The writing is very fluid which makes it easy and addictive to read. The characters are well-developed and likable. I loved the dark academia vibe. The description of the castle, Achlys Hall, the library and other places was so clear. It made me feel like I was there.

Ophelia is very strong. I really sympathised with her. I found her crossword hobby very cute. I related to that. Everyone has a hobby to slow down their thoughts. I thought she cried to much though, which is understandable due to her tragic life story. I fell in love with Alex's green eyes. He's so caring with his sisters and mother, I really liked that side of him. I felt sorry for him throughout the book. No 23-year-old should feel the pressure he puts himself under.
The chemistry between Alex and Ophelia is undeniable. I caught myself smiling at their banter.

The side characters were sooo adorable. I especially loved Vincenzo and Colette. They were always so supportive to their friends. I can't wait to see more of them in the next book.

What really annoyed me was Ophelia saying that she hated Alex and his father, that she had to stay away from him and wanted revenge but kept talking to him and having spice thoughts about them. These contradictions were very frustrating.
Also, the ending, when everything is falling apart for Alex, doesn't make much sense. His mother and sisters are everything for him and he silences his phone knowing that his mother could struggle and need him? Never checks it? Another plot hole.

There are more things I liked than those I didn't, but the not so good things had a considerable impact on my appreciation of the book. But overall, it was a nice read.

This book surpassed what I imagined it was going to be like. It was much better the story line had me captivated from the start and I found myself keep turning the pages even when I needed to sleep! It blew my mind one of the top reads of the year!

If you like
✨dark academic enemies to lovers,
✨Gothic castle setting
✨nerdy talks and texts,
✨tragic back that make you emotional
✨grumpy, loner, nerdy FMC
✨Likes to take care of all MMC
✨mystery elements
✨tension and banter
✨ Slow burn
✨ Open door but with less details
you will definitely like it

Alex Corbeau-Green has entered my book boyfriend realm and grabbed one of the top 5 spots. He was so sweet and caring, despite the huge hunk grumpy rugby player looks. I feel he might be a demigod who has 48 hours in a day to do all that he manages but I will take it.

The grumpy swimmer with so much mysteries surrounding her and her morbid sense of humor is the last person he wanted to fall for, but fate has other plans. And boy o boy it was fun!!

The whole school setting was so good, with so many houses and the gothic castle academic setting with scary paintings and equally weird staff gave me all the creeps in a good way.

I loved their chemistry, the girl who thinks she doesn't deserve any love and the boy who loved her like breathing. I love that there was a smooth transition between their hate and love. Also they were so nerdy they talk in flirty crosswords and he likes to pin her down on his bed more often than necessary!! But I was all in for it.🫣

It was a slow burn and the tension was so good, there was spice but not very detailed i would say, so it is somewhere in between open door and closed door.

I loved the friendship dynamics- the supportive but sassy girls and the foul mouth Vincenzo. I hope we get a story for Vincenzo, he will be the big bad mafia lead who unalives people with no crumbs left and I can't wait.

The beginning was a bit awkward with Ophelia being a bit too trusting and blurting out secrets left and right even though she was supposed to be flying under the radar. And the ending was a bit too convenient before everything went downhill.

I would like the sequel and story between Vincenzo and Collette immediately pls 😅

I legitimately sat and read this cover to cover in one sitting I was SO HOOKED IN!!!!

Not gonna lie to you, I thought from the cover and title that this was a fantasy (lol don’t @ me I like to go in blind okay? I just went in a little blinder than usual this time) but it’s actually a dark academia murder mystery with OFF THE CHARTS sexual tension and moodiness 🤌🏻

So Ophelia is an orphan whose parents died in a helicopter crash that she knows wasn’t all it seemed. She’s spent the last four years trying to find evidence to take down the helicopter CEO who took them from her. She’s starting at Sorrowsong University where the crash took place to finally bring him down. But who should she bump into on day one? His sexy, suave, sexy, athlete, sexy, smart, sexy, caring, sexy son and heir, obviously.

When a spooky, classical literature-obsessed stalker starts to toy with Ophelia, she has to navigate her precarious place amongst the elite, solve her parents murder, and resist the urge to jump her nemesis, all while living in the coolest/spookiest castle ever (think hogwarts but with a dark academia filter on and no plot armour to stop the students getting murdered)

I was absolutely obsessed with this book, everyone is moody and grumpy and traumatised it’s just delicious. The romance is torturously slow with such good pay off and the banter was just chefs kiss.

