The Foxglove King is a New Adult fantasy perfect for fans of Serpent & Dove and Belladonna!

I really liked this one. It took me awhile to get invested (probably until 30% in), but once I got hooked, I didn’t want to stop reading! I absolutely love the dynamic between Gabe, Lore, and Bastian. I thought the court politics were easy to get lost in, and the religious aspect added a really fascinating layer to this story.

However, there were a few drawbacks to the novel. I felt that the modern dialogue (especially when Bastian asked if Lore was “salty” about something) detracted from the medieval French-inspired setting. Additionally, the world-building and magic system were hard to follow and felt underdeveloped. I still don’t understand aspects of the magic after finishing the book.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I’m looking forward to the next one in the series! Thank you to Netgalley, Orbit, and Hannah Whitten for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I struggled with this book, I’m caught between liking it and not interested in it. The first 50% was okay, plot is good. I really liked the tension between Gabe and lore, the celibacy thing pushed the tension to new highs but I like what flirty little thing she has with bastion. But is her thing for him only bc they are “destined to be new gods and the gods they are replacing were once married?”

It’s hard to say, I was really only pulled in like crazy after 55% and on. It felt like the plot was finally picking up, tension and betrayals were great. I do wish there was more to her understanding of her feelings between the two, she has this generic feeling of “knowing them for forever yet doesn’t know how she feels”. Gabe sometimes feels like an afterthought.

There was also a double epilogue in my copy.

I think I’m intrigued enough to read book 2, if only to see which one she picks and if she goes deathwitch crazy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I received this eARC from Netgalley. This in no way impacts my honest review.

Pros:
I think the magic system was really fantastic. It took me a bit to understand, but it was unique [to me] & that is something I appreciate.
I also think that the setting & plot were ones that I've not come across or have rarely come across before so that was refreshing.
I think the author's writing style was engaging, & kept me entertained.

Cons:
I was not a huge fan of the religious aspects in the plot line, but I fully understand that is a me problem & I do not think it reflects poorly on the story. In fact, it works well with the story, it is just not something that I am usually into for personal reasons.
Because of my point above the Gabe character rubs me the wrong way for basically the entirety of the book.

Overall, I think this was a great book. I would highly recommend for someone looking for a semi-adventurous fantasy with an interesting magic system, an interesting mystery to solve, & the hint of a romance [or two?].

I could not put this book down! The world building was good without being too simple. The book was, also, well paced and balanced. I loved the three main characters and their relationship!

The only real hang up I had was that I felt Lore’s character could use a little more clarity. It felt a little unclear of what she was really like sometimes.

Oh. My. Goodness. This book will definitely be going in my top 5 for the year! It has everything I love in a book! Lore is a badass FMC, Bastian and his witty one liners, Gabe and his seething sexual tension. Political and religious intrigue. A soft love triangle that kept me flustered through the entire book! Death magic in spades! I can't think of a single thing I didn't like about this book...

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This one had a lot of twists and turns and the last couple chapters had me in such a chokehold. Definitely curious to see if there's a book 2 and if there's more to the story.

Steam: 1.5

3.5/5
Going into The Foxglove King, I was expecting a fun fantasy romance and was instead greeted with a complex world with religions, politics, and war. It wasn't what I expected, however, it was easy to learn about this fantasy world with death magics. Death magic is known as Mortem and Life magic as Spiritum; these two types of magic represent a balance within this world.

Lore has been on the run for a decade, hiding away from people who wants use of her death magic until a job goes wrong and she's captured by the Presque Mort monks. Taken to the Sainted King and ordered to figure out what is causing the death of entire villages overnight, Lore is tossed into the Court of the nobility. Lore is a protagonist that took some time for me to grow fond of because it appeared she tried too hard to appear as funny and witty. Meanwhile, she's burying her past and secrets through this front.

We are also following a monk-turned-bodyguard, Gabriel, and the Sun Prince, Bastian. With both of these men, Lore has an inexplicable connection to them, which manifests into something more as the book progresses. Gabe is a disgraced noble and can also sense Mortem (which normal men can gain this ability). He's a closed off person, has strong faith within the Church, and has questionable loyalties. While Bastian is the life of the party, but harbours many secrets. Their interactions with each other can be tense but very enjoyable to read about!

The Foxglove King has its moments of being creepy with corpses and necromancy. I was captured by the characters but it was somewhat predictable of the motivations of characters. Overall, this reads more of a fantasy book with themes of religious tensions, impending war, and magic that may just kill you.

I really did enjoy this book, the magic system, world building and great characters. I did struggle with the plot speed and pacing of the story for the first half of the book. The slowness I am hoping is due to the world and magic system set up and that the rest of the series is faster paced and gripping. Would recommend and will continue on with the story.

Hannah Whitten’s new series begins with The Foxglove King; an addictive and atmospheric read full of fascinating magic and intriguing characters. The world building is fantastic, detailed, and yet easy to comprehend. The themes of organized religion are used to show its relationship to power and control. I felt the death magic system was one of the books strongest elements. There is a slight love triangle vibe, but if that’s not your trope, still give this a chance as I felt it was refreshingly done as each character is unique, complex, and likable in their own ways. These three characters play off each other well and there’s a quiet sexiness in the forbidden. Come and read for a dark, atmospheric court fantasy, and stay for the death magic and intriguing characters. I cannot wait for where this story goes.

I feel like it's been such a long time since I haven't read a fantasy book like that!

It brings me back to when I discovered the genre. It's as good as A Court of Thorns and Roses and Caraval. It's this really effective fantasy that immerse you completely into the world to the point where you can't stop reading it.
I think the main reason is the romance. It's a love triangle and it was so well written. Kind of reminded me of Throne of Glass which I always appreciate. The plot was so good as well. It's a very interesting one without being impossible to understand. Honestly this book is a huge throwback to the good fantasy of 2014 : addictive.

I liked this read!

The story has a very unique world and magic system. I loved the characters and the foundation that is laid for the next books in the series.

I did struggle with a few things… there was a lot of world building, which is to be expected, but it made it a bit hard for me to get into it initially. There were also a few scenes that were quite gruesome that I had to push through.

Around the 50% point, I started really liking it and became truly engrossed in the story.

I’m definitely planning to read the next books in the series!

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the chance to review an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGally and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Pub Date: March 7, 2023

I knew this was a series going into it but before I hit 100 pages I was already sad the rest of the series wasn’t out yet. I thought this was a really interesting and unique world that was built and I am excited to continue and watch how it grows. To be honest, when I first read the synopsis when the book was announced awhile ago I wasn’t really interested in it. But after following the author’s Instagram page and having her post snippets and thoughts about the book it reeled me in and I’m so glad it did. It is a bit hard for me to pin-point what I like about Whitten’s writing so much, but it just works for me.

The quote “Ah yes”...”the kneecaps are the eyes of the legs.” will forever make me giggle

I absolutely loved this book! I liked the authors first book but this one is so much better! From the first few chapters, I was completely hooked. The world building, characters, plot are all improved in comparison to For the Wolf. If anyone is hesitant to read this after FTW, I highly suggest giving this a try. The dynamic between Lore, Bastian, and Gabe kept me intrigued and had me constantly wondering what would happen. The magic system of mortem and spiritum was so unique. I’m excited to see how these powers develop, link with the gods/prophecies, and an impending war. To say I’m eagerly awaiting the next book is an understatement. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the arc!

The Foxglove King- 3.75⭐️ 2🌶️

When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.

Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.

Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.

But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks. 

——————
✨My Opinion✨

Lore was a great main character. It was a refreshing change from the sacrificial skinny teenager hero that place this so nicely in New Adult Fantasy. That all the main characters are so deeply flawed was endearing.

The possible love triangle was fairly organic, with the hint of deja vu from all three of the main characters. It makes for a dynamic and ever changing trio. You never know if they are running toward each other or away. I’m interested to see how things play out. As of right now, the chemistry leans very far toward forbidden romance and fierce friendship.

