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.

Author I.V. Marie asks what if you had dark academia with magic but made it in the afterlife. Yes, please! We have overachievers (yes, even in death…pardon me, purgatory), rivalries, a unique magic system with a limit (drains as you use it), a need for a competition to find the best of the best (good thing you can’t die twice, eh?) and a mysterious need to fight the unnamed darkness back to keep the world in balance. Now this, this is how you take a saturated idea and make it new again. Make no mistake, this is firmly a YA novel. But believe me, you won’t care one bit. The characters jump off the page, the cute little romances and friendships feel real, and the action and suspense are well-crafted. We get alternating points of view from the main characters; Wren, August, Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Emilio.

As you read, you think you know where it’s going. It’s got all the flags and hallmarks of a certain wizard tournament in the number of three but in the afterlife. And you’d be wrong. Dead wrong. (See what I did there?) So many twists and turns, you do not see the betrayal coming. It’s amazing. I can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to Random House Children's | Delacorte Press for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Perfection!! I absolutely devoured this book it was so good! The characters, the story, they really grab you and suck you in.

The book was fast-paced and full of unpredictable twists and turns that I never saw coming. There were a lot of interesting components to the story. There was magic, afterlife, souls, a deadly competition, creatures, past mistakes, corruption, secrets, friendships, love, and so much weaved together beautifully for this stunning debut!

Then there were the characters; they really made the book come to life and sink into your heart! The main ones were Wren, August, Olivier, Emilio, Masika, and Irene. Even with all 6 POVs I was able to follow who was who and enjoyed all the different characters. Though, I will say my favorites were probably August, Wren, Olivier, and Emilio!

August… man he was someone with a lot of hidden depth and I enjoyed seeing his journey play out. I really can’t wait for more from him!

Wren was someone who was competitive and smart but also kind and helping. I look forward to seeing where things go with her.

August and Wren had a connection that was so darn fun to read. Think banter and enemies to lovers with this one!!

Then there was Olivier and Emilio. They were so damn cute and loads of pining and angst with this relationship. I loved the push and pull between them.

Irene and Masika were friends or like competitive friends you could say.

Each character had their own distinct personality and their own past as well.

This book was a must read and I totally recommend it! Plus there these awesome tropes as well; rivals to lovers, friends to lovers, loyalty, friendships, Harry Potter vibes, magical school, afterlife, past memories, corruption, morally grey characters, unfortunate acquaintances, magic, angst, pining, who did this to you?, dark academia vibes, high stakes, rebellion, and more!

I swear it’s the books I put off for no good reason that I end up loving. I don’t know how or why I have an ARC of this book, whether I requested it or was given a widget but my god, I was meant to read this book. It’s so so good, dark academia set in purgatory filed with trials, emotional turmoil, love stories, and betrayal that kept my attention from start to finish. I love the set up where they could only be at their academy for a certain amount of time before they become nothing, and lose all memories, which makes the stakes of the trial ways before you continue to find out more about the trials themselves. I also loved how pain didn’t exist, that was a twist and how it all played out I literally cannot speak enough at how unique and complex this magic system is while also being so well written that you can see there are still so many questions, plot lines, stories and so much more coming from this series.

This book is written with an ensemble of characters: August, Wren, Irene, Masika, Emilio, and Oliver where they are all stuck together with a secret once they see a new student enter and was filled with secrets and questions as she had access to forbidden magic since her arrival. August and Wren have the best romance and I cannot wait to see how it continues to play out especially after the end, but also Emilio and Oliver’s romance is so heartbreakingly good that you’ll be so emotional for their storyline and it’ll break your heart multiple times. Irene and Masika might be more than friends, might just be frenemies, or just best friends, they had a more complicated relationship that makes you question all of their motives. I literally cannot wait for the next book!

I’ll post my review on Instagram and Amazon on release day!

