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Harker Academy #1
Half City
Not yet published
Expected 17 Feb 26Win a free print copy of this book!
18 days and 23:36:22
25 copies available
U.S. only
Welcome to Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. Keep your daggers sharp, and your wits even sharper.
Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.
She also happens to be a demon hunter.
Ever since her father's murder, she's been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider . . . until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she'll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.
But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about, not if the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv's father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, fast, all while trying to ace her classes, avoid falling for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?
Viv Abbot is an average twenty-one-year-old girl. She lives in an expensive city where the rent is too high, works long hours at a thankless job, and is dating a guy she doesn’t even like in the hopes of winning her prickly mother’s approval.
She also happens to be a demon hunter.
Ever since her father's murder, she's been forced to hunt deviants alone, meaning everyone, including her family, sees her as an outsider . . . until the day she crosses paths with a dangerously alluring demon, Reid Graveheart. The reformed deviant tells her of a school for people just like Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. If she enrolls, she'll learn to hone her craft, work with other hunters, and never be alone again.
But Viv has a deadly secret. One that not even her new friends at Harker can know about, not if the school might hold the answers to untangling the mystery surrounding Viv's father’s death. When strange occurrences begin to plague the students, Viv will have to figure out who she can trust, fast, all while trying to ace her classes, avoid falling for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?
494 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 17, 2026
39 people are currently reading
13924 people want to read
About the author
Kate Golden
11 books3,383 followersKate Golden is the USA Today bestselling author of both The Sacred Stones and Harker Academy trilogies. When she isn’t writing, Kate is an avid book reader, puzzle addict, and game night enthusiast. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their puppy, Milo.You can find her on Instagram at @KateGoldenAuthor and on TikTok at @Kate_Golden_Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
November 21, 2025
kate golden + dark academia + demon hunters = I NEED IT.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! <3
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! <3
November 24, 2025
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅ Setting
✅ Academy setting (without immature, mean girl drama)
✅ Characters
✅ Complex relationships with family & beautiful friendships
✅ Demons / Hunters / Magic
✅ Twists / Betrayal
✅ Sexual tension / Some smut
✅ Enemies to lovers (kind of)
✅(🆗) Romance
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: blood, death of a family member (past), zombies eating people, stabbing
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
What a great and refreshing urban fantasy!
Viv is a 21-year-old huntress who’s been hunting on her own on the streets of the Astera, the Half City, since her dad was killed a decade ago. When she is approached by a demon, inviting her to attend Harker Academy, she accepts to go check it out, mostly out of curiosity, but once she realizes that her father attended the Academy, she decides to stay in the hopes of finding out what happened to him all those years ago.
This book got me hooked from the very beginning, and before I knew it, I was done with the book and grieving the fact that I do not have access to the second one already. The plot is focused on Viv’s quest to figure out who betrayed her father, at first, but it quickly becomes a race against time to find out who is targeting students and why. The author gave us little clues here and there, slowly building the plot and increasing the tension, which was amazingly well done. The way she managed to give us a compelling plot, but also focus on Viv, her complicated relationship with her family, and her even more complicated feelings about herself and what she is even better.
The city of Astera has a dark and gloomy vibe, mixed with an exciting modern youth life energy. Some parts are very high-class and cater to the rich elite, while other parts almost give a dystopian feeling to the city. The setting reminded me of The Mortal Instruments series, but with more mature characters and a more compelling world-building.
Viv is strong and a badass fighter, but contrary to some “stabby woman” main characters in recent romantasy, she is not defined solely by her ability to wield a weapon. She is confident in her capacity to take care of herself, but she does not always try to show off or feel overconfident to the point where it is annoying.
Viv feels true, real, and so full of raw emotions. She is desperately trying to fit in with her normal friends and family, and hates that she has to lie and live a double life, but she also needs the thrill of the hunt and needs to feel like she is doing all she can to protect her city. From the start, we can see how she struggles to balance both lives and how it is taking a toll on her happiness. Despite being only 21, she feels grounded (as much as one can be while living a double life) and mature. She also has a dry humor that I loved, and made it even easier to like her and feel connected to her.
I loved the setting, and I am usually picky with Academy settings. I rarely read Academy books, because I am getting too old for all the juvenile crap happening in them. Thankfully, none of that happened in Half City. Harker Academy is an “Elite deviant-slaying college” where hunters can learn how to fight and survive deviants, but also learn skills to help them mingle among humans and keep up the pretense of a normal life. There was no mean girl drama or jealous girlfriend bullshit. At all. And I loved it. It allowed me to be engaged in the story and like the characters, even though they are a decade younger than I am, and it proved that it is possible to write a great dark academy story without the more juvenile tropes.
I know Reid is probably the endgame here, and I am not complaining because I enjoyed his interactions with Viv, and he is a compelling love interest. That being said, there is clearly potential for another very interesting romance in this series, with a certain club owner (iykyk).
Reid and Viv are very different, yet also very similar. On the surface, they seem to have nothing in common, and their biggest obstacle is that he is a demon, and she is a hunter. Once we get to know them, though, and see them interact with each other, it is clear that they are so similar, and they come to see themselves in the other. They are both driven and have a set of rules and morals, but most importantly, they both hate a part of themselves and wish they could be different. Viv hates the aeon instinct that pushes her to hunt and enjoy it, and Reid hates that his kind needs to feed on human souls, and tries to repent for the past mistakes he made.
I would describe the romance as a one-way hate-to-love, simply because Reid did not hate Viv. She does hate him from the start, and even tries to kill him, for no other reason than because he is a demon, and she can’t fathom the idea that a demon could be decent and even kind. Once Viv is forced to spend more time with Reid, though, she gets to know him, and a delicious sexual tension slowly builds between them. I loved the banter between them, the sexual tension, and the few smuttier moments they shared, but the romance and dive into deeper feelings did feel a teeny bit rushed.
Poor Viv is torn between pleasing her mother and choosing to be true to herself, and happy. She wants to make her mother proud, but hates the mold she needs to fit into to do so. She tried her best to have a normal life that would make her happy, while also being distinguished and fancy enough for her mother, and thankfully, Viv had Penny to help her see her worth. Still, it was heartbreaking to see how Viv craved her mother’s love, only to be disappointed again and again.
I would have loved to see more of Penny, especially since she is described as Viv’s other half. We can see how they love each other, but as soon as Viv started attending Harker, Penny got relegated to the background for most of the book. I do think gthat the part where Viv lied to every one about where she was, and nobody asked too many questions, or double checked with the others where Viv was, was very convenient, but there was eventually a partial explanation as to why Viv managed to get away with it for so long, so in the end it worked out, I guess.
Other beautiful friendships are developing at Harker, and the secondary characters were all well-written and layered enough for me to really like them and want more of them. I also like how the author leaned into some stereotypes we often see in Academy settings, only to destroy them. Elliot and Soph are not what I expected at first, and I am happy for it.
Overall, this is a great, quick, and very engaging read. It is addictive, the characters are layered and raw, and the urban fantasy setting, investigation, and mysterious attacks on the school made it impossible not to fall in love with Viv and her city. I also want to thank the author and applaud her for being able to write a book with a badass stabby main character that is not annoyingly over-confident and defined by her stabiness, and an Academy setting that does not have an ounce of mean girl drama or jealous girls fighting over the hot boy.
