The Dark Cove Theatre Society

by Sierra Marilyn Riley

An aspiring young actor must find her place at a cutthroat arts boarding school in this gothic YA debut for fans of Ace of Spades and If We Were Villains.

Violet Costantino knows she is already on thin ice this school year: her scholarship has taken a significant hit due to her panic attack during her final performance in acting class last semester—which simultaneously shattered her dreams of becoming a leading lady. This year, she is determined to keep her head down and just get through unscathed. But the school seems to have other plans for Violet: to her extreme foreboding, she is cast as one of the leads in the annual Halloween play. What’s worse, the beautiful, infuriatingly talented Frankie Lin and Violet’s ex-crush, Hunter Kinsley, are both cast as her love interests. Despite her initial reluctance, Violet is drawn in by the glamor of the Dark Cove Theatre Society, and she cautiously starts believing that maybe she is cut out for this after all. But lurking in the shadows of Violet’s fragile self-confidence is the rumor of the Society curse, which is said to cause one cast member to drop out before opening night every year, mysteriously and without reason.

In this captivating YA debut, The Dark Cove Theatre Society illustrates both the intoxicating and insidious nature of success and the price we are often forced to pay for it. Passages of found text—glimpses of the school’s handbook, secret letters, and other peeks into life at the Academy—seamlessly woven into the plot will immerse readers even further into the lush, magnetic world of Dark Cove.

Genres: Dark Academia, Young Adult, Mystery, Queer, LGBT, Mental Health, Gothic

280 pages, Paperback

First published October 7, 2025

About the author

SIERRA MARILYN RILEY is an Italian Canadian actor and writer. She previously worked as an editor at SAD Mag and an information assistant at Vaughan Public Libraries. These days, you can watch her on Hallmark’s 'Mistletoe Murders'.

Reviews

[Sierra Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wrote this book and I am giving it 5 stars.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published October 7, 2025.

4 stars - YA

Violet Constantine is beginning her second of three years at the famous Dark Cove Arts Academy and she’s already behind. She had a meltdown down during her monologue that was a large part of her grade in her very important introductory acting course and was humiliated in front of students and staff. Her grade point average has dropped so that now she only receives as partial scholarship and she must do work study to make up the rest and the faculty has encoura-forced her to leave acting behind, so she’s changed her focus to playwriting.

Then, however, as a surprise to everyone, a guest director casts her in one of the lead roles in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” along with Frankie Lim, the school’s star and Hunter, her crush. As a result she also becomes a part of the school’s most important club, the Dark Cove Theatre Society. There’s a rumor of a Society curse - one star of the play always drops out just before the show starts and the President of the Society, Magpie, one of Frankie’s best friends believes it will be Vi.

This was a very nicely done YA book. It included some mixed media in the form of newspaper clippings and the like which are always fun, in fact I wish there had been more of that. I wish the other departments of the school had been a little better represented, I found it a bit hard to believe that the theatre department would rule all at such a well known school, but maybe a YA wouldn’t notice that. It was nice to see Violet find her way (along with Kay, the best friend ever.)

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books)]

I really like the writing and the diverse cast. I’m a huge fan of dark academia. The thing is though, the footnotes distract me. A lot. It might have been different if I had read a physical book where the footnotes are at the bottom of the page, but jumping back and forth on my Kindle pulls me out of the story too much. I’m at 13% and the 30th footnote. So, with pain in my heart I decided to DNF.

Thank you so much, Annick Press, for this ARC.

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[Roxana · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Dark Cove Theatre Society was... okay, but frankly just okay. I found it kind of messy and all over the place, and like it couldn't quite make up its mind what it wanted to be and consequently felt like it didn't go far enough in any direction. The mixed media element is a fun idea to make the book all the more immersive, but there wasn't quite enough that was particularly relevant, so a lot of it felt like filler. The ending was...convenient. The love triangle, a bit weak. And the footnotes! Oh my goodness, don't even get me started on the footnotes explaining absolutely everything, even things that were obvious from context. I love a footnote, but these were insultingly pointless.

I was a theatre kid myself (and a theatre adult, but it's the kid part that's relevant here for this YA book), as well as a lover of all things spooky, gothic, dark academia-ish... and I really wanted to love this book. But the aforementioned flaws just really kept me from getting as hooked as I wanted to be. I do hope this book finds its audience, despite my frustrations with it.

