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Divine Oaths
Ninth House meets Legendborn in this thrilling dark academia debut following a new student fueled by questions about her prestigious university and the haunting answers she uncovers as her heart pulls her in two different, dangerous directions.
Westfield University was supposed to be Sianna Adu’s dream school. But just when she’s on the cusp of attending the elite academic institution hidden in Virginia’s swampland, an unexpected tragedy changes everything. In one day, Sianna loses her family and gains an extraordinary power—the ability to see lifelines and witness other people’s pasts and futures.
With all she’s lost, Sianna puts her college dreams on pause and spends her days navigating dead-end jobs and a not-so-secret crush on her coworker. But when Kasem Saint James, the undeniably handsome heir of Westfield, approaches her with a strange request, the future Sianna has long deferred becomes a dangerous new reality. Worried that her powers are now tied to Kasem, she has no choice. Fate has called her to Westfield.
At an academy where secret societies abound, connections are everything, and an ominous history—stretching back centuries—determines the future, Sianna and Kasem must piece together the past to undo a curse that binds them to each other.
With a swoony romance and jaw dropping twists, this layered dark academia novel introduces a university where nothing is quite as it seems.
Westfield University was supposed to be Sianna Adu’s dream school. But just when she’s on the cusp of attending the elite academic institution hidden in Virginia’s swampland, an unexpected tragedy changes everything. In one day, Sianna loses her family and gains an extraordinary power—the ability to see lifelines and witness other people’s pasts and futures.
With all she’s lost, Sianna puts her college dreams on pause and spends her days navigating dead-end jobs and a not-so-secret crush on her coworker. But when Kasem Saint James, the undeniably handsome heir of Westfield, approaches her with a strange request, the future Sianna has long deferred becomes a dangerous new reality. Worried that her powers are now tied to Kasem, she has no choice. Fate has called her to Westfield.
At an academy where secret societies abound, connections are everything, and an ominous history—stretching back centuries—determines the future, Sianna and Kasem must piece together the past to undo a curse that binds them to each other.
With a swoony romance and jaw dropping twists, this layered dark academia novel introduces a university where nothing is quite as it seems.
384 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
Did Not Finish
September 20, 2026firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
unfortunately, dnf — divine oaths was pitched as ninth house meets legendborn...? those are two very big books to live up to, and while i’ve only read legendborn, i just wasn’t necessarily invested in this dark academia story or the characters.
i also listened to the audiobook via libby and the narrator was good!
i’m positive this book will find its audience but unfortunately it’s not me
unfortunately, dnf — divine oaths was pitched as ninth house meets legendborn...? those are two very big books to live up to, and while i’ve only read legendborn, i just wasn’t necessarily invested in this dark academia story or the characters.
i also listened to the audiobook via libby and the narrator was good!
i’m positive this book will find its audience but unfortunately it’s not me
Did Not Finish
August 17, 2026DNF @ 62%
I was seated for the Ninth House comp, but this ended up being more along the lines of RuNyx's dark academia novels, which I absolutely loathed.
I wanted to stay for the Southern Gothic vibes, but everything from the story to the setting to the characters just felt so inane and ungrounded. The story took itself way too seriously for something that read like a Wattpad novel. I like my contemporary fantasy to make some sense, but the way that the university worked (you have to take a boat to get there, students can gain or lose merit points based on achievements or disciplinary action, and splitting students into houses based on how they were admitted [regular admits vs. legacies/wealthy vs. scholarship students, etc.) felt so, so nonsensical.
The story might as well have been HP fanfic. I was so put off by the silliness and the immaturity. It read like a debut from a fifteen-year-old who doesn't know how anything works outside of grade school. Students act like they're still in high school. Adults act like they're in their early twenties. The plot itself felt like the author threw everything but the kitchen sink into the story with the hopes that it might all somehow mesh together. What a mess.
I'm DNFing this before I give it an extremely low rating. I can't believe I wasted my time attempting to see the whole story through. I should've DNF much earlier, but there was a cool occult scene that drew me in. Unfortunately, the high I got from that scene vanished pretty quickly when the ridiculous love triangle came into play.
Thank you to Requited and NetGalley for this arc.
I was seated for the Ninth House comp, but this ended up being more along the lines of RuNyx's dark academia novels, which I absolutely loathed.
I wanted to stay for the Southern Gothic vibes, but everything from the story to the setting to the characters just felt so inane and ungrounded. The story took itself way too seriously for something that read like a Wattpad novel. I like my contemporary fantasy to make some sense, but the way that the university worked (you have to take a boat to get there, students can gain or lose merit points based on achievements or disciplinary action, and splitting students into houses based on how they were admitted [regular admits vs. legacies/wealthy vs. scholarship students, etc.) felt so, so nonsensical.
The story might as well have been HP fanfic. I was so put off by the silliness and the immaturity. It read like a debut from a fifteen-year-old who doesn't know how anything works outside of grade school. Students act like they're still in high school. Adults act like they're in their early twenties. The plot itself felt like the author threw everything but the kitchen sink into the story with the hopes that it might all somehow mesh together. What a mess.
I'm DNFing this before I give it an extremely low rating. I can't believe I wasted my time attempting to see the whole story through. I should've DNF much earlier, but there was a cool occult scene that drew me in. Unfortunately, the high I got from that scene vanished pretty quickly when the ridiculous love triangle came into play.
Thank you to Requited and NetGalley for this arc.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dark academia is my favorite genres, and authors like Elizabeth remind me of why. This is so clever and insightful and just FUN.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2 ⭐️
The base premise for this story was good, but man... there was just too much going on here. It's was a bit chaotic and all over the place.
With a dark academia setting, mixes with a curse our FMC finds herself at a university with a dark and haunted past. Bound to the heir of the school, she must help him break the "death curse" that will take him before he turns 21, or they will both lose their lives.
The relationships felt under developed and forced, and there was just so much going on in the storyline that it felt choppy and rushed. The story never really drew me in or got me enegaged, and I didnt find myself invested in the story or the characters.
I had originally DNFd this at 45%, but it irked me having a DNF on my Netgalley account so I came back to it and pushed through. With some heavy revisions and editing this has potential to be a good story, its just not well executed.
The base premise for this story was good, but man... there was just too much going on here. It's was a bit chaotic and all over the place.
