A very moving read! Ava Reid's YA debut is just as wonderful as her other 2 books I have read. Readers will find that this will quickly become one of their most favorited books - the prose is amazing, it's thought provoking, and the atmospheric experience enthralled me. This will be on my recommended reading lists here at the library. Five out of five stars.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this E-Arc!

What a beautiful story. But I strongly believe that this book should not be listed as YA.

This book made me feel cold to the bone. This is the first time I've read a book by Ava and I was completely in awe of her pen. A study in drowning is a very atmospheric story, it's amazing how readers can find themselves in The bottom hundred and Hidraeth with the characters. I love how the author manages to make you feel the cold, the noise of the sea and the stillness of the cliffs.

I adored Effy. I love Preston too but Effy has my whole heart which is something that took me completely by surprise. She is shy, delicate, akward and a bit lost in her mind but she is also a strong, brave and passionate character. Effy has real flaws but it's amazing how much her character grows throughout the book.

The mystery, the gothic vibes, the sweet slow burn romance and the strong feminist twist blends so beautifully in this unforgettable story.

This is a story about a girl who tries to survive, a girl who deserves better, a girl who struggles to understand between what is real and what is not, a girl who only wants to survive a world that keeps trying to destroy her (Did I just quote Leigh Bardugo? Yes, yes I did) who tries her best even when the world tries to crush her. Even when the world tells her it's not enough.

This book is for us, the girls that try to do their best even when the world tries to crush us. Even when the world tells us that we are not enough.

But yes, we are. And fuck the patriarchy. (Shout this like Taylor Swift does in ATW10 cause I highly believe that if Effy were real she would be a swiftie)

4.5 ⭐️

"I will love you to ruination," the Fairy King said.
"Yours or mine?"

Okay, I've no idea where to start because there's a lot going on in this book.
It's a dark academia, gothic, historical fantasy romance with a (murder? you can kinda say lol) mystery.
It’s very atmospheric with beautiful prose and a tender romance.

The story revolves around Effy who's the only female student attending the architecture college after being rejected into the university's more prestigious Literature college. Literature is Effy's passion, but unfortunately due to a lot of misogyny, they don't accept girls.
Trying to make the best of her situation she enters a competition to redesign the estate of the famous Emrys Myrddin who happens to be Effy's all time fav author and recently deceased. When she wins Effy is invited by Myrddin's son Ianto to stay at Hiraeth Manor and design a new house. Upon arrival she discovers Preston - a fellow Literature student, tasked with writing a thesis on Myrddin and a house crumbling around its residents, drowning in neglect and secrets.
Everyone's keeping secrets and Effy constantly feels like she can't trust her own mind. She accidentally discovers that Preston is actually there trying to expose Myrddin as a fraud which pits them even more against each other until Preston proposes a tender alliance - if Effy helps him uncover the truth he will help her get into the Literature college. Can she confront the truth about her childhood hero and can their alliance last?

ASID is a book about a story within a story, it's about haunted mansions, buried truths and finding your voice.
This really is Ava's most romance driven book and the romance is handled wonderfully. ASID is more fast paced than her other works and I loved that. I was barely able to put it down. She found the perfect balance with the descriptions here, previously I found them too long on occasion even with her beautiful prose.
This is by far the best book by AR even with the characters blushing every other page and Effy crying/wanting to cry in every single chapter.

If you love dark academia, rivals to lovers, unreliable narrators, books about books, gothic mansions and mysteries you should check it out, I loved ASID.

Eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

A Study in Drowning, Ava Reid's debut into YA, is remarkable and absolutely captivated me in ways that few books have this year.

Reid's masterful use of vivid imagery and symbolism is nothing short of breathtaking, pun intended with the theme of drowning. At times, I found myself experiencing the same sense of dread and vulnerability as Effy as she tries to exist in a world of Fairy Kings.

A Study in Drowning is a must-read this year. I was only disappointed that some scenes may be more suited for mature YA readers.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is my honest opinion on what I read.

