Since Goodreads doesn't allow half stars - I give this 3.5 stars.

I think the reason this wasn't ranked higher for me, is actually my own fault. While listed as Young Adult, I think it is more on the "young" part of that, however that does not mean it was not enjoyable. I really liked the mix of a magic school that functions almost like a finishing school with debutantes and the unique way people would "come in" to their magic with their masks and diadems. I would have liked some more background on the "dark magic" earlier in the book since me trying to figure out the history behind it really distracted me from the story at some times. I also feel like the story unraveled super fast with the main character basically giving it all up with barely any questions. I thought she'd have more questions about her mom or would think things were off a lot quicker than she did.
I still really liked the story and the relationships between characters, especially trying to figure out who was friend and who wasn't. If you like regency era fiction with magic - this is definitely something you would enjoy and I will still probably read the rest of the series when it comes out.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book took me forever to read, It was good but I don't know if her writing style which many have pointed out is just not for them, or the fact it's an ARC with formatting not being right, or if there are just so many details that to me are not explained enough for me to fully grasp it like levels/houses/and the passing of time in general. But there is just something.....A good chunk of the way through the book I was planning on just reading this one and not continuing the series. Then the last 25% of the book happened, and I was hooked and will be reading more. I did like the MC, the romance felt a bit off, her Grandma was a piece of work, and I enjoyed Octos TBH. Giving it 4 stars because of how much the last 25% of it had me wanting more.

My gratitude to Penguin Young Readers Group, Razorbill and NetGalley for so generously providing the advanced reader’s copy!

I very much wanted to adore “House of Marionne.” The positively gorgeous cover and intriguing description caught my eye right away! I love romantic, coming of age, mystical, magical stories and intricate world building. But this particular tale just wasn’t for me. I struggled with the pacing. I can definitely understand how it would be very appealing in the YA market (and have no doubt it will be greatly received by many!).

Quell has been running all her life. Her mom whisking her away from a death sentence for possessing magic she never asked for or knows anything about. When she's found, she runs to the only place she can think of with the power to protect...but also has the power to destroy her. Set in the Deep South with glittering debutantes, powerful family roots and a dark mystery waiting to be uncovered, J.Elle transports us to a magical school where the walls hold a ton of secrets!

What an amazing and lush beginning to a new series! I absolutely adored this book and loved all of it! It's very nostalgic YA that can easily be one of my top comfort reads to come. The world building was phenomenal and the magical system is so well thought out and thorough. I loved the idea of schools linked to the houses and certain magical powers!

I can see the hype around this book. The cover is gorgeous. The main character is complex, and I sympathized with her immediately. Themes of embracing who you are, struggling to fit in, etc are set in an extremely unique and glittering magic set in the modern world. The magic order is almost like Harry Potter without the wands and with extra glitter and rhinestones.
I recommend this book for fans of ballroom scenes, glittering gowns, hidden secrets, and family secrets!

“If this world is made of glass, I will dance with a hammer in my hand”

WOW. This book was honestly amazing!
The pacing, characters and depictions of magic were all extraordinary

Quell & Jordan ❤️

One thing that did seem a bit unnecessary was the POV of Yagrin - it was packed with a lot of information that wasn’t relevant until the very end

Overall a very intriguing read - I’m excited for the sequel!

Quell has been on the run with her mother for her whole life due to the dangerous magic living within her. Just before finishing high school, Quell has a run in with a group of magical hunters and is forced to leave her mother and end up at their last resort: her grandmother’s estate. The estate just so happens to be the equivalent to a magical finishing school and Quell is now in the spotlight as the headmistress’ long lost granddaughter. She has to navigate hiding the truth while growing her magic amidst new friendships and an unfamiliar magical society.

This was a fantastic read! Compelling plot, great cast of characters, and several surprising twists!

I was very bored by this book. I felt like it was very flat and the tension never really increased. I also thought the romance was pretty stagnant and I didn’t get any chemistry between leads. This one wasn’t for me!

Thank you for Netfalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I went into this book expecting a sophisticated story of intrigue during a season of society events. The cover and descriptions lead me to make those expectations. What I found was a boarding school like setting with a poorly described magic system and simple writing that made me think this is more middle grade than YA.

The opening chapter is set in New Orleans and had me thinking I inadvertently picked up an urban fantasy book. We’re quickly transported to a fantasy location. The main character is going to hide from an assassin at her grandmother’s castle, where she’ll have lessons in magic and comportment in preparation for being presented a Cotillion.

The world isn’t always described clearly, perhaps because the story is told in present tense by the main character. She’s simultaneously observant of certain things while completely clueless about others. For example, she can see someone who is using magic to be invisible, but then she can’t figure out how to hold a teacup while having tea with her grandmother.

