“Perhaps the only way to truly be free.
Is to stop fighting against who I really am.”

This book is now my number one all time favorite read. 5/5!

The world building is absolutely incredible. The author did an amazing job. I felt like I was in the story. This book is captivating and threw me into a whole new world I didn’t know I needed.

You ever read a book or see a movie and you think wow I’d love to live a life as magical as that? Well I have and this book is one of them.

I didn’t want the story to end. I feel as if I could read it forever.

I felt on edge the entire time I was reading this book. Needing to know what happens. If everything this girl fought so hard for would be ripped away.. and once you pick it up. You’ll be chewing on your nails, wondering what’s going to happen. I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed it.

I want more of this beautiful world.

Thank you to NetGallery and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review as an ARC reader.

Okayyyyy…so this one had a lot of potential but it fell kind of short for me and I found it very “putdownable” at times. I think because the some parts dragged on unnecessarily.

What drew me to it was that it has been advertised as “Bridgerton meets Fourth Wing”. I can see how the Bridgerton vibes come into play, there were some elements as far as etiquette classes and tiaras. No to Fourth Wing. Not once did I think, “Oh yes, the Fourth Wing vibes are definitely vibing right now”.

I liked getting into the dark academia and seeing what that trope was all about. I’ll definitely pickup more books in line with the trope in the future. It was an ok book, and there will be a sequel, as it left us on a cliffhanger, and I do think I’ll read the sequel. And I’m always down for the representation of BIPOC

Let me start this review off with an anecdote. When I was twelve years old, my Tomboy mother decided to enroll me in etiquette lessons provided by my local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha. I don’t know what she was thinking. The first lesson was posture. We were told to walk with our heads up, shoulders back, and arms by our sides. So, what did I do? I walked slouched with my hands behind my back and my head dipped to the side. After that, I was deemed unteachable. They let me sit out the rest of the class. When I got home, I told my mother never again. I didn’t have to go back after that. I wasn’t even a tomboy. I was like half tomboy, half girlie. I sat somewhere in the middle. And, that was where I wanted to stay. Get out of here with those dresses and curtsies. I didn’t want it.

With that said, House of Marionne is basically a book about a girl who goes to a finishing school that also happens to be a magic school. I have heard that it has been compared to Bridgerton. I’ve never seen the show, so I can’t compare it to that. What I can compare it to, however, is a magical teenage version of America’s Next Top Model where, instead of Tyra Banks, you have a strict and unforgiven headmistress that just happens to be your grandmother. Being shaped and modeled into how a specific society wants to see you is not my personal cup of tea, but reading about it was entertaining. I mean I used to watch Top Model every week. It was interesting hearing about the different looks, gowns, and diadems. I will say that even though I truly hate dresses, I will rock the hell out of a tiara for no reason at all. And, the tiaras described in this book were wide-ranging. The author did an excellent job of describing their features and making them unique. But, enough about clothes! What about the characters? What about the setting?

The main character of this book is Quell. Quell is a teenage girl on the run from the magical world with her mother when we first meet her. She has a gift, an ability, a curse coursing within her veins. She lives in constant fear of others finding out about it. Through the course of certain events in the first couple of chapters, Quell finds herself transported to a magical estate in New Orleans that is run by her grandmother, or Grandmom as Quell calls her. Her grandmother is ecstatic. She whips Quell into her finishing/magic school to learn both about magic and how to be a proper young lady. Quell is both excited but also dreading her new role at her grandmother’s house. For one, she was separated from her mother when transported to the school and has no idea where she is. For another, she’s constantly worried about someone finding out about her special magic. But, wouldn’t it be nice for Quell to just be able to stay in the same place and not have to move around a lot. Of course, there’s also a dude.

