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Sibylline
Three teens infiltrate the magical ivy league in this heart-stopping dark academia romantasy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.
Raven, Atticus, and Dorian have dreamed of attending Sibylline for as long as they can remember. But when the magical university rejects them, the friends’ plans for a future studying the arcane together begin crashing down.
Until they decide to steal an education.
Getting jobs on campus, they sneak into lectures and swipe forbidden texts, dodging the administration’s watchful eye. In the quiet of night, in the thrill of secrecy, their magic awakens. And so do long-buried attractions that turn their friendship into something more.
But like magic, love can create, and it can destroy. As unrequited feelings and resentment threaten to fracture their bond, the trio discovers an insidious magic that has sunk its claws into Sibylline, killing students and corroding the very bones of the university. Now the three intruders may be the key to saving the institution from wreckage . . . if they don’t wreck one another first.
Raven, Atticus, and Dorian have dreamed of attending Sibylline for as long as they can remember. But when the magical university rejects them, the friends’ plans for a future studying the arcane together begin crashing down.
Until they decide to steal an education.
Getting jobs on campus, they sneak into lectures and swipe forbidden texts, dodging the administration’s watchful eye. In the quiet of night, in the thrill of secrecy, their magic awakens. And so do long-buried attractions that turn their friendship into something more.
But like magic, love can create, and it can destroy. As unrequited feelings and resentment threaten to fracture their bond, the trio discovers an insidious magic that has sunk its claws into Sibylline, killing students and corroding the very bones of the university. Now the three intruders may be the key to saving the institution from wreckage . . . if they don’t wreck one another first.
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First published February 3, 2026
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About the author
Melissa de la Cruz
163 books16k followersMelissa de la Cruz is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of many critically acclaimed and award-winning novels for teens including The Au Pairs series, the Blue Bloods series, the Ashleys series, the Angels on Sunset Boulevard series and the semi-autobiographical novel Fresh off the Boat.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
Her books for adults include the novel Cat’s Meow, the anthology Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys and the tongue-in-chic handbooks How to Become Famous in Two Weeks or Less and The Fashionista Files: Adventures in Four-inch heels and Faux-Pas.
She has worked as a fashion and beauty editor and has written for many publications including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Allure, The San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney’s, Teen Vogue, CosmoGirl! and Seventeen. She has also appeared as an expert on fashion, trends and fame for CNN, E! and FoxNews.
Melissa grew up in Manila and moved to San Francisco with her family, where she graduated high school salutatorian from The Convent of the Sacred Heart. She majored in art history and English at Columbia University (and minored in nightclubs and shopping!).
She now divides her time between New York and Los Angeles, where she lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 228 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️ 2.5 ⭐️ INAPPROPRIATE for anyone under 18.
Here I am once again, providing the most unapologetic review on a book that had a lot of potential but went sideways and downwards real quick. Please bear with me in explaining my reasoning.
Why is a YA novel so lusty? It’s not just inappropriate, it’s trying to normalize throuple relationships in young adult population. As per publisher, the intended reading age is 9-12 or 14 years and up. Sibylline has a very vividly graphic scene of a THREESOME. Some critics of this review might say that parents are acting like their teens don’t have sexual relations but let me be clear that WE as parents were not born yesterday. We have been teens and walked in those shoes and are not naive. We can’t fully protect our kids but we should be able to protect their sexual health as much as possible.
My problem with this book is the inappropriate intended reading age. Are we saying that at 14 years of age, it’s completely normal for our children to start having lusty relationship with multiple partners? I do not agree that children in 9th grade should be reading things like this because at this age they are developing many ideas about their own sexuality and forming their own “norms” about what’s OK or not OK.
So when we have a book like this presented to our young kids, what kind of ideas are they going to get from it? This book basically says that it’s OK for us to have sex with multiple partners at age of 14. Kids even under 14 will be reading it because the word will spread and because most of our kids are developing faster than a speed of light & they want everything they can’t have. I’m strongly opposed to it being in the young adult isle. I also want to note that nowhere in the story a mention of safe sexual practices has been written—a condom, protection, pregnancy? This is where the book fails to educate our kids. If you’re recommending something to be OK at 14 then it should include safety precautions.
While it may fail in the appropriateness, it’s actually not a bad story. Sure it’s written in a more relaxed style, it’s easy to follow and it has a good plot with lots of action. It read like a rendition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and while I did enjoy some parts, unfortunately not as a whole.
Sibylline is a college for the magically inclined. It’s the oldest schools of grimoires and ancient wisdom. The magic is everything and Sibylline guards it well. It carries magical texts that are safely guarded in the depth of their libraries, but some people believe that Sibylline obtained these texts illegally. There are secrets tunnels that lead to a secret caged prison below school grounds and there is something more mysterious that is happening in the depths of Sibylline. There are secrets, dark powers and a looming presence that lies within these passageways.
Three students have applied but were denied admission. These three are somehow managed to get jobs on school grounds. They each have strong powers and very rebellious personalities. They are rule breakers and their rule breaking is what unleashes the universities buried secrets. Their actions & behavior can resonate with that of a 14-16 year olds—they test limits, they like to make stupid decisions or be rebellious—so I think in that regard kids can completely enjoy this fantasy as it’s on “par” with their age level.
I strongly suggest/believe that the publisher should change the reading age to 18+.
The bottom line, proceed with caution ⚠️
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and the author, Melissa de la Cruz for sending me this eARC!
Publication date: February 3, 2026
Here I am once again, providing the most unapologetic review on a book that had a lot of potential but went sideways and downwards real quick. Please bear with me in explaining my reasoning.
Why is a YA novel so lusty? It’s not just inappropriate, it’s trying to normalize throuple relationships in young adult population. As per publisher, the intended reading age is 9-12 or 14 years and up. Sibylline has a very vividly graphic scene of a THREESOME. Some critics of this review might say that parents are acting like their teens don’t have sexual relations but let me be clear that WE as parents were not born yesterday. We have been teens and walked in those shoes and are not naive. We can’t fully protect our kids but we should be able to protect their sexual health as much as possible.
My problem with this book is the inappropriate intended reading age. Are we saying that at 14 years of age, it’s completely normal for our children to start having lusty relationship with multiple partners? I do not agree that children in 9th grade should be reading things like this because at this age they are developing many ideas about their own sexuality and forming their own “norms” about what’s OK or not OK.
So when we have a book like this presented to our young kids, what kind of ideas are they going to get from it? This book basically says that it’s OK for us to have sex with multiple partners at age of 14. Kids even under 14 will be reading it because the word will spread and because most of our kids are developing faster than a speed of light & they want everything they can’t have. I’m strongly opposed to it being in the young adult isle. I also want to note that nowhere in the story a mention of safe sexual practices has been written—a condom, protection, pregnancy? This is where the book fails to educate our kids. If you’re recommending something to be OK at 14 then it should include safety precautions.
While it may fail in the appropriateness, it’s actually not a bad story. Sure it’s written in a more relaxed style, it’s easy to follow and it has a good plot with lots of action. It read like a rendition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and while I did enjoy some parts, unfortunately not as a whole.
Sibylline is a college for the magically inclined. It’s the oldest schools of grimoires and ancient wisdom. The magic is everything and Sibylline guards it well. It carries magical texts that are safely guarded in the depth of their libraries, but some people believe that Sibylline obtained these texts illegally. There are secrets tunnels that lead to a secret caged prison below school grounds and there is something more mysterious that is happening in the depths of Sibylline. There are secrets, dark powers and a looming presence that lies within these passageways.
