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The Academy Series #1
The Academy
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2025)#1 bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand teams up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, to deliver a dishy, page-turning novel following an intertwined cast of characters over the course 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: 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.
It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news: 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.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2025
12543 people are currently reading
179934 people want to read
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
88 books60.1k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,844 reviews
October 4, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
This was my 11th (I think) Elin book, but definitely a least favorite. If you don’t like modern day references in books PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THIS. Even I couldn’t get through it without the audiobook. (Alix Earle’s name was dropped just as an example)
This book takes place in 2025 (which fine for modern day references, but it was actually too many for me personally) at a boarding school in New England. In Elin fashion we follow many POVs of students & faculty as a new year begins and drama unfolds
I did enjoy the dramatic aspect of what was happening (it didn’t all seem believable, but I listened to Elin & her daughter on a podcast say some plot-lines were actually based off her daughter’s boarding school experience so I guess that’s fine). I just really did not love any character or connect to any (dare I say there were way too many?) I do think it’s a good choice for the fall season because of the setting, but idk I just really didn’t like this one. (Also so many questions unanswered, which I’m assuming is saved for the next book)
This was my 11th (I think) Elin book, but definitely a least favorite. If you don’t like modern day references in books PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THIS. Even I couldn’t get through it without the audiobook. (Alix Earle’s name was dropped just as an example)
This book takes place in 2025 (which fine for modern day references, but it was actually too many for me personally) at a boarding school in New England. In Elin fashion we follow many POVs of students & faculty as a new year begins and drama unfolds
I did enjoy the dramatic aspect of what was happening (it didn’t all seem believable, but I listened to Elin & her daughter on a podcast say some plot-lines were actually based off her daughter’s boarding school experience so I guess that’s fine). I just really did not love any character or connect to any (dare I say there were way too many?) I do think it’s a good choice for the fall season because of the setting, but idk I just really didn’t like this one. (Also so many questions unanswered, which I’m assuming is saved for the next book)
October 5, 2025
4.5 stars! There is nothing like the feeling of being sucked into the world of an Elon novel, truly! It is THE peak reading experience. The drama, mystery, setting, and descriptions are top tier. If you love everything about her Nantucket novels like I do, then you will love this. Set at a boarding school, we get all of the stories at Tiffin Academy from just about every character’s viewpoint which makes for the best well-rounded story. What in the world is in Cinnamon’s email?! I cannot wait to find out in book 2!!
October 7, 2025
3💫
soooo what was in that email???
whats up with me reading books with unanswered questions and unfinished endings. at least this one is a series.
this is your typical elin book with lots of drama and lots of povs, but this one had a few too many povs. were were literally getting insight from people’s parents, and for what reason? there were so many povs that i got lost and some weren’t even relevant to the storyline. im actually not entirely sure what the storyline was. i feel like there were multiple plot points being followed along the school year instead of a storyline.
this felt like a modern day take on gossip girl with the zipzap, and all the modern day references kinda made me cringe. it felt to gen-z and i didn’t like it.
this just felt very surface level and because there were so many povs and no distinct plot, i never grew attached to any of the characters. most of the characters were pretty annoying and frustrating too. unsure if im gonna continue the series or not.
soooo what was in that email???
whats up with me reading books with unanswered questions and unfinished endings. at least this one is a series.
this is your typical elin book with lots of drama and lots of povs, but this one had a few too many povs. were were literally getting insight from people’s parents, and for what reason? there were so many povs that i got lost and some weren’t even relevant to the storyline. im actually not entirely sure what the storyline was. i feel like there were multiple plot points being followed along the school year instead of a storyline.
this felt like a modern day take on gossip girl with the zipzap, and all the modern day references kinda made me cringe. it felt to gen-z and i didn’t like it.
this just felt very surface level and because there were so many povs and no distinct plot, i never grew attached to any of the characters. most of the characters were pretty annoying and frustrating too. unsure if im gonna continue the series or not.
October 22, 2025
…..ooof, you guys
September 30, 2025
Elin girl wtf was that
February 4, 2025
This pains me because I am an avid Elin Hilderbrand lover! But The Academy fell so flat for me with too many loose ends.
We follow a variety of high school students and their teachers/administrators at a private school as they navigate the school year. The premise is that a website is invented that starts sharing their secrets (gossip girl style) and wreaking havoc.
One of my main issues with the book were there are way too many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To bring in a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was bizarre to me (and we never get the info on her document she leaves her boyfriend?). To have multiple characters dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following.
