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Your Beloved Remains
As fascination turns to obsession, two women drag each other into an academic horror of forgery, murder, and rage, destined to be devoured by readers of Plain Bad Heroines and If We Were Villains.
Archivist Celia Kiel has spent her life on the remote campus of Basin College in the Southern Ozarks. Once a jewel of women’s higher education in the South, the school now molders on its mountaintop, its endowment thinly supported by the bequeathed estate of 19th century writer, Beatrice Donahue. Celia guards the legacy of this venerated, yet scandalous author, who has been the object of her illicit desire since childhood.
When the administration announces the college's imminent closure, Celia discovers a manuscript pickled in formaldehyde, and with it, a chance to save the only home she's ever known. She will forge Beatrice's infamous lost work, a spellbinding horror written toward her life's tumultuous end. To do it, she is forced to recruit her professional rival, literature postdoc Joan Harriot, who has both an astounding talent for mimicry and a dark secret of her own. As their world closes in and the ghosts of the Victorian past encroach, their creative collaboration spirals into an obsession more twisted than even their beloved Beatrice could have penned.
Archivist Celia Kiel has spent her life on the remote campus of Basin College in the Southern Ozarks. Once a jewel of women’s higher education in the South, the school now molders on its mountaintop, its endowment thinly supported by the bequeathed estate of 19th century writer, Beatrice Donahue. Celia guards the legacy of this venerated, yet scandalous author, who has been the object of her illicit desire since childhood.
When the administration announces the college's imminent closure, Celia discovers a manuscript pickled in formaldehyde, and with it, a chance to save the only home she's ever known. She will forge Beatrice's infamous lost work, a spellbinding horror written toward her life's tumultuous end. To do it, she is forced to recruit her professional rival, literature postdoc Joan Harriot, who has both an astounding talent for mimicry and a dark secret of her own. As their world closes in and the ghosts of the Victorian past encroach, their creative collaboration spirals into an obsession more twisted than even their beloved Beatrice could have penned.
10 pages, Audiobook
First published October 6, 2026
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March 6, 2026I blurbed this one!
"It's not often I find a novel where I know from the first page that it'll climb in my heart and head and won't ever leave, but Your Beloved Remains is one of them. Dark, transgressive, and beautifully written; a rare and perfect novel."
"It's not often I find a novel where I know from the first page that it'll climb in my heart and head and won't ever leave, but Your Beloved Remains is one of them. Dark, transgressive, and beautifully written; a rare and perfect novel."
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Review: Your Beloved Remains by Quinn Connor
This was a creepy tale with unique characters and some twists and turns. I was interested in the atmosphere, but I was swept up in the story. This one focuses on the story of two women, Celia and Harriot, both academics who find themselves deep in the process of rebuilding an unfinished work of literature by a favorite writer. One of the women is so completely engrossed in the life and relationships of the late author that it makes it difficult for her to find community with others, as they don't quite share in the same zealous appreciation. The way the project plays out becomes a way to explore themes of grief, feminism, queer experiences, friendship, and the ways that academia can shelter and insulate power from the people who are in the midst of the hard work.
Oh! One of the more unique aspects of the narrative is that it is written in the rare second person POV, which switches back and forth between the main characters, Celia and Harriot. While I'm very partial to third person omniscient, I did enjoy stepping out of the normal and experimenting with this kind of perspective. And I think the persuasive, academic, and personal nature of some of the passages lend themselves well to this sort of viewpoint.
I was extremely lucky to receive an advanced reader copy, and I'd like to thank Goodreads, Flatiron Books, and Quinn Connor for being able to read this one early - thank you!
4 out of 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read: September 2026
This was a creepy tale with unique characters and some twists and turns. I was interested in the atmosphere, but I was swept up in the story. This one focuses on the story of two women, Celia and Harriot, both academics who find themselves deep in the process of rebuilding an unfinished work of literature by a favorite writer. One of the women is so completely engrossed in the life and relationships of the late author that it makes it difficult for her to find community with others, as they don't quite share in the same zealous appreciation. The way the project plays out becomes a way to explore themes of grief, feminism, queer experiences, friendship, and the ways that academia can shelter and insulate power from the people who are in the midst of the hard work.
Oh! One of the more unique aspects of the narrative is that it is written in the rare second person POV, which switches back and forth between the main characters, Celia and Harriot. While I'm very partial to third person omniscient, I did enjoy stepping out of the normal and experimenting with this kind of perspective. And I think the persuasive, academic, and personal nature of some of the passages lend themselves well to this sort of viewpoint.
I was extremely lucky to receive an advanced reader copy, and I'd like to thank Goodreads, Flatiron Books, and Quinn Connor for being able to read this one early - thank you!
