UNDER: Book One in the Descent Into Darkness Trilogy

by Lily Fay

A Sapphic Dark Academia Fantasy for lovers of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil & A Dark and Drowning Tide.

When Aurelia’s father meets his untimely demise, her purpose dies with him.

Thrust into Vanderbel Academy she knows no one. Nothing is as it seems. Not even her unexpected roommate Veronica Lancet; who seems to be keeping secrets of her own.

Are the voices that haunt Aurelia somehow interlaced with the mystery? Or has her sanity finally given way?

"The only monster to stake its claim was the one winking in her reflection”

Genres: Lesbian, Fantasy, Dark Academia, Queer

424 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 2026

About the author

Lily Fay is a 23 year old queer indie author based in New South Wales, Australia. Her stories are emotionally driven, with wild twists and complex characters that will have you swooning and sobbing interchangeably.

Her debut is a Sapphic Dark Academia Fantasy, and the first in a trilogy.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

had the extreme pleasure of reading the alpha version of this book!!!!!!!!! and now i have the extra extreme pleasure of claiming to know an author mweheheh

I’m excited for the finished book to release and see what changes!!!! this was sm fun to read 😋😋😋

“A wick of a boy shyly rose his hand, hair swaying, a single lilting flame.”

[Solely Sapphic Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
Duel 3rd Person POV. 4.5🌟. 424 pages
1 Minimal Spicy Scene

This book was so beautifully written, with a flowery and almost lyrical prose that I wish my dyslexic ass could comprehend.

The book takes slow burn to a whole new level, it’s glacial, full of tension and has so much sapphic yearning, it’ll have your heart beating double time. Plus Lily’s writing style gives it that extra element of gothicness that makes the world feel eerie and emotionally haunting.

And that cliffhanger, along with a certain characters betrayal… that was brutal and will have you wanting to come back for more

My only issue is that because the writing is so lyrical in nature my horrendously dyslexic ass had to reread each page 3-4 times before I could even sort of comprehend what was happening. Despite that I really enjoyed reading this book

If you’re a fan of dark academia fantasy, with flowery prose, so much tension and sapphic yearning. Then I’d recommend checking out Under.

Things to LOVE:
📚Dark Academia Fantasy
☠️Murder Mystery
⛓️Forced Proximity
💔Grief
❤️‍🔥Slow Burn
💗Yearning
🤫Secrets

[Bridie · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was a cliffhanger and a half 😮‍💨
The tension throughout the whole book was top tier and Lily’s writing style made everything feel so real.
I need a Veronica in my life rn 👏
The longing and the looks and again the goddamn tension, I could feel it through the screen of my kindle. There were times where I was biting my nails to the nubs waiting for what was going to happen next.
I’ll be thinking about this book until the end of time! Loved the lead up to the first kiss, and the banter leading up to it.
The snark between them was a full on lengthy foreplay and I fucking loved it 😍

[Calling All Book Lovers · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

This was an immersive read that immediately pulled me into its dark, gothic atmosphere. Fay's writing style does a fantastic job of creating a world that feels eerie, emotional, and beautifully haunting, making it easy to get lost in the story.

One of my favourite aspects of the book was the emotional chemistry between the main characters. Their connection felt genuine, and the tension between them kept me invested throughout. There was always enough intrigue to keep the story moving, and I found myself wanting to know what would happen next.

That said, it wasn't a perfect read for me. Around the middle, the pacing began to slow down and felt a little repetitive in places, which made it harder to stay as engaged as I was at the beginning. There were also a few moments where certain characters' actions (no spoilers!) left me feeling really frustrated.

Despite those issues, the ending completely won me over. It ramped up the tension and had me eager to dive straight into the next instalment. I'm genuinely confident I'll enjoy the sequel even more.

[crisscrossreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

"After all, an inventor’s downfall would always be the monster born from their creation. A dream turned nightmare."

I’ve got your next 5 star read. Prepare to be transported into another world built by whimsy, filled with eloquent words and ethereal beauty. Only Lily Fay could craft a world that felt so real, and so much like another home within the pages of her book. I’m convinced she filled the pages with an addictive and intoxicating substance that keeps you reading until the end and then you stare at a wall wondering what now?!

