A dark academia book that truly embodies the genre? Sign me up! Immortal Consequences was so freaking amazing, I can't even (insert a million stars here). This book deserves all the praise in the world because, oh my god, for my dark academia-loving heart, this was pure perfection; like lightning in a bottle. Multiple POV books can be hard to pull off, but what I.V. Marie has done here with this one is nothing short of magic. Every character has a unique standout voice, and their personalities mesh stunningly well.

This book puts the "dark" in dark academia, and not just because it's set in purgatory. The incredible worldbuilding shows the deathly nature of Blackwood Academy. Shadows reign beyond the academy walls, and the Ether is filled with danger. The writing style is so so good and very captivating. Not gonna lie, reading this felt like I was watching an dark-action-adventure-thriller anime and I'm so here for that.

Whether it's Wren or August's rivals-to-lovers dynamic, Oliver and Emilio's "friendship" (the quote marks are there for a reason) and Irene and Masika's toxic friendly bond/will-they-won't-they dynamic, the character represent a specific phrase used in the book "twisted codependence and morbid curiosity" which fits them all so well. I will say though, as a lover of academic rivals, Wren and August's dynamic was my favourite...I don't wanna spoil anything, but let's just say towards the end of the book you will understand why.

I don't know how many books there are in the series because I want the next book, like now. The climax and the subsequent ending is packed with revelations that I honestly didn't see coming. The plot twists were plot-twisting. So much happened, and my mouth was open with shock for the entirety of that last chapter. All in all, Immortal Consequences was an experience I'm never gonna forget. Who do I pay to get an anime for this?

Wow, this book had me hooked from page one!
Dark academia lovers, you’re in for a treat!

The world-building is lush and haunting, with just the right mix of gothic vibes and academic intrigue. It’s easy to picture and fun to explore.
The plot doesn’t hold back either—it’s intense, emotional, and unafraid to dive into heavier themes. Some moments are brutal, others heartbreaking, and all of it adds depth to the story’s haunting atmosphere.

Told through multiple POVs, the narrative gives us a front-row seat to different perspectives and secrets unraveling.
I was obsessed with the characters—each one is complex, mysterious, and shaped by their own tragic backstory. Out of the six main characters, Emilio, Oliver, Wren, and August completely stole my heart.
The banter and flirting ? Swoon-worthy.
The longing stares and slow-burn tension ? Chef’s kiss!

The final chapters are wild—twist after twist, especially around the academy’s secrets and one character’s reveal that I had guessed before the reveal (but still gasped).
That cliffhanger? Absolutely shocking. I need book two ASAP!!

Immortal Consequences kicks off The Souls of Blackwood Academy series with a bang.
If you’re into morally gray characters, eerie school settings, and slow-burn romance with banter, this one’s for you.
Can’t wait to see where this series goes next—especially after that ending.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: death, self-harm, grief, death, gaslighting, blood, brief mention of car accident, toxic friendship and abandonment

⏳🌺 Immortal Consequences by IV Marie 🌺⏳

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5: ARC Review 💌

“Everything requires balance. Even the afterlife.”

This book was so unique and it was unlike anything I had ever read before. We follow six students that attend Blackwood Academy… in the afterlife. Blackwood Academy is part of purgatory and it has existed for forever. The six characters we meet will be competing amongst each other for the chance to alter their fate or remain in purgatory. While there are 6 different POV’s, don’t feel intimidated. These point of views are essentially to the story and honestly, they are so entertaining. I will so that I did have favorites 🤭 I couldn’t help myself. Wren and August captured my attention so fast and while I do love the other characters, I loved them a bit more. This book is part of a series so it is unfinished which I didn’t know when I started it :/ but I am excited to read book 2 and see where the story continues.

Thank you to Delacrote Press for allowing me to review this book!⏳🫶🏼

“…her contempt for August brought her back to life.”

𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟

1. Judging a book by its cover and the sprayed edges is a plus.
2. Dark academic
3. Multi POV (6 of them)
4. The storyline and plot are simply so good.
5. Secrets, Lies, and Betrayal

*Immortal Consequences* in the beginning had me confused because you're thrown into the action. Not eased in like most books, but that along gave the book depth. The pacing was okay; I did feel like at some point it was slow, but overall good.

