Member Reviews

I see Lyndall Clipstone saw all of the recent beautiful horror book covers from other authors and she said "Hold my beer." This cover is STUNNING. I want this cover art as a wall print. I want it as a literal statue for my house. I want it on a t-shirt. Whoever hired the artist to design the art for this cover deserves a trophy and a raise increase of approximately 350%. This is probably the most beautiful book cover I have EVER seen, and I've read a TON of books over my life. Even if I hated this book (which I didn't), I STILL would have bought this on release day just to display on my bookshelf. This was a work of art before I even opened the first page. Give the artist all of his/her flowers. Incredible!

Now, onto the book. I don't know what I did to deserve the gift of having the last 3 arcs i read be absolute 5 stars, but here we are and I'm not asking any questions. Romance is not a genre that I read, ever, but give me romance mixed with horror/gothic vibes and I am SEATED!

To say that this book was absolutely perfection with the most lush prose would be an understatement. It truly felt like luxury reading this. "Tenderly, I am Devoured" is a love letter to moody, monstrously gothic romantasies. I've never read anything like it and doubt I ever will again.

Stunning work. Beautiful Cover. I need more!

Thank you to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan Childrenโ€™s Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read this utterly gorgeous story.

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The writing of this book is lyrical. The way the author weaves a soft sense of sensuality and longing through pain and anguish is absolutely stunning. That said, parts of this book felt pretty repetitive. Not enough that it overshadows the beauty of the story, but definitely enough that I took notice.

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๐˜๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ข๐˜จ๐˜ข๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฎ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฏ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ต๐˜ด๐˜ฆ๐˜ญ๐˜ง, ๐˜ข ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด๐˜ด ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฌ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ด๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฌ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ช๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ด, ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ, ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ด ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ.

There's something so beautiful and delicate and romantic about everything Lyndall writes. Flower petal soft yearning threaded through with the sharpest anguish.

๐˜ž๐˜ฆ'๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฆ๐˜บ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฎ; ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ณ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜จ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ.

Love, family and living fully despite betrayal and hurt. The bond between Lark and the Felimath siblings and Lark and her brothers is achingly sweet and unbearably poetic.

๐˜ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฎ ๐˜ค๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ, ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ ๐˜ธ๐˜ข๐˜ด ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ ๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜บ ๐˜ญ'๐˜ท๐˜ฆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ค๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ช๐˜ณ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฆ๐˜ต.

Lacrimosa and her kissable chthonic god and her brooding selkie boy ๐Ÿค๐Ÿฆข

๐˜ ๐˜ธ๐˜ช๐˜ด๐˜ฉ ๐˜ ๐˜ค๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฌ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ค๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ, ๐˜ง๐˜ฐ๐˜ญ๐˜ฅ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ณ๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด, ๐˜ต๐˜ถ๐˜ค๐˜ฌ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ ๐˜ด๐˜ข๐˜ง๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฃ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ต๐˜ฉ ๐˜ฎ๐˜บ ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ต.

Lark and her sweet, brave, strawberry sunrise girl ๐ŸŽ€๐Ÿ“

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โญโญโญโญ 4/5

Talk about atmosphere. The writing in this book is spectacular. I loved the descriptions which put you there on the cliffs and caves of Verse, chilled and barefoot and sandy. The society created here, with their own cthonic gods and rituals, was really special. The twists the story took really interested me, as well.

I would say that the story starts a tad slow, but I am usually not a gothic fantasy reader and had to adjust a bit. It was totally worth pushing myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the ARC copy!

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2.5 STARS

**Possible spoiler alert: Specific plot details outside of what the book's synopsis has already shared are excluded, but details surrounding some of the relationships are shared.**

The book started out amazingly. I like when not all of the details are immediately revealed and there is a timeline jump from the present to the past, and bits are slowly revealed as the present day storyline unravels. It had some mystery, which made me hyper-diligent in my reading because I was actively gathering clues to figure out why certain things were occurring.