With a dark academia setting, mixes with a curse our FMC finds herself at a university with a dark and haunted past. Bound to the heir of the school, she must help him break the "death curse" that will take him before he turns 21, or they will both lose their lives.
The relationships felt under developed and forced, and there was just so much going on in the storyline that it felt choppy and rushed. The story never really drew me in or got me enegaged, and I didnt find myself invested in the story or the characters.
I had originally DNFd this at 45%, but it irked me having a DNF on my Netgalley account so I came back to it and pushed through. With some heavy revisions and editing this has potential to be a good story, its just not well executed.
April 22, 2026
3.5 RTC
Did Not Finish
August 25, 2026DNF because I wouldn't be able to continue this any longer.
I thought it may fit that spooky hole in my heart for gothic book, but finally book was very flat and poor in comparison. Starting with characters that were supposed to be adults and their behaviour at times was strongly teen-like, moving onto university that had laws which seemed only to add it more "edgy" and "dark" side - it didn't work favorably for Divine Oaths at all.
Thank you Requited and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for honest review.
I thought it may fit that spooky hole in my heart for gothic book, but finally book was very flat and poor in comparison. Starting with characters that were supposed to be adults and their behaviour at times was strongly teen-like, moving onto university that had laws which seemed only to add it more "edgy" and "dark" side - it didn't work favorably for Divine Oaths at all.
Thank you Requited and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Unfortunately, this one completely missed the mark for me, and I decided to DNF at 40%.
I really wanted to love this because the premise sounded like everything I usually enjoy: dark academia, secret societies, magic, a mysterious university, and a romance woven into it all. But unfortunately, I spent most of my reading time confused and waiting for things to start making sense.
By 40%, I still felt like I didn’t understand what was happening or why certain things mattered. The story felt like it was missing so many pieces, and instead of feeling intrigued by the mystery, I felt disconnected from it.
Sianna as an FMC just didn’t work for me. I struggled to understand her choices, her motivations, or what she actually wanted. We’re introduced to Kasem, who needs her help and seems to be tied to her newfound abilities, but then there’s also JoJo, who I honestly wasn’t even sure how to categorize. Is he her friend? Her cousin? Someone she’s been in love with? The relationship dynamic was never clear to me. What I did understand was that Sianna was pining after him, while JoJo very clearly did not want the same thing. There’s even a moment where he tells his ex that he doesn’t want Sianna right in front of her, yet Sianna is still making choices based around him. The whole situation left me incredibly frustrated.
Her decisions throughout the story also felt inconsistent. She promises JoJo she won’t follow him to school, and then almost immediately she’s doing exactly that. She’s trying to build a future around someone who doesn’t seem to want her there, and I just couldn’t connect with that storyline.
The worldbuilding was another area where I struggled. Sianna loses her parents in a tragic accident and gains the ability to see lifelines and other people’s pasts and futures, but no one really questions this? She’s just using magic in the real world like it’s a completely normal thing, despite seemingly no one else having these abilities. I kept waiting for more explanation, more history, more depth, but I never got there.
The piano prodigy storyline also felt strange. We’re repeatedly reminded that she’s a “Baby Mozart” level talent, but she hasn’t played in years, and somehow random people still recognize her at the mall. It just felt like another detail that was thrown in without enough development.
The characters felt flat, the descriptions became repetitive, and I never formed an emotional connection with anyone. I was also expecting a true dark academia atmosphere, but I never found that feeling here. Instead, it felt like a collection of interesting ideas that never fully came together.
This had a lot of potential, and I can see why the concept would appeal to readers, but unfortunately it wasn’t the right fit for me.
I really wanted to love this because the premise sounded like everything I usually enjoy: dark academia, secret societies, magic, a mysterious university, and a romance woven into it all. But unfortunately, I spent most of my reading time confused and waiting for things to start making sense.
By 40%, I still felt like I didn’t understand what was happening or why certain things mattered. The story felt like it was missing so many pieces, and instead of feeling intrigued by the mystery, I felt disconnected from it.
Sianna as an FMC just didn’t work for me. I struggled to understand her choices, her motivations, or what she actually wanted. We’re introduced to Kasem, who needs her help and seems to be tied to her newfound abilities, but then there’s also JoJo, who I honestly wasn’t even sure how to categorize. Is he her friend? Her cousin? Someone she’s been in love with? The relationship dynamic was never clear to me. What I did understand was that Sianna was pining after him, while JoJo very clearly did not want the same thing. There’s even a moment where he tells his ex that he doesn’t want Sianna right in front of her, yet Sianna is still making choices based around him. The whole situation left me incredibly frustrated.
Her decisions throughout the story also felt inconsistent. She promises JoJo she won’t follow him to school, and then almost immediately she’s doing exactly that. She’s trying to build a future around someone who doesn’t seem to want her there, and I just couldn’t connect with that storyline.
The worldbuilding was another area where I struggled. Sianna loses her parents in a tragic accident and gains the ability to see lifelines and other people’s pasts and futures, but no one really questions this? She’s just using magic in the real world like it’s a completely normal thing, despite seemingly no one else having these abilities. I kept waiting for more explanation, more history, more depth, but I never got there.
The piano prodigy storyline also felt strange. We’re repeatedly reminded that she’s a “Baby Mozart” level talent, but she hasn’t played in years, and somehow random people still recognize her at the mall. It just felt like another detail that was thrown in without enough development.
The characters felt flat, the descriptions became repetitive, and I never formed an emotional connection with anyone. I was also expecting a true dark academia atmosphere, but I never found that feeling here. Instead, it felt like a collection of interesting ideas that never fully came together.
This had a lot of potential, and I can see why the concept would appeal to readers, but unfortunately it wasn’t the right fit for me.
September 27, 2026
everyone needs to read this book!!
Think vampire diaries but replace Elena with Bonnie in a world of witches! So so so good. Full review to come
Think vampire diaries but replace Elena with Bonnie in a world of witches! So so so good. Full review to come
September 11, 2026
Divine Oaths is such a tantalizing must-read for all who enjoy fantasy and dark academia. The way things unfolded in this story had me gagged and on edge as a looming doomsday threatened to really bring everything crashing down.