☞𝕋ℝ𝕆ℙ𝔼𝕊:
✧ 𝙃𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚
✧ 𝘼𝙣𝙜𝙨𝙩 + 𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜
✧ 𝙎 𝙇 𝙊 𝙒 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣
✧ 𝙂𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙛 / 𝙇𝙤𝙨𝙨
✧ 𝙁𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮
✧ 𝙃𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙭 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩
✧ 𝙎𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙘
✧ 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧 "𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙮 𝘽𝙡𝙪𝙚"

This is a story about so much more than dark academia, a murder mystery and romance. Fay gives us a transfixing emotional journey that touches on healing, grief, trauma, love and self realization. You don’t just witness the characters feelings on the page, the world Fay has built is so immersive that you FEEL every bit of anguish, pain, happiness & triumph as if it were your own. You live every moment, you cherish every memory, the story becomes an extension of yourself in a way you couldn’t imagine.

"A devilish hand offering a dance. The beginnings of a duel neither of realised would one day find its end, as all good things do."

Veronica and Aurelia are so Darcy & Lizzie coded it hurts. It’s a painstakingly beautiful journey that grips you from the very beginning. Their chemistry is palpable, the angst is giving 00s teen blasting MCR at 1am because it was never a phase. And they definitely 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 like each other 😜. Give me a hate to love, or a tension slow burn and I’ll eat it up all day if the payoff slaps. And I promise you it hits perfectly.

“Must you vex me at every waking moment?”

This slow burn is a simmer that kindles throughout the story leaving you edged and yelling “just kiss already”. The romantic journey is giving fated. The way Fay weaves their story like components of a tapestry, carefully with care, ensuring a quality pattern. Veronica & Aurelia are two souls that call to one another, desperately, effortlessly hoping for the day they’ll call each other’s home.

“Lady Blue. An insult wrapped in a formality.”

Fay transformed a trope I despise and helped me learn to love it again. I have relinquished my hatred of the miscommunication trope to you, Lily Fay, if you write it, I will read it, because you executed it with such seamless beauty I was able to find it alluring. While this is a heavily character centered novel, don’t let that fool you, the plot IS plotting and the twists and turns will have you clutching your kindle or the pages as you delve deeper. Just TRUST the process.

"Aurelia swam against the current that was her life, and always, everyone around her fell away"

Knowing that this is a debut novel that came out swinging leaves me in awe of the capabilities and growth, we as readers, will have the privilege to witness. Under, may be finished, but I know this is merely the beginning. With 2 more books coming in the series, I’m giddy with excitement and hopeful expectation. I cannot wait for the chance to return to the vivid world Fay has created. I’m ready to delve more into the magic system, the history and of course Aurelia & Veronica’s journey.

"That was the power of love. It persisted, transcending beyond death"

I leave you with my final thoughts, this is a story for lovers of classic romance, whimsical fantasy, dark academia, and sapphic love. It’s a tale that transcends time & imprints it self on your soul, embedding its essence in your memories. It’s not one that will easily be forgotten. The poetry, eloquence and whimsical nature will remain a fixture for me in months to come. I’m so beyond thankful I was given the chance to read it as an ARC. And I’m so proud of Lily Fay for giving us a piece of herself in these pages.

𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒:
Overall: ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
Slow burn: 🪵🪵🪵🪵(kindling like a MFker)

[Tracey Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page, UNDER completely captured my heart. Lily Fay has created something truly special—a story that is equal parts haunting, beautiful, and impossible to put down.

If Bridgerton met Frankenstein in a dark academia setting, with a sapphic romance, a gripping murder mystery, and a touch of enchanting magic, this would be it.

At its core, this is a deeply emotional story about grief, trauma, healing, and love. Fay explores these themes with extraordinary sensitivity, making every emotion feel tangible. I felt every moment alongside the characters, celebrating their triumphs and aching through their pain.

Lily Fay’s prose is absolutely stunning. Her writing is lyrical, poetic, and filled with beautiful metaphors that make even the quietest moments unforgettable. Time and again I found myself pausing just to admire a sentence, thinking, I’ve never seen that emotion described quite like that before. The entire reading experience felt almost dreamlike.

Veronica and Aurelia are two of the most compelling characters I’ve read in a long time. Their connection is magnetic from the very beginning, and watching two souls destined to find one another slowly navigate grief, trauma, and hope was incredibly moving. The longing, the stolen glances, the banter, and the slow-burn tension were absolutely exquisite. I was completely invested, and the lead-up to their first kiss had me smiling, gasping, and desperately turning the pages.

The story effortlessly blends romance, fantasy, murder mystery, and dark academia into one seamless narrative. Every revelation kept me guessing, and the twists had me clutching my Kindle, simultaneously screaming, crying, and hoping with all my heart that everything would somehow work out. There are scenes in this book that I know will stay with me forever.

While this is a very character-driven novel, and there were moments where I found myself completely immersed in the characters’ internal thoughts, the emotional honesty made every page worthwhile. I was left desperately wanting to know even more about the fascinating world and magic system, which only made me more excited for what comes next.

Knowing this is only the beginning of Lily Fay’s publishing journey makes this book even more remarkable. If this version is already this captivating, I cannot wait to see how the series grows. I have no doubt readers are going to fall head over heels for these characters and this world, just as I did.

UNDER is a stunning debut that lingers long after the final page. It’s emotional, atmospheric, romantic, heartbreaking, and utterly unforgettable.

I already know I’ll be thinking about this story—and Veronica and Aurelia—for a very, very long time.

An easy 5 stars, and one of my favourite reads of the year. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Lilith Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story takes us through the fallout following Veronica's father death, in search of answers, knowing not where to look nor whom to trust.
And this is done in with a very distinct lyrical style, that catapults you inside the main characters head through the ride, setting tone to a messy and very introspective journey along the way.

While there is a goal to the mission Veronica is in, there is also a constant internal struggle to find one's purpose, to find one's self and to find a way to manage the hurt and void that keeps breathing hard.

The questions surrounding her father's death are the anchor to which the story comes back to, however, it becomes secondary when we look more carefully and realize this is a lot more about grief, mourning, surviving and self-discovery.

You become a fly inside their heads more than a witness to the story, and with that will come an overwhelming ocean of thoughts and emotions that you would not see otherwise, and it will be complicated and honestly... quite a lot, as it usually is inside someone's head.
This proved challenging but I still enjoyed the rawness that it offered at times, which is only possible when listening to thoughts unfiltered, silently prying into someone's emotions, giving it no chance to hide in shame or fear.

Both MCs are complex characters and find in each other some complex and toxic dynamics of their own, knowing only that going back to the void that was before them is not an option.
Veronica comes from mourning and a naive but relentless heart, while Veronica comes from a different type of hurt, and exudes morally gray all over, with a dark aura that was intriguing.

I struggled somewhat with the pace (though, it did pick up a little on Part 2), as it is overall slow to unravel, with secrets and half truths piling on top of each other, with introspective moments often taking the stage, and leading to too many open questions.

Overall is a blistering story, swinging extremes, both emotional and psychologically, and it takes it's own time as well as it follows it's own rules, much like their own characters.
I wished I could have connected with the characters a bit stronger and understand their motivations better, specially Veronica - but I wonder if those missing pieces will something that will be offered on the next book.

I would like to thank the author for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.

[Bree ♡︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4:44 ⏱️💫

“𝔞𝔣𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔞𝔩𝔩, 𝔞𝔫 𝔦𝔫𝔳𝔢𝔫𝔱𝔬𝔯’𝔰 𝔡𝔬𝔴𝔫𝔣𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔴𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔞𝔩𝔴𝔞𝔶𝔰 𝔟𝔢 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔫𝔰𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔟𝔬𝔯𝔫 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫. 𝔞 𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔪 𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫𝔢𝔡 𝔫𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔢.”

