Firstly thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy.

I’ve been reading this book for what feels like weeks. I made it to 77% before ultimately deciding to DNF so here are my thoughts.

The initial premise sounded really intriguing. However I found the first chapter really set the tone for an extremely confusing and disconnected story. I kept reading because I didn’t want to judge based solely off the first chapter.

On paper this book has so many things that should work for me. Magical expeditions, murder, academic rivals, its sapphic, magical creatures. But unfortunately the writing didn’t bring these to life for me as much as I would have hoped.

At 77% I don’t feel as though I know anything about the characters except surface level information. Even the main character whose head we are in, we get glimpses of her past and see how she’s dealt with some tragic moments in life but they didn’t have any emotion to them. It felt like an almost cold and clinical assessment of her past. I genuinely can’t even remember a single moment of her backstory that illicited any feelings.

Also the side characters were extremely lacking. The professor / mentor type person of this expedition gets murdered fairly early in and I was excited to be suspicious of and conflicted about all the side characters and I just was never given the opportunity to do so. Through Lorelei’s eyes we never get those moments of investigation outside of her searching the dead professors room a few times. It’s all just supposition in her head “what if so and so did this” “what if so and so is the killer!? It’s probably not anyone else so it must be them” it’s actually very lack luster in terms of actually investigating anything.

Meanwhile this half rent investigation in going on their also looking for this magical spring with the source of all magic and even the magic and magical creatures along the way felt truly boring. We’d encounter a creature and get 3 sentences of description before Lorelei or Sylvia would be like “oh this is ______ and here’s exactly how to deal with it.” And then we just move on. We don’t get enough description of creatures or the world itself. I can’t picture anything about this world itself.

There was also lots of rambling about political tension and kings and dukes and ladies. But none of it felt connected to the main characters just something they brought up for the sake of (boring) tension. Like it didn’t feel integrated into the plot more like a mandatory thing they had to talk about.

There was something about the writing style that made all of these plot elements feel really disjoined and not at all cohesive. I felt like if you removed the political plot, the story is the same. If you leave the politics and remove the murder plot, the story is the same. If you keep both of those and leave the search for the magical spring out, the story is the same.

Nothing felt connected.

I’m really bummed about this one because it felt like it would give me similar feelings as Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries with the academic aspect being meshed with magical creatures but unfortunately it was a let down for me for all of these above mentioned reasons.

I do think this book has an audience out there but unfortunately that is not me.

I think if you’re someone who’s extremely new to fantasy and just want to dip your toes into magic this would be a great bridge for you.

4.5 stars rounded up!

This was a brilliantly executed, beautifully written standalone fantasy with a slow-burn, academic rivals-to-lovers sapphic romance, a dark academia vibe, a magical quest, a murder mystery, and lots of magical creatures.

The main FMC in this story is Lorelei Kaskel, who is one of the few Yevani (a Jewish-coded group of people who face the kind of discrimination that Jews in Europe had been long subjected to) who has had the opportunity to study at the prestigious Ruhigburg University, under the tutelage of the esteemed Professor Zeigler. Now, she is tasked by Zeigler with leading an expedition to find the Ursprung, a spring that is said to be the source of all magic in the world. And who must she lead? A group of nobles who want nothing to do with a Yevani, and are even less enthused to take orders from her. Among this group is the bold, brash, and beautiful Sylvia von Wolff, who has long been Lorelei's academic rival, and who herself comes from a disgraced province that once rebelled against the king. However, as soon as the expedition begins, Zeigler is murdered. Now, Lorelei must not only continue the expedition, but also find Zeigler's murderer among a group of people whom she cannot trust and who do not trust her. As they embark on their journey, tensions rise, magical creatures get in their way, and a rivarly begins to turn into something else entirely.