The bulk of the writer's writing style was BEAUTIFUL! "There will always be a scar on me in the shape of the truth." She is definitely talented in the way she weaves words to tell her story.

It had so many great moving parts, all parts that gave this story great potential. The plot as a whole is where this book faltered for me. It felt like all of the pieces didn't fit together. The "throuple" situation with the brother and sister duo was icky and weird. There was a moment where Lark is kissing Alistair (the brother) while his sister, Camille, is caressing Lark's neck. It is weird as heck to imagine my sibling and I dating the same person, much less them stroking any part of that person's body while I'm being kissed by them. I just could NOT get on board with this, and it ruined the suspense and slow burn of her and Alistair reconnecting. By the time they kissed, I was so icked out I didn't even care.

This book had a beautiful chance to be a place for young adults who are in these situations, where they're experiencing bisexuality and aren't fully formed in their identities or sexuality, yet, and it could have served as a soft landing place for them to begin to explore those thoughts and feelings conceptually if they werenโ€™t already exploring them on a physical level. But all of the relationships werenโ€™t fully fleshed out. We kept being told about how Lark connected with these characters without the author having scenes to flesh out how those connections were built. As much details were shared about Larkโ€™s relationship with Allistair and Damson, even significantly less was shared about Camille. That relationship surprised me and it didnโ€™t make sense to me. It made me take Lark less seriously.

I LOVED Larksโ€™ brothers. I would not change anything about them. I adored them for their deep love for Lark and the selflessness they showed in caring for her. Her initial anger did not make sense to me, not at the level she harped at her brothers about regarding the secret they were guarding. If they hadnโ€™t done what they did, she would not exist. They were selling off everything in their house to be able to support themselves and support her while she was away at school. They never asked her for a thing. And they not once tried to manipulate or persuade her to marry Therion. SHE did, despite their multiple attempts to dissuade her. So her being mad? It seemed bratty and immature. Feeling like her trust and connection with them was minimally frayed because they withheld that information from her would have made more sense than the temper tantrum she had. They were willing to sell their home and their land so that she didnโ€™t have to be forced into a marriage with Therion. They were not the bad guys. She was a drama queen and unlikeable with how she handled her initial reaction. Again, an unfriendly reaction would, of course, have been warranted. The level at which she blew up did not feel justified.

There was a scene where Hugo, Allistair, Camille, and Lark were having dinner with Allistair and Camilleโ€™s cruel father. At some point, the father demands Allistair accompany him upstairs, and it is obvious Mr. Felimath is angry. Lark KNOWS the man is most likely going to physically abuse Allistair. But she decides to make out with Camille first, and THEN go upstairs to try to intercept any abuse that the father might inflict on Allistair. I did not understand HOW she could be slightly in the mood to kiss ANYONE knowing what could possibly be happening to Allistair upstairs. There was no urgency in her trying to get to him. I did really like this line: โ€œI am small and soft, nothing but a fierce heart and a borrowed dress, but in this moment I know I would tear out MARCUS FELIMATHโ€™S throat with my own blunt teeth before I let him put his hands on Alistair again.โ€ (I guess unless it gets in the way of a mini make-out sesh with Allistairโ€™s sister downstairs, but THEN when she's done, she will tear out his throat and blah blah blah.)

The ending of the book began to pick up again. There was another weird moment where Camille and Lark kiss, I think while theyโ€™re trying to connect to Therion, and it made zero sense. Everything about those two being romantically involved felt incredibly forced and like she just wanted someone in the book to have a female on female relationship. I felt like Damsen and Lark fulfilled that box if it was something the author was trying to check off. Even though they were not a fleshed out couple for me, they made sense to me because Lark was coming off of a rejection and broken heart from the boy she loved, so I was not surprised she latched onto Damesen the way she did.

I would not recommend this book to my friends, fellow librarians, or purchase it. If the hiccups were better developed, this could be an incredible book, and then Iโ€™d happily purchase it. I appreciate NetGalley and Macmillan Childrenโ€™s Publishing Group/Henry Holt and Co. for the digital review copy of this unique romantasy in return for my honest feedback.

