A Study in Drowning

"Reid wields lyricism, dark academia, and fairy-core elements to eloquently imbue the narrative with originality and depth that ferries themes surrounding grief, gender, and the value of folklore." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Both haunting and tender. Set amongst crumbling cliffsides and a raging sea, this atmospheric story will settle in your bones. Romantic, beautifully written, and powerful." - Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches

"Lyrical, moving, and sensitive, A Study in Drowning is a magically romantic tale, filled with writing that will sweep you into a whimsical and gothic world. I'll recommend this beautiful and thoughtful book over and over again." - Isabel Ibañez, author of Together We Burn

"Incandescent, tender, and fierce. A Study in Drowning is a deftly woven mystery, brimming with lyrical writing and compelling characters who will steal your heart. This is a story that lingers, long after the last word." - Rebecca Ross, bestselling author of Divine Rivals

"A Study in Drowning is everything: a dark fairytale, a tender romance, a haunting historical mystery, and a quietly furious tribute to the people whose stories have been stolen from them. I absolutely loved it." - Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling author of Once and Future Witches

"Lusciously evocative and dripping with verbal texture." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A dark and gripping feminist tale." - Kirkus Reviews

"Haunting and elegantly rendered, A Study in Drowning is a lyrical examination of stories told, cherished myths, and an unraveling of truths held dear. Darkly romantic and unsettlingly eerie, I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come." - Erin A. Craig, New York Times bestselling author of House of Salt and Sorrows and Small Favors

"In A Study in Drowning, Reid questions the idea of stories, who writes them, and who they are for. Between heart-wrenching discoveries, lush worldbuilding, and prose as beautiful and cruel as the sea, she delivers an answer I won't soon forget. I could read this book again and again - absolute perfection." - Courtney Gould, author of The Dead and the Dark

"Lyrical, incisive, and tragically beautiful, this book will haunt your dreams. Reid delivers in every way---from the atmospheric house by the sea to the achingly hopeful romance to the examination of power, gender, and control, A Study in Drowning ruins and rebuilds you." - Vaishnavi Patel, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi

"Piling invention upon invention, Reid conjures a bleached-bone jewel box of a tale, full of strange treasures and captured bits of dangerous lore. A Study in Drowning is as merciless as a rising tide and as beguiling as a fairy's bargain." - Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood

"As always, Ava Reid's worlds feel lived-in and rich in history. This one is also full of myth and superstition, and heavy rains that fall upon crumbling old houses. A rewarding, romantic read, with much to chew on." - Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Three Dark Crowns

"This is one of those books that makes you remember why we read in the first place. A Study in Drowning takes dark academia to magical new heights. Reid is a singular, extraordinary talent." - Sasha Peyton Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Hunt

"Ava Reid's YA debut is a deft exploration of strength in survival that's as nuanced as it is quietly impactful and delicately romantic. There is a healing quality within her works that makes A Study in Drowning feel like not just another breath of fresh air, but a necessary one. It's a read that should have a permanent space on your shelves and in your collections immediately." - Kalie Barnes-Young, Barnes & Noble at the Grove, Los Angeles CA

"A Study in Drowning is everything I've ever wanted to read: dark academia, romance, mystery, and a powerful story of a survivor, one I can hold close to my heart because Effy feels so real. Addictive and brimming with atmosphere, Ava Reid weaves a striking tale that will sweep readers away to a harrowing sea." - Bridey Morris, RJ Julia Booksellers, Madison CT

"A Study in Drowning is a brilliant novel that's part fantasy, part dark academia, part modern gothic, part horror fairytale, and altogether too gripping to put down. A gothic that manages to be both breath of fresh air and the familiar claustrophobic feel of the walls closing in around you, A Study in Drowning is an undeniable testament to Ava Reid's mastery of their trade." - Brittany Smith, Barnes & Noble, Greenville SC

"Drenched in atmosphere, and as wondrous and haunting as a dream half-remembered. A Study in Drowning is a love letter to stories-and to everyone silenced or forgotten in their retelling. Effy and Preston are spectacular leads, tenderly drawn and sure to win readers' hearts as they've won mine." - Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

"A dark and tender YA debut from the lyrical genius Ava Reid. A Study in Drowning is a beautifully eerie story about the myths we are told, the people we admire and what happens when the truths we hold begin to unravel. I am in awe of Reid and her storytelling abilities. You are going to need this book in your life!" - Joseline Diaz, Kepler's Books

"Achingly atmospheric and beautifully sharp, A Study in Drowning will draw you in from the first page. A spell-binding mix of magic, myth, and mystery." - Rory Power, New York Times bestselling author of Wilder Girls