This book just wasn't for me and I think that's a "me outgrowing some YA" problem. I can definitely see myself liking this book and its characters if I was a teenager still, hence my rating.

Great story ides, but it didn't grasp my attention and make me want to read the whole story. I wanted the beginning and skipped to the last few chapters. I feel like the middle was just drawn out and didn't capture my attention enough to make me want to read it.

An exciting and creative read, "The Drowned Woods" follows the journey of 18-year-old Mer as the last living water diviner in the Kingdom of Wales. Deeply steeped in Welsh culture & myths, Mer, and her misfit gang, race against authority & time to save their city.

Llyod-Jones builds an intricate & unique medieval Welsh world teaming with magic. Personally, I really enjoyed this unique folklore world & Mer's unlikely crew. Mer's character was well-developed, realistic, & portrayed a fascinating, complicated history. LLyod-Jones kept me guessing until the very last chapters--I was on the edge of my seat.

This read is perfect for fans of "Six of Crows" or "Throne of Glass". However, I do wish this novel was a series instead of a stand along. The unique cast of characters, including a corgi, left me wanting even more. For this rich magical world, one book wasn't enough!

The cover ensnared me. The synopsis? Even better!

While the cover and synopsis promised a grand time, this was definitely a slower read for me. I had a difficult time engaging with one of the MCs, and just didn't find myself compelled to care about her. The other? I looked forward to his POV.

While it was a slow read, I did enjoy the world setting, and the background, but it did fall flat for me in regard to captivating me fully.

If you enjoyed The Court of Miracles by Kester Grant or Romanov by Nadine Brandes, I believe you'll enjoy this.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!! Look I'm incredibly picky with my fantasy. But Emily Lloyd-Jones consistently crafts AMAZING stories. The kind that make you feel good, that keep you on your toes and make you cry at the end. Its bittersweet but still absolutely delicious. I binged read this in a day and I will be re-reading it until I can get my hands on a physical copy. She just knows how to craft those tough girls and the soft boys that make you fall in love with the characters each and everytime. She has become another one of my "auto-buy" authors and I encourage everyone to read her books.

Not being familiar with Welsh mythology beyond King Arthur, I had never heard about Cantre'r Gwaelod, a sunken kingdom off the coast of Wales, that sounds strikingly similar to the myth of Atlantis. That was the selling point for me, and I'm sure it will be for others.

The story has a strong start but it drops in the middle and never really recovers from the steep fall despite the nice ending; this good beginning and good ending make the book feel like the two slices of bread are more delicious than the filling in the sandwich, and although the protagonist sounds intriguing at first (she has a film-worthy opening line in her first chapter) and you want to see what kind of magic she has, and how she'll use it, it progressively became harder and harder to care about the main lead, Mererid the water diviner, and Fane, her love interest, because they were rather underwhelming, a classical example of Fantasy characters that do as expected and have little to offer characterisation-wise.

It's a quick read, enjoyable if you don't want anything complicated or too long, and you might like the world too, because the places and landscapes are pretty and not that common for the genre. Plus, Welsh Atlantis! The fact that it has a generally upbeat narrative curve also helps, if you're sick of dark and gloomy stories, this will be your cup of tea.

A story about magic, fae folk, a heist, and a dog who's got a mind of his own and you're not dure what he's thinking. A water diviner, taken at a young age and becomes a tool of a heartless prince. Told half-truths and lies for years, she goes on an epic heist with a spy master, an iron fetcher, and a thief. It was an interesting tale where you weren't sure who was good, who was bad, who was on your side and who was out to kill you.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy. All my opinions are my own.

This book has everything: Celtic mythology, fairies, a heist, a magic cauldron, an evil prince, magic powers, and MORE! Y’all this one was such a great surprise - it was my first netgalley read and I’m so glad I requested this one. It hooked me right from the start and I couldn’t put it down. I ADORED the worldbuilding in this one - so unique yet still drawing on the ancient fairy lore that makes my heart sing. This reminded me a heck of a lot of Graceling and Six of Crows, and it even had a dash of ACOTAR thrown in there! This is a must read!

