Series: The Nightshade Crown #1
Release Date: March 7th 2023
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pages: 466
Find it on: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: I bought a copy of this from my local Waterstones
Rating: 5/5 stars
Synopsis
When Lore was thirteen, she escaped a cult in the catacombs beneath the city of Dellaire. And in the ten years since, she’s lived by one rule: don’t let them find you. Easier said than done, when her death magic ties her to the city.
Mortem, the magic born from death, is a high-priced and illicit commodity in Dellaire, and Lore’s job running poisons keeps her in food, shelter, and relative security. But when a run goes wrong and Lore’s power is revealed, she’s taken by the Presque Mort, a group of warrior-monks sanctioned to use Mortem working for the Sainted King. Lore fully expects a pyre, but King August has a different plan. Entire villages on the outskirts of the country have been dying overnight, seemingly at random. Lore can either use her magic to find out what’s happening and who in the King’s court is responsible, or die.
Lore is thrust into the Sainted King’s glittering court, where no one can be believed and even fewer can be trusted. Guarded by Gabriel, a duke-turned-monk, and continually running up against Bastian, August’s ne’er-do-well heir, Lore tangles in politics, religion, and forbidden romance as she attempts to navigate a debauched and opulent society.
But the life she left behind in the catacombs is catching up with her. And even as Lore makes her way through the Sainted court above, they might be drawing closer than she thinks.
Review
Lured in by that beautiful cover and intriguing synopsis, I picked up The Foxglove King even though I haven’t gotten around to reading Hannah Whitten’s For the Wolf yet. The story follows Lore, a young poison runner with the ability to channel Mortem – death magic. Channeling Mortem is illegal so when Lore is caught summoning she’s captured by the Presque Mort, an arm of the church where channeling Mortem is allowed. There Lore learns about a mysterious affliction that is wiping out entire villages and is tasked with using her magic to discover what is killing them. Having no choice but to accept Lore ends up in the Sainted King’s court, attempting to uncover the truth behind the killings, but will she be able to discover the truth before it’s too late?
This book sucked me in right from the very first chapter. It had such a fascinating premise and I found myself completely glued to the pages. The story is pretty quick paced, with plenty of action. The world building is well developed and I was so intrigued by the magic system in this world. It felt well fleshed out and it was so interesting seeing Lore continue to develop her abilities. One of the things that stood out most for me with this book were the scenes where Lore used her abilities. They were so atmospheric and intense and more than one sent a shiver down my spine. I’m so looking forward to seeing more of the magic in the next installment. The Foxglove King features so many things I love in fantasy books, it’s absolutely full of court intrigue, mystery, magic, and danger.
The characters in The Foxglove King are well developed and it was easy to see their motivations. Lore is a dynamic protagonist, she’s strong willed and clever and I really enjoyed seeing the story from her perspective. Gabe and Bastian are compelling characters too and I liked how the relationships between the three changed as the story reached the tense ending. The Foxglove King is a brilliantly told fantasy tale and one I can’t recommend highly enough.
Garth Nix is back with an all new fantasy adventure featuring Susan Arkshaw and the mysterious booksellers. Picking up after the events of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, the story follows Susan, Merlin and Viven as they are transported to a strange house taken out of time. There they find a series of murders have taken place and an ancient sovereign with the ability to animate stone. The ancient sovereign takes an interest in Susan and together with the help of the other booksellers, the trio must find a way to stop the Lady of Stone before she kills again.
C. L. Clark’s The Unbroken was one of my favourite reads of 2022 so I was dying to get my hands on a copy of The Faithless. Picking up after the events of book one, we follow Touraine as she travels to Balladaire as an Ambassador for Qazal. Touraine knows this will be no easy task and the future of Qazal rests upon her. Meanwhile Luca has returned home to take her rightful place as Queen, however, her Uncle is not willing to let the crown go. Luca must go through a Trial of Competence to prove she is ready for the throne, but with so few allies will she be able to rally the nobles to her cause and stop her Uncle stealing the throne?
