A great story, haunting and atmospheric. It kept me on the edge and I loved the well written characters and the well plotted characters.
A book that caused a serious case of book hangover
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a really atmospheric and lyrically written read that I enjoyed quite a lot. I thought the way in which Ava Reid dealt with sexual trauma was very thoughtful and I found Effy to be a flawed but ultimately strong protagonist. I really appreciated the use of storytelling and the power it can have, as well as the importance of critical reading and scholarship as it contributes to the discourse. My main complaint is that I found the plot a bit predictable, having worked out the 'twist' pretty early on. With that being said, this book definitely has a lot to offer and I would recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

With her third book, Ava Reid has cemented themselves as an all time favourite author. I devoured this. There is something about the way Reid creates an atmosphere that I find completely immersive. Spooky, dark, damp and full of menacing mystery, this had me questioning everything that Effie saw and wondering if the world of the fae was real or not in this tale. Effie's struggles with her admiration of her favourite author is something I think is incredibly relatable for book lovers, and I really enjoyed the exploration of this; her determination to find out the truth mixed with her rose-tinted glasses for her favourite novel. Our main characters were interesting, compelling and complex (everything I've come to expect from Reid), and their struggles so vivid and visceral. I always feel Reid's prose on my skin, she has a way of capturing my imagination in an iron fist. I loved this.

Ava Reid's writing style makes the beautifully eerie Hiraeth Manor and the town of Saltney come alive in A Study of Drowning. She created a haunting atmosphere that sucked me into the story (and the stories within the story).
I absolutely loved the mystery aspect around Effy's favorite book, Angharad, that has her working together with her rival Preston. Even their tiniest interaction had me on the edge of my seat and longing for more.

A blend of scholarly intrigue and eerie fairy tale elements, Ava Reid's debut young adult novel stands as a poignant coming-of-age narrative centred on survival and the empowerment of women. The story advocates for acknowledging and providing women with the rightful place they deserve, challenging the dominance of men who perpetually take without giving. While I hesitate to categorize it strictly as dark academia, I acknowledge the fluidity of such labels.

Ava Reid's writing captivated me, particularly in its ability to skilfully craft an atmospheric backdrop, such as the decaying mansion by the sea, where reality and illusion blur. One standout feature for me was the inclusion of "excerpts" at the beginning of each chapter—be it poetry or academic papers—a delightful touch. The richness of the world's lore, coupled with genuine interest, heightened the immersive quality of the story. And in fantasy, isn't that the most crucial element?

This book is truly mesmerizing, from the captivating world-building and the gothic cliffside mansion to the intricately developed characters. Effy resonates with every girl, and Preston is a captivatingly handsome nerd. The portrayal of mental illness and the feminist storyline was masterful. I absolutely loved this book and its dark academia vibes, a must read!

"Stories were devious things, things with agendas. They could cheat and steal and lie to your face. They could crumble away under your feet.'

This gothic fantasy is about an architecture student, Effy, and literature student, Preston, who are thrown together at the decaying mansion of a late, author, famous for his epic book, 'The Fairy King.' Effy has been chosen by Emrys Myrrdin's estate to redesign the house, while Preston is studying the writer's work for his thesis.

But the house is falling apart. Water drips from every surface. It's damp and dark and seems dangerous. So when Effy and Preston start uncovering the mansion and Myrddin's secrets, they band together, hoping to unravel the mysteries at the heart of 'The Fairy King'.

This is such a beautifully atmospheric read. I felt like I would get soaked by the rain and the sea spray, like I was standing on the edge of the cliffs upon which the house was built. This fantasy will enchant you, intrigue you and have you full of apprehension for the two main characters. There isn't a lot of focus on a particular magic system; rather, the setting is magical but not at the heart of the story, which I suppose makes it magic realism.

I loved it.

**I was provided with an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

This was my first Ava Reid book and it definitely won’t be my last!

A big reason for this is Reid’s writing, which is phenomenal and perfectly encapsulates the haunting and mysterious atmosphere of this story and setting. We follow Effy, a young woman who is an architecture student who grasps the opportunity to design the house of her now late favourite author, Emrys Myrddin as it also means escaping the misogyny and harassment at her institution. Upon arriving at Hiraeth Manor, Effy meets the author’s son who unsettles her with his demeanour and Preston another student who is out to prove Myrddin as a fraud.
Effy’s connection to Angharad, Myrddin’s famous book is more than just sentimental and so she falls in with Preston as a means to uphold Myrddin’s legacy but they both begin to realise that there is more to the house and the author than they expected.

I don’t actually recall reading the synopsis so discovering that the protagonist was an architecture student (albeit reluctantly, as women aren’t allowed to study literature in this world) was such a surprise! There is definitely a niche for more Dark Academia with an Architecture / Engineering focus and I have a mighty need!!

