Curious Tides

Book Review 📚
Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle - 4.5/5 ⭐

Oh I wish I had of read this as soon as I was sent the ARC! It was utterly phenomenal. The characters, the plot, the story, all of it was magical and brilliant!

Firstly, the characters. They were extraordinary. Lacelle perceived them in such a riveting way. The description of their personality was flawless and I felt like I understood exactly what Lacelle was telling us. The POVs were handled amazingly and throughout so thoroughly. It really brought the book to life.

Secondly, world building. Oh my goodness. It blew me away. It was so descriptive and had an amazing quality to it. It was so easy to imagine the scene when Lacelle done such a fantastic job of writing it. Unreal.

Thirdly, the mix of fantasy come romance was perfect. There wasn't to much of either and it was so perfectly balanced. I can't put into words how beyond amazing this book was to read. This is a definite recommendation.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

An interesting read using a really unique magic system of lunar magic. Lacelle creates a vivid mystery set against a dark academia and sea based world.

This book is definitely a 5 star read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for providing the ARC in exchange for a review!

I was absolutely hooked on this book from the very first page! The writing is stunning, the interior illustrations are also stunning, and the characters are so fleshed out and well developed. This book was unlike anything I've ever read before, it was so unique and beautiful in every way.

The story immediately piqued my interest and I was so intrigued as to how it would progress and I was also really invested in the romance plot with Emory.

Baz was such a charming character, and I loved getting both perspectives throughout this book, so it all felt more fleshed out and I also liked how each character was finding out things individually.

The magic system is complex but so unique and I loved it! It's based on the moon phases and tides, and I think that's such a cool thing to include with magic!

I recommend this book to anyone who likes dark academia, dark fantasy/fantasy, magical schools, dual POV, secret societies, murder mystery, developed characters and world building, strong friendships and lots of plot twists!

I'm absolutely going straight onto the short prequel book, and will be highly anticipating the sequel after that ending!!

Wow. I am fascinated with this magical world. Pascales immersive world building takes us to the enchanting Aldryn College for Lunar Magic, with houses based on the phases of the moon. Each phase having their own set of magic makes for so many interesting characters, which we follow throughout the book.

The story completely swept me away with the magical atmosphere, mystery, gripping character building and simply fantastic writing.
I really enjoyed the alternating chapters from different characters perspectives which made for an exciting read.
The twists in the plot kept me gripped and the ending had me completely shocked!
Cannot wait for the next book in the series….I need more!
Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Curious Tides

At the begining I wanted to thank NetGalley and Simon&Schuster and of course Author - Pascale Lacelle for giving me an opportunity to be an ARC reader of that book.
Opinion I am about to give is mine and mine only.

Curious Tides.. What. A. Read.

I had a love/hate realtionship with that book while reading. To be honest I almost DNFed. Because you have to embrace yourself in patience, my dear Readers, but trust my word - Curious Tides is worth it!

Book is builded upon a tragedy. We meet Emory in her moments of grief, she just lost her best friend. Convinced that Roomie is dead, Emory keeps blaming herself of the fatal results of THAT night.

THAT night is a combination of many events that led eight best students of Aldryn College of Lunar Magics to certain death. All of them are gone, but not Emory. Now she is back at her school because she has to do everything in her power to solve this mystery.

Curious Tides has, in my opinion, highly complicated and complex magic system, where your power is stricte connected to moon phases and tides. I have to admit I was lost a few times during my read and that was what frustrated me at much. But once I got a hold of what is going on, it was easier to follow events in book.

Next to Emory we meet Baz, who has his own POV, and from chapter to chapter he was growing on me. He is also grieving - Roomie was his sister. He is one of the black sheeps in his world - he wields magic that is not connected to the Tides - abomination, that’s what other call him. He is also very strict and always follows rules, so when Emory came to him for help, he did not want to help her at the begining. Call it sentiment of their childhood friendship or still hidden somewhere feelings he has for his sister’s best friend, but he decides to help her. Doesnt he know, that Emory has already found a way to discover all Roomie’s secrets, and she doesn’t only cofide to him.

Will all this secrets destroy they renewed relation?
Will they discover why Roomie had to die? Is she really dead?
What about Emory’s magic, will she find the answers she is looking for?

