4.5

"she kisses me, the shared taste of our sorrow as bitter as the sea. i wish i could keep her this close forever, fold her inside the structure of my bones, tuck her safe beneath my heart."

reading this book was like sitting around a camp fire listening to a spooky story simultaneously wanting the story to end and to last all night

the gothic vibes were strong, the poly love story was fantastic. clipstone's masterful prose takes us on a journey through the mortal realm, down into the depths of the chthonic world, and back again, begging the reader to hold their breath until she's finished. the gothic vibes were strong, with expertly painted imagery, the poly love story was fantastic from start to finish, and these characters will not easily be forgotten.

Lyndall did an amazing job creating a beautiful hunting atmosphere for this novel. This book blends dark gothic fantasy with a touch of dark academia very well. You will find a lot of raw emotion in all the MCs and you can feel the heartbreak. I was a big fan of the then and now timeframes. It really helped bring the story together in an interesting and emotional way. I enjoyed this story as a whole, but I found that I was confused by several aspects of the storyline.

Thank you for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Very atmospheric. This is the type of book you sit down with on a cloudy rainy day and drink a cup of tea.

The polycule romance was quite sweet and actually felt like a relatable situation rather than just added in there for the fun of it.

This is a YA romantic gothic horror story and I think it is a great way to get readers more introduced to the genre. A bit haunting, a bit of mystery, a lot of self reflection.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone feels like drowning in a gothic fairytale. It's haunting, poetic, and soaked in salt, blood, and longing.

It’s about a girl raised in a crumbling seaside cult, tied to dark gods and even darker secrets. The writing is lush and lyrical, like reading a fever dream. It’s slow and strange in all the best ways.

This book doesn’t shy away from bodily horror or the rawness of emotion, but it also doesn’t wallow in it. Instead, it becomes a story about metamorphosis: how we break and find beauty in the wreckage. And the romance? Twisted, tender, and completely unhinged in the most deliciously monstrous way. It's not your typical love story, but one steeped in power dynamics, longing, and acceptance of one’s true form.

This is not a fast-paced fantasy. But if you love dark feminine energy, gothic romance, or stories where the monster isn’t something to fear but to become you’ll be devoured.

⚡️Thank you Books Forward PR and Lyndall Clipstone for sharing this book with me!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
5⭐️

Darkly romantic, lushly imagined, and utterly original—Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a gothic romantasy triumph.

This queer fantasy blends salt-soaked mythology, family debts, and forbidden love into a gripping tale of survival, sacrifice, and desire. With sea gods, salt priests, and a heroine torn between two siblings, the world-building is atmospheric and richly layered. The romance simmers with tension, building slowly but erupting into something deeply emotional and satisfyingly complex.

Lacrimosa (Lark) is a compelling protagonist—an orphaned artist navigating trauma, tangled loyalties, and a betrothal to a sea god who drags her toward a realm she’s desperate to escape. The sibling dynamics, especially between Lark and the Felimaths, are beautifully explored, and the queer romance brings refreshing representation to the romantasy genre.

Perfect for fans of gothic fantasy with emotional depth, eerie coastal settings, and slow-burning queer love stories. Tenderly, I Am Devoured is haunting, original, and wholly unforgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley for this review copy. When I read the description, I was very excited to dive into this book. I love books about the world’s art history because it helps the story to layer deeply. Lark was a hard protagonist. She was *going through* it in this one but I was pleased with the ending and how she and the siblings were able to get out of the messes they were placed in. Definitely recommend if you like fated vs choice and atmospheric writing. 4 stars

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a beautifully written Gothic romantasy centered on Lacrimosa Arriscane, an eighteen-year-old navigating betrayal, romance, and divine entanglements to save her family from ruin. The prose is poetic, the atmosphere haunting, and the story brims with raw emotion and dark beauty. While the dreamlike world and Lark’s vulnerability captivated me, I struggled to connect with her as a protagonist, finding her too easily influenced and yearning for more visible strength. Minor continuity issues and a loss of narrative focus toward the end dulled the impact slightly, but the book’s ethereal imagery and haunting tone remain mesmerizing.


thank you to net galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review *

Oof. I wanted to love this so badly. It had so much promise, but the execution just wasn’t it. The writing felt like a rough draft: super repetitive and kind of all over the place.

Therion is supposed to be a god? I really found that hard to believe LOL. Hugo's character made zero sense to me, and don’t even get me started on that "love story". I just had a really hard time believing or caring about ANYTHING or anyone after the 60% mark.

The only character who actually felt real was Damson. She was brutal and felt like something or someone I personally dealt with at some point in my life. Everyone else felt like vibes with no substance.

This had bones, for sure, but it needed way more development before being released.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 3/5

“There is a tenderness before you’re devoured.”

