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The Academy #2
The Thoroughbreds
Not yet published
Expected 15 Sep 26Win a free print copy of this book!
11 days and 21:17:25
25 copies available
U.S. only
Class is back in session!
It's the start of another school year at Tiffin, with our favorite characters from The Academy returning for senior year - "sixth form" in Tiffin‑speak - a time of college admissions and trying not to crack under pressure, of partying hard and last hurrahs.
In the wake of Honey Vandermeid's exit, will the new college counselor be up to the task? What do the cards hold in store for Tiffin's It couple, Charley and East? What will become of underground speakeasy Priorities? And what was in Cinnamon Peters's final email?
Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham answer these burning questions and more in The Thoroughbreds, a page‑turning story about friendship, treachery, ambition, and sacrifice.
It's the start of another school year at Tiffin, with our favorite characters from The Academy returning for senior year - "sixth form" in Tiffin‑speak - a time of college admissions and trying not to crack under pressure, of partying hard and last hurrahs.
In the wake of Honey Vandermeid's exit, will the new college counselor be up to the task? What do the cards hold in store for Tiffin's It couple, Charley and East? What will become of underground speakeasy Priorities? And what was in Cinnamon Peters's final email?
Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham answer these burning questions and more in The Thoroughbreds, a page‑turning story about friendship, treachery, ambition, and sacrifice.
464 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication September 15, 2026
About the author
Elin Hilderbrand
95 books62.6k followersElin Hilderbrand lives on Nantucket with her husband and their three young children. She grew up in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and traveled extensively before settling on Nantucket, which has been the setting for her five previous novels. Hilderbrand is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the graduate fiction workshop at the University of Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
Did Not Finish
April 21, 2026ARC for review. To be published September 5, 2026.
DNF at 13%
I usually stay away from Elin Hilderbrand’s books; I know they are popular but just not for me. However, I made an exception for her last book. THE ACADEMY, since it was set at a prep school and I love boarding school stories. I thought it was just OK, but when I saw there was a sequel I definitely wanted to take a look to see what happened next.
Inanity, that’s what. This just starts off SO badly. On the adult side the new head of school? She’s lost about seven million dollars of the school’s operating expenses because….she wasn’t paying attention?!?! And now she’s just not going to tell anyone while she sees whether she can figure it out for herself WITH THE GUY WHO TRICKED HER INTO LOSING THE MONEY. I’m supposed to feel sorry for this woman? She should be frogmarched out. This is beyond dumb.
On the side of the spoiled children it looks to be a battle of the influencers and the school’s golden boy doesn’t want to go to college. And you just know it’s all going to tie up into a neat little bow for these moneyed, beautiful people. Vomit.
I always get hate from mega fans of the authors when I rate a book a haven’t finished, but I would give this one star. Hilderbrand doesn’t seem like she’s even trying here.
DNF at 13%
I usually stay away from Elin Hilderbrand’s books; I know they are popular but just not for me. However, I made an exception for her last book. THE ACADEMY, since it was set at a prep school and I love boarding school stories. I thought it was just OK, but when I saw there was a sequel I definitely wanted to take a look to see what happened next.
Inanity, that’s what. This just starts off SO badly. On the adult side the new head of school? She’s lost about seven million dollars of the school’s operating expenses because….she wasn’t paying attention?!?! And now she’s just not going to tell anyone while she sees whether she can figure it out for herself WITH THE GUY WHO TRICKED HER INTO LOSING THE MONEY. I’m supposed to feel sorry for this woman? She should be frogmarched out. This is beyond dumb.
On the side of the spoiled children it looks to be a battle of the influencers and the school’s golden boy doesn’t want to go to college. And you just know it’s all going to tie up into a neat little bow for these moneyed, beautiful people. Vomit.
I always get hate from mega fans of the authors when I rate a book a haven’t finished, but I would give this one star. Hilderbrand doesn’t seem like she’s even trying here.
April 6, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown and Company for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
5⭐️!!!
THIS is how you write a sequel. If I’m being honest I MAY even like this better than the first book (too close to call). I was BEYOND excited to get this ARC because I loved “The Academy” so much and even had my last book club read it as our monthly selection. In this book we head back to Tiffin Academy where most of our former classmates return and as the popular kids say, “a new bombshell enters the villa” in the form of Phillippa “Pippa” Sacks. Along with a couple of other new faces, this school year gave us all the drama and intrigue from last season, PLUS some new rivalries and student/staff shenanigans. I loved every minute of this book. This book is set up just like the previous one- multiple POV’s, third-person omniscient structure, and quick chapters that will keep you reading late into the night.
Chaotic, messy and actually heart-warming at times, this book tied up all the loose ends from previous book, but gave us so many other intriguing storylines to follow. I think the authors even set up the ending to where the story could continue if they wanted it to. I’d love to return to Tiffin again to follow the new group of Thoroughbreds. And as I said in my review for “The Academy”, RUN this book to a Netflix/Hulu exec and make it into a series! These stories are begging to be put on the small screen.
5⭐️!!!
THIS is how you write a sequel. If I’m being honest I MAY even like this better than the first book (too close to call). I was BEYOND excited to get this ARC because I loved “The Academy” so much and even had my last book club read it as our monthly selection. In this book we head back to Tiffin Academy where most of our former classmates return and as the popular kids say, “a new bombshell enters the villa” in the form of Phillippa “Pippa” Sacks. Along with a couple of other new faces, this school year gave us all the drama and intrigue from last season, PLUS some new rivalries and student/staff shenanigans. I loved every minute of this book. This book is set up just like the previous one- multiple POV’s, third-person omniscient structure, and quick chapters that will keep you reading late into the night.
Chaotic, messy and actually heart-warming at times, this book tied up all the loose ends from previous book, but gave us so many other intriguing storylines to follow. I think the authors even set up the ending to where the story could continue if they wanted it to. I’d love to return to Tiffin again to follow the new group of Thoroughbreds. And as I said in my review for “The Academy”, RUN this book to a Netflix/Hulu exec and make it into a series! These stories are begging to be put on the small screen.
April 6, 2026
I’m so sad this book is over!
Another year at Tiffin! The drama is unreal. All of your favorite characters are back. Charley and East bring the relationship drama. There’s some new characters in the mix as well. I couldn’t put this book down and now I’m sad it’s over. So worth the read!!!
Another year at Tiffin! The drama is unreal. All of your favorite characters are back. Charley and East bring the relationship drama. There’s some new characters in the mix as well. I couldn’t put this book down and now I’m sad it’s over. So worth the read!!!
March 29, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of The Thoroughbreds in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled to be published in September.
The Thoroughbreds is the second book in The Academy series by mother-daughter duo Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham. The story returns to the elite boarding school setting introduced in The Academy, where wealth, privilege, friendships, secrets, and the pressures of the future all collide.
I have always been a fan of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels and was so sad when I heard she intended to retire. When I learned she would be writing a series with her daughter, I was incredibly excited. I really enjoyed The Academy and always described it as Gossip Girl at a boarding school, and the first book definitely left readers with questions.
I’m happy to say I really enjoyed The Thoroughbreds. The book does a great job refreshing readers on what happened in the first novel. You quickly remember the students you met before, while also being introduced to some new characters who add to the story. I found myself rooting for these kids during their college searches and life decisions, and also cringing for them as they made the kinds of mistakes teenagers often do. The authors did a wonderful job making you care about these characters and their futures.
I especially enjoyed the storyline and was really touched at the end when we finally learned what was in Cinnamon’s email. It felt like a satisfying and emotional wrap-up to the story.