To get your answers all you have to do is read this book, like RIGHT NOW. I am really happy that I found enough patience in me to keep reading - it was so worth it.

If you like:

🌑 dark academia
🌒 high fantasy with complex magic system
🌓 love triangle
🌔 hidden powers yet to release
🌕 secret societies
🌖 secrets to reveal
🌗 hidden worlds
🌘 gothic romance

this book is definietly for you! 🌊

For me it was 5/5 ⭐️
I can’t wait to read book 2!

This book was simply incredible. I could not put it down. An incredibly strong debut from a very lyrically gifted author.

This book is everything dark academia fantasy should be. The magic system was really clever and well thought out, the world fully fleshed out and I loved the fact that it was set at a magical university instead of a school. The main characters Emory and Baz were the university wallflowers and I liked this, though some of side characters were a lot more compelling. I also liked that this book was unpredictable, I did not guess the ending, but it all made sense when it was revealed.

4.5 stars overall

Fantastic!!! This book is so beautiful! Gorgeous writing, fascinating characters, a story that had me from the first page. The universe Pascale imagined is so real, but also so otherwordly. Emory and Baz are amazing characters, and Baz's journey during the book is perfect! Just like Pascale's Epilogue, this book was its own kind of portal on a page. Loved it loved it loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle!

This is an atmospheric and gripping tale, with dark academia, fantasy, and mystery.

I really loved the world building and magic system in this book! It made the story magical

I loved Emory, she was such a great main character. Her emotions were so moving and I felt as though I was also confronting and dealing with her grief, determination, and love.

I also enjoyed seeing Emory and Baz’s character growth, both independently and together. The character development was just really beautiful to read. I feel as though all the characters were confronted and challenged with a harsh, but also moving, truth

This was such a beautifully written story, I was immersed in the plot and the characters from the very beginning — the world building especially impacted how hauntingly beautiful this story was. The world and the characters felt so familiar, increasing the hold this story had on me, as I was completely submerged into the world.

I would really recommend this to people who love dark academia and fantasy, and who have also loved and read A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid!

Rating: 5/5⭐️

What a marvellous book! This is the best dark academia fantasy I’ve ever read! If I could, I would give way more than just 5⭐️ to this book. 5 is not enough to rate this book.

Emory is such an amazing FMC and I loved her! She felt so human, in her grief, in her determination, in her love for her best friend, Ronnie, and hope to find her. She is so charming in her quiet yet forward and transforming personality.

I loved Baz, I loved how quiet, reserved and shy he was; how caring, and fearless he would become while with Emory; how he would look out for her, to protect her. I think he’s the character with more growth and I absolutely loved seeing him transform into his best self. I love Baz so much, I am, after all, a sucker for good boys!

Kieran is very charming, he has all the right words in all the right right times - and he has a very strong connection with Emory. After all, he found her after the traumatic event. But he is as full of mystery as he’s charming. He’s always two steps ahead and will stop at nothing to achieve what he wants.

The writing is simply beautiful. Over and over again,I felt myself inside the book. I could see every scene, all the characters expressions and feel all their feelings - the grief, the disappointment, the fears, Emory’s determination to find answers (no matter what), Baz’s shyness but trusting nature, Kieran’s focused drive. All characters decisions throughout the book felt justified (right and wrong), felt real. They were all so complex, so relatable, all so human, all so gorgeous to read about.

This is a very strong debut: strong plot, relatable characters, plot twists done to perfection, beautiful writing. Just finished and wished I could read this again for the first time! It’s that good! Definitely on my top 3 of favourite books of 2023 and I cannot wait for the sequel! Curious Tides is a book you will not want to miss out!

Oh, what a treat of a book! I adored it. It’s dark academia meets fantasy, filled with secret societies, mysteries by the dozen, a dash of horror, and enough intrigue to shake a stick at.

This book is split between two POVs- Emory, who’s entering her second year at Aldryn college, still reeling from the loss of her best friend, Romie, and Baz, Romies older brother, who wants answers as to why his sister ventured into a local sea cave last spring, alongside seven other students, and never came back. Emory wants answers too, but she seems to know more than she’s letting on…

This book truly feels like what a dark academia fantasy SHOULD feel like. I couldn’t get enough, eager to unravel the mysteries, swept away by the locations, the characters, and by its magic.

