🪄VOICE LIKE A HYACINTH🪄 by @lesbrarycard was a darkly delicious dark academia tale filled with tightly bound friendships, and the yearning ambition and tireless pursuit of greatness. Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publisher @brilliancepublishing for the audio-ARC. This title just came out yesterday and is on shelves now!

💀💀💀

Jo and her 4 closest friends, Amrita, Finch, Saz, and Caroline are all entering their final year of university at Rotham, a prestigious art school. A cohort of ambitious and talented artists, they also share the bonds of queerness and new adult angst and possibility. When an older predatory teacher makes a shameless and alarming pass at Caroline, they dabble in a ritual of black magic, originally considered a playful cleansing that will change all of their lives, some even fatally.

I was completely immersed in the dark yet glittering atmosphere conjured up by Pearson in this story. The growing tension and imbuing dread were palpable as the relationships between the 5 devoted friends spiraled into jealousy, mistrust, and even sabotage. This is a book that scathingly portrays the cost of hubris and taking magical shortcuts. It is also filled with a beautiful ode to and critique of art study, community, friendship and shared queerness that was both wildly comforting and equally foreboding.

If you like:
💀Dark academia fueled by magic
💀Tales of obsession and ambition
💀Odes to formative friendships
💀Reminders of the costs of short cuts
💀The bonds of shared intersectionalities
💀Art and all its joy and messiness

Then you should probably pick this one up. I also highly recommend going the route of audio on this one as narrator @kkirafoxx voiced this story and it's myriad characters superbly!

Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson is a witchy dark academia read, about five fiercely bonded queer girlfriends during their senior year at a prestigious arts school. The stakes couldn't be higher, as only one of them will snag a coveted solo showcase at the end of the year. As the pressure mounts and tensions rise, the girls decide to try a ritual aimed at bringing them good luck. But, as with all great spells, things take an unexpected turn!

What did I love?

The vibrant imagery! Each girl’s unique artistic flair is described so vividly that I could practically see the colours and textures.

Also, the bond between these five young women is beautifully intense. Growing up, I had one best friend who meant the world to me, so I totally connected with the emotional depth that the mc felt for her girls.

The narrator Kira Fixx was fantastic! All five personalities shone especially the Mc Jo.
What didn’t quite work for me? I found some of the plot twists a bit predictable and the pacing felt a little dense at times. But overall vibe of the story was still captivating and I enjoyed it.

Looking for a witchy vibe book? Loved the movie The Craft? Look no further! I loved the friendships, the betrayals, the drama, and the need to have it all. The dark academia and witchy vibes made this a fun and unique read.

What I liked:

witchcraft
Dark academia
The drama

What I disliked:

YA. Genre writing
Mature content for a book that appeals more to young readers.


While I knew going into this book that there was students who were the main characters, I didn’t expect this to read as a YA genre. I loved the idea but the execution was not my favorite.

I absolutely loved the female friendships within this story. I found each character so unique and fascinating. They were so well developed that they felt real and I want more stories with these characters.

I found the storyline itself to be riveting and while there were a few instances throughout that felt slightly slow, I overall appreciated what this story was saying and how it was conveyed.

There were also parts that felt like a fever dream, that were unsettling and I really enjoyed those parts.

This book was dark, bizarre, had excellent queer rep, it was beautiful, devastating, and ultimately I loved it. 4.25 stars

I was really intrigued by the description of this book! Sadly, overall it just wasn't for me. I just couldn't connect with the story or the characters. However, I did like the Mallory Pearson's writing and enjoyed the way the author was able to create this really detailed descriptions, so I'm interested to try another book by this author soon!

I admit I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and the description of five female friends making bargains for success but I ended up a little disappointed that there was only one narrator for all the girls and that it was a really long story. I struggled to get fully invested in this one and ended up DNFing about 30% of the way in. Sadly it wasn't for me. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to listen to an early audio copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I actually listened to the audiobook. It was 14 hours and 30 minutes long. It was well worth the listen. It was a great story about a group of five friends going to the same college and studying art. They are all in their last year and one student will be chosen for a solo show. They all want the show, but are still a united front, encouraging and helping each other. One of them gets the idea of performing an occult ceremony to help their changes. After the ceremony, things begin to go wrong, and things turn darker and darker.

2.75 stars

Jo and a group of her friends and fellow art students, are determined to do whatever they can to make it in such a competitive industry. The taxing workload, intimidating teaching staff and the fear of failing get to them all. It seems the only way to ensure they get the recognition and accolades they deserve is to give fate a little helping hand in the form of a bloody occult ritual. And if someone has be caught in the crosshairs, who better than a skeevy professor?

Once the messy work is over, the friends experience academic highs and newfound praise, but this doesn’t last long when the tethers of their sacrifice start to come undone. Jo is haunted by waking nightmares and the whole group’s lives and art are becoming more violent and unhinged. Voice Like A Hyacinth sheds light on the dark side of privilege.

This story is a unique addition to the literary fiction genre and it kept me on the edge of my seat. The writing/narration takes a minute to get used to but I ended up really enjoying Jo’s perspective and inner voice. I think the major downfall of this book is having too many main characters, which could have worked if there was more differentiation between them. It took me until halfway through the book to tell a few of them apart which then causes issue when the it comes to interpreting the tension in the friendship group. I also found this book piqued right in the middle then it really died off in the last 30% or so and I don’t think it needed that long to have a satisfying resolution. This book would’ve been a lot more enjoyable if the pacing had been tweaked from start to finish.

