TRIGGER WARNING: uneven power dynamics, inappropriate student-professor relationships, toxic academic environments, blood/gore/murder, graphic death, exhibitionism, kink, alcohol and drug use, smoking

An Education in Malice is a modern and sapphic retelling of Carmilla set in the dark, gothic atmosphere of a New England university. The author’s writing is impeccable and the book reads like poetry - with very detailed descriptions, symbolism, and various literary elements (e.g., alliterations, metaphor, simile, etc) - which is very fitting, considering the role poetry plays in the book.

I liked the contrast between the characters, with Carmilla being charming and captivating with a “who cares” attitude and Laura being sweet, polite, and very hesitant in many social situations. There was also contrast within the characters (who would’ve thought sweet, soft Laura would be into playing the dom role with Carmilla playing the sub role). While both characters are different, they are similar in their need for approval from their professor, causing them to make questionable decisions in order to please said professor (hence, the inappropriate student-professor relationships). The professor in question was a character I did not like nor see the appeal of, causing me to question why the girls were so desperate for her praise and attention. The professor seems selfish, hot and cold, and possessive of Carmilla, despite having her own love story thing going on. I wonder if it was something in the bond between vampire and companion that heightened this bond, but that was never explicitly stated in the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75- I love Gibson’s writing style and always feel it is engaging and lyrical. I was obsessed with a dowry of blood so I was very excited to get my hands on this. I loved the two main characters but felt the villain was underdeveloped and the conclusion was rushed. Carmilla and Laura stan for life.

Thank you to Redhook and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy

Thanks to Redhook Books and NetGalley for the e-Arc in exchange for my honest review.

***Spoilers included below.

I would give this book a 3.5/5. I truly enjoyed the writing and the atmosphere created by the author. The dark, moody vibes were definitely present, but it lost a bit of steam for me with some of the plot points. The relationship between Ms. De Lafontaine and Carmilla was intense at times and borderline creepy. The ending was also a bit of a curveball, given the possessive and controlling nature of Ms D throughout the entire book.

While there was an attempt at the enemies to lovers trope between Laura and Carmilla, I didn’t think it was very well done. The rivalry felt more like obsession from the beginning and it was pretty clear where that was heading from the beginning.

Overall, I enjoyed the book but just not as much as I was hoping to like it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for gifting me an ARC of An Education in Malice!

An Education in Malice was great but I was not in love with it. There wasn't anything I disliked about the book in fact I really enjoyed the beginning. I enjoyed the focus on poetry and competition between our two main characters, however it all began to feel very surface level. The connection between Carmilla and Laura happened very quickly, with very little tension. Everything felt too easy. The climax came suddenly and ended just as abruptly.

You will enjoy this book if you love vampires, sapphic love, and dark Academia. If you loved A Dowry of Blood like I did this book builds off of very similar themes i.e. Manipulation, codependency, independency, youth, and abuse. This book also shows us a very surface level of what it means to be a youth in a prestigious institution, involved in toxic love, and vampirism. If only we explored these themes on a deeper level this would have easily been a 5 star read. I am looking forward to Evocation!

My rating is a 3.5/5

I loved this book! It has all the gothic dark academia vibes that I crave and the author's writing style is just so beautifully poetic. 🥀

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an eARC!

An absolutely stunning sapphic modern retelling of Carmilla. It is extremely well-written exploring complex relationships full of emotion and desire. It is very atmospheric and character driven with beautiful poetic prose. I love the dark, gothic New England setting. I would have liked to see more character development. Overall an absolutely delightful read.

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Release date: February 13, 2024

3.5

An Education in Malice is a blend of historical dark academia and tantalizing sapphic dynamics with an added element of teacher/student and vampires.

Laura is originally from Mississippi and has just enrolled at Saint Perpetua Women’s College in Massachusetts. Through her writing classes, she meets Carmilla and Professor De Lafontaine who have an established relationship.

This was definitely more character driven than I was expecting and I was left wanting more in terms of plot substance and motivations, but if we’re going solely on vibes here, it was great and I loved how much sexual tension there was with the rivalry.

cw: public sex, toxic power dynamics

A gothic romance, meets dark academia. Sapphic love story with vampires all steeped in atmospheric prose?

What isn’t to love?

This book immediately appealed to me when I read the summary, I am always happy to see a sapphic romance but add in gothic themes and make it a Carmilla retelling and I’m diving in.

