🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 we knew it would be another 5 stars - are you kidding? ARC Review for TOADD by the incredible Jennifer! (Love you!) 💙🥹

I’m honestly screaming. As an OG Tales fan since day one, I knew this book would ruin me in the best possible way - and it delivered.

I am constantly in awe of Jennifer's writing. She doesn’t just write gothic romantasy - she resurrects it. Builds it. Breathes life into it with pain, beauty, and power. My ultimate GR author.. period. 👏🏻

Tales of a Deadly Devotion is *everything*. The stakes are higher than ever, the emotions more gutting, and the magic darker, deeper, and dangerously addictive. Fairfax Manor is falling. The old protections are crumbling. And Katherine? She is being forged into something new - something terrifying and brilliant. Her journey from student to survivor is nothing short of breathtaking. And Alma? DON’T get me started on Alma. Her loyalty, her rage, the beast within — I wanted to annotate & highlight every single line she’s in.

This book had me flipping pages like a madwoman. The secrets, demons, cursed texts, and rising darkness - it all builds into a storm of soul-shattering moments that left me reeling. The friendship between Kat and Alma, the echoes of the past colliding with the terror of what’s coming… It’s so well-crafted, so intense, and SO unforgettable.

Jennifer Delaney has written her best book yet. I feel so honored to have received this ARC and to witness the evolution of this series from the very beginning. If you thought you were ready… you’re not.

But go ahead. Pre-order the book!!
The darkness is waiting. 🖤

Tales of a Deadly Devotion is a masterpiece in gorgeous gothic fantasy with romance, magic, rebellion, legends, monsters and curses. It picks up beautifully from book one and I could not put it down!!

I adored how the book delved into more of the side characters, who I absolutely love and you learn about their secrets, backstories and their magic. Alma, Thean and William continue to be some of my all time favourite characters who I cannot wait to know more about. The friendships, found family and the sentient house and some of the things I absolutely love about this book.

Kat’s character is one of my favourites, she is strong and determined, a clever character who is resilient. The dual pov between Kat and Alma was perfect, and I loved getting to delve into each character.

“Maybe I see imprints of my story within the pages of yours”

The world building continues in Tales 2, learning more about the history of the Fey, the humans, the monsters, lore and legends of their world and how they all fit into it. The writing is this book is just perfect, the way the character’s stories have been woven, the compendiums are explored and the world has been opened up is just delightful.

I’ll keep this review short and sweet until the book is released in August, but it is perfection, it absolutely delivered and Jennifer’s writing is magic!!

The first book Tales of a Monstrous Heart was one of my top reads last year and I was so excited when I saw that Tales of a Deadly Devotion was up on Netgalley.
I was lucky enough to get sent a sampler chapter from the author and that just left me wanting the rest!!
This book jumps straight back into the shocking ending of the first book.
It follows Kat, Emrys and friends as they race against time to stop and prevent a catastrophic event that would destroy everything they love and hold dear.
I loved seeing Kat and Emrys relationship blossoming even more in this book. There relationship isn’t forced and it just comes across so nicely. I like that it’s also not the main part of the story.
I’m also a huge fan of the side characters William and Thean. They are just really likeable side characters who you want to know more about.
I truly love Alma’s chapters in this book and I like that we are getting a small glimpse into her horrifying past. I like that she is slowly trying to become herself in this book but she continues to struggle with her past trauma. She’s selfless and willing to hurt for her friends. Alma’s pain comes across so well in this book, with the additional chapters and it truly sparks so many emotions as a reader. It’s one of those PoV chapters that you needed but didn’t realise how much.
Kat’s and Alma’s relationship is so beautiful and I love how it comes across between the pair especially how fiercely loyal they are to each other.
Once again the world building is fantastic and so creative, I felt that it truly pulled me and just gets better with each book.
I absolutely love the authors writing style and find it very easy to follow. The ways it’s wrote truly captivates my attention and leaves me wanting more.
The plot is one of those that is constantly moving and I love it. There’s plenty of action and drama. Kat and Emrys face so many challenges and threats against their friends and family that you really feel for them.
There’s so many mixed emotions from this book, one moment you’re happy and the next your emotions take on that of a rollercoaster.
This book does end on a major cliffhanger but it’s perfectly set up for the next book.
I could honestly have done with more, I just love this magically dark fantasy world.
Overall I definitely recommend this book and series, it’s just an amazing and you won’t regret it!!

