Ava Reid is back with another beautiful fantasy novel, A STUDY IN DROWNING. I and many others fell in love with her previous novels, which were lush with fantastical elements and a wondrous cast of characters. This book blasted through my expectations, and gave me everything I wanted from another Reid novel. Her writing is absolutely perfect and allows the story to pop off the page. This was one of my favorite reads of the year and I cannot wait to see what Reid writes next!

Two university students, Effie, an architecture major and Preston, and English major find themselves together in the run down home of an acclaimed recently deceased author, each with different goals. Preston is to be writing up the author's biography and Effie, first year student, is to create a new plan to rebuild the house. (This made no sense to me. Effie was in architecture school, as the university only allowed woman into the architecture program... not the English program as she truly desired. Isn't architecture MUCH more complex? What sort of policy is this? And why would the school allow a mediocre first year such a potentially prestigious project? Yes, there was a small scandal.. but still).
Initially antagonistic towards one another, the two do come to an agreement to work together and their relationship is rather sweet.

This slow moving gothic fairy tale failed to truly grip me.

My Rating: 4 .75

I loved it! It was a lil spooky and creepy with that low hum of fantasy that slowly amps up the more you read. Truly sometimes it creeped me out at night.
Effy is the strong female protagonist that you're looking for. She's not badass because she's kicking butt and taking names but badass in that she's courageous and survives in both real world and fantasy situations.
There are maybe 3 particular instances that I thought the pacing was a tad rushed. But honestly, truly the writing of this book was so beautiful and poetic! I honestly want to read "Angharad" after reading this, if only it was a real book!
A beautiful and spooky feminist story.
I would definitely recommend this book if you love dark academia, fantasy, and spooky vibes!

This book is going to capture the hearts of so many readers! I have read all of this author’s books to date and the growth in narrative, writing, and storytelling is such a fun journey to be a small part of. I’m convinced this author can’t write a bad book - she is an auto-buy author for me.

Effy and Preston are too freaking adorable together. From academic rivals to passionate partners, they will give you all the feels. You will be rooting for Effy every step of the way as she comes into her own confidence and success.

The writing is whimsical and the story is immersive. I love a book that blurs the lines between reality and fantasy, and this one will have you second-guessing what is real at every turn. You will question the authenticity and truths of everyone as myths, legends, and stories bleed into the fabric of the world.

The world is an intriguing historical, fantastical blend. This whole book is a vibe with its mysterious, grim, eerie atmosphere. Plus, who doesn’t love a book centered around a mad writer and their legacy of weirdness?

This book also brings to light important topics for discussion that would make it a great choice for book clubs, such as: coping with trauma and abuse, historical perspectives on women’s mental health, and feminist independence (especially in the world of academia).

This is a book to get lost in. I highly recommend this book to all fantasy readers, and even non-fantasy readers alike. It’s a definite five star from me and I’m already anticipating what Reid has in store for us next!

This book was a really interesting blend of dark academia, gothic vibes and mystery/horror. I enjoyed the setting a lot, and was surprised at how much I liked Effy as a protagonist. Effy was so well realized and her narrative voice was so clear. The writing is very pretty, but it doesn't quite tip into being purple prose (which I am really glad for, because flowery writing and I do not mix). The plot was tight, and fast paced which kept me really engaged and immersed in the story wondering what was going to happen next. Even though this is marketed as YA, I think that a lot of adults (like myself) would really enjoy this. I am really excited to get physical copies of this at my library, and it is coming out just the beginning of the spooky season (mid-September) which is a great tonal fit for the story!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Reid & HarperCollins for an arc of A Study in Drowning in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own (except quotations) & may not be reproduced.

“Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad - author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy fells certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.”

I saw that this book was highly anticipated for a lot of people. I honestly had even heard of it, but I’m a sucker for hype, so I jumped on the bandwagon!

Set to release September 19, 2023

Incredibly atmospheric and will appeal to a wide range of readers with all the different genres encompassed within. I’d call it a dark fantasy/romance/thriller. It is YA, but more of a mature YA. I absolutely loved the story and will not forget it any time soon. If I hadn’t already a difference fantasy novel this year that will likely end up being my #1 book for the year, I probably would have given this one 5 stars instead of 4.

Effy & Preston were fabulous MCs and the pacing was perfect. Dark, eerie, based on mythology and very gothic. Everything I look for in a fantasy.

DEFINITELY pre-order this or at least add it to your TBR/WL! I highly recommend.

This fantastic story is a piece of dark academia that covers everything from gothic mystery and horror to feminism and romance. Effy is a wonderfully layered protagonist, and it was very easy to connect with her. The writing is beautiful and atmospheric, lyrical while still keeping up an engaging pace. Altogether this was a fantastic read, not only for the young adults in its target market, but for other age groups as well.

WOW WOW WOW I absolutely loved this! Mysterious and magical and a fierce study of a woman in academics. So powerful and I loved the hints of Welsh lore in the story. I will be recommending this to everyone.

