I love the cover of this book! I unfortunately found the story to be slow and uncomfortable. I didn’t feel any connections to the characters. I would definitely check out the trigger warnings before reading this book.

Thank you NetGalley, Lyndall and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the eARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Publication date : July 1 2025

Tenderly, I am Devoured
By Lyndall Clipstone

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian for a eARC for and honest review.

Overall review 4⭐️

Tropes:
🪽Folklore
🪽New Deity system
🪽Art Appreciation
🪽Family legacy
🪽Enemies to lovers


I went into this one thinking one thing and being blown away by what was really happening. Clipstone builds a beautiful world full of folklore, messy relationships and a haunting perspective of Gods and how humans expect things from them. Lark returns home disgraced from boarding school just to find that her family home is in more financial ruin than ever before. By some strange twist to save her family she finds herself betrothed to the chthonic god, Therion, that her family worships. When the wedding does not go as planned she finds herself getting help with the least unlikely of people.

My favorite thing about this book is the lore. It was the one thing that drew me in the most. I felt like the pacing was slightly off with the flashbacks; the second the story started to feel like it was moving forward we are pulled away. I tend to dislike these nonlinear plot lines making this my only dislike with the book. I loved the twists this book took and it kept me on edge from knowing what was actually the truth until it was fully reviled. The relationships a raw, confusing and messy making a wonderfully different love shape.

Endearing story with lore deep background. I enjoyed how detailed she writes and following Lacrimosa.
Truly beautiful prose that captivates you into the world. Alastair is strange and alluring from the beginning. This book is about a good as descriptive writing can get. Beautiful and picturesque.

I was surprised to actually see Therion in the story as some folklore refers to the Gods and don’t even have them appear beyond their shrine being present.

I felt Camille wasn’t present in the plot much, but enjoyed Alastair having a more dominant presence.

Lacrimosa’s family ties, problems, brothers, and debts were well conveyed and enabled the reader to be in her shoes.

The romantic moments of Lacrimosa and relationships worked out better than I anticipated. I wondered how she was going to execute that. Camille seemed to have more tender moments and reflect with Lacrimosa in the beginning and generally Alastair wears down and can’t handle being around Lacrimosa anymore. It is like he was putting up a front and didn’t want to like her, yet always did.

Thank you so much to the author for an advanced copy of Tenderly, I am Devoured!

I lowkey cringe when people say this… but dare I say… I devoured this novel….

I don’t even really know how to put how much I loved this book into words. The world, the characters, the plot, the writing, the connections… it was all just so beautiful.

While the characters and prose were light and lovely, there were so many dark issues and themes woven into it that created this wonderful romantic gothic dark academia vibe. The atmospheric world that Lyndall created was truly breathtaking, and set so far apart from anything else I’ve ever read.

True to the title, the relationships between the fmc, Lark, and the other characters were so tender that it made my heart feel so full. The love expressed to and from her brothers and her childhood friends, Alastair and Camille, left me yearning for more. Every character was well developed, as well as their struggles.

What to expect:
🎀 childhood heartbreak to lovers
🦢 dark academia vibes
🎀 a m/f/f poly romance
🦢 family secrets and haunted legacies
🎀 a swan god
🦢 flower-threaded horror

I'm going to start this review by saying I fell in love with the cover for "Tenderly, I am Devoured" immediately. It could've been a book about porcupines having adventures in potholes & I'd have still read it because JUST LOOK AT THAT COVER. Luckily, Tenderly was so much better than that (maybe, I don't know how porcupines get down).

I'm not gonna lie, Tenderly was a rough start for me. The first few pages read very "I'm 14 & this is deep" until I got used to Clipstone's writing style. And the "Then" chapters weren't as interesting at the "Now" ones but once it hit its stride, I was captivated. It's gothic asf, angsty asf, sexy asf (can you call a YA book "sexy"?) & amazingly queer asf. Lark, Alistair & Camille were the perfect trio (or "golden ratio", as Lark calls it). Those three plus the "devouring" presence of Therion had me staying up late to finish this book. At first glance, you'd think this book was a romance by the cover & the blurb & there IS romance in it, don't get me wrong, but it was so so much more. The love of friendship & family, all those pieces & people & moments in your life that make you whole. What I'm saying is this book surpassed my expectations. I enjoyed "Tenderly, I Am Devoured" immensely & I hope you do as well.

