Academy of Villains

Academy of Villains #1

by Ever King

A dark academia romantasy inspired by the Greek mythology love story of Nyx and Erebus.

Revised and Expanded Edition (June 2025): The NEW version has 44 chapters, an exclusive epilogue, and expanded world lore.

In a kingdom where magic is slowly disappearing, an evil king expands his territory to gain more power, destroying towns and villages along the way. He collects the orphaned children with no magic and trains them as assassins in his army to be used as weapons against his enemies. Meanwhile, those who possess magic are sent to a ruthless academy to train as mages, ruling with cruelty under the evil king's expanding reign.

Kiara, once an assassin for the king, infiltrates the magic academy to slay the Shadowmage prince and end the royal bloodline. But within the academy's walls, she discovers a startling truth—she has magic. She's a Starmage, the last of her kind.

The Cursed Prince will tempt her.

Secret societies will hunt her.

And the mysterious headmaster hides sinister truths of his own.

As students begin to vanish and Heartstrings are forged, Kiara's quest for vengeance turns into a battle for survival—and a choice between love and destiny as she finds herself torn between killing the prince or saving the world with him.

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Academy of Villains is an epic dark fantasy saga with interconnected romance stories that follow one continuous plot. Each book features a new couple inspired by a Greek mythology love story, but the series should be read in order to experience the full fantasy arc. This series is for fans of character-driven romantasy and dual POV storytelling.

*This novel contains mild violence and mature themes. Romantic content is closed-door. Suitable for readers 16+.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Academia, Romantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Mythology, Dark Fantasy

Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2024

About the author

Ever King is an author renowned for her enchanting stories that blend dark fantasy, magic, mythology, and romance into rich narratives. She is the architect of the Everkingdom, an interconnected fantasy universe where each series is a gateway to a new world. Her stories explore fated love, where magic thrives, romance blossoms, and villains often steal the heart of the heroine. Learn more at www.everkingdom.com

Reviews

[Ever King]

*** Note: Academy of Villains was rereleased in June 2025. This NEW version has 44 chapters + an epilogue.

Academy of Villains - A Dark Academia Romantasy!
Inspired by the Greek mythology love story of Nyx and Erebus. Kiara and Lucian's book. 💚
⮕ Available Now

Meet the characters, explore the Kingdom of Ithaka, and uncover the lore and mythology inspiration behind the story at Everkingdom.com.

Meet Kiara, the Starmage inspired by Nyx.

 

Meet Prince Lucian Darkwing, the Shadowmage inspired by Erebus.

 

She's at the academy to 💀 him.

 

Meet the Raven Society... Each will each have their own Greek mythology-inspired love story in this series 🏛️ 🐦‍⬛

 

📚🏛️✨ The Academy of Villains series is...

A dark academia romantasy where each book is inspired by a Greek mythology love story, and a team of magical girls rise like fallen stars.

Follow powerful mages as they navigate love, destiny, and magic in a world where villains aren't always what they seem.

The Vibes:
🐍 Slytherin-coded MMCs
🌙 Sailor Moon-coded FMCs
🥀 Fated Mates (Heartstring bond)
💔 Enemies-to-lovers
🏰 Magic Academy
🔒 Secret Societies
⚔️ Warrior Brotherhoods
📖 Grimoire Magic
🔍 Solving Mysteries & Unraveling Clues
🎭 Dual POV Storytelling
🏛️ Each couple gets a Greek mythology–inspired love story

This is the first book in a series with high stakes, action, romance, and magic. I hope you all enjoy reading it! 😊

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🥰📚Follow the @academyofvillainsseries on Instagram to connect with other readers who love the books and get exclusive character art, sneak peeks, and updates.
⮕ https://www.instagram.com/academyofvi...

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Academy of Villains Nyx & Erebus (Academy of Villains #1) by Ever King

In a kingdom where magic is slowly disappearing, an evil king expands his territory to gain more power, destroying towns and villages along the way. He collects the orphaned children with no magic and trains them as assassins in his army to be used as weapons against his enemies. Meanwhile, those who possess magic are sent to a ruthless academy to train as mages, ruling with cruelty under the evil king’s expanding reign.