When I started The Drowned Woods, I didn't expect it to be a book about sacrifice. It is a book with a heist and a corgi that might be an spy, true, but it is also a book with characters that have learned or will learn that sacrifice might be necessary at some point of their lives to save those they care for.

We have Mer, our main character, the last water divine, is someone who is constantly running away. She has some serious trust issues, but like doesn't everybody has them? That's just one of the many reasons why she's such a relatable character, her doubts and fears and reactions to everything in general. We also have Fane, a ring fighter that has A CORGI. TREFOR, THE CORGI, IS THE BEST CHARACTER IN THE WORLD. And we also have Ifanna, who is a thief, who knows sacrifice so well.

These very grey characters will be creating some havoc during a mission to overthrow the prince. And I loved it! I loved their travel, I loved how the author created the action scenes and made them easy to understand even when everybody was fighting at the same time. I appreciate a lot that Emily created a very self-explanatory world that didn't required long, descriptive scenes. It has descriptions and explanations, yes, but they fit so well into the story that you don't even realize they are explaining or describing something.

The romance is almost non existent and I LOVED IT. I loved how it was more teasing and flirting than just creating a relationship out of nowhere.

Something I would change is the descriptions of time. Sometimes, I would think it has passed a day and then they would act as if it had been weeks. Maybe that's just me and my little concentration, but maybe it's a point to think about. Also, the heist part is not so much of a heist but a magical trip. Maybe I expected something more elaborate? But it still surprised me!

That's it! Give a chance to this book if you're looking for a fantasy with A DOG AS A MAIN CHARACTER (ok, not exactly, but I loved the dog).

I was so excited to get this novel. After reading The Bone Houses, I kept my eye open for new books by the author. The prologue and the first few chapters had me hooked, I was invested in the story and felt like there was a lot of potential for rounded, strong characters and a dynamic plot. Unfortunately, I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. While an easy read, and not something I felt like a truly slogged through, the pacing was a bit off to me.
I think a lot of that had to do with the character development of the secondary cast. When we get to the middle-ish of the book and are meeting the rest of the heist team, we barely meet them. When significant events occur to these side characters, I just turned the page and shrugged, because I didn't care about them. There was no real connection established between me as the reader and these side characters.
We have a slow building "romance?", although I felt like it was included to satisfy a trope. It wasn't the most believable—but mostly, because we don't get much relationship building time even though Fane and Mer travel together often. I was at first intrigued by it, and then disappointed, felt too easy. In fact, most of the resolution felt a little too easy. I wanted to see more interaction with the Prince; I mean for someone who is a terrible human, he took Mer at her word almost immediately and sent riders to evacuate his people. He didn't seem as horrible as the author wanted us to think he was. Honestly, he sounds like a typical middle-ages ruler who is looking for power and maintaining loyalty - minus the poisoning of the wells.
I wanted more explanation on Mer's magic towards the end of the novel. She struggles in the caves, but when she is asked to do a much greater task almost immediately after it seems much easier. I wish we could have a little more description on how this was possible. It could have been as simple as stating she was able to draw in moisture around her to help sustain her as she performed.
Favorite parts: I liked that we had a little LGBTQ+ representation. The history between Mer and Ifanna was nicely done, the tension there was great. I loved that the corgi was our little animal companion and the sneezes were a cute little addition. Ifanna was a great character, she was the one I think was the most rounded. Mer and Fane felt a little flat by the end.
Overall, it was a quick read. Not my favorite Emily Lloyd-Jones novel, but still solid. Young-adult readers who enjoyed Winterwood by Shea Ernshaw or The Ones We're Meant to Find by Joan He.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown books for Young Readers for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Drowned Woods is set in the same world as The Bone Houses but you do not need to read one before or after the other. They compliment each other and have the same folklore-dark fantasy feel. Emily Lloyd-Jones has a story-tellers writing style but lacks in character development.

I like the magical world and the idea of the diviner people who are specialized in specific magics. Mer is an eighteen year old water diviner and is the last of her kind. She can control any kind of water based items and can drown you in water, take water away etc. The development of the characters is slightly lacking and they each felt like carbon copies of other YA characters. Though the story was original, just like Bone Houses, the characters could have used a little more depth.

