This dark academia story is everything it claims, and more… both good and bad. The writing is surprisingly well-done and the plot is unique and gripping. The story revolves around Lennon, a young woman who, at the lowest point of her life, is invited to attend a secret, unknown, yet elect university. She feels it is her one chance to make something of her otherwise useless life, though, so she readily agrees.

What follows is an ever deepening realization that this school is not at all what the surface facade shows. Rather, it is a deeply disturbing education into how certain talented individuals can learn to persuade and ultimately control the minds and wills of others, even to the point of changing their surroundings. The darkness comes to play as one realizes the repercussions and opportunities that ability can afford. It is a dangerous temptation as much as an incredible gift and not many care which.

The story is riveting with its plethora of nuanced ideas that really make one think and consider their own choices and what they would be. The overall tone throughout the majority of the book, however, is considerably cynical and gloomy in nature. This is especially true of Lennon. She is not a particularly sympathetic heroine. Her entitled, yet defeatist personality can be extremely hard to connect with enough to want her to succeed. She lives her life fatalistically bemoaning her circumstances, yet consistently makes decisions that will cause those very events to affect her. Her choices are to escape by taking drugs, or just going along with the easiest option. This does exemplify the current ennui and entitled disconnect that so many complain about, however, so her personality may ring true to many. The portrayal comes with a very nuanced shading and is extremely well penned. Lennon just won’t be a character some may enjoy rooting for.

The remainder of the characters are more one dimensional, with the slight exception of Dante, Lennon’s advisor. He is quite an enigma and his truth only unravels near the end of the story. But then, it is in such an eye-opening way that it makes him the true hero of the entire book!

It is the story, itself, that keeps the star rating so high. All the questions and expectations are completely blown out of the water one at a time, leading up to a truly jaw-dropping and genius climax! Then, it lets the reader down slowly with a reflective and satisfying ending. SO good!!

This is a dark book. It had a great premise that made me want to give this a try even though I don't always like really dark books. I did enjoy this one. It was definitely hard to get through at some points, but I still couldn't stop because I wanted to see what happened next. Lennon was a character I wanted to see good things happen for. She had it pretty tuff in several spots in the book. I had a hard time with Dante. In the end he mostly pulled it together, but was still my least favorite out of Lennon's friends/classmates/teachers. If you like books with dark themes that are set in a school setting (college age) then you should definitely give this one a try. It will keep you guessing at what is happening until the end.

“Persuasion is often a perverse exercise in empathy.”

I have never read a dark academia/ fantasy book where the magic system is persuasion; elements of logos, ethos, and pathos as well as the id and ego are included in the world building. I was sucked in by the first page, and I devoured more than half in one night. It’s definitely a top 3 dark academia book for me.

While I wish certain scenes and parts to the magic (aberrations!!) were explored more, I enjoyed every second of this book. I truly wish this was a duology or more because there’s TONS to elaborate on beyond Drayton College.

Lennon’s arc is one of my favorite parts. She’s navigating such a complex magic system in a new environment, and it only makes sense for her to be imperfect in the process. Morally grey is literally imbedded in this college, and we see her trying to keep her own empathy while also taking on the power she has to save this world. Her emotions were also beautifully tangible, and Alexis did a great job, in my opinion, of depicting her mental health struggles in a right but complicated fashion.

Don’t get it twisted, this book is horrifyingly dark. A few times I had to stop reading because the details were too much.

Also, I know people will have complicated feelings about the power dynamics between Lennon and the love interest, but that’s only one of the hard things Alexis tackles.

An Academy For Liars portrays a lot of the problems within academia. Many professors want power and tenure over caring about their students; they reminded me of politicians in the final 100ish pages, particularly when they change their tune once power changes hands. Death and cruelty are rampant on the campus with little to none done via consequences because of the greed for power. We even find out Drayton staff and alumni manipulate political ballots, wars, the economy, and so much more, which again is something powerful universities do too.

Ultimately, persuasion, power and greed are synonymous throughout the book, and it’s one of the greatest warnings upon finishing. I can’t wait to post a spoiler review on its release date. 🤭

Thank you Berkley/Ace Books for the eARC!

EMBRACE ABSOLUTE POWER BECAUSE ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY

Coming in as someone who has never read an Alexis Henderson book. I knew that this was going to be good. It was the first thought I had as the last sentence of the first chapter ended. Marked by that final period. And good it was. As we first meet Lennon she is beaten and broken down mentally. She was struggling with her mental health. Having been in and out of facilities, compounded with the fact that she just caught her fiancée cheating on her with the one person she thought was her only friend (at their engagement party no less, ugh). When she finds Drayton College she is on the cusp of a mental breakdown. Taking a heavy toll. So much so, that she thinks she should end her life. That is until she gets a phone call that changes everything.

