Eternal is the Night: An addictive fantasy romance

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, Romance, Academia, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Ebooks, Enemies To Lovers

596 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 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 (semi-ia) · Rating 2 out of 5]

━━━ઇଓㅤ⤸
꒰ 𝐚𝐫𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ꒱ Ⓘ dnf @62%

𝟐.𝟓 ✩

꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: ꒱
I’m so sorry, but I don’t think I can continue reading this. I’m in the wrong mindset right now, not able to fully connect to the story and these characters, and I don’t think it’s fair to both myself and the author if I force myself to finish it.

It’s always so disheartening when you’re eager to read a book because it’s hooked you in by the blurb, cover, or tropes, but are disappointed and don’t end up enjoying it. The synopsis sounded really exciting and a nice palette cleanser from other books with a mysterious magic school, disappearance of students, and unravelling of secrets. But sadly I was let down with how boring it actually was. I only managed to read sixty percent, and had to force myself through a decent portion of it because I just wasn’t vibing. If you want similar vibes to Hogwarts, or maybe you like mystery and a unique world, even dark and dangerous magic–I think Eternal is the Night will be perfect for you. It just sadly wasn’t for me. And that’s okay, I hope others who read this have a magical and marvelous time.

The beginning was, understandably, boring. It’s the introduction to the characters and the world. Yet the first twenty or so percent was such a struggle for me. I think I need to accept that books set in, or have mentions of, the real world just aren’t for me. In addition to that, even when the secret college that I was pumped to read about made an appearance, I had no care for what was happening. It was slow, the chapters were too long for my liking, the way some of the characters talked really irked me, and even though there were some on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments, they didn’t last long and it was uninteresting all over again. Also what was going on with the love interest? Their ‘romance’, if I can even call it that, was confusing–and not in a pleasant way.

Once again, my apologies to the author for dnf’ing. This is in no way personal, Eternal is the Night just wasn’t for me.

━━━

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

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝: 25/2/2026
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: dnf’ed

-𝓖

[Books &Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is not a single bad thing I could say about this book. I genuinely LOVED every second of it!!! It is action packed, fast paced, has excellent character development, interesting magic/world building and a mystery that will have you on the edge of your seat.

This story is packed full of characters who keep secrets or tell half truths. I never knew who I could trust and who I couldn’t. The characters were all well written and it was easy to keep up with who’s who. I was impressed by the fact that every single character was interesting in their own way. Some I liked, some I didn’t, but I can honestly say that I was not bored by anyone.

The story contained mystery after mystery and I never knew what to expect! I enjoyed that some of the mystery and secrets are revealed while some we are left wondering. We get the satisfaction of some closure but there is still so much left to uncover in the next book. I can’t wait to see what comes next for Blake and Anna and the future of the realm!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Tropes ✨:
Hidden Magic World
Private training academy
Deadly Trials
Cursed realm
Secrets & hidden truths
Mystery
Slow burn romance
Grief/loss of parent

🖤: “Fire could be used for light or it could be used to burn everything to ash. Right now, I wanted everything to burn.”

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

[Scarlett Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up!

This book has such a great dark academia premise the mysterious academy, hidden magic, and a heroine searching for answers about her past.

I really enjoyed the eerie Nightfall setting and the constant sense that something darker was lurking beneath the surface. The story introduces a lot of intriguing mysteries, though I did wish the worldbuilding and magic system had been explored a little deeper.

Overall, it’s a solid start to the series with a lot of potential, and I’m curious to see where the story goes next.

Tropes / elements:
- Dark academia
- Magical academy
- Hidden powers
- Secret societies
- Missing memories / mysterious past
- Dangerous love interest
- Castle setting
- Mystery-driven plot

Thank you for the ARC!

[Shannon Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review. This book started off really strong and immediately pulled me in with an intriguing atmosphere and a promise of something dark and mysterious unfolding. The opening had great potential, and I was excited to see where the story was going.

Unfortunately, the constant sense of mystery became more overwhelming than engaging as the book went on. Instead of questions being answered, new ones kept piling up, which made it difficult to stay fully connected to the story. Several characters were introduced without much context or grounding, leaving me struggling to understand their roles or importance.

While the concept and tone were interesting, the lack of clarity and hard to follow plot took away from the overall reading experience.

Overall, it had a promising start and an intriguing idea, but the execution made it a more confusing than immersive read for me.

[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.

[Abbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book initially hooked me in from the beginning and i flew through the first 20%. i loved the mystery element and the academy setting.

however as i kept reading, more and more mysteries kept being added and it was hard to keep track of everything.

there was also a LOT of characters in this one, none of which really had any development so i struggled to invest in any of them. there wasn’t any characters that specifically liked either and the romance between anna and blake was basically non existent. there was no build up and felt very insta-love.

i’d lost interest by 60% and just wanted it to be over.

this book really did have a lot of potential but sadly fell flat for me.

thank you netgalley for the arc!

[gabrielle aka homewithmybooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an earc in exchange for an honest review.

2.5⭐️ this had a lot of really cool tropes, academy settings, secret societies, magic, deadly trials, slow burn romance and more. there was lots of mystery and i found myself wanting to keep reading to work everything out, lots of twists i didn’t see coming and some very action packed moments, a slow start as there was a lot of focus on world building and character introductions but it picks up in pace very quickly, i will definitely be checking out book 2 as i need to know what happens!!

[AOKayy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story follows Anna, our FMC, who spent most of her life hidden away by her mother for reasons she never understood. After her mother is tragically killed, Anna herself disappears for an entire year only to return with no memory of where she’s been or what happened during that lost time.

Now grieving and desperate for answers, Anna is trying to piece together the truth about her mother’s death… and about herself. When an old mentor reappears and reveals the existence of a secret society her mother once belonged to, Anna is invited to undergo a series of deadly trials to join.

But the deeper she goes, the clearer it becomes that nothing about this world or the people in it is what it seems. Secrets unravel, loyalties are tested, and Anna may have stepped into something far more dangerous than she ever imagined.

If you’re looking for an academic fantasy with dark mystery and thriller elements, this might be your next read.

☪️ Deadly Trials
☪️ Forbidden Love
☪️ Hidden Powers
☪️ Mysterious Deaths & Vanishings
☪️ Secret Society
☪️ Morally Gray MMCs
☪️ Touch-Her-and-Die Energy
☪️ Academic Setting

I had a hard time getting into this book, I struggle when the world building is lacking and you’re thrown into a setting and magic system you don’t entirely understand. The foundation of this book had promise and I think if you’re looking for a debut novel that could build into something I would say give it a shot!

[Chelsey (a_novel_idea11) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm selective about my forays into the fantasy realm and I was excited for this new series. It starts off in the real world which definitely took some getting used to for me but ultimately I liked. I kept questioning the world and if there was magic at play and I appreciated that thought-provoking aspect. I also loved how Ravenwood connects other worlds and builds such a captivating and real-world adjacent setting.

Eternal is the Night definitely sets the reader up for a lot to come. There is a lot of shared history and relationship plotting that was at times confusing but necessary for the saga. We also learn quite a bit about our protagonist Anna, but so much is left a mystery and if you're a reader who needs every plot line tied up, you won't find that (yet).

This novel definitely has more of a YA vibe than some other fantasy I've loved. I didn't feel the love interest connection as much as I had hoped--it felt a little forced and out of nowhere. I would have loved more tension and spark there. Further, the relationships and character-building will need some additional development in the next installments as get to know the world and the central cast.

All in all, Eternal is the Night was entertaining and held my interest. It was an enjoyable read and I liked that Ravenwood kept it unique from the more commercial fantasy I've read in the past. I think this will be a popular series and I'm eager to see where it goes!

[Christina Lyons (irb_beach_girl) · 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!!

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. OMG what did i just read!! Absolutely phenomenal the world building and the plot twist when you least expected it!! This book had me hooked not wanting to put it down! Someone say secret society academy!! Yes please!! You could feel the tension between the characters like you were there!! Absolutely loved this book and did not want it to end!!

