Lakesedge was one of my most anticipated reads of 2021 but it is no where near what I expected. Im rather disappointed to tell you the truth.

If you’re into dark YA fantasies, atmospheric books, lyrical writing, and dark themes, you might be into this book. It often gave me Jane Eyre vibes with a sprinkle of A Sorcery of Thorns thrown in. I’ve seen it described as a gothic book, and while I wouldn’t describe it as gothic, per say, it does have a creepy, haunted estate ruled by a morally grey man.

Violeta lives with her abusive, overly-religious adopted mother along with her little brother, Arien. Arien has magic; he can make shadows. But his shadows are unpredictable, and they come out when he sleeps. When Rowan Sylvanan comes to their village to collect the tithe, he sees Arien’s shadows. He comes to collect Arien, but Violeta refuses to let him, her last surviving family member, leave without him. When they arrive at Lakesedge, Rowan’s estate, not only does she have to deal with the prickly Rowan and a cursed lake, but the Lord Under...the lord of the underworld himself.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Clipstone’s writing style completely sucked me in. Her details are dark and creepy, and her writing has a dreamy, atmospheric quality to it. Clipstone describes magic in a clear and beautiful way, and I thought the religion in Lakesedge was written well. Even though the story itself was slower paced, I found myself speeding through it because I wanted to know what the heck was going on.

Rowan was my favorite character. I liked Arien, too, although I hope his character has some more page time in the sequel.

The biggest thing keeping this from being a five-star review is Violeta’s character. In the beginning of the book, she was naive and annoying, to be honest. While she got a little better as the book went on, she still wasn’t my favorite character. Because of this, the romance didn't feel as grounded as I would've liked. On top of that, while I’m happy to say that there is LGBTQ rep, it felt like it was a little thrown in at the last minute; but once again, I have high hopes for the sequel, where I hope everything will become more fleshed out! I’m here for the spooky vibes, magic, and romance.

TW: Self harm/mutilation, abuse/parental abuse, death, blood, drowning imagery

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the e-arc to me. I requested this book because I was interested in the synopsis and it sounded like a perfect read for autumn. Unfortunately, I could not connect with the writing style or the pacing of events. The beginning scenes with the Mother felt disjointed and like these should have been flashbacks instead of the opening of the book. While I found the atmosphere to be spot on, a blend of haunting and mysterious, my inability to stay in the story resulted in me not finishing it. I am sure this will work for other readers, but sadly it did not work for me.

Thank you so much to Macmillan for allowing me to read this book early.

This book was absolutely perfect to read at the tail end of summer with it's tale of Leta and her world being turned upside down. This story was full of gothic feels with it's creepy house, mystery and of course a taboo romance. The world is full of darkness and pain but also hope and courage. I found it a fairly quick read and look forward to the next installment.

We meet Leta and her little brother who has a dark ability that manifests itself in dreams. Upon learning of this Rowan the lord of the area sweeps in and whisks the two to his estate by the lake. We meet his two servants 1 an alchemist and the other a woman who has raised him ever since the untimely demise of Rowan's entire family, which everyone claims was at his hand.

Leta is someone I did struggle with in the beginning as I found her reactions a bit too much, it felt like she was shrieking at everyone. At the same time I did understand her motivations as her main goal is to protect her family. I loved that a main theme of this book is family including our little found family. Her struggles to understand what is going on in both the present and past were interesting to read, also sometimes a bit confusing, and I found myself turning the pages to discover along with her. I found her romance with Rowan was more of two people understanding each slowly rather than a slow burn enemies to lovers angle. I felt myself feeling a lot in the end in regards for these two as a die hard romantic.

Finally I don't think I've ever read a book that so richly describes and gives a nefarious feeling to a lake. Menace radiates from the dark waters and rightly so considering it's ties to the death god, Lord Under. The scenes near the lake were the most harrowing and he is a character that is downright evil in the most deliciously gothic way. We have only scratched the surface with his character. The ending was a perfect way to entice us all to pick up the next book.

2.5 rounded up to 3.

Lakesedge is a novel I had high expectations for and while I didn’t end up loving, this is definitely a title that will appeal to readers who enjoy their dark horror-tinged fantasy accompanied by angsty romance. There were several elements in this story I love, including gruesome, as well as, beautiful imagery, creepy death gods, and sinister magic. What connected with me less were the characters, the romance plot, and the pacing.

