Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

This was a beautiful story with characters that feel so real they pop off the page. This was fairytale-like, almost like a dream told in narrative. If you want a gothic love story, queer characters, and a wonderfully woven story- this is the book for you. I highly recommend this.

"Tenderly, I Am Devoured" by Lyndall Clipstone is a haunting gothic horror novel with a captivating romance. It follows Marlena, haunted by visions, as she uncovers dark secrets at a secluded estate. Clipstone's writing creates a chilling atmosphere, exploring themes of grief, obsession, and hidden truths. Marlena's connection with the mysterious caretaker adds emotional depth. It's a must-read for gothic horror fans.

I actually really loved this book. It was really beautifully written and it all felt like a rever dream to me as I read it. It was refreshingly different and new from any other story I’ve read. I loved seeing the characters come together and fight for each other and the strong bond and love throughout the book.

Thank you NetGalley for an E-arc i absolutely adored this book!

“If I must be glass then I want to be the razored edge of a broken pane - sharp and dangerous.”

Lyndall’s books are always for the girls who never grew out of their Beauty and the Beast phase, and I appreciate it. There are many monsters in this book, mortal and not, and not all of them have an appearance that matches their monstrosity, or are even wholly monstrous. Some are formed by tragedy, and others are simply cruel. Clipstone takes traditional gothic themes of the shattered family, tangled and twisted lovers, houses that hold living secrets, and a monster that yearns for the human heroine, and expertly brings them into life in modern writing. Tenderly, I Am Devoured could fit on the shelves between Wuthering Heights or The Fall of the House of Usher. With every book, Clipstone’s writing strengthens. I love the Lakesedge duology, but TIAD has taken its place for my favorite Lyndall Clipstone work. The shades of gray align seamlessly with the dark setting to create a masterpiece of gothic literature.

On a less serious note, Damson deserved more. I hope that cut scarred and she has to look at it in the mirror every morning before going out to her empty, massively successful life.

This book surprised me! I saw the cover and was intrigued. I read the premise and was a little unsure. The writing was so well done! It was captivating and poetic. There were secrets and twists that kept me interested. I absolutely loved Lark and Camille. Alistair grew on me. I'm so happy I read this.

4.5 I really enjoyed. The story was compelling and the writing was skillful and quite beautiful. The characters are well developed and interesting. Some of the relationships were a bit hard to root for but that felt intentional to some degree. Not everything is tied up in a bow, but it gets you thinking! Recommend!

This book was hauntingly beautiful. I was immediately in love with it all —the atmosphere, the characters, the folklore. I felt like I was in Verse and could see, smell, and taste everything the characters did. Well done and I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Poetic and unforgettable, I’ll forever be enthralled by Lyndall’s writing. This was just as beautiful all her other books, she truly has a way with prose.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my first Lyndall Clipstone book and it would be an understatement to say I am addicted.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured was one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read. It was incredibly poetic & the story itself had me lost in the pages

I am absolutely obsessed with Lacrimosa, Camille, and Alastair & will be forever changed by this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the digital ARC for “Tenderly, I Am Devoured” by Lyndall Clipstone.

After being expelled for ‘breaking all the rules’ at her boarding school, Lacrimosa returns home in disgrace, only to find that her family is in debt, and on the verge of losing everything. A deal is struck with a chthonic god, and things only manage to go more downhill from there for Lark.

The marriage pact made me think of the story of Persephone - but in this case 6 months a year with the chthonic god Therion in exchange for bringing back the salt mine to absolve family debt… but unfortunately not everything goes as planned.

It feels like Lark’s desire to be loved and wanted, has led to a lot of rash decisions. She falls ‘in love’ way too quickly, and gets hurt easily as a result. It made me wonder if the death of her “parents”, and the gap between her “brother’s” & her age led to her forming unhealthy attachments with others. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the relationships in this… between the Felimath siblings, and her obsession with Damson, and then add Therion to the mix… it wasn’t exactly a shining example of healthy relationships.

Although I will have to say it’s a super appropriate name for the character with the amount of crying she’s done throughout the entire book.

I really liked the overall concept of this book, but the execution of it fell short for me.

Beautifully written folktale/fairy tale/gothic novel with an extremely interesting world but falls a little flat emotionally - I never really felt the danger or dread, and there’s little angst or catharsis throughout.

I absolutely loved the resolution, I love that jealousy and hate don’t win the day, and I love the imagery of Caedmon’s art that’s sprinkled throughout.

Thoroughly YA - there’s kissing and some hands in pants action, very tastefully done and I wouldn’t have an issue giving this book to my 12yo.

Recommended for lovers of Robin McKinley, Chokshi’s Last Tale of the Flower Bride, and Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s books.

A beautiful, haunting, gothic tale that I recommend reading in the evening with the lights dimmed down. The descriptive narrative helps paint the picture in all its beauty and horror. I especially loved the hints of the world and religion as it unfolded.

I only wish we had more with Camille, her motives and personality weren't as fleshed out as Alastair and Lark.

A lush, gothic romantasy dripping with atmosphere and longing. I am completely obsessed with the 3 of their's relationship. Haunting, seductive, and brimming with dark folklore, this book is perfect for fans of eerie, beautifully written fantasy. Definitely one to read with a candle flickering nearby!

