lakesedge promises a dark, gothic story with gods and monsters but... i found myself deeply disappointed.

i found this book to be deflating to read; everything from the world-building to the characters just fell flat for me. the writing was a little juvenile and jagged, not really flowing together and in a sense trying too hard to be atmospheric—which backfired in my case and felt a bit odd to read. it had potential and i was trying to enjoy it in the beginning but it quickly turned cartoonish and completely ripped my immersion apart.

the characters were so frustrating to read, especially the protagonist from whom we get the narration from. with everything being so cartoonish and silly, the characters and events were disjointed and forced. i felt there was some sort of stockholm syndrome thing going on, but that could just be me, to be honest. i was put off by the story being told and didn't enjoy it at all.

however, i do think some would enjoy this kind of story, maybe if you like early 2010's YA books where the mc, who has little to no personality, falls for the monster who kidnaps her and her brother. i think with better execution this could've been a decent read but sadly it doesn't even come close to average.

content warnings: emotional and physical abuse, body horror, gore, blood, mention of death and grief, depiction of drowning, self-harm, suicidal ideation, death of loved ones.

— thank you to titan books for providing me with an e-arc through netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

it is plain at best, rough and unpolished at worst. the gothic atmosphere is great on page, but to me it felt like gothic elements crudely glued together. the book itself felt like the author just wrote what tropes she wanted to happen, what lines she wanted the characters to say, so things are the way they are without any deeper explanation, and it made for a poor storytelling + rough transitions + disjointed writing.

another problem with this book is that the plot devices and characters are underutilized. they are not used to their full potential and so i did not feel the stakes + the conflict felt shallow to me. halfway through the book we get a major reveal from the main character, but what really put me off is that this is told in 1st person. so.. did she just suddenly remember this very important detail? and it was revealed in a manner that was so sudden, no build-up whatsoever. i also struggled to be immersed in the worldbuilding and didn't understand what exactly they were trying to do because the explanations and worldbuilding are so vague and the plot is repetitive.

the protagonist is a perfectly ordinary YA main character, which would usually get 3 stars for me, but she's especially unbearable because she is even more foolish than other YA girls for the sake of moving the story. she is also the typical self-sacrificing main character and it was actually quite exhausting for me to be in her head. all the characters did not bring anything new to the table, and i am obviously disappointed with this book. personally, this book is just not for me and i'm giving it 2 stars (and not 1 star) because i feel like this could be something others would enjoy + it's not completely terrible

At first, I was like ✨Rowan✨as a joke.
But bro, I don't think it's a joke anymore.

To start off this review, I do in fact realise that the mansion thingie was supposed to have a whole Wuthering Heights vibe going around. But, in my head, all I could visualise was Buckingham Palace with its well-lit hallways and clean stairways. I would appreciate it if someone helped get the image out of my head.

Now, onto the ACTUAL review:
I'm not going to talk at great lengths about what an amazing person I am (that my friends, is for another day). I was in a reading slump mainly because I had burned myself by reading about 100+ books back in July (scary I know). I remember seeing a bunch of people who have had reading slumps for months, and even years and the thought of one genuinely terrifies me. I was disheartened by the pace established at the beginning of the book and put off reading it for, I don't know, a couple of days until I was reading an ARC and had to finish it before the publication date otherwise, I am forever doomed. Being the wreck I am, I picked it up at God knows what hour and prayed to the sun summoner that I would be able to finish this.

I am fuming at my stupidity; this was really good.

To give credit where credit is due, Violeta was one of the strongest YA protagonists I've ever had the pleasure of reading, and I truly admire her. Despite all the trauma she had undergone, all for her little brother, Violeta remained the kindest and most selfless character throughout the story and if any character arc has to be my favourite, it's hers.