Her roommate grew up in this world and has been at the castle for two seasons trying to pass three tests. Our main character, who didn’t grow up in magical society, is able to pass two of the three tests in days. She is completely untrained, but is also a Mary Sue with the best powers.

As a reader, I was constantly pulled out of the story by wondering why something was happening or by writing that was trying hard to be dramatic without artful prose. The sentence “I searched his eyes for knowing” is seared into my brain. A chandelier is called a candelabra (it’s said to be hanging from the ceiling). “A hushed gasp sweeps” through a room during a ceremony that has happened many times, but we aren’t told what’s different about this time. A hallway “halts” instead of ends.

The ending exists. Kind of.

The premise is interesting. I think that a young reader might enjoy this book. Perhaps if the publisher positioned this as middle grade, I’d have a different experience with it, but it doesn’t stand with other YA fantasy books I’ve read. It’s not the kind of writing I find engaging and I think the world building needs work. It was unsatisfying and a bit of a chore to finish this one.

Thank you Netgalley and Razorbill for a copy of this book for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I discovered House of Marionne in an email from Penguin Teen. It was advertised as "Brimming with ballgowns and betrayal, magic and mystery, decadence and darkness, House of Marionne is perfect for readers who crave morally gray characters, irresistible romance, dark academia, and a deeply intoxicating and original world" and had a stunning cover.

Unfortunately, these things all felt very surface level and the writing style was too plain for the decadent and lush atmosphere it was advertising, and even at 50% did not hold my attention, so I have chosen to DNF.

House of Marionne follows Quell Marionne, who, while escaping an unknown assailant, ends up at a private magic boarding school run by her grandmother she hasn't seen in years. Can she survive boarding school and impress her grandmother while hiding some sort of dark magic hiding within her?

This is more of an urban fantasy (starts in a large modern city and lots of speech like "OMG, what a hottie!"). If you enjoy this (I do not and requested because it was tagged High Fantasy on GR), you may enjoy this book more.

Omg this was so fun! Modern day but with an almost regency style debutante twist. Dark academia adjacent and a really interesting, if not a little complicated, magic system.

Quell and her mother have been on the move since she was young. She has dark, destructive magic inside of her and her mother needs to keep her safe and hidden from the Draguns, or assassins, of the magical world she was raised in. A young dragun finally tracks them down and Quell has to flee on her own and as a last ditch effort, manages to make it to her grandmother’s grand estate. While there she realizes she also has good magic and decides to stay to enroll in the school to learn how to use it and hopefully bind with it to eradicate the dark magic from her for good.

Of all the characters, none really seem to be 100% honest and every feels very morally ambiguous. It’s a cut throat world where the weak are removed as quickly as they show any weakness. I found the magic system and the Houses to be super interesting, but also confusing. I always felt like I was a step behind because I’m not sure everything was explained super well. There’s a little romance but it felt like it went from 0-100 overnight and felt very rushed towards the end.

The writing and prose was very nice although the pacing felt off. I’m supposed to believe that this 17 year old is thrust into this world and has 5 days to emerge (physically manifest her magic) and then when she managed that, she has less than a week to prepare for and pass the second part of this three part test? A part that her roommate told her took her over a year to complete? A girl who had been brought up in the world and had an objectively HUGE head start in terms of knowledge?? Idkkkkkk about that. Oh and if you fail this second part, you’re out? Feels like a set up for failure to me.

Other than that, the story was rich and delicious and only had a few plot holes. The ending had a couple of surprise reveals that I didn’t see coming at all so that was super fun, even though they were awkwardly revealed.

I’m not gonna lie.. the first 30%-40% was not great. I found the magic system to be a bit strange and a little confusing at first. (Picturing a diadem growing out of someone’s head.. gag). I also didn’t really like the chapters from Yagrin and found them to be a little boring. I thought for sure I was giving this book 3 stars MAX.

I’m really glad I decided to stick with it because it got SO good! After the dance Quell and Jordan have in etiquette class, I was hooked. This was truly a slow burn romance and I loved every second of it. They don’t kiss for the first time until almost 80% of the way through but I didn’t even notice it took that long because it’s written so well.

The last 50 pages or so were by far the best part of the whole book. The betrayal of both Jordan and her grandmother. Quell completing Third Rite. Finally enjoying a chapter from Yagrin! I’m still reeling from all reveals. I only partially saw one of them coming but the rest were a total shock! I cannot wait for the sequel to see what happens to Quell next!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC to review!

Wow… this book was something else. I wasn’t expecting to be hooked from chapter one, but here we are.

THE PERFECT DARK ACADEMIA MEETS BRIDGERTON MEETS FEMININE RAGE

this was majestic. quell is an ICON and the magic system??? so freaking cool definitely pick this up if you listen to lana del rey…🤭

Dark academia, secret societies, dark magic, and high fantasy converge in this action-packed mystery, making this book a dreamy delight for bookworms who crave a captivating read that can be devoured during short breaks or even amidst nature's call.

