3.75 ⭐️ rounded up
I loved the world of Immortal Consequences and how unique this world and story was. Such a refreshing fantasy read and world!
Unfortunately, I found the first half of the book to be fairly slow, and there was just so many characters introduced right after another that they became hard to keep track of. I wish the characters were trickled in throughout the story a little better, but I also understand why it was done the way it was for the purpose of the story.
I definitely did get more hooked towards the second half of the book, and was intrigued by the events unfolding. I grew to really like the characters as well!
I will definitely be reading the second book when it gets released, can’t wait to see where the story goes!

The pace of this was incredibly fast, somewhat to the detriment of the story. The idea of there being a magical school in the afterlife was interesting, but, to me, there wasn't enough world building - the reader is just constantly thrown into situations and then a character will have to explain what's happening to a professor or a student. I think having six different POVs was always a little challenging because I despite the size of the book, I'm not sure I felt I knew who the characters were. The series has the potential to be interesting, but I don't feel like I understand the purpose of the school and the whole setting to want to continue. I'll share it with students who may be interested in the concept!

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!!

I had requested this book on a whim, and am SO glad that I did. This was absolutely phenomenal. Think Hunger Games meets purgatory meets Six of Crows' character dynamics.

Blackwood Academy is an elite academy only certain souls can enter - and they have to be dead. Located in purgatory, students can never leave unless they are the chosen one for the Decennial, a celebration and series of trials to determine if the chosen student will be able to graduate into Blackwood's elite or choose to cross over. Otherwise, the only way out is to fade away, a fate worse than death.

This year, twelve students have been nominated, making it a competition for the first time in history. We follow Wren, August, Irene, Masika, Olivier, and Emilio as they learn the secrets of their school, and the secrets they hide from each other. Who will be the victor and make it out of Blackwood?

This was truly incredible. Each character was so vastly different from one another with their own unique flaws and ambitions, I loved seeing how each one reacted to the trials and threats that came with them. I am absolutely dying for the next book already, I have so many questions!!

I loved each 'couple's,' so to speak, romantic/personal struggles but found myself frequently confused when it came to Wren and August. I'm assuming it will be explained in the next book, though, since it just felt like I was missing some piece of the puzzle. August's hot-and-cold felt a bit too much at times, but I'm extremely curious as to how their story will continue. I felt similarly for all of them, as if they were all rushed through the entire book but then the end came and didn't seal off the storylines. It felt almost like it was intended to be one book only, but the end was changed? It just made the romance for everyone a bit rushed to me, for no real "payoff" in the end. I loved Irene and Masika as well, though I'm still unsure exactly of what their relationship is, I quite enjoyed their interactions nonetheless. Masika's past is incredibly intriguing and I can't wait to see how it unfolds. Of course, I fell in love with Olivier and Emilio. They were so fun to read, how well their personalities meshed and their teasing banter. They always felt like a breath of fresh air between the angst of the others, despite having their own problems as well, of course.

This deserves to be a new classic along with Hunger Games, Twilight, etc. I felt like I did when I read those books, the plot and the characters so enthralling I was engrossed in reading and looked forward to it.

Okkaayyyy. I am pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book. The tension was incredible. I’m not even a huge dark academia lover but this was quite good! The only complaint I can have is that maybe there were too many POVs? I appreciate books with many POVs but I personally want to know the characters first before getting more.

Immortal Consequences by I.V. Marie

Synopsis:

🏫 Set at Blackwood Academy, a school for souls trapped between life and death.

⚔️ Six students are chosen to compete in the Decennial, a deadly magical competition.

🎓 The prize: escape from purgatory—but only one can win.

🧍 Multiple POVs from complex, diverse characters, each with secrets and regrets.

💥 The trials test more than magic—loyalty, morality, and identity are all on the line.

💀 A mysterious threat looms beyond the competition, forcing uneasy alliances.

✨ Dark academia + magic + high stakes + emotional tension.

📚 Book 1 of the Souls of Blackwood Academy series, ending on a major cliffhanger that has me hoping book 2 comes out soon!

Thoughts:

Immortal Consequences is a dark, seductive thrill ride that kept me hooked from the first page. With its lush writing, morally gray characters, and high-stakes immortality politics, this book delivers all the intensity and slow-burn tension I crave in a paranormal romance.

