This would have been a great read for Halloween, but you’ll have to settle for the dark days of December. 😅

Okay, so things I liked!

Dual Point of View! I liked hearing Leelo and Jaren’s points of view— especially because they were from such different backgrounds. You get to hear what it’s like coming into the forest as a stranger— to the legend and to living in it. But you also see it from Leelo’s perspective of growing up there, knowing things aren’t great but also feeling so used to it.

The characters. I genuinely loved Leelo. She was kind, and wanted the best for everyone… but she wasn’t stupid. Jaren was fun, I loved his family and his banter with them. I loved Tate. He was such a cute little guy. Even Ketty and Sage were interesting… their bitterness and anger… Sage’s ferocity, but the way she devolves, and Leelo sees it all come apart. Very well written characters. 🥰

The fairytale feel. It felt like a dark fairy tale, all of the legend and the idea of a moving forest… and that the forest is hungry. 😬 So creepy. So interesting.

The idea that what we hear tales about might not be the whole truth. I loved that Leelo begins to deconstruct the truth from the stories they had been told.

Things that weren’t my favorite? Nothing. I liked it all! But I’m a mood reader, and I was ready for happy stuff. This was definitely a thrilling, mysterious story! I wish I had read it when I was in the mood for it. So if you’re a mood reader, tuck it in your tbr for a “thriller” season!! It’ll be perfect!!

Leelo has lived her entire life on Endla, an island isolated from outsiders and protected by the poisonous lake and magical forest that surrounds it. Most people on the island have the gift of enchanted singing, but those who don’t gain this gift by their twelfth birthday are exiled from the island. As Leelo’s younger brother’s birthday looms with no magical gift in sight, Leelo begins to question the rules of her society and the magic that not only protects them but holds them captive.

I thought this was an intriguing read with a great premise and plot, vivid world-building, dynamic characters, and thought-provoking messages. The storytelling is so well done, and the author uses some fantastic imagery and symbolism that really brought the story to life. I’ve read several books this year with magical islands, and I never tire of them. The island in this story takes on a life of its own, as does the surrounding lake and forest. It’s magical and dark and frightening, and the tone and mood of the story enhance the dark and ominous feel. The island holds so many secrets, and I liked how they were all slowly unraveled by Leelo.

Leelo is a unique protagonist, and she goes through a great emotional and physical journey throughout the book. I found her character really interesting. She’s not the bold, assertive, warrior that we often see in young adult protagonists. She is intelligent, caring, and empathetic, and she feels deeply. Her tender and nurturing side contrast the many cold and unemotional people in her community who seem desensitized to the harsh brutality of their world.

Leelo also shows an impressive amount of bravery as she helps an outsider even though it’s forbidden, and she questions the brutal traditions of the island. She butts heads with those closest to her, and she learns a lot about her family and how the past has dictated their present. Speaking of family, there are some characters in Leelo’s, and not all of them are good. The story delves into her relationship with her mother, her cousin, and her aunt, who all live together but don’t necessarily share the same beliefs. Leelo faces a lot of difficult obstacles and decisions as she tries to protect her brother and the boy from across the lake.

Of course, I always comment on the romance, and there is a sweet love story between Leelo and Jaren, the boy she saves and protects. I like that we see both of their perspectives. We also get to see Jaren’s life off the island, which is very different from what Leelo has always been told. The story also has a lot of interesting and thought-provoking themes like the idea of blindly following tradition, not questioning authority and questionable actions, believing in something bigger than yourself, rejecting societal norms and expectations of submission and passivity, loving people more than antiquated beliefs, and more.

I would defintiely recommend The Poison Season to readers who enjoy dark and eerie, slow-building YA fantasies. Thanks to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this book. It's a fun fairytale about a magical island that protects its magical inhabitants. These inhabitants sing and make sacrifices to the island to appease its hunger. There are secrets to be revealed and a romance that sprouts. Wonderful ending!

I think the Poison Season has true potential to be one of THE big books of the Winter. Immediately I was drawn in by the cover and synopsis, but I am incredibly glad that I did. This story is lush, vibrant, and incredibly original. The mystery and secrets keep you turning pages constantly wanting to know more. I hope to see more in this world.

I struggled to connect with the characters and found the plot to be too formulaic to keep me engaged, so ultimately DNF'd the book.

I thought this book blended the fantasy world and romance together really well. The rules of Endla were very interesting and high stakes which I also enjoyed.

"The truth might be painful, but the lies were as corrosive as rust, and now that she could see the damage they'd wrought, it was a wonder that any of them remained standing."

This is a story about a girl faced with a choice: save an innocent outsider or obey the strict rules of her island home.

"I could get lost in you."
"That's funny. I feel like I'm finally found."