The mystery is intriguing, the setting is atmospheric af, the twists are twisty. What more could you want?

This book showed up unannounced like a morally grey boy at your window at midnight on my Netgalley suggestions and now I’m obsessed. Why is no one talking about Nightshade? It’s smart, sharp, lowkey unhinged in the best way, and gave me one of my favourite love interests of the year. And Sorrowsong? Take me there. I’ll deal with the stalker and all.

“I’ve built my walls too high.”
“They’re worth the climb.”

There’s a mystery. There’s trauma. There’s undeniable chemistry. I wasn’t as shocked by the twist as I wanted to be but I devoured the ride anyway. Every email, every moment of tension, every crumb of vulnerability between Alex and Ophelia was chef’s kiss.

This book? Showed up like a literary thief at 3am, stole all my favourite tropes, and left without apologising. And yes ,he literally steals her books at 3am.
Why did no one warn me this would be my new personality for the week?

🕯️Tropes:
✨Morally grey academic heartthrob
✨Grumpy/Grumpier?
✨Found family (bonus points for Mafia teddy bear Vin)
✨Trauma bonding, but stylish
✨We’re not in love” → they absolutely are
✨Elite university with secrets
✨Longing in the form of email flirtation


Alex, Sir, this is an academic rivalry, you had no bussiness being this hot. What the heck!

Also if villain, why boyfriend who raids bookshelves shaped?

Phenomenal story! I didn't know for sure what I would be walking into this because "New Adult" feels like a term of curiosity for me. However, the way the characters are built, and we get to slowly watch everything come together, it was just such a fun read. I was giddy and giggling and over the moon as they transformed from enemies to lovers. I went out of my way to order the special UK "The Works" edition to have sent to me in the US. I loved this story and I cannot wait for the sequel.

This was SO GOOD! The quotes, yearning, and obsession was top tier. I love a man who is obsessed with our FMC. The secrets and the push and pull was just enough. The ending had me begging for more. I need the next book like yesterday. I loved our characters and the setting. I truly did not know where this book would take us and i’m hoping the next one delivers this and more. The spice was perfect, it was spicy but not over the top, it still had our MMC obsessed but it didn’t over take the plot. I’m so glad I finally picked this one up and now i’ll be counting down the days until I can be back in this world! So so good!

4.5 Stars!!!

I truly loved this. This book was everything I didnt know I needed. Dont get me wrong, some of it can be a bit predictable, but in such a great way that there is no way you can dislike it. Its like coming back to your favorite book or drink, you kind of expect it, but it is still fun nonetheless. STILL, some twists and things I had no clue were coming. Romance, suspense, yearning??? perfection. The FMC and the MMC are so perfect, and Ophelia is incredibly relatable. Mr Alex... yup. I'll take one! Dry humor, daddy issues, broody and grumpy, CARING, PROTECTIVE, YEARNING?????? YES. YES. YES!!!!!! also dont forget that he literally asks if he can "please" kiss her. brb crying so sweet. The characters were fun and loved hanging with them. The pacing in this book is perfect. But the time i now have to wait for book 2? not perfect...

This was such a fun book!
I saw this book everywhere and was so excited when i got an ARC and it was amazing. I cannot wait to pick up a sprayed edge edition from The Works

Nightshade by Autumn Woods was my first read by this author. And it most certainly won’t be my last!
An engaging gothic academic romance story that took me on one hell of a ride and one I didn’t want get off of either.
The mystery is a slow burn read with fantastic characters.
And this writing sucked me in so hard.
I can’t wait for book two.

Wow Nighshade ……. This was amazing!
The banter ✔️
The vibes ✔️
The ending 🤯

I cannot wait for book two!!

3,75/5 stars

This was entertaining read. I liked the setting and in my opinion it was paced well. The banter between the main couple was fun to follow. And the ending left me speechless, and I can't wait to read book 2.

There just were few problems that took away some points. The book was fade to black, which was a bit shame. Especially when the MC's spoke and hinted of things happening openly behind the scenes I hoped we could've seen it.

The other thing is that I did like the push and pull between MC's, but I did wish the FMC trusted the MMC quicker and opened up to him about all the things. But it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story too much.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Five stars y'all, it's been a while since I was hit with a NEW five star

"She's everything I've been asking the universe for and she f*cking hates me."
Did she though? Did she really?

