This was a great debut. The magic system was unique, and I ADORE a slow burn romance. I loved the idea of the dark academia but I didn't really enjoy the mixing mystery with romance. But that is a personal preference. The format was interesting and different. I just wasn't the biggest fan of the mystery.

This book had an incredibly interesting premise and really unique form of telling the story. I had my interest piqued immediately from the way the book was described, and that was part of the appeal for reading it for me.
Unfortunately, and this could be just my device settings, but I found it really difficult to read on my Kindle and accessing the footnotes and keep in line with the current chapter. This did make the book harder for me to read and get sucked into, but again, that could very well be my settings as opposed to a formatting error.
When it comes to the book and story itself, I did find the story very intriguing and I loved the mixture of magic and mystery. The characters were harder for me to come around to, I wasn’t able to feel very connected to them and that did make the story harder for me read.
The writing itself was decent, but I did think there was a lot going on that might not have been thoroughly explained, so there were points I felt a little lost. The multiple excerpts from multiple characters was also hard for me to follow, and I think I would have kept up better with just hearing thoughts from Cella and Max.
Overall, the book was a fairly entertaining, kept me guessing, and did make me think about who might be responsible. I think as with many fantasy related books I read, sometimes the world building/explanation of the magic gets lost a bit with too much or not enough time being spent to explain how it works or why it works.
My real rating is a 3.5/5, and I do think I would enjoy reading it on paper as opposed to on my e-reader. I found the storyline unique, and anything relating to a magical cult is very exciting for me.
Thank you to the author and publisher for letting me read this early!

this is a great book with lots of twists and turns, A couple of the things I really liked about this book were that at the end of the book it makes it sound like real life, and second, the author developed the characters very well.I would recomend this to readers looking for an exciting book with the perfect balance of adventure, suspence, and love.

The Book of Autumn casts a spell with its lush, atmospheric setting, compelling characters, and an intellectually rich take on magic. Set in a magical university hidden in the New Mexico desert, the story blends dark academia with a paranormal murder mystery, centered around two estranged magicians forced to work together again.

Told in a distinctive, academic style (complete with footnotes) the book immerses readers in a world where magic is treated like a complex science. While this theoretical depth adds realism, it also makes the reading experience dense and slow-paced, at times overshadowing the mystery and emotional engagement.

Though the investigative plot can feel like a string of frustrating dead ends rather than a satisfying puzzle, the vivid worldbuilding, unusual magical system, and the chemistry between the main characters carry the story through. Fans of cerebral fantasy and dark academia will find much to appreciate, even if the execution isn’t perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Book of Autumn enchants with its beautifully drawn setting, nuanced characters, and an unusual magic system. Ideal for fans of dark academia and paranormal activities. I’m eager to see where Molly O’Sullivan takes this world next!

The Book of Autumn is a dark academia murder mystery. With a magical university tucked away in the New Mexico desert and a fractured partnership between two powerful magicians forced to reunite.

I really enjoyed the beautiful imagery written throughout the book, almost as if it was an academic research paper. It has footnotes and everything! Unfortunately, the magic was just not there for me. No distinction between those who are magical, and those who were not.

It is an interesting approach, however, the mystery itself left much to be desired and investigation felt like a frustrating series of dead ends rather than a puzzle to unravel. There was little to no cooperation.

This blurb appealed to me in my quest for new authors to love. Right away I was drawn into the book even with the annotations annoying me a little bit when some books do this; it’s only because I hate being dragged away from the story to read the notes. This takes place, of course, because the book is written sort of like an academic book to go along with the plot. In addition to that, I didn’t quite get why Cella and Max were chosen as the ones to solve this and why exactly being a dimidium was important (I might have missed that since I read so fast). However, aside from all that, this is a well-written books, just with a few bumps along the way. This book isn’t exactly for me, but I can definitely see why it would be for others. Recommend. I was provided a complimentary copy which I voluntarily reviewed.

Molly O’Sullivan’s The Book of Autumn is a lyrical, introspective novel that captures the quiet transformation of both season and self. With prose as crisp and evocative as falling leaves, the story follows a protagonist navigating grief, memory, and renewal in a small-town setting rich with atmosphere. O’Sullivan weaves nature, emotion, and subtle magic into a narrative that is both grounded and poetic. While the pacing may feel slow for some, its meditative quality invites deep reflection. A beautifully written homage to the emotional cycles we all face—this is a perfect read for fans of character-driven literary fiction.

I had high hopes for The Book of Autumn by Molly O’Sullivan, especially with its promise of dark academia. Unfortunately, this one ended up being a DNF for me. The atmosphere was there, but the story just didn’t deliver.

The characters lacked depth, and their backgrounds were thinly developed. Key information was held back until later parts of the book, which made it frustrating to connect with the plot or care about what was happening. Instead of feeling intrigued, I felt like I was constantly digging for the actual story — and not in a good way.

