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Starling Nights #1-2
Starling Nights
The Secret History meets Twilight in this gripping Dark Academia which took the German bestseller charts by storm!
A single choice leads to a fate she could never have imagined…
Cambridge student Mabel Golding learned long ago to keep her head down and avoid getting entangled in other people’s drama, but when her best friend, Zoe, is drawn into the circle of a mysterious student society with centuries of history that makes Mabel inordinately uneasy, she soon finds herself dangerously close to the heart of The League of Starlings, and to the inscrutable Cliff.
Now, as Mabel begins to unearth the Starlings’ secrets, the higher the death toll climbs, and soon she realises that there is so much more to this ancient society than meets the eye, and so little chance to escape the reckoning that is coming…
A single choice leads to a fate she could never have imagined…
Cambridge student Mabel Golding learned long ago to keep her head down and avoid getting entangled in other people’s drama, but when her best friend, Zoe, is drawn into the circle of a mysterious student society with centuries of history that makes Mabel inordinately uneasy, she soon finds herself dangerously close to the heart of The League of Starlings, and to the inscrutable Cliff.
Now, as Mabel begins to unearth the Starlings’ secrets, the higher the death toll climbs, and soon she realises that there is so much more to this ancient society than meets the eye, and so little chance to escape the reckoning that is coming…
- GenresDark AcademiaFantasy
Kindle Edition
7 people are currently reading
60 people want to read
About the author
Merit Niemeitz
21 books91 followersMerit Niemeitz wurde 1995 in Berlin geboren und lebt noch immer dort, in einer Wohnung mit unzähligen Flohmarktschätzen, Pflanzen und Büchern. Seit ihrer Kindheit liebt sie Worte und schreibt ihre eigenen Geschichten. Während und nach ihrem Studium der Kulturwissenschaft arbeitet sie seit Jahren in der Buchbranche und möchte eigentlich auch nie etwas anderes tun.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 13, 2025
Huge thanks to NetGalley & the publishers for a chance to review this arc!
2.5✨
Disclaimer : I’ve been in an awful reading slump for a little over a month now.
Sadly, this is a DNF for me at 27%.
This dark academia follows twenty year olds students, navigating some type of ‘evil’ organization/cult (?). Mabel’s best friend Zoe (who was very insufferable) is obsessed with this Ashton guy (from the top secret organization) and keeps being sleepy when she hangs out with him.
This is a translation from a German book, and it has the slowest pacing. I know I stopped at 27%, some might say it’s early - but nothing was going on. Even the bits and crumbs they were dropping here and there weren’t good enough to keep my interest.
I was surprised when their ages were revealed because I thought they were 15-16 rather than 20. They were juvenile… and I think I was okay with it until their age was revealed? It just didn’t make sense to me and that’s when I started snapping out of it.
The romance also went from zero to 50 really fast. The FMC was okay but the MMC? You have this 22yo man acting like he’s the smartest human to have graced this world. You know when people use big words and go on about topics and then you realize they haven’t really said anything? That describes him perfectly. There were also strong undertones of ‘she’s not like other girls’ and just straight up ‘I feel like I’ve always known her/him’ after their first meeting. The story would’ve been slightly better without his POV.
Despite all of the things that made me
DNF, I will say that the world building, the atmosphere and the vibes were immaculate. If you like dark academia, you should give this a try.
2.5✨
Disclaimer : I’ve been in an awful reading slump for a little over a month now.
Sadly, this is a DNF for me at 27%.
This dark academia follows twenty year olds students, navigating some type of ‘evil’ organization/cult (?). Mabel’s best friend Zoe (who was very insufferable) is obsessed with this Ashton guy (from the top secret organization) and keeps being sleepy when she hangs out with him.
This is a translation from a German book, and it has the slowest pacing. I know I stopped at 27%, some might say it’s early - but nothing was going on. Even the bits and crumbs they were dropping here and there weren’t good enough to keep my interest.