ANYWAYS, why isn't anyone talking about this book? Why wasn't it on my radar before a random scroll? Because OH MY GOD, I adored this book. This book came out of nowhere and I'm genuinely so surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was funny -like really funny-, the characters were likeable, and I even LOVED sorrowsong. Like I get it's supposed to be some creepy, gloomy, haunted with a howling lady university but I would gladly back up my bags and move there. (especially if it meant I'd fine myself an Alex Corbeau-Green hehe).

⇢ ˗ˏˋ PLOT ࿐ྂ
Was I expecting more a fantasy element? Yes.
Am I disappointed? Abso-freaking-not.
Besides, that plot that I DID get outside of their romance I ATE UP. I love the scary vibe of the universe and all that stalker stuff? It was so enjoyable and just satisfying to read. I mean I was just as invested in finding clues and learning about the crash as Ophelia was. And although I predicted who the stalker was I still enjoyed every second of reading (except for the end I did NOT enjoy that, but we'll talk about that later....)

Plus, I kid you not, I got chills at some point. Or maybe one point, but still! Chills! It was when the ghost lady was "real" and Ophelia described her following her. Or honestly anytime she was mentioned I got chills. That was just so fascinating to me, she was so fascinating. Creepy as freak, but super cool.

MOVING ON THOUGH
We gotta talk about Alex & Ophelia, because oh my freaking God.
Their banter, their existence, their everything just give it to me. Give me freaking crumbs and I'll devour it.

"I've built my walls too high."
"They're worth the climb."
"They aren't."
"They are. For me they are."

This book made me squeak. Not squeal, SQUEAK. I mean some of the stuff that came out of their mouths -or their emails(which I loved by the way those were so cute)- gave me heart attacks.

But anywaysssss, their wit and tension was AMAZING, BUT they don't count as enemies to lovers. Not really anyway. They were more like people in denial -and by people I mean Ophelia. But that's not the point, the POINT is I loved them. They were wholesome in like a depressing way which I know doesn't sound right but I swear it makes sense. I fell in love them instantly, and you could tell while reading that they softened each other, healed one another in a way. It isn't outright said, but it's blatantly visible and hinted at that both of these characters have considered committing. But then they met each other in the most uncliche but also cliche way they became "two broken people trying to heal eachother"


Now onto my new addiction
╰─▸ ❝ Alex Corbeau-Green

Don't know how Ophelia EVER resisted him, because I swear if this man appeared in my room at 3am and stole ALL of my books I would sputter out a "Thank you" and watch him in awe as he left. Because oh my freaking god, this man is everything. Like if there was a checklist for a perfect morally gray book bf he'd check off everything. Likeee daddy issues? yup. Protective bordering on possessive? Yup. Damaged? Yup. Hot? Double yup.
And there's just something about him that's so...UGH.
And the way he cares for his sisters, just the way he CARES in general is so heart clenching.

Gosh, like I need a new man to obsess over. But can you really blame me? ...dear heavens. All I want to do is kidnap him and keep him with me, let him live a life without needing to worry about all the other ones he takes care of.

There's not much more I can say besides the fact that I fell helplessly in love with this man. And like, early on too. I was team Alex before I even decided if I liked the FMC 😭

Okay, also. Before I move onto Ophelia's section I just need to say: I need a sorcerer to bring Alex to life, give him my number, and have him send me an audio message of him saying absolutely anything because I am SO lost on what his accent sounds like.
<><><>

AHEM, speaking of the FMC -----> Ophelia Winters everyone.
She was very relatable. Not to me necessarily but I felt as though she was a very relatable character, which I really enjoyed. And her character development was TO DIE FOR. She went from shy to bad b*tch baddie.
We loved her.
Annoying at times but alas nothing's perfect lol. But she grew out of her annoying-ness, and watching her come out of her shell was really nice and made me smile. She also had this hidden boldness inside her and I was like omg??? Go Ophelia???

<><><>
You know who else get's his own character section?
Freaking Vincenzo because back him up in a box and mail him to my house I love him, I want him, I need him. I fell in love with Alex but I fell in LOVE with Vin. Not even in a "I'd literally do anything for you" way but in "Oh my god can we be besties we're the same person" kind of way even though him and I are FAR from being remotely similar. I just need him as my other half and as my bestie, because who doesn't want a scary Mafia teddy bear bro?

