Lessons in Loyalty - Aphrodite & Adonis (Academy of Villains #2) by Ever King

Lyla Stark, a mage at the Academy of Magic and guardian of the golden apples, is about to learn that in the kingdom of Ithaka, nothing is as it seems. And when a Heartstring binds her to Bastian Lightcroft, his darkest secrets will shatter everything she thought she knew about magic, loyalty, and love itself.

Rating: *****
Feels: Anticipation, Adoration, Intrigue, Warmth
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Magic Academia, Magic
First published : June 24, 2025 : Kindle

I’m getting more invested in this series as it progresses. We are graced with another wonderful myth inspired story with our tortured soul Bastion being the focus of this continuing epic. Lore and world building are being spun at a fascinating mesmerizing rate. We get to continue to see our favorite Ravens and found family from book one as everyone’s story is progressed some. I love how seamless the story progression is while sharing a focus on a new pairing and still spending time with others. I admit I’m starting to have some favorites and can’t wait for their books. The magic system and how it binds with the mystery of the past and present is leaving me wanting to know more about why everything is the way it is !!! I can’t wait for the next book.


Favorite Quote: "I've been adored, pursued, worshiped - yet I have never belonged to anyone."

This book has:
Strong FMC
Morally Gray MMC
Enemies to Lovers
Touch her and die
Found Family
Hidden Identify
Secret societies
Politics
Villain gets the girl
Magic
Potions
Hints of Greek mythology

Lessons in Loyalty by Ever King

This was such a fun and dramatic read. I loved being back in the Academy of Villains world and this one had even more tension and twists. Lyla and Bastian were such a cool pairing and the whole fated bond thing had me completely hooked.

I really liked the dark magic vibes and the Greek myth twist was super interesting. Some parts were a bit slow but overall I couldn’t stop reading and needed to know what was going to happen.

If you like magic schools, intense romance, and a bit of mythology mixed in, this is one to check out.

Thank you to the publisher, Ever King, and NetGalley for the ARC! I had the privilege of reading the first book in the series, Academy of Villains, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Book two only got better. Bastian and Lyla were two characters that seemed like an unlikely match, but I loved watching Bastian fall in love with Lyla. Lyla is soft and gentle, and Bastian is sarcastic, and hard edged, but watching the way he cared for her and did everything to protect her softened his character. It allowed us as a reader to understand why he was the way he was, and how he was willing to do anything for the people he loves. He had a redemption arc. Ever King has laid the foundation foreshadowing the future of the series. I have a few predictions for the couples that we will see next!

I also loved that we got to see more of the magic system as well as revisit characters and their relationships from the previous book. This series really reminds me of Throne of Glass and Harry Potter with a twist. The magic system is complex, but Ever King makes it digestible, and does a good job of hinting back to the previous book. There isn't a ton of info dumping - the magic system doesn't take us out of the world, but serves to enhance.

Ever King's writing keeps getting better and better. The setting of Lyla's garden was so beautifully written. Reading about her and her magical butterflies and the creatures she cares for was perhaps my favorite part of the book - aside from the romance, of course. The imagery was absolutely stunning, and I could vividly picture these places in my mind. The writing flows so beautifully and Ever King truly has a way with words.

I am excited to continue this series. I love that it pulls on mythology with a brand new twist - it is unlike a lot of other fantasies that I have read. This is my favorite book in the series so far!

Review of Lessons in Loyalty by Ever King

After I read Academy of Villains, I knew I was hooked on this series! When Academy of Villains: Lessons in Loyalty was available, I was all in!

With the king set on obtaining more power, including the golden apples that promise immortality, he must release the Beast of Thorns, a destroyer. Lyla and Bastian, despite differences, must work together to stop the advances. After the events begin, Lyla must decide if love is worth the price of betrayal. As a dark romance retelling of Adonis and Aphrodite, this book follows the retelling of Nyx and Erebus from the first book in the series.

I love a good mythology retelling, and Ever King continues to shine in this genre! Give this a read if you're into Greek mythology retelling, fated mates, secret societies, a cursed kingdom, and dual POV

An enjoyable continuation of the first book in series focusing on different main characters. Really enjoy the world building and characterization in these books. Eagerly anticipating the next book in series!

