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Immortal Dark Trilogy #1
Immortal Dark
The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House in this dangerously romantic dark academia fantasy, where a lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister.
It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.
Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.
To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.
When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.
It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family.
Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad.
To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs.
When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the center of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2024
About the author
Tigest Girma
2 books469 followersTigest Girma is an Ethiopian writer based in Melbourne, Australia. After graduating with a Bachelor of Education, she splits her time between writing and teaching. Passionate about exploring East African characters and myths, her work weaves Black stories with the dark and fantastical. In her free time, she can be found rewatching her comfort shows where the villain gets the girl.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 693 reviews
September 12, 2024
Note: A 3-star rating means="I liked it." This book just wasn't a great fit for my personal tastes. I encourage you to read some of the plentiful 5-star reviews out there.
If you thought Jude and Cardan’s enemy dynamic in The Cruel Prince was ruthless, buckle up because Immortal Dark takes the enemies-to-lovers trope to a whole new level. The passionate hatred between FMC Kidan and MMC Susenyos makes The Cruel Prince look like a cute rom-com.
I really wanted to fall head over heels for this one because I’m all about fantasies with representation. Immortal Dark really drew me in with its premise: a sentient house, rich Ethiopian culture and history, a broody vampire who’s part of the real estate deal, and searing tension that could be hatred or something more. But while the premise was golden, the execution had me trying to get my head around a sea of intricate world rules and plot threads for the first 45%. Some may perceive the execution as an info dump.
With a fragile peace treaty between humans and vampires, ancient artifacts that could cause chaos, the binds placed on vampires, twelve houses with their own rules, a complex power hierarchy, an abduction mystery, a murder mystery and more, there’s a lot to unpack. Honestly, if this story and some of the exposition were trimmed by 100 pages, I think it would make for a more impactful read. But that's just me, art is subjective.
Once I finally got the hang of the world, the plot did eventually keep me curious enough and yes, I traded some beauty sleep for this. The slow-burn enemies-to-not-quite-enemies dynamic was mesmerising and pretty sexy. While this is YA and doesn’t venture into explicit territory, it still manages to keep things pretty steamy somehow.
Spice level: 0.5 🌶
Interestingly, FMC Kidan is a whirlwind—brutal, violent, and downright cruel when we first meet her. She wants to burn the world down to rescue her abducted twin sister and she doesn’t care if she takes herself with it. Initially, I struggled to connect with her and thought her brash and insufferable, but as her backstory unfolded, I saw the layers beneath her rage. Still, her extreme grudge against Susenyos and vampires, in general, felt a bit too close to real-world bigotry. But hey, fiction is supposed to challenge us, and this book certainly made me question who the real monsters are.
Before diving into this one, it’d be a good idea to be mindful of some of the trigger and content warnings, as it’s quite a dark, gritty and heavy read: Blood drinking, death, gore, murder, violence, suicidal ideation, strong language, one animal death, and parental abuse.
All in all, while Immortal Dark doesn’t gift us with glittering vampires, it does serve up a platter of fabulously unique vampire traits unique to this world that I'm sure Edward Cullen would be envious of. I recommend this one for dark academia, dark romance and paranormal fantasy genre enthusiasts who like true enemies-to-lovers tropes with a bit of bite.
Congratulations to Tigest Girma for a dazzling debut—I'm left both satisfied and curious to see what happens in the next book of the trilogy.
My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🔹🔹🔹
Me during the day: Why am I falling asleep at work.
Me at midnight: One more chapter never hurt anyone.
Me at 2 AM: May as well finish it.
True story. RTC.
🔹🔹🔹
It's my first vampire book since Twilight 🐀. Not sure how I feel about vampires that don't glitter in the sun, but here for the dark academia + Ethiopian culture.
If you thought Jude and Cardan’s enemy dynamic in The Cruel Prince was ruthless, buckle up because Immortal Dark takes the enemies-to-lovers trope to a whole new level. The passionate hatred between FMC Kidan and MMC Susenyos makes The Cruel Prince look like a cute rom-com.
I really wanted to fall head over heels for this one because I’m all about fantasies with representation. Immortal Dark really drew me in with its premise: a sentient house, rich Ethiopian culture and history, a broody vampire who’s part of the real estate deal, and searing tension that could be hatred or something more. But while the premise was golden, the execution had me trying to get my head around a sea of intricate world rules and plot threads for the first 45%. Some may perceive the execution as an info dump.
With a fragile peace treaty between humans and vampires, ancient artifacts that could cause chaos, the binds placed on vampires, twelve houses with their own rules, a complex power hierarchy, an abduction mystery, a murder mystery and more, there’s a lot to unpack. Honestly, if this story and some of the exposition were trimmed by 100 pages, I think it would make for a more impactful read. But that's just me, art is subjective.
Once I finally got the hang of the world, the plot did eventually keep me curious enough and yes, I traded some beauty sleep for this. The slow-burn enemies-to-not-quite-enemies dynamic was mesmerising and pretty sexy. While this is YA and doesn’t venture into explicit territory, it still manages to keep things pretty steamy somehow.
Spice level: 0.5 🌶
Interestingly, FMC Kidan is a whirlwind—brutal, violent, and downright cruel when we first meet her. She wants to burn the world down to rescue her abducted twin sister and she doesn’t care if she takes herself with it. Initially, I struggled to connect with her and thought her brash and insufferable, but as her backstory unfolded, I saw the layers beneath her rage. Still, her extreme grudge against Susenyos and vampires, in general, felt a bit too close to real-world bigotry. But hey, fiction is supposed to challenge us, and this book certainly made me question who the real monsters are.
Before diving into this one, it’d be a good idea to be mindful of some of the trigger and content warnings, as it’s quite a dark, gritty and heavy read: Blood drinking, death, gore, murder, violence, suicidal ideation, strong language, one animal death, and parental abuse.
All in all, while Immortal Dark doesn’t gift us with glittering vampires, it does serve up a platter of fabulously unique vampire traits unique to this world that I'm sure Edward Cullen would be envious of. I recommend this one for dark academia, dark romance and paranormal fantasy genre enthusiasts who like true enemies-to-lovers tropes with a bit of bite.
Congratulations to Tigest Girma for a dazzling debut—I'm left both satisfied and curious to see what happens in the next book of the trilogy.
My heartfelt thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🔹🔹🔹
Me during the day: Why am I falling asleep at work.
Me at midnight: One more chapter never hurt anyone.
Me at 2 AM: May as well finish it.
True story. RTC.
🔹🔹🔹
It's my first vampire book since Twilight 🐀. Not sure how I feel about vampires that don't glitter in the sun, but here for the dark academia + Ethiopian culture.
February 8, 2024
Entirely irresistible. Immortal Dark takes the best parts of vampire lore and brings the undying, violent enmity to full throttle. Tigest Girma pushes morally gray fantasy exactly where it needs to go, and you won’t be able to look away.
September 6, 2024
Oh boy, did I ever struggle to get through this book and not just DNF. When I say struggle- I mean I literally sighed, bitched, complained and dreaded each time I picked up this book. I can't remember the last time I looked at my progress percentage so often in a book and damn did it move incredibly slow. I thought it was never going to end.
Had it been an epub copy and not an audio- I would have given up for sure.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂
We follow Kidian our FMC who is trying to track down her sister who's the only family she has left. To get closer to finding her sister she agrees to attend a secret university that's historic and has vampires. When she gets to the school and starts investigating her sister's disappearance, her top suspect is a vampire, Susenyos, her mortal enemy.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
When reviewing an arc, publishers ask for an honest review. Of course, I always give my honest thoughts, but I know that I'm not as harsh as I am with already published books. (Or at least it seems that way to me lol) This time, I just can't. I didn't like anything about this book. Borderline hated it.
The worldbuilding was unclear and muddled. The magic system wasn't explained very well and I found it confusing. The characters were so bland and boring - they were like little cardboard cutouts walking around 'I hate you' 'No, I hate you' 'Rawr I'm going to bite you' ooof, shut up.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ Flat, lacking personality, not fleshed out.
The author's prose tried to be beautiful but it felt like the characters were speaking in riddles without really saying anything at all. It felt forced and try hard. It was exhausting and long winded.
This is one that I really should have just stopped torturing myself with and DNF because it truly never got any better for me.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥The Cruel Prince meets Ninth House in this dangerously romantic dark academia fantasy, where a lost heiress must infiltrate an arcane society and live with the vampire she suspects killed her family and kidnapped her sister. Not an accurate comparison.
༄.ೃ࿔࿐໋✧˖°.☁️𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
╰⪼ Enemies to Lovers
╰⪼ Romantasy
╰⪼ Vampires
╰⪼ Sentient Houses
╰⪼ Morally Gray Characters
╰⪼ Villainous Romantic Leads
╰⪼ Dark Academia
˚୨୧⋆ Many thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Tigest Girma for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. ❤️🧛♀️🩸🖤
Had it been an epub copy and not an audio- I would have given up for sure.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓠𝓾𝓲𝓬𝓴 𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂
We follow Kidian our FMC who is trying to track down her sister who's the only family she has left. To get closer to finding her sister she agrees to attend a secret university that's historic and has vampires. When she gets to the school and starts investigating her sister's disappearance, her top suspect is a vampire, Susenyos, her mortal enemy.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ 𝓜𝔂 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼
When reviewing an arc, publishers ask for an honest review. Of course, I always give my honest thoughts, but I know that I'm not as harsh as I am with already published books. (Or at least it seems that way to me lol) This time, I just can't. I didn't like anything about this book. Borderline hated it.
