Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for the opportunity to review an early audio arc of this book!

Personally I wasn't a fan of the narrators accent of this book but I did end up reading this alongside the earc edition of the book and it worked really well on 2x speed.

Mer was such a strong character and I wish she had let herself be free a little but with a price on your head that's not gonna happen.

The heist. The found family and the world building were all excellent.

Again another wish was more romance but the slowest burns are the best right? And you do get a peek into a romance for about 10 pages at the end.

Once again thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for the audio arc & earc!

I hadn’t read a good elemental magic book in a while and therefore I was so excited when I came across this one on NetGalley. The fact that I got the audiobook ARC made it so much more compelling to read! I haven’t regret it for a moment!

The book is actually a retelling of Welsh mythology, a story that I was not aware before reading it. Therefore I had no expectations with respect to that story. My expectations were on the actual plot, the story itself and how much it could hold my attention, as well as to the characters and the magic used, and I have to say I enjoyed it!

Mer, or Mererid, was born with an ability not common to people. Ever since she was a little child, she could manipulate the water. Her family made sure this was a truth well hidden, until one day, a child’s life was in danger and Mer tamed the river and saved the child. After that event nothing was the same, nothing was simple in Mer’s life. The people in the village called her other-touched, because of her magic. She was soon taken away from her family, by the King’s spy-master himself and Mer became one of the tools in Prince Garanhir’s hand. He used Mer’s ability to fight his wars. Mer would find clean water sources used by the enemy, and the Prince’s men would poison them. Mer did not know at the time that so many civilians were dying because of her, but when she found out, she used all the training the spy-master had given her and ran away. But that was not enough, as soldiers as well as the spy-master himself came for her. The soldiers wanted to return her to Prince Garanhir, while the spy-master wanted her aid on a heist. He planned on robbing the prince of all his wealth that was hidden in a magical well, only a water diviner, like Mer, could find. Mer had some really good reasons to take part in this venture.

Fane was just a normal boy growing up. He had nothing different to the rest of the children in their village. Until one day, soldiers destroyed his family. They made a request to Fane’s father, which he refused, of course, and so the soldiers killed him and his wife. That was the turning point for Fane. He went to the otherfolk, making a deal so as to be able to kill the seven men that killed his parents and get his revenge. The otherfolk, the fae that is, agreed to his request and grand him the magical power he needed. Seven years of service for seven lives. That was the deal and that is what brought Fane in Mer’s path. He was the muscle they needed for the heist. And he brought a friend with him. Trefor the corgi was Fane’s companion and a dog that may or not be a spy!

Like I said, I really enjoyed this book! Elemental magic is a favourite of mine! The way it was incorporated into this story, along with the otherfolk and the way magic worked in this world made it all the more wonderful to read. It was a nice touch to have people being born with magical abilities, like Mer the water diviner, and also being able to get them from the fae through bargains. This way we had two different paths for those that wielded magic, with only one being available for a lifetime or without a need to pay something back. It was interesting how renege was the one thing that brought Mer and Fane together. Mer decided to take part in the heist to revenge Prince Garanhir for what he made her do, while Fane got his magic while seeking revenge, a revenge he actually regretted. So, as you can understand, the worldbuilding was to my liking in this one!

As was the plot! The backstories of the characters were really good and showed all the emotions that were holding them captive, until they were all unleashed and free to follow their paths! The heist had a pretty solid ground too. There were secrets that were not revealed to all, just like what is needed in a good heist plan. Not all the people that were taking part knew each other in advance and that made it easier to have all the secrets and the tricky parts that added to the story.

The narrator has done a very good job indeed. It was very easy to understand which character was talking, as there were different accents and different voice tones for the different characters. The Welsh accent was of course the leading one here and it was more than enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley & Hodder & Stoughton Audio, Hodder & Stoughton for an advance copy of this book. The views expressed are my personal and honest opinion.

Disclaimer: I received an e-Arc of the Audiobook from Hodder & Stoughton Audio, Hodder & Stoughton, via NetGalley in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.

Plot
the book follows Mer, an eighteen year old who is a Water Diviner - a highly desirable magic born person with magical powers giving her control over water. At the beginning of the book Mer is in hiding, after running away from the Prince who had her captive. She is found by her former mentor, and given the opportunity to venture to a magical island and take down the Prince's reign.

