"An Academy for Liars" by Alexis Henderson is a dark academia book, and as a fan of the genre, I was enthusiastic to read it. Let me start by saying this is a very good book. It is well-written, well-plotted, and kept me interested throughout.

The book follows Lennon Carter, a college dropout turned housewife who is invited to enroll in Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Students at the school learn to hone their gift of persuasion - the ability to control others and, in rare cases, even affect matter itself. At first, all goes well, and Drayton seems like heaven to Lennon. She is captivated by her studies, the campus, her brilliant classmates, and her charismatic adviser, Dante. But something is rotten in Drayton College. And if she is not careful, she will be destroyed by it.

I loved the book and couldn't stop reading. It started a bit slow, but then the pace picked up. The author keeps the story's pace up, and the secrets that are revealed are exciting indeed. The dark atmosphere is well-sketched and convincing. It is one of the best dark academia books I have read recently. It's full of atmosphere. The author writes the scenery and atmosphere so well that the reader is swept into that world.

The book has everything I like about the genre: complex and morally gray characters, good world-building and a magic system, intrigue, and even a bit of romance between an unlikely pair. Additionally, it deals with themes of mental illness, abuse, drug use, friendship, moral conflicts, and teacher/student relationships.

Lennon is imperfect, as likable as she is flawed. I liked the delicate way her mental issues were described. I didn't like or approve of some of her choices and actions. It wasn't easy to relate to her, but I warmed up to her. Her sister was really annoying, quick to judge and criticize. Dante was intriguing, and I liked his mysterious stranger vibes.

I loved the diverse ethnicity, the LGBTQIA+ representation, and the backstories. I really liked that the characters were portrayed as real people with flaws. The author also managed to surprise me with a couple of twists. There are some unanswered questions, though, such as the mystery of the moth, which wasn't clear until the end.

The world-building, characters, magic system, themes, and suspenseful plot make it an enjoyable and engaging read. The book stands on its own, but its ending implies there may be another book on the way (I certainly hope there is). If you love dark academia and flawed characters and don't mind a bit of violent action, then this is totally for you. Full stars from me!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
I definitely enjoyed this book but I also feel like the story isn't entirely over. It was a little slow to get going and there were parts that lulled a little bit but all the buildup was worth it.

An Academy for Liars takes readers on a journey to Drayton, a "magical" college hidden in Savannah, Georgia. Drayton is a college for persuasionists and the most talented persuasionists' can alter ones perception of reality. Lennon Carter finds Drayton (or more accurately Drayton finds her) when she's running away from a bad situation. After taking the entrance exam and impressing her advisor Dante, Lennon is admitted to the mysterious school. There is definitely a mental and physical toll to studying the art of persuasion and Lennon's backstory reveals she's already had some issues with her mental health. Things also almost immediately start going wrong adding a sense of foreboding that lingers through the rest of the novel. Luckily Lennon has her hot advisor to help her out though Dante is just as mysterious as the school itself.

Lennon was a great character and I liked that she didn't start off super powerful or super smart and that she struggled with her classes before eventually learning and growing into her powers. Her friendships with the other students were fun though a little flat at time but the strongest relationship was between her and Dante which I liked.

I'm not sure this is a bad thing or a criticism but An Academy for Liars really reminded me a lot of The Magicians series - especially the entrance exam and the mysterious campus. I would definitely recommend this book for fans of that series.


Overall I enjoyed this novel and would recommend to fans of magical books, dark academia or a combo of the two.

I was provided a free copy of this book through NetGalley.

This one took a while for me to settle into, but when it took off, it went to places I never expected (even as a fan of Henderson's other two books). Definitely worth a reread now that I know how it ends - it's one of those books where I know I missed little details because I was flying through it, eager to see what would happen. Recommended for fans of dark academia and horror (though I personally would class it more as horror; it does take place at a college though).

"An Academy for Liars" is a unique dive into one of my favorite genres - dark academia. Lennon Carter's life takes an unexpected turn when she's invited to apply to the enigmatic Drayton College, a hidden magical school in Savannah. The story beautifully blends the allure of a lush, moss-draped campus with the eerie, secretive undercurrents of the college's history. Lennon's power of persuasion and her intense connection with her adviser, Dante, add layers of complexity and tension. The exploration of power and corruption is both chilling and fascinating. Definitely reminded me of The Magicians just a bit, but this story is really its own thing and very intense/engaging.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!!

I need a sequel. This is not enough for me. Tell me more please.

Dark academia ✅
A quickly built world ✅
A twisted and perverse counterculture ✅

Seriously tho, I need more.

A dark academia novel is my weakness. This was my first from this author but definitely not my last! I was really intrigued the entire time and can’t wait to read more from this author.

I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't get into the writing style. The plot is interesting and the characters could have been compelling, but this book is a whole lot of tell and barely any show. It would even sometimes repeat information. I feel like for this style of book you have to be really atmosphere, but this just didn't have the vibes I wanted.

Dark Academia, Atlas Six vibes, and such a cool interesting magic system! I enjoyed this so much!

I've been in such a reading slump and this pulled me right out of it. I couldn't stop reading. I was hooked from the very beginning. The secrets, the vibes, the characters, the moral dilemmas, some murder, and lots of lies. I really just devoured this from start to finish and a million percent recommend to dark academia lovers!

