Firstly, thank you so so much to Netgalley and Macmillan for allowing me to read the ARC of this book -- it took me a while to actually sit down and read it, but I'm glad that I did. Goodreads rating is 5 stars, but my personal rating is closer to a 4.5, which I'll explain further down.

I think I saw another review go, "Oh, y'all are not read for THIS." And I agree. Elle Tesch's debut into gothic fantasy is incredible. The description states that What Wakes the Bells is perfect for fans of Margaret Rogerson, and I also agree with that sentiment. Tesch did not put any shame on Rogerson's name or game, so if you liked one you'll definitely enjoy the other.

What Wakes the Bells is a story about many things, but what steals the spotlight every chapter, every page, is the city Tesch has crafted. Vaiwyn, the name of the city, is built upon the corpse of a fallen God, and protected by the Strauss family. The God is dead, but the city is alive, and Tesch describes the walls of buildings as pointed ribs and healing membranes. The city can absorb messages into its walls and spit them out to the correct recipient -- because the walls are still, somehow, alive. It has been a very long time (Honestly, probably since I read Rogerson for the first time) that I have been able to create an entire city in my head from scratch. You can see the bell towers, the cobbled steps. Tesch not only said that Vaiwyn is alive, but she showed it, and it was beautiful.

The setting was breathtaking, but the plot was great as well. We follow Mina Strauss, the newest bell keeper, as she tries to uphold years of family tradition. Every day, she must cut the clapper off her vesper before the bell rings 12 times, otherwise an ancient evil will be unleashed. And since there would be no story without conflict, Mina fails in her duty, and the bell eventually peals out 12 chimes, despite her best efforts.

I won't go too much into the story's details -- they're best read personally. Some of my favorite parts of this book were the magic system and the Saints themselves. It's revealed that 4 of Vaiwyn's saints are still alive and protecting the city, and they have both human forms and magical forms. They are all described beautifully, otherworldly, and in ways that sparked my imagination something fierce. At times the Saints appeared as abstract deities, and the concepts Tesch assigned to them were just so freaking cool.

The only thing I would say docks a half point off for me is that at points I didn't feel overly connected to the cast or the romantic subplot. The book was gorgeous in it's presentation, but I was never attached to Max or the Strauss family. I don't necessarily think this is a failing of the author -- I think it's me being picky. I loved the characters, just not necessarily their intertwining relationships.

Overall, an absolute joy of a book, and I wish it a very good release day!

3.5! The setting is SO good!! An alive city with magical bells, living statues, and saints from legends. The romance was surprisingly great and while the twists were kinda predictable, the fast pacing and unique world made it such an enjoyable read. If you like slow burn romance and imaginative worlds, this book is definitely for you :)

The premise of this sounded so fascinating and I couldn’t wait to dive into this story. Unfortunately, it fell a little flat. Although I think that’s just my own personal preference. I’ve noticed that I’ve not really been reading as much YA over the last little bit but I really wanted to give this a shot because I’m a sucker for a gothic story. I do think this will appeal to fans of the genre, it just didn’t work 100% for me.

There was a lot I enjoyed about What Wakes the Bells, but there was also a lot I found lackluster, so this is a 3 star read for me. First, I wouldn’t call this gothic or recommend it to someone wanting a gothic story. There were some elements—such as the gargoyles, sickness, and much of the story taking place at night—but it misses the claustrophobia, melancholia, and self reflection most gothic tales have. What Wakes the Bells seems too fast paced and plot driven to really feel gothic.

What I liked: the city of Vaiwyn is incredible. It’s a sentient city that truly feels like a character on its own, which makes this book feel super unique. The magic system is intricate and well organized, and the way the characters interact with magic feels natural and interesting. I enjoyed the action scenes and felt like the overall pacing of the book is well done. This is a quick read that is also meaningful, with an enjoyable MC and a cause the reader can root for.

What I didn’t like: too much info dumping. There are entire chapters of side characters literally telling the MC (and therefore, the reader) everything she needs to know. It was not only hard to follow along with, but it significantly lowered the stakes. As our MC tries to find answers, she’s constantly asking hypothetical questions, which we know will be answered by one of the side characters in the following chapter. I found myself feeling much more interested in the history of these characters than I was interested in this current story.

This is a solid debut which I think will appeal to a lot of teens looking for dark fantasy that fits between younger YA and more mature Adult.

DNF at 5%.

Oof. 😅 I requested this arc and had no idea it would be be filled with SUPER flowery language and so “atmospheric” that I barely knew what was going on. Definitely NOT my thing. Hopefully it appeals to others.

