This is the final book in the Nightshade Crown trilogy. It is a multiple POV story in a world that has mortem and life magic. As Gods begin to rise into their human counterparts they must work together to overthrow the crown.

It was an entertaining ending but I did struggle with the multiple POV's. Our characters are a lot more pronounced in this book which was refreshing. I did like the conclusion but I did miss the mortem magic.

This book was everything. It wrapped up the trilogy in the most beautiful, gut-wrenching, and satisfying way. The emotional payoff? Huge. The writing? Stunning. I cried — both because of the plot and because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters.

Hannah Whitten handled the triad relationship with so much care and nuance. It felt real, balanced, and earned. The character growth, the tension, the love — it all hit so hard. And the world she built? Still as rich and eerie and vivid as ever.

If you’ve been following this series, The Nightshade God is the perfect finale. Bittersweet, epic, and unforgettable.

I loved how the story continued until the very end, when Lore makes a decision that I feel like was completely counter productive to everything that we were built up to expect in the previous two books. But, I still enjoyed the characters, and I feel like everything got wrapped up nicely, no loose strings for us to be left wondering about.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of Nightshade God. It was the perfect excuse to re-read the series again, and this is a series I will for sure be reading again now that it's complete. Nightshade was the perfect ending to a perfect series. Hannah Whitten knew what she was doing here and it was so well executed. The writing was excellent, she finished up all of the plot lines well in two different timelines, developed a beautiful MMF romance, and Lore, Bastien and Gabe get epic and satisfying character arcs. I loved the additional POVs, I loved the side plots and side characters, and the action was breathtaking. While I kind of guessed a few things, I still found the conclusion of this series deeply emotional and satisfying. I still think about the ending of this book at least once a day. This book the saddest in a heartbreaking series, and I did cry at least once before the end, but it was so worth it. I thought the emotion and the deep love they all had for each other was so tender and tenacious and I was rooting so hard for them to get vacation and a happily-ever-after ending after everything they go through, but this ending was better. Whitten is an auto-read author for me and this series is one of the best complete Romantasy series out there.

𝔄ℜℭ ℜ𝔢𝔳𝔦𝔢𝔴 𝔬𝔣 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔑𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔰𝔥𝔞𝔡𝔢 𝔊𝔬𝔡, 𝔅𝔶: ℌ𝔞𝔫𝔫𝔞𝔥 𝔚𝔥𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔫

𝔗𝔯𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔰:
• love triangle
• gothic atmosphere
• fractured magic system
• religious and political interest
• multiple POVs
• adult fantasy

To start, if you are one who is looking to expand from romantasy into adult fantasy this trio is where you should start. The plot holds its own even without the romance.

This final installment was absolutely haunting. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘥 Is by far my favorite installment of this trilogy. The stakes were high, darkly atmospheric, rich metaphors with heavy undertones of politics and religion. I loved that there were a few twists that I did not predict as well.

Lore definitely shined in this one, her full circle arc was immaculately executed. Both rugged and radiant watching her battle divine powers was fantastic. I do wish that all three MCs would have had more “screen time” together. I loved that the time spent with each, felt that I was in each MC’s mind.

Whitten’s writing is both darkly poetic, grim, emotional and visceral. Her final message of why we should always choose loyalty and kindness.

If I had to describe the trilogy it would be lush, darkly romantic, lyrical, beautiful and haunting. Overall closure of the series felt fit for fitting for the myth it is; both tragic and divine.

Pub date: July 14, 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thank you to @netgalley, @orbitbooks_us and the author for an e-ARC copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Nightshade God is a dark, seductive dive into godhood, vengeance, and the fragile line between loyalty and survival. From the first chapter, I was hooked by the lyrical prose and the intense, morally gray characters who never fail to surprise you.

The worldbuilding is rich and immersive without ever feeling heavy, and the dynamics between the divine and the mortal are so well-rendered. I especially appreciated the internal conflicts—this book isn’t just about war and power, but also about identity, trauma, and what it means to reclaim your agency.

