THE HEMLOCK QUEEN by @hwhittenwrites is out today and if you like spooky fantasy you better run and get it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Let this be a reminder you are wholly your own”

Book one was a wild ride and this sequel turns up the beat with even more intrigue, politics, meddling gods and tension. It’s a slow burn in terms of both plot and romance but it’s worth the ride.

I love Lore and her two men, a reluctant king and a reserved priest, both trying to navigate the changes occurring and loving her in their own ways. A reluctant but strong af heroine always gets me.

Long may she reign

Vibes:
Necromancy
Life and death magic
Political intrigue
Love triangle
Slow burn and tension
Prophecies
Meddling gods
Ballroom scenes
Spice

CW: vivid gore, parent trauma, death

Have you ever wanted to simultaneously scream, cry, throw up, and throw your kindle across the room? No? Well, you will while reading this book! Lore, Bastian, and Gabe’s journey in Dellaire continues just a few weeks after it left off in The Foxglove King. All three are dealing with their emotions about the previous events while facing so many new challenges. There is so much action, world building, answers to questions readers were left with in The Foxglove King, and new questions left unanswered. The end left on several major cliffhangers, and I absolutely CANNOT WAIT to see what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this advanced copy- I quite literally enjoyed every second of it!

While I don't dislike this series, especially while reading it, I find that its pretty forgettable once I put the book down. I feel like death magic should, somehow, be more interesting.

While I like the true love triangle and the polyamory featured in this series I cannot understand what these people see in each other as all. The romance feels very tell when it should be shown.

I don't feel pressed to finish the series out but I also don't feel like I will finish it. This is a true 3 star.

The anticipated sequel to The Foxglove King, I expect this one to be just as popular. Court politics, betrayals, and Gods toying with humans, it did not suffer from second-book syndrome at all.

One thing that I love about The Hemlock Queen is how Hannah Whitten has masterfully created the love triangle. Love triangles are something that I tend to struggle with because there is an obvious favorite among the fans and an obvious favorite of the FMC; however, I equally love both Gabriel and Bastian. Lore has an internal struggle between the two, and so do I as a reader! I feel the same things as her. One moment I am team Gabe, then Bastian comes on the page, and my heart melts. Also, I don't want to spoil anything, but I think there is an interesting way the three's relationship can develop... ***fingers crossed***

This book is advertised as romantasy, but I feel like the romance takes a back seat to the political intrigue and religious background information, which creates a very slow burn between the characters (I felt this way about book one as well). However, I love the focus on court politics and the mythology in The Nightshade Crown series. This is a very dark world with death magic, and in The Hemlock Queen, we learn about Apollius and Nyxara!

I really enjoyed this book and need book three ASAP.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Orbit Books, for an eARC of The Hemlock Queen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for this amazing opportunity! This book is available now!

WOW. Holy mother of Pearl but this author knows how to drag you into a story and never let you go! The intrigue. The political and religious machinations are perfection. The plot had so many twists and turns, chock full of betrayals and angst and murder. The pacing was steady and never lagged. I fell back in love with Lore all over again. I love a good political fantasy thriller which is how I would categorize this. Well done and now I am in a slump!

The Hemlock Queen the next adventure after The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, pulled me right back in to the court intrigue, cults, and fun magic system.

Queen picks up right where the first one left off, making you feel like you never left. This time around, we get a bit more world building and quite a bit more magic. What I loved most about this book is that it had a similar tone and feel to the first book that initially drew me in in the first place. That being said, just like the first book, there are parts in the middle where things seem to slow down a bit. But if you liked the first book, you’re going to have a lot of fun with this one top.

For fans of the first book, Hemlock Queen is not just a continuation but an expansion of this universe, promising more intrigue, more magic, and more of the characters we’ve come to love.

Thank You so much to NetGalley and & Orbit Books for the ARC copy of the Hemlock Queen! I leave this review freely and honestly.

