This book was DARK. Like, what the actual hell did I just read? dark. 😂
The atmosphere in this was absolutely everything. The frozen setting, the sinister traditions, the secrets, the violence and that constant feeling that something terrible is lurking just around the corner made this such an addictive read.
And then there’s Elliott and James.
Their relationship is intense, obsessive and completely consuming. The way their feelings for each other become tangled up with everything happening around them makes their connection feel both romantic and deeply unsettling. Elliott would sacrifice absolutely everything for James, while James' devotion to Elliott takes a much more dangerous, burn-the-world-down-for-you kind of turn.
I LOVED how morally questionable everyone felt. Nobody here is simply good or bad, and the further the story goes, the more you realise just how far these characters are willing to go to protect their secrets.
The whole sacrifice storyline was seriously disturbing, especially watching the consequences spiral after the wrong person is killed. The book doesn't just use the horror as decoration either—it becomes completely intertwined with the characters, their relationships and their choices.
And that dark academia atmosphere? PERFECT. The mythology, intellectual setting, obsession, tragedy and psychological manipulation all worked together so well. It has that deliciously unsettling feeling where you know you should probably run away… but you're far too invested to put the book down.

One thing about me is I will always find an opportunity to talk about why "The Secret History" was MUCH gayer than it seemed, which is saying a lot considering the 'cubitum eamus' of it all. Hell, I named myself after Charles Macaulay. To say this book was up my alley is an understatement, which admittedly did make me worry over whether it was too good to be true.

I am pleased to announce it was not, in fact, too good to be true. It was absolutely phenomenal. I had moments of doubt (I am not a patient man, I am so sorry) but it was all worth it in the end, tenfold.

"The Villains of Winter" is the canonically homoerotic (emphasis on homo and erotic) "The Secret History" I've always dreamed of.

Before I get into it, I really have to applaud all that Phenix talks about in the acknowledgements, especially around racism in academia (and the changing of the cover due to that). It really showed how much heart and soul went into this novel, but especially how much care. There was no lack of the truth of academia, the ableism, homophobia, racism, misogyny. And that is something that is incredible to see in a book or any fictional media about academia.

The intricacies each character held was astounding. Each person we meet has so many different layers to them, and sides to those layers. It made everything so much more profound for them to experience. The PTSD some characters faced, and the different ways it manifested, really drew me in. I've never seen PTSD represented in so many ways, and so brutally. My interest was piqued by the accuracy it displayed as well as the merciless reality of it all. How sometimes, trauma never goes away. It'll always haunt you. And that's okay, but it also absolutely sucks.

It's hard to review a lot of this book due to spoilers, so I'm going to try to sum it up, spoiler-free. The darkness of academia is a true horror, and this book goes into it very well. And while the whole sacrifice aspect is a little more far-fetched, it's used to bring to light how horrific other realistic parts of the depths of academia can be in a very intriguing way. It most certainly shares similarities with "The Secret History," but on a grander, cult-like scale. Like if the Greek students had killed Bunny at the wish of the entirety of Hamden College, not just because Julian was kinda extreme and eccentric and Henry felt lost (I'm exaggerating but you get it). And if Richard finally admitted he wanted to suck face with Francis.

There was a lot going on, but I was on the edge of my seat. I read around 20% last night, then the rest tonight (yes it's 4 am, a fact I'm only stating as an excuse for why this review is a bit all over the place). I quite enjoyed the erratic-ness of it, I have to admit. Being able to see different perspectives (oh how I have dreamed of "The Secret History" from Camilla's POV) satisfied a part of me I wasn't aware needed satisfying.

The diversity was also incredible. Chronic illness, POC rep, (of course) queer rep, PTSD, anxiety, just to name a few. It was really beautiful to see written so naturally and truthfully.

I had some moments of confusion around the 3rd person POV of the story alternating frequently within chapters of who it is omniscient of, but it kind of added to the vibe in a way, too. Seeing the thoughts of James and then going to, say, Perseus was a stark contrast that was interesting once I was used to it.

