Thank you so much to NetGalley for the ARC, this is a book I’ve been anticipating for quite some time, and let me tell you: it did not disappoint.

This final installment in the lush and darkly romantic Nightshade Crown trilogy delivers exactly what I wanted and then some. It’s brutal and beautiful, haunting and hopeful, drenched in ruin and magic. Lore has always been a character carved from sharp edges and softer scars, and here she shines, ragged and radiant, as she grapples with loss, betrayal, and the pull of divine power.

The Burnt Isles setting is as atmospheric and wild as ever, a prison colony turned crucible, where Lore must use every hard-earned instinct just to survive, let alone challenge a god. And when an unexpected ally appears, the plot thickens in all the best ways. There’s a sense of desperation and resolve, of love tangled in duty, and a lingering question: when you finally have power, how do you let it go?

The writing is gorgeously grim, full of visceral imagery and lyrical devastation. Lore’s arc is both satisfying and deeply earned, and the emotional payoff of the trilogy hits like a hymn and a blade at once.

This was an unforgettable conclusion that will be sitting with me for a long time. The ending felt inevitable in the way all great mythologies do, tragic, triumphant, and utterly divine. If you’ve followed this series from the start, prepare yourself: The Nightshade God delivers everything you’ve been burning for.

I have complicated feelings about this book that will probably take me a while to sort out. Until then… here are my preliminary takeaways upon finishing the book & completing this series:

I had a hard time reading this book. It was hard to get into and stay into it. I think being yanked out of one POV/setting is hard for me… I just start to sink my teeth into a character and their storyline when it’s time to leave and go into another. What’s funny is I genuinely love each character and want to hear about their experiences and thoughts and everything but I don’t know… I just found myself putting the book down and I had to make myself pick it back up. The previous books in the series captivated me differently- especially the Foxglove King. (I absolutely adore that first book!!!!) It took me a really long time to finish the Nightshade god.

Also, the love triangle turned throuple didn’t feel super authentic to me. It just felt like it didn’t fit into the original story? Or I cannot put words to my feelings on that yet but it just felt weird to me? Despite LOVING THE SHIT out of all three of them. And completely being unable to figure out who I liked with Lore more because they both seemed great for her. I guess the relationship between Bastian and Gabe was the part that felt a little forced and like it turned into a romantic relationship on a dime instead of feeling like it genuinely built towards that.

I really liked Lilia’s storyline and sobbed my head off for part of her story. I also want the world to know how much I LOVE Bastian. What. A. Guy.

I feel like Alie was a character I came to love SO MUCH as well. I really loved her journey throughout this book and it’s REALLY DIFFICULT for me not to write a spoiler right now but the scene of her on a boat?!? OMG!

The way everything played out with the Fount surprised me. I honestly can say I didn’t see it coming and felt like the epilogue was so incredibly interesting. The last 10% of the book really captivated me most, I’d say. I liked the pacing towards the end of the book so much.

It’s wild we waited SO LONG for Lore to get her happily ever after and then we didn’t get to actually witness it. I get it but I kinda hate that! I just wish we would have gotten more happy moments with Bastian and Lore and Gabe and Lore. And maybe that is where some of my frustration with this book lies: this book wasn’t as much about Lore and Gabe and Bastian as it was about the gods.

So many thank yous to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC copy of The Nightshade God.

WOW where do I even begin? What an ending to this trilogy. So full of magic, and adventure. A truly marvelous ending that’ll touch my heart for a very very long time

This dark, richly imagined sequel delivers a gripping continuation of Lore’s journey through a world unraveling under the weight of divine corruption and fractured power. The Burnt Isles provide a bleak but vivid new setting, and Lore’s arc—from survivor to reluctant savior—is both emotionally grounded and thrilling to watch unfold. The stakes are high, the magic is lush and dangerous, and the writing is lyrical without losing momentum. While the plot occasionally leans on familiar fantasy beats, the character depth and moral complexity make this a standout installment. A satisfying, shadowy tale of gods, power, and sacrifice.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the chance to read this early.

While I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read this ARC, unfortunately I am finding it impossible for me to care about these characters. This is potentially due to me having read the first two books almost a year ago, but ultimately I think moreso has to do me with just not vibing with the characters.
Technically I do think this is an excellently written trilogy, and I’m sure it’s going to do well within its respected genre. However, it’s simply not for me.

This is a satisfying conclusion to this trilogy! I was not a huge fan of Gabe’s whole storyline this book but it was very interesting to have all of our characters start the book in separate places and then watch them all come together. All in all, would recommend!

marking this as a dnf @ 10% maybe i'll come back to this but right now i'm just not vibing with this. gonna give it a couple weeks

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for a review copy of this!!

Oh my god, i finished this last night and im still reeling from the emotions I'm currently feeling. This book picked up right where we left off in Hemlock Queen, and quite literally didnt stop. I liked the multiple points of view in this one. Between Alie, Gabe, and Lore, I felt like we were really exploring where everyone ran off to after Hemlock queen. All three of them had different experiences and different interactions with people and the world, so it didnt feel repetitive, but it truly felt like we were in each of their heads, so Hannah did a great job of separating their brains and ideas.

