I'm always a sucker for magical boarding schools! And Bonnin incorporated so many great elements that really made this stand out to me.
I love the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and autism rep, I feel like those were handled really well. While the magic element is less prominent than the mystery, I still had a good time with this one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Elisa A. Bonnin for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for Lovely Dark and Deep coming out March 25, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I didn’t know what to expect. I thought it was an interesting story. I think the rules of the magic could’ve been explained a little more. I enjoyed the characters. I think the last part of the book lost me a little. I was hoping for something a little spookier. I would check out other books by this author!

Oh no….I was so excited for this one and I hate giving critical reviews ☹ Despite it being well written from a grammar and mechanics standpoint, I DNF’d it at around the 80% mark.

I think this book had a lot of potential. I was very interested in the group of misfits, aka the Red Stripes, and I loved the mysterious forest and all of the background we got on broken promises and malicious deals between the founder of the university and the forest. However, I felt the characters were lacking a lot of depth. All of the characters had so much potential to be these incredible characters (hello! They had different magics and they couldn’t have been any different from one another), but I ultimately felt that everyone just fell short. I wish the story would have had a deeper focused lens on the characters themselves. For example, if there would have been more time focused on them actually getting to be friends so their personalities could shine, I feel that would have helped me connect more with them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Feiwel & Friends, and Elisa A. Bonnin for the opportunity to read this book. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are honest and my own.

Content Warning: some horror

+ Ellery West is a boarding school for magic users and Faith has been there awhile, but something happened and she gets blamed for the death of her friend, Sydney. Now she’s back but she’s an outcast and lives with the other outcasts. They call themselves the Red Stripes and I did enjoy the found family that they created.

+ Faith is Filipino which is awesome (representation) and she’s going through some things with school and not wanting to disappoint her family again. She’s haunted by what happened in the forest that time she and Sydney went in but is someone now trying to send her a message? She’s having nightmares, and thinks someone is watching her. I love the diverse characters of the Red Stripes and how they welcome Faith as one of their own. They help her try to figure what is going on and has her back.

+ The setting of the school Ellery West is perfect for dark academia. There is a forest at the school where something is not right. The magic system is cool – students have magical powers with different affinities.

~ There are flashbacks in this story that didn’t always work for me. I kind of wish we got a book before this one that explored this friendship that Faith had with Sydney and what happened in the woods.

~ I wanted it darker. But that’s just my preference – I actually think young adult and teens are the perfect audience for this book.

Final Thoughts:

This story has magic, some light horror, mystery, diversity and a found family. For me I wanted it to be a bit darker and it might have been a bit too young for me but I think fans of YA Dark Academia will enjoy this one a lot. It is definitely more for teens and younger young adults.

Dark academia? I am sat! I absolutely loved reading this book! You will be sucked in by the magical atmospheric draw! This fantasy will have you on a roller coaster ride of finding ones person identity to fantasy themes. You see themes of trust, friendship, growth, and more. You will truly feel the love through the book!

This book is back and forth with past and present and very quickly paced! If you need a page turner then this one is for you! You will absolutely love this dark academia book and its focus on the students lives and experiences!

4 Stars!

I really enjoyed this but what's not to love about a story featuring a magical island and a group of misfits. There was a touch of a lull in the middle but nothing too terrible. I loved how diverse the cast was and the found family aspect to it. It was mysterious and kept me engaged.

I loved this magical, slightly creepy dark academia story. The diversity was well done (BIPOC rep, LGBTQ+ rep, and autistic rep), the found family was so wholesome, and the world building was outstanding. Faith was very relatable, but it was Alex who stole my heart. And Yvonne had one of the coolest powers I’ve ever seen (the ability to turn back time on objects). Fair warning that this was light on the romance (a couple of crushes for Faith and one couple in the supporting cast), so don’t pick this up expecting romantasy.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves magical boarding schools.

I received an advanced copy from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving this review.

This was a great YA fantasy academia book. The plot was interesting and the book was fast paced. The characters were very introspective for high schoolers, but it was refreshing to see them work through their teenage angst. I really appreciated the queer and autism rep. The way the characters grappled with and accepted their own queerness felt very authentic. The magic system was fun and new- magic is divided into three categories based on internal magic manifested as the elements, magic that controls the elements around us, and mental/empathetic magic.

Two things brought this book down to a 4 star. I would have really liked to see more character development between Faith and Sydney. The explanation of their relationship in the past was very surface level with a ton of potential. The ending was nice but the blooming relationship felt like a last minute addition, again, with a lot of potential that wasn’t explored.

Thank you Feiwel and Friends and NetGalley for the advanced egalley.

this book was a hard read for me in the beginning, but it is dark academia, with magic -which sounds just up my ally. I am starting to wonder if i have out grown ya not because this was bad but because i felt so detached during my read sadly. the initial story was good, and so was the plot and characters. So outside of my mixed reviews I believe it was a 4/5 stars.

4.5 Dark Academy with a great cast and an amazing cover? Yes, please. I related immediately to the main character because she lives in limbo she doesn't belong to one side, but also she is not entirely just magic, I love characters that stand strong and still find a path when they are in "between" worlds. It's well written and the author made me fear the forest and for the safety of the characters. Sad to let go and second chances to do something right.
Great visual horror moments and I was sad for some too.