I liked the multi POVs but could see it being confusing if you're listening to the audiobook; it would have to be a full cast. But each point of view was needed for the building of the storyline and plot.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for book two.

Thank you, NetGalley, Toppling Stacks, and Random House Children for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

You know how you sometimes feel like it's been so long since you've read a book so good it sits in your head for days after you read it? Immortal Consequences is going to take up brain space in my head until the sequel comes out; I'm so glad I crossed paths with this book because it is amazing, and I can't wait for the sequel to come out.

Marie's debut is the first in The Souls of Blackwood Academy series, set at a prestigious academy in the afterlife where there are rarely new students. Every decade, a student is nominated for the Decennial, where there are four trials they must pass before they're given a choice: set their soul permanently to rest and go to the Other Side, or graduate and join the academy's elite group (called the Ascended) where they gain full access to their magical powers, acquire glowing eyes that set them apart from the rest of the student body, and never have to reap souls again.

In addition, they never lose their memories of their life before they joined the academy; those who stay too long slowly but surely lose their memories (called The Forgotten) until they remember nothing and then are removed from Blackwood to wander aimlessly in the Ether, helping souls cross over.

It's such a unique and refreshing take on the dark academia genre, and the world-building is so well done. There's a fantastic balance between information that's divulged to us and the pacing of the story — there's never a moment where I felt like Marie was info-dumping us. While there are some things I wish we could've gotten more info on, like the magical abilities the students have some access to and the Ascended, there's some setup for this to be covered in the sequel. I also really liked that there's a certain air of mystery and unknown of the afterlife even when there's a whole world here.

Immortal Consequences is told from six POVs who are all hoping to gain the nomination for various reasons: Wren, Augustine (August), Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Emilio. There's a lot of POVs, but each of their voices and personalities are so distinctive from each other — I absolutely love them despite some of their flaws, and I feel like they have a well-rounded depth to them. Their interactions and dynamics were so entertaining to read even when they're in conflict, and you can practically feel the tension and yearning between some characters.

Immortal Consequences is fast-paced and captivated me on every page. It's a strong start to a series, and it's shaping up to be a new favorite series of mine (I absolutely ran to get my own copy of this book after finishing the eARC). I can't wait to see how this unfolds!

This story completely captivated me with its dark academia vibe and unique afterlife setting. Blackwood Academy is eerie and enchanting, a school where students must face the Decennial, a deadly magical competition, to escape eternal soul-reaping. I loved the six POVs, especially the tension-filled dynamic between Wren and August, the rivals with serious chemistry. Each character felt distinct, with secrets, ambition, and emotional depth. The world-building was immersive, featuring mysterious factions, magical houses, and just enough danger to keep the pages turning. The writing flowed effortlessly, and the stakes felt real. This was an addictive, emotional read.

Love doesn't even begin to describe the way this book made me feel!

Never in all my wildest reading journeys did I ever think I would fall so madly and obsessively in love with a multiple POV book! I've said it before, I am not a huge fan of them...usually. This book was not the usual case though. There was something in this book, the way it was paced, and the dynamic of the characters that made it all flow and work so well! It read so easily too, I found myself unable to put it down.

This book centers around six students who are essentially in the afterlife attending Blackwood Academy. BUT it's so much more. There's magic and twists and turns, and it never ends. It's a wild ride filled with forced proximity, EXTREME slow burn, and the banter! The banter was giving so so much! We follow Wren, August, Emilio, Olivier, Irene, and Masika. Each character is unique, and they all had their own secret, even slightly twisted motivations throughout the book. Surprisingly, I did enjoy all their POVs which did come as a shock. However, that being said, August and Wren were my favorites. August comes out as my MVP! His character was so rich and dynamic, and I felt most invested and locked-in with his storyline. And I needed so much more! The ending just unraveled so much and so quickly, and I am dying to know where it's all going to lead to.

It's been a minute since I've read a YA book that held my attention this well! Between the overall aesthetic and plot, there was so much to love! I think this series has a lot of potential, and I truly cannot wait to see where book two will take us. These characters will have a hold on me until I get book two. Definitely would 1000% recommend this one!

I would like to extend a big thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5

A lushly written YA dark academia set at an enchanted school, reminiscent of Naomi Novik's scholomance series and touches of V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic series.

