THANK YOU to Inkyard Press & NetGalley for sending me this ARC. All reviews are honest reflections of my own opinions, always.

On Endla, the Wandering Forest groans, it’s hunger never truly sated.

Leelo stands on the shores of the poison lake. As a Watcher she knows the fate of any outsiders who succumb to the hunting songs; the Forest or the Lake. Death by magic. Thus the people protect their home, and the Forest protects them, or so Leelo has been led to believe.

Days later Jaren can hear the music even now, a haunting that calls him back to the lake’s edge, where he caught only a glimpse of ethereal beauty. A wolf, a boat, destiny reclaiming what it’s owed.

She simply could not watch him die. Rescuing Jaren from the Lake & hiding him away, Leelo knows she has betrayed her people, but not her own heart.

On Endla, bitterness and lies run deep as the roots of the trees, both ready to strangle, ready to kill.



694 pages of magic, mystery, & heart breaking new love. Mara Rutherford has created a character driven insular world, with a soft magic system & beautiful atmosphere. I loved trying to predict the twists & turns of this book, which had me compulsively reading far too late into the night.

Unique world building, growth of characters, & enough left unsaid for the reader to ruminate on after finishing, I highly enjoyed this book.

I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover BUT this cover is absolutely stunning and extremely fitting for such a lovely book.

This was an extremely heartwarming tale of overcoming family trauma and uncovering generational secrets. I love that this book manages to avoid the one thing fantasy readers all dislike, an extreme info dump of world-building at the start. The Poison Season eases you into the dynamics of the world on Endla and outside of it in a palatable way. Switching between Leelo and Jaren's perspectives really helped fill in the gaps of everything you needed to know. The magic elements and the whole premise of the Wandering Forest were particularly intriguing and fun. I absolutely love interesting magical elements like this, it felt unique and fresh.

It is very much a slow burn in terms of our two protagonists meeting a bit later in the book than you may expect but once they do meet it picks up and you won't want to put the book back down. I adored the dynamic between Leelo and Jaren, they were beautifully written. In fact, all relationships, family or friends, were explored with so much depth and variation.

Without spoiling anything, the mysteries and secrets unveiled are truly the best parts of this. The plot twists that you don't see coming and the way all of the pieces of the story fall into place was done so well. I wish I had learnt a few more of the secrets a little earlier on but I enjoyed how it all came together. My jaw was on the floor when everything came together.

The ending was also such a great way to tie up the story. It's satisfying and makes you feel less sad about coming to the end of such a lovely novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the early digital copy I received of this book, I'm now recommending all of my friends buy it upon its release.

Ooooh. 4.5. Thanks so much to Inkyard and Netgalley for a physical copy - I picked this up on a whim on a plane, so I didn't realize how early I was reading it since it doesn't come out until December, but this is definitely one to put on your list!!!

Leelo lives on an isolated island with a magical forest, the villagers have a sort of symbiotic relationship with the forest - they can't leave, and outsiders are killed. The setting was really cool, and felt very unique despite the glut of spooky forest books on the market.

I loved Leelo as a protagonist, her inner monologues were really well done and I feel like she is going to stick with me.

The main facet of this book is the romance, and I really enjoyed it as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel. I am rating this book based the stars due to lack of time to leave a full review.

The Poison Season was absolutely enchanting! Rutherford wrote a story that was so well written I found myself flying through the pages, unable to put the book down, pondering what would happen next. My favorite piece of this entire story was how believable the characters were.

The writing is clear and clean, and very immersive. The book hums along at a good clip, but the pacing makes sure we're given time to breathe between plot-intensifying moments. The story was absolutely engaging and the work that went into the settings was noticeable and superb. I felt absolutely transported and I'm so incredibly glad I was able to read an arc of this story

The cover caught my eye, and the mystery/suspense made me stay.

At first when I was reading this I was little skeptical simply because the names were super hard to keep track of. It took me a bit to realize who the MC even was, but I can also blame me skimming the beginning for that. BUT MAN- this book was SO good! Mystery, secrets, murders, magic, forbidden love! Once my brain understood the world I was sold!

It’s a happily ever after, but not in the sugary sweet way. It was the perfect ending for this book and these characters (even the forest).

If you’re thinking about reading it, do it. If you want a diary quick read with fantasy, questionable forests, family & community secrets, forbidden love (appropriately YA), and just to feel good at the end, read this book! This would actually be the perfect beach read.

I was provided a free copy via netgally, but my rating and review are completely my own. I’m adding this book to my want to own shelf immediately!

This was a lovely magical tale, full of romance and a coming of age storyline. It gave me The Village vibes, which is one of my favorite movies. I enjoyed seeing Leelo grow as a character and take a stand for her ideals. The writing was lovely and I will definitely be reading more books my Mara after this!

This novel is reminiscent of a M Night Shyamalan story. Things are not as they first appear and the things that are feared may not be as dangerous as perceived.

