Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!! It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. Definitely felt like a story meant to be shared by a campfire

4.5⭐️!

Oh, she was funnnn! I enjoyed so much of this book, I just wished it had been longer and more of a buildup between Calvin and Violet.

If you like any of the following things, this book is for you:
-academic setting (bonus points for gothic boarding school)
-forced proximity
-amazing banter (like seriously this banter was phenomenal)
-masked ball
-a riveting murder mystery
-no spice
-a badass fmc


Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the arc.

arndt does it again—this book sucked me in from page one and refused to let go.

she never fails to deliver on the visuals, starting with this gorgeous cover and then her lush, immersive prose that do more than just describe but really soaks you in her world as the reader.

the romance is age-appropriate but it also sizzles with sharp banter, slow-burn tension and the dynamic between Violet and Calvin is both fun and addicting.

the story is slow to get off the ground at first. but the building is absolutely beautiful in this dark academia meets fairytale with just enough teeth to bite.

Violet enrolls at a boarding school to solve her friend’s murder. If she thought the world of the wealthy would be the biggest surprise, she has another think coming. A family curse needs breaking before it claims more lovers in the name of true love. The son of the headmistress is a flirt, a bit of a jerk, and painfully attractive. AND he’s the key to figuring out what happened to Violet’s friend. But first she must gain access to a secret society in hopes to unlock the secrets hiding in the history of the school’s founding family. Can Violet find answers before someone realizes why she came to the school in the first place?
Y’all, Skyla Arndt knows how to draw you into a story and keep you moving to the end. This fast-paced murder mystery is creepy and atmospheric with fairytale and Alice in Wonderland vibes. You’ll laugh, you’ll swoon, you’ll shake your head. There’s no stopping the spine shivering and toe-curling moments as we dive deep into secret world of phantastic curses and betrayal.

This was such a fun and creepy book. A perfect blend of spooky gothic flashbacks and bougie dark academia all with flair from some of our favorite fairytales. My only problem, it was too short. I could have easily read more pages and dug even further into the mystery and lore. I love lore, second only to personal growth. Mmm, growth.
House of Hearts is perfect for lovers of dark whimsy and true love’s curse. It’s packed full of tension and longing all while trusting no one in a place where danger lurks in unknown places. Oh also, there’s a creepy hedge maze. It’s haunted by a girl who gave her heart to the wrong boy.

Skyla Arndt is a fairly new voice is the YA world and the horrormance world, but I'm SO GLAD I found this book!!

In a dark academia retelling of Alice In Wonderland with horror vibes, Violet finds herself at the same boarding school where her childhood best friend fell to her death. Convinced her best friend's boyfriend pushed her, Violet is committed to infiltrating the secret society of rich kids, and befriending the headmistress's children, to get to the bottom of it. She doesn't expect to fall for the headmistress's son, Calvin Lockwell, or encounter the dark family curse that's been haunting the Lockwell family and their soulmates for generations.

TONE & VIBES: this novel was the perfect blend of gothic horror and classic teen romance. Violet's voice and the tone of the book overall was strong and consistent throughout. She even brought a light sense of humor to the story, so I think it's a great intro-to-dark-fiction for young readers. Though Violet is a senior at school, the tone of the book is definitely classic YA (as opposed to upper YA).

The Disney references were a little heavy-handed. The book is easily pitched as an Alice In Wonderland inspired, but there were dozens of references to every other Disney fairytale out there. It muddied the atmosphere for me, honestly. Not to mention the literal mention of Disney's "fast pass." It made me wondered if this book was sponsored lol. Keep in mind, I usually don't enjoy overly contemporary references in books because it pulls me out of the atmosphere. Other readers might feel differently!

ROMANCE: 3 stars for me. Violet and Calvin are perfectly primed for enemies to lovers. He's the brother of the boy who might have killed Violet's best friend, and he's the son of the cold, unfeeling headmistress. Yet their tension didn't leap off the page like I thought it would. The actual kissing scenes were *perfection* but I didn't quite buy their obsession with each other.

HORROR: 5 stars!! The haunting scenes were creeeeppyyyyy. Masterful writing created that perfect sense of dread. I'm genuinely impressed with Arndt's ability to craft scary, action-packed sequences. These scenes alone make me excited to read her other books.

Overall, great read. Would recommend to anyone dipping their toe into horror, or any fan of dark academia retellings.

House of hearts was lovely dark academia with paranormal elements and gothic vibes.
It was a fast paced without feeling all too rushed. It had elements that reminded me of Crimson peak, sleeping beauty and Alice in Wonderland.
I really enjoyed this book and it kept me intrigued and thrilled throughout.
The only thing I have any negative thing to say about was that the romance part felt a bit rushed. But it didn't really make a difference to the book itself.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eARC.

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group, and Skyla Arndt for a digital ARC!!

To start off, let’s take a moment to truly appreciate this cover. This author consistently delivers when it comes to visuals—every one of her covers is absolutely stunning, and this one is no exception. It immediately draws you in, sets the mood for what’s to come, and perfectly captures the dark, mysterious tone of the book. Honestly, other authors should be taking notes because this is how you do cover design right.

