Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Study in Drowning is a beautifully haunting story. I was engrossed from the start. Reading about Effys painfully brave journey that leads to the truth was a truly enjoyable experience. Preston was a delight to be introduced to. I am reminded of VE Schwabs gothic storytelling; ‘never pray to the gods that answer after dark’.

"A STUDY IN DROWNING" by Ava Reid is an exciting mystery novel that revolves around Effy, an architecture student who lands an awesome job redesigning the house of her favorite author, Angharad. However, upon arriving at the estate, Effy realizes that there's more to the story than meets the eye. She teams up with a literature student to uncover the truth behind Angharad's book, leading them on a mind-blowing journey of discovery.

Reid's writing style is absolutely amazing, creating a captivating and immersive experience for readers. The book touches on important themes like the exploitation of women in academia, and Effy's character development throughout the story is deeply satisfying.

While the book is primarily a mystery, the focus is more on the characters' personal growth and the transformative journey they undertake. The relationship between Effy and Preston is full of sparks and banter, making it a delightful element of the story.

With its intriguing motifs adding an extra layer of depth, "A STUDY IN DROWNING" is a must-read for older teens and anyone who enjoys a thrilling and character-driven mystery.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for approving this arc. I've loved all of Ava's works and was immensely thrilled to be able to read this one pre release date. I've been highly anticipating it since last year!
a study in drowning is a magically dark fable of magic, self acceptance and mystery. All sprinkled with a fabulous gothic atmosphere and faerie lore
Full review on my goodreads

But didn't all drownings begin with a harmless dribble of water?

Thank you to Harper Collins for sending me an arc in exchange for a review!

Did I devour this book, or did it devour me?

When the only female architecture student Effy Sayre is chosen to design her favorite author's family manor, she travels to a remote, crumbling estate filled with disturbing secrets. Working with a rival student from an enemy land, they are drawn into an old mystery, struggling against dark forces, both human and magical, conspiring against them. The truth may bring them both to ruination.

The books she had found had been spitefully shelved under Fiction.
But Effy believed them. She believed them all: the rote academic accounts, the superstitious Southern folklore, the epic poetry that warned against the wiles of the Fairy King. If only she could have studied literature, she would have written her own ferocious treatises in support of her belief.

This book is full of Reid’s familiar feminine rage and riling against misogyny. If you take the dark twistedness of My Dark Vanessa and the elusive, watery horror of Our Wives Under the Sea and give it some of T Kingfisher’s terrible fright, you’ll have an idea of this masterpiece.

”How come all the spiders are men?"
"Because then it feels more satisfying to squish them.”

I thoroughly enjoyed the academic rivals tension, and the careful way Reid handles the differences in the character’s cultures, beliefs, and pursuits. What happens when you mix certainty in magic with a steadfast trust in truth?

Like always, Reid makes you think of larger problems than those presented in the book including sexism, sexual assault, mental health, abandonment, the role of literature and authors, role models, and warring countries.

”I was a woman when it was convenient to blame me, and a girl when they wanted to use me.”

Deep. Dark. Enthralling.
I drown in Ava Reid’s words.

If you like T Kingfisher, you’ll feel right at home in this fairytale horror-filled world!

(Please check the trigger warnings!)

After “Juniper and Thorn” one of my favourite books from 2022, I couldn’t wait to read “A Study in Drowning”. Guess what? Incredible.

We follow Effy & Preston in a tale about myths, superstition, writers and and madness.

All through the book it felt I was drowning too. Set in the decrepit Hiraeth Manor, a character in itself, the story is engaging, enraging and frustrating at times. - the good kind, the one where you still relate to the choices taken. It’s a book that will make you feel.

Can’t recommend enough, would make a note for people to check trigger warnings first.

Among some of the best quotes:

“ The silence was a span of time before inevitable disaster”

“ ‘Everything ancient must decay.’ I think it’s about the sea taking and taking, eating away at you slowly, the way that water, say, rots the wood of your sailboat. The last thing the sea takes from you is your life.”

Please, come and drown too!


** Thank you Penguin Random House for the eARC via NetGalley **

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

A Study in Drowning was probably my most anticipated release of the year (at least after Amina & ADOFN were out) and it was everything I wanted it to be and more 🥹

It was that feeling of reading a book that was just written for me, everything about it resonated with me so deeply.

Effy is such a soul character for me, she’s vulnerable, soft, overwhelmed, finds herself in stories and despite being a dreamer, she’s still strong and resilient, even if she doesn’t want to be. I love badass FMCs in fantasy, but it’s even nicer to find one who is just a normal girl who’s struggling and who often has the urge to cry, especially when she’s so well-written as Effy.

