Now, I’ve been dreading writing this review, as I am certain I need a reread to fully extract my thoughts on this book, because it has SO much to say and it feels hard to reflect upon the dazzling mosaic of its imagery after just one read. And... I won't lie, I’ve also kind of been dreading writing this review as this isn’t my favorite of Ava’s works, and though I LOVED it, I found this one a little bit harder to gush about. There’s a few narrative threads I felt weren’t incredibly strong, and I wish it had been a little longer, as some bits felt skimmed over or underutilized. I think perhaps this story would’ve worked better as a duology or an adult book. But on the other hand, this was some of Ava’s best writing. The quotes at the start of each chapter were especially enchanting, as I found myself poring over those words in an attempt to absorb them into my very being. At the end of the day, it is an Ava Reid book, and so it left me with some ineffable fullness and magic that cannot be pinned down or named in words. And that is something priceless and rare and more important to me than any small shortcomings. You're not just one thing. Survival is something you do, not something you are. You're brave and brilliant. You're the most real, full person I've ever met."

the two main characters, Effy and Preston were so severely bland to me that i really don’t have anything of value to say about them. Preston literally could have been anyone— anyone. he was so distant and anonymous, almost mechanical in nature. there was zero depth, charisma or really anything truly unique about him, so rooting for him and Effy was impossible. i truly had no desire to see them as a romantic pairing because he’d have to have a personality for that. and calling this an academic rivals to lovers is honestly an insult to the entire trope— sincerely where was the academic rivalry? they meet and Effy doesn’t like him for the dumbest read possible, and then soon enough they decide to team up together to investigate Preston’s thesis. But stories were devious things, things with agendas. They could cheat and steal and lie to your face. They could crumble away under your feet." Why is this pitched as Gothic? Because that’s what’s popular right now too. The Crimson Peak is gothic (deliciously so), this is just a sad imitation of the aesthetic. From Sunday Times bestselling author, Ava Reid's YA dark academic fantasy is The Hazel Wood meets A Deadly Education.She pried open her purse and dug for the small glass bottle, uncapped it and poured out a single pill. It was the rosy color of an unopened flower bud, dead before it would ever bloom.”

Bestselling author Ava Reid makes her YA debut in this dark academic fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Elana K. Arnold. One: She was the only female student at the architecture college. Even if the boy had never so much as glimpsed her in the halls before, certainly he had seen her name on the exam results, and then, later, on the college roster in the lobby. Three days ago, some anonymous vigilante had taken a pen and turned her last name, Sayre, into something lewd, preserving the last two letters.We follow Effy Sayre, an architecture student at the University of Llyr. But despite being an architecture major, Effy is a literature fiend. Or at least a fiend about one piece of literature in particular: Angharad by Emrys Myrddin, a beloved fairytale of a young woman abducted who falls in love with–and ultimately destroys–the fairy king. And Effy WOULD be dedicating her studies to literature if she could, but unfortunately women are not allowed in the literature college.

We ask that the proposed structure—HIRAETH MANOR—be large enough to house the surviving Myrddin family, as well as the extensive collection of books, manuscripts, and letters that Myrddin leaves behind. I fell in love with Effy from the very first second. I admired how genuine she was, how raw her pain felt, and how relatable certain aspects of her character were - the need to finally take control of her life and prove to herself that she's strong and capable.

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But Effy’s descent into Myrddin’s world is nothing like what she expected: Hiraeth is a crumbling house on the edge of the sea, where boundaries between reality and fantasy blur all too easily and dark creatures lurk in the forest that surrounds the house. In this desolate place, it’s easy to embrace old ways — iron protectively strong across doorways, hag stones to help humans see more clearly, ash trees growing along the edges of the grounds—-and seek otherworldly protection from a nameless danger. More importantly, she slowly begins to understand that the man she spent so long mythologizing within her own mind had plenty of all too human flaws. He’s cute. Very polite and understanding. I loved he was always there for effy. And how he was disgusted by the way men looked at women. His story with his father was really sad 🫂❤️‍🩹.

Her studio professor, Master Parri, was running through his usual introduction, only in Argantian. It was a new policy at the university, instituted only at the start of her first term, six weeks ago. Officially, it was out of respect for the university’s few Argantian students, but unofficially, it was out of a sort of preemptive fear. If Argant won the war, would they impress their language upon all of Llyr? Would children grow up shaping its vowel sounds and verbs instead of memorizing Llyrian poetry?

Amidst an excellent gothic atmosphere, A Study in Drowning gave me glimpses of untapped potential that left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. Unfortunately, I think this is my least favorite Ava Reid so far. I will probably stay away from any of their future YA releases but I would happily read more books along the lines of Juniper and Thorn. I would highly recommend this book to fans of Divine Rivals. Ava has crafted THE YA gothic fantasy, complete with dark academic elements, fae realms, sharp commentary, and a heart-melting romance at its center.