November 2023 Book & Brew Review: A Study in Drowning

November's book pick was A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. Read below to learn more about the book, my opinion on it, and even a playlist I put together to listen to while you read!

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid

Publisher: HarperTeen

Page Count: 384

Format: Hardback

Genre: Fantasy, Mystery & Romance

Source: OwlCrate

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Content Warnings: parental abuse and neglect, psychological abuse; gaslighting, domestic and intimate partner violence (off-page; non-graphic), grief, death of a parent (off-page), sexual abuse (off-page; non-graphic); grooming and manipulation; sexual harassment, mental illness including hallucinations and delusions, suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors; post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. She’s had no choice. Since childhood, she’s been haunted by visions of the Fairy King. She’s found solace only in the pages of Angharad - author Emrys Myrddin’s beloved epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, and then destroys him.

Effy’s tattered, dog-eared copy is all that’s keeping her afloat through her stifling first term at Llyr’s prestigious architecture college. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to design the late author’s house, Effy feels certain this is her destiny.

But Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task: a musty, decrepit estate on the brink of crumbling into a hungry sea. And when Effy arrives, she finds she isn’t the only one who’s made a temporary home there. Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar, is studying Myrddin’s papers and is determined to prove her favorite author is a fraud.

As the two rival students investigate the reclusive author’s legacy, piecing together clues through his letters, books, and diaries, they discover that the house’s foundation isn’t the only thing that can’t be trusted. There are dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspiring against them - and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

This one was an interesting read. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it at the beginning, and by the end, it felt like a completely different book.

I definitely ended up greatly enjoying it, even though I was sure at the start—I was worried the hype had negatively affected my expectations—but the hype doesn’t even match the reality of this book. It is not what you think it’s going to be. Though I will say that fans of Crimson Peak will greatly enjoy this story.

There were so many times when I worried for Effy; I didn’t know what her truth was going to be. I also didn’t know how I felt about Preston at the start, but he turned out to be the Prince Charming that all woman deserve.

I’m sad this story took me a little bit to get into it, but I think it’s because I wasn’t entirely sure where it was going—it encompasses a lot of different genres, and it’s mildly confusing at the start. However, the ending was worth it. Looking back at the story as a whole, it was an intriguing, captivating read, and I really did enjoy it.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (love it)

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (mild)

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