The Hemlock Queen (Book #2 of the Nightshade Crown series) is an excellent follow up to Book 1, the FoxGlove King.

The story of Lore, Bastian, and Gabe continues on as they deal with Mortem and the fact that Lore did not die after their ritual. Her will to leave has set in motion a chain of events that sees dire consequences for Bastian, Gabe, Allie, and Malcom, along with Lore herself.

The angst and tension as the group tries to navigate being taken over by Gods and how to reverse the devastating effects this has on Bastian kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. Add in the love that Lore, Gabe, and Bastian have for each other and it became gut wrenching to watch all of them struggle with the consequences of what happened after the ritual.

The story & characters still continued to develop in a way that kept my eyes glued to the page. This book definitely did not suffer from second book syndrome.

The end was........WOW.

4 stars from me and where is book #3?

I really enjoyed this book. Great world building. Great characters. It was a bit slow and was a slow burn. Definitely a lighter side of romantasy.
Some repretentiveness.
Definitely a YA feel but I still enjoyed it overall.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. It definitely felt like the middle book in a trilogy. More like a bridge connecting two stories than an actual story in and of itself.
The first half really dragged. The author kept teasing a reveal that seemed so obvious, that it was just annoying that it took the entire first half of the book for Lore to realize it (or come to terms with it, really). I think the goal of the first half was really for Bastian's descention arc, but it just wasn't very smooth. (Bastian hating but eating cantaloupe could have been such a good clue if both of those things hadn't been told to us at the exact same time.)
There were some weird interactions that didn't quite make sense. Lore told Gabe that something was off with Bastian, but he said she was wrong. But later, when Lore is talking to Alie, Alie mentions that Gabe noticed Bastian was different, and instead of being pissed that Gabe brushed her off when he clearly agreed, she's nervous that Gabe is noticing?
It also doesn't make sense to me why Lore witholds the random information that she does, other than to make the plot seem more mysterious. These people are on your side! Plus her requesting the group to tell Bastian things when she KNOWS telling him is as good as telling Apollius so why is she even asking?
Also, Lore was extremely boring in this one. While she didn't have a lot of agency in the last one, she at least understood that and was making the small decisions she could to try and make the best of the situation. (She knew her limitations!) But in this one she's just sad and confused and the story is playing out around her. Even as she has this insane power she's just kind of...there. I know part of it is to draw parallels between her dynamic and Nyxara's, but because it went on for so long with nothing happening it just felt like slugging through the story.
That being said, the second half went a LOT quicker, and while the God lore was a liiiitle bit info dumpy I found myself really interested in that background history.
My last point of contention is the dialogue sometimes felt weirdly modern but only randomly. It wasn't a huge deal but it just felt a little jarring.
I do think, because of the pacing of the last half that I'll end up reading the third one when it comes out. I'm curious to see where the story goes.

The Hemlock Queen was one of my most anticipated books of the year, but even as I was excited for it, I was also nervous because so many times middle books in trilogies don't stand up to the hype. I am happy to report that this book not only exceeded my expectations but is one of my favorite middle books of all time.

Second books have to do so much. Importantly they have to build on the first book in a way that ramps up the stakes and expands the world and this book did such a good job of that. Lore is more mature and savvy in this book while still having the same ability to love and care for those around her she had in the first book. Her friendships and whatever she has with both Gabe and Bastian are the heartbeat of these books and every moment on the page with them was lightening. I cannot WAIT to see what's in store for my favorite trio.

I loved the expansion of the world building and the stakes here. The magic system is so lush and mysterious and a lot was clarified in this book that only made me more excited and feral. The way the present day story twists with the religion and the gods is fascinating and is also setting up such an epic conclusion for the third book.

I adore Lore and my son Bastian and Gabe and I cannot WAIT for the next book.

Thank you SO much to Orbit and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am incapable of being chilll about Hannah Whitten books because she keeps on putting out books that make me count how many times I scream into my pillow! I lost count in THQ at like 23.

