A Study in Drowning & How to Find a Missing Girl

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld
Published by HarperTeen on September 19, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
Length: 10 hours 31 minutes
Pages: 384
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher, Purchased
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“Achingly atmospheric and beautifully sharp, A Study in Drowning will draw you in from the first page.” —Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls

Bestselling author Ava Reid makes her YA debut in this dark academic fantasy perfect for fans of Melissa Albert and Elana K. Arnold.

Effy Sayre has always believed in fairy tales. Haunted by visions of the Fairy King since childhood, she’s had no choice. Her tattered copy of Angharad—Emrys Myrddin’s epic about a mortal girl who falls in love with the Fairy King, then destroys him—is the only thing keeping her afloat. So when Myrddin’s family announces a contest to redesign the late author’s estate, Effy feels certain it’s her destiny.

But musty, decrepit Hiraeth Manor is an impossible task, and its residents are far from welcoming. Including Preston Héloury, a stodgy young literature scholar determined to expose Myrddin as a fraud. As the two rivals piece together clues about Myrddin’s legacy, dark forces, both mortal and magical, conspire against them—and the truth may bring them both to ruin.

Part historical fantasy, part rivals-to-lovers romance, part Gothic mystery, and all haunting, dreamlike atmosphere, Ava Reid's powerful YA debut will lure in readers who loved The Atlas Six, House of Salt and Sorrows, or Girl, Serpent, Thorn.

This was fabulous! I have loved everything that I have read from this author so far so I went into this book with some pretty high expectations and I am happy to report that I was not disappointed. The writing was gorgeous and the characters were very likable. The story hooked me quickly and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen to Effy and Preston.

Effy is a first-year architecture student. She would love to study literature instead but women are not allowed in the program. When she sees the chance to possibly work on designing the home her favorite author’s home she jumps at the chance. Once she arrives, she finds the home is in further disrepair than she imagined and there is another student doing work in the home. Preston is there as a literature student. As they look into things, they discover that they have even more questions than they thought.

I loved the characters in this book. It was obvious early on that Effy had an interesting history and I loved the way that the author gave us that background a little at a time throughout the story. Effy and Preston were a great match and I enjoyed watching them connect over the course of the story. The dark gothic setting was so well-developed that it almost came alive on the page.

I paired the audiobook with a digital copy and thought that Saskia Maarlevald did a phenomenal job with the narration. I have been a fan of her narration work in the past so I was excited to see that she was reading this story. She did a wonderful job with the various character voices which helped to bring the story to life. I am certain that her narration added to my enjoyment of this story. Overall, I thought that this was a wonderful book that will be going on my keeper shelf and I would not hesitate to recommend this book to others.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Harper Teen.

I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

How to Find a Missing Girl by Victoria Wlosok
Narrator: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw, Gail Shalan
Published by Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books on September 19, 2023
Genres: Young Adult Fiction / Thrillers & Suspense / General
Length: 10 hours 24 minutes
Pages: 400
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Publisher, Purchased
Goodreads
Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | Libro.fm

"The voice that this generation's mystery readers have been waiting for...How to Find a Missing Girl is edge-of-your-seat compelling from beginning to end." —#1 New York Times bestselling author Chloe Gong

For fans of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder and Veronica Mars, this whip-smart thriller follows a sapphic detective agency as they seek the truth behind a growing trail of missing girls in small-town Louisiana. 

A year ago, beloved cheerleader Stella Blackthorn vanished without a trace. Devastated, her younger sister, Iris, launched her own investigation, but all she managed to do was scare off the police’s only lead and earn a stern warning: Once she turns eighteen, more meddling means prison-level consequences.
 
Then, a year later, the unthinkable happens. Iris’s ex-girlfriend, Heather, goes missing, too—just after dropping the polarizing last episode of her true crime podcast all about Iris’s sister. This time, nothing will stop Iris and her amateur sleuthing agency from solving these disappearances.
 
But with a suspicious detective watching her every move, an enemy-turned-friend-turned-maybe-more to contend with, and only thirty days until she turns eighteen, it’s a race against the clock for Iris to solve the most dangerous case of her life.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Iris’s sister, Stella, disappeared a year ago and she wants to know what happened. Everyone seems to think that Stella ran away but Iris doesn’t believe it. When her ex-girlfriend, Heather, goes missing, Iris knows that she needs to find out what is really happening. We get to experience the podcast Heather did about Stella’s disappearance while we follow Iris and her friends as they try to solve this newest crime.

I liked Iris and her friends. I appreciated the fact that they were determined to try to figure out what happened. Since the police were quick to label Iris’s sister a runaway the year before, I understood why they felt that they would need to take action. They do take some big risks, especially Iris. I liked the way that podcast was woven into the story. The mystery kept me guessing until the very end.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Gail Shalan did an amazing job with this story. I thought that the production was very well done and love how authentic the podcast felt. I felt like these narrators expertly brought this story to life which added to my overall enjoyment. I had a great time with this Young Adult mystery and will be recommending it to others.

I received a review copy of this book from Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

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