Mer is joined on the trip by Fane - another person with magical powers over iron, Ifanna - an expert and Mer's ex-girlfriend, an adorable magical corgi called Trefor - to name a few.

Thoughts
I really loved the first 150 pages of this book, as the team was coming together and planning the 'heist', however, once they actually started going to the magical island my interest started to dip. The book got good again at the end, and I enjoyed how the story wrapped up. Overall, I did really enjoy the book and would recommend it. However, I was just a bit disappointment by the middle part of the book, and felt like it lost me in places.

Representation: Not much, if I'm being honest! However, the main character Mer is definitely queer, as she had a previous relationship with Ifanna (who is also queer). Ifanna's also has two mothers, but they are very minor characters.

Audiobook
I really liked the narrator of the audiobook, and enjoyed her Welsh accent - do not know if she is actually Welsh, but it sounded good. My only issued with the audiobook is that I couldn't listen to it over 2x speed - which is an issue with the NetGalley app, and not the fault of the book itself.

The Drowned Woods is magical fantasy stand-alone.

I really loved how it draws on Welsh mythology, it could have leaned more into some elements but the inclusion of Welsh names and words was a lovely touch. It certainly prompted me to research Welsh lore in more depth.

The main character, Mer, is strong and likeable. She’s the last water diviner and I really enjoyed how well thought out her abilities are. The magic system and world building are big strengths of this book and I think this may in part be because it’s set in a world established in the authors other book, I haven’t read The Bone Houses but I definitely want to now.

There are a number of supporting characters, they all had intriguing backgrounds and motivations but I felt some of them could have been developed further over the course of the book. The romance is light but has enough depth that I was rooting for the couple. Hands down the best character in the book is Trefor, an adorable corgi who steals every scene he’s in!

The plot doesn’t feature a full on heist, it was more of a magical quest with some good twists thrown in along the way.

Listening to the audiobook version of this book was a lovely way to take in this story. There’s some music at the beginning and the end which really sets the atmosphere. The narrator was easy to listen to and paced her reading well.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say this story was overall flat.

It had a good start, I’m always up for a heist, and I found the magic system and the main character (the water diviner) intriguing. Except after the first 30%, the story slowed down, and the plot and pacing underwhelmed me. It was more like an already-seen situation, the characters were rather simple. The narrator did a great job, but the plot was just too weak. There was so much build-up around the prince and main villain. However, towards the end, when we finally get to meet him, he didn’t come across as so evil and we get a too easy resolution of everything.

Easy read, but despite being based on Welsh mythology, the only original element of this story, everything overall was not enough to make me love it.

Holy heck the audiobook version of this is AMAZING. I really loved listening to this one in between doing other things (chores, driving, walks to the store, etc etc) but it was a quick and easy listen. The narrators voice was incredible, the story and plot were fantastic, and the characters were honest and real. I can’t comment on pacing as I tend to listen to audiobooks on 2x or 2.5x which always keeps things moving along nicely. If you’re looking for your next standalone with a great mix of welsh mythology then definitely pick this one up for a fun atmospheric read that you’ll be thinking about long after you finish the last chapter.

Thank you to Hodderscape and Netgalley for giving me e-arc of this book.

This is my first Emily Lloyd-Jones book and I was very intrigued by the title and the synopsis. This title just calls you to read it.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a wonderful job to make this story come to life - there were even sound effects, I loved it!

The story has a steady pace and with multiple POVs the reader is given different perspectives. Mer is a water diviner, I particularly enjoyed her power and the descriptions of how she pulls water from wood etc. I have always preferred fire as elemental magic, but the author makes being a water diviner sound so much better.

It's described as a heist novel and a dark fairytale, but I did not get a heist vibe but I definitely got dark fairytale vibes., I enjoyed the mythology and the magic. Fane and his dog, an adorable corgi, are my favourite characters and I'd love to see artwork of both.

This YA fantasy with its slow-burn romance is perfect for readers that enjoy retellings, fantasy, and stories about kingdoms and fae.

*The Drowned Woods is inspired by Welsh Folklore.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for gifting me the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this audiobook, the narration was excellent and the story brilliantly written. I will definitely be picking up Bone Houses, as it's clear from the last chapter the two books are linked. I feel like anyone making the jump from YA fantasy to adult fantasy will love this one and I will definitely be recommending this in our shop.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Net Galley for access to an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A bisexual waterbender, a princess of thieves, and a dangerous boy with a pet corgi - the three main characters of this book who absolutely stole my heart.

