upper YA fantasy at it PEAK with hints of dark academia, set in the afterlife, and academic rivals TENSION??? yeah, i ate this up and will be screaming from the rooftops for everyone to read it.

TLDR: this book had everything i look for in a YA fantasy + more. the pacing was immaculate and never felt info dumpy. each character in the multi pov was so well rounded and complicated (hence why they’re essentially in purgatory). literally was screaming at my kindle for some of these characters to love each other but ohhhhh my god the tension was off the charts amazing. no spice in this one, but WHO CARES when the tension and pining is this good??? honestly some of the most romantic lines i’ve ever read EVER!

if you read the atlas six and liked the vibes, but it made you feel dumb (hi, me) you’ll love this book. similar vibes but easier plot to follow and characters to relate with.

highlights:
-academic rivals & banter
-dark academia
-lgbtq+ rep
-trials
-magic
-academy setting
-a ball scene 🙂‍↕️
-slow burn
-“you came”, “you called” vibes

This book follows 6 specific students at Blackwood Academy who are on the edge of the afterlife. They must compete in the Decennial to win a chance to be a part of the magical elite or cross over to the Other Side.

This is told in six different POVs so it did take me a little while to connect to the characters, but I did end up enjoying it. I really enjoyed Emilio and Olivier’s storyline the most and the slow burn there and I also enjoyed the twists near the end with all the remaining characters.

I am definitely interested in the next book to see what will happen, especially now that I am more invested in the characters. I enjoyed the aspect of “unfortunate acquaintances” and how they all ended up forming bonds and a stronger friendship throughout the trials. Then of course the ending…ahh!

This is for you if you love
✨ Multiple POV’s (6)
✨ LGBTQ representation
✨ No spice but multiple slow burn relationships with great yearning
✨ Secrets, twists, and turns
✨ Magical Academy setting in the afterlife
✨ Dangerous trials
✨ Academic rivals to lovers
✨ Dark Academia
✨ Unfortunate Acquaintances

Thank you to Random House Children’s Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun take on the magical boarding school trope - dead students are at a boarding school in the afterlife where they work to keep the cosmos stable. Unfortunately, the afterlife has a shelf life and students will fade away if they don't win a competition to join the faculty of their school.

This was a high stakes, twisty plot with enjoyable characters and a mystery that hasn't been totally unravelled yet - leaving me eager for the sequel!

Immortal Consequences follows 6 characters at Blackwood Academy in the afterlife as they compete for the chance to either "move on", or become an "ascended" and retain their memories, and remain at Blackwood. Things are not as they seem, and almost immediately a number of problems arise for the characters, and it is clear that the competition is hiding something. There is tension between the characters, twists and turns you can't predict, and a cliffhanger that will leave you on the edge waiting for more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for providing an electronic copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall: 4⭐️

Do not read this at night - unless you aren’t planning to sleep. Immortal Consequences is an epic blend of Hogwarts in the Afterlife. It has magical elements, gripping romance, trials, and real, tangible characters you actually care about.

Story: 4⭐️

It’s about 6 young adults who are also tasked as reapers. Every 10 years, there’s a trial where the winner gets to become an Ascended with more power.

It felt sort of like One Piece where every character has a back story. And while not all character’s back story’s are fully fleshed out, there are a few that truly stand out.

Writing 5⭐️
IV Ophelia writes in a way that makes it very hard to put the book down. The pacing is fast, the story engaging. It’s seriously such a gripping novel. You really ache for every single character.

Romance: 4⭐️
The yearning between August and Wren is so palpable. I wanted to follow their story the most. And I just wish there was a little bit more of them. There’s soo much tension, angst, and hearing between them!!!

There are also other characters romances as well. And lots of LGBTQ rep. Spice is closed door YA.

Tropes:
✅ dark academia
✅ magic, spells and runes
✅ touch her and die
✅ found family
✅ LGBTQ rep

Overall, I highly recommend this if you like romantasy with trials in a Hogwarts setting. I know I’m definitely going to read the next book.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group, NetGalley, and IV Ophelia for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

If you are looking for your next young adult fantasy addiction, may you please give this book a chance???

I am beyond floored with how well this story was executed. The way the author handled six different POVs was genuinely impressive. Each character's voice felt distinct and well-developed, making it easy to tell whose perspective I was reading. That kind of clarity only comes when an author truly understands their characters, and it really showed here. The only minor drawback for me was that the frequent shifts between perspectives occasionally made it harder to stay fully grounded in the story. However, as I got deeper into the book, I adjusted to the shifts and ultimately found the multiple POVs added a richer dimension to the overall experience.

