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Sinister
In Radcliffe, perfection is a mask. And Sinclair Arnoult wears his far too well.
Sin is Radcliffe’s golden boy. Star athlete, top student, and heir to a family name that carries weight in every corner of town. With his easy smiles and effortless charm, he’s untouchable.
Perfect.
Petra Valentine has always been an outsider. Trapped in a world of wealth and privilege that barely tolerates her, she’s spent her life fading into the background—until one reckless night at a party changes everything.
A fleeting, drunken mistake ties her to him.
When a series of ritualistic murders forces them together to unravel Radcliffe's twisted past, Petra discovers that Sin is connected to something far darker than a privileged legacy.
The man everyone worships is hiding dangerous truths—about his past, about the town, and about her.
He swears he’ll protect her. He swears he’d never hurt her.
But in Radcliffe, devotion and destruction look a lot like the same thing.
Sin is Radcliffe’s golden boy. Star athlete, top student, and heir to a family name that carries weight in every corner of town. With his easy smiles and effortless charm, he’s untouchable.
Perfect.
Petra Valentine has always been an outsider. Trapped in a world of wealth and privilege that barely tolerates her, she’s spent her life fading into the background—until one reckless night at a party changes everything.
A fleeting, drunken mistake ties her to him.
When a series of ritualistic murders forces them together to unravel Radcliffe's twisted past, Petra discovers that Sin is connected to something far darker than a privileged legacy.
The man everyone worships is hiding dangerous truths—about his past, about the town, and about her.
He swears he’ll protect her. He swears he’d never hurt her.
But in Radcliffe, devotion and destruction look a lot like the same thing.
609 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 18, 2026
About the author
Veronica Lancet
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https://geni.us/veronicalancet
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https://www.veronicalancet.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 452 reviews
April 27, 2026
I would like to chop this charming, weird, sensual, mysterious little book up in a million pieces, shove it up my butt & gallop around my house like a pony. I do not know how else to convey the levels of hooting and hollering I was doing reading this. The minute this touched my hands I was a woman possessed and nothing else mattered to me but this book.
Listen…nobody does twisted, demonic, gothic, horror, romance mind f*cks like Veronica Lancet. PLEASE check the trigger warnings page before going into it because it’s about to get very demonic and very freaky very quickly.
If your man doesn’t cut off a big chunk of his skin, write “forgive me” on it, and deliver it to your windowsill then he is simply just not dedicated enough for you. I’m sorry.
This book is going to challenge the limits of what it truly means to match someone’s freak (complimentary, of course).
How to explain what you’re in for without spoiling? Well it’s dual timeline. The first timeline is current day and a 18 year old introverted outcast, Petra, is trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her town with the help of the most popular boy at school, Sin. She starts having weird dreams of the second timeline which is in the 1800s where a woman, Petra, is in a very oppressive religious cult and meets the professor of demonology at the local college, Sin who decides to challenge what she knows.
One thing about Veronica Lancet is she’s gonna hit you with a romance plotline D at the 90% mark and have you sobbing on the floor of your bathroom.
Do I think the feedback is going to be polarizing like her other books? For sure. But it was exaclty what I wanted. If you liked Fairydale you will EAT THIS ALIVE. I could quite literally not put this down.
Thanks to Atria, NetGalley and my queen Veronica Lancet for this eARC.
Listen…nobody does twisted, demonic, gothic, horror, romance mind f*cks like Veronica Lancet. PLEASE check the trigger warnings page before going into it because it’s about to get very demonic and very freaky very quickly.
If your man doesn’t cut off a big chunk of his skin, write “forgive me” on it, and deliver it to your windowsill then he is simply just not dedicated enough for you. I’m sorry.
This book is going to challenge the limits of what it truly means to match someone’s freak (complimentary, of course).
How to explain what you’re in for without spoiling? Well it’s dual timeline. The first timeline is current day and a 18 year old introverted outcast, Petra, is trying to uncover the mystery surrounding her town with the help of the most popular boy at school, Sin. She starts having weird dreams of the second timeline which is in the 1800s where a woman, Petra, is in a very oppressive religious cult and meets the professor of demonology at the local college, Sin who decides to challenge what she knows.
One thing about Veronica Lancet is she’s gonna hit you with a romance plotline D at the 90% mark and have you sobbing on the floor of your bathroom.
Do I think the feedback is going to be polarizing like her other books? For sure. But it was exaclty what I wanted. If you liked Fairydale you will EAT THIS ALIVE. I could quite literally not put this down.
Thanks to Atria, NetGalley and my queen Veronica Lancet for this eARC.
Did Not Finish
August 22, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
DNF
Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me and I had to DNF it. I’m genuinely so sad about this because even before this got a trad publishing deal, I was really looking forward to reading it. I absolutely LOVEDDD Fairydale by this author and since this is in the same series, I thought it would definitely be a win for me. The premise of this book is very much up my alley, so I was really excited when I got the arc for this.
The first few chapters were honestly jarring lol. Mostly because it was not what I was expecting in terms of the vibe and writing. I strugggggled through the first 5-10%. I started this right before I had went to bed and I genuinely had no desire to ever pick it back up again.
The dialogue is what I struggled with the most. It was sooooooo juvenile and corny. I actually was really confused why she wrote it this way? These characters were supposed to be like 18 years old, but the way they spoke made it feel like they were 12-13 years old. All of the interactions felt so unnatural. I just could not stop cringing and it was taking me out of the story because I couldn’t imagine any of them actually speaking to each other like this. I wasn’t a fan of the FMCs internal monologue either and that made being in her head kind of obnoxious. I could not connect to her at all.
This just didn’t feel like the Veronica Lancet writing that I loved in Fairydale :( I wish she would really lean into writing books that are more historical overall because the past timeline was way better written and I think that’s where she really shined with Fairydale.
There’s also non-con in the first 5 chapters and it literally came out of nowhere LMAO. I don’t even have a problem with non-con, it was more the fact that it literally made no sense when it happened. They were literally just having a normal conversation and the next second they were hooking up and she was saying no and then she blacks out 😂 I was just like.. ok then..?🤣
Despite all of this, I’m not completely opposed to attempting to continue this again in the future if I have a friend who ends up really loving it, but I can’t push myself to read 700 pages of this when I’ve kind of hated everything I’ve read thus far 🥴
Tbh, I feel bad that this is probably so many people’s first Veronica Lancet book and they will likely not read Fairydale because of this. Such a shame
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.
DNF
Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me and I had to DNF it. I’m genuinely so sad about this because even before this got a trad publishing deal, I was really looking forward to reading it. I absolutely LOVEDDD Fairydale by this author and since this is in the same series, I thought it would definitely be a win for me. The premise of this book is very much up my alley, so I was really excited when I got the arc for this.
The first few chapters were honestly jarring lol. Mostly because it was not what I was expecting in terms of the vibe and writing. I strugggggled through the first 5-10%. I started this right before I had went to bed and I genuinely had no desire to ever pick it back up again.
The dialogue is what I struggled with the most. It was sooooooo juvenile and corny. I actually was really confused why she wrote it this way? These characters were supposed to be like 18 years old, but the way they spoke made it feel like they were 12-13 years old. All of the interactions felt so unnatural. I just could not stop cringing and it was taking me out of the story because I couldn’t imagine any of them actually speaking to each other like this. I wasn’t a fan of the FMCs internal monologue either and that made being in her head kind of obnoxious. I could not connect to her at all.
This just didn’t feel like the Veronica Lancet writing that I loved in Fairydale :( I wish she would really lean into writing books that are more historical overall because the past timeline was way better written and I think that’s where she really shined with Fairydale.
There’s also non-con in the first 5 chapters and it literally came out of nowhere LMAO. I don’t even have a problem with non-con, it was more the fact that it literally made no sense when it happened. They were literally just having a normal conversation and the next second they were hooking up and she was saying no and then she blacks out 😂 I was just like.. ok then..?🤣
Despite all of this, I’m not completely opposed to attempting to continue this again in the future if I have a friend who ends up really loving it, but I can’t push myself to read 700 pages of this when I’ve kind of hated everything I’ve read thus far 🥴
Tbh, I feel bad that this is probably so many people’s first Veronica Lancet book and they will likely not read Fairydale because of this. Such a shame
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.
Want to Read
March 24, 2025Coming Fall 2025!
And we have a blurb!!!!
Preorder here: https://geni.us/sinistre
And we have a blurb!!!!
Preorder here: https://geni.us/sinistre
Want to Read
May 27, 2026A man with dangerous truths, a woman who is an outsider but trying to fit in, perfection becomes a mask in Radcliffe where devotion and destruction look a lot like the same thing.
Lancet wrote Fairydale, a very much loved Gothic tale of forbidden love and supernatural intrigue. So she's back with another gothic romance x dark academia.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Veronica Lancet for an early ARC!
