Immediately compelling and having me on the edge of my seat, “Curious Tides” is perfect for Fantasy and Dark Academia fans of all types. Fans of Erin Morgenstern, Donna Tartt, or Olivie Blake will find themselves unable to put this book down, fascinated at every twist and turn. From the first pages I was hooked, and while the world building took some getting used to, it was easy to sink in, and had reference pages at the very beginning that I found very helpful. By the end, my biggest frustration was that the sequel isn’t accessible yet. Cant wait for book two!!

Curious Tides is told by both Emory and Baz. There is a pretty detailed magic system based on the tides and moon phases. There are three houses based on the date of your birth and your magic. Emory was placed into new moon as a healer, but she never feels good. Her best friend Romie has always been powerful and a person people are drawn to. But Romie drowned along with seven other students the previous spring. They were doing some type of ritual that Emory didn't understand. She followed Romie there and things went wrong. Emory woke up on the beach with four dead bodies. The other four were lost. Baz is Romie's older brother. He is an eclipse which is generally frowned upon. Eclipse magic can be hard to control and when they lose control, they are generally kill people. They're taken away to have their magic banned. That happened to Romie and Baz's father and to Baz's best friend Kai. Something weird happens and Emory's magic changes. Baz notices right away that she's something different. He helps her hide what she is and trains her. But Emory is more reckless than Baz and wants to do things quickly. She's also drawn to another boy that also knows what she is. He introduces her into a secret society that wants to find a door to another world.

This was a pretty big book, but I did find it hard to put down at times. I liked the magic, but it took me awhile to really understand all of it. I'm definitely curious to see what happens in book two.

I gave this book 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5 on Goodreads.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon Teen for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to read and review Curious Tides early!

Curious Tides was my most anticipated release of 2023. Every time the author posted information about her debut, my excitement grew even more. With comparisons to some of my favorite books of all time (Legendborn, The Raven Cycle, and Ninth House) and my favorite tropes, I fell in love with Curious Tides before even reading it, and that was a fault on my part. Don't get me wrong, Curious Tides is a breathtaking new addition to the dark academia genre, but I expected something a little more polished. For every aspect I enjoyed, there were also flaws that I kept noticing. This novel was beautifully written, however, certain phrases and descriptions became repetitive. At times, sentences and paragraphs dragged on, and I was just hoping for the characters to stop rambling on and get to the point. Perhaps this is because I read the ARC instead of the finished copy, but this prevented me from rating it higher. The protagonists, Emory and Baz were well-written, but I preferred the side characters much more. Virgil, Romie, and Kai had more personality and individuality, while Emory and Baz felt too similar. In both of their chapters, I was constantly reminded of how mediocre they felt and how their friends were everything they wished they could be. I could relate to their struggles, so I didn't mind this too much, but it became incredibly obvious when Emory was going to doubt her powers and compare herself to Romie, or when Baz was going to talk about how lonely and afraid he was, nothing like Kai. Additionally, while the magic involving the moon and tide levels was interesting, there's a lot of information on how things work, making it difficult to follow at times.

It would have been helpful if this book included a glossary and map. While the physical ARCs came with maps, my digital copy did not have one, and a map would have helped my understanding of the world much better. Although there are pages that list the different Houses and their associated magic, a glossary explaining concepts such as bloodletting and Collapsing would have been beneficial to the reader as well. Additionally, when I sent this ARC to my Kindle, the Song of the Drowned Gods chapter sections that divided the book into parts were cut off, and I felt lost when the characters were referencing them. These issues have nothing to do with the quality of the text itself, but I really hope the publisher sees this review and fixes it so others can have an easier time reading and enjoying Curious Tides!

Despite my criticisms, Curious Tides is still an incredible debut that offers something new and I am sure many readers will be obsessed with this book. The atmosphere was wonderful, and I got lost in the pages as Emory and Baz explored Aldyrn College and its libraries. The atmosphere was wonderful, and I got lost in the pages as Emory and Baz explored Aldyrn College and its libraries. The magic system was unique and emphasized the creativity of the author. Though Curious Tides is being released in October, I am glad I read it during the last month of summer because the sea setting made this the perfect transitional read. I also really love how this book is set at a magical college, rather than the typical high school or boarding school YA novels tend to take place in.

All in all, I am definitely interested in continuing with this duology and supporting Lacelle's writing career. Though my expectations weren't quite met, I'm sure the author will improve in the next book. If you like Maggie Stiefvater and Stephanie Garber's books, you're going to want to have Curious Tides on your fall reading list.

