This was such a fun YA gothic romance thriller-ish book. Violet transfers to a new school her senior year to try to solve her best friends murder that occurred the school year prior. However, what she doesn’t realize is that it’s not going to be as simple as pointing out the suspect and going to the police. The school has a rich history from its previous students, headmasters with the last name Lockwell who find themselves cursed with killing their soulmate. Can violet and her friends break the curse before someone else gets killed?

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for the e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

2.5 stars

Unfortunately this book just didn't live up to expectations. The premise was very interesting and the magic system was unique. I liked the mystery and thought it had the basis to be a great YA fantastical dark academia. However, everything was just way too fast-paced. The plot was moving so fast and went into so little detail, that it was actually very easy to forget that the story was taking place at a school. The characters went to class maybe once the entire book and not because they were skipping but because the author just never went into it. There was also very little chemistry between any of the characters, both platonic and romantic. There was definitely a good base for developed relationships, but the story was so short that the author just didn't have time to fully develop both the characters and the plot.

Overall, I think the plot was pretty well done. The mystery around went really happened between the couple the curse started with and what happened to Emoree and Percy was very interesting. I enjoyed watching the characters try to figure out how to break the curse and save their friends and the slight social commentary around it was good as well. Again, I just wish it was expanded on a little more, because there were definitely times where I felt like I was missing important information as the reader.

All in all, the book wasn't necessarily bad but it really needed some improvements to make it a more well-rounded story.

House of Hearts was a delightfully creepy fall into a dark academia Wonderland. I really enjoyed this book and the many nods to Alice in Wonderland, while also enjoying the thriller style of Arndt’s writing. The romance, the tension, the setting, the mystery all left me eager to turn the pages.

I loved following narrating main character Violet to a beautiful gothic boarding school for her senior year. Her quest to discover the truth about her best friend's murder leads her to join the elite school's secret society and to get close to the siblings of her friend's boyfriend. Navigating through school secrets, a family curse, and a haunted, elaborate labyrinth, Violet finds more than she bargained for. Readers will be captivated and charmed.

The premise of this book was chef's kiss and that's what pulled me in! Unfortunately some aspects fell a little flat but overall I still enjoyed. I enjoyed both Violet and Calvin as characters. My issue was that the plot felt like it moved too fast and lacked the details I needed to be fully engaged in the story. It left me wanting more and getting slightly confused at times. With all that said, I did enjoy. I will always like reading dark academia with secret societies! 3 stars for me. Thank you NetGalley!

I am on Skylars street team and sonhapoy I got to read it early!!

Loved it thought it was a great YA debut!!

Had the perfect amount of teen vibes as well as murder mystery.

Romance was on point and I loved the back and forth!!

Thank for you NetGalley for the arc.

This book was alright. I liked the story line about a curse. It flowed easily. I wish we had more of a background about the curse and everything else. This was my first book by this author. I did enjoy it and that's why I gave it 3 stars. I would probably read more from this author. Again, thank you NetGalley.

Absolutely obsessed with this book! The plot is immaculate, the mystery, the alice vibes! All of it is incredible! This seriously gives such alice madness returns vibes as it's a dark academia with those kinda vibes so I was living for this. It's a MUST read for me. I've recommended it to so many people since I finished it. I'm so excited for it to come out offically in september so I can snag a physical copy for my fav books shelf. I feel the author has really grown and honed her skills since her first book, Together We Rot, which was an amazing debut, this one is just EVEN BETTER!

2.5 Stars

This book was ok. I really was intrigued by the premise but I honestly was expecting more from this book.

I thought the gothic vibes were really well written but personally I hated all of the references to modern day society, it really took me out of the book. I couldn’t get over the references to the vape pen it took me out of the story.