4 out of 5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read: September 2026
October 20, 2026
celia is insufferable but i liked all the gothic crazy stuff going on
October 8, 2026
at the heart of this book is a festering clump of obsession and the exploration of the lengths that we will go to out of desperation - i think both of our FMCs are obsessed with needing to feel seen and we get to see how this manifests in two different ways which i really loved!
i honestly found that whenever i wasn't reading this book i was just longing to pick it up again - i read it in two sittings and even that made me feel like i didnt devour it fast enough!
i do wish we had slightly more time with Celia and Harriet to explore their dynamic a bit more, this was one of the most intriguing aspect of this book for me so i wouldnt ate up any more of that in general
these narrators were hoenstly incredible, i think i wouldve listened to any word they could ever say??? on top of already enjoy the book itself, our narrators absoltuely bought this book to life with their intonation and emotions. i will 1000% be checking out any more of their works!
thank you so much to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with this audiobook - this review contains my honest thoughts and has been posted voluntarily!
i honestly found that whenever i wasn't reading this book i was just longing to pick it up again - i read it in two sittings and even that made me feel like i didnt devour it fast enough!
i do wish we had slightly more time with Celia and Harriet to explore their dynamic a bit more, this was one of the most intriguing aspect of this book for me so i wouldnt ate up any more of that in general
these narrators were hoenstly incredible, i think i wouldve listened to any word they could ever say??? on top of already enjoy the book itself, our narrators absoltuely bought this book to life with their intonation and emotions. i will 1000% be checking out any more of their works!
thank you so much to netgalley and macmillan audio for providing me with this audiobook - this review contains my honest thoughts and has been posted voluntarily!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5/5
While it isn't a perfect book (so few are) I was engaged with the story throughout and truly was unsure how it would end up to the final page. This is a dark academia novel of obsession, with a slight sapphic storyline (bit of a cliche in which they keep denying the obvious, even after it has occurred), and a very interesting backstory to the fictional author it's all centered around.
Summary:
Celia Kiel has spent her entire life in the Southern Ozarks on the remote campus of Basin College, where she grew up as the College President's daughter and has spent her adult life as the archivist for the Beatrice Donahue collection. Beatrice Donahue was a famous author who started the college as a place for women's higher education and bequeathed her estate to the school upon her death. While Celia lives her life dedicated to Beatrice (or Tris as Celia feels entitled to call her), other remember the author for the scandals surrounding the end of her and her lovers' lives. Celia has loved Beatrice her entire life and sees herself as the rightful and anointed gatekeeper of everything related to the woman.
When rumors of the college's imminent closure begin to reach Celias ears, she finds a possible solution in the form of the lost manuscript of Beatrice Donahue, pickled in formaldehyde. The work is incomplete and parts have disintegrated, but Celia is sure that as the number one fan of Beatrice, she can forge an acceptable version. Her talents only stretch as far as admiration however, and she must recruit Joan Harriot, who she considers her professional rival, in order to achieve her goals. With Harriot's grasp of the written word and past studying Beatrice Donahue's writing paired with Celia's intimate knowledge of the area and Beatrice's life, the two are sure they will succeed. But when the two stay on the remote campus over winter break to complete the work, the isolation may get to them, and they will have to determine what is real, what is imagined, and what really matters in all of this.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
While it isn't a perfect book (so few are) I was engaged with the story throughout and truly was unsure how it would end up to the final page. This is a dark academia novel of obsession, with a slight sapphic storyline (bit of a cliche in which they keep denying the obvious, even after it has occurred), and a very interesting backstory to the fictional author it's all centered around.
Summary:
Celia Kiel has spent her entire life in the Southern Ozarks on the remote campus of Basin College, where she grew up as the College President's daughter and has spent her adult life as the archivist for the Beatrice Donahue collection. Beatrice Donahue was a famous author who started the college as a place for women's higher education and bequeathed her estate to the school upon her death. While Celia lives her life dedicated to Beatrice (or Tris as Celia feels entitled to call her), other remember the author for the scandals surrounding the end of her and her lovers' lives. Celia has loved Beatrice her entire life and sees herself as the rightful and anointed gatekeeper of everything related to the woman.
When rumors of the college's imminent closure begin to reach Celias ears, she finds a possible solution in the form of the lost manuscript of Beatrice Donahue, pickled in formaldehyde. The work is incomplete and parts have disintegrated, but Celia is sure that as the number one fan of Beatrice, she can forge an acceptable version. Her talents only stretch as far as admiration however, and she must recruit Joan Harriot, who she considers her professional rival, in order to achieve her goals. With Harriot's grasp of the written word and past studying Beatrice Donahue's writing paired with Celia's intimate knowledge of the area and Beatrice's life, the two are sure they will succeed. But when the two stay on the remote campus over winter break to complete the work, the isolation may get to them, and they will have to determine what is real, what is imagined, and what really matters in all of this.
Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I wanted to love this because the Southern Gothic x dark academia vibes were so on point. Descriptions of the setting, the school's history and its current state were everything I wanted out of these subgenres. There were some dark scenes and the whole forgery plotline were peak academia that I really liked, hence the three star rating.
But unfortunately, this turned out to be a dull read for the first 2/3 of the novel where barely anything was happening. If you're into slowburn character studies, this might be the type of book for you. There was a main plot, but the focus was more on Celia and Harriot and their individual character development.
While I found Celia and her history with the school interesting, her obsession with Beatrice, which included a POV switch to second person when she was obsessing, wasn't all that exciting to read about. It was actually confusing to read Celia's chapters when, at times, they would switch to second person because she was so fixated on her object of obsession. And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't mind POV changes. I actually wished Beatrice had her own chapters complete with flashbacks.
