5 ⭐️ - Read November 27, 2022

This book honestly took me by surprise! I adore Mara's writing and I have since the first time I read Crown of Coral & Pearl. The Poison Season is well written and the pace of the book makes it impossible to put down! I read the whole thing in one night because I couldn't fathom not knowing what came next. The romance was adorable and every character was well thought out. I found myself feeling for even the most ~evil~ characters. The plot twists had me gasping and on the edge of my seat!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to get lost in the world and dream of mushrooms and poisonous lakes. Your brain will thank you for allowing yourself to set free and dream of such a fairy tale, picturesque town.

This is just another book that was just ok. It could have gotten way darker than it was. I swear this author did amazing with her first two books then they started going down hill. Luminous was a good story but it needed to go full dark to be amazing. And this one was just meh. It had no really memorable characters and the plot was just subpar young adult fantasy. I do have her next title and I am not holding out hope for it. It just seems that Rutherford is just skimming each and every element of her stories and not utilizing the themes to their fullest potential. I wish that this author would just go full out and leave everything on the page. If you are going to work with dark themes etc. Then go dark and stop beating around the bush.

A quick read if you can get into it.
This was just so meh for me. Yeah, it wasn't bad but I could have been reading actually good books.
It felt like it was trying to stay in the middle. A hint of scary but nothing actually scary. A wisp of magic. Light insta romance. Idk.
I think I would have been more satisfied just reading the last couple of chapters where things actually happen.

I was unable to provide review due to time constraints of me starting college. I look forward however to reading this book in the future simply as a fan, not a reviewer.

The story is about two characters: Leelo Hart, and Jaren. Leelo has spent her whole life on Endla, isolated from outsiders and protected by the poisonous lake and magical forest that surrounds it, with her mother Fiona, her aunt Ketty, and her cousin Sage, coexisting with the bloodthirsty forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it. As a Watcher in training, she must spend one year protecting her home from outsiders. Jaraen is a boy who lives on the other side of the poisoned lake that seems to be immune to the singing coming from Endla. I love how EVERYTHING is described in this book!!! Whether it’s the scenery, to Leelo’s hair. I feel like everything has been painted in my mind so beautifully. I can see how everything is set in both villages (and in between) so clearly. It really was a pleasure to read.

The Poison Season is an interesting piece on forced isolation. The theme of the islands calls back to the lessons put forth in old fairy tales. The story is somewhat slow in pacing. Slow build up gives the reader time to invest in the characters, but it makes the first part of the book drag. Leelo and Jaren were interesting leads. There weren’t too many characters or storylines to keep track off. The ending was jumbled. It would have been nice to see that fleshed out more. Overall, an entertaining story.

I loved the blend of romance and fantasy in this book. I thought it was done flawlessly! There was obviously a lot of work that went into the world building as well.

I actually enjoyed The Poison Season quite a bit! It was a surprising premise and though it took a bit for the plot to take hold it didn’t feel too slow.

I will day that while I appreciate a stand-alone, the ending did feel a bit rushed and at times very campy.

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I’m glad I gave it a chance!

Interesting entry into the 'creepy YA contemporary fantasy' genre. It reads like others of the genre, mysterious towns, stoic main characters, strong-ish female protagonists who are attempting to leave a system they think is wrong. Fun book but not as unique as it could have been.

This book was a unique story arc that I've never encountered before. The author has such a unique plot and I can't express enough how enjoyable it was. The characters were deep souls and lovely to get to know. The unique aspects of the story - the island, poison, singing magic, wandering forests - made it so easy to fall in and devour. This is a book that I wish I could read for the first time again. And I'm sure I'll find new things to consider and different ways to interpret things that happen in the story every time I read it.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Inkyard Press, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Leelo has always lived on Endla, with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that keeps the outsiders far away from her island. But as much as she loves her community, she can't stand the idea that her brother will be exiled unless he gains the magic of enchanted song, so vital to the island. When she sees an outsider almost drowing in the lake, she knows she should leaving it alone. There are rules. The ousiders are left to die or in the Forest or in the lake, but in a moment she decides to break this rule and to save him, betraying her family, community and everything she has ever known. But as she and Jaren, the outsider, start to get closer and closer, she realizes new things about her life on the island and its dangers, starting to question the real truth behind her community, family and herself.