Effy longs to study literature and even write it herself, just like her favorite author. Myrddin’s epic tales about the Fairy King don’t just inspire Effy, they ground her, because Effy doesn’t just read about the Fairy King, she sees him. Effy’s dreams to attend Llyr’s Literature College are impossible because of her gender so she accepts the second best option: Architecture. As the only woman in the college and as a survivor of trauma, Effy’s lack of confidence threatens to dominate her. When her advisor sexually abuses her, she freezes. So when Effy wins a competition to design a new building to celebrate her favorite author, she hopes her luck might change, but the prize requires her to travel to the Bottom Hundred where superstitions are gospel and rising tides have claimed the people’s past but also their fear of any kind of a future. At Hiraeth Manor, Effy meets an impossible task and Preston Heloury, an Argantian student who is studying Myrddin’s life. Effy befriends Preston, and with his support, Effy determines to uncover the secrets of what is real while getting closer to Preston. As clues build and a storm brews, can Effy solve the mysteries that swirl around the author whose book defines her country? If Effy uncovers the truth about Myrddin, can the history of Angharad free Effy?

I loved (and highlighted!) so many sections of writing, but uneven pacing and too many unresolved themes left me conflicted on the rating for this one. Reid captures a dark academia/haunted house vibe wrapped in fairy tales with the threat of Climate Change on a slow simmer. I wish that the Fairy King had a more active role instead of lurking in the flash backs. The ending felt rushed with a Scooby-Doo tell all style wrap up, but I still tore through Effy’s story and will be glad to return to Llyr for a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books/HarperTeen for an advanced reader copy supplied for review

This book is so atmospheric, it truly feels like being submerged or caught in a storm at times, and I cannot commend the author enough on her prose and all the beautiful references to water throughout the text.
Things I loved about this book:
- the dark academia vibes - I especially love that it tackles what it is like to be a woman in academia & how often women and their work are undermined by the men they work with (definitely something that is personal to me so I’m often critical of how it’s talked about and I really appreciated it here)
- slow burn romance subplot with a nerdy love interest (always a good thing)
- well developed characters & character growth
- magic or magical realism, depending on your interpretation
The only potential negative is I think the solution to the mystery is pretty easy to figure out from the start (or like 25% in), but I still enjoyed reading how it is revealed and going through this adventure with the characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to this E-Arc!

Definitely Ava Reid exceeded all my expectations in this book. I was expecting a pretty cover with some basic story, but I was completely wrong. Okay, the cover is really pretty, but there's nothing "basic" about this book.

I must begin by praising the creation of the world that was so well crafted that it made me want to get into that story and not leave anymore. The "lore" of this book was based on Welsh and Celtic mythology and the author worked it out so well that I could read a thousand books on the same subject and written by her and not get tired.

Okay, now let's talk about one of the best protagonists I've been lucky enough to follow: Effy Sayre. She's me, I'm her! Effy is definitely my "it girl", I love her! My favorite thing about this character is that she's not perfect, she has flaws like all of us and that makes her REAL. Ava Reid worked so well on this character and made her so relatable, I cried and laughed with Effy. But she wasn't the only well-made character, sure enough all the other characters were GREAT (even the ones I hated with all my heart). It's definitely a 5/5 in character creation!

I can say that "A Study in Drowning" made it onto the list of favorites! This whole atmosphere of 'dark academia' with a 'rivals to lovers' style romance made me sigh and held me from start to finish. Thank you for this masterpiece, Ava Reid. I can say that Ava has improved a lot in her writing since Juniper & Thorn.

An enthralling architectural dark academia with gorgeous prose and a powerful story. Ava Reid weaves a tale of trauma, longing, deception, and hope

Thank you netgalley for the arc. I really enjoyed how everything tied up in the end. I predicted a few things in the story but over all really enjoyed it.

I enjoyed the book A Study In Drowning by Ava Reid. The characters were well developed and relatable. The plot was unique and suspenseful. I definitely found myself thinking about the story when I wasn't reading it.

Effy was very easy to get emotionally attached to. It was clear that she had flaws and her character development was very well done. Preston was also very easy to love. Even he was being "smug".

I did find some of the story line predictable and that made it hard to stay fully immersed in the story at times. But overall very solid story and I quite enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley & HarperCollins for an advance copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
"Everything ancient must decay. A wise man once said thus to me. But a sailor was I - and on my head no fleck of gray - so with all the boldness of my youth, I said: The only enemy is the sea.

I read The Wolf and the Woodsman semi-recently and I was intrigued by the story, but as a whole it was quite underwhelming. I actually had to double back and reread my review before writing this, because I remembered so little. But what I did remember is that I liked the lore and the mythical tribes in the book, which was enough to have me give the author a second chance.

And, man, was this book such an improvement. I love the lore that the author wrote about in this book, she did such an amazing job of providing a magical backstory that is slightly unsettling and has us questioning whether it is real or if the main character is just crazy. Throughout most of the book too I found myself questioning if the MC was an unreliable narrator or not, and I loved it. It really created a whole 'nother layer to the story.

