This was a hauntingly folkloric tale about longing, as well as heartbreak and redemption. It also delves into the expectations placed on us by family, what sacrifices we make for those we love, and what it means to be a dutiful child. It was somehow complex, and not at the same time.

The prose is exquisite, and the book is well written and easy to follow, until about 62% in (yes, I know that’s specific). It was the first point where I thought “huh, that sounds pretty, but it doesn’t make sense”. That’s when I think this started to unravel a bit for me. There was still a fantastic story being told, it just didn’t feel totally cohesive from that point forward.

That said, Lark’s character showed wonderful development, as did Alastair. Camille could have been fleshed out a bit more but I understand the difficulty since she wasn’t present for the entire novel. I don’t think there was a single character that felt irrelevant to the story.

***Spoiler - The romance aspects were innocent and beautiful. While Camille and Alastair are both involved with Lark there was no giant “ick” factor for me. I can see though how that might turn some people away from this great story.

This book has a strong concept and a lot of elements that I enjoy. But I think I would have really enjoyed this book more when I was a teenager. There was a melodrama to the writing and the relationships that felt very adolescent. I don't necessarily think it was bad, just personally it was a bit over the top for me. I think those sensitive souls who romanticize everything and live for yearning and infatuation are going to eat this up. I remember being 14 and having crushes on everyone, and our protagonist has feelings for/hooks up with 4 different people in this one short book and two of those people are related to each other. It was just a lot for me.

I wish there was a more focus on the gods and world building. The father and the cultists were lacked depth and nuance. They felt very one dimensional. The father's dialogue especially was very mustache twirly.

Thank you to netgalley for an ARC of this book. I was so excited to read this and I expected to absolutely love it. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened.

Spoiler alert….

Nothing really happens until the last third of the book. The characters are not well developed. I wanted to root for the FMC and the boy next door but I felt their romantic relationship was diluted by her romantic feelings towards his sister and her friend from school. I didn’t understand the need for the majority of character’s relationships to be complicated by romantic feelings.

That aside, the writing itself is well done and the plot interesting. It just lacked in execution for me

Came for the cover, stayed for the plot.

The atmosphere in this book is brilliant. I thought the prose and descriptions managed to capture the gothic tones well and the vibes were *chefs kiss*.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is about a Lark, an orphan from the cliffsides of Verse. After returning home from school in disgrace, she decides to help her older brother's debts by marrying...you guessed it, an old chthonic god. When her betrothal goes wrong, Lark must seek help from her friend-turned enemy: Alastair Felimath, and his older sister Camille.

I went into this book blind, and came out presently surprised. The prose is wonderful, especially for a YA novel, and manages to stay engaging throughout the book. I tend not to be the biggest fan of multiple lover interests/why choose, but I thought it worked quite well in the context of this book.

I would recommend checking this out, especially if you've liked books like A Study in Drowning or Where the Dark Stands Still.

This book was a great palate cleanser and an easier read than I anticipated it being—in a good way. Highly recommend!

Gently, I Am Devoured is a dense, haunting, and utterly absorbing gothic romantasy that clings like salt on the tongue and the scent of flowers on the wind. Lyndall Clipstone has woven a tale as eerie as it is beautiful, with chthonic gods, storm-lashed romance, and a slow-burning sense of dread that will not release.

Lacrimosa (Lark) Arriscane is a beautifully-written heroine—gentle but firm, lost but in search of herself in a world that seems determined to devour her whole. Having been expelled from her posh school and returning to a home drowning in debt, she gets mixed up with the enigmatic Felimath siblings—Alastair, the aloof and tormented boy who broke her heart all those years ago, and Camille, his kind and compassionate sister. But when her marriage of convenience to the sea god Therion confines her to his side, she is drawn into a world far larger than her own, where survival, sacrifice, and love are intertwined.

The mood of the book is nothing less than breathtaking. Clipstone's prose is as beautiful as ever, with imagery of crashing waves, creeping vegetation, and dark cave systems that are both alien and foreboding. The love affair—an intense, matted-up dynamic between Lark and both Felimath brothers—is never forced or clumsy, but instead unfolds organically, with yearning, tenderness, and muted despair.

For those who enjoy A Study in Drowning and despaired that Saltburn didn't have eldritch sea deities, this book is for you. It walks the tightrope between gothic horror and romantic fantasy to produce a reading experience that is as spooky as it is poignantly romantic. Worldbuilding is dense, the characters are well-rounded, and the building tension becomes a stunning and satisfying payoff.