There was not a single character I liked more or less than the others—I found myself deeply connected to each of them in different ways. They’re all navigating their own personal journeys, and the way those experiences were portrayed really tugged at my heartstrings. The emotional depth given to every character made it easy to empathize with all of them, which was severely important for that diabolical ending.

Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED this book. I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this arc from Random House Children’s through NetGalley

I couldn’t put it down. It was so unique. I was invested in all the characters. Listen, I realize this book isn’t even published yet, but I really, REALLY hope book 2 comes out sooner than later.


The story follows 6 young adults who are dead and are at a school in the after life, competing against one another for a once in every ten year opportunity to become either ascended (and have access to more power) or pass over to the other side. The setting is super neat. Basically these kids could be at the school for centuries, learning about all the different types of magic, while also doing their reaping duties (helping souls cross to the other side, via the Ether). There’s so much more. Enemies to lovers, found family, the scary Demien Order who harness shadow magic (aka the bad guys), lgbtq representation, a shady headmaster, several morally gray characters and a really freaking cool magic system to go along with it!

LOVED IT!!!

Immortal Consequences is the kind of book that grabs your soul and doesn’t let go. Set at Blackwood Academy—a mysterious school perched at the boundary of the afterlife—it follows students who have already died and now must train as Reapers, guiding lost souls from the Ether into the beyond. The world-building is both eerie and enchanting, with gothic undertones and a lingering sense of melancholy that perfectly matches the themes of grief, memory, and purpose.

What truly sets this book apart, though, is the emotional weight it carries. There’s an aching tenderness in every chapter, especially as we follow a cast of complex characters navigating both their roles as Reapers and the pain of what they’ve left behind. Some are desperate to forget. Others are still clinging to pieces of their past. And in the middle of it all, love blooms. Quietly, painfully, and beautifully.

The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is slow-burn perfection. It’s not just romantic tension—it’s raw longing, layered with guilt, misunderstanding, and the kind of yearning that hurts in the best way. And while the romance remains clean (no steam here!), it never lacks emotional intensity. The focus on deep connection over physical attraction was refreshing and honestly made it all the more impactful.

The story is told through six distinct POVs, and I was surprised by how seamlessly the narrative flowed between them. Each voice added a new layer to the story and raised the stakes as secrets unraveled and fates collided. The pacing is quick, the chapters are addictive, and the way the mystery slowly unfolds kept me glued to the pages.
And that cliffhanger? I’m still breathless. The final chapters left me stunned and desperate for the next book. It’s the kind of ending that haunts you—in the best, most soul-crushing way.

If you love dark academia with emotional depth, a clean but heart-wrenching romance, a rich cast of characters, and a setting that blurs the line between the living and the dead, then Immortal Consequences needs to go straight to the top of your TBR.

Thank you to @ivmariebooks and @netgalley for the eARC and for the opportunity to review Immortal Consequences. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If I had known this story featured six different narrators, I would’ve skipped out on Immortal Consequences. It’s not often that I find an author who is able to successfully pull off the challenge of multiple perspectives well. Each character must be fully fleshed out and unique from the others or they will fall prey to one personality sliding into another. There’s also no suspense; no wondering by the reader as to how characters feel about each other or their circumstances.

I think the characters that drew my interest the most were August, Wren, and Irene. These personalities were the strength of this story.

August’s perspective was the most enjoyable to read but only one out of every six chapters did I ever get to live inside his brain. He has quite a spectrum of personality traits ranging all the way from humorous and irritating, to cruel and aloof, and at times murderous depending on who he currently surrounds himself with. He definitely has ulterior motives which makes for an enjoyable enigma that you want to untangle. August is a complete loner except when it comes to Wren and boy, does he love getting under her skin.

Wren is your typical overachieving, studious type personality who is no nonsense and wants to play by the rules. She’s got a strict compass when it comes to her morals except when it comes to August as he seems to be the chink in her armor. August is her opposite in almost every way. He is incorrigible and one could say a bad influence on her.

I absolutely adored August and Wren’s bantering and bickering. August finds himself inexplicably drawn to Wren even though she is so different than him. Their version of flirting is stabbing each other and pushing each other off of buildings. My kind of romance! Now, kiss.

Irene is rebellious with a dark sense of humor. She’s extremely competitive to the point of forsaking all relationships to get what she desires. This makes her a loner as well with the exception of her friendship with Masika. Even then, I would consider Irene a “mean girl” as she’s snarky to basically everyone.

Masika felt very vanilla and I honestly struggled to get through her chapters. Nothing about her sparkled or captivated. The only thing interesting about her was her relationship to Irene and that’s because Irene had a very strong personality.

Olivier could be considered playful, mischievous, and up for adventure, but he needed something more to recommend him to the reader.