First, he’s unforgiving, then he’s rude. By the end of the book, however, he’s a tortured soul. Poor Jordan, he went through the ringer. Jordan, like Quell, is an amazingly complex but also naive teenager. They are both strong but have absolutely no idea how to apply that strength in the correct way. They are amazing individual characters, but together they are chaotic and destructive. Also, there is a strong enemies-to-lovers to deep strong we’ve-been-together-for-years love going on with them in this book. I have said before that I despise enemies-to-lovers. I despise it in this book. At some point, though, they become more like annoying partners-to-lovers. That I can stomach more. But, overall this relationship is toxic, and I just wish it wasn’t in the book. It’s toxic for both of them, but more so for Quell. I feel like Jordan got a lesson that he needed, but Quell only got problems.

Besides those two, there were a plethora of other characters. Most of them were side characters and came across as underdeveloped. Quell’s mom is also one of those characters. We only got to see her a handful of times in the book. She was a shadow throughout it to be honest. There were a few characters who were given more character development though. Those characters were Abby and Yagrin. Yagrin might be my favorite side character. He was a mystery throughout and a bombshell at the end. I both understood him and felt for him.

Overall, this book was very entertaining. There were some hiccups with the world-building. It could have been expanded on more. This book could also do with a better magical glossary so the reader can reference it while reading unfamiliar terms.

The way the book ended also left something to be desired. There were several plot lines that were completed and the cliffhanger was a doozy. This book better be a sequel. I have so many questions.

📚4/5📚

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Young Readers Group/Penguin Teen for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the kind of book that I can tell will probably be pretty popular and I probably would have loved when I was younger, but I’ve grown out of fully being able to enjoy (more in terms of book taste than age). J. Elle has crafted a pretty cool world, a mixture of debutante society and a fascinating magic system, though the reader is somewhat thrust into all of this without a full explanation of what is really happening. I thought all the characters were decently interesting and I actually decently enjoyed Quell as the protagonist, although to me the more romantic elements of the books seemed less rich than the rest of the plot. Overall, this book was interesting and I would definitely consider reading further books within the series, though it probably isn’t my top priority.

I love a good magical socialite moment, and this book certainly has that, although we don’t get as much of the socialite/debutante elements in this book. The magic system and world built around it is interesting, though I had a hard time grasping certain parts that are sort of thrust upon the reader in contrast to the parts that were thoroughly explained because Quell herself was learning about them. I don’t know if it’s because it’s the first book and we’ll learn more as this series continues, but while this is a fantasy world, I would say there’s a medium-to-low amount of worldbuilding (which might be your thing!)

As far as characters and relationships go, I thought people were fairly interesting even if I didn’t particularly connect with anyone. I don’t know if I’m just spiteful, but I didn’t feel any particular reason to root for the romance, though I’m sure that some people will greatly enjoy it. Quell is a bit frustrating at times but I can appreciate for one that she’s a Black protagonist whose struggles aren’t directly about racism, and two her more morally gray alignment than some romantasy protagonists (think Raven Queen and Apple White in Ever After High a little bit).

I’m somewhat undecided how I feel about this book within a series, and I’ll be interested to see what J. Elle does with the rest of this story. I was never fully drawn into the world and I think this is definitely a book for romantasy readers more than anything else. But I thought it was pretty well-written and worth checking out if it sounds like your cup of tea!

One of the best books I have read this year so far. I love that book soo much!!! Its such a great book I can’t stop thinking about it.

This is my top book of 2023!

There is so much I love about this book it's almost hard for me to write this review! I just want to stand in my rooftop screaming my love for this book and telling everyone to go pre-order is asap!
First, I love the MC! She feels so real and relatable! She struggles, yet she has fire and wit, and it's so fun watching her grow. I love her personality and her sass! I also love her devotion to her mom. Can we please just take a moment to appreciate a mother daughter relationship in a va book?
Next, I love the dark academia, secret society, old money vibes! The magic system is so fascinating I could not get enough of it. I loved seeing the contrast of the good vs bad magic and watching the tension build up!
We get a very good enemies to lovers romance that is not the main focus, but takes up just the right amount of time!
There's tension and intrigue!
Overall, I just adored this! The writing is brilliant! I was hooked from the first page. I loved the magical school setting! I loved the secret society.
This book is magical and I think about it every day! I need
to next book now!

