Born among death, growing up surrounded by bones, and escaping walls that hide echoes of dark magic, Lore survives in a world where her mere existence could be the beginning of chaos. And not only her life, but also the power that lies within her. A catastrophic power, of death, that stalks her skin and her mind: Mortem.

The consistency of this book is religious ambition as well as hypocrisy. Both are interconnected in a greedy and chaotic court, with secrets and cunning members. The lie furrows between the walls, between the family and distrust rises like a cloak. Lore, wrapped in her power, begins to see the small gaps in said court. She infiltrates, makes herself desired and manipulated, but never dominated. She finds herself searching for an absolute truth among men who only live on greed, men who swim in hypocrisy, hiding in a divine power that she will never be able to fully understand. She finds herself intertwined between two opposite poles: Gabriel and Bastian. They are like the moon and the sun; The water and the oil. There is no balance between them, only the deadly balance of Lore. Something unites the three of them, a common thread, a magic that converges in the darkness to be released.

The Foxglove King is fascinating. It becomes an obsessive plot for the reader, something that catches you like poison. And the magic that is woven between the chapters, how it grows until it explodes in a chaotic finale, is simply incredible. It is addictive and dangerous; It is dark and seductive. Sinister and intriguing, it encapsulates the characters in their perverse games. The prose is also part of this obsession, because it is raw and beautiful at the same time. Hannah Whitten never disappoints with her writing and I'm sure The Hemlock Queen is going to haunt me in the same way if not more.

Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit for this ARC.

The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten is a captivating fantasy novel that immerses readers in a world full of magic and mythical wonders. Whitten's world-building brings enchanting forests and ancient spells to life. Lore navigates through enchanted forests and faces mythical creatures, they uncover ancient secrets and confront challenges that test their strength and determination. The quest is not only a physical journey but also a path of self-discovery, where the protagonist learns about their own abilities and the history of the magical realm. The characters are well-developed, and the plot unfolds with surprising twists that kept me eagerly turning the pages.

While the novel excels in many aspects, there were moments of slower pacing that might test the patience of readers seeking constant action. Additionally, there is a cliffhanger ending leaving much unresolved. Despite these considerations, The Foxglove King is a mesmerizing journey for fantasy enthusiasts, with both elements of magic and romance.

The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten

480 Pages
Publisher: Orbit Books, Orbit
Release Date: March 7023

Fiction, Sci Fi, Fantasy

Lore was working undercover looking for death dealers and poison runners in Dellaire. Her power to detect and raise the dead is in great demand. Her boss, Val, is a big dealer with power and position. She wants to eliminate the competition. On a job, she is running late. The guards had already changed, and her contact was not there. She should have known no good was going to happen. Chaos ensued and she raised a horse from the dead.

Lore is captured and delivered to HRM Sainted King August Arceneaux They are trying to convince her to work for them as a necromancer. If she refuses, she will be sent to the mines for hard labor. She agrees and she is assigned Gabriel, a disfigured man with a missing eye. He must retake his place back in court to work with Lore. Together they must find out if Bastian, King August’s son, is a traitor and trying to kill him.

The book has a steady pace, the characters are somewhat developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. Lore is a great character, and you see her grow throughout the book. Gabriel is a broken man but gains confidence through Lore. If you like books fantasy books, you may enjoy this one.

I loved this book. I love where I think the next book will go. The premise of cults, court intrigue, the magic system being the power of dead gods, the religious zeal all wrapped up in one book was like drugs to me I had to read this immediately.

The story reminds me in ways of an adult Serpent and Dove mixed with The Wolf and the Woodsman: a magic-wielder (magic is illegal) messes up and gets found out by the religious government. She gets taken hostage and told she'll be working for them now while she's babysat by the head guard. The religious gaurdsmen can also do magic and their power depends on physical sacrifice. Reminding anyone of anything?? All to say, if you enjoyed either of those two novels, I think you'll love this one!

Lore, our FMC, is set the task of spying on the Sun Prince... by his father the king. She also has to talk to some dead people about why they're dying and figure out magical spills basically that are wiping out whole villages. During this time, she slowly gets to know her guard, Gabriel, and the prince, Bastian, as they both try to turn her against the other.

I think this book is an obvious step up from For the Wolf. Whitten builds such a dark and intriguing world full of so many different groups that all seem BAD (which I love). There's no knowing who to root for, even with the main characters. She's got her world-building and magic system figured out and much more present than in her previous duology and her characters are more complex.

The ending is also so wild, I want the next book immediately.

I would recommend to those that enjoyed books like Serpent and Dove or The Wolf and the Woodsman.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!

Title: A Captivating Entry into a Thrilling New Fantasy Series

Rating: ★★★★☆

When I first picked up The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, I couldn't help but be surprised that this is the same author who wrote "For the Wolf." The difference in quality and improvement is astounding. While I struggled with the lackluster and unoriginal world-building in Whitten's debut novel, that problem is thankfully absent in this book. Although the world-building in The Foxglove King isn't flawless, it is light-years better than its predecessor, offering a unique blend of different death powers, religious orders, political manipulations, and the looming threat of war—a combination that makes this read highly enjoyable.