The Poison Season is the first book I've ever read by Mara Rutherford and I'm absolutely in love with her writing style, creativity and storytelling. A dangerous lake, a bloodthristy forest, rules upon rules on a island Leelo has always lived in and a wonderful and perilous journey through them all. Star-crossed lovers, broken rules, secrets, lies and poison all around, this story is fascinating and intriguing and I really was hooked from the first page. Not only I fell in love with the mysterious setting and the main character, but I've also loved her stubborness, curiosity and inventive. Also, the growing relationship between Leelo and Jaren is beautifully rendered and I truly fell in love with everything in this book. Totally recommended.

I loved this book so much! It was magical and alluring and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the romance, the characters that made you love and hate them. The whole storyline overall was amazing.

The Poison Season is a captivating YA fantasy with a great setting and a compelling plot. I'd been wanting to try out some of Mara Rutherford's books for a while, so I was excited to finally get the chance with The Poison Season. I really enjoyed this YA fantasy more than I expected to and found the character particular well-written. I loved learning more about this world and was really impressed with Rutherford's dedication to the world-building in this book. The only drawback I would say I had with this book was that there was always something that felt just slightly off for me, and I'm not sure if it had to do with the magic system or how everything within the world-building worked together, but it left me feeling not quite as connected to the story as I might've liked to be. Overall, however, I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it to any YA fans!

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford follow Leelo. She has spent her entire life on Endla, surrounded by a bloodthirsty forest and a poisonous lake. The lake keeps outsiders away from Endla, as they seek to destroy it. Leelo knows if her younger brother Tate doesn’t gain his powers soon, he will be exiled from Endla and forced to live with the outsiders. She wants to protect him from that fate. Leelo discovers an outsider going to drown in the lake, and she goes against all that her people believe in to save him. Leelo and Jaren must keep this a secret to protect them both. The pair discover secrets about Endla, and Leelo begins to question everything she’s known about her community and herself.

What intrigued me the most about this book was the make-up of Endla itself. It sounds so dark, yet beautiful in its own unique way. I also liked Leelo’s dedication to her family, specifically her brother Tate.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Mara Rutherford has been a favorite of mine since her first duology got me back into reading after a long hiatus, and I still love her work. This book was unique, touching, and a beautiful YA novel about first love, fear of the unknown, and the ties that bind us together.

This was my fourth Mara Rutherford book and I absolutely love her work. This book is about a girl named Leelo, who lives on an isolated island surrounded by a poisoned lake and a "living forest." The islanders sacrifice for the island; in return, the island protects them from outsiders. One day Leelo discovers an outsider coming onto the island, but instead of killing him like she's supposed to, she saves his life. Chaos ensues as she reckons with her choice,

My favorite thing about Mara Rutherford's books is her world-building. The worlds and magic systems she creates are incredibly unique and well thought out, bringing so much life to the stories. This book is no exception. I also loved the overall dark and spooky vibes that pervaded the whole book. The stakes in this novel were so high that I couldn't put it down because I had to see how, or if, the characters would get through it. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and very invested in the complex characters. I was a huge fan of their forbidden romance as well. Overall, another knock out of the park for Mara Rutherford, and I cannot wait to see what she comes out with next.

Dark, sentient forest - check
Forbidden love- check
Family secrets- check

This book was great! It was atmospheric, interesting, intriguing and kept me interested the whole way through. There certainly is romance but it doesnt take away from the plot. Really enjoyed this one

Things I loved:
✨Great world building
✨Dark/atmospheric/mysterious setting
✨Forbidden romance
✨Dual POV

This was a fun read! It’s so atmospheric and would be a great fall or rainy day read. Leelo and Jaren have a sweet and believable forbidden romance with the cutest moments. Sage and the aunt were AWFUL and I just couldn’t stand them one bit.

I definitely felt this was a great read for younger readers.

I thought that the concept of this book was really cool. I loved how there was an entire island isolated by a wandering forest and a poisonous lake. I loved the characters and thought that they were interesting. I really loved how the story ended. I thought that it was a great way to wrap things up and it was a nice happy ending. The story did move a bit too slowly for me, which was a problem since the book wasn't even 400 pages. I just wish that there was a bit more action in the book.

A great read. A girl who’s survived her who life with a sentient bloodthirsty forest. Great turns with great relationship building with the other characters.