Nocticadia: A Dark Academia Gothic Romance

Nocticadia by Keri Lake was one of my favorite books of 2025. This dark academia romance is immersive, atmospheric, and well paced. The FMC feels realistic and easy to connect with, while Dr. Death is mysterious and compelling. Their romance develops naturally, with tension and spice that feel earned. The plot is engaging and intriguing without being confusing, keeping me invested the entire time. I loved the balance between story, character, and romance. After finishing this book, I immediately wanted to read more from Keri Lake. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy dark academia with strong characters and an organic romantic arc.

Keri Lake delivers another gripping gothic novel, this time set on a remote, eerie island off the coast of Massachusetts. It’s a blend of dark romance, psychological thriller, and twisted suspense. Be warned, though—this story contains graphic depictions of gore, torture and abuse – so check the triggers. The story follows Lilia, who is haunted by the traumatic death of her mother. This event leaves her struggling emotionally and financially, working a dead-end job while shouldering the responsibility of paying for her younger sister's private schooling at an institution designed to help her cope with that trauma. After years of hardship, she’s accepted into an Ivy League school where she begins taking pre-med courses. Here, she meets a mysterious and morally ambiguous professor who is researching the same disease that killed her mother. The slow buildup between the characters is intense—Keri Lake knows how to write a slow burn like no one else. This is one of those “touch her and die” situations and their banter is well written with lots of sarcasm and dry humor. And once the tension finally reaches its peak, it's well worth the wait. The spicy scenes are SPICY and his filthy mouth MAKES it. The professor-student dynamic adds a layer of forbidden tension that makes everything even more compelling. The only negative for me was the ending. It felt a bit rushed considering its 600+ pages. However, it still managed to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Overall, if you're a fan of dark academia, gothic romance, and psychological thrillers with a touch of horror, you’ll love this one.

Wow. Gothic dark romantic Academia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Let me start by saying.... THIS BOOK DOES NOT GET ENOUGH HYPE!! SOOOOO GOOD! GOING DOWN THE KERI LAKE RABBIT HOLE NOW! Nocticadia is a mesmerizing journey into the depths of desire, darkness, and the complexities of love. From the very first page, Lake crafts a world that is both haunting and beautiful, pulling readers into a narrative that is as enthralling as it is poignant. The story revolves around themes of obsession, redemption, and the intricacies of human connection. Lake's characters are richly developed, each with their own struggles and secrets. The protagonist's journey is particularly compelling; readers are drawn into her psyche, experiencing her fears and triumphs in a way that feels deeply personal. Lake's ability to portray raw emotion is one of her greatest strengths, and she does not shy away from exploring the darker aspects of her characters’ lives. The pacing of the story is masterful. It balances tension and tenderness, ensuring that readers are kept on the edge of their seats while also allowing moments of introspection and vulnerability. The banter and tender moments are chef's kisses!! I was not expecting to love this book so much. It was captivating from start to finish (even telling my non-bookish friends about it at brunch and swaying them to read it, too). Plot ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ World building ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Banter ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice 🌶🌶🌶 Twist ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Also, it has an extra story at the end, add on due to the ending 😍😍

This book is living rent free in my head. I didn’t even know if I would like it because of the medical and dark aspects of the story but I am so glad I gave it a try. The story and plot kept me engaged throughout and I loved the dual perspectives where it really felt like the story was progressing even as completely separate things were going on with each character. The spice in this book was Chefs Kiss 😘. The forbidden romance part was hot but I felt like they really didn’t care about it being forbidden and were willing to do whatever they needed to be together. There was a level of maturity to the relationship that I viewed as being surprisingly heathy despite the forbidden aspects of it. I also think what made it so good was the honesty and vulnerability that Lilia displays. It felt relatable in a lot of ways and took me back to my college days. Devryck checks all the obvious boxes for a sexy MMC but adding on his own vulnerability makes it feel balanced to me. They both have demons but they accept those part of themselves and each other. The twists at the end were well paced, I didn’t feel like it was all being crammed in for the sake of tying things up with a bow. It reads like a complete story(because it is) which left me satisfied if only for the fact that I don’t need to wait on another book to come out but unsatisfied in that I didn’t want it to end. 😭 I have read good books this year and ones that linger long after I finish them but this one has earned a top spot on the shelf. I really couldn’t get enough.

This book is a refreshing take on dark fantasy romance, offering much more than the usual tropes. The plot centers around two main characters, both of whom are flawed in fascinating ways, with their psychological complexities adding a unique depth to the story. The author weaves a mix of morbid details, elements of fiction, and a touch of detective intrigue, all while delivering unexpected plot twists—some easy to spot, others more surprising. While the middle of the book is riveting, with strong pacing and rich storyline development, the beginning and end felt a bit dragged out, so you might need some patience to get through those parts. However, if you’re looking for something different from the typical fantasy romance, this book is well worth the read. It’s a dark, twisty, and intricate story that stays with you long after you’ve finished it.

This one was ok for me, not bad at all but nothing really exceptional. There is a lot of slow burn, and then a lot of spicy spice, but I had a hard time believing the feelings between the two main characters at first. Maybe because I found them somewhat one-sided at first, it took me a while to warm up to them. The storyline is pretty good, and as a biologist I found the science at least believable, so that was a plus.

I absolutely loved this book! The plot was so engaging and kept me hooked from start to finish, and I fell in love with every single character. The balance of spice was perfect—enough to add excitement without taking away from the story. I also really enjoyed the creepy elements; it had me feeling jumpy in my everyday life, which I loved! The only reason I didn’t give it a completely flawless review is that there were moments where the descriptions felt a little overdone. Some settings were described in so much detail that it slowed down the story a bit. Still, it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment, and I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves dark, suspenseful reads with a touch of romance.

It is definitely Dark academia! This was an extremely dark read, and little to no breather from the dark writing, which is marvelous. But unfortunately making ut difficult to read for a longer session. Had to make it i to smaller incriminents. I liked the characters and the all the details around the moths, dracadia and all the research. That was really interesting and had me wanting to learn more. At times there was a little but to much everyday happenings that did feel it lasted just a smidgen to long. And with a heavy read that just makes it so much harder to get through. But overall it was a great book.