4.5 Stars

A dark academia, sapphic Carmilla retelling with an enemies to lovers trope! I loved it! The ending gave me chills and I feel many will interpret it in a different ways.

Laura and Carmilla’s rivalry is an obsession and it slowly dissolves into love. I loved the poetry, the haunting beauty, and the atmosphere of this story.

S.T. Gibson places this story within the Dowry of Blood world (which was another I absolutely adored)! I will always pick up her books and immerse myself in them quickly because I am never disappointed!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC for an honest review!

I liked this book, but I wish I loved it. It was a beautiful story and was wrote beautifully, I struggled with connecting with the characters.

this book is gorgeous and set in the same world as her previous novel, one of the books which got me into vampires (A Dowry of Blood). Sapphic, dark academia. Gorgeous. Thanks for the arc. one flaw, sometimes the characters feel a little dry.

It feels like Pamela Dean’s Tam Lin meets Victoria Lee’s A Lesson in Vengeance, with vampires and kink. The drama was so delicious I gasped aloud on multiple occasions.

There are a few off-page plot points I’d have liked a bit more information on, but overall I’m just delighted with this book.

Welcome to Saint Perpetua’s College…On her first day Laura Sheridan finds herself in an academic rivalry with her beautiful classmate (and teachers pet) Carmilla. Both find themselves competing for the attention of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who might be hiding something darker than her unprofessional relationship with Carmella. Desperate to learn what De Lafontaine is hiding, Laura finds herself drawn into a dark world of debauchery and bloodthirsty monsters.

An education in malice is a sapphic vampiric tale in which two young woman find themselves drawn to each other as well as their seductive and demanding poetry professor. When I first started this novel I thought it was going to be a reimagining of the origins of Carmilla (1872) but I would have to say it was a very loose representation if at all. One of the things I appreciated was that the author provided a list of potentially unsettling topics in the beginning of the novel…reader beware. This book has some very descriptive passages of errotica that might not appeal to some readers. This was a new to me author so I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this one. I found the plot entertaining, although a bit repetitive and drawn out at times, and I would definitely be interested in reading more of their work in the future.

Gibson’s elegant prose is as strong and soaring as ever in this novel. The atmosphere was unmatched, and while at times I found myself wishing it held a little closer to the original story of Carmilla, I found that on its own without that comparison it was an entirely compelling and engrossing read.

ALL the dark academia vibes in this one. I loved every word and have already recommended it to many. I love a good boarding school/college story and even more mysterious are the secrets and sects and all the things that makes for a delicious story. Not one to be missed!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and S.T Gibson as an author. Will definitely be recommending this to friends and family and buying myself a copy when it's on sale.

A sapphic enemies to lovers story. Added in some vampirism. The characters seemed a bit too shallow for me. The gothic background was good and well described.

3.5 stars.

An Education in Malice is a dark tale of intrigue, loyalty, and betrayal.

An Education in Malice is a dark academia book set in the late 1960’s New England. The book follows two female protagonists, Laura and Carmilla, who are students of dynamic and intriguing poetry Professor De Lafontaine. Laura, a freshman hailing from Mississippi, is initially drawn to Carmilla, a senior who exudes confidence and unique beauty. Both are students of De Lafontaine, and it is clear that Carmilla is her favorite. When Laura is invited by De Lafontaine to join their secretive after-hours study sessions, she and Carmilla find each other inextricably linked and pulled deeper into De Lafontaine’s secrets. When students on campus begin turning up dead from mysterious wounds, Carmilla and Laura worry that the secrets they are keeping on behalf of De Lafontaine may endanger everyone.

This was a really intriguing and deeply atmospheric story. Drawing from the original Gothic novella Carmilla, this Sapphic vampire story was fast paced and told through both Laura’s and Carmilla’s perspectives. De Lafontaine was an interesting character – she is dynamic and engaging, yet kept secrets from Carmilla, her loyal confidant and companion, and Laura, a new student with great potential.

While the story overall was engaging and fast paced, I felt that at times it fell a bit flat. The writing skewed somewhat “younger” and felt less refined to me, despite being an adult book. Additionally, the relationships move somewhat quickly, which given that this is a standalone may have been necessary for the plot but felt somewhat forced to me at times. Laura is a unique character but I felt that some of her more interesting aspects were not explored deeply enough, particularly her darker inclinations and her more religious aspirations. Carmilla was described as a unique and distinctive young woman, but she did not really experience much character growth in this story, despite some major plot twists. Also some of the characters’ motivations were not clear, or the intent behind certain decisions and actions. However, as a standalone novel, there is just less page time to devote to going deep into certain issues, so that is understandable. Despite these issues, the story was fast paced and exciting, and I could barely put it down.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging read, despite the issues I had with the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Sapphic fantasy or vampire lore, and looking for an exciting and action packed standalone fantasy novel. There are some darker elements and highly sexual scenes, so be sure to check the content warnings in advance if this is a sensitive issue.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook Books for the advanced electronic copy of this book in ec=xchange for my honest review.

Perfection.

