I had high hopes for What Wakes the Bells from the moment it was announced. The premise—a sentient city steeped in mysterious lore, with Saints and ancient magic—sounded fresh and full of promise. Unfortunately, despite its potential, this debut fantasy ultimately fell flat for me.

Starting with the positives: the prose. There were so many moments where the writing shone with lyrical beauty. The concept of a sentient city was ambitious, and while I didn’t enjoy how it was executed, I admire the author's willingness to take creative risks.

That said, the execution of the story was overall disappointing. The worldbuilding was both confusing and underdeveloped. There were sections that felt like info dumps, yet I still had so many unanswered questions. The lore surrounding the Saints was intriguing at first glance, but it lacked depth and coherence. I often felt like I was grasping for context that never came.

The characters, unfortunately, were not strong enough to carry the story. Mina, the protagonist, kept making frustrating decisions, often acting impulsively.. Her conviction that she alone could fix everything felt unearned, and instead of rooting for her, I found myself annoyed. Her relationship with Max had potential, but it was never fully explored or emotionally grounded. The side characters lacked dimension and seemed to exist more as narrative tools than as people with lives of their own.

The plot, while built on an intriguing premise, became predictable as the story went on. I didn't find anything surprising, and the ending didn’t leave a lasting impression. The dialogue often felt stilted, and the tone of the prose—elaborate at times, juvenile at others—made it hard to stay immersed.

I say all this keeping in mind that this is a debut novel, and many of these shortcomings can be common for first-time authors. There’s clear potential in Elle Tesch's writing, and with more refined storytelling and deeper character work, I believe her future books could shine. What Wakes the Bells may not have worked for me, but I can see other readers being drawn to its unique premise and atmospheric setting, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Tesch's next work.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I mainly enjoyed the story because there were so many magical aspects to the story. It was not like any other stories I read before. I like European legends and actually like that many of the cities are these dark entities themselves. The city is dark but comes alive with an example being the statues. You can see how it becomes ominous. I did not like how it was over-described though and you lost yourself in the story. I would do 3.5

This had all the hallmarks of a book that should have been five stars for me - gothic, inspired by a vague Eastern European legend, a sentient city that may or may not be evil. Really good stuff.

Unfortunately, I found myself lost in this story. I couldn't get a good vision for the setting, the magic, or even the spaces these characters were occupying. All of the characters felt like placeholders and I wasn't convinced of any of their relationships to each other, no matter love or hate. The action scenes were confusing on top of an already confusing magic system.

Reading this was like taking a bite of a pie where all of the ingredients are assembled, but the pie hasn't been cooked in the oven yet.

⭐️⭐️⭐️
A story with pulse but lacking rhythm

"Thirteen tolls is all it would take to rouse the ungodly Bane from whatever he'll it eas exiled to."

"Faced with the terrifying unknown, my traitorous body succumbs to the familiar."

"The parallels between the last and present are too delicious to ignore."

I’m honestly torn on this one. What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch delivers a lot of what I crave in YA dark fantasy—monsters, magic, emotional stakes, and a world teetering on the brink of collapse. There’s undeniable heart behind this book. The cast is inclusive, naturally diverse in gender identity and sexuality, just people existing authentically in a broken world.

Vaiwyn is a sentient city—literally. Magic that breathes and thinks for itself, politics that scheme, and Saints that might be myths or monsters depending on who's telling the story. Tesch’s approach to worldbuilding was layered, though sometimes more implied than explained. Given the narrative’s first-person limited POV and the way Vaiwyn’s history has clearly been adjusted over time by religion and power for their persibak agenda, the gaps felt intentional rather than lazy. I would 100% read a prequel just to get the gritty truth behind the Saints and their origin stories, despite knowing how it ends.

Mina as the FMC was one of the most realistically eighteen yo's I’ve read in a while. She's grieving, insecure, impulsive, and full of messy desperation to be something in a world literally falling apart around her. Some of her decisions were painful to watch unfold, but trauma and perceived guilt are hellish motivators. And let's be real. The strained mother-daughter dynamic was raw, uncomfortable and real. Not all mother-daughter bonds in fiction need to be heartwarming or nonexistent. This one was brittle and bruised, and I appreciated how honestly that was handled.

