4.5 Stars!

I really enjoyed this story. Was it perfection? No, but for a debut I think this book is super well done and because of that I expect even greater things from the next book! Also, this cover is amazing!

I love the unique take on sirens. Can’t say that I’ve read many books on sirens (so the uniqueness is a bit of an assumption but from what I know it was different) which I am unsure why I haven’t read more because I was obsessed with mermaids as a child—seems like the next step to take and I probably will after this book.

I think there could have been more done with the world building and plot but it didn’t really bother me. The vibes were top notch, in my opinion, and as the author grows as a writer I suspect this story will get even better and the things I didn’t love in the writing will be improved upon.

I got an e-arc and wasn’t able to finish before release so I switched to the audio to finish it out and that was just what I needed for this book! The audio was amazing! Definitely the format I recommend! Will definitely be purchasing a shelf trophy of this one!

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for the opportunity to read this early.

There was a lot happening in this book, but the pacing of the plot managed to make this feel like a race to the finish rather than a slog, so I applaud that. I haven't read much that includes sirens, especially in this more monstrous way, so I really enjoyed that aspect of this story. The romance felt real and the banter/conversation between the characters felt earned. I do wish we got more about our main side characters, but given the breakneck pacing of the story it just didn't happen. I actually sort of hope that in the next installment, the pacing is a little slower so we have more time to sit in the world and with the characters. Overall, I really enjoyed this though! I definitely think this will be a popular romantasy read going forward.

I found this to be an interesting read, as I would be hooked and read non-stop at some points, and at others, it was easy to put down and walk away for a bit.

I honestly don't know how I feel about Imogen as a character. Sometimes I wanted to shake her, while other times I was cheering her on. I hope we get more about Theo and the other main side characters in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will pick up the second one.

This was a nice fantasy debut with captivating characters and lush prose. The worldbuilding was a bit shaky at times and I didn't always understand the lore, but the romance made up for that.

SIRENS! A romantasy about sirens! And the monstrous side is hot! I didn’t know I needed a romantasy like this one, but alas, I did! I found myself drawn into the storyline immediately. There was actually so much happening, and the pacing kept up pretty well. I can’t say this is my *favorite* romantasy of the year, but it’s definitely going to be a hit for a lot of readers and I understand why! …Also that ENDING?! Gah! I need the next book TOMORROW! 4.25⭐️

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this so much and actually wish that it had been dragged out into multiple books. The romance was a bit quick, but the tension was amazing, and I can't wait to read more about these characters in book two. Need it ASAP, honestly.

I enjoyed this one! The plot of this book was intriguing and had me really excited to dive in. I enjoyed the world in this book and the gothic feel was well done. I liked the charcaters but I really struggled to connect with them and the plot didn’t feel compelling enough for me. I found myself not really caring much about the characters or their relationship, as well as being a bit bored by the plot itself. I did end up enjoying the twists that happened in the story but was a bit unsatisfied with the ending. Overall an enjoyable read that I recommend checking out!

3.25 out of 5 stars!

For nearly three decades now, he had refused to worship the Great Goddess Ligea— the Queen of Sirens. He claimed Sirens were vicious and pitiless as the sea, that they took joy in destruction, and over time he’d stopped honoring the Great Gods all together. He made blood offerings to his water deity, Eusia, instead.

In the Veins of Drowning was an impressive debut that I hope doesn't get lost in the sea of endless romantasy being published right now. I really enjoyed the world building where kings rule but serve gods and magic plays a role in good and evil. This is adult and for the most part I felt it read that way, you'll get gory and open door scenes for some horror and romance. This was mostly told from our main character Imogen, who in her later twenties is engaged to be married to a captain of King Nemea's guard, who she has been a ward of since she was a baby. The atmosphere clues readers into the fact that not everything is right in this fantasy medieval feeling world, along with the tension bleeding through Imogen's thoughts and feelings. It's when she accidentally exposes herself to her fiance that she's a Siren, beings hunted in this kingdom, that the story kicks off with romance and thriller aspects.

“No.” I looked him squarely in the eye— I had nothing left to lose. “I came to bind myself to you.”

