Bleeding with folklore, adorned in the atmosphere of a sentient forest, and hung with tension and yearning so thick you can feel it like a mist curling around your heart, A DARK AND DROWNING TIDE is the Jewish, sapphic romantasy of ones dreams.

A Dark and Drowning Tide was full of folklore and gothic vibes. I love an adventure on the seas, search for a magical object (or water source?), and sapphic romance and this had all 3. Sylvia and Lorelai are the grumpy/sunshine I didn't know I needed.

I SO BADLY wanted to love this. And I really thought I would.

I had so much hope for this, especially after loving A Fragile Enchantment so much. A sapphic academic rivals to lovers book is right up my alley, but I just didn't get as into it as I was hoping. I'm not really sure what it was that didn't mesh so much with me, but I just ended up being bored for a majority of the book.

This is totally a me thing, because I know that some books are more character driven than plot driven. And I am okay with a slow moving plot, but I have to totally love the characters to make up for it, and I just didn't feel much connection towards them. A lot of the characters are really just insufferable rude people and again, I can have unlikable characters as long as we also have some good ones to balance it out. And while the 2 main characters are okay, I didn't grow attached or really deeply care for their relationship.
The relationship seemed kind of forced, like it didn't get enough build up. We went from such strong hatred and despise straight to them being in love in a way that just felt disjointed to me. I wanted to see more pining and angst, more will they won't they. I think this book could have benefited from a second POV from Sylvia, so we could see more of what she was feeling and what was going on inside her head. I believe this would have helped with the pacing of the relationship.
One part of the book I really enjoyed and would have liked to see explored more was the mystery and investigating of the murder that takes place on the ship. Part of what kept me reading was to find out what happened and who killed the person.

Take solace in the fact that I seem to be the only one so far who didn't absolutely love this. I definitely see why people are raving about this in the early buzz, it just sadly wasn't my favorite. I will definitely read more from the author though!

Beautiful. Gorgeous. Perfect. No notes.

Honestly though, this is hands down, going to be one of my favorite reads from this year. I intend for it to be my entire personality during Autumn.

This is a beautifully atmospheric fantasy romance. The world and the folklore are vivid, dark, and lovely. A romance, a murder mystery, and an epic quest set in a politically charged backdrop- this has everything I want in a standalone fantasy.

The slow-burn sapphic academic rivals to lovers plot is so deliciously paced and is enhanced by the single POV from Lorelei. Being inside her head, feeling her animosity, her stubbornness, her yearning- it was ALL to die for. I could ramble for days about how much I love Lorelei as a character. She has so much self-loathing and locks her emotions up so tightly. It's just so delectable watching her spiral and lose control over Sylvia von Wolff. And Sylvia is such an effervescent and wonderful balance to all of Lorelei's brooding. UGH. I adore them.

Anyways, yes. You should read this.

Allison’s adult debut captivated me from start to finish. This sapphic academic rivals-to-lovers tale masterfully blends dark whimsy, evocative prose, and an intoxicating dose of yearning. Both Lorelei and Sylvia are formidable women (but also precious beans) that I love deeply. I was constantly screaming “just kiss already!!!” at my book. This story is a perfect balance of tension and tenderness, and I loved every second of it.

Thank you NetGalley, Del Rey, and Allison Saft for an ARC of this book.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for the eARC of this title!!**

While I loved the rivals to lovers aspects of this title and enjoyed exploring the relationship between Lorelei and Sylvia - the world-building didn't do as much for me as I would have hoped.

I went into this book expecting dark academia vibes with vibrant explorations of the natural world. Saft delivered some of that, but I didn't find the world to be as enchanting as those built in similar title likes Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia series. I do think I might have enjoyed this a bit more if I went in with a different mindset, but unfortunately I was left wanting with this one.

This book clearly has found its audience and I'm bummed that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as a lot of people did. I think anyone that enjoys sapphic fantasy with a focus on characters and relationships will really love this one. If you are looking for more plot and adventure - I would recommend going in with sightly lowered expectations.

This was a first novel for me by this author and I know I will read more. In general,  I enjoyed the overall aesthetic of dark academia with folklore, and her writing style always easily flowed off the page for the most part.