📚✨ BOOK REVIEW TIME ✨📚

QOTD: What book are you ending August with?

📖: Curious Tides
✍️: Pascale Lacelle #pascalelacelle
🎭: YA romantasy, YA fantasy, YA dark academia
⭐️:🌑🌑🌑🌛/5 (3.5/5)
⚠️: Occult, death, grief, branding/tattoos, body horror, anxiety and depression, panic attack, bloodletting, self-harm, magical substance abuse, magical asylum/prison (included by author)

My 💭: I’m giving this one 3.5 stars. I liked it. It moved a bit slow for me in the beginning and I was losing some interest. But about half ish way through I really got invested in the story. I really loved the magic and the ties to the lunar cycle, I also loved the whole faction like portion of different houses/dorms.
I did enjoy Emory’s story Arc but don’t like her at all as a character. I loved the characters of Baz, Virgil and Kai.

I do plan to read on in the series as it comes out. I hope that the future books also include the excerpts as well because it is an aspect that really made me love the story more. This being her first book I feel there is room for improvement and her obvious talent in weaving and some lyrical type writing shows real promise.

Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the #arc #earc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books for the eARC!

Curious Tides is a book that blew me away with it's beautiful, evocative writing. The description sounded amazing on its own but this book is an absolute delight and I sped right through it. I really enjoyed Emory and Baz and the magic system? Wonderful!

Curious Tides is a stunningly atmospheric book full of moon magic and gorgeous, evocative descriptions of the sea and its surroundings. The friendships and romantic dynamics between the characters are refreshingly unique. My only critique is that I felt that a central plot twist was clearly predictable from nearly the beginning of the book, which did feel like it aged the book down a tad compared to the lovely language and more complex storylines and themes. I will absolutely be recommending this book to other readers, especially those who like books in academic settings and dark tales that sweep you up in their atmosphere.

Finished reading Curious Tides! The end was phenomenal and I can’t wait to read the second book but I can’t say I was obsessed with this. The magic system was really cool and I like that the world building was not really info dumpy but rather you were slowly introduced to various aspects of it and kind of just thrown into the world in the beginning. I loved Emory’s story arc especially her growth there at the end, but honestly she is not my favorite character. I really liked Baz though and Virgil and Kai are definitely my favs.

I did really enjoy it though and would recommend it. Especially because I think subsequent books will be even better. This is her debut book so her writing will probably improve. She did have some absolutely beautiful writing in this! All those excerpts from the story that weaves through the real story like a fairytale was very cool and beautiful.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonandschuster for the provided arc for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You had me at dark academia. My goodness this was a fun, dark romp into a moon-obsessed world full of twisted turns in ominous caves by treacherous seas. This is the perfect October read for dark, stormy nights. I was enraptured by the setting already, but the world building and magical system here is wonderful and unique. If you loved the houses aspect of Hogwarts and the darker aspects of the Harry Potter world, you will love this.

Now on to the main character, Avery. This character is at times endearing, but mostly frustrating. Mainly because her actions and decisions are both ridiculously naive and all too relatable. As someone who kept her head down in college and never wanted to be involved in drama, I too was naive of the ways of the world. Which is why I couldn’t stand how she treated Baz, the one other person who knew her and cared for her. She was so out of pocket for how she treated Baz when she knew what it was like to not be popular. Speaking of Baz, he’s a sweetheart who did not deserve the treatment he got. I loved his character arc in this book. To me, he is the star of the show along with his roomie, Kai. These two had the much more interesting storyline. Avery, girl get it together.

On to other things I loved about this story. The story-within-the-story was so interesting! These heroes jumping between worlds to find the drowned gods added so much to Avery and Baz’s storylines. The twists towards the end of the book were so good at bringing all the plot points together and had me putting the book down to sit with my thoughts for a minute. Lots of shocked Pikachu faces throughout the whole book. I loved it. I can’t wait for the sequel.

Digital ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle is an exquisite dark academia fantasy that captivates readers with its mesmerizing tale. The story revolves around a teenage mage who embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind a clandestine society that may be linked to the untimely demise of her fellow classmates.

Within this vibrant world, magic thrives and pulses, infusing every corner with its enchanting presence. The intricate spells and mystical elements woven throughout the narrative add depth and allure to the story, drawing readers into a realm where secrets lurk in the shadows.

