Madisoncanread | The Belles: A Novel

The Belles: A Novel

Lacey N. Dunham

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In this richly atmospheric, dark academia debut novel, a young woman with a secretive past will risk everything—including her life—to fit in.

Belles never tell…

It’s 1951 at the secluded Bellerton College, and Deena Williams is an outsider doing her best to blend in with her wealthy and perfectly groomed peers. Infamous for its strict rules as much as its prestige, attending Bellerton could give Deena the comfortable life she’s always dreamed of. She quickly forms an alliance with the five other freshmen on her floor, and soon they are singled out by the president’s wife as the most promising girls of their class, who anoints them: The Belles. They walk the college’s halls in menacing unison, matching velvet ribbons in their hair.

But no sisterhood comes without secrets, and the Belles are no exception. Playing cruel pranks on their dormitory housemother and embarking on boundary-shattering night games, the Belles test the limits of the campus rules.

But as Deena begins to piece together the sinister history of Bellerton, her own past threatens to come to light, forcing her to make a dangerous choice.

A chilling and seductive coming-of-age story, The Belles is an excavation of the dark side of girlhood, the intricacies of privilege, and the unbridled desire to belong at any cost.

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Madisoncanread\ \ Madison\ \ • Aug 31 2025

Poll:\ \ Do you prefer finding new releases like this or do you prefer the newsletter? \ \ September is looking like an amazing month for new book releases!\ \ September 1, 2025 \ \ The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano:\ \ Based on the true story of Margaret Jones, the first women to be found guilty of witchcraft. This wasn't on my radar at all, but it's going straight to my tbr.\ \ \ \ The Silenced by Diane Rodriguez Wallach\ \ Hazel begins researching the Oakwell Farms School for Girls when she realize this place may be seriously haunted.\ \ September 2, 2025 \ \ I Might Be In Trouble by Daniel Aleman\ \ An author, David had a stand out debut book release, and then his 2nd novel flopped. He was on top of the world and now feels like he has nothing. He ends up going on a date with his dream guy and wakes up the next morning finding him dead. Now he and his literary agent, Stacey are trying to get to the bottom of it.\ \ \ \ Discontent by Beatriz Serrano (Translated by Mara Faye Lethem)\ \ Marisa's life seems picture perfect. However, she's drowning in despair due to the pressures of corporate life. A company's annual retreat may end up exposing her.\ \ \ \ Happiness and Love by Zoe Dubno\ \ A woman has to suffer through an insufferable dinner party hosted for a newly famous actress who is very late. Once she arrives, the night seems to turn into chaos.\ \ \ \ Breathe In, Bleed Out by Brian McAuley\ \ I already have this one preordered! "It's a Midsommar night's Scream in this blood-soaked thriller set at a remote healing treat." There's no way I don't love this book\ \ September 9 2025 \ \ Hot Wax by M.L. Rio\ \ At 10 years old Suzanne witness something traumatic while on tour with her fathers band and now as an adult she's trying to disappear but someone won't let her go.\ \ \ \ The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson\ \ A struggling painter is shocked when a museum shows interest in his art. He accepts the invitation to display his art in a show but he's asked something impossible while he's there.\ \ \ \ Play Nice by Rachel Harrison\ \ I CAN'T Wait for this!!! Clio seems to have the perfect life but she has a secret and that's she grew up in a possessed house. What does that mean? I'm ready to find out!\ \ \ \ The Belles by Lacey N Dunham\ \ I have a feeling this will be perfect for Bunny fans. Deena Williams is trying to fit in and ends up making friends with 5 other girls. The president's wife singles them out and names the group The Belles. Now Deena has secrets that she's trying to keep hidden.\ \ \ \ Seven Reasons to Murder Your Dinner Guests by K.J. Whittle\ \ "Three courses. Seven guests. One card. It's a deadly evening they'll never forget."\ \ \ \ You Weren't Meant to be Human by Andrew Joseph White\ \ "Alien meets Midsommar" an alien invasion set in West Virginia\ \ \ \ We Are Always Tender With Our Dead by Eric LaRocca\ \ 3 faceless entities arrive on Christmas morning, changing the lives of the residents on Burnt Sparrow, New Hampshire.\ \ September 16 2025 \ \ The Whistler by Nick Medina\ \ Henry is a well loved ghost hunter, ends up getting hurt and is now in a wheelchair being taken care of my his grandparents. He's also now being haunted.\ \ \ \ Fiend by Alma Katsu\ \ The Berisha family runs the largest import-export companies in the world and it seems like all of their competitors have some sort of down fall. Never the Berisha family though. Things may take a turn for them in the end though.\ \ \ \ The Vanishing Place by Zoe Rankin\ \ Effie witnesses horrific violence at the hands of her parents and ends up escaping and living in the wilderness. When she realizes the only witness to a murder is a little girl who looks just like her. This forces Effie to go back to her childhood home.\ \ \ \ The Wasp Trap by Mark Edwards\ \ "A dinner party in a beautiful Notting Hill townhouse turns into a sinister game, as six old friends are forced to spill their darkest secrets…or else."\ \ September 23 2025 \ \ We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad\ \ Ah!!! I can't wait for this! The sequel to Bunny!\ \ \ \ Spread Me by Sarah Gailey\ \ Kinsey works at a remote research facility and loves her job. She finds a specimen and then her life begins to spiral.\ \ September 30 2025 \ \ The Mean Ones by Tatianna Schlote-Bonne\ \ Sadie witnesses her best friends brutal murder and now, 17 years later she's dealing with some strange side effects. \ \ \ \ The Mad Wife by Meagan Church\ \ Lulu has strived to be the perfect 1950s housewife but when her new neighbor Bitsy moves in, her life begins to unravel.\ \ \ \ What Stalks The Deep by T. Kingfisher\ \ The third book in the Sworn Soldier series.

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The Inky Phoenix\ \ Kathryn Budig\ \ • Oct 25 2025

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THE BELLES Inky Phoenix Zoom Conversation Recording

For anyone who missed our convo!