If you enjoyed The Academy, you will be very pleased with the wrap-up in The Thoroughbreds. Fans of boarding school drama, coming-of-age stories, and character-driven novels will definitely want to pick this one up when it releases in September. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Thoroughbreds is the second book in The Academy series by mother-daughter duo Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham. The story returns to the elite boarding school setting introduced in The Academy, where wealth, privilege, friendships, secrets, and the pressures of the future all collide.
I have always been a fan of Elin Hilderbrand’s novels and was so sad when I heard she intended to retire. When I learned she would be writing a series with her daughter, I was incredibly excited. I really enjoyed The Academy and always described it as Gossip Girl at a boarding school, and the first book definitely left readers with questions.
I’m happy to say I really enjoyed The Thoroughbreds. The book does a great job refreshing readers on what happened in the first novel. You quickly remember the students you met before, while also being introduced to some new characters who add to the story. I found myself rooting for these kids during their college searches and life decisions, and also cringing for them as they made the kinds of mistakes teenagers often do. The authors did a wonderful job making you care about these characters and their futures.
I especially enjoyed the storyline and was really touched at the end when we finally learned what was in Cinnamon’s email. It felt like a satisfying and emotional wrap-up to the story.
If you enjoyed The Academy, you will be very pleased with the wrap-up in The Thoroughbreds. Fans of boarding school drama, coming-of-age stories, and character-driven novels will definitely want to pick this one up when it releases in September. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
March 26, 2026
I LOVED this so much. I can’t get enough of these books and these incredibly well written characters. The cringey ones were SO cringey and the stories were clever and it was so much fun from start to finish. I ate this up and now I want to go back and re-read The Academy. Then read this again. Thats how much I loved it.
The writing throughout was incredibly strong and I wonder what the process is like between Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham.
I wish I went to boarding school. I hope we get to keep following these characters because I need to know what they all do next.
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the gift of getting to read this early in exchange for my honest review.
…quick note as someone who grew up in Flushing, Queens. Liam didn’t need to go to Flushing High School. He would have easily gotten into Townsend Harris or tested into one of the specialized schools (like Stuyvesant, where Yardley works!) or gotten in to a program at another good high school (ex, Cardozo has a law program that could be a way in). But that’s me being nitpicky for knowing specifics the authors likely didn’t know about.
The writing throughout was incredibly strong and I wonder what the process is like between Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham.
I wish I went to boarding school. I hope we get to keep following these characters because I need to know what they all do next.
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the gift of getting to read this early in exchange for my honest review.
…quick note as someone who grew up in Flushing, Queens. Liam didn’t need to go to Flushing High School. He would have easily gotten into Townsend Harris or tested into one of the specialized schools (like Stuyvesant, where Yardley works!) or gotten in to a program at another good high school (ex, Cardozo has a law program that could be a way in). But that’s me being nitpicky for knowing specifics the authors likely didn’t know about.
March 28, 2026
Extremely immersive & super fun to read. The hundreds of 2026 pop culture references are a little silly but once you just accept them it’s like yeah ok I’m having fun
April 11, 2026
Love Elin, most of her books walk the line of cringe and cute but unfortunately this one was just not good. Tried to do way too much and went overboard.
April 12, 2026
5 🌟
I cannot say enough good things about this book wow. I truly couldn’t put it down. The introduction of new characters brought fresh energy to the story and each one added a unique layer that made the plot even more engaging. The drama unfolded perfectly with a balance of heartbreaking moments and heartwarming ones that kept me fully invested.
The characters were incredibly well developed; some you deeply empathize with, while others are so intentionally frustrating that you can’t help but appreciate how well they were written.
This was an amazing sequel and I’m genuinely sad to be finished with it.
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC.
I cannot say enough good things about this book wow. I truly couldn’t put it down. The introduction of new characters brought fresh energy to the story and each one added a unique layer that made the plot even more engaging. The drama unfolded perfectly with a balance of heartbreaking moments and heartwarming ones that kept me fully invested.
The characters were incredibly well developed; some you deeply empathize with, while others are so intentionally frustrating that you can’t help but appreciate how well they were written.
This was an amazing sequel and I’m genuinely sad to be finished with it.
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC.
May 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown & Company for the ARC of this book! ‘The Thoroughbreds’ was a dramatic, fast-paced read that I absolutely flew through. That being said, I found myself feeling a bit conflicted overall. While the plot was engaging, some elements didn’t fully land for me, and I had a hard time connecting with certain aspects of the story. I do think it wrapped up most of the story in a satisfying way, but it didn’t quite have the same impact for me as ‘The Academy.’ It was definitely an entertaining read though, with plenty of drama that I think many will enjoy!
March 26, 2026
The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I was SO EXCITED when I saw this on Netgalley - it doesn’t come out until the fall. I loved The Academy last year, the first part in the series, and The Thoroughbreds was just as good if not better. It felt a bit more fast paced and I really enjoyed it. Part of what makes a great book for me is the feeling of “I cannot stop reading”, “I cannot wait to keep reading”, or “I wish I was reading this right now” and I definitely had that with The Thoroughbreds. Go ‘breds!
#thethoroughbreds #netgalley
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ I was SO EXCITED when I saw this on Netgalley - it doesn’t come out until the fall. I loved The Academy last year, the first part in the series, and The Thoroughbreds was just as good if not better. It felt a bit more fast paced and I really enjoyed it. Part of what makes a great book for me is the feeling of “I cannot stop reading”, “I cannot wait to keep reading”, or “I wish I was reading this right now” and I definitely had that with The Thoroughbreds. Go ‘breds!
#thethoroughbreds #netgalley
April 13, 2026
3.5. In this sequel to The Academy, the authors continue the stories of the students, teachers and administrators, and parents we met in the first story at a prestigious boarding school. The book is filled with drama, so I appreciate it reads as a summer beach read while still being able to resonate any time of year as it follows the academic year. I appreciated the development of everyone’s story and the finale.
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
March 28, 2026
ust finished this early release by Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter Shelby Cunningham.
Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for this early release copy!
As everyone knows, I love all things Elin. This is the follow up of The Academy and I loved that one, so I couldn't wait to read this one.
We follow all our favorite teens again, Charley, East and Davi, as well as our teachers and staff.
They are seniors at Tiffin Academy and you have all the pressure of college early acceptance and just last year angst. They have added a new student to the mix and she's a doozy. Also, two new teachers who become a big part of our teens lives.
I loved this and am so pleased with how they delved into our characters.
#crazybooknerd
#bookstagram
#netgalley
#littlebrownandcompany
Thank you @netgalley and @littlebrown for this early release copy!
As everyone knows, I love all things Elin. This is the follow up of The Academy and I loved that one, so I couldn't wait to read this one.
We follow all our favorite teens again, Charley, East and Davi, as well as our teachers and staff.
They are seniors at Tiffin Academy and you have all the pressure of college early acceptance and just last year angst. They have added a new student to the mix and she's a doozy. Also, two new teachers who become a big part of our teens lives.
I loved this and am so pleased with how they delved into our characters.
#crazybooknerd
#bookstagram
#netgalley
#littlebrownandcompany
May 1, 2026
Thankful to have received an early copy of this one as I’m a huge Elin fan!
I was so happy to be back at Tiffin Academy. We still had the multiple POV and same writing style as the first book which I loved! I was so ready to find out what was in the email and it was not what I was expecting but I was delighted!
All of the storylines were so engaging once again. The ending was beautiful and came full circle! I do think it would be fun to keep this series going by following an upcoming class at Tiffin. I could also see this series becoming a series on tv.
