The novel’s plot is a masterclass in pacing and tension, centered around the Decennial—a ruthless magical competition that’s the only escape from an eerie boarding school in purgatory. As the six chosen students navigate a series of trials, secrets unravel and alliances shift, adding layers of suspense and emotional depth. Each twist is expertly timed, and the final reveal is both satisfying and haunting.

What truly elevates this story is its character development. Each of the six contenders is vividly drawn, with their desires, fears, and pasts slowly peeled back to reveal surprising vulnerabilities and motivations. The academic rivals burn with chemistry, while the grief-stricken and the ambitious alike struggle with what they’re willing to sacrifice. Even the most morally ambiguous characters feel compelling and real.

The book’s dark academia aesthetic and high stakes are perfectly matched by its nuanced portrayals of love, rivalry, and redemption. With atmospheric world-building and characters who linger in your mind, this is a must-read for fans of magical competition and emotional depth—just shy of perfection, but unforgettable nonetheless.

I.V. Marie started her story with a girl who had been dead for 18 years and a boy who had been dead for over 100. We are brought into a school in the afterlife. Instead of peace after death, these 17 and 18-year-olds are taught to help others find peace after death. We are then introduced to four more characters and given their point of view. If you think having six POVs sounds hard to follow, and I thought the same, you'd be wrong this time. Marie wove their stories together in such a way that blended perfectly. I was on the edge of my seat for the majority of the book. The story building was fast-paced, but still detailed enough that I was able to visualize the world. Every ten years, there is a competition where one student is elected - at the end they can choose their future. This year is a little different - twelve students are elected to compete. This group of rag-tag students became almost friends, and just as they all reached peace about what would happen if they lose - the rules they knew changed. What will they do when offered to switch to the "dark" side. When they're faced with having to sacrifice or choose themselves. This book ends on quite a cliff-hanger and I, for one, can not wait until book two is released.

I.V. Maries' Debut book did not disappoint and I am excited to see what she does in the future.

What a ride! I devoured the second half of this book in a day.
Set in a magical school, six unalive teens compete in the afterlife to change their fate or stay in purgatory.
I loved the six POVs and getting a chance to read everyone's perspective. This is something that I wish I could explore in other books with trials. Each one had their own journey of not only winning and the cost that would be but also processing their own death. I need the second book yesterday
Rating: 4/5
Tear Jerker: 2/5
Spice: Bell Pepper
Tropes:
Rivals to Lovers
Found Family
Magic Trials
Dark Academia
Favorite Character: Augustine Hughes
Favorite Quote:
'"Sometimes I think that even if
we hadn't died, if we'd been born centuries apart, we would have still found a way to each other." "Destined to endure the torment of one another's company."'

The aesthetics of this book felt like if the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and HP Goblet of Fire had a baby, but maybe a bit darker since everyone is….dead. I LOVED it! I’m calling it now, this is going to be one of (if not THE) top YA fantasy book of the year 💁🏼‍♀️.

Sometimes books with lots of POVs (6) can feel overwhelming, but this was done so well. If you’ve read Six of Crows, it felt similar to that style. I found myself growing attached to each character and sympathizing with them - even when I originally strongly disliked the character. As the story unfolds you slowly learn more about each character, what makes them tick, and where their motivations stem from. They all have so many layers!

The ending had me like 🤯🤯🤯. I can not wait for this to be published and for more people to devour this story!

So….when is book two being released?!?!?

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children’s Publishing for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review 💕

Such a fun, addictive read. The dark academia vibes mixed with dangerous trials, betrayal, and all the “do they want to kiss or kill each other?” tension completely hooked me. I flew through it and already want more. Definitely one I’ll be thinking about for a while.

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for the chance to read early!

wow, this book was incredible. it follows six distinct voices in a place between life and death, and i loved that each character had their own unique personality. i had high expectations for the romances in this book, but i felt that the romance was a bit dry compared to the overall mystery surrounding the academy and the decentennial. so that plot twist was pretty astounding to me, and the trials that followed were a lot more interesting. while it did feel like a character driven book, i think that the plot driven parts were a bit more involved. maybe in the next book we’ll see more nuance into the characters, excited to read what’s next!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Big love to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Delacorte for the ARC!
I thought I’d seen every YA fantasy trope—but Immortal Consequences still managed to hit me with its originality, heart, and drama. Set at Blackwood Academy on the edge of the afterlife, it follows six students—Wren, August, Olivier, Emilio, Masika, and Irene—who must compete in the Decennial for a once‑in‑an‑eternity choice: ascend, stay, or risk eternal purgatory.

