this was such a beautifully crafted story about academia, obsession and vampirism. st gibson’s writing creates a vivid atmopshere and characters that are so layered and compelling, it was so interesting being in their minds. the vampiric elements were also really cool and i loved seeing a cameo from a character from a dowry in blood! another hit from st gibson and i cannot wait to read evocation!

I've never read Carmilla so I can't speak to the retelling aspect of the book. But like A Dowry of Blood, I love the prose and storytelling of unhealthy relationships. Also I'm going to read anything with sapphic vampires, especially with a dark academia setting. Really enjoyable and quick read!

I’m really sad that I didn’t love this one, because I loved A Dowry of Blood. But it was so slow. It felt like the plot never really got going, and then suddenly it was over. Overall, this just wasn’t for me; I think people who like more slow-burn stories with less plot would probably enjoy this.

First thing I must say is when I heard there was a dark academia sapphic retelling of Carmilla, I was already hooked. The fact that it was written by ST Gibson made me jump at the chance to read this. A Dowry Of Blood was one of my most favorite reads ever, so this book was bound to have my heart. And have my heart it did.

This book was absolutely incredible. The way the author wrote each character was amazing. I felt like I was either Laura or Carmilla in each of their chapters. The chemistry is off the charts and the Delafontaine was so authoritative as well as vulnerable. As Laura is pulled more and more into this dark atmosphere, you can feel her hesitation as well as her want. Brilliant. And the poetry aspect had me from the start as I write poetry. The longing, the loving, the wanting, this book has it all and it's enchanting, incandescent and somber all at once. The atmospheric vibes will suck you into their world

I recommend not only this book, but any book this author writes.

4.5 rounded up to 5

first of all, thank you so much to orbit books for the eARC! i'm eternally grateful for having the opportunity to read this because it might have altered my brain chemistry!

'an education in malice' is a sapphic retelling of the 'Carmilla', following Carmilla and Lauren, two rivals at Saint Perpetua’s College. Both of them are sharing the same poetry professor: De Lafontaine, who has motives of her own after taking both girls into her confidence. Filled with rivalry, these two become maybe(?) something more throughout their college year.

Gibson has a way with words that I thoroughly enjoy, but it's understandable that some people may not enjoy it. I love the way they weave religious imagery into their writing, much like 'a dowry of blood' was written, but again, some people may not like that (growing up in a religious household, it's definitely an interesting touch). It shows the reverence that the girls possess for one another and a sort of devotion for what (and who) they're passionate about.

While I have yet to read Carmilla, this retelling has everything that I could ever want from a vampire novel. An Education in Malice is seductive and pulls you in with its gorgeous imagery, the setting at Saint Perpetua's College, which sets the mood for the dark academia vibes, and the characters of course.

speaking of, Carmilla was lovely to read about. i loved that she had a backstory and her voice was strong throughout most of the novel. she was a complex character that had depth and personality and you knew why she was the way she was. I think the same can be said about Laura. she grew into herself throughout the novel, starting from a shy freshman girl to something much more and we love growth in this house! Laura was a lovely character and i'm incredibly happy with her character development.

my two little critiques would be that more towards the end of the novel, it was difficult to discern between the two girls, which was a shame because they're both such complex characters that had me fully invested at the beginning. my last critique is there seemed to be no sense of urgency when things went down. it's briefly mentioned about what happens after what triggers this event, but i feel like if the thing (that i cannot say) was more integrated, it would have been so much more tense, but I understand that it would have taken away from what Gibson wanted to achieve in this novel.

overall, i think that 'an education in malice' will be a staple in the dark academia sub-genre with its gorgeous prose and lovely setting.

S.T Gibson’s vampires are toxic, gray, and my god are they sexy. Sad to say goodbye to Gibson’s vampiric stories (at least for now) but absolutely devoured this sapphic dark academia one!

ST Gibson goes so hard for the lusty sapphics and I respect the hell out of her for that. This book is DELICIOUS. It has beautiful atmosphere, characters you can fall into, and emotion you can feel like it’s your own.

I adore Laura and Carmilla, each of their perspectives felt fresh and real. This book really hinges on that line between hate and obsession, love and possession, and it dances along it perfectly. It’s such a horny book in both context and subtext and it’s JUST. SO GOOD.

I found the climax of the conflict a little simple and predictable, but the ending itself was something that surprised me and made me feel very satisfied overall, so I really enjoyed every moment of this book.