I was so happy to be back at Tiffin Academy. We still had the multiple POV and same writing style as the first book which I loved! I was so ready to find out what was in the email and it was not what I was expecting but I was delighted!
All of the storylines were so engaging once again. The ending was beautiful and came full circle! I do think it would be fun to keep this series going by following an upcoming class at Tiffin. I could also see this series becoming a series on tv.
April 21, 2026
Thanks to Book Huddle and Little, Brown, and company for the opportunity to read this ARC! I shouldn’t be as invested in the lives of high school children as I was, but WOW was I! I loved going through their heartbreaks, triumphs, and lessons learned as they prepared to enter the next stage of their life. You’re never too old to learn about the importance of friendship, self growth, mental health, and good old fashioned effort.
March 25, 2026
I was provided an ARC of this book on NetGalley.
I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read this book early as I have loved Elin Hilderbrand’s work for a while. I really enjoyed The Academy and was thrilled to revisit the place and these characters.
This book dove deeper into the characters and once again took place over the course of a school year and skipped around to stories of the different characters. It is filled with gossip and drama. If you enjoy boarding school/campus books, this is definitely for you! They do a truly wonderful job of describing the intricacies of boarding school life, and if you know it, it makes it even more enjoyable to read!
April 1, 2026
Thank you Net Galley for an early copy of this book! Throughout the book I felt like I was immersed with the characters’ lives and emotions . Elin Hilderbrand never disappoints when it comes to vivid, engaging stories. The middle of the book dragged a bit but of course it all came together nicely in the end.
March 28, 2026
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC! This was SO fun and such a good sequel. It really picked up nicely from the first book and I loved seeing the character development and where they went next. Fun and unique characters, toxic prep school drama, and such growth. A fun read!!
March 30, 2026
I was offered an ARC of this book and was excited to be able to continue reading the stories of Tiffin’s sixth formers. The writing is excellent and the characters are well developed. There are a few new faces within the staff and student body and they integrate nicely with the returning characters from The Academy. As a big fan of books about academe, I loved the book.
May 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!! I am so sad our time at Tiffin is over. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel when I started The Academy, but after that first book, I couldn’t wait to get back to the school and see what everyone was up to. This was wrapped up really nicely. Selfishly, I wish we started earlier with this crew and could have had more years with them at Tiffin.
May 2, 2026
An unstoppable mother/daughter author team! They’ve done it again! I enjoyed the brief reminder of the ending of The Academy and then launching into sixth-form. A quick read with a lot of unexpected twists!
April 15, 2026
It's senior year, and Charley, Davi, Dub, Hakeem, and all the others are back for another amazing year at Tiffin. If anyone thinks that this year will be calmer than last, they better buckle up because they are in for another ride! Lots of drama- friendships, rivalries, love triangles, staff shenanigans, and the stress of whether or not that college acceptance letter will arrive all combine to make a sequel at least as good as the first in the series! This would make a great TV series. I hope that the series continues, either with a new set of Tiffin adventures or with the continued adventures of this year's graduates and staff.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Thoroughbreds by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (September 2026) [reading in March]
Academy #2
388-page Ebook story pages 12-383
464-page Kindle Ebook Kindle
Genre: Academia, Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Featuring: Bibliography for Elin Hilderbrand, Map, School Year - September - June, Titled Chapters, Boarding School, Who's Who at Tiffin Academy - Character List, Faculty, High School Students, Previous Book Recap, Menus, Sex, Drugs, Menus, Fictional Small-Town 90 minutes from Williamstown, Massachusetts; Secrets, Drama, Multiple POVs, Third-Person Multiple-Point-of-View Perspective, Kiss-Cheat, Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City, New York; College Admissions, Holidays, School Events, Family Dynamics, Football, School Politics and Management, Harbour Island, Bahamas; Affluent People, Acknowledgments
Rating as a movie: R for adult content and situations
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½🏫👩⚖️📚🎒🐎🍂
My thoughts: 📘 - It's been a long time since I read a Hilderbrand without the narration of Erin Bennett, voice of Nantucket. I'll finally know if it's the voice or the story.
🔖193 of 388 [Chapter] 17. Rivalry Weekend - So even though I don't have Erin I can hear her in my head. This is okay, it seems to be taking longer to build than the previous book, and I'm wondering if the story will end here or if we'll see the next class graduate in the next book.
Instead of Nantucket Reds we have Bahamas Blues, this book is not crammed full of Easter eggs and I could waste time comparing it to Summerland or something, but I won't. Because it's another school year this story had to navigate a balance between familiarity and repetitiveness, you didn't want to repeat the previous book through school events but you do need to have the same events for it to be the same school. I think they did a great job, I did not feel like I was reliving the same story twice even though there were similar events primarily because she did not spend as much time describing the events I do think this book was very title heavy with music and songs but I lived for the menus and food descriptions. I was right about the email but not 100% and the final chapters are what pushed me to and a ½-star and round it up to 5 stars. It ended on a good note and it could be a good ending or Book 2 in a trilogy. I'm looking forward to seeing which one it is. Let me say again this is not a YA book, and I think if it was called The Faculty people would accept that. This reads just like other Hilderbrand books, the storylines are familiar, the settings have changed. I still felt like Shelby Cunningham did more consulting that writing. I really need to read something solo to learn her voice. FYI I love Erin Bennett but it's definitely the story.
Recommend to others: Yes! If you love Elin Hilderbrand this is her style, just inland.
