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.

Penny Paxton is the daughter of an icon. Her supermodel mother has legions of adoring fans around the world, and Penny is ready to begin her journey to international adoration, starting with joining the elite Dorian Drama School. When Penny’s new mentor offers her an opportunity she cannot refuse, to have a portrait painted by a mysterious artist who can grant immortal beauty to all his subjects, Penny happily follows in the footsteps of Dorian’s most glittering alumni, knowing that stardom is sure to soon be hers. But when her trusted mentor is found murdered, Penny realises she’s made a terrible mistake – a sinister someone is using the uncanny portraits to kill off the subjects one by one. As more perfectly beautiful students start to fall, Penny knows her time is running out . . . A seductive and searing exploration of beauty, identity, and what the pursuit of perfection can truly cost.

Short and Sweet Review

Every Exquisite Thing follows Penny Paxton, the daughter of a world-famous supermodel who has spent her whole life surrounded by beauty, fame, and impossible expectations. Wanting to step into the spotlight herself, Penny enrolls at the elite Dorian Drama School, where image matters just as much as talent. When her mentor offers her the chance to sit for a portrait by a mysterious artist rumored to grant eternal beauty to his subjects, Penny sees it as the perfect opportunity to secure the glamorous future she’s always dreamed of. But after her mentor is suddenly murdered and other students begin dying under strange circumstances, Penny realizes something much darker is happening behind the school’s polished exterior. As paranoia grows and secrets start unraveling, Penny is forced to confront the dangerous cost of perfection before she becomes the next victim.

I ended up giving Every Exquisite Thing a 2.5⭐ rating because while I loved the concept and atmosphere, the execution just didn’t fully come together for me. The setup had so much potential — dark academia, murder mystery, supernatural portraits, elite drama school drama, and heavy themes surrounding beauty and identity. It honestly sounded like a book I should have loved. And at first, I really was pulled in by the moody atmosphere and the commentary on beauty standards and perfectionism. One of the strongest parts of the book was definitely its themes. I appreciated how it explored eating disorders, body image, alopecia, and the pressure young women face to constantly be beautiful and desirable. Some of the quotes throughout the story were genuinely impactful and emotionally sharp. Penny’s relationship with her mother’s fame and her own self-worth added an interesting layer to the story too. Unfortunately, the deeper the plot went, the weaker it became for me. The mystery started off intriguing, but the reveal and supernatural elements felt underdeveloped and kind of messy by the end. I kept waiting for clearer explanations surrounding the portraits and how everything worked, but instead things became more confusing and rushed. Some twists felt random rather than properly built up, and there were multiple loose ends that never really felt resolved. I also struggled to connect with most of the characters. Penny herself felt a little flat at times, and the romance did absolutely nothing for me. The enemies-to-lovers aspect sounded great on paper, but I didn’t feel much chemistry at all. Honestly, some of the side characters interested me more than the actual romance storyline.

Overall, this is one of those books where I liked the aesthetic, themes, and ideas more than the actual story itself. It definitely has the dark, glamorous vibe a lot of YA readers will enjoy, but for me it never fully reached its potential. I can still see why others would love it, especially if you enjoy dramatic dark academia stories focused more on atmosphere and themes than tightly structured mysteries, but personally I just wanted more depth, stronger character work, and a more satisfying ending.