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A Dead Man's B-Side
Alexandr Miroslav is a dead man walking, of that he is sure. So when he receives an invitation to study at the secretive and elite academy of Castle Hill, naturally, he accepts. However, upon his arrival, he finds the ghosts of his past may very well have followed him through the tall and overwhelming gates of the sprawling property.
And among six of his new peers, Alexandr Miroslav is hand-picked to be mentored by a powerful and enigmatic figure within the world's elite under the guise of a secret society that comes into formation every twenty years.
The webs that weaved Castle Hill together soon become too tangled, too many actors coming into play, and Alexandr finds himself falling deeper into the murky lifestyle of the world’s elite–the crimes he’d committed to survive returning with a renewed purpose.
Determined to see it through, Alexandr finds he’ll do whatever it takes to make it out alive.
And among six of his new peers, Alexandr Miroslav is hand-picked to be mentored by a powerful and enigmatic figure within the world's elite under the guise of a secret society that comes into formation every twenty years.
The webs that weaved Castle Hill together soon become too tangled, too many actors coming into play, and Alexandr finds himself falling deeper into the murky lifestyle of the world’s elite–the crimes he’d committed to survive returning with a renewed purpose.
Determined to see it through, Alexandr finds he’ll do whatever it takes to make it out alive.
555 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 9, 2026
About the author
Yasmine Mammeri
1 book16 followers─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
A letter from moi📜☕️🎧
I'm a girl who loves rain, tea, travelling, nature, history, slow music, old libraries, the smell of pages, cats, and a closet full of clothes. I'm a hopeless romantic, and a little bit (a lot) of a serial writer before falling into a writing slump for months. But that's all part of the journey. I have too many unfinished drafts in my files to know what to do with, I stan faceless pictures, and can be found reading or crying because I have to stop reading to study.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Did Not Finish
May 10, 2026DNF at 50%. received advanced reader copy from author.
it came down partly to style; i found the writing a little too flowery and extensive for the plot (i felt it moved too slow for the mystery vibe) and i did not connect with any of the characters. others have liked alexandr for being morally complex and grey but i personally found it to be over the top and annoying. I wasn’t convinced to be invested in his story or life and it made for a slow read, almost like a chore, especially as some things were described in such detail with few additions to move the plot forward, in my opinion. the atmosphere was well done and I liked the dark academia vibe — the author does a good job at world building. however overall, unfortunately this was not what i expected and not for me. this book isn’t something i particularly liked, even after giving it quite a few chances.
it came down partly to style; i found the writing a little too flowery and extensive for the plot (i felt it moved too slow for the mystery vibe) and i did not connect with any of the characters. others have liked alexandr for being morally complex and grey but i personally found it to be over the top and annoying. I wasn’t convinced to be invested in his story or life and it made for a slow read, almost like a chore, especially as some things were described in such detail with few additions to move the plot forward, in my opinion. the atmosphere was well done and I liked the dark academia vibe — the author does a good job at world building. however overall, unfortunately this was not what i expected and not for me. this book isn’t something i particularly liked, even after giving it quite a few chances.
May 10, 2026
ARC READING REVIEW - Received by the author
I found really interesting the characters written by the author. Personally I found the first quarter of the book a bit long before actions happened and hard to understand what was happening because the story has so much mysterious vibes, untold secrets. I liked the principle of secret society and all the discoveries Alexandr does. Also Yasmine’s writing is amazing on description to establish the scenery/mood. In summary, I liked that, the more I read, the more I understood what was happening. I liked that the main character was really observant and that was a morally gray character.
I found really interesting the characters written by the author. Personally I found the first quarter of the book a bit long before actions happened and hard to understand what was happening because the story has so much mysterious vibes, untold secrets. I liked the principle of secret society and all the discoveries Alexandr does. Also Yasmine’s writing is amazing on description to establish the scenery/mood. In summary, I liked that, the more I read, the more I understood what was happening. I liked that the main character was really observant and that was a morally gray character.
May 10, 2026
Review of advance reader copy received by the author.
I went into this book knowing that it was about a group of elite nominating students every 20 years into a secret society and that one student was secretly nominated. What I didn't expect was the mystery and intrigue that each character had. Ultimately, I feel like these characters have such a immense story that I only saw a portion of it in the book. I did like the dark academic vibe of the story and how the main character Alexandr always kept me guessing if I knew him or was understanding what his back story was.
