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Noctua
Alex Kelton believes in second chances.
For herself, most of all. Accepted into the prestigious boarding school of her dreams, Noctua, and abandoning the group home she had been raised in; things seem to be looking up for Alex. That is, until she finds herself half drowned in the lake of her new school clutching on to the body of her classmate with a mysterious letter left in her room.
Alex appears to have found herself thrust into a dangerous mystery rather than a rigorous course schedule, and she must find a way to satiate a note leaving stalker.
Luckily, there are still some upsides to Noctua; the classes Alex loves, the delicious foods, and—perhaps most of all—her new relationship with the enigmatic head of school’s son, James Arison, and his eccentric group of friends.
Together, they uncover new realities about Alex’s supposedly dead parents, learn necromancy may hold more truth than fiction, and do some good old fashioned grave digging—a great way to bring friends closer.
At least, that’s what Alex hopes.
Through her time at Noctua, through the riddles and twists she encounters, Alex must decide whether she still believes in second chances.
For herself, most of all. Accepted into the prestigious boarding school of her dreams, Noctua, and abandoning the group home she had been raised in; things seem to be looking up for Alex. That is, until she finds herself half drowned in the lake of her new school clutching on to the body of her classmate with a mysterious letter left in her room.
Alex appears to have found herself thrust into a dangerous mystery rather than a rigorous course schedule, and she must find a way to satiate a note leaving stalker.
Luckily, there are still some upsides to Noctua; the classes Alex loves, the delicious foods, and—perhaps most of all—her new relationship with the enigmatic head of school’s son, James Arison, and his eccentric group of friends.
Together, they uncover new realities about Alex’s supposedly dead parents, learn necromancy may hold more truth than fiction, and do some good old fashioned grave digging—a great way to bring friends closer.
At least, that’s what Alex hopes.
Through her time at Noctua, through the riddles and twists she encounters, Alex must decide whether she still believes in second chances.
450 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2025
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 28, 2025
I wrote this book and I love it…totally not biased. 5 stars. Self love.
December 30, 2025
Everyone needs to read this book right now. One of the most exquisite debut novels one could read, such beautiful writing and imagery and the most lovable characters. Every twist and turn kept me entirely tuned in and excited to what comes next. So yeah read Noctua if you’re cool and hot and the best.
November 25, 2025
Simultaneously comforting and thrilling. This book is perfect if you want to sit down and get lost in another world. it doesn't hesitate to pull you in, the second you start reading.
November 29, 2025
I often scour sites such as these for things that pique my interest. It could be something atypical, such as a familiar author's name, a maximalist cover, or even reviews that urge me to seek out what this book entails. Although this novel had none. A simplistic navy blue cover with one Latin word. Barely any reviews, and a short in-depth synopsis. It piqued.
A dark, brooding, melodramatic tale with hints of unexpected humanity in a book about the dead was something beyond any prenotation I could've imagined before reading the first page. An author's ability to sew emotion into adjectives should never be devalued, and this is the proof of pudding. Noctua tackles tropes refreshingly and strays towards its plots in utmost zeal without allowing the light to overtake the dark too much.
In all honesty, I’m not very fond of novels that include romance combined with other genres, and at that, nonsensical love is another pet peeve of mine. As in my past, I’ve realized it begins to get difficult not to allow the love to overtake the genre, without either sacrificing the integrity of a character for this plot device, or leaving the mixed genre to fall flat for the name of love. Although Noctua allows me to see past that. They amalgamate without issue, and at that, add another level of moral questioning for the reader and the characters.
And to end. It is unbelievable that this is the author's first book. Dayna Bhatti Roberts gives a refreshing breath of air to the dark fantasy genre. That has now been oversaturated with the nonsensical love I so dislike. She reads similarly to Margaret Atwood, with frail tablespoons of Christopher Buehlman and Carol Ann Duffy to compensate. I’m excited to see what comes next from her.
A dark, brooding, melodramatic tale with hints of unexpected humanity in a book about the dead was something beyond any prenotation I could've imagined before reading the first page. An author's ability to sew emotion into adjectives should never be devalued, and this is the proof of pudding. Noctua tackles tropes refreshingly and strays towards its plots in utmost zeal without allowing the light to overtake the dark too much.
In all honesty, I’m not very fond of novels that include romance combined with other genres, and at that, nonsensical love is another pet peeve of mine. As in my past, I’ve realized it begins to get difficult not to allow the love to overtake the genre, without either sacrificing the integrity of a character for this plot device, or leaving the mixed genre to fall flat for the name of love. Although Noctua allows me to see past that. They amalgamate without issue, and at that, add another level of moral questioning for the reader and the characters.
And to end. It is unbelievable that this is the author's first book. Dayna Bhatti Roberts gives a refreshing breath of air to the dark fantasy genre. That has now been oversaturated with the nonsensical love I so dislike. She reads similarly to Margaret Atwood, with frail tablespoons of Christopher Buehlman and Carol Ann Duffy to compensate. I’m excited to see what comes next from her.
December 18, 2025
Magical, suspenseful and emotionally rich!
The book is a captivating blend of magic, young romance, friendship and adventure that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The author creates a world where enchantment feels real. What truly stands out is how the story balances suspense with tender emotional moments. The relationships between the characters feel authentic and it is beautifully developed. This is a gripping novel and a must read for anyone who loves fantasy filled with heart and unforgettable characters.
The book is a captivating blend of magic, young romance, friendship and adventure that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The author creates a world where enchantment feels real. What truly stands out is how the story balances suspense with tender emotional moments. The relationships between the characters feel authentic and it is beautifully developed. This is a gripping novel and a must read for anyone who loves fantasy filled with heart and unforgettable characters.
November 16, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
One of my favorite reads of the year! This book had everything…romance, mystery, found family and magic! I absolutely loved it. The friend group’s dynamic is so well written and so genuinely heartwarming. It was one of those stories where I had a hard time leaving the characters behind! The mystery part of the novel - wow I did NOT see that plot twist coming. Also the romance plot was done so so well. I highly recommend reading this book!! Can’t wait to read more from the author :)
One of my favorite reads of the year! This book had everything…romance, mystery, found family and magic! I absolutely loved it. The friend group’s dynamic is so well written and so genuinely heartwarming. It was one of those stories where I had a hard time leaving the characters behind! The mystery part of the novel - wow I did NOT see that plot twist coming. Also the romance plot was done so so well. I highly recommend reading this book!! Can’t wait to read more from the author :)
October 30, 2025
Absolutely the most amazing, wonderful, whimsical, book of all time ever and written by one of my best friends who could not write anything less than insanely wonderful even if she tried. Genuinely, I had the privilege of reading this while it was in the works and I want to relive it every day because it was so amazing I CANT WAIT FOR IT TO OFFICIALLY RELEASE❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
November 3, 2025
Loved the book. The story is super engaging, the crew in this book is just awesome. It’s hard not to love Alex and James, and really the whole crew.
It’s a book with many surprises, there are plenty of twists and turns you won’t see coming, which is my fav kind of book.
All in all, Noctua is a cozy book. The story, the characters, the romance, and the unexpected moments all come together to make it something special.
It’s a book with many surprises, there are plenty of twists and turns you won’t see coming, which is my fav kind of book.
All in all, Noctua is a cozy book. The story, the characters, the romance, and the unexpected moments all come together to make it something special.
January 13, 2026
had me hooked and turning the pages reallll quick. noctua is full of lovable characters with something new happening every few parts which kept me engaged with the story. the parts towards the end genuinely made me feel like i was there and made me forget i was reading. can’t wait to read the author’s next novel ;)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews