Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Deadly Education
Deadly Education | Naomi Novik
From the New York Times bestselling author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver comes the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic. I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life. Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I'm concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I'm not joining his pack of adoring fans. I don't need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I'm probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I'll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world. At least, that's what the world expects me to do. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that's crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school itself certainly does. But the Scholomance isn't getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone's idea of the shining hero, but I'm going to make it out of this place alive, and I'm not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either. Although I'm giving serious consideration to just one. With flawless mastery, Naomi Novik creates a heroine for the ages--a character so sharply realized and so richly nuanced that she will live on in hearts and minds for generations to come.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
Meshell1313
Deadly Education | Naomi Novik
post image
Mehso-so

This was a low pick for me. I love a dark academia story but found this world almost too confusing. Our FMC is very snarky which I loved and enjoyed her storyline of learning to trust others and learn more about her own abilities. The setting was just weird and took away from the story instead of adding to it I think. I will maybe read the next book in the series just to see where it goes. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #serieslove2024

willaful I've tried this one a couple of time and never made it through. :-( A bummer because I love her other books. 2mo
TheSpineView I loved this series. However, not every book will appeal to all readers. 2mo
Meshell1313 @willaful yeah I almost gave up a few times. If it were any longer I would not have made it. But now I feel like I have to try the next one- I hate not knowing what will happen! lol. 2mo
Kimberlone Totally agree. Only finished because I forced myself to finish listening to the audiobook 2mo
45 likes4 comments
review
TheAromaofBooks
post image
Pickpick

I read this one when it first came out a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Now that the entire trilogy has been published, I've been meaning to get to them, so I chose Novik as my January #BacklistReadathon author. I stick with my original feelings about this one: If, like me, you actually kind of enjoy info-dump-y, snarky narrators, you'll probably enjoy this. There IS some action, but it's sandwiched between large sections of El explaining ⬇

TheAromaofBooks (cont'd) how different aspects of this world work. Personally, I'm into it, but I've definitely seen reviews complaining about it. There is a lot of set-up going on here, but this book still feels like its own story. I'm quite excited to jump into book 2 and see where Novik takes this adventure next.

#BacklistReadathon @Clwojick
#100YearsofBooks
#SeriesLove2024 @TheSpineView @Andrew65
#ISpyBingo
#52BookClub24 - Cover Without People
3mo
hissingpotatoes What a beautiful edition! 3mo
See All 13 Comments
TheSpineView I loved this series!📚📚📚 3mo
TheAromaofBooks @hissingpotatoes - Thank you!!! It's the OwlCrate edition. Sadly, they didn't end up doing the rest of the series, so I ended up purchasing pretty Waterstone's editions for those!! They're lovely but it makes me sad that all three don't match 😂 3mo
Librarybelle Awesome! 3mo
BarbaraBB Interesting and what a great edition! 3mo
Rehesina This series was amazing!!! 3mo
Lauredhel Yay! 3mo
LaraReads Gorgeous! 😍 3mo
Clare-Dragonfly I can understand why El‘s style would bother people, but I loved it, too! I felt like she was trying to explain things not just to the reader, but herself—her world has a lot of rules that she needs to keep on top of. And she still misses some (especially social ones). Love it. 3mo
TheAromaofBooks @Clare-Dragonfly - Yes!! I hadn't thought about it that way, but it definitely does feel like she's sifting through things and making sense of life herself. I'm halfway through The Last Graduate now and LOVE IT 3mo
Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 3mo
100 likes1 stack add13 comments
blurb
Missusb
post image

On to this one now. Late to the party. Hopefully it‘ll be good. #fantasy #readingreadingreading #grchallenge plus a potted fig tree

20 likes1 stack add
blurb
BooksNBowls
post image

More great fan art with these two. 😂 I loved their relationship and banter.

review
BooksNBowls
post image
Pickpick

If you can get past the massive info-dumping for the first 20-30% of this book, you‘ll find a fun dark academia novel with really unique world-building and magic system. I imagine The Scholomance like the school in Legacies, monsters included haha. The main characters El and Orion give major Meg/Hercules vibes which I absolutely ate up. If you don‘t like stories with lots of inner monologue and slower pacing, you might not enjoy this one. 3.75/5

