Early Review – An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 464 pages
Publisher:‎ Ace
Release Date: September 17, 2024
ASIN: B0CQJGSKH9
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: eGalley from NetGalley for Review
Rating: 5/5 stars

“Lennon Carter’s life is falling apart.

Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself.

After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her.

As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption…and it’s a test she’s terrified she’s going to fail.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this on ebook to review through NetGalley..

Thoughts: I really enjoyed this dark academia novel. It reminded me a bit of Bardugo’s Alex Stern series but not as quite as gritty. There is some intriguing mystery and magic in here, and a lot of characters that are somewhat “broken” that are using this magical school of Drayton to find a place for themselves.

This story follows Lennon, she has struggled with panic attacks and mental health issues her whole life. She thinks she finally has some stability and is engaged to be married. Then, she finds her fiance having sex with her best friend and flees the scene to an abandoned shopping mall. There she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to attend Drayton College, a school that is hidden outside the bounds of society. In Drayton, she starts to learn the art of persuasion and gets drawn in to some darker secrets surrounding the school.

This book is full of “broken” characters who are trying to thrive at Drayton despite all of their past trials and mental challenges. It is also full of characters that regularly make questionable decisions. Lennon is no exception to this. I enjoyed watching her grow and gain confidence as the book progressed but also struggled with a lot of the decisions she made. This does have a relationship between a teacher and student; both are consenting adults.

I also enjoyed unraveling Drayton’s dark secrets and delving into this strange in-between school. The writing here is absolutely engrossing and magical. The descriptions allow you to picture everything perfectly, and the situations the characters get themselves in to are intense and desperate.

I ended up completely engaged in this book and struggled to put it down. I loved the dark, gothic atmosphere and the complex, wounded characters. This really is a perfect dark academia read, and I adored it.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I absolutely loved this. It is an intriguing premise, and our characters are deliciously conflicted, with real struggles that you can’t help but cheer them through. There is a romance in here, a lot of mystery, and some strange commentary around reality. This is the first book I have read by Henderson ( I have “The Year of the Witching” on my wishlist but haven’t read it yet). This book makes me want to bump that book up on my reading pile; I loved Henderson’s moody writing style.