Really loved this. Hoping there is a second book…Please read the blurb—this is not a beachy book. Love a boarding school and want to go back and learn more about all of these flawed characters.

I loved this book! It was one that I honestly didn't want to end. Although I did not feel like all of the characters experienced adequate growth, I enjoyed the glimpse I was given into the lives of teenage students away at boarding school. A sequel to this book would be nice as I would like to see what happens to many of the characters.

I would highly recommend this book!

An excellent read that is completely different from any other Elin Hildebrand! Loved this boarding school story and the characters that made the cast.

Set at the prestigious Tiffin Academy, The Academy is a juicy, drama-packed story of secrets, scandals, and a gossip app shaking up student life. With sharp characters and nonstop twists, Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham deliver a fresh, addictive take on life behind elite school walls.

I am a huge Elin Hildebrand fan and was intrigued when I saw that she co-wrote a book with her daughter. The Academy is obviously so different from Elins Nantucket books. The Academy is about a year in the life at Tiffin Academy, a New England boarding school. When a new app is used to post secrets about the staff and students, you can only imagine the drama involved between this cast of characters, a book that's filled with lots of gossip. I did enjoy the descriptions of boarding school. The way it's depicted felt very accurate, such as the the teens interactions with each other. But…..there are lots of characters, so it was hard to really connect with any of them because they weren't very developed. Some issues mentioned with the characters never got expanded on so it just felt like it was brought up for no reason. So this was good, just not great.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

I love Elin Hilderbrand, so naturally I wanted to read her latest book she wrote with her daughter. It was a well-written story, it just fell flat for me personally. Too many characters, and too many loose ends of half-told stories. I am assuming this may be a series, which would make sense on why some things were introduced and then not wrapped up, but maybe publish it in a way that lets readers know this will be a continuation so we know to come back for more as we are reading. I appreciate the opportunity to read it early. It is something I will purchase for my library because Elin has such a large following that her fans will want to read it. It was just not for me.

Elin Hilderbrand has returned writing a novel with her college aged daughter Shleby.

We follow the lives of a hand full of students, a cameo from some parents, a couple teachers, and a headmaster through the first year at Tiffin that the school has been ranked number 2. We see all the secrets being revealed from a app called ZipZap (very reminiscent of YikYak from my college days but a little bit juicer and bigger secrets that can ruin lives).

With ZipZap running rampant throughout the campus the students and teachers are trying to keep their secrets covered while trying to figure out who and how there secrets are being revealed in the first place. Illicit underage affairs, rumors of blackmail, hook-ups, and eating disorders. Some stereotypical high school problems with the twist of the teachers having their own secrets as well.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC.

I was starting to worry about the lack of Elin Hilderbrand in my life. After "Swan Song" (which I didn’t love), it felt like the queen of beach reads might have stepped down from her throne. But with "The Academy", she just might be claiming a new kind of crown—though I’m not quite sure what to call it. Academia Queen?

Tiffin Academy quickly became a place that felt strangely like home, thanks to the characters Hilderbrand and Cunningham brought to life. These are flawed teens, yes, but written with enough nuance and depth to keep adult readers fully engaged. I think that’s in part due to Cunningham’s younger perspective paired with Hilderbrand’s masterful ability to weave juicy, thoughtful storylines.

The ending left me a little confused—there are definitely some threads still hanging—but I’ve heard rumors of a sequel, and I really hope that’s true.

This is Elin Hilderbrand at her best: familiar and fresh all at once, stepping into a new setting with confidence and heart. I can’t wait to see where this new chapter in her career takes us.

Thank you to Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review early! Elin is an auto-buy for my household, and I'm so excited that she's continuing her great writing career with Shelby! Refreshingly infused with energy, this narrative pulled me in and I read it in just a few sittings! This is wonderfully promising for many future stories.

