Overall, this book was good. It spins an inspirational tale of feminism and progress and growth. I love Effy.
However, I don't think this was the book for me. I feel like the plot could have been fleshed out more, maybe some more world building before jumping it. The romance felt rushed, as did the climax scene with the Fairy King.
Don't let that keep you from reading, though. This is still a very special, necessary story to be told to a YA audience.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Reid & HarperCollins for an arc of A Study in Drowning in exchange for an honest review.
Ava Reid never misses, and that's a fact! They are an instant author buy for me so to receive this eARC was such a gift!
Now to get into the story.
Reid has the ability to transport me anywhere with such a succinct and lush description of the world. Truly, the sensations of the sea, the creaking of a house on a cliff, all of them were so visceral. Effy, my beloved girl, I will truly treasure her as a character into the future. Reid weaves the well felt tragedy of women in academia with such vigor, at many points, Effy’s despair and my own past were intertwined. This is the heartbreaking story of a girl discovering herself, and I am blessed to have been part of the journey.
Where I felt I wanted a little more in terms of story was with Preston. I loved Preston, and I loved his support of Effy in her journey. However, his haunted past was referenced many times in the novel, and I wish I could have known more. I can only hope one day we will see a little more of Preston and his past, as well as his future.
Overall, this story is a 5/5 for me, I loved every second and I wish I could turn back time to reread it for the first time again.
Ava Reid, if you are reading this, I am on my knees, please give us the full story of Angharad.

Wow. This book was incredible. The story telling and world building kept me wanting more. This was my first book by Ava Reid but I have their others waiting on my shelf.

Effy's growth and character development were everything. Unfortunately, I think most young girls/women have an experience similar to Effy and just letting things happen. When she found her voice and stood up for herself, I could have cried.

Things I liked about this book:
- Setting: This book's setting had an unexpected twist on living by the sea. In most houses near the sea, you can expect luxury and extravagance. However, that couldn't be further from the truth for this book. The way Ava Reid wrote about the smell, sight, and fear of the sea was something I had not read in a novel before.
- Spidey Sense: Throughout this novel, I knew something was wrong but I could not place what it was. Ava Reid leads her readers to question, does the Fairy King exist? Is anyone telling the truth? What is there to fear about the sea? These were just a few questions readers might have when reading this novel.
- North vs South: This novel had a clear outline of what the Northerners think versus the Southerners and how that in itself creates a sort of conflict of belief. Wherever you grow up, you are told different stories/myths/folklore, and that changes how you perceive different matters. Ava Reid outlined those differences in beliefs perfectly in her novel.

Things I think could have been better (SPOILERS AHEAD)
- Chemistry: The romance between Effy and Preston felt a bit random. I didn't get much chemistry build-up between the two. Their romance also had odd timing considering their time was very limited.
- Modern-day technology: The use of cameras, cars, and cell phones felt out of place due to the fantasy-like setting. I think this novel could have gone without modern-day technology altogether and it would not have changed the story.
- Characters: The reason for my 4 star review instead of 5 stars was simply because I personally found it difficult to connect with any of the characters. Effy was never able to quite stand up for herself until the end and I was left questioning how loyal Preston was until the end as well. While I understand why Effy could not stand up for herself, it made it more challenging to connect with her on the lack of action.

I really enjoyed the Welsh inspired setting and the academic vibes. Unfortunately, for book that's being billed as Reid's first "true" romance, I felt that the romance itself was rushed and underdeveloped. I was really left just wanting MORE of the whole story.

A Study In Drowning is such a stunning story for any lovers of dark academia and the rivals to lovers trope. Ava Reid has such a fascinating, detailed, and immersive prose that leads to the fairytale atmosphere she always creates with her books. The characters were well-crafted and had their own complexities, especially Effy with her courage and strength in adversity. The inclusion of sexism was immensely important to the story, as the main character struggles for her opinions and voice to be heard, just like it happens more than we know in today's society. I adored this book, and would recommend it gladly to anyone.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy, as well as Harper Collins.

I don’t even know where to begin. First of all, wow. This was one of my most anticipated reads, I mean dark academia, rivals to lovers? Say less. This book though, was SO MUCH more than just fitting into these genres and tropes.

