This was such a pleasant surprise!

I had previously read “Fragile Enchantment” by the same author and I didn’t enjoy it, so I was cautious going into this one, but I am so glad I did.

I felt most things really worked for me - the writing was beautiful, the worldbuilding felt rich and fleshed out and I loved our main character Lorelai! I enjoyed the romantic tension and I really liked the slow pace of her relationship with Sylvia.

I was nervous if the ending would deliver and while there are several threads left loose, I felt I was overall satisfied with where we left these characters and that it felt true to their journeys!

My only wish is that this book had a map - I had to draw a small one for myself while reading, but the reading experience would have been so much more immersive if we had one in the book.

Title: A dark and drowning tide
Author: Allison Saft
Pages: 384
Rating: 5/5

Arc Copy (gifted) - review left voluntarily
Publish date - book already released at the time of approval.

"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."

Lorelei and a team of students are on an exhibition to find a magical spring to prevent wars within their kingdoms. She faces prejudice because of who she is, so when her mentor is murdered and the king tells her if she doesn't find out who the murderer is, she'll take the fall, she has a lot to prove and obstacles against her.

This was a beautifully written book. Folklore, mythical beasts, sentient forests, prejudice, romance. It had everything for an autumn comfort read.

The book is also a standalone novel so perfect for in-between reads of series, or just if you don't want the commitment of lots to read.

I didn't know what to expect. The story left me second guessing with so many twists and turns. It was just a comforting seduction.

I definitely recommend drinking a smoky black tea and finding your favourite blanket with this.

You'll love this book if you like
- dark academia
- stand alone novel
- sapphic fantasy romance
- grumpy x sunshine
- slowburn
- cosy murder
- enemies to lovers

Thank you @netgalley, @daphne.press for allowing me to review.

Will you read it? If you've read it already, what were your thoughts??

Unfortunately I was 50% into this book before giving it a DNF but I think it was a 100% a me thing and not the book thing.

I think lots of people will absolutely adore this book and hold it near and dear to their hearts - unfortunately that won't be me.

I'm very surprised by how I just wasn't gripped by this book despite reading Saft's previous book "A Fragile Enchantment" and giving it a 5/5. I'm not sure why this one didn't click with me - I found the characters to be quite bland, and the premise and magic, although interesting it just wasn't gripping me and I don't know why. I think there was a lot of just telling why people are how they are etc without really showing it.

I might try and pick this one up again in the future as I think it was just wrong place wrong time for me hence why I will still be giving it a high review as I don't think the story and writing were bad necessarily.

Other than knowing this was sapphic and academic rivals, I went into this book not knowing at all what to expect or where the story might go! And I devoured it!

It was beautifully dark, and has those dark academia vibes we all love, full to the brim with folklore, mystery and served with a side of “whodunnit”

Lorelai is my favourite kind of Main Character, deeply flawed, angry and at times hard to like but we understand her, we get why she is the way she is.

Sylvia is Lorelai’s polar opposite, annoyingly chirpy, naive at times but still presents with a strength that shows us she’s not just what we see on the surface.

A Dark and Drowning tide is full to the brim with beautiful writing, folklore creatures, mystery expeditions and a strong, heart wrenching theme of anti-semitism. And I loved it so much

5⭐️
𝙑𝙄𝘽𝙀𝙎:
* 𝙂𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙁𝙤𝙡𝙠𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚
* 𝙎𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙘 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
* 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙋𝙡𝙤𝙩
* 𝙈𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙮
* 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙁𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙮
* 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 / 𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙨

Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Allison Saft for the eARC!

A Dark and Drowning Tide was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint!
Allison's writing is always immersive and compelling, and the way she approached the rivals to lovers trope was refreshing!
The folklore woven through the story was clearly tackled with great research, and I found myself eager to know more about this world. I have come to appreciate adventure novels with a side of romance more as of late, and this hit all the right spots on that aspect.
I always love a good slow burn, and the relationship between Lorelei and Sylvia was filled with tension and a fantastic sense of longing.

All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about characters with deep internal turmoil and great character development, vivid imagery and fun world building, as well a touch of politics.

Lorelei Kaskel And her colleagues set out on an expedition to find a powerful source of magic for their king. The unthinkable happens and LOrelei must find the murderer of her mother figure. Who can she trust? Will the expedition succeed?

I loved reading this book, the development of relationships was great and it was interesting learning of the characters histories and motivations. The magical creatures were eerie and made me wants to know more about them. I thought the pacing was good and got through it pretty quickly. The misunderstandings between the main couple were good, they balanced each other well. Who doesn’t like a grumpy/sunshine pairing?

I would definitely recommend this book.

Lorelei, her mentor, and the King’s nearest and dearest friends-the Ruhigberg five set off to find the Ursprung. A magical well of incredible power that will secure the King’s hold of the turbulent Brunnestaad.
Shortly after they set off, Lorelei’s mentor is killed and the King sets her to find the killer or take the blame. Their quest still remains, and with her life on the line, everyone, except her rival Sylvia Von Wolff, is a suspect and threat.

