What do you think?
Lavender & Hemlock
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26A housemaid's quiet life is disrupted when the arrival of a mysterious visitor causes her to question the nature of her seemingly-charming cottage home in this sweet, cozy romantasy with a dark heart.
Step into the Oubliette and forget your troubles....
Housemaid Tansy’s days are all the same. Her only duties are to tend to her charge, old Lady Aster, and take care of their quaint cottage home. The seaside house is charming, peaceful, and above all, isolated. Tansy can't remember the last time she left...or when she arrived.
Merit is a Carrion Knight. A servant of the dark entity the Unmaker, she has been raised to be a monster. But when she's wounded during a routine raid, she stumbles through a mysterious door… and finds herself tumbling into the Oubliette.
When the two meet, an instant connection forms, and a crack appears in Oubliette's perfect façade. As the bond between Merit and Tansy grows and powerful feelings rise to the surface, Tansy must question not only what she wants, but who she is. Because the origins of this charming world are darker than she could imagine—and the key to uncovering them might lie with Tansy herself.
Step into the Oubliette and forget your troubles....
Housemaid Tansy’s days are all the same. Her only duties are to tend to her charge, old Lady Aster, and take care of their quaint cottage home. The seaside house is charming, peaceful, and above all, isolated. Tansy can't remember the last time she left...or when she arrived.
Merit is a Carrion Knight. A servant of the dark entity the Unmaker, she has been raised to be a monster. But when she's wounded during a routine raid, she stumbles through a mysterious door… and finds herself tumbling into the Oubliette.
When the two meet, an instant connection forms, and a crack appears in Oubliette's perfect façade. As the bond between Merit and Tansy grows and powerful feelings rise to the surface, Tansy must question not only what she wants, but who she is. Because the origins of this charming world are darker than she could imagine—and the key to uncovering them might lie with Tansy herself.
416 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Lili Wilkinson
35 books389 followersLili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of eighteen books for young people, including The Erasure Initiative and After the Lights Go Out. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it, establishing the Inky Awards at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Her latest book is A Hunger of Thorns.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
March 31, 2026
✨🌿 Lavender and Hemlock 🌿✨
😍Tansy & Merrit foreverrr 😍
This was a dark whimsy and cozy sapphic fantasy! It was seriously so cute and managed to be low angst even with the dark whimsy sprinkled throughout. I loved the world building so so so much!
The ending was so adorable. And I just know their future was filled with picnics, raspberries and perhaps a chicken or two.
💫 What to Expect
• Sapphic romance
• Cottagecore
• Isolated house
• Dark fantasy
• Memory loss
• Hidden identity
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: November 10, 2026
Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
😍Tansy & Merrit foreverrr 😍
This was a dark whimsy and cozy sapphic fantasy! It was seriously so cute and managed to be low angst even with the dark whimsy sprinkled throughout. I loved the world building so so so much!
The ending was so adorable. And I just know their future was filled with picnics, raspberries and perhaps a chicken or two.
💫 What to Expect
• Sapphic romance
• Cottagecore
• Isolated house
• Dark fantasy
• Memory loss
• Hidden identity
_ _ _
📅 Pub Date: November 10, 2026
Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
Want to Read
July 15, 2026THAT COVER IS SOO PRETTY OMG 💜
April 7, 2026
This was the exact mixture of soft beauty and dark horror that I love. Both emotional and physical terror are involved, and it creates an incredible world that is so easy to fall into. I could not love it more.
April 10, 2026
** I received an ARC through NetGalley. My views are my own.**
3.5 stars rounded up
This was a nice and atmospheric sapphic romantasy about a runaway former knight and a mysterious housemaid who fall in love. Set mainly in a charming cottage, seemingly hidden away from the rest of the world there was a lot to enjoy about this book, but other parts of it fell a bit flat for me.
What I liked:
-The cover is beautiful! Even knowing nothing about the book, I was drawn to it immediately.
- I'm a sucker for an animal sidekick, so I loved Bracken the dog, along with the goose, the chickens, and the cat hanging around.
-The romance was very sweet. Although it had a fair amount of instalove, I can't say that's ever bothered me. You were definitely rooting for Tansy and Merit to overcome their situations and find love together.
-The plot twists. While I wouldn't call it surprising, I enjoyed that this book kept me guessing a bit. One or two times it had me questioning the predictions I made at the beginning and not every book can do that. It was fun following the characters along their journeys.
What I liked less
-This is advertised as a cozy romantasy, and while it's definitely a romantasy, I didn't find much about this book cozy. While it's atmospheric, I wouldn't call it low stakes, and both characters have a fair amount of trauma that they're working through.
-The characters felt a little basic. You have a righteous knight fleeing an institution she no longer believes in, but also doesn't really know what she does want, and a maid whose sole purpose is to serve her employer, even if she doesn't know why.
Overall, I thought this was a fun, if slightly basic read.
3.5 stars rounded up
This was a nice and atmospheric sapphic romantasy about a runaway former knight and a mysterious housemaid who fall in love. Set mainly in a charming cottage, seemingly hidden away from the rest of the world there was a lot to enjoy about this book, but other parts of it fell a bit flat for me.
What I liked:
-The cover is beautiful! Even knowing nothing about the book, I was drawn to it immediately.
- I'm a sucker for an animal sidekick, so I loved Bracken the dog, along with the goose, the chickens, and the cat hanging around.
-The romance was very sweet. Although it had a fair amount of instalove, I can't say that's ever bothered me. You were definitely rooting for Tansy and Merit to overcome their situations and find love together.
-The plot twists. While I wouldn't call it surprising, I enjoyed that this book kept me guessing a bit. One or two times it had me questioning the predictions I made at the beginning and not every book can do that. It was fun following the characters along their journeys.
What I liked less
-This is advertised as a cozy romantasy, and while it's definitely a romantasy, I didn't find much about this book cozy. While it's atmospheric, I wouldn't call it low stakes, and both characters have a fair amount of trauma that they're working through.
-The characters felt a little basic. You have a righteous knight fleeing an institution she no longer believes in, but also doesn't really know what she does want, and a maid whose sole purpose is to serve her employer, even if she doesn't know why.
Overall, I thought this was a fun, if slightly basic read.
April 22, 2026
I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley; thank you to NetGalley and the publishers.
This book was so intriguing, I was hooked from the start. It was a lot more gothic fantasy than I was expecting and I gobbled it right up. Their love was real, you can feel it through the pages. Lots of twists and turns, I always needed to know what would happen next. Different from anything I have read in a long time! I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it when it is published on November 10, 2026!