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

This was beautiful, haunting, and so richly atmospheric that I felt fully transported into the world.

I was so ready to throw hands in defense of Lark, Alastair, and Camille. (๑•̀ᗝ•́)૭

My only gripe was that I wanted more of Therion. He was so interesting and captivating. He needed more page time. (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡

Spooky and steamy in the best way. Color me OBSESSED with this woman’s writing and story telling! I was shocked and captivated from the first chapter and I couldn’t put it down. So good!!

Rating: 4.5/5 Penguins
Quick Reasons: dreamlike, haunting, ethereal prose; this story digs its claws into you and refuses to let go; not your average happy ending; bewitching characters

Huge thanks to Lyndall Clipstone, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Netgalley for access to this ARC! My review is voluntarily written and in no way altered or impacted by this gesture.

This publishing season must be about the darkness of mirrors, the secrets of academia, the creatures that lurk just out of sight... and the balance of finding (a) love(s) you are willing to risk everything to keep hold of. The prose in this title is fiercely sharp and devastatingly haunting, a blazing you will rush headlong into to find the woven secrets that await.

These characters will seep into your every thought and demand you give them solace. This world will ricochet within the spaces of your blinking, a promise to keep you captivated. There's a slithering, snickering breathlessness of this read's atmosphere, as if the author not only penned it but LIVED it. There is a sinking sense of familiarity in these words that calls, so subtly, to those who might find reflections of themselves waiting. I found myself aloft, adrift, and utterly unable to put this book down until the ending.

I highly recommend this read to those who long for poetry in their prose, those who look for dark shadows lurking just out of sight, and those who seek a world of words both taunting and transporting. This read will leave you changed and burning, Penguins.... awaiting the next salt season with fresh- honed eyes.

Thank-you NetGalley for opportunity to arc read this book!

Such a beautifully written book. The words make feel like you are on this journey with lark, can hear the sound of the waves, can smell the brine of the air all while fighting through identities , old and new.

The gothic nature of it adds to the emotion of this adventure. With heart racing and eyes prickling I enjoyed being an observer to the transformations that took place. And seeing bonds form between gods, lovers, friends in ways that could not have been guessed.

Something about this just didn't click with me. It didn't feel particularly Gothic and the romance was definitely NOT it for me. I feel like there wasn't a lot of tension and I could see where the plot was going. I also feel like there were several points that would have been better endings, especially since it seems this might turn into a series? If it doesn't, Hugo's acceptance of the situation feels far too easy to wrap the story up so well.

ooookay this was really good and addictive and sad and aghhh!!!
this book is a character-driven one. we see the evolution of them through the chapters and, lemme tell you, it was really impressive since there were several moments where I though, this character can’t get any worse, and THEY DID.

the FMC sometimes was a little overwhelming with all her doubts and changes of mind, but to the end I empathised with her.

Tenderly, I am devoured is beautifully written and pretty captivating!

(also, the COVER!!!!! *chef’s kiss*)

RATING: 3 stars

TROPES: Why choose, LGBTQ love interests, promised to a God

Spice: YA, slight spice

TRIGGERS: mentioned child abuse, child emotional abuse.

First and foremost, the cover of this book is absolutely beautiful! The inclusion of art as a focus was also incredibly beautiful. The book was gothic, and the imagery was well done and beautiful.

The book itself was an easy read, however I did feel as though more could be said. I did feel a little lost in the decisions leading towards the ending. I also felt there was more to be desired in terms of the romance. As a reminder, this book is slated to be YA, so I knew going into it that the spice level would be low. HOWEVER, even in YA, you can still have romance and intimacy, such as developing a relationship. It did feel as though we were thrown in to the romance, because at one point, the main character and love interests were estranged friends, borderline betrayed by them, and then at another point, in the throws of a why choose relationship.

The book also includes significant chapter flashbacks, however, I didn't see why the throwbacks were necessary to the overall plot. Yes *spoiler* she was kicked out of the school, but does the past relationship/friendship necessary to mention if the focus was saving a God?

I could not believe how beautiful the prose was in this book, given the horror genre. I really enjoyed the fantastical worldbuilding and the tension. Seriously a master class is voice.

4.5 stars rounded up.

I saw some other reviews that said they devoured this book, but I think this book devoured me. A raw look into the blurry lines of friendship and intimacy, and trusting others and yourself after heartbreak, spun into a beautiful mythology.

