Not gonna lie, I was this close to thinking this was another subpar ARC on top of all the other ones I've read recently; this especially would have sucked because this was one of my highly anticipated reads for 2025. But once the inciting incident happened - oh man. I had no choice but to let the story consume me entirely once it got its hooks into me.

Tesch really takes the 'sentient gothic city' concept to the exact place I wanted it to go: Blood, gore, death, and extreme trauma for our main character! From statues chasing/killing people all over the city to the gruesome stone virus that spreads because of it, the action and tension are practically nonstop from that incident to the end. It's so much more than what I would expect from a gothic, which, in my eye, is typically slow in building up the horrors, but Tesch's fast-pace twist made it so enjoyable. I dunno if it's because I watched Arcane recently, but I was imagining the book as if they were in the style of that show, and now all I can think about it how amazing this would look as an animated feature.

Alas, the pacing is also one of the book's weaknesses. The book is very short for a YA fantasy, especially for a standalone. I don't think it needed, like, 200 more pages just to focus on building the world, but I think it would have benefitted the story more if the pacing slowed between all those action scenes, despite my enjoyment. This was especially apparent whenever there was a brief slow moment for plot and character development, when the fast-pacing would suddenly crash back through the scene and sweep the story back up again. Like I said, I loved the excitement, but I want to balance well with the gentleness.

As for the characters, I adored them. Mina was complex and flawed in a grounded way, and the range of emotion she had when faced with the horrors were so well done and realistic. I also loved the pre-established relationship, and Tesch did a wonderful job laying he groundwork for them in order for the reader to also be invested when the inevitable does come. The family dynamics, particularly with the mom, were fantastic, too,.

Overall, what a great read, despite my problems. I do think the positives weigh out here, and I can only hope Tesch will do greater come her sophomore novel!

This was an enjoyable young adult gothic fantasy. This book had such an interesting concept. I loved the author’s writing and world building in this one. I liked this book’s setting and storyline, but there were times where I struggled to connect with the characters. Overall this was a pretty good young adult read.

An original concept well executed, What Wakes the Bells is an atmospheric gothic fantasy. The setting, a city made sentient by the ancient god resting below, is superb, and the tension as it begins to turn on its citizens is palpable. The world-building is just completely on point! The history of the city and the saints--it all just feels so real and thoroughly thought out. The characters, too, all read as very real, and even those touched by divinity remain flawed. It must be said that as much as this is a story about a long-dormant evil seeking to destroy a city, it is also the story of a family fumbling it's way toward healing after being broken by loss. There's real emotion held within this cast, and our protagonist, with her need to both prove herself and gain approval, is sure to be relatable to many young readers. There's also a lovely pre-exisiting romance that hits all the right notes and feels fresh in its maturity and functionality. Meanwhile, the plot moves along at a nice clip and while the twists are not unpredictable, they are no less entertaining for that. (There's a very strong horror vibe here, and the turns you see coming fall more along the lines of dread than tedium.) All in all, a very good read!

*Rounded up for 3.5 stars*

What Wakes the Bells is a gothic fantasy about a sentient city fighting the return of an ancient evil. Mina is a Keeper of one of the Vespers, a bell that must never ring, lest it will wake the Bane conquered by the Saints a thousand years prior. But when Mina’s bell rings and darkness rises, she has to fight to save both her city and those she loves.

This book has an incredibly intriguing premise and fascinating world building; I could have read several more chapters exploring the sentient city of Vaiwyn, along with the lore and the religion of its people. It’s also wonderfully gothic; I love how gothic fantasy has been coming into its own the last few years. It is one of my favorite genres, so I’m excited about every addition; and What Wakes the Bells hit the gothic mood perfectly for me!

That said, I struggled to connect with Mina, the protagonist. There’s a certain type of YA main character that annoys me a little bit, and unfortunately Mina was that character right away, and stayed there through the book. She just felt a little self-centered and adolescent to me. However, this is a young adult book, so she fits her story, and I know that there are readers who will love her. The book as a whole is well-written, and the world building is wonderful. I am excited to see what stories this author writes moving forward!

I would recommend What Wakes the Bells to fans of gothic fantasy, unique fantasy world building, and young adult novels.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for an arc!

“What Wakes the Bells” is a darkly beautiful debut! The world-building pulled me into the story, reminiscent yet wholly unique. Mina and her family are tasked with guarding the bells to prevent the thirteenth toll. If this happens, a long-lost, unknown dark force will return to destroy the city. I absolutely loved the atmosphere and aesthetic of this story and its living city. The plot was perplexing, overlapping with the romance. I can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!