For me this one missed the mark, the first 30% being copious character introductions and no main plot development until hundreds of pages in left me fairly indifferent. The writing style felt hard to follow, and didn't draw me in like usual! There was promise with the setting of back to school with ritzy teenagers, but the execution wasn't there for me personally.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
We follow a variety of high school students and their teachers/administrators at a private school as they navigate the school year. The premise is that a website is invented that starts sharing their secrets (gossip girl style) and wreaking havoc.
One of my main issues with the book were there are way too many characters introduced who were not all fully developed. To bring in a student who took her life and give no background or reason for including this subject matter was bizarre to me (and we never get the info on her document she leaves her boyfriend?). To have multiple characters dealing with serious mental health struggles like eating disorders but again, leave those serious topics so unattended to felt very blasé for 2025. I wasn't able to connect with or sympathize for anyone due to the lack of character development which was likely due to the sheer amount of character we are following.
For me this one missed the mark, the first 30% being copious character introductions and no main plot development until hundreds of pages in left me fairly indifferent. The writing style felt hard to follow, and didn't draw me in like usual! There was promise with the setting of back to school with ritzy teenagers, but the execution wasn't there for me personally.
Thank you to Little, Brown and Company via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
November 1, 2025
So pleasantly surprised! I had no idea what to expect with this one being an Elin Hilderbrand book - but not on Nantucket and also with the collaboration of her daughter, Shelby.
I loved the setting. Tiffin is created as this cozy, intimate academy setting that makes me feel nostalgic for a high school experience that I never actually had.
The characters are unlikeable (in the best way), and you just can’t look away. It’s almost like you’re actually rooting for them to make the bad decisions so you can see them crash and burn 😂
This book definitely had a Gossip Girl element, but would say it’s less sensational. The storytelling feels more day in the life (or year in the life). A sort of gentler version of GG.
But…. elephant in the room - is this going to be a series???
I loved the setting. Tiffin is created as this cozy, intimate academy setting that makes me feel nostalgic for a high school experience that I never actually had.
The characters are unlikeable (in the best way), and you just can’t look away. It’s almost like you’re actually rooting for them to make the bad decisions so you can see them crash and burn 😂
This book definitely had a Gossip Girl element, but would say it’s less sensational. The storytelling feels more day in the life (or year in the life). A sort of gentler version of GG.
But…. elephant in the room - is this going to be a series???
May 7, 2025
I love a boarding school book. Ever since reading Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld I’ve been hoping to find another one to enjoy. Well, Elin and daughter Shelby have provided an excellent read.
All the characters represent the best and maybe some not so best, students, teachers and staff that make up a boarding school. Kind of a, ‘all the usual suspects,’ group. The popular kids, the smart kids, the shy kids and everyone in between.
I loved the shenanigans the teenagers got into. Fortunately nothing awful. I even rooted for the kids not to get caught in one questionable endeavor.
I hope there’s a sequel so I can find out what’s in the letter Dub can’t open till his graduation.
Fun and fabulous ladies!
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company.
Note: The number 114 is mentioned several times throughout the book; anyone know its significance?
All the characters represent the best and maybe some not so best, students, teachers and staff that make up a boarding school. Kind of a, ‘all the usual suspects,’ group. The popular kids, the smart kids, the shy kids and everyone in between.
I loved the shenanigans the teenagers got into. Fortunately nothing awful. I even rooted for the kids not to get caught in one questionable endeavor.
I hope there’s a sequel so I can find out what’s in the letter Dub can’t open till his graduation.
Fun and fabulous ladies!
Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company.
Note: The number 114 is mentioned several times throughout the book; anyone know its significance?
April 27, 2025
I am a huge Elin Hildebrand fan and was intrigued when I saw that she co-wrote a book with her daughter. The Academy is obviously so different from Elins Nantucket books. The Academy is about a year in the life at Tiffin Academy, a New England boarding school. When a new app is used to post secrets about the staff and students, you can only imagine the drama involved between this cast of characters, a book that's filled with lots of gossip. I did enjoy the descriptions of boarding school. The way it's depicted felt very accurate, such as the the teens interactions with each other. But…..there are lots of characters, so it was hard to really connect with any of them because they weren't very developed. Some issues mentioned with the characters never got expanded on so it just felt like it was brought up for no reason. So this was good, just not great.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
December 4, 2025
➳ 2 ☆
wow. i never thought i would give an elin hilderbrand novel this low of a rating but here we are. for starters, time of death @ page 130. i do indeed rate books i didn't finish, so please take this with a bucket of salt. i am hopeful i can come back to this sometime next year, but as of right now, i am not forcing myself to keep reading something that is not enjoying — but i am glad for the genre change in my reading journey.
