Tropes;
warring gods & elemental magic
life & death magic
prophecy & religious zealots
kingdoms politics
complicated romantic relationships
multi POV

The Nightshade God is a truly exceptional story, and The Nightshade Crown trilogy as a whole is outstanding. It’s a demanding and often uncomfortable journey—Whitten challenges her characters with unimaginable suffering, making their struggles hard to witness. Yet, that very difficulty is what makes the story so meaningful. These books serve as a powerful reminder of the resilience and resistance needed to confront overwhelming darkness. At its core, the series is about standing against absolute power. It’s a tough fight—just as Lore, Bastian, and Gabe experience—but it ultimately shows that ordinary people can rise, endure, and triumph. Through this series, Whitten offers a compelling testament to the strength that resides within us all.

What a satisfying conclusion to this series! I really enjoyed this trilogy much more than I ever expected to. I picked the first book up on a whim and I had to continue because I became invested in the characters. In this final installation, there is meaning in everything and throughout the book we see the characters continue to grow, romance, friendship, and more. I am not a fan of love triangles and during the first two books I was a bit worried that the love triangle going on in this series would end up ruining the story for me — I’m happy to say it didn’t. The author brought them together and I thought it was done well. The emotions and connections felt authentic and were done just right. The shift in point of view was needed and I had been looking forward to this. There was a bit of a pacing issue which also happened in the second book and a little in the first book, but it didn’t take away from the story being told. I love how this book wrapped up this unique story. I was afraid that the ending wouldn’t be “enough” for me, but it was. Hannah Whitten wrapped this series up perfectly. I’m happy that I picked the first book up on a whim, because these books were such fun reads.

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

3 stars
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This was just very meh for me.

I had mixed feelings about the series but the concept was too good to pass up and I needed to know how this one ended. I went in having not reread the first books and that was definitely a mistake. This book does a poor job of re-establishing events from the previous ones. It jumps right into the book and I had to go back to past reviews I had written to know what was happening. It took me longer to get into the story than I expected because of it.

The story itself is good, but it felt very rushed. This could have been two books easily with more fleshing out, expanding on the events. There is no buildup or suspense because the plot is too easy. The premise is finding pieces of this fountain after centuries lost but they manage it in a few chapters? It's too easy. This could have easily been a four book series with expansion of the quest to find those pieces.

I enjoy the characters, but I'm not enamored with them. I barely remembered some of them. I like Lore's tenacity, but there isn't much about any of them that stand out enough to fully enjoy. The romance felt forced. Though we love good poly representation, it just didn't work here. I preferred it as a love triangle, which says a lot.

I wish this series had a stronger finish. It had so much potential, but this book just left me wanting more.

This was a good ending to the series. I want to start by saying that I adored the ending. It was perfect. It was so touching and meaningful. I couldn't have imagined a better way to wrap things up. And the throuple? That was everything I wanted. It was sweet and adorable. This is what I think a love triangle should be. I loved it in Iron Widow, and I loved it here. I'm always down for a good throuple and would love to see it more often.

I really liked the mirrored nature of the stories, from Apollius, Nyxara, and Hestraon to Bastian, Lore, and Gabe. Everyone always thinks they can do it better, but they end up falling into the same power trap. And with power, the truth gets lost and twisted to fit the needs of whoever holds it. Same story, different people.

I also liked that we got different POVs in this book. I think it was more out of necessity, since all of our main characters are separated for most of the story, but it worked. Bastian/Apollius are with Alie in Dellaire, Gabe and Malcolm are in Caldien, and Lore is on the Burnt Isles. They are all trying to survive in their own way, and each of them learns more about who they are and what they want. Several uneasy alliances are made by each character to reach their goals, which I found fascinating. It is always interesting when you have to team up with someone who might betray you, right?

That said, like the second book, this one struggles with pacing. At times it felt really slow. Slow can work if the tension is building, but that was not always the case here. No hate though. I still enjoyed the hell out of this book. It was a great conclusion to the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read this wonderful trilogy!

What an ending. So I went back and read the first two just for a refresher and I’m so glad I did because this was a satisfying conclusion.

The final book in The Nightshade Crown trilogy and while it tied up everything in a neat bow I do have to say the story itself was drawn out and then REALLY rushed in the end. I think this trilogy would have benefitted from being a duology. I enjoyed the epilogue.

I loved this series so much. The yearning from day one, the constant desire for each other. Everything was perfect. I'll read everything and anything Hannah Whitten writes.