Rowan was pretty much every morally grey love interest in YA fantasy and he lowkey reminded me of Kell from V.E. Schwab's A Darker Shade of Magic. But with his given, how do I put this lightly, uh condition, he is kind of like Nikolai Lantsov in King of Scars or even better, Ren from A Curse so Dark and Lonely. For your information, the storylines are nowhere similar, I just love comparing characters and making connections between them.

My favourite part of the entire book was the sister-brother relationship. It represented everything; the ups and downs, the little arguments, the inside jokes, the bickering and the naturally protective feeling one has for their sibling (be it younger or older). This being an aspect often written badly, I was prepared for the worst, but never expected it to be so good.

The romance was built up wonderfully and I don't know about you but to me them getting together was clearly evident from the premise (yes, I read the premise first, be proud of me). They really complemented each other's personalities and I could dare say they were made for each other! But I am not fixated on whether I completely approve of this mostly because I am unaware of Rowan's age and the age gap between them (normalise normal age gaps in fantasy otherwise it's fucking weird. And the "older" love interest being over a century older than them isn't cute; it's fucking disgusting).

I loved it! Lakesedge is a dark fantasy full of monsters and shadows and alchemy. Right up my alley.

The writing is lush and phenomenal - the spooky manor, the dark lake, the shadows that grab you, the alchemy, the monsters, the deities... All of it was amazingly brought to life.

Even though the main romance is m/f, it's a queer-normative world and the MC is demi! I especially loved the aro-positivity and how her friend said that not everyone wants romance - it's so rare to see aro-positivity!

It's a perfect autumn read and you should definitely give it a go this spooky season.

Thank you to Titan Books, Netgalley and Lyndall Clipstone for the e-arc

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Review:
Lakesedge is the perfect spooky season book. With a Hades and Persephone vibe throughout, dark brooding love interest, found family and all the angsty goodness you could possibly wish for. The writing style is unique and engaging, the story flows well with some interesting twists and turns and an enemies to lovers semi-slow burn romance what more could you want?

The main character, Violeta is strong, independent and her only interest is protecting her brother, I enjoyed seeing her grow throughout, to learn to trust and love, to make friends who become family but most of all, finding a home. However, I felt a bit clueless as to why her magic was so special? Hopefully the answers come in book 2.

I enjoyed the dynamic between Violeta and Rowan, although it also felt like she was starting a relationship with the Lord Under so I guess we’ll see what happens there too.

Overall, I think fans of Hades and Persephone retellings and Kingdom of the Wicked fans will love this one! Just in time for spooky season.

Super interesting, dark, yet humorous at times, very atmospheric and perfect for autumn season. I also love the fact the author took the time to include content warning.

This book was first suggested to me by a friend on the blurb alone and I'm pleased to report this spooky, eerie tale is one hell of a ride!

Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone is so damn compulsively readable. I just wanted to dip in for a bit, and oops, the book is done. It coasts by on a dark, gothic atmosphere, and gives me such Hades and Persephone vibes – though Violeta, the main character seems to be more interested in the local broody boy than in the powerful death deity she deals with. While this is more of a gothic fantasy, this has hit the spot of my dark academia craving as it kind of matches the aestethic and vibes of those books and I’m now already longing for the sequel. It isn’t the most inventive story or has the most unique characters, but it is incredibly compelling and the combination of all these individual elements turn it into something special. If you’re into YA fantasy, and like your books dark and gloomy, this is definitely one to put on the TBR. A very very solid 4* read for me – and one I’ll probably be rereading soon.

Bookreview: Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone 3/5 stars
*I received a Netgalley ARC from the publisher for an honest review *
I am so sad to say I was dissapointed by the story. Somehow my expectations were sky high. When I first heard of this book in my head it was Addie LaRue meets Crimson Peak. Unfortunately it did not live up to that for me.

We follow our main character Leta who looks after her brother Arien. He has a darkness in him that comes out in his nightmares. They are scared and try to avoid it. Then one day in the village she and her brother are taken away by "the monster" who is interested in her brother for his darkness.