The book felt very melancholy for me and the author did such a good job expressing that feeling that it was difficult for me to read it as swiftly as I usually read books. The writing and world crafting were so good that just like the magic singing voices, I was drawn back to Endla each time. I’m so glad I returned.

This coming of age story is definitely great for all readers, young and mature alike. Although melancholy is how I would describe most of the book, it ended in my favorite way: with the story being wrapped up in a happy ending, questions answered, and clues about future stories laid.

I recommend this book.

The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford is a story about community, about family, and about identity. Set within an Enchanted forest the tale is given to the reader from from the dual perspectives of Leelo who has grown up surrounded by magic and trusting in the ways of her community and Jaren an outsider who finds himself where he should not be.


The setting is beyond Unique and the way we as a reader get to slowly grow in our questioning of the forest and the magic users symbiotic relationship right alongside Leelo is excellent. Taking these elements of fantasy and mystery and pairing them with a slow burn clean romance makes for a wonderful reading experience.

This book is a great fit for fans of Young Adult fantasy looking for an unique stand alone novel with an atmosphere similar to Sorcery of thorns.

A complex fantasy that takes a look at many forms of poison, from plant toxins to festering lies to buried generational traumas to isolation to fear of the "other" that creates formidable borders that do far more harm than good. Though this reads as a vibrant fantasy, full of magic singing and sinister forests and woodland festivals, the ties to contemporary society are impossible to ignore, with conversations abounding about building walls and tightening harmful immigration policies. I suspect any reader will see the parallels. But they'll also enjoy the unfolding mysteries as truths are revealed, young love blossoms, and old wounds begin to heal. Visual and immersive, a perfect fit for readers who enjoy fantasy stories that focus more on family and community than on massive world wars, with a large cast of characters and a few mysteries that linger long after the pages end.

Romance and fantasy?! To what did we do to deserve this?! I’m a sucker for fantasy and when there’s romance sprinkled in, I’m hooked! The characters and world were built beautifully! Leeloo is full of the most amazing attributes, ringing in loyalty, strong willed, protective and just all around the perfect heroin. And then walks in Jaren! Swoon will ya?! Jaren changes so much of Leeloo’s outlook and she starts to let those walls down and shows her sensitive side. The plot is gorgeous and continuously keeps you captivated.

Wow! Perhaps it is just me, but this story felt so entirely unique, the setting blew me away! Who would think of an enchanted, moving forest that becomes symbiotic with people containing magic. The forest protects them and they feed it. Win-win! Right?!

The POV is split between Leelo, as resident of the Enchanted Forest, and Jaren, who lives in a regular village outside of the forest.
I absolutely loved the rounded out story from both perspectives. How the people outside the forest view it and it’s people vs it’s inhabitants. It was so intriguing!
For a stand alone book, we certainly received a lot, an entirely new world, new cultures and beliefs, it’s remarkable!! I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

Now let’s talk romance, it’s slow, but is it worth the wait?! Ab.so.lutely!!! The tension and relationship building is wonderful, and made me so happy! I loved Leelo and Jaren, they are both such lovable characters and the obstacles they faced added such a huge element to the story. You will love it!!!

I definitely recommend giving this book a read. It’s fantastic and unique. Mara Rutherford is a wonderful author and her fantasy novels are favourites.

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the complimentary e-arc in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Content: clean
Romance: kissing
Violence: mild
Language: none

This felt like a debut book which I know it is not. There is a lot of tell and not enough showing. The voice just never caught my attention.

Trying to write a spoiler-free/spoiler-light review for this novel is challenging to say the least. I loved it so much, and a huge part of that love was the attention to detail. I’ll do my best!

Endla is an island in the middle of a poison lake inhabited by a sentient forest and magical people. Outsiders that make it across the lake can either choose the Forest or the lake as their punishment. Neither option is a good one.

Leelo is one of the Watchers of Endla, and during her rite-of-passage year as a Watcher, she stumbles across a situation that brings her face-to-face with an outsider, Jaren. Jaren, a newcomer to Bricklebury (the village across the lake), continually finds himself inexplicably drawn to the poison lake that surrounds Endla until one day, he is forced to make the crossing. When they meet, Leelo has to choose to further cement her status as “different” from other Endlans, and Jaren must find a way to survive if he hopes to return home to his family. Throughout their time together, Leelo and Jaren are forced to grow as individuals and choose their own paths.

There was so much I loved about this book:
1. From the very beginning, there are breadcrumbs of intrigue that had me keeping a running list of hypotheses in my notes app. Those breadcrumbs kept the plot moving forward really well, and even led to surprises in that hadn’t been on my radar.
2. I loved the use of language within the story. Endlans magic is performed by singing, and Endlans who are born without magic are called “incantu” or voiceless. In Latin, the verb cantare means “to sing,” so this play on words comes across as these magicless Endlans are incapable of singing. Another impressive use of language was naming a character who has become isolated, Isola.
3. The world building was done beautifully in The Poison Season. Main and secondary characters were well thought out, and the culture of Endla/Endlans was thoroughly described to fill in any blanks about what motivates people on the island. Adding onto that the visual descriptions of the area, as well as secrets revealed about the island and its magic made the story an immersive experience.
4. The Forest as an abusive antagonist was an aspect I absolutely loved to hate. Throughout the story, the Forest turns from a symbiotic parter of the Endlans into an abusive overlord. Very few Endlans are comfortable allowing themselves to recognize this problem, let alone speaking out about it for fear of the repercussions.