Academy (with Shelby Cunningham)
1. The Academy (2025)
2. The Thoroughbreds (2026)
Songs for the soundtrack: "Prep-School Gangsters" by Vampire Weekend, "Supercut" by Lorde, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" by Outkast, "Senior Skip Day" by Mac Miller, "Starting Over" by Chris Stapleton, "7 Summers" by Morgan Wallen, "I Know The End" by Phoebe Bridgers, "Whole Wide World" by Cage The Elephant, "F*ck You" by CeeLo Green, "Lately" by Rüfüs Du Sol, "No Broke Boys" by Tinashe, "neck on a yacht" by Gunna, "The Percocet & Stripper Joint" by Future, "Getting Better" by The Beatles, "Shallow" by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, "Memories" by David Guetta, "You Should Be Dancing" by Bee Gees, "Heaven" by Bryan Adams, "The Spins" by Empire of the Sun and Mac Miller, "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr., "Dancing On My Own (Tiësto Remix)" by Calum Scott, "Jessie’s Girl" by Rick Springfield, "Only In My Dreams" by Debbie Gibson, "Watching The Detectives" by Elvis Costello, "Don’t Do Me Like That" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin, "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder, "Silver Springs" by Fleetwood Mac, "Killing Me Softly with His Song" by Roberta Flack, "You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne, "Semiramide Overture" by Gioachino Rossini conducted by Riccardo Muti with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, "Kiss The Bride" by Bon Jovi, "Jungleland" by Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band, "Racing In The Street" by Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band, "Whatever It Takes" by Imagine Dragons, "You're On Your Own, Kid" by Taylor Swift, "Let's Twist Again" by Chubby Checker, "Up, Up And Away" by The 5th Dimension, "Let The Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension, "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan, "People Are Strange" by The Doors, "Dark Lady" by Cher, "Girl$" by Dom Dolla, "Delilah (pull me out of this)" by Fred Again, "Blame" by Calvin Harris featuring John Newman, "Rich Girl" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Where Have You Been" by Rihannan̈ "Stay The Night" by Zedd "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All" by The 5th Dimension, "Witchy Woman" by Eagles, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "bad guy" by Billie Eilish, evermore by Taylor Swift, "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne, "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by Dropkick Murphys, "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Freedom! '90" by George Michael, "Holiday" by Weezer, "Come as You Are" by Nirvana, "Big Me" by Foo Fighters, "Go with the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age, "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" by Them Crooked Vultures, "Limelight" by RUSH, "Deck The Halls" by Pentatonix, "Have A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" by Andy Williams, "Buddy Holly" by Weezer, "Pitorro de Coco" by Bad Bunny, "The First Noel" by Frank Sinatra, "(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" by Perry Como, "Runaround Sue" by Dion DiMucci, "What Child Is This" by Andrea Bocelli, "You Make Loving Fun"Fleetwood Mac, "The Sweetest Thing" by Refugee Camp All-Stars featuring Lauryn Hill, "Love." by Kendrick Lamar, "The Little Drummer Boy" by The Harry Simeone Chorale, "Don't Be A Jerk (It's Christmas)" by SpongeBob SquarePants, "Badlands" by Bruce Springsteen, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "Somebody’s Problem" by Morgan Wallen, "Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean, "Winter Wonderland" by Amy Grant, "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age, "Sometimes" by Britney Spears, "Find Your Love" by Drake, "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris and Rihanna, "Murder on the Dancefloor" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Diet Coke" by Fallon, "Messy" by Lola Young, "Girl You Loud" by Chris Brown and Tyga, "Rock Your Body" by Justin Timberlake, "Breakin’ Dishes" by Rihanna, "Lavender Haze" by Taylor Swift, "Baby Don't Hurt Me Remix" by David Guetta, Anne-Marie, and Coi Leray; "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, "Beyond The Sea" by Bobby Darin, "The Boy From Ipanema" by Diana Krall, "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus, "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin, "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" by Edward Elgar, "Have It All" by Jason Mraz
Books and Authors mentioned: Edith Wharton, Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian, H. G. Wells, E. M. Forster, A. M. Homes, S. E. Hinton, The Best American Short Stories 2026 by Viet Thanh Nguyen and Nicole A. Lamy, A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh, Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, Sula by Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Bridgerton by Chris Van Dusen [based on] Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn; Old School by Tobias Wolff, The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, The Fall of Rome by Martha Southgate, I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, Truman Capote, Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Robert Southey, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout, Amgash Series by Elizabeth Strout, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, The Addams Family by Charles Addams, Karen Blixen, Howl by Allen Ginsberg, Evening by Dorianne Laux, Evening by Susan Minot, The Good Mother by Sue Miller, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, First Love by Ivan Turgenev, The Collected Stories of Isaac Babel by Isaac Babel, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Anne Enright, Kiran Desai, Atonement by Ian McEwan, Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, "The Kiss" by Anne Sexton, American Fantasy by Emma Straub, William Shakespeare, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Beach Blanket Bingo by Leo Townsend and William Asher, Star Wars by George Lucas, Claire Lombardo, Lauren Groff, Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen, Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, Wonder by R. J. Palacio, The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Flannery O'Connor, The Holdovers by David Hemingson, Heartwood by Amity Gaige, Natchez Burning by Greg Iles, The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X, Emperor of the Air by Ethan Canin, Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar, Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand, Elf by David Berenbaum, Footloose by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie [based on] Footloose by Dean Pitchford; The Balthazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Lee Hanson, and Riad Nasr; Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger; Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger, The Mourning Bride by William Congreve, Scarface by Oliver Stone [based on] Scarface by W. R. Burnett, Ben Hecht, John Lee Mahin, and Seton I. Miller [and based on] Scarface by Armitage Trail; Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Dr. Seuss, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett
Academy #2
388-page Ebook story pages 12-383
464-page Kindle Ebook Kindle
Genre: Academia, Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction
Featuring: Bibliography for Elin Hilderbrand, Map, School Year - September - June, Titled Chapters, Boarding School, Who's Who at Tiffin Academy - Character List, Faculty, High School Students, Previous Book Recap, Menus, Sex, Drugs, Menus, Fictional Small-Town 90 minutes from Williamstown, Massachusetts; Secrets, Drama, Multiple POVs, Third-Person Multiple-Point-of-View Perspective, Kiss-Cheat, Baltimore, Maryland; New Orleans, Louisiana; New York City, New York; College Admissions, Holidays, School Events, Family Dynamics, Football, School Politics and Management, Harbour Island, Bahamas; Affluent People, Acknowledgments
Rating as a movie: R for adult content and situations
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½🏫👩⚖️📚🎒🐎🍂
My thoughts: 📘 - It's been a long time since I read a Hilderbrand without the narration of Erin Bennett, voice of Nantucket. I'll finally know if it's the voice or the story.
🔖193 of 388 [Chapter] 17. Rivalry Weekend - So even though I don't have Erin I can hear her in my head. This is okay, it seems to be taking longer to build than the previous book, and I'm wondering if the story will end here or if we'll see the next class graduate in the next book.
Instead of Nantucket Reds we have Bahamas Blues, this book is not crammed full of Easter eggs and I could waste time comparing it to Summerland or something, but I won't. Because it's another school year this story had to navigate a balance between familiarity and repetitiveness, you didn't want to repeat the previous book through school events but you do need to have the same events for it to be the same school. I think they did a great job, I did not feel like I was reliving the same story twice even though there were similar events primarily because she did not spend as much time describing the events I do think this book was very title heavy with music and songs but I lived for the menus and food descriptions. I was right about the email but not 100% and the final chapters are what pushed me to and a ½-star and round it up to 5 stars. It ended on a good note and it could be a good ending or Book 2 in a trilogy. I'm looking forward to seeing which one it is. Let me say again this is not a YA book, and I think if it was called The Faculty people would accept that. This reads just like other Hilderbrand books, the storylines are familiar, the settings have changed. I still felt like Shelby Cunningham did more consulting that writing. I really need to read something solo to learn her voice. FYI I love Erin Bennett but it's definitely the story.
Recommend to others: Yes! If you love Elin Hilderbrand this is her style, just inland.
