3.5!

This story picks up immediately where the first book left off. This was a gothic Romantasy with dark magic that gives off all the eerie vibes. If you’re looking for a light and fluffy read with a hea, I would say this one isn’t for you. The world building in the story is what made it stand out more to me. The Magic system is quite different from what I’ve read. If you liked Lore from book 1, you will grow to love her more with this one. I loved her character growth. If you liked Bastian, I found I came to love him more too.

I did find the pacing in some parts to be slower than I would have liked and there were some things I found to be repetitive.

It’s hard to put a review together without spoiling everything for this one.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and if you liked The Foxglove King I would recommend it. After the ending you’ll need book 3!

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This picks up right where The Foxglove King leaves off. These characters continue to develop so beautifully as the politics, secrets , dreams , and drama continue to unfold. We learn more about Mortem and Spiritum and how Bastian and Lore harness these powers. There isn’t too much I can say about the actual story without spoiling it. It does take a little bit of patience in the beginning but the build up is so worth it. I absolutely loved this sequel! I can’t wait for book 3!

I think this was a great second book and cannot wait for the third! I need it asap after that cliffhanger!

So for this being a romantasy there was not a lot of romance/spice in this. Now, I think that is actually a good thing because of the situations the characters are in currently. The spice and romance that are there I really really loved. It's a slow burn for sure. But if you are reading this in hopes of a lot spice you are not going to find that.

What you will find is a lot of character growth, politics, and a super unique story that builded off the first book so so well. I felt like I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading this and did not want to put it down even for a moment. I cannot wait for book three.

Thank you netgally, Orbit, and the author for the arc in exchange for a honest review.

I loved The Hemlock Queen and can't wait to see what happens in book 3!

In The Hemlock Queen, Lore grapples with the complexities of her heart but also with a divine power poised to reshape the kingdom. Betrayal, secrets, and political intrigues keep the tension high as Lore navigates treacherous waters, torn between duty and desire.

The dynamic between Lore, Bastian, and Gabe gets even more intense, drawing me deeper into their tangled web of emotions. While the love triangle is very minimal, the magic system and world-building are top-notch in this book, immersing me in a world that feels both familiar and fantastic. This book was extremely fast-paced, which made it a little hard to keep up with sometimes and left me no time to dwell on what just happened. But overall, I felt like it was a really solid follow-up to The Foxglove King.

The Hemlock Queen is the second installment in Hannah Whitten's trilogy The Nightshade Crown. This book takes place right after The Foxglove King ended, with Bastien on the throne and Lore at his side. However, not everything is going well. Bastien is acting weird, but no one is really sure why. He is domineering, cold, and reckless. He is making decisions without including his court, and without telling Lore of his plans. As Lore attempts to navigate this sudden shift, what she discovers has the potential to threaten the world.

I loved this book so much more than I thought I would. I rated the Foxglove King 5 stars, however, I tend to struggle with the second book in a series. Part of that is because I know whatever happens in book two will likely leave me in pain until I can get my hands on book three. The Hemlock Queen is no exception. I need book 3 and I need it now. It is likely a year out and I am already certain that book three will be a five-star read for me. The Hemlock Queen sadly was not a five star read. I really liked the character development in this book, and how the journey Lore took specifically was important. However, the plot was a bit slow for me. I think this is because in order to get to book 3 and to that epic conclusion, first there has to be some setup. And while that setup was amazing and I loved to read about it, I need more action at times. But at the same time, I do not think that this trilogy would be remotely successful without this book. So, while it was not my all time favorite, I still really enjoyed it. In all honesty, I read it a lot faster than I have been reading most fantasy books these days. I cannot wait to reread both this book and book 1 prior to the release of what I am sure is going to be an epic conclusion that breaks my heart all over again.

Thank you to Hannah Whitten, Orbit, and NetGalley for providing me an eARC of The Hemlock Queen in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 ⭐
1.0/5 🌶️
4.0/5 🎧

I feel like I can copy and paste my review from book one... While the world is amazing and the characters are fantastic, the pacing leaves so much to be desired. I was hoping that not needing to build the world in book two would lead to a faster paced story, but alas, it was still about 30% too long in my opinion.

Will I be tuning in for book three? Most likely. I am really interested to see how this story ends and the cliffhanger for Queen was quite brutal.

