Lorelei is a folklorist, on an expedition with six nobles in search of a fabled spring that promises power. Lorelei just wants to prove herself and become a naturalist, able to travel freely and explore. The expedition is off to a bad start when there's a murder on the ship, and with other dangers lurking, Lorelei must team up with her rival, Sylvia von Wolff to discover the truth.

I really enjoyed this one! Both Lorelei and Sylvia are surprisingly endearing protagonists, who have to navigate a murder mystery and sentient forests that come alive at night. It was absolutely delightful, filled with carefully crafted world-building and lush prose.

🍃 sapphic romance
🌱 rivals to lovers
🍃 slow burn
🌱 mystical fantasy adventure
🍃 murder mystery
🌱 unique magic system

Thank you to Daphne Press for an e-arc of A Dark and Drowning Tide, all opinions are my own.

Lorelei finds herself on an expedition with 6 nobles, and they are on a journey to find a Mythical spring as the King wants to harness its power now he has completed his fathers goals.

However, quests never go as planned and when Lorelei finds her mentor murdered shortly into the trip, she must find out which of the group is responsible.

One of said the group members is Sylvia, Loreleis rivial, and strangely, she is the only one that Lorelei doesn't see as a suspect. The two must work together to find the Spring, reveal the murderer... all without getting killed (or killing each other ) along the way.

Great wee adventure with perils a plenty, I loved the girls dynamic and how this developed as their travels got more and more high stakes. Beautiful world and I loved the folklore vibes around the magic and the creatures

Out 17 September, so still time to preorder!

Thanks to NetGalley, Daphne Press and Black Crow PR for the review copy... all opinions my own regardless

Actual rating: 3.5☆

Thank you do much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review

I'm harbouring mixed emotions towards this book.

I think the beginning of this tale was quite strong, Saft is very good at quickly making you feel connected to our main character and her challenges. I thought the atmosphere and setting were also a strong point of this story.

However, just like in 'A far wilder magic' this book is relatively more focused on character exploration and development - exactly my favourite type of storytelling - and I still had the same problem and that is that besides Lorelei and maybe Sylvia I still felt always left at arms length from all the other characters. Specifically in this scenario where we had an expedition with a small group of people I was expecting more exploration of dynamics and it just felt quite surface level. This proves a major let down because, then, I get a bit frustrated with the development of the story and tend to not be as engaged with it.

That being said I think Allison Saft did a really good job in showcasing how wavering and full of yearning the dynamic between Lorelei and Sylvia was.

In 'A Dark and Drowning Tide' we accompany folklorist Lorelei Kaskel as she sets off on an expedition with six eccentric nobles in search of a magic spring for the monarch. For Lorelei, who comes from a persecuted religious group, this is her opportunity to make something of herself and escape the restrictions placed on her community; but this is all put in jeopardy when her mentor and expedition leader is found murdered in her cabin.

I was pleasantly surprised to find myself in a mystery! And even more so to see how well Saft kept that mystery still so infused with magic and tangled up in their academic adventure - which I was worried might end up taking a back-seat.

I found our two MCs loveable, and bought into the way their relationship grew and changed. Particularly, I appreciated the way our MCs subvert their character stereotypes.

SOOO I'm excited for more of you to read it when it comes out on the 17th!

Thank you, NetGalley and Daphne Press, for giving me this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5★

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a book about our protagonist Lorelai, who became a folklorist and has to go on an expedition with her academic rival Sylvia von Wolff. She was chosen by her beloved teacher, Ziegler, to go on this expedition to find a natural spring, which supposedly gives great power to those who find it. Lorelai chooses to go because she wants to be free and she wants to see the world, this is only achievable for people like her by becoming a naturalist or someone with a higher status. However, her plans get more complicated when someone murders Ziegler. To make things worse, the only person she is sure didn't do it is Sylvia and so she becomes the only person she can trust.

I really enjoyed this story, it was quite fast-paced and very well written. As a lover of grey protagonists, I liked Lorelai, and I'm glad we got to see how much her character developed throughout the novel. The contrast between her and Sylvia was interesting, and I enjoyed their dynamic. I usually don't like reading about "older" protagonists, but here I didn't mind it one bit, I actually preferred it. All the side characters were well developed, and I had mixed feelings about all of them; I couldn't decide if I loved them or hated them.

