An Education in Malice

"I liked parts of it. It got kind of long though. Not for anyone who doesn't like spice. It went from tension and kind of spicy to a full on orgy at in the blink of an eye lol"

"A slow burn, dark academia,coming of age, enemies to lover troupe with beautifully written Sapphic! The retelling of Carmilla, Countess Karnstein intertwined with art, writing, and poetry. Takes place in 1986 a time of no internet or cell phones; in the same universe as S.T Gibsons other book a 'Dowry of Blood'. Laura is a young freshman starting her education at St. Perpetua an all girls private academy. Laura is accepted into a very exclusive class under Professor DeLafontane (professor by day, vampire by night). Soon after her arrival, she meets Carmilla one of DeLafontanes Top and Favourite students. From here on in the plot, these two become obsessed with each other and become rivals, competing in verse for the top of class spot. Very atmospheric, elegant, and romantic! I absolutely loved it! easily my top fav. for 2024. Highly recommend this book, and no, you don't need to have read 'A dowry of blood' to understand this new book. (It is a standalone). For fans such as myself of her other book, we get a wonderful Easter egg in the plot! Thank you, Netgalley, for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!"

"I loved A Dowry of Blood and I think my expectations from that book carried over into An Education in Malice. The idea of a taboo relationship between a professor and her students was so intriguing to me. The obsession and strive for perfection could very easily lead to an unstable environment and I wanted to see that play out. While the atmosphere was developed very meticulously, the story ended up falling flat for me. I was uncomfortable the entire time I was reading due to the power imbalance present which was great execution on the author’s part. However, the ending was lackluster and the pacing dragged in certain parts. I didn’t like how there wasn’t repercussions for certain characters and I expected this book to take a darker turn than it did. The ending just let me down.<br/><br/>Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review."

"<b>It must be so terrible to have to kill the thing you love most</b><br/><br/>An enjoyable dark academia story about the pressure of proving yourself worthy to a teacher you idolize, young love, and the consequences of decisions made when you listen to your heart and not your head."

"It kind of left me wanting for a few things and I was a bit disappointed with the outcome of the professor I do love all of the sweet moments between Laura and Carmilla though"

"4 stars!<br/><br/>Disclaimer: I received a free ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my full, honest review. Thank you to Orbit Books and S. T. Gibson for the opportunity!<br/><br/>This book is, in its entirety, what I believe the kids are calling girl dinner. This is my third of Gibson’s books and, like the first two, An Education In Malice was break-taking and so compulsively readable that I finished it in two sittings. Laura and Carmilla’s story unfolds not unlike a flower that blooms once a year, and it was all the yearning, obsession, and carnality I needed. <br/><br/>I don’t have any specific notes of criticism but I think for me this book was a bit predictable. That’s not really a bad thing usually but given the general mood of the story, I would’ve liked some more twists. <br/><br/>Gibson will continue to be an auto-read author for me because I just cannot resist the treat that her books are!"

"Listened to it as an audiobook and it was fabulous!! 10/10 would reread!"

"This is the read for me the first time I read this story I did very much enjoy it but I couldn't find a rating for it partly because I was knee deep in ARCs last year and required reading so I didn't give it the attention it deserved but now that I have finished it and understand how amazing this story truly is from the beautiful writing to the enchanted descriptions of academy life for our main characters to the gripping plot and unrelenting love this story was so good two girls fighting for a poetry teachers favor in a one of a kind class find so much more then they expected 5/5 stars highly recommend you read"

"2~ ɪᴛs ᴊᴜsᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ.<br/><br/>ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍɪᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴀᴛ sᴀɪɴᴛ ᴘᴇʀᴘᴇᴛᴜᴀ's ᴄᴏʟʟᴇɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴍᴀssᴀᴄʜᴜsᴇᴛᴛs, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʟᴀᴜʀᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʀᴍɪʟʟᴀ's ʀɪᴠᴀʟʀʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴛᴡɪɴᴇs ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ sɪɴɪsᴛᴇʀ ɢᴀᴍᴇs.<br/><br/>ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ ɪs ᴀᴄᴛᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴛʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ... ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀs ʙᴏʀᴇᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪs. ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪ ᴄᴀᴍᴇ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛɪɴɢ sᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇʟsᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴜɴғᴏʟᴅ, ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴏɴ. ɴᴏ ᴀᴛᴛᴀᴄʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏʀ ᴀɴʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀs."

"Delicious (despite the rushed ending)"