Three students have applied but were denied admission. These three are somehow managed to get jobs on school grounds. They each have strong powers and very rebellious personalities. They are rule breakers and their rule breaking is what unleashes the universities buried secrets. Their actions & behavior can resonate with that of a 14-16 year olds—they test limits, they like to make stupid decisions or be rebellious—so I think in that regard kids can completely enjoy this fantasy as it’s on “par” with their age level.
I strongly suggest/believe that the publisher should change the reading age to 18+.
The bottom line, proceed with caution ⚠️
Many thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Young Readers Group and the author, Melissa de la Cruz for sending me this eARC!
Publication date: February 3, 2026
November 26, 2025
Sneaking into a magical Ivy League university? Sign me up. Sibylline had me hooked from page one with its midnight lecture halls, stolen grimoires, and a campus that looks pristine but hides something sinister beneath all that gilded perfection. Raven, Atticus, and Dorian jumped off the page as fully realized characters—each with their own distinct voice and skills that complement each other beautifully. The "let's audit arcane classes we're not supposed to take" setup is such a fun, rebellious spin on dark academia. When their rule-breaking accidentally awakens their magic and starts unleashing the university's buried secrets, the story really comes alive.
But here's where I struggled a bit: the romantic dynamics, while intriguing, sometimes overwhelmed everything else. There were long stretches where the will-they/won't-they/who-are-we dance took center stage, and the actual mystery investigation got pushed to the sidelines. Don't get me wrong—I'm totally here for a poly romance when it's done well. But in this case, the relationship drama and jealousy spirals sometimes felt like they belonged in a different book than the creepy campus-horror story I was equally invested in. Just when the conspiracy was heating up and I desperately wanted answers, we'd pivot back to complicated feelings. There was also a more explicit scene late in the book that honestly took me out of the moment and kind of deflated the tension right when the finale should have been building to a crescendo.
That said, the foundation here is really strong. The pacing at the start is crisp and engaging, the worldbuilding feels polished and atmospheric, and there are enough tantalizing hints about Sibylline's "insidious magic" that I'm genuinely curious about book two—especially if the sequel gives the relationships room to develop naturally while ramping up the mystery and horror elements.
Bottom line: Three stars from me. This book has so much potential and creates an incredibly atmospheric world with a premise I absolutely loved. It just occasionally got weighed down by the complexity of juggling three-way relationship dynamics alongside a dark magical conspiracy. I'm still intrigued enough to see where this series goes, though.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for sharing this dark-academia-meets-poly-fantasy digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest review. Despite my quibbles, I really appreciated the opportunity to dive into this atmospheric world!
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But here's where I struggled a bit: the romantic dynamics, while intriguing, sometimes overwhelmed everything else. There were long stretches where the will-they/won't-they/who-are-we dance took center stage, and the actual mystery investigation got pushed to the sidelines. Don't get me wrong—I'm totally here for a poly romance when it's done well. But in this case, the relationship drama and jealousy spirals sometimes felt like they belonged in a different book than the creepy campus-horror story I was equally invested in. Just when the conspiracy was heating up and I desperately wanted answers, we'd pivot back to complicated feelings. There was also a more explicit scene late in the book that honestly took me out of the moment and kind of deflated the tension right when the finale should have been building to a crescendo.
That said, the foundation here is really strong. The pacing at the start is crisp and engaging, the worldbuilding feels polished and atmospheric, and there are enough tantalizing hints about Sibylline's "insidious magic" that I'm genuinely curious about book two—especially if the sequel gives the relationships room to develop naturally while ramping up the mystery and horror elements.
Bottom line: Three stars from me. This book has so much potential and creates an incredibly atmospheric world with a premise I absolutely loved. It just occasionally got weighed down by the complexity of juggling three-way relationship dynamics alongside a dark magical conspiracy. I'm still intrigued enough to see where this series goes, though.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for sharing this dark-academia-meets-poly-fantasy digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest review. Despite my quibbles, I really appreciated the opportunity to dive into this atmospheric world!
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
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December 18, 2025
I was not at all expecting to dislike this because I liked this authors Blue Bloods series in high school. But this was really bad.
February 11, 2026
2 stars ♡
A big thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok so uh... this book started out strong. I love the concept of a magical Ivy League university, the characters' abilities and personalities were interesting to me, and I even liked the idea of there being a TRUE love triangle - like a literal triangle between the characters.
...I was not expecting that would lead to a throuple. Or that the throuple would be such a... dominant plot point. The main "mystery" took forever to get to and was resolved super quickly but the throuple, THAT was the priority. Right.
You know, normally I wouldn't mind or care except for the fact that this is a YA book and is written like a middle grade novel. I had to check repeatedly that this was in fact a YA novel because of how juvenile the writing was and how immature the characters were acting.
Have you ever read spice scenes that read like they were written by a 12 year old? Yeah.
The concept itself was interesting, but the execution fell flat for me. This is another book that really would've benefited from having no romance.
A big thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok so uh... this book started out strong. I love the concept of a magical Ivy League university, the characters' abilities and personalities were interesting to me, and I even liked the idea of there being a TRUE love triangle - like a literal triangle between the characters.
...I was not expecting that would lead to a throuple. Or that the throuple would be such a... dominant plot point. The main "mystery" took forever to get to and was resolved super quickly but the throuple, THAT was the priority. Right.
You know, normally I wouldn't mind or care except for the fact that this is a YA book and is written like a middle grade novel. I had to check repeatedly that this was in fact a YA novel because of how juvenile the writing was and how immature the characters were acting.
Have you ever read spice scenes that read like they were written by a 12 year old? Yeah.
The concept itself was interesting, but the execution fell flat for me. This is another book that really would've benefited from having no romance.
February 4, 2026
Sibylline
by Melissa de la Cruz
New Adult Fantasy Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb 3, 2026
Penguin Young Readers
Ages 18+
Best friends Raven, Atticus, and Dorian met in school when they each demonstrated magic, and ever since, they all wanted to go to Sibylline, a university where they teach magic. Instead, they find themselves getting jobs around campus and 'borrowing' books and sneaking into a lecture, but their friendship begins to suffer as each has feelings for another who does not have the same feelings. They also discover that just about all of the students have more money and magical parents than magic themselves.
But when a part of the university falls, they see a body, and their injuries look more like claw marks than falling bricks.
Do people even read the books they publish or 'highly' recommend? This is NOT suitable for YA readers. These are college kids, over eighteen, and there is adult content in this book, the stuff minors should not be reading, but because it's labeled as YA, parents will think it's ok for their kids to read.
The whining of unreciprocated feelings got so irritating! Sure, I get why the author rambled on about it for the ending, but it takes a lot away from the actual story. If the 'romance' had been reduced, this story would've been so much better.
I did like the idea for the story; the mystery, and the magic, but the 'romance' almost drowned it all. The characters weren't that different; they seemed to blend, and worse, the history of the magic and the magic itself wasn't that developed. Sure, there were examples of people's 'powers', but why was there only this or that? Why was the power so limited?
This book could have been so much better, and then it was made worse by the adult content that could have been done differently. I get why the author rambled about the characters' feelings they had for each other, so it matched...spoiler...
Even though the main idea of the story was good, and the cliffhanger was interesting, I don't know if I want to read the next.
As I said before, because of the adult content, this is NOT suitable for readers under eighteen.