The world was unique, and so was the magic system, I wish we would get more insight into it, though. Sometimes the author gave us too little explanations for certain things, which made me lose interest since I had no idea what they were saying.

Now for the main relationship, I ADORED THEM. I think the relationship between Lorelai and Sylvia was very nicely written and developed, I was smiling any time they interacted, they are just so cute together. Sometimes it did feel like they were a little bit too formal but I guess it makes sense since the whole world was written like it was in the "past".

I do hope the author will decide to write book 2, since I would buy it immediately. ANYONE WHO LOVES SAPPHIC FANTASY, BUY NOW!!!

I decided to read this book based on the cover design. I thought it may be my vibe. And oh, I was not disappointed.

First half is a bit slow but it was worth of going through. Great book!

I was looking for good dark academia book for a while and this one delivered.

Highly recommend read!

3.5 — oh wow. i will admit i did have a slow start with a dark and drowning tide but once i was past the 30% mark, i was invested. there is a lot to like — a murder mystery, political intrigue, a sound exploration of being 'othered', a dark academic setting and a trope dear to my heart - academic rivals.

short intro to the book: lorelei, our protagonist is a folklorist and is under the tutelage of ingrid ziegler. despite this, lorelei has her own aspirations to become a naturalist and finds the opportunity to prove herself in an upcoming expedition guided by her mentor. in this expedition, ziegler and five nobles are tasked to uncover the fabled ursprung - a natural spring which is rumoured to hold great power to those who find it. however, the expedition is jeopardised on the first night of the expedition when ziegler is found murdered in her study and suddenly everyone on the ship becomes a suspect. placed into a difficult position, lorelei steps forward into ziegler's role to continue the original objectives of the expedition whilst re-evaluating everything she knows about each person to uncover their true motives and well - their willingness to commit murder. with this in mind, lorelei teams up with her rival sylvia to navigate both the path to the ursprung and the murky motives of the other four nobles on the ship.

what worked for me
→ an insightful element woven into the story is the political unrest within the kingdom. this backdrop offers a glimpse into the motivations and inner workings of each character, particularly lorelei. as a young yevani woman who has faced prejudice due to her identity, lorelei has developed a tough exterior in order to protect herself. to voice out her grievances about the injustice she encounters, she frames her experiences through the folklore she studies and transcribes. i appreciated the use of lorelei's tales as way to cross-reference her own experiences as well as those of others she meets. i think it was an great way to connect lorelei to her work as a folklorist to the readers and deepen our understanding of her character.

→ i loved lorelei and slyvia together. the bickering. the push and pull. the pining. the yearning. they were a highlight for me during the read.

→ the writing is really beautiful in this book.

what didn’t work for me
→ as mentioned earlier, a dark and drowning tide does have a slow start. there is a lot of world-building to get adjusted to. i think once you get past this you'll be able to really get into the story.

→ unfortunately i wasn't really interested in any of the other characters aside from lorelei and slyvia. i do think the side characters were not greatly explored enough in the beginning of the book for me to note their importance. i had a hard time connecting with the others during the reading experience. although, the two characters i was actually interested in were excellent with sylvia being my favourite. both slyvia and lorelei as individual characters were designed with more care and emotional depth. together, they had an interesting dynamic that i was drawn to. in particular, i really enjoyed their juxtaposing characterisation.

→ the world-building was confusing at different points of the book. at times, i felt like there was a lot of information being given to inform the readers and during other times, there was not enough.

thank you to the author & netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review!

This one was, meh. I midly enjoyed the first half of the book, and the premise of the book was amazing. But overall the writing definitely let it down. It was quite boring and non engaging, and too waffly. I was really looking forward to this so definitely disappointed!

The first thing I have to mention here and what really stood out to me in this book was the beautifully atmospheric writing style! Saft writes the most gorgeous, vivid descriptions and I absolutely loved the imagery throughout this book.
I struggled a bit with the structure of the story which felt quite disconnected especially in the first half or so, and unfortunately the side characters fell flat for me.
However, I liked the focus on folklore throughout and I also found Lorelei and Sylvia's characters very interesting. Overall if you are interested in books with gorgeous writing, dark academia and a focus on folklore I think you would enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, Daphne Press, and Allison Saft for this ARC.