Academy (with Shelby Cunningham)
1. The Academy (2025)
2. The Thoroughbreds (2026)
Songs for the soundtrack: "Prep-School Gangsters" by Vampire Weekend, "Supercut" by Lorde, "Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik" by Outkast, "Senior Skip Day" by Mac Miller, "Starting Over" by Chris Stapleton, "7 Summers" by Morgan Wallen, "I Know The End" by Phoebe Bridgers, "Whole Wide World" by Cage The Elephant, "F*ck You" by CeeLo Green, "Lately" by Rüfüs Du Sol, "No Broke Boys" by Tinashe, "neck on a yacht" by Gunna, "The Percocet & Stripper Joint" by Future, "Getting Better" by The Beatles, "Shallow" by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, "Memories" by David Guetta, "You Should Be Dancing" by Bee Gees, "Heaven" by Bryan Adams, "The Spins" by Empire of the Sun and Mac Miller, "Just the Two of Us" by Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr., "Dancing On My Own (Tiësto Remix)" by Calum Scott, "Jessie’s Girl" by Rick Springfield, "Only In My Dreams" by Debbie Gibson, "Watching The Detectives" by Elvis Costello, "Don’t Do Me Like That" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin, "Break My Stride" by Matthew Wilder, "Silver Springs" by Fleetwood Mac, "Killing Me Softly with His Song" by Roberta Flack, "You Are the Best Thing" by Ray LaMontagne, "Semiramide Overture" by Gioachino Rossini conducted by Riccardo Muti with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, "Kiss The Bride" by Bon Jovi, "Jungleland" by Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band, "Racing In The Street" by Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band, "Whatever It Takes" by Imagine Dragons, "You're On Your Own, Kid" by Taylor Swift, "Let's Twist Again" by Chubby Checker, "Up, Up And Away" by The 5th Dimension, "Let The Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension, "Can’t Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli, "Mr. Tambourine Man" by Bob Dylan, "People Are Strange" by The Doors, "Dark Lady" by Cher, "Girl$" by Dom Dolla, "Delilah (pull me out of this)" by Fred Again, "Blame" by Calvin Harris featuring John Newman, "Rich Girl" by Daryl Hall & John Oates, "Where Have You Been" by Rihannan̈ "Stay The Night" by Zedd "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All" by The 5th Dimension, "Witchy Woman" by Eagles, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "bad guy" by Billie Eilish, evermore by Taylor Swift, "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne, "I Had Some Help" by Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, "I'm Shipping Up To Boston" by Dropkick Murphys, "Relax" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood, "Freedom! '90" by George Michael, "Holiday" by Weezer, "Come as You Are" by Nirvana, "Big Me" by Foo Fighters, "Go with the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age, "Mind Eraser, No Chaser" by Them Crooked Vultures, "Limelight" by RUSH, "Deck The Halls" by Pentatonix, "Have A Holly Jolly Christmas" by Burl Ives, "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" by Andy Williams, "Buddy Holly" by Weezer, "Pitorro de Coco" by Bad Bunny, "The First Noel" by Frank Sinatra, "(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" by Perry Como, "Runaround Sue" by Dion DiMucci, "What Child Is This" by Andrea Bocelli, "You Make Loving Fun"Fleetwood Mac, "The Sweetest Thing" by Refugee Camp All-Stars featuring Lauryn Hill, "Love." by Kendrick Lamar, "The Little Drummer Boy" by The Harry Simeone Chorale, "Don't Be A Jerk (It's Christmas)" by SpongeBob SquarePants, "Badlands" by Bruce Springsteen, The Nutcracker by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, "Somebody’s Problem" by Morgan Wallen, "Thinkin Bout You" by Frank Ocean, "Winter Wonderland" by Amy Grant, "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age, "Sometimes" by Britney Spears, "Find Your Love" by Drake, "This Is What You Came For" by Calvin Harris and Rihanna, "Murder on the Dancefloor" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, "Diet Coke" by Fallon, "Messy" by Lola Young, "Girl You Loud" by Chris Brown and Tyga, "Rock Your Body" by Justin Timberlake, "Breakin’ Dishes" by Rihanna, "Lavender Haze" by Taylor Swift, "Baby Don't Hurt Me Remix" by David Guetta, Anne-Marie, and Coi Leray; "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins, "Beyond The Sea" by Bobby Darin, "The Boy From Ipanema" by Diana Krall, "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus, "Fool In The Rain" by Led Zeppelin, "Pomp and Circumstance Marches" by Edward Elgar, "Have It All" by Jason Mraz
Books and Authors mentioned: Edith Wharton, Cat Person by Kristen Roupenian, H. G. Wells, E. M. Forster, A. M. Homes, S. E. Hinton, The Best American Short Stories 2026 by Viet Thanh Nguyen and Nicole A. Lamy, A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh, Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, Sula by Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Bridgerton by Chris Van Dusen [based on] Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn; Old School by Tobias Wolff, The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin, Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld, The Fall of Rome by Martha Southgate, I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai, Truman Capote, Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Robert Southey, Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout, Amgash Series by Elizabeth Strout, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, The Addams Family by Charles Addams, Karen Blixen, Howl by Allen Ginsberg, Evening by Dorianne Laux, Evening by Susan Minot, The Good Mother by Sue Miller, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, First Love by Ivan Turgenev, The Collected Stories of Isaac Babel by Isaac Babel, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, Anne Enright, Kiran Desai, Atonement by Ian McEwan, Charlotte's Web by E. B. White, "The Kiss" by Anne Sexton, American Fantasy by Emma Straub, William Shakespeare, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, The Crucible by Arthur Miller, Beach Blanket Bingo by Leo Townsend and William Asher, Star Wars by George Lucas, Claire Lombardo, Lauren Groff, Mariette in Ecstasy by Ron Hansen, Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban, Wonder by R. J. Palacio, The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Flannery O'Connor, The Holdovers by David Hemingson, Heartwood by Amity Gaige, Natchez Burning by Greg Iles, The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X, Emperor of the Air by Ethan Canin, Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar, Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand, Elf by David Berenbaum, Footloose by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie [based on] Footloose by Dean Pitchford; The Balthazar Cookbook by Keith McNally, Lee Hanson, and Riad Nasr; Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction by J.D. Salinger; Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger, The Mourning Bride by William Congreve, Scarface by Oliver Stone [based on] Scarface by W. R. Burnett, Ben Hecht, John Lee Mahin, and Seton I. Miller [and based on] Scarface by Armitage Trail; Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Dr. Seuss, Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver, The Magician's Assistant by Ann Patchett
April 5, 2026
This is the kind of book you have to settle into. It’s deeply character-driven — senior year at Tiffin Academy means college apps, friendships, and secrets. Not a lot happens in the traditional sense, but honestly? That’s the whole vibe. This one rewards slow reading. It’s a book for a blanket and a hot drink, not a beach-read sprint. Perfect cozy fall companion. 🍂
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this eARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this eARC!
April 16, 2026
Thank you so much to Netgalley for an early copy of this HIGHLY anticipated read of mine. Elin is my all time favorite author and I feel like she consistently puts out good quality novels. Her novels always include a wide variety of characters and their points of view. The ones in "The Academy" series range from students, teachers, parents, staff and others making you feel like you are really immersed in this story. In this sequel, we get closure, we see what was in Cinnamon's email, we see love, frienship, heartache, and growth (despite the mountains of drama at this boarding school) and I will miss reading about them!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Love and heartbreak, friendships and rivalries, the pressure of college decisions -- that's life at Tiffin Academy. And a lot of the time, the faculty members can be as mixed up as the teenage students. Maybe that's because, no matter what age we are, we're all still growing up.
I admit, I went into this as a fan of Elin Hilderbrand. There's a reason for that. She's been writing juicy page-turners since the early 2000s, and her books are always fun and involving. For her latest outings, she's teamed up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, for two novels set at Tiffin Academy, an upscale boarding school (is there any other kind?).
"The Thoroughbreds" is the follow-up to last year's "The Academy," as the main characters from the previous book return to Tiffin Academy for their senior year. Since it's been several months since I read the first book, I was afraid it might be tough to remember all the names and events. But the needed backstory information is dropped in smoothly on an as-needed basis, without massive dumps of information that would slow the story. Readers who haven't read the first book probably wouldn't have much trouble either -- but some spoilers from Book 1 are inevitable when you read Book 2, so it would be best to start with the first book.
I really enjoyed returning to these characters. I won't list all of them, but here are some of the major players. I love Charley, last year's misfit girl who found unexpected friends at Tiffin, and love with the popular, hot school rebel. There's Davi, the social media influencer, who has a good heart and a troubled home life; and Olivia, who trailed after Davi as a role model last year and is now seeking a new person to follow. Enter Pippa, a glamorous, spoiled new girl who's clearly up to no good; and Liam, a poor-but-handsome new boy who has a lot of the girls drooling (including Olivia, of course). And there's a classmate who comes out of the closet early in the story (but I won't tell you who, in case you decide to read "The Academy" first.)