Now onto the book itself—what a ride! This story is such a fun, immersive read, filled with twists, secrets, and unexpected turns. It effortlessly blends several genres: YA dark fantasy, romance, mystery, and just the right hint of the paranormal. That might sound like a lot to juggle in one narrative, but the author intertwines all of these themes with skill. It never feels overstuffed or chaotic. Instead, it all works together to create a story that feels layered, compelling, and entirely its own.

The pacing at the beginning is a little slow, but intentionally so. The author takes her time building the world and introducing us to the key players, particularly Violet and Calvin. Their dynamic is one of the most engaging parts of the first half, and I appreciated the time spent letting their relationship develop naturally. That said, as someone who tends to be impatient with slower-paced mysteries, I did find myself wanting things to pick up a bit faster. But that’s more about my personal reading preferences than a flaw in the writing itself. And once I hit the halfway point, it all clicked. The slower opening serves a clear purpose, and the payoff is absolutely worth it.

It’s around that midpoint that the fantasy elements begin to unfold more prominently, and we start to understand the role of the cards in this world. This is where the story really starts to shift and expand, and while I loved the reveal and the growing sense of magic, I do wish the main character had a slightly more gradual reaction to it all. It felt like she accepted the supernatural a little too quickly, as if the story needed to push forward instead of letting her fully process what was happening. I would’ve loved to see a bit more tension or inner conflict in that moment—a bigger “wait, what is going on?” kind of scene. A slower, more emotional transition into that part of the story would have deepened the impact even more.

That said, the second half of the book absolutely delivers. The stakes are raised, the twists hit harder, and everything you’ve been wondering about begins to come together. The tension is tight, the writing sharpens, and it becomes one of those books you can’t put down. And the ending? Near perfect. All the pieces fall into place in such a satisfying way, and one twist in particular (yes, I’m talking about the ghost!) was both unexpected and very cool. It gave the conclusion an extra layer of intrigue and brought the paranormal thread full circle in a way that felt earned.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s the kind of story that sticks with you after you’ve finished, not just because of the twists and world-building, but because of the emotional beats and character development. I do wish it had been just a bit longer and a little more smoothed out in certain areas—particularly around how the fantasy elements are introduced—but those are small things in the grand scheme. This is a unique, genre-blending story with a memorable cast, an eerie and atmospheric setting, and a mystery that keeps you guessing.

I’m already looking forward to whatever this author writes next.

Violet transfers to an elite boarding school to seek revenge after her best friend is murdered on campus. Everyone keeps saying it was a freak accident, but as Violet gets entangled in secret societies and uncovers a deadly curse plaguing the school, she learns there’s far more going on than she ever could’ve imagined.

This was a fun, quick read! I really enjoyed the secret society and gothic atmosphere. I wish there were more scenes with the club because I really liked the concept of using the cards to initiate members and giving them elite status around campus.

The romance was cute. I loved the banter between the two. However, I did wish there was some more lead-up to their romance. It felt a little rushed to me. I wanted a more passionate confession and a tad more yearning. Overall, it did keep me on the edge of my seat and wondering how everything was going to work out. I give this a solid three of five stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group /
Viking Books for Young Readers for an ARC of House of Hearts in exchange for a fair and honest review.

So freaking good. I wasn’t expecting this mystery plus supernatural and romance all at once. It was stunning and kept me on the edge of my seat. Our characters are stunning and the book is so well written to keep you engaged and provide enough details but without giving anything away. I don’t want to give any spoilers so you’ll have to read for yourself;)

| House of Hearts ✨ no spoiler book review ✨

Skyla Arndt has done it again. From the very first chapter I knew this book was going to be all I could think about for weeks to come.

Arndt has such a way with words that pulls the reader in and makes them feel almost as though they are living and breathing amongst the characters within each page. The way color is described is delectable; lines like "the blue before the sun rises, the shade of crushed berries and bruised lips" create the image of the color in the mind but also sets the tone for the scene at the same time.

The tension and suspense is also built beautifully, to the point where I found myself holding my own breath at times and trying not to skip to the next line to learn what happens even a little faster.

As the two main characters, Violet and Calvin, continue to develop throughout the story, their bickering builds into a masterpiece of its own. Flirtatious teasing disguised as insults that even the two characters can't distinguish serves as a delectable addition to a storyline that already has the reader itching for more.

Skyla Arndt continues to shine in her sophomore novel, and once again proves why she is the best in the horror-romance genre.

Special thanks to @arndtskyla and @penguinteen for an e-advanced reader's copy of this fantastic book!

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#houseofhearts #skylaarndt #horrorbooks #romancebooks #horroromance #arc #advancedreaderscopy #boardingschool #darkacademia #penguinbooks #vikingbooks #bookstagram

♥️🃏

It didn't hurt or struck deep into my bones, but felt so good, refreshing, and freeing. Prickled with sparks on the surface of my body, enchanted with a fairy-tale dream.