I wasn’t sure I liked this book at first. The first 50% was a bit of a slog, a lot of themes and storylines making it somewhat confusing - I mainly kept going because the vibes were so good. But I admit, as soon as the action kicked in, I became wholeheartedly invested and from then on really enjoyed myself. I still think one or two of the plot points could have been cut away for clarity, but it is still a good book, with absolutely impeccable writing. Anyone looking for an intriguing romance will not be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Daphne Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Gothic fantasy, academic rivals to lovers, sapphic, murder mystery, magic and folklore - what more could you want?

Lorelei Kaskel, a quick-witted folklorist, is venturing on an expedition with six nobles with the goal of finding a mythical spring of untold power. The King instructed them to find the spring so he can harness the power and secure his reign. Lorelei will do all she can to ensure the success of the mission so she can prove herself and secure her dream: become a naturalist and freely travel the lands.

The expedition gets off to a rather dark start, with the murder of Lorelei's mentor. The 5 remaining expeditioners, all except Sylvia von Wolff. Maddeningly beautiful Sylvia is Lorelei's long-standing academic rival, and the only one she knows to be innocent.

Left in charge of the journey, Lorelei must work with her rival, uncover the secrets of her mentor, and balance finding both the spring and the murderer before they strike again...

Overall, really liked this and I'm glad I read it. But I will say that my love for this book is pretty one-sided, with the romance really carrying the book for me personally. I loved the world, and really enjoyed the way folklore tales were used to support the narrative throughout - it was a really fun addition to the storytelling.

Lorelei and Sylvia have my whole heart I LOVE them. Academic rivals is one of my favourite romance dynamics...the competitiveness, the admiration, the tension. It was so well executed between them and every moment between them felt like it had been earned.

The slow burn and tension of the romance really carried for the book for me, with some of the murder mystery and overall plot falling a little short. I think the development of the 'villain(s)' was a little weak and I found the end a bit rushed and confusing.

Would definitely still recommend this even with the bits I wasn't completely enraptured with. A great choice for the autumn/winter season if you're looking for something atmospheric!

A Dark and Drowning Tide - 3.5

This is a beautifully curated eerie dark academia/murder mystery with Germanic folklore woven into the plot.

Plot: The premise is very intriguing - a group of young scholars set off on a dangerous expedition funded by the crown to find the original source of water magic. After a sudden death happens on board, the group quickly realises one of them is a killer who is trying to sabotage the expedition. The story is also enriched with folklore tales and creatures as well as a rivals-to-lovers sapphic plot line. While the writing was rich and vivid, the worldbuilding and the political intrigue could have been developed more, as it was sometimes hard to follow the information about all the lands they travelled to and mentioned throughout the book. Also, we do not get much of a background story on any other characters apart from the two main ones, which made the majority of the academic crew seem like one-sided characters whose motifs are unclear to us. It is also mentioned that some of these young scholars have already fought in a war for years and have battle scars, which was hard to imagine.

Characters: The main character, Lorelei, is smart, stubborn and, at times, insufferable. Her love interest, Sylvia, is by far my favourite character of them all - she is a free-spirited, enchanting wild creature who can communicate with wildeleute (mythical creatures). Each one of the groups has a specific task and scholarly niche in which they specialise. Hence, I wish we saw more of them in the midst of their work during the expedition. Another character that I absolutely loved was the Alp, a mythical creature, and I wish we saw more of him. I imagined them all having a little Kaffeeklatsch at the end of the book but we did not get that.

Themes: there are themes of ethnic oppression, death, and spirits. The main character is part of the ethnic minority, which has been oppressed and scapegoated for ages. There are also lots of clear references to the real-life history of Germany.

Overall, I thought the love story was well-written, it fit into the narrative and was very much on theme with the dark academia. They are academic rivals who despise each other whilst secretly being obsessed with each other. They are never really true enemies but they do go through a lot of betrayal and bickering. I absolutely loved all the mythical creatures and craved to see more interactions with them. Would almost want some of them to become one of the main characters. We learn bits and pieces about each wildeleute but considering they are such unpredictable and intricate creatures, it would’ve been cool to study them a bit more during the book.