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✅ Pace
✅ Plot
✅ Setting
✅ Academy setting (without immature, mean girl drama)
✅ Characters
✅ Complex relationships with family & beautiful friendships
✅ Demons / Hunters / Magic
✅ Twists / Betrayal
✅ Sexual tension / Some smut
✅ Enemies to lovers (kind of)
✅(🆗) Romance
❗️❗️Trigger warnings: blood, death of a family member (past), zombies eating people, stabbing
❗️❗️Cliffhanger
What a great and refreshing urban fantasy!
I don’t only hunt to save lives like other hunters. I hunt because if I don’t kill things, I’ll crack. I’ll get sick. I could kill humans instead.
Viv is a 21-year-old huntress who’s been hunting on her own on the streets of the Astera, the Half City, since her dad was killed a decade ago. When she is approached by a demon, inviting her to attend Harker Academy, she accepts to go check it out, mostly out of curiosity, but once she realizes that her father attended the Academy, she decides to stay in the hopes of finding out what happened to him all those years ago.
This book got me hooked from the very beginning, and before I knew it, I was done with the book and grieving the fact that I do not have access to the second one already. The plot is focused on Viv’s quest to figure out who betrayed her father, at first, but it quickly becomes a race against time to find out who is targeting students and why. The author gave us little clues here and there, slowly building the plot and increasing the tension, which was amazingly well done. The way she managed to give us a compelling plot, but also focus on Viv, her complicated relationship with her family, and her even more complicated feelings about herself and what she is even better.
Astera—the Half City, the country’s epicenter of culture, business, and politics, located on the glittering edge of the eastern seaboard. We must have the largest population of billionaires in the world—our graffitied Caspar Harlock over there and my best friend Penny Pine’s parents, to name a few—and yet the highest percentage of its population living on the street.
The city of Astera has a dark and gloomy vibe, mixed with an exciting modern youth life energy. Some parts are very high-class and cater to the rich elite, while other parts almost give a dystopian feeling to the city. The setting reminded me of The Mortal Instruments series, but with more mature characters and a more compelling world-building.
Viv is strong and a badass fighter, but contrary to some “stabby woman” main characters in recent romantasy, she is not defined solely by her ability to wield a weapon. She is confident in her capacity to take care of herself, but she does not always try to show off or feel overconfident to the point where it is annoying.
Viv feels true, real, and so full of raw emotions. She is desperately trying to fit in with her normal friends and family, and hates that she has to lie and live a double life, but she also needs the thrill of the hunt and needs to feel like she is doing all she can to protect her city. From the start, we can see how she struggles to balance both lives and how it is taking a toll on her happiness. Despite being only 21, she feels grounded (as much as one can be while living a double life) and mature. She also has a dry humor that I loved, and made it even easier to like her and feel connected to her.
I loved the setting, and I am usually picky with Academy settings. I rarely read Academy books, because I am getting too old for all the juvenile crap happening in them. Thankfully, none of that happened in Half City. Harker Academy is an “Elite deviant-slaying college” where hunters can learn how to fight and survive deviants, but also learn skills to help them mingle among humans and keep up the pretense of a normal life. There was no mean girl drama or jealous girlfriend bullshit. At all. And I loved it. It allowed me to be engaged in the story and like the characters, even though they are a decade younger than I am, and it proved that it is possible to write a great dark academy story without the more juvenile tropes.
”Who knew a demon and a huntress could have so much in common?” he says with a sorrowful grin. “When we’re together, Viv… I don’t know. I feel reborn – I see myself in your eyes, and I like the reflection.”
I know Reid is probably the endgame here, and I am not complaining because I enjoyed his interactions with Viv, and he is a compelling love interest. That being said, there is clearly potential for another very interesting romance in this series, with a certain club owner (iykyk).
My heart aches for him. This man I’ve come to respect. Come to admire. Who’s been so wronged. Wants so badly to be good and has to fight his inherent genetic makeup every day to do so. I know that pain because I’ve been living with it for years.
Reid and Viv are very different, yet also very similar. On the surface, they seem to have nothing in common, and their biggest obstacle is that he is a demon, and she is a hunter. Once we get to know them, though, and see them interact with each other, it is clear that they are so similar, and they come to see themselves in the other. They are both driven and have a set of rules and morals, but most importantly, they both hate a part of themselves and wish they could be different. Viv hates the aeon instinct that pushes her to hunt and enjoy it, and Reid hates that his kind needs to feed on human souls, and tries to repent for the past mistakes he made.
”And here I thought you were trying to kill me.”
In the streetlight, his eyes are a navy so dark they’re practically black. Wistful, hungry, isolated. He smooths a hand down his face in the kind of exhaustion I know too well. Wanting with no hope of having.
When he faces me once more, he’s not the demon I thought I knew.
“No, actually,” I tell him. “Not anymore.”
I would describe the romance as a one-way hate-to-love, simply because Reid did not hate Viv. She does hate him from the start, and even tries to kill him, for no other reason than because he is a demon, and she can’t fathom the idea that a demon could be decent and even kind. Once Viv is forced to spend more time with Reid, though, she gets to know him, and a delicious sexual tension slowly builds between them. I loved the banter between them, the sexual tension, and the few smuttier moments they shared, but the romance and dive into deeper feelings did feel a teeny bit rushed.
That's why I was dating James, right? Because it was important to my mother, and what she thought of me was important to how I saw myself?
Poor Viv is torn between pleasing her mother and choosing to be true to herself, and happy. She wants to make her mother proud, but hates the mold she needs to fit into to do so. She tried her best to have a normal life that would make her happy, while also being distinguished and fancy enough for her mother, and thankfully, Viv had Penny to help her see her worth. Still, it was heartbreaking to see how Viv craved her mother’s love, only to be disappointed again and again.
I would have loved to see more of Penny, especially since she is described as Viv’s other half. We can see how they love each other, but as soon as Viv started attending Harker, Penny got relegated to the background for most of the book. I do think gthat the part where Viv lied to every one about where she was, and nobody asked too many questions, or double checked with the others where Viv was, was very convenient, but there was eventually a partial explanation as to why Viv managed to get away with it for so long, so in the end it worked out, I guess.
Other beautiful friendships are developing at Harker, and the secondary characters were all well-written and layered enough for me to really like them and want more of them. I also like how the author leaned into some stereotypes we often see in Academy settings, only to destroy them. Elliot and Soph are not what I expected at first, and I am happy for it.
Overall, this is a great, quick, and very engaging read. It is addictive, the characters are layered and raw, and the urban fantasy setting, investigation, and mysterious attacks on the school made it impossible not to fall in love with Viv and her city. I also want to thank the author and applaud her for being able to write a book with a badass stabby main character that is not annoyingly over-confident and defined by her stabiness, and an Academy setting that does not have an ounce of mean girl drama or jealous girls fighting over the hot boy.
Follow me on Instagram 🙂
December 1, 2025
not me turning the page and getting hit with the "acknowledgement" HOW COULD YOU!!!!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I just got this arc and the way I'm so giddyyyy! can't wait
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I just got this arc and the way I'm so giddyyyy! can't wait
Want to read
October 2, 2024If she writes it, I’m gonna read it!
November 5, 2025
I absolutely adore Kate Golden's writing so much!!! The ending WOAH. This is like if CC + Fourth Wing had a baby.
If you enjoy Urban Fantasy with a little bit of mystery, this is for you!!
Now, I typically struggle with Urban Fantasy. It is most definitely not my favorite genre but I love Kate's writing so much I will read anything she writes!!
I do think a lot of readers are going to eat this up!
3.5 ⭐️
If you enjoy Urban Fantasy with a little bit of mystery, this is for you!!
Now, I typically struggle with Urban Fantasy. It is most definitely not my favorite genre but I love Kate's writing so much I will read anything she writes!!
I do think a lot of readers are going to eat this up!
3.5 ⭐️
June 11, 2025
This is the urban fantasy / dark academia book this Buffy fangirl has been waiting for her all life. The Harker Academy series is now officially my newest obsession. (Also, Reid?? Can we please talk about REID?? In 5-7 business days that is, I’m still recovering).
November 7, 2025
5/5
I am in awe of Kate Golden. Girl you are a GENIUS for this book. This is the perfect urban fantasy. Literally PERFECT. I just have so many thoughts but will try to keep my thoughts succinct (I’ll have a spoiler section at the end!). All I know is I cannot wait for 2027 to have my hands on book 2, I pray arcs are available late next year for it. Or that it’s a late 2026 release. This is one of the BEST fantasies of 2026, trust me, and one of my favourite reads of this year.
Thank you so so much to Berkeley and NetGalley for gifting me with an e-arc!!
Viv is an iconic and deeply human main character. Her struggles with fitting in, her grief, her anger, and her love are all incredibly palpable. It’s impossible to read this and not feel what she feels. To read this and not laugh at Viv’s jokes, her dry humour, to not have your heart ache alongside hers. Although she did some things that made me want to yell at her to be more careful, Viv stands by her principals this entire novel. Her character development is beautiful but the way her core stays the same because she never needed to change it is just…beautiful.
I have really not much to say about Reid 😭 He was kind of just…there. But I have lots of spoiler thoughts on him, to be given below.
The side characters are all so so well developed. I wish we’d seen more of Elliot but Soph and Penny are just incredibly well written. PENNY IS MY GIRL. Lowkey like she’s so Janie by Ethel Cain coded in a way if Viv was singing it about Penny and the world in general.
The PLOT. Oh this is 10/10 , 100/100. It is so nostalgic in a way, the puzzle piece esque mystery that’s so reminiscent of Buffy, while also combining the rain soaked electric city vibes that evoke Crescent City. The setting of both the Half City and Harker Academy are insanely well drawn. As I mentioned, the Half City is like Crescent City meets Shadowhunters NYC. Harker is incredibly fun. It’s like a university campus that you could stumble upon in the middle of nowhere.
The worldbuilding is extremely cool. I loved the way it was like a mix of Buffy, charmed, Shadowhunters, and something entirely unique. The concept of aeons was incredibly interesting and I hope to learn more about how they came to be in the future!
The mystery is, again, so nostalgia tinged, as if you’ve read it a million times already but have forgotten the twists. Everything is so well placed, it truly just feels like home in a way. The blend of the mystery with Viv���s emotions is done in a way that will have you on the edge of your seat.
The sequence at Fever Dream is probably my favourite of the whole book, but the ending is absolutely PERFECT. The way I was praying it would end how it did!!!! More on this in the spoiler section.
I do think the romance is a bit too insta-lovey for my tastes. I feel more development would have made their connection seem more interesting, instead it sometimes just felt very basic. I do feel that this is intentional though!
Now, for my spoiler thoughts. These will all be about the end and about one character, so DO NOT keep reading if you don’t want spoilers. 💫💫
DEACON. That’s endgame oh I’m praying for it. Instantly when he meets Viv sparks fly. Their dynamic is so interesting, and they literally have 2 scenes together. I’m his biggest fangirl. I’m their #1 fan, I’m launching the ship as we speak. HER GOING TO HIM AT THE END HAD ME SCREAMING MY HEAD OFF. EXACTLY WHAT I PRAYED FOR. THEIR POTENTIAL. I may be delusional but I think NOT!!!!!! All I know is he’s iconic already and so are they as a TRUE enemies to lovers couple in the future….
The end was incredible. I am SO PSYCHED TO SEE HOW BOOK 2 GOES. Viv having dark power in her??? Adding extra tension to the fact no one can know what she is? 10/10. Penny putting things together and accepting her? 10/10. Warning about Reid being maybe a bad guy? 10/10. Her going to deacon? 100/10.
I have so so many theories. I am first in line for an arc of the sequel okay.
Round of applause to Kate for this masterpiece.
I am in awe of Kate Golden. Girl you are a GENIUS for this book. This is the perfect urban fantasy. Literally PERFECT. I just have so many thoughts but will try to keep my thoughts succinct (I’ll have a spoiler section at the end!). All I know is I cannot wait for 2027 to have my hands on book 2, I pray arcs are available late next year for it. Or that it’s a late 2026 release. This is one of the BEST fantasies of 2026, trust me, and one of my favourite reads of this year.
Thank you so so much to Berkeley and NetGalley for gifting me with an e-arc!!
Viv is an iconic and deeply human main character. Her struggles with fitting in, her grief, her anger, and her love are all incredibly palpable. It’s impossible to read this and not feel what she feels. To read this and not laugh at Viv’s jokes, her dry humour, to not have your heart ache alongside hers. Although she did some things that made me want to yell at her to be more careful, Viv stands by her principals this entire novel. Her character development is beautiful but the way her core stays the same because she never needed to change it is just…beautiful.
I have really not much to say about Reid 😭 He was kind of just…there. But I have lots of spoiler thoughts on him, to be given below.
The side characters are all so so well developed. I wish we’d seen more of Elliot but Soph and Penny are just incredibly well written. PENNY IS MY GIRL. Lowkey like she’s so Janie by Ethel Cain coded in a way if Viv was singing it about Penny and the world in general.
The PLOT. Oh this is 10/10 , 100/100. It is so nostalgic in a way, the puzzle piece esque mystery that’s so reminiscent of Buffy, while also combining the rain soaked electric city vibes that evoke Crescent City. The setting of both the Half City and Harker Academy are insanely well drawn. As I mentioned, the Half City is like Crescent City meets Shadowhunters NYC. Harker is incredibly fun. It’s like a university campus that you could stumble upon in the middle of nowhere.
The worldbuilding is extremely cool. I loved the way it was like a mix of Buffy, charmed, Shadowhunters, and something entirely unique. The concept of aeons was incredibly interesting and I hope to learn more about how they came to be in the future!
The mystery is, again, so nostalgia tinged, as if you’ve read it a million times already but have forgotten the twists. Everything is so well placed, it truly just feels like home in a way. The blend of the mystery with Viv���s emotions is done in a way that will have you on the edge of your seat.
The sequence at Fever Dream is probably my favourite of the whole book, but the ending is absolutely PERFECT. The way I was praying it would end how it did!!!! More on this in the spoiler section.
I do think the romance is a bit too insta-lovey for my tastes. I feel more development would have made their connection seem more interesting, instead it sometimes just felt very basic. I do feel that this is intentional though!
