Book Info:
Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publishing Date: March 25, 2025
My review
4.5 Dark Academy with a great cast and an amazing cover? Yes, please. I related immediately to the main character because she lives in limbo she doesn't belong to one side, but also she is not entirely just magic, I love characters that stand strong and still find a path when they are in "between" worlds. It's well written and the author made me fear the forest and for the safety of the characters. Sad to let go and second chances to do something right.
Great visual horror moments and I was sad for some too.
Synopsis:
From author Elisa A. Bonnin comes Lovely Dark and Deep, a YA dark academia novel exploring magic, loneliness, and the power of found family.
Hidden off the coast of Washington, veiled in mist, there is an island that does not appear on any map. And on that island is Ellery West.
Ellery West has always been home for Faith. After an international move and a childhood spent adjusting to a new culture and a new language, the acclaimed school for magic feels like the only place she can be herself. That is, until Faith and another student walk into the forest, and only Faith walks out.
Marked with the red stripe across her uniform that designates all students deemed too dangerous to attend regular classes, Faith becomes a social pariah, an exile of Ellery West. But all she has to do is keep her head down for one more year to graduate, and she gets to keep her magic. Because when students fail out of Ellery West, they have their magic taken away. Forever. And Faith can’t let that happen.
Except terrifying things are still happening to students, and the dark magic that was unleashed in the forest still seems to be at work. To stop it, Faith and the other Red Stripes will have to work together, risking expulsion from the magical world altogether.
Content Warning: bullying
Book Links:
About the Author:
Elisa A. Bonnin was born and raised in the Philippines, after which she moved to the United States to study chemistry and later oceanography. After completing her doctorate, she moved to Germany to work as a postdoctoral scientist. A lifelong learner, Elisa is always convinced that she should “maybe take a class in something” and as a result, has amassed an eclectic collection of hobbies. But writing will always be her true love. Publishing a book has been her dream since she was eight years old, and she is thrilled to finally be able to share her stories. She is the author of Dauntless and Stolen City.
Author Links:
Website: https://eabonnin.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisa.a.bonnin
Twitter: https://x.com/eabwrites
Tour Schedule:
@tbrbeyondtours & @elisa.a.bonnin
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