This book is my new obsession. I loved it so much!! It was so well written and kept my attention. I was never bored or skipping sections. The plot was good and intriguing and the characters were so well thought out and complex. I loved the whole siren and gods thing. I haven’t read anything like that before, so I loved how unique that was.

Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown & Co for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved most of this. The writing pulled me in and kept my attention, which is no small feat these days. The characters were complex, and I loved that this had Sirens and a dark Little Mermaid vibe (the Hans Christian Andersen version, not the animated Disney abomination). My only quibble was that it had more angst than I prefer. I found myself internally screaming at the main characters to just talk to each other! Perhaps because it hits too close to home, the constant doubting of one’s worthiness of or love from any partner, let alone one who, in their view, is the paragon of personhood, grates on my nerves. That said, I will keep my eye out for the sequel, because I need to know how this story ends. I can see why Cassidy calls Rachel Gillig her writing wife. Their books have a similar feel, which is fine with me because I love Gillig’s writing. Something to consider if you’re looking for a comparison.

This and "A Forbidden Alchemy" by Stacey McEwan may be helping the romantasy genre win me back! (AFA is a historical romantasy though--not similar to this book at all except they're both excellent).

In the Veins of the Drowning drops us right into the story and I loved how quick Cassidy was with the world building. I immediately knew who I liked and who I hated. The magic was unveiled throughout the story which was such a good choice because we learned more about it as Imogen did. Speaking of Imogen--loved her! She wasn't a cut and dry "good" heroine. She has layers and darkness to her that I really enjoyed reading about. I also felt like this was a true romantasy because of how much time we spent with her and her love interest. Their tension was great, but they also had important tasks to tend to which were more pressing than their romance. I thought their relationship was really well done.

The SIRENS THOUGH?! Such a cool idea and how it weaves into their gods. I cannot wait to learn even more about the magic and Sirens in the next book. Imogen about to be bad af, and I will liveeeee for it!

In conclusion, I was super satisfied with this book, and I haven't been so excited for a sequel in a really long time! Kinda sad I read this early because the sequel release is so far away. :')

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

In the Veins of Drowning is a haunting & atmospheric tale about a siren in hiding and her escape from the King who controls her. It has a lovely seaside setting, siren hunters, Gods-given powers, blood bonds, political intrigue, and gruesome creatures. It’s a bit of a slower read but in a good way - the writing is beautiful and makes you feel like you need to take everything in.

The magic system is unique and I especially loved Imogen’s connection to the sea and her power over it. I also really loved Theo and his poor little tortured soul. Get you a man who would throw away his whole kingdom for you. The ending left me wanting more and this is definitely a series that I will be continuing!

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Why is it that writing reviews for books that I loved is always so much harder than for books I disliked?

Anyways, get you a man as absolutely pathetic as Theo because that man was actually GROVELING for her, begging for her to even give him the time of day

In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy left a strong impression on me. The story is intense and atmospheric, pulling me into a dark and twisted world that felt both haunting and strangely beautiful. Cassidy’s writing style is vivid and immersive. I could almost feel the dampness of the setting and the weight of the characters’ secrets. The main character’s journey drew me in. I appreciated how layered and complex they were, struggling with their past and the mysteries around them in a way that felt raw and believable. The plot kept me guessing, with just the right amount of suspense and emotional depth.

There are not enough good things I can say about this book! The beautiful atmospheric writing gripped me from page one, and the characters were so well written I had a hard time putting it down! And the romance... I am still processing everything I loved about these two. I cannot wait for the next book!

“In the Veins of the Drowning” is an immersive, dark fantasy that lures readers until the final page. Imogen is the ward of a king ruling over a seaside kingdom that kills sirens and worships a mysterious goddess. She is engaged to be married to the general, until he uncovers her hidden siren powers. She must seek the help of a visiting king. He makes a deal with her and they make an escape into a dangerous quest.

