5/5

A Study in Drowning is a swirling tempest of hope, love, and finding a way forward against all odds. Enveloped in folklore and set in a Welsh-inspired fantasy world this book is a balm for every person who has been an outsider in their lives and for those still fighting to have their voice be heard. It’s a romance, a gothic, a mystery, and a dark academia all at once, interwoven with startling prose and imagery. This their third novel, It’s clear that Ava Reid cannot write a bad one. Reading A Study in Drowning is like slowly sinking into an unruly sea and welcoming it with the knowledge that someone will be there to pull you out. It's about owning your story in a world determined to control the narrative and finding healing despite past abuses. A book I’ll be keeping in my back pocket to weather any future storms.

My full review will be up on my blog closer to publication!

The dark undertones of academia intertwine with the magical allure of fairytales and folklore in this new, breathtaking story from Ava Reid about taking a leap of faith, believing in yourself, and not allowing shadowing doubts to shift your perspective and your path to success.

After a difficult first year at university, architecture student Effy jumps at the opportunity to work on a project for her favorite author—designing a house inspired by his legacy. But when she arrives at the estate, it’s not what she expected—everything is in disarray, falling victim to the ocean below it. As she begins her work, she discovers troublesome secrets from the past haunt the walls, looming over the house and everyone in it. Together with the help of her academic rival, they search for answers—but the truth may hold more than they expected.

WOW. This read was absolutely incredible!! I was instantly captured by Reid’s dark, enchanting, and romantic storytelling. Right from the beginning, her talent for crafting a masterful story spanning different layers of mystery, suspense, horror, and romance had me flipping through pages like crazy.

The atmosphere of this novel is impeccable, with the setting of most of the novel, the ocean, being a character within the story itself. I also adored the relationship between Effy and her academic rival, Preston. Their strong hate for the other morphing into partners working together to unravel a mystery to leaning on the other to sparks FLYING, I was helplessly enamored. And by the end, Reid had my emotions all over the place, with my heart rate jumping a mile a minute with all her meticulously placed twists and turns.

From the amazing character development to the alluring sea prose and the nods to dark fairytales, folklore, and horror, overall, this was just beautiful storytelling at its finest. I strongly recommend this to all my dark fantasy readers out there looking for the perfect fall read!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Thank you so much for the arc! A lot of people were raving about this book on TikTok so had I to check it out. This is my first book in the gothic/ dark academia genre and I enjoyed it! My favorite parts of the book were any scenes with Preston and Effy. Their chemistry was amazing to read. I loved Effy a lot. She’s been through so much and I enjoyed reading her journey of her becoming the strong women she is!

I don’t know that I’d classify this book as YA. It definitely reads more adult and wouldn’t be suitable for younger teens.

Check trigger warnings beforehand.

A Study in Drowning is my first Ava Reid novel, and, for me, it was probably the best place to start. When I heard it was going to be a gothic novel with mythology and academic rivals in a fantasy setting—a.k.a. some of the story aspects I’ve been enjoying the most this year—I was pretty much sold on it. And, in the end, I loved the story so much.

A Study in Drowning is a dark novel that’s definitely on the upper end of YA. The characters are college aged or just adults in general. And, while it wasn’t quite to the level of what was in Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic, this book still leaned quite heavily into many elements that are hallmarks of gothic fiction. There was this sense of dread and isolation, particularly with the strangeness that popped up once the setting transitioned away from the college. I always like a good house story—or those where the setting has as much character as the main cast—and Reid crafted one strange house. It was vividly described—imposing, suffocating, decrepit, and damp (and just outright waterlogged). It was a place that held a lot of secrets. It was the decay of splendor, which was also something featured in Mexican Gothic.

Literature was a big aspect, especially Effy’s hero worship of Myrddin. There were frequent quotes, which I enjoyed. In particular it offered an insight into the fictional society, the myths within the story, and helped with understanding Effy as well. Myrddin, especially, cast a large shadow over the story. Even though he wasn’t alive in the present time of the story, he was still the subject at the center of the book’s pivotal mysteries originated.

Effy’s journey, however, was still the focus of the story. Since it’s told from her point of view, the narration was informed by her trauma. And with it being so intrinsically linked to that, often the lines between what was real and what wasn’t was blurred. In general, I liked her character, as well as Preston’s. Their verbal sparring was a lot of fun to read, and there was a lot I liked about the way Reid ultimately handled their character growth through the myriad of obstacles and increasingly frightening circumstances.