Utterly magical - I.V. Marie's debut is magnificent! An academy of magic set in a mist-shrouded afterlife, unique and lovable characters, a high-stakes competition, and the kind of love and betrayal that leaves you clutching your chest until the very last page. When I tell you I DEVOURED this book - it was so hard to put down. Anytime I did, I was just looking forward to picking it back up again. I just had so much fun reading this book. It was thrilling and funny and mysterious and romantic. Y'all know that I am a fan of fictional men that yearn, and Immortal Consequences did it so f*cking well! And there were also a few other romance micro-tropes that I loved 🤭 Highly recommend!

thank you so much to netgalley and Random House Children's for an arc in exchange for an honest review ✧˚₊‧

Immortal Consequences first caught my attention probably about a year ago now? A reel from the author popped up on my Instagram feed highlighting the premise: six dead teens, deadly trials, enemies to lovers, set in a magical academy in the afterlife. It immediately caught my attention. The problem? I haven’t genuinely read a book since high school at this point in time. Nonetheless, I knew I needed this book in my life. I started reading again, and Immortal Consequences became my most anticipated read of 2025.

This book had big shoes to fill with roughly a year of me hyping it up and thinking about it, and I am happy to report I absolutely LOVED this book.

It’s angsty, it’s moody, and I really loved it. This plot had me HOOKED, even if I was able to predict some plot points and twists (not necessarily a detriment! It’s fun when you guess things and are right!)

There’s a lot going on between unprecedented deadly trials, 6 POVs where each character has their own unique internal struggles happening, and, of course, inter-character romance and conflict.

I genuinely was more invested in the romances of this book and the will they, won’t they, than some of big name romantasy I’ve read… particularly with dragons (no shade - I loved Fourth Wing and it got me back into reading) but oh my GOD. I loooooove a slow burn and this book does it well!

There were a couple aspects that didn’t completely land or overarching like, universe mechanics I had questions about (why are students who have been at Blackwood for hundreds of years also in some of the introductory classes? What is there still to learn at that point, ykno?) but none of which really impacted my reading experience.

Overall, I really loved a lot of the book and was staying up reading it until my eyes couldn’t stay open every night — it reminded me a bit of when I was a kid and would stay up past my bedtime with a flashlight reading, thinking I wouldn’t get caught (and my mom would absolutely come check on me, see the flashlight glowing under a pillow and pretend not to notice.)

Immortal Consequences is fast-paced and I.V. Marie’s prose was beautifully done, and I struggled to put it down. A fantastic debut and I am so excited for the sequel, whenever it comes out, and to watch I.V. Marie’s journey as an author.

This book, in part, helped me re-ignite my love for reading and I am so excited for this to hit shelves next month.

thank you again to to netgalley and Random House Children's for my e-arc ✧˚₊‧

This book had some ups and downs for me. Irene was obstinate for the sake of being mean. Wren was the same way towards August. She kept repeating that she couldn’t trust him, but he had never (to her knowledge) done anything untrustworthy. Neither experienced character growth at all. It was so repetitive that it made it hard to enjoy their chapters.

There were too many points of view to give people a unique voice. I often forgot which person was which, especially with Emilio and Olivier.

Underneath it all, this is a fun storyline. I feel like if it went through some editing, to establish the characters and bring them to life, it would be a fantastic read. So there is a lot of room for growth and establishment in follow-up books, and it would be worth sticking with this author.

This book was amazing!!! Like stay up late to finish it amazing. A small part of me is dying inside knowing I have to wait for the next book but that just means I’ll get to read Immortal Consequences again! I don’t want to give anything away because this is a book that should be fully experienced as it’s read. Absolutely read this book!

An absolute page turner! I could not put it down. There’s 6 POV in this book which sounds like a lot to follow but I absolutely enjoyed every single one of them. Some I came to adore… looking at you Emilio and Olivier.

If a book centers around a competition I’m absolutely going to read it. This book very much delivered on that front. On top of that we have sweet romances, devoted friendships and newly formed ones as well. All of the relationships in this book were really wonderful to read about and see how they panned out. Most of all, there is no shortage of twists in this book and some I did not expect at all! I found myself completely immersed and not wanting to stop reading but also begging the book not to end.

I couldn't put this book down, it was phenomenal and I can't wait for the story to continue! I was on the edge of my seat during the trials, and then I was impatiently waiting for more every chapter. Think of The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and Harry Potter all smashed together, but in the afterlife!

That surprise twist in the middle of the ball was so unexpected! I can't believe all of the horrible revelations these characters have made. I'm still trying to digest the ending of that book and of course like any good author with a series, it was left on a cliffhanger; making me want more.

Immortal Consequences offers a compelling premise—Blackwood Academy, a school set on the edge of the afterlife, where escape is only possible through a deadly magical competition known as the Decennial. It’s a setup rich with potential, blending dark academia, high-stakes fantasy, and slow-burning romance.

