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Night Objects
Win a free print copy of this book!
26 days and 08:57:16
20 copies available
U.S. only
In this “vivid and immersive” (Liz Moore) debut, Eli Raphael conjures the windswept coast of Washington State and a boarding school steeped in privilege and deadly secrets—a remarkable story of grief, power, and the dangerous price of belonging.
It is true that I wished him dead dozens of times. Hundreds, even. But I, Lenny Winter, did not kill that boy.
Lenny Winter is fifteen years old when she moves with her parents to an aging houseboat off the rugged coast of Washington. She imagines a quiet life spent charting constellations and chasing her dream of becoming an astronomer. Instead, a sudden tragedy shatters her world and catapults her to Blanchard, a renowned boarding school for the Pacific Northwest's elite, where wealth and tradition rule.
Blanchard is dazzling, insular–and haunted by its own legends. At its heart lurks the Pascalianum Club, a secret society known to shape the school's greatest and most notorious students, and whose influence stretches far beyond campus walls. Hungry to belong, Lenny is drawn into its orbit, even as she senses that the club feeds on the very vulnerabilities she is desperate to hide. As privilege collides with grief and loyalty warps into obsession, Lenny’s choices will lead to an unforgettable reckoning—and a murder investigation that will test every story she tells herself about guilt, power, hope, and who she is becoming. Sweeping, suspenseful, and deeply moving, Bright Work is both a gripping mystery and a profound coming-of-age story—asking what we risk, what we become, and who we hold dear, when the need to belong eclipses everything else.
It is true that I wished him dead dozens of times. Hundreds, even. But I, Lenny Winter, did not kill that boy.
Lenny Winter is fifteen years old when she moves with her parents to an aging houseboat off the rugged coast of Washington. She imagines a quiet life spent charting constellations and chasing her dream of becoming an astronomer. Instead, a sudden tragedy shatters her world and catapults her to Blanchard, a renowned boarding school for the Pacific Northwest's elite, where wealth and tradition rule.
Blanchard is dazzling, insular–and haunted by its own legends. At its heart lurks the Pascalianum Club, a secret society known to shape the school's greatest and most notorious students, and whose influence stretches far beyond campus walls. Hungry to belong, Lenny is drawn into its orbit, even as she senses that the club feeds on the very vulnerabilities she is desperate to hide. As privilege collides with grief and loyalty warps into obsession, Lenny’s choices will lead to an unforgettable reckoning—and a murder investigation that will test every story she tells herself about guilt, power, hope, and who she is becoming. Sweeping, suspenseful, and deeply moving, Bright Work is both a gripping mystery and a profound coming-of-age story—asking what we risk, what we become, and who we hold dear, when the need to belong eclipses everything else.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 26, 2026
About the author
Eli Raphael
1 book62 followersEli Raphael grew up in Miami, Florida, and now lives in rural Washington State. This is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
May 8, 2026
This was a really good book. I could not put it down. I had to know what was going to happen. I loved the characters and the storyline. I thought it was well written. I will look for other books by this author. I would definitely recommend this book.
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May 17, 2026It's hard to write dark academia after The Secret History, but this very impressive debut is a great addition to the subgenre! A friend/frenemy group at an elite institution with a secret society, and one ends up dead!
Narrated by a grief-stricken fifteen year old girl sent to boarding school after the sudden and traumatic loss of her mother (more content advisory below) is a murder mystery wrapped in a coming of age story wrapped in a parable about the dark side of privilege.
Alena "Lenny" Winter watched her astronomer mother die in front of her, and when her stepfather suggests she follow through with her mother's plan that she attend boarding school on Salish Island near Seattle, she agrees.
The Blanchard school is an interesting blend of tradition and a neo-hippy dippy PNW feel. As a longtime reader of YA (which this book is not) the fifteen year old narrator and her assessment of the kids and adults around her felt authentic. It reminded me a little of Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, which also had a teen narrator but a completely different vibe.
Lenny is a scholarship student and learning the ways of the jaded nepo baby school population is a lot. She's recently been through a horrible trauma and could really use more therapy than she gets. She can never really be sure if she can trust any of the other students, but she does keep in touch with Sara, a friend from home. When Sara has a money-making idea to get both of them out of less than ideal situations, Lenny agrees. And that's when things get even darker...
Content advisory: sexual assault, death of a parent, descriptions of hazing. And a murder.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Narrated by a grief-stricken fifteen year old girl sent to boarding school after the sudden and traumatic loss of her mother (more content advisory below) is a murder mystery wrapped in a coming of age story wrapped in a parable about the dark side of privilege.
Alena "Lenny" Winter watched her astronomer mother die in front of her, and when her stepfather suggests she follow through with her mother's plan that she attend boarding school on Salish Island near Seattle, she agrees.
The Blanchard school is an interesting blend of tradition and a neo-hippy dippy PNW feel. As a longtime reader of YA (which this book is not) the fifteen year old narrator and her assessment of the kids and adults around her felt authentic. It reminded me a little of Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, which also had a teen narrator but a completely different vibe.
Lenny is a scholarship student and learning the ways of the jaded nepo baby school population is a lot. She's recently been through a horrible trauma and could really use more therapy than she gets. She can never really be sure if she can trust any of the other students, but she does keep in touch with Sara, a friend from home. When Sara has a money-making idea to get both of them out of less than ideal situations, Lenny agrees. And that's when things get even darker...
Content advisory: sexual assault, death of a parent, descriptions of hazing. And a murder.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
May 28, 2026
Night Objects is a gripping, thoughtful, and beautifully wrought novel that is at once fast-paced and haunting in the depths of its mediations on loss, relationships, class, and the liabilities that are love and trust. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book so quickly or felt so moved by the precision of many of its details. In these sometimes murky, mostly majestic northern settings, the way water smells and trees move and seasons change the weight of the air and patterns in the light render vivid, broad feeling; the minor characters are pitched so perfectly I felt like knew them; and the plot twists are teased wonderfully and yet remain surprises. Beyond all of this, I just enjoyed being in this world for a while. There is no doubt in my mind I’ll read her next book.