Massive thank you to Gollancz and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Where gothic academia and magic meet we find Tales of a Deadly Devotion leading its readers back into Blackthorn Manor where curses, dark monsters, ancient texts, and forbidden magic reign supreme. Picking up right from the cliffhanger ending of book one we follow along Kat, Emrys, Alma, Thean, Gideon, and William as they battle against a dangerous long ancient darkness.

I screamed so loud when I received this arc as it was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and as expected I loved and devoured every second of this dark gothic magical academia world and it’s characters. The found family aspect that I adored so much in book one is again present and took my admiration to a new level. For I had already thought I loved all these characters so greatly but book two absolutely solidified my obsessions with each and every single one of them as I found this installment to be very character driven focused. This particularly rang true for sassy and mysterious Thean, as well as resiliently fearless Alma as we get to see more of these two characters and hear some of their own backstories. Now the romances (yes that’s right, I used plural because there is more than one this time around) continue to be delicious with all the banter, angst, yearning, and tension that make for truly swoon worthy slow burns. The magic, legends, world building, and lore are also much more prominently featured here than in the previous installment which I I anticipate being a larger focus for book three. And yes this installment also does end on a cliffhanger, leaving me again desperate for more of this immersive and magical academic world that Delaney has created. If you are a lover of books filled with forbidden magic, ancient lore, curses, dangerous monsters, gothic dark academia vibes set in a magically sentient manor, brooding and mysterious characters, slow burn romances with all the hand flexes and stolen glances, and an amazing found family then you need to read this series immediately.

Tales of a Deadly Devotion comes out August 28th, 2025. Thank you NetGalley and Gollancz for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

“This series is just stunning!”
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
Tales of a Monstrous Heart was one of my favourite books of last year, and the sequel lives up to my expectations! The characters are all well rounded, flawed and growing, the world building is getting bigger and the plot is just exploding with drama and foreshadowing. I predict the third will be a powerhouse of fantastic writing and gut wrenching action. I can't wait.

Pick up this series immediately! You won't be disappointed.

💙TALES OF A DEADLY DEVOTION💙

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I had the absolute pleasure of being one of the first to return to Blackthorn Manor and what a wild ride it was!

Tales of a Deadly Devotion is the deliciously angsty, action-packed sequel to Tales of a Monstrous Heart, the gothic romantasy of my dreams!

If you love forbidden romance, ENDLESS yearning, the sweetest found family, a sentient manor hell-bent on causing chaos, and beautiful, heartbreaking female friendships - girls that would go to the ends of the earth (and further) for one another - then I implore you to read these books!!

The Tales series has carved out a massive piece of my heart and will now reside in its place forever and ever. This sequel was everything I needed and more! For every answer I got in this book, I have 5 more questions!! The Easter eggs??? Jen is absolutely brilliant - I have no idea how she remembers all this stuff! I absolutely embodied Sherlock while reading TOADD🕵🏼‍♀️

These characters are everything to me and they feel so much more full in TOADD - especially Alma! The introduction of Alma’s POV has changed everything and I’m here for it. She quickly became such an intriguing character and I am VERY curious to see what lies ahead for Alma in Tales 3. Thean Page wreaks havoc as per, and looks even better doing it in Alma’s POV. We also got some NEW CHARACTERS who I’m excited for everyone to meet! Gideon, I love you.

Release day is slowly creeping closer and I’m so excited to see this book flooding my feed! Tales of A Monstrous Heart’s paperback is coming out so soon as well, and she’s just as gorgeously foiled as the hardback - I hope she finds her way into the hands of some new loving readers!! I never have enough people to yap about these books with!!

Thank you to @jenniferdelaneyauthor for being amazing and writing the series of my heart (and for laughing at my Tales memes). I would read your grocery lists. Also big thanks to @gollancz for letting me back into Blackthorn Manor early - I am FERAL for this series!

