Nightcurse

by Emma Hinds

Cursed with eternity, haunted by love–discover the truth about living forever in this achingly atmospheric dark academia fantasy.

Emrys Swift is so dead. One hundred and fifty seven years worth of dead, to be exact. He’s a Revenant, nightcursed, destined to be stuck being seventeen forever. Hidden away, he spends his infinite days as an undead librarian of witchlore at the NeverEnd library–until a new Revenant arrives and magical artifacts start going missing, jeopardizing his beloved home.

Emrys’s mortal enemy and annoyingly attractive shapeshifter Aubrey Vale is determined to solve the mystery–with Emrys’s help. Suddenly Emrys and Aubrey are magically bonded together on a quest into the dark and frost-bitten world of night-kin. But as Emrys and Aubrey interrogate ghosts and face drowning by mermaids, deathly creatures aren’t the only spectres haunting them. With the ghoulish Night Hunt chasing them down, can they outrun the secrets of Emrys’ death and Aubrey’s life? And if they can save NeverEnd’s future, can they have a future together?

Hauntingly gorgeous and tender, Emma Hinds’ Nightcurse is both a Gothic mystery and an enemies-to-lovers romance about navigating life and love in the face of death.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Paranormal, Dark Academia

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2026

About the author

Emma is a fiction writer and playwright living and working in the North of England. She graduated from St. Andrews University with an MLitt. in Creative Writing in 2014. She focuses on historical narratives, female voices, and Queer stories. She was longlisted for BBC Writersroom, and has been part of the Write Now Penguin and Random House project. In 2020, she was longlisted for the Mslexia Novel competition. Emma identifies as Queer and uses She/Her pronouns.

Reviews

[gracie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having had the chance to read Hinds' debut, 'Witchlore', as an arc last year and enjoying it, I was pretty excited to see that she had another book coming out and did not hesitate to request it too.

This one was pretty similar to Witchlore in a lot of ways. The fact that it's set in the same world aside, there were a lot of character similarities and even with the plotlines too and while it didn't negate the fact that this was a pretty solid story on its own, I couldn't get into it because I kept thinking about lando and baz every ten minutes. Seeing a little glimpse/description of baz appearing at the library didn't help either lol.

One thing I will is that Hinds has the dreary, fall atmosphere perfected, reading this with tendrils of fall chill was amazing. Thank you St. Martins Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Marie -The Reading Otter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this review copy

Review:
This is a tough book to review. There are things in this book that kept me interested, but more in a "where is this going" way than it having me on the edge of my seat to find out. This book took me quite some time to finish.

It was not enjoyable to be stuck in Emrys' head the whole time for this book, I think if it had been dual POV with any of the other characters it could've added some complexity or nuance to the story. Emrys was a little annoying for most of the book, and often only thought of himself and how things were affecting him. Him being tasked with being Sosa's mentor for him had little to do with helping her adjust, and more to do with proving himself to other people to benefit himself later. And when he messes up and losing that position, in stead of apologizing to Sosa for neglecting his duties, he finds a way to make it about himself.

Aubrey wasn't any better, they really are two sides of the same coin when it comes to things. Everything is also about what can benefit himself, and who is the most useful. But since he's the other Main character, or the main side-character, I think POV chapters from him could have been useful.

As for Sosa, her presence at the start of this book made it seem like she was going to be more involved with the plot, but she was hardly there for most of the book. I think she was supposed to represent the sister Emrys lost when he died, but I don't think it did the leg work to get there. Tommy and Madeline are the other younger revenants in this book, and they almost don't matter for the plot of the book until the very end of the story.

Just a lot of this book felt a little all over the place. I feel that there are a number of loose ends, but I also feel like there isn't any more story to tell. I just don't really know how to feel about this book. I think if I liked the characters more, I could forgive the things parts that I didn't enjoy as much.

[Harry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

After reading "Witchlore" last year, I was very excited to read the latest from Emma Hinds. While I did like this, I'm not sure it is my favorite of the two works I've read of hers. Both stand on their own two feet, but this is one of those situations where you could read one and skip the other.

I think the only reason why I didn't like this one as much as her previous work was: a) it is very similar to its predecessor, and b) it's not as clean as "Witchlore." While reading this one, it's very easy to see a lot of similarities between the story arcs, not even mentioning that it takes place within the same universe. But, where "Witchlore" had a strong storyline with clear messaging around intention and objective, this got far too convoluted. Maybe this is because the author wanted to expand upon the world she was creating, but I fear the story got lost in the act of world-building.

Overall, this is not a bad book. There are some fantastic discussions around sexuality and romance, geared toward a younger audience, that I think is both educational but not clunky. It's a good spooky, romantic read for the Halloween season.

[BookishKB]

🕯️🖤 Nightcurse 🖤🕯️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Dark Academia
• Enemies to Lovers
• Gothic Fantasy
• Magical Library
• Revenant MMC
• Magical Bond
• Paranormal Mystery
_ _ _

📅 Pub Date: October 13, 2026
Thank you to Wednesday Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[KMart Books · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This was SUCH an incredible audiobook! I HIGHLY recommend listening to this one when it comes out because the narrator had me hanging onto every single word. The atmosphere, the mystery, the emotional moments. Everything came together so well.

I love stories where a magical bond forces two enemies / rivals to work together, slowly realize they've been wrong about each other, and maybe develop a few inconvenient feelings along the way. Emrys and Aubrey were such a fun pair, and I especially adored how much of a nerd Emrys is. His absolute horror at Aubrey's treatment of books? RELATABLE. Their dynamic was a delight, and I loved watching their assumptions about each other unravel as they were forced to work together.

But what really surprised me was how thoughtfully this story handled grief. These characters aren't just mourning the people they've lost. They're confronting the possibility that their loved ones have moved on without them, grieving relationships they can never quite return to, and mourning their own lives and all the futures they might have had. There's so much sadness woven into this story, and it gives the gothic atmosphere and mystery a fantastic emotional component. Beneath the missing books, supernatural dangers, and secrets waiting to be uncovered is a story about self-discovery, unexpected connections, and learning to accept what can't be changed.