All that to say, A Study in Drowning was a story as much about monsters—ordinary people and those that are magic—as it was about lost voices and silenced stories, and what it took to reclaim them. It’s only the first book I’ve read by Ava Reid, and it likely won’t be the last.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (HarperTeen) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!

I really loved the way this book tackled anxiety and trauma. There was definitely a great message there about survival. And I did love Effy and Preston. The pacing for me was too slow though.

tl;dr
An excellent mix of gothic and dark academia set in a world where the lines of reality are blurry, and the power of writing runs deep.

Thoughts
I was going through a reading dry spell when I grudgingly forced myself to start reading this book. And then I finished the entire thing in a day. The book starts at a slow pace, but it gets its hooks into you early with an uneasy sense of uncertainty with the world. There's magic in the world. Or maybe there isn't. Strange things haunt Effy at night. Or maybe they don't? All we really know is that Effy feels unwelcome, and finds solace only in her worn copy of the novel Angharad. It's no wonder that she leaps at the chance to redesign the author's house, even if the invitation seems utterly suspect. And things get even more suspect when she arrives. The house is a character unto itself, a proper gothic crumbling mansion with locked rooms and nature creeping in and out of cracks in the ceiling. It's here that the story really closes in, as reality begins to blur even more, and the mystery surrounding the house and the novel take center stage. Literature student Preston provides a good partner in both the study and romantic sense, with a softer slow-paced romance that takes a back seat to the rest of the plot. The ending is expected, but satisfying, and I found the discussion on what it means to read or write a book to be incredibly touching.

I absolutely loved this literary mystery meets academic rivals romance meets paranormal story!

Effy Sayre is from Lllyr, a country which is feuding with neighboring Argant.

Effy is also a university student in Caes-Isel, a northern Llyr town. She longs to study literature, but women are not allowed to do that, so she's the only female architecture student, a subject she doesn't enjoy.

Deeply anxious and prone to disturbing visions, Effy relies on her pink pills to keep an even keel. Miserable at school but unwelcome at home, Effy enters a competition to renovate Hiraeth Manor, the home of Emrys Myrddin. Myrddin is the author of Angharad, Effy's favorite book, which is an epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King.

Upon arriving, Effy finds that there is another student there, an annoying Argantian called Preston. He believes that Myrddin didn't write Angharad and wants to prove it.

A Study in Drowning reminded me one of my most favorite books, Possession by A. S. Byatt. Like A Study in Drowning, Possession is a literary mystery about an imaginary romantic poet. But there's no Fae element.

I found A Study in Drowning to be an incredibly immersive and enjoyable read. I'm not the biggest fan of Fae fiction, but this book was set in the human world and the Fae elements were not the only part of the story. I think it will appeal to a lot of readers!

I am simply OBSESSED with this book and Ava Reid in general. This is my first book of hers but I will now be DEVOURING all of her other books cause her writing and storytelling is actually addictive.

My thoughts on this book:
-Effy is my absolute angel child and I'm ready to fight anyone for her. At first, I didn't connect with her but as the story went on, she became probably the most real, genuine, relatable character that I've ever read in all of literature. In the year of the Barbie movie, Effy is a heroine in her own right and she doesn't hide or take away any of her femininity to accommodate anyone in her life. She cries, is anxious, and rightfully scared of all the people, especially men in her life who have done nothing but abuse her simply because they think they can. Her arc from beginning to end and friendship with the women in her life honestly had my chest tightening. Effy is for the people who get it.

-If you like Divine Rivals and Emily Wilde, GO. READ. THIS. BOOK. The combo of the faerie mythology and Preston and Effy's relationship is the perfect blend of the vibes you get from those two books and I will be shouting about this book from the rooftops.

-If I can't have someone who loves me, cares for me, protects me, is in awe of me like Preston is of Effy then I. DON'T. WANT. IT.

-The final chapters of this book are absolutely heartbreaking but also way too relatable, especially for women who have been talked down to, patronized, ignored by the men in the room simply because they are not seen as equal. But it also made me feel so utterly alive in ways that no other book has ever come close to. I don't know how to explain it but I will be thinking about this book for months. I will be searching for signs of life, everywhere.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC!

A Study in Drowning is a stunning book in every way.