Anna Stephens is back with a new Asgard novel, full to the brim with magic, action, and adventure. We are back following Lady Sif and the Valkyrie Brunnhilde as the head to Earth in search of the mysterious magic that is causing Brunnhilde nightmares. Arriving in Elizabethan England, the two warrior women must attempt to blend in and uncover what the Dark Elves are up to. The Asgardian warriors are not the only ones interested in this dark magic though. Hela, Queen of Hel has also arrived on Midgard, determined to take the magic for herself – Hela and the Asgardians are old enemies, but will they be able to team up in order to stop the Dark Elves from opening a portal between realms and waging war in Midgard?
Anna Stephens is back with the next installment in her brilliant Songs of the Drowned series and we pick up with our main characters two years after the events of The Stone Knife – Lilla is a slave warrior, training to be part of the biggest and most ruthless army the world has ever known. He secretly hopes to spark a rebellion amongst his fellow slaves, but how can they overcome the might of the Empire? Xessa is a slave in the fighting pits, tasked with providing entertainment to those she despises, she knows she will never get out alive, but can she help her fellow Tokob survive long enough to claim freedom? Tayan is stuck in the heart of the Empire, surrounded by the most ruthless and power hungry people, but the Singer’s magic speaks to him in a way no one thought possible – can he survive long enough to understand how to wield it? Meanwhile, on the other side of the conflict, Pilos and Enet are at each other’s throats, each one determined to outwit the other.
The Last Tale of the Flower Bride is the sort of book that grips you as soon as you read the first page and absolutely does not let you go. The story follows a man obsessed with myth and fairytales as he ends up married to the mysterious and beautiful Indigo Maxwell-Casteñada. Their marriage is built on a promise that he must never look into her history or pry into her secrets. When the couple learns that Indigo’s aunt is dying they must return to Indigo’s family home – the House of Dreams and the bridegroom discovers a childhood best friend that mysteriously disappeared. Can he resist prying into Indigo’s past and what will be the consequences if he does?
The Serpent and the Dead is a fun and fast paced fantasy tale that follows Lady Sif and the Valkyrie Brunnhilde as they embark on a quest to discover why some souls on the battlefield are disappearing before they can be escorted to Valhalla. When they two arrive at a small town they hear about attacks taking place from fearsome creatures that cannot be killed. Determined to uncover what is going on and rescue the missing souls, Lady Sif and Brunnhilde must use every ounce of their strength to uncover this evil enemy.
Seven Faceless Saints lured me in with that intriguing title and beautiful cover. Set in the world of Ombrazia, the story follows our two main characters – Damian and Roz – as they attempt to uncover the truth about a series of murders that have taken place. Damian is head of security at the Palazzo, and recently returned from the war, he wants nothing more than to solve the murders and make his father proud. Roz is a disciple of the saint Patience, meaning she has magic and a more privileged life than many around her. But Roz never wanted to be a disciple and is strongly against the unjust systems that cost her father his life when he was killed as a deserter. While by day she is a disciple, by night she is part of the rebellion desperate to turn things around for Ombrazia’s people. Damian and Roz have a difficult history, but can the two team up and discover what is killing innocent people?
Shield Maiden is a beautifully written fantasy tale that follows Fryda, a young girl with a dream of becoming a shield maiden. After an accident in her childhood leaves her disabled, she believes she will never achieve that dream – no matter how badly she wants it. When her Uncle Beowulf comes to visit the clan and celebrations begin, Fryda uncovers a plot that threatens the safety of the people she loves most. Determined to do what she can to protect her people, Fryda soon feels a strange power growing inside her, but Fryda isn’t the only one who feels the power stirring and a dragon long sleeping might finally awake.
The Godblind Trilogy by Anna Stephens is one of my all time favourite series, so I was incredibly intrigued to pick up the first in a new duology from the author. Set in the land of Ixachipan, this multi-perspective tale tells the story of people from two very different nations – those from the Empire of Songs and those of the free tribes, determined to resist the rule of the empire. Every other tribe has fallen to the Empire of Songs and the magical music that weaves through everything and everyone. The Empire will stop at nothing to make the Tokob and Yalotlan fall in line, but will they be able to resist where everyone else has failed?
The Bibliophile Chronicles 