Now, for my spoiler thoughts. These will all be about the end and about one character, so DO NOT keep reading if you don’t want spoilers. 💫💫
DEACON. That’s endgame oh I’m praying for it. Instantly when he meets Viv sparks fly. Their dynamic is so interesting, and they literally have 2 scenes together. I’m his biggest fangirl. I’m their #1 fan, I’m launching the ship as we speak. HER GOING TO HIM AT THE END HAD ME SCREAMING MY HEAD OFF. EXACTLY WHAT I PRAYED FOR. THEIR POTENTIAL. I may be delusional but I think NOT!!!!!! All I know is he’s iconic already and so are they as a TRUE enemies to lovers couple in the future….
The end was incredible. I am SO PSYCHED TO SEE HOW BOOK 2 GOES. Viv having dark power in her??? Adding extra tension to the fact no one can know what she is? 10/10. Penny putting things together and accepting her? 10/10. Warning about Reid being maybe a bad guy? 10/10. Her going to deacon? 100/10.
I have so so many theories. I am first in line for an arc of the sequel okay.
Round of applause to Kate for this masterpiece.
October 19, 2025
KATE GOLDEN WHEN I CATCH YOU
stunning beautiful perfect i’m at a loss for words for how much i loved this — rtc 😭
stunning beautiful perfect i’m at a loss for words for how much i loved this — rtc 😭
October 17, 2025
And the world may be on the verge of ending, but I have just started to live knowing him.
NO BECAUSE THE WAY MY JAW JUST DROPPED SO MANY TIMES IN THE LAST 25%??????????? LIKE HELLO OH MY??? THE POTENTIAL THIS SERIES HAS AND I AM SOOO HERE FOR IT. I NEED BOOK 2 ASAP.
Kate Golden you have officially ensnared me completely!!!! Like I was already hyped before reading Half City because the premise sounded amazing and now having read it???? Even better than I imagined oh my god. The world building? Literal perfection, I'm obsessed and need more. Characters? The way I would die for most of them!!! Plot? UM YES I AM HOOKED AND HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS. Genuinely though... every part of this book was written so well, I have a new obsession guys.
From page 1, I immediately fell in love with Viv's character and oh the things she went through!!! The way we see Viv struggling to balance her two lives--Viv the regular 22 year old and Viv the hunter--felt so realistic and its such a prominent theme in this book. Two completely different lives with very different people like omg watching her juggle all of that was stressing ME out?? Though I also just wanted to give her a hug because wow she really had to deal with so much😭 Especially so many frustrating people!!!!! But also seriously, I adored her character so much. Her anger, fierceness, loyalty, and love for others, oh Viv you absolute queen. I am her #1 supporter.
In terms of the romance, I don't want to spoil too much on it but let's just say a certain thing happened in a certain scene that has me like YES THEM!!! I'm so obsessed, the potential for the romance in this series??‼️
Side characters!! Oh my gosh genuinely how did Kate make me love them all SO much??? Penny is a sweetheart and I can't wait to see more of her next book. She's such a cinammon roll and needs to be protected at all costs!! And Sophia?? Another queen! She made me laugh so many times and I love her strength and confidence. Viv, Sophia, and Penny would make such a beautiful friendship trio, I need more of them together too. And then Kitty, Peter, and Elliot!!! They each had such distinct personalities and are so lovable like why was their friendship literally so wholesome??😭 The group hangouts especially omg. The bonding between all of these characters was written so well, like I will be genuinely devastated if anything happens to any of them (PETER ESPECIALLY, HE'S TOO SWEET TO BE KILLED) (AND PENNY TOO) (AND SOPHIA) (BASICALLY ALL OF THEM)
Also the plot??? Genuinely, I was so addicted and had SO MANY QUESTIONS. The amount of guesses I made that were so off too??? LOL though that's nothing really new, I'm not usually good at predicting plot twists, but it was so fun coming up with theories!! Especially with others while reading like that made the experience reading 10000x better. BUT OKAY THE LAST 25% WAS JUST PLOT TWIST AFTER PLOT TWIST I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. I want to scream about it allll in this review but really don't want to give anything away so all I'll do is vaguely mention one reveal I loved: .
I am so beyond excited for book 2. I will be absolutely insufferable about this book. Everyone needs to add Half City to their TBR, or else!
Okay also actually I do want to freak out vaguely about something, and I will hide it under spoilers but it will still be very vague!
Crying, can it be 2027 already????
Eternal thanks to the author and publisher for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!!
November 21, 2025
*ariana grande voice* YUH
this was fun as hell, okay
A little Vampire Academy meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Things to know:
- She’s a demon hunter on her own
- gets approached by Hot Guy to join a demon hunting academy
- he gave off Theo James in Divergent energy (my favorite)
- found family
- double life (human job + hunting academy)
- mysterious disappearings
This read like a movie!!!!!! Starting me, of course, & Hot Guy of the Month
I’ve loved everything Kate has put out and there’s no exception here. How unreasonable of me is it to ask when book 2 is coming when this is still months from release????
The FMC is a badass and of course - extremely reckless. Which only bothered me at the 80% mark for a few minutes where she was making <3 bad choices <3 but she’s 22 so that is to be expected!
this was fun as hell, okay
A little Vampire Academy meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Things to know:
- She’s a demon hunter on her own
- gets approached by Hot Guy to join a demon hunting academy
- he gave off Theo James in Divergent energy (my favorite)
- found family
- double life (human job + hunting academy)
- mysterious disappearings
This read like a movie!!!!!! Starting me, of course, & Hot Guy of the Month
I’ve loved everything Kate has put out and there’s no exception here. How unreasonable of me is it to ask when book 2 is coming when this is still months from release????
The FMC is a badass and of course - extremely reckless. Which only bothered me at the 80% mark for a few minutes where she was making <3 bad choices <3 but she’s 22 so that is to be expected!
February 24, 2025
Gonna need 5-7 business days to write an actual review because OMGGGGGGG
Currently reading
December 23, 2025
December 19, 2024
I’m obsessed with this book, simple as that. It’s the kind of book you think of long after you read it and I’m sad I can’t go back to read it for the first time again. When I say this is one of my favorite FMC, I genuinely mean it. It’s not your typical “stabby” female lead, it’s honestly a trope that I don’t relate to too much, but with this lead, it’s not like that at all. She has so much heart and is so real and vivid that it feels like you’re reading about a friend
December 21, 2025
I'm having such conflicted feelings while I think about this book. I really laboured through reading and had a lot of stop and start moments where I left the book to only return to it just to simply complete the book. I adored Kate Golden's previous contemporary romance novel and it was largely the reason why I gravitated to Half City.
The presence of Hogwarts and Harry Potter is undoubtedly present and it's inescapable when it's part of the cultural lexicon of every reader. The originality was attempted but I needed more to be built out. I had moments of discomfort while reading Half City because there's an underlining tone that's unsettling. While many readers are gravitating to this book with excitement I also ask readers to go through the story with a critical lens, ask yourself: are there red flags in certain scenes? Why was that dialogue chosen? Why was that character given that specific motivation?
An example: "some might call it vengeance, but I prefer the term pest extermination. I'm just doing my part to clean up this city I call home". That is a set choice of words that I'm not aligned with at all, and dehumanization in any form (whether it's fictional or not) is abhorrent.
Anyways, this was an interesting read and I'd like to thank Berkley Pub for the digital arc.