The story is told through multiple points of view, introducing a diverse cast of characters: bitter rivals with twisted chemistry, a girl haunted by past love, a ruthless strategist, and a flirt with surprising depth. While each character has interesting traits, their voices occasionally blur together, and some arcs feel underdeveloped amid the crowded cast and layered worldbuilding.

The atmosphere is one of the book’s biggest strengths—gothic, mysterious, and laced with tension. The Decennial trials bring some thrilling moments, and the idea of a school nestled in limbo is intriguing. However, the plot often struggles with pacing. Emotional beats sometimes lack payoff, and key twists aren’t as surprising or impactful as they could be, leaving the story feeling more style than substance.

Still, readers who enjoy ensemble casts, forbidden magic, and morally gray choices may find themselves drawn to the novel’s moody aesthetic and ambitious scope. Immortal Consequences doesn’t fully deliver on its promise, but it lays intriguing groundwork for what could become a deeper, darker series.

The premise of this book hooked me from the start. Six dead teens competing at an academy in the afterlife? Sign me up!

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy it as much as I wanted to. There were 6 different POVs and I noticed I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters because of the rapid POV changes.
This is very comparable to The Atlas Six, which I DNFd so I feel it was mostly my fault because I don’t normally love keeping track of that many main characters.

I was also confused about where in the afterlife they were (which is the point) but I noticed some language being used like “oh my god” and “Jesus Christ” and I found myself wondering if in this world if there is a heaven and hell? It was never explained, so I was left with questions at the end of the book. Again maybe all of these things are me being picky.

I was also hoping for more academia. They were barely in class and the school was mostly there as a back drop.

If you enjoyed The Atlas Six I think you would really enjoy this one! Overall, it was a fun read but I don’t think I’ll be reading the second one.

I rated this book 2.5 stars and rounded up to 3.

This book was not for me. I had a hard time getting through it and almost DNFed multiple times, but I always try to finish ARCs. To me this story felt like a body that was partially complete but it needed a little more to it to flesh it out. It had a unique premise, but things didn't make sense in this world.

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

This book was my first ever dark academia and it was so unique!! I am in awe of the fact that this was a debut.

Starting off, it took me a while to adjust to the multiple POVs, because there were SIX! But overtime, I grew to love love these characters, especially Emilio. Each character is unique in their own ways and have backstories we've yet to even get to the bottom of. I would've liked to know more about Wren, because she'll be playing an important role in the next book and was who I saw as the "main" character (despite there not necessarily being one). Same with Irene, it was harder to connect to her but I think that was the point.

I LOVED LOVED the romance between Wren and August. The angst and buildup was perfect, I was squealing for every interaction because of how slow burn it was. Olivier and Emilio are my babies, I love them so so much; they tested my patience for sure. Now... Irene and Masika....I'll be patiently waiting <3

The premise of this book was a bit hard to wrap my head around, but I did enjoy the trials. At times the pacing felt scattered, but the plot twists were PLOT TWISTING. Especially towards the end, one after another after another. That was what kept me reading.

I have full certainty that the next book will bring everything together and that I will love these characters ever more!

Thank you to Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press and Netgalley for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so genuinely excited to read this book because it’s a Debut!!! Massive congratulations I.V. Marie!

I’m going to start with the characters because they’re truly a big highlight of this book. Despite there being 6 POVs (and thus main characters), which is a lot to start off with, I really enjoyed most of them. My favorites by FAR are Emilio and Olivier. Ugh, my BABIES. My little soft, nerdy boy, with his thick sweaters, and my sunshine, chaotic angel. Like, I was genuinely tearing up for those two. Also, I just love August—I’ll always take a broody, angsty, yearning boy. I think out of the girls, I think Masika is my favorite. She’s just a sweetie pie. Wren feels the stalest to me, she’s just kinda giving… main character syndrome, but like, I guess she is. Irene is by far my least favorite, but not because she’s poorly written; she was just aggravating to me. I felt like it was hard to sympathize with Irene when she just kept making poor decisions, and letting people down—herself included. I guess she was just so remarkably selfish.