✨ “There is no dark that cannot be banished by a single candle.” ✨
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The Nightshade God was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and while it did deliver some unforgettable moments, I’m left with mixed feelings.
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This finale had everything: death gods, religious reckoning, messy power struggles, and that signature Hannah Whitten gothic atmosphere I love. There were scenes that absolutely wrecked me, and her lyrical writing never falters.
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But the structure felt a bit congested. Multiple POVs, a fractured trio (who are barely together), and a slow burn first half meant the pacing struggled.
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I kept waiting for THAT moment between Lore, Gabe, and Bastian… the one we’ve been building toward for three books! And let’s just say that I wanted more emotional payoff, more connection, more of them.
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Still, the mythology, side characters, and thematic depth (especially around religion and power) were all beautifully crafted. This series remains one I’ll remember for its ambition, and despite my gripes, I’ll always root for chaotic trios trying to unmake the world.

So much happens in The Nightshade God—it's packed with action, twists, and emotional arcs—yet it still took me a surprisingly long time to finish. I already owned the first book but hadn’t gotten around to it, so when I received this copy, I quickly read both back-to-back to catch up. It was definitely a binge experience!

If you're a fan of the series already, you’ll likely devour this one. Personally, I think I may have read too many similar books recently, which made it harder for me to stay fully engaged. Some of the romantic dynamics felt a bit forced or confusing. I usually appreciate fluidity and polyamory in stories, but here it felt a little all over the place and hard to track.

That said, the core plot was really compelling. A few character arcs and twists (no spoilers!) were genuinely satisfying. I especially appreciated how Hannah portrayed Bastian’s struggle with Apollion—fighting for his own identity and autonomy—it was powerful and well-executed.

The first part of the book moved a bit slowly for me, but the pace picked up significantly toward the end, and several moments really took me by surprise in a good way.

Overall, while it wasn’t a perfect read, it was still a solid and imaginative story that left a strong impression. I’m glad I finally dove into the series.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the advanced copy!

This is the final book in the Nightshade Crown trilogy and it does not disappoint. I loved this whole trilogy, it’s emotional and gut wrenching. And it has a true love triangle between the main characters. I’ve also loved how this series addresses religion and how it can become so twisted and corrupted over time. My only real negative is I wish we got to see more of Lore, Bastian, and Gabe together in this final book.

I definitely think this entire series is worth the read for people that like dark political fantasy.

THE NIGHTSHADE GOD is the final installment of Hannah Whitten's The Nightshade Crown trilogy. After the thrilling events of the previous two books, there was no way I could predict what Ms. Whitten had in store for the finale. There is a lot to unpack within its pages, and I have mixed feelings about how it all ends.

One of the best things about THE NIGHTSHADE GOD, and the entire trilogy, is the opportunity to contemplate power, religion, and how much fear plays a role in both. In fact, I finished reading the book well after midnight but couldn't fall asleep because I couldn't stop thinking about certain realizations I had about religion because of what Lore, Bastian, and Gabe experience. The same holds for power. Ms. Whitten helped me realize that power and religion are about the same thing. It is something of a paradigm shift for me, or, at the very least, something to which I have not given much thought before reading her trilogy. The ideas the book generated are new for me and will be something I will keep ruminating on for a while.

At the same time, I do not feel the ending Ms. Whitten gave to her characters fits everything they endured throughout the series. <spoiler>I think that there is no need for Bastian and Gabe to be brought back so all three can have their happily ever after together. It would have been a much more fitting end had Lore simply stood as guardian of the Fount and left it at that. Let them have their happy ending in the Spiritual Realm since it is something that Apollius did not think existed. The story arc is too dark, and their experiences are so brutal and invasive that there is no recovering from them.</spoiler> I know Ms. Whitten wrote the ending she did to satisfy fans and end on a note of hope and possibility, but it doesn't feel authentic to the rest of the story.

That said, THE NIGHTSHADE GOD is one hell of a story, and THE NIGHTSHADE CROWN is an amazing series. It is such a tough story, and Ms. Whitten puts her heroes through the wringer and more. It makes for some uncomfortable reading, but it is worth it to watch them suffer and survive. Now, more than ever, we need these types of stories, where people face the absolute worst and fight no matter how low their circumstances get. While THE NIGHTSHADE GOD is fantasy and contains magic, at the end of it all, it is ultimately about fighting against absolute power. It is by no means an easy fight, as we see through Lore, Bastian, and Gabe's experiences, but we need these examples to show that ordinary people can prevail. With THE NIGHTSHADE GOD and the rest of THE NIGHTSHADE CROWN series, Ms. Whitten gives us just that.

Just perfection. I love this trilogy with my entire heart. Finish this series if you haven’t already!!

