I’m going to be honest from the outright and say that unfortunately, this was very average for me. I potentially would have enjoyed The Drowned Woods more if I had a physical copy rather than the audiobook as I just could not concentrate on it. My attention span has gotten a lot better when it comes to audiobooks so I do think that this just did not capture my attention the way I hoped it would.

The story was interesting and the characters had quite a lot of development throughout. However, it started out way too slow and then the ending was crazy fast. So much time was spent just walking places and then when it did get to the action it was over too quickly for my liking. The action was well written, and it makes sense for it to be fast-paced as well its action, but something was off for me. Personal preference though, may not be the same for you.

I enjoyed the magic system, that was really interesting. Unfortunately, you don’t experience a lot of magic other than Mer’s water divining and Fane’s iron-sensing abilities. But it was cool nonetheless.

Unfortunately, as it took so long for me to get through The Drowned Woods I really struggled to form opinions on it. The start of the book was packed full of world-building and character information and a lot of it went in one ear and straight out the other. This could honestly be more due to my attention span, no hate to Emily Lloyd-Jones this was very well written.

If I have time at some point in the future I may pick up a physical copy of The Drowned Woods. I’m willing to give it a second chance.

The Drowned Woods is a delightful standalone (ish!) YA novel that takes on big philosophical questions bravely while also indulging in adorable romance and including a spectacular corgi-butt. Lloyd-Jones uses Welsh mythology to deftly craft this world and immerse readers in a dangerous political reality. And of course, there’s also a heist.

Thank you so much to Hodder and NetGalley for giving me an early copy of this book! It hasn’t influence my review, but this book has been a joy to read.

The part of this book that I am, perhaps, the most excited about is the depiction of a bisexual main character in this QueerNorm world. Without plot spoilers, I will say it was really nice to read a story that showed a bisexual protagonist having relationships with people of multiple genders. It’s representation that I ALWAYS want more of. I’m especially pleased to find it in this YA novel.

I also feel like the pacing of this book worked really well. Action scenes were interspersed with characters reflecting on sacrifice and selfishness and what it actually means to be “innocent” in a war.

Beyond that, I’m always happy to find myself in a world of witches and fairies and legends. I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers who feel the same way.

“She could have brought kingdoms to their knees. Maybe she would yet.”

I didn’t really expect the combination of magic, heists and a corgi that I got in The Drowned Woods, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
I think the magic system in this was really interesting. I liked Mer’s use of water as a basis for her power because I think it extended into some really powerful magic. I also like Fane’s use of iron magic and how that came in handy in unexpected situations.
It was a fun mix of characters, and I liked how their personalities all meddled together to make a good team. Like I said, there was also a corgi - and animal characters always make a story better.
I think the plot kept the story moving, especially towards the end. Heists aren’t my favourite pot, but I think this had enough other stuff to keep my interest. The end allowed the characters to demonstrate more of their personality.
I’ve not read The Bone Houses yet, but would be interested in trying it to see how it crossed paths with this book.

First of all, there is a corgi who may or may not be a spy. That sentence instantly sold me the book. The Drowned Woods is my first Emily LLoyd-Jones book and I adored the world she created. Also, I requested the ebook too so I listened to it while I was reading it. That was a whole different experience. There were a couple of sound effects which I was not expecting but they definitely add a lot of atmosphere to the story. As for the story, it had different layers which I really enjoyed. It fills with magic and a little bit of tragedy. I adored the characters too. I think Mer was an interesting character to read. Also, I love the romance which was very little but very well done. I read this story connects to the author's other book The Bone House. I'll definitely check out that book too. If you like heist stories with magic you should definitely give this book a chance. Also, did I mention there is an adorable corgi too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC! This book wasn't for me if it wasn't for having an audio version of it I probably would have dnf it. I was waiting for the story to fully take off but I didn't feel like it did. I did however like the world building.

The Drowned Woods had such promise, but ultimately failed to deliver. The prologue and epilogue were the strongest points of the story, but the middle dragged a bit with poor pacing and flat, lifeless characters. The myth of cantre'r gwaelod is a fascinating piece of Welsh folklore (I live not far from the supposed mythical location), but this story simply didn't do it the justice it deserved, and not even a compelling narrator could make up for the poor pacing and flat characterisation.

Enjoying this audiobook. I'm new to having audiobooks but this one is really pulling me in. The narrator is really good and I could listen for hours(and will because it's a nice long book) The story is really interesting and id actually really like to read the physical book too.
Definitely one of the best audiobooks I've listened to so far.

Moira Quirk could read me a list of my biggest insecurities and I'd feel conflicted about how I should feel.

A beautiful cover, and a beautiful story underneath. This is a a Welsh folklore-inspired heist story with magic....and romance.

I would have much preferred less romance and more platonic friendship relationships but hey ho - also a queer female MC with on-page relationships with a male and another female without downplaying the m/f relationship? Love to see it!

It was easy to get lost in this world, and the atmosphere was top notch. However, I wanted more from the world building and more interaction from the characters. I also found it quite hard at the start to get into the flow of WHEN the story was taking place - I don't think the change of location or flashback were well written. The magic system and logic of the characters was also a small quibble I had with the book - too much of the book depended on these, and my enjoyment didn't outrank their downfalls unfortunately.

A 5 star narration of a 3 star book.

A great read for fantasy readers who enjoy magic + mythology.

SYNOPSIS:
"Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both."

MY THOUGHTS:

💫 The story arc was a wonderful premise.

💫 I knew nothing about this Welsh myth (cantre'r gwaelod) so this was fascinating to read about.

💫 Some brilliantly developed characters in particular Mer, I really enjoyed spending time with this MC in the book.

💫 I loved the Welsh setting of this story.