That being said the book does eventually diverge from architecture and despite study of literature being a big part of the story I feel like genre-wise it leans more towards gothic fiction. Though there is still much commentary on the prejudice women face in academia and in society overall which was really well addressed.

On immediately finishing the book I enjoyed so many things particularly how immersive and vivid everything was and the mystery aspect to the plot. The rivals to lovers aspect did start of a little flat but I liked how it eventually developed.

I do think that the magic side of things wasn’t as fleshed out as I expected by the end, it felt more like it was there to add to the overall ambiance and was overshadowed by the themes of agency and power. Then again I am also a reader who isn’t the biggest fan of fae elements in books so this could have just been a me thing.

All that aside I did enjoy this book and i'm glad I finally picked up Reid's work!
Final Rating – 4.25/5 Stars

When first year architecture student and the only woman in her program, Effy, is selected to redesign the home of her recently deceased favourite author, Myrddin, she jumps at the opportunity. She discovers a decaying estate she realises everything is not as it seems.
A Gothic seaside story about stories, about women being held in such high standards while simultaneously hot give the same opportunities.

It’s also about the relationship between author and reader; about who really owns a story and decides what it means. The interpretation of a piece of art, of literature and how a story can transform in peoples imaginations.
This was a beautifully written, atmospheric YA fantasy that shouldn't be missed.

gorgeous gorgeous prose. the atmosphere is so deliciously gothic and the narrative style leans so far into it. enjoyed it a lot

Fabulous dark academia vibes and I love stories with fae characters.
Mostly enjoyed this one, was just a little slow in parts and sometimes the main character wasn’t very likeable.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Del Rey for providing me this book in exchange for an honest review*

I know that I'm biased but I will read ANYTHING that Ava Reid writes. Even her grocery list. Can I? Just kidding. This was no exception to previous Reid's works. I loved this book. I devoured this book in less that 72 hours. And guess what? I'm re-reading it for the third time. Put me in major reading slump. I loved the gothic vibes, the magical elements. Effy is by far my favorite FMC. Like, ever. So sad it's a standalone.

[Actual rating - 3.5/5]

(Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review)

My favourite part of this book by far was the writing style. It was beautiful to read and every word felt like it was picked specifically to help create the dark and mysterious atmosphere this book had. The plot itself was really interesting and had lots of layers and twists and while I did get a little confused at points, I really liked the investigating element and the mysterious, academic vibes.

The characters also felt developed and had depth but the romance did feel a little sudden. The book summary makes it seem as though there would be a rivals-to-lovers trop but I really wouldn’t call them rivals and the ‘hate’ part of their relationship really didn’t last long, though this might just be me being picky. They were really cute together though and I had a brilliant time watching them uncover the mysteries of Hiraeth Manor.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the advance reader copy of this book for an honest review.

The book follows Effy Sayre who has always believed in fairy tales. This is because she has been haunted by visions of the fairy king since she was a child. Effy found solace in the works of Emrys Myrddin particularly his story Angharad where a mortal girl falls in love with the fairy king and destroys him.

When Mryddin's family announce a contest to redesign his house Hiraeth Manor she feels certain this is her destiny. However Hiraeth Manor turns out to be an impossible task it is decrepit and edging ever closer to the sea. Also when she arrives she happens to find another student at the manor literary scholar Preston Heloury who is studying Mryddin's work trying to prove that he is a fraud.

The two end up working together to investigate the authors legacy which leads them to uncover dark forces conspiring against them.

I really enjoyed this story in fact it got me out of a reading slump at the time and I happened to finish it within a couple of days.

I really enjoyed everything about this book from the magical elements, the gothic vibe and the mixture with fairy tales.

The story also deals with elements of important topics such as misogyny, trauma and mental health.

Overall a captivating read that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend.

So here's a confession: I haven't read Ava Reid before. I know her previous novels have a lot of fans and they are definitely on my big unending to-read pile, but I went into her 'Study in Drowning' entirely blind, only having read the description and loved the sound of it. And I really enjoyed my time with this book!
It tells the story of Effy, not only a student of architecture at a prestigious college, but the college's sole female student. It's a Welsh-inpired historical low-fantasy world where two sides are constantly at war, the North and the South. Her country reveres storytellers, believing that the great authors of before, laid to rest as quasi-saints, protect the country from a devastating event called the Drowning. It once cost many people their lives, and a second drowning might just be imminent. One of these authors is Emrys Myrddin who died just a while ago, and he's Effy's biggest inspiration. His most famous book, Angharad, is one Effy can recite by heart and the source of her strength and convictions. So imagine her pure happiness when she, of all people, is chosen to design the late author's house. Although when she arrives at Hiraeth Manor, an appropriately gothic crumbling mansion, things turn out to be not quite as she expected. And then there's a rival student taking up space in the manor - Preston, student of the literature college to which Effy so desperately wants to belong, and at first just a prickly annoyance.