I went into this book knowing that it was about a group of elite nominating students every 20 years into a secret society and that one student was secretly nominated. What I didn't expect was the mystery and intrigue that each character had. Ultimately, I feel like these characters have such a immense story that I only saw a portion of it in the book. I did like the dark academic vibe of the story and how the main character Alexandr always kept me guessing if I knew him or was understanding what his back story was.
May 8, 2026
I loved this book so much and I’m waiting eagerly to see where Alexandr and Wolf go from where we left them.
The way Alexandr doesn’t pretend to be someone he isn’t and he doesn’t think he’s that good of a person when he only does stuff to survive. I absolutely adore the friendship between Wolf and Alexandr and August and Alexandr. I love the “found family” type with our little crew of.
I can’t wait to see more of all of them in the next book and to see what happens next!!
The way Alexandr doesn’t pretend to be someone he isn’t and he doesn’t think he’s that good of a person when he only does stuff to survive. I absolutely adore the friendship between Wolf and Alexandr and August and Alexandr. I love the “found family” type with our little crew of.
I can’t wait to see more of all of them in the next book and to see what happens next!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
something abt this book isnt leaving me alone its the type of book that just sits in ur chest after u finish it n doesnt leave. smth abt it is just… different in the best way. it just lingers. ADMBS is not just dark academia.. like yeah u have the academy, the secrecy, the elite system, all of that, but it honestly feels more like dark academia w a psychological thriller edge to it. every chapter the stakes keep getting higher n u start questioning everyone bc u genuinely dk who to trust anymore, but the crazy part is the plot never falls apart?? it just keeps building n building without losing itself which is rare to see these days.
n then theres alexandr oouuu my son...😭 he honestly is one of the most well written characters ive read in a while. hes not written to be likeable but u cant help but like him n thats exactly why he works so well. hes awkward, distant, emotionally shut off, n veryyy aware that hes not a good person in the way ppl expect him to be, n he doesnt even try to convince himself otherwise most of the time. but at the same time u get him like fully. his entire life has been abt survival. running, hiding, getting through things one day at a time. even when nothing is happening u can feel like hes always on edge like hes just waiting for smth to go wrong. except he is a good person, he just doesnt see it n what i loved most is how the story handles his identity, just INSANE. theres this ongoing question of who he is versus who he used to be, n its done in such a subtle way. it feels like u’re slowly piecing him together n even then u’re still not fully sure what’s real sometimes. his past feels fragmented, uncertain, like at times it doesnt even fully belong to him which makes it even more unsettling. his past doesnt stay in the past, it bleeds into everything he does like the way he thinks, reacts n even the way he sees himself.
now castle hill academy itself just feels sinister like its everything its supposed to be but theres always an underlying sense that somethings not right that makes it feel uneasy in a certain way. n the society just makes it worse in the sense that its not just abt power or status, its abt control n how far ppl will go when theyre placed in situations where they feel like they have no other choice ALSO. what really made this book for me is all seven of them... they feel distinct in their own way, like actual ppl, all carrying their own secrets n motives n theres always this constant uncertainty of not fully trusting anyone. but somehow they end up getting pulled together into smth that slowly starts to feel like a found family situation n that meant everythingggg to me. even if none of them would ever say it out loud.
alexparis..... can we just talk abt them. that dynamic was EVERYTHING. they start off kinda unsure of eo like even judging in a way n then slowly just… gravitate towards each other’s orbit without really meaning to. what i loved is that whenever hes w paris hes him.. like hes not suddenly this soft open person, hes awkward n not the comforting type at all, but when it matters he IS there n that alone says enough. n u can tell he cares even if he doesnt know how to express it properly. i cant stress enough how their dynamic was well executed it was everything truly, it just hit so bad n at the same time the friendships in general felt so genuine like nothing was forced. the small moments, the banter, the way they slowly got used to each other… it all felt earned. esp w alex, who literally isnt used to having people at all. alex n wolf's friendship got me so bad they just found each other in the middle of everything n it was rlly nice watching them become each others first real friend.
this book is abt survival n what it does to a person to spend their whole life just trying to make it thru. alex doesnt see himself as a good person, doesnt even think hes capable of it sometimes n that internal conflict is written so well. u can feel how disconnected he is from himself n his life.
also real writing is actually back... like hello the writing?? actually soooo insane for a debut. like it genuinely doesnt feel like one at all honestly such a breath of fresh air n some lines just hit out of nowhere n stay w u. Miss yasmine where have u been this entire time..
