Think Gallant by V.E. Schwab meets real-world drama and a mansion that’s a little too eager to keep its secrets. The dark academia vibes had me hooked with a nice mix of eerie fantasy and relatable family drama. But then the ending hit and the story completely abandons the modern-day chaos for full-on fantasy. It was like “Wait, where’d the real world go?”

The audiobook narration? Perfectly executed. Smooth, engaging, and with no awkward breaks or obvious pickups. Just pure listening pleasure.

Still, if you’re dipping your toes into fantasy this might be your jam. It’s got all the mysterious, atmospheric vibes you could want but don’t expect to stay grounded once it dives headfirst into fantasy land.