2.5 stars

Overall, this is a tale about finding yourself, friends, and family. And I do like the Red Stripes.

There are parts that I didn’t like. As well as parts I did like. I like the magic set up a lot.

This book has LQBTQ and autism representation. It’s mostly handled well, even though I think we could have done without the revelation at the end regarding Alex, but only because Alex’s identity as an empath and being autistic and really making an effort to help her friends is already enough. To have a near miraculous change when he comes out as being a boy bothers me. It felt wrong.


I received an ARC via NetGalley.

This was a very exciting and interesting story that unfortunately just left me wanting so much more. I was expecting this magic filled dark academia mystery, but instead this story is more of a mystery with hints of magic. Yes, everyone in this story had magical abilities and were at a magical school, but that part of the story was explored so little that it felt more like magical realism than a true fantasy. I really wish we could have seen some of the classes and see the main characters actually exploring their powers and how to control them. Instead, we really just see that the side characters already pretty much know how to do everything and the main character discovers how to suddenly use her powers to her full ability in the middle of battle. The world-building and magic system could have been developed so much more and I know that the author has the ability to do so, so I'm not sure what happened.

Don't get me wrong--there were so many amazing parts of this story. I loved the commentary on immigration and trying to fit in, especially since it comes from the author's personal experience. The fact that the entire conflict was basically about colonialism and how we reconcile with the repercussions generations afterwards was very smart and well-done. The characters were all endearing and the relationships, both platonic and romantic, were heartwarming. The queer and autistic representation was also well-done and felt like they fit in the story, not just diversity points. Although, again, I do wish Faith's feelings towards Sydney were explored a bit more.

Overall, I think the biggest takeaway from this book was that it had a very strong base in almost every aspect, but it just wasn't developed enough. It was very entertaining and well written, and I very rarely say this, but it needed to be longer in order to explore everything that was brought into the story. Some might think 4 stars is a bit high for my criticisms, but there was nothing bad about this book by any means, just room for improvement.

A girl with magic finds herself moved into a separate group of ostracized students... students who are known for dark magic when her best friend is killed... and she is the only one who got out of the woods alive.... but she awoke something in those woods and now its haunting her. In a magical school hidden off the coast of Washing on an island, is a academy for gifted students known as Ellery West. Faith is a student there and had lived a great life... until she walked into the dangerous forest with her best friend Sydney and only one of them made it out... and it wasn't Sydney. After the incident, everyone blames Faith and the school has marked her as a Red Stripe, with a literal red stripe across her uniform to designate to other students that she is a dangerous one. Faith finds herself suffering from the guilt of being alive, of being ostracized by her classmates and blamed, and of being lonely... yet in her new group of students with other fellow Red Stripes, Faith finds herself a new group of friends who actually care for her. Faith has a secret, she has nightmares of the night that she went into the dark woods with Sydney and did dark magic... but these nightmares are starting to have consequences as more students begin to turn up dead and it looks like Faith awoke something within those woods and now it wants her. Can Faith and her new friends figure out what is happening and how to stop the nightmare before everyone is killed? This was a dark academia story that focuses on loneliness, friendship, and healing. Faith is going through so much and learning to deal with the guilt of losing her best friend while also realizing that she might have loved her as more than a friend. She is also discovering how to open her heart to new friends and trusting new people. It's a interesting read and I definitely think it's a fun one for fans of magical academy stories.

Release Date: March 25, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Entering her senior year of high school at Ellery West, Faith should be excited to strengthen her magic and graduate with prospects for using her magic in a career. But at the end of the previous school year, she went into the woods with her friend Sydney, and Faith was the only one who came back out. Now under heavy suspicion from her administrators and classmates, Faith is forced to live in a separate dorm with other students on probation, called the Red Stripes, where everyone can keep a close eye on them. When more students begin to disappear in the woods and turn up ill, everyone starts to realize there may be more danger lurking in the woods and Faith and her friends may be the only ones with magic strong enough to stop the attacks.

This was a good book for fans of Ninth House and other Leigh Bardugo books. The book had just the right mix of tension and character building. The characters were as diverse as their magic powers (LGBTQ, various ethnicities, neurodivergent). This book was a great analogy for teens feeling ostracized, targeted, bullied and different from their peers. Faith having a Found Family in the Red Stripes is heartwarming and hopeful. Great magical thriller for teens and adults alike.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

First and foremost as always thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. This was an incredibly good read! The story was beautifully written and the characters were flushed out really well! Loved this! Definitely worth the read!

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin is a third person-POV YA dark academia fantasy. Faith has spent most of her life convincing her family to let her go to a magical school, even going so far as to move the whole family from the Philippines to Washington state. But when she and her best friend, Sydney, go into the woods behind their school and perform dark magic, it kills Sydney and leaves Faith traumatized and a social pariah. Faith is determined to graduate, but the woods aren’t done with her.

