Even with a different setting and new characters, this is classic Elin Hildebrand writing style. I could see this as a series with the same school staff and a rotating cast of students, especially since this class was juniors. It still felt like Elin''s writing- multiple points of view with a third person narrator. I enjoyed this and look forward to more from the mother/daughter duo.

***INCLUDES SPOILERS***

I was suspicious when I heard Elin Hilderbrand say that she was writing a novel with her daughter about dark academia. I have certain expectations from an Elin Hilderbrand book,and I did not think that dark academia would work with the pacing and character development that she does so well. Not sure how much of this her daughter wrote, but this is pure EH outside of Nantucket.
I really wanted to like this book. There were some elements that kept me reading. I basically spent a Saturday morning in bed and read the entire thing. But there wasn't any payoff for me. I loved the way that the head of school was named Audre and that her blackness was a part of who she was as a character and not as a trope. Each of the students were interesting, but I didn't realize that we were being set up for a series until the end of the book. It left me wanting, even for a series. Key plot points were not addressed. What's Dub's secret? (I think he's in love with Hakeem). What is in the email that Cinnamon left? Do East and Charley get back together?
There were some characters that could have either been left off or written differently. Simone as a predator and then victim was unnecessary. And what was Rhode's point? And did he really spend $2,400 on that date???? What was the point of Haz's gambling problem. Honey and Cordelia could have been written better and Honey did not need to be labeled as a predator . Simone was a mess and did not provide what I think she was there to provide.
I'll recommend this book, but p[ease let us know when the next book is coming. And please let some of these mysteries be solved.

Normally a HUGE fan of Hilderbrand, but this one fell flat for me. It read like a YA book (which is fine, just not my genre preference and not Hildebrands normal audience)
One of my main issues with the book were there are far too many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To start the book with a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was odd. AND we never get the info on her document she leaves her boyfriend- Why was that even mentioned? Multiple characters are dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, to leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following. It feels unfinished, the premise is decent but the execution is lacking.

I appreciate the ARC and will purchase a copy for our library when released.

Elin Hilderbrand is one of my go-to authors so I was very excited to get an advanced copy of The Academy. Although the plot was interesting, I had a hard time finishing the book. It reads like YA and I rarely read YA. Maybe I should have intuited that from the prep school description, but I believed the prep school adults would lend more to the plot.

Elin Hilderbrand and her college-age daughter Shelby Cunningham (a boarding school grad) go back to school with The Academy, first in a duo of books to follows the ups and downs of a school year at Tiffin, an elite college preparatory boarding school. Shortly after the start of the new school year, Tiffin, a mid-ranked school, leaps in rankings to the number two spot, inciting a jealous headmaster at another boarding school to demand an investigation, suspecting the school’s newest benefactor, the wealthy dad of a nineteen-year-old Andrew Eastman, a second year fifth former, has bought the high ranking.

African American headmaster Audre has her hands full dodging media inquiries, training first year teachers, hosting the best Parent’s Weekend Ever, and enforcing the rules laid out in The Bridle, the school’s handbook (No PDA, no door locks, no stealing, no phones at Chapel, adhere to the dress code, no candles, no pets). Midway through the year, a gossip app called Zip Zap gains traction: someone is anonymously sharing the confidences of students and allowing for comment from their classmates. All the clandestine hookups, eating disorders, alcoholism, and more are revealed, while a small circle that’s created a secret society with a speakeasy in a basement bomb shelter hold their breath, waiting to be discovered.

Hilderbrand is a seasoned author at narrative, pacing, and structure. The novel is divided by months, and follows a linear path through the events and milestones of the month, juxtaposing Tiffin’s history and traditions with the present-day occurrences, and propelling the flow of the story, from moving in day to graduation. The narrative flows seamlessly from student to faculty member to a collective “we” assumed to be the student body; it’s not a style I’m a fan of. Plot lines that include adults having relationships with minors, and a young woman trying to frame a fellow teacher for sexual assault are discomforting as a plot point, even if satisfactorily resolved.

The story is richly peopled with flawed characters. All of the students, who, granted, come from prestigious families, speak like adults; meanwhile, the behavior of the adults is as immature are the students. There is a lot of name-dropping and product placement, which will eventually date the book. The weighty presence of Cinnamon Peters, a beloved would-be junior who died by suicide the previous year, is as much a character as anyone in this year’s student body. Cinnamon’s death opens a slot in the fifth-formers for Charley Hicks, a voracious reader with a 1980s wardrobe out of The Official Preppy Handbook. Charley, still angry and grieving over her dad’s untimely death and mother’s quick remarriage to a landscaper, doesn’t fit in with her classmates, until East decides she’s cool and brings her into the fold of the in-crowd led by influencer Davi Banarjee. Olivia H-T just wants to be like–and be liked by–Davi; Annabelle Tuckerman just wants to get into Princeton; Taylor Wilson just hopes her QB boyfriend Hakeem Pryce won’t notice she texts his best friend and Cinnamon’s former boyfriend Dub Austin; Ravenna Rapsicoli just wants the newspaper to have some real news to report on, for once.

