The Fox Hunt: A Novel

by Caitlin Breeze

Behind closed doors at England’s most ancient university, a circle of privileged students enter into a dark pagan ritual—one that holds tantalizing power and comes at a terrible price.

When practical, unassuming second-year student Emma Curran wins an exciting research fellowship, she is ushered into the glittering debauchery of the University elite. There, she falls for the devastating, aristocratic Jasper Balfour, leader of the all-male Turnbull Club: a shadowy secret society that has created centuries of Britain’s leaders, power brokers and history-makers.

One night, the Turnbulls propose a sinister little game: a fox hunt. The women run. The men chase. And Emma finds herself fleeing for her life through the streets, hunted by the boy she loves.

Torn from her ordinary life and trapped in a dangerous, otherworldly realm, Emma awakens transformed. No longer mortal, she's become something beastly. And now she must summon every ounce of cunning and ferocity to save herself.

Genres: Fantasy, Dark Academia, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult, Contemporary, Science Fiction Fantasy

448 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 24, 2026

Reviews

[Mai ༊*·˚ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 ★— What a ride this was! The Fox Hunt almost feels like it could be split into two very different halves, with the second one being where the story really hits its stride.

The book follows Emma Curran, a student at a prestigious university dominated by the wealthy and privileged. Emma has always been on the sidelines, sticking to her small circle, until she meets Jasper Balfour, who perfectly embodies the rich, beautiful elite. Drawn into his world, his friends, their secretive Turnbull Society, and its strange rituals, Emma gradually begins to uncover a darker side to things she never expected.

I’ll admit, I felt a bit bored after the initial introduction to campus life, Emma’s first meeting with Jasper, and her slow integration into his friend group. She’s portrayed as somewhat naive and easily influenced, which I found frustrating to read at times. While I know this characterization was an intentional choice by the author and necessary for the plot and Emma’s eventual transformation, personally, I prefer heroines who are a little sharper or grittier. Emma falls into the trappings of the quintessential “trying to belong” main character falling in with the wrong crowd. As such, as a reader, I always felt a little like I was watching an impending disaster (which I basically was!) as Emma was drawn deeper into the Turnbull Society and its workings.

The story really picked up around the halfway mark, when the more fantastical elements that had been lurking in the background finally came to the forefront. This is when I became fully engaged, as the mysteries surrounding the university’s strange occurrences began to unravel. From this point on, the book felt much more compelling, especially as Emma descended further into this eerie, magical underworld and began to change in a marked way.

Additionally, this is when I felt myself get more interested in the world-building, so much so that I often wished the author had dug deeper into the lore and mechanics of the magic at play and given more insight into the hidden depths of world she presented. It all felt so rich and ready to be explored further!

The book also focuses on some weighty themes: classism, misogyny, privilege, and the way power sustains itself within old institutions. For the most part, this is threaded into the story in a way that makes sense, though I sometimes felt the execution lacked a bit of nuance.

I especially felt the lack of nuance when it came to Turnbull Society. Its rituals and history felt so steeped in clichés that it wasn’t all that exciting to see everything unraveled as the story went on. And that’s my biggest criticism with the book: while the fantastical aspects of the story shone, the university’s society and the darker parts surrounding it felt a little too familiar. Its history leaned so heavily on an amalgamation of all the common “dark secret society” tropes that much of it came across as predictable. This made certain aspects of the book less exciting and caused Emma’s time spent in this world to feel similarly trite and not very original. I kept wishing the author had given Turnbull Society more unique characteristics to make it stand out from other dark academia stories.

All that aside, I still had fun with this book overall, and I’d be very interested in a sequel. There’s so much more to explore in this world and in Emma’s story! I’d love to see where it goes next.

___________________

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC.

[Rianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into The Fox Hunt with high expectations. The marketing campaign was deliciously enticing and promised me a read that I would go absolutely feral for. This is what I wanted. Okay, the pastels?
And this is what I got… an identity crisis lurking behind a stunning cover.

For the first 30 percent, this book presents itself as purely dark academia. Secret societies. Elite students. Power dynamics. A sinister boys’ club vibe with a enticing front-man that screams “this will end badly”. And honestly? I was rooting for Emma and Jasper for a while there. I thought we were getting a twisted academic story about corruption, privilege, and survival.
And then the book did a 180.

Suddenly we are no longer in dark academia territory, because that part gets completely dropped, and we pivot hard into fantasy. Enter the Night City, a layered, imaginative world with an intriguing magic system built around five houses. The concept is genuinely cool, and the Night City itself is one of the strongest elements of the book. I wanted to explore it more. I wanted to sink my teeth into its rules, politics, and bargains. We get introduced to the mysterious Robin who might just be my favorite character even tho I feel like I know next to nothing about him.

Then there is also a revenge thriller/horror simmering in the background. A victim wronged by frat boys. A promise of blood, justice, and payback. Except… that revenge plot does not really kick in until about 75 percent into the book, and when it finally does, it is wrapped up fairly quickly and then discarded like an afterthought.

Each of these stories could have worked on its own.
– A dark academia novel about a secret society? Yes please.
– A fantasy centered on the Night City and its magic system? Absolutely.
– A revenge-driven descent into darkness? Sign me up.

But by trying to be all three, the book ends up not fully executing any of them completely…

Plot points are introduced only to be dropped almost immediately, never to be mentioned again. We get a found family of students… only for them to fade into the background and be replaced by another found family of girls. Emotional connections never really have the time to breathe, which meant I never truly cared about the characters the way I wanted to. At some point I caught myself sighing an actual “for fox’s sake” out loud, and that was probably the point of no return.