The atmosphere for this book is also very top notch. I could easily see this book translated to the big screen, and I think it would translate well. The house itself was giving me slight Series of Unfortunate Events vibes: you have a rotting mansion on the precarious edge of a cliff, which slowly crumbles and eats the house alive. There is dark, moody weather where all you want is to sit in front of a fire, and I felt the need to nurse a nice cup of cocoa while reading (despite it being over 80*F where I am).

I think the characters are well written, and I enjoyed watching them come together to work toward a shared end goal. Even with the MC being hesitant to trust, especially trust someone she was raised to hate, they made a good pair and worked well together. The romance was well developed without completely overtaking the main story (except for one part near the end, ugh did not need a semi-spicy scene in there). The main character herself has some good character development too; it is almost like she is a different person near the end of the book.

My one issue with this story is that it definitely dragged in a few points throughout. I know that a story like this couldn't be action all the time, but the parts where there was action I was fully invested. But then some other parts were really slow and I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I also feel like I missed out on some of the description behind Sleepers and who they really are, and again missing out why the two different peoples hated each other. That could have been an overlook on my part, but I wondered about them throughout the whole story.

Overall, this was a good book and I am glad to have given the author a second chance. The atmosphere and lore are definitely my favorite aspect of this story, and I think it would translate well to the big screen. The story did drag in a few places, but the action sequences were really good and almost made up for it. All around a solid book, and worth the read.
Content warnings: adult/minor sexual assault, toxic relationships, child abuse, abandonment, sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment, body horror, bullying, child death

A Study in Drowning is a beautifully written dark academia fairy tale. If you enjoyed A Wolf and the Woodsman, and Juniper and Thorn you will love this book as well. Ava Reid does such a great job with character development along with creating a compelling atmosphere. I really enjoy her descriptions of the worlds that she builds.

I also really liked how this story was an ode to women everywhere who have been taken advantage of by men who hold power over them. This book cemented Ava Reid's place as an auto-read/auto-buy author for me!

This was a quick, imaginative read! I enjoyed world building in this book- it felt very unique! It was lovely to read Effy gain confidence at the end of the series. Overall, a lot of the plot felt predictable and it took a bit for the pacing of the book to find its footing. The plot seemed forced in some places, as well as the romance. I wish there had been moments of Effy finding her voice sooner than the final chapters of the book.

A dark academia novel inside a mystery novel all wrapped up in an academic rivals romance. And it just WORKS! I loved every minute of this book. It made me wonder what was real, who to trust, where all of the loose ends would tie up… and it just flowed so seamlessly. Ava Reid truly has a way with words that sucks you in to the middle of the worlds she creates. Truly a five star read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing Inc. for giving me an ARC for this book.

TW: sexism, death, sexual assault, drowning (and details about drowning), dependency on pills

Rating is 4.5

To be honest when starting this i wasn't aware if the sexism was on purpose or accident which made me question if I should keep reading. I am glad i kept reading. This book really touched on the issues between the sexes in the past and the lack of belief males had in females in everything from academic to the truth of something happening to them. The author threw in fairy tales and myths to make the reader think and feel even more.

The easiest way to explain what this book made me think about was David Bowie's Labyrinth. It starts off with just a simple girl going through her daily life taking care of her little brother and deciding to quote her lines in the school play Labyrinth not knowing that the words she is saying are actually summoning the Goblin King like in the play itself. Our main character in A Study of Magic isn't summoning the Goblin King while talking to her sibling but in a way close since she has been seeing the Fairy King from a young age but no one believes her, not even doctors or her mother. This makes the lines blur between what is real and what is all in her mind. Does the reader trust what she is saying, or do we believe what we have been told all our own lives that fairy tales aren't real and can't hurt us?

Our main character Effy starts off having a horrible first year of college being stuck in the architect college instead of the literature college that she focused on when taking the entrance tests, she even wrote a big essay for the literature college scouts. Leading Effy to be the only girl in the Architect college (no females allowed at the Literature College) which only leads to trouble with her peers and the staff. Luckily for Effy she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to go design a new home for her favorite author's son and widow. Little does she know she isn't the only one to get invited to the manor. One is there to see the place and inspiration of their favorite childhood fairy tale the other is there to prove the author is a fraud and possibly who really wrote some of the authors best works. Along the way belief in not only the author gets tested but also reality itself. What would you do if your favorite fairy tale story was all real? What would you do if it was becoming your real life? What would you say if one of the characters asked you to join them for eternity? Could eternity even be guaranteed at this point?

I'm not going to say more about the plot but i will say i wasn't sure about everything and how things were going to play out until key things started to come to light and fall into place. I felt like i was doing a puzzle trying to gather pieces to get a full picture but each time i thought i had it there was another piece found under furniture.

Would recommend this to anyone hands down as long as they knew the trigger warnings first. Good book loved the authors writing style and story telling.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a beautifully atmospheric novel and my new favorite of Reid's books. Reid creates characters you quickly care about and builds a gothic world that will continue to haunt you long after you finish the book. With a quick pace and engaging storyline, I found this book to be a fast read that kept me invested until the end. This book will surely be a favorite for dark academia and YA literature fans.
As with all of Reid's books, she does not shy away from tackling heavy topics, so I always recommend checking on the trigger warnings.