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The Villains of Winter: A Dark Academia Novel
Perfect for fans of THE SECRET HISTORY and IF WE WERE VILLAINS. A psychosexual novel of betrayal, obsession, and tragedy.
Elliott Archway is deeply attached to upperclassman James Wilde. He would forsake his soft heart for him. He would surrender his life for him.
Their intense passion for each other emerges dangerously when their vile peers volunteer a terminally-ill student for the annual sacrifice in the frozen forest. At Æscwulf College, everyone must deliver their plea for mercy in the hibernal tradition. Every winter, one individual is chosen as a living sacrifice. When a student commits the sacrilegious act of killing the wrong young man on sacred ground, the students are prepared to take their secret to the grave.
However, the winter demands more sacrifices.
Elliott would sacrifice his mortal soul for only James.
James would start a war of carnage for Elliott.
Elliott Archway is deeply attached to upperclassman James Wilde. He would forsake his soft heart for him. He would surrender his life for him.
Their intense passion for each other emerges dangerously when their vile peers volunteer a terminally-ill student for the annual sacrifice in the frozen forest. At Æscwulf College, everyone must deliver their plea for mercy in the hibernal tradition. Every winter, one individual is chosen as a living sacrifice. When a student commits the sacrilegious act of killing the wrong young man on sacred ground, the students are prepared to take their secret to the grave.
However, the winter demands more sacrifices.
Elliott would sacrifice his mortal soul for only James.
James would start a war of carnage for Elliott.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2026
About the author
Evie Phenix
1 book10 followersEvie Phenix is an American novelist with roots from California. She is a passionate reader of history, mythology, folklore, and dark academia. The Villains of Winter Anthology is a set of dark academia novels she wrote in college. As a postgraduate, she is now pursuing her Doctor of Philosophy.
Follow Evie Phenix on social media @EviePhenix.
Follow Evie Phenix on social media @EviePhenix.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Review of advance copy
Happy The Villains of Winter Eve to all who celebrate! 🌙 BEFORE YOU READ: I am not an academic, intellectual, or an expert, I am only an insomniac with caffeine and a library card!!! PLEASE BE KIND TO ME 😭 Thank you to everyone tagging me on IG/TikTok/Etc on your creative posts!!! I will save them on my highlights so we can all remember the moment. I will see you all in the New Year 2027!
It’s been many solitary years of research and annotations, therefore it’s humbling and heartwarming to have readers understand me. 💛🌙
The Villains of Winter Anthology will follow M/M, M/F, F/F in different books in dark academia as I explore how academia affects men and affects women in race, gender, sexuality, etc. I made my social media accounts in June/July 2026, and while I am focused on my health, I hope to respond to all emails, Substack messages, Instagram messages, and TikTok messages in a timely manner. Thank you all once more.
Stay warm,
Evie.
July 2026:
Dear readers and intellectuals of the arts and the humanities, the autumn trimester for The Villains of Winter has begun...
A bit of housekeeping for those in need of content warnings and tropes of interest to expect. This book contains explicit homoerotic fiction, and it is not suitable for teen audiences such as my other works. Therefore, I have created an adult pen name in order to protect young readers. Further, to prevent my adult work from being misclassified as Young Adult, I ask that you keep my adult and teen work completely separate. Thank you!
Tropes:
Friends to intimate lovers.
Found family.
Intense romantic yearning.
Greek mythology lessons.
Roman mythology lessons.
Platonic and Aristotelian lessons.
Content warnings:
On page: Consensual sex, sexism, classism, elitism, ableism, terminal lung illness, racism, psychological manipulation, violence, character death(s), alcoholism.
Mentioned: Parental deaths, childhood neglect trauma, racial trauma.
A full list of content warnings will be available soon.
No AI was used in the research, writing, book cover art, or publishing of my work.
Have an excellent tenure at Æscwulf College. Stay warm. 🌙
It’s been many solitary years of research and annotations, therefore it’s humbling and heartwarming to have readers understand me. 💛🌙
The Villains of Winter Anthology will follow M/M, M/F, F/F in different books in dark academia as I explore how academia affects men and affects women in race, gender, sexuality, etc. I made my social media accounts in June/July 2026, and while I am focused on my health, I hope to respond to all emails, Substack messages, Instagram messages, and TikTok messages in a timely manner. Thank you all once more.
Stay warm,
Evie.
July 2026:
Dear readers and intellectuals of the arts and the humanities, the autumn trimester for The Villains of Winter has begun...
A bit of housekeeping for those in need of content warnings and tropes of interest to expect. This book contains explicit homoerotic fiction, and it is not suitable for teen audiences such as my other works. Therefore, I have created an adult pen name in order to protect young readers. Further, to prevent my adult work from being misclassified as Young Adult, I ask that you keep my adult and teen work completely separate. Thank you!
Tropes:
Friends to intimate lovers.
Found family.
Intense romantic yearning.
Greek mythology lessons.
Roman mythology lessons.
Platonic and Aristotelian lessons.
Content warnings:
On page: Consensual sex, sexism, classism, elitism, ableism, terminal lung illness, racism, psychological manipulation, violence, character death(s), alcoholism.
Mentioned: Parental deaths, childhood neglect trauma, racial trauma.
A full list of content warnings will be available soon.
No AI was used in the research, writing, book cover art, or publishing of my work.
Have an excellent tenure at Æscwulf College. Stay warm. 🌙
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Full RTC. Hundred stars. This book is unhinged in the best way. I sped through this book. The Villains of Winter is hands down the darkest dark academia book I've read. Sensual. Intense. Soooo deeply, deeply romantic.
I was expecting the storyline to have a bit of spice, but it has a LOT of spice once the characters fall in love. I really enjoyed the full-on sex scenes. I highlighted way too much hehe. I want to re-read them. Anyway, I loved how casually immoral many of the characters were and it made me want to visit the college and read in the underground libraries. It made me want to know more about mythology as well and I can't wait to re-read this one. The more I think about it, the more I want.
I was expecting the storyline to have a bit of spice, but it has a LOT of spice once the characters fall in love. I really enjoyed the full-on sex scenes. I highlighted way too much hehe. I want to re-read them. Anyway, I loved how casually immoral many of the characters were and it made me want to visit the college and read in the underground libraries. It made me want to know more about mythology as well and I can't wait to re-read this one. The more I think about it, the more I want.