wanderinglynn That art is fantastic! 4mo
CBee Your description is exactly why I bailed 😳 I just couldn‘t keep going with the inner monologue and endless descriptions 😂😂 4mo
BooksNBowls @CBee I totally understand!! I definitely put it down a couple times. It‘s very character driven and those books always tend to slog. 4mo
CBee @BooksNBowls I wanted to love it 🤦‍♀️😂 4mo
32 likes4 comments
blurb
KateReadsYA
post image
brittanyreads I'm not very far, maybe 20pgs. It's interesting so far. In full disclosure, I've tried Naomi Novik's writing before and we didn't click for some reason. This is my last chance with her so I hope it ends well! 😄🤞 What do you think? 5mo
KateReadsYA @BrittanyReads Right now, it's a DNF! I'm about 40 pages and I just don't care about the main character or her personality 🤭 what other book did you read by her? I want to read spinning silver but her writing style isn't my favorite 5mo
Read4life It‘s a DNF for me. I‘m just not connecting with the characters, the writing or the story. 5mo
See All 6 Comments
KateReadsYA @Read4life I'm glad I'm not alone!! I ended up picking up the Cruel prince by Holly Black. What are you reading?? 5mo
brittanyreads I tried Uprooted but it was a DNF. It was mainly the writing and the characters were so weird. 5mo
Read4life I‘m reading The Secret of the Old Clock for #NancyDrewBR 5mo
57 likes6 comments
review
Pogue
post image
Pickpick

It was a rainy fall day all I did was read, crochet, do laundry, play video games, and meal prep for the week. This was the second book I read today. It was fun, I will have to see how the following book is.

review
Honeybeebooks
post image
Pickpick

My first Naomi Novak novel. In the Scholomance, survival is the only way to graduate and in a school trying to kill everyone, El is the scariest thing in it. When Orion, the school hero saves her life, 1,2,3…times (who‘s really counting?), El needs to figure out how not to kill him in retribution. It would look bad, especially if they are dating. A Deadly Education cast a weird wonderful spell on me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

blurb
DebinHawaii
post image

#BookBinge

I really like #DarkAcademia but I seem to buy a lot of it & not get it read.🤷🏻‍♀️ These 11 books are mostly loaded on my Kindle with a few in my physical #TBR stacks.

Hoping to get to the tagged book & Babel soon but are there others here that I should bump up the TBR line for my fall reading plans? 🍂

shortsarahrose I really enjoyed The Mary Shelley Club and so did my mom when I gave her a copy. It is definitely YA, though, so you have to be in the mood for teenage angst 😆 7mo
5feet.of.fury Never Saw Me Coming is a fun read! 7mo
DebinHawaii @shortsarahrose Good to know! 🤗 7mo
See All 7 Comments
DebinHawaii @5feet.of.fury Good to hear. I am considering it for the #dramaqueen prompt for #TitlesAndTunes Based on the blurb, I think it could work. 7mo
Meshell1313 Ooh great list!! 7mo
Eggs What a great collection👍🏼👌🏼 7mo
MaleficentBookDragon I‘m reading The Mary Shelley Club for school. I‘m liking it so far. 7mo
54 likes7 comments
review
BookBelle84
post image
Pickpick

I went into this with low expectations as I've tried many Novik novels and never care for her style. This one did keep me entertained, I enjoyed the school and all of the evil creatures, even if she didn't entirely explain the world. The whole novel is written in a telling rather than showing style internal dialogue, which does make some of it tedious. I'm curious enough to pick up the next book.

review
Mrs_B
post image
Pickpick

I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. It is dark, but absolutely gripping. El is such a reluctant hero it‘s hard not to love her and root for her.
Naomi Novik is now firmly one of my favourite authors.

Mrs_B Also, excellent audio version. 7mo
58 likes1 comment
blurb
TheSpineView
post image

Happy Tuesday everyone! Here are the #Two4Tuesday questions. Everyone is welcome to play!

My answers:
📘 School started yesterday for most. Not sure when Clamson classes start. I do know the athletes involved in fall sports are already on campus.
📘📘 Tagged.

Want to play? @Eggs @dabbe @Read4life @Gissy @ozma.of.oz @AmandaBlaze @Cupcake12 @Kshakal @OriginalCyn620 @JenReadsAlot @Vansa @BookwormAHN

dabbe Will do; thanks for the tag! 🩵🖤💙 7mo
OriginalCyn620 Thanks for the tag! 😊 7mo
Eggs 🩷🩷🩷 7mo
57 likes4 comments
blurb
Valhalla
Deadly Education | Naomi Novik
post image

7 likes1 stack add
review
Kristy_K
post image
Panpan

Unpopular opinion: I found this incredibly boring.

There was just A LOT of internal dialogue and info dumping about the world. I kept reading/listening in hopes something would happened but it just dragged.

