Thank you Penguin team, idk how I was approved for an ARC, but I was, and I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to review my first ARC.

So I read House of Marionne in 3 days, but I wanted to sit with it b/c I had some conflicting feelings. I like the idea of an opulent society that's hiding in plain sight. I like the extra info that we get at beginning and end of the book about the Houses and magic that just adds to the worldbuilding and magic system. I liked Quell as a character, I liked her determination and her resilience, even if I found some of the things she says to Jordan a bit hypocritical; speaking of Jordan, I really enjoyed how conflicted his character was throughout the story, he was the second best written character. I loved the romance between them and the push and pull dynamic of it all, but I definitely stuggled with understanding what started it all, how did they catch feelings for each other, since at that point I think they both probably just found each other attractive and hadn't yet even gotten to know each other.

The characters that were given focus, shined and really added to the supsense of it all of who Quell could or couldn't trust, but it also felt like there was a lack of a presence of a supporting cast, it doesn't matter to me if the supporting cast is small or big, but so many of the characters introduced were fleeting and even if they were a big deal their presence wasn't always felt. There was a particular character who's involved in a twist, and while that reveal is shocking it didn't hit as hard as it could have b/c after a few interactions they disappear then appear maybe 2 more times before disappearing and then reappearing for that reveal. For most of the characters that appeared it was out of sight out of mind.

Something that I particularly struggled with was the lack of detailed description for the characters; Quell has curly hair and freckles, Jordan has sculpted features and green sometimes blue eyes, Abby has dark hair, another character has a blonde pixie cut and chews gum; I think personally I needed something more concrete than this to visualize a character.

After reading this book and getting over that amazing ending, all I could think about was the things that I struggled with b/c I had stopped reading a couple of times wishing it had this detailed character descriptions or a prominent supporting cast with presence, but sitting with this made me realize that I enjoyed this book and that the things I struggled with didn't effect that. enjoyment. I was right anticipate this book and I didn't regret it. There are questions that I have, but I know that it can be answered in future books.

I do want to add that the way this book was formatted or structured made it difficult to sometimes know who was speaking what line of dialogue; there are also some grammar errors still present throughout the book.

Thanks again for this opportunity Penguin team.

House of Marionne by J. Elle (@authorjelle) is an imaginative YA fantasy about Quell, a 17 year old girl who essentially has a death sentence due to the type of magic she has within her: toushana. The story follows Quell, who has been in hiding all of her life, as she finds a safe harbor within Chateau Soliel, a boarding school-type setting that trains students in magic and inducts them into The Order. No one is aware of her secret and Quell is expected to learn and train and become inducted into The Order… but her story has some *interesting* developments as it unfolds.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It had interesting fantasy elements, characters, and plot. It was a bit of a wild ride, with the last part of the book rivaling the shocking moments that another fantasy author is known for. I assume this is the first in a series and if so I plan to read the future books for sure.

Thank you to Net Galley (@netgalley), the publishers, and the author for granting me an ARC. This book is expected to be published in August 2023.

I really enjoyed this novel!

Quell’s life turns upside down when she must run from the Draguns who want to take her life. To survive, she must live in a foreign place with a grandmother she barely remembers. She battles with her feelings for her grandmother and a mysterious guy, and as the heir to the House of Marionne, there is a lot of pressure on her to be the best. But as she strengthens her magic, a cold reality settles in and threatens to take everything she’s worked so hard for away.

This is an intense story with some great surprises. The characters are memorable, and the setting is so richly described that I'm still visualizing being there. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series!

Readers interested in YA fantasy and magic will love this novel.

I'd like to thank the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you!

OMG, HOW I ENJOYED THIS NOVEL!!!! I was hooked as soon as I started reading Yagrin's perspective, and even more obsessed when I got run away with Quell on her mission to Chateau Soleil. This novel was so, so good, with all the twists and turns, and how nothing was ever specifically good or specifically bad, which connected strongly to how the book is advertised with having almost all if not all "morally gray characters." I truly loved that about it because I felt with going into the novel with that knowledge, you knew that things probably wouldn't end up how you may expect, and was I completely right about that!

I truly loved Quell and her narrative through House of Marionne, as well as her relationships with all the characters, but especially Abby and of course, Jordan! I feel that with their story, it was perfectly written and was paced just right. I won't give any spoilers in this particular review, but I think how they end up by the end of this novel makes sense for the story, and you could tell that J. Elle was very meticulous in her writing this novel.

