MALACHITE by Ashley Andersen swept me away into a dazzling fantasy world from the very first page. I devoured this book, reading at a breathless pace well into the night, in a fully immersed way I haven’t experienced in a long while. I can easily see this book taking off on BookTok, Goodreads, and beyond.

Truly a spellbinding story with all of the beloved tropes that will satisfy any and all romantasy fans. 11/10 stars!

Malachite was very similar to the typical romantasy, war titles but with more of a formulated plot than others I’ve read. I was definitely engaged and enjoyed reading the story, but there were many predictable scenes, but yet a few surprises as well. It reminded me of a Harry Potter/Fourth Wing mashup. The magic was fun and interesting. The emotional character development of Arianell was very good. I felt connected to her and really wanted her to succeed. I would probably even read a sequel because I just want to know how this story plays out in the end.

3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4)!

“Sebastian Zain kisses me like a man that’s been starved of air, and I am his next breath.” 🥵

I really enjoyed this book and think it was a great debut! It had a ton of elements I tend to love in books: dark academia, different “houses”, enemies to lovers, and elemental magic.

The tension between Sebastian and Arianell was crazy and had me giggling and kicking my feet while reading. I do think their relationship wasn’t what you would consider a “true enemies to lovers” but rather a loose enemies to lovers because he bullied her at first and was super rude to her before his true feelings were revealed.

I also do think that there are a lot of similar books that follow this same plot/pattern, so that’s why it wasn’t a full 5 star read for me. But I did overall still enjoy the story and look forward to reading future books in the series!

If you’re looking for a dark academia featuring enemies to lovers, elemental magic, brother’s best friend, and a murder mystery, then be sure to check out Malachite!

Thank you so much to Mobius Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy! Malachite releases on May 5th in the US!

i had a great time with this book. it very much gave me harry potter & fourth wing vibes and i love both of those series so no complaints from me. while it did tend to follow the standard dark academia/romantasy storyline, i thought the plot of this one was much more fleshed out than others. the tension between Aria and Seb was delicious and i absolutely ate it up. this book has humor, mystery, found family and was an all around enjoyable read for me.

Some books whisper to you. Malachite grabs you by the throat and dares you to look away.

Ashley Anderson delivers a dark, atmospheric story that seeps into your bones, blending emotional depth with an almost hypnotic sense of unease. From the start, the narrative carries a weight of grief, obsession, and choices that don’t come without consequences. This is not a comfort read; it’s a slow burn into the shadowed corners of the human psyche.

The characters feel raw and imperfect, driven by longing and haunted by the past. Their emotions are messy, painful, and achingly real, making it impossible not to feel pulled into their unraveling. Anderson’s prose is sharp yet poetic, painting vivid scenes that linger long after the page is turned.

What truly sets Malachite apart is its tone dark, immersive, and unapologetically intense. It explores themes of power, control, and transformation in a way that feels both intimate and unsettling. You’re not just reading this story; you’re sinking into it.

Thank you NetGalley

Malachite was a really great dark academia romantasy book. The magic system in the book was fascinating, immersive and refreshingly original, where the academy had its own secrets, tension and danger. Aria is determined and vulnerable. This book contains a slow-burn enemies to lover's romance that is built on undeniable chemistry. Malachite has a way of pulling the rug right out of under you, just when you think you understand the rules of the world. This book is an addictive read that is moody and emotionally charged. This book is a must read.

This book was absolutely amazing! I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish! The tension, twists, and emotional highs kept pulling me in, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Every chapter left me wanting more.

It gives major Zodiac Academy vibes, with that same addictive blend of intensity, drama, and characters you get completely invested in. If you loved Zodiac Academy for its suspense, relationships, and “just one more chapter” energy, you’ll definitely be a fan of this book.

This story really is if Fourth Wing and Zodiac Academy had a magical baby. And it is so GOOD. I was sucked into this book immediately and I am DEVASTATED that I can’t read more right this second.
The enemies to lovers slow burn is DELICIOUS 🤤 the FMC and MMC are everything and I truly can’t wait for another book. This debut novel is everything you want in a dark romantasy. Magic, secrets, trials, big twists, and characters that you CRAVE to see more of. 10/10 recommend this book!
⭐️Malachite will be released May 5th and is available for preorder now!! Trust me, you’ll want to preorder this one!!

🖤Thank you NetGalley and Ashley Anderson for the opportunity to ARC read this amazing debut novel!! 🖤

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! This was so good it makes me want to scream!!!!

Dark academia, with powers, magic, mystery and romance.

I saw this available on netgalley under read now, and I was in the mood for a dark academia, so I said to myself why not.

