Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
I absolutely enjoyed this pleasing book full of monsters, curses, well-developed characters and unique magic system! The sibling bond was unmatched and the friendships were beautifully written. I'm not a fan of gothic fantasy but this book told me otherwise. It was equal parts dark, a bit funny and lovely! I'm so glad I got to read it cause I loved it! I loved every aspect of this book and cannot wait for the next one!

Eerie and compulsively readable. Lakesedge features an insidious manor house, a dark and imposing magic, and a young, heartfelt girl determined to do whatever it takes to protect her brother. Though ostensibly a gothic romance, the shining part of the story was how Leta, the main character, loved her brother fiercely. This love is the catalyst for much of her decision-making in the novel, but it never makes her feel reactive - instead, it demonstrates how a character can be motivated by a source outside herself and still behave in an active, decisive manner.

Highly recommend if you enjoy close 1st person POV, dark forests, and deals with the proverbial devil.

Breathtakingly beautiful prose.
A lush atmosphere.
Dark and wild characters.
A dramatically sinister storyline.
Loved!

I absolutely loved the aesthetic of this book. It was the perfect combination of gothic and fantasy. Just look at that beautiful cover! The story definitely fulfilled all those wonderful vibes. I felt drawn to every single character, especially Leta and Rowan but also the side characters. Together they comprise a great squad that are very fun and entertaining to be around. The plot felt vague at some points, and some it fell into the “magic without explanation” category. I found myself not minding too much if I felt a little lost, because the worldbuilding was so lush and immersive that I was sucked in. If I had to describe Lakesedge in one sentence, it would be, “The Secret Garden, but make it spooky.” So if that sounds like your jam, definitely read this when it comes out!

I enjoyed the characters and the setting of this book. I love a good gothic atmosphere, and would have loved a little more throughout this one in terms of describing Lakesedge. The plot was interesting and I ended with a vested interest in what happened to our main characters. It did feel a little like our main heroine was special to the Lord Under without any real reasoning, and we were just supposed to feel that she wasn't like anyone else, she was better. But why??

The writing in this book is stunning! I don’t know how she did it, but Lyndall kept a beautiful aesthetic throughout every.single.word. Dialoge included! I’ve never read writing so beautiful like that before!

For the characters, I absolutely came to love them all! I especially love Leta’s strength as a character. And the romance in this book is so dark and beautiful.

The entire book holds this dark, gothic and woodsy atmosphere that I absolutely crave in books!

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Now for this part, if you don’t want to be swayed by something purely objective then please don’t read!

This book was a little below my reading level so a lot of it felt too fast paced for me so I struggled to connect with some of the more intense scenes. However, I truly believe that was a ‘me’ thing and not everyone will struggle with it!

Overall-

I am so excited for Forestfall and I highly recommend reading this book!

<3

I kind of wish I would have waited until Halloween to read this, but also I don't regret it.

Violetta Graceling and her younger brother were found in the woods by a woman who then took them in to raise them. She was not a kind woman, and punished Violettas younger brother for his shadows, his magical ability. The older Arien grows, the more uncontrollable his darkness becomes. The day of the tithe, the siblings go to give offerings to their Lord Sylvanan, when Arien starts losing control of his shadows and runs into a nearby forest. Violetta chased after him leaving their offerings behind, to help her brother. when they got home that evening, Lord Sylvanan is there with their "mother" and he wants to take Arien away to his manor. Letta refuses to let her brother go by himself, after all, Lord Sylvanans cruelty is widely known. he reluctantly agrees to take them both back to his manor. When they arrive at his estate, she starts to uncover the real reason Rowan (Lord Sylvanan) wanted her brother in the first place, and also starts to unravel the lies and secrets behind his widely known cruelty.....

