3.5 stars. I ADORE dark academia. Especially when you throw in supernatural or murder/mystery elements. However, I am not entirely fond of fae elements. Sadly, I didn't love this book as much as I was hoping, especially once the fae elements were introduced. I loved reading about the creepy house. I'm not sure how I felt about the relationship, it kind of felt fake/forced maybe? I did like the end, however. All in all, the atmosphere was perfect but I didn't love all of the content.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First things first, can we hear a little commotion for this COVER? Gorgeous, atmospheric, haunting, a perfect little preview into this story. The book is a lot like this cover: gorgeous, atmospheric, haunting... a crumbling estate by the sea? A Fairy King who may or may not be real? Rivals-to-lovers romantic tension? Chef's kiss. While I did manage to predict most of the big reveals, I had a lot of fun reading on to see if my guesses were correct. The writing was also just so beautiful - I found myself highlighting so many quotes that resonated with me. This book is perfect for lovers of fairy tales (the original, dark, twisted versions of fairy tales, not the sanitized Disney versions), dark academia, books about books, and beautifully done takedowns of misogyny.

Ava Reid has written a lovely, lyrical story that blends fantasy with gothic romance in a way that will make you swoon. However, there's no weak heroine here waiting to saved by the Byronic Hero. Nope, Effy is strong, capable, and clever enough to outwit the Faerie King. The general story is captivating enough that some minor details which need attention don't matter here but could make any future stories featuring the character more appealing. For example, we're dropped into the middle of a new world without much background. If you keep with the story, you learn as you go, but I would love to see the world building expanded with more detail. Overall, a book I will recommend to readers of fantasy with an interest in the Fae. And did I mention the writing is gorgeous? Like being wrapped in a blanket of words.

I should preface this with saying I genuinely enjoyed this book. If you like a book that basically doesn’t have a plot for the first 85%, but is all vibes, this book is for you. If you like a book that has a somewhat insufferable (but justifiably insufferable) main character, this book is for you. If you like a slooooooow paced book, like slower than molasses flowing, this book is for you. If you love a slower than slow burn romance, this book is for you. If you’re a sucker for a fae king (but let’s be honest it’s the goblin king and that king is Bowie from the Labyrinth), this book is for you. Now, the last chapter while plot wise is necessary is really superfluous overall. I wasn’t here for the plot, I was here for the vibes. You can read a summary to know what this is about. But if you want to read an examination on the feminine in academia, literature, and just being a woman in a male dominated world no matter what time period? This book is for you. It’s atmospheric, well written, solid dialogue.

Considering I am still on my dark academia kick, Reid’s latest A Study in Drowning fit right in; the addition of themes like institutional sexism, mystery, myths/folklore and romance brought this story beautifully together.

Femme, anxiety-riddled Effy Sayre is the only female student at her architecture college, ostracized after rumors of her (unwanted) involvement with an advisor and dreaming of the literature college she is barred from attending because she is a woman. She applies and is accepted to redesign the estate of Emrys Myrddin, the author of her favorite treasured book, Angharad, and finds herself in danger in more ways than one: Myrddin’s eccentric son, Preston, a literature scholar with a secret agenda, and the estate itself, a dilapatated manor teetering on the edge of a cliff.

It did take me a little bit to get into this one: I’m having a hard time with female characters with high anxiety/low self esteem. However, Reid captivatingly weaved representation, complex storytelling and strong character development together after the first 1/3 of the novel (once Effy has arrived at Myrrdin's Hiraeth Manor) that made me really enjoy this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After winning a contest to redesign the home of her favorite writer, reluctant and somewhat disgraced architecture student Effy Sayre finds herself living in the guesthouse of a rotting manor in a village that seems to be sinking into the sea somewhat faster than the rest of her country. Which is to say, she’s in over her head. The unwelcome presence of a literature student, Preston, makes her time there all the more trying, since literature is Effy’s true love, but her sex precludes her from studying it. Not to mention, Preston’s trying to prove that her favorite writer did not, in fact, pen his most famous work.

It is hard to place this piece in a particular time period. There are cars and telephones, but they give the impression of being early 20th century versions of those things, not modern ones. Related to that, the use of phrases like “cognitive dissonance,” “masochism,” and “misogyny” are jarring in the text. They seem, not quite anachronistic, but inauthentic. Sort of like how everyone describes themselves as “fans” of Myrddin’s work: in our world, “fan” was used in that way as early as the 1880s, and so a piece that feels like it belongs in the early 20th century could use that term, in theory, but “devotee” or “admirer” would, to me, sound less modern and provoke less cognitive dissonance. It’s a bit of the Tabitha problem, I know, but it was a consistent distraction as I read.

