Hilderbrand is always a great choice for a good read. This is a good read. Great for summer time, not the normal setting for her, interesting that it's a co-written piece. Solid.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!! I need another one ASAP!! The characters the setting was everything to me!! I loved East and Charley I need to know what happens next!!’

I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Elin Hilderbrand's new book, The Academy. It is written with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham and centers around life at a boarding school called Tiffin Academy. I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book as much as I have her others, but I was pleasantly surprised. The stories involving the students and staff were interesting and kept my attention. I'm hoping there's a sequel so I can find out what happens at Tiffin Academy next.

The Academy covers an entire school year at Tiffin Academy. The beginning of the story was a little overwhelming, as the authors introduce the entire cast of characters (there are a ton), many of whom have nicknames. Once settled into the story, though, I enjoyed the plot. It had Gossip Girl vibes at times, which was fun as someone who watched the series in high school. Not my favorite by Hilderbrand, but still entertaining.

I love a boarding school book. Ever since reading Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld I’ve been hoping to find another one to enjoy. Well, Elin and daughter Shelby have provided an excellent read.

All the characters represent the best and maybe some not so best, students, teachers and staff that make up a boarding school. Kind of a, ‘all the usual suspects,’ group. The popular kids, the smart kids, the shy kids and everyone in between.

I loved the shenanigans the teenagers got into. Fortunately nothing awful. I even rooted for the kids not to get caught in one questionable endeavor.

I hope there’s a sequel so I can find out what’s in the letter Dub can’t open till his graduation.

Fun and fabulous ladies!

This story gives what feels like a realistic peek into a year in the life of a high class boarding school. There's romance, intrigue, suspense, and of course backstabbing. The characters have depth and are relatable. There's also one part of the storyline left open ended leaving the reader with the question of will there be a part 2?

The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham is an engaging, fast-paced read that pulls you right into the privileged yet pressure-filled world of Tiffin Academy. What starts as a deep dive into the lives of several students, and a few staff, quickly turns into a gripping drama when a mysterious app, ZipZap, hits the scene and starts broadcasting the kind of secrets no one wants shared.

The authors do a fantastic job painting a vivid picture of boarding school life, capturing everything from late-night dorm drama to the silent pressures of academic and social expectations. Each student perspective feels fresh and distinct, giving readers a broad and balanced view of what life at Tiffin is really like. Just when you start to feel connected to the characters, the story takes a twist, and suddenly, no one is safe from ZipZap’s reach. The resulting chaos is both addictive and all-too-real in today’s tech-heavy world.

One downside? The book ends before we find out what’s in the mysterious email ~ such a tease! I was genuinely sad to turn the last page without that reveal, and I’m really hoping this means a sequel is on the way. There’s still so much more I want to know!

Overall, this was an exciting and immersive read with just the right mix of drama, mystery, and heart. Perfect for fans of boarding school intrigue with a modern tech twist.

Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my review for NetGalley. It's always refreshing to read a new Elin Hilderbrand book, and "The Academy" was no exception. Co-written with her daughter, it takes place at a private school in New England and lets the reader in on a school year's events. Haven't never attended a boarding school, I don't have a basis for comparison. But knowing that her daughter, Shelby, did attend boarding school makes the events believable. As a proud Gen-Xer, I was glad to relate to most of the vocabulary used in the book (my knowledge of the songs in the book was sadly much less). The style of the writing is pure Hilderbrand (scenes fully set with many characters, some characters with more backstory than others). I eagerly await the next book in this series!

Just as Elin Hilderbrand's beach novels are perfect for summer, this one will be perfect for the fall. It gave both Grease and Breakfast Club vibes. The characters were filled with flaws that made them relatable. My only qualm is I wished a few of the plot lines were a little more fleshed out and explored.

Elin has proven she can write more than Nantucket, and I’m so excited to see where her career is headed as she expands her audience and style!

I’m having trouble rating this one because I loved the nostalgic feeling of it- think Zoey101 + Gossip Girl + Gilmore Girls?
We follow a variety of high school students and their teachers/administrators at a private school as they navigate the school year. The premise is that a website is invented that starts sharing their secrets and wreaking havoc.
One of my main issues with the book were there are so many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To bring in a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was bizarre to me. To have multiple characters dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following.
For me this one missed the mark a little, the first quarter of the book being copious character introductions and no main plot development until hundreds of pages in left me fairly indifferent. The writing style felt hard to follow, and didn't draw me in like usual! There was promise with the setting of back to school with ritzy teenagers, but the execution wasn’t as impactful as I hoped!

For anyone who was disappointed when they heard Elin Hilderbrand was going to be writing anymore Nantucket book. Enjoyed the school setting of this book and the characters. Was a quick read because it was so involving. Well done Elin and Shelby. Please keep them coming.

The halls of new England's Tiffin Academy are broiling with salacious gossip and secrecy, not at all helped by Zipzap the mysterious app spreading scandalous gossip. While readers of the Nantucket series may miss the coastal setting, the cast of characters in The Academy and the intrigue and mystery found in its pages will be enough to make any reader entertained.