And oh my gosh, don't even get me started on Quell's grandmother Headmistress Marionne. I swear, all of these characters were amazing, the plot was amazing and truly kept me on the edge of my seat every single time I was reading it. And the plot twists right at the end? Y'ALL?!?!

The only thing that could have been better in this novel is that sometimes what was occurring would get misplaced because of it feeling like the novel was really fast-paced but then was not at times, so I got confused a few times while reading. I would also say that some characters' stories had some missing background details that we kind of knew about by the end of the novel, but maybe that was the case because I can definitely tell there is much more to this story, and oh, how I can't wait to read it!

With that, I will get House of Marionne 4.5 stars!

Since Goodreads doesn't allow half stars - I give this 3.5 stars.

I think the reason this wasn't ranked higher for me, is actually my own fault. While listed as Young Adult, I think it is more on the "young" part of that, however that does not mean it was not enjoyable. I really liked the mix of a magic school that functions almost like a finishing school with debutantes and the unique way people would "come in" to their magic with their masks and diadems. I would have liked some more background on the "dark magic" earlier in the book since me trying to figure out the history behind it really distracted me from the story at some times. I also feel like the story unraveled super fast with the main character basically giving it all up with barely any questions. I thought she'd have more questions about her mom or would think things were off a lot quicker than she did.
I still really liked the story and the relationships between characters, especially trying to figure out who was friend and who wasn't. If you like regency era fiction with magic - this is definitely something you would enjoy and I will still probably read the rest of the series when it comes out.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book took me forever to read, It was good but I don't know if her writing style which many have pointed out is just not for them, or the fact it's an ARC with formatting not being right, or if there are just so many details that to me are not explained enough for me to fully grasp it like levels/houses/and the passing of time in general. But there is just something.....A good chunk of the way through the book I was planning on just reading this one and not continuing the series. Then the last 25% of the book happened, and I was hooked and will be reading more. I did like the MC, the romance felt a bit off, her Grandma was a piece of work, and I enjoyed Octos TBH. Giving it 4 stars because of how much the last 25% of it had me wanting more.

My gratitude to Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill and NetGalley for so generously providing the advanced reader’s copy!

I very much wanted to adore “House of Marionne.” The positively gorgeous cover and intriguing description caught my eye right away! I love romantic, coming of age, mystical, magical stories and intricate world building. But this particular tale just wasn’t for me. I struggled with the pacing. I can definitely understand how it would be very appealing in the YA market (and have no doubt it will be greatly received by many!).

Quell has been running all her life. Her mom whisking her away from a death sentence for possessing magic she never asked for or knows anything about. When she's found, she runs to the only place she can think of with the power to protect...but also has the power to destroy her. Set in the Deep South with glittering debutantes, powerful family roots and a dark mystery waiting to be uncovered, J.Elle transports us to a magical school where the walls hold a ton of secrets!

What an amazing and lush beginning to a new series! I absolutely adored this book and loved all of it! It's very nostalgic YA that can easily be one of my top comfort reads to come. The world building was phenomenal and the magical system is so well thought out and thorough. I loved the idea of schools linked to the houses and certain magical powers!

I can see the hype around this book. The cover is gorgeous. The main character is complex, and I sympathized with her immediately. Themes of embracing who you are, struggling to fit in, etc are set in an extremely unique and glittering magic set in the modern world. The magic order is almost like Harry Potter without the wands and with extra glitter and rhinestones.
I recommend this book for fans of ballroom scenes, glittering gowns, hidden secrets, and family secrets!

“If this world is made of glass, I will dance with a hammer in my hand”

WOW. This book was honestly amazing!
The pacing, characters and depictions of magic were all extraordinary

Quell & Jordan ❤️

One thing that did seem a bit unnecessary was the POV of Yagrin - it was packed with a lot of information that wasn’t relevant until the very end

Overall a very intriguing read - I’m excited for the sequel!

Quell has been on the run with her mother for her whole life due to the dangerous magic living within her. Just before finishing high school, Quell has a run in with a group of magical hunters and is forced to leave her mother and end up at their last resort: her grandmother’s estate. The estate just so happens to be the equivalent to a magical finishing school and Quell is now in the spotlight as the headmistress’ long lost granddaughter. She has to navigate hiding the truth while growing her magic amidst new friendships and an unfamiliar magical society.