Read this if you love,
Unique magic
Secret Societies
Dark Academia
Magical boarding schools
Diversity
Enemies to lovers

"House of Marionne" by J. Elle is a captivating YA romantic fantasy that weaves together elements of magic, intrigue, forbidden love, and a hidden world of secrets. Set in a modern-day society with a touch of glamour and mystery, this novel introduces readers to a world where magic is both alluring and perilous.

Quell, the 17-year-old protagonist, has spent her life on the run, hiding a dangerous magical ability. When her secret is exposed, she is forced into a debutante society known as the Order, where she must navigate a world of social elites and magical rites. The stakes are high – if she fails, her life and her mother's will be at risk. The tension and sense of danger intensify as Quell not only battles to master her magic but also grapples with her feelings for Jordan, her mentor and an assassin in training.

Elle's writing is enchanting, drawing readers into a world filled with ballgowns, secrets, and unpredictable twists. The exploration of Quell's internal struggles and the choices she must make adds depth to the story, making her a relatable and compelling protagonist. The development of morally gray characters and the exploration of the dark side of power and privilege add complexity to the narrative.

The blend of romance, mystery, and magic creates a richly layered story that will appeal to fans of fantasy and romance alike. The author skillfully navigates themes of identity, sacrifice, and the consequences of one's choices. The world-building is immersive, creating a sense of decadence and intrigue that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

"House of Marionne" is not only a tale of magic and mystery but also a story of personal growth and empowerment. As Quell faces challenges and uncovers the hidden truths of the Order, readers are taken on a journey of self-discovery and resilience. The novel also tackles themes of societal privilege and the ways in which power can corrupt.

In conclusion, "House of Marionne" offers an alluring blend of romance, magic, and mystery that will enthrall readers. J. Elle's vivid storytelling and intricate world-building create a compelling narrative filled with suspense and emotion. This novel is a must-read for those who enjoy stories with strong heroines, intricate magic systems, and a touch of dark academia.

House of Marionne starts out strong with our main character, Quell, on the run with her mom. They’re constantly moving around to hide from magical assassins. (Quell has a form of forbidden dark magic that makes her a target.) Quell and mom are forced to split up and Quell, not knowing where else to go, decides to take sanctuary at her grandmother’s house. She remembers she lived there as a kid, but hasn’t seen her grandmother in several years. Turns out ‘Grandmom’ is Headmistress of the House of Marionne, a magical boarding school. Quell makes the decision to enroll and try to learn to control her magic, all while keeping her secret of her dark magic from everyone. There’s cotillion balls, enemies to lovers romance, debutante culture, magic and dark academia vibes. My only complaint was I felt the magic system was a little unclear or not explained as well as it could be. I did enjoy it and the COVER is gorgeous. That ending has me excited to read the next installment! 4 stars from me! Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Teen for the eARC opportunity.

A girl with a deadly magic must join an elite society in order to not only hide her magic but escape from the assassins that are hunting her down. Quell has lived her entire life on the run with her mother, all because Quell has forbidden magic that if discovered, would mean her execution. With assassins hunting her down, her only turn left is to go to her grandmother... but that means reconnecting with a family she never knew before and participating the debutante society of magical social elites, and pass thee tests in order to become a member and finally get rid of her forbidden magic... the only issue? She doesn't know a single thing about this magical world or it's rules, and to make matters more difficult the mysterious and handsome guy in charge of training her is also very suspicious of her and might discover her secret. Unfortunately for me, this one fell flat, I was so excited by the description of the book but it just did not hook me in at all. I love a good academy/secret society kind of journey, but this one didn't really spark anything in me and I just found myself getting bored with the story and the characters. Quell and Jordan didn't really make much of an impression either, and the side characters were forgettable. Sadly the romance felt forced to me and I found myself losing interest trying to just make it to the end of the book. This is the first book in a duology but I will not be reading the next unfortunately. If you enjoy young adult magical society with a bit of romance then give this a go, maybe you'll have a better time with it than I did.

