⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (Six stars if I could!)

“As Mr. Darcy once said, ‘I love… I love… I love you.’”

This book absolutely wrecked me — in the best possible way. Deathbringer stomped on my heart, stitched it back together, and then broke it again just to make me feel everything. I don’t cry easily at books, but this one had me actually tearing up more than once.

I’m not usually an annotator, but I highlighted what felt like half the book. Sonia Tagliareni’s writing is breathtaking — line after line made me laugh, cry, gasp, or just sit there smiling like a fool. I can’t share the quotes yet (spoilers!), but trust me: you’ll fall in love with Sylas just from the things this man says and thinks.

The plot is everything I could want: a magical academy, a murder mystery, rivals-to-lovers tension, shocking betrayals, secret identities, found family, and a romance that feels like it could destroy the world. The magic system is equally compelling — mind readers, necromancers, characters with serpentine familiars, and other powers that are only beginning to be explored.

And the romance. My god, the romance. It’s intense, devastating, addictive — the kind of love that shouldn’t exist but refuses to be denied. They shouldn’t be together. They don’t trust each other. But they can’t stay away.

The twists, the action, the emotional devastation — I was on edge the entire time. The ending left me staring at the wall, wondering how I’m supposed to function until the next book.

This is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. I need a physical copy immediately, and it’s going on my “favorites forever” shelf where it belongs.

Where do I start for this book besides the fact, that duh this cover is beautiful. I can't even begin to describe in full detail how much I love this magic system and the world, it just means so much to me. Never once in this book did I feel bored or like it was dragging the pacing was perfect and I felt like Sonia was able to describe everything she wanted in such beautiful, fantastic detail. All of the characters are complex, but not too complex in the way that they become annoying and I loved watching Viola really come into her magic and try to solve the mystery surrounding her sisters death. Sylas was the same way for me, although he hated Mortemagi he couldn't hate her no matter what he tried and I loved that. The dark academia setting was such a perfect choice for this book and I feel nothing could've fit it better. The ending was insane and there was so many plot twists and I can't wait for the future books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book was phenomenal. I had not read the author before, and this book blew me away. I feel this is definitely one we will be seeing a lot about on book socials. Looking forward to the next book!

Genre: Dark Academia / Romantasy / Murder Mystery
Pub Date: Expected May 12, 2026
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I'm screaming, crying, smiling by the end 😱 What have you done to me, Sonia?? What a rollercoaster of emotions with deep, introspective characters... I have adopted Sylas and Viola now, they need hugs like yesterday. This deliciously dark murder mystery spans magics and generations, and is full of brilliantly planted clues and tricks that keep you deducing and intrigued right alongside our MCs.

For Sonia Tagliareni’s debut, I'm blown away by the strength of her character voices and her clever use of dual perspective. A murder mystery told from two points of view let her have a lot of fun with what clues she released to who and when. It made for some intriguing conclusions with devastating developments, keeping tension high between scenes and switching perspectives. She expertly weaves a yearning, starcrossed romance with dark, complex mystery that ends up being so much deeper and darker than either would suspect.

📖 Summary:

Viola, a death mage haunted by the loss of her sister and the deadly risks of her own magic, arrives at Gorhail Institute seeking answers. Sylas, a poison mage bound to three magical snakes and a tragic past, wants nothing to do with her. But when a magical bond forces them into a reluctant partnership, they must navigate a web of secrets, murders, and forbidden magic before Viola becomes the next victim.

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🐍 Tropes:

- Snake Daddy?? 👀
- Murder Mystery... with Ghosts! 👻
- So. Much. Yearning. 🖤💚💛
- Bookish and Kind FMC 📚
- Touch Her and 💀 Soldier MMC
- He Falls First... and Hard! ❤️‍🔥
- Magical Institution 🏰
- Forced Proximity/Partnership 🤝
- Hurt/Comfort ❤️‍🩹

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🪦 Impressions

Loved:

- Gothic atmosphere dripping with dread, enchantment, and dark corners: Secret passageways and haunted catacombs?? 👀
- Viola’s grief and Sylas’s guilt are raw and beautifully rendered: Their drives and generational traumas mirror each other so well.
- Magical artifacts and separate magic streams: I love a hard magic system, and this one comes with costs. Between living snake relics, magic storing cuffs, arcane dust, and many more, the magic system feels alive and interwoven into the world.
- Heartwarming/Heartbreaking found family and friends: I adored the secondary characters and their friendships. While I normally find it hard to keep up with a large cast, Sonia gives special attention to each player with strong impressions and their own journeys. Wonderfully tied in, they make the stakes feel real and devastating.

Less loved:

- Some world-building elements felt underexplained (Some streams of magic, and mythology - All the more to explore next book! There was already so much to dive into 😍)
- The political and administrative worldbuilding aspects felt a bit unexplored. However, it makes sense following the POVs of Viola, a mage who's only known theory and none of the world or practice, and Sylas, a hardheaded rulebreaker who doesn't regard them much when they get in his way. Tagliareni balances this cleverly by gifting us tidbits of lore and letters at the start of each chapter.
- The pacing occasionally falters between action, introspection, and alternating POVs catching up in the timeline. At the same time, I think this was a clever choice to explore more:

Emotions and grief are such core driving forces in the narrative that they needed time for reflection, allowing the characters to come alive more in the process.
Opposing points of view and obtaining different clues (or the same ones at different times) upped the stakes and forced characters to cooperate to get ahead. And the drama when one character needs that one vital piece of information too! 😱 My anxiety... 📈

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🧠 Themes:

- Death and legacy: What do we inherit from the dead... and what do we owe them?
- Power and cost: Magic as both gift and curse
- Found family and reluctant alliances: The enemy of my enemy is... my ally?
- The Value of Life: Does it stem from those who love you, or your contribution to the greater world?

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🧙‍♀️ Recommendation:

Perfect for fans of Naomi Novik, Kerri Maniscalco, and anyone who loves morally gray mages, enemies??-to-lovers tension, and murder mysteries shrouded in (arcane) gaslamps and misty woods.

Content warnings: death, grief, body horror, magical violence, generational trauma.

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⭐ Rating
★★★★☆ (4.5/5) – A haunting debut that lingers like a ghost in your mind.

Thank you so much to Atria Books, #NetGalley, and Sonia Tagliareni for allowing me the chance to read this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review. What a gripping, magical experience! ✨️

Honestly, this book is such a vibe. The setting is dark and moody, with that whole creepy magical school energy that makes you want to keep reading even if it’s way past bedtime. It’s all secret tunnels, ancient magic, and murder mysteries. The kind of place where you feel like anything could happen next.

The magic is wild here. I loved that it’s not just pretty spells or something you wave away. Everything has a consequence, and sometimes the powers are actually kind of gross or dangerous. It keeps things tense, and you never really know who you can trust.

Viola and Sylas are a hot mess, but honestly, I was rooting for them the whole time. There’s so much tension, slow-burn angst, and just enough drama to keep things interesting. They make mistakes, get mad, say the wrong thing, and sometimes you just want to yell at them , but in a good way, because they feel real.

The story takes a bit to really get moving, but once it does, the twists start flying. The ending is definitely worth sticking around for. If you like books with that enemies-to-lovers spark, shady secret societies, and big “what the heck is going to happen now” moments, you’ll have fun with this one.

Would recommend if you’re in the mood for something dark, twisty, and full of magical chaos.

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