Why three stars?

Because the writing, while undeniably unique, was often its own obstical. It’s flowery, fragmented, and structured in this poetic, inside-out, "I get what you're trying to do but now I’ve lost the thread of the actual story" kind of way. I was constantly pulled out of the moment to reread paragraphs and reorient myself. There’s a difference between lyrical and labyrinthine.

Also, the main arc? Called it pretty early. Around the 20-30% mark, the foreshadowing was basically waving a neon flag. But, and this is important, the very end still managed to surprise me. Mina’s fate felt earned, fitting, and strangely satisfying. So kudos for sticking the landing, even if most of the story was obvious and predictable.

Content-wise, this straddles the YA/NA line. There’s death, drinking, religion, politics, and complicated relationships, but no graphic sex. A few curse words. The legal drinking age is never explained or implied in the town of Vaiwyn but Mina is 18, which is recognized as an adult in her world. While her supervised drinking might raise some brows, I'd still recommend this to high schoolers without hesitation.

To Summarize: What Wakes the Bells is an enjoyable albeit predictable story with overly poetic and floral prose that occasionally felt like work rather than entertainment.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and written by me.

Connect with me on Instagram @the.alis.trials or Goodreads at Alis V Houten.

Reviews will be posted on appropriate retail sites within the next 24 hours.

Book Review of What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch

Cover Story: Suncatcher
BFF Charm: Yay
Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Talky Talk: Gothic
Bonus Factors: Living City, Saints
Relationship Status: Planning a Visit

Red alert! What Wakes the Bells features frightening imagery, minor body horror, on-page gore/death/murder, strained mother-daughter relationship, characters grieving the death of a parent, a side character with alcoholism, swearing, and sexual coercion. (Per the note in the front of the book.)

Cover Story: Suncatcher
This is either a really ornate stained glass window or a really ornate painting that’s meant to mimic stained glass. The imagery of the saints is pretty spot-on, regardless.

The Deal:
Mina Strauss is a Keeper, much like her mother, and her mother before her. For generations, the Strauss family has been tasked with making sure that the five giant bells across the city of Vaiwyn don’t ring out at one o’clock (a.m. or p.m.) and unleash an evil that will bring the city and its people to their knees.

But then Mina’s bell chimes. Even though she did everything by the book. And Vaiwyn, a living city with a mind of its own, begins to revolt. And it’s up to Mina to set things to rights. With a little help from some Saints.

BFF Charm: Yay
I like Mina very much. She’s a bright, intelligent young woman who loves her city and her family (even when her mom’s being a right shrew). She longs for people to believe in her and to trust in her abilities the way her father did before he passed. She’s definitely shaken when her bell rings and the city goes wild, but she pulls herself up by the bra straps and figures out a way to set everything to rights. I don’t think I’ve ever had the confidence she had, especially not at her age.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Mina is ace-spec (asexual spectrum) coded, although she never refers to herself as such. She’s never really had feelings about anyone, ever, but she recently started to have feelings for her best friend, Max. He cares for her, too, but is willing to take things slow so that she’s comfortable with how they progress. (He really is quite the gentleman.) Some things go down over the course of the book that puts a damper on their relationship, but by the end of the novel—sorry for the semi-spoiler—they’re back on track to being utterly adorable.

Talky Talk: Gothic
What Wakes the Bells is a dark academia novel with a gorgeous amount of unique imagery and world-building. Tesch has a way with words, and her characters pop off the page, even when they’re not part of the main cast.

When not marking the first hours silenced by their Bell Keepers, Arbutus and the other Vespers sing the sweetest melodies with their newly restored clappers. From the Ingmund Courts and Buchari University to the south; Elke Cathedral and Farvald Bank to the north; and Lyndell Hall on the island that splits the river in two. I couldn’t care less which bell clangs right now.

Breathing through this spiked heat in my heart, I half expect steam to billow from my ears, too.

