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Harker Academy #1
Half City
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 just 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 when 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, and fast. All while trying to ace her classes, not fall 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 just 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 when 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, and fast. All while trying to ace her classes, not fall for a demon, and make it through her first year at Harker in one piece. How hard could that be?
Audible Audio
First published February 17, 2026
About the author
Kate Golden
14 books4,625 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 6,830 reviews
April 14, 2026
okay i’m sat……
it took me a long time to get fully into this but it was so worth it. I will say I have zero interest in our mmc but I love the FMC and the found family friends <3
also declan.. a lot of interest there. i’ll leave u with that.
it took me a long time to get fully into this but it was so worth it. I will say I have zero interest in our mmc but I love the FMC and the found family friends <3
also declan.. a lot of interest there. i’ll leave u with that.
February 14, 2026
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Charmed. Supernatural. Some people might label these late 90s to 2000s TV series as washed up or nostalgic but I’d personally call them formative to my childhood/youth and perhaps somewhat responsible for my fascination with attractive morally conflicted demons.
Either way, Half City by Kate Golden (and K Pop Demon Hunters) reiterates what I (and maybe you) already knew: there’s just something compelling about that demon x demon hunter enemy dynamic that makes it hit harder, especially when boundaries blur. That's why reading this gave me that same feeling as those TV series of yesteryear.
Additionally, characters have to interrogate their pre-conceived ideologies about who is worthy of empathy and I think authors need to be really careful when playing around with this dynamic. But I think the author understood the weighty implications and responsibility of dem real world parallels and did a fantastic job in being meaningful in the way characters expressed their ethical killing codes and challenging species hierarchy and discrimination.
And this depth extends beyond ideology into worldbuilding. Astera absolutely gave me NYC vibes (ILY NYC 💌) except fantastical and with a giant chasm down the middle of it.
Similarly, I get the comparisons to my favourite dark academia series, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, in regards to sprawling academic institutions, sentient compendiums, magical creature lore and eclectic ensemble of supernatural beings. I won’t spoil the fun in naming the supernatural beings, I def recommend discovering them for yourself (here are some emoji hints for the super obvious ones though: 🧛♀️🐺😈🧚♀️).
And we're all agreed that we can classify James—Viv’s regular human boyfriend—as a complete prick, right? Get in the bin, James.
Yet I think the thing that truly stood out to me in Half City was the FOUND FAMILY. I think this is one of my favourite found families I have ever imprinted on? Sophia, Peter, Elliot and Penny felt so warm and serotonin boosting and were just a joy to read about anytime they were on page. If you are familiar with Jessica Jones and Trish Walker, you may see parallels between FMC, Viv, a demon hunter with black cat energy and Penny, her ray of sunshine bestie flatmate. Also a shoutout to Hound, Viv & Penny’s dog, who they found in a dumpster. (Adopt don’t shop.)
Now I think in some parts especially, some readers are going to find Viv’s decisions and attitude a bit insufferable, self-pitying and even self-sabotaging and that’s totally fair. However, I interpreted it as character development and growth, and look, I ain’t gonna judge our girl Viv for it, she’s been through a lot. Such as watching a bunch of demons kill her beloved father in front of her, as a helpless child, and probs dealing with a bunch of grief, loneliness and trauma. Hence the demon hatred she's harbouring.
And the part everyone is probably curious about: the romance. YES. WE LIKE. I’m invested. Spice is between 2-3 🌶 but it takes a while to get there and it is earned. And it’s worth noting I am always apprehensive about the student-teacher relationship because it can be problematic for obvious reasons, but this was handled with care and unproblematicness, in my personal opinion.
Okay and ultimately… yes, there are some twists in the last 30% or so but what really got me was THE ENDING? I have written down so many theories. So many. I almost drew a diagram. I was waiting to see if I was correct. But I can assure you no loose ends were tied up. I repeat, there are no tidy bows, there is no closure. In fact, the door has been kicked open to new possibilities and directions in the second book. It’s diabolical. I am a wee bit outraged.
So yes, Half City is exactly my taste. And I super highly recommend it to anyone who feels the same joy and nostalgia and fondness for all the same things as me.
A huge thanks to Kate Golden for reaching out and sending me an advance copy via Netgalley and Quercus.
〰〰〰〰〰
Me: time to switch genres.
Dark academia demon x demon hunters enemies to lovers with Buffy vibes book: ☺️
Me: never mind.
Either way, Half City by Kate Golden (and K Pop Demon Hunters) reiterates what I (and maybe you) already knew: there’s just something compelling about that demon x demon hunter enemy dynamic that makes it hit harder, especially when boundaries blur. That's why reading this gave me that same feeling as those TV series of yesteryear.
Additionally, characters have to interrogate their pre-conceived ideologies about who is worthy of empathy and I think authors need to be really careful when playing around with this dynamic. But I think the author understood the weighty implications and responsibility of dem real world parallels and did a fantastic job in being meaningful in the way characters expressed their ethical killing codes and challenging species hierarchy and discrimination.
And this depth extends beyond ideology into worldbuilding. Astera absolutely gave me NYC vibes (ILY NYC 💌) except fantastical and with a giant chasm down the middle of it.
Similarly, I get the comparisons to my favourite dark academia series, Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, in regards to sprawling academic institutions, sentient compendiums, magical creature lore and eclectic ensemble of supernatural beings. I won’t spoil the fun in naming the supernatural beings, I def recommend discovering them for yourself (here are some emoji hints for the super obvious ones though: 🧛♀️🐺😈🧚♀️).
And we're all agreed that we can classify James—Viv’s regular human boyfriend—as a complete prick, right? Get in the bin, James.
Yet I think the thing that truly stood out to me in Half City was the FOUND FAMILY. I think this is one of my favourite found families I have ever imprinted on? Sophia, Peter, Elliot and Penny felt so warm and serotonin boosting and were just a joy to read about anytime they were on page. If you are familiar with Jessica Jones and Trish Walker, you may see parallels between FMC, Viv, a demon hunter with black cat energy and Penny, her ray of sunshine bestie flatmate. Also a shoutout to Hound, Viv & Penny’s dog, who they found in a dumpster. (Adopt don’t shop.)
Now I think in some parts especially, some readers are going to find Viv’s decisions and attitude a bit insufferable, self-pitying and even self-sabotaging and that’s totally fair. However, I interpreted it as character development and growth, and look, I ain’t gonna judge our girl Viv for it, she’s been through a lot. Such as watching a bunch of demons kill her beloved father in front of her, as a helpless child, and probs dealing with a bunch of grief, loneliness and trauma. Hence the demon hatred she's harbouring.
And the part everyone is probably curious about: the romance. YES. WE LIKE. I’m invested. Spice is between 2-3 🌶 but it takes a while to get there and it is earned. And it’s worth noting I am always apprehensive about the student-teacher relationship because it can be problematic for obvious reasons, but this was handled with care and unproblematicness, in my personal opinion.
Okay and ultimately… yes, there are some twists in the last 30% or so but what really got me was THE ENDING? I have written down so many theories. So many. I almost drew a diagram. I was waiting to see if I was correct. But I can assure you no loose ends were tied up. I repeat, there are no tidy bows, there is no closure. In fact, the door has been kicked open to new possibilities and directions in the second book. It’s diabolical. I am a wee bit outraged.
So yes, Half City is exactly my taste. And I super highly recommend it to anyone who feels the same joy and nostalgia and fondness for all the same things as me.
A huge thanks to Kate Golden for reaching out and sending me an advance copy via Netgalley and Quercus.
〰〰〰〰〰
Me: time to switch genres.
Dark academia demon x demon hunters enemies to lovers with Buffy vibes book: ☺️
Me: never mind.
Review of advance copy
4.5 ⭐️ If you love demon hunters and urban fantasy romance books, you’re gonna eat this one up!!! The ENDING has me on the edge of my seat for the next book. Kate Golden’s best work to date 🤌🏼
August 25, 2026
This was disappointing. It had at the most surface level potential. There were too many issues and too little for me to actually enjoy.
The premise was interesting, I won't lie. It's clear that the author has a clear direction on how the character dynamics are to set up and the end goal in sight. But to execute that idea? Messy and unorganized. Things happen at random. I want to be from point A ➡️ B ➡️ C. But this book took me around like A ➡️ O ➡️ P ➡️ C. I wasn't a fan of that.
The academy setting held a lot of potential. But the world building lacked refinement. It needed structure and rules. I couldn't grasp what the author was trying to communicate to me with so many creatures in the world and yet lacking hierarchies and any intricate details. Imo had the author just stuck with the demons x demon hunter storyline, it would have been much better. But in order to lump all creatures in? It was not great.
The writing is extremely juvenile for me. The banter and character dialogues read immature and tried too hard to do the most. It's unappealing and made me roll my eyes quite a lot. And I'm thrown into a found family dynamic, which was created too soon. It didn't gel well. I could see the inspiration was something like Fourth Wing dynamics but it flopped real bad.
As for the characters? I won't dive into the side characters cause none of them stuck with me enough to be called memorable. But Viv? Holy fuck annoying as hell!! She had such an amazing backstory but it wasn't handled well at all. She has the personality of: "I'm not like other girls." And she was the most reckless, impulsive, careless character. Not likable at all. There was little to redeem. I like my fmcs to have a spine yes. But also a fucking brain!!!
Reid was too good of a character gone to waste like that. He had depth that should have been explored more. On his own? He stands out. With Viv? He's stifled. Though the horns were a nice touch 👀
The romance between them was below average. The chemistry is forced. And the friction was there for about 30% before it dissipated. I really didn't care if the two got together or not. Reid's vulnerability should have been explored more to make it meaningful but instead Viv constantly steps on him and he takes it. That's not devotion, darling. That's being a push over 🥴 I think Reid could do much better tbh.
Anyway, the ending was decent, not something I lost my mind over. I'm not sure if I'll read book two though. Deacon holds a lot of flair and potential but I don't trust the writing and I certainly can't handle Viv's immaturity. So yeah, it is what it is 🤷♀️
~•~•~
Dark academia? Forbidden romance with maximum yearning? Demon x demon hunter? You best believe I'm devouring this 🤭😩
The premise was interesting, I won't lie. It's clear that the author has a clear direction on how the character dynamics are to set up and the end goal in sight. But to execute that idea? Messy and unorganized. Things happen at random. I want to be from point A ➡️ B ➡️ C. But this book took me around like A ➡️ O ➡️ P ➡️ C. I wasn't a fan of that.