I don’t think I will be able to express how much I loved this book. With representation in it, not just a Black woman seen as mentally unwell but the hidden threads of something more to the story. Things deep with the questions you ask yourself day over day, year over year even decades later. And with this representation comes the hard shadow of uncertainty. Questioning the validity of Lennon. Marking her as something more than just unstable. Something weightier, more ponderous.

“THE FIRST STEP TO PERSUASION IS OBSERVATION.”

What lies beyond the doors of the draped campus is a haze thick and murky. Darker. Colder than you can imagine. There is a wrongness to the walls. Like a heavy leaden ball in the pit of your stomach, cementing you, leaving you bristling with a creeping sensation that something isn’t right. As the story progresses tension builds, ratcheting up until you are screaming RUN LENNON!

an academy for liars
The joy in a story like An Academy for Liars is in its distortion. Blurred vision and images formulating a masterpiece for some and nonsense for others.

In addition to the well-created storyline in An Academy for Liars is its pacing, and character development. At the same time, creating compelling backstories and building upon them taking and balancing multiple elements like the supernatural and horror, and even the forbidden teacher-student relationship that develops as a secondary thread.

“DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR NAME?”
Running throughout the story are moths. Dante is covered in them via his tattoos, he is gifted one by the vice-chancellor. It is on the cover of the book. They are everywhere. When you look into the meaning behind moths you will see that they represent change, transformation, and growth. Then you realize that it is a foreshadowing of sorts. With magic hidden from Lennon (in a way. She doesn’t realize she has it), you see the growth, change, and transformation it takes for her to get to the place that rare cases get to (I can’t tell you it would be a SPOILER). In turn, she also realizes that she isn’t alone, she has brilliant classmates whom she notices are her friends and willing to stand by her.

In contrast, there are several questions I have about An Academy for Liars. Two that I can’t seem to let go. One is the frequent line Do you still have your name? When do you lose your name? How do you lose your name? And while I think I should know this and it was probably given to me point blank in the story, I can’t seem to wrap my head around it. The other is the constant storms. This probably was also given to me while not so point-blank.

Henderson's novel, a mesmerizingly dark tale set at a college dedicated to the art of persuasion, is impossible to put down. Students receive mysterious invitations to apply, but few are chosen, and not everyone survives their courses. Academics can be brutal.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s dark academia, it’s Black leads, it’s thrilling, enthralling, engaging all at once. I loved the ties to Lennon’s mental health challenges and the relationships she built with her peers. I wanted a bit more about the mirror reflection piece and Dante’s entire story, but here’s hoping for a sequel. The plot twists were amazing and I love the themes of seeing your role in the past. It was really amazing and I’m so grateful to have received this one!

After reading and enjoying Year of the Witching, I was so excited to dive into Alexis’s next novel.There was so much potential for this one. I loved that persuasion plot line. But this student/teacher relationship and all the drugs just weren’t for me.

I am always skeptical of "dark academia" branded novels but really enjoyed Alexis Henderson's take on the genre: a biracial protagonist plucked from her life and deposited in a secret PWI designed to teach students the extremes of persuasion. There were strong echoes of Max Barry's Lexicon (secret organization & elite academy teaching students persuasion via manipulation language) but Henderson manages to steer shy of Barry's concept by focusing the story within a haunting, hidden Savannah campus & centering abilities of telekinesis & teleportation. While I can't stay that any characters stuck out as memorable, the plot was propulsive and engaging, smoothly paced with the exception of an extraordinarily rushed conclusion that clumsily propped open the door for a sequel without sufficiently wrapping loose ends. I really liked how Henderson approaches the ethical squishiness of persuasion as an enhanced ability, though wished she had leaned into more of Drayton College's odious implications on the world at large. However, I was BEYOND fed up with the over-reliance on the miscommunication trope by the end of the story: another frustrating example of 1/2 of the problems in the story being solvable by a few characters having an honest conversation.

DNF @ 13%
I think this could be great, but it just wasn’t for me. What I did read was well written, but also wasn’t quite convincing me to stay for the ride. Like it felt like a hard left turn from how it opened to her getting to the academy. Like literally she just happens to get a call at the right moment and place? The atmosphere and gothic elements were wonderfully written. But I also am skieved out by teacher/student relations
I think this book is definitely for someone and will be loved. It just wasn’t for me sadly.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

An Academy for Liars is darkly poetic and hypnotically mystical, in a way that had me believing in magic for just a minute. This was the dark academia I NEEDED this season. The perfect cocktail of beautiful prose, wonderful storytelling, and complex relationships - this is a book I will spend a lifetime raving about.