2 Stars
by Melissa de la Cruz
New Adult Fantasy Paranormal
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: Feb 3, 2026
Penguin Young Readers
Ages 18+
Best friends Raven, Atticus, and Dorian met in school when they each demonstrated magic, and ever since, they all wanted to go to Sibylline, a university where they teach magic. Instead, they find themselves getting jobs around campus and 'borrowing' books and sneaking into a lecture, but their friendship begins to suffer as each has feelings for another who does not have the same feelings. They also discover that just about all of the students have more money and magical parents than magic themselves.
But when a part of the university falls, they see a body, and their injuries look more like claw marks than falling bricks.
Do people even read the books they publish or 'highly' recommend? This is NOT suitable for YA readers. These are college kids, over eighteen, and there is adult content in this book, the stuff minors should not be reading, but because it's labeled as YA, parents will think it's ok for their kids to read.
The whining of unreciprocated feelings got so irritating! Sure, I get why the author rambled on about it for the ending, but it takes a lot away from the actual story. If the 'romance' had been reduced, this story would've been so much better.
I did like the idea for the story; the mystery, and the magic, but the 'romance' almost drowned it all. The characters weren't that different; they seemed to blend, and worse, the history of the magic and the magic itself wasn't that developed. Sure, there were examples of people's 'powers', but why was there only this or that? Why was the power so limited?
This book could have been so much better, and then it was made worse by the adult content that could have been done differently. I get why the author rambled about the characters' feelings they had for each other, so it matched...spoiler...
Even though the main idea of the story was good, and the cliffhanger was interesting, I don't know if I want to read the next.
As I said before, because of the adult content, this is NOT suitable for readers under eighteen.
2 Stars
February 8, 2026
⋆.˚✮ 2 stars ✮˚.⋆
i was hoping that the other early reviews talking about how rough this book was would be wrong…but unfortunately they were right.
~longer review coming soon~
i was hoping that the other early reviews talking about how rough this book was would be wrong…but unfortunately they were right.
~longer review coming soon~
June 14, 2025
Okay so I’ve sat with this for a day just to really put my thoughts in order and let me tell you this book is fantastic. This book is fast paced but also keeps you intrigued with the 3 main characters as to what is actually going on. My only complaint is that this book wasn’t long enough. but we’re getting a sequel so who cares lol. I loved how fleshed out each of the characters were when you were in their perspectives. some books I’ve read with multiple pov can seem to blend together but this didn’t. if you love dark academia, a why choose romance plot line. This is for you.
November 3, 2025
WTF was that?
Throughout the whole book there is this bizarre and annoying love triangle/möbius strip between teenagers where the trusty old trope of keeping secrets from one another is alive and well. They acted like elementary-aged kids in days of old who would pass each other a note that says, “Do you like me? Check yes or no.”
I kept trudging on because it was a compelling story about magic and a magic school.
Suddenly the teenagers are in a dungeon fighting the baddie and one of them dies. But never fear, after taking off their clothes and having a threesome he is saved.
What the what?
Throughout the whole book there is this bizarre and annoying love triangle/möbius strip between teenagers where the trusty old trope of keeping secrets from one another is alive and well. They acted like elementary-aged kids in days of old who would pass each other a note that says, “Do you like me? Check yes or no.”
I kept trudging on because it was a compelling story about magic and a magic school.
Suddenly the teenagers are in a dungeon fighting the baddie and one of them dies. But never fear, after taking off their clothes and having a threesome he is saved.
What the what?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
- Dark Academia
- Magical Ivy League
- Love Triangle
- Found Family (that might break)
- Impostors / Forbidden Entry
- Corrupting Magic
- Gothic Mystery
- Unrequited Crush Tension
- Deadly Secrets on Campus
- Twisty Cliffhanger Ending
Sibylline or however you pronounce that, (still saying it like “sy-bell-een” in my head and refusing to Google) is Melissa de la Cruz serving up her signature witchy dark academia with a side of "why choose" romance that's got more tension than a group chat.
There’s Raven the wildcard, Atticus the mind-reading brooder who's basically a walking empathy sponge, and Dorian the glove-wearing touch-averse charmer who can psychically grill any artifact like it's on a hot seat. All three get rejection letters by the magical Ivy League of their dreams. So what do they do? Crash the party by getting a job, sneaking into candlelit lectures, pilfering a grimoires from the Rosette Library, and accidentally sorta awakening their powers while dodging a conspiracy that's straight up murdering students (or, well two?)
Atticus and Dorian's dual POVs are like those identical twins at a costume party who both showed up as the same thing. I kept flipping back like, wait, is this the guy who reads minds or the one who can't touch without getting a history lesson? Give 'em a signature scent or a quirky curse already. Atticus could brood exclusively over black coffee, Dorian over vintage vinyl. Idk, something. Raven steals every scene she's in, though, with her chaotic energy keeping the found family from imploding too soon.
Plot wise, it's 300 pages of vibes over velocity. By halfway through, they've yoinked one forbidden text (peak heist energy), accidentally destroyed it, and sparked actual magic maybe thrice. The rest? Pure yearning. Yearning in the rain-slicked quad. Yearning while trying to hide in an underground tunnel they’re not supposed to be in while hiding from the administrator. I get it, magic and love are two sides of a cursed coin that can build empires or burn bridges, but maybe dial back the "his glance made my knees file for unemployment" monologues and crank up the stakes. It wasn’t even til like 70 percent in that someone died, and it wasn’t important anyway, and was glossed over.
The tone shuffle from cozy YA boarding-school rebellion the whole way (secret societies! Poly tension!), then last few minutes hits like a freight train to NA town with a dream sequence spice level that left me sputtering "hold up, is this the same book or did we portal to a different publisher?" Ma'am, this is a magical university, not a Wendy’s drive thru for sudden steam this late in the game.
It's screaming series setup. It ends on a cliff that's more "tease for book two" than "bang, you're hooked", but I'll be first in line for the sequel because these guys have burrowed into my brain. I just hope for more plotting, less pining. My inner plot gremlin is parched.
- Magical Ivy League
- Love Triangle
- Found Family (that might break)
- Impostors / Forbidden Entry
- Corrupting Magic
- Gothic Mystery
- Unrequited Crush Tension
- Deadly Secrets on Campus
- Twisty Cliffhanger Ending
Sibylline or however you pronounce that, (still saying it like “sy-bell-een” in my head and refusing to Google) is Melissa de la Cruz serving up her signature witchy dark academia with a side of "why choose" romance that's got more tension than a group chat.
There’s Raven the wildcard, Atticus the mind-reading brooder who's basically a walking empathy sponge, and Dorian the glove-wearing touch-averse charmer who can psychically grill any artifact like it's on a hot seat. All three get rejection letters by the magical Ivy League of their dreams. So what do they do? Crash the party by getting a job, sneaking into candlelit lectures, pilfering a grimoires from the Rosette Library, and accidentally sorta awakening their powers while dodging a conspiracy that's straight up murdering students (or, well two?)
Atticus and Dorian's dual POVs are like those identical twins at a costume party who both showed up as the same thing. I kept flipping back like, wait, is this the guy who reads minds or the one who can't touch without getting a history lesson? Give 'em a signature scent or a quirky curse already. Atticus could brood exclusively over black coffee, Dorian over vintage vinyl. Idk, something. Raven steals every scene she's in, though, with her chaotic energy keeping the found family from imploding too soon.