Fated Mates (heartstring)
Greek Mythology Retelling: Adonis & Aphrodite
Secret societies
Slow burn with some heat 🌶
Academic settings
Touch her and ☠️
Witches, Mages & Gods

Thank you for allowing me to read! Book 2 did not disappoint. Cannot wait for book no.3 .
Fabulous world building . Absolutely loved the writing style . Definitely added to my fav authors list!

It’s the second in the *Academy of Villains* series and follows Lyla (a Forestmage!) and Bastian (Spiritmage, broody, obviously) as they get caught up in a magical mess of cursed kingdoms, dark secrets, and seriously complicated feelings.

This one is slower paced than the first book, but I didn’t mind it—it gave the world-building and emotional stuff room to breathe. Lyla and Bastian’s relationship builds so naturally, and I loved their banter and tension. And the magical elements?? II was hooked.

Also, shoutout to the side characters —they gave this book even more heart and made it even better

Overall, Lessons in Loyalty is a richly woven tale that balances mythological inspiration with character-driven storytelling. It's a must-read for fans of romantasy and dark academia genres.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Ever King for the opportunity to read an ARC of Lessons in Loyalty in exchange for an honest review.

Lessons in Loyalty is the second installment in Ever King’s Academy of Villains series, and it absolutely lived up to my expectations after loving book one. I’ve always had a soft spot for myth retellings, and Ever King continues to shine in this genre.

In this book, we follow Lyla Stark, a mage at the Academy of Magic, who crosses paths with the dark and brooding Bastian Lightcroft. Their story is a captivating retelling of the myth of Adonis and Aphrodite, reimagined with a unique twist that blends fantasy, romance, and danger.

This was a solid 4-star read for me. The balance between action and romance was spot-on, and the world-building really stepped up in this sequel. We’re introduced to intriguing new characters, and the stakes are clearly rising—making it easy to get swept up in the story. I’m genuinely excited to see where Ever King takes this series next!

A spiritmage with too many secrets.

A forestmage who swore she’d never fall for a villain.

And a thread of fate binding them to a destiny neither can escape.

This is their story.

WOW this was such a journey. Ever since finishing the first book which I really loved, I couldn't wait to start the second book. And I can only say that I absolutely loved and devoured this book. I really love the relationship between Lyla and Bastian. Their banter, how they were protective of each other, I absolutely ate it up.I love how he calls her flower girl. This is a slow burn with some heat, but the focus is definitely on character and relationship development. I really loved the butterflies that were a reflection of Lyla's emotions, it was so cute. I love the found family in this series, all the characters have different personalities and you love every single one of them. And you can’t wait to read their book. I really love the fight scenes in this book.
There are so many things that we find out in this book and there is also so much that we need to find out and learn as the story goes on.There are betrayals and secrets, so much going on that you just want to keep reading the book. And once you finish the book, you can't wait for the next book to come out.
Academy of Villains is a dark academia romantasy series inspired by Greek mythology love stories, where morally complex characters navigate a cursed kingdom, secret societies, and heartstring bonds.
What can you expect:
⚔️ Fated Mates (heartstring)
⚔️ Greek Mythology Retelling: Adonis & Aphrodite
⚔️ Secret societies
⚔️ Slow burn with some heat
⚔️ Academic settings
⚔️ Touch her and ☠️

Thank you to the author Ever King and publisher for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley! I can’t wait to continue the story and to read the 3rd book.

aesthetic: 🦋🌸🗝️🍃💀🥀💫📓🏛️🎀

Lessons in Loyalty is a powerful, immersive sequel that not only builds on the magical chaos of book one, but deepens it with emotional intensity, layered storytelling, and standout mythological integration.

What truly sets this installment apart is the intricate weaving of Greek mythology retellings. The lore is handled with both reverence and creative freedom, reimagining familiar gods, legends, and curses in ways that feel fresh and unpredictable. Every myth felt intentional, thematically relevant, and rich with symbolism—especially as it parallels the characters’ internal struggles and choices.