September 15, 2026
I signed up for KU for this especially as I was extremely keen for it. I'm a fan of If We Were Villains and a life-long Classics lover, the cover art is stunning, and the Pratchett reference was the cherry on top.
Unfortunately, I think this author desperately needed an editor and a proofreader. I raced through this, but not because I found it gripping or compelling; I just wanted to know what exactly the story was supposed to be after the mid-point. I can't discuss the contents without getting into spoilers, so I want to talk about the writing as the character-work was not a strength anyway.
You can place the exact timing of the inciting incident because the text declares it dramatically for you ahead of time. The same move happens a minimum of five times through the book, always along the lines of "He never could have known that x would happen" or "However, what he didn't know was..." The author either doesn't know how else to build anticipation or introduce dramatic irony, or just doesn't trust the reader at all.
A lot of Latinate words are used, understandable for the genre, just to excess, and frequently incorrectly. It feels like the author wanted to sound cleverer than you and in order to do that, they couldn't just say "dark," they needed to qualify it with "crepuscular". Many examples of this sort of thing. "Stupor" isn't good enough, it has to be "sopor," or else you might not know that this is a book for Adults. The text frequently bombards you with allusions and namedrops and quotations to the point where it at times it felt more like a weird guy at a party cornering you with crypto talk than interesting glimpses into mythology.
On the sex and a spoiler for a late scene:
I think there is a compelling cult story and dark romantic thriller in there. There's just too much of everything else. It's a shame in a story that revolves around death that the author seemed unwilling to kill their darlings to trim it into something that works.
Unfortunately, I think this author desperately needed an editor and a proofreader. I raced through this, but not because I found it gripping or compelling; I just wanted to know what exactly the story was supposed to be after the mid-point. I can't discuss the contents without getting into spoilers, so I want to talk about the writing as the character-work was not a strength anyway.
You can place the exact timing of the inciting incident because the text declares it dramatically for you ahead of time. The same move happens a minimum of five times through the book, always along the lines of "He never could have known that x would happen" or "However, what he didn't know was..." The author either doesn't know how else to build anticipation or introduce dramatic irony, or just doesn't trust the reader at all.
A lot of Latinate words are used, understandable for the genre, just to excess, and frequently incorrectly. It feels like the author wanted to sound cleverer than you and in order to do that, they couldn't just say "dark," they needed to qualify it with "crepuscular". Many examples of this sort of thing. "Stupor" isn't good enough, it has to be "sopor," or else you might not know that this is a book for Adults. The text frequently bombards you with allusions and namedrops and quotations to the point where it at times it felt more like a weird guy at a party cornering you with crypto talk than interesting glimpses into mythology.
On the sex and a spoiler for a late scene:
I think there is a compelling cult story and dark romantic thriller in there. There's just too much of everything else. It's a shame in a story that revolves around death that the author seemed unwilling to kill their darlings to trim it into something that works.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I don't know what the author thought they were writing, but a good story definitely wasn't one of those things.
I found The Villains of Winter to be excruciatingly fucking pretentious, with philosophical discussions that serve absolutely no purpose in the plot, phrases in Latin, Greek, Portuguese (?) and other languages that are never given translations and are only there to make the narrative seem more mysterious than it is, the most unnecessarily complex spellings you can imagine, and passive-aggressive explanations of Pagan rituals. I truly cannot tell you the number of times I rolled my eyes while reading.
Not to even mention that the author utilised the "If only he could've known what would happen..." and "If he knew that him doing X would lead to Z, he never would've done it.." and
"it was the last time Y ever happened..." is just mind-numbing. The only person that knows how to do this effectively is Stephen King, and when it comes to this author, it reads as a poor attempt at suspense. It doesn't work and by the third time begins to grate on the nerves.
Additionally, the story is just too small to be a novel. The actual plot of it would've made for a half-decent 20-page short story. Instead, it spans 400+ pages, but ultimately, nothing happens. There's pretty much zero difference between the character's relationships in the beginning and at the end, if you don't count that Elliot and James begin sleeping together. The sex scenes, by the way, are very poorly written and use words like "nectar", which made me
throw up in my mouth a little. There is no emotional value to any of it. Also, using 50 Shades of Grey's "red/yellow" system during sex is definitely a choice. What happened to literally saying "stop"?
The meta-writing is another cardinal sin that I am never willing to forgive in books. Writing a chapter from James'/ Elliot's perspective and then suddenly chipping in the inner thoughts/motivations/memories of a different character shows a lack of skill. I maybe would've overlooked it if it happened once, but it's a regular thing in this book.
Furthermore, not a single character in this book has any real motivation. They all do the things they do just because.
Things happen within the narrative just because the author wants them to. There is no foreshadowing, there are no real consequences, there are no plot-twists. Things are set up but never mentioned again: Elliot's nightmares that drive him to hurt himself, James' scars (mentioned ONCE though he's supposed to be this image of etherial beauty AND a public figure), Elliot's "artistic talent" that is literally never talked about. What the fuck makes him so good? But then again, it's all forgotten as soon as it's spoken, so I guess it doesn't really matter.
I also feel like the author has some sort of an unhealthy student-teacher fantasy because WHAT was that between James and his mentor. The author goes out of her way to state it's not sexual, but then maybe don't write in kisses on the lips and the bathing? Legit made me feel sick.
Gods.
I should've DNFd this at 30%. Don't know why I wasted my time. I've read plenty of fanfiction written with more thought and detail than this.
I found The Villains of Winter to be excruciatingly fucking pretentious, with philosophical discussions that serve absolutely no purpose in the plot, phrases in Latin, Greek, Portuguese (?) and other languages that are never given translations and are only there to make the narrative seem more mysterious than it is, the most unnecessarily complex spellings you can imagine, and passive-aggressive explanations of Pagan rituals. I truly cannot tell you the number of times I rolled my eyes while reading.
Not to even mention that the author utilised the "If only he could've known what would happen..." and "If he knew that him doing X would lead to Z, he never would've done it.." and
"it was the last time Y ever happened..." is just mind-numbing. The only person that knows how to do this effectively is Stephen King, and when it comes to this author, it reads as a poor attempt at suspense. It doesn't work and by the third time begins to grate on the nerves.
Additionally, the story is just too small to be a novel. The actual plot of it would've made for a half-decent 20-page short story. Instead, it spans 400+ pages, but ultimately, nothing happens. There's pretty much zero difference between the character's relationships in the beginning and at the end, if you don't count that Elliot and James begin sleeping together. The sex scenes, by the way, are very poorly written and use words like "nectar", which made me
throw up in my mouth a little. There is no emotional value to any of it. Also, using 50 Shades of Grey's "red/yellow" system during sex is definitely a choice. What happened to literally saying "stop"?