What Wakes the Bells follows Mina, a Keeper in a city built by saints that is alive. Her family has kept the city alive for thousands of years by keeping the bells Vespers from ringing—if they fail, they will wake an evil saint. When Mina’s bell rings thirteen times, it unleashes the Bane from his prison and the city fights back. Stone gargoyles and statues hunt people through the streets for the soul of the corrupted saint. He hides in someone’s body and if Mina doesn’t find out who, she’ll risk losing more than just her city—she could lose her family and Max.

I loved Vaiwyn. The author crafted such a gorgeous, poetic city with such beautiful prose and descriptions. It is so fun that the city is alive and sentient—such a fun concept! I went to Prague this past summer and the author breathed the city into these pages. It felt so familiar, but so much more magical. While the twists are pretty easy to guess, I still had such a fun time following Mina figure everything out. And the statues coming to life to attack was so haunting and gripping—very disney’s hunchback of notre dame vibes in my head. The imagery is really knocked out of the park in this novel. The pacing is really engaging and keeps you invested. And the saints were so fascinating—loved the concept of them. The ending was just what I wanted for the characters.

This was such a unique romance. I don’t think I’ve read one quite like it, and if I have, its so rare I can’t remember. But I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was so refreshing to have the mc and her love interest already together at the start. And the lovers to enemies is a trope I wasn’t expecting to enjoy as much as I did. The author did such a great job at the romance—it was so wholesome and so heartbreaking. Mina is such a great main character. I loved the demi rep! She’s so headstrong and capable and going through so much. I loved the complicated relationship with her mother. Her whole family was so well developed, and Isaac was definitely my favourite family member. Max was such a sweetheart and a whole vibe honestly. His protectiveness of Mina was so sweet.

If you love the vibes of Prague and the Hunchback of Notre Dame and a lovers to enemies romance, please go give this book a try!!

Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

WHAT WAKES THE BELL has all of my favorite things - including beautiful, flowery writing. A perfect debut.

Oof. This was a dud for me. The writing is extremely flowery, and it often felt like it didn't fit the scene. I feel like the book just needed more build-up. I didn't care about the characters or their relationships that much. And, the end of the world didn't feel very, scary. I think if you want a book with flowery language and gothic settings, this one will be a good read. But, if you're like me and want to know the why behind the many miracles that happen, this may disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this arc!

I’m always amazed when an author can pull you into a world they’ve built from the ground up - complete with architecture, a governing and religious system, well-developed characters, and a compelling plot - where you truly feel like you are walking alongside the characters. That’s the experience you get in What Wakes the Bells. I was instantly transported into the world of Vaiwyn!

I loved the lore and history - a sentient city, humans who ascended into Saints, and the bell keepers who toil day and night to keep away the city’s greatest evil. Mina was the perfect flawed MC - the weight of her responsibility and the depth of her grief were so palpable. I adored her relationships with Max and Isaac, and the grit of her determination to save her city.

This was such a good read! It explores the ways grief is internalized, how unexpected responsibilities can both crumble us and force us to rise, and defining boundaries for love. The combination of myth, mystery, and atmosphere kept me glued to the pages - I needed to see how everything would come together. This is one you won’t want to miss!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Feiwel & Friends for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved What Wakes the Bells by Elle Tesch! Tesch's book has a gritty, visceral quality, with plenty of horror elements threaded through this YA fantasy about a corrupted god who has spent centuries caged in a bell. I thought the way the villain manifested his powers over the city was so unique. Looking forward to reading everything that Tesch publishes!

This is such a great story—the idea of a city being sentient is truly unique in its premise and I loved how the story unfolded around it. The city of Vaiwyn holds the power to shape the fate of those who dwell within its shadow, and is kept in balance by the Bells.

From the very start of the story, it is evident the burden of responsibility weighs heavily on our FMC, Mina. The Strauss family is entrusted with an ancient duty—to ensure the bells in their towers never toll. If they toll, an ancient and terrible power will awaken. But dark forces are conspiring against them, and it is Mina’s bell that heralds their downfall, ringing thirteen times and summoning a chaos they hoped would never return.

As the town is grappling with the buildings and statues wreaking havoc and destruction at night, Mina’s family is left to unravel the riddles of the town, as well as their own, desperately searching for answers to explain the return of the nightmare that once plagued their town and how they can stop it.

As they are thrown together and put under pressure, you can clearly see the intriguing dynamics of their relationships. The tension between Mina and her mother, Imogen is palpable, a raw undercurrent of disdain and unresolved conflict. I really didn’t like Imogen. Even when her and Mina attempt to reconcile, there remains a distance between them, a sense that the cracks run too deep to heal.