The characters from the first book return with even more weight and complexity. It was incredible to see how their past decisions ripple through this story, particularly as alliances are tested and loyalties questioned. Their growth is tangible—you feel the ache of their mistakes and the strength of their evolution. The emotional impact of their arcs in this book hits deeper than expected, leaving lasting impressions long after the final chapter.

Romance, betrayal, power struggles, and a healthy dose of magical academia—all of it blends perfectly in a world that feels darkly enchanting and morally grey. This sequel strikes a strong balance between high-stakes action and emotional vulnerability, keeping readers hooked from beginning to end.

If book one cracked open the door to this world, Lessons in Loyalty flings it wide open and dares you to walk through. Ever King continues to prove that this isn’t just a dark academia fantasy—it’s a myth-soaked journey of identity, redemption, and what it truly means to be loyal

Thank you so much to Ever King for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy of this book.

Full Review will also be posted to TikTok and Instagram (@readwithnaeyy) before the scheduled release date 24/06/25.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ever King, and Everkingdom for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I adored this book. I enjoyed reading more about Lyla and her magic abilities. I think she has become my favorite FMC of the series so far. I liked that she had a quiet fierceness about her. The series is getting good. There are a lot of different mysteries and/or secrets that need to be revealed. My only complaint was that there was a decent amount of repetition of phrases. I can’t wait to read book 3! I hope we get Octavia’s story soon! I highly recommend this series!

✨Academy of Villains: Lesson in Loyalty✨

Back at the academy with Ever King’s cast of morally grey and uniquely talented characters, we find ourselves following a new couple and an Aphrodite and Adonis retelling. We continue on our overarching plot, making this sequel most appreciated when read after book one.

After the events of book one, the secrets and twists are just getting started. We begin by following Lyla, our forestmage FMC, as she seeks to prove that she is not useless and poor at magic. When a tentative partnership arises with our bad boy alchemist and spiritmage MMC, Bastian, they find that their missions not only run deeper than they ever thought, but they run parallel. However, secrets and loyalty are the fiercest battle in these pages and if they can’t work together, everything may fail.

We get more world building, more characters and blooming romances, new heartstrings, more darkness, interesting magics, and higher stakes. The series has continued to get better as we go.

Tropes you may find in LIL are reluctant allies to lovers, forced proximity, fated mates, banter, magic, academy setting, wound tending and comfort, she saves him, Greek mythology, medium-low spice, lots of yearning, and an ending that leads to the next fray but not necessarily a cliffhanger.

Thank you, Ever and Netgalley, for once again allowing me to be an arc reader.

I was a little worried about the main character shift. I am so happy we still get to see a lot of Lucian and Kiara. But I absolutely loved getting to read Lyla and Bastian as the main characters! Lyla is such a sweet girl who learns how powerful she can be. Bastian is someone I didn't really know how to feel about at first. But wow does his character get a lot of development through this book. The story line was so good. The truths that come out are jaw dropping and the battles have just begun. Can't wait for book 3!

I absolutely devoured this book. I love Bastian and Lyla!

I will say with book 1 it took a hot minute to find myself immersed in the story but with this book it was instant, potentially because I was already familiar with the characters.

Kores character was a fun villain to add to the mix and the way she manipulated and tortured Bastian was really well explored throughout the book. I enjoyed the fact that Lyla, who was the soft character, ends up being the hero at the end of the day. I don’t think we see enough storyline’s where the female character becomes the badass without becoming dark herself.

The emotional turmoil I felt for Bastian was heartbreaking. I was basically screaming at the book to just tell them because they’d understand but alas TRAUMA.

I am thoroughly enjoying the magic system in these books. It’s familiar yet in a way that I haven’t necessarily read about before which is really fun. The way Bastian uses his magic during the spicy scene…. SIGN ME UP IMMEDIATELY.

I am absolutely begging for the next book. I can’t decide if I want it to be Tobias or Dorian next. Both of their characters have such intriguing things going on that I need to know immediately.

Thank you so much to Ever King for allowing me to read an eARC of this book. This is my honest opinion.