Thank you to the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[zahra]

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Corinne’s Chapter Chatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️I have so many thoughts running through my head with this one. I’ll start off by saying that I liked this book a lot. I think that the intended YA audience, particularly theatre kids will eat it up once polished and published. On the other hand this was the most difficult ARC I have read due to the formatting and it’s clear that it will sit go through a bunch of changes.

I only mention that because by the time it comes out in the fall of 2025, it may be a very different book. So what does that mean? I am going to definitely read it again once it is published and will amend my review as it has the potential to be a 5⭐️ for me. But until then…

This book combined so many of my favorite tropes and genres all wrapped into one. It is a YA, dark academia, curse filled, queer friendly, babble sapphic crush with good representation all rolled into one. It’s also uniquely written as each page has footnotes to enrich the reading experience. I can’t wait to see how the final product turns out.

I think this book is a great gateway into dark academia for younger YA readers and it is appropriate for middle grade as well. The author does very well with composing the imagery of the environment the school is placed in. You could easily picture what everything looks like as the descriptions were rich and detailed. I love that this book is coming out in October as it is the perfect spooky season read. Also, I am a sucker for crows and I loved their presence throughout the work. My biggest criticism is actually that I felt the crow symbolism was never resolved.

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Annick Press through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

[cidney · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ The Dark Cove Theatre Society follows Violet, an aspiring actor, who gets cast as one of the leads in an upcoming play. The previous semester, she had a panic attack during her final performance. Her grades dropped, and she didn’t think she would ever be a leading lady. Her confidence in her abilities were gone. And yet, she was still cast as a lead again.

On top of feeling reluctant to be a lead and not believing in herself, the group at this prestigious school brings up the “Society curse”, rumors saying it’s gonna be her who has it. This is a long standing curse, where someone always drops out before opening night.

This book explores themes surrounding self worth, pressure to succeed, and coming of age.

This gave me very much Starling House with the spooky/dark academia vibes, but make it a lot more LGBTQ. I thought it was creative and clever, especially having the excerpts, newspaper clippings, announcements, playlists etc., along with the footnotes. I was intrigued and interested in what was coming next.

I could connect with Violet about anxiety and the pressure on her. She was so stressed about letting people down, and I could relate. I liked the mystery and the friendships that were built and emphasized throughout as well.

I have to add this quote from the book because it made me laugh so hard:
“Call her…Zelda.”
“As in, The Legend of?”
“Exactly.”

I did find it a bit messy and confusing at parts. Sometimes it didn’t feel as connected, and I was getting lost in the story.

Overall, cool concept! I would say I’m not too knowledgeable in theatre, but I could follow along and understand still. I was invested in the group having a successful performance.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to ARC read in exchange for an honest review!

[Blue · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Thank you NewSouth Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review

The Dark Cove Theatre Society is an eerie YA debut that gives the dark academia vibes! We get introduced to Violet Costantino, a scholarship student at the prestigious Dark Cove Arts Academy, who’s still reeling from a panic attack that rocked her acting dreams last year. This time around, she just wants to make it through the year, but fate has other plans when she’s unexpectedly cast as a lead in the school’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream where Violet gets pulled deep into the world of the elite Dark Cove Theatre Society where spotlight glimmer isn’t all its promised to be.

What makes this story so engaging is how it blends theatrical ambition with supernatural mystery and personal growth. The setting of a gothic boarding school on a remote British Columbia island is the perfect vibe for this! Violet’s journey from anxious underdog to someone who starts to believe in her talent is chef’s kiss.

Overall, if dark academy is what you are craving, then look no further than The Dark Cove Theatre Society!!

[szreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait to see what else this author publishes!

Things I liked:
- the subtle queer mentions of the ghost and main characters relationships
- I loved the map and mixed graphics throughout that add to the story
- As a non theatre person it was fun learning theatre things
- The curse is an interesting concept
- It’s by a Canadian author
- The author is very well written
- IT feels like violet is speaking directly to the reader which is a fun narrative to read
- There’s a two spirit character (57)
- Evolution of Frankie
- Evolution of Violet
- the setting!! Very atmospheric
- Umm Casey from life with Derek gave it a review??

Contrary to how a lot of ppl seem to feel I really liked the footnotes. I think it’s a great way to introduce them to YA readers and felt like fun facts to me.