Beautifully written, hauntingly atmospheric, and far more emotionally layered than I expected, Nightcurse was an absolute delight. If you love gothic fantasy, magical bonds, enemies-to-lovers romance, and stories that explore the many different ways grief can shape a person, add this one to your TBR!

Thanks to Colored Pages Book Tours, Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and the author for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[She’s · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars

This YA dark academia romantasy has all sorts of cozy vibes. Emrys, our protagonist, is a very sweet Victorian revenant and has been sheltered for most of his life - both among the living and as the undead. Then Aubrey, a shapeshifter who is very much alive, arrives. Their story evolves as Emrys learns more about life and about himself, and the two of them get pulled into a dangerous series of heartbreaking events that change their world forever.
I really enjoyed this book. It is so different from lots of the other stuff out there and blends magic, folk tales, found family, friendship, nurturing and being nurtured, and the nature of love. Emrys is the protagonist I never knew I needed: sweet, naïve, cynical, loving, and jealous. Aubrey is bold, brash, outrageous, and brilliant but also very vulnerable. The characters are very realistic and well-written. This is a YA novel, but it doesn’t have the level of immature drama that some books in this genre can’t seem to escape. These characters have plenty of angst, but it is understandable and quite realistic. This is a great novel for YA and adult audiences. I really enjoyed it. I subtracted about 3/4 of a point because the ends were tied up too neatly. It made the ending feel as artificial as riding into the sunset is in old movies. Otherwise, the book is great! Recommend!

Thanks to Emma Hinds , Macmillan Publishers , and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this uncorrected digital galley. The opinions here are my own.

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly adore Emma hinds and they are becoming an autobuy. Nightcurse is not only a great ya fantasy/horror adjacent vibes but also really captures queer despair and in that QUEER JOY.

I really loved how this one crossed time and saw the different ways of life/living and finding love within that. This book specifically looks at gender fluidity (again through shape shifting) as well as demisexual individuals. It also looks at religion intersections with queer lives.

I think the immortality and magic really added to an amazing story about queer life, death, and love.

[Kirsten (shadow.mommy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audiobook was incredible. It was so good that the story could have kept going on forever and I would have been happy to listen. The worldbuilding was perfect–it was easy to follow what was happening and the magic system was interesting and easy to understand. The story itself was so captivating. I loved Emrys and Aubrey so much and how they grew from rivals to friends to lovers. I also loved the ace and trans representation.
This book is a little bit spooky which I adored, though I wouldn’t call it horror. It was more like suspense with a lot of adventure and a dash of thriller. Whenever a book has a murder mystery of any kind I get excited, and this was extra interesting for reasons I won’t say because spoilers.
This was such an amazing book and I highly recommend you check it out, especially in audiobook format!
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC!

[Angie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 11/20/2026. In a world of magic and witches and shapeshifters, the so-called night kin have a unique and decidedly odd place in the world. Ghosts and such are one thing but to be a revenant? Alive but also dead, stuck in the same body that was buried (luckily in stasis and able to heal), and existing in a halfway zone in the eyes of the Merlin Foundation and magical society. Emrys Swift has been stuck at 17 for over 150 years but, as far as he is concerned, that is okay. He has his books, his stand-in parents, his best friend and found family, and his home - NeverEnd Library. For all of this, he can put up with magical students barging in and treating his precious books like coasters. He is perfectly happy and, when a brand new revenant, 16 year old Sosa, arrives, he looks forward to teaching her the ways of being nightcursed. The first fly in the ointment arrives in the form of too-handsome and too-annoying shapeshifter prodigy, Aubrey Vale, who he finds is to take lead on the teaching. To his disgust.

Things get weirder when Vale drafts Emrys’ help in finding some missing books of highly specific and possibly dangerous magic. When they also discover at least one magical artifact is missing as well as Emrys’ sister (revenancy doesn’t run in families but it did here with rather awful baggage and consequences), things start to get even more complicated. Who is doing this? Why? What is the purpose? And why does Vale have to smell so good and be so annoyingly smug and… Yes, there is romance here but it is of a rather gentle sort, tangled up with things like society’s expectations, history, and personal searching.

That, actually, is just as intriguing as the central mystery. Which, don’t get me wrong, is well-written and layered and complicated by the idea of what would you do to get your ends? But Emrys is a complicated character that makes you think he is the proverbial duck to the world; his found family and others view him as just this stiff, awkward, self-possessed and self-isolated young man but his interior life is one big mess of fast-padding feet as he doubts many of his interactions and resists change from fear and does his best to be empathetic while not quite understanding how to be. Yes, this boy definitely has a touch of the ‘tism as the kids say. He is also a refreshing example of how sexuality is not a straight ranged line and sometimes it takes a while to figure your own stuff out - demisexual rep FTW. Oh, did I mention that there is also some brushing against more traditional Christian beliefs, pagan rites, and maybe even a touch of atheism? What about gender identity when you’re a shape-shifter and how that works? How about guilt for things beyond your control when the organization that is supposed to protect you is rather less altruistic than it should be? Yeah, this book is DENSE.

My only real quibble lands in the beginning and the end. For starters, since it is in Emrys’ POV, we really get to see those little duck feet going and you have to bear with him being an exceedingly neurotic and sheltered 17 year old. So it can be a bit hard at times to read it as an adult because you want to shake him and say “150 years, dude, get it together” but… He’s still endearing while he’s annoying. Luckily, he grows quite a lot through the book! Oh, and the end? Well, my brain often goes beyond the book to wonder about the logistics of dating someone who never looks older than 17. But that might just be my over-active brain.

