As someone whose family is from New Orleans, this book felt right at home to read. Nola is known for its magic, so having the setting be there just made so much sense. And combining magic WITH academia is even better.

I also loved that there was some feminine rage in this book. Because who doesn't love that?!

This book is an enemies to lovers and is definitely YA.

If you enjoy enemies to lovers, magic, dark academia, feminine rage, AND a twist at the end then this one is for you.

Of all the things I could have taken away from this book...I learned that the author really, really likes the word lasso.

House of Marionne is one of those books that is considered "enjoyable" because it's filled with dozens of popular tropes. Dark academia, enemies to lovers, mentor and prodigy, a protagonist entering a world of magic she doesn't quite understand - it's all here. I've seen a lot of reviews comparing this to Shadowhunters, and I definitely got those vibes from it. Also, I feel it fit to mention that books like these typically aren't my favorite (and I knew that going into it), so my review may be harsher simply because urban fantasy isn't really my thing.
Quell and her mother have been living on the run for as long as Quell can remember, hiding her dark magic from the world because it's "poison" and "a curse." Then, suddenly, Quell ends up enrolled in her grandmother's boarding school, where she must learn magic and basically enter Victorian-era society (hence the Bridgerton references I've seen in other reviews). The basic gist is that Quell has to hide her dark magic while simultaneously learning new magic and etiquette to blend in. While it was definitely very trope-y, a part of me enjoyed making fun of that? There were a few plot twists at the end that made it more enjoyable, although they were relatively predictable.
The issue was mostly that I didn't like any of the characters. Quell is very much one of those "not like the other girls" quirky protagonists, and she reminded me a lot of Clary from the Shadowhunters series. On the other hand, Jordan reminded me of Four from the Divergent series, and I didn't find him particularly interesting beyond his backstory. I refuse to share a name with Abby; I do not relate to her at all. My favorite character (for some odd reason) was Yagrin, so I'm hoping maybe he'll be more relevant in the next book given the end of this one.
Fans of urban fantasy and romantasy genres will love House of Marionne thanks to its many popular tropes and intriguing dark academia side-plots.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the free copy!

3.5/5

This book is so action-packed and hooks you right from the start. The world building is great with the unique elements of high fantasy incorporated. A great start to a series. I’m interested to see where the story goes. Thank you Penguin Group and Razorbill for sending me this book.

This was just a great read. I was just drawn in to this story so thoroughly. I just had so much fun reading this story.

This book felt meh to me. I have to preface this review by saying that I am not typically a fantasy reader, so in general this just wasn’t really my cup of tea, but I got sent a copy of this book so I decided to give it a shot. Overall, the premise of this story was interesting and I thought that the dark magic vs other magic aspect was interesting. I also liked that there was a romance subplot and that the main character was discovering herself and what she wanted. Some of this story worked really well and some of it didn’t. One thing that I had an issue with was the ending of this story. I felt confused and the story didn’t really feel completed. Like what happened with her and Jordan? What happened with the magic? I just needed more. Maybe an epilogue was what the story needed. So while I thought that the world was interesting and I am glad that I tried a book outside of my comfort zone, there was also some things in this story that didn’t quite work for me. While it wasn’t really my cup of tea, I could see some avid fantasy readers really enjoying this one.

I just love it when every single plot line in a story is based on the characters' miscommunication - especially when they toss it with the sweet sweet dressing of incredibly stupid assumptions.

DNF at 25%

I really wanted to love this book, because it has all the hallmarks of a wonderfully adventurous YA book. But sadly, this book is confirming the fact that I'm outgrowing the Young Adult genre.

While reading House of Marionne, I felt lost in the magic system, the different family names and the fact that this story feels very similar to other books in the Young Adult genre. A 'chosen one' main character, who has magic but has no idea how to control it, a magic school where the main character is the social outcast until she manages her (strangely powerful) magic. The characters, including our main character Quell, lacked depth for me.