Then there's the faculty. Audre Robinson, the head of the school, is quietly sweating over a budget crisis that occurred when a new financial advisor stepped in and made some bad investments when she was distracted over the summer; Rhode Rivera, who's as desperate for acceptance as any of the teenagers; and Mav, the new college counselor, who's facing an impending divorce and just might make some emotionally bad decisions.
Several of the Tiffin parents are messed up too, but that's enough to start you off. For me, it all works. I cared about the characters, except for the one or two really ornery ones we're meant to boo and hiss. I even rooted for Olivia, who tries SO hard to be one of the cool kids; I kept hoping she would get wise and see the error of her ways. There's no arguing that there's a lot of money and privilege at Tiffin, not to mention a lot of designer labels and teen slang (I admit, I had to look some of it up, but most I got from context.) One risk with too many brand names and hip expressions is that they could be out of date in a couple of years. But the basic themes are timeless, and there's a lot of heart underneath all the glitz.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say you can expect satisfying endings to the characters' personal dramas. I thoroughly enjoyed my return trip to Tiffin, and if all this sounds fun to you, I think you will, too.
NOTE: Thanks to Little, Brown & Company publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I admit, I went into this as a fan of Elin Hilderbrand. There's a reason for that. She's been writing juicy page-turners since the early 2000s, and her books are always fun and involving. For her latest outings, she's teamed up with her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, for two novels set at Tiffin Academy, an upscale boarding school (is there any other kind?).
"The Thoroughbreds" is the follow-up to last year's "The Academy," as the main characters from the previous book return to Tiffin Academy for their senior year. Since it's been several months since I read the first book, I was afraid it might be tough to remember all the names and events. But the needed backstory information is dropped in smoothly on an as-needed basis, without massive dumps of information that would slow the story. Readers who haven't read the first book probably wouldn't have much trouble either -- but some spoilers from Book 1 are inevitable when you read Book 2, so it would be best to start with the first book.
I really enjoyed returning to these characters. I won't list all of them, but here are some of the major players. I love Charley, last year's misfit girl who found unexpected friends at Tiffin, and love with the popular, hot school rebel. There's Davi, the social media influencer, who has a good heart and a troubled home life; and Olivia, who trailed after Davi as a role model last year and is now seeking a new person to follow. Enter Pippa, a glamorous, spoiled new girl who's clearly up to no good; and Liam, a poor-but-handsome new boy who has a lot of the girls drooling (including Olivia, of course). And there's a classmate who comes out of the closet early in the story (but I won't tell you who, in case you decide to read "The Academy" first.)
Then there's the faculty. Audre Robinson, the head of the school, is quietly sweating over a budget crisis that occurred when a new financial advisor stepped in and made some bad investments when she was distracted over the summer; Rhode Rivera, who's as desperate for acceptance as any of the teenagers; and Mav, the new college counselor, who's facing an impending divorce and just might make some emotionally bad decisions.
Several of the Tiffin parents are messed up too, but that's enough to start you off. For me, it all works. I cared about the characters, except for the one or two really ornery ones we're meant to boo and hiss. I even rooted for Olivia, who tries SO hard to be one of the cool kids; I kept hoping she would get wise and see the error of her ways. There's no arguing that there's a lot of money and privilege at Tiffin, not to mention a lot of designer labels and teen slang (I admit, I had to look some of it up, but most I got from context.) One risk with too many brand names and hip expressions is that they could be out of date in a couple of years. But the basic themes are timeless, and there's a lot of heart underneath all the glitz.
I don't think it's a spoiler to say you can expect satisfying endings to the characters' personal dramas. I thoroughly enjoyed my return trip to Tiffin, and if all this sounds fun to you, I think you will, too.
NOTE: Thanks to Little, Brown & Company publishers for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an advance copy of this novel about an elite high school, the hopes and problems of those that attend, the future they look at, and the friendships that might not survive senior year.
High school can be both good and bad for many people. There is hope for the future, but the present is so familiar that few want to leave it, even if it isn't the greatest of presents. One knows the way things work, a system to get by. One has friends, one might even have love. The future might mean change. New friends, new loves, new ways of thinking. But what about what one leaves behind. For students this is all new. For faculty this is another year until retirement. However even they have things to fret about, for change isn't only for the young. The Thoroughbreds is the second and concluding book in the Academy series, written by Elin Hilderbrand, and as stated on the cover her daughter Shelby Cunningham, and tells of the lives and turmoils of students in the final year, what awaits them, and what they have to deal with to get there.
This is the final year for many students at the elite Tiffin Academy, or as the seniors call it the "sixth formers". Colleges are being applied too, grades are looked at and found either fine or wanting. However the school is full of questions that deal little with academics, and more about the heart. The hottest couple seem to be on the outs. Is this a case of cold feet, or something more. The biggest athletes on campus seem to be having problems also, though no one seems to know why, and how this will effect the big games coming up. The shadow of a student's death still hangs over the students. Even the faculty isn't immune to odd things happening. New faces are among them, especially a new counselor helping on college applications, who lacks a rapport or understanding of how the academy works. Meanwhile a financial problem might be bringing big changes to the Academy, but will those problems affect this year's students, few know.
A big book about school, teens, problems, mysteries and the people who oversee them. There is a lot of Hildebrand in the writing, one can see the interconnectedness of the stories. I'm not sure where the mother ends the daughter takes up the writing, though there seems to be a few teen characters that could use a little more work. Also some of the dialogue seems to be run through AI, as in AI make this sentence high school sounding. But that is just me. The book moves well, the characters have arcs and change in some ways. And the ending works well.
Definitely a teen book, and one that is perfect for kids who are just starting the year. Sort of a summer reading for orientation. This is the second of a duology, so I do recommend starting with the first book, just to get an understanding of the characters and the Academy.
High school can be both good and bad for many people. There is hope for the future, but the present is so familiar that few want to leave it, even if it isn't the greatest of presents. One knows the way things work, a system to get by. One has friends, one might even have love. The future might mean change. New friends, new loves, new ways of thinking. But what about what one leaves behind. For students this is all new. For faculty this is another year until retirement. However even they have things to fret about, for change isn't only for the young. The Thoroughbreds is the second and concluding book in the Academy series, written by Elin Hilderbrand, and as stated on the cover her daughter Shelby Cunningham, and tells of the lives and turmoils of students in the final year, what awaits them, and what they have to deal with to get there.
This is the final year for many students at the elite Tiffin Academy, or as the seniors call it the "sixth formers". Colleges are being applied too, grades are looked at and found either fine or wanting. However the school is full of questions that deal little with academics, and more about the heart. The hottest couple seem to be on the outs. Is this a case of cold feet, or something more. The biggest athletes on campus seem to be having problems also, though no one seems to know why, and how this will effect the big games coming up. The shadow of a student's death still hangs over the students. Even the faculty isn't immune to odd things happening. New faces are among them, especially a new counselor helping on college applications, who lacks a rapport or understanding of how the academy works. Meanwhile a financial problem might be bringing big changes to the Academy, but will those problems affect this year's students, few know.
A big book about school, teens, problems, mysteries and the people who oversee them. There is a lot of Hildebrand in the writing, one can see the interconnectedness of the stories. I'm not sure where the mother ends the daughter takes up the writing, though there seems to be a few teen characters that could use a little more work. Also some of the dialogue seems to be run through AI, as in AI make this sentence high school sounding. But that is just me. The book moves well, the characters have arcs and change in some ways. And the ending works well.
