A deeply dark academia novel from USA Today bestselling author Cassandra Khaw, perfect for fans of A Deadly Education and The Atlas Six who are hungry for something a little more diabolical.

The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted is the premier academy for the dangerously the Anti-Christs and Ragnaroks, the world-eaters and apocalypse-makers.

Hellebore promises redemption, acceptance, and a normal life after graduation. At least, that’s what Alessa Li is told when she’s kidnapped and forcibly enrolled.

But there’s more to Hellebore than meets the eye. On graduation day, the faculty go on a ravenous rampage, feasting on Alessa’s class. Only Alessa and a group of her classmates escape the carnage. Trapped in the school’s library, they must offer a human sacrifice every night, or else the faculty will break down the door and kill everyone.

Can they band together and survive, or will the faculty eat its fill?

I’m beginning to accept the fact that I love a good Dark Academia book. I’d read a lot of mixed reviews for this one when it first released, but when I received a copy in my Evernight subscription box I decided to add it to my Halloween month TBR and I ended up really enjoying it.
I went in with zero expectations, so maybe that’s why it hit so well for me. It’s bloody, fast-paced, and just slightly unhinged.

Alessa Li is kidnapped and forced to attend the Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted. Basically, it’s a supernatural detention center disguised as a fancy private academy. The school promises redemption and control over one’s power… until graduation day, when the faculty reveals their true purpose and starts eating the students.

From there, the survivors barricade themselves in the school’s library and realize they must make a horrifying choice: offer a human sacrifice each night, or the ravenous teachers will break in and devour them all. It’s claustrophobic, grotesque, and tense enough to keep you turning the pages.

The characters are sharp and memorable, each one with their own strange abilities and even stranger motives. Alessa makes for a strong lead and the side characters are vivid enough that I found myself caring who made it and who didn’t.

The vibe reminded me of a twisted version of the X-Men school, if the teachers were demons and the students were walking apocalypses waiting to happen. There’s a blend of cosmic horror and dystopian violence that somehow feels both stylish and horrifying. It’s gory, yes, but Khaw’s writing keeps it elegant.

What impressed me most was how much world-building Khaw managed to fit into such a compact story. You get just enough history and structure to make sense of Hellebore, but it never bogs the pacing down. It’s very atmospheric and I feel like this would make a killer limited series. I’d love to see this school come to life.

If you’re sensitive to gore or fast-and-furious storytelling, this might feel a little overwhelming. But if you’re in the mood for something that moves like an action film and reads like a nightmare, this one’s a great pick. It’s the literary equivalent of turning on a late-night horror movie, popcorn in hand, and realizing twenty minutes in that you’re completely hooked.

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