Full of horrific creatures, alchemy, and mystery, this was the absolute perfect ya gothic book. the cliffhanger at the end has me BEGGING for the next book already but, I will wait as patiently as I can. I enjoyed the atmosphere, the magical elements, and even the descriptions of the more horror filled parts. it was IMMERSIVE and I couldnt get enough.

add some spooky background music and maybe have the fireplace on while you read it, thank me later.

thank you to netgalley and Macmillan for this e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Lakesedge was one of my most anticipated books of 2021, and it was pretty good! I had extremely high expectations (sorry, but did you read that synopsis??), which inevitably lead to a little bit of disappointment. Despite that, it was a darkly atmospheric read and perfect for spooky season!

I'm torn on the characters. Leta, our MC, had a surprisingly fun and refreshing sense of humor, but both she and the love interest, Rowan, had a bad case of one of the worst tropes--self-sacrifice. The world is being corrupted? I'll die to save it! My brother is dying? Take me instead! Your shoelace is untied? Here, let me fall on this knife to fix it!

I loved what we saw of the worldbuilding, but I wish we knew more! There's something about religion and holidays--what about the rest of the world? There must be some kind of government because Rowan's a lord, so tell us more! What we know of the world is so interesting, I just wish there was a little bit more.

The very best part of this book was how gothic it was. I LOVE this 2021 trend of gothic YA fantasy books, and it was by far the strongest aspect of Lakesedge! It was incredibly atmospheric and made up for most of the other flaws of the novel.

I was not expecting a cliffhanger. I can normally deal with an end-of-book cliffhanger, but I wasn't prepared! For some reason, I thought that Lakesedge was a standalone, but as we neared the end with too much story and not enough pages I started to sweat. After that cliffhanger, you better believe I'm coming back for book two!

All in all, Lakesedge had great elements and not-so-great elements, but the strong gothic atmosphere made up for everything else!

I wish I can give Lakesedge more than 5 stars because I absolutely loved it. I read the entire novel in two sittings because I couldn’t put it down. It gave me everything that I love. Magic, an eerie story line, and romance. Lakesedge follows Violeta and her little brother Arien who is staring to show symptoms of dark magic. This captures the attention of the mysterious Lord Rowan who seems interested in Arien’s power to cleanse magical corruption that has been taking place in Rowans home specifically his lake. I can’t wait to have a physical copy because the cover is stunning. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and amazing book!!

This was such an unexpected surprise of a story! I found once I started it I couldn't put it down. Lush and Gothic are the absolute best descriptors of this story that I've heard so far. From the description of the manor, and the manor grounds to the house and all the magic, I was completely engrossed in this story and devoured it in just a few days.

Thank you so much for an early copy

I was so excited when I won a Fierce Reads giveaway for an ARC, and it did not disappoint.

Lakesedge is gothic, and dark, and atmospheric. It’s got curses, a monster boyfriend, deals you absolutely shouldn’t make, magic, and a creepy estate and even creepier lake. And the relationships in the book are actually all pretty sweet; everyone in the books just wants to protect everyone else. I really loved the relationship between Rowan and Leta; it was both slow-burn and tender.

This was a pretty fast read, and I’m super eager to read the next one since it ends on a cliffhanger!

Lakesedge is the first novel in the World at Lake’s Edge series. I did not know what to expect before reading, aside from it being labeled as a gothic fantasy, but the novel was much more than that. It did deliver on the gothic fantasy vibes, but it brought in a found family vibe that I was not expecting. The cover drew me to read this novel, but the writing and the characters made me stay and I ended up devouring it in less than a day. The writing itself is lyrical and filled with prose that adds to the magical feeling. There are multiple trigger warnings for this novel, including self-harm magic, to be aware of before reading.

The story focuses on 17-years-old Violeta (Leta) Graceling, who was found when she was younger by her adoptive mother in the Vair Woods. After losing their parents, Leta and her 13-years-old brother, Arien, were wandering around lost in the woods. The events leading to that moment are mysterious and explored throughout the novel. The novel begins in the present day where Leta is comforting Arien as his shadow magic is taking over, which gives the reader its first glimpse at the dark magic. When her family visits the neighboring village of Greymere for Tithe Day (tributes are given to the lords), Arien’s magic is discovered by the Monster of Lakesedge. The Monster is also known as 19-years-old Lord Rowan Sylvanan, whose family owns all the land in the valley. He became Lord after his mother, father, and brother were killed and the murderer is believed to be Rowan. He takes Arien and Leta to Lakesedge Estate for a special mission, where more secrets and dangers are revealed.