Speaking of - the magic system in this book is fascinating. Everyone gets a power that relates to whichever moon phase they were born in, and they can only really use their powers when those moon phases are active. Then there are eclipse borns, who wield different powers, but have access to them at all times, regardless of the moon phase. It was so unique, and I loved learning about it, and seeing how it worked within the world.

A magical school setting is usually a winner in my eyes, and this one is no different. I loved that the school is perched on a cliff by the ocean, I loved that there’s a fabulous map at the start of the book showing it off, and I LOVED the descriptions of the various libraries dotted within the school. I could picture it all so well, that by the time I’d finished the book, the school very much felt like a real place in my mind.

The whole story is so well fleshed out - it’s so in-depth without feeling overwhelming. It’s polished and fast paced, while still leaving you with enough breathing space to enjoy the simpler moments, before it ramps back up once again. Oh, and ramp up it does.

This is the first of a duology, and I cannot wait for the sequel. Like, notifications are being turned on for this author. I need more answers, and I’m so looking forward to diving back into this world once more to get them.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the early copy to review!

Thank you so much Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of Curious to read and give an honest review of!
What an amazing debut! Curious Tides is Dark Academia fantasy book perfect for everyone who enjoyed Gothicana, Hollow Heathens or The Coven. You’re not going to find there any spicy scenes, but it’s pretty dark, so you may want to check TW before reading. In my opinion it’s going to be great book for YA and NA readers. The book is full of mystic rituals, dangerous magic, dark secrets and mysterious deaths. The magic system and world-building in this book is completely unique. I haven't read anything like that before! I've read a lot of fantasy books and Curious Tides surprised me several times with unpredictable plot twists. I love it! Be aware that the book ends with cliffhanger. I just can't wait for another book in this series.

I think this book was a little bit too long for a debut novel, but since the world in this book is so complete, I can understand it takes time to describe it to the reader. Don’t be afraid to read this book if you don’t like love triangles. Just trust me. It won’t be that bad 😉


⭐ 4.5/5
🌶️ 0/5

Tropes:
Dark academia
Gothic Romance
Love triangle
Unique and Complicated Magic System
Secret Society
Cult
Betrayal
Murder Mystery
Hidden Worlds
Book in the Book

The feeling you get when you discover a truly phenomenal book is like no other. THIS is a welcome and incredible addition to the Dark Academia genre, and I think it’s going to take the world by storm. It’s exactly what I seek for in this genre - dark, gloomy, enchanting, secretive. I truly could not put it down: the plot was so intricate and well paced, the characters fully fleshed out and likable whilst not being without flaws, and a unique and enthralling magic system. It belongs up there with the greats, and I think lovers of Ava Reid’s A Study In Drowning are especially going to love this one.

The twists were fantastic, with just enough clues dropped along the way that made the pay off so grand. Some I was able to (eventually) predict and some had my jaw dropping. I am counting down the days until Book #2.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's UK for providing me with a eARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is dark academia at its best!! It sets the tone perfectly, spooky, a sense of impending doom, you’re on the knife edge of something big and there’s a real lingering foreboding - I loved it!! It had all the right elements and hit all the marks perfectly for me and was exactly what I was looking for in a fantasy dark academia set up.

The world is thought out in so much depth and was so intricately created. It’s a beautiful bookiverse and one that you can so easily get immersed in. I loved the set up, the details, the revealing of more and more of the history, lore, backgrounds, myths and legends of the story, I was completely entranced.

We have secret organisations, cults, mysterious disappearances, a magical university and all kinds of magic to get to grips with. The plot was fantastic and the more I read, the more invested I became. Considering it was a fairly big book, I found I didn’t waver at all on my concentration (and after reading a speight of easy reading contemporary romances and nothing books, I was amazed at how quickly I got into this considering I had to use my brain more!).

Great characters, great atmosphere and a really great core plot and story. Honestly can’t wait for this to come out in hardback because even from the ebook, it looked stunning!

And I’m glad this book isn’t a standalone and there’s more to come, because I’m not ready to leave Lunar magic behind and need to catch up with Baz, Kai, Emory and Romie stat!