Ava Reid has such an enchanting and atmospheric writing style that fully immerses you into the book. Her world building is seamless and so easy to follow and her characters are fully developed and well-rounded. The main character, Effy, is one of my favorite main characters i’ve ever read. She is the epitome of an unreliable narrator due to her anxiety and the pills she takes to stave off her hallucinations. This makes you question everything throughout the book and whether what she sees and hears are real or just hallucinations.

This book is so much more than a dark academia fantasy novel. It covers sexism within academia as the only female in the architecture college while not being allowed in the male only literature college. It discusses the me too movement and the way woman get labeled as promiscuous and a tease. The way women are used almost as cattle and the way they get taken advantage of professionally and personally. By the end of the book, Effy has become such a strong main character and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself.

I will say, this is very light academic rivals to lovers. Preston and Effy hadn’t met until a chapter or two in and are really only rivals for a chapter or two before teaming up together. Preston though I LOVED. He was such a great male character and I loved how he cared for Effy. Their banter was amazing and I loved their relationship and how it developed.

I genuinely cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. It was by far one of my favorite books i’ve ever read and I will definitely be purchasing a copy when it publishes to reread and annotate.

The perfect example of how a predictable story can make a reading experience better. I knew how this one would end from the first chapter, but it was thoroughly satisfying to go on the journey to get there.

What I liked:
- The critique of misogyny in academia was by far the highlight
- Rivals to lovers that feels mostly natural, especially on Effy's part
- The world is inspired by Wales and its cultural conflict with England

What I didn't like:
- I would've liked to explore Preston's heritage and life more. He's got the whole tragic backstory thing going, and I think he's a well-developed character, but I just wanted more.
- The sea as the enemy theme wasn't quite resolved

What I want Ava Reid to do next:
- Write Angharad
- Be bffs with Rebecca Ross (author of Divine Rivals) because same vibes

Would you like a book to tell you exactly what it would feel like for a woman in the institutional world of dark academia? The true under belly of just how unfortunate she’d be treated and viewed. Of the world we’re perceived in and how the world perceives us in return. A Study in Drowning does just this. The sharp parchment and rolled scrolls of this is no where near as pertinent as the house on a cliff with a girl just trying to survive vibes. Showing us bravery is more than picking up your armor and marching to battle. Our main character Effy is a uniquely serene and soft girl who is just trying to get by as best she can. That there’s a certain beauty to that way of survival. Sometimes it’s better to remain. Remain still. Remain running. Or remain hidden. I think the author did a spectacular job of giving us a book that shows such beauty in a antiqued world.

This is my first Ava Reid book but I can guarantee it won’t be my last. I pretty much knew from the first chapter that A Study in Drowning would be a 5 star read.

Between the characters, the lore and the vibes, I was 100% hooked.

This book was absolutely fantastic. I've already added it to our list for order next year and will recommend it to students.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for allowing me to read this book for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars. I loved this so much. I’m so obsessed with anything that has to do with fairies and fae lore, and my favorite movie is Jim Henson’s Labyrinth, so a book about a girl getting pursued by the fairy king was bound to catch my attention.

Effie Sayre, a first year architecture student, is chosen to redesign the manor that belonged to the late Emrys Myrdden, her favorite author. Angharad, his book about a girl who is taken by the fairy king and then defeats him, has been a comfort to Effie her whole life. When she gets to the cliff side house, she realizes that it’s a much more formidable job than she expected. It’s falling apart, and the sea is quickly threatening to swallow it up. She also learns that there’s another student from her university there, a smug boy name Preston Héloury, hoping to find proof that Myrdden is a fraud. But there’s something dark happening at this crumbling house by the sea, and the two will have to work together if they want to avoid drowning. Because the sea is not the only enemy they’re facing.

One thing that I loved about the story was that Ava Reid did such a good job of creating a fleshed-out fictional universe that still has so many parallels to our own. The rules of fairies in Llyr are the same rules you hear told in Celtic folklore, and their technology is similar to ours in the 1920s or 30s. Unfortunately, Effy’s world shares some of the nastier aspects of ours as well, including sexism. In fact, that’s really what this story is about; women and the men who want to have power over them.