“Eternal Is the Night is the sweeping first installment of The Cursed Realm Saga, where secrets unravel slowly and every thread leads deeper into a world far larger than it first appears.

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

[Hira Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy hell. When I say I want a dark fantasy/romantasy, this is what I mean. I’m a huge sucker for dark academia and this did not disappoint. The world building was phenomenal. It felt so immersive, like I was watching everything unfold in front of my eyes. There were so many wild plot twists, especially in the last 25%. I had 0 clue where this was going and I gasped way too many gasps. I cannot wait for next book. I already know this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2026.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eternal is the Night by Alayna Ravenwood is a romantic fantasy that follows Anna, a young woman who’s haunted by her mother’s death and a missing year of her life she can’t remember. When her former mentor/friend/father-ish figure reappears, she’s invited to Nightfall Castle, an elite and secretive private college/secret society her mother once attended, hoping to uncover the truth about her family’s past. But she realizes rather quickly that something is wrong at Nightfall. Initiates vanish, and the powerful inner circle called the Aurkai are a little too secretive. Anna is instantly attracted to Blake (our male main character with that dark don’t-completely-trust-him energy, but love him anyway), who is one of the Aurkai, and he is a mystery of his own. Dark, tense, and addictive, this book pulls you into a world where nothing feels safe and every answer comes at a cost.

I was hooked almost immediately. The academy setting combined with the secret society element hit a sweet spot, and I loved watching the layers of Nightfall slowly unravel. The tension between Anna and Blake added just the right amount of danger and intrigue. But it wasn’t just them. I’m invested in the whole cast. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

If you like romantic fantasy set in an academia environment, with immersive worldbuilding, magic, and a strong female main character, I definitely recommend checking this one out.

Thank you to Alayna Ravenwood for the eARC.

[Tyleia | Coffee & Lit Shelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Alaya Ravenwood for providing an advance copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4/5

“She learned to fight, to run, to hide - whatever was necessary to ensure she survived.”

I really enjoyed a lot of elements in this book! The story has a strong dark academia vibe with magical twists and a bit of a murder mystery feel throughout. The plot kept twisting and definitely kept me on my toes, which I enjoyed.

I really liked the FMC and the other leading characters. Anna especially was a great lead. Her internal thoughts felt very believable and funny at times. The MMC didn’t completely win me over yet, but he definitely has potential, so I’m curious to see where his character goes in the next book.

At times though the story felt like it jumped around a bit, like I was missing pieces or important context that probably would have helped some moments land better.
The first half also holds back a lot of information, and then later the reveals start coming quickly one after another. The pacing ended up feeling slow at first and then a little rushed once everything started happening which I personally find common in a lot of fantasy/romantasy books.

That said, the world building and atmosphere were really well done and honestly it was easy to picture everything going on. The book also ends on a cliffhanger, so I do think a lot of things will probably be expanded on in the next book. Overall, I am very excited to see where the story goes!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying, the plot of this book is amazing. The concept of the different worlds, the magic, the different beings - so interesting and such a unique idea. The combination of dark academia, murder mystery, magical reveals, deception and so many plot twists was also brilliant.

This could’ve been a 5 star read but it needed some developing.

Firstly, the character needed to be developed more. There wasn’t enough interaction between them for me to truly believe their relationships or really feel much for them. I loved Anna as a FMC and she was written really well - I loved her internal thoughts: they were believable and hilarious. The other characters were just very one dimensional. I didn’t buy into the insta-friendships between Anna and Isabella (or Bella…the switch between the two was a bit annoying!) and I also didn’t understand why Anna cared so much about Cody at the start…

Secondly, there was just too much mystery for the first half of the book. More of the lore/magical elements needed to be revealed sooner. It felt like half way through we were totally bombarded with reveal after reveal and weren’t given enough time to process each element. This contrasted a lot with the first half of the book which became frustrating and slow.

The world building and the author’s descriptions were beautiful though and it was easy to get lost in the world created in Eternal is the Night.

I wish I could give this more stars as the potential is huge… it just wasn’t quite there for me.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Alayna Ravenwood for this eARC.