For those who enjoy:
🔔 Sentient City
🔔 Unique twist on Enemies-to-Lovers
🔔 Difficult Family Dynamics
🔔 Political Intrigue
🔔 Religious System
🔔 Standalone Fantasy

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was such a wonderful and fast-paced read. I had just finished reading two contemporary novels, so I was eager to immerse myself in a completely different world. I really enjoyed the writing, and the imagery was so vivid (I especially loved the descriptions of the statues coming alive in the snowy city, the catacombs, and the body horror).
I also liked the demi rep! So good :)

I guessed the twists pretty easily, but it was still fun to follow Mina as she tried to figure out how to save her city. I'm sure some people might feel differently, but I do like how it ended. Honestly, after recently watching a few dramas with unsatisfactory/open endings, I need some happy closure in my fiction!

Overall, this was a great debut, and I'm excited to see what Elle Tesch writes next!

A wonderfully plotted world full of breathtaking prose. I rooted for Mina the entire time, spellbound by her tender romance and resilience. I would highly recommend this!

A YA fantasy based on a Prague legend (I think the large St. Vitus Cathedral bell? correct me if I'm wrong), a demisexual FMC, THAT COVER!! I was so hyped for this!

3.5 rounding up. I'll try to avoid spoilers, but I loved the whole statue thing (if you liked the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who but wanted them deadlier, here you go), how otherworldly the Saints were, and the catacomb scenes. The magic and worldbuilding were very interesting: a city that's alive? built on the skeleton of a giant magical creature? protected by ancient sorcerers that transcended humanity? Love it. There was also some decent body horror imagery with the Pox.

Sometimes I wonder if I've aged out of YA. The MC felt a bit juvenile and self-centered to me ("woe is me, no one trusts me to be competent and responsible and save the world even though I've given them no reason to and only just turned 18"). Some of the plot beats were very predictable, partly because of heavy-handed foreshadowing and partly because of standard romantic tragedy tropes. There was also a very deus ex machina happy ending. I kind of wish the book had ended a little darker to at least subvert expectations there.

Most of this book centered on the romance between the MC Mina and her boyfriend Max. They're already happily in love when the book starts, and the angst between them is what happens when the bell rings/the plot truly begins. I found this relationship kind of unfulfilling. Max is supposedly great because he never pressured Mina for sex in flashbacks (we do love a boy who respects boundaries and asexuality), but idk... He was just kind of there and handsome. They're in love and they stay in love. The End. The more interesting relationships to me were between Mina and her mother (toxic) and Mina and her brother (loving). But Mina literally says that she loves her boyfriend as much as her family, and it just rang as hollow teenage immaturity.

I do think this is a satisfying read for the YA demographic. I just craved a little more complexity and darkness, but that could be me as an adult reader so I'm trying not to deduct for that.

Rating: 4/5*

What Wakes the Bells is a dark, modern fairytale set in a lush, gothic and sentient city. The plot follows a fairly standard hero journey but remains compelling due to the uniqueness of the characters and the nuances of their relationships.

The story provided an impactful representation of an ace romance while maintaining a robust plot outside of it. The high stakes and ever-climbing suspense kept me engaged throughout the text. Further, the heroine, Mina, was complex and appropriately angsty for an eighteen-year-old without being irritating. She was flawed enough to not be a "Mary Sue" while also being competent enough to fit into the narrative around her.

Somewhat similarly, the villain was so diabolical I was eagerly awaiting his defeat.

Overall, if you're looking for a dark gothic fantasy for an upper YA age bracket that follows a classic hero's journey, What Wakes the Bells could be for you.

I liked the idea of this story. It reminded me of the hunchback of Notre Dame. Other than some hiccups in the beginning. It was a quick read. Would recommend it. 8/10

This is probably one of my most anticipated 2025 releases and IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT! The characters, the world building, the intricate details, there's nothing in this book that I didn't love. I also think it's incredibly important to see more books with Demi rep and Elle did it so beautifully! 10/10 would recommend this read to anyone, it's great for both YA & Adult readers. Truly loved every second of my read!

Thank you for giving me this book in exchange for a review :)

I really enjoyed this story and watching Mina go on her journey to figure out who the Saint is hiding in. I liked her character growth. The author is very good at keeping me focused on the book and it is very well written, I devoured this one in a few days (which is fast for me). If this book sounds interesting to you, get it! You won't regret it.

What initially drew me in to this book: the cover is lovely, and I was immediately intrigued by the title. I loved the concept that these bells in their city kept something at bay. What does wake the bells? I needed to know!

What I liked: There were some scenes with great imagery, like the catacombs and how they come up later in the book (I'm being as vague as possible to not spoil this for others). The secrets and lies within this city were intense. How Tesch kept all of that straight and continued to weave in little glimpses into the things that came before the book - what set up the plot in the first place.