This was a fantastic read! Compelling plot, great cast of characters, and several surprising twists!

I was very bored by this book. I felt like it was very flat and the tension never really increased. I also thought the romance was pretty stagnant and I didn’t get any chemistry between leads. This one wasn’t for me!

Thank you for Netfalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book expecting a sophisticated story of intrigue during a season of society events. The cover and descriptions lead me to make those expectations. What I found was a boarding school like setting with a poorly described magic system and simple writing that made me think this is more middle grade than YA.

The opening chapter is set in New Orleans and had me thinking I inadvertently picked up an urban fantasy book. We’re quickly transported to a fantasy location. The main character is going to hide from an assassin at her grandmother’s castle, where she’ll have lessons in magic and comportment in preparation for being presented a Cotillion.

The world isn’t always described clearly, perhaps because the story is told in present tense by the main character. She’s simultaneously observant of certain things while completely clueless about others. For example, she can see someone who is using magic to be invisible, but then she can’t figure out how to hold a teacup while having tea with her grandmother.

Her roommate grew up in this world and has been at the castle for two seasons trying to pass three tests. Our main character, who didn’t grow up in magical society, is able to pass two of the three tests in days. She is completely untrained, but is also a Mary Sue with the best powers.

As a reader, I was constantly pulled out of the story by wondering why something was happening or by writing that was trying hard to be dramatic without artful prose. The sentence “I searched his eyes for knowing” is seared into my brain. A chandelier is called a candelabra (it’s said to be hanging from the ceiling). “A hushed gasp sweeps” through a room during a ceremony that has happened many times, but we aren’t told what’s different about this time. A hallway “halts” instead of ends.

The ending exists. Kind of.

The premise is interesting. I think that a young reader might enjoy this book. Perhaps if the publisher positioned this as middle grade, I’d have a different experience with it, but it doesn’t stand with other YA fantasy books I’ve read. It’s not the kind of writing I find engaging and I think the world building needs work. It was unsatisfying and a bit of a chore to finish this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Razorbill for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I discovered House of Marionne in an email from Penguin Teen. It was advertised as "Brimming with ballgowns and betrayal, magic and mystery, decadence and darkness, House of Marionne is perfect for readers who crave morally gray characters, irresistible romance, dark academia, and a deeply intoxicating and original world" and had a stunning cover.

Unfortunately, these things all felt very surface level and the writing style was too plain for the decadent and lush atmosphere it was advertising, and even at 50% did not hold my attention, so I have chosen to DNF.

House of Marionne follows Quell Marionne, who, while escaping an unknown assailant, ends up at a private magic boarding school run by her grandmother she hasn't seen in years. Can she survive boarding school and impress her grandmother while hiding some sort of dark magic hiding within her?

This is more of an urban fantasy (starts in a large modern city and lots of speech like "OMG, what a hottie!"). If you enjoy this (I do not and requested because it was tagged High Fantasy on GR), you may enjoy this book more.

Omg this was so fun! Modern day but with an almost regency style debutante twist. Dark academia adjacent and a really interesting, if not a little complicated, magic system.

Quell and her mother have been on the move since she was young. She has dark, destructive magic inside of her and her mother needs to keep her safe and hidden from the Draguns, or assassins, of the magical world she was raised in. A young dragun finally tracks them down and Quell has to flee on her own and as a last ditch effort, manages to make it to her grandmother’s grand estate. While there she realizes she also has good magic and decides to stay to enroll in the school to learn how to use it and hopefully bind with it to eradicate the dark magic from her for good.

Of all the characters, none really seem to be 100% honest and every feels very morally ambiguous. It’s a cut throat world where the weak are removed as quickly as they show any weakness. I found the magic system and the Houses to be super interesting, but also confusing. I always felt like I was a step behind because I’m not sure everything was explained super well. There’s a little romance but it felt like it went from 0-100 overnight and felt very rushed towards the end.

The writing and prose was very nice although the pacing felt off. I’m supposed to believe that this 17 year old is thrust into this world and has 5 days to emerge (physically manifest her magic) and then when she managed that, she has less than a week to prepare for and pass the second part of this three part test? A part that her roommate told her took her over a year to complete? A girl who had been brought up in the world and had an objectively HUGE head start in terms of knowledge?? Idkkkkkk about that. Oh and if you fail this second part, you’re out? Feels like a set up for failure to me.

