Filled with rich atmosphere, a mind-bending mystery and romance, The Unseemly Education of Anne Merchant by Joanna Wiebe, began as an exciting and intriguing read but too many dark secrets, odd characters, and a confusing cliffhanger caused me to have mixed feelings towards the story.

Anne Merchant, an art prodigy and the daughter of a poor funeral director, has just been accepted into Cania Christy, an elite and mysterious boarding school that holds many secrets and an even darker history. On a secluded island off the secluded coast of Maine, known as Wormwood Island, sits Cania Christy shrouded in mystery. As it's newest student, Anne can't help wondering how the daughter of a poor funeral director got accepted to an invitation only school. Surrounded by

So many secrets for such a small island. From the moment Anne Merchant arrives at Cania Christy, a boarding school for the world’s wealthiest teens, the hushed truths of this strange, unfamiliar land begin calling to her—sometimes as lulling drumbeats in the night, sometimes as piercing shrieks.