Which makes this extra frustrating, because the premise is genuinely interesting. The ideas are there. The ambition is there. The execution just did not come together for me. It felt like the book could not decide what it wanted to be, and as a result, neither could I as a reader.

That said, there was one quote that absolutely hit and reminded me of the story’s potential:
“So she was free. Because she had just become the most dangerous weapon of all. A person with nothing to lose.”

That line goes hard. I only wish the rest of the book had leaned into that same clarity and conviction.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Stephanie B. •literaryland_livin• · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one of England’s most secret soaked universities, power isn’t earned it’s taken through rituals no one talks about. When quiet, observant Emma Curran wins a coveted research post, she’s pulled into the seductive, dangerous world of the elite and straight into the orbit of Jasper Balfour, the beautiful, ruthless leader of a hidden society. What begins as intrigue and forbidden attraction turns into something far darker when Emma discovers the truth behind their traditions. One night, a brutal game is called the women run, the men hunt and Emma is forced to flee from the boy she trusted. Thrown into a surreal, savage new reality, Emma must shed who she was to survive, awakening something wild and dangerous inside herself.

This book wrapped me in velvet dark academia and then slowly sharpened its teeth. Set inside a glittering university this story leans into sisterhood, feminine rage, and survival in a world designed to break girls who don’t belong to it. There are rituals that feel like they’re watching you, secret circles that trade in devotion and fear, and a shadowed realm beneath the city that hums with old magic and hungers. FMC Emma is messy, brave, lonely, and deeply human, and watching her harden from uncertainty into quiet ferocity was incredibly satisfying. The first half takes its time building atmosphere with lots of fog, candlelight, whispered promises and the second half dives into a city of night blurring the edges of fantasy and mortals. And while I wanted a bit more clarity on how some of the magic works, the emotional tension and eerie beauty kept pulling me forward. By the end, I was completely caught in its grip, aching to know what secrets this world was hiding.

If you love secret societies, haunted cities, morally grey characters, women who fight back, and dark academia then this atmospheric debut novel is absolutely worth sinking your teeth into upon its release on Feb. 24th, 2026.

Thank you again NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Hayley Annicchiarico · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5! The Fox Hunt started as a fast paced, slightly twisted story set in a dark academia setting. I loved how the story kicked off and was reading almost like a mystery/thriller.

Our FMC Emma has lived her whole life pleasing other people, but becomes enthralled by a new group of elite friends when she gets offered an exclusive fellowship. Emma meets Jasper, the president of an all-male secret society and seems to become under his spell and thrown into the whirlwind of the Turnbull Club.

I really loved the first part of the book and imagined it turning into a high stakes thriller. However, the second part of the book found its grove as an urban fantasy as we were introduced to the magical Night City and its unique magic social class system. This was a very non intimidating fantasy as the magic system and world is very easy to grasp and didn’t have any complex structures.

I thought the book was fun, unique, and a parallel to class issues we see in the world. I really loved the element of retribution and man-hunting, and found myself cheering Emma on as she finds herself in a situation she never imagined, and finally falls into a version of herself where she finally feels powerful, cunning, and entirely herself.

There were a couple plot points that could have been expanded upon or executed better. I feel like a lot of the story was surface level and would have loved things to be built on more.

I listened to the ALC audiobook from Hachette Audio and Little, Brown & Company and really enjoyed the narration. She had an awesome accent and really made the writing shine. I’d definitely recommend this audio for a fun, fast paced listen! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ALC in exchange for my review.

[Clara (bookish_clara) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fox Hunt was such a pleasant surprise of a book completely different to what I thought but I had the best time reading it. It kind of feels like two very different books in one, a fun and wild ride that completely worked. I loved the writing and just found it so easy to read, the first half of this book is filled with a secret society, rich students and their fancy parties what you would expect from an elite university and it was very much full of dark academia and for me this did make it feel a little slower in pace as the world and everything else slowly slots into place to build this engaging and intriguing plot.

Emma was such a likeable FMC and I really loved how down to earth she was and the way she handled herself, she had this vulnerability about her that made her quiet but she was also very smart and determined in what she wanted and what that entailed. Her character growth from start to finish was written so exceptionally well.

Then you reach the half way point and this is where for me the story picks up,I couldn't put the book down and read most of it in one sitting. The vibes completely change as you learn of The Night City and its magic, theres bargains and deals made in the shadows and this is where the story consumes you as you are taken on an unexpected journey, this is the best way to describe without spoiling the story.

This is 100 percent a book that works best if you go into it completely blind to experience just how amazing everything unfolds. I honestly loved it so much and it was such a refreshing debut.

[Shona · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fox Hunt is a novel that ultimately won me over—but it took its time getting there.

The first half leans heavily into familiar Dark Academia tropes, and for me that section felt a little flat. While competently written, it didn’t offer anything particularly new or distinctive, and my engagement wavered as a result. The groundwork is there, but it plays things too safe early on, especially given the strength of the ideas that come later.

The second half, however, is where the book truly comes alive. The core concept sharpens, the stakes become clearer, and the world-building finally starts to show its potential. By the end, I was genuinely hooked and very interested in where the story goes next. There’s a strong sense that this world is much bigger than what we’ve seen so far—and that’s compelling.