ALL STARS TO ADMBS i cant wait to see where the second book takes this story
n then theres alexandr oouuu my son...😭 he honestly is one of the most well written characters ive read in a while. hes not written to be likeable but u cant help but like him n thats exactly why he works so well. hes awkward, distant, emotionally shut off, n veryyy aware that hes not a good person in the way ppl expect him to be, n he doesnt even try to convince himself otherwise most of the time. but at the same time u get him like fully. his entire life has been abt survival. running, hiding, getting through things one day at a time. even when nothing is happening u can feel like hes always on edge like hes just waiting for smth to go wrong. except he is a good person, he just doesnt see it n what i loved most is how the story handles his identity, just INSANE. theres this ongoing question of who he is versus who he used to be, n its done in such a subtle way. it feels like u’re slowly piecing him together n even then u’re still not fully sure what’s real sometimes. his past feels fragmented, uncertain, like at times it doesnt even fully belong to him which makes it even more unsettling. his past doesnt stay in the past, it bleeds into everything he does like the way he thinks, reacts n even the way he sees himself.
now castle hill academy itself just feels sinister like its everything its supposed to be but theres always an underlying sense that somethings not right that makes it feel uneasy in a certain way. n the society just makes it worse in the sense that its not just abt power or status, its abt control n how far ppl will go when theyre placed in situations where they feel like they have no other choice ALSO. what really made this book for me is all seven of them... they feel distinct in their own way, like actual ppl, all carrying their own secrets n motives n theres always this constant uncertainty of not fully trusting anyone. but somehow they end up getting pulled together into smth that slowly starts to feel like a found family situation n that meant everythingggg to me. even if none of them would ever say it out loud.
alexparis..... can we just talk abt them. that dynamic was EVERYTHING. they start off kinda unsure of eo like even judging in a way n then slowly just… gravitate towards each other’s orbit without really meaning to. what i loved is that whenever hes w paris hes him.. like hes not suddenly this soft open person, hes awkward n not the comforting type at all, but when it matters he IS there n that alone says enough. n u can tell he cares even if he doesnt know how to express it properly. i cant stress enough how their dynamic was well executed it was everything truly, it just hit so bad n at the same time the friendships in general felt so genuine like nothing was forced. the small moments, the banter, the way they slowly got used to each other… it all felt earned. esp w alex, who literally isnt used to having people at all. alex n wolf's friendship got me so bad they just found each other in the middle of everything n it was rlly nice watching them become each others first real friend.
this book is abt survival n what it does to a person to spend their whole life just trying to make it thru. alex doesnt see himself as a good person, doesnt even think hes capable of it sometimes n that internal conflict is written so well. u can feel how disconnected he is from himself n his life.
also real writing is actually back... like hello the writing?? actually soooo insane for a debut. like it genuinely doesnt feel like one at all honestly such a breath of fresh air n some lines just hit out of nowhere n stay w u. Miss yasmine where have u been this entire time..
ALL STARS TO ADMBS i cant wait to see where the second book takes this story
Review of advance copy received from Author
I went into A Dead Man’s B-Side without reading the blurb first, and I honestly think that made the experience even better. The story slowly reveals itself in a way that feels really immersive, and from the first few chapters I already had that feeling of wanting to stay in the world a little longer every time I stopped reading.
What immediately pulled me in was the writing style. It feels so natural and effortless, but still incredibly atmospheric. Yasmine Mammeri has a way of describing scenes and emotions that makes everything feel vivid without overdoing it. Nothing feels forced or overly dramatic, which made the darker moments hit even harder. The pacing also works really well because there’s constantly this quiet tension underneath everything, like you know something is about to go wrong even during calmer scenes.
The mystery surrounding Castle Hill and the secret society was probably my favorite part. The entire setting feels unsettling in the best way possible; elite, secretive, and slightly dangerous from the moment Alexandr arrives. I loved how the book slowly layers information instead of explaining everything immediately. It makes the reader feel involved, like you’re trying to piece things together alongside the characters.
Alexandr was also a really interesting protagonist because he doesn’t feel perfect or idealized. He feels complicated, guarded, and shaped by the things he’s survived, which made his choices and reactions feel believable. The relationships and dynamics between the characters also kept me invested because there’s this constant feeling that nobody fully trusts each other.
What I appreciated most is that the book never feels difficult to read despite having a lot going on beneath the surface. Some dark academia-style books can become overly complicated or too focused on sounding intellectual, but this one stays captivating and accessible while still building a rich atmosphere and emotional tension.
Overall, this was such an addictive and suspenseful read. If you like morally complicated characters, secret societies, lingering tension, and writing that completely pulls you into its atmosphere, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s one of those books that leaves you thinking about its world even after you’ve put it down.
