The Lilies may require some suspension of disbelief, but has some great messages that make it quite worth it. We encounter four young people who are attending a swanky boarding school for girls. Some of them live and breathe the culture, some want out and are biding their time. Either way, these four have secrets- and as it turns out, they're stuck in a time loop until they crack the code.

First of all, there is a ton of discussion (among the characters, and in the narrative) about diversity. The biggest problem at the school in general is their intolerance- heck, they call it a "girls'" school, and are much less than keen when someone identifies differently. There is also a lot of discussion on racial issues, class issues, LGBTQ+ issues, and the list goes on. The way the author handles it feels authentic and not forced, which I appreciated.

Obviously, the secrets and the mysteries are this story's bread and butter, so I am going to keep this brief. The story itself is very readable, in part because of the mysteries and in part because the characters were both relatable yet flawed. I also thought the ending wrapped things up neatly, and the book as a whole contained a lot of great commentary. Looking forward to more from this author!

Bottom Line: Wonderful commentary and full of secrets, just suspend your disbelief a bit and you'll definitely be rewarded!

DNF 11% in. Something about the author's writing style just didn't click with me. I kept having to reread each sentence because I was getting stuck. I think the premise is interesting and I love the dark gothy setting and the promise of a time paradox, but I just couldn't vibe with it.

The Lilies by Quinn Diacon-Furtado is a dark academia mystery about four girls in an all girls boarding school who have to relive their worst memory in a "Groundhog Day" fashion during a lock down at their school. While I normally enjoy dark academia theme novels, this one was a miss for me. I got bored with the "loop" of the same memory and it also felt very political and preachy to me. I also would have liked more details at the end of the "loop".

3.5 forward-leaning stars for this story of memory, trauma, and breaking the cycle,

Four students at a prestigious private school for girls find themselves forced to relieve their worst moment if they hope to escape the time loop they’ve found themselves trapped in.

For a story that’s always pointing out how different the protagonists are, I constantly found myself having to go back to the beginning of chapters to figure out whose POV I was reading. Their voices are remarkably similar despite the very obvious outward differences. It’s such a psychological story that I’m wondering if it’s on purpose or if I’m trying to justify why I still enjoyed it.

It’s dark academia that feels even darker because it hits hard that the darkness comes straight from the main characters and their lived experiences. It gets heavy even when it doesn’t directly touch on the reasons for the girls traumas, which makes for a difficult read at times.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and HarperTeen for the dark read!

Four students at an all-girls academy were all connected by the disappearance of one of their classmates.
The plot of this book was super intriguing with the time loop. Seeing how each of the girls interacted with the missing girl before she went missing added a lot to the story, and I thought they all showed a lot of growth throughout.
The ending was a tad confusing and a bit of a letdown. It didn't seem like what they ultimately did to stop the time loop should have made things turn out like they did. Even with the ending being a bit disappointing, this story kept me flipping pages and entertained up until that point. and I would definitely check out other books by this author.

Thank you to Epic Reads, Netgalley, HarperTeen, and Quinn Diacon-Furtado for the advanced reader copy.

This book promised a One of Us is lying vibe and it definitely delivered. Four people in an all-girls private school are forced to relieve the worst night of their lives over and over. This is a fast-paced, thriller as you follow each senior and uncover their secrets.

The queer representation played a big part in this book, not only in the characters themselves but in the plot. I don't think we see enough books like that, especially in the ya-thriller space. The characters are distinct and unique and each has their own background and voice that contribute to their reactions in the book.

My main issue with this book, and why it received three stars, is how it wrapped up. Everything felt too convenient and too simple for the end, that it almost confused me. I'm not sure how what they did with the grandmothers contributed to the ending. Also, Drew's point of view and secret was played up so much and when it was uncovered, I felt it to be a bit of a letdown. The character development was great, but by the end, the book felt less like a murder mystery who-dun-it and more like it focused on the characters. To be fair, that is not a bad thing, it just wasn't what I was anticipating.

That being said, this was an enjoyable page turner!

