I was worried this story might be too dark for me but I have enjoyed the previous series by this author and was intrigued by the premise of this one. I ended up enjoying it despite the darkness.

It is a very engaging dark fantasy in the classic vein of YA fantasy with a romantic triangle at the centre. The romantic tension felt real for these characters and the heroine's contradictory feelings for both heroes were well motivated and made sense to me.

I really liked Lore. She can use dark magic and struggles to see herself as something other than a monster. But her humanity and kindness shine through everything she does. She is smart and determined but also vulnerable and insecure.

Gabriel and Bastian were intriguing characters - opposites in many way but both of them cared about Lore.

The story is set in the world with complex magic system based on dark magic Mortem and life-force Spiritum.

All three of them are unwillingly involved in court politics and machinations. The suspense was real and I never knew where the story will go next. A fairly typical royal excess against the poverty of the ordinary people but done cleverly and in rich detail.

While necromancy is certainly at the center of the story, we also see a focus on human's greed, with the added dimension of using magic/poison to prolong one’s life. The small gestures of kindness and care mean all the more at this background.

All was going fantastic until the last chapter. The religious overtones were too much and I really wanted a kinder fate for the characters. It is fitting with the characters' arcs but really dark and not hopeful. There are two more books in the series coming and I am curious how the author will make things work to a satisfying conclusion in them.

This book was on my anticipated books for the year and I'm pretty certain it's going to be a special edition for a subscription I have. So when I got the chance to read it before publication day I jumped. I'll admit I struggled at first but that was me not really giving it the concentration it needed. Recently I've read books with not as much depth so I started this a couple of times just to really get into the feel of it. Once in I was hooked. The plot is based around fantasy and the character build up and story telling is really good. I've read that there's 3 in the series and I can't wait to read more.

This is a brilliant and twisty book is filled with politics and intrigue in a dark fantasy setting and high stakes!
There is wonderfully detailed and engaging world building and beautiful prose, although sometimes the book can be a little heavy with description. Hannah Whitten has also built a fascinating magic system - I loved the take on necromancy and death magic and the way it was described felt original and distinct from typical fantasy magic systems I have read before.
Other than the court politics and central mystery of the book, the other main driving force in this story is the love triangle - I would like more development of both the romantic interests and Lore's relationships with them, but for a first in a trilogy I definitely enjoyed the romantic aspect of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

So, I really liked this in the beginning and was hooked. Like other reviewers, I couldn’t believe this was the same author of For the Wolf (which I DNFed). Lore is able to control Mortum without the accidents others have in order to control it, and she works as a poison runner / spy. Love it.

Then we quickly descend into a high stakes political game and love triangle between Lore, a priest and a prince whilst entire villages are succumbing to sudden death. Love it.

But then the intrigue kinda stops… and the rest of the book relies on this love triangle and the idea that they are drawn together without explicitly saying why to a satisfactory degree. The ending wraps things up (a bit) but I was still craving A LOT more. I guess all I can hope for is a second book??

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit book for this eCopy to review

I'm new to Hannah Whitten and thoroughly enjoyed The Foxglove King. I felt the use of death magic was original and was well described as we learnt what it could do as Lore learns how to use her powers. I felt the love triangle was very intriguing and can't wait for the next books to see who she chooses Bastian or Gabe. I found all the characters interesting and complex and well described.

I found the twists at the end surprising and are another reason why I can't wait for the sequel to see how Lore's and Bastian's magic grows and combines.

I loved this book! It was such an interesting plot. The characters were amazing and the way the story folded was unexpected. the end was *chef kiss*

4.75 stars rounded up

I haven't read Hannah Whitten's previous work, but if you're looking for a dark fantasy filled with political intrigue, hidden agendas and rich world-building, The Foxglove King is definitely worth picking up.

I've read some other reviews that criticise the inclusion of some of the traditional, and perhaps generic, YA tropes including a love triangle, the 'chosen one' and Lore's hidden dangerous powers. While I do agree these tropes are widely used in YA fantasy, I also thought they suited the storyline and avoided being overly predictable.

One thing I'm hoping to see develop in the next book is a bit of a step up to the adult fantasy category this book is marketed as. This is incredibly YA in my opinion, and while that didn't have any kind of impact on my enjoyment of the book, I'm hoping the sequels will be more NA/adult.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

1.5 stars.
well, talk about a disappointing read. I didn’t mind HW’s previous book - for the wolf - but this one fell completely flat for me. If I wasn’t reading this for review it would have been an immediate DNF.