All in all, I LOVED this. The brutality in both the unknowns and the knowns, the longing and the fear. This really put the "A(AAA)' in yeAAAArning.

perfect for fans of:
-if we were villains
-these violent delights by micah nemerever
-the secret history
-kill your darlings(2019)
-K. ancrum
-dark academia
-victor vale and eli ever
-immortal consequences by i.v. marie
-the summer hikaru died
-andreil
-spring awakening
-bare: a pop opera
-the last five years
-the goldfinch
-the sacrificial aspect of Yellowjackets
-Leviticus but minus the supernatural elements
-the thin line between theatre and being an actual cult
-the chilling adventures of sabrina
-cg drews

Full review RTC. Ten stars. This book is unhinged in the best way. On Goodreads, I tend to read romance and fantasy pretty exclusively. I sped through this book. The Villains of Winter is hands down the darkest dark academia book I've read. Sensual. Intense. Soooo deeply, deeply romantic.

I was expecting the storyline to have a bit of spice, but it has a LOT of spice once the characters fall in love. I really enjoyed the full-on sex scenes. I highlighted way too much hehe. I want to re-read them. Anyway, I loved how casually immoral many of the characters were and it made me want to visit the college and read in the underground libraries. It made me want to know more about mythology as well and I can't wait to re-read this one.

I cannot overstate how much i loved this book. This is one of the best books I have ever read in my life.

It's extremely clever, well researched, absolutely stunning in every way. I love dark stories, I love dark academia, but this is just a whole other level. I'm used to secret societies having more demonic deities as idols of worship, but Greek philosophy? This felt like a Greek tragedy set in a modern world.

Plots and ulterior motives and more plots and cover ups and rituals and dark state secrets.

Is it weird that I REALLY loved the plethora of footnotes? It feels right at home with a book like this. Not only is it informative, but author anecdotes are really fun. So many quotes from different plays, works, and philosophers, I feel like the footnotes are a boon to the curious mind.

I truly and sincerely hope this gets made into a movie. It feels like Dead Poet Society and Killing of a Sacred Deer with a large helping of Macbeth. I'm sure there are other movies/plays that fit this theme but its 1am and I can't recall them right now.

This is my book of 2026 and yes im aware that Threshing Day and ACOTAR 6 comes out within the next couple of months.

Holy smokes.

Well goddamn. (Godsdamn? To stay book faithful?) Yall better put this on your TBR for when it publishes in 2 days on the 15th! Thank you so much @eviephenix and @netgalley for the ARC of this book. I give it 5/5 traumatizing car keys.

At first I was iffy on if it would be my style-the author has done SO much research and must be beyond brilliant, and the book is full of footnotes and sources. But once I got used to that it quickly became a favorite part of the reading experience for me. What a creepy eerie story in the best of ways and ticked off every box for me! Elliot’s PTSD and sweetness is so evident, and the way they both clearly yearn for each other but are both like “yeah or that can mean nothing and we can totally forget. Yeah. Yeah I’m so cool and normal and chalant about loving you. Loving you? Pfffft who said that I’m just going to wax poetic in multiple languages about how you are my stars and sky tottttaaaaaaallllly normal bro stuff” okay, Jan.

All the references to all the ancient traditions and religions and the implication that this school is part of a network of schools just like it? The politics involved? Oh I love me a complicated political evil system to figure out. And I’m still not sure I totally did oh no what a shame must have to reread it again and get all the Easter eggs I missed first time! Oh nooooo! (Oh yesss). And they all were so in it they couldn’t imagine a different world.

James was hands down my favorite character. He’s so tortured and seeing how much everything led to what he is now capable of doing felt like following the flow chart of 9/11 to 50 Shades of Grey (which thematically? Actually is a great example of our violent but eventually horny friend here). Part of me wanted to shake him or slap him and tell him that love is okay but part of me also did enjoy his coldness.

The world building is just insane. So completely immersive and detailed.

I received this as an ARC and this is my honest personal opinion.

4.25 🌟

I've seen this described as a queer "The Secret History" and honestly that fits. A dark academic romance with mythology, sacrifices, toxic relationship, so much yearning, cultish, with the addition of annotations.

So dark and at times violent in all the best ways.

I loved the world building and setting. Each person's character development was unique. The trauma responses and ptsd representation were well written.

This is definitely a book I'll be reading again. Highly recommend!

Thanks to Victory Editing, Evie Phenix, and NetGalley for sending for me an Arc to review.

this book was absolutely unhinged in the best possible way.

I went into The Villains of Winter knowing it was supposed to be a queer, dark academic romance, and the comparison to The Secret History definitely makes sense. There are obsessive friendships, mythology, sacrifice, toxic relationships, a creepy academic setting and enough yearning to make you want to shake both of the main characters and tell them to just TALK TO EACH OTHER.

The world-building was probably my favourite part. You can tell how much research went into this book. There are footnotes, annotations and references throughout, and although it took me a little while to get used to them, I ended up really enjoying them. They added so much to the feeling that there was this much bigger, much darker world sitting behind the story.

James was definitely the character who stayed with me the most. He's complicated, cold and honestly pretty alarming at times, but I couldn't stop wanting to understand him. Elliot was also incredibly well written, particularly when it came to their trauma and PTSD. Their responses felt like part of who they were rather than something thrown in to make the story sadder.

And the romance... oh my god. The amount of yearning in this book should probably come with a warning. Both of them are so determined to pretend that their feelings mean absolutely nothing while simultaneously behaving like they're writing tragic love letters in their heads. Please, just admit you love each other. I'm begging.

I also loved the darker side of the story. The cult-like atmosphere, the ancient traditions and the suggestion that the school is part of something much larger made everything feel increasingly sinister. There were moments where I genuinely had no idea where the story was going, which is exactly what I want from this kind of book.

It's dark, strange, incredibly detailed and sometimes violent, but underneath all of that is a really emotional story about trauma, love, power and the things people convince themselves they have to accept.

I definitely feel like I missed things, too. There are so many details, references and little clues that I can absolutely see myself rereading this and discovering things I completely overlooked the first time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because The Villains of Winter occasionally dumps an entire philosophy seminar, ancient religion, political conspiracy, and emotional breakdown onto your lap and expects you to keep up. Unfortunately, I did.

At first, I had a hard time getting into Phenix’s writing style, but once it clicked, I realized how much richer and more immersive the narrative feels because of it. The phrases in other languages, thoughtful explanations of Pagan rituals, philosophical discussions, and sheer amount of academic detail all add to the atmosphere rather than feeling like unnecessary exposition. There is clearly an absurd amount of research behind this book, and, eventually, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it.

I also really appreciated how much care went into portraying academia.. not just the glamorous intellectualism, but the systemic discrimination and institutional rot underneath it. The acknowledgements made it especially clear how intentional this was, and that care really shows throughout the novel.

The academic horror was probably my favourite part. The supernatural sacrifice is obviously more dramatic than your average faculty meeting, but it works because it's rooted in very real systems of power and cruelty. Add ancient traditions, religious rituals, complicated politics, and the implication of an entire network of schools operating within this system, and naturally I became desperate to figure out how everything connects.

The characters are wonderfully messy, with layers, contradictions, secrets, and enough trauma to fill several therapy appointments.

And James? Easily my favourite. An utterly unhinged, cold-blooded murderer, but somehow also capable of the most obsessive, all-consuming kind of yearning. Horrible man. Terrifying character. Absolutely fascinating. I was seated.

First and foremost, this was the first ever dark academia book I’ve read so I definitely have no benchmarks whatsoever as to what a good book on this genre looks like. But what I can say is that based on the usual tropes associated with this genre, it ticks all the boxes like unusual character dynamics, pursuit of art and aesthetics, allegory to Greek mythology, Roman culture in the pagan times, and of course, murder within academic grounds.

The Villains of Winter alludes to the normal expectations that could be easily seen based on prominent books in this genre like The Secret History, If We Were Villains, These Violent Delights, but also taking a distinct voice and perspective on how the academe is a microcosm of society and how the rotten system and injustices happening on school grounds also reflect the larger societal dynamics.

By far, I could see how the author intentionally created characters to shed light to this narrative, and how the vast majority of the book lingers more on explaining the dark, psychological aspects of new adults such as obsession, limerence, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the youthful resistance in flipping the unfair practices that were embedded in the system which are very hard to tackle especially from a student’s limited capabilities and machinery.

