I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Thoroughbreds (The Academy #2) by Elin Hilderbrand, Shelby Cunningham Series: The Academy #2
on September 15, 2026
Genres: Young Adult
Format: E-ARC •Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
Class is back in session!
It's the start of another school year at Tiffin, with our favorite characters from The Academy returning for senior year - "sixth form" in Tiffin‑speak - a time of college admissions and trying not to crack under pressure, of partying hard and last hurrahs.
In the wake of Honey Vandermeid's exit, will the new college counselor be up to the task? What do the cards hold in store for Tiffin's It couple, Charley and East? What will become of underground speakeasy Priorities? And what was in Cinnamon Peters's final email?
Apparently dishy, posh East Coast boarding school novels are the niche I didn’t know I needed, but here we are. The Thoroughbreds, a sequel to last year’s The Academy, was one of the easiest five stars for me to give this year. I cannot get enough of Tiffin Academy!
I was a little uncertain as to the execution of the plot in this second installment given one of the biggest mysteries was resolved in book one, and this book does read much more like a slice-of-life into the senior year of high school- and I honestly adored it! I loved watching all of the bittersweet “lasts” the characters experienced (last Kringle, Family Weekend, etc) and how their looming departure and futures also paralleled what was happening in the staff and faculty’s world (that’s one thing these books do SO well, balance the POVs between the teens and adults).
As with the first book, I loved that the story was peppered with little “extras” such as menus from Chef Haz, ‘Bred Bulletin headlines, etc to give texture to the world (and in some cases move the story along). I loved the insight given through the new college counselor’s notes on each student + which schools they were (or weren’t) applying to. It’s little things like this that make these books so much fun to read and so easy to invest in the characters. I also love this third person omniscient narrator who would pop up from time to time to move the story along between seasons and major events- it gave a very Gossip Girl feel (in a less sinister way than the Zip Zap app did in the last book).
The vibes of this book continue to be immaculate too. Though it takes place throughout the entire school year, the boarding school, New England setting makes it the perfect summer-to-fall transition read and the Tiffin bubble draws readers in (I wish I could study at the Sink or eat at the Paddock!) And while this story can prob be put into the “rich people behaving badly and/or crazily” genre, there were some really wholesome moments too as these kids scrambled to figure out their futures.
Overall: Love love love love love this. I haven’t read any of Hilderbrand’s other books but am going to have to dive into her backlist. I hope she keeps writing with her daughter!
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