First of all, thank you as always to NetGalley and Orbit Books for allowing me to read this ARC of The Nightshade God by Hannah Whitten.

After reading the first two in this trilogy and then waiting on tenterhooks, we have finally reached the exhilarating conclusion to this epic tale of fantasy, dark magic, deep love and immeasurable pain.

In The Nightshade God, Whitten gives us more complete insight into the beginnings of the gods. We are able to learn about how we got to the difficulties we encountered in the first two books. Including, long held political and religious alliances and the complicated relationship between a prince, a priest and a death welding poison runner that find themselves entangled in more ways than one. Throughout this trilogy, Whitten has woven a dark web leaving us wondering what we will find when we reach the center.

The characters in this novel are so deftly crafted, with so many levels and depths within each. From anger and fear to hope and perseverance in the face of circumstances that seem insurmountable. Readers have truly watched these characters grow, blossom and fight for one another, showing all of their complexities through the beauty of Whitten’s writing. Seeing those various facets of the characters made for an incredibly satisfying and heartfelt conclusion to their journey.

As always, Whitten’s world building is astonishing. She paints pictures of the settings that allow the reader to truly visualize these wondrous locations without forcing them to drown in a sea of overly-written details to get there.

While I would obviously love to read more from the world that many of us have spent years enthralled with, Whitten really did manage to wrap this up in a way that I couldn’t imagine being more perfect. As a die hard fan of all of Whitten’s writing, this universe or not, I cannot wait to see what she graces all of us with next.

Typically when I come to the end of a series I am left with a feeling of wanting more, but I hate to say I'm glad this one is over. This series isn't bad, I'll even go so far to say as it's good but it has it's problems. I found this book to be a bit underwhelming overall and I wasn't a huge fan of how the author handled the "HEA". I am still glad we get to see these three happy at last but the road there took a while. I do wish we got to see more of these three after what happens in the Epilogue because maybe I would have felt better about the ending. This book was slow and there was a lot of time spent on each character getting where they needed to be for the final scene setup so they spent almost the entire book apart. The addition of new POV's also didn't help and I wasn't a fan.

Overall this is a good series that I'm happy to have read but I will not be raving about it.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books | Orbit for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

10/10 the unexpectedly perfect ending. The end had me crying happy/sad tears, and I'd read it again. Plenty of angst and I enjoyed the crafted lore as well as the Tracts that usually headed each chapter.

The Nightshade God was such a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, that beautifully wrapped up all the threads and storylines from the previous book in such a well-woven tapestry, captivating both in terms of plot and characters.

4.25/5

A solid conclusion to the series! Whitten packed this with commentary on religion, wealth, power, sacrifice, and greed. She also made me giggle and kick my feet. A girl who can do both for real 😌

“Do not apologize for having your want for better turned against you, Lore. That’s all any of this is, really. For the people who truly believe, the people who haven’t used faith only for power. Compassion, and a want for better, and even if it’s all a lie in the end: Those things are good. Those things are true.”

I remember the ending to book two, and I was reeling after that ending. This one jumps right into it, and I loved that we’re just thrown back into the world with Lore.

We get several povs in this book, and I really enjoyed seeing these voices shine. Alie was such a standout character imo!! Loved seeing how strong she became. Bastion, Lore, and Gabe were, as always, so fun to be with.

As with the first two books, The Nightshade God has lots of commentary on religion. I loved it. Especially after reading the author’s note at the end. The way that religion can be used and twisted for such negative means is really highlighted in this series. The messages sent about the afterlife, or the absence of it, really got me thinking (and I also felt so seen.) As someone who isn’t religious, I appreciated the conversation that played out, even if the ending wasn’t my absolute favorite. This is a great example of how books ARE political.

The romance was definitely a slow burn, especially seeing as the three love interests were separated for most of the book. I wanted more between them, but I also am happy with what we got. I wasn’t exactly expecting all those feelings to surface between them, but I know lots of people saw it and will be so happy with how it ended.

An outstanding, heart-wrenching end to an incredible trilogy. Hannah Whitten jumps between several points of few to allow us to follow characters flung to different parts of the planet at the end of THE HEMLOCK QUEEN. Alie was a particularly interesting follow, giving us insight into the situation in Dellaire. Bring a box of tissues for the last 85% of the book. I can't imagine it going any differently, but you're gonna sob along the way.

The story is beautifully written and kept me hooked from beginning to end. The different points of view added so much to the plot, and the themes about gods, power, and choice were really interesting. Some parts made me cry, others made me cheer—and that ending left me speechless. If you’ve read the first two books, get ready. This one is emotional, epic, and totally worth it!

The Nightshade God is a brutal, beautiful end to The Nightshade Crown trilogy. Hannah Whitten somehow made everything even darker, even more intense, and I couldn’t put it down. The world feels so heavy and real, the characters are a complete mess (in the best way), and the final stretch of the book had me absolutely wrecked. It destroyed me, put me back together, and left me sitting there in stunned silence. Whitten completely outdid herself with this one.

Before we start, I want to emphasize that this series is NOT a romantasy! This is 100% an adult fantasy, and if you go into it expecting to find a romantasy, you might be disappointed!

