A good story that incorporates two people’s reality with fairy myth and fantasy. At times the story is quite dark and a little scary as all fae stories usually are. Could it be that the main character, Effy, was actually imagining it all and what she saw when she encountered the Fairy King, was actually as a result of not taking her medications? Then she meets Preston and her world is changed completely.
She continues her battle with the mystery of the Fairy King; his apparent hold over her and the story of the beautiful Angharad. The tale is really well written and it draws you in, even while scaring you a bit as it goes. Read it with the light on if you need.
My only frustration was not being able to fathom at what time this was set and was it in our world or a fantasy parallel world?
That aside, it’s a good read and I did enjoy it.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid is a lyrical, darkly magical story within a story that combines dark academia with fairy lore that will haunt you long after you've read the last page!

This was such a rich and beautiful read! I really loved Effy as a heroine— she was so intriguing, complex and endearing. and the worldbuilding was so fleshed out and concise, it felt familiar but unique which made it easy to follow.

This was my first Ava Reid book, but it definitely won’t be the last!

A Study in Drowning is a dark gothic fairytale with dark academia elements. The book is beautifully written (as all Ava Reid's books are, so no surprise there!).

We follow the journey of Effy and Preston who end up in a spooky mansion in search of information about a highly esteemed author. Each of them of a different but deeply personal quest, Preston in search of truth, Effy in an attempt to get closer to an author whose book has been her only solace in her difficult childhood and adolescence.

A Study in Drowning is an ode to stories, how they define us, console us and make us grow. The text touches upon important topics concerning the mistreatment of women, especially in academic environments. Effy has been denied the opportunity to follow the path of learning she desires since women are not permitted to study literature and is noticed mainly for her looks rather than her mind and talents. Until she meets Preston who sees her as she really is and appreciates her mind, creativity and bravery. I adored their dynamic and the way they brought the best out of each other. The relationship between Effy and Preston was my favourite part of the book!

In terms of plot, I predicted all major events of the text which is the reason for my 4-star rating. However, I still immensely enjoyed the book and will continue to religiously read all of Ava Reid's books.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly don't know what to say. This book is a lot.
Is it Fantasy? I guess it is. You might also call it a Thriller, or a Mystery, or even Dark Academia. Perhaps even a Romance. But none of that feels entirely fitting.

It takes place in another world, that's very similar to our own. There are cars and phones, but at the same time, it seems ancient, like a dark fairytale. I'm not sure if that combination fit.

The story itself is very mysterious, while at the same time nothing actually happens. The whole book is simply showing Effy digging into Myrddin's past, trying to figure out what's going on. It relies entirely on the sense of dread, created by the honestly quite fascinating writing style. I can't deny that the dark and eerie themes made this book thrilling. But the actual content...the ending was the only part that felt meaningful and important to me. It was difficult to get to that part as the book felt a bit like drudging through mud.
In fact, the book offers a great message. It's tragic and all too true. In a way, I would call it brillant, for talking about such an important topic, especially in a Fantasy novel, where at least I wouldn't quite expect something like this. But it's a shame that the message is hidden behind such an obscure story telling.

Effy was an interesting character. Well written, even though she frustrated me multiple times. Preston as well - while I did understand their actions, I didn't feel them, I couldn't actually empathise with them. I also didn't feel the romance. It didn't exactly feel forced, but yet again, I struggled with actually seeing and feeling the emotions.

I did enjoy Ava Reid's The Wolf and the Woodsman, but I couldn't quite get into this one. It wasn't bad and I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who will love the eerie atmosphere. But I didn't enjoy it as much as I had expected.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A truly enthralling tale of dark magic, haunting stories, and hidden truths!

Effy is haunted by visions of the Fairy King who exists in literature to many, but to her he is quite real. She is enchanted by the story of Angharad, an epic about a mortal woman who both loves and destroys the Fairy King. Effy is a unique character, both a hopeless romantic, and a tragic figure haunted by visions no others can see. She is not your typical heroine, and her faults and her fears give this book a heightened sense of tension.