The story picks up a few weeks after the end of The Foxglove King, and Lore’s relationships with Bastian and Gabe (and their relationship with each other) only gets more fraught, more complicated. They don’t know who to trust and are trying to navigate a kingdom with enemies without and within. Their magic is changing, and the ramifications of their actions are echoing in creeping, increasingly concerning ways.

And the tension? The angst? The court intrigue? The romance? Immaculate. The old saying goes there’s no rest for the wicked, but also there’s no rest for The Hemlock Queen readers because how can you possibly put it down??? I sure couldn’t. And the ending!!!! If you’re looking for me, check the floor where I am still laying and recovering from the end of this book.

I am wearing grooves in my floors pacing as I wait (patiently, I swear) for the last book in the trilogy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this e-arc!

Lore is the key, the catalyst, the seed.
The one who was needed; the rest were placeholders.
The echo of divinity begins in her, then takes root.

This one explains much more about the gods and the prophecy. The first book we get to know the characters and a little bit of magic. In this one we get to see how the gods are behind the magic and how they are trying to come back by taking over Bastian and Lore’s minds to control them. The love triangle gets more tangled and jumping back and forth between the goddesses memories of love Apollius and Lores feelings for Bastian and Gabe complicates things between the 3 of them. The ending was good. Gave some answers but also more questions. Excited for the wrap up.

What to expect:
*A Vengeful God
*Love Triangle
*A little spice ( 1 scene)
(ch. 35 if you want to skip)

*Thank you Net Galley, Orbit books, and Hannah Whitten for this arc.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to Orbit for giving me the opportunity to read one of my most anticipated books of the year early!

The Hemlock Queen begins only a few weeks after the final climax of the first installment, The Foxglove King. Lore, Bastian, and Gabe are now dealing with the fallout of the attempted coup, Lore's near-death, Gabe's betrayal, and Bastian's rapid ascendancy to the throne--but things are even worse than they appear. While Bastian and Lore are now both able to channel and share their respective powers between them, Lore's nightmares are growing worse and a new voice in her head keeps trying to lure her back to the catacombs. Meanwhile, Bastian is becoming more volatile by the day and Gabe--now the Priest Exalted--avoids both of them like the plague.

It is understandable that it takes Lore as long as it does to realise what truly is going on with Bastian, as she herself refuses to confront the same problem facing her. The gods are returning and they're finding their new vessels within Lore's circle--and it terrifies her. All while a war with the Empire is looming and as Bastian becomes more erratic, Lore, Bastian, and Gabe continue to circle each other and refuse to confront the feelings between them. While this makes for excellent romantic tension within the story, it does prevent them all from finding out about what's truly happening any faster.

Just as before, this sequel is filled with a cast of complex characters that may want to do right by those they love, but are facing challenges they never anticipated or asked for. Lore grapples with her newfound ascendance to royalty as Bastian's betrothed and her stronger connection to Mortem and Nyxara; Bastian struggles to remain present and sane all while forces beyond his control and generations in the making try to destroy him at every opportunity; and Gabe continues to struggle between his faith that was once a balm to his traumatic past and sense of duty and his love. Each of these characters stumble and often choose selfishness over selflessness, but that is what makes them real and human. Truly, that is the crux of this book (and maybe even the series): that humanity is messy but it is what makes life worth living, and immortality just isn't worth it.

A fantastic heartwrenching and fast-pased sequel and I cannot wait to read this series' conclusion!