Oh where do i even begin with this? Watching Lily’s journey from the very beginning of this book to finally being able to say I have read it is such an honor that I will hold so close to my heart forever.

The writing is so lyrically beautiful, it felt so magical and like I was actually there amongst the characters. The plot is so different from anything I’ve read before and it had me so invested. The cliffhanger is something I don’t even want to talk about ✋🏼

The twists and turns had me screaming and crying while clutching my chest, hoping for the best outcome. There are a couple of chapters in here that will be engraved in my veins for the rest of my life and just thinking about them makes me ill. 😭

A 🕊️
My sweet babygirl, you are so strong and I just want to hug you and tell you everything is going to be okay 😭 You are not alone and you deserve to be loved to the full extent of the word. 🖤

V 🖤
My mirror 🥺 you are not a monster simply because you were raised by one. You are capable of loving and it will never be a weakness, but the highest strength.

Relating so deeply to both of these characters made the story so much more memorable and heart wrenching for me. I will forever love these babies with my entire heart. 💙

Thank you, thank you, thank you, times a million for the honor of reading an early copy of your debut. I will never ever forget their story and I can’t wait to find out how it ends 🥹💙

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aurelia is grieving her dad, gets thrown into this creepy asf academy where nothing feels quite right and then ends up rooming with veronica whos def keeping secrets. from there it’s basically grief, secrets, murder mystery stuff, weird voices and a whole lot of sapphic tension.
I really liked aurelia and Veronica together bc theyre both dealin with their own shite and neither of them is exactly easy like they bicker, push each other, keep things from each other and still keep getting pulled back together, plzzzzz the yearning is actually painfullll at points but also rlyyyy good.

the writing is very lyrical and flowery which usually isn’t always my thing but it worked with the whole dark academia setting like it was actually perf, it makes everything feel a lil dreamlike and eerie espesh when Aurelia starts questioning what’s real and what aint. there's romanceee yesss butttt theres also the mystery around her dad, the academy itself, the voices, the secrets and just enough magic to keep making you wonder where everything is heading.

and that endingggg rude genuinely rude 😭

I did want a little more from the fantasy side because it leans heavier into the dark academia and mystery than the magic but I’m also very nosy now and need to know what happens next. its still absolutely a 5 star read for me.

🖤 sapphic dark academia
📚 academy setting
🕯️ murder mystery
💗 slow burn
👀 forced proximity
🖤 grief and trauma
🤫 secrets
👻 eerie and strange happenings
💗 yearning
🕯️ dual POV
😵‍💫 cliffhanger ending

[Tallula Wray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for entrusting me to be one of the ARC readers for UNDER. I feel truly honored to have experienced the first installment of Aurelia and Veronica’s story, and can’t wait for the saga to continue!

I had a certain set of expectations going into UNDER, and I have to say, reading it completely shattered them all! This story is so much more than a sapphic fantasy. It possesses elements of murder mystery, romance, dark academia and fantasy all seamlessly woven together through Fay’s lush and lyrical storytelling. The experience of reading UNDER is almost dreamlike, and I think this is in part due to Fay’s prose, which is ornate and poetic in a way that effectively serves the story. Fay writes about universal human feelings and experiences in a way that is fresh and unique, and I often found myself thinking “Wow, I've never thought of it this way before.” In regards to the MCs, both Aurelia and Veronica possess a magnetism that instantly drew me in, and I loved how much insight I got into their inner thought processes. Fay beautifully portrays their handling of grief and trauma amidst academic pressures and the mysteries unfolding throughout the story. I will say, there were a few places where I struggled to follow the plot, but it is entirely possible that I just didn’t pay enough attention. Lastly, that cliffhanger left me reeling and I’ll be anxiously awaiting the sequel…

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel gave me everything it promised and more!
I was invested the moment I saw the inspirations and this quote

'I wasn't aware we were allowed pets' -Aurelia

😂😂 I live for banter and sarcasm between my main characters and this was just the start! The yearning underneath the the facade of displeasure between the two FMCs kept me on the edge of my seat...Put that alongside a mystery to solve, some forced proximity and an academic setting i was locked in.

I have to say Under gave me back that love of period inspired stories, I instantly fell in love with dark, brooding, witty Veronica who was laced with the traits of Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy...I loved her comebacks! I particularly enjoyed her artistic licence with charcoal and laced letterboxes 😂

This book is so beautifully written and I appreciated the absolute poetry of how moments or feelings were described. How each moment was made to feel like you were experiencing that emotion with the character.
I appreciated this when it came to the characters and their development because some of my most highlighted sections came from the characters internalised thoughts and reflections.

I cannot wait for book two in this series because whilst the cliffhanger I was left with can partially be forgiven by the above examples of how beautiful this book is ...I need to know what happens next...

[Hayley Mullaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an absolutely beautiful debut!! This is for the lovers of character driven stories filled with the most beautiful, lyrical writing.

Let's start with the writing, which in my opinion is the stand out of the book. It is absolutely beautiful, lush and lyrical. While sometimes veering into purple prose territory (not a bad thing in my humble opinion) it still manages to stay easy to read and delightfully bingeable.

I adored our two main girls. They were both so complex & are both tortured in different ways. The dynamic they have is just everything. The yearning and romance was absolutely top notch. Special mention to Selene, my favourite character of the book. Her friendship with Aurelia was just beautiful. I can't wait to learn more about her.

Such heavy character driven books aren't my usual preference. And I did find myself sometimes getting a little lost in their heads. I was left wanting to know more about the world and magic. But the bits we did learn had me absolutely hooked. I cannot wait to learn more in the next book!!

Oh and that ending. An absolutely DIABOLICAL cliffhanger, the best kind of ending. I ate it up.

[Rachael Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It was a shame that memories could not be burned, for there were many she could afford to erase."

Lily has written Under beautifully. It is easily my favourite aspect of the story, the writings style is easy to read and almost lyrical.

All of her characters are beautifully written, Aurelia and Veronica are definitely the standouts! They balance each other so well throughout the story, and their interactions go from tense as academic rivals to beautiful as their relationship grows!

They are polar opposite of each other which makes it easier to tell who's perspective you're reading when it switched!

The found family is amazing and also a highlight of the story! I love what each character brings to the story good or bad!

The pace is a bit slower to what I'm used too and I found myself feeling lost in the story but the way Lily wove the story where if you feel lost you will find the way back.

Under is an amazing debut and it has me excited not just for book 2 but for all of Lily's future work!

[౨ৎ e L L i e · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4⭐️]

first off all, thank you so much to lily fay for trusting and allowing me to arc read their debut novel!! i truly appreciate it 🫶🏻

this was a book that instantly pulled me in from the very first few chapters, which then had me not wanting to put the book down…..as you can see from the fact i read it over the span of just under (😉) 24 hours. the writing style flowed super well throughout, and was very immersive. i would pick up whatever lily writes next purely based on that alone. but also of course for the 2 main characters!! aurelia and veronica 🤭 being along for the ride which was their romance, and witnessing the tension and the banter was just everything! i will say that the pacing of the story did start to slightly slow down for me during the middle part…..just a little bit, but not enough to have me lose interest whatsoever. if anything i was just anticipating what ever was going to occur next. and then you have that cliffhanger…. i will be awaiting the 2nd book for certain 😭

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

i'm so unbelievably honoured to have been able to beta read this beautiful story, I knew that I was going to love the story before i read it and SHOCK i was so right. At it's core it's a story of two girls navigating their grief and trauma alongside each other, but it's so so much more than that, it is dark academia, its a murder mystery, its fantasy and it melts together seemlessly. I fell in love with the characters from the get go, (especially veronica and her slutty little suits) and just how poetically they were written. Lily Fay has such an incredible way with her storytelling and her words, i just know there are so many amazing quotes in here that are definitely going to become people's new favourites because they have become some of mine. I'm so excited to re read the final edition because based on this copy? you'll are in for an incredible journey when it comes out and it's a bloody masterpiece now.
Proud of you forever <3

[Lily Fay]

UNDER is a Sapphic Dark Academia Fantasy for lovers of Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil, and A Dark and Drowning Tide.