Effy soon finds herself in Hiraeth Manor, the home of the late author of the Angharad. There she meets Preston Héloury, a literature scholar who does not believe in the Fairy King, and is trying to prove that the author is a fraud. The rivalry turned camaraderie of these two students is an exciting part of this book, as they work together to uncover the truth of the authors legacy, as well as the truth of the Fairy King,

The truth in this book is murky, unfolding slightly in each chapter only to reveal further hidden depths. The truth explores the power of literature, women trapped in the cages of the patriarchy, and the blurred lines between fantasy and fiction.

Personally I found the ending of this book to be a tad confusing, though perhaps it is meant to be so. I would have liked a more thorough ending to the story of the fantastical Fairy King. I absolutely loved the way the mystery of the author was revealed, and would have liked a more equal balance with the mystery of the Fairy King. Nonetheless, this was a magically dark read, and I couldn't put the book down till I finished it!

“I know you think I am a little girl, and what could a little girl know about eternity? But I do know this: whether you survive the ocean or you don’t, whether you are lost or whether the waves deliver you back to the shore—every story is told in the language
of water, in tongues of salt and foam. And the sea, the sea, it whispers the secret of how all things end.”

I’ve never wanted to read a fictious book so desperately before.

Effy Sayre is forced to enter architectural college because women are not allowed to enter literature college where her true passion lies. She’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King since she was a child and the only thing that has given her peace is a novel - Angharad - a beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Then she is invited to the home of the deceased author to redesign the house, where she meets Preston who is studying the author, in the hopes of proving Myrddin to be a fraud.

The story was slow paced at the beginning but as it draws to a climax, you cannot put it down. Effy is a girl who has been exploited by the people she should be able to trust, a girl who has been tormented throughout her life, who has convinced herself that she is wrong and that the people who forced their thoughts and actions on her were right.

I loved how Effy takes control of her life and rewrites her story, proving to herself that she is not powerless and that she is capable of her dreams. The mystery of Angharad and Myrddin, served to further underscore the themes that were so intricately woven into this story.

This was my first Ava Reid book and I have now added her other stories to my never-ending TBR.

I hope that this encourages you to pick up A Study in Drowning and please, if you find the first few chapters slow, push through – it will be worth it.

Thank you to Penguin Random House, Penguin Books South Africa and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this title.

3.5

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me an eARC to review!

Ava Reid sure knows how to create atmosphere and setting - the drenched house on the cliff, the isolated guest house - all perfection! I also liked how after writing 2 pretty adult books, this fit clearly in the YA genre despite having some pretty heavy messages/topics like power dynamics in academia/publishing, trauma/PTSD, and the intersections of folklore and reality.

That being said, I can't help but think how INCREDIBLE this could have been if it were adult. I didn't completely buy into the romance between the two main characters cause it was a lot of blushing and I didn't think that the rivals-to-lovers element was especially well established. I also found the central mystery to be a bit predictable.

I really did enjoy Effy's arc, though, and will continue to pick up books by Reid. It was kind of a mash up of Disorientation, The Cruel Prince, and If You Could See the Sun which are all books I really enjoyed, so it was a fun reading experience.

CW: sexual assault, violence

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

This is my first book by Ava and I was NOT disappointed! Her writing style is incredibly captivating and in this book she manages to weave together a beautiful rivals to lovers story with gothic vibes in a dark academia style.

The plot was CRAZY! And honestly had me feeling everything! This is an insane gothic, morbid fairytale that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. Trust me you will be going crazy trying to figure out all the answers to all the mysteries!

I love Effy as a FMC. She comes across as strong yet timid at the same time, just a girl dealing with misogynistic oppression who is desperate to leave her mark on the world. She seems to exert this strength without overshadowing everyone and everything else. I love her dearly!

Preston was everything we want in a MMC but also felt rare in in his character. He never tried to dominate Effy in any way and had this beautiful gentleness about him while still seeing Effys potential and strength.

The romance in this book was perfect! It felt tender and sweet and real. A genuine relationship built up on trust and respect for each other. And their romance is prominent without overshadowing the plot! A perfect combination.

I’ve already preordered my @waterstones exclusive edition!! I suggest you do too!!

Note: please check triggers before reading

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:

Dark Fairytales
Gothic mysteries
Blurred Realities
Rivals to Lovers
Faerie Lore
Welsh Mythology

4.5 stars.