I felt connected to Lorelei immediately and loved the banter between her and Sylvia. The combination of grumpy x sunshine with the slow burn led to some beautiful tension and gorgeous passionate moments as the story progressed. The added element of political intrigue with the murder mystery added some depth to their story. It actually feels as if these characters might have more to tell in the future. 

Since Lorelei is a folklorist, the story is heavy with fairy tales that are interspersed at moments where Lorelei feels a connection to what is currently happening. I like how Saft used that device to provide more insight to the other characters and their motivations or to even provide some foreshadowing. I also enjoyed the sharp wit with conversations among the characters. I definitely questioned motives and felt the complications in their relationships while also chuckling at the humorous commentary that was often sarcastic.

Based on this first experience, I look forward to reading more from this author!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
A Dark and Drowning Tide was the dark sapphic fairytale of my dreams… Equal parts intriguing and romantic, this book blends romance, adventure and murder mystery into something really incredible.
Allison Saft truly excels at creating lush and atmospheric fantasy worlds, and her writing is so lovely. All the different countries and cultures felt fully realized, each with their own unique folklore, political motivations, environment, etc. The same goes for the characters - despite being a larger ensemble cast of six, each one was distinct and complex. The way folklore and fairy tales were interspersed throughout was so interesting and immersive. The magic system was one of the only things that didn’t feel fully concrete, especially the ‘cost’ of doing magic, but water as a medium for magic was a really cool and creative concept.

Lorelei was an especially interesting main character; I loved her viper’s tongue & wit, and her determination & strength. She just felt so grounded, I could really feel and empathize with her loneliness and anger with the world, and how her worldview shifts as she develops feelings for Sylvia. Sylvia was so full of wonder and whimsy - I loved reading about her as a naturalist and her interactions with the magical creatures. Their romance was perfectly slow-burn and I absolutely love academic rivals-to-lovers - the tension, the chemistry, the bickering… all of it was just so perfect.

The only part that didn’t land for me was the ending. It felt a little unsatisfying, kind of like the characters went in a big circle and didn’t change or accomplish anything, or that their expedition was kind of pointless, even though the blending of science and magic was so interesting to read about. Overall, Allison Saft remains one of my faves for fantasy romance - she’s just too good at creating complex, fully rendered characters that belong together… and, of course, the yearning!! I would highly recommend A Dark and Drowning Tide!

This has so many of my favorite things wrapped into one book: dark academia, folklore-inspired fantasy, sapphic romance, and slow(ish) burn.
The beginning was slow. I was worried it was going to cause me to DNF, but once I got about 10-15% in, I was devouring the book. It is heavy on the action and lighter on the romance, but the build up was so satisfying. Overall, this was right between a 3.5 and 3.75 for me, so I'm rounding up because the atmosphere Saft created kept me hooked.

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Allison Saft is more than talented at creating vivid atmospheres and settings within her books (the setting for this one reminded me slightly of her debut, Down Comes The Night). While this started off slow, I found the tone of the book to be the most interesting aspect.

At the onset of quest to find the Ursprung, Lorelai's mentor and professor is murdered and throws the entire expedition into chaos. We follow an eclectic mix of characters as they try to find the source of all magic -- but for what purpose?

As a big fan of the rest of this author's work, this one took slightly longer to get into. I wanted more time with the worldbuilding in the beginning because it was a lot upfront, but that wasn't the main focus of this story, per se.

Earlier reviews have been a bit divisive, especially over Lorelai being unlikable and difficult, etc. I liked how Lorelai's edges were rough. Her life hasn't been easy and she carries around a lot of unresolved trauma and cultural expectations, all of which are reasonable in the context of our real world and the book's setting. Her pushing others away and being antagonistic is a defense mechanism that I and many others can relate to.

Sylvia, the love interest, is the exact opposite of Lorelai and her characterization was so interesting to read from Lorelai's perspective. The romance in this is not as well developed as her other books, but I think it's due to story focusing more on the expedition and journey. Sylvia's pining for Lorelai is quite obvious even though Lorelai is oblivious to it (which was endearing, honestly). The mystery and murder aspect of this was also good as a backdrop for the tricky relationships with the rest of the crew members. However, most of the expedition members are not really likable or terribly redeemable.

