Lore is a poison runner and a spy. At the start of the book, she is living with a guy who she is spying on for her adoptive mothers who run a local smuggling ring. She struggles when she's told it's time to pack it in as she has grown quite fond of her boyfriend/guy she is spying on.

She ends up in a situation where a run goes wrong, and she feels she has to reveal her powers in order to save a colleague, reanimating a dead horse. She is caught, and she expects to be put to death for her necromantic magic, but instead she is brought to the king who, along with his twin brother (head of the church), tasks her with spying on his son, the sun prince, Bastian, as the king is quite sure Bastian is colluding with their enemies, and he wants proof of that fact.

So, Lore ends up shacking up with Gabe, a pious warrior monk with a missing eye (they all have grievous injuries as they must dance with death in order to gain power to see and manipulate mortem) who also happens to be the essentially adopted son of the King's brother, Anton. Gabe has got some thick wool over the eyes when it comes to Anton and does not believe he could ever do wrong.

Lore must then live in the palace, pretending to be the distant cousin of a duke while trying to spy on the prince. Bastian is initially very much the swaggering douche, I'm handsome and powerful and I know it, full of himself, cocky, and used to getting what he wants. It's clear that he and Gabe have some unresolved childhood issues, and they spend the entirety of the book snapping at each other.

I believe this is meant to be a love triangle, but there wasn't really any chemistry with anyone. The romance felt very forced, and I did not feel there were sufficient scenes to properly illustrate any growing romantic notions. When there finally was a kiss (and that's all there is if you were hoping for more), it didn't excite me. It fell flat because there was no proper build up/tension.

I also found it hard to root for Lore/Gabe because Gabe's former betrothed is a really sweet and kind character, one of the only people who seems to be genuinely nice to Lore, and she still has heart eyes for Gabe. Because of this, I kind of wanted Alie to get her man back.

Also, Gabe is a dipshit. He so blindly followed Anton that it was pathetic. He had the most weak-ass reasoning for why Anton always knows best. He also acted like one of those psycho boyfriends where any little benign thing you do MUST be because of a guy. Every time Bastian is brought up, insecure-ass Gabe starts sneering and shit-talking Bastian. It was such a turn-off.

I did vibe a bit more with Lore/Bastian, but I wasn't really rooting for her to get with anyone.

The main characters in this book are all in their 20s, but this still felt quite young to me. At the beginning, Lore seemed like an adult, but as the story progressed, she seemed more and more like a child to me. I didn't hate any of the characters, but I wish I could have gotten more attached to them.

I found the plot to be decent. There was sufficient mystery. I was hooked pretty fast once I started reading. The magic system is relatively unique. I also felt the book ended really well. Enough was tied up to satisfy, but enough was then untied to pique my interest for book 2.

I think this is going to be a popular series. It has all the right bits, broody dude who's had to suffer and sacrifice a lot for unjust reasons, grappling with everything he's been led to believe; cocky and overly handsome prince who puts on a mask for the masses, seems like a selfish slacker but really cares behind the scenes; and the down and out girl who came from nothing, had to struggle a lot, and has a bit of a bite to her bark.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit Books for this Digital ARC

4 stars for The Foxglove Prince, this was such a delight! I found this to be such a fun mix of intrigue, magic, romance and tension. I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect and when I started this but holy did it go in a different direction than I thought. The concept of death magic was always going to draw me in, but I stayed for our Crown Prince and our one-eyed monk. I found that the middle dragged a little bit, but those last 100 pages had me reading at the speed of light, I just needed to know what was going to happen. And the end. I can’t believe I have to wait over a year for a sequel. The author did such a great job of building a complex and interesting universe without bogging the reader down with too many details. Magic systems like the one in the book can be confusing, but I found this one straight forward enough that I wasn’t left reading with questions or finding holes in the magic system. I have read the authors other series (For the Wolf, For the Throne) and I think her writing has matured and she’s honed her craft. Can’t wait for the rest of the series!

3.5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I enjoyed this book quite a lot in the beginning, it slowly became less exciting for me as it went on, mostly because I hate love triangles and well it’s not a bad love triangle really I just want one love interest but obviously I can’t judge a book just on that. The story was good but nothing super special, I’m sure as the book series goes on it’ll continue to be better.
I love Gabe and Lore however they do remind me of Lou and Reid from serpent and dove which is fine because I loved them too. Bastian wasn’t my favorite hopefully he’ll grow on me as the books continue.

