I love Scotland, Dark Academia vibes and mysteries, so it probably comes as no surprise that the Sorrowsong University series by Autumn Woods caught my attention. The duology, consisting of Nightshade and Daybreak, delivers exactly that – plus a really lovely romance.
A remote elite university in the Scottish Highlands, old family secrets, revenge and a sizzling love story: Nightshade by Autumn Woods completely pulled me in with its dark setting and plenty of suspense. After that rather mean cliffhanger, of course I had to read the sequel Daybreak as well. You can hardly leave Ophelia and Alex right in the middle of all that chaos, can’t you? 😉
While Nightshade was a real page-turner for me, the relationship between the two takes up considerably more space in Daybreak. In this post, I’m introducing you to both books in the Sorrowsong University duology. And there’s also a Dark Academia outfit idea – for which, luckily, you’ll need neither a scholarship nor a dangerous family history. 😉
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Nightshade: Revenge and Secrets at Sorrowsong University
Ophelia only gets the chance to attend the infamous Sorrowsong University thanks to a scholarship. The remote elite university in the Scottish Highlands is mostly attended by the children of powerful and ruthless families, but Ophelia has a very different reason for being there: She wants to find out who is responsible for her parents’ death – and get revenge.
Her main suspect belongs to the family of Alex Corbeau-Green, an extremely attractive fellow student. And yet, of all people, it’s Alex who protects Ophelia when she is followed and threatened by a stalker. The closer the two become, the harder it gets for Ophelia to decide whom she can trust – and whether Alex really is just the son of her enemy or perhaps something more…
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Dark Halls and Powerful Families
The setting was one of the biggest strengths of Nightshade for me. An old university in the Scottish Highlands, dark halls and influential families create exactly the kind of Dark Academia atmosphere I love. Add plenty of secrets, threats and that constant feeling that there is much more going on behind the scenes, and I am definitely into the book. 😉
Of course, university life isn’t portrayed particularly realistically here. Sorrowsong is more like the dramatic, luxurious and dangerous version of an elite university. But for me, it works really well within the story. After all, we want to be entertained and have a bit of suspense for our reading evenings.
Complex Main Characters and a Sizzling Romance
I really liked both Ophelia and Alex, individually as well as together. I also enjoyed that the story is told from both Ophelia’s and Alex’s perspectives. This way, we get to know both main characters better and get an insight into their rather complicated emotions.
I also really enjoyed the romance. There is plenty of chemistry between the two of them without, at least for me, taking away from the suspense of the rest of the story. Their relationship is shaped by mistrust, mutual attraction and the question of whether feelings even stand a chance when such a serious suspicion lies between two people.
As for the spice: Yes, the book contains explicit scenes, but they are kept within reason and don’t overshadow the plot. 😉
A Real Page-Turner – Even If It’s a Little Over the Top
Nightshade completely pulled me in, and I raced through the book in record time. New clues, dangers and questions keep appearing, even though the plot itself isn’t actually that huge. I desperately wanted to know what was behind Ophelia’s family history and the mysterious events at the university. The stalker also keeps the tension going throughout the story.
Autumn Woods doesn’t exactly tell her story in the most realistic way, though. The mafia connections, the power of the families involved and some of the dramatic twists are definitely rather exaggerated. Especially towards the end, the story goes all out: The showdown is huge and certainly more spectacular than realistic (at least I hope so? ;-)). But it remains exciting and entertaining – and that’s exactly what we want from a good Dark Academia book.
Personally, this didn’t really bother me because the exaggeration fits the overall tone of the novel. But if you’re looking for a quiet university story, this isn’t it. Nightshade is Dark Academia in its more dramatic form – including a really nasty cliffhanger. Luckily, that isn’t quite as bad anymore, because the second book in the duology is now available.
Daybreak: Big Feelings, Broken Trust and New Dangers
Daybreak is the second and final book in the duology. You should definitely read the books in order: Nightshade first, followed by Daybreak. And you can’t really read Daybreak without reading Nightshade first.
To avoid spoiling the ending of the first book, I’ll keep the plot summary rather short: Ophelia and Alex have to deal with the consequences of everything that has happened so far. Their trust in each other has been shaken, while new threats and challenges put even more pressure on them. There is, once again (or still?), a stalker – and a whole lot of feelings.
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The Romance Takes Centre Stage
Daybreak continues the story of Nightshade nicely, but the love story now takes up a much bigger part of the book. While I particularly loved the mixture of secrets, danger and attraction in Nightshade, this time we spend a lot of time with the emotional back and forth between Ophelia and Alex. Apart from that, there are quite a few pages where not very much happens.
The story is also no longer completely focused on Sorrowsong University but is split between Scotland and New York. Alex also gets a bigger part this time, which I actually really liked. For me, he is the heart of the story, and it’s interesting to spend so much time inside his head and experience his depression and emotions with him.
I also appreciate that love isn’t portrayed as a cure in this book. Instead, it simply gives Alex one more thing in his life that is worth living for.
Both characters also develop throughout the story. They learn from their mistakes and manage to overcome some of their own issues without suddenly turning into classic Mary Sues.
There are still some exciting scenes and a bit of action here and there, but overall, the romance is definitely the main focus of Daybreak. Whether you like that or not is, of course, a matter of personal taste. I think their relationship is beautifully written, but overall, I would have liked a little more plot – like we got in Nightshade.
Nightshade and Daybreak: My Final Thoughts on Sorrowsong University
Nightshade entertained me incredibly well with its dark atmosphere, its grumpy but somehow still charming main characters and a sizzling romance. The mafia connections and the huge showdown were a little too much for me at times, but in the end, they didn’t really take away from my enjoyment of the book.
My feelings about Daybreak are a little more mixed. I still really like the story, but alongside the very prominent romance, I would have loved a little more of the suspense that carried me through the first book. Still, I think Daybreak is a really good sequel, even if it is just slightly weaker than its predecessor.
If you mainly read Dark Academia for the gloomy setting and a dramatic love story, Autumn Woods’ Sorrowsong series might be just right for you. I certainly had a great time with it.
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A Dark Academia Outfit Inspired by Nightshade and Daybreak
I don’t just love Dark Academia books – I also love outfits inspired by this classic, slightly elitist style. So I took some inspiration from the atmosphere of the books and put together a look that works just as well in a library as it does in everyday life.
Ophelia mostly wears brown, which has earned her the nickname Oliver Twist, and mainly dresses in second-hand clothes for budget reasons.
My dress is by Lena Hoschek and therefore not exactly Oliver-Twist-like, but at least it is second-hand. 😉 And it simply fits the Scottish, academic atmosphere of the books perfectly. Add some boots and subtle jewellery and the look is complete.
Outfit Details:
Dress: Lena Hoschek, similar e.g. via Etsy*
Heritage Belt: via Lena Hoschek
Top: Tezenis, e.g. via AboutYou*
Jewellery: FleurIsCoeur, also available via Etsy*
Boots: Stuart Weitzman*
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You can find plenty more book recommendations in my Reading category. I’ve also recently started a new book Instagram account @retrocat_reads, where I’ll be sharing my latest reads as well as some old favourites. Of course, I’d love to see you there. 😉
