I have to admit that I didn’t really get into the occult and Tarot themes of this story, however, I stuck with it and the story was pretty good overall.

Ann is a historian who is hired at the Met Art Gallery, but as fate would have it, she wasn’t meant to work there. Instead, she is hired by Patrick, a curator/hoarder to work at the Cloisters. There, she meets Rachel and Leo and greats dragged into a deadly game with many twists and turns.

The difficulty I had was that the book seemed like it was written as a YA rather than adult fiction and therefore, I felt a lot of the potential was lost. The characters didn’t have much depth, for example and I felt the book could have benefitted from more suspense and darkness.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

THE CLOISTERS is very different from anything I've read to date. Admittedly, I've not read anything that could be classified as dark academia to my knowledge - so for me, this genre is very new. I was initially very interested by the cover of this book and the synopsis sounded so good I couldn't help but request it! I was quickly captivated by Ann's story as she began her summer associate position at The Cloisters, researching the history of fortune telling.

THE CLOISTERS is a debut novel by Katy Hays that feels so much more than a debut; Katy has a distinct way with words and storytelling that feels more seasoned. Her writing is tangible, mesmerizing and well-paced. Her descriptions of The Cloisters are beautiful, lending to the Gothic vibes of her story. There's a persistent aura of mystique and tension, a sense of something that feels 'off', but you can't quite figure it out (or at the very least I couldn't).

I found the main characters to be well-fleshed out and dynamic. They each have their secrets, their flaws; all are secretive, keeping their cards close to the vest. The plot is a slow burn mystery that is filled with tension, delivering twists that were exquisitely written and delivered at just the right moment. The research and attention to detail in this novel is evident as you read. Katy did a phenomenal job! I especially loved the addendums with the Tarot card meanings, as I am not well-versed at all in the art of fortune-telling.

<i>I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, Atria Books, of this advanced digital copy for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review! All opinions shared are my own.</i>

Interesting plot centered on the question of fate versus choice involving two young researchers working at The Cloisters, a NYC museum specializing in European medieval art and architecture. The writing was very descriptive but, to me, this served to slow the pace of the story. However, the story picked up in the second half with some reveals and a satisfying ending. I would note that I did not particularly engage with the main character from whose viewpoint the story was told. I can appreciate that the story was well-constructed but I stayed on the surface of this one. I think readers who appreciate atmospheric, slowly unfolding stories of academia and art history will enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and Atria Books for a copy of The Cloisters by Katy Hays.

I was excited to reaď this book because I have many tarot decks and it was on my list of books to read. I enjoyed it very much from the presentation of tarot cards to the question of fate and do you believe in what the tarot cards say to you. Or, do you not believe in tarot.

I think my favourite character is The Cloisters and it is very much a character in this book. From the gardens, to the architecture, to how the building feels on sticky, hot New York summer days, I found myself wanting to visit.

The first half of the book was a slow burn and wished it would have picked up speed earlier. As for the main characters, I would have liked them to be more complex as I found them unlikeable at times so I didn't feel that invested in them. I am fan of morally grey characters so they can be great additions to the story. I also wasn't that surprised at who dies in the book. The story did pick up speed in the last half but felt there was more telling than showing and feeling so it wasn't as suspenseful as I had hoped.

While reading it though, I felt it would make a good movie to watch.

Overall, 3.5/5. Enjoyed it and felt a few tweaks would have easily made this a 4 star book for me.

** spoiler alert **

"Sinister, jaw-dropping" quote as part of the overview of the book was misleading. The Cloisters setting and atmosphere in the book was very good but the plot and execution felt a little off/unfinished. For instance it was not clear to me why Leo didn't rat out on Rachel. The one line explanation from Leo didn't make sense to me. And I didn't feel that the cards were telling a pre-destined future. It felt that the protagonists were were just seeing what they wanted to see (whether drugged up or not). The "killer" ending was a nice surprise. 3 stars.

I have a soft spot for debuts and completely picked this one based on the cover and synopsis for an atmospheric October read. It was definitely all that...it was eery with a side of wondering if (and whom) was going to die or if it was just a classic fantasy novel that centred around dark academia.