"The hope is what hurts, but the hope is all we have."

Wow! What a conclusion! This book made me realize how burnt out on the varying levels of romantasy I am, because this was a breath of fresh air. It was so nice to read a solidly adult fantasy again.

When I first opened this up, my recall of what happened in previous books was a blur at best. I could have really used a refresher, but I just kept going, and while some details never quite came fully to...I had no trouble picking up what was being put down. It just took a minute.

For the first 20% of this, I had my reservations on whether this would stick the landing. There were a lot of things in the beginning that just felt too convenient, but I trusted the process and it all paid off in the end. The Nightshade God was a slow build and really amps up in the last 30%. Our characters are scattered across the world and we get multiple POVs. Hannah managed to balance this perfectly and every character felt entirely their own, even when they didn't get a lot of page time.
I do want to be clear that the yearning our characters have for each other remains, love is a central theme, but this doesn't read like a typical romance or like stuff that is really popular right now. Their love is their reason for fighting, it's their reason for wanting a better world, but you aren't going to find a lot of spice in this.

I think Hannah did a great job building this theme on religion, this remains one of the more unique worlds I have read recently. Reading the acknowledgements, I think the intention of this commentary shone through this story. It is so very human. The Gods, our characters, the struggles, the actions...all of it. I know Lore gets some criticism for being 'not a very good spy' and she owns that. She owns that she is in over her head. She is so very human in this, to the very end. Even when her choices might not make sense to the reader. Lore was never given an easy hand. Every time she tries to escape her fate, fate tightens its grip and takes down more with it.

There's also this, universe experiencing itself vibe going on, I really enjoyed the development at the very end, and it all had me sobbing.

I loved that Hannah took risks in this in character development and actions, plus just some of the plot points. There were some things that I truly didn't see coming until we were right up on them. I think it all paid off, this was a fantastic read.

When I was about 25% in, I did wonder...should this have been a duology? I went back and forth on it, but ultimately, I came to the conclusion that this used all of its page time as it needed to across the series. Hannah took the time to flesh out characters and the world, the religion, and a story of Gods. Each book was its own slow-paced crescendo. I had to stop and remind myself that not everything needs to be trimmed lean and that sometimes there is indulgence in letting something simmer; this didn't leave me wanting more or less. I do think some people will want more from the epilogue, and I do understand that- maybe even just a bonus chapter, but I can fill in the gaps.

The overall message of this series kind of comes up and slaps you in the face in the most beautiful way. This really was a masterpiece!


To a better and kinder world! You can make a difference with your light!



Big thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for this eARC! The Nightshade God will conclude this series on July 15th, 2025!

I’ll start with the good. The writing is fine.

Unfortunately, the plot and the characters gave me nothing. I couldn’t have cared about a story less. The concept was ok, but the execution cause me not to care. I feel my biggest complaint is that there was never any suspense in this series. She immediately told you everything tu thing as it was happening. I also needed bigger stakes. The conflict was only personal among the character and this needed external conflict with the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for their ARC! I adore this series and this last book did NOT disappoint. Complex, messy and painfully beautiful end in a classic Hannah fashion. Beautifully done.

Firstly, thanks to Orbit and Netgalley for this ARC!

Overall, this was definitely a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. It was, however, was perhaps the weakest of all three books. I really struggled to get through the first 50% of the book. I don't feel like the characters were strong enough to carry the story separated from each other, and for the last book in the series I was disappointed it happened this way. On the positive side, what an ending! I can appreciate the journey that all the characters went through and I was so happy to have them all back together. Especially Bastian, he has always been my favorite of the trio. The culmination of the world building and magic system really helped close out their story and that epilogue warmed my heart. I would absolutely recommend this book and the trilogy!

The Nightshade God
By: Hannah Whitten
Release date: 07/15/2025

Tears are still prickling my eyes as I try to sum up a review for this book that I stayed up well past 1 am to finish. Something that gives weight to the depth of emotions that swept me away at the end, and had me tossing and turning in contemplation after I read. The stunning final book of the trilogy, The Nightshade Crown, is a reflection on why I personally read fantasy. I included a no spoilers review below, but thank you so much to @Orbit and @Netgalley for letting me read this in advance.
Lore started this journey morally grey and only looking out for herself. With an amazing affinity with Mortem, aka death, she unwitting carves out a life for herself in the highest of places, the court. Slowly she began to open up to Prince Bastian and Priest Gabriel, before becoming they all become unwilling pawns in the game of Gods. The Nightshade God follows Lore and others through the journey to repair their world, before they are taken over for good by the Gods in their minds.
Hannah Whitten taps into so many different themes throughout these books. There are why choose, enemies to lovers, and morally grey FFC, tropes with LGBTQ+ representation-but it feels so empty to limit her trilogy to just our typical language. The ending of this book reminds me of why I chose fantasy when I was younger and why I still choose fantasy as an adult. Yes, it brings wonderful magic, characters that defy the odds, and love worth dying for in some cases. But for me it was more-fantasy is ironically a lodestone for how I base my morality in the real world and try to choose what is right
The Nightshade God’s ending reminds us why we should pick loyalty and kindness. Why it’s important to keep going, even when we make mistakes. Whitten’s characters are a testimonial of why we should always look for true and loyal love, and return it with fierceness. Really, it reminds me of my own humanity and the need to live for every moment and make it count. This book was brilliant in fantasy and deserves a top place on the shelf. It is so much more than buzz words and tropes, though you will find them in there. You will be entertained until the last word, but if you are like me, I think you will feel something so much more than entertainment at the end.

