this was such a good read!!! i really enjoyed the world building & plot setup. Lorelai and Sylvia’s rivals-to-lovers energy was so tense (and so good)!! I think Lorelai was a very well fleshed out character, with her being & understanding of the world firmly rooted in folklore.

i agree with some other folks that the ending was a little rushed! i enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book more than the last third. i think it could’ve had about 50-100 more pages!! i really enjoyed the world and characters though and hope we get more in this universe. it reminded me of the Grishaverse!

thank you to the author, publisher, and netgalley for a free copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review 💜

Like many of Allison Saft’s books, this one also left me wanting. It was a decent story, but just didn’t feel complete. The whole story took place over what seemed like about 5 days spanning probably several weeks. There just wasn’t a whole lot of meat to it. What was there, I did enjoy - hence my giving it 3 stars instead of less. It was also pretty slow and the main character, Lorelei, is just sooo unlikeable. I couldn’t relate to her in anyway, she just seemed to hate everyone and there was little character development for her of the other characters.

Spoiler ahead


If you get to the point in the book that Lorelei and Sylvia become some kind of a “thing,” the writing style takes a weird shift. Like there is no discussion of romance throughout the book until Sylvia declares her love and then it’s like a desperate reach for smut and then it immediately disappears again.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing my an e-copy of the book in exchange for my review.

Where do I even begin? A Dark and Drowning Tide is built upon a complex world with magic and enchantment that is alluring and exciting! She manages to create a complex fantasy world with politics, fantastical creatures and lore and NOT make it confusing! While reading I fell in to step with her world with ease and immediate interest.
P.S. her vocabulary is 🤌
🥀
A Dark and Drowning Tide is fantasy, dark academia, mystery and sapphic romance wrapped into one; so it’s everything you could ever want! The FMC is brooding and skeptical with a haunting past. An unlikely team is assembled by the king to discover and study a powerful source of magic. Outside the walls of the city, where magical creatures run wild and there are dangers around every bend…what could go wrong?

A sharp-tongued folklorist must pair up with her academic rival to solve their mentor's murder in this lush and enthralling sapphic fantasy romance from the New York Times bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic.

This was everything I wanted it to be and more. The characters, the setting, the world-building--everything was so well done and so atmospheric. I could not put it down.

allison saft i truly need to kiss ur mind immediately
this book is her adult debut and it was written beautifully and it did not disappoint, the plot was paced very nicely and well developed with mounts of secrets and betrayals with a lot of twists and turns. i enjoyed the folklore stories and the magic system and all the creatures that were mentioned, the world building was balanced perfectly, everything was done and executed beautifully! lorelei and sylvia have my heart. loreleisylvia we love u. they were excellent and brilliant, the banter, the academic rivalry, the slowburn, the sheer secret pining and yearning for each other's company...was insane. sapphic excellence!! lorelei was my absolute favorite i adore her dearly my little silly kitten that i need to protect and put inside my pocket shes so loved.

thank you netgalley and random house publishing group for providing me with this arc.
a dark and drowning tide comes out in September 2024, so make sure to add it to your tbr!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Del Rey and NetGalley for this ARC of A Dark and Drowning Tide! The cover alone took my breath away and I was so excited to read this. This was so beautifully written and I really enjoyed the general atmosphere of this book. I love all the academics and I love the magic, and this was such a good read that covers so many important topics in such a well-written way. I especially loved Lorelai and Sylvia. I'll be thinking about this book for a while!

4.5 stars.

First I would like to start by saying that I love the cover, but unfortunately the old adage of you can’t judge a book by its cover is true for me with this one. It’s hard for me to say exactly why I did not like the book. Was it the characters? I did not like the main character and, except for Sylvia, it seemed the others were just thrown together. Was it the setting? It seemed like Europe but it wasn’t. Perhaps there should have been more world building? I also felt there were things not completely clear such as the magical abilities (does everyone have them?) and politics. I did like the folktales that were woven into the story. It was difficult to finish, but I did it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the ARC of the ebook.