Emilio also seemed to fade in to the background, a wallflower who is highly academic but again no interesting quirks or details that put a spotlight on him.

The world building comes off as super thin as even right now in my mind’s eye, I can’t even visualize what everything looks like. I think the author could have done a better job of fleshing out not only the location of the story but could have included some history of the academy itself. I think, however, that is part of the problem. This school sits in a limbo, a kind of purgatory before the afterlife. So much of it is intended to be a mystery but that doesn’t help the reader to understand what we’re looking at or reading about.

The pacing was very slow especially towards the beginning. A majority of time is spent with conversations between characters and while we obviously need those, something is required to progress the plot further along.

There’s also a quick info dump type of explanation for the magic that everyone possesses in the afterlife. I had to read through this section multiple times to get a rudimentary grasp on its macro qualities but it didn’t describe the mechanics of it whatsoever. How do these students even cast spells or learn specific ones?

We unfortunately also began this story in the middle of everyone already having known each other and living together for dozens if not hundreds of years. There’s not a ton of explanation about the different houses or the structure of the school’s layout or teaching.

The explanation that Wren gives to another character at one point when a new girl asks about this realm and how everything functions is that “it’s not supposed to make sense”. I disagree. We as the reader should be able to make sense of this world. If there are no rules or laws binding everything together, the author can use a big red button and get away with whatever they feel like in a story. We feel cheated as viewers. We crave some kind of structure.

There is more I could say but I’ve already gotten into the weeds and Ive put enough forward here for a potential reader to decide whether they’d like to venture further.

Unfortunately, it was not for me, but I do appreciate the ARC and hope that this review helps someone to decide whether to read this one or not. Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for allowing me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Immortal Consequences by I. V. Marie, and I really enjoyed it. The story blends fantasy and romance in a way that felt fresh and exciting. I was drawn into a world full of supernatural elements and high stakes, and the characters kept me invested throughout. What I liked most was how well the author developed the relationships. The chemistry between the leads was electric, and their interactions felt genuine and layered. I also appreciated the balance between action-packed scenes and quieter, emotional moments. The pacing was steady, moving the story forward without feeling rushed. I especially enjoyed the world-building It was detailed enough to be immersive, but didn’t overwhelm the story.  If I had one small critique, it’s that some plot twists were a bit predictable, but the strong characters and engaging dialogue kept me hooked.

𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒 𝐛𝐲 𝐈.𝐕. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞
~ 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒘𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒚 #1
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 𝐟𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬

𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆, 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲, 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗶𝗻-𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗲—𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. 𝗔𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘆𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱-𝗱𝗲𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘁𝗹𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝘅.

It's hard to believe that this a debut novel at all! I've been following Isa"s journey before publishing this novel and before she got this deal and I'm so proud and excited!

I was very impressed by the storyline and the premise. Despite the multiple perspectives, I was continuously intrigued to the storyline and could not stop reading. The idea for the purgatory and Blackwood Academy was unique the entire afterlife or as they say, life after death, was fresh and unique.

The romance storylines existed for Augustine and Wren & Emilio and Olivier. They sizzling chemistry of rivals to lovers between August and Wren was bewitching and undeniably the best tension. Olivier and Emilio are written in a way that is best described as 'to afraid to confess' & 'everyone knows that they're terribly in love with each other's. The angst and love between them so epic and longing. August had some of the best lines and he's heartbreakingly and pathetically in love with Wren. She's constantly on his mind.

I surprisingly did not feel overwhelmed with the multiple perspectives. I longed for more Emilio and Olivier chapter, and specifically more of August's chapters.

The whole trials and Ascended was intriguing, especially the competition and secrecy behind it. The last 100 pages were filled with to so many twists and turns, with jaw dropping secrets and revelations that made me question the reliability of the narrators. I was in shock even till the last chapter and could not stop thinking about how it all ended.

I'm very excited for the next installment and there's so much left to unpack and destroy! The amazing storylines for the next book were heavily hinted towards the end and I cannot for for a thrilling end to this duology!

interesting romantic fantasy with some strong dark academic aspects and some unique setting vibes. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

As someone with a dark sense of humor, I ate this book up! The setting was so unique, and all of the death/afterlife jokes were executed flawlessly and added such great moments of levity throughout an otherwise intense story. It doesn't trivialize loss, though, and there is a great sense of groundedness that rounds it all out.

Right off the bat, I was sucked into this intriguing world and all of the creative elements that accompany a school in the afterlife. This premise allowed for super creative elements, including how the world affected characters with their ages, memories, and overall personalities. That being said, though, it was super easy to understand and follow the intricacies of the world.