I am in love with Allison writing style, and I have added her other books to my TBR. I loved how Allison put her own twist into modern fairy tales as this book deep dives into the heart of folktales and their origin.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a beautifully atmospheric fantasy romance. This book was exquisite and powerful. Allison has managed to stuff so much into the 384 pages. This book is a sapphic dark academia story that’s jammed with folklore, the enemies to lover’s trope, with an intriguing mystery plot, oh and I’m not quite done as we’re also go on an adventure. I mean I might be greedy but what’s not to love this book had everything I could possibly want in a fantasy book.

Reading about Lorelei and Sylvia was such an adventure, and I loved joining them on the journey. Lorelai is unemotional and sadly accustomed to racism. While Sylvia is beloved by all = and she views the world through rose tinted glasses.

Lorelai and Sylvia are obsessed with each other but are unable to trust each other enough to be vulnerable. It was cute watching them be so hopelessly in love and yet constantly deny it. I really enjoyed how in the book the enemies to lover’s plot was enhanced by only having a single POV from Lorelei. It was a slow burn enemy to lovers but it was perfectly paced for Lorelai and Sylvia story. They both also had good character development.

This is the perfect book for the changing season.

“I hope you understand that I will make every day of your life more difficult than the last, more complicated than it otherwise would be.” - “I welcome it.” 😭🖤

I genuinely loved this story & the subtle romance so much 🥹 it’s uniquely written - we have gothic folklore vibes blended into a murder mystery & the only crime this book has committed is not giving me more romance??? Not very demure, not very cutesy of you @allisonhsaft 👀

🖤 Rivals to lovers (sapphic romance & banter!!)
🖤 Dark Academia
🖤 Murder Mystery
🖤 Folklore/Fantasy vibes ✨

I've been highly anticipating A Dark And Drowning Tide for a while, so I was thrilled to be approved on netgalley, and it really didn't disappoint.

Lorelei is a folklorist who's building her career when she's about to undertake one of the most important expeditions of her life with six other academics. She's always dreamt of being a naturalist, but she's never been chosen or accepted among the people for pretty much anything. When her mentor, Professor Kiegler, chooses Lorelei to be her right-hand woman during the Ruhigburg expedition to find a fabled magical spring that will grant the king untold power, it's a chance Lorelei has to prove herself mainly against her strongest rival Sylvia.
The expedition starts in the most harrowing of ways as Professor Kiegler is murdered upon the ship, and since the ship had set sail, the suspects are limited. It has to be one of them. Suddenly, the ship isn't safe anymore, but neither is the land.

This is the first book I've read by Saft, although I have her YA books on my shelves. The writing style is hauntingly beautiful and so atmospheric. It is a slower paced book, but that worked for me as I loved learning more about the characters and the world building. The characters are all well established, and I loved the tension and drama between them, They are all pretty eccentric, but I had a soft spot for Ludwig.
The world building is immense with mythical creatures and environments, and the folklore really adds another dimension to it.
There is also a slow burn Rivals to lovers romance between Lorelei and Sylvia, which isn't the main plot of the story but definitely works better that way. I loved their slow progression, the yearning, and the built-up angst really had me rooting for them. Lorelei is blunt and headstrong, whereas Sylvia is more whimsical and a daydreamer, so I loved their connection and partnership.
The whodunit kind of mystery really kept me on my toes. There's twists and turns galore, and I actually gasped out loud at that conclusion.
Overall, this is definitely a book to savour rather than race through, but I was absolutely captivated. I can't wait to read more of Allison's work.

Many thanks to Daphne press for this Arc from Netgalley! I had been following the release of this book for quite a while since I first heard of it so was incredibly excited to receive it and have finally gotten round to posting my review.

