Lyndall Clipstone's Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a beautifully written gothic fantasy that brims with lush prose and haunting imagery. The story masterfully explores themes of love, obsession, and sacrifice, set against an eerie, dreamlike world that feels as alive as the characters themselves. Clipstone's ability to create a mood of quiet unease and bittersweet longing is truly remarkable.

The characters are deeply flawed yet compelling, and their tangled relationships drive the story with an emotional intensity that lingers long after the final page. While the plot can occasionally meander, the sheer beauty of the writing and the depth of the characters more than compensate for these moments.

This is a novel that will appeal to fans of gothic romance and atmospheric storytelling. A solid four-star read for its stunning prose, rich world-building, and emotional depth.

Thank you Lyndall Clipstone (Henry Holt and Co. and Fierce Reads) for gifting me with this digital ARC!
This is a beautifully written gothic novel that I won't be forgetting anytime soon. The prose are incredibly lyrical and transportive, the characters are well written and developed and the plot and setting are unique and memorable. I really loved the queer representation, there are multiple tender and at times heart wrenching love stories expertly woven into the story. I also enjoyed the mythology/folklore inspired elements which added a unique twist to the classic gothic setting. The pacing felt a little slow in places, but overall it was a beautiful and unique story.
For fans of Saltburn, A Study In Drowning, The Last Tale of The Flower Bride.

4.5 Stars!

Did Lyndall write this with chthonic liquor, because I consumed this novel. 🦋

Thank you Lyndall Clipstone (Henry Holt and Co. and Fierce Reads) for gifting me with this digital ARC! All opinions are my own.

Lyndall’s poetic writing pulled me in like the ocean tide from the start of the story. I wanted to keep unraveling the mysteries presented once I put it down for the night. I was excited for the next day so I could return to Verse which is big since much of my reading has been audiobooks. There was a natural flow of tension, mystery, and reveals that gave a continuous pace to the story. Themes of idolization, the power of three, perspective/interpretation, expectations, and love are interlaced throughout. I liked the tender relationship between Lacrimosa “Lark” and Alastair (and Camille.) You can see the depth and emotion that entangle them. While reading I did want to learn more about Camille as I felt like I knew her the least. I think her and some of the other secondary character could have steeped more so we could get to know them. I think that could have made the ending even more impactful for me. In all, I hope Lark continues to peruse her love for art outside the pain it’s been associated with. 🖤

I think this a perfect book for fans of A Study in Drowning, Strange the Dreamer, or authors Rebecca Ross, Erin Morgenstern, Shea Ernshaw, or Allison Saft.

4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. Publishing for this eARC!

I really enjoyed this book! It did feel like it definitely had a slower plot but I appreciated that I got to slow down and enjoy it. I genuinely enjoyed reading about every one of the characters, and while I thought the romance between the characters was great separately, the fact that she was with both siblings was weird to me, and it’s just not my thing.

The way the setting of this book was described was incredible and so so beautiful. I really love dark settings like this, and it reminded me a lot of A Study In Drowning.

There were a few characters that I feel could have been given more backstory, like Camille, Henry, and Oberon. I feel as though their characters were given almost no backstory, and that made it harder to care about them when I didn’t know much about them other than their relationship with Lark. Overall, this was a very beautiful story, and I can’t wait to see it make its debut next year!

Did I highlight the first sentence of this book because it was beautiful and I was immediately intrigued? Yes, I did. I highlighted so many sentences in this book because they were so enchanting. I love fever dreamy, eerie, gothic stories, and in that way, this book delivered. Thinking back on Tenderly I Am Devoured, it does feel like I'm recalling a dream that feels slightly fuzzy around the edges, which I love. I found myself wrapped up in the descriptions and the atmosphere, getting completely lost in the breathtaking seaside setting (while actually living next to the ocean, which only made it better). While I do love fever dreams, I do feel the dialogue was, at times, a bit...disjointed? Choppy? Like there were bits of dialogue missing? I'm not sure. I can't quite put my finger on why I feel that way, and it could be me, but the communication felt slightly off at parts. I didn't end up feeling super connected to the characters, but that could be intentional - it's like I dreamed these characters but can't totally remember them (and maybe that's the point). I do feel Alastair was the most fleshed out character, but I wish Camille had been more developed. I also feel like some descriptions were a bit repetitive. Having said that, the writing is really gorgeous and I look forward to reading more from this author. I want to thank them for the eARC, it was an honor and a pleasure to read!

This book is perfectly atmospheric, perfectly moody, and contains hearth wrenchingly beautiful prose. In a way, likely because of the gothic vibes, it reminded me of reading Wuthering Heights or even Ethan Frome (more Heathcliff than Ethan though). The way that Clipstone writes I could feel the salt drying on my skin from the crash of the sea. I could hear the waves as they pummeled the sand. I could feel the deep emotions Lacrimosa (Lark), the fmc, goes through and I was in it for every twist and turn. This is a book that does a good job depicting the messy transition from childhood to young adulthood in heartbreaking intensity. The way Clipstone does that is primarily through the Then and Now chapters where the "then" chapters work as flashbacks. I enjoyed the layering of past/present or then/now.