This was one of those books that had me hooked with the prologue. It opens with death, with missing memories, and with an FMC trying to understand what happened with her lost year. Anna turns 20 years old at the start of the story, and has been trained most of her life by Derrick in a variety of combat and weapons skills. She was never sure why, which makes the situation feel more authentic. I enjoyed that she is strong and well trained, but, even she was unsure about why she was being trained.

This story quickly advances into Dark Academia, and I absolutely loved the set-up of the school, the classmates Anna meets there, and the mysteries that continue through the story. Blake is the MMC she meets fairly early on, when she arrives at the school. It was not hard to figure out he would become her main love interest, and yet, he became an easy to like mystery man.

This was a book I could not put down. The world building is fantastic. The magic system is unique. There is a lot of mystery and twists throughout the story to keep the reader engaged. The ending has me ready for more.

[Lynn Ihle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advanced copy from NetGalley

This was an amazing read! The twists and turns kept me glued. If I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it. I’ve never had some many questions while reading a book. You’re learning things as the main character, Anna, is and that adds a whole layer of excitement. I found myself trying to connect the dots and couldn’t figure it out. Which is unusual for me!
I enjoyed the school setting and the friendships (maybe not some of the friendships towards the end though) 😅
I feel extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to read Eternal is the Night and get lost in this world. Thank you, Alayna Ravenwood for creating this. I’m obsessed and ready to continue this journey in 2027!
#blakeforever

[Lindsay Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really drawn into the mystery of this world! While there were moments where I felt the plot was slightly drawn out—mostly because Anna seemed to avoid asking the obvious questions—I started to wonder if that was just her way of coping with everything.

I actually really enjoyed the romance, you could feel the tension but also know the MMC is holding secrets that will come to light. Just don’t go into it expecting spice.

The dialogue has a formal, almost forced quality to it at times. While I think this was intentional for some of the characters, it did make the flow feel a bit choppy at times.

THAT. BETRAYAL. It cut deep! I LOVE a good unexpected betrayal! Between the secrets finally coming to light and the cliffhanger ending, I have so many unanswered questions. This sets up the rest of the series perfectly—I'm already ready for book two!

[Taylor Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading "Eternal is the Night," and I have to say, it's a captivating blend of romance and fantasy that really pulls you in.

Alayna Ravenwood’s writing is super engaging and easy to follow. She does a fantastic job of painting a vivid picture of this magical world, and I couldn't put the book down because the pacing is just so good. There are a lot of unexpected twists that keep things thrilling, which I really enjoyed!

What I loved most are the characters. They’re well-developed and relatable, so it’s easy to connect with their struggles and feelings. I found myself rooting for them as they faced their challenges and went on their adventures.

Of course, no book is perfect, but this one offers a delightful adventure that's definitely worth your time. If you're on the lookout for something new to dive into, I can confidently say that this one is a solid choice! And I can’t wait for the next book!

[Alexis H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for this ARC copy for review! Eternal is the Night is the first book in the Cursed Realm Saga & it definitely did not disappoint!

It blends urban fantasy with dark academia, romance, mystery & suspense. I am definitely still trying to get into urban fantasy as my brain is still not making the full connection & seamlessly blend the two worlds together but that’s very much a me problem & not the book or the genre.

As this is the first book in the series, there was a lot of world building & so many questions swirling around the FMC, her backstory & all the secrets that every character seems to be keeping.

Can’t wait to read the next book & hopefully get some more answers!

[Elizabeth Pannell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Alayna Ravenwood for the ARC!
Anna arrives at Nightfall after a devastating tragedy, but when students start disappearing, she begins to suspect everything is connected to her past.
I’m a bit torn on this one. The world-building and central mystery were compelling, and I kept reading to find answers. However, the pacing felt too fast at times, with a lot happening all at once, making it hard to fully process.
There were also a lot of characters, which made it difficult for me to keep track and stay fully engaged.
Overall, I can see why others enjoyed it, even if it didn’t completely work for me. I’d still consider picking up the next book in the series.