The story follows Leelo, a girl living on an island called Endla surrounded by a poisonous lake and a forest hungry for blood. As long as sacrifices are given to the forest, it provides protection for the people... or does it? This is a sweet forbidden first love story filled with sinister secrets and a bloodthirsty forest. A fantasy lover's dream, right?

I would have loved to learn more about the Forest and so many of the secrets that are revealed by the end. I felt like we uncover all of the mysteries but learn very little about them. The world is so interesting and I felt like we only got a little taste of Endla's secrets and I want more! I certainly could see a possible sequel as this does end with a few loose strings, but still a satisfying ending on its own.

3.5/5 stars.

The Poison Season is a lovely combination of magic & romance with a dash of darkness and secrecy. Leelo and her family live in an isolated village situated on an island populated by an enchanted, bloodthirsty forest. They live protected from influence by the outside world by a poisoned lake. The villagers have a magic of their own, and they live in a symbiotic relationship with the forest.

My thoughts:
- I loved the concept of a bloodthirsty wandering forest, it was so unique
- The relationships between Leelo, Sage, Ketty, and Fiona were really well written
- The worldbuilding was unique and not overcomplex
- The interactions between Leelo and Jaren were sweet
- The twists/reveals in the second half of the book felt anticlimactic. I think there were too many all at once.
- I couldn't always rationalize or understand Sage's behavior
- The last few chapters didn't add a whole lot of value for me.

Thank you for the ARC!

This book intrigued me from the cover and the synopsis. I thought the entire story was incredibly original. I loved the magical sentient forest setting and the familial relationship dynamics. The mystery of the Edlans and what they were keeping secret kept me reading. I thought that the reveal of the secrets though was really glossed over and rushed. We really didn't even get to see it happen, it was just mentioned as something Leelo's mother mentioned off page. I didn't feel the chemistry between Jaren and Leelo, they felt more like siblings than love interests. I did like the fact that the story didn't end with them getting married or having a baby together. Overall it was an easy read and definitely unique but I needed more from it. When I was reading I was into it but when I wasn't I often forgot about it. I ended up giving it 3.5 stars.

This one is a DNF for me. I love the cover and I enjoyed some other books from this author but this one just wasn’t doing it for me. Here’s what I thought:

+ Interesting concept, was intrigued about the Forest and mysterious island.

~ I felt no connection to the characters and kept wondering what is happening and wishing the story would move faster.

~ I think it would appeal to teen readers. For me, I just wanted more. I was bored and didn’t want to struggle to finish it.

Tropes: secret island

Why you should read it:
*you like the author’s other works
*interesting concept – mysterious island, a poison lake, magic through singing

Why you might not want to read it:
*too slow and wasn’t keeping my attention

My Thoughts:

I tried many times to finish this book but I think it was clear I was just not interested and it wasn’t for me. I think this will still appeal to young adult fantasy fans though.

I had a really hard time with this one. The concept is good… the delivery, not so much. The constant info dumping really slows things down, but the dialogue and action move so fast that the characters and plot hardly get to interact with all that information. I think this would have been better as a middle grade novel. The way that the story is delivered in chunks of exposition at a time treats the reader as if they couldn’t figure things out without being told exactly what is happening. That’s how many YA novels were written in the 2000s, but that has not been the trend for a while.

The Poison Season isn’t bad, but it’s painfully average. There’s really nothing compelling here to make it memorable.

The Poison Season is a haunting tale of love, isolation, and questioning everything you’ve ever known. Leelo has just started her year as a Watcher on her small, isolate island. Brimming with dangerous magic and a blood-thirsty forest, it is Leelo’s responsibility as an Endlan to protect her home from those who would destroy it for its differences, even if it means sending away her young brother, Tate, forever.

On the night she must say goodbye to Tate, Leelo’s loyalty to the island is put to the ultimate test. The only question: will she do what tradition dictates, or will she betray everything she has ever known?

Steeped in mystery, Endla is everything, and the stakes are always life and death.

The cover is gorgeous, and the title is intriguing. The story is a slow-burning one, and the whole time you’re guessing what the big reveals will be. There’s growing dread throughout, particularly in regards to two of Leelo’s family members who are less than loving and warm. You want to shake Leelo by the shoulders and tell her to see her surroundings for what they truly are.

There’s plenty of time left for a thorough ending, but it’s somewhat anticlimactic. I expected a little more angst or splashier surprises.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book has so many great elements to it: a magical but greedy forest, a sweet enemies-to-lovers romance, tons of town secrets and plot twists, and cult vibes. I was entertained the whole way through, and I really liked Leelo as a character. She's not the strongest or the most headstrong, but she has her own quiet strength in kindness and empathy. She stands out from her town by questioning what everyone tells her to believe, and she has a strong inner voice that helps her stay true to herself and what she thinks is right. I enjoyed her growth through the book. Jaren is also a kind and understanding character, and while I didn't feel as connected to him, I enjoyed his relationship with Leelo.