I think teachers, theatre lovers, teenagers, queer youth, and those struggling with anxiety will appreciate it.

Thank you to Annick Press for the ARC!!

[carol]

dnf - due to the barrage of footnotes and the insistence of "telling", not "showing", i couldn't finish this book. unfortunately, the premise of the book seems interesting but i couldn't immerse myself into the book.

[Danya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read an ARC and Dark Cove had me hooked! This YA novel just kept getting better and better!

[laurakellylitfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out October 7th, 2025
The Dark Cove Theatre Society is a deliciously moody masterpiece that blends gothic atmosphere, small-town secrets, and theatrical flair into one unforgettable performance. Sierra Marilyn Riley writes with the elegance of a playwright and the bite of a mystery novelist, crafting a story that feels like velvet curtains parting on a stage where every shadow has a story. The characters are eccentric, layered, and utterly magnetic—each one hiding something behind their masks, both literal and emotional. It’s witty, eerie, and emotionally resonant, like Only Murders in the Building met The Haunting of Hill House and decided to put on a play.

The pacing is pitch-perfect, the dialogue sparkles, and the setting—oh, the setting! Dark Cove is the kind of place you want to visit and escape from at the same time. Riley balances humor and heartbreak with theatrical finesse, making this debut feel like a standing ovation in book form. If you love stories that celebrate the strange, the dramatic, and the deeply human, this one deserves a spotlight on your shelf.

Many spooky thanks to NetGalley and Annick Press for this ARC!

[Kat Burg · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

This is a fun YA book, and such a fantastic debut. I really enjoyed all the theatre aspects, a boarding school setting is always a win in my books, and the diversity in the characters was well done.

I liked the characters - they were dynamic and a diverse bunch (most of the girls are lesbians or bi, and Kay, Violet's best friend, is Two-Spirit). I also liked that all the characters living in the girl dorms had depth and time spent explaining them, where the boys were mostly just 'this is a film bro', this is the hot blonde one. It tracks.... both for the gendered separations at the school and also for Violet's romantic arc.

The setting was eerie and atmospheric, but I didn't really get much else from the school/the island than vibes. Which isn't terrible, but I kind of wanted just a touch more from it all. That, and the curse that just seemed....there? A lot of aspects seemed a little too perfectly and quickly resolved, which undercut a lot of the tension in the last act, but to be fair this book caused me minimal anxiety while reading it, so a win is a win.

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for the eARC of this book!

[jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

really great kinda spooky vibes and i also think this could be a great starting point for dark academia for young readers

i loved all the characters even when they would annoy me they were so fun… i also loved so many of the relationships especially violet and ms. spry’s mentor mentee relationship, and ofc violet and kay’s friendship was so lovely and sweet and funny, and i really loved violet and frankie’s dynamic and relationship as well

the formatting was a bit wonky at times which could hinder the reading experience but i think that just has to do with the file i got… will be excited to see the formatting in a physical copy!!

thank you netgalley for the arc!!

[Roo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super interesting book! I was pulled in due to the cover and was pleasantly delighted to enjoy the story! This story definitely focused towards YA readers, and we’ll keep you on your toes!

I enjoyed meeting all of the characters and learning their quirks, as well as seeing how the plot progressed throughout! The mystery was cute and I enjoyed seeing how it would turn out!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Rhys Battles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not know what I was getting in to with this book. I applied for the arc specifically because the cover was beautiful and I was blown away.
The story was captivating, the characters were loveable, the mood teetered just on the edge of sad and anxious without completely falling into a pit of despair.
I adored everything about this book. I wish that I could erase this from my memory and read it again for the first time.

[Elise Silleman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dark Cove Theatre Society tells the story of Violet Constantino who attends a fine arts school with secrets waiting to be uncovered. I loved the idea in this book and the themes/representations included in the story, but was not pulled in at all. I found the story very hard to follow at times and did not feel that the plot developed at a good pace.

Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for providing me with an eARC.

[kilby pam req · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing made it a page turner for me. Violet's inner monologue was lively and funny.

When I closed the book, I was surprised it had finished. It felt a little rushed. I wish we'd had more tension with the main plot. (eg. Mmd. Camry catches her breaking the rules, a confrontation with one of the "villains" (whose most villainous act appears to be male, white, and straight-okay and using their authority for their own good)).