The meta-writing is another cardinal sin that I am never willing to forgive in books. Writing a chapter from James'/ Elliot's perspective and then suddenly chipping in the inner thoughts/motivations/memories of a different character shows a lack of skill. I maybe would've overlooked it if it happened once, but it's a regular thing in this book.
Furthermore, not a single character in this book has any real motivation. They all do the things they do just because.
Things happen within the narrative just because the author wants them to. There is no foreshadowing, there are no real consequences, there are no plot-twists. Things are set up but never mentioned again: Elliot's nightmares that drive him to hurt himself, James' scars (mentioned ONCE though he's supposed to be this image of etherial beauty AND a public figure), Elliot's "artistic talent" that is literally never talked about. What the fuck makes him so good? But then again, it's all forgotten as soon as it's spoken, so I guess it doesn't really matter.
I also feel like the author has some sort of an unhealthy student-teacher fantasy because WHAT was that between James and his mentor. The author goes out of her way to state it's not sexual, but then maybe don't write in kisses on the lips and the bathing? Legit made me feel sick.
Gods.
I should've DNFd this at 30%. Don't know why I wasted my time. I've read plenty of fanfiction written with more thought and detail than this.
Did Not Finish
September 16, 2026I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and the promising description (psychosexual, obsession, betrayal? Hell yeah), but I couldn’t make it past the first 10% unfortunately.
The author’s writing style is incredibly overwrought, which some might find suits the dark academia vibes, but for me it made the narrative feel disjointed. I found myself being taken out of the story multiple times by their prose, dispelling the atmosphere they were trying to build.
I think this story has a decent opening and strong potential, and I would love to see where it goes, but I just can’t vibe with the writing. When a book feels like a chore to pick up, it’s time to put it down, I guess.
Thank you NetGalley and Evie Phenix for providing me with an arc!
The author’s writing style is incredibly overwrought, which some might find suits the dark academia vibes, but for me it made the narrative feel disjointed. I found myself being taken out of the story multiple times by their prose, dispelling the atmosphere they were trying to build.
I think this story has a decent opening and strong potential, and I would love to see where it goes, but I just can’t vibe with the writing. When a book feels like a chore to pick up, it’s time to put it down, I guess.
Thank you NetGalley and Evie Phenix for providing me with an arc!
Read
September 8, 2026Oh well. Got denied for the ARC but I will be sat here because I am excited for it anyway.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
First and foremost, this was the first ever dark academia book I’ve read so I definitely have no benchmarks whatsoever as to what a good book on this genre looks like. But what I can say is that based on the usual tropes associated with this genre, it ticks all the boxes like unusual character dynamics, pursuit of art and aesthetics, allegory to Greek mythology, Roman culture in the pagan times, and of course, murder within academic grounds.
The Villains of Winter alludes to the normal expectations that could be easily seen based on prominent books in this genre like The Secret History, If We Were Villains, These Violent Delights, but also taking a distinct voice and perspective on how the academe is a microcosm of society and how the rotten system and injustices happening on school grounds also reflect the larger societal dynamics.
By far, I could see how the author intentionally created characters to shed light to this narrative, and how the vast majority of the book lingers more on explaining the dark, psychological aspects of new adults such as obsession, limerence, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the youthful resistance in flipping the unfair practices that were embedded in the system which are very hard to tackle especially from a student’s limited capabilities and machinery.
Without spoiling too much, readers could expect the flow of narration focusing more on the plot development (which I found myself screaming at times especially during the 33% mark) and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting the plot to be such a roller coaster ride. Unhinged at times, and although there might also be too much darkness in the plot, the story also stayed true to the contemporary dynamics on how racial discrimination, power imbalance, and apathy were happening in the academia.
What I’m still struggling to come to terms with were some plot gaps like the Montclair patriarch’s situation after the altercation, unexplained closure about some characters which were introduced at the beginning parts of the book, and how the author’s discretion of limiting the number of villains could’ve been an opportunity to also give some dialogues to characters like the provost, rector, and other upper echelons who wields power within the campus.
I also noticed that the author’s usage of declarative sentences, lack of inflections, usage of hifalutin adjectives, and lack of appositive phrases that are typical literary devices in long-form fiction, both benefitted and yielded an experimental take on the prose that might not work for every reader. Nevertheless, it gave a distinct voice to the author and it adds to the academic style of writing which we normally encounter on published research papers.
Overall, the paganism approach to this novel, combined with Greek mythology, philosophy, Latin, art, and the larger stakes involved in this story (think about the fraternities and how their societal influence carries larger power and how students were normally recruited as proteges of this types of institutions) makes this book unique and an ideal companion piece to the ever-growing list of dark academia books.
Many thanks to the publisher, Evie Phenix, and NetGalley for the ARC.
The Villains of Winter alludes to the normal expectations that could be easily seen based on prominent books in this genre like The Secret History, If We Were Villains, These Violent Delights, but also taking a distinct voice and perspective on how the academe is a microcosm of society and how the rotten system and injustices happening on school grounds also reflect the larger societal dynamics.
By far, I could see how the author intentionally created characters to shed light to this narrative, and how the vast majority of the book lingers more on explaining the dark, psychological aspects of new adults such as obsession, limerence, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the youthful resistance in flipping the unfair practices that were embedded in the system which are very hard to tackle especially from a student’s limited capabilities and machinery.
Without spoiling too much, readers could expect the flow of narration focusing more on the plot development (which I found myself screaming at times especially during the 33% mark) and to be honest, I wasn’t expecting the plot to be such a roller coaster ride. Unhinged at times, and although there might also be too much darkness in the plot, the story also stayed true to the contemporary dynamics on how racial discrimination, power imbalance, and apathy were happening in the academia.
What I’m still struggling to come to terms with were some plot gaps like the Montclair patriarch’s situation after the altercation, unexplained closure about some characters which were introduced at the beginning parts of the book, and how the author’s discretion of limiting the number of villains could’ve been an opportunity to also give some dialogues to characters like the provost, rector, and other upper echelons who wields power within the campus.