I'm sure this book will be loved by many people, but it's certainly not my cup of tea.

I read the first 50 pages in one sitting for this book and was really excited about it! After 50 pages, the magic system didn't feel like it was clear. I still had so many questions. This foundation of the book made it difficult to understand and invest in the characters.

This came out to a 3.75 start read for me. I enjoyed this book overall and especially the end so I fully intend to read the next one. The magic system is interesting and I would have actually liked a bit more exploration of it in the story and this is where I found myself a little disappointed. Quell is rushing through the process of learning, cramming years worth of work into a few short weeks which you really have to suspend a lot disbelief for, especially things like learning Latin. But since I didn't come into this book expecting detailed and in depth world building this was more just a mild irritant than a massive issue in my overall enjoyment. That said I would also like more history on the world of magic we get some snippets and a few notes at the end on the houses but there is clearly more to explore there and it seems important to what is currently happening so I hope this is something explored in the next book.

While reading I was thrown by Yagrin's chapters and honestly a little annoyed as I didn't see how they were relevant but then that last chapter hit and I was like "Oh Sh*t that's why." and all was forgiven. It's always the ending of a book that is a deciding factor for me on a book and with this one the ending absolutely left me with the need to know what comes next.

To be honest I was a little confused by the magic in this story. The idea of the Houses and what each debutant could do didn't feel like it was explained well. Neither was the whole dagger/enhancer situation. (Reading that part was really confusing for me for whatever reason). The idea of invisible masks/diadems felt almost unnecessary. I don't think you really need a physical way to show your magic. To me, it felt like the only reason it was added so that when Quell's diadem showed up it would reflect her toushana. But even though Octus said the color of her diadem would change if she used toushana IT NEVER CHANGED. I thought that was going to be the whole point! That she would constantly have to hide it but it never turned back to the right shade of metal. If you were going to add that tidbit that Quell should no longer use her toushana magic, why not show her struggling with that?

Although I enjoyed Quell and Jordan separately, I felt like their relationship lacked depth. I knew he was meant to be the love interest but they barely did anything together that felt like they were falling for each other. Some of their cute moments together felt really forced too and the way Jordan flipped on her so easily when he was meant to love her??? What do you mean??? How am I supposed to like him now if he can't accept my girl at her worst and her best???

I also felt Quell was very naive at times. She's spent her whole life on the run, being suspicious of others and somehow she didn't clock her grandmother's manipulation from miles away? After her grandmother hurt her (when she didn't pass second rite) I thought she'd realize there was more to the house and the magic but she didn't and it was honestly disappointing.

The unsung hero of this novel was Abby. Abby was an incredible character and a great friend and in return... Quell was not a good friend to her. It greatly annoyed me how Abby was so dedicated to this new roommate of hers and it felt like Quell didn't reciprocate. Abby was constantly reaching out to Quell in the book and comforting/apologizing/talking to her first. Quell barely reciprocated this friendship, at least on Abby's level. I do think Quell really liked her as a person but I didn't really get friendship vibes from Quell's end.

To top it off... I did not enjoy the debutant classes that Quell took. Ballroom dancing?? Lessons on manners?? Quell had to learn about place settings and flower arrangements and how to properly curtsey to people. When I first thought this book was historical fantasy, I was all for it but I didn't like seeing it in this more modern setting. I didn't like how they seemed to relay so much on traditions of the past. To a point I do agree with wanting to stick to your roots but... if I had to curtsey to people and learn which fork was good for salad, I'd tear my hair out.

Despite this I'm still going to read the second novel even if many things about the magic and the world building of this novel confuse me.

17-year-old Quell is tired of not being able to stay in my place for too long. She is almost done with high school and is hoping she can finish it out. Unfortunately, things changed and they needed to run again. Quell’s mom hasn’t told her much if anything about what is going on. This time she had no choice but to give her a little bit more information as she needed to leave her mom behind to distract the guys who were after them. Quell has magic called Toushana running through her veins and each day it’s harder for her to run from it. When she has to leave her mom behind she ends up at her grandmother’s thinking it was her only option. This is where she learns all about her mom’s side of the family and what is running through her veins.

