Eternal is the Night

by Alayna Ravenwood

An elite private college. Missing Initiates. A truth that will change everything.

Twenty-year-old Anna was already different before her mother was murdered—and before she vanished for a year she can’t remember. When her former mentor returns, Anna embarks on a dangerous journey to Nightfall Castle, the mysterious private college her mother once attended, desperate for answers about her past—and the dormant power she’s ignored her entire life.

But Nightfall is not an ordinary college.

Something is terribly wrong within the castle’s ancient corridors. Initiates are disappearing, and the Aurkai—Nightfall’s most elite—know more than they’re willing to say. Blake, the most alluring and dangerous of the Aurkai, may be the key to uncovering Nightfall’s secrets—or the reason she never escapes them.

As the danger closes in, Anna realizes she may be next, and the truth behind Nightfall may cost her everything.

Discover the truth hidden within Nightfall Castle in this dark, seductive debut of The Cursed Realm Saga.

Genres: Fantasy

524 pages, Paperback

Expected publication September 16, 2026

About the author

Alayna Ravenwood writes the kind of character-driven, world-rich stories she’s always loved to fall into. As a franchise fan, she believes the best worlds are the ones that feel boundless—where readers can lose themselves in endless stories and unforgettable characters. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband and three children, where their family’s balance of martial arts, outdoor adventures, Minecraft, and coffee keeps life just as full as her pages.
Eternal Is the Night is her debut novel and the beginning of The Cursed Realm Saga.

Reviews

[Gabriella୨ৎ (offline for a few days)]

ᰔᩚ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝: ꒱
[ An elite private college. Missing Initiates. A truth that will change everything. ] omg this sounds amazing and exactly what i’ve been looking for. i’ve had some pretty disappointing reads recently, but i really want to find a book that i’ll fall in love with. and this author has promised that i will, so i’m hoping she’s right. the dedication was so beautiful and kind of got me in my feels, and i can’t wait to meet these characters and get my heart broken as promised.

Ⓘ thank you @netgalley and publisher for giving me the chance to read this free arc, i'm very eager to share my thoughts.

Ⓘ pub date: march 12th 2026

[Christina Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was fortunate to receive this advanced readers copy from the author!

As best I can without spoilers....
This has a classic slow burn quality that steadily builds until you don't even realize you are fully emersed. It is an absolutely mind-gripping blend of magic and romance that I couldn't get enough of. Our FMC has their own issues she's working through but it all gets plot twisted out of the blue, love this!! As other characters are introduced, more secrets are exposed and worlds expand. The tension between the characters is obvious, and the world-building is very detailed. I stayed up late every night because I couldn't put it down—it is the perfect romantic fantasy escape ....and omg that ending! Yep we need book 2 Alayna!!

[Audra Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️/5
🌶/1

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don't even know what to say except I WASN'T READY 😩 I wasn't ready for the mystery, I wasn't ready for the twist, and I for sure wasn't ready for it to end!

I'm usually really good at guessing the mystery or the who-dunnit but somehow Alayna Ravenwood pulled one over on me and had me screaming WHAT!?! There were times when I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things played out.

The world building is amazing. I wasn't sure where we were going with the setting when it seemed modern, then PLOT TWIST. Secret society academy. And other things but 🤫 we aren't gonna talk about that because I don't want to ruin anything. The pace is a little slow in the beginning while you get situated, but once things kick off it happens fast!

Everyone at Nightfall kept me guessing. "WHAT ARE YOU??" Kept floating through my mind on repeat. The road to self-discovery that Anna had to take was paved with questions, angst, and danger. And I'm still trying to figure out what the energy between her and Blake is.

If you're looking for a gripping story filled with a strange academy in the mountains shrouded in mystery and missing students with a hint of spice and a fat dose of found family, this is the one! I did not want to put this book down and I devoured it. I'll be eagerly waiting for the next book.

[Katarzyna · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Alayna for allowing me to participate in the early ARC group!