The Drowned Woods is part Welsh myth retelling, part heist movie, part exploration of trauma and overcoming past tragedy, a perfect mix which results in a heartfelt fairy tale-esque narrative. The relationships between the main characters and each other - and the main characters and the rest of the world - are soft and multi-layered, creating an engaging world that clearly has so much more going on behind the scenes.

I would have enjoyed more exploration of Mer’s powers, and perhaps a little more flashback material or backstory.

As always, audiobook narrator Moira Quirk brings the story to life with incredible skill, engaging and dynamic in turn.

4/5

First a big Big thankyou to Hodder and Stoughton for this Brilliant audio.

Plot - Mer is a water diviner ,she is the last of her kind , sadly the others was murdered. Human magic is very rare in the human world ,set in Wales which I love as alot of my family is from there . Mer was given to the Prince to help him poison his enemies. Not that she understood what she was doing as she was very young she was princess salve in soany words to do everything he want her to do. She ends up escaping you start to feel a little relieved.,not for long ...
She gose on the run ends up meeting an old spymaster and ends up training her .mer takes part in a heist , to try and ruin the crule prince ,she has no choice but to accept.

My Thoughts- The start of the book the Prologue should I say had me totally captivated, it did slow a little for me but before you know it your back in the game . It did not disappoint I love a good heist and this did not disappoint from the point of planet to actually doing it I absolutely loved it, even more I really love learning about the Welsh folklore it's dark and it's very atmospheric it absolutely amazed me.

Mer as a character was completely badass there was no stopping her I loved all the plot twists they really pulled the carpet from under your feet, I'm still recovering now.

Emily's writing is just beautiful and it flows so lovely she really just brings the magic to life.

This is a stand-alone book I would love to see more from this world and maybe one day we will but who knows.? I also absolutely loved the narrator she really sets the story for you and is able to take you into the world that Emily has created.

Overall it was wonderfully captivating story full of dark magic, a brilliant heist the story would definitely stay with me for a long time

I give this book 4.5 stars

Today’s the publication date for The Drowned Woods, a YA fantasy novel based on Welsh mythology. I’m grateful to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the audio ARC in return for an honest review.

A couple of disclaimers before I begin. First, I’m partial to YA books but I’m sadly no longer part of the demographic so my thoughts are coloured by the passage of time and the setting-in of wrinkles. Second, I deliberately asked for the audio version so that my mind would not mangle the Welsh names and words - however, I failed to appreciate that this might mean that I’ve picked them up incorrectly and am spelling them wrongly below.

The backdrop to Emily Lloyd-Jones’ novel is the Welsh Atlantis myth - the lost kingdom of Canter’r Gwaelod, the area which is now Cardigan Bay. Any mention of Atlantis and I’m in. The story is said to be about a heist and, as with any heist story, there is a motley band of people involved in it principally Mer - the last and most powerful Welsh water diviner; Renfrew, a spy master and her mentor and father figure; Fane a fighter haunted by the magic powers he’s acquired; Ifanna a lady thief from a noble family of thieves and former love interest of Mer; and the cutest one of all, Trefor, a corgi who can sniff out magic in people. The group sets out to bring down the evil prince who has used Mer’s magic to destroy people from other kingdoms.

I enjoyed the book’s world and character building but I felt that it went on for too long to the detriment of the actual heist which seemed rushed. Although there’s betrayal and some love interest, they didn’t really come alive for me and I didn’t engage with the characters. The love interest resolution at the end seemed to come out of left field.

The narrator is VERY good. She uses a wide variety of voices and accents and there are some musical interludes which add to the atmosphere, but despite all this, I dozed off from time to time because I felt the story was dragging.

This is not a bad read, it was just not pacy enough for me. But, as I said at the start, I’m not the target demographic.

#thedrownedwoods #yalit #readersofinstagram #audiobookreview #emilylloydjones #lovebooks #moiraquirk

This was an interesting story and I like how strong and capable Mer was. Fane was also an interesting character and the dog was a cute addition to the squad.