The romance (which, for personal reasons, I didn't like anyway) also felt rushed, as Violet dislikes Frankie because she's everything Violet isn't. Obviously, this dislike is actually admiration. . .

I love the moments when the group(the theatre kids) were in their acting zones, discussing the play, journaling, and squabbling.

The whole superstitious curse layer to it was very much a side plot, the cause of a little tension between characters. I wish we'd delved deeper.

The main issue with the plot in its entirety was that the author (reason I read the book in the first place-shoutout Misletoe Murders) was pushing the queer/lgbsjxnwjdnwect. thing. So that what could have been a rich lore with a thriller aspect was all solved easily by crushing the male teachers.

It's as if I were to build a really cool world with an academy and artsy characters and blame everything on two inept gay immigrant men (or women, for that matter) (oop, I'm getting cancelled).

Do you see my problem?

In the book, the men's actions were blamed on gender, race, and sexuality. That doesn't make a villain, bbg.

This is a genuine question. Why the heck would anyone want to lose the individuality of being a person, a she or a he, to be called they? What are you, and object?
We call animals it, and that sounds more human.
(This is a genuine question that I would appreciate an answer for, did not mean to offend)
Swallow really hard before getting offended. You have two spirits, right? Double the soul?

Okay, I'm going to stop before I go into genuine laughter-inducing confusion.

[Jaime · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected or wanted it to be, and not in a good way. DNF. Definitely not for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Annick Press for the advanced reader copy. Voluntary review, all thoughts are my own.

[kamryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

met her and she's nice 5 stars love u sierra

[Olivia Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this ARC from NetGalley - thank you!

I really enjoyed this book! As a lover of theatre, the supernatural, and YA novels, this was right up my alley. Violet and her best friend Kay are returning second year students to the elusive and exclusive Dark Cove Arts Academy. After having a public panic attack last year, Violet is feeling immense pressure from herself and the faculty to prove herself worthy. Outside of academic pressure, there is also pressure within the theatre department and their revered Dark Cove Theatre Society. Surprising herself, Violet gets cast in the Halloween play and, therefore, is admitted to the society. Throughout the school year, Violet and her new found acquaintances-turned-friends face trials on and off the stage.

This is a fun coming of age story with emphasis on friendship and community. I loved the multi-media aspect of this book, but I did find the footnotes unnecessary at times. I also with there was more Kay!! They were such a highlight of the story. I also wish that the romantic focus wasn’t so much on Hunter - Frankie and Violet’s relationship almost seemed like an afterthought compared to the amount written about Hunter and Violet.

[BansheeBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Publishing October 2025 - just in time for spooky season!

The Dark Cove Theatre Society is a YA dark-academia thriller that takes place at the fictional Dark Arts Theatre Academy - presented to the reader as the premier fine arts secondary school in North America, if not on an international stage. Students from across the globe are drawn to the gothic campus which is set on an island off the coast of British Columbia. There is some nice atmopshere here and those who love a remote island setting and a dark, haunted campus will enjoy the backdrop.

FMC Violet and her best friend, Kay, are returning for their second year as "Covies" and the story unfolds as they find their way amid the pressures of academia, struggles with friends/enemies, budding romances and potential hauntings.

This book started off strong for me and I do find a lot of promise here - this going to resonate with lovers of the dark academia genre and anyone who was ever a "theater kid." I think the target audience (YA readers) is going eat this up and look past some of the structural flaws and plot holes.

This book apparently makes use of a lot of mixed media - letters, newspaper clippings, emails, scripts, maps etc. I say apparently because the formatting of the e-ARC made it nearly impossible to make use of that. This was disappointing because I think it will be a really big asset to the book as a whole and help to progress the story and create a sense of discovering clues along the way. The author also leans heavily on footnotes. I don't have issues with footnotes in a novel but they felt really clunky here. Footnotes as a secondary narrative is one thing but when they are literally just a continuation of the sentence at hand, it seems they could be omitted. There are many notes that are necessary definitions and descriptions of terms and texts that might be unfamiliar to the casual reader.

On a positive note, there is a lot of fabulous representation of queer perspectives here. This is refreshing to see in the YA category where readers might be seeking out characters that are relatable across a broader spectrum than is offered in mainstream teen fiction. The story was well-written although I felt the ending was rather rushed. This is one of those rare books where I actually would have preferred it to be about twice as long so that more time could be spent exploring the Arts Academy and getting to know more about the students and faculty.