I also noticed that the author’s usage of declarative sentences, lack of inflections, usage of hifalutin adjectives, and lack of appositive phrases that are typical literary devices in long-form fiction, both benefitted and yielded an experimental take on the prose that might not work for every reader. Nevertheless, it gave a distinct voice to the author and it adds to the academic style of writing which we normally encounter on published research papers.
Overall, the paganism approach to this novel, combined with Greek mythology, philosophy, Latin, art, and the larger stakes involved in this story (think about the fraternities and how their societal influence carries larger power and how students were normally recruited as proteges of this types of institutions) makes this book unique and an ideal companion piece to the ever-growing list of dark academia books.
Many thanks to the publisher, Evie Phenix, and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Excellent read. This cured my reading slump! It's not traditional dark romance, my mistake. It's dark academia with a toxic, obsessive love narrative. Dark romance books are very, very different. Dark academia is about aesthetic and obsession, and I was expecting an obsession with the picturesque, Shakespeare, but this was all-consuming obsession in a multitude of ways.
I wanted to read other reviews to see if my reading experience had been the same and it largely was. Similar to Babel, it's annotated, which I enjoy. But the book became deliciously dark and at some points, incredibly terrifying. I need to read a cult book now.
My favorite aspect was James and Elliott. The POV shift in the middle of the book to follow different characters was more seamless than I expected and I liked that we saw different aspects of characters, and we knew more about the secrecy from one of the characters. Particularly with the cult.
I want to come back to review with spoilers once more people have read it because there are like 5 parts in the book that are very, very well done that I want to gush about, but I realized the date is for Sep 15, and people haven't read it yet.
I highly recommend this if you like dark academia, psychological thrillers, and queer novels.
I wanted to read other reviews to see if my reading experience had been the same and it largely was. Similar to Babel, it's annotated, which I enjoy. But the book became deliciously dark and at some points, incredibly terrifying. I need to read a cult book now.
My favorite aspect was James and Elliott. The POV shift in the middle of the book to follow different characters was more seamless than I expected and I liked that we saw different aspects of characters, and we knew more about the secrecy from one of the characters. Particularly with the cult.
I want to come back to review with spoilers once more people have read it because there are like 5 parts in the book that are very, very well done that I want to gush about, but I realized the date is for Sep 15, and people haven't read it yet.
I highly recommend this if you like dark academia, psychological thrillers, and queer novels.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I cannot overstate how much i loved this book. This is one of the best books I have ever read in my life.
It's extremely clever, well researched, absolutely stunning in every way. I love dark stories, I love dark academia, but this is just a whole other level. I'm used to secret societies having more demonic deities as idols of worship, but Greek philosophy? This felt like a Greek tragedy set in a modern world.
Plots and ulterior motives and more plots and cover ups and rituals and dark state secrets.
Is it weird that I REALLY loved the plethora of footnotes? It feels right at home with a book like this. Not only is it informative, but author anecdotes are really fun. So many quotes from different plays, works, and philosophers, I feel like the footnotes are a boon to the curious mind.
I truly and sincerely hope this gets made into a movie. It feels like Dead Poet Society and Killing of a Sacred Deer with a large helping of Macbeth. I'm sure there are other movies/plays that fit this theme but its 1am and I can't recall them right now.
This is my book of 2026 and yes im aware that Threshing Day and ACOTAR 6 comes out within the next couple of months.
Holy smokes.
It's extremely clever, well researched, absolutely stunning in every way. I love dark stories, I love dark academia, but this is just a whole other level. I'm used to secret societies having more demonic deities as idols of worship, but Greek philosophy? This felt like a Greek tragedy set in a modern world.
Plots and ulterior motives and more plots and cover ups and rituals and dark state secrets.
Is it weird that I REALLY loved the plethora of footnotes? It feels right at home with a book like this. Not only is it informative, but author anecdotes are really fun. So many quotes from different plays, works, and philosophers, I feel like the footnotes are a boon to the curious mind.
I truly and sincerely hope this gets made into a movie. It feels like Dead Poet Society and Killing of a Sacred Deer with a large helping of Macbeth. I'm sure there are other movies/plays that fit this theme but its 1am and I can't recall them right now.
This is my book of 2026 and yes im aware that Threshing Day and ACOTAR 6 comes out within the next couple of months.
Holy smokes.
Want to Read
September 11, 2026Lemme tell you I preordered this so fast. You are speaking my language with this book, Ms. Phenix. The Secret History is one of my favorite books of all time, and I am always up for reading the spiritual successors to it.
September 14, 2026
I received an ARC of this book at no charge. This is my honest, voluntary review. I'm currently at 55% and will update accordingly, but I've reached a point where I'm convinced I wouldn't increase my rating anymore.
The reason why I wanted to read this one was the promise of two characters willing to kill for each other and a college that accepts and expects murder. I was expecting a whole lot of emotions and chaos and being curious as to how it would end.
My expectations quickly dropped almost right after the beginning once I realised that the writing style doesn’t match my taste at all. I find it difficult to read, and frankly, I keep thinking the author wanted to prove she can use a dictionary. There are certain passages in the book that sound very awkward because of the word choices, and in between fancy words I suddenly got hit with some phrases that made me question whether this was edited at all (to a point where I searched both the front and back of the book for any mention of an editor), like “James brooded darkly”.
During the first 30% I got more and more confused by new information that contradicted itself, and things happened in a way that screamed “needs to happen for the plot” instead of feeling logical. Elliott wouldn’t feel all that guilt if he hadn’t handed over the keys, right? So why did they ? Why include all of that at all, if he (!!) just to hand them over willingly? What annoyed me the most is the fact that students fear the sacrifice, obviously, and the whole risk of , but then I learn that you have multiple options to leave? But they don’t use those because getting expelled would suck for your future? There’s so much happening on those pages that doesn’t feel relevant at all, things get dropped and changed, and I would’ve given up if this wasn’t an ARC.
Only once we got to Lucien did it begin to grab my interest, and with the sacrifice and the aftermath there’s actual tension now. I get to watch people commit terrible things they try to hide as they’re all connected to one another, attempting to save their own skin. Unfortunately I still find a lot of passages that make me ask “but why?”, with information getting randomly included that would’ve been relevant in the past or some decisions that don’t help the plot (and we’re not talking about intentional ways).
The reason why I wanted to read this one was the promise of two characters willing to kill for each other and a college that accepts and expects murder. I was expecting a whole lot of emotions and chaos and being curious as to how it would end.
