TBR & Tangents by Rachel

Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy on behalf of the author

I don’t think I’ve ever requested a book so quickly based off of the tags: cozy horror, dark academia, ect. I was a little bit unsure of the professor romance since it’s a trope that’s been done many of times but I was absolutely willing to give it a go. And when I say thank goodness for my intuition, I mean it!! Picture this: grown-up Harry Potter mixed with Beetlejuice vibes. I didn’t know if the combination would work, but it in fact excelled.

I really adored all the detail that was given to not only the world-building but also the entire system behind the academy in such a short timeframe. I couldn’t get enough of the dark academia vibe throughout the entire book. I almost wish Agnes explored more just so I in turn could too! There was absolutely no skimping on details and that really stood out to me. It was super helpful for me personally to have such a in-depth description of the haunting methods and “curriculum” to be able to understand the why.

I had such a hard time going back and forth liking the characters. Which really means they I appreciated how realistic the emotions and behaviors felt, even if they weren’t the best, and it added a very intimate ebb and flow that all relationships have, dead or alive. Although it took me a matter of 2 pages to love Agnes already, and it was such a delight to watch her character unfold as the story progressed. Even if her place was stagnant she didn’t remain the same, even when feelings started to emerge.

Speaking of which…. The tension between those two? I couldn’t get enough. I appreciated that it wasn’t the main focus on the plot, but a very nice added bonus sprinkled in. It was so fun to watch them unravel each other and I was very much cheering them on. I liked the spice level, I would have loved more but I thought the pace was good. Nothing seemed unrealistic or rushed, which is a very fine line for this trope specifically.

I loved the complex mystery and how every chapter presented a new problem. It kept the story just lively enough but without going overboard. And of course things all cleaned up nicely…. Mostly.There was just enough of a cliffhanger for me to be only slightly upset. I’m so very much looking forward to year 2 with Agnes and everyone!!