Active events didn't start for some time, but then the tension grew and senses hightened. I was surrounded with sounds, temperatures, textures and couldn't get enough. Never actually felt the plot tension, but that's the light charm of it.

Characters were amazing and I'd love to read a spin-off about the side ones! Amazing banter between the main characters followed all through the book, but sadly their connection felt rather underdeveloped for the turn of events.

I think the cover doesn't fully match the general vibe of the book despite being absolutely gorgeous on itself. Didn't change my opinion of the story, but created the littlest confusion.

Overall it was a very enjoyable YA fairytale dark academia that could've been longer and deeper, but was light and charming instead.

- - -
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Firstly, I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for an early e-arc of this book! I enjoyed this story, and it was much different than what I expected it to be. This book follows Violet, who transfers to a fancy school to investigate the death of her best friend, which she believes to be a murder. This book has secret societies, ghosts, and a forbidden love. Given the synopsis and the beautiful cover of this book, I was intrigued by the story. The beginning felt a little slow, but once we got into the main plot, I couldn’t put it down. The story was fast-paced and overall a straightforward read. I think I just wanted more descriptions. It felt a little flat when it came to telling me about how the characters were feeling or what their thoughts were. Overall, I enjoyed this story. It was different from what I usually read, but I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you again to the publisher and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was everything I could have wanted! I couldn't stop thinking about this book the whole time I was reading it. I loved the atmosphere, mystery, characters, ghosts, and the academy! I literally have been looking for more books like this and I'm so glad that this was such a hit. I just had SO MUCH FUN the whole time and I have been craving that feeling from a book again. WOW wow wow, I am so excited for others to read this one!

The cover of this book is what drew me in. This is a YA gothic fantasy by author Skyla Arndt. This book reminded me of Grimrose Girls with its dark academia vibes and underlying murder investigation. This was dark and angsty and kept me captivated from the first page. Can't wait to see what is next for this author.

This is a very atmospheric dark academia tale that's reminsicent of Alice in Wonderland. I appreciated the vibes of this, though I honestly found myself wanting more. It is dark academia, but I wanted more of the academe in this telling. The romance was also a bit insta-love, and very much fated mates. I wanted more development, more slow-burn. I do see a lot of our YA readers loving this book, so even though it wasn't for me, it still is a book I'd add to our collection!

Wow where do I even begin with my review. For starters it has made it to my top 3 favorite reads of the year so far. From the very first pages, I knew "House of Hearts" would be a 6/5 star read. I was instantly hooked and couldn’t stop until I unraveled what really happened to Emoree Hale and whether Percy Lockwell had a hand in her death.

The story follows Violet Harper, Emoree’s best friend, who enrolls at the mysterious Hart Academy determined to find answers and seek justice. She knows two things: Emoree was infatuated with the enigmatic Percy Lockwell, and she was a member of The Cards. The Cards is a secretive, elite society that’s nearly impossible to get into and even harder to escape.

Amid the eerie secrets unraveling at Hart Academy, the story masterfully weaves in a slow burning romance. Violet and Calvin’s dynamic is filled with sharp banter, simmering tension, and moments that will have you laughing, swooning, and rooting for them every step of the way. And yes, Calvin just happens to be Percy’s younger brother, which adds an extra delicious layer of complication to it all.

If you love dark academia, family curses, soulmates, and the fierce power of friendship, this book is for you. The writing is so beautifully immersive, you’ll feel like you're walking the halls of Hart yourself. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story twists in the most jaw dropping ways. House of Hearts is an unforgettable mystery that lingers long after the final page. I can't recommend it enough.

Deliciously eerie prose and a gripping plot that will keep you up way past your bedtime! This YA gothic horror romance is as beautiful and atmospheric as its jaw-dropping cover. It's a very quick and accessible read, and I was impressed by the way the author balanced the development of the characters with the story's tight pacing. I highly recommend it if you like richly atmospheric gothic horror in more contemporary settings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

House of Hearts promises to be a captivating read for fans of YA romantic horror and dark academia. With its blend of mystery, romance, and supernatural intrigue, Arndt's latest novel is poised to be a standout in the genre.

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…
Skyla Arndt truly has such an enchanting literary voice and every word she writes hits with such precision.

The mirrored images of both Violet and Anastasia were so clever, two girls just trying to find their hearts despite what the world throws at them.

𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘔𝘰𝘮, 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘮.
𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘢𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘧𝘵. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘪’𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢.

I’m so glad my girl found people who understand her and the knowledge that you can’t and don’t have to take care of everyone and the peace that comes with that knowledge.

we are so in our dark academia era. really fun and short read following Violet as she tries to get revenge for her best friend's murder. the pacing was quick, and it gave me a Crimson Peak vibe aesthetically. the secret society was just what I wanted, and the characters were very lovable!

of course, I'm in love with the cover. truly gorgeous.

Thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group for the eARC of this book! All opinions are my own.