★★★★★ 5
Pandora’s Pain, Power, and Passion
Format: Kindle
I absolutely love this new world Lyra Winters has created! The spin on a Demon Academy setting was fresh, unique, and completely addictive.
Pandora is a character who immediately captured my heart. Thought to be powerless and enduring years of brutal abuse from her mother, it’s no surprise that her powers emerge at the exact moment she needs them most. After her mother’s death, Pandora discovers her father is none other than Death himself, a soul eater with a dark legacy. Her journey at the academy is anything but easy, filled with challenges tied to her father’s infamous reputation, her barely controlled abilities, and the cruelty of those around her.
Pandora is easy to root for, you feel every ounce of her pain, resilience, and growth. Along the way she meets Reed, a half-human dream demon who’s kind, steady, and the kind of friend everyone wishes they had. There’s also Hunter, a vengeance demon and counselor connected to her father, who adds another intriguing layer to her story. Then there are the bullies: Dexter, a brooding shadow demon; Bram, a chaos demon with a drinking problem and deep hatred for demon nobility; and Skel, a fear demon wrestling with his own darkness. They might hurt her, but they also can’t seem to stay away when she’s in danger, making for some deliciously complicated dynamics.
This book hits so many of my favorite tropes: friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and of course, the irresistible “who hurt you?” storyline. I devoured it, and I’m already diving straight into book two!
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Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2025