ST Gibson is a master at carnal lust and twisted desire, and they work that into a world of vampires flawlessly. Cant recommend this book enough.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s dark and sapphic and I love it. This was a great companion novel to A Dowry of Blood, which I had also thoroughly enjoyed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I had a good feeling about it from the first chapter. I found the writing to be beautiful and poetic (which is fitting because this is a large part of the book). I also love the way that the supernatural was incorporated into the novel so seamlessly. Even though the atmosphere was dark, it also felt oddly whimsical and enchanting. Whenever I picked up this book I felt fully engrossed in the world, it almost felt like waking up from a dream when I had to stop. Additionally, the characters were written so well, they each had a layer of depth to them that I think can be difficult to see when there are multiple perspectives. The romance was, of course, a chef's kiss. The more I think about this book and write this review the more I want to give it five stars so I think that's what I'm going to do. I'll definitely be reading S.T. Gibson's other works.

All vibes no plot.

Now that's not necessarily a bad thing. I might not have been in the right headspace when I was reading this because I wasn't bored, but man did I not care. I could not tell you what happened in the first half of the book. However, the last half was pretty good and I ate it up.

Also if nothing else, read this book for the SPOILER... lesbian vampires.

Thank you to netgalley, Orbit, and Redhook for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

On Laura’s first day at Saint Perpetua’s College, she is unexpectedly thrust into an academic rivalry with the stunning Camilla. Together, Laura and Camilla are drawn in towards their professor, where they’re taking secret lessons and finding out deadly secrets.
This book was absolutely amazing. It had everything I could possibly want or need in a dark academia novel. I don’t want to say too much about the plot or characters, because both are incredibly complex and in my opinion it is much better to go into this book blind than knowing about the plot. It is the perfect read for both spooky season, as well as cold winter nights. I read the majority of this book throughout nights and it was probably one of the most perfect book experiences I’ve had in awhile.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for an eARC of this book.

Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua’s College. Isolated and ancient, it is not a place for timid girls. Here, secrets are currency, ambition is lifeblood, and strange ceremonies welcome students into the fold. On her first day of class, Laura Sheridan is thrust into an intense academic rivalry with the beautiful and enigmatic Carmilla. Together, they are drawn into the confidence of their demanding poetry professor, De Lafontaine, who holds her own dark obsession with Carmilla.

But as their rivalry blossoms into something far more delicious, Laura must confront her own strange hungers. Tangled in a sinister game of politics, bloodthirsty professors and magic, Laura and Carmilla must decide how much they are willing to sacrifice in their ruthless pursuit of knowledge.

This book is sumptuous and brilliantly written. Intimate, dark and dangerous, this is a the story of Laura and Carmilla, rivaling for the attentions of their dark instructor. The desperate forbidden desires and delicious ferocity makes for a fascinating and heart-pounding read.

Utterly brilliant! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

This book was absolutely AMAZING. It was beautiful, dark, romantic, sapphic love, and undeniably heartbreaking at times.

It sent me from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other, from rage, to crying, to being a bit turned on, to a little horrified.

The writing was absolutely flawless, and breathtaking. I got so lost in this book, and it was one of those that was difficult to put down. S.T. Gibson’s writing style is superb.

I loved the switching between POV’s. It gives us a look into both MC’s thoughts, lives, and feelings, and I believe it added so much more depth to the book.

This was an easily rated 5 star book for me, and I cannot wait to read more from S.T. Gibson!

First, I would like to thank S. T. Gibson, Redhook Books, and Netgalley for the ARC.

Wow, what a beautiful ride! Normally, story is the true champion for me, but the lyricism is just as good, if not better, than the actual narrative in this case. I almost wish I could have listened to someone read this out loud.

We start out meeting sweet Laura who is preparing to go off to a college to instruct her further in her craft: writing. She's taken into a highly sought out poetry class (as a freshman no less) where she comes to know Carmilla and De LaFontaine. A competition of sorts begins between Laura and Carmilla, which leads to secrets coming to light and forcing these three characters down a dark road together.

Honestly, I don't have very many notes. I wanted more from all the characters, but I think what felt like a lack of something actually helped drive the overall feeling of the novel forward.

It's Gothic, poetic, and filled with moments of humanity. I think the atmosphere was built up really well. I could see the stone buildings and the girls traipsing across campus, lingering in doorways and smoking cigarettes.

Laura is a beautiful character to me. Her cross-sections of being... Southern, religious, questioning, lesbian, innocent, domineering.. she was absolutely my favorite part of the story. That's not to say I didn't like our other chief characters, Carmilla and De LaFontaine. They were excellently crafted and portrayed as well, but I felt like I could see who Laura was more clearly, as if her story resonated the most.

It was a really enjoyable read with a small slice of spice and trepidation. I'd read again and would love to see the stories of these characters prior to meeting and way down the road.