Audio was really good, but slow. I sped it up about 0.75x more than I usually listen. Emily Ellet had really great female voices, but her males could be hard to distinguish. Overall I did enjoyed the listen.

Oh my God - what a fantastic book 2. This was one of my most anticipated reads this year and it did not disappoint! I need book 3 yesterday.

The characters really stand out in this trilogy. I love all of them. I'm so glad to see more of Alie and Malcolm in this one. And I will never tire of the tension and angst and wanting between Gabe and Lore and Bastian.

The way the gods emerged was done in such a brilliant way. It set up some truly compelling dynamics. And it made Bastian's suffering hit even harder. This man suffers so much in this book. I simply have no words for how much despair I felt for him.

Overall, The Hemlock Queen is a stunning follow up to The Foxglove King that has left me drooling for book 3. I love this dark, twisty, moody series so much.

Thanks to NetGalley, Orbit, and Hannah Whitten for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Definitely pick this up if you enjoyed book one, The Foxglove King. Everything is as good as book one but amped up a notch. Full of political intrigue and romantic angst, this installment is action-packed. I love the world Whitten created, and we finally get to see the origin story of the ancient gods that are re-awakening in Lore and Bastian. Dark and dramatic in the best way.

I loved The Foxglove King and couldn't wait to read this second installment, and it did not disappoint! I will be anxiously awaiting the next book!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for this ARC!

The Sainted King is dead. The Priest Exalted, punished and imprisoned. Bastian, the Sun Prince, is ready to assume the throne and right some of the wrongs his father has brought, and he needs Lore by his side. The ritual has bound the two together in more ways than appears. As the days pass by, Lore and her friends start to feel as if Bastian is changing, becoming someone else. Lore has nothing to follow except her own intuition, which even she begins to question. She must try to figure out the truth of the matter quickly, with unrest in the kingdom worrying one side and impending war on the other. What comes to light, however, is more than she even bargained for.

Hannah Whitten has kept me on my toes yet again with The Hemlock Queen. Often, I find myself disappointed when it comes to the second book of a series, feeling like it never matches the energy of the first. I’m happy to say this is far from the case with the Hemlock Queen. I was so engrossed with the story that I could barely put it down - and ended up finishing the novel in a little over a day. I’m left with heartache and a desperate need to get my hands on the next book

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the first book in this trilogy and was very excited to be able to read the ARC for this one. I have to admit, however, that I didn’t enjoy this as much as the first.

With the demise of King August in the first book, we find Lore and Prince Bastion deepening their relationship, with Prince Bastion being coronated as the new King. With impending war on the horizon and spies infiltrating the kingdom it becomes nearly impossible to know who to trust. As a voice whispers in Lore’s mind, it’s increasingly apparent that the war might not be the immediate concern. Something more sinister has taken root and the fate of the world itself is in the balance.

The middle chunk of this book is very slow. I wish I could say there was more character development or additional plot points. The love triangle between Lore, Bastion, and Gabe continues without much change as it did in the first book. It reminded me of how I felt in the middle of the twilight books - angsty for sure but also somewhat annoying. This would be a good entry point if you’re a new fantasy reader. I think what I was missing in this one was a sense of place and world building to fully immerse myself in the story.

The greatest movement in the storyline happens within the last 50ish pages so that it set up to finish in the third book. I honestly don’t think I will read the last book. This probably would have been great as a duology to maintain a great pace in pacing and story development.

I rate this one 3.5 stars.

Hannah F. Whitten's The Hemlock Queen is the second installment in the authors The Nightshade Crown series. It has been 3 weeks since the end of the first installment. The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a drug dealer turned court lady and part-time theologian with a unique power over death and life—to his right hand side as his Queen. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the sainted court and help the people of Dellaire.

But not everyone is happy with the changes and Lore takes a backseat for the most part not wanting to be the center of any attention because of her ability to raise the dead. The nobles are sowing dissent, the Kyrithean Empire is beating down their door, and Lore's old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian's changed which apparently has to do with a certain God wanting to take control. Make that two Gods since one just happens to have chosen Lore as a bulwark against Bastian's Apollius.

No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he's reckless, domineering and cold. And something's been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that's telling her there's more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. Even Gabe, who lost his eye, is now a different person. He seems to understand what is going on, but it takes him and Lore a long time to make any sort of plan to do anything. He also seems to find himself in a twisted triangle which I loathe.

