I'm such an Allison Saft fan that I will read anything she puts out, no matter what it is, but this one was particularly good. While nothing has come close to touching "A Far Wilder Magic" as my favorite Saft book, this one was particularly good. Lorelai and Sylvia were SUCH a grand contrasted pair, and they *almost* fit the "enemies to lovers" bill that I'm looking for (though these two are definitely still just academic rivals and NOT true enemies).

The supporting cast was great, the magic was very fun and dreamy, and the adventure had me holding my breath at points. It's knocked down a star solely because there were a few points that didn't feel as fleshed out as I wanted them to be, but nothing that was so glaring that I feel I need to mention it here.

If you're looking for a good, cozy-ish fantasy with a sweet, sapphic romance this fall/winter, pick this one up! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

I liked it but didn't love it. I gave it 4 stars because the romance was sweet, but the plot felt uneven for me.

“Where is your sense of wonder?”

“Where’s your spirit of adventure?”

If you have read any of Allison Saft’s previous books you know that she has armed her books with enough wonder and adventure for its entirety so buckle up and enjoy the ride! A Dark and Drowning Tide is a sapphic fantasy romance and within its story there are themes of colonization, classism and prejudice, and anti-Semitism which is steadily developed throughout the book. Our main characters Lorelei Kaskel, a grumpy yet pragmatic folklorist and Sylvia von Wolff, a whimsical naturalist; naturally these two are academic rivals and are characteristically a typical grumpy x sunshine pair. When tasked with bringing the King the magic from a magical spring, Lorelei and Sylvia find themselves joined at the hip as they try to unravel the mystery of who murdered the expedition leader.

That’s the main gist of the story! Now like A Far Wilder Magic, this story is quite character driven but also there is that strong plot line of locating this magical source for the King that drives Lorelei’s actions. Not only that but her background as a Yeva and how her people are treated makes her all the more motivated to complete this mission in order to possibly earn herself the ability to travel freely in the lands. All this to say, there’s a lot at stake for her and enlisting the help of Sylvia is a bit of a double edged sword for Lorelei as her feelings for Sylvia are complicated to say the least. Sylvia as a character brings the balance to Lorelei’s practicalness; she is very in tune with nature and its species—which is yet another theme that is very relevant to today’s society. She sees the good in everyone and every situation which is her double edged sword because it also makes her quite vulnerable.

The world building in this was nothing like I expected, there was a bit of gore and body horror in this so that’s something to be mindful of when picking this book up! Besides that I think the world being on the brink of civil unrest because of the colonization that’s taking place and the King wanting to bring the different lands together by using this magic is very relatable to today’s political climate in the world. I just wish our main characters weren’t so accepting of it, whereas our “villain” is very pro-revolution and wants to strip the King of his power. That was my interpretation of it at least, I definitely think there could’ve been more push back from Lorelei and Sylvia.

Another aspect of this book that was enjoyable were the folklore tales woven into the story which always correlated to what Lorelei was experiencing at the moment and would help guide her decisions as well. It was a nice way to tie the story together to build on the world building.

The romance in this book was perfect, there was a bit of yearning and tension sprinkled throughout the book slowly picking up heat as they isolate themselves from the expedition and venture on their own. It was amazing to read and see Lorelei especially open up to Sylvia bit by bit. The romance was subtle but the way it was written was flawlessly done. I am a huge fan of behind closed doors or “fade to black” romance because it just makes those moments feel extra special between characters.

This book is incredibly rich in folklore and sapphic yearning so if those are two things that appeal to your senses, I would highly recommend picking up this book!

Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

✨5 stars!!✨

Thank you Del Rey and Netgalley for this eARC!!

This book just ticked so many tropes I love it was impossible not to love this.

• Sapphic
• Academic rivals to lovers
• A weird forest
• Folklore/myth based fantasy
• PINNING AND YEARNING

I was so excited for this book for most of this year and it didn't disappoint at all. I'm so thankful I have the Illumicrate edition 😭

A big thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had an inkling that Allison Saft would become one of my favorite authors of all time after reading Down Comes the Night. But with this book, that is an absolutely fact.

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft is a dark/gothic fantasy novel that follows Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist with a quick temper and an even quicker wit, who is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness in order to secure his reign over the embattled country of Brunnestaad. Lorelei is determined to use this opportunity to prove herself and make her wildest, most impossible dream come true: to become a naturalist, able to travel freely to lands she’s only read about.
The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader—Lorelei’s beloved mentor—is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are the five remaining expedition mates, each with their own motive. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, the insufferably gallant and maddeningly beautiful Sylvia von Wolff. Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again—and a coup begins in earnest. But there are other dangers lurking in the dark: forests that rearrange themselves at night, rivers with slumbering dragons hiding beneath the water, and shapeshifting beasts out for blood. As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth—and resist their growing feelings for each other—they discover that their leader had secrets of her own. Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, and if this kingdom is worth saving at all.

I just.....this book..... UGH. IT is amazing. And dark. And adorable. And THE YEARNING. I just *can't*. I need more by Allison Saft like now.