Definitely a teen book, and one that is perfect for kids who are just starting the year. Sort of a summer reading for orientation. This is the second of a duology, so I do recommend starting with the first book, just to get an understanding of the characters and the Academy.
March 22, 2026
Following the breakout success of The Academy, authors Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham return with a sequel that not only meets expectations—but exceeds them. The Thoroughbreds is poised to be one of the most talked-about novels of 2026, a gripping continuation that deepens the intrigue, emotion, and complexity of life at Tiffin Boarding School.
Set at the start of senior year—“sixth form” in Tiffin parlance—the novel immediately immerses readers back into the richly layered world of its students and faculty. This is a year defined by pressure and possibility: college admissions loom large, futures hang in the balance, and the bittersweet urgency of “lasts” lingers in every decision. Hilderbrand and Cunningham capture this transitional moment with striking authenticity, balancing the thrill of newfound independence with the anxiety of what comes next.
What makes The Thoroughbreds so compelling is its seamless continuation of unresolved tensions from the first installment. In the wake of Honey Vandermeid’s abrupt departure, questions swirl about whether Tiffin’s new college counselor can steady the ship. Meanwhile, the school’s social ecosystem remains as volatile as ever. The fate of Tiffin’s “It couple,” Charley and East, hangs in delicate balance, while the clandestine speakeasy, Priorities, continues to operate in the shadows, a symbol of both rebellion and belonging.
And then there is the lingering mystery of Cinnamon Peters’s final email—a thread that quietly tightens throughout the novel, urging readers forward with mounting urgency. It is this careful layering of plotlines, both intimate and expansive, that transforms the book into a true page-turner. Each chapter peels back another layer, drawing the reader deeper into a web of friendship, and betrayal too.
Hilderbrand and Cunningham demonstrate a masterful command of pacing and character, giving equal weight to the students navigating their final year and the faculty who shape—and are shaped by—the Tiffin experience. The result is a story that feels both expansive and deeply personal, one that resonates long after the final page.
Ultimately, The Thoroughbreds is more than just a sequel—it is a bold, emotionally charged continuation that cements this series as a defining voice in contemporary fiction. Addictive, insightful, and impossible to put down, this is a novel that will have readers racing to the end, desperate for answers and already yearning for more.
A must-read—and without question, a standout hit of 2026.
Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC!
Set at the start of senior year—“sixth form” in Tiffin parlance—the novel immediately immerses readers back into the richly layered world of its students and faculty. This is a year defined by pressure and possibility: college admissions loom large, futures hang in the balance, and the bittersweet urgency of “lasts” lingers in every decision. Hilderbrand and Cunningham capture this transitional moment with striking authenticity, balancing the thrill of newfound independence with the anxiety of what comes next.
What makes The Thoroughbreds so compelling is its seamless continuation of unresolved tensions from the first installment. In the wake of Honey Vandermeid’s abrupt departure, questions swirl about whether Tiffin’s new college counselor can steady the ship. Meanwhile, the school’s social ecosystem remains as volatile as ever. The fate of Tiffin’s “It couple,” Charley and East, hangs in delicate balance, while the clandestine speakeasy, Priorities, continues to operate in the shadows, a symbol of both rebellion and belonging.
And then there is the lingering mystery of Cinnamon Peters’s final email—a thread that quietly tightens throughout the novel, urging readers forward with mounting urgency. It is this careful layering of plotlines, both intimate and expansive, that transforms the book into a true page-turner. Each chapter peels back another layer, drawing the reader deeper into a web of friendship, and betrayal too.
Hilderbrand and Cunningham demonstrate a masterful command of pacing and character, giving equal weight to the students navigating their final year and the faculty who shape—and are shaped by—the Tiffin experience. The result is a story that feels both expansive and deeply personal, one that resonates long after the final page.
Ultimately, The Thoroughbreds is more than just a sequel—it is a bold, emotionally charged continuation that cements this series as a defining voice in contemporary fiction. Addictive, insightful, and impossible to put down, this is a novel that will have readers racing to the end, desperate for answers and already yearning for more.
A must-read—and without question, a standout hit of 2026.
Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My most anticipated book of the year and it DID. NOT. DISAPPOINT!
We're back at Tiffin Academy and our Sixth Form Formers are ready to rule the school. The two big questions of course are, what was in Cinnamon's email, and which colleges will the students get accepted into and attend? On the brink of last year's dismissals, we have two new staff members. Dr. Coopersmith, the history teacher, and Mr. Maverick, the new college counselor.
In true Hilderbrand fashion, this book takes us on a wild ride of boarding school drama with the students, staff, and parents. Charley and Royce are vying for the top spot of Valedictorian. Davi is still dealing with her family drama, but on top of her TikTok influencer life. Hakeem and Taylor are figuring out their next steps, East swears he will not go to college, and Olivia H-T is still trying to figure out her life. New to the school is Liam, a student from Queens who got in based on a relative who is paying his tuition, and Pippa, a girl from a wealthy family, who attends as a day student.
As we follow the students from September to May, we see personal issues, trying to figure out colleges applications, friendships and relationships tested, staff and parent drama, academic achievements, and a fond farewell to the Class of 2027.
I devoured this book within several hours. The book is filled with drama, twists and turns, and you're consistently wanting more. The number of times my mouth dropped or I screamed out "oh my gosh!" during the book, I can't count. I love that the book picked up where it left off in The Academy. and to follow the students through their final year at Tiffin. As a school counselor myself, this book is right up my alley and I love the school aspect, plus watching all the plot twists unfold. I enjoyed seeing the students go through their college application process, and to see the evolution of the students throughout the school year. The family and staff drama always adds in extra excitement throughout the book, and keeps you wanting more. As the reader, you know the behind the scenes of situations that the characters don't, and I love the moment they characters find out and to watch the messiness unfold. The culmination of graduation at the end, and the tribute to Cinnamon and finding out what was in her email, was beautifully done, and I'm so glad I no longer have to speculate what the file says. My only issue is now I don't know how long I'll have to wait for my next Elin Hilderbrand book, and am anticipating her next book announcement.
Thank you to Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for my e-arc.
We're back at Tiffin Academy and our Sixth Form Formers are ready to rule the school. The two big questions of course are, what was in Cinnamon's email, and which colleges will the students get accepted into and attend? On the brink of last year's dismissals, we have two new staff members. Dr. Coopersmith, the history teacher, and Mr. Maverick, the new college counselor.
In true Hilderbrand fashion, this book takes us on a wild ride of boarding school drama with the students, staff, and parents. Charley and Royce are vying for the top spot of Valedictorian. Davi is still dealing with her family drama, but on top of her TikTok influencer life. Hakeem and Taylor are figuring out their next steps, East swears he will not go to college, and Olivia H-T is still trying to figure out her life. New to the school is Liam, a student from Queens who got in based on a relative who is paying his tuition, and Pippa, a girl from a wealthy family, who attends as a day student.
As we follow the students from September to May, we see personal issues, trying to figure out colleges applications, friendships and relationships tested, staff and parent drama, academic achievements, and a fond farewell to the Class of 2027.
I devoured this book within several hours. The book is filled with drama, twists and turns, and you're consistently wanting more. The number of times my mouth dropped or I screamed out "oh my gosh!" during the book, I can't count. I love that the book picked up where it left off in The Academy. and to follow the students through their final year at Tiffin. As a school counselor myself, this book is right up my alley and I love the school aspect, plus watching all the plot twists unfold. I enjoyed seeing the students go through their college application process, and to see the evolution of the students throughout the school year. The family and staff drama always adds in extra excitement throughout the book, and keeps you wanting more. As the reader, you know the behind the scenes of situations that the characters don't, and I love the moment they characters find out and to watch the messiness unfold. The culmination of graduation at the end, and the tribute to Cinnamon and finding out what was in her email, was beautifully done, and I'm so glad I no longer have to speculate what the file says. My only issue is now I don't know how long I'll have to wait for my next Elin Hilderbrand book, and am anticipating her next book announcement.
