What a hidden gem! Never heard of this author before and I generally have lower expectations for indie published stuff because I am aware that a lot of them are not able to have editors on-board, so it's only fair to go into these books with a very open-mind.

But this was truly an amazing book. The plot was plotting, the romance was romancing, the gothic academic setting was giving. The author stated she wanted to the book to feel like fantasy while not being one and she nailed that! The vibes were certainly there.

Ophelia enrolls into Sorrowsong Uni hoping to avenge her parent's death, she finds herself becoming closer to the son of her parents' murderers and finds a stalker hot on her tails and very much wanting to bring her down. This was so fun, creepy and spooky to read. Her and Alex had such a healing relationship and I adored the side characters- I just know Vin is gonna have such a sad back story. It was half enemies-or-rivals-to-lovers, but not intense enough to classify fully as either. But the tension was still present nonetheless. The mystery was interesting, but I do think it could have been stronger in terms of leaving clues for readers to follow etc. The writing was simply wonderful. I was laughing at some of the stuff Ophelia saying, absolutely loved her dry humour.

𝙵𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚕 𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 : 🦝🦝🦝🦝🦝

𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚙𝚒𝚌𝚎 : 🫑

𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜 : academia | hair washing | he falls first | found family | praise kink | slow burn | broken girl x broken boy | murder mystery

𝙵𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝙻𝚒𝚗𝚎 : “Until midnight, a hundred years from now.”

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗿𝗯 : FIRST - that cliffhanger was just rude. Second, this book made me cry. I’m in love with Alex. Holy wow. The words that come out of his mouth. & you know I love a broken boy. Especially a broken boy who falls apart for her.

Oh, Ophelia. My poor sweet girl. You deserve better. You deserve more. You deserve him. So many things to say. So many thoughts. So many things I can’t say because spoilers.

I really loved this book. It’s a true slow burn. & I just love the characters, story, and plot. It was refreshing and unique. Download the book. It’s worth it, I promise.

This one personally was not for me but I know it was be really enjoyed by a lot of other readers, could be timing for me reading, however I would still promo and share about it because I know others will like it.

— 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"It’s you who’s the sun, Ophelia. I am the moon. You keep me in this tortuous cycle, lighting me up for the shortest time before you disappear again and make me invisible."

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 359 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Autumn Woods
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Zando
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 24 June 2025

What you can expect:
— Adult Contemporary Romantic Suspense
— First Person X Dual POV
— Dark Academia
— Elite Scottish Highlands University
— Swimmer X Rugby Player
— Academic Rivals
— Hate-To-Love
— Slow Burn Romance
— Grumpy X Grumpy
— Murder & Mystery
— He Falls First
— Found Family
— Angst & Yearning

𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: murder & attempted murder, stalking, sexually explicit content (low spice), anxiety & panic attacks, drowning, violence & injury, depression, suicide ideation, grief & family loss, declining mental health (side character) and graphic adult language.