The story was sorta predictable with what was going to happen with Violet and the Calvin and I feel like the stakes weren’t that high for this book. The resolution felt really rushed and I don’t think we got enough time with Violet and the actual club society trying to solve the curse. It was too convenient that Violet basically by herself with the help of a ghost solved everything on her own for the most part. It was kinda unrealistic and took me out of the story. The way she solved it was interesting but not really shocking as far as mysterious reveals go.

I also wish there was more development between the characters. The relationships felt surface level and the soulmate level love between the characters was not developed enough. They bickered of the time and had an attraction to each other but I don’t think it was enough for me to believe it was a real love with acatylly devastating stakes. The timeline of everything also seemed really quick too.

This was still pretty enjoyable to read but it wasn’t revolutionary or anything and I kind of wish it leaned more into the horror aspect rather than just the somewhat spectral and supernatural.

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

First off, thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I deeply wanted to love this story. It has so many elements of what I consider a cozy read: dark academia, mystery, a touch of paranormal. But at the end of the day it fell short from my expectations.

It started out incredibly melodramatic then sped up and advanced in a way that felt off. The main character is supposed to be an outsider, something she’s constantly reminding the reader of in her inner-monologue, but on her first day at this prestigious, gothic academy she gains a cohort of new and rich friends who take her in like they’ve known her for years. And she becomes a member of the super elite and secretive society that basically rules the school in a single night with a single trial.

I think my biggest issue with the writing is how everything was described with over the top analogies and similes. It felt like it was trying to be dark and tragic but ended up feeling like it was trying too hard.

One passage that almost made me put the book down was when the main character is describing her eventual love interest for the first time:

“Ha. Ha. The man is Narcissus in the flesh: beautiful but too aware of the fact. If he wasn’t spoiled and rich, I’m sure I would’ve been another lovestruck fool clamoring in his wake, but I know better. Falling for a boy like Calvin is the same as loosing your footing on a ledge, a dizzying free fall and a crushing blow you can’t come back from.”

The entire book is littered with quotes like this. Granted, I’m sure a younger reader wouldn’t find it so cliche. And the fact that this is a YA book makes me give it some lack in this department.

Overall, I think this book had a lot of potential, but personally it was a bit of a disappointment.

"There once was a girl
whose heart was much too big,
much too broken,
so she dug within the garden of her ribs
and ripped it right out"

💭 My Thoughts

This was such an exciting read! I had a lot of fun following the various mysteries within the storyline, as well as the incorporation of paranormal elements. The story was fast-paced and managed to include a lot, considering it was less than 300 pages. There were never any points where I felt bored or detached from the plot. The setting and worldbuilding of the school were well done. The romance was a lot of fun, especially when it came to the banter between Violet and Calvin. The only thing I would like differently is for there to have been a few more one-on-one scenes between the two that exemplify their chemistry (though it still was great even without it). The characters were amazing (especially Violet) and added to making the story as compelling as it was. Skyla Arndt did an amazing job blending thriller and romance together to create a tale that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat.

A HUGE thank you to NetGalley and Viking Books for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

The quickest way to get your gothic murder mystery/romance on my TBR is to include a literal beating heart torn from a chest alongside a metaphorical one. Add a magical hedge maze, a mysterious clock tower, and a curse straight out of Practical Magic, and you’ve created the perfect setting.

Curses and coursework are too much for anyone to handle, but Violet tackles them both like a champ while balancing an infuriating “loves me, loves me not” relationship with the resident school playboy. The misty mystery of Anastasia Hart had me flying through the pages instantly. I knew there had to be more to the story, but all of the layers were so gorgeously pieced together there were still mysteries to uncover in the very last chapter. I am an Anastasia defender for LIFE. I loved almost all of the characters (our dear Headmistress being a very strong exception), and it seems like Birdie and Sadie have enough room for a supernatural spin-off in a different location if Arndt so chooses. If not, though, Hart Academy was the perfect creepy, cut-off castle in which to stage this eerie tale. It kept my heart racing (though fortunately still in my chest) until the very last page.

Give me Crimson Peak but mix it with Alice and Wonderland and sprinkle in The Skulls and keep it YA.

