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dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved this book. It was perfect balance of gothic and pretty writing and romance. The plot also had me interested. I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen and what anything meant until the end and even then i still had questions that need answers ugh
spooky? Yes. Pretty and gothic university? Yes. Scruffy, broody professor with a filthy mouth? also yes. All in all i devoured this book and simply cannot stay away from a dark academia with a student professor relationship
spooky? Yes. Pretty and gothic university? Yes. Scruffy, broody professor with a filthy mouth? also yes. All in all i devoured this book and simply cannot stay away from a dark academia with a student professor relationship
This book wasn’t bad…it wasn’t good either. However, it was a *vibe*. The writing was juvenile and even cringey at parts but the whole haunted castle and dark secrets thing worked well. The spice was spicy but the romance was…weird? He kept kissing her nose ring. That was an ick for me. The ending left a lot to be desired. Overall, some parts were really good and others were really, really bad.
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴡɪʟʟ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀʏ ʀᴏꜱᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇ ꜱᴛᴏᴘ ꜱʜᴀʀɪɴɢ ʀᴏᴏᴛꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏꜱᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜʀꜱ,” ʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄʟᴀʀᴇᴅ. “ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ, ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇᴀꜱᴛ. ɪ ᴀᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇꜱꜱ. ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ, ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀʟɪꜰᴇ.”
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I thought the book had a paranormal, mystical creature aspect to it. After seeing reviews, and realizing it didn’t, I did not want to finish it.
Gothikana was such an atmospheric, moody read—I loved the dark academia vibes and slow-burn mystery. The setting was eerie and immersive, and it gave me similar vibes to Nocticadia with that haunting, gothic edge and a romance that simmers beneath the surface.
Corvina is a refreshingly unconventional heroine, and I really enjoyed her introspective, quietly rebellious nature. Vad is the perfect dark and brooding academic—aloof, intense, but with just enough vulnerability to make him magnetic. Their chemistry builds slowly but with a delicious tension.
The plot unravels at its own pace, which worked for the tone, though it did drag slightly in the middle for me. Still, I was fully invested in the mystery and the forbidden dynamic between the leads.
Overall, Gothikana was haunting, seductive, and beautifully written. If you liked Nocticadia, this will absolutely scratch the same itch.
Corvina is a refreshingly unconventional heroine, and I really enjoyed her introspective, quietly rebellious nature. Vad is the perfect dark and brooding academic—aloof, intense, but with just enough vulnerability to make him magnetic. Their chemistry builds slowly but with a delicious tension.
The plot unravels at its own pace, which worked for the tone, though it did drag slightly in the middle for me. Still, I was fully invested in the mystery and the forbidden dynamic between the leads.
Overall, Gothikana was haunting, seductive, and beautifully written. If you liked Nocticadia, this will absolutely scratch the same itch.