The worldbuilding was unclear and muddled. The magic system wasn't explained very well and I found it confusing. The characters were so bland and boring - they were like little cardboard cutouts walking around 'I hate you' 'No, I hate you' 'Rawr I'm going to bite you' ooof, shut up.
╰┈➤˗ˏˋ Flat, lacking personality, not fleshed out.
The author's prose tried to be beautiful but it felt like the characters were speaking in riddles without really saying anything at all. It felt forced and try hard. It was exhausting and long winded.
This is one that I really should have just stopped torturing myself with and DNF because it truly never got any better for me.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥
༄.ೃ࿔࿐໋✧˖°.☁️𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
╰⪼ Enemies to Lovers
╰⪼ Romantasy
╰⪼ Vampires
╰⪼ Sentient Houses
╰⪼ Morally Gray Characters
╰⪼ Villainous Romantic Leads
╰⪼ Dark Academia
˚୨୧⋆ Many thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and Tigest Girma for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. ❤️🧛♀️🩸🖤
September 8, 2024
Keep in mind that those are just my opinions and reading is subjective. I still recommend reading this book. I’m happy for everyone who enjoyed this one but it wasn’t for me.
This read like a debut that never went through editing. I can usually look past that but it was constantly thrown in my face and the info dumps didn’t help. The info dumps consists of at least 40% of the book which is extreme for YA.
It was extremely hard to be in Kidan’s head. She was self-centered and did the exact acts she was so against. Was it okay because it was her doing it?
As for the characters - Kidan was the only one that was fleshed out. So since she annoyed me so much - it was hard to read. I didn’t end up getting attached to anyone else because they didn’t feel like they had their own personality.
Overall, I think it had some interesting ideas (black vampires, dark academia, magical houses, etc.) but it lacked execution-wise and would’ve benefitted being 300 pages long instead of >400.
This read like a debut that never went through editing. I can usually look past that but it was constantly thrown in my face and the info dumps didn’t help. The info dumps consists of at least 40% of the book which is extreme for YA.
It was extremely hard to be in Kidan’s head. She was self-centered and did the exact acts she was so against. Was it okay because it was her doing it?
As for the characters - Kidan was the only one that was fleshed out. So since she annoyed me so much - it was hard to read. I didn’t end up getting attached to anyone else because they didn’t feel like they had their own personality.
Overall, I think it had some interesting ideas (black vampires, dark academia, magical houses, etc.) but it lacked execution-wise and would’ve benefitted being 300 pages long instead of >400.
July 29, 2024
Immortal Dark is Gothic, decadent tale, riddled with family secrets, bloody politics, and dark magic. Kidan is such a complex character, caring but ruthless (and unhinged), and I loved following her through Uxlay University and watching her develop her views of both the world and herself. There is so much potential here, I'm really excited to see where the author goes.
The romance is a big part of the plot and I found it to be well done and believable, but everything else was so interesting that I didn't much care for it, though I am curious to see how some things will play out given what we discovered in this book. I highly appreciate how the romance didn't take away from Kidan's personality/strengths.
Immortal Dark was my first audiobook narrated by Jordan Cobb but it won't be my last. The performance was incredible; she breathed so much life into the characters. Masterfully done.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
The romance is a big part of the plot and I found it to be well done and believable, but everything else was so interesting that I didn't much care for it, though I am curious to see how some things will play out given what we discovered in this book. I highly appreciate how the romance didn't take away from Kidan's personality/strengths.
Immortal Dark was my first audiobook narrated by Jordan Cobb but it won't be my last. The performance was incredible; she breathed so much life into the characters. Masterfully done.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.
Want to read
January 7, 2024Black vampires with a dark academia setting? Sold!!!
September 16, 2024
Overview
🎓 Dark academia
💢 Enemies to lovers
👿 Morally grey characters
🦇 Vampires
🤼♀️ Feuding families
⚫ All Black cast
🔥 Slow burn
💋 Enemies And lovers
⭐⭐ Read more of my reviews and get tips on the best Enemies to Lovers books by checking out my Blog, Enemies to Lovers Source ⭐⭐
Immoral Dark is probably the most hyped book i've gotten a chance to early access in awhile! This is a young adult vampire book that in many ways, lives up to the massive enthusiasm placed on it. Tigest Girma is a really talented debut!
Kidan Adane's sister has gone missing, and she knows who took her. Susenyos -The vampire associated her now dead family's great house, sworn to protect them. Kidan has lived her entire life away from a world of vampires and magic, but is willing to brave anything to get her sister back. Even enter the mysterious Uxlay University and rise through the ranks of the vampire world. Even if she has to live with the monster who stole her only family.
The Immortal Dark is very much 1/2 romance and 1/2 dark academia. It's clear the author is a dark academia fan and manages to really bring what fans like from the genre: mysterious universities, secret societies, fucked up rich kids, and tons of studying of course. The setting of Uxlay is extremely well represented and plays a significant role in the story. It mixes African mythologies with various new and old fashioned vampire lore and blends it with traditional academic settings.
At times, the rules and function of the university can feel a little flimsy and silly- but I find that this is the case with a lot of magical dark academia and magic competition stuff, so its pretty easy to ignore.
The story takes up a Secret History style vibe with a complicated outsider joining a group of angry and complicated kids, reading a ton of books, and doing fucked up shit with them.
The plot was the low point for me, but I think others will walk out absolutely loving it. I was extremely engaged with the Vampire academy storyline in the beginning, and Susenyos VS Kidan absolutely SHINES. If you are a Cruel Prince fan, you will immediately be brought back to June VS Carden, only its much more violent and brutal.
Theres two primary antagonist arcs in this book. Immortal Dark is comped to The Cruel Prince and Ninth House, and without spoiling anything, the first leg of the book is much more like TCP, while arc two is much more like Ninth House. After this shift I started getting bored and my enjoyment waned, but I am also a little less into secret society stuff, and that is really important to the story's second act. It felt a little convoluted like it was trying to push too many things into one book.
This book promised morally grey characters and I can't say we were misinformed at all. Kidan is introduced immediately as a murderer, and shes pretty damn cold about it. Her love interest Susenyos is equally cold and cruel when he feels threatened. her new university friends are all willing to do pretty terrible things to succeed in their goals as well. I will say with Susenyos, there are many spots where his character is cleaned up to be "actually misunderstood" and while he has many ruthless qualities, theres a few key cringy moments where the author is trying to give him positive traits that come off as inauthentic and pandering. This is minor spoiler so I won't go into details, but a certain 'service' he provides left me GROANING.
There are truly no real "heroes" in this book dedicated to preserving good morals- kindness is a luxury. Each "main" character is given a specific set of motivations for the horrible things they do, and while this is a single POV book, I did feel well informed about the motivations of all of the characters as they all made each other's lives hell.
While I loved the moral complexity of the characters, I did struggle to connect with anyone besides Kidan and Susenyos, but I do feel like that is something that may evolve as the series does.
The romance was described as a no nonsense enemies to lovers and I think it does shine in that department. Overall the tone of this relationship is on fire. Kidan and Susenyos truly hate each other at the start of the book, and while they are not allowed to kill each other, they make multiple efforts to give each other fates worse than death. Something I respect about Tigest Girma is that she doesn't waste any time with awkward banter: when these two are coming for each other, its for the jugular.
Very minimal moments, especially in the beginning where they have secret little butterflies or accidentally can't help but wanting to PROTECT each other...on no. If anything, its the opposite. Both characters need to bite down the urge to kill and betray each other when forced to work together for various reasons. The issue with it is that there is a bit of e2l catfishing and the tone of hate doesn't remain consistent and has a massive tone shift about 30-40% of the book.
Tigest Girma also does a great job transitioning the relationship through the book. I will say, some of their tension is resolved in some extremely silly ways that annoyed me, but the tone of their connection remains consistent through the book- just two assholes looking at each other and saying "I see you". The mind games. The cruelty. The recognition that there is something dark within them both. Its delightful. Even as tensions lower, this tone is maintained, which I did like.
I recall hearing this book was pitched as new adult but was picked up as YA which affects how graphic it is. Sex and violence have clearly fade to black moments, but the overall tone of the book is much better suited to a young adult VS a teenager. Anyone who loved These Violent Delights (the DA one), The Secret History, Ninth House, and The Cruel Prince will probably really like this. If you are bored of enemies ti lovers being a bunch of silly oppsies and both characters actually being super nice people, The Immortal Dark is a much welcome change of pace! Despite my issues with the books second half and occasional use of corny Romantasy e2l tropes, I am interested in book 2.
EDIT: I adjusted this from a 4 to a 3 upon reflection and discussion of the book, but 3.5 is more accurate.
