Reading this felt like retribution because I read a book earlier this year that promised to be this and failed in every way. This was perfection and exactly what I wanted. A well-balanced mix of beauty and horror, with so many secrets and curious motives that kept me absolutely hooked from start to finish.

I had the absolute pleasure of reading an early copy of this book already, and loved it so much. The audio made it even better!

This is already a haunting, ethereal story but the audio truly immerses you in this dreamy world. Lyndall has written such a gorgeous story that feels even more like a fever dream when Emily is reading it to you. For me, it solidified my love of the story and the characters while also adding this extra layer of joy that I did not expect.

I’ve already recommended this story several times, but I think if you’re skeptical about picking it up, you should try the audio! The world building, the atmosphere, the absolute poetry that is Lyndall’s prose, were all made infinitely better through Emily’s narration.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured releases on July 1st and you do not want to miss it!

Thank you so much to Spotify Audiobooks and Lyndall for access to this early listening copy! I am forever grateful for being trusted to early review such amazing books. 💕

Thank you Lyndall‘s team, Spotify Audiobooks, & NetGalley for the eARC & ALC of Tenderly, I Am Devoured! It was such an honor to read and listen to this whimsical dark academia story and never knowing really where the story was going!

The audio actor was amazing, the way she spoke and spun words, it felt so fluid, whimsical, and carefree. I would highly recommend listening and reading because the way this actor speaks was breathtaking. I was able to understand which character was which and there may have been a couple moments were Camille and lark sounded similar but that’s to be expected.

She truly brought the story to life! The romance, the plot, and just the general world was such a beautiful story, I truly felt as if I was in the world. The way the polycule was written was as breathing, so nature, never forced and always with gentleness. Yes we don’t see the Swan God often but we had to get a few more things out of the way before we delved solely into the issues.

There was so many things I never knew was gonna come, especially how lark is, wow that was a great twist! The ending though, my heart! I cannot explain well enough how this story was, but I so much enjoyed the delicateness, honesty, and pain was written with such great depth.

PSA the true villain is Damson that’s all I say

“I let the heat unspool between us and pretend there is nothing else—only myself and Alastair and Camille, and that we’ll be safe from gods and fate and the whole world.”

I got the chance to read Tenderly, I Am Devoured in both its ebook and audio versions. I loved both. The narrator’s voice is a perfect fit to the prose, and adds a new layer to the ambiance woven in the book (the immersive reading with both text and audio, which I’ve done for my second read, is top tier!).
I adored this story. First, because it’s the first time I felt (and fell) for a poly story. It was, IMO, perfectly done. I loved the characters, how they felt like stained-glass: pretty, luminous, dreamy, mysterious, woven with shadows, ready to shatter. The love story(ies) is(are) beautiful, as all the characters learn to free themselves from toxic bonds and destructive revelations. They jump into adulthood, their fingers interwoven, together –and even a bit more than that, as the relationships come in waves crashing on the shore but soothing –all at once.
The narrative choices are great, and once again, this book makes an exception to my usual (dis)likes. I loved the change in tense and choice of POV depending on the timeline, it made perfect sense here and added another layer.
With her lyrical –and gorgeous– prose, Lyndall Clipstone created an awakened dream, ready to turn into a nightmare at any second. The ambiance is ethereal, completely out of time, lingering, and beautiful. This novel is a graceful and poetic story about growing up, choosing life over survival –and all the pain that can come from it. It’s about discovering the past, the present and the future, about the choices and sacrifices we make for the people we love, no matter the cost for ourselves.
But this story is also an incredible and aesthetic experience. It is immersive, poetic, and gives the impression to the reader they slip into a romantic piece of art, as soft as cotton, as sharp as a broken mirror, as flowing as water. Just Gorgeous.

Thank you to the author and both publishers for both the eARC and ALC on NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

This one felt pretty atmospheric. I enjoyed the writing and dual timeline. The gothic vibes are exactly what I love and I definitely felt emersed in the setting. Unfortunately, I didn't love this as much as I hoped I would. The plot seemed a little disjointed, with Thereon not taking up much time on the page. Then everything with Hugo seemed a little forced for what was meant to be shocking. The climax with Damsen is when I had the most emotional reaction.

This book felt weird, but not in a bad way. The twist with Lark was interesting. I didn't really love her or Camille or Alistair, though. Every time someone called her Lacrimosa, all I could think of was Lake Lachrymose from A Series of Unfortunate Events....

The polyamorous relationship was... not for me (don't get me wrong, I've read them in adult novels). I got the ick from siblings being involved (even if they were never really INVOLVED with each other). It seemed like an interesting choice to include this in a Young Adult novel...