One aspect that truly stood out to me was the ease of understanding the magic system, the hierarchy of court nobles, and the motivations driving the characters. Unlike "For the Wolf," The Foxglove King feels meticulously planned, with clear intentions for the trajectory of the series. This newfound clarity adds depth and purpose to the story, leaving readers eager for more.

Hannah Whitten's growth as an author is evident throughout this atmospheric and lush first book in a new fantasy series. The story follows Lore, who escaped from a cult in the catacombs a decade ago and now leads a life undercover as a poison runner. As a wielder of Mortem, a form of death magic forbidden by the church, Lore finds herself captured by the Presque Mort, only to be commanded by the Sainted King to spy on his son, Bastian. Thus begins a journey into court intrigue and treacherous political machinations, with Gabe, a duke-turned-monk-turned-duke again, acting as Lore's unexpected ally.

The character development in The Foxglove King is exemplary, with each individual feeling fully realized, regardless of their likability. Lore, in particular, is a refreshing character—a strong-willed woman who embraces her sexuality with confidence. While I hoped for a bit more romance, the story mainly revolves around angst and a love triangle, adding an interesting layer of complexity.

The court setting may bear some similarities to other fantasy novels, but the opulence and festivities within remain captivating and compelling. However, one minor annoyance lies in the author's frequent mention of Gabe's disability, his missing eye, which seems overly emphasized in nearly every sentence that describes him. A more subtle treatment of this aspect would have sufficed.

Despite this minor flaw, The Foxglove King remains an enthralling fantasy read that leaves readers eagerly anticipating future installments in the series. Hannah Whitten's ability to craft intricate worlds and engaging characters shines through, making this novel a fitting addition to any collection of court-based fantasy with a penchant for intrigue.

In conclusion, The Foxglove King showcases Hannah Whitten's growth as an author, delivering an enthralling and enjoyable start to what promises to be a promising series. I am delighted to witness Whitten's progression and eagerly await the next installment. Fans of court-based fantasies interwoven with mystery and political scheming will undoubtedly find this book a worthwhile read.

I extend my gratitude to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Foxglove King in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 Stars

A book that left me with some mixed feelings. Starting with some positives, I did enjoy Lore as a character. She is a strong protagonist and keeps true to herself and is very confident and secure with who she is and what she wants. I loved the vibe that the book gave with the dark and gothic aura. Now for the negative, I felt like I was disconnected from the magic systems and the world-building. It felt lacking for me. I just wanted a lot more of it than what I got. Also, I totally saw the plot twist coming which brought some of the enjoyment down just a little for me. Overall I had a great time and will be reading the next book to see what happens as I'm still intrigued.

Hannah Whitten is one of my favorite voices in the fantasy genre and this was a fantastic read. I don't tend to read a lot of fae books but this one was really good and really hooked me in.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

The description of the book seemed interesting, so I wanted to check the story out. Unfortunately, it is not working for me right now. It is nothing against the story or the author, but I couldn't get into the story/characters. I may try and find a physical copy to add the my library when it is released, though, because I think my readers could like it!

My favorite book genre is romance fantasy. I enjoyed Hannah Whitten's book For The Wolf, so I was excited to read another book by this author. I think I am in the minority when I say I loved For the Wolf. I thought it was fantastic with dark themes. This book has world-building and a bit of an info dump but I like that in some books. The magic system was easy to follow. Forbidden romance, dark themes, and a love triangle. I did feel like the romance could be a bit better. I will continue to read the series and hope that it gets better. The cover is also very pretty.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for my review.

This was a richly crafted world that allowed me to completely escape inside of it. The writing was superb, the emotions and tension rolling right off the page. I can't wait for more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was an amazing dark fantasy book. I greatly enjoyed this book and cannot wait for the next book in this series.

The Foxglove King is the a perfect example of an audiobook completely transforming the reading experience for me because I struggled to get into the ebook at first but ended up flying through it on audio. Lore is a poison runner with death magic who has been laying low. When she's asked to help with a run that ends up revealing her power, she finds herself forced to work for the Sainted King to spy on his own son while supervised by the Presque Mort, an order of warrior-monks with their own death magic.

The narration perfectly created an atmosphere that brought the story to life. I'll admit, I have a fascination with fantasy stories with magic systems linked around religion and the kingdom of Dellaire combines that with political corruption in a way that kept me hooked. I typically listen to audiobooks on my commute but I legit could not stop and sat in my car multiple days in a row because I needed to know what happened next. Lore as a character is snarky in a way that could be a hit or miss, but I found myself feeling incredibly endeared to her. She has this great and horrible power that is incredibly coveted, but we also get to see her vulnerability that comes with becoming a pawn for the King. That paired with the budding romance between her and Gabriel alongside learning more about Prince Bastian and questioning what she was brought to believe created quite the iconic trio.

