The weight of ancestral sins can crush even the strongest shoulders, but what happens when those sins might be fabricated lies? Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy plunges readers into a world where magical bloodlines, forbidden romance, and the desperate hunt for truth collide within the deadly walls of an academy that doesn’t educate—it tests survival.
A Bloodline Stained by Betrayal
Anamaya Onyx carries a name that makes her a pariah in the magical community. For over a century, her family has borne the punishment for Dharma Onyx’s crime—the complete annihilation of an incantor bloodline. The Arcanum Imperium didn’t just strip the Onyx women of their sorcerer powers; they cursed each generation differently. Anamaya’s particular torment? She can feel neither physical pain nor pleasure, a cruel irony that makes intimacy hollow and danger invisible.
When her mother dies, leaving behind a cryptic journal and a legal loophole, Anamaya discovers a devastating possibility: her ancestor might have been innocent, framed by the very institution that destroyed her family. Armed with nothing but determination and the Timor Exstinctionis law—which protects endangered bloodlines from extinction—she demands admission to Nightsbridge Academy, the fortress-like school where the truth lies buried in forbidden vaults.
The Academy That Devours Dreams
Debbie Cassidy crafts Nightsbridge Academy as a character unto itself—a Gothic masterpiece perched on cliffs above churning seas, connected by impossible white bridges that defy physics. This isn’t Hogwarts with its comforting house rivalries; Nightsbridge is a crucible where students train to become Hunters, battling Horrors and Echoes spawned from another world. The atmospheric descriptions transport readers into a realm where electric blue wards crackle against storm clouds, where ratakan sentries patrol borders, and where one misstep outside the safety zones means death.
The world-building in Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy demonstrates masterful complexity. The magic system distinguishes between sorcerers who channel the Weave directly through their bodies and incantors who manipulate it through spells and familiars. There are Therianthropes who shift into beast forms, Haematophages who require blood, and rare nagas whose abilities remain shrouded in mystery. Cassidy weaves this intricate tapestry of supernatural politics, magical hierarchies, and ancient covenants without drowning readers in exposition dumps. Instead, information unfolds organically through Anamaya’s sharp observations and experiences.
However, the sheer density of terminology—from the Superna Coteri governing body to the Infra Sanctum vault, from Mortem Finalem death sentences to Perculiari Petitione admission petitions—occasionally demands reader patience. Those new to high fantasy might find themselves mentally cataloging terms during the first hundred pages. Yet this complexity also rewards attentive readers with a fully realized world that feels lived-in and authentic.
A Protagonist Forged in Fire and Ice
Anamaya Onyx refuses to be defined by victimhood. Her curse has taught her to read danger through observation rather than sensation, making her hyperaware of body language, micro-expressions, and environmental shifts. This heightened awareness translates into a narrative voice that crackles with wit and sarcasm—her internal monologue provides both comic relief and emotional depth. When she mentally thanks “Trinity” (the magical world’s equivalent of deities) for felt-lined pockets or sarcastically addresses pompous authority figures, readers glimpse the defense mechanisms she’s built to survive years of isolation and prejudice.
The curse itself creates fascinating narrative tension. Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy explores how the inability to feel physical sensations shapes Anamaya’s relationships and self-perception. Her first sexual encounters taught her that mental arousal alone couldn’t sustain pleasure, leaving her questioning whether she’s capable of true intimacy. Yet when she touches Vitra, her naga mentor, or when Drayven the barghest holds her injured form, inexplicable shivers and tingles breakthrough—suggesting her curse might be weakening within Nightsbridge’s concentrated magical environment.
Cassidy navigates Anamaya’s emotional journey with nuance. She’s not immediately trusting of the Unwoven students who befriend her—Clary, Dori, and Benedict, all serving disciplinary sentences for various infractions. Her wariness makes sense given her history of betrayal, making her gradual acceptance of their genuine friendship all the more poignant. When she internally admits “I f*cking cared” about these friends who accept her Onyx name without judgment, the moment resonates because it’s been earned through shared danger and vulnerability.
Romance That Burns Despite Forbidden Barriers
The romantic elements provide delicious tension without overwhelming the primary plot. Yash Vitra, the sophisticated naga who serves as Anamaya’s mentor, embodies dark academic elegance—all rolled sleeves, turquoise shirts, and bone structure designed to be admired. His sandalwood scent and the way his pupils shift from round to slitted when desire overtakes him create an otherworldly sensuality. The prohibition against teacher-student relationships adds friction, as does his relationship with Constance Selethis, a fellow Coterie member.
Their encounters crackle with unspoken want. When Vitra tends to Anamaya’s injured feet with slow, precise movements, when he admits he has “a weakness for women wearing my clothes” and confesses he might break into his own bedroom to claim her, the sexual tension feels palpable. Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy excels at these slow-burn moments where restraint heightens desire.
Drayven Crax, the barghest combat instructor, represents a different romantic possibility—protective, steadfast, grounded where Vitra is ethereal and commanding. His internal struggle against his primal half’s desire to scent-mark and claim Anamaya adds layers to what could have been a simple love triangle. The revelation that he’s fighting attraction not just because of Academy rules but for deeper personal reasons suggests future emotional complexity.