At the estate, the reader is introduced to Clover Aensland, the alchemist of Lakesedge, and Florence, the caretaker of Lakesedge. Together the five characters seek to destroy the Corruption that plagues the Lake. Although Arien is open to assist, Leta cannot help but distrust those around her and she will stop at nothing to ensure that Arien remains safe. The more time that Leta spends with Rowan, the more she discovers about the human beneath the monster façade. The two of them develop a nice friendship and some slow-burn romantic feelings for the other. The romance and relationships still have a lot of potentials to go any direction as none of them, aside from Leta’s love for Arien, it set in stone by the end. There is room for the story’s characters to move in any direction in the sequel. Although both Leta and Rowan begin to care for the other, they keep their focus on the main mission of the Corruption and want to keep everyone safe.

Although the gods are mentioned in the beginning of the novel, they are further explored as the story moved forward. There is the Lady, who made the world, and the Lord Under, who is the Lord of the Dead. Together they provide balance in the world. The Lord Under is a very intriguing character, as he originally seems evil, but, for me, moved to a more morally grey area. His connection to the main characters of the story was well done as it weaved together well and will be interesting to see how it further comes together in the sequel. There are many elements for the reader to track in the story, but everything comes together by the end with a sense of direction leading into the sequel. The pacing at the beginning of the novel was interesting as it felt both fast yet slow before returning to a steady pace in the middle as the characters developed. The ending is fast-paced as the tension builds to a climax that leads the reader into anticipation for the sequel.

The novel itself is interesting, as at times it reads similar to a standalone, although there is a direct sequel, Forestfall, being published in 2022. Although it was not the focus of the novel, as it is a m/f romance at the center, I greatly enjoyed the representation in the characters. The main character, Leta, is written as demisexual and Rowan, is hinted at possibly being bisexual based on some pieces he reveals about himself. There is a f/f romance referenced and Arien is mentioned on-page to be queer. It will be very interesting to see how all of the storylines will further develop in the sequel. Overall, this novel may or may not be for every type of reader; however, it worked well for me and I absolutely will be waiting in anticipation for the sequel!

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), for the opportunity to read this enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed are completely my own.**

I am very thankful to be able to review this before release.

The themes:

Beauty and the Beast meets Mexican Gothic

I really liked the premise of an older sister trying to stop their brother from becoming a monster and conceding to a monster to help fix her brother. But after that I noticed a lot of weird writing that was off putting.

Leta loves her brother so much but she barely checks in on him after she starts sleeping over 12 hours a day (no one has a problem with this?) she's always dirty (mud crusted clothes and body with described knotted crazy hair) and she stops caring about her brother once the very brief enemies to lovers turn into instant love. The whole mythology of the world is not explained at all, so it wasn't interesting. The lord under isn't explained that he's like Hades until the very end of the book. No clue what the light lady does or has done. I think it should be explained early in the novel to explain all of the religious inputs throughout the novel.
I wish Clover and Florence were fleshed out. All we know is Florence used to work for Rowans family, that's it, zilch. Some one on one conversations would have really made me care about them. If they died, they wouldn't have made a difference in plot or my feelings.
Leta started to rally for her brother but halfway and to the end she chose a guy she barely knew (plot wise doesn't matter but to me it does)
I will be posting a less detailed review on my GR but i am very grateful i was selected to read this!

my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4174414915

When Violeta's brother Arien begins waking up with shadows leaking from his fingertips, Leta knows that she must keep his magic a secret at all costs. But after a mysterious lord witnesses Arien’s power, they find themselves spirited away to a place called Lakesedge. In a manor house, Arien and Leta wrestle with their relationship with magic. Leta finds herself drawn to the mysterious Rowan and the Lord Under, a menacing death god. Grappling with the question of what makes someone a monster, Leta must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to save her brother and her world.

