Adraredon Academy is a place of learning behind ancient walls and spires, and centuries of history. Passions run rampent. Companionships begin and end. Forbidden desires interweave through daily life at the Academy. And Veaer Rosell would rather be there than anywhere else in the world. She is driven by an insatiable thirst for knowledge, art, and beauty that will push the limits of her mind, body, and heart.

Veaer is being taunted by fate. In her final year, the peace and calm of her world is shattered by the very person she most desires. Witnessing the headmaster's daughter murder their best friend… and then asking Veaer to help her solve the crime drives Veaer to discover parts of herself that she had been stubbornly refusing to see. But how does it end?

My first reaction to this book was that it was going to be another teen Romeo and Juliet remake. I could not be happier that I was wrong. While there are elements of those tropes, the author gives each character a life of their own, desires, and wants that drive the story to further reach the climax. I absolutely love how the author showcased the spectrum of gender and sexuality, and the smoothness of using the proper pronouns within the writing of those characters.

The things that I did not enjoy from the book - the flow of the narrative was off. There were smooth and beautifully written parts that had me wanting more when I set the book down. But there were also parts that were disjointed and took me right out of the story. I wished for more of the magic built into the world, and felt like the age-barrier to magic was a safety net to remove a lot of the explanation that would have made the last third of the book more complete.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone seeking Queer representation and who enjoys a gothic teen tragedy.

I received this book as an advanced reader copy through NetGally. It does not affect my review in any way.

Content Warnings:
Major - Murder, Violence
Moderate - Blood, Death, Emotional Manipulation
Minor - Drug Use

I am usually all for books that are filled with purple prose and unlikeable lesbians, I love a good biblically accurate angel, but this just wasn't it. I found the world building sloppy and the pacing terrible. I didn't find myself interested until the last 25%, and that was too long for things to start happening. The resolution was rushed and I found the conclusion wanting.

I try my best to really think if a book is going to be good for me or not by the synopsis and I really thought I’d enjoy this one. It’s dark academia and queer that’s usually all I need to know. Unfortunately, I should’ve known more.

For me the fantasy and detective work clashed. It should’ve only been dark academia or only fantasy I think having both wasn’t the right choice since there wasn’t enough development for either one. The fantasy was sprinkled in and the academic storyline wasn’t thought through which left not much to enjoy.

I was hoping to connect more to the characters but there wasn’t anything that drew me to them. I found it harder to enjoy anyone and usually I can find at least one character to cling onto.

There’s really not much to say other than I wasn’t able to enjoy this book. It’s another case of wonder idea, wrong executions.

Things I really enjoyed about this book are - It was clear the author wanted to show the realities of gender and sexuality, in particular when questioning your own or another persons gender or sexuality. The character names were kind of perfect and I loved the concept of the book. There was also some good representation of the experience of intrusive thoughts and how confusing they can make the experience of peopling. There was transgender rep too, although, having no experience of this I don’t know if it’s good rep or not. There’s also non binary rep that resonated somewhat. Finally, I really enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I am a sucker for a quote heading for chapters.

Thing’s I didn’t like - I often found the flow of the story confusing and it was quite a disjointed read. Things would happen very quickly with little to no warning so it was jarring and added to the confusion. There were also a few times that a character would refer to things like I would know what they’re talking about and I didn’t. For example, “ that day was…” I didn’t know what day they were on about. I could also have liked more of the magic and definitely more explanation and world building around the magic. There was a scene where there was two people having sex and one of the people was fantasising about another person which made me really uncomfortable. It felt like I was reading disjointed short stories instead of chapters.

Instagram: 19/3/24
YT: will be mentioned in the video titled Wordn3rdathon 2024
StoryGraph: 17/3/24

(I hit a reading slump when I began this book, so maybe take my review with a grain of salt.)

I feel like I really only became invested in the story in the last 20%. I came here for the toxic yuri, and this part of the book definitely delivered. Though for the rest of the book, I mostly pushed through reading because of my completionist nature, and not because the book made me want to read it. The prose could have used some work, sentences were running for too long and I sometimes got lost in them (not in a good way). I couldn't understand why Veaer was so obsessed with Elise, like what started this feeling towards her you know. The world was interesting, though I wish we were given more information (especially in regards to this world's religion, the place of angels in their spirituality, what happened with those heroes, etc.). At least, for those of you who don't like when a book infodumps, the information we do have when giving very naturally. The school setting was nice, with that dark academia aesthetic, but it could have been exploited more in the story, especially with Veaer's relationship to art. Also, a lot of butterfly symbolism that I didn't really understand.

