I absolutely adored this book, if you like dark academia, forbidden romance in a dark setting with lyrical writing then this is for you! the family dynamics are very well written and overall flow of the book is well done. highly recommend this love, horror and obsession story!
Thank you Net Galley and publisher for this amazing ARC!

I thought this book was ok. I liked the vibes and gothic atmosphere of this novel. I really liked the flowery prose, I think it really made the book feel magical. I just couldn’t really connect with the characters. I also think there were too many unanswered questions by the end of the book.

I eagerly awaited Tenderly, I Am Devoured when I first heard about it last summer. I had just finished Clipstone's Unholy Terrors and I adored that book and was eager to read more of her work. I received the arc last year as part of Clipstone's arc team, but a personal tragedy meant that I wasn't in the right headspace to participate in the readalong and it wasn't until it was almost release date, that I remembered I had this arc. Apologies to Lyndall Clipstone that this review is so delayed. I did have the best intentions to read Tenderly on time.

Told through a dual timeline, Tenderly, is the story of a girl who has a lot of longings. Nicknamed Lark, Lacrimosa Arriscane, has returned home after being expelled from her boarding skill. Lark's experiences with school and her fascination with her friend Damson are all told through flashbacks. Both the reader and Lark are left to grapple with the past while working through the present's trials and tribulations. Namely, Lark's family's salt mine has run dry and in desperation, her brothers have made a pact with their family's chosen god, Therian to take Lark as his bride. Yup, we have a Hades and Persephone bit going here, but luckily that's not the focus of the story so it doesn't feel derivative.

Lark is a very passionate character. She feels things deeply, is easily hurt (hence the name), and spends a lot of her time feeling lost and alone. She has few connections and those connections that she does make, consume her wholly. She's fascinated with certain characters and her own identity sometimes feels subsumed by them. Other authors would turn this into a horror novel with Lark turning into Single White Female, but not Clipstone. She treats Lark gently and creates a fully realized character and her backstory with Damson were some of the best parts of this book. Damson was another character that felt real in her behaviours and narcissism and while it's easy for the reader to see what's coming, it's not surprising that Lark doesn't see it and is surprised and lost and turns toward ritual and magic.

What was disappointing was the other secondary characters. Alastair and Camille and the polyamory relationship were not as fully realized for me. Clipstone spent a lot of time developing the backstory for Lark and the events that lead her back home to Therian. We are told that she's had a fascination with Alastair and Camille since childhood. That Camille was sent away and Lark missed her. That Alastair threw their friendship aside and Lark felt hollow. But in contrast with the Damson scenes, I never felt Lark's hollowness at losing these two people who supposedly meant so much to her. When they meet again and the scenes blend toward romance (separate scenes each with Lark since this is a YA novel and these two are siblings), I found myself flipping pages because I didn't feel the slow build that Clipstone intended.

The setting was magical and I Clipstone's writing made me feel the wind in my face and the salt in the air. I could taste the salt in specific passages and I loved how Clipstone set up this world. It feels like turn of the century newness mixed with mythology and old ritual. I love Ciipstone's writing and her ability to set a scene. I just wish this romance didn't feel so hollow.

I'm looking forward to Clipstone's next work.

Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone and Netgalley for the arc for review purposes.

The prose was way too flowery for me, with the same words and similes popping up over and over. The story dragged, the relationships didn’t feel natural, and the villain’s ending came out of nowhere. I liked the setup at first, but by the end I was bored and disconnected from the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of the vibes/themes- gothic and moody with dark academia elements

I think the romantic elements and overall pacing could have been stronger. Some parts seemed to drag.

I did enjoy the lyrical aspects of the book, the author really set a tone that went throughout the story.

Tenderly I Am Devoured is a book that will either captivate or confuse its readers. It’s a bold and ambitious mix of gothic horror, dark academia, and romance that creates a unique and often dreamlike atmosphere. Author Lyndall Clipstone has a talent for crafting lush, lyrical prose and vivid imagery, making the world feel intricate and hauntingly beautiful.