At its core, this was a story of resilience.
Resilience after childhood trauma, abuse, resilience in the face of being an outsider, of a world conspiring against you, resilience when something you relied on and believed in all your life to be false, when the hero you looked up to turns out to be a villain.

It’s a story of obsession, addiction, fairytales and myths, literary ownership, patriarchy, confinement and liberation.

The book was also incredibly atmospheric. I would love to re-read it in the fall, ideally at night when there’s a storm raging outside while I’m cozy in bed with a candle burning.

I love Welsh mythology and I loved how it was represented here. The setting was also perfectly chosen, a secondary fantasy version of 1950s Wales with technology slowly on the rise.

Overall, this book just spoke to my soul, it was Dark Academia perfection and has once again proven to me why Ava Reid is one of my favorite authors. Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book.

It was my first Ava Reid book and I wasn't disappointed. I enjoyed the story and the main characters. The general mindset was rather backwards so it was rather frustrating sometimes, but it's at the heart of the book and serves its purpose.

There were some moments when I felt unease and disgust (if you read this book, you'll see what I'm talking about), but it's part of the book and of Effy's story.

I didn't give it five stars but rather 4.5 stars because it was great but sometimes a bit long (the chapters are very long, I don't know if it's the ebook format but it felt heavy).

"I will love you to ruination"

Set in a secondary mid-20th Century world based on some form of Wales and England, Ava Reid brings her trademark liquid prose to Welsh mythology and writes the dark academia, angry feminist survivor story that sings to my soul.
Couched in Welsh mythology and the Oxfordian hypothesis (what if Shakespeare didn't write Shakespeare) we follow Effy angrily doing architecture because women are considered too week and feeble of mind for so stimulating a topic as Literature 🙄, as she tries to get over being assaulted by her professor and escapes by entering and managing to win a competition to design a new house for the foundation of her favourite (recently deceased) author.
She meets Preston a smug scholar, the very odd son of her hero and as she gets to know them, especially Preston, begins to unravel secrets that could change how a very nation views itself.

This is a very tender story even in its wild untamed moments of mythological fantasy this is always Effy's story and the story of how she comes together with Preston and the incredible respectful and yet passionate love they develop - I almost forgot I was in my hospital bed and instead thought I was on the ceredigion coast. The world building as with all of Ava Reid's books is second to none and the liquid, golden prose is achingly beautiful and I'm so very jealous on a craft level.

The growth of Effy through the story is beautiful as she goes from trying to escape to being assertive and willing to take up her own space in the world.

This is a story that will stand being reread so many times.

Well I wasn't expecting this at all. A morbid fairy tale that almost puts you in a vivid trance just like Effie appears to be in the story. I could almost smell the rotted floors and the decay if the sea...could almost imagine I caught a glimpse of the fabled Fairy King, lurking in a corner & dripping water over the floor. The prose, the vibes were just so evocative and moody. Most of the time I couldn't tell if the main character, Effie was actually sane or we were submerged so deep into her imagination that everyone else appeared to be insane. The mystery of the Fairy King kept me turning the pages & at it's core, the injustices women perpetually face spoke to me and kept me rooting for Effie.

Special thanks to Random House UK and Netgalley for proving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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!

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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

“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.

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!

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.

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 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!

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 is an amazing story that blurs the line between "fact" and fiction. The writing was beautiful and I loved the dark magical elements that unravels as the story progresses. I also absolutely adored Effy and Preston I feel like I need another book of just them. My only downside is I finished reading this too quick because I couldn't put it down but if you love fantasy books I highly recommend this.

“Anything can be taken from you, at any moment. Even the past isn't guaranteed. You can lose that too, slowly, like water eating away at stone.”

Today we are talking about a book coming out this fall that I had the opportunity to preview thanks to Netgalley
•
A study in Drowning is the third book by Ava Reid and like the others on the works it is a very atmospheric fantasy book in part dark academia, but also gothic horror and with the addition of a Romance Academic rivals to lovers that I loved!
•
It is about sexism in the academic environment; about stories and the relationship between author and reader; about horror fairy tales, about ancient myths and traditions but also about how often our voice is taken away from us and what it takes to get it back to make us understood and believed again!
•
The main characters, Effy and Preston, are two rivals forced to work together to bring secrets and lost stories back to life and to let the world know the truth about a famous writer praised by all.
I loved the Romance! The two have a very strong chemistry and both have a strong personal and couple growth over the course of the book.
Effy is a girl who is becoming an adult who has lost her voice and with a difficult past, but she is also a strong and fearless girl.
Preston is a cinnamon roll.
He's a determined guy and eager to find out the truth, he's caring, sweet and I'm sure you'll all love him!!
•
Highly recommended if you've loved books like Divine Rivals, The Last Tale of the Flower Bride and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue!