Overall, it is not my favorite by this author but still think it's a strong adult fantasy debut. If you want a sapphic, atmospheric read I think you'll enjoy this one! This is out on September 17th of this year!

Thank you to the publisher Del Rey and Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy. This did not affect my review in any way.

This dark academia folklore rivals to lovers book seemed like something I would love .However, I ended up DNFing this one . I was unable to connect with the characters and they were very immature. The vibes and atmosphere hit the mark and Saft writes well but for me, it’s all about the characters and this one just fell flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

Very atmospheric the vibes of this book is perfect for the fall season. I don’t think the authors writing is for me. DNFing for now

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing me with an eARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide in exchange for my honest review!

As far as sapphic fantasy romance novels go, I get some charm out of this choice, although it doesn't stand out to me as much as I'd like it to. The tension between Lorelei and Sylvia creates a compelling element that helps me ride with their rivals-to-lovers dynamic. But it seems like the emotions of their relationship should hit me on a deeper level, and they just don't reach that point. I also don't find the worldbuilding for Brunnestaad to be all that memorable compared to all the other fantasy landscapes I've explored in books. All in all, I wish I could have a stronger and more positive opinion on A Dark and Drowning Tide, but I'm still glad I gave it a try, and the cover is certainly gorgeous. I'm officially rating the book three out of five stars.

3.25 star, 0.75 spice one fade to black

Thank you to Delrey and NetGalley for the e-arc and Penguin Random house Audio for the ALC

ADADT was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and… I am unfortunately disappointed. From what I saw this was advertised as a lush fantasy and sapphic romance. Though technically we got those things, it was not the focus.

What I liked;
- There is not doubt that Allison Saft writes beautiful, vivid environments. I transported to all of these different places and had no trouble at all visualizing them.

<i>the sun succeeded in burning away the mist. The landscape had transformed from the dismal marshes that stretched over the central empire to mountain ranges that scraped the bellies of the clouds. They were tall and jagged as a dragon’s spine, as if one had folded up its wings and laid down its head to rest.</i>

- The integration of folklore was very interesting. Lorelei regularly references different tales for a myriad of reasons; to understand the other characters, to support her own self hatred and to find reasons why she won’t get what she wants to be happy, and to use as guides when searching for the Ursprung.

<i> Back in the days when wishes still held power…</i>

- Saft did a good job integrating her Jewish heritage into Lorelei. The framework of the story heavily relies on the injustices, prejudices and persecution of the Yevanisch people. We see real examples of what was done to the Jewish community (and others) leading into WW2. As well as references to whether or not different food would be considered Kosher, and mentions of how Jewish people “Yevani” respect and handle someone who has passed.
- *As there is currently a very real genocide happening right now, I do want to note that Saft has been a vocal supporter of Palestinians.


What I did not like:
- There was just something completely missing on the character side. I had trouble differentiating and visualizing any of the secondary characters. I even went back and relistened to the entire book and only caught one sentence description of Ludwig and of one of the women. The idea that all these side characters were best friends was strange. It felt like there was a whole history there, that we never really learn or understand.

- Transitioning between scenes I was lost. This may be an audiobook issue, but we would be in the middle of a conversation and I was confused at to when we went from the boat to the forest. Once I was in one environment I could easily visualize it, but there was a lack of separation or description when switching scenes.

- Lorelei’s self hatred and doubt became a turn off. I felt she had internalized some of the antisemistism, to the point where she was almost wholly unlikeable as a character.

- The romance.. What romance? I don’t even think this constitutes as slow burn. Because though the ‘romance’ was super later in the book, there was pretty much no transition between Rivals to Lovers. It truly came out of nowhere. Being that this was so heavily marketed as a sapphic romance I did not expect (are wish) for it to be an extremely slow burn subplot.

