I received an arc via Netgalley, and am leaving an honest review about the book. I’m thankful to the publisher and the author for giving me this wonderful opportunity!

I don’t know what I was expecting going into this book, but this definitely wasn’t it. I had such a hard time getting into it, and I still couldn’t fully immerse myself into it. After trying to read it, I dropped it halfway because I understood nothing. The plot had so much potential, but it wasn’t executed even remotely well.

THINK SOUTHERN HIGH SOCIETY MEETS MAGICAL SECRET ORDER!!

When I say I could not put this book down, I genuinely mean it!

The main character, Quell, is on the run and ends up going back to her family’s estate and finds it to be a sort of magical summer school for the rich! Where students train their skills and work at one of the branches of magic in hopes of being able to debut to the community.

(A very fascinating structure of magic, I might add.)

I’m not a huge romance reader, but the relationship within the story was well-paced and did not seem rushed or forced, which I appreciated. It allowed a slow burn of two people learning and meeting each other!! So, kudos to the author for creating fantastic subplots.

The one negative I found was there were maybe 4-5 chapters that threw in another perspective throughout the book that I didn’t find to enhance the story or give any further illumination to the plot.

I had a difficult time getting into this book in the beginning. The writing and characters didn't grab me but the premise of the story is interesting. The writing does feel more YA if that makes sense so if that bothers you this one may not be for you.

Loved this book! The whimsy and darkness, the magical tiaras and dark societies. Definitely buying a physical copy after that twist!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

Quell has lived her entire life on the run with her mother. When someone discovers the secret about her dark magic she heads to the one place she might be safe...the school her grandmother is the headmistress of. While there she begins to learn more about her magic and decides to enter the Order, a secret magical society that will afford her choice and power. Still, danger is everywhere and she doesn't quite know who to trust.

I enjoyed this book. I did find it a little repetitive and too long. It could be streamlined some and still be a good story. I think this is the first in a series, and it held my attention enough that I would definitely read the next book.

this story was not very predictable but when she was jumping to another place after having to leave her new "friend" space I was like well what next?!?! I didn't know who to trust and who not to trust t begin with but that was part of the fun.

Thank You, NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group. I am excited to read this book for my early copy of House of Marionne. This novel is about a young teenager who has dark magic. She must learn how to control her magic and enroll in school to help manage her magic, but she must complete three challenging tasks to be a part of the order. I can't wait to read this book. #HouseofMarionne #NetGalley #Penguin Young Readers

This book was fairly anticipated in the Young Adult world, if I am recalling correctly. I was excited to receive such an exciting book as an ARC, so I was slightly disappointed when this book fell short for me. In the very beginning, I could already tell I wasn't going to like Quell. She is kind of dumb, oblivious, has a weird relationship with her mom, and just again, seems a little too stupid. Her choices are questionable and the magic system itself was harder to follow than I expected. I'm also not sure if it was the formatting of the ARC but all the breaks had some weird letters. I'm still currently working on the book so I wonder if they'll have some significance, but I think it's just an editing thing. Regardless of that, I just haven't been able to get into the story. Quell isn't very likeable, the romance wasn't a huge hit, the world building was confusing, and the whole debutante thing just was strange to me. Overall, I feel like this could be good for a younger crowd, but it's little juvenile for me. When I finish reading, I will post my final review onto Goodreads.

*"Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!!**

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for an eARC of House of Marionne!

Dark Academia, Magic, Debutante Balls, and a Forbidden Romance- House of Marionne is a solid YA fantasy with a plot twist that will leave you begging for more!!! I had so much fun reading this book and I can’t wait to add it to my shelf!

I really loved the premise of this book and the ending had me super hooked for book two. The middle slowed down a bunch and I think I would have trimmed some of this or refocused on some other aspects of the world. But this was a really solid debut!

Hmmm maybe this is for someone else. It missed the mark for me. It didn't even read as a YA but as a children's book which is not my preferred genre. It was extremely repetitive and focused on to many tropes. I think it had great potential, but will not continue the series.

