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Sibylline
by Melissa de la Cruz
ages 14+
G Putnam, $20.99, 304pp
Published: February 2026

Raven, Atticus, and Dorian have dreamed of attending Sibylline for as long as they can remember. But when the magical ivy league rejects them, the friends' plans of a future together studying the arcane begin crashing down.

Until they decide to steal an education.

Getting jobs on campus, they sneak into lectures and swipe forbidden texts, dodging the administration's watchful eye. In the quiet of night, in the thrill of secrecy, their magic awakens. And so do long-buried attractions that turn their friendship into something more.

But like magic, love can create, and it can destroy. As unrequited feelings and resentment threaten to fracture their bond, the trio discovers an insidious magic that has sunk its claws into Sibylline, killing students and corroding the very bones of the university. Now the three intruders may be the key to saving the institution from wreckage . . . if they don't wreck one another first.

In Sibylline by Melissa de la Cruz, the dramatic relationships are what makes this novel so fun to read. I immediately loved the characters of Raven, Atticus, and Dorian, in particular, the love triangle between the three of them, all three pining after the one they can't have. I love how quickly the drama and the suspense are set up, the intrigue at Sibylline and the mystery of what is happening at Arches. As the intrigue ramps up and the relationships fracture, the story only gets more delicious.

Melissa de la Cruz does a fantastic job writing all three points of view and keeping the story engaging, even when we don't know what is going on from anyone else's viewpoint. I love the way the relationships are resolved and the ending leaves a hint of more difficulties for the trio down the line. Which makes me happy as I'd love to see another book in the world.

If you love Dark Academia, magic and unconventional relationships, friends-to-lovers vibe, I definitely recommend this magical romantic suspense. All three characters are engaging and interesting. I love the world and how magic works. And most especially, I like that how the friendship between the three is resolved without any of them losing a friend along the way.

Rating: 5 out of 5 spirits. ~~ Andrea Rittschof

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