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Member Reviews

This was my first Ava Reid book, and I enjoyed it immensely and am excited to dig into her other works. The writing in this book was astoundingly beautiful and atmospheric. I felt myself drawn into the setting - the horror of the dilapidated house as it slowly fell into the sea, the horror of the Fairy King's obsession with Effie. Not much scares me but there were scenes in this book that had my heart pounding. All in all, this was such a wonderful fall read!

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Effy Sayre is a first year architecture student and the only women in the department. Her passion lies with literature and the written works of Emrys Myrddin, but was barred from the literature department due to being a women. She thinks it's destiny when she is chosen as the winner of the contest to redesign Myrddin's house, especially due to the recent rumors about her relationship with a predatory teacher. She travels to Myrddin's home, which is decrepit and in desperate need for repair. Effy finds that there is already a student there, Preston Héloury, a literature student with his own agenda to prove Myrddin a fraud. While they get off on the wrong foot, they both acknowledge there is something strange going on and work together to uncover the truth. Overall, a decent gothic horror novel with a bit of romance thrown in, although the pacing felt uneven. Much of the book is focused on the fairy tales told in Myrddin's works and it makes it difficult to tell what is true and what is imagined and many topics are talked about obliquely, which can be hard to keep track of. Effy's thoughts and actions become more clear the more you learn about what she went through and you get a better understanding of her character by the end of the book.

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I think I would have loved this book a lot more as a teenager. I love dark academia (Ninth House, The Atlas series, etc) this one just didn’t hit for me, but that doesn’t mean it won’t for others! Reid is a talented writer and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future! Thank you to Ava Reid and NetGalley for the arc copy!

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I spent 50% of this book not knowing if I even liked it. In the end, I was crying. I don't tend to like Ava Reid's book until I sit with them for a while. I understand why this is so many peoples favorite of the year.
It's dark, its moody and it's a heavy disguised as a fairy tale.

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4.5 Stars

This book was an unexpected gift. Although I already loved Ava Reid's writing and was excited to read her latest novel, I went into this fully expecting a typical fairy-based fantasy. Instead, this book is about survival and holding onto hope in spite of the traumatic events that ultimately shape us. It's about escapism and how the lines of reality and fantasy can blur when you are in so much pain and dealing with post-traumatic stress.

A Study in Drowning is beautifully written, atmospheric gothic that is set in a world that is both so like and unlike our own. Ava Reid's ability to world build is masterful and I could literally start to feel the moisture in the room seep into my bones as I read Effy and Preston's adventures. I found myself completely immersed and also extremely invested in her characters. There were times that Effy annoyed me with her responses to Preston and Ianto, but the more I grew to know her, the more I understood her actions and they made perfect sense.

I cannot wait to see what the author comes up with next. Recommended for fans of gothic horror and fantasy lite reading,

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Reid, and HarperCollins for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you very much to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED this book for many reasons, but the biggest was the MC, Effy Sayre. She isn't your typical modern fantasy protagonist who is good with a sword and rattling off witty banter while drop-kicking a bad guy in the face. Instead, she's more of an unreliable narrator type whose history and experiences with what amounts to mental illness make her very relatable to ladies like me who struggle with anxiety, depression, and other fun stuff like that. I highlighted this quote because it hit me like a ton of bricks: "I know that, deep down, there's not much else to me but surviving. Everything I think, everything I do, everything I am--it's just one escape act after another." If you struggle with any kind of chronic illness, mental or otherwise, I'm sure you know how this feels, too.

Ava Reid's writing is just downright beautiful. A lot of my favorite book reviewers have been talking about her work for years, and now I know why! Can't wait to read more of her work. I loved the gothic atmosphere of the seaside house and how you could practically feel everything dripping on you. Preston is also a lovely counterpart to Effy's whimsy, and I love them together.

I know at least five students who will love this novel and I can't wait to order it for my library. Thank you, Ava Reid, for writing Effy and bringing GOOD representation to us ill but tough ladies.

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This is lyrical and beautiful. The way Reid plays with language as she crafts this world is incredible; her turns of phrase immediately caught me. Dark academia and academic rivals, mystery, and some poignant commentary at institutional sexism within academia. There is a lot to chew on in this book and though it occasionally felt too much, I had a hard time putting it down to do…life things.

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I struggled with this one. The synopsis sounds like something I’d love but unfortunately it wasn’t for me. I found it really slow to start, it didn’t really peek my interest until about the half way mark and even then I wasn’t fully invested.

The atmosphere though was fantastic and I didn’t mind Effy or Preston’s characters.