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
Nightshade is the first instalment in the Sorrowsong University duet by author Autumn Woods. I was immediately drawn into the journey that unfolds as the chemistry and sparks between our two main characters felt palpable from their very first interaction. The length of this story is fairly standard by being under 400 pages and I honestly could've happily read a much longer book had it been the case. Nightshade felt very well paced with its emotionally gripping storyline and varied cast of characters with their own distinctive personalities which left me feeling enraptured from beginning to end. It felt seamless to invest my time into the journey that we follow about two young adults who are feeling broken, vulnerable and unsure about their place in a world that would seek to destroy them. The compelling narrative voice of our two main characters offered a unique perspective into the ongoing mystery that plagued the lives of students and professors alike. The emotional stakes within this book are high which constantly left me feeling nervous and on the edge of my seat as I eagerly wanted to know what would happen next. Full of twists and turns that I never saw coming, Nightshade has quickly solidified itself as a favourite read of the year that has me counting down the days awaiting news on the second instalment in this duet.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I'm very much in my 'Romantic Suspense' era right now so I immediately knew that I would become obsessed with Nightshade from the very first page... which I was obviously right about. I was instantly overwhelmed with the feeling of intrigue to follow the journey of a young woman on a path of revenge after the tragic death of her parents is deemed an 'accident' despite signs of foul play. Ophelia Winters knows who is responsible for the loss of her parents and spends several years curating the perfect plan to ruin his life... a plan which must unfold where it all began. Sorrowsong University. What is supposed to be an (almost) effortlessly laid out plan with clear goals in mind immediately becomes muddled when life at the prestigious university becomes deadly as Ophelia finds herself catching the attentions of an unknown individual who takes greats pleasure in taunting her. Stalking, cryptic emails, eerie noises in the night and a murder on campus suddenly becomes the reality of Ophelia's life as she struggles with finding the right person to turn to for help. The last person she should look towards for comfort and support is the spoiled son of the very man she seeks to destroy and yet, not all is always as it seems. I absolutely adored the plot in Nightshade as its allure and unpredictability are largely to credit for my inability to put the book down. The twists and turns left me constantly feeling on edge as I struggled to determine who Ophelia could trust and what characters she had to watch her back against. I genuinely couldn't pinpoint who I suspected the stalker to be until I neared the end of the story when all of the missing pieces began to connect, and in the end I was left visibly in shock as revelations began to bring the story full-circle. There is not a single aspect to the story that felt lacking in purpose as I got the sense that every new chapter would unravel necessary information which would help to support the development of our varied cast of characters. The story within this book is honestly effortless as it developed with ease and I'm basically clawing at my walls in eager anticipation on news for the additional instalment to this duology. Nightshade is sheer perfection and I'm very confident that it'll remain one of my favourite books of the year.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Ophelia Winters is the president of the 'misunderstood club' and I cannot fully articulate just how much I've fallen in love with this sad, grumpy and angry young woman who been forced to endure so much at too young an age. I really understood why Ophelia perceived her actions to be just and I loved getting to know her character better as her perception of the truth began to feel challenged in time with the plot. Her character development was written to perfection as she never becomes trapped into one image or another, and instead shows a steadfast willingness to grow and adapt. Ophelia is initially firm on her beliefs and is unwilling to consider that there is more to the elite crowd that she finds herself living in close proximity with, however I enjoyed getting to explore the mental shift and recognition in Ophelia's mind as she found herself desperately in-need of powerful allies to consider friends. Her banter and quick wit constantly left me grinning, especially throughout the moments she is seen battling against the modern invention best known as technology. A young, intelligent woman such as Ophelia being so hopeless at technology really shouldn't feel as hilarious as it was... but honestly I loved how something so simple can add so much light and depth to her character. I imagine it must feel hard to not want to root for Ophelia (I wouldn't know) because what I loved the most about her character was the inner strength and resilience that she somehow managed to possess. Life refuses to give her a break as she is forced to endure hardship time and time again, however Ophelia refuses to give up and somehow finds the strength to keep moving forward with her path day-after-day. Her flaws and insecurities make Ophelia a deeply vulnerable and relatable character for the reader to connect with, and honestly I just felt the urge to reach through the pages and give her a hug. Ophelia's trust issues play a large role throughout the story as this largely dictates how she approaches friendships and relationships for the duration of the book, however I loved getting to see this evolve over time as the people in her life proved themselves to be honest and worth crumbling emotional walls for. There's no denying that when Ophelia loves, she loves hard and steadfast. Her loyalty and determination make her a valuable friend to have and I loved getting to see Ophelia prove herself just by staying true to character... with a few minor white lies. Her abandonment issues showcase Ophelia craving connection and companionship whilst also worrying about befriending the wrong crowd of people, and honestly at this point I'm just anxiously waiting on book two so that I can finally see this wonderful girl find the joy in her life that she desperately deserves and needs. I'm an Ophelia Winters defender from now until the day that I die.

