Book Review of Lakesedge (World at the Lake's Edge #1) by Lyndall Clipstone

Cover Story: Turn Arrrrroooooound
BFF Charm: Eventually
Talky Talk: Gothic Fantasy
Bonus Factor: Mysterious Loner Dude x2, Secret Garden
Factor: Cliffhanger
Anti-Bonus Factor: Dan Scott Award for Awful Parenting
Relationship Status: Intrigued

Content Warning: There are scenes of child abuse in the beginning of Lakesedge that might be triggering for some readers.

Cover Story: Turn Arrrrroooooound
There’s something very Phantom of the Opera about this cover, which likely makes no sense to anyone who knows the Phantom of the Opera better than me, which is definitely most people. But I’m sticking with that assertion. Also: Crimson Peak. Basically any gothic IP with a mysterious dude and pretty young woman. There’s a definite vibe.

The Deal:
Violeta Graceling will do anything to keep her younger brother, Arien, safe. Including following him to a mysterious estate where Lord Rowan Sylvanan lives, a young man who rumoredly killed his entire family. Rowan wants Arien for his magic, to help cure the Corruption plaguing the land. Leta wants Rowan to promise that Arien won’t suffer in the attempt, which he can’t do. Leta thinks Rowan’s a monster … until she gets to know him. He might still be a monster, but there’s something else going on that changes Leta’s mind about the entire situation.

BFF Charm: Eventually
Leta is a loving, stubborn, headstrong, loyal young woman. She’s dedicated to her brother to an almost detrimental amount, but there are reasons she’s so protective. (See Anti-Bonus Factor below.) She’s not immediately taken in by the villainous Lord Sylvanan; even when she feels that “spark” of interest, she doesn’t let his demeanor scare her away from speaking her truth. (And occasionally getting a sassy jab in.) While I’d try give her a BFF Charm almost immediately, it would take some time for me to work my way into her life and heart.

Swoonworthy Scale: 7
Rowan is young and beautiful and tortured—all of which appeal to Leta, even though she knows better. Their chemistry cannot be denied and eventually, the two fall into something that’s dangerous and might not end well, but common sense be damned.

And then there’s the Lord Under, who Leta “hates” …

Talky Talk: Gothic Fantasy
If I had to use one word to describe this book, I would use the word “ominous.” Which is something I think all gothic novels have in common. There’s something going on under the surface or around the corner or in the shadows, and it’s not clear—sometimes even by the end of the book—if it’s good or evil. Clipstone does a great job of accentuating this feeling, even when describing something innocuous like an overgrown garden.

Bonus Factor: Mysterious Loner Dude x2
Rowan is the mysterious young (and beautiful) lord of Lakesedge who makes Violeta both irrationally angry and heated (in that way), but he’s not the only MLD in this book. There’s also the mysterious (and beautiful, natch) Lord Under, a god figure who is basically the Hades of this universe. He’s 100% not someone you’d want to meet in a dark forest late at night, but there’s something about him that is undeniably appealing nonetheless.

Bonus Factor: Secret Garden
At one point, Rowan shows Leta to a walled-off garden where he and his brother used to play. He “gives” it to her for her own, and she’s extremely grateful for the gift. It doesn’t play a huge role in the book, but I just love the idea of secret gardens. Even with my brown thumb.

Factor: Cliffhanger
Reader beware—this is the first book in a duology, and this is definitely a “first half” kind of book.

Anti-Bonus Factor: Dan Scott Award for Awful Parenting
The woman who takes Leta and Arien in when they’re found wandering at the edge of a forest—a woman known only as Mother—is a truly horrible person. When Arien’s magic gets out of control, she punishes them both through physical means. I’m very glad they get away from her, even if at first they think they’re just trading one monster for another.

Relationship Status: Intrigued
I first read you back in the Great FYA Website Dearth, Book, and I liked you then. I think I might like you even more now. But I’m still reserving judgment. I don’t want to get burned. Or corrupted, in this case.

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

3.25 Stars

***
Violeta (Leta) Graceling will do anything to protect her younger brother, Arien. So, when his nightmares keep leading to black shadows bleeding out of his hand, Rowan Sylvana (Lord and Monster of Lakesedge) decides to take him from their adoptive mother (who is only to happy to be rid of him) leading Leta to agree to the terms if she too is allowed to join. But, Rowan seems to hate her and the lake is horrifying (black and oozing). Plus, it seems the Lord Under, a sinister deity of death, is lurking near the waters of the ink-black lake. What is he so interested in? And what is Violeta hiding about the night she and her brother ran from the death of their parents?

This was a textbook gothic romance, but with added depth and horror. There is a sinister love triangle, involving a young woman who just wants to save her brother and have some power for herself and two Lords (one vaguely still human and one completely otherworldly). The book was also reminiscent of the Lord of the Underworld falling in love with the Goddess Persephone. As seen with the way that the Lord Under obsesses over Leta and her ability to grow beautiful plants with her once dormant magical powers (one such plant being the pomegranate, which is one of the main symbols of Hades and Persephone).

The magic system of the novel was interesting, but I would have liked more an of explanation of how it worked, why some people received powers while others did not. The extent that powers could be corrupted. How the Lord Unders powers worked and why he could make bargains with people for their powers or their lives. I felt there was back story there that was missing and could have been added to create a more cohesive fantasy novel.

The romance between Leta and Rowan could have also used more development. I felt it seemed a bit instalovey, which is a trope I do not enjoy. I would have liked more of a connection, and less of their drive for self sacrifice in order to save all of those around them. Both Leta and Rowan were so oblivious to the destruction they cause with their savior complexes. Their personalities were so similar it was hard to believe they could fall for one another when they were so focused on sacrificing themselves.