This story is a queer dark academy, suspense, thriller, paranormal, book about to queer characters Veaer and Elisa in their journey to save one of them. You have Veaer a scholarship student that is Caemi that is a magical counterpart of scent kind, which is an animal like characteristic that is a wolf. What I like about her character is she is willing to do anything for Elisa because of the obsession and the love that she has for her. And throughout the book, you will see the two of them get close together and you will see her be there for Elisa in a way that nobody else has been there for Elisa. And there are times when these two are together and you were like why is this happening and then you realize it was all predictive, but what happened between the both of them from the angels and from the tarot card, reading that happens to be a part of there story. Then you have Elisa character you realize all her life she wasn’t put first she was always second to everybody else in her life, and all she just wanted was to feel loved and seen. Through this story, you’ll see her get to be first for once in her life, and that people finally acknowledged her for who she is, and not for her family. Then when the time comes, she realizes that she had love in the first place, but she’s going to go through with the plan because she believes in her heart that this is meant to be. These two together they were a toxic kind of love because you have an obsession from one end and then on the other end and being used. But it works perfectly between the both of them because now that they have somebody and they’re not alone, and I finally feel scene by another. They finally realize that they have love they will do anything to keep it no matter what. I would recommend this story, if you are queer representation, dark academia, thriller,paranormal, and a suspense story.

Thank you very much to the author and Netgalley for an E-ARC of the novel :)

Chrysalis and Requiem was a sapphic magical dark academia story focused on an obsessive love that seemed to transcend reality and moved beyond into a metaphysical realm of passion, desire, and obsession. The magical wolf-like abilities of Veaer were interesting, but I found the story was challenging to follow and it was difficult to buy into the plot and romance. I hoped to see more exploration of the characters personality, motivations, and to see more character growth as they fall into this dark story line and inevitably become entangled.

The vibes that this book gives at all time is some sort of memorable and the romance was quite pleasing, However, I can’t say that I fully connected with this book. I’m looking forward to read more from the author, though.

I loved the concept of this book, and was so excited to have the chance to read it, particularly after following the author’s journey for this book and its characters over on instagram.
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I thought I would, which is a shame.
I loved the diversity amongst the characters and the academic setting, but it felt slow paced and dense it sections which made the story feel longer than it actually was.
It’s a book I’d recommend on the basis of exploring disability and representation, as there are a variety of characters that cover a large basis of representation (including neurodiversity, queer representation, mobility issues).

**I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

DNF @46%

I have been trying so very hard to love this. I am a fast reader. Like I read over 400 books a year fast reader. This 310 page book has taken me 11 days to reach 46%. And I simply can't anymore.

Full disclosure: I have already purchased this book in a special edition from Fox and Wit. I won't be keeping it when it arrives regardless of how pretty it is. And that is what originally appealed to me about this book. Queer dark academia. Fantasy. Lovely cover. Queer author. All key things I love. Which is the only reason I have pushed this far. I wanted to initially DNF around 14% and have kept trying.

I enjoy the representations of queerness both in sexuality and gender identity. I love the concepts of the world that are hinted at, though they are never fully explained in the first half of the book. I was happy with the plot and trying to push to see it resolved.

The characters are insufferable. Yes, this is a hallmark of dark academia. However, there tends to be something that binds you to the characters and makes you care. Even when their choices are horrible. Even when their personalities are privileged and elitist, there's nearly always something that allows a reader to lock in. I couldn't find that for me in this book.

The writing is... well beyond words. It is thick and convoluted, which is made no simpler to understand by the fact that we are moving forward and back in Veaer's time at school. I really thought I was just struggling due to personal busy-ness in my life. But I, in desperation, checked reviews and saw that a lot of people felt the same way I do about the writing. Many of their reviews say it better than me accompanied by the fact that it doesn't get better until the last 15ish% of the book. For me, I'm not the person to read a book to only enjoy the last 15%.

Best wishes to Quinton Li. I sincerely hope this book finds its audience, and am beyond sad that it turns out I'm not the reader for this book.

{2,5}


I was immediately drawn to this book thanks to its cover! The characters and compositions looked wonderful, so I was very excited to read it and I'm disappointed in my reaction to the book, as I wanted to love it much more than I did. This was a queer, dark academia story in a fantasy world with religious cults and women obsessed with each other to the point of murder. And as much as I loved that idea, it simply didn't get to its max potential.

I'm sad to say I had a few difficulties reading it. I thought it was due to the fact that English isn't my first language, but by reading some other reviews I saw that a lot of other native speakers had that issue, so I felt a bit better.