I did feel a disconnect with the story however, which may be because I wasn't a fan of the narrator on the audiobook. I would be interested in reading the physical copy and seeing if I maybe enjoy that more. There also was very minimal romance, and I do usually need a good romance to keep me hooked to a book.

Thank you to @netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the audio arc.

The Drowned Woods is an epic dark fantasy that's rich in Welsh mythology. It's a story that is part heist, part adventure and part dark fairytale! More importantly, it's fantastic! It's full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing and keep you hooked! Honestly, the magic, the cast of characters and the world were all written so perfectly, I couldn't get enough! I didn't expect to enjoy this book as nearly as much as I did!

The mission is simple: destroy a mystical well and end the prince's tyranny once and for all! The band of misfits that come together for this task are highly unusual and unexpected. Mer is the last water diviner who has spent her life running from the prince after years of abuse. Fane is a fae-cursed man who can sense iron and kill people, whether he wants to or not. is a lady of thieves and her moral compass is far from north. The best character of the whole crew was, of course, Trefor. An adorable corgi who can sniff out magic, bite the ankles of his enemies and steal boots! I loved this motley crew and couldn't get enough of their adventures! I found their interactions really special and loved how they all worked together.

The world was also incredibly written! Emily Lloyd-Jones writes beautifully and she really brought her Wales to life. I loved how rich this story was in Welsh mythology and how the magic system played into it as well! It was just a fantastic fantasy. A real solid 4-star read! I can't wait to read more from this author!

Note: This review will be a short one because currently I’m hospitalized, but I will write a longer version of it when I’ll be home.

I think I grew out of YA fantasy books. This sounded perfect, I had very high expectations, but it ended up being very average.
I thought that this book will be atmospheric with good mythology but I didn’t get any of that. The story was nothing special, nor was the mythology. The characters were flat, I didn’t like them, but also I didn’t hate them either, they were just 2 dimensional. The whole book was just ok. I don’t mind reading it, but I will forget it very quickly…

Folklore, magic and divination! I was very excited when I started this book and it certainly didn’t disappoint. The characters are well rounded and relatable. Set in Wales, the plot is enthralling, building in excitement and full of adventure, I couldn’t wait to hear each new chapter. (I had not heard of the Legend of Cardigan Bay prior to this, so am going down a rabbit hole now I am finished for sure!)

The Narrator is really great, I have heard her in other audiobooks and always enjoy her voicing, clear and with the right intonations and emotion.

I am already looking for more work by this author!

A beautifully rich and lush story, inspired by the Welsh folklore Cantre’r Gwaelod (the “Welsh Atlantis”). It is part dark fantasy, part heist with a hint of romance and intriguing magic.

Mererid 'Mer' is the last living water diviner who has spent her life in servitude to the prince (before going on the run and struggling to survive whilst stiffening her magic). But then Mer’s old mentor find her and offers a proposition that could take down the wicked prince that abused them both and lead to Mer’s freedom once and for all.

Teamed up with a motley crew of reluctant misfits, including a fae-cursed young man (the ironfetch), his pet corgi that may or may not be a spy, and the infamous lady of thieves (also Mer’s former lover, who once betrayed her) Mer sets off on a high stakes mission where nothing is at it seems.

The premise (including the magic) was perfect and prologue opens the story beautifully with intricate details that create a stunning world and interesting plot. However, I felt there was some limitations to the story such as the character arcs left unfulfilled and/ or falling flat. That is with the exception of Fane and his corgi (they were simply brilliant!) The pacing was also a little too slow, thus, I felt the books potential wasn’t quite met.


Nevertheless, the book was a lovely, enjoyable read with a a nice mix of tension, chemistry and banter between the group and some fantastic dialogue. Also, the epilogue was so beautifully written (connecting the story to ‘the bone houses’) and leaving me truly blown away.

A solid 4 stars

** the audiobook is narrated by by Moira Quirk and she did a great job with her tone, accents and passionate narrative.

** I received an audiobook ARC (and gifted finished physical book) from the publishers in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.

If there is one thing Mererid swore she would never do again, it is to be under Prince Garanhir's power. Being a water diviner is rare, even rarer when Renfrew, the former royal spymaster and the man Mer considers almost her father, finds her and reveals the other diviners were hunted and killed. Forced to choose between jail and freedom, Mer quickly decides that she will accept the job he offers: finding a famous well that could destroy the man she hates the most. From there she embarks on a dangerous journey with a fae-cursed boy, a thief, and a corgi.