The biggest thing I disliked about this novel was that Celia and Harriot's POVs were so similar that it was difficult to tell their voices apart. If I stopped in the middle of a chapter (or finished a chapter and the next chapter had no POV name) and I couldn't remember whose POV I was reading when I picked up the book next, well, good luck to me. This was probably the biggest weakness of the story and was even more confusing than the POV switching to second person.
I didn't completely dislike this novel. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I'm not going to recommend it with my whole chest or anything.
Thank you to Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar and NetGalley for this arc.
But unfortunately, this turned out to be a dull read for the first 2/3 of the novel where barely anything was happening. If you're into slowburn character studies, this might be the type of book for you. There was a main plot, but the focus was more on Celia and Harriot and their individual character development.
While I found Celia and her history with the school interesting, her obsession with Beatrice, which included a POV switch to second person when she was obsessing, wasn't all that exciting to read about. It was actually confusing to read Celia's chapters when, at times, they would switch to second person because she was so fixated on her object of obsession. And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't mind POV changes. I actually wished Beatrice had her own chapters complete with flashbacks.
The biggest thing I disliked about this novel was that Celia and Harriot's POVs were so similar that it was difficult to tell their voices apart. If I stopped in the middle of a chapter (or finished a chapter and the next chapter had no POV name) and I couldn't remember whose POV I was reading when I picked up the book next, well, good luck to me. This was probably the biggest weakness of the story and was even more confusing than the POV switching to second person.
I didn't completely dislike this novel. I enjoyed it for what it was, but I'm not going to recommend it with my whole chest or anything.
Thank you to Flatiron Books: Pine & Cedar and NetGalley for this arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced ARC!
This is the perfect read for spooky season. While I wish this was more sapphic, the horror aspect kept me turning pages.
Disturbing in all the right ways.
I'm still reeling after the ending.
This is the perfect read for spooky season. While I wish this was more sapphic, the horror aspect kept me turning pages.
Disturbing in all the right ways.
I'm still reeling after the ending.
September 24, 2026
Dear god, this audiobook was fucking DIVINE. These narrators could literally be talking about a steaming shit and I would STILL get goosebumps. This was a slow burn, atmospheric dark academia story that just consumes you to your core. The balance between both characters and narrators was done so well. On one hand, you can feel yourself falling into madness right along with Celia and could feel how on unhinged she started to become as the story progressed. Then on the other hand, you have Joan who is a bit arrogant, snarky, and just all around so amusing with her quick wit. They were such polar opposites but complimented each other so well. I had so much fun listening to this one and devoured it way faster than I was expecting!
A big thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my alc of Your Beloved Remains 🥰
A big thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my alc of Your Beloved Remains 🥰
September 22, 2026
Review of advanced reader copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
I wanted to so badly to love this. The premise and setting are everything I look for in a good book but unfortunately it fell very flat for me.
There were things I enjoyed. I thought the prose was beautiful and the atmosphere was entrancing. A secluded college built by an eccentric writer that has a haunting past? Sign me right up! I loved hearing about Donahue and her story and how Celia became fixated on her as a way of coping through her own life. I wish more of that was explored so that we really as the reader got to know Celia.
Sadly the characters really did not do anything for me though. Celia and Harriet do not feel very fleshed out, and they often times feel indistinguishable from each other. Instead of adding suspense to the story by keeping things about them a mystery, it often felt unnecessarily dragged out to keep their secrets from the reader. Which in turn caused a disconnect between identifying with the characters. I also found both of them wholly unlikeable, and not in a fun oh I love to hate them but in an annoying god I can’t stand them way.
Overall, I think the structure was there for a really amazing read but it just didn’t hit for me.
I wanted to so badly to love this. The premise and setting are everything I look for in a good book but unfortunately it fell very flat for me.
There were things I enjoyed. I thought the prose was beautiful and the atmosphere was entrancing. A secluded college built by an eccentric writer that has a haunting past? Sign me right up! I loved hearing about Donahue and her story and how Celia became fixated on her as a way of coping through her own life. I wish more of that was explored so that we really as the reader got to know Celia.
Sadly the characters really did not do anything for me though. Celia and Harriet do not feel very fleshed out, and they often times feel indistinguishable from each other. Instead of adding suspense to the story by keeping things about them a mystery, it often felt unnecessarily dragged out to keep their secrets from the reader. Which in turn caused a disconnect between identifying with the characters. I also found both of them wholly unlikeable, and not in a fun oh I love to hate them but in an annoying god I can’t stand them way.
Overall, I think the structure was there for a really amazing read but it just didn’t hit for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Quinn Connor and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook of this novel.
I can see how the author loves mixing the gothic of the old and the psychological frustrations women express through their writing. I enjoyed the main characters obsession and her intense need to find worth within her work and the world of this past gone author. I enjoyed the creepy vibe.
That being said, most was just to quiet for me. It was a slow build and the payoff was just okay for me.
The narration worked great for the atmosphere the story was trying to convey.
Okay read.
