Thank you NetGalley and Hannah Whitten for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When I picked up this book, I expected lots of action and danger, with Lore being a poison runner (smuggler). There are some parts of this that contain action but a good majority of this book was Lore and Gabe sneaking around and carefully gathering information to try and figure out what is happening to the cities. Bastion catching on and inserting himself into helping them was quick and unexpected, but definitely well needed.

I never expected the ending to go the way it did. On some level I wanted Lore to be with Gabe, allow the Mort to have his Duke title back that was so wrongfully taken from him when he was only 10.. but of course, the ending was suited so much better to the possibility of more books in this series.

Overall, while this is a longer novel (8 hour read time) it is worth it as long as you stick to it. There were a couple times I wanted to quit but then something would happen and I needed to continue to figure out what happens now. So while it didn’t quite have you on the edge of your seat the whole time, it did often capture attention again just as it starts to bore you. I would recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a young adult fantasy novel based in the days of Lords and Ladies.

This novel from Hannah Whitten is completely different from her debut novel "For the Woods." That was a mixture of stories retold in a darker setting, "Foxglove King" is very original.

I enjoyed this story, with well written characters, and well thought out system of magic, even if some of the explanation were rushed.

It's wonderful to see an author be able to write such different types of stories, and I will keep this in my mind to recommend to people who want romance and fantasy!

Thank you Netgalley and Orbit for an advanced copy to review!

The beginning dragged and the book didn't start picking up until halfway through. The Foxglove King gives Shadow and Bone and Kingdom of the Wicked Vibes. This book is about two opposing powers Mortem and Spiritum (dark and light). The Society has a group of monks who are in charge of working with Mortem. Anyone else who has the ability to work with Mortem and does it either gets burned or goes to the Burned Isles. Then you have the idea that someone out there holds Spiritum (light) and this person is chosen by the Gods and hasn't resurfaced since the Gods perished all those years ago. You don't get the full background story of the Citadel and the world in the beginning. You get more and more world-building as the story continues. At the beginning of each chapter, you get an excerpt from the society's religious books, they don't make sense until the plot starts to come together.

Bastian, Lore, and Gabe, all kind of annoy me in one way. Lore is a strong female character and her character is very developed her development through the book is really well done, but I'm kind of annoyed that she talks about how she is a strong person, but she can't fight. Bastian, he's a solid character, but I just had a hard time connecting with him because he didn't exactly have any growth throughout the book. He was the same in the beginning as he was in the end, but I did enjoy the connection he had with Lore. Gabe infuriated me. I did not like him because of all the actions he does throughout the book. He is kind of a crappy person and his character have so much potential for growth. The love triangle is okay, I believe there will be more development to this troupe throughout the rest of the series.

I gave this book a 3.5/5 due to the beginning. I'm not one to DNF and I will say that I'm a little happy that I kept with it. The book was long with a lot of events that I thought were unnecessary until I continued reading. I am going to stick with this series and continue reading this series with the hope that it continues to pick up and keep interesting.

Thank you, NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Hannah Whitten for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Foxglove King is the first book I've read by Hannah Whitten, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Some loved her previous books, and some didn't. Personally, I don't look at the writing techniques; I go with the storyteller. Everyone is different, and to me, it all boils down to how the author tells the story. Is it vivid? Does the movie construct itself in my mind? Does it move along? Do I like the characters? Can I put myself in the story as an observer and feel the story? In all these, I can say Hannah Whitten did a great job with the Foxglove King. Immediately I was pulled into the world of Dellaire and Lore's story of spying and helping her drug-running mothers. She is immediately pulled into the Citadel, a world she is unprepared for, and we are all pulled into a world of machinations, religion, and the magic of mortem.