I give this a solid 3-stars but I really feel like it will veer more into 4-star territory with a good, firm edit and a proper printing with all of the appendices. A must-read for lovers of dark academia and anyone with big theater-kid energy.

Many thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an e- ARC of this book in exange for my honest opinion.

[Megan Apa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an advanced readers copy of this book and LOVED IT! Can’t wait for it to come out - instant dark academia classic.

[Raney Simmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

To view on Rainy Day's Books, Video Games and Other Writings: https://rainyday.blog/2025/10/19/book...

Rating: 4 stars

I received a digital copy of this book through the publisher on NetGalley for an honest review.

The Dark Cove Theatre Society was a wonderful read that I enjoyed from start to finish. What I enjoyed from reading this book was seeing Violet’s character development from the beginning of being cast in the play to the night of the performance. As a character struggling with anxiety, the last thing Violet wanted to do was star in her school’s annual Halloween play. Nonetheless, be cast as one of the leads in the play. All she wanted to do when returning to school was put her head down and make sure to get through the school year, writing plays instead of acting in them. But seeing her character gain confidence in her abilities in acting was marvelous, and I found myself feeling happy for her growth in this book. Felt like there were a lot of themes covered in this book that Sierra Riley brought into the story that teenagers today could relate to, as some of these teenagers were dealing with.

What I also enjoyed about reading The Dark Cove Theatre Society is the overall setting of the school. I felt like my imagination of this academy went wild while I was reading this book, and I just wanted to learn more about it. It felt like the perfect backdrop for everything that happened in this book, and I was excited to learn more about the classes Violet and her peers were taking. Especially when Violet tried out for the play and found out about the curse every year that causes a student to leave the school before opening night of the play. What also helped with my interest in this school was the way Riley would use newspaper articles from the school from the past that talked about the school, secret letters, etc. It felt like the perfect spooky read to me, with the way the school was set up, from the setting of the book to the curse that affects one of the students in the play every year. Also, I enjoyed learning theatre terminology throughout the book since I’ve never taken any acting classes in school.

If there’s anything with The Dark Cove Theatre Society I didn’t particularly enjoy, it would be how most of the aspects of the story I was looking forward to seeing happened off the page. For example, when you find out the truth surrounding the curse, it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise to me because it seemed like that’s where the story was leading to. But when it comes to how those responsible for it get punished, the reader doesn’t get to see that unfold. You just heard about it through Violet being told that it happened instead of her witnessing it taking place. The same thing happens with the play, too. Yes, you get to see all of Violet’s character growth from the beginning of the story, when she was initially still reeling from what happened the previous school year, to her gaining confidence in herself as the school year goes on, during the practice of the play. But I was also expecting to get to see a little bit of the performance, too, just because of how central it was to the plot of this book. These are the parts of the story that I feel like should’ve been worked on and made the story all the more interesting to read.

I also wasn’t too fond of the romance in this book too just because I feel like there wasn’t enough character development for all of the characters in this book for the romance that does happen to really catch my attention. The only character who gets any development in this story is Violet, but everyone else in this book, from start to finish, acts pretty much the same. Which I don’t necessarily mind because her best friend, Kay, is one of my favorite characters in this book, along with the person who ends up catching Violet’s attention, Fran. All the other characters in this story, though, besides the ones I’ve mentioned, were pretty boring or mean and didn’t add anything to the story for me to care enough about what happened to them. Even the teachers at this academy weren’t great either.

As a whole, though, I enjoyed reading The Dark Cove Theatre Society as I enjoyed seeing Violet’s character development and getting to visit this academy. This book felt like the perfect read at this time of year, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading young adult, dark academia books. The Dark Cove Theatre Society was published on October 7, 2025, for those interested in giving this book a read.

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

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

Sierra Marilyn Riley debuts with The Dark Cove Theatre Society, a YA dark academia-tinged tale centered on the gothic arts Academy. Violet is in a period of instability. Due to overwhelming anxiety, Violet has had to change from acting focus to playwriting. And her scholarship is in danger. And now she's supposedly the latest in a line of academy students to be Cursed. Readers follow as Violet discovers the hidden secrets of the Academy and the costs of success through mixed media documentation of life at the Academy.

