I have lived everything Alexis Henderson has written, so I wasn’t surprised at how good this book was.
An Academy For Liars is a dark academia/fantasy book about Lennon. She’s been having rough go of it and the last straw is when she finds her fiancé cheating on her with one of her friends. She takes off from the party with no idea where she’s going, but she ends up in the parking lot of a strip mall just to hear a phone ringing. She’s shocked to realize that the call is for her, offering her the chance to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, even though she’s never heard of it before. Drayton is a secret, magical school hidden in Savannah. After she oases the test, she begins her studies to master her gift of the art of persuasion. But there are dark secrets at Drayton and the more Lennon learns, the more disturbed she becomes.

I wasn’t expecting the twisty ending, and I was unable to put the book down even thought I wanted to make it last longer. This is a dark, violent story and I loved it!

An Academy for Liars is everything I love about Dark Academia — dark, twisty, and a little bit of horror. I absolutely loved this one and stayed up late into the night to finish Lennon’s story. The idea of a school hidden with Savannah was intriguing and once we got there we meet Professor Dante who takes Lennon as an advisee, somethings he’s not done often. I really enjoyed the relationship that developed between the two and how I was never really sure what side he was on. There were definitely some secrets — a lot of them. Some I found worked really well, and others I was wishing for more context in the body of the book. I was still left with a few areas of the book that I felt could’ve been fleshed out more. It had a good ensemble cast of characters, some were a little more flat than others and I didn’t really understand their entire motivation for certain events, however, I did love Lennon, Dante, and oddly a rat named Gregory. Overall, my experience with An Academy for Liars was one I won’t forget and I definitely would recommend this to any Dark Academia lovers!

"An Academy for Liars" is well written and has an interesting story, it is just not for me. DNF @ 45%.

This book has an incredible start and it does not let up - we are consistently moving from one scene to the next but everything flows well together. There is a lot of questions at the beginning and they are answered as more are asked. It is a very engaging story.

The reason this is a DNF is my own issue. I have never read a dark academia book, but the vibes have always intrigued me. In reading this though, I've figured out that this is not a setting for me. I don't really empathize with the characters, but I do not think that that is the author's fault.

I do highly recommend this book to those that enjoy dark academia. I will definitely be looking at reading the author's other books.

Rated 4 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the advance galley in exchange for my honest review.

If House of Hunger has one fan it’s me, if it has no fans I’m dead. I listened to the audiobook ONCE (so far) and I can’t stop thinking about it. You can imagine my delight upon receiving this arc in my Netgalley queue.

I dove into it and loved the first chapters, the characterization of Lennon and her flight from regular life to a supernatural life at the academy.

Charleston was such a gorgeous setting and I loved reading about it and the lore built around the elevator system and how the school is concealed.

Her time learning the skill of persuasion was very interesting and I enjoyed the found family aspects of the novel as Lennon was getting to know her classmates. But they didn’t feel super fleshed out apart from maybe Blaine. I felt that Nadine’s character was super mishandled at the end.

I didn’t like Dante and the romance, which felt flat. And normally I’m not a romance reader but if it’s going to be included, I need some emotion. Lennon is a very emotional character on paper, she is taken kicking and screaming from place to place, but I never felt the love for Dante. He felt the same as her now and then fling with Ian. And if he’s the be all-end all it should feel different.

I didn’t have a lot of feelings about the book at all, completely unlike my experience with House of Hunger.

Lennon began to feel hypocritical, the time travel and the hopping place to place gave me whiplash, and I just straight up didn’t understand what was going on at points (notably Amsterdam).

But that said, I really really really wanted to like it. I think upon release, I will listen to the audiobook instead and try to mimic my House of Hunger experience. And I admit, I’m not a science fiction reader and I think that’s what this is coupled with magical realism. I was expecting fantasy and that’s my own fault.

I find it really hard to rate because did it do what it was trying to do? Yes, probably. Maybe it went over my head. But did I like it? No. The first half, yes very much. And when Lennon went back in time and realized she was responsible for Benedict, yes, I was enthralled with the writing. But Lennon didn’t learn anything through this experience, in my opinion. She was warned that her going back to the past could be the only trigger needed to change something. And then she does it again anyway trying to save Dante. It would make more sense if she acknowledged the hypocrisy and if the love story was better fleshed out. I mean, he broke up with her shortly before she risked her life to save him.