One weakness is the handling of the Turnbull Society. As a reader, I wanted far more detail earlier on. It’s left too open-ended in the first half, which undercuts investment and leaves noticeable gaps in both plot and world logic if this is judged as a standalone novel.

That said, viewed as the opening entry in a series or duology, The Fox Hunt works well. It lays foundations, introduces an intriguing framework, and—crucially—makes you want to continue. As a standalone, it’s uneven and incomplete. As a series opener, it’s solid and promising.

I’ll absolutely be reading any sequels.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing the ARC.

[Tori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an invite from the publisher to read The Fox Hunt based on my previous love of all things fantasy. And they were right - everything in this story was exactly up my alley! It’s a dark academia fantasy novel with atmospheric prose and thriller vibes. It mashes the otherworldly and gothic horror against a decidedly modern backdrop. I loved the blend of genres and the themes of feminine rage, sisterhood, survival, and revenge.

It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel! The pacing and arc of the plot were superbly done. I loved Emma’s development from unsure and studious to hardened and cunning. Her relationships with the fox maidens and the librarian and his sister were some of my favorites. I was fully immersed in the setting, in the characters, and the mystique of it all!

This story is perfect for lovers of:
- Dark academia and secret societies
- Tricky bargains and shadow realms
- Feminine rage and revenge
- Sentient cities and libraries

While the initial mystery resolves, the door seems open for future stories in this world. I would love to see more tales featuring Emma, the University, and the Night City!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not settled into what it wants to achieve. It is, by turns, too long (the first half before all the magic kicks in was just too long; rich boys behaving badly did not need nearly that much real estate) and too quick (Julia was done dirty; she has barely any “screentime” but is a major stabilizer for the plot). There’s moments of really gorgeous like horror imagery in the beginning (when we first hit the rose garden, there was one line that I read over and over) but most of the time there’s little to no visual descriptions at all. A huge portion of the climax is just a villain monologue that answers a bunch of questions I for one had been thinking about almost from the beginning; which is a very boring avenue for answers. It also feels decidedly unfinished.

I did really like the Night City and wish we’d seen more of it and gotten more from the other foxes (like did Sara ever wake up? Do the twins have names?). There were also a lot of threads in the Night City left dangling (the eel with his stolen totem, why did the golden boar care so much about Emma?)

{Thank you Little, Brown for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Dee Hancocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

The Fox Hunt is a cunning tale. I absolutely loved the academic setting and dark magic held within the pages. Initially this appears to be a standard academia read with an outsider trying to make it in an elite setting. But then…at the half way point the plot really picks up and doesn’t hold back. I think this is the kind of read to go in with no expectations and to just enjoy so I do not want to say anything else. The themes that are focused on are classism, misogyny and coming of age. I recommend this one for any dark academia fans. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

[Tinkerbell Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐ 3/5
🌶️ 0.5/3

This book was a weird one in that I quite liked it, but there was definitely things that I felt could have been done better. I am taking this as a vibe read. We have dark academia vibes in the first half, which were really good, maybe took a little longer than I would have liked to get to the main catalyst of the story, but I was vibing. The second half was a dark fairytale kind of vibes. It seemed a little bit disconnected with the two vibes at times, but I understood where the story was going with it all.

That being said the audiobook was done really well. So thank you to Netgalley for the arc of it!

[Michael S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caitlin Breeze’s debut novel, The Fox Hunt, is a powerful entry into fantasy and dark academia. It grabbed me from the start and then rampaged into the heart of the book.

Note: My review is based on the audiobook ARC/ALC, so please excuse any character names that may be spelled incorrectly. Sometimes, when you are enjoying an audio listen, the details fade away.

This was an enjoyable listen, with depth, surprising shifts, and charm. There are lovable and deplorable side characters, found family, secrets, magical histories, and fantastical creatures.

Emma is an outsider at “The University,” which feels like Oxford or Cambridge, but it is clear it is neither. It is where the elite of society send their scions, where future world leaders are educated, and it is the epitome of where (faux) Britain’s best and brightest go. Our protagonist is Emma, the daughter of a single-parent scientist who has dragged her around the world to different engagements. Emma has always felt like an outsider, so when Julia introduces her to the secretive—and patriarchal—Turnbull Society and the hunky, well-connected, and universally loved Jasper, she revels in the acceptance.

As is often the way in a dark academia, this is not the proper emotion for Emma to feel. Fleeing would been a better choice, but that wouldn’t make for as good a story.

We can’t go much further into the story without revealing major plot points. As the name suggests, the ladies—the foxes—are eventually chased by the men of the Turnbull Society.

The book ends well, completing its arc while leaving room for further world development.

My only nitpick (Spoiling since it comes late in the book) .is that the late switch from single- to multi-POV caught me by surprise..

Was The Fox Hunt world-shattering? Not really. Was it perspective-changing? Probably not. But it was highly entertaining.

I award The Fox Hunt 4 1/4 stars out of 5.

Specific Audio Piece:

Maddy Lenny, as narrator, skillfully moved between characters and an unseen voice. Maddy’s prose is excellent, her characterizations are believable, and she turned potential chaos into an understandable story. She was a joy to listen to, and I hope she continues working on fantasy, dark academia, and, hopefully, science fiction novels.

Many thanks to Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and Little, Brown & Company for providing an audio ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Holly R · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Maddy Lenny did an amazing job narrating the story and bringing the characters to life. Her accent was perfect for this story. I'm not sure if I would have been able to finish this book if I didn't listen to it on audio.