From one phenomenal book to another, Ava Reid is an author I am obsessed with. Their work has this dreamlike quality to it, yet is still so impactful and remains with me long after the final page. A Study in Drowning continues this trend, with a searing examination of the corruption and predatory behaviour sometimes enshrined in the heart of academia. This is a deeply Gothic and atmospheric novel with flourishes of magic, mayhem and murder but it is also one deeply rooted in reality.
Reid’s writing is like watching a moment become crystallised in time. It has a keen sense of preservation and a depth of detail that is so immersive and enrapturing. For me, it has this softly lyrical quality to it that likens it to a fairy tale narrative. It is like sitting at the feet of a great storyteller. However, there is an undercurrent of steel and strength that weaves its way through. These are stories with bite and backbone, unafraid to go into the darkest depths of humanity. A Study in Drowning contains the best aspects of all of this. It is a thorn amongst roses and a rose amongst thorns at the same time. There is a beautiful and poignant romance at its heart, where Reid pulls all of the best romantic tropes and gleefully combines them into a heart-warming narrative. You have enemies to lovers, one bed, hate to love and academic rivals just to start with.

However, this is also very much a romance of Effy’s own. It is a journey of self-discovery and acceptance, where she begins to love herself once more. A key thread of this book is a beautiful love letter to taking back control of one’s narrative. Effy epitomises that in her grappling with her own trauma and the way that intersects with the wider narrative. The book meditates a lot on authorship, bringing to mind some of the most infamous debates in this sector, and Effy is learning to craft her own story. Along with this comes challenges to her own beliefs, many of which have been carefully crafted over time. Effy was a character that stole my heart instantaneously. She had a verve and wit to her dialogue that endeared me to her, as well as her clear passion for the things she loved. In a world that wants to stifle her, she persists in wanting to thrive. That tenacity and intelligence, combined with an unrepentant femininity at times, makes for an incredible role model. She defies the Dark Academia pigeonholing often applied to female characters and breaks the mould. Alongside and often against her is Preston, who also embarks on his own journey of discovery. He equally captured my heart, albeit a little slower. Beneath the wall of stark intellect is a deeply caring and soft person that just wants to know the truth. Their ideological clashes made for incredibly entertaining reading, especially with an undercurrent of romantic tension creeping in.

This book is also an ode to the beauty of writing. It is a love letter to the very act of storytelling. Stories are modes of escape, flights of fantasy that transport us out of our lives and into those of someone else. They create their own form of faith, a belief in the power of imagination. That core idea of belief and faith is one that truly struck a chord with me throughout this book. Reid examines changing faiths as the story progresses, developing the ideas associated with it. Within that, this is a book steeped in the Dark Academia and Gothic genres. Reid plays with the associated tropes of both perfectly. There is a clear reverence and respect, drawing on past influences, but also a subtle reshaping into something entirely bold and new. The atmosphere and setting of this book is chilling. That inevitability of destruction and the unsteady swaying above the sea adds that clairvoyant chiming of death on the horizon. Nothing can or will end well in this place.

A Study in Drowning is a masterclass in pacing, characterisation and tension, with a beautiful meditation on stories and who gets to have an authorial voice.

How beautiful that we get two stories in one in this gorgeously written book. I loved the duality of such a beautifully written poetic story about a subject that cuts deep and leaves scars. At it's heart this is a story that will resonate with so many because it's a tale as old as time - women being used and discarded by men as they see fit.

The vibes couldn't be more perfect - gothic and creepy with dark corners in a decrepit manor hiding secrets. Ava's prose is lyrical and poetic weaving two powerful stories that pull you in deeper and deeper.

I adore Effy and Preston. Both characters are wonderfully written with depth and multitudes. While they balance each other they are both whole and independent characters.

While technically YA, this story deals with some heavy and potentially triggering subject (PTSD and lack of consent - off page) matter so please be careful with that.

2/5 STARS. I wanted to love this book, I really did. When I began reading I felt excited by the premise and also by the atmosphere of the book. I did like the dark academia and fall vibes, along with the mysterious author and house on a cliff hooked me and I enjoyed the first seventy pages or so. The plot itself was interesting. I think that the mystery of Myrrdin being a fraud or not kept me reading for longer than I might have otherwise.