Not to mention how Lennon seems to have a moral issue with using persuasion… but does it anyway. Like even to the hapless guards in the final scene. Even to her sister, and more than once. Her character started to fall apart for me. And upon becoming chancellor, she puts stricter regulations on persuading others. But it doesn’t apply to her?

I also felt some type of way about poor William being in such a state implying that the chancellor position is an enormous challenge. But then it appears when Lennon takes the position, she becomes conqueror and king. Sure, she mentions a drain on her power, but she isn’t chained to the school forever like William. She can vacation, at least.

All of the issues I found, they could have been solved with more pages. More time on the love interest, more time with her coming into her power, and more time learning this new role. It wrapped up too fast. It was too ambitious a concept for only 450 pages. It could have filled a trilogy.

I know this novel will find more hungry and delighted readers, but I’m disappointed to report this one wasn’t for me.

Dark and unexpected. Adult fans of Harry Potter will LOVE this book. This is a must read for dark academia fans. Forbidden romance. Magical school. Mysterious. Need I say more?

Alexis kept me hooked with new twists and turns at every page. Just when you think you know what’s going on Lennon’s character surprises you. The last 15 chapters of this book had me hooked. I could not put it down. I cannot wait to share this book with my friends and family when it publishes. 



Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The school grounds were cast in the early fall sunshine as she walked across the campus. Students were talking, laughing, mingling together without care in the world. She felt out of place here, but something felt right in the very back of her mind… an unseen, unknown purpose calling to her.

An Academy For Liars is a dark academia fantasy book following Lennon. She gets a mysterious phone call informing her she has been chosen to go to Drayton college, a school she had never heard of or even applied for. But this was no ordinary school…

This story was dark, entertaining, mysterious, and fast-paced as I followed Lennon’s journey mastering the art of persuasion and learning exactly why she was chosen for Drayton. This gave Wayward Childrens series vibes… but make it adult! I love Alexis’s books and this one was another fantastic read from her.

If you’re a dark academia fan… definitely pick this one up!

This book is so fun! I love the dark academia genre, even though the characters weren't young school age in this one. It was a soaring ride of a fantastical story, a quick read because I could not put it down, and I had the best time tagging along with Lennon as she discovered what was really happening at Drayton College. A HUGE five stars!

Alexis Henderson has had me in her clutches since "The Year of the Witching," and I never want to be let go. As her self-proclaimed biggest fan and a lover of dark academia, I knew that "An Academy for Liars" would be one of my top reads of the year. When I say I devoured this book... I started it while waiting at my gate in the airport in South Carolina, and by the time my flight touched down in New York, I was clutching my Kindle to my chest and lamenting the fact that my journey with Lennon was over.

Every time I thought I knew what was coming next, Alexis grabbed me by the collar and yanked me backwards. There are plenty of magical, speculative dark academia novels out there, but "An Academy for Liars" is it's own beast. Familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, to the point where you're crawling out of your skin when you can't turn the page quick enough. I can't find fault with a single element of this book. The world-building? Incredible as always. Plot? She never misses. Don't even get me started on how fully fleshed out each of the characters were. These were real, solid individuals for me for almost 500 pages. Leaving them behind when finishing the book was torture. And the romance? For the first time ever, I was just as fascinated by the forbidden love story as I was by the magical elements of a book. Well, maybe. Either way, Lennon and Dante have my whole heart.

Henderson did her big one with this book. She poured so much soul into this that if I'd stabbed my kindle while reading it—I'd never, but if I DID—it would bleed. "An Academy for Liars" is a masterclass in dark academia, and I could not recommend it enough.

Alexis? Another one, thank you.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Ace Books for sending a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book reminded me a lot of the show Lost. In the beginning, when you barely know anything, every mystery feels thrilling. You hang onto every little morsel of information, hungry to start to figure it out. And then, after all those mysteries, the show has to start revealing some of it, and the more it has to reveal, the more it becomes obvious that there wasn't a clear plan for most of it in the beginning.

For the first 50% of this book, I was pretty riveted, honestly. The story begins with Lennon, a young woman who is feeling very trapped in her life due to an impending marriage that she doesn't want, a history of mental health issues, and no career. She gets a mysterious call from "Drayton College", inviting her for an interview. We find out that this college is no ordinary college, but a place of training of people who have a knack for "persuasion", which is essentially mental manipulation (amongst other things).

