Lore had learned in twenty-three years alive, ten spent on the streets of Dellaire, it was that men generally preferred you to be a set piece in the story they made up, rather than an active player.

I was in quite a funk, both mentally and in regards to reading when I began to read "The Foxglove King." So, unfortunately, I put the book down a few times while I read it. This honestly didn't impede my enjoyment of the book and found it easy to get back into each time I had the energy to pick it up.

I loved the world Whitten has created here! It's quite unique and dark and right up my alley. I also love that the love interest (as of now?) is who I feel most people would deem the atypical choice. Although this book sets up a forthcoming triangle, I am happy that the romance is not the primary focus, as I feel most romantasy-type books fall prey to this and drop the world-building and character development that starts off strong. Whitten definitely does not do this!

Along with some of the criticism I have read from others, it does read a bit more YA. I don't necessarily mind this for the first in a series, and you could even begin to see a bit of a shift from this by the end, but hoping it reads a bit more adult in the future, as that was what I was looking for.

Overall, loved this book, so happy I got the beautiful Fairyloot edition, and can't wait for more in the future and get some resolution to a few unanswered questions!

When she thought about what might be left when all that artifice was stripped away, she came up blank. Like all the things that made her were window dressings on an empty house.