My expectations quickly dropped almost right after the beginning once I realised that the writing style doesn’t match my taste at all. I find it difficult to read, and frankly, I keep thinking the author wanted to prove she can use a dictionary. There are certain passages in the book that sound very awkward because of the word choices, and in between fancy words I suddenly got hit with some phrases that made me question whether this was edited at all (to a point where I searched both the front and back of the book for any mention of an editor), like “James brooded darkly”.
During the first 30% I got more and more confused by new information that contradicted itself, and things happened in a way that screamed “needs to happen for the plot” instead of feeling logical. Elliott wouldn’t feel all that guilt if he hadn’t handed over the keys, right? So why did they ? Why include all of that at all, if he (!!) just to hand them over willingly? What annoyed me the most is the fact that students fear the sacrifice, obviously, and the whole risk of , but then I learn that you have multiple options to leave? But they don’t use those because getting expelled would suck for your future? There’s so much happening on those pages that doesn’t feel relevant at all, things get dropped and changed, and I would’ve given up if this wasn’t an ARC.
Only once we got to Lucien did it begin to grab my interest, and with the sacrifice and the aftermath there’s actual tension now. I get to watch people commit terrible things they try to hide as they’re all connected to one another, attempting to save their own skin. Unfortunately I still find a lot of passages that make me ask “but why?”, with information getting randomly included that would’ve been relevant in the past or some decisions that don’t help the plot (and we’re not talking about intentional ways).
Want to Read
September 11, 2026I had to double take - thought I saw a mix of some fanfic Draco with Eren's titan traits character illustration :D and I have glasses. I'm intrigued by the description, gotta wait for more reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received an e-ARC and am giving my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity!
One thing about me is I will always find an opportunity to talk about why "The Secret History" was MUCH gayer than it seemed, which is saying a lot considering the 'cubitum eamus' of it all. Hell, I named myself after Charles Macaulay. To say this book was up my alley is an understatement, which admittedly did make me worry over whether it was too good to be true.
I am pleased to announce it was not, in fact, too good to be true. It was absolutely phenomenal. I had moments of doubt (I am not a patient man, I am so sorry) but it was all worth it in the end, tenfold.
"The Villains of Winter" is the canonically homoerotic (emphasis on homo and erotic) "The Secret History" I've always dreamed of.
Before I get into it, I really have to applaud all that Phenix talks about in the acknowledgements, especially around racism in academia (and the changing of the cover due to that). It really showed how much heart and soul went into this novel, but especially how much care. There was no lack of the truth of academia, the ableism, homophobia, racism, misogyny. And that is something that is incredible to see in a book or any fictional media about academia.
The intricacies each character held was astounding. Each person we meet has so many different layers to them, and sides to those layers. It made everything so much more profound for them to experience. The PTSD some characters faced, and the different ways it manifested, really drew me in. I've never seen PTSD represented in so many ways, and so brutally. My interest was piqued by the accuracy it displayed as well as the merciless reality of it all. How sometimes, trauma never goes away. It'll always haunt you. And that's okay, but it also absolutely sucks.
It's hard to review a lot of this book due to spoilers, so I'm going to try to sum it up, spoiler-free. The darkness of academia is a true horror, and this book goes into it very well. And while the whole sacrifice aspect is a little more far-fetched, it's used to bring to light how horrific other realistic parts of the depths of academia can be in a very intriguing way. It most certainly shares similarities with "The Secret History," but on a grander, cult-like scale. Like if the Greek students had killed Bunny at the wish of the entirety of Hamden College, not just because Julian was kinda extreme and eccentric and Henry felt lost (I'm exaggerating but you get it). And if Richard finally admitted he wanted to suck face with Francis.
There was a lot going on, but I was on the edge of my seat. I read around 20% last night, then the rest tonight (yes it's 4 am, a fact I'm only stating as an excuse for why this review is a bit all over the place). I quite enjoyed the erratic-ness of it, I have to admit. Being able to see different perspectives (oh how I have dreamed of "The Secret History" from Camilla's POV) satisfied a part of me I wasn't aware needed satisfying.
The diversity was also incredible. Chronic illness, POC rep, (of course) queer rep, PTSD, anxiety, just to name a few. It was really beautiful to see written so naturally and truthfully.
I had some moments of confusion around the 3rd person POV of the story alternating frequently within chapters of who it is omniscient of, but it kind of added to the vibe in a way, too. Seeing the thoughts of James and then going to, say, Perseus was a stark contrast that was interesting once I was used to it.
All in all, I LOVED this. The brutality in both the unknowns and the knowns, the longing and the fear. This really put the "A(AAA)' in yeAAAArning.
perfect for fans of:
-if we were villains
-these violent delights by micah nemerever
-the secret history
-kill your darlings(2019)
-K. ancrum
-dark academia
-victor vale and eli ever
-immortal consequences by i.v. marie
-the summer hikaru died
-andreil
-spring awakening
-bare: a pop opera
-the last five years
-the goldfinch
-the sacrificial aspect of Yellowjackets
-Leviticus but minus the supernatural elements
-the thin line between theatre and being an actual cult
-the chilling adventures of sabrina
-cg drews
One thing about me is I will always find an opportunity to talk about why "The Secret History" was MUCH gayer than it seemed, which is saying a lot considering the 'cubitum eamus' of it all. Hell, I named myself after Charles Macaulay. To say this book was up my alley is an understatement, which admittedly did make me worry over whether it was too good to be true.
I am pleased to announce it was not, in fact, too good to be true. It was absolutely phenomenal. I had moments of doubt (I am not a patient man, I am so sorry) but it was all worth it in the end, tenfold.
"The Villains of Winter" is the canonically homoerotic (emphasis on homo and erotic) "The Secret History" I've always dreamed of.
Before I get into it, I really have to applaud all that Phenix talks about in the acknowledgements, especially around racism in academia (and the changing of the cover due to that). It really showed how much heart and soul went into this novel, but especially how much care. There was no lack of the truth of academia, the ableism, homophobia, racism, misogyny. And that is something that is incredible to see in a book or any fictional media about academia.
The intricacies each character held was astounding. Each person we meet has so many different layers to them, and sides to those layers. It made everything so much more profound for them to experience. The PTSD some characters faced, and the different ways it manifested, really drew me in. I've never seen PTSD represented in so many ways, and so brutally. My interest was piqued by the accuracy it displayed as well as the merciless reality of it all. How sometimes, trauma never goes away. It'll always haunt you. And that's okay, but it also absolutely sucks.
