The Hemlock Queen is a brilliant second book in the Nightshade crown trilogy. It took me a few chapters to really get back into the story as it has been over a year since I read The Foxglove King. However, once I had got all of the characters and preceding events sorted out in my head, I was completely hooked.
I had seen a couple of reviews mentioning how slow the pace of the book was at first but I didn’t find it particularly slow at all. I have always loved fantasy novels that have great characters and politics and The Hemlock Queen delivered both of these elements brilliantly.
We see Lore as she tries to navigate her way through a court who are mainly hostile to her presence as well gain a greater understanding and mastery of her powers. She is definitely a reluctant participant in the events that are playing out but she is desperately trying to keep control of her life in some way. I liked the friendship between Lore and Alie and even though it gets a bit strained at times, the two women continue to support each other. She is grounded by her parents too and we see them at key points in the novel so Lore knows that she is not completely along.
I loved how we see the growth of Lore’s power and her growing suspicions about Bastian and what is actually going on. We get a lot of her inner thoughts and see how she begins to put all the different things together and realise just what the voice in her head really is. The back story of Apollius and Nyxara was fascinating and brilliantly woven into the current storyline.
The relationship between Lore, Bastian and Gabe continues to be complicated to say the least. I always enjoy love triangles if they are done well and this one is superb. You can see the reasons why she loves both men and I have no idea how this is going to end up. The tension between Bastian and Gabe is really well portrayed especially in the latter half of the book. Gabe doesn‘t have as much page time in this book and his feelings are less clear. I hope that we see more of him and what drives him in the final volume.
All of the character build-up, religious revelations and political tension build up to an action packed last quarter of the book which delivered a couple of real surprises.
I absolutely loved this book and hope that it isn’t too long before we can read the final volume.

So 'The Hemlock Queen' picks up not long after the events of 'The Foxglove King'. Bastian has seized the throne and is desperate to keep Lore by his side but he seems to be losing himself. They are on the brink of war, there is dissent at the centre of the court, dark forces conspire against them and there is a lot to learn about the path they've embarked on.

There is more focus on Lore and Bastian in this story though the tension between Lore, Gabe and Bastian is still brewing away. I liked that Bastian and his relationship with Lore was more fleshed out but the love triangle really had me stressed out cos my heart plummeted at the thought of one being left behind! I really can't decide what would the best outcome for them - a throuple maybe? Between that dynamic, the politics and the action I absolutely flew through it. It's really entertaining, the plot moves quickly, there is a touch of romance and a great plot twist that has me super excited for the conclusion to this trilogy.

Despite my initial reservations, The Foxglove King ended up becoming one of my favourite reads of last year. With this in mind, I was beyond excited to read the second installment.

The Hemlock Queen kicks off soon after the events of its predecessor and I found myself instantly immersed back into the world. Hannah Whitten has cleverly intertwined the world building, character development and the compelling plot, all with a fast paced and beautiful writing style.

I absolutely adored this continuation of Lore's story and the love triangle between her, Bastian and Gabe was incredibly entertaining. I am hoping that we will get a lot more answers about where it's going in the third installment of this proposed trilogy.

Overall, The Hemlock Queen was an incredible follow up to The Foxglove King and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

Firstly, thank you so much to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for giving me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was so keen to get into this book as I loved the first book. The story picks up not long after the events of the first book and right away, you can tell something isn’t quite right in the House of Commons (to use a common meme). I really enjoyed the mix of action, character development and backstory in this one, it was very cleverly done. And most pleasingly, although it wasn’t quite as compelling as book 1, it didn’t suffer from the same “second book” problems like so many other trilogies.

The developing love triangle between Gabe, Bastian and Lore was great to watch, and it seems to be leading in a certain direction which I am pleased about, but we’ll have to see what happens in book 3.

Overall a great read and I can’t wait for book 3!

This was my most anticipated read and Hannah delivered.The magic system and world building were amazing I love this book so much.the lies and deceits had me on the edge of the seat.I liked the first one but I loved this one. I can't wait for everyone to read this one! 5 stars!Incredible!5 stars!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Anyone who says they don’t open a second book with a sense of trepidation is lying. You know that feeling, particularly when the first book was so amazing and compelling, there’s always that fear. Well, I can reassure you that Hannah Whitten completely knocks it out of the park with The Hemlock Queen - definitely NO second book syndrome here!

