I fear my rating of the book is partially due to user error... I initially went into this thinking this was going to be a queer, gothic, fantasy -- only 2 of the 3 thoughts I had about this book actually came true. I spent most of this book wondering when the gothic part was going to show up. My apologies.

I thought the world was a fun time to be in, and I really enjoyed reading more about the world and discovering it as the book progressed. The characters on their own had a lot of depth and had a lot of fun following them through this story. The writing was gorgeous and I could get lost in Allion Saft's writing all day long.

My biggest issue with the book was that it didn't feel as balanced of a story as I had hoped. I felt like there was a lot going on for a standalone: the murder mystery, the romance, the political aspects. It made it a little hard to follow. The romance also felt lackluster. I really couldn't see the chemistry.

Overall, I think if I had gone into it not thinking it was one thing when it really was another, I probably would have given it a higher rating.

An excellent recommendation for readers looking for more dark academia books. Saft definitely knew her demographic when she wrote this Sapphic fantasy; it hits all the major dark academia, rivals falling in love tropes that have been popularized via Booktok. That being said, she definitely puts her own spin on it and it's an enjoyable read.

I tried to read this twice but I could not get a good grasp on the world so I was very lost. Unfortunately not a book for me but the cover is stunning!

This was a fun mystery. It felt like a Sapphic gothic emily wilde almost. I enjoyed the atmosphere. The store droned on a bit 75% through. I think i lost track of who the actual culprit was. Cute HEA though.

A Dark and Drowning Tide was a hazy, dreamlike adventure with a striking voice and cast. The wold building done is phenomenal and enticed me, and the further into the story I got, the more I found myself enraptured by Sylvia and Lorelei’s ongoing dynamic. I did find myself struggling to maintain a hunger for it through its second act, but I am so, SO thankful I did. The way this story fleshes out and concludes was so fulfilling in a way I did not expect from it. Overall, I liked the book— the evocative line-level writing and its characters most of all— but found trouble at times with the pacing. Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing what Allison Saft has in store in the future!

Unfortunately, I couldn’t bring myself to finish this book because I just couldn’t connect with the characters or the world-building. Right from the start, the heavy info-dumping made it hard to get into the story, leaving me feeling lost. The characters also lacked depth, making it difficult to stay engaged. I gave it multiple chances, hoping it would eventually draw me in, but the storyline never managed to hold my interest enough to keep going. While this book might resonate with other readers, it simply wasn’t for me.

I think this might just be my favorite Allison Saft book so far! This was everything it was promised to be–dark, atmospheric, beautifully written, suspenseful, and full of slow-burn yearning and angst. THIS is how academic-rivals-to-lovers should be done! This is a fantasy romance where the plot and romance could both stand completely on their own.

A wonderful fantasy novel brimming with mystery, folklore, and a slow-burning sapphic romance. The novel follows Lorelei Kaskel, a sharp-witted folklorist, as she joins an expedition in search of a legendary spring—only for a murder to derail their journey. I really enjoy Saft’s style of writing; enchanting and haunting.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Del Rey for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️: 4.25 / 5

Publication Date: September 17, 2024

I want to thank Daphne Press and Net Galley for allowing me to get an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Some of the coolest aspects of this story, was the German setting for this fairytale-esque story. I thought including a character with a Jewish background and the prejudices she faces was well done. Additionally, the building tension to the final reveal was done exquisitely.

As for my reservations, I found some of the reveals and motivations to be hard to believe. Along those lines as well, I wish there had been more development of some of the characters that would later become pivotal to the grand ending. The pacing also could have been better, in the sense that when a moment would build to an exciting reveal there would be a

Overall I liked this book! The yearning of our FMC for one of her rivals was palpable.

Would recommend for those who are fans of
- Linear timelines
- German setting
- Sapphic
- Fable inspired

⚠️ violence

I was given this arc for and honest review. I absolutely loved the the prose of this book going into it, but the attitude of the MFC had me struggling with the likability of the whole story. I loved the magic system, world building and creature lore but I really struggled with the MFC and that will typically be a defining feature in if I continue a book. The creature lore was my favorite thing.

