Nocticadia

 Nocticadia had a slow start for me, but once the secret societies and Devryk made their appearance, I was completely hooked. What began as a book I wasn’t sure I’d going to like, turned into a captivating, dark academia read with twists, secrets, and a world I couldn’t pull myself away from.

This book alternates between two very different POV, and let me tell you, they are worlds apart. On one side, we have Lilia, a schoolgirl whose personality is… well, pretty bland for about half the book. She’s sweet, but her chapters didn’t have much excitement going on, and it was just dragging.

But then there’s Devryk. The moment this brutal professor, nicknamed Doctor Death, enters the story, things take a sharp turn. His dark past, his bloody hands, and his questionable morals make him the far more intriguing of the two. Every time the narrative shifted back to him, I found myself craving more. I couldn’t wait to dive back into his mind and learn more about the secrets he was keeping. Lilia might have been the “simple” side of this duo, but Devryk? He was a twisted, fascinating puzzle I was desperate to solve.

Despite the slow start, (and just waiting for Lilia to finally get to Nocticadia), there’s something magical about Nocticadia that kept me reading. The world-building is phenomenal. Dark academia meets mysterious illnesses, secret societies, and plenty of morally questionable actions, all of which combine to create an atmosphere that’s dark, eerie, and utterly captivating. It’s the perfect setting for a spooky season read—think misty corridors, hidden labs, and characters with more secrets than they know what to do with.

There’s also this beautiful slow-burn tension that builds throughout the book. The mystery unfolds gradually, with twists and turns keeping you guessing, and by the time the heat between Lilia and Devryk finally ignites, it’s absolutely scorching. The contrast between their personalities and experiences only adds to the intensity of their dynamic.

Once the story really picked up, I couldn’t put Nocticadia down. It’s addictive in the way the best dark academia stories are—you get pulled into this murky, mysterious world where nothing is quite as it seems, and you just have to know what happens next. The secrets, the slow-burn romance, and the morally grey characters all come together to create a story that’s as dark as it is addictive.

Nocticadia may have started slow, but once it found its rhythm, it was an absolute gem of a read. If you’re a fan of dark academia, secret societies, and complex characters with dark secrets, then this book is for you. It’s got mystery, slow-burn tension, and just the right amount of spooky vibes to make it a great choice for the season.

While Lilia may not have captured my attention early on, the world around her—and Devryk’s fascinatingly twisted character—more than made up for it. By the end, I was all in, and I can’t wait to see where this story goes next.