I do truly love dark academia novels. I love the secret society aspect, the interesting and overly complicated magic systems they often have and the delightfully hateful characters. An Academy for Liars had all of these things and more.
The story follows Lennon who after receiving a mysterious phone call with an address, abandons her life to attend Drayton College- a place she is fairly certain doesn't actually exist. Upon arriving she is immersed in a complicated course load that will teach her how to impose her will on others.
I enjoyed the story, it was dark (as I both hoped and expected) and the characters were abhorrent most of the time. One of my favourite things about this genre is that the characters are not good moral individuals- they are nuanced and complicated and more often than not violent.
I will say that the storyline did at time feel rushed- I felt this especially at the beginning and then near the end. Things felt like they were changing a little too quickly and Lennon would often reflect on things that had barely happened a few pages ago.
Overall I believe any fans of the genre will enjoy this book- I certainly di

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson is a roller coaster of events, challenging its characters about their ethics and destiny. The MC, Lennon, moves from some unhappy circumstances to the secret Drayton College which teaches her how to use her will to help and harm, like a more morally gray version of Naomi Novik's Scholomance series. It skimps on some areas, emphasizes others, but is a great read and hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

The world the author created is so detailed and so well-written. I just wish I had liked the main characters more. So much happened in this book. The author managed to pack so much action into this one book. It seemed like something was always happening and there were rarely any dull moments. It had its weird moments, but was overall a good read.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me access to this book. I have not read a lot of dark academia prior to reading this book, but this has really got me interested. I think that the beginning and end were really good, but there was a bit of a lull in the middle. I would recommend, especially for someone who is looking into reading dark academia either for the first time or as a regular reader.

An Academy for Liars follows Lennon, a twenty-something mentally unstable woman floundering in life, who receives a mysterious invitation to apply for a prestigious and private university. What follows is something of a deep south acid trip, where Lennon discovers great power and darkness within her.
This dark academia fantasy is incredibly atmospheric and will draw readers into the lush landscape of Savannah and Drayton school. With complicated characters and fraught political tension, there is constant conflict woven into the core of this story. I was hooked by the overarching mystery of the story and found myself rooting for Lennon even as I didn't particularly like her.
I would recommend this novel for fans of the Private series by Kate Brian, and would still recommend to those who were fans of Alexis Henderson's previous work. This novel fits right in with the rest of her extremely atmospheric works.

This is first book that I have read by this author. The title and description lured me in even though dark academia is not really my thing. What kept me intrigued was the blending of a well-developed fantasy world with horror. I enjoyed the book and had a hard time putting it down. There was a lot to decipher in the story and I am still left wondering what Dante's whole moth obsession was about. Maybe I missed something because I flew through the story rather quickly. I feel that it would benefit the reader if the author included a cast of characters and a map of Drayton. The imagery was vivid and alluring but I felt lost at times with who was who especially concerning the professors and administration at Drayton. The ending leaves room for a sequel since it's unclear what happened to Dante. I look forward to reading more by this author and highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for something a little different.

Wow! Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for approving my request! This story has hints of Lev Grossman’s The Magicians and the barest hint of Naomi Novik’s Scholomance trilogy. The students are in their early to mid-20’s making them older than the students of either of the aforementioned series. I am looking forward to its publication and planning to recommend it for a book club. There is so much to discuss.

WOW! I was sold on this solely based on the title, honestly, because I'll read anything with Academy in the title. I've also loved both of Alexis Henderson's books before so I sat down and read this in one sitting on a plane. It REALLY reminded me of Vita Nostra, except with more of a plot and it made me feel less like I was on drugs. I don't feel like I understood everything, but I feel like it's the perfect dark academia to reread every couple years and dissect. I would call this dark academia first and fantasy horror second, which is the dream.

Alexis Henderson also pulls in lots of themes and discussions around race and gender - I can't recommend this highly enough!

3.75 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the electronic ARC!

This story started very strong for me. I think my thoughts have changed a bit from 30%-70%. The middle does seem to hit a lull and become boring. The dark academic atmosphere remains strong but the endangerment and alienation of the main character becomes repetitive. Then close to 80% things become extremely intense and engaging again. I also really enjoy a black sheep morally grey protagonist. Side note I never would have predicted the murderer of one of the professors. That reveal and Dante protecting the lead are a big part of why I am rounding this up to four stars.
Besides finding a decent portion boring I think my next big problem is I did not enjoy the advisor/professor relationship with a student. Another aspect is with the academic setting many things had an air of mystery to them and by the end as a reader I still have too many questions or just unclear concepts of the book.

As good as “if we were villains” with the vibes of “atlas six” Dark academia is my favorite subgenre and like many folks i am constantly chasing the high of reading the secret history, and this DID IT. The setting and magic system are at once classic and inventive at the same time. Savannah is my favourite us city. I do think i would have liked to have a deeper exploration of the relationships between the students rather than so much focus on Dante but the book was already quite long (though well paced!)

As a lover of dark academia- I was so excited to get this book. And it was fantastic!! So much tension, loved the atmosphere, great characters! I want more!!

An Academy for Liars is easily one of my favorite reads of the year. Although I am new to dark academia, this book sucked me in instantly.

Lennon's life is not going the way she planned. After finding her fiance with another woman at their engagement party she flees. Just when she thought she hit rock bottom, she receives a mysterious call informing her that she has been selected to take the entrance exam for Drayton University. Drayton however is no ordinary university. Here she will learn the art of persuasion, navigate her growing feelings for her mentor, and attempt to make friends all while trying to control her power.

The storytelling in this novel is impeccable. I could not help but root for these morally grey characters while they try to uncover the secrets of Drayton University.