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

The House of Marionne was intricately done, but not not well fleshed out. I love Quell. I cannot wait for the second book. The characters fell flat and the twists that happened seemingly had no lead up. I say seemingly because they did have lead up, but the lead up didn't have any meat to it. The magic was never really explained other than a very brief overview. Quell learned so much in just a few months but as a reader I felt like I had to go with the flow or I'd get stuck on questioning everything.
If I were to judge this book off of vibes alone? Easy 5 stars. However, writing and plot into account is what made me rate it the way I did. I will definitely recommend it as a book to read, but not as an introduction to fantasy. If this had been my fantasy book? I would've been very lost.
Overall, I enjoyed it but I'm left more confused than satisfied. I would like the characters, side characters and the main, to be fleshed out and the story to be less point A to D to B then C.

I was immediately captivated by this story!! I really loved it and I have so many questions after that ending!!! Can't wait to see what J Elle does next with this story.

-dark forbidden magic
-school of etiquette/debutante high society
-cool magic system (easy to understand!)
-high stakes
-romance sub plot
-dual pov (but mainly Quell's pov)
-plot twists!!

think bridgerton-esqe vibes mixed with dark academia + magic!!!

Cannot wait for the sequel!

House of Marionne to me read like a Book of Boring. I made it just past the halfway point but this is where I stop. Because I don't care what happens next. I'm not invested. I wanted to love this because the cover is pretty and the synopsis sounded up my alley. Alas, it was not meant to be.

I think a lot of the disconnect lies with my inability to connect with the characters.

We have Quell, a character whose name bothers me almost as much as America Singer. She has dark magic or something of the like, and she's been on the run all her life with her mom. Yet for some reason never thought to try to get answers from said mom. I don't care what anyone says if my mom was acting shady and cryptic after a while we would be having some words.

Next, we have our male lead Jordan. A handsome cardboard cutout that reads "Handsome Shadow Daddy". Because I think that's what we're going for. Sadly, it's falling flat for me because I haven't seen any particular charm or cute banter. Maybe that comes later and I'm too impatient but I have a lot of books to read and not enough time, so I need to make some tough calls.

Then we have Quell's grandmother, the Headmistress I imagine her as the evil fairy godmother from Shrek 2 and who I assume has some shady intentions. However, nothing has been confirmed. Those are simply the vibes I'm getting from her.

Yagrin is there sometimes. He had two POVs that I can recall, and despite being the only other POV character besides Quell he has added little to nothing to the plot as far as I could tell.

Essentially, the bare bones of this book had the makings of something interesting. The magic system and the premise were intriguing. But I simply was not interested.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book! I would say the writing and story felt like the younger end of YA, there was a bit of romance, but no spice at all.

Quell, our main character with a big magical secret, is fun to love, and it was easy to understand her thought processes as she wove herself into this magical society after being on the run with her mother for most of her life. She felt more her age than a lot of YA characters do, which I really appreciated. The romance was slow burn, and I think I need to be convinced that the love interest is worthy of Quell. I’m hoping we see more of him in the next book! I think we would really benefit from his point of view! I could maybe be convinced to love him, he feels like he could be a complex character. We’ll see!

The system of magic was so intriguing, and I wanted to know more! I liked the world building a lot, it had an urban fantasy feel, secret magical society hidden within the United States. There were phones and technology, but also regency vibes. The diadems and daggers were such a cool aspect of the magic! I love the idea of a physical manifestation of magic.

I’m looking forward to the next one, I’m interested to see what happens with Quell and her mom! I’m interested to see what happens with her magic, and Jordan, the love interest.

I absolutely devoured this book-with its dark fantasy, forbidden magic, spectacular setting...everything. I wish I could go to this school! I also feel like J Elle created a magic system that was new and different! I can't wait for more.

I definitely was a bit older than the target audience, but I still had a good time. Don't get me wrong, I love YA, but at moments it felt like it would be a good transition book from middle-grade to YA. The story was interesting but it was hard for me to connect with the characters as much as I would have liked. The formula is there though, it has all the right pieces, I just need a time machine to read this about 20 years ago.