Plot wise, it's 300 pages of vibes over velocity. By halfway through, they've yoinked one forbidden text (peak heist energy), accidentally destroyed it, and sparked actual magic maybe thrice. The rest? Pure yearning. Yearning in the rain-slicked quad. Yearning while trying to hide in an underground tunnel they’re not supposed to be in while hiding from the administrator. I get it, magic and love are two sides of a cursed coin that can build empires or burn bridges, but maybe dial back the "his glance made my knees file for unemployment" monologues and crank up the stakes. It wasn’t even til like 70 percent in that someone died, and it wasn’t important anyway, and was glossed over.
The tone shuffle from cozy YA boarding-school rebellion the whole way (secret societies! Poly tension!), then last few minutes hits like a freight train to NA town with a dream sequence spice level that left me sputtering "hold up, is this the same book or did we portal to a different publisher?" Ma'am, this is a magical university, not a Wendy’s drive thru for sudden steam this late in the game.
It's screaming series setup. It ends on a cliff that's more "tease for book two" than "bang, you're hooked", but I'll be first in line for the sequel because these guys have burrowed into my brain. I just hope for more plotting, less pining. My inner plot gremlin is parched.
January 19, 2026
Thank you much to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
-------------------------✩---------------------------
︎ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
-------------------------☽---------------------------
🦋- This book was super entertaining! I loved the characters, romances, and magic world! I was a bit confused at some parts of this book, and I do still jhave some remaining questions, but I’m assuming that those will be answered later in this series.
📘- Basically, the main plot of this book is that a group of three friends, Atticus, Dorian, and Raven all get rejected from the magic school of their dreams, so instead they decide to get jobs at the school as the next best thing. I thought this was super fun and executed quite well. I do wish that their had been more world building, and more details into them attempting to sneak into things at the school.
🧍♀️- I loved the characters in this book! They were so relatable and fun and I honestly just loved reading from the three different perspectives. I think that Atticus was my favorite character, but they were all great.
💙- The romance in this book was actually very interesting. It was sort of a love triangle situation, except it was actually a triangle where they all liked each other. Throughout the book I had a clear favorite couple in the group, so I was sort of annoyed when anything happened to switch it around. The author definitely wrapped the romance up in a way that I haven’t really seen before, and I’m not super sure how to feel about it. Definitely unique, though.
📖- Overall, this book was really good, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series when it comes out. I would recommend this book especially to older young adults, since there are some more mature themes and parts, but for the most part it was an amazing book!
-------------------------︎☽---------------------------
Tw: death, murder, sex (pretty bad considering it’s a ya book,) demonic rituals.
-------------------------✩---------------------------
︎ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩
-------------------------☽---------------------------
🦋- This book was super entertaining! I loved the characters, romances, and magic world! I was a bit confused at some parts of this book, and I do still jhave some remaining questions, but I’m assuming that those will be answered later in this series.
📘- Basically, the main plot of this book is that a group of three friends, Atticus, Dorian, and Raven all get rejected from the magic school of their dreams, so instead they decide to get jobs at the school as the next best thing. I thought this was super fun and executed quite well. I do wish that their had been more world building, and more details into them attempting to sneak into things at the school.
🧍♀️- I loved the characters in this book! They were so relatable and fun and I honestly just loved reading from the three different perspectives. I think that Atticus was my favorite character, but they were all great.
💙- The romance in this book was actually very interesting. It was sort of a love triangle situation, except it was actually a triangle where they all liked each other. Throughout the book I had a clear favorite couple in the group, so I was sort of annoyed when anything happened to switch it around. The author definitely wrapped the romance up in a way that I haven’t really seen before, and I’m not super sure how to feel about it. Definitely unique, though.
📖- Overall, this book was really good, and I will definitely be reading the rest of the series when it comes out. I would recommend this book especially to older young adults, since there are some more mature themes and parts, but for the most part it was an amazing book!
-------------------------︎☽---------------------------
Tw: death, murder, sex (pretty bad considering it’s a ya book,) demonic rituals.
December 30, 2025
This book looks gorgeous, the premise is alluring, absolutely love the mystery and gothic atmosphere. And the classic quotes at the start of each chapter were great. For some reason I just couldn’t click with the writing style of the characters, and I could really get into their romance at all. This does end on a mild cliff hanger and it was interesting enough I’d read book two. Thanks to Netgalley , the author and the publisher for the arc!
October 14, 2025
I love a poly fantasy, and I’m still giving this five stars even though I wish there was more talking about feelings(there’s a lot of THINKING and talking in duo moments) and less steam between the three especially for a YA(wtf was happening in chapter 41?), but this was a fun read. Loved the dark academia and their different abilities. I’m already excited for the sequel
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I have many thoughts about this book. First and foremost, this book is marketed as YA and has characters that act like immature teens, but the characters are actually adults (18-years-old) and engage in on-page adult content. It seems like the author wasn’t clear on her audience for this book, and what she did isn’t working. A book marketed toward teens should not feature adult characters engaging in on-page sex.
Sibylline honestly started out pretty good. There are three POVs: Atticus can sense people, their emotions, and their thoughts. Raven is a situational polyglot and can read and understand many languages. Dorian is a psychometric; he can see flashes of something’s history when he touches it. I liked learning about their various magical abilities and seeing how they used them.
This book has a true love triangle were person A likes B, B likes C, and C likes A. Until A starts to like C back, and then B starts to like A back, and everybody likes everybody and then suddenly there’s a polyamorous romance going on. The romance definitely took a front seat in this story and pushed the plot to the side. I personally feel like too much page time was given to the romance. The plot was so good, but it was like 1 page of plot and then 3 pages of romance. Also why is it that the first time people kissed it lead to more? Y’all are moving way too fast.
Please tell me why a YA book has an explicit threesome sex scene on page?? And it happens when one character is unconscious, the act bordering on necrophilia if I’m being honest. He wakes up to find the other two undressing him and then finds himself sandwiched between them. Are we trying to teach teens that not giving consent because they’re not fully awake is okay only because one time they said they liked you? I’m sorry but that is not appropriate and not the right message for a YA audience! Chapter 41 is the culprit here. Highly recommend skipping this chapter if you read this book. Completely unnecessary and out of place and made me feel ill.
The pacing overall was quite fast. Some important scenes were over in just a couple of pages when they felt like they should have been longer because of the impact they had on the story. I do think this book could have benefitted from being about fifty pages longer, with the added length being given to deepening the plot and developing the magic systems and expounding on the setting (i.e. not detailing the romance, which already had more than enough page time).
I don’t condone teens drinking and having sex, both of which are present in this book. This is unfortunate because the story underneath the romance was good and each character’s magic was cool and the setting was rich, but it all felt overshadowed by the romance. I’m not a romance hater—in fact I love love—but there was just too much going on here. This story did not need a polyamorous romance plot on top of the infiltrate-the-university plot; this book would have benefitted from the romance taking a backseat to the actual story.
Sibylline reads as if the author had two book ideas: three teens infiltrate a magical university after not getting accepted and they discover its dangerous hidden secrets while uncovering their own magical abilities, and a love triangle that turns into a polyamorous romance after many will-they/won’t-they scenes and emotional monologues. I came for the first plotline but then the author did a bait and switch and served us the second plotline.
This book started out as a 4-star read, then around the 40% mark became a 3-star read, and then the ending left me disgusted and feeling like it was barely a 2-star read. I was originally going to give the book 3 stars overall as an average, but hours after finishing I still cannot stop thinking about how chapter 41 ruined the book for me.