We also FINALLY GOT WHAT WE WANTED. MS HANNAH WHITTEN THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

Anyways, Im incredibly happy with the end of this trilogy. It felt bittersweet but in the best way, to finish up with these amazing characters. The ending had me scared for a bit, but finished up in such an emotional way I was sobbing in my dressing room while waiting to go on stage. I have not stopped recommending this book to everyone, and I never will, considering I'm actually happy with the ending. Now I can finally get a tattoo of this book.

Gothic dark fantasy is a subgenre that has produced some of my favorite reads of 2025. The Nightshade God delivers a fantastic ending to The Nightshade Crown trilogy.
4.5 Stars

Gothic dark fantasy is a subgenre that has produced some of my favorite reads of 2025. The Nightshade God delivers a fantastic ending to The Nightshade Crown trilogy.

In this third installment, we get to explore different locations of the world, including the Burnt Isles, where Lore has been banished to. We meet new characters and get additional POVs as they are all scattered in different places when the book begins. The worldbuilding in this book was excellent. I was transported to each new location and left with just enough yearning between each character’s chapters. While I understand it isn’t everyone’s preference, I am always a fan of hearing from other characters. The more, the merrier. This was a very satisfying conclusion!!

I have enjoyed each one of Whitten’s books more and more, starting with For the Wolf. I will be looking out for whatever new world she comes up with next!

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review.

In this third installment, we get to explore different locations of the world, including the Burnt Isles, where Lore has been banished to. We meet new characters and get additional POVs as they are all scattered in different places when the book begins. The worldbuilding in this book was excellent. I was transported to each new location and left with just enough yearning between each character’s chapters. While I understand it isn’t everyone’s preference, I am always a fan of hearing from other characters. The more, the merrier. This was a very satisfying conclusion!!
I have enjoyed each one of Whitten’s books more and more, starting with For the Wolf. I will be looking out for whatever new world she comes up with next!

Thank you, NetGalley and Orbit, for an early copy in exchange for this honest review.

OH. MY. GOD! This trilogy has had me in a chokehold, and the finale to it had me laughing and crying! I can’t explain how this book has made me stop reading by to really ponder what was said in it, and compare the ways of the belief in gods to how others surrounding me believe in them. The characters I love came to their own conclusions in ways that made me cry, both happy and sad, but their journeys made them who they were!

This was a fantastic, if not very stressful, end to this series. The trilogy remained strong from book one until the end!

The characters were all beautifully written and complex. I loved how each of them fought their own nature and the nature of their gods to be better and to grow. I also like the exploration of religion generally and how it gets twisted and changed to fit agendas of those in power - something HW also writes in her acknowledgments. I think this is really well done throughout and I think it will speak to anyone who has a complicated relationship to religion.

I somewhat wish we could have seen a little more of their ending but I will take what I can get. I love my chaos throuple. Their journey back to one another is full of tragedy and heartbreak but makes so much sense for the way they have been from book one. The yearning the three of them have and the push and pull of their emotions is so good.

There was one moment on a boat where the concept of supporting a woman’s rights and wrongs just was so true and so satisfying. I love that HW said that this was one of her favorite moments too.

I would highly recommend the whole series. I think the characters are really well fleshed out, the exploration of religion generally is so fascinating, and the writing was truly so good.

Thank you so much to Orbit for the review copy! All opinions above are my own.

Thank you netgalley for an advanced copy!

WOW where do I even begin? What an ending to this trilogy. So full of magic, and adventure. A truly marvelous ending that’ll touch my heart for a very very long time ❤️

I really enjoyed the pacing of this one. It felt super structured and I could tell that the actions of each character and their motivations was so thought out. Alie became a favorite character of mine really quickly! The twists and the ending really got me. I was crying at the end. Truly magical!!

This is the final book in the Nightshade Crown trilogy.

There may be spoilers below, so read this review at your own discretion.

Lore has been sent to the Burnt Isles by her god-possessed husband, and everyone else is scattered around. This book contains multiple POVs from various characters, which I quite enjoyed. However, it did feel disjointed at times because it would swap to another POV chapter when we were in the thick of things with a different character.

I still quite enjoyed all the main characters, and even many of the "side" characters. They each had their own roles to play and importance they brought to the table, so to speak.

The biggest issues I had with this book were the plotting and pacing. A lot of the book dealt with godly flashbacks and the interpersonal relationships of the gods versus the present day characters. The modern day characters did not have a lot of on page interaction until close to the last 10-15% of the book. At times I felt like I had been reading the book for so long, but was not making much progress in the story. I read this in ebook format, and the details indicate the book is 480 pages. It seemed to take much longer than that to get through the story. That is the reason for 4 starts versus a higher rating.

While I would not necessarily fully classify this as a happy ending, the storyline is wrapped up really well. I maintain my stance that the world/magic system in this trilogy is fantastic and unique enough that it does not immediately remind me of other books. Even the way it ended was unique and not fully expected or anticipated!

I would definitely recommend finishing the trilogy if you have already started it, and staring the trilogy with The Foxglove King if you haven't yet!


Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for gifting me an e-arc of this book! This review is unprompted and contains my own opinions.

Beautiful end to the trilogy. Amazing story telling from Hannah Whitten!

Check out this review on Fable
https://fable.co/review/683fbeb7-0aa3-4b07-a346-0d46e9efef8f/share

The trauma trio is back, back, back again and the incredibly satisfying conclusion to The Nightshade Crown left me in tears in public on my plane ride home. Hannah Whitten absolutely nailed it in the final installment of what should be considered a must-read trilogy. I was so emotionally devastated I made a whole playlist about it.

We pick up where the Hemlock Queen left off - Bastian struggles against Apollius in Dellaire while Alie, his sister, is betrothed to Jax, the Kirythean Emperor who also took Gabe's eye. Lore has been banished to the Burnt Isles. All the while, Gabe, with Hestraon in his head, has escaped to Caldien with Malcom, with Braxtos in his, and Micah, Mari, and Val. Each of our POV characters, Alie, Lore, and Gabe are trying to find lost pieces of the Fount to restore it, end Apollius' reign, and free the gods from their heads.

I don't want to give too much away - but the character growth, double-crossings from all places, and other antics kept me glued to the page the entire time I was reading. Hannah Whitten's writing, as always, is so lush and insightful, you feel exactly what each character is going through. Sometimes I find being split across multiple POV characters can be distracting, but the device is employed so well you just feel informed the whole time.

I whole-heartedly recommend, and if you haven't read the first two, this is a great time to get started to be ready for the book's release. Thank you so much to Orbit Books and to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Ok, this is going to be a long one… The Foxglove King and The Hemlock Queen were great because of the introduction to Mortem and Spiritum and the religious aspect of this court life that evolves around this King who is supposed to be the second coming of the God name Appollius. There is a forbidden love triangle between Lore who is a poison runner, Gabe who is a monk and Bastian who is the king, their dynamics are slow burn and the anticipation is delicious but as the books advance their purpose becomes clear, they are the human representation of the love triangle the Gods had before the Godfall where the Gods were all put to sleep in a way.

The Nightshade God was hard for me to get into be said it was so long first of all 6,622 pages on the kindle and it was very tidious on the story until about about 60% of the story where all the pieces in the chess board were in place. The first 30some chapters were jammed packed with information that dragged down the story for me, i understood they had be to told but it was too much for me, the meat of the book did not start until about chapter 38ish.

The 4 star review for me is because I have loved this series since book 1 and needed to see it to the end. This is a YA book thru and thru and deserves to be read, it’s a great trilogy. The trio of Lore, Gabe and Bastian go thru so much to be together and to do what they think is right that they deserve that happy ending. I do have to say that ending is one of the most unique ones I have ever read, it was hard to read because it was a special kind of torture but sweet because of the way the Fount learned from Lore about love and humanity.

This book is going to look so pretty in my bookshelf next to its brother and sister when it comes out.

this is gonna have spoilers im so sorry
At first I was elated. I have been waiting since the first book to see if this would be a polyam romance. I did not expect to just get like a page and a half of them all together and happy. That ending almost pissed me off but the last two pages did enough to save it. This is a great trilogy. It's made me feel a lot of things. I think the ending COULD HAVE been better, but it satisfied me enough. It's so rare for a trilogy to not go downhill for me, and this did get better as it went on

I finished this and immediately went straight to Goodreads to see if others reacted to this book the same way I did. Another reviewer said "the book finished me" and I don't know that I could come up with a better summary of how I felt reading this than that.

I am a diehard Hannah Whitten fan. Her writing feeds me. It is sustenance. And I gobbled up the first two books in this series like a woman starved. I knew it was possible that The Nightshade God might gut punch me a bit. I was prepared-ish...

The multiple POVs really delivered here. The story moved just slow enough for savoring the yearning and the delicacy of Hannah's vivid writing style. If you have a difficult relationship with religion, be warned that this story explores that, but it is done so magnificently that I have zero notes. I shan't say more for fear of accidentally spoiling things, but Hannah, thank you very much for filling my heart up until it was ready to burst and then ripping it out. I heart you, ma'am.

A million thank you's to Orbit, NetGalley, and Hannah Whitten for sharing an early copy of this book with me.

I will not be publicly reviewing this book. I stopped reading after the first book, so I don't think it is fair for me to leave a review. I didn't enjoy the first book enough to continue the series. I feel awful about that. I definitely will give her other books a try though!

The Important Highlights: This stunning conclusion to the Nightshade Trilogy features a diverse and loveable cast of characters. This is a dark, high stakes fantasy with heavily religious and political undertones.

My Unhinged and Messy Thoughts: There were a few twists in this one that I didn't see coming, which was nice. I had fallen in love with the characters in the previous two books and was happy to see the conclusion. I was worried about where it was going but it definitely was a happy ending for our main characters.

In Conclusion: I really enjoyed this trilogy and am so happy I finally read them all. It was great to be able to read them back-to-back. I would actually likely reread this whole series to be honest. Fantastic!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early review copy of this book. These opinions are my own.