If Ava Reid has 100 fans, I'm one of them. If they have one fan, it's me. If they have no fans, I am dead.

I was honestly so excited and shocked and thrilled to get an ARC of A Study in Drowning. When I heard Ava Reid was releasing a rivals to lover dark academia book, I knew it would be one of my new favorites. What I didn't expect was the absolute masterclass in women needing to fight for their recognition in male-dominated spaces, the power of the truth and unraveling generations of misogyny and lies, and the raw emotion of interweaving real and make-believe.

Effy, our main character, is a storyteller trapped in an architect's body—because that is what society will allow a woman to accomplish. Our setting is a world that reveres writers and storytellers, and Effy's tumultuous life finds purchase and meaning in Angharad, the opus of her favorite author and whose titular heroine provided solace in an otherwise troubling life. Effy is truly one of those heroines that feels immensely relatable—as a woman in an academic setting, as a storyteller trapped in society's expectations. But what I love most about Effy is her belief in her own story, even when her mother, and doctors, and teachers, and other students want to shove her into a little box. She KNOWS the Fairy King is real, and thus the superstitions of the south are real, even if no one believes her. Even when she wants to give up, she is unabashedly herself.

Effy and Preston's relationship feels so real and believable. Preston is a truth-seeker, wanting not just his own academic glory but to find what is real in a world marked by a fairytale. He cares little about the war between his country and Effy's. He just wants to see what is true come to light, and—even before finding romance with Effy—helping her get her fair recognition as an intelligent, thoughtful, and dedicated literature student.

This is not a book about fighting an evil force, or uncovering secrets, or finding true love. This is not a book about academic institutions and those who are controlled by them, or the superstitions that plague rural communities. This is, at its core, a book about how women need to fight tooth and nail to get even an ounce of the recognition they deserve for their work. This is about how men both see women solely as sexual objects, and as minds to exploit for their own professional gain. This is about a woman finding her voice, her worth, her allies, and the strength to advocate for her own peace.

I adore Ava Reid's writing. I knew before I even finished page one that I would give this book five stars, because I just know her writing will always be five stars for me. But what's more is her ability to bring onto paper characters that so perfectly reflect the struggles of being anything other than a man in a male-dominated society. A Study in Drowning is one of those books where I see myself, but I know others will see themselves. Set in what I feel is a unique and atmospheric setting for a dark academia novel, this is one of those books that will stick with me for a long, LONG, time.

A Study in Drowning is a clever and magical YA fantasy that succeeds in creating a moody, atmospheric world for its reader. It taps into several popular trends in YA currently: dark academia, a bit of a cozy fantasy element, fairy tale nods. This is sure to be popular among young readers. A caveat: it doesn't have much crossover for an adult audience, This is squarely a YA book but YA readers - not a problem at all but something to keep in mind for adults who are on the prowl for more "grown up" YA stories.

4.75/5 stars! You can tell that this book was written by an experienced author, who knows how to wind storyline and intrigue seamlessly. I can't gush enough about "A Study in Drowning." Preston and Effy were both fully-developed characters and their motivations and secrets kept me turning the page. It was a quick, gothic read and I highly recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

This was a great book! It had some subtle foreshadowing that helped me guess what might transpire. I thought the main character was a bit too timid but by the end of the book she did find her voice. I really like how everything came together at the end. The description of the setting and characters was helpful. During the storm, I could feel the water rushing in. Nicely done!

Thank you NetGalley, Ava Reid, and HarperTeen for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is one of the best books I’ve ever read and I think fantasy fans will love it. It discusses some themes I’ve never seen in books before, like can you possess a book just because you love it? It has beautiful writing, interesting characters, and a unique plot. The main character is Effy, an architecture student who really wants to study literature. She applies to help redesign the house her favorite author used to live in and wins the competition. She travels to the house and weird things start to happen… While there, she meets a literature student named Preston. I love their relationship and how they went from academic enemies to more. The fantasy elements are done in a great way to where you really don’t know what’s *true* for a long time. I already want to reread it to be in this world again and I hope Reid does more with it in the future. I highly recommend this one! 5 stars.

Full disclosure: I am a hugely biased Ava Reid fan. I think she's phenomenal and this novel continues to prove me right. Effy is a deeply flawed but compelling character trying to find her place in a world that doesn't respect her. Initially I wasn't sure how I would personally feel about Effy, but quickly found myself rooting for her success. The world of A Study in Drowning develops slowly, giving the reader pieces to think about and chew on as the book continues. Funny enough, when Effy first arrived at *spoiler here* I actually started shivering. But I think that's just a testament to how Reid's words leap off the page and surround you completely. I found this book impossible to put down between the social complexity, potential promise for magic, and the beautiful narrative writing style. I highly recommend!!!

“You don’t have to take up a sword. Survival is bravery too.”

Wow wow. Ava Reid’s prose is, once again, unparalleled in its twisted and ethereal power. Each of her books is a singular reading experience, and A Study in Drowning is no different. Effie’s journey as a heroine is harrowing and truly an awakening to her own power, and Preston’s character is a wonderfully precocious but loving compliment to her. In every moment I was, and there were a solid 10 pages where my jaw had dropped because of the weight of Reid’s storytelling. I am forever a lover of the symbolic application of water in writing, and Reid does it the best I have ever seen with A Study in Drowning.

“But if fairies and monsters were real, so we’re the women who defeated them.”

The themes of power, silence, love, and discovery and the dark threads within them are heavy in their artistry. Reid never fails to leave me slightly disturbed in the most reflective way.

Massive thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Ava Reid has written a character so relatable it almost hurts to see ourselves into the mirror and confront the truth. However Reid's writing has grasped me in the plot, the characters, and the world. You couldn't pull me away from A Study in Drowning, I wanted to be absorbed in every page.

This was my first Ava Reid and it definitely won't be my last. The writing in A Study in Drowning was fantastic and beautiful. I couldn't stop reading it and I didn't want this story to end. I liked that Effy wasn't a perfectly likable character and you understood why she was the way she was. I also really enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope and thought it was well written.

Ava Reid has quickly become one of my favorite authors of all time, and their YA debut just further proves my love for their magical stories. I can’t believe that I actually wanted MORE book throughout the story! They write the best “unlikable” female characters, have fully engrossing worlds, and a command of language that could bring anyone to tears. I fully and entirely urge you to pick this one up in September!!

Reid does it again! I became an auto-fan of her after loving Juniper & Thorn last year and this was a highly anticipated read for me. It truly did not disappoint. While it’s labeled as YA, I feel it definitely leans more towards NA with the mature themes. Especially with the FMC being in college.

A Study in Drowning is a beautifully atmospheric read and Reid excelled at creating an immersive gothic setting. The ‘gothic manor filled with secrets by the sea’ vibe totally reminded me of House of Salt and Sorrow (one of my absolute favorite books). The prose and setting descriptions were well-executed and I could almost taste the salt in the air and feel the breeze on my face as I read. Effy’s anxiety and battle with mental health was well done and felt very authentic. Part of the plot was unraveling a mystery in the name of academia and I really enjoyed that. I spent maybe the first 20% very confused but it is intentional and everything comes together in a powerful way. I loved the academic rivals to lovers romance, Preston was the best. Reid also explores the mistreatment of women in academia and in general, and it’ll have any feminist boiling in rage. I LOVED the ending and the last couple paragraphs literally gave me chills because it was so good. Highly recommend if you love dark academia, gothic fiction, supernatural elements, and eerie mysteries.

