Member Reviews

ever since hearing about this book being published, i’ve been patiently waiting to get my hands on it and devour this story and it’s safe to say this was everthing i’ve expected and more - gorgeous prose, fleshed-out characters with complex dynamics and an utterly magical setting. “a dark and drowning tide” has definitely won its place among my favourite reads of 2024 because it’s imply that good.

i’ve read saft’s other works, save for “down comes the night” and i’ve enjoyed the writing style quite a lot, but i feel like this one is her best book, hands down. i cannot complain about a single choice the author made in regards to the writing style or the dialogue. i loved reading from the mc’s perspective - i think she’s brilliant as a narrator. the atmosphere of the book was also phenomenally crafted, with just the correct combination of action and descriptive passages, so i was never bored nor did the book feel too info-dumpy. the places the characters had to visit were outlined so well that i could imagine how everything looked and i loved the addition of folklore tidbits - i think those really tied it all together.

i loved both lorelei and sylvia as main characters - they were a perfect duo in my opinion. they completed and complimented each other quite well, but i don’t think they were enemies at all, maybe rivals at best. so don’t start reading the book thinking you will get true “enemies to lovers” because that’s not the case.

lorelei was such a complex character and i think the book being told from her pov was a good choice. she’s somewhat nihilistic and i liked watching her evolved as the story unfolds. she’s a strong, resilient character, but she’s still flawed and human. sylvia is quite literally the human version of a ray of sunshine. she’s such a fun characters and it was wonderful to watch her enthusiasm run off on lorelei. the side characters were also well-crafted and interesting to read about.

overall, “a dark and drowning tide” is a wonderfully written book, with an amazing cast of characters and an unique magic system. i loved reading this novel and i will definitely pick up the author’s future works.

Was this review helpful?

This book speaks to those who love dark fantasy, dark fairytales, and folklore. It’s the type of moody fantasy that I love.

A sharp tongued folklorist must team up with her academic rival to solve their mentors murder during their expedition. This is a book filled with magic, mystery, and a sapphic romance. There’s dangers creature, shapeshifting beasts, and more.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is riveting and complex. I found the characters to be compelling, especially our two FMCs. We follow Sylvia von Wolff and Lorelei Kaskel from Lorelei’s third person perspective. These women struggle to solve their mentors murder, while attempting to navigate their relationship.

The growth we see amongst Sylvia and Lorelei is captivating. Throughout the book, they are tested time and time again forcing to trust their rival. Lorelei is deeply insecure, but incredibly confident. She doubts her goodwill and motives constantly, struggling with the actions of her past. Something I can really relate to.

I loved how complex and relatable each character was. It wasn’t too far fetched to think this dynamic truly exists. Truly loved it.

Thank you NetGalley, Del Rey Books, and Allison Saft for this ARC.

Was this review helpful?

this book reminded me why i love reading.

from the very first page i was drawn into a world, so fleshed out, i truly believe it could’ve been one of those multiple movie series. immediately, i fell in love with the main character, lorelei, and her academic rival, sylvia von wolff. the writing pulled the whole story together - it took my hand and drew me on this magical adventure, where i was in awe at every turn as i discovered more of the fascinating world. the beautiful prose painted such a clear picture of everything going on - this is what people mean, when they say that reading is like watching a movie in your head.

this is coming from someone who is very picky when it comes to fantasy books, but i loved the magic system so much. the way it took elements from folklore and fairytales and incorporated them all into the story made for a realm that i loved exploring, alongside the characters. the journey this book took me on!! this could very well be a fairytale on its own.

at no point did i know what was going to happen next and i loved it. this was just the perfect mixture of an adventure expedition and a murder mystery. the pace worked great throughout the entire book and at no point did i feel bored, and the climax was absolutely insane. *i* felt as if i was going insane. especially because i came to grow so fond of the characters. their separate personalities were amazing and i fell in love with them, but their dynamics and the tension between them? i might finally truly understand why slow burn is so well loved. i thought i understood it before, but this is next level. i love these babies so much, i was tossed on a rollercoaster of emotions ranging from joy in my heart to unbearable pain.

i had to physically stop myself from reading this book multiple times. i was going absolutely insane reading it, and didn’t want it to be over, but also just had to keep on reading. once i’d finished it, i found myself opening my kindle, hoping to continue reading it, only to realise that i couldn’t.
[c]this might be the perfect book.

this is the best book i read in 2023, and even as i’m writing this review months later (i was struggling to find the right words and i’m a procrastinator at heart) everything is clear in my mind, and my love for this book hasn’t faded one bit. i am not one for rereading, but i’d make an exception for this, if only so i could have an excuse to buy a physical copy of this gorgeous book. i can’t wait until the rest of the world gets their hands on this book.

thank you to netgalley for providing me with an e-arc of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I can see how others will love this one but honestly it wasn’t the book for me. I might pick it up at some other time and change my mind about it but for now it’s a no.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 Stars! How does allison saft do it everytime!? One chapter in and I'm loving it already. Its so dreamy. The worldbuilding is stunning.
Enemies to lovers but they're actually in love with each other but they're both too blinded (and stubborn) to realize it. God, this was incredible. You get so lost in the crazy, whimsy, magical world.
I don't want to compare books and authors but if you want to know if you'll like this, it reminds me a bit of Holly Black's writing in the Elfhame world where you just get completely lost and engrossed in the world. It's like you're drinking faerie wine and you're eyes are fuzzy but you can't stop sipping from the glass.

