I was intrigued with the blurb for this novel when I first requested it. And pleasantly surprised by what I found. House of Marionne comes off as a "Harry Potter Dark Academia meets Shadow and Bone, set in a Southern debutante society".

There are a few main characters to take note off here. Firstly being Quell - notnyour ordinary teenage girl, hiding a secret so dark, it would shatter the lives and the world of everything she's been running from. The world building took a while to shape up with the alternating POVs of Quell and a named but never sighted character, Yagrin who is trying to hunt her down. It is a lot to take in at the start when you're trying to figure out the motives of all characters mentioned. I really loved the way the magic system was crafted - despite having various Houses, magic users can still hone any of the five strains of magic.

Quell looks for safety in the House of Marionne and we are introduced to a whole host of other characters who are either out to help her or out to destroy her. Aside from her mentor Jordan, roommate Abby, trader Octos, and a whole host of side characters, it pretty much turned into multiple running side plots stemming away from the main plot. Are they all connected in some way? We probably won't find that out until the next book.

I was a bit uncertain if the plot was going anywhere by then because 3/4 of the way into it we were still building the world and the plot with no reveal in sight. And then the twists came, one after another, and it didn't stop there. And when it finally did, the book ended and left me with more questions.

Some of the established m/f relationships with Quell/Jordan and Abby/Mynick seemed forced or quite surface at the moment, and I'm hoping that will change in the next book now that more tension and big reveals have been thrown into the mix.

Sadly, this is a great concept that I ended up freezing it. I have to say, I think I am slowly realizing that fantasy isn't for me. I've struggled to get into this genre in the past, especially over the past year. I think I would have loved this book ten years ago. I do think the magic system is great and super intriguing. J. Elle is clearly a talented writer!

I was lucky enough to snag a digital ARC (advanced reader copy) of House of Marionne, and FRIENDS. It did not disappoint!

YA Fantasy + Romance ✅
Magical Schools ✅
Strong FMC ✅
Forbidden Magic ✅
Magical Houses / Families ✅

The magic system is unique, but straight forward; J. Elle doesn’t bog you down in too many details (something that can be a turn off when starting a new fantasy series!)

The friendships and romances throughout the book are done so well, with appropriate pacing. And the YA label is honest; you’ll get a few make out scenes and nothing more.

If you’re a fan of Netflix’s Wednesday, I have a feeling you’ll be really into this book 👌🏻

The world building in this book is fantastic but there is a lot to learn and sometimes it made the story drag. I loved the relationship between Quell and Jordan and seeing them get closer throughout the book. But sometimes I wanted the story to pick up the pace.

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

House of Marionne by J. Elle
The House of Marionne by J Elle is a unique YA fantasy novel to date.
If you have some Bridgerton itches, this can cure a little. This urban fantasy takes place in a boarding school for developing your magical powers. Where not only you learn to wield your magic, but learn to curtsey and table manners too! This is in essence a school like an etiquette boarding school.
I love the unique take on the magic system. I had never read it before and it was a refreshing take. Magical crowns that grow out of your head. Okay. Different. Really good difference.
All the characters that are introduced in this book are really fascinating characters. Especially Jordan who decided to be Quell’s mentor. They despised each other from the get go so it was great to see them earn one anothers respect.
Though I understand that Quell’s personality is a young adult, I can’t help but cringe at some of the decisions that she decides to make. The attitude of “I will fix it myself and trust no one who cares about me.” Not my favorite trope to be honest. But I had to step back and understand that this is YA fantasy.
I love the mystery that develops once she gets to the boarding school. It was intriguing and felt that different and I wanted to continue to read more.
I would say in the middle of the book it did drag a little bit. Namely because Quell was getting her bearings in the school and it kind of got into this is what happened and that happened next moment. So I slightly lost interest there but thankfully it picked up after a while.
This book ended where I had a lot of unanswered questions. I can’t wait to pick up the second book and see Quell’s journey continue.