Initially I was thinking of rating it lower only because I wanted more with the characters to stand out and more with the god. I didn't feel that I could get a grasp on Camille and I so wanted to. However, upon reflection I do think the whole point is the messiness of growing up. The heartbreak that comes with it and the spaces you find or create that are fully yours where you can be messy and imperfect. In that, Clipstone knocked it out of the park.

I have read all four of Lyndall Clipstone’s published novels, and as the expert and professional I am, I agree with her wholeheartedly. This is truly her best work and her greatest contribution to the hypnotizing genre that is gothic literature. This novel is beautifully written, hauntingly atmospheric, and breathtakingly transformative. If I must leave this world before I get to set sail off the windy coast in a beautiful swan boat, then may my swan-god betrothed come take me now.

This is a beautifully haunting novel. The lyrical prose flowed throughout the story, which kept me hooked on every page. This was a fantastic folktale that I would recommend to anyone who loves a slightly spooky story.

Dreamy. Atmospheric. Lyrical. Moody. Gothic.
The beautiful writing in this book enchanted me from the very first chapter.

❁My Review❁

There were moments where I felt like I slipped from this reality right into this wistful and haunting world, swimming in the sea with salt in my hair and longing for the chthonic world.
I don’t think I’ve ever looked at the sea in such a romantic and melancholic way before, but this book is so beautiful and the scenery so wonderfully captured that I couldn’t help it.

🤍Lacrimosa🤍
Our main character is so dear to me, I spent many hours with her and I could feel her struggles and longings. I adore soft heroines, because not all of us can be fighters all the time, at least not fighters in the same way.

🩵Alastair🩵
Sweet Alistair, my heart goes out to him. What he had to go through was incredibly difficult and painful, many parts had me on the verge of tears.😭

🌸Camille🌸
I think I have a crush on her and her tender moments with Lark were everything.

🐚Therion🐚
The mysterious God of the Sea from the chthonic world. He intrigued me and terrified me in equal measure.

🌊Plot🌊
It is perfectly paced, each chapter leaves you wanting more while feeling satisfied with what you have found out, at times shocked, other times intrigued, and other times your world is turned upside down.😭

Thank you so much Lyndall Clipstone for the pleasure of reading this advanced reader copy. I am very excited for this book to come out because I need it as a shelf’s trophy and I must add all of my annotations to it.😍

Lyndall Clipstone's "Tenderly, I am Devoured" is a deeply atmospheric standalone that swept me off my feet. The imperfect, complex characters and their intricate relationships felt so unique, shedding light on dynamics that are rarely explored. With every page, I was pulled closer into their world.

The storytelling is incredibly emotional, with beautifully woven flashbacks that bring the protagonist's past to life. You don’t just read this story—you feel it. It’s an intense, moody journey, so vivid that I could almost sense the mist on my skin and hear the waves crashing around me. At times, it felt like stepping into a fairytale—enchanting and otherworldly.

Huge thanks to Lyndall Clipstone and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

Gothic fantasy are my buzzwords, throw in some folk horror and you have the absolute perfect book in my opinion.
TIAD follows Lark as she is sent home in disgrace from the pretentious school she was attending. Upon arriving home to Verse (this spooky ocean side village) she realizes her family is in a rare form of disrepair and the only solution is for her to bind and marry herself to the ancient chthonic god they have always worshipped. Enter Alastair whose father is the reason Lark's family have fallen onto hard times- an old childhood friend- turned enemy. When the ritual binding goes horrifically wrong, Lark needs Alastair and his sister Camille to help her right the wrongs or else she will cease to exist.
This book was absolutely delicious, full of tension and longing and chalked full of very complex and dynamic characters. I loved our main characters Lark, Alastair and Camille, but I also loved Lark's brothers and hated the girls from the school and Alastair's father. Lyndall Clipstone had this story so well thought out in my opinion and with such an engaging topic I quite literally could not stop reading this book. Some scenes still linger in my mind- even though I've read upwards of twenty books since this one. Most assuredly one of my favourite books I've read this year.

I so hoped this book would be a 5 star read! But unfortunately, it was the opposite. The plot was way too slow, the characters and their dynamics were dull, I didn't care for what was happening and I found myself bored reading it. :(

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a refreshing read. This truly offers something unique in the world of YA / Fantasy. Clipstone is great at creating a captivating atmosphere and set of characters. Tenderly, I Am Devoured also felt intellectual without being self-important, something that is sometimes hard to come by.

After being expelled from a prestigious art school in the city, Lacrimosa (Lark) Arriscane arrives home to her remote village only to find her family threatened by a dying salt mine and looming debts. In order to save her home, Lark agrees to marry the village’s swan god Therion and spend half the year in the underworld with him. It’s difficult to summarize this book without spoilers, but along the way, Lark becomes entangled with the wealthy kids in the village, siblings Alastair and Camille, who have secrets of their own.

This book is dripping with mood. The descriptions of the salt mines, cliffs, woods, the Felimath and Arriscane homes were so ethereal and gothic. I got swept up in the vivid imagery, the dreamy/surreal feeling of the story, and the plot that kept me hooked. I loved how brave and compassionate Lark is, how earnestly she loves, and how she and so many other characters survive despite betrayal and hurt.