Rating: ****
Feels: Temptation, Suspense, Curiosity, Anticipation
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Magic Academia, Magic
First published : October 14, 2024 : 448 pages Kindle

Loved the dark flavor and Greek myth vibes from this academia book where our girl Kiara spends a good portion of the book trying to kill the ever sexy Lucian only to slow burn her way right into his shadows !!! This book has soooo many of the things I love… Villains (can we say bad guys are just better ???) a tight knit group of guys looking out for each other in a secret society (love me found family) really cool magic system (different mage types ) and the mages battle each other in class !!! History and lore involving gods and you gotta spend time in the library reaching (yes break open those books !!!) The villain gets the girl is quickly moving up the list of my favorite tropes and this book does it soooooo well with all the shadow daddy glory you could want. loved this first part of the story and can’t wait to read the next story.


Favorite Quote: She’s been consuming my thoughts, like an itch I can’t scratch. Her presence stirs something in me, something dark and restless that lies beneath the surface. It’s like a beast just waiting to be let loose, and she’s the only one who seems capable of bringing it out. I need to see her again, to know her—or perhaps to unravel her entirely.

This book has:
Strong FMC
Morally Gray MMC
Enemies to Lovers
Touch her and die
Found Family
Hidden Identify
Secret societies
Politics
Villain gets the girl
Magic
Potions
Hints of Greek mythology

[kitkat (semi-hiatus ♡︎) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✧
3.5 rounded up


✧₊⁺ thank you to netgalley and the author for the arc

──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────

✧₊⁺ overview ⁺₊ ✧

──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────

guys i want book 2 right now. please. i beg. but anyway, this book was so so entertainggg- it also was enemies to lovers and im SUCH a sucker for enemies to lovers. it’s not even healthy at this point 😌😌

the actual romance itself once they got together was perfect because their chemistry was amazing. i was a bit confused in the beginning with their whole situationship, but that cleared itself up about halfway through the book.

the biggest issue i had with the plot was the predictability and some of the wording. personally, when i’m reading a romantasy book like this, i want the clues to be able to give me ideas. this book had parts where i felt like it was dropping hints that just made the plot too obvious. i did also have some issues with the wording in this book. it felt slightly repetitive and also unsophisticated.

──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────

✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ fated mates
🂡 greek mythology retelling
❥ enemies to lovers
🂡 curses
❥ FMC assassin
🂡 forbidden magic

──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────

♬⋆.˚ now playing - out of the woods ~ tswift

❝ we were built to fall apart ☆ then fall back together ❞

[💕📚Cassie📚💕 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️read!

Omg I want more! Like right now!! This story is amazing, the world building the characters the details the back story all of it. I’m officially obsessed with this I need the next book like right now.

Academy of Villains is exactly what it sounds like, you get mystery and a lot of questions In my opinion things pick up quickly. What had me sold on this was the description it’s definitely Slytherin-coded and I loved every moment of it!

It’s a dark fantasy romance that takes place in a school what more can you ask for? Oh and there’s the MMC whose name is Lucian who you’re gonna end up falling in love with! The MFC Kiara's is 🤌🏻 she’s a strong independent person, you’re gonna be rooting for her for this whole book

There’s secrets, a love story, and trials. I would recommend this to anyone who loves magic, fantasy, and romance that involves enemies to lovers and of course Slytherin or anything that feels like Harry Potter this is for you guys.

Thank you NetGalley and the author ever king for allowing me to be an arc reader for this I’m glad I got to experience this world and the characters I can’t wait for book two!!

[KindlewithRiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Netgalley and Ever King for an ARC of this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: LOVED the book and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: A fantastic read and would recommend it for most people.
⭐️⭐️⭐️: It was a decent book, but something about it didn't meet expectations.
⭐️⭐️: Didn't really enjoy it.
⭐️: Did not like it at all and probably wouldn't recommend.

In a kingdom where magic is fading, an evil king expands his control, destroying towns while using orphaned children as assassins in his army. Mages are sent to a brutal academy to train their powerful magic. Kiara, one of the king's assassins, uncovers she has magic and joins forces with some of these students to stop the king. Inside the academy, she discovers secrets about the prince, shadow organizations, and a dark headmaster. As students vanish and heartstrings return, Kiara’s fight for justice becomes a battle between love and survival.

