This book has it all:
- badass characters
-... spice
- a love triangle
- mysterious backgrounds
- plotting & dark secrets
- intricate magic
- a plot that will leave you wanting more
and really cool world building!

I got accepted for this book, not having read The Foxglove King. I was about 20% into The Hemlock Queen, having googled all the character's names and backgrounds, before deciding I kind of wanted to read the first book first, and so I ended up purchasing the first book myself, and reading that before rereading this entire book.

I really enjoyed this as well. The story of book 1 takes off where it left of, and we follow Lore through her shenanigans as she faces new challenges and tries to survive a pretty ruthless world. I once more enjoyed reading about her, though this time it felt different. I could tell there was a clear change between book 1 and 2, which over the course of the book made a lot of sense. I just wasn't extremely fond of the change, but again in context it makes sense.

The thing that had me hooked was me really wanting to figure out why certain things were happening, and how the author would be able to explain what was going on, and it definitely did not disappoint.

The writing/prose in this is nice, it feels both easy to read but also descriptive enough that I found myself easily being able to picture scenery, scenes and the character's feelings.

Overall, 4,5/5 stars rating for this. It was a really nice read, I enjoyed it quite a bit!

DNF unfortunately I just wasn't enjoying this anywhere near as much as I hoped to, I found it was way too slow and stopped reading at 98 pages

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Returning to this sumptuous, dark world of slumbering gods and prophecies and terrible secrets was wonderful. Lore remains one of my favourite FMCs, and Bastian and Gabe continue to make it impossible for me to choose between them. This is definitely the middle book of a series - questions were answered while more were raised, and the ending has me desperate for book three and all the potentially terrifying conclusions it will bring. There is a very dark sense of foreboding which hangs over every page of this book and I'm very worried for all the characters!!

I absolutely love this series, from the complex world lore and religious themes to the cast of characters - those I love and those I hate. The only downside to reading this early? Having to wait even longer for the final book!

Thank you to Little, Brown UK for this arc!!

I couldn’t stop thinking about The Foxglove King after reading it last year, and so was overjoyed to get an arc for this sequel (that has surprised me by being the second book in a trilogy, not a duology!). Picking up right from where TFK ends, Hannah Whitten wastes no time in getting into the thick of it, blending gods’ misdeeds, treachery, (incredible) sexual tension, and necromancy into a story that kept me in as tight a grip as its predecessor did.
I don’t think I’ll know peace until all three points of this love triangle touch, but we are getting there (if at an agonisingly torturous pace — in a good way; I love a slow burn!). I wish Gabe had been more present, but I really enjoyed having more (or perhaps less??) of Bastian to uncover. At times some specific plot points got a bit thorny, and I found myself having to pause to figure out what was going on, but I think Whitten is doing a marvellous job at teasing and revealing all of the different storylines and potential arcs.
I can’t believe I now have to wait for longer for the conclusion of this trilogy, but I am equally so thrilled that I’ll get to spend more time in this world. 4/5!

The Hemlock Queen is a second installment in this Nightshade crown trilogy.

☆ Love triangle
★ 🌶️

I really enjoyed the tension in this book and liked the slower pace building on those characters. Surprisingly my favourite part is the love triangle between Lore, Bastian and Gabe, it is addictive and I simply can not choose. I can't wait to see what happens in Book 3.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this book, I had to read it as quickly as possible as I had to know what was going to happen. I couldn't stand the tension.

The first half of the book sets the stage for the big reveals in the second half, which really moves the plot along. It's definitely not a fast paced book, and if you're expecting consistent action and don't want to be patient, this isn't the book for you.

It's criminal the lack of page time Gabe gets in this book (at least to me as I love Gabe) so just be warned if you're a fan.

With how the book ends I'm definitely reading the next one, and I'm particularly curious as to how the love triangle will resolve...

If you enjoyed the first book I'd definitely pick it up!

The Hemlock Queen is a brilliant second book in the Nightshade crown trilogy. It took me a few chapters to really get back into the story as it has been over a year since I read The Foxglove King. However, once I had got all of the characters and preceding events sorted out in my head, I was completely hooked.
I had seen a couple of reviews mentioning how slow the pace of the book was at first but I didn’t find it particularly slow at all. I have always loved fantasy novels that have great characters and politics and The Hemlock Queen delivered both of these elements brilliantly.
We see Lore as she tries to navigate her way through a court who are mainly hostile to her presence as well gain a greater understanding and mastery of her powers. She is definitely a reluctant participant in the events that are playing out but she is desperately trying to keep control of her life in some way. I liked the friendship between Lore and Alie and even though it gets a bit strained at times, the two women continue to support each other. She is grounded by her parents too and we see them at key points in the novel so Lore knows that she is not completely along.
I loved how we see the growth of Lore’s power and her growing suspicions about Bastian and what is actually going on. We get a lot of her inner thoughts and see how she begins to put all the different things together and realise just what the voice in her head really is. The back story of Apollius and Nyxara was fascinating and brilliantly woven into the current storyline.
The relationship between Lore, Bastian and Gabe continues to be complicated to say the least. I always enjoy love triangles if they are done well and this one is superb. You can see the reasons why she loves both men and I have no idea how this is going to end up. The tension between Bastian and Gabe is really well portrayed especially in the latter half of the book. Gabe doesn‘t have as much page time in this book and his feelings are less clear. I hope that we see more of him and what drives him in the final volume.
All of the character build-up, religious revelations and political tension build up to an action packed last quarter of the book which delivered a couple of real surprises.
I absolutely loved this book and hope that it isn’t too long before we can read the final volume.

