Review: The Drowned Woods by Emily Lloyd-Jones

Author: Emily Lloyd-Jones
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Released: August 16, 2022
Received: Own (OwlCrate)

4 kitties

Book Summary:

Did you know that the kingdom of Wales was once full of magic? Unfortunately, that magic brought with it more than a fair share of conflict, as those without magic sought to gain or control those with it.

This is the world that Mererid, aka Mer, was born into. She’s a water diviner and quite possibly one of the last in her kingdom. She had her life torn away at a young age as she was dragged before the king to serve his bidding. Now she has a chance to get even – and protect everyone else from his actions.

“Mer had always considered herself a decent judge of liars. But she had forgotten it was possible to lie without ever uttering an untruth.”

My Review:

If you loved The Bone Housesyou’ve got to read The Drowned Woods. It’s set in the same world and gives readers a bit more of a chance to explore the magical system and all the wonders (and horrors) it has to offer.

To say I was excited about this novel would be an understatement! I love fantasy worlds with dark magical systems, and this one certainly checks off both boxes. Through in an adorable corgi (yes, corgi!) and some thievery and consider me sold.

In truth, this book surprised me in a lot of ways. I was expecting something like The Bone Houses meets Six of Crows. That isn’t what I got – but that’s okay because this is something new and unique.

I loved the twists that popped up throughout this novel. I was also surprised by how emotional I felt by the end. I hadn’t expected that (it seemed like I had solid control over my emotions right up until the end). The Drowned Woods is worth the read!

Highlights:

  • Fantasy
  • Water Diviner
  • Magical Heist
  • Adorable Dog
  • Fae Curses
  • Romantic subplot
  • Revenge
  • Same world as The Bone Houses

Trigger Warnings:

  • Death
  • Violence
  • Kidnapping

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About Liz (AKA Cat)

I am an avid animal lover, photographer, reader, and much more. While my photography blog is feeling a bit neglected at the moment, the other sites I'm involved in are going strong. ✧I review books, comics, and basically anything else in the literary world over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks (of Books). ✧I review comics and books, as well as write content for Word of the Nerd. ✧I review comics for Monkeys Fighting Robots. ✧I write content for Screen Rant and CBR. ✧I write book reviews for The Review Crew.
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