This book was one of my most anticipated books, it sounds exactly like the type of book I would devour. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat for me. I struggled with the writing style which made it difficult for me to get into the story. I may give it another shot on audiobook when it’s published.

Violet’s best friend dies, but she’s convinced it was murder. So she transfers to the elite boarding school her friend attended to uncover the truth and make the guilty pay. But her attention quickly shifts to the handsome brother of the prime suspect—who also happens to be the headmistress’s son.

Let’s start with the good stuff. I really enjoyed the first part of the book: the eerie, mysterious, gothic vibe was excellent. Calvin is a broody, grumpy hero with a reputation as a seducer. The heroine is smart and confident, unafraid to take risks. There were genuinely chilling moments that gave me goosebumps. The secret society, the playing cards, the family curse—it was all so intriguing. It also had some Alice in Wonderland vibes. And that cover? Absolutely stunning!

However, the story moved a bit too fast, and I felt it lacked detail—I had to fill in some gaps myself. I also wanted more chemistry between the main characters. Even after finishing, I still had a few unanswered questions. The book felt a bit too short, and the ending didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

Despite all its flaws, I believe it's a good representative of the genre!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓dark academia
✓hate to love
✓Alice in Wonderland vibes
✓secret society
✓forbidden love
✓soulmate curses

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group (Viking Books for Young Readers) for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, Penguin Random House and NetGalley, for this eARC.

If certain aspects were more developed, this could be a good book.

It has a gothic atmosphere, with elements or rather references to Alice in Wonderland.

The protagonist comes to find out what really happened to her friend but can't leave the academy and gets caught up in a family curse.

There are mysteries, ghosts, a wild fox, and a rabbit.

This book has potential. The plot felt fast-paced to me, more like a story, especially the rushed and unclear romance. There was chemistry, but it wasn’t really felt, and it was unclear how they fell in love. The ending was also quick, and I needed to reread some parts.

I liked the atmosphere, with a secret society, an ancient history, and a family curse. There were moments of intrigue, but by the end, I didn’t feel much shock, and there were still questions left unanswered.

Idea: 4.5
Plot: 3 too fast and confusing
Style: 4 not bad, light
Emotion: 2, suspenseful and creepy
Characters: 3 not attached to them, but not bad either

• YA
• Paranormal
• Familial curse
• Dark academia
• Enemies to lovers
• Alice in Wonderland atmosphere
• Secret society
• Forbidden love

3.5 Stars rounded up
Pub Date: September 2, 2025

House of Hearts is a young adult romantasy book about curses and revenge. After Violet’s best friend’s dies in what is labeled as “suicide”, Violet decides to take matters into her own hands. She knows that her friend would never kill herself, and she knows that her death most likely has to the mysterious boarding school that she had been attending. Naturally, she transfers to the school her senior to find out the truth and, more importantly, to get revenge. A simple quest for vengeance spirals, revealing dark secrets and a budding romance.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this book, but I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I thought I would! I feel like I’m always craving good dark academia books, and this delivered. There were a couple parts, especially near the end, where I felt like there was a lot of information shoved into a very short amount of pages. It led to a bit of confusion, but I was eventually able to figure it out. The paranormal aspect of this book was the perfect amount of creepy that brought this book to the next level.

Also, let’s appreciate that cover for a second! It’s absolutely gorgeous!

Features-
- YA
- Thriller
- Paranormal (ghosts, etc.)
- Familial curse
- Dark Academia
- Fantasy

This was one ARC I was most anticipated for. I saw many posts on IG and I was so excited to receive a copy. Thank you!


Tropes:
YA Romance
Paranormal- Ghost
Revenge
Dislike-to-like
Soulmates
Dark academia


It was a very addicting storyline and I could not put the book down. I wish I have 100 more pages of just Violet and Calvin. Their banter and moments together were so sweet and I wish I had a little more of them together. It made me want a novella of just Percy and Em and their story together.

It gave a gothic and dark vibe that surrounds the school and maze. And I loved every aspect of the games and small alice in wonderland references.

House of Hearts is a dark, dreamy fantasy that pulls you in right from the start. The world is strange in the best way—full of eerie magic, secrets, and a constant sense that something’s just a little off. It has that whimsical but haunting vibe that fans of gothic or fairy tale-like stories will love.