Publication date: August 18, 2026
Lancet wrote Fairydale, a very much loved Gothic tale of forbidden love and supernatural intrigue. So she's back with another gothic romance x dark academia.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author, Veronica Lancet for an early ARC!
Publication date: August 18, 2026
July 18, 2025
This book is a whole new kind of mindf*ck.
Just finished beta reading this and cannot wait for everyone to read it 🤯
Just finished beta reading this and cannot wait for everyone to read it 🤯
August 30, 2026
Not sure about the rating …3/5?
(Powering through to the finish line!)
Format: Audiobook (Mixed duet style narration: 5/5 🎧
No cheating, No sharing, Dual virgins,
No intimate scenes with OP
Sinister is an interconnected standalone in gothic -romantic suspense genre.
It features dual time frames spanning from a dark, cult-ridden 1800s landscape to a mysterious present-day investigation.
The plot follows a brooding, deeply obsessed hero bound by an ancient supernatural entity and a heroine trapped in a web of amnesia and past-life secrets. Connected by a ritualistic blood bond across timelines, they must navigate a dangerous game of memory, forbidden attraction and small-town secrets before the past entirely consumes them…
With this kind of setup - who would think anything could go wrong!? I certainly didn't expect it… It literally had all the ingredients to work perfectly for me, alas it didn’t (here is my reading/listening journey):
(Impressions and mood for the first 50% of the book]
Since I am on a short retreat in a bit of a secluded mountain cottage - and it started raining (and my project is mostly done), I decided to give myself a break and start this one on audio!
The mood is set, now hoping that the story will deliver!🤞
I managed to listen to 3 hours on audio and I am satisfied (so far)! It has a nice flow, but the ambiance that surrounds me—rain and gloomy weather—is helping the enjoyment even more!
I'm back to this audio and I want to let all of my mutuals know that if you enjoy a good "dual virgins" trope, this is the book for you!
(Not me happily and cluelessly recommending the book left and right to friends:
"I haven't finished the book yet since I'm also multitasking with work, but I believe it is a standalone! I do have a recommendation though -if you're a mood reader and ambiance is important for you, this book feels way more intense on a gloomy, rainy day. It's totally giving me autumnal vibes, so if you can wait for a rainy or cozy fall-like day to read or listen, it accentuates the whole gothic experience! In my subjective opinion!)🫣😬
(Impressions for the second half of the story)
Ok... I am at a certain point, in the second half of the story and I have encountered some unnecessary "padding" in the plot... it feels like fumbling through, for the sake of prolonging things before the final payoff, but it all feels unplanned... and it was going so well 🤔. I'm considering just skipping some bits.
(I didn’t skip but I should have!)
I'm so sad... it was going so well. Nobody is more disappointed than me!☹️
If an author has a good plan, they don't need to stretch out the runtime by forcing a couple to act the same way after 50 percent of the plot, repeating the same "Are you afraid of me?" or answering questions with more questions in two-thirds of the way through the book! - (even with amnesia, reincarnation and dual timelines it is too much of the same thing!)
By this point in chapters 61–65, (out of 91 on audio) the relationship and the basic rules should be firmly established so the real action can take over.
Instead, it feels like they are stuck in the mud... 😣(groundhog day?)
We were introduced to "the bond" in the early stages and yet we are only now delving into it? And the language in the 1800s feels way too modern for the spicy scenes... I need to give it a break! Otherwise, I will be so disappointed! (No breaks were taken!😬)
Nooo... oh my, I can't... The things that happen in the past timeline are so fumbled...
Just to point out a few: they use the "superpowers" terminology in a historical setting - yikes (witchcraft or demonic possession, magic… ?).
He literally developed convenient "shadows and transportation powers” and they are discussed as such in the 1800s timeline! 😵💫
Worry not, what comes next felt even more daunting - the author wrote a particular kink typical for contemporary dark romance with the verbiage of contemporary times and it fits like a massive boulder on a polished marble floor!.
We get a sex scene (1800s setting) of their first time —literally the first for both of them! That also includes a bonding ritual and what do you know, a plethora of kinks and tropes get shoved together in this scene from 1800s: CNC, Primal and to top it off (remember this is a first sexual experience for both) anal sex with blood as lube! 🤐😵💫
Slap me now so I can wake up from this fever dream!
Dropping modern, comic-book terminology into a period setting, along with modern kinks and sex tropes, completely shatters the historical immersion and makes it feel like an unedited contemporary fanfiction where the characters are just playing dress-up...
I was so happy with the first half... like, what happened!? Is it me?
The audio is in a mixed duet style and I love the narrators... I have nothing against such tropes, I actually prefer reading about most of them... but in a well-written setup and in language that corresponds to the era…
On another note what started bothering me was the fact that the author lets Sin lord this knowledge over the story without giving him a compelling reason to withhold it. He constantly drops smug hints, answers questions with more questions, speaks in infuriating riddles and gives Petra, cryptic warnings. Because he is all-knowing, his character doesn't have an active discovery arc. Instead of solving a mystery with the heroine, he is just waiting around for her to catch up to what he (and we as readers could have guessed or) already know = manufactured drag
Much shorter and better edited version would have made this story amazing! You don’t need 600-700 pages that drag the story down…😔
(Powering through to the finish line!)
Format: Audiobook (Mixed duet style narration: 5/5 🎧
No cheating, No sharing, Dual virgins,
No intimate scenes with OP
Sinister is an interconnected standalone in gothic -romantic suspense genre.
It features dual time frames spanning from a dark, cult-ridden 1800s landscape to a mysterious present-day investigation.
The plot follows a brooding, deeply obsessed hero bound by an ancient supernatural entity and a heroine trapped in a web of amnesia and past-life secrets. Connected by a ritualistic blood bond across timelines, they must navigate a dangerous game of memory, forbidden attraction and small-town secrets before the past entirely consumes them…
With this kind of setup - who would think anything could go wrong!? I certainly didn't expect it… It literally had all the ingredients to work perfectly for me, alas it didn’t (here is my reading/listening journey):
(Impressions and mood for the first 50% of the book]
Since I am on a short retreat in a bit of a secluded mountain cottage - and it started raining (and my project is mostly done), I decided to give myself a break and start this one on audio!
The mood is set, now hoping that the story will deliver!🤞
I managed to listen to 3 hours on audio and I am satisfied (so far)! It has a nice flow, but the ambiance that surrounds me—rain and gloomy weather—is helping the enjoyment even more!
I'm back to this audio and I want to let all of my mutuals know that if you enjoy a good "dual virgins" trope, this is the book for you!
(Not me happily and cluelessly recommending the book left and right to friends:
"I haven't finished the book yet since I'm also multitasking with work, but I believe it is a standalone! I do have a recommendation though -if you're a mood reader and ambiance is important for you, this book feels way more intense on a gloomy, rainy day. It's totally giving me autumnal vibes, so if you can wait for a rainy or cozy fall-like day to read or listen, it accentuates the whole gothic experience! In my subjective opinion!)🫣😬
(Impressions for the second half of the story)
Ok... I am at a certain point, in the second half of the story and I have encountered some unnecessary "padding" in the plot... it feels like fumbling through, for the sake of prolonging things before the final payoff, but it all feels unplanned... and it was going so well 🤔. I'm considering just skipping some bits.
(I didn’t skip but I should have!)
I'm so sad... it was going so well. Nobody is more disappointed than me!☹️
If an author has a good plan, they don't need to stretch out the runtime by forcing a couple to act the same way after 50 percent of the plot, repeating the same "Are you afraid of me?" or answering questions with more questions in two-thirds of the way through the book! - (even with amnesia, reincarnation and dual timelines it is too much of the same thing!)
By this point in chapters 61–65, (out of 91 on audio) the relationship and the basic rules should be firmly established so the real action can take over.
Instead, it feels like they are stuck in the mud... 😣(groundhog day?)
We were introduced to "the bond" in the early stages and yet we are only now delving into it? And the language in the 1800s feels way too modern for the spicy scenes... I need to give it a break! Otherwise, I will be so disappointed! (No breaks were taken!😬)
Nooo... oh my, I can't... The things that happen in the past timeline are so fumbled...
Just to point out a few: they use the "superpowers" terminology in a historical setting - yikes (witchcraft or demonic possession, magic… ?).
He literally developed convenient "shadows and transportation powers” and they are discussed as such in the 1800s timeline! 😵💫
Worry not, what comes next felt even more daunting - the author wrote a particular kink typical for contemporary dark romance with the verbiage of contemporary times and it fits like a massive boulder on a polished marble floor!.
We get a sex scene (1800s setting) of their first time —literally the first for both of them! That also includes a bonding ritual and what do you know, a plethora of kinks and tropes get shoved together in this scene from 1800s: CNC, Primal and to top it off (remember this is a first sexual experience for both) anal sex with blood as lube! 🤐😵💫
Slap me now so I can wake up from this fever dream!