I can see how the author loves mixing the gothic of the old and the psychological frustrations women express through their writing. I enjoyed the main characters obsession and her intense need to find worth within her work and the world of this past gone author. I enjoyed the creepy vibe.
That being said, most was just to quiet for me. It was a slow build and the payoff was just okay for me.
The narration worked great for the atmosphere the story was trying to convey.
Okay read.
October 12, 2026
Rating: 3 stars
This is a story of rotted obsession. In theory it's a horror story perfectly suited for fall. It's set at an isolated college and there's plenty of decay and death and toxicity. But I was never really drawn into the story and for such a short book, it definitely dragged.
This is a story of rotted obsession. In theory it's a horror story perfectly suited for fall. It's set at an isolated college and there's plenty of decay and death and toxicity. But I was never really drawn into the story and for such a short book, it definitely dragged.
October 7, 2026
This book left me massively confused and maybe it's just me and I didn't understand the book or I missed a detail that connected it all, since I couldn't find any other reviews mentioning the same issues I had, but this was not what I thought it would be.
First of all, what this book did well is create an atmosphere - which was even heightened by the narrators' performances in the audiobook version. Jess Nahikian and Natalie Naudus are truly masters in their craft and I love their narration styles. But even their excellent performance couldn't get me fully into the story.
In the beginning of the book I was so immensely lost, it felt like I was reading a second book to a series, I haven't read the first book of. I had trouble grasping the setting, the characters and their relationships and who this story was addressed to, since this book is mostly told in second person.
After a while the threads started connecting and I could settle in better. But still, the characters staid distant. There was a strong theme of obsession, which was admittedly written well, but to me it felt like there wasn't much more to the characters. The obsession was so overpowering that barely any other characteristics made it through, making the two characters feel flat and almost blend into each other after a certain point.
And while there was this lingering dread that came with the deepening obsession, I was waiting for the actual horror to set in. But up until the very end it felt like the horror was still hiding around the corner, lingering, stretching out its ghostly finger tips, but only faintly touching you before the plot crumbled to the floor right before turning the corner. There were so many hints at different types of horror elements - hauntings, possession, body horror, illusions, wild animals/monsters,... - but none were fully committed to and in the end there were a lot of loose threads I struggled to connect.
The ending left me therefore not only confused, but also disappointed and unsatisfied. It seemed like the author couldn't fully decide what route to take so she just ended up staying still, making one final reveal that didn't really lead to anything or change much of the storyline and concluded everything with a wild ending that maybe made sense with a character that's completely consumed by her obsession, but ultimately fell flat due to the messy build up.
Again, maybe I missed something or maybe it was all purposefully written this way to show the erratic thought process of an obsessed person. Either way, it sadly didn't quite work for me.
Thanks Libro.fm for the free ALC!
First of all, what this book did well is create an atmosphere - which was even heightened by the narrators' performances in the audiobook version. Jess Nahikian and Natalie Naudus are truly masters in their craft and I love their narration styles. But even their excellent performance couldn't get me fully into the story.
In the beginning of the book I was so immensely lost, it felt like I was reading a second book to a series, I haven't read the first book of. I had trouble grasping the setting, the characters and their relationships and who this story was addressed to, since this book is mostly told in second person.
After a while the threads started connecting and I could settle in better. But still, the characters staid distant. There was a strong theme of obsession, which was admittedly written well, but to me it felt like there wasn't much more to the characters. The obsession was so overpowering that barely any other characteristics made it through, making the two characters feel flat and almost blend into each other after a certain point.
And while there was this lingering dread that came with the deepening obsession, I was waiting for the actual horror to set in. But up until the very end it felt like the horror was still hiding around the corner, lingering, stretching out its ghostly finger tips, but only faintly touching you before the plot crumbled to the floor right before turning the corner. There were so many hints at different types of horror elements - hauntings, possession, body horror, illusions, wild animals/monsters,... - but none were fully committed to and in the end there were a lot of loose threads I struggled to connect.
The ending left me therefore not only confused, but also disappointed and unsatisfied. It seemed like the author couldn't fully decide what route to take so she just ended up staying still, making one final reveal that didn't really lead to anything or change much of the storyline and concluded everything with a wild ending that maybe made sense with a character that's completely consumed by her obsession, but ultimately fell flat due to the messy build up.
Again, maybe I missed something or maybe it was all purposefully written this way to show the erratic thought process of an obsessed person. Either way, it sadly didn't quite work for me.
Thanks Libro.fm for the free ALC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Quinn Connor for allowing me early access to this audiobook so I can review it honestly.
"As fascination turns to obsession, two women drag each other into an academic horror of forgery, murder, and rage, destined to be devoured by readers of Plain Bad Heroines and If We Were Villains."
Release Date: October 6th, 2026
Story: Our main character, Celia Kiel, has spent her entire life on the campus of Basin College, hidden in the Southern Ozark Mountains. For most of her life she has been obsessed with the late Beatrice Donahue, author and founder of the college.
The story is set in the 80s but still gives the gothic vibes that I love. It is very much a character based story, delving into the minds of 2 very different women, brought together by obsession and desperation.