5/5 stars—a floral gothic masterpiece.

A beautiful story that kept me itching to pick it back up and be once again transported into its world. I love a book set in a fantasy world that parallels ours, yet very much isn't. Tenderly I Am Devoured is just that and how lovely it was. The world building of mid-twentieth century technology, mythology, and heady, immersive atmosphere drew me and kept me captive. I loved the characters, cheering for them until the last page. The author's voice was crystal clear, keeping me utterly entranced. I wish I could read it again for the first time. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a soft, aching love story, a setting that is dreamlike yet is grounded in reality, and characters who feel like friends. Fans of A Study in Drowning and even a fantastical version of Brideshead Revisited (one of my all-time favorite novels), will enjoy cuddling up with TID.

4.5 ⭐ (rounded up to 5)

This book was like a fever dream and I mean that as the highest of compliments. I adore the way Lyndall Clipstone writes. Her prose is lyrical and beautiful and immerses you in her worlds immediately.

Lark was extremely relatable in that I too think that maybe if I marry a Chthonic swan god and spend half the year in the underworld maybe that will solve all my problems.

The story is told in “then” and “now” flashbacks, getting glimpses of what put Lark on the path she’s on - with Alastair, with her life at school and with her brothers. Slowly illuminating why she holds such resentment toward Alastair and what she’s running away from. I only wish we’d gotten more glimpses of Lark, Alastair and Camille in the “then” times.

If you like atmospheric books with soft characters and quietly unhinged behavior, I highly recommend picking this up.

Thank you to Macmillan & NetGalley for this e-arc!

3,5 it was a nice idea love the writing felt very atmospheric. But the flash backs well some of them were very unnecessary and the rythme of the book felt slow at some moment. Never read a book about polyamours and well I didn’t like it. Let me explain the fact that lark was with a brother and his sister was weird to me. Not that anything happen with all of them at the same time but I still felt weird out (yes I have two brothers and that weird me out so much) I think if they all were not related I would have love it more. The plot is very predictable but it was the highlight of the book , and the atmosphere gothic romantic.

There isn’t any horror to this even though it’s promoted as such. I also couldn’t get into it, the world building feels quite flat. The characters feel as if they’re too similar to each other and at times I forgot who was who when names weren’t said. Just overall a forgettable book to me

I enjoyed this book, though I do have concerns.

Story wise, I loved the premise. At first I thought it was going to follow a Hades and a Persephone vibe, and I was happy that it related in the sense of Lark would be with Therion for 6 months. The author put a really creative twist on it by making it more than just a mortal in love with a god. Lark and Therion are bound to each other, she is his mortal anchor. I found myself surprised at self twists when I thought I knew how it was going to twist!

Now for concerns I have - this book is listed as YA and on Barnes and Noble says it is recommended for ages 14-18. I do feel that the book has adult themes in it when it comes to the romantic interests in the book. While I’m not against YA books that visit LGBTQ+ relationships, I do think introducing polyamorous relationships is a little much. I didn’t like that Lark’s romantic feelings seemed to be so…I’m not sure how to explain it. It seemed like we were introduced to Damson in a way that immediately alluded to Lark being attracted to her. Right away it’s clear that Lark also had some kind of feelings for Alastair, so much so I was sure he was the love interest. But as soon as we meet adult Camille, park immediately has feelings for her. So for me, there was no growth towards feelings. It’s great that Lark so openly accepted the fact that she had feelings for both Camille and Alastair, I just don’t think polyamory should be in books recommended for young adults.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Lyndall Clipstone and to the publisher Macmillan Children’s Group for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

Release date: 1st July 2025 (UK and US)

TW: body horror, death, grief, blood, injury, references to suicidal ideation, abuse, horror

‘Tenderly I Am Devoured’ is the newest standalone from the brilliant Lyndall Clipstone, pulling the reader into the salt sprayed and isolated world of Lacrimosa Arriscane after she is expelled from school and sent home in disgrace to her family. Born and raised beside the beach and cliffs, Lark returns to her house to discover her brothers on the verge of financial ruin, crippled by debts made by their dead parents to the Felimath family, who live in the enormous mansion named Saltswan. Once upon a time Lark and the Felimath siblings were best friends, but not anymore: Alistair broke Lark’s heart and Camille vanished to finishing school. Desperate to save her family’s livelihood, Lark makes a deal to become the bride of Therion, the swan god worshipped by Lark’s hometown, to be taken away to his realm for six months a year. However, her betrothal goes wrong and Lark soon finds herself caught between the furious Therion and reality, fading away from the real world. There’s only one option to help her: the Felimath siblings, and as they dive into the stories of ancient folklore full of gods and monsters while fleeing a religious sect called the Sea Pirates, Lark falls in love with both siblings at the same time. Attempting a ritual to repair the connection between Therion and Lark before she can be lost forever, the Felimaths and Lark accidentally bring something through that is much more deadly.