I liked that when Lennon first begins at school, she's still quite a mess. She's basically at the bottom of her class and doesn't seem to fit in very well. It very much goes against the trope of the "chosen one". However, that quickly subsides and nope, she is unusually special. I wouldn't have actually minded that so much if the story made any sense. There are so many things that happen early in the book that are never explained or seemingly go against the later narrative. There's constantly this "but actually...this is what was really going on!" that happens that it just becomes exhausting.

One of the worst parts of the book has to be the romance. In the beginning, we have Lennon being largely defined by a man, and at the end, we have Lennon being largely defined by a man. And neither of these men are good. I can't say I ever particularly liked the romantic lead even when I imagine we're supposed to like him, and I liked him far less than that by the end of the book.

It's a story that dangles a lot over your head, but never reveals anything in a satisfying way.

I'm not sure how I felt about An Academy for Liars. On one hand, I found it interesting and easy to read. On the other hand, I wanted more umph from the story. I thought all of the characters were underdeveloped. I had a hard time understanding Lennon and her motivations. I wish the author spent more time developing her character. I didn't understand several of her decisions, particularly the one after everything goes down at Drayton. Why would Lennon want to go back to the school when they are treating her like that? I struggled with Lennon and Dante's relationship. I wanted more from it! I found myself confused with Dante. I had a hard time figuring out what his motive was with Lennon. Their relationship didn't feel authentic to me. I also thought the kid storyline with him was randomly dropped in and forgotten about. For how much the side characters played a part in the story, they too could have used some more scenes and development. I did like the setting of the story! I thought Henderson did a great job setting the tone of the story. I liked the pacing and the dark academic vibes. The persuasion storyline was inventive and neat. I also thought the ending was exciting and wrapped up nicely. Thank you to NetGalley and Ace for the ARC.

I love a dark academia story, and this one was thought provoking, enjoyable, and eerie. I liked the found power aspect, and I believe fans of The Magicians and History of Witches will enjoy this as well!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

As a passionate enthusiast of dark academia and a dedicated admirer of the author's earlier works, the captivating narrative of a concealed institution nestled in Savannah, accessible solely to the select few and specializing in the art of persuasion, was simply too compelling to resist. I eagerly embarked on this journey without a moment's pause. The experience was extensive, yet I found myself wishing it would never conclude. The unfolding of the plot, its pacing, character development, intricate backstories, escalating tension, and the delicate interplay of horror and supernatural elements, alongside a forbidden romance between a teacher and student, completely engrossed me. It felt as though I was immersed in an entire trilogy, given the multitude of events: betrayal, deception, academic rivalries, hidden truths, and treachery.

Lennon Carter, who had recently withdrawn from school and was hospitalized due to psychological distress, unexpectedly found love and became engaged at the age of 22. However, upon discovering her fiancé with her best friend, she fled, taking his car. In an empty mall parking lot, contemplating a drastic decision, she receives a call from a mall phone booth. Upon answering, she realizes the call is meant for her, inviting her to Drayton College for an entrance examination. This enchanting institution is concealed within a secret enclave of Savannah. Despite her skepticism regarding the unexpected invitation and the peculiar phone call, she embarks on an eight-hour drive, ascends a magical elevator to the administration, and encounters the charismatic yet intimidating Professor Dante. In his early thirties, adorned with tattoos, he radiates a smart bad-boy aura and becomes her mentor.

The verdant, moss-laden campus of Drayton, along with her new classmates—who quickly become her first genuine friends—and Dante's enigmatic, protective allure, create a sense of belonging. Yet, as she begins to uncover her newfound abilities, she realizes that a darker force threatens the very existence of Drayton. She must learn to wield her powers to safeguard the school, all while risking her own destruction. Moreover, some individuals within the institution harbor hidden motives aimed at undermining her authority! Overall, such an interesting read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

This book kept me HOOKED. I loved the atmosphere and the way it was so tense throughout. I really appreciated the mixture of a semi-unreliable narrator with the mystical elements. I thought the storyline was well-developed and kept me really interested. I finished this in one sitting because I was just so enthralled. I loved that this felt fresh and new in the genre while still exemplifying the idea of dark academia.

It had a lot of tropes incorporated into it and they were really well done. I liked the way things were resolved throughout and getting the information that we needed, when we needed it. A lot of what I want to say would be a spoiler but overall I just really enjoyed it!

I would have liked a bit more explanation of how things concluded. It felt like it was a bit hand-waved to make it all work out, which left the ending feeling a bit quick. I feel like the rest of the story was well-paced, with enough information given to us that it made us think, but there were tendrels of the story that didn't feel as though they were closed before the end.

