Sadly I can't finish the audiobook, I swapped my phone and the netgalley app didn't keep the download.
Based on how far I got and the sypnosis I think my rating is correct, hopefully I'll be able to borrow this from the library soon.

I wanted more from 'The Third Daughter'. I enjoyed part of it but some of it I found confusing.

To protect the city of Velle, Elodie drugs her sister Brianne to save her from her fate as the next Queen. The plan being that Elodie will take her place instead and be the next Queen. Brianne is the next in line but, doesn't want the responsibility. With good intentions, Elodie's plan is to take the throne then wake her sister once she is crowned. Only, the potion she bought wasn't a sleeping draft. Meeting in the market place, Elodie meets Sabine the Apothecary who mistakenly sold her a far stronger sleeping draft mixed with her magical tears. Elodie tries to track Sabine down to reverse the effects but, Sabine has an ulterior motive for agreeing to help her. As it becomes apparent that Sabine does not understand the extent of her magic, she begins to realise how powerful she really is.

I loved the element of magic, physically coursing through and out of Sabine. I found that part really interesting and the twist, the reason behind the Third Daughter interesting. I was slightly lost with Brianne's chapters given that she was asleep but, evidently Sabine's magic sent Brianne between two worlds.
Likely the start of a series as we are introduced to the second son and his significance to the third daughter and the Queen.

I really enjoyed this book, the pace was fast and the world building was engaging.

Dual POV between Sabine and Elodie; two girls from different walks of life who join forces to take down a corrupt political/religious entity.

There was some soft romantic moments including LGBT elements, which added to the drama between the two FMCs.

Parts of the story had me almost in tears, while others had me laughing out loud.

It's hard to find stories these days that tick all the boxes for me, and this one definitely did.

I loved this book!! I was sold on the premise and it really delivered, I had a strong independent woman vibe that spun in a web of slow burn sapphic romance and it worked so so well! I was so drawn in and it was narrated so well, paced efficiently and told in a way that had me just squeezing in that extra chapter where possible!

Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Eagerly waiting for the sequel to arrive!
The world-building was unique and very well written. I would love to know more but I didn't feel like I didn't know enough.
The mystery of what happened to the Princess after drinking the tears was also really well executed. The reveal at the end tied everything together but I'm very excited to see what happens next!
Highly recommend!!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

To be completely honest, this book bored me. I did not care about the characters or the world and i saw that plot twist coming from a mile away. The book wasnt exactly bad, but it wasnt exactly really good and memorable either.

Sabine has magical sadness. Tears which increase the potency of any potion 10 fold. Due to a cruel twist in fate she ends up paired with a princess trying to wake The Third Daughter. Whilst trying she discovers a betrayal she must get to the bottom of.

Good page turner!

I recieved an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Third Daughter was a fine, but underwhelming read for me. Tooley's prose was servicable, but not standout- something about the pacing chaged with me- and the plot was, at least for me, irritatingly predictable. I certainly don't want twists and turns without an ounce of foreshadowing, but I- and a friend I spoke to who happened to get the same arc- saw things coming from so far off that we didn't even concieve of one of the big, end of novel reveals *as* a reveal, until all the characters were dramatically gasping over it- we thought we were already supposed to have worked it out. The worldbuilding was very much "generic fantasy world," with a couple of frustrating- at least for me- obsfucations: for example, it was very ambiguous how common magic actually was, and how it was culturally regarded and engaged with.

Tooley's lead characters carried me through this read- they weren't showstopping, but I did care enough about them to finish this novel. Elodie is an entertaining protagonist- morally grey, shrewd, and ambitious, and dangerous in an intellectual way rather than a sword-wielding way, and I would love to see more girls like her in YA fantasy. Sabine was more interesting as a vehicle for the themes she brought to the table, but I wish we'd had a little more depth on these fronts. I was invested in their unfolding relationship to begin with, but somewhere along the way, these two lost me. Additonally, whilst Elodie and Sabine were believable, the rest of the cast felt like absolute ciphers: bland, interchangable, with surface-level motivations and unconvincing relationships with the protagonists. Elodie's relationship with her childhood friend was particularly egregious on this front for me: I don't feel like it had the neccesary establishment early on for the emotional pay-off Tooley was trying to deliver towards the end of this novel.