I was surprised when their ages were revealed because I thought they were 15-16 rather than 20. They were juvenile… and I think I was okay with it until their age was revealed? It just didn’t make sense to me and that’s when I started snapping out of it.
The romance also went from zero to 50 really fast. The FMC was okay but the MMC? You have this 22yo man acting like he’s the smartest human to have graced this world. You know when people use big words and go on about topics and then you realize they haven’t really said anything? That describes him perfectly. There were also strong undertones of ‘she’s not like other girls’ and just straight up ‘I feel like I’ve always known her/him’ after their first meeting. The story would’ve been slightly better without his POV.
Despite all of the things that made me
DNF, I will say that the world building, the atmosphere and the vibes were immaculate. If you like dark academia, you should give this a try.
December 17, 2025
I usually love a good gothic/dark academia book. While I think the writing itself is well done, this one just didn't pull me in. I didn't connect with characters and I think combined with a slower pace it felt like I was forcing myself to push on.
May be worth visiting another time though.
May be worth visiting another time though.
November 18, 2025
i loved the imagery and the descriptions of the atmosphere in the book. it felt like i was placed there. i enjoyed the academia aspect with a supernatural twist.
it wasn’t until 50% in that i became invested with the book. it finally felt like we were getting somewhere especially with the main characters. i was not too fond of the side characters.
80% mark was where everything made sense and wish this was more the focal point of the book. it was so captivating to learn the supernatural elements.
omg last chapter of the book wrecked me❤️🩹 what a great and emotional ending!
thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter (HarperCollins UK) for the eARC.
it wasn’t until 50% in that i became invested with the book. it finally felt like we were getting somewhere especially with the main characters. i was not too fond of the side characters.
80% mark was where everything made sense and wish this was more the focal point of the book. it was so captivating to learn the supernatural elements.
omg last chapter of the book wrecked me❤️🩹 what a great and emotional ending!
thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter (HarperCollins UK) for the eARC.
December 17, 2025
Starling Nights is an atmospheric, tension-filled story that grabbed me straight away. Dark academia and the supernatural are such a good combination, and I loved how they came together here. The secret society at Cambridge felt dangerous even before the supernatural plot came to play and I loved the main characters, Mabel and Cliff. They could have been complete clichés (their clichés/stereotypes are even discussed at the start of the book), but they both felt more nuanced and realistic than those basic roles would suggest. The slow burn romance and the rising tension in the story both got their hooks into me, and I read it in one sitting.
If I didn't know from the blurb that Starling Nights was translated from German, I never would have guessed that from reading it. There was no awkward phrasing or clunky sentences, nothing at all to suggest it had been translated. So I have to call that out because author Merit Niemeitz and translator Caroline Waight did a flawless job together with Starling Nights.
I got to the end of the book and realised that it was part of a duology, so I am very ready for book 2 to be translated now! I'll definitely be picking up the sequel on release to see how the story concludes, and I'll be getting a beautiful special edition copy of Starling Nights in an upcoming book subscription box for my future rereads!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
If I didn't know from the blurb that Starling Nights was translated from German, I never would have guessed that from reading it. There was no awkward phrasing or clunky sentences, nothing at all to suggest it had been translated. So I have to call that out because author Merit Niemeitz and translator Caroline Waight did a flawless job together with Starling Nights.
I got to the end of the book and realised that it was part of a duology, so I am very ready for book 2 to be translated now! I'll definitely be picking up the sequel on release to see how the story concludes, and I'll be getting a beautiful special edition copy of Starling Nights in an upcoming book subscription box for my future rereads!
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
December 21, 2025
Starling Nights
hooked me on vibes alone: dark academia, Cambridge, secret societies, whispered myths and locked doors. Immediately, yes. And while it is marketed as a dark academia romantasy, I would honestly say this leans much more into mystery, with romantic and fantasy elements threaded through the story rather than driving it. This is not a criticism. Far from it. That actually worked in its favour for me as the mystery was the strongest part, and it kept me turning pages because I needed to know what The League of Starlings really was and how deep their secrets ran. As Zoe so perfectly puts it early on,
“All the best stories start with bad ideas,”
and this story absolutely lives by that.