I’m not a fan of characters becoming romantically involved just for the sake of the plot, which is how Leta’s and Rowan’s relationship felt like. Their chemistry wasn’t entirely believable and while I enjoyed Leta’s character initially, her obsession and angst concerning her feelings about Rowan increasingly annoyed me. I do like romantic subplots, but not at the expense of sacrificing the rest of the plot. Too much of the book focused on their will they, won’t they dance when I just wanted more horror vibes and the Lord Under. I believe this is a duology, or perhaps a series, but I do wish we could have seen much more of the death lord. By the end, I loved his character and his sarcastic, somewhat dark humor that made me chuckle.

As mentioned previously, the pacing didn’t work me and much of Lakesedge felt repetitive. Not only did much of the middle section focus on the romance plot, but several dream sequences that read nearly identical to each other. This novel could have easily been 300 pages or less, as so much of it just felt like filler. The combination of this and the characters I grew to dislike made me care less and less what happened and I eagerly wanted the book to end.

Despite these complaints, as well as a somewhat unoriginal (and at times confusing) magic system, I would still recommend this to readers who’ve enjoyed gothic romances or dark YA fantasy in the past. There are plenty of creepy vibes and gorgeous passages to be found, making this an ideal seasonal read. I’m also always pleasantly surprised by a-spec rep in books, and the heroine is implied to be demisexual (Rowan and other characters are also explicit queer, as well ❤️).

Thanks so much to Henry Holt & Co. and Netgalley for providing me with digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Lakesedge is an achingly poetic love letter to the monster under your bed. Clipstone’s command of language and use of imagery make for a haunting debut.

Leta is doing her best to hide her brother’s shadow magic from the people in her small village as it would certainly mark him as connected to the Lord Under. Offered a place at his estate and help with her brother’s shadows by the renowned and feared Rowan Sylvanan, Leta and her brother find themselves living in the ruins of a formally glorious mansion (very Crimson Peak). Rowan claims he can help Leta’s brother with his shadows, but he wants something in return. There’s a curse on him and his estate and time is running out before it can be healed.

Overall I felt the pacing and the tension were not strong enough to keep me on the edge of my seat. Clipstone also plays with a lot of foreshadowing that left off in too many loose strings. This novel made me ask a lot of questions, but did not answer them. I realize this story sets up for a sequel, but I feel that there were too many things hints given that I did not understand. The magic system in particular was incredibly vague. While I usually don’t mind, because it was central to the plot and Leta’s experience, it did not serve the story to its full potential.

I would recommend this book for fans of haunting and beautiful stories with stubbornly brave girls. This book reminded me strongly of Crimson Peak, if Edith had more agency and power to influence the outcome of the events that unfolded around her.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5) The cover sucked me in on this one! I’ve heard it referred to as “atmospheric “ and I have to agree. It’s a very unique, dark world that sucks you in. There are monsters, death gods and secret gardens; all the best elements for this gothic horror.

The story starts out strong with emotions flowing for young children orphaned and alone. A woman takes them in but soon learns she cannot care for them. They stay with her out of necessity. One day, chance offers a different plan, and while not ideal, it’s definitely better. They are taken to Rowan’s estate, a young man who killed his entire family in the lake.

While I was entertained, ultimately, I needed more info. The magic system wasn’t refined, it had holes and I have questions. I don’t fully understand the magic, where it came from, why it was suddenly life-threatening, and how it really worked. It was somewhat of an ominous entity, always present but never clear.

The story definitely has promise for the next book!

Content Summary: The language is very low! There is child abuse briefly at the beginning, and blood intermittently throughout but not a lot of detail. A young couple have sex once with few details. The atmosphere is slightly creepy with very dark vibes but the deaths (drownings) and magic may be too much for sensitive readers.

Thank you to Fierce Reads for the gifted copy in exchange for a review. The book releases September 28, 2021.

This is a book I was really excited to read as soon as I saw that it was stated to be a gothic fantasy, and I am happy to say it didn't disappoint! I struggled a little in the beginning, but I truly think that it's because I've been in a bit of a fantasy slump, and not because of the book.

I think one of the strongest elements of the book was the world created - initially, I was a little confused, but that's because we were kind of dropped right into it, but as the story progressed and we saw more, I really, really loved it. The aesthetic was just so great.

I did also enjoy the plot overall, but it was repetitive at times, which wasn't ideal, but it wasn't the worst because of the other elements of the book. Because I did also like the characters for the most part. Leta made some decisions I didn't agree with (it was more that she made the decisions without telling anyone), but for the most part, I really did like her character, and how she was willing to do anything to save those she loved. I also loved her relationship with Arien. I feel like it's rare to get such good sibling relationships in YA. And I really liked Rowan as well. I liked seeing how their relationship developed, as they got to know each other.