If you are looking for an adult romance-first story that also happens to have a university setting and characters with neat magical abilities, then Sibylline will be for you. If you are looking for a dark academia setting with secrets and intrigue and deep descriptions of magic and also happens to feature a romance, then Sibylline will disappoint you. I think the reason this book has such low ratings currently is because it is being advertised as the latter but it is actually the former (and because of the atrocious and unnecessary chapter 41). Readers are not getting what they expected out of this book.
Is the book bad? No, or at least it doesn’t start out that way. But is it what I thought it would be and what I wanted? Also no, which just makes it disappointing. I enjoyed most of the story until last two chapters, even if I did feel like there was too much romance-to-plot ratio throughout. I do currently plan to read the sequel as I liked the story enough to continue on, plus it is only supposed to be a duology, but I really hope the second book tones down the romance a bit. If we have another necrophiliac threesome scene then I’ll have to call it quits.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
Sibylline honestly started out pretty good. There are three POVs: Atticus can sense people, their emotions, and their thoughts. Raven is a situational polyglot and can read and understand many languages. Dorian is a psychometric; he can see flashes of something’s history when he touches it. I liked learning about their various magical abilities and seeing how they used them.
This book has a true love triangle were person A likes B, B likes C, and C likes A. Until A starts to like C back, and then B starts to like A back, and everybody likes everybody and then suddenly there’s a polyamorous romance going on. The romance definitely took a front seat in this story and pushed the plot to the side. I personally feel like too much page time was given to the romance. The plot was so good, but it was like 1 page of plot and then 3 pages of romance. Also why is it that the first time people kissed it lead to more? Y’all are moving way too fast.
Please tell me why a YA book has an explicit threesome sex scene on page?? And it happens when one character is unconscious, the act bordering on necrophilia if I’m being honest. He wakes up to find the other two undressing him and then finds himself sandwiched between them. Are we trying to teach teens that not giving consent because they’re not fully awake is okay only because one time they said they liked you? I’m sorry but that is not appropriate and not the right message for a YA audience! Chapter 41 is the culprit here. Highly recommend skipping this chapter if you read this book. Completely unnecessary and out of place and made me feel ill.
The pacing overall was quite fast. Some important scenes were over in just a couple of pages when they felt like they should have been longer because of the impact they had on the story. I do think this book could have benefitted from being about fifty pages longer, with the added length being given to deepening the plot and developing the magic systems and expounding on the setting (i.e. not detailing the romance, which already had more than enough page time).
I don’t condone teens drinking and having sex, both of which are present in this book. This is unfortunate because the story underneath the romance was good and each character’s magic was cool and the setting was rich, but it all felt overshadowed by the romance. I’m not a romance hater—in fact I love love—but there was just too much going on here. This story did not need a polyamorous romance plot on top of the infiltrate-the-university plot; this book would have benefitted from the romance taking a backseat to the actual story.
Sibylline reads as if the author had two book ideas: three teens infiltrate a magical university after not getting accepted and they discover its dangerous hidden secrets while uncovering their own magical abilities, and a love triangle that turns into a polyamorous romance after many will-they/won’t-they scenes and emotional monologues. I came for the first plotline but then the author did a bait and switch and served us the second plotline.
This book started out as a 4-star read, then around the 40% mark became a 3-star read, and then the ending left me disgusted and feeling like it was barely a 2-star read. I was originally going to give the book 3 stars overall as an average, but hours after finishing I still cannot stop thinking about how chapter 41 ruined the book for me.
If you are looking for an adult romance-first story that also happens to have a university setting and characters with neat magical abilities, then Sibylline will be for you. If you are looking for a dark academia setting with secrets and intrigue and deep descriptions of magic and also happens to feature a romance, then Sibylline will disappoint you. I think the reason this book has such low ratings currently is because it is being advertised as the latter but it is actually the former (and because of the atrocious and unnecessary chapter 41). Readers are not getting what they expected out of this book.
Is the book bad? No, or at least it doesn’t start out that way. But is it what I thought it would be and what I wanted? Also no, which just makes it disappointing. I enjoyed most of the story until last two chapters, even if I did feel like there was too much romance-to-plot ratio throughout. I do currently plan to read the sequel as I liked the story enough to continue on, plus it is only supposed to be a duology, but I really hope the second book tones down the romance a bit. If we have another necrophiliac threesome scene then I’ll have to call it quits.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher via NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
January 17, 2026Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book has very low ratings for a good reason. It is awful. The writing is literally like someone who just turned 13 would write. Very immature writing style. The plot was also just not going anywhere at 36% in except trying to figure out if the main character is into guys or girls or both. Just couldn't care anymore as the premise sounded so good with breaking into a magical school, but it went absolutely nowhere with this. Save yourself the time, don't bother.
This book has very low ratings for a good reason. It is awful. The writing is literally like someone who just turned 13 would write. Very immature writing style. The plot was also just not going anywhere at 36% in except trying to figure out if the main character is into guys or girls or both. Just couldn't care anymore as the premise sounded so good with breaking into a magical school, but it went absolutely nowhere with this. Save yourself the time, don't bother.
Read
January 10, 2026I’ve seen multiple reviews that this YA book has smut and a threesome with barely legal
I will not be recommending this to anyone
KEEP SMUT OUT OF YA YOU CREEPS
I will not be recommending this to anyone
KEEP SMUT OUT OF YA YOU CREEPS
November 12, 2025
This is marketed as a YA romantasy. While technically these teens are 18 and they are working at a college that they didn't get into (which is a weird plot point in of itself), this whole book reads as though they are in high school. They read as high school students and this work/not college experience does not make them seem any older than that. This is why I cannot approve of the progressively explicit nature of the make-out/sex scenes. Again, technically they are 18, but it still made me feel like I was unwittingly participating in child pornography and that's not cool. I feel like the author needs to tone down the writing or it needs to be marketed for adults and not teens.
November 25, 2025
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.
I hated this book. I’m sorry, but as much as I wanted to like it, I just…didn’t. The writing was incredibly amateur, the love triangle—circle?—going on here was purely lust-driven, the characters had no personality, there were no challenges that could not be easily overcome, and the “mystery” was overly dramatized to increase the stakes (spoiler: it didn’t work). I could say a whole lot more, but I’m not going to, because it’s an ARC and I want all other readers out there to give it a fair chance, but my opinion is that this book just shouldn’t have been written. Period.
I hated this book. I’m sorry, but as much as I wanted to like it, I just…didn’t. The writing was incredibly amateur, the love triangle—circle?—going on here was purely lust-driven, the characters had no personality, there were no challenges that could not be easily overcome, and the “mystery” was overly dramatized to increase the stakes (spoiler: it didn’t work). I could say a whole lot more, but I’m not going to, because it’s an ARC and I want all other readers out there to give it a fair chance, but my opinion is that this book just shouldn’t have been written. Period.
September 19, 2025
Yooooo...I signed on for a dark mystery at a magical academy and ended up with an unreasonably graphic barely legal thruple (which is obviously more important than the literal murders happening, right?).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2026
ARC review
Thanks so much to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Three best friends linked by a convoluted love triangle enter Sibylline, a magical university, as employees when their applications as students are rejected. They uncover a dangerous history that is bleeding into the present and endangering the lives of everyone on campus along with a conspiracies, secret societies and hidden chambers.