The monster was a let down. Rowan was just an unlucky rich boy who lost his family. And him and our main character enemies to lover just did not work for me.

I really hoped the estate to be ultimate spooky but that is not the case. It actually half way through the book feels like home for the character.

It is unlike Addie in that it does not have the same lyrical atmosphere, the dynamic with the devil character. And our world has magic. Light magic from the "lady" (still no clue who she is). And darkness from the Lord Under.

I was really rooted for the mysterious Lord Under that lives under the lake. I am a big fan of the devil elements in books. But he was not present enough. I would have loved more interaction. Hell they could have made it even a Hades and Pershephone trope.

Overall I just needed more world building, dark spooky atmosphere and less falling in love.
The last 10% of the story had me hooked as we finally went to the underword and I really hope the second book will be it for me.😊

Well...I liked the illustrations at beginning of every chapter. The writing is simple and the novel is very easy to read. The biggest miss though is the incredibly dense and insuffurable main character. She has no other trait than being a overbearing big sister. I also think the synopsis gives too much away, it takes some time to even get to the mansion or meet certain characters.
In general 'Lakesedge' has very surface level characters, world building and writing. The build up of the story and atmosphere feels rushed, especially the gothic elements. So, if you, like me, want to read a tropey ya from time to time, this book might be the one for you.

I'm not usually the type to read gothic books, but lately, the urge to read them is growing stronger and I'm slowly starting to look for more books like these. Lakesedge is a vivid, lush gothic fantasy filled with monstrous boys, dark magic and familial bonds. The writing style gave me the creeps, but in a good way. It built up the suspense and the mystery and the horror of the story, and allows you to feel the emotions that the characters are feeling. What I really enjoyed about reading this was that there were not too many characters; the story focused on a core few and that made the reading experience easier since there were not too many names to memorize.

I liked Violeta as a character; thought I wouldn't say I completely liked some of her actions. There were certain points in the story where she acted quite recklessly and ended up endangering the lives of those around her. Except for those moments, she was a pretty great character and I really loved her bond with her brother.

I thought this was a standalone, so I really was not expecting that ending; and now I just really want the second book to know what happens.

4.5 stars
It’s a decadently dark and sumptuously detailed YA gothic fantasy. The decaying, gothic manor setting and the maiden meets monster, Hades and Persephone style premise was utterly breathtaking!

When Violeta and her brother, Arien end up at Lakesedge they expect to find a monster. Everyone has heard the rumours about its owner, Rowan Sylvanan—the boy who drowned his entire family as a child. But the neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem.

As she falls for Rowan, Leta discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, a death god bound to the black waters’ of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn...

Now, to save Rowan—and herself —Leta must confront the darkness of her own past, in order to unravel the mystery behind her connection with the shadowy death god.

This was an incredibly stunning and addictive read! I was completely obsessed with the vividly gothic setting;it’s decaying beauty, wildly overgrown gardens and sinister blackened lake were a magnificently descriptive feast. The writing was both, absolutely lush and wonderfully lyrical which added to the dark fairytale-esque atmosphere.

The characters were exceptionally well written and the slow burn, tension filled romance between Leta and Rowan was definitely swoon worthy. I also really enjoyed meeting the mysterious god of death, the Lord Under who was definitely intriguing, I’d love to see a bit more of him in a sequel.

Overall, it was and incredible book and I’d definitely recommend to lovers of dark or gothic YA Fantasy or fans of Naomi Novik and Katherine Arden.

Also, thanks to Titan Books and NetGalley for the arc.

Since I first saw the cover and read the synopsis of Lakesedge months ago I couldn't wait to read this book, then I saw it was blurbed by Juliet Marillier so I was beyond excited to read it early!

In an extremely atmospheric, gothic tale we follow Violetta and her brother Arien as they move to Lakesedge estate and uncover the dark secrets of the owner, his friends and of course, the Lord Under. The authors writing is lush and descriptive and the story left me excited to read the sequel.

