Immortal Dark (Immortal Dark Trilogy, Book 1)

This fantasy debut set on the grounds of an ancient university has a fascinating premise of vampires and humans being bound to one another through generations of clan houses. The protagonist, Kidan, wants nothing to do with the blood-soaked history of her family ties to draniacs (vampires) but she is no innocent heroine. Full of anger and vengeance about the disappearance of her sister, June, she is prepared to play dirty to discover the truth, even if that means murder.

It also means moving back to her ancestral house at the university. Kidan suspects her house vampire, Susenyos, and since they have to live together (uneasily) on the grounds of the university, there is plenty of time to observe his behaviour, even as they seem to be developing a dark fascination with one another. As she is the only member of her family left alive, if Kidan doesn’t pass her classes she will get kicked out of the school and the vampire will take over her clan house. To her, this is certainly a fate worse than death.

This is a fascinating world incorporating African myth and characters, who just happen to live in close proximity with vampires. The first in a trilogy, it features sophisticated writing with compelling, three-dimensional characters and intricate world-building. There is a delightfully detailed map of Uxlay University to pore over and ancient texts interspersed with the narrative, which contain the rules of the book’s world. Immortal Dark is an incredible debut which will be adored by readers aged 15+ who love dark academia and romantasy.