This book will be reviewed and featured on my instagram account : @emily_reads_everything. In addition, my goodreads account will have a starred rating, as well as one here. My GR account is linked in the profile of my instagram.

This is the first Allison Saft book I have ever not enjoyed. It took me over a week to finish 44% of this book and I just really struggled with wanting to pick it up. The writing is beautiful and the overall idea of the story is really intriguing. However, I was SO bored. There was so much info dumping that the chapters I read really dragged. I struggled with the pacing and world building. Everything felt really vague but also really bogged down at the same time and I couldn’t get a grasp on the magic system. Did everyone have magic? If not, how do the people that have magic have it? The characters also acted really immaturely for their age. They’re all adults and I was just screaming at them to communicate and talk things out like adults…

I am super disappointed because this was one of my most anticipated reads of the year.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have mad respect for Allison Saft and her ability to craft stories across various genres. Earlier this year, I loved A Fragile Enchantment, so I was thrilled to drive into A Dark and Drowning Tide. Unfortunately I had to throw in the towel with this one at 30%.

The writing starts off very prose-heavy and definitely throws an academic vibe, but it made it really hard for me to get in to the story. The pacing was slow and I wasn't intrigued by a lot of what was happening. I also had a hard time connecting to Lorelei, although Sylvia captured my interest, but after the first chapter, so sort of disappeared for awhile.

As for worldbuilding, I somewhat felt like I had a decent handle on the history and what was at stake, but there were hints of magic and creatures without really delivering a sure sense of what to expect in that regard.

Again, I have nothing but respect for Saft, this just was not a book for me.

I can’t express how much I loved this book. I will say it was a little strenuous getting into as I am not a lover of longer chapters, yet 20% in I was hooked with Saft’s beautiful writing and folklore intertwined within the story.
This story had everything my little fantasy heart desired. Sapphic romance? Yes. Dark academia atmosphere? Yes. Murder mystery? Yes.
The banter between the main characters, Lorelei and Sylvia, was one my favorite aspects of the book. They are truly the definition of opposites attract. I loved exploring the many layers of their character and what they stood for, what they dreamed of, and their own individual fears. If I had any complaints it would be that I greedily wanted more romance scenes between the two because I couldn’t get enough.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review! Will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this once it releases! I will also be posting my review publicly today and tomorrow on my socials! Links attached.

I wish this had worked for me. Parts of it did. the concept of these two characters and elements of their romance were compelling, but I feel like the world building and the side characters weren't strong enough to keep the pace from dragging and a few of the later plot decisions soured me even on the romance. I also found the insertion of folktales often happened at awkward moments, just when the pace should have picked up, and while I love a good folktale, I was irritated by almost all of the intrusions into the narrative and wondered why someone would be thinking in story form in moments of great duress.

In general, I struggle with secondary world fantasy that is set in worlds so directly parallel to ours, because the comparative lack of depth raises questions that pull me out of the narrative (also, in this case the use of the word alpine was very hard for me to absorb). I'd prefer either full second world where the parallels are inexact but your imagination can run free or an alternative history of our world where we call things what they are but include magic.

I had really wanted this to be something I could be excited to sell, and I'm sad it isn't, but I'm sure it will work for others where it didn't for me.

I love the way this book was written. Allison does a wonderful job of making her books feel magical. I enjoyed the characters and seeing their growth progress throughout the book. I love when main characters are flawed, and we see them grow and thrive despite it. I would absolutely recommend this book to our customers.

allison saft writing a sapphic dark fantasy about academic rivals to lovers? oh i’m sat.

the best part about reading ADADT was how beautifully crafted the world was and of course, the relationship between our mcs. from the stunning take on modern fairytales to the wonderful adventures of the two (painfully in love) mcs: lorelai (folklorist) and sylvia (naturalist). i haven’t read much sapphic fantasies but saft’s ADADT was just *chefs kiss*.

many thanks to random house publishing group & netgalley for the arc.

Lorelei Kaskel is venom-tongued, fiery tempered social outcast and misfit in her kingdom, her university, and her nonexistent social and professional circles. A reluctant folklorist under the wing of one of the King's chief advisors, Lorelei is in a state of constant exasperation with her mentor's other assistant, the the flighty, unserious, and infuriatingly attractive Sylvia von Wolff, princess of one of the King's conquered provinces. Unwillingly included in an expedition with Sylvia and other noble friends of the King on a quest to find the source of magic in the kingdom, Lorelei's mentor is murdered, leaving her in charge of the mission. Lorelei is suddenly stuck in unfriendly territory with at least one murderer amongst a group of people all looking for the source of magic that could create an unstoppable monster out of the person who reaches it first.