Sadly I had to DNF this at chapter 10.

The first book was fantastic and a fabulous new gothic fantasy in a world filled with fantasy romance. This felt like a lot of words and not much plot or reason. I’m so gutted as I had high hopes for it but it just wasn’t hitting like the first book did.

I don’t know if it was just because it’s been so long since I read Monstrous and maybe if you read them back to back it would be a different reading experience

3* DNF at 27%
Im so sorry, I wanted to like this so much, I wanted to love it. I just didn't.

I loved the first book when it was released last year, I gave it 5*s and it held such a special place for me, I got the goldsboro edition plus a standard signed edition both in prime position on my display. I reread it last week in preparation for the sequel, I did the first ten chapters on audible but switched to kindle as I didn't gel with the narator and it set me off on the wrong foot. Rereading it I kept getting stuck on lots of issues with repeated themes and phrasing, a lot of telling vs showing. I really hoped going into the second book that the writing style may have developed some since the first book but I was disappointed to find it hadn't. I decided to stick it out and skim read for the jist of the plot but quickly lost all interest. Again, I'm so so sorry Jennifer. X

What an amazing sequel to an already amazing serie!
This book managed to make me cry from the first few pages, that’s quite a feat!
I loved having chapters written from Alma’s perspective, she bring a very different voice to this story and we get to know her more intimately. Her love for Kat is so fierce, and her backstory so much more complex than previously thought. I loved how Kat’s POV was handled at the beginning of the book, it’s brilliant storytelling.

I instantly fell in love with Gideon whilst my love for Thean only grew deeper, and I’m glad we got to see more in depths backstory and personality for their characters. I only wish we got to hear more about William (hopefully in book 3?), but for now I’m happy with every scene he’s in, and how everyone cares for him.
I thought this book to be more mature and gruesome in its description of gore and brutally, which I personally enjoy.

Alma’s transformation were very graphic at times for example, which really make us appreciate how bone deep those changes truly are. I would have loved to have more chapters from Alma’s POV, especially in the middle of the book, but the ending more than makes up for it.

Alongside Alma, it’s truly Kat who shone in this book with an amazing character development, she finally decided to take action and stopped being silent. She’s finally ready to fight back and stop cowering, and it’s amazing to see.

Overall, I loved this book and how everything starts to click into place plot-wise, and I loved learning more about everyone. Book 3 can’t come fast enough with how this one ended! I’m so invested in their story, I don’t know how I’ll manage to wait for the next installment. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone who likes high stakes fantasy and fierce love stories.

as fey fight a losing war against the storm of mortal conquest, fairfax manor - once a sanctuary forged by the first witches of blackthorn - lies in ruins. and no one is safe.

katherine woodrow has survived the institute of magic and crossed the divided lands of elysior to train under the legendary lord emrys blackthorn. but heartbreak and near-death weren’t part of the plan.

magic always demands a price - one alma would’ve given her life to spare kat from. but the shadows haven’t let go yet. and alma won’t let her go either. with beasts stirring beneath her skin and secrets from her past rising to the surface, she’ll do whatever it takes to save her friend.

time’s running out. more demons are slipping from the cursed texts mortals failed to protect. the world is tilting back into darkness. and something ancient is awakening…

i can’t lie, i really struggled with this one - which was a shocker considering how much i loved book one 🥹 the writing just didn’t hit the same this time around. as much as i adored the side characters like william and alma before, i didn’t feel that same connection here, and it made the story drag a little for me.

that said, kat and alma’s relationship still had so much heart, and emrys… don’t get me started 🤭 i honestly just wish there were more moments between him and kat. after everything they’ve been through, they deserved more space on the page together.

the premise was solid and picked up right where we left off, but sadly, this one just wasn’t for me.