At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I was just as confused as Quell not understanding what was going on with her and why she kept running. As you move through the book things start to make sense and it drew me in more each time something was connected for me. I also enjoyed the connection between Quell and Jordan.. who started were enemies and then became lovers. Books like that also draw me in more! I enjoy to see where they go and if they continue to stay together. This book was well written, however I did think it was pretty long. I thought I was almost done with the book when she finished and passed her Rites of passage but it continued to go. I felt like at that part it had made it seem like it was going to end but then it picked right back up. I do applaud because it got good after that and there were a bunch of twists and turns I was not expecting!!

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book and give my honest review! Thank you, J. Elle, for writing a well-developed book that continued to have me guessing until the end! I can’t wait to read more books from you as well as the next one after this!

Thanks for the opportunity to read this in advance . Loved the story and the development of it. Definitely enjoyed the tone and how this is set up. The dark academia feeling loved it . Definitely would be recommending and i can wait to get a physical copy

This book expired before I could read so I am not able to review at this time I apologize to the author and giving five stars!

Fans of magic and boarding schools - read this book!

17-year-old Quell has always been on the run, hiding her deadly magic. When her secret is discovered, she joins a debutante society of magical elites called the Order to protect herself and her mom.

Danger is literally around EVERY corner and her mentor, Jordan, complicates things!

This book was such a blast for me!It’s reminded me of some of my old favs, like Vampire Academy.

Quell's journey is packed with magic, mystery, and romance with her assassin-in-training mentor, Jordan.

The ending was wild and left me hyped for book 2. Can't wait to see where Quell and Jordan's relationship goes next!

Tropes: Magic, Boarding school, Romantasy.

This was a solid magical boarding school YA fantasy, with all the familiar ingredients, and the twists at the end are worth the slow start.

Our MC Quell is living a transient life because her mom is trying to protect her from people who are trying to kill her because of her dark magic. Quell is separated from her mom and enters the world of magic her Mom was trying to protect her from the past 17 years.

She discovers she is the heir to a powerful magical family, and her grandmother (her mom's mom) takes her into her school to learn the ways of magic, but she is in a constant struggle to hide her dark magic. Oh, and her mentor is a hot, broody stern guy, of course.

So the first half-ish of the book is Quell bumbling around trying to figure out how magic works, since she knows absolutely nothing. It's kind of unbelievable that her mother, in all her 17 years, never explained anything to Quell, not even what her real name is.

I found the characters to be pretty one-dimensional, including the main ones. Quell doesn't really have a strong personality other than to break every rule. And her love interest Jordan is of course the opposite, and their feelings for each other kind of come out of nowhere. And all of the side characters are very shallow and cookie cutter.

I'm still not really clear on how the magic system works here. Like there are different specialties and there are "mysteries" some people can learn, I think? And I'm still not clear on what the dark magic is, it seems that it has its own personality, but normal magic does not. The political machinations between the magical houses were also confusing as to the motivations of the power players.

However, the last 10% of the book is fantastic with some suspense (finally) and a twist I didn't see coming. I'm hoping the second book will clarify the magic more. I really have no idea what to expect next, but I'm looking forward to finding out!

3.5 stars rounded up

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

17 year old Quell has spent her life on the run with her mother. While her ,other has told her little of their life before and their heritage, she knew enough about the magical world to know that people wanted her dead for the dark magic that ran through her veins. After being chased and separated from her mother, Quell escapes to the only place she can think of, her grandmothers home, the House of Marionne. When Quells plans to only stay long enough to reconnect with her mother are quickly derailed, Quell bides her time by enrolling in the magical academy and quickly learns that it may be possible to hide her dark magic forever by binding with a different form of magic. Quell has to learn to navigate the academic coursework and adjust to her new life amongst the social elite, all with her brooding mentor.