Gibson's writing is beautiful and engrossing.
I think Gibson did an excellent job setting the tone of the book and weaving together dark academia, vampires, enemies-to-lovers, shame, and a Carmilla retelling. In another author's hands, Laura, a good girl from the south, would have felt unnatural when she refuses to step down. Gibson makes her feel multi-dimensional and likable.
Even De Lafontaine and Carmilla, whom you know are up to something and you should be wary of them come across as very likable and easy for the reader to get to know them just from a few lines.

The ending had me gripped. I'm still thinking of where things left...

Cannot get enough of this author.

So, at the beginning of the year, I decided to dive into 'An Education in Malice' by S.T. Gibson, and let me tell you, it was quite the journey. This was my first taste of Gibson's writing, and boy, did it leave an impression on my literary soul. The narrative had this delicate weave of subtlety, poetic beauty, and a mix of elements that just kept me eagerly turning those pages.

The whole thing unfolds in the backdrop of Saint Perpetua's, this all-girls boarding school tucked away in the peaceful hills of Massachusetts. We get introduced to Laura Sheridan, this smart but kinda naïve protagonist, as the story gracefully plays out in the senior class led by the mysterious Professor De Lafontaine. Rivalries, sapphic romance, and that dark academia vibe seamlessly blend in this setting.

Now, the intricate dance between Laura and Carmilla, the professor's favorite student, is like this subtle ballet of star-crossed lovers, with hints of steamy passion and a mysterious allure. Gibson weaves in vampire society, secrets, and an obsessive love interest, creating a tapestry that's both thrilling and, let's be real, a bit mesmerizing.

The morally ambiguous Professor De Lafontaine adds this extra layer of depth to the story, transforming from someone I couldn't stand at first to someone I begrudgingly admired by the end. Gibson's writing style? It blew my expectations out of the water, with a pacing and dialogue that had me hooked on my Kindle from start to finish.

Now, the but – and there's always a but, right? The climax, hitting between the 70%-80% mark, felt a tad abrupt. Left me wanting a more gradual unraveling of the plotlines. Still, 'An Education in Malice' is a gem that's gonna stick around in my thoughts. Gibson's literary magic and storytelling have left a mark, and I'm eagerly awaiting more sapphic moments from this talented author.

Major shoutout to Netgalley, Orbit, and Redhook for giving me the chance to get lost in this captivating world through the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of An Education in Malice.

Summary: Laura is a college freshman, who is leaving behind Mississippi for her new college in Massachusetts. However, at Saint Perpetua’s College, not all is as it seems. Laura’s wallflower nature is quickly transformed into something darker under the competition of classmate Carmilla... and the watchful eye of Professor De LaFountaine. As Laura dives deeper and deeper into De LaFountaine and Carmilla’s world, she blossoms, however it comes at a price.

Review: This is a 5-star read if you are looking for sapphic vampires. I needed more time with these characters and Saint Perpetua's. I needed more Carmilla and Laura, but I also needed more of the side characters as well. To me, what made it 5-stars instead of 4-stars was the way that Gibson portrayed that raw hunger these characters all had, for different things at different times, but that need and ambition for things greater than themselves was always present. The characters were never boring. They were always growing and the main characters flourished under Gibson’s writing. The vampirism was secondary to what I saw as the real story, which was love and obsession. I will say I did not love parts of the end. It felt too quick for some of the bigger characters and some of the side characters had no ending at all.

Side note: I was ready for enemies to lovers, but I was not prepared for a professor/student in the form of a convoluted relationship. I genuinely thought it was going to be a small, small part of the book. De LaFountaine was a hero and a villain in their story and the way that Gibson portrayed that obsession was brilliant. These were young women who are still impressionable, both looking for maternal figures, as well as lovers, and De Fountaine exploited that. The lines were never going to be clear. However, that relationship may be upsetting for some.

An education in malice is a sapphic exploration of unequal power dynamics and obsession, sexual identity and desires, and the vampiric drain of shitty relationships (plus actual vampires).

The story is written in first person dual POV centered around Carmilla and Laura, two talented college students who become entangled in a web of rivalry and desire. It is framed by the charged environment of the civil rights era and the continuation of the world introduced in A Dowry of Blood.

Just as in the previous book, the writing allows the readers to look straight through the eyes of the protagonists. As someone who struggles with 1st person POV, I appreciate when it’s done well.

I would argue that this is a dark academia “light” story. While we certainly have an academic context, academic rivalry, and the relationships between some of the characters have to be judged against the ethics of higher education, the story is more about poetry, creativity and the expression of desires through art than academia itself. This is not a negative point, but something to keep in mind for those looking for the quintessential dark academia novel.

My reason for deducting one star lies with the ending itself. As someone who works in academia and had to witness ethically and morally questionable relationships in my own department, I would have wished for a harder break with or stronger admonishment of the characters in power positions that have crossed lines. While the ability of those characters to self-reflect on their actions and seemingly break with their behaviors in the end was the right step, I wished to see a bit more of a sterner language around how much of how Carmilla’s (more so than Laura’s) life changed was a reaction to the decisions of someone else and less so a consensual decision of her own. Some characters were just left off the hook a bit too easy in my opinion. That being said, the characters showed the effect of abuse and manipulation, and how it reproduces through unequal power dynamics. It’s an important conversation to be had, in academia and everywhere else.