If you haven't heard of this story yet, then don't wait for another sign and read it! I dove into These Drowned Woods quite blindly, I admit. I didn't know what to expect and didn't know much about its author, Emily Lloyd-Jones. Turns out I was agreeably surprised about the turn of events and the characters, whom I found very touching in the end. If readers expect to read about yet another found family story, they will be disappointed. Each character has their own goals, and they don't let others drag them away from them. Instead, they are willing to make hard decisions and cut ties with the people they love.

If there is one character attached to their community though, it is Iffana. She is bold, loyal, and determined to live up to her family's reputation as the best thief in the city. Mer and Fane don't have that. Our two loners are suffused with vengeance and don't hesitate to dirty their hands and save their skin. For Mer has always ended up disappointed with the people she once loved, who betrayed her, and Fane isn't privileged enough to give his heart to someone else than his corgi, Treffor. Speaking about the corgi, he's probably my favourite character in the story.

The novel unfolds quite rapidly, but Emily LJ doesn't put aside the development of her characters, which I found very good. Each of them brings something to the story, challenges other characters and pushes their limits, questions their values..., etc. Perhaps the only thing I felt disappointed about was the fate of Garanhir, at the end of the book. Although it is eventually not on him we should focus on, I still wanted to know how the tyrant ended after you-know-what-happens. But Emily LJ really found the perfect way to close this story with our main characters, and my heart swooned over the final chapter.

I also want to praise the work of Moira Quirk, who gave another dimension to the fabulous world created by ELJ. She truly made justice for the characters' accents and the Welsh-inspired background given to the novel; her narration helped me feel completely immersed in this adventure and understand the characters better since she was offering a voice to each that really was impressive.

Thanks a lot to Netgalley and Hodder and Shoughton for accepting my request to review this title in advance. It was a real pleasure!

I did like this for the most part but there were just elements of this that didn't work for me. The premise and set up was interesting and i liked the general plot that was there but the pacing at a couple of key moments was kind of off for me and they could've been written a little better. The narrator was good and i liked how she brought the story to life. Mer was an interesting character to follow and i liked how she was written for the most part but there were a couple of elements about her character that i wish was kind of different.

This book was described as "part heist novel, part dark fairytale" and you know what, I'm inclined to agree! I found myself drawn to this book because it's rooted in Welsh folklore and has a dark magical plot and I have to say, it didn't disappoint!

There were a lot of great selling points for this book. Firstly, I loved the setting! I love books that centre around a certain culture or mythology/folklore and the Drowned Woods hits that niche just right. This was my first time reading a book with Welsh roots and I have to say it's intrigued me to read more.

The magic system and world building in this book was fantastic, and I would definitely read more books set in this world.

The book follows Mererid for the most part, but we do get multiple POVs. I personally loved the band of characters brought together for this heist, and I love the plot twists - I didn't see any of them coming! The whole book was gripping and engaging story wise, but last 25% of this book was what really gripped me!

Also, though it's not the focus or plot of this book, there is a queer rep in the book as well! Mer is has having meaningful romantic relationships with both male and female characters, and there are sapphic side characters mentioned!

All in all, this book has a lot of appealing factors:

• Unique magic system
• Rooted in rich mythology
• Complex and I testing characters
• Strong female MC
• A dog that is possibly a spy
• Heist themes
• Plot twists

Highly recommend giving this book a read.

And since I listened to this book, I also want to add that the audiobook is fantastic for this book. The narrator brings the characters to life through their accents and mannerisms and really does an amazing job of drawing you into the world - 10/10 on production value.

I read this story as an e-arc and I finished it within a couple of days. I really enjoyed it, though I felt I had read it so fast that I wanted to drop back into the World through the audiobook.

The background mystical music at the beginning of the prologue really helps set the scene and it feels like the beginning of a magical story. I think Moira Quirk did an excellent job in this audiobook and I felt her voice was very fitting to the story. She builds up tension so effectively and the voices she uses for the different characters were excellent. I also really enjoyed the epilogue which had the mystical music in the background again. This story has made me interested in Welsh mythology!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with this audiobook in advance in exchange for an honest review.