Well, it was kindof both. Fantasy in the tarot cards and researching of divination but thriller as you piece together the hidden agenda within the main characters.

It was a solid debut, not my favourite, but still good enough for me to recommend to certain readers. 3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster /Atria Books for my ARC.

I REALLY enjoyed this book. Having never been to New York, I saw it through the eyes of Ann as she saw it for the first time. The Cloisters (location) is described so vividly I would love to go one day!

Ann and Rachel are as different as night and day: Ann is from small town Walla Walla, WA and Rachel from a wealthy NY family. But Rachel takes Ann under her wing and guides her through her new position at The Cloisters. Patrick, their boss, a curator of medieval art, is searching for the ultimate prize of a rare set of Tarot cards.
What intrigued me about this book was the astrological history of tarot , going back centuries. The beliefs that kings and queens held, far beyond what was acceptable. People were hanged or burned at the stake for their thoughts . Rachel and Ann delved into this world and were intent on writing an article as soon as they’d found the illusive cards. This article would earn them any job they wanted. Add jealousy and a fellow Cloisters worker (Leo) into the picture and the plot thickens.

Because this isn’t my usual book genre, hinting on the side of fantasy, I was a bit sceptical but as I said at the onset, I ended up really enjoying it! Thrilling and suspenseful, a who-dun-it with a twist.

D A R K 🌚 A C A D E M I A: Scholarly obsessions and seduction, the history of fortune telling and a dark gothic vibe🔮! “The Cloisters” by Katy Hays is a gripping atmospheric novel that will suck you in demanding for answers! I was captivated by this book and was totally consumed in all the history and research!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Ann moves to New York to start a summer
Internship as a researcher at the Met. She gets assigned to The Cloisters which is a gothic museum and garden that specializes in medieval art!

A group of researchers discover a mysterious deck of T A R O T C A R D S and soon shocking secrets start to come out at the museum and it’s dark history.

Read this if you like books that are:
🌙 Sinister
🌙 Gripping
🌙 Atmospheric
🌙 Gothic vibes
🌙 A mix of haunting and magical
🌙 Multi layered
🌙 Strong female main characters

You may think you know what life has in store for you … but FATE and FORTUNE tend to have their own set of tricks 🔮

Thank you kindly to atria schuster netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases November 1, 2022!

A dark academia-esque story with a heavy emphasis on tarot and the occult, and mysterious characters in a magical NYC museum.

Ann has just graduated from college and lands in NYC with an internship at the MET, only when she gets there it seems her spot is no longer available. Luckily for her Patrick, the head curator for The Cloisters takes an interest in her and brings her on for an internship for at his museum. In The Cloisters she gets entangled in the strange happenings of the small staff, and the exploration of tarot in the renaissance era.

This one was right up my alley, is was just the right amount or mystery, farfetched events, morally grey characters, and messy relationships.

Ann had the potential to be an epic example of an unreliable narrator, but parts of the story didn't have enough development for that to come to fruitition. Part of that comes in because, although we are told Ann has a hard time distinguishing between what is real and what is imagined at The Cloisters, we rarely actually see it for ourselves. A couple candles in the library and a passing mention of things going missing wasn't concrete enough for me.

It could be that Ann was never meant to be an unreliable narrator and the atmosphere of The Cloisters, the dark aspects of the tarot cards they were playing around with, and a few comments from Ann, made me think she was supposed to be.

That said, the ending is wonderful, and the read itself was dark and gripping.

Do you believe in fate? Is everything already pre-determined? This book takes you into dark academia with those questions - in a great setting.🌑

The Cloisters is the story of Ann - a Middle Ages historian - as she moves from a small town to New York City and the prestigious museum - The Met Cloisters. As she is introduced to the research taking place at this museum - she is quickly swept up in the strange discoveries and relationships. Ann is escaping from her own past and is desperate to be part of what is happening - but at what cost?🤔

Firstly, the atmosphere of this book was amazing. I had no knowledge of the actual Met Cloisters and had to look into it when I was done - it had me so intrigued. This story is a mix of mystery with a touch of gothic/fantasy/occult that definitely had me captivated - and ends with a great twist. Recommend this one to those that love a mystery in a dark, magical setting. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @simonschusterca for a copy of this book. Coming November 1st.