It was a little predictable, once the momentum started. I think it’s hard to keep things moving and unexpected when there is a prophecy involved. Especially when every other character is saying they are going to repeat a well known history. It makes it feel like you already know where the book is going. I’m interested and hopeful that surprising things are coming for book 2. (I think the inserts from their religious texts, while it explained more of the magic, spoiled a lot of the plot)

I loved the visualization of the magic. Hannah Whitten is so good at original magic systems and I’m loving her take on death/life magic! Considering it was only introduced in the second half of the book in bits and pieces, I’m very interested to see how the magic system fully plays out!


Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I want to thank Orbit books and Hatchett for getting the opportunity to read this book. All of the opinions within this review are my own.

THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK Y'ALL. Alright, first of all this book is definitely 5/5 stars. I fell in love with the characters, with the world, with the plot, and am practically flying off the handle knowing that I have to wait for the sequel. Something that would make this book extremely marketable, is the fact that it's right in between adult fantasy and young adult fantasy. The age of the characters and the themes that are shown make it more adult, but the fast-paced plot and the ease in which I dove into this really lends itself well to young adult. So if you're looking for an adult fantasy but want something that still has that suspense-feel, this book is perfect. I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to read more from this author.

One of the things that this book does extremely well, is that it makes the main character entirely rootable. You want Lore to win and you want her to succeed in what she's trying to do for the kingdom. Not only do you want her to be able to complete her task, but whenever she acts a certain way or she says something, you know the reasoning as to why she's done it. We also have two side characters that are big players, Bastian and Gabe. The archetypes for those characters are pretty recognizable, but the fact that both of those characters are so likable and relatable make their slight predictability acceptable. Though I will say that Lore's character arc is very unique and something that while I've partly seen before, wasn't boring in the slightest. I loved her character and can't wait to see what's in store for her character in the next book.

The pacing of this book, while slow in the beginning, was used as a way to slowly build up the story of the book and the author did this so that the trajectory of the novel was unpredictable and new. By the middle of the book, I couldn't put it down and I was desperate to keep reading and continue on with the story. I like how things that happened, in the beginning, did have an impact later in the book and weren't just forgotten like some books do. Hannah Whitten did an incredible job in ensuring that not only were you paying attention but that the pacing of the book matched with what was happening in the book. So even if there wasn't an action scene, it still made your heart race in excitement.

My last couple of reads had interesting plots, but a bit of poor execution as the middle of the book was boring or their characters were underutilized. That was not the cast at all in The Foxglove King. Not only did the plot flow well throughout the entire story, but there were other touches in the book that made you feel immersed in the story that you were reading. Now, because I received an arc I didn't have a map, but I know that one is going to be included which would also help with seeing the world. There was also the touch of having a quote at the beginning of each chapter, whether it was quoting this world's religious text or quoting a well-known proverb from this world. This added immensely to the world-building, making the history of the world more believable and also foreshadowed various events that happened in the book. It also helped that the world wasn't that complicated in the first place, so each and every thing that the author did just added to the overall feel of the book, which was already atmospheric.

In terms of age level, there wasn't too much explicitness in this book. There wasn't any spice, but there was some language used. I can't say for sure how this will effect the sequel, but I'm hoping that everything will kind of be elevated as this book was a good setup for what will happen.

Related to how the characters were written in the story, the relationships and bonds that they had developed, for good or bad, throughout the novel and it was interesting to see them progress. I'm not going to lie and say that a romance was at the center of this story, but there was a slight romance plot in the background that I feel will take a bigger role in the future. This book was mostly built on solving a mystery and figuring out how to navigate the politics of King August's court.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I would have preferred it to have more spice, but I like romance and know that that's not everyone's cup of tea. The characters in this story were real and relatable, making their situation all the more invigorating. The plot was fast-paced, the mystery was so interesting, and it set up really well for future books in this series. If you're interested in poison manipulation, court politics, solving murders, and a morally gray heroine then give this book a read!!! Happy Reading!

While I think the concept of this book is good and intriguing, the writing just didn’t hit for me. It took me awhile to get through this because quite frankly, the middle just dragged on. It really didn’t start getting interesting until the last 80% and felt completely rushed. The dynamic between the three main characters is interesting, and was the only thing keeping my going until I hit that 80% mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Me: *hates love triangles*
This book: *hold my mortem*

Okay, so this book was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023. I loved For the Wolf and For the Throne, and I was BEYOND thrilled when I got an ARC of this book. (Alas, waiting for the sequel is going to be absolute torture).