The world feels very 1800's Austria inspired, with lots of interesting characters, character dynamics and relationships, and intriguing world politics. For all the elements involved in this story, I was astonished that it came in at a tight 367 pages, and I was equally impressed with the way Allison Saft handled her exposition. I never once felt like I was thrown into an exposition dump, and reveals happened very naturally. Did this occasionally lead me to be a bit confused for a few pages? Yes. But it was never overwhelming and I would always find my bearings pretty quickly. I much prefer this way of worldbuilding to having to read through pages and pages of infodumping. The world was also incredibly atmospheric, with a very easy-to-grasp magic system and a variety of fun magical creatures that presented interesting complications throughout the story.

Allison Saft's character work in this book is extremely well-done. Lorelei is a gruff, hardened character on the outside, but we soon see that this facade hides a lonely, guilt-ridden, and deeply loyal and sensitive heart. Through Lorelei's experiences and her complicated dynamic with Sylvia, as well as the politics of this world, the story makes a powerful commentary on the nature of prejudice, the corruption of power, and what it means to protect those you love and fight to maintain your own identity in a world that doesn't readily accept you.

The romance in this book was so well-done as well. It was a slow-burn pulled off perfectly, and the dialogue and the tender/slightly sexy scenes were SO well-written.

I absolutely loved this book! If anything, it could even have been longer and I would have still loved it, as it would have given a little more time for some initial character development at the beginning of the story, which is a VERY rare thing for me to say about a fantasy book!

I am thoroughly impressed, and I would highly recommend Allison Saft's wonderful adult fantasy debut to anyone looking for a perfect fall read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Allison Saft for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

"A Dark and Drowning Tide" by Allison Saft is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy and romance that draws readers into a world rich with magic and intrigue.

The story follows Lorelei, a fierce folklorist whose quest for a fabled spring becomes a thrilling investigation after the shocking murder of her mentor. Saft expertly crafts a slow-burn romance between Lorelei and her academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff, while weaving in themes of trust, ambition, and the complexities of justice.

The lushly imagined setting, filled with dangerous creatures and shifting landscapes, enhances the tension and stakes, makes for a captivating read. With characters you'll both love and love to hate this book is a satisfying and thought-provoking journey slow-burn fantasy readers will love. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

After enjoying Saft’s previous titles, I was looking forward to this sapphic academic rivals to lovers. Unfortunately, the story was all vibes and seriously lacking in storytelling. I went in expecting a quest but ended up with a chaotic whodunit with random folklore tales and a cast of maddening and irredeemable characters.

Saft writes atmosphere well, but when it came to actually telling the story, everything felt disjointed and clunky. The cast of characters was quite large and none of the characters had depth, which left me feeling unattached and uninvested.

I was so looking forward to the folklore, but instead of bolstering the overall story with history and magical tales, Saft threw in brief tales and monsters that didn’t tie things together and frankly, left me frustrated. Saft wrote in a way where it was assumed the reader understood the history and magic of this realm.

Sadly, this book did not land for me and it took forever to get through because I was so frustrated with the characters and Saft’s inability to stay on point and tell the story.

Dnfed at 30% Not feeling engaged or connected to the characters, or the main character, Lorelei. I thought it was an adventure story, not a closed door mystery with an amateur playing detective. Lorelei spends too much time inside her own head and the characters are so estranged from each other that that disconnect is coming through for me as the reader as well. The magic system is vague and the hostilities between the group seem to come from shallow places and nothing well founded, at least not that I have encountered on page. Sadly will not continue this book, but would consider picking up more by the author in the future.

I was truly hooked from the beginning, enemies to lovers trope, whimsy sapphic story. I will say the pacing was a bit off and it fell a little short at the end. The main characters were believable, the concept and overall plot was intriguing but the ending left me wanting more. It was kind of a let down when they gave up and did this whole journey to not have a strong ending. Thank you for the opportunity!

I felt that A Dark and Drowning Tide had a lot of potential, but didn’t fully live up to it.

Where I enjoyed this book was in how Allison incorporated real world history into her world building and how she tackled antisemitism through a fantasy lens. I found this incredibly timely given its real world rise in recent months.

However, the atmosphere and moody vibes I have come to associate with Allison’s work was missing in this book. In fact, at times the folklore incorporated into the story felt almost pedantic. Furthermore, it felt like the book couldn’t decide if it was a murder mystery or a romance. At different times, it seemed as if one of the key aspects of the story was discarded with focus shifting to the other aspect which made pacing feel incredibly choppy.

In A Dark and Drowning Tide, Allison Saft delivers a delightful blend of murder mystery, folklore, and sapphic romance, set against the backdrop of a magical world teeming with danger and intrigue. Fans of slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance and richly detailed fantasy settings will find themselves captivated by this enchanting tale of ambition, secrets, and survival.

Saft excels at some elements of world-building, creating a lush and immersive environment where rivers are guarded by creatures, forests shift unpredictably, and magic lurks at every turn. The kingdom’s political unrest, tied closely to the expedition’s quest, adds another layer of urgency and intrigue to the plot, as the characters must contend with both external threats and the looming danger of a coup back home.

The murder mystery itself is a well-crafted puzzle, though it does falter at times. Each of Lorelei’s companions has their own motives, and Saft’s character development ensures that no one feels like a mere plot device. As Lorelei and Sylvia reluctantly team up to uncover the murderer’s identity, the growing tension between them – both in terms of their rivalry and their attraction – is one aspect of the novel that is good, but could do with a little improvement to make it truly great. Their relationship is full of sharp dialogue, tender moments, and a chemistry that sparks from their very first scene together, but it never reaches the heights that one feels it could.

Where the book truly shines is in its exploration of justice, loyalty, and the weight of ambition. Lorelei’s internal struggle – to prove herself worthy as both a scholar and a naturalist, while also confronting her mentor’s complicated legacy – grounds the story in a deep emotional arc. Saft beautifully balances this personal journey with the sweeping external stakes of the expedition, offering readers both a gripping adventure and a heartfelt romance.

However, there are moments where the pacing feels uneven, particularly as the middle of the book focuses heavily on Lorelei and Sylvia’s budding relationship and the slow unravelling of the mystery. While these sections offer rich character development, some readers may wish for a bit more action or forward momentum in the expedition itself. The story’s conclusion, however, more than makes up for these lulls, delivering a thrilling and emotionally satisfying finale that leaves the characters and their world forever changed.

Overall, A Dark and Drowning Tide is a gorgeously atmospheric read, perfect for fans of dark academia and gothic fiction who appreciate slow-burn mysteries wrapped in dark, lyrical prose. While the pacing may falter in places, Allison Saft’s storytelling is equal parts heart and adventure, and her deft handling of complex relationships, mysteries, and magic makes this book a rewarding journey from start to finish.

Lorelei and her academic rival join an expidition ordered by the King to find a fountain of magic. Most members of the expidition are friends with relationships forged by violence and blood. When something happens to the expedition’s leader, Lorelei knows the king will make her a scapegoat and likely punish her people unless she can find the culprit.

I loved all the magical creatures in this world, and the sapphic yearning was well done. But I wasn’t swept away by the story. However, I think this will be very popular and I will be recommending it to my followers. It just wasn’t for me.

I'm sorry but it's you and not me this time. I really didn't enjoy what I read of this book. It was convoluted and hard to follow with all of the characters that were dropped in the first 30% of the book. I'm sure this is up someone's alley but nothing about it really made me want to keep reading.

There were many unique elements to this story. The German folklore undertones and the dark academia murder mystery was so great. I loved the romance between Sylvia and Lorelei and the different tensions between the various members of the friend group. The world building was so much fun! The author gives the reader enough information to understand what’s going on but not so much that you feel bogged down.

As much as I enjoyed a lot of the different parts of this story, I unfortunately did not love the plot itself as much as I wanted to. I found the pacing to be a bit slow for most of the middle and I ended up skimming a bit. I think that this unique story will find a lot of fans and I will continue to read everything Saft publishes because I think she is such a talent.

