Nocticadia by Keri Lake Read Along: Week Four Review & Final Thoughts

Welcome back to the fourth and final week of our Nocticadia by Keri Lake read along. And y’all, I am gobsmacked (one of my new favorite words—they come in trends). It’s nice to read a full and complete story in one go. That’s not always common in fantasy, and this book absolutely rocked it.

And that ending?
Shit. Shit. Shit.

I was already having thoughts about the two of them, but hey—maybe she set me up for it.

Keri Lake is a smart author. She brings us to the brink of destruction, causes real pain, and then pacifies us just enough to carry us through to the next horrible bit. That’s my kind of writer.

This final Nocticadia book review and read along update dives into the ending, the character arcs, and the moments that make this dark academia romance linger long after the final page.

Things I Called (And Loved Being Right About)

Let’s start by getting a few things out of the way.

How the tea would mix with the toxin to stabilize it? Called it. I think we were meant to. It was all laid out for us. The comeuppance for Mel, for Lippincott, for Angelo—brilliant. Loved it. Could they have suffered more? Sure. But Angelo’s reckoning was especially satisfying.

His attack on Lilia? The moment she made it home, I knew he was coming. And by God, he got far too close to destroying her in a way that’s hard to recover from. I’m glad she was able to all but save herself. That’s my girl.

That chapter was the hardest for me to read straight through. Beyond the personal trauma it touches on, the way it’s written speaks a truth that’s absolutely terrifying. Lilia’s response afterward is spot-on and respectfully represented.

Well done, Ms. Lake.

Devryck, Consent, and Why This Worked

This is probably the point where I fell the hardest for Devryck.

He takes no offense to her flinching, to how long it might take her to feel comfortable again, to the way trauma reshapes trust. That thread hit exactly where it needed to. Quiet. Patient. Earned.

And that matters.

Devryck’s Brother, Redemption Arcs, and New Possibilities

Devryck’s brother? Holy fuck—what a great arc.

His reluctance to hurt Lilia made me like him almost instantly. I’m genuinely glad he didn’t turn out to be a true villain, and that Devryck forced him to break the programming. I have hopes for the two of them in the future…even with him being Bee’s new hot teacher.

(Though let’s be real—that age gap needs a few more years to marinate.)

Power Shifts, Revelations, and That Final Burn

Lilia becoming a Rook was a genuine surprise—and I love a story that still manages to surprise me this late in the game. It bodes well for her fictional future.

And yes, I see why people still think about this book long after they’ve finished it. There is so much here to unpack and enjoy. Delectable, honestly.

And I’ll just say this without elaborating: their attraction, the way they combust, and how brightly they burn together?
Premium spice.
And I am a spice girl. 😌

Reading Along With Us?

If you’ve been following this Nocticadia by Keri Lake read along, we still have a very limited number of Nocticadia read along boxes available. They’re curated to match the dark academia, gothic romance vibes of this story—and once they’re gone, they’re gone.

👉 [Grab a Nocticadia read along box here]

Final Thoughts on Nocticadia by Keri Lake

I can already tell this is one of those books that will revisit me at strange moments—the kind of story that echoes long after you’ve closed the cover. Those are my favorite kinds of reads.

Needless to say, this final quarter earned more tabs than the rest.

Let me know your favorite parts of Nocticadia by Keri Lake in the comments below—scenes, lines, theories, all of it.

Next up, we’ll be reading Heavenly Bodies by Imani Erriu up to Chapter 16.

👉 Our February book box featuring Heir of Illusions by Madeline Taylor is now open, but quantities are limited. If you want to read along with us next, now’s the time to snag one.

👉 [Shop the February Heir of Illusions book box here]

Until then, happy reading!