A dark academia fantasy horror, steeped in atmosphere and drenched in Khaw’s signature visceral, blood-soaked prose. Offftt I LOVE an unreliable narrator!👌🏼

I loved this one but can see how it wouldn’t be for everyone.

The Library at Hellebore is the story of Alessa Li, A supernaturally gifted murderess who's abducted and enrolled at the titular Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted. Think Hogwarts on speed, and you're not far wrong! On graduation day the faculty turn on the graduates, devouring most of them in the most graphic way possible. A few of the students, including Alessa, hole up in the campus library and have to figure out a way to escape. The Library at Hellebore is one of the most visceral horrors I've read in a while, but it's just a pity that the ending didn't really work for me. The build up to it was compelling, but the ending itself was just too predictable.

Thanks to NetGalley, Titan Books and the author for an advance copy.

The Library at Hellebore follows Alessa Li who is kidnapped and forcibly enrolled at The Hellebore Technical Institute for the Gifted. The institute houses the dangerously powerful such as people who could create an apocalypse. On graduation day the faculty go on a rampage and try to eat Alessa’s class. Alessa and some of her classmates survive but they have to offer a human sacrifice every night to stop themselves being killed.

This book takes place over three days and it’s very action based. It was okay but personally I did struggle to connect to the characters. I liked some of the commentary from Alessa and it was written well but I just didn’t love it. That said, this does seem to be in line with this author’s other works

I really like dark academia and have been wanting to read Cassandra Khaw for a while. The Library at Hellebore is the perfect combination for her work for me. This book has a fascinating premise: it features a school for students with dangerous magical powers, where some of the students are essentially kidnapped to attend. Additionally, the teachers are trying to kill them on graduation. I found the plot very intriguing. The author literally plunges the reader into the middle of the story, which left me feeling a bit confused at the beginning. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will definitely try another book by this author. If you like horror and dark academia, you should pick up this book, but be aware that the horror elements are on the gory side. Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

Thank you to Titan Books for approving me to read this book, I am rating it 4.0 stars.

I found this one so hard to rate because the horror of it and the vibes are a 5 star for me, but the point of the plot and the ending is like a 3.0. I’m rating it 4.0 to meet in the middle.

I am a huge fan of horror and gore with fantasy, and this was on point for the level of gore and violence the story traumatises you with. I literally shuddered at some of the imagery the author threw at me on those pages, it was fantastic.

I just don’t know how the plot sits with me because it felt like it didn’t have a point or a conclusion that felt satisfactory to me. Everything that happened felt inevitable, and like it was pointless to fight where it was going and what was happening. That being said because of my points about the horror and also the friendship elements of the book I really do recommend reading this.