Ok first of all, I am annoyed at myself that it took me so long to read this book. I’ve been so busy I’ve only been able to read a few chapters here and there over the past 2 weeks but today, I made sure to sit and READ and oh.my.god. I am so glad I did.
Gideon…love this dude. So funny. Brilliant one liners had me cracking up, could just so relate to his absolutely no bullshit approach to everything. Want him to be my new best friend.
Kat and Emrys’ relationship and the way it developed throughout the book was brilliant. I was SCREAMING for them to be left alone as poor things kept getting interrupted but thank god. They finally got their time.
Alma….oh Alma. Poor, poor thing. Hers and Thean’s chemistry was super hot but that ending. My heart!!
Left on a mega cliff hanger which will obviously keep everyone wanting to read the next book. Well done ms, Delaney….well done indeed.

A phenomenal continuation of a story that has had me in a chokehold since the cliffhanger at the end of book one!
This book throws you straight back into the action, as we continue to follow Kat, Emrys and co while they race against the clock to prevent cataclysmic events that could destroy everything they know and love.

Jennifer's writing is immersive, emotional, thought provoking and she has a beautiful way of writing characters that are impossible not to fall in love with. The addition of Alma's chapters are a highlight for me as they showcase some complex emotions as we get a closer look into her past.

Thean continues to be an absolute delight! I adore them!

I am so excited for the next part of this story and after that ending I hope we don't have a long wait!

If slow burn romance, tension, gothic vibes, love, betrayal, sacrifice, found family and a sentient house (that is fast becoming one of my favourite characters) is your thing definitely add this to your TBR!

Thank you Jennifer, Orion and Gollancz and NetGallery for providing me early access to this book for review. All opinions are my own.

Okay, wow. This book completely pulled me in and didn’t let go. Tales of a Deadly Devotion is everything I wanted in a sequel—darker, more intense, and somehow even more magical than the first.

The gothic vibes are immaculate—crumbling mansions, eerie forests, secrets hiding in candlelit hallways… and that slow-burn romance? So good. I was totally hooked on the tension between the characters. It’s the kind of love story that aches a little, in the best way.

What I really loved is how emotionally deep this one goes. There’s love, betrayal, sacrifice, and moments that made me pause and just feel. Jennifer Delaney has a way of writing that makes the world feel so real, like you could step right into it (if you’re brave enough to risk the curses and ghosts, of course).

If you’re into romantic fantasy with gothic mystery, swoony tension, and a heroine who’s figuring herself out while the world falls apart around her—this book is for you.

5/5 – Loved every twisty, spooky, romantic second. Ready for book three like... yesterday.

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

As dark and enchanting as the first. Tales of a Deadly Devotion drew me in as it continued where the first book left off. The battles of Kat and Emrys carried on only more deadly and challenging than before. Threats to their lives and that of their friends and family became far more intense and that cliffhanger left me reeling with shock. Jennifer Delaney’s writing style was stunning and gothic as well as easy to follow which made it that much more enjoyable. This series deserves a lot more recognition.

I couldn’t wait to dive back into this world of monsters and curses after the cliffhanger finish to book one. It didn’t disappoint, picking up more or less where the first one finished.

There’s a lot more revealed about the characters back stories in this and we have the added point of view from Alma as the chapters flip back and forth between her and Kat. Alma’s pain, both physically and mentally is done well, creating real anguish for her character.

The romance continues in a beautiful way that doesn’t feel forced or rushed. The friendships and found family vibes also continue, with the house fast becoming a favourite character in its own right.

Once again we see the story ending on a cliffhanger that has me looking forward to book three. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for this beautifully monstrous and gothic tale to continue.

What an incredible addition to the Tales trilogy. I am OBSESSED. No. I'm FERAL for this series!

We dive back into the world of fae, demons, mortals and madness once more, stepping beyond the walls of Blackthorn Manor. The crimes of the past are being revealed and the dark has come to claim its debt.