So 'The Hemlock Queen' picks up not long after the events of 'The Foxglove King'. Bastian has seized the throne and is desperate to keep Lore by his side but he seems to be losing himself. They are on the brink of war, there is dissent at the centre of the court, dark forces conspire against them and there is a lot to learn about the path they've embarked on.

There is more focus on Lore and Bastian in this story though the tension between Lore, Gabe and Bastian is still brewing away. I liked that Bastian and his relationship with Lore was more fleshed out but the love triangle really had me stressed out cos my heart plummeted at the thought of one being left behind! I really can't decide what would the best outcome for them - a throuple maybe? Between that dynamic, the politics and the action I absolutely flew through it. It's really entertaining, the plot moves quickly, there is a touch of romance and a great plot twist that has me super excited for the conclusion to this trilogy.

Despite my initial reservations, The Foxglove King ended up becoming one of my favourite reads of last year. With this in mind, I was beyond excited to read the second installment.

The Hemlock Queen kicks off soon after the events of its predecessor and I found myself instantly immersed back into the world. Hannah Whitten has cleverly intertwined the world building, character development and the compelling plot, all with a fast paced and beautiful writing style.

I absolutely adored this continuation of Lore's story and the love triangle between her, Bastian and Gabe was incredibly entertaining. I am hoping that we will get a lot more answers about where it's going in the third installment of this proposed trilogy.

Overall, The Hemlock Queen was an incredible follow up to The Foxglove King and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so keen to get into this book as I loved the first book. The story picks up not long after the events of the first book and right away, you can tell something isn’t quite right in the House of Commons (to use a common meme). I really enjoyed the mix of action, character development and backstory in this one, it was very cleverly done. And most pleasingly, although it wasn’t quite as compelling as book 1, it didn’t suffer from the same “second book” problems like so many other trilogies.

The developing love triangle between Gabe, Bastian and Lore was great to watch, and it seems to be leading in a certain direction which I am pleased about, but we’ll have to see what happens in book 3.

Overall a great read and I can’t wait for book 3!

This was my most anticipated read and Hannah delivered.The magic system and world building were amazing I love this book so much.the lies and deceits had me on the edge of the seat.I liked the first one but I loved this one. I can't wait for everyone to read this one! 5 stars!Incredible!5 stars!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Anyone who says they don’t open a second book with a sense of trepidation is lying. You know that feeling, particularly when the first book was so amazing and compelling, there’s always that fear. Well, I can reassure you that Hannah Whitten completely knocks it out of the park with The Hemlock Queen - definitely NO second book syndrome here!

Following only a few weeks after the concluding events of The Foxglove King the book picks up Lore’s story, complete with some great event recapturing of book one that doesn’t don’t feel at all artificial or set to remind the reader. Book two immediately picks up the royal, emotional and godly events from The Hemlock King through well crafted and beautiful delivered prose.

Whitten is an expert at martislling and co-ordinating the character relationships and dynamics that you could tell the triangle of Lore, Bastian and Gabe deep down. And yes, I know that love triangles aren’t the favourite trope for many but, Whitten truly overrides those fears and I’m compelled to find out where it goes.

The magical system and world-building continue to evolve and develop, and I personally grew to like Lore even more as she stumbled and grasped to establish her place in Court.

What I will say is that where this second book in the trilogy lacked in action, it definitely overflowed with character development, relationship dynamics, politics, plots and plans, and I am here for that! The Hemlock Queen was the perfect second book for this trilogy and all I need now is the concluding part.

4.5⭐️

Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and sincere review.

Second books in a trilogy can be filler, a bit stagnant, a placeholder before the concluding installment. The Hemlock Queen is definitely not that. The return to Auverraine, picking up straight after the previous book ends, is a masterful balance of action and revelation, character development and backstory, all slowly ratcheting up tension to a denouement that I definitely did not see coming. The triangle of Lore, Bastian and Gabe gets some interesting twists that might predict where it eventually goes (although I'm loath to predict anything with this author) and the supporting characters of Alie and Malcolm are also developed further. It's going to be a long wait for the third book, but I've no doubt it'll be worth it.

