“We can’t afford a weakness, and he’s yours. Always has been.” 🥀 “You think he’s my only one?” Lore murmured.

Hahah I’m dead 💀. That was absolutely fantastic. My most anticipated book of 2024 and it settled right into my bones and stressed me the heck out (in the best ways).

The Foxglove King was one of my favourite books last year (potentially of all time) so receiving an advance copy of the next instalment of The Nightshade Crown trilogy was a true blessing.

Picking up right where Lore, Bastian and Gabe left off, The Hemlock Queen follows the loveable, complicated, sainted trio as they figure out what comes next in their deadly little journey…maybe just all being very together as they try to stop a potential apocalypse? Yes? Please?

I don’t feel like I can say much more without spoiling the events of The Foxglove King. So all I will say is; dirty court politics, Gods behaving badly, spicy romantic tensions - move it UP that TBR if you have not yet done so.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Orbit Books, NetGalley and Hannah Whitten for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. The Hemlock Queen comes out on Tuesday, April 9th.

I will try to remain worthy for when the third instalment graces us with its presence. 🙌🏻

3.25 stars rounded down
——————

I was pretty let down by this book. I had high expectations, but was just left wanting more. Very much second book vibes out of this one.

The lore in this book opens up the understanding of the Gods and their back story. I enjoyed seeing the evolution of Apollius and Nyxara, and the parallels of our main trio. I found myself enjoying the underlying story much more than the actual plot of the book for this reason. I understood the magic system better in this one. The plot of the book is interesting, but I found it to be pretty slow to develop. I spent a lot of time waiting for it to speed up but it never quite did. I just wanted this book to develop the plot of the series better than it did. The ending cliffhanger was the most interesting part of the story, and the sole reason I would pick the series back up. The writing was engaging and really helped me from DNFing it.

This book is very character driven, but I wasn’t vested in any of the characters. I love the underlying tension with Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. But as characters, I just didn’t feel like they evolved very much in this book, just lived under influence that changed them as people. This influence of the Gods gave the opportunity to explore the mythology of the world, but I just found it to be a little boring and underdeveloped, as well as coincidental.

I did enjoy this book, but I just wanted more from it. I will probably continue the series and read book three, but I wouldn’t be in a rush to pick it up.

Firstly, thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for allowing me to access this eARC for review. I thoroughly enjoyed this second installment in Hannah Whitten’s The Nightshade Crown series. This installment picks up quickly following the end of the first book, and I am consistently impressed with the way Whitten weaves into the story rather complex political dynamics, as well as how this impacts the meddlesome acts of gods. Lore, Bastian, and Gabe are continuously made more complex in this installment! The level of pining, forbidden desire, and angst left me wanting to read into the early hours of the morning. While I am not usually enticed by “love triangles,” Whitten did an exceptional job of incorporating this theme while still making it genuine, realistic, and rather fun to read. The atmosphere and tone of Whitten’s prose elevates this fantasy in lovely gothic and romantic ways. Amongst the twists, turns, and discoveries, you cannot help but to feel immersed in this story and love the characters. While our main characters are flawed in their own ways, I cannot wait to see where Whitten takes their story next in the final book. I am waiting on baited breath!!

Sequels are always tricky, especially when you know it's not a duology. How will this second book propel the story forward without feeling like filler? I think Hannah Whitten did an excellent job at answering this question. The book picks up pretty much right after the events of the first, which I appreciated. There's a lot to unpack with all three of our leads and I'm glad we didn't skip over much. As you can imagine, it's still a very tangled web of feelings/emotions/duties between our three main characters and even as the story progresses it doesn't ever simplify itself. A lot of is unveiled and while a few times I found the pace dragging a bit, I still was all in for the ending and the setup for what's coming next. This series is a lot of fun and angst and I'm so excited for the next book.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy of the book.

This one...someone said in the reviews that Lore is the passenger in the story...and I wholeheartedly agree.

Personally, I think my ick with how the story is unveiling is the fact that I do not like Lore as the protagonist.

Its giving boring.

Honestly, if Bastien or Anton was the protagonist, I feel like the payoff would be so much for inticing, and the impact of what Whitten was trying to do would actually hit more...because Lore ain't the move at all.

But, it's much less boring than the first book...and it didn't give the middle book syndrome.

Dont get me wrong though, I was still BORED.

One of my most anticipated reads of the year, Hemlock Queen, did not disappoint. The second of the Nightshade Trilogy (following Foxglove Queen), the book continues the long strand of chaos unfurling—in fact, the pages ignite that chaos into a beautiful strand of pandemonium that is Hemlock Queen. The sort of pandemonium that keeps your full attention, wanting for more.