Tales of a Deadly Devotion is a dark, gripping narrative filled with mystery and action as our heroes race against the forces of the Dark and the Rebellion, desperate to keep either from destroying Elysior.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for granting me early access in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t wait to dive back into Delaney’s supremely gothic world again. Deadly Devotion plunges you back into the unique and magical world of vengeful foes, fire wielding, dark magic, cursed tomes, sentient grumbly houses, pernickety familiars and moody romance. I could keep my list going but I should try and keep it succinct!
Deadly Devotion opens a page turn and a few days after the final events and fallout of the previous book, things are tense, but the storyline gets moving straight away.
I absolutely adored the exploration of Kat’s heritage throughout this book, the power and strength she draws from her familial line brings a lot of emotion into this tale. Alma too has a similarly emotional time, while she doesn’t make as much progress as Kat does - although I’m sure there’s more to come from Alma, her repeated confrontations, be it mental or physical, with her past trauma are really admirable and a great insight into her characters history.
Delaney maintains the dark and moody aesthetic that Tales of a Monstrous Heart thrives off of, yet woven through were bright bursts of friendship and a steady creaking open into the wider world of this tales magic system, setting and storyline.
Once again I have been left in disarray by a cliff hanger and will be waiting impatiently for number 3!

My last note would be, that the book does still need a wee tidy up, there’s quite a bit of spelling and grammatical errors and a few scenes/moments that jump too soon/don’t feel very smooth, but publication is still a few months off so I think tightening up is still possible! Despite this, I did still really enjoy this story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orion and Gollancz for providing me with a digital reading copy.

Tales of a Deadly Devotion was my top 1 for most anticipated release of 2025 and let me tell you, Jennifer has killed it again! We are thrown straight back into this lush and fantastic world Jennifer has created and the plot starts after the finale on Tales of a Monstrous Heart!

We have so much uncovering about each character backstory that we had the opportunity to delve into deep and also the history of this world and the legends and forbidden compendiums! It was almost magical seeing it all come to play and to focus on the characters. Devotion is definintely a bit more character plot driven versus Tales and I think it was a very good approach to show how versatile and complex this trilogy can be! We also have dual POV between Kat and Alma and they both have such different voices: I love Kat’s, she’s courageous and very clever and I enjoy her chapters the most! And then we have Alma’s who has a heavy voice and struggles daily with her traumas and how to find herself. Then we have more characters from the previous book that came forward in Devotions and made the plot so much better and compelling - yes, looking at you Gideon boy! Emrys is still my very favourite boy tho!

One of the things I adored the most on book 1 and it carried along to this book, is Jennifer’s writing. Sometimes when I’m reading I can connect with a lot of things - from characters to specific situations and even writing - and Jennifer’s writing feels like it was a love letter to my soul! I am not a very visual reader but I can see little glimpses of expressions and touches and I just love how Jennifer describes the situations and makes me feel like I’m actually there and I can see Thean’s smirk, Emrys’ gentle touches, Gideon’s bright blue eyes…! I swear every time Kat and Emrys were having a moment my heart went all giddy and happy - also, William ugh, go get yourself busy with your plants and leave them alone!

I really struggle with sequel reviews as I always try to avoid giving spoilers so here’s my advice: if you enjoyed Tales, get ready to enjoy Devotion as much! It has a beautiful cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the finale of this Trilogy - we have so much to uncover and all the subplots to close! I am ready!

#adpr Many many thanks to the publisher (and author) for this exciting arc! All opinions are my own!

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

A million stars for my favourites 😍 Being back with Kat, Emrys and the crew (including Blackthorn Manor) was so fantastic. Things seem bleak at first, and after that cliffhanger at the end of book one I expected no less. Having the extra POV chapters added more to the story - and god I didn't know I could love Alma even more but I do. Her and Kat's friendship is just as - maybe even MORE - important than any romantic endeavours in the book too, and is such a fantastic representation of loyal, undying female friendship. As always, the writing is fantastic and the story captivating. So many secrets come to light, and more mysteries present themselves. I'm genuinely going to be insufferable waiting for book three, especially after another highly intense cliffhanger (Jen, please expect me in your DMs) 😅 This series is a must read for anyone who loves the idea of Jane Eyre meets Howl's Moving Castle, but make it gothic and dark and gloomy.

I absolutely loved being back in this world. The interesting magic system, plot, and brilliant characters made the book so difficult to put down. I adored the angst and sarcasm between a few of the main characters, felt all the emotions as history came to light & once again, was left wanting more of Jennifer’s story telling!