I loved A Dark and Drowning Tide. Loved it. Saft's adept mixture of dark fantasy, romance, intrigue, and murder mystery works beautifully with Lorelei's acerbic attitude and Sylvia's seemingly childlike naivete. Their character growth over the group's journey is as full of interesting twists and depths as Lorelei's investigation into the murder of her mentor.

More importantly, all the characters had their own motives and secrets, which made all the characters suspicious. It was wonderful to not actually know whodunit in a whodunit story before the final twists occurred. Added to the mix of murder, politics, and romantic angst is a backdrop of some terrifyingly unpredictable fairytale and folklore creatures who present their own dangers to the group. There were quite a few sub-plots and story threads to manage in this book, and Saft expertly wove them into a tale full of monsters, magic, and a satisfyingly witty enemies-to-lovers romance.

While I enjoy a good political-intrigue retelling of the fairy tale genre, this book takes that idea and adds moral complexities that make the whole story much more engaging. None of the characters are fully good or evil, and the horrors of decades of war, conquest, and discrimination all play a role in the themes underlying the pretty veneer of a new kingdom looking for the ultimate prize. Selfishness and selflessness, loyalty, love, family, and destiny all make things wonderfully messy and unpredictable for the reader, so the ultimate journey is never straightforward. Easily five stars: A Dark and Drowning Tide is an excellent read. I hope there's a sequel.

This was such a great fantasy! It had a lot of the elements that I enjoy. Darker/gothic and sapphic. The academic rivalry added fantastic tension between the characters. Murder mysteries aren't typically my favourite but the he creatures and curses added such a fun dynamic to the story.

I had a hard time trying to get invested in either the story or the characters. Everyone was so petty and melodramatic that they all felt a bit like copies of one another, and they read more like bickering tweens than adults and brilliant academics. Lorelei was noxiously unpleasant and being stuck in her head dragged down interest in the story. Her snappish, fairly hateful attitude toward Sylvia made for a difficult sell on their romance. I didn't feel they had any real chemistry.

There was a lot of info dumping about various locations and their customs, but I still come away not feeling like I really had any immersion in the world. I think there was just a little too much happening in the book, between political intrigue, a murder mystery, a quest for a magical spring.

That said, I did enjoy the elements of academia and the bits of folklore sprinkled throughout the book. Overall though this one just didn't quite work for me.

Gothic sapphic fantasy? Say less

I was ravenous for this book based on that alone, but there's also a murderer mystery! An Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail adventure! Little fairytales interspersed with the plot!

A group of young academics and children of conquered royalty embark on an expedition to find a mythical magic river for the king, but they've barely left when murder strikes. Who committed this crime? Was it the academic rival and elfin love interest Sylvia? The wealthy and beautiful Heike, who fancies herself the king's future wife? The racist and psychopathic soldier Johann? The affable but ambitious botanist Ludwig? The muscular and capable Adelheid, who everyone seems to be hot for?

I've been marathoning episodes of Murder, She Wrote lately (I will not accept any judgement), and while the plotlines are absurd and the murderers appear to be randomly picked from a hat, my Whodunit formula honed from a few seasons of that show helped me figure out the murderer here. Thank you, Jessica Fletcher.

All of the characters were unique and layered, particularly the villain (UNLIKE in Murder She Wrote episodes). And while I loved that the MC Lorelei was a tall butch Jewish bitch, Sylvia completely stole my heart. She was just so sweet and lovely! This relationship is peak grumpy/sunshine.

I'm not a fan of enemies-to-lovers because I don't like a relationship whose foundation is built on dislike, but I do sometimes enjoy rivals-to-lovers because rivalry usually involves mutual respect and shared talent. The academic rivals-to-lovers really worked for me here, partly because a lot of that antagonism seemed to be "oh no she's hot" and partly because Sylvia was just so *grabs heart, sighs adoringly*

"You're like something out of a nightmare." 10/10 love confession, no notes.

I enjoyed how the stakes became higher as the story progresses. The academic quest/field study turns into political power grab, which, HECK YEAH!! Love me some political intrigue. But this is also where it lost me a bit because I ended up sympathizing with the murderer? They wanted their region of the empire to regain independence. It's hard not to support that, even though their methods were violent and sort of "the ends justify the means." And then at the end, the MC and Sylvia just...prop up the king? Even though it's been made clear that he's not a great guy? No independence for anyone. All separatist movements are crushed. Because independence would mean instability and more wars, I guess. Idk.