It's hard to review a lot of this book due to spoilers, so I'm going to try to sum it up, spoiler-free. The darkness of academia is a true horror, and this book goes into it very well. And while the whole sacrifice aspect is a little more far-fetched, it's used to bring to light how horrific other realistic parts of the depths of academia can be in a very intriguing way. It most certainly shares similarities with "The Secret History," but on a grander, cult-like scale. Like if the Greek students had killed Bunny at the wish of the entirety of Hamden College, not just because Julian was kinda extreme and eccentric and Henry felt lost (I'm exaggerating but you get it). And if Richard finally admitted he wanted to suck face with Francis.
There was a lot going on, but I was on the edge of my seat. I read around 20% last night, then the rest tonight (yes it's 4 am, a fact I'm only stating as an excuse for why this review is a bit all over the place). I quite enjoyed the erratic-ness of it, I have to admit. Being able to see different perspectives (oh how I have dreamed of "The Secret History" from Camilla's POV) satisfied a part of me I wasn't aware needed satisfying.
The diversity was also incredible. Chronic illness, POC rep, (of course) queer rep, PTSD, anxiety, just to name a few. It was really beautiful to see written so naturally and truthfully.
I had some moments of confusion around the 3rd person POV of the story alternating frequently within chapters of who it is omniscient of, but it kind of added to the vibe in a way, too. Seeing the thoughts of James and then going to, say, Perseus was a stark contrast that was interesting once I was used to it.
All in all, I LOVED this. The brutality in both the unknowns and the knowns, the longing and the fear. This really put the "A(AAA)' in yeAAAArning.
perfect for fans of:
-if we were villains
-these violent delights by micah nemerever
-the secret history
-kill your darlings(2019)
-K. ancrum
-dark academia
-victor vale and eli ever
-immortal consequences by i.v. marie
-the summer hikaru died
-andreil
-spring awakening
-bare: a pop opera
-the last five years
-the goldfinch
-the sacrificial aspect of Yellowjackets
-Leviticus but minus the supernatural elements
-the thin line between theatre and being an actual cult
-the chilling adventures of sabrina
-cg drews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well goddamn. (Godsdamn? To stay book faithful?) Yall better put this on your TBR for when it publishes in 2 days on the 15th! Thank you so much @eviephenix and @netgalley for the ARC of this book. I give it 5/5 traumatizing car keys.
At first I was iffy on if it would be my style-the author has done SO much research and must be beyond brilliant, and the book is full of footnotes and sources. But once I got used to that it quickly became a favorite part of the reading experience for me. What a creepy eerie story in the best of ways and ticked off every box for me! Elliot’s PTSD and sweetness is so evident, and the way they both clearly yearn for each other but are both like “yeah or that can mean nothing and we can totally forget. Yeah. Yeah I’m so cool and normal and chalant about loving you. Loving you? Pfffft who said that I’m just going to wax poetic in multiple languages about how you are my stars and sky tottttaaaaaaallllly normal bro stuff” okay, Jan.
All the references to all the ancient traditions and religions and the implication that this school is part of a network of schools just like it? The politics involved? Oh I love me a complicated political evil system to figure out. And I’m still not sure I totally did oh no what a shame must have to reread it again and get all the Easter eggs I missed first time! Oh nooooo! (Oh yesss). And they all were so in it they couldn’t imagine a different world.
James was hands down my favorite character. He’s so tortured and seeing how much everything led to what he is now capable of doing felt like following the flow chart of 9/11 to 50 Shades of Grey (which thematically? Actually is a great example of our violent but eventually horny friend here). Part of me wanted to shake him or slap him and tell him that love is okay but part of me also did enjoy his coldness.
The world building is just insane. So completely immersive and detailed.
I received this as an ARC and this is my honest personal opinion.
At first I was iffy on if it would be my style-the author has done SO much research and must be beyond brilliant, and the book is full of footnotes and sources. But once I got used to that it quickly became a favorite part of the reading experience for me. What a creepy eerie story in the best of ways and ticked off every box for me! Elliot’s PTSD and sweetness is so evident, and the way they both clearly yearn for each other but are both like “yeah or that can mean nothing and we can totally forget. Yeah. Yeah I’m so cool and normal and chalant about loving you. Loving you? Pfffft who said that I’m just going to wax poetic in multiple languages about how you are my stars and sky tottttaaaaaaallllly normal bro stuff” okay, Jan.
All the references to all the ancient traditions and religions and the implication that this school is part of a network of schools just like it? The politics involved? Oh I love me a complicated political evil system to figure out. And I’m still not sure I totally did oh no what a shame must have to reread it again and get all the Easter eggs I missed first time! Oh nooooo! (Oh yesss). And they all were so in it they couldn’t imagine a different world.
James was hands down my favorite character. He’s so tortured and seeing how much everything led to what he is now capable of doing felt like following the flow chart of 9/11 to 50 Shades of Grey (which thematically? Actually is a great example of our violent but eventually horny friend here). Part of me wanted to shake him or slap him and tell him that love is okay but part of me also did enjoy his coldness.
The world building is just insane. So completely immersive and detailed.
I received this as an ARC and this is my honest personal opinion.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Evie Phenix and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because The Villains of Winter occasionally dumps an entire philosophy seminar, ancient religion, political conspiracy, and emotional breakdown onto your lap and expects you to keep up. Unfortunately, I did.
At first, I had a hard time getting into Phenix’s writing style, but once it clicked, I realized how much richer and more immersive the narrative feels because of it. The phrases in other languages, thoughtful explanations of Pagan rituals, philosophical discussions, and sheer amount of academic detail all add to the atmosphere rather than feeling like unnecessary exposition. There is clearly an absurd amount of research behind this book, and, eventually, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it.
I also really appreciated how much care went into portraying academia.. not just the glamorous intellectualism, but the systemic discrimination and institutional rot underneath it. The acknowledgements made it especially clear how intentional this was, and that care really shows throughout the novel.
The academic horror was probably my favourite part. The supernatural sacrifice is obviously more dramatic than your average faculty meeting, but it works because it's rooted in very real systems of power and cruelty. Add ancient traditions, religious rituals, complicated politics, and the implication of an entire network of schools operating within this system, and naturally I became desperate to figure out how everything connects.
The characters are wonderfully messy, with layers, contradictions, secrets, and enough trauma to fill several therapy appointments.