May 30, 2026
I hope that everyone who needs to finds this book because it was tremendous!
June 3, 2026
2.5 STARS rated down because MC showed little growth
After Lennie’s mother dies, her stepfather Yip sends her to boarding school. Lennie, a mix-raced fifteen year old is tapped by not-so-secret society as a “diversity” choice, which she’s told and seems not to mind.
Other reviewers say NIGHT OBJECTS is a story of grief and depression. I disagree although both are present likely played into Lennie’s choices. Lennie’s near nonexistent sense of self-worth was the biggest factor in her inability to make wise decisions whether that be choosing uplifting friends or learning from her experiences.
I really wanted to like and champion Lennie because I understand her feelings of abandonment, grief and low self esteem fueled her behavior. As in life, that gets old. Growth occurs incrementally. I would have liked to have seen greater progress as she looked back on her life as an adult.
Eli Raphael prose was at times poetic, her word-building often beautiful, though sometimes heavy-handed. More than one simile in multiple sentences made reading clunky.
After Lennie’s mother dies, her stepfather Yip sends her to boarding school. Lennie, a mix-raced fifteen year old is tapped by not-so-secret society as a “diversity” choice, which she’s told and seems not to mind.
Other reviewers say NIGHT OBJECTS is a story of grief and depression. I disagree although both are present likely played into Lennie’s choices. Lennie’s near nonexistent sense of self-worth was the biggest factor in her inability to make wise decisions whether that be choosing uplifting friends or learning from her experiences.
I really wanted to like and champion Lennie because I understand her feelings of abandonment, grief and low self esteem fueled her behavior. As in life, that gets old. Growth occurs incrementally. I would have liked to have seen greater progress as she looked back on her life as an adult.
Eli Raphael prose was at times poetic, her word-building often beautiful, though sometimes heavy-handed. More than one simile in multiple sentences made reading clunky.
June 11, 2026
This was one of those books that kept me interested the whole time but didn't click for me. I enjoyed the writing but there were a lot of parts that felt unnecessary. The PC thing was a little weird. But overall, it was a cool read. I'm looking forward to seeing what else Eli writes.
June 17, 2026
I absolutely don't buy that these five teenagers could keep a secret that they murdered someone. They don't even all like each other, and Vikram and Sloan in particular have no reason to maintain the story they came up with. I also don't buy that the case was just dropped because of the secret society connections, especially since didn't Henry's father also have connections and money? He for sure would have had private detectives on the case. And it's not like they covered their tracks well! There definitely would have been blood left on the beach, and the pictures that were taken of the constellations and recovered by the teenagers would have pinpointed to where they'd been so it's not like where they were directly before the murder should have been difficult to find out.
There were also the other witnesses in Seattle at the house that are never brought up. I have a hard time believing that Henry hadn't sent that video somewhere for safekeeping.
And why did none of the medical professionals question multiple teenagers that show up with fresh and healed brands after a supposed accident? I suppose this could be explained by the police are bad at solving crimes, but that wasn't explored as a theme so doesn't feel like it fits as an explanation.
It did end up making the whole book and story feel very juvenile. Then again, I don't read many mystery/thrillers, so maybe this is just how it is, but I was hoping for something a little deeper like Whidbey, The God of the Woods, or I Have Some Questions for You.
There were also the other witnesses in Seattle at the house that are never brought up. I have a hard time believing that Henry hadn't sent that video somewhere for safekeeping.
And why did none of the medical professionals question multiple teenagers that show up with fresh and healed brands after a supposed accident? I suppose this could be explained by the police are bad at solving crimes, but that wasn't explored as a theme so doesn't feel like it fits as an explanation.
It did end up making the whole book and story feel very juvenile. Then again, I don't read many mystery/thrillers, so maybe this is just how it is, but I was hoping for something a little deeper like Whidbey, The God of the Woods, or I Have Some Questions for You.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 4, 2026
Didn't really hate it, but didn't enjoy it either.
May 28, 2026
Ooh, ooh, ooh!! I hate to say this because then expectations will be high, BUT I think we finally have a worthy dark academia successor to The Secret History! It has very similar vibes—boarding school, secret society, murder. I LOVED it!
Lenny is our fish out of water, a scholarship student at a fancy boarding school in Washington State, trying to find her way after the death of her mother. She is quickly befriended by two guys who seem on the perimeter of the social scene, Vikram and Nico, and just as quickly snubbed by Sloan, her snotty roommate. But then in woodworking class, she is teamed up with Henry, the alluring blond asshole straight from John Hughes central casting, and then she finds herself tapped to pledge the exclusive secret society on campus. Looks like just about everything is falling into place! Well, except not.
The setting here is fabulous and fabulously rendered. Forests and gray skies and the ever-present rain definitely add to the melancholic vibe. The author divides the chapters into Before and After, so we know something terrible has happened, but the details don't become clear until the end, teasing us with what we think we know.
A definite must read! Thanks so much to Grand Central Publishing, via NetGalley, for the ARC!
Lenny is our fish out of water, a scholarship student at a fancy boarding school in Washington State, trying to find her way after the death of her mother. She is quickly befriended by two guys who seem on the perimeter of the social scene, Vikram and Nico, and just as quickly snubbed by Sloan, her snotty roommate. But then in woodworking class, she is teamed up with Henry, the alluring blond asshole straight from John Hughes central casting, and then she finds herself tapped to pledge the exclusive secret society on campus. Looks like just about everything is falling into place! Well, except not.
The setting here is fabulous and fabulously rendered. Forests and gray skies and the ever-present rain definitely add to the melancholic vibe. The author divides the chapters into Before and After, so we know something terrible has happened, but the details don't become clear until the end, teasing us with what we think we know.
A definite must read! Thanks so much to Grand Central Publishing, via NetGalley, for the ARC!