Dropping modern, comic-book terminology into a period setting, along with modern kinks and sex tropes, completely shatters the historical immersion and makes it feel like an unedited contemporary fanfiction where the characters are just playing dress-up...
I was so happy with the first half... like, what happened!? Is it me?
The audio is in a mixed duet style and I love the narrators... I have nothing against such tropes, I actually prefer reading about most of them... but in a well-written setup and in language that corresponds to the era…
On another note what started bothering me was the fact that the author lets Sin lord this knowledge over the story without giving him a compelling reason to withhold it. He constantly drops smug hints, answers questions with more questions, speaks in infuriating riddles and gives Petra, cryptic warnings. Because he is all-knowing, his character doesn't have an active discovery arc. Instead of solving a mystery with the heroine, he is just waiting around for her to catch up to what he (and we as readers could have guessed or) already know = manufactured drag
Much shorter and better edited version would have made this story amazing! You don’t need 600-700 pages that drag the story down…😔
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
September 1, 2026This is giving shockingly YA and I can’t get into it. I may revisit in the future.
Want to Read
June 10, 2025This is going to become my entire personality when it comes out.
Tropes: (announced on the author's official Instagram.)
Dark Academia
Golden boy x Black cat (but he's secretly a psycho)
Dual Timelines
He's a stalker (past & present)
Accidental Pregnancy (Not even a spoiler! It happens in the first chapters)
Ritualistic Murders, Secret Societies and the Occult
You had me at dark academia and accidental pregnancy 🙂↕️
Tropes: (announced on the author's official Instagram.)
Dark Academia
Golden boy x Black cat (but he's secretly a psycho)
Dual Timelines
He's a stalker (past & present)
Accidental Pregnancy (Not even a spoiler! It happens in the first chapters)
Ritualistic Murders, Secret Societies and the Occult
You had me at dark academia and accidental pregnancy 🙂↕️
Did Not Finish
August 29, 2026DNF @28% 🤦🏼♀️
Well...this was the most disappointing book of the year, for sure 😭
Well...this was the most disappointing book of the year, for sure 😭
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Veronica Lancet mindf*cked me once again, and I’d let her do it a million times over. 👏🏽
There’s no surprise I devoured her writing. Fairydale is one of my all time favorites! 🖤
We're pulled into a wicked world where paranormal and psychological elements are twisted together and hidden in plain sight. Wrapped in a gothic atmosphere and foreboding tension, this is a beautiful yet dark, feverish tale of romance.
The title speaks for itself!
There’s this sense of looming fear in the town of Radcliffe after some unexplained grim discoveries. 🫣
We have Petra, who’s anti-social and kind of an outcast at school. But she’s also curious and tenacious, getting to the truth of what’s buried deep inside.
My initial reactions were frustration and stress, but her struggles and the risks she took, ultimately made the emotional payoff worth it.
“I guess I just like the idea of two broken people trying—and inevitably failing—to make each other whole, if that makes sense.”
Then there’s Sin, with his mischievous eyes and effortless charm. He’s ✨possessive✨and unhinged but somehow sweet. He also gives you chills and the sweats every time he speaks, as if every word is coded for something else. Oh and if cutting your own flesh to apologize wasn’t groveling enough, idk what is.
“I dare to take you for myself. I defy all laws—moral, human, divine. I am willing to do anything to make you mine.”
The love? Forbidden, destructive, and sensual. It’s also deeply rooted and devotional, the kind that runs through your veins and down your spine.
“And if you flew, I’d follow. I’d be tethered to you. Wherever you go, I’d go.”
Two souls tormented by religion, family, and a moral compass.
Let’s not forget, I’m a gothic/dark academia/ mystery girl at heart, so when there’s crypt dates, secret societies, and murder solving, I’m thriving.🔥
So of course, I willingly put myself under duress, spiraling in circles with questions like a madwoman while waiting for a catalytic event to detonate everything but I just didn’t know what it was! I LOVE when I get psychologically manipulated. 😈
We have dual timelines, sucking you into the mystery uncovering secrets, and adding theories left and right.
& yes, there’s an accidental pregnancy trope in here, but it will make sense.
This is the kind of story to surrender to the prose completely, because it is multilayered, and every moment carries significance.
4.5 ✨ At times, the POV’s dipped into a more juvenile style but other than that, I loved everything!
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Veronica Lancet for the ARC♥️
There’s no surprise I devoured her writing. Fairydale is one of my all time favorites! 🖤
We're pulled into a wicked world where paranormal and psychological elements are twisted together and hidden in plain sight. Wrapped in a gothic atmosphere and foreboding tension, this is a beautiful yet dark, feverish tale of romance.
The title speaks for itself!
There’s this sense of looming fear in the town of Radcliffe after some unexplained grim discoveries. 🫣
We have Petra, who’s anti-social and kind of an outcast at school. But she’s also curious and tenacious, getting to the truth of what’s buried deep inside.
My initial reactions were frustration and stress, but her struggles and the risks she took, ultimately made the emotional payoff worth it.
“I guess I just like the idea of two broken people trying—and inevitably failing—to make each other whole, if that makes sense.”
Then there’s Sin, with his mischievous eyes and effortless charm. He’s ✨possessive✨and unhinged but somehow sweet. He also gives you chills and the sweats every time he speaks, as if every word is coded for something else. Oh and if cutting your own flesh to apologize wasn’t groveling enough, idk what is.
“I dare to take you for myself. I defy all laws—moral, human, divine. I am willing to do anything to make you mine.”
The love? Forbidden, destructive, and sensual. It’s also deeply rooted and devotional, the kind that runs through your veins and down your spine.
“And if you flew, I’d follow. I’d be tethered to you. Wherever you go, I’d go.”
Two souls tormented by religion, family, and a moral compass.
Let’s not forget, I’m a gothic/dark academia/ mystery girl at heart, so when there’s crypt dates, secret societies, and murder solving, I’m thriving.🔥
So of course, I willingly put myself under duress, spiraling in circles with questions like a madwoman while waiting for a catalytic event to detonate everything but I just didn’t know what it was! I LOVE when I get psychologically manipulated. 😈
We have dual timelines, sucking you into the mystery uncovering secrets, and adding theories left and right.
& yes, there’s an accidental pregnancy trope in here, but it will make sense.
This is the kind of story to surrender to the prose completely, because it is multilayered, and every moment carries significance.
4.5 ✨ At times, the POV’s dipped into a more juvenile style but other than that, I loved everything!
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Veronica Lancet for the ARC♥️
Review of advance copy received from Author
As someone who has read several other books by Veronica and LOVED them, posted glowing reviews and centered a lot of content on my socials promoting them, Sinister unfortunately missed the mark for me.
I did love some of the easter eggs that were dropped through out the story relating to her other books & worlds. However, I did not connect with the story or the characters and often found myself annoyed with them.
I am someone who loves stories about love transcending lifetimes, it's a particular theme I will always devour. In my personal opinion, Sinister felt like a loose re-write of Fairydale which made the story line as a whole pretty predictable, and the writing itself seemed like a different author.
The last point I want to make is that it is advertised as dark academia. I do think that is slightly misleading as there are only a couple of scenes that take place inside the school. Other than that, it's just that the FMC is still in high school.
Though it was not the book for me, I do think others may still enjoy it.
I did love some of the easter eggs that were dropped through out the story relating to her other books & worlds. However, I did not connect with the story or the characters and often found myself annoyed with them.
I am someone who loves stories about love transcending lifetimes, it's a particular theme I will always devour. In my personal opinion, Sinister felt like a loose re-write of Fairydale which made the story line as a whole pretty predictable, and the writing itself seemed like a different author.
The last point I want to make is that it is advertised as dark academia. I do think that is slightly misleading as there are only a couple of scenes that take place inside the school. Other than that, it's just that the FMC is still in high school.
Though it was not the book for me, I do think others may still enjoy it.
August 27, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ If it is by Veronica, I am in! Sinister was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and my Fairydale loving heart devoured this book.
"Our hearts…they beat together. Because we were made for each other. You for me, and me for you. That’s how it’s always been. Since the beginning of time."
Set at St. Anselm Hall, a private school for the rich and elite, you follow young Petra Valentine who's a bit of a loner whose best friend is someone she met online but has never actually met IRL.
Dark Academia at its finest, Sinister gives us a secret society oozing nefarious vibes, a dual timeline that keeps you questioning what the hell is really going on and an atmosphere that is equal parts eerie, mysterious and deliciously gothic.