And James? Easily my favourite. An utterly unhinged, cold-blooded murderer, but somehow also capable of the most obsessive, all-consuming kind of yearning. Horrible man. Terrifying character. Absolutely fascinating. I was seated.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because The Villains of Winter occasionally dumps an entire philosophy seminar, ancient religion, political conspiracy, and emotional breakdown onto your lap and expects you to keep up. Unfortunately, I did.
At first, I had a hard time getting into Phenix’s writing style, but once it clicked, I realized how much richer and more immersive the narrative feels because of it. The phrases in other languages, thoughtful explanations of Pagan rituals, philosophical discussions, and sheer amount of academic detail all add to the atmosphere rather than feeling like unnecessary exposition. There is clearly an absurd amount of research behind this book, and, eventually, I found myself thoroughly enjoying it.
I also really appreciated how much care went into portraying academia.. not just the glamorous intellectualism, but the systemic discrimination and institutional rot underneath it. The acknowledgements made it especially clear how intentional this was, and that care really shows throughout the novel.
The academic horror was probably my favourite part. The supernatural sacrifice is obviously more dramatic than your average faculty meeting, but it works because it's rooted in very real systems of power and cruelty. Add ancient traditions, religious rituals, complicated politics, and the implication of an entire network of schools operating within this system, and naturally I became desperate to figure out how everything connects.
The characters are wonderfully messy, with layers, contradictions, secrets, and enough trauma to fill several therapy appointments.
And James? Easily my favourite. An utterly unhinged, cold-blooded murderer, but somehow also capable of the most obsessive, all-consuming kind of yearning. Horrible man. Terrifying character. Absolutely fascinating. I was seated.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was DARK. Like, what the actual hell did I just read? dark. 😂
The atmosphere in this was absolutely everything. The frozen setting, the sinister traditions, the secrets, the violence and that constant feeling that something terrible is lurking just around the corner made this such an addictive read.
And then there’s Elliott and James.
Their relationship is intense, obsessive and completely consuming. The way their feelings for each other become tangled up with everything happening around them makes their connection feel both romantic and deeply unsettling. Elliott would sacrifice absolutely everything for James, while James' devotion to Elliott takes a much more dangerous, burn-the-world-down-for-you kind of turn.
I LOVED how morally questionable everyone felt. Nobody here is simply good or bad, and the further the story goes, the more you realise just how far these characters are willing to go to protect their secrets.
The whole sacrifice storyline was seriously disturbing, especially watching the consequences spiral after the wrong person is killed. The book doesn't just use the horror as decoration either—it becomes completely intertwined with the characters, their relationships and their choices.
And that dark academia atmosphere? PERFECT. The mythology, intellectual setting, obsession, tragedy and psychological manipulation all worked together so well. It has that deliciously unsettling feeling where you know you should probably run away… but you're far too invested to put the book down.
The atmosphere in this was absolutely everything. The frozen setting, the sinister traditions, the secrets, the violence and that constant feeling that something terrible is lurking just around the corner made this such an addictive read.
And then there’s Elliott and James.
Their relationship is intense, obsessive and completely consuming. The way their feelings for each other become tangled up with everything happening around them makes their connection feel both romantic and deeply unsettling. Elliott would sacrifice absolutely everything for James, while James' devotion to Elliott takes a much more dangerous, burn-the-world-down-for-you kind of turn.
I LOVED how morally questionable everyone felt. Nobody here is simply good or bad, and the further the story goes, the more you realise just how far these characters are willing to go to protect their secrets.
The whole sacrifice storyline was seriously disturbing, especially watching the consequences spiral after the wrong person is killed. The book doesn't just use the horror as decoration either—it becomes completely intertwined with the characters, their relationships and their choices.
And that dark academia atmosphere? PERFECT. The mythology, intellectual setting, obsession, tragedy and psychological manipulation all worked together so well. It has that deliciously unsettling feeling where you know you should probably run away… but you're far too invested to put the book down.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you so much to Netgalley for the arc opportunity!
I want to first say I admire the dedication and work that I can tell the author put into this book. It is very obvious that the author cares and loves this story and I love that, each page you can tell how much work was put onto the story.
I, unfortunately was not a huge fan of this one. I wanted to read it for several reasons, 1) I'm a HUGE Greek Mythology nerd. It's one of my special interests so I always want to read more about it! 2) I'm a big history nerd as well—I minored in history in college and absolutely adore learning about the past. 3) Anything queer, sign me right up.
Following those, I didn't think this book could be anything less than a 5 for me, it has everything I absolutely love in it and I was very excited to read.
Unfortunately, however, the story fell flat to me. The writing didn't feel like I was reading a dark romance, it felt like I was back in college reading a thesis. There was annotated notes every so often that cited quotes in the story and even some notes by the author, which again, I love the dedication to the work, but it just felt very out of place. The overall feeling thay best describes reading is clinical. There didn't seem to be anything to excite me, and the prose was very sterile, and lacked emotions.
I do fully believe this book will have a wide audience, people are going to love it and I really wish I was one of them, but unfortunately this one just wasn't for me.
I want to first say I admire the dedication and work that I can tell the author put into this book. It is very obvious that the author cares and loves this story and I love that, each page you can tell how much work was put onto the story.
I, unfortunately was not a huge fan of this one. I wanted to read it for several reasons, 1) I'm a HUGE Greek Mythology nerd. It's one of my special interests so I always want to read more about it! 2) I'm a big history nerd as well—I minored in history in college and absolutely adore learning about the past. 3) Anything queer, sign me right up.
Following those, I didn't think this book could be anything less than a 5 for me, it has everything I absolutely love in it and I was very excited to read.
Unfortunately, however, the story fell flat to me. The writing didn't feel like I was reading a dark romance, it felt like I was back in college reading a thesis. There was annotated notes every so often that cited quotes in the story and even some notes by the author, which again, I love the dedication to the work, but it just felt very out of place. The overall feeling thay best describes reading is clinical. There didn't seem to be anything to excite me, and the prose was very sterile, and lacked emotions.
I do fully believe this book will have a wide audience, people are going to love it and I really wish I was one of them, but unfortunately this one just wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2026
First of all I just want to say I am obsessed with this cover. One of the best ones I've seen in a long time.
This book was described as a queer dark academia book with betrayal, obsession, and tragedy and I immediately had to pick it up!
The creepy pagan vibes hit you right of the bat and while some of the dialogue comes off as pretentious, I found it really fit the characters and their view of themselves. I will say I didn't care that much about the philosophical conversations, but it definitely added to the academia setting helped set the tone of the story.