The presence of Hogwarts and Harry Potter is undoubtedly present and it's inescapable when it's part of the cultural lexicon of every reader. The originality was attempted but I needed more to be built out. I had moments of discomfort while reading Half City because there's an underlining tone that's unsettling. While many readers are gravitating to this book with excitement I also ask readers to go through the story with a critical lens, ask yourself: are there red flags in certain scenes? Why was that dialogue chosen? Why was that character given that specific motivation?
An example: "some might call it vengeance, but I prefer the term pest extermination. I'm just doing my part to clean up this city I call home". That is a set choice of words that I'm not aligned with at all, and dehumanization in any form (whether it's fictional or not) is abhorrent.
Anyways, this was an interesting read and I'd like to thank Berkley Pub for the digital arc.
Currently reading
September 19, 2025I really enjoyed Dawn of Onyx, so I have high hopes for this book! Thank you to Netgalley for providing in exchange for a review.
November 13, 2025
The way this story instantly grabbed me. I swear there was poppy between the pages because I was seriously hooked from the first chapter!! The Mortal Instruments was the first series I ever truly fell in love with as a young girl. SOO when I got this ARC, I was over the moon ecstatic!! And let me tell you, I’d give my soul for most of these characters. Kate Golden just knows how to write best friends. Having Penny, Sophia, Elliot, & Peter in Viv’s corner? The gods truly blessed her.
This book was seriously perfection. I had straight-up anxiety reading some parts, watching Viv juggle both sides of her life and her past trauma had me stressed. But I loved her independence and the way she slowly learns to lean on her new friends and work as a team. It was refreshing reading about a woman who’s already powerful but still has to backtrack and relearn the right way to fight her enemies. The academic setting was seriously everything you’d want, classrooms, training scenes, study sessions, I ate it all up. So beautifully written.
And don’t even get me started on Reid and Viv. It’s going to take a lot to pull me away from them. They both have these broken, heavy pasts, and neither really feels like they belong, but together? It’s like two puzzle pieces finally locking in. Oh, and he’s a professor… well “combat instructor” so naturally, Lance Orion and Daddy Devryk made it impossible not to fall for him. It’s dangerous, forbidden, and utterly perfect. His protective nature, her fire, they just feed off each other. It’s like playing with fire, and I couldn’t get enough.
I’m so here for Reid and Viv LIKE SERIOUSLY #1 cheerleader but I can’t lie, I’m also slightly curious about where things might go with a certain someone (no spoilers 👀). That ending absolutely wrecked me. “I had nowhere else to go”? KATE. Why must you do this to us?! I was still recovering from the scene before that cliffhanger hit!!!
Basically what I’m saying is, this will be one of my top fantasy reads of the year. Preorder it. Add it to your TBR. Tattoo it on your forehead. I can’t wait to own a gorgeous physical copy when it releases. 🖤✨
the biggest thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the e-ARC! 💫
This book was seriously perfection. I had straight-up anxiety reading some parts, watching Viv juggle both sides of her life and her past trauma had me stressed. But I loved her independence and the way she slowly learns to lean on her new friends and work as a team. It was refreshing reading about a woman who’s already powerful but still has to backtrack and relearn the right way to fight her enemies. The academic setting was seriously everything you’d want, classrooms, training scenes, study sessions, I ate it all up. So beautifully written.
And don’t even get me started on Reid and Viv. It’s going to take a lot to pull me away from them. They both have these broken, heavy pasts, and neither really feels like they belong, but together? It’s like two puzzle pieces finally locking in. Oh, and he’s a professor… well “combat instructor” so naturally, Lance Orion and Daddy Devryk made it impossible not to fall for him. It’s dangerous, forbidden, and utterly perfect. His protective nature, her fire, they just feed off each other. It’s like playing with fire, and I couldn’t get enough.
I’m so here for Reid and Viv LIKE SERIOUSLY #1 cheerleader but I can’t lie, I’m also slightly curious about where things might go with a certain someone (no spoilers 👀). That ending absolutely wrecked me. “I had nowhere else to go”? KATE. Why must you do this to us?! I was still recovering from the scene before that cliffhanger hit!!!
Basically what I’m saying is, this will be one of my top fantasy reads of the year. Preorder it. Add it to your TBR. Tattoo it on your forehead. I can’t wait to own a gorgeous physical copy when it releases. 🖤✨
the biggest thank you to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the e-ARC! 💫
September 30, 2025
4.5/5
I was so very lucky to get an ARC of this book, and I binge read it in under 24 hours. I could not put it down. It kind of gives a more gritty Mortal instruments kind of vibes with demon hunters and other supernatural beings except set with dark academia vibes and a forbidden romance between a demon and hunter (did I mention the demon is also her teacher? So double forbidden).
Viv is the black sheep of her family, they think she has no direction in her life - what they don’t know is that she has been hunting deviants (demons, vampires, monsters etc) that hide in plain sight for a decade in secret. She is a rare breed of hunter known as an Aeon, same as her now passed father taught her all she knows and taught her that no one can know what she is. You see, Aeons are known for bloodlust, and can be dangerous - therefore they were wiped out years ago - or so they thought. One day, Viv meets a stranger who recruits her to a hunter academy called Harker. So stuck living a half life between the facade of being a normal human with a best friend and boring boyfriend and being herself - a fierce hunter - she is constantly pulled between both worlds and watching as her secrets and lies pile up. To make matters more complicated - is the tension and chemistry she feels with the demon combat instructor. But as the academy starts to come under attack, students go missing, and schemes start t unravel - will Viv be able to maintain her double life and save both her worlds?
I was so very lucky to get an ARC of this book, and I binge read it in under 24 hours. I could not put it down. It kind of gives a more gritty Mortal instruments kind of vibes with demon hunters and other supernatural beings except set with dark academia vibes and a forbidden romance between a demon and hunter (did I mention the demon is also her teacher? So double forbidden).
Viv is the black sheep of her family, they think she has no direction in her life - what they don’t know is that she has been hunting deviants (demons, vampires, monsters etc) that hide in plain sight for a decade in secret. She is a rare breed of hunter known as an Aeon, same as her now passed father taught her all she knows and taught her that no one can know what she is. You see, Aeons are known for bloodlust, and can be dangerous - therefore they were wiped out years ago - or so they thought. One day, Viv meets a stranger who recruits her to a hunter academy called Harker. So stuck living a half life between the facade of being a normal human with a best friend and boring boyfriend and being herself - a fierce hunter - she is constantly pulled between both worlds and watching as her secrets and lies pile up. To make matters more complicated - is the tension and chemistry she feels with the demon combat instructor. But as the academy starts to come under attack, students go missing, and schemes start t unravel - will Viv be able to maintain her double life and save both her worlds?
October 30, 2025
i’m so glad i gave this book a second chance!!!! it was perfect for me since i’ve been obsessed with urban fantasy lately, the only downside was the beginning (which made me put it down for a few weeks) and some cringey dialogue but i still ended up really enjoying it bc it was exactly the vibe i wanted right now.
September 30, 2025
4.25⭐️
Fortunate enough to receive an arc for this!!
