Good god yall I can’t finish this now. Maybe I’ll get audiobook later.

Book one was a gothy atmospheric adventure with a fun little love triangle woven between the creepy shit. I made it halfway through the second installment it’s cut and paste romantasy. Which boy will I choose? The edgy boy is being charming yet aloof. The dark sad boy is being dark and sad. Friend characters are introduced but they are empty hollow people who only serve to waste pages. Nothing has happened. Why HAS NOTHING HAPPENED. The story has barely moved. The characters have not grown or become more complicated. This book is like simulating your time being wasted.

Extra painful because this was a strongly loved book of mine last year

I almost think this book was better than The Foxglove King. We got so much more lore surrounding the gods and their creation, and in such a non-preachy way. You learn organically with Lore and her friends about what Anton was trying to achieve and how it affects all of them.

The Hemlock Queen starts off right where The Foxglove King left off. Bastian is adjusting to being King, Gabe is adjusting to being the Priest Exalted, and Lore is adjusting to being the King’s Deathwitch. Over a very short time period things manage to get even weirder, with dignitaries from the enemy kingdom coming to visit and Bastian acting like someone Lore has never met. As the voice in her head gets louder, she’ll need to work with Gabe, Ali and Malcom to figure out how to stop the rise of a God.

I cannot wait for the final book. There is so much that needs to be done and I have a feeling a few of the main cast are going to find themselves dead by the end of this. After all, it’s no easy feat to win a war against a God.

Past betrayals and new allies all come to a head in this thrilling sequel to The Foxglove King. Bastian, Lore and Gabe all have new roles to play as they navigate the overturned court. The court politics, new alliances and budding relationships were an entertaining read.

I really enjoyed following along as Lore and Bastian both find themselves mastering new powers and fighting off some unique presences. Gabe is such an intriguing character to me and I think Hannah Whitten did an excellent job at balancing the relationships between Lore, Bastian and Gabe in a way that made me root for all of them while still feeling miffed at the way these three left things at the end of the first book.

I am very intrigued about where the story will pick up in the next installment as the ending left so much unanswered!

4.25 stars
The Hemlock Queen is the second book in The Nightshade Crown series. The first book is The Foxglove King, so if you aren't read that one, STOP and go do that! I don't want to give too much away that would spoil the first book, but we again have the trio of Lore, Bastian and Gabe attempting to understand and use mortem and spiritum. Like many second books, the characters spend a good deal of time learning how to live with all the changes that Book 1 brought, and getting ready for whatever trauma is coming in Book 3. The author is such an amazing writer, that I felt like I was living this as well. Even though the first quarter of the book felt a tad slow for me, I also knew what these characters were thinking and feeling, intimately. I do wish that Gabe had been a more central character throughout the book, much as he was in Book 1, as he is my favorite character in this series, but hopefully that will happen in Book 3. The magic system is so interesting and her descriptions so in depth that I was never rolling my eyes at the things that happened (as occasionally happens in a fantasy). Instead I wanted to be able to see things that were described in such detail, such as changes in Lore's hands. if you are a fan of fantasy, I highly recommend this series!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author of the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The second book in the series was pretty good. There was a lot of twists and turns that were unexpected. This book picks up right where book 2 ends. There is a lot of world building and background info given in book two as well. She also builds the characters at lot more and you really get attached to some of them.

HQ does end on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait for the third book in the trilogy.

Where do i begin this was an absolutely amazing sequel to The Foxglove king!.

Lore and Bastian were not where i expected them to be as King and almost Queen. It felt like such a twist for me that they really liked each other. But Gabe was not far behind with his love/hate for Lore.

We got to watch how Lore experienced life at court but also getting to use her powers at full but she was very cautious in using them since she was warned but Bastian wasnt at all and wanted to proceed over and over to show there strengths together.

This is where we find out there are many consequences of using the powers Lore and Bastian start to hear the gods in there head and everything goes down hill fast

I enjoyed finding out so much aboiut there world and how the gods were created they all had an extremely tough situation on there hands to save all of themselves but also to save the world by being controlled by..