Honestly, I really liked the mystery and archaeological-linguistic aspect of this story. Figuring out what happened in the past and what is happening now in the present on campus was a twisty, mysterious delight. Raven, Atticus and Dorian are decent characters - I especially enjoyed Dorian and learning about his past and how he uses what he’s learned about his magical gifts to empower his present circumstances by the end of the book. I did feel like we never got to know the characters with any depth. The story was the mystery, not the people. The people are a tool to get there.
I’m also really confused by the decision to add a ménage sexual situation at the end of the book. It didn’t add anything to the storyline, was jarringly out of place and I can see this being an issue for many readers since it’s classified as YA. While the scene wasn’t at all explicit, it brought absolutely nothing to the narrative.
I’m also not sure what to make of the final paragraph. Is this supposed to be a cliffhanger? A standalone with the door left open for more? Or just a tongue-in-cheek throwaway line meant to erase any closure in the story?
Thanks so much to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Three best friends linked by a convoluted love triangle enter Sibylline, a magical university, as employees when their applications as students are rejected. They uncover a dangerous history that is bleeding into the present and endangering the lives of everyone on campus along with a conspiracies, secret societies and hidden chambers.
Honestly, I really liked the mystery and archaeological-linguistic aspect of this story. Figuring out what happened in the past and what is happening now in the present on campus was a twisty, mysterious delight. Raven, Atticus and Dorian are decent characters - I especially enjoyed Dorian and learning about his past and how he uses what he’s learned about his magical gifts to empower his present circumstances by the end of the book. I did feel like we never got to know the characters with any depth. The story was the mystery, not the people. The people are a tool to get there.
I’m also really confused by the decision to add a ménage sexual situation at the end of the book. It didn’t add anything to the storyline, was jarringly out of place and I can see this being an issue for many readers since it’s classified as YA. While the scene wasn’t at all explicit, it brought absolutely nothing to the narrative.
I’m also not sure what to make of the final paragraph. Is this supposed to be a cliffhanger? A standalone with the door left open for more? Or just a tongue-in-cheek throwaway line meant to erase any closure in the story?
January 9, 2026
All thoughts and opinions are my own! thank you to NetGalley, Melissa De La Cruz, Penguin Young Readers Group, and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the chance to read and review this book early.
I so wanted to love this book, but sadly i don’t think it was for me. It started off great, with the promise of three friends trying to get into the most prestigious magical college in the country, Sibylline. But when Raven, Atticus, and Dorian are all three rejected, the trio decide to get jobs on campus and get an education on their own by any means necessary, including stealing ancient texts and intruding on lessons. And as things heat up between the friend group, they realize they may just be the only ones capable of solving a mystery within Sibylline and saving the school.
Now, where this book went wrong for me first and foremost was the relationships between Raven, Atticus, and Dorian. it was messy in a frustrating way, and no one could muster up the courage to have a mature conversation about the their feelings. i also think the descriptive intimacy scenes were a bit much for a book classified as YA, especially since *SPOILER* two of the main characters literally have intercourse with the third MC to bring them back to life— something i was completely baffled by.
I also didn’t like how easily these three got jobs at Sibylline. They weren’t qualified to be students, but it was oh so easy to become employed there and basically have access to they exact same things as students. Which i know gets explained at the end, but it was frustrating for the majority of the book. And as for the pacing of the story, i think many scenes felt rushed, so i was unable to connect with the story in any meaningful way.
Overall, i definitely don’t think this book was for me, but i am glad i was given the opportunity to read and review it.
I so wanted to love this book, but sadly i don’t think it was for me. It started off great, with the promise of three friends trying to get into the most prestigious magical college in the country, Sibylline. But when Raven, Atticus, and Dorian are all three rejected, the trio decide to get jobs on campus and get an education on their own by any means necessary, including stealing ancient texts and intruding on lessons. And as things heat up between the friend group, they realize they may just be the only ones capable of solving a mystery within Sibylline and saving the school.
Now, where this book went wrong for me first and foremost was the relationships between Raven, Atticus, and Dorian. it was messy in a frustrating way, and no one could muster up the courage to have a mature conversation about the their feelings. i also think the descriptive intimacy scenes were a bit much for a book classified as YA, especially since *SPOILER* two of the main characters literally have intercourse with the third MC to bring them back to life— something i was completely baffled by.
I also didn’t like how easily these three got jobs at Sibylline. They weren’t qualified to be students, but it was oh so easy to become employed there and basically have access to they exact same things as students. Which i know gets explained at the end, but it was frustrating for the majority of the book. And as for the pacing of the story, i think many scenes felt rushed, so i was unable to connect with the story in any meaningful way.
Overall, i definitely don’t think this book was for me, but i am glad i was given the opportunity to read and review it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
dnf
November 27, 2025DNF at 19%
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Goodness this is SO boring. 🥱 These three characters are just starting jobs at a college after being rejected from said college. It’s never really explained why they were allowed to get jobs there. So the college is willing to PAY these kids but not willing to accept their money?? 😐 And I got to the portion where this girl got the same job in the library as a first year student and I’m just so utterly confused as to how she and her two besties could just all get jobs easily at the beginning of the semester. It feels way too convenient.
The world building is nonexistent. It’s like we are expected to just be fine with this being our world but with magic and that’s the only explanation we are given.
Combine all that with my dislike for de la Cruz’s bland writing style and I just can’t continue. I only realized I disliked her writing after I grabbed this ARC, unfortunately. But now I will definitely not be picking up anything else from her.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.
Goodness this is SO boring. 🥱 These three characters are just starting jobs at a college after being rejected from said college. It’s never really explained why they were allowed to get jobs there. So the college is willing to PAY these kids but not willing to accept their money?? 😐 And I got to the portion where this girl got the same job in the library as a first year student and I’m just so utterly confused as to how she and her two besties could just all get jobs easily at the beginning of the semester. It feels way too convenient.
The world building is nonexistent. It’s like we are expected to just be fine with this being our world but with magic and that’s the only explanation we are given.
Combine all that with my dislike for de la Cruz’s bland writing style and I just can’t continue. I only realized I disliked her writing after I grabbed this ARC, unfortunately. But now I will definitely not be picking up anything else from her.
December 8, 2025
*slight spoiler ahead*
I really loved this one. I absolutely adore a magical academy setting and it felt unique in the fact that they weren’t actually students, in fact they got rejected. So I loved how it differed there.
The relationship between the 3 characters was definitely very interesting. And the love triangle played out in a way I didn’t expect. At certain points I was rooting for different pairings. And then at the end it’s a very satisfying result.
Now, I will say that I was a bit confused by the ending vision scene. Because I wasn’t sure that it was a vision and was just happening all of a sudden out of nowhere. I understand it after finishing it but also a bit interesting of a choice for a ‘back to life’ vision. But didn’t take away from the book in my opinion.
Overall it was super cute and I adored it and can’t wait for the next one. It was also a nice length. Not too long and felt like it wrapped up interestingly.
I can’t thank Penguin enough for this ARC, I really needed this to pull me out of my slump and it totally did!
I really loved this one. I absolutely adore a magical academy setting and it felt unique in the fact that they weren’t actually students, in fact they got rejected. So I loved how it differed there.
The relationship between the 3 characters was definitely very interesting. And the love triangle played out in a way I didn’t expect. At certain points I was rooting for different pairings. And then at the end it’s a very satisfying result.
Now, I will say that I was a bit confused by the ending vision scene. Because I wasn’t sure that it was a vision and was just happening all of a sudden out of nowhere. I understand it after finishing it but also a bit interesting of a choice for a ‘back to life’ vision. But didn’t take away from the book in my opinion.
