A Door in the Dark

By: Scott Reintgen

Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky

An instant New York Times bestseller!

“For readers who have just finished Naomi Novik’s The Golden Enclaves and are ravenous for more dark academia” (Booklist), this “pulse-pounding” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) fantasy thriller follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness.

Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she’s one of the best wizards in her generation. But top marks at Balmerick University will mean nothing if she fails to get recruited into one of the major houses. Enter Theo Brood. If being rich were a sin, he’d already be halfway to hell. After a failed and disastrous party trick, fate has the two of them crossing paths at the public waxway portal the day before holidays; Theo’s punishment is to travel home with the scholarship kids—which doesn’t sit well with any of them.

A fight breaks out. In the chaos, the portal spell malfunctions. All six students are snatched from the safety of the school’s campus and set down in the middle of nowhere. And one of them is dead on arrival.

If anyone can get them through the punishing wilderness with limited magical reserves it’s Ren. She’s been in survival mode her entire life. But no magic could prepare her for the tangled secrets the rest of the group is harboring, or for what’s following them through the dark woods…

Excellent

I loved it. I loved the characters and their story. I can't wait to listen to the next book in the series. The narration was excellent also.

Why

Ok so why is ren a complete monster. She is selfish, rude, conceited, she plays on other people’s emotions all just to make things worse by seeking revenge. What sent it home was when she admitted to messing up and killing all her friends. And why use Theo like that. bro was
Just trying to make amends and he actually showed he had emotions unlike the MAIN CHARACTER by confessing his love. But overall, good story! 😅

An unexpected thriller

Scott Reintgen's A Door in the Dark is the kind of story that grabs you by the throat at page one and doesn't let go until well after you've finished. I went in expecting a dark academia vibe and came out with my jaw on the floor, wondering what the hell just happened to me (in the best way possible).

Ren Monroe might be one of my new favorite characters in fantasy. She's that perfect blend of brilliant, ruthless, and deeply human that makes you root for her even when she's making questionable choices. And she absolutely makes some questionable choices. When a botched spell dumps her and five classmates in the middle of nowhere, the story transforms from magical school drama into a survival thriller with knives out. What starts as "we need to get home" quickly spirals into betrayal and mystery.

The magic system here is excellent spells that run on a sort of mystical battery mean every bit of magic has real consequences. No waving wands and shouting Latin here. When characters cast without a way to recharge, it hurts, and that tension makes every magical showdown absolutely electric.

And can we talk about that ending? Without spoilers, let's just say Reintgen plays fair but still manages to pull the rug out from under you in ways that'll have you immediately texting your book friends. I finished the last page and immediately wanted to start it over to catch all the clues I'd missed.

If you like your fantasy smart, savage, and impossible to predict, this is your next pick. Just don't start it on a work night – trust me on this one. I couldn't stop until I finished it in a single sitting.

5/5 – A dark academic thriller that actually thrills.

Loved it!

Great story, wonderful world building, a few unpredictable twists, would highly recommend to readers of any age!

Excellently woven story with great world building!

A Door in the Dark is what I hope the beginning of a new series. I loved Ren who so tenaciously fights for survival after a portal malfunction leaves her stranded in the woods with 5 other classmates. This all happens the night after a party trick gone wrong has devastating consequences for a small tea shop in a poorer side of town well below the rich family’s home that exists high above it. Can Ren find her footing and help her classmates survive while trying to impress the sons of two noble houses that could change her future or will the unknown dangers in the woods take them on the dark to early graves. Will cunning and magic be enough or will the survival of the fittest have the last say.

I was riveted by the story and the twists and turns had me speechless. The revelations at the end had my head spinning because I was expecting something different. And now I eagerly hope there will be more to come in this story. It’s a fantastic read I highly recommend it!