Writing: The writing was absolutely gorgeous. The way the writing made me feel like I was inside both women's minds, intimately hearing their thoughts was incredible. Everything about the writing was exactly what I love in a book. I felt every emotion they women felt, pictured each scene perfectly.
Characters: Celia was such a sheltered woman, although very intelligent, but quite damaged and shut off. Joan is the complete opposite of Celia but they are drawn together nonetheless. Separately they are such interesting, multi-layered characters. Together they are tumultuous to say the least, but also fascinating and delicious.
Who Would I Recommend This To: If you love the slow, psychological build of gothic horror then you would love this. This story is beautifully told through the characters thoughts and inner monologue, which to some may find slower paced, however this is how gothic horror should be!
Audio Book Notes: Jess Nahikian & Natalie Naudus were 2 of the most ethereal narrators I have ever heard. Very different styles but both were like honey in my ears. I could listen to them narrate anything. They were absolutely PERFECT for this story!
Overall: I LOVED this book so much!!!
"As fascination turns to obsession, two women drag each other into an academic horror of forgery, murder, and rage, destined to be devoured by readers of Plain Bad Heroines and If We Were Villains."
Release Date: October 6th, 2026
Story: Our main character, Celia Kiel, has spent her entire life on the campus of Basin College, hidden in the Southern Ozark Mountains. For most of her life she has been obsessed with the late Beatrice Donahue, author and founder of the college.
The story is set in the 80s but still gives the gothic vibes that I love. It is very much a character based story, delving into the minds of 2 very different women, brought together by obsession and desperation.
Writing: The writing was absolutely gorgeous. The way the writing made me feel like I was inside both women's minds, intimately hearing their thoughts was incredible. Everything about the writing was exactly what I love in a book. I felt every emotion they women felt, pictured each scene perfectly.
Characters: Celia was such a sheltered woman, although very intelligent, but quite damaged and shut off. Joan is the complete opposite of Celia but they are drawn together nonetheless. Separately they are such interesting, multi-layered characters. Together they are tumultuous to say the least, but also fascinating and delicious.
Who Would I Recommend This To: If you love the slow, psychological build of gothic horror then you would love this. This story is beautifully told through the characters thoughts and inner monologue, which to some may find slower paced, however this is how gothic horror should be!
Audio Book Notes: Jess Nahikian & Natalie Naudus were 2 of the most ethereal narrators I have ever heard. Very different styles but both were like honey in my ears. I could listen to them narrate anything. They were absolutely PERFECT for this story!
Overall: I LOVED this book so much!!!
September 30, 2026
Got an arc through Libro.fm 4.5/5
A sapphic Folie-a-deux being third wheeled by a long dead author further descends into madness in a fever dream of the highest caliber. I didn't know what to expect going into this but I ended up slamming it in about 36 hours because I was so entrenched in the story. While there were a couple threads I felt didn't tie together as much as I would've liked, this is still perfect if you like women's wrongs and doomed Yuri
A sapphic Folie-a-deux being third wheeled by a long dead author further descends into madness in a fever dream of the highest caliber. I didn't know what to expect going into this but I ended up slamming it in about 36 hours because I was so entrenched in the story. While there were a couple threads I felt didn't tie together as much as I would've liked, this is still perfect if you like women's wrongs and doomed Yuri
November 5, 2026
This was so unique!! I adored the writing style and dual pov!
Did Not Finish
September 9, 2026Advanced copy received from publisher.
Unfortunately, the style of writing wasn’t for me. It tried to capture an “old world” feel, but came across as convoluted. This book is definitely for someone though! I am going to find it a good home, to someone who will have a better experience.
Unfortunately, the style of writing wasn’t for me. It tried to capture an “old world” feel, but came across as convoluted. This book is definitely for someone though! I am going to find it a good home, to someone who will have a better experience.
October 27, 2026
I loved this!! In depth review TBA.
September 19, 2026
This story is one that simmers for a bit before erupting into a full rolling boil. You start tiptoeing around in the atmospheric, dark academia world and as you are trying to find your footing, you will suddenly realize you’ve been sucked into its quicksand. By then, you are knee deep in the story and you have to find out how it’s going to end.
To say Celia has an obsession with Beatrice is potentially the understatement of the century. Every single thing she does and interaction she has is dictated by this obsession. The story’s overall vibes were reminiscent of some of my favorite Faulkner works (except with infinitely less dense prose and infinitely more sapphic). I appreciated how the deterioration of Celia’s stability, credibility, friendships, etc is mimicked in the deterioration of the college she works for and Beatrice’s life’s work.
My only critique of the audiobook is that the POV shift for Harriot and Celia are prefaced by their names. But because the audiobook narrator remains the same, it can be a bit difficult to initially register that there are excerpts that are nestled in the FMC’s chapters that are not their POV, and only catch on because there is suddenly prose written in the second person.
Kick off your spooky season reads and grab yourself a copy of this book when it is released on October 6, 2026!
