ALL THAT CONSUMES US By Erica Waters

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

All That Consumes Us by Erica Waters
Published by HarperTeen on 10/17/23
Genres: Fantasy & Magic, Gothic, Horror & Ghost Stories, LGBT, Paranormal, Young Adult
Pages: 413
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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Everyone knows the students in Corbin College’s elite academic society, Magni Viri, have it all—free tuition, inspirational professors, and dream jobs once they graduate. So when Tara is offered a chance to enroll, she takes it.

But once she’s settled into the gorgeous Victorian dormitory the academy calls home, something strange starts to happen. She finally has the chance to write, but her stories are dark and twisted. When she’s not sleepwalking, she’s dreaming about being trapped in a coffin, buried alive. And she’s starting to feel an unseen presence stalking her through the halls of her dorm.

As Tara slowly loses her grip on everything she’s ever known, she discovers a terrible secret at the heart of Magni Viri, one that just might turn her dreams into nightmares, one that might destroy her before she has a chance to escape.

Short and Sweet Review

Tara goes to Corbin College which she can barely afford, but after a student from the elite Magni Viri society dies, there becomes an opening that is offered to Tara. She obviously jumps on the opportunity, tuition is free and after college most students land their dream jobs. After a few nights in the society Tara begins to realize that things aren’t right, she’s writing stories that are darker than things she normally writes and she’s having nightmares. Tara thinks she’s being haunted by a ghost but soon realizes Magni Viri has a darker history then she realized and her place in the society had a higher price than she would have ever thought.

Tara is a talented writer but she’s not at the level she thinks her fellow classmate Meredith, from Magni Viri is. When Tara finds Meredith’s dead body and then soon after is invited to take her place in Magni Viri she accepts. Tara takes part in a initiation which she thinks is just like a little thing to welcome her but she’s actually inviting a spirit into her. Her new roommates are all a little weird and talk about Tara behind her back but Tara is more upset with the fact that she thought that they’d be there for her. All of the people in Magni Viri are intense and really into their work, some of them even become hospitalized. Anyway now that Tara is at Magni Viri she notices that she’s staying up at odd hours writing but she never remembers doing it. She starts to think Meredith is haunting her but she has a whole different ghost after her. The Magni Viri students are so intense because they’re basically being possessed by dead scholars who are putting out their work using the students bodies. Tara soon realizes what’s actually happening and she wants the help of her new roomies to help her. I loved the plot it was interesting and will have you wanting to know exactly what’s going on. The mystery was great and also just learning about Magni Viri and how long this has been going on. The one thing I didn’t like was that Tara would put her issues above everyone else who was obviously dealing with the same thing and I get that this was new for her and those around her have put up and shut up but it didn’t mean that they were in a better position than her.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. The world building was great it was creepy and I loved the characters and the mystery. I will say that this is a perfect book to read during October to prepare for Halloween and get you in the spooky fall mood!