What could have been immersive and mysterious ended up feeling overwhelming and disjointed. Sadly, this one just wasn’t for me.

The Book of Autumn is told in a very unique scientific-ish writing style, but also was quite complicated to read because of it. There was a lot of descriptive information on Magic, theoretical explanations of how everything works and so on. I felt like I had to study the book while reading it, was forced to follow in a very slow pace. Those comments were great, but they didn't help the situation.

I loved the worldbuilding itself. It's an unusal approach to Magic, different from what I'm used to. I'd actually like to study it through the book if only it didn't go so theoretically and slow.

We see an intriguing thriller arc and follow the investigation, though again instead of being involved in the mystery my mind was busy precessing the matters of worldbuilding theory.

Glad that all said didn't stop me from loving the main characters and the chemistry between them. Also loved the general plot and the way the story ended.

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Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was such a happy surprise! I don’t usually read a lot of dark academia, but The Book of Autumn completely won me over.

Told in a really unique format — more like a case study than a traditional novel — it includes footnotes, references, and primary sources that made the world feel layered and real. We follow Cella as she returns to her magical college to investigate a student’s murder… and, of course, she’s reunited with Max (her ex), which adds even more tension.

I especially loved the concept of the two magical colleges with such different approaches to magic — it gave the story depth and contrast in a way that really stuck with me.

If you’re looking for something smart, magical, and just a little off the beaten path, I’d definitely recommend picking this up.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC!

Magical realism is a genre that I generally like and poke my toe in occasionally. This one read a little more fantasy than I generally chose but had some interesting themes. I would not have guessed this was a debut novel by this author. Well written and emotional. I enjoyed it.

I would like to start by thanking Netgalley and Molly O’Sullivan for giving me the opportunity to read this book as an arc!

Now, this book wasn’t for me. I was really enjoying it but the magic system set me off. I adore fantasy books and fantasy books with mystery and romance even more, but not this kind of magic. Hexes and this kind of magic is not of my alley. I was trying to get past that because I was really enjoying the book, as I said, but it was everywhere. It was kind of the point.

This is a personal decision I took because of my beliefs but I think if you are interested in that kind of magic system, you will LOVE it. As far as I got, it was excellent . Good writing, good characters and a great pace. Nothing against all of that, It was shaping up to be ab exceptional book.

If Molly realeses another book, I will be there sat. No doubt about it!

I tried I really did. But the story line seemed foggy and not clear path to story line. Way too many different mystical fantasy side notes but trying to stay relevant in normal world. This could have been three different books honestly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corporation for the digital advanced copy of The Book of Autumn by Molly O’Sullivan. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

Marcella—Cella—has spent years running from her past: grieving the loss of her younger brother, nursing a broken heart, and grappling with the hazy memories of her final year at Seinford and Brown College of Agriculture and Magic. Once the lead researcher in object theory and one half of a magical soul bond known as a dimididm, everything changed when she literally set it fire and walked away. Now, Max asks her to return to the college to investigate a magical murder and possible possession. As Cella digs deeper into the mystery, she begins to question her sanity, and nothing is as it seems—or as she remembers.

I was initially drawn to the book’s concept: a mix of magic and horror with a dash of romance. I was even more intrigued when I read the “Note to the Reader” and discovered that the story is framed as Cella’s research paper, complete with footnotes and journal entries. I love experimental storytelling and books that challenge traditional narrative structures. Unfortunately, this format didn’t quite work here. Rather than enhancing the story, the footnotes and supplemental material often disrupted the flow and made it difficult to stay engaged. I found myself wishing the story had been told through traditional, alternating POV chapters—perhaps with Dani’s perspective before the murder, and Cella, Max, and Luce in the present timeline.

Narratively, The Book of Autumn felt scattered. Descriptions of events and locations were often confusing. I struggled to visualize the campus or even basic settings like Cella’s room. Scene transitions were abrupt, and I frequently realized too late that characters had moved or left a conversation entirely.

The characters themselves were compelling, and I wanted to see more interaction between them—especially Max and Cella. Their connection and shared magical bond should have been a focal point, but they spent much of the book apart. Though Max’s footnotes offered some insight, Cella ultimately felt isolated and emotionally flat. Her motivations were difficult to connect with, and I didn’t fully understand the stakes of her journey—or the depth of her feelings for Max.

Molly O’Sullivan explores several intriguing themes, but they didn’t quite come together cohesively. For example, Cella’s mid-book reflection on the mental health impact of social media felt out of place and was never revisited. Similarly, the book ends with a beautiful message about community and healing, but this theme wasn’t clearly established earlier, making it feel unearned in the final pages.

That said, there were elements I really enjoyed—especially the way magic was described. The scenes where Cella and Max perform magic together were imaginative and vivid, unlike anything I’ve read before. I also loved the concept of magic requiring objects as conduits. Unfortunately, while the story centers on magic, there’s surprisingly little actual spellcasting or magical action. The rules of the world were also unclear. I was often confused about what magic was possible, whether everyone shared the same abilities, or if magic was more individualized, like superpowers.