Thank you to Quinn Connor and Macmillan Audio for providing this ALC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
To say Celia has an obsession with Beatrice is potentially the understatement of the century. Every single thing she does and interaction she has is dictated by this obsession. The story’s overall vibes were reminiscent of some of my favorite Faulkner works (except with infinitely less dense prose and infinitely more sapphic). I appreciated how the deterioration of Celia’s stability, credibility, friendships, etc is mimicked in the deterioration of the college she works for and Beatrice’s life’s work.
My only critique of the audiobook is that the POV shift for Harriot and Celia are prefaced by their names. But because the audiobook narrator remains the same, it can be a bit difficult to initially register that there are excerpts that are nestled in the FMC’s chapters that are not their POV, and only catch on because there is suddenly prose written in the second person.
Kick off your spooky season reads and grab yourself a copy of this book when it is released on October 6, 2026!
Thank you to Quinn Connor and Macmillan Audio for providing this ALC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you are looking for a gothic dark academia read that is deeply atmospheric, full of obsession and eerie vibes, Your Beloved Remains delivers completely. The haunting atmosphere grabs you immediately, creating an immersive world where you can’t help but get swept up in the characters' unraveling.
When the closing of a remote Southern college threatens archivist Celia Kiel’s role in protecting the work of a 19th century author, she concocts a desperate plan to forge the author's lost work to bring attention back to the college. Forced to collaborate with her academic rival Joan Harriot, the two women embark on a literary mission. As ghosts and secret pasts encroach, their creative partnership spirals into a dark, obsessive web.
I originally requested this audiobook specifically because Natalie Naudus was on the narration team, and she did not disappoint, though I was thrilled to find that both narrators were absolute powerhouses. Together, they brought every layer of this story to life with perfection. They brilliantly captured the unhinged portrayal of obsession in our lead character, perfectly balanced the tender, understated sapphic yearning, and hit every tone needed to maintain that classic gothic feel.
It’s dark, moody, and driven by incredible performances that make the audio format an absolute must-listen. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced listener copy! All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
When the closing of a remote Southern college threatens archivist Celia Kiel’s role in protecting the work of a 19th century author, she concocts a desperate plan to forge the author's lost work to bring attention back to the college. Forced to collaborate with her academic rival Joan Harriot, the two women embark on a literary mission. As ghosts and secret pasts encroach, their creative partnership spirals into a dark, obsessive web.
I originally requested this audiobook specifically because Natalie Naudus was on the narration team, and she did not disappoint, though I was thrilled to find that both narrators were absolute powerhouses. Together, they brought every layer of this story to life with perfection. They brilliantly captured the unhinged portrayal of obsession in our lead character, perfectly balanced the tender, understated sapphic yearning, and hit every tone needed to maintain that classic gothic feel.
It’s dark, moody, and driven by incredible performances that make the audio format an absolute must-listen. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced listener copy! All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
September 21, 2026
Disclosure Statement: I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Your Beloved Remains is a heartbreaking Gothic horror novel set in the Ozarks in Arkansas, and that continues to be one of my favorite settings in fiction. The book drips with dread for its main characters, Harry and Cece, both of whom are academics just looking for a break. If there's anything this book gets totally, 100% right, it's the cattiness and drama of academia, and it's one of the few books I truly think does dark academia right.
It's a book all about envy and professional jealousy, it's critical about institutions of academia and those who populate it even as it clearly demonstrates its love and its passions for academic study throughout its brief page count. But it's also a book about our desperate desire to be seen and recognized, about how easily collaboration can fall apart when ego is too big and thirsty for recognition. It's a book that is unabashedly queer to its roots, tantalizingly beautiful and abject heartbreak from the outset.
There's just so much I think the book is doing, from its immaculate prose voice to its "bananapants" devolution into madness. It is horny and it is lonely and it is provocative, in all the ways [dark] academia maybe should be. I couldn't put this book down if I wanted to.
Your Beloved Remains is a heartbreaking Gothic horror novel set in the Ozarks in Arkansas, and that continues to be one of my favorite settings in fiction. The book drips with dread for its main characters, Harry and Cece, both of whom are academics just looking for a break. If there's anything this book gets totally, 100% right, it's the cattiness and drama of academia, and it's one of the few books I truly think does dark academia right.
It's a book all about envy and professional jealousy, it's critical about institutions of academia and those who populate it even as it clearly demonstrates its love and its passions for academic study throughout its brief page count. But it's also a book about our desperate desire to be seen and recognized, about how easily collaboration can fall apart when ego is too big and thirsty for recognition. It's a book that is unabashedly queer to its roots, tantalizingly beautiful and abject heartbreak from the outset.
There's just so much I think the book is doing, from its immaculate prose voice to its "bananapants" devolution into madness. It is horny and it is lonely and it is provocative, in all the ways [dark] academia maybe should be. I couldn't put this book down if I wanted to.
October 17, 2026
This is one of those books that felt like it was more vibes than anything else. The dark academia setting was done decently and actually incorporated some academia, which was excellent. I really liked the forgery plot. But that's about where the positives ended.
The first half of the book is very slow to the point of being completely uninteresting after the first introduction to the characters and setting. Celia was a promising character, but her obsession with Beatrice was painfully repetitive and bland, almost to the point where it added nothing to the book. And unfortunately, Celia's and Harry's voices were much too similar to be compelling or interesting and also made it really difficult to remember whose POV I was reading.