The story follows Aurelia Geraldine as she's thrust into Vanderbel Academy, and the secrets beyond. At its heart, it's an emotional venture. It tackles grief and love in its many forms, and the way we sometimes become drawn to the people we least expect because of it.

** THIS IS THE FIRST BOOK IN A TRILOGY AND ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER **

I hope you come to love this novel, and the characters within, as much as I do. This story was such a whirlwind to write, and I miss discovering these characters for the first time very much.

🪡 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔
💙 𝑭𝑬𝑴𝑴𝑬 𝑿 𝑴𝑨𝑺𝑪
🪡 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕/𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆
💙 𝑺𝑳𝑶𝑾 𝑩𝑼𝑹𝑵
🪡 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓
💙 𝑭𝑶𝑹𝑪𝑬𝑫 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑿𝑰𝑴𝑰𝑻𝒀
🪡 𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒇𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒔𝒚
💙 𝑯𝑨𝑵𝑫-𝑾𝑹𝑰𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑵 𝑳𝑬𝑻𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺
🪡 1800’𝒔 𝒗𝒊𝒃𝒆𝒔
💙 𝑫𝑨𝑹𝑲 𝑺𝑬𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑺
🪡 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒆𝒑
💙 𝑭𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑫 𝑭𝑨𝑴𝑰𝑳𝒀
🪡 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆

May your descent into darkness be swift.

Much Love,
Lily Fay

[brogay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ ARC Review — This was such a pleasure to read! I am so glad I picked this book up. Lily Fay's writing is incredible; I was hooked from the first page. The world was immersive, the characters were flawed and interesting, and the cliffhanger was just the cherry on top (even if it was a mean cliffhanger). There was so much depth to the story that it kept me turning the page to find out what happened next, and I wasn't disappointed.

Veronica and Aurelia's relationship dynamic was fascinating and left me wanting more. I absolutely loved getting to know them as individuals and as a pair. Their dynamic was so fun to read about: the yearning, the longing, the angst, the banter, and the disagreements— everything. I absolutely ate it up.

Both Veronica and Aurelia's internal monologues were great to read, they were never too lengthy and never took you out of the story. Learning about who both of them are at their core was truly fascinating and really let you fall into the story, feeling their emotions and their struggles. Both are going through things they wish they weren't, and while neither will really admit it, it was like things were a little quieter, a little better, when they were together.

I highly recommend this book to sapphic and dark academia lovers alike, and if you enjoy a little murder mystery along the way, this one is definitely for you. Lily Fay's writing is beautiful and lyrical, and I loved every second of it.

[Sleepdepriveditalian · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw the author was looking for ARC readers I immediately signed up. The plot was so compelling and I’m a sucker for sapphic dark academia tropes.
The story follows Aurelia Geraldine as she tries to get answers about her father’s murder enlisting the help of one of here fellow students, Veronica Lancet, her mysterious but most astute roommate.
The tension between Aurelia and Veronica is there from the moment they meet and I loved every second of it. Their relationship thrives on witty banter and playful antagonism. They bicker over everything, trade sarcastic remarks at every opportunity, and act like they’re one inconvenience away from kicking each other out, yet their effortless back and forth hints that there’s far more affection than either of them is willing to admit.

I enjoyed the mystery aspect and the fact that the romance wasn’t the central focus of the story. It’s hard not to spoil anything!
Secrets plague the story from beginning to end and you can’t help but feel the need to get to the bottom of them. The book is very intriguing and such a page turner, a true descent into darkness!

The book though, be warned, ends on a cliffhanger. Can’t wait to read the sequel!

Check the list of sensitive topics before diving into this great read!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy from the author .

I really like dark academia with strong female leads, which was something that initially made me feel drawn to this. Our protagonist is Aurelia, and we follow her journey at Vanderbel Academy, following her father's death.