I'm not a big fantasy reader and can tell right away if a fantasy novel will be for me. Sadly, I didn't click well with this one despite it having one of my favorite tropes, academic rivals. I did love the strong female characters in the book, the German inspirations, and the discussion of anti-Semitism. The cover is also incredible amazing!! But the pace of A Dark and Drowning Tide was just too slow for my somewhat fantasy-averse self.

DNF'd at 51%

I REALLY wanted to like this one, especially after seeing all the good reviews and everyone else loving it. But it just could not hold my attention and this is my third time attempting to pick it up and read it so I think it is safe to say that I should DNF while I am ahead. I did listen to about 50% of the book but I could not tell you a single thing that was going on or an ounce of the plot.

This is has nothing to do with the writing, author, or anything else! It just was not the fit for me right now. Who knows, maybe I will come back to this and try again? But for right now it will regrettably have to be put on my DNF shelf : (

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Lorelei and her academic rival Sylvia must work together to figure out who is behind the murder of their expedition leader. The more they uncover about the history of the kingdom and the fabled spring they're looking for, the more they wonder whether they've been lied to the entire time, Overall, this had potential but the pacing was a bit slow and may have benefitted from a dual POV. Readers interested in folklore and lyrical writing may like this one.

Overall I really enjoyed this. As Emmaskies wrote in her review "yearning is so back, baby." And boy is it. The only thing I didn't love about this book is that at times it felt as though the pacing was a little too slow and I found myself bored, not enough to not keep reading, but it definitely felt like a drag at parts. But overall, I did really enjoy it

“How would you like to be extraordinary?”

This book feels like a breathing, living thing. The writing is brilliant and atmospheric and the characters are vibrant, and realistic and serve as a beautiful character study of humanity.

Right when i read the description, I knew this book would check all of my boxes. How can you go wrong with a sapphic, dark academia novel stemmed in magic? This book features elements of found family and a murder mystery. The characters are far from perfect and honestly at times they made choices that made me want to scream but who am I to fault them for being human- or something adjacent. They are all very different, coming from severely contrasting backgrounds but tragedy brought them together and even as adults, it doesn’t relent.

Sylvia is my favorite character, and more than just a love interest, she is a complex individual who will do anything for those she cares about. Loreli hates Sylvia. She sees her as competition, as the one barrier between her and her dreams and yet she can’t stop thinking about her. She yearns for her. This book does enemies to lovers perfectly. There are twists you won’t see coming and the violence, the bloodshed, the pure lust will make it impossible to put this one down.

I DNFed this book at 40%. I haven't read any other Allison Saft books, but a good friend loved "A Far Wilder Magic", and the premise of this sounded promising, so I was excited and ready for a new 5 star authors. Alas, the writing in this was beautiful and very enjoyable, and the premise should have been fun. But I just ended up so bored reading this that I didn't want to keep picking it up. Maybe this was not the best book of hers to start on, and I'll probably try another in the future, but this was a miss for me.

This book is the way to a folklore enthusiast’s heart and perfect for those who can’t get enough of yearning romances. Every chapter had me hooked and I hope I get to see more of Lorelei and Sylvia. Thank you to Del Rey publishing for the arc and one of my best reads this year.

This had a lot of things I love in a book. An epic journey, enemies to lovers, magic, and mythology. The reason I rated it a 4 instead of a 5 was I felt like we needed more passion in Sylvia and Lorelei’s relationship once they got together. There was a lot of angst and longing from a distance with no pay out of their time together.

I really enjoyed the magical system and the idea of a physical source of where the magic comes from and all the mythical creatures we meet along the journey! I felt like it was a mesh of treasure planet and stardust and I really enjoyed this read all together!

DNF @13% - I was super hyped for this book so it pains me to say I DNF’d it. However, there is just something about the writing that keeps me from actually registering what is happening. My brain just glosses over everything. This hurts me so much!