Definitely check the trigger warnings on this book (drug use, overdose, and abuse are all prevalent, and there might be more I didn't list).

A secret society, a missing student, and four students stuck in a time loop at an all girls school? Sounds like a dark academia picture perfect mystery at first glance.
The diverse cast of characters is great. Each character is different and brings an interesting tone and perspective to the overall plot. The plot is interesting but loses its believability in several places. Situations that were supposed to be dark and mortifying, were lackluster and awkward at best. The plot moves along but then suddenly concludes with an abrupt, unsatisfactory ending. I rated this 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 because I can see the potential. Thank you to NetGalley, HarperTeen, and HarperCollinsPublishers for allowing me a chance to review this book early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book started out interesting, what happened to one girl and how are her classmates involved? But it just became boring. The time loop was not helpful. Just didn’t really care for it and had to force myself to continue. I wish I were the kind who could quit things.

LOVED THIS UNIQUE YA THRILLER FANTASY. I wasn't expecting it. The message is significant and redemptive. I recommend this one to all of my YA enthusiasts.

Archwell Academy has a secret society called The Lilies. It's an honor to be initiated and be considered for this long-standing tradition. But there is something darker underneath. One of the initiates is missing, and The Lilies have a history of missing girls. When four Archwell girls find themselves stuck in a time loop, they must relive their worst memories. The only way out is through. As they relive these memories, they begin to discover what may have happened to the missing girls, uncovering the secrets of Archwell Academy.

What a captivating concept and storyline. The character development is stellar since we get the interchanging POVs of all four girls. I loved this aspect of the writing. Cleverly, Quinn Diacon-Furtado captured details I missed by incorporating another character's angle of the same event. This quadruple POV gave so much depth to the characters and scenes. I could see through their eyes the entire time. Quinn wove in a beautiful message of inclusion and acceptance as these wildly different girls battled through their worst memories together. What a satisfying story.

A special thank you to Quinn Diacon-Furtado, Harper Collins, and NetGalley for this awesome eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a queer dark academia book and would be perfect for a middle or high schooler who is struggling with their self image and who they are in this world. The multiple points of view could get confusing at times. Overall, an enjoyable read and could really help a child who is struggling with their identity.

I really enjoyed this story. I don't often read books with time-loops in them, but I did actually like that device in this story. I did think that sometimes the voices for the different POVs could get muddled, but that was pretty easily solvable by flipping back to see who's perspective I was in. I really enjoyed all the different complexities of this--secret shadow societies, romance, magical realism, time traveling. It was all great, and I really hope for more from this author and/or in this world!

Whenever I see “time loop” noted in a book’s description, I’m immediately intrigued. It’s a trope I abhor when it’s done poorly, and adore when it’s done right. The latter is, of course, less frequent than the former.

But in the case of Quinn Diacon-Furtado’s THE LILIES, the story’s time loop is expertly and entertainingly done. This debut does not disappoint. THE LILIES engages readers from the very first page, and refuses to let go.

The Lilies is a twist on dark academia with a hint of magical realism. The overall idea of the story was intriguing and the writing kept me interested, especially once the mystery really gets going. One thing that was essential for the story was the different points of view, but I did feel at times that I had to double check which POV I was reading at the moment because a few of the voices were a little similar. Overall, an interesting and intriguing entry in young adult dark academia with plenty of mystery to keep readers eager to find out what happens next.

One important thing to note is that this title does include some heavy topics that may be upsetting for some readers.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

Four students from the prestigious Archwell academy find themselves stuck in a time loop, reliving their worst memories... and being forced to unravel their school's secret society's secret and the disappearance of one girl...can they figure it out in time to escape or will they be trapped forever? Archwell Academy is a prestigious all-girls school, it's a school that guarantees a successful future. But beneath it's pretty cover lies a secret society known as the Lilies, a group of students where girls disappear....The story is told from four point of views:

Rory Archwell- president of the senior class and daughter of Chancellor Archwell. She wants to do whatever it takes to be on top... even if it means breaking up with her girlfriend Blythe Harris. Rory is determined to please her mother, even if it means destroying people to get her way.