Bonus Factor: Living City
Vaiwyn is a character in itself, and although it’s unusually unhappy for most of the book, the idea of such a thing is super fascinating. Holes in walls heal themselves, messages transmit through building walls, and windows and stained glass change on a whim. I don’t think I’d want to feel the city breathing, but I’d love to be able to ask it to remodel my home when I wanted to change something.

Bonus Factor: Saints
Part of Vaiwyn’s mythos is the story of six saints who were around at the city’s founding. The people of Vaiwyn worship their memories and the memories of their great deeds. Everyone thinks they’re long dead, but it turns out that they’ve been reincarnating for hundreds of years. Their appearances might seem human, but when they show their true selves, they’re vastly more interesting and god-like, in a biblical angel kind of way.

Relationship Status: Planning a Visit
Hey Book, I know Vaiwyn is busy repairing from the Big Bad, but I’m really interested in visiting, and soon. Is there a room open at the local inn? Let me know as soon as possible, so I can book that flight. K thanks!

What Wakes the Bells
By Elle Tesch
Narrated by Ell Potter
4 ⭐️

Sentient city, Trojan horse sort-of-gods, “I can’t help it, I love him”, and mommy issues = this gothic YA fantasy.

I jived with this story. Gothic/atmospheric vibes can lure me in like nothing else. Add in some necromancy sprinkle and I’m swooning. I do think the plot slows in some spots which can be a turn off for some. I loved the world and vibes too much to care. The sentient city is the shinning star of this story. The world building isn’t lacking, and Tesch brings this creative, magic-bound land to life. I thought the audiobook narration really helped the story. Potter adds a depth to the MCs that helps the reader get emotionally attached quickly. This is a recommendation from me for anyone looking for a slower paced, less adventure based fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley, Elle Tesch, and Macmillan Children’s Pub for this eARC. Audiobook borrowed via Libby.

I thought this was a fun and unique concept. It's slower and more atmospheric but I didn't mind that.

If you're looking for something at a pace similar to Divine Rivals than you'll enjoy this one. The writing was beautiful.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for more books by Elle.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan's Children Publishing Group for the ARC.

This is a really strong debut. with a few flaws that I think come down to trying to be two things at once. Its biggest strength is how well it fits a gothic romance, the description of the town is so good. I also appreciate that it starts in the middle of the relationship between Mina and Max, so we don't have to go through a bunch of will they/won't they scenes only to stop when it gets good. It does make some of the reveals predictable, but I think I would have been disappointed if it didn't go that way because it's what I expect from a gothic romance. The thing that trips this up is that it wants to be both Eastern European folktale and YA fantasy. The first is okay with leaving details out of the worldbuilding because the purpose is often to supply a lesson; the magic is accepted as an underside to the town, and its too short to bother with that. But to become a YA fantasy book, details are needed to flesh out not just the setting but the characters and how they function within their world. Especially when the characters follow such strict rules within this insulated town, it needs a good structure to explain why they don't just hoof it and leave. It gives some historical detail and some geographic info about the surrounding area, but not enough. And with how long the book was, I think it could have afforded some more information. Still, I see a lot of potential here, and I'd like to see what the author could do next.

What Wakes the Bells is an eerie, beautifully written fantasy that pulls you into a city humming with secrets and shadows. From the first page, the atmosphere grips you—fog, bells, statues that shouldn’t move, and a legacy Mina Strauss never asked for but can’t escape. The story strikes a perfect balance between haunting and heartfelt, with just enough mystery and emotion to keep the pages turning. If you love stories where magic feels like it’s stitched into the city itself, this one is a must-read.

The concept of this book really grabbed me. A living city? Yes! Bell keepers whose duty it is to prevent the bells from ringing and an ancient evil from returning? Yes! Give this to readers who enjoy a gothic atmosphere, deep magic, and high stakes.

[NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, my NetGalley feedback is not a blurb or endorsement. If a publisher wishes to use any part of my comments for promotional purposes, please contact me or my agent via email. I would prefer not to include star ratings but NetGalley won't let me post without one, so all will be 5 stars.]