I absolutely adored this new dark academia novel from Henderson. Creative, brutal magic set in mysterious Savannah. Full of gothic atmosphere, cannot wait to recommend this to everyone!

2.5 ⭐️ (rounded up)

After she catches her husband having an affair, Lennon leaves and soon receives an invitation to study at Drayton College, a secret institution where students learn the art of persuasion. There, she meets many interesting people, including her mysterious advisor Dante. Drayton College is full of dangerous secrets, but Lennon learns that she may be the key to saving them all.

I wanted to love this book, but I found it a bit hard to get through. I love the premise and the world is quite unique, but I had a difficult time connecting with the main characters. The writing was great and you would likely enjoy this book if you love dark academia, mystery and horror.

Thank you to Alexis Henderson, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For dark academia fans--this is an absolute must read (and coming out just in time for spooky season, mind you!!!). This was a WILD ride that I am only mildly embarrassed to admit scared the 💩 out of me at points.

First and foremost--this was my first Alexis Henderson book somehow, and it absolutely will not be the last. Her writing in this is stellar, and I am inclined to believe based on this book and everyone else's high praise of her other novels that they are all just as top tier as this one.

The world was vivid and engrossing. Everything was clearly painted and it felt like watching a magical, haunting, horror leaning fantasy film. I found myself on multiple occasions getting totally lost in this book and forgetting that I was even reading at all, which is a feeling I'm constantly chasing. If something can make me not want to pick up my phone and scroll TikTok endlessly (except for when I get scared and have to go watch cute animal videos to decompress in this book's case), we've got a winner on our hands.

The story was not MY perfect fantasy story, which legitimately is the only reason I am not rating this higher--I sometimes can tire of the magic school setting (I know I'm super in the minority there) and dark academia isn't really my usual/preferred aesthetic. This book suffered from both of those things in my eyes--it was a fantastic story that I'm certain is going to be a BANGER for many, but just sits at really good for me due to it not being my personal cup of tea aesthetically and certain tropes feeling a bit overdone.

That said, if you are a magic school setting fan, a dark academia fan, and/or horror fan--I implore you to read this book. It's spooky, it's trippy, it's got a touch of romance (but not overdone/cheesy IMO), it's got a really interesting magic system, magic schools, secret societies, and so much more. 3.75 stars rounded up. 👻

Please be sure to check trigger warnings before reading, however--it is dark in every sense of the word.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I first finished this book my rating was sitting somewhere between 4-4.5 stars, but considering that I am still thinking about this book days later I think she warrants a 4.5 ️

This book had all of the dark & twisted elements I was looking for in a Dark Academia, and I really loved the entire concept. I already know this is going to be a huge hit for spooky season, and it was the perfect way to dip my toes into Fall. The very first chapter had me reeled in with sort of an eerie and almost creepy vibe to it and I quickly became obsessed with further exploring the secrets of this world. In tandem with the dark academia setting this book also gives a bit of a gothic/horror aesthetic with a secret society of secret societies and a morally grey character.. or two.

I especially appreciated the world building! I felt like I was attending Drayton College with all of the atmospheric details. The Historic Savannah, GA setting just felt so perfect. The magical elements also just felt so unique and immersive with the art of persuasion and altering reality at the focus. The psychological aspect had me constantly questioning what was real and who I could trust.

There are some elements of romance, but they seemed to take a back seat to the plot which I appreciated. I wasn't necessarily obsessed with their relationship together, but loved them as MCs. The dark elements of this book were just so consuming, and I thoroughly enjoyed being kept on my toes. If you're a lover of dark academia and eerie/twisty vibes this will be a great option to add to your fall tbr.

Do you ever feel fascinated and deeply invested in a book but then finish the book and realize you didn’t really like it that much? That was this book for me. \

An Academy of Liars is a really captivating dark academia book with tons of dark atmosphere. I loved the plot and the originality of Drayton College. The problem was that the characters were just predictable and underdeveloped. After finding her fiance cheating on her, Lennon receives a mysterious phone call that she has been accepted to Drayton College. Lennon discovers that Drayton is a hidden university for students with the ability to influence others. The concept and the university itself was very interesting. I loved the ethical conversations regarding persuasion and the magical elements of the story. I really enjoyed the first half of this book as Henderson spent a great deal of time building an interesting setting and world.

Where this book lost me was in the characters. Lennon leaves a disastrous relationship only to fall into another relationship and while she is forced to grow and learn on her own, I still felt her relying heavily on the men in her life. Lennon and her love interest (not putting the name for spoiler reasons), had very little chemistry and I wanted more from their relationship. The friendships that Lennon developed at Drayton also felt flat. I just didn’t believe that these characters were friends.

Overall, I had a good time with this book and the vibes are perfect for fall. Also, a standalone novel is always nice! I did love the writing and plan to read Henderson’s other work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing/Ace Books for providing me with an ARC.

