Characters: 4.00⭐️
Setting: 5.00⭐️
Plot: 4.00⭐️
Themes: 4.50⭐️
Personal enjoyment: 4.00⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3.75⭐️
Overall rating: 4.25⭐️


Ada and her family is part of secret society who wishes to bring the Makers, another secret society of descendants of the exiled Renaissance masters, into the public eye to share and steal their long-lost arts and sciences. She is tasked with infiltrating the academy called the Genesis Institute. But her web of lies begins to unravel when one of her new friends goes missing she must choose who she would be willing to betray; the family she loves or the school that has helped her discover her true potential.

For a YA novel, this was a great introduction into this contemporary fantasy world. The world building was fantastic. There are a lot of moving pieces in this story and there are layers upon layers to unfold. Andrea Max does a great job with explaining everything that you do not feel overwhelmed with the story.

Ada is a great FMC and the two MMC, Michael and Rafe, are great potential love interests who fall on both sides of the spectrum of good and morally gray. This whole story was giving me Cassandra Clare Shadowhunter vibes, but with science and art. Book one is a fantastic start to what I feel is going to be an amazing series.

Thank you to Simon Teen for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could definitely see this having a very niche audience. I thought the concept was really unique, though personally a map or an index or something would have been very helpful. Perhaps that will come in the finished copy.

I forget how messy teenagers can be and Ada sure is messy. 🤣 I was very wary in the beginning and really throughout most of the book about her and Michael and their growing…friendship? Relationship? She seemed to like him romantically but it was giving ick because she’s 17 for a majority of the book while he is 21. Things are sort of “okay” toward the end when she turns 18.

I thought it was interesting that Ada felt drawn to Rafe even though he was and continued to really be a bit of a douche to her. I really struggled to understand Ada and Rafe’s relationship too. Friendship? Romance? Just…not sure.

This book also really throws punch after punch in terms of when you think you have everything figured out, there’s one thing after another. Lots of layers to this already intricate and secret society and world. This book also leaves on a pretty huge cliffhanger, so there’s definitely gotta be a sequel.

Delightful fantasy with rich and unique world building (seriously, it was so fun!), an explosive love triangle, and a high-stakes plot that kept me turning the page. The last chapter ended on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I’m excited to read the sequel!

I am.speechless this book was so amazing and stunning and so dang fantastic. I really like Ada alot she has a lot on her plate with infiltrating Genesis Institute so she can report back to her family their secrets. And loving the way Genesis Institute let's her be herself and grow. Also Rafe is so yummy and swoonworthy. The whole plot of those book is great and im really looking forward to the second book in the series.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ada is a 17-year-old member of the Families—a historic order dedicated to uncovering the secrets of a mysterious group of exiles. These exiles are rumored to possess scientific knowledge and innovations that could solve many of society’s problems, and the Families aim to share this knowledge with the world. For generations, they have tried—and failed—to gain access to the exiles’ society. But Ada, who possesses a rare and unique ability, manages to secure an invitation to the Genesis Institute, the gateway into the exiles’ world. Enrolling as a student, she begins working undercover to expose the secrets of this hidden society. However, the deeper she delves, the more she begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself and the world around her.

The Art of Exile is a YA light academia sci-fi/fantasy novel that’s marketed as The Atlas Six / Legendborn meets The Da Vinci Code. Personally, though, it felt more like Harry Potter meets The Memory of Babel (from the Mirror Visitor series)—a niche comparison, I know, but the most apt comparison I could come up with nonetheless.

There’s also a love triangle with two distinct dynamics: the first is a Vampire Academy-esque forbidden romance between student and teacher (though thankfully, the age gap is smaller), and the second is a strongly Dramione-coded enemies-to-lovers romance.

I have a lot of strong feelings about this book. Overall, I found the story incredibly engaging—I was hooked almost immediately and became deeply invested in Ada’s mission, the mysterious Genesis Institute, and the secretive Maker society. Watching her attempt to infiltrate the world of the exiles on behalf of the Families added tension and intrigue that kept me turning the pages.

Unfortunately, as the story progressed, it started to lose focus and ultimately derailed for me in the final quarter. It felt like the author had many compelling ideas but struggled to choose a clear narrative direction, resulting in a jumble of competing plotlines. While this is understandable in a debut novel, it left me feeling a bit frustrated as the reader.

That said, I still really enjoyed the book and will definitely be picking up the sequel when it’s released!