As a devoted Elin Hilderbrand fan, it pains me to say that *The Academy* didn’t quite meet expectations. The story felt disjointed, with too many unresolved plot points.
Set at an elite private high school, the novel follows a mix of students, teachers, and administrators as they navigate a tumultuous school year. The twist? A mysterious website begins exposing their secrets—echoing a *Gossip Girl*-style drama that quickly spirals out of control.

This was so much fun and read far more like one of Hilderbrand's Nantucket novels. All the elements are there: juicy gossip, salacious scandals, name dropping on real locations and designer brands, you get the gist. So much fun! I can't wait to resume the story in book 2.

The queen of summer takes us into fall and adds a younger element to her already intriguing and fun stories Hooked from the start, completely invested and can’t wait for the next installment Classic Hilderbrandt with a twist

I was so sad when Elin announced that Swan Song was going to be her last Nantucket novel. What is summer without a new Elin book? However, one of my favorite genres is the campus novel, and Elin has put her addictive twist on it. This book is perfect for those who grew up guzzling the Gossip Girl novels, though this book lacks any mean streak that the gossip girlies might have had. The characters are well drawn, and had me pleading with them in my head to make better decisions. Yes, I will miss my annual "trip" to Nantucket, but I am excited for what's to come at The Academy.

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company and Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham for this ARC read. The following is my honest review.
I absolutely loved The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham! (So cool to read a mother-daughter duo author) The lush boarding school setting and all the secrets and relationship drama made it such a fun escape. It gave me that nostalgic feeling of reading “away-from-home” school stories, even though I never went to boarding school myself.
The friendships, romances, coworkerships and dynamics between the characters were so engaging—especially Charley and Davi’s friendship. The teacher-student drama was tough to read (I’ll never think of Miss Clevel the same) but it added depth and complexity to the story. I also enjoyed the mystery elements that kept me guessing and the whole secret-society vibe the secret speakeasy kinda was -it was giving Gossip Girl meets Dead Poets Society. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat to discover who zip zap was and how it knew everyone’s business.
The beginning of the story started a bit slow for me and it wasn’t until a good chunk in that I was hooked but that proved to be worth it in the end as it set the atmosphere perfectly. And once I was hooked I was HOOOKED. Like couldn’t wait to pick it up again whenever I put it down. The other qualm I have is the cliffhangery ending! What was in the letter??? Fingers & tied crossed that this is the start of a series because I need to know and hope to explore dub’s storyline more.

All in all it was a terrific read! Mark your calendars for its release on September 16, 2025!

Mystery, suspense, an elite boarding school, and a multi-pov structure: this book had all of the elements that I love! This was a fun, quick, and easy read. There were a few spots where the writing didn't flow as well as other Hilderbrand books that I've read. As this book was a collab between Hildebrand and her daughter, the flow issues could stem from merging their two voices in the text. That said, I enjoyed the read. I thought the setting was especially well established. I would read another Hilderbrand/Cunningham collab, and am interested to see how their merged voices will continue to develop!

Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Yuuuup I loved this! I knew Elin Hilderbrand was leaving her Nantucket books behind, but I was delighted to find out she was working with her daughter on a new book in a different part of Massachusetts: an elite private boarding school. And listen, am I a staunch supporter of the public school system? Obviously. But do I love the intrigue of a wild boarding school? Of course! It sounds like Hilderbrand and I have some of the same favorites (which she cites as inspiration): The Secret History, A Separate Peace, I Have Some Questions for You -- plus her daughter went to boarding school before heading off to college -- so this gets some real life Gen Z intel.

Hilderbrand is an author at the top of her game. Her characters are so well realized and I never have trouble keeping track of who's who and what they're up to, the settings come to life so vividly, and the plotting is always perfectly paced. Hilderbrand and Cunningham use one of my favorite plot devices here: things start out great and then the authors lament that if only the characters had known X, maybe they wouldn't have done Y. So what happened? How does it all go wrong? It's very John Irving and nothing makes me want to read a book more quickly.

We have a delightful cast of characters here: Audre, the headmaster; Davi, the popular girl; East, the hot bad boy whose dad is a huge donor; Charley, the weird new girl obsessed with reading; Simone, the new too-young Canadian teacher who is struggling to teach American History; and a variety of other faculty, staff, and students. The main plot lines that carry the book are the mystery of the boarding school's surprising jump to the #2 spot on the list of best boarding schools in the country, East's plan to build a speakeasy in the basement, and a new anonymous gossip app that is revealing everyone's (and I mean everyone's) secrets.

This book includes everything you already love about Hilderbrand, from the delicious food descriptions to the nods to local brands (someone is wearing Nantucket Reds of course, and someone else has a ChappyWrap blanket -- sorry not sorry so do I), and plunks us in a new setting with references to Mean Girls, The Crucible, Gossip Girl, and more. And listen I'm not *asking* for anything, but this book sets up plenty of material for a sequel and honestly would make a great TV series too (I'm just saying)!