As the protagonist delves deeper into the mystery, the plot takes unexpected twists and turns, plunging into the depths of darkness. The author skillfully crafts a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning each page to unravel the secrets that lie beneath the surface.

Curious Tides is a testament to the author's ability to create a rich and immersive atmosphere. The vivid descriptions and evocative imagery transport readers to a world brimming with magic and intrigue. With each sentence, the author paints a picture that lingers in the mind, leaving a lasting impression.

Curious Tides is a remarkable work of dark academia fantasy that seamlessly blends mystery, magic, and suspense. Pascale Lacelle's masterful storytelling and the captivating atmosphere she creates make this novel a must-read for fans of the genre.

4.5 stars

I was hesitant to read this book due to the comparison to A Deadly Education, which I couldn’t get into; however, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Once I got through the slow beginning, I couldn’t put it down because I needed to figure out how everything was going to play out in the end. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s a pretty unique dark academia YA book with a complex magic system centered around the lunar phases. The magic system was fun and different and is what makes the book. I didn’t love the main character Emory because she didn’t really think through what she was doing a lot of the time and you can’t be surprised by what happens to her as a result. So yeah some of the plot may be kind of predictable in that regards but it’s still interesting to see how everything with the secret society unfolds. The ending was pretty chaotic and intense, so I’m excited to see what comes next for the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really hard to read. At the beginning, especially, we see our main characters dealing with trauma and grief. Since they are teenagers they are not dealing with it very well, and that's fair, but it was still emotional and heart breaking at times. This is also a very well dveloped world, but it's totally foreign to me so it took a while to get used to the story and the rules and keep them straight in my mind. The number of times I looked up what the phases of the moon are on my own is more than a few let's just say.

I enjoyed the characters. Emory and Baz were unique and brought different skills and perspectives to the main plot and problems, but this book was heavy in both words and content. It's defintiely not what I would call a fun read, but it offers a compelling perspective that is much needed. This would get a reccomendation to a very specific set of readers. If you like fantasy and magic YA stories this is perfect for you.

Emory might be a student at the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magics, but her healing abilities have always been mediocre at best—until a treacherous night in the Dovermere sea caves leaves a group of her classmates dead and her as the only survivor. Now Emory is plagued by strange, impossible powers that no healer should possess.
Powers that would ruin her life if the wrong person were to discover them.
To gain control of these new abilities, Emory enlists the help of the school’s most reclusive student, Baz—a boy already well-versed in the deadly nature of darker magic, whose sister happened to be one of the drowned students and Emory’s best friend. Determined to find the truth behind the drownings and the cult-like secret society she’s convinced her classmates were involved in, Emory is faced with even more questions when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore—alive—only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths.
And Emory is not the only one seeking answers. When her new magic captures the society’s attention, she finds herself drawn into their world of privilege and power, all while wondering if the truth she’s searching for might lead her right back to Dovermere…to face the fate she was never meant to escape.

Thank you so much Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of Curious to read and give an honest review of!

"Fear of failure's the bitch that holds you back from success."

Content Warnings: death, grief, murder, branding, body horror, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, bloodletting, self-harm, alcohol, magical substance abuse, magical asylum, magical prison

*4.5 stars, rounded up*

This book was everything I hoped it'd be! A deadly event that leads to the unraveling of several age-old mysteries and the discovery of some new ones, all set at a dark-academia magic college with a powerful secret society and an exquisite magic system/ world. The story almost reminded me of The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw, except make it fantasy and with even more mystery.

First of all, the MAGIC SYSTEM? AMAZING. STUNNING. It had consequences, time restraints, and a unique lunar-cycle-inspired set-up. It was very intriguing to see the different types of magics being used, how they figured out which magic people could possibly have, and even the bias towards students/magic users from House Eclipse. The concept of "Collapsing" was very interesting as well.

And even better, the worldbuilding was just as stunning as the complex magic system! I mean, it had famous authors/literature, history/myths/legends, a sort-of government body (with its own shady secrets, of course), and even its own school system.

The plot was pretty good too, although it was relatively predictable (I even guessed the big plot twist regarding both Emory & the Selenic Order). Speaking of Emory, my biggest issue with this book rested with the FMC. I just wanted her to come to life so I could wrap my hands around her neck and shake her a bit because she was so incredibly stupid. The whole time I was like "He's playing you! He's using you for what he wants!", but did she listen? Nooooooo. While I get her desire to be accepted, powerful, and even found attractive, it's a bit too much like Juliette Ferrars Shatter Me (before Juliette stopped feeling sorry for herself, grew up, and became confident) for me to like her as a character.