Cambridge is the perfect setting. It feels old, watchful, and heavy with history, like the city itself is complicit in what is happening. The atmosphere is thick and claustrophobic in the best dark academia way, full of locked doors and half-secrets. At one point Mabel notes that maybe there should be a warning, only for Blake to dryly point out that the locked door already says everything you need to know. That exchange sums up the mood of the book perfectly.
Mabel is a strong protagonist. She is observant, sarcastic, and emotionally guarded without feeling cold. She has very little patience for nonsense, especially where men are concerned, and her inner monologue is sharp in a way that made her instantly relatable. When Zoe insists that Ashton is definitely not a dangerous psychopath, Mabel’s immediate assumption that most men at student parties are at least potential psychopaths felt painfully real. She is not dazzled by charm or power, and she refuses to make herself smaller to fit into anyone else’s expectations.
Zoe, by contrast, was the most frustrating character for me. She is warm, enthusiastic, and genuinely lovable, but painfully naive. Watching her drift away from Mabel because of a boy, and ignore every warning given to her, was irritating even while it made sense within the story, particularly under Ashton’s influence. Davie was a solid counterbalance to that. A steady, loyal best friend who clearly wanted more with Mabel, but still showed up for her regardless.
Blake is where expectations need adjusting as, despite what the blurb suggests, he is very clearly not the leader of The League of Starlings; that role belongs to another. Once that confusion is cleared up, Blake becomes a much more interesting character. He is restrained, morally conflicted, and quietly intense. His early interactions with Mabel are laced with tension and rudeness, and she has absolutely no problem calling him out for it. Their banter, including her comparing herself to a pain aux raisins, adds levity while reinforcing how resistant they both are to their growing attraction.
Ashton was intriguing for most of the book. Charming, unsettling, and always slightly too smooth, he keeps you guessing about his true intentions. Victor, though, was the standout villain for me. He had zero morals and made no attempt to hide it, openly reducing people to objects or entertainment. From his first interaction with Mabel, there was a sense of threat that never really lifted, which made him an excellent antagonist.
The romance itself is understated but emotionally resonant. It is built on restraint, bad timing, and the awareness that being together might be the wrong choice. That tension is captured beautifully when Mabel reflects that some things can end before they have even had a chance to begin, and how much that kind of ending can hurt. Blake’s perspective later adds even more weight, particularly when he frames Mabel not as someone drawn to danger, but as the danger itself, the light he cannot stay away from even knowing it will burn him.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is its exploration of morality. The story consistently questions whether people are inherently good or bad, or if they are simply the sum of their decisions. Blake’s preference for black-and-white worlds clashes with Mabel’s insistence on the existence of grey areas, and that ideological difference mirrors the larger conflict of the story. Pain, loss, and sacrifice are treated as unavoidable parts of choosing to live fully rather than safely.
Not all of the plot twists were shocking. Some were fairly easy to predict, while others genuinely surprised me. The pacing dips slightly in the middle, and readers expecting a full-blown romantasy might feel misled as the "spicy" scenes are fade to black. But the emotional payoff is strong, particularly in the way the book frames choice. If everything ends in a fall, all you can really decide is whose hand you are holding as it happens.
Overall, this was a gripping, atmospheric dark academia mystery with a slow-burn, morally grey romance running through it. I enjoyed it a lot; I was fully invested, and I will absolutely be picking up the second book to find out what happens next.
Thank you so much to One More Chapter, HarperCollins UK, Merit Niemeitz and Caroline Waight, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
Cambridge is the perfect setting. It feels old, watchful, and heavy with history, like the city itself is complicit in what is happening. The atmosphere is thick and claustrophobic in the best dark academia way, full of locked doors and half-secrets. At one point Mabel notes that maybe there should be a warning, only for Blake to dryly point out that the locked door already says everything you need to know. That exchange sums up the mood of the book perfectly.