There is a subtle Queer subplot that builds throughout the plot that I could feel coming and was delighted to see come to fruition. Faith doesn’t put a label on herself because she’s still figuring it out. She knows that she has a crush on Sydney, but it was a crush that built on them being friends first and really captures that experience a lot of Sapphics have of a close female friendship becoming their first crush. Since Sydney was Faith’s first ever crush, it’s possible that Faith is Demi but it’s also possible she’s not. It’s very open to interpretation and given that a lot of 18-year-olds are still figuring it out, especially ones coming from Christian or traditional households like Faith is, I’m perfectly happy to have a lead who is still learning who she is by the end of the book. We also have trans rep and Bi rep, so no matter what happens, we know Faith is going to have a Queer family to support her and she will support them in return.

The magic system is very interesting and the worldbuilding felt thought out in terms of how magic schools interact with the real world. Instead of a secondary world, Ellery West is in the real world on Siren Island. The school disguises itself as a private school and hides the societies that have been part of the world since before any textbook can track down, but are essentially hiding in plain sight from mundanes (non-magical humans). Magic also diverges into three types and manifests differently in different people, which I also enjoy seeing.

There are a decent amount of flashback chapters inserted between the main storyline so the reader can learn how we got to Sydney and Faith performing dark magic. The rest of the book is fairly fast-paced, but I would say that the flashback chapters are well-chosen moments that allow for strong character-driven scenes that keep the reader invested. Faith does not have it easy but her determination is present in the main storyline and the flashback chapters, which help make her a compelling lead to follow.

Content warning for mentions of homophobia

I would recommend this to readers of YA who love dark academia and fans of YA fantasy who want a dark academia flare with no romance arc

Dark academia is one of my absolute favorite genres, and Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin delivers everything I crave—atmospheric magic, deep emotional struggles, and a compelling found family dynamic that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

Faith’s journey is one that immediately tugs at the heartstrings. As an immigrant navigating both the mundane and magical worlds, she’s spent her life feeling like an outsider. Now, marked with the dreaded Red Stripe after a mysterious and tragic incident in the forest, she’s more alone than ever. But when strange occurrences begin to shake Ellery West, Faith and her fellow Red Stripes are forced into a reluctant alliance, uncovering secrets that could change everything.

What I absolutely adored about this book is how it weaves personal identity and belonging into a gripping fantasy. The relationships between the Red Stripe students are beautifully written, full of raw moments of trust and camaraderie that made my heart swell. Alex, in particular, is a standout—I wanted to reach through the pages and protect him at all costs! The magic system is also incredibly well-crafted, with each class of magic feeling distinct and purposeful. I only wish we got to see even more of the magical lessons because the glimpses we did get were fascinating.

The pacing is quick, and the mix of past and present storytelling keeps the mystery unraveling in a way that’s both satisfying and suspenseful. While romance is touched upon, I appreciated that the novel prioritizes friendships and self-discovery, proving that love comes in many different forms.

If you love dark academia that isn’t just about aesthetics but also dives deep into the complexities of academia itself—especially for students who don’t always feel welcome in those spaces—this book is a must-read. Lovely Dark and Deep is thrilling, thought-provoking, and full of heart. I’ll be thinking about these characters for a long time!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an ARC of this intriguing novel in exchange for my honest thoughts!

It was such a fun and exciting read! The story takes place at a magical school on a hidden island in Washington, and it follows Faith, a student who gets marked as a “Red Stripe” after a strange incident in the forest. This marks her as dangerous and gets her kicked out of normal classes, making her a social outcast. All Faith wants is to graduate and keep her magic, but dark things start happening at the school, and she realizes she has to work with the other Red Stripes to stop it.

I really enjoyed this book! The world-building is amazing, and the magic system is so interesting. The tension builds up throughout the story, and it kept me hooked, especially as Faith’s struggles with being an outcast while dealing with these dark forces. The other Red Stripes were an awesome addition to the story too — they each have their own stories, and it’s cool seeing how they all come together.

Even though the beginning felt a bit slow, once the action picks up, I couldn’t put it down. I loved the mix of mystery, magic, and the pressure of keeping her powers. Overall, it was such a good read, and I definitely recommend reading it if you're a fan of drak academia books!

Reading Lovely, Dark & Deep brought me back to the days of devouring Harry Potter and Percy Jackson—stories filled with magic, adventure, and, best of all, the journey of finding yourself and true friends.

At first glance, this might seem like a typical YA fantasy: a magical school, a heroine facing an overwhelming darkness, and a battle she somehow has to win despite the odds. And yes, Lovely, Dark & Deep has all of that—but what truly stood out to me was something different.

Faith, our main character, doesn’t blindly throw herself into sacrifice just because the world expects it of her. She stands her ground, knowing her worth and refusing to suffer for someone else’s mistakes. She doesn’t say “no” out of selfishness—she says it because she understands that there has to be another way. And I absolutely loved that. Good on our girl Faith!

This was a good book. It was fun and easy to read. I enjoyed the description of the different magical branches and how the story begins with an incident that has already taken place. It gave me a Harry Potter Vibes. I enjoyed learning about every one of the different magic abilities. I have mixed feelings about the endings and wish there was an explanation for what the secret society does that invited Faith.

This is perfect for readers who love magic & magical Academies & found family.