However, I began to feel frustrated with the direction of the book after that. I felt that while Effy is clearly experiencing some sort of mental illness that her decisions had no rhyme or reason. If her impulsive decisions are the product of her illness, I wish that that was presented better (even if that were shown in other character's reactions to her). One second she is touring the author's home and the next she is running off. Her mother says something along the lines of "it's just bad decision after bad decision with you" which makes for a great opportunity for character growth and connection for the reader to our MC. But the author didn't use that. Effy is misunderstood... But as the reader I wanted everyone around her to misunderstand her and to, in turn, feel empathy and compassion and connection to her. I felt none of this. Instead, the further I read the more confused and frustrated I became.

Again in the character development department I felt that Effy and Preston should have connected over their combined minority status. Preston is allowed to be in the literature department and she is not. His reasoning for teaming up with her is not that he feels for her because he has also experienced discrimination, it's just that he happens to be the only good man in the book, on principal apparently.

Thank you to Ava Reid and Harper Collins for allowing me to read the ARC of this book. All of these are my opinions and I am thankful for the opportunity to review.

Kind of torn on this one. I love a relatable FMC that isn’t overly brave and does reckless things. She was fighting the patriarchy and proving herself a lot. Which I can respect. I think my biggest problem with it was that it took so long to get into. It’s a complex world that felt rushed, and to me it was confusing as heck. Intricate world and not enough back story. It truly just throws you in and you’re expected to catch on quick.

But it was super unique and I loved the academic setting!

I have a feeling this book will sit with me for a while, for a few different reasons.

This book has a lot going on. It's gothic fairytale with dark acadamia and mystery and academic rivals to lovers. The premise is Effy (who I'll talk about more later) being chosen to redesign her recently deceased favorite author's house which is in ruins and is rumored to be the only thing keeping the area from going into a second flood. There is a lot of layers in this book that work together to tell us Effy's story.

The author also has a way with words - characters have discussions about autonomy, human will, the human mind, emotions, death and ghosts in a way that gives you pause. There were several times where I marked sentences because they were so profound.

And the last being Effy.

Effy is stuck in a major that she is ambivalent to, dreaming of the literature college that she loves. She's pretty in a way that gets her attention in an unwanted way but she is already aware of how society treats women and finds refuge in her favorite fairytale of the Fairy King. She is anxious, doesn't trust her own mind half of the time and knows how the world works and hates it at the same time. Her strength is not physical but is mental and the way she questions reality as hers falls apart.

A Study in Drowning is a dark fairytale set at a university and an eerie cliffside estate. Effy, an architecture student and lover of literature, has just begun university and quickly realized that being in a rigorous academic setting as the only woman is more traumatizing than she could have ever imagined. Desperately burnt out and seeking escape, Effy earns a unique opportunity to design a new manor in honor of her favorite author who recently passed. As Effy tries to adapt to the mysterious nature of this deteriorating home and the people living there, she learns that Preston, another student studying at the house, has shocking theories about the widely beloved author. Effy and Preston reluctantly have to work together and put aside their differences to uncover the deeply hidden aspects of the author's past and the strange darkness surrounded the manor.

This story is a masterful mix of horror, academia, romance, and inspiration from folklore. It is so atmospheric and gripping and the writing style is the perfect amount of descriptive and lyrical - I felt transported to Hiraeth Manor because of how vivid the imagery was.

My absolute favorite part is Effy's intricate characterization. I immediately empathized with Effy as a woman trying to break into a male dominated field, as a woman who's been taken advantage of, and as a woman who has been called crazy for believing in things that others cannot see. Effy has been through so much emotional turmoil from such a young age and still has the ability to find beauty in life and feel deeply. She is a new comfort character and I wish I could jump into the pages to give her a hug.

Even though this book is unsettling at times, it is also filled with romantic moments. Effy and Preston start out as "rivals" by being from different countries and having opposing opinions. As they grow more accustomed to one another, they discover that their interests and motivations are quite similar. I really enjoyed witnessing the progression of their relationship and the way they find solidarity in being outcasts and find comfort with each other in this uncomfortable place. I love that they become friends before lovers, so they have that solid foundation that makes their relationship seem so believable. Effy struggles with believing in herself after being belittled her whole life, but she is able to open up to Preston because he respects her, while still challenging her.

I am absolutely in awe of this novel. Perfect for lovers of stories, dark academia, and gothic-like magic and mystery. Thank you HarperTeen and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

From the publisher, “ Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.”

