Malachite

by Ashley Andersen

Genres: Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 28, 2026

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down. Malachite is a good story with a set up for a strong series that had some issues that kept me from loving it.

Arianell is entering her first year at Valmora Academy right on the heels of her brother being executed for murdering his fellow students. When who she thought would be her biggest advocate turns out to be her biggest adversary, she must find her place in the magical academy alone.

Malachite occasionally feels derivative of other popular romantasys due to its use of common elements (houses of magic, a veil of dark magic dividing the land, etc), but these pieces come together in their own way to make a unique story. With regards to the characters, I LOVED Sebastian and Arianell (major Xaden-Violet energy), but I really struggled to believe the change in Sebastian (don’t want to say more due to spoilers). The ending felt very rushed, and the book had a lot more typos and errors than I’m used to for ARCs, so I’m really hoping the editors are able to fix that before publishing so Ashley Andersen’s story can shine through!

Overall a good debut novel that I think signals a lot to come from Ashley Andersen.

Read if…
- you like enemies to lovers (think Xaden and Violet)
- you’re a dark academia fan

Skip if…
- you don’t like YA (it’s not strictly YA, but reads a bit like it)
- you don’t want to read anything too similar to other popular romantasys
- you cringe easily (some dialogue took me out of the scenes🐍🐍 IYKYK)

Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Violence: 🗡️🗡️

*Thank you to Mobius Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some books whisper to you. Malachite grabs you by the throat and dares you to look away.

Ashley Anderson delivers a dark, atmospheric story that seeps into your bones, blending emotional depth with an almost hypnotic sense of unease. From the start, the narrative carries a weight of grief, obsession, and choices that don’t come without consequences. This is not a comfort read; it’s a slow burn into the shadowed corners of the human psyche.

The characters feel raw and imperfect, driven by longing and haunted by the past. Their emotions are messy, painful, and achingly real, making it impossible not to feel pulled into their unraveling. Anderson’s prose is sharp yet poetic, painting vivid scenes that linger long after the page is turned.

What truly sets Malachite apart is its tone dark, immersive, and unapologetically intense. It explores themes of power, control, and transformation in a way that feels both intimate and unsettling. You’re not just reading this story; you’re sinking into it.

Thank you NetGalley

[Brain Fog Book Club Fog · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say that I was speechless after finishing this book would be an understatement. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the overwhelming feeling of wanting more in the wake of what I’d just read was astounding.

Often, in stories like this, the first book leans heavily into world-building and can feel slower because of it. That was not the case here. From the start, we’re thrown directly into the world and its lore, and it unfolds naturally alongside the story. We learn about the characters and the history as the main character does — seeing what she sees, discovering things as she does. It created a shared experience that I genuinely enjoyed.

I found myself riding along on her emotional roller coaster and appreciating that, even though she’s repeatedly knocked down, she doesn’t linger in a victim mentality. Instead, she gets back up, brushes herself off, and tries again — harder.

The pacing moved well overall, though there were moments that felt almost too quick. I wouldn’t say those moments were rushed, but I did find myself wanting more — a bit more detail to build tension and deepen the relationships between the characters.

That said, this story delivered twists, turns, emotional highs and lows, and some spicy moments, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series and to see what this author does next.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Malachite follows Arianell as she goes to a star created magic school to find out more about her brother’s death. On her first day she runs into Sebastian, one of her brother’s best friends, who is no longer the guy she once knew.
This book has such good yearning and tension between Arianell and Sebastian. The story has a dark academia setting with an interesting magic system. It gives off dark Harry Potter vibes. I could not put this book down! It does end on a cliffhanger and I need the next book now!! I’d definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for
✔️ Dark academia setting
✔️Brother’s best friend
✔️Slow burn
✔️Banter and yearning
✔️Enemies (ish) to lovers

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

[Michelle (easy.vesey.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4)!