With this being my first Hannah Whitten work, The Foxglove King sets up an intriguing world with death magic and both political and romantic tension. While I admit the ending left me feeling a little wary about the trajectory of the characters' arcs moving forward, I'm still optimistic and excited to explore Dellaire's courts more.

4/5 Stars

Thank you to Orbit for providing me with an arc to read and review.

I finally got around to reading this book and I actually really enjoyed it. I listened mostly to the audiobook which I really recommend as I think it helped me push through the slow parts that were originally throwing me off of reading it. This book had quite a few elements I really vibed with like death magic, godly magic, and political intrigue. I actually went into this expecting significantly more romance than I found and I am for a change not mad about the significant lack of romance, not saying that there is none but compared to what I expected it was minimal.

Lore is a Mortem wielder and a poison runner so when she gets caught and captured and forced to spy on the crown prince she is completely thrown off balance. She expected a pyre if she was ever caught so to be pushed into a new role that forces her to use her magic to spy; she doesn’t expect to find more secrets than what she was looking for. The secrets she starts to unravel make less and less sense from what she already knows and she has to work with unexpected allies to find out more and save her own life.

I really liked the magic system in this book, especially learning that not everything is what it seems with Mortem and how it is used. We gradually learn more and more and it truly comes together in the end. The political aspects of this book were interesting. We learn about a complex relationship between the church and the monarchy and we also learn bits about how betrayal is dealt with and seeing Lore navigate this world she knows close to nothing about helps to make it easier for the reader to understand.

I definitely will be reading the next book in the series as I think this was a solid start to a fantasy series.

I really enjoyed this book, I felt like compared to her previous books this was well written and more flushed out. I wasn't trying to figure out the plot constantly or playing catch up. I love Gothic Fantasy's and this is a must read!

Lore is a necromancer, unlike any other her generation has seen before. While her power is unmatched, society isn't as accepting of wielders of dark magic, and it certainly doesn't help that she finds her way into lucrative, less than legal business deals. When one of these deals goes wrong, she is contracted to work for the King, who is determined to identify a spy in his court. As she uncovers secrets in the kingdom, you bet she'll discover secrets about herself.

This book was a delightful combination of tropes in YA fantasy. Light vs. dark, fated magic, conflicting gods. There were some tropes that didn't work for me, particularly the love triangle. I think this will develop in book two more, and I'm pretty sure I know how it'll work out in the end, but I didn't feel like the main character developed a romantic relationship with either one of them. But it felt like every scene the two male characters were in together warranted a follow up conversation about how one or the other felt about Lore. I would have rather had the friend approach with some tension if the intention is to carry this into future books.

I'll definitely be looking out for book two. While it's not wholly original, it was an easy, enjoying read that I'm interesting in finding the conclusion to.

A vast improvement over her previous book "For The Wolf" but still not the best book in the world, but romance is more about the vibes than anything and honestly, I vibed with this book, It's not earth shatteringly new material, the writing isn't amazing, but it's fast and fun.

This book had space to grow but ultimately it was written very well. The characters were, whether you hated or loved them, very well written. In most books I do not always root for the main character but in this book I quite enjoyed reading about Lore and how she is so confident.

One thing I might mention I dislike was bringing up Gabe’s disability too much. I understand it is important but perhaps it would be better to not mention it as much because it could feel a bit like that’s his only quality.

Would I say it is something completely new and never done before? No. However it was an entertaining and quick pace read that was very enjoyable.

I was incredibly excited to read this book as someone who loved the For the Wolf duology by this author. There are parts of this book I greatly enjoyed. I loved the magical system but I also wanted to see more of it. I love the dark atmosphere and the characters interactions with each other but something about it did fall flat for me. It felt like a lot of lead up to something else and I wasn't as invested in the world building. I am eager to see where this series will go however and will read the next book.

This was such a beautifully dark book! The world building was complex, incredibly and wonderfully done! I really liked the characters and this book was perfect to read it the fall. It was a good mix of dark fantasy and creepy. Like the scene with all the screaming corpses??????

Lore is such a unique female character with the ability to channel mortem (or death). She is able to reanimate dead animals and people. Mortem is spreading through the kingdom and has such a unique storyline. I loved the friendship trio between Lore, Gabriel and Bastian and still have SO many unanswered questions surrounding Bastian and Lore.

This is perfect for lovers of fantasy who are looking for the perfect spooky read this fall. Can't wait for book two!

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

Overall: Special thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content warnings: gore, violence

Rep: slow burn, love triangle/poly?, death magic, political intrigue,

Thoughts:
I feel really torn about this. I LOVED Whitten's Wilderwood Duology, so I was pretty excited for this but I am NOT a fan of love triangles and because there was this weird limbo of it becoming a polyamorous relationship, I unfortunately was not having it 😹

But I thought that the lore, the magic system and what was going on in the world was pretty interesting! I'm not sure if I will ready book 2 though 😬