Thank you NetGalley, Redhook and Orbit for providing me with an eARC.

ARC copy provided by NetGalley.

I'll be honest, I was truly excited for another dip into S.T. Gibson's universe from her first novel. I respect her immensely as a writer and a person. I admire her greatly.

Which is why I was so disappointed by this book.

I am likely in the minority here, and that is fine. But this book felt like flourishes and aesthetics with little underlying narrative. It seemingly wanted to be both dark academic fantasy and character study. I think it would have been a stronger novel if it had been just one of those things.

It also had a major problem with telling me things instead of showing, something I find to be deeply, DEEPLY irksome. I love lush worldbuilding, I love detail, but so much of this felt like chaff. The details didn't serve a purpose except to tip a hat to an aesthetic that rarely felt cohesive.

Now, the sex scene(s)? The moments the actual narrative dynamic between Laura and Carmilla (and, to an extent, De Lafontaine) shine through? Beautiful. That was why I finished this book rather than letting it flounder in obscurity on my Kindle. There were brief, stunning moments -- until it all sort of fell flat again. And that's the most disappointing thing. More than anything, this novel felt flat.

An Education in Malice is S.T. Gibson's modern retelling of Carmilla, and it is magnificent. This sapphic vampire novel is both romantic and unsettling, sexy and stomach-turning- and I absolutely could not put it down.

When Laura Sheridan begins her academic career at Saint Perpetua's College, she expects to foster her writing career and learn poetry from the school's highly-sought after Professor De Lafontaine. Laura doesn't, however, expect to be thrust into an intense academic rivalry with Carmilla, with whom she is quickly competing for the attention of De Lafontaine (who also happens to be a centuries-old vampire who has been feeding on Carmilla). While the two girls fiercely compete for the affections of their professor, they start to feel more intensely about one another, and the more time the two of them spend with Professor De Lafontaine, the more they realize she's been hiding...

An Education in Malice is a beautiful and bloody dark academia novel that will have you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.

An Education in Malice is a dark tale of intrigue, loyalty, and betrayal.

An Education in Malice is a dark academia book set in the late 1960’s New England. The book follows two female protagonists, Laura and Carmilla, who are students of dynamic and intriguing poetry Professor De Lafontaine. Laura, a freshman hailing from Mississippi, is initially drawn to Carmilla, a senior who exudes confidence and unique beauty. Both are students of De Lafontaine, and it is clear that Carmilla is her favorite. When Laura is invited by De Lafontaine to join their secretive after-hours study sessions, she and Carmilla find each other inextricably linked and pulled deeper into De Lafontaine’s secrets. When students on campus begin turning up dead from mysterious wounds, Carmilla and Laura worry that the secrets they are keeping on behalf of De Lafontaine may endanger everyone.

This was a really intriguing and deeply atmospheric story. Drawing from the original Gothic novella Carmilla, this Sapphic vampire story was fast paced and told through both Laura’s and Carmilla’s perspectives. De Lafontaine was an interesting character – she is dynamic and engaging, yet kept secrets from Carmilla, her loyal confidant and companion, and Laura, a new student with great potential.

While the story overall was engaging and fast paced, I felt that at times it fell a bit flat. The writing skewed somewhat “younger” and felt less refined to me, despite being an adult book. Additionally, the relationships move somewhat quickly, which given that this is a standalone may have been necessary for the plot but felt somewhat forced to me at times. Laura is a unique character but I felt that some of her more interesting aspects were not explored deeply enough, particularly her darker inclinations and her more religious aspirations. Carmilla was described as a unique and distinctive young woman, but she did not really experience much character growth in this story, despite some major plot twists. Also some of the characters’ motivations were not clear, or the intent behind certain decisions and actions. However, as a standalone novel, there is just less page time to devote to going deep into certain issues, so that is understandable. Despite these issues, the story was fast paced and exciting, and I could barely put it down.

Overall, I found this to be an engaging read, despite the issues I had with the story. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Sapphic fantasy or vampire lore, and looking for an exciting and action packed standalone fantasy novel. There are some darker elements and highly sexual scenes, so be sure to check the content warnings in advance if this is a sensitive issue.

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an eARC of one of my most anticipated releases of 2024.

This book is so much fun. Gibson’s writing style is always so immersive and this story was no different.

Straight to the point. If u have religious trauma and ur 💅 and have a thing for vampires I think this is a MUST read. Gibson just does it so right and this made me so excited for her upcoming romance.

Coming out the week of Valentines Day!

Despite my best efforts, I'm starting to think maybe S.T. Gibson isn't for me. I didn't love a Dowry of Blood, but still really wanted to try this one. And it's not that it's bad by any means, but I did feel like it was too long and would've worked better as a novella. The last 20% or so was probably my favorite, and I think that's because that's where most of the action happens.

I know this book will have tons of readers who adore it, but for me, it was just an average read.

This was beautifully written, and absolutely delivered on the dark academia vibes. It felt atmospheric and lush; I just think I needed this to be a bit longer to be honest! This is my first book by ST Gibson, and I will definitely be checking out more of their work!