- Depth to the main characters. There were moments when we saw flashes of Lorelei’s trauma and I felt something for her. We needed more explanation on her trauma around death. For Sylvia, I don’t feel like I ever figured out what her trauma was from? Lorelei learns her life isn’t as perfect and easy as she thought, but I honestly couldn’t tell you much about Sylvia apart from her hair and her caring for the fantastical creatures.

- Along with the main character depth, I needed more for me to care about the death of their Mentor. I needed to see how Lorelei especially was shaped by her. The death had no impact.

- The murder mystery plot line was wayyyy too much of this book. It felt half baked. Every time someone was a suspect it was based on basically nothing. It read very YA to me.

- In the end it felt a bit pro-colonialism? I just don’t feel assured that getting the approval of your oppressor is going to be the best way to help your people? But maybe there will be another book to sort that out?

- And back to the issues around the Marketing, I also was expecting this to be a high medieval style Fantasy. It absolutely is not, and I did not realize that till halfway through when it was mentioned the boat had smokestacks. It’s more like either late 1800s, early 1900s in terms of the cities and tech, and then they travel via steamboat to these more fantastical places. If you decide to read this, hopefully going in knowing that will help you get settled into the story faster.

If it weren’t for the beautifully lucious writing around the world and fantasy creatures this would have been a total bust for me. Bummer.

The writing of this book was amazing. It was elegant and enticing and draws the reader in and keeps them engaged, wanting more! The world building was a little confusing initially but everything was described in great detail. The romance was kind of intense ina short period of time, I wish it had been a bit more gradual and sometimes it was hard to feel connected to them and their feelings.

This was my first time reading from Allison Saft and it did not disappoint in the slightest. This was such a good time. Saft's writing style was so rich and tangible it made reading this book so much more enjoyable. The writing style also lends this book to being super enjoyable upon re-read as well. This was like a gothic, dark academia, murder mystery, fantasy with a slight sapphic romance, and I ate it up. This book checks off every single box for me in terms of things I look for when picking up a book. I can absolutely see myself recommending this to a lot of different types of readers since it mashes up so many different genres/sub-genres. Now I'm going to go back and pick up Saft's YA work because this was so good.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of a sapphic academic rivals to lovers felt too good to be true and, for me at least, it looks like it was.

Lorelei is our narrator throughout the book. An outcast in an already established group of characters is not very fun or insightful when the MC refuses to make any effort. She was pretty insufferable through and through. I liked her perspective as an outsider as it related to her nationality but personality wise, it really didn’t do the story any favors.

The writing was decent but the plot and worldbuilding felt very messy. I think dual POV would have been the better choice here, for me at least. Sylvia could’ve filled the gaps.

Overall, not for me. I think Saft’s A Fragile Enchantment was a better book if you want to give her a shot.

As my first Allison Saft novel, I was super excited to be entranced by a new author. Her writing style was easy to follow and we got the sapphic gothic vibe right from the jump! The slow burn romance was my favorite part and the story of Lorelei and Sylvie was brought through a beautifully written, forbidden love lense.
My only issue is that I ended up not being excited for the story unless both main female characters were on the page. The rest of the characters didn’t appeal to me so some of their conversations were lacking.
Otherwise, I can’t wait to read more of Saft’s backlog and get a better feel for her books.

This book kept me hooked from the start. Definitely brooding and dark academia. Overall a great read!

Lorelei and Sylvia are the top students of their mentor in school. So it is no surprise when they are both chosen to accompany a well known group on their next expedition, at the behest of the King. However, Lorelei and Sylvia have been "competitors" their whole life, trying to out-do the other in the their studies. As the expedition begins Lorelei is left feeling out of place in comparison to the other expedition members coming from well-to-do families, while she was raised impoverished and an "outcast" in their city. So when the leader, Lorelei's mentor is murdered on the expedition, her role changes drastically, and her safety becomes questioned. She then finds that the only one she could possibly trust is her "enemy" Sylvia.

I really enjoyed this novel, and this it could be a good beginning to what could be its own "universe". The story was well-constructed, and although I believe there could have been some more details and backstory included, it read well, and kept my interest the whole time. I liked the mix of adventure as well and the "romance" and LGBTQ discussions.

I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys the romantasy world, but is okay with the less spicy of the books, and the more adventure heavy reads.