Following only a few weeks after the concluding events of The Foxglove King the book picks up Lore’s story, complete with some great event recapturing of book one that doesn’t don’t feel at all artificial or set to remind the reader. Book two immediately picks up the royal, emotional and godly events from The Hemlock King through well crafted and beautiful delivered prose.

Whitten is an expert at martislling and co-ordinating the character relationships and dynamics that you could tell the triangle of Lore, Bastian and Gabe deep down. And yes, I know that love triangles aren’t the favourite trope for many but, Whitten truly overrides those fears and I’m compelled to find out where it goes.

The magical system and world-building continue to evolve and develop, and I personally grew to like Lore even more as she stumbled and grasped to establish her place in Court.

What I will say is that where this second book in the trilogy lacked in action, it definitely overflowed with character development, relationship dynamics, politics, plots and plans, and I am here for that! The Hemlock Queen was the perfect second book for this trilogy and all I need now is the concluding part.

4.5⭐️

Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest and sincere review.

Second books in a trilogy can be filler, a bit stagnant, a placeholder before the concluding installment. The Hemlock Queen is definitely not that. The return to Auverraine, picking up straight after the previous book ends, is a masterful balance of action and revelation, character development and backstory, all slowly ratcheting up tension to a denouement that I definitely did not see coming. The triangle of Lore, Bastian and Gabe gets some interesting twists that might predict where it eventually goes (although I'm loath to predict anything with this author) and the supporting characters of Alie and Malcolm are also developed further. It's going to be a long wait for the third book, but I've no doubt it'll be worth it.

I am so invested in this series and need the final book as soon as possible. Just put it straight into my veins.

Finding out more about the gods and magic in this book had me hooked and built up the world a lot more, which is exactly what I wanted. There were so many mysteries to be solved and lots of twists and turns that left me guessing and then surprised me every time I thought I had things worked out.

The relationship dynamics between Lore, Bastian and Gabe were so much more interesting this time around (yay for a bit of spice too) and I genuinely don't know where this live triangle is going to go.

This book and series may not be as action packed as other fantasies but I find the politics so interesting. Learning about the gods and their history has added another dimension too.

I'm really excited for the third installment, especially as the end of Hemlock.Queen had me shook. I have no idea how things will play out at this point.

Rating: 4.5/5
I have a little confession to make. I was almost skeptical about reading The Hemlock Queen, mainly because the Foxglove King set such a good foundation for the rest of the trilogy, that I was worried I'd somehow end up being disappointed. Luckily, I was very wrong about it.

The Hemlock Queen continues a few weeks after the first book. Despite reading The Foxglove King not so far ago, I really appreciated the fact that the author effortlessly “reminded” us of all the important bits and pieces of the first book, making the sequel easier to read (and therefore more enjoyable). The prose was once again absolutely beautiful and magical, leaving me craving for more.
I loved seeing Lore learn more about her magic, trying to find her own place in Bastian’s Court, the even more grumpy Gabe, and (dare I say darker and more conflicted) Bastian himself.
The tension between the characters, their growth, and the conflicts arising were everything I wanted from the sequel (and more).
Despite the fact that the pacing of the book was a bit slower than I'd usually like, it wasn't enough to truly bother me and I think it was almost necessary for the development of the story. The Hemlock Queen definitely left me wanting more and I cannot wait to read the last book of this trilogy.

I'm so very grateful for the opportunity to read this one before it's officially out in the world.

A good sequel. Some of it was a little slow but overall I enjoyed this. It didn’t feel like a ‘filler’ book for the next one which I really appreciated. Quite long but an easy read. Looking forward to the next one.

Having eagerly awaited the sequel due to my enjoyment of the first installment, I found myself initially underwhelmed by the pacing of the first half. However, the narrative gained momentum in the latter portion, rewarding my perseverance. I particularly admired the nuanced evolution of the relationships among Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. Gabe's internal struggle between his emotions and his allegiance to the church was compellingly portrayed, while the symbiotic growth of Bastian and Lore's powers resonated with the divine interplay reminiscent of mythological narratives. The thematic depth of the book provided a rich layer for exploration upon revisiting, adding to its allure.