Guess you will have to read to find out what happens next but the plot was chefs kiss 💋

Okay so I am once again obsessed and in love with Lore, Bastian and Gabe. I am also very excited for the next book, I need to see things from Bastians POV and Gabe’s. I really liked the story played out and no one really trusted anyone and everyone quietly thinking the same thing but to afraid to say it out loud, I loved. How Bastian and Lore’s relationship developed and glad they made a point of making it very clear that it’s very different than Nyxias and Apollo’s Relationship. I wish we spent more time with Bastian even in his situation he is still the most interesting Character and I liked how hard he was fighting even if we couldn’t tell. I also like that the air was cleared in relation to how Gabe, Bastian and Lore feel about each other. Additionally I’m glad Gabe finally stoped drinking the Cool aid ad realized how bad the situation is. I am curious to see how he reacts once he learns what Lore did. I really need the final book to this I just want my traumatized little throuple to live happily ever after but i have no idea how that is gonna happen, I really liked the end and am excited to possible get more Povs I also really like the flashbacks and am curious to see if we will se anymore of the Godsfall. Also despite everything i kind of think I might like Jax but time will tell, he did cut out Gabe’s eye but, i think he might be a little more slippery than he is right now, if not hell be a boring priest and i feel bad for Alie,

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

In this second installment of the Nightshade Crown series we find a world in which the head of the country and the head of the church have been overthrown. We see our three main characters continuing to learn how and why they are interconnected and what this means for the future of their kingdom and the world. We also see some minor characters coming into their own and becoming a crucial part in the plot line.

Off the bat I want to say that I am still invested in this series and cannot wait to see how it ends. That being said, The Hemlock Queen definitely suffers from second book syndrome in the sense that it is a bit of a slog. The first 60% of this book seems to stall and focus solely on character interactions and growing conflict between the new King and the new Exalted Priest and of course the girl caught in between. The last 40% of this book brings a tremendous amount of plot movement setting up for a hopefully intense and satisfying resolution.

I am looking forward to finishing this series and seeing how this fantastical world will survive. This second installment will be available on April 09th. If you are a fan of dark and gritty fantasy worlds with god and human power conflict and a magic system that relies on natural elements including life and death, you will love this series

The Hemlock Queen is book 2 of a planned trilogy and picks up soon after book 1 ends. You definitely need to read these in order for maximum effect but @hwhittenwrites does a wonderful job weaving in information to reconnect readers to the previous book.

As much as I LOVE The Foxglove King, I love this one even more! It exceeds the hype I’ve personally created for it in my mind and the story went places far beyond my imagination. Lore, Bastian, and Gabe all have different, more important roles and they’re no longer looking out for just themselves but an entire kingdom. Lore continues to learn more about her death magic and how it could help (or hurt) the people of Dellaire. Something is happening to Bastian that’s changing him from hopeful and charismatic to reckless and cold. Gabe, if you can believe it, has become extra broody and fights an internal battle between his deep-rooted beliefs and the reality staring him in the face. War with the Kirytheans is eminent and these three must reconcile their differences and learn the truth of the past before the world they live in comes tumbling down around them.

The Hemlock Queen is brimming with more action, more magic, more unlikely alliances, and more jaw-dropping revelations that kept me glued to the pages! If you haven’t read The Foxglove King yet, there’s still time to prepare yourself before this one releases on April 9!

(This is the series that got me into reading fantasy and now I’m completely obsessed with the genre. If you’re new to fantasy/romantasy, this is a perfect place to start!)

The followup to The Foxglove King proved that this is a series to love!

This was so good! I have really come to love these characters and this world. I was truly worried about the direction that would be taken for Bastian from that synopsis but I am happy to saw that the character I loved from the first book is still there.

This was almost everything that I hoped for with this sequel. I do wish there had been more interaction a couple characters but overall, I am so happy to have continued this series. The world is rich and beautiful; my heart breaks for these characters and I cannot wait to see how this concludes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

so i can confirm the sequel was more entertaining. the world building is so unique and enthralling. i definitely underestimated how intricate the world was in the first book. it does feel slow paced but the author is so good at giving you important details along the way.

i was so captivated by the found family aspect. to watch the characters find people they love and support is so inspiring and brings the reader into the story. watching their connections build while also learning more about them made your connection to the characters even deeper! i'm so invested in all the characters no matter their storyline.

it was an intriguing sequel and i'm very excited to eventually read what we have in store for the next book. the series keeps building and building with so much anticipation that i'm sure the third book will be filled with so many surprises!

4.5 stars

“Then she began to plan”

That quote could pretty much sum up the entirety of this book. It took me some time to get through it because one, I was having a harder time than normal remembering details from the first, and two I wasn’t sure where our journey was going. I do really appreciate that Whitten had the same ideas I did to solve problems, then would surprise me with their actual outcome. Or some detail would be thrown in I wasn’t expecting. I’m excited for this series and will be looking forward to the final installment.

Lore and her friends have defied the odds, thrown down a corrupt king, and are now effectively in control of the kingdom. Little does she know that everything that has happened to her so far has just been the prelude to her real challenge, which will pit her and the people she loves against the very gods themselves. She must uncover ancient secrets, avoid the toxic attention of a god, and try to save the world from its own purported savior.