I don't know if I can say much about this sequel without spoiling too much (and trust me you don't want that lol) so I'll keep this short (or I'll try? 😂)

THQ picks up about a week after the epilogue of TFK and I definitely recommend rereading the first book especially if you don't remember much. Hannah doesn't really rehash the events from TFK even when they are referenced and you'll probably pick up on some foreshadowing during your reread 👀👀

If you loved TFK I'm confident you'll love the sequel too.
Like its predecessor, THQ starts off preeeeetty slow, so just brace yourself for that—the first 120 pages really felt like filling. But then once you pass a certain point and you start catching up you'll realize that the beginning of the book, as slow as it was, is necessary to build the foundation for what Hannah is trying to do, to flesh out the contrast between one thing and another better. (Can't give any context, we'd be getting into the spoilers here, so just trust the process 😌😂)

Once things started falling into place, it got really good. I love where HW took the story with Bastian and Lore and I wasn't exactly expecting her to put such spin on it.

Speaking of our MCs — I was surprised that Lore took such a passive role during the first half but it made sense for her character. She definitely has a lot of abandonment issues, always struggling with finding a place where she belongs, not wanting her dark and terrible power so it made sense, especially after the way TFK ended that she'd want to feel safe, will want to rest and let someone take care of her. I was expecting she'll snap out of it sooner but it took her some time to figure out what was happening.

Bastian.... my baby Bastian 🥹🥹🥹 he went through so much in this book and I can't really speak about any of it but I love him even more.

The thing that was a little weird to me in THQ was some of the romance aspects, and I'm not talking about Lore and Bastian or Lore and Gabe but when it came to the three of them and I'll explain. (So maybe if you don't wanna know anything even a little spoilery stop here)

Because we don't get the guys' POVs, it felt like Bastian and Gabe started pining after each other out of nowhere. It could've always been there, since they were young but we're never in their heads and that just isnt fleshed out for the reader.
Now, there has aways been a fantastic sexual tension in this triangle but the connecting point has always been Lore and even though there's definitely been tension between Bastian and Gabe, the vibe between them was often strained. There's lot of mistrust and suspicion there because of their past, specifically on Gabe's side, so imagine my surprise when his longing starts showing after he's barely showing his lust for Lore throughout TFK.

Gabe kinda takes a backseat in this sequel which makes sense after everything at the end of TFK.
I'm curious to see what his character development will look like because we see the seeds being planted here but there's still a lot he struggles with. He still looks at Lore and her power with disgust and contempt even after everything, even with wanting her so badly, the way he reacts to her in certain situations.... let's just say it really annoyed me in THQ. You'd think he'd be more understanding, even used to it by now but instead he's as always pretty fucking judgemental and it just left me baffled. And then he has the audacity to give Lore attitude.... Sir, you need to figure out what you want, make a choice and live with it, gods dead and dying, enough is enough.

"You made a choice," she murmured. "That night in my room. You left me, and then you betrayed me. Whatever could've been between us, you stomped it out. If you regret that, you have no one but yourself to blame."
"And I do." His mouth was so close to hers, now, so close she felt his breath across her lips, took it in as he gasped it out. "Every fucking night, I do."

Debatable but we'll see. Especially now that there is another secret Lore is keeping from him, I truly have no idea how he'll get past it when he finds out what she's done.

The side characters were, again, great. I was surprised where Hannah took their arcs as well and the twists surrounding one character in particular really shocked me.
I love how HW expanded on the world and learning about the gods and how it all began was particularly interesting.

The ending, again, really surprised me. I'm probably saying this a lot 😂 but really, I expected it to go one way, in the direction it was hinted, and it took a sharp turn leaving my jaw on the floor.

I'm excited to see how this trilogy will conclude and my babies better be okay at the end, Hannah!!

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

Thank you Orbit Books and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced bopy of The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten in exchange for my honest review.

To be totally upfront, I don't know if I have anything eloquent to say about this book because I devoured this book, maybe even faster than I did the first one. { will admit that I was hesitant to start this book as Ioved Foxglove King so much and continue to handsell it to anyone looking at fantasy books in my store. i can't help it, there is just something about the way Hannah Whitten writes and the world she has built in this series that has completely sucked me in.