From page one, I was hooked: the premise feels fresh (“six dead teens competing in the Afterlife”? Yes, sign me up), and the stakes are bone‑chillingly high. The multi‑POV approach is handled incredibly well—every character feels distinct, with their own demons, ambitions, and emotional arcs. I found myself rooting for them all—seriously rare in a POV‑heavy novels.

The world‑building is lush and cinematic: Blackwood’s gothic halls, ethereal magic trials, and underlying dread felt so atmospheric—they played like a film in my head . And while the pacing shifts—slow‑burn character moments giving way to high‑intensity trial scenes—it balances tension and emotion beautifully.

Romantic tension? 🔥 The rivals‑to‑lovers threads were tender, emotionally charged, and utterly satisfying. Found‑family vibes? Intense. Betrayal and mystery? In spades. I gasped, cheered, and yes—ended the book breathless.

Who this book is for:
If you’re obsessed with dark academia, magical competitions, multi‑POV fantasies, and slow‑burn romances where every glance cracks the tension—this is your next favorite. Think The Atlas Six meets A Deadly Education with that emotional, character‑driven punch.

This debut completely blew me away—raw, immersive, and heartbreakingly real. I’m already counting down to book 2. A must‑read for fans of YA fantasy that refuses to let go.

I came across this title way back in the day, when it was formerly called THE SOULS OF BLACKWOOD ACADEMY and I am SO glad that it got picked up and is being traditionally published by one of my favorite imprints!!! It was a major yes for me then, and it's still a yes from me now! I am so glad I got to read this story again and revisit this wonderful world and these characters!!

My review from two years ago: THIS is the kind of story I love to immerse myself in, and I think this is a really fascinating idea. I genuinely love to read stories with a magic system in place, and it checks the box for a dark academia type of story, which are always crowd favorites in the book world. This definitely left me hungry for more of the story, and when reading the synopsis to see what happens, I grew more desperate to read it! (That plot twist! I was not expecting that and I loved it!) I really connected with the three characters we were introduced to, and I am excited to see what would happen reading the other POVs. I enjoyed the way the author fed information to the reader; it felt very organic and didn’t take away from the story. Necessary backstory was brought up and woven into the story at the right time. This author has very impressive credentials and is an individual who I believe will be well received in the book world. I absolutely want to read more and think that it will be successful, with the potential for more books!

Immortal Consequences was such an interesting read! It was the kind of book that you forget you are even reading (my absolute favourite!)

The story takes place at Blackwood Academy---a part of purgatory. The school takes students and teaches them how to get lost souls from the Ether to the Other Side. However, the focus of the book is less on the classes and the academy itself, and more on an illustrious competition, the Decennial. This competition is based around four trials to test their magical abilities. Once all four trials are complete, the winner can choose between graduating and becoming an Ascended, or to cross over to the Other Side and put their soul to rest permanently. Once the story unfolds, we begin to realize that both the school and the Decennial are not as they seem.

I was a little hesitant when I saw how many POV characters there were (6!), but I.V. Marie's writing was so distinct for each character that I wasn't confused once as to whose chapter I was reading. These six characters, Wren, August, Emilio, Irene, Olivier, and Masika, are all chosen to participate in the Decennial. They form a group of "unfortunate acquaintances" , and try and help each other through the trials.

The plot twists in this book were INSANE!!! Not once did I ever predict what was going to happen or who a character really was. I can't wait for book two!

I.V. Marie puts a fantastic spin on the dark academia genre at Blackwood Academy, a magical boarding school in purgatory. Marie’s multi-POV telling of this story, while ambitious, was easy to follow and gripped me every step of the way.

In a series of magical trials only held once a decade, six students must use their wit, magic, and skills to claim the ultimate prize of becoming one of Blackwood’s Elite. The other fate that awaits them: becoming a wandering soul in the Other Side.

Getting to know each of the 6 main characters so intimately is part of what made this book so unique. The cliff-hanger ending already has me ready for book two. Overall, an excellent debut novel from I.V. Marie.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Delacorte for a first read ofbthis book.

I was so engrossed in this book from chapter one to the very end. I need book two now!!

This book was spectacular. I wish I could persuade everyone to read it!

The setting is spot on. The storyline, the characters, dialog - just everthing about the book is amazing!

I highly, highly, highly recommend!

Oh and I'm 64! It's not just a children's book!

4 stars! ⭐️ I devoured this book!

The 6 characters and POV switches kept me hooked and rooting for side characters. The main characters, Wren and August, are iconic rivals to lovers in this debut dark academia fantasy world.⏳🔮

Blackwell Academy is part of a purgatory between the living and the Other Side, sustaining the afterlife.

Fantasy focused, sub plot romance for each side character: no spice. Already SO excited for book 2!

✨Dangerous trials, dark academia vibes, 6 perspectives, secrets, yearning, magical afterlife academy✨

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

after three long weeks I finally finished this book. it was a fun read with a super intriguing concept, an academy in the afterlife. it did take a little bit for me to get into it but once I did it was very enjoyable (forget the fact that I didn't realize one of the channels names was OlivIER and not Oliver but whatevs). the plot twists literally had my jaw snapping open in absolute shock. you think for just a sec, " wait, what about this??!?" then BAM: astonishing revelation. anyways this book was so good, definitely check it out on July 27!

this book was such a good time and the concept was so original and creative and had me thinking about it well after i put the book down! i mean- a boarding school in PURGATORY- academic rivals to lovers- trials to change your fate? i’m so in.

Incredible young adult debut from I.V. Marie. I've been looking for more dark academia to read, and I'm so glad I stumbled upon this one! The six different POVs were so distinct and unique to me, felt like I was truly reading about six different people. I also liked this take on the Underworld/liminal space. It felt fresh and unique while still being a classic for the niche.

Unfortunately I DNF’d this book at 30%, I was super into it in the first half, sometimes I don’t like that the story just opens up with not a lot of context but this book did really good giving small world building details within the story instead of chapters upon chapters of either all world building or just story with no context. I did already see the yearning and attempts at love from the MMC, and it was beautifully done! Just the concept of living in purgatory is against my personal beliefs and I did not realize before I requested an ARC, but I think people would definitely love it if they have no religious qualms!!

A lot to unpack at Blackwood Academy! First things first, I. V. Marie is a masterful writer who used her skills to create a complex and multi-layered world with Blackwood Academy at the center. The concept of the afterlife not being one defined space was a really cool idea and I enjoyed how the students moved through different parts, like the Ether, but it still felt connected.

Choosing to focus on six students, all with various backgrounds and time spent at Blackwood, was a smart choice. With differing personalities, experiences, and plans, there was never a dull moment of the book. I also enjoyed the push and pull of the romances without them overtaking the brewing drama, corrupt system or the trials of the Decennial.

A strong start to a new dark academia YA series, it isn't even out yet and I already want book two!

Thank you Random House Kids for the gifted ARC.

Wow! This book was so intriguing! There were so many things I wasn't expecting. The characters had great development throughout the book. I'm obsessed, truly. I wish I would've had time to be able to just binge this book, but I am excited to be able to do that once it comes out officially. Then I can reread it all in one go. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this in advance. I can't wait to start recommending this to people!

Immortal Consequences was everything I hoped it would be—fast-paced, emotionally charged, and completely addictive. The concept alone had me intrigued, but the execution made it unforgettable. A magical academy in the afterlife where dead teens compete in deadly trials? I was instantly in.
What really impressed me was how well the multiple points of view were handled. Each character felt distinct, and their perspectives added depth to both the world and the relationships. The romantic tension, the rivalries, and the moments of aching longing were all so well done. There’s no shortage of intensity, but it’s balanced by moments of genuine connection and found family that gave the story heart.
The worldbuilding was compelling and original, blending dark academia vibes with a magic system that felt fresh and dangerous. Every trial raised the stakes, and I found myself deeply invested in more than one romance along the way.
This was such an enjoyable read from start to finish, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking for a dark, emotionally layered fantasy that’s as sharp as it is heartfelt..

I enjoy it a lot when the editor introduces the book with lore on how they picked up the book and what caught their eye, so i loved that lil letter by the editor in this one

perfect for YA readers and I enjoyed this a lot, all the characters are done well and that's high praise cause I'm very picky on what I like in fantasy genre!