House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt is a twisted, magical, dark academy experience with a sarcastic tone. The writing is atmospheric and captivating with the way Skyla writes and describes things is beautiful and visual. She has the tendency to twist words and somehow they appear darker than normal. Which makes the story easy to follow while effortlessly providing the reader with an immersive experience. The tension grips you and refuses to let you go with the intricacy that's woven as you delve deeper into the story. It feels haunting and eerie yet magical, whimsically dark -- if that's a thing?! (It's a thing in my world.) It's the perfect fall/ halloween-y read.

The House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt is YA has tropes of enemies to lovers, paranormal, love curse, detective vibes, secret society, and urban legends with gothic paranormal tones.

The characters were well written with a dept of attention to friendships that bring the character's likeability to light.

Thanks to netgalley for this gifted e-arc in exchange for n honest review.

“I’d rather be haunted by someone I lost than be haunted by silence”. House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt

Violet never thought she would come to her best friend’s elite boarding school, Hart Academy, but she is determined to solve the “freak accident” that killed her best friend, Emoree. To do so, she transfers to the elite boarding school and infiltrates the secret society the Cards, but Violet falls down the rabbit hole of the dark secrets, piecing together clues that may link to Em’s death.

Violet’s story is ultimately a story of heartache and grief, and Skyla beautifully explores the impact of losing a loved one. Skyla pairs grief with some truly eerie scenes of the ghosts following the Cards. The ghosts of House of Hearts have continued to haunt me, even after finishing the book, just like the grief that can haunt us all.

‘House of Hearts” will be released on 9/2/25. Thank you to Skyla and her team for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I am so excited to be hyping it up leading to the release! Keep an eye out for some more posts!

Unfortunately this wasn't really my cup of tea. Everything that happened was wayyyy too convenient and way too easy. Until the last 10%, things just happened to our MC with the barest amount of effort. The romance was also just lukewarm, it happens so fast with no real leadup to it. I all but blinked and they were madly in love. The ghost elements also required a heavy dose of suspension of disbelief. This book isn't all bad though, the setting and vibes were just the right amount of gothic and atmospheric.

This storyline seems to be a popular one this year! There are quite a few books that have been released where the main character goes to an academy to get to the bottom of a loved one’s mysterious death and seek revenge. That being said, I didn’t mind the familiar storyline because I felt like the book was well written and I enjoyed it. Violet was a fun protagonist to follow and I enjoyed her and Calvin’s banter. The romanticist in me would have liked to see a little more chemistry between. I appreciated the fast pace writing and that the story wasn’t drawn out with unnecessary filler for added word count. It was a short, easy to read but kept me entertained from start to finish. I enjoyed the paranormal element and the spooky vibes. Very cool story and a gorgeous cover!

“I’d rather be haunted by someone I lost than be haunted by silence.”

Skyla Arndt’s sophomore novel House of Hearts is a stunning gothic romance with elements of horror and mystery. It has a more whimsical vibe than her first book, Together We Rot—which I also loved—and its dark academia setting is the perfect atmospheric backdrop for the supernatural twists throughout. It features a haunted hedge maze, a ghostly masquerade ball, a secret society, and a curse that looms over the narrative like a vengeful ghost.

This is a book you’ll want to savor, but if you’re anything like me that means you’ll steamroll through it in a single sitting instead! It’s deeply romantic and beautifully haunting. The themes of loss, grief, and identity made for an emotionally rich story with so much heart, and the paranormal elements were an added bonus—I’m an absolute sucker for anything that can call itself both a ghost story and a love story!

And listen, I know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but let’s be real—have you SEEN it?! I want it in a gilded frame, but I’ll settle for displaying it nicely on my bookshelf! Don’t sleep on this one :)

Thank you to NetGalley, Skyla Arndt, and the Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A girl desperate to solve the murder of her best friend finds herself a part of an elite secret society who seems to be both cursed and haunted by a vengeful ghost.