The chemistry between the leads crackles with every interaction, and the world-building feels both fresh and hauntingly timeless. L.V. Marie does a brilliant job blending myth, magic, and emotion into a story that feels both intimate and epic.

If you love stories where immortals play dangerous games, secrets unravel with every chapter, and the romance is as intense as the stakes, Immortal Consequences belongs on your TBR!

🖤 Dark romance
🗝️ Secret societies
⚔️ High tension + morally gray dynamics
🔥 Steamy moments
🩸 Immortality has a price

Author: @ivmariebooks
Publisher: @randomhousekids @penguinrandomhouse
Release Date: July 29, 2025

2🌶️
5⭐️

Thank you @netgalley @ivmariebooks and @penguinrandomhouse / @randomhousekids for gifting me this ebook! All thoughts and opinions are my own and I can’t wait to purchase a physical copy for my bookshelf!

This debut novel immediately captured my attention! Blackwood academy was such a unique world, the story follows multiple pov’s on their journey both at the academy but also when they’re selected for the Decennial. The magic system in this book was absolutely one of my favorite magic systems, the dark world was so fun to read, and the twists just kept me on the edge of my seat. Absolutely loved this book!

There are so many fun things about this book! Let's start with the cover- what a cool hourglass concept. The cover's the reason I actually signed up for this tour, and then I read the summary of the book and realized that I had definitely made the right choice. Now let's talk about the setting- a boarding school in the afterlife? Your girl already loves books with the whole boarding school/academia vibes to them, but adding the afterlife twist? So cool. I also really liked that we had the two almost rivaling factions- the Damien Order (don't quote me on the spelling of that) and the folks at Blackwood Academy. And now, we're onto my two favorite parts of this book- the characters and the competition in the decennial! I really liked how we were initially introduced to our 6 main characters in pairs- 6 is normally way too many main characters for me and I wouldn't really ever be able to keep them straight, but I think that introducing them with a partner and keeping them with their partner for the beginning of the story really helped me understand their voices and who they were, so when they started branching out and interacting with more of the random characters and more with each other, I still felt like everyone of them was a distinct character. The side characters, I wasn't as big of a fan of and Louise's part in the whole story felt like a weird afterthought. To me, she didn't fit at all. Character wise, August, Wren, and Irene were my favorites. Emilio was cute and sweet, Olivier kinda felt like he was just there sometimes, but worked well with Emilio. Masika was also fine- I never really had much of an opinion on her. The competition was amazing- I loved the twists that were in there and all of the things that you find out throughout the story about the decennials and what they mean. My only complaint about Immortal Consequences would have to be the pacing- I felt like pacing wise, things were great, and then we got to maybe the last 25% of the book, and it felt like too much happened and we were racing through a bunch of stuff. All of a sudden, new twists and turns that didn't 100% make sense were happening, but they were still really fun and led to this intense cliffhanger. And now, I don't know what to do with myself while I wait for book 2.

The special edition book is gorgeous! I can't believe this is the author's first novel. A unique concept that pulls you into the world and leaves you wanting book two.

What I loved
- Our quirky bunch of students taking part in the Decennial tests. They're such a unique mix of flawed and fascinating personalities.
- The dark academia feel.
- The Decennial itself. Mystical school competitions are always a blast.
- The whole idea of this afterlife otherworld.

What I didn't love as much
- The pace was a tad slow for me.
- I would have loved a bit more insight into some of the darker characters. I'm just being impatient, though, since that info will probably come in the next book(s) in the series.

Verdict: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗

I can't wait for book two to come out! I'm excited to dive back into book one to gear up for the sequel when it finally arrives. If you're into dark academia and enjoy some wonderfully messy emotions, you should definitely give this book a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this audiobook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I thought this was a great book. Wren definitely being my favorite character. I love anything academy setting and then you throw in magic too and you have me hooked. What a great debut novel for this author

📖 Title: Immortal Consequences-The Souls of Blackwood Academy #1

✍🏾 Author: I.V. Marie-debut

📅Publication date: 7-29-25| Read 7-26-25

📃 Format: e-Book 512 pgs.