Westfield University is not all what it is cracked up to be as Sianna comes to quickly understand when she is immediately caught up in a serious game of politics, reputation and power amongst the leadership and leading family of the university. Now tethered to Kasem Saint James, the heir to Westfield, Siannna finds herself caught in a twisted web of death fighting against a curse and the ghosts that haunting the school and wreaking absolute havoc.
The fight for the inheritance of this university really brings to light how destructive selfishness, secrets and greed can be when people are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. The way the secrets and buried history were being unearthed, I never expected to be caught off guard the way I was as each twisty reveal unfolded.
With vivid imagery, symbolism, and a mix of complex characters, Elizabeth Agyemang writes this story flawlessly with such a good build up that had me hooked as I had a front row seat to all of the dysfunctional family drama among the Saint James family and others at Westfield University.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and highly recommend it!
Westfield University is not all what it is cracked up to be as Sianna comes to quickly understand when she is immediately caught up in a serious game of politics, reputation and power amongst the leadership and leading family of the university. Now tethered to Kasem Saint James, the heir to Westfield, Siannna finds herself caught in a twisted web of death fighting against a curse and the ghosts that haunting the school and wreaking absolute havoc.
The fight for the inheritance of this university really brings to light how destructive selfishness, secrets and greed can be when people are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. The way the secrets and buried history were being unearthed, I never expected to be caught off guard the way I was as each twisty reveal unfolded.
With vivid imagery, symbolism, and a mix of complex characters, Elizabeth Agyemang writes this story flawlessly with such a good build up that had me hooked as I had a front row seat to all of the dysfunctional family drama among the Saint James family and others at Westfield University.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about this book and highly recommend it!
September 6, 2026
This is a really strong dark academia debut with clear Legendborn vibes and a whole lot going on underneath the surface. I also enjoyed the racial history woven through the academic setting.
The characters are complex and nuanced and there are so many moving pieces in their relationships that don't fully click into place until the end. This made the final stretch pretty fast-paced, which I appreciated. I also teared up at one point, which is always a huge compliment. The ending reads as a little more open than it initially appears, which I always love.
This touches on grief, loss, guilt, shame, and resentment in ways that feel very real. I love stories where people have made sacrifices for one another and how much weight and strain it puts on their relationships. It's a lot for these characters to carry and work through. Really enjoyed getting to know all of these characters and seeing their pain and joy.
The one note I'd add is that the characters read a little young for something marketed as adult romantasy. Worth knowing going in, though it didn't diminish my enjoyment.
The twists are plentiful and the supernatural elements keep things exciting. A great debut and a strong addition to the dark academia genre.
This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Toppling Stacks Book Tours for the complimentary copy.
The characters are complex and nuanced and there are so many moving pieces in their relationships that don't fully click into place until the end. This made the final stretch pretty fast-paced, which I appreciated. I also teared up at one point, which is always a huge compliment. The ending reads as a little more open than it initially appears, which I always love.
This touches on grief, loss, guilt, shame, and resentment in ways that feel very real. I love stories where people have made sacrifices for one another and how much weight and strain it puts on their relationships. It's a lot for these characters to carry and work through. Really enjoyed getting to know all of these characters and seeing their pain and joy.
The one note I'd add is that the characters read a little young for something marketed as adult romantasy. Worth knowing going in, though it didn't diminish my enjoyment.
The twists are plentiful and the supernatural elements keep things exciting. A great debut and a strong addition to the dark academia genre.
This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own. Thank you to the author, publisher, and Toppling Stacks Book Tours for the complimentary copy.
September 2, 2026
Thank you HBGCanada for the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.
⏳ dark academia
💀 love triangle
⏳ contemporary fantasy
💀 college setting
⏳ time magic
💀 curses
⏳ secret societies
I want to preface this with the fact that I haven't read much dark academia at all, so I don't have anything to compare this to in that sense. However, this book was a fun read and definitely put me in a dark academia mood
I honestly wanted to read this mostly for the secret societies, and I was not disappointed. My favourite part of the book was Sianna's powers! Being able to see the past of objects by touching them is such a cool ability, and I would be touching everything! I just wish her powers were used more in the story
I wasn't a huge fan of the romance. I didn't mind it, but I just wasn't convinced. I also wasn't a huge fan of how one of the characters ended up. I personally would recommend this book more for the fantasy aspects than for the romance
⏳ dark academia
💀 love triangle
⏳ contemporary fantasy
💀 college setting
⏳ time magic
💀 curses
⏳ secret societies
I want to preface this with the fact that I haven't read much dark academia at all, so I don't have anything to compare this to in that sense. However, this book was a fun read and definitely put me in a dark academia mood
I honestly wanted to read this mostly for the secret societies, and I was not disappointed. My favourite part of the book was Sianna's powers! Being able to see the past of objects by touching them is such a cool ability, and I would be touching everything! I just wish her powers were used more in the story
I wasn't a huge fan of the romance. I didn't mind it, but I just wasn't convinced. I also wasn't a huge fan of how one of the characters ended up. I personally would recommend this book more for the fantasy aspects than for the romance
September 6, 2026
Anyone looking for a dark academia similar to Ninth House to kick off the -ber months?! If so, Divine Oaths may be the book to add to your Fall TBR!
Fair warning, however—
The pacing is a bit on the slower side, and the characters are somewhat flat, but this one is a good story to slowly ease your way into the season, imo.
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
Fair warning, however—
The pacing is a bit on the slower side, and the characters are somewhat flat, but this one is a good story to slowly ease your way into the season, imo.
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
August 28, 2026
Wow. I honestly don’t even know where to start with this one, it was so unique and very different from pretty much anything I’ve ever read. It was a bit of a slow burn as far as pacing, it wasn’t super fast-paced, but it still had me hooked regardless. don’t get me wrong, this is a dark academia YA fantasy, but it’s very gothic & has a lot to do with spirits, curses, & secret societies & it’ll have you honestly pretty creeped out because it def did me lol. I loved that about it, though.
& the way it really went… I was NOT prepared lol. if I’d have made 100 guesses, that still wouldn’t have been on my list & to say I was pretty shocked is an understatement. I honestly didn’t relate to or even really like most of the characters, not even the main ones, so if that’s a deal breaker for you… you may be looking at the wrong book. but if you’re into an unreliable, kinda unlikeable cast, with twists & turns you absolutely cannot see coming, this is your girl. that last 20% really changed my rating if I’m being honest from a 3 to a 4.