first of all, this is her first book (to my knowledge) that is not featuring nantucket or a nantucket plot. besides the location change, everything else about this book is pure elin hilderbrand. where that is the drama, the scandal, the cheating, the lies, the detailed food descriptions, or the HUGE cast of characters — this book felt like coming home. except this time, it was not as enjoyable. this plot — apparently — is inspired by the stories her daughter told her while she was in boarding school, so i liked how shelby was also an author in this book. besides that, there is nothing else i can say that is positive about this book. this story is focused on a boarding school, aka, young college students. however, it is painfully clear that a 45+ year old wrote what they assumed was a depiction of young adults. the entirety of this book was very reminiscent of gossip girl — entertaining, but completely unrealistic. i don't think there is anything wrong with books not being realistic, since a that's what makes up fiction. in this case, it’s not just unrealistic — it’s completely untrue.
the rest of the book is unfortunately filled with a plethora of famous people and tiktok slang, which was extremely jarring in a novel like this. the modern lingo and the detailed gen-z slang did not work for a book like this. i don't care about alix earle and weird pop references that bring NOTHING to this book...give me a meaningful story, please. another major consequence this book suffers from is the unnecessary amount of POV's that both authors decided to put into this book. in turn, this leaves little to no time to develop any of the characters and their respective stories. the first half of this book is so fucking slow. it just dragged on for years to the point where i had to stop reading, because in no world should 130 pages feel like 5 books. all things to say, there was so much potential with this book since everyone loves a fun drama filled college plot. sadly, i believe books should have structure and make sense — which is inadequate in this case.
i am grateful elin is branching out and writing more, but this feels like a passion project. her voice clashed with her daughter's — leaving no room for any aspect of this book to shine.
wow. i never thought i would give an elin hilderbrand novel this low of a rating but here we are. for starters, time of death @ page 130. i do indeed rate books i didn't finish, so please take this with a bucket of salt. i am hopeful i can come back to this sometime next year, but as of right now, i am not forcing myself to keep reading something that is not enjoying — but i am glad for the genre change in my reading journey.
first of all, this is her first book (to my knowledge) that is not featuring nantucket or a nantucket plot. besides the location change, everything else about this book is pure elin hilderbrand. where that is the drama, the scandal, the cheating, the lies, the detailed food descriptions, or the HUGE cast of characters — this book felt like coming home. except this time, it was not as enjoyable. this plot — apparently — is inspired by the stories her daughter told her while she was in boarding school, so i liked how shelby was also an author in this book. besides that, there is nothing else i can say that is positive about this book. this story is focused on a boarding school, aka, young college students. however, it is painfully clear that a 45+ year old wrote what they assumed was a depiction of young adults. the entirety of this book was very reminiscent of gossip girl — entertaining, but completely unrealistic. i don't think there is anything wrong with books not being realistic, since a that's what makes up fiction. in this case, it’s not just unrealistic — it’s completely untrue.
the rest of the book is unfortunately filled with a plethora of famous people and tiktok slang, which was extremely jarring in a novel like this. the modern lingo and the detailed gen-z slang did not work for a book like this. i don't care about alix earle and weird pop references that bring NOTHING to this book...give me a meaningful story, please. another major consequence this book suffers from is the unnecessary amount of POV's that both authors decided to put into this book. in turn, this leaves little to no time to develop any of the characters and their respective stories. the first half of this book is so fucking slow. it just dragged on for years to the point where i had to stop reading, because in no world should 130 pages feel like 5 books. all things to say, there was so much potential with this book since everyone loves a fun drama filled college plot. sadly, i believe books should have structure and make sense — which is inadequate in this case.
i am grateful elin is branching out and writing more, but this feels like a passion project. her voice clashed with her daughter's — leaving no room for any aspect of this book to shine.
September 16, 2025
EXCERPT: Audre thinks of each new school year as a blank composition book, a fresh box of sharpened pencils - but this reveals her age. To these kids, it's . . . what? An empty Google doc, the cursor blinking at the top of a laptop screen?
Audre is also thinking, 'Nothing bad has happened . . . yet.' For example, no one has appeared at Audre's residence between breakfast and Chapel to say that the door to 111 South is jammed and Cinnamon Peters isn't responding to either knocks or FaceTimes.
ABOUT 'THE ACADEMY': It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news 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.