Book Name: ****A Study in Drowning****
Author :****Ava Reid****

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books, HarperTeen for an ARC of Ava Reid’s A Study in Drowning

Stars: 5
Spice : NA

Standalone UPPER YA debut by Fantasy author Ava Reid
Cliffhanger (omg my heart)
Fast Paced
First Person FMC POV
High Fantasy Gothic
Dark Academia

- Topics
- Trauma
- Slowly Dying (A Life Unlived)
- Taking Back your Voice
- Misogyny
- Institutional Sexism
- The Dichotomy of Women (as either virgins or whores)
- Stereotypes and Stigmas
- Tropes
- One Bed
- Fae/Fair Folk
- Unreliable Narrator
- Toxic Romance.
- Rivals to lovers
- Thoughts.
- So Good (insanely good!)
- Dark and Deep (as the sea)
- Gothic Masterpiece
- FMC is a love letter to anxiety fighting survivalists
- Personal and Powerful
- 2023 Top 5

I absolutely loved this. This is one of my favorite reads so far for 2023; and my favorite Ava Reid book to date. From the lovely cover to the intriguing blurb to the first chapter that reeled me right in, this book is amazing.

The dark & gothic academia vibes, the horror & mystery, the romance, and the fantasy setting were all so well done. Effy is such a well-rounded and relatable main character. This is a thought provoking exploration of how sometimes just surviving is the bravest thing you can do. To keep going is to win sometimes.

TYSM for letting me be an ARC reader for this one!

I really enjoyed this book.
Loved the main character. I would recommend this 10/10
Great story. Great everything. Love this authors writing style.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is the YA debut of the bestselling adult fantasy author. Because the plot is so original, it's a bit hard to summarize, but I'll try my best. The story revolves around Effy, who attends an architectural college as the only female student. She enters a competition to redesign the estate of the famous author of Effy's favorite childhood book. When she arrives at Hireath Manor, she discovers that she is competing with fellow student Preston to please the heirs of the author's estate. In addition, Preston has a secret mission to expose the author as a fraud. Can Effy and Preston learn to join forces?

Here is an enchanting excerpt from Chapter 1:

"The poster was as frayed and tattered as a page torn from someone’s favorite book. Surely, Effy thought, that was intentional. It was printed on a thick yellow parchment, not unlike her drafting linens. The edges were curling in on themselves—either shyly or protectively, as if the parchment had a secret to hide.
Effy used both hands to smooth the paper flat, then squinted at the curling script. Handwritten, it was smeared in several places. It was further obscured by a water stain of no discernible shape, like a birthmark or a growth of mold."

Overall, A Study in Drowning is an amazing YA fantasy and rom-com that will appeal to fans of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy or Divine Rivals. Even though this is categorized as YA, since the characters are in college, it seems more NA (new adult) to me and will definitely appeal to adult readers as well. One highlight of this book is the rivals-to-lovers trope, which is done well. Another highlight of this book is the gothic water imagery, which was beautiful to read. If I had to complain about 1 thing, I would have to say that I was confused to come across the character of Dean Fogg. I'm guessing the author was inspired by the Dean Fogg character in Lev Grossman's The Magicians books and TV show. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of fantasy books in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in September!

This immediately became one of my favorite standalone YA fantasies. I will say I struggled a bit with the sliiiight overuse of water metaphors and phrases, and even more with the world building; we have cars, record players, but in some places oil lamps and candles rather than electricity? And we were set in years around “191 AD,” which felt a bit odd and out of place (because AD stands for Anno Domini or “year of our Lord”) but this is obviously an entirely different world. Just leave off the AD, or create some other year reference specific to the invented world.

I also felt like Effy was a pretty lame female protagonist for a WHILE, but her character development was good, and Preston was such a wonderful character. And I loved Angharad.

Finally, the true authorship bit was SO OBVIOUS. I literally guessed at 10% and spent the whole book wanting to scream at them for being so obtuse haha. But I still loved this really refreshing mashup of like dark academia, YA fantasy, AND faeries. I also think the author did a great job of really wrapping up a very full and rich story in a single book.