Thank you to HarperCollinsCa for this copy.

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I came for the dark academia but stayed for the poetic prose, the damp & cold atmospheric setting, and the way that Reid crafted a compelling story out of a dark fairytale. The writing is effortlessly romantic and it's the type of story you just settle into and enjoy like a warm drink on a brisk fall day.

This is a heavier story and one that examines what it means to be a survivor, and how it can feel like you're barely coming up for air when your past keeps you haunted at night. It's also a book about nightmares, and how the things we fear most could be hiding in plain sight. BUT ultimately it's a book about healing from the trauma left in a monsters wake. I loved how this had a historical tone to it including the folklore pertaining to the different regions that added more layers to the story.

Effy is a beautifully crafted character full of passion and self reflection. I loved the slow building relationship between her and Preston as they work together to unravel a mystery surrounding a popular author's life work. Their relationship was beautiful and heart felt and grew in a way that I felt it in my bones.

With a mix of romance, horror, atmosphere and mystery....A Study in Drowning is one story I would not hesitate to add to your fall TBR. I was just really impressed with this authors writing style! Can't wait to see what she does next.

POSSIBLE CONTENT WARNINGS (theme throughout the book)**dark elements of grooming by a teacher with sexual abuse (not described in lots of detail), open door (one scene but not explicitly described and fairly brief)

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I really enjoyed this one. I thought that it was a perfect autumnal read and really fit the dark academia sub-genre well. I enjoyed the overall plot and pacing, I felt like the characters were well drawn and the central romance was great but didn't detract from the central plot which I enjoyed immensely. Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a great spooky-season read.

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No words,just vibes! Okay, maybe a few words since this is a review but the most noteworthy thing about A Stud in Drowning is the immaculate vibes Reid has woven.

Effy Sayre is a fairy tale aficionado and a reluctant architecture student. When the opportunity comes to design a home for her favorite late author she jumps at the chance. Hiraeth Manor has seen better days, as Effy starts to dive into the rubble she soon learns she isn't the only student who's come to the manor. Preston Héloury,a dashing and moody literature major becomes a fast rival to Effy but as they mysteries of the manor unravel they'll either have to work together or face unimaginable danger alone.

This isn't the first time Reid has delivered an evocative and ever present feeling of dread, she is a master of it! It works immaculately here, the crumbling manor and isolated location create a haunting location that our MC's thrive in. They are both multidimensional and intriguing, both a pleasure to read.

This is a read worthy of your autumnal TBR!

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Absolutely incredible and stunning novel. Truly unique and beautifully told. It kept me guessing the entire time. I loved the mix of stark reality with eerie magical realism. I love that the author kept you guessing if the magic was real or not all the way up until the last line. The underlying message was done wonderfully. Truly deserves book of the year status. A modern classic.

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I really truly wanted to love this book. After reading Juniper and Thorn I had such high hopes, but unfortunately this book just didn't live up to my exceptions. Ava discusses a lot of important themes in her stories, and this book is no exception. My main issue was with the main character and the enemies-to-lovers romance. Effy was just not very likeable, and while she has reasons for being the way she is, it made it really difficult to enjoy the story. Her interactions with Preston in the beginning felt almost forced, like the author was really trying to push the "enemies" part of their relationship. It wasn't until chapter 7/8 when I finally started to feel a little more invested in the story. Considering the book is 17 chapters long, that's pretty much the halfway mark. The romance made me roll my eyes a little, but that's definitely me. I think after reading Emily Wilde, my romance expectations were higher, and everything about Effy and Preston constantly touching annoyed me. Like at one point I just wanted to shake them and tell them to hurry up lol. I did kind of guess where things were headed, so the ending wasn't super shocking to me, and while the vibes were definitely there to an extent (I mostly mean spooky vibes, I don't know if I would personally classify this book as dark academia), it didn't improve my overall experience of reading this book.

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“Survival is bravery too.”

On the surface, A Study in Drowning is a dark academia tale of mystery and fantasy, but there is so much more wrapped up in it. It’s about the relationship between authors and consumers, institutional sexism in academia, living in a world that dismisses anxiety and mental health, and ultimately reclaiming one’s voice.

I kind of loved the story-within-a-story format, even though it caused the plot to drag at points. Effy and Preston are academic rivals—and later enemies-to-lovers—who must work together to research Myrddin’s beloved epic and survive the haunted manor and the supernatural phenomena lurking in the area. Their discoveries unearth an array of cans of worms that confront the very facts and superstitions their warring nations are built on.