**I have a joint Goodreads account. There is a note in the post that I am posting as Josh R. Thank you again for the opportunity to read this book!**

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Beautiful prose, but the reliance on sensuality as the massively overplayed note made the book feel repetitive. It was driven by who Lark would kiss next, and when two of those people were siblings who felt dangerously close to also kissing each other, it became difficult to read. I am not a fan of incest or incest-hints.

Beyond the borderline incest (the two siblings do not ever actually kiss, but the sensual tone that dominates the book carries thoroughly through their actions so it's almost less believable that they haven't), I thought the relationship with her brothers, the setting of the salt mine and the sea god were all very interesting. I would probably have adored this book, written in this style, if the focus had stayed on these facets. But Lark seemed to be under some sort of spell where anyone her age (or immortal) that she interacted with became an immediate romantic obsession, with or without reason. The overabundance of romantic interests (4!) for one MC made it difficult to sort out what made any of them unique or necessary. Alistair was my favorite, as his arc from friend to rival was mysterious and dark--but then it almost immediately just becomes a physical obsession between him and Lark (and his sister) without a clear emotional shift for him as to why. I would have loved some paring back of the other romances in order to truly focus on one, or maybe two, as Clipstone is clearly excellent at writing romantic vibes and it would be fascinating to see her dive deep into one that felt like more than just exploratory sex. The "this is exciting because we're doing it on your father's desk and he could catch us" was the most honest note in all of the relationships, because for once there was a reason for them to feel as passionate as they did.

I also desperately wanted Lark to just have a friend, but when she chooses making out over helping her brother while knowing he's being abused, there is perhaps a reason she has no friends.

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I genuinely enjoyed this book. Larkโ€™s tale had me from the beginning and I thought it was a great idea to have some chapters be distributed the way they are with flashbacks in between. It gave me the sense of having to keep going to find out what happened at her school or why she hated Alistair. Once all of that was discovered, it makes the reader understand more and then dive back to the plot.
I think this book was more character-led and still I didnโ€™t dislike that fact. I only wish we had a bit more background on the gods/myths to understand more of the folklore in the book.
Alistair and Lark were great round characters but I also wished a little bit more for Camille. The introduction of Hugo was quite well, a side character with a bit of history. And I think Camille deserved that too. As for Larkโ€™s school situation, I also wished we could see more of the outcome there since it was so unjust. I still liked the ending we got, they definitely deserved it.

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In this book, Lyndall Clipstone displays a talent for creating a lush atmosphere that I found reminescent of A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid. The setting is excellent, the prose rich and full of beautiful imagery. The prose is the strongest point in this novel, and I did struggle connecting with the main character, Lark. Her flashbacks to her academy days were equally as intersting to read about as her bethrothal to a swan god, and gave her more life. I was actually sad when those chapters ended.

The main trio in general could have been more developed as well, but these a minor gripes. I enjoyed the story and the world-building, though I wish we could have seen more of it.

Reccomended for poetic prose, beautiful atmosphere, and interesting lore. Clipstone has put a great deal of heart into the novel, and I believe that more than shines through in the story.

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4.5 stars.

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is as dark and lovely as its title and cover might suggest.

This novel is filled to the brim with longing and feels like it was written for tender-hearted dreamers, big-time yearners, folklore enthusiasts, and, of course, swan lovers.

I'm naturally skeptical of things that are compared to The Secret History and A Study in Drowning because those books are very near and dear to my heart, but I do think that there are elements of both of those in this story. This is especially true if the bacchanalia from TSH fascinated you. Clipstone's take on it is, of course, different, but hers is a gauze-draped, dreamy and surreal thing that was utterly captivating.

I think that my favorite part about this book was its characters though. Lacrimosa, Alastair, Camille, and Therion were such fascinating characters and I especially enjoyed experiencing the latter three through Lark's perspective. She's such a lover and that bleeds into every interaction she has with the important people in her life.