This was amazing. Henderson’s writing is just breathtaking. I love how she writes the setting of all her books, especially here. You can feel the anxiety and of Lennon throughout the book. And Dante is amazing 🥰

I love dark academia and I haven't read one in a while so I was really excited to dive into An Academy for Liars. This book had EVERYTHING I was craving! Rivalries, secret societies, magic, and morally grey characters. It's dark and haunting too made it even more incredible. Now I want to go back and read the author's backlist which I'm sure I'll be doing quite soon. If any of this sparks your interest then this is a must read!

I originally gave this 5 stars. I loved the characters. They felt so real and complex. The plot was exciting. There was gore which is always great. I very much could not put it down.

But after sitting on it a few days, I feel like there were too many plot holes so I'm dropping it down to 4 stars (which is still a fantastic book!)

<spoiler>What's with all the moths? That keeps getting teased but not really answered.</spoiler>
<spoiler>Where did she go in the elevator at the party. Obviously the kid was Dante but why did the door disappear? Why was it "darker" than normal? Why didn't she run into anyone else? It reads like she was in a parallel universe and not just back in the past but then we never get anything else about it.</spoiler>
<spoiler>The scary thing that was chasing them that felt like a potential villain of the story was just Dante's mind recreating August? He isn't even real, he just exists sometimes? That was super disappointing.</spoiler>
<spoiler>At some point they said if she passes out, her elevators would close. But then she does pass out, and they don't. If it's because Dante's still alive, then why are we pretending we don't know if he's alive?</spoiler>
<spoiler>If she was struggling to keep the elevator open, why not just come back again later instead of risking nearly chopping Dante in half at the end of the book?</spoiler>

Anyway, Gregory is the best and that's what's important.

I had to give the story a moment to really grab my attention but after a few chapters was so immersed that I could put it down!

This book is one of a kind, and the writing is amazing. Alexis Henderson's writing blends romance, scholarly language, and mystery to create a dreadful setting that captivates the reader. The dark atmosphere is convincing and expertly handled. It might be one of the best dark academic novels I've read in a long time.

Lennon was a fantastic character, and I appreciated that she struggled in school and didn't start out with extraordinary power or intelligence before finally picking up the skills and developing her abilities. The story of power and corruption is both disturbing and fascinating here. I adore good characters who undergo this metamorphosis, therefore I really enjoyed how the main character got corrupted by this power.

Though there were several different narratives, everything came together flawlessly at the conclusion, leaving no loose ends. Although there is some romance and strong sexual tension in this book, it is much more than that. A satisfying storyline that doesn't overshadow the romance throughout the novel is balanced beautifully.

I'm excited to see what this author comes up with next. If you enjoy dark academia and flawed characters, as well as a lot of action, this is the book for you.

✨Dark, Captivating, and Haunting✨
I am honestly still trying to wrap my head around this book as I write this review; so with that being said it might be a little bit of everywhere. Dark academia is not usually my go to genre but I was extremely intrigued by the title, the cover, and the synopsis of this book. When I got accepted for the arc, I was so excited that I immediately dived in. On top of that, this was my first book by Alexis Henderson. Have you ever read a book that you know you enjoyed because you can't stop thinking about it after you read it, but it is so hard to put into words why because the book itself is so complex. This is that book for me and this book is not perfect: sometimes the pacing felt slow to me and I had trouble connecting to the characters at times. However, since I finished it I have not stopped thinking about the book and the experience I went through reading it.

Our FMC, Lennon's,life is falling apart when she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic. With nothing to keep her from saying no she goes to find out she has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion. She has the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.
Under the mentorship of her mysterious and morally grey advisor, Dante, Lennon's abilities to control her magic grows. Throughout her studies, she begins to uncover the dark and haunting past of Drayton College and how her advisor is intertwined with it. Lennon's power continues to be pushed and forced causing her to feel the darkness that comes with it. Questioning herself, can she overcome her power and at what cost?

♟️Unique Magic System
♟️Rivalry
♟️Dark Academia
♟️Hint of Forbidden Romance

If you are a lover of dark academia, gothic/horror, morally grey characters, secret societies, the things people will do for power, and the costs associated with it than this book is everything you are looking for and more. Henderson's writing paints a vivid atmosphere that makes you question reality. The unique magic system of persuasion is what makes the book so complex but also riveting and compelling. I was consumed by the dark and haunting vibes of this book. At times it makes you question the darkest parts of yourself as you follow the moral dilemma's and decisions of the complex and morally grey characters. I would definitely recommend this book and the overall reading experience.

Please check your trigger warnings before reading.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley, and Alexis Henderson for early access to this arc in exchange for an honest review.