Thank you to NetGalley and Redhook for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

ST Gibson's prose is just hauntingly beautiful. The academia setting was just so atmospheric. The characters layered. the sexual tension was simmering. Just how easily she captures the intoxication of obsession in a toxic relationship and just the interplays. I just was immediately immersed and couldn't put it down. Another incredible vampire read.

Thank you NetGalley, Orbit, and ST Gibson for the ARC copy of An Education in Malice in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this book completely blind — just loved the cover and dark academia vibes — and man oh man, was it an adventure?!

An Education in Malice follows Laura and Carmilla and their journey at Saint Perpetua’s Collage, where they study poetry under Professor De Lafontaine. Quickly becoming rivals, Laura and Carmilla fight for the professor’s attention. When they’re suddenly caught in the middle of murders happening around campus, they are forced to acknowledge their true feelings about each other.

An Education in Malice has absolutely STUNNING prose. It bridges between fantasy and suspense with dark academia vibes. ST Gibson has such a way with words. I was so intrigued by this story; I couldn’t put it down!

Release Date: February 13, 2024

You might like this book if…
+ You like your suspense with a touch of fantasy
+ You are looking for an LGBTQIA+ characters
+ You enjoy poetry and beautiful prose

Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Fantasy
Tropes: LGBTQIA, Possessive, Dark, D/s
⭐️: 4/5

I'm not normally a fan of vampire romance novels, but the allure of sapphic academic-rivals-to-lovers was too much to pass up. In the end, I'm thankful I got the chance to read this book early and very much enjoyed S. T. Gibson's writing. This was my first introduction to the author's style, as I haven't read A Dowry of Blood yet (though I plan to, after this).

I tend to have trouble reading books set in any sort of modern time frame (especially enemies-to-lovers) because it feels hard to engage with the characters and setting, as someone who usually reads fantasy and other types of speculative fiction. The paranormal elements in this book were enough to raise the stakes for me and keep me interested, but, fortunately, that wasn't even the most exciting thing keeping my attention. Laura, Carmilla, and De Lafontaine are the central players here, their complicated web of a relationship set against the backdrop of normalcy and typical human relationships. It was fascinating to see Laura and Carmilla become more and more involved and obsessed with each other despite each having a deep need to please and become enamored with De Lafontaine, who is still criminally human despite her vampirism. Speaking to the more sensual aspects of this book, the tension in how they navigated their growing relationship as it conflicted with the toxic and inappropriate obsession De Lafontaine had with Carmilla was perhaps the most fascinating part of the story and what kept me on the edge of my seat. The obsession, the toxicity, the taboo was titilating and lurid. At the same time, all those things were undercut by the genuine and affectionate connection forming between Laura and Carmilla, making the story truly compelling beyond base emotions and desires. It was also refreshing to see Laura, the more anxious and less confident half of the pair, blossom into her more dominant tendencies and accept what she considered the darker parts of herself.

In general, the book is also strong in technical aspects. The prose is lyrical, lush and poetic. There is enough balance between those poetic descriptions and natural processions of the characters experiencing their surroundings. The overarching plot was enough to keep the allure of danger involved, though I would suggest adding a hint more backstory to secondary characters who may be put in danger or hurt, to heighten the stakes even further.

If you enjoy dark academia, beautiful writing styles, paranormal influences, sapphic romances and stories about academic rivals, I reckon you'd like this book. I also enjoyed that the author included a warning page near the beginning, so that readers are fully aware of the content warnings before reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Redhook Books for the e-ARC!

I felt like the story dragged. It had potential but just kept dragging and really never got below a surface level.

I love both Dracula and Carmilla and though I have yet to read A Dowry of Blood (it's on my list!), I loved getting into this Carmilla retelling. I was interested in how the story would go, and it ended up feeling like the perfect reimagining of the tale. Gibson's writing is poetic, and I always enjoy a dark academia read.

An Education in Malice is a modern, sapphic retelling of Carmilla, the 1872 Gothic vampire novella by Sheridan Le Fanu that predates Bram Stoker's Dracula by 25 years. It is a full-length novel (352 pages) that takes place at a university in Western Massachusetts. Being a Massachusetts native for the first 40 years of my life, before moving to California to escape the horrid winters, I appreciated the setting. :)

Being brought into a present-day setting and context worked very well for this novel. The relationship between Laura and Carmilla was intense and fraught with tension which made for a great story. And like the previous book, the writing was very descriptive, creating the perfect atmosphere that pulled you right into the narrative. I loved the emotional growth of Laura's character, while simultaneously breaking down Carmilla's walls and seeing her softer, more vulnerable side.

Unfortunately, I never read the original book, but OMG that cliffhanger at the end!! Did Laura drink the "Kool-aid" or what? ;)