The language throughout is undoubtedly gorgeous. Reid’s writing style fits the gothic style exceptionally well and reflects careful research and worldbuilding on her part. However, the details of the worldbuilding didn’t hold up as well. Effy’s and Preston’s countries are at war, for instance, yet the cause of this war is unexplained. Preston faces prejudices for his heritage, but he is still easily able to enroll in the same university as Effy, travel between the two countries, etc., so the conflict seems like just another reason for Effy to initially resent him. Not to mention the division in folkloric beliefs between the north and south—again, this aspect seemed to serve as a way to heighten tensions between the characters, but it felt oversimplified.

Unfortunately, A Study in Drowning was not entirely to my liking, but it makes a great, gloomy novel to unravel as the season shifts to autumn.

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I'm not sure what I expected going into this book, but it was definitely a surprise from start to finish. What began as a quiet, slow-building dark academia story quickly morphed into a maybe-fantasy-horror and "Me Too"-esque story about the women constantly shuffled to the background throughout history.

So often lately, "dark academia" tends to trend too far into "edgy" for my tastes, but A Study in Drowning handles so many deep topics deftly and through such an interesting lens of the redesign of a famous author's house and his story of The Fairy King. Effy is a lovely lead who forces you to question her own reliability at every turn, while Preston as her love interest is her equal in her way, and it's delightful watching them grow to tolerate and then love each other against increasingly weird and haunting odds.

A Study in Drowning is the perfect fall read if you're looking for something vaguely spooky and chilling for those dark autumn nights!

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***4.0 Stars***

Overall,
This was a great fall read. The setting and ambiance were very gothic and chilly (made me think of sweater weather). The story is interesting and keeps you engaged. With the main plot centering around Effy a girl with a darkish past who is studying architecture but truly loves literature more, however women are not allowed to study it. She finds her self called to her deceased favorite authors home on the cliffs of a town and slowly uncovers not all things are as they seem. With the help of literature student Preston they gradually discover the history of some of their favorite works. I did find the world building a bit lacking, mainly because I wanted more. This story is very narrow in scope, and because of that the limited world building works just fine, but I am a nerd and wanted to know all about the history of the world and what certain things really mean.

Cover,
This cover is perfect and I love it.

Recommendation,
This is Ava Reid's first foray into young adult and its well done, if you like her other works then I think you would like this. It is perfect to read on a cold rainy day in fall.

***Thank You Netgalley and Harper Teen for the chance to read an eArc of this book in exchange for my free and honest review***

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loved the eerie, spooky vibes. preston, the love interest, was such a nice change from cocky love interests. i liked that they were both on equal standing grounds. i breezed through this book so fast. it's the perfect autumn book to add to your tbr. i'm really satisfied with how it ended, it wrapped up so nicely. sometimes i think "that's it?" to the big reveal at the end of a book but this one was perfect !!

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Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, wow, what a fantastic gothic mystery! It was raining the whole time I was reading and it really added to the cold and wet atmosphere of the book.

I absolutely loved reading the themes Reid brings up in the book--it's dark, but it's not...edgy, in a way. It's all presented very well and is integrated into the mystery and I won't say more in case I spoil it.

I can't say the characters were all my favorite, but I like how retrospective Effy is and acknowledges her flaws and works on them throughout the book. Fantastic story!

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A Study in Drowning is a beautiful dark academia novel that encapsulates what it meant and means to be a woman in a male dominated world. I would say that it is a historical fantasy, though no specific time period is mentioned (e.g. Effy uses a payphone to call her mother). I don't enjoy realistic fiction, but I thoroughly enjoyed how Reid combined the genres. I loved this book and Reid's writing style.

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A dilapidated (and possible haunted) house on a cliff by the sea? An evil Fairy King who may or may not be real? Academic rivals to lovers? A Study in Drowning has it all. But more than that, it has Effy Sayre. Effy who is smart and scared and strong in her own way. Effy who has survived through her books and escaping into stories. Effy whose story is all too familiar. Ava Reid handles Effy's story with care and compassion, allowing her to grow and find her voice in a way that feels earned and authentic.
I have to mention the romance as well. It unfolds in such a tender way, growing out of mural respect and shared interests. Reid (and Preston) make consent sexy.
Also, the long suffering English major in me is very vindicated that in this world studying literature is the most prestigious of all the arts!
The only note I have is that I was slightly confused by Angharad's appearance at the end of the book because I thought she was a ghost but then she got an apartment outside of the house so I guess she was real?? It wasn't very clear.

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