This book has a pagan gothic feel to it that rather stands out among other YA gothics that have recently been published. The pseudo-Welsh setting is a nice change of pace in that respect, even if the pacing of the book itself is traditionally gothic, which is to say that a third of the way in the heroine has done little more than remove herself to isolated, creepish lodgings and meet a few folks who fit pretty obviously into their roles as harbingers, love interests, and villains. There is a disappointing lack of the supernatural, but lots of doubting the words and worth of women.

Something else that plucked persistently at my mind: I could not stop thinking of Zelda Fitzgerald as I read this book, which I believe was Reid’s intention. I can’t help but think, though, that this book tells the wrong woman’s story. Effy is so much less interesting than the Zelda analog.

3⭐

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is set place in a gothic atmosphere. I enjoyed some of the book, but did find myself detaching from the story here and there. The beginning was very slow for me to get into, but it did pick up part of the way through. This was one of the books I was super looking forward to, but it fell a little flat for me.

"Be safe. Be smart. Be Sweet."
Rhia was so very needed for Effy and gosh how I wished we had more interactions with her.

“She hesitated before dialing. One part of her wanted to slam the phone down; the other was desperate just to hear a familiar voice. So she dialed the only number that she knew by heart.”
Her mothers. Which is so HEARTBREAKING.

The way Effy's own mother treated her destroyed me. I have never been one to have any kind of trigger when reading, but one of our first interactions through the phone with her mother gave me so much anxiety I had to go for a walk. Ava Reid did that bit so well.

The one thing that I just found so wild in this book was that Effy's dream was to write literature. Apparently women aren't allowed to do that but they can build you a house. That concept is wild to me. There's also one highly reoccurring theme in this book which is stomach (lurching, churning, knotting, fluttering) I counted about 40 instances of this happening.

One thing this book really needed was trigger warnings because wow. Be warned there is Misogyny, Bigotry, and prejudice themes in this book. All of which made me feel uncomfortable when they were mentioned. Where I do feel for Effy and how she is treated at times, I also tend to abhor her when it comes to her treatment of the mmc when it comes to his heritage.

A Study in Drowning is an atmospheric and unique spin on the ever popular dark academia subgenre incorporating fae magic and tackling heavy themes and trauma, as has become signature for Ava Reid's storytelling. Her previous adult fantasy novels have both explored challenging topics and covered family trauma and sexual abuse so it's no surprise that her first YA effort reads much more mature than traditional YA novels which I considered a plus.

While the protagonist Effy felt like a fully realised and likeable character, the male protagonist, as well as the villains and supporting characters, felt more underdeveloped and shorthanded by the narrative, and though the main mystery was intriguing, I felt the plot was rather slow and I wasn't particularly gripped by it.

Regardless, A Study in Drowning works with a unique premise and combines its elements commendably. Reid's prose is well crafted and easily consumable, and above all, the story is rich in its palpable setting, atmosphere and gothic vibes, so it is a great choice for your next autumnal read.

absolutely stunning. a beautiful story of womanhood, female rage, loss of innocence, and the bravery it takes to survive. effy is a character that will stay with me for a long, long time. she's lived through so much trauma and yet continues to fight for survival without it being romanticized like other YA books tend to do. the way effy's story mirrors that of another character's is done so perfectly and by the end i felt so emotional watching her realize she has not deserved what's been done to her. the romance in this book was so sweet and i loved how the love interest didn't just swoop in and save effy, but just showed her the kindness she deserved all along. the use of drowning as a metaphor resonated deeply with me and this will not be a story i forget anytime soon.

tw: sexual abuse

"𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮."

The atmosphere in this book is beautifully haunting. It gives dark academia meets depressing gothic vibes while telling a tale worthy of self reflection.

Our protagonist, Effy, is a female student riddled with trauma. It lends to being a very unreliable narrator where you aren't sure what is factual and what is figment of her coping mechanisms to her trauma.

While the story focuses on investigating the history behind one of the country's most valued author, there's a deeper theme subtly woven throughout. This book raises awareness and brings solidarity to women and their value, truth, and all the misogyny they experience. Whether you can relate to what Effy went through in the book or not, you find yourself relating to her as a whole. Because who doesn't feel like they are just surviving in one way or another.

"𝘚𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺, 𝘵𝘰𝘰."

And can we talk about Preston! Preston is a book boyfriend fully worthy of swooning over! He's empathetic, considerate, protective, and supportive. Love having him be everything the other men in the book are not.