Book title: House of Marionne
Author: J. Elle

This book is about a 17 year old girl named Quell. She has been on the run for as long as she can remember with her mother from assassins called draguns who's job it is to kill people with magical powers. She ends up going to her grandmother and joins a society known as the Order. There she meets her mentor that is a surprise to find out is technically her enemy. The story goes on to see if she will overcome the adversaries in herself and those around her.
My thoughts on the book is that it is a very YA book. The romance was just okay for me, I would have liked a bit more. In the middle it does seem to drag on a bit, but overall I enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Book Name: House of Marionne
Author: J. Elle

ARC
Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill for an ARC of J. Elle’s House of Marionne

Stars: 5
Spice: 1.5

Start of Series:
Cliffhanger:
Dual POV with Epilogue POV
modern-day YA romantic fantasy
Similar to Selection/Bridgeton Meets Dark Acadmia Mortal Instruments Vibes

- Topics
- Dark Academia
- Self Acceptance
- Survival
- Power
- Tropes
- Hidden World
- Slow Burn
- Enemies to Lovers to….
- Dark Magic
- Secrets and Deception
- Morally Grey
- Forced Proximity
- Thoughts.
- Pacing Issues (IE lulls at times)
- Slowburn to full-throttle love story felt off but with it being YA is understandable
- Solid YA but enjoyable to older audiences
- World was amazing
- The central Plot was CRAZY
- And the last chapter made me CRAZY wanting book 2
- Yargrin… I need more and I have theories 😉

*Title: House of Marionne-standalone
*Release date: 8/29/23 read: 8/2/23
*Author: J. Elle -1st time author for me
*Format: PDF-It was difficult reading in the NetGalleyShelf App and my kindle because of the font
*Page Count: 409 kindle
POV:3rd person
*Setting: New Orleans
*Genre: YA, fantasy, romance
✅ Dark Academia
✅ Magic
✅ Morally gray characters
✅ Forced Proximity
Look out for:
⚠️ murder, kidnapping

*Summary: Quell has deadly magic that will get her killed if found out. After being on the run with her mother since she was 5 years old, she finds refuge with her grandmother at Chateau Soleil. She is inducted into a world of powerful magic, privilege, and secrets. Has she finally found the safety to get rid of the poison in her blood?

*Review:
I immediately thought of the Harry Potter series except Quell was a 17-year-old girl. She's been separated from her mother Rhea, and never knew her father. She was looking for a place to call home and learn to control her dark magic-toushana. Her grandmother Darragh (Headmistress of House Marionne) welcomed her but had some conditions. She threatened Quell to do well and act accordingly or face the consequences. Quell learned she only cared about her house's reputation and keeping secrets that could end her comfortable life.

Jordan was Quell's mentor and enemy turned lover. He didn't trust her in the beginning because she could see behind his mask. Darragh used him to make sure Quell stayed in line. Predictably he started to like her and fell in love. He had a serious moral dilemma when Quell reveals her true self and things fall apart. Will he do what he has been trained to or help the girl who changed everything inside him?

Yagrin was the Dragun assassin with heart but was so programmed that he just followed Mother's orders. He hated killing but it was his duty. His relationship with Red was the only untainted thing in his life and once that was gone, he planned for nothing but vengeance.

I'm left with some questions- what happened to Quell's mother Rhea, will Jordan find Quell to help or hurt her, and what are the consequences of Quell's actions? I'm guessing there will be another book and I'll be ready for it.

*Rating:4

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was one of my anticipated releases for the year and I wish I could have loved this but I was very underwhelmed.

The book started great. There were multiple POVs that I was interested in, and it started with some great action. However once Quell reached the Order and settled in, this story really settled in for the long haul. Dragging on and on, it became a description of day to day life within Quell's new surroundings. Overall this story had weird pacing, and there were a few times when I honestly couldn't tell if it was supposed to be morning or night, or if a few hours or days had passed. I'm hoping these issues will be ironed out as it gets closer to the release date.

Again, I really wanted to love this book, but for me it just wasn't what I was expecting. Quell isn't the best character to read, she is overly fearful of everything and everyone. It was exasperating to read. I just wanted to reach into the book and shake her, tell her to grow up! I understand that she has this dark power that could get her killed, but the constant fear was insufferable. The majority of the book went like this: things happened to Quell, and Quell was scared, and then Quell did nothing. Towards the end when Quell actually started to act brave and have some confidence, I was convinced it was all a dream because at that point I just didn't believe that Quell could actually do anything. If there had been a steady growth of confidence, instances where Quell stands up for herself, then it would have been much more believable than the about-face that happens at the end.

The enemies-to-lovers relationship felt forced to me. Jordan was so tight-lipped and broody that I never felt like I got a good sense of his character, or what he actually wanted. There were some cute scenes when Jordan and Quell were sort of becoming friends, but that was the extent of it. I never felt sparks fly between these two. There is a moment near the end of the book when I think we, as readers, are supposed to be shocked by a choice Jordan makes, but in all honesty, I wasn't surprised in the least.

At least the side characters were good. Well, sort of. There seemed to be some sort of rivalry between Quell and another girl that went nowhere. Quell's roommate in the Order felt shallow at times, but Quell is so self-centered and skittish that I felt bad for both the friend and rival.

