For the most part, I did not enjoy this story. I thought it was incredibly boring—the pace was snail-like. I grew bored with all the waiting around for Jaren to get better. The ending seemed a bit rushed, and Sage and Aunt Ketty were unbearable characters that just made the story even worse. Leelo didn’t have much character development either—by the end of the story she could BARELY stand up against her cousin and aunt, and all she cared about was romance and her mother and brother. The lore of the forest could’ve been much more fleshed out too. I feel like I didn’t know it well, which is a problem when it’s the biggest antagonist.

ATMOSPHERE. LOVE. DESPERATION. POISON. DEATH. HOPE. What more could you want from a book? Honestly, The Poison Season is fabulous. I enjoyed the author’s previous works, but this one is my favorite. I love the mysterious aspect of the magic and the island and what has happened in the past.

Leelo is an amazing character, because she isn’t ready to give up everything to change the world. She’s scared, she has feelings and she’s not perfect. Her relationship with her family is one of the main focuses of the book, and as I know from previous books Rutherford is an absolute talent at crafting some of the best sibling and familial relationships I’ve ever read. This book is no exception to that. In fact, my heart broke several times throughout this book, because none of the characters were perfect or right or wrong. It was so lovely, and honestly, just don’t have the words for it.

As a character, Leelo’s arc was one of the best I’ve seen in a YA book. There is so much growth and learning from her as a person, and she is willing to admit to herself and others when she’s made a mistake. She wants to be honest, but she also wants to help, and this is the problem Leelo has to face. She has a decision she must make.

There is also a romance in the book, between Leelo and the outsider, Jaren. There are some interesting aspects of this woven throughout the book, and I liked it. I felt that their slowly growing romance and attraction was well done.

I love the world that was created, it was enchanting and mystical, and I like that it had a dark and creepy atmosphere to it. I felt it contrasted nicely with the atmosphere of the town. It gave me the chills at some points.

This is a great winter read, especially if you love evocative, YA fantasy dosed with atmosphere and powerful character arcs.

4.5 stars
This was an incredible story.
This unique story with a wandering forest, poisoned lake and a strange community, was beautifully written. The characters were fun and engaging.

Read if you enjoy:

>> YA Fantasy
>> Secrets
>> Sacrifices
>> Strong FMC
>> More secrets and lies
>> Romance

Did I mention the secrets? Actually, I was surprised with all the twists this book had which is not normal for me.
Overall, I recommend this book!

A slow-build story.

The writing and the world building of The Poison Season were great. I adore a good story with a darker theme and this one centered around a poison lake, spooky sentient forest, and creepy ritual sacrifices.

The character development felt lacking for me. I think there were so many seemingly vital characters in this story that none of them really shined even with the reader following Leelo and Jaren, whose alternating views are shown with each new chapter.
The pacing felt a little slow and the chapters switching between Leelo and the island and Jaren and his family had me confused at times. This probably had to do with all the characters in the story.

Though, I would say The Poison Season is an enjoyable YA Fantasy. One I will be rereading in the future as that ending solidified it for me.


Thank you Inkyard Press via BookishFirst for the early copy to read and honestly review.

They say don’t judge a book by its cover but I’m glad i did! This was a wonderful read. It matched it’s gorgeous cover!

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Mara Rutherford for the opportunity to read The Poison Season in exchange for an honest review.

Having read the Crown of Coral and Pearl duology and Luminous, I was certainly excited for another book by Mara Rutherford. The Poison Season was written during Rutherford's quarantine time during COVID, and the book reflects the way we all probably felt during that time of isolation. Being isolated on an island since birth, the dynamic between the island residents of Endla and those dubbed as "outsiders," there is certainly something to be said about staying on one place for an exponential amount of time.

Leelo lives with her mother, aunt, and cousin on a secluded island surrounded by a lake of poison. Any living thing that touches its water dies: plants, animals, and people. The only way across is with a boat specially designed with a sap that keeps the poison at bay. There is no reason to cross, except to get rid of their incantu: those who do not have a magical singing voice. The incantu are banished to the outside and the boat is always pulled back, though no one would dare try to get onto Endla, for Endlans kill outsiders. Outsiders, anyone who is not an Endlan, are deemed dangerous and killed by the Endlans. "Outsiders," on the other hand, tend to find Endlans to be odd and frightening, and when incantu arrive to make their way in the outsider life, they are often not trusted.

When a wolf drives outsider Jaren onto the left-behind Endlan boat amidst a storm, he finds his only option to escape the wolf is to take his chances on Endla. Leelo sees him and helps him with an injury, ultimately hiding him from the other Endlans. The girl can't even kill a rabbit, let alone find the nerve to kill a human boy, regardless of her potential threats upon him. Of course, she ends up falling in love. With an outsider, no less. She could be killed for such a feat!

And let's not forget that the island is a Wandering Forest. It thinks. It breathes. It thirsts for blood...

This novel explores the deep-seeded secrets that families can carry, and how those secrets can tear a family apart. It also explores the idea of first love and being able to choose for love over duty. This book seems slow and secluded, but that's the masterful craft of the perspective and perfects the feel of isolation and how the world is seen by someone who has known nothing outside their bubble for an entire lifetime. 