🎓 Dark academia
💢 Enemies to lovers
👿 Morally grey characters
🦇 Vampires
🤼♀️ Feuding families
⚫ All Black cast
🔥 Slow burn
💋 Enemies And lovers
⭐⭐ Read more of my reviews and get tips on the best Enemies to Lovers books by checking out my Blog, Enemies to Lovers Source ⭐⭐
Immoral Dark is probably the most hyped book i've gotten a chance to early access in awhile! This is a young adult vampire book that in many ways, lives up to the massive enthusiasm placed on it. Tigest Girma is a really talented debut!
Kidan Adane's sister has gone missing, and she knows who took her. Susenyos -The vampire associated her now dead family's great house, sworn to protect them. Kidan has lived her entire life away from a world of vampires and magic, but is willing to brave anything to get her sister back. Even enter the mysterious Uxlay University and rise through the ranks of the vampire world. Even if she has to live with the monster who stole her only family.
The Immortal Dark is very much 1/2 romance and 1/2 dark academia. It's clear the author is a dark academia fan and manages to really bring what fans like from the genre: mysterious universities, secret societies, fucked up rich kids, and tons of studying of course. The setting of Uxlay is extremely well represented and plays a significant role in the story. It mixes African mythologies with various new and old fashioned vampire lore and blends it with traditional academic settings.
At times, the rules and function of the university can feel a little flimsy and silly- but I find that this is the case with a lot of magical dark academia and magic competition stuff, so its pretty easy to ignore.
The story takes up a Secret History style vibe with a complicated outsider joining a group of angry and complicated kids, reading a ton of books, and doing fucked up shit with them.
The plot was the low point for me, but I think others will walk out absolutely loving it. I was extremely engaged with the Vampire academy storyline in the beginning, and Susenyos VS Kidan absolutely SHINES. If you are a Cruel Prince fan, you will immediately be brought back to June VS Carden, only its much more violent and brutal.
Theres two primary antagonist arcs in this book. Immortal Dark is comped to The Cruel Prince and Ninth House, and without spoiling anything, the first leg of the book is much more like TCP, while arc two is much more like Ninth House. After this shift I started getting bored and my enjoyment waned, but I am also a little less into secret society stuff, and that is really important to the story's second act. It felt a little convoluted like it was trying to push too many things into one book.
This book promised morally grey characters and I can't say we were misinformed at all. Kidan is introduced immediately as a murderer, and shes pretty damn cold about it. Her love interest Susenyos is equally cold and cruel when he feels threatened. her new university friends are all willing to do pretty terrible things to succeed in their goals as well. I will say with Susenyos, there are many spots where his character is cleaned up to be "actually misunderstood" and while he has many ruthless qualities, theres a few key cringy moments where the author is trying to give him positive traits that come off as inauthentic and pandering. This is minor spoiler so I won't go into details, but a certain 'service' he provides left me GROANING.
There are truly no real "heroes" in this book dedicated to preserving good morals- kindness is a luxury. Each "main" character is given a specific set of motivations for the horrible things they do, and while this is a single POV book, I did feel well informed about the motivations of all of the characters as they all made each other's lives hell.
While I loved the moral complexity of the characters, I did struggle to connect with anyone besides Kidan and Susenyos, but I do feel like that is something that may evolve as the series does.
The romance was described as a no nonsense enemies to lovers and I think it does shine in that department. Overall the tone of this relationship is on fire. Kidan and Susenyos truly hate each other at the start of the book, and while they are not allowed to kill each other, they make multiple efforts to give each other fates worse than death. Something I respect about Tigest Girma is that she doesn't waste any time with awkward banter: when these two are coming for each other, its for the jugular.
Very minimal moments, especially in the beginning where they have secret little butterflies or accidentally can't help but wanting to PROTECT each other...on no. If anything, its the opposite. Both characters need to bite down the urge to kill and betray each other when forced to work together for various reasons. The issue with it is that there is a bit of e2l catfishing and the tone of hate doesn't remain consistent and has a massive tone shift about 30-40% of the book.
Tigest Girma also does a great job transitioning the relationship through the book. I will say, some of their tension is resolved in some extremely silly ways that annoyed me, but the tone of their connection remains consistent through the book- just two assholes looking at each other and saying "I see you". The mind games. The cruelty. The recognition that there is something dark within them both. Its delightful. Even as tensions lower, this tone is maintained, which I did like.
I recall hearing this book was pitched as new adult but was picked up as YA which affects how graphic it is. Sex and violence have clearly fade to black moments, but the overall tone of the book is much better suited to a young adult VS a teenager. Anyone who loved These Violent Delights (the DA one), The Secret History, Ninth House, and The Cruel Prince will probably really like this. If you are bored of enemies ti lovers being a bunch of silly oppsies and both characters actually being super nice people, The Immortal Dark is a much welcome change of pace! Despite my issues with the books second half and occasional use of corny Romantasy e2l tropes, I am interested in book 2.
EDIT: I adjusted this from a 4 to a 3 upon reflection and discussion of the book, but 3.5 is more accurate.
August 20, 2024
“You made me your nightmare the moment you heard my name”
Dark and oh so seductive, I was instantly hooked!🩸
Kidan attends a secret university in order to track down her kidnapped sister, it just so happens her number 1 suspect is the vampire that’s bound to her family’s sentient home. HELLO enemies to lovers in it’s truest form & forced proximity🙌🏼
The dance of morality takes place the entire book, how far would you go to save a loved one? Would you watch the world burn guilt free? Or would the guilt burn you alive ?
“If they burn , I’m afraid I’ll burn along with them” 🔥
“Cry, she ordered her image. Why? It asked. You would do it again…” 🪞
This book has it all :
🩸 Vampires
🖤 Dark academia
🤫 Secret societies
🔪 Mystery & Murder
🔥 Enemies to lovers with allll the tension
🏡 Sentient house
🖤 Found family bound together is the darkest of ways
📕Ethiopian mythology
Extra elements that live in my mind rent free:
🩸The location of the vampire bite reveals different memories or emotions
🩸Each room within the sentient house mirrors different emotions
🩸Not one, but 2 cliffhangers ?! I am prepared to sell my soul to a vampire for book 2!!
“The world loves to punish girls who dream in the dark. I plan to worship them.” 🙌🏼
Thank you NetGalley Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Dark and oh so seductive, I was instantly hooked!🩸
Kidan attends a secret university in order to track down her kidnapped sister, it just so happens her number 1 suspect is the vampire that’s bound to her family’s sentient home. HELLO enemies to lovers in it’s truest form & forced proximity🙌🏼
The dance of morality takes place the entire book, how far would you go to save a loved one? Would you watch the world burn guilt free? Or would the guilt burn you alive ?
“If they burn , I’m afraid I’ll burn along with them” 🔥
“Cry, she ordered her image. Why? It asked. You would do it again…” 🪞
This book has it all :
🩸 Vampires
🖤 Dark academia
🤫 Secret societies
🔪 Mystery & Murder
🔥 Enemies to lovers with allll the tension
🏡 Sentient house
🖤 Found family bound together is the darkest of ways
📕Ethiopian mythology
Extra elements that live in my mind rent free:
🩸The location of the vampire bite reveals different memories or emotions
🩸Each room within the sentient house mirrors different emotions
🩸Not one, but 2 cliffhangers ?! I am prepared to sell my soul to a vampire for book 2!!
“The world loves to punish girls who dream in the dark. I plan to worship them.” 🙌🏼
Thank you NetGalley Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Read
September 8, 2024DNF @86%
This was putting me in a slump! I tried to push through for my book club but I really didn’t like the writing, dialogue or characters
This was putting me in a slump! I tried to push through for my book club but I really didn’t like the writing, dialogue or characters
August 24, 2024
A dark and blood-drenched vampire dark academia for fans of Serpents and the Wings of Night, A Dowry of Blood, and Legendborn. A truer enemies-to-lovers than The Cruel Prince.
Hidden from our world, a society of vampires are bound to only feed from select human bloodlines. To ensure peaceful co-existence and inherit their legacy, these human children must study at Uxley university before choosing a vampire companion.
Kidan Adane can only pursue justice by entering the enemy’s lair, the place she has learnt to hate as evil with a raging vengeance. But her sister has been taken, and she is sure the vampire bound to her own House is responsible - Susenyos Sagad. Feared by even his own kind.
To gain knowledge and acquire her inheritance, to keep it out of Susenyos’s hands, Kidan must pass all her courses and survive the nightmares Uxley unleashes on her.
This is TRUE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS.
I have never seen two character despise each other more.
He drew in a slow breath, tracking one pupil then the other. "Your hatred burns like ocean ice. And it's entirely... mine. I've never owned something so completely."
Kidan isn’t here to mess around. Her hands are already drenched in blood and she is willing to drown her soul in order to find her sister.
This covers some dark themes. Triggering topics. It is about loving yourself, forgiving yourself, moving on, trusting yourself, seeking a future and connections.
Wait, this is Young Adult?!
Seek mind above blood, and if you must bleed, use it as ink.