'The Art of Exile' is an ambitious and richly layered YA debut that fuses secret societies, Jewish folklore, and the pulse of academic intrigue into something wholly original. Andrea Max introduces us to Ada Castle, a fiercely intelligent teen who infiltrates an underground institution known as the Genesis Institute - a place where exiled artists and scientists, long thought lost to history, preserve dangerous knowledge and magical tech.

What stands out most is the depth of the world building. Max crafts a hidden world where history is reimagined through the lens of exiled brilliance, and the magic system - rooted in invention and myth - feels refreshingly distinct. Ada's internal conflict between loyalty to her family and growing admiration for the Makers gives the book emotional weight. The romantic subplot (yes, there's a triangle) is present, but it doesn't overwhelm the story's central arc.

Though the pacing takes a few chapters to find its rhythm, the payoff is worth it. With smart prose, thoughtful cultural representation, and high-stakes twists, this is a strong start to a series that promises even more to come.

➸ 4.5 ⭐️

Another super entertaining and addictive book—I must be on a roll.
Up until the last 5 chapters I did not think I was going to round it up but those last pages were so good and everything came together so nicely—I absolutely loved it.

The art of Exile had a bit of everything—fake dating, love triangles, sci-fi and fantasy elements, light academia, secret societies, prophecies, hoverjousting tournaments, found family—and with blending elements of Renaissance history, the story reminded me of The Temptation of Magic combined with Jewish mythology.

This was such a fantastic debut!
There was a lot going in the book and the pacing was great.
I loved the secret world of the Makers and the magic system.

A major thread running through the story was the ethical dilemma of resource management: the morality of hoarding versus sharing, the potential consequences of either choice, and how history has shown that even well-meaning efforts often get derailed by greed, capitalism, or power. Closely tied to this is the question of whether the end truly justifies the means—whether sacrificing a few for the greater good can ever be morally defensible.

I really appreciated how this novel weaved in so many important themes and thought-provoking topics.

Ada, our MC, was such a genuine character—she was funny, witty and brimming with self-doubt and a touch of self-righteousness. Her voice resonated with the genuine complexities of being seventeen, making her journey both compelling and relatable.

The messy love triangle was oh-so-entertaining, I couldn't look away. I'm not usually a fan of those as I always find myself rooting for one of the LI over the other and I get annoyed when the FMC can't decide. But AM fit it seamlessly into the plot and I loved the complicated relationships, complex feelings and forbidden romance. (I already know who I am rooting for and my GODS Andrea, let them kiss in the next book!!!)

The ending was sooooo good!! As I mentioned the last few chapters were the reason for the rounded up rating sooo that should tell you something. I suspected a lot of the big twists revealed toward the end and yet there were still things that surprised me.
I'm already eagerly anticipating the next book, I can't wait to see where AM will take us!!

Eternal gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC

Thank you to Simon Teen for an arc of this book.

DNF @ 30%

I thought this dark/light academia book would be perfect for me -- but I struggled to get into the book from the very beginning. And in this case, I think it was definitely me who was having the problem. I felt that it read very young, even though the characters were on the older side. Still, it just felt awkward at some points.

I definitely think this will work for other readers, it just didn't work for me.

I was so excited for this book. The premise sounds really cool and I absolutely love the comps for this title. But oh my GOD this was so cringy. I had to DNF really early on because the main character was so immature and her thoughts in just the first couple of pages were like reading what an adult thinks a high schooler’s diary would sound like. I have seen amazing reviews for this so I’m sure it gets better but I can’t waste my time on a prose that’s not for me.

This one had the perfect mix of brains, heart, and just the right amount of danger!

Ada Castle may be the black sheep in a family of high achievers, but when she stumbles into a secretive school full of long lost knowledge and hidden motives, she finally gets a shot at proving her worth. The only problem is, she’s supposed to be spying on them.

The pacing hit just right!!

Ada was such a lovable FMC! She was genuine, kind, and so easy to cheer for.

I was obsessed with all the historical aspects woven through the plot, and the setting gave me serious Da Vinci Code vibes in the coolest way.

That cliffhanger left me needing the next book immediately.

If you like smart mysteries, secret schools, and heroines trying to find where they belong, this one’s a must
read.

Thank you NetGalley, Simon Teen and The Nerd Fam for the ARC!

