House of Marionne: Bridgerton meets Fourth Wing in this Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller

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Twist ending. While I suspected for mere moments the ending, it still got me!! I literally was in the car and said, "*gasp*...waaaaaait..." I enjoyed that I didn't know what would happen. Could you speculate? Sure, I did...but it wasn't obvious, so that was nice. My envelope from my job slips from my fingers, and I try to dash for it as it tumbles to the pavement. I really wanted to like this more than I did. I really did. But I was so confused and then bored and then confused again. The book is stunning and the description is everything I go for in a book.

Obvisouly, Quell meets this hottie named Jordan and they have this whole thing that I'm not even going to expain. It's supposed to be enemies to lovers except sike it's actually not. All you need to know is that Jordan is basically just like any other shadow-summoning beast of a love-interest we meet in every single YA fantasy (Xaden, Rhysand, Darkling) but he actually has NO PERSONALITY. Like, AT ALL. As a reader, I was constantly pulled out of the story by wondering why something was happening or by writing that was trying hard to be dramatic without artful prose. The sentence “I searched his eyes for knowing” is seared into my brain. A chandelier is called a candelabra (it’s said to be hanging from the ceiling). “A hushed gasp sweeps” through a room during a ceremony that has happened many times, but we aren’t told what’s different about this time. A hallway “halts” instead of ends. House of Marionne is one of the most original fantasies I've ever read . J. Elle has created a lush and beautifully romantic world that is as magical as it is dangerous . ― Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sun is Also a Star I loved the setup and the details, but everything about this was tell and not show. We have a first person POV, and in this case, I think this was a huge detriment to the story because we just have Quell in her head the whole time constantly narrating everything in a way that got to be extremely repetitive and annoying

I enjoyed the setting of the school surrounded by a forest filled with danger and secrets - it was very atmospheric and I could vividly picture the winding corridors and secret passages. I also loved Quell and Abby’s friendship and thought they complemented each other well, bringing much needed warmth to the story. A darkly tantalizing tale of intrigue, glamor, and romance.” —Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night

But whatever these men are doing appears quite different. My nails dig into the door’s frame as I peer harder into the dimly lit room. I’ve never seen magic that isn’t my own. Dark academia, assassins, magical societies… this was one of my most anticipated reads and I am so sad to say it did not work for me. A darkly tantalizing tale of intrigue, glamor, and romance ― Amélie Wen Zhao, New York Times bestselling author of Song of Silver, Flame Like Night After a heated five-house auction, Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, has acquired House of Marionne, a new YA trilogy by J. Elle, author of the bestselling YA fantasy Wings of Ebony. Billed by the publisher as a “modern-day, magic-filled Bridgerton with clashing class dynamics and dark academia flair,” the first book in the trilogy is slated for fall 2023. Jodi Reamer at Writers House sold world English rights to Ruta Rimas, executive editor at Razorbill. Full of magic and intrigue, this read is the perfect escape for fans of fantasies that straddle the edge of our world and transport readers to dazzling, deceptive, and unexpected places." - Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Ballad of Never After

About the book

House of Marionne glitters with magic, deception, and betrayal. Readers will be swept away by Elle's glamorous world in this enchanting series opener. ― Rachel Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of The Nature of Witches I nod and Mrs. Broussard pulls an envelope out of her apron. This is the first job Mom ever let me have, because we need the money and Mrs. Broussard doesn’t ask a lot of questions. She pays me in cash and has only ever asked my name once.

The marketing is also problematic. The “Bridgerton meets The Atlas Six/Game of Thrones/Fourth Wing” comparisons felt like the marketing team was throwing out buzzwords to grab readers’ attention… but if you’re expecting anything like those comparisons, I feel you will be disappointed. In terms of comparing it to Bridgerton, there’s a cotillion and some etiquette lessons. That’s it. The Atlas Six? Sure, there’s a touch of dark academia, but Fourth Wing and Game of Thrones it is not. I went in envisioning a more fantastical setting and was surprised when it was more modern. Soon Quell realises that hiding who you are is even harder, especially when she meets the handsome, brooding Jordon. Quell was the main character of this book, a girl with shadow-like magic who has been on the run almost her entire life with her mother so that people who will hunt her won't catch up with her. Despite this, I didn't feel she really fit the part of someone who had been running for so long. She claimed to be super observant, but then there were moments she was oblivious to some things. I also just don't feel she was as fleshed out as she could have been, she felt flat at times that she really should have shone. Jordan was the male main character who fell into the "dark-haired broody" trope, which I didn't mind because they're usually my favorite, but at times it felt like that's all he was as well. He did have more personality, but I couldn't exactly pinpoint what bothered me a little about his characterization. House of Marionne is one of the most original fantasies I’ve ever read. J. Elle has created a lush and beautifully romantic world that is as magical as it is dangerous.” —Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sun is Also a StarHouse of Marionne isa captivating contemporary fantasy that’s sure to enchant readers from the start. Perfect for fans of magical boarding schools, dark secrets, and books with glittering atmosphere." —Kerri Maniscalco, #1 New York Times bestselling author