A YA fantasy book that is heavy on tropes and vibes, House of Marionne follows a teen girl named Quell who has been on the run her whole life with her mom, trying to hide the dangerous magic she was born with. But now she's seeking refuge with her grandmother- the powerful head of a magical house who wants to groom Quell as her heir. Quell will become a debutante and train in traditional forms of magic, but if anyone discovers the secret she carries it will be a death sentence...

Of course there is a fraught romance, plenty of angst, and secrets to be uncovered.

The way mature magic manifests in this world is through either a diadem or a mask growing from the person's head. I have a lot of questions about how this works practically, but it's one of those things that the author clearly thought was a cool idea without wanting to give a lot of explanation. We mostly hear about the diadems, very little detail on the masks and it feels like she probably just likes the idea of individualized tiara's but for gendered reasons only wanted women to have them? Honestly it would have made more sense to me if everyone had a diadem or crown, that would come off less gender essentialist. We do have a throwaway appearance of a non-binary character probably in an attempt to offset this, but I still think it's a weird choice. The other thing is, how do they sleep? Does their hair get caught in it? I have a lot of questions, but it's never mentioned.

In general, I think this book is working more off vibes and tropes as a way to gloss over world-building that can be sloppy at times. That said, I think casual readers who are really just there for the romance, danger, and magic school vibes will enjoy this because those elements are reasonably well-done. It feels like a book that knows what it is and there is definitely an audience for it. Just don't go in expecting detailed world-building or a magic system that is well-explained. I enjoyed it for what it is, but I don't know that it's going to leave a lasting impression. I received a copy of this book for review via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This novel introduced me to Quell, a young woman who has spent her life on the run, burdened by a dangerous magic flowing through her veins. Her mother and she constantly evaded those who sought to exploit her forbidden power. When their refuge is compromised, Quell reluctantly becomes a member of the mysterious Order, a society of magic-wielding elites, to conceal her deadly abilities permanently. To do so, she must overcome three demanding membership rites while grappling with her complex mentor, Jordan, who doubles as an assassin in training. This story seamlessly combines elements of dark academia, secret societies, dark magic, and high fantasy, creating a captivating and action-packed mystery. While the book's beginning was strong, I yearned for more world-building and character depth. The romantic aspect felt somewhat contrived, yet the compelling writing and the storyline's intrigue held me rapt. I eagerly await the sequel to delve deeper into Quell's world and her journey of self-discovery.

I loved this book So So so much! The characters are something that shine through the story and the plot just enhances them so much! Would definitely reread.

RATING: 4 out of 5 Enchanted Roses

ONE-WORD REVIEW: DECADENT

TAG LINE: Bury your secret or die for it.

OPENING LINE: Yagrin ran a finger along the blade and sucked in a deep breath.

REVIEW:

Huge thank you to Penguin Teen for providing me with an advanced reader copy!

HOUSE OF MARIONNE is a fantastical story that blends feminine rage, forbidden dark powers, and a magical society of debutants. There were also Dark academia vibes and a mystery with a dash of romance. The story follows Quell, who spends her life quite literally on the run from herself with her mother as she tries to keep her illicit deadly powers a secret.

But when her safe haven is snatched from her, Quell is forced to seek refuge at her grandmother’s foreboding estate. There, she must ascribe to the debutante society known as the Order and undertake 3 rites of membership in order to suppress her magic forever. Insert Jordan, her enigmatic and intimidating tutor.

Jordan is our “shadow daddy” extraordinaire. I mean, who doesn’t love a good shadow-wielding hottie? I just wished he was fleshed out a bit more and there was more chemistry between him and Quell.

As for Quell’s mother: the woman kept her on the run and was cryptic as hell. But Quell didn’t bug her with questions?

HOUSE OF MARIONNE is a well-paced YA romantic Fantasy laden with dark Bridgerton vibes. All in all, HOUSE OF MARIONNE was a very enjoyable, interesting read.

𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈
✨Assassins
✨Secret magical societies
✨Enemies-to-lovers
✨Deadly magic
✨Dark academia
✨Morally gray characters

Happy Reading!
Ashley
Bookstagram & Review Site: TheTatteredPage

First thank you to NetGalley for letting me get an ARC copy of this book. Now on to the book!! OMG, J.Elle has done it again!! This book was everything I wanted in a fantasy/romance novel!! I can't wait for book two!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

At first I had a hard time getting into this book because it was difficult to understand what exactly was happening and why, but once Quell began ti learn more it made sense why the story starts that way. It was a way to make the reader feel as out of the loop as Quell did. From there the story moved at the perfect pace and had the right amount of angst, conflict and magic. I do want to learn more about the system of magic in this world and want more history about the magic and the houses. I loved how Quell stood up in the end and embraced her toushana even though it is seen as evil. It is as wonderful to see her come into her own. I really look forward to another book and don’t want to have to wait for more. 😩

This book started great but i was left with many questions. I wanted more world building and more about the magic and the characters history. I felt that the characters were wrote well.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. This book would have done really well in the YA market in the post-HP mid-Twilight era. With the plethora of options in YA now, I’m not sure how it will land. Dark academia? YES, the teens love that. But it’s being marketed as Bridgerton meets Fourth Wing and such, which doesn’t quite hit the mark in my opinion, and probably isn’t an analogy that will hit the target audience.

SETTING: I didn’t really “get” this world, but I appreciate its unique flavor. Two thirds of the way through the book, I was suddenly asking myself, wait, this is near New Orleans? Did it say that at the beginning? The real world setting didn’t feel clear and established and the magical world building was lacking at times, too.

PLOT: The pacing was off for me. The last third of the book was really good but felt super rushed. In my opinion, the first 2/3 should have been half as long and the last 1/3 should have been longer. That said, there were some truly great plot twists! One of my favorites was how the permanent tracer that was this huge declaration of love and loyalty almost immediately became a liability for Quell.

CHARACTERS: While the MC didn’t resonate with me, I didn’t mind her either.
Grandmom was one of the most interesting characters in the book; the roller coaster of her character’s motivations is so good as are the resulting plot twists. Felix and Shelby seemed unnecessary and flat. Their interaction at the end felt very out of the blue.

DIALOGUE: Most of the dialogue between students feels like an adult writing how they think teenagers would talk to each other.

ROMANCE: The build up of the romance was predictable and felt somewhat forced. Once the feelings were out in the open, I was on board and it felt more natural. The scene where Jordan discovers Quell’s toushana is so good and packed with emotion.

ENDING: Yagrin’s POV felt unnecessary throughout the book for me. It didn’t build suspense or clarity, and instead just disrupted the flow of Quell’s perspective. The ending made it relevant, but I’m not sure how I felt about it. I think there’s a way to have the same twist without including his whole POV. Additionally, a lot was left unresolved…is there a sequel? I was so confused because the internet made me think it was a standalone.

MESSAGE: “Perhaps the only way to be truly free is to stop fighting against who I really am.” I mean, that’s a solid message for a YA audience or anyone really. That made the book so much stronger and convinced me that I will be buying this for our high school library.

The story begins with Quell, a seventeen-year-old girl who, in order to hide the mortal magic that runs through her veins, has spent her whole life on the run with her mother, going from city to city. But someone has discovered her secret and it is then that to hide from the murderer who pursues them and keep her mother away from danger, Quell will enter the Order, a very dark academy society where she will have to overcome the three rites of admission and bury her forbidden magic forever, before she is discovered and killed. This is not a spoiler, at least not on my part, this is how the synopsis begins.

I must say that the story caught me from the beginning. It has elements that I like such as the atmosphere of Dark Academy, magic, fantasy, murder, romance, betrayal, I mean really, there is a mixture of ingredients that keep you wanting to keep reading.

The plot twist at the end, although I guessed it, surprised me anyway because it has left me wanting to know how the family relationship of these characters will continue and especially what role Quell will have in their decisions.

So now you know, if you like stories of this type, this is a good option either in English or in Spanish, which will soon be available thanks to Puck.

Big thanks to the author, Penguin Randon, Penguin Young Readers Group and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Until the next one😀