A slow, careful world-building prolog

Long ago, long ago, there were seven gods. Well, you know that a story that begins that way never ends well. The two most powerful gods fought. One of them won and cast the other down. Then, after anointing a king and leaving behind some scriptures and producing some geological catastrophes (volcanoes, earth-rending quakes, very standard god stuff), he ascended to some inaccessible state. The usual story, you know. Those events are called the Godsfall.

The Godsfall was more than 500 years ago, and a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. Big chunks of scripture have been lost, and the interpretation of those that remain is subject to difficult translation issues. This theology is still relevant, because (1) there is a king, the Sainted King, and a priest, the Priest Exalted, who derive their legitimacy from the Godsfall, and (2) there is magic. The magic comes in two flavors, Spiritum, life magic, and Mortem, death magic. Spiritum derives from the god who won the battle. Mortem derives from the goddess he defeated, whose remains are interred in a tomb under the city, from which Mortem leaks.

Our heroine and point of view character, Lore, is an orphan subsisting in the city as a petty criminal. She has some sort of poorly understood connection to Mortem. She is snatched up by minions of the Sainted King and caught up in the intrigues of his court. There she plots with a priest, Gabriel, and the King's heir, Bastian. Of course, everyone in the court has an agenda, and no one is on the up-and-up.

No spoilers so far -- this is all in the publisher's blurb. What follows is a slow, careful revelation of mysteries. The most important of these mysteries is who Lore is, and how she is connected to Mortem.

/The Foxglove King/ is the first book in a projected series, The Nightshade Kingdom series. The story is told mostly as an investigation by our three principal characters, Lore, Gabriel, and Bastian, of the theological and political mysteries of the court. It is an interesting approach to world-building. We learn about the Nightshade Kingdom mostly through Lore, Gabriel, and Bastian's investigations.

This worked, I felt, but not perfectly. There was not enough of a plot to grip my interest. However, I plan to continue reading the series. Hannah Whitten leaves us well-positioned for a continued story. And now that the world-building is mostly done, I anticipate a faster pace in the next books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an advance reader copy of /The Foxglove King/. This review expresses my honest opinions. Book to be released 07-Mar-2023. At the request of Orbit, publication of this review will be delayed until 05-Feb-2023 (30 days before the book is released).

<b> <i> Thank you so much to Net Galley, Hannah Whitten, and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of “The Foxglove King” by Hannha Whitten in exchange for an honest review. All of the following opinions are formulated on my own. Any quotes in this review should be cross-referenced with the final copy for any possible edits.</i> </b>

<b> Overall rating: </b> 5 out of 5 stars

<b> My review: </b> Hannah Whitten has once again encompassed a world with such a dark while stunningly vivid aesthestic. If you are looking for a book with ballroom scenes while still having the overall dark magic grit, get in here! It's time to read! This book contained both modern and ancient elements which suprised me since I wasn't expecting to see anything like that when I began it. The character dynamics between Bastian, Gabe, and Lore are impeccable..

<b> If you liked the following, you will probably like this book: </b>
<i>
- The Song of the Marked by SM Gaither
- Throne of Glass </i>

<b> Will I finish the series? </b> Yes!

<b> Elements & Tropes: </b>
- Court Intrigue
- Dark Magic
- Bisexual Rep
- Dark Fantasy World
- Ballroom Scenes

Why must I be required to wait for the next book? This is a great start to a new fantasy series. I hate that I have to wait for the next book to come out. Lore is such a breath of fresh air as the main female character. While she has a complicated past, she isn’t some physically strong fighter who is always one step ahead of everyone. She is a real character that is very relatable - or as relatable as someone can be who has the ability to control death. Bastian and Gabe have such a complicated past both between each other and individually. The complexity of the characters and the plot is done so well. The story keeps you hooked throughout the book. And just when you think you know what is going to happen there is a twist that leaves you wanting to read more! What a great read! 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Orbit Books and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I truly enjoyed this book. The magic and lore in the book was the most compelling part. Lore's character felt like she was not fleshed out, and did not have as much character development as I would have hoped.

I do however want to know how the story ends and look forward to the next books!

Lore is a con-artist and poison-runner who stumbles into far more than she can chew when her illegal magic is detected by the warrior-priests of the city of Dellaire, and she is taken before the highest authority and given some impossible tasks to complete if she wants to avoid being exiled. As Lore and her companions attempt to untangle a terrifying mystery they are exposed to dangers both physical and political, and their attempts to stay ahead of their powerful opponents exposes fractures between their tentative alliances that threatens to break them apart.

