by I. V. Marie
Part of The Souls of Blackwood Academy
First published 2026
Wren Loughty finds herself outside the gates of Blackwood Academy and realizes the truth. She's dead. The magical boarding school sits on the edge of the afterlife, and now she's trapped between worlds. Her task is learning to guide lost souls to the Other Side. Her first assignment pairs her with Augustine Hughes, known as the "Demon of Blackwood." August keeps his distance from everyone, but he has his own motives for getting close to the new girl. As they work together, those motives grow more complicated. Wren and August navigate the gothic campus and their ruthless classmates. An undeniable bond forms between them despite August's reputation and Wren's wariness. But their connection carries dangers neither expects. Some betrayals leave permanent scars, and at Blackwood Academy, trust can become a weapon.
Genres: fantasy, young-adult, boarding-school, paranormal, dark-fantasy, dark-romance
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, emotionally-intense, gothic, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forbidden-connection, found-family, slow-burn
Setting: Blackwood Academy, The Other Side
192 pages · Hardcover · Delacorte Press
Content warnings: death