If you like dark academia, female range, a brilliant author - then this definitely is for you. Just go into it expecting it to read a little younger as I was very surprised and it was the main thing that took away from my enjoyment. The magic and premise itself was solid.

thanks to netgallery & razorbill for the free earc in exchange for a fair and honest review!

so as a general rule, i dislike/am very, very harsh on romantasy books. this is not that, at least in my opinion. firstly: i hated the love interest from the first word he spoke. but either way, his importance to the plot was so perfectly in line with the character himself that i couldn't mind his presence too much. i was immediately sucked into the writing and the story; quell's (and every character's, at that) personality is very consistent, allowing me to watch her actions without ever questioning it. world-building is slightly subpar, although i had very little trouble figuring it out myself. definitely going to be thinking about this one for a while.

Wow. I LOVED this story. I had some guesses at the beginning about where the story was going to go, and I was wrong about almost all of them. I loved Quell and Jordan's friendship and am looking forward to seeing how that plays out more in book 2 after the bombshell dropped in House of Marionne. The magic system and how it is for the "elite" of society I found very interesting, and kept thinking "man, I want to have magic AND get to go to balls".
The only thing that I wasn't a fan of was that no characters were described very well appearance wise, so I couldn't really picture them in my head the way I normally would when reading a story.
All in all this story was enchanting, beautiful, full of twists, and everyone loves a good tiara. I can't wait for my physical copy preorder to come in the mail!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an e-arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to like House of Marionne. The premise sounds amazing. I also follow the author on social media and her excitement and pride in this book really got me hyped for it as well. Unfortunately, the reality of the book didn't meet the buzz.

First, I want to say that this has been repeatedly touted as "Game of Thrones meets Bridgerton". I do think the author should stop making this comparison. I understand that comparing your work to multiple popular ones is a common tactic for pitching and marketing, but bringing those two TV show's into this creates expectations that aren't going to be met. There is nothing of Game of Thrones nor Bridgerton to be found in this book. It could more accurately be described as an American Harry Potter with a female lead, a darker magic system, and a hyper speed school pace. I get that most wouldn't want to associate their work with HP due to that author's behavior and troubling beliefs, but it would be the more honest comparison that wouldn't confuse potential readers.

For the novel itself, I really liked the world building with the different magic schools run by different families throughout the US. I like that different families and schools specialize in different types of magic. The practice of essentially fostering a member of another school/house/family in another as a way of tying the schools together in peace while maintaining rivalries with each other also sounds very interesting. I just wish the complexity of the world was matched with a story and protagonist that were just as intriguing.

Quell, the protagonist of the story, has no personality. She has a backstory and she does things to move the story forward, but she feels like a blank slate with no life in her. Her relationships also fall flat, especially the forced "romance" with Jordan and the abrupt "friendship" with Abby. I put those words in quotes because, while we're informed that Quell cares deeply for these characters, there's no emotional development in either dynamic. The strongest relationship Quell has is with Darragh Marionne, her grandmother and the headmistress of her family's school. Darragh also comes the closest to being a fully realized character. When we get a reveal about her, I found myself wishing we were following her instead of Quell.

I'm giving this two stars instead of one mostly due to the world building and the interesting premise.

I had a really hard time getting into this one. Part of it is the fact that I am a little over Academy books and they have to be really exceptional for me to enjoy them now. But mostly I had problems with the characters. You can foul up your characters by being too mysterious and therefore stripping them of their personalities. Which happened here. Also, sadly the entire premise is based on the MC doing the one thing she was told not to do, and some stunning lack of communication.

People who are desperate for more Academy type books will probably enjoy it. And the cover is absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin group for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

House of Marionne is about Quell who has been on the run since she was five. When her past finally catches up to her she goes to the only other place she knows, which can be where she has the most at risk. The book was really good. I liked the world building. It kept me engaged the whole time. I am looking forward to the next book.