Mabel is a strong protagonist. She is observant, sarcastic, and emotionally guarded without feeling cold. She has very little patience for nonsense, especially where men are concerned, and her inner monologue is sharp in a way that made her instantly relatable. When Zoe insists that Ashton is definitely not a dangerous psychopath, Mabel’s immediate assumption that most men at student parties are at least potential psychopaths felt painfully real. She is not dazzled by charm or power, and she refuses to make herself smaller to fit into anyone else’s expectations.
Zoe, by contrast, was the most frustrating character for me. She is warm, enthusiastic, and genuinely lovable, but painfully naive. Watching her drift away from Mabel because of a boy, and ignore every warning given to her, was irritating even while it made sense within the story, particularly under Ashton’s influence. Davie was a solid counterbalance to that. A steady, loyal best friend who clearly wanted more with Mabel, but still showed up for her regardless.
Blake is where expectations need adjusting as, despite what the blurb suggests, he is very clearly not the leader of The League of Starlings; that role belongs to another. Once that confusion is cleared up, Blake becomes a much more interesting character. He is restrained, morally conflicted, and quietly intense. His early interactions with Mabel are laced with tension and rudeness, and she has absolutely no problem calling him out for it. Their banter, including her comparing herself to a pain aux raisins, adds levity while reinforcing how resistant they both are to their growing attraction.
Ashton was intriguing for most of the book. Charming, unsettling, and always slightly too smooth, he keeps you guessing about his true intentions. Victor, though, was the standout villain for me. He had zero morals and made no attempt to hide it, openly reducing people to objects or entertainment. From his first interaction with Mabel, there was a sense of threat that never really lifted, which made him an excellent antagonist.
The romance itself is understated but emotionally resonant. It is built on restraint, bad timing, and the awareness that being together might be the wrong choice. That tension is captured beautifully when Mabel reflects that some things can end before they have even had a chance to begin, and how much that kind of ending can hurt. Blake’s perspective later adds even more weight, particularly when he frames Mabel not as someone drawn to danger, but as the danger itself, the light he cannot stay away from even knowing it will burn him.
One of the strongest aspects of the book is its exploration of morality. The story consistently questions whether people are inherently good or bad, or if they are simply the sum of their decisions. Blake’s preference for black-and-white worlds clashes with Mabel’s insistence on the existence of grey areas, and that ideological difference mirrors the larger conflict of the story. Pain, loss, and sacrifice are treated as unavoidable parts of choosing to live fully rather than safely.
Not all of the plot twists were shocking. Some were fairly easy to predict, while others genuinely surprised me. The pacing dips slightly in the middle, and readers expecting a full-blown romantasy might feel misled as the "spicy" scenes are fade to black. But the emotional payoff is strong, particularly in the way the book frames choice. If everything ends in a fall, all you can really decide is whose hand you are holding as it happens.
Overall, this was a gripping, atmospheric dark academia mystery with a slow-burn, morally grey romance running through it. I enjoyed it a lot; I was fully invested, and I will absolutely be picking up the second book to find out what happens next.
Thank you so much to One More Chapter, HarperCollins UK, Merit Niemeitz and Caroline Waight, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
December 15, 2025
I’m really not a fan of the dark academia theme but, there was something about Starling Nights that intrigued me. Set in Cambridge University it appears to follow the friendship between Mabel and Zoe and the impact of a university society upon that friendship but it is actually much more than that, illustrating themes of the supernatural, friendship, love, slow burn romance, and the behaviours of students set free from the yoke and limitations of childhood, home and parents.
As I said I’m not primarily driven towards the dark academia theme but, I loved the slow burn romance between ‘Mabel’ and ‘Blake’/’Cliff’. From their initial meeting to the conclusion of the book, I was rooting for them. And, I have to be truthful and say that I really liked and empathised with Mabel as a character. Mabel is driven by her past, by her limitations, financial, emotional, and by her loss. Having lost my own Mam this year, I could totally empathise with many of the feelings and emotions expressed and I could in a strange way also take solace and comfort from this book.