⚖️ secret societies
🦋 magic & curses
⚖️ dark gothic academia
🦋 found(ish) family
⚖️ unreliable characters
🦋 slow, slow burn
⚖️ single pov
4⭐️
🫶🏼 thank you Toppling Stack Tours & @readrequited for my #gifted copy
& the way it really went… I was NOT prepared lol. if I’d have made 100 guesses, that still wouldn’t have been on my list & to say I was pretty shocked is an understatement. I honestly didn’t relate to or even really like most of the characters, not even the main ones, so if that’s a deal breaker for you… you may be looking at the wrong book. but if you’re into an unreliable, kinda unlikeable cast, with twists & turns you absolutely cannot see coming, this is your girl. that last 20% really changed my rating if I’m being honest from a 3 to a 4.
⚖️ secret societies
🦋 magic & curses
⚖️ dark gothic academia
🦋 found(ish) family
⚖️ unreliable characters
🦋 slow, slow burn
⚖️ single pov
4⭐️
🫶🏼 thank you Toppling Stack Tours & @readrequited for my #gifted copy
June 21, 2026
Divine Oaths has the bones of a good dark academia novel but could have benefited from a more thorough editor and often tried to do too much at once.
Former child prodigy Sianna is offered a full scholarship to the most prestigious school in the U.S. following tragedy. Once there she uncovers the darkness that lingers beneath the school and its ties to the civil war.
There was a lot to work with here and it didn’t always smoothly go together. I liked the idea of linking real societal issues such as race into the story but at times it felt a bit forced. I also had trouble really connecting with the characters and found the romance a bit confusing given how the MMC acted towards Sianna for so much of the book. I think there’s a good story here, but an editor probably needed to clean up some of the storytelling to make it a truly great book.
Read if…
- you like dark academia similar to Ninth House or A Deadly Education
- you enjoy books that carry a deeper societal message
Skip if…
- you want a book that flows very well and the writing is flawless
- you don’t like books that try to do too much at once
- the romance is important to you
Spice: 🫑
Violence: 🗡️
Thank you to NetGalley and Requited for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Former child prodigy Sianna is offered a full scholarship to the most prestigious school in the U.S. following tragedy. Once there she uncovers the darkness that lingers beneath the school and its ties to the civil war.
There was a lot to work with here and it didn’t always smoothly go together. I liked the idea of linking real societal issues such as race into the story but at times it felt a bit forced. I also had trouble really connecting with the characters and found the romance a bit confusing given how the MMC acted towards Sianna for so much of the book. I think there’s a good story here, but an editor probably needed to clean up some of the storytelling to make it a truly great book.
Read if…
- you like dark academia similar to Ninth House or A Deadly Education
- you enjoy books that carry a deeper societal message
Skip if…
- you want a book that flows very well and the writing is flawless
- you don’t like books that try to do too much at once
- the romance is important to you
Spice: 🫑
Violence: 🗡️
Thank you to NetGalley and Requited for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Divine Oaths is a dark academia romantasy book. The premise is great and I was so excited about this ARC, but I really struggled with reading it. It started strong: FMC with mysterious powers, admittance to a prestigious university, some intriguing potential MMCs (is it the friend who is pulling away or the mysterious stranger who interrogates her a work?), but it did not continue that way. I kept thinking, “wait, what?” as I was reading. Too many times the reader was dropped into a scenario where we were expected to just believe that there was a known backstory or accept contrived drama that didn’t make sense. There was too much telling and very little showing in the story. To me, this book was trying to do too much and none of it was flushed out as much as I would have liked.
Thank you to Requited for providing this book as a digital ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Requited for providing this book as a digital ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
October 29, 2026
I typically don't gravitate toward dark academia books but this one kept me intrigued along the way. I really enjoyed the racial history that was interwoven throughout the story. The characters were so complex, with deeply rooted family curses that come full circle toward the last 15% of the book. The love triangle was such an interesting plot device within this book and I loved learning about how Sianna's magic worked.
The audiobook is narrated by Heni Zoutomou, who is PERFECT to capture the voice of Sianna and the vibes of this story!
Thank you to the author - I was able to obtain a physical copy while waiting for signings at BookCon. Thank you to Libro.fm influencer program for the gifted audiobook. All thoughts are my own.
The audiobook is narrated by Heni Zoutomou, who is PERFECT to capture the voice of Sianna and the vibes of this story!
Thank you to the author - I was able to obtain a physical copy while waiting for signings at BookCon. Thank you to Libro.fm influencer program for the gifted audiobook. All thoughts are my own.
October 2, 2026
This was a like, not a love, for me. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend to those interested. I think the premise was very interesting and has some unique ideas. I found the secret societies and family secrets to be fascinating, and was interested in the racial themes explored. The thing I didn't connect with was largely the romantic element, it felt rushed and kind of forced to me. I also felt like the characters were quite one-note and the character and plot development remained fairly surface level. I think it is an easy to understand dark academia book if you are looking to explore the genre.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC to review!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC to review!
June 9, 2026
This was fine.
Following a tragic fire that claimed the lives of her parents, Sianna has taken the backseat in her life. She has ignored a scholarship opportunity , stopped performing piano and is desperate for cash using her talent for seeing the past when touching mundane objects when a St James arrives at the pawn shop to ask for her help. Finding herself tangled up in an attempted murder and secrets haunting her new school she works to overcome her trauma and stop a centuries old curse once and for all.
This was a bit of a miss for me. The premise was so interesting at the beginning with her abilities and this school with secret societies and curses but I just couldn’t really keep up with some of the elements. On the surface it was fine but the more you pulled back the more murky it got and it almost felt like maybe the author wasn’t too sure either once the web of plot lines became so much bigger.
The characters too are very flat. I wanted so much to like anyone but they never managed to stand out which left some of the bigger moments like romance, betrayals or deaths not hit as hard as I’m sure was the intention. I’m not sure why Sianna felt drawn to Jojo or Kasem, we’re told on paper she is but I couldn’t find anything in the story to justify why to the point I genuinely thought by the end there would be no romance at all. I wish we had dived deeper into the creepiness of the school and the devastation caused by a curse of this nature against innocent unsuspecting people but we never quite manage to get there.