Absolutely loved this book! It’s like Harry Potter vibes, fast-paced, full of action, and with a dash of dark academia! I loved the characters and the enemies to lovers storyline. The main FMC is a badass and the MMC is mysterious, conflicted, and full of those sweet moments. There are deadly trials, mysterious characters, and secrets waiting to be discovered. Can’t wait for the next book, Lessons in Loyalty, definitely pick this one up if you enjoy Greek mythology, dark academia, and forbidden love!

[chenaey ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

my rating: ★★★★

aesthetic: 💫🗡️🌲🧚🏼‍♂️💀📿🏛️🐦‍⬛🏰👑📔

A captivating entry in the dark academia fantasy romance genre, blending elements of Greek mythology with a magical academy setting. The story follows Kiara, a former assassin with a hidden magical gift, as she infiltrates a dangerous magic academy with the mission of assassinating Prince Lucian, a cursed royal whose life is entwined with the kingdom’s dark secrets.

The atmosphere of the academy is immersive, steeped in mystery, danger, and enchantment. The vivid world-building introduces a compelling magic system, and secret societies, all contributing to an engaging and suspenseful backdrop. Fans of series like Harry Potter or Throne of Glass will find familiar yet refreshing echoes in the setting and tone.

The romance between Kiara and Lucian is central to the narrative. Their relationship is fraught with tension, balancing between enemies-to-lovers tropes and genuine emotional depth. Kiara’s moral conflicts and Lucian’s enigmatic, protective nature add layers to their dynamic. However, their bond occasionally feels rushed, leaving some emotional beats less impactful than they could be.

While the novel succeeds in delivering gripping moments and a rich atmosphere, it sometimes stumbles with pacing, especially in its exposition-heavy sections. The secondary characters and their involvement in secret societies like the Raven Society show promise but could have been further explored for greater narrative depth.

Overall, Academy of Villains is a solid start to what promises to be a thrilling series. Its dark academia vibes and romantic intrigue are sure to resonate with fans of magical school settings and morally complex characters. This book offers an enjoyable read and sets up an exciting foundation for future instalments.

[Cristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me from the very first page. I devoured it in 2 days, I couldn't put it down.

It's a dark fantasy romance inspired by greek mythology filled with magic, curses and intrigue. I loved the magic system in this one. Similar to Zodiac Academy where they don't know their magic ability until it's revealed during some kind of ceremony.

Kiara our FMC is a magicless Nameless assassin hired to kill the cursed prince to end the royal bloodline and the curse plaguing their evil king and kingdom. While sneaking into the academy to fulfill her task, she discovers she's a mage. Not just any mage, a starmage, a powerful line long thought to be extinct which sends the academy into chaos. I love that it's dual POV, so you get the prince's perspective as well. Prince Lucian is a shadowmage who's dark magic is instantly drawn to Kiara, even though she's trying to kill him every chance she gets. I love their connection and growth throughout the book and cannot wait for the next one!

Read if you like:
🗡️ enemies to lovers
🗡️ villain gets the girl
🗡️ magic academia
🗡️ secret societies
🗡️ cursed kingdom
🗡️ I came to 💀 you but fell in love
🗡️ shadow daddy
🗡️ fade to black
🗡️ slow burn
🗡️ fated mates
🗡️ hidden powers

Thank you Netgalley and Ever King for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. The world-building was incredible and the magic system was so unique and fun to explore. I couldn’t get enough of the atmosphere because it has a gothic dark fantasy element but also the greek references were all there. I love the detailed writing of Ever King. Kiara's character growth was amazing. She starts off with a mission rooted in revenge but her journey becomes much more complex as the story unfolds. Prince Lucian also undergoes a lot of growth. I can’t wait to see what happens next for both of them. The Raven Society was such an interesting addition to the story. I am excited to learn more about the characters connected to it in future books.

This is a great start to a new series. The balance of romance, magic, and narrative is perfect. It makes me so curious about what happens next. I just could not put this book down and hope the next one is much longer. With the truth about the curse revealed,I need to know what they’re going to do about it.

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this. I can’t believe I waited so long to pick it up.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was what I needed! OMG 😩🔥 thank you Ever King for reaching out to me to read Academy of Villains! This book has been high on my never ending TBR list and glad I had the chance to read this!