Wow. Here were my thoughts as I read:
14% in: I’m not as into this book as I would like to be
24% in: okay I’m in this book but the side characters are lacking for what I want in an academy set book
68% in: I’M KICKING MY FEET AND SCREAMING. IM SO IN THIS. I stand by what I said about the side characters I want more.
80% in: HOLY SHIT I DON’T WANNA PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. But also I thought two of the side characters were dating this whole time only to realise they’re not now..
100% in: I am so gutted this book is over. I am so gutted it’s an arc which means I have so long until I can talk to people about it and so long until the next book comes out.
Fortunate enough to receive an arc for this!!
Wow. Here were my thoughts as I read:
14% in: I’m not as into this book as I would like to be
24% in: okay I’m in this book but the side characters are lacking for what I want in an academy set book
68% in: I’M KICKING MY FEET AND SCREAMING. IM SO IN THIS. I stand by what I said about the side characters I want more.
80% in: HOLY SHIT I DON’T WANNA PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. But also I thought two of the side characters were dating this whole time only to realise they’re not now..
100% in: I am so gutted this book is over. I am so gutted it’s an arc which means I have so long until I can talk to people about it and so long until the next book comes out.
Want to read
July 6, 2025Close enough, welcome back Clary Fray
October 19, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book was perfect. Just perfect. I could go on and on about how much I loved it: the characters, the setting, the world, everything. I laughed out loud multiple times, I got tense, my heart raced and I swooned. I felt all the emotions!
It was just written so well!! I was never bored. I was hooked from page one.
It reminded me of the way I felt when I read “The Mortal Instruments” for the first time; in the best way!
Viv is an amazing main character. She doesn’t take crap from anyone. She is smart, caring and she can take care of herself! I loved being inside of her head. I loved the little bit of the breaking of the fourth wall at times. I was rooting for her to succeed. I also thought it was cool that she already knew how to fight and has been fighting for a while before getting to school. The training arc can be very fun in media, but in a school/dark academia setting, it can be boring to me. So it was fun to read about a woman who was already powerful.
I love Viv and Reid’s banter. I was instantly hooked on their relationship and couldn’t wait for them to get together. It was a little but of instalove, but maybe more instalust. I personally thought it wasn’t too rushed, and I was glad we saw them together a little bit, and not just right at the end after waiting all book for them to get together.
I love the friendship Viv had in Sophia, Peter, Elliot, and Kitty. They were all great friends to each other. It was beautiful to read! Each character stood on their own too! They all had their own personalities.
Sophia was so cool. I love that she was gorgeous and “popular” but she wasn’t mean. She was an amazing person. Peter was so sweet. I feel like there may be more to him than meets the eye, but either way, I love him. I am rooting for her and Peter! Elliot was amazing. He stole the show with how he made me laugh every time he spoke.
This needs to be a movie or a TV show. I would eat it up.
I need the next book NOW!!! It’s painful because I read this as an ARC, so I have to wait for it to come out before I can even hope to read the second book! That cliffhanger was insane. I thought we would get a little more, but nope. It just ended and I lost it.
I am all here for Reid and Viv, but I am also VERY curious on where things could go with a certain someone who won’t be named for spoiler purposes. I was obsessed with how it ended. I am a sucker for a “I had no where else to go” trope, so I can’t wait to see how that goes!
You absolutely need to read this book, it will not disappoint! I already want to reread it.
This book was perfect. Just perfect. I could go on and on about how much I loved it: the characters, the setting, the world, everything. I laughed out loud multiple times, I got tense, my heart raced and I swooned. I felt all the emotions!
It was just written so well!! I was never bored. I was hooked from page one.
It reminded me of the way I felt when I read “The Mortal Instruments” for the first time; in the best way!
Viv is an amazing main character. She doesn’t take crap from anyone. She is smart, caring and she can take care of herself! I loved being inside of her head. I loved the little bit of the breaking of the fourth wall at times. I was rooting for her to succeed. I also thought it was cool that she already knew how to fight and has been fighting for a while before getting to school. The training arc can be very fun in media, but in a school/dark academia setting, it can be boring to me. So it was fun to read about a woman who was already powerful.
I love Viv and Reid’s banter. I was instantly hooked on their relationship and couldn’t wait for them to get together. It was a little but of instalove, but maybe more instalust. I personally thought it wasn’t too rushed, and I was glad we saw them together a little bit, and not just right at the end after waiting all book for them to get together.
I love the friendship Viv had in Sophia, Peter, Elliot, and Kitty. They were all great friends to each other. It was beautiful to read! Each character stood on their own too! They all had their own personalities.
Sophia was so cool. I love that she was gorgeous and “popular” but she wasn’t mean. She was an amazing person. Peter was so sweet. I feel like there may be more to him than meets the eye, but either way, I love him. I am rooting for her and Peter! Elliot was amazing. He stole the show with how he made me laugh every time he spoke.
This needs to be a movie or a TV show. I would eat it up.
I need the next book NOW!!! It’s painful because I read this as an ARC, so I have to wait for it to come out before I can even hope to read the second book! That cliffhanger was insane. I thought we would get a little more, but nope. It just ended and I lost it.
I am all here for Reid and Viv, but I am also VERY curious on where things could go with a certain someone who won’t be named for spoiler purposes. I was obsessed with how it ended. I am a sucker for a “I had no where else to go” trope, so I can’t wait to see how that goes!
You absolutely need to read this book, it will not disappoint! I already want to reread it.
December 17, 2025
Half City follows Viv, a hunter who tracks down and eliminates Deviants, until she’s unexpectedly offered a position at Harker Academy for Deviant Defense.
I haven’t seen much of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but based on what I do know, Half City definitely gives off Buffy-esque vibes.
The worldbuilding in Half City is immersive and robust. Astera feels lived-in and layered as Viv navigates both life inside Harker Academy and the world beyond it. It’s a city that’s simultaneously gloomy and electric, with a distinct cyberpunk undercurrent.
Viv is headstrong and independent, sometimes to her own detriment. She’s lived a double life for as long as she can remember, making it difficult for her to let people in. She’s brimming with emotions she has nowhere to safely put.
Reid is a mysterious reformed Deviant with secrets and unfortunately isn’t quite as well-developed as Viv. He keeps too many things hidden and gets caught in too many lies, leaving him feeling less fleshed out compared to Viv by the end of the novel.
The angst and chemistry between Viv and Reid is electric, but I wanted more of it. Their forbidden romance is compelling, but I wish it had been explored further.
Fair warning: Half City ends on a cliffhanger. It’s not the worst I’ve read, but it definitely has me eagerly searching for news about its sequel.
Overall, Half City has a rich atmosphere and compelling protagonist. Half City lays the groundwork for a series with huge potential.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I haven’t seen much of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but based on what I do know, Half City definitely gives off Buffy-esque vibes.
The worldbuilding in Half City is immersive and robust. Astera feels lived-in and layered as Viv navigates both life inside Harker Academy and the world beyond it. It’s a city that’s simultaneously gloomy and electric, with a distinct cyberpunk undercurrent.
Viv is headstrong and independent, sometimes to her own detriment. She’s lived a double life for as long as she can remember, making it difficult for her to let people in. She’s brimming with emotions she has nowhere to safely put.
Reid is a mysterious reformed Deviant with secrets and unfortunately isn’t quite as well-developed as Viv. He keeps too many things hidden and gets caught in too many lies, leaving him feeling less fleshed out compared to Viv by the end of the novel.
