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The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten
4.5
adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

The Foxglove King is the first in The Nightshade Kingdom series from Hannah Whitten. It follows Lore, a poison runner (smuggler) with dark secrets. After a catastrophic run-in with the palace, Lore is forced to team up with Gabe. Gabe is a celibate monk sworn to the high priest and dedicated to the rise of a god Lore doesn’t believe in. Together, they must gain the trust of crown prince Bastian and determine if he is guilty of treason. As they learn more about the secrets of the palace, there are no simple answers and they must hurry to uncover the truth behind the king’s schemes before their world is changed forever. 

I really enjoyed The Foxglove King!! I love Hannah Whitten and I knew that her writing would captivate me once again. She has created a fascinating world and an enthralling new power in Mortem. Lore is a fierce and strong heroine; I loved learning the secrets of her past. I especially loved her mothers! Gabe is a very principled man who must reckon with inconsistencies in his beliefs. Bastian is joyful and chaotic, but his antics cover a deep anxiety and desire to save the kingdom. Whitten never lets her characters get away with an easy choice and instead they must make morally gray choices, which I really loved. 

I can’t wait to find out what happens next! I hope to see more romance in the sequel! I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially to fans of Shelby Mahurin, Adalyn Grace, and Rebecca Ross. If you enjoy excellent world-building, fierce heroines, and sky-high stakes then you should read The Foxglove King. 

Thank you so much to Hannah Whitten, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.