“It was sick, but back then she had liked the power of punishing people with her absence. Of making herself disappear only to turn up again, like some twisted little magic trick.”

Dark, Captivating, and Haunting. As someone who does not read dark academia frequently, I have to say I really enjoyed myself. I felt the plot? Totally unique.

I've enjoyed Alexis Henderson's work in the past, particularly House of Hunger, so I was thrown by how much An Academy for Liars wasn't for me.

I liked the ideas that this book initially presented, such as the art of Persuasion being a magic that could control people, illusions, and, if the will was strong enough, the material world. I also enjoyed the idea of this school that existed outside of our reality, accessible only by gates in the form of elevators, because we perceive elevators as a liminal space.

Unfortunately, I felt that the plot was meandering, and the main characters in the book were very unlikable. I felt both the extent of their powers and their characterization varied wildly, so that it didn't seem to make sense that it was the same person in different scenes.

As an example, our main character Lennon was so soft-hearted that she named her lab rat Gregory, and often struggled to use Persuasion on him in classes, for fear of causing him pain. However, she didn't have issues plucking memories from the mind of her own sister repeatedly, despite her sister expressing how much distress and pain it caused her both times. As a result, I had no idea how to feel about Lennon. Is she empathetic? Is she a sociopath? Does she only feel empathy for rats?

Thank you so much to Ace, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing advanced copies of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

This was a shockingly divisive book and one that appeared on a lot of least favorites of the year lists. But I thought this was another solid, atmospheric, tense horror from Alexis Henderson.

This was definitely far different from her previous books. However I feel like every one of her books has felt wholly unique. This was slow moving, intense, and full of pretentious characters. But in a way I absolutely devoured.

This opens with a lot of action and tension - massive content warning so suicidal ideation. But once the MC arrives at the academy things slow down exponentially. Which is where I think this lost a lot of readers. I think the audiobook did a fantastic job keeping me engaged through the slower paced portions.

As a romance reader, I'm normally all for romance subplots. This one wasn't necessarily my favorite, but I thought it explored an interesting dynamic quite well.

And just like all of her other books - the ending of this was wildly intense. This is just an author that always seems to work for me. I find her writing atmospheric and captivating and her horror elements timely and unbarred.

I was provided and ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions re my own.

If you like dark academia with a hint of horror and gothic fantasy, this is a wild ride. The concept was really unique, but this book is either one you are really going to love or it is going to leave you wondering "what just happened?". It certainly left me thinking "Did I even like this?" There were aspects that I enjoyed, while others I thought fell flat in execution.

This follows Lennon in the wake of discovering her fiancé's infidelity. Her self worth is wrapped up in her relationship which is a theme that continues throughout the book, but a mysterious phone call invites her to an interview at the strange and exclusive Drayton University. Upon her arrival at Drayton she is put through a very odd admittance process which includes a written exam as well an in person interview. Lennon finds that she has the gift of persuasion, where she can assert her will on others and at Drayton she will learn to hone that gift and in her case her abilities surpass those of her classmates. She struggles with the morality of persuasion and the mission of Drayton. Her abilities put her in a different category of student and she is pushed harder to develop these abilities than the others for reasons that are revealed much later in the book. Lennon has some issues with her self-worth, so when she is given an opportunity to be loved and praised by her professors, she jumps at the chance and poor decisions are made for the sake of progress. I found Lennon to be immature and unlikable, but I think that was done purposely by the author. The author had the opportunity to explore mental illness, jealousy, toxic relationships, and boundaries but none of those were really fleshed out in the book as Lennon figures out where she fits at Drayton and in the world.

This book is very atmospheric, but left me with a feeling of dissatisfaction. There really isn't a ton of world building as this takes place in Savannah, Georgia; however I thought that the campus of Drayton and the "magic system" could have been described much better. The characters just accept everything a bit to easily when they arrive and the training they participate in. I really liked the idea of the magic and the concepts presented at Drayton, but I would have liked more explanation of how it all worked and more development of the characters. There are a ton of side characters that we never really get to know. There is mention toward the end that "they are Lennon's friends" but they never really develop relationships with her and she is kind of a terrible friend.

In the end, there were concepts I enjoyed but I wanted more explanation of what was going on. I was often confused about what was happening. I feel like the author was trying not to give too much away until the twists and reveals, however by the time we get to the end I wasn't satisfied with the conclusion. I do think there are readers who are absolutely going to love this, but I didn't connect with it the way I had hoped.