Like Fairydale, Sinister has that wonderfully trippy quality that had me questioning everything. Eerie crypts, late night rendezvous, secrets lurking around every corner (and in the shadows!)... and the title itself says it all. Sinister, mysterious and plot twists that gave me M. Night Shyamalan vibes and mind-bending moments that I didn't see coming!
"What you see and what might actually be are two completely different things."
And then there's Sinclair Arnoult, "Sin" who comes from one of Radcliffe's founding families and has been admiring Petra for as long as he's known of her existence. He has this incredible charisma and commanding presence that seems to hold everyone around him spellbound. He's charming as hell, but there's also something otherworldly about him. Once Petra becomes his soul focus, that fascination quickly turns into an all-consuming obsession.
"It is my vow to you that no matter what happens, I will always find you. Not even the devil himself could keep me from you, my sweet Petra."
Sin and Petra's love is forbidden which you all know by now how much I love forbidden romance! Their relationship sparks the kind of devotion that is the soul deep written in blood kind of love that I always want more of! ❤️🔥
".. Our bond is a living thing, Petra. It will follow us everywhere in this universe. Everywhere."
And chapter's 59-60? Yeah...I won't be forgetting those anytime soon...IYKYK!! 😮💨
"I want you to run, Petra. Run from me as if I were a monster chasing you. Run from me as if your life depends on it."
Sinister completely pulled me in. If you're looking for your next dark and delightfully unhinged romantasy then definitely add it to your spooky season TBR's. It's the perfect book for this time of year! 🖤
"Our hearts…they beat together. Because we were made for each other. You for me, and me for you. That’s how it’s always been. Since the beginning of time."
Set at St. Anselm Hall, a private school for the rich and elite, you follow young Petra Valentine who's a bit of a loner whose best friend is someone she met online but has never actually met IRL.
Dark Academia at its finest, Sinister gives us a secret society oozing nefarious vibes, a dual timeline that keeps you questioning what the hell is really going on and an atmosphere that is equal parts eerie, mysterious and deliciously gothic.
Like Fairydale, Sinister has that wonderfully trippy quality that had me questioning everything. Eerie crypts, late night rendezvous, secrets lurking around every corner (and in the shadows!)... and the title itself says it all. Sinister, mysterious and plot twists that gave me M. Night Shyamalan vibes and mind-bending moments that I didn't see coming!
"What you see and what might actually be are two completely different things."
And then there's Sinclair Arnoult, "Sin" who comes from one of Radcliffe's founding families and has been admiring Petra for as long as he's known of her existence. He has this incredible charisma and commanding presence that seems to hold everyone around him spellbound. He's charming as hell, but there's also something otherworldly about him. Once Petra becomes his soul focus, that fascination quickly turns into an all-consuming obsession.
"It is my vow to you that no matter what happens, I will always find you. Not even the devil himself could keep me from you, my sweet Petra."
Sin and Petra's love is forbidden which you all know by now how much I love forbidden romance! Their relationship sparks the kind of devotion that is the soul deep written in blood kind of love that I always want more of! ❤️🔥
".. Our bond is a living thing, Petra. It will follow us everywhere in this universe. Everywhere."
And chapter's 59-60? Yeah...I won't be forgetting those anytime soon...IYKYK!! 😮💨
"I want you to run, Petra. Run from me as if I were a monster chasing you. Run from me as if your life depends on it."
Sinister completely pulled me in. If you're looking for your next dark and delightfully unhinged romantasy then definitely add it to your spooky season TBR's. It's the perfect book for this time of year! 🖤
August 30, 2026
*clap clap clap* Buckle up bitches, this book will blow you out of your socks and twist your brains – in typical Veronica Lancet style. I will always be in the front of the line to get this special treatment, lol.
Final verdict: 4,5 stars, rounded up to 5 on GR.
I wanted to give this book full five stars, because it´s rare that I´m so captivated by a story that I read an over 700 page book within two days. Thank god for the weekend! But it´s Veronica Lancet, so it makes fucking sense! If you loved the concept of Fairydale and the House of Cryos series you will eat this up. While the aforementioned books are more on the Dark Romantasy side this felt more Paranormal, but this is the same overlapping universe and I will absolutely suggest reading House of Cryos before this one. I´ll get to the reason later. I have not read any other of her books, so I can´t say anything about possible connections to those.
I´m not going into any plot details but this is dual timeline like Fairydale and House of Cryos (HOC), set in a dark, twisted, gothic world– this time with dark academia vibes with one of the timelines in the modern present and one in the late 1800s. We get the same recipe I´m eating up everytime – two lovers who go through different lifetimes, always finding each other, always loyal to each other, always each others first and last. So this book is safe when it comes to the relationship, I promise. It´s spicy, but not overly so and it´s single POV from the FMCs side.
The reason why this is not full 5 stars is that in this story the characters sometimes make stupid/questionable decisions or are irritating and that took some of the fun out of it (at least in the present timeline - I sometimes preferred the past timeline bc of this). Maybe it´s because they´re only 18 in the present (but things are ofc not as they seem, muahaha). Some things or actions that pissed me off at first will be explained later, so pull through in case these things put you off. But some actions I´m still not 100% happy with (e.g. Read trigger warnings before going into this. I understand that some readers who loved Fairydale might not like Sinister as much for these reasons but it was not as bad for me.
The MMC Sin felt a lot creepier, manipulative and morally ambiguous to me than Amon in Fairydale and even Marlow/Mine in HOC. I guess the Jekyll/Hyde like persona he´s sometimes described with by Petra fits him. Present Sin sometimes really gave me the damn creeps. I loved how the book set a path, only for it to get twisted again and again, me asking myself where the hell are we going, why are characters doing what they´re doing? Why is he suddenly like this? What is the goal? What the hell IS going on?? I loved that and be prepared for some unreliable narration aswell. All in all I preferred the other books MMCs over Sin. But even though he was a lot more morally grey, he was loyal and protective of Petra and simply would do anything to get back to his one and only love, no matter how.
The story gets a little convulated at times and hard to follow but this kept me reading for hours on end, because I wanted to know where the story would go.
And damn, what a ride it was. Dark, twisted, gothic, mysterious, creepy and still so damn romantic - only Veronica can do this to me.
Now going towards the end of the book I thought I kind of had shit figured out, only to be led astray again. The "Nun" character and chapters threw me off the path AGAIN. And the gasp I gusped when suddenly a character from another book arrived (Spoiler: from HOC!) My flabbers were gasted. I know that her books are kind interconnected but I did not think it would be like this, I wasn´t even sure if it was the case with this book at all. When in the end all comes together it kind of makes sense I guess. But it finally explains a lot of what Sin is and how it connects to the other books.
The appearence of this character is why it makes sense to read HOC because it will make stuff easier to understand. I would´ve been confused otherwise. For him, this cameo is merely a stopover in his own story. I can´t fucking wait to read book 3 of HOC in September and continue with his and his love interests story. What a great timing to give this cameo. I´m still trying to wrap my head around though how and when does this story coincide with book 1 and 2 of HOC?? My head will explode if I think of it any deeper. Help a girl out.
Yes, in the end there might be some smaller plot holes here and there and things that I did not love, actions I did not approve of, but in the bigger picture, there´s so much intriguing plot and so many characters that it´s impossible for me to remember/mind everything after finishing anyway. All I know is it kept me hooked and entertained me so much more than the average book. Veronicas books so far have always been a beautiful, romantic mindfuck, kind of like the good ole Harry Potter quote that you´re going to suffer but you´re going to be happy about it.
Now I will be in a reading slump for at least a few days.
Final verdict: 4,5 stars, rounded up to 5 on GR.
I wanted to give this book full five stars, because it´s rare that I´m so captivated by a story that I read an over 700 page book within two days. Thank god for the weekend! But it´s Veronica Lancet, so it makes fucking sense! If you loved the concept of Fairydale and the House of Cryos series you will eat this up. While the aforementioned books are more on the Dark Romantasy side this felt more Paranormal, but this is the same overlapping universe and I will absolutely suggest reading House of Cryos before this one. I´ll get to the reason later. I have not read any other of her books, so I can´t say anything about possible connections to those.
I´m not going into any plot details but this is dual timeline like Fairydale and House of Cryos (HOC), set in a dark, twisted, gothic world– this time with dark academia vibes with one of the timelines in the modern present and one in the late 1800s. We get the same recipe I´m eating up everytime – two lovers who go through different lifetimes, always finding each other, always loyal to each other, always each others first and last. So this book is safe when it comes to the relationship, I promise. It´s spicy, but not overly so and it´s single POV from the FMCs side.
The reason why this is not full 5 stars is that in this story the characters sometimes make stupid/questionable decisions or are irritating and that took some of the fun out of it (at least in the present timeline - I sometimes preferred the past timeline bc of this). Maybe it´s because they´re only 18 in the present (but things are ofc not as they seem, muahaha). Some things or actions that pissed me off at first will be explained later, so pull through in case these things put you off. But some actions I´m still not 100% happy with (e.g. Read trigger warnings before going into this. I understand that some readers who loved Fairydale might not like Sinister as much for these reasons but it was not as bad for me.