As a major Elin Hilderbrand fan, I wish I had enjoyed this more. Though it is a work of fiction for adults, I found it hard to get past the young adult setting. What's more, I wish Cinnamon's suicide had been more of a through line. It felt a little disjointed, or like a hat on a hat. The best parts of the novel were Hilderbrand's use of the royal "We" when speaking from the POV of the student body at large (much like she does with the residents of Nantucket). I'm disappointed to say I found myself wishing the story would end. 2 Stars

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This was a super fast and entertaining read! I’m a big fan of Elin Hilderbrand, so I was curious to see what a YA-ish mystery from her and Shelby Cunningham would be like, and it did not disappoint. The setting—a posh New England boarding school—is atmospheric and dramatic, and the characters are the perfect mix of flawed, privileged, and secretive.

The mystery had me flipping pages quickly, even if some of the twists were a little easy to guess. Still, it was fun and had that same addictive quality I’ve come to expect from Elin’s books. A good one to bring to the beach or curl up with on a rainy weekend.

Not my all-time favorite from her, but definitely worth a read if you’re in the mood for something quick and juicy with a little prep school intrigue.

An easy read that I thought would feel more like a YA based on its setting and characters but it had more depth than expected. The story arc for each of the main players was fitting and well developed.

Hopeful this will be the first of at least a duology as one plot point was left hanging, but I think that was definitely intentional. Lots happening in this book and I would love to revisit the characters to see how things continue. It felt like setting the scene to care about the characters enough to want more even while some plot points were wrapped up in the book.

This book was well written. The authors covered many sensitive topics and subjects. The characters were well developed.

I LOVED this book!!!! one of my favourite reads of the year. This is very different than Elin's regular novels in the sense that its New Adult centered. I loved all of the subplots & thought that the characters were awesome. I really want this to become a series!

I am so glad Elin Hilderbrand hasn’t completely retired from writing! I haven’t missed a single book she’s written and this one written with her daughter is a definite read for all her fans! At times it reads like a YA book but the subject and language is definitely adult fiction. Kudos for another great book & thanks for the ARC!

This was my first Elin Hildebrand novel, and it makes me excited that she has such an extensive back catalogue!

I am always always always down for a posh boarding school setting. I love the vibe, the mystique, the cliques, the drama. Elin’s writing was engaging across the board and kept me turning the pages.

I can’t wait to talk this book up to friends!

If you ever dreamed of attending a posh boarding school, grew up watching movies about what it might be like (Madeline was the gateway and Wild Child fuelled the obsession), or just love Hiilderbrand's existing works, you will LOVE The Academy.

An increasingly popular and prestigious boarding school kicks off the school year with some old familiar faces and a handful of new ones. The group is varied - socialite and social media queen Davi Bannerjee, the irresistible hottie Andrew "East" Eastman (who's only there because his dad bought him a spot), Head of School (with something to prove) Audre, the new mysterious student Charley, and the scandalous new teacher, Simone Bergeron (to name a few), but everyone seems to have one thing in common: they all have a secret they desperately want hidden. When a new gossip app, ZigZag, starts sharing those secrets Gossip Girl style, chaos ensues, and the residents of Tiffin Academy must decide who they can trust.

I will admit it took me a little while to get into this one because the first part of the story introduces all characters at once, which is confusing. However, I'm glad I kept going as you do eventually get a sense of who the characters are and how they're functioning within the school. Aside from this the story was well paced and really fun, giving nostalgic high school vibes. I will say, however, *possible spoiler ahead* the student/teacher storyline was difficult to read given the age gap and the way that the previous students' death was handled throughout kind of makes it feel gratuitous. Especially since her letter - which is referenced several times in the story and certainly piques the reader's interest - is never opened or resolved.

With all that said, I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to purchasing once it makes its debut in Sept 2025. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this. Great pacing. End fell a bit flat ( a few loose ends) but overall an engaging read that I know our patrons will enjoy.

Elin Hilderbrand's new book, written with her daughter, will be a huge hit. Elin has the writing chops and daughter Shelby has the boarding school knowledge. The book ends on a cliffhanger, perfectly set up for the second book. So highly recommended for Elin fans!!