Initially I didn’t realise Merit Niemeitz’s Starling Nights was translated by Caroline Waight, and I totally have to give credit to the translation bringing such an intriguing and interesting, and nuanced story to readers of the English language. The fact that I was unaware that the book was translated is truly a compliment to Ms Waight’s skills as a translator. I found the world building, mood and sense of grim dark pervasive throughout the story, utilising Cambridge as the gothic background and universe to further the premise and sense of contemporary fantasy.
If you’re looking for a moody, gothic mystery that will tingle your senses and draw you in to a world of dark academia, secret societies and a forbidden romance, then Starling Nights is the book for you.
Thank you so much One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK, and NetGalley for sharing this arc with me in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
As I said I’m not primarily driven towards the dark academia theme but, I loved the slow burn romance between ‘Mabel’ and ‘Blake’/’Cliff’. From their initial meeting to the conclusion of the book, I was rooting for them. And, I have to be truthful and say that I really liked and empathised with Mabel as a character. Mabel is driven by her past, by her limitations, financial, emotional, and by her loss. Having lost my own Mam this year, I could totally empathise with many of the feelings and emotions expressed and I could in a strange way also take solace and comfort from this book.
Initially I didn’t realise Merit Niemeitz’s Starling Nights was translated by Caroline Waight, and I totally have to give credit to the translation bringing such an intriguing and interesting, and nuanced story to readers of the English language. The fact that I was unaware that the book was translated is truly a compliment to Ms Waight’s skills as a translator. I found the world building, mood and sense of grim dark pervasive throughout the story, utilising Cambridge as the gothic background and universe to further the premise and sense of contemporary fantasy.
If you’re looking for a moody, gothic mystery that will tingle your senses and draw you in to a world of dark academia, secret societies and a forbidden romance, then Starling Nights is the book for you.
Thank you so much One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK, and NetGalley for sharing this arc with me in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
January 3, 2026
Rated 3.5/4/5
Netgalley Review
The writing was emotional and very thought provoking. It was something that I hadn't read about before which made it an interesting read.
The chapters were fairly long which meant that you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. I liked that each chapter was headed with the character whose point of view you were going to read about. I liked reading from both characters' points of view.
There was a good flow between the chapters, even when we suddenly went to another character's point of view.
There was an interesting pace to the story. In between trying to find out what was going on, we were immersed in the main character's thoughts and feelings. This did slow things down, but in a way that gave you pause for thought. There was a lot of tension throughout and you weren't sure what was going to happen next. I was certainly kept in suspense!
The characters were interesting. There was obviously many layers to each character and it was interesting to see which one they pursued and showcased in the story. We got to know the main character very well and were privy to her inner thoughts and feelings throughout.
There were some very dark characters involved which added suspense and tension to the story.
Lastly the settings. There were some lovely details describing the area which grounded the story well. Whilst a lot of the story was spent on what the main character thought, we still able to appreciate her surroundings.
Overall an interesting read.
Netgalley Review
The writing was emotional and very thought provoking. It was something that I hadn't read about before which made it an interesting read.
The chapters were fairly long which meant that you got a good chunk of the story before moving on. I liked that each chapter was headed with the character whose point of view you were going to read about. I liked reading from both characters' points of view.
There was a good flow between the chapters, even when we suddenly went to another character's point of view.
There was an interesting pace to the story. In between trying to find out what was going on, we were immersed in the main character's thoughts and feelings. This did slow things down, but in a way that gave you pause for thought. There was a lot of tension throughout and you weren't sure what was going to happen next. I was certainly kept in suspense!
The characters were interesting. There was obviously many layers to each character and it was interesting to see which one they pursued and showcased in the story. We got to know the main character very well and were privy to her inner thoughts and feelings throughout.