CBee I didn‘t like it either - agree with your review 100%!! 10mo
Kristy_K @CBee I‘m glad I‘m not the only one who felt this way! 10mo
CBee @Kristy_K it was actually a DNF for me and I rarely do that 🫢 10mo
See All 6 Comments
willaful I loved her other books but I literally DNF'd it twice. (Print and audio.) 10mo
Kristy_K @willaful I tried both ways as well in hopes one would be better than the other. I have Spinning Silver on my shelves, so I‘m glad to hear you enjoyed her other books! 10mo
CBee @Kristy_K I have Spinning Silver too and hope to get to it eventually 😂 I‘ve read Uprooted by her and enjoyed it! 10mo
57 likes1 stack add6 comments
blurb
Clare-Dragonfly
post image

Oops, I meant to post this a while ago! My April #bookspinbingo board. No bingo of course but I MIGHT be able to manage one in May?! 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

blurb
majkia

I really enjoyed this, a YA that does without the teen angst and concentrates on action and character. The school the kids are tossed into is indeed deadly, although being outside it is even worse. It's all about survival.

review
Gryffleclaw95
This post contains spoilers
show me
post image
Mehso-so

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5)

“A Deadly Education” felt like Harry Potter but literally everything was trying to kill you and the heroine is pissed off 98% of the time. I enjoyed El‘s snarky character, however I felt frustrated with her as she felt a bit too much of an asshole at times. The plot could have been more interesting and I wish El got along better with some of the characters (ex. Orion). It was an interesting world but not one I would read again.

quote
Clare-Dragonfly
post image

review
Clare-Dragonfly
post image
Pickpick

No surprise, I loved this! El is a great narrator due to her inner conflicts and the amusing dichotomy of her ability to read rich subtext into anything about the school while entirely missing more interpersonal stuff. The setting is a great deal of bloody, exciting fun. Though I really don‘t know how anyone learns anything at this school! Glad I was able to get the sequel right away.

My April #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks I really enjoyed this one, but read it before the other two books were out. Now I have all three but still haven't gotten around to reading them!!! 11mo
25 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
Clare-Dragonfly
This post contains spoilers
show me

Ooh… Orion is autistic, isn‘t he? Needing flash cards to learn the other kids‘ names, and fixated on killing mals. The other kids probably treated him like a weirdo right up until they started hero-worshiping him. No wonder he didn‘t want to be their friend.

review
BookBr
post image
Pickpick

Woof, what a powerhouse of a book! Somehow covering only a couple of weeks of actual time, there‘s an unbelievable amount packed into a small space. I loved how the world building unfolded with the story, and the narrative MC may not be MEANT to be particularly likeable, but IS — determined and feisty and sympathetic. The magic is splendid and the plot is zero to one hundred. Definitely going for books 2.

K.Wielechowski I think I liked the series better BECAUSE El is prickly. So many books have the “chosen one” as being universally liked and you get that with Orion but people have to work harder with El and it makes the relationships feel more lasting. Plus, I have a soft spot for curmudgeons of all ages 😂 12mo
BookBr @K.Wielechowski I think that‘s so true. El is a much more dimensional character, especially with the struggle to continue to CHOOSE to be good when it would be so much easier not to be. And yes, give me a good grump any day lol. 12mo
16 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Sempernox
post image
Pickpick

Galadriel is an outcast at the wizarding high school, Scholomance…despite having incredible magic powers. How does she navigate a school that actively tries to kill their students, her social life, and the golden boy, Orion Lake, who has suddenly taken an interest in her? A great fantasy debut!

blurb
Tea_and_Starstuff
post image

I have read quite a bit in March and not really talked about any of it…so it's time for a review catch-up! This book was a reread - one of my favorite series at the moment. The pacing, the character work, the plot development, it all really works for me.

While this read has amazing world-building, the stand-out bit for me was how our isolated narrator finds and deepens connections. I love a character arc focused on community.

blurb
BookBr
post image

I don‘t know how to start something new after Piranesi, which I think I‘ll be getting over for a while, but when I do, it will be this. TBR diving ftw!

currentlyreadinginCO Loved Piranesi, too! So much. 12mo
11 likes1 comment
review
DebbieGrillo
post image
Pickpick

I remember this one receiving such flack. I'm going to love it anyway. It has the best first line that pulled me in from the very start: "I decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life." It has everything you'd want from a story set in a magical school, deadly magical creatures, enemies and allies, and a snarky but likable protagonist. I'll definitely read the whole trilogy, an anomaly for me.