Students at Blackwood Academy must think long and hard before entering the school's gates. Once you are there, the only way to leave is the Decennial, a competition with one sole victor. We follow six students, each from their POV. There is a lot going on with so many characters and the world building but I found this very readable and such a fun story.

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING AND MORE!! The setting was so immersive, I was hooked from the start and couldn't put it down until I finished it. Immortal Consequences follows six characters POV’s as they navigate Blackwood Academy and compete in a Decennial, a magical competition with only one victor. Wren, Augustine (August), Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Emilio. The way the author switches between POVs is seamless. it added so much depth to the story and made me feel like I'm getting a full picture. each character's story is so compelling in its own way. I felt like I'm learning something new about human nature with every chapter

I loved every single character in this book. But if I'm being completely honest, August stole my heart. I was absolutely hooked every time his POV came around. I couldn't wait to dive into his thoughts and feelings. His character is just so captivating. The way he interacts with wren is especially amazing - their chemistry is electric! August's POVs were always the highlight for me, and I loved watching him navigate the story.

Easiest 5-star rating I've given this year. this book is so good. It exceeded my expectations in every way. My absolute favourite dark academia book. Now I'm (im)patiently waiting for the second book. Go read this book rn If you haven't read it yet!!

(4.5 stars)

I havent had so much fun but be so stressed reading in awhile!!

I loved the concept of the book a lot, it was very unique while still having the same elements we know and love (trials, rivals to lovers, etc.)

I also loved the fact that we got 6 different POVs in this book. A lot of the time, a book with a lot of characters can be very confusing or overwhelming but the 6 POVs helped a lot. You find yourself caring and connecting to certain characters.

I do wish we went into more of everyone's back stories and how they ended up at Blackwood but maybe that's something the 2nd book will focus on as this book touch on the accidents/incidents briefly.

Overall, absolutely LOVED and cant wait for Book 2!

Thank you so much to Toppling Stacks Tours, the author, and Delacorte Press for the early copy of the book!

I stayed up till 5 am reading this book because once I got started, I never wanted to put it down. It’s dark academia set at a magic boarding school in the purgatory, full of rivalries, a high stakes competition, and angsty romance. Blackwood Academy is eerie and gothic, reminiscent of some of the best dark academia fantasy books. But it does so in a refreshing way that had me falling in love with its cast of morally grey characters, whose multiple POVs created a sweeping story of love, suspense, and betrayal.

Each POV is incredibly distinct and unique, and I almost never found myself getting bored with one, which can be rare when there’s multiple. Especially six! But each of the characters contributed so much to the story and the author interwove their perspectives so well that I never got tired or disconnected from the story. Emilio was definitely my favourite character, followed closely by Wren and Olivier. They each hold their own special place in my heart tho. They were all so unique and different, contributing so much to the overall storyline.

The story was twisty and suspenseful, the writing was amazing, and I loved just about every second of this book! It had me smiling, sobbing, fist-pumping, and many emotions in between. If you’re looking for dark academia, found family, rivals to lovers, and multiple POVs I absolutely recommend picking up this book! Book two cannot come soon enough.

Immortal Consequences follows six students at Blackwood Academy, a secretive school located in purgatory. They are all chosen to compete in the Decennial, a series of trials that is held every ten years. The winner is given to choice to join the school as an Ascended and remain at Blackwood forever, or to cross over to the Other Side and put their soul to rest. All six are desperate to remain at Blackwood, all will do whatever it takes to win, and they all have secrets.

This book gives us a swoony blend of dark academia, high-stakes competition, and an angsty forbidden romance set in an otherworldly school where every alliance could cost your soul. Pick it up if you want a book filled with twists and turns, shocking betrayals, characters fighting against fate, and soul destroying love. I loved it and can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to Get Underlined, Delacorte Press, Random House Children’s Books, Penguin Random House, I. V. Marie, and NetGalley for the ARC.

📔Immortal Consequences
✏️ I. V. Marie
📆 July 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🪾purgatory & soul reaping
🪾magical academy
🪾academic rivals to lovers
🪾dangerous trials & competition
🪾lies & betrayal
🪾multi POV

I love supernatural academy settings and went into this book wanting engaging character dynamics, vivid world-building, and some solid mystery elements connected to the insanely cool premise of a school for the undead that forces students to compete against each other to escape their purgatory state.

While the book tried to deliver on all this, it all didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me, and I think a lot of this stems from the story having too many POV characters.