4.5 ☆
A dark and Drowning Tide is a gorgeous gothic/cosy fantasy with a sapphic romance, magic, academic rivals, grumpyxsunshine and a lot more!!
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Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist, is on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring. The magical spring promises untold power, which the king wants to harness to secure his reign of the embattled country of Brunnestaad.
The expedition gets off to a harrowing start when its leader-Lorelei’s beloved mentor-is murdered in her quarters aboard their ship. The suspects are her five remaining expedition mates. The only person Lorelei knows must be innocent is her longtime academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff.
Now in charge of the expedition, Lorelei must find the spring before the murderer strikes again. As Lorelei and Sylvia grudgingly work together to uncover the truth-and resist their growing feelings for one another-they discover that their professor had secrets of her own.
Secrets that make Lorelei question whether justice is worth pursuing, or if this kingdom is worth saving at all.
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I loved everything about this book!!
The vibes are immaculate, and as a true lover of gothic and cosy fantasy I felt at home!
The writing is poetic, atmospheric and very vivid as well as all the characters. The plot begins in a very calm way but as the chapters scroll through the action and the tension begins to rise until the end.
Everything was truly perfect!
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Thanks to Netgalley, DelRey Books and the author for providing me with this ARC!
A Dark and Drowning Tide is coming out everywhere on September 17th, don’t miss it!

A lovely winding sapphic fantasy where magic and mystery wind you through a story of young adults trying to find their way and their place in a war-torn, divided world. With magical creatures and loveable characters, this book was a joy to read.
My only complaint is the pacing of the book. It felt like at times a lot would happen and then nothing would happen, making it feel disjointed for me.

First of all, I would like to thank Del Rey for giving me an advanced readers copy of A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft!

After a slow start with intricate worldbuilding, this book really kicks off with a murder mystery, mysterious characters, and interesting rivalries!

First off, Lorelei feels very real. Shes grown to hide in people's assumptions of her, she's blunt and rash, she's not doing okay, and yet she's driven to discover and be free. She has her flaws and I appreciate that.

I love how we get to see Lorelei slowly unfold her own trauma and grief.

I always love some in depth worldbuilding and while the first few chapters of the book felt just a little bit like an encyclopedia I really like the world that has been created. Mysterious magic, fae, folktales that may have a hint of truth to them. I also like the bit of political intrigue; greedy kings trying to take it all and different people fighting in support or lack thereof, as well as social hierarchies.

Wow. This book was wonderful. If I could try and describe this book in as few words as possible I would say it's like a sapphic murder-mystery fantastic beasts and where to find them! If the plot isnt enthralling enough to completely grasp you then you will be enamored by @allisonhsaft and her ability to create the most magical sounding creatures! I truly envy writers ability to create such mystical and magical creatures out of thin air!
You follow the story of Lorelei and Sylvia (as well as a band of entitled, rich, misfits) as they try and discover the location of a magical well-spring that may have the ability to help the king secure a safe and peaceful land for all. There are so many hidden themes of colonialism as well as bigotry as it relates to religious differences, there truly is something for everyone in this book. Not to mention, it has one of the best golden retriever/black cat romances I've read in quite some time.

Absolutely bravo! I would love for Allison to write more stories that dive into these magical beings ::hint::hint::

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

And on the sixth day, I read the very last page of A Dark and Drowning Tide. I'll admit that I tried my very best to take my time devouring this book. In this, you will meet Lorelei and Sylvia. Since the very beginning, of this book, we've known that they have an ongoing competition between each other to get a particular job.

Little did they know that this new adventure would bring them closer together. Closer than they ever imagined (or maybe they did, and it just took me (the reader) a while to get there). Either way, I quite enjoyed everything about this little mystery adventure.

The entire journey was entertaining from start to finish. I also liked getting to meet different creatures and learn more about the crew for this mission. When betrayal and murder came into the mix, I was quite surprised. Maybe even a little naive too, but I don't want to spoil anything.

In the end, I am really happy with how everything was revealed and carried out. The romance was a little cherry on top and something that left a smile on my face. I came for the fantasy and drama, and I was disappointed a bit. I look forward to my next book written by Allison.