I'm conflicted about The Fox Hunt. I feel like it was two books in one; the first half occurred at an elite university, with a secret male-only society (and all the problems frequently associated with that) and found family. However, about half way through the book, the story pivots and becomes fantasy. Emma ends up in the Night City, which is full of magic, strict class system, with the lower classes forced into servitude to pay off their "debts." One thing to note here as well, Emma finds another group of found family friends, and sometimes it feels as if they replaced her human found family.

The Night City sits exactly over the university and there is a thin veil between the two worlds. It started out as a symbiotic relationship between them; the university students/professors would make unusual and rapid advancements from the City's magic and the Night City would harness some of the humans vitality as payment. Somehow the relationship soured and the Night City wants to be free from the mortal world.

I feel like trying to merge these two plots into one book caused a lot of it to be a bit superficial. I wish the plots were more blended and teased out vs mentioned once and then wasn't brought back up until the end when things were being tied up. This fantasy world is so unique compared to anything I read before; I just wish there was more depth to it.

I know this book is being marketed as a dark academic novel, but that doesn't seem to fit the book as a whole. There are a few murders, forced servitude, and some dark themes are alluded to with what members of the secret society have done, but I struggle with considering this a "dark" novel. As for the academia setting, the first half takes places at the University and the second half takes place in a high fantasy world that sits directly over the university. So technically...but just not in the way one normally thinks of an academic setting.

I'm not sure if this is a standalone book or if it will be a series. However, if it does become a series, I will definitely pick up the second book to see if Emma completes her new bargain with the judge....and to find out more about Robin.

Thank you NetGallery, Caitlin Breeze, and Little, Brown, and Company for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook.

3.5 stars

[Amanda P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this but it felt like there was such a significant genre shift, that couldn’t be ignored.

If you asked me 50 pages in how I would rate this, I felt it would be guaranteed 5 stars! The dark academia elements at the start were so strong and I was absolutely sucked in to the secret society and the terrible men and their games.

However the book then shifted to this fae-land / magical book, and the change was actually rather jarring. Don’t get me wrong, I love this genre as well, but the shift felt significant, and I found myself desperately wanting to return to the dark academia plot!

When the two worlds finally collided though, it was a solid book and I enjoyed the ending and plot, but I just felt the execution could have been approached slightly differently.

But all in all, it was an interesting take on the genre and a secret society world. I loved all the girl power taking on these powerful men and the found family group of sisters that Emma finds both with the foxes and in the university. I never thought Venetia would become my favourite but that girl was a badass!

And I loved all the bargains and trickery. Especially Emma applying her law degree to this new world! Her interaction with Robin were fun and I’m intrigued to see more of him in the next book.

All in all, fun and fairly addictive, but I can’t deny the shift in tone about a third of the way in. But definitely a series I’d be keen to continue. Let’s take down the Turnbulls!

[Sidney Ferrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caitlin Breeze has outdone herself with this one! This extraordinarily magical story absolutely blew me away. The audiobook had a few flaws, unfortunately, but that doesn't take away from the storytelling at all. I personally disliked all the male voices, besides Jasper & and the Librarian.

The world-building, pacing, and dark academia setting were beautifully done. I was not expecting such a twist, not even halfway into the book! Before the twist happened, I truly had no idea where the story was going. It's so refreshing not knowing!

Our FMC Emma starts as a shy, more reserved girl, but really becomes this strong female lead by the end of the book. Her caring and cunning abilities are so inspiring; you can really feel how willing she is to do anything for those she cares about. She's also not going to let some spoiled little rich boys get the better of her!
I would recommend this to everybody who loves dark academia.

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Caitlin Breeze, for this ALC!

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA fantasy • Dark academia
Female rage • Sisterhood

This book completely surprised me! The university setting with a mysterious secret society pulled me right in. From walking around a library at night and hearing voices to violent rituals. As soon as I began to question what kind of ancient magic we were getting into, the book showed me and I had about a hundred questions.

The way the story unfolded was one of my favorite aspects. There’s a shift into fantasy as things pick up that I really enjoyed. I constantly felt like I didn’t know what would happen next. Would it be something mysterious, magical, or maybe infuriating? The characters we are meant to hate are so very unlikable, I wanted to yell at my kindle.

I went into this pretty blind and it felt perfect that way, so I don’t want to say more. Add this to your tbr if you like foxes, magical worlds, and female vengeance. I really ended up loving it! 🦊✨

Thank you @littlebrown and @netgalley for my e-ARC!

[Heather Daughrity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl goes to college. Girl steps outside her comfort zone. Girl meets boy.

Girl is in way over her head, and before she knows it, she's transported--rather abruptly and much to her surprise--into a world that overlaps her own yet is something completely different, a world of magic and fairy bargains and fox maidens and danger the likes of which she's never known.

An excellent story full of magic and mystery. The writing itself was beautiful, the kind of writing that transports the reader into the world of the book and makes you feel each scene with all five senses.

I literally lost time while reading this book; that's how immersive the writing was. The story ends with a perfect set-up for a sequel, so I hope we've got a series on our hands here.

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like Alice in Wonderland x The Secret History to me. Emma gets into an exclusive gothic university on a prestigious scholarship, and suddenly she’s drawn into the dazzling world of Britain’s elite. Through Julia, she’s welcomed into the social scene, but also into their secret society: a place where belonging quickly turns sinister.