Well how about the magic and ballgowns part? Was that good at least? Yes and no. There is a lot of world-building which I appreciated but I felt like it wasn't explained cohesively. At the end of the book is a list of the different houses and their histories which I felt would have been very helpful in the book rather than at the end. The magic was intriguing and unique. Crowns, masks, daggers, and more involved, but again I didn't feel like it was explained well. The three trials that Quell faces weren't very riveting. I was expecting some bigger displays of magic, something grand in this world that is supposed to be an elitist society. However, it was kind of stuffy and there was more emphasis on what everyone was wearing than the actual magic. The most interesting thing about the magic was that something very bad was happening to it and nobody knew why.

Again I wanted to love this book, wanted to dive in and be swept away by the mysticism and dark academia. But this didn't hit the way I was hoping.

Marketed as Game of Thrones meets Bridgerton vibes, this YA Fantasy Romance did not disappoint.

Filled with dark magic, mystery, betrayal, and dark academia vibes if you can just jump in with the mindset of looking for a fun and exciting read, you'll be in for a good time.

If you're a critical reviewer, you might want more information and even be frustrated at times regarding the magic system, the setting, & relationship development to name a few.
But, hopefully we will receive more information on these and expound upon the interesting world-building in book two. Surely there will be a book two after the ending?!

Overall, a great read full of morally gray characters, ballgowns, and forbidden love. I would definitely recommend this and pick up book two. Really love the cover as well.

Tysm Penguin Teen for the ARC.

What you can expect to find in House of Marionne:
-deception & lies
-forbidden romance
-dark academia
-dark magic

What is the magic that Quell has been trying to hide for 17 years? A dark and cold magic known as toushana that Quell has tried to keep a secret her whole life. After years of running with her mother, Quell has had enough. She wants to be a like any of her other high school friends and find a place where she feels grounded. She's almost there until one day a dangerous and dark assassin from the Dragunhead tries to eliminate Quell. Quell's mother urges her to go to Quell's grandmother as she's the only one that can protect her. But Quell has no idea what she's getting herself into when she arrives at Chateau Soleil.

Here is where Quell is given the opportunity to be inducted into a debutante society known as the Order. Quell will have to go to classes, train and perfect three rites of magic in order to be considered part of the Order. Worst of all is that her mentor is Jordan - a Dragunhead - an assassin in training. The same type of assassin that was trying to kill Quell before she came to Chateau Soleil.

Quell doesn't want to trust Jordan, but against her better judgment she's starting to fall for him. But Quell is hiding a secret from everyone - she has a dark type of magic - a toushana that is in her blood. She's hopeful that the magic training she will receive will trample her toushana so that she doesn't have to be afraid for her life anymore. But the more that Quell discovers about the Order, the less inclined she is to believe and trust anyone anymore.

This book was parts forbidden romance, parts Harry Potter-ish types of magic and parts suspense/intrigue. I also really loved the way J. Elle was able to give us two stories - one being Quell's and the other being Yagrin - the assassin that was assigned to eliminate Quell as a threat. I was waiting for the two stories to merge and I wasn't left disappointed when they did. And that cliffhanger - I'm excited to see what will happen in the second book!

If you're looking for a young adult romance filled with action & adventure with a side of forbidden romance I would suggest you pick up House of Marionne!

This was such a fun read! I really enjoyed the world building. I loved learning about Quell, and going on a journey to learn all about her history and her magic, especially when she was kind of thrown into that world. I found her character to be very headstrong, and I was always excited to see what she would decide to do next. I also found myself really interested in the magic system. Especially the Draguns and toushana users. I absolutely cannot wait to read more in this world!

DNF @ 55%

Have you ever wondered what would happen if Fourth Wing, The Mortal Instruments, and Barbie Princess Charm School came together to have a Grisha baby? Of course you have. Well, wonder no longer. I present to you House of Marionne by J.Elle, a YA urban fantasy novel that combines all of these books but somehow only incorporates the negative traits. Genetics are a tricky thing.

In this delightful little story, we follow this chic named Quell (don't even get me started on the names) who's *not like the other girls* because she has magic and welll... it really isn't quite explained if this is a normal thing to have or not. Anyway, our girl Quell has this thing called toushana (a form of magic) inside her which she knows she has and also knows is bad but doesn't really understand anything else about magic somehow.

In the beginning, Quell takes on the form of Clary from the Shadowhunter books and has a few dangerous run ins with some strange men with carvings (*cough* runes) and weird tattoos and magic and stuff. We then learn that Clary- I mean Quell's- mom kind of has a history with these things I guess which is why the two of them (mother-daughter family, not explained) are always on the run.