I also think it's worth mentioning that The Third Daughter being marketed as a matriarchy is a disservice to it. I was excited for worldbuilding that did something interesting with this idea, but the only matriarchy in this fantasy setting is within the royal family, where women inherit. Otherwise, in the church, in the home, in business, and in criminal underworlds, it's clear that women defer to men and men are expected to lead, and men and women are expected to embody the same trait, dress the same way, and adhere to the same rules as they did/do in the real world. This was dissapointing to me personally- I was hopeful, picking up a sapphic book, with a gender-based prophecy, and with two nonbinary characters within the first few pages (neither of whom return or do anything significant) that there would be sometruly interesting exploration of gender roles in this novel, but besides the specific inheritance laws within the royal family, this is another patriarchal fantasy world.

I started out really engaged with this novel, but sadly, that investment ebbed away as the plot awkardly unspooled itself. I think this is very much a totally, middle-of-the-road read for me: defintiley a 2.5, but I'll round up for the sake of the sapphics. I don't think I could personally recommend The Third Daughter, but nor would I really warn someone away from it- there's nothingfundamentally wrong with it, but there's so many novels that execute on very similar premises much more succesfully.

The Third Daughter is an interesting mixture of engaging quest narrative and painfully obvious plot. I enjoyed the world, and the way the topic of depression was approached for a YA audience - and the grey morality of Elodie. Other than that, this book felt strangely lacking in anything other than the bones of a story. The main characters had little chemistry, the background characters were interchangeable, forgettable and confusing, and the plot twist was a neon sign from page one. Overall, while I definitely didn't hate it and will be interested to pick up book 2, this book needed a good few more rounds of editing and workshopping before publication I think unfortunately!

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I listened to the audiobook format that is narrated by Rebecca Lee. I loved her narration so much! Her voice was very soothing to listen to and added to the whimsical atmosphere of the story. I'd definitely recommend the audiobook for this book!

The Third Daugther was fun and a perfect for hot summer days when you want to listen to something fun, engaging but not completely complex. It reminded me of old Barbie princess movies.

I enjoyed the characters a lot, mainly Sabinne. She was so sweet to anyone and even though she carried sadness in her heart, she was so nice to anyone. I also liked the idea of the chosen third daugther as their saviour with a great power. The story is definitely on the political side of story types and I think it was done well. It ended with a somewhat clifghanger, too, so I'll definitely pick up the second book of this duology.

The only reason I'm giving it 3* is that it took too much time for something interesting to happen. I believe I got invested into the story around 60-70% mark, so I needed to get through the detailed and less exciting beginning. After that, I enjoyed it!

Also, I recommend it to anyone who enjoys:
✨ whimsical, fairytale-like vibes
💞 slow-burn romance subplot
🏰 politics between royalty and church
👸🏻 princesses and the chosen one

Sapphic dual POV YA fantasy. First book in a duology.

Loved the 'slow burn' romance. It blossomed over a few days but it's nice to not have insta love all the time.

Really enjoyed the plot and how quick it was to start. Ending tied up nice enough considering it's a duology.

Interesting magic and how it presented itself. Will definitely by picking up the sequel and reading more of this author.

Narrator did an excellent job.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.

📚BOOK REVIEW 📚

THE THIRD DAUGHTER by Adrienne Tooley

This book first caught my attention when I saw the beautiful artwork by @alicemariapower. It's the kind of piece I could only dream of creating!
So I was super happy when Hodder and Stoughton audio approved my #netgalley request!

I very much enjoyed this listen. In fact, when it ended I was extremely disappointed as I was so immersed. The strongest element of this book is definitely the two main characters (being dyslexic and having listened to this I have no idea how to spell their names but I would guess Elodie and Sabine). They were strong, flawed and each on multifaceted journeys of self discovery. I loved the romantic element and think there's lots of room for this to be explored in the second book (really hope there's gonna be a second book!). And the world building was exactly what you want as a fantasy lover..

Thank you netgalley and @hodderstoughton for a free audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

#thethirddaughter #adriennetooley
#hodderandstoughton #hodderandstaughtonaudio #audiobook #saphicbooks #fantasy #fantasyreader #bookblogger #bookstagram

I was provided with an audiobook copy of this story free of charge by Netgalley in return for a review.

I will start by saying the music at the beginning of the book is wonderfully atmospheric and the narration is perfection.

Frist we meet Elodie Frist daughter trained from a young age to be the councilor and Regent her country needed. Country Frist and family second.

Then we meet Sabine a young girl afflicted with a sadness so deep it makes her tears magic. However , with her gift it seems like she is dispised for it. Tolerated only because her family needs her magic for the coin it will bring.