Romance-wise. I really thought everyone was introduced in tidy pairs—Wren + August, Emilio + Olivier, Irene + Masika. Soooo with Wren and August, I love some good tension-filled, academic rivals to lovers. They were so highly cliche, but I’m not mad about it. Like I was getting daggers against throats, an achingly tense dance scene, and a “Who did this to you?” like hello, this is my enemies to lovers dreams. And Emilio and Olivier are just precious, and I adore them. They were mildly frustrating yet still adorable with just… not telling each other how they felt. And BOY did they give me a scare. Genuinely, those are my baby boys. Irene and Masika, well… yeah, that gaslit me hard. Yayyyy female friendship.

Speaking of: I’m actually so thrilled I get to write a friendship paragraph; I don’t get to do that enough. The friendships are a big standout of this book, and I don’t just mean… like the two big ones, Irene + Masika, and Wren + Louise. Which were great, but just overall. For being a 6-person unlikely friend group, I appreciated that they all tended to interact with one another all around. It made their dynamic so much more raw and allowed me to appreciate them as characters, pairs, and of course, as a group.

Onto the plot. From a complete aesthetic standpoint, I will literally never not eat up an Academy, prep school, dark academia vibe. But from a completely logical standpoint, it makes so little sense that just sitting in the middle ground of Life and Death is just a… school. I’ll go into more of my qualms with the world-building in the next paragraph. So other than that, I did really enjoy the book. I liked the competition aspect. I love a good trick maze—Every. Single. Time. I loved all the challenges and trials. Mainly, I loved how high the stakes were; it made the story feel much more… worth reading. Act-wise, it felt a bit slow at the beginning, but it picked up quickly, and then I couldn’t put it down. The end, especially, I was super enthralled.

World building, yes... I guess overall the world-building was a tad confusing, and it felt… redundant, is the best word for it, I guess. Like, I understand that this is a fantasy book, but parts of it felt so incredibly unrealistic that it took me out of the story. As I mentioned previously, it’s just so hard to wrap my head around just a random school chilling out in the Ether—like there is nothing else… just students forced to go to school forever. I also felt like there were so many variables to memorize, though so much of the school aspects ended up highly unimportant, so that didn’t end up mattering. I guess, overall, I felt like the world was somehow too rich and stale all at the same time…

That all being said. I truly think this is a unique and enriching book that is refreshing to the YA section, whilst still holding the staples and tropes that readers always gravitate to. I finished this eARC and immediately purchased my physical copy for preorder. I am 100% going to pick up the second one, and I can't wait to read everything I.V. Marie does next. Overall, a big recommendation from me.

If I told you this is probably one of my favorite books of all time would you believe me?

Because I’m here to tell you that this is literally probably one of my favorite books of ALL TIME😫

Listen I’m a a simple girl, I love a book with pure yearning and angst. A story that will leave me at the tip of toes and edge of seat. A book for the ages. And ‘Immortal Consquences’ gave exactly that.

I heard many early readers talk about this one. But I didn’t believe them at first. I told myself “it can’t be THAT good” but GEEZ I was sure proven wrong. Believe me the tears left on my kindle are proof of it

A story about people who die and up going to an academy in the afterworld to learn how to be reapers. Rivals, lovers, friends, and lost souls. The world building was such a beautiful concept that I could not put this book down. But the characters?? So beautifully written I had to pause, stand up, and applaud👏👏

But to really dig it in, Wren and August. OH MY GOD😭😫 they were EVERYTHING TO ME. Like do you love ‘Divine Rivals’? OK THEN TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THEY ARE SO IRIS AND ROMAN CODED. Their story was so heartbreakingly beautiful that I’m struggling to believe that’s it for them. I need more😭

Anyways yea, if I keep talking about them I’ll start sobbing. Overall this is more than 5 stars but I can’t seem to include that here so a 5 it is🫶

Immortal Consequences by completely took me by surprise—in the best way. From the first page, I was hooked by the eerie, atmospheric setting of Blackwood Academy.

What really drew me in was the cast. Each of the six main characters has a distinct voice and backstory, and I found myself unexpectedly attached to all of them. The queer and BIPOC representation felt authentic and layered rather than performative. I usually get frustrated with too many POVs, but here it worked—the shifting perspectives added depth and urgency as the story unfolded.

The worldbuilding isn’t overly explained, which I actually liked. It lets the mystery build naturally, though I’ll admit there were a few moments I wanted a little more clarity. Still, the magic system and rules of Blackwood were compelling, and the pacing never slowed down.