The romance also had me kicking my feet and giggling. There's just something about friends to rivals to lovers that hits every single time. While I wish the tension between Lark and Alastair had been left to simmer for longer (their resolution was a bit rushed in my opinion), it was still so good. I also just really loved, as an enjoyer of things that come in threes, how Lark's life was so neatly divided into trios. That recurring theme--especially as it applied to her love life--was such a well thought out detail.

I think that the only reason this book isn't a five star for me is because there were times where it felt almost a bit too repetitive. Many of the same turns of phrase were used over and over again, and while they were as lovely the second or even third time I saw them, I did wish for a bit more variety.

Overall though, this was a fantastic read. Lyndall Clipstone is on my radar and I'm eager to read her backlog -- especially if her other books are as full of as much yearning as this one was.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own :)

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Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenienceโ€ฆ to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Larkโ€™s isolated coastal hometown.โ€™


Tenderly, I am Devoured was such a peculiar story. Although not particularly my cup of tea, I did appreciate the tale and the prose. I just had a difficult time wrapping my head around Larkโ€™s relationship with the siblings. What was that like? Did she swap beds nightly, going from brother to sister? Iโ€™m left curious to know exactly how that situation was peacefully & happily navigable for all.

Regardless, I am always grateful for the opportunity to read an arc. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)!

Pub date: 7.1.2025.

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"...The worst hurt doesn't always come with open violence. Instead, there is a tenderness before you're devoured."

A huge thank you to Lyndall Clipstone for allowing me to read and review this story via NetGalley. โค๏ธ

Tenderly, I Am Devoured is my favorite work from Clipstone yet and is a reminder as to why she's one of my favorite authors. I can always find myself easily engrossed in the worlds she creates and Tenderly is certainly no exception to the case. Her prose can describe a scene and characters' emotions so vividly and beautifully, and they shine so wonderfully all throughout this story. This is the most beautifully written book I've read this year, and I just know so many other readers will fall in love with it like I did when it releases in 2025. ๐Ÿ’—

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โ€œ๐Œ๐ž๐š ๐˜๐ฏ๐ข๐ง ๐„๐ฅ๐ž๐ฏ๐ซ๐กโ€ ๐Ÿชท๐Ÿฆขโœจ

I finished Tenderly, I am devoured in one sitting and I am OBSESSED. As many of my pookies know Iโ€™m a huge fan of gothic fantasy, adding a sapphic element to that was all it took for me to click โ€˜request an arcโ€™. Clipstone wrote a stunning, enchanting and magical novel about love, friendship and betrayal. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loved โ€˜A Study In Drowningโ€™ (taste ๐Ÿ˜Œ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿผ).

โœจ the vibes โœจ:
- art references
- m/f/f polyrelationship
- WHO DID THIS TO YOU ๐ŸงŽ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐ŸงŽ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐ŸงŽ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐ŸงŽ๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ
- a unique magic system with gods
- dark academia-esque
- the secret history x a study in drowning

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ARC.

My rating: 3.5 stars.

I really, really wanted to love this book. I did. I adored Lakesedge, Forestfall, and Unholy Terrors. So going into this book - I had high expectations.

This review is going to have spoilers. And is based on my own preferences. Regardless of my personal feelings, Tenderly, I Am Devoured, was still worth reading. I read it in one sitting, but Iโ€™m going to go into depth on why certain aspects of the book didnโ€™t work for me.

There will be spoilers ahead.

The first major issue I had, caused me to almost quit reading. The toxic friendship/relationship between Lark and Damson really striked me as wrong right from the start, which I assume was Clipstoneโ€™s intent. There was so much gaslighting and toxic relationship building that it was as uncomfortable to keep reading sometimes - as I experienced something similar to what Lark does here. It made me feel so much for her. She was basically treated as an abuse victim - encouraged to isolate her family, gaslighted, given gifts to apologize, guilt-tripped for even mentioning her brothers, and eventually even cast aside when she performed better academically than Damson. It also made me furious that Damson got away with everything. I know in life people get away with things like this all the time - but I hurt for Lark.