I had high hopes going in that were somewhat dashed by the meandering plot. For a book that is under 300 pages it took a lot of time to build up to any sort of payoff. I think one of the books largest failing is the disclaimer at the beginning. Though I full understand and appreciate the need for them in certain situations I feel like it did make the book sound like it was going to be more graphic. For all the warning we don’t even get into any of the good smutty bits until the half way point.

Now I like a slow burn as much as the near person but there were times while reading that it felt like a bit of a slog to get through.

The book itself, the settings and the language were transporting. The vibes were immaculate but it felt as if sometimes the prose overshadowed the characters.
The world felt fully realized but the people seemed to lack that same care and attention.

Professor De Lafontaine came across at times as an arresting presence with a Svengali like sway over her pupils and at other times she seems like a sullen and sulky teenager unwilling to share her toys with the other children. It was hard to believe she could so ensnare and enamour Carmilla and Laura long enough to do anything. It sometimes felt more like Stockholm syndrome.

As for Carmilla and Laura I did enjoy their relationship, the sniping in the beginning and the progression but again the slowest of burns and then a conflagration.
Also there was allusion to Laura maybe being a Dom or at least being interested in it but that was never a fully realized plot point.

All in all I did like this book, it had me in its thrall and wouldn’t let go until I’d finished the lot. I’d be tempted to read it again now that I know what to expect.

Thank you to NetGalley and S.T. Gibson for the ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Redhook / Orbit for the ARC 📖

3/5 ⭐️ 1.5/5 🌶️

If you're looking for a dark, decadent, female-forward story with a touch of (admittedly) toxic power dynamics, this book is absolutely for you! The author's writing style is lovely and captivating, and the literary references throughout are super fun.

I'm a big fan of rivals-to-lovers, so I would have enjoyed a slower burn between Laura and Carmilla. The cadence of the plot and character development fell flat and left me wanting more. The build up felt rushed and things fizzled out near the end. Not necessarily a bad read, just not really my thing.

Wouldn't recommend for: Those looking for complex villains, detailed world building, or a dynamic plot line.
Would recommend for: Those looking for a lil vampire spice, a touch of poetry, and a quick read.

#AnEducationinMalice #NetGalley

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher, this book was spellbinding and mesmerizing. It was so atmospheric I felt as if I was at St. Perpetua’s. Dark academia and sapphic rivals to lovers together was perfection. The language in this novel was straight poetry, very neat and dear to the classic of its retelling, Carmilla. There was and eerie yet romantic essence to this book and with vampirism shows what one would do for love. I loved the ambiguous ending, even though I wish to know what would have become of Laura and Carmilla, it was the right ending for the novel. I recommend this book to the highest degree, and many thanks again for the advanced copy!

I enjoyed this more than A Dowry of Blood, but at the same time, the story as a whole fell flat for me. It didn't have the same gothic vibe as the first in the series, and the mystery and antagonist were set on the back burner for too long in favor of surface level character exploration.

I appreciated the lack of men in this story, and the shameless romantic prose of Laura's POV as her desire for Carmilla grows. I also liked it being set in the same universe, and the brief, but memorable reintroduction to Magdalena.

However, the halfway point of An Education in Malice rises in a swell of suspense and tension, and then drops unceremoniously - almost as if the author couldn't fathom how to keep the wave going. I really couldn't believe how quickly it dropped off, and had to go back to make sure I hadn't missed something. Also, the reasoning behind De Lafontaine's actions were flimsy at times, and while I lived for the mystery of her character, I found the lack of depth in her to be just as aggravating. I also wish the opportunity to explore the modern (aka the 1960s compared to the older time periods of ADoB) world of vampire society had presented itself, but c'est la vie.

Overall, I was here for Laura and Carmilla's budding rivals to lovers romance, and the dark academia vibes.

4.5 ⭐️
I went into this book completely blind, and I was absolutely blown away!

This may be a Carmilla retelling, but to me this story had a life of its own. An Education in Malice gripped me and wouldn’t let me go until I was done.

The chemistry between Laura and Carmilla was everything!! I was so charmed by them both. They are all at once electric, tense and tender. This version of Laura and Carmilla will stick with me for a long time.

In terms of plot, there wasn’t much to speak of. This is a very character driven story, and we spend a lot of time getting to know them and their relationships. This would have been a perfect 5/5 if only there were higher stakes in the overarching plot. This story approaches a climactic moment, but it falls a little short.

