the book, I have some things that made this book not as enjoyable as I had hoped. The first is the murder subplot that I felt could have been more fleshed out. This felt like it was part of the storyline for convenience, and it's rarely brought up, but when it is brought up, it's very serious and dire (parents are thinking about pulling children out of Sain P's), and I feel that if this was leaned into more, it could have added a bit of horror/darkness to this story. With how central to the plot this subplot was, I just wished S.T. Gibson would have been more intentional with it. The other thing I disliked was the pacing. Some things were drawn out, and I felt bored, but others were rushed and almost sloppy (especially in the book's final part). I honestly felt like De Lafontaine's transition happened overnight (and when you consider that she's immortal, to me, it's very unlikely that she'd be willing/able to change like that). I also felt like the relationship between Carmilla and Laura went from enemies to lovers very quickly (but I think that's a personal thing because I love a good slow burn).

Overall, I would look forward to a potential second book. I recommend this book to anyone who wants more sapphic books. This book was good, but it could've been better, especially coming from S.T. Gibson.

What can I say about S.T. Gibson? Another absolute triumph. An Education in Malice is a wonderfully seductive vampire story unlike anything we've gotten before. I absolutely loved the ending, I think the pacing was perfect and the plot was *chef's kiss*. I love the relationship dynamics we get to see, the sapphic representation, and the deep emotional connections we get between the characters. The prose was gorgeous, as was the story. Gibson has become an auto-buy author for me.

Positively frothing at the mouth over this sapphic dark academia vampire novel!

Laura, freshly arriving to Saint Perpetua's College, joins Professor De Lafontaine's prestigious poetry seminar as a precocious freshman with hidden depths. Once there, she meets the spirited Carmilla, De Lafontaine's favorite. Their temperamental professor pits them against each other, but their rivalry is heavily flavored with agonized yearning and forbidden desires. And I ate it up!

I adore Laura and Carmilla, and I want to keep reading about their adventures forever. De Lafontaine is also fascinating and capricious, and I couldn't get enough of her either. S.T. Gibson writes so lyrically of love, lust and immortality. The story does not shy away from the spice which is wonderful to see, particularly in a sapphic novel. A character from A Dowry of Blood also makes an appearance to my delight. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for the advanced reader copy.

I haven't read a vampire book in so long and it was such a nostalgic feeling getting back into a vampire book. There was a lot I enjoyed in the book - the dark academia and poetry aspects, the LGBTQ+ main characters and the vampires.
The story was very character driven and because of that focus, I missed out on a lot of the aspects that I really wanted to know more about. The school sounded so interested and there was a little lore in the description, but it did not get fully flushed out.
I loved meeting the other vampires and we did not get enough time with them. I did some research and it does seem like this book is currently a stand alone. I could see going on with the story and finishing a lot of the unknowns and the items that really weren't flushed out.

Education in Malice by @stgibsonauthor is publishing February 13th!🩸

I just finished my early read thanks to my gifted galley from @orbitbooks_us and it was as dark, all-consuming, and addictive as I dreamed! 🎉

🩸Dark gothic academia setting in 1968 at the all-girls St. Perpetua’s College
🩸Academic rivals desperate to earn the favor of their renowned poetry seminar professor
🩸Sapphic romance
🩸Blood-thirsty vampires and dark magic
🩸Exploration of power imbalance and insatiable hungers

Gibson's prose is lyrical and immersive; you'll hold your breath as she takes you on a journey to another world. Brimming with tension, angst, longing, mystery and infatuation, this gothic romance was perfection!

I had high expectations for this coming off of A Dowry of Blood and maybe that’s why I’m so disappointed in this.

It fell flat a few pages in when we were introduced to side characters. The inner monologues became shorter and straightforward, lacking any descriptive language.

The writing felt descriptive while simultaneously giving me no description. Characters were described more for what they wore than how they looked, being described as a “white woman” or “black woman”, but the clothes they wore were described with in depth details.

Dialogue often used “she said” and “I said”, with very little deviation. The conversations held were great and believable, but some of the inner monologues felt like being talked at. Instead of describing the day we are just told, “I did x, y, and z”.

It was definitely what it promised, a sapphic dark academia novel, but I just wish there was more. More character description, character development, more tension, etc…

Thank you Redhook and NetGalley for this ARC. I was a bit starstruck when I found out I was selected to receive this ARC because 'A Dowry of Blood' (also written by S.T. Gibson) was one of my top reads of 2023.

An Education in Malice narrated by Laura and Carmilla is a vintage retelling set in rural MA. I loved the author's writing style that thoroughly wraps the reader into a dark academia, chilly New England, Carmilla retelling blanket. I felt as though the character's relationship to one another was parsed out well which gave the reader a sense of the raw trials and tribulations of each relationship, the theme of destined soulmates, and the power dynamics at play.

However, with all of that being said, there were some major issues with the pacing and plot. Too many questions were unanswered, the major conflict was incredibly underwhelming, and plot points were left untouched and glossed over which left me confused and feeling left out of a story I was heavily interested in. Sometimes I read a book and think 'wow that could have really been 150 pages shorter.' but when I finished this book I thought, 'wow this book really needed an extra 150 pages.' In general, I truly enjoyed the character development and writing style which is why I was able to overlook the problems and give this book 3.5 stars, however, I am curious what others will think of this.

If you're looking for sapphic dark academia with vampires.... stop everything and pick this up immediately. S.T. Gibson is a master of atmosphere in this dark, gothic story set within a school. Every word, from dialogue to exposition, oozes dark library.

This feels perfect for folks who loved A Study in Drowning, but wanted it to be darker and dirtier. Five Stars!