57 likes1 stack add
quote
DebbieGrillo
post image

I forget where I am in the pattern, how many stitches I've done, which kind of stitch I'm on, what I'm trying to make, why I haven't stabbed out my own eyes with the hook yet. It's brilliant for building a truly frothing head of rage.
🤣🤣🤣

dabbe I can't even wrap my head around knitting. When I crochet, it's the basic stitch done a bazillion times until it “sort of“ looks like the world's worst afghan. 🤣❣️🤣 13mo
Pogue Omg I love crochet! I make blankets, hats, and stuffed animals. Knitting is not something I can do. 13mo
Prairiegirl_reading I love crochet but I also can get frustrated by it and I always forget to count. Some days it‘s just a no go. 13mo
48 likes3 comments
quote
DebbieGrillo
post image

She says it's too easy to call people evil instead of their choices and that lets people justify making evil choices. Because they convince themselves that it's okay because they're still good people overall inside their own heads. And yes, fine. But I think that after a certain number of evil choices, it's reasonable shorthand to decide that someone's an evil person who oughtn't have the chance to make any more choices...

35 likes2 stack adds
review
451Degrees
post image
Pickpick

Well this was a fun one! Had a bit of trouble grasping the world it is set in for the first chapter or two but by the end I had a very clear picture of what was going on. I liked the character development within the book and am excited to see where the story goes with the subsequent novels.

61 likes1 stack add
blurb
jhod
post image

Thanks so much @monalyisha for organising and @Larkken for the reading list! I love this idea and will be continuing reading throughout the year! I'm currently reading the tagged book on kindle, and bought the top 4 this month :-) I didn't have a great reading month, so just ended up re-reading (and buying as my previous read of it was via audiobook) Bunny which I love! Thank you again #auldlangspine

Billypar I loved everything about Bunny 🐰 I have All's Well on my shelf - I'm looking forward to trying it. 14mo
monalyisha What a great edition of Bunny! 14mo
Larkken Bunny was sooo good. I hope you enjoy the rest! I had a slow Reading month myself - I had such hopes that I‘d get through a couple of yours instead of just one, but savoring is probably best anyway 😍 14mo
60 likes3 comments
review
thewallflower0707
post image
Pickpick

Well, that was fun.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

#NaomiNovik #Fantasy #TheScholomance

24 likes1 stack add
blurb
thewallflower0707
post image

The #Jolabokaflod package is here 🎉. Thank you so much @galueth28 for the lovely book (what a beautiful cover!) and the chocolate. I love KitKat. And many thanks to @MaleficentBookDragon for organizing this #Christmas book swap.

#HappyReading #holidays #catsoflitsy

galueth28 Yay, it arrived! Hope you enjoy both book and chocolate 😁 1y
28 likes1 comment
blurb
majkia
post image
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 1y
15 likes1 comment
blurb
cariashley
post image

Oooh, I‘m so so excited this is being adapted! It‘s probably my favorite fantasy series of the last few years. I hope it actually happens and that they do it justice!

https://deadline.com/2022/11/meera-menon-to-helm-a-deadly-education-film-for-uni...

Soubhiville 😲🤩 I hope this happens! I loved this series. 1y
43 likes1 comment
review
paisleyjess
Bailedbailed

I just couldn't get into this one. It felt like we're thrown into a very weird world and the narrator is too aloof to actually explain it. People compare it to HP, but it is more like Holden goes to a magical school that kills its students.

blurb
Sharpeipup
Deadly Education | Naomi Novik
post image

✈️Layover Meal : breakfast tacos and tagged book (safely out of sight to keep it clean)

magyklyXdelish Holy sh*t that looks amazing 🤤 2y
Monica5 That makes me hungry 😋 2y
38 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
underground_bks
post image
Pickpick

Reread via Libro.fm audiobook! With the third and final volume of The Scholomance Trilogy coming out this month, I had to revisit one of my favorite series! Through Anisha Dadia‘s pitch-perfectly sarcastic narration, I was just as hooked as I was the first time. The prickly, heart-of-gold reluctant heroine, the exciting magic system, and the adorable, funny, delicious slow burn romance got me all over again!

TheSpineView Looking forward to book 3. Have it on pre-order. 2y
underground_bks @TheSpineView I can‘t wait! 2y
35 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Bookreader0074
Pickpick

I loved this book so much and I can‘t wait to read the next of this series. I would definitely recommend this to someone who wants magic in their life. Novik made a fantastic setting and I really love how much work she put into the school.

review
katiekat311
post image
Pickpick

Finally got to try out the Libby app. Although I still prefer physical books, I‘m getting used to and appreciating kindle reads more. Anywayyyy, I didn‘t know what to expect from this book, it was just recommended. It did not disappoint and the cliffhanger at the end had me diving into the sequel. Enjoying the characters and their development alongside the creative, fantastical and magical world that Novik draws you into.

review
MeatPiie
post image
Pickpick

📩 February 5th, 2022
I already knew some of the work of Naomi Novik, and this book is FRESH! It's really the hint of realism and darkness that the Harry Potter series lacked for me.
I will continue reading the saga :)

review
Julsmarshall
post image
Mehso-so

This was okay but fell a little short for me. It had a lots of elements I really liked but the pace felt too rushed for me and I needed a little more depth from the characters. I may give her another try with book 2. It may also have been that I #listened on #audio. #authoramonth @Soubhiville #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! I really enjoyed this one, but I kind of like info-dumping-ish books haha I haven't read the second yet... I kind of wanted to wait until the third one came out and then read them all together! 2y
45 likes1 comment
review
Bookwormjillk
post image
Pickpick

I was lukewarm on this and wasn‘t planning on continuing the series until I got to the end. Now I need to know. Overall I think I prefer her fairy tale retellings though. #AuthorAMonth2022

ShyBookOwl I had the same experience, although I'm not 100% convinced I'll do the next book (but... I probably will). I also prefer her fairy tales. 2y
willaful I've tried it in both audio and print and just can't get into it. Gimme another romantic fairy tale! 1y
52 likes2 comments
review
sprainedbrain
post image
Pickpick

I‘ve read (and loved) most of Novik‘s other books, but I had been skipping this mainly because I saw some bad reviews and maybe a little because it‘s YA. 😳 But #AAM made me listen and I really liked it!

Really good world building, which I expect from this author, solid writing, delightful snark, and an awesome main character. Could have done without the surprise ending, but since the series is almost finished, I‘m not mad. 😂

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

sprainedbrain Also, this was my #BookSpin for August! (edited) 2y
78 likes1 stack add1 comment
blurb
DHill
post image

What is with this ending??? Three other audiobooks on loan and all I want to do is read #2 The Last Graduate.

#didntseeitcoming

#AuthorAMonth
@Soubhiville

Soubhiville Yep, these books are super cliffhangers. The second one has a cliffhanger too. But they‘re great books! 2y
sprainedbrain Oh lord… I just started this book and this doesn‘t bode well. 😂 2y
DHill @sprainedbrain I was just going along like tra-la-la-la-la-what??? 😂 2y
sprainedbrain Omg you weren‘t kidding! I just finished and… wtf? 😂 2y
DHill @sprainedbrain I know, right??!! 2y
48 likes5 comments
blurb
DHill
post image

I‘m finally starting my #AuthorAMonth book. I‘m looking forward to discovering a new-to-me author.

@Soubhiville

review
Centique
Deadly Education | Naomi Novik
post image
Pickpick

This was huge fun. It gave me Carry On vibes (Rainbow Rowell) but this takes itself much more seriously and there are Way. More. Monsters. God I loved the monsters and the complicated architecture of this hellish school which is like a demonic Hogwarts 😂 If you don‘t do YA definitely try Novik‘s fairytale retellings instead which are gorgeous. And if you liked this but could go much darker may I recommend Gideon the Ninth 😍

See All 8 Comments
Twainy I really like this series. It‘s well written & doesn‘t rely on romance/sex like a lot of YA fantasy does. Great MC! 2y
batsy I really enjoyed Uprooted and am excited to read this, too. 2y
CarolynM I‘m glad you clarified it was Rainbow Rowell‘s Carry On you were referencing - my immediate thought was Kenneth Williams and Charles Hawtrey 🤣 2y
TrishB @CarolynM same! I was very confused! 2y
Centique @TrishB @CarolynM yes! I thought it might catch someone out if I didn‘t clarify 😂😂 2y
62 likes2 stack adds8 comments
review
ulrichyumiodd
post image
Pickpick

I absolutely loved this book. I imagine some people may dislike the main character‘s attitude, but I thought she was hilarious. I jumped to the second book right after listening to this one, so they blur a bit story-wise - but I seem to remember a good plot with a good ending in this book as well as the next. As a side note, it‘s a lot more YA than Uprooted or Spinning Silver.

23 likes3 stack adds
review
Nebklvr
post image
Mehso-so

While I am not a huge fan of complex world building, I do appreciate some type of explanation for the new terms being dropped casually into the story. I almost disliked the main character as much as all of her fictional contemporaries. She kept expressing a desire to live while doing everything in her power to ensure death. Atmosphere was great and enjoyed the humor. On the fence as to whether to continue.