If you want a sapphic love story with gorgeous prose, spice and some dark academia then this book is it! I need this book for my shelves now and I’ll definitely be buying a copy when it comes out! Do yourself a favour and read this book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing the arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC! Okay, I really wanted to like this.

The first few pages had some nice writing, up until one of our MCs, Laura, arrives at her out-of-state college. The second we touch down on campus with her, the lush writing of the first few pages disappears and the pace picks up considerably. Which would be fine if it felt like we were going somewhere with it. Unfortunately, there’s very little in the way of actual story to latch onto, so it just feels like we’re urgently running in circles.

So the MCs. We have Laura, who I wanted to like but homegirl is one dimensional and tepid af, despite her burning loins. And then there’s Carmilla, who has some spice and a smidge more dimension? But not enough to hold my interest. Neither of them were sympathetic either, which for main characters is kind of a problem. The villain was fun and infuriating, but again, a lack of dimension.

The writing itself was okayish. Like I said, it started strong, but lost finesse pretty quickly. Idk if this will be changed in the final edits, but the way the author reached for the same $10 words over and over again was incredibly distracting. Imperious, milquetoast, and milieu kept cropping up despite the surrounding language being remarkably basic.

I’m sure this book will work for some, but it did not work for me.

*I received a digital galley in exchange for my honest review.*

I need to be entirely honest here when I say I was a little disappointed in this book. I am not saying this wasn't a good book. It was a solid read and I would recommend it to people but I was life apathetic about it all. The story is set in the same world as "A Dowry of Blood" and that fact in itself excited me about the novel. However upon diving in I was left wanting. I felt like it was a very surface level exploration of the characters. The main subject of the book being a rivals-to-lovers with the twist of vampirism. I didn't grow particularly attached to either character as I didn't feel we got a "true" look into their psyche...it felt very shallow. I was most interested in De Lafontaine's character but considering she was the secretive professor and the POVs are from Laura and Carmilla's views...we don't get much. The vampirism aspect didn't play a huge roll other than adding another layer to the "wanting" between Laura and Carmilla. It emphasized the desire between the two.

The prose was lovely as always but this was an area too which wasn't as exciting as Gibson's previous work. It wasn't as lyrical..it just flowed nicely but it didn't have as much passion and lushness as A Dowry of Blood.

I think the most fantastic part of this book was that there were ZERO important male characters. There's some mentioned at the end but other than that it was all female cast. That was really interesting and fun addition!

All in all I was just left wanting.

I enjoyed Dowry of Blood, but this book? I LOVED it – just like Carmilla & Laura came into their own in this book I feel like the author did too. An Education in Malice to me, was an homage to those of us who have ever felt even slightly dark, unusual, or “deviant”. The combination of love, obsession, coming into one’s own, and a sprinkling of mystery was a heady mix in this dark academia vampire tale.

But I was tired of being sensible, and I was tired of being good. I couldn’t walk away from what I was being offered: the chance to live an exceptional life.

It would be really cool and interesting, in my opinion, to see a family (sire) tree for the vampires that we see in this book. Laura and Carmilla are both extremely talented and wounded in their own way – not realizing how each other’s wants until it’s nearly too late. These three women were so well written – my own self echoed with their feelings. It is extremely difficult to gush about this book without giving anything away – I highly recommend this book, it completely swept me away.

I enjoyed the glimpse into the life of a character from Dowry and was weirdly happy that she seemed to have finally found her place. I am beyond excited to hear (hopefully) that there will be another book in this universe. At the same time, equally excited to read Evocation which publishes on May 28th, 2024. A huge thank you to Redhook/Orbit, S. T. Gibson & Netgalley for the chance to read a gifted copy of the book – all opinions are my own.

Gracias Netgalley por la copia avanzada.
Me duele decepcionarme con los libros de esta autora porque de verdad yo le tenía mucho cariño por A Dowry of Blood, pero Evocation y este solo me generaron decepción y creo que ya no voy a leer más sus libros.
No hay mucho para decir de este libro porque literalmente NO TIENE TRAMA. No hay nada que sostenga tenga el libro, recién al 50% hay algo de acción y ese conflicto siempre queda en segundo plano y se resuelve de golpe al final. Todo el tema de los vampiros se siente muy básico y sin esa mística que puede tener una historia de este estilo
También decepciona en los aspectos de romance, todo se siente apurado, no hay desarrollo, como que constantemente hay elipsis en donde pasa un determinado tiempo y con ese paso del tiempo se justifica el avance de la relación, sin desarrollo real en el texto. Que sea todo tan acelerado y sin desarrollo hace que no puedas vincularte ni con ellas ni con su relación.
No se si es que trabajó en dos libros a la vez y no enfocarse en algo en específico hizo que todo sea tan malo, pero solo hay un cuesta abajo desde A Dowry of Blood y lo que esta escribiendo ahora.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for this ARC!