Violet "Vi" Harper isn't convinced that her best friend's death was an accident. Desperate for revenge and a chance to find out the truth about Emoree, Violet enrolls in the illustrious boarding school that was the site of Em's "accident." Upon arriving at the school, Violet encounters one of the headmistress's sons, Calvin Lockwell, who also happens to be the brother of Violet's prime suspect. Despite the fact that he is an obnoxious brat who may or may not be related to a murderer, Violet can't stop the attraction that is beginning to form between them. After only knowing Calvin for a matter of days, Violet begins to learn that the Lockwell's are hiding many dangerous secrets. Violet knows that she should get away while she can, be Violet finds herself being dragged deeper into this dark mystery and the secrets that await her at the bottom of the rabbit hole.

This one drew me in from the very first chapter. The murder mystery element of this book had me instantly interested and the dark academia vibes were tangible from the very first page. Once Calvin entered the scene, I found it hard to rip myself away from this darkly fantastical world.

The vibes in this book are absolutely immaculate. The creepiness of all the nursery rhymes, poems, and stories sprinkled throughout this book had me squealing; I am a sucker for using such childish things to induce horrific feelings. This book is so thoroughly soaked in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," and I ate up every second of it. From the Queen of the Hart's to the rabbit mask at the masquerade ball to Violet's middle name being Alice, there are so many little shoutouts to this iconic story. The ways that the madness element that is so prominent in Wonderland adds to the horror is crazy, and I totally applaud Arndt for this!

Speaking of the horror, the paranormal haunting that extends through this whole novel is so spooky and had me flipping through the pages rapid fire. I don't want to go into too many details, but the entire situation involving the Lockwell's is so masterful and honestly one of the most compelling magical tragedies that I've read about in a while.

And the romance? I was beyond sold! Violet and Calvin have the best banter (I highlighted so many passages) and I found myself giddy by their interactions. The tension between these two is palpable and really adds to the thrill of the book, especially towards the end. The "will they, won't they" microtrope truly goes crazy in this book.

I don't want to say too much about this book, because it truly depends on the shock factor. I adore the world, the characters, and the writing, so I enjoyed this one from start to finish. You'll just have to trust my word and give this book a chance if the vibes sound promising to you.

Overall, "House of Hearts" is a truly wild ride that I can't recommend enough! I ate up the immaculate vibes, the tense and swoonworthy romance, as well as the murder mystery plot. The paranormal elements made this book so intense, and the nursery rhymes really added to the creep factor. I adore all the references to Wonderland, and the fact that they so expertly add to the thrill ride as well as character development is such a plus. I would recommend this to anyone who loves paranormal thrillers, dark academia, "Alice in Wonderland," or folk horror. I need to get my hands on "Together We Rot" sooner rather than later; this one has me seriously hooked on Arndt's work!

This is the first book I've read from Skyla Arndt, and from the first chapter, I was obsessed with her writing style. She did an amazing job bringing unique ideas to life, and I honestly forgot I was even reading for a while!

House of Hearts is a mystery/gothic/horror/romance, although I will say the romance was a bit more of the focus, which was perfectly fine with me! It takes place at a mysterious boarding school, when Violet moves there to investigate the death of her best friend. While she's there, she joins a secret society, and discovers that both the school, and her friend's death are more than they seem.

As far as the actual plot goes, I found that everything ended a little too conveniently, and I wish there were just a few extra pages to draw it out more. However, the characters in this novel were what made it stand out to me. Skyla Arndt wrote teenagers that 𝘢𝘤𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘴. The way they talked to each other, the way they reacted to certain events, even the way they thought made perfect sense for their age.

Overall, I rate this book 4/5 stars. It was the perfect blend of horror and romance, and I was obsessed from the first chapter!

Deeply romantic and haunting, House of Hearts grips readers and won’t let them go until the last word. A worthy sophomore novel for Arndt, especially after as stunning of a debut as Together We Rot.