The MMC Sin felt a lot creepier, manipulative and morally ambiguous to me than Amon in Fairydale and even Marlow/Mine in HOC. I guess the Jekyll/Hyde like persona he´s sometimes described with by Petra fits him. Present Sin sometimes really gave me the damn creeps. I loved how the book set a path, only for it to get twisted again and again, me asking myself where the hell are we going, why are characters doing what they´re doing? Why is he suddenly like this? What is the goal? What the hell IS going on?? I loved that and be prepared for some unreliable narration aswell. All in all I preferred the other books MMCs over Sin. But even though he was a lot more morally grey, he was loyal and protective of Petra and simply would do anything to get back to his one and only love, no matter how.
The story gets a little convulated at times and hard to follow but this kept me reading for hours on end, because I wanted to know where the story would go.
And damn, what a ride it was. Dark, twisted, gothic, mysterious, creepy and still so damn romantic - only Veronica can do this to me.
Now going towards the end of the book I thought I kind of had shit figured out, only to be led astray again. The "Nun" character and chapters threw me off the path AGAIN. And the gasp I gusped when suddenly a character from another book arrived (Spoiler: from HOC!) My flabbers were gasted. I know that her books are kind interconnected but I did not think it would be like this, I wasn´t even sure if it was the case with this book at all. When in the end all comes together it kind of makes sense I guess. But it finally explains a lot of what Sin is and how it connects to the other books.
The appearence of this character is why it makes sense to read HOC because it will make stuff easier to understand. I would´ve been confused otherwise. For him, this cameo is merely a stopover in his own story. I can´t fucking wait to read book 3 of HOC in September and continue with his and his love interests story. What a great timing to give this cameo. I´m still trying to wrap my head around though how and when does this story coincide with book 1 and 2 of HOC?? My head will explode if I think of it any deeper. Help a girl out.
Yes, in the end there might be some smaller plot holes here and there and things that I did not love, actions I did not approve of, but in the bigger picture, there´s so much intriguing plot and so many characters that it´s impossible for me to remember/mind everything after finishing anyway. All I know is it kept me hooked and entertained me so much more than the average book. Veronicas books so far have always been a beautiful, romantic mindfuck, kind of like the good ole Harry Potter quote that you´re going to suffer but you´re going to be happy about it.
Now I will be in a reading slump for at least a few days.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
August 24, 2026DNF at 37%
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc!
Unfortunately, I didn't at all connect to this book. Veronica Lancet is a truly talented author but, just like with Fairydale, I found myself not a fan of how the different timelines were intertwined here. I feel like this novel just didn't have a good atmosphere or inclination towards horror like Fairydale which kept me intrigued.
Petra was just not a character I was clicking with. She comes off as unbearably wishy-washy throughout literally every part I've read so far and I just wish she was doing some investigating or something. But no, she just lets stuff happen and cries and it was just so annoying reading about how passive she was! In the present at least. She had more agency ironically in the past chapters but I still did not care for her.
Sin is just so odd. Literally just creepy as hell in the past chapters and in the present he's so Jekyll and Hyde. I could not get a read on him and a big pet peeve of mine in romances are when the MMC clearly knows major things and just does not inform the FMC. That is the case here and I was too annoyed like would you just SPEAK??
The accidental pregnancy also did this book no favours.
Plot wise, I just think this book was so focused on the romance that the really intriguing ritualistic murders were done very dirty. No depth here and for a book this long (600 pages) you'd think some investigative work would be at play when I'm nearly 40% through! But no!
All in all this book just didn't connect with me at all. It comes off as Fairydale in a different font that's illegible.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc!
Unfortunately, I didn't at all connect to this book. Veronica Lancet is a truly talented author but, just like with Fairydale, I found myself not a fan of how the different timelines were intertwined here. I feel like this novel just didn't have a good atmosphere or inclination towards horror like Fairydale which kept me intrigued.
Petra was just not a character I was clicking with. She comes off as unbearably wishy-washy throughout literally every part I've read so far and I just wish she was doing some investigating or something. But no, she just lets stuff happen and cries and it was just so annoying reading about how passive she was! In the present at least. She had more agency ironically in the past chapters but I still did not care for her.
Sin is just so odd. Literally just creepy as hell in the past chapters and in the present he's so Jekyll and Hyde. I could not get a read on him and a big pet peeve of mine in romances are when the MMC clearly knows major things and just does not inform the FMC. That is the case here and I was too annoyed like would you just SPEAK??
The accidental pregnancy also did this book no favours.
Plot wise, I just think this book was so focused on the romance that the really intriguing ritualistic murders were done very dirty. No depth here and for a book this long (600 pages) you'd think some investigative work would be at play when I'm nearly 40% through! But no!
All in all this book just didn't connect with me at all. It comes off as Fairydale in a different font that's illegible.
August 18, 2026
DNF 40% (page 234)
I could actually cry from disappointment right now. I wasted my audible credit on this shit.
Petra is one of, if not the most, insufferable FMC’s I’ve ever read. Her “I’m such an emo loner and everyone hates me” mindset was just embarrassing to listen to.
Now, I don’t usually have a problem with the accidental pregnancy trope, but this book was the worst representation of it I’ve ever read. Girl got knocked up in chapter 2, and still hadn’t told the MMC 200 pages later. In fact it’s worse than that, because when he eventually did find out she was pregnant, she told him SEVERAL TIMES that the baby wasn’t his. Absolutely the fuck not. She’s 4 months pregnant and this point and has been having study dates with the MMC for weeks, but you’re seriously trying to tell me that she’s still too overwhelmed by the pregnancy and focussed on “living a normal teenage girl life” to do the right thing? BULLSHIT.
I have little thoughts on Sin. He was just fucking weird.
And speaking of weird, I really need authors that are much past being a teenager to stop writing teenage dialogue. It’s the most unrealistic, cringy shit and makes every page a hard read.
The past timeline was slightly more bearable, but not good enough to make me want to keep reading.
This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year because Fairydale was a 6 star read for me. But I guess that was a one off.
I could actually cry from disappointment right now. I wasted my audible credit on this shit.
Petra is one of, if not the most, insufferable FMC’s I’ve ever read. Her “I’m such an emo loner and everyone hates me” mindset was just embarrassing to listen to.
Now, I don’t usually have a problem with the accidental pregnancy trope, but this book was the worst representation of it I’ve ever read. Girl got knocked up in chapter 2, and still hadn’t told the MMC 200 pages later. In fact it’s worse than that, because when he eventually did find out she was pregnant, she told him SEVERAL TIMES that the baby wasn’t his. Absolutely the fuck not. She’s 4 months pregnant and this point and has been having study dates with the MMC for weeks, but you’re seriously trying to tell me that she’s still too overwhelmed by the pregnancy and focussed on “living a normal teenage girl life” to do the right thing? BULLSHIT.
I have little thoughts on Sin. He was just fucking weird.
And speaking of weird, I really need authors that are much past being a teenager to stop writing teenage dialogue. It’s the most unrealistic, cringy shit and makes every page a hard read.
The past timeline was slightly more bearable, but not good enough to make me want to keep reading.
This was one of my most anticipated reads for this year because Fairydale was a 6 star read for me. But I guess that was a one off.
April 24, 2026
If you loved Fairydale, you’ll freaking love Sinister. Same vibes, but completely different story. The angst, the suspense, the multiple timelines, the reincarnation of a love story told through decades and decades of longing and promises to one day, be together.
Petra, always feeling like an outcast, starts a new school where… as usual finds herself being taunted and bullied by the popular kids.. except for one. Sin Arnoult. He’s gorgeous. And strangely nice?
One night that included a party, shoved into a pool, some alcohol.. Petra and Sin hook up and Petra ends up pregnant. (Don’t worry - this is not a spoiler as it happens in the very first chapter.)
Some really strange things start happening in this town. Including students being murdered gruesomely. It’s overwhelming for Petra with also finding out that she’s pregnant at 18 - Sin personality seems to be all over the place and Petra just has no idea if she should even tell him that she’s pregnant.
This book is definitely a slow burn. They both are trying to get to know each other, but Sin is always acting strange.
And we have the timeline changes where we go back in time with different characters.
If you like:
Reincarnation/ Past Lives
Suspense
Paranormal Romance
It’s Always Been You
Secret Societies
Stalker and Shadows
Forced Proximity
As the story unfolds, I became completely invested on who is who and who did what. I love the plot twists and spooky vibes. I love paranormal romance with reincarnation. It’s such a fantastic story!
We also see a character from House of Cryos Trilogy!
Veronica Lancet cannot write a bad story.