What Wakes the Bells is a great young adult Gothic fantasy written by Elle Tesch, published by Feinwel & Friends. A sentient city built long ago by the Saints, an ominous evil that will return after the Vesper Bells ring thirteen times, an immaculate atmosphere that perfectly captures the vibes and a female main character having to fight to stop the chaos from taking over the city of Valwyn after not fulfilling the expectations of her family are some of the elements that makes this such a ride of a book.

Mina is part of a long line of bell-keepers part of the Strauss family, having to take care of the Vesper Bells to keep the evil from coming back to the city of Valwyn; however, under Mina's watch, it's her Bell the one that marks the return of a long forgotten Saint. Mina will have to step up to protect her family and the city from the horror unleashed by the Bell, while unraveling the mysteries behind the city's foundation and its lore, becoming the saviour Valwyn needed, having to confront even those she loved.

If there's an aspect that Tesch has absolutely nailed is the worldbuilding, in terms of setting and atmosphere. We have a sentient city with a long history that has been twisted across the centuries, with many Gothic details and drawing into some religious aspects such as the Saints and how there's a cult around them (even we could say the Strauss' tradition is a sort of religion). There are some unanswered questions at the ending, but I feel it suits well with how Tesch is playing with the concept of how oral stories/traditions often hides the truth behind some garnishments.

It is true that in terms of characterization, What Wakes the Bells lands a bit on the weaker side, but still has some space to shine. Mina's character arc, while it is a bit cliched, works well as part of the plot, and I absolutely love a strong female main character that has to fight against disappointment, having to stand up from the lowest point and confront her fears. The romance was set from the start, but Tesch manages to give an interesting twist to it, suiting well with the general imagery.
The pacing is a bit slow at the start, using a small chunk to introduce us to the world, but once it picks, it never stops, keeping you as a reader in tension during the whole book.

What Wakes the Bells is a great novel, perfect if you are looking for a Gothic fantasy with a vivid imagery and immaculate vibes, a really enjoyable read that will pick your curiosity with the worldbuilding and give you a remarkable character arc. Really interested to see what will Elle Tesh have in the future!

A sentient city with a demi FMC in an alt Pragues! I couldn’t have asked for a better setting - but what surprised me was how much I enjoyed the characters too! I will add this book to my collection ASAP!

What Wakes the Bells is a deliciously dark, gothic fantasy. This story is filled with intricate and unique world-building, an ominous atmosphere, heart-stopping action, and a courageous main character who just won't quit. In her debut novel, Elle Tesch explores complex family dynamics, first/true love, lovers to enemies, determination and grit, and encases it in a creepy and imaginative world like none other.

What Wakes the Bells is the story of the city of Vaiwyn; a city built by long-gone Saints. It's a living breathing city. Mina Strauss' thousand-year family legacy is to prevent the Vesper bells from ringing, lest they awaken a slumbering evil. But, one afternoon, much to her horror, Mina's bell peals thirteen times, unleashing a power-hungry Saint from his prison and reeking chaos upon the citizens of Vaiwyn. As the sun sets, stone gargoyles and bronze statues tear away from their buildings and plinths to hunt people through the streets.

As the death toll rises, the only chance Mina has to stop the destruction and horrific killings is finding and destroying the Saint’s host. Everyone is a suspect, including Mina's closest loved ones. She will have to decide how far she’ll go to save her city―and who she’s willing to kill to do it.

What Wakes the Bells is a heart-pumping read that holds you captive from start to finish. I highly recommend this book!

3.5/5
This story was interesting but predictable. Mine is a likeable character with a very straight forward relationship with her siblings and mother after her father passed. The side characters are meh the interaction with each other is very lack luster. The plot line of cathedral and rock and sickness is interesting but the explanation is lacking from history, to magic, to world building. I felt it was easy to read but I was missing chunks. Overall the story had potential but fell a tad bit flat.
I received this as an ARC and want to thank NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the opportunity to read it.