Was this review helpful?

I was excited to read this because, duh, Allison Saft!
What stood out to me the most was the imagery that was crafted. Beautifully dark and rich with folklore.

I was surprised that the love interest were both female. My fault for not looking at the categories it was under. The romance took a backseat to the plot though.

Nonetheless I wish we got Sylvia’s POV to see the difference mindsets since Lorelei is so grumpy and Sylvia is the opposite.

Overall I loved the atmosphere, third person POV, characterizations, the journey, magic system.
Thanks NetGalley for providing this ARC

Was this review helpful?

I was granted access to this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you liked A study in drowning and emily wilde’s encyclopedia of faeries, then you will like this book! I love Allison Saft, she is one of my highly anticipated authors and I strive to get my hands on everything she releases. This book was a little different though. I felt that my understanding of the world was weak, because I don’t know a lot about mythical creatures. They were talking about things that i still don’t quite understand, which goes in to her showing a lot but not elaborating more into it. the worldbuilding felt the opposite, as more telling than showing. Other than that, I liked the mystery of the plot and the betrayals! and the sapphic slow burn academic rival romance? AMAZING.

Was this review helpful?

I LOVED this book so much. The rivalry and romance were beautifully written, and the folklore was lovely just like the dark-academia setting with sapphic love and mystery/fast-pace made it hard to put down to the point I finished it within a day.

Was this review helpful?

This is absolutely flawless. I hang on Allison Saft’s every word. The romance in this is so tender. The plot kept me so engaged. But the writing? That’s where it truly shines. Immaculate sapphic dark academia.

Was this review helpful?

The language used in this book was fantastic. I liked the writing style, I thought it was intelligent yet easy to understand. The actual story itself was fantastic.

Was this review helpful?

Lorelei and Sylvia are two educated rivals on an expedition with their leader and other eccentric nobles to track down the magical well that's supposed to be the source of all magic. The expedition takes a dark turn when the leader, Lorelei's mentor, is mysteriously murdered. The rivals must team up to solve the murder while also continuing the expedition for such an important artifact. Little do either lady suspect their rivalry will turn into something deeper.

A Dark and Drowning Tide was such a lushly built world steeped in folklore, fantasy worldbuilding, Jewish coded characters, a class system that only love can overcome, and one amazing murder mystery. This romantasy really did have everything I could have asked for. It was a bit dark and spooky, emotionally gripping and the adventure really kept me hooked to the pages. I really enjoyed the pacing of the attraction between Lorelei and Sylvia. They are two such opposite people but with so much in common in the end. I could not put this book down! I'm afraid of giving too much detail and accidentally spoiling something, so let's just say you HAVE to read this book!

**Thank you Netgally for approving my request for the ARC.

Was this review helpful?

This book has a really amazing world. Saft’s world building is always incredible, but something I did not enjoy as much with this one was the characters. Particularly the main character. She has plenty of reason to act the way she does, but there were so many moments when I was just so frustrated by her and it ended up taking me out of the story.

Was this review helpful?

If I ever stop talking about this book assume I am dead. Allison Saft has an uncanny ability to cut straight to the heart of me with every character she writes. Her world building skill never ceases to amaze me. I look forward to anything and everything she writes in the future. Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher!!

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book by Saft that I have read, and honestly, I think she’s a master at writing wonderful magic systems and pining romances. 🥰

The book follows Lorelei, a folklorist, as she tries to solve the murder mystery of her beloved advisor on a expedition to find the source of magic. I thought Lorelei was a wonderfully written protagonist. She’s cold, but deeply cares about the people she loves; and aloof, but deeply wants to be accepted. Her characterization as a Jewish coded character was perfectly done in my opinion, and greatly shows the struggles that she had in a newly founded country whose folk tales are set up to cast her as a villain. I also found her inability to see Sylvia’s pining for her rather adorable as she’s so oblivious to it. 💙

Sylvia as her rival and love interest was the complete opposite of Lorelei: emotionally intelligent, optimistic, and bubbly. I loved these two’s banter when they were together, and seeing Lorelei slowly fall for this ethereal woman. I can see why Lorelei was ready to hate Sylvia and what her status stood for, but man do I love a love story that defies social status. 🥰

The world building Saft did for this book was wonderfully done. The German cultural influences were spot on, and I loved when different folk tales were used as commentary for different events in the story. The water magic was also quite intricate, though I did find myself wishing to get more of a history behind its uses and how it spread to the people of Brunnestaad. 💦

All in all, I had a fantastic time with this German folktale inspired adult romantasy! Definitely for those who are interested in Jewish coded stories, that deals with the concept of us vs. them, and how to overcome drowning grief that haunts you. 💧

Big thank you goes out to Del Rey Books and NetGalley for accepting my request for this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Allison Saft, for a fantastic adult debut! ✨

Publication date: September 17! 🖤

Overall: 4.75/5 ⭐️

Was this review helpful?

