Reviews by Tag: dark academia

The Will of the Many by James Islington follows Vis, an orphan, who with a shadowed past, holds a deep hatred for the Republic. Therefore, he does not cede any “will” to the Hierarchy. When he grasps an opportunity to enroll in a prestigious academy, he hopes to rise through his competition. But his mysterious background and ulterior motives make things more complicated.

Ninth House features Leigh Bardugo's debut novel with a dark and entertaining premise, taking place in Yale University, with various Houses and Societies. In charge of all these minor societies is the prestigious House of Lethe, which stands guard to ensure that Yale’s dark affairs are not revealed to outsiders as it could lead to chaos for the university. Despite the various potions and spells, Yale needs someone who is able to see ghosts without influence for reasons that would spoil the book so I’ll leave it out.

“I imagine it’s always easier to do something monstrous if you can convince yourself you aren’t going to, up to the last minute, until you do.” 

“I could never afford to look past survival, especially not for anything as insanely expensive as happiness, and I don’t believe in it anyway.” 

Returning to the infamous Schoolmance, but this time with actual allies and a hope of getting out, senior year is going to be wild. Finally beginning to embrace her darkness, El is put in a difficult position, being forced to choose between her insured survival, or that of everyone else in the school. Will she continue as her mother would want, or cave and become the monster that everyone already assumes she is? 

“Was I starting to feel evil? Yes, now I was worrying I'd be turned to the dark side by too much crochet.” 

The Alexandrian Society is the most sophisticated and prestigious secret society in the world.

Only the best magicians are allowed to enter the dangerous and intriguing world that is, to put it

simply, the Library of Alexandria reborn. Every ten years, a new class of initiates are chosen to

compete for induction. They spend one year in training with access to the archives in order to

refine their craft, and five are chosen to spend the rest of their lives as members. When Atlas

Katie Zhao’s How We Fall Apart is a murder-mystery with amazing Asian representation. Nancy Luo is a scholarship student and the best friend of the top girl, Jamie Ruan, at Sinclair Prep, an elite high school. Jamie is everything Nancy isn’t, rich, the valedictorian, and powerful. After Jamie is found dead, the people that once were closest to her, Nancy, Krystal, Akil, and Alexander, are the suspects.

The Mary Shelley Club is a book that follows the members of a horror club, each with their secrets. The book takes place in Manchester Prep, a rich private school in Manhattan. The scholarship student, Rachel Chavez, is haunted by an accident that resulted in a murder. However, her fresh start turns rotten after she accidentally goes head on with the most popular girl at school, Lux. After a mini investigation, Rachel figures out the prankster, or pranksters, that caused the situation with Rachel and Lux.