An excellent young adult novel with hard-handed topics that relate to today's young adult audience and echoes the experiences young people have gone through during the pandemic. Yet another great work from Mara Rutherford.

Absolutely love this story. I couldn’t put it down. Hands down had a wonderful time reading this. 10/10 recommend it to anyone.

Such a lovely story. Gradual world building that was creatively laid out, and vivid story telling that made visualizing easy. I loved the sweet romance that slowly built within the story. No insta love here. Creatively written, with characters that were easy to relate to


Things that grab my attention...when the antagonist is an ancient forest that requires blood to survive. This book was not what I expected.

The atmosphere of Endla is almost like religious zealotry when it comes to their thoughts and feelings of the Wandering Forest. Protect the forest, and the forest will protect them is what they believe. For some, the sacrifices they make to live the life they are used to becomes too much. Leelo's emotional struggle was so raw when her brother is sent across the poisonous lake to the mainland because he doesn't have magic. Then followed by moral decision when she finds an outsider on the island shortly after. Does she do what she's been taught to do, and kill him, or does she listen to her heart and help him survive? What I don't think she expects, is the very sweet, and slow way both her and Jaren fall for each other.

If you're looking for a sweet, emotional fantasy read with a clean slow burn romance be sure to add this one to your list! .

Atmospheric, magical, romantic cottage core 🖤✨️

The Poison Season by @mararutherfordwrites sweeps you away to Endla, an island of magical singers protected by a poisoned lake and a sacrifice-loving wandering forest. There you meet beautiful, soft-hearted Leelo and her mother (the dreamer), her cousin (the doubting realist) and her aunt (the bitter and vindictive one with a tragic past). And THEN, Leelo meets an outsider, Jaren, whose presence on the island would be an immediate death sentence if discovered. And THEN the story really begins- and it's bitter-sweet, and immersive...and then the twists start coming. I can't recommend it enough 🖤

Wow!! What a fascinating concept, the wandering forest and the poison lake…I loved how unique the premise was! I read so much fantasy that sometimes stories can feel a bit same-same, even if they’re well written. This felt fully its own and was so good! Captured my attention from the first paragraph and I could hardly put it down.

I loved the slow, sweet romance between Leelo and Jaren, they’re both so pure that you can’t help but adore and root for them. The vitriol from Sage and Ketty gets really intense and felt maybe a little unjustified once the reason behind it is revealed, at least on Sage’s end. But I was really satisfied with how everything ended and worked out for the main characters. This was def one of my favorite reads this year!

I really enjoyed reading this, it was a fairytale that kept me reading from the start. The cover is gorgeous and why I picked it and I am happy I did. It was satisfying and the characters were adored.

Dnf at around Chapter 3. This has to do with my own personal taste and nothing to do with the author’s writing. I’ve enjoyed her work in the past and would like to come back to this when I’m not as easily triggered with its themes. 3 stars given for what I managed to read; solid start to the book, but a little confusing and hard to follow, even with the world building included.

Thank you to @netgalley and @inkyardpress for proving me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this book was absolutely charming. It is a dark fairytale but has an undercurrent of hope. The premise was pretty unique, the characters were well developed, and the setting was magical and mysterious. The world building was so rich and vivid, I could absolutely picture Endla in my head. This is a story I was thinking about even when I wasn’t reading it. I loved Leelo as a main character. She was kind, but strong and determined. I loved to see her character development. And the romance with Jaren felt organic and not at all insta-lovey. I thought the pacing of the first three quarters of the book was great. It was a slow build, but it flowed really well and allowed for a lot of backstory. The last quarter of the book, however, is where it dropped a star for me. It felt like a lot happened in a very short period of time. I honestly think there was enough story left for a sequel! However, I still really enjoyed this book as a whole, and it’ll definitely be one I reread in the future.

4/5 Stars 🌟

The Poison Season

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Mara Rutherford did an amazing job building this world! I haven’t seen this magic concept or a plot like this before and it was really interesting to read. I loved all the characters and even the characters I didn’t really like I still felt heartbreak for them. Mara had some very complex characters and I loved watching all of them develop throughout the story.

Leelo is an amazing heroine who has stong values and morals and such love for her people and family. You really get to connect with her though the book. Jaren barges into Leelo’s life and really changes how she sees her people and their way of life. I know I already said it but I’m gonna say it again. The plot of this book is amazing and I really enjoyed reading this book. It did take me some time to get into the book, but once you’re in you just can’t put the book down.

“The Wandering Forest cares about one thing and one thing only. Survival. And if pushed far enough, this island will eat its own.”

I don’t know how, but this book managed to capture some of that old Delirium/Matched/Divergent young romance magic, while taking place in a creepy setting with plenty of atmosphere. It is quite perfect for those autumn vibes; dark sentient merciless forest who is worshiped by a cult of magic singing individuals. The setting is rich, yet small at the same time, cozy.

It is supposed to be a stand alone, but I would love to see a sequel that concentrates on the MC’s cousin Sage. It would be hugely satisfying to read her redemption arc. Plus it would give us a chance to glimpse the world beyond the island.