I requested this ARC because I loved the rich, lush world Gibson conjured in A Dowry of Blood. An Education in Malice lacks that same essence for me.

In An Education in Malice we still have the dark setting, the mysterious atmosphere, and of course, vampires. From there the writing lacked that same special quality that had me in a frenzy to finish A Dowry of Blood. I wanted to be invested in Laura and Camilla's story, but had a very hard time caring what happened to either of them. I found both of them, and De Lafontaine all unlikable, which makes it hard for me to be invested in a story.

Ultimately, I think this will have a place on people's bookshelves, but just not mine.

It’s about Laura, who wants to develop her writing skills and attends St Perpetua’s College for the first time.

She will follow Miss De Lafontaine’s poetry classes where students are pushed to the limit. Early on, Laura will have an intense rivalry with Carmilla, De Lafontaine’s student pet.

From the first moments on, the atmosphere will feel feverish, intense and overwhelming.

Slowly the story will become darker and darker. From academic rivalry we will go to toxic teacher/student relationship, bloodlust and all kind of sinful hunger! It will envelop you in a sinister cocoon, never letting you breathe before the end!

This was a very uncomfortable read for me and yet it was absolutely fascinating.

Picture this: Gothic dark academia with a dash of sapphic vampire vibes—yeah, that's the vibe….Need I say more?

You'll Love This If You're Into:
🍂 Gothic Dark Academia
📔 Sapphic Vampire Vibes
🫶 Complicated Academic Rivalries

Star Ratings:
Characters: ★★★★☆
Plot Progression: ★★★★☆
Writing Style: ★★★★★
Memorability: ★★★★★
Spice: one scene was 🌶️🌶️ but the rest was 🫑
Overall: ★★★★.5

Review:
The story unfolds in the '60s at Saint Perpetua's College, and let me tell you, Gibson's way with words is something else. It's like being enveloped in this rich atmosphere of academia and supernatural twists. The characters, especially Laura and Carmilla, feel like real people navigating the complexities of love, sacrifice, and yes, a bit of vampirism thrown in. I particularly enjoyed the dual POVs that the chapters offered. Each character felt like they had their own voice in the writing.

Gibson's writing style is pure elegance. It goes beyond aesthetics, making the dark academia setting come alive. The relationships are lush and senseous and explore the delicate dance between obsession and genuine connection. Page after page offesr a journey into gothic beauty, sapphic romance, and vampire mythology.

So why not five stars? Well, I think this book played very well with sensuality and even dipped its toes into the deep end for one moment, but all hints of this electrically charged flirtation that was heart pounding in the beginning of the book essentially was missing once that scene had played it’s course. I think the book could have and should have kept some hint of this alive in the narrative to enhance the relationships and story overall in the third act.

If you're into complex relationships set against a dark and alluring backdrop, this one's a must-read. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me dive into this enchanting world crafted by S.T. Gibson.

Thank you Redhook Books, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for an eARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review!!

S.T. Gibson knows what the people (me) want, and what we (I) want is toxic, sapphic obsession, and An Education in Malice absolutely delivers. Gibson’s prose is so lush and atmospheric that it’s always a treat to read, and the vibes of this were immaculate. I really liked Laura and Carmilla as POV characters and I think Gibson balanced their perspectives out nicely. I also thought that the development of their relationship (and also their relationship to De Lafontaine) was really compelling. As a historically women’s college grad, I was delighted by Saint Perpetua’s College.

While I don’t think this work was as strong as A Dowry of Blood, it’s still very compelling and an evocative read. Gibson writes sex and emotion so well and the atmosphere is incredible. I do think this meanders a bit plot-wise in the middle and could have been tightened up a bit on that front (though it also could have been a bit longer to really flesh out Carmilla and Laura’s relationship, too). It’s also not as Gothic as I’d been expecting, but that’s okay, especially because it felt very on point for dark academia. The ending is lovely, and I fully recommend this.

The audio for this is also a delight. Stephanie Cannon was a wonderful narrator and each voice felt distinct and definitely contributed to the atmosphere.