Mortem is the magic of manipulating death. It is one of the more interesting magics I have ever learned about, and Lore is more than a necromancer. The descriptions of Lore channeling mortem are some of the story's most interesting and fascinating parts. The tie-in with mortem and religion and the law of opposites were all so intriguing and added a level of complexity to the tale that cemented my interest. Things revealed as the story peaked were surprising and left me stunned. And just as the author intended, she left me screaming for more. Without a doubt, I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series. I cannot wait to see what happens--I have no clue what will happen to Lore next!

The first book in a trilogy, the story follows a death witch/spy who finds herself brought into a mission to spy on the King’s son, infiltrate the court, and deal with a duke turned monk. Lore escaped her life in the cult in the catacombs, she’s been on the run ever since, living as a spy and doing the odd job. She is gifted with powerful death magic called Mortem, but has had to keep it under wraps in order to avoid detection. Yet when a job goes wrong and she is betrayed and her powers are revealed, she is now being forced to work under the church and the Sainted King. She is tasked with stopping whatever is killing entire villages overnight at random and with finding out the Prince’s secret. Throw in a handsome eye-patch wearing duke turned monk who is meant to protect her and a gorgeous Prince whois just as secretive as he is flirty and Lore has he work cut out for her. She has to navigate the debauched and opulent society while working out what is truly happening with all the death magic in the city and who she can trust. It doesn’t help that she feels a connection to both the guys in her life, like she knows them from somewhere but can’t place it and there’s also the little issue of a voice inside her head.... This book had an interesting premise. I enjoy stories that deal with magic, plots. and such but somehow this one kind of fell flat for me. The story felt all over the place and of course the whole plot and conspiracy was messy too. Then there was the love triangle, I generally dislike love triangles and this one unfortunately did not overturn my dislike of them. For someone who is suppose to be a spy, Lore just didn’t seem that great at her job. Honestly, the book and story felt all over the place and I don’t know if its because its the first book in a trilogy so it has to get it’s world building and magic system done as well as create the whole problem that would continue into the next two books, but it just wasn’t as exciting as I had anticipated. I was really looking forward to this one because I adored the author’s previous books but this one just felt lackluster compared to her previous serious, I’m not sure whether or not I’ll be continuing on with the series. If you are interested in fantasy stories with love triangles, court politics, some magic, and the church, then this one could be for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and Orbit Books, Orbit for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book blew me away. I’m still reeling in the middle of the night from that epilogue. I loved the death magic system! I really loved how you are given pieces of the puzzle little by little. Instead of an information dump. I loved the main character Lore. I can’t decide which love interest I love more. The reluctant sun prince who is more then what he appears. The one eye monk fighting between his feelings and his beliefs.
Lore feels like a character who has been well thought out. Her powers to her tragic past really shape her. The discussion of women being oppressed by men in power. The story had parts that were quickly figured out while others I kept guessing.
I liked Whittens For the Throne but this is a step up! I would say give this a try even if you didn’t like her previous works. You can tell this is a passion piece of hers by how much she has elevated her writing! Can’t wait for the next book! Thanks for the arc NetGalley and orbit books!

While I had read the blurb before requesting this book I still really had no idea what to expect when I actually started reading it. And this book proved going in without preconceived ideas was the perfect way to go! Other than it being a tad info-dumpy and confusing about how the magic system worked in the initial beginning, this had me riveted!

At the start while I was confused wading into it I thought "I don't know if this book is going to work for me" and "maybe I'll just try a chapter," but THEN after that chapter I was completely snared and binge read 27% in my first sitting. And each sitting after I gobbled down huge chunks of it. Just so bingeable!

This is a blend of unique death magic, fallen gods & visions, while also bringing in influences of some of my other favorite series. The most heavily noticeable one being Serpent & Dove. Gabe totally felt like Reid from that series with his background of being an orphan taken in by the church and hero-worshipping the head of the church for it. Other favorites that I saw in this was a bit of The Cruel Prince, and also maybe a bit of These Hollow Vows with the vision/prophecy for thrones and Lore is a bit like Brie.