The grip this series already has on me is insane! We follow our FMC, Anna, who was raised by her mother in a remote cabin for protection until her mother‘s untimely demise, after which she goes missing for an entire year with no recollection of where she was and what happened to her during that time. During her time in isolation, Anna was trained by her mother‘s friend, Derrick, in a form of sword fighting/martial arts. After Anna reappears after her forgotten year, Derrick offers her the chance to attend Nightfall, a secret academy that her mother previously attended. Once Anna arrives at Nightfall, secrets are revealed and she learns that the world she knows is not as it seems. The world-building, character depth, and character development in this one were top tier. The plot was full of twists and turns and moved along at a fast pace. The romance between Anna and the MMC, Blake, was swoon-worthy, and when we got to the spice it was well-written and full of emotional depth. Don’t get me started on that cliffhanger ending! I need book two in my life ASAP! Overall, I loved this one and highly recommend picking it up!

*Check TWs if needed.*

[Marissa Paino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Early ARC Review

This was a fun read! I was lucky enough to be an early ARC reader for this one. Sooo many twists and turns in this debut novel! I definitely didn’t see many of them coming! Now I’m sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for book 2 and I have no idea which characters I can trust 😅

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me hooked since page one!! I went in blind not really expecting anything but I was really intrigued into the storyline! We get some romance, action, mystery and twist after twist! Excited to see what comes next! 4.5 stars!!

[Destyni Rowley-Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

the twists and turns that kept me completely hooked are just chefs kiss. I dont even have words for how good this was and the way it was written has easily become a book that I will need to own in hardback.

[Caitlyn Stern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

After her mother is murdered and vanishing for a year with no memories of her time, Anna has more questions than she knows what to do with. So when her mother's friend and Anna's mentor returns to their small Appalachian town offering Anna the answers she's been desperate for, she jumps at the opportunity. Even when the opportunity presents itself as enrollment in an elite, secretive, private college in the middle of Norway. But her mother had also attended this school and Anna's determined to put together the missing pieces of her life. But life at Nightfall Academy is not what it seems; when students start to go missing left and right, and Anna fears she may be next.

I don't quite know how I feel about this book to be honest. The world building is top tier and incredibly immersive; you honestly feel like your walking around Nightfall Academy. The plot is really good as well with the mystery keeping you on the edge of your seat. But my issue is that despite being a good plot, it's very confusing and very hard to follow. It may have something to do with the multiple POVs and the jumps between them but it just felt all over the place though. The minor characters didn't really stand out and I honestly forgot who characters even were at some point.

If we were rating off of vibes and worldbuilding alone I'd give it a 4.5
If we were rating off of plot I'd say 2.5-3
If we're rating of characters, I'd say also probably a 2 because I did really like the MC even if the other characters not so much

[Chelsea Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eternal Is the Night is an electrifying start to The Cursed Realm Saga, blending the high-stakes tension of dark academia with a rich, slow-burn romantasy. Alayna Ravenwood has crafted a world where shadows are as much a character as the mages who wield them, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts dangerous and irresistible.

Why It’s a 5-Star Standout:
Intriguing Protagonist: Anna is a compelling lead—haunted by a tragic murder and a year of lost memories. Her journey to Nightfall Castle to uncover her dormant power feels urgent and deeply personal.

The "Shadow Daddy" Dynamic: Blake Ryth’enir is the quintessential cursed prince. His chemistry with Anna is a masterclass in slow-burn tension, perfectly capturing the "alluring yet dangerous" vibe that fans of Fourth Wing or ACOTAR crave.

Unique World-Building: The Aurkai—the academy's elite—and the mystery of the disappearing initiates add a layer of gothic suspense that kept me guessing until the final page.

Atmospheric Prose: Ravenwood’s writing is "character-driven and world-rich," making the ancient corridors of the castle feel alive with secrets and ancient magic.

And what does this all mean?
This debut is a "must-read" for anyone who loves morally gray heroes, lethal trials, and forbidden love. It’s a dark, seductive journey that will leave you desperate for the next installment.

[Georgia · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶

🖤Dark Academia
🖤Found Family
🖤Romantasy
🖤Complex World
🖤Hidden Magic
📖Unique initiation trials
📖Unique class structure

Nightfall is a strange and mysterious place. Can you trust anyone here? Can you trust yourself?

What a way to write a debut! @alaynaravenwood Alayna Ravenwood had my complete and undevoted attention after chapter 1. She creates an amazing atmosphere right out of the gate and sets you up to want answers immediately! Turning page after page you'll get so many twists and turns that you'll be completely immersed in getting to the FACTS right along with our FMC Anna.