The academy setting held a lot of potential. But the world building lacked refinement. It needed structure and rules. I couldn't grasp what the author was trying to communicate to me with so many creatures in the world and yet lacking hierarchies and any intricate details. Imo had the author just stuck with the demons x demon hunter storyline, it would have been much better. But in order to lump all creatures in? It was not great.
The writing is extremely juvenile for me. The banter and character dialogues read immature and tried too hard to do the most. It's unappealing and made me roll my eyes quite a lot. And I'm thrown into a found family dynamic, which was created too soon. It didn't gel well. I could see the inspiration was something like Fourth Wing dynamics but it flopped real bad.
As for the characters? I won't dive into the side characters cause none of them stuck with me enough to be called memorable. But Viv? Holy fuck annoying as hell!! She had such an amazing backstory but it wasn't handled well at all. She has the personality of: "I'm not like other girls." And she was the most reckless, impulsive, careless character. Not likable at all. There was little to redeem. I like my fmcs to have a spine yes. But also a fucking brain!!!
Reid was too good of a character gone to waste like that. He had depth that should have been explored more. On his own? He stands out. With Viv? He's stifled. Though the horns were a nice touch 👀
The romance between them was below average. The chemistry is forced. And the friction was there for about 30% before it dissipated. I really didn't care if the two got together or not. Reid's vulnerability should have been explored more to make it meaningful but instead Viv constantly steps on him and he takes it. That's not devotion, darling. That's being a push over 🥴 I think Reid could do much better tbh.
Anyway, the ending was decent, not something I lost my mind over. I'm not sure if I'll read book two though. Deacon holds a lot of flair and potential but I don't trust the writing and I certainly can't handle Viv's immaturity. So yeah, it is what it is 🤷♀️
~•~•~
Dark academia? Forbidden romance with maximum yearning? Demon x demon hunter? You best believe I'm devouring this 🤭😩
February 12, 2026
Running to film a reel. Omg the ending
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.35 ⭐️
This read was pretty boring, and there were so many unnecessary details and scenes 😭
I was so excited to start this book because first, it’s dark academia 👀 and second, the blurb was so interesting 🤭 But once I actually started reading… yea, the beginning did not hook me at all 😭 I was bored until 21% in—what the hell 😭 especially since I was reading it with my friends 😭🫂
I kept reading because the author reached out to me and I was reading with my friends 🫂 but imo, it was not worth the wait 😭 The premise was so interesting, even the plot had potential, but Miss Author just wasn’t able to deliver 😭 She kept adding unnecessary details and scenes that were so boring I genuinely wanted to DNF 😭
It got a bit interesting when one student went missing 👀 and during the fight scenes. But then… it went right back to being boring 😭 I lowk feel accomplished for finishing this book 💀 This read really tried to put me in a slump 😭 but I fought hard lol.
Now let’s talk about Viv, the FMC. She is such a pick-me 💀 I don’t like her at all 😭 not even a little bit. This girl wants to be the center of attention, but at the same time, she wants to be alone 💀 And dayummm, she was judging everyone 😭 Like, give me a break… you’re at an academy. Everyone is learning how to hunt, but you’re judging everyone and thinking “I’m better at hunting than them cuz I’ve been hunting since I was a kid” 💀 I’M TIRED OF THIS LINE 😭 STOP SAYING THAT. Not everyone has been hunting since they were kids, some students are learning now 😭
And then during one fight, our dearest FMC goes alone to fight someone and leaves her teammates behind 💀 and her reaction is “But I’ve been hunting alone all my life” 💀 I’m actually speechless- trust me, it’s for her own good 🙂↕️
Overall, this book was very boring 😭 and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. But still, if anyone plans to read it, I genuinely hope you enjoy 🥹🫶
I did have so much fun with my besties 🥹🫶 even though we didn’t really enjoy the book. I love you all so much 💋
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶🤎💛
—————————————————
.• ࣪ :🗡་࿐pre-read .• ࣪ :🗡་࿐
Bestie Rei, Bestie Vanessa, and I got an ARC together, so you know what that means… BUDDY READING TIME 🤭🤭 Eeeep!! I’m so excited to do this BR with my besties 🤎💛 The blurb is soooo interesting 👀
Thank you to Berkley, the author, and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This read was pretty boring, and there were so many unnecessary details and scenes 😭
I was so excited to start this book because first, it’s dark academia 👀 and second, the blurb was so interesting 🤭 But once I actually started reading… yea, the beginning did not hook me at all 😭 I was bored until 21% in—what the hell 😭 especially since I was reading it with my friends 😭🫂
I kept reading because the author reached out to me and I was reading with my friends 🫂 but imo, it was not worth the wait 😭 The premise was so interesting, even the plot had potential, but Miss Author just wasn’t able to deliver 😭 She kept adding unnecessary details and scenes that were so boring I genuinely wanted to DNF 😭
It got a bit interesting when one student went missing 👀 and during the fight scenes. But then… it went right back to being boring 😭 I lowk feel accomplished for finishing this book 💀 This read really tried to put me in a slump 😭 but I fought hard lol.
Now let’s talk about Viv, the FMC. She is such a pick-me 💀 I don’t like her at all 😭 not even a little bit. This girl wants to be the center of attention, but at the same time, she wants to be alone 💀 And dayummm, she was judging everyone 😭 Like, give me a break… you’re at an academy. Everyone is learning how to hunt, but you’re judging everyone and thinking “I’m better at hunting than them cuz I’ve been hunting since I was a kid” 💀 I’M TIRED OF THIS LINE 😭 STOP SAYING THAT. Not everyone has been hunting since they were kids, some students are learning now 😭
And then during one fight, our dearest FMC goes alone to fight someone and leaves her teammates behind 💀 and her reaction is “But I’ve been hunting alone all my life” 💀 I’m actually speechless- trust me, it’s for her own good 🙂↕️
Overall, this book was very boring 😭 and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. But still, if anyone plans to read it, I genuinely hope you enjoy 🥹🫶
I did have so much fun with my besties 🥹🫶 even though we didn’t really enjoy the book. I love you all so much 💋
Yea, that’s it guys. Love y’all 🫶🤎💛
—————————————————
.• ࣪ :🗡་࿐pre-read .• ࣪ :🗡་࿐
Bestie Rei, Bestie Vanessa, and I got an ARC together, so you know what that means… BUDDY READING TIME 🤭🤭 Eeeep!! I’m so excited to do this BR with my besties 🤎💛 The blurb is soooo interesting 👀
Thank you to Berkley, the author, and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 14, 2026
4.25 ⭐️
Honestly this was a FUN time! A vibes read for sure. The FMC got a little annoying and repetitive at times, but the plot was good and I’m sooo intrigued by the ending 👀
Honestly this was a FUN time! A vibes read for sure. The FMC got a little annoying and repetitive at times, but the plot was good and I’m sooo intrigued by the ending 👀
June 25, 2026
4.5 🌟 Urban paranormal romance set in a secret demon hunter academy, our FMC Viv is living a double life, constantly watching her back and keeping secrets from everyone all while she’s on a murder mystery hunt to discover who killed her father and more importantly WHY??? The romance plot in this had me giggling and kicking my feet, and I definitely have my theories about our beloved demon combat instructor 👀. This was so much fun but that ending was DIABOLICAL!! I need book two yesterday! 😭
March 1, 2026
reread 09/28/2026:
literally just as good as the first time 🙂↕️💘 will be shoving Cursed City up my ass once it’s released!!!
(also what a crime Threshing Day and Cursed City drop on the same day 😭😭 what will a girl do)
original review:
5☆ 🌆 🗡️ 🕯️ 🕸️ 🗝️ 😈 🖼️
‧ ₊˚༒𝓗𝓪𝓵𝓯 𝓒𝓲𝓽𝔂 (ʜᴀʀᴋᴇʀ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ #𝟷)༒˚₊ ‧
inhaled and now obsessed 💘✨
• ⊱ 𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚘𝚗 ᥫ᭡.ִֶָ𓂃
this gave me major 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴/𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 vibes!! we have a urban fantasy world (perfection btw) with an academic setting, demon hunters and giggle and kick your feet banter!!
we follow 𝙑𝙞𝙫 a young demon hunter who has been hunting on her own since her fathers death (years ago) when she is recruited to Harker Academy by our tortured soul 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩. once 𝙑𝙞𝙫 arrives she finds out her father attended as well and stays in hopes to find out more about his death.
𝙑𝙞𝙫 what a baddie. what a queen!! her inner monologue 10/10. her character growth in this was so good. ohhh and i would happily let 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 eat my soul if given the option. come get me baby!! 🤪
and the tension between the two??! absolutely yes!!
⁀➴ ℳ𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 ℐ 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊… ☁️🌛
this found family >>> LOVE THEM AHHH 𝙎𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙖 is my girl!!! 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙩 and 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧 🥰 and sweet 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙮 🥹
the plot? ate! the twists? jaw on the floor!
so listen Kate… i just wanna talk girl!! WHAT THE. uhhhh??????? 😲 ohhhh book 2 is about to be so fucking good SCREAMING
➵ 𝙸 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ⊹ ࣪ ˖
literally just as good as the first time 🙂↕️💘 will be shoving Cursed City up my ass once it’s released!!!
(also what a crime Threshing Day and Cursed City drop on the same day 😭😭 what will a girl do)
original review:
5☆ 🌆 🗡️ 🕯️ 🕸️ 🗝️ 😈 🖼️
‧ ₊˚༒𝓗𝓪𝓵𝓯 𝓒𝓲𝓽𝔂 (ʜᴀʀᴋᴇʀ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ #𝟷)༒˚₊ ‧
inhaled and now obsessed 💘✨
• ⊱ 𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚖𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚑𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚜𝚘 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚘𝚗 ᥫ᭡.ִֶָ𓂃
this gave me major 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘩𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴/𝘉𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘳 vibes!! we have a urban fantasy world (perfection btw) with an academic setting, demon hunters and giggle and kick your feet banter!!
we follow 𝙑𝙞𝙫 a young demon hunter who has been hunting on her own since her fathers death (years ago) when she is recruited to Harker Academy by our tortured soul 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩. once 𝙑𝙞𝙫 arrives she finds out her father attended as well and stays in hopes to find out more about his death.
𝙑𝙞𝙫 what a baddie. what a queen!! her inner monologue 10/10. her character growth in this was so good. ohhh and i would happily let 𝙍𝙚𝙞𝙙 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩 eat my soul if given the option. come get me baby!! 🤪
and the tension between the two??! absolutely yes!!