On the other hand, I absolutely loved Baz, a complex MMC who is struggling with the grief of both his best friend's and his father's Collapses AND his sister's death/disappearance. He is my cinnamon roll, and I swear if something happens to him in the next book . . .

Overall, a very enjoyable and unique read! I'm excited for book #2, and I would recommend this book to fans of A Deadly Education (though, this is MUCH better than it) and The Wicked Deep!

"Everyone I know, it's like they're here but not really living, you know? They're stuck in their comfortable routines and boring lives, and I want more than that. I want to sail away like your moon, go on a new adventure every day, meet new people, fall in love, try everything the world has to offer. Now that's living."

Absolutely loved every second of this book. My expectations were blown out of the water and I felt myself not putting it down for long before I needed to pick it back up and read more.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book to read and review. All of these thoughts and comments are my own.

I can honestly say I’ve never read a book like this before and I loved it. I don’t know much about moon signs but after reading this; I want to know everything.

This book reminded me a lot of The Atlas Six and Ninth House. I wasn’t a fan of Ninth House, so I was very surprised that I enjoyed this book so much.

9 students go into a cave and only Emory comes out. Emory wants answers on exactly what happened that night at Dovermere Cave. Why she lived and why Romie and no one else did. She seeks help from her friend Romie’s brother, Baz. Will Baz help her figure out what happened or will she rely on her new friend Keiran to help her. But, don’t always trust people you call your friends…you never really know their intentions.

This book was a super fun and informative read. I devoured this and enjoyed it immensely. I also really love that the “love plot” didn’t overtake the fantasy plot of the book. The magic in the book was fantastic. I loved the system. I love the different categories. It was really cool reading about moon powers. I loved the characters, even the small side characters were great.

The way this ended; I’m very excited to read the next book in the series. I have high hope for two certain people to end up together even though the “romance” in the book wasn’t super strong.

I truly think a lot of people will enjoy this read. It’s very different from other fantasy novels I’ve read and I’m excited to own this book and add it to my collection.

4.5 stars rounded to 5!

Thank you to the publisher for the arc!


Well this was a pleasant surprise. Dark academic fantasy that lets you draw your power from the phases of the moon? Sign me up. I wasn’t sure where this was going to go due to the writing style and the plot moving at a snail pace but I’m not mad. I had a fun time reading it and I enjoyed the alternating perspectives between Emory and Baz.

Definitely looking forward to the sequel.

There was a lot of telling which decreased my enjoyment of the story. The magic based on the tides was interesting but the execution of the story made it so in the end I didn't care for it. The two main characters were just not gripping my attention and I found the FMC constantly telling us how much she wanted to be like her friend remi over and over boring. I was expecting a lot more since the prose is at times very beautiful but in the end I wasn't invested in anything that was happening. I was especially looking forward to the time travel magic but was disappointed when Baz was too afraid of his own power.

That. Was. Phenomenal.

I don’t even have words to describe how much I loved this book. I received an e-ARC yesterday and already finished it because I could not put it down. The mysteries are so compelling. The characters are rich and complex and disasters in their own ways and I loved them! The magic system and world building were so unique.

This was so perfectly unpredictable. Normally, I figure out the twist early on but I never saw these twists coming (but in the best way). I was sitting here saying “OHHHH THAT MAKES PERFECT SENSE” right after a reveal.

If there isn’t a sequel I will be DEVASTATED. This is what dark academia should be. This debut was perfection in a book. I already can’t wait to reread it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lord have mercy this book is so good it almost hurts. The dark academia setting is delicious, the romance thrilling, the cult-centric layers of mystery are peeled back so artfully it is applause-worthy (there’s a story within a story here that is just flawless, folks) and several titular characters are, of course, not what they appear.

But the swan song of “Curious Tides” is easily the very last couple of chapters; where we see the protagonists make exceedingly risky choices that build up to absolute chaos, a pulse-pounding scene where everything gets laid bare, and a glimpse at the fuller storyline fueling one big impossible mystery finally becomes clear. Pascale LaVelle’s glorious debut closes on a cliffhanger that is guaranteed to leave you gasping, wanting more. More answers, more foresight into what’s next, more inexplicable magic. I am shattered that I have to wait an undetermined amount of time for a book two.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.*