I had a blast reading this book! It's a testament to Elle Tesh's writing that I actually predicted a fair amount of what was going to happen pretty early on, and then spent the rest of the book talking myself out of and back into whether I was right or not. She kept me on my toes the entire time. I really enjoyed the magic system in this one. It's always fascinating when magic is tied really strongly to setting. Readers who enjoy a magic system where all the rules are spelled out might struggle with this one, but I found it really fascinating that so much time had passed between the Saints founding of the city and the events of the book that the citizens' knowledge and perspective of the way their world worked had been lost and obscured. I'd recommend this one to fans of Margaret Rogerson.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me an early copy of What Wakes the Bells in exchange for an honest review.

I adored this premise and the vibes throughout the whole book. Gothic fantasies are so interesting to me. and I don't think I've read many books that are lovers to enemies. The atmosphere was written well the entire book, and the uniqueness of a city come alive made me want to keep reading. Despite this there were quite a few things I didn't like too much about this book. The lore aspect behind the city being alive wasn't explained too well. I thought it was hard to read when the explanation finally came about, and it made me read much slower after that point. This entire book was actually a very slow read for me, much slower than I would like it to be. A unique magic system and unique setting for Mina to run around in would have been better if there were clear explanations for most of the worldbuilding and history. The entire book hinged on its atmosphere, and there were many things that were hard to read and difficult to wrap my head around. Fantasy can be open to interpretation, but it has to come to a point where we can understand at least part of it by the end, especially for motivations behind some of the characters in this book. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I felt as if it could be more deeply fleshed out in terms of world building.

The Prague-inspired city of Vaiwyn was vividly brought to life, and Mina's story resonated with me. Her relationship with Max was refreshing, a genuine connection amidst a supernatural crisis. I appreciated the subtle exploration of asexuality and demisexuality. While the world-building occasionally confused me, and the writing style wasn't always seamless, the unique premise and compelling characters kept me engaged. I'm definitely curious to see what Elle Tesch writes next.

content warnings: death of parent, body horror, emotional abuse

in the living, breathing city of vaiwyn, mina acts as a keeper to take care of the bells and prevent them from ringing, lest they awaken an evil force. one day, though, her bell rings thirteen times, and no one knows what kind of danger this will entail. the soul of a power-hungry saint has been let loose and hides behind the face of a citizen. mina works to find and destroy the saint’s host to save her city.

i’ve been so excited to read this book since hearing about it! i enjoy reading books inspired by central and eastern european cultures, and this book was based on a legend from prague. i really liked how the setting played into this story!

i loved the main character, mina. she had to step into this position a bit abruptly after losing her father, who had the job before her. the relationship between mina and her boyfriend, max, was explored so well. oftentimes, when the mc starts the book in a relationship, their partner sucks and they eventually break up. however, i really liked max and how their relationship grew throughout the book.

i’d recommend this to anyone looking for a YA fantasy with a unique setting. i can’t wait for whatever’s next from elle tesch!

There are some really imaginative fantasy novels coming out in the YA market in the last few years, and I am absolutely loving it. The cover copy of the book reminded me a little bit of Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek, which I read last year and adored.

I think the writing is a little more straightforward than Poranek’s, but not in a bad way. Maybe it’s simply that this book focuses on descriptions of magical things that are more familiar to us– walls, doorways, etc.– rather than ancient enchanted forests.

I could see this book appealing to readers who enjoy Francesca Zappia. This one feels somewhere in the middle between Katzenjammer, Zappia’s weird, contemporary fantasy in which the school students find themselves trapped in is alive, and Greymist Fair, a fairytale-esque fantasy and murder mystery.

Though it’s not specified, the words Mina uses to describe her relationship with romance and sex led me to think of her as on the asexual spectrum, maybe demisexual? At one point, she has a conversation with another character who doesn’t feel romantic attraction to others, and they both ultimately feel less alone after comparing notes on their identities. That was a sweet moment. I appreciated that they didn’t have the language to label themselves and how that left them more isolated, but that they ultimately connected and felt seen anyway. It’s a minor note in the whole story, but beautiful nonetheless.

On the whole, I enjoyed this book. It’s a layered, complex story that delivers on its promises. I’m excited to see what Tesch writes next.

I wasn't able to get into this book. . I think if I read it more in the fall then I would of devoured this book. I was so excited for it :(