Even though Imogen is King Nemea's ward, she has reason to fear him, so with a first meeting that struck something between them, Imogen decides that the King of Varya, Theo, is her way out. They end up doing a blood binding, Theo becomes immune to Imogen's siren calls and they feel a sense of protection towards each other and make a deal that Theo will get Imogen safely to his kingdom, also asking three things of her. They plan on breaking the binding once in his kingdom because Theo is engaged to a powerful empress' daughter. So you can kind of see where this is going, some road adventure with Imogen and Theo starting off a little at odds with one another but trying to fight that physical and binding attraction. I liked the byplay between them but overall I still wanted a feeling of more depth between their emotional connection.

“Your purpose— the reason I agreed to bind myself to you— is to ensure that you will help me track down and kill King Nemea’s water deity, Eusia. And it’s your power that makes me believe you can. That silent lure you possess is Gods’ power. It’s beyond what a normal Siren can wield.”

While the romance builds between the two with obstacles stacked between them, the worldbuilding takes shape and I was pretty fascinated by it all. Imogen doesn't have all the facts or the truth about her origins and as she learns more, it builds the plot. I don't want to give too much away but her siren abilities point to a greater role she's destined for and the years she spent forced to worship the god King Nemea made her, Eusia, has empowered Eusia in such ways, she may be impossible to defeat. The imagery of sirens and how the wings tear out of Imogen's back, getting a prophecy from the mage seerer, and the nekgya, dead bodies powered by Eusia that hunt sirens in the water, was really cool and had me sinking into this world.

“There’s too much against us,” I whispered.

Even though this was mostly from Imogen's pov, I did think we got enough of Theo's backstory to get a good feel for him as a character. There was also a slight secondary romance between Agatha and a commander of Theo's that helped add to the world and made me wish we had a novella of their first time around romance. The romance could have had deeper depth but the fantasy lore building was more than worth the price of admission. This is the first in a duology, though, so prepare for that cliffhanger until next summer.

LOVED. I’m a huggeeee Rachel Gillig fan so when I saw her blurb, I just had to read it and it did not disappoint. The spice level was perfect. The tropes were executed flawlessly. This is definitely a book I will be reading again.

In the Veins of the Drowning is a stunning dive deep into the dark waters of Sirens, their allure, and the inevitable danger that comes with deadly power. In particular, its unique and gripping title convinced me to apply for an ARC of the book, and I was ecstatic to learn I had received it. Within the book’s superbly crafted world and mythos, sirens emerge as powerful creatures inspired by the original winged sirens of Greek mythology. In the kingdom of Seraf, sirens are hunted down and killed en masse under the rule of their despotic ruler Nemea, who is the king and guardian of Lady Imogen Nel. Imogen hides her own secret of her Siren heritage from her warden, balancing her want of freedom and fear of the sea awakening her power. Imogen herself is an absolutely refreshing FMC that perfectly balances stubbornness, courage, anxiety, and the struggle with power. Theodore, King of Varya, is also a refreshing MMC that displays a hidden depth of character that Imogen cracks open; Theo acts as her perfect foil in numerous ways, adding a sonorous and delicious tension to their interactions. The love story itself felt slightly rushed, but it must be said that there are also some intense mitigating factors at play influencing the both of them and their relationship that undoubtedly speed up their emotional connection. All in all, In the Veins of the Drowning was a darkly stunning debut by Kalie Cassidy, and I eagerly await the gripping sequel “In the Wake of the Ruined”.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would after finishing the first few chapters. Sure, the world building is slow, and the FMC is a bit weak as she comes into her own, and the insta-love is difficult for many to accept, but the payoff in the second half of the book is worth it.
The twists and turns this book takes were at times unexpected. The world building unfolds as readers move through the chapters rather than laying it out up front, and I didn't mind this. The tension between FMC and MMC are perfect for the genre and push the story along.

I am already wishing for book two.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the eARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

I don’t know what’s happening to me lately but I’ve been craving fantasy books and I feel like that has never really happened before. But alas, here we are. And I’ve got another one that I enjoyed a lot.

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a “love it or dislike it” kind of fantasy reader. I’m either all in or not at all.

And this one worked for me.

Think dark fantasy with kings and sirens. Mermaid? Or some sort of death ‘people’ of the seas. Book 1 of the duology lays the groundwork to a forbidden love and bizarre connections to the sea both by kings and the dead.

I’m not explaining it very well except to say that somehow it worked for me. And knowing it’s a debut made me even happier to support a new author.