Without spoiling too much, readers could expect the flow of narration focusing more on the plot development (which I found myself screaming at times especially during the 33% mark) and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting the plot to be such a roller coaster ride. Unhinged at times, and although there might also be too much darkness in the plot, the story also stayed true to the contemporary dynamics on how racial discrimination, power imbalance, and apathy were happening in the academia.

What I’m still struggling to come to terms with were some plot gaps like the Montclair patriarch’s situation after the altercation, unexplained closure about some characters which were introduced at the beginning parts of the book, and how the author’s discretion of limiting the number of villains could’ve been an opportunity to also give some dialogues to characters like the provost, rector, and other upper echelons who wields power within the campus.

I also noticed that the author’s usage of declarative sentences, lack of inflections, usage of hifalutin adjectives, and lack of appositive phrases that are typical literary devices in long-form fiction, both benefitted and yielded an experimental take on the prose that might not work for every reader. Nevertheless, it gave a distinct voice to the author and it adds to the academic style of writing which we normally encounter on published research papers.

Overall, the paganism approach to this novel, combined with Greek mythology, philosophy, Latin, art, and the larger stakes involved in this story (think about the fraternities and how their societal influence carries larger power and how students were normally recruited as proteges of this types of institutions) makes this book unique and an ideal companion piece to the ever-growing list of dark academia books.

Many thanks to the publisher, Evie Phenix, and NetGalley for the ARC.

First of all I just want to say I am obsessed with this cover. One of the best ones I've seen in a long time.

This book was described as a queer dark academia book with betrayal, obsession, and tragedy and I immediately had to pick it up!

The creepy pagan vibes hit you right of the bat and while some of the dialogue comes off as pretentious, I found it really fit the characters and their view of themselves. I will say I didn't care that much about the philosophical conversations, but it definitely added to the academia setting helped set the tone of the story.

The cultish paganism in this book was very well done and it was very interesting how some societal issues were brought to light within even this isolated school. I also loved the chemistry between the two MMCs and their obsession and yearning and the type of chaotic relationship they had. And JAMES, he was such an interesting character.

Overall, this book is perfect if you want something a bit darker and has the perfect gothic vibes.

Thank you Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

this book was phenomenal!! this exactly the perfect dark and disturbing academia i was hoping for. phenix delivers a beautifully homoerotic tale of obsession, sensuality and romance!! you can tell so much heart and research went into each of these characters. and i think the darker themes and topics were handled well! can’t wait for the rest of this anthology!! i LOVED the villains of winter!! evie phenix has a new fan in me!!

I missed reading dark academia books and this book was perfect in every sense to set the mood for the fall. If you are a fan of if we were villains or secret history or Nocticadia then you'll love this book.

The villains of winter follow Elliot and James whose life struck with tragedy back to back that they form a trauma bond where they can't be away from each other.

The world building and the lore behind the establishment of their college was based on Ancient Greek and Roman history, mythology and traditions but its grandeur ends there as they are just an excuse for their cult to commit barbaric crimes in the name of traditional rituals for more power, political strength and wealth.

That said the plot was very promising but it was unnecessarily long. The relationship between James and Elliot was well written, especially James's yearning for Elliot and the side characters had depth.

I know this is a very lazy review but anything I say about this book would be a spoiler.

My rating: 3.5/5⭐

The Villains of Winter by Evie Phenix book review 4🌟

This was such a fun read! I really enjoyed the darker, wintry atmosphere of the story—it gave everything this cold, mysterious feeling that made it easy to get lost in.

The characters were definitely a highlight for me, especially the morally questionable ones. I love when a book lets its villains be complicated instead of simply making them “bad,” and there was plenty here to keep me interested in their motivations and choices.

The story had a good mix of tension, drama, and darker moments, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to see how everything would unfold. It’s the kind of book that’s especially enjoyable when you’re in the mood for something dark, atmospheric, and a little twisted.

Overall, a really entertaining read with an intriguing cast of characters and a great wintery vibe!

★★★★★

This book has been living rent-free in my head.

The worldbuilding is definitely uneven: I understood the university, its caste system, rituals, sacrifices, and power structures, but I still have absolutely no idea how this society actually works outside the academy. 😂

That said, the Greek lore woven throughout this book—both explicitly and implicitly—is chef’s kiss. The more I read, the more connections I found between mythology, sacrifice, power, desire, and the characters.

