A Darker Mischief

The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other-a boarding school thriller about a queer teen from Mississippi who finds himself swept into a world of old money, privilege, and the secret society at the heart of it all.

When Cal Ware wins a scholarship to an elite New England boarding school, he's thrilled to leave his past behind. Back home in Mississippi, he was the poor, queer kid who never fit in. But at Essex Academy, he'll be able to reinvent himself. Or so he hopes...

But at Essex, Cal's classmates only see his cheap clothes and old iPhone. They mock his accent and can't believe he's never left the country or heard of The Hamptons. Cal, at his breaking point, is about to give up and return to Mississippi when he learns about a secret society on campus-the key to becoming Essex royalty.

Cal knows he's not exactly secret society material, but to his surprise, he finds an unlikely champion in the handsome, charismatic, and slightly dangerous Luke Kim. As they get swept up in the mystery and glamour of the Rush process, Cal finds himself falling in love for the first time.

But as the initiation rituals grow riskier-and increasingly nefarious-Cal must decide how far he's willing to go, and how much of himself he's willing to sacrifice, to save everything and everyone he cherishes most. Because nothing at Essex-not even Cal's first love-is quite what it seems.

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A Darker Mischief

The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other-a boarding school thriller about a queer teen from Mississippi who finds himself swept into a world of old money, privilege, and the secret society at the heart of it all.

When Cal Ware wins a scholarship to an elite New England boarding school, he's thrilled to leave his past behind. Back home in Mississippi, he was the poor, queer kid who never fit in. But at Essex Academy, he'll be able to reinvent himself. Or so he hopes...

But at Essex, Cal's classmates only see his cheap clothes and old iPhone. They mock his accent and can't believe he's never left the country or heard of The Hamptons. Cal, at his breaking point, is about to give up and return to Mississippi when he learns about a secret society on campus-the key to becoming Essex royalty.

Cal knows he's not exactly secret society material, but to his surprise, he finds an unlikely champion in the handsome, charismatic, and slightly dangerous Luke Kim. As they get swept up in the mystery and glamour of the Rush process, Cal finds himself falling in love for the first time.

But as the initiation rituals grow riskier-and increasingly nefarious-Cal must decide how far he's willing to go, and how much of himself he's willing to sacrifice, to save everything and everyone he cherishes most. Because nothing at Essex-not even Cal's first love-is quite what it seems.

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A Darker Mischief

A Darker Mischief

by Derek Milman

Narrated by Charles Linshaw

Unabridged — 10 hours, 29 minutes

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A Darker Mischief

A Darker Mischief

by Derek Milman

Narrated by Charles Linshaw

Unabridged — 10 hours, 29 minutes

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Overview

The Honeys meets The Secret History in a work of dark academia like no other-a boarding school thriller about a queer teen from Mississippi who finds himself swept into a world of old money, privilege, and the secret society at the heart of it all.

When Cal Ware wins a scholarship to an elite New England boarding school, he's thrilled to leave his past behind. Back home in Mississippi, he was the poor, queer kid who never fit in. But at Essex Academy, he'll be able to reinvent himself. Or so he hopes...

But at Essex, Cal's classmates only see his cheap clothes and old iPhone. They mock his accent and can't believe he's never left the country or heard of The Hamptons. Cal, at his breaking point, is about to give up and return to Mississippi when he learns about a secret society on campus-the key to becoming Essex royalty.

Cal knows he's not exactly secret society material, but to his surprise, he finds an unlikely champion in the handsome, charismatic, and slightly dangerous Luke Kim. As they get swept up in the mystery and glamour of the Rush process, Cal finds himself falling in love for the first time.

But as the initiation rituals grow riskier-and increasingly nefarious-Cal must decide how far he's willing to go, and how much of himself he's willing to sacrifice, to save everything and everyone he cherishes most. Because nothing at Essex-not even Cal's first love-is quite what it seems.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Praise for A Darker Mischief:

A Cosmopolitan best YA novel of 2024

*"Twisted, enthralling dark academia." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"The central romance is by turns tender and tragic in this satisfying dark academia thriller." --Publishers Weekly

"A tantalizing and addictive novel about identity, class, and first love wrapped in a thrilling, page-turning mystery. Milman's novel is sure to become a favorite for readers everywhere." --Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and The Agathas Mystery series

"A Darker Mischief lovingly folds layers of classic country queer kid drama inside its many puzzle box mysteries." --Adam Sass, award-winning author of Surrender Your Sons and The 99 Boyfriends of Micah Summers

"Haunting but quietly romantic. Nearly every page sent a chill down my spine." --Mason Deaver, author of I Wish You All the Best and The Feeling of Falling in Love

Kirkus Reviews

★ 2024-05-17
An outsider at an elite prep school discovers a powerful secret society.

A prologue sets up an outrageous situation for the narrator—being party to the kidnapping of the daughter of the vice president—before jumping back six months to the beginning of the school year to explain how he ended up in such a predicament. Cal, a sophomore transfer student on scholarship from Mississippi, is isolated at Connecticut’s posh Essex Academy. It’s supposed to be his fresh start after The Incident (among other troubles back home). When Cal chances upon a mysterious party, he learns of a Skull and Bones–like secret society that’s dedicated to exploring the school’s sprawling, storied campus and unearthing its secrets. Cal passionately tears through puzzles and challenges, desperate to earn a place in such powerful company. Alongside exciting urban exploration, Cal falls hard for Luke, a charismatic, troubled Korean American artist who’s also rushing the Society of Seven Eyes. Their ensuing romance is both sweet and spicy. The audacious conspiracy plot is grounded by the powerful emotionality of two flawed, conflicted boys in love. The more Cal sees suspicious, dangerous patterns in the Society’s activities over the decades, the greater the stakes. The book’s content is heavy—among other disturbing themes, classism and regionalism flavor the school, and Cal has experienced extreme homophobia that’s left him with a disability. The school and Society are racially diverse; Cal reads white. The wild climax leads to a bittersweet denouement.

Twisted, enthralling dark academia. (Romantic thriller. 14-18)

Product Details

BN ID: 2940191993560
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication date: 09/10/2024
Edition description: Unabridged
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Related Subjects

Teens & YA
Teen Fiction
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Teens & YA
Teen Fiction
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LGBT and gender identity->Teen fiction

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