The thing I liked most about this book was the whole Church and Crown conflict, along with how the religion aspect was dealt with. It mirrored real-life aspects of religion really well, and I could draw some parallels with my own life experiences. I really hope some influence is also there in the second book, but maybe in a milder way, considering the ending.

Lore, Bastian and Gabe as characters were interesting to read about, because they are all different but have some things that connect them too. I love Lore as a main character. She is selfish AND I LOVE HER FOR IT. I imagined Bastian, Gabe and Lore as a more tight-knit group, but I hope that is explored in the sequel, because I would love to see more of their dynamic! I also thought the romance would be a bit more present, but I actually really loved how subtle it was. That "I see how he looks at you" scene was amazing! I think that Bastian actually might be my favorite because he is so chaotic and I can't wait to see more of him in his new role!

There were some little plot twists towards the end of the book, which made everything more interesting. I was really struggling who to trust at some points. Still, I wasn't really feeling the high stakes until the very end, because most of the book was just the characters trying to figure out who and what was the threat they were up against, but they weren't really facing any danger. I was however, on the edge of my seat when that threat arrived, because I was worried about the characters and what was going to happen to them.

The ending was a little abrupt for me and I didn't really understand what was going on. Still, I really loved the last line, because it felt dramatic without it actually being dramatic and I think it really sets the good tone for the sequel.

If fantasy is a favourite genre, then you will likely enjoy this. For me, it took a little while to get into but it is a vibrant story once it hit its stride.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

3.5-4****

Loved loved loved the religion of this book and it’s set up- the author was so dedicated in depicting a real feeling belief system and gods, as well as detailing certain tracts and passages at the beginning of each chapter.

I enjoyed learning the Gods and Lore’s dark power.

The author does well to detail the relationship between Lore, Bastien and Gabe.

Thank you to NetGalley for this E-Arc!

This was a read and a half. Once this story got going I definitely enjoyed the interesting tale it spun about Lore and her powers, as well as the dynamics between her and the prince (grumpy x sunshine anybody?) and her and the monk. It settled comfortably into its fantasy world so know that if you’re a fan of fantasy, you’ll enjoy the book. That being said, I wish the pace had picked up just a little at the start of this book as I, regretfully, almost put it down. And I could have done with a little bit more world building especially regarding Mort which always felt like a loose concept to me rather than a defining part of their world. But I’ve gotta say I loved that ending - just what the story needed.


I received a copy of this book for free in return for an honest review

I would like to start by thanking Little Brown Books for granting me the chance to read the ARC of The Foxglove King. Regardless of that, all opinions ar my own.

This book, for me, wasn’t the best. It took me a very long time to really get into the story, connect to the characters, and understand what was what, and what was happening. Besides, the pace of the first 50% of the book was very slow. This made me unsure whether I wanted to pick up the book again to read some more. Only after the first half did the story start to be more interesting to me, and did I want to know what else would be happening. Then, the last 20% is where the action starts and you encounter some good plot twists.

Knowing this book is part of a series, I would like to read the second book, to see where the rest of the story is heading. I also believe that this book can be very well read as a stand alone.

The Foxglove King is a tough one to rate, because on one hand, I had a lot of fun reading it, but on the other, there were some pretty glaring things that did actually detract from my overall enjoyment.

Let's start with the good. Hannah F. Whitten writes beautifully. She does a great job of setting a scene, has built an intriguing magical world, clearly has an idea of what she wants to do with it, and has developed a really interesting magic system that was thematically consistent, that made sense as part of the plot. The prose felt decadent; like having an entire, rich, creamy chocolate cake all to yourself.

But like the cake, The Foxglove King somehow ended up just feeling like too much. It was all flavour and very little substance. The deep world building was only represented on a surface level by the narrative, because instead, we had to follow along the path of a trope-filled romance. Death magic, missing gods, religious cults, dead villages, zombies! I wanted to know more and really dive deeply into the world that Whitten created. Instead, I got pages of angsty YA-trope-filled romance.