Blythe Harris- She wants to beat Rory's academic record and become the first Black valedictorian in Archwell's history. She's a tech genius with a tendency to break into people's emails and snoop. Blythe wants to do anything possible that would give her an advantage.

Drew Simmons- Was forced to go to Archwell as their grandmother's one condition to get the inheritance. Drew wants to fly under the radar especially since they are being forced to go to an all girl's school when they do not identify as such. They keep everyone at arm's length... but when their roommate Charlotte, begins to discover some of their secrets and begins to go missing... Drew will do anything to hide their secrets.

Vero Martin- wants nothing more than to be an artist, she's been forced to go keep her secret artist identity under wraps as her father is running for office and this is her last chance before he sends her away. Her controversial art sets off a chain of events and brings unwanted attention... and now she has to face the consequences of her work and the damage it has created.

These four students are all connected to the Lillies secret society and the missing girl Charlotte... and when they end up in a time loop facing their worst memories, they'll have to work past it all and together to uncover the secrets that would finally let them be free. This book is a queer dark academia mystery with tons of representation. I absolutely will give this book bonus points for the representation. The book is definitely unique and I think it would make a fun read for dark academia and mystery fans. Personally, this one just felt like a bit of a miss and the overall plot felt meh at best to me. I was hoping for something a bit more, but the timeline thing just wasn't for me and I just didn't like the characters all that much. Overall it was an okay book for me but I think others will still have fun with it.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperTeen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

A roller coaster from start to finish.

Time travel. Enemies to friends to maybe more? Secret societies.

Archwell Academy sounds like the perfect place for girls to become better, however there is something dark beneath the surface that may need to come to light. Four girls with connecting paths may just be the ones who can do it.

A very quick read. Highly enjoyable and relatable characters. Would definitely recommend.

I am begging Harper to give this book a new cover when the PB gets released. This cover is one of the worst I've seen in modern years and it does not do the book justice.

On to the book itself, I had a good time with this one. It's fast paced, an interesting take on time loops, and a fresh approach to generational trauma. That said, I was a little confused by some of the more minor details. For example, we're told a character is trans and it's implied that their parents know, but then later another character is accused of outing the trans character to their parent when it's already been implied that the parents know? Little things like that bogged me down and left me a little perplexed at the end. However, these are things that could be caught and changed before a final copy and I would still recommend this one.

I really enjoyed how well everything worked with the dark academia thriller. The writing was perfectly done and I enjoyed how tense this atmosphere was. Quinn Diacon-Furtado does a great job in using the genre to create a wonderfully written concept and I was invested in what was going on. I liked the idea of reliving the persons worst memory.

This book is definitely targeted for YA that gives voice to trans, queer, gay, and non-binary youth. The premise is that four students are at an exclusive all female private school that has a secret society called The Lilies, named after a character who disappeared two generations before these four. They find themselves trapped in a closet that takes them through a journey of self discovery to reckon with the wrongs that they have caused as they relive their memories. The story itself is interesting, and I may recommend this to students who are looking for books with different perspectives. While I understand the metaphors used throughout, the story was almost a parable in a context with the Skull and Boned vibe that wasn't my cup of tea.

Honestly, I went into this thinking "dark academia, secret society, and secrets," and it delivered on that, but it was poorly to me.
So I liked the premise of this book: disappearances, time loops, mystery...what's not to like?
But there was stuff I didn't like. I didn't like that the book was confusing: I didn't know when it was past, present, or time loop since each chapter had multiple timelines in each. I also didn't like the actual mystery. It fell flat to me.

"The Lilies" was an enjoyable read with a really cool premise. If you like reading fast-paced YA Mystery Thrillers I think this book is worth looking into.

The cover is what initially caught my eye but I really liked the idea of Dark Academia setting with a time loop. The potential for this storyline was really intriguing and overall I think the author did a pretty good job.

Thank you to Quinn Diacon-Furtado , Net Galley and Harper Collins Children's Books- Harper Teen for providing me with an ARC of this book.