Why Did I Listen To An Academy For Liars by Alexis Henderson?

Having listened to Alexis Henderson's previous books, I just knew An Academy For Liars would resonate with me. So, I very eagerly gave it a listen the minute it popped up in the PRH Audio app. Also, when I listened to the book, it was spooky season which was the absolute perfect time to listen to this dark academia themed read. 

What's The Story Here?

An Academy For Liars follows Lennon Carter -- who is struggling. You see, her partner ends up cheating on her with I think it was her best friend. So, anyways, she gets invited to sit for an exam for the prestigious Drayton Academy. Lennon does really well - you see she has this power, the power of persuasion. By attending Drayton, she will learn how to harness and use that power. All cool right? Wrong. There's a sinister secret within Drayton - one that had surprised me when I learned the secret. Also, there is a long, dark history behind Drayton. While Lennon is learning this, she's also catching feelings for her advisor, Dante. 

How Did I Like An Academy For Liars?

Well, I am just getting caught up on my reviews -- so I'll be honest, a few months later I don't remember a ton. What I do remember? I like that Alexis Henderson is able to move between genres. She is an absolute talent. I love that her books star Black women. I loved the atmospheric vibes from this book. The pacing was well done -- kept me engaged throughout the book. I am not typically a dark academia person, but felt like this book nailed it and actually kept me interested.

How's The Narration?

The narrator of An Academy For Liars audiobook is Tracie Frank. The audiobook is a quick one - 13 hours 23 minutes unabridged. I thought that Tracie Frank's vocal stylings worked really well for this book. I'll admit, I had no complaints. I wasn't like in dread for when I was listening to this book. If anything, I think this is an excellent read to pick up for spooky season.

I am an absolute sucker for dark academia. Throw in some magical realism, an intriguing hidden school that only admit the chosen, the gifted, that teaches the art of persuasion, and I am absolutely hooked. This was so good, Dark. Captivating. Haunting. Thank you NetGalley for the arc. 4.5 stars.

Alexis Henderson wrote this book for me specifically.... I don't want to hear any questions. This book was the perfect mix of fantasy horror for my taste and I'm mad at myself for taking so long to get around to reading it. After seeing all the negative reviews rolling in, I went into it with lowered expectations and this book absolutely blew me away. If you're weary about picking this up, I would say to go into it expecting much more fantasy than horror! The magic school was so interesting to me and the magic system was very unique! As a romance hater, even the romance worked for me! I'm really happy that I didn't let the review persuade me from reading it (iykyk) because this was an easy 5 star for me from the beginning.

Lennon joins a mysterious academy that notified her of her acceptance to the program through an old telephone book. This was after she found her partner cheating on her with her friend! Drama and dark academia, I am here for it...normally. Lennon isn't a character I ever particularly cared for and the hot professor (Dante) didn't have much character development either. Drayton was an interesting premise and I love a flawed character and magic, but her motives and constant second-guessing did not endear her to me at all.
Great concept, did not enjoy the execution and the vibes were very YA (which is fine, just not for me) to me.

Completely engrossing, very interesting magic system. A wonderful example of a book being enjoyable without having a single likeable character. The setting and tone worried me somewhat at the start because I’m a scaredy cat but while it had a very tense thriller tone it was not scary in the slightest.

Cannot begin to tell you the clamor of dark academia among our readers. It's become a vibe, and I'm happy for anything that gets our young people to grab books.

So I loved seeing this new offering which felt like a combination of a lot of good DA books (Atlas Six, A Study in Drowning, etc.). It takes a while to get into, but I thought the combination of horror and romantasy was well done. I also like that it has socially relevant themes. Gives you a lot of food for thought. A definite addition to our collection.

alexis henderson is really out here with some of the most beautiful writing i’ve ever read in my life. every book i pick up by her just amazes me with her prose. and this story has one of the most unique premises i’ve ever read, as well.

lennon carter is at her engagement party when she realizes that maybe this is not the life she is meant to have, regardless how much she wants to be worthy of love, even with a shitty partner. one escape and payphone later, she is swept into a world of academics she never knew existed - filled with gates and shadows and a different set of expectations. and i loved it so very much.