Due to some really disorienting formatting issues with the ARC, I wasn't able to use the ebook copy to read this with any amount of fidelity to the mixed media components. I finally used the audiobook to get through, which still meant that I did not fully experience these components. To experience this book as intended, having eyeballs on page (digital or physical) would be best, assuming the formatting issues were ultimately resolved for the released edition.

This book is comped to If We Were Villains and Ace of Spades. This makes sense. It does. This book explores queerness and diversity in traditionally white, male spaces. It is heavily focused on a Shakespeare production being put on by the titular society. It's obvious where these comps came from. Unfortunately, I think these comps do a disservice to the book and to potential readers because these comps vary wildly in tone from each other AND from this book. I would argue that If We Were Villains is not a good comp for this reason; fans of that type of story are unlikely to enjoy this despite the thematic similarities. Ace of Spades comes closer, but Ace of Spades has a distinct sense of danger to it that this story lacks. That being said, Ace of Spades is the more reasonable comp. I would like to throw in a comp to My Dearest Darkest by Kayla Cottingham, though this story is contemporary with no fantastical components.

I enjoyed my time with this story, but find myself very detached from the characters. I never believed there were any stakes in play and the plot armor was readily apparent. I think the intended age demographic will enjoy this story, but I needed more from it than what it was designed to give.

Happily will recommend it to others, but was rather mid for me in the end.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The school year has just begun at the Dark Cove Arts Academy, where the illustrious Dark Cove Theatre Society reigns supreme. As a scholarship student, Violet must constantly prove herself not only to her classmates but to the school leadership, as well, and because her end of term performance last year did not go so well, Violet is walking on thin ice. Violet is cast in the Halloween play, but she soon believes she is the target of a fabled curse that will undoubtedly end in disaster. Luckily, Violet’s best friend and roommate Kay is there to support her, and with each forward step, Violet begins to discover where she feels most comfortable in her life. This gothic-style novel is highly descriptive and incorporates innumerable details about both the setting and Violet’s experiences. Footnotes appear with frequency, offering readers deeper insight into the Dark Cove Arts Society’s inner workings. Additionally, letters and other visual supporting documents are placed throughout the book to draw the reader’s attention to particular characters or moments in time. With so many features, the book feels complex and nuanced, and readers are frequently wondering which elements will become important as the narrative progresses. A diversity of characters is featured in the novel, with sexuality and gender identity at the forefront, and the straightforward way the narrative is delivered makes these qualities weave seamlessly into the plot. Though slow to start, the narrative deepens over time, paralleling Violet’s exploration into her own identity as the story unfolds. Mature young adult readers, especially those with a background in theatre history and performance, will particularly warm to this book. It is a unique and contemplative addition to upper young adult gothic fiction collections.

[Jan Mawdesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Trish Palmer for New South Books and Bluewolf Reviews.
An unusual and quirky mystery for young adults, The Dark Cove Theatre Society addresses many issues. The setting is on a small island, Dark Cove off the shores of Canada. There is an Arts Academy on the island which was founded in 1892. It has achieved a reputation for excellence with most of the students progressing to become major contributors in the arts world.
The subjects taught include dance, music, theatre and visual arts. There are excellent facilities for the students who are carefully selected as borders. The main character, Violet, is a scholarship girl and always aware that she must achieve consistently high grades to remain at the academy. She is 16 years old.
Violet is aware of the precarious nature of her tenure, and she becomes increasingly nervous when she falters badly in a stage production. Rumours fly around that there is a cursed girl and Violet struggles with the fears and phobias she has always had. She has a roommate, Kay who is supportive and very caring, often rescuing the lass and steadying her nerves.
Once the term begins at the academy, different groups of people come together in classes and rehearsals. There are many friendships formed and sexuality is explored. Gradually Violet begins to gain confidence, but then the issue of the curse emerges.
Every year, one member of the cast suddenly and mysteriously drops out of the academy. Bizarre happenings and whisperings begin to convince Violet that she is the victim. After much searching and detecting, a secret is uncovered which will put a stop to the random victimization that has occurred.
Courage and a need to overcome fears are issues which are addressed in this story encompassed in a growing understanding of love and friendship.