"The Poison Season" has my favorite kind of vibes... A magical, eerie forest surrounding an insular village on an island in the middle of a poisonous lake. The people on the island are called Endlans and they live symbiotically with the forest. They lure people with song to the forest to be sacrificed, and the forest in return protects them.

The atmosphere is immaculate, both with the writing and progression of events. Outsiders are forbidden and even killed, and people born on the island who don't develop magical abilities are exiled. Our main character Leelo knows something is wrong about it, especially because her little brother Tate is soon to be forced out, and her relationships with her friends and family are so genuine. The romance was pretty good too. I love how both her and Jaren are separately developed as characters before bringing them together. I suppose the only thing is I wish there was more time spent with Leelo and Jaren getting to know each other before they start having feelings for each other, but otherwise I enjoyed pretty much everything! Really well-paced as well.

"The wolf is always at the doorstep... That is why we Watch."*

*quote from ARC

This would have been a great read for Halloween, but you’ll have to settle for the dark days of December. 😅

Okay, so things I liked!

Dual Point of View! I liked hearing Leelo and Jaren’s points of view— especially because they were from such different backgrounds. You get to hear what it’s like coming into the forest as a stranger— to the legend and to living in it. But you also see it from Leelo’s perspective of growing up there, knowing things aren’t great but also feeling so used to it.

The characters. I genuinely loved Leelo. She was kind, and wanted the best for everyone… but she wasn’t stupid. Jaren was fun, I loved his family and his banter with them. I loved Tate. He was such a cute little guy. Even Ketty and Sage were interesting… their bitterness and anger… Sage’s ferocity, but the way she devolves, and Leelo sees it all come apart. Very well written characters. 🥰

The fairytale feel. It felt like a dark fairy tale, all of the legend and the idea of a moving forest… and that the forest is hungry. 😬 So creepy. So interesting.

The idea that what we hear tales about might not be the whole truth. I loved that Leelo begins to deconstruct the truth from the stories they had been told.

Things that weren’t my favorite? Nothing. I liked it all! But I’m a mood reader, and I was ready for happy stuff. This was definitely a thrilling, mysterious story! I wish I had read it when I was in the mood for it. So if you’re a mood reader, tuck it in your tbr for a “thriller” season!! It’ll be perfect!!

Leelo has lived her entire life on Endla, an island isolated from outsiders and protected by the poisonous lake and magical forest that surrounds it. Most people on the island have the gift of enchanted singing, but those who don’t gain this gift by their twelfth birthday are exiled from the island. As Leelo’s younger brother’s birthday looms with no magical gift in sight, Leelo begins to question the rules of her society and the magic that not only protects them but holds them captive.

I thought this was an intriguing read with a great premise and plot, vivid world-building, dynamic characters, and thought-provoking messages. The storytelling is so well done, and the author uses some fantastic imagery and symbolism that really brought the story to life. I’ve read several books this year with magical islands, and I never tire of them. The island in this story takes on a life of its own, as does the surrounding lake and forest. It’s magical and dark and frightening, and the tone and mood of the story enhance the dark and ominous feel. The island holds so many secrets, and I liked how they were all slowly unraveled by Leelo.

Leelo is a unique protagonist, and she goes through a great emotional and physical journey throughout the book. I found her character really interesting. She’s not the bold, assertive, warrior that we often see in young adult protagonists. She is intelligent, caring, and empathetic, and she feels deeply. Her tender and nurturing side contrast the many cold and unemotional people in her community who seem desensitized to the harsh brutality of their world.

Leelo also shows an impressive amount of bravery as she helps an outsider even though it’s forbidden, and she questions the brutal traditions of the island. She butts heads with those closest to her, and she learns a lot about her family and how the past has dictated their present. Speaking of family, there are some characters in Leelo’s, and not all of them are good. The story delves into her relationship with her mother, her cousin, and her aunt, who all live together but don’t necessarily share the same beliefs. Leelo faces a lot of difficult obstacles and decisions as she tries to protect her brother and the boy from across the lake.

Of course, I always comment on the romance, and there is a sweet love story between Leelo and Jaren, the boy she saves and protects. I like that we see both of their perspectives. We also get to see Jaren’s life off the island, which is very different from what Leelo has always been told. The story also has a lot of interesting and thought-provoking themes like the idea of blindly following tradition, not questioning authority and questionable actions, believing in something bigger than yourself, rejecting societal norms and expectations of submission and passivity, loving people more than antiquated beliefs, and more.

I would defintiely recommend The Poison Season to readers who enjoy dark and eerie, slow-building YA fantasies. Thanks to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. It's a fun fairytale about a magical island that protects its magical inhabitants. These inhabitants sing and make sacrifices to the island to appease its hunger. There are secrets to be revealed and a romance that sprouts. Wonderful ending!

I think the Poison Season has true potential to be one of THE big books of the Winter. Immediately I was drawn in by the cover and synopsis, but I am incredibly glad that I did. This story is lush, vibrant, and incredibly original. The mystery and secrets keep you turning pages constantly wanting to know more. I hope to see more in this world.