At first, it feels intoxicating. Then the ceremonies begin. And then comes the fox hunt where Emma is the prey. That’s when the story shifts into something much darker. Emma’s role as a social-class outsider is central to the story, she’s thrust into the rarefied world of privilege and wealth, and the constant power imbalance between her and the elite students around her feels sharp and suffocating, echoing the same class tension and quiet menace you’d find in a film like Parasite.

What makes this book so great is how it layers reality with something stranger. It has a touch of magical realism, blurring the edges of the real world of mortals with the Night City that pulses like its own living, breathing thing. It’s fantasy, but it’s also a story of masks, illusions, and power games, with layer upon layer interlacing until you’re lost in it. The “book within a book” element is like Russian nesting dolls where you keep peeling back layers and falling deeper.

I was left with this haunting sense of unease, but also wanting to learn more about the Night City. “Feudal fairyland”, secret societies, the city as its own character - it was stunningly done. I really wish there was a book two, because I’m not ready to leave this world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Electric Monkey for the early review copy.


What a surprise this book was! The Fox Hunt is a bit of a difficult book to categorise and that's what I ended up enjoying most—the story starts as a dark academia mystery, with a mysognistic secret society and power-hungry university students who our FMC Emma tries so hard to fit in with (all of which I love), but it switches gears about a quarter of the way in, transporting the reader into a lush Ghibli-esque fantasy world. 

Emma finds herself trapped in the Night City, which introduces a cheeky ally, magical animal residents and a coven of foxes. On her quest to return to the mortal world, there's bargains to strike and mysteries to unravel.

Now, the members of the Turnbull society introduced early in the story are so distinctly unlikeable that I wanted to fling the book across the room whenever any of them spoke, and so Emma's tale of revenge was ever so sweet. 

'Their cheeks were gammon pink with wine. They had the laughs of people who'd never worried about how loud they were.'

I loved Emma's character arc—I wasn't sure about her at the beginning, but by the end of the book she finds her courage and a sense of self. The found family vibes are great, with the sisters of the House of Foxes showing Emma kindness and loyalty during a terrifyingly lonely time. 

'Weak, malleable Emma Curran had not had eyes that sparked with the light of burning stars. The creature that faced him was no girl.'

The Fox Hunt took me on a journey of unexpected twists and turns which I enjoyed every minute of. I think it's worth going in expecting the unexpected; just let the magic unfold.

[tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Fox Hunt is packed with cunning twists, turns, and complete vibe switches that I did not expect - it begins with the prototypical "evil cult-like academic society" and as soon as you become accustomed to the strange pit-like feeling in your stomach that "something here isn't quite right," we are whisked away to The Night City, a magical mirror reflection of the University's campus, layered underneath mortal reality. I loved the concept of a city being sentient and having whims, quirks, and annoyances - I only wished we learned more about the lore of The Night City. I feel like you can build an entire novel off of that alone.

My other qualms were the fact that Nat, the ever-reliable best friend, gets dropped like a hot potato when the FMC starts hanging with the rich and popular crowd - I was growing increasingly irritated at the FMC's repeated excuses for the behavior of the pathetic and affluenza-riddled Jasper.
I also think we left off with some unanswered questions - how did The Night City get swindled into a bargain that it couldn't find a loophole out of? I almost wish we would get a book 2, because I feel like there's plenty of material left to explore.

[Sandrine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This was a really fresh take on a fantasy novel. Not every book needs romance in it and The fox hunt is the proof. To save herself from the fox hunt, Emma unknowingly makes a bargain with the Night City and must pay her debt. At first, it starts a bit slow. The elements described in the summary are only happening around the 25-30% mark. During this time, I was holding my breath while reading because I knew something bad was coming. There’s a lot of foreshadowing.

I loved how strong and determined Emma is. She is never backing down from her quest of revenge on the Turnbulls. In a world where bargains are common and can have really bad consequences, Emma is quick to understand and use that to her advantage. I also loved seeing the sisterhood forming. Once the events are in motion, the pacing becomes really fast, which I liked. I couldn’t stop reading. For what I assume is a standalone, the world building was well fleshed out. I’d love to read more books in the world, as I feel there’s a more to explore ! I definitely recommend this book if you love a strong and cunning FMC !

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book, opinions are my own.

[Veronica ☽◯☾]

"For fans of Ninth House and The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue"????
SAY LESS

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook review: The Fox Hunt by Caitlin Breeze

Narrator: Maddy Lenny

Vibes: 📚🦊✨💀

Thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC.

The Fox Hunt starts slowly but I was immediately drawn in by beautiful prose mentioning Caddis flies and otters as our protagonist's love of the natural world shines. Emma, who's studying law despite her passion for zoology, is a realistically messy second-year university student, preoccupied with friends and parties and somewhat blind to her own privilege in attending the most prestigious institution in the country. She meets handsome, wealthy playboy Jasper and is charmed despite her better judgement. He's the president of a secret society of rich young men, and as their closeness grows, she gets drawn into the society's social group and shenanigans... including the titular fox hunt.

The growing sense of foreboding and alarm I felt in the first half of the book was masterfully executed, but the second half is what really captured my imagination. Emma is pulled into a strange, magical world where bargains are everything and a mysterious magical entity governs all. Emma's character growth from this point onwards is deeply satisfying and I really enjoyed her. There are many supporting characters I wished we'd seen more of and while this certainly reads as a stand alone, I do think the set up is there for a sequel if the author so chooses (and I kind of hope she does!).