There’s Wren, August, Emilio, Olivier, Masika, and Irene — that’s six characters! This might just be personal preference, since I’m someone who doesn’t love POV counts that exceed four, but here it felt especially apparent that the sheer number of narrators made it hard for me to form a deeper connection to the plot and stakes.

With eight POV characters and a limited page count, there’s just no way to make a reader care about everyone. I, for one, mostly cared about Wren and August, who had a tension-filled, prickly rivals/friends-to-lovers dynamic, and couldn’t bring myself to fully invest in the other characters’ backstories or internal struggles. Their arcs simply felt less compelling and less immersive to follow.

On top of that, I also felt like the magic system and powers themselves weren’t very developed, which made the world feel less interesting than it could have been.

I wish the author had narrowed the focus to a smaller core cast and made the others supporting characters (maybe with occasional POV chapters). That would have left more room to deepen the worldbuilding, flesh out the powers, and give weight to crucial character moments and backgrounds.

Still, anyone looking for a fun, not-too-complex YA fantasy academy setting with a touch of romance will likely enjoy this book.


Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good dark academia moment! And this book gives you just that. There’s a mixing of tropes in this book but the story line is very easy to follow. The author did a great job with the symbolism and giving you the overall picture. I definitely recommend this book especially if you into the world of magic!

You may be sighing internally at the prospect of yet another dark academia novel, but this one’s good.

There are a few Harry Potter-esque things here, like different Houses, how you’re chosen for a house and a forbidden area surrounding the school. However, this book has a very detailed world, and it stands on its own very well.

We are introduced to six dead teens who are desperately hoping to escape the limbo they’ve awakened in. One way to do this is by getting the top nomination every ten years, passing some trials and ultimately becoming an Ascended, with less work and more access to power. The alternatives are to exist for so long at Blackwood that you begin to lose your memories, and then you’re doomed to a dreary place called the Ether, for eternity, OR join the Demien, who live outside of the school gates and have completely given themselves over to shadow magic, in the hopes of gaining more power.

Something has been changing at Blackwood, however, and not for the better.

Read this to find out more!

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book swept me away in a way that very few books have managed to do in recent years. What stood out most was how carefully and equally each character was crafted. While there’s a clear FMC and MMC, the secondary characters felt just as real, raw, and essential to the story, and not just like supporting players in someone else’s journey. This made the stakes of the story hit so much harder. I.V. Marie’s intricate backstories and delicately woven relationships are what made this world come alive for me.

The setting itself is pure magic! It's seemingly the perfect mix between Hogwarts and Basgiath, with an academy feel that brims with wonder, danger, and an air of mystery that lingers around every corner. The school felt alive, with the magic almost humming through its walls, and I found myself experiencing it through the characters’ own sense of awe. It gave me the same nostalgic feeling I had as a kid reading Harry Potter for the first time, that constant blend of light and dark magic, wonder and tension. The competitive aspect and afterlife theme reminded me a little of Phantasma, yet felt wholly unique to this world.

I also adored the diversity and queer representation, it felt authentic and added so much depth to the dynamics between characters. The only thing I could note in terms of drawbacks, is that the multiple POV's could potentially feel overwhelming and chaotic to some readers, even though it only enriched the experience for me. Overall, Immortal Consequences is a beautifully constructed, magically enchanting world that whisks you away and leaves you desperately wanting more! <3

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and honestly review this story!

All I had to hear to make me want to read this book was 'dark academia set in the afterlife', and I was hooked. But could it live up to my expectations? Yes, yes it could! First, have you seen the cover?! Gorgeous! The story is set, as noted, in the afterlife, at the Blackwood Academy, where select kids go when they die to learn to reap souls and do magic. When our 6 main characters are chosen to compete in a once-in-a-decade competition to decide who gets to make the choice to either formally graduate and join Blackwood's magical elite, or choose to cross over to the unknown Other Side, they are ecstatic. But this year's Decennial will be much different than previous ones, and these competitors will face challenges with real consequences. They set out to solve the mystery of why things are different this time, but will they all come back?

Wow, what a ride! The world building in this book was phenomenal, and the characters were very well written. We got to hear from each of our main group of characters in their own chapters, which may sound confusing but it's really easy to follow whose POV you're reading because each character is unique and comes from a different place, usually shaped by what happened to them when they were alive and how they actually died. The suspense is there in spades and kept me glued to the edge of my seat. I can really understand why this book is a Good Morning America YA Book Club Pick!