The characters are unique and layered, and the story has a mix of danger, mystery, and emotional depth. It’s the kind of book that feels like stepping into someone else’s dream—beautiful, unsettling, and hard to forget.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

A great pick if you like dark fantasy with poetic writing and an eerie, otherworldly feel.

This book was great! I loved every minute of reading it! The cover is beautiful as well. This is in the young adult fictional genre, but can be read by adults as well. This is a dark gothic romance novel that captivated my attention in the very first chapter. It also comes with horror and mystery! I was fully immersed while reading this story because of how adventurous and captivating it was! It had vivid descriptions, a clear thesis and included diverse characters.

“House of Hearts” is about a girl named Violet who is out to revenge for her friend’s murder! It is set in an elite boarding school, where her friend was murdered. Violet transferred to this school her senior year. She is on a mission to discover what really happened to her friend. During her mission, she ends up meeting someone special during her stay at this elite school. His name is Calvin, who is the brother’s suspect in the murder! This dark academia book does not disappoint and I can see this becoming a movie! Be sure to read the content warnings. Overall, I give this a solid 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Skyla Arndt and
PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Viking Books for Young Readers for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This is expected to be published on September 2, 2025!

This book was fantastic! If you're into dark academia, Alice in Wonderland vibes, and crave a mix of YA romantic horror, then this is absolutely the book for you.

The banter between the characters was top-tier and added so much charm and depth to the story. There was a really satisfying balance between the eerie, creepy horror elements and the swoon-worthy romance. Nothing felt too overwhelming—it all blended together beautifully.

Also… can we talk about that cover?! STUNNING. It’s what initially drew me in, and I’m so glad it did because the story inside totally lived up to the promise of the artwork.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I genuinely can’t wait to see what this author does next!

Oh boy! Can we all agree that this book’s cover deserves to be framed and hung on our walls? It's absolutely stunning—so mesmerizing that you’ll want to pause your screen time just to stare at it. Gorgeous doesn’t even begin to cover it!

Now let’s talk about what’s inside—and wow, what a deliciously dark, twisty ride! With its captivating blend of dark academia, murder mystery, ghostly hauntings, ancient curses, forbidden love, and paranormal romance, this book is the ultimate recipe for a thrilling, gothic page-turner that grabs you from the very first line.

We follow Violet Harper, a scholarship student who’s just landed a spot at an elite academy typically reserved for the ultra-wealthy. But Violet isn’t just here for education—she has a hidden mission: uncover the truth behind the mysterious death of Emoree, a fellow student who allegedly jumped from the clock tower. Violet doesn’t buy the suicide story, especially when Perceval, the headmistress’s son and Emoree’s boyfriend, suspiciously disappears from campus.

As Violet digs deeper, she finds herself pulled into the orbit of Calvin Lockwell, the enigmatic and brooding younger brother of Perceval. Her investigation leads her straight into a secret society at the academy, made up of its most powerful students, and soon Violet discovers that the school is hiding much more than just a cover-up. There’s a chilling family curse tied to the Lockwell bloodline, and to solve it, Violet must team up with Calvin—whether she trusts him or not.

Oh, and did I mention there’s an actual ghost? Yes! The vengeful spirit of Anastasia Hart, a once-betrayed soul with a bleeding heart (literally and metaphorically), roams the academy grounds, adding a delicious layer of gothic horror to the already tangled web of lies and secrets.

While the pacing dips a little in the middle, the unraveling of mysteries—from Violet’s personal losses to Emoree’s demise and the truth behind the Lockwell curse—builds into an emotionally satisfying and action-packed climax. And let’s not forget the slow-burn romance! The chemistry between Violet and Calvin crackles with intensity, complicated by the very curse they’re trying to break.

Overall: this is a fast-paced, atmospheric, emotionally rich read that combines romance, danger, secrets, and supernatural thrills in one addictive package. If you love your mysteries with a side of ghosts and forbidden attraction, don’t miss this one!

A very big thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group / Viking Books for Young Readers for sharing this alluring digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest thoughts. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!

This was fun! A very quick and easy read with spooky ghosts and Alice in Wonderland vibes, perfect for Halloween.

It's very, very YA, with slow-burn and kisses-only romance and an FMC being immature in her actions and reactions. While I didn't find Violet likeable, I adored Calvin, Birdie, and Em, they stole the show for me.