Content Warning: mentions of physical abuse, violence

+ I am always intrigued by the books this author writes. My favorite part of this book is the setting and the atmosphere. It has gothic vibes, a house by the sea, rituals and worshipping Gods. And there is this theme of 3’s which I found interesting also. This story is written like a fever dream.

+ The romance is messy but filled with yearning and very mild heat, nothing graphic. Lark is friends with her neighbors, two siblings, Alistair and Camille. They are friends for a time until they grow apart. But they eventually reunite, Alistair and Lark having more issues to work through but she gets into a relationship with both of them. I thought it would get complicated but it is definitely the type of relationship where everyone in the party was okay with it so I respected that.

+ I really liked the storyline about the God Therion and Lark having to marry him to help her family’s salt mines become profitable again. It remind me of the story of Hades and Persephone but with a different twist that included Alistair.

~ I felt like Lark fell for people too fast, like for Damson at boarding school. She was needy but also needed by everyone it seems: Alistair, Camille, and Therion. I felt her connection to Alistair, but Camille? Not really except for the physical connection they had with each other.

Final Thoughts:

Overall, this one was okay- it’s a quick read and written like a fever dream. I love the coastal, gothic atmosphere and how they worship their God, Therion. I loved all the LGBT romance representation in the story and that it was very accepted in this world but I didn’t love the polyamory between Lark and the siblings only because I felt she had more of a connection and history to Alistair, but I guess at least it didn’t ruin the friendship. And because it’s written like a fever dream at some points I was wondering what was going on. Though some things didn’t work for me, I think young adult gothic romance readers will enjoy this dark, gothic romance story.

The lyrical prose of this book was absolutely everything. This book feels like reading one very long, majestic poem that I absolutely loved.

Half the time, I didn’t have a clue what was happening, but instead of detracting from the book, it made me like it more.

This book feels like a sapphic version of The Shape of Water mixed in with a gothic atmosphere. I felt like I was there where the characters are rather than sitting at home reading it. Everything is described in such a way that you feel as though you are an integral part of the book, which brought me massive amounts of joy.

Now the downside of this book is the pacing. It’s quite slow. You really need to like a slow paced book in order to truly enjoy it. If I’m being honest, the pacing alone is what caused my rating to drop from a 4 to a 3 star review.

Thank you very much to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you #NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review :)

Unfortunately, this didn't hold my attention as much I would have hoped. I will say that the prose was incredibly beautiful, atmospheric, and haunting at times. The story has a bit of a gothic coastal/sea vibe to it and will appeal to readers who enjoy lyric, imaginative prose. But despite my adoration of the author's descriptive writing, the characters fell flat to me and the book is overwritten. I felt no attachment to any of the characters and this ultimately kept me from continuing.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75☆ (4.75/5 stars)
Mood, magnetic, and soaked in salt and sorrpw, Tenderly, I am Devoured is a lushly written folk horror that wraps itself around the reader and doesnt let go.

Lyndall Clipstone crafts an eerie, evocative world where legacy and longing collide beneath the surface of something ancient and demanding. At the center is Lacrimosa "Lark" Arriscane, a failing student returning home to her crumbling coastal cottage, who immediately get engaged to a desperate god, however the marriage doesn't go as planned and soon she must enlist the help of her childhood best friends to try and stop her from disappearing from the world altogether.

The prose is stunning: lyrical, each sentence saturated with atmosphere. I found myself rereading passages just to linger in the imagery. The gothic romanticism is balanced by a sharp emotional vulnerability, particularly in the evolving dynamic between Lark and the Felimath siblings, whose presence adds a deliciously decadent tension and complexity to the narrative.

The only element that didn’t fully work for me was the shift in narrative perspective between the “Then” and “Now” sections—first vs. third person— which occasionally disrupted the emotional continuity. However, this was a small distraction in an otherwise intoxicating reading experience.

The beautifully gothic Tenderly, I Am devoured was SO GOOD! I truly want to pack my bags and move to Verse with Lark. This has been one of my favorite books I've read this year and it went WAY beyond my expectations. This was a super fun read and from the world building to the chemistry between the three of them, it is sure to amaze anyone who reads it. I reccomend this book to anyone who likes romance, fantasy, or folklore even a little bit!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4+ stars

Oh this was hauntingly beautiful. I’ve been a fan of Clipstone’s since Lakesedge, and she did not disappoint with her latest. It’s atmospheric, tense, heartfelt, and tender. The characters are damaged, yet they are survivors. And there’s slow-burn romance that turns into an inferno.

This book is a bit less horror-forward than I was expecting, but I’m not mad about that at all. There’s still the chthonic gods, the strange rituals, the haunting visions, and frightening realities. But it’s softened by the romance, and the fact that Therion isn’t a scary god really. The book really focuses on the relationships between Lark, Alistair, and Camille. Lark is intoxicatingly drawn to them both, and they to her. The way they came together was fantastic.

Clipstone has said this was her most personal book. And it definitely hit me very personally in the feels too. When Lark is betrayed by her closest friends, I was suddenly 13 again when my 2 best friends just decided not to speak to me anymore. I ached for her so viscerally.

I think fans of Ava Reid and Erin A Craig will really love this one. Definitely recommend!

DNF @50%

This book felt all over the place. And the way that Camille was introduced into the present day storyline felt weird. Like she's only there for Lark to have a female love interest. I also don't like that her love interests are siblings.