Gothikana

"This is a dark academia read, spooky, suspenseful and mysterious. This is different from any book I have read before and I love it. So many questions still left unanswered…maybe there is another book coming from the author. One can hope!"

"I absolutely LOVED the vibes of this book. Dark academia wins! "

"The ending of this book was extremely disappointing. It didn’t answer the majority of the big questions. While some authors actively choose to write ambiguous endings to add to the mystery, I would be willing to bet this author didn’t know how to reasonably finish off the stories she began and left it up to the reader to imagine. Solid start, iffy middle and a very amateurish ending. "

"Trigger warnings made me turn away. "

"This book sounded like it had everything I love- a gothic setting, dark academia vibes, and paranormal elements with a spicy romance- but it reads like it’s an initial draft of a creative writing project submitted for a high school level elective. The sentences pattern repetition was so annoying, the repeated phrases and adjectives were annoying, the numerous amount of times the MMC’s and FMC’s eye colors were referenced was weird. I could probably go on and on about the writing, but I will leave it at that. I didn’t really feel any of the chemistry between the MMC and FMC aside from when they were getting spicy which was very disappointing. There are some plot holes in my opinion which brings me back to this feeling like a draft that was somehow published? I honestly considered DNF-ing at many points, but I prevailed! If I spent money on a physical copy of this book, I would probably be far more upset. "

"Its good, however I felt like it dragged on a bit"

"Great read!!!"

"Corvina Clemm had lived her life as an outcast, never accepted by the people around her. After losing her mother to an insane asylum, she receives an admission letter from the mysterious University of Verenmore. Being alone now, she accepts it to try and start her life over again. The school however isn't what she expected. It is an ancient, secluded castle on top of a mountain that seems more like a prison filled with secrets, deceit, and death.<br/><br/>The only good thing she found was a friendly outgoing roommate who tried to include her in everything and invite her to join her and her friends in activities at school. Corvina didn't have any friends and found them to be genuine and fun to be around. That and her mysterious new teacher Mr. Vad Deverell who is not only a teacher at the school but also a student. A part-time professor working on his thesis, Vad has been around long enough to know the dangers the castle possesses. The moment he crosses paths with Corvina, he knows she is a danger to everything that he is. He stares at her like a panther and she is his next meal and she doesn't mind it one bit. He is young for a teacher and poetically handsome. When he looks at her, it's as if he is trying to read her soul.<br/><br/><i>"Your eyes have such hunger. Your soul is starved, and your flesh is famished. Tell me Miss Clemm, do you want relief?"</i><br/><br/>Their attraction is mutual, however they cannot be. Teacher-student relations are forbidden at the University, but they can't seem to stay away from each other. A century-old mystery pushes them closer together impossible for them to stay away. This University's dark past seems to haunt them both. For over a hundred years, people have disappeared every five years and the voices in Corvina's head are pushing her for clues to unravel it all, while Vad seems to be a part of it as he keeps a close eye on her.<br/><br/><i>"If this is madness", she whispered almost against his lips, "drown me in it."<br/>If this is madness", he told her, echoing her words against her lips, "I've already descended too far."</i><br/><br/>A story about mysterious deaths in an eclectic school filled with rumors of horror and a young woman fighting her inner demons looking for the truth behind the voices that have plagued her entire life. The one thing that makes her feel safe is Vad, who seems to be keeping the truth behind the school's past from her and although may be dangerous, trusts him with all that she has.<br/><br/><i>"Your the mountain I build my castle on brick by brick. You stand, I soar. you crack, I crumble."</i> <br/><br/>I've heard mixed reviews of this book, with some being negative. When I read a book I can't put down, it's a win for me. The story might not be perfect, and not for the masses, but I enjoyed it and do not regret reading it."

"I finished this book in 2/3 days. I picked it up because it reminded me of Beauty and the Beast. I loved how it kept my interest. A girl falls in love with a “bad boy” and trying to figure out what her lucid dreams lead her to. It’s a darker style read. "

"CHECK YOUR TRIGGERS, as this touches on the topic of mental illness. That being said, what an AWESOME story! This is such a great dark, age/gap, forbidden, but LEGAL AGED student/teacher romance. It has an amazing suspenseful mystery plot and is just so much better than I expected when I picked it up! Corvina and Vad’s story, and the story of Verenmore itself, is so beautifully written!! I will definitely be reading this again!! "