The Foxglove King is a wonderful addition to Hannah Whitten's already published work, and definitely ranks among her best as it introduces readers to a stunning world of fallen gods, forbidden secrets and foreboding prophecy. I loved the worldbuilding and small intricacies that made the world feel that much more alive, and I liked the characters and set-up for the next entry in the series. My only complaint was that Lore occasionally would make a decision that I was forced to scratch my head over, but on the whole she was a very convincing protagonist who I am excited to read more about in the following books.

What an amazing and intriguing story! The author does a stunning job with her world building. It was so detailed and creative, and was completely unique. It drew me in from the get go, and I’m definitely going to be looking for more books from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-arc.

As soon as I saw Hannah Whitten wrote a new book, I knew I had to read it. I really liked this book. It was action packed and pulled me in so thoroughly. The romance was perfect and not overbearing. I’m already excited for the next book, although the wait is excruciating.

This was the gothic fantasy of my dreams. Atmospheric writing, complex yet engaging world building, and dynamic characters. I was immediately drawn to Lore because of her troublesome upbringing and morally complex powers of mortem manipulation. I also found Bastian and Gabe interesting, and I cannot wait to see how their relationships with Lore develop in the rest of the series. The plot twists really thought me and I was thoroughly entertained throughout the entire book.

A uniquely amazing adventure for fans of Maria Snyder's Poison Study in an adult fantasy format!

This book gave me chills; not as many as Lore gave Pierre in the story, but still. The world-building was fascinating and I found myself falling into step alongside Lore as the story progressed. Some have said she wasn't a likable heroine but I feel like knowing her upbringing she's making do the best she knows how. She gives me sassy "I do what I want" vibes, which I approve of. The LGBTQ+ rep was nice to see and I liked the antagonistic banter between Lore and the Prince. Would highly recommend checking out this book.

The cover of this book is stunning as well and I can't wait to get my print copy once it releases! Also, if you're into that sort of thing, multiple book subscription boxes have hinted at doing this book as well, which is normally a good sign the content is great :)

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hannah Whitten is already one of my favorite authors with her last duology but she is leveling up! This story feel fresh, unlike all the other cookie cutter books around lately. I love how she dances the line to dark in a way that is entertaining to read. This is a yes for me!

Firstly, Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC provided. My honest review follows…

~ 3.5 Stars ~

If morally gray is one of your favorite tropes, or for those who love a good hero turned villain type of story, then this is definitely where you want to look. This idea was so carefully woven, that by the time it was being put into place, I was both extremely shocked, but very intrigued to see what happens next. How these character’s chooses all unfurl to affect the larger scope of where this story is going… and yes, this really is the first book to a new series, So, a little break down on what I liked and didn’t like, as listed below…

What I liked: I liked the twist at the end, I like that I am conflicted as a reader, getting attached to these characters and seeing their journey but also the warning of a history about to repeat itself. It’s definitely not a happily ever after, the ending is very much a question. A question as to what will our MC’s choose. Will they let their respective life experiences shape their judgments or remove them for a more unbiased rule.. And up to the end of the book, there’s already decisions being made that show what path they might be on. Overall, the story is interesting and was a relatively easy read. I felt that the author tried to really interweave the world building so it’s not just shoved down the reader’s throat all in one go, which is appreciated. I also very much liked the religious guilt aspect of this book. As someone coming from a background/family where this was a personal experience, I appreciated seeing it in a character. How it affects the thought process and the choices that are made, sometimes against one’s own “better” judgement. The will of the self versus the will of the whole, and which is moral vs. immoral, right vs. wrong, and who gets to truly make that decision.

What I didn’t like: While I feel like the world building was woven throughout the book, it felt a bit chunky in the first 40% of it. I felt like I was continuously trying to grasp a better understanding of it.. I would also say that’s connected with some scenes being a little overly wordy and introspective. I sometimes felt I was trapped too much in the MC’s mind and thoughts and wasn’t able to feel out the world more. I was definitely looking for a bit more emotional attachment to the different characters, but the MMCs always felt a bit aloof. Towards the end of the book is where you start to see SLIGHT emotional attachment, but I feel like I needed more, especially to make that plot twist pack more of a punch at the end. As it was, I was able to put this book down at 93% and go to bed. There was not a strong urge to finish. For me, that’s a biggie issue.

Overall, this novel felt a little stiff and just needed a little more fire for me. The last 6% needed to have been a little more developed and spread out through the entire book. Will absolutely pick up book 2 though because I have an idea where this author is going and I am intrigued!

Wow! I went into this book with no expectations and came out dying for book 2 to be out immediately.