The Hemlock Queen is a welcome return to the series, with Lore trying to protect herself and Bastian (the new almost king) from forces she doesn't fully understand that are sneakily trying to literally unmake some of her friends. I found that the action was a little more subdued than in the first book, but with a welcome focus on Lore using and being hesitant about using her powers as she tries to navigate some truly horrible situations. The unraveling mystery of what is going on and how all of this came to be was a big draw for me as well, even if I found some of the characters in the distant past to be a little annoying.

I definitely recommend this to fans of the previous book in the series, but newcomers will want to pick up the first book or risk being completely lost in this one.

Hannah Whitten does not shy away from grotesque descriptions, and I thank them for that. I love the juxtaposition in this one of the opulence of court life, otherworldly magic, and then at the same time just straight up gore. The imagery was amazing. Picturing Anton had me queasy.

Any book that has people hearing hidden voices is exciting for me. As soon as I knew Apollius could totally take over Bastain in daylight hours it made every interaction that he had with Lore that much more exciting. Bastain’s determination to protect her and his want to actually be close to her was, ugh - love him so much.

The relationship of the love triangle is where I struggled. I always tend to have a strong opinion on which way to lean, and in this one……there is no leaning for Lore. It was causing me to be exceptionally irritated with her. Once more back story to the gods and their past is revealed I had to give her some slack, maybe greater forces are at work, but I remain confused on if this is going to be a throuple. I’m decidedly not into the “why choose” genres. I have a deep love of Bastian to be perfectly honest. I feel that Gabe is boring and his character isn’t fully fleshed out enough to even understand what her attraction would be to him besides “forbidden”.

The general idea that the whole world is in danger at the end of this is enough for me to want to see how things turn out in the next book. I am a little scared about how the romance aspect will turn out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the free arc of this. I enjoyed it a lot.

Hannah Whitten is a world building, character creating queen. Book one was superb, but book two left me in shock as Lore, Bastian, and Gabe continued their fight against greater forces that are nearer than they first appeared. The tension between Lore and Bastian and Lore and Gabe is deliciously nerve-wracking, and the last fifty pages had me in an absolute stranglehold.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Brilliant! I am mindblown. It was my anticipated read and Hannah delivered and then some.The magic system and world building were incredible. I love this book so much.I liked the first one but I loved this one.She kicked it out of the park with this one. I can't wait for everyone to read this one! 5 stars!

I love Hannah Whitten and while I will still continue with the series, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first in the series. I'm not sure if the author was just trying to do too much, but I didn't find the plot as interesting and characters seemed to have lost some of their complexity. I also found the plot to be very predictable. It felt like it was very easy to anticipate all of characters actions and the plot twists. I do enjoy the world building and the magic system so I am excited to see were it goes.

"The Hemlock Queen" by Hannah Whitten had me diving back into the world of "The Foxglove King" with high hopes, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me.

I was really looking forward to seeing more depth in the characters and their relationships, especially after the setup in the first book. However, aside from Bastian and sometimes Lore, everyone else felt a bit flat and one-dimensional. Suddenly thrusting these young adults into positions of power and expecting them to navigate complex politics felt a bit unrealistic.

I had a hunch about where the story was headed early on, which wasn't a deal-breaker, but it made me frustrated with how some characters handled things, especially towards Bastian.

While I enjoyed learning more about the magical system, the story didn't pick up for me until the second half. I wanted to see Lore take a more active role, but she often felt like she was just being pulled along by the plot rather than driving it forward.

The love triangle (or throuple) also didn't quite click for me. Gabe's character felt distant and lacked depth, which made it hard to understand Lore's attraction to him.

Despite these issues, a character twist caught me off guard and made me curious about the next book. So, while "The Hemlock Queen" didn't quite meet my expectations, I'll still pick up the next installment to see where the story goes.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

I really enjoyed the first installment in this series, so I was severely disappointed once I got through this one. If I hadn't received an ARC, I likely would have DNFed this. The plot dragged quite a bit and took a large back seat to the romance, which I didn't find to be convincing at all. Lore did not have any chemistry with either of the 2 main love interests, and I was shocked to read so early on in the book about her intense feelings for them. I also wasn't a huge fan of the author's writing style in this one. There was a lot of repetitive phrasing used throughout, such as mentions of "the capitalization was clear in his/her tone." We can see the words on the page, so it's not necessary for the author to mention that words are capitalized. Overall, this was pretty boring but the religious/god elements were cool I just wish there was a bigger focus on that instead of the romance.

I loved this one just as much as I did The Foxglove King! It was a little slow at the beginning but I am sucking that up to that I should have reread the first book to give myself a refresher. I have read a lot of books since then. I feel like the stakes have been elevated from the first book which makes this one even more exciting. I am still not a fan of Bastian and love Gabe for Lore. I feel like she is stuck in this love triangle because of the whispering voice in her ear.