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May 23, 2026Bee fly dark past
presnt hunt rivir of blood
burn surviv
detrmen hunt truth
won burning flawr
bee open door of time
be me
fly as gd art
truth
presnt hunt rivir of blood
burn surviv
detrmen hunt truth
won burning flawr
bee open door of time
be me
fly as gd art
truth
June 9, 2026
I hated this book. Not sure why. I think it was compared to The Secret History, but it was nowhere close. Such a slog to get through. Only finished because I had paid for it on Audible.
June 16, 2026
4.5. a goooorgeously written and often extremely poignant book that tried to bite off a bit more than it could chew. the protagonist felt incredibly real; her grief and how it affected her life, and affected the life of everyone she came to know, was a study that was simultaneously beautiful and devastating. for this reason, I do feel the plot with the club was necessary. it allowed you to see just how desperate she was for approval and love.
but the club stuff is also why I'm not giving Night Objects five stars. this book is what I'd call a literary thriller, which means it's leading to a pretty dramatic climax along with some twists. and while this book did need an "explosion" of some kind, what Raphael went with was like the most obvious choice, complete with a villain giving an Evil Monologue in their last minutes. I'm genuinely not even sure why like the one big twist happened other than padding the page count.
but overall, this book is an insanely impressive debut. the writing is stunning and the character work is, again with the exception of the Evil Monologuer, incredibly well done. like you get why people do what they do, even if the behavior often ranges from "flawed" to "downright horrendous Lenny girl get outta there." there were a bunch of moments that were so beautifully written and/or emotional that I had to put the book down for a bit. and man, do I want to go visit the PNW again. I will be on the lookout for more by this author.
(also just glancing at the front page reviews... can an author write any book about a school and not have it compared to The Secret History? ffs)
but the club stuff is also why I'm not giving Night Objects five stars. this book is what I'd call a literary thriller, which means it's leading to a pretty dramatic climax along with some twists. and while this book did need an "explosion" of some kind, what Raphael went with was like the most obvious choice, complete with a villain giving an Evil Monologue in their last minutes. I'm genuinely not even sure why like the one big twist happened other than padding the page count.
but overall, this book is an insanely impressive debut. the writing is stunning and the character work is, again with the exception of the Evil Monologuer, incredibly well done. like you get why people do what they do, even if the behavior often ranges from "flawed" to "downright horrendous Lenny girl get outta there." there were a bunch of moments that were so beautifully written and/or emotional that I had to put the book down for a bit. and man, do I want to go visit the PNW again. I will be on the lookout for more by this author.
(also just glancing at the front page reviews... can an author write any book about a school and not have it compared to The Secret History? ffs)
June 23, 2026
⭐️⭐️
Eli Raphael’s debut has real strengths: the Pacific Northwest setting is rendered with genuine atmosphere, and the central mystery surrounding Lenny Winter’s time at the elite Blanchard School has an intriguing premise — grief, class tension, and a secretive club that pulls a grieving teenager into something dangerous. The bones of a compelling story are here, and Raphael’s prose has moments that land.
Where the book lost me was in its structure. The dual timeline, jumping between Lenny’s past at Blanchard and her present-day reflections, never built the momentum it seemed to be reaching for. Instead of generating suspense, the back-and-forth made the pacing feel scattered, and small details that should have moved quickly were drawn out far longer than they needed to be. By the midpoint, the slow-burn approach had tipped into sluggish, and I found myself trudging through chapters rather than getting pulled forward.
There’s clearly talent here, and readers who enjoy a more meditative, character-driven mystery may have more patience for the pacing than I did. But for me, the payoff didn’t match the effort it took to get through it; solid ideas undercut by a structure that worked against the story rather than for it.
Eli Raphael’s debut has real strengths: the Pacific Northwest setting is rendered with genuine atmosphere, and the central mystery surrounding Lenny Winter’s time at the elite Blanchard School has an intriguing premise — grief, class tension, and a secretive club that pulls a grieving teenager into something dangerous. The bones of a compelling story are here, and Raphael’s prose has moments that land.
Where the book lost me was in its structure. The dual timeline, jumping between Lenny’s past at Blanchard and her present-day reflections, never built the momentum it seemed to be reaching for. Instead of generating suspense, the back-and-forth made the pacing feel scattered, and small details that should have moved quickly were drawn out far longer than they needed to be. By the midpoint, the slow-burn approach had tipped into sluggish, and I found myself trudging through chapters rather than getting pulled forward.
There’s clearly talent here, and readers who enjoy a more meditative, character-driven mystery may have more patience for the pacing than I did. But for me, the payoff didn’t match the effort it took to get through it; solid ideas undercut by a structure that worked against the story rather than for it.
June 26, 2026
1 star--I didn't like it. Content warning for .
I was hoping for a secret society with creepy occult happenings, not just the usual privilege, wealth, and drinking/drugs. Very depressing, very navel-gazey, one-dimensional characters, and a narrator who annoyed me even while I felt sorry for her. Overlong and overwrought, and the was very distressing.
I was hoping for a secret society with creepy occult happenings, not just the usual privilege, wealth, and drinking/drugs. Very depressing, very navel-gazey, one-dimensional characters, and a narrator who annoyed me even while I felt sorry for her. Overlong and overwrought, and the was very distressing.
June 16, 2026
i did really enjoy this. i thought it was beautifully written, and very gothic in many ways. just found myself becoming frustrated, and i kept putting it down because of that
June 25, 2026
The vibes- immaculate👌🏼 I devoured this book! Will be keeping an eye out for more books by this author. I can’t believe this was a debut book.
July 4, 2026
This book is categorized as adult fiction, but it feels very YA. It would likely benefit from a change in target audience.
June 27, 2026
Very enjoyable for a debut novel! Appreciated that it was a mystery AND a coming-of-age story. Variety is the spice of life
June 9, 2026
Had to give this up after the third "she wasn't every good looking" said by the most boring obnoxious pick me ever
April 10, 2026
Review to come. Thank you Goodreads for the giveaway!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ebook!
