Wow… this was such a great read, the idea behind the spires and gravers was just amazing. The thought that has gone into the story building is absolutely next level and I just haven’t read anything like this before.
There’s a lot of angst alongside revelations of Hal’s character which I loved to read about and I genuinely cannot wait for the next book!

Love love love this book. I was so excited when i got approved for the arc and it did not disappoint. Dark academia, magic and fighting monsters. I loved Hal and all her flaws (and witty remarks)

this is for fans of the TV series Wednesday, without question, as well as for people who have always cherished Harrow Nonsgesimus as their poor little meow meow. Halen Kilchoir is the obsessive, sword-wielding, corpse-monstrosity-crafting mixture of the two. She is driven. She has a mission. She must study the art of graving - resurrecting corpses into undead holy horrors powered by the Spite of her Lady - and do her horrible family proud.

But the only way to actually get into the college of her choice and study under the mentor of her dreams… is to somehow pass for one half of a spiring duo, a duelling pair whose mission is to take down said undead horrors in gladiatorial combat: in an accord. With, obviously, her mortal rival, handsome, accomplished, infuriating Alistair.

With plenty of comic and grotesque college drama, dramatic fights and necromantic tension, this was horribly, ghastly fun. It’s even more entertaining because even though Hal is your narrator, and firmly convinced of her own absolute brilliance, her nature means there are things she simply does not notice. The burn is slow, my guys. It’s very slow.

In the tagline of the immortal Buffy Summers, high school is hell… and so are college applications. Settle in for monsters both human and undead, and some un-serious fun!

5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A rather vengeful accord is an incredibly cool read. I love Naomi Novik’s Scholomance and this is the only dark academia book that has even come close to giving me the same vibes.

What I loved in particular:
- Hal is exactly my kind of protagonist (and reminded me a little of El), grumpy, and success driven.
- the world building is really well done, we are kind of dumped in at the deep end at the beginning and need to pay attention to learn about gravers and spirers etc but I don’t mind a world that requires a bit of work to get my head around.

St. Penderghast is a world all its own and Danielle Knight has done an excellent job bringing it to life, this ends on a cliffhanger so I will be anxiously looking out for the next instalment. This was exactly my kind of book and I loved every second!

Thank you NetGalley and Daphne Press for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Goodreads and Storygraph reviews live immediately, Amazon review will be posted on release day.

This one really surprised me, in a good way. I was drawn in by the concept .necromancy, an uneasy alliance, two people on opposite sides of a war, but I didn’t expect to become this invested.

The world is rich and immersive. It drops you straight into the action without much hand-holding, but once I found my footing, I loved how layered it was. The magic system stood out to me the most. It’s original and thought-provoking, and it adds real weight to the story’s conflict.

Hal is a brilliant main character. She’s clever, determined, and quietly vulnerable at times, which made her feel very real. Her dynamic with Alastair is tense in all the right ways. Their interactions feel sharp and loaded, without tipping into melodrama.

This isn’t a romance-heavy book, and I appreciated that. The emotional threads are subtle but meaningful, with the focus staying on trust, power, grief, and survival. I found myself highlighting entire paragraphs just for the way certain emotions were captured.

The ending stayed with me long after I finished. If you’re in the mood for a character-driven fantasy with dark tones, political tension, and a slow-burning rivalry, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a try.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

When a book blindsides you with how good it is? Yeah, this is one of those. 4.5 stars rounded up!

I wasn't really sure what to expect going in, but got hooked on the sharp banter, some genuinely great plot twists, and a main character who felt so refreshingly different (neurodivergent-coded in a way that felt natural and real). Big ups.

The world was honestly kind of gross in places, but also weirdly compelling. I didn’t always want to be there, but I couldn’t look away either. There’s a ton of originality packed into the setting and magic system, which I really appreciated, though I will say some of the worldbuilding could’ve been a bit clearer. There were a lot of names, concepts, and politics flying around early on, and it took a minute to get my bearings.

The payoff and GOTHIC THRILLER turn was so worth it. The tension, the twists, the clever and sometimes cutting banter all landed. I genuinely enjoyed the ride and found myself way more invested than I expected. Totally exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait for the sequel already.

4.5 stars rounded up

Are you looking for your new rivals-to-lovers dark academia obsession? Well, look no further and let me present you mine.

First of all, don't forget to check the glossary, because it's going to be hard to make sense of anything in the beginning since we are thrown directly into the middle of things. Or just trust the process, because things become much clearer in the later chapters.

But even in those confusing first couple of chapters, I had a ton of fun, and basically binged the book in a single day. Which is no wonder really, because the writing style is very enjoyable and entertaining throughout it. Hal's insults?! Chef's kiss!

I found the magic system really fascinating; there are Spirers and Gravers (basically gladiators and necromancers), who use completely opposite powers, (divine vs. infernal). Hal has always wanted to study graving under the best necromancer at the college of St Penderghast, however, things take a very interesting turn and suddenly the only option to fulfill her dream is to team up with no other than her nemesis, the talented spirer Alaistair...

It was pretty refreshing to have an FMC who doesn't achive everything right away but has to face pretty embarrassing moments and struggle with her powers. I really loved her and Alaistair together! The side characters were also interesting enough, and while I missed the exploration of the wider world building, I suspect that's coming in the sequels.

The book at a glance:
- trials/gladiatorial fights against eldritch monsters
- unique magic system in a creepy and eerie atmosphere
- exiled MMC + smartass & oblivious FMC
- a bumpy ride of rivals to reluctant allies to lovers with lots of delicious yearning
- dark themes & hidden motives

The ending made me want to throw my e-reader uhh, it should be illegal to end a book this way... Give me book 2 ASAP! And while I didn't mind the single POV narrative, I beg of you Danielle, give us at least a few Alaistair chapters in the next book!!

Many thanks to Daphne Press, NetGalley and the author for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own and freely given.

PS. This was the 4th book/ARC I've read by Daphne Press and once again, a huge hit! Please keep these hidden gems coming!