Aparently, Quell's Grandmom (yes, GRANDMOM) is some magical headmistress of this powerful magic house/school/I don't really know, which is technically in the same world but like also not (hidden away, maybe). After Quell runs away, she is taken in by her British (I'm assuming because she drinks tea and seems very proper) Grandmom and has to learn to control her magic, but not her toushana that no one seems to know about (don't even ask me tf this is because I'm confused out of my mind) because that's like a dark magic thing or something (which took me until 45% through to put this together). This is where J. Elle had the chance to make this into a villianess origin story but that is obvisouly not what happened or else I wouldn't be here giving this 1 star. Oh, and I forgot to mention that everyone at this "school" also has to learn etiquette and a number of other boring things like how to curtsy and sit straight in your chair (*cue that scene in Barbie where they walk around with books on their heads*).

Obvisouly, Quell meets this hottie named Jordan and they have this whole thing that I'm not even going to expain. It's supposed to be enemies to lovers except sike it's actually not. All you need to know is that Jordan is basically just like any other shadow-summoning beast of a love-interest we meet in every single YA fantasy (Xaden, Rhysand, Darkling) but he actually has NO PERSONALITY. Like, AT ALL.

Now that we're on the note of characters, lets look at who we've got on the docket: Quell, Grandmom, Jordan, Abby, Shelby, Rose, Yagrin (I forgot about him, he gets a pov but has no relation to Quell whatsoever except I think he tried to kill her at the beginning maybe?). As you can see, either the characters had parents who despised them so much to give them crappy names, or they just had the pleasure of being boring. The names were actually the least boring thing about any of these people though because THEY HAD NO DEPTH OR PERSONALITY. But you know what they did have? Tiaras growing out of their heads and masks growing out of their faces (no one invited you, Tamlin). I have never seen flatter people in my life and I felt so disconnected. The one time that Jordan and Quell had a meaningful conversation to add depth or whatever, they literally just talked about what kind of houses they want to live in someday. Yes, you read that right. (If you were wonering, it included lots of pretty little shrubs and pretty little windows and pretty little cottages on the beach)

The writing was... well, something. At times, it was actually pretty good. At others, it was cringy and tear-inducing. Observe:

"And I'm early. Like, really early." Like, get out Violet Soaringale.

"Seriously, dude, try pepperoni. It's so much better." Ick, no.

Oh, yeah this guy and I were out doing stuff" I like to do stuff, too. That includes checking my grammar and punctuation.

"Abby's beau Mynick..." Shut up.

"My name rolls off his tongue like suede, with an inflection, a smoothness I could listen to over and over again." Finally something GOOD

We also really need to talk about the world-building which was just a disaster. I was so confused by literally every single thing so don't even ask me to explain. I had absolutely no idea what was even going on the entire time and I've never felt so disconnected from a world before. Scratch that. I've never felt so disconnected from a world, characters, or a general story like that before. The setting? No idea. The magic system? Not a clue.

I'm too emotionally spent to discuss the romance any further. Enough said.

House of Marionne had such potential which is what made reading it and writing this crappy review so painfull. It was horribly executed and I felt so disconnected and disengaged the entire time. I actually feel really bad about giving a DNF a 1 star review but I just couldn't do it. I'm sure that many others would enjoy this (maybe if you liked Zodiac Academy and Crave?) but I did not. It really was just all over the place like this absolute mess of a review.

**Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I was really excited to read this book because from the first few chapters I was intrigued by the New Orleans setting and the plot of a hidden Granddaughter with forbidden powers. The setting changes and primarily revolves around the gigantic mansion House of Marionne and a bar right outside of the boundary. I like the mansion is also a school and dormitory aspect because new places were revealed over time. I was very lost for a long time on all the different types of magic and what they produce and what they look like. To be honest it wasn’t much clearer by the end of the book. I just feel like there wasn’t any instruction on all the types of magic you can pursue. I also wasn’t really feeling the connection between Quell and Jordan or Quell and Abby until the last chapter or so of the book. Up until then it was like generic book crush/best friend filler. Quell was so obsessed with herself it was hard to see any other relationship. I do feel like the conclusion really brought all of the characters into their proper roles and was very exciting. It was a cliffhanger but it was really good!! I’m sad that we were finally getting someplace and it just ends! The epilogue, although was mostly Jordan openly weeping, had the biggest revelation and it makes me very excited for the next book! Overall I liked this start and can’t wait to read more. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

hank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for granting me access to the book in exchange for an honest review.

Dark academia
Secret societies
Dark magic
High fantasy
These all come together in this action-packed mystery and I am HERE FOR IT!!