This is one of the most anticipated books for the Fall! I loved the gothic atmosphere and slow burn romance. A dark academia YA just in time for cozy weather and rainy days. I highly recommend grabbing a copy and getting comfy! You won’t want to put this down!

I am OBSESSED with this book. As soon as I started I was sucked in. I could not stop thinking about it, could not stop wanting to read it. Reid writes trauma so well you cannot help but feel every uncomfortable moment that her characters do as well.

After this book I am a solid fan of Ava Reid. I feel like her writing gets better and better with each book. I love how immersive her worlds feel and how flawed all of her characters are. They're the kind of characters you're not sure you would like in person, but in a book you are on their side. You root for them, you cherish them, you weep for them. Effy is all of this. She is extremely flawed. She's nervous. Self-doubting. Her strength is not something give but grown throughout the book and it is beautiful.

4.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Colllins for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was nothing like I expected. There is SO MUCH going on here. It’s a romance but also not. It’s a spooky gothic fantasy fairytale but also not. The themes it explores has me absolutely floored.

Here’s what to expect:
🖤 rivals to lovers
🖤 forced proximity
🖤 reluctant allies
🖤 dark academia
🖤 gothic fairytale
🖤 a creepy old house
🖤 ghosts + faeries
🖤 history mystery solving
🖤 women empowerment
🖤 trigger warning: assault

I won’t go further into detail here, because spoilers, but I think this story is SO empowering and beautiful. Unlike anything I’ve ever read and out of my comfort zone for sure, it’s still so brilliant. It’s darker than I saw coming. I think anyone who reads it will learn something from it, feel something from it, and those who don’t like it probably didn’t understand it. Just my two cents.

(Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!)

Well damn.

A Study in Drowning exceeded my expectations, that's for sure. I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but this book may've convinced me to open myself back up to it.

Effy is my favorite protagonist I've read in a while. She's flawed in several ways, but this made her that much more realistic. There are qualities to her that at times make her unlikeable, but it's these same qualities that open her up to some great character development. Effy's mental health plays a big part in the story as well, and I really appreciated how it was approached with so much care. Overall, I adore her and she's going down as one of my favorite heroines.

As for the atmosphere, I was LIVING for it. I don't typically enjoy a lot of description, but Reid's descriptions of Hireath and the cliffside were so well done I can't help but gush about them. Truly 10/10 in this regard.

I also enjoyed the plot and romance immensely, but these are two areas I will critique a bit. I wish the ending had a bit more oomph to it; I felt like the climax lasted all of 30 seconds and things were wrapped up a little too nicely. That being said, I still found the explanations for what was going on satisfying and a unique take on stories that include the fair folk. While I enjoyed the romance, I got the impression that it would be enemies-to-lovers, given the synopsis, but that isn't the case. We see some minor squabbling in the beginning, but by a third of the way through the book it's pretty clear they're into each other. So, I'd characterize it as more of a slow burn than anything.

Overall I enjoyed this a lot and it truly delivered in terms of those nice dark academia vibes. While Angharad may be a book within a book, I was itching to get my hands on a copy of it by the time this story was over.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Fresh gothic undertones + Welsh mythology = cozy autumn read 🍂🍁

A Study in Drowning is a beautiful example of YA fiction. The description somewhat intrigued me. But the haunting title is what ultimately pulled me in. So happy I gave it a chance! Great for fans of Sisters of the Salt.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The ending… total dream come true. Detailed and complete! The majority of fantasy books tend to buildup slow and run long with rushed endings. (I hate it. Never satisfied.) This book was the opposite. The ending was genuinely thorough! The story actually continued beyond the climax rather than simply wrapping up. There were parts throughout the story where I felt like I was missing something but everything was clarified in the end. 100% satisfied.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

Surprisingly, I liked this one!

I was not a fan of Reid’s The Wolf and the Woodsman, so I was nervous when I started A Study in Drowning. However, this ended up being an enjoyable dark academia read!

I really enjoyed Effy and Preston’s characterizations, and the fae took on an interesting concept. I thought the plot moved at a good clip. My biggest complaints are that I feel that Reid tried to handle too many big issues at one time that they all drowned each other out, and some of the worldbuilding felt half-baked.

Overall, a great read for dark academia fans. Mind the Trigger Warnings if you decide to pick this up!

Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!