Before this book I had no idea what sapphic meant (I still needed to search it up), the vibes were definitely vibing. I quite enjoyed Saft’s writing but did struggle with some of the Germanic phrases and having to stop to search it up.

Between the German theme and the way the Yeva were treated, it seems Saft has drawn inspiration to the Jewish plight during WWII. I really need to state that I am not a historian by any means and cannot be sure, however this is the impression I got. How successful she was at this I cannot reasonably say, however it might be triggering to some people.

I really enjoyed the slow burn between Sylvia and Lorelei but there were times I just wanted to roll my eyes and knock their heads together. I found the rest of the characters to not be as fleshed out. The rest of the Ruhigberg five, although given some backstory, felt relatively glossed over. It’s never fully explained what ties them together, and to the King, other than a close proximity during childhood.

I think this book is perfect for autumn as it has a dark enchanted feel. I loved the combination of science and magic. It just needed the side characters fleshing out some and more world building for everything to truly immerse me. Thank you very much to NetGalley and Daphne Press for providing me with a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I knew this would be up my alley when I first heard about it, and I am SO relieved to say that this is still true after reading it!

The atmosphere and writing style was gorgeous and I loved the main two characters and their relationship. The plot was intriguing throughout and concluded in a satisfying way, which isn't always a given!

Highly recommend this one if you like folklore, dark academia and/or sapphic rivals to lovers. This was the first book by Allison Saft I have read and I will definitely be looking to read more!

This was my third book by this author and it was another winner!
The atmosphere of the book was almost another character in itself, and the writing was lyrical and immersive. I was a bit worried that I wouldn't be able to remember all of the characters but they were all written so well that it was never a problem. The two main characters had a truly interesting relationship and I loved watching it develop; enemies to lovers done really well!
I will definitely pick up more books by this author. Huge thanks to the publisher for the eARC.

Thank you NetGalley & Daphine Press for approving this ARC.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a dark academia, fantasy, sapphic rivals to lover's romance with mystery and intrigue at every turn.

Our main character Lorelei who is a folklorist and has always been an outsider is tasked by the king to go on an expedition to find the spring which can grant untold power to those deemed worthy, along with her academic rival Sylvia (a naturalist) and a few select others (a botanist, navigator, medic, thaumatologist) and their leader who is someone Loreli looks up to, they embark on this journey.

When their leader is tragically murdered Lorelei knows only 1 person beside herself is truly innocent and that Syvia. She must now find out what happened, keep herself safe and complete the quest they are on. But with mysteries and revelations being revealed as well as outside magical/mythical dangers, Loreli has to learn to trust Sylvia in order to help her out.

Dark academia is a relatively new genre for me, and I really enjoyed this book, the writing made it feel eerie and haunting and I loved the characters and world building.

That book was... well. I'm not sure what to say, because I was enchanted by it and bored at the same time. I've read the first half of the book and I've got that nagging thought, that nothing really happened. Which of course is a wrong feeling, there was a lot of plot twists to process. But to conclude a little. A Dark and Drowning Tide is academic rivals to lovers and sapphic obviously, but the waiting for the romance to happen was even worth it. The whole book gave me the vibe of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faerie and Atlantis (the Disney movie). For the whole time I've sensed the "found family" kinda vibe from the characters but honestly speaking I wasn't the biggest fan of any particular.
To sum up, I've had a good time reading this book, but it won't be my all time favourite.

Loved it!
Loved the author’s style, totally enchanting. Lorelei and Sylvie are so real, written so well, I want to hug them both. Loved their singular stories and relationship as well.
Most of all I loved the folklore and the magic, so unique!

4.5*

A luscious, gothic book with mystery, folklore and the rivals to lovers lesbians of my dreams.

I really loved this, the murder mystery plot was well-paced and easy to be invested in, as well as the explorations of all of the characters and their many flaws. I liked the historical basis of the worldbuilding, and the use of folk tales throughout. The book was less romance heavy than I expected, but I prefer a slow, drawn out development of those plotlines so it suited me fine - Lorelei and Sylvia are exquisitely fucked up and romantic, as any good gothic couple should be.

I'm so glad this book lived up to my expectations, and I'd love to pick up a book from Saft's backlist!

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a brilliant example of just how well acquainted Allison Saft is with her genre and her skill. Her writing style immediately immerses you in a world full of enchantment, relatable characters and well written Sapphic romance.

Saft’s dialogue is great and the characters are well formed and relatable, with sharp tongues and string personalities that shine through. Each character compliments the next perfectly.

The murder mystery aspect definitely deserved to be more fleshed out in places but it didn't take anything away from the book overall.
The unique magic of the world and the creatures along the way make for a very whimsical fantasy.

I also enjoyed how Saft touches on more serious topics throughout.

Thank you to Daphne Press and Netgalley for the ARC

I was excited to dive into A Dark and Drowning Tide and the plot did not disappoint! The concept of the expedition to find the lake, combined with a thrilling murder mystery, kept me intrigued throughout. The cultural elements and differing perspectives added richness to the world-building, though I found myself wishing for a map to help navigate it all—probably the downside of an ARC!