Petra, always feeling like an outcast, starts a new school where… as usual finds herself being taunted and bullied by the popular kids.. except for one. Sin Arnoult. He’s gorgeous. And strangely nice?
One night that included a party, shoved into a pool, some alcohol.. Petra and Sin hook up and Petra ends up pregnant. (Don’t worry - this is not a spoiler as it happens in the very first chapter.)
Some really strange things start happening in this town. Including students being murdered gruesomely. It’s overwhelming for Petra with also finding out that she’s pregnant at 18 - Sin personality seems to be all over the place and Petra just has no idea if she should even tell him that she’s pregnant.
This book is definitely a slow burn. They both are trying to get to know each other, but Sin is always acting strange.
And we have the timeline changes where we go back in time with different characters.
If you like:
Reincarnation/ Past Lives
Suspense
Paranormal Romance
It’s Always Been You
Secret Societies
Stalker and Shadows
Forced Proximity
As the story unfolds, I became completely invested on who is who and who did what. I love the plot twists and spooky vibes. I love paranormal romance with reincarnation. It’s such a fantastic story!
We also see a character from House of Cryos Trilogy!
Veronica Lancet cannot write a bad story.
August 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
4⭐️
Veronica Lancet promised a mindf*ck with this and she delivered. The way the dual timelines were woven together was pretty incredible, like a giant twisted, breathtaking puzzle falling into place. This comprised so many elements of dark romance that I love- secret society, murder mystery, unhinged MMC, black cat FMC, dark academia. The gothic atmosphere was rich, eerie, and all consuming. Most notably, the romance of this story was powerful enough to transcend time.
I need more of her writing & this universe, Fairydale next 🖤
4⭐️
Veronica Lancet promised a mindf*ck with this and she delivered. The way the dual timelines were woven together was pretty incredible, like a giant twisted, breathtaking puzzle falling into place. This comprised so many elements of dark romance that I love- secret society, murder mystery, unhinged MMC, black cat FMC, dark academia. The gothic atmosphere was rich, eerie, and all consuming. Most notably, the romance of this story was powerful enough to transcend time.
I need more of her writing & this universe, Fairydale next 🖤
August 31, 2026
3.75 starsssss!! Sin really had me back and forth of how to feel for him but ultimately gave me the ick! 😭 I was expecting this to live up to Fairydale but alas it did not.
It was entertaining as shit I’ll give it that.
It was entertaining as shit I’ll give it that.
August 21, 2026
Fairydale is one of my favorite books so I've been extremely excited to get this when I preordered it, but it did not work for me.
It feels like I'm reading a book by a totally different author. The writing is juvenile, all of the characters are insufferable, and my copy of the book doesn't seem to be well edited. There's multiple mistakes, a couple of them being the timeline at the start of the chapters. I have a few labeled "present day" only to be a flashback scene from the 1800s, causing unnecessary confusion. It's November in one chapter but Halloween is on the horizon?
I also usually don't mind noncon/dubcon scenes but the anal rape was a very hard and uncomfortable read
It feels like I'm reading a book by a totally different author. The writing is juvenile, all of the characters are insufferable, and my copy of the book doesn't seem to be well edited. There's multiple mistakes, a couple of them being the timeline at the start of the chapters. I have a few labeled "present day" only to be a flashback scene from the 1800s, causing unnecessary confusion. It's November in one chapter but Halloween is on the horizon?
I also usually don't mind noncon/dubcon scenes but the anal rape was a very hard and uncomfortable read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book has me warring with myself over how I feel. Check your trigger warnings for this one!!! I loved Fairydale and this book has some similar things from what I liked from Fairydale. I really enjoyed how we got different timelines/POVs in this one too. The different timelines were interesting and when it switched timelines I was always intrigued about what we were going to find out next. I liked the darker vibe and this book excels at transporting me to the world. It’s gothic but the story doesn’t dive in too deep to the point of gruesome despite having darker themes. I found myself unable to look away/put it down at points even if sometimes I wanted to.
That being said, this book had what felt like a very young tone to the writing and there were times I cringed at the dialogue and the amount of exclamation points. While the characters are supposed to be barely 18, it covers some pretty intense topics so I almost wish the characters talked/it was written in just slightly more of a mature way. I know it’s a high school romance so I’m not expecting the most complex analysis of feelings, but the characters could’ve been a tiiiny bit more mature than how it was written and I think it would’ve helped. The instalove here threw me off considering he’s the popular boy and she’s the shy girl. I’m all for a love transcends time book, but the amount of obsession straight away I wasn’t expecting. I expected possessiveness from the triggers, but not a two sided obsession from the start. I think it could’ve led in to that more.
I’m not great at predicting plot twists but I did see the two big ones from the start. The pacing felt all over the place at times. For example, without giving spoilers to the best of my ability, so much time was spent on how to get the characters in the same room but then the rest of the book stopped talking about the plot line that got them there completely despite it not being over. The reveals at the end almost felt glossed over in comparison. The amount of stuff Petra ignores or brushes past really started to irritate me. I was like girl, care about something, please! I can see moving past something quickly but she didn’t even seem to question most things.
Overall, if you liked Fairydale but like CW type of vibes, this could be for you! I wish things were a bit more mature feeling and that the reveals were a bit more flushed out.
~I received this eARC free from the publisher through NetGalley. Thank you to Atria for the early copy! My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~
That being said, this book had what felt like a very young tone to the writing and there were times I cringed at the dialogue and the amount of exclamation points. While the characters are supposed to be barely 18, it covers some pretty intense topics so I almost wish the characters talked/it was written in just slightly more of a mature way. I know it’s a high school romance so I’m not expecting the most complex analysis of feelings, but the characters could’ve been a tiiiny bit more mature than how it was written and I think it would’ve helped. The instalove here threw me off considering he’s the popular boy and she’s the shy girl. I’m all for a love transcends time book, but the amount of obsession straight away I wasn’t expecting. I expected possessiveness from the triggers, but not a two sided obsession from the start. I think it could’ve led in to that more.
I’m not great at predicting plot twists but I did see the two big ones from the start. The pacing felt all over the place at times. For example, without giving spoilers to the best of my ability, so much time was spent on how to get the characters in the same room but then the rest of the book stopped talking about the plot line that got them there completely despite it not being over. The reveals at the end almost felt glossed over in comparison. The amount of stuff Petra ignores or brushes past really started to irritate me. I was like girl, care about something, please! I can see moving past something quickly but she didn’t even seem to question most things.
Overall, if you liked Fairydale but like CW type of vibes, this could be for you! I wish things were a bit more mature feeling and that the reveals were a bit more flushed out.
~I received this eARC free from the publisher through NetGalley. Thank you to Atria for the early copy! My opinions are my own and voluntarily given~
August 26, 2026
What a sad excuse for a book.
Not only is this a regurgitated copy of Fairydale, but it's literally the worst parts of Fairydale. One-dimensional villains, a purposely slow FMC, an aggressively possessive MMC, and a plot that would bore anyone. In a twisted way, I am glad that I finished it. Because now I am 10000% sure from beginning to end this was bad.
The guy was a stalker. It wasn't cute at all. An immortal "level 19" demon that lured her parents on a trip to Italy, isolated them while the mother was giving birth to the FMC, named THEIR daughter for them just so he can get the same "Petra" from her past life ?! WTH. And it gets worse! The first time they meet (when she is FRESHLY 18 ofc) he drugs her with something to unlock her past lives. It was just chapter after chapter of disgusting behavior. And throughout the majority of the book, she was pregnant! HA! You don't even want to know how mortified I was by the spicy scenes.
And it was so long. Some of the details didn't even matter. When you pack a book full of so many characters that briefly come in and out of the plot and add add add backstory or some stupid detail just for shock value, you ruin it. This was past ruin. This was if you left a cake in the sun for 10 days, then you took the dried, fly-infested cake and put it in the oven on 450 degrees for 16 hours. And then you took the cake out of the oven and decided to just burn the house down. That's how PAST ruin it is.
Of Ice and Villains was the first red flag. It was so bad I thought it was a joke or a fluke. But after reading this book, yeah this is just how Lancet writes. And I am 100% done.
If it isn't the second book of Barbi and the Villain or The Wishing Game I will not be reading.
Not only is this a regurgitated copy of Fairydale, but it's literally the worst parts of Fairydale. One-dimensional villains, a purposely slow FMC, an aggressively possessive MMC, and a plot that would bore anyone. In a twisted way, I am glad that I finished it. Because now I am 10000% sure from beginning to end this was bad.