“Sebastian Zain kisses me like a man that’s been starved of air, and I am his next breath.” 🥵

I really enjoyed this book and think it was a great debut! It had a ton of elements I tend to love in books: dark academia, different “houses”, enemies to lovers, and elemental magic.

The tension between Sebastian and Arianell was crazy and had me giggling and kicking my feet while reading. I do think their relationship wasn’t what you would consider a “true enemies to lovers” but rather a loose enemies to lovers because he bullied her at first and was super rude to her before his true feelings were revealed.

I also do think that there are a lot of similar books that follow this same plot/pattern, so that’s why it wasn’t a full 5 star read for me. But I did overall still enjoy the story and look forward to reading future books in the series!

If you’re looking for a dark academia featuring enemies to lovers, elemental magic, brother’s best friend, and a murder mystery, then be sure to check out Malachite!

Thank you so much to Mobius Books and Netgalley for an advanced copy! Malachite releases on May 5th in the US!

[Shannon Mungo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! This was so good it makes me want to scream!!!!

I can see this blowing up all over social media, it is that good!

For fans of Zodiac Academy, fourth wing, and dark academia.
🌶 🌶

Dark academia, with powers, magic, mystery and romance.

I saw this available on netgalley under read now, and I was in the mood for a dark academia, so I said to myself why not.

Well dear reader dont read this unless

-You want a gut wrenching backstory
-A mystery that will have you questioning everything
-A slow burn that has you screaming at the imaginary characters
-A found family in friends that make you feel like you found your family
-An fmc that has such quick witty reply that have your jaw on the floor
-Action that gets your heart pounding
-And an ending THAT RIPS YOUR HEART OUT.

ya i couldnt put this down.

[Kelsey Chadwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story really is if Fourth Wing and Zodiac Academy had a magical baby. And it is so GOOD. I was sucked into this book immediately and I am DEVASTATED that I can’t read more right this second.
The enemies to lovers slow burn is DELICIOUS 🤤 the FMC and MMC are everything and I truly can’t wait for another book. This debut novel is everything you want in a dark romantasy. Magic, secrets, trials, big twists, and characters that you CRAVE to see more of. 10/10 recommend this book!
⭐️Malachite will be released May 5th and is available for preorder now!! Trust me, you’ll want to preorder this one!!

🖤Thank you NetGalley and Ashley Anderson for the opportunity to ARC read this amazing debut novel!! 🖤

[millena ★]

rtc

[Lily O’Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing! One of the best romantasy books I’ve read! So good I finished it in three hours!

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded down

Malachite intrigued me with its premise, as it sounded like a different variation on elemental powers in an NA dark academia setting. With so many fantasy magic systems revolving around the elements, I still found this one to be interesting; I particularly liked the prologue and wanted to find out more, although I assume it’s intentionally vague about the conflict and betrayal for the sake of the twists in this story.

I already had some guesses, since the description mentions Arianell’s power being unique, which the ending proved right. The magic academy setting was fun, although it did really remind me of Divergent and Tris’s time in Dauntless lmao. The combat classes in particular, for obvious reasons, and the fact that Malachite is the Warrior Unit. The plot… had a messy execution. I was curious about the mystery of what happened to her brother, and I didn’t guess that twist, but the events leading up to it and the attitude of everyone at this academy was so ridiculous that it ticked me off. I guess, given the ending, it was… intentional? But everyone besides her friends felt very one dimensional, cartoon villain-y in their hatred of Aria because of what allegedly happened with her brother that I would’ve bounced from that school. Especially when there’s no incentive (but glory I guess?), given how widely known it is that Malachite students die… like yes, you want to train warriors, but uh if they’re so important, shouldn’t the families sending their kids to this school have found it way more concerning and problematic when their children/future warriors are dying before they can even fight the war??? Also, the headmaster straight up insinuating that Arianell was at fault and trying to pin crimes that were frankly going to be way unlikely to have been committed by her. I… don’t think anyone in this school has common sense (except Nicks? Maybe??? Although not finding any allies among the faculty seems like a questionable choice, given that ending…).