This book was literally everything to me like this is so Harry Potter but darker with a mixed of Greek Mythology! Light against dark done in its own unique way! So unique and special and the magic system!? Are you kidding!? The battle scenes were my absolute favorite!

I haven’t read books that have grimoires in it and Ever King did amazing describing this in her story as it really was unique and brought out your imagination!

My soul was shattered and brought back to pieces throughout this entire book and I cannot wait to move onto book 2 cause I can already tell this is my next new Roman Empire 🤭

Also! Lucien and Kiara are my absolute favorite! The way this man describes Kiara in his chapters was so heartwarming and I felt the yearning in here! He is so head over heels and in love with this woman!

I can’t wait to move onto book 2!

[Kayla_Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Ever King, and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kiara, an assassin for an evil king, sneaks into an academy for the magical in order to kill the prince and end the royal bloodline. But it doesn’t go as planned and she ends up in the middle of a magical ceremony. The new students are finding out what kind of magic they can weld. She’s got the kind of magic that was supposed to have been wiped out by the prince’s family. What was supposed to have been an easy in and out mission turns into a battle of survival and heart strings.

It was an entertaining read for sure. My only complaint is the pacing was sometimes off and some of the writing.

[Heathers_readss · Rating 2 out of 5]

This reads like a book written by a teenager, for teenagers. The constant inner dialogue from the two main characters is unbearable and the MMCs use of poetic declarations just feels icky and copy and pasted from other fantasy romance genres without any actual context, relationship development or reason for feeling that way.

To start with the book feels like you’re dropped into book 2 and have no idea what’s going on. There is no world building, no explanation as to why events are happening. The two MCs have to go to a temple to complete trials, why do they have to? What are the trials? Why are the trials so easy and one page long? We finally get some vague context as to what the curse is at the literal end of the book but it still doesn’t explain in full why the curse happens to begin with. I spent the entire book trying to guess why tf everything was happening.

We’re expected to ship the love interest based on the fact that they share a heart string and therefore should be in love. There is zero relationship development, the characters spend zero time together before the “trials” and the MMC is at this point supposed to be smitten and the FMC supposed to be easily swayed. There is zero chemistry between them. The characters themself are extremely shallow with no background or character development except for “he falls first” and “she is closed off but now opens up to him” smh I can’t with this nonsense.

The annoying part is this book actually had potential. The concept of heartstrings, and the grimoires and the magical ability classes could have actually been good if well developed. The class was giving defence against dark arts vibes but just as it was getting interesting there was no more classes.

I honestly can’t believe I finished the entire book, I wanted to get my moneys worth, but dear god that dialogue was horrendous.

[Kourtney Delair · Rating 4 out of 5]

•• “𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘸𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦”

This book is an ode to the fated mates trope. It may as well define it for all of romantasy, and it reminded me why I love this trope so much. It’s the idea that your perfect match is out there, completing you in every way - and honestly what could be more romantic than that?

•• “𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 - 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳”

Now don’t worry, despite the immediate pull Kiara and Lucien have things never feel like insta-lust. There’s a nice build up and lots of internal conflict on both their ends that really made their relationship arc beautiful. They may fight that fate for different reasons, but once Lucien falls he never looks back and I absolutely ate up his protective and slightly possessive ways. He loves Kiara in such a pure way and it really was a breath of fresh air.

•• “𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘒𝘪𝘢𝘳𝘢,” 𝘐 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳. “𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯”

I really enjoyed the academy setting and the air of mystery around it, but do wish we got more of the magic system. I was questioning how some things worked, but this is set to be a longer series so hopefully we learn more along the way. Each book continues the main plot but features a different couple and I’m excited to get to know more of these characters as well.

As a group, they are left in a bit of a mess at the end but the happy ending with our main couple will have you feeling warm and fuzzy despite the looming darkness ahead.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:
•𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗺𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴
•𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗺𝗰
•𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗺𝗰
•𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝘆
•𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
•𝗙𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲

[Beth Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In that moment, it hits me - he was the darkness I craved, and I was the light he couldn’t escape.”