There were a few moments where the pacing felt uneven, particularly in the second act, and I found myself wishing for more time spent developing some secondary characters. Still, the main arc delivers emotionally and thematically, and the ending left me eager for the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC of Nightshade God—this book will stay with me, and I know it’ll find a passionate fanbase

his is as by far the best book in the series! A truly unique love triangle with a beautiful and heartbreaking ending. I was fighting back tears for the last 20 minutes of the book. I loved seeing these characters come together and realize that they could just be.

I was so invested in the entire story. There wasn’t a single POV I wasn’t fully immersed in. The character development throughout was unmatched. Watching these characters grow and flourish was something I needed from this book.

This series is curated to fit a particular niche audience of readers. Hannah Whitten has brought to life a spectacular dark gothic fantasy world that I fell in love with. I can honestly say I have never read anything else quite like it.

3.5 stars

This is the final book in the Nightshade Crown trilogy and the first two books definitely need to be read before starting this one!

What I enjoyed about this story:
- There were a few turns I did not expect.
- The pacing moves much faster in this one than the second.
- Several characters have the chance for some good development and growth.
- There's good closure to the story.

Overall the trilogy has a very unique magic system that's not your run-of-the-mill fantasy magic. This is truly the main draw for me. The system of gods and their individual magics are very interesting in the series.

What I didn't enjoy:
- A lot of the plot elements felt predictable (I know I said there were a few surprises earlier - but just those few.)
- Very very small amounts of time where the three main characters are together to allow that relationship to develop.
- All the elements always feel *so close* to being extraordinary but there's something about the writing that just doesn't quite hit the mark for me.

I didn't NOT like this trilogy and this third book, but it's not something that absolutely knocked my socks off.

Who I would recommend this book to:
- Someone just starting their romantasy/fantasy journey. The world-building is easy to follow but different from a lot of other series out there.
- Someone wanting more fantasy and less romance in their stories.
- Someone interested in stories where religion plays a vital role (for good AND bad) in the world.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for this review copy.

“To become the vessel. To bring back all that is ours. You have given us one strand of magic; even now, you draw the rest, the life and the water, the air and earth and fire. YOU are our lodestone. Our Tributary.”

Six stars. Infinity stars. I’m honestly still reeling.

The Nightshade God is a masterful, breathtaking finale that completely exceeded my expectations—and then stomped on them with a divine, chaotic flourish. I’ve been invested in this world since book one, but nothing (and I mean nothing) could have prepared me for the emotional, intense, and beautifully executed conclusion Hannah Whitten delivered here.

There’s something so satisfying about watching a trilogy evolve in scope and depth, and this final installment takes everything from the previous books and elevates it. The stakes are higher, the magic deeper, and the characters? Raw, real, and gloriously complex. Whitten balances mythology, romance, and political tension with an ease that feels effortless—and yet the emotional impact? Devastating in the best way.

One element that really stood out to me was the use of dreams between the god-chosen avatars—especially Lore and Alie. The dream-walking wasn’t just a cool magical concept (though it totally was); it served as such a seamless, elegant narrative bridge. Whitten used those dream sequences to flow between characters’ POVs in a way that felt natural and poetic, giving the story this fluid, interconnected rhythm. It added a layer of intimacy between the characters that made their arcs hit even harder.

And the worldbuilding continues to shine. I loved the concept of mount-mined objects acting like compasses to the mount—an eerie, beautiful touch that made the land itself feel alive and unknowable. And the deeper historical threads, like Dani’s ancestral connection to Apollius, added so much emotional weight to her arc. It’s that kind of lore-rich detail that gives the series real staying power.

And the ending? Absolutely blew me out of the water. I truly never could have predicted the direction this series would take based on how books 1 and 2 unfolded, and that unpredictability made the conclusion all the more powerful. It’s the kind of finale that makes you want to immediately reread the entire series just to spot all the threads that were building toward this.