I would like to personally thank the author for the creation of Alex Corbeau-Green whilst simultaneously cursing the fact that I'm yet again in-love with another fictional man who will never love me back. Oh, Alex. What a tortured, sensitive and broken soul this wonderful character turned out to be. Upon first introduction Alex easily comes across as the spoiled and arrogant son to the very man that Ophelia is trying to ruin, and I have never been more happy to be proven wrong in all of my life. Alex is such a multi-layered and complex character who at his core puts family above all everything and everybody else. His loyalty is absolute without transaction and there is no denying that is it family where all of Alex's priorities lie. The way he constantly rushed away to be present for his younger sisters and struggling mother during moments of crisis tugged on my heartstrings... but all I could think about was who was looking after him? Alex is so quick to place the needs of others above his own to the point that his own self-care felt negligent, and all I hoped for was for him to find somebody who would do what he felt like he couldn't. Put his wants and needs first. Show him that he is as deserving of receiving the love that he reserves so fiercely for his own loved ones. Alex is such a vulnerable and gentle-hearted soul underneath his 'spoiled rich boy' persona which is proven time and time again based on his actions. Actions speak louder than words... and there was nobody in this book speaking more loudly than Alex Corbeau-Green. I loved getting to see his carefree and witty side come to the surface during his interactions with a certain frustrating redhead. To me, these interactions showcased a glimpse of the young man Alex could potentially become had his shoulders become free of all of the burdens placed upon him. I really hope we get to see more of 'happy Alex' in the final book because as much as I love pain and angst... I'm really rooting for this beautiful boy to find his joy and fight to keep it. His kindness and selflessness are indisputable, and there's no denying the way the ending of the book unfurled broke my heart into a shattered array of pieces that may never be whole again. Not to be impatient but the release of book two is when? I'll be counting down the day eagerly awaiting to hear more news from the author when she is ready to share.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
Messy, chaotic and yet vulnerable is the best way for me to encapsulate the relationship development between sad boy Alex and angry girl Ophelia. The way that Ophelia hated Alex so fiercely without fear of making it known so in turn, Alex hated her back out of pure spite and principle was truly hilarious. Poor Alex was beyond baffled as to why the feisty redhead he nearly ran over with his car on the first day of the school year seemed to hate him so ferociously despite having never met prior to that incident. Their banter and wit was absolutely hilarious and sorely needed during the many moments of strife and uncertainty which took place at the gloomy Scottish University they currently reside in. Their email correspondence was written to perfection and left me wheezing with laughter during several occasions. That certain scene where Ophelia finds herself underneath Alex... much to his enjoyment? Hilarious. My personal preference when it comes to relationships is a slow burn approach and I was being fed during Nightshade. The burn was burning as the dynamic between Alex and Ophelia was filled with delicious angst, unwanted attraction and sizzling chemistry that both characters desperately wished away. Seeing them trying to desperately deny themselves was equally amusing as it was frustrating. All I could think was "and this is when they kiss" and "just kiss it out already!!" as the author masterfully dangled their longing in front of my very eyes. However at the same time there is absolutely nothing that I would change about the wat Alex and Ophelia approached their relationship. It was raw, authentic and inexplicably them which just made so much sense. Everything about the romantic progression between the pair felt purposeful and earned, and the result in the end was something beautiful built on trust and reward. The way they began to lean on and trust in each other had me kicking my feet in giddiness, and honestly there is no denying that Alex and Ophelia have became one of my favourite book couples of all time. I'm really rooting for these two to make it out of their tragic situation unscathed, so please can we all be really nice to the author and send her nothing but complimentary words to make this a secured thing. Alex and Ophelia hold my very heart within their fictional hands. I just love those two broken idiots with everything I have. That is all.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Autumn Woods I'm going to need you to lock your doors because I'm coming for that book two manuscript. What do you mean it ends this way? What do you mean I have to wait to find out what happens? You have a reader for life because my god has this book and its characters consumed my every waking thought and sometimes even my dreams. If you're a fan of Romantic Suspense or are looking for a recommendation to get into the genre... then look no further. Nightshade is not only one of my favourite books of the year but is now also one of my favourite books ever. This book was everything that I needed and wanted from it and I cannot wait to see what comes next in the next and final instalment to the duet.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.

Nightshade is an atmospheric plunge into dark academia with a romantic suspense twist that kept me turning pages late into the night. Autumn Woods sets the tone with her rich prose and gothic Scottish setting, but what really hooked me was the dynamic between Ophelia and Alex—equal parts tension, trauma, and unexpected tenderness.