✅ Enemies to lovers
✅ Rich world building
✅ Unique magic system
✅ Likeable badass FMC
✅ Obsessed shadow daddy MMC

This was a magical and fun journey and I found the plot gripping and the writing immersive. The vibes are definitely giving Harry Potter mixed with Zodiac Academy and I loved the unique magic system and well established characters and relationships. The romantic part of the story felt natural and well developed and I loved the enemies to lovers trope. This was very much a fade to black romance but that’s what I expected going in, and it was very tastefully done.

I did find that there were certain parts of the story that felt slightly rushed and could have been further developed, but this didn’t happen often and overall I found the story flowed well and I certainly can’t wait for the next instalment!

Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for the ARC!

*UPDATE* I was lucky enough to be given a revised BETA copy of this book by the author and I can confirm that the changes have made this book even better! The story feels better paced with much more detail and development where it felt slightly rushed before. I’m so engrossed in the world building and cannot wait for book 2 even more now.

Thank you to Ever King for the revised copy. This series is truly going to take off I’m sure of it!

[nika.ex.libris · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, thanks for the ARC!

The cover caught my eye, and then the annotation intrigued me too. It's a cool concept, so keep developing it!

She’s supposed to kill the prince but accidentally ends up in an academy where she discovers she’s a mage. Then she decides to go undercover, but things don't go as planned.

I liked the atmosphere, even though everything seemed to move pretty fast, especially the quick spark between them, despite the slow burn (I love slow-burn relationships, with lots of hate stages). I didn’t really feel the "enemies to lovers" vibe since he felt drawn to her right away, but I was still reading with this face: 😏🤭

I enjoyed the mythology in the story, so that’s a plus.

I also liked that magic comes from grimoires, there are secret societies, and a few hot guys, plus the love ties are a bit unusual.

Unfortunately, by the end, I wasn't really dying to find out what happens next.

I expected to see more of the academy stuff, classes, and teamwork to witness the creation of a family that's not blood-related. There’s a bit of dark academia, but it didn’t give off Harry Potter vibes. Sure, there’s sorting and school stuff, but also it lacked a villainous atmosphere.

- Easy to read
- Academia
- Love connections
- From "gotta kill you" to "you’re mine, I’m yours"
- Trials
- Shadow daddy
🏫🗡❤️‍🔥✨️🌑

3.5/5⭐️
1/5🌶

[mel. · Rating 5 out of 5]

the title alone piqued my interest. anyone who knows me knows how much i love villain-gets-the-girl and enemies-to-lovers tropes. add in a dash of fantasy mystery, greek mythology, and a fearless FMC, and this book was right up my alley. Ever King's take on fated mates with the concept of heartstrings was a refreshing take on a well-loved trope. i wish the book was a bit longer to allow for more world-building, more hate-filled banter between kiara and lucian, and more development of side characters (octavia deserves her own book!) however, the ending was satisfying and left me wanting more. ¡ truly hope this isn't the end for these characters! i can't wait to learn more about them (especially kaspian 🔥👀)

[Caty Aldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5⭐️ UGHHH LUCIEN IS JUST TOO GOOD OF A MAN TO BE TRUE 🥺

[Beatrice Moulin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Academy of Villains" by Ever King offers an intriguing concept inspired by Greek mythology, particularly the love story of Nyx and Erebus. The blend of mythology and a modern academy setting is creative, and the lush, green cover sets the tone well for the story's dark yet enchanting vibe.

The characters are compelling, especially the dynamic between the FMC and MMC. The plot has some great twists, but certain elements are quite predictable. But if you're into dark academia and all the tropes that come with it, this is definitely for you - enemies to lovers, forced proximity/ one bed, shadow daddy. Very reminiscent of Fourth Wing but without the dragons 😂

Overall, it was an entertaining read with an engaging premise, though it felt a little too YA for my tastes. A solid 3.5 stars for creativity, atmosphere, and the mythology-inspired themes. It’s worth picking up if you enjoy a mix of romance, myth, and a hint of darkness.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ OMG this book is EVERYTHING!

Like, where do I even start? This book is literally perfect if you're into Greek mythology and dark fantasy. The love story angle? I'm obsessed 😍. Academy of Villains has ALL the popular tropes that make fantasy so fun to read!! Shadow daddy cursed prince, trials, assassins, curses, you name it. Seriously, it’s perfect for anyone who’s new to fantasy or just wanting to try something new in romantasy that has a dark Hogwarts feel.