The adults are equally as broken and interesting. Failed author Rhode Riveria, a Tiffin grad, is delighted to take on an English class, delighted in Charley’s insights and extra reading, and balking at teaching Emerson and Thoreau when he wants to broad the syllabus from dead white man and runs up against Massachusetts curriculum frameworks; he pursues French-Canadian Simone Bergeron, an emerging alcoholic who dresses inappropriately, can barely keep one step ahead of her history students, and has a fascination with student East that slips over into the physical on more than one occasion. Head of Admissions Cordelia Spooner is hoping no one notices the attractiveness of the student body and accuses her of giving preference to the best-looking kids each year–or that she is having a fling with college counselor Honey Vandermaid, who has a crush on Simone. Everyone knows that the groundskeeper drinks, but he’s not the one supplying the alcohol to underage kids.

The insertion of Chef Harrison “Haz” Flanders allows for trademark Hilderbrand food writing in dining hall menus unlike any I’ve ever heard of. Details of trendy, fresh, seasonal, mouthwatering fare ranging from food trucks to receptions to creative milkshakes to fancy cocktails to Mardi Gras dinners will make the reader ravenous. The New England setting follows the seasons, and campus descriptions, with their equestrian theme, are beautifully imagined, concretely written, cleverly nicknamed, and of course, well-appointed. Quirks like Davi’s intentional vocabulary building for the upcoming SAT, will either thrill or annoy readers. There are still some loose ends to be tied up, but all signs point to a second book in this clever series about gorgeous, glamourous people fucking things up.

If you grew up with Gossip Girls (extra credit for the sly allusion to the groundbreaking book series by Cecily Von Ziegesar) or loved Prep or Looking for Alaska, you’ll devour The Academy in a few days; if you’re looking for a Nantucket beach read, you’ll be disappointed that only the sand on the beach was trucked in from Cape Cod

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #TheAcademy via #NetGalley, courtesy of #LittleBrown. This review will post to HLBB on 9/8/2025.

A crtitical take on boarding school life with the observational magic of Erin Hilderbrand. The perspectives vary from teenagers (who seem too mature for their age) to the teachers and administrators who try to have lives outside of school but still center their conversations around the students. There is a continued tendency to worry about what happened to Cinnamon, a student whose death still affects everyone on campus in different ways.
Tiffin Academy has jumped the rankings and it is more about who knows you go there than actual academics. Social media presence is essential and characters like Davi use it as life blood. Charley is the new student and dressed like a 1980s prep stereotype.

It’s a bit weird that the students and adults are both obsessed with the “Harkness society,” a euphemism for having sex on campus in the school building. Like strangely concerned.

Hilderbrand is stellar at explaining social dynamics and it fits well within the context of a high school. The food is described amazingly (can she just write a food book?). Sometimes the voices were blurred. High schoolers sounded too mature as a whole. One or two makes sense (especially Charley because she reads constantly), but overall it wasn’t young enough. This would have been the perfect moment to let her daughter take over because it didn’t quite fit.

And yet again: STOP LETTING TEACHER/STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS HAPPEN! It’s not a plot point. It’s truly disgusting and horrible.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

If I could think of a more opposite type of book from Elin Hilderbrand's other numerous books, this might be the one. Some things were somewhat similar--the unnamed narrator, the large cast of interesting and intertwined characters, a captivating setting, and an unbelievable plot that the reader cannot put down. Charley (Charles) and East are a couple that can be hoped for, Davi shows a heart of gold, and Audre got a new fantastic space to woo donors. There definitely needs to be a follow-up: Can Charley and East's relationship survive the summer (and he is so old to still be at a high school), what will happen to Davi and her family "situation", and most troubling of all--what did Cinnamon write to Dub? Get busy Elin and Shelby, we are waiting!

As a devout Hilderbrand fan, I was disappointed in this novel- it was rather painful to read at times- the dialogue that is trying to imitate the life of Gen Z and college age students, a majority of the main characters in the novel, was rather cheesy and corny. It didn't come across as authentic at all. While yes, we love Elin Hilderbrand for her complicated messy characters who often make wrong choices in life- this one was just a bit too "out there". The suicide that opens the novel also felt completely unnecessary; it is referenced throughout the book but doesn't become a plot point at all. Despite being advertised as the first in a duology, it didn't actually have a cliffhanger; almost all of the readers (very few) questions are resolved by the end, because the book didn't have much of a plot outside of following the gossip of students and teachers through the course of one academic school year.

I miss Nantucket.

Elin Hilderbrand, known for her beachy bestsellers, teams up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to bring readers a scandal-filled deep dive into the world of elite boarding schools. The Academy follows the students and faculty of Tiffin Academy as they navigate a year of academic ambition, social intrigue, and digital drama.