I loved that it was rooted in Ethiopian culture and there was an emphasis on reclaiming lost history.
Thank you to Berkeley for providing a physical arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
Hidden from our world, a society of vampires are bound to only feed from select human bloodlines. To ensure peaceful co-existence and inherit their legacy, these human children must study at Uxley university before choosing a vampire companion.
Kidan Adane can only pursue justice by entering the enemy’s lair, the place she has learnt to hate as evil with a raging vengeance. But her sister has been taken, and she is sure the vampire bound to her own House is responsible - Susenyos Sagad. Feared by even his own kind.
To gain knowledge and acquire her inheritance, to keep it out of Susenyos’s hands, Kidan must pass all her courses and survive the nightmares Uxley unleashes on her.
This is TRUE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS.
I have never seen two character despise each other more.
He drew in a slow breath, tracking one pupil then the other. "Your hatred burns like ocean ice. And it's entirely... mine. I've never owned something so completely."
Kidan isn’t here to mess around. Her hands are already drenched in blood and she is willing to drown her soul in order to find her sister.
This covers some dark themes. Triggering topics. It is about loving yourself, forgiving yourself, moving on, trusting yourself, seeking a future and connections.
Wait, this is Young Adult?!
Seek mind above blood, and if you must bleed, use it as ink.
I loved that it was rooted in Ethiopian culture and there was an emphasis on reclaiming lost history.
Thank you to Berkeley for providing a physical arc in exchange for a review!
Bookstagram
Shelved as 'wishlist'
January 3, 2024I WANT THE BLACK VAMPIRE PRECIOUS
August 15, 2024
Wow! This was pretty dark and sexy for a YA book but I really liked it. Immortal Dark is a dark academia fantasy with Black vampires and an angry, depressed heroine bent on revenge. It deals with some really intense topics like self-harm and suicidal ideation, so content warnings for that. But the writing is excellent for a debut - it's evocative and sucked me in from page 1. It's also a really interesting and fresh take on a vampire story.
Kidan is an orphan and heiress, but her sister has been taken (supposedly by an ancient vampire attached to the family house) and she's out to find her sister and get revenge. She's ruthless and violent in seeking her ends and ends up having to attend a school in order to officially be the heir to the estate, while living with this vampire that she hates.
This was pitched as Cruel Prince meets Ninth House and I don't think they're far off on that. This is a dark and fairly violent book with an prickly, angry heroine and complex world-building. It easily could have been sold as an adult novel and as it is, it's definitely on the higher end of the age spectrum. But I'm invested and will definitely read book 2. The audio narration is really good- it gives the atmosphere you want and fits well with who this character is. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Kidan is an orphan and heiress, but her sister has been taken (supposedly by an ancient vampire attached to the family house) and she's out to find her sister and get revenge. She's ruthless and violent in seeking her ends and ends up having to attend a school in order to officially be the heir to the estate, while living with this vampire that she hates.
This was pitched as Cruel Prince meets Ninth House and I don't think they're far off on that. This is a dark and fairly violent book with an prickly, angry heroine and complex world-building. It easily could have been sold as an adult novel and as it is, it's definitely on the higher end of the age spectrum. But I'm invested and will definitely read book 2. The audio narration is really good- it gives the atmosphere you want and fits well with who this character is. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
September 7, 2024
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma is that book that pulls you in with its intriguing premise but—whew—brace yourself because the first half moves at a crawl. I’m talking slooow burn! 😅 Honestly, I nearly DNFed, but something kept me holding on, and boy, am I glad I did! The second half is a game-changer. Once it hits its stride, it’s a wild ride, and suddenly, I’m trading sleep just to see what happens next! I’m giving this one a solid 3.7 stars 🌟 because, let’s be real, the pacing in the beginning was rough. But once it hooked me, I was all in and am definitely ready for the next book!
✧ Dark Academia 🎓
✧ Enemies to Lovers 💘
✧ Vampires 🧛♂️
✧ Morally Gray Characters 🖤
✧ Secret Society ✨
✧ Slow Burn 🔥
✧ Young Adult 🌟
First off, the dark academia vibes? Absolute yes! We’ve got secret societies, broody vampires, and brutal enemies-to-lovers with some seriously morally gray characters. Our girl Kidan? She’s a mess in the best way—full of fire and rage, and willing to burn everything down if it means getting what she wants. 🔥 And don’t even get me started on Susenyos Sagad! He’s not your typical vampire love interest—oh no, the tension between him and Kidan is more I might murder you than I secretly adore you, and honestly, I’m here for it.
The plot picks up in the second half, and once it does, you’re in for a rollercoaster of dark, gritty moments. We’re talking magic, betrayal, power struggles, and that kind of intense, heart-pounding action that leaves you breathless. Girma creates a rich, detailed world full of vampires and secret societies, and while the world-building can feel a bit overwhelming at first, it's all worth it when the story starts to unfold. The intricacies of vampire politics, the depth of the secret society, and the twisted dynamics between characters make for an immersive experience. The second half had me on the edge of my seat, flipping pages like my life depended on it. It’s dark, it’s intense, and it’s deliciously chaotic—everything you want!
Kidan’s journey from a character driven by revenge and anger to someone who learns to navigate the murky waters of trust and power was such a satisfying arc. She’s not perfect, and that’s what makes her so relatable. The romance? Well, let's just say if you're into that slow burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic where the line between love and hate blurs in the most dangerous way, then Kidan and Susenyos will have you feeling things. 😏
Sure, the pacing in the beginning was rough, but once the plot gained momentum, the tension between Kidan and Susenyos mixed with the dark academia and secret society backdrop made it impossible to put down. By the time I reached the climax, I was absolutely hooked, and I can't wait to see where this series goes next!
Content Warnings (CW):
- Parental abuse
- Blood drinking
- Death
- Gore
- Murder
- Sexual content
- Strong language
- Suicide ideation
- Violence
If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers with vampires, secret societies, and high-stakes drama, then Immortal Dark is definitely worth your time. Just be patient with the slow start, and trust me, you’ll be rewarded with a thrilling, dark, and magical journey. 🖤✨
✧ Dark Academia 🎓
✧ Enemies to Lovers 💘
✧ Vampires 🧛♂️
✧ Morally Gray Characters 🖤
✧ Secret Society ✨
✧ Slow Burn 🔥
✧ Young Adult 🌟
First off, the dark academia vibes? Absolute yes! We’ve got secret societies, broody vampires, and brutal enemies-to-lovers with some seriously morally gray characters. Our girl Kidan? She’s a mess in the best way—full of fire and rage, and willing to burn everything down if it means getting what she wants. 🔥 And don’t even get me started on Susenyos Sagad! He’s not your typical vampire love interest—oh no, the tension between him and Kidan is more I might murder you than I secretly adore you, and honestly, I’m here for it.
The plot picks up in the second half, and once it does, you’re in for a rollercoaster of dark, gritty moments. We’re talking magic, betrayal, power struggles, and that kind of intense, heart-pounding action that leaves you breathless. Girma creates a rich, detailed world full of vampires and secret societies, and while the world-building can feel a bit overwhelming at first, it's all worth it when the story starts to unfold. The intricacies of vampire politics, the depth of the secret society, and the twisted dynamics between characters make for an immersive experience. The second half had me on the edge of my seat, flipping pages like my life depended on it. It’s dark, it’s intense, and it’s deliciously chaotic—everything you want!
Kidan’s journey from a character driven by revenge and anger to someone who learns to navigate the murky waters of trust and power was such a satisfying arc. She’s not perfect, and that’s what makes her so relatable. The romance? Well, let's just say if you're into that slow burn, enemies-to-lovers dynamic where the line between love and hate blurs in the most dangerous way, then Kidan and Susenyos will have you feeling things. 😏
Sure, the pacing in the beginning was rough, but once the plot gained momentum, the tension between Kidan and Susenyos mixed with the dark academia and secret society backdrop made it impossible to put down. By the time I reached the climax, I was absolutely hooked, and I can't wait to see where this series goes next!
Content Warnings (CW):
- Parental abuse
- Blood drinking
- Death
- Gore
- Murder
- Sexual content
- Strong language
- Suicide ideation
- Violence
If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers with vampires, secret societies, and high-stakes drama, then Immortal Dark is definitely worth your time. Just be patient with the slow start, and trust me, you’ll be rewarded with a thrilling, dark, and magical journey. 🖤✨
August 30, 2024
I wouldn’t be surprised if this becomes the next big dark academia, paranormal romance hit. This will check a lot of boxes for dark romance lovers as well.
I didn’t completely love this personally, but I get what the author wanted to do. 2.5-3, not sure yet.
I didn’t completely love this personally, but I get what the author wanted to do. 2.5-3, not sure yet.
September 17, 2024
“I want to learn about you.” He breathed, “the fact that I can glimpse your mind by exploring your body is one of the few things in this wretched world I’m grateful for”
IN YOUNG ADULT?!?!?!