⁀➴ ℳ𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈 ℐ 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊… ☁️🌛
this found family >>> LOVE THEM AHHH 𝙎𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙖 is my girl!!! 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙩 and 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧 🥰 and sweet 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙣𝙮 🥹
the plot? ate! the twists? jaw on the floor!
so listen Kate… i just wanna talk girl!! WHAT THE. uhhhh??????? 😲 ohhhh book 2 is about to be so fucking good SCREAMING
➵ 𝙸 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚒𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚏𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 ⊹ ࣪ ˖
January 21, 2026
╰┈➤ 3 stars!
this being my first romantasy book, i honestly didn’t know what to expect—and wow, it was a lot to take in. there were moments when i felt genuinely frustrated, confused, or even a little overwhelmed, but at the same time, i can’t really say it was a bad book. it just wasn’t great either. it sits somewhere right in the middle for me.
୨ৎ viv. she was a lot. there were times when she really got on my nerves, especially with how she constantly compared other students’ experiences to her own, as if hers was the standard for everyone. her stubbornness was genuinely infuriating at times, and i kept asking myself why she could never just follow a rule for once. i get that she’s meant to be strong-willed and independent, but there were moments when that trait crossed the line into being exhausting rather than empowering.
୨ৎ reid. i’m honestly still unsure how i feel about him. right now, he feels more like the combat instructor than an actual love interest, which made it hard for me to emotionally latch onto him. i feel like there’s clearly more to his character that hasn’t been revealed yet, and i’m really hoping the second book gives us more depth, more perspective, and more reasons to care about him beyond his role at the academy.
overall, the book started really slow—painfully slow, honestly—and that made it hard for me to stay fully engaged. there were quite a few scenes that felt unnecessary, like they didn’t really move the plot or deepen the characters in a meaningful way. and that’s what frustrated me the most, because the story had so much potential. the world-building, the terminology, and even the core storyline were actually interesting, and i could see how this could’ve been something really strong.
while the beginning made it hard for me to connect to the book, i will say that it did pick up its pace eventually. once things started happening, it became easier to push through and stay invested. still, i wouldn’t call it mind-blowing, but i also wouldn’t say it’s bad enough to completely write off. it really just sits in that in-between space—not amazing, not terrible—which is why a 3-star rating feels right for me.
that said… the ending? the cliffhanger?? yeah, that absolutely got me. despite all my complaints, i need book two. i need answers, i need development, and i need to know what happens next—and honestly, that alone says something about the story.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Berkley, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
my first romantasy book and i’ll be reading it with my lovelies, uswah and vanessa 🥹💖🫧 i’m really excited to start with my romantasy journey, and what great way to start it with my friends right?! i’m really intrigued, sooo wish us luck!! 🥹🤞🏼🩶
this being my first romantasy book, i honestly didn’t know what to expect—and wow, it was a lot to take in. there were moments when i felt genuinely frustrated, confused, or even a little overwhelmed, but at the same time, i can’t really say it was a bad book. it just wasn’t great either. it sits somewhere right in the middle for me.
୨ৎ viv. she was a lot. there were times when she really got on my nerves, especially with how she constantly compared other students’ experiences to her own, as if hers was the standard for everyone. her stubbornness was genuinely infuriating at times, and i kept asking myself why she could never just follow a rule for once. i get that she’s meant to be strong-willed and independent, but there were moments when that trait crossed the line into being exhausting rather than empowering.
୨ৎ reid. i’m honestly still unsure how i feel about him. right now, he feels more like the combat instructor than an actual love interest, which made it hard for me to emotionally latch onto him. i feel like there’s clearly more to his character that hasn’t been revealed yet, and i’m really hoping the second book gives us more depth, more perspective, and more reasons to care about him beyond his role at the academy.
overall, the book started really slow—painfully slow, honestly—and that made it hard for me to stay fully engaged. there were quite a few scenes that felt unnecessary, like they didn’t really move the plot or deepen the characters in a meaningful way. and that’s what frustrated me the most, because the story had so much potential. the world-building, the terminology, and even the core storyline were actually interesting, and i could see how this could’ve been something really strong.
while the beginning made it hard for me to connect to the book, i will say that it did pick up its pace eventually. once things started happening, it became easier to push through and stay invested. still, i wouldn’t call it mind-blowing, but i also wouldn’t say it’s bad enough to completely write off. it really just sits in that in-between space—not amazing, not terrible—which is why a 3-star rating feels right for me.
that said… the ending? the cliffhanger?? yeah, that absolutely got me. despite all my complaints, i need book two. i need answers, i need development, and i need to know what happens next—and honestly, that alone says something about the story.
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Berkley, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review!
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
my first romantasy book and i’ll be reading it with my lovelies, uswah and vanessa 🥹💖🫧 i’m really excited to start with my romantasy journey, and what great way to start it with my friends right?! i’m really intrigued, sooo wish us luck!! 🥹🤞🏼🩶
March 11, 2026
➳ deacon better be endgame ☆
OH. MY. GOD.
i am so deeply obsessed with this book. this got me out of the worst damn slump and i could not be happier.
this book is a better version of zodiac academy. i said what i said. i absolutely love the atmosphere of this book and there’s not one dull moment from start to finish. this book essentially follows our main character viv, who is an aeon—a very rare demon hunter—who finds herself in a situation with a demon professor—reid graveheart—at a very elite university for the supernatural. immediately off the bat, the world building is so gritty and has a cinematic experience to it that made the reading experience so much fun. this is an urban fantasy, and everyone knows how much i love a good urban fantasy. while some of the plot is confusing, once you get the hang of it, it's so worth it.
off the bat, the characters are very emotionally charged towards the story and have a lot of flaws which make them very human. i saw a lot of criticism about our main character, viv, for being very annoying and jejune, but i was rooting for my girl the entire time and i love her so much. there is a huge element found family that was integral to the plot, and this made the emotional stake that much more worth it. i honestly can’t wait to see what happens with sophia, elliott, peter, and penny. all of them bring so much to the story and i love their group scenes so much.
very similar to zodiac academy, the elements of world building really shines through the academic settings and the classroom experience. a lot of world building and information regarding the magic system is actually told through the professors that are teaching the class and that is an element of fantasy that can be hit or miss but, in this case, kate did such a good job of blending everything together. i also really enjoyed all of the training sequences with reid and he reminds me so much of lance orion ad everyone knows how much i love lance orion.
the ending of this book was absolutely insane and while i predicted some of the things that were happening, there are still so many answers that we don’t have. i cannot wait for the second book to come out because i have so many theories...i am going insane. i never expected this to consume my life the way that it has and i am so deeply obsessed with reid and viv. i absolutely loved all of their scenes and i thought they had amazing chemistry...BUT there is still something that is nagging me because a certain white-haired demon has completely taken over my life, and i am in desperate need of more.
i’m not sure what’s gonna happen in the future but i am so rooting for deacon to be endgame. aside from having white hair and tattoos and being clinically insane, he reminds me so much of draco malfoy and rhysand…I NEED HIM TO BE ENDGAME. I AM SO SORRY, REID. huge should out to my queenies, vee and gary. i can’t believe you made me read this.
SMASH.
OH. MY. GOD.
i am so deeply obsessed with this book. this got me out of the worst damn slump and i could not be happier.
this book is a better version of zodiac academy. i said what i said. i absolutely love the atmosphere of this book and there’s not one dull moment from start to finish. this book essentially follows our main character viv, who is an aeon—a very rare demon hunter—who finds herself in a situation with a demon professor—reid graveheart—at a very elite university for the supernatural. immediately off the bat, the world building is so gritty and has a cinematic experience to it that made the reading experience so much fun. this is an urban fantasy, and everyone knows how much i love a good urban fantasy. while some of the plot is confusing, once you get the hang of it, it's so worth it.
off the bat, the characters are very emotionally charged towards the story and have a lot of flaws which make them very human. i saw a lot of criticism about our main character, viv, for being very annoying and jejune, but i was rooting for my girl the entire time and i love her so much. there is a huge element found family that was integral to the plot, and this made the emotional stake that much more worth it. i honestly can’t wait to see what happens with sophia, elliott, peter, and penny. all of them bring so much to the story and i love their group scenes so much.
very similar to zodiac academy, the elements of world building really shines through the academic settings and the classroom experience. a lot of world building and information regarding the magic system is actually told through the professors that are teaching the class and that is an element of fantasy that can be hit or miss but, in this case, kate did such a good job of blending everything together. i also really enjoyed all of the training sequences with reid and he reminds me so much of lance orion ad everyone knows how much i love lance orion.
the ending of this book was absolutely insane and while i predicted some of the things that were happening, there are still so many answers that we don’t have. i cannot wait for the second book to come out because i have so many theories...i am going insane. i never expected this to consume my life the way that it has and i am so deeply obsessed with reid and viv. i absolutely loved all of their scenes and i thought they had amazing chemistry...BUT there is still something that is nagging me because a certain white-haired demon has completely taken over my life, and i am in desperate need of more.
i’m not sure what’s gonna happen in the future but i am so rooting for deacon to be endgame. aside from having white hair and tattoos and being clinically insane, he reminds me so much of draco malfoy and rhysand…I NEED HIM TO BE ENDGAME. I AM SO SORRY, REID. huge should out to my queenies, vee and gary. i can’t believe you made me read this.
Did Not Finish
April 8, 2026DNF 38 % NO just no…the writing is all over the place and I am bored..
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rating: 2 stars.
I don't know what led me to approach this book with such high hopes, as I was really looking forward to reading it. However, it didn't turn out to be what I anticipated, and I'm perfectly okay with that. Still, I encountered several issues that could be considered problematic. First and foremost, these are just my personal thoughts. It appears that some individuals get quite upset about the way I express my reviews, so please keep your opinions to yourself and let me be.
The main character felt all over the place. She kept saying she was fighting on her own and insisted she’d keep it that way, but honestly, she needed a team if she wanted to get anywhere. I didn’t see any real connection in what she did, and she didn’t seem to grow at all—just acted like a whiny kid. Look, I get that sometimes a story gives you a complaining female lead and that can work, but here it just got under my skin. She was more irritating than relatable, and honestly, kind of foolish.
While I did enjoy the world-building to some extent, it didn't leave a lasting impression. Regardless, I had a great time reading this with my dear friends, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again when the second book is released. Perhaps it will be an improvement; who knows?
>>> ──────── .✦
⊹ ࣪ ˖🕰️୭˚. ᵎᵎ🗝️ This one feels like chaos wrapped in urban fantasy glitter, and I mean that in the best possible way. A hidden world beneath ordinary life, monsters lurking in the shadows, and a main character who’s been fighting battles no one else sees? I’m already invested.
