This is one of those books that on paper, it should be a book that I absolutely love but unfortunately that just wasn’t the case.

I do love the gothic dark academia setting and it’s very atmospheric, but I struggled with the pacing. But I do think that readers of the dark academia should still definitely add to their tbr. I just find that I’m extremely picky in that sub genre.

Content Warning: self-harm, violence, demon possession

This book definitely got the gothic, dark academia part down with it being set in Scotland. The setting is perfect for a boarding school filled with misfits. It’s dark, gloomy, always raining and cold, and surrounded by moors.

As for the story – something mysterious is happening at Agathion and it’s not only all the Greek philosophy being studied at the school. Something dark and sinister. That also was done very well in the book I feel, the whole atmosphere of impending doom.

Page is trying to find where she fits in at Agathion and she thought she finally found her place until she figures out what is happening at the school. Who can she really trust? Even with her new found friends, I didn’t feel like she could trust anyone until the very end. As a character, I didn’t really connect to her but I thought she had a lot of growth as the story went on. There is a little romance which I found to be kind of sweet.

I did like the chaos of everything happening in the book, there are a few twists and turns but I think there were times where too much was happening and at times it got confusing. It may just be a pacing issue for me and it being just a tad bit too long.


Final Thoughts:

I thought overall this was an entertaining read. It did take me a few days to read because of the pacing issues but I did push through even when things got confusing because a lot was going on. It’s got all the gothic vibes, a little romance, a little magic, some fantasy, and some demon possession. If you like dark academia, demons and Scottish mores, you might enjoy this one.

this had a lot of potential but i think it just kind of fell flat for me. i am interested in seeing where this author goes in the future though

I'm a sucker for dark academia and this definitely delivered on the atmosphere and themes on that, though things seemed to unravel as the plot went on. It could have benefitted from more focus on the plot and character development.

*Unhallowed Halls* by Lili Wilkinson is a chilling and atmospheric ghost story that blends mystery, suspense, and supernatural elements. Set in a secluded boarding school with a dark history, the novel follows a group of students who begin to unravel the eerie secrets of their surroundings as strange events and unexplainable occurrences escalate. Wilkinson's writing captures the creeping tension and growing sense of dread, drawing readers into a world where nothing is as it seems. The mix of romance, friendship, and the paranormal adds depth to the story, while the well-executed twists keep the suspense high. *Unhallowed Halls* is a perfect pick for readers who enjoy haunting, character-driven mysteries with a touch of the eerie and supernatural.

So, this book nailed the atmosphere. Boarding school in the Scottish moors, got it, it seems cool. I wasn’t super impressed by most of this book, though. I didn’t feel like I cared about the characters, a lot of the bonding happened off the page, and I don’t like that. So, it ended up being things happening to a lot of characters I didn’t care about. In fact, I was a little annoyed at them, cause all the quoting philosophers really started to drag, especially when it wasn’t always explained well. I did want to know what happened, but as the story veered into fantasy, it seemed like the pacing got off track. And, the fantasy elements weren’t my favorite. I feel like they were quite confusing, and I just needed more explanations for everything.

So, if you’re reading this book for the vibes, this one has the dark fantasy boarding school thing down. But, the plot and characters feel mostly average to a little irritating.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I actually LOVED THIS ONE! Scotland setting, dark academia, private elite colleges, found family (or is it?0, and amazing atmospheric writing. I would absolutely recommend this to fans of Ninth House and Harry Potter!

Unhallowed Halls is an atmospheric dark academia novel full of ancient history, rituals, and secret societies. The story was slightly more off the rails than I was expecting, and I found some of the philosophical conversations a bit inaccessible for the average reader, but even though the plot seemed to get lost midway through, the ending was satisfying. I enjoyed the themes of acceptance woven throughout the novel - acceptance of your self being the most prominent - and the relationships between the characters. Overall, I think lovers of YA dark academia books will enjoy this addition to the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I liked it but didn’t love it. The premise is perfect, especially since it involves a boarding school and has a touch of mystery (and who doesn’t love that combo?) but I felt like the book gradually lost me. By the time I got to the end, I didn’t care as much about the story or the characters anymore.

Overall, this book was pretty enjoyable. I really liked how it started, and was satisfied with the ending, but the last few chapters felt a bit out of place, and the pacing felt off, I like the characters, and their relationships to each other. Some of them could have been fleshed out a little more, but none of them felt completely two dimensional, they all had a bit of depth to them. The dialogue also felt pretty natural. The first half definitely feels very different from the second half, but I think it all ties together in the end. Some of the plot twists felt out of place, but not so much that they ruined the book for me. Overall, this was a decent read, and I think many people would enjoy it.

This uses the dark academia with demons in a way that worked overall, it had that storyline that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall tension of this story. Lili Wilkinson wrote this in a way that was engaging and was invested in what was happening to the characters. The characters were everything that I was looking for from this type of book. It had a beautiful cover that worked in this story.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential, but wasn’t executed very well. I liked the overall feel of the book, but it did seem to drag on. This is definitely a YA fantasy.