MY THOUGHTS: I love it! I fell right into the pages of The Academy and never wanted to climb out! Dare I hope there may be a follow-up? Just one? I want, no, NEED to know what happens to these fifth-form students in their final year. AND just what is contained in the letter Dub can't open until Graduation morning.
This is the first book I have ever read which made me wish I had gone to boarding school. The closest I ever got was the nurses' home at our training hospital and, believe me, it was nothing like this!
The Academy is so much fun. I was absorbed by and entwined in the relationships and rivalries between the students and the teachers . . . the dynamics, the pecking orders, the romances and break-ups, and the disruption caused by just one student who is transferred in.
The map of the school and grounds and the character list were greatly appreciated.
I can't possibly finish without a nod to the food mentioned - grilled cheese with bacon on Texas toast and a side of onion rings; Monte Christo sandwiches; rosemary shortbread. These are just a few of the delicacies on offer. Best not read while hungry.
The Academy is a stunning debut for mother and daughter writing team Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham. Five star fun! Devoured in just over 24 hours. Hell, The Academy EXCITED me!
. . . life is a game of Chutes and Ladders . . .
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheAcademy #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHORS: ELIN HILDERBRAND is a proud 1991 graduate of Johns Hopkins University where she majored in Writing Seminars. After a short stint working in publishing and teaching in New York City, she moved to Nantucket permanently in 1994. She attended the University of Iowa writers workshop and earned her MFA in 1998.
She is the mother of three children and loves riding the Peloton, cooking, and going to the beach. She will retire with her summer of 2024 book and plans on becoming a book influencer.
SHELBY CUNNINGHAM was born and raised on Nantucket Island. She is a 2024 graduate of St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island, and is presently a student of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Academy written by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham is due for publication September 16, 2025.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Audre is also thinking, 'Nothing bad has happened . . . yet.' For example, no one has appeared at Audre's residence between breakfast and Chapel to say that the door to 111 South is jammed and Cinnamon Peters isn't responding to either knocks or FaceTimes.
ABOUT 'THE ACADEMY': It’s move-in day at Tiffin Academy and amidst the happy chaos of friends reuniting, selfies uploading, and cars unloading, shocking news 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.
MY THOUGHTS: I love it! I fell right into the pages of The Academy and never wanted to climb out! Dare I hope there may be a follow-up? Just one? I want, no, NEED to know what happens to these fifth-form students in their final year. AND just what is contained in the letter Dub can't open until Graduation morning.
This is the first book I have ever read which made me wish I had gone to boarding school. The closest I ever got was the nurses' home at our training hospital and, believe me, it was nothing like this!
The Academy is so much fun. I was absorbed by and entwined in the relationships and rivalries between the students and the teachers . . . the dynamics, the pecking orders, the romances and break-ups, and the disruption caused by just one student who is transferred in.
The map of the school and grounds and the character list were greatly appreciated.
I can't possibly finish without a nod to the food mentioned - grilled cheese with bacon on Texas toast and a side of onion rings; Monte Christo sandwiches; rosemary shortbread. These are just a few of the delicacies on offer. Best not read while hungry.
The Academy is a stunning debut for mother and daughter writing team Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham. Five star fun! Devoured in just over 24 hours. Hell, The Academy EXCITED me!
. . . life is a game of Chutes and Ladders . . .
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#TheAcademy #NetGalley
MEET THE AUTHORS: ELIN HILDERBRAND is a proud 1991 graduate of Johns Hopkins University where she majored in Writing Seminars. After a short stint working in publishing and teaching in New York City, she moved to Nantucket permanently in 1994. She attended the University of Iowa writers workshop and earned her MFA in 1998.
She is the mother of three children and loves riding the Peloton, cooking, and going to the beach. She will retire with her summer of 2024 book and plans on becoming a book influencer.
SHELBY CUNNINGHAM was born and raised on Nantucket Island. She is a 2024 graduate of St. George's School in Middletown, Rhode Island, and is presently a student of the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of The Academy written by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham is due for publication September 16, 2025.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
February 15, 2025
This is so hard for me to type because Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors and I do love the opportunity she gave her daughter by co-writing this with her, but this was bad. I struggled to get through it, It dragged on and honestly felt like it was written by a teenager. Ugh, I'm sorry Elin!
September 24, 2025
I’m 88 pages in and that’s enough.
September 22, 2025
I need a second book, please
September 27, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ Lucky number 13, baby! I’ve read more than a dozen novels by the “Queen of the Beach Read” and while I always love being transported to Nantucket I have to say that this non-beach read might be my very favorite one!