My thanks to NetGalley and DelRay for the ARC of Allison Saft’s A Dark and Drowning Tide.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Set in a fantasy world, it begins as an adventure, in which a group of scientist and explorers are seeking a magical spring. That will give great power to anyone who finds it. This is called the Ursprung. Two of the people on the expedition, or Sylvia and Lorelei, who initially hit each other the others in the group or each members of powerful families in the kingdom. The leader of the expedition is a very famous explorer who has trained Lorelei, and made her her second in command. when a couple of days into their journey, Lorelei discovers their leader, murdered Lorelei and Sylvia have to team up to figure out who killed her. At the same time the mission to find the Ursprung still continues during the process Lorelei and Sylvia also shift radically from their initial hatred for each other to affection, and eventually deep desire. Their emerging romance occurs against the backdrop of a murder, mystery, and an adventure plot. I won’t say more for fear, ruining the ending or more of the smaller details of the plot.

The writing in this narrative is for the most part fine. It’s clear and the pop moves along fairly briskly. I did initially have difficulty getting invested, and Sylvia and Lorelei. I didn’t really understand where their hatred came from. It would’ve helped me as a reader, if the author had given a more clear indication of what caused that earlier on, I found myself wondering if it was jealousy, or if something happened between them, and that information doesn’t come out for quite some time as a result I at first pick this book up and started reading it months ago, and then put it down because I got frustrated. When I picked it up again, I read through the end and found that I actually quite liked it. It’s got a good premise, and is very clever with some of the choices. It makes as a fantasy novel. Adding the murder mystery to it, and the powerful women characters. Also made for a refreshingly original fantasy fiction read. Honestly, not my personal favorite book. I’ve ever read in this genre, but I acknowledge the originality for the others doing here, and I think many people will like it.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

A dark academic sapphic rivals to lovers romance. This book had folklore and fairytales brimming from its very pages. With clear nods to the Jewish heritage and the biases placed against them, along with the classic dynamic of one of the main characters thinking they are not worthy of love, while their love interest is brimming- and very willing to give them- that love, this book was delightful.

A brooding, lovely romance with plenty of magic and adventure (and betrayal). Definitely recommend!

Was this review helpful?

I would like to preface what I'm about to say with I am Jewish, from my research I believe Allison Saft to also be Jewish, and if I cold give this book a non-rating so it doesn't effect the average, I would.

I DNFed this book around the 15% mark. I went into this believing it to be a fantasy story about an expedition team, sapphics, and fae folklore. I was not expecting to be constantly bombarded with Jewish trauma and WWII era Germany. I'm not saying this to or against the author--I'm sure they felt they had a reason to add this part of the story in, but for me I'm genuinely tired of Jewish trauma, the goblin stereotype, seeing Jewish characters relegated to bankers/lenders, and seeing Jews once again living in policed ghettos. I have found so so few books out there that showcase Jewish joy, and reading yet another book that has Jewish-coded characters that are constantly suffering, being discriminated, and having to prove their human worth to their oppressors has me exhausted.

I'm sure the book is lovely. I enjoyed parts of it for sure, but this constant story thread and the anti-Semitism being shown on page just made me feel so uncomfortable. I'm sure there are many other Jews that can read and enjoy this story. I'm sad I'm not one of them.

Was this review helpful?

You had me at gothic romance and the cover.

This was my first sapphic book and first book I've read by Allison. I didn't really know what to expect going into this but wow was I drawn in within the first few sentences. The way the words are written are beautiful, I can't even describe it. It's taking descriptions into a whole new level for me.

I absolutely loved the main characters. Lorelei was so amazing probably one of my favorite characters I've read recently.

Everything about this book is beautiful I did however, feel a bit lost sometimes. This is likely a me problem but I wish there was a tad more handholding on the lore aspect.

This is an easy 4.5 star read for me.

~Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.~

Was this review helpful?

✨Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a copy for an advanced reading and my honest review✨
4.5⭐️- A Dark and Drowning Tide:
The cover is what drew me in, but I stayed for the story. A very quick, easy read this book left me wanting more to Lorelei and Sylvia’s story (Talk about a Yin and Yang pairing). It really gave a Wednesday Addams and Enid Sinclair vibe.
If you like gothic, sapphic, romance-fantasy books with some folklore sprinkled in that is also a murder mystery- this is it!
I like that the story steered me one way, but then suddenly all was revealed and I was way off! I really thought I had it figured out, but then again I’m no detective.
I liked the banter between the characters, but at times they are ruthless with their words. They’re all pretty stubborn characters, but Lorelei feels she has the most to prove due to her upbringing, and at times she was pretty insufferable.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book (first from this author) so I’m excited for the release and next book!

Was this review helpful?

I was quite ill when I began reading this book and it took a bit to get really into it. Once I did get into it - WOW! The story of two such opposites and their beautiful and terrifying world really made me love them both. When reading this get ready for an exciting murder mystery plot. I would love to read more about Lorelei and Sylvia together going on another adventure. Upon finishing this I felt really happy. Also the romance is 🔥.

Was this review helpful?