In the meantime… TOMMY <3

[Shayla · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

Nightcurse was a really cute fantasy romance. Emrys and Aubrey’s relationship starts out kind of as enemies or at least they annoy each other, but then they are very supportive and sweet with each other by the end and I loved it. I just needed some wholesome romance after some of the other books I’ve read. There is some miscommunication in the middle that I found unnecessary and I hate the whole “he can’t love me! He must love this person instead” which is obviously just to keep them from falling in love sooner.

I really liked the world Emma Hinds created. I wouldn’t call it dark academia like the book blurb does, but it is an academic library. In fact, the whole description is not at all what the book is about. No one is chasing them down. It’s more a romance with a tad bit of cozy mystery adventure which is not what you expect when you read the description. Again, I loved the book, but it’s description is misleading. Also, the cover is not helpful at all in selling you the book. It makes no sense for the book. I don’t think the marketing team even read this book. If you want something kind of in the vein of Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue by McKenzi Lee or Soul of a Gentleman Witch by David Ferraro, this is a great book for you.

Additionally, the romance is super G rated and would be 100% fine in a school library. All they do is hold hands and kiss. There is some talk about figuring out Emry’s sexuality and him being demisexual which will anger the Christian fundamentalists but that’s as far as it goes.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for an ARC audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Abby · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

I really loved watching Emrys grow throughout the course of the book. He starts out as an unsure, undead, perpetual teenager who doubts himself and his capabilities, and has never really experienced much of the outside world. Throughout the book, however, we get to see him be brave, go on adventures, learn more about the world and the people around him, discover things about himself, and stand up for not only himself, but also the people he loves and the place he calls home.

One thing I definitely appreciated was that both the friendship and the relationship between Emrys and Aubrey feels earned. It doesn’t happen right away, and both characters have to put in the work to be on the same page. And it’s really fun to get to see the development occur over the course of the book.

The world of Nightcurse is incredibly fascinating. It was really cool to get a glimpse into the world of the story’s witches and shapeshifters and to see how each group has their own customs and cultures. And watching the characters encounter ghosts and mermaids and different characters out of folklore was absolutely delightful.

Overall, I had a fantastic time accompanying Emrys (and Aubrey and Sosa and Tommy and the rest of the well rounded cast) on his journey of self-discovery and solving mysteries and learning magic and falling in love.

Nightcurse is a perfect for those who love a good fall read, who love magic and folklore and ghost stories, or who are looking for a beautiful story with found family and queer romance.

Thank you so much to @wednesdaybooks for the eARC!!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Nightcurse through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Nightcurse is a dark paranormal romance that explores love, friendship, family, religion, and eternity. I was definitely captivated by Hinds writing and the way she developed Emrys’ character who is stuck at the age of 17 for eternity while he deals with everything around him constantly changing.

The world building really pulled me in and I loved the elements of Revenants, shape shifters, mermaids, witches, and the Dark Hunt (and I loved Percy!!). The friend group and mystery kept me invested in the story, and the twists it brought with Emrys’ family, and I always love an enemies to lovers romance!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Gothic Fantasy
* Enemies to Lovers
* Queer Paranormal Romance
* Magical Bond
* Found Family

𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🌶️

If you love YA Dark Academia vibes with magic and mystery that explores the complexities of the living and the dead then I would recommend Nightcurse.

[Jessica Swan]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

DNF @20%

Slow start. Not really holding my interest. I can see I'm in the minority here though because of the positive reviews so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

But Witchlore by this author was fantastic so please give that a shot if you're curious. And if the plot of this one sounds good, I hope you enjoy it!!! <3

[Kennedy F.]

DNF at 4%

[Virginia · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

this was spooky and delightful and serious and funny and EXCELLENTLY narrated and I can’t wait for teens to have access to it!

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a person of simple tastes. Someone back from the dead dealing with a mystery surrounding their deaths and second life with almost always a banger for me. Hinds presents a fun magic world between the dead and living and the divide of magic between them. The eternal librarians was a world choice that I would go with as well. The divide between Emrys and some of the other revenants about the gift or damnation of a second life did hit a little heavy handed for me at time but then some older theology does tend to be harder for me because I do get caught up more in the older understandings of hell and how theology has adjusted in that regard, at least in some denominations. That aside, the mystery was fun, the cast was just the right side of ridiculous and a little messed up, it's a quick go and a fun one. Of course all the fun and ease is mixed with the implied and actual cruelties of the universe were equally interesting without over taking the mood of the writing in a way that really worked for me.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars

Oh man, I really liked this book. We have a gothic fantasy mystery where a Revenant must work with a shapeshifter to find magical relics and books that have gone missing. The aesthetic is dark academia meets gothic classic in Northern England. Needless to say, I was hooked.

I loved how the book tackled the ideas of grief, gender and sexuality, and religion within the narrative. Emrys and Aubrey have to work so hard to grow and learn to trust each other that it makes every small step forward that they make together that much more satisfying.

I really loved Roly Botha's narration for the audiobook. They do a great job bringing the melancholy gothic vibes to life. Between Nightcurse and Witchlore, Emma Hinds and Roly Botha are one of those author and narrator pairings that works so well and I hope to see Botha continue to narrate Hinds's work in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the ALC and e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an ARC from the Goodreads giveaway a few weeks ago and started reading shortly after receiving it. Overall, I greatly enjoyed it. I have been searching for good LGBTQ+ fiction and I have found great success here. I have not read any books by this author before, but I plan to read Witchlore after this.

Note: the rest of this review contains spoilers. I did try my best to keep it mild, and they are under spoiler tags.

Setting:

First notes are on the setting, which appears to be the same as Witchlore based on the summary of Witchlore referencing Demdike College, and that same college appearing as a background setting in this book. However, the characters don't spend significant amounts of time around Demdike, so, while I have not read Witchlore, I don't think there's any appearances of characters from that book in this one.