The stunning cover of A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft immediately caught my attention, but it was the story that kept me hooked. Set in a coastal town cloaked in mystery, the book follows a young healer navigating family secrets, forbidden magic, and a slow-burn romance that will tug at your heartstrings. Saft’s writing is gorgeously atmospheric, with a setting that feels alive—storms, salt air, and all. The characters are layered and dynamic, and the blend of intrigue, emotion, and a touch of gothic danger makes this a page-turner. If you love books that balance whimsy with heartache, this one is a must-read!

This book released about a month ago, but I held off on submitting a review in case I managed to pick it back up later. I'm not sure the romance subplot is something I will ever enjoy, if I happen to try reading this again in the coming months, but I really enjoyed the unfolding mystery that seems to be the central plotline for this book. I DNF'd this at 55% because it wasn't hitting the right way for me at the time. I think people who love YA, dark academia vibes, and unique magic systems. I'm hoping to come back to this soon, but it's not the right time for me now.

A rich fantasy world that is inspired from German folklore interlaced with antisemitism, where Lorelei, a grumpy folklore specialist, must team up with her effervescent academic rival to solve the murder of their mentor on a treacherous quest to find the source of magic to shore up a threatened kingdom. All the members of the expedition have motives: jealousy, political intrigue, survival of their people to name a few. Secret plots and blood thirsty animals and plants may not be as dangerous to Lorelei's dreams for herself and her people as her own heart.

A lot is packed into this fantasy without it being an epic long read. The characters have depth and realistic drives while the politics are complicated. You can easily recognize the forces in the past of Europe and unfortunately some parallels to today. But the world is different enough from ours, filled with rich detail and magic to beguile you away from being chained to this world. With plenty of action it moves you along to an exciting climax where love and hope have a place along with compromise.

I really enjoyed. I definitely recommend. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

A Dark and Drowning Tide
4.5/5
Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley!

I FLEW through this novel!

Thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, saft's writing is immersive and filled with beautifully dark Imagery. The highlight of this book had to be the main character. I found it very interesting (and refreshing) to read from the dark and brooding love interest’s POV instead of the self-insert perfect female MCs you typically see in fantasy nowadays. 

I also really enjoyed how the author sprinkled little folktales throughout the book. It made the main character feel like a folklorist, and I’m glad that part of the MC was not just brushed to the side and forgotten when it was no longer convenient to the plot. 

The only reason I did not give this one a five-star review is that I predicted the ‘twist,’ but even then, I was still thoroughly entertained, so I’m not too upset by it.

Overall, this book was delightful! I cannot wait to check out more from this author and to see what stories she comes up with next!

Thank you to PRH audio for the audiobook and PRH Ballantine for the eARC. I loved fragile enchantment I would recommend it multiple times over. This book has that same quality of writing but didn’t hit the same magic for me plot wise. The magic system and worldbuilding was there, the scenery so vivid and I love this author’s imagination. What was lacking for me were the interpersonal development and dynamics. I didn’t realize going in all the members of the cohort had backstory with each other but it’s all told to us and made me wish for this to be an entirely different book such as them back in a dark academia setting in their initial meeting and schooling.

Overall I just didn’t find this compelling. There’s nothing significant that sticks out over just the overall meh vibe. The whodunit within the cohort was really interesting to me as to why I wanted to read this book in the first place but with the telling not showing of the side characters I didn’t really feel emotionally engaged either way.

I really loved the vibes this books gave, but the plot, to me, wasn’t very well executed. My main issue was the world building, I felt confused by it and I had a hard time figuring out what was going on. Maybe that’s just me.

I do believe the characters are very well written, but Lorelei and Sylvia acted like teens rather than mature adults. I didn’t enjoy this and it fell flat to me.

Maybe this isn’t my genre or writing type.

If you like or even love sapphic gothic academic rivals-to-lovers, slow burn with gothic folklore then this is for you.

This was such a whimsical and mysterious read. The whodunnit aspect was handled pretty well, paced throughout the story in an easy to follow way. There’s ample suspicion to all of the characters, and I was definitely guessing at what was coming next, without feeling lost. But the real star of the show is the rivalry between Lorelei and Sylvia, two academics that have been pitted against each other for years. Throughout this trip yearning and angst finally reached a boiling point, overflowing through the story. Their sapphic tension absolutely served.

3⭐️

The only thing about this that I liked was that it’s sapphic. This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and something about them just doesn’t do it for me. Things happened, but nothing was memorable. I wanted to like this more than I did, especially because the cover art is so beautiful.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is not really my cup of tea. It is a dark academic political fantasy where each character has a lust for power and betrayal is at the heart of many decisions.

I did enjoy the love hate relationship that Sylvia and Lorelei share throughout the book. I was pleased with the ending.

If you are looking for dark academic fantasy with sapphic relationships this might be for you. It wasn't really for me.