Arianell also fell into that whole bold and reckless female lead archetype that made her seem like an idiot too often, tbh. Her plans were mostly questionable, especially the one at the end. Like… I knew that was a bad idea from miles away. Idk. There are a lot of plot holes; in general, the writing is middling (side note: this has to be one of the earliest/least proofread drafts I’ve read on Netgalley so far…). The grammatical issues really distracted from the story, so I hope there’s at least several round of editing left on this one, but it was still an entertaining read. Despite all my issues with the story, I found myself wanting to finish this one and see how things ended up for Arianell and Sebastian. Her friendships were also sweet, if underdeveloped (they felt very insta-friend, not saying that it can’t happen but it kind of never got developed on page, with the exception of some talks with Xavier). The romance had its moments, although I still thought the first half/reveal felt a bit disappointing in the sense that it made the enemies to lovers thing kind of… not.

Overall, Malachite had a lot of potential that I don’t think it quite lived up to (but maybe this is just an earlier draft?), but all the same, I had fun reading it (without thinking too hard, since once you start thinking about it you question… a lot of things lol.). It’s not necessarily the best writing but it does manage to be a bit fun and has tension and an exciting climax, and I think I’d be curious enough about the continuation of the plot to read the next book; this definitely ends on a cliffhanger (so I assume this is a series). I want to find out more about The Veil, Arianell’s power, and how exactly Sebastian will go about doing things until they can be reunited. I hope we don’t have to wait too long!

Thank you to Hachette/Netgalley for the ARC.

[Heather Pacella · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prestigious Valmora Academy has, for centuries, prepared and trained the most powerful in the country for war. Those with strong elemental magic (fire, wind, or water) enroll under either the healers of Opal, the scholars of Agate, or the warriors of Malachite; upon graduation, these students assume high-ranking positions in the Valmora military. Arianell Nocthare, incoming first year student, is facing a rougher-than-usual start to the school term. Though she comes from a very skilled family of wielders, her magic has yet to manifest, and she'll be kicked out of the academy if her elemental isn't quickly discovered. Making matters worse, her dearly beloved brother died at this school just last year, executed after supposedly murdering four other students in an attempt at highly-illegal, soul-corrupting black magic.

Between her lack of powers and her tainted family name, Arianell is immediately shunned at the academy, where she is relentlessly bullied by other students trying to force her to drop out. She is shocked and devastated to find that one of her loudest tormentors is Sebastian, her brother's best friend and someone she was counting on as an ally. However, convinced of her brother's innocence, Arianell will stop at nothing to figure out what exactly happened that dark night one year ago. As her investigation becomes increasingly dangerous and starts pointing to a deeper conspiracy within the academy itself, she must put aside her hurt (and growing feelings) to join forces with Sebastian to expose the shocking truth - before it is too late and she is silenced forever.


I really enjoyed (and devoured) this debut from Ashley Andersen! Though the combination of dark academia, military training, and magical abilities present in Malachite naturally draw comparisons to series like Harry Potter, Fourth Wing, or Zodiac Academy, I think the more accurate parallel is to Brooke Fast's To Cage a Wild Bird because of the strong emotional heart of the story. Arianell has such a devastating backstory, and you really feel for her and all she's going through. However, she doesn't let that stop her from being a good friend to the select few in the academy who don't hate her. I think a lot of entries in the romantasy genre really fail at developing characters outside of the main couple, but that's not the case here. The friends that Arianell made along the way were amazing (especially Tilly!), and even background characters (such as professors or classmates) felt like fully-developed, real people. This emotional strength also extended to the relationship between Arianell and Sebastian. I'm not usually a fan of "brother's best friend romance", but it really worked here. These all combined for an engrossing story that flowed really well. My only (minor) quibbles are the fairly limited world-building and the rushed ending, as I found myself wanting to know more about the goings-on outside the academy. However, Malachite ended on a heck of a cliffhanger, hinting that the world will be greatly expanded upon in the next installment, and I definitely can't wait to read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Mobius Books for this ARC!