Influences aside, this was perfectly plotted and engaging, keeping me ensnared every chance I got to fit in some reading. I was always left guessing what the motives could be behind the events occurring. I loved the fact that I was never able to fully nail it down. I hate when books are predictable, and this one wasn't which was so refreshing! Even the final climax managed to rip the rug out from under me even as I expected things to get crazy! I absolutely loved this and now will be desperately waiting for the next book to know how things work out for this trio.

Speaking of the trio, I normally hate love triangles as it's such an over-used, threadbare trope, but I actually didn't mind it much in here. I was completely shocked!

This was only just fine. Maybe it's because fantasy isn't really my bag, but I felt like I was dragging my feet to try and get this read. Hannah Whitten definitely writes well and really developed the world building, but this really felt far too long for how relatively little happened. I also didn't really believe the depth of most of the relationships, which felt a little disappointing.

I picked this one up for the necromancy vibes, and Whitten did something really unique with that and the other pieces of her magic system, but not enough to keep me really engaged in the story or the characters and how they used or worked around the magic. All in all, this one wasn't really for me.

Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for the arc.

"I thought you would choose the world over yourself."
"I'm far too selfish for that," Lore whispered.

I swear Hannah Whitten just keeps getting better and better, and The Foxglove King is a testament for that.

TFK is an adult (NA really, which is my fav), dark fantasy that has everything I love! Death-based magic system (one of my fav things ever), relatable and well-fleshed out characters, court intrigue and political machinations, masquerade ball, mysterious deaths and romantic angst for days!

"He wanted her to kiss him. She could see it reflected in his one visible eye, almost a plea. Want was a palpable thing, vibrating in the air, [. . .] and even in the haze of it, he couldn't be the one to lean forward and break his vow. Slowly, deliberately, she stood up, staring down at him as he gazed up at her like he was fire and she was fuel."


I loved the magic system so much! I'm such a huge fan to anything death magic related and I thought this one was well explained and unique. I especially loved the part with the buried goddess Nyxara leaking Mortem (death magic) and the Presque Mort (elite cadre of Mortem-using monks) channeling it to keep it under control.

As always (when it comes to HW) I looooooooooved the horror elements! There were plenty especially since in the center of the story is a Mortem-wielding necromancer, pretty much last of her kind.

Speaking of Lore - she quickly became one of my fav MCs. She's morally grey, relatable, funny, loyal, a survivor. I don't think there was one thing i didn't like about her.

“And where are you going?”
“Oh, you didn't hear? I received an invitation to the Sun Prince's Consecration. I wasn't going to go, but rumor has it there might be an orgy afterward and I can't very well turn that down.”
Elle rolled her eyes so hard Lore was surprised she didn't strain something. “There is something deeply off about you.”
“You have no idea.”

Bastian, the Sun Prince and one of the love interests, had everything I look for in a romantic interest - devastatingly handsome, funny, secretive, smarter than he looks - I was intrigued from the moment he showed up on the page.

"Far too handsome, she'd thought before, but in the moonlight, Bastian was the kind of beautiful that rent hearts in half."

Gabe, a duke-turned-monk and the second love interest, was pretty much the complete opposite of Bastian, but I still fell for him hard. He actually reminded me of a mature, a little more complex version of Reid (Serpent&Dove).

"That's the thing about the manipulated," Gabe said softly. "They become the best manipulators. There's no teacher like experience."


I'm not usually a fan of love triangles, actually pretty much hate them, but TFK has one of the best love triangles I've read in a while. As I mentioned, I fell for both love interests, each interesting and complex, I shipped Lore with both (though one of them was more my type and I was rooting for him a little more, you can probably guess who).
Loved the banter, wished there was more of it and more of Bastian, by the looks of it we'll get that in the sequel.

"Fuck me," she swore softly.
"You'll have to ask more nicely than that."