He was so delulu and loveable and hilarious. Just loved him <3

NOW ONTO THAT FREAKING ENDING
I'm so mad. And sad. And frustrated. And feel like emailing the author because why. Just why do that to me? They were HAPPY. Everything was good. Life was good, I was good. But nope, had to go and leave me on a cliff hanger. Smh, am I still trying to recover? Yes.


Overall I was honestly addicted. I picked it up and had to force myself to put it down so I could school (stupid summer school smh). I can't wait for the second installment :)

Thank you to Netgally, Zando, and the Author Autumn Woods for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! 💙

From the very first chapter, Nightshade gets you going with sharp, flirty banter that promises a spicy enemies-to-lovers romance concealed inside a moody dark academia setting. And honestly? The tension between Ophelia and Alex is one of the book’s biggest strengths—it’s electric and just angsty enough to keep you flipping pages.

But besides the snark and slow-burn, I did have some issues getting the book started.
---
Ophelia:
Ophelia is typecasted as a “strong female main character,” and I had high hopes for her, but she spends so much time during the first half of the book monologuing about "getting justice", "how lonely she feels" and "othering" herself from everyone else that she doesn't actually do anything productive to her mission and it becomes frustrating. For someone supposedly driven by revenge, she can't even muster a mental comeback when her roommate casually threatens her life. Like... girl, you can't avoid conflict and still claim you're a storm waiting to strike 🙄. Where is the conviction you supposedly walked in with??

And don’t even get me started on the whole judging Colette for dressing “inappropriately” for the weather thing when Ophelia is constantly in miniskirts....in the gloomy setting of Scotland....The hypocrisy and forced male gaze is extremely loud and personally unappealing. 😬
---
Pacing:
Not a lot happens within the first few chapters, but they felt unnecessarily long as we start to get bombarded with a lot of info that doesn't even feel essential by the end of the book. For one, we get an overly detailed description of the school and its confusing layout only to be told "it's basically a maze". So... why did we even try to explain? 😭

Not to mention how the excessive inner monologues (that often just restate things we already know) and surface-level clichés make the book start to feel dragged out. As a reader, I don't feel like I should have to wait over 100 pages for something, anything, to happen....Even the flirty banter ceases or gets major pushback from Ophelia for the first 19 chapters....
---
The Romance:
This was the best part! Alex is an absolute sweetheart! He's your classic grumpy male lead with a soft core and killer timing when it comes to subtle compliments that make your heart skip a beat. The chemistry is there, the banter is fire, and the tension is strung out juuust right. If anything, I wish we got more of their dynamic earlier on—it’s the thing that keeps the story afloat when the pacing falters.
---
Writing Style and Depth:
So. Many. Words. So little plot movement. The writing style leans heavy on descriptions and surface-level details that aren't necessary. Not to mention that most of the side characters feel two-dimensional.

This could all be forgivable—honestly, I’m willing to overlook the constant focus on what everyone is constantly wearing, the odd focus on the color orange (which I think is supposed to represent the hope Ophelia brings into Alex's world?? But is never really mentioned...), and the overused "she's poor and has no friends" reminders—if the characterizations felt deeper. But secondary characters barely register, and too many scenes feel like style over substance.
---
Overall:
The romance is SOLID. The characters can use some work, and the pacing needs to be structured a bit better. But considering that this is Autumn Woods' first officially published work, I can't wait to see her writing develop. I will definitely be picking up book 2 because that ending???? How could you?!?!?! 😭

I devoured this book—no other way to put it. Autumn Woods delivers an atmospheric, dark academia masterpiece with Nightshade, weaving together a slow-burn romance, chilling secrets, and characters that feel as alive as they are dangerous.

From the first page, I was hooked. The setting is deliciously gothic, and the tension simmers beneath every interaction. The slow burn between Ophelia and Alex is perfectly paced—intense, frustrating (in the best way), and utterly addictive. Speaking of Alex: he's officially my new favorite book boyfriend. Mysterious, intelligent, yet caring and protective, and a little dangerous? Sign me up. I love that he fell first.

Ophelia is a standout FMC. She's dark, complex, and entirely unapologetic in her thirst for revenge. Her inner turmoil and sharp edges make her compelling and interesting —a refreshing change from more conventional protagonists.

And that ending? Shook. The cliffhanger left my jaw on the floor, and I’m already counting down the days until the next installment.

If you’re into dark academia with morally gray characters, slow-burn romance, and high stakes, Nightshade is a must-read. Autumn Woods is definitely an author to watch.