What I think could have been done better: I saw many of the reveals coming from a mile away. I did love the secret around the bells themselves. I did not see that being part of it. But the love interest, the Saints involvement, the relics, etc. All kind of predictable. Mina's relationship with her mother was pretty terrible too. Her mom was horrible to her; treating her like an outcast. Obviously until things get too hot to handle and then it's "I was so worried about you. Let's be family again." Not my fave. The ending also ties things up in a neat little bow. I would have appreciated some more questions being left to the reader.

Overall, 3 stars for this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for a chance to read a copy of this book.

I’ve been disliking YA as a genre recently so I did not expect to like this book as much as I did!!! But really this has all of the best ingredients and none of the worst thing.

What there was:
A sentient city with magic bells that will wake up millennia old monsters if they aren’t cut twice a day? Check.
Gargoyles and statues coming to life and chasing people? Check.
Saints from historic legends (along with stained glass artwork of said saints)? Check.

What there was not:
Instalove? NOPE.
Overpowering YA angst? NOPE.
Love triangles? NOPE.

The absolute best part of this book was the setting. The history and saints and statues gave so much depth to the book, and all of that being overlayed on a sentient living city that actually FELT alive was incredible. I would live in Vaiwyn. The saints and their relics were so cool. The belltowers were so cool. Immaculate vibes for an October read.

The second best part of this book was how incredibly well done the romance was. Y’all know I’m a romance hater 99% of the time. There’s nothing I hate more than instalove. But in this book the MC had been FRIENDS with the LI for a significant amount of time before anything romantic started happening. And not the “friends who are really just horny for each other and don’t actually have a friendship” trope I’ve seen so much in YA. They had a genuine friendship outside of their romance. Their chemistry wasn’t just pure sexual tension with nothing actually meaningful to it. That detail alone is enough to make me want to read every book Elle Tesch ever writes.

Bottom line: I LOVED THIS BOOK

TRIGGER WARNINGS (minor spoilers): there’s a scene where Mina is forced to kiss someone when she doesn’t want to. Her body is used against her will by a spirit. Her father died from a plague and her mother became abusive afterwards. A side character is severely alcoholic.

This had a lot of elements that I really enjoy seeing in a gothic fantasy book, such as a vivid setting and creative magic. It also had a vivid storytelling that made everything super easy to imagine, almost to the point where it felt like a movie in my head. The fact that it was also very fast-paced helped with that feeling too.

The romance was already established when the book started, which is not something I normally enjoy, but I think the author did a good job at making the reader invested in their relationship without it distracting from the plot.

The biggest downside for me was the predictability of the story, not even 20% in and I could figure out the direction the whole book was going in. I usually don’t mind things being sort of predictable as long as the so called twist fits the story, and while this one did, I feel like after the reveal the book wasn’t as strong. The ending fight scenes felt a little anticlimactic in my opinion, and I just expected the story to do more after the reveal than it did.

Overall, even though it’s kind of predictable and the ending didn’t do as much as it could have, this was nevertheless an enjoyable read that I would still recommend.


Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

🅞🅥🅔🅡🅐🅛🅛 🅡🅐🅣🅘🅝🅖: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ . 25

What Wakes the Bells was a lovely, intense, haunting story that I enjoyed very much! I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happened next! I loved the magic and folklore and the setting of this gothic tale. I felt very immersed in the story with the authors beautiful writing and felt like the storyline was super unique and unlike any fantasies I have read lately. I love the concept of the city “coming to life”, super creepy and fun!

Very well written with beautiful storytelling and witty characters. This could also be enojyed by adult audiences since the voice and writing style is strong.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5

What Wakes the Bells is an immersive, fierce YA fantasy with fantastic characters, a beautiful romance, and lovely prose that hooked me from the first page.

Oh, I loved this one. The writing was beautiful and fit Mina’s character and the world perfectly. The story and magic system were fascinating, and the pacing and characters kept me entertained and eagerly awaiting the next chapter. I felt seen in so many aspects of Mina’s character, and I also appreciated the half-sibling representation, as a half-sibling myself.
The action scenes and twists were well-written, and I loved the dark, twisty atmosphere of the novel and the sentient city. The romance was so sweet, and the ending fit the book wonderfully. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ARC!

I really enjoyed this one. First download that I’ve finished off of NetGalley! I was a bit skeptical because it’s young adult but I really enjoyed the premise and world that was created. While I found it a bit predictable that doesn’t mean it was bad, just that you could easily see what was coming before our main protagonist. Overall a great fantasy YA book (especially if you’re tired of spice in your young adult books lol). Thanks again to NetGalley!

WHAT WAKES THE BELLS is such an intriguing debut!! I had a great time reading it and loved the vibes a lot. I’m looking forward to more books by Elle Tesch!!