In all honesty the book started a little slow for me. It took me a while to completely immerse myself in the story, which I expected being the beginning of a whole new series (HW already confirmed this is going to be a trilogy YAY), but once I did I couldn't get enough.
Everything was definitely better explained and fleshed out than FTW, I was actually very, very impressed with the world-building, and this comes from someone who absolutely adored Hannah's debut.

"The Church and the Crown don't forget, they don't forgive, not any more than the gods did before them. But they'll keep holding it in front of you like a mirage in a fucking desert. And you'll keep chasing it, even when you know it's not something you can touch."

I loved the way religion and mythology were interwoven in the story.

The ending was absolutely amazing, filled with twists and revelations and I'm SO excited for the next book!
TFK is another well-written, dark, moody, atmospheric, lush fantasy that not unlike raw Mortem Hannah succeed to knot around my heart and put me in her thrall.

eternal gratitude to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
all quotes are from an advance copy and may differ in the final publication

This was an absolutely stunning introduction to this new series. I am blown away by the world built, the magic woven, and the lives we are introduced to.

Court intrigue meets necromancy with a dash of religious trauma? Yes please!

And Lore, Bastian and Gabe? Not only are their individual stories complex and intriguing, but their interactions and relations to each other add another layer of dynamics that I am simply reeling from. Also...tension!! Ugh!

Hannah was already an auto-buy author for me and this just further seals it.

TROPES:
👑 Court politics
1️⃣ Chosen one
🔮 Forbidden magic

Lore is an orphan/street dealer with a secret - she can raise the dead. This is highly illegal in a world where all the necromancers were killed centuries ago. But what happens when the Sainted King needs a spy for his rogue son who he thinks isn't ready to rule? Preferably a spy that is easy to control because of a secret she doesn't want to get caught?

Escorted by a guilt-ridden duke-turned-monk, Lore must infiltrate the prince's inner circle to find the potential traitor.

I was skeptical of this one at first, but the story quickly hooked me and I was all in. Snarky characters, rich world-building, and a dash of court politics had me tearing through this in just a couple of days.

I greatly enjoyed Hannah Whitten’s debut duology, *For the Wolf* and *For the Throne*, and was excited to get my hands on this first book of her new series The Nightshade Crown. It’s better than the Wilderwood books in some ways, not as good in others. But absolutely worth the reading.

The protagonist of the books is Lore, a young woman working as a poison smuggler. In the world of the Nightshade Crown, Death magic has been loose in the world since the fall of the Goddess of Death some centuries before. Thanks to this, poison can (when taken carefully) extend one’s life, but at a steep cost. Lore herself is able to use the death magic, but this practice is dangerous, and forbidden by both the church and the crown.

Things take a turn when Lore’s abilities are discovered. She’s captured by the church, and given an “offer” - help the king uncover proof of his son’s treason, or die for the crime of necromancy.

To revisit my original comment about how it’s both better and worse. I’ll start with the ways it’s worse. Lore is a good protagonist, but I didn’t find her quite as compelling as Red - though I like her considerably more than Neve, whose name I actually had to look up - though this is really only a criticism because of how much I liked Red. I’ll also say that a number of bits and pieces of the plot don’t really seem to fit together well. The whole thing feels kind of rough. If this book were a stew (bear with me here) I’d say it’s the kind of stew that will taste better the next day, after it’s cooled in the fridge and the flavors have had a chance to develop and harmonize.

There were also two areas that felt very cliched to me. One is the Versailles-inspired royal court, living in obscene decadence walled away from the suffering of the poors. Read that sort of thing too many times. Also the prince, who presents a facade of a partying, oversexed ne’er-do-well, but really the appearance of being uncaring as a facade to hide how much he actually does care. Read that before too, though he did get more interesting as the book went on.

Where the book really shines is in the worldbuilding (which I thought was moderately weak in the Wilderwood duology). The world that Hannah Whitten has come up with here is interesting and original, and I’m super interested to see where she’s going with it.