And the best part? I’m buddy reading this with the sweetest girls ever, rei ‧₊˚✩彡 and Uswah , and we even got the ARC together, hehe. Shared reactions, theories, and chaos are guaranteed.
Going in excited, curious, and fully prepared to get attached. Let’s see what Harker Academy has in store. <𝟑
.ᐟ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎ Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know what led me to approach this book with such high hopes, as I was really looking forward to reading it. However, it didn't turn out to be what I anticipated, and I'm perfectly okay with that. Still, I encountered several issues that could be considered problematic. First and foremost, these are just my personal thoughts. It appears that some individuals get quite upset about the way I express my reviews, so please keep your opinions to yourself and let me be.
The main character felt all over the place. She kept saying she was fighting on her own and insisted she’d keep it that way, but honestly, she needed a team if she wanted to get anywhere. I didn’t see any real connection in what she did, and she didn’t seem to grow at all—just acted like a whiny kid. Look, I get that sometimes a story gives you a complaining female lead and that can work, but here it just got under my skin. She was more irritating than relatable, and honestly, kind of foolish.
While I did enjoy the world-building to some extent, it didn't leave a lasting impression. Regardless, I had a great time reading this with my dear friends, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again when the second book is released. Perhaps it will be an improvement; who knows?
>>> ──────── .✦
⊹ ࣪ ˖🕰️୭˚. ᵎᵎ🗝️ This one feels like chaos wrapped in urban fantasy glitter, and I mean that in the best possible way. A hidden world beneath ordinary life, monsters lurking in the shadows, and a main character who’s been fighting battles no one else sees? I’m already invested.
And the best part? I’m buddy reading this with the sweetest girls ever, rei ‧₊˚✩彡 and Uswah , and we even got the ARC together, hehe. Shared reactions, theories, and chaos are guaranteed.
Going in excited, curious, and fully prepared to get attached. Let’s see what Harker Academy has in store. <𝟑
.ᐟ⋆｡ﾟ☁︎ Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2026
from a 4 to a 4.5, this book was SO much fun! reminded me of buffy and the shadowhunters a lot, and it felt v nostalgic to me
January 3, 2026
✩ 4 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Huntress x Demon
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ Professor x Student
➼ Buffy Vibes
➼ Mystery
➼ Dark Academia
➼ Urban Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Taylor Harvey & Teddy Hamilton
➼ First Person POV
I was so excited when I was offered the eARC for this, but I really struggled to get into the story initially. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so I decided to wait for the audio so I could give this book a fair shot. Likely it was just the unpolished nature of the ARC that was throwing me off, because I ended up loving this! I’ve always loved Urban Fantasies, so I’m excited that they seem to be making a comeback!
The Buffy vibes in this book were chefs kiss and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat. And that ending! I’m definitely hurting for book two! The FMC (Viv) starts her journey with a very black and white view on who is good and who is evil and that worldview is continually challenged as the story unfolds.
She has one good friend that she can always lean on, but she could never be honest with her about her abilities or the truth about the demons that stalk their streets. She has a rocky relationship with her mother who is also unaware of her abilities or her demon fighting ways which left her very isolated. Viv had no knowledge of the existence of the school and had never met another demon hunter like herself (apart from her father), so the found family vibes were a big focus of this story.
There’s also a focus on the romance of course and I really loved Reid and have a feeling you will too! He helped her hone her strengths but also defended her multiple times when she needed it. As someone who had always worked alone, it seemed really important to me that she start to get used to having someone else in her corner. He was really an excellent MMC! Another dark and mysterious book boyfriend to add to your list!
This next part is only for people who listened to the audio… turn away now if you don’t want to read a potential spoiler! Okay so… do you all think the audio narration was kind of suspicious and likely a spoiler?! Reid is narrated by the female narrator and then all of the sudden Teddy Hamilton comes in voicing his brother?? We’re all thinking the thing here, right?! I listen to enough audiobooks to know that Teddy Hamilton IS the main character. 😂 So basically we’re about to find out that Reid lied to her or is keeping some big secret from her and is actually the bad guy. Oof. Maybe he was one of the Demons who killed her dad… so sad because I really liked him!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Ace Publishing for generously providing me with the eARC.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Can’t wait for this one! I hope this is a sign that we’ll be seeing more urban fantasy in 2026!
Heck yea!! I got the ARC!! 🤘🏻🙌🏻✨
Happy Pub Day to Half City!! 🎉🥳
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
What to Expect:
➼ Slow Burn
➼ Found Family
➼ Huntress x Demon
➼ Enemies-to-Lovers
➼ Professor x Student
➼ Buffy Vibes
➼ Mystery
➼ Dark Academia
➼ Urban Fantasy
➼ Narrated by Taylor Harvey & Teddy Hamilton
➼ First Person POV
I was so excited when I was offered the eARC for this, but I really struggled to get into the story initially. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so I decided to wait for the audio so I could give this book a fair shot. Likely it was just the unpolished nature of the ARC that was throwing me off, because I ended up loving this! I’ve always loved Urban Fantasies, so I’m excited that they seem to be making a comeback!
The Buffy vibes in this book were chefs kiss and the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat. And that ending! I’m definitely hurting for book two! The FMC (Viv) starts her journey with a very black and white view on who is good and who is evil and that worldview is continually challenged as the story unfolds.
She has one good friend that she can always lean on, but she could never be honest with her about her abilities or the truth about the demons that stalk their streets. She has a rocky relationship with her mother who is also unaware of her abilities or her demon fighting ways which left her very isolated. Viv had no knowledge of the existence of the school and had never met another demon hunter like herself (apart from her father), so the found family vibes were a big focus of this story.
There’s also a focus on the romance of course and I really loved Reid and have a feeling you will too! He helped her hone her strengths but also defended her multiple times when she needed it. As someone who had always worked alone, it seemed really important to me that she start to get used to having someone else in her corner. He was really an excellent MMC! Another dark and mysterious book boyfriend to add to your list!
This next part is only for people who listened to the audio… turn away now if you don’t want to read a potential spoiler! Okay so… do you all think the audio narration was kind of suspicious and likely a spoiler?! Reid is narrated by the female narrator and then all of the sudden Teddy Hamilton comes in voicing his brother?? We’re all thinking the thing here, right?! I listen to enough audiobooks to know that Teddy Hamilton IS the main character. 😂 So basically we’re about to find out that Reid lied to her or is keeping some big secret from her and is actually the bad guy. Oof. Maybe he was one of the Demons who killed her dad… so sad because I really liked him!
Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Ace Publishing for generously providing me with the eARC.
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: Can’t wait for this one! I hope this is a sign that we’ll be seeing more urban fantasy in 2026!
Heck yea!! I got the ARC!! 🤘🏻🙌🏻✨
Happy Pub Day to Half City!! 🎉🥳
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram ✩ Tiktok
October 2, 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
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
_______________________
Second read: I feel that Viv annoyed me more this second time around. I understand where it comes from, but her need to be involved in every fight, and the way she is insulted when Reid does not include her was not endearing.
_______________________
Strong 4.5 stars
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 Harker’s 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, made it all 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. I have to say, though, that her need to be involved in every fight she comes across, and her belief that it is her duty and responsibility to fight every monster in Astera, made her skirt the line between badass and annoyingly overconfident a few times.
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 it made it even easier to like her and feel connected to her. I like that the author managed to show the struggle and conflicted emotions of Viv, and how she hated what she was, but still lived for the thrill and adrenaline of the hunting. As previously said, the only aspect I struggled a little with was how Viv seemed overconfident in her ability and the fact that she was the only one able to fight the deviants in her city at times, but overall, I loved her as a main character.
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 think the fact that these students are training to become hunters and seeing the horrors of deviants every day puts things in perspective, and forces them to focus on more important things than petty fights.
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), and I would be so so so happy if Viv developed an angsty hate-to-love relationship with that certain someone else. I would also be on board for her having two love interests (because why choose when faced with two intense, attractive, and swoonworthy choices?)… Still, I am hoping for something more to develop between Viv and that other guy, because I felt as much explosive chemistry and tension (if not more) between them in the one short meeting they had than I felt between Viv and Reid in the rest of the book.
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, 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 that the part where Viv lied to everyone 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 overconfident 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
🔥 Spice level : 🌶️🌶️.5 / 5
_______________________
Second read: I feel that Viv annoyed me more this second time around. I understand where it comes from, but her need to be involved in every fight, and the way she is insulted when Reid does not include her was not endearing.
_______________________
Strong 4.5 stars
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 Harker’s 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, made it all 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. I have to say, though, that her need to be involved in every fight she comes across, and her belief that it is her duty and responsibility to fight every monster in Astera, made her skirt the line between badass and annoyingly overconfident a few times.
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 it made it even easier to like her and feel connected to her. I like that the author managed to show the struggle and conflicted emotions of Viv, and how she hated what she was, but still lived for the thrill and adrenaline of the hunting. As previously said, the only aspect I struggled a little with was how Viv seemed overconfident in her ability and the fact that she was the only one able to fight the deviants in her city at times, but overall, I loved her as a main character.
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 think the fact that these students are training to become hunters and seeing the horrors of deviants every day puts things in perspective, and forces them to focus on more important things than petty fights.
”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), and I would be so so so happy if Viv developed an angsty hate-to-love relationship with that certain someone else. I would also be on board for her having two love interests (because why choose when faced with two intense, attractive, and swoonworthy choices?)… Still, I am hoping for something more to develop between Viv and that other guy, because I felt as much explosive chemistry and tension (if not more) between them in the one short meeting they had than I felt between Viv and Reid in the rest of the book.
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, 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 that the part where Viv lied to everyone 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 overconfident 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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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⌗🧋 ── ᝰ .ᐟ read.
okay, this was something, but i have some things to say, lol
rtc!
⌗ 🍋🟩 ── ᝰ .ᐟ pre read.
thank you Kate, Berkley and Netgalley for an arc in exchange of a review
I'M SO EXCITED, THIS LOOKS DEFINITELY LIKE MY TYPE, OMGGG
okay, this was something, but i have some things to say, lol
rtc!
⌗ 🍋🟩 ── ᝰ .ᐟ pre read.
thank you Kate, Berkley and Netgalley for an arc in exchange of a review
I'M SO EXCITED, THIS LOOKS DEFINITELY LIKE MY TYPE, OMGGG
October 20, 2025
“𝑹𝒆𝒊𝒅 . . .” 𝑰 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝑰’𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒏. “𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔.” 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒈𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒕.
