A book review is akin to an art review. Each of us is different and our likes and dislike vary (extremely), so what one of us loves another will dislike just as much.

Elin wrote this book with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham. Which is quite a cool thing to do. I’ve read several articles where Elin says this is not a young adult book. And while this book wasn’t my typical cup of tea, it was well written and kept my interest. So if you’re unsure, borrow it from a friend or the library and see how you like it. And if you like it… there is a sequel THE THOROUGHBREADS coming September of 2026!

The number of stars I normally give Elin Hilderbrand (book after book) is 5. This one is different but mostly because I think the target audience is VERY different. It may be the way it is in the “real world” (I hope not) but for those of us who have been reading EH books for the past few decades, this book will appeal to far more young (very young) people, vs. her typical readers (my opinion).

I always love to hear your book suggestions (minus horror, it’s just not my thing, again – it’s the hot genre, just not one I care for). Oh, we can get picky in our old age, can’t we? 😉

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Read about The Academy from Elin Hilderbrand’s website:

“From #1 bestselling author of The Perfect Couple Elin Hilderbrand, and her daughter, Shelby Cunningham: the irresistible, deliciously scandalous story of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.

It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news arrives: America Today just ranked Tiffin the number two boarding school in the country. It’s a seventeen-spot jump – was there a typo? The dorms need to be renovated, their sports teams always come in last place, and let’s just say Tiffin students are known for being more social than academic. On the other hand, the campus is exquisite, class sizes are small, and the dining hall is run by an acclaimed New York chef. And they do have fun—lots of parties and school dances, and a piano man plays in the student lounge every Monday night.

But just as the rarefied air of Tiffin is suffused with self-congratulation, the wheels begin to turn – and then they fall off the bus. One by one, scandalous blind items begin to appear on phones across Tiffin’s campus, thanks to a new app called ZipZap, and nobody is safe. From Davi Banerjee, international influencer and resident queen bee, to Simone Bergeron, the new and surprisingly young history teacher, to Charley Hicks, a transfer student who seems determined not to fit in, to Cordelia Spooner, Admissions Director with a somewhat idiosyncratic methodology – everyone has something to hide.

As if high school wasn’t dramatic enough…As the year unfolds, bonds are forged and broken, secrets are shared and exposed, and the lives of Tiffin’s students and staff are changed forever. The Academy is Elin Hilderbrand’s fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life, and a thrilling new direction from one of America’s most satisfying and popular storytellers.”

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My review on Goodreads:

My normal reviews for Elin Hilderbrand’s novels are 5 stars. They take you away to a different place with great characters. So it’s not bad that this one just didn’t hit it with me (2.5 stars). I love the setting and think it could have been 5 stars IF the wording wasn’t changed through every bit of the book to reflect more of an explicit young adult audience (ugh, if there is such a thing). I know a few EH readers have gotten this book and said it was a DNF for them. If you’re young and wild ;) then you’ll probably get it and think it’s fabulous. This is just one person’s POV.
WHAT I LIKED: While there are many characters, I didn’t see that as a bad thing, it is a school after all. They included a list in the front of the book, faculty, students, etc. As I mentioned the setting (priorities esp.) is very cool and I liked Charley and East.
WHAT MISSED IT FOR ME: the non-stop trash talking, teacher with a student (ick), teachers love affairs, the ODD DEFINITIONS for simple words (“impervious”) but no explanation for young adult acronyms, and there were many. The “family” with 3 “parents” – and I use that term loosely!
HOPES: hoping the next book (The Thoroughbreds reins it a bit. Having more “modern” lingo for lack of a better word is fine, it’s the depth to which it sank which I couldn’t believe was coming from EH.
If you’re on the fence this may be one to borrow from the library or from a friend. Great setting for sure!

📚 Until next time…

✨ Take a moment to be grateful for at least one thing today – TODAY will be a good day, you’ve got this!