And, for all my complaints about the pieces of the book not quite fitting together, I still couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed this a lot, and am looking forward to its general release if for no other reason than I want to talk to people about it.

Comes out on March 7.

The Foxglove King sucked me in from the first moment we meet Lore, and start to get a sense of who she is.
She is pushed into this world full of political intrigue where backstabbing and betrayal are around every corner. Who can she trust? Gabe the duke/priest who is helping her in the capital, and Bastian the Prince she is supposed to be spying on? She already knows the head priest and the King are untrustworthy so at least there's that. Can she get the information she needs before it's too late?

This book is wonderfully written, dark, and atmospheric. I loved the world and its characters. I was super intrigued by the Mortem and how it all worked. The ending of this was amazing! So many unexpected things happened that I couldn't put it down.. . I can't wait to see what's going to happen next!

I truly didn’t know what I was getting myself into with The Foxglove King. Having finished, I can say that I’m still not quite sure what I got, but in a great way. The novel introduces a unique magic system that is inextricably tied to both the politics and religion of the land in a way I had never seen before. I, like Lore, felt like I was on unsteady ground the entire time, unable to figure out who I could possibly trust. This led to a great sense of tension building throughout. I will say that it was getting very close to the end and I wondered if anything was actually going to be resolved. I can’t honestly say that the way things ended was resolution, but it finally answered some questions that I’d had from almost the beginning. The novel is an interesting rumination on power. Who should have it. The reasons they should have it. But it’s also a look at the dangers of religious zeal. The epigraphs beginning each chapter are an interesting thru line into helping the audience understand what’s really happening, but being in the form of allegory and religious tract, forces the reader to find their understanding. Not sure if this was the author’s intention, but what I liked most about the novel is that I can’t be sure it ended “right”. The “good guys” at least who we think are the good guys, have seemingly come out ahead. But I’m not reassured. The powers at play (literal deities) in the background are the impetus behind the actions taken by most of the characters, but we haven’t felt their direct intervention yet. On the surface, things seem to have worked out for the best. But I can’t shake the feeling that everything is just sitting on a powder keg and one wrong move away from going up in spectacular flames. I will definitely be reading the sequel, there’s just too much more to come that I haven’t the foggiest of how it will resolve. But I can’t wait to find out.

3.5⭐ Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for this advance copy in return for my honest review.

✨ Fantasy Romance
✨ Magic
✨ Political (Royal) and Religious Society
✨ Forbidden Romance (monk, prince, commoner)
✨ Possible Love Triangle

I will start off by saying this was a very interesting story and concept. I enjoyed the main characters and the forbidden romance aspect. The tension buildup was good but not much really happened besides wayward glances, thoughts, and comments. There were some innuendos, especially by Prince Bastian, and small scene that was more like a blip but did add to the story later on. I wouldn't quite say this was a true fantasy romance book despite it being advertised as such. I guess I was hoping for more tension between the three characters.

There was a ton of world building, just like any fantasy book, but I feel like the execution of the world building was a little flat. I kept getting confused with all the names of the gods/goddesses and kingdoms. My copy didn't have a map, which I tend to refer to. I would've also liked a glossary of names in the front of the book.

The beginning dragged for me and I don't think it really added to the story. It gave some background but honestly it could have been cut and the reader would be just fine without it. I can see this book being a standalone as there was no cliffhanger but I am intrigued to see where the storyline will go next since this is labeled as a series.

Overall, I liked it and would continue reading mainly to see if the Lore, Bastian, and Gabe love triangle continues.

I haven't read a book that's gripped my soul this much in a WHILE. When I tell you I can't stop thinking about it I'm not exaggerating, I literally woke up this morning with it on my mind!

Poison runner Lore, Bastian the Prince, and Duke/ Priest Gabe are the trio I need in my life. Wily, beautiful, dangerous, determined- with a core so smoldering they each wound their way into my heart immediately. The trials they face, the secrets they hold, the bond they share - I can't think of a more epic story being spun and I'm already drooling waiting for book 2!!!