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

TBH, I picked this for the cover. I only read the premise later. Overall, this wasn’t a bad book. The premise sounded intriguing (a sketchy school and a spooky haunting with minimal bloodshed? Sign me up!)
However, I had a few major problems with it:
1. The bi-phobia. I’m well aware that the character was just being mean and hating on this one girl, but I felt that her snide comments were a little too harsh (and slightly personal, being bisexual myself) and that her sudden character change was off-kilter. Seriously, I know that people hate bisexuals— especially Bi gals—because to some, Bis are “just faking it”, but there was no fighting back. The MC was so meek that she was going to let such biphobic comments slide, even though they came up time and time again.
2. Hunter was kind of a dick. He proved it many a times, but this girl still went for him. Thank goodness it didn’t end with them as a thing.
3. I wanted spooky. Y’know, a haunting that’s so spooky, you don’t want to look in a mirror with the lights off. (Something like that, anyhow.) But the ghost was more of a side thought than a true pro/antagonist. I forgot about her, most of the time. And the fact that this whole “curse”—which could have been really cool had it been real— was just sexism? Jeez, I forget how rare my type of feminism is, because this was just a way to villainize old white cis-het men and traditionalist schools. Somehow, these men were *so* evil that they didn’t even want a female director. hmmmmmm………..
4. There was NO purpose in the ending. It solved everything in a cute little bow, which was kinda anticlimactic. And boring.

Issues aside, the story seemed interesting, the school lore was well-built, and I liked the dynamic between Kay and Victoria. Also, the diverse cast of characters was awesome and the theaters scenes themselves were fun.
3.6/5 ⭐️

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars

*Thank you to NetGalley and Annick Press for the ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Publish date: October 7, 2025

I absolutely loved this book! It was the first book in a long time that I couldn't stop thinking about when I wasn't actively reading it - it made me feel like I was coming out of a reading slump I didn't even know/think I was in!

The story itself was great; the historical 'Covie curse' aspect turned what I would have otherwise considered a relatively uninteresting plot into something intriguing. My interest fluctuated at times because I thought that there were clues that were 'too obvious' (I thought for sure, at multiple times, that I had figured out what was going to happen). I was pleasantly surprised when that 'for sure' feeling of having figured things out kept changing.

Part of what made this book so fun to read was the additions of the 'appendix' pages and the use of footnotes from the main character! It gave reading an 'active' kind of feel.

I think that the book is definitely something that can be impactful for the YA audience, especially given the age of the characters and high school setting, along with the challenges the main character is facing at the time and the dynamics between different characters. It might not be as impactful for those reaching the end of what is considered the YA age bracket, as the writing does read/lean a little on the younger YA side, in my opinion.

The ending was just a tad anti-climactic for what I was hoping for, and I do wish that some of the characters were more fleshed out throughout the story. I also feel that the end was effective in getting the themes across but could have done so in a bit less overt way with the characters' writing and inner dialogue.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the book, especially for YA readers that lean towards the younger and middle age ranges of YA.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE DARK COVE THEATRE SOCIETY by Sierra Marilyn Riley (Oct 7)

Thank you Netgalley and Annick Press for the earc

Violet is on scholarship, and it has been cut down due to academic probation---she had a panic attack on stage and ran out. This year, she plans to keep her head down, but after auditioning for the Halloween play, she is cast as love interest to Frankie Lin and her ex-crush Hunter Kinsey. Violet is drawn to the Dark Cove Theatre, but the Society curse is lurking in the shadows---ready to strike.
THE DARK COVE THEATRE SOCIETY is a YA dark academia riddled with eerieness from the school's location---which sets the scene nicely--drama, and a society of theater students. I don't know how to describe this book. The first thing that stood out to be, besides the creepy cover, were the footnotes. I love that inclusion because it was nice having phrases and such I was unsure about explained to me. I mean, this book is really good, but that was one of my favorite things about it. Also, loved the shorter chapters.
If you know me, you know I love dark academia,especially at the hands of societies, so I was excited to see what this society was going to do...I do wish it was more, but as the conspiracy unraveled---and more about the curse was revealed---I realized everything wasn't as it seems.
THE DARK COVE THEATRE SOCIETY is a beautifully written book. From the descriptions that paint a picture, the way the scene is set, and everything in between. This is definitely a must-read for those wanting to immerse themselves in an eerie location that is drama-filled, mysterious with a would-be curse, and a book that is just all out interesting.