A demon hunter and a demon? Why yes, please 😮💨🔥 This book was so bingable and had everything I wanted when looking for a romantasy with a dark academia ambiance 🖤 Viv Abbott, a baddie FMC, who as soon as she realizes there is a school for people like her and can help her find answers about her dad’s death. She doesn’t think twice about attending, specially when a hot demon, Reid Graveheart, is the one who recruits her. And it goes against everything she believes in to just let a demon run free. HEHEHE tension alert 🔥
Did I mention that Reid is a professor at the academy? 👀 We gotta love the student x professor trope, no? Besides the romance, I do have to say that I really enjoyed the plot, as well as the way the friend group came together and worked to solve all the strange things happening at the academy. It gave the reader a constant “who did it?” 👀 mystery throughout the entire story, making you want to know more, while at the same time desperately wanting Viv and Reid to just be together already 😭 a perfect 2-in-1 combo. I freaking loved every second of it 🥹
The chemistry between the two and the way both of them have their character development in a way that I personally loved. Viv gets humbled as soon as she is a student and notices she has a lot of work to do. Meanwhile Reid is tested with Viv in numerous occasions because demon all they do is eat souls right? WINK WINK hellooo banter and tension. Both characters impressed me so much since the beginning, I personally can't wait to see where it all goes on the next book.
My final thoughts are that this book got me so hooked SO FAST, that I will be diving into book 2 no quesitons asked because what do you mean Kate hit me with the acknowledgements section after THAT SCENE?! HOW COULD YOU!!!! 😭🔥 (I love it.)
tropes
🖤 dark academia
🖤 student x professor
🖤 demon x demon hunter
🖤 enemies to lovers
🖤 found family
Thank you Berkley and Kate Golden for my eARC!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I just got this arc and the way I'm so giddyyyy! can't wait
A demon hunter and a demon? Why yes, please 😮💨🔥 This book was so bingable and had everything I wanted when looking for a romantasy with a dark academia ambiance 🖤 Viv Abbott, a baddie FMC, who as soon as she realizes there is a school for people like her and can help her find answers about her dad’s death. She doesn’t think twice about attending, specially when a hot demon, Reid Graveheart, is the one who recruits her. And it goes against everything she believes in to just let a demon run free. HEHEHE tension alert 🔥
Did I mention that Reid is a professor at the academy? 👀 We gotta love the student x professor trope, no? Besides the romance, I do have to say that I really enjoyed the plot, as well as the way the friend group came together and worked to solve all the strange things happening at the academy. It gave the reader a constant “who did it?” 👀 mystery throughout the entire story, making you want to know more, while at the same time desperately wanting Viv and Reid to just be together already 😭 a perfect 2-in-1 combo. I freaking loved every second of it 🥹
The chemistry between the two and the way both of them have their character development in a way that I personally loved. Viv gets humbled as soon as she is a student and notices she has a lot of work to do. Meanwhile Reid is tested with Viv in numerous occasions because demon all they do is eat souls right? WINK WINK hellooo banter and tension. Both characters impressed me so much since the beginning, I personally can't wait to see where it all goes on the next book.
My final thoughts are that this book got me so hooked SO FAST, that I will be diving into book 2 no quesitons asked because what do you mean Kate hit me with the acknowledgements section after THAT SCENE?! HOW COULD YOU!!!! 😭🔥 (I love it.)
tropes
🖤 dark academia
🖤 student x professor
🖤 demon x demon hunter
🖤 enemies to lovers
🖤 found family
Thank you Berkley and Kate Golden for my eARC!
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ I just got this arc and the way I'm so giddyyyy! can't wait
September 17, 2025
5 stars - arc review
this book is quickly becoming one of my favorites... let me explain. i've read this three times since it's released, and each time i notice a detail that i seem to have missed the first time. my style of romantasy consists of badass fmcs with attitudes and let me tell you- viv fulfilled all of my wishes. reid is hot, but deacon was next level hot... and let's just say i wouldn't be mad if we get some deacon action. one critique i do have is that the time at harker academy seemed to fly- now this might be because i read it in less than 24 hours, but i really don't think there's a good sense of time passing provided. i also think this book needs a certain audience, and it's going to be the book for some people, and not others.
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kate golden + dark academia + demon hunters = I NEED IT.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! <3
this book is quickly becoming one of my favorites... let me explain. i've read this three times since it's released, and each time i notice a detail that i seem to have missed the first time. my style of romantasy consists of badass fmcs with attitudes and let me tell you- viv fulfilled all of my wishes. reid is hot, but deacon was next level hot... and let's just say i wouldn't be mad if we get some deacon action. one critique i do have is that the time at harker academy seemed to fly- now this might be because i read it in less than 24 hours, but i really don't think there's a good sense of time passing provided. i also think this book needs a certain audience, and it's going to be the book for some people, and not others.
------------------
kate golden + dark academia + demon hunters = I NEED IT.
>> thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc! <3
February 19, 2026
dnf @ 56%
I'm sorry, but I couldn't get into this even after the 50% mark and yes I will still rate it.
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pre-read: my netgalley ratio is so bad right now, so I'll be on an arc binge (well i'll try to) 🥴
thank you berkely and netgalley for this arc!!
I'm sorry, but I couldn't get into this even after the 50% mark and yes I will still rate it.
-------
pre-read: my netgalley ratio is so bad right now, so I'll be on an arc binge (well i'll try to) 🥴
thank you berkely and netgalley for this arc!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
i'd like to start by thanking kate golden and berkley publishing for providing me with the e-arc!
i'm not sure where to begin, but i'll try my best to put my thoughts into words. to be honest, i've been in a reading slump for a while, but this book completely turned things around for me. i'm so thankful that i picked it up, and i've to say that kate golden is an incredibly talented author. the way she writes her story is pure magic.
it's been a long time since i've read a romantasy novel, and i have to admit that i've been disappointed with the genre lately. however, half city was an absolute game changer. if you're a fan of demon hunters, then this book is definitely for you.
one of the things that stood out to me about this book was the writing style. it's easy to get into and follow, which made it a fun read. i know that some readers might find it a bit slow at times, but trust me when i say that it's worth it. the author has a way of dropping subtle hints and clues throughout the story, which kept me on the edge of my seat.
the main character, viv, is someone i really loved reading about. at times, i found it difficult to understand her motivations and actions, but as the story progressed, i loved how she grew and developed as a character. her awareness of her own flaws and mistakes made her all the more relatable.
the story is told from the first person pov . i have to admit that i'm not usually a fan of first person narratives, but in this case, it worked beautifully. reid is a brooding and secretive character, and i found myself eager to know what was going on in his head.
penny, sophia, peter, elliot: my babiesss!! i absolutely loved the found family dynamic here.
the ending of the book was absolutely stunning. i won't give away any spoilers, but i'll say that it was both satisfying and unexpected. i loved how the author brought everything together, and i'm still reeling from the experience.
in conclusion, i highly recommend half city to anyone who enjoys romantasy novels, especially those with a focus on demon hunting, dark academia, etc. the writing is engaging, the characters are well developed, and the story is full of unexpected twists and turns. kate golden is a talented author, and i'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read her work.
⤿ black cat fmc
⤿ brooding demon instructor
⤿ enemies to lovers
⤿ dark academia
⤿ urban fantasy
⤿ yearning
⤿ combat college
⤿ buffy the vampire slayer x supernatural vibes
⤿ "get your hands off her"
⤿ slow burn + spice
⤿ vampires, demons, werewolves.
౨ৎ ⋮ more by kate golden
─ the sacred stones trilogy
─ if not for my baby
i'm not sure where to begin, but i'll try my best to put my thoughts into words. to be honest, i've been in a reading slump for a while, but this book completely turned things around for me. i'm so thankful that i picked it up, and i've to say that kate golden is an incredibly talented author. the way she writes her story is pure magic.
it's been a long time since i've read a romantasy novel, and i have to admit that i've been disappointed with the genre lately. however, half city was an absolute game changer. if you're a fan of demon hunters, then this book is definitely for you.
one of the things that stood out to me about this book was the writing style. it's easy to get into and follow, which made it a fun read. i know that some readers might find it a bit slow at times, but trust me when i say that it's worth it. the author has a way of dropping subtle hints and clues throughout the story, which kept me on the edge of my seat.
the main character, viv, is someone i really loved reading about. at times, i found it difficult to understand her motivations and actions, but as the story progressed, i loved how she grew and developed as a character. her awareness of her own flaws and mistakes made her all the more relatable.
the story is told from the first person pov . i have to admit that i'm not usually a fan of first person narratives, but in this case, it worked beautifully. reid is a brooding and secretive character, and i found myself eager to know what was going on in his head.
penny, sophia, peter, elliot: my babiesss!! i absolutely loved the found family dynamic here.
the ending of the book was absolutely stunning. i won't give away any spoilers, but i'll say that it was both satisfying and unexpected. i loved how the author brought everything together, and i'm still reeling from the experience.
in conclusion, i highly recommend half city to anyone who enjoys romantasy novels, especially those with a focus on demon hunting, dark academia, etc. the writing is engaging, the characters are well developed, and the story is full of unexpected twists and turns. kate golden is a talented author, and i'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to read her work.
⤿ black cat fmc
⤿ brooding demon instructor
⤿ enemies to lovers
⤿ dark academia
⤿ urban fantasy
⤿ yearning
⤿ combat college
⤿ buffy the vampire slayer x supernatural vibes
⤿ "get your hands off her"
⤿ slow burn + spice
⤿ vampires, demons, werewolves.
౨ৎ ⋮ more by kate golden
─ the sacred stones trilogy
─ if not for my baby
October 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.
August 24, 2026
3-3.5?? The first 70% was empty. It was nothing about nothing. Lots of pointless conversations and felt slow and underdeveloped. The last 30% was pretty good/interesting. At this point I felt more invested but I don't understand why authors do this all the time. They try to 'build-up' a story slowly and throw everything in the last 20%. Is that somehow supposed to be memorable or elevate the rating? Half City had its quirks but I’m interested enough to know what happens next.
Full review to follow!
The reviews are all over the place but since I have Cursed City, time to get into it.
Full review to follow!
The reviews are all over the place but since I have Cursed City, time to get into it.
February 16, 2026
3.5 ★— If you talked to me about books between ages 10–15, I was probably neck-deep in some paranormal or urban fantasy, following a sassy heroine surviving a gritty world while her hot werewolf/angel/vampire/demon/demon hunter love interest circled her for at least three books.
So yes, I’ve been around the block with stories like this, and when I saw this title pop up, I was hit with a strong wave of nostalgia and genuine excitement at the idea of diving back into that familiar urban fantasy realm.