Lakesedge is a very atmospheric and haunting read- you’ll find yourself on the shores of a murky lake with a sense of ominous dread deep in your bones as you look out to the darkening horizon. A love letter to the fall season and gothic horror, this is a fast-paced and high-stakes read. I can already tell that readers will swoon for Rowan, who is the boy/monster of Lakesedge! Leta and Rowan have a bit of a Hades/Persephone vibe to them, which I loved. I also loved the sibling relationship between Leta and her younger brother Arien. They truly cared about each other, going to great lengths to protect each other, and ultimately adventured into the world of dark magic together.

My one issue with the book is the pacing. Everything happens very quickly and the conclusion seemed rushed. Leta and Rowan have an immediate connection, which felt a little insta-love. However, I'm incredibly excited for the sequel and would highly recommend Lakesedge! Lakesedge releases on September 28, 2021. Thank you so much to Lyndall Clipstone, Henry Holt and Co, Macmillan Children’s Publishing, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For the publisher: My review will be posted on the publication date and I will publish it on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Get ready for a throw-the-book-across-the-room cliffhanger! Ugh!

Lakesedge is a beautifully gothic tale indeed! It's moody, macabre, murderous, and mysterious...exactly what I hoped for from this book! The world building is gradual and no small detail is spared. The characters and relationships therein are well-built and it felt easy to watch their stories unfold.

Unfortunately for me, I found myself getting lost and a bit confused by the writing at times almost like I couldn't ground myself easily in the story. I can't exactly put my finger on why...maybe it just doesn't flow as well as it could?

Overall, though, a great read and I'm desperate for the next installment!


Thank you Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the e-ARC via NetGalley to read and review honestly.

DNF at 52%, which is ordinarily against my religion but I was just NOT progressing with this book.

Oh, how I wanted to love this. Pitched as a monstrous, dreamy, spooky book in the gothic tradition, "Lakesedge" promised me a monster boyfriend and a dark, lush setting. What I actually got was a Beauty and the Beast retelling in which the Beast was barely even disagreeable, and the Beauty kept making self-involved decisions. Most of the entire plot takes place in a crumbling, beautiful manor, which would be FINE if the characters were interesting or the plot built upon itself, but instead, things just kept meandering along, with ritual that fails, practice, another ritual that fails, practice. There's no mystery, no compelling knowledge to uncover. We know from about 25% in that Rowan, our monster boyfriend, is just a misunderstood soul who needs love to redeem him. And so we're treated to a very safe little romance in which he constantly pushes away his love interest after a moment of vulnerability that keeps anything from progressing.

I don't know, I like a little edge in my BaTB retellings. This was just gorgeous set dressing. The writing was lush, the descriptions appropriately over-the-top. I felt like I was in the loveliest mood board ever (reminded me a bit of The Night Circus in terms of style). But the story itself, the characters - it didn't work for me. I feel like those who are more into romance would enjoy it. As it is, I won't rate this with stars on GoodReads since I only got a little over halfway through, and my policy is not to rate it star-wise if I don't finish it. Hopefully this book will find an audience that adores it. Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Fierce Reads for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I REALLY wanted to like this book. The summary, cover, atmosphere? All up my road of interests. But this falls short.

The opening line reminds me of Crimson Peak 🤩. The opening scene reminds me of Wintersong 🤩. The villain gives off Addie LaRue vibes. Beauty and the Beast sits heavily in this book. There's even heavy Hades/Persephone-type feels in the back half of the book.

The book ended at a point that didn't create need for the next one. It should have ended a few pages before to set up that "I need the next book now."

The first person point of view doesn't help here because information that Leta knows isn't hinted or peppered throughout. Information comes out of nowhere like it's the first time she had thought of it but knew about it all along.

Overall there's SOMETHING missing in this story. I've been trying to figure out what it is, but I'm having trouble.

4/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Violeta and Arien Graceling have heard the rumors about the Monster of Lakesedge. They say Rowan Sylvanan drowned his entire family when he was a boy. Leta never imagined that she and Arien would be forced to live with the monster, especially not at the same estate where his family drowned. To make matters worse, she seems to have some strange connection to the wicked death god who has something to do with the darkness lurking at Lakesedge. In order to save them all, Leta has to confront the darkness in both the past and the present.