[Marte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think the author has a fantastic writing style. There are so many beautiful descriptions, and everything feels very vivid. There’s something about the atmosphere that works really well.
I like the main character and the mysteries in the book. However, I did feel that there were quite a lot of names, which made it a bit confusing at times. That said, I think this book has only just scratched the surface of what could become a very interesting series. I will definitely continue reading when book two comes out.
I absolutely love the world building!

[Brooke Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved everything about this book! From the very first page, I was pulled into a world of secrets and half- truths, and a forbidden romance where he falls first. The story kept me constantly questioning who could be truly trusted. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another twist came crashing down and proved me wrong. I was truly hooked the entire time. The mystery, the tension, and the emotional moments were so well balanced. The character development was beautifully executed and watching secrets unfold made the story so captivating. Book one set the bar high and left some big shoes for book two to fill ESPECIALLY after that ending! 😳 I cannot wait to see what happens next!

[Merrit · Rating 1 out of 5]

**DNF Review – **

I received an advanced copy from the author in exchange for an honest review, and I truly wanted to love this one. Unfortunately, I ended up DNF’ing it.

The premise has real potential, but the execution didn’t quite work for me. The biggest issue was the amount of unnecessary detail—there’s a lot of over-explained world building that slows the pacing and distracts from the actual story. Instead of letting the plot and characters shine, the narrative often pauses to spell everything out, which made it difficult for me to stay engaged.

That said, I can see the appeal for younger YA readers. It gave me strong vibes of the mixed with elements reminiscent of —secretive systems, structured world rules, and a coming-of-age feel. While it wasn’t a great fit for me personally, I do think my teenage daughter might enjoy it more, especially if she’s looking for something immersive and detail-heavy.

Overall, this one just wasn’t for me, but readers who love very thorough world building and YA fantasy with familiar genre influences may still find something to enjoy.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️ 1🌶️ my mind is a bit blown right now 🤯

We follow the FMC Anna in this story where she’s dealing with the traumatic death of her mum and the extremely mysterious circumstances surrounding it. Anna has lots of unanswered questions, which leads to her attending a secret school called Nightfall to finally get some answers. Whilst at Nightfall, things only get stranger and more dangerous, and it becomes clear the staff at the school are hiding many secrets. This is the first book in a new fantasy series with a really interesting world that sets it apart from others in the genre.

I found myself having no idea what was going on most of the time, the main feeling I had was wanting to read on to finally get some answers. It made reading this book very addictive! The author does a fantastic job of keeping you on your toes, with some excellent twists that you genuinely don’t see coming. The characters are interesting and you never know who to trust. I finished the book probably with even more questions than I started 🥲 I’m so ready for the next book!

❤️ What I liked:

- the mystery element is very strong, the author constantly reveals more throughout the book, which will keep you hooked

- the characters are very interesting and I found myself getting quite attached to some of them. You also find it hard to trust any character and suspect literally everyone. I’m still not fully sure how I feel about most of the characters but I’m reserving judgement for the next book!

- unique and fascinating world building

- good level of suspense maintained throughout the story

- pronunciation guide at the end of the book


😕 What I didn’t like:

- the first 20% or so was very rough to get through. It was quite boring and felt really dragged out. I had to force myself to get through it and I can imagine some readers would DNF at this point

- whilst I really enjoyed the mystery element of the story, sometimes it got a bit too much. Overall I enjoyed reading through to try and get some answers but often you have way more questions than answers

- very long book and at times felt like almost like too much was going on, and at times a bit disjointed e.g. the play randomly going ahead whilst the school is meant to be in chaos over missing students 🤷‍♀️

- the glossary is great! However I think a lot more needs to be added to it. Character summaries, the fantasy worlds and lineage would be super helpful.