If you’ve followed the series, The Nightshade God is an unforgettable payoff. If you haven’t started yet—what are you waiting for? This is epic fantasy done right: sharp, lush, emotionally rich, and wholly original.

3.5☆

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for an EARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed certain aspects of this story a lot, but others left me confused. There were moments that it felt like characters were acting unlike themselves without really providing a satisfying explanation just because the plot needed things to happen a certain way. And some of those outcomes felt unnecessary, anyway.

I love character driven stories, but they often felt stagnant. The big exception is Alie, who showed growth and strength of character throughout all adversity in this book.

I still struggled to believe in Bastian & Gabe having feelings for each other long before this book, just with the way they barely interacted except to snipe at each other or be a pain in the others ass, or even Bastian asking Lore to CHOOSE HIM over Gabe. It felt bizarre that the end of HQ had the poly aspect laid out, and I'm glad their interactions in this book sold it a bit more, but I wish they could've addressed Bastian's actions in FK & HQ being hurtful to Gabe, even when they were meant to be helpful.

Lore's mother was finally helpful, and it felt so disjointed from her in FK.

Overall, I enjoyed it, I just didn't love it. A lot of things felt regressive or unnecessary, or glossed over. I'm glad real consequences existed, because war is messy, especially against gods.

“As long as there are mortals with mortal will and mortal hearts, the righting of the world cannot happen just once. It must happen over and over again.”

The Nightshade God was my most anticipated book of the year and it broke me in all of the ways I expected it to, and in a couple of surprise ways as well!

This story is written so beautifully with so much tenderness and unyielding love woven in between what is truly the shittiest situation you can find yourself in with a handful of Gods.

Without getting into spoiler territory, this is genuinely one of the best, most bittersweet conclusions to a series that I’ve ever read.

With every book in this series, the beginning was difficult for me. It was hard for me to enter this world and delve into the characters' story. So I expected it to be the same with Nightshsade God, but I didn't expect that these difficulties with getting into the story would stay with me until the very end.

I didn't like the fact that all the heroes were separated and the dynamics between the characters practically disappeared. We follow the fates of all practically separately and each of the characters has their own job to do in order to finally win against the common enemy. What's the point if this victory leaves a sour aftertaste.

It's been a long time since I read an ending that was so unfair to the characters and disappointing for me.

This was exactly the perfect conclusion for this trilogy. I really enjoyed it.

There were some twists and turns I didn't see coming, and I definitely wasn't expecting to cry my eyes out.

Such a different vibe then the first two books. I loved how this book wrapped up and it left me crying.

An engaging, action-packed read for sure, but I'm not totally satisfied with this conclusion to the trilogy.

I definitely enjoyed the mix of POVs as Lore, Bastian, Gabe, and all of their friends hunted down their respective pieces of the fount and fought to reunite with one another. But some of this caused the plot to drag, as it felt like there were SO many problems each person had to face before they could even start their journeys to the Burnt Isles. Once we finally reach that point, things escalate so abruptly - wish the main action had been expanded a bit more, rather than spending so much time on all the side drama.

Ultimately, was absolutely hooked on the last ~20% or so of the book (and yes, I cried) but really wish it had all been paced better. 3.5 stars

I finished this a couple weeks ago and really all I can say is what an incredible ending to a trilogy that is sure to stick with me for years to come. I have loved immersing myself in this world with Lore, Bastian, Gabe. I really liked having multiple povs for this epic finale.

The story kinda dragged a bit in the middle, but it definitely felt worth it in the end. I was sobbing then staring at a wall after I finished reading the epilogue and then the afterword from Hannah.

Please read this series!!!

This was the perfect end to this trilogy and yet I still want more of this world because it was written so well! I felt like I was living the emotions right alongside the characters, and my heart hurt so much yet felt whole by the end. This will always be a favorite series of mine.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

3 stars.