📝 Summary:
Night Objects follows fifteen year old Lenny Winter after a tragedy completely changes the course of her life. Moving to the rugged coast of Washington and eventually finding herself at the elite Blanchard boarding school, Lenny becomes pulled into a world of wealth, privilege, grief, obsession, and dangerous secrets. At the center of it all is the Pascalianum Club, a secret society whose influence stretches far beyond the school itself. As Lenny struggles to understand who she is and where she belongs, the lines between loyalty, power, identity, and manipulation begin to blur, all leading toward a murder investigation that forces everyone’s secrets into the light.
Review:
Night Objects completely worked for me. Growing up watching movies like The Skulls, I have always loved stories centered around secret societies, elite schools, hidden power structures, and the dangerous need to belong somewhere, and this book absolutely delivered that atmosphere for me. From the very beginning there was this heavy feeling of tension underneath everything, like every conversation, every tradition, and every relationship inside Blanchard carried hidden motives and quiet manipulation.
What really made this book stand out to me though was Lenny. She felt incredibly real throughout the entire story. Watching her try to navigate grief, loneliness, identity, class differences, and the overwhelming desire to find connection made her feel deeply human. I think a lot of readers will see parts of themselves in Lenny because at its core this is such a strong story about wanting acceptance and trying to figure out where you fit in while still holding onto yourself. Her emotional journey honestly carried the entire novel for me.
The boarding school setting was done so well too. Eli Raphael created this world that felt beautiful, isolated, privileged, and quietly dangerous all at once. The Pascalianum Club added exactly the kind of dark academia energy I love without feeling overly dramatic or unrealistic. Instead of relying only on twists or shock value, the story really focused on emotional depth, complicated relationships, power dynamics, and the psychological weight of belonging to something bigger than yourself.
I also appreciated how layered and detailed the writing felt. This was not a fast, surface-level thriller rushing from one dramatic moment to another. The story took time building its atmosphere, relationships, and emotional tension, and because of that everything felt richer and more immersive. There were moments where I honestly forgot I was reading a debut because the writing felt so confident and emotionally grounded.
What surprised me most was how emotional this book became underneath the mystery. Yes, there is a murder investigation and secret society elements, but for me the strongest part was really Lenny’s personal growth and the way the story explored grief, loneliness, identity, privilege, and self-worth. It made the book feel much bigger than just a dark academia mystery.
Honestly, this ended up being a 4.5 star read rounded up to 5 stars for me because I genuinely loved the atmosphere, the emotional depth, and especially Lenny as a character. This is one of those books that slowly pulls you into its world until you realize you are completely invested in both the mystery and the people inside it.
✅ **Would I recommend it?**
Absolutely, especially if you love dark academia, secret societies, elite boarding school settings, emotionally layered coming of age stories, and mysteries that focus just as much on character growth and belonging as they do suspense. If you grew up loving stories like The Skulls and enjoy books with atmospheric tension, complicated characters, and psychological depth, this is definitely worth picking up.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ebook!
📝 Summary:
Night Objects follows fifteen year old Lenny Winter after a tragedy completely changes the course of her life. Moving to the rugged coast of Washington and eventually finding herself at the elite Blanchard boarding school, Lenny becomes pulled into a world of wealth, privilege, grief, obsession, and dangerous secrets. At the center of it all is the Pascalianum Club, a secret society whose influence stretches far beyond the school itself. As Lenny struggles to understand who she is and where she belongs, the lines between loyalty, power, identity, and manipulation begin to blur, all leading toward a murder investigation that forces everyone’s secrets into the light.
Review:
Night Objects completely worked for me. Growing up watching movies like The Skulls, I have always loved stories centered around secret societies, elite schools, hidden power structures, and the dangerous need to belong somewhere, and this book absolutely delivered that atmosphere for me. From the very beginning there was this heavy feeling of tension underneath everything, like every conversation, every tradition, and every relationship inside Blanchard carried hidden motives and quiet manipulation.
What really made this book stand out to me though was Lenny. She felt incredibly real throughout the entire story. Watching her try to navigate grief, loneliness, identity, class differences, and the overwhelming desire to find connection made her feel deeply human. I think a lot of readers will see parts of themselves in Lenny because at its core this is such a strong story about wanting acceptance and trying to figure out where you fit in while still holding onto yourself. Her emotional journey honestly carried the entire novel for me.
The boarding school setting was done so well too. Eli Raphael created this world that felt beautiful, isolated, privileged, and quietly dangerous all at once. The Pascalianum Club added exactly the kind of dark academia energy I love without feeling overly dramatic or unrealistic. Instead of relying only on twists or shock value, the story really focused on emotional depth, complicated relationships, power dynamics, and the psychological weight of belonging to something bigger than yourself.
I also appreciated how layered and detailed the writing felt. This was not a fast, surface-level thriller rushing from one dramatic moment to another. The story took time building its atmosphere, relationships, and emotional tension, and because of that everything felt richer and more immersive. There were moments where I honestly forgot I was reading a debut because the writing felt so confident and emotionally grounded.
What surprised me most was how emotional this book became underneath the mystery. Yes, there is a murder investigation and secret society elements, but for me the strongest part was really Lenny’s personal growth and the way the story explored grief, loneliness, identity, privilege, and self-worth. It made the book feel much bigger than just a dark academia mystery.
Honestly, this ended up being a 4.5 star read rounded up to 5 stars for me because I genuinely loved the atmosphere, the emotional depth, and especially Lenny as a character. This is one of those books that slowly pulls you into its world until you realize you are completely invested in both the mystery and the people inside it.
✅ **Would I recommend it?**
Absolutely, especially if you love dark academia, secret societies, elite boarding school settings, emotionally layered coming of age stories, and mysteries that focus just as much on character growth and belonging as they do suspense. If you grew up loving stories like The Skulls and enjoy books with atmospheric tension, complicated characters, and psychological depth, this is definitely worth picking up.
May 28, 2026
Okay, first, to every glowing review that said this could sit on the same shelf as The Secret History, I seriously question if you even read TSH.