"Lorelei's Quest" by Allison Saft unfolds a captivating narrative that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, mystery, and romance. In a world filled with magical springs, slumbering dragons, and forests with a mind of their own, Lorelei Kaskel, a spirited folklorist, embarks on a perilous expedition alongside eccentric nobles in search of a fabled spring that promises untold power.

The story takes an unexpected turn when Lorelei's mentor is murdered, setting the stage for a thrilling mystery that ensnares the remaining members of the expedition. With the fate of the kingdom at stake, Lorelei, fueled by determination and wit, must navigate the treacherous landscape of shifting forests, hidden dragons, and shape-shifting beasts to uncover the truth before a coup plunges Brunnestaad into chaos.

The complex dynamics among the expedition mates, each with their motives and secrets, add layers of intrigue to the narrative. As Lorelei reluctantly teams up with her academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff, the tension between them evolves from rivalry to a reluctant partnership, and perhaps something more. The growing feelings between the two protagonists add an enticing romantic element to the story.

Amidst the quest for justice and the race against time, "Lorelei's Quest" explores themes of identity, sacrifice, and the true cost of power. The revelation of the leader's hidden secrets forces Lorelei to question the very foundations of her pursuit of justice and the worthiness of the kingdom she seeks to save.

The author skillfully weaves a rich tapestry of magic and mystery, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as they navigate a world where danger lurks in every shadow. "Lorelei's Quest" is a spellbinding tale that captivates with its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and a touch of enchanting romance, making it a must-read for fans of fantasy and mystery genres alike.

I was so excited to get to read this ARC! Beautifully gothic and lush, this story involves dark academic sapphic rivals, a fantasy setting, and a murder mystery at its center. It was really so good. I loved both Lorelei and Sylvia. I'm also such a sucker for any books centering academics, especially when its more then just following a group of undergrads. Not that that's not great! But give me academics that are farther along in their career, who are publishing and researching. Most of this story takes place on an expedition to find the source of their country's magic, the Ursprung. It's so great to see multiple sides of academia - even in the real world there's so much more than just the library!

Thank you to NetGally, Penguin Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a Sapphic, gothic fantasy that is heavily - artfully - suffused with fairytales and folklore and heartache. Woven with academic and political rivalry, a quest to find the spring of eternal power goes awry when the expedition's leader is discovered murdered and her assistant is left to contend with the mess. A near impossible task, considering her peers hate her.

I'm honestly not sure when I last read something with a Jewish main character, and a gay one at that. I've read several of Allison Saft's other works and absolutely adored them, but the characters and intensity of emotions in this one blew me away. Lorelei is so real and relatable it almost hurts. Th reality of her life, who she is and the person she must be in order to survive is...tragic.

I also love the way Saft deals with anti-Semitism and prejudice, in that the injustice and wrongness of it underlines every page, influencing character's decisions and revealing the core of them. I truly can't talk about this book enough. The atmosphere, the writing, characters - the entirety of of this book drips with enchantment, dark and seductive. Just like Sylvia and Lorelei.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy when this arrives.

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft is a captivating journey into a dark and enthralling world. The rich story, vivid environment, and diverse characters bring this fantasy to life. Saft masterfully blends elements of our past with magical intricacies, creating a mesmerizing setting that’s both alien and enchanting. The lush prose and sapphic romance elements seamlessly weave together, converting readers to fans of this deliciously dark fantasy. The narrative effortlessly incorporates political intrigue and German folklore, culminating in a tale of truth, justice, and the triumph over prejudice. A must-read for those seeking a compelling and immersive fantasy experience.

If there’s one thing I can always trust, it’s that Allison Saft will always write great rivals-to-lovers romances.

I really enjoyed the romance aspects of this book. Lorelei and Sylvia had great chemistry and their tension was palpable. Unfortunately, the overall plot did fall a little flat for me. I really enjoyed the fantasy creatures in this book and I wish there had been some more encounters with them as I would’ve loved to know more about them! I also really love character driven novels but I didn’t feel much of a connection to any of the side characters’ stories or motivations.