The angst and chemistry between Viv and Reid is electric, but I wanted more of it. Their forbidden romance is compelling, but I wish it had been explored further.
Fair warning: Half City ends on a cliffhanger. It’s not the worst I’ve read, but it definitely has me eagerly searching for news about its sequel.
Overall, Half City has a rich atmosphere and compelling protagonist. Half City lays the groundwork for a series with huge potential.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
“𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞. 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐫.”
🗡️🏰🩸✨🫦
Kate Golden delivers an atmospheric academic world that pulls you right in. Harker Academy is dark, magical, and full of secrets— from the intriguing classes (I appreciated all the details around this), unreliable professors, and found family friendships, I felt transported into the pages. When I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it!
Let’s talk about characters..
VIV — A woman on a mission who refuses to let anything stand in her way…especially demons. Viv is constantly navigating what it means to fit in while balancing two very different lives. I admired her confidence, her wit, and the undeniable push-and-pull tension between her Reid 🤭
REID — is the stubborn demon professor I knew I’d be obsessed with from page one. His humor, and refusal to go easy on Viv kept me entertained. I loved how he pushed her to become the strongest version of herself.
An honourable mention to Peter, this guy had me giggling!! I loved him so much, and I hope we get more of him and the “Scooby” gang in the second book.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫:
✔️ dark academia
✔️ demon vs. demon hunter
✔️ enemies to lovers
✔️ found family / scooby gang
✔️ urban fantasy
✔️ He gives her a nickname
This was one of my most anticipated reads for 2026..thankful to have received an ARC - @berkleyromance @kategoldenauthor
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐅𝐞𝐛 𝟏𝟕𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 🎉🎉
Add this to your 2026 TBR! 🤩
October 17, 2025
Omgosh. This book! It’s like FOURTH WING, MORTAL INSTRUMENTS and KPOP DEMON HUNTERS got together and had a beautiful, chaotic love child. Take all my favorite things from those worlds and you’ve got HALF CITY.
This was my first Kate Golden book, but I’m already itching to dive into her backlist. HALF CITY has everything I love: a bada$$ FMC who’s a demon-slaying pro, and a brooding, demon professor she absolutely shouldn’t fall for. (Don’t worry, she’s in her 20s and it’s post-college, it’s fiiiiiine guys.)
I’m a huge sucker for Urban Fantasy and this delivered the dark city vibes where Viv lives. I absolutely adored the found family vibes from Harker Academy and the sprinkle of mystery throughout the novel.
Though I was expecting a cliffhanger, this one hurt. I have so many questions left unanswered. Which is the downside of ARC reading, I now have to wait forever for book two. 😆 Anyways, @kategoldenauthor, if you’re looking for beta readers for book two, I volunteer as tribute.
Basically what I’m saying is this will be a top fantasy book of the year for me and you should preorder your copy. 😘
Huge thanks to @berkley for my physical ARC from Booked With Berkley event. I’m forever grateful!
What You’ll Find:
🔥 Demon + Demon Hunter
🏫 Dark academy
⚔️ Enemies to lovers
🚫 Forbidden romance
✨ Magical college
👯 Found family
🗡️ Combat training
🌃 Urban fantasy
This was my first Kate Golden book, but I’m already itching to dive into her backlist. HALF CITY has everything I love: a bada$$ FMC who’s a demon-slaying pro, and a brooding, demon professor she absolutely shouldn’t fall for. (Don’t worry, she’s in her 20s and it’s post-college, it’s fiiiiiine guys.)
I’m a huge sucker for Urban Fantasy and this delivered the dark city vibes where Viv lives. I absolutely adored the found family vibes from Harker Academy and the sprinkle of mystery throughout the novel.
Though I was expecting a cliffhanger, this one hurt. I have so many questions left unanswered. Which is the downside of ARC reading, I now have to wait forever for book two. 😆 Anyways, @kategoldenauthor, if you’re looking for beta readers for book two, I volunteer as tribute.
Basically what I’m saying is this will be a top fantasy book of the year for me and you should preorder your copy. 😘
Huge thanks to @berkley for my physical ARC from Booked With Berkley event. I’m forever grateful!
What You’ll Find:
🔥 Demon + Demon Hunter
🏫 Dark academy
⚔️ Enemies to lovers
🚫 Forbidden romance
✨ Magical college
👯 Found family
🗡️ Combat training
🌃 Urban fantasy
November 20, 2025
I just KNEW I was going to love this book. I mean, it’s urban fantasy with an academia setting written by one of my favourite authors. However I did NOT expect to be THIS obsessed with it 🤣 We’re talking full-on addition, highlighting entire sections, not being able to put it down, needing the next book like oxygen level kind of obsession.
The writing is incredible.
Sharp, funny, and so visual that every scene feels like it’s unfolding right in front of you. Action scenes hit hard. Emotion-heavy chapters gut you in the best way. There’s this relatable ache in the way the book explores belonging, identity, and the pressure of being “different.” And the author balances heartache, humor, action, romance, and mystery without ever losing momentum.
The characters? The characters!
Viv owns my entire heart. Stubborn, messy, emotional, and totally relatable. She fails. She spirals. She keeps going anyway. Reid… daddy I love him! Banter that makes you grin. Tension that makes your stomach flutter. When it finally tips? Chef’s kiss. The supporting cast adds warmth, suspicion, and heart, and the friendships are just as compelling as the romance.
The world is massive and alive but never overwhelming.
The academy feels like a place I’d actually want to attend, with diverse classes and thrilling hunting lessons. Half City gives serious Gotham vibes — dark, gritty, and full of hidden dangers. The demons are fascinating and have real villain potential.
A killer first book in a new urban fantasy series, and I’m already calling it a contender for my top favorite.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me this eARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The writing is incredible.
Sharp, funny, and so visual that every scene feels like it’s unfolding right in front of you. Action scenes hit hard. Emotion-heavy chapters gut you in the best way. There’s this relatable ache in the way the book explores belonging, identity, and the pressure of being “different.” And the author balances heartache, humor, action, romance, and mystery without ever losing momentum.
The characters? The characters!
Viv owns my entire heart. Stubborn, messy, emotional, and totally relatable. She fails. She spirals. She keeps going anyway. Reid… daddy I love him! Banter that makes you grin. Tension that makes your stomach flutter. When it finally tips? Chef’s kiss. The supporting cast adds warmth, suspicion, and heart, and the friendships are just as compelling as the romance.
The world is massive and alive but never overwhelming.
The academy feels like a place I’d actually want to attend, with diverse classes and thrilling hunting lessons. Half City gives serious Gotham vibes — dark, gritty, and full of hidden dangers. The demons are fascinating and have real villain potential.
A killer first book in a new urban fantasy series, and I’m already calling it a contender for my top favorite.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me this eARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
December 15, 2025
I need a fucking minute before reviewing this. oh my gods.
Edit: here’s the review finally.
Half City
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Berkley for granting me an eARC of Half City from Edelwiess. I am FOREVER GRATEFUL.
Yall. No words. I’m just. I need all up until book two to process the ending of this one. What a cliffhanger but I also love it because now my mind will be now just mentally all about Half City’s ending.