This had so much potential I wish we had been given more to play with but hopefully the next reader will enjoy it!
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
Following a tragic fire that claimed the lives of her parents, Sianna has taken the backseat in her life. She has ignored a scholarship opportunity , stopped performing piano and is desperate for cash using her talent for seeing the past when touching mundane objects when a St James arrives at the pawn shop to ask for her help. Finding herself tangled up in an attempted murder and secrets haunting her new school she works to overcome her trauma and stop a centuries old curse once and for all.
This was a bit of a miss for me. The premise was so interesting at the beginning with her abilities and this school with secret societies and curses but I just couldn’t really keep up with some of the elements. On the surface it was fine but the more you pulled back the more murky it got and it almost felt like maybe the author wasn’t too sure either once the web of plot lines became so much bigger.
The characters too are very flat. I wanted so much to like anyone but they never managed to stand out which left some of the bigger moments like romance, betrayals or deaths not hit as hard as I’m sure was the intention. I’m not sure why Sianna felt drawn to Jojo or Kasem, we’re told on paper she is but I couldn’t find anything in the story to justify why to the point I genuinely thought by the end there would be no romance at all. I wish we had dived deeper into the creepiness of the school and the devastation caused by a curse of this nature against innocent unsuspecting people but we never quite manage to get there.
This had so much potential I wish we had been given more to play with but hopefully the next reader will enjoy it!
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
July 3, 2026
Sianna has powers. She can see the past and sometimes the future when she touches someone. Kasem knows that and tries to get her to help him break a curse. From there, strange accidents seem to happen and Sianna can’t control her powers. She then decides to attend Westfield University, following Kasem, to uncover why she lost control.
I liked the story, the setting and the dark academia vibes. I did not however connect to the romantic part of the book. The love triangle aspect was more or less well executed and the attraction between characters was not shown in a way that made me believe it. I was also a bit confused by the second half of the book, a lot happened and I’m not sure I was able to follow all of it.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
I liked the story, the setting and the dark academia vibes. I did not however connect to the romantic part of the book. The love triangle aspect was more or less well executed and the attraction between characters was not shown in a way that made me believe it. I was also a bit confused by the second half of the book, a lot happened and I’m not sure I was able to follow all of it.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Review of advance copy
🎧📖𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧
𝒟𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒪𝒶𝓉𝒽𝓈 ʙʏ ᴇʟɪᴢᴀʙᴇᴛʜ ᴀɢʏᴇᴍᴀɴɢ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴀ ᴘʀᴇsᴛɪɢɪᴏᴜs ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀɪᴇs-ᴏʟᴅ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs, ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛs ᴘᴜʟʟɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴏᴘᴘᴏsɪᴛᴇ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ʟɪʙʀᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!
𝒟𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒪𝒶𝓉𝒽𝓈 ʜᴀᴅ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsɪɴɢ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍɪᴀ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ. ɴɪɴᴛʜ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ᴍᴇᴇᴛs ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅʙᴏʀɴ ɪs ᴀ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ᴀᴄᴄᴜʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ sᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ, ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛɪᴇs, ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ, sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs, ᴄᴜʀsᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴍɪɴᴏᴜs ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ.
sɪᴀɴɴᴀ's ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ʟɪғᴇʟɪɴᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ɢʟɪᴍᴘsᴇs ᴏғ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ's ᴘᴀsᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛs. ɪ ᴀʟsᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴇsᴛғɪᴇʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴜʀᴋɪɴɢ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴛɪɢɪᴏᴜs ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ's ᴘᴏʟɪsʜᴇᴅ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ sɪᴀɴɴᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴀsᴇᴍ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀʟ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴘʟᴇɴᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴛᴡɪsᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴠᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ. ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪs ᴍᴀʀᴋᴇᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴡᴏᴏɴʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʀᴇᴠᴏʟᴠᴇs ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ sɪᴀɴɴᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ, ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛɪᴇs ᴛᴏᴏ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪɢɢᴇsᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍɪssɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴀs ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛɪᴇs ғᴏʀ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ, ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ “ᴏʜ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ” ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʜᴀʀᴅᴇʀ. ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ sᴜʙᴘʟᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғᴜʟʟʏ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ɪᴛs ᴏᴡɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ғʟᴇsʜɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʟᴀʏᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ, ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ, ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ.
ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ sᴘᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ, ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ɢᴜᴇss sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀsᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʙᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴇ ᴍᴜᴄʜ. ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴏᴜʙʟᴇ-ᴇᴅɢᴇᴅ sᴡᴏʀᴅ. ɪ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ—ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇɴɪᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ—ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ɪᴛ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ.
🎙️𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃:
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ɪs ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ᴛᴀʟᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ!
ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟʟʏ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴀʙʟᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘɪᴄ, ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴇᴇʟ ɪᴛ ɴᴇᴇᴅs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠɪᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs' sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇs, ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
⚔️ ɢʜᴏsᴛs & ᴘᴏssᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴠs ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ
✨ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ x ᴘʀᴏᴘʜᴇᴄʏ
🤝 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴀʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇs
👑 ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇ
💕 ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
🌍 ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
💥 ʜɪɢʜ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs
🖤 ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇs, ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ sᴏᴍᴇʙᴏᴅʏ ɪs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴜғғᴇʀ. ᴀ ʀɪᴄʜ, ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄs, ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴏᴀᴛʜs, ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪɢʜ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘɪᴄ sᴄᴀʟᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄᴜʟᴀʀʟʏ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsɪᴠᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ? 𝟷𝟶/𝟷𝟶. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ? ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ.
ɪ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ sɪɢɴɪғɪᴄᴀɴᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ, ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs.
ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ sᴜʙᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟ sᴛᴏʀʏʟɪɴᴇ. ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ!
sᴛɪʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇs ʜᴇʀ ғʟᴏᴡᴇʀs, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ’ᴅ ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
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NOTES:
The narrator is incredibly talented!