Maddy Lenny absolutely nails the audiobook narration. Her voices and accents for the different characters and her delivery adds so much tension and drama in the best way.

This story is a slow burn that takes its time with the payoff, though I do think the wait is worth it. It is a dark academia novel with a heavy dose of magical realism a little reminiscent of The Cruel Prince, at least in my opinion. It is also very decidedly not a romantasy. Do not go into it expecting romance or you will be disappointed. You CAN expect feminine rage, fae-style bargains, revenge, the strength of friendship, and bad blokes getting a certain degree of comeuppance.

This is also, at least in part, a book about a naiive young woman ignoring her gut and the full barrage of red flags being hurled at her in a way I found distressingly realistic. Which is not to say that anything that happens to Emma is her fault. Merely that men are dangerous - rich, privileged white men especially - and we should all be teaching our children to TRUST. THEIR. GUT. Listening to this book right after the release of the Epstein files definitely added an extra layer of stomach-churning rage to the experience. If only a mercurial magical force was hiding away in the real world, ready to enact justice on the despicable secret societies of the rich, privileged and evil.

Pub date: 24 February 2026

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

“So she was free. Because she had just become the most dangerous weapon of all. A person with nothing to lose.”

Solid 4 ⭐️ read that transects the genres of fantasy and dark academia to create a truly unique underground world of magic. The book begins by following Emma Curran as she navigates her prestigious university without the privilege of being part of that world. Until Jasper Balfour. Jasper is the embodiment of the university and the students who populate it: rich, elite, and spoiled. This kicks off the romance subplot that draws Emma deeper into Jasper's world and the secret Turnbull society, its rituals, and its cover-ups. While it may be frustrating to read Emma's lovestruck, "trying to belong" persona, it is an important distinction for her later character development and true of girls her age.

Following a night of... debauchery... with the Turnbull society, Emma awakes as a fox as we are finally introduced to the Night City. Holy cool! This is one of the strongest elements of the book as it offers a new magic system, rules, politics, and bargains that can be representative of many tropes and legends across cultures. Not to mention a cute, mysterious Robin? I immediately forgot about Jasper. We see Emma grow, not only in ability, but in confidence during her time as a citizen of the Night City. The story crescendos in Emma using what she has learned from the Night City to manipulate the unmasking of the Turnbull society and the actions that have led to their long-term success.

And you know I love current event undertones!!! The book also provides commentary on classism, misogyny, and the way power is sustained in a group over generations in both the "real world" and the Night City.

Regarding the production of the audiobook, I have one word: cinematic. The narrator had such a soothing voice and was able to perceive different characters by inflection alone instead of changing her voice, which tends to annoy me when listening to audiobooks. Additionally, I always think it is a hallmark of a good book to have the ability to provoke such vivid imagery by verbal relation alone.

Unfortunately, the book does fall flat on executing its three main promises: a dark academia novel about a secret society, a unique fantasy and magic system, and a revenge plot driven by injustice. It felt like, instead of these three themes weaving seamlessly together, the story was equally divided among each. That being said, the writing lays a strong foundation for what I hope becomes a strong duology or trilogy.

🦊 pagan rituals
🦊 secret society
🦊 sisterhood
🦊 unique magic system
🦊 revenge sub-plot

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Elizabeth Dascalescu · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Summary
Set in an ancient, prestigious university, The Fox Hunt follows Emma, a law student studying to please her father despite her true passion for animals. When she meets Jasper who is charming, wealthy, and effortlessly connected, she’s drawn into the glittering world of the elite. Their secret society promises exclusivity, power, and belonging… until Emma witnesses their traditional fox hunt and realises the glamour hides something far darker. What begins as dark academia spirals into a hidden magical underworld known as the Night City, a realm of immortality, bargains, and servitude, where Emma discovers that privilege and corruption run deeper than she ever imagined. And once she knows the truth, she can’t walk away without consequences.

✨ My Review
This book felt like a story of two halves, or even thirds, for me. I loved the beginning and the end, but got lost in the middle. The opening third absolutely hooked me. The dark academia setting, the ancient university halls, the subtle nods to natural sciences… it all sang to me as a current STEM student at a prestigious Oxbridge university. The tension builds beautifully: you know something is coming, but you don’t know what, and that slow foreboding definitely had me on edge.

Then the book shifts. Once Emma uncovers the truth behind the secret society and enters the Night City, a magical realm filled with immortality, bargains, and servitude, I found myself a little lost. It’s incredibly creative, but the sudden change in tone and setting was fast, and because I was loving the gothic academic vibes so much, I missed them. That said, the worldbuilding in the Night City is imaginative and eerie, and I can see many readers loving that twist.

The final third brought me right back in. Returning to the mortal realm, with Emma fuelled by rage and determined to take down the privileged men who wronged her and so many others, was gripping. There were twists I didn’t see coming, and the ending was masterfully executed - sharp, satisfying, and thematically powerful. The themes throughout this book are what lingered with me most. Breeze tackles privilege, power, corruption, and the way wealth can buy innocence, or at least the illusion of it. It feels painfully topical: those with influence can so easily twist morality to suit their desires, and the consequences fall on everyone but them. Overall, The Fox Hunt is dark, clever, unsettling, and deeply atmospheric. A strong 4 stars for me, and a story I’ll be thinking about for a while.

Thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Caitlin Breeze for the ALC.