Thrown together when Elodie tries to save her youngest sister from the churches clutches with a sleeping potion and instead ends up with a vial of Sabin's undiluted tears .

Desperate to save her sister and wrest power away from a church that seems to twist the very faith it preaches Elodie must place her trust in Sabine.

This high fantasy tale is sweeping and wonderful. I read it in just three days. The characters are fantastic and are so well written you feel as if they might walk right out of the pages. The author has given each their own times to shine. I especially loved seeing
The pages from the book of the New Maiden. It made the faith of the world more real and meaningful. Those verses were placed just right and broke up each part of the book perfectly. I loved this read and eagerly await next installment The Second son.

My only criticism is that I felt in places it was slightly rushed. It would have benefited from being slightly longer. But still even with that this is a fantastic read!

Good characters, easy to follow storyline, plenty of action. I enjoyed the mystery throughout and the speed of the book

*4.25 Stars*

Elodie has been raised to be an advisor to the throne but all her plans go to shit when her little sister, the (new) queen, choses her dad to advise her instead. He is a man of the Church and will do anything to take power, and manipulate his daughter. So, Elodie choses to put her sister to sleep until she turns 17. For that purpose, she goes to a secret market where she meets Sabine. Sabine's tears are very powerful, added to a potion, they make it incredibly more powerful. Problem is, Sabine got distracted by Elodie and switched up the vials. She gave her the tears instead of the sleep potion... And now the queen won't wake up and Sabine has lost most of her family's income...

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters, they were very flawed and layered and weren't necessarily good people which was fun. I also did enjoy the romance and the intrigue. However, I only realized this wasn't a standalone when I was at like 90% of the book and it threw me off but that was my own fault. I liked the twists and I did not see them coming. I probably should have seen the main one coming but no. It all took me by surprise and that was quite fun. I also enjoyed the world and how the author added little bits of text at the beginning of each part. The romance started a bit fast for me but it was still very enjoyable overall.
So yes, another hit by Adrienne Tooley, I truly cannot wait for the next book, that last page was a bit mean.

🧿The Third Daughter🧿

"The Third Daughter" audiobook delivers an enchanting experience with its captivating narrator whose voice is soothing and adaptable for listening at different speeds. The narrative revolves around Elodie, the first daughter who was destined to be the queen's regent, as she shares a close bond with her mother.

Throughout the story, political agendas between the church and the crown create tension, adding depth to the plot. The inclusion of a prophecy surrounding the third daughter's fate adds an intriguing twist, ultimately making her the queen and maiden.

Sabine's character is portrayed with depth, as her sadness and magical abilities are depicted through her changing veins. The magic in the story is skillfully linked to emotions, and the portrayal of depression is eloquent and thought-provoking.

The clergy's conniving nature introduces an unexpected twist to the narrative, keeping readers engaged. The book beautifully explores women taking control and embracing power, which adds empowerment to the storyline.

Furthermore, the book delves into mental health talk, portraying it sensitively and realistically. Elodie and Sabine's characters offer a striking contrast, with one being soft and the other hard, yet both are equally captivating.

While the book is classified as Young Adult, it does not shy away from passionate moments, adding a steamy aspect to the story that will appeal to many readers.

As the story unfolds, betrayal and lies by unexpected characters adds a dramatic and emotional element, leading to a gripping climax.

In conclusion, "The Third Daughter" audiobook weaves a magical tale of political intrigue, prophecy, and self-discovery. With its compelling characters and skillful handling of mental health themes, it is a captivating and empowering read for any fantasy and YA enthusiast.

⭐️4
🌶️1
💧3
🗣️5

🌌Tropes🌌
——————-
🔷Mental Health representation
🔷Sapphic
🔷Religion vs crown
🔷Political Intrigue
🔷Young Adult
🔷Multiple POV
🔷One Bed

Thank you Adrienne, publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review this book. My review has also been posted to Amazon and is being reviewed.

A wonderful start to a YA fantasy series, steeped in political intrigue and featuring a well written slow burn Sapphic romance I enjoyed every second.

Our story follows a dual pov, one featuring Princess Elodie, who has been groomed to rule her whole life but now has to watch her naïve 13 year old sister take the crown along with being the prophesised chosen one. Our other pov features Sabine, a poor girl who has an intense sadness akin to depression (nicknamed her darkness), but whose tears have magical properties a talent that is exploited by her family to make money to keep a roof over their head. The two girls worlds collide when Elodie purchases a potion from Sabine that goes horribly wrong with far reaching consequences that the two girls must now try and solve.

