In the Veins of the Drowning is a mesmerizing blend of folklore, romance, and intrigue, plunging readers into a world where sirens are both feared and coveted. Kalie Cassidy crafts a gripping tale of survival, power, and reluctant alliances, weaving myth and magic into an irresistible storm of a book.

Imogen has spent her life hiding what she truly is—a siren trapped in a kingdom that would see her destroyed. Bound by duty and betrothed to a man she despises, she sees no escape. But when Theodore, the cunning King of Varya, arrives with a dangerous proposition, everything changes. He knows exactly what she is—and he believes she is the key to saving their kingdoms. Their fragile alliance is built on distrust, but as threats mount and betrayals unfold, their fates become irrevocably entwined.

Cassidy excels at crafting morally gray characters and high-stakes tension, delivering a story laced with treachery, ancient magic, and slow-burning chemistry. The world-building is lush yet layered, revealing secrets piece by piece without overwhelming the reader. While the romance simmers beneath the surface, the true heart of the novel lies in its exploration of power, sacrifice, and the lengths one must go to survive.

For those who crave dark, immersive fantasy with ruthless politics, sharp banter, and heroines who refuse to be tamed, In the Veins of the Drowning is an unforgettable read. And if you love a man willing to kneel for the woman who could ruin him—this book delivers.

I could not put this book down!!! This is a great read for fans of Adalyn Grace, Stephanie Garber, and Rachel Gillig. Imogen has grown up as the prized prisoner of a terrible king on a barren, rocky island in the middle of a vast sea. Her only hope to get away from him is to marry his lead guard. The night before their wedding, Imogen learns she is actually a siren with great powers not seen in decades. But sirens have been demonized and hunted almost to extinction. Imogen's only way to escape the island with her life is to bind herself to a man she only just met...a rival king from across the sea. Leaving with him with surely bring war and devastation. I can't wait for the sequel!!!

This was one of those books that started full-throttle, sucked me in, and I was just along for the ride. I didn't quite know where it was going or what was going on at times but I enjoyed the adventure and fast paced nature. The story got better as it went along but sometimes I felt lost as aspects of the mythology seemed to be introduced with no background. The minimal world building left me feeling as though I had missed reading an entire pages at times and the story would have been richer and more intriguing with dives into the background driving the characters, religion, and politics.

The main characters were interesting but I found it hard at times to understand and connect with them in anyway. The “instant love” relationship was a bit jarring and would have like to see more development through the story to understand their reactions and motivations. Ultimately there is something interesting there and I am curious to see how it develops. As this is the beginning of a series I am looking forward to see where the story goes and gain more insight into the world and story at large, as well as see the relationship between the main characters develop.

Ultimately the story had potential but was not my favorite read. Although I did enjoy the book more than I expected at the start and it eventually drew me in, it left some things to be desired.

4.5 stars ⭐

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC! I spent the first quarter of this book unsure if I should continue reading or DNF it. I felt like I had been dropped inside of a play already in its second act with no context. The writing was beautifully descriptive though; excellent imagery as a whole - so I decided to stick with it and I'm so glad I did. I really enjoyed seeing the story unravel, and place the missing pieces to the puzzle that was this fantasy world and its characters. The world building was consistent as the plot unfolded, even down to the last few pages. The character growth of the main character Imogen was done in a way that sets the story up for many more books to come as she continues to come into herself and her own power.

I plan on purchasing my own copy upon release, and will continue to read this series.

The writing style took some time to get used to—it felt simple, but I found myself rereading a few parts. Once I adjusted, the characters became fascinating and layered.

I’ve never read a story about a Siren before, and it was a refreshing break from the usual fantasy fare of vampires or fae. If you enjoyed Rachel Gillig’s One Dark Window, you may also enjoy this atmospheric, character-driven tale.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the chance to read an early copy in exchange for my honest review!

I was enamored with this book; I couldn't put it down! I really enjoyed the quicker pacing due to it being shorter than many of the fantasy books I've read recently. Although I love a giant book, I really admire when authors can get out all they need to say for a gorgeous plot in fewer pages. I found the worldbuilding intriguing and detailed without being too difficult to follow, and there are just enough breadcrumbs left along the way to make it fun (but still challenging) to try and deduce where the story was heading next. Cassidy uses some extremely evocative imagery throughout the text that really made me feel immersed in Imogen's world and experiences.
I'd highly recommend this book to fantasy/romantasy enjoyers and people looking for something relatively short and fast-paced that isn't a thriller. I'm devastated that this book isn't even out yet and I still have to wait for the sequel. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for this ARC.

5/5 stars. I really enjoyed this book it had many of my favorite tropes - enemies to lovers, one horse, one bed, found family. It had great world building and an interesting magic system. I loved the obsessed MMC and the FMC struggling to find herself. I would definitely recommend for those who love romantasy. I plan to continuo this series.

I grabbed this book because the cover was beautiful. I am very glad that I did.

Imogen’s life has not been a bed of roses. More like thorns. A king who delights in torturing her, and his captain who is just as cruel and his motives are very suspicious.

Desperate to escape, she throws in with another king who has come to see her wed. When he sees Imogen he knows who and what she is. A Siren. Together they will face monsters of the human variety as well as those under the sea.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I could not put it down and now I am not so patiently waiting for the next adventure!


NetGalley/ July 15, 2025/ Little, Brown, and Company

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown and Company for letting me read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

I really thought this book was up my alley, but sadly it fell flat. I had difficulty connecting with the characters and romance. I couldn't get invested. The dialogue felt unnatural and I was bored much of the time. I'm probably not going to continue this series. I might try to reread this when I'm at a better point in my life because the concept is great.

