Wow! I really enjoyed reading this book. It was like a more adult Harry Potter with other romantasy tropes added in. It was easy to understand the world and I loved all of the nods to greek mythology!

This was not my favourite. Good and interesting premise, but I felt it was a bit springy. Good potential and fancy magic system.

I have a lot of things to say.

I have been hired to kill this prince

This quote caught me off guard. Reading this sentence made me realize I might just enjoy reading this book—which I did.
This book follows the journey of an assassin named kiara with a mission to kill the crown Prince of the country.
On the night they gain their powers as mages she is mistakenly misidentified and thus gets mixed with them. She also finds out she’s a very unique mage.
I loved it’s unique magic system and the author’s writing style, I would have given this book a five stars if not for something.
As much as I loved the vibe and all, I found some statement contradicting each-other. Also it was very weird that the nobody knew she wasn’t enrolled into the academy until after some days.
But if I were to ignore that, the book was very lovely.
I loved the main character vibes and my favorite character was Tobias

3.5 rounded up to a 4 ⭐️

This has a lot potential. The story has a lot of uniqueness to it and overall I liked it.
I would have liked a bit more of a why they start to like each other. And I think that’s a big part of why I can’t rate this higher.

But as I said, overall a nice story. If you like YA and trials give it a go.

In the beginning, I loved the idea of this book. The plot is creative and is a good mix of tropes. It got pretty overwhelming though and felt like there was a lot missing. Like it was moving too fast and not touching on things it should. Just kind of running through the story too quickly and not developed enough where I need it. Also the writing style felt very pointy and not poetic enough. I didn't really know the characters very well. I made it to 30%, but then I had to dnf it. I think the plot is a great idea, but I just needed more from the writing style.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an ARC copy

Thank you Netgalley and Ever King for this arc!

I love a Greek Mythology retelling. Especially Enemies to Lovers. I like how fast the plot moves. It didn't linger as much as some enemies to lovers tropes do. I would like to explore the Academy and magic systems more. Some predictable moments but all over well executed story. Looking forward to the next installment.

This was my first time reading a retelling of the Nyx mythology, and I loved it! The magic system is so unique, and the plot is heavy and in-depth. It definitely takes all of your focus to get into this, so don’t pick it up expecting it to be a light read! The dynamic between the FMC and the MMC had me swooning (can we say shadow daddy??). It’s YA so don’t expect any spice, but there’s definitely LOTS of tension and banter.

Loved this book and how it was written. It was funny but it didn’t take over the plot. Can’t wait to read the next one!

DNF 20%
I wanted to like this really bad but unfortunately I couldn't connect with the characters or the story. I'll may return to it another time but for now I'll leave it unfinished.

4.5 ⭐️
1 🌶️
0 💧

Plot! Wow there is so much going on with this book. Make sure that you give this all your attention when reading because it’s so in-depth, It gave me high fantasy/Harry Potter/Greek Mythology vibes. There is no lull, this book filled every single chapter with awesome magic, beautiful sceneries and interesting characters. It has a magical academy, secret society’s, cursed kingdom, assassins, forbidden love and so much more. This book is listed as YA, but what it lacks in spice, it makes up for with love. I was swooning so hard. Lucian is my dark prince.

*The Nameless, they called us after stripping us of our identities.

*But tonight, it ends. This isn’t about revenge—it’s about justice.

*If his love is a curse, I’ll wear it like a crown.

This book had a Harry Potter/throne of glass feel. There was quite a bit of repetition. The characters were so easy to connect with right away, can’t wait for the second book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Firstly thank you for the arc read.

The book kicks off straight away with our female main character, a Nameless assassin having to infiltrate a magical school to kill the Prince. She quickly discovers she’s actually a mage something she’s always hated.

This book gives Harry Potter vibes right from the off with a sorting ceremony and magical houses. This continues with the students having lessons like Care of Magical beasts. I love Harry Potter so this was fun for me! I also loved the use of a grimoire for their magic, it added a nice change to the usual style of magical system we get.

The mythology references in the book was good and it wasn’t too much. It added a good element to the story.

I liked reading this book, I got through it quickly and it kept my attention, with the writing being compelling with the startings of beautiful world building for the future books.

However this book is by no means a perfect. There is so much potential with this book but I feel like there is a missing depth to it. It felt a little like there were lots of plot holes and missed chances for more. I hope as this is the first in the series we will slowly over time get more and more and it will get better and better.

I loved everything about this book, the world around it. I would definitely would want to read it again in a year. The love interests have been make me giggle and kicking my feet’s

I would recommend 💖

This is good but not great. I think the issue is that while reading you keep encountering similarities to other popular fantasy series. It can be distracting but it also forces comparison. And in comparison Academy of Villains does live up to those other books. A couple of areas I saw that felt inspired:
Initially there is a sorting based on magic
There is some similarity in the class names that are used - Care of Magical Beasts
There is a basilisk type creature later on the book
One of the types of magic are ShadowMage
And there are affinities - sort of a secondary magic

I enjoyed the story overall but felt like it could use some more development and more character depth. Something that will distract from all that comparing.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I’m rating Academy of Villains by Ever King a 3.5, but for the sake of star ratings, and because I don’t think it deserves a lower score, I’m rounding up to 4 stars. The atmosphere and concept of an enemies-to-lovers dark academia story immediately made me a sucker for this book. The blend of Greek mythology, dangerous magic, and secret societies created an intriguing and immersive setting that kept me engaged.