Tenderly, I am Devoured was not what I expected, and in some ways so much more. The writing itself was very poetic and I really enjoyed the queer representation in every major character. The “then” and “now” aspect of the timeline was a great way to provide readers with Lark’s (our main character) history while keeping them engaged in the present plot line. I felt like it added to the mystery and kept me intrigued, without giving too much away about the plot twists to come.

While I enjoyed this story as a whole, I do wish the theological aspect of the world building was more fleshed out. This story is centered around a betrothal to a god, so I was expecting more details. At times it felt like readers were provided with enough information to carry the romantic plot of the story without expanding too much into the world itself. I understand this is a romantic fantasy, I was just expecting more there as those are details I enjoy reading about.

Overall, I found this to be a quick and interesting read!

(Thank you NetGalley, Lyndall Clipstone, & Macmillan for this opportunity!)

A beautifully haunting gothic romance that blends folk horror and mythology. Lyndall Clipstone crafts an atmospheric tale of love, identity, and dark secrets in the coastal town of Verse. With rich prose and complex characters, this story lingers long after the last page.

4★ Review
This book was a darkly unique blend of gothic horror, folkloric mysticism, and romantasy, what stood out most was its eerie, immersive atmosphere. The horror elements simmered beneath the surface, creeping in through lush prose and unsettling moments.

Lark’s transformation was what I really enjoyed, watching her evolve, caught in webs of tension, desire, and fer, she navigated the dangers around her. The sapphic entanglements added depth to the emotional stakes and made the relationships feel raw and real.

While there is romance, this story leaned heavily into folklore and psychological horror. The slow-build tension, layered dynamics, and ultimately satisfying conclusion made this a standout read. Perfect for fans of gothic tales with teeth.

Thank You NetGalley, Lyndall Clipstone and Henry Holt and Co for this Advance Reader Copy.

Lyndall Clipstone's Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a hauntingly atmospheric YA romantic fantasy that intertwines gothic allure with dark folklore. Set in the coastal town of Verse, the novel follows 18-year-old Lacrimosa “Lark” Arriscane, who, after a scandalous expulsion from boarding school, returns home to find her family on the brink of financial ruin. In a desperate bid to save them, she agrees to marry Therion, a chthonic god worshipped by her community. However, the ceremony goes awry, leading Lark to seek assistance from estranged childhood friends Alastair and Camille Felimath. Together, they delve into ancient rituals, uncovering dark secrets that threaten not only Lark's existence but also the very fabric of their world.

2/5 – A miss for me, but may appeal to fans of gothic romantasy

I went into Tenderly, I Am Devoured really wanting to love it—the cover is absolutely stunning, and the premise intrigued me. There were some beautifully written passages, which is why I gave this 2 stars, but unfortunately, the book just wasn’t a good fit for me. The gothic romantasy vibe leaned heavily into moody atmosphere and angst, but without the emotional payoff I was hoping for. I struggled to connect with both the FMC and her love interests.

The book is labeled as “folk horror,” but I didn’t find anything particularly eerie or folkloric about it. It reminded me more of Ava Reid’s gothic romances—lyrical and bleak, but not necessarily scary. Readers expecting traditional folk horror may come away disappointed.

Another element that didn’t work for me was the romantic subplot, particularly the inclusion of a sibling polyamory dynamic. While the siblings’ romantic relationships with the FMC didn’t overlap, the concept was off-putting for me personally.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had no idea what to expect from this book as I had not read this author before, but between the gorgeous cover and the description, I thought it would be a good read.

Spoiler alert: It is a fantastic read.

Lacrimosa (Lark) comes home after being kicked out of school, only to find that her family is on the brink of financial ruin, and they owe a lot of money to the family of the boy who broke her heart, Alastair Felimath. Oof. Then, by the by, she finds out that she is to be betrothed to a sea god, who seeks to take her to his realm for part of the year.

Little by little we find out bits of backstory, such as why Lark was kicked out of school (I am Team Lark on this one) and what her two brothers were up to years ago. We also see Lark's history with Alastair and his intriguing sister Camille, and as Lark struggles with the realities of her betrothal, she becomes more and more involved with the Felimath siblings.

This is an all encompassing experience - the writing is sublime and pulls you into the setting, the sea sprayed land of Verse, the betrayal filled hallways of Marchmain, the grief and violence of the Felimath home.

I don't want to spoil any of this gorgeous plot, so all I will say is, read this. It's horror at its most beautiful.

Lyndall Clipstone’s ‘Tenderly, I Am Devoured’ crashes over the reader like a white-capped wave, glinting with shards of obsidian and salt, yet wrapped in a powder-blue satin bow. It’s a novel that feels like a box of delicate petit fours: some sweet and immaculate, others unexpectedly floral, violet, lilac - syrupy, strange, and unforgettable.