As a heads up, there is a teacher/student relationship, so if that gives you the ick, you may not be the audience.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Redhook for the advanced reader copy! #AnEducationinMalice

Dark academia 🤝 vampires

A sapphic enemies-to-lovers, on a college campus, with dark themes and crisp fall vibes. It’s dual POV, there’s catacombs, there's a monster, and a possessive poetry professor.

I flew through this. Quite literally I started it at dinner and stayed up until 1am to finish it. The writing was so smooth and vibrant.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for my advanced digital copy!

I don't know what I expected to find diving into this book other than perhaps, a sapphic relationship to root for. And while there was that (it was probably my favorite part), there was also a lot I didn't expect like poetry, vampires, explicit scenes and an open ending (at least, that's how it felt to me).

The story follows Laura and Carmilla, two characters that immediately grabs your attention. As they navigate the world of vampires, secrets, and a dash of lust, you can't help but get drawn into their journey. Laura and Carmilla are swept away in their professor's world in ways that makes you think is this healthy? Is this right? Ehh probably not but you can't look away.

Overall, I really enjoyed discovering this story. S.T. Gibson weaves a tale that's equal parts enchanting and chilling, leaving readers bewitched until the very end. I quickly got through this book so it felt fast-paced to me and easy to read.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for letting me read and review an ARC of this book*

First and foremost thank you to Redhook and NETGALLEY for the e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

4.5 stars. This is the sapphic Carmilla retelling that was MADE for sapphics who love enemies to lovers. The book itself is masterful in it's language and imagery. You really feel like you are watching a movie and are fully immersed in the story that is being spun. It was a very quick read for me and I sincerely was enraptured from the very beginning. I think fans of A Dowry of Blood will enjoy this book but keep in mind it is not the same.

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Onto the more Spoiler-y review.

This book is not so different from A Dowry of Blood while still holding it's own. I didn't enjoy An Education of Malice as much as Dowry but I did still enjoy it. I think for me the romance moved very quickly from the second they kissed for the first time. I liked the enemies to lovers trope but felt the transition came too quickly. The escalation of the plot towards the later half also felt rushed. Particularly with Laura and Carmilla gaining the interest of Magdalena enough for her to take them under her wing. I understand what this was doing for the plot but it just fell flat for me. I also felt the climax of the book was built up and then rushed past.

For the characters I found that Laura was compelling and interesting, a modern upgrade (well as modern as the 1960s are) to her original iteration. I loved the inclusion of her soft-dom kink. I thought it was interesting and fun. Carmilla, I think, had times where she felt younger and brattier than Laura, I don't know if this was a call back to her original source-material. (I also was so confused by her timeline at one point she said she came to the school at 20 but she 'died' at 21 nearly 3 years later?)

For Ms. De Lafontaine was such an interesting morally grey character. She starts off obsessive and broken. and the story follows her as Laura and Carmilla watch her loose herself and have to make the biggest and hardest decision of her life. She is never good and I think that is my favorite part of her character.
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I loved the writing in this book! The author did an amazing job of writing so that the reader can feel the emotions through the page. I found my heart hurting for Carmilla at times as she yearned for her professors approval and attention. I’m usually not a fan of vampire books, but this is definitely an exception!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Orbit Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
Review posted to both Goodreads and instagram.

I truly adored every moment of this book. The prose was beautiful, the characters developed and blossomed wonderfully, there was delicious romance and eroticism, and the setting was perfectly moody. I will read everything published from this author.

I felt like the burning sun at the heart of the universe, the white-hot center of gravity, and Carmilla was every orbiting star.”

After reading the original Carmilla last year, I was so interested in this retelling! While very loosely based on the original story, I think it reflected the themes and feel of it pretty well. The prose is lovely and conveys the passion and urgency that the characters feel throughout the book!

My main issue and why I removed a star was the pacing/length. I kind of wish that this had either been pared down to a novella, or extended into a longer book. As it is, it just felt a bit incomplete (which was the same feeling I got with the other book I’ve read from this author, A Dowry of Blood). This isn’t to say that the ending wasn’t satisfying, but I just found myself wanting more!

A dark academia sapphic vampire story, what’s not to like?

I will say I haven’t read a vampire story since back when Twilight was all the rage, but I heard such amazing things about this authors previous book that I knew I had to pick this up.

The plot of this book I would give 5 stars all the way, however I didn’t like Laura. She came across as underwhelming and I couldn’t figure out why Carmilla was attracted to her. So for me the romance didn’t really work because of that reason.

I would still recommend this book to anyone who likes vampire romance. It just sadly wasn’t my favorite personally.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the eARC

Thanks to NetGalley for my arc!

I’m obsessed!! If you’re a fan of sapphic dark academia you need to read this.

An Education in Malice is the story of quite good girl Laura and rebellious mean girl Carmilla. The two become academic rivals who specialize in poetry, and yes the poetry is absolutely stunning. But of course all rivalry is rooted in a little bit of obsession with the other person.

What I liked: SO MOODY SO ATMOSPHERIC SO GLOOM AND DOOM! This is how you set a scene people, this whole book plays out like a gothic movie in your head.

I loved the characters! Carmilla is mean but brilliant and Laura learns to stand up for herself! I do wish we got more of Laura’s friends but I do love an all encompassing love story.

I couldn’t stand De Lafontaine, she’s gross. You’ll see why.

Also, there’s some kinky stuff in here, I was shocked. Oh and there’s vampires so you really cannot go wrong with this.

If you like character driven, beautifully written, atmospheric stories that run purely on vibes this is for you!

What I didn’t like:
Maybe needed more plot but I was captivated the entire time.

Anyways 4.5/5 my friends!