Wilde and Wicked

by Kiersten White

A boarding school, a cursed bloodline, and two rival brothers who definitely weren’t in the brochure.

Nova’s spent her life waiting to die. Not because she wants to, but because her fragile heart can’t handle stress, change, or anything remotely fun. Still, when Mather Academy offers her a full ride, Nova can’t say no. Her mother attended Mather before going on to burn down their house with herself in it. Nova is desperate to learn who her mother was before everything ended in flames.

Mather looks perfect: ivy-covered buildings, luxury hotel–level dorms. And there’s golden boy Anders, who’s sweet and thoughtful and makes Nova feel seen. But shadows lurk—in the strange man who won’t stop following her, in her irrational fear of the surrounding forest, and in Anders’s twin, Soren, who is sharp, rude, and dangerously magnetic.

The deeper Nova digs, the darker the truth becomes: Her mother wasn’t just a student, she was a member of one of the school’s legacy families. Magic is real, and Nova has inherited it. Ancient rules forbid her from being with Anders or Soren, yet they’re the only people she can turn to as her power threatens to overwhelm her. To survive, Nova must uncover why her mother fled Mather . . . and who brought Nova back.

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

432 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 9, 2027

About the author

Kiersten White is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning, and critically acclaimed author of many books for readers of all ages, including the And I Darken trilogy, the Sinister Summer series, the Camelot Rising trilogy, Star Wars: Padawan, Hide, Mister Magic, and Lucy Undying. She also has a very large tortoise named Kimberly, which isn't relevant, but she wanted you to know.

Visit her online at kierstenwhite.com.

Reviews

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m going to do a mini review for this one because, while I received the eARC from Random House Children’s via NetGalley and read it, I want to revisit it on audio and maybe in print, too. Since I have a visual processing disability, digital material can be harder for me to navigate, and the tools I use aren’t very helpful with ebooks. However, since I know I’ll be able to access the audiobook early through PRH Audio closer to publication, I’m going to take advantage of that!

Why? Because I loved so much about this book, and I couldn’t wait to give it a read! The dark academia vibes, along with the cover, just screamed out to me. I loved the romance and found family vibes, and I really appreciated how appropriate it felt for its teen audience.

Lastly, I loved the mystery! It kept me so engaged throughout. The reason I want to revisit this one is that I think I missed a few things, and that impacted some aspects of my reading experience. Basically, I liked it, but I think I could LOVE it!

So stay tuned…

[Karyn Silverman]

Writing is middling but intriguing plot and I’m annoyed that I have to wait probably a while for the next one.

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was completely invested in this book as soon as it was established that there creepy boarding school, a cursed family history, and magic. While I wasn’t very into the romance (there is a very clear love triangle), I was hooked on the story.

Wilde and Wicked follows Nova, who ends up attending the same private school her mother once went to. Her parents died in a fire when she was young, so naturally Nova is desperate to figure out who her mother really was and what happened all those years ago. And because this is a dark academia fantasy, Mather Academy is obviously not just a fancy school. There are secret families, ancient magic, suspicious people, tragic fires. Also, a lot of secrets being kept from Nova.

The first half was definitely slower than I wanted. There isn't a ton happening plot-wise at first, and the story spends a lot of time on Nova's (very cliche) romantic life. Enter Anders, the sweet and thoughtful twin, and Soren, the brooding, rude, mysterious twin. Because apparently one love interest would have been far too easy. The banter between Nova and Anders was cute enough that I didn't completely hate the love triangle, and I did like the genuine connection between Nova and Soren involving their own struggles.

The romance is definitely a big part of this book, sometimes to the detriment of the actual plot.

Once Nova starts figuring out what's actually going on at Mather, though, the book gets so much more interesting. The mystery surrounding her mother, the school, and Nova's family history really starts coming together, and suddenly we're getting magic, secret societies, dangerous rules, and all kinds of supernatural nonsense. I just wish the magic and world-building had been developed a little more because that was the part I wanted more of.

Also, the book includes journal entries from Nova's mother between chapters, which were interesting, but they also basically tipped me off that there was something supernatural going on before Nova herself figured it out. So, the big magic reveal didn't hit quite as hard as it probably could have.

Nova herself is definitely flawed. She's naive, occasionally way too trusting, and her inner monologue can get a little repetitive. But I actually liked that nobody in this book is completely perfect. Even the love interests have their issues, which makes the love triangle feel slightly more believable than the usual "perfect golden boy vs. mysterious bad boy" setup.

The second half is where the book really won me over. There are twists I didn't see coming, more emphasis on the magic and mystery, and the story finally starts moving. And then the ending decides to emotionally punch me in the face and leave me with a cliffhanger.

Despite the pacing issues and the sometimes-overwhelming romance, I definitely had fun with this one. It's atmospheric, witchy, dramatic, a little ridiculous, and exactly the kind of YA fantasy where everyone has secrets and nobody can just communicate like a normal person.

[Jenifer Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilde and Wicked is a dark academia novel filled with mystery and intrigue. Nova’s parents died in a fire when she was a child and she was raised by her older sister. When the opportunity comes up to go to a private school her mother attended, Nova knows she must go even if it’s all the way across the country. Making friends and even a first boyfriend with one of the cute twins, Nova discovers things about her mother, about herself, and about the school and students that she never would have expected.

I loved the story and finished the book in two sittings. There is action throughout the book and it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The mystery will keep teen readers guessing. The romance is very sweet and only has kisses and I loved the love triangle.

[Georgia Meagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley and edelweiss for an arc.

This book is not perfect - very cheesy and kind of anime, can be repetitive in times. But had more fun with this book than I have had in a long time. It felt like I was watching teen wolf or the vampire diaries but witchy version

Full review to come