THE ACADEMY is set at a boarding school in northwest Massachusetts but is not, I repeat NOT, YA. This is Elin’s first book cowritten with her college-aged daughter (a boarding school grad herself) and I was very curious how Elin’s writing would shift with the addition of Shelby, the change of setting, and a very large cast of teenage characters.
Happy to report that it felt fresh and fun and all worked wonderfully for me. Kind of like a classier, better written version of Gossip Girl mixed with a very teeny tiny dash of A SEPARATE PEACE (at least as far as the setting and the opposites attracting goes). You can also tell Shelby had a lot to do with the teenage jargon because this felt so much less “cringe” than the teens Elin has written in the past.
Side note: maybe it is still very cringe but a Gen Z and a Gen X teamed up here and met my cringey millennial heart in the middle! I devoured this as an adult and I would have devoured it as a high schooler as well!
This is not a literary masterpiece and I doubt it will be universally adored, but it was exactly what I needed to read atm. There’s plenty of adult and adolescent drama but it’s all incredibly low stakes and I found it so entertaining to escape into other people’s problems for a bit.
I always love that Hilderbrand name drops as many good books as she does trendy brands. I also wasn’t expecting her to find a way to take all her delicious food descriptions off island, but of course she did.
Finally, I’m hoping a few loose ends mean what I think it means 👀
🥳PUB DAY: SEP 16th!
THE ACADEMY is set at a boarding school in northwest Massachusetts but is not, I repeat NOT, YA. This is Elin’s first book cowritten with her college-aged daughter (a boarding school grad herself) and I was very curious how Elin’s writing would shift with the addition of Shelby, the change of setting, and a very large cast of teenage characters.
Happy to report that it felt fresh and fun and all worked wonderfully for me. Kind of like a classier, better written version of Gossip Girl mixed with a very teeny tiny dash of A SEPARATE PEACE (at least as far as the setting and the opposites attracting goes). You can also tell Shelby had a lot to do with the teenage jargon because this felt so much less “cringe” than the teens Elin has written in the past.
Side note: maybe it is still very cringe but a Gen Z and a Gen X teamed up here and met my cringey millennial heart in the middle! I devoured this as an adult and I would have devoured it as a high schooler as well!
This is not a literary masterpiece and I doubt it will be universally adored, but it was exactly what I needed to read atm. There’s plenty of adult and adolescent drama but it’s all incredibly low stakes and I found it so entertaining to escape into other people’s problems for a bit.
I always love that Hilderbrand name drops as many good books as she does trendy brands. I also wasn’t expecting her to find a way to take all her delicious food descriptions off island, but of course she did.
Finally, I’m hoping a few loose ends mean what I think it means 👀
🥳PUB DAY: SEP 16th!
September 20, 2025
We never get the letter from Cinnamon??!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2025
Sorry Elin, but this is not your best work. 😢
A large part of it was fluff and very little plot. I did not enjoy the mockery of God and the cringey teenage sex dialect. It seems wildly inappropriate that this was cowritten with her own teenage daughter.
A large part of it was fluff and very little plot. I did not enjoy the mockery of God and the cringey teenage sex dialect. It seems wildly inappropriate that this was cowritten with her own teenage daughter.
February 17, 2025
ARC for review. To be published September 16, 2025.
3.5 stars
The book covers a very unusual year in the world of Tiffin Academy, a boarding school in New England, which has just been named the number two boarding school in the U.S., a huge jump from the year before, thanks largely to the deep pockets of the parents of one of its students, Unless it’s a terrible mistake. Because the sports teams mostly lose and the dorms could use renovating, plus it is largely known for being a “social” versus an intellectual school. Anyway, the students, faculty and staff and reveling in the achievement.
However, things are starting to get a little crazy with a new app, ZigZag posting blind items about the school and its students and staff. How will this affect queen bee and influencer Davi Banerjee, Charley Hicks, a transfer student, Simone Bergeron, the new, young history teacher, Cordelia Spooner, director of admissions, Andrew Eastman, the son of the school’s benefactor, Dub Austin, the star quarterback and other students and staff?
Hilderbrand is a very popular author so I can’t imagine this won’t do well. Her daughter, who is billed as a co-writer just graduated from boarding school and you can definitely see her influence on the book with references to music, brands, etc; I’m not familiar enough with Hilderbrand’s writing style to know whether she actually contributed to the writing, but I’m sure she was more on background here. It was very gossipy and a little exhausting…I don’t think I would have the strength anymore to be part of so much drama. I enjoyed it, though.