As I say with all of these cliffhanger books, which are the bane of my existence 😂😭, I can’t wait for book 2

In the Veins of the Drowning absolutely swept me off my feet. I haven't been this enamored with a book since Circe by Madeline Miller. The writing was impeccable, and the romance has the most perfect amount of yearning. I am obsessed and will absolutely be reading the next book in the series.

I received an ARC from Little, Brown and Company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down! The premise, the characters, and the writing combined into a perfect read for me. There was longing, angst, and a set of star-crossed lovers we're not sure will survive each other, let along their enemies. It's only just published and I already can't wait for the next one.

In the Veins of the Drowning is about a siren, Imogen, who hides her true identity from a kingdom and its king who hunt her kind mercilessly. When a neighboring king arrives, she forms a blood bond with him in order to escape her circumstances. This book sounded so good but ultimately did not meet my expectations.

The siren lore was cool but there was simply not enough explanation about anything. You're sort of just dropped into the story with very little exposition of the magic and world. I simply could not connect with any of the characters. I found myself frustrated with many of Imogen's actions. She possesses this powerful magic as a siren and yet she chooses to humble herself before this annoyingly self-righteous king when she could have just escaped on her own. All of this coupled with the unnecessary amount of swearing in this book made me dislike the story. Furthermore, the romance was insta-lovey and was the main plot for most of the book which I did not appreciate. I see how some may like this book. There was some beautiful lines written throughout but it was not enough to save the narrative.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc!

4.25 ⭐
I'm generally not a huge fan of siren stories, but this book was great! The plot was interesting, the characters were complex, and I loved the injection of creepiness. In the Veins of Drowning kept me up late and had me getting up early, and I can't wait to read the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Gollancz for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: violence, abuse, death, sexual content, gore, body horror

Having been the prisoner of a cruel King Nemea in a society where Sirens are regarded as monsters, Imogen Nel has been in hiding since she was a child, kept away from the sea that would allow her to be her true self. The outside world is a constant threat to her but Imogen is tired of being under the whims of the sadistic Nemea and his desire to marry her off to a cruel captain. When a neighbouring King, Theodore, comes to visit on the event of her engagement, Imogen sees a way to be free- but not before her terrible nature is revealed, the black wings underneath her skin and the bloodlust hidden from view for years. Fleeing Nemea’s hold alongside Theodore, Imogen discovers she is the lost heiress of the Sirens, capable of saving both her and Theodore’s kingdoms from an even bigger evil. Together they embark on a quest, travelling through waters filled with the undead and managing a blood bond tying them together even as they fall in love. Soon enough, Imogen learns the hard way that the only way to defeat a monster is to be the one she’s always been.

Dark, brooding and beautifully written ‘In the Veins of the Drowning’ is a gorgeous debut. It pulls the reader into an Gothic inspired, atmospheric world with complex characters and a lovely level of tension. Imogen is a mixture of furious and terrified with hidden consequences for embracing her true self. I loved her so much especially as she came more into herself and gained a better understanding of her lineage and powers. One particular scene towards the beginning is so vivid I could imagine it on a TV show as she proves how much of a survivor she truly is. I really enjoyed the character of Theo as well, he’s solemn and morally grey but he’s much softer when you get to know him. The bond trapping Imogen and Theo together, and the impact it has on both of them, is one of the highlights of this book for me- it adds so much to the tension and the romance as they continue to clash despite themselves. I’m looking forward to where the sequel might go, especially in regards to Imogen’s character as she further becomes the Siren heir that her people need.

What a dark, mystical tale this is. Sirens & kings in a gothic setting. Romantasy at its finest! Looking forward to book 2

“What I feel for you is beyond reason—beyond duty and desire. You have tipped my whole world on its side, and you are the one clear thing in the chaos.”

🗡️🧜🏽‍♀️🫧🏴‍☠️🪸🐚🌊

a beautifully written slow burn romantasy full of tension and longing. the dark, gothic coastal atmosphere was so vivid and immersive, i could see it all so clearly. and zombie sirens? such a cool, unique twist!

i did wish the worldbuilding had been a bit clearer. the magic system and siren lore left me a little confused, and the ending unraveled so quickly i had to reread it twice.

that said, the characters and mood completely pulled me in, and i’m so excited to see where book two goes!

thank you Netgalley & Little Brown Publishing for the arc! 🤍

Ohhhh-kay now Kalie Cassidy is here to add to the pile of atmospheric gothic dark siren stories that are having a moment on my TBR.

I LOVED this. Whatever she writes next, I want.