The first novel remains my favorite in the series so far. I did enjoy this sequel generally speaking, but some things were not thoroughly entertaining to me. The pace was a bit too slow for my liking, and the first couple of pages were a bit hard to get through. I still read it in a few hours so eventually it picked up, but it took some time to get there. Also, I wanted more of the plot. This sequel was more character-focused, with an emphasis on the relationships. When the plot was on the forefront, it felt a little like an « information dumping » situation and it baffled me. But I won’t go into it because I don’t want to spoil. To finish with that, I was also not a fan of the sex scene that came out of nowhere and that was more graphic that I thought it would be.
Fortunately, the first part of the epilogue was very intriguing and that part alone makes me want to read the sequel — that is normally the last book in the series. And the writing is still gripping.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I found the beginning of The Hemlock Queen a little bit slow to get into. I think that was in part because it was a very long time since I’d read The Foxglove King and it took me a while to fully remember all the plot and characters. However I absolutely flew through the second half and couldn’t put it down. This book has dark gothic vibes with a great sense of tension and foreboding throughout. Whilst the book is definitely building the plot for the third instalment there is still plenty happening to keep this second book interesting and with satisfying plot development. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

This was such a super sequel to the Foxglove King! I'm so glad we didn't get middle book syndrome with this book! We get more secrets, more betrayal, more angst and more Gabe and Bastian. Lore is trying to cope with her new rule in King Bastian's court and navigate her way through her tangled emotions when it comes to Gabe and Bastian when she discovers the real reason why she was supposed to die.
I love the way the characters are torn in their desire to protect the fledgling reign of the new king with the mythology and Gods who are trying to return.
I genuinely do love a good love triangle and this one is so damn well written! I also love them all, usually there's one clear winner but here I just adore them all and so hope we get a HEA after in the last one!
The pacing in the book is just perfect, it keeps you on your toes and the revelations just keep coming. This was well written, heart wrenching and a brilliant book.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an arc in return for an honest.

I enjoyed the first book so I was highly anticipating this one. However, for the first half of the book, I felt it all moved a little slowly. But the second half definitely picked up and I was glad that I kept going.
I loved the continued development of Lore, Bastian, and Gabe. This relationship dynamic was all things I look for in a book. The way Gabe was constantly in a battle between his feelings and his loyalty to the church. The way Bastian and Lore's power developed together, and how they almost mirrored the dynamic of the gods. It is a very thematic book and I loved delving into these a second time.

After loving book one. I had high expectations for this. While it didn't meet those expectations I did still enjoy the book.
The direction the story went. The character development and expanding world.
I'm left interested enough for future book in this world.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024 and it didn't disappoint. I loved the first book and I very much loved how things progressed in the sequel here.
I'd say the story gets even more dramatic, the intensity of feelings between the three MCs - Bastian, Lore and Gabe - reaches a whole new level.
The court intrigue, the death and life magic that Lore and Bastian use - it's was all very engaging and kept me on the edge.
The whole aspect of gods' reincarnation was very well done. The exploration of divinity and how it relates to morality is a recurring theme in Hannah Whitten's book and I found it to be very intricate and thought-provoking here.
On a more mundane level, seeing Lore and Bastian and Gabe trying to figure our their feelings for each other while under the immense stress of ruling the kingdom and fighting with the good inside and outside, it made for some amazing romance. I love the angst Gabe struggled with, the sexual chemistry between Lore and Bastian, his vulnerability, the constant fight to be himself.
What stood out for me is also how the trio were not completely alone any more, they got a group of friends they could rely on, the trust between them didn't come easily but it did eventually and the sense they are not alone any more meant so much for everyone of them.
Regarding the romance, I get a strong feeling that those three will end up together. It seems the most logical, natural HEA for them based on the way their relationship is presented so far and I hope we will get that in the next book.
Overall, this is a worthy sequel to book 1, it's emotionally intense, full of intrigue and plot twists, most often than not things are not what they seem at first glance. It's a moving story that I devoured in one sitting and I am already anxiously waiting for the final book in the trilogy.

