Warm
Malachite
Valmora Academy · Book 1
Malachite. Opal. Agate.
Three stones, three powers, three magical units.
Choose your unit … and hope that it chooses you back.
Arianell Nocthare has been waiting her whole life to enter the prestigious Valmora Academy, where students prepare for war by honing their elemental magic in one of three units. But there are two problems facing Aria on the night of her initiation ceremony. Firstly, her family has been cast into disgrace after her brother was executed for allegedly killing four students in an attempt at dark magic. Secondly, so far Aria has been unable to summon any magic—and being magic-less in an academy where everyone wants to spill your blood is a dangerous game. How will she enter the unit of her choosing and survive without a scrap of power?
Facing blatant scorn from every angle, especially from her brother’s best friend (the tall dark and lethally handsome, Sebastian) Aria is determined to clear her brother’s name and seek justice for his death. Forging a tentative and fraught relationship with Seb, she begins to uncover some terrifying truths about the academy. And a revelation about Aria’s power throws her world into chaos…
Our Take
One of my favourite romantasy reads of 2026! This brought me back to how I felt after reading Fourth Wing. The war academy, the found family, and of course, the moody mmc with a filthy mouth... The perfect amount of spice, great world building, and even better plot twists!
Who Is This Book For?
If you love romantasy with dark academia, enemies to lovers, elemental magic, you enjoy stories with darker, morally grey themes, then Malachite by Ashley Andersen is the book for you. It's the first book in the Valmora Academy series, so it's the perfect place to start.
Content Warnings
This book contains themes of: grief, death, graphic violence.
These warnings are provided to help readers make informed choices about what they read. They may contain mild spoilers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Malachite spicy?
Malachite by Ashley Andersen has a spice level of 3/5 (warm — some steamy scenes).
What order should I read the Valmora Academy series?
Malachite is Book 1 in the Valmora Academy series by Ashley Andersen. We recommend reading the series in order for the best experience.
What tropes are in Malachite?
Malachite features these tropes: dark academia, enemies to lovers, elemental magic, mystery, forced proximity, slow burn, academy setting, found family.
What genre is Malachite?
Malachite by Ashley Andersen is a Romantasy novel.
Does Malachite have any content warnings?
Yes. Malachite contains themes of: grief, death, graphic violence. These warnings are provided to help readers make informed choices.
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