I absolutely loved the idea of it though, so the plot definitely had me. Veaer witnesses the girl she's in love with murder someone and battles with the moral choice of speaking up vs protecting her crush; an interesting premise! I liked the fantasy aspect of this since it's incredibly unique, but I wished it was explored some more. I was left with lots of questions about it.

Unfortunately, those really amazing parts aren't enough to make up for the rest of this book. I think that with some rearranging and fleshing-out, this book could truly be something spectacular.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and also North Star Edition for giving me the opportunity to read this great book in advance!

Unfortunately I had to dnf C&R about 1/3 in. I tried to pick it up again and tried to read pages further into the book but I couldn't get into the writing. It felt all over the place. I adore the author as a person and will follow their writing career. I feel like this book would have profited from more editing by professional editors. The plot felt all over the place and I can't justify this with the POV of the MC anymore.

"Chrysalis and Requiem" presents a compelling blend of mystery, passion, and forbidden desires set against the backdrop of Adraredon Academy. The narrative intricately weaves together elements of Gothic architecture, contemporary companionship, and centuries of history to create a rich and immersive world.

Veaer Rosell, the protagonist, finds herself thrust into a world of turmoil and moral ambiguity when she witnesses a shocking murder at the academy. The novel expertly explores themes of loyalty, revenge, and the consequences of one's choices in the face of adversity.

The character development is particularly noteworthy, with Veaer grappling with difficult decisions and moral dilemmas as she navigates the complex web of secrets and lies within the academy's walls. The dynamics between the characters are well-crafted, adding depth and intrigue to the storyline.

While the plot unfolds at a steady pace, there are moments of suspense and unexpected twists that keep the reader engaged until the very end. However, some aspects of the narrative could have been further developed to enhance the story's overall impact.

Overall, "Chrysalis and Requiem" is a captivating read that appeals to mystery and dark academia fans. With its atmospheric setting and complex characters, it offers a thought-provoking exploration of morality and the consequences of one's actions.

First I would like to thank NetGalley and the author for the eARC I received of this book. I’ll start by saying that for the most part I do enjoy it. I liked the characters, loved the unique names of the characters and all the twists and turns this story took. However, I often found myself questioning if this book was a series because there was so many things that were mentioned without any type of background. The author just assumed the reader would know and it got confusing. The magic system was not explained, the school they attended could have been explained a lot better as well as the cult that ends up being a main part of the plot of the book. My reading was thrown off a bit by this but overall it was good.

With a very hard heart I have to DNF this book, it sounded really good at first but the way it's built it was very confusing and hard to follow for me. I might give it a try If an audiobook comes out.

Chrysalis and Requiem breaks out of dark academia standard fare with some awesome concepts (angel cults!!) and and enjoyable unhinged characters. They are doing wrongs the right way. Religious symbolism galore. I would describe a lot of this book as "delicious", if you catch my drift. What held it back for me, from being something I absolutely loved, would be the pace and the way (or lack of how) information is delivered to the reader. I don't need things spelled out, but there were plenty of instances I just had no idea what was going on, and was just along for the ride. But, I think some of this is by design, or at least I hope it was.

Chrysalis and Requiem by Quinton Li was one I enjoyed.
A dark academia that was well written and intriguing.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. for giving me the ARC's of this book.

I decided to give this book 3 stars because the truth I can't connect with the book at all. It has a good premise, I like the interaction of each character (it has a mysteriousness), and its description of the world-building. But it lacks something that can intrigue someone (especially me) to continuously read it, aka it isn't a page-turner. The feel is bland and I don't get excited when I should. So yes, I can't connect with them.

Despite all of that, I like its plot!

Well. I think that some people will feel this book in their soul, and I am truly happy for those people. Unfortunately, that was not me.

I do applaud the author for the work they attempted. Their acknowledgements said they were going for murder lesbians on a gothic campus, which like, good vibes. But there was so much meandering and ever stranger (and less believable) additions to this core good idea that the book lost me along the way. The secret societies, obsessiveness, characters talking to themselves (and/or to ghosts?), weird angel rituals, etc., just didn't come together and were sometimes painful to read through.

There are a long list of content warnings at the top so readers should heed those.

2.5 stars rounded up. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to love this book the premise sounded right up my street but after multiple stop and starts this just wasn't for me. I enjoyed the plot but unfortunately not the characters or the writing so I couldn't enjoy it like I wanted to. Maybe it was me not getting the writing but either way I struggled through this especially at the start when I felt like a lot of words were thrown at us with very little explanation.