Effy was such a good main character, flawed but relatable so many ways. As the first woman in the architectural college, she faced formidable misogyny from students and faculty. She second-guessed herself constantly, but she also knew deep down that she had the strength and capabilities that everyone in her life had done their best to gaslight her out of. We’ve all felt like we weren’t good enough at times, and I don’t know one woman who hasn’t experienced sexism. Preston, the love interest, was also amazing, as her support and as a fully developed character with flaws and trauma of his own.

The only issue I had with the book was that a very important climactic scene (that I won’t spoil here, except to say that it involved a glass shard) felt a little rushed. I would have liked more time spent in that moment. But other than that, I really loved A Study in Drowning.

A Study In Drowning is such a gem of a book. Dark academia with academic rivals, sat in a creepy seaside town within a crumbling house. It reads almost fairytale-esque. Effy, the main character, is such a complex character, she shows there is strength in softness that continues to develop as the story goes on. At the core of the story is sexism in academics, the different ways, your voice can be taken from you, and who gets to decide what a story really means. Ava Reid wastes no words. There were so many good quotes within this book. It’s one of those stories that you could read over and over again, and still discover something new.

Effy wins a grant to help redesign the home of her favorite author, but she is going to uncover far more layers to his origin story. As she traverses a new location, half lies, and a fight with history, Effy carries readers through a convoluted tale that needs to be undone in order for the truth to surface.

As a character, Effy is fine. She has a tough exterior, but is still emotional and kind--and the balance of her emotions make her a likeable MC. Her counterpart, Preston, is a little harder to read, and it keeps the reader wondering which side he'll end up on. The slew of ancillary characters all have unique features that add intrigue to the story as well, but they're clearly secondary to the story.

The writing for this one worked for me. It was fluid and detailed, highlighting emotion without making female emotions the sole focus.

Overall: 4 stars

I'll tell my students about: sexual assault, language, alcohol, death, mental health/trauma

**Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the free DRC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

Beautiful heartbreaking tale of a young girl discovering herself. I resonated with this one so much, as I think most woman would. I found the writing to be beautiful and the entire arc of the story to be so intriguing.

This is my second Ava Reid and she is now an automatic buy for me.

Love love loved this one

This is probably my favorite book I’ve read all year. I am preordering a copy but I hope a special edition comes out in a book box. I can’t wait to see what Ava Reid comes out with next. I love her complex characters, interesting and unique but somehow familiar settings, and themes. Ava Reid is especially talented at crafting female characters that are real and relatable — a nontoxic girl boss. She also has the best male main characters built for the female gaze. I will continue to read everything this author writes because it is a delight each time.

Wow. I just finished A Study in Drowning, and honestly, I know I should sit with my thoughts before penning a review, but I cannot. This story is a deep dive into so many societal issues. Most glaringly obvious is sexism within academia. It is tragic, raw, and beautiful at times. A must-read for lovers of fantasy, academic rivals to lovers, spellbinding prose, and/or stories that will stay with you long after you have finished them.

A Study in Drowning is a Young Adult novel following Effy Sayer as she embarks on a journey to redesign Hiraeth manor: the home of her favorite Lyrian author, Emrys Myrddin. This challenge turns out to be much more difficult than Effy first believes. Myrddin is famous for writing Angharad, a novel about the Fairy King. Effy has been haunted with nightmares and visions of the Fairy King since she was a child. She studies architecture, but her dream is to attend the literature college. At Hiraeth manor she meets a pedantic literature scholar named Preston Hèloury who is studying Myrddin’s legacy. The novel is set in a creepy gothic mansion that is quickly being taken over by rising sea levels. It encloses the themes of multiple gneres that will certainly make you shiver.
Throughout the book, Reid creates some very intriguing characters. First and foremost, Effy Sayre is a girl trying to find her way in the world, she is often made to believe by people that she attracts the wrong kind of attention, which is somehow her fault. Ever since her childhood she has had hallucinations of the Fairy King but everyone keeps telling her that her visions of Fairy King are most certainly fake. To succor her from her visions she takes medication to differentiate between what’s real and fake. Preston Hèloury, the literature scholar, a very likable character, who in the midst of vicious, misogynistic men is the only male character that supports female empowerment. Effy and Preston’s relationship is rather sweet to read about. They bring out the best parts of each other and their banter is really entertaining.