Overall it was super cute and I adored it and can’t wait for the next one. It was also a nice length. Not too long and felt like it wrapped up interestingly.
I can’t thank Penguin enough for this ARC, I really needed this to pull me out of my slump and it totally did!
December 7, 2025
This book was provided by netgalley.
If you love love Harry Potter or The Raven Cycle series. Then you most likely will like this. It’s a new series from Mellisa De La Cruz.
It has the angst we need and the characters we grow to love.
It involves a magical school/college. It gave me the Covenant vibes with sexy people walking around and this almost cozy nostalgic small town, Ivy League school during autumn.
There is high stakes and a friend group to rival Harry, Ron and Hermione.
If you love love Harry Potter or The Raven Cycle series. Then you most likely will like this. It’s a new series from Mellisa De La Cruz.
It has the angst we need and the characters we grow to love.
It involves a magical school/college. It gave me the Covenant vibes with sexy people walking around and this almost cozy nostalgic small town, Ivy League school during autumn.
There is high stakes and a friend group to rival Harry, Ron and Hermione.
January 26, 2026
Sibylline was enjoyable, but also felt all over the place. This is a Romantasy targeted towards young adult readers but would probably be better categorized as New Adult. While the content didn’t necessarily bother me, if I were a teen I might be slightly shocked. No matter I did enjoy the story over all. The pacing was very fast and even parts that I felt were lagging, kept my attention. While I didn’t really know where the plot was going in the beginning, I really enjoyed how we got glimmers of what was happening and how everything tied together in the end.
Our three main characters, Raven, Atticus and Dorian all had their own magic yet all got rejected from Sibylline, their dream school. I did like how we got to explore their magic through jobs that highlight their powers. Their romance was interesting. It was how a love triangle should be where each person liked another yet none loved the same person. I will say with how this played out it made what happened very predictable and really lacked any of the tension I really like. While they did end up in a throuple and i’m glad they did, the explicit scene really felt like it came out of nowhere and was pretty unnecessary. Other than that their romance was fine, the buildup was cute but predictable. I did enjoy their friendship and how they always supported her.
The ending was decent and I liked the action behind the villain. The wrap up of the ending was somewhat weird and the motivations didn’t make complete sense to me, but it set up for the possibility of another book so I’m sure any lingering questions will be answered there. Thanks Netgalley and GP Putnam’s Sons Books for en arc. All opinions are my own.
Our three main characters, Raven, Atticus and Dorian all had their own magic yet all got rejected from Sibylline, their dream school. I did like how we got to explore their magic through jobs that highlight their powers. Their romance was interesting. It was how a love triangle should be where each person liked another yet none loved the same person. I will say with how this played out it made what happened very predictable and really lacked any of the tension I really like. While they did end up in a throuple and i’m glad they did, the explicit scene really felt like it came out of nowhere and was pretty unnecessary. Other than that their romance was fine, the buildup was cute but predictable. I did enjoy their friendship and how they always supported her.
The ending was decent and I liked the action behind the villain. The wrap up of the ending was somewhat weird and the motivations didn’t make complete sense to me, but it set up for the possibility of another book so I’m sure any lingering questions will be answered there. Thanks Netgalley and GP Putnam’s Sons Books for en arc. All opinions are my own.
Want to read
November 30, 2025dark academia? romantasy? say no more. melissa de la cruz is the author of my childhood.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Sibylline is giving drama, giving mystery, giving “I know you think you know what’s happening, but actually you don’t—sit down.” Melissa de la Cruz really said, “Let me serve vibes, secrets, and a sprinkle of chaos,” and honestly, I ate it up like a gremlin at midnight.
The world? Gorgeous.
The plot? Twisty like a curly fry.
The characters? Making choices that had me side‑eyeing the page like ma’am… sir… why are we like this.
There were moments I was fully invested, moments I was confused in a sexy way, and moments where I wanted to grab a character by the shoulders and shake them gently but firmly. The pacing wandered a bit, but so do I in Target, and that doesn’t stop me from having a good time.
It’s enchanting, dramatic, and just messy enough to keep me entertained. Four stars because it delivered magic, attitude, and a little emotional whiplash—and I will absolutely be showing up for the next installment with snacks and opinions.
The world? Gorgeous.
The plot? Twisty like a curly fry.
The characters? Making choices that had me side‑eyeing the page like ma’am… sir… why are we like this.
There were moments I was fully invested, moments I was confused in a sexy way, and moments where I wanted to grab a character by the shoulders and shake them gently but firmly. The pacing wandered a bit, but so do I in Target, and that doesn’t stop me from having a good time.
It’s enchanting, dramatic, and just messy enough to keep me entertained. Four stars because it delivered magic, attitude, and a little emotional whiplash—and I will absolutely be showing up for the next installment with snacks and opinions.
February 10, 2026
I read this partly to see if it was truly as bad as the Goodreads low rating claimed, and oh man, I really did not care for this.
At first blush, I loved the cover, loved the idea of secret societies, conspiracies, and a magical school to rival the now dead-to-me Harry Potter series. But this was a disappointment despite having elements I usually enjoy. 18-year-olds rejected from the elite magical school of their dreams decide to work there to learn magic - great premise.
I found the writing style kind of juvenile and full of telling, kind of clunky to get through. It didn't paint the atmospheric picture of dark academia that I was hoping for.
The mystery and the magic system, which were interesting, were underdeveloped, and overshadowed by the romance, which I found absolutely tedious. I could not tell these three characters apart, they didn't have personalities or interests, they had silly character names while mocking a character called Aspen, and their angst was dripping over the page and was told to me rather than shown. I just didn't care about how one of them was in love with the other but they couldn't ruin the friendship and then they all loved each other and became an annoying throuple.
I understand the criticisms of this book that it was inappropriate for a YA audience, but there was only one brief on-page explicit sex scene toward the end. It was more about annoying, heavy-handed angst and make out sessions than sex scenes. I do think teens can read about sex, but not like this. I found it awkward and clinical, focusing more on cocks and shafts than building emotion or even sexiness. That was the least sexy sex scene I've ever read and completely unneccessary.
So in short: I found this completely tedious and did not care about any element of it. I feel bad leaving a hate review because I had hoped to boost the low rating, but I can't in good conscience give it any more stars than this. I did not enjoy this book at all. I didn't even hate it, because that would take more emotion than this book elicited.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
At first blush, I loved the cover, loved the idea of secret societies, conspiracies, and a magical school to rival the now dead-to-me Harry Potter series. But this was a disappointment despite having elements I usually enjoy. 18-year-olds rejected from the elite magical school of their dreams decide to work there to learn magic - great premise.
I found the writing style kind of juvenile and full of telling, kind of clunky to get through. It didn't paint the atmospheric picture of dark academia that I was hoping for.
The mystery and the magic system, which were interesting, were underdeveloped, and overshadowed by the romance, which I found absolutely tedious. I could not tell these three characters apart, they didn't have personalities or interests, they had silly character names while mocking a character called Aspen, and their angst was dripping over the page and was told to me rather than shown. I just didn't care about how one of them was in love with the other but they couldn't ruin the friendship and then they all loved each other and became an annoying throuple.
I understand the criticisms of this book that it was inappropriate for a YA audience, but there was only one brief on-page explicit sex scene toward the end. It was more about annoying, heavy-handed angst and make out sessions than sex scenes. I do think teens can read about sex, but not like this. I found it awkward and clinical, focusing more on cocks and shafts than building emotion or even sexiness. That was the least sexy sex scene I've ever read and completely unneccessary.
