This first installment drops you into a world that feels both lavish and treacherous. Think debutante balls with the constant possibility of sabotage. Quell’s magic is forbidden, her past is a problem, and the whole setup feels like it’s smiling at you with teeth. The boarding school setting works well, especially once the masks start slipping. I haven’t read anything else by J. Elle, but after this, I’m paying attention.

This one was so fun! The tension was so good! Loved the strong FMC and the feminine rage! I can't wait for the next book!

I really wanted to like this but I had a hard time getting into it. The timing of the world felt a bit off too. It seemed like Quell was only I training for a short time yet developed such a strong bond with her roommate that she got upset Quell wasn’t interested in a dress fitting when Quell had a make or break test coming up? The very end makes me interested enough to try the second book I was also gifted by Netgally which I appreciated.

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Young Readers for a copy of this book in preparation for the release of Fortress of Ambrose. House of Marionne is stunning! First you are hooked by the gorgeous cover, then you are completely enthralled by the story! The houses and the magic is so unique. You are on the edge with every word. And that ending….eek! J. Elle is a new fave!

Quell and her mom have been on the run for most of her life. Quell has magic, and the not good acceptable kind, but she's not really sure why it's bad or how to use it.. or anything really, as her mom won't talk about it. She just moves them around anytime Quell's magic surfaces and keeps them one step ahead of the Order's Dragons.
Until they are separated, and forced to make choices on her own, based on what little information she has, Quell decides to run to the only other relative she can remember, her grandmother, who turns out to be headmistress of one of the prestigious schools of magic.
The magic system was fun, a little confusing at first, but interesting. Quell was an interesting heroin.. her love interest, a bit predictable and carboard, but ehh... it's not really his story anyway.
Really took off towards the end, when Quell starting seeing things how they really are and began to trust herself more. Looking forward to reading the sequel.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc

House of Marionne is a dazzling and addictive YA fantasy that completely swept me away. J. Elle creates a world of glittering magic, ballgowns, and secrets that feels both glamorous and dangerous. Quell is a heroine I rooted for from the start—torn between hiding her dark magic and embracing her true power. The debutante society was deliciously cutthroat, full of intrigue and betrayal, and the tension with Jordan added the perfect amount of forbidden romance. The writing is lush, the stakes are high, and every page kept me hooked. A thrilling, enchanting start to a series I can’t wait to continue!

House of Marionne is a book that I was not prepared to love. Billed as a magical dark academia book, I took a chance based on the cover alone. The moment I began reading, I was hooked on the intrigue and fantastic magic system. A student with a deadly secret hiding in plain sight is such a delicious premise, and J Elle wove their tale with masterful ease. My only devastation was getting to the end and realizing it wasn’t a stand alone and I had to wait for the sequel! Sign me up though, I’ll wait with bated breath.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review.

Having been on the run forever, Quell finds an opportunity to hide in plain sight in order to keep her mother out of harms way from an assassin hunting her. Hiding in plain sight might not be as easy as she hopes. Having been on the run her whole life, she finds herself a bit clumsy trying to fit into the life of the debutante society. Her mentor is broody, but something sparks between them as she learns the ways of high society and honing her magic. Quell discovers more than manners and magic though, which could put her and her newfound friends at risk.

This was a fun read and the ending certainly hooked me in more than the first bit. I’m definitely ready to dive into the next installment.

Quell definitely changed throughout the book, but in a mostly good way. I found myself thinking, “you go girl” at some points.

There was definitely some parts that did not surprise me and were a bit predictable, but it did not make me enjoy it any less! Overall it was an enjoyable read, with an interesting take on magic.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group, Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for the chance to read this!

Dark academia, secret societies, and dangerous magic all wrapped up in one addictive, atmospheric story. Quell has spent her life on the run, hiding the deadly power in her veins, but when her safe haven falls apart, she’s forced into the mysterious Order, a secret society of magical elites. To bind her magic, she must survive three brutal trials, while uncovering unsettling truths about her family and the Order’s hunger for power.

This gave me Deadly Education meets dark Hogwarts vibes, moody, thrilling, and impossible to put down.

No surprise J Elle gave us another fantastic story. Immersive and full of surprises, this book had me hooked from the first chapter. J Elle’s writing style is vibrant but still manages to feel comfortable and with a familiar rhythm. I never feel like I’m reading and can completely lose myself in the story.

I honestly thought that i would love this book, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me. The characters didn't feel fully fleshed out. The romance wasn't one I felt like "rooting for". There didn't seem to me like the conflict and resolution was attention grabbing. Like the conflict that there was was easily overcome and I like when the characters struggle a bit more.

Even though this book wasn't for me at all, I wouldn't say its a "bad book" by any means. I am sure there are loads of people that will give this 5 stars. Sadly though I am not one of them.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book on NetGalley. This review is honest, unbiased, and completely my own.

Great start to a book series! The story revolves around Quell and other great characters in the world of magic. It was a story that drew you in with intrigue and a burgeoning love. I can’t wait until the next book.

House of Marionne is a beautifully written story with J. Elle’s signature lyrical prose and rich worldbuilding. The novel’s atmosphere and sense of place are compelling, and there are moments of genuine emotion that resonate deeply.

However, the story sometimes struggles with pacing, and certain plotlines feel drawn out or underdeveloped. Some characters, while interesting, don’t receive enough depth, which makes it harder to fully invest in their journeys. While the narrative is engaging at points, it doesn’t consistently maintain the tension or momentum needed to make it truly gripping.