I'll start with how much I really loved the world-building. If you're a fan of fantasy courts, this is for you! The vibe of this book is very much: secrets and betrayals and catacombs hidden beneath glittering balls and pretty gardens. Plus, I was very interested in the magic system, religion, and gods which all had a very integral role in the plot. It seemed very well thought out.

Next the characters! Ugh, they are simply so good! They start out as a morally gray necromancer, a monk with generational guilt, and a sneaky prince with a complex. But they turn into so much more throughout the book, and you can't help falling in love with them. Do they each make stupid decisions that drive you mad? Yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And the side characters and antagonists of the book only enhance how good the characters are.

The plot was also interesting, and the romance tangled in it was the slowest burn, dripping with tension. Amazing!

My only real complaint was the length. While the pacing never was terrible, it did feel as if there were stretches of Lore's internal monologue or ever conversations between the characters that were basically the same thing we had already gotten before. Those sections dragged a bit, and were somewhat frustrating to get through. Yet, I still never wanted to put this down!

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for providing me an e-arc for this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. I encourage you to check this one out!

I had read Whitten’s debut series and enjoyed it. I had been slightly disappointed with For the Wolf but really enjoyed For the Throne. The Foxglove King is definitely Whitten’s best work yet. The magic and world building was complex yet I was able to understand it all without feeling like I needed to take notes. The romance was interesting and with that ending, I have an idea of where it’s heading but could be happily surprised. I can’t explain why but Gabe kept giving me Chaol from Throne of Glass vibes. I’m not mad about it! I think his character arc in the next two books will be really fun to read. I’m usually more of a romance vs plot girl but this plot hooked me in the beginning and never let go. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one! Thank you to the team at Orbit and the author for this digital ARC!

Hannah Whitten is a new must read author. For the Wolf is still on my TBR, and it has now moved to the top of the list. The Foxglove King was filled with political intrigue, forbidden romance, mystery, and fascinating world building. Whitten set up this novel beautifully and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley for this incredible ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am going to be honest, I was excited by the premise of this book but was hesitant because I felt lukewarm about Hannah Whitten’s other novels (For the Wolf…) but I was HAPPILY wrong with my hesitation.

This book was f*cking fantastic. The pacing was perfect. The characters were all so interesting. The magic system is unique and super cool. The TENSION, my goodness. I also really enjoyed the very visceral prose.

I can’t believe I am going to have to wait for a sequel - let alone for this to be published.

I cannot wait to see where this story goes…and although Bastian is really fun…I’m rooting for the Mort.

If you like atmospheric dark fantasy with political machinations, horror elements, a mystery and love triangles, you’ll love this book. I most certainly did.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for a copy of the e-arc.

I usually think rewriting the summary in reviews in unneccessary so i'll start with this:

Lore, our main character, lives her life as a spy for her parents until she is told to go and oversee a poison shipment. The mission instantly goes wrong - and this is where i got confused - and Lore is caught by monks and sent to the king so she can work as his spy. She will be aided by one of the monks, Gabe, and they will pose as cousins in the royal court while Lore tries to figure out if the crown prince is a traitor or not.
This is also meant to be adult but it read as a young adult book.

The beginning is full of worldbuilding, which is extremely confusing and info dumping. I could barely keep track of everything thrown in my face.

Lore comes off as a strong sly of wit fmc, and i understand that not every strong fmc is perfect, but i was hoping she wouldn't get caught the way she did by the monks. It was very anticlimactic.

The plot on the other hand, is even more confusing. Lore is told she will have to use her powers to raise the dead and instead we just get her prancing around the court to spy on the prince.

Her relationship with the two other leads is pretty basic. She feels sorry for Gabe and immediately trusts him. And she instantly hates Bastian (the prince) for no reason whatsoever just so we can have the foundation of a hate to love relationship.

The dialogue, while witty, yes, it was also very dissatisfying. This is supposed to be a 17th century setting (I'm guessing from the french setting and the sun king mentions) but the dialogue was extremely contemporary. There could have been better phrases used as well as a different manner of how the characters said their lines so it could fit the period better.

The first vibes i got from it were Serpent and dove, i think whoever has read the book would instantly feel it. But then it was also mixed with Six of crows, kind of, i guess, with the whole poison thing and the morally grey character but it failed to deliver. However, comparison to other books is not the reason for my rating.

And lastly, this was my first thought on the book, i don't know why i'm mentioning this last, but the writing style wasn't for me. There were moments when i was really hyped because of something a character said or something that happened in the book but the writing ruined it all for me.
Maybe this author doesn't fit in my tastes, but it was beginnig to give me a headache whenever i reached the end of a chapter.
I tried my best to get through the book until the end but i did end up skimming some parts.