The Cloisters

⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

I was intrigued by this book because it was marketed as being about a magical tarot deck. It really wasn’t magical at all and was more about the journey of the MC Ann as she becomes her own person through her internship at the Cloisters.

There were a lot of art references that I couldn’t appreciate, as I cannot say I’m an art history expert. Anyone that does love renaissance art, would probably love the extent at which various artists are mentioned throughout this book.

Ann was heavily manipulated from the moment she accepted to work at the Cloisters. I guessed that from the start and the larger question was always why? We have the owner Patrick obsessing about tarot and having an odd relationship with the other intern Rachel. And then Rachel never really revealing too much about herself, but wanting to help Ann in any way that she could. There was always something off with Rachel and the relationship she had with Ann. When Patrick and Rachel convince Ann to be part of their research into tarot, she became a believer in predicting the future with repeated use of a mysterious deck that she comes into possession of.

I liked the cute gardener Leo. He was intriguing at first but turns out he was just an aspiring creative, so his aloofness came with his personality. It was a bit of a slow burn to know what Rachel was all about. I think she just liked to manipulate people because she was bored. Patrick came off as a creepy sort of professor when it came to Rachel. I also felt like we didn’t really get to know him either.

The ending really wasn’t something I was expecting. It just seemed like it didn’t fit in with Ann’s character, so my reaction was along the lines of - oh that’s the ending you’re going with? Okayyyy

I can see why others may love this book, but I’m thinking it’s either going I’ve try head or it’s just not overly gelling with me. I really wanted to love it though!

Ninth House

⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟

3.5 stars

I read this as it was a dark academia recommendation and I thought the overall premise was intriguing and interesting. This is my first Leigh Bardugo book and I have seen that this is quite different from her other series based on what others have been saying.

As we’re thrust into the world of Ivy League secret societies and magic, it’s established quite early on, that protocol, exclusivity, power, order and the intelligence exists within the system. Our main character Alex has a unique ability to see the dead referenced as “grays”. She’s scooped up from her troubled life into a full scholarship at Yale, so that her abilities can be used for the exclusive Lethe House. Through flashbacks we learn that she’s mentored by Darlington, who has gone missing in present time. A mysterious death of a girl close to the University sparks an investigation by Alex. She starts to uncover and realise some truths that could disrupt the whole system and unlock the truth of Darlington’s whereabouts.

I wasn’t always there for the flashbacks, as I felt I got the gist of the background of the MC Alex and her relationship with Darlington. It became a little long-winded for me and some parts could have been cut out. The whole establishment is what I imagine real life secret societies to be, minus the magic, but then again maybe not? Who knows what goes on in them really? I liked how the abuse of knowledge and people's opportunistic tendencies came out to play. The question being do people do it for control or power? Or maybe both?

The murder investigation was the most interesting part to me. Don't get me wrong, some of the magical and paranormal elements were fun to read, but the intricacies of uncovering each part of the murder and how it all came together, left me guessing. There was no way anyone could have guessed what was going to happen. This really borders on a crime thriller in some aspects of the book.

I'm intrigued enough to want to read the second book, but I'm also not in a rush.

Bunny

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really don’t know what I just read! It’s really WTF the whole way through!

This book was weird, dark, funny, sad, thrilling and nonsensical all at once. I really enjoyed the writing style, it was quick paced and when people describe it as a mix between the heathers, the craft, mean girls and Frankenstein, I have to agree. Imagine someone was high and during their trip, they decided to write a book. This is what I imagine that would be.

Samantha attends Warren University, where a clique of girls, who only refer to themselves as “Bunny”, invite Samantha to their Smut Salon one evening. It’s a night of sharing literature or stories of your deepest desires with no judgement. These girls get Samantha drunk, tell her to go capture a rabbit outside and she winds up home with a nasty hangover. She starts disconnecting from her best friend Ava, the clique let Samantha in on their rituals and she becomes a zombie to their cult-like structure. Meanwhile, there are so many internal conversations Samantha is having with her dead mum, Ava, herself… which just adds to the mystery of her mind and what is truth. When Ava tells Samantha she’s thinking about leaving town and disappears, it sends Samantha spiralling as it’s uncovered that things aren’t what they seem to be.

Honestly, I tried so hard to cover what the story entails above, and although it sounds very straightforward, it really isn’t! You are left wondering what this read was all about. It’s very different to most reads you’ll have. You may even think it doesn’t make sense. You’ll wonder why you read it. You’ll have even more questions. It’s also a book that sticks out in your mind because you can’t truly explain what went on. And this is why I think it’s so unique because you either love it or hate it!

“Art is in the eye of the beholder and everyone will have their own interpretation” - E.A Bucchianeri

Catherine House

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I started reading this book as it was a dark academia recommendation online. It’s definitely not for everyone. It’s very slow and it’s like having a build up with no reward.

The whole time I was reading the book, I thought how lazy Ines was and the Catherine House was her escape from the bad deeds she’d done prior. She wanted a home to feel safe in and have people care about her. Even if it meant taking advantage of what was on offer. It was three years of no contact with the outside world, but Catherine House could offer everything that was needed within its walls.

This book was dark, atmospheric, explorative, gothic, cult-like and elitist. Everyone at Catherine House are there to obtain a degree but it’s not considered a college or university. It’s always considered a house or home if you will. Every student that passes through are experimented on because the vision is that everyone is connected like an organism that keeps evolving. No matter what they will face in the outside world, they still had Catherine House.

The ending is left open ended, which I took as an opportunity for Ines to truly find in the world what she was looking for. Her time at Catherine House in some ways was pointless, though it allowed her sideways thinking to remain untainted.

The Serpent & the Wings of Night

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book really is a slow burn, so if you’re not up for the intricate world building and blood fest through some vampire trials, then this book ain’t for you!

I’ll just saw wow! That ending OMG. Luckily there’s another book to read as it’s basically a shit show from this point. And I mean that in a nice way!

When Oraya was taken/picked/captured as a child by vampire king Vincent, you immediately ask why. What is so special about this human? Throughout the book, you’re really wondering what Vincent’s motives are. Does he really have a soft spot for her? Why would he train a human to enter a vampire trial? At one point, I actually thought he was waiting for her to come of age so he could make her his wife and they rule the kingdom together. How wrong I was on that!

So a good 75% of this book is Oraya entering the Kejari which is a tournament where the vampire goddess Nyaxia grants you a wish. It's gory, ruthless and relentless. Having a human enter is unheard of but Vincent has trained Oraya her whole life for this moment. He's very secretive of why exactly. Cue in hot vampire Raihn who we find out was once human and he is fully intrigued by Oraya. With his best friend Mische, they form an alliance with Oraya to get through to various stages of the trial.

There's a few twists at the end. I knew what Oraya's actions would be, but I wasn't expecting the actions from Raihn after that. Throughout the whole book Oraya and Raihn have a love hate relationship, and I actually enjoy the interactions they have with one another. It's going to be interesting with how the kingdom's are going to be ruled. I want to dig into the next book as I am now captivated by this story.