The world building and expansion that happens in the second book feels right and it makes sense. I was a bit nervous after seeing this was going to be a trilogy and not a duology, but now after reading this book I am so glad there is another one coming. Nothing felt overtly rushed and new plot points inter-weaved with previous established plot seamlessly. if you loved the first book, then you will absolutely love the second. I read the entire thing in almost a day. And while I do have about 15 pages left to read as I am writing this, I don't think anything that could happen will change how I feel about The Hemlock Queen.

I still feel the same way I did about the first book, I want Lore, Gabe and Bastian to end up kissing and making up and choosing to live their lives together (although I still have such a soft spot for Gabe). I guess I will just have to impatiently wait for the third and final book to come out.

This is the slowest book I've read so far this year. The amount of flowery descriptions was nothing short of painful.

Before I begin, I want to remind everyone that I gave the first book in this series four stars. I love how it pitted morally gray characters against a corrupt religious system. How cool is that? I enjoyed it so much that I requested an ARC of its sequel and devoted 11 hours of my life to reading it. All this is to say I have nothing against the author or this series. I'm so disappointed this second book didn't live up to my expectations.

I think my biggest issue with this book is its pacing. I genuinely thought this was an 800-page novel, and I was shocked when I saw it was half that length. It doesn't help that much of the page space is taken up by flowery descriptions that do little to advance the plot. I love books that have a sprinkle of purple prose, but this story went beyond that. I can only read so many descriptions of stained glass windows before I start to grow weary.

Also, what was going on with so many characters losing an eye? Lore mentioned Gabe's one eye in nearly every interaction she had with him. Another character lost an eye after a rose grew out of it (don't ask), and a third had their eye stabbed out before their untimely death. I appreciate the author's inclusiveness, but it felt a bit excessive.

I also struggled to connect with the romance in this book. I'm not a fan of love triangles, so this could be an isolated opinion on my end. That said, I thought that it hindered the plot more than it enhanced it. The romantic tension grew stale by the 20% mark, and it felt very repetitive. Just when the characters would start to trust each other, something would happen that pushed them apart. Bastian gets a pass on the miscommunication trope (I can't say why because of spoiler reasons), but Lore and Gabe were frustrating to read about.

Shifting to the book's strengths, I stand by my earlier claim that the plot is very unique. It feels like a breath of fresh air in the fantasy genre. I can tell a lot of thought went into the worldbuilding, and there is the potential to see more of that in book 3. I also liked that Alie and Malcolm played a bigger role in this story. I'm curious to see what happens with them, especially given the events of the epilogue.

While I didn't connect with this book as much as I did "The Foxglove King", I’d still recommend it to readers who like gothic fantasy. This seems like a perfect bridge between YA and adult fantasy, and I can see many people enjoying it. I wish this book all the best in finding a home on people's shelves.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

This was one of my most highly anticipated books of the year, and it absolutely *delivered*. I was captivated the entire time we follow Lore, Bastian, Gabe, and the rest of the court in this installment, and never did I think what happened was going to happen. I felt all the emotions from every single character and wanted to protect each of them with all that I have. The ending shook me and I can’t wait for the final installment!

This is shaping up to be a quite good fantasy/romance series. Interesting characters, interesting setting, interesting cliffhanger…

Thank you to NetGalley/Orbit books for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

First off, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT ENDING AHHHHHH!?!?! Literally going to be impossible for me to wait for the third book now, honestly.

Second, I still cannot get over how invested in the characters I am. Even when things start going south for Bastian, I'm still loving his character arc. Also, if this book doesn't end in a triad for Bastian/Lore/Gabe, I'm actually going to riot. It's impossible for Lore to choose between them, especially now knowing the history behind their powers. There were moments in the middle where I wasn't sure what w0uld happen between Lore and the other side characters, like Alie and Malcolm, but I was NOT expecting how they're entwined in the story.

Third, and lastly, I cannot foresee how the last book is going to end, other than I swear to god everyone lives lol or I riot.