The guy was a stalker. It wasn't cute at all. An immortal "level 19" demon that lured her parents on a trip to Italy, isolated them while the mother was giving birth to the FMC, named THEIR daughter for them just so he can get the same "Petra" from her past life ?! WTH. And it gets worse! The first time they meet (when she is FRESHLY 18 ofc) he drugs her with something to unlock her past lives. It was just chapter after chapter of disgusting behavior. And throughout the majority of the book, she was pregnant! HA! You don't even want to know how mortified I was by the spicy scenes.
And it was so long. Some of the details didn't even matter. When you pack a book full of so many characters that briefly come in and out of the plot and add add add backstory or some stupid detail just for shock value, you ruin it. This was past ruin. This was if you left a cake in the sun for 10 days, then you took the dried, fly-infested cake and put it in the oven on 450 degrees for 16 hours. And then you took the cake out of the oven and decided to just burn the house down. That's how PAST ruin it is.
Of Ice and Villains was the first red flag. It was so bad I thought it was a joke or a fluke. But after reading this book, yeah this is just how Lancet writes. And I am 100% done.
If it isn't the second book of Barbi and the Villain or The Wishing Game I will not be reading.
August 25, 2026
Thank you Goodreads for my ARC of Sinister.
Honestly this book was not good. The romance is not romance its all dubious consent at best and it's not usually at its best. There is manipulation and and hiding secrets and identity and somehow Petra keeps coming back to Sin when he does the absolute bare minimum. Oh, you can't trust him and think he lied to you and coerced you and manipulated you and then scared you with the potential of physical violence? Don't worry, he will rub your feet and ask how you are feeling and you will forgive him because apparently your standards are so low, they are in hell.
Dude decides they are getting married and tells her parents before telling her and then when she tells him later that she wished he would have asked her first he says "fine. Wanna get married?" (paraphrased but only barely) and when she doesn't answer he says something along the lines of "I don't need you to answer. I know it's going to happen anyways" and I just hate them so much.
I was ready to DNF this book at 60% and only kept going to figure out the murder mystery aspect of it and it was a fairly disappointing reveal.
Also, at no point did Petra really decide to keep the baby. It was just indecision and focusing on schoolwork until, oopsies, too late for the big A word now that she's 4 or 5 months pregnant. Without any medical appointments or prenatals or anything.
Finally, this book does have smut, but it should be classified as YA. If you have to hide an orgasm because you're worried your parents will hear what you're doing in your bedroom in their house that you live at while attending high school, you're still a kid. I don't care that you are 18. If you have to go to high school and deal with a homecoming dance and worrying about getting into college, you're still a kid. If you have to tiptoe leaving at night to not tip off the parents because you shouldn't be there that late YOU ARE A KID.
Honestly this book was not good. The romance is not romance its all dubious consent at best and it's not usually at its best. There is manipulation and and hiding secrets and identity and somehow Petra keeps coming back to Sin when he does the absolute bare minimum. Oh, you can't trust him and think he lied to you and coerced you and manipulated you and then scared you with the potential of physical violence? Don't worry, he will rub your feet and ask how you are feeling and you will forgive him because apparently your standards are so low, they are in hell.
Dude decides they are getting married and tells her parents before telling her and then when she tells him later that she wished he would have asked her first he says "fine. Wanna get married?" (paraphrased but only barely) and when she doesn't answer he says something along the lines of "I don't need you to answer. I know it's going to happen anyways" and I just hate them so much.
I was ready to DNF this book at 60% and only kept going to figure out the murder mystery aspect of it and it was a fairly disappointing reveal.
Also, at no point did Petra really decide to keep the baby. It was just indecision and focusing on schoolwork until, oopsies, too late for the big A word now that she's 4 or 5 months pregnant. Without any medical appointments or prenatals or anything.
Finally, this book does have smut, but it should be classified as YA. If you have to hide an orgasm because you're worried your parents will hear what you're doing in your bedroom in their house that you live at while attending high school, you're still a kid. I don't care that you are 18. If you have to go to high school and deal with a homecoming dance and worrying about getting into college, you're still a kid. If you have to tiptoe leaving at night to not tip off the parents because you shouldn't be there that late YOU ARE A KID.
September 1, 2026
[3.75⭐️]
thank you so much atria books for the earc and also physical arc of this book!!
first off i want to get into what i liked about this book, because i also like starting with the positives. i feel like veronica lancet is perfect at writing the best atmospheric books. straight away you can really sense the series vibes of this story, which sets up for a very intriguing read. the plot itself, although pretty similar to fairydale (which was an instant 5 star read for me), i still enjoyed. it kept me on my toes throughout the whole book, with still a few things here and there taking me by surprise. there were a few times where out fmc, petra was a little too trusting of out mmc, sin, but then i had to constantly remind myself that that somewhat makes sense given her age. i do somewhat wish that she was a little older in the present timeline. i don’t think it would’ve made an unbelievable difference to the plot and her story, but i definitely think it would’ve helped understand her as a character more. now onto the things that weren’t so much my favourite. sinclair. i was always so 50/50 on him. sometimes his vibes were perfect and you could see the care he had for petra. but other times his vibes were just off completely. the manipulation from him towards petra, and then her coming back to him every single time without fail, even though he really did the bare minimum to make up for it also just wasn’t something i liked. but again id say that has a lot to do with her age, and her not knowing any better. i’m not someone who personally minds the accidental pregnancy trope, in fact some of my favourite books literally have that as a main plot point. i just think personally in this story, it could’ve gone without, and their relationship and the book would’ve been just as impactful. overall i definitely had a great time, i just don’t think it’s something that i’m going to be thinking about on the regular
thank you so much atria books for the earc and also physical arc of this book!!
first off i want to get into what i liked about this book, because i also like starting with the positives. i feel like veronica lancet is perfect at writing the best atmospheric books. straight away you can really sense the series vibes of this story, which sets up for a very intriguing read. the plot itself, although pretty similar to fairydale (which was an instant 5 star read for me), i still enjoyed. it kept me on my toes throughout the whole book, with still a few things here and there taking me by surprise. there were a few times where out fmc, petra was a little too trusting of out mmc, sin, but then i had to constantly remind myself that that somewhat makes sense given her age. i do somewhat wish that she was a little older in the present timeline. i don’t think it would’ve made an unbelievable difference to the plot and her story, but i definitely think it would’ve helped understand her as a character more. now onto the things that weren’t so much my favourite. sinclair. i was always so 50/50 on him. sometimes his vibes were perfect and you could see the care he had for petra. but other times his vibes were just off completely. the manipulation from him towards petra, and then her coming back to him every single time without fail, even though he really did the bare minimum to make up for it also just wasn’t something i liked. but again id say that has a lot to do with her age, and her not knowing any better. i’m not someone who personally minds the accidental pregnancy trope, in fact some of my favourite books literally have that as a main plot point. i just think personally in this story, it could’ve gone without, and their relationship and the book would’ve been just as impactful. overall i definitely had a great time, i just don’t think it’s something that i’m going to be thinking about on the regular
August 18, 2026
This is not my first Veronica Lancet book, so I went into this determined to not let her bamboozle me as she did with Fairydale. I had my eyes peeled searching for twists and coming up with theories, and as things were being revealed I was so proud of myself for the twists I saw coming. But then, the twists had a twist and dammit, she got me. This book was dark, it was twisted, but it was hot. If your man doesn’t cut off a chunk of his skin, write forgive me on it, and leave it on your windowsill, I’m sorry but he doesn’t love you. I could not put this down. Was it similar to Fairydale? Yes, but in the best ways. The MMC in here had blaring red flags, but he was so down bad for the FMC I didn’t even care. He literally used his own 🩸 as lube so… yea.
Definitely check your triggers on this one. It does have the accidental pregnancy trope but because it was part of the mystery I personally don’t mind it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️
Thank you Atria for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Definitely check your triggers on this one. It does have the accidental pregnancy trope but because it was part of the mystery I personally don’t mind it!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️
Thank you Atria for the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
August 25, 2026
Girl what the hell is this?? I had such high hopes for Sinister as Fairydale is one of my god tier books. I think about it all the time. I actually cannot believe that the same author wrote this book. This is just a bad fanfiction of Fairydale. It pains me to DNF this but I can’t do it anymore.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Finally sat down to read the paper ARC. I don't think I'll be able to recover from this. This book is simply amazing...
full review to come soon
full review to come soon
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
1.5
Recieved an e-arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I have so many thoughts.
Okay. This was not terrible, but I do definitely think the writing style was just not it for me. It felt a little juvenile, which, for a gothic romance, isn't something I expect. I had anticipated hard hitting, dark, expicit writing. I had heard great things about Fairydale so figured I would give this a shot. Not to say the gore and darkness was not there, it definitely was, but the details themselves seemed to be almost an afterthought addition.
The story itself was definitely unique. At first I was really into it! The dual timelines drew me in, and, honestly, I thought the past timeline was a bit more well written plot wise, and I would have loved a book just featuring that. I will say, the characters don't speak very period accurately, which bugged me. I won't put any quotes because this is an arc, but, if you're especially nitpicky about 1890 characters speaking like gen-z, maybe be cautious.