Don't get me wrong. I love an angsty YA-trope-filled narrative, but this particular novel just had too many of them. Enemies to lovers? Check. Love triangle? Check. Fated mates? Check. Broken engagements? Check. Coitus interruptus? Check. Betrayal? Check. No one in The Foxglove King had any agency. Partially the point, so I'll give Hannah F. Whitten that one, but even the romances lacked agency. Instead of having feelings develop naturally, it fell back on the toxic destiny trope.

The real issue for me is that The Foxglove King focused too heavily on vibes and not enough on narrative development. There is a world here, and it wasn't utilised. Instead, everything was just descriptions of decadence, with no sense of the wider setting. Protagonists were given skills that they either never used, or when they did use them, they were bad at it. I get that it's the first book in a trilogy and is setting up for development in later books, but they way you get me to read the rest of them is to get me invested, and The Foxglove King just didn't do that. Everything was surface-level, lacking a depth that I sorely needed.

My expectations may have been different had this been marketed as YA fantasy, not adult fantasy. This falls firmly in the YA tropes bracket, so I definitely went in with different expectations than what The Foxglove King could deliver on. Overall, I just wanted more. And The Foxglove King did not provide.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ecopy of The Foxglove King

I really enjoyed this novel, the writing and creativity was excellently shown throughout the novel. The world building was immense and the character development was richly created.
I loved the way this story pulled me in and had me gripped throughout.
I have bought a hardback copy of this novel as for me it was beautifully written and I really enjoyed it. It's definitely one that I will re read over again.

I was a big fan of Whitten's previous duology Wilderwood and jumped at the chance for an advanced copy of her latest, The Foxglove King.

Whitten perfectly balances descriptive world building with character development and consistent pacing. At no point do I find the prose slows down the action, the fantasy worlds are well fleshed out without getting bogged down in neverending description.

I do appreciate fantasy novels that provide a worlds historical and political context by referencing fictional material such as commandments, educational quotes and the like. Whitten does this by opening each chapter with religious tracts to great effect.

Told in first from the perspective of Lore, I almost immediately invested in her story. I love an underdog, especially a determined, gritty female who'll do what it takes to save themselves whilst still giving a damn about those less fortunate.

The Foxglove King even managed to make my cold dead heart respond to the romantic subplots despite my usual knee jerk dislike of any such thing.
Yes the entry of two handsome and powerful men with completely opposing views on everything BUT Lore was obviously a set up for a love triangle, but it doesn't deter from the main focus of the story and it builds slowly enough to feel like a natural progression.
I cared for all three main characters and was just as torn between Bastian and Gabe as Lore became, the relationships and motives with each rang true to the characters journey.

I enjoyed the creation of Mortem and Spiritum magics and the backstory drawn up to explain their existence and impact on Auverraine. Occasionally I struggled with the political end goals of the Church vs Crown above the standard- the leaders of each want to be the controlling power, however judging on Whitten's previous duology and The Foxglove King being labelled 'The Nightshade Crown #1' I fully expect the next book will flesh this out.

I've purposely not spoken much about the plot itself and I highly recommend fantasy fans to pick up this title and discover the story for themselves. I'm excited for the next installment.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately it just wasn't for me, I didn't feel a strong connection to any of the characters and I just didn't feel compelled to carry on reading. Perhaps I just wasn't in the right mindset to read this, I might revisit one day in the future and give it another chance but unfortunately for now it's not for me

I really liked the writing style of TFK and I liked Lore even more. I'm a sucker for female protagonists who have more snark than sass. The typical sassy fierce female MC has been overdone and has a very distinct YA voice to it so I really appreciated Miss Whitten making our 23 yr old Lore a bit more deadpan. It's refreshing and more intriguing to read.

I was fully invested in the plot at the start, it was giving very Six of Crows vibes almost and SOC is my all time fav book ever so I was superrr excited.