One of the most beautiful parts of this book is how free from societal expectations the love stories are. It’s lovely and refreshing to see queer people have romantic and emotional arcs that are not about their journey to self-acceptance. I really liked the dynamic between Lark, Alastair, and Camille, and all the different kinds of love explored between the trio (sibling love, romantic love, friend love).

I also absolutely cannot get the image of Lark’s feathered wrist out of my head.

It is my first Lyndall Clipstone read but it won’t be my last.

This book truly matches the aesthetic it's aiming for. I was completely pulled into this work and I loved all the relationships. My only wish is that we had more relationship-building with their god, and the former-friend storyline (omg why am I blanking on her name) I think ended without much closure. But honestly still would reread and reread again!

Marry your family’s god to save your home? Instantly intrigued.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured opens with Lark at her lowest point. We don’t know what she did, only that it was bad enough to be expelled and sent home in disgrace. And now she has a chance to do something useful.

I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked this up (other than that Lyndall Clipstone wrote it, so I was going to read it). If you’re looking for a story where Lark adjusts to life in the underworld, this isn’t that. Her story is about friendship, betrayal, love, and even more betrayal.

It’s beautiful and haunting and I am going to fight everyone who ever hurt Lark, Camille, and Alastair (they know who they are and what they did).

I am so grateful to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy!

If you like atmospheric books with hauntingly gothic vibes, queer poly rep, and kissing gods, this should be on your radar!

Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan & Netgalley for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was very thrilled to be approved for this arc considering how much I am a fan of Clipstone's previous work, "Unholy Terrors". The flowery purple prose of Clipstone's writing is exactly my kind of writing. That being said, I was not as in love with this story as I had hoped I would have been. I love when authors use water as a key element in their story. I just felt like something about this novel was lacking for me...and I was comparing it to a favorite book of mine that also involves water and academia...

Also I was under the impression it was going to have "Saltburn" elements. It felt extremely tame to make that connection. The horror elements were hard to be found as well.

I was left feeling a bit underwhelmed and quite frankly a bit weirded out by the end of the novel. I am by no means against love triangles but the sibling aspect of it gave me a bit of the ick...especially considering I did not believe the relationship with Camille & Lark, as much as I did with Alastair. I felt the relationship blooming between Lark and her school friend more convincing than Camille & Lark. I just felt the story lacked the connection that would make them more believable. (Also Alastar & Camille could have just not been siblings?) Also Lark makes some choices I cannot fully get behind, like making out with Camille, while Alastair is being punished...a bit weird if she's supposed to love him...

I don't want to make this an overall negative review but I really was hoping for *more* especially considering how much I adored "Unholy Terrors." That being said, what didn't work for me might work for you so please give this book a try.

Great book for anyone interested in reading gothic romantasy with some folklore themes. This was such an interesting book. I wasn't really sure what to expect at first, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was well written and the characters were very interesting.

Follows the main character, Lacrimosa, as she returns home after being expelled from school. She finds out her brothers are struggling financially, so in a desire to help, she ends up offering herself to the god they worship. You start to see bits and pieces of her past and present life with Alastair and Camille, which are her childhood estranged friends. They all become entangled with the god and now they need to work together to save themselves. During this, their love and desire for each other starts to grow.

Pros: I enjoyed the plot and the characters. The gothic ambiance was really cool. I enjoyed how the author described the world. I really liked both Camille and Alastair. I feel like their relationship with Lark was well built. Overall, this book did live up to the gothic romantasy hype.

CONS MIGHT CONTAIN SPOILERS
Cons: I am not 100% how I feel about Lark's relationship with the siblings (Alastair and Camille). I can see her loving both, it just seemed a little odd she ends up with both of them since they're siblings? It was just a little weird for me. I also would've loved to see more from Tharion. At the end, he basically says he loves her and I just wish that would've been fleshed out more. I feel like they barely knew each other. I personally would've liked to yearn more for Tharion.

This book grabbed me from the first sentence, and I knew I was going to love the story. What an amazing reading experience this was!

To save her family from ruin, Lark is betrothed to the god of sea & salt, Therion. But when disaster strikes on her wedding night, she has to trust her once friend, now enemy Alastair and his beautiful sister Camille to help her make amends with Therion. As they all seek a way to break her pact with the god, they find themselves drawn to each other. But can a promise to a god be broken?

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a dreamlike, sensual gothic fantasy that explores growing up, relationships (both toxic & healing), and identity/ self. While this is definitely fantasy, the story reminded me as well of the Greek myths; there are elements of some of our oldest stories in these pages. The prose in this book is beautiful, dreamlike, and atmospheric, which matches the story perfectly. Like the ocean where the book is set, this story is beautiful, but also powerful and dangerous.

I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy gothic fantasy like A Study in Drowning, or House of Salt & Sorrows.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I am so grateful I was able to receive an arc on this absolute gorgeous book. If you want a haunting and beautiful read please do not skip this!!