The romance, which is little to none at all, came a bit out of left field between Fane and Mer. I would have been super fine to have no romance at all or if the author put more hints or moments between them that could lead to a possible romance. There is LGBTQ rep in the book but it's kind of thrown in there. Mer was with a thief, Ifanna, who is the daughter of two powerful guild leaders and betrayed Mer when they were about fourteen/fifteen years old. I assumed their story was going to be a "second chance romance ", which felt more likely than the romance between Fane and Mer.

I do like Fane, but as I said earlier, he was a copy of other YA guys. Each character could have been so much more but came across as bland.

I finished the book in a days time and the pacing was pretty good. I think if you liked Bone Houses you will enjoy the Drowned Woods.

After reading this book I felt the sane way I did with Bone Houses, too high of hopes only to be slightly disappointed. I might be a little more hesitant with Lloyd-Jones' next book but I do look forward to it still.

3.5 stars

THE DROWNED WOODS, by Emily Lloyd-Jones, is a novel that takes place in the same "land" as her previous THE BONE HOUSES, but with an entirely new set of characters. This author has proven to me that she can write the most haunting Dark Fantasy books, and make them unique every time.

"Things are only immortal until you kill them."

Mer is a water diviner--stolen from her family for her powers. She grew up never having her own choice in matters, with the only thing she really learned to do, being RUN. Her emotional growth was incredible, and very realistically written, in my opinion. She joins up with an unlikely crew for a questionable heist, and from there, the banter, characters, and action really take off.

I loved the imagery, the land, characters, and the lessons gradually learned. The only thing that slowed this novel down for me was that from around 2/3-3/4 things seemed more repetitive, and the pacing went down a notch. It did pick up after that though, and the ending was truly remarkable, and not one I could have guessed at!

"She had never been brave--but she'd always been angry . . ."

Recommended!

This was overall a good read but not one id recommend honestly. It fell flat for me and the characters AND storyline felt very rushed. The last 15 to 20 percent was fun to read but I definitely perfer the authors other book overall.

3.5 stars
Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the ARC.

I was so excited to be approved for one of Emily's books but this one wasn't my favorite. I still prefer The Bone Houses over this one.

While I did enjoy the story line, I felt like the characters were a little flat and some of the story felt rushed. I also didn't see a spark of romance between 2 characters in the entire book so when all the sudden a random romance sparked, it caught me off guard. Usually you feel something and suspect some kind of romantic relationship between two people but this one kind of came out of no where.

This seems to be a standalone, so the ending seemed a bit rushed but I did enjoy reading the last 25%.

Would I recommend this? Eh. I would probably recommened The Bone Houses more than this book. It wasn't bad and I think some might enjoy this one but it wasn't anything that stood out to me while reading it.

4.5/5 Stars - Reviewed Arc, things may change slightly by the final release

The Drowned Woods is the story of a girl who can control water, who goes on a mission to stop the prince of the land from controlling the world. This is a heist story full of myths, fae, and elemental magic perfect for fans of Six of Crows (I don't say that lightly).

Emily Lloyd-Jones has a great writing voice that lent itself perfectly to this work. The writing was easy to read but interesting enough to keep you going until the end. There is never a boring moment, and yet you don't feel rushed either.

I have two complaints about the work. First, I loved how our main three characters were explored and developed, but I wish some more time had been spent on our side characters. Major events happen to multiple side characters but I didn't have the emotional connection needed to feel anything for them in those moments. Second I wanted to see more of a direct "punishment" for Mer using her magic. It is stated throughout that when she controls water that it weakens her and makes her lose water in her body. Beyond me being told that that happens and her drinking water whenever she uses her magic, nothing else is brought up about that. I would have liked to see her lips be chapped, or her vision be blurred in order to make her using magic as much as she was a real complication.

Overall I really loved this book. It has major folklore vibes and was a great short ya fantasy standalone which included some LGBTQ+ rep. I do recommend checking it out when it is published.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for giving me a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved this.

I didn’t really know what to expect- I honestly requested because the cover looked cool and now I’m definitely going to go back and read The Bone Houses.

I kept having to take breaks to research Wales- including a 30 minute YouTube deep dive into Welsh accents.