This was an ARC from NetGalley. The story really consisted of everything but the kitchen sink, and the world building and story suffered because of it. While a good attempt was made at building out the primary world, it still did not fully translate, and everything else just remained at a high level. There were a lot of loose ends left at the end of the book and half built storylines that didn't add value. This story could benefit from a lot of focus and simplification, allowing more time to be spent building out the world. #netgalley #theartofexile #yafantasy

I was deeply moved by The Art of Exile by Andrea Max. The way it weaves together history and myth is nothing short of mesmerizing, and the emotional depth of the story really resonated with me. Ada’s journey felt both personal and epic, a powerful exploration of ambition, self-discovery, and the challenge of finding your place in an ever-changing world. The pacing was just right, pulling me in and keeping me eager to see what would happen next. I couldn’t stop reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with an earc of this book. This book comes out May 13.

I loved this book. I really love Ada as a main character. She's kind, selfless, etc. The way she handles situations is impressive as she gets back up. I also love the world and the plot twist, I didn't see it coming. It was amazing. There is also a love triangle which I'm like conflicted cause I don't know who to root for. It left off on a cliffhanger so I am excited for the next book

This was such a good atmospheric young adult adventure! I was immediately drawn in by the unique world the author created and all of the complexities within it. I really enjoyed all of the tie ins regarding art, history, and science and how it all worked into the story. The characters were believable, interesting, and enjoyable to follow. I’m excited to see how the story continues from here.

Read this if you like:
🎭 Found family
🎭 Enemies to Lovers
🎭 Love triangle
🎭 Art history
🎭 Academia
🎭 Secret societies

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of the book.

Ada just wants to be valued by her family and when she finally gets the chance to go on a mission to prove herself, she ends up kidnapped. Luckily it ends up with her getting recruited to join the school they have been trying to gain access to. Now Ada is experiencing a whole new way of thinking and struggling to be okay with stealing from her new friends. This book will make you sympathize with Ada as she struggles to decide whose way of thinking is right and what information she should share. This story has lots of interesting developments and fantasy aspects that are turned scientific. I highly recommend you check it out!

All I needed to hear was The Davinci Code and I was so excited, and let me say it did not disappoint! This was such a riveting and interesting YA fantasy with a sci-fi twist and I could not put it down. The enemies to lovers was also incredible!

Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. Loved the world building and how the reader followed the path of discovery along with the MC, allowing you to feel all the emotions and knowledge gained. Trust no one.

I loved this book and I can't wait to see what the author does next!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy.

The Art of Exile is an intriguing and fun contemporary fantasy set at a secret institute where the descendants of exiled Renaissance legends continue progressing the long-lost knowledge of their ancestors. Ada, who has grown up believing herself to be completely ordinary in a society of extraordinary elites, manages to infiltrate the Genesis Institute with the goal of proving herself and bringing back secret information that could change the future of all of humanity. What Ada finds at Genesis is a beautiful paradise of unimaginable technology, mythological beings, and the most confident and creative people she has ever met. While Ada initially thought her mission would be simple - get in, steal the knowledge, get out - she now realizes that it is going to be much more difficult. Ada not only falls in love with the environment and ideals of Genesis but also forms unexpected relationships. Now Ada must choose who she is willing to betray - her old society and family or her new friends and mentors.

The Art of Exile is another favorite of 2025! I absolutely loved the world building, the morally gray characters, and the intriguing story. There is a bit of everything in this book - action, mystery, history, and romance. In fact, there are three love interests throughout the book. While I normally find love triangles/multiple love interests frustrating, the author does a fantastic job balancing the relationships and drama throughout. Of course, I do have my favorite love interest for whom I'm rooting. I thought all of the characters were well developed and interesting. I can't wait to learn more about each character in the next book. The book is fast paced; I honestly could not put it down. I will definitely be recommending The Art of Exile! Easy 5 stars!

Ok. This was a great start to a dark magical academy. I laughed out loud with the scene after the Met. She was hoping to catch him in a compromising hot scene and finds him... snacking. ahahsh (readers will know what it means)
She is a Sire, and to get her family's acceptance, she spies on those hiding in the Genesis Academy. She has a difficult time accepting that these Masters have so much knowledge and power that could help in the common world.
There are so many fun scenes, the acceptance to the guilds, the tournament, creating a golem bird, dealing with his highness, ahaha.There are Valkyries and dragons, jewish traditions. Fun read and fun characters. Ok. This was a great start to a dark magical academy. I laughed out loud with the scene after the Met. She was hoping to catch him in a compromising hot scene and finds him... snacking. ahahsh (readers will know what it means)
She is a Sire, and to get her family's acceptance, she spies on those hiding in the Genesis Academy. She has a difficult time accepting that these Masters have so much knowledge and power that could help in the common world.
There are so many fun scenes, the acceptance to the guilds, the tournament, creating a golem bird, dealing with his highness, ahaha.There are Valkyries and dragons and Jewish traditions. Fun read and fun characters.