This story had many fun surprises, and was truly not what I expected. We don’t see many sirens in fantasy novels, so I was really intrigued by the siren magic and lore. I’m interested to see how this story continues in the sequel.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

In the Veins of the Drowning is haunting, lyrical, and full of emotion. The writing is absolutely gorgeous. It feels immersive in a way that pulls you into its world slowly and completely. The seaside setting, the sense of grief, and the quiet magic all build a really unique and moody atmosphere.

I loved the siren mythology and the subtle tension that runs through the story. It’s not a loud or fast-paced book , it’s more of a slow unraveling, where the emotions and character dynamics take center stage. The romance is more of a soft undercurrent than a central plot point, but it adds depth to the story without taking over.

There were a few moments where I had to pause and settle into the rhythm of the writing, but once I did, I was fully along for the ride. This is one of those books that rewards patience and sinks in deep if you let it.

If you’re looking for something dreamy, emotional, and a little eerie, this one is worth picking up. Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read early.

A fantastic first book to this series, I really enjoyed it. The plot did a great job of setting up the world, theology, and history without giving a textbook thesis on it. The beginning went very fast with a lot of things happening almost before you can catch your breath. Once it got into the quest part of the plot it found its pace and was a very interesting read. There were questionable decisions made but it’s very human and while I may have wanted to scream at the characters, I can’t say I’d have done anything different if I were in the situation. There biggest issue is that I’ve read this right as it’s coming out which means I have so long to wait for the next one. I read this ebook through NetGalley.

Excuse me while this book becomes my entire personality. I am literally obsessed with this story and am so upset my copy from NetGalley did not come with the teaser for book 2 chapter! Luckily, I preordered a physical copy which hopefully will have that because I need more of these characters!

Agatha and Lachlan are everything I need in found family / side characters. The cast was small but I loved that because it felt like the reader could really get to know the important players.

The romance, banter, slow burn, and enemies to lovers vibes were so so so perfect. Not sure how Imogen and Theo are going to fix the epic disaster they ended up in at the end of this book but I can’t wait to find out!

One small criticism (so small I didn’t even deduct a star) was that the world building is a little confusing. The idea of Mages, God Kings, etc, was a lot to understand. It does make sense by the end but took me a bit to fully grasp.

Overall, a fantastic debut of a series I will certainly continue as well as an author I’d read more from.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for this early review copy.

This was a great fantasy book with a slow burn romance, which was right up my alley. I'm not a huge fan of romance books, but when the romance does not overtake the story and does not take away from the main plot, I love it. This book surprised me, I wasn't sure about it initially, but the story sucked me right in. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book.

While I liked this book, I can not say that I LOVED this book. I know the ending had to be vague because it will obviously be a series, but it left a few too many things unanswered. I also like when fantasy is based in a little bit of actual lore, and I feel like this one took a few too many liberties in that regard. But it was immensely readable!

Gosh THIS BOOK!!! I cannot say enough amazing things about this story or Kalie's writing. It's visceral and imaginative and atmospheric; hands down one of the most beautiful stories I've read in a very long time. I cannot wait to read whatever they put out next :)

I’m dropping this one star because of the to-be-continued ending, even though I knew that this was the set up for the book. Several key resolutions were left outstanding, and I will have to wait to find out what Imogen ultimately decides in her quest destroy her enemies. I’m a fan of series books, but I would much prefer that they not end on a proverbial cliff.

But for the non-ending, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy romance set in sea-faring kingdoms and heavily populated with mortals, sirens, and the direct descendants of gods and goddesses. The story is told in first person, entirely from the perspective of Imogen Nel, our heroine who must beat insurmountable odds to claim her destiny and also, hopefully, find some peace. There’s a lot of romantsy anguish, a little bit of sexy times but nothing too spicy. I genuinely enjoyed the love story, and the romantic lead is a genuinely sympathetic character.

So, an enjoyable read that kept my attention throughout the story and has me on pins and needles to see Imogen get to her final destiny. My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the opportunity of an early read.