This is a book for the vampire diaries girlies, and by that I mean girlies who love an utterly unhinged agent of chaos mc (Katherine), and an utterly unhinged agent of chaos mmc (klaus), with so many random twists that just wrap up then something else pops up and it’s utter chaos!!
what a delight of a book. Has some issues with pacing but it’s a debut, and for a debut this is really quite good. World building is fun and well thought out, if a little jarring to get used to with so many terms. University setting great. Ending pure chaos. Needs a tv adaptation ASAP.
IN YOUNG ADULT?!?!?!
This is a book for the vampire diaries girlies, and by that I mean girlies who love an utterly unhinged agent of chaos mc (Katherine), and an utterly unhinged agent of chaos mmc (klaus), with so many random twists that just wrap up then something else pops up and it’s utter chaos!!
what a delight of a book. Has some issues with pacing but it’s a debut, and for a debut this is really quite good. World building is fun and well thought out, if a little jarring to get used to with so many terms. University setting great. Ending pure chaos. Needs a tv adaptation ASAP.
Currently reading
September 17, 2024Vampire, dark academia mystery????
March 13, 2024
Yall are soooo not ready for Kidan Adane and Susenyos Sagad!!!!!! The morally gray, hot, complicated, enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to-lovers-who-still-want-to-kill-each-other couple of my dreams. They are so Jude and Cardan-coded but so much worse (and by worse I mean better). I regret getting a copy of this early because it pains me that a sequel is not ready for me NOW.
September 5, 2024
3.5 ⭐️ Rounded up | TikTok |
I will start this by saying I think a lot of people are going to absolutely love this book. It has so many of the elements that we crave. Overall it is an excellent debut! If you're vampire obsessed this is one you'll want to pick up!
I absolutely despised out FMC from the very begin of this book, which might be what the author was going for, because the FMC hates herself too. I learned to like her a little more as she learned to like herself. The character development and arc of the FMC is probably the most well done aspect of this novel.
Whats to love…
- A fresh take on vampires! Vampires originate from Africa and are bound to humans in such an interesting way!
- Dark academia setting
- morally grey FMC, feminine rage.
- found family
- a sentient house where different rooms mirror different emotions
- mystery and intrigue
- some A+ enemies to lovers tension
What kept this from being a 5⭐️(p.s. some of the below statements are more venting than anything else…)
- info dump, excerpts from texts, letters, etc and “teaching” are my absolute least favorite ways to world build and this book relies heavily on all three.
- the world-building style makes the first 35-40% is a slog to get though
- I was legitimately confused whether some statements were supposed to be metaphors and lyrical writing, or if it was actually happening. Most of the metaphors and similes added more confusion than style.
- There were some aspects where it felt like the author stretched the limits of previous scenes to mold to the new narrative she needed.
- I cannot get over how the entire book made it seem like an impala horn is some hard to come by object. It’s a modern world, order one off the internet and have it delivered.
- underdeveloped side characters, honestly most of the characters lacked depth.
- A major flaw imo, was the lack of backstory and relationship representation between the FMC and her sister. I didn’t feel any strong connection between them and it made all of the FMCs actions seem blown out of proportion because of it.
Audio narration 2⭐️
- I strongly disliked the audio narration and had I not also had a print copy I would have DNFd. This is one to read in print, not listen to imo.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for sending this book (audio ARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I will start this by saying I think a lot of people are going to absolutely love this book. It has so many of the elements that we crave. Overall it is an excellent debut! If you're vampire obsessed this is one you'll want to pick up!
I absolutely despised out FMC from the very begin of this book, which might be what the author was going for, because the FMC hates herself too. I learned to like her a little more as she learned to like herself. The character development and arc of the FMC is probably the most well done aspect of this novel.
Whats to love…
- A fresh take on vampires! Vampires originate from Africa and are bound to humans in such an interesting way!
- Dark academia setting
- morally grey FMC, feminine rage.
- found family
- a sentient house where different rooms mirror different emotions
- mystery and intrigue
- some A+ enemies to lovers tension
What kept this from being a 5⭐️(p.s. some of the below statements are more venting than anything else…)
- info dump, excerpts from texts, letters, etc and “teaching” are my absolute least favorite ways to world build and this book relies heavily on all three.
- the world-building style makes the first 35-40% is a slog to get though
- I was legitimately confused whether some statements were supposed to be metaphors and lyrical writing, or if it was actually happening. Most of the metaphors and similes added more confusion than style.
- There were some aspects where it felt like the author stretched the limits of previous scenes to mold to the new narrative she needed.
- I cannot get over how the entire book made it seem like an impala horn is some hard to come by object. It’s a modern world, order one off the internet and have it delivered.
- underdeveloped side characters, honestly most of the characters lacked depth.
- A major flaw imo, was the lack of backstory and relationship representation between the FMC and her sister. I didn’t feel any strong connection between them and it made all of the FMCs actions seem blown out of proportion because of it.
Audio narration 2⭐️
- I strongly disliked the audio narration and had I not also had a print copy I would have DNFd. This is one to read in print, not listen to imo.
Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for sending this book (audio ARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
July 11, 2024
DNF at 72% — it’s all too exhausting for me. The house magic is cool but can we just stop jumping to conclusions and speaking in riddles? I really wanted to love this, but it felt like an inside joke and I was very much on the outside.
September 16, 2024
MUY muy MUY adictivo, es demasiado atrapante, recomiendo altamente si buscas algo ligero que te absorba de la realidad como un ovni…
Es el primer libro que leo y que REALMENTE digo AH OK, esto es moralidad gris….. porque antes había leído personajes “morally gray” pero los personajes de este libro…. mamita no te pasan un psicotécnico, en momentos te ponés a reflexionar cosas que decis???? por qué estoy leyendo esto??? sí, medio border por momentos pero ese es el encanto…
Me gustó la historia, siento que tiene varios elementos dentro de todo “nuevos” de lo que viene siendo las historias de vampiros que leemos siempre. Lo que más me gustó fue este tema de las CASAS HECHIZADAS CON VOLUNTAD PROPIA!!!! like‼️‼️ que le hacen caso a su dueño….
Eso sí, me faltó ROMANCE!!!!! SEXO!!! algo loco no sé. No sentí que se haya explotado debidamente la química entre ellos, pero bueno me quedo con las ganas para el segundo.
Otra cosa para notar es que, por más de que los plot twists estén muy buenos, no sé si están tan bien explicados, hubo vecees que tuve que releer ciertas paginas porque me pasaba que no me quedaba claro. Pero la verdad que para ser el primer libro de la autora es un muy buen debut, espero con ansias el segundo.
PS: Un poco raro que haya empezado con “Kidan Adane se dio 8 meses para morir” cuando en realidad nada que ver con la trama kjjjjj estuve esperando todo el libro a que me den una respuesta por eso pero se ve que nunca llegó.
Es el primer libro que leo y que REALMENTE digo AH OK, esto es moralidad gris….. porque antes había leído personajes “morally gray” pero los personajes de este libro…. mamita no te pasan un psicotécnico, en momentos te ponés a reflexionar cosas que decis???? por qué estoy leyendo esto??? sí, medio border por momentos pero ese es el encanto…
Me gustó la historia, siento que tiene varios elementos dentro de todo “nuevos” de lo que viene siendo las historias de vampiros que leemos siempre. Lo que más me gustó fue este tema de las CASAS HECHIZADAS CON VOLUNTAD PROPIA!!!! like‼️‼️ que le hacen caso a su dueño….
Eso sí, me faltó ROMANCE!!!!! SEXO!!! algo loco no sé. No sentí que se haya explotado debidamente la química entre ellos, pero bueno me quedo con las ganas para el segundo.
Otra cosa para notar es que, por más de que los plot twists estén muy buenos, no sé si están tan bien explicados, hubo vecees que tuve que releer ciertas paginas porque me pasaba que no me quedaba claro. Pero la verdad que para ser el primer libro de la autora es un muy buen debut, espero con ansias el segundo.
PS: Un poco raro que haya empezado con “Kidan Adane se dio 8 meses para morir” cuando en realidad nada que ver con la trama kjjjjj estuve esperando todo el libro a que me den una respuesta por eso pero se ve que nunca llegó.
August 2, 2024
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ, literally since 15% I knew this is going to be new fav
Tigest Girma understood the assignment, the enemies were ENEMYING, the tension was so palpable and the plot was genius
main girl is UNHINGED MASTERMIND, I love her, she's so Jude Duarte coded
"- You're dangerously becoming irresistible."
"- You're not contributing to our discussion."
"- I'm distracted by how your dark mind works"
ahhhhhh screaming
and Susenyos oh.my.god. he was so well written, if I were supposed to live with him under one roof I'd immidiately fold like a lawn chair
the plot was enthralling and captivating, left me staring at the wall open-mouthed so many times, I needed to pause the audiobook and process what happened. we have vampires, dark academia, mystery, secret societies, murders, complex characters and so much more
"- Don't judge me." Her tights contracted when he grazed along the muscles with his fangs.
"- I'll always judge you. The day I don't, I want you to kill me."
He smiled against her skin.
"- The day you don't, I want you in my bed."