.

@tolovetoread #tolovetoread #read #reader #reading #readersofig #readthisbook #book #books #bookstagram #bookworm #bookish #bookreviewer #bibliophile #bookaddict #booksofig #booksof2022 #bookrecommendations #amreading #bookishcanadians #bestbooksof2022 #bookthoughts #booklife #readanywhere

“What if our whole life - how we live and die - has already been decided for us? Would you want to know, if a roll of the dice or a deal of the cards could tell you the outcome?”

What’s not to love? This one includes art history, New York’s famed Met Cloisters, tarot cards, mystery, Gothic, cliques, murder, dark academia vibes, secrets, unreliable characters, poisonous plants, enigmatic researchers! The perfect ingredients for a compelling story. It’s surprising for a debut author, really. Hays takes this up a notch with her superb ability to appeal to readers’ senses.

This plot-driven gothic mystery was such a treat to read. It was like nothing I've ever read before! I knew nothing about divination but was easily swept up in the atmosphere Hays crafted and her beautifully descriptive writing. I loved the spectacular twists that came out of nowhere and the feeling like I was frantically treading water in a world I knew nothing about. I know that a good majority of it went over my head, and I’d wished Hays had put it in black and white for us rather than hoping we’d pick up inferences. Regardless, the ending was unpredictable and left me wanting more - a sign of a great book.

At the heart of the novel is the exploration of fate. Hays wrestles with questions such as “Was your fate already written? Was it predestined? Or, could you alter its course? And, did you have the free will to do so?”

I’d re-read this one if my TBR pile wasn’t so out of control. I absolutely know that I’d pick up on clues and read between the lines on a second go through. I feel like I just skimmed the icing on this masterpiece and didn’t get to the delicious cake beneath.

I was gifted this advance copy by Simon & Schuster Canada, Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

An amazing story - so enjoyable to read!

You remember certain books in life - like Shakespeare’s Macbeth, where you learn of the Fates and their ability to have a hand in your pathways through life.

Whether you believe in fate or in free will or self-determination… whatever you think, this book will have you questioning your beliefs to their very core!

Similar in dark ways to Leigh Bardogo’s “The Ninth House”, Katy Hayes has written a superbly well-crafted story within a stone-clad museum containing artifacts from the Renaissance period situated in the city of New York.

The characters are interesting in their diverse backgrounds and qualities and the story features multiple peaks and valleys that will have you guessing wildly as to who did what - or instead to who was it being done to!

I couldn’t put this book down - Absolutely marvellous!! Six Stars out of Five!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the advance copy. This opinion is my own and has not been influenced in any way, shape or form.

The Cloisters

When Ann Stilwell graduated college she could hardly wait until she could get out of her hometown, Walla Walla Washington. Accepted as a summer associate at the MMA in New York, she was looking forward to her new job. As luck would have it, she arrived in New York to find out that was no longer possible. But if she agreed, there was a space for her at The Met Cloisters, as an associate curator. Ann was thrilled she didn’t have to return to Washington. She never wanted to return. Many young people prefer to not return home when they've set out on on their own. That didn't set off any alarm bells but should I have wondered why?

The story revolves around Ann, Patrick Roland curator of the Cloisters, Rachel Mondray, associate curator and Leo, the gardener and general handyman.

The main character is The Cloisters and what happens there. The story begins a little slowly. There’s much description and explanation about the museum. Normally, I skip over so detailed a description but I found it interesting because it is one of the characters and I found it very interesting.

I enjoyed this novel and all the twists presented. The end was a complete surprise. Something I would never have guessed. Ever.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to preview a very enjoyable mystery. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Cloisters by Katy Hays.

I appreciate all that I learned from this novel about art, museums, the occult and academia. I had trouble with the characters. They all seemed to be in a position to get what they needed and wanted without consideration of others. I like to have at least one character that I enjoy and identify with or root for in the story and in this book I didn't find it.

I loved the description of The Cloisters museum in New York. The feeling of the occult was well developed and there was some interesting information about Tarot, fortune telling and The Cloisters gardens.