The only reason I'm not giving this one star is that, with a massive overhaul of the marketing, it could be a good YA read. It's not being marketed as YA, though, and that's a major flaw. I like YA, but I expect something different from adult fiction. One of the main reasons why books like TSH and If We Were Villains work so well is that the characters, while young adults, are still adults. Our protagonist is 15, and she acts like it. Pretentious college students who are rich and brilliant are a whole different thing than rich teenagers pretending to be intelligent.
Lenny is not a likable character. That's not a major issue for me, if the character feels authentic and interesting. However, she was SUPER judgmental of everyone, acted like people were below her constantly, and spent more time name dropping brands and costs of things than actually having any interests. Also, I found it super hard to believe she was this nerdy astronomer when she couldn't pass any classes and basically did no work. She just did drugs and critiqued EVERY female character she met.
There are only two main female characters outside Lenny's mom, who dies early on. One is her local sort of friend that she doesn't seem to think too highly of and describes throughout the book in a pretty condescending way, yet is probably the only decent human being in the book. The other is her roommate, and apparently she's ugly and rude and snobby and overall awful, yet we're supposed to care about anything she does? Why would you try to write a book about gender violence and racism and class structure if your MC ridicules every woman she meets?
This has more in common with Twilight than TSH. Most of this book is Lenny flirting between Nico, the guy she actually likes who's rich but apparently not rich enough and also Hispanic so somehow less than (there's some decent potential for commentary here but nothing comes of it and it feels worse that it's just sort of shoehorned in), and Henry, the sociopathic rich kid. High school Patrick Bateman. But without any of the charm or wittiness that PB has. So just a dick really.
There is no real reason she'd want to hang around with these people except that she wants to belong. That's SAID multiple times but the actions and plot don't really align with that. Mostly she just does whatever and everyone's a jerk and then they throw sexual assault in, and then there's a murder and it's hinted that there's some mystery and later on, we'll get the adult perspective. But the voice never changes, and the adult version seems to have learned nothing.
Also, early on, the MC mocks an assembly about consent while drinking, which feels tasteless given the direction of the book.
I don't understand the high reviews. This had zero emotional resonance, but if I was 16, maybe I'd think it was a fun read. So again, I guess I can give it two stars assuming we acknowledge it's YA.
I received this as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.
The only reason I'm not giving this one star is that, with a massive overhaul of the marketing, it could be a good YA read. It's not being marketed as YA, though, and that's a major flaw. I like YA, but I expect something different from adult fiction. One of the main reasons why books like TSH and If We Were Villains work so well is that the characters, while young adults, are still adults. Our protagonist is 15, and she acts like it. Pretentious college students who are rich and brilliant are a whole different thing than rich teenagers pretending to be intelligent.
Lenny is not a likable character. That's not a major issue for me, if the character feels authentic and interesting. However, she was SUPER judgmental of everyone, acted like people were below her constantly, and spent more time name dropping brands and costs of things than actually having any interests. Also, I found it super hard to believe she was this nerdy astronomer when she couldn't pass any classes and basically did no work. She just did drugs and critiqued EVERY female character she met.
There are only two main female characters outside Lenny's mom, who dies early on. One is her local sort of friend that she doesn't seem to think too highly of and describes throughout the book in a pretty condescending way, yet is probably the only decent human being in the book. The other is her roommate, and apparently she's ugly and rude and snobby and overall awful, yet we're supposed to care about anything she does? Why would you try to write a book about gender violence and racism and class structure if your MC ridicules every woman she meets?
This has more in common with Twilight than TSH. Most of this book is Lenny flirting between Nico, the guy she actually likes who's rich but apparently not rich enough and also Hispanic so somehow less than (there's some decent potential for commentary here but nothing comes of it and it feels worse that it's just sort of shoehorned in), and Henry, the sociopathic rich kid. High school Patrick Bateman. But without any of the charm or wittiness that PB has. So just a dick really.
There is no real reason she'd want to hang around with these people except that she wants to belong. That's SAID multiple times but the actions and plot don't really align with that. Mostly she just does whatever and everyone's a jerk and then they throw sexual assault in, and then there's a murder and it's hinted that there's some mystery and later on, we'll get the adult perspective. But the voice never changes, and the adult version seems to have learned nothing.
Also, early on, the MC mocks an assembly about consent while drinking, which feels tasteless given the direction of the book.
I don't understand the high reviews. This had zero emotional resonance, but if I was 16, maybe I'd think it was a fun read. So again, I guess I can give it two stars assuming we acknowledge it's YA.
I received this as an ARC from the publisher and NetGalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2026
I picked up Night Objects a few times before starting it. The first chapter is titled 'Antediluvian' and, frankly, that intimidated me. I thought, what I have signed up for with this ARC? But the reviews were positive, so in the most recent pickup, I read straight through to the finish. It's very good, but the first chapter title? It's indicative of some big words throughout; I cannot remember the last time I had to look up so many words! And I always wonder when this happens: is the author trying to be hyper-specific? Do they not realize that most people don't know the word 'opoponax'? Do they know and not care? Well, all that aside, Night Objects is great and I recommend it.
Night Objects refer to astronomic constellations that can be observed in the evening sky. In particular, this group of Night Objects refer to the Messina group, comprised of over 100 objects. A quick search tells me this is likely fictional, but I am sure it's based on astronomy and was interesting to have as a backdrop to the drama that unfolds within the story.
Lenny is living in Port Angeles, Washington, a major cultural shift from her previous hometown of Miami. Lenny's mom took a job in Port Angeles, so Lenny, mom, and her stepfather, Yip, moved to a small houseboat called the Goodnight Moon. Shortly thereafter, Lenny's mom passes away suddenly. In his grief and confusion, Yip sends Lenny to an elite boarding school, Blanchard, hoping they can care for her better than he can.
