I love a good queer romance and then when you throw in some fantasy elements, I am hooked. I was so excited to read this book and it didn’t really disappoint at all.

Derek Milman’s A Darker Mischief, narrated by Charles Linshaw, is an engaging and atmospheric audiobook that deftly blends elements of mystery, dark academia, and coming-of-age themes. The story follows Cal Ware, a queer teen from Mississippi, navigating the complex social hierarchies of Essex Academy, an elite boarding school in New England. What starts as a chance for Cal to reinvent himself quickly turns into a tale of deception and dangerous choices as he gets entangled in a secret society led by the magnetic Luke Kim.

Linshaw’s narration brings Cal’s vulnerability and longing for acceptance to life, making listeners feel the weight of his struggles and aspirations. His ability to switch between characters’ voices and accents enhances the immersion, particularly when capturing the snide tones of Cal’s elitist classmates and the charm of Luke’s smooth allure. The pacing is well-handled, though some moments of internal reflection might feel slower to listeners expecting a more fast-paced thriller.

The novel excels at portraying Cal’s emotional journey and the tension that builds as the secret society's initiation rituals spiral out of control. However, some supporting characters feel underdeveloped, and certain plot twists, while suspenseful, can be predictable. Despite these minor flaws, the story’s exploration of identity, power, and the cost of ambition remains compelling.

Overall, A Darker Mischief is an immersive listen that balances heartache and high-stakes intrigue, making it a solid 4-star experience. Linshaw’s narration is a standout, enhancing the eerie and exclusive world of Essex Academy.

If you're looking for an LGBTQ+, dark academia, thriller, then look no further. I received an arc of the audiobook, and I was not disappointed, much. I loved finding out about Essex and delving into the society. I enjoyed the problematic romance. What I didn't care for was how depraved this book would become. I guess since it's young adult, I expected to be disgusted less than I was. The lack of morality within some of the students made my stomach turn. I also disliked the voice used for the young female characters. It was too valley girl for me. But all in all, the book was enjoyable. Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the arc.

This was an interesting book. Definitely dark academia and there were some bits that weren’t exactly plausible but overall it was an interesting ride. I struggled with the romance since it didn’t seem exactly healthy but I do admire the queer representation. Cal was shipped out to the private school he was offered a scholarship at and doesn’t feel like he really fits. Until he happens to see a gathering of students dressed up and receives a card with an eye on it. Slowly he begins to learn about the highly influential secret society and decides he has to be a member. Also rushing is Luke, the cute jock he is in chemistry with and they share some other chemistry as well. Slowly bits of the backstory are revealed and they[‘re all horrifying. The story itself was pretty predictable but it was still an interesting ride.

Thank you to author Derek Milman, publisher Sholastic Press and Netgalley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.

I will say that I think the world and story was well done, but I might not have been the correct reader for this book. I can definitly see why others would enjoy it.

From the beginning, I struggled to understand the world building and had to trust that everything would come together at the end. However, I think the character development for Cal was sweet and done properly.

It took time to understand what was going on, but when the plot twists at the end took place, I understood more, but the setup and the way it was written didn’t always make sense to me.

I was excited for this copy, but I may not had finished it had it not been audio. The narriator was sweet and fit Cal perfectly.

Again, thank you for the advanced reader (listener?) copy!

I slogged through the first 40% of the book and just didn't care. I didn't care about any of the characters - they didn't have enough personality for that. I didn't care about the dark and mysterious backstories. I didn't care about anything that happened (really not much did). I didn't want to know more.

The secret society was trying to be dark and mysterious and creepy but it just came off nonsensical and weirdly obsessed with obscure historical details about buildings. The "riddles" made little sense and Cal breezed through them in a way that seemed highly suspect.

I gave in and read some reviews to give myself the motivation to keep going, and from what I can tell the plot goes completely off the rails in the second half so really I did myself a favor by stopping when I did. I got more enjoyment reading some of the one-star reviews than I did for the actual book.

I was reading it on audio, so I didn't notice the writing style issues others mention, but If I had been reading the ebook I would have definitely been turned off by them.

The audio wasn't to my taste either. I didn't like the narrator and I think he contributed to making the characters seem unlikeable. His narration was a little bit monotone and kept everything at a distance.

*Thanks to Scholastic Press and Dreamscape Media for providing an early copy for review.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this dark academia mystery novel. However, I thought the whole section where Cal was applying to join the Society and participating in their challenges was far too long. Also I wasn’t a fan of the lack of character development from all characters.

I enjoyed the overarching ideas about a boarding school, a secret society, every character having their own secrets, however I thought it wasn’t executed very well and at times the plot didn’t make sense.

I didn’t like Cal’s character, he was too trusting and seemed desperate to join the Society for no real reason.

Also, the book really felt like it was split in halves - half being Cal’s trials to join the Society, and the second half being Cal’s adventures once within the Society. In my opinion, the first half could’ve been skipped over much quicker to focus more on the second half which was far more interesting.

Also, I found that the target audience age was unclear, some sections seemed like they were written for a younger YA audience, but there was too much violence for this age range.