Thank you to Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham, Little, Brown and Company, and NetGalley for my e-arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.
The Thoroughbreds is a perfectly fine sequel to The Academy. Like all Elin Hilderbrand books, this one is perfectly readable, and I did enjoy it for the most part. I was teetering between two or three stars and ultimately decided to round down. Not much happens in this book, and the experience of reading it left me feeling kind of empty and unmoved.
Both books follow a large cast of characters throughout the school year, some with big plots and others with smaller stories to tell. The biggest draws to The Academy were the major through lines in a crowded room: Charley as the outsider new girl, the speakeasy, the hacked text messages, and Simone being a hot mess. The Thoroughbreds lacks any compelling book-wide plot to keep the pages turning. Small conflicts pop up, only to be extinguished quickly and predictably.
The result is that this book ends up feeling like one long gossip session among high schoolers. Boarding schools will always be the subject of fascination for many of us. But as someone nearly 20 years out of high school, I am just no longer drawn in by the little dramas of teenage relationships, college admissions, and adolescent social dynamics unless there is something more compelling going on underneath it all. The target audience of this series remains a big question mark. There's just enough of the adult characters to keep it firmly out of the YA territory, but I also suspect I'm not the only adult reader who couldn't care less about who is inviting who to the dance.
And I just gotta say it... justice for Olivia H-T. The way she was written really started to rub me the wrong way. I know she's imperfect, but at times, the perspective felt like it was coming only from a pair of people who have always been in the popular crowd and who enjoy punching down on someone who just wants to fit in.
Just like the first book, this one retains a lot of the familiar Elin Hilderbrand voice from her own books, which makes it enjoyable and familiar. I do have to wonder how much of a collaborative work this is and whether her daughter contributed anything more than the generational-specific slang. The name-dropping of brands, restaurants, and song titles was more than excessive.
Now that the class of 2027 has graduated, it's unclear whether this series will continue. The last book left a few decent cliffhangers, while this one seems to wrap up the more important plots. Not a bad read, but not one that felt very satisfying either.
The Thoroughbreds is a perfectly fine sequel to The Academy. Like all Elin Hilderbrand books, this one is perfectly readable, and I did enjoy it for the most part. I was teetering between two or three stars and ultimately decided to round down. Not much happens in this book, and the experience of reading it left me feeling kind of empty and unmoved.
Both books follow a large cast of characters throughout the school year, some with big plots and others with smaller stories to tell. The biggest draws to The Academy were the major through lines in a crowded room: Charley as the outsider new girl, the speakeasy, the hacked text messages, and Simone being a hot mess. The Thoroughbreds lacks any compelling book-wide plot to keep the pages turning. Small conflicts pop up, only to be extinguished quickly and predictably.
The result is that this book ends up feeling like one long gossip session among high schoolers. Boarding schools will always be the subject of fascination for many of us. But as someone nearly 20 years out of high school, I am just no longer drawn in by the little dramas of teenage relationships, college admissions, and adolescent social dynamics unless there is something more compelling going on underneath it all. The target audience of this series remains a big question mark. There's just enough of the adult characters to keep it firmly out of the YA territory, but I also suspect I'm not the only adult reader who couldn't care less about who is inviting who to the dance.
And I just gotta say it... justice for Olivia H-T. The way she was written really started to rub me the wrong way. I know she's imperfect, but at times, the perspective felt like it was coming only from a pair of people who have always been in the popular crowd and who enjoy punching down on someone who just wants to fit in.
Just like the first book, this one retains a lot of the familiar Elin Hilderbrand voice from her own books, which makes it enjoyable and familiar. I do have to wonder how much of a collaborative work this is and whether her daughter contributed anything more than the generational-specific slang. The name-dropping of brands, restaurants, and song titles was more than excessive.
Now that the class of 2027 has graduated, it's unclear whether this series will continue. The last book left a few decent cliffhangers, while this one seems to wrap up the more important plots. Not a bad read, but not one that felt very satisfying either.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I enjoyed reading this novel. I was excited to get to read it early, and considered holding out until summer, in an effort to recreate my old yearly wait for the newest beach read Elin Hilderbrand book. But I couldn't.
The Academy and The Thoroughbreds definitely scratch the itch without being the Nantucket Universe we grew to love. Tiffin Academy has the elevated society, throwing in a few working class characters to even it out, and includes the aspirational environments, glamourous events, brand name dropping, and detailed descriptions of delicious menus and gorgeous decor that made us want to visit Nantucket if not actually just move there. Elin Hilderbrand's voice is heard throughout this new series, which is welcome.
This novel continues some of the story lines and character arcs started in The Academy. We experience as old characters grow, we meet new students and staff, and live with them through the school term as they discover where their next year will take them, academically and professionally. The now-Sixth Formers Charley, Davi, East, Dub, Taylor and the rest of the group are applying to college and dealing with all the emotions and changes that the last year of high school brings. Faculty members Audra, Cornelia, Rhode, and some new hires, are themselves figuring out love, work and interpersonal issues.
It felt like there were fewer "Big Plot Lines" (book 1 had the app problem, the speakeasy, the teacher/student relationship), but there were still issues that needed to be worked out. These were engaging enough to keep the book entertaining and moving quickly, and definitely kept the reader invested in the story until the end. Among other resolutions and reveals, Dub finds out what was in Cinnamon's mystery email.
The books might get dated quickly due to the specific trends, slang, and music mentioned - very 2026 - but that same attention to the details is what makes the descriptions feel real and like you're right there with the characters.
Overall, it's a fun read. I enjoy these books, the story lines, and the characters, and will look forward to (hopefully) book #3 in the Tiffin series.
The Academy and The Thoroughbreds definitely scratch the itch without being the Nantucket Universe we grew to love. Tiffin Academy has the elevated society, throwing in a few working class characters to even it out, and includes the aspirational environments, glamourous events, brand name dropping, and detailed descriptions of delicious menus and gorgeous decor that made us want to visit Nantucket if not actually just move there. Elin Hilderbrand's voice is heard throughout this new series, which is welcome.
This novel continues some of the story lines and character arcs started in The Academy. We experience as old characters grow, we meet new students and staff, and live with them through the school term as they discover where their next year will take them, academically and professionally. The now-Sixth Formers Charley, Davi, East, Dub, Taylor and the rest of the group are applying to college and dealing with all the emotions and changes that the last year of high school brings. Faculty members Audra, Cornelia, Rhode, and some new hires, are themselves figuring out love, work and interpersonal issues.
It felt like there were fewer "Big Plot Lines" (book 1 had the app problem, the speakeasy, the teacher/student relationship), but there were still issues that needed to be worked out. These were engaging enough to keep the book entertaining and moving quickly, and definitely kept the reader invested in the story until the end. Among other resolutions and reveals, Dub finds out what was in Cinnamon's mystery email.
The books might get dated quickly due to the specific trends, slang, and music mentioned - very 2026 - but that same attention to the details is what makes the descriptions feel real and like you're right there with the characters.
Overall, it's a fun read. I enjoy these books, the story lines, and the characters, and will look forward to (hopefully) book #3 in the Tiffin series.
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