Can't wait to see what happens next!

✨ Shadow daddy

✨ Trials
✨ Assassin

✨ Magic Academy
✨ Secret Society


✨ Cursed Kingdom

✨ Greek mythology

Update: August 2025
Rereading this because of all the changes the author made. It's still perfect, somehow even better than before!

[Kalissa Squires · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️
First of all thank you NetGalley and Ever King for the arc.

I read this in two days. The secret magic academy hooked me right away, and the plot never slowed down. There’s hidden magic, ancient prophecies, deadly trials, and a ton of secrets that kept me flipping pages like crazy. The world is dark, magical, and full of twists, and the Slytherin vibes at the academy were sooooooo good. The green details in the setting made everything feel vivid and eerie in the best way.

The tropes? Chef’s kiss. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, found family, secret societies, morally gray love interest, and a slow burn romance that’s actually worth the wait. There’s also a strong FMC who doesn’t take crap from anyone, and a charming obsessed MMC who turns out to have real depth. The spice is behind closed doors, but the tension? Off the charts.

Kiara and Lucian totally won me over. I already need book two because I NEED to know what happens next.

If you like Greek mythology, romance and magical stories you should read this.

[Kailey Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Academy of Villains by Ever King is a captivating magical fantasy set in a unique world that blends Harry Potter vibes with Greek mythology and an inventive magic system. The story follows Kiara, an assassin who is on a mission to infiltrate the magic academy and slay the prince. However, when she’s caught, she discovers she has magic of her own and ends up attending the academy instead.

Half of the story takes place within the academy, while the other half follows Kiara and Lucian on a quest full of trials. The book will appeal to fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, thanks to its magical setting and mythology-inspired elements.

I was hooked from the very first page, and I can’t wait for more time with the Raven Society members. The story kept me on the edge of my seat, and I’m excited for the next installment.

A huge thanks to NetGalley for providing the ARC!

[ash | · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review first posted at FFA: https://fanfiaddict.com/review-academ...

Academy of Villains is the kind of story that pulls you in with its dark academia setting, a unique magic system, and a romance inspired by Greek mythology (Nyx and Erebus). From the moment I heard about it, I was intrigued, and I’m thrilled to share my thoughts. The writing itself was engaging, and the author created a really interesting world with floating mage lights, ancient libraries, and a magic system centered around grimoires. The magic felt refreshingly original and contributed to the immersive atmosphere. The idea of the academy being somewhat sentient was an additional feature that I loved as it contributed to developing the atmosphere.

Beyond the magic, the romance also stood out. It was built around the concept of heartstrings (fated magical bonds between two people) and handled with care and nuance. The found family dynamic within the secret society really shined. Each member of that group felt distinct and not just a cardboard cutout best friend. Kaspian? Obsessed. Atticus was a close second. I also loved Tobias and the representation that he communicates with hand signals.

In all, I really enjoyed the author's writing style. King excelled at writing tension between the two main characters, and the banter between the main characters and their friends was spectacular. I'm always excited for the rediscovery of magic that was once thought to be forgotten so I devoured these parts to the story. I thought the story was paced very well throughout and there was a good balance of action with introspective moments mixed in-between. Themes of destiny, self-discovery, fate, and sacrifice were central to the narrative and executed with a deft hand.

The synopsis seemed to promise a little more than the book delivered on. One missing student mentioned on page and a couple of vaguely ominous conversations felt insufficient. There's also a lack of real conflict or villainous acts within the academy setting itself besides that one student who has it out for Kiara. The sudden introduction of the trials felt abrupt, pulling focus away from the academy and its mysteries. While they propelled the story forward, they might have been better suited for a sequel, allowing this book to set more of a foundation into the academy’s secrets and dynamics.

There were some aspects that I needed to see expanded on such as the mystery surrounding the keys, the other societies searching for the keys, and other heartstring bonds being formed. Details like the missing scone, the trail of crumbs, and the eerie underground encounter hinted at deeper mysteries. While these threads didn’t fully unravel by the end, they added enough mystery that kept me eager to discover more in future books.

Despite these issues, the intriguing world and compelling characters left me curious for what’s to come. Academy of Villains suggests even greater things in future installments with its blend of magic, mythology, and romance. The author kindly provided me with a review copy of this book, and all thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely my own. A huge thank you to the author for reaching out and sharing this story with me.

[✨ivy✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for sending me an ARC copy of her debut book!

I really enjoyed reading “Academy of Villains” - the plot moves quickly which made the book easy to get into and read without a constant need of a break. Quite frankly, it grabbed me from the first sentence - Kiara’s character, although a bit awkward at times, is both badass and realistic, which made her super relatable.

“I’m not sure I’m ready for this, but I don’t have a choice.”

On top of that, having a dual POV and getting to follow both Kiara and Lucian around made the reading experience so much better as we got to explore more of the world they live in. The book has a very interesting blend of tropes - from a Harry Potter-esque magical academy, to secret societies and fated soulmates - which kept me hooked. Action and adventure to the side, I found the love story aspect of the book to be very sweet, but not in a cheesy way, which is a big plus.

“Love is the frequency of magic. And if broken love caused this curse, maybe love can break it too.”

My rating for the book is 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 for 2 reasons. The first reason is the characters’ inner monologues, which were a bit too over the top for me at times. And the second reason is one that is both a pro and a con - the fast-paced plot. While I do like books where everything is straight to the point, I did find the plot a little bit too fast-paced at times. I think this contributed to an occasional lack of complexity, especially when it came to the world-building and the development of relationships between the characters. This, however, won’t stop me from looking forward to the sequel.

“When the world is at it’s darkest, follow the stars”

All in all, I do think that “Academy of Villains” has a great potential to become viral on BookTok and to be loved by many. I’m certainly looking forward to the second book of the series and can’t wait to return to Lucian and Kiara’s world 🫶🏻

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book reminded me of elements from Harry Potter and Powerless, yet it has its own unique qualities and a complex world that truly sets it apart. The story kept me hooked, and I was always eager to find out what would happen next. The pacing is quick, with little room for slow or boring chapters, which makes it easy to stay engaged.

This is a great choice for readers who enjoy “enemies to lovers,” a light romantasy, and a fated romance dynamic.

While I did feel that a few more chapters dedicated to world-building and character backstory would have enhanced the experience, I still really enjoyed the journey and look forward to continuing with the second book once it’s released.

[Ashlyn Tickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The school is like Hogwarts and the magic system (and vibes) is similar to Zodiac Academy but then add a Greek mythology retelling. I definitely enjoyed this book but found myself wishing it was longer or split into two books so there could’ve been more detail about the school and trials. Though, this probably stems from my lack of knowledge surrounding Greek mythology. I will say the tidbit at the end with all the “Did you know” facts was extremely enlightening! Overall, I throughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next one.

[Sarah Giberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️4.5 rounded up! MINOR spoilers.

I’m actually so surprised by the number of ARC reviewers who didn’t care for this book, but to each his own! I also received this as an ARC and am leaving my honest review.

📚 dark academia
📚 assassin FMC
📚 shadow daddy
📚 royal curse
📚 trials
📚 enemies x lovers lite
🌶️ 1/5 (but the tension and yearning 🤩)

Dark academia totally speaks to me, so I was super excited to jump into this book. Now, did I think it was absolute perfection? No. But was it an amazing vibes read for me? Absolutely! I didn’t want to put it down. While some reviewers were critical of Kiara’s (FMC) mostly unexplained transition from assassin to student, I feel a little bit like let fantasy be fantasy on that one. She ends up being the most powerful type of mage, thought to be extinct, with wild untamed abilities. Can we just imagine that perhaps a magical academy was more focused on this monumental discovery than her admissions paperwork? Let’s send a curse breaker home?

I wish Kiara was proven to be a better assassin though. Being bested by Lucian (MMC) is one thing, but her skills did seem subpar at times.

Many of the characters and plot points in this book reminded me of characters and story moments from some favorite reads of mine, in a positive way. Why do people get mad when there’s similarities? If you have a favorite ice cream, do you refuse to eat it from more than one shop? Why not indulge again? Someone may just have a different approach to your favorite flavor. An ophaned assassin, a cursed king, a prince with shadow magic, fates intertwined - 💜

I just loved Kiara and Lucian’s relationship and I deeply wanted this to not be a YA book. Their energy had me thinking spice would be on the next page! But spice aside, I also found elements of their relationship quite sweet. I appreciated the trust they built over the end of the book and the growing strength of their Heartstring. I will never not love the idea that light will always rise above dark and that love is the most powerful magic of all.