CW: per author's website alcohol and tobacco use; parental abuse; explicit sexual content; adult language; religious abuse; intimate partner violence; gore/violence (rather explicit)

The Hemlock Queen is the second installment of The Nightshade Crown trilogy by Hannah F Whitten that continues the story of our favorite former poison runner turned Queen—Lore and the two halves of her heart, Bastian and Gabriel.
Things pick up shortly after the events of book one ended, and we face the consequences the three of them have to face. Dancing around their problems and their relationship, sooner or later, they have to face the problems that are festering so they can avoid the looming war with the Kyrithean Empire and simultaneously, figure out how to save themselves and their kingdom from a threat much bigger than the war.
In the previous book the main dynamic revolved around Lore and Gabriel and I love that in The Hemlock Queen we see more of the relationship between Lore and Bastian what is their connection.
Furthermore, we have an intriguing backstory of how their powers came to be with a lot of history rewarding us with all the answers that were following us since book one.
When you put things together after gathering all the pieces on this immersive journey, the Gods role in all of this and their personality is intriguing and well implemented with the other characters.
As a character development, I, personally, loved Nyxara and was always curious about her reactions when she was in the picture.
When it came to Gabriel, I was a bit sad that he didn't as much time as I would've liked because since the beginning of the story he remained somewhat of an enigma for me—questioning how does he feel about numerous things and burning for answers. But it wasn't what the story needed and, like Lore, I'm greedy for both of them 😂🙈 so I'll shove my Gabriel addiction for book 3 that I can't wait to read!

(Social media posts and links to them will be added here near release date!)

I devoured the first book so it’s no surprise that I was eager to get stuck in to book two!

This book has a slow start, even though it picks up right after the dramatic events at the end of The Foxglove King. I spent the first half of the book waiting for something, I’m not sure what though. But the second half of the book really pulled it back for me.

I loved the way this book leant more into the fantasy elements of the story, building up the magic system and revealing more about Lore and Bastian’s powers. I also loved the development of their relationship too, in parallel and in spite of the relationship between Apollius and Nyxara.

I also really enjoyed the development of the tense and strange love triangle, which I really didn’t think I would, but the love all the characters feels really drives their actions and makes them selfish but also human.

One of the most interesting parts of this whole book was in the last third where we get to learn how the gods because who they were and how Apollius was able to build up a religion around himself using his power but also his charisma. The way he manipulated the truth and the people around him is what built his legacy, but also allows him to keep control even as Bastian.

This book was driven largely by the relationships and development of characters within the story, which really allowed the reader to get to know them more and invest in them. But this did mean that the packing was off at times, with too much exposition and not enough development based on the knowledge that characters have.

This book ended in a way that I didn’t expect and has left me eager to read the next book. I really enjoyed the final third of this book where events started to pick up and the stakes were getting higher. I am looking forward to discovering the repercussions of the ending and seeing how these characters work through the fight ahead. That being said, my reservations still stand and that’s why I’m rating this book 3.5 stars.

Special thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of "The Hemlock Queen' in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars rounded down for "The Hemlock Queen". I had a fun time with this sequel to "The Foxglove King". I especially love how we got a lot of information about Lore's powers and the relationship between Apollius and Nyxara. I think the magical lore is quite strong and fascinating, and I enjoy the way Apollius and Nyxara's toxic relationship plays into their power use. I think my favourite aspect of the lore in the book is the way we get to see how Apollius "built" his own religion using charm and manipulation - very reminiscent of cult leaders throughout history. He's a great villain, I won't lie.

I also enjoyed Lore and Bastian's relationship in this book, from his *cough* situation to her internal conflict about her place in the world. I also must say: Chapter 35 was everything I wanted and more. I was giggling hard during all of Bastian's scenes... even when [redacted] was happening to him. Which is concerning, but... he's just so pretty!

I gave this book 3.5 stars because it was way too slow in its middle portion. Too much exposition and too much repetition on the internal monologue plane. I would have liked to get more plot and dialogue than Lore... thinking the same things over and over. But overall, not a bad read, and something I'd definitely recommend to persons who like romantasy.