So question for you- What is a life lesson you learned through characters rather than real life?

This series has been my obsession since reading the first book and I had no idea how it would finally end. Now that I’ve read the end I can honestly say this is an absolutely incredible story that isn’t just about the love between the characters but love overall.
Hannah does an absolutely wonderful job spinning a story that doesn’t follow the Romantasy formula but still keeps you in love with it all the same. The ending was not at all what I could have anticipated but it was absolutely perfect. Now I need to go cry and feel all my feelings.

Firstly, thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book. I was ecstatic when I received it!

I’m going to need some time to digest the STRESS that this book put me through… Some main points though:

When books start out with all of the characters separated, I’m always feeling anxious about getting them all back together. As I got closer and closer to the end, I found myself being frustrated that I wasn’t getting any time with everyone in one place, living happily, post-conflict.

All of the loss in the last 20% was so hard to swallow. Everyone was finally in one place, but it got so much worse before it got better.

When Lore was sentenced to 500 YEARS of waiting for her HEA, after having watched everyone she’s ever known or loved die in the first 50, I was reading with a lump in my throat.

It was not the way I had hoped the story was going to go, but I can appreciate the uniqueness and creativity of it being done that way just the same.

The epilogue certainly made it up to me for the most part, and I still loved the trilogy as a whole. This book was definitely a memorable ending to it!

(We were cheated out of a threesome scene though, and THAT is something I won’t be forgiving about, HANNAH…)

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit books for this eARC

Book 1 and 2 were 5 star reads for me so I was so excited to read the conclusion.

I loved the multiple POVs in this book. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and could not put it down. I thought this epic conclusion was amazing to the trilogy. I didn’t love one aspect of the ending of the book and that is the only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. I’m just a little sour about one part. That being said this trilogy is one of my favorites and I can’t wait to have the physical copy in my hands in July!

I loved the first book in the series. I was not a fan of book two the first time I read, but liked it a little more the second as I planned to read this book. But goodness these books keep getting worse for me. This book was hard to follow all over the place with multiple minor characters who now have become major characters. I loved Lore, Bastian, and Gabe’s story set up in book one, but by book three it seems like Lore, Bastian, and Gabe are side characters in their own story.

I started this series on the premise that the MMC was similar to Cardan Greenbriar from Holly Black's the Cruel Prince and I was not disappointed! And then I found a second MMC to love - such riches!

I was super excited to be able to read this right away and jumped right in as soon as I finished Book two.

I am rating this book both individually and as part of the series. I will say book one was my favorite, book two was slower for me and book three was a little of both! Definitely had my heart going in the last hundred pages.

*****Minor spoilers ahead******

My only feedback is that I wish the characters were together more. This is my personal opinion but I think fetch quest stories where the characters are separated can make the reunion so much sweeter, but when it takes most of the book and then you don't get to see them enjoy each other it feels a little like the suffering to joy ratio is off. Also we get a lot of telling how they feel about each other but not as much showing as I'd like if you know what I mean ;)

I did appreciate Alie getting her time to shine as she's a fascinating character and Malcom and Michal's romance was very sweet. If you are a fan of ensemble stories with multiple romantic arcs this is for you! I'm so, so happy this author was able to give Lore, Bastian, and Gabe the happy ending they deserved! Lore's final moment with her mother really got me crying - it was perfect.

All in all this was a very unique and fun world to explore. The use of organized religion to shape the magic system and how people operate within it was super fascinating. Given these trying times, it was really inspiring and beautiful to imagine a world we could all shape into something better if we were willing. I'll keep dreaming!

I am definitely a Hannah Whitten fan now and excited to give her other series a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for sharing an Advance Reader Copy of this book with me!

[arc review]
Thank you to Orbit Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Nightshade God releases July 15, 2025

2.75

<i>“There are no absolutes. We won’t ever reach some worldwide utopia where nothing bad happens again. Living is work. Goodness is work.”</I>

In this final installment, Lore and the others must collect the missing pieces of the Fount, restore its power, and kill Apollius.

I enjoyed the change in setting and the use of multi-pov, however, I strongly believe that this trilogy would’ve been more effective as a duology, simply because the pacing and progression of the plot and romance from books two and three do not hold up to the groundwork that was laid in the first installment.

The conclusion to a series I absolutely love 😭

There were so many intense moments and twists. I love these characters so much and was rooting for them the entire time. I love the changing POVs and diving into side characters more.

The complexity with the Gods and their powers gets more in depth as we follow more of them. Even diving into their past to hear how they came to be was so *chefs kiss*

I'm devastated this is over but also thought it was a good wrap up!!

thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!