I want more on their story. I want more on the Ravens. I want to find Octavia’s heartstring. I hope I will find it in the rest of the series! Thank you to the author for giving me an opportunity to read.

[Keshalya Jayapalraj · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, thank you so much for the ARC! This is my first ARC review, and the author did not disappoint me at all. If you love Harry Potter, then you’ll absolutely love Ever King’s Academy of Villains—but be warned, this is a darker and more intense version of HP.

This book belongs to the dark academia fantasy romance genre and is inspired by Greek mythology. The story revolves around the MFC, who is an assassin on a mission to break a curse that plagues her world, saving her people in the process. To fulfill her goal, she enters the Academy of Magic with one target: to kill the prince, who she believes is the son of the cursed king.

Her encounter with the prince marks the start of an enemies-to-lovers trope that I absolutely adored. Their chemistry is amazing—sometimes it’s a slow burn, and other times it’s intense and fiery. As the story progresses, shocking truths about the MFC are revealed, and the adventure takes off with trials, challenges, and obstacles that keep you hooked.

I have to highlight how much effort the author has put into building this magical world. The rationality behind the lore is impressive, and the world is filled with fascinating elements like grimoires, prophecies, incantations, duels, dark beasts, monsters, secret societies, trials, and even heartstrings (love ties). And, of course, we can’t forget the handsome prince and his smug, equally handsome friends. These elements kept me engaged from start to finish, always guessing what would come next.

While I felt the ending was a bit rushed, Academy of Villains is still a fantastic read and highly recommended for dark academia lovers. I can’t wait to dive into the next book of the series to see what happens with Kiyara and Lucian!

[Andra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love loved this book. I didn’t want it to end, which is also why I postponed its reading and read it so so slowly. The way the characters have been built, the Greek mythology inspiration, the trials and tribulations they go through are very well written, and I really enjoyed the fact that the plot was both slow and also fast and tense. I do think there are a few pieces of the story still left in the open, and I hope that book 2 brings more light to all of them, and in saying this I cannot wait for book 2.

The opinions in this review are mine alone, as I was lucky enough to be given an ARC of it through Netgalley.

Great book overall, really enjoyed reading it, very sad it’s over now.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. An assassin without a name. Only there to kill the prince, or so she thought.

The weaving of Greek Mythology, meets Harry Potter academia, soul bonds, grimoires instead of wands, a curse on the kingdom.

loved it!!

[kella {new bio!} · Rating 2 out of 5]

˖ ⁺ ౿ ⚔️ ┆2 stars
⤿ arc review

first of all, thank you netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

okay so this wasn’t my favourite… there were some parts that were working, however there were some that were not. the plot was all over the place imo, and at times i was so lost as to what was even happening. there were plot holes and things that weren’t really explained—or not until the very end. like what did the trials that were suddenly sprung upon them have to do with the curse? the curse wasn’t even explained until the last 10% of the book. other things like that.

basically there’s a girl who is an assassin hired to kill this prince. so she somehow sneaks into a magic academy, but discovers she has powers instead that she never knew about. i was intrigued by this, and there were some other interesting concepts, such as heartstrings, the nameless guild of assassins, merging their powers, etc. however i just felt like it wasn’t executed the best.

the characters and world felt underdeveloped, i just couldn’t connect to them. it’s like it was trying to mimic harry potter but make it dark, which sort of worked? i also wasn’t the biggest fan of the dialogue. one of the characters literally said, “let’s show him what we’re made of!” i’m sry no💀

maybe i should have dnf’d earlier but i will admit it was slightly entertaining at times, and i somehow managed to finish this. overall, i think there was definitely lots of potential, but the execution wasn’t the best in my opinion!

that’s all, thank you for listening to my rant 🙏

[Kendra Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This felt like a college-aged Harry Potter meets Percy Jackson if each book was a love story with major Slytherin energy. Dark academia, magic, romance, and mythology all collide in the best possible way. If that’s your vibe, you’ll want to start this series immediately.