You'll want to get this one immediately! Join Anna on her mission to get answers to long buried secrets, lies and half truths. What happened to her parents? Why are Initiates disappearing? What is Nighfall? WHAT ARE YOU?

Book 2 please. Gimme. 🫣

I recommend this to readers who want to escape into, and be completely consumed by, an eerie academia fantasy with a complex world, a hefty dose of found family, magic and a sprinkle of romance.

Thank you to @alaynaravenwood for providing me her debut and having me along for this incredible ride! As well as her PA @pouringoverthepages.

#EternalistheNight #romantasy #darkacademia #fantasy #hiddenmagic

[Cat Fan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not usually drawn to academia settings or very young protagonists, but Eternal Is the Night pulled me in through the care and intention behind its worldbuilding.

The maps, parchment letters, crests, sigils, and course details made Nightfall feel immersive in a way that goes beyond typical dark academia. It felt constructed, layered, and thoughtfully designed rather than just described.

Anna feels emotionally grounded and observant, and the slow-burn connection with Blake reads more like resonance than cliché. Melanie, especially, surprised me — she felt more like a destabilizing truth-teller than a simple rival. The generational mystery and bloodline revelations toward the end genuinely hooked me.

There were moments where the heavy secrecy made me feel slightly disoriented rather than intrigued, but the final stretch more than compensated.

That cliffhanger, though? Devastating. I don’t handle unresolved endings well, and now I’ll be thinking about this until 2027.

(I read this as an advance reader copy.)

[Shannon Isaacs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Advanced copy received by Author

From the very first page we are trust into a story deeply rooted in mystery. Anna, is struggling to cope with her mother’s murder and a years worth of missing memories. Raised secluded, by a mother who was afraid of an unknown threat; Anna is determined to uncover the mystery surrounding her mother when she is invited to attend Nightfall, a mysterious private collage.

However things are not what they seem at this collage. Fellow students go missing and the “upper class men” are a bigger mystery. This book had me on the edge of my seat, things I thought were happening did not in fact happen how I imagined.. perfect for fans of Vampire diaries and Harry Potter.

Beware of the Raven

Secret society
Morally grey MMC
Forbidden Romance
Veil between worlds
Deadly Trials
Hidden powers
Touch her and die

[Jenna Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

4.5⭐️

This was such a haunting, addictive read. From the very first page, I felt like I was wandering those cold, ancient corridors right alongside Anna…confused, grieving, and desperate for answers. The mystery of her missing memories and her mother’s murder kept tightening like a noose, and I couldn’t look away.

Nightfall Castle felt alive in the most unsettling way, laced with secrets and tension. And Blake? Ugh, he was attractively Infuriating, magnetic, and dangerous in that slow-burn, can-I-trust-you way that had my heart racing every time he was on the page.

Alayna created a world where the atmosphere is dark and seductive, with the stakes constantly rising, and an ending left me reeling and ready for more. A solid 4.5 stars for a story that completely pulled me under its spell. I’m already desperate to return to Nightfall.

[Tegan read_with_tee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an advanced readers copy of her coming soon novel.

This started out with plenty of intrigue, with a fast paced storyline. But it tries really hard to maintain a sense of mystery throughout the book, so much in fact, that you won’t have a clue what’s happening. The lack of information becomes more irritating than intriguing, and even upon completion of the book there were very few questions answered. I also had a hard time keeping all of the secondary characters straight due to lack of descriptions, so some of the twists didn’t hit like they should have.

The world building is definitely there in this darker academia fantasy series, but there was far too much going on for me to feel properly submerged in it.

[Sonica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, seductive, and impossible to put down.

There is a big mystery surrounding the FMC's missing memories and her mother's murder, which weaves perfectly with the atmosphere of the elite collage constantly creating tension. The FMC is vulnerable and strong, whereas the MMC is magnetic, morally gray and layered with mystery. The chemistry is sharp, charged and laced with uncertainty.

A dark academia fantasy filled with secrets, power, and slow-burning tension, this debut sets the stage for a series that promises even bigger revelations ahead.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the ARC! I really enjoyed this book!