So overall, I really did enjoy reading this, and I am so excited for the next book, especially with how it ended.

Y'all, this book! It's so good and it's the perfect fall read. I loved the dark vibes in this book, and if I could live in a spooky gothic house, I 100% would. Lyndall's writing had me hooked from the start, and if I didn't have to work, I would've devoured this book in one sitting. I'm a sucker for a retelling, and getting the Persephone and Hades vibes in this book was so good, but with a twist. Rowan and Violetta were fantastic together and all the side characters had so much depth as well. This book does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I can't wait for the next book to come out. Thank you to NetGalley for granting my wish and letting me read it early!

I was asked by the author if I would like to read an eARC of the book from Netgalley and I said yes, so thank you Lyndall Clipstone!

My Rating: 3.25 / 5 🌟

Lakesedge was one my most anticipated debut novels of the year. I have been following the author since before the book was announced and I was ecstatic to hear that she was finally releasing her debut novel!

Even so, I definitely did not have the highest expectations going into this book and went into it with a very open mind. And now, after reading it, all I can say is that I have A LOT OF MIXED FEELINGS about this book.

For starters, I'm gonna talk about the somewhat misleading synopsis (the US version) of the book. While the story did contain the elements that were stated in the synopsis, it wasn't really the biggest part of the story? I feel like there was a another aspect that played a bigger part in the story book that deserves a shout-out in the book description. The UK version DEFINITELY had the better synopsis, so just a heads up in case y'all are interested in reading the book.

And because of the misleading synopsis, I got led astray by what to expect from the book. What I got from the book was SO DIFFERENT than what I expected and YES, I'M BLAMING IT ON THE SYNOPSIS. 😤

Moving along, the book honestly started out very promising. I like the set up and I grew fond of the characters very quickly, thus making it such a easy read in the first place. Plus, I really like the writing style, so the book became a breeze for me to read.

However, as the story progresses, it got quite repetitive and at times, I got quite bored with the story especially with the misleading synopsis, I got very confused it what the actual plot was. But I still continue to read the book because I actually like the characters and I wanted to know what was going to happen to them. Considering how I would still finish a book even when I REALLY CAN'T STAND THE CHARACTERS, this book deserves a chance.

Violeta or Leta is a very stubborn heroine. And honestly, that was part of her charm. I like how protective she was of her brother and only wanting to keep them safe. And maybe some people might find it annoying, but for me I adore the love she has for her brother and what she was willing to do to protect him. In addition to that, I LOVE the sibling dynamics, while it wasn't anything GRAND, it was nice and so full of warmth.

AND FINE, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ROMANCE, which is hands down the part which I'm MOST EXCITED about. I think the romance was okay, the angst want kind of there but the steamy scenes are quite steamy, so I'll give it that.

Just like that I said I've been following this author prior since she announced the release of this book, so I do know that this book was supposed to be a standalone but now it's going to be released as a duology instead. And that's another fact I have mixed feelings about. To be honest, I think the book would've work fine if it were a slightly longer standalone but at the same time, making it a duology also allows the author to discover more of the world and if done right, I think it will be an excellent sequel and a conclusion to the story. However, since the story got expanded into a two-book series, this book ended on a VERY WEIRD note and was quite open ended that I'm kind of confused on what the sequel would be about.

With that being said, All in all, I had a pleasant time reading this book. In terms of reading the sequel, as of now it's a maybe since we don't have the synopsis for the sequel yet. And if the synopsis sounds intriguing enough, that I might just give it a shot.

An atmospheric, gothic, and dark debut filled with monsters and magic.
Leta lives her life to protect her younger brother who harbors mysterious powers that their adopted mother is constantly trying to rid him of. Looking for an escape, Leta finds it where she least expects it- from the dangerous and mysterious Rowan Sylvanan- who is known for drowning his entire family as a boy. Torn between protecting her brother and staying with their vicious mother, Leta makes a decision to escape with Rowan to the haunted Lakesedge estate. The manor in the estate is filled with secrets and mysterious and dark corners but Leta plans to find the truth. However, not everything is what it seems and with a sinister higher power lurking in the shadows, the truth could doom them all.
This was a very fast paced and lush story. The writing style was very atmospheric and lyrical, I really enjoyed the way Clipstone wove darkness into her story yet still managed to make it beautiful.
The romance was super sweet and romantic.
I will say, I did find it lacking a bit at times, but overall a very addicting and dark read.

Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone
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Thanks Netgalley for this digital copy to read. Publication date 9/28/21
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A lush gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake. Violeta and her brother, Arien, are swept away to Lakesedge estate. Violeta is desperate to get away the first chance they can get as the rumors say the current young lord drowned his entire family.
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I think I was not the targeted reading griup for this book. 😅 I think there are probably a lot of people out there who will love this book.
Some thoughts I had:
-This book is pretty dark. Not horror dark, but very gothic. There’s a lot of creepy stuff happening throughout the story.
-I wasn’t super satisfied with the ending. It was rather abrupt. Goodreads says this i Book one so that is probably why, but I just needed like an epilogue or something.
-I feel like people who read Shadow and Bone and were rooting for the Darkling, might like this book. 😅😅😅
-I finished the book and my first thought to myself was “I’m confused. 🤔
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3⭐️⭐️⭐️ I enjoyed it as much as I could and I did get rather emotional for Leta’s storyine throughout the book. Like I said, I just know there are lots of people who will love this book, I wish I enjoyed it more.

Clipstone’s Faustian gothic debut introduces readers to consuming visions, spirits, and magic. It’s also a kind of cautionary tale, warning readers of the potential dangers associated with making hasty promises, without due consideration of the consequences.

The setting is one that readers will find intriguing, along with the various forms of magic found within this fantasy world. On the other hand, readers may struggle with the characterization of the protagonists, who seem like leads within a pantomime. Violetta has a temper that runs hot/cold. She loves and hates fiercely, yet her feelings shift and change at the drop of a hat. Rowan, a potential romantic interest, is arguably flat in comparison, especially when paired with Lord Under. Lord Under’s devilish manipulations may make him the most interesting character of this motley crew, yet the promise of his development is only hinted by the novel’s closing pages.

The book ends somewhat abruptly, leaving readers to wonder when the next installment will be published.

I did enjpy reading this book however, it fell a little flat to me. I expected it to be eerie and haunting but just teetered on the edge. While the romance and friendships were the best part of the novel I wish it had more substance.

This is a solid gothic-style fairy tale YA that follows Violeta, or Leta for short, as she fiercely protects her younger brother from the village townsfolk as he begins to exhibit some alchemical magical abilities. The plot moves along quickly, and the cast of main characters felt like they were well balanced. The tension and romance between Leta and the mysterious heir of the Lakesedge estate felt natural to me, and I liked how the characters interacted with the magical world and the bargains that must be made with powerful entities to save those they love. The aesthetic was fun, and I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a fairy-tale YA adventure with a darker twist. A full review will be published on armedwithabook.com on September 23rd. Thank you so much Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), and Netgalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Copy given to me by publisher through NetGalley, this does not impact my review*

I was instantly drawn in by this cover and synopsis. It seemed like the perfect book for autumnal spooky vibes. A dark, gothic fantasy romance. I would also venture to say this could be considered a dark beauty and the beast retelling beyond that.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. The characters were fun most of the time, the setting was described beautifully, and the plot lines were there. I really enjoyed the characters of Clover, Arien, and Rowan. Also would love to learn more about this Lord of the Under. I did not anticipate this book to be part of a series, so I'm excited we will get more of this world!

I would say my biggest gripes about the book are at times the self-scarification felt taken to the extreme and was a bit annoying. Particularly in the beginning when Violeta would hardly let Arien do anything at all. It felt very smothering and helicopter parentish. I also felt a few of the relationships could have been more developed. I'm a sucker for slow burn and while the romance between Rowan and Violeta wasn't insta-love, I'm not sure I *entirely* believed it.

All that being said, I am looking forward to the next book and hoping to learn more about this world and these characters!

Lakesedge is beautiful gothic tale. I love the relationship between Leta and her brother. The familial love that’s there is deep and powerful. Rowan is such a sweet soul that you just can’t help but loving. There are some slow parts but in general the pace is steady and flows well. The magic system and mythology in it enjoyable, and I liked the Lord Under. I will definitely look out for the sequel and mark it on my calendar.

Wow! This story snuck into my dreams after I finished it. I loved the writing! Great descriptions, and the characters were awesome. V was the main protagonist, and her development was hero-worthy. I was fascinated with Lord Under, and his role in the curse. He reminded me a lot of Marzokof from The Bear and the Nightingale. Where he just is. Neither good, nor bad. I didnt understand the relationship with "a gothic secret garden" as the garden wasn't a focal point.
I really enjoyed it! Great story!