And James and Elliott? I have THOUGHTS.

Their relationship slowly shifts from deep, platonic devotion into something neither of them had really considered before. Around 63%, they basically go, “Well… apparently we’re bi-curious, and now that we’re looking at each other this way, being together actually makes more sense than being with anyone else.” 😂

But the final stretch is where everything gets complicated. James finally puts his feelings into words, while Callum has become a genuine possibility for Elliott.

And that’s what fascinated me most: this isn’t simply about who does Elliott choose? It’s about what happens when you finally get what you’ve spent so long wanting—and suddenly realise you are free to want something else.

And perhaps even more importantly:

What are you willing to do, sacrifice, or endure for the person you care about most?

There is so much Greek mythology, symbolism, power, sacrifice, and emotional layering here that I already know I need to reread it.

The worldbuilding may have left me with questions, but the story clearly left me with thoughts.

And that’s a five-star read for me.

This was DARK. The frozen setting, strange rituals, mythology, and all the secrets surrounding the college created such an unsettling atmosphere. I especially liked Elliott and James, their relationship was intense, obsessive, and just a little terrifying in the best way. The amount of academic and philosophical detail was a lot at times, but it also made the dark academia setting feel very immersive.

Beautifully twisted, obsessive, and wonderfully unsettling.

The Villains of Winter was such a dark and unsettling read, and I mean that in the best way. The atmosphere pulled me in right away, and there was this constant feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Elliott and James have such an intense and complicated relationship, and I was completely invested in seeing how far their obsession with each other would take them.

I really enjoyed the dark academia setting, the secrets, the betrayal, and the twisted traditions surrounding the winter sacrifices. It’s haunting, dramatic, and definitely not a light read, but it kept me turning the pages. A great choice if you enjoy dark academia with obsession, tragedy, and morally questionable characters.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

★★★½ rounded to 4

*The Villains of Winter* had such a dark, creepy premise, and the whole annual sacrifice tradition at Æscwulf College was definitely my favorite part. I loved the gothic atmosphere and the twisted relationship between Elliott and James—their devotion to each other was intense in the best way.

That said, I didn't completely love everything about the execution, and there were parts that felt a little slower than I would've liked. Still, the dark academia vibes, morally questionable characters, and overall unsettling atmosphere kept me interested.

Definitely worth picking up if you like your romance dark, obsessive, and a little unhinged. 🖤
Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

3.75 stars!

I requested this because the cover is absolutely gorgeous and If We Were Villains is my favorite book of all times.

The Villains of Winter is clearly a well-loved project, the amount of research made for this book is felt through the writing and annotations (which I personally really enjoyed, I wanted to know more of the process, choosing translations for referenced works, I thought it was heartwarming to see how well-loved this research was).

I have mixed feelings about this book but I walk away satisfied. I strongly believe the second half is a lot stronger than the beginning. It was hard to get into the story at the beginning, I had a lot of issues with how almost over the top dramatic the setting of the university was - it made me slightly disconnected from the setting. However I did devour the remaining of 60% in one day so take that as you will. The characters are the highlight of this novel and the relationships are complex throughout, the main relationship between Elliot and James is the best part of this book. The beginning is a bit sluggish but I think it's worth pushing through it to get a very satysfying and somewhat bittersweet ending. James is such an interesting character, who is more developed through the second part of the book.

The writing was a mixed bag, the beginning to me especially felt a little disconnected, but I believe the second part develops entirely stronger prose than the start. There are a lot of beautiful lines in here that I had highlighted, mixed along writing that is sometimes so deeply academic it is hard to understand. English is not my first language so I am not too nitpicky - it felt accessible enough to read though if you've got a good grasp on the language but it was not *easy* to read. Some of my favorite fragments were discussions in the classes, I wish we had gotten more of that.

As a debut I think it is solid, in both story and characters, and I am excited to read further works from this author to see the further development in the writing craft. If you enjoyed the relationships explored in both If We Were Villains and The Secret History I think you'll enjoy Elliot and James as well! I think I will find myself returning in thoughts to some fragments of this novel.