[hannah jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Potential spoilers ahead!

Malachite by Ashley Anderson is a solid 3.5 star read for me, and honestly a really impressive debut. It is set mainly at Valmora Academy, a magic school that is actively preparing its students for war, and the whole vibe feels a little Harry Potter esque if Harry Potter was older, moodier, and built around specific powers and training for battle. The magic system is genuinely interesting, and I loved getting to see how different abilities work and how the academy functions. The biggest win for me is the characters, especially our FMC. She does not fold and she does not back down!! She is a full on badass in a way that reminded me of the confidence and bite I love in characters like Aelin or even Paedyn. The MMC is definitely the broody dark type and yes, kind of a jerk at first, but it fits the tension and the dynamic.

Also, the banter was such a highlight for me. It kept the slower stretches feeling fun instead of dragging, and it made the relationships feel real. And I need to talk about Tilly and Arianell because I loved their friendship. The way they show up for each other is one of my favorite parts of the book, and Tilly is exactly my favorite kind of side character and best friend trope, the loyal, sharp, hilarious, ride or die energy that makes every scene better.

My main critique is that I wanted more about the war itself, because we hear about this “veil” and the creatures beyond it, but I kept wishing for deeper context and higher stakes on the page instead of just the outline of what is happening outside the academy. A few moments were predictable, but still so fun that I did not mind, and even though the first 80% is slower, it was not a bad slow, it was the kind where you are constantly reading for crumbs because you are hooked and you can feel the groundwork being laid. It also ends on a pretty wild cliffhanger, like excuse me??? If you read the ARC, I need to hear your theories. Also, I am still a little confused about the FMC’s power and I am desperate for more clarity and expansion there, because it feels like something huge is sitting just out of reach. Overall, Malachite made me care about the characters, the academy, and the world, which is exactly what I want from a first book, and it 100% has me looking forward to the next one!!

Tropes you can expect: brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, slow burn, “I thought you hated me,” second chance, found family, magic school, tragic backstory.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 (not many scenes, but the ones that exist are VERY much there).

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Hachette for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing eARC!

[Caitlyn Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Synopsis:
Arianell was always in awe of her older brother. He kept her safe, taught her to defend herself, and didn’t make her feel less than just because she was magicless in a world where magic is common place. So when Lukas is the executed for the crime of practicing black magic and murdering his fellow classmates, Arianell knows there’s something more going on behind the scenes and vows to clear his name. She ends up at the prestigious Valmora Academy where Lukas had been studying before his death convinced the place holds the answers she’s looking for. But the stigma of Lukas’s supposed crimes weighs heavily on her, compounded by the fact that every student and teacher seems hellbent on punishing Arianell for what they believe her brother did - including her broody Unit Leader Sebastian, her brothers former best friend. But something darker lurks in the shadows of Valmora Academy, and Arianell will need to find a way to clear her family’s name without losing her life in the process.

Review:
First, thank you to the author for allowing me the opportunity to arc read this story. I was pleasantly surprised by this book in probably the best way. I will admit that the story started out a little slowly for my taste and the initial world building left something to be desired, BUT, the overall plot was engaging and was a genuinely fun read! The world feels familiar (you really can’t go wrong with a war college setting!) but Andersen gives a very unique magic system that provides a freshness to an otherwise stale setting.

Arinell herself was deep without being too “prechy” or self involved (characters like that annoy me to no end!) Sha has some family trauma and of course is primarily driven by proving her brother innocent but it doesn’t overrun her entire personality. Sebastian was your brooding shadow daddy without the actual shadowss and there was the classic enemies to lovers we all know and love (or technically friends to enemies to lovers).

