Dark, gothic, and eerie, An Education in Malice is a perfect autumn read. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

“An Education in Malice” by S. T. Gibson is a dark, atmospheric exploration of ambition, desire, and moral ambiguity set within the confines of an elite theological college. The novel plunges into a seductive world of academia, where power plays and manipulation are as much a part of the curriculum as faith and doctrine.

Gibson’s prose is lush and elegant, immersing the reader in a gothic atmosphere that feels both historical and disturbingly modern. The characters are complex, each grappling with their own twisted motivations and vulnerabilities, making it difficult to distinguish between victim and villain. The tension simmers as alliances shift and secrets unravel, keeping you on edge without relying on cheap thrills.

What sets this novel apart is its philosophical depth. It doesn’t shy away from questioning the nature of faith, the corrupting influence of power, and the price of knowledge. The theological themes are woven seamlessly into the character dynamics, making it feel like the stakes are more than just personal—they’re existential.

Though “An Education in Malice” is a slow burn, its payoff is haunting and lingers long after the final page. It’s a tale for readers who appreciate intellectual and emotional complexity, with a plot that rewards patience.


Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an ARC and allowing me to provide my honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Arc

An Education In Malice is a dark academia vampire retelling of Carmilla. Laura has just started at a new school in the woods of Michigan. She’s in the competitive poetry cohort with the enigmatic prof. De Lafontaine, and her dark and broody rival Carmilla. As Laura and carmilla get closer to each other, and to Ms. De Lafontaine, dark secrets and darker interests are revealed and they may not make it out unscathed.

I was so excited for this read and it didn’t let me down. Dark academia and sapphic vampires? Sign me up. This book was beautifully written and atmospheric and the characters were well written. I absolutely hated De Lafontaine, but I hated her because that’s how she was written. I wished this book had been a little faster paced and focused more on the plot and less on the characters but I found it compulsively readable nonetheless.

3.5 ⭐️

I loved a dowry of blood and so I was very much looking forward to this. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year, but ultimately it was a huge let down.

Incredible. Sapphic. Dark Academia. Carmilla??

I was first exposed to the original Carmilla in college during a class on Victorian Monsters - it changed me. I was so excited to see this release from S. T. Gibson, especially given their other work A Dowry of Blood. This did not disappoint on the vibes or the characters.

An Education in Malice by S. T. Gibson is an absolute page-turner that had me hooked from the first chapter. The book dives deep into the dark and twisted world of an elite boarding school, where secrets and lies are the norm. The characters are so well-developed, each with their own complexities and hidden agendas that kept me guessing. Gibson’s writing is both poetic and gripping, making the atmosphere feel almost tangible. The plot is full of unexpected twists and intense moments that left me on the edge of my seat.

I absolutely loved An Education in Malice! The dark academia and gothic vibes had me hooked from the start. Sapphic romance, vampires, and poetry? I was obsessed. I only wish it had been longer, with more depth to De Lefontaine and her sire/lover. The way the story is written leaves so much potential for either a prequel or a sequel, and I would be all for both. The academic rivals-to-lovers sapphic tension was perfectly executed—Camilla's obsession with De Lefontaine was intense and fascinating, adding so much intrigue to their dynamic.

One thing I shall remember about this book is the relationship between the two characters! For those who are a fan of ‘Dowry of Blood’ I promise you’ll enjoy this one just as much.

This was a delicious sapphic horror novel. Gibson's writing is so beautiful and devastating at times that I greatly enjoyed this dark academic novel. I am looking forward to owning a copy of this. I recommend it if you love dark academia and sapphic vampires.

I was highly anticipating this and omg it was worth the wait (which was shortened because I got an arc of this book!!) The writing was gorgeous, and the plot felt very well fleshed out and intentional. I loved all the little details and the vibes were amazing. The mood of the story was shown very well, and it was all very atmospheric.

I think this was supposed to be a sapphic retelling of the story Carmilla, which I’m unfamiliar with. So unfortunately I can’t comment on an similarities or differences there. However, I can say that I loved the aspect of sapphic vampires and enemies to lovers. This was dual pov, and each character had a defined personality. I would definitely recommend this, for it’s impact dark academia vibes and more!