Through descriptive writing, A Study In Drowning brings to life a fantastic world, terrifying mythical creatures like the Fairy King and unique characters like Angharad who help Effy explore her own power, the author is able to reach through the pages to speak to many women throughout time. This book shows the experience of being a woman: barred from rights, belittled, and forced into specific boxes that often do not include their own dreams or aspirations. The author creates a fantasy world that reflects real world problems. In a world where men are allowed to take advantage of women, several powerful men make Effy feel powerless.
This book does an amazing job of portraying sexism in academia. Since the narrator is a woman, she isn’t allowed to study the subject she is the best qualified for. Women are considered to be too frivolous and aren’t allowed to pursue their dreams. Effy also faces ridicule and harassment for being the only woman at the architecture college as they spread false rumors that she is a "temptress" who slept with her professor. At the end of the book, Effy has to fight to include her name on their thesis alongside Preston.
The narrative follows her internal journey to self acceptance until she eventually breaks free from her chains and speaks up for herself and others. It explores the power of stories and their effect on the world, as well as the reality of truth. Throughout the book, Preston emphasizes the importance of discovering “objective truth" as he investigates the author of Angharad. A lack of female stories is used to prove that women are too "foolish" to write well, which the school uses as a justification to bar women from entering. Through the characters, the book highlights the support women can give to each other. Effy has always struggled to believe in herself due to the pressures of her society and the people around her, but throughout the book with the help of Angharad she learns to value her thoughts and

expression. Though she did not want to be an architect, the storyline follows Effy’s march toward understanding as she tries to redesign her own world facing the light.
I love Reid’s writing style; A Study in Drowning is beautifully written with vivid descriptions, absorbing us into the world. For instance, “Hot, indignant tears pricked at her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.” shows how Reid captures Effy’s emotion. She uses a wide range of vocabulary, but instead of it making it harder to read, it brings you further into the story and the world that Reid clearly took much time to build. The way the narrator describes things often is tied to water or the sea in some way, which is very prominent in the story. At one point Effy describes, “Her hair drifted out around her head like pale flotsam” (Reid 207). Initially, the book is slow paced but it soon picks up as the main characters begin untangling the mystery, making the story enthralling.
This narrative also explores the duality of water— a parallel to Effy’s very name as Euphemia means both sorrow and strength. Effy and Preston discuss how the sea is described in Myrddin’s works and water is often seen as an enemy. A line from a poem by Myrddin that is quoted throughout the book is “The only enemy is the sea.” The sea is used as a metaphor for death itself. You can really dig deep into the metaphors and meaning of language used in this book, but it can also be appreciated at face value. I think it is a sign of a really good writer if their work can be mulled over while also just being appreciated for what it is.
The slow beginning speeds into a fast-paced rhythm of mystery and character development that keeps the reader hooked. Although the ending wasn’t shocking, the intriguing nature of the world and characters were more than enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Overall, the writer did an astounding job with the writing, dealing with important topics like institutional sexism, mental health issues, sexual assault. It’s a dark academia novel packed with mystery, enemies to lovers romance and a powerful feminist vibe to it. Reading this book on a stormy day by the sea would be the perfect way to fully appreciate it.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ll be honest, I liked The Wolf and the Woodsmen and I didn’t really like Juniper and Thorn. But A Study in Drowning? Checks ALL my boxes! A dark academia romantic fantasy set in a crumbling gothic seaside mansion with feminine rage with a healthy dose of social commentary.

I adored this book! I felt like the world-building was easily digestible and the descriptions of the setting were stunning. @avasreid does a spectacular job building her worlds from the ground up with downright gorgeous imagery.

The characters were complex and you got to understand their intentions as the story progressed and they developed. I felt like the romance was paced well and felt believable. The overall plot pacing was great, the story was engaging throughout and I literally did not want to put it down! Another book I can truthfully say that I read all in one night.

If you’re looking for a gothic dark academia romantic fantasy with a bit of mystery, then this book comes out September 19th!

This book has it all. Mystery, magic, romance. The world-building is superb, fully immersing you into the story. I read this in an afternoon; unable to put it down. Highly recommend for fantasy lovers!