"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵. 𝘍𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮, 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

Now I must say that I started this book briefly, only to start it over again a week later to get properly invested. It was a slow start the first attempt but the second attempt I was intrigued from the start. I think it just took me a moment to grasp the world and the history of the main storyline. That being said, it is not a hard world to understand at all. I would consider that a reader fault. ha

𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘈𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶'𝘭𝘭 𝘦𝘯𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰.

A Study in Drowning is a dark fantasy/light horror set in decaying rural elegance. There is an enemies-to-lovers romance, as Effy tries to make sense of the nightmarish visions that have always been with her with the aid of a grumpy, serious scholar.

Ava Reid is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

a study in drowning is a captivating journey into dark academia with an irresistible blend of romance and mystery. effy, an architecture student haunted by enigmatic visions of the fairy king, takes us on a spellbinding ride to a decaying manor where the line between reality and fantasy blurs.

ava reid's storytelling shines as the story delves deep into profound themes, touching upon the theft of voices and the undercurrent of academic sexism.

the atmosphere is hauntingly perfect for a brisk autumn evening, enveloping you in an eerie ambiance. with concealed mysteries waiting to be unraveled, and reid's expert storytelling, the plot maintains a tight grip on your attention from start to finish.

This novel is truly a modern fairy tale in all the best ways. It has mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, heroes, villains, and so much more. You truly could not keep me from reading this book if you tried. I loved everything about it and more, and I truly believe I will still be thinking about it, millions of years from now.

Writing: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Plot: 4/5
World Building: 4/5
Enjoyment: 4/5

A Study in Drowning is about a girl who is trying to find her place in the world while trying to learn to live with her past. I really love the characters in this story. They did have their flaws but they were also strong and put everything they had into doing what was right. This reminds me of a fairytale where it has a fantasy element but if you look underneath it you see a lesson or a warning of real life. I wish it would have explained more of the world and included more of the fantasy elements. This is the first book I have read by Ava Reid and I can’t wait to pick up her other books.

I received an arc and am leaving an honest review.

Ava Reid's A Study in Drowning is part historical fantasy, part rivals-to-lovers romance, part Gothic mystery, and all haunting, dreamlike atmosphere. Reid's powerful YA debut is also an unflinching indictment of institutions that sacrifice young girls on the altar of men’s “genius” and a gripping read that will stay with you long after its final page. Set in a historical fantasy world inspired by early twentieth-century Wales, this novel reinterprets the Fair Folk in the guise of a brooding and sinister Fairy King.

Effy Sayre is a survivor who believes in the Fairy King while everyone around her dismisses the stories as rural superstition. Effy has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King who she believes she met after her mother temporarily abandoned her like parents normally do to changelings. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad; author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain this is her destiny. But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit house on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, someone else has already made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

When Effy and Preston go head-to-head over Emrys Myrddin's papers, sparks fly instantly—much to their mutual chagrin. As they investigate side by side and trust and affection bloom between them, they become a pair readers will absolutely fall in love with. Through its historical fantasy lens, this novel touches on complex topics such as sexual assault and coercion, depression, and institutional sexism. As Effy struggles with a feeling of disconnection from her life and grows into greater confidence, she develops relationship skills, self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making.

Over the course of the novel, Effy faces dark forces and darker truths and will answer once and for all the question of whether magic is real or something that only haunts her nightmares. By helping Preston dig into the truth about the author of her favorite book, she may be on the road to immortality. Ava renders the crumbling, sea-sprayed halls of Hiraeth Manor and the stormy skies of the sodden countryside of Llyr in stunning, moody detail. Readers who have loved recent YA fantasy by Erin A. Craig and Shea Ernshaw will love the notes of Gothic suspense and creeping tension.

*Thoughts*

As a reader, I am sure many of you have often wondered what kind of home your favorite author lives in, or what kind of life do they actually have to create some wonderful novels. Now, imagine having a once in a lifetime opportunity to reconstruct your favorite authors gothic home. What secrets are behind the doors? Are the characters real? Is the Fairy King real or is it Effy's imagination? Maybe she should take just one more pink pill which she has taken for years since she was left behind by her mother and has been having some strange dreams for years. Did she imagine what happened to her, or was it real? How do you explain the missing digit on her hand? By the end of this book, instead of a scared and unsure of her self Effy, you get someone who is ready to take on the world, and don't nobody get in her way or else!