Overall, the book was giving Harry Potter meets Divergent meets Fourth Wing (minus the dragons) so if you’re a fan of those series, you love this book! I’m excited to see where the author takes the world and can’t wait for book 2!

[Margins.and.Meanings · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun, familiar, and bingeable start to a romantasy series, even if it didn’t quite reinvent the wheel. I flew through this book and genuinely enjoyed my time with it.

Aria is very much a “special FMC with special powers,” but it didn’t bother me the way it sometimes can. She is a bit whiny internally in the beginning, but given the amount of bullying, grief, and isolation she’s dealing with, it felt justified. What I appreciated most was her stubbornness… she gets knocked down repeatedly and still forces herself to stand back up, time and again. That said, while she survives and outwits a lot, she doesn’t experience a ton of actual emotional growth yet. I’m hoping future books dig deeper into her trauma instead of skirting around it.

Sebastian is extremely Xaden-coded (tall, dark, powerful, emotionally repressed), but I still really liked him. The romance was fun and spicy without being eye-roll inducing, though I wouldn’t really call this a true enemies-to-lovers. Their tension felt a tiny bit manufactured at times, especially with how often Aria mentally pulled back from him at the at the ABSOLUTE WORST possible moments. It didn’t ruin the story, but it did start to feel repetitive.

The magic academy setting, elemental units, and mystery surrounding Aria’s brother were all very engaging, even if some twists were easy to predict. I also felt the worldbuilding and stakes could have been higher… the looming outside threats never quite felt as dangerous as the story wanted them to be, and the setting stayed very contained within the school. Hoping we see more of this in future books! Still, the plot was fun, the pacing improved as it went on, and the cliffhanger (while frustrating) definitely did its job.

Overall, this is a familiar but enjoyable romantasy debut with lots of potential. I’ll absolutely be picking up book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mobius Books for the ARC, this was a fun read!

[S K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I chose this book because the title means something very important to me. There was zero other reason beyond an ache to see that name repeatedly.
But damn, I really liked this book! Yes, it has 'houses' students are divided into. But it really does not focus on that as much you'd think. The plot does drive it and some parts are guessable and close to what you'd expect from these sort of fantasy books but the author has found a way to make it fun and new too.
I cannot believe this is a series and I'll have to wait eons to read part 2 (given part 1 is yet to be published) but this was a really fun read and I could not put it down.
One con I'd say is that there is a lot of what I feel to be unnecessary descriptors. I think the same impact of a place and situation could have been made more succinctly. The start of the academy life especially was a little much.

SPOILER AHEAD-
I get Sebastian was trying to protect her; that was kind of obvious from the get-go. But why would he leave Arianell on the floor alone her first night? That goes against everything else he'd done. And are we saying the headmaster killed those two? Why would he need Ria gone that early. And I think there is more to that friendship group then already mentioned.

[Ghostreadergal · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining and could be a strong series with a few changes. It read more as unpolished fan fiction and felt a little too derivative of some mainstream YA and romantasy worlds, such as Harry Potter, Fourth Wing, Twilight (FMC has major Bella swan energy) to name a few. I'm not even sure I'd classify this as dark academia, under a strict interpretation of that genre, but it fits the BookTok definition of it in that it's set in an academy and has broody characters. The pacing felt rushed towards the end.

I struggled to get behind how Aria didn't stand up for herself more in the beginning, and was a little confused by how abusive Seb was in the start. It felt difficult to read this dynamic, so be warned.


If you like enemy to lovers, trainer x trainee, brother's best friend romances, and academy/school-setting-romances, this book is for you. If you don't like YA-ish writing, reused tropes and themes, dialogue that makes you cringe in key moments (did she *have* to call it an anaconda?🐍), this might not be for you.

Despite its flaws, I somehow could not look away from this booko, so there must be something compelling about it. I believe that as Ashley Anderson refines her writing, this book could be phenomenal.

spice: 🌶️🌶️

Thank you to NetGalley and Ashley Anderson for trusting me to review their work.