I was very invested in the plot, I thought it was intriguing with the dual timeline as we watched Petra try and figure out what's happening around her and with Sin. But, as for Petra and Sin, at least with the "modern" timeline, I just disliked them. Modern Petra is such a bad procrastinator for the sake of nothing, and her "cute" moments with Sin read very Wattpady. Sin, at first, was interesting to me. Those first couple chapters were so good between them, and it gave DARK. I liked seeing him "snap" and become the darker, honest version of himself when things weren't going his way. But, as the story went on, it just became very insta-lovey, YA coded, and I wasn't convinced about either of them actually liking each other.
Past Petra's story was just more engaging and interesting. I don't know how much can be considered spoilers, but the addition of the cult and religious guilt along with the demonic stuff was done pretty well. Like I said, I would have loved the book if it was just that plot.
Once it hit 60-70% the story did go a bit crazy. Too much was happening, it was a little confusing, and it SCREAMED. Like, a little girl riding down a steep hill screaming for her bike to stop before she crashed. Down. Hill. It wasn't so much plot twist but more, "oh, that's happening now?" or "Uh okay I guess?"
This was not bad. I think there is definitely an audience for this book, but it was not me. I personally think it should go through a few more rounds of edits. And, I also think my dissapointment is influenced by just how many good things I had heard about the author's other work Fairydale. It just was not what I expected.
Recieved an e-arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I have so many thoughts.
Okay. This was not terrible, but I do definitely think the writing style was just not it for me. It felt a little juvenile, which, for a gothic romance, isn't something I expect. I had anticipated hard hitting, dark, expicit writing. I had heard great things about Fairydale so figured I would give this a shot. Not to say the gore and darkness was not there, it definitely was, but the details themselves seemed to be almost an afterthought addition.
The story itself was definitely unique. At first I was really into it! The dual timelines drew me in, and, honestly, I thought the past timeline was a bit more well written plot wise, and I would have loved a book just featuring that. I will say, the characters don't speak very period accurately, which bugged me. I won't put any quotes because this is an arc, but, if you're especially nitpicky about 1890 characters speaking like gen-z, maybe be cautious.
I was very invested in the plot, I thought it was intriguing with the dual timeline as we watched Petra try and figure out what's happening around her and with Sin. But, as for Petra and Sin, at least with the "modern" timeline, I just disliked them. Modern Petra is such a bad procrastinator for the sake of nothing, and her "cute" moments with Sin read very Wattpady. Sin, at first, was interesting to me. Those first couple chapters were so good between them, and it gave DARK. I liked seeing him "snap" and become the darker, honest version of himself when things weren't going his way. But, as the story went on, it just became very insta-lovey, YA coded, and I wasn't convinced about either of them actually liking each other.
Past Petra's story was just more engaging and interesting. I don't know how much can be considered spoilers, but the addition of the cult and religious guilt along with the demonic stuff was done pretty well. Like I said, I would have loved the book if it was just that plot.
Once it hit 60-70% the story did go a bit crazy. Too much was happening, it was a little confusing, and it SCREAMED. Like, a little girl riding down a steep hill screaming for her bike to stop before she crashed. Down. Hill. It wasn't so much plot twist but more, "oh, that's happening now?" or "Uh okay I guess?"
This was not bad. I think there is definitely an audience for this book, but it was not me. I personally think it should go through a few more rounds of edits. And, I also think my dissapointment is influenced by just how many good things I had heard about the author's other work Fairydale. It just was not what I expected.
Did Not Finish
July 16, 2026Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy in exchange for a review.
Unfortunately, I decided to stop reading at 16%/Chapter 15. Specifically, because a line where Petra, FMC, has an internal dialogue with herself thinking on what others would say about her, in this she thinks people would categorize her as a "weird goth chick". Petra is a just-turned-18-year-old-adult, living in a mansion thanks to her parents being rich, has a paid driver that takes her to school, wears designer brand clothing, shoes, and accessories such as Gucci, Versace, etc....she also wore her mother's silk blouse that was a luxury/designer brand in the very first chapter....I just do not believe that this girl could be categorized as a "goth". When, up to this point, she was feeling like a stereotypical socialite living a luxury lifestyle that only the rich and fabulous know as "normal".
Up until that point I mentioned above, I also want to point out another critique. I felt like this book didn't know what it wanted to be. It read like a mixed CD, with a majority of the latest Pop Trending tracks, plus a handful of any chart topping Emo song from the 2000's, and maybe a random Vivaldi composition for piano (for the past timeline) to complete the CD tracklist. The first chapter throws out pop culture references left and right, which didn't do anything for me as a reader. The first chapter also started off on a really unbelievable note; Petra is a young female (she's in high school but just turned 18, so she is technically an adult however she does not act like it) attending a party that she has zero friends to hang out with and she intentionally gets drunk. I don't believe in this. I would have if say, she was in college, at a party to try to meet new people and make some friends, attempting to shed her loner lifestyle that she had in high school. I feel like the age of the MC's in the Present timeline, being in high school, and having money at their disposal is a weak link. Because, money does unfortunately solve Petra's problems. There were a lot of loopholes that I think the absence of her parents made even clearer. Along with Petra straddling the line of, is she an adult or a child...which really blurs the tone of the book. I felt the past timeline was really interesting and could have been it's own story that I would have gladly kept reading on with. The writing was as simple as water to drink down, but the Present timeline was too juvenile and unbelievable for me to enjoy and that is why I decided to not go further. I am not a match for this style of writing and I do not think I am the target audience to enjoy this author's work, based off of this books structure.
Unfortunately, I decided to stop reading at 16%/Chapter 15. Specifically, because a line where Petra, FMC, has an internal dialogue with herself thinking on what others would say about her, in this she thinks people would categorize her as a "weird goth chick". Petra is a just-turned-18-year-old-adult, living in a mansion thanks to her parents being rich, has a paid driver that takes her to school, wears designer brand clothing, shoes, and accessories such as Gucci, Versace, etc....she also wore her mother's silk blouse that was a luxury/designer brand in the very first chapter....I just do not believe that this girl could be categorized as a "goth". When, up to this point, she was feeling like a stereotypical socialite living a luxury lifestyle that only the rich and fabulous know as "normal".
Up until that point I mentioned above, I also want to point out another critique. I felt like this book didn't know what it wanted to be. It read like a mixed CD, with a majority of the latest Pop Trending tracks, plus a handful of any chart topping Emo song from the 2000's, and maybe a random Vivaldi composition for piano (for the past timeline) to complete the CD tracklist. The first chapter throws out pop culture references left and right, which didn't do anything for me as a reader. The first chapter also started off on a really unbelievable note; Petra is a young female (she's in high school but just turned 18, so she is technically an adult however she does not act like it) attending a party that she has zero friends to hang out with and she intentionally gets drunk. I don't believe in this. I would have if say, she was in college, at a party to try to meet new people and make some friends, attempting to shed her loner lifestyle that she had in high school. I feel like the age of the MC's in the Present timeline, being in high school, and having money at their disposal is a weak link. Because, money does unfortunately solve Petra's problems. There were a lot of loopholes that I think the absence of her parents made even clearer. Along with Petra straddling the line of, is she an adult or a child...which really blurs the tone of the book. I felt the past timeline was really interesting and could have been it's own story that I would have gladly kept reading on with. The writing was as simple as water to drink down, but the Present timeline was too juvenile and unbelievable for me to enjoy and that is why I decided to not go further. I am not a match for this style of writing and I do not think I am the target audience to enjoy this author's work, based off of this books structure.
August 29, 2026
Sorry, but what in the American Horror Story was that?
I was enjoying the story for the first 50-60%, but after that, everything went completely off the rails. The FMC, Petra, was so immature it wasn’t even funny. And the MMC, Sin, was so annoying and controlling that I was exhausted at one point.
Overall, if the author had stuck to the main storyline instead of adding so many unnecessary subplots, I think this could have been a pretty interesting story. Don’t even get me started on the immature dialogue. The writing also really took away from the gothic atmosphere because of how simple it was.
This and Fairydale were both DNFs for me, unfortunately. I was really looking forward to this book.
I was enjoying the story for the first 50-60%, but after that, everything went completely off the rails. The FMC, Petra, was so immature it wasn’t even funny. And the MMC, Sin, was so annoying and controlling that I was exhausted at one point.
Overall, if the author had stuck to the main storyline instead of adding so many unnecessary subplots, I think this could have been a pretty interesting story. Don’t even get me started on the immature dialogue. The writing also really took away from the gothic atmosphere because of how simple it was.
This and Fairydale were both DNFs for me, unfortunately. I was really looking forward to this book.
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