I did enjoy the moments between Leta and the Lord Under. His dark beauty, their very strange encounters. His apparent desire for her, as a human, and her abundance of power even after having traded her power away. I found their connection was more fleshed out than Leta and Rowan. And while the Lord Under is scary and obviously has moments of evil, he also has a very sound reason for doing all that he is. His world is also in danger from the bargain made years before and he is trying to find a way to stop the spread of the magic.

I would love for the second book to have more focus on the side characters as well, as I really enjoyed Arien and Clover and would love more depth to their narratives. I also loved that this was a queer normative world!!!! I am excited for book two and am anxious to see exactly how Leta might escape her fate.

P. S. (SPOILER ALERT) one major fault I found with the novel is that even though Leta gave away all of her memories of her family, she still knows she has lost those memories. I would think that there would just be a void and she would not even know anything was missing...like how can she even remember she had a family if she has erased all memories of them?

I need to stop falling in love with beautiful covers. I mean look at this one! It promised me an amazing story that it will take your breath away. A story about monsters, gods, darkness. But unfortunately it wasn’t what I hoped for.

To be fair, I don’t think I read any gothic books because I wasn’t ready for so many details. I am an action girl, so I need some facts not just description. The author described the characters very well, but it didn’t prove me that they were what they were (if it makes sense).

The idea of the book was pretty interesting and I think it could be a better story because the second part captivated me. So I can’t wait to see what’s going to happen in the next book. Thank you TBR and Beyond for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this lush, gothic romance. The chapters were perfection ; the detailed descriptions and tone and atmosphere transported me someplace else. I looved this book so much and will be rereading.

I wasn't exactly sure what to expect going into this one, but I was pleasantly surprised in a number of ways. Firstly, one of my favorite things is a book with an interesting magic system. The descriptions when magic was used did a great job of communicating how using the magic actually felt, and that was incredibly impactful.
I also really liked most of the characters a lot. Violeta felt well developed and whole, and while I wasn't the biggest fan of Rowan, I was super intrigued by the Lord Under and hope we get to learn more about him in the next one.
The writing was incredibly lush and atmospheric, and I really felt like I could imagine the setting vividly. I'm absolutely here for dark monster and magic-filled slow burn romances like this!
The only thing keeping this from a 5 star for me was that the pacing felt a little clunky in a few places, but overall I really enjoyed this one and will definitely pick up the second.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this DRC.
Not my type of book.

#Lakesedge #NetGalley

This was such a dark and spooky romance. Perfect for a stormy, cozy, night by a fireplace. This writer has the atmosphere in her books DOWN. What a wonderful gothic debut.

Lakesedge was everything I had hoped for. Tons of Gothic atmosphere, romance and magic. And the prose so yummy! Highly recommended to readers looking for their next Gothic romance. So glad I picked this one up and definitely looking forward to reading more by the author.

Lakesedge really reminded me of Crimson Peak and I absolutely loved every page! This was hauntingly beautiful and I'm really hoping there's a sequel because I need more of this.

Omg where to begin! This was truly the gothic story I needed. The romance was so neat and I loved the magic as well. Clipstone's writing has such lovely descriptions and imagery that had me entranced in her writing. Also, the covers are freakin gorgeous.

LAKESEDGE is a debut that I was eagerly awaiting, and it did not disappoint. From a well-drawn world that felt as magical as it was dangerous, a plot that was compelling--if not a little trite in YA--and a romance that teens will love, Lyndall Clipstone is an author to keep one's eye on. Having also now read FORESTFALL, I am eagerly awaiting her most upcoming novel, UNHOLY TERRORS, which looks like it will be just as dark and delightful.

Lush, atmospheric, haunted tale of your dreams (and nightmares too). I enjoyed getting to know these characters and the magic system in this fantasy. The romantic tension and mysterious setting keep you wanting more!

DNF @ 23%

I am so sad that the writing style of this Gothic fantasy debut just didn't work for me! I tried reading this a couple of times over the last year of my life, with my most recent attempt spanning nearly 3 weeks, and the narrative didn't manage to pull me in. To be honest I was a little confused and kind of bored, which should be mutually exclusive feelings.

I think there are sometimes books that you do not know how to properly write a review for as you cannot even begin to form your experience reading. This was one of those books for me. Since getting this netgalley I have reread this book three times. Everything about it is a comfort read for me. It is just one of those books that reminds me why I love reading. I love it so much I had to get a physical copy for my shelves because I think the cover is just stunning. Getting into the story itself, as someone who lives for dark fantastical reads it was from start to finish in my opinion perfect. This was my first experience with this author and I am now a life long friend. I have recommended this book to so many loved ones and will continue to do so probably until they tell me to shut up. This book fully encompasses why I love reading.

the writing got pretty redundant & this author loves the word "crimson", but it had all the autumnal gothic vibes that I've been craving, so i had a pretty good time 🤷🏽‍♀️

I actually got all the way to the 80% mark in this one and realized I didn't care about any of these characters or what happened to them.

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I actually never finished this book.. it's good, but I'm just not digging the YA vibe. I knew it was YA going into it, but I guess I'm just not a big reader of YA like I used to be. I will still recommend this book and our library has purchased a copy.

The opening chapter was extremely promising and drew me in. It was dark and mysterious and I was here for it, but then the rest of the book came and I was underwhelmed. I found it extremely boring and the book was mostly done by the time I realized there was even a plot. The cover is great though!