I loved that it was a standalone. I loved Trefor (TREVOR). I love unreliable narrators and was truly surprised by the twists and reveals. The cave scene was STRESSFUL. Definitely would (and will) recommend this to all my YA lover friends!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It didn’t have me on the edge of my seat or keep me up late into the night, but the writing was beautiful and I adored its blend of welsh mythology and magic. In fact, the main complaint I had was that for a retelling of a classic Welsh myth, it felt a bit light on the lore. Wales has such a rich history and I would have loved for it to have been explored a bit more.

I will say that if you are looking for a classic heist book, you may be a bit disappointed. The marketing puts a lot of emphasis on the “heist” but in reality, I don’t think it delivered there. However, if you are looking for a rich plot with likable characters, I would absolutely recommend this book! And thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC!

In the kingdom of Wales, 18-year-old Mer is the last water diviner, and she is on the run from the prince who wants to use her powers. When her old handler appears with a plan to destroy the magic well that keeps the prince’s lands safe.
Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers publishing for a chance to read this book. I recommend this book to all fantasy lovers. Mer is an interesting character although all the characters were interesting. My favorite character must be the corgi because who doesn’t love a cute dog. There was great world building that gave me a glimpse into the world and there were times where I felt like I was there. The romance was not the main point of the story, and it wasn’t over shadowing which you never see enough in books now a days.

First off I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

The prologue was good and did its job. It set The Drowned Woods up very well.
I liked the characters but at times they become insufferable due to seeing similar characters done in other books. I feel that the characters are missing something to make them more "unique" or "less forgettable. There were times while readings this that I see a character and just completely bypass that section with good old glazing at the page.
I did love the multiple POVs, but it was flawed. I feel that it could have transitioned better.
The pacing was slow. For me, it was so slow that I got easily distracted. I can deal with the slow pace that picks up, a fast pace that slows down, and even a slow pace that picks up once. But this was constantly slow. The only way I can better describe this is to imagine this as a monotone person.
The ending for me was okay, I feel let down though.
I think if this whole book was written like the prologue was it would have been 5 stars.

3.5 stars. first off- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC! in ARC review fashion, here are my positives and negatives:

(+) the prologue. it did its job, and did it well! so so so promising and set up the book so nicely, which is maybe why i was so upset as the story went on. but a strong start is a strong start so i’m giving it that!

(?) mer. in simple terms, she’s basically a very powerful waterbender. which is cool! but also, not as cool as katara and never escapes the hollow “fantasy YA female lead” mold that’s been written to the grave. i love to reuse tropes and character types, but i felt physical pain with how flavorless mer was. actually, with how all the characters were, which is why:

(-) the characters. were they tolerable? yes. did reading this book become a chore about 40% through after realizing that i’ve seen them all a hundred times over? also yes. a lot of characters felt irrelevant and my favorite character legitimately ended up being a dog that followed them around. simply put, i didn’t care about them, and i’m glad i’m not the only reviewer that struggled.

(?) multiple POVs. i’m not too sure on how i feel about it here- on one hand it would have been great to focus solely on mer. on the other, switching between characters definitely aided in the heist mood (but even that wasn’t enough to save it). it felt like we were trying too hard to reach six of crows, and the POVs there only worked because the crows were enjoyable and well-rounded characters.

(-) the pacing. i think that since the characters were so meh, all i had to lean on was the plot. towards the middle of the book i really did fight to keep reading as everything went slow and it became a time to rely on the readers’ love for the characters (spoiler: i didn’t love any of them). i truly couldn’t tell you a single notable thing that happened in the middle.

(+) the ending. other than the very beginning, the last 15% of this story was the only part i felt engaged in. did the prince situation add up to any sense or plot reward? (-) no. it was underwhelming, and this book has much less to do with the prince than you’d expect. but i appreciated the “plot twist” (ehhh) and everything past that, especially the epilogue.

(+) the epilogue (which was written like the prologue)! and as much as i enjoyed this, it slightly upset me, because why did i get to taste a potential 5 stars in the prologue, then be forced to endure the rest of the book until the epilogue came around?! what’s with the sampling? are we rationing around here?

Review published on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4364540322