THE PTERODACTYL SCREECH I JUST LET OUT
bye, this is going to be my personality now, won't hear any criticism about this book
Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
Tigest Girma understood the assignment, the enemies were ENEMYING, the tension was so palpable and the plot was genius
main girl is UNHINGED MASTERMIND, I love her, she's so Jude Duarte coded
"- You're dangerously becoming irresistible."
"- You're not contributing to our discussion."
"- I'm distracted by how your dark mind works"
ahhhhhh screaming
and Susenyos oh.my.god. he was so well written, if I were supposed to live with him under one roof I'd immidiately fold like a lawn chair
the plot was enthralling and captivating, left me staring at the wall open-mouthed so many times, I needed to pause the audiobook and process what happened. we have vampires, dark academia, mystery, secret societies, murders, complex characters and so much more
"- Don't judge me." Her tights contracted when he grazed along the muscles with his fangs.
"- I'll always judge you. The day I don't, I want you to kill me."
He smiled against her skin.
"- The day you don't, I want you in my bed."
THE PTERODACTYL SCREECH I JUST LET OUT
bye, this is going to be my personality now, won't hear any criticism about this book
Thank you Netgalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.
June 26, 2024
— 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"His strength seeped into her, and she tasted the immortal dark, wet and wanting her. It had been waiting a long time, and damn her, she could no longer deny it.
📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 480 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Tigest Girma
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: BKMRK | Hatchette Children's
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 5 September 2024
What you can expect:
— Black Vampire Romantasy
— First Instalment In A Trilogy
— First Person X Single POV
— Ethiopian Mythology
— Dark Academia
— Secret Societies
— Sentient House
— Enemies-To-???
— Forced Proximity
— Revenge/Corruption
— Murder & Mystery
— Found Family
— Morally Grey Characters
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: parental abuse, blood drinking, death, gore, murder, sexual content, adult language, suicide ideation, and violence.
𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
Immortal Dark is the first instalment in a trilogy by debut author Tigest Girma. It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family. Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad. To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs. When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the centre of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭���𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
I cannot begin to truly articulate how much I adored this gripping and captivating tale. Immortal Dark is effortlessly seductive and enchanting with its compelling writing style and immersive dialogue which keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The short chapters made for easy-to-follow dialogue with consistent pacing and eye-widening moments which left me unable to put the book down. I was enraptured in Girma's story-telling and I found myself savouring every single line, dreading the moment I would find myself on the last page of this delightfully bloodthirsty tale. The storyline felt well explored from beginning to end as we divulge into the lore of the world which is filled with mystery and secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that will find ourselves thrust into a path of revenge and corruption as we follow our main character in her desperate bid to find her missing sister. Immortal Dark was unputdownable and has easily found its place as one of my top reads in 2024, and I look forward to seeing what comes next in this trilogy.
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I was utterly compelled into the main plot within Immortal Dark from the very first line. The tone and overall vibes of the story becomes apparent as we are introduced to our main character, Kidan in her thirst for revenge and desperation for answers. This journey lands her at Uxlay University where the vampire accused for kidnapping her sister resides. Kidan spends a large majority of the story trying to prove Susenyos's guilt in his many crimes whilst desperately trying to not have his blood on her own hands. Tensions rise and personalities clash as Kidan and Susenyos often try to gain the upper hand with bloody results. However as it often goes... there is more to this mystery than Kidan ever suspected. Friends become foes and foes become... allies? There is nothing more dangerous than a woman on a path of revenge with nothing worthwhile to lose. Can Kidan and Susenyos find a middle ground in their forced proximity and find the answers that they seek? Or will they destroy one another before they ever get the chance?
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Kidan Adane is as unhinged as they come and I could not love her more for it. She is fierce and relentless in her determination for answers and the safety of her sister, June. Kidan is a complex character that often toes the line of morality as she displays little care for boundaries and respect to the point that many of her actions left my jaw visibly dropped in glee and shock. With her tough exterior and tougher wit, Kidan was quick to assert herself as a formidable foe and somebody to watch out for in spite of her humanity. The complexities of her character only made me adore Kidan all the more. Underneath that iron steel is just an older sister who loves and is loyal to only one individual; her younger sister June. Kidan's orbit revolved around June's existence, and her disappearance is the act that truly broke her. When Kidan loves, she loves hard. She is aware of how fierce and infinite that love is, which is why I believe Kidan hands it out so sparingly. It was a joy to watch her truly challenged by Susenyos Sagad. as they both endured a messy and outright volatile companionship. Kidan's lack of critical thinking and inability to actually think before she acts felt frustrating at times... but at the same time I couldn't hold it against her. I understand her character and what it is that drives her. As difficult as it was to read at times, I understand Kidan's motives and I sympathised with her desperation and small moments of hope. I am really looking forward to what will come next for her character in the continuation of this trilogy.
Author Tigest Girma describes Susenyos Sagad. as 'an arrogant vampire' akin to the likes of Klaus and I could not agree what the comparison any more. Susenyos is volatile yet calculating in the way that he moves and processes events. His page presence was as equally chilling as it was enticing, and I found myself feeling eager to learn more about the mystery surrounding his character. There was so much to unpack and higher emotional stakes than I ever anticipated. Susenyos truly found his perfect match and adversary in Kidan and it was a more humorous journey than I perhaps should have found it. I don't think he expected Kidan to be what she was and his frustration at the loss of his 'easy win' was apparent. Despite being human, Kidan matched his energy and refused to give him an inch during their internal battle. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge that she presented as it revealed many sides to our dark and charming vampire. Much of Immortal Dark is spent questioning the wants and desires of Susenyos's character as there is clearly more to unravel than what is revealed. I often found myself distrustful of his purposeful evasiveness and lack of honesty... and yet there was a subtle 'softness' to Susenyos's character that I hadn't been fully anticipating and yet utterly adored. Susenyos is such a multi-layered and complex character that remains mysterious and yet, equally understood at the same time. Whilst seeming entirely selfish and self-centred, Susenyos clearly displays a sense of loyalty and care towards his small inner-circle. Despite his clear loathing for Kidan's presence, it becomes apparent to the reader that Susenyos's feelings and regard for Kidan is complicated and not one dimensional. He's a walking contradiction and I enjoyed seeing the many layers to his character unfold as the storyline progressed. I'm not entirely convinced I'm describing his character with the justice that it deserves. His complexities and dubious morals make Susenyos a wonderful main character to follow, and I'm very intrigued to see what comes next for his character after that shocking ending.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
The relationship development between Kidan and Susenyos was rocky at best... volatile at most. I don't even think I could describe their dynamic as an 'enemies-to-lovers' (yet) as their companionship was very up and down from beginning to end. Any headway they made to a peaceful coexistence would quickly shatter by the actions and decisions of the other, and it made for a very addictive yet toxic dynamic. Both characters were willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their personal goals and my god did they take that as a challenge. The gala scene in particular? I was beyond shocked and genuinely anxious about the outcome of that scene. I've never read a pair so terribly right for one another as I have Kidan and Susenyos. The clear attraction mixed with loathing made for a forbidding and seductive tone that had my gripping my seat. With every new chapter I genuinely couldn't help but think "well... this is it." And by that I mean I couldn't decipher if it would be the moment they finally get together, or end one another once and for all. Kidan and Susenyos find themselves trapped in their twisted game of 'cat and mouse' with no clear way of getting out... and it truly made for an addictive and unputdownable tale. When outside forces who pose a threat to them both forces the pair to find a way to work together I was mentally cheering whilst anxiously biting my nails to see the outcome. I found their dynamic to feel sinfully irresistible and I'm very intrigued to see where this story will take them. I'm very much hoping for a happily ever after in the end whilst at the same time, I find myself unable to conjure what their version of that would be. Definitely not on a beach vacation sipping cocktails.
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Immortal Dark has consumed my every waking thought since the moment I put it down. I already plan on rereading immediately upon release, perhaps even sooner, as the thought of leaving this world until the news of its sequel is painful. The one and only thing I was surprised to see is that this book is tagged as Young Adult? I may be wrong, but I definitely believed I was reading an Adult story. Whilst there is nothing overly explicit described within Immortal Dark... everything about this story just screams 'mature' to me with it sensual dance with the mortality in life and in death. If it is indeed categorised as a Young Adult book then please be mindful that it's very much 'upper YA' that I wouldn't recommend for those in their earlier teenage years. Then again, there was many Wattpad books I had no business reading at that age and turned out fine.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"His strength seeped into her, and she tasted the immortal dark, wet and wanting her. It had been waiting a long time, and damn her, she could no longer deny it.
📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 480 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Tigest Girma
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: BKMRK | Hatchette Children's
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 5 September 2024
What you can expect:
— Black Vampire Romantasy
— First Instalment In A Trilogy
— First Person X Single POV
— Ethiopian Mythology
— Dark Academia
— Secret Societies
— Sentient House
— Enemies-To-???
— Forced Proximity
— Revenge/Corruption
— Murder & Mystery
— Found Family
— Morally Grey Characters
𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: parental abuse, blood drinking, death, gore, murder, sexual content, adult language, suicide ideation, and violence.
𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
Immortal Dark is the first instalment in a trilogy by debut author Tigest Girma. It began long before my time, but something has always hunted our family. Orphaned heiress Kidan Adane grew up far from the arcane society she was born into, where human bloodlines gain power through vampire companionship. When her sister, June, disappears, Kidan is convinced a vampire stole her—the very vampire bound to their family, the cruel yet captivating Susenyos Sagad. To find June, Kidan must infiltrate the elite Uxlay University—where students study to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires and inherit their family legacies. Kidan must survive living with Susenyos—even as he does everything he can to drive her away. It doesn’t matter that Susenyos’s wickedness speaks to Kidan’s own violent nature and tempts her to surrender to a life of darkness. She must find her sister and kill Susenyos at all costs. When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, Kidan sinks further into the ruthless underworld of vampires, risking her very soul. There she discovers a centuries-old threat—and June could be at the centre of it. To save her sister, Kidan must bring Uxlay to its knees and either break free from the horrors of her own actions or embrace the dark entanglements of love—and the blood it requires.
𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭���𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
I cannot begin to truly articulate how much I adored this gripping and captivating tale. Immortal Dark is effortlessly seductive and enchanting with its compelling writing style and immersive dialogue which keeps you hooked from beginning to end. The short chapters made for easy-to-follow dialogue with consistent pacing and eye-widening moments which left me unable to put the book down. I was enraptured in Girma's story-telling and I found myself savouring every single line, dreading the moment I would find myself on the last page of this delightfully bloodthirsty tale. The storyline felt well explored from beginning to end as we divulge into the lore of the world which is filled with mystery and secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that will find ourselves thrust into a path of revenge and corruption as we follow our main character in her desperate bid to find her missing sister. Immortal Dark was unputdownable and has easily found its place as one of my top reads in 2024, and I look forward to seeing what comes next in this trilogy.
𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
I was utterly compelled into the main plot within Immortal Dark from the very first line. The tone and overall vibes of the story becomes apparent as we are introduced to our main character, Kidan in her thirst for revenge and desperation for answers. This journey lands her at Uxlay University where the vampire accused for kidnapping her sister resides. Kidan spends a large majority of the story trying to prove Susenyos's guilt in his many crimes whilst desperately trying to not have his blood on her own hands. Tensions rise and personalities clash as Kidan and Susenyos often try to gain the upper hand with bloody results. However as it often goes... there is more to this mystery than Kidan ever suspected. Friends become foes and foes become... allies? There is nothing more dangerous than a woman on a path of revenge with nothing worthwhile to lose. Can Kidan and Susenyos find a middle ground in their forced proximity and find the answers that they seek? Or will they destroy one another before they ever get the chance?
𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Kidan Adane is as unhinged as they come and I could not love her more for it. She is fierce and relentless in her determination for answers and the safety of her sister, June. Kidan is a complex character that often toes the line of morality as she displays little care for boundaries and respect to the point that many of her actions left my jaw visibly dropped in glee and shock. With her tough exterior and tougher wit, Kidan was quick to assert herself as a formidable foe and somebody to watch out for in spite of her humanity. The complexities of her character only made me adore Kidan all the more. Underneath that iron steel is just an older sister who loves and is loyal to only one individual; her younger sister June. Kidan's orbit revolved around June's existence, and her disappearance is the act that truly broke her. When Kidan loves, she loves hard. She is aware of how fierce and infinite that love is, which is why I believe Kidan hands it out so sparingly. It was a joy to watch her truly challenged by Susenyos Sagad. as they both endured a messy and outright volatile companionship. Kidan's lack of critical thinking and inability to actually think before she acts felt frustrating at times... but at the same time I couldn't hold it against her. I understand her character and what it is that drives her. As difficult as it was to read at times, I understand Kidan's motives and I sympathised with her desperation and small moments of hope. I am really looking forward to what will come next for her character in the continuation of this trilogy.
Author Tigest Girma describes Susenyos Sagad. as 'an arrogant vampire' akin to the likes of Klaus and I could not agree what the comparison any more. Susenyos is volatile yet calculating in the way that he moves and processes events. His page presence was as equally chilling as it was enticing, and I found myself feeling eager to learn more about the mystery surrounding his character. There was so much to unpack and higher emotional stakes than I ever anticipated. Susenyos truly found his perfect match and adversary in Kidan and it was a more humorous journey than I perhaps should have found it. I don't think he expected Kidan to be what she was and his frustration at the loss of his 'easy win' was apparent. Despite being human, Kidan matched his energy and refused to give him an inch during their internal battle. I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge that she presented as it revealed many sides to our dark and charming vampire. Much of Immortal Dark is spent questioning the wants and desires of Susenyos's character as there is clearly more to unravel than what is revealed. I often found myself distrustful of his purposeful evasiveness and lack of honesty... and yet there was a subtle 'softness' to Susenyos's character that I hadn't been fully anticipating and yet utterly adored. Susenyos is such a multi-layered and complex character that remains mysterious and yet, equally understood at the same time. Whilst seeming entirely selfish and self-centred, Susenyos clearly displays a sense of loyalty and care towards his small inner-circle. Despite his clear loathing for Kidan's presence, it becomes apparent to the reader that Susenyos's feelings and regard for Kidan is complicated and not one dimensional. He's a walking contradiction and I enjoyed seeing the many layers to his character unfold as the storyline progressed. I'm not entirely convinced I'm describing his character with the justice that it deserves. His complexities and dubious morals make Susenyos a wonderful main character to follow, and I'm very intrigued to see what comes next for his character after that shocking ending.
𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
The relationship development between Kidan and Susenyos was rocky at best... volatile at most. I don't even think I could describe their dynamic as an 'enemies-to-lovers' (
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Immortal Dark has consumed my every waking thought since the moment I put it down. I already plan on rereading immediately upon release, perhaps even sooner, as the thought of leaving this world until the news of its sequel is painful. The one and only thing I was surprised to see is that this book is tagged as Young Adult? I may be wrong, but I definitely believed I was reading an Adult story. Whilst there is nothing overly explicit described within Immortal Dark... everything about this story just screams 'mature' to me with it sensual dance with the mortality in life and in death. If it is indeed categorised as a Young Adult book then please be mindful that it's very much 'upper YA' that I wouldn't recommend for those in their earlier teenage years. Then again, there was many Wattpad books I had no business reading at that age and turned out fine.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲.
August 30, 2024
I couldn’t put this book down! It will definitely be one of my most memorable reads of the year. The sequel cannot come soon enough!
It didn’t feel cliche at all. I didn’t expect what was coming in terms of the story or the characters. The author crafted so many characters that I grew to love, and felt intrigued by. She also crafted a very unique world. It is unlike anything I have read recently. I was at the edge of my seat the entirety of the book.
Basically, I loved everything about this book so much.
And I will be willing to do anything for the sequel!
The main takeaway from this review should be that you have to read this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
It didn’t feel cliche at all. I didn’t expect what was coming in terms of the story or the characters. The author crafted so many characters that I grew to love, and felt intrigued by. She also crafted a very unique world. It is unlike anything I have read recently. I was at the edge of my seat the entirety of the book.
Basically, I loved everything about this book so much.
And I will be willing to do anything for the sequel!
The main takeaway from this review should be that you have to read this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Read
August 11, 2024soft DNF for now (will come back later)
I’m just struggling to get into this one.
I’m just struggling to get into this one.
August 6, 2024
as someone who is an avid lover of ninth house, the pitch of this book made me equally excited and apprehensive. i have had less than pleasant experiences with books that were deemed similar to ninth house, but failed in that aspect. but wow, this book delivers while also having its own charm.
the vampire aspect, the history, the characters, they're all so perfectly done. I love how no one is a morally good person. everyone has a dark history and scars and is incredibly flawed, but they were trying their best (except for a few examples, of course, they deserve the worst kind of death). the story itself was a bit slow at first, but the atmosphere and the build-up were fantastic and i didn't mind going through some of the slower parts.
the romance was definitely the aspect that was inspired by the cruel prince, and strangely, i thoroughly enjoyed that. at first, kidan and susenyos' dynamic made me grit my teeth, but seeing their back and forth full of unresolved tension made me giggle, especially when they begrudgingly formed a truce.
the highlight, to me, is our main character, kidan. she reminds me so much of alex stern that i can't help but root for her, and i feel every single emotion that she felt so viscerally.
all in all, this book is a solid, fantastic start to a new series and i can't wait to read the sequel
the vampire aspect, the history, the characters, they're all so perfectly done. I love how no one is a morally good person. everyone has a dark history and scars and is incredibly flawed, but they were trying their best (except for a few examples, of course, they deserve the worst kind of death). the story itself was a bit slow at first, but the atmosphere and the build-up were fantastic and i didn't mind going through some of the slower parts.
the romance was definitely the aspect that was inspired by the cruel prince, and strangely, i thoroughly enjoyed that. at first, kidan and susenyos' dynamic made me grit my teeth, but seeing their back and forth full of unresolved tension made me giggle, especially when they begrudgingly formed a truce.
the highlight, to me, is our main character, kidan. she reminds me so much of alex stern that i can't help but root for her, and i feel every single emotion that she felt so viscerally.
all in all, this book is a solid, fantastic start to a new series and i can't wait to read the sequel
September 3, 2024
Two chapters and a prologue were all I could take of the really awful prose.