“If you end up being the death of me, Winters, I couldn’t ask for a better end.”

This book FAR EXCEED all expectations. It was a masterpiece, truly. From fully-flushed out character development, to intricate plot, to a slow burn that will have you climbing the walls. Nightshade has easily become one of my favorite reads of the year!

Nightshade follows Ophelia Winters, whose parents were murdered in a planned helicopter crash. Ophelia, over the years, has been compounding evidence against the prospective culprits. Which leads her to Sorrowsong University, the place where her parents worked. This college is unlike any others, filled to the brim with children of dark, scary, and powerful underground crime leaders, Ophelia sticks out like a sore thumb lol.

The author did such a fantastic job weaving so many plot points (murder mystery, Ophelia’s creepy stalker, revenge, attempted and successful murders, and romance). Not a single page was ever wasted. I just can’t get over how incredible this book was.

Our MMC, Alex, is also just *unintelligible screaming* He is son to the CEO of the helicopter company that hd a hand in Ophelia’s parent’s murder. Alex is son to the protective, almost a dash possessive, but also is so romantic and sweet. Alex and Ophelia together, despite being a bit of star-crossed lovers, made SO MUCH sense together.

P.S. this slow burn is one for the ages because the way I was still dying at like 70% LOL.

Hate to love// revenge// found family// SLOW BURN// dark academia vibes// eerie gothic castle// dry humping// thigh riding// MMC is a certifiable munch// Virgin FMC// Both MCs are grumpy

5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️

Thank you Autumn Woods, Zando, and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review. All opinions are my own.

This was easily five stars. It reminded me of Wednesday', with the dark atmosphere, dark humor, and complex characters, but in romance form (and without monsters). From the beginning, I was obsessed, but now I'm just in love. I think I've found my favorite book of the year. Ophelia felt so real, and I really connected to the way she felt. Both main characters have mental health struggles that were portrayed so beautifully in Woods' writing. And Alex! Listen, I knew I'd like him the moment tattoos and rugby were mentioned, but he is so obsessed with Ophelia—the little things he does for her are just everything. They're both characters that have been broken by their circumstances, yet they’re able to find themselves when they’re with each other. And his relationships with his sisters were so sweet. And that cliffhanger, it's brutal. I'm invested, I'll read the next book Autumn Woods writes... and the next one... and the one after that.

So ummm...when does book 2 come out? And can I have an ARC for it please?

This book had such a gorgeous balance of mystery and romance, and I ate up every second of it.

I went into this book with, to be honest, no actual expectations, and it ended up being an extraordinary read. I’m struggling to articulate my thoughts because it was just such a fun, twisty story. I didn’t expect the plot twists, and I certainly couldn’t predict what was going to happen next at any point.

Both the setting and the characters were extremely well written, with the perfect amount of depth. Ophelia and Alex were such interesting, layered characters — I found myself wanting to peel back those layers the more I read. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of the ‘background’ characters. It definitely left room for a potential spin-off series after the duology is complete — but even if Autumn Woods doesn’t go in that direction, I’ll still be absolutely obsessed with this book.

Alex’s relationship with his mom and sisters, and how that shaped his other relationships, felt very fleshed out and real. I loved how Autumn Woods explored his mom’s mental health struggles — it added so much depth and made me like Alex even more. He never resented Ophelia for how she acted toward him, and that made him easy to root for.

I also appreciated how Ophelia’s poverty was portrayed, and how her feelings of inadequacy came through. It felt authentic and nuanced.

The plot? Amazing, honestly a 10/10. I love a good revenge story, I love a good stalker mystery, and this book delivered both.
The characters? Insanely well written, 10/10.
The setting? Gorgeous. I’m obsessed with the Scottish Highlands, castles, and gothic university vibes, so this was literally the perfect book for me.

Overall, this was a 4.5-star read for me (rounding up to 5 stars), and I am buzzing at the thought of the next book in the duology!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for providing me with a copy of this book. I’m so grateful!
All opinions are my own xx

Alex is my everything and I amobsessed with him. Definitely a 6 star read and one of my new all time favorite books. NO NOTES. And that cliffhanger?!!! I need book 2 immediately 😭😭 This was PERFECT

Arc review!
4.5/5

I really liked this book and it was more than I expected.
I loved the characters, I loved the store & almost al the other characters in the book!
The storyline & growth are written very well!
I can't wait to read the next book, because the ending.....

Thank you so much for everyone involved for the copy!