3.5 stars
The book covers a very unusual year in the world of Tiffin Academy, a boarding school in New England, which has just been named the number two boarding school in the U.S., a huge jump from the year before, thanks largely to the deep pockets of the parents of one of its students, Unless it’s a terrible mistake. Because the sports teams mostly lose and the dorms could use renovating, plus it is largely known for being a “social” versus an intellectual school. Anyway, the students, faculty and staff and reveling in the achievement.
However, things are starting to get a little crazy with a new app, ZigZag posting blind items about the school and its students and staff. How will this affect queen bee and influencer Davi Banerjee, Charley Hicks, a transfer student, Simone Bergeron, the new, young history teacher, Cordelia Spooner, director of admissions, Andrew Eastman, the son of the school’s benefactor, Dub Austin, the star quarterback and other students and staff?
Hilderbrand is a very popular author so I can’t imagine this won’t do well. Her daughter, who is billed as a co-writer just graduated from boarding school and you can definitely see her influence on the book with references to music, brands, etc; I’m not familiar enough with Hilderbrand’s writing style to know whether she actually contributed to the writing, but I’m sure she was more on background here. It was very gossipy and a little exhausting…I don’t think I would have the strength anymore to be part of so much drama. I enjoyed it, though.
September 14, 2025
Thoroughly enjoyed The Academy, a contemporary fiction boarding school story. It follows a handful of students and staff at the elite Tiffin Academy, whose rankings just soared unexpectedly this year. Some students are attending for college prep, some for prestige, and others to escape their lives at home.
The Academy has the right amount of drama and entertainment. Elin Hilderbrand co-wrote this with her daughter, and while it’s a different setting from her well-known Nantucket stories, I was happy to find Elin’s signature writing style still comes through.
The Academy has the right amount of drama and entertainment. Elin Hilderbrand co-wrote this with her daughter, and while it’s a different setting from her well-known Nantucket stories, I was happy to find Elin’s signature writing style still comes through.
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December 9, 2025What was in the email Elin…. I must know!!
September 16, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for access to this title. I am auto-approved by this publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
I was looking forward to this mother-daughter collaboration set at a prestigious boarding school filled with its secrets, but I just couldn't get into it. A shame, really, because usually anything with Elin Hilderbrand's touch keeps me flipping the pages. There are a lot of characters, but I do believe it was the wordiness that sidelined my reading pleasure. I am not a person who uses the one-star rating very often, but this one left me feeling unfilled.
The ending did make me wonder if Elin and her daughter, Shelby, are planning to revisit some of these characters in the future.
Expected Publication Date 16/09/25
Goodreads Review Date 13/09/25
I was looking forward to this mother-daughter collaboration set at a prestigious boarding school filled with its secrets, but I just couldn't get into it. A shame, really, because usually anything with Elin Hilderbrand's touch keeps me flipping the pages. There are a lot of characters, but I do believe it was the wordiness that sidelined my reading pleasure. I am not a person who uses the one-star rating very often, but this one left me feeling unfilled.
The ending did make me wonder if Elin and her daughter, Shelby, are planning to revisit some of these characters in the future.
Expected Publication Date 16/09/25
Goodreads Review Date 13/09/25
November 14, 2025
I ended up loving THE ACADEMY! But, I can see how it might not be for everyone. Like many of Elin Hilderbrand's books, it's very character-driven and doesn't follow a traditional "plot." What I love is how immersed I always feel in Elin’s writing and storytelling. It’s like she plucks you up and drops you into her world! With that being said, if you don’t care for her characters then it may be a hard read for you.
The story revolves around a large cast of students and faculty, and there are definitely a lot of them, but I didn't mind that at all.
If you're a big fan of Gossip Girl, then I think this is a must-read! The dramaaaa omg I ate it up 👏🏼😱
Cannot wait for book 2!!
The story revolves around a large cast of students and faculty, and there are definitely a lot of them, but I didn't mind that at all.
If you're a big fan of Gossip Girl, then I think this is a must-read! The dramaaaa omg I ate it up 👏🏼😱
Cannot wait for book 2!!
September 22, 2025
Elin Hilderbrand may have left Nantucket, but now we are at a Massachusetts boarding school that reminded me of watching Gossip Girl. Rich kids and faculty behaving badly. Fully fleshed out characters where ambition, scandal, and secrets abound. The exploration of Gen X and Gen Z coexisting is compelling. A great mother-daughter debut.