One of my very favourite books of the year. Haunting, atmospheric, this completely nailed the setting of the sinking house at the end of the world, all salt-soaked, wind-battered cliffsides and tides and coasts. The similes and metaphors were stunning and I probably underlined them all. It was perfectly creepy and very dark, both the external plot and the cruelty and abuse of women at the hands of many of the male characters. I loved the line about water, for women, being "metamorphosis or a homecoming" and this felt true to the character arcs of many of the female characters in this book. The romance was so tender and I enjoyed how the dynamic between Effy and Preston unfurled across the course of the book. At the beginning, I found the story was a little weighted down, perhaps leaning into Effy's interiority at times a bit too much, and the ending was a little rushed, but I still couldn't rate this less than 5 stars for how ensnared I was reading this and how breath-catching the prose was.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for providing me with an ARC!

I absolutely fell in love with this story and couldn’t help but finish it in one sitting! A Study in Drowning is an atmospheric fantasy with dark academia, romance, and slight gothic elements.

The writing was beautiful and intricate, weaving the story together so elegantly. The world building and magical elements were also intriguing and brilliantly written — I thoroughly enjoyed reading the incorporation of the characters reality with the fairy tales.

Effy and Preston were also strong characters who I immediately fell in love with. I loved their dynamic, it worked so well together and helped to not only develop them as characters but also their relationship. They had such a beautiful and soft relationship as the story moved along, I was really rooting for them. As individuals, they were both strong, well-developed characters, and I loved their personalities. Effy was complex and such great protagonist and I loved how in the end she was able to take control of her life —Angharad further revealed the themes that were so beautiful woven through the story.

Overall, I really loved this story and would recommend for anyone who loves dark academia, gothic fantasy, and romance! I would also recommend for anyone who has read and enjoyed Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross. I look forward to reading more by Ava Reid.

I don't think I can show this book enough love 💚 A Study in Drowning by Ava reid is a gorgeous, poetic story, that does not shy away from the less flattering truths of the world.
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A Study in drowning is at its heart, a mystery. But it's so much more than that. It deals with themes of PTSD and of mental wellness, as well as the fears that plague a person if they are even the slightest bit out of sync with society. It shows that surviving is fighting, and sometimes that's all a person can manage to do, and that is enough 💚
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The setting of the story and the villages involved, as well as the continued water references all paint the environment as another character, one just as involved with the plot as the people, and almost reflective of the novels characters at times.
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Effy was such an amazing character, and I loved learning more and more about her as the story went on, it felt like she was revealing her true self to me at the same time she was acknowledging her trauma. She shared her gradual healing with us.
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Reading this felt like a dream, and the lyrical story telling flowed from the page. A highly recommended read.

A Study in Drowning is a gothic fantasy that follows architecture student Effy as she is tasked with redesigning the home of her favourite author. There she meets Preston, a literature student uncovering the truth behind the author's work.

Ava Reid has a beautiful writing style. This is the first book of hers I've read and I loved how she writes. It captured the atmosphere of the cold cliffs and rotting house perfectly.

Effy was so well characterized too, I could see parts of her in myself and women I know. Too often girls and women are told to ignore their instincts and be polite, and then questioned why they didn't speak up or fight. A big theme of the book is Effy surviving this double standard.

I predicted a lot of the plot points as I read, but reading it unfold was still enjoyable. I actually think this is the easiest 5 star I've given this year and I'll be adding all of Ava Reid's books to my TBR.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the arc.

What a hauntingly beautiful book, I was captivated from the start - drawn in by the mystery, urban legends and storytelling.

'And the sea, the sea, it whispers the secret of how all things end'.

Synopsis
Effy is the only female student in the Architecture College, her passion has always been literature, but they don't allow females into that college. When an architectural competition opens to design Emrys Myrdden's home, Effy jumps at the chance - for he wrote her beloved book, Angharad - a tale about the Fairy King. Effy has memorised every word of this book, it helps with her night terrors and hallucinations: a beacon in her dark.

Effy wins this contest, travelling to Emrys Myrdden's home to make a start on the design. But there's also a literature student there, Preston, who is writing a thesis on the writer.

Starting out as enemies, Effy and Preston begin to work together to uncover Emrys secrets, all while Effy is battling her nightmares of the Fairy King.

Thoughts
Haunting, beautiful and captivating. It consists of dark academia, enemies to lovers, urban legends and myth - but also its thought provoking - men abusing their positions of power, and how women were viewed by men in the publishing and literary industry.

Effy grows so much throughout this book, she was struggling within herself - but we see her transform into a strong, brave character - one who fights in what she believes in.

'Better to pen a story of your own. Better to build your own house, with a foundation that was strong, with windows that let in plenty of light'.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for this copy. This review is voluntary.