It is unclear if magic is a secret from the public in this setting. The main characters encounter mermaids and the public doesn't seem to think much of it, but at the same time, they have to live in a library and hold no social media presence lest people find out they don't age .

The setting does not appear to have an exact year, but is set in modern times and handles it well.


Characters:

Emrys:

The story focuses around Emrys, who is somewhere between 17 and 157 years old, just depends on how you count. Emrys is a revenant, so he is technically undead and therefore does not age. The book does not explore why people become revenants, most of them just see it as the will of God. Revenants are also believed to hold no magic powers, but it is shown repeatedly throughout the book that he has at least some magic powers. This is also never explored.

Emrys was 17 when he died and became a revenant. Because he was not a legal adult (over 18) when he died, he has been deemed forever a child. This means he is not allowed to be paid, hold a bank account, or move out. He instead gets to live and work full time in a library helping college students. He, and all the other under-18 revenants that live with him, are literally sentenced to an eternity of unpaid retail work. This gets mentioned a few times in the first chapters, then is used as a bit of a joke later, and then is never brought up again.

I mention Emrys lives with other revenants. They inhabit and run a library for a magical college. If you are a fan of the found family trope, this handles it well.

Emrys is the POV for the entire book.

LGBTQ+ rep: Emrys is demisexual and provides good representation of it. I have also not seen this identity represented in queer fiction before.


Aubrey:

Emrys and Aubrey have already met when the story begins, and Emrys already does not like him, as Aubrey seems to be a bit rude sometimes. Aubrey has a complex past, that gets somewhat revealed, but most of the conflicts of his past are not resolved by the end of the book, so it kind of doesn't seem to go anywhere unless they're setting up a second book.

LGBTQ+ rep: Aubrey can easily be read as a trans man, (and is likely intended to be) but it is not explored much.


Support characters are diverse, fleshed out, and Emrys has a well defined relationship with most of them.

I keep encountering books that claim their protagonist is highly intelligent that then have the characters act like idiots, and it frustrates me greatly. Thankfully, no one in this book falls into that description.


Overall plot:

The overall plot is good, though I would have assumed the Night Hunt played a larger role based on the description. It does not end on a cliffhanger, but a sequel would definitely not feel forced, which is a definite plus.

The romance is believable and built up over a sufficient amount of time that it makes me believe its enemies to lovers and not "we hate each other, but are now head-over-heels because the other person's hot suddenly for no apparent reason".


ARC had a handful of typos and some instances of weird wording, I am confident this will be ironed out before release.

5/5 Summary: Very British, very good LGBTQ+ representation, strong characters with a solid ending. I would recommend this to anyone in search of: queer fiction, enemies to lovers, found family, or modern fantasy.

[Franky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐

(+) :
- I had a lot of struggles with Emma Hinds’ previous book, but there was a lot that I was really invested in, especially the world of shapeshifters and their relationship to gender identity in particular. This book continued that conversation in a new way from the first. There is also the addition of Emrys’ experience as a Nightkin that I felt was explored more successfully than that of a witch previously.
- Emrys is pretty fascinating. He is an anomaly as a nightcursed child and that has caused him adverse stress in his undeath, but then he is also not allowed to grow by those who surround him, continuing to have expectations placed on him of that of a child: not allowing him to work or earn pay or even really leave his station. Which is, honestly, terrifying.
- I also really liked Aubrey, partially because I’m a sucker for a cad character, but also the description of what the struggles are that Aubrey is going through with their shapeshifting capabilities in relation to feeling safe in their own body were really resonant with me, personally.
- The characters and found family was very sweet. There’s a lot of pressure put on Emrys as something of the instigator of this family being brought to NeverEnd that is also very interesting.
- The plotting of this is so similar to witchlore. It's another treasure hunt/ fetch quest. But this one is truly just so superior. Maybe it’s the lack of trials, but I think it’s also the missing persons case addition, for one.
- I’ve loved both of this universe’s covers. They’re just so good.
- Good title. Good good.

(-) :
- I think the romance had too quick a flip but it was still solid. They both have trauma, somewhat unresolved feelings towards their first loves that informs their cautiousness, which worked. But for me it was the evolution from their perceived annoyance with each other to then being fully in love.
- Also the ending was odd because like...how are they actually going to be together when he is an unaging 17 year old. They don’t even talk about it. I don’t need an answer for it, but like…wouldn’t they be concerned.
- The magical bond that the two of them share is kind of confusing. I don’t think I ever fully understood how they crafted it or how it worked.
- Sosa needed more entanglement into the story. She plays a pretty pivotal role in everything, but I feel like we never really got to know her FROM her. It was mostly just people, Emrys, Barnabas, talking about her and her journey.
- The descriptions of sexuality could get really "let me tell ya about the label spectrum, kids!" Which like yeah this book is for teens but also it can be done in a more nuanced way

(?) :
- I don’t want to put this in the positives or the negatives, but I think the Christianity perspectives both worked and didn’t. Obviously there is the commentary on the zealot that I think was more or less successful and how that would affect someone who was so supremely religious being forced out of Heaven. Then there’s the inverse where there is the person who is more groundedly religious, like Barnabas, that I’m not really sure what to do with. I don’t think it would have bugged me as much if it wasn’t just so much of a presence in the story, which is just not something I like reading, personally.
- I read the first book and I still don’t really understand witches. They’re apparently weaker than shapeshifters, but then they also don’t want to mix their bloodlines with shapeshifters? I have no memory of what goes into their antagonistic natures.
- There were continuity errors with time/years and then the hair thing with Madeline


WILL I READ THE NEXT ONE? : Before this one, I didn’t think so. But this one has made me more intrigued.

(HOW LONG) DO I THINK THEY’LL STAY TOGETHER? : I do not know!! I’m so confused on how they will be able to stay together when Emrys appears 17 and Aubrey is like 45 outwardly!!??! I mean I guess he can shapeshift but is that even ethical??

