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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Reading this book is like gathering a puzzle. Getting through the confusing narrative at some parts while the setting is dark academia (well, my fav things).
I had a feeling I might love this one but it hasn’t reached that level yet. I see the writer's intention and how he tried to come up with many references to classic books..especially 'Brideshead Revisited'.
If you know these books well, you might enjoy reading this one. I personally lost interest in the characters or conversations. He did a good job, but it's just not my taste. So it's my personal thing, I guess.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Black Chalk was one of the first books I read that got me back on my reading streak so I was looking forward to this one.
The ideas were there and by the end of the book I could understand what Yates set out to accomplish, however the culmination of these ideas dragged on and on… and on.
The amount of “plugs” in the story were distracting. I feel you can make literary references and the people who get it, will get it. Way to many self serving, “and see that was referencing (other great work)”, lines within the character’s thoughts.
Overall I respect it, but there was room for improvement.
The ideas were there and by the end of the book I could understand what Yates set out to accomplish, however the culmination of these ideas dragged on and on… and on.
The amount of “plugs” in the story were distracting. I feel you can make literary references and the people who get it, will get it. Way to many self serving, “and see that was referencing (other great work)”, lines within the character’s thoughts.
Overall I respect it, but there was room for improvement.
audiobook was good—and the prose was probably ok?—but the plane just did not land on this one. the build-up was fun, if knowingly derivative, but the ending was very dissatisfying. unveiling and then quitting is so irksome!
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you HTP, The Hive, Hanover Square Press, and Harlequin Audio for the gifted copies!
The Rabbit Club
Christopher J. Yates
Publishing Date: July 7, 2025
🎧 Narrator: Jeremy Arthur, Will Watt, & Imogen Church 🎧
This book was so smart and clever. Alistair is accepted into Oxford and it’s his dream come true. He is there to study literature, but he is fully unprepared for the darkness that awaits as he gets swept into the world of secret societies.
For me this was one of those books that the payoff in the end was worth a bit of struggle along the way. I had a bit of a hard time digesting the information initially and the pacing was a bit slow along the way. BUT once this story got going, I was totally hooked.
I love dark academia and this delivered so beautifully. There are literary references a plenty. Alistair’s desire to fit into this world and how this makes him so easily influenced to be sucked into the dark underbelly of Oxford’s secret societies was so good.
And the twist was superb. I never see the twists coming but this one was just so satisfying. This was my first book by this author and I will surely keep an eye for future works!
🎧 I read this one in tandem with my eyes and ears. I think for many the audio alone would be fine but for some reason I had a hard time following along and digesting the information unless I used my eyes too. This is in no way a reflection of the narration though as it was really fantastic! I loved the vibe the narrators brought to this one!
The Rabbit Club
Christopher J. Yates
Publishing Date: July 7, 2025
🎧 Narrator: Jeremy Arthur, Will Watt, & Imogen Church 🎧
This book was so smart and clever. Alistair is accepted into Oxford and it’s his dream come true. He is there to study literature, but he is fully unprepared for the darkness that awaits as he gets swept into the world of secret societies.
For me this was one of those books that the payoff in the end was worth a bit of struggle along the way. I had a bit of a hard time digesting the information initially and the pacing was a bit slow along the way. BUT once this story got going, I was totally hooked.
I love dark academia and this delivered so beautifully. There are literary references a plenty. Alistair’s desire to fit into this world and how this makes him so easily influenced to be sucked into the dark underbelly of Oxford’s secret societies was so good.
And the twist was superb. I never see the twists coming but this one was just so satisfying. This was my first book by this author and I will surely keep an eye for future works!
🎧 I read this one in tandem with my eyes and ears. I think for many the audio alone would be fine but for some reason I had a hard time following along and digesting the information unless I used my eyes too. This is in no way a reflection of the narration though as it was really fantastic! I loved the vibe the narrators brought to this one!
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In this dark academia thriller set in the 90s, we follow eighteen-year-old American, Allistair McCain, as he attends Oxford University and becomes entangled with a dangerous secret society called the Saracens.
This book was a wonderful surprise! It felt like an ode to The Secret History, and I was here for it! It has all the classic definitions of dark academia and explores the typical themes of self-discovery, ambition, privilege, and has that twisty betrayal and moral corruption/manipulation that often accompanies the genre. The twist in this one also shocked the hell out of me!
What I really enjoyed most about this story was Yates’s masterful writing. He does an amazing job of weaving such an intricate narrative puzzle while also referencing so many classic tales of literature. I also loved Ali’s character arc and found the ending, while not perfect, oddly satisfying. The three narrators of this audiobook made this book even more enjoyable. They each added their own flair to the characters that I loved, since there were so many of them.
I did feel the book was slow at times, and I personally wanted the ending to drift in a different direction (personal preference, IYKYK.) Even with these struggles, I found myself fully invested in the story and couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.
Overall, I really enjoyed the literary sophistication of this one and highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed The Secret History or If We Were Villains. It fits perfectly alongside these books, and I think anyone who enjoys the dark academia genre will love this one!
Special thanks to Harlequin Audio, HTP #thehive for the access to this audiobook in exchange for my honest review!
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Rabbit Club is a suspense-filled dark academia literary fiction novel. The pacing is a little bit uneven- quick in the beginning, slow in the middle, then picks up again. It IS one of those books with a plot twist that makes it worth taking your time through the middle. The writing felt pretentious at times, but classic literature lovers especially Shakespeare enthusiasts will love it. If you liked the Secret History or If We Were Villains I’d definitely give this one a shot! I tandem read this in both physical and audio versions and enjoyed both; the narrator on audio was excellent.
Thank you HTP Hive for the physical ARC and Harlequin audio for the ALC!
Thank you HTP Hive for the physical ARC and Harlequin audio for the ALC!