Our protagonist, Quell, is a seasoned runaway, having moved between 14 schools in 12 years, always on the move and shielded by her mother. She possesses a deadly magic known as toushana, coursing through her veins, threatening to unleash its destructive force at any moment. Moreover, she is pursued by contracted killers who are after teenagers like her, who possess the same dark magic in their blood.

However, Quell's safe haven is compromised, leaving her with nowhere else to hide. Anxious and desperate for her mother's contact, she stumbles upon her estranged grandmother's secluded and foreboding mansion—an eerie place where time seems to have stood still. Against her better judgment, Quell succumbs to her grandmother's insistence and becomes a student of the debutante society known as the Order, a secret society of magical elites previously unknown to her. In order to suppress her forbidden magic forever, Quell must undertake three arduous rites of membership. Yet, the challenges she faces within the Order are far more daunting than she anticipated, especially with her enigmatic and intimidating tutor, Jordan, constantly testing her at every turn.

As Quell delves deeper into the dark arts, she uncovers unsettling truths about the Order's pursuit of power and the deceptive nature of her grandmother and mother. She is confronted with a choice: embrace her dark magic, sacrificing her loved ones and everything she has worked for, or find a way to navigate the treacherous path before her.

This book offers a darker twist on the enchanting world of Hogwarts, reminiscent of Deadly Education, promising fantasy lovers a thrilling and multifaceted journey they won't want to miss.

Personally, I am eagerly anticipating the release of the second book in the near future, as I am captivated by the world the author has crafted.

I extend my heartfelt gratitude to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group/Razorbill for generously providing me with a digital review copy of this captivating book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I am sending my feedback on this title, though I regret I was unable to finish it. By 50%, I had to decide that this was not something I could continue to read. I was very confused on where the story is going, what is happening? We are told she must hide - but at 50% I still don't know exactly why. Why are people with this poisonous power being hunted. Also - the fact that I have to read the glossary just to understand terms in the story was so disappointing. This made the writing feel very lazy and I'm really sad that the author wasn't able to build this world up within the story. I've never ever read a book where I was required to review the glossary of terms in effort to understand what was in the book. There is also no sense of who the characters are as people, they are flat. The world is flat - where does this story even occur? There is just so much detail missing for a fun story that reading it felt like a major chore. I am not going to post this review publicly because personally, I do not feel it's fair to post a review on a book I'm not finishing. I personally just felt this book needed a lot more editing to be flushed out - I wouldn't recommend this to any of my followers/friends. I'm so grateful for the Arc and apologize I did not complete the book - I truly did try.

I was excited to read after seeing a blurb from Stephanie Garber, but this book really just did not do it for me!
The magic system was really interesting (if a little vague), and even though the whole magic school/falling in love with a mentor thing could have come off as overplayed, it still felt mostly original. I just didn't love the writing style and the romance was kind of one note.

Ugh! I need to take a break after reading this. L Dark academia, magic, a boatload of secrets and I loved all of it. Can’t wait to see what’s next in this series.

PERFECTION! ABSOLUTLY STUNNIING!!!!!! 10/10!!!!!The magic system in this book ws absolutely and truly phenominal! From start to finish it held such intrigue! A NEW ALL TIME FAVORITE I WILL BE REREADING FOR YEARS TO COME! Quell is a true herione from her struggles all the way down to her final decision of her magical rite. Jordan is truly perfect and he was swiftly added to my fair list of book boyfriends. I also loved and adored the relationships! Both between Quell and her mother as well as quell and Abby. I bonded with all the characters including the ones I hated. I feel as though this story is unique and rich! Already a fan of J. Elle s writing its so rich! Now my questions! Why did Quells mother take her away? Which way will the story go next? Will Yagrin turn out to be manipulative like Quell s grandmother? Will Quell now master her magic and become unstoppable? Will Jordan and Quell come together and find a way to make it work? Will the sphere ever be whole, or will it finally break?????????? The ending was truly unexpected and now I am destroyed yet again! THANK YOU J ELLE YOU DID IT AGAIN!!!!!!!

This is the first in what I believe will be an epic new series about warring magical houses. Quell is a teen that was raised as a normal but knew that she had black magic in her veins. When her ordinary life is threatened, she is thrust into a magical world in which she is heir to one of the top magical houses. Not only does she face the typical petty rivalry of youth, but she is behind the curve in knowing how to control her magic since she wasn't raised among her peers. Luckily she has good instincts, and she is a quick learner. Her status as heir also puts a target on her back. There is a lot of mystery and discovery in this first book, and the people she meets are not always who/what they purport to be. I found Quell's story to be very exciting and was quickly drawn into the politics of the magical houses - I look forward to the next book in the series!