If your interests include any of the following weirdly specific things:
Mr Darcy flexing his hand after helping Elizabeth into her carriage (Pride and Prejudice 2005)
John Everett Millais' Ophelia
The poem 'Aedh wishes for the cloths of heaven' - W B Yeats
The 'I'll take care of you' 'It's rotten work' 'not to me, not if it's you' quote from the Anne Carson translation of Euripides' Oresteia
That scene in Peter Pan (2003) with the mermaids that try to drag Wendy into the water

Then this book will be an absolute hit for you as it was for me. Saft expertly weaves together the feeling of a dark fairytale with political machinations, a murder mystery and a delicious sapphic rivals to lovers romance to boot and I loved every moment. Give me all of that 'wretched fondness'.

For extra atmosphere pick this book up when it's raining outside and thank me later 👌

I got stuck at 45 % and couldn't go on! The problem wasn't the plot and the writing (on the contrary) but the main character I couldn't hold on to. I tried to go on because I was enjoying the story and I wanted to know how it was going to end... but no, nothing doing

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this arc!

I really wanted to love this book as I did enjoy previous work by this author, but the pacing was way too slow for my liking. I also never ended up rooting for the main coupling, they didn't make me feel anything. This might be because the main character was SO unlikeable and judgemental towards everything and everyone!

I did however really like the whodunnit aspect to the story as it kept me guessing for what was next.

"You've acted the part of a villain so well, you've gone and convinced yourself it's who you truly are."

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 - Thank you Netgalley and Daphne Press for providing me this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!
Let’s just say, I am so happy I ordered the sprayed edge special edition, as I definitely want a trophy on my shelves for this one!

A gothic and magical whodunnit with romantic elements.
This book is perfect vibes for the autumnal months.

For me, one of the first signs of a good fantasy book, is when I am unable to pronounce most of the words.

I am so happy I got to experience this beautiful book for my first ARC read. Saft’s writing was magical in itself, I loved the style and Saft really kept me hooked! This was a book that I thought about throughout the day, counting down until I could read it again.

The whodunnit aspect was brilliant, more often than not I figure these out, however I did not see this one coming and was pleasantly surprised!

""Tell me," she said. "Do you still think me cruel? Would you like to see the depths of it?""

Tropes:
whodunnit
Rivals to lovers
Grumpy x sunshine
Slow burn

From the very first page, A Dark and Drowning Tide grips you with its eerie atmosphere, drenched in folklore and charged with mystery. Allison Saft weaves a dark, enchanting tale where the lines between myth and reality blur, drawing you into a world as dangerous as it is alluring.

The story follows Lorelei Kaskel, a folklorist tasked with leading an expedition to uncover a legendary body of water. But when her mentor is found dead, the expedition spirals into a tense investigation filled with suspicion. Lorelei is forced to take charge and work alongside her sharp-witted academic rival, Sylvia von Wolff. The contrast between these two characters is one of the most gripping elements of the book. Lorelei is careful, compassionate, and deeply connected to the stories she studies, while Sylvia is strategic, fiercely intelligent, and unflinching in her ambition. Their dynamic is complex, creating constant friction that adds layers of tension, not just in their investigation but also in the emotional undercurrent that runs between them.

The push and pull of their relationship is spellbinding—two people so different, yet bound by shared goals and unspoken desires. Their rivalry sparks off the page, and as the mystery deepens, so does their bond. Saft masterfully balances their personal tension with the broader suspense of the story, keeping you hooked from start to finish.

Lorelei’s struggle to navigate both the political intrigue of the court and the dangers lurking in the magical forest is deeply compelling. The stakes feel real, and the emotional weight of her leadership and her growing connection to Sylvia adds depth to the unfolding plot. Every chapter is steeped in suspense!
Saft’s world-building is mesmerizing, with folklore woven into every detail, creating a setting that feels as alive as the characters themselves. The magic is subtle but powerful, grounded in ancient myths that make the story feel timeless yet fresh.

And the romance—oh, the romance. Saft delivers a slow-burn love story that simmers with longing and unspoken emotion. The tension between Lorelei and Sylvia is palpable, and their evolving relationship is handled with such nuance and care. It’s a perfect balance of rivalry, respect, and desire, leaving you breathless as they inch closer to one another, even as the world around them grows more dangerous.

Safe to say this was an amazing experience through and through, especially being my first ARC! Allison Saft has easily become one of my new favourite authors.