I was mesmerized by this gothic fantasy. The prose really drew me in and added to the overall dark mood of the story. The world-building is also worthy of note! The setting is intriguing, the magic system is really cool, and the supernatural elements/beings were rather ominous.

The story itself was rather enchanting! It gave me Beauty and the Beast vibes, only it was a darker, more sinister story. I did feel like it got somewhat repetitive toward the end, but I was still on my edge of the seat until the very last page! The romance was also done well!

My only real issue with this book was the ending. It was a cliffhanger, which I’m not opposed to, but I felt like it was a rather unsatisfying one. That might just be me, but I just didn’t enjoy the way this book ended.

I would recommend this to fans of gothic romances!

Content warnings: the author has listed the content warnings on her website, but I feel the need to add an additional warning. The romance in this book is mostly heated kissing and touching scenes, but there is an undressing scene that gets rather intense before it fades to black. For that reason, I would not recommend this to younger readers.

The first sentence of this book grabs you by the throat, and you're hooked ever since.

Violetta lives in a world filled with monsters. They haunt the lake, her childhood, and most of all, her brother Arien's nightmares. Then a young Lord comes, telling them he can help Arien and ordering them to return with him to his nearly-deserted family estate. The only problem is, he might be the biggest monster of them all.

The author uses the chilling atmosphere to great effect to build up the ominous feeling that pervades the book. Violetta learns that not every locked door leads to a secret you want to find, and to protect the ones she loves, she may have to face the greatest terror of them all.

The tight pacing and the bonds between characters draw you deeper and deeper into the world of the story. The ending will leave you wondering for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan Children’s, Henry Holt Co. and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title before publishing!

There is a lot to like about this story. The atmosphere is dark and lush with imagery that paints a gorgeous and detailed picture in your mind. The problems the characters face are ominous and frightening and leave you puzzling over the details of their past. There’s also a bit that falls flat for a bit, only to be quickly redeemed later.

Violeta and Arien are two orphans who found themselves saved by a seemingly kind but secretly cruel woman after they’ve spent days lost in the woods. Now, years later, Arien has been exhibiting a strange and frightening power that resembles that of the Lord Under, who rules the world of the dead. After an incident where this power is exposed in public, Rowan Sylvanan, the mysterious head of the local estate, enlists Arien’s help, and Violeta joins them both at the haunted lakesedge estate. The assignment is simple: save the estate from the strange and dark corruption that has plagued the land and threatens to plague the world as they know it.

The beginning of this book felt clumsy to me, and for quite a while. The relationships felt forced and underdeveloped and it moved so Incredibly fast. This is normally a good thing, but it felt SO fast paced that world building suffered. Our main character, Violeta, felt characterless and boring, as did Arien and Rowan. Violeta and Rowan’s development felt particularly clumsy, with awkward dialogue that didn’t make sense for the stage of their relationship. It felt like a mixture of insta-love and poorly explained disdain for the mysterious, brooding Lord character.

Then, at around the 50% mark, this ALL changed. It seems the author decided it was time to explain the world, magic system, and important character histories, and the story improved immensely. Violeta became charming, funny, and even prickly at times. She and Rowan’s relationship blossomed and the previous missteps started to make sense, even if I still wish this development would have come sooner. He became less of a brooding monster man of very few words, and more of a darkly misunderstood boy with a tragic past that has hunted and haunted him since. From the halfway point, this book just got Infinitely better and better, and the ending saved it from all of my prior frustrations, as did the beautiful writing style that truly showed me how much talent this author has.

The magic system is interesting and the threat the characters face is unique. I can’t emphasize enough how strong the imagery is here, especially as the story goes on and the characters personalities brighten and they find moments of joy and fun. Violeta’s grief and pain are surreal and guttural and you can feel the conflict she feels. After it all, I’m giving this book a solid 4 stars. I’m excited to read the next installment in the series, and I’m even more excited to follow what this author does going forward.