i feel like this story might be better to go in not knowing anything more than that, but i will say that this has one of the best endings i’ve read in a very long time. just haunting and perfect and i feel like alexis really went for it, and it really paid off for me and my reading tastes.i also love how this author talks about different biracial experiences in her books, and this was no different. this book also really discusses mental health and prioritizing healing - both by yourself and with the help of others. and how that journey can be a really hard one to navigate, especially alone, or with people who will maybe not make the best choices alongside you. this was just expertly crafted and i never wanted to stop flipping these pages. and i hope that if you’re reading this, you open all the gates you want to open, regardless of anyone else’s feelings and wants, ever.

trigger + content warnings: racism, panic attacks, talk of rehab / psychiatric hospital, cheating, suicidal thoughts, student + advisor relationship (with uneven power dynamics), drug use, smoking, blood, vomit, seizures, asthma attacks, magical experimentation on rats, talk of domestic abuse in past, suicide, one sentence mention of cancer, talk of loss of sibling in past, statutory rape in past, crown crush, talk of overdose, dark compulsion thoughts / ocd, violence, grief, death of animals (fish, birds, maybe rats), magical compulsion, gore, ptsd, sex shaming (negative light), drowning, one brief scene involving a white supremist. This story can get pretty dark at times, especially with mental health and some dark thoughts that can come during hard times, so please use caution!

This book had an interesting, unique concept that I really enjoyed! However I did feel like it was very slow at times and the pacing was not consistent. I do wish there was a little more to it to keep me engaged but it was still decent overall

Title/Author: An Academy for Liars

Page Count: 464

Publisher: Ace/Penguin

Format: NetGalley (own a physical copy)

Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: The Year of the Witching, House of Hunger

Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/9780593638309

Release Date: September 17th, 2024

General Genre: Horromantasy, Dark Academia, Paranormal,

Sub-Genre/Themes: Light romance, paranormal abilities, diverse cast of characters

Writing Style: dark stories between horror and fantasy, balancing speculative elements with social issues and universal themes like grief, class, and questions of identity. Realistic world-building

What You Need to Know: "A student will find that the hardest lessons sometimes come outside the classroom in this stunning dark academia novel"

My Reading Experience: Stepping into An Academy of Liars is equal parts enchanting and disorienting. Alexis Henderson crafts a world steeped in lush, magical realism. The setting is a masterpiece of dark academia, I loved the chapters describing the library, classrooms, and academy grounds.
The protagonist, Lennon, is a character who immediately intrigued me—but not always for the right reasons. Her eagerness to escape her old life and leap into the unknown world of the Academy left me questioning her motivations. This impulsiveness speaks to a desire to break free of bad circumstances and betrayal but it felt unrealistic to not have any ties at all to her former life. She just disappears. Who can immerse themselves in a secret academy for weeks on end without a single thought to anyone or any situation back home? I kept thinking about that.; it was just so immediate and seamless. She barely hesitates, questioning nothing about this strange, foreboding school, which dulled some of the tension I craved early on. Her willingness to leave behind everything, to throw herself headfirst into a situation that practically screams danger, felt like it needed a stronger foundation in her character arc.
That said, Lennon’s enthusiasm and ambition are what draw you into the story’s emotional core. The Academy is a place of intoxicating possibility—a world she’s desperate to claim for herself.
And let’s talk about the romance, it felt unnecessary. For a story so rich in setting, the romance seemed to detract from the real allure: the Academy itself and Lennon’s evolving relationship with its many secrets. I found myself wishing for those pages to be spent diving deeper into the Academy’s motivations and the consequences of Lennon’s choices.
I think my main struggle was that I just didn't fall in love with Lennon. I think I wanted more of the Academy and a real purpose for its existence. Why the art of persuasion? Just a deeper dive into the foundations of the school and its disciplines rather than the interpersonal drama between its students. But I did enjoy myself. I love Alexis Henderson, I'm a mega-fan and will show up to everything

Final Recommendation: An Academy of Liars offers a magical experience. It’s bold and unafraid to take risks. Henderson’s storytelling has an undeniable magnetism, and though this journey left me slightly at odds, I’m glad I took it. If you’re drawn to dark academia with a side of romance this one’s worth your time. 3.5 stars (rounded up for Goodreads & NetGalley)

Comps: Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo, Catherine House by Elisabeth Thomas, The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake

AN ACADEMY FOR LIARS by @lexish is an atmospheric dark academia novel steeped in secrets, magic and betrayals. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher, @berkleypub for the e-ARC.