[Charlito · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Fox Hunt was quite the ride! I was recommended this book due to my inclination towards fantasy and romantasy, and there are certainly several elements to enjoy about it! The plot moves super quickly, and I was shocked by how fast I was going through the book.

Spoiler free- I think the character development was very present, the layering of the plot was thorough, and the magic system was very well thought out.

My favorite aspect of this book has to be the scenery and locations of the plot. I truly felt like I was in the college with Emma and her friends, and the Night City was described so thoroughly it felt like both the first time stepping into a new world, but also reminiscent of so many fictional lands I have already loved.

My only drawback for this novel was that I felt it was heavily Young Adult (which is absolutely fine for a novel to be!) when I was expecting more adult fantasy. Now listen, I love a YA and sometimes think that YA is easier to really drive home a point in a novel. However, the romantasy element of YA becomes somewhat difficult for me as a reader. There is a bit of an insta-love scenario I find in YA due to the fact that it is less detailed in the intimate moments. While that can be okay, the fact that this particular plot hinged on the romantic feelings of Emma, I think I needed a little bit more. She is a young woman, but certainly grown enough to make her own choices, that I wish we had a bit more of exactly what her experience was like in the romantic department rather than the overall swooning of someone she found irresistible. My only other caveat was that it was tied up a bit too nicely in a bow for my personal tastes. I feel like the point of the Night City was to show Emma how ruthless the world and magic can be, and we see so many characters who are there for much longer than her. However, in the length of one novel spanning a short period of time, she manages to forge her own path in a way that does not seem like it would be THAT hard for anyone else to have tried over hundreds of years. I loved how cunning she could be, but there was a bit too much that fell into her lap in my opinion. I would have loved more interaction with the High Court character-wise as well.

Overall, I think the writing style and fast-moving plot kept me into this book and it is a wonderful debut! Although I would personally categorize it as very YA, I would absolutely read another adult novel by Caitlin Breeze.


Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

[SAMANTHA. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5✨️.

Caitlin Breeze writes in such an interesting way. The immersive quality of her writing and the descriptions of this world are so vivid and well done. The imagery and nuance within her prose pulled me in — it felt abstract and fantastical while still grounded in an academic setting. At times, that blend really worked. Other times, I felt untethered and struggled to fully connect to the narrative. The occult undertones layered throughout were especially intriguing. There’s something quietly magnetic about the atmosphere she builds — I kept wanting more of that eerie, ritualistic energy woven into the story.

We follow Emma, who initially presents as practical, intelligent, and distinctly separate from the elitist, wealth-soaked, power-driven university culture around her — think trust-fund privilege at its peak. But barely 30% in, she assimilates in a way that felt abrupt and off-putting. Suddenly she’s “not like other girls,” yet simultaneously boy-obsessed, losing herself and drifting from the friends around her with very little buildup. Then halfway through, her personality shifts again.

While I appreciated the lessons she ultimately learns, what she comes to stand for, and the found-family energy she eventually embraces, the inconsistencies in her characterization made it difficult for me to stay grounded in her journey. Some of the side characters also lacked enough development for me to feel attached to — or even clearly remember them — especially the girls in the fellowship. The fellowship itself felt like a dropped thread; we’re told it’s significant, but we see very little of her time or work within it.

Like others have mentioned, the book almost feels like two narratives woven together. I didn’t dislike that structure — it made sense in terms of the overarching plot — but the transitions between the two felt abrupt. I would have loved a bit more layering and integration.

That said, I loved purpose-driven Emma — the cunning, quick-thinking, justice-oriented version of her. The rage? The moral clarity? I could have handled even more of that. Maybe that’s something being set up for a continuation, because the ending hints there could be more to explore. 🤷🏽‍♀️

Overall, I don’t think this was a bad book at all. It offered a cool perspective, implemented in a way that was often compelling, and Breeze’s writing style genuinely stands out in the genre.

As an audiobook, it was solid, though I would’ve appreciated more vocal differentiation between characters to help ground some of the transitions.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown for the e-ARC!
I love Breeze's prose; reading her bio afterwards I found out she has a language degree and it shows. I think The Fox Hunt will be a hit; it has just enough darkness to make it feel unique without becoming unpalatable to a general audience, even people who don't normally read fantasy. The biggest note I have is that the first 30% of the book and the latter 70% are completely different, to the point where I felt like I was reading a different book past the first third, which was a little disappointing because I loved it to begin with.

Breeze creates such an exact sense of creeping dread throughout the scenes set at the University; the imagery and Emma's horror surrounding the mating frogs is not something I will easily forget. I can't remember the last time I read something that gave me such an innate sense we were hurtling towards something horrible (compliment). I will say that it does not at all match the description, so I can understand other readers not enjoying the initial buildup in the mortal world, but it was a pleasant surprise for me.

All of this to say that once we were in the Night City, the lack of tension in the atmosphere was a bit of a letdown for me. The story quickly morphed into a familiarly dark fairytale, which I always enjoy, but the sense of mystery was largely gone for me. I'm not sure it's possible to read this book and not feel disappointed by one of the sections, but that shouldn't be a deterrent for anyone who enjoys well-written dark fantasy, a protagonist who's really into animals, and feral women.

A couple of spoiler notes:

- I didn't love the ending, I felt like making Emma choose between the two worlds would have been more impactful, and fit more with the open-ended nature of the book and the world (unless there is a sequel planned, in which case I'm okay with it).
- Vivien's character felt contradictory to me, and I wasn't sure if this was the point, but I did have a hard time believing that she roofied Imogen and then suddenly became a girl's girl in Emma's case. (Love a girl with a polearm though)
- We lost Emma's biology musings after about the 50% mark. I understand she had a lot going on but I missed seeing the world through that lens.