Mina and Max’s relationship was so cute!! Max is the epitome of a fiercely loyal puppy dog MMC. His steady presence and unwavering support, is like a balm to her fractured soul, a glimmer of hope in a world that threatens to consume her. The thought of losing Max or any more of her family are a catalyst for Mina’s inner rage to boil over and it is in this moment she searches the darkest corners of her soul, and becomes something far more formidable than she could have ever have dreamed.

Some parts of the story felt somewhat predictable but I felt the depth of the characters and the foreboding atmosphere of this awesome, sentient city more than compensated for any sense of familiarity. The gothic tone of the story had me in a chokehold… this genre is quickly becoming one of my favourites. It kept me turning the pages, eager to uncover all the moody, eerie mysteries. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and it’s beautiful, haunting vibes. 🩶

Thank you so much to the author and publisher for an eARC to review prior to release.

Very interesting premise. I like the focus on the Saint's lore. Captivating worldbuilding and main character making this YA a great fantasy mystery read. Sometimes, I got confused and double-checked, but nothing destructive.
The cover agrees well with the novel.

I was so looking forward to this Gothic fantasy, but I found the book lacking overall. We follow Mina, a young adult with a huge responsibility to her city, fraught family relationships, and a pretty great boyfriend. One day, the stories and warnings of the Saints that she grew up with come to life. While an interesting premise, the writing is overly descriptive in an attempt to give the world a seriousness that already exists. The language is so full of metaphors that when something did happen, I had to re-read the passage multiple times trying to figure out what it was. The characters are… not bright and a bit two-dimensional. I was always many steps ahead of them, and I never connected with anyone.

If you love YA adventure novels and gothic mysteries, this could be right up your alley. Something I really appreciated was the author’s attempt to tries to make the boyfriend really good and caring. But without full-fledged characters, I was looking for all the reasons something was wrong from the first time I met him. I didn’t have any idea who he was, so I second-guessed it and didn’t get to enjoy a healthy relationship as part of the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

What Wakes the Bells weaves a darkly enchanting tale of a city imbued with life, grappling with the looming threat of an age-old darkness. At its heart is Mina, a Keeper tasked with guarding one of the Vespers, a mystical bell that must remain silent to prevent the awakening of the Bane, a malevolent force subdued by heroic figures from centuries past. When fate takes an unexpected turn and Mina's bell tolls, unleashing chaos, she is thrust into a desperate battle to defend her home and the cherished ones in her life.

The novel boasts an intriguing concept and immersive world-building, leaving me hungry for more exploration within the pulsating city of Vaiwyn and its rich tapestry of mythology and spirituality. The gothic atmosphere is artfully crafted; it’s thrilling to see how this genre has flourished recently. As a devoted fan, I find myself excited for each new contribution, and What Wakes the Bells captures that haunting essence beautifully!

However, I did encounter some difficulty in relating to Mina, the story's protagonist. There’s a particular archetype of young adult characters that tends to rub me the wrong way, and regretfully, Mina fit that mold from the outset and maintained that demeanor throughout the narrative. She often seemed self-absorbed and somewhat immature. Yet, considering this is a young adult story, her character aligns with the themes presented, and I acknowledge that there will certainly be readers who resonate with her journey. In any case, the writing is strong, and the world-building is truly impressive. I’m eager to see what other tales this author has in store for us!

This book was one of my most expected reads for 2025 and even if I went in with huge expectations, it did not disappoint. It plays out like a TV show, it is all thanks to the genius writing and the very well thought-out backstory and plot.

I would have loved to know more about Max, but it was still a very satisfying story that gave me goosebumps and kept me on my toes. There are some heavily action-packed scenes that do not miss in their dynamism, and the descriptions make them incredible.

And of course the mother-daughter relationship and it's strain was really well written and had a very organic evolution that wasn't linear and it made it the more realistic.

Gothic fantasy book with a religion revolving saints who left bell towers and tower keepers to protect the city from an evil contained by the chime not rung. This book reads like a mystery. I don't think I'm the target audience for this book.

The story was fine. The worldbuilding was interesting. The family dynamics were intense and the mother frustrated me (in a character I'm not necessarily supposed to like kind of way). There was a romantic subplot but it took the backstage to the central mystery elements.

I think ya book lovers of fantasy and Nancy Drew might enjoy this more. Definitely some interesting elements to the story, it just didn't pull me in (but mystery isn't really my genre).

Content: kissing, language

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

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!