However, the poetic writing style, which some will find enchanting, can also feel forced and overly reliant on flowery language. This focus on "pretty lines" can come at the expense of a clear, cohesive plot. The story often feels like two separate narratives have been unceremoniously mashed together, leaving many readers perpetually perplexed by a lack of strong character development and a confusing plot.

The romance, a key element, is also a point of contention. While some may appreciate the intensity, the relationships feel underdeveloped and move too quickly to be believable. The central dynamic, in particular, may feel unearned and at times, jarring to the overall story.

Ultimately, this book is a memorable read for those who enjoy stories that prioritize atmosphere and mood over a linear plot. If you're looking for a book that feels like a "fever dream" and don't mind a story that is a little unhinged, you might find something to love here. For those who prefer a more grounded plot with clear character motivations, this one may fall flat.

With Tenderly I Am Devoured, Lyndall Clipstone, combines gothic horror, dark academia, and romance to come up with a tale that is lush, lyrical, and like nothing I’ve ever read before. Tenderly I Am Devoured is one of those books where it is best to go in blind and let the story wash over you. The imagery is vivid. The world-building is intricate, and the characters are unique and complex. It’s haunting, poetic, and a little bit unhinged, but that’s part of its beauty. It won’t be for everyone, but if you like your books to be a little fever dream, a little dark gothic horror, and a touch of intense romance, Tenderly I Am Devoured is worth checking out. I’m glad I did, and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the author’s next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt and Co. and Macmillian Children's Publishing Group for the eARC.

The Arriscane siblings are well acquainted with poverty, having to live in their poverty-stricken estate and dwindling business. Lacrimosa arrives home from school to a house full of omissions. A desperate act to save her family spirals out of control when outside forces and long buried secrets unravel the world she has come to love. Lacrimosa will find out that a God may have the power to save her family from ruin, but friendship has the power to heal wounds.

Initially intrigued. Perpetually perplexed.

Without a doubt, Clipstone can pen some incredibly beautiful lines, but the collection of those lines made for a pretty rough finished product.

It’s as if 2 completely separate stories were forcibly smashed together. I would’ve been more intrigued by a more fleshed out plot of Lacrimosa and her brothers than her *ahem* relationship with the Felimath siblings—I’m not sure what value the author thought that specific dynamic added, but that alongside the overall lack of cohesion made for a confusing, incomplete story.

There were a lot of loose ends and extra side plots that left more questions than answers. Lots of potential, not much pay out

Lyndall Clipstone delivers a hauntingly beautiful gothic romantasy, steeped in salt air, ancient gods, and dangerous desire. The seaside town of Verse feels vividly alive, and the prose is lush and poetic—perfect for readers who love to get lost in atmosphere.

The story’s bold elements—polyamorous bisexual romance, myth-tinged marriage of convenience, and dual timelines—are intriguing and original. Still, the pacing sometimes drifts, and certain relationship dynamics, particularly involving Camille, could have been more fully developed.

For those willing to surrender to mood and myth, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a darkly romantic, lyrical tide worth being swept away by.

This story felt like it was trying too hard to be poetic and lyrical. Some authors can do this with ease but this book felt like the author strung together a bunch of "quotable pretty lines" and called it a book. I swear I had to read the word "indigo" over a dozen times. Apparently there was no other word to describe that color. It also felt like every other line was a simile. The characters and the world around them were always being compared to something and it was annoying. And although I love a bisexual character, I did not love that she was with two siblings. That felt wrong in all the worst ways. I was also annoyed by the fact that Alistair never apologized for what he said to Lark (Lacrimosa is her full name and I hate that too). He explained that he didn't mean them but he still said it to protect her and I kept waiting for him to apologize and he never did. Everything between Lark and Camille too felt like it came out of left field. Lark was constantly talking about how she hadn't seen Camille since she was a kid. I was doing the math and it should have been 5 years since Lark last saw her and yet I'm supposed to believe that Lark would kiss her after not having seen her in so long??? In all of the past interactions, Lark was barely with Camille. It was always Alistair. I don't doubt that Alistair loved Lark but I do not believe Camille cared for her in the same way or vice versa. There was nothing in their past to suggest that they did have feelings for one another so why would I believe that they harbor feelings in the present day? Hugo as well was another conundrum in the story. Why would they ever trust this random boy after he'd already betrayed Alistair once? Literally fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on them. I don't know why they expected him to help?? Overall, it's a very forgettable book.