"Unhallowed Halls" offers an enticing premise, plunging readers into the shadowy corridors of Agathion, a secluded boarding school steeped in mystery. The story follows Page Whittaker, a scholarship student with a troubled past, as she navigates the school's archaic traditions and befriends a group of enigmatic students. The atmospheric setting is richly drawn, creating a sense of foreboding that draws readers in.

The book's first half is its strongest, balancing an intriguing mystery with dark academia elements. Page's attempts to adapt to the rigid environment and her growing friendships with Cyrus, Lacey, and others are well-paced and engaging. The classical literature references add an intellectual layer, though they remain largely surface-level, missing opportunities to enhance the narrative's depth.

However, as the plot shifts towards the fantastical, the story begins to lose its footing. The introduction of supernatural elements, while intriguing, feels abrupt and poorly integrated. The pacing becomes uneven, with some plot points rushed and others dragging. Several characters, particularly Lacey and Cyrus, lack the development needed to make their arcs impactful.

The resolution ties up the main storyline but leaves a host of unanswered questions, such as the fate of certain characters and the implications of the school's darker secrets. While the book starts with promise, its second half struggles to maintain the tension and polish that made the beginning so compelling.

Overall, Unhallowed Halls is a mixed bag. It excels in atmosphere and setup, making it a potential favorite for fans of dark academia and younger readers new to the genre. However, its uneven execution and missed opportunities may leave seasoned readers wanting more.

I really loved Lili Wilkinson's other book, "A Hunger of Thorns," so I was so excited to get approved for this one.

"Unhallowed Halls" is a magical dark academia book that follows a loner teen from Florida who gets accepted to a secretive boarding school in Scottish moors. The teen in question, Page Whittaker, needs a fresh start and is excited for this opportunity, Unfortunately for Page, Agathion is not only the stuff of her dreams but her nightmares too. The longer she is at Agathion, the more obvious it is that there is something wrong here and Page has to find out before it's too late.

I honestly did enjoy this but it felt way more juvenile than "A Hunger of Thorns." Everything from the characters to the sparknotes-y philosophical discussions had me rolling my eyes. I really did start to enjoy it but once I got passed the halfway mark and the narrative picked up, it just all felt really convoluted.

Would recommend for a much younger reader or for general readers who don't know anything about classics and philosophy.

Book:
UNHALLOWED HALLS by Lili Wilkinson
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the Earc (Feb 18)

Review:
2⭐
Where do I even start? Goodness, this book. I was so excited to get approved for UNHALLOWED HALLS, and I was expecting Dark Academia with a twist. This delivers on that but...the execution felt off in a way. Like, the first half of the book I was bored, and it felt like a chore I didn't want to do. A few times, I wanted to DNF, but my want to know what was going on was a lot stronger. The second half was better, but still super drawn out---I think it could have been a hundred pages shorter. And honesty, I didn't know what was going on half the time. This book just wasn't for me.

I will forever read anything Lili Wilkinson writes. UNHALLOWED HALLS convinced me of that. Gorgeously atmospheric and hauntingly good, her latest is a tour de force of fantasy, mystery, and a touch of romance. In it, we meet Paige, the perfectly imperfect protagonist who fearlessly guides readers through the halls of Agathion College, where nothing is as it seems. Least of which the dazzling group of friends that Paige finds herself drawn to. UNHALLOWED HALLS has everything I’ve ever longed for in a young adult fantasy read. I simply cannot understate how much I loved it.

American teen Page travels to exclusive highly academic boarding on the moors of Scotland. She knows something is wrong with her and is looking forward to living a life of the mind. She’s immediately attacked by a pig. Everyone is keeping secrets: the students, the magisters and the school. She decides she really does want friends. Lots of ancient demons and esoteric philosophy grounded by the painful reality of endometriosis and death. I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this DRC.
#UnhallowedHalls #NetGalley

A student transferring to an old school drenched in mystery after a traumatic incident at their prior school is one of my favorite set-ups. Obviously I was going to need to read Unhallowed Halls. I loved the descriptions in this book and how easy it was to sink into the story. This is definitely a book to read on a rainy day.

This was an enjoyable read. The atmosphere was well establish and a prefect spooky read. The mystery surrounding the school was well paced. There were enough clues for the reader to be able to piece together what was happening. The main cast was interesting. I do wish that we got more time with Lacey. Her and Cyrus were under developed as charcaters but I still enjoyed thier scences. There are still many unanswered question like what happened with Oak and his mother, will these teenagers ever get a highschool diploma, who's family paid for them to all go to Fiji, does Cassidy recover? While this story was based in the supernatural the goddess scene felt a bit removed from the rest of the story. The monsters and demons were always contained so for there to be monster tentacles and a giant mountain woman sewing the sky. Ch. 25 and 26 were the slowest paced chapter. Could have been more succinct.

I love gothic fantasy and dark academia so this was fun but the beginning of this book moves at a snail's pace and unfortunately I can see people DNFing early before the best parts kick in.