Pros
Death and Decay: Shadows and shadowy dreams: this world is full of creeping darkness. The Lord Under himself is seeping onto the page. This book is rife with chilly fog and creeping "corruption" that sets the world on edge. Blighted trees, inky black lakes, and living monsters: all that Gothic trappings you could want make the page.

Slithering Secrets: Along with the shadows come the secrets. This book is full of half-truths not quite spoken. These unspoken bits leave the world feeling uncanny, off-kilter--on-edge. And when the secrets get revealed, they leave the world reeling, because even our first-person narrator herself keeps things hidden from the audience--and herself.

Ageless Love Story: Anyone who likes a beastly love story is bound to appreciate this one. This love story has a beauty-and-the-beast feeling to it. It has a Hades-and-Persephone vibe. Those who like the Gothic flair of those possibly-deadly love stories will appreciate these characters falling into familiar (if still tantalizing) roles.


Cons
Character Disconnect: Things get too deep too quickly. That is, I didn't feel I knew the characters well enough to understand the depths of Violeta's horror, terror, and fear. Her emotions were so extreme--and so pendulous--that I needed more of a footing in her character before being thrown right into her narration. Because I didn't know her enough to justify her moods, I felt really disconnected from the drive of her narrative. I didn't connect. I wasn't rooting for her. I was barely understanding where she was coming from. This book lays no groundwork, and without the groundwork, there's no emotional payoff--and no emotional connection at all.

First Person Present: A lot of people complain of this narrative type. It usually doesn't bother me. It is so common, after all, that I might have to give up reading YA altogether if it did bother me. Here, however, this narrative decision contributed to my disconnect. The voice was at once annoying and very bland. Violeta does not make a good narrator--most especially because she doesn't have a personally compelling narrative arc. Her voice really called attention to the choice of tense and person. In a good narration, a reader won't notice--or even will appreciate the choice made. Here, however, it called all sorts of bad attention to itself.

Agentless Protagonist: The most frustrating thing about Violeta as a narrator is her utter lack of agency. She makes no real choices. She in no way affects anything until the very end (and even then, it is somewhat questionable). Most problematic of all, she asks absolutely no questions and just sinks into an endless refrain of "don't" while trying to stop others around her from acting like agents in the situation. Maybe she was jealous they were figuring things out when she couldn't even ask what was happening. Who knows? It was frustrating, whatever the case, to follow a character constantly trying to run away, to stop anything from happening, who ultimately never succeeded because she couldn't commit to anything. She doesn't try to understand things or learn things. She doesn't grow for the better. Therefore, she can never actually be an agent. She doesn't know what she's up against, and she doesn't care to know. She just kind of stands there--and threatens to run away every once in a while, to spice things up.

Rating
⭐⭐⭐
3/10

Those who enjoyed Rosamund Hodge's Cruel Beauty will appreciate this dark love story. Anyone who liked Martine Leavitt's Keturah and Lord Death will enjoy the flirting-with-death that happens in these pages as well.

3.5 stars.
An orphan named Violeta unexpectedly finds her fate entangled with that of the Lord of Lakesedge estate, a cold, young lord who, years ago, drowned his entire family one by one. But Leta soon finds that there are darker monsters hiding at Lakesedge than Rowan. The Lord Under-- the god of death, whom she has encountered before-- also lurks near Lakesedge, and doesn't seem to be quite finished with Leta.

I have very mixed feelings about this one! Lakesedge was one of my most anticipated releases for this year, but to be honest, the first few chapters weren't really doing it for me.
I'm glad I finished it, because there were some really well-done aspects of this story. But overall, it didn't wow me. The atmosphere was the best thing about Lakesedge, however, all the anachronistic language (WHY do so many YA fantasy authors still use "okay"?!?!?! This will never not bother me.) just pulled me right out of the story, every time. At the beginning, some of the phrasing and dialogue didn't really land for me, but both seemed to level out once the plot really got rolling.
Rowan's secret, once teased out of him, is actually really compelling. I almost wish we got to play with that a bit more instead of the plotline we were given.

[SPOILER: Rowan's trade of "anything" for his life from the Lord Under could have been hung over the readers heads like a freakin time bomb. Like, anything could be claimed at any time. What an intriguing idea.]

But his grief is well-written, and his and Leta's comfort that they find in each other is really sweet.
Overall, a pretty good debut, and I'm interested to see where book two is going!