Ophelia’s mission for vengeance creates a razor-sharp edge to the story, and the layered emotional development of both main characters gave real depth to the plot. Alex’s evolution from spoiled heir to emotionally-wrecked protector added nuance, while Ophelia’s grit made her an easy protagonist to root for.

Yes, there were some plot conveniences and one or two red herrings that felt familiar, but the execution? Compelling. The email banter? Hilarious. And that ending? Absolutely criminal (in the best way).

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

ARC review of Nightshade by @autumnwoods.author
~♡~
"It's you who's the sun, Ophelia. I am the moon. You keep me in this tortuous cycle, lighting me up for the shortest time before you disappear again and make me invisible."
~♡~
This was such a great read and the banter was top tier! I went into Nightshade with no expectations, (okay maybe the dark academia/murder mystery vibes) and was immediately hooked. I wasn't disappointed at all.
~♡~
Nightshade was a fast, intriguing and overall, a good time. It's a duel POV, hate-to-love, mystery, dark academia romance book with Scottish castle vibes. Ive read A LOT of cliffhangers in my life and the ending of Nightshade?!!!! Perfectly done (jaw dropping!)
~♡~
The characters grow, you can really feel what each character has been through and how that shapes their actions/thought process and they are very easy to invest in (and the emails?!!)
~♡~
A huge thank you to to NetGalley and Zando for this ARC and of course to Autumn Woods for creating this masterpiece ✨️

A great book with great characters and a great story. Right up my lane with romantasy well written. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read this arc

This is great academy love. The story was so cute, and the flirting was to die for. I NEED part 2. I really liked how gloomy of a character the main girl was.

What abook. Devoured this in a sitting, will pick up anything by this author now. An auto buy. 5* from start to finish I was hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for this ARC. I enjoyed this and finished it in less than two days. There were some predictable plot points but I really didn’t mind. Writing was solid and the author made it so I was invested in our main characters. The cliffhanger was a heart breaker though and I am hoping for a HEA in the end.

This was unfortunately predictable and kinda boring to me. I can definetly see how and why people might love it, because the themes a,d tropes are interesting but for me, they weren't enough to keep me invested.

Autumn woods's writing isn't bad, I just feel like some parts were dragged out while others were rushed. I also wish that Ophélia didn't abandon her revenge plot that quickly and was, idk, a bit more interested in finding out who her stalker was, specially after everything he did?

Overall, I thought that Nightshade (2.5 stars) could use a bit of work but I can see it being a hit with the booktok community.

Nightshade by Autumn Woods is a chillingly fun dark academia romance that readers will devour!

I could not put this book down. Nightshade is a page turner! It's filled with mystery, plot twists, turns, betrayal and an alibi. It's tension filled, suspenseful, swoony and romantic all at once all set in the picturesque Scotland. I loved the dark academia setting in Scotland, I felt like she painted the imagery and setting so vivid that you could feel you were right there. Ophelia wants revenge and the murderers' son Alex just so happens to go the same uni. Alex is dealing with alot and ophelia becomes his support and life line when she comes into his life. They become each other's support and the way he adores her? Alex is the perfect book boyfriend. He plays rugby, tall, accent and he years and longs and adores his girl so naturally he's perfect. You have to go into his book blind but my god the emotional rollercoaster it'll take you will be worth it. So good! I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Ophelia & Alex
Dark Academia
Romantic Suspense
Enemies to lovers
Murder Mystery

Omg I love this one!!

Ophelia finds herself at a new college, trying to uncover what happened to her parents.

I love the connection between these two!

I love the mysteriousness!

The cliffhanger though!!!! That one is just mean 😂😂 I can't wait for book 2!!

I could not put this down. Searching for answers in a dangerous place, our main character is immersed in a world where she does not belong. Exciting and filled with twists this was so good!

This was such an easy 5star rating from me!! From the story line with the mystery and the twists and turns, to the enemies to lovers slow burn, I absolutely ate it all up!!
It had me holding me breath towards the end!! It ends on a cliff hanger.. and I mean it’s a hanger!!! I’ll be straight on to book 2 as soon as it’s released! This book will get its claws in you and you won’t want it to let go!!

