Wow was I blown away and sucked into this story. It was heartbreaking and too many can identify with it. I loved the story arc and the ending has left me reeling with theories. This story will not be leaving me anytime soon. Effy is the survivor in all of us. I loved that the romance was a subplot and didn't overshadow the other elements in the book. There are so many take aways that I could reread this multiple times and walk away with a different felling, and to me that's what makes a good story exceptional. Very well done.

I've deeply enjoyed everything I've read by Ava Reid, so when I saw A Study in Drowning I knew I had to read it. It's a story about waterlogged secrets that can never be drowned. About houses with terrible chilling wind that brings forth shadows in lingering glances. It's both heartbreaking and inspiring in the ways it tackles sexual assault and women's voices as well as love and speaking out. All the tears were shed and I couldn't stop reading even when I was waiting for my laundry to dry.

This is a hard one for me to review. I'm of two minds of when it comes to A Study in Drowning.

First, atmospherically? Love it. I love the dark, gothic, overgrown estate in a region with a deep lore and link to the sea. I love the dark academia vibes. I love the almost heartbreaking undercurrent of misogyny and the maybe "never meet your heroes" story line, which is especially relatable when it comes to literary figures. A Study in Drowning truly has a lot going on within it and there are so many good components and messages. But.....

The second part of me, didn't find the story enjoyable as a reading experience to the point that I wanted to keep coming back. I wanted to blame that on some of the heavier subject matter but at the end I didn't really find it satisfying either. Yes, I liked the ending but there's so much going on in this book that it felt like it streamlined to an ending in a way that left me feeling a little hollow. I also found components of the dueling regions (north and south) awkward and a little uncomfortable in how it was presented in the main characters, I either wanted that part of the story line to just naturally fade away or there to be more conflict because of it.

Maybe I went in with expectations set too high but as much as I wanted to love the book, I didn't. I can, however, appreciate the story for what it was and how many good components went into it. While I didn't love it, I do keep seeing other fantastic reviews for it by other readers and do think it's worth a read if you love dark academia.

I really enjoyed this book. I hope the author continues to write more books in the future. I can't wait to see what this author releases in the future.

These kinds of books are my favorite. I loved the dark academia/gothic feel of this book. I loved the old crumbling house in the damp forest on a cliff. I loved the world building, the characters, the way they grew, and the challenges they faced. I loved the premise, which was full of fairy tales that existed within the world Ava Reid built.

I also really loved how the two main characters worked together to solve some big mysteries that would have an impact on the history of their world, and how they fell for one another. I couldn't put the book down because I had to know how it ended. The twists and turns along the way kept me hooked. I think any person who loves to read, who longs to know how stories are formed, who lives for slow burn romance and gothic settings will absolutely fall head over heels for this book.

If you love spooky atmospheric stories, this is your book. This book will be great for fans of Erin Craig and Melissa Albert.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of A Study in Drowning for the arc copy.

Pros: You can totally feel the dark academia aspect with the university vibes. It does give bit of a creepy tone mixed with coziness as well. I really did enjoy that aspect of this book and that it was true to what the synopsis + other reviews described.

Cons : Unfortunately, I didn’t get very far in this story at all. I had gone into this with a mindset that I was going to love it and maybe that was my fault for setting expectations super high. That’s not to say this book is awful, but it’s just not my favorite with the pacing, the repetition and lack of spark that I needed it to have. I was only able to get about 32% in when I decided I just need to stop. I couldn’t force myself to try and get through it anymore. I did give it my best because it does seem promising and like it may take a turn to something beautiful but maybe it’s just not for me at this time.

Thank you again for an advanced copy and giving me this opportunity.

2.5/5

If you enjoyed Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries and An Enchantment of Ravens, I think you will like this one.

It contains a seemingly unreliable narrator, patriarchal structures, mental illness, a soggy, crumbling manor house, and lecherous old men and possibly fairies.

The writing is gorgeous, although occasionally it drowns in its own pretty prose.

It's a lovely commentary on exploitation, while also acting as a retelling—in a way–of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald. You know the tale. Man writes brilliant novels, gets awarded and lauded and held up as the literal paragon of virtue within his country's literary legacies...while his wife is locked into an insane asylum and vanishes from the historical record.

It's really not that big of a spoiler, because the whole time you're like "Effy. Kiddo. C'mon. You know who wrote this." But such is the way with patriarchy, where women are barred from entering the most prestigious of colleges (the literary college) because of their frivolity. Vertical integration is insidious.

Just as the ways women are taught to not trust their instincts. To submit. To be quiet and unassuming and good, always. And how the reader begins to doubt, too, because their own instincts are just as rusty and tarnished.

It's so easy to believe literally anyone over the unreliable, possibly schizophrenic teenage lead, isn't it?

Trigger warnings for sexual assault.

So I loved this book and the feminist vibes! It is absolutely perfect! Enemy to lovers with paranormal and thriller vibes! The mystery to this book captured my attention. I loved the FMC Effy! I felt she was very fleshed out as a character. The plot kept throwing twists at me and had me guessing constantly at how it was going to end.

4.5 stars

I loved A Study in Drowning! The vibes were immaculate and I loved the various settings, it felt like I was there because I was so immersed with all of the great descriptions. The settings were so moody and it was a perfect book to read in fall/Autumn. It can very easily be described as dark academia, but there is so much more than that.

Effy and Preston have to work together at the manor of a late literary “great” who is very well known for one specific novel he wrote. Effy loves the story and knows it front to back. Preston seems a little off to Effy at first and he seems to be keeping her at arms length.

Their working relationship develops and it’s so enjoyable watching the character development between them together, as well as each of them separately. I was so invested in the outcome for Effy, as well!

What a wonderful dark academia fantasy. Effy was such a relatable character and a nice change of pace for a YA protagonist. Loved the story!

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.