*Thank you to Wednesday Books & Netgalley for providing this ARC!


SIMILAR BOOKS :
- 'The Unmagical Life of Briar Jones' by Lex Croucher
- 'Cemetery Boys' by Aiden Thomas
- 'Daughter of the Bone Forest' by Jasmine Skye
- 'Find My Way Down to You' by Julian Winters

[RedReviews4You Susan-Dara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Emma Hinds's worldbuilding when I read Witchlore, so I was thrilled to discover she was returning to this universe with a new story that can be enjoyed as a standalone. I already knew her writing was immersive and compelling, but I didn't expect Nightcurse to surpass Witchlore for me. Yet from the moment I met Emrys and Aubrey Vale, I found myself completely under their spell.

Told entirely through Emrys's first-person perspective, Nightcurse is an incredibly welcoming read despite the complexity of its world. Emrys feels authentically seventeen, complete with all the uncertainty, insecurity, awkwardness, and emotional intensity that comes with adolescence. What makes his character especially compelling is that while he has existed for more than 150 afterlife years, he remains eternally seventeen in lived years and considers that age his personal anchor.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is the distinction between lived years and perished years. That concept shapes identity, relationships, and personal growth throughout the story, giving the world a unique perspective that feels both imaginative and emotionally authentic.

The LGBTQIA+ representation also feels natural and deeply integrated into the narrative. I particularly appreciated the way Hinds allows her characters space to exist without forcing easy labels or explanations. Aubrey remains one of the most intriguing figures in the novel, with enough depth and mystery to leave me hoping this is not the last time readers encounter him.

As Emrys navigates his Perished Life, readers are introduced to a diverse cast of characters and experiences. One of the most memorable is Sosa, a sixteen-year-old Syrian refugee who died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean with her family. Her story is heartbreaking, but Hinds uses it brilliantly as both an emotional storyline and an entry point into the mythology of the world. Because Sosa is learning alongside the reader, the often-complex supernatural elements feel approachable and easy to understand.

I also loved the Never End library setting. This is not a magical school library in the vein of other fantasy series. Instead, the library serves as a living part of the afterlife community, and Emrys's role as a volunteer librarian adds both charm and purpose to the story. It provides the perfect backdrop for his relationship with Aubrey.

And the banter between Emrys and Aubrey is absolutely wonderful, loaded and telling, and totally addictive!

There is an obvious attraction simmering beneath their interactions, one that Emrys remains hilariously oblivious to while everyone around him seems to notice immediately. Experiencing those moments through his perspective was delightful. His emotional naivety feels age-appropriate rather than frustrating, creating a romance that is sweet, authentic, and genuinely charming.

This was a book I never wanted to put down. I found myself flying through the pages faster than I intended because the world felt so welcoming, the characters so alive, and the story so emotionally engaging. While the ending provides a satisfying conclusion, Hinds leaves enough intriguing threads, particularly surrounding Aubrey, to make me eager for more.

Nightcurse is that rare companion novel that not only expands an existing world but deepens it. Emma Hinds has created a mythology that feels fresh, characters I became deeply invested in, and a story that reminded me why I love young adult fantasy. If this is the future of the Witchlore universe, I am absolutely ready for whatever comes next.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!

I ADORED Witchlore so have been SO excited to read this, and it DELIVERED!! I absolutely devoured this novel. I started reading last night, exhausted after my second day of classes followed by opening night for a play (a 3 hour play, I found out), then getting home around midnight and having to shower still. I told myself I'd read a chapter or two.

Reader, I read the entire thing. Finished it around 5 am, despite knowing how bad of an idea that was when I had to repeat the day all over again in 6 hours. It. Was. Worth. It!!! I am obsessed. I scribbled down so many notes of art ideas (Hinds' imagery is so stunning, and so inspiring creatively!!). I'm still reeling from it all.

Emrys Swift is such an interesting and new character from anything I've read. A type of undead where he is immortal, but will never age past 17. It reminded me of Charles and Edwin from Dead Boy Detectives where they've "lived" decades now, but are still teenagers forever. They've gained the knowledge and maturity but will never make it past puberty or have their frontal lobe developed fully. There was an interesting parallel to Lando and Bastian, where Lando being a shapeshifter caused them to live longer, but now Vale being a shapeshifter isn't long enough for forever. Or, as they say, Emrys' forever is longer.

I really, really felt for Aubrey. All of the moments with Clemence were so unbelievably real, despite it being fantastical. Although I haven't experienced it specifically, I've been in moments where I felt what Vale felt during those scenes. And it was heart wrenching to read from a different perspective. Vale's care echoed throughout the entire novel, regardless of what he was saying in the moment or doing.

The contract between the two of them was incredibly interesting to me, too. Figuring out what it was, what it was doing, why it acted when it did. I typically pick up on these little wording differences that will be important later, but I completely missed this one and it absolutely floored me at the reveal. Incredible writing and build up to that moment while till completely catching me by surprise.

I also really appreciated the various types of relationships between the characters, different types of grief and what it means for each character. It felt so real and that much easier to feel for the characters. I also loved the exploration of immortality. Gwen's reaction to Emrys, every time someone said "my forever is longer," Emrys deciding to sacrifice himself as it wouldn't be as detrimental for him vs Aubrey, and especially how different magical creatures respond to the living vs the dead.

I truly adored this book and cannot recommend it enough, I will be making it everyone's problem for the next multiple forevers.

Rivals to lovers is always a very fun trope, and this novel did it excellently. Other tropes/rep included:
- forced proximity
- (magical) trans rep
- demisexual rep!!!
- amnesia/memory mystery
- mutual pining
- found family

I would highly recommend for fans of:
- rivals to lovers
- Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy
- if we were villains (but magic)
- eli ever and victor vale
- dark academia
- spring awakening
- aziracrow
- evocation by st gibson
- klance
- gelphie
- zukka

[Jamie Downer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for a digital ARC.