I work at a dark academia inspired bookstore and will be sure to recommend this to our young adult readers. I.V. Marie is absolutely an author I’ll be following closely!!

Immortal Consequences is an addictive dark academia fantasy YA novels that follows six students, each tangled up in their own pasts and desires and each needing to beat one another to win the academy’s cutthroat competition, the Decennial. However, as they go through the trails, each of the students realize that there are darker and more dangerous things lurking in the shadows of their school than they had ever imagined.

The premise for this one was so unique (like a magical school set in the fringes of the afterlife? had me hooked right from the beginning) and I was not disappointed. I initially went into the story because of Wren and August’s storyline because if there is one thing you need to know about me is that if I see ‘academic rivals to lovers’ listed as a trope, I am immediately sold, but I ended up loving all of the core characters and their differing relationships with one another. Emilio and Olivier’s storyline made me tear up and so emotional as well, and I think the novel does a good job balancing out these six different POVs. However, as much as I loved the characters, I do think the world-building could have been fleshed out even more, and perhaps some more focus on their powers and how they work but I’m hoping we do get to see more of this in the sequel!

Speaking of the sequel, I absolutely cannot wait to read it soon because that ending had me on the edge of my seat!

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen Canada for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

'Immortal Consequences' is your typical high school academy fantasy story. It has rivalries, alliances, romantic relationships and a difficult challenge that the main characters must compete in in order to win an ultimate prize. The one interesting twist in the story is that the main characters have all died and now find themselves in a place similar to, if not exactly, purgatory. They are responsible for 'escorting' the souls of recently deceased people who are struggling to pass on to the other side.

Blackwood Academy is comprised of approximately 500 student. All of the students are young adults who when alive had had a near death experience. One draw back to this in between life, is that after a about 500 years, a student will begin to lose their memory and will no longer be able to function in their role. They will then aimlessly wander the 'Ether'.

".....so what's the point of the Ether?" "Think of it like a passageway. A place neither here nor there. When you die, your soul ends up in the Ether. When someone dies without extra baggage, they usually cross over to the Other Side without a hiccup. But if they've got things holding them back...unfinished business..." "We have to help them, ...."

Out story follows a group of six students. Each looking to win the Decennial, a competition that occurs once every ten years. The winner from the Decennial has the option to pass over to the Other Side or become a member of Blackwood Academy's magical elite group. Each student has a reason that they want to win the ultimate prize and each elects to keep that reason secret. They find themselves forming an alliance in order to survive. To keep things interesting, they are being forced to fight against members of an evil order.

I didn't hate this story but I also didn't love it. There were parts that flowed very easily for me and others that seemed to drag. In my opinion, the premise of the story is very interesting. The setting, an elite high school, is common in young adult fiction. The between life and death aspect is unique and intriguing. I got overwhelmed at times because even though we are for the most part following six main characters, we are also introduced to several side characters; others competing in the competition as well as those that are a part of the Demien Order. At one point, the author introduced some new material that was confusing to me and didn't add to the main story; it just felt unnecessary with so much already happening amongst the main characters, the side characters, and the main plot.

Sooooooo where’s the sequel ARC? How do I get it in my hands immediately?

Marie’s debut novel is a masterclass in character work. Having an ensemble cast can get tricky - or worse, boring - fast when handled incorrectly, but every one of our main characters feels unique and engaging. Each pairing has their own diverse dynamic, from Masika and Irene’s twisted friendship to Emilio and Olivier’s quiet romance, to Wren and August’s star-crossed love. I can’t pick a favorite - I’m equally excited to see where everybody goes next. The ending has a deliciously cinematic feel to it - our heroes divided, teams readying for war on every side, tensions rising to the breaking point.

The worldbuilding is lush and immersive, both inside Blackwood’s gates and beyond. I can’t wait to see which part of purgatory we explore next.

I’m very excited to see more of Mateo, and I hope he has a more central role in the story to come. I know he’s painted as one of the bad guys, but I’m with Irene on this. I’d totally risk it all for him.

A tantalizing mix of Kit Trace & Red Flynn’s Nevermore and Amanda Foody & C.L. Herman’s All of Us Villains, I.V. Marie’s debut has me salivating for more.