October 10, 2025
Rate 2.5 Stars Rounded Down to 2
I really wanted to like this book so much more than I did. It's by an author I usually enjoy reading and is set in a private boarding school, both of which check boxes for me. Sadly, I can't give this one a rave review.
The story format is the familiar one that long-time readers of Elin Hilderbrand with recognise immediately. But the story falls so very short on originality and character development. At one point I wondered out loud if Elin and her daughter were unfamiliar with Gossip Girl since one of the main plot devices seems like it was borrowed straight from it (and I did get answer to this when a character in the book actually comments about the situation being similar to Gossip Girl!).
Pretty much everything, and I mean everything, about the story was predictable and foreseeable. If the characters had more depth, I might have been more forgiving about the obviousness of the story lines. The book is clearly set up to be a series and much as I love me a good high school story, I am not sure I feel compelled enough by this one to pick up the sequel.
I really wanted to like this book so much more than I did. It's by an author I usually enjoy reading and is set in a private boarding school, both of which check boxes for me. Sadly, I can't give this one a rave review.
The story format is the familiar one that long-time readers of Elin Hilderbrand with recognise immediately. But the story falls so very short on originality and character development. At one point I wondered out loud if Elin and her daughter were unfamiliar with Gossip Girl since one of the main plot devices seems like it was borrowed straight from it (and I did get answer to this when a character in the book actually comments about the situation being similar to Gossip Girl!).
Pretty much everything, and I mean everything, about the story was predictable and foreseeable. If the characters had more depth, I might have been more forgiving about the obviousness of the story lines. The book is clearly set up to be a series and much as I love me a good high school story, I am not sure I feel compelled enough by this one to pick up the sequel.
September 20, 2025
Truthfully I hated this book. The references to pop culture were overwhelming and cheesy. There were a million characters that I did not care about. It took 200 pages to get to the real start of the main plot point, but there were about 20 subplots and half of them just never got addressed or wrapped up. I was forcing myself to pick this back up and finish it. Glad it’s over.
December 24, 2025
DNF at 75%. I’m a person pushing 60, I have no business reading nonsense like this when there are so many more interesting more fun more appropriate books to read out there. I am definitely the wrong target audience so perhaps giving it two stars is unfair?
Edit: not gonna lie, though, will peek at the next one to find out what’s in the bloody email. Judge me if you will.
Edit: not gonna lie, though, will peek at the next one to find out what’s in the bloody email. Judge me if you will.
November 5, 2025
*** 11/5/25 *** Just finished this for a female reading group with all moms, which I think is 100% the target market for the book. I've read many Elin Hilderbrand Nantucket books, and didn't realize this one was co-written with her college (UMiami) aged daughter until I finished it and looked it up on Goodreads, but more on that later in the review lol.
The book is shorter than its 428-page count would have you believe, as there is a lot of white space and different chapters, one for each month of a year at Tiffin Academy, an East Coast boarding school (yes, Hilderbrand's daughter attended boarding school, as did her son, so they have some inside scoop on the culture).
This is a very dishy, somewhat spicy, novel that saves itself from being kitchy only through a couple of main characters ultimately having some backbone and *character* in their choices and actions as drama after drama unfolds. The school deals with influencer culture, a powerhouse board of directors, secret romance within the faculty, boyfriend swapping between students, a particularly cringy new teacher and her assorted romantic liaisons and excessive drinking, classism, divorced parents, and people trying to actually educate youth! That's a lot of ground to cover!
I thought the book was mostly good fun, but the spicy sections gave me the ick when I learned it was written partly by a college student with her mom. It added a level to this book that I don't was necessary and I don't recall Hilderbrand putting in her Nantucket books, but maybe I'm not remembering?!
Also, we can all clearly tell Hilderbrand is launching DD's (dear daughter's) writing career (write what you know!) as they have titled this 'The Academy Series, 1.' AND we know that there is still a big reveal to come - what was in that letter Cinnamon sent to her beau to be opened ONLY on the day of graduation? I have an idea, but we'll see if I'm right. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
The book is shorter than its 428-page count would have you believe, as there is a lot of white space and different chapters, one for each month of a year at Tiffin Academy, an East Coast boarding school (yes, Hilderbrand's daughter attended boarding school, as did her son, so they have some inside scoop on the culture).