This was a mediocre one, and if you're look for a dark academia with gothic vibes and obsession, you may enjoy it. The narrators did a decent job as well, so I do recommend checking out the audiobook if you're interested. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
The first half of the book is very slow to the point of being completely uninteresting after the first introduction to the characters and setting. Celia was a promising character, but her obsession with Beatrice was painfully repetitive and bland, almost to the point where it added nothing to the book. And unfortunately, Celia's and Harry's voices were much too similar to be compelling or interesting and also made it really difficult to remember whose POV I was reading.
This was a mediocre one, and if you're look for a dark academia with gothic vibes and obsession, you may enjoy it. The narrators did a decent job as well, so I do recommend checking out the audiobook if you're interested. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
September 27, 2026
thank you to Flatiron Books for access to this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
has this ever happened to you?
“my narrators are too reliable!”
well look no further! with Your Beloved Remains, the narrators are unreliable to the MAX! set in the Ozarks, this story follows our two main characters as they attempt to revive the legacy of a long dead author to save the college she founded. it’s creepy, eerie, haunting, uncanny, bizarre, insert any other synonym and it’ll be right at home!
unironically though, this was an absolute rollercoaster of a book in the best of ways. the main characters, Celia and Harriot, are very well constructed and they make for such interesting subjects to follow. the plot itself is driven by these two, as well as the overall setting. if that doesn’t make sense you’ll get it when you read it ; )
highly recommend this for those who enjoy dark(er) academia settings, ghost stories and urban myths, and are able to stomach a little bit of gore. definitely suitable to be read during halloween season too!
has this ever happened to you?
“my narrators are too reliable!”
well look no further! with Your Beloved Remains, the narrators are unreliable to the MAX! set in the Ozarks, this story follows our two main characters as they attempt to revive the legacy of a long dead author to save the college she founded. it’s creepy, eerie, haunting, uncanny, bizarre, insert any other synonym and it’ll be right at home!
unironically though, this was an absolute rollercoaster of a book in the best of ways. the main characters, Celia and Harriot, are very well constructed and they make for such interesting subjects to follow. the plot itself is driven by these two, as well as the overall setting. if that doesn’t make sense you’ll get it when you read it ; )
highly recommend this for those who enjoy dark(er) academia settings, ghost stories and urban myths, and are able to stomach a little bit of gore. definitely suitable to be read during halloween season too!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a toxic, atmospheric, rival type of story. I would not at all consider this romance-so beware if that’s how you’re seeing it spoken about.
We are following Celia who has an actual obsession with this 19th century writer…. And I do mean obsessed 😬 she works/lives in the college than writer did and when the college is going to be closed she must do something about it. In steps Harriot-her academic rival to help her.
Things turn dark and twisty from there. Celia’s obsession affects everything she does. Her perspective on life, how she treats others, and what she is willing to do to get what she wants. Very unlikeable, so of course I found that fascinating.
If you like tragic, dark, sapphic toxic stories-i’d recommend this one.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
We are following Celia who has an actual obsession with this 19th century writer…. And I do mean obsessed 😬 she works/lives in the college than writer did and when the college is going to be closed she must do something about it. In steps Harriot-her academic rival to help her.
Things turn dark and twisty from there. Celia’s obsession affects everything she does. Her perspective on life, how she treats others, and what she is willing to do to get what she wants. Very unlikeable, so of course I found that fascinating.
If you like tragic, dark, sapphic toxic stories-i’d recommend this one.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
November 8, 2026
What did I just read? (Affectionate)
It was a beautiful, twisted, gothic fever dream. The atmosphere was extremely well done. What is real and what is not? Who cares. It will sometimes feel like a whirlpool, confusing, but fascinating.
Because this is a tale of all-consuming obsession, of living vicariously through another person. It successes at being extremely disturbing (the atmosphere was so stifling sometimes that I had to put it down).
The ending was...probably the most unhinged thing I've read in a long time. I didn't see it going that far, but that was excellent. Excessive, full of romanticism (the literary movement), sublime and decadence.
It was also really well-written.
It was a beautiful, twisted, gothic fever dream. The atmosphere was extremely well done. What is real and what is not? Who cares. It will sometimes feel like a whirlpool, confusing, but fascinating.
Because this is a tale of all-consuming obsession, of living vicariously through another person. It successes at being extremely disturbing (the atmosphere was so stifling sometimes that I had to put it down).
The ending was...probably the most unhinged thing I've read in a long time. I didn't see it going that far, but that was excellent. Excessive, full of romanticism (the literary movement), sublime and decadence.
It was also really well-written.
October 3, 2026
most gooped and gagged i’ve been reading a book in so long holy shit
October 24, 2026
That was a wild ride. When they said toxic sapphics, they meant TOXIC.
November 2, 2026
Fevery dreamy and transportive
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfKfdehy/
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTfKfdehy/
October 14, 2026
I’m still thinking about this one three days later (which is definitely a sign of a good story), but my god I could not stand Celia
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
ALC via NetGalley.
Your Beloved Remains is a dark, atmospheric story that follows the slow, eerie descent into obsessive madness of Celia, an archivist who becomes consumed by a poorly preserved manuscript from her idol, Beatrice Donahue. She enlists the help of Harriot, a postdoc tasked with forging the missing pieces.
First, I want to focus on the beautiful prose and writing. This is extremely well written, and I found myself intrigued by the slow descent into the characters’ obsession and fear. The narration was fantastic as well.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. It is extremely slow, and I found myself realizing around 70% in that hardly any forward plot movement had occurred. The last 10–15% is where most of the action occurs, but even then, the payoff didn’t quite feel worth the buildup to me.
I’m sure readers who have patience and are looking for a slow, dark, atmospheric build will enjoy this novel along with the author’s beautiful prose.
Your Beloved Remains is a dark, atmospheric story that follows the slow, eerie descent into obsessive madness of Celia, an archivist who becomes consumed by a poorly preserved manuscript from her idol, Beatrice Donahue. She enlists the help of Harriot, a postdoc tasked with forging the missing pieces.
First, I want to focus on the beautiful prose and writing. This is extremely well written, and I found myself intrigued by the slow descent into the characters’ obsession and fear. The narration was fantastic as well.
Unfortunately, this book was not for me. It is extremely slow, and I found myself realizing around 70% in that hardly any forward plot movement had occurred. The last 10–15% is where most of the action occurs, but even then, the payoff didn’t quite feel worth the buildup to me.
I’m sure readers who have patience and are looking for a slow, dark, atmospheric build will enjoy this novel along with the author’s beautiful prose.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I want to begin this review with the clarification that Dark Academia is pretty much my favorite genre. On one hand, perhaps this makes me positively biased towards high ratings for DA books. On the other hand, I have read a LOT of DA at this point and haven't loved all of them.
I loved Your Beloved Remains. It's probably a 4 or 4.5 star read due to a couple plot points I wasn't totally sure on, but I am giving it 5 stars because I thought the whole fever dream quality of the ending was so well done.
Celia is our heroine. She is a total weirdo, an archivist in the 1980s at a remote college in the Ozarks who is obsessed - literally - with the founder of the college, a 19th century writer named Beatrice Donahue. All POVs that are from Celia are told in 2nd person, and she speaks directly to Beatrice in her mind at all times. Celia is a delightful basket case with a likely personality disorder. Add to this that Beatrice Donahue is famous more for her disturbing and shocking behavior than for her writing, and it's clear why Celia basically has no friends.
Our second MC is "Harry" - Joan Harriot - a doctoral student newly employed at the college. Harry and Celia clash instantly because Harry is skeptical of the genius of Beatrice's writing - unforgivable in Celia's eyes.
Celia stumbles upon a lost manuscript of Beatrice's, one which had famously existed but no one knew what had become of it. She knows the impact this will have on the literary world, and the timing is excellent as she has been given a tip that the college is likely to be shut down.
To reveal more would ruin the fun of reading the story, but suffice to say that Celia reluctantly enlists Harry to help her with the restoration of the old text. The book takes a sharp turn at a certain point and becomes a true horror story. This is a standard element of DA, but in this case it feels very gothic, which works so well. The author has clearly read The Secret History, the grandmama of all gothic DA. I loved the ending, and all of the twists. The final portion of the book has a claustrophobic sense of doom hanging over it - excellent atmosphere.
DA with major themes of romantic obsession and undertones of feminist rage - subtle, yet compelling. Loved this one! Thank you NetGalley.
I loved Your Beloved Remains. It's probably a 4 or 4.5 star read due to a couple plot points I wasn't totally sure on, but I am giving it 5 stars because I thought the whole fever dream quality of the ending was so well done.
Celia is our heroine. She is a total weirdo, an archivist in the 1980s at a remote college in the Ozarks who is obsessed - literally - with the founder of the college, a 19th century writer named Beatrice Donahue. All POVs that are from Celia are told in 2nd person, and she speaks directly to Beatrice in her mind at all times. Celia is a delightful basket case with a likely personality disorder. Add to this that Beatrice Donahue is famous more for her disturbing and shocking behavior than for her writing, and it's clear why Celia basically has no friends.
Our second MC is "Harry" - Joan Harriot - a doctoral student newly employed at the college. Harry and Celia clash instantly because Harry is skeptical of the genius of Beatrice's writing - unforgivable in Celia's eyes.
Celia stumbles upon a lost manuscript of Beatrice's, one which had famously existed but no one knew what had become of it. She knows the impact this will have on the literary world, and the timing is excellent as she has been given a tip that the college is likely to be shut down.
To reveal more would ruin the fun of reading the story, but suffice to say that Celia reluctantly enlists Harry to help her with the restoration of the old text. The book takes a sharp turn at a certain point and becomes a true horror story. This is a standard element of DA, but in this case it feels very gothic, which works so well. The author has clearly read The Secret History, the grandmama of all gothic DA. I loved the ending, and all of the twists. The final portion of the book has a claustrophobic sense of doom hanging over it - excellent atmosphere.
DA with major themes of romantic obsession and undertones of feminist rage - subtle, yet compelling. Loved this one! Thank you NetGalley.
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