This book and it’s characters were thoroughly enjoyable and I cannot wait to have my pre-order in hand. Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the chance to read and review an advance copy.

I sat down to get started on The Poison Season, expecting to only read a few pages and finish it over the weekend. Instead, I devoured this book in one sitting. I loved the main character, Leelo. Her kindness and determination to trust her instincts even when her own people disagreed really made me root for her. The world building was really interesting but not overly complicated for readers worried about the fantasy setting. I’ll definitely be picking up a copy of this when it comes out!

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC!

The Poison Season follows Leelo, a girl who lives on Endla, where magic exists. She doesn't question things, she loves her community and family, and her life. She's been told that outsiders aren't allowed on their island and must be dealt with immediately if found. If you don't show you have magic by a certain age, the community sends you away from the island, where you are never to return. But when her brother, who is getting closer to the age, hasn't shown to have magic in him, she starts to wonder if Endla, her community, and the other islanders are actually doing good.

Enter the outsider, Jaren, who doesn't believe in magic and always gets lost in his own thoughts. When circumstances force him to Endla, he has to figure out how to survive, so he can get back home to his family. With help from Leelo, they both start to question everything she has known about her life and her Island.

I want to start with what I love about this book. It's a fast read, the cover is beautiful, and the twists were great. I also love the dynamic of family and community, for FMC and MMC, and how that's portrayed. Plus, the idea of magic, Forests that want blood, and poison water was very intriguing.

But what I didn't like? The plot was all over the place for me, there was a lot of holes that were never answered or explained, and the story was hard to get into in the beginning and then near the middle. While it did pick up for me near the end, and I was thankful for that, I was still left with more questions at the end of this book. I also found the characters weren't all that flushed out and I was confused with others. So many of the 'Outsiders' had names that started with the same letter that I was confused who was who - and it didn't help that the author gave some nicknames that she would only use sometimes. Also, I'm not a fan of insta-loves, which this seemed to be on the edge of being. I didn't just feel that romantic connection between the two. ( Also, can anyone help me understand the Wolf? It felt like a good origin and then after that one time, never heard of again )

If you want to read for yourself and see if this is your kind of book, look for The Poison Season to be released in December.

A story about questioning everything you were raised to believe and to discover the truth for yourself.

One of my favorite things about this book is how the author examined different types of sibling relationships and how they were affected by certain circumstances or changes that came up. Seriously. The characters and their relationships were amazing and so well written

I really enjoyed this book. The beginning gripped me immediately. It was very atmospheric and ominous. I love when authors make inanimate objects characters in their novels (The Forest.)

The story was unique and interesting. It was well written and had a good pace.

Spellbinding, Unparalleled, and Beautifully Written

The Poison Season is a romantic fantasy written by Mara Rutherford. The novel follows Leelo, a watcher of Endla, and Jaren, an outsider who can't seem to stay away from the poisonous lake that protects the island of Endla. The people of Endla have magical songs that protect the Wandering Forest, but Incantu or children born without magic are exiled from the island never to be seen by their loved ones again. Leelo's little brother is Incantu, and the night they exile him Jaren comes ashore and threatens everything she ever believed in. Leelo is compassionate, strong, and everything you could love in a female lead. Jaren is steadfast, curious, and endearing. Each character is unique and intricately tied together with a meaningful purpose. Accepting people for their differences and misconceptions are huge themes, because even though Leelo feels like the people of Endla are wrong about outsiders she still feels the familial pressure to follow her duties to the island and Wandering Forest. The plot of this fairytale is transcendent with dreamy writing. The novel has a dark ethereal ambience that makes the story incredibly compelling. The world-building is stunning and contains a very original storyline. This is a great pick to get out of a fantasy slump. Readers that enjoy star crossed lovers and unique world-building will love The Poison Season.

Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC!

4.5 stars. I was so hyped about this book when I saw that setting was a creepy isolated forest. I’ve always loved that setting in fantasy stories but most of the time they’re rushed through and never really touched on again. In The Poison Season though, the entire setting is the creepy forest and I cannot express how much I loved that. I really enjoyed the cast of characters and the isolation of the setting. The writing was breathtaking and once I started reading this, I was hooked. It was immersive and an absolute joy to read. This was my first Mara Rutherford and it absolutely will not be my last. Excuse me while I go and buy everything else she has ever written.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this copy!

While it did take a couple chapters for me to get into the book, once the story progressed and we got to know each character more, the story became so captivating! The love main characters have with their families and the love they find with each other are both so nuanced but sweet. Along with the dark magic of this world that you never know who to trust, it was hard to put down!