I also really enjoyed the way it was written in six POVs. We follow the six main students, though there is a whole ensemble that is great, and we really get to know each one-- through their own eyes and the others'. Each dynamic was so different, as was each character, and each brought a unique conflict and arc to the story. I specifically am obsessed with August and Wren. Their chemistry and banter is electric, and I have words for I.V. Marie after that ending...

Thank you, Random House Children's for the chance to read this ARC! What a wild adventure!

Dark academia meets the afterlife/purgatory? Sign me up!

This was the first book of its kind that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. This opened my eyes to new book interests!

Thank you NetGalley, I.V. Marie and their publisher for giving the this book in advance. I enjoyed this book so much! The YA dark academia vibe had me in a chokehold. The pacing was perfection and I thoroughly enjoyed the characters. I would 100% recommend this book to everyone who loves a dark academia vibe with a fully intriguing story.

Immortal Consequences has such a fun and intriguing concept! The idea of purgatory and exploring what happens in the afterlife immediately caught my attention, and the strong opening pulled me in from the very first chapter. The premise is unique and full of potential.

As the story progressed, though, things started to feel a bit scattered. The narrative shifts between several different points of view (I think around five or six), which added depth but also made the story feel somewhat disjointed. Constantly switching between perspectives made it harder for me to connect with the characters on a deeper level, and I found myself struggling to stay fully engaged.

The action scenes were vivid and often really cool, but the trials lacked some clarity. At times, things seemed to come out of nowhere, and the stakes—while meant to be high—felt confusing. The idea that characters could still feel pain and die again in the afterlife was intriguing, but it also raised a lot of questions that took me out of the story a bit. I kept wondering how that worked—how were their organs still functioning? Maybe I’m just overthinking it!

That said, I think the second book could be really exciting. Now that the world and rules have been introduced, there's a lot of room to dive deeper into the layers of the afterlife. The series definitely has the potential to grow into something really compelling.

Overall, it’s a creative and ambitious story with some standout ideas. If you enjoy ensemble casts, imaginative world-building, and action-packed scenes, this might be a great fit for you!

Great middle school book read even though has young adult. Academia setting in purgatory with magic to help lost souls cross over!

Immortal Consequences follows six students at Blackwood Academy, a legendary school on the fringes of the afterlife as they enter the Decennial, a magical competition with one victor who gets to escape the harrowing consequences of purgatory. As the six rivals work through the dangerous trials, they begin to work together and realize there’s more going on beneath the surface. They must figure out the truth before it’s too late.

I definitely have a new obsession. This book was incredible!!! The vibes were immaculate and the setting was haunting and atmospheric. It was the perfect level of dark academia and magic. The whole world is so interesting and complex. I adored the magic system. The competition was so cut-throat and intense. And the pacing was perfect—it kept me so hooked the entire time. I practically devoured this book and kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it.

It's been a minute since I’ve read a multi-pov where I actually loved every pov. Usually there’s at least one I’m indifferent to if not actually dislike. But every character here was phenomenal. They’re all so distinct and well-written. I loved the complexity of their relationships and their intriguing backstories. They’re all just such a vibe. Irene is so badass and cut-throat while Emilio was so soft and sweet. Masika was such a good friend and Olivier was hilarious. Wren and August had such a great dynamic, same with Emilio and Olivier. Seriously, everyone here was just amazing and I cannot wait for the sequel with how it ended!!

Overall, if you love magic and dark academia rivals to lovers kind of books, you’ll be obsessed with this one too!

Thank you to Penguin Teen CA and Netgalley for the arc

Immortal Consequences is a beautifully dark and tragic tale of six students trying to “survive” in the afterlife. Wren, August, Oliver, Emilio, Masika, and Irene are all pitted against each other in a competition called the Decennial where only one student is chosen to ascend, the rest will be harvesting souls for eternity. It is a dark academia setting where things are not what they seem and people are not to be trusted.

I really enjoyed this book! The descriptions of the world are rich and vivid and the characters are relatable and heartwarming in their own ways. Just when I though I could guess what was happening, everything turned on it’s ear and kept me on the edge of my seat. The secrets, twists, and turns throughout the story are enthralling and made it impossible to put down. I loved the multi-POV chapters and made me that much more entangled in the characters. I can’t wait to see what happens next and absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes slightly gory adventure with nail-biting situations and deeply emotional character situations. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Immortal Consequences completely sucked me in from the first page. Following six students at Blackwood Academy—right on the edge of the afterlife—is a wild ride full of dark magic, surprising twists, and emotional depth. Early readers are raving about the betrayals and slow-burn connections, and it’s being compared to The Atlas Six in terms of intensity and world‑building. It’s tense, it’s clever, and it balances supernatural stakes with real feelings—perfect for fans of dark academia with a supernatural twist.