Rivals to lovers will always be a million times better than enemies to lovers.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a dark fantasy story that borders on dark academia and romance, but it's full of whimsical magic and plenty of rivalries. I think a lot of the actual "lore" and histories for some of the folklore were lost on me, but if you like what I think is German folklore, you'll probably be less confused than I was.
I think the main issue I had with the book was the pacing. Given that this was described as a murder mystery-type adventure expedition, I was expecting a little more action. However, most of the book just seemed to be the characters insulting and accusing each other. The actual "mystery" aspect was very minimal, as was the adventure. While the plot picked up in the second half, there were only three scenes I genuinely enjoyed. That being said, the "big reveal" in this book was amazing, and I really enjoyed the tension following it. I sort of called the plot twist, but the reason I accused my guess was completely unrelated to actual reasons, and I still kind of got it wrong?
Besides the reveal, the character dynamics are the reason this book got a rating as high as it did. I'm a big fan of rivalries between all of the characters, and this book delivered on the tensions. However, I think it would have been more effective if I could actually tell the difference between half the characters because it took me nearly 50% of the book to know who was who. I didn't know much about Heike or Adelheid, so I don't have many comments. I thought Johann was kind of neat for no reason at all, and I started to appreciate Ludwig at the halfway point as well (and he ended up being my favorite, I guess?) As far as Lorelei and Sylvia go, I thought they were interesting, but I didn't love them. Their romance made sense; it just wasn't all that enticing to me, despite the rivals to lovers. I liked their backstories, but I was more intrigued by everyone except Lorelei and their combined histories.
For fans of academic rivals to lovers, gothic sapphics, and academic tensions, A Dark and Drowning Tide is an interesting read.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC!

3.5/5

I loved everything about this. The book is told entirely from Lorelai's perspective, and Lorelai's head is a wonderful vantage point for this story (and I feel like single POV books are becoming rarer). Lorelai feels real and is relatable. Her decisions are sometimes (often) frustrating, but her rationale is understandable. The slow-burn romance was also incredibly satisfying to read against the backdrop if a perfectly paced and plotted journey with many twists and turns. The worldbuilding was done well (both the folklore and tensions between factions aspects). This story has plenty of magic, tension, betrayal, intrigue, hauntingly, and tenderness. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys folklore, the rivals to lovers trope, and stories about naturalist expeditions.

allison saft’s A DARK & DROWNING TIDE is a marvel with rich folklore & worldbuilding along with a compelling romance, this story was one that swept me under its tide & didn’t let me go. i adored it’s exploration of the prejudice in fairytales & the healing power of love. ♡

I read A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft this year and what I adore about it is even more elevated in her adult debut A Dark and Drowning Tide: a unique magic system, addressing issues of class and identity, beautiful prose, and an enemies/rivals to lovers romance. A Fragile Enchantment was the light and hopeful book I was craving at the time, but A Dark and Drowning Tide is the dark celebration of haunted women that I so badly needed.

I think that Niamh from A Fragile Enchantment and Sylvia are very similar and would probably be besties. I very much appreciate how earnestly and joyfully they express themselves, but I was also grateful to experience someone like Lorelei’s POV (unfortunately especially because I relate to her a lot). Lorelei is an incredibly compelling and well-written character. She is a folklorist who believes that she’s doomed to misery, like a fairy curse from a story. She is consumed by bitterness–whether this is innate or the result of a tragic and cruel life, she can’t tell–and has learned to embrace her unpleasantness, though she fears that she will ruin the lives of anyone she cares about. Thank you Allison Saft for so lovingly portraying an androgynous neurodivergent sapphic with a big ol’ guilt complex.

I’ll admit that I was a bit distracted while reading this book, so while I thought the murder-mystery plot was a bit slow this could have been all in my head. I thought the romance was paced wonderfully; Lorelei gradually realizing that she’s not obsessed with Sylvia in a academically fueled hate kind of way but a gay kind of way is totally believable, highly entertaining, and has a well-earned payoff. I’m very obsessed with Sylvia telling Lorelei “You’re like something out of a nightmare” in a romantic way. This is kind of the best pickup line I’ve ever heard (quote taken from an eARC and may change but hopefully not because I’m going to think about it forever).

I’m excited to read Saft’s other books, and anything else she writes in the future is absolutely an auto-read for me. I can’t decide whether I want a sequel to A Dark and Drowning Tide to read more about the consequences of the expedition, or if I’m perfectly happy with the lovely fairytale ending. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the eARC of one of my new favorite books!