Genre:
*YA
*Fantasy
*Sci/Fi

Tropes:
*enemies to lovers
*dark academia
*reapers/magic
*competition/trials
*LGBTQIA+

👆🏾POV: 3rd person, multiple

⚠️TW: panic attacks, depression, obsession, drug overdose, physical/mental abuse

🌎 Setting: Purgatory- Blackwood Academy (BA)

Summary: Six students are deceased and living at BA as reapers until they become nominees for the Decennial competition. They will face 4 trials and whoever wins will become an Ascended.

All students @ BA had near-death experiences as children


👩🏾 Heroines:
Wren Loughty- an A+ student, wants to become Ascended, has a crush on rival August
Irene Bamford-a rule breaker, dated August
Masika Sallow-Irene's BFF. In love w/ the disappeared Catherine


👨🏾 Heroes:
Augustine "August" Hughes-secretive, has a crush on Wren
Emilio Cordova-the newest student, one year @BA
Olivier Dupont-losing his memories, protective of Emilio
Mateo-a Demien, recruiting Irene

🎭 Other Characters:

*Headmaster of Blackwood Academy-Silas
*Louise Nordain-the new student arrives and casts shadow magic-has never happened before.
* The Forgetting- students forget their life memories and wander the Ether reaping lost souls for eternity.
*The Demien Order-those w/ no humanity who use shadow magic.
*The Council-a secret society/anonymous group of Ascended and Housemasters selected to protect BA.
*The Ascended- students are magically more powerful w/ glowing eyes. They will never become The Forgetting, are relieved of reaping duties, and can choose to go to The Other Side.
*Housemasters-Birdie, Wesley, Russo, Calligan, Marigold, and Violet (Ivory House)

*Houses*
Litterman-for troublemakers, party animals, Olivier, and Emilio with illusionary magic.
Chambers and Fiddle-both housed w/ affinity for elemental magic and creating elixirs.
Ivory-Irene and Masika live there along w/ those known for cutthroat, corporeal-inclined students.
Holsterd- houses the best defensive magic students.


🤔 My Thoughts: I loved the world building inside the academy and all the magical houses. The multiple POVs got a little confusing but every main character got equal time. August and Irene were my favorites because August was playful yet secretive and Irene was very strong and independent. August and Wren were academic rivals yet protective of each other. Irene and Masika were BFFs who complimented each other magically but were on different paths. The trials were very reminiscent of Harry Potter's Triwizard Tournament. This was a great debut, and I can't wait for more!

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 2/5 🌶️kissing and 1 off page scene

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books | Delacorte Press, and I.V. Marie for this ARC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

For lovers of 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒕𝒍𝒂𝒔 𝑺𝒊𝒙 and 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, this one’s gonna ℎ𝑖𝑡.💕

Six teens are bound to 𝐵𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝐴𝑐𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑦, each paired off, and 𝒉𝒂𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 by personal tragedies. They must compete in a series of four deadly trials to either 𝑤𝑖𝑛 and 𝒂𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒅 to immortality… or 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑒 and be doomed to reap souls for eternity, 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚 forgetting who they ever 𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑒. 😱

This was I.V. Marie’s debut novel and I was so 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 by the 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑑 character dynamics and the way she wove 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦, 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠, 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓, and 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 into every chapter. The writing is 𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒉 and 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐲, and I totally felt like I was wandering the eerie halls of Blackwood Academy with them. 💀✨

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 💕
📚 The vibes: 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 & 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍
👯 The 𝑚𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑃𝑂𝑉𝑠 made every relationship dynamic pop (ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴇᴘ, ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏᴜᴘʟᴇ)
👻 A totally 𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒆 afterlife system that felt 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑠ℎ
⏳ 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 stakes
💘 A tiny 𝒍𝒊𝒍 spark of romance
😱 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓. 𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆. I’m gonna need book two!!

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆✨
👥 multiple POVs 
🏫 elite academy setting
💔 slowwwww burn tension
🔍 unravel-the-secret mystery
💭 soft romance threads & found family energy
🪙 survival trials with haunting consequences

If I had one lil wish, it’d be for 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑-𝑏𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔, but the 𝒗𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔 were 𝐒𝐎 strong that I happily let myself be carried by the 𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 and 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦. Such a fun & atmospheric debut - I know young adults will absolutely love this!