This book has bite. Teeth, that do not spare the characters, the plot, and the setup for the next book. Whitten has created an atmospheric novel full of dreary, deadly catacombs, warring gods that are so viscerally unaware of the consequences of their actions, and most importantly, vengeful mortals.

Without giving spoilers for those who haven’t delved into the The Nightshade Crown Trilogy, Hemlock Queen not only satisfies as a second installment, but stands alone as a compelling, page-turning story. Every chapter ended on a precipice, and kept me rushing forward for more.

Hemlock Queen includes:

- Deeply wound, intricate lore
- Found family
- Gothic, Venetian catacomb vibes
- Pointy pairings
- Many shades of morally grey characters
- Enemies…more enemies

Hannah Whitten is always an auto-buy for me. I adore her prose, the undercurrent of thematic elements she so masterfully plants (and often times uproots) in her novels, and the environments she shapes. For those who loved Foxglove King, you’ll adore Hemlock Queen.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC!

Review will also be posted in just a few days on my Instragram (link is included)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. (via Netgalley)

I enjoyed this installment. Bastian kind of gave me later series Tamlin vibes and tbh, even without that, I wasn't really feeling the relationship between him and Lore. Though I guess I wouldn't be opposed to throuple if they got their s together lol. I liked the addition of the gods and am curious where the next will go.

An absolutely breathtaking read, this is Whitten's best work yet! I really liked The Foxglove King, but I adore The Hemlock Queen! Her compelling and lavish storytelling had me completely immersed. The world-building is fantastic. The character development and dynamics are flawless! The plot is unpredictable, full of secrets, betrayal, and lies that had my jaw on the floor by the end and left me reeling. I did feel the pacing was slightly off in the beginning, but other than that, it was perfect. This definitely exceeded my expectations, and I can't wait to see where the story goes. I i highly recommend for fantasy lovers who like dark, gothic, atmospheric stories with political intrigue and romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this eARC!

I was anxiously waiting for this book since finishing Foxglove King last year. Hemlock Queen dives deeper into the religious trauma of the Kingdom, learning the back story of their Sainted Gods. Second books in trilogies can be rough, but Hannah did a great job in not making the story feel clunky or boring. She writes so well and weaves such an incredibly unique gothic story. Now to wait another year for book 3 because of course it ended on a cliff hanger 😅

💋/🌶️

A fantastic follow up to The Foxglove King. Beautiful prose, world-building that sucks you in, and of course. the characters. I can't get enough of Lore, Bastian, Gabe, and their dynamic. This sequel also built on a few side characters, both new and known, in a way that really expanded the world. As the middle of a trilogy, this entry was rightly tense. I was worried for my book-friends the whole time and, well, still am. But I guess I'll just have to stay stressed until the third book.

There's a little more spice in this one. A few more signs that we'll finally see the day when this love triangle becomes a throuple. 🤞 More Gods, more monsters, more intrigue. This was everything I loved about Foxglove King turned up to 11, and I can't see what Hannah Whitten has in store for us in book 3.

Thank you SO MUCH to Orbit and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this. It picks up right where the first book left off and starts with a bang! It has one of the most unique magic systems I've read in a while and the characters are very interesting. Can't wait for the third!

I really enjoyed this book. Felt it kept me engaged and I really connected with the characters. Would recommend

This book was good, it has everything needed to be great but Whitten tends to start off her books fairly slow it seems. This story being the second installment in the series takes place right after a big event in the first books but for some reason it doesn’t start picking up pace until around 60-70% then it’s just chaos in the last bits of the book.

I was really hoping to see a little more character development in lore and the others that just never seemed to make it to the surface, but will hopefully pick up on the next book.

All in all I definitely will be watching for the next book because even if Hannah’s writing style is not my cup of tea the story has so much potential.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

This is such a a fantastic second installment in this trilogy. The love triangle and agonizingly slow burn from the first book continues, but with even more political and religious complications in Lore, Bastian, Gabe, and their friends' lives. I loved getting to know Alie and Malcolm more, and of course enjoyed seeing Lore explore her relationships with Bastian and Gabe. This book was much more emotional than the first and had me on the verge of tears toward the end. Hannah Whitten does an incredible job forging an emotional connection between characters and readers in this book, even in third person perspective. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy and romantasy readers! 4.5 stars.

Thank you, Orbit Books, Hannah Whitten, and Netgalley for an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to book 3!

I fell in love with The Foxglove King from the first chapter. The amount of times I checked Netgalley for the ARC of Hemlock Queen is something that I shouldn’t even mention. To say I’ve been waiting for this book for a while would be quite the understatement.
I think I can honestly say I had no idea where this book would go. I reread the first in preparation for this middle novel, and I still had no idea what was about to occur when picking up the second.
There were parts throughout the novel where I felt that Lore lost some of her mighty independence and hard core attitude she had in the first novel. But overall, I felt that Whitten did a pretty amazing job at keeping characters at the level in which book one ended, but also helped each one of them grow as the novel went on.
Whitten is a master at creating worlds. While I might not totally want to visit there myself, I enjoyed learning new things and figuring out the ways in which those things worked.

