Naomi with a Novel

Ave Reid’s debut YA fantasy novel tells the story of university student Effy Sayre, whose belief in fairy tales leads her to a contest to design the home of her beloved author. When she arrives at the estate, she faces not only a challenging task but also a rival scholar, Preston, who questions her favorite author’s legacy. As they uncover dark forces and secrets, Effy’s dream project becomes quite the treacherous journey.

This story has mystery, fairy lore, rivals who become lovers, feminist themes, and a gothic/dark academia atmosphere.

Before we get into the review, let me just say: I was so excited to receive the Owlcrate version of this book! The cover is beautiful. I mean, look at this:

That being said, let’s dive into A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid.

While the writing style is absolutely gorgeous, the story seemed to meander. I found myself over halfway through the book and still waiting for the plot to pick up. I also found Preston a bit bland, unfortunately, and the romance fell flat for me.

All of this isn’t to say that I had trouble getting through the book! I read the entire thing in two days, in fact, but I was driven less by the story and more by the beautiful descriptions and writing style. Ava Reid writes vivid descriptions and immersive atmospheres. I loved the dark academia vibes and the elements of fairy lore and mystery. I also loved Effy’s character. It’s not often that I personally relate to a female main character, but as someone with anxiety, I found myself understanding Effy quite a lot throughout the book.

There were many things to enjoy about A Study in Drowning! Overall, I’m rating it 4 stars. I’d rate the story itself about 3.5 stars, but the writing, main character, and overall ~vibes~ bring it to a 4 for me.

I eagerly await Ava Reid’s future releases!