I adore Alison Saft’s writing style, however, this book was also a bit too description heavy which tended to get a little difficult to read/keep straight at times. I do however understand that this is the uncorrected version and will most likely be cleaned up.

Overall I think this is a pretty solid story, it just might not be for me. I do really appreciate the sapphic representation though and I stand by the fact that Alison Saft writes great romantic relationships.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

A Dark and Drowning Tide by Allison Saft
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.5/5
🌶️
Adult Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Political Fantasy, Mystery
➳ Dark Academia
➳ German Folklore
➳ Rivals to Lovers
➳ Sapphic Romance
➳ Slow Burn
➳ Jewish MC
➳ Banter
➳ Gothic Vibes

A deliciously dark fantasy, Allison Saft’s lush prose will convert any reader to a sapphic romance lover.
This book had everything you could ever want from a fantasy romance, “A Dark and Drowning Tide” seamlessly weaves political intrigue, and german folklore into a tale of truth, and justice overcoming prejudice.
They say never judge a book by its cover, but in this instance the lovely cover is absolutely reflected throughout the story in Saft’s remarkable prose.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey for the ARC copy they provided.

I had a feeling I would like this book before I even picked it up, and I was right. I entered the world of A Dark and Drowning Tide and found it instantly dark and enthralling. The story was rich, the environment living and visceral, and the characters lively and varied.

Allison Saft painted a picture of a world so much like a past version of our own, and yet so utterly alien and magical it was hard to believe it wasn’t real. There were parts of me that wanted to stay there, in that brightly detailed world, and fall into its mystical and deadly secrets. Would I have survived? Never. Most likely I wouldn’t even have fared as well as character who ran afoul of a flora curse, but I would have loved it all the same.

That isn’t to say there weren’t a few matters that made this book a four-star read, in my opinion, and not a five-star. The most obviously issue I noted with A Dark and Drowning Tide was the fact it contains a large cast of female characters, and “she” and “her” are often used to refer to multiple characters within the same paragraph, occasionally making it difficult to determine which character is doing an action, or being spoken about.

There were also a few, small developmental holes I noticed, but these were so tiny that a reader without a background in developmental editing most likely wouldn’t notice. I barely saw them at first, but once I did, I was unable to unsee them. (Curse my worldbuilding brain.)

Slight issues aside, I would read A Dark and Drowning Tide over again, and would enjoy it just as much or more as this first read. The book has a grim, faerie tale appeal that harks back to the original versions of many of our reality’s folktales, and it is obvious Allison Saft put an incredible amount of time and effort into creating a world that is as richly populated with history and lore as our own.

I don’t think I will be forgetting the line, “Back in the days when wishes still held power,” anytime soon. I find I love it even more than our world’s “Once upon a time,” and I have little doubt anyone who reads this book will disagree with me. Get lost in A Dark and Drowning Tide, breathe in the water. You won’t regret it.

I was so thrilled when Allison announced this book that I immediately pre-ordered it! And then I went to NetGalley to request the book! I'm overjoyed that I was lucky enough to read this in exchange for writing an honest review!
 
This is an adult Sapphic fantasy with academic rivals to lovers romance and a Jewish-coded protagonist in a world inspired by German folklore!
 
Lorelei Kaskel, our main character, is a folklorist and professor Ziegler's student who is sent out to seek out a fabled source of magic—for the king—that is said to bestow powers on those who are deserving. Because she is Yevna, everyone despises her. Silvia Von Wolff, her academic rival, whom she disapproves of, joins her on this expedition. When the professor gets murdered in the middle of this, she discovers her body and is forced to work with Sylvia to figure out who the true murderer on the ship is.
 
Allison's atmospheric writing works well with her descriptive world-building and angsty romance plot.
I couldn't take my attention off it after the first page, and I couldn't put it down until I finished it! This book had the perfect balance of fantasy and romance! Allison's rich world-building was superb! The mystery plot was incredible. At first, I thought I could predict the plot twist, but I was wrong!
 
