book cover of Mothsblood
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Mothsblood

(2026)
A novel by

 
 
An ambitious alchemist must uncover her university's dark secrets while trying to escape from her mysterious past in this electrifying debut.

On a rain-soaked night in modern-day Paris, Larkspur Lee and her academic rivals find themselves at the center of an impossible crime-the murder of their university's headmistress, the immortal Petronelle Flamel.

In the aftermath of Flamel's death, the school devolves into chaos. The mysterious investigator assigned to the case, Violaine, believes a cult known as the Promethean Genesis is responsible for Flamel's murder. But Lark, who knows all too well what kind of horrors that the Prometheans commit, will do anything to stay out of the cult's reach. Matters are complicated when the mentor she crossed an ocean and a continent to escape re-enters her life, enticing her to his side once again while secretly wielding an agenda of his own.

As the Prometheans' plans come to fruition and the university's dark history comes to light, Lark has no choice but to decide whether the power she desires is truly worth the price.



Genre: Horror

Praise for this book

"Mothsblood brings readers into a viciously cruel version of dark academia, where privilege and desire clash with ambition and desperation. Deliciously dark, provokingly heartwrenching, with teeth that cut like glass." - V L Bovalino

"MOTHSBLOOD is literary alchemy - by turns a piercing interrogation of academia, a riveting mystery, and an intimate portrayal of the diasporic identity. In her brilliant debut, Jung claws off the varnish of prestigious institutions, laying bare the monstrous truths within, and the nuances of trauma, achievement, and survival. This is dark academia examined through its most illuminating and necessary lens. Jung is carving out a league of her own." - K M Fajardo

"MOTHSBLOOD is dark academia in its truest sense - a world balanced on the knife-edge between magical old-world opulence and the grime, rot, and actual bones hidden beneath it. With prose so beautiful I wanted to underline every single line, Lynn D. Jung crafts a world that feels vividly, tangibly real and characters that feel even realer: flawed, full of longing, and wonderfully complex. MOTHSBLOOD is a gorgeous, haunting debut, perfect for readers who loved Leigh Bardugo's Ninth House." - Bar Fridman-Tell

"Sinister, sexy, and in utter command over its own allure. MOTHSBLOOD carves to the innards of dark academia, landing every strike amid questions of knowledge, prestige, and belonging. A triumph of a debut." - Chloe Gong

"Mesmerizing, lyrical, and perfectly paced, Mothsblood is a profound meditation on power, and the terrifying lengths one might go to possess it. Lynn D. Jung's brilliant dark academia debut is not to be missed." - Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson

"MOTHSBLOOD: a dark alchemy mingling The Secret History and Frankenstein. Jung writes with the precision of an entomology pin, achieving here a masterclass in sharp prose, tight plotting, and a low, slow horror that will seep into your bones. This book is an intoxicating addition to the dark academia canon. In a word, extraordinary." - Brigitte Knightley

"Mothsblood is pure alchemy. With beautiful and incisive prose, a complex, ambitious protagonist, and a darkly seductive world where opulent facades hide grotesque truths, Lynn D. Jung creates a truly haunting debut. This is dark academia at its finest." - Pascale Lacelle

"Mothsblood drew me into its dangerous world of dark academia, featuring a compelling heroine who is as fierce as she is cunning. Vivid and visceral, Jung's transformative debut will keep you guessing until the last page." - Axie Oh

"An absolutely captivating and lusciously vicious tale, Jung's debut is a must-read for lovers of complex protagonists and dark academia fantasy." - Kiersten White


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