✨✨✨

We meet Lennon as she is fleeing her own engagement party in her now ex-fiance's car after she just caught him messing around with his colleague. Devastated and lost, she receives a call from a prestigious school called Dayton in Ogden, UT that she does not recall applying to, letting her know she has been admitted. With nothing to lose she travels to Drayton to be welcomed by the faculty and fellow students at a school of persuasion, as Dayton is known.

There is an atmosphere of prestige and mystery throughout the whole school but particularly in the dorm of Logos, the most elite living situation on campus that is invite-only and involves a dangerous initiation ritual. When Lennon is finally welcomed into Logos, she starts to see behind the curtain and learns there is much more afoot at Drayton than she ever imagined.

⚡⚡⚡

I was absolutely spellbound by this book. The magic system is dark and costly - physical, emotional and mental costs - and there are layers of mystery to unravel. I was invested in the characters and had to unravel the mysteries of Drayton!Alexis Henderson never fails to grab my attention and her work always just hits a little different and has its own unique twists.

Highly recommend if you like dark academia books with mystery, intrigue, secret societies, passion and fury. This was one of my fave reads this year!

This was my second read from this author and it was not for me. I will continue to read from her but I just didn't connect with the characters or care for this world. I thought that 'the power of persuasion' could have been so cool but the book just didn't so it justice.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An Academy for Liars was a very interesting book. I feel like this should've been read around Halloween, but life tends to throw you some curve balls. Sort of like what Lennon went through (but not really).

At times, I was completely enamored by what was happening in this book. I just had so many questions and wanted to better understand this school and what was lurking beneath it. Then there were these moments where it felt like nothing was really happening and I was bored out of my mind. That little roller coaster, on top of figuring out if I even liked Lennon, was what kept me pausing the book. Sure, it didn't take me that long to read this book, but it sort of felt like it did.

There's honestly so much betrayal, but that should be expected with a title featuring the word liars. As for romance, we have some moments here and there, but I could've had more. Heck, I wanted more because that would give my brain some time to figure out who we could or couldn't trust. Without spoiling anything, just be aware that this book has so many twists throughout it. If I wasn't so tired from work, I probably would've figured out one or two of them before they were revealed. Alas, I didn't, and I still ended up enjoying the book.

In the end, I'm happy that I finally found the time to dive into this. I will definitely reread this around a spooky month in the future because I need to figure out what clues I missed this time around.

I enjoyed this. While confusing at first, I ended the book feeling like I finally understand The magic system the author created and I think it I very unique . The magic and the work were very well fleshed out , but the characters were a little flat, especially the side characters. I found my self confused keeping people in order and even shocked by some people’s reactions because it seemed very out of character.
While not a perfect book, the ending was very good with just the right amount of action.

An Academy for Liars is a fun and fresh take on dark academia while pulling in horror and fantastical elements. Lennon was such an unlikeable main character, but I think thats why I liked her. the first chapter was really unhinged of her, but its so iconic. I loved the world, the romance was weird and some side characters were annoying. I think if you liked Catherin House, you would like An Academy for Liars.

I have read 2 of Henderson's books before this and have liked them so I was looking forward to this one, and while this is very different than her former two books, this was in every way just as good,

This had everything I I could have asked for, I am not even a fan of dark academia, but this was so rich and full of those dark and haunting vibes that I got sold on dark academia with this book. I also was very interested in the magic system, and I adored the romance which managed to be cute and sweet and teasing without. being saccharine.

This is one of the best dark academia books I have read, Henderson's writing is well above average while still being accessible. This gets a very strong 4 stars,

An absolute new favourite!! I loved Alexis Henderson's HOUSE OF HUNGER but AN ACADEMY FOR LIARS truly blew me away. I was obsessed with the world of persuasion and with our deeply flawed and chaotic main character. Lennon was everything I've wanted in a speculative novel protagonist for YEARS—a woman of colour, mentally ill (like me lol), in need of a second chance, and downright determined to make this opportunity worth it. I really loved the other characters as well and the way the book had me on the edge of my seat for the ending was exactly what I wanted. I would give this 50 stars and more if I could because I truly enjoyed every minute of it.