💫 I read this on audio and the narrator was amazing, they truly brought the story to life, it felt like an immersive experience.

4.5 stars. This was a really good read, it had a brilliant storyline with some great twists. And I really loved all the characters (special shout out to the dog)

The audio was also a joy to listen to and really helped me get a sense of the world. Few added effects also worked really well.

This a decent fantasy story but due to the fact that I read a lot of fantasy it didn't really stand out. The world building, characters and plot were forgettable. I enjoyed myself while listening but am already struggling to recall details and I only finished it recently. the only aspect that made it stand out was the welsh folklore and names! Something the narrator handled really well also.
I would give something by this author a try but this one wasn't for me.

Thank you to Little Brown, Hodder and Stoughton, and Netgalley for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the Welsh inspiration woven into the story. The LGBT+ rep was great, especially since it applied to a few of the main characters rather than side or background characters only. The magic system was well explained, with details being revealed and expanded on throughout the story. The main characters were well developed with interesting backstories which made the reader want to support and root for them to achieve their goals. Because this was done well, the plot twists and betrayal hit even harder- making you feel as the main character did. The ending was very wholesome with the MC, Mer, deserving the ending she received after all her hardships.

A beautifully written book based on Welsh mythology (something we definitely do not see enough of).

The author introduces us to Mer, a water diviner who is on the run from the Prince who has previously kept her captive. We see her join forces with an unlikely group of allies in order to undertake one hell of a heist.

It definitely look me a while to feel fully invested in the characters in this book, however things really started to get moving around the halfway point, supported by more plot action as well as flashbacks to the characters past. Some clever twists and turns towards the end have me upgrading this from a 3star to a 4star right at the last minute!

The narration was well paced and matched the lyrical writing of the book, the the narrator really nailing the voices without it being too over the top.

Trevor is of course the stand out character - you’ll have to read the book to find out why.

The narrator in this audiobook is one of the best I’ve listened to. Add in the compelling central character of Mer, and Emily Lloyd Jones’s magical heist type story with Welsh folklore and you have a book that takes you into a whole new world that just carries you away. The extra sound effects just added to the story telling experience.

If you love morally grey characters, you will love the characters in the Drowned Woods. Our main character Mer is the last water diviner, she was sold into slavery and forced to do the princes bidding. Now escaped she is on the run determined to keep her freedom to whatever end. She teams up with her old handler, a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, and together they create havoc in their mission to destroy the princes magical well in the hope of destroying his power. There is lots of banter and action scenes and the world building is easy to follow and understand.

I listened to the audiobook thanks to NetGalley. The narrator was so soothing to listen to and made it easy to differentiate between characters.

First of all let me tell you that the audiobook is really amazing, the narrator doesn’t just read it but it seems she is acting and the final effect is fantastic.
I love when stories are narrated as if they were fairytales and especially the prologue and the epilogue gave me this feeling.
The plot is full of betrayals and plot twists that kept me hooked up and I almost read it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. It definitely convinced me I want to read the Bone Houses very soon.
Mer has a rare power that has been exploited by men to do evil without her knowing, still she feels responsible. She does what she has to survive but she remains quite noble and stick to her morals and that’s what I appreciated about her.
At the beginning the crew and the sort of heist they must accomplish gave me Six of Crows vibes.

“The Drowned Woods” by Emily Lloyd-Jones is an easy to read / listen novel with focus on the “magical heist” theme. The story follows Mererid ‘Mer’, a water diviner (read wielder) who is once again on the run from the Kingdom’s prince who wants her for her water-wielding powers. All Mer truly wants is a safe, quiet life, far from power and politics, but all that changes when her former spymaster and father-figure shows up with the proposal of a magical heist.

Starting from the legend of “Cantre'r Gwaelod”, a Welsh sunked kingdom, Emily Lloyd-Jones creates a high-fantasy novel enriched by stories of promised treasures, magical debts, and a lot of complicated adventure stories. To some extent, it is similar to Leigh Bardugo’s “Six of Crows” adventures, in a stand-alone format.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton Audio, Hodder & Stoughton, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!

#TheDrownedWoods #NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-audio in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so I loved this audio. The narrator did SUCH a good job and it was just so brilliantly put together. It was made obvious when there was a new chapter and some of the added sound effects were brilliantly done. The pacing was beautiful. At no point did I feel like I needed to check how long was left because it was dragging, because it simply didn't! I was just lost in this world. I would definitely, definitely listen to this narrator again.

So I have not read any other books by this author, but I know it's set in the same world as another of their books. It did not matter that I hadn't a clue how it connected because this book is written so well. The whole magic system was interesting and easy to follow and so was the world building. At no point did I find myself stressed that I didn't read the other book (though I am now very, very tempted to read it).

This book is described as part heist and part dark fairy-tale and I feel like that is super accurate. If you're looking for either of those things, look no further than this book. It's such a fun, quick read! Very much enjoyed it!

We follow Mer and her band of unlikely associates as they attempt to bring down the Prince who held Mer captive for years. Coveted for her water diviner magic, Mer is used to being used and on the run and the group of people she’s with are not people who follow the rules, either… 🤯

As you can imagine, this book is PACKED with action! If you love quest vibes filled with magic, deceit and betrayal, this is for you!! The writing style is lyrical, ethereal and intriguing, submerging you into the world and plot instantly. We also had some LGBTQIA+ rep to put that cherry on top of a fabulous book! 👌

This magical yet dark fairytale is a wonderfully balanced blend of beauty, hope, love, anger, revenge and deceit. The characters, plot and world are all intricate and well executed - I would highly recommend this read!!! 🌊

A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this eArc!

This was amazing! A beautiful blend of welsh culture with a fantasy world, political intrigue and a group on a mission to end a tyrannical ruler!