The other main gripe I had with this was I almost wish there wasnโ€™t a romance between Lark and Camille. It kind of rubbed me the wrong way that it was almost a M/F/F relationship when two of them were siblings. And sharing Lark between them, even though the romance was pretty tame, really threw me. Iโ€™m glad they didnโ€™t lie to each other and sneak around. But to be honest, Lark desperately needs a pure friendship. A true friendship with no strings and no romantic expectations. This poor girl just needs a friend.

I really enjoyed Lark as a heroine. I know she can be kind of of a cry baby and struggles to be confident in herself. But it felt genuine considering the betrayals she went through.

I wish we had more time with Alastair/Lark and Therion/Lark, and that we got more about Alastair with Therion sharing his body and their love of Lark. (And maybe see if he helps Alastair confront his father.) Honestly, I would love a sequel or novella of just their interactions.

I felt Tenderly, I am Devoured, could have definitely used more creepy/horror moments. I liked what we got, but it seemed like this stuff was kind of brushed over, and I would have loved it if it was more in depth. Lakesedge did it really well, and I wished for more atmospheric prose like that book had.

In the end, I honestly think Tenderly, I am Devoured, wasnโ€™t long enough. I needed more.

Thank you so much Lyndall Clipstone for an ARC!



Also, I didnโ€™t include this on Goodreads but there was a continuity issue with larks veil. Itโ€™s indicated that it is definitely real when she finds it in her room. But later when sheโ€™s discussing all the illusions and other things that arenโ€™t there, the veil is included. I actually went back and read the passage about the veil again because it confused me so much. I know. Itโ€™s an odd detail to cling to. But I thought Iโ€™d mention it.

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YES, YES, YES to this book! It lived up to ALL its promises โ€”a haunting, gothic, dark romantasy with a touch of folk horror.

The main heroine, Lacrimosa, is such a soft character and really shines in the book. Her relationships with Alastair and Camille felt fully developed and the worldโ€ฆ.well it was unique and Iโ€™m not quite sure Iโ€™ve ever read anything like it.

I definitely recommend this book!

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This book is luminous and sensuousโ€”it gives me the same feeling as when I'm looking at a sweeping, detailed, moody painting. That's the only way I can describe it. The descriptions feel like brushstrokes and I can smell the salt air. I was utterly absorbed into the world and found myself wanting to know more about how the world worked, about each city and place mentioned, about the different gods we didn't encounter. Lark, Alistair, and Camille are a perfect trio, playing off each other and growing together in a beautiful, unexpected way. Every element of this story, every themeโ€”finding yourself after rejection and revelation, building yourself a life after the one you thought you had is destroyed, finding love you didn't think you'd ever haveโ€”is so lush and I want to live inside the warp and weft of the fabric Clipstone has woven.

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I have been yearning for a book like this. Something that drums on my skull and begs to be devoured. Despite my best attempts to savour this book, I read the entire thing in one sitting. Clipstone's prose is rich and dreamy, but never dense or contrived. Clipstone writes the way I dream of writing. At several points, I was compelled to read specific lines out loud (despite my companion's protests).

The world of Tenderly, I Am Devoured hovers between a nightmare and a dream. Horror creeps in like a cold front, transforming the almost-cosy, dark academia-inspired atmosphere into something much more sinister. Despite reading this book in 30ยฐC heat, I could feel the cool, dank air of the caves, the bite of sea spray on my cheeks, the howling wind whipping through my hair. At points, the book is almost psychedelicโ€”leaving the reader with the same sensation as the characters as they perform a bacchanalia.

I adored the snippets of Lark's past, and the slow unravelling of the mystery surrounding her expulsion from Marchmain Academy. There are so many different threads in this book, and it was a joy to watch each one unspool. Lark herself is a compelling main character, and it was so refreshing to see a soft, crybaby (complimentary) of a girl play a leading role.

If you enjoyed A Secret History, A Far Wilder Magic, or For The Wolf, you will adore Tenderly, I am Devoured. Expect a m/f/f poly romance which will leave you with bi panic, a dreamy chthonic God, and horror as ethereal as it is haunting.