Will post examples later.
Later is now!
‘most favorite’? This was the second paragraph, and I stopped dead, because it just sounds wrong. There’s actually quite a bit of debate over whether or not it’s grammatically correct – some people say yes, some say no – but I couldn’t care less about grammar, I care about the sound of it, the rhythm you’re making with your prose. And this is not great.
…seriously, why not just say ‘she could never forgive’? What is the purpose of flipping the words around like that? Is it deliberate, and if so, what’s the goal? Is this like Apple, doing stuff to Be Different rather than because it’s actually good?
Again, I’m not sure this is grammatically incorrect, but no one speaks like this. ‘This was the thing she disliked most about him.’ See how much better that sounds?
he said simply.
Hi, a shadow caught in light doesn’t move, it’s destroyed. And ‘quickness’ sounds awful.
Just say it’s like hell, ffs.
You mean ‘just like on that fiery night’.
So at this point, we’re learning about the vampires, and this is apparently why they don’t feed off anyone except the human bloodlines they’re bound to. But this is a MADDENING sentence. If non-special blood tastes like poison to them, does that mean it tastes bad but they can drink it if they have to? Or are you trying to say it is actually toxic to them? That’s a very important distinction!
Bindings. You mean bindings. Or rules or laws or SOME OTHER WORD. ‘The First Bind’ ‘the Second Bind’ NO.
It's like nails on a chalkboard.
Will post examples later.
Later is now!
This map was one of the dean’s most favorite treasures
‘most favorite’? This was the second paragraph, and I stopped dead, because it just sounds wrong. There’s actually quite a bit of debate over whether or not it’s grammatically correct – some people say yes, some say no – but I couldn’t care less about grammar, I care about the sound of it, the rhythm you’re making with your prose. And this is not great.
She never could forgive such a loss.
…seriously, why not just say ‘she could never forgive’? What is the purpose of flipping the words around like that? Is it deliberate, and if so, what’s the goal? Is this like Apple, doing stuff to Be Different rather than because it’s actually good?
she disliked this most about him.
Again, I’m not sure this is grammatically incorrect, but no one speaks like this. ‘This was the thing she disliked most about him.’ See how much better that sounds?
he simply said.
he said simply.
He moved with the quickness of a shadow caught in light,
Hi, a shadow caught in light doesn’t move, it’s destroyed. And ‘quickness’ sounds awful.
hell was not dissimilar to this.
Just say it’s like hell, ffs.
But just like that fiery night, she failed to cry.
You mean ‘just like on that fiery night’.
your blood tastes like poison to them.
So at this point, we’re learning about the vampires, and this is apparently why they don’t feed off anyone except the human bloodlines they’re bound to. But this is a MADDENING sentence. If non-special blood tastes like poison to them, does that mean it tastes bad but they can drink it if they have to? Or are you trying to say it is actually toxic to them? That’s a very important distinction!
the Three Binds placed on vampires.
Bindings. You mean bindings. Or rules or laws or SOME OTHER WORD. ‘The First Bind’ ‘the Second Bind’ NO.
It's like nails on a chalkboard.
September 3, 2024
The world building and especially vampire lore needs more work, but this was fun. I would give this 2.5 stars, but I will round it up.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
August 15, 2024DNF @ 51%
I try very hard not to DNF arcs, but I just couldn't do it.
I had to keep rewinding my audio arc just to understand the plot points I missed, however minor or major they were.
There was way too much lore dumping that it was hard to keep track of what was even happening on page, much less understand the backstory and history.
With every new chapter, the plot and character building became even more convoluted that it was hard for me to care about what anyone's motives evolved into.
One of my biggest issues was that it felt like the author didn't know if she wanted this to be YA or something more grown-up.
I've read and loved dark YA fantasy, so that part wasn't the issue. The tone felt inconsistent. And the purple prose here and there didn't help.
The whole university and taking classes subplot made no sense to me and felt very contrived. As the book progressed, this became, idk, sillier? There was a school assignment where the human students had to get a vampire to willingly give up a possession/article of clothing? Idek.
The relationship between Kidan and Susenyos made no sense. He's centuries old but acts like a child throwing a tantrum because she's heir to the house he lives in. Bruh.
I did love the Ethiopian influence, but sadly it wasn't enough to keep me going.
By the halfway mark, I just didn't care about the characters, the main plot or subplots, or even the worldbuilding. I just wanted to be done with this confusing mess.
It's a hard DNF for me.
Thank you to Little, Brown Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
I try very hard not to DNF arcs, but I just couldn't do it.
I had to keep rewinding my audio arc just to understand the plot points I missed, however minor or major they were.
There was way too much lore dumping that it was hard to keep track of what was even happening on page, much less understand the backstory and history.
With every new chapter, the plot and character building became even more convoluted that it was hard for me to care about what anyone's motives evolved into.
One of my biggest issues was that it felt like the author didn't know if she wanted this to be YA or something more grown-up.
I've read and loved dark YA fantasy, so that part wasn't the issue. The tone felt inconsistent. And the purple prose here and there didn't help.
The whole university and taking classes subplot made no sense to me and felt very contrived. As the book progressed, this became, idk, sillier? There was a school assignment where the human students had to get a vampire to willingly give up a possession/article of clothing? Idek.
The relationship between Kidan and Susenyos made no sense. He's centuries old but acts like a child throwing a tantrum because she's heir to the house he lives in. Bruh.
I did love the Ethiopian influence, but sadly it wasn't enough to keep me going.
By the halfway mark, I just didn't care about the characters, the main plot or subplots, or even the worldbuilding. I just wanted to be done with this confusing mess.
It's a hard DNF for me.
Thank you to Little, Brown Young Readers and NetGalley for this arc.
August 28, 2024
“She would drown in pleasure when she killed him. It would be the most erotic act, but like any pleasure it would come to the end..” 😏
Kidan is a human searching for her abducted sister. The only way to get her back is to join the Uxlay University and claim her house as its heir, the only problem? The vampire she believes killed her parents and abducted her sister lives there as well… WHAT COULD GO WRONG.. right?
This book was such a fantastic read and if you liked watching Vampire Diaries for Klaus… this book is it! The characters were morally grey af, and I LOVED IT. Everything was so violent and beautiful. It was atmospheric and engaging, introduction of more and more characters as you went brought more life to the book. I loved the East African myths and history and I loved how it was woven with the fantasy, academia and vampirism.
“I will teach you. If you let me, I can teach you a thousand different ways of loving yourself”
When reading this book you get to hate and love the characters as they journey through their own minds and emotions and I really admire the author for writing this so well in her debut! I have too many quotes from this book but they would be super spoils so I will keep them for after the book is released.
Watch me talk about this (no spoilers)
Read this book if you like:
Vampires
Dark Academia
Female Rage at its finest
Found Family
A book without white people
Intense lust in passionate hate
Thanks Hachette UK and Netgalley for digital ARC copy of this book and Hachette Australia for a physical ARC. It made my reading experience amazing.
Kidan is a human searching for her abducted sister. The only way to get her back is to join the Uxlay University and claim her house as its heir, the only problem? The vampire she believes killed her parents and abducted her sister lives there as well… WHAT COULD GO WRONG.. right?
This book was such a fantastic read and if you liked watching Vampire Diaries for Klaus… this book is it! The characters were morally grey af, and I LOVED IT. Everything was so violent and beautiful. It was atmospheric and engaging, introduction of more and more characters as you went brought more life to the book. I loved the East African myths and history and I loved how it was woven with the fantasy, academia and vampirism.
“I will teach you. If you let me, I can teach you a thousand different ways of loving yourself”
When reading this book you get to hate and love the characters as they journey through their own minds and emotions and I really admire the author for writing this so well in her debut! I have too many quotes from this book but they would be super spoils so I will keep them for after the book is released.
Watch me talk about this (no spoilers)
Read this book if you like:
Vampires
Dark Academia
Female Rage at its finest
Found Family
A book without white people
Intense lust in passionate hate
Thanks Hachette UK and Netgalley for digital ARC copy of this book and Hachette Australia for a physical ARC. It made my reading experience amazing.
September 2, 2024
*TRUE* enemies to lovers with a backdrop of dark academia?, a story rich in Ethiopian culture that focuses on reclaiming lost history? Morally gray characters that are actually morally gray not just a swaggering imitation of it? Seductive and immersive prose that sweeps you into an expansive world? Are you sold yet? Tigest has completely transformed the expectations of Young Adult/New Adult fantasy, mercilessly taking a bite into the vampire genre and reimagining it, where Twilight is sparkly and iridescent, Immortal Dark is pure satin and velvet plumes blooming with fresh blood, was that a weird comparison? A decadent gothic novel drenched in blood and violence, absolutley loved this, this was pitched as a mash up of two of my favourite series, The Serpent and the Wings of Night and Ninth House and I'd say it's pretty much spot on, a story about love and vengeance
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