Blanchard is a school for the uber-wealthy's progeny. Lenny is working class, biracial, and has no idea how to fit in. When she is 'tapped' to Blanchard's secret society, Lenny can't believe it. Night Objects travels back and forth in time, starting 'before' (and mostly focused) in Lenny's Blanchard years and 'after', where we know something tragic has happened, but not the details.
This is a slow burn, world-building drama. I'm sure it's categorized as mystery or thriller, but while it's filled with cliffhangers at the end of every chapter, it doesn't read like a thriller to me. It is sad and heavy and maddening, but overall, more dramatic than mysterious. If you like boarding school drama, this is not light reading, but it is good reading. Recommended.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quote:
“And what can I say to those who have not yet lost their mothers? You will lose her. You should be so lucky to lose her. Because it means you had her to lose in the first place. It means that you, yourself, are alive. Death is the night between two days, and the pain of that darkness has touched every part of my life. And yet—when dawn came, I looked upon the world and saw joy in every corner. Life means something because one day it ends.”
Night Objects refer to astronomic constellations that can be observed in the evening sky. In particular, this group of Night Objects refer to the Messina group, comprised of over 100 objects. A quick search tells me this is likely fictional, but I am sure it's based on astronomy and was interesting to have as a backdrop to the drama that unfolds within the story.
Lenny is living in Port Angeles, Washington, a major cultural shift from her previous hometown of Miami. Lenny's mom took a job in Port Angeles, so Lenny, mom, and her stepfather, Yip, moved to a small houseboat called the Goodnight Moon. Shortly thereafter, Lenny's mom passes away suddenly. In his grief and confusion, Yip sends Lenny to an elite boarding school, Blanchard, hoping they can care for her better than he can.
Blanchard is a school for the uber-wealthy's progeny. Lenny is working class, biracial, and has no idea how to fit in. When she is 'tapped' to Blanchard's secret society, Lenny can't believe it. Night Objects travels back and forth in time, starting 'before' (and mostly focused) in Lenny's Blanchard years and 'after', where we know something tragic has happened, but not the details.
This is a slow burn, world-building drama. I'm sure it's categorized as mystery or thriller, but while it's filled with cliffhangers at the end of every chapter, it doesn't read like a thriller to me. It is sad and heavy and maddening, but overall, more dramatic than mysterious. If you like boarding school drama, this is not light reading, but it is good reading. Recommended.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quote:
“And what can I say to those who have not yet lost their mothers? You will lose her. You should be so lucky to lose her. Because it means you had her to lose in the first place. It means that you, yourself, are alive. Death is the night between two days, and the pain of that darkness has touched every part of my life. And yet—when dawn came, I looked upon the world and saw joy in every corner. Life means something because one day it ends.”
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Mesmerizing, transcendent, and impossible to forget, Night Objects was the kind of book that works itself deep into your mind, heart, and soul. From the lyrical prose to the atmospheric setting, the layers to this murder mystery had everything I could want plus just a little bit more. You see, it had all of the pieces to make me swoon: dark academia vibes, an insidious secret society, and a tragedy-filled past. As much as the foreboding-packed storyline had me spellbound, though, the characters were the star of the show in this one-sitting read. Realistically flawed in unsettling ways, the morally gray actions and manipulative schemes revealed a collection of character studies that were *mic drop* moves. After all, I went to a private boarding school myself, and while this motley crew of individuals went a bit beyond with the drama and intrigue, the motives, behaviors, and emotions felt scarily true-to-life.
There was one thing that beat out everything else in this whodunnit-meets-literary fiction debut, though. Filled with thought-provoking themes, it was as profound and emotive as it was chilling. Exploring friendship, privilege, identity, and belonging, this coming-of-age story easily surpassed most others. I mean, how many books take a hard look at class tension, the changing landscape of grief, and toxic friendships in one single go? Lightening the load with an almost Gilmore Girls-esque feel, the snappy dialogue and found family-ish vibe softened the sharp emotional depth of this stunning work of art when needed. At the same time, it was both a love letter to mothers and a web of secrets, betrayals, and lies. Perfect for fans of vivid imagery, complex characters, and books with a memoir-like feel, I can absolutely guarantee that you’ll be glued to the pages of this binge-able novel. Rating of 5 stars.
Other things I loved:
- Tear-jerking conclusion
- Immersive dual timelines
- Genre-bending plot
- A Secret History-like feel
- Heartfelt and potent
- Language worth savoring
- A definite sense of place
SYNOPSIS:
Lenny Winter is fifteen years-old when she moves with her parents to an aging houseboat off the rugged coast of Washington. She imagines a quiet life spent charting constellations and chasing her dream of becoming an astronomer. Instead, a sudden tragedy shatters her world and catapults her to Blanchard, a renowned boarding school for the Pacific Northwest's elite, where wealth and tradition rule.
Blanchard is dazzling, insular—and haunted by its own legends. At its heart lurks the Pascalianum Club, a secret society known to shape the school's greatest and most notorious students, and whose influence stretches far beyond campus walls. Hungry to belong, Lenny is drawn into its orbit, even as she senses that the club feeds on the very vulnerabilities she is desperate to hide.
As privilege collides with grief and loyalty warps into obsession, Lenny’s choices will lead to an unforgettable reckoning—and a murder investigation that will test every story she tells herself about guilt, power, hope, and who she is becoming.
Thank you Eli Rafael and Grand Central Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 26, 2026
Content warning: death of a parent, drug and alcohol use, racism, xenophobia, grief, abandonment, sexual assault, violence, gaslighting, toxic friendship, hazing, mention of: stroke
There was one thing that beat out everything else in this whodunnit-meets-literary fiction debut, though. Filled with thought-provoking themes, it was as profound and emotive as it was chilling. Exploring friendship, privilege, identity, and belonging, this coming-of-age story easily surpassed most others. I mean, how many books take a hard look at class tension, the changing landscape of grief, and toxic friendships in one single go? Lightening the load with an almost Gilmore Girls-esque feel, the snappy dialogue and found family-ish vibe softened the sharp emotional depth of this stunning work of art when needed. At the same time, it was both a love letter to mothers and a web of secrets, betrayals, and lies. Perfect for fans of vivid imagery, complex characters, and books with a memoir-like feel, I can absolutely guarantee that you’ll be glued to the pages of this binge-able novel. Rating of 5 stars.