When I finished this my boyfriend watched me flip back and forth from the last page and acknowledgments page of me being in panic mode like “ no this isn’t the end what, no” on repeat for like five minutes straight.
This was immaculate. Another amazing book written by Kate, but honestly each book she writes continues to get better and Half City is PROOF of that. I am in awe. Forever will be supporting just so I can continue to see her grow with her writing (& because I love her and her books duh)
Now, onto the book itself. Dark Academia, Demon Hunter and Demons, Slow Burn, Found Family, Enemies to Lovers and so many more tropes that had me sick and obsessed all the way through. Do I need to say more? This should sell you right away. (Also check her IG for character art because that will have you drooling and wanting to add this to your TBR)
Reid. I love him. That’s it. You’ll love him too.
Viv you’ll also love, she’s a badass and I love her character so much.
I just I want to say MORE but I cannot spill the beans when the books not released til February, but if you read this and you’ve read it already pls hit me up in my IG dms thx.
Edit: here’s the review finally.
Half City
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Berkley for granting me an eARC of Half City from Edelwiess. I am FOREVER GRATEFUL.
Yall. No words. I’m just. I need all up until book two to process the ending of this one. What a cliffhanger but I also love it because now my mind will be now just mentally all about Half City’s ending.
When I finished this my boyfriend watched me flip back and forth from the last page and acknowledgments page of me being in panic mode like “ no this isn’t the end what, no” on repeat for like five minutes straight.
This was immaculate. Another amazing book written by Kate, but honestly each book she writes continues to get better and Half City is PROOF of that. I am in awe. Forever will be supporting just so I can continue to see her grow with her writing (& because I love her and her books duh)
Now, onto the book itself. Dark Academia, Demon Hunter and Demons, Slow Burn, Found Family, Enemies to Lovers and so many more tropes that had me sick and obsessed all the way through. Do I need to say more? This should sell you right away. (Also check her IG for character art because that will have you drooling and wanting to add this to your TBR)
Reid. I love him. That’s it. You’ll love him too.
Viv you’ll also love, she’s a badass and I love her character so much.
I just I want to say MORE but I cannot spill the beans when the books not released til February, but if you read this and you’ve read it already pls hit me up in my IG dms thx.
Read
September 8, 2025That ending??? Ru kidding.
And it doesn’t even come out till next year! FML
We were teased with Reid all book long for that ending?!
Kate I love you, but you’re going to be hearing from my lawyer 🤣
And it doesn’t even come out till next year! FML
We were teased with Reid all book long for that ending?!
Kate I love you, but you’re going to be hearing from my lawyer 🤣
August 30, 2025
Omfg. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?! Just wait??? After that ending????? I am not well. Will review later but AHHHH if you can get an arc go read this right now so we can commiserate about having to wait for the next one when the first one isn’t even out yet. Please suffer with me.
Read
October 24, 2025I want to start off by saying I had a fun time reading this book. I enjoyed Golden's Sacred Stones series, so I was excited to read this one. It's sort of Buffy (in the sense that it's demon of the week in the "real" world) plus Fourth Wing (okay, really any school-of-magic book). I have a feeling it will be really popular. I'm grateful to Berkley for the ARC, and will be reading number 2...please don't let the following lead you to believe that I don't wanna!!! ****Spoilers ahead*****
That said, fun as this was, it was rather uneven. The world-building was clunky at times. I didn't love the FMC or the MMC. I wish the characters had more personalities and not just ~motivations~. The side characters were kinda flat, and didn't add a whole lot, especially the folks who live in Astera. Harker was a weird addition to the story--I get why it's there, but the students felt too old to be behaving the way they were, thinking about frat parties, papers, and lacrosse games. The timing, across the board, was weird--Viv goes from loner to found family and in love instantly. I also don't love the teacher/student relationship; their chemistry was just meh to me. The ending was a cliff-hanger, but in a "huh, that's a weird place to end" sort of way. I felt the twists were so clockable that it was frustrating that Viv and co. didn't see them either. I have so many questions and feelings about this!!!!!!!
That said, fun as this was, it was rather uneven. The world-building was clunky at times. I didn't love the FMC or the MMC. I wish the characters had more personalities and not just ~motivations~. The side characters were kinda flat, and didn't add a whole lot, especially the folks who live in Astera. Harker was a weird addition to the story--I get why it's there, but the students felt too old to be behaving the way they were, thinking about frat parties, papers, and lacrosse games. The timing, across the board, was weird--Viv goes from loner to found family and in love instantly. I also don't love the teacher/student relationship; their chemistry was just meh to me. The ending was a cliff-hanger, but in a "huh, that's a weird place to end" sort of way. I felt the twists were so clockable that it was frustrating that Viv and co. didn't see them either. I have so many questions and feelings about this!!!!!!!
October 4, 2025
Kate Golden's Half City gives all the Buffy-coded vibes and I am here for absolutely every single one of them.
Golden's return to fantasy does not disappoint. This gritty urban fantasy mixed with moments of dark academia will hook you in. I loved following Viv's story -- she is salty, sarcastic, a touch reckless, all with a chip on her shoulder (and there are some reasons for why that is). A hunter, she keeps her city safe, until she is recruited to join Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. While at Harker she discovers new friendships and we get this really fun found family vibe that I loved through the book. We also get some new characters like Reid (the demon turned instructor), some questionable Harker professors, as well as others. Kate Golden does a wonderful job of infusing these side characters with personality and witty humor as they darker themes within the book grow.
I enjoyed the back and forth between Reid and Viv, but man, do I have so many questions about this and where it all going. I kinda can't wait to see where Golden takes the second book in this series, but I expect we are in for a wild ride.
I really enjoyed the plot and how it balanced between Viv's home life and her time at Harker. She definitely isn't balancing it well, but I like as a character that she doesn't have it all figured out. It made her seem like realistic and demonstrates her growth over the course of the book. Other than a few minor dips in pacing, the book flows really, really well and it kept me hooked from start to finish with the growing mystery and the disappearance of Harker students.
Really enjoyed. Preordered my own physical copy as I impatiently wait for book two!
4.5/5
Golden's return to fantasy does not disappoint. This gritty urban fantasy mixed with moments of dark academia will hook you in. I loved following Viv's story -- she is salty, sarcastic, a touch reckless, all with a chip on her shoulder (and there are some reasons for why that is). A hunter, she keeps her city safe, until she is recruited to join Harker Academy for Deviant Defense. While at Harker she discovers new friendships and we get this really fun found family vibe that I loved through the book. We also get some new characters like Reid (the demon turned instructor), some questionable Harker professors, as well as others. Kate Golden does a wonderful job of infusing these side characters with personality and witty humor as they darker themes within the book grow.
I enjoyed the back and forth between Reid and Viv, but man, do I have so many questions about this and where it all going. I kinda can't wait to see where Golden takes the second book in this series, but I expect we are in for a wild ride.
I really enjoyed the plot and how it balanced between Viv's home life and her time at Harker. She definitely isn't balancing it well, but I like as a character that she doesn't have it all figured out. It made her seem like realistic and demonstrates her growth over the course of the book. Other than a few minor dips in pacing, the book flows really, really well and it kept me hooked from start to finish with the growing mystery and the disappearance of Harker students.
Really enjoyed. Preordered my own physical copy as I impatiently wait for book two!
4.5/5
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