This book so so so so so good!!!!!!!!! I DEVOURED it!! Up until the wee hours of the morning reading it and I had physically force myself to put the book away and go to bed. I thoroughly enjoyed this world, and it was criminally short. The world in this book is very unique, it was a romantasy, so the world building is not super heavy but if she wanted to make it a fantasy romance and BUILD out this world there was so much potential to make this series 600-page book material. Despite the world building not being super heavy it all made sense, I have a feeling the explanation other Gods and Goddesses will come into play in the following book, and I am curious to see how Cassidy expands this world along with executing the overall plot and romance. There are very few Sirens lore-based books, and I love a good unique romantasy especially in the current climate of "fast Fashion" books. This book is chalk full of crowd favorite tropes/themes:
-marriage of convenience
-he falls first
-slow burn
-blood magic/bonds
-children of Gods
-political intrigue
-duty vs desire
-Touch her/him and you die
-CLIFFHANGER

I really enjoyed all the characters in this book, which is a huge thing for me. I usually find one flaw but the interactions between the main characters, Imogen and Theordore, was impeccable. Their angst and tension and pull between love and hate and utter desire kept me HOOKED! I was slightly annoyed that Imogen was being stubborn about their bond and was too scared to take what she wants. She at many points in her bond with Theo allowed her trauma to rule her and I felt that they fell hard for each other but the discussion of her abuse at the hand of the King was hardly spoken about. As the reader I understood her actions because I had that understanding but Theo could only assume, I hope that they repair their bond in the next book, and she can truly be vulnerable. I cannot wait for book two and if every book Kalie Cassidy is like this OMFG she will be an automatic buy for me! I really enjoyed this book, and it fully sucked me into its world and orbit. It is one of the first romantasy books in a long time to full surprise me and keep me on my toes.

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown and Company for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

*In the Veins of the Drowning* completely swept me away. From the first page, Kalie Cassidy’s prose casts a spell, lush, poetic, and dripping with atmosphere. This book is dark in the most decadent way, brimming with longing, monstrous beauty, and the quiet ache of a love blooming in the shadows of survival.

Imogen Nel is one of the most compelling siren characters I’ve read. I *loved* that this leaned into the traditional lore with wings rather than tails, creating a version of the siren that feels ancient, terrifying, and still achingly human. Her inner struggle, balancing monstrous power and tender vulnerability, was stunningly rendered.

The romance was gorgeously slow-burn and emotionally rich, threaded with tension and a sense of fate. The blood bond trope, the high stakes, the brush of hands amid chaos. It was everything I want in a dark romantasy. And the world? Unforgiving seas, undead horrors, crumbling kingdoms. It gave big *Rachel Gillig meets Hannah Whitten* energy in the best way.

If you love gothic romantic fantasy with gorgeous prose, powerful heroines, and tender yet doomed-feeling love stories, this one is a must-read.

This so exceeded my expectations! The beautiful cover caught my eye and I just had to give in and request a copy and im so grateful I got one!

The ending has me absolutely hooked and I need book 2 immediately!

Mythology blended with fantasy in a way that has a unique feel 😍 the setting was also visual in a way that transports you to another world 🌎

I enjoyed the slow burn romance and feeling the tension build, sooo much better than instalove!

Very excited for the next book 🙏🏻

Thank you to Little Brown and Company,

Publishes July 15th!

A darker story based on siren lore and politics between kingdoms. It was refreshing to have the female main character (Imogen) be the morally grey monster of the story. I wanted to see more of the main male character falling for Imogen and really tease out the influence behind his feelings. Lachlan and Agatha are interesting side characters and I liked their loyalty. Overall, this first installment of a new fantasy series was a fun quick read and I am looking forward to the sequel.

Thank you Little, Brown and Company for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Thank you to Little, Brown and Company for the free review copy!

Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes, especially when it’s really more of an inconvenience for everyone involved. And I loved how Imogen and Theo’s relationship played out. It was a bit more insta-love-y than I tend to care for, but given the way their marriage bond made them obsessed with each other, I won’t hold it against them.

I feel like some of the plot at the end with the bonds and the gods and how Imogen’s siren powers worked got a little muddled, but overall this was a fun and compelling story and I’m really looking forward to continuing the series!