The inclusion of fascinating creatures, especially the alp, was a highlight. I loved how it kept reappearing, and by the end, it played a crucial role in the story. Also, the coffee obsession? Relatable. I’d do anything for coffee, too!

Character-wise, this book was a slow burn. I struggled at first to connect with many of the characters, and it took time for me to warm up to them. But as part two rolled in and the ‘dream teams’ cracks began to show, I found myself more invested in each character’s depth and the complex dynamics between them.

This was my first time reading a queer romance, and I really enjoyed it! The romance followed an enemies-to-lovers arc, which is always fun, and the development of their relationship felt authentic and satisfying.

Overall, A Dark and Drowning Tide was an engaging read, and I’m so happy I had the opportunity to experience it as an advanced reader! If you’re into slow burns, complex characters, and thrilling mysteries, this is one to pick up.

‘A Dark and Drowning Tide’ is everything I have been searching for in a fantasy book all year. The politics, lore of the world and foundational characters, whilst initially confusing, as are most foundations of a fantasy universe are, became incredibly familiar and easy to follow as the book progressed. Whilst the prose in this novel is an absolute love letter to the written word, the true highlight of this novel is Saft’s characters. Whilst the book is written in third person, we are primarily following the thoughts and feelings of the determined, introverted and calculated Lorelei, who I instantly fell in love with. Sylvia Von-Wolff may now be one of my favourite book characters of all time, and felt like the heart of the story on most occasions, with her quick wit, abundance of positivity and kindness throughout the story. Enemies to Lovers can be very over-exposed in literature nowadays, and Saft has nailed the trope perfectly, the stakes between Lorelei and Sylvia felt consequential no matter how their relationship developed, and whilst I was rooting that the both of them could find happiness together, the stakes of their relationship felt authentic to the story and created this beautiful atmosphere amongst the entire world. So much can be said about the entire cast of supporting characters as well, it ultimately felt like a chaotic ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ party meets a ‘Secret History’ Secret Society where once again, the entire cast had differing opinions, values and motivations that made the stakes of the story feel authentic to this world. This world is on the precipice of a war that could devastate everyone, and every character had completely different opinions, thoughts and plans that allowed the world to exist in such a thoughtful way that I couldn’t believe a single thing any of the characters were saying at any time.

I could recommend this all day, every day. What an absolute masterpiece!

Being a huge fan of Allison Saft's previous books I was incredibly nervous for A Dark and Drowning Tide, it's so different to what she has written before but it blew me out of the water nonetheless.

A Dark and Drowning Tide is a fabulous example of just how well Allison Saft can write. Her luscious writing style sweeps you off into a whimsical world full of enchanting moments, relatable characters and the most delicious Sapphic romance.

I was particularly fond of Lorelei, whom we spend the most time with, and I really enjoyed the banter between her and Sylvia. Allison's FMCs were very relatable, the sharp tongue of Lorelei and Sylvia's sunshine mentality complimented one and other really well.

The murder mystery aspect was fun, I felt as though it could have been a bit more fleshed out in places but it didn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the book. I loved the unique magic system and all the different mythical creatures we meet within the book, this is very much the perfect book to get lost in if you love whimsical folklore vibes.

ADADT does touch on a few serious topics (like prejudice) but being Allison's first Adult Fantasy I wouldn't expect any less.

Overall, a very well rounded and enjoyable book.

I love a dark academia and liked the sapphic romance between rivals, other than that I really struggled with finding the motivation to read this book. It just didn’t grip me but I’m sure other people will love it! Allison Saft writes so beautifully, this one just wasn’t for me. Thank you for the arc!

I don't have much to say except that this book was everything, it was amazing and I can't wait to get a physical copy as soon as possible.. Lorelai and Sylvia and everything

Thank you to Netgalley and Daphne Press for an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

The story follows Lorelei a sharp tounged folklorist on an expedition with 6 nobles to find a magical spring that promises magical powers to those who are worthy. While on this expedition her leader and mentor is murdered aboard the ship turning the story into a murder mystery of whodunnit.

Lorelei receives word from the king that she must figure out who did this as well as the spring or be blamed for it herself.

Her only ally on board is her academic rival who she hates Sylvia can she trust her fully and figure out who did this and find the Ursprung and get them back to pass this information too the king and save her life?

It took me a while to get into this but that was more my reading slump than the book itself.

Once I got over this slump I found this story to whimsical, magical and intriguing I loved the added murder mystery aspect and the grumpy/sunshine trope is one of my favourites.

The world building was immersive and captivating and the story and characters arc were all well crafted. All of the suspects have motives that could be realistic added to the suspense of the story and the mystery.

From the ending I assume that this was a standalone and I felt like this story wrapped up wonderfully.

An enchanting story for fans of fanstary magic and murder mystery stories. I would fully recommend this story for fantasy lovers.