So in short: I found this completely tedious and did not care about any element of it. I feel bad leaving a hate review because I had hoped to boost the low rating, but I can't in good conscience give it any more stars than this. I did not enjoy this book at all. I didn't even hate it, because that would take more emotion than this book elicited.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 7, 2026
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for the early review copy.
This story started off as a straightforward tale of 3 best friends finding out they had been rejected from their dream magical academy. It starts to drift immediately by these talented youths gaining employment at the same school that rejected them as students. But worry not because all will be explained later on, kind of. This was a fast and easy read, with very simple sentence structure and a plot that quickly developed. I was left disappointment by how little we explored any kind of world building and other elements of this story beyond the main mystery that took place. Simply put, it was shallow and contained no reckoning with the main characters' actions throughout the story.
This definitely sit firmly as a young adult novel and an entry-point to any fantasy novels. Something I would consider recommending to someone looking to try out a magical world, with some fun friendship dynamics, and a delightful taste of polyamory. Until a chapter right near the end of the book. I scream-laughed at the utter absurdity of it all. The turn this chapter takes is so beyond wild that it dropped my rating down a star and compelled me to send my best friend a 7 minute long voice memo in outrage. Truly an outrageous turn for the story to take, and just odd execution. It left me unsatisfied and flabbergasted.
Initial thoughts/review:
This book started off as a 4 star and had a very steady progression down to a 2 star.
The world building and plot were shallow, without any reckoning for the character’s actions throughout the story. But the true crime against humanity is chapter 41. I did in fact scream laugh with the absurdity. I’m still reeling from wtf happened there.
I did enjoy the dynamic between the three main characters and the polyamorous relationship throughout. The premise was really interesting: 3 students decide to take entry-level jobs at a magical academy after being rejected. However, the downward avalanche following it was strong, with some rough plot holes that just didn’t add up.
Very much read as an upper YA book.
This story started off as a straightforward tale of 3 best friends finding out they had been rejected from their dream magical academy. It starts to drift immediately by these talented youths gaining employment at the same school that rejected them as students. But worry not because all will be explained later on, kind of. This was a fast and easy read, with very simple sentence structure and a plot that quickly developed. I was left disappointment by how little we explored any kind of world building and other elements of this story beyond the main mystery that took place. Simply put, it was shallow and contained no reckoning with the main characters' actions throughout the story.
This definitely sit firmly as a young adult novel and an entry-point to any fantasy novels. Something I would consider recommending to someone looking to try out a magical world, with some fun friendship dynamics, and a delightful taste of polyamory. Until a chapter right near the end of the book. I scream-laughed at the utter absurdity of it all. The turn this chapter takes is so beyond wild that it dropped my rating down a star and compelled me to send my best friend a 7 minute long voice memo in outrage. Truly an outrageous turn for the story to take, and just odd execution. It left me unsatisfied and flabbergasted.
Initial thoughts/review:
This book started off as a 4 star and had a very steady progression down to a 2 star.
The world building and plot were shallow, without any reckoning for the character’s actions throughout the story. But the true crime against humanity is chapter 41. I did in fact scream laugh with the absurdity. I’m still reeling from wtf happened there.
I did enjoy the dynamic between the three main characters and the polyamorous relationship throughout. The premise was really interesting: 3 students decide to take entry-level jobs at a magical academy after being rejected. However, the downward avalanche following it was strong, with some rough plot holes that just didn’t add up.
Very much read as an upper YA book.
October 11, 2025
This tale unfurls like a velvet ribbon, steeped in the intoxicating aroma of old books and forbidden knowledge. 💕🌟
Meet Raven, Atticus, and Dorian, a trio bound by starlight and shared ambition, only to find the gates of the magical Ivy League slammed shut. Their response? A delicious, daring transgression. They decide to steal their education, becoming shadows in the hallowed lecture halls, their hands stained with ink and starlight. 🌙📚
The narrative thrives in the thrilling intimacy of their secret life. Sneaking past watchful eyes, their inherent magic blooms, fierce and untamed. But it’s the blossoming of long-buried attractions that truly ignites the pages. Their friendship, once a sturdy oak, splinters and reforms into a complex, shimmering bond—a slow-burn, multi-faceted romance that feels both inevitable and beautifully painful. 🔥💔
Yet, beneath the thrill of first love and arcane studies, a dark, insidious magic seeps into the university's very foundation. Students are fading, the ivory towers are rotting, and suddenly, these three brilliant interlopers, the uninvited guests, find themselves holding the key to Sibylline's survival.
This is a story for those who adore dark academia with a heavy pour of poly-romance and a spine-tingling mystery.
It's about the magic of breaking the rules, the creation and destruction that comes with truly deep love, and the exquisite agony of almost ruining the one thing you cherish most. The language is lush, the atmosphere is electric, and the ending will leave you breathless.
A deliciously forbidden, deeply felt dive into the darkness of desire and destiny. 💖🗝️
Meet Raven, Atticus, and Dorian, a trio bound by starlight and shared ambition, only to find the gates of the magical Ivy League slammed shut. Their response? A delicious, daring transgression. They decide to steal their education, becoming shadows in the hallowed lecture halls, their hands stained with ink and starlight. 🌙📚
The narrative thrives in the thrilling intimacy of their secret life. Sneaking past watchful eyes, their inherent magic blooms, fierce and untamed. But it’s the blossoming of long-buried attractions that truly ignites the pages. Their friendship, once a sturdy oak, splinters and reforms into a complex, shimmering bond—a slow-burn, multi-faceted romance that feels both inevitable and beautifully painful. 🔥💔
Yet, beneath the thrill of first love and arcane studies, a dark, insidious magic seeps into the university's very foundation. Students are fading, the ivory towers are rotting, and suddenly, these three brilliant interlopers, the uninvited guests, find themselves holding the key to Sibylline's survival.
This is a story for those who adore dark academia with a heavy pour of poly-romance and a spine-tingling mystery.
It's about the magic of breaking the rules, the creation and destruction that comes with truly deep love, and the exquisite agony of almost ruining the one thing you cherish most. The language is lush, the atmosphere is electric, and the ending will leave you breathless.
A deliciously forbidden, deeply felt dive into the darkness of desire and destiny. 💖🗝️
January 27, 2026
Thank you so much @netgalley and @penguinrandomhouse for this ARC ☺️.
Trying not to let the ending ruin this book for me 😅.
I ate this up. The dark academic vibes and forbidden magic are so up my alley. The school, Sibylline, is cloaked in mystery. I actually liked how the characters weren’t students because it added to the allure of the school: unattainable, curious, seductive.
I really loved each of the characters, Atticus, Raven, and Dorian, and their unique magical abilities. I didn’t even mind the little romance between the three of them. However, I draw the line at that super weird necrophilic threesome 🫨🫨🫨. We went from zero to human centipede real fast.
Trying not to let the ending ruin this book for me 😅.
I ate this up. The dark academic vibes and forbidden magic are so up my alley. The school, Sibylline, is cloaked in mystery. I actually liked how the characters weren’t students because it added to the allure of the school: unattainable, curious, seductive.
I really loved each of the characters, Atticus, Raven, and Dorian, and their unique magical abilities. I didn’t even mind the little romance between the three of them. However, I draw the line at that super weird necrophilic threesome 🫨🫨🫨. We went from zero to human centipede real fast.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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