In TENDERLY, I AM DEVOURED we follow Lacrimosa Arriscane who agrees to a betrothal with a god to save her family from financial ruin.

The author had a very clear vision for the overall vibes - an atmospheric, moody setting with gothic, dark academia elements - and that really comes across!

I think the romantic elements and pacing could have been stronger. There seemed to be a mismatch with the way the romantic relationships seemed to happen with too little buildup/development, while the rest of the plot seemed so much slower in comparison, making sections of the story drag.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

First, thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an arc. Read this if you have watched and enjoyed - Saltburn and Midsommar..

Amazing vibes and story. The author's advertising of it was on POINT! Overall I highly enjoyed it, I just think the characters and plot could have been slightly more developed.

Water themed gothic atmosphere? Betrothal to vengeful god? Love triangle that’s sort of a square? Sign me up. I enjoyed Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone and the cover and description led me to request her newest book, Tenderly, I am Devoured, and I’m so glad I did. I loved the “now” and “then” framing of the book that kept the tension and the mystery alive. I really liked Lark as a main character and I felt she really grew up as the book went on. The character elements of this story were my favorite and I was on the edge of my seat as the book unraveled all the different intricate relationship strands. Although this book has so many elements I love and am familiar with, so much of it felt fresh and I never knew where the story was going to go which so much fun. The writing was sharp and atmospheric and I so enjoyed the ride.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I sat on this review for a while..

I have to say that I had a really hard time getting into the book, I felt like it dragged and dragged and I just couldn't read it with pleasure.

I got drawn into the book because of the cover, the title, and the plot as well, I really liked that it was a bit different. But I was disappointed :(

I managed to finish the book after putting it down multiple times and almost pulling my hair out, I'm not exaggerating, because I don't like leaving books unfinished..

I'm really sorry I couldn't get into it like I would've liked.

Beautifully written gothic romantasy that explores love loss and abuse. World and character building is great. I feel the story was unique. LGBTQ friendly. Bipoly, standalone.

This was such a beautiful book! I fell in love with the characters and setting INSTANTLY. The writing, aesthetic, and premise were so well thought out. I can't recommend it enough. Thank you for approving to read and review!

Lyndall Clipstone has been on my radar for some time now. Last year, I read Unholy Terrors and saw the author's potential so I am especially excited to see how she has continued to hone her craft this time around. I first discovered this author and novel through some random Goodreads list I was scrolling and since then (24th April 2024), I have been patiently awaiting this book's release.

I read it, and whilst I do think the author's craft has improved since writing Unholy Terrors, I still felt that the same thing was missing. The plot felt like it happened to the main character rather than something she participated in; when she did, it was either a carefully planned move that the reader learned about earlier, or it was somewhat predictable.

However, the prose is beautifully stunning. Clipstone truly writers flower threaded horror and no one else in the industry has the style she does. Her blend of romantasy tropes with gothic influence and just the right amount of horror is something hard to perfect yet Clipstone does it so effortlessly perfect. Her worldbuilding and settings are vivid oil paintings that you can swim amongst the pain strokes of.

Furthermore, I would like to see this author try her hand at more adult themed romantasy. I think it would suit her writing style extremely well.

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You should read this if you liked:
-- A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid
-- Wilder Girls by Rory Wilder
-- A Far Wilder Magic by Allison Saft