Needed more romantic tension and maybe just romance period. Would have really loved to see that aspect/subplot fleshed out more could have really elevated the story especially since a major aspect of the story was the love triangle
𝒟𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒪𝒶𝓉𝒽𝓈 ʙʏ ᴇʟɪᴢᴀʙᴇᴛʜ ᴀɢʏᴇᴍᴀɴɢ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴀ ᴘʀᴇsᴛɪɢɪᴏᴜs ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴄᴇɴᴛᴜʀɪᴇs-ᴏʟᴅ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛs, ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ ᴡʜᴏ ᴄᴀɴ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀsᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ʟᴏᴠᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛs ᴘᴜʟʟɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴏᴘᴘᴏsɪᴛᴇ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ʟɪʙʀᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!
𝒟𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑒 𝒪𝒶𝓉𝒽𝓈 ʜᴀᴅ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsɪɴɢ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍɪᴀ ᴘʀᴇᴍɪsᴇ. ɴɪɴᴛʜ ʜᴏᴜsᴇ ᴍᴇᴇᴛs ʟᴇɢᴇɴᴅʙᴏʀɴ ɪs ᴀ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ᴀᴄᴄᴜʀᴀᴛᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏ sᴇʟʟ ᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴏɴᴇ, ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴄʀᴇᴛ sᴏᴄɪᴇᴛɪᴇs, ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ, sᴜᴘᴇʀɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛɪᴇs, ᴄᴜʀsᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴍɪɴᴏᴜs ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ.
sɪᴀɴɴᴀ's ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ʟɪғᴇʟɪɴᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ɢʟɪᴍᴘsᴇs ᴏғ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ's ᴘᴀsᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇs ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴄᴇᴘᴛs. ɪ ᴀʟsᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴇsᴛғɪᴇʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴜʀᴋɪɴɢ ʙᴇɴᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴛɪɢɪᴏᴜs ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀsɪᴛʏ's ᴘᴏʟɪsʜᴇᴅ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀsᴇ ᴄᴏɴɴᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ sɪᴀɴɴᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴋᴀsᴇᴍ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀʟ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇ ᴘʟᴇɴᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴛᴡɪsᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴠᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜɪɴɢs ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ. ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪs ᴍᴀʀᴋᴇᴛᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴡᴏᴏɴʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴍᴀᴊᴏʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʀᴇᴠᴏʟᴠᴇs ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ sɪᴀɴɴᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟ ғᴏʀ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ, ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴄᴏɴғʟɪᴄᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛɪᴇs ᴛᴏᴏ ǫᴜɪᴄᴋʟʏ.
ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪɢɢᴇsᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴍɪssɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴡᴀs ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴏᴘᴘᴏʀᴛᴜɴɪᴛɪᴇs ғᴏʀ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ, ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ, ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟɪᴄᴀᴛᴇᴅ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ “ᴏʜ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢs ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ” ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʜᴀʀᴅᴇʀ. ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡɪsʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ sᴜʙᴘʟᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғᴜʟʟʏ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴘᴀɢᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ɪᴛs ᴏᴡɴ, ʙᴜᴛ ғʟᴇsʜɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀᴅᴅᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʟᴀʏᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ, ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ, ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ.
ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴀʟʟʏ sᴘᴇᴀᴋɪɴɢ, ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ɢᴜᴇss sɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀsᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴇᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʙᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴍᴇ ᴍᴜᴄʜ. ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴏᴜʙʟᴇ-ᴇᴅɢᴇᴅ sᴡᴏʀᴅ. ɪ ᴡᴀs ɪɴᴠᴇsᴛᴇᴅ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴛɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ—ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇɴɪᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴘᴀʏᴏғғ—ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴғᴏʀᴛᴜɴᴀᴛᴇʟʏ, ɪᴛ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ǫᴜɪᴛᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ.
🎙️𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃:
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ɪs ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴅɪʙʟʏ ᴛᴀʟᴇɴᴛᴇᴅ!
ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ғᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛs ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ sᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟʟʏ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪᴛsᴇʟғ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴋᴇᴘᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴀʙʟᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɢɪᴠᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘɪᴄ, ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴇᴇʟ ɪᴛ ɴᴇᴇᴅs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs ᴄᴀʀʀʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠɪᴇʀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀɴᴅ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs' sᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇs, ᴇsᴘᴇᴄɪᴀʟʟʏ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
⚔️ ɢʜᴏsᴛs & ᴘᴏssᴇssɪᴏɴ ᴠs ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ
✨ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ x ᴘʀᴏᴘʜᴇᴄʏ
🤝 ғᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴀʟʟɪᴀɴᴄᴇs
👑 ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇ
💕 ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
🌍 ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
💥 ʜɪɢʜ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs
🖤 ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇs, ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ sᴏᴍᴇʙᴏᴅʏ ɪs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ sᴜғғᴇʀ. ᴀ ʀɪᴄʜ, ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄs, ᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴏᴜs ᴏᴀᴛʜs, ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪɢʜ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs. ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀɴᴅᴏᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴘɪᴄ sᴄᴀʟᴇ ᴘᴀʀᴛɪᴄᴜʟᴀʀʟʏ ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsɪᴠᴇ.
ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ? 𝟷𝟶/𝟷𝟶. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ? ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ.
ɪ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ᴇʟᴇᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ sɪɢɴɪғɪᴄᴀɴᴛ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ, ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴛɪᴄ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴠᴇʟᴏᴘᴍᴇɴᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs.
ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ sᴜʙᴘʟᴏᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴ ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟ sᴛᴏʀʏʟɪɴᴇ. ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴊᴇᴀʟᴏᴜsʏ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴇᴍɪsᴛʀʏ! ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ!
sᴛɪʟʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ᴀʙsᴏʟᴜᴛᴇʟʏ ᴅᴇsᴇʀᴠᴇs ʜᴇʀ ғʟᴏᴡᴇʀs, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ’ᴅ ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
++++++
NOTES:
The narrator is incredibly talented!
Needed more romantic tension and maybe just romance period. Would have really loved to see that aspect/subplot fleshed out more could have really elevated the story especially since a major aspect of the story was the love triangle
October 20, 2026
This was an okay read for me. I liked certain aspects of the story but overall, it left me feeling a little underwhelmed. I enjoyed the premise and the direction the story was going. The haunted family history, secret societies, college setting, and how everything connected back to Sianna made for an interesting mystery. It was very cool that the story is set in the swamps of Virginia, since that is where I am from!