I was a huge fan of this author’s ‘Lakesedge’ and ‘Forestfall’ so I was delighted to get an ARC for this book, especially because I loved the idea of a complicated polyamorous relationship dynamic, a Gothic setting and world and a woman engaged out of desperation to a god. Lyndall Clipstone has such a dreamy way of writing, it’s like being caught up in a fairytale and there’s always a sense of unreality lurking on the edges. I loved Lark from page one, she’s really struggling since being expelled from her elite school and returning to her home brings back memories best left in the past. She’s got so much to deal with and in a moment of pure desperation, turns to Therion to save her family’s salt mine. Her connection with Alastair and Camille is fraught with old hurts and childhood love turned into something more, I liked how things weren’t simple or easily defined between Lark and the siblings. Camille is softer while Alistair is harsher but they both understand Lark perfectly. The worldbuilding is beautiful, I found that you could feel the sea and the flickering candles down in the cave where they worship Therion. Some of the moments in this book are horror and Gothic at their finest while merging seamlessly with the YA genre. This is a really original take on love and romance, on religion and worship and on identity and self belief- Lyndall Clipstone has written something truly beautiful, terrifying, raw and aching, I loved it and raced through it in a few days.

An absolutely gorgeous tale, Lyndall has such a poetic way of writing every time I picked the book up, I was transported to another realm, I could practically smell the salt and sea air. There was excellent character development throughout the book and there were twists and turns I didn’t expect. This is definitely one of those stories that will stick with me, and one that I wish I could read for the first time again!

3.75

For me, it was all about the vibes & aesthetic in this book.

Dark academia, mysterious, gothic and whimsical, sprinkled with a heavy dose of mythology. I loved the setting and the premise and was obviously drawn in by the beautiful cover.

Overall, the story was intriguing and the plot twists well executed. Sadly, I struggled a bit with the pacing - between around the 30 and 60% marks, I really lost interest and had to push myself to continue. After that, it picked up again and I was able to finish in one go.

The writing is ornate, almost poetic, and beautiful to read! (Although that proved rather hindering while the pace was slow). I enjoyed the images Lyndall Clipstone painted as much as the world she created and its unique atmosphere.

As for characters, they were all intriguing in the different shades and had enough of a contrast to be interesting and discernible. Sadly, for me personally they lacked a bit of debt - particularly Camille and even Lark herself who sometimes felt almost abstract. Like a picture with high transparency and too much filtering through to fully grasp her character.
In terms of relationships and dynamics, I had some trouble. Not at all with the romance choices, but with the fact, without wanting to give too much away, that I really want for Lark to have a real friend. I am very happy about the outcome of all relationships, however unusual.

That all being said, it was a beautiful book! The story, especially how it was resolved, was good, the writing created a beautiful imagery, the characters worked and the atmosphere and vibes carried everything. Some aspects just had me wish for a little more substance.

Read if you like art museums, Persephone, swans, the messy Dracula polycule, books that feel like a fever dream, strawberries.

This book had so much potential! The original plot was great and I wished the author stuck to it. I was loving the gloomy, gothic mythology retelling. Unfortunately, there was a lot going on and multiple sub-plots, we lost the main plot entirely and had a few plot holes! I was left with many questions that were never answered.

I read this book knowing it was a M/F/F, but it still made me uncomfortable. It wasn’t because Lark (FMC) was shared between siblings, but because their relationship didn’t make sense, making their trio dynamic shallow, pointless and unbelievable.

Lark was also hard to like. She craved attention, affection, and validation, and her naive and aloof character made her vulnerable to gaslighting, exploitation, and belittling. I hoped she’d have an arc moment but she didn’t.

If you enjoy complex characters and a story focused on character and relationships rather than plot, this book might be for you.

Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group & Henry Holt and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity.