Full of courtly intrigue, mysterious prophecy, and simmering angst, The Foxglove King blends religion, magic, and romance into a lush, exciting tale.

After emerging from the catacombs at a young age, Lore has struggled with a dark secret—she has a forbidden magic over the dead. When suddenly a job she’s working on goes south, she must use her hidden powers to help those around her. But, when she does, she captures the attention of her enemies—the king and the church.

I just adore Whitten’s brand of stories. Dark, alluring with a hint of humor and romance, they end up sweeping me off my feet and into worlds of magic and mayhem.

This story centers around the shifting and unpredictable dynamics of politics, royalty, and religion. Whitten cleverly sets up the three main characters to complement, push and challenge each other. Their banter and fickle notions of “are we friends?”, “are we enemies?” and “do we feel something for each other?” had me flipping pages to figure out what was going to happen next. (The TENSION! The anticipation! The heartbreak!)

I also loved how Whitten wove in the themes of duality—the sun and the moon, death versus life, and honor versus revenge. All had me questioning each move the characters were making.

Hands down, Bastian stole the show for me. I loved how he played the part of a debauched prince cleverly and masterfully. His one-liners made me chuckle! I’m looking forward to seeing more of him in the next book, and I’m curious to see where his character and the others will go. (Know going into this book, it is a slow start, and the romance is developed later on in the novel and is more of a secondary plot.)

If you’re a fan of Whitten’s previous work and fantasy that combines magic and religion, definitely keep this read in mind.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

“When you have unholy skills it is best to put them to holy purpose.”

Mortem is a “magic born from death.” Only those with a near death experience can access it, except Lore, a poison runner. When a run goes wrong, she reanimates a dead horse and her necromancy is witnessed by the Presque-Mort, the soldier-monks sanctioned to use Mortem for the King.

The Kingdom is close to war and death is wreaking havoc on villages surrounding the Citadel. Overnight, entire villages have been wiped out with no clue as to how it’s happening. Lore is taken to the Sainted King and offered two options: reanimate the dead from the villages to find out what happened and spy on the King’s heir, or die. So she opts to go to court and pretend to be someone else in order to get answers.

This is a fantasy with death magic, Gods, and what seems to be the beginning of a love triangle. I liked this more than I thought I would. Lore and Bastian were really funny, but I really fell in love with our monk Gabe. His tragic past, constant need to prove himself, and his loyalty really tugged at my heart strings. Also, he only has one eye 👀

This felt very much like a fantasy of the Catholic Church with the Exalted Priest being the pope, the royal family being appointed by a God, etc. If religion turns you off in books, this one wont be for you. I will also say that it almost felt like there was too much description, and it slowed the story down.

Using poison to extend your life was quite a concept. We got to see classism and how this crime doesn’t affect the rich. Without spoiling anything, the parallels are there if you look. I am excited to read the next book!

❄️ Death Magic
❄️ Gods

4 ⭐️
1 🫑

“No transformation cuts more deeply than that of a friend to an enemy.”

First the positives- There was an interesting magic system. Channeling the Mortem, the power the raise the dead, as a counterpart the Spiritum, the power of life was unique. Mortem, is highly regulated through the priesthood, and by extension through the monarchy. Lore, is considered a heretic for her ability to channel (especially as the way the channels Mortem and how she acquired her abilities don't seem to be the same as the priests).
Also, the story itself flowed easily, though it did not have the feel of an alternate history. The characters often behaved and spoke with modern attitudes and words. I guess this was intentional though, and the Versailles was just a loose inspiration.
Overall, The Foxglove King was just okay. Fated prophecy bringing our three main characters together... bit of a love triangle.. nothing new there.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc copy!

This book was so unexpectedly good. This is a ya fantasy with poison runners and necromancy.

This is the best ya book Ive read since defy the night. Truly amazing. I loved this book