There’s something about this series I have never resonated with or connected with. When I read the first two books back to back, I debated on going for the third, but ultimately wanted to know what happened.

Lore, Bastian, and Gabe suddenly a love triangle (? But not) in book three are split for majority of the book. Each are focused on banishing their prospective gods and fixing the fount. Over 60-75% of the book the main characters were not together. I was SO BORED. Sincerely 😭. I really wanted to like this series. I tried. The last 10% was very interesting, but with the main characters not together for 90% of the book…. What was I reading? Why was it so long? I hope it resonates more clearly with others.

The epilogue was my favorite part of the book, and it was over too soon. I think it would benefit from a second epilogue considering we didn’t see these characters together for most of the book.

Thank you Hannah Whitten, Orbit Publishing , and NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What an ending! I am so grateful for the ARC thank you Netgalley. This was everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. The characters. The story. Everything was divine.

How far would you go to save the ones you loved? This isn’t a question revelatory posed to the world of fantasy, but Hannah Whitten’s dark, romantic finale to The Nightshade Crown offers the notion that sometimes we need to go against our core selves for the sake of those we care about.
In the final chapter of Whitten’s series, the plot is front and centre. Leaving off from the cliffhanger of The Hemlock Queen, where every careful machination by Lore and Co. has fallen to pieces, not a page is wasted in wrapping up what has turned out to be a sprawling story of love, trust and betrayal. Lore is far from the city she once called home, and, aside from Bastian, nearly all of the major players are scattered from the more intimate courtly intrigue of the first two books. This change in setting and scope works well, as the stakes have been ratcheted up to such a degree that to keep everything limited to the banquet halls and sewers of Dellaire would feel out of step with the potential end of the world.

Though I would say this is the plottiest of the three books, the scenes drive forward like a train, the tracks clear, direct and propulsive. There are times when a final book can become wandering and garbled as the author struggles to wrap everything up and answer every lingering question that a reader might have, or build in a potential springboard for future entries. As with the prior two novels, there’s a confidence to Whitten’s writing that, in my mind, demonstrates a vision that I could easily believe was laid out from the beginning. That does not mean the novel is rote or predictable; the ending, in particular, is breathtaking in its resolution and has stuck with me since I turned the final page. I envy Whitten’s ability to bring The Nightshade Crown to a close, and it reminds me that ‘confident’ is the way I’ll always describe her plotting and prose.

After three books and hundreds of pages spent with the core cast of characters, there’s an issue that keeps nagging at me. I enjoy Lore, Gabe and Bastion all as characters, the various pairings amongst the three feel believable, and each one is unique. Where I struggle is how they are written as a love triangle, as three people in a relationship with each other. Maybe this is a result of the distance between the characters, and the focus on plot, but much of the romance felt shoe-horned in when it involved Lore, Bastian and Gabe, though it worked much better when a couple were able to pair off. Oftentimes, their relationships felt more like close friends, and the romance was added in after the fact. This is certainly my most subjective opinion amongst a bevy of subjective opinions, but compared to the other two novels, The Nightshade God felt like the narrative wouldn’t be greatly changed if the love triangle fell away to a coupling off. I’d be interested to know whether Whitten felt as energized by the romantic triangle in this installment as she did in the earlier entries, though this minor grievance wasn’t enough to take away from my enjoyment or what I thought were still excellent character dynamics at play.

Wrapping things up is hard, to put in every thought you have, see the characters off, and do justice to the world you have created. If Whitten did not have a clear plan of where everything was headed when she first introduced Lore, Gabe, Bastian and the country of Auverraine, then she masterfully wove a fitting conclusion with the threads carried from the first novel forward. Whether she returns to this world again, or if this is the last time Whitten writes about necromancers and cruel gods, the conclusion is a beautiful, ponderous note to end a thrilling journey.