Nightcurse by Emma Hinds follows Emrys, a teenage revenant, who’s spent the last century and half carving out a new life-after-death with a group of other revenants in a literal found family. Despite being stuck at 17, Emrys has hopes that the frustrating prejudice and limitations he’s faced as an undying teenager might come to an end with his new position. He’s hoping to become the official assistant who helps newly dead revenants acclimate from their recent demise. But all Emrys’ plans get turned on their head when the position is instead given to his nemesis, the shapeshifter Aubrey Vale…

If I am completely honest, I really wanted to like this book more than I was able. The premise was intriguing (I wouldn’t have requested the ARC otherwise!) and I was interested in the characters. However, the things that consistently pulled me out of the story boiled down to two things:

The majority of Emrys’ perspective was written in a manner that *told* us how he felt about things (or told us what the relationships were between people), but I longed to be *shown* them so I could figure them out for myself. I understand that Emrys is meant to be a stiffer character who struggles with reading emotional subtext, but to me it unfortunately read as shallower POV. The one area where Ms. Hinds did shine, however, was the burgeoning romance (that Emrys himself was often unaware of), but there were other relational subtleties I wished she allowed me to piece together rather than spelling them out.

The second piece that pulled me consistently out of the story was the unevenness of the worldbuilding. It is clear that the main heart and focus for the author was the characters (which is fine! I love me my characters 😉). But because these characters inhabit such a magical world, I found myself longing for a greater clarity of rules, especially because the plot is driven by a magical mystery Emrys and Aubrey are trying to solve.

While the expressed friction between the different magical populations—witches, shapeshifters, and revenants—is shown here or there, the deeper rules that governed their magic (or the deeper limitations and boundaries between different supernatural entities) were often unclear to me. The only reason this distracted me so is because those differences were a lynchpin for the larger plot mystery. And because I didn’t understand how the world worked, the plot was harder to follow until the third act reveal was explained to me by the characters. I personally found this unsatisfying, mostly because I like understanding the world enough to make a guess as to what’s going to happen. I don’t mind a softer magic system, but this one was harder for me to grasp (and therefore to make guesses about), and that, too, threw me out of the book.

I will say that where the book does shine is in the interpersonal relationship between Emrys and Aubrey—and no doubt that is the primary reason most readers will pick up Nightcurse. So if that is the case, this book is well suited for readers who are here for the characters and romantic arc primarily and like their worldbuilding/magic system more as a garnish.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Colored Pages Book Tours and the publisher Wednesday Books for the ARC, it hasn’t affected my honest review. 

TW: death, homophobia, grief, injury, religion and references to suicide 

Release date: 13th October 2026 (US) 

Emrys Swift has been dead for 157 years, cursed to remain as a seventeen year old forever. He is a Revenant, hidden away as a librarian in the NeverEnd library, serving as an aid to scholars and magicians alike. Life isn’t easy but he’s making the best of things, especially as he seeks a promotion to support the new child Revenants that might arrive. Unfortunately, it looks like this has been stolen from him by his enemy, the brilliant shapeshifter Aubrey Vale. When priceless magical artefacts and books begin going missing from NeverEnd, Emrys jumps at the chance to protect his beloved home, even if it means working with Aubrey to do so. However, when Aubrey and Emrys accidentally become bonded on their quest, things change between them. Thrown into the world of night kin they must face ghosts, murderous mermaids and the terrifying Night Hunt, who seek to destroy them. As the secrets of Aubrey's life and Emrys’ death threaten their new connection, they have to save NeverEnd- and their future together. 

I love YA that deals with darkness and this was a really good example of it- handling slow burn themes like death, recovery, identity and queer romance alongside ghosts, witches, an amazingly handled mystery and a precious main character I just wanted to hug. Emrys has been alive for 157 years but he’s always incredibly restricted- hidden away in a library built to house him and cut off from much of the world, not trusted with responsibility because he’s viewed as a child and torn over his lost love, Michael, and his complex family relationships now. One thing that broke me about Emrys is that he’s so loving but also deeply jealous of the living and wants more from his existence. It’s not surprising that Aubrey Vale, a shapeshifting researcher, drives Emrys insane- he’s the exact opposite: rude, loud, confident and openly himself (though this is much more complicated than Emrys realises). I loved how they wind each other up towards the beginning and the way this gradually changed when they go out on their quest. I adored getting to read a book set between Wales and Manchester and the way the different ‘night kin’ creatures (including ghosts, mermaids and many others) play a part in the story. I really liked the supporting cast, particularly Sosa- a Syrian refugee girl who died crossing the Atlantic but was brought back as a revenant- and how much Emrys tries to help her in her transition. Another really important part of this story is identity, whether Emrys learning about the term ‘demisexual’ and accepting his sexuality in the aftermath of his past or Aubrey having to come to terms with his gender fluidity. This is my first book by the author and I really enjoyed it a lot. 

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A haunting story about love , loss and everything that happens after.

“The Nightcurse” is what happens after those who have passed started resurrecting as revenants forever frozen at the age of their death never growing even as time around them passes. Emrys is stuck at 17 even though his death was over a hundred years earlier he is still fuzzy on the details but knows he has spent his time trying to make the most of it except for his ongoing died with shapeshifter Aubrey Vale. As their paths cross again they find themselves as reluctant allies as objects start going missing and they have to hunt for who or what may be messing with the unnatural order of things.

This was such an interesting story and take on resurrection. Having always loved vampires and the lore of being frozen in time it’s interesting how this book shows the mental and emotional pitfalls of being stunted at a certain age. There is no growth or maturity that comes with age even though the years pass and the frustration of technically being an adult but treated like a child was so fascinating. Not to mention the layers that come with sexuality and how it was handled , or not even talked about, throughout history and how that kind of unwarranted shame can linger in a person.