We start with Lore who's living with her "boyfriend" Michal and his younger sister. I say "boyfriend" because in actual fact, Lore is a poison runner for her adoptive mothers Val and Mari and tasked to spy on other people in the drug industry, in this case, poor unfortunate Michal. Val and Mari saved Lore from a cult when she was 13 (where she lived in the catacombs under the city with the dead goddess's magical remains) and now she helps them run their drug empire in Dellaire. Whilst spying on Michal, Lore's latest poison run takes a turn for the worst and to save herself and her collaborator Jean-Paul, she uses her mortem powers (that's magical death magic that the goddess also leaks all over the city).

Despite using her magic, only Jean-Paul escapes. Lore unfortunately is captured and whilst using mortem without being a Presque Mort is punishable by death, the king offers to spare Lore's life in exchange for her help in finding out why entire villages are dying.

All was going well up till this point, I even really enjoyed the fact we have a betrayal at the start of the book rather than at the end as is typical. But alas, I soon found out this is a love triangle book which I physically cannot stand in romantasy books 😭 So for that reason, I'm giving this book a 2.5 stars but I'll round to 3.

This is the first Hannah Whitten book I’ve read, although I do own the other two. I must say, I was really pleasantly surprised.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from her writing style and world building, but I really enjoyed it a lot. One thing I really loved was that all sexuality and gender was accepted in this world, without it being mentioned, it just WAS. It felt seamless and not like it was trying too hard.

The premise was really original - death magic and people taking poison to prolong life. It took me a while in the beginning to really understand what Mortem is, but eventually I grasped it.

I loved Lore, she reminded me a lot of Nina Zenik who is one of my all time favourite characters. And props must be given for how to write a love triangle. I hate love triangles, but in this book I was even hoping they’d be a throuple at one point. It was good.

The ending of the book flipped my feelings for certain characters and where I think their arcs will take them. I’m really very excited for the next book.

And I’m finally going to read her other two books sitting on my shelf.

5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for this ARC! This one took me a minute to get through because it is LONG!

This is a fantasy book following Lore, a Mortem channeller (she can channel death basically) and poison runner living in Dellaire. When a drop goes wrong she is taken to the Citadel and told to spy on The Sun Prince himself in exchange for her life alongside Gabe, a member of the Presque Mort (a religious organisation) whose father was a traitor to the throne. As Lore navigates the court she discovers that there might be more to things than she first thought and she can’t help but get closer to Gabe and the Sun Prince as time goes on.

I feel like I did a terrible job of explaining the plot but that’s because this is such an intricate world with many different plot points. It took me a bit to understand the world and the magic system but after that I was hooked. The concept of channeling Mortem and the religious structure within the world was so interesting to me. I wanted to learn more about Lore and the rest of these characters as breadcrumbs of mystery were dropped throughout. There are so many twists and turns to this plot in the best way and you never really knew who you could trust. Some parts of also really creeped me out as well. If you know you know.

I really loved Bastian and Lore as characters but could not stand Gabe. This book features a love triangle and I’m sorry but I am not rooting for Gabe in the slightest. The guy is a wet sock. Lore was such a relatable and morally grey character you couldn’t help but admire her and root for her. I’ve found with some of the fantasy books I’ve read recently that they are all world building and no character development and that was not the case with this one at all. Both were well developed.


If you love political intrigue, a love triangle, court politics, twisty fantasy and a unique magic system this is for you! I also think if you like The Folk of the Air series by Holly Black you will love this! This is definitely a promising start to a new fantasy series and I can’t wait to see where it goes! This was released on 9th March so you can grab it now!

The Foxglove King is such a beautifully written fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out The Foxglove King today.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for this honest review.

Drenched in atmosphere, The Foxglove King is a dazzling fantasy, focusing heavily on the wicked politics of a court reminiscent of that of the sun king’s Versailles. Lore, a young woman with little to her name and a talent for death magic, is thrust into the politics with little time to prepare herself and finds herself trapped in a wicked dance, but with whom? Who can she trust, and are her allies truly what they make themselves out to be, or should she rather look to her enemies? It’s a dangerous game, one that might even cost her her life.

