In the dead of winter, the vampires arrive to take a foundling from each village. This year, Fin is taken and dragged to the heart of the vampire kingdom to study to join the immortal ranks of the undead. Should she fail in her studies, she will forever be trapped as a mortal thrall to the vampire Houses. When Gavon steps forward to sponsor her education, the vampire court is shocked, for he belongs to the mysterious Black House which keeps the balance between the four great vampire Houses. Fin, placed in an impossible situation, must navigate danger, romance, friendship and intrigue. But then vampires start to turn up dead, and the history of the vampire Houses may be even more dangerous than anyone realized.

Court of the Undying Seasons by A.M. Strickland has it all. Vampires, romance, dark academia, mysterious lovers, intrigue, fight scenes, and character growth (did I mention vampires mixed with dark academia?). The world was a wonderful blend of traditional fantasy and modern flare, combining the best of both worlds. Casual queerness was a huge part of the story, as almost every character in the book didn’t fall on the traditional gender or romantic spectrum. Gender identity was fluid, and though it was important to Fin’s character, it never overshadowed her personality. The world didn’t have a default sexuality or gender, and especially in the modern era, seeing fantasy free of unnecessary constructs is crucial.

Speaking of Fin’s character, she was a wonderful protagonist to follow. For the early part of the story, she is motivated almost entirely by survival and revenge, and I adored watching her realize that there is more to life than those things. Her relationships felt natural and realistic, especially as they weren’t easily developed. She fought for her friends and they fought for her, and I appreciated how the main friendship was between two strong women/vampires.

The romance took slowburn to the extreme. I liked that while there could have been a power dynamic, neither partner took advantage of it, and the tension was unbelievably good. The jealousy, the banter, the longing stares: this was a romance with teeth and it fit perfectly into the world Strickland has created. The atmosphere of Court of the Undying Seasons was amazing. Reading was like being swept away to a dark castle full of secrets, training in moonlit woods, studying in ancient libraries, and twirling through a blood-stained ballroom. 

Now this book is vicious. There’s violence and blood and death: the author is not kidding when she says it’s a dark fantasy. Beyond the darkness, it is a truly moving story. I cared about the characters and their relationships, and the plot had me guessing until the very last page. If you like books with teeth (or at least characters with fangs), then you’ll love Court of the Undying Seasons. Trust me, you’ll be trapped in its thrall until the very last page.