A truth buried deep that could change everything. With Bastian's coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince, and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed. Not going to lie, while the worldbuilding is pretty good, the overall storyline is filled with secrets, betrayal, and yet another stunning ending.

A compelling blend of romance and fantasy with unexpected plot twists, complex character dynamics, and dark, haunting imagery. The narrative is marked by suspense and unpredictability, with a sense of impending doom and tension that keeps readers engaged. The book's darkly beautiful and captivating world makes it a must-read for those seeking a thrilling reading experience.

The darkness listens, and it's not the only thing. I thought I was kind of prepared for this book, and I just... there was no way I could have ever been ready for what happened. The push and pull of the relationship between Bastian, Lore, and Gabriel is something that none of them can explain, it just is. What if there's more to it? What if there's more to everything? When the whispers start, it's hard to ignore, Is the mortem driving her crazy? What do you do when the darkness whispers back?

This book. UGH this book. I spent the last thirty minutes with my hand over my mouth as I read. One of top two reads I've had this year.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Ms. Whitten for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Frankly I would recommend a quick re-read (or at least a skim) of the Foxglove King, because there is very little recap or reminder here. Basically the reader hits the ground running which would be great... except that the running is distinctly slo-mo. As with the Foxglove King, the beginning takes its sweet time picking up momentum. I struggled for the first, idk, 20%? 30%? By 40% things were rolling and by halfway I was glued to every page so, my point is, stick with it.

Once again Lore and Bastian are absolute treats. I don't want to spoil anything but I'm glad that Lore remained true to herself from book #1: fierce and strong but more importantly unapologetic. Lore refuses to apologize for the way she feels, and refuses to back down from the choices she's made, and I LOVE it. And, ugh, I felt so sad for Bastian. I liked him in Foxglove but I loved him here, struggling like a fly in a spider web, desperately trying to keep his proverbial face above water. Poor Bastian. [[*Still* not a Gabe fan. He had his chance; he made his choice. I can understand Lore's feelings but in her place I can't say I'd do the same.]]

The last third of this was absolutely riveting. Some big twists and turns and what an excellent cliffhanger ending! That dead rose... Cannot WAIT for book #3.


4.5 stars

Since this is a sequel, I won't give anything away. But, if you liked the first one I would argue that this one is even better. It feels like the characters and the world really hit their stride, and the plot was compelling. I wasn't a huge fan of Whitten's first duology, but this one is definitely really good! I am excited for more from this author!

I really enjoyed this.
This series is a new obsession for me. The world building is amazing and the characters are even better.
Lore is probably one of my favorite FMCs. She’s very adaptable and truly cares about her friends.
I love that the side characters are very present throughout. I love when stories are able to keep up with everyone it really helps to keep me engaged.
I highly recommend this book and series.
I received this as an ARC and this is my honest review.

This series has dark magic, court intrigue, a love triangle, and, gods behaving badly.
Whitten does an amazing job of continuing to build up the world of Auverraine, Dellaire, and the citadel in this second book. I also feel like I have a much better understanding on the magic used in this world. It is a very interesting type of magic!

Thank you to @netgalley and @orbitbooks_us for the advanced copy

I am posting this review on Goodreads and my Instagram @theexhaustedbookworm

I was hoping to like this series more than I did, but it just shows not every book is for every person. I have MANY friends who love Hannah Whitten's work, and although I find her stories entertaining, the characters were found to be lacking in my personal opinion. If someone is looking for a fast paced story with easy world building but intricate mythology, I would gladly recommend them this series, but for me, it simply wasn't a love match. Thank you for the opportunity to read it!

I am unwell and slightly heartbroken? I think this was a masterful follow up to The Foxglove King and well avoided the “middle book slump” that often happens in trilogies. The deeper development of the magic system, the integration of the gods, and the raised stakes worked beautifully together in order to push Lore, Bastian, and Gabe’s storyline together. I do wish we saw more of Gabe, but I am hopeful (given the epilogue) that we are going to be getting more of his and Bastian’s POV now that the three of them are all separated.

I honestly hated that banishing the gods didn’t work at the end and my heart broke for Bastian. I really do wish we would have had access to his POV more often though because the glimpses of time with him and Lore were not enough at ALL.

I also loved the added nuance of Alie’s character and the introduction of Jax. I’m very very VERY interested to see how that plays out in the next book.

Massive thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Hemlock Queen!