Overall, a strong first book of a really interesting series! I have so many questions after finishing the book and I’m really excited for the next one. Would I recommend this? Yes, if you enjoy fantasy/mystery/slow burn

📚Tropes:
Secret society
Magical school
Slow burn romance
Dark academia
Hidden heritage

Trigger warnings:
Death of a parent
Grief
Sexual violence
Violence and gore

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

[kaybeehash · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Review of ARC from NetGalley*

Genre: Dark Fantasy Romance / Academia Fantasy Romance
Tropes: Deadly Trials, Found Family, Dangerous Hidden Magic/Powers, Forbidden Love

We first meet Anna in therapy trying to work through why she doesn’t remember a whole year of her life and doesn’t understand her mother’s odd behavior or her mother’s disappearance. To gain answers regarding her mother’s actions and to attempt to regain her memories and work through her own traumas, she decides to accept an invitation to Nightfall from her mother’s trusted friend Derrick who has trained Anna so she can defend herself. To enter, she must solve riddles and go through hard trials to earn her spot as an initiate. Is it possible she too has inherited some of the magic? All of the people she meets going through the trials have had different experiences passing each of the tests and strange things begin happening.

Upon surviving and arriving at the college, a specific academy elite named Blake begins taking interest in Anna immediately. And soon afterwards, the people she met in the trials entering the academy are missing. And no one has heard of any of them. Anna starts to question if she has gone mad like her mother. Anna is quickly realizing that everything she thought she understood about herself and her mother might actually not be true. Because Nightfall is turning out to be anything but what she expected.

Like any academy setting, there are tons of classes, training, and mystery surrounding who upholds which powers all while leaving Anna wondering which powers does she possess without knowing or understanding?

There are tons of intriguing, alluring, and mysterious characters at Nightfall. Ones I hope to get a better understanding of in future books. Because who can be trusted? Why does everyone think she is special? Everything she has ever known has been flipped upside down. And why does Blake insist he is dangerous to her despite their pull to each other in every setting?

This academia fantasy was full of mysteries, twists, and betrayals. After that cliffhanger, I would definitely be interested in reading the second book.

I think fans of the following series would love this series:
Bloodwing Academy, Empire of Blood, The Empyrean, Flame and Thorns, The Wolves of Ruin

[Sara Spiker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ The light will always burn out, but eternal is the night”

I had chills reading this line which solidified my adoration for this book. This spell-binding, exhilarating, mystery filled romance captivated my attention the entirety of the novel. Nightfall is the perfect setting for this book, the dark and mysterious academy adds to the experience of an imaginative world that Alayna Ravenwood crafted. The depth and intricately crafted world building was mesmorizing, and perfect for fantasy lovers, and a great way to get into the fantasy genre.

The found family in this story was incredible. The friendship of Anna, Isabella, and Roslyn made the story even better. I had so much fun reading the moments where Anna could just have fun with her friends and take her mind off of her past and present. I liked how this school was not based on competition of each recruit going against another, but a story of each person supporting and encouraging progress. I felt there could have been more class time in the story to truly understand the everi, and different aspects of the importance to the plants and life outside of Nightfall.

Anna has an incredible story with a unique background. A whole year missing from her life makes the readers want to uncover her past with her. Anna is an expert at martial arts, and holds herself with a strength that all would desire. There’s still so much to discover about her true capabilities and who her father is. I can’t wait for the epic reveal, and for her to fully embrace her powers. I haven’t read a forbidden love romance in a while and I was not disappointed with this, Anna and Blake’s story sweeps you away, leaving you wanting more. Their relationship starts out slow and boils quickly, not letting the readers wait too long for the passion to start.

This book is unlike anything you will ever read. If you think you know where the book is going, you will be surprised (in a good way). The rift, the blood mages, and beautiful valyrian language are unique and highlight the talent utilized to bring this world to life. I highly recommend this book for those who love heavy action, plot driven storytelling, mystery, and a nice little twist at the end. Thank you Alayna for letting me arc read for you, it’s been a wonderful experience and I’m trying to patiently wait for book 2! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review from NetGalley.

I went into this fully ready to love it because dark academia is basically catnip for me! Give me a mysterious school, secrets, ominous vibes in old castle hallways and I'm allll in. The premise here had so much promise and honestly started off with a really intriguing mystery, so I was excited to see where it went!