I love this author with my entire soul, so getting approved was amazing, but it took me a while to read this because I would get confused from the language being used. But nonetheless I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book!

This was stupendous, full of folklore, competition, academia and adventure, this is exactly what I’ve been craving from Allison Saft ever since I started reading her books. (All of which I’ve absolutely loved)!
The book peaked my curiosity alone with its cover and blurb and I was hooked immediately from the first chapter. The addition of the murder mystery and the competitiveness, yearning and chemistry shared between Lorelai and Sylvia was what kept me engaged and thirsting for more. They were both brimming with fire and I was rooting for them so much.
This book was imaginative, engaging and immersive, something I get from every single Allison Saft book. This was wonderful.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is an entirely correct marriage of all the best bits of what is newest and most popular in the genre(s) today - we're talking dark, sapphic, unbridled ambition in the face of systemic oppression, a fun magic system rooted deeply in folklore - keep it coming and keep it interesting!

oh boy.. i struggled with this book so much.

i've adored everything that i've read from this author previously, so my expectations were as high as it would be for anyone going into a book written by an author that you've enjoyed before. sadly, i found that this was incredibly boring, and the main character was lowkey insufferable. i wish we had gotten at least one more POV, i think it would have balanced it out and added just a little something to the story that it desperately needed.

Amazon and Barnes & Noble review submitted
Blog Post goes live January 31st
Imgur link goes to Instagram post going live January 26th

**TL;DR**: This is one of those books I have to recommend if you love vibes - but also a twisty mystery.
**Source**: Netgalley - Thank you to the publisher!

**Plot**: Lorelei and Sylvia set out on an academic quest which quickly turns into a murder mystery.
**Characters**: I both loved and hated these characters in the best, well written way.
**Setting**: This whole book felt like an Edward Robert Hughes painting in my head. I loved it.
**Magic:** This whole book is very folklore focused, and feels that way, especially with the magic.

**Thoughts**:

A Dark and Drowning Tide is shockingly underhyped, at least based on what I expected. This book has all the Dark Academia, folklore vibes that fans of that trope and genre would love. Plus a fantastic angsty sapphic romance! How has this been missed by so many?

Lorelei lives in a city that hates her and her people. She is this world’s version of a Jewish, and the anti-semitism is everywhere in this world. She works hard to hopefully become a type of advisor to the king and elevate herself and one day her people. As part of her efforts to gain that favor she ends up going on a research expedition with her academic rival, their mentor, and a batch of unruly nobility.

My one complaint about this is that while the fantasy was beautiful and very strong here, the melding of real world issues and phrasing, it felt jarring. I wasn’t sure where we were meant to be, in an alternate fantasy real world or an entirely original one. Besides this I loved the complexity of our characters, the deeply fraught relationships, and the folklore magic.

This is one I think any Dark Academia Fantasy fan would enjoy. It’s engaging and immersive and it’ll keep you guessing till the end. A big yes from me, I even bought my own copy!

This was a fantastic book! I loved the world-building and the magic system. I loved Lorelei and Sylvia! The tension/ chemistry between the two of them was perfect! I loved the vibe of this whole book!

This was a fun book to read. I like the premise of the book and plot was fast and interesting. I liked the characters but I feel like these characters I read in another book. They were super fun to read about but I feel like there was something generic. I liked the world and the plot and the writing was really well done. Just the character made this a 3 star book for me. But I liked it overall!

I am very behind on this ARC review. I received it after release. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this one. The energy is perfect for fall/winter. I would’ve loved to have this book be a part of a duology or series. The world building and characters could have been built on so much than just one book.

Unfortunately, this one did not work for me. I requested this book because of the promised dark academia vibes, but it actually didn't involve academics whatsoever, despite a mention here or there of the characters having attended university. I didn't connect with the characters at all and found them all to be unlikeable, and not in a way that was fun to read about. The plot was too slow and failed to hold my interest, and the world building felt confusing. The final chapter also came out of nowhere and was not a satisfying conclusion whatsoever.

This book is everything. I wish I had the words to explain how much I loved A Dark & Drowning Tide. The longing!! The yearing!! The folklore!!