This is more a 3.5 ⭐️

This book gave dark academia, gothic romance, and coastal folklore which I totally vibed with. The premise was so interesting and I was super excited to read.

This follows lark on her crazy journey to her betrothal of the god Therion. I am so sad we didn’t get more of therion in this book, but the way he was written was absolutely beautiful. The writing in this book was good and left me wanting more.

The only things I did feel were kind of odd was the switch from first person to third person during the flashbacks, personally I would have preferred one perspective. I also feel like Camille character and in general the romance between her and Lark was underdeveloped. I didn’t feel much chemistry between Lark and Camille. Im down for polyamory but I wasn’t vibing very much with the dynamic between the Felimath siblings and Lark, now a polyamorous relationship between Therion, Alistair, and Lark? SIGN ME UP! Although pacing was a bit slow in the middle it did pick up quickly towards the end. Overall it was a fun read.

Thank you for the ARC!
This is my first book by Lyndall Clipstone and I was impressed with her prose as well as the vibes she conveyed throughout the story.
I thought both the world and characters were well-developed.
The pacing was slow at times, though it wasn’t an issue with keeping my interest. I took a few breaks in reading yet still wanted to come back to it.
The book had decent LGBT representation, albeit not your typical with one person courting a set of siblings (there is not a romantic or intimate relationship between the siblings, as far as I could tell as I know this is a TW for many).

Well written gothic romantasy for YA readers!

The writing style was nice, but the characters were difficult to connect to and the romances felt forced with little to no chemistry. The world building wasn't bad, but I would've liked to see more of it in greater detail.
I really wanted to enjoy this more, but I just couldn't get into it as much as I'd hoped I would.

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this novel! Tenderly, I am Devoured is one of my most anticipated reads for this year. The cover is gorgeous. Massive props to the artist on that one! The description had me from the get go. An underworld diety and a betrothal gone wrong? Sign me up!

Before we get started, some trigger warnings might be a bit helpful to others! I went in blind and was a bit caught off guard. But the novel does touch on physical abuse (the parent/child variety).

The novel is about newly eighteen year old Lacrimosa (Lark) who comes home after being away at boarding school for four years. Nothing in her home is as she remembers it. Her brother's are worn down as their salt mines have quit producing salt. In a stroke of luck that would solve all of their problems, Lark agrees to marry Therion (their sea god) in exchange for the family's mines to flow with sea salt once more. On Lark's wedding night, everything goes wrong. She and her betrothed are attacked by a salt priest. Lark is saved by Alastair, a boy who broke her heart many years ago. Lark teams up with Alastair and his sister Camille to unravel a series of haunting events that happen after the failed wedding night. The first half of the novel is a bit slow. But the latter half of the novel more than makes up for the pacing. The last third of the book had me desperately turning the page. I don't want to spoil it but I loved how Therion and Lark's arc ended.

The Good:
The descriptions of the world and the characters make me feel like I am watching a movie. The setting is very reminiscent of Crimson Peaks (we will get to that later) and the Woman in Black. The eeiry, gothic setting is perfect for an otherworldly dark deity. Therion appears for most of the novel as otherworldly flashes of eyes and disappointment at the betrothal gone wrong. The atmosphere is delightfully tense as Lark, Alastair, and Camille continue to interact with and see visions of Therion, salt, and the sea.

The Romance:
Turning to the romance. I don't mind a "why choose" narrative. The first part of the book definitely made it seem like Alastair and Lark were in the past and Camille was going to be the sole love interest. I loved Lark and Camille's moments together. They were tender and sweet. Lark's moments with Alastair are still haunted by the rejection and renouncement of friendship many years ago. As the novel goes on, Lark realizes that Alastair still has feelings for her and vice versa. This is where it gets messy for me. In one chapter, Lark is kissing Camille and in another she is kissing Alastair. Let's not forget Lark's bridegroom Therion. I was really skeptical of the romance plot because two of the four people (and god?) involved are siblings, but it actually works. There aren't any scenes where Lark and both siblings are intimate (thankfully). She has separate romances with each of them and the romances make sense. I wish we got a bit more build up with Camille and Lark's relationship, but that is just a bit nitpicky.

The Bad:
The flashbacks felt a bit oddly placed and repetitive at times. Most of that is due to the reader being shown the event and then it being explained to other characters in the present day.

Overall, I loved the prose. It is written so beautifully. The imagery makes me believe I am really there. Overall, I definitely enjoyed it!