Reminiscent of Hades and Persephone, Tenderly, I am Devoured is a languid, sweet, nostalgic story of Lark, whose destiny is determined before she is even brought into the world. Fans of queer, poly love stories will swoon at the sweet, descriptive prose.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 9%.
Thank you so much to Netgalley for this audio-ARC but it didn’t end up being my vibe.

Thank you so much for the audio-ARC. But I DNF’ed the book at about 10%.

The language was overly-wordy in a way that sometimes is seen as “flowery” but mostly is annoying and overdone. There is pretty-flowing-writing and then there is too-many-words-and-comparisons-in-one-sentence-to-find-the-punctuation. Good examples are “The River has Roots” by Amal El-Mohtar (fantasy, very lyrical beautiful writing) or “House of Hollow” by Krystal Sutherland (absolutely luscious folk horror).

Plus I read a handful of comments that said the polyamory was going to be exactly what I thought it was and I’m sorry, I cannot. It’s not inclusive lgbtq+ identities, it’s just incest.

Oh how I love these briny, salty, coastal, atmospheric fantasies. I can taste the ocean air with every word on the page. Lyndall Clipstone has this uncanny ability to just PUT you in her books.

The pacing of this book is on the slower side but it fits in with the vibe of this book which is a slow, creeping unfolding of events. I found this book to be incredibly disturbing at times. The enmeshment of our characters made me uncomfortable and at no point did I predict where they would go with their relationships.

My biggest gripe with this book, however, is the ending. Things tied up too nicely and far too quickly at the end. I was left with this “is that it??” feeling. I suppose it’s satisfying if you want everything wrapped up with a neat bow. I, personally, did not.

3.25/5 ⭐️ for this disturbing read. The audiobook performance was done incredibly well and helped sell the eeriness of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would read more by this author.

Audio 5★
Story 4★

This book was a darkly unique blend of gothic horror, folkloric mysticism, and romantasy, what stood out most was its eerie, immersive atmosphere. The horror elements simmered beneath the surface, creeping in through lush prose and unsettling moments.

Lark’s transformation was what I really enjoyed, watching her evolve, caught in webs of tension, desire, and fer, she navigated the dangers around her. The sapphic entanglements added depth to the emotional stakes and made the relationships feel raw and real.

While there is romance, this story leaned heavily into folklore and psychological horror. The slow-build tension, layered dynamics, and ultimately satisfying conclusion made this a standout read. Perfect for fans of gothic tales with teeth.

Emily Lawrence was a great narrator, She was engaging, I could clearly differentiate each character and her tone matched the gothic vibe perfectly.

Thank You NetGalley, Lyndall Clipstone and Spotify Audiobooks for this Advance Reader Copy.

I have mixed feelings when it comes to Lyndall Clipstone's books -- I was disappointed with Lakesedge, but absolutely loved Unholy Terrors. I was hoping Tenderly, I Am Devoured would skew towards the latter but alas here we are.

If you love long, languid descriptive passages and purple prose, then you will love this book. I personally am not a fan, and found this to be a rather tedious read, my attention constantly battling between staying focused on the book and getting distracted by literally anything else. I decided to request the audiobook, hoping that would help. And it did, a little. I switched at the 39% read mark and finished the audiobook within a few days. The audio is also quite dramatic which I wasn't super fond of, but it matched the writing style of the book so I can't fault the narrator for that.

The gothic aesthetic was done very well, and the cthonic gods mythology was really interesting and definitely needed more of a focus. The main character Lark was quite reserved and weepy for a lot of the novel, which I personally found quite grating. Her relationship with her brothers was really nice though. The relationship between the rest of the characters I found a bit odd, but won't go into detail due to spoilers.

Unfortunately Tenderly, I Am Devoured seemed more focused on creating detailed imagery and descriptions, over plot-depth, and is one I would only recommend for readers who prefer beautiful imagery to actual story development.

Great audiobook. The narrator was perfect and really brought the story to life. I will definitely be recommending the audio to friends.

I loved this book when I read it. And I love this audiobook. The narration is PERFECT. MWAH. I wouldn’t change a thing. Justice done.

I've been frothing at the mouth waiting to read this book, and it was everything I wanted it to be and more.
I devoured this book. I love this book with my entire being.
I only ever want to read books that are beautiful the way that this book is beautiful, romantic the way this book is romantic, terrible, and awful, full of salt and chthonic liquor and gods and blood.

Emily Lawrence is an amazing narrator, and I loved getting to listen to the audiobook version of Tenderly, I am Devoured. I cannot wait for release day!