Thank you to NetGalley and S.T. Gibson for providing an ARC of this book for me to give my honest review!

A Dowry of Blood is one of my favorite books of all time and I really had high expectations for An Education in Malice because the synopsis is everything I'd want in a story.

Gibson's prose is beautiful. I loved, loved, loved Carmilla and Laura however, I didn't find myself grabbing it that often. I felt like things weren't detailed enough for me to be engrossed in the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Redhook!

An Education in Malice is a typical dark academia. Creepy school, creepy secret little club, creepy students and a creepy professor.
There was a serious lack of emotion throughout the entirety of the book. For that reason, I felt I was kept at a distance and was unable to completely fall in love with the story I was being told.

An Education in Malice was simple surface level story that I neither loved nor hated.

An Education in Malice is categorized as fantasy. More specifically most would probably label it as Romantasy. I would say it's truly Romance with a small fantasy element that only serves to enhance the spice of the romance itself. I enjoyed the main character but in the end I DNF this book because it just didn't have enough to it other than the predictable romance. If you are looking for well written spice without a lot of plot to weed through, then this is probably for you.

Really 4.5 stars, but rounding up 'cause why the hell not.

I was enamored with Gibson's A Dowry of Blood and so was thrilled to be approved for this ARC. I've been on a dark academia kick lately, with the autumn season approaching, and while the weather outside lingers warm and sunny I was transported to the cool New England fall and devoured this book within hours.

A welcome return to the world of Dowry (no spoilers, but a familiar face makes an appearance) set at an all-girls college in the late 1960s, this is an enemies-to-lovers tale of dark desires, awakenings, blood, and ultimately redemption. Carmilla and Laura are two sides of the same coin, dark to light, bold to timid, yet both brimming with the vigor and violence of brilliant young women searching for greatness. Told in dual POVs, hearing from Carmilla - something we don't get in the original story - serves to humanize her and make her more accessible, more girl than monster although still monstrous with passion and appetite.

Gibson's writing hearkens to the source material, old-fashioned and passionate, painting odd familiarity between two classmates or even a classmate and her professor as natural yet also too close for comfort. It's immersive. The story is very much character-driven, with each character following their own arc. There is also a surprising level of Sapphic spice that I wasn't anticipating, that made me blush when I was reading the book on a plane. (You've been warned.)

Lush, rich as a night-blooming flower and heady with poison, this isn't one I'll soon forget.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I absolutely loved this book! I hate that it took me so long to get to, because I was really missing out by not reading this sooner. I pride myself on being a vampire lover, and so when I realized that's what this book was... I was here for it. The characters were amazing, the world was rich, and there is nothing better than a dark academia setting. I would absolutely read more from this author.

An interesting attempt at a Carmilla retelling set in a private girls' school on the East Coast. It falls out a bit towards the back end because it also tries to be about predation by professors but engages with it for more of the oooooh sexy and forbidden route than anything really to say about it in the context of the girls. Just doesn't come together for me, but it was a solid attempt.

Stellar book, I found myself absolutely devouring this novel! I loved the sapphic aspects as well as the take on vampirism.

I have read A Dowry in Blood in addition to this novel by this author and I find that the feel of these books are distinctive in their reading consumption: Dracula’s story in A Dowry of Blood transformed from such painful psychological neglect and entrapment to being an emotionally rich and romantically righteous tale. Markedly, in An Education in Malice, the internal focus is much different. It has a dark, interlocking character predicament rooted in danger, which deteriorates alarmingly fast due to toxic relationship dynamics. And yet, it should also be noted that Laura and Carmilla’s (as well as De Lafontaine’s) love stories are also indulgently unapologetic about choosing your own path regardless of the happiness or misfortune it may bring you. In a way, Gibson is making these horror classics of Dracula and Carmilla more relatable and accessible to modern-day readers by redefining each story with characters and thematic elements woven together in a contemporary way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling of Carmilla. It is a slower paced story that requires the reader to want to linger in the vibes and not necessarily be thrust forward by the plot. But, it does a great job of depicting vampires as both sexy and dangerous! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a more classical style vampire book.