Thank you Netgalley and Titan Books for the chance to read Lakesedge.

When I started reading Lakesedge I was immediately hit with a sense of nostalgia. I’ve been reading young adult fantasy novels since age fourteen, and this book felt familiar in a good way—reminding me of books I loved when I was around that age. The atmosphere is dark and mysterious, and a thread of magic runs through everything within the book, from the characters to the setting. I was immediately intrigued by this book, and it didn’t let me go until I had finished it.

Our main character, Violeta, is a stubborn survivor who would do anything to keep her brother Arien safe. They’re living a fairly normal life with their adoptive mother, but also hiding a dark secret—Arien possesses dark magic that’s giving him nightmares. When their local lord, Rowan Sylvanan, notices Arien losing control of his magic while visiting the siblings’ village, he invites them to come to stay with him, claiming he can help Arien gain control over his magic. There is one problem, however, as his reputation is less than favorable. Rumors say he killed his whole family, and that his estate is haunted by the god of death—the Lord Under. While they’re staying at Lakesedge estate, dark secrets are revealed, and a dark corruption needs to be fought before it consumes them all.

I think the main thing I enjoyed about Lakesedge is the overall atmosphere that’s established early on, once the characters arrive at Lakesedge. Something sinister is brewing in the lake behind the house, and everything else is built around this fact. All the main characters are working together to rid the world of the corruption that’s poisoning the lake, and that fact also forms the basis for the tight-knit group that forms throughout the book. The plot focuses on unraveling the secrets of what happened in various characters’ pasts, which ultimately tie together the various relationships among the characters.

What additionally really appealed to me about Lakesedge was the sense of intimacy that I got while reading it. There are really only five significant characters in this novel. Naturally, there is Violeta, the protagonist, as well as her brother, Arien, and the lord of the estate, Rowan. There is also Florence, a sort of all-around caretaker of the estate and its residents, and Clover, an alchemist helping Rowan fight the corruption that’s threatening Lakesedge, who’s also teaching Arien about magic. Because there aren’t that many characters, the book has the room to focus on a few relationships, in particular the one between Violeta and Rowan, and the one between Violeta and Arien, which worked well for me.

I will note that I believe this book could have worked well as a standalone, and I’m not sure a sequel was needed. After the ending, I’m certainly keen to see where the story will go in the sequel, but I also feel like the story could’ve been wrapped up well within one installment. I definitely recommend this one for fans of romantic YA fantasy with Gothic elements (especially if you’re looking for demisexual and other casual LGBTQ+ representation), as well as fans of Rosamund Hodge’s Cruel Beauty, which this book reminded me of at times. Also, if you liked Elisabeth’s and Nathaniel’s dynamic in Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson, I have a feeling you will enjoy the romance in this book as well.

Sumptuously vivid and strikingly heartfelt, Lakesedge stitches together a half-hopeful, half-heartbreaking tale of twisted magic, souls haunted by their mistake-ridden histories, and a self-sacrificing maiden who takes a leap in trusting a monster who might turn out to be as heroic as she. The spectral mythology and uncanny system of worship that Clipstone charts out within the shadowy confines of Lakesedge is wraithlike and shiver-inducing, and the center-stage pair of Leta and Rowan make a spirited, headstrong match. The slow-burn romance that coruscates between these mains winds up charged with hesitant compassion and mutual veneration; plus, no minor character feels without purpose, and Arien, Clover, and Florence all shine with vivacity and resolve, vigorously playing their parts in their collective mission to rid the lake of its murky corruption and protect their loved ones. The casual LGBT+ rep is solid, too - laid-back confirmations of demi, mlm, and wlw characters crop up across the chapters. if the cross-section of the gothic and the mystical is your thing, this gorgeously-spun rider to the genre shouldn't be missed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for kindly passing on this ARC! 💫