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Lyndall Clipstone's latest work, Tenderly,I Am Devoured, showcases her divine prose, by creating a cinematic experience within the intricately crafted world. The story is enriched by a raw, pagan belief system that adds depth to its setting.

Lark's journey of self-discovery resonates deeply, reflecting the struggles of emerging from a toxic relationship and finding genuine love. Camille serves as a warm, grounding presence, while Alastair, with his cold yet tortured demeanor, embodies the ideal love interestโ€”passionate and willing to sacrifice for love. The exploration of polyamory is refreshingly authentic, and the casual representation of queer relationships throughout the narrative adds to its richness. I personally have not seen this care taken with polyamory in a fiction novel.

Lacrimosa (Lark) Arriscane, an aspiring artist and orphan, who is expelled from her prestigious school. She returns home to find her family in financial trouble. She is then betrothed to Therion, a sea god. Lark's wedding is interrupted, leading her to team up with the Felimath siblingsโ€”Alastair, the aloof boy who broke her heart, and his caring sister, Camille. As they confront dark forces threatening their lives, Lark navigates a complex and captivating romance, caught between her feelings for both Felimaths. The story features rich world-building, well-timed revelations, and a satisfying conclusion, making it a highly recommended read for fans of unique romantasy thrillers.

Overall, this dark and beautiful tale weaves themes of love and identity against a backdrop of sea and salt, making it a highly anticipated read for next year.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Childrenโ€™s Publishing Group/Henry Holt and Co. for providing a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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Lyndall Clipstone continues to outdo herself with every book. Her prose is ethereal and delicate, perfectly setting the tone for the world she has built. It almost feels like watching a movie, with how beautifully she sets the scene. The World of Tendery, I am Devoured is thoughtfully laid out, with an intricate belief system that feels raw and pagan.
I continue to enjoy her characters as well. Lark is a character I understand. I've been 18 and reeling from a toxic relationship. I've tried to shove myself in a box to please someone else. And watching her unfurl with people who truly love her after that experience was so beautiful to read. Camille was constantly a warm balm, a calming presence to help center those around her.
And Alastair is everything I want in a love interest. Cold at first, but tortured. Desperately in love and will sacrifice anything for it. I love the romances that Lyndall Clipstone writes overall, but I am overjoyed that this one committed to polyamory with no pretense. That's something I would love to see more in stories, and it feels like many authors are still shying away from it.
The frequency and casualness of queer relationships was also very appreciated. It wasn't just one character nonchalantly mentioned. There were significantly more queer relationships than heteronormative ones.
Overall, this was a dark and beautiful story with the sea and salt interwoven on every page. I look forward to purchasing this next year when it's released.

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I have no reason to be scared of the dark.โ€ @lkclipstone

Tenderly I am Devoured by Lyndall Clipstone starts off as a dream, but its beauty gives way to nightmares- like the gods themselves. In the balance of beauty and horror, Clipstone brings us right to the misty seaside of Verse. As the secrets of Larkโ€™s strange marriage unravel, she does as well. ๐Ÿ’

Expelled from her prestigious boarding school, Lacrimosa (Lark) shamefully returns to her home in Verse to find her family on the edge of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she binds herself in marriage to the dangerous and fearsome Therion, the chthonic god worshiped by her land. ๐Ÿ‘€

When she believes she has nowhere else to go, she turns to her estranged childhood friends: Camille Felimath, a gentle girl welcoming her with open arms, and Allistair Felimath, her once best friend turned first heartbreak. As they clumsily navigate their renewed relationship, the three find themselves coming closer than ever to save Lark. ๐Ÿฆข

Tenderly I am Devoured will be released July 1, 2025. Thank you so much to Lyndall and her team for the free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.๐Ÿฅฐ

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A huge thank you to Lyndall for this ARC!
Would you marry a god to help save the livelihood of your family? To say that this book was absolutely stunning would be an understatement. The story and itโ€™s characters were so beautifully done. Lark and the love that she had for others, her fierceness, were a joy to read. The descriptions of this world were immersive; like walking into a painting and living inside it. Loved everything about this read!

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