In the end, I was disappointed. The Book of Autumn presents fascinating ideas and a compelling premise, but the execution left me wanting more. I spent much of the book trying to piece things together, rather than being swept away by the story.

The Book of Autumn follows Cella and Max as they navigate a path to save a fellow magic students soul, while repairing their relationship as well as themselves.
In a book that reads partly like an article and partly like a journal we follow Cella on this journey taking place at a magic school in New Mexico.
I read this book in my Kindle and found the footnotes included in the book to be clunky and often unnecessary as they did not add anything groundbreaking to the story.
The book struggles to have a clear beginning, middle, and end instead moving aimlessly forward without building investment in its characters or magical backdrop.
Overall the book was fine, just not very clear in its vision.

The story follows anthropologist Marcella "Cella," who is called back to her former university by her ex-lover and magical partner, Max, to investigate the death of a student, whose killer is literally floating (yes, really ).
The story is full of mysteries, strange magic, long nights in the library, disappearances, and forbidden spells.
Highlights:
I enjoyed the academic vibe of the book, especially the inclusion of diary entries, spells, and footnotes.
Overall:
The story was engaging and kept me intrigued until the end. That said, some parts could have been executed more smoothly. For instance, I think the footnotes should appear on the same page as the text they reference—not all the way at the end of the book. I kept losing the flow of the story, trying to flip back and forth.
Also, some of the diary entries weren’t clearly connected to the main narrative, which made them feel a bit disjointed. Maybe this reads better in a physical copy. Even as an eBook would make it easier to click through and return to the main story seamlessly (if there were a back button or something).
I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy academic settings, second-chance romance, magic, and mystery all blended into one story.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Book of Autumn is the debut from Molly O’Sullivan and it is a dark, twisty and moody good time!

Marcella reluctantly returns to her magic school she’d previously fled on less than good terms, to help get to the bottom of a gruesome killing of another student and what appears to be the possession of another. Along the way she has to face her demons, her past and of course a cowboy ex-boyfriend she has more than unfinished business with.

I’d describe The Book of Autumn as kind of The Exorcist meets Yellowstone meets Chilling adventures of Sabrina and it WORKS! O’Sullivan does a brilliant job of creating atmosphere and tension throughout as well as a real sense of urgency and desperation as the story progresses. The magic system is really interesting, it’s a more emotive take on the use of conduits and with the importance and relevance to the plot it is lowkey genius IMO. I spent a lot of time pondering what my objects would be!

There was a lot of knowledge and history of magic used throughout which made it feel academic but I think at times it lacked that true dark academia feel that I think it was going for. And while there were quite a few side characters… at times they lacked depth, even the ones that played pivotal roles. I’d have liked a lot more from Max TBH… his POV was shared mostly through footnotes… which I’m not a huge fan of… but I think he deserved more than that and perhaps specific dual POV would have suited the storytelling a bit better.

Overall though, it’s mysterious and moody with that cowboy flare that’s very popular at the moment. O’Sullivan gets you hooked early on and you can’t help but keep turning those pages. I had a real good time reading this book!

Thank you Net Galley and Kensington Publishing for sending me (my very first ever) advanced copy of this debut novel!!

Modern day dark academia, magic, mystery, ancient sorcery and a little romance? Count me in!

I really enjoyed the beautiful imagery written throughout the book as I felt it broke up how it was written almost like a narrative academic research paper with the journal entries and foot notes citing personal inputs, religious texts, ancient philosophers and texts! I did however, also enjoy the foot notes because some of that information went right over my head initially!

I do wish there would have been a little more to the romance story between Max & Cella (past and present) and some more chapters with them actually practicing their magic together!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and am so happy to have received an advanced reader copy! 📚✨

2.5
I was really excited about this book from reading the blurb. The story felt unique and piqued my interest.
As someone who reads scientific papers on a daily basis, the layout of this book frustrated me immensely. Sometimes it felt like a novel, sometimes a paper. I feel like it could have given the story some more interest if it had been structured a bit better. But the 87 foot notes really bothered me and interrupted my reading flow. Most of them could have been incorporated into the text in a better way instead. Maybe if it was a physical copy, the whole flitting to the back of the book might have been less annoying but to me it ruined the reader experience completely.
The story in general was interesting but it didn't really catch my interest in a way I hoped it would.
The whole setting of a magical college in New Mexico felt unique. The story in itself felt unnecessary long. The FMC tried a magic spell in the beginning of the book but then their was a huge gap until like 50% where it was mentioned again and I think at 87% was the first actual spell preformed. I wish the magic would have been more spread out throughout the book because now all of it was just in the end. You never got to familiarise yourself with how the magic was truly performed before the end. I feel like this book had so much potential but the execution just flopped. I loved the idea of the FMC and MMCs magic being tied together.
Maybe this book just wasn't for me or I had way to high expectations of it.

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