As always, I love a fresh take on magic and Sianna's ability to see someone's lifelines through touch was such an interesting concept. It added to that spooky atmosphere I love during the BER months. lol I do wish this element had been explored in more depth, but I appreciated seeing a form of magic that hasn't already been written a thousand different ways.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed, especially toward the ending, the plot started losing its strength. There were so many interesting ideas surrounding the family secrets, magic, and mystery, but the development felt surface level. I wanted more depth from both the story and its characters.
The romance was another weaker element for me. It had a very YA feel, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, the connection felt rushed and somewhat forced. I struggled to feel much chemistry between the characters and some of their interactions didn't click.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and its darker academic atmosphere, but I was left wanting more. There was a lot of potential in the premise and I just wish the plot and characters had been developed a little further.
As always, I love a fresh take on magic and Sianna's ability to see someone's lifelines through touch was such an interesting concept. It added to that spooky atmosphere I love during the BER months. lol I do wish this element had been explored in more depth, but I appreciated seeing a form of magic that hasn't already been written a thousand different ways.
Unfortunately, as the story progressed, especially toward the ending, the plot started losing its strength. There were so many interesting ideas surrounding the family secrets, magic, and mystery, but the development felt surface level. I wanted more depth from both the story and its characters.
The romance was another weaker element for me. It had a very YA feel, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, the connection felt rushed and somewhat forced. I struggled to feel much chemistry between the characters and some of their interactions didn't click.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and its darker academic atmosphere, but I was left wanting more. There was a lot of potential in the premise and I just wish the plot and characters had been developed a little further.
August 5, 2026
3.75 ⭐️
I received this as an early access read copy from NetGalley.
Even though this book had all of the elements I usually really like (magic, ghosts, mystery, academia, love elements), it took awhile for me to get into it. After finishing the story and really thinking about it, the storyline was very clever and creative. Perhaps I struggled with the pacing and how it was hard to put all the hints and pieces together. I like twists and turns and surprises, but I also like to try to figure it all out along the way. Everything came at us in the last 20% like a huge knowledge bomb and then rushed to finish without full closure.
I was a bit confused about the main characters’ love triangle and some questions were never addressed on the pages. Like, did Kasem love Sianna only because he swapped destinies with Jojo, or was that independent of the curse? And how did Kasem always know where Sianna was to save her from danger. They were all so hot and cold that it was hard to figure out how everyone truly felt.
I did love the supporting cast - Vivian and Angelica. I came around on Honey.
Destiny, curses, fortune telling, ghosts, betrayal, pining, lies and secrets, music, time, love, loss, love, confessions, death and love.
🎹🔥🧤🔮🏫👻🫖🐊🎭🔪💍⏳🧙🏻♀️❤️🔼❤️
📱ebook
Early access read copy from NetGalley
I received this as an early access read copy from NetGalley.
Even though this book had all of the elements I usually really like (magic, ghosts, mystery, academia, love elements), it took awhile for me to get into it. After finishing the story and really thinking about it, the storyline was very clever and creative. Perhaps I struggled with the pacing and how it was hard to put all the hints and pieces together. I like twists and turns and surprises, but I also like to try to figure it all out along the way. Everything came at us in the last 20% like a huge knowledge bomb and then rushed to finish without full closure.
I was a bit confused about the main characters’ love triangle and some questions were never addressed on the pages. Like, did Kasem love Sianna only because he swapped destinies with Jojo, or was that independent of the curse? And how did Kasem always know where Sianna was to save her from danger. They were all so hot and cold that it was hard to figure out how everyone truly felt.
I did love the supporting cast - Vivian and Angelica. I came around on Honey.
Destiny, curses, fortune telling, ghosts, betrayal, pining, lies and secrets, music, time, love, loss, love, confessions, death and love.
🎹🔥🧤🔮🏫👻🫖🐊🎭🔪💍⏳🧙🏻♀️❤️🔼❤️
📱ebook
Early access read copy from NetGalley
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2026
I think Divine Oaths was done a disservice by being marketed primarily as romantasy with a dark academia backdrop. This is much more of a Black supernatural historical mystery, rooted in the Civil War, Reconstruction, racism, Black institutions, ancestry, inheritance, and generational curses. The romance matters, but it is NOT the main engine of the story. And if you're looking for heavy spice, this isn't that book. There's little to no spice, which was actually a pleasant surprise for me.
At about 30%, I genuinely thought this might be a miss, but once I let the story unfold, I realized how many layers it had. The magical system is complex and rooted in Blackness, the symbolism is strong, and Sianna feels like a real person: defiant, vulnerable, emotional, scared, messy, and sometimes wrong. I also loved that she's both African and African American and how that layered identity connects to the story.
The ending was AMAZING. Loose threads circle back in ways that made earlier moments hit differently. I especially loved what the story says about cycles. Some need to be broken, while others deserve to continue. Sometimes what we inherit is a curse, and sometimes it's love, memory, protection, and ancestral strength.
This book won't be for everybody, but surprisingly, it ended up being for me. 4 STARS. I don't regret reading it, the sprayed edges are BEAUTIFUL, and I'll definitely read whatever Elizabeth Agyemang writes next. I redeemed my points at Kindred Stories in Houston and got this one for free, and I'm glad I took the chance. 😂📚
At about 30%, I genuinely thought this might be a miss, but once I let the story unfold, I realized how many layers it had. The magical system is complex and rooted in Blackness, the symbolism is strong, and Sianna feels like a real person: defiant, vulnerable, emotional, scared, messy, and sometimes wrong. I also loved that she's both African and African American and how that layered identity connects to the story.
The ending was AMAZING. Loose threads circle back in ways that made earlier moments hit differently. I especially loved what the story says about cycles. Some need to be broken, while others deserve to continue. Sometimes what we inherit is a curse, and sometimes it's love, memory, protection, and ancestral strength.
This book won't be for everybody, but surprisingly, it ended up being for me. 4 STARS. I don't regret reading it, the sprayed edges are BEAUTIFUL, and I'll definitely read whatever Elizabeth Agyemang writes next. I redeemed my points at Kindred Stories in Houston and got this one for free, and I'm glad I took the chance. 😂📚
September 2, 2026
A young man, Kasem, soon to the inheritor of the university, hires a young woman, Sianna, for her psych abilities to help ferret out who is trying to kill him before he inherits.