5✰ // A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft is a truly spell-binding story that is steeped in Jewish folklore. A Dark and Drowning Tide features a fantasy setting that is both reminiscent of dark academia and has maritime themes. The queer longing and pinning, as well as, the way the dynamic between Lorelei and Sylvia unfolds is what really kept me engaged throughout the book. The mystery elements were done well, yet i do believe that the pacing could’ve been improved upon in some aspects. however, the romance, fantasy, and folklore aspects of the book were done so well that i really don’t think that the pacing detracted from my enjoyment of the story overall. i would highly recommend reading A Dark and Drowning Tide if queer, new adult fantasy is something you enjoy and i would implore you to read it if you are a folklore or dark academia fan.

thank you so much to Del Rey and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC!

I enjoyed this and am still thinking about it a year later. There is an interesting cast of characters to learn about, and the worldbuilding made me wish this could be a duology. There is a fascinating world set up in this book, and I really loved learning more and more about it as the story progressed. The murder mystery also allowed for an intriguing plot the whole way through that kept me reading.

I decided to request this because I have heard people compare Allison Saft's books to fanfiction, in a positive way, and I have never read one of her books before. This book did feel like fanfiction, in a way that I found to have both a positive and negative effect on my reading experience. I felt like like it was well written as you could tell that Saft had a lot of love for each of her characters and the world around them. However, this is also where I struggled. I constantly felt like there was information about the characters that Saft knew and referenced as if the readers would know it too, but they wouldn't as they don't know about whatever backstory was written for them. Maybe things were cut? Regardless, I found myself having to ignore these instances and push past, but I wish that I didn't have to.

Wonderful!! Allison Saft is a master at her craft and I truly believe she can write anything she sets her mind to. What a way to set the tone for the season. A must read!

A Dark and Drowning Tide is another book that was almost a DNF for me, but luckily I got ahold of the audiobook and finished the last 20% on a long drive. The premise of a backpack fantasy murder mystery with sapphic academic rivals to lovers is right up my alley. Unfortunately, this fell short.

The story is set in a Germanic fantasy world where the king is bent on uniting all people who speak the same language. Each member of the explorer party is a child of the rulers of the colonized nations. Most of them have served in the king's army. Lorelai is the group's folklorist. Unlike the others, she is a Yeva. That is this world's version of Jewish, so she faces a lot of hatred, as was typical of pre-war Germany.

The group is on a mission to find the Ursprung, a mystical watersource that will bring great power to their king. On the way, the leader of the group is murdered. They must solve the mystery and continue on to find the Ursprung while avoiding faerie creatures throughout the wilds.

The idea of a folklorist was a great one. In execution, it ended up interrupting too much at the beginning. Lorelai's inner monologue provided so many asides that by the time the adventure began, I felt no connection to any of the other characters.

I enjoyed Lorelai's determination throughout the story. The variety of creatures we were introduced to was great as well but I wish that we got more of the folklore behind them. The magic is also unique, with certain people being able to control water. Plus, despite the racism, there is no opposition to queer romance in this world.

I feel like this book could have benefitted from being a duology. It felt like the book lacked world building, relationship building, and backgrounds. It did not have the depth I was looking for or the more fantastic aspects of fantasy I enjoy. This was more of a group of people who sometimes used a bit of magic and encountered faerie creatures in a historical setting.

This book is best for those looking for more of a backpack fantasy that is light on world building and magic systems and wants some sapphic romance on the side with Jewish representation (so long as you are okay with that being pre-WWII style Jewish rep).

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book to me in exchange for an honest review.

2/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶 (some spice, suggestive content)

[tw/cw: murder, racism/antisemitism, violence, death, death of a loved one (memory), violence, blood, injury, colonization, war, panic attacks/ptsd response]

My review will be posted on goodreads, amazon, storygraph, and fable

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Publishing Group for the copy in exchange for an honest review. Sadly, I DNF"ed at 20% of the way through.

I give up on Allison Saft. This is my third attempt at reading one of her books and her unique writing style isn't just for me.

The main issue for me is how fast-paced the exposition is and it never slows down to let you absorb what was just said. We get weird passages of fake folklore that vaguely ties into what's going on in the story. What's actually going on in the story? No idea!

Alive with Folklore and brimming with atmosphere, Saft had created a world worthy of getting lost in.

Readers follow folklorist Lorelei, her academic rival , and a cast of wealthy and elite students on a dangerous expedition to find a fabled spring. Shenanigans and sparks ensue!

I found A Dark and Drowning Tide to have much more political intrigue than I was expecting! I thought it was a nice engaging element that created a unique juxtaposition against the world steeped in folklore and fantasy. I found many of the characters to be incredibly unlikable, but to be fair, I think that was the point! Our two MC's were nuanced and flawed in ways that made them a pairing that nested together perfectly. Their sharp edges puzzling together just right. My only qualm was that the ending didn't feel entirely satisfying for my taste....but it did offer enough to leave me overall happy with the stories arc.

Lovers of folklore and atmosphere won't be disappointed with this pick!

thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy in exchange for my honest review