And Half City did start off pretty strong for me! We’re introduced to Viv, a demon hunter who has had to hide her designation from her family and friends her entire life, living in a city infested with different types of demons that humans are completely blind to. It’s a familiar setup, but it works for what it needs to do, leading me to enjoy following Viv, whose life is a tiny disaster as she juggles her secret powers with her normal life.
Where this book began to lose me was with Viv’s inner monologue. She’s a stressed and traumatized character, which makes sense given that she has to conceal her demon hunter side, but… whew. The narrative constantly circled back to her lamenting about being “different and dark” and the “black sheep” of her family and circle. So frequently, in fact, that I started to lose the empathy I should have felt for this clear internal conflict and instead found myself rolling my eyes whenever she once again went on another inner monologue about how much of a misunderstood bad girl she is.
I do understand that she’s only 21 and that the author wanted to portray the depth of her alienation, but if empathy fatigue for fictional characters is a real thing, I definitely experienced it here, and it overshadowed my enjoyment of the book as a whole.
That said, I did appreciate the book's emphasis on her bloodlust, which felt like an interesting take on the demon hunter archetype. Watching Viv struggle with not being able to hunt, and seeing that be another thing that sets her apart from other demon hunters, was actually solidly done and well executed.
As for the romance, I'll be honest... her dynamic with Reid did very little for me. Instructor/student dynamics (shoutout: Vampire Academy!) can be interesting and titillating. Here, though, it felt mostly flat and almost useless in its trope. For one, she barely treats the MMC, Reid, like an instructor and basically shows zero respect for him from the start, which removes much of the tension that usually makes this dynamic exciting! On top of that, Reid himself is a fairly bland love interest who doesn’t bring much to the table personality-wise. Thus, I was mostly uninterested in their scenes together and didn't feel like their steamy moments were all that intriguing.
Really, this book incorporates countless elements anyone who's read more than two urban fantasy series has encountered, and it never quite excels in any one area or offers particularly fresh or exciting aspects.
I did ultimately have some fun with it, as the prose is quite easy and engaging, and at the end of the day, a middling urban fantasy is still enjoyable for someone like me who has a soft spot for the genre and misses how ubiquitous it used to be.
And I will say this: the ending, which leans heavily into cliffhanger territory, did leave me a little curious. If the story takes the route I’m hoping for, I could see myself being much more invested in where this plotline goes next.
So, if you’re craving urban fantasy and don’t mind well worn tropes in exchange for some nostalgic vibes, I’d recommend it. If your expectations are sky high and you were raised on the urban fantasy heavy hitters of the late 2000s to early 2010s, you will likely find yourself underwhelmed.
___________________
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the ARC.
So yes, I’ve been around the block with stories like this, and when I saw this title pop up, I was hit with a strong wave of nostalgia and genuine excitement at the idea of diving back into that familiar urban fantasy realm.
And Half City did start off pretty strong for me! We’re introduced to Viv, a demon hunter who has had to hide her designation from her family and friends her entire life, living in a city infested with different types of demons that humans are completely blind to. It’s a familiar setup, but it works for what it needs to do, leading me to enjoy following Viv, whose life is a tiny disaster as she juggles her secret powers with her normal life.
Where this book began to lose me was with Viv’s inner monologue. She’s a stressed and traumatized character, which makes sense given that she has to conceal her demon hunter side, but… whew. The narrative constantly circled back to her lamenting about being “different and dark” and the “black sheep” of her family and circle. So frequently, in fact, that I started to lose the empathy I should have felt for this clear internal conflict and instead found myself rolling my eyes whenever she once again went on another inner monologue about how much of a misunderstood bad girl she is.
I do understand that she’s only 21 and that the author wanted to portray the depth of her alienation, but if empathy fatigue for fictional characters is a real thing, I definitely experienced it here, and it overshadowed my enjoyment of the book as a whole.
That said, I did appreciate the book's emphasis on her bloodlust, which felt like an interesting take on the demon hunter archetype. Watching Viv struggle with not being able to hunt, and seeing that be another thing that sets her apart from other demon hunters, was actually solidly done and well executed.
As for the romance, I'll be honest... her dynamic with Reid did very little for me. Instructor/student dynamics (shoutout: Vampire Academy!) can be interesting and titillating. Here, though, it felt mostly flat and almost useless in its trope. For one, she barely treats the MMC, Reid, like an instructor and basically shows zero respect for him from the start, which removes much of the tension that usually makes this dynamic exciting! On top of that, Reid himself is a fairly bland love interest who doesn’t bring much to the table personality-wise. Thus, I was mostly uninterested in their scenes together and didn't feel like their steamy moments were all that intriguing.
Really, this book incorporates countless elements anyone who's read more than two urban fantasy series has encountered, and it never quite excels in any one area or offers particularly fresh or exciting aspects.
I did ultimately have some fun with it, as the prose is quite easy and engaging, and at the end of the day, a middling urban fantasy is still enjoyable for someone like me who has a soft spot for the genre and misses how ubiquitous it used to be.
And I will say this: the ending, which leans heavily into cliffhanger territory, did leave me a little curious. If the story takes the route I’m hoping for, I could see myself being much more invested in where this plotline goes next.
So, if you’re craving urban fantasy and don’t mind well worn tropes in exchange for some nostalgic vibes, I’d recommend it. If your expectations are sky high and you were raised on the urban fantasy heavy hitters of the late 2000s to early 2010s, you will likely find yourself underwhelmed.
___________________
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for the ARC.
February 23, 2026
I’m on BookTube now! =)
**I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you for giving me a chance to read this!**
I was really excited when I got approved for “Half City” because a story about a demon hunter who is attending a secret school in order to save people from monsters sounded extremely promising! I mean, we have a school setting, we have a badass huntress and a love interest who happens to be a demon. So yeah, the “Buffy – The Vampire Slayer” vibes were already strong even before I picked up the book and I’m happy to say this story delivered on all fronts! Viv and Reid had quite the enemies-to-lovers arc, but for once I could actually live with the way the teacher/student trope was handled.
I’m usually no big fan of this kind of trope but this time around I was okay with it, because Reid was more like an instructor and not exactly their teacher. He helped the students of Harker Academy to learn how to fight all sorts of monsters and more or less volunteered to do so. There was no personal gain for him aside of helping the students to defend themselves. Harker was some sort of safe haven for Reid after he left “The Brood” (a vicious group of deadly demons) and he decided to pass along his knowledge about demons in order to save human lives. The fact Viv was already a 21-year-old adult when she started to attend Harker certainly helped to make this instructor/student dynamic feel less forbidden and odd.
I was kind of surprised that the author took her sweet time to develop the slow burn between Viv and Reid, but I was totally on board because it fit the way Viv felt about Reid at first. I mean all her life she was taught that demons are evil creatures and then there comes along Reid who actually cares about the students of Harker Academy and accepts an early death because he refuses to feed on human souls. To change Viv’s stance on Reid took a while and I’m glad Kate Golden decided to develop the MCs character arc instead of jumping the gun. So overall I was very happy with the way their relationship developed and that it took some time for them to actually trust each other.
As for the world building and the side characters: I absolutely loved this story! We had everything a good fantasy book about demon hunters needs to entail. We had a great dark academia setting, many different monsters, some interesting plot twists, a very intriguing world (I would have loved to get more of) and amazing friends that gave me heist crew vibes and literally would go through thick and thin together! Every single one of them had their own voice and I adored how comfortable they were around each other. No matter if it was Sophia, Elliot, Peter or Penny, they all had distinct qualities that shaped them and I never mixed them up. They were very different so after all the name dropping at the beginning of the book it was easy to distinguish them later on.
If there was one side character, I didn’t like, then it was James. He was such a piece of work (as was Viv’s mom) and even though he was Penny’s brother I honestly don’t know how Viv put up with him for so long. Well, and of course there was Deacon who had me intrigued from the moment he was introduced. And yes, I can’t lie, I’m very curious how his character arc is going to develop in the next book! I can’t wait to find out more about his past!
So far, I only said good things about “Half City” and I honestly can’t think of anything bad. This was a great story I really enjoyed and even though I wanted to get a map of the city, I’m pretty certain that the only reason I didn’t have one, is the fact I got this as an ARC. At least there was a note in my copy saying that there was a page reserved for a map so I’m fairly certain that the readers who got a final copy know how the city looks like. Well, and yes, I admit it, for a while I had a really hard time to wrap my mind around the fact that Viv was still working for the Windsor and attending classes at Harker Academy while finding excuses about not spending her nights in the city apartment with Penny. Considering everything that was going on in Viv’s life this kind of double life felt slightly unrealistic to maintain, but for the sake of the plot I decided to overlook it and just went with the flow. Sometimes you just gotta cut the author some slack and allow the plot to unfold! ;-)
Conclusion:
If you loved “Buffy – The Vampire Slayer”, are a fan of the enemies-to-lovers and forbidden love trope and like monsters and demons that stalk the night, I’m convinced you’ll enjoy “Half City” as well! The dark academia and found family vibes were impeccable, as was the chemistry between Viv and Reid! The world building was fun too and the suspenseful moments as well as some of the plot twists had me gasping for air! No kidding, those last 25% of the book were extremely exciting! Kate Golden once again managed to pull me into her world and I can’t wait to read book two! 4,5 stars rounded up to 5 because in the end “Half City” was amazing, highly entertaining and left me wanting more!
_________________________
That cliffhanger ending! 😭
No! How am I supposed to wait until October? This was so good! But ugh.
The wait for the next book..!! Why Kate? Why? >_<
Full RTC soon! I need to take some deep breaths! 🤣😭
_________________________
I love that Kate wrote an urban fantasy story about a demon hunter!
When I heard that this book exists I pushed that ARC request button like nobody’s business! *lol*
This sounds so good and gives me “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and dark academia vibes.
Which means I just couldn’t resist to pick it up!
I’m so here for this and I’ve enjoyed all of Kate’s other books, so I’m convinced "Half City" will be great, too! =)
Let’s do this! I'm ready! Are you?
Find me on:
My Blog
Instagram
**I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you for giving me a chance to read this!**
I was really excited when I got approved for “Half City” because a story about a demon hunter who is attending a secret school in order to save people from monsters sounded extremely promising! I mean, we have a school setting, we have a badass huntress and a love interest who happens to be a demon. So yeah, the “Buffy – The Vampire Slayer” vibes were already strong even before I picked up the book and I’m happy to say this story delivered on all fronts! Viv and Reid had quite the enemies-to-lovers arc, but for once I could actually live with the way the teacher/student trope was handled.