Aurelia was a character who had an immediate presence on the page for me. I found myself thinking, "who is she? What's her story?" and I think a book like this needs a main character with that kind of energy. There was something about Aurelia that resonated with me, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it was there the whole time I was reading. All the characters had a strong presence and brought something different to the story, and they all had interesting on-page chemistry.

This book left me wanting a little bit more, so I would like to see what's next for these characters.

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC copy.

[BookaholicallyBridie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was delighted to receive an ARC of this book from the author. Here is my honest review:

I really loved the concept of this book. The writing was beautiful, and the characters were all intriguing. I loved the mystery elements surrounding Aurelia’s father.

The dark academia vibes were really gothic and I had so much fun reading about the elitist University. I loved Aurelia’s refusal to wear anything but gorgeous outfits, even when they were occasionally impractical.

I think for my preferences, there wasn’t enough payoff for the amount of sapphic yearning. I wanted more from the lesbians.

There was also a character I mistrusted from minute one and I was RIGHT and that’s all I’ll say on the matter.

If you like beautiful descriptions, lesbian yearning, and dark academia, look no further.

[Alyssa (Nova) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Aurelia faced her reflection in the water, hoping to see someone worth breathing for."

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

Being picked to alpha read this book was an incredible honour. It so perfectly explores grief and trauma in a way that I felt like I was there alongside her characters' struggles. 

Lily has an extraordinary capability of capturing emotion with a beautiful array of metaphors and poeticism that I have absolutely zero doubt that future readers of this book will fall head over heels for. I'm so ridiculously excited to see how this book progresses through the editing process - if this is the first version, y'all are in for a ride with every rendition afterward.

[Jules ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to be an Arc Reader for Under by Lily Fay, her Debut Novel, a sapphic dark academia story about grief, trauma, love and many other things. Especially excited after following her journey of finishing and releasing this Novel! I knew I’d fall in love with the characters, they’re so well written and I will think about them forever. Veronica and Aurelia, 2 souls destined to find each other and find their place in their world. Her writing is transcendent, beautiful and poetic. She created this whole world, with fantasy and mystery, easy to transport yourself into it. Always proud of you ♡

[Lilliana · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prose and storytelling in this book was absolutely phenomenal!! Lily Fay has a way with crafting their words and painting vivid pictures for their readers. I found myself relishing in the atmosphere created between the delicious moments of banter. Aurelia and Veronica’s heated interactions had me both clutching my pearls and giggling!

AND THAT SLOW BURN!? That’s going to always do it for me🙂‍↕️

To sum it up, Under’s vibes are exactly as Lily Fay described and portrayed on their Instagram: blue, pearls, angst, dark academia, and mystery! 🩵🌊🗡️

So very excited to see where book 2 takes us (cries in cliffhanger that I knew was coming)!!

[Caitt Fraser · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
This author was born to be a poet! This story has a very interesting premise and the writing is exquisite but it was perhaps a little too lyrical for me. Whilst I can appreciate poetic writing I felt there was a tad too much of it here and I wanted more actual dialogue between characters. Overall I liked the story but did find it hard to follow in places as I'm not super used to such a classical writing style.

[ReedRyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible prose, a startling attention to detail, and a fantastical world.
Invited to attend a college after her father's death, Miss Geraldine has to fight to find herself and answers.

A literary delight, taking its time to elevate the world to a smorgasbord for the senses.

For people who love colourful prose

[Ashley Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

*Thank you to Lily Fay for providing a digital ARC to review*

I love dark academia, and this definitely delivered with the overall vibe of the setting and the characters.

There is a slight fantasy element with the characters having unique abilities, but it wasn’t the main focus, which I enjoyed. I am interested in learning more about them, especially those in relation to the two FMCs.

This is an enemies-to-lovers, and there is really good tension between Aurelia and Veronica. It’s dual POV, so we see how much they obsess over each other as well as come to see how alike they both are.

The writing is very lyrical, which adds to the vibe of the story, but I found myself getting lost at times. A lot of the story is the internal thoughts and musings of the two FMCs, and that also made it harder for me to follow what was happening.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, and I have so many questions that I hope will get addressed in the next book.