There are some surprising and interesting twists in the story towards the end that are well done and unexpected.

I give this book a four star because I felt that the writing was good.

Immediately when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. NYC, The MET, Tarot. I had high hopes for this one and while still a great debut novel, I felt like it lacked the depth I was expecting.
I felt as though the execution was a bit lacking and the characters were a bit flat.
It was extremely slow to start for me and I almost DNFed it a few times.
The twist at the end was good and well done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Atria Books for this ARC eBook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a solid 4.5 stars for me. I honestly can’t believe this is a debut novel. Although some parts were a little slower, this was an easy read, and the fantastic atmosphere kept my attention throughout the book.
In this book, we follow Ann, who moves to New York for a summer fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but ends up working at The Cloisters, a medieval museum set in a gothic building surrounded by gardens filled with poisonous plants. There, she researches divination and tarot cards usage in the early renaissance alongside Rachel, a beautiful, confident young woman who seems to have it all figured out, and Patrick, the head curator at the museum who believes in tarot cards to the point of obsession.

The atmosphere is the strongest point of this book, and I could feel it right from the start. There are books that take a while to get a feel for, but not this one. This one gives off amazing dark academia vibes between the museum setting and the debates about divination. The descriptions of The Cloisters early in the book paint such a vivid picture of the gothic museum, the gardens, the architecture, the library, the art, etc.

The writing really fuels the atmosphere of the book; it is beautiful yet not overly flowery. It paints the dark, gothic, New York vibes perfectly. The debates about divination are beautifully written and I learned some new things.
Once the atmosphere has been set in the first few chapters, small mysterious and creepy elements begin to be peppered in until each layer is pulled back to uncover something I was not expecting. I know this book has been characterized as fantasy, but it’s extremely light on the fantasy side if there is any at all (debatable honestly). As I mentioned, a few parts in the middle felt a little slow. This did not last too long though, and the atmosphere stayed strong throughout which kept me reading.

There were many twists and turns throughout the story, particularly near the end of course. This, along with the atmosphere (are you fed up with hearing how great the atmosphere is yet?!), made this such an easy read. I think the ending was a little bit rushed, but it tied everything together nicely nonetheless. Although I saw part of the ending coming, the author followed that reveal with one that completely blew my mind.
I really like Ann as a character. Although I think she could have been given a bit more depth, she was still a very interesting protagonist to follow. I really feel like I understand her. Ann has a thirst to go on adventures, expand her knowledge, and follow her passion, namely early renaissance art history. Ann is a quiet and somewhat socially awkward person, which I can also relate to. She is so eager to discover something, to be a part of something bigger, that I can see how she would slowly start to believe in divination.
I liked Patrick and Rachel a little less as characters. Without giving too much away, their relationship gave off big red flags to me on many occasions. Leo, the gardener, was an interesting character and added to the mystery of the story. I don’t think we’re meant to like any of these characters too much, this is dark academia after all.
This book is all vibes and I was there for it. It’s an easy read right from the start. If you’re looking for a good dark academia or mystery this fall, definitely check it out. Don’t expect much, if any, fantasy. If you’re into divination, tarot readings, or dark academia this is for you.

Not sure what genre this book falls into - it was beautifully written and a pleasure to read - not very much action or thrills but suspenseful nonetheless and a very unique premise. I enjoyed it!

The Cloisters By Katy Hays is an intriguing debut novel that I found incredibly hard to put down.. Set in New York City during a very hot summer, The Cloisters is the story of a young woman named Ann who, still reeling from the loss of her father, moves across the country to take a summer job at the MET. From there she ends up working at The Cloisters where she gets drawn into situations far beyond anything she could have imagined while researching the occult, tarot in particular.
For my full spoiler free video review, please follow the attached link.

3.5 stars. First half is a slow burn (a very SLOW burn), but once the main event of the novel happens, it picks up considerable speed and the ending is great. Morally ambiguous characters which at first seem very straight forward, but end up in some interesting places. I guessed at a couple of things, but there's a twist in here that I didn't and I found that really compelling. It's not completely spelled out, but if the reader is paying attention, the answers are there.

2 stars for the first half and 5 for the second half - average out to 3.5 in total.