Ultimately, a YA dark academia novel with an intriguing premise that I would recommend to fans of the TV show ‘The Order’ (2019).

I brought this up multiple times in my reading notes and I will reiterate here: why are they so young?
I really don't know why my brain keeps going back to this but the fact that the oldest person in this society is at most 18 and that our main characters are 15/16 *baffles* me. "Suspend your disbelief" yeah ok but how can I when the dialogues keep reminding me that these little freaks are not legally allowed to drink or own a credit card. It made any attempt at tackling darker topics like Cal's descent into immorality seem like a childhood mistake rather than something of significance.
Case in point: in the end, everything was fine. Barely anything of note came out of the kidnapping in the grand scheme of things. Pinky possibly died and Luke lost his arm but that all happened offscreen.
I'm just lost. I dont know what this book was trying to tell me. At times I feel like I could see the darkness that the author wanted to channel, like that scene where Cal breaks into the theatre and effectively brings Society out of the boundaries of Essex, but then Luke would call him "dickbitch" or something and I was all out of it again. The juvenile tone of certain scenes do not match the dark one that others impose though the seriousness of the matters at hand (cancer, death, kidnapping, blackmail, sexual assault, drug abuse, and more).
If I look way too deeply into it I could write a thesis about the innocence of youth peaking through the darkness of """"society"""" but I genuinely think the disconnect is more of a mistake than anything.
The rest, however, was decently enjoyable. I liked the time I spent listening to the audiobook for the most part. The first half was a drag but we all got through it.
2/5
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the audiobook.

I enjoyed the start of the book, I loved the intrigue of a secret society trying to find all the schools secrets. But then the book took a bit of a turn and the plot started feeling a little muddled. I wish we would have had more focus on them finding the secret rooms and all that at the school since that's what I found the most interesting. It's not my favorite dark academia book I've read but it was still entertaining. It read really quick.

I did find some dialogue to be a little cringe but they are teens so I suppose it makes some sense lol The narrator was really good. I enjoyed the way they set the tone for the book!

Updated this review and added the link to myTiktok release day review post. No spoilers.
New YA Dark Academia: A Darker Mischief by Derek Milman, audiobook, narrated by Charles Linshaw
My thanks to Dreamscape Media for the ALC via NetGalley for consideration. These are my unbiased opinions.
I liked the outsider characters and Gothic atmosphere,  Overall, I enjoyed it, but it took many chapters to become fully engaged. I’m glad I listened to the audiobook. The voice acting helped me stick with it through the slow parts. The narrator gives a good performance with distinct character voices and a strong emotional range. My comments on the pacing below refer to the writing, not the narration.

Strengths:
Some good writing with beautiful moments
Imaginative, and includes diversity–refreshingly free of stereotypes
Cal’s struggle with confidence, temptations, guilt, and morality feel authentic
Good coming of age arc with character growth and change
The romantic subplot was refreshingly and realistically gay
Good depictions of attraction, sexuality, falling in love, and conflicts between damaged guys
Atmosphere and setting: Gothic vibes, plus strong use of symbols and the campus architecture and history
Poetic passages and haunting, gritty imagery
The ending pays off with gratifying complexity

Challenges:
For me, the author relied too much on withholding information–the weakest and most annoying  suspense trick.
The pacing felt slow until the last 25%.

Once the action accelerated, it turned darker than I expected–in good ways. Ultimately, although there are implausible plot points, I enjoyed it. The various dark excesses and details of damage, including in relationship dynamics, were my favorite parts.

I rounded up my rating to 3.5 stars because the layers of complexity in the final chapters and epilogue elevated the book and made me glad I chose it. I recommend this book for readers who enjoy #OwnVoices LGBT+ books, Dark Academia, novels with Gothic vibes, or Achillean coming of age fiction with YA love. This is a good pick for your--or your favorite darkling's--Samhain, Halloween, or Day of the Dead treat list. You've been good, haven't you?

DNF at 38%

SPOILERS: I could live with hilariously 'edgy' teens and so called secret society, but branding gives uncomfortable cult vibes that I cannot deal with.

3.5 stars

I was so excited for this book, but it ultimately didn't live up to my excitement. Maybe that's on me. I mean, queer dark academia? I was so pumped for that kind of story. This story leans more towards thriller territory. There is a romance arc, but not at all a romance. The story moved super slow for almost two-thirds of the story, and then everything felt rushed to get to the end. I liked the characters, and the premise of the story had so much promise, but ultimately, the pacing just didn't fit to keep me engaged. I wanted to love this so badly, but it just fell kind of flat for me. I don't think this will be the end for me with this author, though. Like I said, the story has promised, and the characters were intriguing (like Luke), and Cal, especially, was easily likable. I think a lot of people could like this easily, but this story just didn't end up being for me.

Now, I listened to the audiobook for this one, and overall, it was a great experience. My only qualm is that Cal is from Mississippi, and his accent is mentioned frequently, yet the narrator never used one for either the internal monologues or the external dialogue. It just didn't feel right. Cal tries to suppress his accent, so it may not be a heavy one, but it's still there in the story, yet we didn't see it in the narration.

This sounded right up my alley but omg, the narrator was horrendous. He has the worst fake southern accept and 30% in, i was so annoyed with the protagonist i couldn’t take it anymore. DNF for poor writing and narration, no discernible plot

e-ARC from NetGalley.

4.5

This was the most chaotic monstrosity of a story I've ever read. I'm not sure why I even picked it up since I don't like dark academia. I spent the entire story screaming at our protagonist about the choices he was making, praying he would kick Luke in the knee and run away, and wanting this kid to just open his damn eyes!

Obviously, I loved it.

It was so sinister and sad with an unexpected element of sweetness. I was so anxious, always suspecting what was to come, but never knowing for sure. There was nothing about this book that should have worked for me, but it did anyway.

No cohesive thoughts. Just the acknowledgment that this was amazing, my mental health is deteriorating, and I will never willingly read this again.

Definitely recommend!

I think I expected more dark academia paranormal and I did not receive that. There is not a single character I would wanna be alone in a room with. Not very likeable high school kids? ....Surprise Suprise. The ending could of been a little more fulfilling. Kind of wrapped it up quick and the a flash forward.

If you enjoy dark academia, trust me – it doesn’t get much darker than this.

After an “incident” at home, Cal receives a scholarship to the exclusive Essex Academy in New England. It’s best he accept the scholarship and leave town – his financially strapped family would never be able to afford the tuition, and opportunities are limited in small town Mississippi. Cal also struggles with identity and belonging and hopes to find friends at Essex. The students aren’t exactly welcoming, but when Cal’s asked to join a secret society he’s thrilled to have found his place. He longs to feel a part of something, but SoSE may be more than Cal bargained for.

Cal is an easy character to like, and I wanted to wrap him in a big hug and tell him everything would be alright. Besides school, he has other issues at home to worry about. Other than a couple minor characters, he’s the only one I cared about. Most of them don’t have any redeeming qualities. With secrets upon secrets, questionable actions, and outright lies, it’s hard for Cal or the reader to completely trust anyone. You may have to suspend your disbelief when the truth rolls out near the end.

Judging by other reviews I’m in the minority on this, but I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between Cal and Luke. Luke didn’t come across as genuine to me and is less than truthful with Cal about aspects of his life. I thought Cal could do better.

The prologue set six months in the future immediately intrigued me, and I needed to know how the characters get to that point. The epilogue set ten years in the future was also appreciated. In some novels I love a glimpse that allows you to see what becomes of the characters.

Recommended for readers who enjoy boarding school mysteries, secret societies, and darker academia stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I will not post feedback for a while since I don't think the book was for me. I did not finish the audiobook.
Students taking this society thing far too serious and being dramatic about breaking into school buildings is just too ridiculous for me. Especially since I work as a teacher and constantly picture the self-important games, dressing up, burning letters.... I cannot take the book seriously at all!
The narrator did a good job though

A Darker Mischief is an exciting and unnerving dark academia story. Cal is offered a scholarship to Essex Academy, moving from his home in Mississippi to a boarding school in New England. Cal never really fit in in Mississippi and he feels particularly out of place at his new school, surrounded by wealth and suave, athletic classmates. While exploring the campus one evening, he stumbles across a masquerade party held in one of the abandoned buildings on campus, where he is handed a card with an eye design on it and promptly kicked out. Cal becomes obsessed with learning more about the secret society on campus and becoming a part of it. The story is filled with riddles, romance, history, and dangerous explorations in abandoned buildings. Cal learns more about Society and its secrets, getting more and more tangled in a dangerous web.

I found the story to be really gripping and I wanted to keep listening to know what was going to happen next. At times the dialogue was a bit dramatic, but the characters are teenagers at an elite boarding school, so what can you expect. Cal and Luke's relationship was a real rollercoaster, but I never really understood what it was that Cal saw in Luke. I thought that all of the characters were quite well developed and the setting was incredibly detailed as well. The narrator did a good job, although at times it was difficult for me to figure out who was doing the talking. This will be a good book for fans of dark academia, complex characters, and toxic relationships.

I'll start his review by saying I am not a huge fan for Dark Academia books. I requested this book to give it a chance and see if I can read more books like these. Overall the story was very interesting and I was so intrigued to see how it was gonna play out with the secret society.

Like there were a little details of this book, I just felt it was long, for me. Overall I do recommend.

I got an alc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the early audiobook of A Darker Mischief!

Well, the idea was there and it was interesting in theory buuuuuut this is gonna be a no from me.

My main complaint are the characters, especially Cal & Luke. There was absolutely nothing that made me want to root for either one of them. And together? Absolutely not. + the dialogue is very cringe. The plot was a bit of a Mess, and the way certain things were handle was just weird.

This just didn’t work for me, which is a bummer because the prologue really had me believing this was gonna be a good time.

I would like to add on though that narrator of the audiobook did bring Cal to life really well, so it does have that going for it.