Synopsis
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.
Review
Immortal Dark pulses with the heart of a villain—merciless, unforgiving, and utterly ruthless.
Kidan Adane is like Jude Duarte (The Cruel Prince) turned up to eleven. While Jude was a spark, Kidan blazes like a supernova. The story is about family bloodlines, sentient houses, and ancient power, with an incredible mix of African mythologies and classic vampire lore. It has a dark academia feel so the academy setting makes everything even more mysterious. The characters are cold, cruel, and selfish in the best way possible—basically, no one here is a hero, and that’s what makes it so fierce. Readers who love dark, morally complex plot-driven stories—this one’s for you.
“The world loves to punish girls who dream in the dark. I plan to worship them.”
The worldbuilding is seriously amazing—the academy’s history, the ancient vampire lore, and their origins are all so interesting. The dranaic (vampire) world is packed with ancient rules and powerful restrictions. The tension between humans and dranaics is intense, with everyone scrambling for control and power.
The first half of the story was absolutely fire—it gave off serious The Cruel Prince vibes (which I’m totally obsessed with). Kidan has to figure out how to survive in a ruthless world full of manipulative, power-hungry vampires and humans. The power struggles and dangerous alliances—I couldn’t get enough. Immortal Dark hints at an enemies-to-lovers romance, but it doesn’t fully deliver. Still, the charged interactions, animosity, mistrust, and undeniable chemistry between the characters kept things interesting. Grief and loss are central themes in this story, with Adane House serving as a reflection of both, echoing these emotions within its walls.
The second half of the book has a clear shift in tone and focus. While still exciting, it did lack the momentum, depth, and pacing the first half had. I can pinpoint the exact moment my excitement began to taper a little—the poison subplot. On one hand, it totally fit with Kidan’s decision-making style, but it completely stalled the amazing momentum built in the previous chapters. Was there really no other way to move the plot forward or connect her to the secret societies?
“You have such vile expectations of me… I look forward to proving them true.”
Kidan’s character arc was a reason I felt a little let down. Her impulsiveness added unpredictability and danger to the story, but it also made it hard to continue reading through her decision making—she doesn’t really grow as the story progresses. While her impulsiveness is an interesting flaw, it ended up holding the story back instead of moving it forward. Kidan embodies grief, chaos, survival, and internal conflict in a world ruled by order and strict rules. Her character arc and impulsiveness will likely resonate with many, especially since it seems intentional on the author’s part. However, while her impulsiveness is a consistent and central trait, its execution led to some of the pacing issues (for me) in the second half.
The second half of the book didn’t quite live up to the promise of the first. It stung a little because I really loved the idea of secret societies and supernatural elements, but the execution fell short due to more emphasis on plot twists than pacing and character growth. Kidan’s quick to call out the ruthless violence of others but rarely does she take a good look at her own actions. In the sequel, I would love to see this area of her character reflected on further. Also, I’m really excited to see where the plot goes, especially with some of the new characters now in play. Immortal Dark is filled with strengths, making this an impressive and solid debut. I can’t wait to read more from this author and to return to Uxlay University.
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