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this!

This book is was everything and the ending, that cliffhanger has altered my brain chemistry because I am unwell.

Night Shade is an love to hate, enemies to lovers, rich boy/poor girl, dark academia, revenge filled story with a stalker (not the kind we like) and lots of mystery to sift through. There were multiple plot twists and heartbreaking moments.

I’ve fallen in love with Alex and Ophelia. Their banter was top tier. I mean, if you want to be giggling and blushing like a school girl or boy - this book is for you. Be warned the ending is a dreadful cliffhanger and I am unwell, the only cure is the second book in this duet.

I love the story and it deserve more, personally I love the banter so much and I want more, I have nothing to explain but overall I love it and ate it

OKAAYYY hottest new dark academia romantic suspense! And the banter between the MCs was so good - like really love. Plus, the rivals to lovers action was chef’s kiss. My only complaint was that there could have been a slower burn, as it came across a bit instalove when it did happen.

Overall, a fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for this eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Zando only ever publishes bangers. I’m convinced.

First and foremost, thank you so much to Slowburn for the ARC of this book!!!!

I love a good romantic suspense. Love a good plot twist. Love a good forbidden, enemies to lovers romance. This book had it ALL.

Ophelia is a girl who’s been dealt a shitty hand of cards, but when those cards aren’t eating her alive, they’re fueling her desire for revenge. The fact that she is still trying to avenge her parents’ death, even when everything about it is practically erased and she’s ignored from everyone who might have information is a testament to her strength.

Alex is a man who has his entire world on his shoulders and carries the burden of caring for everyone who means something to him. Emotionally stunted? Maybe. But his love language is acts of service and that’s the hottest thing about him. He’s only 23 and he shouldn’t have to be a father to his 6 sister while also juggling his mother’s health, his father’s shady businesses dealings, and his own life, but he is. And we love him for fighting and living for everyone in his life.

The plot of this book wasn’t just centered around a budding romance between one-sided enemies, but a woman searching for the truth of her parents’ death while falling in love with the son of the man who she deems responsible. The fight for their love was hard-fought. Through death, stalkers, blackmail, and too many outside forces to name, they still made it through… kind of.

Let me just say, that ending had my jaw ON THE FLOOR and yelling. I am more than ready for book 2 and will be waiting with open hands for it to land in my inbox (hint hint, nudge nudge, Slowburn 👀)

It’s always such a delight when a hyped book lives up to its hype. And @authmnwoodsauthor’s “Nightshade” was all over my feed and it LIVED UP to the hype. This is the first book in a duology, and Autumn has created such a lush and intriguing world that’s making me want book 2, like, now.

This is dark academia in a world of haves - rich kids with richer parents living in the morally gray. Ophelia is on a mission for vengeance, and is the grumpiest grump ever. She’s single minded in her focus until she meets Alex, who is charming bd attractive and exactly the wrong person for her to want. She does her best to avoid him but then, wouldn’t you know it, they end up in each other’s orbit constantly (and Alex loves having her nearby).

Ophelia is sad and has abandonment issues and keeps to herself. She was such a brilliant character, someone smart and capable who isn’t afraid to let herself speak up while trying to not be perceived. I loved how reluctant she was to integrate into Sorrowsong and how quickly she was forced to do so - fighting her feeling for Alex from the jump.

Alex, meanwhile, was perfect as a brooding, down bad, protective man who would do anything for the girl who burrowed her way into his heart (despite his reluctance). He was so funny in that perfectly dry way I love, broken just enough, and had so much charisma. And honestly all he wanted to do is kiss Ophelia!

There’s crossword puzzles used as flirting, email as foreplay, and the best banter. The setting is moody and dark, with elements of humor and suspense (there’s murder and mystery and a stalker and shady people lurking everywhere). PLUS there are some unbelievably fun side characters (hi Vincenzo!). Autumn wrote a completely compelling and unputdownable book that had me gripped, and then completely kept me on the edge of my seat.