Emrys needed the biggest hug the entire story him trying to handle this new responsibility of being a tutor to a new revenant while it’s being taken away by his enemy was enough but when he learns about the day he died and the questions it leaves was so heartbreaking. His insecurities and just not having any real way to identify who is his because of the time period he is from made that journey all the better as he was able to look at it from a more modern and welcoming lense with the community he had built around him and that include Aubrey.

That’s not to say this book isn’t without its scares there a particular scene overlooking the sea that I am going to have nightmares about but the conversation about who a soul belongs too was so creative and fun. There’s a lot of questions surrounding what is to become of those who come back and what happens when they wish to return to those who have not come back and it’s so layered and painful but you also understand that desire.

An interesting book and one that I think will hit home for a lot of people.

*special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s kinda like a teen boarding school in an exclusive library, except nearly everyone is already dead. This includes Emrys Smith, a nerdy book boy who died one hundred and thirty seven years ago at the age of seventeen, and like all other revenants, he hasn’t aged a day since. He’s a walking disaster when it comes to reading the room and relationships, and yeah, he hates the annoying, pretty, very-much-still-alive shapeshifting researcher Aubrey, the boy who may have stolen his tea one time and always has an obnoxious nickname at the ready, and it’s just so endearing to see Emrys bumble through everything, trying not to wear his soft, sad little heart on his sleeve.

While the external plot starts as a soft burble of mystery (some books are missing from the library? oh gosh, oh dear), it’s the characters that bring the story to life. After a hundred years as essentially an unpaid intern, Emrys yearns for more responsibility, and while the “adult” revenants are clearly right that he remains immature, he begins to wonder whether this is truly his nature as an unaging revenant or if their expectations aren’t letting him grow. Other revenants include Tommy, a bit of an older brother (though he hasn’t been dead as long), Madeleine the uppity nun, and Sasha, recently deceased and still coming to terms with everything Emrys is teaching her about her new existence (social media? Yeah, not allowed). All bring their own lived experiences, tragically few though they are, and perspectives on the eternity ahead of them, assisting with magical archives and staying out of the general public eye.

There’s a fun blend of archaisms with modern lingo, reflecting Emrys’s life in olden times and this old soul’s adaptation to change. The large amounts of introspection can become repetitive - accurate fretting is not always the most riveting read - but Emrys won me over with his literary preferences. (Bonding over Master and Commander? Be still, my heart.) The magical elements throughout are generally quiet, apart from the revenants and a few ghostly types, although it picks up in the second half.

Expect books and bickering, family lost and found, ill-advised road trips, and existential crises (so, how do you handle eternal existence while everyone you know lives and dies? Not well? Cool, cool.)

**Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC**

[M. K. French · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Emrys Swift was cursed to be a Revenant one hundred and fifty-seven years ago. He looks seventeen and works as an undead librarian of witchlore at the NeverEnd library. When a new Revenant arrives and magical artifacts start going missing, Emrys’s life at the library is jeopardized. The shapeshifter Aubrey Vale is determined to solve the mystery and is soon bonded to Emrys as they search the world of night-kin. They investigate all kinds of creatures while the Night Hunt chases them down. If they can save NeverEnd’s future, can they have a future together?

In this world, revenants wake up after death and continue on as undead; ghosts, witches, shapeshifters, and magic exist, but it's rare and separate from the human world. Most are collected by various foundations to keep them separate from humanity. Emrys died after seventeen human years, so he's perpetually seen as a child, unable to grow up or make decisions. He lives and works at the library, and the other revenants are his family. He intends to help guide the newest child revenant, but the Merlin Foundation has annoying Aubrey Vale do it instead. While the two work together so the Foundation won't close the library, missing books on necromancy and artifacts that ghosts are scared of go missing. The two investigate, growing closer and figuring out why it's so important.

While we don't have a meet-cute, the oil and water bickering in the beginning has the same energy. Emrys tries to figure out his sexuality after Aubrey asks, and I found that conversation with Tommy especially touching. For all the years he's lived, Emrys really is a protected child. He wants so much to be seen and understood, and we catch glimpses as to why it matters so much. He's unique from the start, and the search for the books and mirror is tied to him personally. Aubrey's secrets take longer to dribble out since we're not in his POV, but we know there's more to him than he lets on. We find out in time, and the two work together to figure out what happened to all of the missing items and what the warning is all about. It isn't what they originally think, and there are some devastating truths revealed about characters. The finale is appropriately epic given the level of magic and the mystery they're chasing. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be, but it fit very well and was a satisfying conclusion to the book.

[notreallyacat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost didn't read this because I loved Emma Hinds's first YA book, "Witchlore," so much that I didn't want to risk that this might not compare. But I'm so glad that I took the risk!

I feel like Emma Hinds and Andrew Joseph White (disclaimer: pretty different reading experiences haha) are both reaching back through time and healing my inner teenager with the kinds of books I wish I could have read back then. And I realize that saying that is cheesy and the sort of thing that teenage-me would have rolled their eyes at, but I just can't stress enough how great it feels to read books with characters like me in genres I actually enjoy. No matter what happens on the page, it feels kinda like a warm hug.

BUT ANYWAY. Nightcurse seems to take place in the same world as Witchlore, but while certain elements of magic and world-building come up again, it doesn't just replay the same notes. To be clear, I keep mentioning Witchlore, but the books are clearly standalones—the shared world seems more like a little signature or Easter egg, like Charles DeLint's frequent returns to Newford or Christopher Moore's ongoing use of the same universe across his books. The world is magical, but the world-building isn't overwhelming—the book is very character- and plot-forward, which is always my preference. As you can probably guess, the characters were the biggest draw for me, and, well—I loved them. The plot is engaging, the setting is interesting, and in spite of everything, the book ended up feeling cozy. So much to love.