Kiara’s journey as an assassin-turned-mage, thrown into a ruthless academy where she must choose between vengeance and a greater destiny, was gripping. The worldbuilding and dark themes were well done, and the tension between her and the prince added an enticing layer to the story.

However, I found the character development a bit rushed, which made the emotional moments and relationships less impactful for me. I wanted more depth in the connections between the characters, especially since the premise set up such high-stakes relationships. If the story had slowed down to allow for more organic emotional growth, it could have been even more powerful.

That said, the book still delivered an engaging read with a compelling atmosphere, and I’m excited to see where the series goes next. I want to thank NetGalley and Ever King for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you love dark fantasy with an intense setting and mythology-inspired storytelling, Academy of Villains is worth checking out!

Omg I want more! Like right now!! This story is amazing, the world building the characters the details the back story all of it. I’m officially obsessed with this I need the next book like right now.

Academy of Villains is exactly what it sounds like, you get mystery and a lot of questions In my opinion things pick up quickly. What had me sold on this was the description it’s definitely Slytherin-coded and I loved every moment of it!

It’s a dark fantasy romance that takes place in a school what more can you ask for? Oh and there’s the MMC whose name is Lucian who you’re gonna end up falling in love with! The MFC Kiara's is 🤌🏻 she’s a strong independent person, you’re gonna be rooting for her for this whole book

There’s secrets, a love story, and trials. I would recommend this to anyone who loves magic, fantasy, romance that involves enemies to lovers and of course Slytherin or anything that feels like Harry Potter this is for you guys.

Thank you NetGalley and the author ever king for allowing me to be an arc reader for this I’m glad I got to experience this world and the characters I can’t wait for book two!!

Ohhhh this was a good one! The author was generous enough to grant my request for a copy on NetGalley (even though the book came out in Oct 2024) and I hate that I *just* now read it. We have magic, we have grimoires, trials, gods, curses, secret societies and more. It had so much going on and I just wanted more. I wish it was longer so that we had more world building, more of the history of the curse, Kiara coming into her power, more yearning and relationship building between the MMC and FMC. The second half of the book felt a bit rushed trying to get all the info we needed to prepare for book 2 in this series. But overall, I'm a fan and will definitely read the second book!

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the world building was good and I adored the characters. The plot was slow in some places but otherwise the pace was consistent. I feel like this was a good introductory book to some of the other books I enjoy (which is nice).

Overall, I thought this book was really good for what it is and look forward to the next book in the series!

Thanks for the E-ARC

This book had such a strong start, and I was immediately drawn in by the cover and intriguing premise. A deadly assassin infiltrating a mage academy? Sign me up! Kiara, one of the Nameless and sworn to eliminate magic, is sent to kill Prince Lucien but accidentally gets mistaken for a student. She soon discovers she’s a mage herself—the very thing she despises. From there, she must choose between her mission and her newfound powers.

The atmosphere was compelling, and I really enjoyed the mythology, secret societies, and grimoire-based magic. There were also some interesting love ties, though I expected a stronger enemies-to-lovers dynamic. While the romance was labeled as slow burn, the attraction kicked in quickly, making it feel less like a true rivalry.

Unfortunately, as the story progressed, my excitement faded. The academy setting, which had so much potential, felt underused. I wanted more classes, teamwork, and a deeper sense of dark academia. While there were elements of school traditions, the villainous atmosphere was lacking. By the time I reached the end, I wasn’t eager to continue the series.

Despite its intriguing premise, the execution left me wanting more. Hopefully, the sequel delivers on the potential!

Hooked from the first chapter.

I loved this book! It was an incredibly fast-paced and enjoyable read that I couldn't put down. I was thrilled by this retelling of Nyx and Erebus. It brought a fresh twist to their story, and I found myself completely captivated by the world-building and character dynamics.

The magic system in this book was incredibly unique. I especially enjoyed how the grimoires were central to the use of magic—it added a sense of mystery and depth to the magical elements. The way magic is handled in this world felt both powerful and carefully structured, and I’m excited to explore more about the mages and their abilities as the series progresses.

The setting had a wonderful blend of academia and secret society vibes that really drew me in. The atmosphere created a sense of intrigue and adventure, making each chapter feel like a thrilling discovery. On top of that, the romance was everything I hoped for! The enemies-to-lovers and fated mates storyline was beautifully done, with tension and chemistry building throughout the book. And, of course, who can resist the allure of another swoon-worthy "shadow daddy"?

This book is perfect for readers who love Greek mythology, fantasy, and romance with a dash of mystery. Fans of The Atlas Six or Throne of Glass will likely enjoy this series, especially those who appreciate complex characters, magical world-building, and slow-burn romance. It’s also a great fit for readers 18+ who enjoy mature themes mixed with thrilling twists and dynamic relationships.

If you haven’t yet picked up Academy of Villains, now is the perfect time to start with book 1, especially with book 2 coming out soon! This series promises even more excitement and twists to come, and I can’t wait to dive deeper into the world.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC—I thoroughly enjoyed every page!