It started out a little slow, but picked up after 20% and stayed at a good pace until the end. While the story was entertaining and mostly well-done, the twist with Ana was predictable, and some things after the reveal stopped making sense. However, I really enjoyed the action throughout, and overall was satisfied by how everything wrapped up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5⭐️ ARC from NetGalley! Elite Boarding School, YA Dark Academia vibes. It’s giving Triwizard Tournament Hedge Maze x Alice In Wonderland x Ninth House x Wednesday Adams Show.

This is a YA Romance set in an elite boarding school, filled with ghosts of heartbreak’s past and the unsolved murder of our FMC Violet’s best friend. A quick / short read with a lot of depth, I am shocked the author pulled off such an elaborate & enchanting story in under 300 pages!

This will be releasing right before Halloween and is sure to give the best spooky romance vibes.

I really enjoyed this book! The story was captivating and fun. It had all the best spooky Alice in Wonderland vibes. I loved the banter between Violet and Calvin and her friendships with the society. The writing was easy to follow along with and very easy to picture and imagine many scenes. Anastasia’s ghost was very creepy and Oleander was a prick but glad her story got resolved as well. I wish Percy and Emoree were still alive but I really appreciate when a story doesn’t completely have a “happily ever after”. Nonetheless, it was a great read!

Thank you, Penguin Random House and NetGalley, for this eARC in exchange for an honest review! Skyla Arndt has done it again in this twisted, magical, dark academy experience. Did I finish it in 24 hours and stay up until 1:30 am to do so? Mind your business.

Violet transfers to a preppy boarding school after the death of her best friend at the boarding school seems to go completely ignored. She is determined to find out what happened to her, and is convinced it involves the Headmaster's son Percy Lockwell and a secret society, the Cards. But on arrival, she immediately draws the attention of her prime suspect's younger brother, Calvin. He is completely insufferable and his rich boy attitude drives Violet insane. But when Violet starts seeing things that no one else seems to, including the ghost of her best friend, it becomes clear she may need his help. And when the secrets come out and it appears their goals are more intertwined than she thought, she has no choice but to dive headfirst into the rabbit hole of the House of Hearts, while hopefully keeping both her head and her heart.

Skyla Arndt's magical writing is absolutely captivating. If you liked Together We Rot, you will love House of Hearts. It has all of the magical, mind-boggling twists and turns that pull you in while also having an autumn, East Coast, dark academia feeling.

House of Hearts snatched me up and tossed me into a gothic wonderland I didn’t want to leave. This dark academia gem, dripping with Alice in Wonderland whimsy and a haunted boarding school vibe, deserves a solid 4 stars for making my heart race and my suspicions spiral.

Let’s start with the good stuff. Violet Harper, our tough-as-nails heroine, is out to solve her best friend’s murder, and she’s not here for anyone’s nonsense. She stormed into Hart Academy, ready to infiltrate a secret society like she’s auditioning for a Nancy Drew reboot.

The setting? Love. Picture gothic towers, a haunted hedge maze, and a masquerade ball with a ghostly visitor. Arndt’s prose is lush, painting every creepy corridor and forbidden glance so vividly I felt like I was sneaking through the school myself. The mystery kept me guessing.

Now, the romance. Oh, Calvin Lockwell, you brooding, handsome descendant of the school’s founder, why must you be so dreamy? The dislike-to-lovers tension with Violet is delicious, with banter that had me smiling. Their chemistry crackles in moments. But here’s my beef: the soulmate angle. Meh. It felt like a shortcut, as if Arndt didn’t trust her own (very capable!) hands to build that slow-burn spark naturally. I’m not here for fated love when I could’ve had 100-200 more pages of Violet and Calvin snarking and circling each other until they combust. Gimme that organic chemistry, not a magical shortcut that’s been done to death.

The pacing is brisk, which I loved, but it also left me wanting. The book’s under 300 pages, and while it’s packed with twists, I craved more room to linger in the eerie world and let the characters breathe. Violet’s grief over her friend could’ve hit harder with a few extra scenes, and the secret society’s history deserved a deeper dive. It’s like getting a killer dessert but only a tiny slice—girl, I wanted the whole cake!

Still, I dug this book’s vibe. It’s creepy, romantic, and just the right amount of unhinged.