All in all, I enjoyed this book very much, and can't wait to read the next book, which I hope is out sooner rather than later!

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children's, and I.V. Marie for the opportunity to read and review Immortal Consequences.

I really enjoyed the world that this book cultivated. I've been having a hard time with dark academia being neither dark nor a true academic setting---just sort of a mishmash of tropes. BUT, this did not disappoint. The setting and vibe for this story were very well realized. I was sucked in by the plot and the characters, and the story didn't let go of me until the very last page. I honestly didn't think I would like this as much as I did!

I have many feelings about this book, one of them definitely being the desperate need for book 2.

Immortal Consequences had it all: Secrets and heartbreak, beautiful melancholy in the perfect dark academia setting, such a cool magic system and some of my favorite tropes.
While I wish I had fallen a bit deeper into the book, I still enjoyed it so much and also someone please make this an audiobook!


PLOT

I LOVE the premise, the world this takes place in which in and of itself is so gloomy, angst inducing and mythical, scarily infinite in its darkness and still at times so small it almost feels suffocating.

It took me a while to get into the book because it seemed to start smack in the middle of a story, but in hindsight this made absolute sense. I liked the world building and pacing a lot and think they set the perfect stage for the layers that were revealed throughout the story.


CHARACTERS

Six main characters is a lot and I will say, it did make it a bit more difficult for me to immerse in the story fully. That being said, the different POVs were all relevant and well done, each gave unique insights and I wouldn’t have wanted to miss them.

There were two pairings I was particularly involved in and both broke and mended my heart several times. The other two characters, while obviously connected even before the plot of the book, felt a bit more separate.

Wren and Olivier I each loved for being multi layered characters. While I didn’t necessarily understand them fully at first, their complexity ultimately made sense and me like them all the more for it.

August is obviously my week spot and I loved all different sides of him.

Emilio has my heart and undoubtedly deserves the world and a warm hug.

Masika still feels a bit difficult to grasp at times but was a necessary counterpart.

And Irene - well, Irene too has layers, they’re just very well hidden and I think it made me feel about her exactly as was intended for the story.


WRITING

Overall, I enjoyed the writing style and tone. It shifted slightly for the different characters but not too much for it to feel like a connected read. At times, especially towards some of the bigger conflict scenes in the third arc, I felt like there were a bit more “telling rather than showing”-situations than I’d have liked but seeing as it was something that only bothered me briefly and not until I was somewhere around the 80% mark, I didn’t mind too much.

And again, I would love to have an audiobook of this! I’m sure the extra dimension would only elevate and already very good book.


TROPES
- Dark Academia
- Secrets and lies
- Gothic vibes
- Magical tournament
- Enemies to Lovers
- Mutual Pining
- Gothic Vibes
- Unique setting
- Cool magic system
- Angst
- Banter
- Magical labyrinth

---

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's and I.V. Marie for an ARC of this book (that by the way has a stunning cover)

Wow wow wow I crushed this book! We are being spoiled with dark academia books this year. It’s one of my favorite tropes so with the addition of rivals to lovers, high stakes trials, and slow burn romance I am all in!

From the start I was so invested! Immortal Consequences follows six students at Blackwood Academy, a school located in the afterlife (yes everyone is in fact dead), where they learn magic and how to reap souls. This was such a unique setting and the world building was beautifully done! I thought it was a refreshing and unique take to the afterlife. Especially as you get further in the book and start uncovering all the secrets of Blackwood Academy and The Demion Order!

Now I’m not usually a fan of lots of different pov’s but it worked perfectly in this book. We were able to learn and relate to all of the characters so I never felt like we were missing out on understanding the characters. For me personally there was never a pov I wasn’t looking forward to. Each character is so complex and different that I loved reading about all of them. But my favorite has to be Wren and August. I'm pretty sure I highlighted almost all of their interactions. The slow burn cat and mouse game between them was amazing! I could go on and on about them but they have easily become one of my favorite book couples!

The writing and pacing was excellent! This is a very enjoyable and bingeable read. The magic system is interesting to read about and I loved the different houses the students are split into. I loved the twists and turns and after that ending I need the next book! I’m so excited to learn more about this world and its characters!