“Only a God can kill a God”

“Flowers don’t bloom for admiration, but they’re worshipped for their beauty. “

“He was the poison in my veins and I savoured every drop”

Loved it, loved it, loved it!!!! I don’t actually know what kind of drug this author puts into these books but I always find myself wanting more. There is something so enthralling about the way she seamlessly puts together the romance between the characters and the development of a plot that is bigger than them and while it has a kind of beginning and end in every single book, it tells the story of something more that is still to com’è, making the reader obsessed with finding that out!!!
Lyla and Bastian story intrigued me in a way I was not expecting. They are the most complicated for of beauty and the beast, grumpy sunshine, good girl bad boy, enemies to lovers, banter and he falls first dynamic I have read about in a while.
All wrapped up in Greek mythology retelling fashion and with an academy setting !!! I couldn’t get enough of them. Unfortunately, life got in the way and I couldn’t keep going for other reasons. But when I finally did manage to finish the book … I knew I was a goner for it !!! And when Bastian threw in the magic “good girl” words … it was too late for me to come back !!!
I loved this book deeply and I can’t wait for the next one in this crazy Greek inspired amazing series !!!
“Why do you call me flower girl?”
“Because you bloom … despite all the rot in this world. And that … that makes you rare”

“Not every monster is hideous … Some look just like us”

Omg this! One of my most anticipated reads of 2025! And boy did everkingdom & NetGalley deliver this was the best dark academia , Greek mythology retelling of the year!!! A medium paced novel this time non the less stunning as we move through the story a great character set up Basitian and Lyla a spirit mage and a forestmage romantasy done so well! This series is going to blow up honestly 5 stars ⭐️ just like the 1st book! It was a pleasure to read I cannot wait to see what comes next and complete the series!

Lessons in Loyalty picks up right where Academy of Villains left off, but what I loved most is that it wasn’t just a continuation of the story, it was a new one in its own right. Lyla and Bastian’s journey was intense, layered, and full of those morally grey moments I’ve come to love in this series.

I am also very intrigued by Bellatrix and Lilith. Their stories are clearly just beginning to unfold, and I can’t wait to learn more about them in the next installments.

A solid, satisfying read with just the right amount of spice, danger, and magic.

King delivers once again! I just love academic settings and vibes, and this definitely has them. The book picked up right where the first left off and we were able to learn more about the characters to build on their development. I absolutely love the mystery puzzle nature of the way it is written. It kept me interested the entire time. I was never bored. So well done!

The second book in Academy of Villains continues to deliver! Ever King has crafted a rich world full of magic, tension, and heart. While this installment follows new leads, Lyla and Bastian, their chemistry more than makes up for the shift, Forestmage meets Spiritmage? Yes, please!

I loved Lyla’s kindhearted bravery and fascinating magic, while Bastian’s powers and layered past made him a standout. The tropes, Grumpy x Sunshine, Rivals to Lovers, Found Family, and a Greek myth retelling were executed perfectly, adding great emotional and romantic tension.

The golden apple mystery remains compelling, the side characters shine, and the butterflies? Pure magic. I’m hooked on this series and can’t wait to see what’s next!

Thank you to Ever King and their team for the ARC!!

I loved how this book turned out! I liked the last book too, however, I felt it lacked in certain areas. This book however, feels like it made up for it. Whereas the last book I felt you could definitely see where some of the muse was taken from, I don't feel like the same is for this book. It very much feels like it has truly grown into its own story and I can't wait to see where it goes from here! <3

I loved the characters and how it focuses on a different couple while still following the same story. I don't think I have ever read a series like that but I think it works really well here. Lyla and Bastian complimented each other so well and I really liked seeing how they navigated their situation. Although we are following the story from a new perspective(s) in this book, I never felt lost or like I was missing anything by not being in Kiara or Lucians POV anymore which I was a little nervous about. I think it flowed very naturally.

The only little thing is I felt we could have done a tad more plot wise in this book. The story itself was focused a lot on the main couple and I felt like I would have liked to see more of the plot moving along. We still did get to see things happen, just not *as* much as I personally like in my books.

Overall, this book was an extremely fun read and would definitely recommend to those who love fantasy and romance books! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!<3