As stated previously the plot is full of political intrigue, plays for power and scheming from all sides. most of which I didn't really see coming and one of which completely shifts the story and raises the stakes tremendously.

In terms of characters, our main two ladies are well written, are they (particularly Elodie) flawed and make bad choices at times, yes but instead of feeling frustrating as flawed characters can sometimes feel to me, these girls feel real their choices and flaws make sense for the way they've grown up. The other characters are also well written although these characters are more often than not people I came to despise for the way they treat other people (my god I wanted to punch Artur in the face so badly) it feels purposeful by the author to further the characters story rather than just a case of bad writing.

I am perhaps biased with how much I loved the romance because I adore slow burn but I loved the relationship between our two main characters it felt organic and earned. Girls from completely different worlds that found something in each other that their previous lives had never given them.

I did listen to the audiobook of this and thought that the narrator, Rebecca Lee did a great job, the characters all felt distinct and the voices fit perfectly.

Suffice to say I cannot wait to see where the series goes next and would definitely recommend this book to other fantasy fans.

THE THIRD DAUGHTER is the start of a YA fantasy series about reincarnated deities and corrupt church officials.

This is a world where their deity is prophesied to return, and when she does, a church used to power swoops in to wrest control. Across the book, the extent of their corruption is revealed, justifying the very strong prejudice you get against the main clergyman at the start. The first of the reveals (in the church crypt the first time) was the one that got me the most, the one I found most satisfying, as it shows just how determined this enemy is.

I loved how naïve Elodie was in the city, how pampered and closeted she was. Yes, she's been raised since almost birth to rule and advise, but she still doesn't have a clue how to survive the city or what daily life is like. She has snuck away before but she doesn't understand the people she wants to rule. I really liked that she was so clueless rather than being street smart.

Sabine's magic manifests in ways similar to some depressive symptoms and I enjoyed Sabine's journey to accept it, so that the magic no longer controlled her. The fact that magic had a voice, constantly talking to her (and almost always negative) was such an effective way of conveying self-doubt and anxiety.

The narrator is Rebecca Lee and she does very well at keeping the three narrators separate. While the alternation between the two main POVs (Elodie and Sabine) helps, Rebecca Lee manages to give the two narrators a marginally different tone that makes them distinguishable.

It is the first book in a series (possibly a duology) and the title THE SECOND SON hints at a confrontation (and exposure) of this shadowy figure. I am interested to see how that goes, and what shape Velle ends up in at the end.

4.5 rounded down.

This book was very enjoyable, I had such a good time reading it!

This book focuses on a dual POV - Elodie, eldest daughter of the Queen who loses her line of succession to her youngest (most impressionable) sister, Brianne. She is someone who is willing to go down a dark path if it means keeping the kingdom (and her position) safe. Distrustful of the clergy, she has to find a way to stop Brianne taking the throne aged only 13. Sabinne, is the youngest daughter of her family who has magic released through her emotions and tears, used to create potions to keep them afloat as money is incredibly tight. When Elodie visits her for a potion to put someone to sleep, it all goes wrong very quickly.

This is a sapphic fantasy story with political elements, a lot of religious symbolism and commentary on corruption and influence. Despite characters doing things you don't agree with (many characters do this at one point or other) you really do understand where they come from, which made them incredibly believable despite the unbelievable circumstances they find themselves in. Morally grey characters that are well written really are my cup of tea, and I found myself thinking what I would be doing in their shoes quite often.

The only reason I rounded down rather than up is because the major plot-twist I predicted within the first few chapters, though there were smaller twists (and the set-up for the follow-on book) which I did not see a mile out, so overall really well presented. The pacing was good though it did dip in and out of slowness, but I really enjoy the political/religious elements which technically slowed the plot down so I found it a welcome reprieve.

The narrator was excellent and lively and helped distinguish between the characters quite well.

<i>I was provided with a complimentary copy of this audiobook by Hodder & Stoughton Audio via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, which I leave voluntarily. This has not affected by review.</i>

Fun fantasy fairytale audio book for older YR and YA. The prophesied Third Daughter is here at last! Two teenagers at the opposite ends of social standing - a Princess and an Apothecary - each makes a mistake with consequences that will affect them both. And this story is ignited, with twists added as it rushes onwards. I loved the characters, their feelings and emotions in turmoil; although sometimes I think the author’s choices for them are incorrect (but that’s my opinion). Oh phooey, I’ve finished the book. Now I have to wait for the next, I’m sure, equally exciting sequel. Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.