This book was intriguing from the first page. Lili Wilkinson has a way of making you wonder about her protagonists. Wonder who they are, their back stories, their motives.

The magic system in this world is unique, how it's dealt with and its acceptance is an interesting take.

I feel like this is definitely created for the younger end of the YA age bracket, I may have been a little past it to enjoy some of the humour. But I think it will be well received and well loved by its target audience.

Lili Wilkson is a wonderful Australia YA author.

Unhallowed Halls is a spooky and mysterious story that keeps readers on edge. The plot follows a group of students who find themselves at a creepy, isolated boarding school where strange things begin to happen. As the characters uncover secrets about the school, the story blends suspense wih horror and supernatural.

The writing is engaging, with plenty of twists and suspense to keep the reader interested. The characters are relatable, and the eerie atmosphere adds to the sense of tension throughout the book.

Overall, Unhallowed Halls is a fun, thrilling read for fans of mystery and supernatural stories, with just the right amount of creepy moments to keep readers hooked.

Full review to come once long covid symptoms ease. In short, Lili Wilkinson's strengths in crafting YA perfectly for teen audiences (rather than YA-reading adults) + unconventional approaches to conventional tropes + soft male leads on full display; however, line level not as strong as her usual work + atypically inconsistent line level editing (willing to give the benefit of the doubt some of this will be tidied up between ARC phase and final copy).