The plot is another strong element to this book! It felt very similar to Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young, but with strong YA themes instead. I liked finding out more about the island and its people's secrets as the story went on. And the ending had me flipping pages as fast as I could! I felt invested not only in Leelo and Jaren's story but the story of the island as well. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, Inkyard Press and NetGalley, for the ARC!

Trigger/Content Warnings: death by drowning/poisoning, other deaths recounted, injury, cult mentality, kissing

I lovedddd this book. The vibes, the teenage angst and yearning, the secrets hidden between the trees of an ancient, living forest. I went into this book with no expectations but I ended up being blown away. I had a great time reading the book, the prose was addicted and easy to read.

This book was a very different YA fantasy setting than I am used to, which is part of what intrigued me and what made it a little difficult to review. I’d overall call it a “good” book, but I had a lot higher hopes for it based off the description. The idea was there, but the execution kind of fell apart.

I found the concept of the novel and magic system to be intriguing and a little spooky. An enchanted forest and island that protects the magical residents but also demands blood sacrifice and can easily kill them all? Creepy. There was also rivalry and hate between the Endlans and the Outsiders (islanders vs people from the main land), and lots of misunderstanding between both people that led to some extremes that almost seemed a little dark for YA. The overall story was interesting and made me want to finish it, but I will say it started really slowly and was a lot of info dumping to try to understand everything. It took me a while to really get into the story and I never really felt a moment where I couldn’t put the book down. It was good, but not as gripping of a fantasy story as I normally like. There was a nice twist to the story that was a little predictable, but developed in a way that I didn’t totally guess.

When it came to the characters, I did like the main characters, Leelo and Jaren, although their relationship was a bit shallow. I wanted more from each of them, and a lot of their purpose seemed to be in just spending time with each other and make out. She wasn’t the strong heroine I’m used to in YA fantasy, although I think Rutherford wanted her to be one. The other characters felt a bit one dimensional, which was disappointing as there were so many of them who had potential. We had family members and community members who helped move the story along, but certain characters were just really unlikeable, and even when we are supposed to feel sympathetic towards them, I didn’t feel it at all. I just found them overall off putting. I hated her cousin and had no idea why she kept acting like she should love her and care about her because she’s family when her cousin was literally crazy and toxic.

There were a few points in the plot that didn’t quite make sense to me. (This is in the description so not a spoiler). At 12, they send the children who don’t show any magical traits away from the island. This was so bizarre to me that none of the parents show really any issue to this other than being sad. The kids aren’t going to a community on the main land where they know people. They very likely could die and they are TWELVE. I know this was written to show Leelo caring about her younger brother and having different views than the rest of the people on the island, but it just astounded me that it was so accepted that they were potentially sending their children to die and no one really batted an eye lash.

Overall, I found it a fine story. I don’t know that I would recommend it to everyone, but it was interesting and being a standalone, gives the reader a dose of fantasy without committing to a full series!

I've posted a review to goodreads and will post to instagram the week prior to release.

Mara Rutherford crafts an absolutely original tale with the familiarity of a folk story; unforgettable and only slightly eerie. This story is a brilliant blend without being clunky or hard to read and was utterly un-put-downable.

Leelo Hart has only known the island of Endla her whole life. Surrounded by the Wandering Forest and a lake of poison, seventeen-year-old Leelo knows every face that lives there. Enveloped in a world of haunting magic and bloody sacrifices, the villagers of her island work to please the Forest, which provides for them in turn.

Jaren Kask finds himself making an impossible choice between certain death and crossing the poison lake into the island of Endla, where the villagers are known as sirens of old pirate shanties, calling the mainlanders into the night and luring them into the poison water.

Wrapped up in a moving Forest and a house of secrets, Leelo and Jaren's paths collide unexpectedly as they fight to keep secrets of their own. When Leelo spares Jaren's life, the pair discover that there are some secrets that are better kept buried. After all, it's not the falling that breaks you.

2.5 Honestly I really liked the concept of the book, but it was way too confusing and there was so much info-dumping that I couldn't get into it. I think that the author was ambitious in naming so many Endlans within the protag's immediate circle, and since they didn't all have defining traits, it was hard to remember who was who. I think having a single narrator also would've been helpful just in terms of clarity, but I also understand the purpose of having an outsider's POV to explain the perception of the island and those who live there.

This book ticks a lot of my boxes- fantasy, romance, star-crossed lovers, magic, and dark/broody boys! I thought the world-building was really great and the heroine, Leeloo, was easy to love. All in all, this was a page-turning, thought-provoking, beautiful fantasy.

A deadly forest and poisonous plants combine with an enemies-to-lovers romance to create something truly magical.