When Tiffin unexpectedly skyrockets in the rankings, it sends shockwaves through the campus. But just as students and staff begin to celebrate, an anonymous app called ZipZap starts dropping secrets—exposing everything from influencer Davi Banerjee’s social-climbing schemes to new history teacher Simone Bergeron’s questionable past. As friendships unravel and reputations are put on the line, the truth behind Tiffin’s rise—and its hidden scandals—begins to surface.

With its mix of Gossip Girl drama and Dead Poets Society charm, The Academy is a fast-paced, addictive read that will keep fans of prep school fiction turning the pages.

3.75/5

The Academy is a novel that sucks you in from the start. In line with Hilderbrand's other novels, it opens with lush descriptions of the setting and characters. Even if you have never set foot on the grounds of a private boarding school, you will feel like you a picture every detail.
The story takes you through the academic year at Tiffin Academy in Massachusetts focusing on several students and teachers in particular. While reading, and upon finishing, I felt like there were a few unfinished story lines. However, I was pleased to learn that there is going to be a sequel. The story closed up several story lines nicely but left enough mystery to have me engaged and wanting more.
I enjoyed the characters throughout the story. The ones you were meant to root for were easy to like and the ones who played the role of the villains had you anticipating their downfall.
I thought that the dialogue was authentic to how kids speak which I appreciated - you could certainly see the input that Hilderbrand's daughter infused in the story.
This is an obvious purchase for the library's collection and will fly off the shelf. Pass along to all readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Academy by Elin Hildebrand and Shelby Cunningham follows the lives and gossip of a group of students and teachers at an exclusive boarding school with an anonymous app documenting it all. This is a fun coming-of-age story with lots of twists and turns and glamour. I really enjoyed this story and I honestly hope this becomes a series so I can follow the students and teachers of Tiffin Academy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC!

The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham is a compelling and heartwarming coming-of-age novel that follows a group of students at an elite boarding school. The authors skillfully blend themes of friendship, ambition, and personal growth, creating a realistic portrayal of the challenges young adults face. While the pacing is steady and the characters are relatable, some readers may find the narrative a bit predictable. Nonetheless, it’s a solid choice for fans of contemporary fiction with emotional depth and real-world struggles.

Elin Hilderbrand does it again, this time with a fresh and juicy take on the elite world of New England boarding schools. The Academy is full of scandal, secrets, and the kind of drama that makes it impossible to stop reading! Her signature storytelling shines through, and with the addition of her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, this novel has a sharp and modern edge. Tiffin Academy is the place to be, until an anonymous app starts exposing everyone’s dirt. From students to staff, no one is safe, and watching the chaos unfold is pure entertainment. The mix of privileged glamour and total disaster is exactly why I love Elin’s books. The characters are messy and the twists are nonstop! If you’ve loved Elin’s books over the years, you’re going to devour this one. It’s fresh and so fun! I’m beyond excited for the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

I very much enjoyed this book. The writing was great and the characters were well developed. I hope to read more from this author in the future.

This pains me because I am an avid Elin Hilderbrand lover! But The Academy fell so flat for me with too many loose ends.

We follow a variety of high school students and their teachers/administrators at a private school as they navigate the school year. The premise is that a website is invented that starts sharing their secrets (gossip girl style) and wreaking havoc.

One of my main issues with the book were there are way too many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To bring in a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was bizarre to me (and we never get the info on her document she leaves her boyfriend?). To have multiple characters dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following.

For me this one missed the mark, the first 30% being copious character introductions and no main plot development until hundreds of pages in left me fairly indifferent. The writing style felt hard to follow, and didn't draw me in like usual! There was promise with the setting of back to school with ritzy teenagers, but the execution wasn't there for me personally.

Elin Hilderbrand comes out of "retirement" to write an entertaining novel with her college-age daughter Shelby. The setting is a New England boarding school, similar to the one that Shelby attended before college. I would assume that means the activities and events within the story are realistic and true-to-life. The story is a year in the life of this school and all the people supporting it - students, teachers, administrators, parents, and others. I enjoyed reading about all the experiences and events that happened through the year. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an ARC.

Love everything by this author. Always suspenseful, fast paced and sorry to fet to the final page. GReat story great intrigue and great entertainment.

I have never stepped foot on a boarding school campus in my life but it is my favorite setting for a book. Oh how I loved this one. What an amazing cast of characters….East is the best bad boy I have read about in awhile. I read this in one sitting and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. Spoiler- The only think I think I missed somewhere…the reading of Cinnamon’s email? I was dying to know what it said!

This is my favorite Elin Hildebrand book yet! I love the academic setting. The vibes are very gossip girl at a boarding school where everyone has secrets and everyone else wants those secrets while maintaining their own privacy. So good!

Shockingly this was my first hilderbrand! I have heard so much of this author and I was not disappointed in her latest work. I can see why she has such a devoted following. Her combination of humor, intrigue and character building is not one to be missed.