This book is most of all very atmospheric. It has slight dark academia vibes added with the gothic-esque atmosphere of Hiraeth Manor. The writing is gorgeous too, and there are some important themes woven into this story. I basically absorbed this book in two sittings. The story is, at times, pretty predictable, but it didn't much hurt the overall experience. I really enjoyed most aspects of the book, and because of it's even pacing it was quite easy and comfortable to read despite the sometimes uncomfortable themes.

Now, there were some things I didn't like so much. For example, the whole background world building of this war between the two big factions seemed kind of pointless, because beyond some thinly-veiled (nor not so thinly-veiled) racism it doesn't actually add much to the story. I wasn't interested in learning more because it never seemed like there would be more to tell. I'm also just not a fan of the protagonist being constantly described as just breathtakingly incredibly beautiful. It makes me go "oh yeah, it's that kind of young adult novel...". Beautiful people like Effy exist, sure, but when her beauty is constantly put to the forefront and her story would work perfectly well, if not even better, without such a stark focus on her perfect looks, it's just annoying. Preston, the love interest, is also very typical and bland. I couldn't really tell you much about him. Effy is much more complex as a character, though not entirely devoid of her own crumps of blandness. Which is also why I didn't really care at all about the romance aspect of this story.

The rest though, the rest was really good. The best thing about this book is the atmosphere Reid creates, and the themes of the story are important and at times devastating. I'd give this a 3,5, though leaning juuuusst a little more towards a 3 star read.

Well, I certainly didn't anticipate that... The writing of Ava Reid is superb and exquisite. While reading this book, I experienced a lot of painful feelings. Still, I'm so glad I could follow Effy's development into a strong, self-assured woman who isn't afraid to have her own opinion in a world dominated by men. Dark academic fiction with elements of mystery and love. This is an intriguing tale centred on a frightening, crumbling gothic mansion. It's a peculiar book, and the pacing was too slow for me. Still, it's also brilliantly written, strangely evocative, and unquestionably a tale about the empowerment of women that will get you thinking. I enjoyed it; the fantasy world, with its vehicles and cellphones, seemed like our own.

A beautiful prose to the sea and the unconditional love we have for stories and seeing magic where walk. A heartbreaking yet healing story for those who often felt separated from the normal, felt left alone. No matter how eerie and haunting the setting was,how much mystery the journey brought, hope and love have always shone through the darkness. The rich, immersive folklore and legends,the beauty of the Welsh setting added depth to the story, which is going to haunt you day and night.

Ava Reid has a magical way with words, creating worlds that make you swayed ,your feelings swirling inside your chest whenever turning to the next page! I cannot wait to read @avasreid ‘s next story!

Thank you so much Delreyuk for gifting this eARC and making me the happiest reading my fave author’s words.🥹

I didn't like the last book of the author ("Juniper & Thorn"), but I liked the atmosphere and writing style, that's why I decided to give them another try.
A Study in Drowning has a lot of positive feedback already and I think well deserved. Again you have this immersive atmopsheric writing, the gothic vibe... Think rainy and stormy nights on a cliff... All cold and muddy outside.... An old, creepy, dark and creaky house with a very strange dude inside... And well written characters that keep you warm.
In this book I liked the story and the mystery a lot and I felt so uneasy most of the time - in a good way. Also Preston was such a precious character, I liked him so much.
The ending and wrap up of the mystery I found a little bit long for my taste and I noticed the book lost all its nice creepy feeling that was so well established in the rest of the book. Maybe its just me, because I tend to get very impatient when mysteries are about to get solved and everything wraps up.
So all in all I really liked this book and I'm excited to see what Ava Reid writes next.
I saw that this book is for young adult readers, but I think it definetely works for an older audience as well (such as myself ;) ).

An iteresting premise that didn't hit all the right notes for me. I guessed a lot of the twists and felt a lot more could have been explored.

Thank you publisher, Ava Reid and Netgalley for providing me an advanced reader copy of this book.
This book is a must have on my bookshelf.
Well... Definitely I didn't expect that... Ava Reid's writing is extraordinary and beautiful. I felt a lot of difficult emotions while reading this book but I'm so glad I was able to be a participant of Effy's journey to be confident and strong woman, who's not afraird to have her own opinion in the world ruled by men.
The love discribed in this book made me think about the love from Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. It was beautiful, patient and respectful. I wish everyone could experience such a love story.
I'm definitely going to buy this book to have in on my bookshelf.

Totally loved up to the hype! Yes, be aware of trigger warnings before reading but prepare to be drawn into the most thrilling, dark, subversive world imaginable.