[Milda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook of The Fox Hunt by Caitlin Breeze in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

From the very first chapter, I felt completely unsteady in the best possible way — I truly had no idea where this story was going to take me 🦊✨. I went in expecting a more “traditional” dark academia tale: a simple girl dragged into a wealthy, secret society and hunted for sport. And while it starts with that familiar tension, it quickly unfolds into something far richer, stranger, and more magical than I ever anticipated.

Suddenly we’re in a world layered with enchantment — magical animal-like beings, a hauntingly beautiful library, dangerous bargains that feel almost fae-touched, and this simmering, powerful current of female rage 🔥📚. There’s something deeply satisfying about watching a heroine step into her strength in a world that underestimates her. The atmosphere felt lush and sharp at the same time — dark academia wrapped in fantasy and teeth.

And the villain reveal? I genuinely did not see it coming 😳. That twist made the emotional payoff at the end even more satisfying. Watching the true antagonist face consequences was one of those “yes, this is exactly what you deserve” moments 👏🔥.

Even though there isn’t a sweeping romance at the center of the story, I didn’t miss it. What we get instead is something that felt just as powerful — found family, trust built slowly, and a journey toward self-love and self-acceptance 💛. Those emotional beats hit harder for me than a love story would have.

I also want to highlight the audiobook narration — it was beautifully done 🎧✨. The narrator brought real emotional weight to the story, especially during the more intense and vulnerable scenes. The performance added depth and atmosphere, making the magical elements feel immersive and the emotional moments feel raw and genuine. It truly elevated the experience for me.

Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. If you love dark academia with unexpected fantasy twists, magical libraries, dangerous secrets, and emotionally satisfying endings — this one is worth your time.

#TheFoxHunt #NetGalley

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book deeply atmospheric and emotionally engaging in many parts, though it did not always maintain its grip. What I appreciated most was the way the story builds tension slowly, letting moments of unease linger until they land with real weight. Once the fantasy elements fully emerge, the sense of danger feels earned, and the darker themes of class, privilege, and power become more compelling. The setting feels lush, the magical underworld haunting, and there are vivid images such as rotting roses in enclosed gardens and bargains with mysterious forces that stayed with me.

The main character is sympathetic even in her mistakes. Watching her want to belong, to climb into a world that dazzles, only to discover that the glamour conceals something cruel, made her arc resonate. She stumbles and misreads people, but those flaws make her more real rather than less. When the story picks up, I was invested in her choices, even when I wanted to yell at her to pull back. The moments of sisterhood and the way power operates in these elite circles were some of the strongest parts of the book.

But there were moments where the pacing felt uneven. The first quarter of the book is very slow, with a lot of atmosphere, setup, and world building, and for me it dragged at times. Some of the rituals and certain scenes felt overly familiar, such as secret societies and elite universities with hidden deals, and the shift in tone from near horror into fantastical faerie bargain territory was sometimes jarring rather than seamless. Also, while the lore has promise, I wanted more explanation and more depth in how the magic works. I also wanted more detail in the Night City and its rules so that the stakes felt even higher.

By the end I was mostly pleased. The final stretch is satisfying and leaves room for more. Even the flaws did not break the experience, as I ended up thinking about the characters and what power means, what it costs to belong, and what you might sacrifice along the way. It is not perfect, but the highs are high, and the emotional texture is rich enough that I will remember this one.

3.5 rounded to 4 stars.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining read, a dark academia story with some mysterious twists. I really enjoyed the writing and appreciated the descriptive style a lot, it really added to the feel of the story and made it easy to imagine where it takes place.

It starts off set at Cambridge, seeming like a typical academia story, but something is lurking beneath the surface, luring you in, and rapidly you’re hooked. Emma gets involved with Jasper, the ‘leader’ of a secret society. And things quickly go from a bit odd to “what the hell is going on here?”

We learn what the boys are willing to do for power, and to make sure the society keeps its reputation and the men who leave it will find a successful place in the world.

The book takes a huge turn about 30% into the book, and while I enjoyed both parts. I had really gotten into the first bit, and was totally binging it. The vibe of the remainder of the book was very different and took me a while to get back into.
It felt a bit like I was reading two different stories that could maybe have been blended together a little bit better. The transition felt quite sudden and the world felt like it had to be rebuilt completely, but once I found my flow it was once again pretty addicting.

We find out what exactly is hiding under the surface as Emma ‘escapes’ the claws of an evil brotherhood, and while facing the consequences of what they did to her, she finds herself in the loving arms of a sisterhood. This contrast between the power-hungry men and love of these women made me angry and sad and I recognised a lot of this from the world we’re living in. And the feelings of anger and revenge Emma felt was something that radiated off the pages.

If you compare a book to one of Schwab’s, I’m sceptical until proven otherwise. But I can see why this is being compared, from the writing style to themes of the book. It’s set in the real world, but with that hint of magic and mystery, a subtle and strange (in the best way) fantasy that slowly unfolds. It’s not a book you could truly compare, but I do think Schwab fans would like this. The mystery and use of nature in this book also reminded me a bit of T. Kingfisher, although I haven’t read a lot from this author.

With themes of corruption, power, revenge, secret societies and hidden worlds this was a very unique and entertaining read. And overall I really enjoyed it.