Other things I loved:
- Tear-jerking conclusion
- Immersive dual timelines
- Genre-bending plot
- A Secret History-like feel
- Heartfelt and potent
- Language worth savoring
- A definite sense of place
SYNOPSIS:
Lenny Winter is fifteen years-old when she moves with her parents to an aging houseboat off the rugged coast of Washington. She imagines a quiet life spent charting constellations and chasing her dream of becoming an astronomer. Instead, a sudden tragedy shatters her world and catapults her to Blanchard, a renowned boarding school for the Pacific Northwest's elite, where wealth and tradition rule.
Blanchard is dazzling, insular—and haunted by its own legends. At its heart lurks the Pascalianum Club, a secret society known to shape the school's greatest and most notorious students, and whose influence stretches far beyond campus walls. Hungry to belong, Lenny is drawn into its orbit, even as she senses that the club feeds on the very vulnerabilities she is desperate to hide.
As privilege collides with grief and loyalty warps into obsession, Lenny’s choices will lead to an unforgettable reckoning—and a murder investigation that will test every story she tells herself about guilt, power, hope, and who she is becoming.
Thank you Eli Rafael and Grand Central Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: May 26, 2026
Content warning: death of a parent, drug and alcohol use, racism, xenophobia, grief, abandonment, sexual assault, violence, gaslighting, toxic friendship, hazing, mention of: stroke
June 1, 2026
Night Objects by Eli Raphael is a literary fiction novel with a mystery element. It is a slow burn in every sense of the phrase. Liz Moore blurbed the cover, and if you enjoy her style of mystery that focus more on character choices than the mystery itself, then this book could be for you. I like Liz Moore, and her endorsement was one of the reasons I picked this up. However, where Moore's novels hook me from the beginning, Night Objects did not.
Night Objects remained firmly in the middle for me. The pacing is uneven throughout. The opening is very slow, though it contains an emotional scene that really affected me. After that, the protagonist becomes emotionally numb because of the trauma. I'm fine with numbness on the surface, but I still need something happening internally, and I felt that was lacking. The story becomes more engaging once Alena starts acting out and pretending to be okay. The pace also improves significantly during the final 25% of the novel.
The ending and the mystery itself was good. I figured out some aspects but not all of them. The mystery reminded me a lot of How to Get Away with Murder. It was easily the strongest part of the book, but too much information is withheld until the end. Some of those reveals could have been used earlier to keep readers invested.
The time period also felt strange. The novel appears to be set around 2016, but there are almost no contemporary pop culture references. Instead, many references are from the late 1990s or early 2000s, Tyler Durden, Cher (specifically 1970s Cher), The Tudors, and Selena. At the same time, the characters are casually playing music on their cell phones. The setting felt oddly disconnected from any specific era, and it threw me off throughout the book.
I struggled to connect with many of the characters, especially Alena at first. Sloan, however, was a standout, and Raphael did a great job making her feel complex and fully realized. The shop teacher was another favorite, and I wanted much more of her. My favorite scene in the novel is probably the conversation between Alena and the shop teacher when both are speaking honestly with no filter. Yip, the stepfather, is part of one of the best stepfather/stepdaughter relationships I've ever read. Unfortunately, there weren't enough scenes between them. Most of the other characters irritated me, especially Nico, the primary love interest.
The title Night Objects refers to stars and galaxies visible in the night sky. I liked how astronomy was woven into the story and what the stars came to represent for Alena.
The ending ranged from good to great, but for me it was too little, too late. The secret society was one of the weaker aspects of the novel. As secret societies go, it wasn't particularly interesting, and it never felt especially secret.
Night Objects remained firmly in the middle for me. The pacing is uneven throughout. The opening is very slow, though it contains an emotional scene that really affected me. After that, the protagonist becomes emotionally numb because of the trauma. I'm fine with numbness on the surface, but I still need something happening internally, and I felt that was lacking. The story becomes more engaging once Alena starts acting out and pretending to be okay. The pace also improves significantly during the final 25% of the novel.
The ending and the mystery itself was good. I figured out some aspects but not all of them. The mystery reminded me a lot of How to Get Away with Murder. It was easily the strongest part of the book, but too much information is withheld until the end. Some of those reveals could have been used earlier to keep readers invested.
The time period also felt strange. The novel appears to be set around 2016, but there are almost no contemporary pop culture references. Instead, many references are from the late 1990s or early 2000s, Tyler Durden, Cher (specifically 1970s Cher), The Tudors, and Selena. At the same time, the characters are casually playing music on their cell phones. The setting felt oddly disconnected from any specific era, and it threw me off throughout the book.
I struggled to connect with many of the characters, especially Alena at first. Sloan, however, was a standout, and Raphael did a great job making her feel complex and fully realized. The shop teacher was another favorite, and I wanted much more of her. My favorite scene in the novel is probably the conversation between Alena and the shop teacher when both are speaking honestly with no filter. Yip, the stepfather, is part of one of the best stepfather/stepdaughter relationships I've ever read. Unfortunately, there weren't enough scenes between them. Most of the other characters irritated me, especially Nico, the primary love interest.
The title Night Objects refers to stars and galaxies visible in the night sky. I liked how astronomy was woven into the story and what the stars came to represent for Alena.
The ending ranged from good to great, but for me it was too little, too late. The secret society was one of the weaker aspects of the novel. As secret societies go, it wasn't particularly interesting, and it never felt especially secret.