What immediately pulled me in was the writing style. It feels so natural and effortless, but still incredibly atmospheric. Yasmine Mammeri has a way of describing scenes and emotions that makes everything feel vivid without overdoing it. Nothing feels forced or overly dramatic, which made the darker moments hit even harder. The pacing also works really well because there’s constantly this quiet tension underneath everything, like you know something is about to go wrong even during calmer scenes.
The mystery surrounding Castle Hill and the secret society was probably my favorite part. The entire setting feels unsettling in the best way possible; elite, secretive, and slightly dangerous from the moment Alexandr arrives. I loved how the book slowly layers information instead of explaining everything immediately. It makes the reader feel involved, like you’re trying to piece things together alongside the characters.
Alexandr was also a really interesting protagonist because he doesn’t feel perfect or idealized. He feels complicated, guarded, and shaped by the things he’s survived, which made his choices and reactions feel believable. The relationships and dynamics between the characters also kept me invested because there’s this constant feeling that nobody fully trusts each other.
What I appreciated most is that the book never feels difficult to read despite having a lot going on beneath the surface. Some dark academia-style books can become overly complicated or too focused on sounding intellectual, but this one stays captivating and accessible while still building a rich atmosphere and emotional tension.
Overall, this was such an addictive and suspenseful read. If you like morally complicated characters, secret societies, lingering tension, and writing that completely pulls you into its atmosphere, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s one of those books that leaves you thinking about its world even after you’ve put it down.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I've dabbled in many genres and honestly love reading anything that gets me hooked into the story. And this had me hooked. It felt so similar yet so different from the dark academia books I've read. Which to say is not a huge amount but enough to know what it is supposed to be. The story had me intrigued from the moment I started it. Alexandr was a mystery ever since the story started. I was doubting the information I was getting about him, and I think my most favorite part of the story was his character. I don't think I could ever relate to him in what he went through life, but his thoughts and his feelings, they were so real. I loved the way he knew that people didn't like how he was. And he wasn't oblivious. And that made me think isn't that how mist of us are. It made me relate to him in an unexpected way. He was a complex character and I loved how the author portrayed him. I don't think I'll forget him for a long time.
May 12, 2026
this book completely surprised me. i expected a dark academia story, but it felt much deeper than that. one of the best books i’ve read in a while honestly. i loved how the mystery kept building without becoming messy or predictable, every chapter added something new and somehow made me even more invested.
besides the mystery, the book also has romance. i really don’t want to give too many spoilers, but some moments genuinely caught me off guard in the best way. and honestly, knowing everything the poor boy went through made certain parts hit even harder. the way his past shaped him felt really believable, especially because he never tries to pretend to be something he’s not.
definitely one of those books that stays in your mind after you finish it.
besides the mystery, the book also has romance. i really don’t want to give too many spoilers, but some moments genuinely caught me off guard in the best way. and honestly, knowing everything the poor boy went through made certain parts hit even harder. the way his past shaped him felt really believable, especially because he never tries to pretend to be something he’s not.
definitely one of those books that stays in your mind after you finish it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC REVIEW
I love love loved this book even more than I expected to (which is saying a lot)!!! It sort of reminds me of the Atlas Six in terms of vibes and it's such an intricate and grasping story. I love the dark academia and found family. Everyone has so many secrets and veiled words it just keeps you hooked. I know the book isn't even out yet but already I can't wait for the second book. So many more secrets and relationships that I need to see more of and can't wait to see how they pan out!
I love love loved this book even more than I expected to (which is saying a lot)!!! It sort of reminds me of the Atlas Six in terms of vibes and it's such an intricate and grasping story. I love the dark academia and found family. Everyone has so many secrets and veiled words it just keeps you hooked. I know the book isn't even out yet but already I can't wait for the second book. So many more secrets and relationships that I need to see more of and can't wait to see how they pan out!
May 10, 2026
This was such an incredibly fun read - I loved the author’s writing it was so fresh and unique. I absolutely loved Alexandr he was such a fascinating and lovable character, far different from the ones I usually read about. Every single character had so much depth and charm, it was just impossible not to love this book. Amazing read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book was a refreshing change of pace. Amidst my other reads, I often found myself reaching for this instead. Yasmine's writing style is intriguing and captivating. She has a way with words to pull you into her world without even realising. Absolutely enjoyed this.
Read
May 17, 2026This book is so interesting! And Yasmine's writing style is really unique, I LOVED it (some quotes are just 10/10)!! I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys dark academia vibes:)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews