Curious Tides

An atmospheric dark academia fantasy for fans of The Atlas Six, The Binding, The Hazel Wood and Fourth Wing, set in a world of lunar magic, secret societies and dangerous friendships.

Emory is returning to the prestigious Aldryn College for Lunar Magic for one reason: to uncover the secrets behind the night that left her best friend, Romie, and seven other students dead.

But Emory has plenty of secrets herself, not least that her healing abilities have been corrupted by a strange, impossible magic, granting her power no one should possess.

Turning to the only person she believes she can trust, Emory enlists the help of Romie’s brother Baz – someone already well-versed in the dangers of his own dark Eclipse magic.

But when the supposedly drowned students start washing ashore – alive – only for them each immediately to die horrible, magical deaths, Emory and Baz are no longer the only ones seeking answers.

There's a hidden society at the heart of the school, and they’re attracted to nothing more than they are to power...

Praise for Curious Tides:

'A world that pulses and breathes. With intricate magic and a mystery that spirals as deep and dark as it can go, Curious Tides is a marvel in atmosphere.' – Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights

'Rich, immersive and astonishingly layered—I want to sink into this darkly magical world and never leave.' – Laura Steven, author of The Society for Soulless Girls

'Vividly imagined, beautifully written, and as dark as it is dazzling ­­– Curious Tides will drag you under from the very first page.' – Sarah Underwood, New York Times bestselling author of Lies We Sing to the Sea

'A darkly enchanting story that had me turning pages like mad. Gorgeous writing, fascinating characters, and the kind of rich magical lore that dreams are made of. Curious Tides swept me away. I'm obsessed with this world.' – Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn

'Curious Tides sucks you in from page one with a fully realized universe that feels lived-in and otherworldly all at once. The story is alive with lore, and it’s impossible not to be transported.' – Joan He, New York Times bestselling author of Strike the Zither

'With chewy, intricate worldbuilding; sparkling characters; and thrilling twists, Curious Tides pulled me under, and I never wanted to resurface from its richly imagined depths. An alluring, immersive debut.' – Allison Saft, New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic

'A beautifully ethereal fantasy that reads like a dream. Filled with beguiling magic and whimsical storytelling, Curious Tides is a reverie I was sad to wake from.' – Chelsea Abdullah, author of The Stardust Thief

‘With innovative worldbuilding, multifaceted plotting, and an intersectionally diverse cast boasting nuanced character arcs, Lacelle crafts a lavishly imagined dual-narrative tale that will capture readers like a rip current.’ – Kirkus starred review

‘By combining elements common to fantastical dark academia novels with innovative worldbuilding, multifaceted plotting, and an intersectionally diverse cast boasting nuanced character arcs, Lacelle crafts a lavishly imagined dual-narrative tale that will capture readers like a rip current’ – Publishing Weekly starred review 

‘Lacelle's writing is absorbing; the plot is detailed and complicated but everything fits together as neatly and tightly as a puzzle box. Not a word is wasted in this hefty, suspenseful novel as the story, rich with its own mythology, draws the reader in as inexorably as the tide’ – Booklist starred review