Overall, House of Marionne is an enjoyable read for fans of lyrical YA fantasy, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights of J. Elle’s strongest works. It’s good, but not unforgettable.

Did I feel like this story was slow to build?
Yes.
Was I Expecting any Plot twists?
No.
Did I still love it?
Also yes!
Will I be continuing the series?
Uh... DUH!
I did think the building of this story was very slow, but I ended up LOVING Quell!
The character build up is so great!
After being manipulated by her mother for so long, Quell is forced to run.
Where she starts her journey in making decisions for herself. Was it a dumb decision?
Yeah... BUT she would have never uncovered the truth about herself, her family, her forbidden magic and her really.... cultish school.
This book has a Bridgerton feel to it as they have; 'Seasons' and courting and balls and trials where she HAS to impress!
The tension between Jordan and Quell is enticing!!!!
I cannot wait for the next book to find out what Quell will find herself getting into and finding mom hopefully!
Also Jordan and Yangrin! I MUST know more!
The author left us on a cliff hanger!
Thank you Penguin Teen and NetGalley for this Wonderful Read!!

House of Marionne completely swept me away. The world, the intrigue, and the characters pulled me in right from the start. It’s lush, magical, and so captivating—I found myself hooked the whole way through.

Dark academia, deadly secrets, and debutantes with magic running through their veins—what more could I ask for?

This story follows Quell, a 17-year-old who’s spent her entire life on the run, hiding the forbidden magic that pulses through her blood. Known as toushana, it’s as destructive as it is uncontrollable, and people like her are hunted down by assassins. After her safe haven is compromised, Quell is left with no choice but to enter the Order—a debutante society of magical elites where elegance masks corruption, and failure means death. If she can survive the three rites of membership, she might be able to bury her magic forever. But nothing in the Order is what it seems, and neither is her brooding tutor, Jordan…who also happens to be an assassin in training.

The vibes here are immaculate: a secret society with glittering, cutthroat rules; shadowy magic; and a gothic mansion dripping with atmosphere. It’s Hogwarts meets A Deadly Education with a dash of dark Bridgerton. Quell’s desperation, her fraught relationship with her mother and grandmother, and her struggle to control the monster within made her a compelling heroine to follow. The slow-burn tension between her and Jordan adds an extra spark that fits perfectly with the story’s dangerous undertones.

What really stood out was how the book balanced lush, high-fantasy worldbuilding with a fast-paced plot. The rites of membership had me hooked, the unraveling secrets about the Order kept the stakes high, and the morally gray family dynamics gave it depth. By the end, I was already itching for book two—I need more of this dark, decadent world ASAP.

If you love dark academia, secret societies, slow-burn tension, and heroines grappling with dangerous magic, this book is one to put at the very top of your TBR.

House of Marionne by J. Elle begins with a thrilling, fast-paced opening full of danger and suspense, but quickly shifts into a slower, etiquette-driven magical prep school setting. The tone reads much younger than I expected—closer to MG or lower YA—which made the pacing feel uneven. While I was drawn in by the dark academia vibes, debutante drama, and the promise of forbidden magic, I found myself wishing for more depth and consistency in the storytelling.

Quell, for all her years of running and hiding, is surprisingly naïve. She trusts too easily, rarely questions those around her, and often makes choices that don’t make sense for someone so supposedly guarded. This made her hard to root for as a main character. Still, the gradual enemies-to-lovers romance with Jordan was a highlight—the tension was believable, and there were several sweet, tender moments that gave the story emotional weight.

The magic system is intriguing, but inconsistencies and contradictions throughout the plot weakened its impact. At times, events felt randomly inserted just to move the story forward rather than growing naturally out of the world or characters. Despite these flaws, House of Marionne is a solid but imperfect YA fantasy that delivers on atmosphere and romance, even if the execution stumbles.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC.

If you love secret societies, magic, deadly secrets, AND beautiful dresses with high society (and can't forget the romance!) I highly suggest this book!

I was honestly surprised by how well all the seemingly separated concepts worked in this novel, and never once did anything seem like it didn't fit. The magic in this world involves having diadems or beautiful masks covered with jewels, and it works! I thought the world building was so cool and unique and I've never read anything like it before. (Also I loved the descriptions for what someone's gowns or diadems looked like throughout the novel, it was always fun to me to imagine what each character was wearing and how it all fit together, while they were going about their daily life.)

There were also a lot of character twists I didn't see coming until the reveal, where in hindsight it made it make all the more sense. There were a few things I thought seemed kind of odd with what some characters were doing or what was going on, but I was supposed to and even then I didn't see the reveal(s) coming!

ALSO. THAT ENDING WAS LETHAL. I wish I was recording myself reading because my jaw quite literally dropped at the reveal and I gasped out loud with a hand over my mouth.

House of Marionne had an interesting premise and a good introduction to the cast of characters and the world. The writing felt like classic YA fantasy and is definitely perfect for fans of Stephanie Garber.

House of Marionne is pure YA fantasy fun; think magical boarding schools, deadly secrets, and all the drama you could want. Quell’s running from assassins and her own dangerous magic, so the stakes are high, but it still gives you those fun rich-kid-academy vibes. . The magic system and secret societies are cool, even if Quell sometimes feels a bit too “chosen one” and secondary characters could use more depth. The romance is a slow burn and sort of stiff, but honestly, I was flipping pages for the world and the cliffhanger ending anyway. If you’re looking for a bingeable, glittery magical drama with a splash of danger, this one’s worth checking out