I’m usually no big fan of this kind of trope but this time around I was okay with it, because Reid was more like an instructor and not exactly their teacher. He helped the students of Harker Academy to learn how to fight all sorts of monsters and more or less volunteered to do so. There was no personal gain for him aside of helping the students to defend themselves. Harker was some sort of safe haven for Reid after he left “The Brood” (a vicious group of deadly demons) and he decided to pass along his knowledge about demons in order to save human lives. The fact Viv was already a 21-year-old adult when she started to attend Harker certainly helped to make this instructor/student dynamic feel less forbidden and odd.
I was kind of surprised that the author took her sweet time to develop the slow burn between Viv and Reid, but I was totally on board because it fit the way Viv felt about Reid at first. I mean all her life she was taught that demons are evil creatures and then there comes along Reid who actually cares about the students of Harker Academy and accepts an early death because he refuses to feed on human souls. To change Viv’s stance on Reid took a while and I’m glad Kate Golden decided to develop the MCs character arc instead of jumping the gun. So overall I was very happy with the way their relationship developed and that it took some time for them to actually trust each other.
As for the world building and the side characters: I absolutely loved this story! We had everything a good fantasy book about demon hunters needs to entail. We had a great dark academia setting, many different monsters, some interesting plot twists, a very intriguing world (I would have loved to get more of) and amazing friends that gave me heist crew vibes and literally would go through thick and thin together! Every single one of them had their own voice and I adored how comfortable they were around each other. No matter if it was Sophia, Elliot, Peter or Penny, they all had distinct qualities that shaped them and I never mixed them up. They were very different so after all the name dropping at the beginning of the book it was easy to distinguish them later on.
If there was one side character, I didn’t like, then it was James. He was such a piece of work (as was Viv’s mom) and even though he was Penny’s brother I honestly don’t know how Viv put up with him for so long. Well, and of course there was Deacon who had me intrigued from the moment he was introduced. And yes, I can’t lie, I’m very curious how his character arc is going to develop in the next book! I can’t wait to find out more about his past!
So far, I only said good things about “Half City” and I honestly can’t think of anything bad. This was a great story I really enjoyed and even though I wanted to get a map of the city, I’m pretty certain that the only reason I didn’t have one, is the fact I got this as an ARC. At least there was a note in my copy saying that there was a page reserved for a map so I’m fairly certain that the readers who got a final copy know how the city looks like. Well, and yes, I admit it, for a while I had a really hard time to wrap my mind around the fact that Viv was still working for the Windsor and attending classes at Harker Academy while finding excuses about not spending her nights in the city apartment with Penny. Considering everything that was going on in Viv’s life this kind of double life felt slightly unrealistic to maintain, but for the sake of the plot I decided to overlook it and just went with the flow. Sometimes you just gotta cut the author some slack and allow the plot to unfold! ;-)
Conclusion:
If you loved “Buffy – The Vampire Slayer”, are a fan of the enemies-to-lovers and forbidden love trope and like monsters and demons that stalk the night, I’m convinced you’ll enjoy “Half City” as well! The dark academia and found family vibes were impeccable, as was the chemistry between Viv and Reid! The world building was fun too and the suspenseful moments as well as some of the plot twists had me gasping for air! No kidding, those last 25% of the book were extremely exciting! Kate Golden once again managed to pull me into her world and I can’t wait to read book two! 4,5 stars rounded up to 5 because in the end “Half City” was amazing, highly entertaining and left me wanting more!
_________________________
That cliffhanger ending! 😭
No! How am I supposed to wait until October? This was so good! But ugh.
The wait for the next book..!! Why Kate? Why? >_<
Full RTC soon! I need to take some deep breaths! 🤣😭
_________________________
I love that Kate wrote an urban fantasy story about a demon hunter!
When I heard that this book exists I pushed that ARC request button like nobody’s business! *lol*
This sounds so good and gives me “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and dark academia vibes.
Which means I just couldn’t resist to pick it up!
I’m so here for this and I’ve enjoyed all of Kate’s other books, so I’m convinced "Half City" will be great, too! =)
Let’s do this! I'm ready! Are you?
Find me on:
My Blog
March 18, 2026
I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS STORY!!!!!!!
IF I HAD TO SUM IT UP FOR YOU WITH COMPS ONLY....
Buffy The Vampire Slayer MEETS Winx Club, and then they had a baby and it is HALF CITY!
And I don't know about you but that was my childhoooooood!!!!!
We follow our main character who is a demon hunter, and she has been since she was like 11. The first scenes are us getting to see her as she is, doing the things she does regularly, aka stab those demons. But it also lets us see inside of her, we really get to know her as a character, what motivates her, what her relationships are like, what made her who she is, and what still affects her daily. It was done so well to get me instantly relating and understanding her. It introduces the world of demons and important characters, without feeling overwhelming.
Then we jump into the plot of the book, her finding out about a school for demon hunters and deciding to go there, because turns out her dad had secrets. And she wants to find out about those secrets. We meet new friends along the way BUT we also don't forget about the characters in the "regular" world. AND chefs kiss to that, because so many authors have a tendency to do that with a book like this. Also within this demon hunting school we are introduced the world, and it feels so natural. We go to classes, we talk to other demon hunters, we see the world first hand. I literally can't get over how well done this was.
We end up with a found family group of misfits who you'd never be like WOW these people would be the best of friends, but now that you see them it just works. Think Scooby gang, or back to my Buffy comparison her and her friends!!!! We deal with real world emotions, fitting in, learning to trust, dealing with childhood trauma, and so much more.
And all while we have so much intrigue because we have a couple different mysteries we are going on...
AND LISTEN, I haven't even touched on the romance aspect of this romantasy, and I think that shows you how well written it is. This book to me would still work without the romance, BUT THE ROMANCE ENHANCES IT. The star crossed lovers, that shouldn't be together but they are the only people who truly see each other. INCREDIBLE, even though im pretty sure book two is gonna rip my heart out....
I am predicting this is a little trope that I don't tend to love unless well done, and when well done I EAT IT UP. And I am salivating at the mouth to eat it up in book twooooooooo!!!
ANYWAYS THIS WAS AMAZING PLEASE READ IT I LOVED IT
IF I HAD TO SUM IT UP FOR YOU WITH COMPS ONLY....
Buffy The Vampire Slayer MEETS Winx Club, and then they had a baby and it is HALF CITY!
And I don't know about you but that was my childhoooooood!!!!!
We follow our main character who is a demon hunter, and she has been since she was like 11. The first scenes are us getting to see her as she is, doing the things she does regularly, aka stab those demons. But it also lets us see inside of her, we really get to know her as a character, what motivates her, what her relationships are like, what made her who she is, and what still affects her daily. It was done so well to get me instantly relating and understanding her. It introduces the world of demons and important characters, without feeling overwhelming.
Then we jump into the plot of the book, her finding out about a school for demon hunters and deciding to go there, because turns out her dad had secrets. And she wants to find out about those secrets. We meet new friends along the way BUT we also don't forget about the characters in the "regular" world. AND chefs kiss to that, because so many authors have a tendency to do that with a book like this. Also within this demon hunting school we are introduced the world, and it feels so natural. We go to classes, we talk to other demon hunters, we see the world first hand. I literally can't get over how well done this was.
We end up with a found family group of misfits who you'd never be like WOW these people would be the best of friends, but now that you see them it just works. Think Scooby gang, or back to my Buffy comparison her and her friends!!!! We deal with real world emotions, fitting in, learning to trust, dealing with childhood trauma, and so much more.
And all while we have so much intrigue because we have a couple different mysteries we are going on...
AND LISTEN, I haven't even touched on the romance aspect of this romantasy, and I think that shows you how well written it is. This book to me would still work without the romance, BUT THE ROMANCE ENHANCES IT. The star crossed lovers, that shouldn't be together but they are the only people who truly see each other. INCREDIBLE, even though im pretty sure book two is gonna rip my heart out....
I am predicting this is a little trope that I don't tend to love unless well done, and when well done I EAT IT UP. And I am salivating at the mouth to eat it up in book twooooooooo!!!
ANYWAYS THIS WAS AMAZING PLEASE READ IT I LOVED IT
April 6, 2026
4⭐️
для тих, хто скучив за баффі, присвячується 🗡
в головній ролі: вів - мисливиця на девіантів 😎
тут вам і жгг, яка вправно винищує демонів, вампірів, перевертнів і інших почвар. і новоспечена компанія друзів, а я обожнюю такий формат тропу «знайдена родина». і трішки розслідування секретів минулого, вбивства демонами батька вів, застосування темної магії. а фоном - розгортання лл зі слоу бьорном та гаряченьким фіналом. тааак, все в один котел, мені нравиться як воно горить 🔥
академійку теж досить атмосферно розгорнули. вийшов такий собі гоґвортс на мінімалках, тільки тут навчають винищувати девіантів. зі своєю історичною й готичною архітектурою, колізеєм, амфітеатром, озером, забороненим лісом, полем для квідичу, а ой, лакросу 🤭
теж зникають студенти, на них нападають усіляки почвари 👻🧟♀️, з якими борються головні герої.
і як же без купки студентів, які розслідують проблему всесвітнього масштабу і не хочуть розповідати про це професорам. все канонічно 😁
в цьому плані сама академійка і весь опис кампусу, занять, занурюють на повну. цей елемент, мабуть, найбільше сподобався, навіть хотілося ще більше деталей, ще більше в цьому варитися 🎓⚗️
а на додачу ще заняття з бойової підготовки та польові тренування в півмісті, де курирує усе це добро похмурий демон рід 😈 який розкаявся, вже не ковтає людські душі ложками, перейшов на світлий бік і тепер допомагає вбивати своїх же 🌚
але цей чортяка ще достатньо секретів в собі приховує.. я тебе розкушу, мученик ти мій. в мене вже є на тебе плани 💅
тому так, в любовну лінію додали трішки запрєщонки: студентка-викладач, мисливиця на демонів та демон 😋
вів та рід дуже схожі між собою - обоє зранені, з проблемними стосунками з батьками, одинаки, тому не дивно, що з часом зникає неприязнь, обмін шпильками, і вони сплітаються в клубок розуміння, нестримного бажання та зародження почуттів 🙂↔️
персонажі.
так-так, вів - мері сьюха, яка ну дуже намагається нею не бути 😅
вона з рідкісного виду мисливців, якого взагалі вважали винищеним через свою небезпечність. вже зі старту більш підготовлена і має більш прокачені мисливські здібності, але не кичиться цим, а навпаки намагається приховувати, ну бо її так-то можуть вбити або, за деяких обставин, вона сама може збожеволіти 🌚
така собі саркастична «чорна кішка», мисливиця-одиначка з надмірним «синдромом рятівника».