Other than that, the story was rich and delicious and only had a few plot holes. The ending had a couple of surprise reveals that I didn’t see coming at all so that was super fun, even though they were awkwardly revealed.

I’m not gonna lie.. the first 30%-40% was not great. I found the magic system to be a bit strange and a little confusing at first. (Picturing a diadem growing out of someone’s head.. gag). I also didn’t really like the chapters from Yagrin and found them to be a little boring. I thought for sure I was giving this book 3 stars MAX.

I’m really glad I decided to stick with it because it got SO good! After the dance Quell and Jordan have in etiquette class, I was hooked. This was truly a slow burn romance and I loved every second of it. They don’t kiss for the first time until almost 80% of the way through but I didn’t even notice it took that long because it’s written so well.

The last 50 pages or so were by far the best part of the whole book. The betrayal of both Jordan and her grandmother. Quell completing Third Rite. Finally enjoying a chapter from Yagrin! I’m still reeling from all reveals. I only partially saw one of them coming but the rest were a total shock! I cannot wait for the sequel to see what happens to Quell next!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC to review!

Wow… this book was something else. I wasn’t expecting to be hooked from chapter one, but here we are.

THE PERFECT DARK ACADEMIA MEETS BRIDGERTON MEETS FEMININE RAGE

this was majestic. quell is an ICON and the magic system??? so freaking cool definitely pick this up if you listen to lana del rey…🤭

Dark academia, secret societies, dark magic, and high fantasy converge in this action-packed mystery, making this book a dreamy delight for bookworms who crave a captivating read that can be devoured during short breaks or even amidst nature's call.

Our protagonist, Quell, is a seasoned runaway, having moved between 14 schools in 12 years, always on the move and shielded by her mother. She possesses a deadly magic known as toushana, coursing through her veins, threatening to unleash its destructive force at any moment. Moreover, she is pursued by contracted killers who are after teenagers like her, who possess the same dark magic in their blood.

However, Quell's safe haven is compromised, leaving her with nowhere else to hide. Anxious and desperate for her mother's contact, she stumbles upon her estranged grandmother's secluded and foreboding mansion—an eerie place where time seems to have stood still. Against her better judgment, Quell succumbs to her grandmother's insistence and becomes a student of the debutante society known as the Order, a secret society of magical elites previously unknown to her. In order to suppress her forbidden magic forever, Quell must undertake three arduous rites of membership. Yet, the challenges she faces within the Order are far more daunting than she anticipated, especially with her enigmatic and intimidating tutor, Jordan, constantly testing her at every turn.

As Quell delves deeper into the dark arts, she uncovers unsettling truths about the Order's pursuit of power and the deceptive nature of her grandmother and mother. She is confronted with a choice: embrace her dark magic, sacrificing her loved ones and everything she has worked for, or find a way to navigate the treacherous path before her.

This book offers a darker twist on the enchanting world of Hogwarts, reminiscent of Deadly Education, promising fantasy lovers a thrilling and multifaceted journey they won't want to miss.

Personally, I am eagerly anticipating the release of the second book in the near future, as I am captivated by the world the author has crafted.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for generously providing me with a digital review copy of this captivating book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I am sending my feedback on this title, though I regret I was unable to finish it. By 50%, I had to decide that this was not something I could continue to read. I was very confused on where the story is going, what is happening? We are told she must hide - but at 50% I still don't know exactly why. Why are people with this poisonous power being hunted. Also - the fact that I have to read the glossary just to understand terms in the story was so disappointing. This made the writing feel very lazy and I'm really sad that the author wasn't able to build this world up within the story. I've never ever read a book where I was required to review the glossary of terms in effort to understand what was in the book. There is also no sense of who the characters are as people, they are flat. The world is flat - where does this story even occur? There is just so much detail missing for a fun story that reading it felt like a major chore. I am not going to post this review publicly because personally, I do not feel it's fair to post a review on a book I'm not finishing. I personally just felt this book needed a lot more editing to be flushed out - I wouldn't recommend this to any of my followers/friends. I'm so grateful for the Arc and apologize I did not complete the book - I truly did try.