A Study in Drowning follows Effy, an architecture student who travels to Hiraeth, the waterlogged home of a recently dead beloved author, where she meets Preston, a literature student, and gets involved in a mystery related to the author and the Fairy King.

I has low expectations going in, because The Wolf and the Woodsman really did not work for me, but this was very different and I loved it.

This book is just dripping - excuse the pun - with atmosphere. The descriptions of the setting are really evocative and compelling, and the watery conditions of Hiraeth made me appreciate being warm and dry. Reid really commits to the themes promised by the title: there is so much water/sea/drowning related imagery and metaphor. The academic aspect was great too. I enjoyed Effy and Preston discussing literature.

The romance was sweet and endearing, and I loved the chemistry of the two leads and the development of their relationship. It's rivals/dislike to lovers, in case anyone is wondering.

The plot is a mixture of mystery and mild horror/fantasy elements. I think it might be a bit thin for some people's tastes - this is definitely a character-driven book - but for me the slow build of tension and fear made the book hard to put down. The only criticism I have is that some of the discoveries made by the protagonists are very convenient, and seem to just pop up with no effort when needed. The answer to one of the mysteries was also predictable about halfway through the story.

Definitely recommend. Thanks to Netgalley for the digital ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (and the Fairy King) for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book has all the hallmarks of a perfect dark academia gothic fantasy: a gloomy setting; a haunted, sinking house; academic rivals; dark mysteries; unravelling secrets; unsettling folktales; archaic universities... It was honestly perfect and I devoured it in a day.

Reid's writing is perfectly atmospheric - it gets into your bones, wraps itself around your ribcage and settles uncomfortably against your heart. I will happily read anything they ever write.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the gothic mystery of Belladonna, the haunted house vibes of The Last Tale of the Flower Bride, and the salt-water saturated secrets of All The Murmuring Bones.

This book at its core is a mystery with fantastical, romantic and dark academia elements. And it’s a creepy house book, I love a creepy house book!!

I really liked Preston’s character and how respectful he was of Effy’s past trauma. Big soft boy energy.

I definitely think this book is upper YA as it handles a lot of darker topics and there are some sexual scenarios between the 2 MCs but both are 18+.

This book was steeped in Reid’s signature dark, lyrical writing style and I devoured it in less than 24 hours. I look forward to what they write next.

This hurts. This book was just so predictable, which isn't something I necessarily mind. I certainly don't like plot twists for plot twists sake and I like to be able to predict stuff from foreshadowing etc. I really enjoyed the beginning but once it was revealed what Preston was actually trying to do I knew exactly what was going to happen for the rest of book. Nevertheless, I read on because I enjoyed Effy and Preston's dynamic.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Random House UK and NetGalley for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. My review is my own and not influenced by others.

I was looking forward to read this book because the description sounds really good and it has everything I like in a story. However, this book was a big let down for me.

The pacing is very slow, for me too slow to feel involved in the story, besides that I couldn’t feel any connection to the main characters or the story.

A beautifully written book, quite sad and creepy sometimes. Not exactly my cup of tea but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Going into this book, I had incredibly high expectations after finishing The Juniper Tree earlier this year and I have to say, they were met. Ava Reid is so wildly talented at creating an atmosphere that captures the magic, mystery and murkiness of the human psyche. This book was magical. Enchanting. Gothic like I’ve always wanted from a YA novel, without being too overzealous or heavy handed.

You can tell how much Ava Reid knows her characters - the thought that goes into their experiences, the care woven into their trauma. Like Marlinchen in The Juniper Tree, Effy felt tangible and her fragility was wholly understandable. It was interesting to see how said fragility actually hardened her to do what she did best - survive - and also ensure the survival of others. I love how, through Effy, Reid was able to explore wider topics: sexism in academic spaces, racism and xenophobia, sexual assault and more. By the end, we saw progress in the way she behaved, the world she inhabited and how she navigated it. Her self awareness was sharp but not didactic. Her journey to finding peace of mind was fulfilling and I wish the best for her even after her story ends.