There were a few times when the simple ugliness of reality- abusive fathers, backstabbing mean girls, detached me from the story, but the beautiful prose was always quick enough to pull me back in moments later. Overall, this was a gorgeous YA fantasy/folk gothic and I adored experiencing it.

Read if you love...
folklore and local gods
childhood friends-to-enemies-to-lovers
why choose, messy queer relationships
dark academia vibes
the absolute messiness of growing up and having feelings

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Children's Publishing Group for the ARC!

4⭐️

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.

"I don't want to be something fragile, too delicate to touch. If I must be glass then I want to be the razored edge of a broken pane - sharp and dangerous."

After I saw the absolutely stunning Cover of this book on Netgalley I got really curious and just had to know what this book is about. That’s when I knew that I really wanted to read it. Fortunately I was lucky enough to be chosen to receive an ARC of Tenderly, I am Devoured.

Honestly, reading this book felt like looking at a watercolour picture painted with pastel hues of rose, pink, white, lilac and blue. Everything felt so picturesque like walking through a dream with endless possibilities. I really don’t know how to describe it but the writing of this book felt special like that to me.

"But in this moment, I am fierce as an ocean storm, as unstoppable as the violence of a rising tide."

I really enjoyed the narrative of the book. How the present and past were intertwined, only giving us the full picture of what happened in the past towards the end of the book, yet still managing to not leave the reader hanging with questions. It did a great job of showing us how the past directly affects the present of our main characters, explaining their actions while also showing us their growth in the present.

It is a story of love and friendship, of heartbreak and betrayal, and of reclaiming life after trauma and pain. It's a beautifully written book that at first appears glittering like the Ocean in sunlight until it draws you into the depths of the dark Ocean showing you what's hidden underneath.

"If Damson showed me anything, it's that the worst hurt doesn't always come with open violence. Instead, there is tenderness before you're devoured."

Reading this book felt like dreaming. I highly recommend reading it if you’d like to be swept away into a dreamlike world that also deals with serious topics.

Exquisite is the word I would use to describe this book. I was a little intimidated by the lusciously beautiful cover as well as the description, but what I found was a beautiful, lyrical, almost ethereal story. This story was crafted with love, and it shows in every word. I recommend this to anyone who loves a haunting love story, not just love of another, but love of life and love of self.

I wanted to love this with how beautiful the book cover is, but the characters all fell flat and the storyline was horribly boring.

I enjoyed this book, it just wasn’t phenomenal. It’s your good average run of the mill kind of book. I didn’t feel connection to any of the characters but I loved the storyline.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian Children's Publishing Group for the chance to read Tenderly, I Am Devoured.

First thing I will say is if you have watched the movie Saltburn and were a fan, stick around for this review. If you have watched Saltburn and you said "not for me", do not stick around and read this review. Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a book for those who like gothic, romantic, and dark academia adjacent stories.

This book was good and entertaining, I could picture everything very clearly in my head, which the author did a great job describing the scenes as they happened. There are gods, Salt Priests, and a lot of rituals happening in this book on top of some pretty harsh themes of abuse and trauma. You feel every emotion that the characters do and the smell of salt is almost permanent as you read the book. However, I feel as though I did not enjoy the subplot involving the university. It felt as though it was there to check the box of dark academia and to set up her love of the one local artist. There could have been enough strife without that plotline. If there was more of her relationships with the Felimaths as she was growing up, I feel like that would have brought the story together more.

If you are a "why choose", "fade to black" type of romance person then this book is for you. If you enjoyed the vibes of One Dark Window, Saltburn, or A Study in Drowning, you will enjoy this book. This book is perfect for the dark and dreary days with a candle, hot beverage, and storms.

This was my first time reading folk-horror, so I found this book very unusual in its premise and it struck me as a very unique story. The descriptions were truly what stood out to me the most, with picturesque descriptions of the sunset, the characters, and the setting making the book really come to life. The characters were well-developed and lovely, and I found the romances between them exciting and genuine. Though I’ll admit I find the concept of two siblings dating the same person rather odd, the polyamory was written well-enough and believable. I was rooting for both romances so I was glad there was not one who won out. Overall, this was a beautiful book with a startlingly unique premise with so much queer representation that it really made my heart happy.