THEO IS EVERYTHING!!!

I adored this book. It is so romantic and dark and eerie--in my opinion, the perfect combo. And the pining. The pining!! The stakes are high both in the adventure and romance--it has the feel of classic adventure romances, but darker and with such an original twist concerning Imogen's connection to the sirens. Swashbuckling, sexy, and searing. I'm dying for the next part!!!

Imogen Nel has always done her best to obey her King with everything she's got. He may be cruel, but she is his ward, and that makes her indebted to him. However, Imogen is hiding a secret so large that she would be executed immediately if it was revealed... and that is exactly why she is forced to create a blood bong with a neighboring king. The bond could strengthen both of them, or it could destroy the man she loves.

Holy. Moly. This book was amazing. Imogen is a badass, her backstory and powers are interesting, and I can't wait for the next book! Also, Theo.. I love yearning men, and when he calls her Immy... a part of my brain gets scratched.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the eARC. Projected publishing date: July 15th, 2025

ARC review: Is this the first good romantasy?

As a certified hater, enjoying a romantasy is huge for me. Never have I read so much yearning and groveling in my life. The romance is impeccable and actually takes its time to build. For the first time, I was highlighting lines not out of hate, but awe.

On top of the romance, I felt that the fantasy element was also done justice. The plot and world are intriguing and I may have actually gasped aloud at one point.

The writing is lush and descriptive. I adored it as this type of prose (think Ava Reid) is my favorite, but some will hate it.

All that being said, it’s not perfect. Imogen does a lot of negative thinking about herself which can become tiresome, but it made sense to me. Along with the negative thinking, there was some repetition around “we should do this thing” “no we shouldn’t” that kept circling around. None of this negatively impacted my enjoyment of the book.

I loved this. Will be picking up the next book the moment I can get my grubby little paws on it.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book! This is my first foray into the world of Sirens and I am happy to say it won’t be the last as I am so excited to continue on in the series.

We’re following Imogen who is escaping a life where she has to hide what she really is to stay alive because the people who claim to be keeping her safe are the same people who would see her kind (Sirens), obliterated from their world. In doing so, she meets Theodore, a King in his own right, who protects and worships Sirens. He agrees to help her escape if she agrees to three conditions. Simple enough right? Yeah, not so much. When lines become blurred and feelings begin to grow, Imogen and “Theo” are forced to make a potentially heartbreaking decision.

Can Imogen do what needs to be done to save her kind? Even if it means losing everything? I can’t wait to find out!!!
Thank you Little, Brown and Company!

Unfortunately, this was a bit of a disappointment for me. This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, but it fell the tiniest bit flat for me. I would've liked more of an exposition to deepen Imogen's character, as well as additional world building throughout the book. The romance felt a little rushed. I probably will still continue the series though as I am interested in what will happen next and I did like the characters.

Unfortunately I didn't enjoy this. I struggled to connect with the characters and didn't really care what happened to them. I won't be continuing this series.

Mark my word, this will be THE book of the summer. It will lure you in within the first few pages -- pun intended.

In a world full of dragons and faerie books, it's about time we got something new. From the setting to the characters (big and small) to the dark magical elements woven throughout, it's memorable. The writing is lyrical, but certainly not boring or "fluffy." It's incredibly immersive.

My only wish is that it was longer; some scenes felt short despite how important they were to the plot + character development.

I lucked into downloading this when it was Read Now and I am SO glad I did. I am obsessed with this book. I started it one evening and could not stop reading. I was so engaged in the story and the characters. This book hit all my favorite things- beautifully written characters and world, tension, fast paced. The characters are sooo good. I found it really interesting that the sirens in this book have feathered wings because I'm not sure I've read a book where they did. I think of sirens mostly as evil mermaids. I did look up sirens though and see the history of them with wings in Greek mythology. I loved how Cassidy had her sirens shift and look. I loved Imogen and Agatha's relationship and was glad that Agatha kept on the adventure. I completely fell for Imogen and Theo immediately. Their first interaction I shipped them. The tension was so good in this book. I do believe this book will be one of my favorites of the year (I don't' see how It couldn't be) I look forward to reading everything Kalie Cassidy writes.

One of my new favortites!! The writing I feel was very well done [ not young adult easy reading ] and kept me on my toes the whole time. I honestly just ate this book up. I read it in just 2 days! Thank you netgalley for providing me the chance to read this! I mean fantasty, romance, drama, and siren's with wings! This is everything you want in a book, read asap!

This is something quite special. I’ve never had the pleasure of reading a book with folklore sirens and I am ensorcelled. Cassidy has remarkable talent in weaving a story that is wondrously fantastical while maintaining a great deal of realism with her characters. This author holds her characters accountable and it is so refreshing! Can’t recommend enough. Elevated writing, so great for adults, but absolutely appropriate for younger readers. This dark and twisty fantasy debut is impossible to put down.

3.5 stars rounded up. I think this book wasn't for me, but I think it would be loved by a lot of romantasy readers.

Strengths:
-the winged sirens- very cool. I love a fantasy element that hasn't been done before
-the setting overall was intriguing and unique
-The mmc is cool, seems kind and sweet and the kneeling thing is cute.

Weaknesses:
-a romance carried by tropes
- the main character is a little dense and kinda annoying
-the twist about her father's identity was a little predictable and has definitely been done before

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC