An Education in Malice is easily one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 and when I saw that I was approved for an arc, I just about screamed.

Every bit as lovely and lush a A Dowry of Blood, S.T. Gibson weaves together a bloody tale of obsession and love. As a fan of the original Carmilla, I was so excited to see the direction Gibson took with this story. Though I wouldn’t call it a retelling, it tackles the central themes, namely the obsession between Laura and Carmilla, excellently and with a delicious prose that was downright addicting.

Though this was easily a five star read for me, the one thing I wanted more from AEIM was length. The climax was abrupt and the central conflict almost underdeveloped, but all that said, those flaws didn’t diminish my enjoyment of this novel at all.

I’m so excited for this bloody, obsessive, dark academia to make its way into the world. It’s truly a marvel.

Special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book absolutely blew me away. I've been a fan of Gibson's prose since Dowry of Blood, so I knew this one wouldn't be a miss, but I underestimated just how amazing it would be. I loved every aspect, from the dynamics to the interactions to the point of view and the setting. This book is lush and crisp all at once, like sitting by a warm fire with a glass of wine while the snow frosts your window. If you like sapphic dark academia, gorgeously lived-in settings, and a to-die-for narrative with prose you can get lost in, this is the book for you. Plus, VAMPIRES? Are you kidding! I didn't even touch on the Carmilla retelling aspect earlier (which was another huge sell for me) but my god, what a wonderful way to weave in delightfully complex relationships and freshen up an already well-loved story. I can't wait to get a copy to put on my shelf and treasure forever!

Thank you Netgalley for the arc of ST Gibsons work.

Wow, she is a queen. This book is such a great follow up to Dowry. Though, not connected. however, I will say, her writing is a class in of its own. It flows beautifully and the pacing doesn’t miss a beat.

The sapphic, sexy, vampire will never get old and there’s plenty of those 3 elements to go around here. All the while exploring relationships of the rather unhealthy kind. This was chefs kiss and I will be screaming about this for eons.

Thank you Net Galley for providing me an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson, so I was excited to read more from the author. When I first picked up this book, I didn't realize it was the second book to A Dowry of Blood until I finished as it's not a continuation of the series. I enjoyed the dark academia vibes and wlw characters. As these stories are novella sized, I personally felt that there was still things left in the story that I would've loved to have explored. I think the story would have benefited from 100 more pages. The climax and resolution felt rushed and I wanted more exploration regarding the characters and relationships to each other. I specifically wanted more reflection at the end regarding the teacher/student relationship. Despite it being so short, I did feel the world and characters were developed and interesting. I recommend picking this book up if you enjoyed the authors previous work and like vampires and dark academia, just be sure to read the content warnings listed at the beginning of the book.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me an e-ARC of this book.

Unfortunately, I DNF'd pretty fast. It couldn't keep my attention at all, but I feel like that was no fault of the writer or anything else past I just didn't connect to it. I still gave it three stars because I feel like it deserves that for being able to set the setting well, and for the imagery. I really wanted to like this but it just wasn't for me.
But again, I do feel like this is a "me" thing, and not a "book" thing.

This was a delightful follow up novel by the author. It has great dark academia vibes an the relationship between the 3 main characters is intriguing. S.T. Gibson is a master at the vampire novel blending the mysterious with emotion and the reality of the characters situations.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

S. T. Gibson proves her storytelling prowess once again with "An Education in Malice." While part of a series, this installment stands as a compelling standalone, easily making its mark as a must-read for your February reads.

Nestled in a sapphic, vampiric, and dark academia setting, this novel effortlessly captivates from the very first page. Gibson's exquisite prose combined with a brisk pace made it impossible for me to set aside. The moment I received the ARC, I found myself immersed by the fire, unable to break away until the final page.

Beyond the enchanting writing style, the story unfolds in an all-women's college with an ambiance turned all the way up, deftly alternating between two distinct POVs. As a reader, I felt transported to Saint Perpetua's College walking through the corridors and participating in the parties along side the women.

Carmilla's mysterious backstory and personality add depth and allure, cleverly presented through Laura's perspective. The exploration of female relationships not only between the main trio but throughout the multiple other characters adds layers to the narrative.

Contrary to expectations, Gibson skillfully navigates the dynamics between De Lafontaine and Carmilla, breaking away from stereotypical archetypes and addressing generational trauma. The professor's character defies anticipated levels of abuse and demeaning behavior, offering a refreshing take on the genre.

While the central focus remains on the intense dynamics between the three women, I selfishly wished we had explored more of the side characters, the cohort, big sisters, and the religious horror of the college. Though not essential to the plot, such expansions could provide additional depth to the story.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley & Redhook Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

perfect dark academia and sapphic vampire vibes and I really appreciated the cameo from one of the characters from A Dowry of Blood! S.T. Gibson's writing is exquisite as always.

Thanks to NetGalley & Redhook Books for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gibson is back at it again with another lyrical vampire story! The gothic atmosphere lends itself well to the mystery--the growing relationship between Carmilla & Laura as they handle mysterious supernatural events was fascinating to read.

I will say I was a bit disappointed in this one, it felt like it flew by too fast.

I wanted more scenes with Carmilla & Laura expanding their relationship with one another. There was one scene where they expanded their physical intimacy with one another, but I wanted more scenes of them sharing their personalities/interests/dislikes/etc in more discussions with each other. It always seemed to involve Ms. D. rather than just the two of them. But I supposed that was the point, Ms. D's uncomfortable relationship with Carmilla interfered with her living her life. Literally and metaphorically.

Don't get me wrong, this book was still good, but I do prefer the first one due to its setting/characters.

I saw this book on Amazon awhile ago - it was a pre-order and I was excited by the description and the title. I had no idea if I would like it or not but I had preordered it. Due to some unforseen circumstances I've had to cancel a lot of pre-orders so I am overwhelmingly appreciative of NetGalley and S. T. Gibson team for allowing me to read this arc.

I thought the book itself was really interesting. I love the dark academia vibes and the fact that it's a literary competition type. The poetry made me feel a little dense but it was still really well written and I enjoyed it. It was disturbing in a way the teacher-student relationship that the teacher was a woman. I know it happens, I know it's something that needs more awareness, but as someone with experience it was... disturbing. I think it was a really well paced book and I enjoyed the vibes and reading it.

3.75
a dowry of blood is one of my favorite books, so i had high expectations for this one. even though i enjoyed this book, it just wasn't completely hitting the same for me (it might be the time period this book is set in?). the plot surrounding isis could've been more interesting, and things started falling flat towards the end. nonetheless, i will be seated for future releases

Wow. I loved A Dowry of Blood. And I love this as well. S.T. Gibson is going to be an auto buy author for me.

I loved this dark fantasy retelling of Carmilla. Gibsons writing just elicits some kind of deep and dark emotion when reading that makes her stories visceral. The agony and desperation and obsession… it brings out so many conflicting emotions. At times I loved it and times I hated it.

Deep in the forgotten hills of Massachusetts stands Saint Perpetua’s College, a place where 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.

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 a dark and atmospheric tale of love, betrayal, and the thirst for knowledge. The setting of Saint Perpetua’s College is perfectly creepy, and the characters are all complex and well-developed. The plot is full of twists and turns, and the ending is both shocking and satisfying.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of dark academia, gothic horror, and supernatural fiction.

“I had the awful, yawning feeling inside myself that for her, I would always stay. It felt like standing on the edge of an abyss, looking down at the velvety darkness below and feeling held by it.”

I am speechless. I just finished this, reread my annotations and I am already dying to read it again. A Dowry Of Blood is one of my favorite books of all time so the bar was set pretty high for this companion novel. I’m so happy that it did not disappoint. I had an amazing time reading this! I read it slowly, absorbing every word because I did not want it to end.

I was immersed in a world of beautiful, lyrical words and dark, seductive characters. The dark academia atmosphere was perfection. I could picture everything so clearly and there were so many stand out moments. The spicy scenes were so well done and the tension built throughout this was so hot 🔥

“Carmilla and I grew even more entangled, like flowers who, denied sufficient sunlight, entwine their leaves around each other and grow up strangled with love.”

The writing is so lush and descriptive. S.T. Gibson weaves together sentences in this romantic yet tragic way. I will forever devour anything she writes!

I really enjoyed Dowry of Blood so I was very excited when I was approved for an advanced copy of An Education in Malice. I live for sapphic vampire stories.

I like S.T. Gibson's writing very much. However, I did not feel that this story was quite as strong as DoB. I'm not sure if it was the time period I didn't enjoy as much or just that our two characters feel quite young. The undercurrent of the Ms. D/Isis situation didn't really interest me. I didn't really like Ms. D. as a character in general. I was happy for the reappearance of Magdalena, though.

I enjoyed the book and look forward to purchasing a copy once it's released. I'm happy to read anything from S.T. Gibson.

Thank you to Redhook Books, Redhook, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this! As an early enjoyer of ADOB from the arc on, I'd really been looking forward to AEIM and was anxiously awaiting the companion. I believe my hopes were too high, but I still very much enjoyed An Education in Malice.

Those hoping for more of the same will find it not to be .... so easily there? Though set in a different part of the world, where Laura is human, and *Carmilla* is human. . .but De La Fontaine is not. There is an incredibly toxic relationship there, and one that feels real enough, with the power that professors have on students, and how badly each Carmilla and Laura *want* it. De La Fontaine is both aware and pretends unawareness of what she does. In the struggle for her attention and her favor, Laura and Carmilla's rivalry feels true, as does the instant obsession with each other due to her.

The relationship from rivals to lovers seems to happen quicker than I was expecting, with them settling back on easy grounds, and De La Fontaine allowing more of Laura in when she realizes Laura is breaking her control on Carmilla-- though displeased, she goes along with it, because seemingly, *what else can do she do*, but that aspect fell flatter to me, as did the second part with her own mentor.

The cameo brought more questions than it answered-- no mention of the others! Are they well, are they still alive? still together? I'm not sure about the second half, but I was very fond of the first half.

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!


A beautiful, sapphic, vampire story. It's a good read for a stormy night, full of horror and yearning. S.T. Gibson does a wonderful job demonstrating uneven power dynamics. The prose is elegant and there are so many great quotes for the sapphic girlies to use, truly beautiful writing.

The alternate POVs were great, switching between Laura and Carmilla's showcased how different yet alike they were, both pretending to hate each other while hiding their growing infatuations.

There’s a reason S.T. Gibson is an auto-buy author for me now.

This was ridiculously good. I fell in love with both Laura and Carmilla early on, and De Lafontaine was a love/hate sort of experience (which I enjoyed).

The romance was GOLDEN, and I found myself blushing at work while on my lunch break due to a few scenes 🌶️

As always, Gibson’s prose is just gorgeous. Even when detailing dark and depressing things, her descriptions are so beautiful.

There’s a nice Easter egg from A Dowry of Blood included as well, which had me squealing.


I’m really looking forward to seeing more reviews for this once it comes out early next year. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

4.5/5⭐️

I read the blurb before I read this book, but I must have missed that this was a standalone sequel to A Dowry of Blood. Yes, there were words like lifeblood, dark obsession, strange hungers, and blood thirsty, but I just thought it was all in reference to witchy lesbians in dark academia, with a hot female professor relationship thrown in. Possibly a threesome since the author mainly writes poly stories. It wasn’t until I was roughly 30% in that I realized it was vampires. Up until that point, the dark, gothic, and seductive tone of the book had me thinking “this is suspicious…” lol. I’m kind of embarrassed. But after some research I learned that historically, vampirism has been used as a literary device to explore those female homoerotic relationships, which totally makes sense. But anyways. I really enjoyed this book. It had me very tense at times and I had to take multiple breaks. The authors prose and stylistic choices were perfect. And I like that it wasn’t cliche. I was surprised by the ending. I will say that I didn’t like the main “big bad” in the book, but I understand why the author chose it.

This is hands down the most beautiful and intoxicating book I have read this year. S.T. Gibson is completely unmatched in the game. TOP TIER. The prose, the obsession. I would like this book melted and dripped all over me. My heart was pounding the entire time. I’m so in love. The easiest five stars I’ve ever given, second to a dowry of blood.

Thank you, NetGalley.