Solving her best friend's murder means infiltrating a secret society, resisting a forbidden love, and running from a vengeful ghost in this sophomore novel by the author of Together We Rot.
Violet Harper knows her best friend was murdered. Even if everyone else has labeled her death a “freak accident,” Vi is sure she’d been trying to tell her something right before she died. Cryptic messages about her friend’s elite boarding school, her whirlwind romance, and the mysterious secret society she was entangled in all point to a more sinister fate.
So, Violet does what no one else seems willing to do: She transfers to the same fancy school to dig into the society’s murky history and find out what really happened to her friend. She knows the truth might not be pretty, but what she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome boy at the center of it all—Calvin Lockwell, the brother of her prime suspect and descendant of the school’s founder. He’s obnoxious and privileged, and Violet can’t deny their haunting attraction. It soon becomes clear his family is hiding a dark secret that may not be of this world, and suddenly Violet’s following her friend’s doomed footsteps down the rabbit hole. Even as details emerge of a deadly curse plaguing the school, she can’t escape her true feelings for Calvin. But loving him may be the last thing she ever does.
Violet Harper knows her best friend was murdered. Even if everyone else has labeled her death a “freak accident,” Vi is sure she’d been trying to tell her something right before she died. Cryptic messages about her friend’s elite boarding school, her whirlwind romance, and the mysterious secret society she was entangled in all point to a more sinister fate.
So, Violet does what no one else seems willing to do: She transfers to the same fancy school to dig into the society’s murky history and find out what really happened to her friend. She knows the truth might not be pretty, but what she doesn’t bargain for is the handsome boy at the center of it all—Calvin Lockwell, the brother of her prime suspect and descendant of the school’s founder. He’s obnoxious and privileged, and Violet can’t deny their haunting attraction. It soon becomes clear his family is hiding a dark secret that may not be of this world, and suddenly Violet’s following her friend’s doomed footsteps down the rabbit hole. Even as details emerge of a deadly curse plaguing the school, she can’t escape her true feelings for Calvin. But loving him may be the last thing she ever does.
Title: House of Hearts
Author: Sklya Arndt
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Expected Publication Date: September 2, 2025
Review:
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I love some good dark academia. Add in a secret society of friends and a family curse and I'm hooked.
At first I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. I will admit, There were a few plot holes I wasn't too thrilled with. I had to suspend my disbelief to engage with the story. Once I did that, I really got into the plot and all it's intricacies.
The book gives gothic romance vibes with some ghostly hauntings. I really liked this part of the plot. The push and pull of a family curse when two people are drawn to each other but destined to ruin each other. Forbidden love!
This one is definitely firmly in the YA realm. So the writing was easy to read and the pacing was fast.
I enjoyed all the relationships between the characters. While I was not so sure I would like them at first, they definitely grew on me. And there is definitely a good romance with chemistry that grows throughout the book.
The atmosphere of the book is very dark. It did not strike horror in me, as I thought it might, but it there were definitely spooky moments that had me on my toes.
This book is filled with plot twists and turns you won't be expecting. Overall it was a fun experience and I would recommend it for anyone who is looking for a book filled with secret societies, paranormal hauntings, and doomed romance.
Author:
Skyla Arndt has always loved the creepy, crawly side of life. When she was younger, she thought that love might translate to hunting Bigfoot, but luckily for him, writing proved easier.
You can connect with her on Instagram or Twitter at @arndtskyla. (Howling at the moon works, too.)
You can connect with her on Instagram or Twitter at @arndtskyla. (Howling at the moon works, too.)
No comments:
Post a Comment