Review | Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle

Curious Tides by Pascale Lacelle

Author: Pascale Lacelle.
Release Date: 13/12/2023. 
Price: £16.99 at Waterstones.
Available in: Hardback, kindle and on audiobook
TW: Death, drowning, trauma, blood, a couple of somewhat graphic/violent descriptions.
Spice: "Closed door"/ Fade to black. PG 13 kinda vibe.

Rating: 4 stars! 

Wow! (Please note my review is very very late and was supposed to be posted for the release date last year). What a cover, dark academia you say? Count me in.

Emory is returning to the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magic for one reason: to uncover the secrets behind the night that left her best friend, Romie, and seven other students dead.

But Emory has plenty of secrets herself, not least that her healing abilities have been corrupted by a strange, impossible magic, granting her power no one should possess.

Turning to the only person she believes she can trust, Emory enlists the help of Romie's brother Baz - someone already well-versed in the dangers of his own dark Eclipse magic.

But when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore - alive - only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths, Emory and Baz are no longer the only ones seeking answers.

There's a hidden society at the heart of the school, and they're attracted to nothing more than they are to power.

I love dark academia books filled with power hungry students and secret societies, add a dash of mystery and a potential forbidden romance and you have a winning combination.

Curious Tides is a beautifully written, lyrical debut. I appreciate a unique magic system, though I did find it a little complex at times and there was a bit too much info dumping for my liking. I enjoyed the dual POV, it was definitely needed for this story, I LOVED Baz , the MC and I loved how his character was developed throughout the story, Emory our FMC was typically reminiscent of most "not like other girls" but she was tormented enough that I can forgive her for that. 

Curious Tides is definitely not a fast paced action packed book, with twists and turns every other page it is much more a "here for the vibes" kinda book but honestly I loved that. At just over 500 pages Curious Tides is not a short book but there's enough surprise and mystery to keep you going, I flew through it, I'm hoping there's a sequel! 

Highly recommend Curious Tides for fans of dark academia, unique magic systems, lovers of secret societies and illicit power. 

 

4 Stars!

A huuuuge thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Children's UK for allowing me to read this book. I received an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.