All in all, A Study in Drowning was a joy to read. I’m pretty much gonna read all of Ava Reid’s books and follow them to the end of the Earth lol

And Zelda, I believe you too.

In short, this is a dark academia rivals-to-lovers narrative, set mostly within the confines of a crumbling hill-top manor estate where the boundaries between fairy-tale and reality are blurred beyond distinction.

The story follows Effy, a young and intelligent architecture student who has been troubled for most of her life with nightmares of a strange creature called The Fairy King. As is the way, she isn't believed and so she relies upon the works of the country's beloved National Author, who writes about the Fairy King and mortal girls who destroy him, to make sense of what she sees. When she win's the chance to redesign the late author's home at the request of his son she sets off to the superstitious end of the country still steeped in myth, magic and the old ways. There - surrounded by the ever-encroaching sea and strange forest, confined within the dilapidated, almost-ruin of a home - through letters, diary entries and the help of an unexpected scholarly ally Effy discovers more about the house, her favorite author and herself than she ever bargained for.

'A Study In Drowning' is all of this and so much more. It is also a richly atmospheric and deeply immersive exploration of stolen voices, the definition of authorship and the institutional sexism in academia and the creative arts. It's been a long time since I've felt so engrossed in the descriptions of a setting; I could feel the angry waters of the sea crashing against cliffs; could hear the groaning of the manor as it fell prey to the elements around it; could smell the rotting timbers and the brine on the salty air. Ava Reid truly dunks you into the world, forcing you to tread water until you finish the book in one or two sittings.

All in all I think this is the perfect autumn read - it's a great book to really sink your teeth into on a cold, spooky night. And, while the vibes alone are immaculate and definitely warrant a read, there's also mysteries to be found and messages to uncover aplenty. I'll let you discover them for yourself though!

Wow. Okay, this book is a study in drowning, but even more it's about fighting your way back to the surface and be reborn.
The funny thing is, while reading this book I came up with a lot of semi-clever things in my mind about the Fairy King and how he pulls you in. Now that I've ended, having made acquaintance with the Fairy King and everything he stands for, I don't feel like making puns about him.
I just wanna focus on the real protagonists of this book, and that's Effy, Preston and let's say the book inside the book - for fear of spoiling the story if I address this differently.
That said, you're definitely being pulled into this book, fearing and rooting for Effy, feeling her feelings. While at the same time wanting to solve the mystery that is being presented.
Ava Reid is working with a lot of metaphors - about water, architecture, salt, literature and decay. And the amazing thing is, they're all working alongside each other. All the while spinning a gripping an addictive tale with super interesting characters (even the house being one of them) and some plot twists along the way.
If none of this made sense to you, I can just motivate you to read the book.
My only criticism is this: about 50% into the book something gets revealed about the MC, which I think was strange that it didn't come up earlier - as we are very deep in her POV. And it probably would have worked just the same if we got that revelation earlier.
But it's a real strong 4,5/5 stars.
Thank you so much @netgalley and @randomhouse @delreybooks for the DRC.

Couldn't put this one down! Every page kept me interested and wanting more! Whilst it was predictable in some places, it didn't take away from the overall story

4.5 Stars

Thank you Netgalley for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!!? Please somebody explain to me what the last line was supposed to mean?!?

I loved the story and could not stop crying during the last few chapters. This is such a real and heartbreaking story about the voices of women going unheard, disguised as a fairytale. Nobody understands our main character and they gaslight her. Other people take from women and expect them to just submit. I was angry and sad as this felt just like something that is already happening in real life mixed with the cruel fantasy elements of fairies, changelings and magic.

My only criticism would be that I knew from the beginning how the mystery would be solved and who would be behind what, so at times it was really frustrating reading about the characters making wrong deductions. I mean, I guess it says a lot that they do not come to the same conclusion as me as this is part of what was conveyed in this story.

I loved the characters and at times I did not know how some of them would act, but everything comes beautifully together at the end (except the last line because WHAT DOES IT MEAN??!)

Overall I do think this is a story for people who want to read a story –very much like a fairytale– that is rooted in realistic themes and portrays realistic problems. Although definitely check for trigger warnings before reading this book, because it is at times really dark and made me wish I searched for warnings before requesting this book. No regrets though!