[Christina Breland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an early copy of this book thanks to NetGallery. If you’ve always wanted a dark Harry Potter- you will enjoy this. The world building isn’t terribly complicated, the characters are easy to enjoy, and magic involved isn’t difficult to follow.

I would rate this as YA, with a spice level of 2. The scenes aren’t extremely graphic, one interaction is quite detailed.

The FMC is absolutely and brutally raw, often dealing with past trauma. As with other characters, much of the trauma mentioned is suggested, but never detailed. As with much of the physical brutality- it isn’t extremely detailed.

Overall, I felt it was a good read with great characters and great future potential. It does start off a little slow, but the story is intriguing and enjoyable. Expect some twists and turns, as well as some “I knew it!” moments. If you’re looking for a dark academia comfort read that throws you back to your Harry Potter era, then get comfortable because this is the book for you.

[BookishBillieJean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I throughly enjoyed this read and devoured it in ONE sitting! What a wonderful debut novel for Ashley Anderson! I adored how fierce, determined, loyal and clever our FMC was!

The magic system was so unique in that it was derived from fallen stars and power from stones. The world building was good - not overwhelming or too immersive - but enough to know where we were and what was going on in the book!

Our MMC is dark, broody and uber protective, just like we like them! The banter was great! The found family was top notch and the academy setting & training scratches that itch for all of our warrior college setting lovers! It’s as if Harry Potter and Zodiac Academy had a baby!

The ending was definitely a cliffhanger but I loved it and it has me ready for the second book already! I need answers! 😂

I can’t wait to see where this series goes!

[Johanna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me . . . but I think the right audience will eat this up!

The best way I can describe this book is a hybrid between Fourth Wing and Divergent. It has a lot of the elements of some of my favorites: magical abilities, an academy, snarky 20 year olds, and a hot, dramatic MMC. The thing that made this book fall flat for me was that I felt like I had read it before. However, if you are the kind of person who loves these types of books so much you wish you could get your hands on another one, you should pick this one up.

Thank you to Ashley Anderson, Hachette Book Group, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malachite was very similar to the typical romantasy, war titles but with more of a formulated plot than others I’ve read. I was definitely engaged and enjoyed reading the story, but there were many predictable scenes, but yet a few surprises as well. It reminded me of a Harry Potter/Fourth Wing mashup. The magic was fun and interesting. The emotional character development of Arianell was very good. I felt connected to her and really wanted her to succeed. I would probably even read a sequel because I just want to know how this story plays out in the end.

[Kim Lahage · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had a great time with this book. it very much gave me harry potter & fourth wing vibes and i love both of those series so no complaints from me. while it did tend to follow the standard dark academia/romantasy storyline, i thought the plot of this one was much more fleshed out than others. the tension between Aria and Seb was delicious and i absolutely ate it up. this book has humor, mystery, found family and was an all around enjoyable read for me.

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing! I was on the edge of my seat from start to finish! The tension, twists, and emotional highs kept pulling me in, and I genuinely couldn’t put it down. Every chapter left me wanting more.

It gives major Zodiac Academy vibes, with that same addictive blend of intensity, drama, and characters you get completely invested in. If you loved Zodiac Academy for its suspense, relationships, and “just one more chapter” energy, you’ll definitely be a fan of this book!!

[Cait M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!! Set in a dark academia setting, this is the authors debut novel and I feel like this will be the next big one on booktok that everyone is talking about. A must read if you love romantasy books! Sebastian and Aria’s chemistry, tension, and banter are phenomenal. Aria’s quick wit and comebacks are freaking hilarious. The story ends on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the second book to come out!!


Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

[Aimee Kyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a debut 💥

Romantasy is not usually my preference, but I am so glad I delved into this book. Consider me a convert - cannot wait for 2nd book, if it is half as amazing as Malachite it will be great!!