There were some very dark characters involved which added suspense and tension to the story.
Lastly the settings. There were some lovely details describing the area which grounded the story well. Whilst a lot of the story was spent on what the main character thought, we still able to appreciate her surroundings.
Overall an interesting read.
December 29, 2025
A dark and suspenseful story set at Cambridge University grounds. Dark academia is all the rage now and if you’re into it, you won’t wanna miss this book!
Starling Nights has incredibly gothic vibes. If you’ve ever studied in the UK, you’ll feel the damp foggy atmosphere right in your bones.
The translation from German is so masterful, that any hesitation I might have had about a British academic supernatural mystery being originally written in German were just blown away. There are German elements of course, like the slow-paced, gothic feel to it. And it’s fits the story so well.
After being accepted to Oxford on a bursary, Mabel gets drawn into a weird, upper-class group by proxy. Her friend Zoe starts dating a charismatic student named Ashton, and she is not herself after that. Right around the same time, Mabel runs into Ashton’s friend Blake, and as she starts piecing things together, she realizes that an old and secret society has returned to Cambridge.
Our main lady, Mabel is clever, fierce and has a very strong inner compass. Cliff, our other first person narrator is a mystery, in his narration and to Mabel. As Mabel is piecing things together, the plot is slow, but suspenseful. Very well written and, again, the translation is ace.
I understand there is a sequel and I just really, really want to read that too.
Thanks One More Chapter, NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read an ARC of Starling Nights. Opinions are obviously my own.
Starling Nights has incredibly gothic vibes. If you’ve ever studied in the UK, you’ll feel the damp foggy atmosphere right in your bones.
The translation from German is so masterful, that any hesitation I might have had about a British academic supernatural mystery being originally written in German were just blown away. There are German elements of course, like the slow-paced, gothic feel to it. And it’s fits the story so well.
After being accepted to Oxford on a bursary, Mabel gets drawn into a weird, upper-class group by proxy. Her friend Zoe starts dating a charismatic student named Ashton, and she is not herself after that. Right around the same time, Mabel runs into Ashton’s friend Blake, and as she starts piecing things together, she realizes that an old and secret society has returned to Cambridge.
Our main lady, Mabel is clever, fierce and has a very strong inner compass. Cliff, our other first person narrator is a mystery, in his narration and to Mabel. As Mabel is piecing things together, the plot is slow, but suspenseful. Very well written and, again, the translation is ace.
I understand there is a sequel and I just really, really want to read that too.
Thanks One More Chapter, NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read an ARC of Starling Nights. Opinions are obviously my own.
December 27, 2025
Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for sharing this ARC copy with me! Starling Nights was a solid book overall, and an astute translation by Caroline Waight!
I was immersed from the very beginning in this dark academia novel set in Cambridge! I loved discovering this timeless university through fiction, and the story kept me on my toes most of the time! I really liked the characters too, they were compelling and complicated in their own ways!
I wish some parts of the big secret were revealed earlier, at some point it did feel like the mystery surrounding it was overused to maintain suspense. I wish some revelations were shared with us earlier, so the reader doesn't lose interest midway. However the ending was great, eventful but not overly so!
I'm very pleased to learn that there is a sequel to this very enchanting novel!! I need to learn German asap or hope the English translation will come out soon!!
I was immersed from the very beginning in this dark academia novel set in Cambridge! I loved discovering this timeless university through fiction, and the story kept me on my toes most of the time! I really liked the characters too, they were compelling and complicated in their own ways!
I wish some parts of the big secret were revealed earlier, at some point it did feel like the mystery surrounding it was overused to maintain suspense. I wish some revelations were shared with us earlier, so the reader doesn't lose interest midway. However the ending was great, eventful but not overly so!
I'm very pleased to learn that there is a sequel to this very enchanting novel!! I need to learn German asap or hope the English translation will come out soon!!
December 19, 2025
Thank you Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book!