July 5, 2026
I went into this book pretty blind – I had put it on my to-read list as a mystery, but I didn’t know much beyond that. In some ways a book like this is best without knowing too much, so you can see how it will unfold, but I will pass along two crucial things that would have set my expectations appropriately: (1) Lenny, the main character, who narrates the story looking back as an adult on this time during her teens, is a girl. This somehow took me a good 10% of the book to realize (I must have missed something), and that threw me off. (2) There is a mystery element, but this is not the driver of the plot. I’d characterize this as dark academia, as the main setting is a boarding school where Lenny starts in her junior year of high school, and though she is a “nobody” with none of the wealth and family connections of most of her classmates, and one of the few brown students at that, she is tapped to join the school’s chapter of a secret society. We know through the occasional chapters labeled as “after” that are interspersed throughout the book that something tragic has occurred, and in the “before” we gradually build up to this throughout the first semester and a half of the school year. The dark academia part and secret society definitely gave me If We Were Villains and Secret History vibes, but there’s also a strong coming-of-age thread as well as a fish-out-of-water element with how Lenny doesn’t fit in well at the school, which made me think of Curtis Sittenfeld’s Prep. Overall well written and definitely engaging, though maybe a better moody fall read than a beach read when you go on vibes. The decisions of these teenagers made me crazy at times; I think that’s kind of the point, seeing how lack of experience, wanting to fit in, social pressures, grief, adults turning blind eyes, etc. can wreak havoc. But still it made me a bit squirmy at times that stuff they were getting into, and the initiation type stuff, so even though well written I just couldn’t quite connect with the characters and fully immerse – that’s a me thing, and I think people who like the above mentioned books should definitely check this one out.
3.75 ⭐
3.75 ⭐
June 30, 2026
This was one of those books that I had to finish but kept putting it off because the Tone of Lenny’s URN (Unreliable Narrator) as this Coming-of-age reflection enfolds created such a harrowing Tone, I could only dread the reveals. Told over Three Parts, Raphael’s debut novel is an amalgamation of Lenny’s voice, naive to wise, very thoughtfully-created and authentic secondary CHs from her stepdad Yip to her townie friend Sara to the Bradford cohort: roommate Sloan, alpha dog Henry, and classmates Vikram and Nico. This novel is also a meditation on grief, the relentless need to belong to family, to friends, to society, to anyone, trenchantly intregrated themes like economic and social disparity, and the insularity and arrogance of elite institutions. The author uses all her burgeoning skills to create Tone through starry skies, winter’s icy blasts, the sea’s briny smell and the crunch of broken shells beneath one’s feet, the confusion of inebriation and the first glow of infatuation through her uses of the senses to describe the Washington State coast, forests, a creaking houseboat (Goodnight Moon<), a posh boarding school, stargazing, and the sawdust and tools of a wood shop. Mixed-race Lenny is a fully-realized woman of 26 telling her tale of one year after her mother dies when she was sixteen and a scholarship student at an elite boarding school. The chapters toggle between Before and After, and it is not until the very end does the reader learn exactly what that means. These is a satisfactory conclusion; however, you must embrace grey justice and some ethical murkiness to accept it. Kudos on a stellar first novel, from its intriguing title to its compelling, suspenseful story. RED FLAGS: Sexual Assault; Violent Assault and Death; Arrogant Cruelty; Hazing; Grief. Readalikes may be Elizabeth Klehfoth’s All These Beautiful Strangers, the authors Katy Hays and Phoebe Wynne, and, of course, Donna Tartt’s The Secret History.
May 26, 2026
Thank you to Hachette Audio for the ALC and Grand Central Publishing, #partner, for the advanced copy of Night Objects in exchange for my honest review.
This was one of those books that as soon as I was pitched it, I knew I had to read it and I’m so glad I did…and the fact that it’s a debut didn’t hurt! It’s one of those books that managed to quietly sneak up on me with just how powerful it really is.
Genre mashups have become my favorite and this one – a blend of mystery, literary thriller and a coming-of-age story – is so compelling in nature. At its center is Lenny, struggling not only with the grief of losing her mom, but also with loneliness and trying to make a real connection in her new boarding school – she just wants to belong. The way this is written felt so incredibly real and relatable – it’s such an emotional part of the story that I really wasn’t expecting. Lenny’s journey is a bumpy one, and I really appreciated those chapters told in the present where she is trying to make sense of all that had happened.
This isn’t a story to rush through, filled with big moment actions. Rather, the author takes her time building the relationships, creating the tension and creating the atmosphere. And it works. I was completely immersed and unable to think of anything but these characters, especially Lenny and what she was going through.
This book is for those who love stories about grief, dark academia, a secret society with a murder mystery thrown in. The prose is stunning and oh so vivid – I felt transported to the PNW and loved every second of it!
Audio thoughts: I started reading the physical copy but then grabbed the audio and loved the narration. Jasmin Walker, a new-to-me narrator, did such an amazing job adding to the overall tense nature of the story. She infused just the right amount of emotion into her voice as needed.
This was one of those books that as soon as I was pitched it, I knew I had to read it and I’m so glad I did…and the fact that it’s a debut didn’t hurt! It’s one of those books that managed to quietly sneak up on me with just how powerful it really is.
Genre mashups have become my favorite and this one – a blend of mystery, literary thriller and a coming-of-age story – is so compelling in nature. At its center is Lenny, struggling not only with the grief of losing her mom, but also with loneliness and trying to make a real connection in her new boarding school – she just wants to belong. The way this is written felt so incredibly real and relatable – it’s such an emotional part of the story that I really wasn’t expecting. Lenny’s journey is a bumpy one, and I really appreciated those chapters told in the present where she is trying to make sense of all that had happened.
This isn’t a story to rush through, filled with big moment actions. Rather, the author takes her time building the relationships, creating the tension and creating the atmosphere. And it works. I was completely immersed and unable to think of anything but these characters, especially Lenny and what she was going through.
This book is for those who love stories about grief, dark academia, a secret society with a murder mystery thrown in. The prose is stunning and oh so vivid – I felt transported to the PNW and loved every second of it!
Audio thoughts: I started reading the physical copy but then grabbed the audio and loved the narration. Jasmin Walker, a new-to-me narrator, did such an amazing job adding to the overall tense nature of the story. She infused just the right amount of emotion into her voice as needed.
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