Not all that is seen nor unseen can be swayed by her abilities. Danger, is everywhere and those who help or hinder along the way, cause accidents.
Divine Oaths is a dark academia about families-who to trust and who not to trust; power, ambition and greed add fuel to the fire. It is about knowing one’s social class and staying there, not causing rifts or “accidents” happen.
Betrayal by family, curses-can they be broken?
Fantastic characterization-an equal balance of evil backstabbers paired with the do gooders.
Atmospheric and energizing! What a great debut.
Not all that is seen nor unseen can be swayed by her abilities. Danger, is everywhere and those who help or hinder along the way, cause accidents.
Divine Oaths is a dark academia about families-who to trust and who not to trust; power, ambition and greed add fuel to the fire. It is about knowing one’s social class and staying there, not causing rifts or “accidents” happen.
Betrayal by family, curses-can they be broken?
Fantastic characterization-an equal balance of evil backstabbers paired with the do gooders.
Atmospheric and energizing! What a great debut.
October 28, 2026
I absolutely loved this dark academiaaaaaa. It truly gave me everything I needed and wanted. It was kinda ya but had adult themes, which was fab. It was also so quick paced and the storyline was intriguing from beginning to end. Like a whole Ivy League school based around a dark curse always eats but this had a nice twist on things. And the love triangle/star crossed lovers was out of this world. Like it had me clutching my chest and everything.
The MC Sienna was so cool to me. I loved how her powers evolved as the story went on. And seeing how she grew towards the end was beautiful. The other characters and overall storyline was also really interesting to me. And I actually liked how it kept bouncing around. It really forced me to lock in and figure out what was really going on.
The MC Sienna was so cool to me. I loved how her powers evolved as the story went on. And seeing how she grew towards the end was beautiful. The other characters and overall storyline was also really interesting to me. And I actually liked how it kept bouncing around. It really forced me to lock in and figure out what was really going on.
October 2, 2026
Book Source: gifted arc from Requited and alc from Libro.fm
Cry Rating: Level 0 (no tears)
My Thoughts:
This one had a lot of elements I really adored including serious Legendborn vibes. Academia, Black history, Paranormal elements, curses, fun side characters. Overall, I enjoyed it but there was at times A LOT going on and I found it hard to keep it all straight. I also didn’t love the love triangle between the brothers, probably because I want to turn every love triangle into a thrupple and that would be icky in this case.
Cry Rating: Level 0 (no tears)
My Thoughts:
This one had a lot of elements I really adored including serious Legendborn vibes. Academia, Black history, Paranormal elements, curses, fun side characters. Overall, I enjoyed it but there was at times A LOT going on and I found it hard to keep it all straight. I also didn’t love the love triangle between the brothers, probably because I want to turn every love triangle into a thrupple and that would be icky in this case.
October 12, 2026
If you love dark academia, secret societies, supernatural abilities, and mysterious curses, Divine Oaths is that girl! It reminded me of other books with similar themes but I still enjoyed it.
Thank you Netgalley and Requited Publishing for this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley and Requited Publishing for this ARC.
October 2, 2026
I went into this one curious about Westfield, and honestly, this is dark academia done right. Sianna Adu is not just a student at Westfield University, she is a young woman carrying grief and a strange power, the ability to see lifelines and glimpse other people's pasts and futures. That premise hooked me, and the secret societies and centuries old curse at Westfield kept me guessing. I loved how the romance with Kasem Saint James is tangled up in that mystery, so it never feels separate from the plot. My one hesitation is that the early worldbuilding is dense, and I had to slow down to keep all the threads straight. Once I did, though, I was all in, and I would recommend this to anyone who loves a moody campus mystery with a swoony, complicated heart. The campus mystery is what kept me going on the slower days, I kept wanting to know one more secret about Westfield before I put it down. Westfield, you have my attention, and also my trust issues.
May 26, 2026
I received this arc at BookCon and was excited to give it a try. I wish we could give half stars because it’s more 2.5 than 2 stars. The concept had a lot of potential, I was intrigued and interested by the storyline. However, at times the plot sort of seemed all over the place, and hard to follow because it jumped around a lot. The love story felt under developed and rushed. Lots of potential just needs some fine tuning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
While there is nothing terrible here, I couldn't really get into the story or the characters. This is the same dark academia that we've read ad nauseum, the characters are really hard to like, and there are a lot of logic holes. So while I appreciated that we have people of color for once, I just wish the writing had been better.Story: Sianna, once a child piano prodigy, lost it all in a fire that took her family and her dreams of a prestigious university. She now spends her time working a dead end job at an occult shop. Then Kasem, son of the owner of Westfield University, shows up at her workplace and everything changes. She gets the chance to attend the university alongside her crush, former coworker Jojo. But something is very wrong at the university and the supernatural ability she gained from the fire may be the only thing that can save both Kasem and Jojo's lives.
So yeah, we know who the bad guys are and why they do the evil things the do - if you have read ANY dark academia, you'll figure it out pretty fast. Problematic for me were the plot holes and odd dialogue. E.g., Sianna has the ability to read objects and see the future or the past. Why is she working in an occult shop as an underpaid sales clerk when she could be helping police solve mysteries or making money uncovering provenances in valuable items? She says she needs money, is willing to steal it at a murder scene, yet she's done nothing with her unique ability at all? Not to mention that no one seems too interested or surprised at her abilities even though they are pretty powerful and unique. There were too many logic issues like this that made the read very problematic. And what was the point of the whole piano prodigy angle? So much was too random.
I also had difficulty with the logic of the dialogue. E.g., one person will accuse another of something very bad. He'll answer that he didn't do it and the conversation then just moves on like nothing happened and no one follows up. The conversations just jumped around all over the place in very inorganic ways. The author did give the characters weaknesses and vagueries, which means they never fell into the overidealized category. But they also changed personalities enough that it was hard to feel that they were a real person and not a poorly written construct.
There are the usual plot twists and supernatural shenanigans. I might have enjoyed the book more if I liked any of the characters but Siana felt checked out, Kasem bored, and Jojo far too "I'm hiding a BIIIIG secret!" overly telegraphed emo.
So not a terrible book but not one I enjoyed, either. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
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