Well dear reader dont read this unless

-You want a gut wrenching backstory
-A mystery that will have you questioning everything
-A slow burn that has you screaming at the imaginary characters
-A found family in friends that make you feel like you found your family
-An fmc that has such quick witty reply that have your jaw on the floor
-Action that gets your heart pounding
-And an ending THAT RIPS YOUR HEART OUT.

ya i couldnt put this down.

I throughly enjoyed this read and devoured it in ONE sitting! What a wonderful debut novel for Ashley Anderson! I adored how fierce, determined, loyal and clever our FMC was!

The magic system was so unique in that it was derived from fallen stars and power from stones. The world building was good - not overwhelming or too immersive - but enough to know where we were and what was going on in the book!

Our MMC is dark, broody and uber protective, just like we like them! The banter was great! The found family was top notch and the academy setting & training scratches that itch for all of our warrior college setting lovers! It’s as if Harry Potter and Zodiac Academy had a baby!

The ending was definitely a cliffhanger but I loved it and it has me ready for the second book already! I need answers! 😂

I can’t wait to see where this series goes!

Completely caught me off guard. The ending was a plot twist I honestly didn’t see coming, and the betrayal hurt because it came from someone I never expected because she was hurt so badly by everyone have the few people she trusted one turned and destroyed that.

The romance is a slow burn, and I loved every second of it. It has bully romance vibes at first, but once he falls, he falls hard and would absolutely destroy anyone who hurts her. What really did it for me is the FMC herself: she’s a total badass, doesn’t take shit from anyone, and can fully defend herself even when she’s broken and beaten she doesn’t back down.

I cannot wait for the second book, I need to know what happens, it cannot end this way for her. She cannot be the villain.

Oh my gosh this was so good!! A Must‑Read for Fans of Riftborne and Ascended series. The writing is crisp and expertly crafted, and the magical system feels fresh—unlike anything I’ve read before. I loved the twists and turns; the story kept me constantly on my toes, and I couldn’t put the book down. I’m so excited to see where this story goes!

A big thank you to NetGalley for supplying me with this ARC!

Malachite is an action-packed, dark academia romantasy with excellently written characters and a unique magic system. Arianell Nocthare's brother has been executed after being convicted of several students' murders at the prestigious Valmora Academy. Arianell knows that her brother would never kill another student or dabble in dark magic. In order to prove her brother's innocence and seek justice, Arianell attends the academy, facing scorn and hatred from the other students. In particular, her brother's former best friend, the sexy, brooding, arrogant Sebastian, is determined to ruin Arianell's life and chase her away from the academy. Unfortunately, Arianell is paired with Sebastian and the two must train in order to hone Arianell's power.

Malachite is definitely going to be one of my favorite books of 2026! I absolutely loved the morally gray, complex characters. Throughout the book, the reader deeply feels each character's emotions. The writing is excellent and the world-building is truly fantastic. I loved the dark academia vibes; the tension and resentment between all of the students and Arianell was well-thought out and felt like real-world drama. I felt like I was another student at the academy rather than someone watching the story play out from afar. The plot is action-packed with plenty of twists. Fair warning - there is a major cliff hanger ending! I cannot wait for the sequel. I need it ASAP. I will definitely be reading more by Ashley Andersen and will be recommending Malachite to anyone looking for an emotional, dark academia romantasy with intriguing characters and interesting magic.

This book was AMAZING! Readers that enjoy elemental magic system like in Zodiac Academy and the tension between the FMC/MMC in 4th Wing and Zodiac Academy (without a whole book of bullying), but also has a FMC this is willing to fight against all odds….THIS BOON IS FOR YOU!

Pacing was great throughout. There’s twists throughout the book but there’s like 5 at the end. Once you have the pieces to the puzzle, one twist I did see coming, but I’m not mad about it. I can’t wait to see where this series goes, I’m just upset that I have to wait for the next book. 6 star read and will be recommending to everyone

Wow, wow ok. So I won't lie, at first I was not expecting to like this. It seemed like a typical academy romantasy the first few chapters, but wow did it pick up and completely made me eat my words. I wasn't a huge fan of the bullying/certain aspects in the beginning and it seemed overkill to me but once that went away it started to get really good. The more we learned about the world and how Lukas died, the more I could not put this down. The chemistry between Aria and Sebastian was just delicious. That spice was spicing and I re-read that a few times it was so good. Highly recommend this one! Was so surprised and happy, once it got going it really got going and I am excited for a sequel in the future. For this being a debut novel, Ashley did such a great job and I can't wait to follow along to see what she does next!