A Study in Drowning

"DNF"

"Beautifully written. This book will make you cry and rage all at the same time. I did not expect it to go where it went, but you could see the twists coming. 6/10"

"3.75⭐. This book made me feel so much and cry so much. Everything relating to Effy's experiences with trauma, Angharad, symbolism and motifs, writing style, Hireath manor, and even just the vibes are perfect. And I enjoyed Effy and Preston's friendship and romance. And there's so many astounding quotes. *SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT* *Review edited for conciseness Themes and plot points that weren't as fleshed out; Effy's prejudice toward Preston, our duo not considering the very obvious plot twist as even a possibility, over explanations at the end of the story, them doing **it** at the height of plot intrigue and suspense. I'm happy for them but like, bad timing youngsters. That being said, I appreciate this story as a sort of spiritual successor to Juniper and Thorn for a YA audience. The two books are kind of the same story at heart, and I'm glad that this book exists for a younger audience to relate to and feel heard by. I cannot wait to see what Ava Reid writes next 𝨊."

"Every once in a while you read a story that connects with you. You feel the author's intent. You know they have experienced the story that is unfurling before you. It makes the words more rich and meaningful. I could not look away from this story. It made me feel things I didn’t want to feel again which made it all the more real. I realized that I needed to be alone with this book. It was too important to be constantly interrupted by idle chatter. Several men passed by asking what I was reading and even read the cover. They all laughed. "A Studing in Drowning that must be easy just put your head underwater". When I found out myself what the title meant it was like a physical blow to my stomach and the irony was not lost on me. I highly enjoy when books are relatable and I think this would be to any woman. In all fairness, we want all of humanity to be equals. Still, women perceive the world differently. We pick up on subtle energy shifts and movements. It's a way of protecting ourselves. Looking out for danger in a small room with a male stranger. This book became so relatable that it itched at my skin. Our main character was never taken seriously. Even to the reader, she was unreliable. Effy was such a bright light the world tried to smother and I felt such kinship with her. She reminded me of that feeling I get sometimes. Like I want to tell the world my dreams but I also just want to hold it close to keep it safe. Preston's character was like a warm smile. The healthy relationship that blossomed between these too was as bright as a summer day. I wanted more. The world-building was absolutely stunning and some of the atmospheres were so potent I read them again and again so that I might stay there longer. It's like the author was there in that flooded house as she wrote. Every line was descriptive. This tale took me on a journey and I had no idea where we would end up but I was all in. It made me feel such hope. "

"4 stars because I felt like this was very beautifully written but it’s probably more of a 3-3.5 star as the story line was slow. I honestly just didn’t connect well with the characters. It’s not a bad story or book by any means, and I think the problem was me. It was nothing to right home about? "

"So interesting and keeps you on edge and guessing. Every character has an air of mystery throughout the whole book. Only note is the spice scene is very poor and not really needed, super short though so not a huge deal."

"This is the first book I tried out annotating on, so it took longer to read than expected, but it was still a fast read with finishing it in less than 6 hours. I liked the story line and the characters. The plot twist was expected, and I saw it coming well before 50% through the book, but it was still a great aspect of the book. "

"I NEED THE SEQUEL NOW"

"4.2 stars<br/>A book worth studying <br/><br/>Merged review:<br/><br/>4.2 stars<br/>A book worth studying"

"The prose was beautiful and atmospheric, I felt like I was actually at the waterlogged Manor. The story was utterly predictable."