With that said, I was left wanting more ... more history of the world, the magic, and more about Quell and the other characters. I am fascinated by Quell, her magic, her mother, and her history. Maybe in a book two?

What a ride!!

Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Forbidden Romance
Forbidden Magic
Fantasy

Quell has magic inside of her, but not the acceptable kind. The toushana (dark shadow magic instead of sun magic) will when awakened, turn everything to rot and ashes. She knows not how to control it, nor why someone would want to kill her for it, yet she remains on the run with her mother from those who would do her harm. That is until she is found by the Dragun-the hunters of the toushana-and is forced to run without her mother. With no other option, she runs straight into the arms of her estranged grandmother who runs a school for the magically gifted. It is here she learns who she is, the rules of the magic she wields, and what she must do.

This was an amazing novel! The magic system is unique and intriguing with an ingrained political system. Where there is light, there must also be dark and the exploration Quell does with the dark was inspiring.
I fell in love with Quell, Abbey, and Jordan right away (I always fawn over the enemy. I know... It's an issue!) There was so much detail and love poured into the story and it showed.
The ending seems to be set up to continue and I REALLY hope it does! I will be the first to grab it!
I am honored to have been chosen to ARC read this novel. Thank you, J. Elle and Netgalley

Thank You to the folks over at.NetGalley for access to this advanced reader copy.

I gotta say, for a book promising glittering courses and constant peril, I was expecting an anxious page turning read. I'm disappointed to say that it was lacking in the drama I was promised. The plot trudged along, sure enough, but and things certainly happened; yet, I think I didn't quite connect with the writing style. There exists breaths of dark academia, an allure of romance, a sparkle of magic, but it does flow together as I would have liked.

Wish I had a quote to share, but nothing snagged me :(

Not to say it is bad, of course; it was simply just unimpressionable for me. I didn't feel as if I was reading anything particularly unique and it instead leaned into the tropes that sell. Genuine kudos for an author who can hit the mark; just wish it had a bit more flavor. Where I think it falls short is how the narration almost takes a back seat to its own story telling; choosing simple, almost vintage language, meant for younger audiences that almost dulls the magic and fantasy potential. It felt repetitive and bland, which made it hard to cling to the story I so desperately wanted to push through.

I think the author's heart is in the right place, and this has tons of potential; the style just wasn't for me.

I liked the concept of the story, but felt that it was slow-paced and did not have as much world-building as I would have liked. This book had a lot of elements that I love, dark academia, magic, and enemies to lovers, but wished it was executed better in the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this arc!

Flew through this book, it was very eventful and fun!

I enjoyed the setting, even though a small town really isn’t all that rare to find in books. The characters were well thought out and the plot was paced in a way that made sense. I would recommend this book to others and would enjoy reading other novels by this author, as they are so breezy and easy to get through!

As always, the biggest of thanks to Penguin Teen and Netgalley for allowing me early access to this incredible story in exchange for an honest review.

Quell has spent her life on the run. Just her and her mom, running to hide from assassins who would kill her for the magic that courses through her veins. And she keeps running until she’s separated from her mother and need forces her to flee to her grandmother, where she hatches a plan her grandmother’s magical Order to hide in plain sight.

What follows is a fantastical tale of Bridgerton meets dark academia in the most brilliant and seamless mix - Glittering society meets magical academia. J. Elle has created a world that I would trade anything (except my dog and books) for.

I adored Quell as the main character. She’s the right mix of smart as a whip, needs common sense knocked into her a couple times, and fierce and determined. She’s brilliantly written and surprisingly, I felt a common kinship with her. Whether the author intended this or not, the way Quell’s Toushana was described for most of the book, how it reacted to her emotions… it reminded me of my own anxiety and depression. It’s a beautiful symbolism of the churning chill that takes over my mind and body when they run rampant and unfettered. On the outside, everything is glitz and glamour and I am excelling at whatever I do, but on the inside, when I am alone, they rip through me, sabotaging even my greatest efforts. Again, I have no idea if this was the author’s intent, but I loved it and it made me want to hug this book even closer.

The plot is exceptional. Beautiful slow burn romance wise. The betrayals are heart breaking. Mystery and suspense kept me turning the page. Even the chapters that featured the sparkling debutante world were enrapturing making this book impossible to put down. The author’s voice is descriptive and easy to follow. With a skilled pen, she paints a glittering world that has darkness stained around the edges, each turn of the page revealing more of the cracks splintering across its facade.

This is an absolutely triumphant release for J. Elle! I look forward to its release and more of her exquisite storytelling in the future!