[Brooke Welsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, yearning, tension, witty, compelling, slayyyyy ✨️

[Tahlia · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.
An interesting premise that kept me intrigued through out the book. All the characters felt very unique and alive to me. There were some incredibly powerful and evocative lines that practically ripped my heart out, a few I honestly would like to frame. The author did a fantastic job portraying grief and suicidal ideation.
While the prose was very beautiful, it was a bit too flowery and at times convoluted for my taste. I feel like the author got a bit lost in the prose at times, going off on poetic tangents when I just wanted the story to move forward, it became quite distracting.
The descriptions of different locations painted a very beautiful and vivid picture. However there were a few moments during the book where I struggled to put together the scenery/location. I also had little concept of how much time was passing.
I thoroughly enjoyed the banter between the two main characters. However because they both use she/her pronouns I often found it difficult to differentiate who was speaking or performing a certain action and I would have to go back and reread it. Though a minor thing, that extra effort to analyse took me out of the story. I love when a love interest has a pet name, but I felt the main characters had too many different pet names for each other, I really wish they would just pick one. I will say, out of the pet names used, little bird was definitely my favourite.
I also feel that the transition from hate to love could have been smoother, the romance didn't feel quite earned to me.
I loved the two main side characters, however as with the romance, the friendship didn't feel quite earned. I would have liked to see more interactions between Aurelia and her friends, or even just off page mentions of them spending time together to make their bond feel more believable.
I also found the world building to be lacking. I feel like I barely know anything about the world or the magic or the school or what they're even studying. The small snippets we do see of the world and classes were really interesting though.
The pacing is pretty slow but it really ramped up in the last 10%.
There were some plot twists that had my jaw on the ground that I did not see coming at all. I did struggle with figuring out what was happening though. It all felt a way too convenient and I’m not sure how Aurelia figured certain things out. I think it would have been better if more clues were sprinkled in for both Aurelia and the reader.
It does end on a very strange cliffhanger, which personally I love.
While it wasn’t a perfect read for me, I can definitely see how someone else may love it.

Thanks to Lily Fay for giving me an ARC copy to review.

[K.G. Hedemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing is one of the most lyrical I've ever come across and it was a feast. It was like listening to a song, flowing easily and it was impossible for me to stop reading.

It was love at first sight, when Veronica First stepped into the page. The banter? The slow burn romance? This book had me kicking my feet and giggle like a lunatic and I loved it.

It's definitely slow paced, and it was nice to have a break from everything around me that is so hectic. Even though that cliffhanger definitely destroyed me and I'll be now impatiently waiting for book 2 (or anything else Lily writes because I'm addicted and I need more).

[Izzybetweenthepages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember that the softest of hearts often have the strongest of minds.

Under by Lily Fay was everything I could have hoped for and beyond. Everything from the world building to small character quirks made this a phenomenal book and to think this is a debut is insane!

Lily’s writing is something I cannot get over, it’s lyrical, beautiful and completely captivating. I was hooked from the very beginning and fell completely in love with story.

The MCs Aurelia and Veronica have my entire heart, their tension and back and forth bickering was delicious and I ate it right up! The witty banter between these two kept me so thoroughly engaged that I forgot I was reading most of the time, instead I felt like I was there with them inside the school. The slow burn romance is one of my favourite things about this book, at times I found myself shouting ‘just kiss already’. Every interaction between them left me feeling giddy, kicking my feet and screaming!

The world building was magical, everything was so beautifully descriptive that it painted a stunning scene inside my head adding to the atmospherical feel I had while reading and paired with the music, it was extremely immersive and I highly recommend listening to the playlist as Lily has picked 10/10 songs to accompany the chapters.

Be warned the cliffhanger on this book will make you stare at the wall and think what is happening but in the best way, my jaw was left hanging wide open by the end but I’m now extremely excited for the second novel in this series!

Overall I loved this book and I HIGHLY recommend this to everyone, it’s one of those books that you read and it stays with you for a long time!

⭐️♾️/5

Thank you Lily Fay for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!