Once opened, this book enfolds you in a dreamlike haze, equal parts mythic and surreal, like something Ken Russell might conjure in a candlelit cave. But make no mistake: this is Clipstone’s distinct, wonder-soaked world, and we are lucky to be devoured by it.

There’s yearning here… aching, luminous yearning, wrapped in a gauzy innocence that’s as enchanting as it is tender. The narrative flows like a fairytale, swan boats and all, inviting you into a realm you’ll be reluctant to leave. Clipstone’s take on polyamorous queer relationships is both wild and wholesomely reverent; an unforgettable polyquad that blends sensuality with sincerity, ritual with romance.

The world-building alone is a fever dream of Gothic Romantic lushness. For those drawn to the strange, the sacred, and the spellbound! This one is for the ritualists.

This was a good coming of age story I loved it very different a bit stranger then my regular reading lol but overall I like it

DNF at 51%

Thank you to the author for sending me an eARC of this book through NetGalley.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025 so I'm devastated to be writing this review. Unfortunately, this one is on me for not paying more attention to the marketing.

I thought I had done all the research I needed before going into this book. I knew the synopsis and the tropes. I was excited for the polycule romance, but I completely missed the part of the marketing that acknowledged the polycule was the fmc and two siblings. While I know the two siblings aren't together, a story where they date the same person is not something I want to read.

The relationship was the only thing that I didn't enjoy about the story. If it's something you're comfortable reading, I would still strongly recommend this book. Lyndall Clipstone has deeply enchanting prose that you can get lost in. This story feels like being torn apart by a knife wrapped in a glittery pink ribbon while floating though a salty sea. It's beautiful and emotional and addictive. If you love a slow-burn romantic story with an academia element, a stunning world, and writing you can't get enough of, then this is a great book for it. The romance just wasn't for me.

Review on Goodreads (sophreadingbooks https://www.goodreads.com/sophreadingbooks) as of of 6/15/2025

An interesting young adult romantasy. I liked the mythology aspect, the parallel to Hades/Persephone being together for specific seasons. I think it could have been written a little better, a little more clarity. I also think that it jumped back too much to what happened at the school. There was a lot going on for less than 300 pages, and none of felt like it was fully fleshed out.

Title: Tenderly, I Am Devoured
Author: Lyndall Clipstone
Genre: Gothic Romance
Format: eARC
Series: NA
Star Rating: 5 stars

A special thank you goes to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book. Please know that this does not influence my rating or thoughts on the book itself.

tw: parental death, child abuse, drugging, drugging of children, child sacrifice

This book has fundamentally changed me as a person. I still think about this book every single day and how much I loved it. This book has become a part of my very soul. There are very few books that have attached themselves to my soul, and this one will always be number one. No other book will compare to this book. It is one of my all-time favorite books, and I want every single person to read this book so they can experience what I have.

One of the best things about this book was how queer it was. Lark was interested in men and women. She had a brother who had a male lover at one point. It seemed like mostly everyone was queer in some way. It was so lovely to see that, and my heart was singing with joy at the beautiful representation. It truly made my heart so happy, and I wish every single book had something like that in their books.

I also loved the world and the world building quite a bit. It felt dark and dreary, but it also felt full of life. It felt like such a lovely place to be. I’ve always wanted to live by the sea. I feel it would heal a fundamental part of my soul. I am also an Aquarius, so that explains a lot. I understand why Lark and her lovers love the place so. I would never want to leave.

This review has become such a hot mess, so I think I will end it here and hope that everyone will understand just what I’m trying to convey. Words are hard for me when I’m trying to write about a book that means so much to me. It’s like how do you put into words a book that has touched your soul. Its very existence makes life better. This book means so much to me. It will be one I will read multiple times. It will never leave my shelf. The world is a better place with this book in it. Thank you, Lyndall Clipstone, for writing a book I didn't know I needed.

After being expelled from her prestigious boarding school, eighteen-year-old Lark Arriscane returns home to find her family facing financial ruin. In a desperate bid to save them, she agrees to a marriage of convenience with Therion, a chthonic god worshipped in her coastal hometown. But when the betrothal goes wrong, Lark begins to fade from the mortal realm. Her only hope lies in the help of her first love, Alastair Felimath, and his sister, Camille. Together, they delve into ancient rituals, but their attempts to mend Lark’s bond with Therion only awaken a far darker force, threatening to destroy them all.

This was very beautifully written, perfectly poetic, descriptive in the most delicious ways. Gothic folk horror, cottage core vibes that was also soft and delicate and ribbons and lace and I very much enjoyed the opportunity to read this. Something that also stood out to me was the relationship dynamic that Clipstone has created, with a range of sexualities and romantic interests it felt very inclusive but not in your face. The dynamic between Lark and the siblings was especially sweet to see, especially as they navigate the volatile situation they have found themselves in.