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.

I have no idea what I expected heading into this book- but I was completely hooked just from the cover and the title itself. A fantasy dark academia story filled with so much twists and turns that i definitely needed to fill myself in for this summer. This is DEFINITELY a read a bunch of people would want to pick up. The MC was absolutely incredible and badass and I found myself so incredibly enamored by that charcater that I simply wanted 15 MORE OF THIS RIGHT NOW‼️‼️

If given the opportunity to escape your troubles and attend a school that teaches you more about yourself than you wanted to know, would you take it. Admission comes at a high price, but is finding your purpose worth it? For Lennon, she must find her way through the unknowns, the betrayal and ultimately decide is it all worth her life.

Henderson weaves an interesting story full of secrets, murder, betrayal, friendship and love that keeps the reader wondering what will happen next.

Not sure where to start with this. This was my first Alexis Henderson book. She created a really fascinating world where the "magic" is the ability to persuade others. My problem was with the characters. They all seemed so flat. For me, Lennon was the worst because she was flat and whiny. She was such a perpetual victim. I wanted to hurl my ereader at the wall several times, but I still wanted to know how it ended so I stuck with it. It just left me with an overwhelming feeling of "meh".

This book blew me away. It digs deep into the recesses of what haunts us. It’s bloody, it’s dark. It shows us what we don’t want to see in the mirror. If you’re scared that something may look back, this book is for you.

Lennon is broken when we meet her. She finds her fiance cheating and runs for it. She has enmeshed herself in the lives of men around her and can’t stand alone. When fleeing, she hears a phone ringing— and that one call changes her life completely.

Something was always waiting within her. She has the power to open worlds and change them. This book is Lennon’s journey to find her feet, stand on them, and carve out a space for herself, even if the path is bloody, laden with deception and malice.

I loved this book. I love how a hopeless, starved Lennon can find deep strength and hope in herself, even if she has to go through hell to get there. She finds a mentor and lover who is just as ravaged and downtrodden. Their relationship is pitch-perfect for this layered dark academia in a fantastical Savannah, and I loved it just SO, so much.

For everyone screeching for Ava Reid’s Lady Macbeth, know this book is for you. Lennon and Roscille are both blood-soaked, both feral, and both fighting to free themselves from the confines of the world that men have wrought for them.


Thank you to much to Ace/Berkley for the arc!

The main character, Lennon, has had a rough go of it until she is invited to Drayton College for exceptional students. Think of it like it’s Harry Potter but the kids are adults and all the classes are related to occlumency.

The premise is intriguing and slightly different - persuasion with the mind. The last quarter is crazy in a more confusing way but the whole book moved quickly and I was satisfied by the ending! Great read.

DNF at 15%.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, and I think the premise was great. I am sure for the right person, this will be a hit! It reads similar to The Starless Sea and Atlas Six. I just didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up.

I am a huge fan of gothic dark academia novels, so when I found out that Alexis Henderson wrote one, I was incredibly excited!

This book has solidified Alexis Henderson as one of my top 3 favorite authors of all time! She is genuinely one of the best writers I’ve ever read. Her writing style is so beautiful & distinct. I can see her becoming a classic horror author that people will read for years to come.

This novel is so mysterious and creepy. The imagery is HAUNTING. I could definitely see this becoming a movie! I absolutely LOVE the idea and execution of the persuasion magic in this novel. It was a very interesting spin on the power of mind control. I may or may not have been wishing that I had the power of persuasion while reading this novel lol.

The novel did slow down at times and there are aspects of the story that I wish had been explored and delved into more, like the aberrations, but I enjoyed this so much and can’t wait for everyone to read it!

Thank you Ace and NetGalley for this arc! All opinions are my own.

CW: suicidal ideation, animal cruelty & death, adult/minor relationships, child abuse

I enjoyed the idea of this book, but I ultimately ended up frustrated with it. I felt like there were too many plot holes and inconsistencies. Many things weren't explained and the ending felt incomplete. Lots of potential, I just didn't feel like it came together for me.

I have loved every book that Alexis Henderson has written thus far and I feel like this is her crowning glory. Her books always tend to be darker--on the verge of horror--with flawed characters you can't help rooting for. This is exactly that tenfold. Lennon is a seemingly ordinary (if very depressed) woman who discovers that she has magical abilities. The dream. She get's accepted into a prestigious magical school where her newfound skills will be honed, but not all is what it seems. I loved the slow build off the mystery in this story and the magic of persuasion was incredible! It's been awhile since I've read a book that i struggled to putdown. This filled the gap for me!

"An Academy for Liars" offers an engaging escape into a world where an ordinary (and depressed) woman, Lennon, discovers her extraordinary abilities at a mysterious magic school. The narrative is well-written and delivers an intriguing twist on the familiar magical school trope, enhanced by a slight horror feel that makes it perfect for fall reading. While the pacing occasionally lags, the plot features some genuinely surprising twists that keep readers invested.

However, the book has its shortcomings. The magic system, termed "persuasion," feels disjointed and vaguely explained, not living up to its potential complexity. Additionally, Lennon herself is a problematic protagonist. Her selfish decisions and poor judgment make her hard to root for, and her seemingly loyal friendships feel unconvincing, despite a late revelation attempting to justify them ("You'd do the same for us." She realizes she probably would not have done the same for them, but now she will)! The school setting, where both students and professors are adults, creates a strange dynamic that doesn't quite fit the typical school atmosphere. Furthermore, there are noticeable gaps in the story, such as Blaine's circumstances and how she ended up assigned to her role, the medical workings of "persuasion," and the under explored background of Dante and the apparitions haunting the school, which didn't feel like they contributed to the overall plot...but seemed at first it was going to, but was then explained away on a single page.

Despite these flaws, "An Academy for Liars" has its merits and could appeal to many readers. While it may not make it to my list of favorites, I can still recommend it for its unique twists and seasonal charm. Rounding up to four stars from 3.5.

I definitely liked this book more than House of Hunger. I think the premise was really interesting and it had a very distinct atmosphere to it. It almost felt like a fever dream. I appreciated that the characters were a little older than usual and I almost always like an academy type setting.

While I do like the author's writing style in many instances, there were several things that I think detracted from my enjoyment of the story overall. I think that the characters were intentionally unlikeable so I didn't find myself rooting for or connecting emotionally to anyone. While I really quite liked the 'magic' abilities, there was a lot that didn't make complete sense. I think my biggest issues came from any scene that was meant to be action-y. That's where the writing I think could have used more polish. Whenever the pace would pick up, things really became confusing and hard to visualize.

I would absolutely still recommend this to my customers who are into magical realism, dark academia, telepathy, and diverse representation.

Really great. I liked it a lot. I'm not always the biggest on fiction so that's great feedback coming from me.