A Study in Drowning- 2.75⭐️ 2.75🌶️

YA Fantasy
Magical realism
Mid century ambiance
Coming of age
College setting
Underdog FMC
Visions
Ptsd
Paranormal
War
One bed


A Study in Drowning is a gothic coming of age story where the lines of fairytale and reality are blurred beyond recognition. It deals with the ideas of trauma, misogyny, prejudice, survivalism, and love.


The setting of a moldy, crumbling manor on the very edge of the sea was so vivid and a character in and of itself. I really liked the romanticism of how it was crumbling into the sea and the presented problem of what could save it. I wish there had been a little more background and world building. While it seemed to play such a prominent part in the story… everything was just vague enough that I was left disappointed. I would have preferred over-explaining.

I was captured by the ptsd and trauma that crafted the FMC’s journey, sharpening her as she went through opening herself up and telling her story. I love the idea that survival is brave…

The MMC wasn’t your typical overbearing alpha whose only purpose is to save the day. But I was as annoyed with his explained intellectualism that ended up being his only personality trait.

The chemistry between the two main characters wasn’t as palpable as possible. I think that there wasn’t enough tension to make the chemistry believable. I didn’t feel the irritable pull that comes with the bickering that happened throughout. Instead it felt like the FMC was too distracted by her perceptions of reality and her trauma to understand what what’s genuine attraction or not… In the end, while the romance wasn’t the main focus of the book, it took up way more space than it needed to… or maybe not enough?


I didn’t enjoy the prejudice and bigotry that was represented in the FMC and played off as falling in love with someone who your society is against. It was so frequently brought up and used as an excuse for witty banter when she was really just disparaging the MMC for his race/ethicist…

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it as much as I wanted to.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. So much. It's so beautifully written--I don't think I've ever tabbed so many quotes.
I devoured this in about two days. The characters are wonderful. The setting is perfect for this kind of a story.

I have issues with some YA and new adult books having young main characters who are able to do these impossible things, or are chosen for something that there's no way someone with so little experience would be chosen for, and this book absolutely doesn't do that. Everything has a well thought out purpose and it was so well done. This book will 100% be something I reread multiple times.

Coming into this book I didn’t have any real expectations for what I would find, so I think I can safely say I was pleasantly surprised. There are a lot of things within this book that don’t particularly feel unique but are still interesting to read about. Specifically the themes around water and drowning make it feel a little more dreamy and steeped in fairytale, a story you’ve heard told around the hearth for years. I can acknowledge the things about this book that weren’t for me, but the story itself is still interesting and a little bit haunting. The book itself is fairly atmospheric and immersive although a little bit hazy about some of the details, certainly on the tropier side of historical dark academia fantasy than anything, but definitely worth the read if that’s your kind of thing.

There are a lot of elements of this book that I could see some people loving (the romance, the way the plot interacted with the world, etc) that, while I didn’t dislike them, didn’t particularly do anything for me. For me, the most interesting parts of this book were the lore, and as I mentioned, the continued theme of drowning both in the literal and metaphorical sense. A house on a cliff above the ocean and the story of a girl falling in love with the faerie king. I truly mean it when I say it reminds me of a fairytale (thinks Grimm, Andersen, or even darker). There are times that the writing falls a little flat and the world rises up, or vice versa, but the best parts were truly when both met in the perfect way.

The ending was both not what I expected and almost exactly what you would expect. It is a little bit of girl power exceptionalism but I’m not exactly mad at that. Overall there were some really cool elements that made this an interesting read for me while not being a book that overall sticks out in comparison to some other dark academic fantasy that I’ve read, but still worth the read if it interests you regardless!

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

4.5 ⭐️ / 5

This book got me in a choke hold. The premise was super interesting and the plot develops fast and steady while also keeping you guessing at every turn.

I wholeheartedly enjoyed the setting and the academic discussions the characters get into. The romance was a nice touch too. I adore Preston, I found him charming, endearing and very likable.

My only issue was with our girl Effy, she is just not the type of main character I enjoy. She got on my nerves throughout the whole book. Most of time I just wanted to shake her. That’s not to say that the author did a bad job on any instance. It truly is a testament to her writing style that I enjoyed the book as much as I did while at the same time being completely annoy by the leading character.

Overall a very recommended read for fans of dark academia, rivals to lovers, mysteries and gothic vibes.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a darkly atmospheric and artfully constructed treasure of a book. Having already adored the authors previous works I came into this one with high expectations that were mere than met. From world building to character development and pacing Ava Reid shows a masterful skill that ensured I would be running out to buy a physical copy the moment this tittle released. Fans of dark fantasy looking for a fairy tale like air will find themselves at home in this title.