Wow!! This book is exceptional!! It creates one of the most unique and original worlds of magic I’ve ever read. The plot is complex but completely enthralling. I am absolutely in love with this story. A wonderful weaving of dark academia and fantasy- it’s truly stunning. I need the next one now! READ THIS!

New dark academia obsession? YES, ABSOLUTELY!

It's definitely one of my favorite books now. I can't even find the words to describe what an incredible read this is! I'm already bullying my book club friends to preorder and read this because I need them to be as obsessed with Curious Tides as I am; and I definitely know they will be. The writing, the characters, the unique magic system are all so wonderful! I could not stop reading, I was living in this amazing world and now I'm having such a hard time coming back to reality. Please, please give this book and this author the hype they deserve for this magical masterpiece!

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle is one of the best dark academia fantasies I have read in a very long time, filled with secret societies, dangerous friendships and lunar magic.
In the aftermath of tragedy that resulted in the deaths of eight students, including her best friend Romie, Emory is returning to the elite Aldryn College of Lunar Magic, determined to figure out what happened that fateful night. Emory is even more determined to uncover the truth because she was there that night, in secret, and it left her forever changed, corrupting her healing magic into something very different and giving her powers that no one person is supposed to have , and that she may not be able to control. Romie's brother Baz might be able to help her, his type of magic, Eclipse magic, is rare and notoriously difficult to control, but he is still grieving the loss of his sister. When things take a turn for the macabre, Emory learns of the existence of a secret society on campus, one that Romie was a member of, and she decides to try to infiltrate it in an attempt to find out if it was responsible for the tragedy . Power corrupts, and with her new found magic Emory soon finds herself becoming a target for those who seek to use her for their own devices.
This was an absolutely gripping story, I was completely hooked by the mystery of what had happened to cause the original deaths of the eight students and as the plot was slowly revealed I found myself getting more and more invested with each twist and turn. A big reason for this was how much I liked the characters, most notably Emory and especially Baz, I enjoyed both individually but when together they really shone. I also absolutely loved the magic system with different phases of the moon being aligned with different types of magic , it felt really clever and original and was used to great effect throughout the book. I am in awe of how well thought out it all was , it is clear that the author spent a lot of time thinking about and crafting their world.
Curious Tides completely swept me away and I am sure it will do the same for many other readers.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

One of the best books I've read this year, and so different from anything else I've seen recently.

Curious Tides is part mystery, part horror, part fantasy, part coming of age. It is the story of Emory, a college student in a place where magic is linked to the moon and the tides. As a healer, she has always been mediocre, and eclipsed by her best friend, the vivacious Romie. When she gets caught up in a ritual she doesn't understand, and several of her classmates, including Romie, are drowned, Emory is determined to uncover what the ritual was, why Romie was there, and how it all links to the myths and legends of the drowned Gods.

There's a whole host of characters, all well developed, and I particularly love Romie's brother Bas, and his friend Kai. Definitely a book to recommend, and the first of a duology. It comes out TODAY, 3rd October, so is an immediate hardback purchase for me!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an independent review.

Um, wow?! This book had my jaw dropping with how beautifully written it was - so poetic and captivating, and definitely one of my top 2023 reads.

'We are born of the moon and tides, and to them we return'.

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀
Emory Ainsleif attends the Aldyrn College for Lunar Magic - born under a New Moon, her magic is healing - or so she thought.

Following her best friend, Romie, to Dovermere Cove, Emory finds herself in the midst of a ritual for the Tides of Fate. One that will change her life forever.

We follow Emory and Baz as they try to figure out Emory's newly acquired magic, and the lies and secrets that surround those born under an Eclipse Moon.

𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
To say I was captivated by this book is an understatement, I was completely enthralled. The writing just draws you in, the world building, the magic systems, the descriptions - everything was so beautifully poetic.

'She was his sea, moving in and out of his life, between this world and the next. But what was the sea if it had no shore to return to?'

If you're looking for beautifully written dark academia, this is definitely for you. The universe is filled with magic (and forbidden magic) based on the Lunar cycle, secret societies, strong main characters and love interests, and enthralling world building.

'Her mother was a sailor and her father a lighthouse keeper, and somewhere in between them, Emory was the sea'.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this copy. This review is voluntary.