This is a very dishy, somewhat spicy, novel that saves itself from being kitchy only through a couple of main characters ultimately having some backbone and *character* in their choices and actions as drama after drama unfolds. The school deals with influencer culture, a powerhouse board of directors, secret romance within the faculty, boyfriend swapping between students, a particularly cringy new teacher and her assorted romantic liaisons and excessive drinking, classism, divorced parents, and people trying to actually educate youth! That's a lot of ground to cover!
I thought the book was mostly good fun, but the spicy sections gave me the ick when I learned it was written partly by a college student with her mom. It added a level to this book that I don't was necessary and I don't recall Hilderbrand putting in her Nantucket books, but maybe I'm not remembering?!
Also, we can all clearly tell Hilderbrand is launching DD's (dear daughter's) writing career (write what you know!) as they have titled this 'The Academy Series, 1.' AND we know that there is still a big reveal to come - what was in that letter Cinnamon sent to her beau to be opened ONLY on the day of graduation? I have an idea, but we'll see if I'm right. 3.5 stars rounded to 4.
September 9, 2025
Fast-paced, full of drama, and with just the right amount of intrigue, this book was such a fun escape. The setting pulled me right in, the characters had plenty of personality, and there was never a dull moment as secrets and twists started unraveling.
It has that bingeable quality where you keep saying “one more chapter” and then realize you’ve been reading for hours. A perfect mix of juicy drama and page-turning suspense.
It has that bingeable quality where you keep saying “one more chapter” and then realize you’ve been reading for hours. A perfect mix of juicy drama and page-turning suspense.
February 17, 2025
Gossip girl meets Gilmore girls meets a splash of Magnolia parks? This was so fun. I couldn’t take my eyes away from it. I really appreciate how Shelby Cunningham was able to accurately depict teenagers rather in a way that felt so much more authentic than someone who just googled “what are teens into”
September 13, 2025
I didn’t go to boarding school and I didn’t want to, but I cannot get enough of boarding/prep school fiction. And while dark academia can be fun, nothing beats good old-fashioned drama.
Tiffin Academy has always been in the middle of the pack where boarding schools are concerned. Yet on the first day of a new school year, a huge surprise occurs: Tiffin has risen to #2 on the annual America Today rankings. That’s a 17-point jump, and it’s even a shock to Audre, the head of school.
The board president has invested a great deal of money in improvements—including a gourmet chef. But still, no one really understands how the school climbed so high in one year, especially given the fact that a popular student committed suicide the previous year.
Like many boarding schools, academics at Tiffin take a backseat to parties and gossip. The majority of the students are children of extremely wealthy parents and are used to getting their way. Yet into the mix comes Charley, a new student from Maryland—very rarely are new students admitted as juniors. But Charley is extremely smart and she’s utterly disinterested in the social games of her peers, which of course only intrigues her classmates more.
Over the course of one year at Tiffin, there’s lots of drama to be had. The new, beautiful Canadian history teacher has secrets to hide and finds herself infatuated with an older student. The TikTok influencer is struggling with her own issues while keeping up appearances. And then a controversial app seems to know what everyone is hiding and what everyone’s missteps are.
There are a lot of characters in this book; some you root for and some you dislike. Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter have created a juicy little world and I was there for every last backstabbing minute. There were a few threads that were brought up and never resolved, so is a sequel on the horizon?
The book publishes 9/16.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
Tiffin Academy has always been in the middle of the pack where boarding schools are concerned. Yet on the first day of a new school year, a huge surprise occurs: Tiffin has risen to #2 on the annual America Today rankings. That’s a 17-point jump, and it’s even a shock to Audre, the head of school.
The board president has invested a great deal of money in improvements—including a gourmet chef. But still, no one really understands how the school climbed so high in one year, especially given the fact that a popular student committed suicide the previous year.
Like many boarding schools, academics at Tiffin take a backseat to parties and gossip. The majority of the students are children of extremely wealthy parents and are used to getting their way. Yet into the mix comes Charley, a new student from Maryland—very rarely are new students admitted as juniors. But Charley is extremely smart and she’s utterly disinterested in the social games of her peers, which of course only intrigues her classmates more.
Over the course of one year at Tiffin, there’s lots of drama to be had. The new, beautiful Canadian history teacher has secrets to hide and finds herself infatuated with an older student. The TikTok influencer is struggling with her own issues while keeping up appearances. And then a controversial app seems to know what everyone is hiding and what everyone’s missteps are.
There are a lot of characters in this book; some you root for and some you dislike. Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter have created a juicy little world and I was there for every last backstabbing minute. There were a few threads that were brought up and never resolved, so is a sequel on the horizon?
The book publishes 9/16.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/getbookedwithlarry/.
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