- the world building was crazy and made no sense. I found myself with six million questions and no answers to anything. the plot also made no sense and there were so many holes and questions. why was lore left alone if august knew about her since she was a child?
- I didn’t care for the forced love triangle and how lore “happened” to feel connected to both guys. It was unrealistic and forced and made my eyes roll.
- I also thought the relationship between lore and our side characters was boring and a lot of them read the same.
- Lore as a character was not very likeable either.
- nothing really happens in this book and sadly HW liked to bog down her books with flowery descriptions and broken dialogue.
- one extra half star because the cover is pretty!

<i>I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: The Foxglove King
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Book 1 of 3 of the Nightshade series
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Hannah Witten
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fantasy
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 7th March 2023
𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬/𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬: Magic, Death, Political Court Intrigue, Religion
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 3.75/5

TW: animal cruelty (specifically horse)

“Are you so accustomed to being used that you don’t realize when it’s happening, as long as it’s done kindly?”

A gothic fantasy that is a blend of religion and magic, desecration and drama, and politics and philandering. The setting of this book is inspired by the Palace of Versailles and follows a chaotic smuggler called Lore, and the two peoples she has to get close to—not by choice—a one-eyed duke-turned-monk named Gabriel who has to introduce her to court, and more specifically to the flirtatious bi prince, Bastien.

Honestly? I thought the premise of this book was excellent, the writing was so descriptively lush and immersive, but the execution felt like it could have benefitted from flair and refinement. For example, we’re told that Lore is a good spy at the beginning of the novel and yet everything that happens next shows that Lore is, in fact, a terrible spy 😂.

I wasn’t overly invested in the subtle love triangle either. I felt that Gabe was such a weak contender for Lore’s heart and I couldn’t get a grasp on their chemistry other than a forced connection that didn’t seem to make sense. I’m sure that this love triangle will flower and blossom over the next books in the series but for now all I can think is #TeamBastien even though their chemistry seemed more subdued than the other dynamic the author was trying to push on to the readers.

But it was still immersive thanks to the writing and what felt like a unique plot that strung me along like a horse to water.


𝑲𝒂𝒚𝒍𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉 @ 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒉 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒚
🧚‍♀️🤍

I’ve not read anything from Hannah Whitten before and this book did not disappoint. This book is a dark Fantasy with a little romance thrown in too. The world building was fantastic and so descriptive. I loved how I feel like I can see what is being described. The plot for me started off a little slow but eventually it picked up to the point where I couldn’t put the book down. I felt that the characters were well rounded and especially enjoyed how strong the female lead was.
Lore is the female lead who has a secret magic, where she can raise the dead. Long ago people with this power of necromancy where killed for having it.
Lore ends up being betrayed and finding herself at court and having to spy on the Prince for the King and his brother the Priest exalted. Where she will have to use her illicit power to discover who is killing villages of people and whether the Prince is involved.
We also meet Gabe who re joins court to help Lore in her mission to find out if the Prince is spying. Gabe has a past which most won’t let him forget and is one of a select few who can channel mortem. Gabe is definitely the definition of a Brooding character.
Whilst there is minor romance in this book it is more of a slow burn. I’d liked to have seen a little more!

I absolutely can’t wait for the next book in this duology and will definitely be checking out more books from this author.

Thank you to Netgally, the Publisher and the author for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the amazing way the author takes you on a journey to a new world so easily. You can imagine you are there on the streets of Dalliere with Lore the poison runner. Most of the descriptions of the characters are really good but I would have liked a bit more on the main character to start with. Also I want to know do they bathe in this fantasy world? I was starting to think that maybe Lore would be a bit smelly coming off the streets to the citadel, all that is mentioned is her change of clothes and tying her her up all the way through.
I really hope there is more to come as I want to know about the relationships between Lore, Gabe and Bastian and what Gabe’s power is.

DNF. Sadly despite some strong reviews the world seemed dull and the writing too. I Gave up at about 20pc.

I finished this as I was intrigued enough not to be put off by the weird formatting on my Kindle. I enjoyed a lot of the story and the necromancy was well done to start with, then became less realistic (!) and slightly absurd. The ‘love’ triangle, or the way fate was determined to put these three people together was ok though some of the ‘kiss me’ moments were at very odd times. The writing is fine, but the plot was reckless in places (just don’t look too closely) and the book could have been better for losing some of its girth. The Versailles link was not really there and I’d have liked more detail about clothing other than frequent references to ‘chiffon’.

4.5 stars.

This book is the perfect mix of court politics, magic and church with lots of deception, secrets and betrayals.

I will admit I found the first 15% a bit slow, but it really lays the groundwork for the rest of the book. I found Lore an interesting FMC. Her backstory unfolds throughout and it just made for an interesting read.