One disclaimer: I'm seeing a lot of people calling this dark academia, and as the honorary dark academia police, I'm here to say that it's not! It takes place at a school (er, a library associated with a school), and the characters appreciate learning. You could probably give it dark academia vibes in your head as you read if you wanted to. But by the strictest definitions of the term, it really doesn't qualify, so if you're looking for a traditional dark academia book, don't be disappointed!

🎧 I listened to the audiobook edition, and it was worthwhile just for the accents. The variety felt very intentional and fleshed out the characters nicely...and the American accent in particular was so endearing that the accent alone made the character one of my favorite characters. This would be good in any format, but the audiobook is worthwhile!

(Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook ARC! All opinions are, of course, my own.)

[DB (DB's Guide to the Galaxy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don’t need to read Witchlore to read this which was nice! I finished the book itching to get that book so I can read a story set in the other school. Revenants were fascinating as a concept and I wanted to learn more about them! Hinds can definitely write another one or two books in this world, I’d be interested in reading it since I liked this so much! Hinds has a really cool writing style and it elevates the book so much. The characters are so cool, they feel so real and I like seeing them interact with each other and they’re able to stand really well on their own. The book shone with the two main characters, Emrys and Aubrey. Since we were reading from Emrys’s point of view and he didn’t like Aubrey so I didn’t like Aubrey. Until he (Aubrey) started to change and get better and then he was a favourite. But even then the two of them were well-balanced and played off each other perfectly. Aubrey has that perfect nonchalant personality and he’s sarcastic (my favourite thing) but of course he actually is a really nice guy (once again, one of my favourites). I loved it when the story focused on him and I kept wanting to know more about him. Emrys’s story was also really cool and I definitely wanted to get a bit more of his past but Hinds blended his past and present well.

Their relationship was so sweet and it was a bit of a slow burn but I liked that! Even though I was itching for them to kiss like I was playing The Sims and I could just click and say “Kiss”! Just like with every enemies to lovers I loved seeing them go from “ugh, I can’t handle you” to “I love you” — it truly never gets old. Their relationship and personality has a lot to do with the overall plot and various subplots and and Hinds wrote that well always nice to see). I like it when you can easily go from a character-focused moment to a plot-centered moment, the characters make a big difference! The mystery was really interesting too! I didn’t suspect anything or anyone until the reveals came out! I always love it when a book surprises me. The mystery was also in-depth and stocked full of the world-building and lore that Hinds created — another thing I really like seeing.

[Literarilyconfused · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to preface this review by thanking the publisher, author and netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc copy.
I found this book enjoyable. It was different, but good. A fresh take on revenants.
Such a unique premise, I never previously considered the idea of a demisexual revenant. Usually they are type cast as the strong silent type, which are adjectives I would use to describe main character Emrys but he is also a sensitive soul who feels deeply. He is what I would describe as emo light, with depth of character but not so melancholy as to become annoying (most of the time). That balance is a fine line that Emma Hinds navigates well in her writing. I liked following the story of a more introspective lead character, driven by inner turmoil searching for self knowledge and closure. And yes, he has an excruciatingly sad backstory.
Emry’s unique perceptive as a hundred-year-old teenage vampire was one of the most compelling parts of the story. The quotes below illustrate his genius:
"it’s like people imagine that as soon as you climbed out of the grave, you left your entire barometer for sensitivity behind."
“I am in possession of something only a tiny proportion of people ever get: unlimited time. I’ve long ago given up wondering whether it’s a blessing or a curse.”
“My death was not a premeditated murder or a cruel punishment for loving a boy. It was a confluence of unhappy circumstance, a brutal but simple occurrence, like so many deaths are.”
The story was more romance forward than I expected. But showcased different kinds of love: The love found between family, friends, and the self rather than just romantic love. The enigmatic Audery Vale made an excellent character foil to Audrey’s more stoic nature. Having a gender switching Shapeshifter just makes sense due to their mercurial nature. The witty banter between those two makes the book.
I also quite enjoyed the references to fantastical creatures of legend. Spectres, and the wild hunt in particular. As these historical creatures are less frequently mentioned in books and are somewhat of a novelty to me.
Overall, a great read. 4 stars.

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

🖤✨ Some books feel like stepping through a door into a world that is beautiful, strange, and just a little bit haunted.

Nightcurse by Emma Hinds completely swept me into its achingly atmospheric world of undead librarians, witchlore, ghosts, mermaids, shapeshifters, forbidden magic, and secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Emrys Swift has been dead for 157 years, forever seventeen and trapped as a Revenant. He’s made a home for himself as an undead librarian at the NeverEnd Library, surrounded by the witchlore and magical artifacts he loves. But when a new Revenant arrives and magical artifacts begin disappearing, Emrys’ carefully constructed world starts unraveling.

And then there’s Aubrey Vale, Emrys' mortal enemy, an annoyingly attractive shapeshifter, and absolutely the last person he’d expect to be magically bonded to. Naturally, that’s exactly what happens. 😂

I loved the way Nightcurse balances whimsical, almost fairytale-like moments with a wonderfully gothic darkness. The frost-bitten world of the night-kin, ghostly interrogations, dangerous mermaids, magical mysteries, and the terrifying Night Hunt gave the story this deliciously eerie atmosphere that I wanted to linger in.

But beneath all that gothic magic, what really pulled me in was Emrys and Aubrey. Their complicated history, forced proximity, and growing connection gave the story an emotional heartbeat that made me invested in what would happen to them, not just whether they could save NeverEnd, but whether they could find a future for themselves.

There’s something beautifully bittersweet about a story centered on characters who have already lost so much and are still brave enough to hope for something more. 🖤

If you love gothic fantasy, magical libraries, enemies-to-lovers tension, supernatural mysteries, and stories that feel like a dark fairytale, Nightcurse deserves a place on your TBR.

📚 Thank you to Colored Page Book Tours, Wednesday Books, and Emma Hinds for sharing Nightcurse with me!