So this was a super anticipated read for me and sadly, it was a bit of a letdown.

The ending was great. Super emotional and filled with the action and twists I loved about this series. The build to the end was what I didn’t love. For roughly 75% of the story, our main characters were separated which meant we barely got any of the banter and chaos I grew to love in the first two books.

Alie was the best character by far and we didn’t get nearly enough of her. I wanted to see her romance plot more flushed out and we didn’t get that.

I also didn’t love the resolution of the romance. Bastian was barely in this story and I just wanted better for all of them. I wanted more from the romance storyline.

This was by far my least favorite book in the series.

⭐️⭐️

We love an unexpected ending!! I wasn’t sure how the love triangle was going to play out but it turned out great and unexpected.

Loved this. A fantastic ending to an excellent series. Of course it left me wanting more but at least I was happy. I liked how so much of it felt very disturbingly similar to things that are happening *gestures around* but it ended with a strong feeling of hope. We can all use a little more hope.

If you like:
Gods and goddesses
Found family
Life/ death magic
Elemental magic
Multiple POVs
Political chaos
An opportunistic pirate
And the other two books in the series that came before it

You will not be disappointed in this installment. Also I do not care what anyone says I am STILL team Bastian.

LOVED IT. legit one of my favorite trilogies ever. the books got better as they went on IMO and i am so pleased with how it all ended. super sad it's over, as i loved the characters and entire storyline. i will literally read anything hannah whitten writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Hannah Whitten's Duology For the Wolf so I knew I was going to enjoy her newest trilogy. The Nightshade God was a solid ending to this series, trying to refrain from spoilers - I will say I wish some character plots would have been explore more, especially for how much they are relevant to all three books. The world building was pretty basic, good humor, well paced. I will continue to recommend Hannah Whitten's work!

This book was such a disappointment, especially after how much I loved the first book. Though the second one was a little hit or miss, I had hope for the conclusion. This book was bloated, with a messy, edgy plot, that had me frustrated more than exhilarated. I truly couldn't wait for it to end, and I'm floored that it took me two months to get there.
Regardless, thank you Netgalley for the ARC. I hope the next book from Hannah Whitten resonates better with me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would rate this series ♾️ stars if I could

This series has been on my tbr for a looooooong time, and it's another that I am kicking myself for not reading sooner because... WOW.

Whitten's books have incredible world-building, complex realistic characters with understandable motives and emotions, powerful magic of different kinds (including DEATH magic???? yes PLEASE), and a slow burn with TWO MEN (yep that's right, TWO hot men yearning for the fmc 🥵)

And can we talk about Lore? Please? She is SO COOL. I wanna be her when I grow up. I love how she takes fate into her own hands and makes her own way in history.

I love being bi 😋 Please don't make me choose between these three, either

I am a sucker for good political and religious plots in books which this series includes so beautifully. I appreciated Whitten's focus on how a religion can be twisted so far from the original truth while also maintaining the certainty that good can still exist beyond what mistakes were made before.

Plus THAT ENDING????? I was grieving right alongside Lore. My heart ached for our girl 😭 but I loved how she worked with the Fount and helped It understand humanity and how good we can be.

"Remember that. We both loved you up until the very end, and whatever is left of us will love you long beyond that."

Biggest thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc and for finally making me read this incredible series💖

I was so excited to see how this trilogy ended, but was ultimately disappointed. The pacing to start was SOOO agonizingly slow. I understand the need to skip around to different POVs than we did before, but it just made the story drag on a lot and nothing happened for a while. The search for the Fount pieces, Apollius being a self-centered, sanctimonious dick the whole time, Lore being imprisoned and then just making A LOT of stupid choices despite knowing better got old fast. There was very little of what I had really liked Foxglove King in this final book. The character banter, the humor, characters getting to actually interact with each other. I think the author wrote herself into a corner and there was no good way out of it. I was fairly upset with Lore at the end of Hemlock Queen by being selfish and not doing what she should have in the worst way.

Once she was on the Burnt Isles, discovering her new abilities, putting her faith in the wrong people, and becoming a shell of her former self I stopped caring about what happened to her in the end. Gabe and Malcolm's encounters with the Prime Minster just felt like something to keep them busy/relevant to the plot. I also didn't love how quickly Malcolm and Michal got together. The only character I felt actually stood on business and was true to themself was Allie. She did what she could the whole time, did it well, and dealt with her "enemy" properly.

The epilogue was more annoyance and just tried to wrap up to a happy ending where I think the best once would have just been a melancholy one instead. Also, where is Horse's happy ending?! Everyone else got one.