I would definitely recommend this for lit fic lovers who are SPECIFICALLY into rituals and the occult, I think they’d eat this up. Ultimately I don’t think this is a bad book at all but it would’ve been much better with some more editing.

This is The Craft meets Dark Academia meets a Sapphic coming of age and it’s kind of everything. not kidding you when i say this is one of my favorite books of all time. read it. Set in a prestigious art-college, we follow a group of 5 young women, tangled in a specific kind of deep friendship that can only exist in a high-stake environment, between young people

I was highly anticipating this novel, mostly because the cover is beautiful and I like to keep up with new horror releases! But unfortunately, this fell super flat for me. I did enjoy that the horror Went There, since that's one of my biggest pet peeves in horror, when authors are afraid to make things dark. My biggest complaint is that all the characters were more or less the same person with a few different personality traits, but none of it was enough for me to distinguish them from one another. The ritual and folklore aspects were super interesting but I wish they were more flushed out, considering how long this book was, I feel like we only got glimpses of what it could be. Overall, I enjoyed the writing a lot (enough to be more interested in reading more from this author) but this felt like a middleground horror novel for me.

The audiobook narrator did a good job though! I wish their speaking voice varied a bit between the characters, because I felt like it would've made them easier to distingish from one another, but that could've also been a writing thing for me.

listening to this was just as fantastic as having read it the first time. the narrator voice was amazing and atmospheric. the writing is absolutely amazing and I love Mallory's writing

I couldn stop p the audio it was so good.
Enticing plot and characters.
It was so good.
Highly recommend.

Jo is in her final year of an intense art program with her four best friends. They love each other dearly, are sources of inspiration to one another but are at the end of it all, in competition.

When they feel like they need to kick their art up a gear they decide to do a ritual. They are hoping to receive boundless creativity in exchange for some bad luck for their creepy professor. Instead, Jo starts to think she’s going mad.

This is a great dark academia novel and you’ll really enjoy it if it’s a sub-genre you’re into. The queer yearning is palpable, the core friendship group is so enmeshed that you feel like an outsider by even daring to read about them.

I listened on audio & thought it was really well done, the atmosphere was perfectly captured. And it was an uncomfortable atmosphere! I did find it a little slow in parts but otherwise had a fun, if unsettling, time.

Atmospheric and eerie, but the characterization was weak, and I struggled to feel invested in the characters' bond and friendship. The closest I got to being emotionally invested was in the romantic subplot, which wasn’t fleshed out.
Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ARC

3.5 stars ✨

This was a beautifully crafted novel that delves deep into the complexities of identity, memory, and power. Through creativity and rich character development, Pearson presents a haunting yet tender exploration of a group of young ladies journey of friendship and what they will do for their dreams, and for each other.

As much as I loved this book, I think it got away from me at times. I believe this would have enjoyed this more as a physical book, as I find them easier to follow, but it was brilliant and beautiful all the same.

Where do I even start? I didn’t expect to be so completely invested in Voice Like a Hyacinth by Mallory Pearson. It’s a story of friendship blossoming over four tense years at an obscure art school—a story of hope, need, and love that somehow had me clinging to it as if I could relate to every moment.

The bonds formed between the characters, the pain each carries in their own way, and the heartbreak we experience alongside them—it’s a lot, but it’s also achingly beautiful. The emotions hit hard and stay with you. I loved every part of this story: the characters, the twists, and all the emo feelings that made it so raw and unforgettable

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced audio copy.

This is a beautifully atmospheric novel that leans heavily into dark academia vibes. I loved how the story unraveled at a steady pace, giving space to explore a larger-than-usual cast of characters without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Each character had a unique role to play, and I appreciated how layered they felt.

While it touches on darker themes, I wouldn’t call this horror. Instead, it offers something more understated and eerie—perfect for readers who enjoy tension without outright scares. The audiobook, narrated by Kira Fixx, brought the story to life wonderfully. Her narration added emotional depth to each character, making the listening experience so engaging.

This is a great pick for fans of literary fiction with a gothic edge or those who enjoy exploring the complexities of human connection in richly drawn settings.

Thank you to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the ARC!

Voice Like a Hyacinth captures so beautifully and violently the ravenous yearning of being young, ambitious, and entirely obsessed with your friends. Jo's fear about leaving University and the change that will inevitably follow was so relatable and sentimental, and the first few pages alone were already making me feel so nostalgic and wrapped up in the world these characters have forged for themselves.

Each character was so memorable and distinct, and I loved how their art was used to reflect their inner selves as the book became darker and more uncertain. The friendships between them were rich and complex, with no relationship feeling underdeveloped or incomplete. There are so many tragic elements to this story: knowing that the characters are doomed from the start; the terrible, strange consequences of their ill-advised ritual; Jo's fear and doubt; the sacrifice all of them make for their art; the endless yearning, but somehow none of this manages to leave a more lasting impression than the joy and love that exists so strongly between these five young women. This is absolutely one I'll be rereading.

Overall, this story perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet experience of being young and queer, with elements of eldritch horror and the occult adding a layer of darkness and suspense that lingered on every page. I loved this book so much and can't wait to get my copy as soon as it's released 💛🪻

Thank you so much to the author for kindly providing me with an audio ARC of this book!

This story felt like it was saying a lot without actually saying much. The excessive use of flowery language made the plot drag, and even listening to the audiobook at 2x speed couldn’t keep my interest. Fans of lyrical prose and dark academia might enjoy this novel, but unfortunately, it didn’t work for me.