This book went so far beyond my expectations. I LOVED it. Gothic fantasy ftw. Lore is such a great main character. I absolutely adored her (in part, because look, my blog is Lore of the Books) and her sass. She was such a complicated character and her interactions with all the other characters was well written.

Now onto our two male leads, Gabe and Bastian. Different, yet similar. I loved them both. Still love them both really. There is a love triangle here, and as you all know normally I HATE them with a passion. But in this case I love how it unfolds. I keep hoping for something more than a love triangle…but I guess we’ll have to see!

I loved the banter between the characters, and I love how their backstories are teased out along the way in the book. It worked for me, because I felt like I got to know the characters more. There are some amazing moments throughout the book and *chef’s kiss* the tension is impeccable.

The magic and world building in this book was fab, as always. I love how religion, politics and gods all play a role and weave together. Nothing is as it seems. I like how some issues arise in this book and you don’t know which way things are going to go.

There are a lot of moving parts in this book, and if you like political intrigue, and court politics as well as some commentary on religion as well as gothic romance, heavily atmospheric books – this will be the book for you.

I absolutely adored this book, and was practically tearing my hair out by the end. I didn’t want it to end – I wanted to know what was going to happen next!

I really don’t want to give too much away about this book. This was a really strong first book in Hannah Whitten’s new series, and I know I am so very excited for the sequel.

(Also, for when I can finally post quotes. There are SO MANY I want to use.)

I had little expectations going into this as this is my first book by this author. After the first few chapters, that I admit were a bit of a struggle for me, I found this be a really engaging read.

Lore is a character that I really enjoyed reading from - she is strong willed and interesting. The magic in this was intriguing and I loved the way it was incorporated into the world and the characters usage of it. While I am not the biggest fan of heavy religion in novels, this was interesting enough for me to see past as I did like the way the magic was tied with it.

I'm very excited to see where this story goes and can't wait to read the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for the arc!

The Foxglove King is a fast-paced adult fantasy novel filled with mystery, lovable characters, and dark magic. It was on my highly anticipated list this year, and I'm happy to say it's everything I was hoping for and then some.

I adored the world and its religion that Whitten created here- it was just so different from anything else I've recently read. I enjoyed the relationships and chemistry between our three main characters (with just the right hint of a love triangle to where I did not want to throw it across the room but wanted to skip right to the end for answers). I also really loved the mystery- it had me on my toes to the point where I was continually changing my theories. I was thrilled to be correct about some, and wrong about others. The magic system is interesting and described so well that it is easy to visualize.

It still had some of the usual tropes, including a corrupt ruling court and questionable church system, but that didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. In my ARC, there was a minor plot error with the timeline, so I really hope this is fixed in the final copy. I will say my biggest complaint is that SO many questions were answered so late in the book, which threw the end pacing off for me. And I have several new questions now!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am so looking forward to receiving my preordered copy next.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Hannah Whitten’s debut duology, and eagerly anticipated whatever she would release next. The Foxglove King is somewhat of a different story: still heavily romantic, but also full of court intrigue, and intriguing lore that goes a lot deeper than her previous work. I loved how the story delved into critique of organized religion and had these deep theological themes as a part of the world in its history and baked into the magic. It gives a sense of relevance to our modern world, even if there is still a fantastical bent to it.
Lore makes for an intriguing character to follow, given her past of having escaped from a cult, and currently working as a poison runner. She strikes a good balance of being strong, yet vulnerable, and she’s mostly pretty sympathetic. And while this story does have a love triangle, I mostly liked both of them, and I appreciate how both Bastian and Gabe are fleshed out and there’s no clear preference for one over the other. Bastian is more my type personally, as he’s pretty chill, but Gabe has his good points too.
Given the length and that it is the first book in a trilogy, it does take a little time for the story to get off the ground. However, within the first half or so, it does pick up and I was more consistently engaged from that point on.
This is a solid start to a new series, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a romance-heavy fantasy.