I still highly recommend this book and can't wait for it to release!

Content Warnings:
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Suicide, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual harassment, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Gore, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcohol, Body horror, Child abuse, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic relationship, and Cancer

I loved this book so much!! A dark, twisty and unexpected plot packaged within an immersive hidden college campus that teaches the art of persuasion!

The protagonist, Lennon, is fleeing a failed engagement when a telephone booth appears on a dark roadside. She answers the call and is invited to the prestigious Drayton college. a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah, Georgia. The students all have an innate ability to use their minds to control animals, humans, and matter itself. Lennon quickly learns the campus is highly competitive and professors use questionable lessons to push ethical boundaries. Readers who enjoy dark academic aesthetic, morally gray characters, magical abilities, and a bit of horror will be swept away by this novel. The writing is fantastic, the characters are complex, and the plot is SO unique! I had no idea what would happen in each section, who I could trust, and was captivated to read well into the night. Kudos to Henderson for this masterful novel!

Finally: a book billed as dark academia that's more than worthy of the moniker.

Lennon Carter is a deeply unhappy and aimless 20-something. Discovering her fiance sleeping with another woman pushes her over the edge. While sitting in a stolen car as she considers suicide, Lennon receives an outworldly telephone call, congratulating her on making it to the interview stage for a prestigious university she's never heard of. As Lennon begins her matriculation at Drayton University, she she and her strange classmates study the art of persuasion-- not in the traditional sense, but literally exerting control over what others do and see. Lennon shows a powerful gift for this art, and as her control grows, she begins to realize how much danger surrounds her.

What I enjoyed most:
- Really well-written. Even when I disagreed with decisions Lennon made, I understand why she made them and found them consistent with her character, both signs of a really good writer. The tone is dark and haunting. Very American Gothic. Great imagery. Nicely balanced in a Chekhov's gun way. The little things matter, and I really want to reread the book immediately after finishing it.
- Welcome diversity. Dark academia, like much of fantasy, is profoundly white. This book is from the POV of a biracial young woman. The book memorably describes othering among other things.
- There's some romance and solid sexual tension here, but the book is far more than that. Great balance of a meaty subplot without the romance holding up the entire book.
- A teacher-student relationship that takes a nuanced approach to the students' fragility and the inherent power imbalance that lends itself too readily to exploitation. Finally a book addresses this.
- Absolutely chockful of suspense. I could not put it down. I recall reading that Andy Weir asked his early readers to tell him when they paused in The Martian, and then he rewrote those sections. Similarly, this book was so hard to put down. (To be clear, this book is not like The Martian otherwise.)
- It also addresses how much being the/a chosen one stinks. This reminds me of Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern character.

Small quibbles:
- Maybe I'm alone here, but I think that, if you're going to give your main character an unusual name, there has to be some explanation. This is doubly true if your main character is asked a puzzling question at the beginning of the book, multiple times, "Do you still have your name?" At minimum, another character will ask the MC about the weird name and there will be a wee bit of exposition that gives us some insight into the character or their upbringing. Names are so important. This does not happen, and I found its absence profoundly distracting. (slight detour: There are actually a lot of unusual names here, and one marker of someone's relevance to the plot is how unusual their name is, though not with 100% accuracy.) Lennon is not a spectacularly weird name, but it's pretty odd choice for a female character. Of course John Lennon comes to mind, but the name apparently also means sweetheart, lover or blackbird. Promising. I googled around a bit more but didn't hit on anything particularly interesting. Moths, scattered throughout the book, are only one of the things blackbirds eat. Blackbirds aren't native to the Americas. And how do a set of parents name their daughters Lennon and Carly? My current theory is that one (or both of them) have socialist leanings and the names are a tribute to Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx. They realized Lenin and Karl were even weirder names, so thus Lennon and Carly. Anyway, as you can see, I was so distracted throughout the book.
- Without spoilers, I kind of wish the ending had been more ambiguous. I usually hate an ambiguous ending, but I think it would have worked here.
- Some clunky descriptions early on that smoothed out as the book progressed. These included: "he was a willowy man but rather short" (literally means tall, slim, lithe) and "said Eileen in that clear baritone of hers that reminded Lennon vaguely of a transatlantic accent."