To be honest, I almost didn’t finish this book. The first 50-60% was really tough for me. I felt the world building left much to be desired and the writing style felt very choppy, often changing subjects and conversations on a whim. But I pushed through and the last 40% definitely made it worth it. All of the plot points began to come together, the actual “romance” component really developed, and there were some twists and turns, especially in the last 10% that I never saw coming. It took me weeks to get through the first half, and mere hours to get through the second. I was really intrigued by the synopsis of this story which kept me reading on and I’m glad that I did. While I would still rate this 3.5 because of the first half, I am anxiously awaiting the sequel because of the second half.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group, and Razorbill for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

I loved the story, but I felt like the relationship between the two main characters lacked depth, and the plot seemed a bit jumbled. I enjoyed it for what it is, but I'm not sure I would pursue reading the second one.

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC of this from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I received a free copy of this from Netgalley. I want to thank them for the opportunity to read this book.

Unfortunately I did not love this book. I felt like it was a chore to read. The main character was just there. She wasn't interesting to me. It felt like she was being drug through the events of the book just as much as I was. She felt lost and 1 dimensional to me.

I feel like the idea for this book could have been amazing, but the execution was poor and fell flat. The side characters were basic or unrealistic. The plot was mediocre. And the second pov was tedious at best.

I will day that the magic system was interesting, but I was put off by Quell always fighting with her "dark magic".

I've been drooling over the cover of this book for so long, and yet somehow it took a year for me to pick it up. I am SO UPSET THAT I LOST ALL THAT TIME NOT KNOWING THIS STORY. I loved it. Absolutely adored all of the twists and turns of this dark academia tale.

Quell is such an incredible character. She's fierce and brave and determined... but also sometimes acts like the teenager that she is. This story does secrets and deception but NOT miscommunication (can I get a hallelujah?!). And the slowest of slow burns that does not end the way I expected!

And don't even get me started on that "One Month Later" glimpse. (I am not okay and will require Shadow of Perl immediately!!!)

There were a few things that I longed for and didn't get (more depth from Shelby & Quell's relationship, more of Nore and the other heirs, etc.) but I feel like there's so much waiting to be unpacked in the next book(s)!

Thank you so much to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however this book was published in August of 2023 so I opted to borrow the audiobook from my library. I was immediately pulled in by the stunning cover, which you will understand the significance of as you read the book. The second book is due out in September, so you won't have to wait much longer if you pick up book one now. This read a little young for my tastes, however it is a solid YA offering. There isn't anything graphic, and the romance is kept to a few kisses. Teenage me would have devoured this. I think having two teenagers of my own has jaded me and I want to mother all the silly teenage characters now and find myself rolling my eyes when teen do teenage stuff. Overall this was a fun read and I am curious to find out what happens in the next book,

The magic system is well explained and unique. I am anxious to learn more about the magic and how our main character Quell learns more about the world and her magic as the series moves forward. There are still quite a few unanswered questions at the end, and Quell isn't sure who she can trust. This follows Quell as she and her mom run from place to place to keep her dark magic a secret. Her grandmother is headmistress of a magical school, but her mother ran away years ago and we don't know why. Quell has grown up with no understanding of the magical world, but when her life is in danger and her mother can no longer protect her, Quell seeks refuge from her Grandmom. She enrolls in the school in an attempt to keep her dark magic under control and hopefully gain control of her "proper" magic. There she finally gains the semblance of a regular life and starts making friends. She is also trailed by her mentor and romantic interest Jordan, who might also kill her if he finds out she has dark magic. As she progresses through her lessons she finds out that the magical community is rife with secrets and betrayals. Quell has to decide if she wants to forge her own path or take the one that has been decided for her.

If you like a dark academia setting with magic and romance but on the cleaner side this is a good option. It is geared toward younger readers at it is set in a more high school type setting with teenaged characters, but I think anyone would enjoy it if you like those tropes.