I wasn't sure what I was expecting going into this book. The pacing the beginning felt very slow and it took until I got 50% through to understand what what might have been going on and then 80% before you actually know what's going on. I had a hard time feeling gripped by the story and the beginning and felt like I had to really push through to start enjoying it.
I also felt the chapters were quite long. They could have been shortened and broken up a bit or aspects of the story could have been removed.
With all of that said, the romance between the male characters was enjoyable! I kept reading because I wanted to see how it developed. The FMC did get on my nerves a bit but the love and care she had for her friends really helps propel the story forward.
Overall I think it was an enjoyable read.
I wasn't sure what I was expecting going into this book. The pacing the beginning felt very slow and it took until I got 50% through to understand what what might have been going on and then 80% before you actually know what's going on. I had a hard time feeling gripped by the story and the beginning and felt like I had to really push through to start enjoying it.
I also felt the chapters were quite long. They could have been shortened and broken up a bit or aspects of the story could have been removed.
With all of that said, the romance between the male characters was enjoyable! I kept reading because I wanted to see how it developed. The FMC did get on my nerves a bit but the love and care she had for her friends really helps propel the story forward.
Overall I think it was an enjoyable read.
December 22, 2025
Thank you Harper Collins/One More Chapter for the e-arc.
If Nightshade by Autumn Woods had a younger cousin, this would be it.
University, dark academia, secret society, a creepy link to birds, death/murder - it’s so so much fun. It definitely reads a lot younger than the character are but I had lots of fun.
The pacing was quite slow but I didn’t feel it affected much. However the romance when it kicked in did feel quite rushed so I was left feeling conflicted.
I loved the mysterious elements and loved Mabel as a character, she was very headstrong.
However I hated that she made a point of only wearing red lipstick and no other makeup HAHAHA I would look like a clown.
The writing was beautiful and I could picture everything so clearly in my head, it really was stunning and immersive to read.
If Nightshade by Autumn Woods had a younger cousin, this would be it.
University, dark academia, secret society, a creepy link to birds, death/murder - it’s so so much fun. It definitely reads a lot younger than the character are but I had lots of fun.
The pacing was quite slow but I didn’t feel it affected much. However the romance when it kicked in did feel quite rushed so I was left feeling conflicted.
I loved the mysterious elements and loved Mabel as a character, she was very headstrong.
However I hated that she made a point of only wearing red lipstick and no other makeup HAHAHA I would look like a clown.
The writing was beautiful and I could picture everything so clearly in my head, it really was stunning and immersive to read.
November 15, 2025
If you wanted The Secret History to have a supernatural flair then this is the book for you. It's a classic dark academia with a paranormal romance twist that I thought I had figured out about halfway through, but was genuinely pleased to be wrong at the end. The romance burn is slow, the mystery is enticing, the spice is closed door, and the setting is atmospherically modern gothic. Perfect for new adult and above dark academia, or even dark romantasy fans.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for facilitating me with a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligation. I reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for facilitating me with a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligation. I reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.
November 4, 2025
This was a really good dark academia read! This book is told in 2 POVs (Mabel and Cliff), with most of the chapters being told in Mabel's POV. Mabel is a student trying to discover more about the mysterious League of Starlings on campus. She tries to dig up as much information as she can on this society, no matter the danger she might be in. Cliff is a member of the League of Starlings. One thing I loved was the mystery that surrounded the society, even through Cliff's chapters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
January 1, 2026
This book feels very Ya-ish to me. It certainly wasn’t what I was expecting and I found myself losing interest in it.
December 25, 2025
beautifully descriptive, emotionally flat. too much lead up and not enough follow through.
Read
December 28, 2025[Pre-read review. Update to come.]
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 16, 2025
I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The dark, secret society shrouded in mystery will always peak my interest. I also really enjoyed the prose. This book was well written. However, I felt like the story was unnecessarily drawn out. There were huge sections in which nothing really happened. The author kept skating around the secret and eventually I lost interest
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