This book explores how prejudice can affect a person's life. How can people see themselves as villains simply because the rest of the world thinks they are? It's about grief and guilt, and how the survivor blames themselves.
Lorelei and Sylvia's romance was angsty, filled with yearning. Lorelei's thoughts were heartbreaking. The way she describes and feels about Sylvia is so beautiful. Every sight, stolen glance, and eye contact were filled with tension!
 
Allison, thank you for this work of art! If you want perfect adult fantasy featuring gothic lesbians, this is it!

Check the trigger warnings!!!

Oh this was great!!!

The cover is what drew me in, but the story is what made me stay. I’ll be honest I don’t read much sapphic stories but stories like this make me wonder why I don’t.

This dark academia rivalry to lovers was done great. The writing style was beautiful just like these characters. There’s so many things I could say but not enough time. I couldn’t put this down, Sylvia and Lorelei have my whole heart.

If this cover doesn’t convince you to read it maybe their “I hate you but secretly don’t” trope will!! I definitely recommend this it’s so good!

Thank you for the Arc.

The cover is beautiful and what caught my attention.

Academic Rivals, enemies to lovers, slow burn.

It was good and the writing was great, but I had a hard time staying interested. I personally had a hard time connecting with characters.

I am interested into looking into more of Saft’s books.

After thoroughly enjoying a fragile enchantment, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on Saft’s next book. Fortunately for me, I received this arc and was overjoyed, they couldn’t be more different while still showcases her unique talents. This story was a bit darker, but just as enrapturing as her last. This was a perfect winter time read and the sapphics truly won with this one. Lorelei and Sylvia fully own me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I recommend this for people who enjoyed divine rivals and a deadly education.

a dark and drowning tide is one of the loveliest books i have ever read. the gothic, folkloric atmosphere combined with lorelei's witty inner monologue was everything to me. each character was susprisingly vibrant, something i have not noticed even with many books that have multiple perspectives, but in this, each character's personality was able to shine through from just lorelei's pov. even the villains were well developed. lorelai and sylvia, obviously, remained the most compelling, but i enjoyed reading about everyone else as well. there was never a moment i wanted to skip.

i adore this writing style. one of the most poignant explorations of discrimination i've read recently. my heart broke for lorelei on every page. tragic, captivating, fairytale-like. when i said i wanted a lesbian a study in drowning, i absolutely meant this. this is exactly what i wanted and expected, and i can't say that for a lot of hyped books.

this contained just the right balance of plot and romance. i loved the focus on the mystery and the political landscape. the twist in the middle completely caught me off, in a good way. it is neither one of those twists which is predictable from the first page, nor one of those where you can tell the author picked it out of a hat because of its absurdity. this might be bare minimum, but i loved that the plot and the character motivations made sense and you could see how everything interconnected. i adore a continuous plot, i really do. can you tell this is the best thing i've read in a month and a half?

as for the romance? i was kicking my feet and giggling every time lorelei and sylvia interacted. their rivalry and banter was everything to me. watching sylvia drop hints and lorelei slowly realize that every time she fought with sylvia, she fell slightly more in love? i need more. the dynamic between character A who considers themselves unlovable and too imperfect for character B's love, and the character B who makes it their entire mission to prove to A how deserving of the world they are. the first confession. the first kiss. their history and lorelei's memories of sylvia throughout the years recolored by their new love. everything. they are my everything.

3.5 stars

a dark and drowning tide is a sapphic academic rivals to lovers with a mix of fantasy and mystery.


sylvia and lorelei’s dynamic was honestly so cute to witness. their banter was vey matched and it honestly was so amusing to see.


their relationship was very “i act like i hate you but i will read and watch everything you do/write just to know everything about you” and “i know you hate me so much but i want to impress you more than anything”


this was a very well written rivals to lovers, i felt the tension, the angst and thankfully the slight groveling needed!!


it did take some time to get into because it is very folkish and not as high-stakes as most fantasy’s but was still such a cute, entertaining read!