Inevitably there will be comparisons to other dark academia/magical boarding school books despite the book being more than good enough to stand on its own. That said, I think it's closest to Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern series or perhaps Lev Grossman's Magicians in both tone and quality (I LOVED both). Its darkness is not dissimilar to Vita Nostra (Ukrainian magical boarding school some wag described as Harry Potter written by Kafta) but less frustratingly opaque and more American. It's more substantive than The Atlas Six. It's meatier than If We Were Villains. This may be a controversial opinion, but I think it's far more fun than The Secret History.

Finally, one more note on names. "Do you still have your name?" is a question repeatedly posed to Lennon at the beginning of the book. It comes up again in Chapter 56 toward the end of the book, and I thought it was so well executed.

Where do I begin? This book is terrible. The description sounded so good but right from the beginning, I did not enjoy it. I shouldn’t have kept reading it, but I was hoping it would get better, but it got worse. The beginning makes no sense. Lennon should have been questioning things more. Who was on the phone? What is this mysterious school she’s never heard of? She just accepts it immediately because her fiancé cheated on her? That makes no sense. It needs more world building and explanation of how things work. And the families. Why doesn’t Lennon talk to her family? Where do they think she is? None of the students at the school talk to their families? I also didn’t feel any chemistry between Lennon and Dante. It was like boom they met they’re in love and the reader is supposed to root for them. There’s also way too much going on. A lot of the plot points felt so random and it’s way too long! The beginning, middle and end all feel like separate books. All of the sudden at 75% time travel is introduced? And stop using the word ineffable so many times. She was saved by mind controlled rats? Really? And if Drayton isn’t known to the outside world how did Carly find evidence of Dante’s PhD? Honestly this book is just silly and I couldn’t wait for it to end. If any changes can still be made, you absolutely should. Shorter, more concise plot, better world building.

The vibes of this book really drew me in. I loved the premise, the magic, the creep-factor - it was all on point. This is probably the closest book I've found to match the vibes of Ninth House. The first half was amazing, but I was a bit let down by the end. The way everything wrapped up just wasn't very satisfying.

This book had me totally hooked from the very first chapter and kept me glued to the pages the whole way through. As someone who’s obsessed with fall, it delivered all the dark academia, gothic, thrilling, and spooky vibes I’ve been craving. I’m calling it now—this book is going to be a huge hit this fall!

An Academy for Liars follows Lennon, whose life is falling apart until she gets a mysterious call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a hidden magic school in Savannah. At Drayton, she discovers she has the power of persuasion, just like the other students, allowing her to manipulate people and even objects. As Lennon realizes her powers are greater than she ever imagined, she also begins to uncover unsettling secrets about Drayton, its faculty, and its students.

This was a book about self-discovery, forgiveness, loneliness, and so much more. Every character, no matter how minor their role, was so well-written and captivating. Henderson’s writing is so amazing that I knew I’d be a fan after just a few pages. She brings the campus, characters, and every detail to life so vividly that it felt like I was right there in the story! I’m definitely planning to check out her other books after this one.

An Academy for Liars comes out on September 17th, and you don’t want to miss it! Big thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC!

Alexis is in a league of her own. This is creepy and intriguing and utterly delightful. Captivating from start to finish with more secrets to unravel than portal doors to walk through! Loved it!

i picked up this book on a whim, simply because i loved “house of hunger” and dark academia is among my favourite genres, so you can imagine i dropped everything when i got the email that my request was approved. and it went beyond what i expected of it!

“an academy for liars” is a dark academia about a hidden university that teaches its students the art of persuasion, aka manipulation in nicer terms. and all its students were cruel, cunning and you simply cannot trust anyone. i loved how the main character was corrupted by this power – i’m a sucker for good characters that go through this transformation the moment they figure out they’re really, really good at something. i was simply in awe of the twists in this story and i devoured the book in a day – to the point i refused to sleep just so i can learn more.

i loved lennon and her journey – she starts as a characters that’s so unsure of themselves and their capabilities and ends up as a badass, powerful person. the romance was also quite interesting and i found myself kind of rooting for them. i liked the cast of characters and how they, eventually, end up as a group that stands up for each other. the fact that none of them shy away from murder is an added bonus. the magic was quite interesting and i enjoyed the fact that none of the characters were unbeatable and we see their flaws as well. i wished the aberrations were explored more, as we’re left a bit hanging on that front, but it doesn’t bother me that much.

overall, i had a lot of fun reading this novel, so i’ll simply chose to ignore whatever faults it might have. i hope we’ll be getting to see more of these characters in the future, because i love this world the author has built.