I feel like I never really sank into this one. It was a bit surface level. I didn't connect to the characters or the romance(they did not feel like soulmates). The overall mystery was the most intriguing part to the story on how to break the curse. I wish this had been a little longer and slowed down more on some character interaction.

The premise is perfect but the execution could’ve been better. The vibe is immaculate, perfect for when you’re in the mood for a gothic read or need something atmospheric for a rainy day. Since it’s a short read it was worth it just to satisfy my curiosity but it ended up being totally forgettable for me.

This was a cute YA mystery with a touch of the supernatural and a dash of romance! If you enjoy dark academia, curses, masquerades, elite secret societies, and hauntings—House of Hearts might be your vibe.

It’s been a while since I’ve read about teenage love under dire circumstances, and I really enjoyed the mystery! It gave me a mix of Goosebumps, Alice in Wonderland, and those AU fanfics I was obsessed with in high school. Honestly, it hit a little nostalgic sweet spot.

House of Hearts by Skyla Arndt releases on September 2nd, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review!

I'm starting this off by saying, this cover is so gorgeous. I mean, it caught my attention right away and drew me in as well as the promise of a secret society, forbidden love and a vengeful ghost.
This book takes you on a ride, having you wonder what is going to potentially happen to Violet and if she'll end up like her best friend Em who died tragically. But when she finally infiltrates the society it throws you into a huge mystery that has you trying to figure out where the story could take the ghost, and how they could potentially stop them! I loved the story around Anastasia Hart, and I found that to be such a perfect centerpiece for this story.
And for the forbidden love aspect? Perfect, I loved every second of Calvin and Violet and was begging for more at some points.
This book is a quick read and I honestly can't wait to see what else Skyla Arndt chooses to write next.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Teen for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I was younger I used to tell people my middle name was “Alice,” even though it wasn’t. When I got married, I had an Alice in Wonderland themed wedding. That’s how much I love Alice in Wonderland. While this isn’t a retelling, nor does it claim to be, I still found the nods to Wonderland enchanting. If you’re reading this solely for the Alice in Wonderland element, you will be disappointed. However, if you are like me and love even small nods to the beloved story, you might just find yourself lost in this story. The aesthetic of this story is very gothic, think the 2010 Alice adaption but more gothic. The story takes place in modern day. I normally dislike books taking place in present day, but this is element didn’t take me out of the story. I still found myself falling down the rabbit hole and into this world. Being set in a gothic boarding school gives the story a dark academia atmosphere. There are ghosts, family curses, cultish happenings, and so much angst. Teenage me would have made this entire book my personality. (Maybe even adult me too) The main character, Violet, describes herself as an Eeyore, which is fitting. She herself is full of angst (and rightfully so). But the angst between Violet and Calvin was done so well. I disliked him as much as Violet, yet found myself excited anytime he came onto the page. The writing in this surprised me. It is accessible and modern enough for YA, yet it is lyrical and immersive. I highlighted so much in my copy. I really appreciated the complicated relationship Violet has with her mother. It really showed the reader Violet’s selflessness. Her love for her best friend and dedication to solving what happened to her remained the heart of the story, but there’s so much more to it. The horror elements had me gasping late into the night. This story is less than 300 pages and incredibly fast paced. I finished it in basically one night because it was so addictive. If you love eerie, gothic, modern fairytales, dark academia, nods to Alice in Wonderland, angsty YA romance, and slight horror elements, I think you’ll eat this up. If you’ve enjoyed anything by Kelly Andrew, this will be up your alley! I loved it so much. One of my favorites of the year!

I enjoyed Violet, the writing, the threads of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the tone of the story, I just had some issues with how short it was and how everything resolved. I think the story could have benefited from a few more scenes between characters, especially between Violet and the Card members to really grow their dynamics and connections. And between Violet and her mom! I also wish the main resolution had a bit more time to unravel, make sense, and feel more genuine (it was cheesy, okay, sue me). On a more serious note, though, I do not appreciate a choice that is made at the end, and I don’t buy the other characters’ reaction to it. It feels tidy, I guess — or maybe it’s supposed to make the ending less happy and perfect — but I don’t like the precedent in a YA book, or in any book for that matter. But, again, I really liked this book. It lived up to what I was hoping it would be in most ways, and I am glad I picked it up. If you like loose retellings (or, really, very vaguely “inspired by” books), and if you like mysteries with a slight touch of horror, you should check this one out.