An enchanting read, with a prose that is both sharp and biting, I imagine this will become quite popular. I do, however, have one complaint: I would much prefer for the love triangle to become a polyamory. I feel like the story could greatly benefit from that and also turn an overused trope into something more exciting and not as often seen in the genre.

The Foxglove King takes us into a dark fantasy world with a really interesting magic system.

We are plunged into the fantasy world at lightening speed in this book and at times I felt like I really had to race to keep up with the world building. However once we made it into the courts the pace became much more enjoyable and I was able to connect with the characters far more easily. Once I hit halfway through I was hooked, but it was a bit of a slow start.

I never know how to feel about a love triangle… they get me hooked but they also stress me out… so I’ll let you read and be the judge on this one as I’m definitely glad I went in not knowing much.

Overall, if you need me I’ll be over here, waiting impatiently for the next book to come out!

This book starts with a bang and we are introduced to a world where death is power and can be a sort of drug.
I loved the first part as it was full of promises and the original and macabre aspect made it quite original.
I also loved Lore with her mysterious past and her strong personality.
I wasn't a huge fan of the romance part as love triangle are a pet peeve of mine and found the like it was a more conventional novel.
It's well written and compelling but it's less intriguing.
I want to read the other parts of this series as I'm sure it will be back to great start.
An entertaining read that I recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I keep trying to read this book
Get through an event or two, then put it down again.
I'm not seeming to be able to connect with the events or characters.
Don't know why.
I'll keep on giving it a try.....

My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group U.K. Orbit for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Foxglove King’ by Hannah Whitten.

I have been intending to read the work of this author for some time and I was drawn to the premise of this novel, the first in her Nightshade Crown Trilogy. Its protagonist is Lore, who when thirteen had escaped a cult based in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire.

In the ten years since, she’s lived by her wits and evaded the cult members. Lore currently makes her living running poisons for a cartel, though when a run goes wrong Lore’s ability to channel Mortem, the magic born from death, is revealed. She is then taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks, working for August Arceneaux, the Sainted King.

Lore expects to be put to death but instead is offered the opportunity to live if she uses her magic to discover why villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. During this assignment she is guarded by Gabriel Remaut, a duke-turned-monk. She also is continually running up against Bastian, August’s bad boy heir. The plot has Lore becoming tangled in politics, religion, and yes forbidden romance as she navigates this opulent, debauched society.

‘The Foxglove King’ is very much an epic fantasy with numerous supporting characters. I rather hope that Hannah Whitten elects to include a Dramatis Personae and perhaps a short summary of Book 1’s events when Book 2 is published.

It is hard to say much about the plot when a story is told over a number of books. However, I found this first book an engaging read and was pleased with how Whitten introduced us to Lore’s world. There were occasions when I felt that the pace flagged a little though these passed quickly. Lore certainly was a great character and I look forward to finding out what comes next for her and others.

Overall, I enjoyed ‘The Foxglove King’ and especially the immersion in court politics. I felt that it is a promising start to the trilogy and I definitely will be looking forward to reading Book 2.

The start of a new fantasy series, this novel takes us to the city and catacombs of Dellaire. There was a lot to like about this story – the world building was good and the magic had a dark and gritty edge to it. Lore was a strong female character with a past that remains hidden for most of the novel and her male foils are equally intriguing. Of course there was what seems to be the inevitable love triangle, which I personally found slightly irritating, but which I think others may love The ending of the novel is left very open for the next book in the series, which I’m interested in reading. Overall , I enjoyed this novel. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the ARC of this novel in return for honest review.

I tried. I really, really tried to finish this. I kept picking it back up after making up my mind to give up on it. The fact of the matter is, this was a really tedious read. It just didn’t grip me. I kept pushing through, and it did get better - just, not by much. It was boring. The main character was dull, and the guys were two dimensional archetypes, there was no depth to them. It does not matter to me which one of them she ends up with. I found the entire magic/conspiracy plot just as boring. I’ve seen some raves over this book, so maybe it’s me - maybe it’s just not my cup of tea. I didn’t hate it, I just had absolutely zero interest in it. I finally got to 70%, and called it a day.