Lore's relationships with Gabe and Bastian had me cheering on both, usually at different times. I'm not normally a fan of love triangles but this one was very well written. Bastian's character was superb in particularly, although I am sucker for a character with sarcastic banter.

I absolutely loved that there was lots of LGBTQ+ rep throughout the book, and it was well written!

This book has left me with lots of questions and I'm excited to see what happens with Lore, Gabe and Bastian. Would highly recommend for those a fan of the romantasy genre.

Gripping story from an interesting concept. It has everything you would look for in a book...adventure, discovery, romance. A story that will stay with me

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

I really enjoyed this fantasy and the world, although it took a while to build, was fascinating. I felt the first half was a little slow for this reason but the pacing really picked up and I read the second half a lot faster. I really liked all the characters but I did hope for a little more from the romance.

Lush. Atmospheric. Gorgeously dark.

My favorite dark fantasy of the year hands down! Gorgeously written, the world is rich and chilling at the same time. The characters are well-rounded and Lore is the best female lead I've read in a long time. She is strong, charming and sensitive, despite the circumstances of her upbringing. The boys are both charming, elusive and found their way into my heart, but especially Gabe, who I just couldn't help rooting for. It is a fairly straightforward plot, as far as dead godesses and missing gods go (okay but this premise is so interesting and provides for a chilling yet decadent atmosphere) but it still managed to surprise me and bring a new dimenson on religious fanatism.
Will buy this one, so i can read it again! An absolute must read.

Lore has not had an easy life, having to dodge the law, running poison for the cartel that took her in as a child. She has to keep her illicit ability to wield death magic a secret. When she uses her powers trying to evade capture, she falls right into the hands of the king's warrior monks, and she expects to be put to death. But the king and high priest have a different plan in mind for her. Entire villages outside the capital city are being wiped out overnight, and they want her to use her magic to find out why, and how.

Lore is thrown into the life of court, where luxury is the way of life, and nobody can be trusted. She has to try and get to the bottom of the mysterious deaths, but who can she confide in for help in her quest?

This book was an enjoyable enough read, if you don’t look into it too deeply. The writing flows, and the plot is engaging but not taxing. There is minimal character development, but we do get Lore as our key female protagonist. While the court and monks are purportedly good, the magic wielded is that of ‘death magic’ called mortem. This is the most interesting spin in the book, and the most developed aspect, with the snippets of back story to its origins at the start of each chapter. Aside from this, the story is a little bland, with the love triangle introduced being a bit cliched, and the prophecy not being developed enough to really engage with.

The fanaticism of the king and the relevant characters in the story is well written, but there are plot holes, which make it feel surface level, and forced, rather than something you can truly believe. Some points in the story were really good - undead horse! - and I would have loved to see more development in these areas. Overall, it is a good, light read that will entertain but not blow your mind!

*I received this book from NetGalley for review, but all opinions are my own.

3.5 stars. This was ... exactly what it says on the tin.

Look, I love YA/NA fantasy as much as everyone else. I've read basically nothing else my entire teenage years, and by now, I feel like I have seen it all.
This is the "issue" this book has. It's fine. The writing is enjoyable, the plot is tight enough to be engaging and loose enough to allow for character development. The love triangle was unnecessary, but when is a love triangle ever necessary? I just feel like nothing in this was particularly groundbreaking.

Lore is a typical "chosen one" protagonist, which I generally enjoy, because if I wanted to read about ordinary people, I would pick up some literary fiction and be bored out of my mind. The supposed twist, the "newness" that this book promised is that Lore's magic powers are eeeeevil death necromancy magic. It's actually kind of interesting, it just all feels stale. I have seen this before.

The one thing this book manages to do really well is the concept of religious fanaticism. Maybe that's because I lived among religious fanatics and find the structure and psychology of cults to be both interesting and personally relevant to my past experiences, but I really enjoyed the depictions of Gabriel's indoctrination and the whole callback to the conflict that happened between the Emperors of Europe past and the Catholic Church - who is more important, the pope or the emperor? And what if they're both kinda mad? I really liked that part. The only thing that sucked is that both of these pretty fascinating characters were twins with very similar names (August and Anton) and somehow I always confused who's who, which is ... not ideal.

Otherwise, it was a standard fantasy. Ticked all the boxes. Entertained me. Wasn't bad. I recommend it! I had a good time! But if you're looking for something groundbreaking, something earthshattering, this unfortunately just ain't it.

The Foxglove King is a romantic fantasy book. Something I normally wouldn't read, however I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found myself fully engrossed in the book but I wanted more passion in the love triangle! I hope there is more books in this series for us to see the development in the story and the characters growth.