I am so invested in this series and need the final book as soon as possible. Just put it straight into my veins.

Finding out more about the gods and magic in this book had me hooked and built up the world a lot more, which is exactly what I wanted. There were so many mysteries to be solved and lots of twists and turns that left me guessing and then surprised me every time I thought I had things worked out.

The relationship dynamics between Lore, Bastian and Gabe were so much more interesting this time around (yay for a bit of spice too) and I genuinely don't know where this live triangle is going to go.

This book and series may not be as action packed as other fantasies but I find the politics so interesting. Learning about the gods and their history has added another dimension too.

I'm really excited for the third installment, especially as the end of Hemlock.Queen had me shook. I have no idea how things will play out at this point.

Rating: 4.5/5
I have a little confession to make. I was almost skeptical about reading The Hemlock Queen, mainly because the Foxglove King set such a good foundation for the rest of the trilogy, that I was worried I'd somehow end up being disappointed. Luckily, I was very wrong about it.

The Hemlock Queen continues a few weeks after the first book. Despite reading The Foxglove King not so far ago, I really appreciated the fact that the author effortlessly “reminded” us of all the important bits and pieces of the first book, making the sequel easier to read (and therefore more enjoyable). The prose was once again absolutely beautiful and magical, leaving me craving for more.
I loved seeing Lore learn more about her magic, trying to find her own place in Bastian’s Court, the even more grumpy Gabe, and (dare I say darker and more conflicted) Bastian himself.
The tension between the characters, their growth, and the conflicts arising were everything I wanted from the sequel (and more).
Despite the fact that the pacing of the book was a bit slower than I'd usually like, it wasn't enough to truly bother me and I think it was almost necessary for the development of the story. The Hemlock Queen definitely left me wanting more and I cannot wait to read the last book of this trilogy.

I'm so very grateful for the opportunity to read this one before it's officially out in the world.

A good sequel. Some of it was a little slow but overall I enjoyed this. It didn’t feel like a ‘filler’ book for the next one which I really appreciated. Quite long but an easy read. Looking forward to the next one.

Having eagerly awaited the sequel due to my enjoyment of the first installment, I found myself initially underwhelmed by the pacing of the first half. However, the narrative gained momentum in the latter portion, rewarding my perseverance. I particularly admired the nuanced evolution of the relationships among Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. Gabe's internal struggle between his emotions and his allegiance to the church was compellingly portrayed, while the symbiotic growth of Bastian and Lore's powers resonated with the divine interplay reminiscent of mythological narratives. The thematic depth of the book provided a rich layer for exploration upon revisiting, adding to its allure.

The first novel remains my favorite in the series so far. I did enjoy this sequel generally speaking, but some things were not thoroughly entertaining to me. The pace was a bit too slow for my liking, and the first couple of pages were a bit hard to get through. I still read it in a few hours so eventually it picked up, but it took some time to get there. Also, I wanted more of the plot. This sequel was more character-focused, with an emphasis on the relationships. When the plot was on the forefront, it felt a little like an « information dumping » situation and it baffled me. But I won’t go into it because I don’t want to spoil. To finish with that, I was also not a fan of the sex scene that came out of nowhere and that was more graphic that I thought it would be.
Fortunately, the first part of the epilogue was very intriguing and that part alone makes me want to read the sequel — that is normally the last book in the series. And the writing is still gripping.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I found the beginning of The Hemlock Queen a little bit slow to get into. I think that was in part because it was a very long time since I’d read The Foxglove King and it took me a while to fully remember all the plot and characters. However I absolutely flew through the second half and couldn’t put it down. This book has dark gothic vibes with a great sense of tension and foreboding throughout. Whilst the book is definitely building the plot for the third instalment there is still plenty happening to keep this second book interesting and with satisfying plot development. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

This was such a super sequel to the Foxglove King! I'm so glad we didn't get middle book syndrome with this book! We get more secrets, more betrayal, more angst and more Gabe and Bastian. Lore is trying to cope with her new rule in King Bastian's court and navigate her way through her tangled emotions when it comes to Gabe and Bastian when she discovers the real reason why she was supposed to die.
I love the way the characters are torn in their desire to protect the fledgling reign of the new king with the mythology and Gods who are trying to return.
I genuinely do love a good love triangle and this one is so damn well written! I also love them all, usually there's one clear winner but here I just adore them all and so hope we get a HEA after in the last one!
The pacing in the book is just perfect, it keeps you on your toes and the revelations just keep coming. This was well written, heart wrenching and a brilliant book.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc in return for an honest.