This was one of my most anticipated reads and it didn't disappoint. Somehow it was even better than the first. Hannah Whitten can do no wrong.

Thank you Orbit for my free ARC of The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten — available Apr 9!

Read this if you:
👑 read and loved the first book, [book:The Foxglove King|61237041]
🖤 get invested in unique magic systems in your fantasy
☘️ are a big fan of not making decisions — ya know, why choose and all

After the death of the king, Lore, Bastian, and Gabriel now make up the ruling triumvirate of Dellaire. But things are still delicate, as tensions are still high between the three of them, war looms on the horizon, and the citizens are wary of Lore being treated as a queen. Lore is trying to help Bastian, who seems to be struggling, but she's also dealing with a nagging voice in her own head. Can they stabilize the country, or will everything they've built crash down around them?

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, and I did enjoy the heck out of it, but it was not quite as enthralling as The Foxglove King. I found the first half of the book to be incredibly slow — lots of hashing and re-hashing the same inner monologue for Lore — but the second half was a whirlwind and I loved it. More of that, please! Second books in trilogies are always tough, and I'm hoping the final installment knocks it out of the park.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely devoured the Foxglove king so naturally the Hemlock Queen was one of my most anticipated releases for this year. I struggled with the first half of the book as the pacing was on the slower side and felt repetitive while waiting for Lore to figure out what was happening in her head and Bastians. It took too long for Lore to have the a ha moment and to concede enough power to finally unravel the background of the gods.

However once the background was revealed the pacing was excellent! Learning about how the gods came to be through memories was so enjoyable I forgot to sleep until I finished the book. The world building is again top notch and I felt as though I could imagine exactly how court would be if it existed. I am so invested in these characters and was truly impressed with Hannah Whitten’s ability to give us just enough that the characters feel well developed while still slowly revealing more details of their pasts and experiences to keep us intrigued to learn more. I absolutely adore Bastian and Gabe and how complicated they are. I suspect the conclusion of this story will leave me mourning the quips and banter between our main trio.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
The Hemlock Queen by Hannah Whitten
Book 2 - The Nightshade Crown
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.1875/5
🌶️ A Little Spice
Fantasy, Romance, New Adult
Multi POV
➳ Love Triangle
➳ Character Driven
➳ Enemies to Lovers to Enemies
➳ Betrayal
➳ Deadly Secrets
➳ Plot Twists Galore
➳ Fate
➳ Prophecies

✨ “Maybe they could put all the mess of a month ago behind them for the greater good.

Lore had never been very interested in the greater good.“ ✨
Hannah Whitten delivers a character driven, action packed sequel to The Foxglove King filled with banter, plot twists, a bit of steam and lore.

📚📚📚

❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧

I’d like to preface this review by saying, i’m not a fan of love triangles. At the end of the day I always have a clear winner i’m shipping and am annoyed if they take long to end up together. Well… Hannah Whitten you devious little minx… for once i don’t actually know who to support. I’d like to say i can see where we are being led and how things will play out in future books but if there’s one thing hannah whitten loves… it’s a plot twist that leaves you shutting the book and pacing frantically around the room for a few minutes.

Some “second books” in trilogies manage to outperform and beat out the first book, and some fall short. This sequel definitely did not fall short and somehow managed to pack in loads of lore and set ups for the final book of the trilogy.

I struggled to list out any of the tropes as i generally would in my reviews because it felt too spoilery to do so. What i would like to do is squash anyone’s fears that Bastian is changed from the loveable dark horse from the first book. There were no character assassinations here. We still love him… quite honestly, more.
The ending was a kick in the teeth and has left me eager to get my hands on the final book…

Fans of throne of glass(especially Dorian)… for reasons i will not expand on to prevent spoilers… this is a good read for you.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

💖
LIKES:
⋆ Dark Magic
⋆ This book really expanded on the lore from the first book.
⋆ Conspiracy/History rewritten. without giving spoilers if you’re a fan of characters discovering they’ve been lied to about their history… read this book.
⋆ chosen *ones* instead of a solo chosen character to fight fate. This crew really does work better as a team when they’re willing to work together.

❤️‍🩹
DISLIKES:
⋆ This is me being fussy… but i would love if this didn’t end up as a love triangle/why choose trilogy, but i know that why choose is a popular trope for a reason and that may very well be the reason readers love this book.

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 4/5
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4.25/5
Plot ➷ ✅ 4/5
Relationships ➷ ✅ 4.5/5

Thank you to the Hannah Whitten, Orbit, Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.