уся компанія друзів хоч і колоритна, але слухняно виконує свої шаблонні ролі, накладені на них авторкою. таке відчуття, що за деякими з них стоїть дещо більше та власні секрети, тому сподіваюся, що надалі це краще розкриють 🤞
мій улюбленець 🥰 розкривається на повну в 39-40 розділах. і нехай хто він залишиться маленькою таємницею, бо треба самим почитати і познайомитися ближче 😈😮💨🥵🫠
просто мен на мій смак. крапка 🤌
сюжет.
протягом усієї книги читалось досить цікаво і я не нудьгувала. зайшов стиль авторки, вона досить легко пише. сам світ теж імпонує: півмісто, розділене прірвою й частково населене девіантами, які встигли вирватися з підземного світу, поки прірву не запечатали.
плюс академія зі своєю дрібкою магічності та навчанням. це основні дві локації. ніби нічого нового, але усі компоненти непогано грають разом.
під кінець авторка намагається здивувати декількома твістами з викриттям персонажів, разом з головним антагоністом цієї книги. деякі вгадуються наперед, деякі і мене приємно здивували 😏
чому точно не п'ять. авторка частенько протягом книги страждає на «дуже зручні» сюжетні повороти, від яких я не могла не закочувати очі. як і від деяких вчинків вів. і смішно, і грішно було за нею спостерігати 🤪
разом з цим в мене вже купа теорій, як далі розгорнеться історія в трилогії. і я однозначно хочу дізнатися, що з цього справдиться 🍿😎💃
загалом, книга може гарно зіграти на ностальгії. тут щось від «баффі», щось від гоґвортсу, щось від «щоденників вампіра», бойова академійка і стосунки, схожі з «четвертим крилом», навіть щось з «надприродного» завезли. тому поціновувачам усього цього можна пірнати в читання. swim swim 🌊
для тих, хто скучив за баффі, присвячується 🗡
в головній ролі: вів - мисливиця на девіантів 😎
тут вам і жгг, яка вправно винищує демонів, вампірів, перевертнів і інших почвар. і новоспечена компанія друзів, а я обожнюю такий формат тропу «знайдена родина». і трішки розслідування секретів минулого, вбивства демонами батька вів, застосування темної магії. а фоном - розгортання лл зі слоу бьорном та гаряченьким фіналом. тааак, все в один котел, мені нравиться як воно горить 🔥
академійку теж досить атмосферно розгорнули. вийшов такий собі гоґвортс на мінімалках, тільки тут навчають винищувати девіантів. зі своєю історичною й готичною архітектурою, колізеєм, амфітеатром, озером, забороненим лісом, полем для квідичу, а ой, лакросу 🤭
теж зникають студенти, на них нападають усіляки почвари 👻🧟♀️, з якими борються головні герої.
і як же без купки студентів, які розслідують проблему всесвітнього масштабу і не хочуть розповідати про це професорам. все канонічно 😁
в цьому плані сама академійка і весь опис кампусу, занять, занурюють на повну. цей елемент, мабуть, найбільше сподобався, навіть хотілося ще більше деталей, ще більше в цьому варитися 🎓⚗️
а на додачу ще заняття з бойової підготовки та польові тренування в півмісті, де курирує усе це добро похмурий демон рід 😈 який розкаявся, вже не ковтає людські душі ложками, перейшов на світлий бік і тепер допомагає вбивати своїх же 🌚
але цей чортяка ще достатньо секретів в собі приховує.. я тебе розкушу, мученик ти мій. в мене вже є на тебе плани 💅
тому так, в любовну лінію додали трішки запрєщонки: студентка-викладач, мисливиця на демонів та демон 😋
вів та рід дуже схожі між собою - обоє зранені, з проблемними стосунками з батьками, одинаки, тому не дивно, що з часом зникає неприязнь, обмін шпильками, і вони сплітаються в клубок розуміння, нестримного бажання та зародження почуттів 🙂↔️
персонажі.
так-так, вів - мері сьюха, яка ну дуже намагається нею не бути 😅
вона з рідкісного виду мисливців, якого взагалі вважали винищеним через свою небезпечність. вже зі старту більш підготовлена і має більш прокачені мисливські здібності, але не кичиться цим, а навпаки намагається приховувати, ну бо її так-то можуть вбити або, за деяких обставин, вона сама може збожеволіти 🌚
така собі саркастична «чорна кішка», мисливиця-одиначка з надмірним «синдромом рятівника».
уся компанія друзів хоч і колоритна, але слухняно виконує свої шаблонні ролі, накладені на них авторкою. таке відчуття, що за деякими з них стоїть дещо більше та власні секрети, тому сподіваюся, що надалі це краще розкриють 🤞
мій улюбленець 🥰 розкривається на повну в 39-40 розділах. і нехай хто він залишиться маленькою таємницею, бо треба самим почитати і познайомитися ближче 😈😮💨🥵🫠
просто мен на мій смак. крапка 🤌
сюжет.
протягом усієї книги читалось досить цікаво і я не нудьгувала. зайшов стиль авторки, вона досить легко пише. сам світ теж імпонує: півмісто, розділене прірвою й частково населене девіантами, які встигли вирватися з підземного світу, поки прірву не запечатали.
плюс академія зі своєю дрібкою магічності та навчанням. це основні дві локації. ніби нічого нового, але усі компоненти непогано грають разом.
під кінець авторка намагається здивувати декількома твістами з викриттям персонажів, разом з головним антагоністом цієї книги. деякі вгадуються наперед, деякі і мене приємно здивували 😏
чому точно не п'ять. авторка частенько протягом книги страждає на «дуже зручні» сюжетні повороти, від яких я не могла не закочувати очі. як і від деяких вчинків вів. і смішно, і грішно було за нею спостерігати 🤪
разом з цим в мене вже купа теорій, як далі розгорнеться історія в трилогії. і я однозначно хочу дізнатися, що з цього справдиться 🍿😎💃
загалом, книга може гарно зіграти на ностальгії. тут щось від «баффі», щось від гоґвортсу, щось від «щоденників вампіра», бойова академійка і стосунки, схожі з «четвертим крилом», навіть щось з «надприродного» завезли. тому поціновувачам усього цього можна пірнати в читання. swim swim 🌊
March 31, 2026
this was a freakin blast. loved the found family, the academic setting, and the plot! so fast paced and easy to read.
is it going to win any prizes for how well written it is? no. but if you’re looking for a good time, look no further!
the fmc can be reallll hard headed at times, but i still enjoyed her. i also really like the dynamics she has with her friends and family, it really explains a lot about her circumstances, and the way that she is.
the mmc wasn’t my absolute fav, but i am so intrigued by the plot that i’m super willing to look past it, lmao.
if you want a ‘Supernatural meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in an academy’ book, this is the perfect one for you!
4.25 stars!
is it going to win any prizes for how well written it is? no. but if you’re looking for a good time, look no further!
the fmc can be reallll hard headed at times, but i still enjoyed her. i also really like the dynamics she has with her friends and family, it really explains a lot about her circumstances, and the way that she is.
the mmc wasn’t my absolute fav, but i am so intrigued by the plot that i’m super willing to look past it, lmao.
if you want a ‘Supernatural meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in an academy’ book, this is the perfect one for you!
4.25 stars!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
2.75 stars
Oh man, this was so frustrating.
I'll start off by saying the world was really interesting and had a lot of potential. And I enjoyed the side characters and everything they were bringing to the table in this story.
But oh my god, I don't know if I have hated an FMC more. She was incredibly frustrating and I also saw no viable reasons for her to be the romantic interest. She has zero impulse control (which is attempted to be explained away, but she has had more than enough time in her life to try and adjust and not give herself away), she is kind of a B to people for no reason, and she is arrogant when she probably shouldn't be.
And the MMC had a lot of potential, but I had my issues with him too. A lot of "you can do that, it's not safe, and I need you to be safe." Good intentions, but I think we are all quite over that mentality after Tamlin.
And I'm pretty sure this was supposed to be adult? But it did not read that way at all. It read like kids TRYING to be adult and not really succeeding at all.
This was a real bummer. I was excited for this one, especially since I really enjoyed Kate's other series, The Sacred Stones. But this did not hit for me 😔
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
Oh man, this was so frustrating.
I'll start off by saying the world was really interesting and had a lot of potential. And I enjoyed the side characters and everything they were bringing to the table in this story.
But oh my god, I don't know if I have hated an FMC more. She was incredibly frustrating and I also saw no viable reasons for her to be the romantic interest. She has zero impulse control (which is attempted to be explained away, but she has had more than enough time in her life to try and adjust and not give herself away), she is kind of a B to people for no reason, and she is arrogant when she probably shouldn't be.
And the MMC had a lot of potential, but I had my issues with him too. A lot of "you can do that, it's not safe, and I need you to be safe." Good intentions, but I think we are all quite over that mentality after Tamlin.
And I'm pretty sure this was supposed to be adult? But it did not read that way at all. It read like kids TRYING to be adult and not really succeeding at all.
This was a real bummer. I was excited for this one, especially since I really enjoyed Kate's other series, The Sacred Stones. But this did not hit for me 😔
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
March 28, 2026
4.5 ☆
”When we’re together, Viv.. I don’t know. I feel reborn— I see myself in your eyes and i like the reflection.”
i hope Teddy Hamilton voicing that certain character means what i THINK IT MEANSSSS!!!!!
but, anyways.. this is a pure enjoyment rating cause i was so unsure if id like this book and it surprised me so thoroughly. my absolute favorite thing about this was the found family and the friend group, i liked all the characters overall too. Viv might come off unlikable to some, but i found her personality sort of refreshing. i do love me a good magical academy, so that part of the plot was fun and i was loving the push/pull in the romance with Viv and Reid. some parts of the ending were predictable tbh, but it definitely has me desperate for the next book.. and DEACON?? HELLO 😛
”When we’re together, Viv.. I don’t know. I feel reborn— I see myself in your eyes and i like the reflection.”
i hope Teddy Hamilton voicing that certain character means what i THINK IT MEANSSSS!!!!!
but, anyways.. this is a pure enjoyment rating cause i was so unsure if id like this book and it surprised me so thoroughly. my absolute favorite thing about this was the found family and the friend group, i liked all the characters overall too. Viv might come off unlikable to some, but i found her personality sort of refreshing. i do love me a good magical academy, so that part of the plot was fun and i was loving the push/pull in the romance with Viv and Reid. some parts of the ending were predictable tbh, but it definitely has me desperate for the next book.. and DEACON?? HELLO 😛
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