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲, 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐬/𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬, & 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰. 💕

Past Isabella read the synopsis and thought "this sounds good." Past Isabella was wrong. Good is nowhere near close enough to describe Immortal Consequences.

I am absolutely, positively, 10001% OBSESSED with this book. The academic rivalry, the purgatory academy, a competition between friends, romance, betrayal, friendship, mystery, EVERYTHING!!!!!

There were so many moments when I tried to guess what would happen next. I was right with a few of them, but I am obviously not as smart as the author. Those plot twists are insane!! I was on the edge of my seat the entire book. I was giggling with joy, I was (metaphorically) throwing the book across the room, I was gasping like I had personally been betrayed. All the emotions. All. Of. Them.

Suffice to say, this is an absolute must-read book, and I must read the next book immediately.

This was a really solid debut novel! I absolutely love dark academia/magical school settings, so this was right up my alley. I loved the setting and the atmosphere, and I thought the author's writing was very well done and easy to read! I liked all of the main characters, though Emilio and Wren were definitely my favourites. I'm usually not a fan of books with more than four POVs, but I thought this was pretty well done, and most characters were easy to tell apart. Overall, I thought this was a very well-written YA fantasy debut, and I'm very interested in seeing where the story goes in book two! :)

A intensely epic young adult fantasy. All the themes used to explore the fantasy elements of the world were so interesting. I would recommend this to readers who love:
Mystery, magic, romance and Intrigue. I loved this novel from it's characters, how well they interacted with each other to the worldbuilding and gripping plot that had me flying through the pages. 5 stars

I would like to express my gratitude to Delacorte Press for providing the gifted e-book.

While I approached this book with great anticipation, I found that it simply did not resonate with me, leading me to DNF it at 25%.

One of the primary challenges was the overwhelming number of characters, which made it difficult to keep track of who was who. Additionally, the characters lacked distinct personalities, further complicating my investment in their journeys. The world-building felt insufficiently developed, leaving me confused and detached from the setting.

The pacing was notably slow, which hindered my ability to remain engaged with the narrative. Unfortunately, the storytelling fell flat for me, resulting in a lack of emotional connection to the characters and their experiences.

I understand that this book may have found its audience among some readers who rated it highly, but ultimately, it did not align with my personal tastes or preferred genre.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the review copy!

The good:
The ending. I am so stoked for the sequel
The setting and the magic is fantastic
Emilio, my cinnamon roll who can do no wrong
The last half of the book flew by

The bad:
The beginning of the book is a slog because we are jumping from POV to POV
The POVs all read the same
I'm not sure who Olivier was fooling calling Emilio "my love" and insisting they were friends, it was not me
I want to know more about how the magic works, it's very handwavy

At no point did I have any idea of what was going on unless it was directly related to one of the couples pining for the other person. This book was chaotic and could have been improved by either fewer POVs or spending more time in each POV before jumping heads. Or like, another 100 pages so that we had time to grow with the main characters and figure out why we should care about them. By the end of the book the only character I was rooting for was Emilio because everyone else was insufferable.

If it weren't for how good the ending was, I'm not sure if this would have made it to 3 stars.

A unique magic system.
Dark academic setting.
Games and Trials
Romance
Twists you don't see coming
Mystery and vibes vibes vibes

All of the things I love!!!! If you like any of these things - run don't walk. This one is amazing.

I have been waiting for this book for a long time, and it was worth the wait. I love the concept, a school on the fringes of the afterlife, and the exploration of each of the characters and their motivations. It was fresh and unique, while still feeling familiar in the best possible way. Can’t wait for the sequel.

In Immortal Consequences, we are transported to a world where after we die, we can be sent to Blackwood Academy. It is an afterlife school to teach souls magic to help other souls pass on. Something is going wrong. There is an opposition force known as the Demein Order that is trying to influence several students. They are trying to bring down the school and the Headmaster, Silas. What is Silas hiding from the students? What is going on with the ether?

There are many students who are. caught up in disfunctional relationships. Wren and August; Emilio and Olivier, and Irene and Misaka. They are often pitted against each other. This peaka during the competition to pick the next Ascended. But where are the students who have lost?

Unfortunately or fortunately, this volume ends on a cliffhanger.. we will have to wait to see what happens to the students.