Unfortunately the execution just didn’t quite land for me. The writing felt a little rough and not as smooth as I hoped, which made it harder to stay immersed. I also struggled with the main character she’s supposed to be 20, but she read much younger to me. Her perspective often felt pretty naive and adolescent and that made some of the stakes harder to buy into.

One of the biggest things I missed was stronger worldbuilding. There are a lot of interesting ideas here, a magical academy, a hierarchy among students, mysterious powers, but they’re mostly touched on at a surface level. I kept waiting for those details to really expand and ground the world, but they never fully did. The magic system in particular felt kind of lackluster, which made the setting feel a little confusing. It’s a magical school, but how the magic actually works is never really explained!

The pacing of the mystery also didn’t quite work for me. Even well past the halfway point, it didn’t feel like we were much closer to understanding what happened to Anna’s mother. The questions we had were not really answered and more just kept piling on. Combined with some continuity issues and dialogue that sometimes felt a bit forced, it pulled me out of the story more than I wanted.

That said I do think the idea behind this book is really cool! A dark academy with students going missing and a mystery tied to the FMCs mother has a lot of potential, and I can definitely see what the author was going for. For me, though, it felt like the story needed a bit more development, more detail, more depth in the world, and clearer motivations to really bring that concept to life.

[sydspages · Rating 4 out of 5]

Right after her mother’s death, Anna was kidnapped for an entire year that she has no memories of. While still trying to cope with all that has happened in her life, an old friend of her mother’s shows up giving her an opportunity of a lifetime. She then sets her sights on Nightfall Castle in search of answers but not all is as it seems. Her fellow initiates start to go missing & she finds it harder to find the truth about anything.

Starting off with WOW what a debut novel!! The characters, world building & magic system felt well thought out. The side characters have their own stories & motivations that get uncovered making them feel more real instead of just being there. We got to learn about Nightfall along with our fmc taking in the information together. And the details helped me perfectly envision the scenes. The magic system felt unique & the action scenes had me locked in.

Nightfall is still a college & our characters are college age. I thought there was a good balance between college activities & uncovering mysteries. Another thing I was a big fan of was the play. I feel oftentimes activities done by the characters like that in books are skipped over & it was nice to actually see what was being talked about. Very unique way to give backstory!

The beginning starts a little slow as we ease into this story, but once it picks up it’ll have your head spinning. I’m a sucker for a good plot twist & let me tell you when I got to the last 30% I felt like I was getting whiplash. As things started to get answered it felt like the puzzle pieces were finally being put together. But with new questions left to be answered, it started a new puzzle at the same time. I’m very excited to see where this story goes in the next book!!

Thank you to NetGalley & the author for the arc!!

[HollaBook Vibes · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the author for the ARC.

Eternal is the Night follows Anna, a girl who has spent most of her life living in isolation due to her mother’s fears. One day she wakes up to find her mother dead — and realizes she has lost an entire year of memories. With the help of a mysterious mentor, Anna is sent to Nightfall Academy, a secret society her mother once belonged to, in hopes of uncovering the truth about what happened to both her mother and herself. There she meets Blake, a guarded ally whose intentions she can’t quite read, and quickly learns that Nightfall is not what it seems.

This story leans heavily into dark academia fantasy with a complex magic system, hidden secrets, and plenty of twists. I really enjoyed the overall concept of the world and the tension throughout the story. Anna is a strong FMC, and the mystery surrounding her missing memories kept me curious about what was really going on. The plot takes a lot of unexpected turns, which made it difficult to predict where things were heading.

At times, the story introduces many characters, locations, and magical concepts in quick succession, which could make the world feel a bit overwhelming. Some of that confusion feels intentional since the reader is experiencing the world alongside Anna as she tries to piece together what happened to her missing year. However, there were moments where the writing felt a little difficult to follow as everything was being introduced.

That said, the worldbuilding ideas here are ambitious and intriguing, and I can see the potential for this story to grow into a very interesting fantasy series as the world continues to expand.

Overall, a dark academia fantasy with an intriguing premise and a lot of potential for future installments.