What prevents this from feeling like predictable paranormal romance is Anamaya’s clear prioritization of her mission. She acknowledges the attractions but refuses to let them derail her goal. She even strategizes using these connections to her advantage—Vitra’s position on the Coterie and his presence during Dharma’s judgment make him a potential information source once she builds sufficient trust.
Friendship as Rebellion
Perhaps the most satisfying relationship arc belongs to Anamaya’s found family. The Unwoven—outcasts stripped of their Weave connection as punishment—recognize kinship with another pariah. Their acceptance feels revolutionary in a world where the Onyx name typically triggers immediate rejection. When they declare “this isn’t a friendship, it’s an alliance” to make Anamaya comfortable, then gradually demonstrate it’s actually genuine care, the progression feels authentic.
Benedict’s casual dismissal of bloodline prejudice (“It’s not like you personally wiped out a bloodline”), Clary’s protective instincts, and Dori’s blunt honesty create distinct personalities rather than interchangeable sidekicks. Their banter and support provide emotional anchors as Anamaya navigates assassination attempts, ratakan attacks, and political maneuvering. The moment she realizes “I wanted friendship. Real friendship. But how could I have that and complete my mission here?” encapsulates her central conflict—allowing connection while maintaining necessary secrets.
The Mystery That Drives Forward
The search for the Libra Veritas—the book of truth supposedly hidden in the Infra Sanctum vault beneath Nightsbridge—propels the narrative with mystery-thriller momentum. Dharma’s fragmentary journal entries, partially burned and water-damaged, suggest she discovered evidence that “IT’S ALL A LIE” before vanishing. The journal hints that truth itself was somehow altered or hidden, that the Arcanum Imperium manipulated reality to frame an innocent woman.
This conspiracy theory element adds noir detective flavor to the dark academia setting. Anamaya must gather information carefully, avoiding suspicion while identifying allies and threats. Her decision to pursue the Carver track—specialists who study and dissect Horrors—provides strategic access to the vault where final examinations occur. The realization that becoming a bio-horror engineer serves her true purpose demonstrates her tactical thinking.
However, some plot developments telegraph themselves for experienced fantasy readers. The mysterious connection between Anamaya and Selina Evergreen’s ghost, the predictable antagonism from high-born students like Viola and Sterling Damascus, and certain revelations about the Academy’s true nature follow familiar patterns. While Cassidy executes these elements well, they don’t subvert genre expectations significantly.
Where Shadows Linger
Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy demonstrates remarkable strengths but isn’t without minor stumbles. The pacing occasionally stutters during heavy exposition about the Overshadowing event, the Covenant agreement between bloodlines, or the intricate political structures governing magical society. While this world-building enriches the setting, some readers might wish for tighter narrative momentum during these informational passages.
The training sequences, while showcasing Anamaya’s determination, sometimes feel repetitive—another combat drill, another near-death experience, another reminder that she’s vulnerable without her powers. The structure of “attend class, face antagonist, romantic tension, repeat” occasionally overshadows the mystery investigation that should drive urgency.
Additionally, certain supporting characters remain frustratingly one-dimensional. Sterling Damascus exists primarily as sneering aristocratic villainy, Viola and Tamina as mean-girl obstacles. While their house affiliations and bloodline politics provide context for their hostility, more complexity would have elevated conflicts beyond “powerful students bully the outcast.”
The Verdict: A Promising Portal to Darker Depths
Despite minor imperfections, Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy succeeds as an engaging series opener that balances romance, mystery, and action within an immersive fantasy world. Cassidy’s prose captures both the Gothic atmosphere of Nightsbridge’s storm-battered cliffs and the intimate moments where Anamaya’s emotional walls crack. The cliffhanger ending—which I won’t spoil—promises explosive revelations in future installments.
Readers seeking dark academia with teeth, complex magical systems, and a protagonist who fights for justice rather than acceptance will find much to appreciate here. The unique curse concept, the morally gray political landscape, and the tantalizing mystery of what really happened a century ago create compelling reasons to continue Anamaya’s journey.
Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy isn’t perfect—it demands patience with its terminology, occasionally leans on familiar tropes, and could tighten certain sequences. But it delivers where it counts: in creating a protagonist worth rooting for, a romance worth anticipating, a mystery worth solving, and a world worth exploring. For readers willing to immerse themselves in its complexities, Nightsbridge Academy offers a thrilling, dangerous education in both magic and the price of truth.
For Fans Of:
Readers who enjoyed the following books will find similar pleasures in Wicked Onyx by Debbie Cassidy:
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros: For dark academia settings where students train in deadly combat, forbidden romance between students and instructors, and heroine determined to survive despite being underestimated
- A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik: For magical schools that actively try to kill their students, protagonist navigating prejudice due to ancestry, complex magical systems and survival-focused narrative
- From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout: For heroine on secret mission while developing feelings for men who could be allies or enemies, curse/magical limitation affecting protagonist, intricate political conspiracies
- Zodiac Academy by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti: For bully romance elements in magical school setting, found family among outcasts, multiple love interests with forbidden attraction dynamics
- Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo: For rare magical powers that make protagonist both valuable and target, mentor-student romantic tension, quest to prove worth and uncover truth