The cultish paganism in this book was very well done and it was very interesting how some societal issues were brought to light within even this isolated school. I also loved the chemistry between the two MMCs and their obsession and yearning and the type of chaotic relationship they had. And JAMES, he was such an interesting character.
Overall, this book is perfect if you want something a bit darker and has the perfect gothic vibes.
Thank you Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
This book was described as a queer dark academia book with betrayal, obsession, and tragedy and I immediately had to pick it up!
The creepy pagan vibes hit you right of the bat and while some of the dialogue comes off as pretentious, I found it really fit the characters and their view of themselves. I will say I didn't care that much about the philosophical conversations, but it definitely added to the academia setting helped set the tone of the story.
The cultish paganism in this book was very well done and it was very interesting how some societal issues were brought to light within even this isolated school. I also loved the chemistry between the two MMCs and their obsession and yearning and the type of chaotic relationship they had. And JAMES, he was such an interesting character.
Overall, this book is perfect if you want something a bit darker and has the perfect gothic vibes.
Thank you Victory Editing Netgalley Co-op for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
September 15, 2026
I missed reading dark academia books and this book was perfect in every sense to set the mood for the fall. If you are a fan of if we were villains or secret history or Nocticadia then you'll love this book.
The villains of winter follow Elliot and James whose life struck with tragedy back to back that they form a trauma bond where they can't be away from each other.
The world building and the lore behind the establishment of their college was based on Ancient Greek and Roman history, mythology and traditions but its grandeur ends there as they are just an excuse for their cult to commit barbaric crimes in the name of traditional rituals for more power, political strength and wealth.
That said the plot was very promising but it was unnecessarily long. The relationship between James and Elliot was well written, especially James's yearning for Elliot and the side characters had depth.
I know this is a very lazy review but anything I say about this book would be a spoiler.
The villains of winter follow Elliot and James whose life struck with tragedy back to back that they form a trauma bond where they can't be away from each other.
The world building and the lore behind the establishment of their college was based on Ancient Greek and Roman history, mythology and traditions but its grandeur ends there as they are just an excuse for their cult to commit barbaric crimes in the name of traditional rituals for more power, political strength and wealth.
That said the plot was very promising but it was unnecessarily long. The relationship between James and Elliot was well written, especially James's yearning for Elliot and the side characters had depth.
I know this is a very lazy review but anything I say about this book would be a spoiler.
September 20, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC!
rating : 5 stars
Where do I begin, this book is honest and harsh. I started this book with no expectations and was blown away by it's ferocity. The writing style is beautiful and truly draws you into this world.
Each 'part' was incredibly heartbreaking. The trauma of two boys navigating their messed up reality, and trying to change their fate. The characters we meet throughout the book hold importance, many of them having a role to play in the future of our main characters. On the romance...the yearning tone Elliott uses is encapsulating...the romance was there. The slow-burn was fascinating to me. Act II was so good I couldn't stop thinking about it. The writing style, again, encapsulates everything. James' tone was more logical in a sense... I truly enjoyed reading this book.
I would love to read more from this author!
Bonus: If I leave - Mitski, reminds me of this book....truly gut wrenching love.
rating : 5 stars
Where do I begin, this book is honest and harsh. I started this book with no expectations and was blown away by it's ferocity. The writing style is beautiful and truly draws you into this world.
Each 'part' was incredibly heartbreaking. The trauma of two boys navigating their messed up reality, and trying to change their fate. The characters we meet throughout the book hold importance, many of them having a role to play in the future of our main characters. On the romance...the yearning tone Elliott uses is encapsulating...the romance was there. The slow-burn was fascinating to me. Act II was so good I couldn't stop thinking about it. The writing style, again, encapsulates everything. James' tone was more logical in a sense... I truly enjoyed reading this book.
I would love to read more from this author!
Bonus: If I leave - Mitski, reminds me of this book....truly gut wrenching love.
September 19, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
DNFed at 10%. I really wanted to like this one, since I love The Secret History, and I love dark rituals on a campus, and the writing style at first was very ornate, but unfortunately the author kept wanting to foreshadow everything in an extremely heavy-handed way before anything dramatic would happen. For example, the narration keeps going on about "if only he had managed to change his class on time, then maybe more people would be alive," or "he had no idea what was coming," etc, etc. It's a lot right off the bat, and the pacing is all off, with a lot of this narration breaking up the suspense and not letting any of the scenes breathe on their own. I personally just didn't want to continue reading anymore. Some people will probably enjoy this a lot since the writing and characters do seem interesting, but I did not want to keep going.
DNFed at 10%. I really wanted to like this one, since I love The Secret History, and I love dark rituals on a campus, and the writing style at first was very ornate, but unfortunately the author kept wanting to foreshadow everything in an extremely heavy-handed way before anything dramatic would happen. For example, the narration keeps going on about "if only he had managed to change his class on time, then maybe more people would be alive," or "he had no idea what was coming," etc, etc. It's a lot right off the bat, and the pacing is all off, with a lot of this narration breaking up the suspense and not letting any of the scenes breathe on their own. I personally just didn't want to continue reading anymore. Some people will probably enjoy this a lot since the writing and characters do seem interesting, but I did not want to keep going.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.25 🌟
I've seen this described as a queer "The Secret History" and honestly that fits. A dark academic romance with mythology, sacrifices, toxic relationship, so much yearning, cultish, with the addition of annotations.
So dark and at times violent in all the best ways.
I loved the world building and setting. Each person's character development was unique. The trauma responses and ptsd representation were well written.
This is definitely a book I'll be reading again. Highly recommend!
Thanks to Victory Editing, Evie Phenix, and NetGalley for sending for me an Arc to review.
I've seen this described as a queer "The Secret History" and honestly that fits. A dark academic romance with mythology, sacrifices, toxic relationship, so much yearning, cultish, with the addition of annotations.
So dark and at times violent in all the best ways.
I loved the world building and setting. Each person's character development was unique. The trauma responses and ptsd representation were well written.
This is definitely a book I'll be reading again. Highly recommend!
Thanks to Victory Editing, Evie Phenix, and NetGalley for sending for me an Arc to review.
September 17, 2026
I enjoyed it but it could have gave more if we want to be real. A better structure, maybe some dev edits but those are pricy so I get it. I did enjoy the vibes and concept of this book. Thank you NetGalley! Plus, stunning cover.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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