This book was so intriguing, I was hooked from the start. It was a lot more gothic fantasy than I was expecting and I gobbled it right up. Their love was real, you can feel it through the pages. Lots of twists and turns, I always needed to know what would happen next. Different from anything I have read in a long time! I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it when it is published on November 10, 2026!
May 24, 2026
The cozy fantasy wlw romance had me kicking my feet.
*THANK YOU NETGALLEY FOR THE FREE ARC*
The book is a chill read that reminds me of Stardew Valley with the mix of baking bread and brewing tea then battling ungodly monsters. I need more cutesy lesbian romances like this NOW.
The book is YA and reads young. It holds your hand, explains things to you repeatedly, and assumes you haven’t read much fantasy.
*THANK YOU NETGALLEY FOR THE FREE ARC*
The book is a chill read that reminds me of Stardew Valley with the mix of baking bread and brewing tea then battling ungodly monsters. I need more cutesy lesbian romances like this NOW.
The book is YA and reads young. It holds your hand, explains things to you repeatedly, and assumes you haven’t read much fantasy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was pleasantly surprised by the story of Tansy and Merit. I will confess I wasn't sure where the story was going at the start so it took me a bit longer than expected to get into it. The story starts with Tansy who lives in an Oubliette with Lady Aster, an old cranky woman who likes her schedule and never deviates from it. From the very beginning the reader can tell there is a strange connection between Tansy and Lady Aster that surpasses mistress and maid. Tansy has no memory before or outside of the Oubliette and Lady Aster. Enter Merit. Merit is a Carrion Knight and that is all she has ever been and all she wants is to be a good knight and person. Merit breaks her vows as a knight by sparing a child and is caught in the process by someone she trusts and calls a friend. He betrays her and Merit is gravely injured. Merit, in her confusion and pain stumbles into an old cottage, through a door into the void and then outside of the Oubliette where she hides in a shed to lick her wounds. Tansy stumbles upon her and from there on the story of friendship, learning to trust, uncovering secrets and falling in love starts.
From the moment Merit meets Tansy she knows the woman is someone special. Tansy heals Merit and nurses her back to health with her vast knowledge of plants. With the help of Tansy Merit tries to find her way back to her home, but they soon discover that the Oubliette is not an easy place to leave. On their journey to find an exit the women stumble into many locked rooms on the second floor of the house Tansy shares with Lady Aster. They soon discover that these doors lead to memories, and not just any memories but Lady Aster's memories. These memories lead them to learn that Lady Aster isn't just a cranky old lady stuck in her ways. Together and on their own the women learn that the Oubliette is a "prison" of sorts and Tansy is magically bound to Lady Aster and the Oubliette which is designed to make a person forget. Throughout the story there are dark monsters attacking the memories the ladies are entering and the phrase "the Unmaker will return" is always uttered by them. The Unmaker is the one who Merit used to worship when she was a Carrion Knight. History tells that the Unmaker was a wizard who used a stone to unmake a whole town that opposed him. A woman named the Maid was the only one to stop him.
Lady Aster quickly learns that the women are breaking through the Oubliettes forgetting magic and are learning bits and pieces of the truth. She sits Tansy down and tells her that she is the Unmaker and that Tansy betrayed her, stole her magic stone and locked her in the Oubliette. After learning the truth Merit insists Tansy send her back home and away from Lady Aster. Tansy manages to open a door and Merit grabs Tansy and takes her with. They survive the trip back through the portal and when they return to town the people rejoice because the Maid (Tansy) has returned just as the prophecy had foretold. But even with Merit and their blossoming love to keep her company, Tansy still feels the insistent pull to care for Lady Aster. She finally lashes out at Merit and returns to the Oubliette. The end, right?
Wrong. In opening the door between worlds Tansy has unleashed the dark monsters on all of the unsuspecting people of town. These dark creatures are essentially the souls of those that were unmade by Lady Aster. They are sad and angry after being locked in the dark for 500 years. Tansy begs Lady Aster to return with her and fix what has been broken and banish the dark monsters. They go back to town, and the ancient king that Lady Aster betrayed figures out that Tansy has the stone hidden inside of her. He removes the stone, killing her and revealing that she was a doll made solely to do Lady Aster's bidding. Merit is distraught at the loss of Tansy. She ends up in the dark void between realms and at the insistence of Tansy's cat who can now talk she gives Tansy up to the stone of creation. Tansy is recreated by the stone and is able to put the world to rights.
When deciding how to remake the world, Tansy has a conversation with her cat and one quote that stuck out to me was "I can't force people to be good. Anymore than I could force the toadweed to grow on its own. If I try, then I am just as bad as Lady Aster."
This book was quirky, lighthearted and deep all at once. It explores relationships in a deeper way than I am used to from a romantasy type book. Tansy starts the story as a timid young woman who is living the same day over and over again. She is so incredibly lonely, but doesn't think she can do anything to change her situation. In the end she finds out she had the power to change her world all along, and she finally finds her true inner magic. Though they go through so many trials and tribulations (namely Tansey's ties to Lady Aster and the fact that she originally wasn't a real person) Tansy and Merit end up falling in love and deciding to choose each other. And they want to choose each other every day. That is so beautiful. I found myself rooting for them and specifically Tansy to be happy.
If you want to read a truly unique book from start to finish then you should definitely pick up Lavender and Hemlock.
From the moment Merit meets Tansy she knows the woman is someone special. Tansy heals Merit and nurses her back to health with her vast knowledge of plants. With the help of Tansy Merit tries to find her way back to her home, but they soon discover that the Oubliette is not an easy place to leave. On their journey to find an exit the women stumble into many locked rooms on the second floor of the house Tansy shares with Lady Aster. They soon discover that these doors lead to memories, and not just any memories but Lady Aster's memories. These memories lead them to learn that Lady Aster isn't just a cranky old lady stuck in her ways. Together and on their own the women learn that the Oubliette is a "prison" of sorts and Tansy is magically bound to Lady Aster and the Oubliette which is designed to make a person forget. Throughout the story there are dark monsters attacking the memories the ladies are entering and the phrase "the Unmaker will return" is always uttered by them. The Unmaker is the one who Merit used to worship when she was a Carrion Knight. History tells that the Unmaker was a wizard who used a stone to unmake a whole town that opposed him. A woman named the Maid was the only one to stop him.
Lady Aster quickly learns that the women are breaking through the Oubliettes forgetting magic and are learning bits and pieces of the truth. She sits Tansy down and tells her that she is the Unmaker and that Tansy betrayed her, stole her magic stone and locked her in the Oubliette. After learning the truth Merit insists Tansy send her back home and away from Lady Aster. Tansy manages to open a door and Merit grabs Tansy and takes her with. They survive the trip back through the portal and when they return to town the people rejoice because the Maid (Tansy) has returned just as the prophecy had foretold. But even with Merit and their blossoming love to keep her company, Tansy still feels the insistent pull to care for Lady Aster. She finally lashes out at Merit and returns to the Oubliette. The end, right?
Wrong. In opening the door between worlds Tansy has unleashed the dark monsters on all of the unsuspecting people of town. These dark creatures are essentially the souls of those that were unmade by Lady Aster. They are sad and angry after being locked in the dark for 500 years. Tansy begs Lady Aster to return with her and fix what has been broken and banish the dark monsters. They go back to town, and the ancient king that Lady Aster betrayed figures out that Tansy has the stone hidden inside of her. He removes the stone, killing her and revealing that she was a doll made solely to do Lady Aster's bidding. Merit is distraught at the loss of Tansy. She ends up in the dark void between realms and at the insistence of Tansy's cat who can now talk she gives Tansy up to the stone of creation. Tansy is recreated by the stone and is able to put the world to rights.
When deciding how to remake the world, Tansy has a conversation with her cat and one quote that stuck out to me was "I can't force people to be good. Anymore than I could force the toadweed to grow on its own. If I try, then I am just as bad as Lady Aster."
This book was quirky, lighthearted and deep all at once. It explores relationships in a deeper way than I am used to from a romantasy type book. Tansy starts the story as a timid young woman who is living the same day over and over again. She is so incredibly lonely, but doesn't think she can do anything to change her situation. In the end she finds out she had the power to change her world all along, and she finally finds her true inner magic. Though they go through so many trials and tribulations (namely Tansey's ties to Lady Aster and the fact that she originally wasn't a real person) Tansy and Merit end up falling in love and deciding to choose each other. And they want to choose each other every day. That is so beautiful. I found myself rooting for them and specifically Tansy to be happy.
If you want to read a truly unique book from start to finish then you should definitely pick up Lavender and Hemlock.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐.5
Oh my God, this book is so bad that I kept hoping it would get better. But nope, the only good thing about this book is the cover. This book promised a sweet, cozy romantasy. But what did I get!?!?!?
This book has some big problems that made it REALLY hard for me to enjoy. (Warning, spoilers.)
Both main characters, Tansy and Merit, don't really have clear personalities. Merit is supposed to be a (former) knight. Like this big, scary, scarred knight. But weirdly, she just spills her whole past to Tansy even though they just met. It feels like she has zero trauma or trust issues at all, because we all know a character like her would most likely be defensive and secretive. And she changes her mind so fast. After hearing a few words from Tansy, she suddenly wants to be a hero. She thinks she could be one. Like bro ... it feels more like a kid's dream than an actual character goal.
Tansy is the same. She doesn't have any standout or interesting personality. Brave? Not really. Innocent? Nope. Strong-willed? Meh. She just feels like a nice maid who's good at making tea. And, the annoying part is, they've only known each other for a week. They just talk about Merit's knight stuff, Tansy's somehow odd days, dog names, flower names, berries, and picnic-like stuff like that. But suddenly, Tansy feels like Merit made her realize she's been missing so much in the world, that she feels 'real', and she falls in love with her. Hello??? What is this, can this called insta-love???
The emotions from both Tansy and Merit also feel so weak. If they show any emotion at all, like panicking, it only lasts for a second, and then they go back to normal like nothing happened. A lot of things are also repetitive between them. For example, Merit wants to leave, Tansy doesn't want her to go but tries to let her. Then Merit tells Tansy to come with her, but she doesn't want to, and they argue. It keeps going like that until chapter 30-something. Basically, Merit just keeps coming and going, but she never actually leaves. Because, duh, of course she'd come back for the plot.
The romance? Too damn bad, there's nothing romantic about this book. There's zero chemistry between Tansy and Merit, and no proper build up. Every time there's a moment that's supposed to be romantic or heart-throbbing, I feel absolutely nothing and just keep a straight, bored face. Even the kissing scenes don't make me feel anything even though they kiss so many times. It was so flat. There's literally no action between them that shows they actually like each other romantically. (Well, unless you think Tansy and Merit not wanting to leave each other counts.)
The writing also feels really disjointed and full of random time skips with no clear transitions, especially at the beginning of the book. One moment it's intense or there's an important revelation, then suddenly it jumps to a completely normal scene without any smooth transition. It confused me a lot. The plot feels choppy, very repetitive, and this is connected to the world-building too.
The world-building, or the lore, is also unclear and hard to grasp. We only hear about it from Merit telling Tansy in the early parts of the book. It's never fully explained, so we have to pick up crumbs of lore and world-building every time something happens. And, well, there's nothing special about the world-building that makes me think the world is interesting or unique. It's just the basic trope where the evil gets defeated, then rises again, and gets defeated again. Very, very basic.
The vibes of the book also doesn't match. Like, at all. Cozy? No. Sweet? Zero sugar. There's literally a scene where a baby turns into a thousand teeth and the cake lady turns into torn linen. This feels more like dark spells, manipulation, fake memories, and all that stuff trope. The only cozy parts are maybe when Tansy and Merit eat blueberries and talk about random, unimportant things. So, yeah, honestly, I think this book would fit better as a fairy tales with mystery and eerie vibes.
I won't recommend this book to anyone who wants characters with real personalities, sweet romantic moments, or basically everything this book doesn't have. I'm disappointed.
Oh my God, this book is so bad that I kept hoping it would get better. But nope, the only good thing about this book is the cover. This book promised a sweet, cozy romantasy. But what did I get!?!?!?
This book has some big problems that made it REALLY hard for me to enjoy. (Warning, spoilers.)
Both main characters, Tansy and Merit, don't really have clear personalities. Merit is supposed to be a (former) knight. Like this big, scary, scarred knight. But weirdly, she just spills her whole past to Tansy even though they just met. It feels like she has zero trauma or trust issues at all, because we all know a character like her would most likely be defensive and secretive. And she changes her mind so fast. After hearing a few words from Tansy, she suddenly wants to be a hero. She thinks she could be one. Like bro ... it feels more like a kid's dream than an actual character goal.
Tansy is the same. She doesn't have any standout or interesting personality. Brave? Not really. Innocent? Nope. Strong-willed? Meh. She just feels like a nice maid who's good at making tea. And, the annoying part is, they've only known each other for a week. They just talk about Merit's knight stuff, Tansy's somehow odd days, dog names, flower names, berries, and picnic-like stuff like that. But suddenly, Tansy feels like Merit made her realize she's been missing so much in the world, that she feels 'real', and she falls in love with her. Hello??? What is this, can this called insta-love???
The emotions from both Tansy and Merit also feel so weak. If they show any emotion at all, like panicking, it only lasts for a second, and then they go back to normal like nothing happened. A lot of things are also repetitive between them. For example, Merit wants to leave, Tansy doesn't want her to go but tries to let her. Then Merit tells Tansy to come with her, but she doesn't want to, and they argue. It keeps going like that until chapter 30-something. Basically, Merit just keeps coming and going, but she never actually leaves. Because, duh, of course she'd come back for the plot.
The romance? Too damn bad, there's nothing romantic about this book. There's zero chemistry between Tansy and Merit, and no proper build up. Every time there's a moment that's supposed to be romantic or heart-throbbing, I feel absolutely nothing and just keep a straight, bored face. Even the kissing scenes don't make me feel anything even though they kiss so many times. It was so flat. There's literally no action between them that shows they actually like each other romantically. (Well, unless you think Tansy and Merit not wanting to leave each other counts.)
The writing also feels really disjointed and full of random time skips with no clear transitions, especially at the beginning of the book. One moment it's intense or there's an important revelation, then suddenly it jumps to a completely normal scene without any smooth transition. It confused me a lot. The plot feels choppy, very repetitive, and this is connected to the world-building too.
The world-building, or the lore, is also unclear and hard to grasp. We only hear about it from Merit telling Tansy in the early parts of the book. It's never fully explained, so we have to pick up crumbs of lore and world-building every time something happens. And, well, there's nothing special about the world-building that makes me think the world is interesting or unique. It's just the basic trope where the evil gets defeated, then rises again, and gets defeated again. Very, very basic.
The vibes of the book also doesn't match. Like, at all. Cozy? No. Sweet? Zero sugar. There's literally a scene where a baby turns into a thousand teeth and the cake lady turns into torn linen. This feels more like dark spells, manipulation, fake memories, and all that stuff trope. The only cozy parts are maybe when Tansy and Merit eat blueberries and talk about random, unimportant things. So, yeah, honestly, I think this book would fit better as a fairy tales with mystery and eerie vibes.
I won't recommend this book to anyone who wants characters with real personalities, sweet romantic moments, or basically everything this book doesn't have. I'm disappointed.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 ⭐
This was one of those books that completely pulled me in with its premise. A mysterious house, forgotten memories, morally gray knights, old legends, and a world that immediately feels magical? I was so ready to fall in love with it.
The story follows Tansy, a housemaid with no memories of her past, and Merit, one of the Carrion Knights who deserts after refusing to kill a child. Their paths cross at the Oubliette, an isolated house filled with secrets, and from there the story slowly begins unraveling both its mysteries and its characters.
Unfortunately, while I absolutely loved the ideas behind this book, the execution didn't always work for me.
The worldbuilding was easily one of my favorite parts. It has such a whimsical, fairy tale quality that immediately made me want to keep reading. There were so many fascinating concepts that I desperately wanted to learn more about, especially Lady Aster's glass globes and Tansy's powers. Even when I found myself struggling with other aspects of the story, the world itself kept me invested because it felt so imaginative and full of possibility.
The characters were a little more complicated.
At first, I really liked Tansy. Her kindness, optimism, and underlying loneliness made her incredibly easy to root for. But as the story went on, I found myself becoming more conflicted about her. Watching her slowly lose her sense of identity because everything revolved around Lady Aster became frustrating after a while. Their relationship felt painfully unbalanced, and Lady Aster was probably the character I struggled with the most. While I appreciated learning about her past, it never made me empathize with her enough to overlook the way she treated Tansy. Because of that, it became harder for me to fully understand Tansy's decisions as well. And by the time Tansy finally began reclaiming her own identity, the shift happened a little too quickly, so her growth didn't feel quite as satisfying as I had hoped.
Merit, though? I absolutely adored her.
She was easily my favorite character. She's morally gray but also incredibly compassionate underneath it all, and my heart genuinely broke for everything she'd been through. Watching someone who had never truly experienced kindness, friendship, or love slowly discover the small joys of life was probably the most rewarding part of the entire novel. Every small moment of happiness she found felt completely deserved, and seeing her finally get a second chance to make different choices and discover that life could offer more than just pain made me incredibly elated.
The romance, however, was another aspect that left me wanting a little more. Because Tansy was so consumed by her connection to Lady Aster for most of the story, I couldn't help feeling like Merit deserved someone who would meet her with the same level of love and commitment. Even though the story eventually explains why Tansy behaves the way she does, I still struggled to fully believe in the romance by the end because it never quite felt emotionally balanced.
I also guessed the truth behind the story's "hero" and "villain" fairly early on, so that reveal didn't have the impact I think it was meant to have.
Still, I genuinely appreciated what this story was trying to do. Beneath the fantasy elements is a heartfelt story about identity, second chances, healing, and finding the courage to become your own person. While some parts didn't completely land for me, I still found myself appreciating its imaginative world, emotionally layered characters, and cozy fairy tale atmosphere. I can definitely see this becoming a favorite for readers who enjoy whimsical YA fantasy with a darker tone.
This was one of those books that completely pulled me in with its premise. A mysterious house, forgotten memories, morally gray knights, old legends, and a world that immediately feels magical? I was so ready to fall in love with it.
The story follows Tansy, a housemaid with no memories of her past, and Merit, one of the Carrion Knights who deserts after refusing to kill a child. Their paths cross at the Oubliette, an isolated house filled with secrets, and from there the story slowly begins unraveling both its mysteries and its characters.
Unfortunately, while I absolutely loved the ideas behind this book, the execution didn't always work for me.
The worldbuilding was easily one of my favorite parts. It has such a whimsical, fairy tale quality that immediately made me want to keep reading. There were so many fascinating concepts that I desperately wanted to learn more about, especially Lady Aster's glass globes and Tansy's powers. Even when I found myself struggling with other aspects of the story, the world itself kept me invested because it felt so imaginative and full of possibility.
The characters were a little more complicated.
At first, I really liked Tansy. Her kindness, optimism, and underlying loneliness made her incredibly easy to root for. But as the story went on, I found myself becoming more conflicted about her. Watching her slowly lose her sense of identity because everything revolved around Lady Aster became frustrating after a while. Their relationship felt painfully unbalanced, and Lady Aster was probably the character I struggled with the most. While I appreciated learning about her past, it never made me empathize with her enough to overlook the way she treated Tansy. Because of that, it became harder for me to fully understand Tansy's decisions as well. And by the time Tansy finally began reclaiming her own identity, the shift happened a little too quickly, so her growth didn't feel quite as satisfying as I had hoped.
Merit, though? I absolutely adored her.
She was easily my favorite character. She's morally gray but also incredibly compassionate underneath it all, and my heart genuinely broke for everything she'd been through. Watching someone who had never truly experienced kindness, friendship, or love slowly discover the small joys of life was probably the most rewarding part of the entire novel. Every small moment of happiness she found felt completely deserved, and seeing her finally get a second chance to make different choices and discover that life could offer more than just pain made me incredibly elated.
The romance, however, was another aspect that left me wanting a little more. Because Tansy was so consumed by her connection to Lady Aster for most of the story, I couldn't help feeling like Merit deserved someone who would meet her with the same level of love and commitment. Even though the story eventually explains why Tansy behaves the way she does, I still struggled to fully believe in the romance by the end because it never quite felt emotionally balanced.
I also guessed the truth behind the story's "hero" and "villain" fairly early on, so that reveal didn't have the impact I think it was meant to have.
Still, I genuinely appreciated what this story was trying to do. Beneath the fantasy elements is a heartfelt story about identity, second chances, healing, and finding the courage to become your own person. While some parts didn't completely land for me, I still found myself appreciating its imaginative world, emotionally layered characters, and cozy fairy tale atmosphere. I can definitely see this becoming a favorite for readers who enjoy whimsical YA fantasy with a darker tone.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My rating: ★★★★☆ 4 stars!
witches 🤝 victorian gothic vibes 🤝 murder mysteries 🤝 “okay wait… who can i actually trust here?”
a gothic murder mystery with witches, secret societies, a creepy atmosphere and a whole lot of suspicious people??? yeah, you have my attention.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
what i loved most about this was the ATMOSPHERE.
this book has that deliciously eerie gothic feeling where everything feels just a little bit wrong. the setting, the magic, the secrets and the general sense that something terrible is lurking just around the corner all worked so well together.
and the witchy elements??? YES.
i’m always here for magic that feels mysterious rather than completely explained from page one and i liked getting to uncover more of this world as the story went on. there’s a really nice balance between the supernatural elements and the murder mystery, so it never felt like the magic was just there for decoration.
i also really enjoyed the characters and the relationships between them. there’s a lot of suspicion and uncertainty and i was constantly wondering who was hiding something and whether i could actually trust anyone 😭
the mystery kept me turning the pages because there was always another little detail to question or another possibility to consider.
and honestly???sometimes a book doesn’t need to reinvent the genre to be enjoyable.
give me gothic atmosphere + witches + murder + secrets + morally questionable people and i am VERY easy to please.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
BUT…i did feel like the pacing could be a little uneven at times.
there were moments where i was completely invested and flying through the pages and then other sections felt like they slowed down a little more than i wanted. i also found myself figuring out some things before the book actually revealed them, so a few of the twists didn’t hit quite as hard as they probably intended to.
that being said, i don't think that ruined the experience for me. the atmosphere carried a LOT of the story and i was still interested enough in the characters and mystery to keep going.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
overall, this was such a fun gothic witchy mystery with an atmosphere that really worked for me. it has secrets, murder, magic, suspicious characters and that wonderful feeling of “something is VERY wrong here” that makes these kinds of books so addictive.
so if you like gothic mysteries with witchy magic, murder mysteries in creepy historical settings and suspicious characters & secret societies in an atmospheric fantasy, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.
My final thoughts;
came for the witches and murder mystery…
stayed because apparently i needed to investigate everyone’s suspicious behavior like my life depended on it. 🕯️🔪😭
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!
witches 🤝 victorian gothic vibes 🤝 murder mysteries 🤝 “okay wait… who can i actually trust here?”
a gothic murder mystery with witches, secret societies, a creepy atmosphere and a whole lot of suspicious people??? yeah, you have my attention.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
what i loved most about this was the ATMOSPHERE.
this book has that deliciously eerie gothic feeling where everything feels just a little bit wrong. the setting, the magic, the secrets and the general sense that something terrible is lurking just around the corner all worked so well together.
and the witchy elements??? YES.
i’m always here for magic that feels mysterious rather than completely explained from page one and i liked getting to uncover more of this world as the story went on. there’s a really nice balance between the supernatural elements and the murder mystery, so it never felt like the magic was just there for decoration.
i also really enjoyed the characters and the relationships between them. there’s a lot of suspicion and uncertainty and i was constantly wondering who was hiding something and whether i could actually trust anyone 😭
the mystery kept me turning the pages because there was always another little detail to question or another possibility to consider.
and honestly???sometimes a book doesn’t need to reinvent the genre to be enjoyable.
give me gothic atmosphere + witches + murder + secrets + morally questionable people and i am VERY easy to please.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
BUT…i did feel like the pacing could be a little uneven at times.
there were moments where i was completely invested and flying through the pages and then other sections felt like they slowed down a little more than i wanted. i also found myself figuring out some things before the book actually revealed them, so a few of the twists didn’t hit quite as hard as they probably intended to.
that being said, i don't think that ruined the experience for me. the atmosphere carried a LOT of the story and i was still interested enough in the characters and mystery to keep going.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
overall, this was such a fun gothic witchy mystery with an atmosphere that really worked for me. it has secrets, murder, magic, suspicious characters and that wonderful feeling of “something is VERY wrong here” that makes these kinds of books so addictive.
so if you like gothic mysteries with witchy magic, murder mysteries in creepy historical settings and suspicious characters & secret societies in an atmospheric fantasy, you’ll probably have a good time with this one.
My final thoughts;
came for the witches and murder mystery…
stayed because apparently i needed to investigate everyone’s suspicious behavior like my life depended on it. 🕯️🔪😭
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Lili Wilkinson and Delacorte Press for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tansy has spent as long as she can remember serving the mysterious Lady Aster in an isolated cottage, following the same routine every day with no memories of a life beyond its walls. When an injured knight named Merit stumbles into her world, Tansy’s carefully ordered existence begins to unravel. As the two grow closer, long buried secrets about the world, Lady Aster, and Tansy herself begin to surface, sending them on a journey filled with magic, mystery, and self discovery.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it ended up being completely different from what I was expecting. Instead of the story I had imagined, I found a beautifully written dark whimsical fantasy filled with cozy moments and a slow burn sapphic romance. Tansy and Merit immediately captured my heart. Tansy’s quiet existence and unwavering devotion contrasted so well with Merit’s determination to leave behind the darkness of her past, and watching the two find comfort and companionship in one another was incredible.
I also loved the atmosphere throughout the novel. The eerie cottage, the mysterious rules surrounding Tansy’s life, and the gradual expansion into a much larger magical world created such an immersive reading experience. The balance between cozy fantasy and unsettling fairy tale elements was executed so well, making every new revelation feel both magical and haunting.
The story continued to surprise me with twist after twist, and I genuinely never knew where it was going next. Every answer uncovered another layer of mystery, making it impossible to put the book down. The exploration of identity, memory, loyalty, and free will added so much emotional weight to the story as Tansy began questioning everything she believed about herself and the world around her. I loved how the author challenged the ideas of heroes and villains, showing that people and their choices are rarely as simple as they first appear.
This was such a unique fantasy that blended dark whimsy, heartfelt romance, fascinating world building, and unforgettable characters into something that felt very unique. I would absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy cozy fantasy with darker undertones, character driven stories, and romances built on trust, healing, and hope!
Tansy has spent as long as she can remember serving the mysterious Lady Aster in an isolated cottage, following the same routine every day with no memories of a life beyond its walls. When an injured knight named Merit stumbles into her world, Tansy’s carefully ordered existence begins to unravel. As the two grow closer, long buried secrets about the world, Lady Aster, and Tansy herself begin to surface, sending them on a journey filled with magic, mystery, and self discovery.
I really enjoyed this book, even though it ended up being completely different from what I was expecting. Instead of the story I had imagined, I found a beautifully written dark whimsical fantasy filled with cozy moments and a slow burn sapphic romance. Tansy and Merit immediately captured my heart. Tansy’s quiet existence and unwavering devotion contrasted so well with Merit’s determination to leave behind the darkness of her past, and watching the two find comfort and companionship in one another was incredible.
I also loved the atmosphere throughout the novel. The eerie cottage, the mysterious rules surrounding Tansy’s life, and the gradual expansion into a much larger magical world created such an immersive reading experience. The balance between cozy fantasy and unsettling fairy tale elements was executed so well, making every new revelation feel both magical and haunting.
The story continued to surprise me with twist after twist, and I genuinely never knew where it was going next. Every answer uncovered another layer of mystery, making it impossible to put the book down. The exploration of identity, memory, loyalty, and free will added so much emotional weight to the story as Tansy began questioning everything she believed about herself and the world around her. I loved how the author challenged the ideas of heroes and villains, showing that people and their choices are rarely as simple as they first appear.
This was such a unique fantasy that blended dark whimsy, heartfelt romance, fascinating world building, and unforgettable characters into something that felt very unique. I would absolutely recommend it to readers who enjoy cozy fantasy with darker undertones, character driven stories, and romances built on trust, healing, and hope!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I ended up at just over 4 Stars. 4.25 on Storygraph if you want to be precise. If any part of the synopsis sounds interesting to you you will love it! This is one of those books where I found myself loving the characters and the ideas even more than the execution. It definitely has some flaws, but the heart of the story completely won me over.
The biggest strength is easily Tansy and Merit. I loved watching their relationship develop, and they carried me through the slower parts of the novel. They slowly uncover more and more about the mysterious cottage they meet at, and I loved seeing the mysteries unravel and become something bigger, all while they develop feelings for each other. The language used for feelings in this is very rich and well done.
The first act is definitely slow. But I don't mind slower beginnings when they're building character relationships, and I think the time spent with Merit and Tansy pays off emotionally. But I do wish the nature of Tansy's curse and her loyalty toward Lady Aster had been established more clearly from the beginning, it makes what happen later feel more devloped. No one is very clever in this though. Sometimes it is just frustrating watching Tansy take so long to piece together things that seem fairly obvious. Outside of recovering her memories, she's rarely the one connecting the dots, and several of the major twists are telegraphed well before she catches on.
The magic system occasionally swings between overexplaining certain details and hand-waving others away with a vague "that's just how it works." I was also a little disappointed by the ending, particularly how one major conflict is resolved through a heartfelt speech that suddenly changes people's minds. It felt a bit too easy for everything that had been building.
Even with those criticisms, I genuinely loved this book. The characters, the fantasy world, the melancholy atmosphere, and the emotional core all worked so well for me that I was happy to overlook a lot of the rougher edges. If you're someone who loves character-driven fantasy with curses, forgotten memories, longing, and a touch of old-school high fantasy, I think this is absolutely worth picking up.
The biggest strength is easily Tansy and Merit. I loved watching their relationship develop, and they carried me through the slower parts of the novel. They slowly uncover more and more about the mysterious cottage they meet at, and I loved seeing the mysteries unravel and become something bigger, all while they develop feelings for each other. The language used for feelings in this is very rich and well done.
The first act is definitely slow. But I don't mind slower beginnings when they're building character relationships, and I think the time spent with Merit and Tansy pays off emotionally. But I do wish the nature of Tansy's curse and her loyalty toward Lady Aster had been established more clearly from the beginning, it makes what happen later feel more devloped. No one is very clever in this though. Sometimes it is just frustrating watching Tansy take so long to piece together things that seem fairly obvious. Outside of recovering her memories, she's rarely the one connecting the dots, and several of the major twists are telegraphed well before she catches on.
The magic system occasionally swings between overexplaining certain details and hand-waving others away with a vague "that's just how it works." I was also a little disappointed by the ending, particularly how one major conflict is resolved through a heartfelt speech that suddenly changes people's minds. It felt a bit too easy for everything that had been building.
Even with those criticisms, I genuinely loved this book. The characters, the fantasy world, the melancholy atmosphere, and the emotional core all worked so well for me that I was happy to overlook a lot of the rougher edges. If you're someone who loves character-driven fantasy with curses, forgotten memories, longing, and a touch of old-school high fantasy, I think this is absolutely worth picking up.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🌲Goodness me… this was not bad by any means. A solid three star cozy fantasy with dark elements. I was thankful to grab this arc from Delacorte press. All thoughts to follow are my own.
What I enjoyed about this book! First of all the cover and the book is gorgeous; the color palette and character art is beautiful. I think when it hits trad publishing it’s gonna look magnificent. I’m excited to see if we get any shimmer elements on the official release.
There is a lot of of cozy fantasy home, making type of vibes in the beginning of this book, it can get slightly repetitive but I think that for the first 25% the author was going for a very much “enchanted greenhouse” vibe. Then as we get further along, we start to get more dark elements and the plot gets a little bit more high stakes! We get introduced to our tortured Knight Merrit; who then gets healed and saved by Tansy and they get romantically involved but their paths weren’t supposed to be. What follows is a story about the world, the worlds in the universe inside the main world, their roles in their world, and who they led their allegiance and loyalty to, and unraveling trauma. Which does sound heavy for a book pitched as a cozy fantasy.
It wasn’t a bad read by any means I did enjoy it. I did continue to pick it up to finish it because at some point, I had invested enough time into the book to want to know the ending. Now would I pick up a second book in the series unless the first book was revised; meh probably not. This is one of those books where you’re either gonna love it or you’re not gonna like it that much. There is a somehow not enough and lot going on in this read simultaneously.
🌲My suggestions / what I would possibly revise for reader enjoyment! I think that there’s too much choppiness in the writing; we’re jumping time and at times completely skipping paragraphs worth of information and it just felt discombobulated. I would turn the page back over because I thought I skipped something when it just wasn’t there; I fully believed that I was missing words or sentences at times because the sentence would just abruptly end. I think the transitions in these time jumps/plot changes need to be worked on a little bit.
What I enjoyed about this book! First of all the cover and the book is gorgeous; the color palette and character art is beautiful. I think when it hits trad publishing it’s gonna look magnificent. I’m excited to see if we get any shimmer elements on the official release.
There is a lot of of cozy fantasy home, making type of vibes in the beginning of this book, it can get slightly repetitive but I think that for the first 25% the author was going for a very much “enchanted greenhouse” vibe. Then as we get further along, we start to get more dark elements and the plot gets a little bit more high stakes! We get introduced to our tortured Knight Merrit; who then gets healed and saved by Tansy and they get romantically involved but their paths weren’t supposed to be. What follows is a story about the world, the worlds in the universe inside the main world, their roles in their world, and who they led their allegiance and loyalty to, and unraveling trauma. Which does sound heavy for a book pitched as a cozy fantasy.
It wasn’t a bad read by any means I did enjoy it. I did continue to pick it up to finish it because at some point, I had invested enough time into the book to want to know the ending. Now would I pick up a second book in the series unless the first book was revised; meh probably not. This is one of those books where you’re either gonna love it or you’re not gonna like it that much. There is a somehow not enough and lot going on in this read simultaneously.
🌲My suggestions / what I would possibly revise for reader enjoyment! I think that there’s too much choppiness in the writing; we’re jumping time and at times completely skipping paragraphs worth of information and it just felt discombobulated. I would turn the page back over because I thought I skipped something when it just wasn’t there; I fully believed that I was missing words or sentences at times because the sentence would just abruptly end. I think the transitions in these time jumps/plot changes need to be worked on a little bit.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Since this was listed as young adult, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect; they can really be hit or miss for me depending on how young they’re skewed. But Lavender and Hemlock was thankfully a hit rather than a miss and not too young for someone far out of their young adult years.
That was probably primarily down to the two main characters. I really liked both Merit and Tansy as characters and as a pair. The two had excellent chemistry, and you could really feel the longing between them throughout the book. So much so that I kept trying to will them to kiss. That being said, I did slightly prefer the chapters from Merit’s point of view. Both because I’m kind of a sucker for “bad” characters who turn good and because Tansy's internal conflict got a little repetitive at a certain point. Even though I get why it was that way, it still got a little annoying toward the latter part of the book.
That was really the only negative for me for the book, though. The mysteries and twists were good. Some of the time, I could kind of guess what was going on, but at other times, I was quite surprised by things. Thankfully, all of the mysteries didn’t get frustrating since the book was good about giving you some answers along the way while also still keeping you guessing until the end.
From the beginning, I was struck by how descriptive the writing was, which is important to me for a book like this, and I liked how I could easily picture the scenes and the world. I also liked the little sentences with the herbs and their uses at the beginning of each chapter that seemed to give a hint about what was to come. And of course I loved Bracken, who I somehow just now noticed on the cover after finishing the book and who is the absolute best boy.
All in all, this book gets 4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
That was probably primarily down to the two main characters. I really liked both Merit and Tansy as characters and as a pair. The two had excellent chemistry, and you could really feel the longing between them throughout the book. So much so that I kept trying to will them to kiss. That being said, I did slightly prefer the chapters from Merit’s point of view. Both because I’m kind of a sucker for “bad” characters who turn good and because Tansy's internal conflict got a little repetitive at a certain point. Even though I get why it was that way, it still got a little annoying toward the latter part of the book.
That was really the only negative for me for the book, though. The mysteries and twists were good. Some of the time, I could kind of guess what was going on, but at other times, I was quite surprised by things. Thankfully, all of the mysteries didn’t get frustrating since the book was good about giving you some answers along the way while also still keeping you guessing until the end.
From the beginning, I was struck by how descriptive the writing was, which is important to me for a book like this, and I liked how I could easily picture the scenes and the world. I also liked the little sentences with the herbs and their uses at the beginning of each chapter that seemed to give a hint about what was to come. And of course I loved Bracken, who I somehow just now noticed on the cover after finishing the book and who is the absolute best boy.
All in all, this book gets 4.5 stars from me, rounded up to 5.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It feels like a dream until you realize you were never meant to wake up.
Rating: 3.5 ★!
Synopsis:
Light the fire, fetch the water, steep the tea; Tansy knows her routine well. As a maid to Lady Aster in the seaside cottage called the Oubliette, her days are quiet, gentle, and always the same. Tucked between forest trees and the lull of ocean waves, it's a peaceful life. Though, if she is honest, it is the only life she can remember for she cannot quite recall how it began.
Until Merit arrives bloodied, breathless, and far too dangerous for a place like this. A Carrion Knight raised to worship the Unmaker, Merit was never meant to choose her own path. Until one day she does, and it leads her straight to the Oubliette's strange, all too perfect stillness.
Here, a maid and a knight find unexpected solace in the softest corners of life: the pull of the tides, the shape of drifting clouds, the sweetness of raspberries on a afternoon picnic. But the cottage is not as simple as it seems, and when hidden doors begin to open, so too do the questions Tansy was never meant to ask. Because this gentle life hides a darker beginning, and some homes are not meant to be left, only forgotten.
My Review:
I went into this expecting a cozy, low stakes fantasy (plus the GORGEOUS cover had me sold), but I was pleasantly surprised by how much more it offered! While it definitely had some softer moments, there was surprisingly a strong and dark undertone that help set the story. The world was really lush and I loved experiencing the quiet moments and watch our characters fall in love simply over sharing meals from the food stalls, going on picnics by the ocean, and experiencing the small everyday details of life!
This sapphic story follows Tansy, a maid who cannot remember her past and only knows her loyalty to Lady Aster and the Oubliette. She's this super bright and genuine sunshine type of character who must find her identity and reclaim it. I loved how she tries to find meaning in her life without losing her spark, and how she shares those soft moments with Merit. Merit, who was kidnapped as a child and raised under the Carrion Knights, has always thought she had to be this evil monstrous thing. Watching her slowly unlearn that, to choose goodness and find her confidence to crave her own path was really sweet and special. They lean on one another and lean to be a support for each other was so soft and tender, and it screams that first love feeling that you can't help but root for!
While the tone leans a little more towards cozy vibes, the plot itself carries higher stakes than I expected, with darker forces, hidden histories, and an underlying mystery that keeps things moving. Some twists were a bit predictable, but there were still moments that genuinely shocked me! Overall, this was a fun atmospheric read and while maybe not the most unforgettable, definitely one that I felt like offers more depth than it first lets you to believe!
Rating: 3.5 ★!
Synopsis:
Light the fire, fetch the water, steep the tea; Tansy knows her routine well. As a maid to Lady Aster in the seaside cottage called the Oubliette, her days are quiet, gentle, and always the same. Tucked between forest trees and the lull of ocean waves, it's a peaceful life. Though, if she is honest, it is the only life she can remember for she cannot quite recall how it began.
Until Merit arrives bloodied, breathless, and far too dangerous for a place like this. A Carrion Knight raised to worship the Unmaker, Merit was never meant to choose her own path. Until one day she does, and it leads her straight to the Oubliette's strange, all too perfect stillness.
Here, a maid and a knight find unexpected solace in the softest corners of life: the pull of the tides, the shape of drifting clouds, the sweetness of raspberries on a afternoon picnic. But the cottage is not as simple as it seems, and when hidden doors begin to open, so too do the questions Tansy was never meant to ask. Because this gentle life hides a darker beginning, and some homes are not meant to be left, only forgotten.
My Review:
I went into this expecting a cozy, low stakes fantasy (plus the GORGEOUS cover had me sold), but I was pleasantly surprised by how much more it offered! While it definitely had some softer moments, there was surprisingly a strong and dark undertone that help set the story. The world was really lush and I loved experiencing the quiet moments and watch our characters fall in love simply over sharing meals from the food stalls, going on picnics by the ocean, and experiencing the small everyday details of life!
This sapphic story follows Tansy, a maid who cannot remember her past and only knows her loyalty to Lady Aster and the Oubliette. She's this super bright and genuine sunshine type of character who must find her identity and reclaim it. I loved how she tries to find meaning in her life without losing her spark, and how she shares those soft moments with Merit. Merit, who was kidnapped as a child and raised under the Carrion Knights, has always thought she had to be this evil monstrous thing. Watching her slowly unlearn that, to choose goodness and find her confidence to crave her own path was really sweet and special. They lean on one another and lean to be a support for each other was so soft and tender, and it screams that first love feeling that you can't help but root for!
While the tone leans a little more towards cozy vibes, the plot itself carries higher stakes than I expected, with darker forces, hidden histories, and an underlying mystery that keeps things moving. Some twists were a bit predictable, but there were still moments that genuinely shocked me! Overall, this was a fun atmospheric read and while maybe not the most unforgettable, definitely one that I felt like offers more depth than it first lets you to believe!
September 17, 2026
A sapphic story with witchy vibes, mystery, flowers, and a title that literally sounds like a love spell with a side of poison? Yeah… I was never going to resist this one. 😂💜🔮
Lavender & Hemlock completely fed my obsession with stories that feel like they belong somewhere between an enchanted garden and a very suspicious old spellbook. There’s this gorgeous contrast between the softness of lavender and the danger of hemlock, and I absolutely loved that darker edge running underneath everything.
The sapphic energy was definitely one of my favourite parts. Give me complicated feelings, romantic tension, women surrounded by magic and secrets, and I am immediately invested. 🧙♀️💋🌙
I loved the atmosphere most of all. Everything felt mysterious and slightly dangerous, like there was always another secret waiting to be uncovered. It gave me that wonderful “don't go into the woods / absolutely go into the woods” kind of energy. 😂🌲🖤
There were moments where I wanted a little more depth and development, which kept this at four stars for me, but the combination of witchiness, sapphic romance, mystery, and gothic atmosphere made this such an enjoyable read.
If you love sapphic witches, magical secrets, gothic vibes, romantic tension, mysterious women, and the possibility that your love interest may know a little too much about poisonous plants… add this to your TBR immediately. 💜🌿☠️
Because honestly, my weakness is apparently a woman with magic and questionable intentions. 😂🖤
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! 📖✨
🔮💜 Tropes & Witchy Vibes
🌈 Sapphic Romance
🧙♀️ Witches & Witchcraft
💜 Sapphic Romantic Tension
🌿 Botanical Magic
🔮 Spells & Secrets
🖤 Gothic Atmosphere
🌙 Dark Academia Energy
☠️ Poison & Danger
🌲 Mysterious Setting
💋 Complicated Attraction
🕯️ Dark & Enchanted Vibes
👀 Secrets & Mystery
🥀 Beauty & Danger
✨ Magical Intrigue
Lavender & Hemlock completely fed my obsession with stories that feel like they belong somewhere between an enchanted garden and a very suspicious old spellbook. There’s this gorgeous contrast between the softness of lavender and the danger of hemlock, and I absolutely loved that darker edge running underneath everything.
The sapphic energy was definitely one of my favourite parts. Give me complicated feelings, romantic tension, women surrounded by magic and secrets, and I am immediately invested. 🧙♀️💋🌙
I loved the atmosphere most of all. Everything felt mysterious and slightly dangerous, like there was always another secret waiting to be uncovered. It gave me that wonderful “don't go into the woods / absolutely go into the woods” kind of energy. 😂🌲🖤
There were moments where I wanted a little more depth and development, which kept this at four stars for me, but the combination of witchiness, sapphic romance, mystery, and gothic atmosphere made this such an enjoyable read.
If you love sapphic witches, magical secrets, gothic vibes, romantic tension, mysterious women, and the possibility that your love interest may know a little too much about poisonous plants… add this to your TBR immediately. 💜🌿☠️
Because honestly, my weakness is apparently a woman with magic and questionable intentions. 😂🖤
Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC! 📖✨
🔮💜 Tropes & Witchy Vibes
🌈 Sapphic Romance
🧙♀️ Witches & Witchcraft
💜 Sapphic Romantic Tension
🌿 Botanical Magic
🔮 Spells & Secrets
🖤 Gothic Atmosphere
🌙 Dark Academia Energy
☠️ Poison & Danger
🌲 Mysterious Setting
💋 Complicated Attraction
🕯️ Dark & Enchanted Vibes
👀 Secrets & Mystery
🥀 Beauty & Danger
✨ Magical Intrigue
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Delacorte Press for the eARC!
Tansy seems to have the idyllic life. Her days revolve around taking care of an aging Mrs. Aster and tending to their quaint cottage known as the Oubliette. Every day is the same routine to an eerie degree and they never have any visitors. In fact, Tansy can't even remember how or when they inhabited the Oubliette or the last time she saw another living soul. That is, until Merit mysteriously appears.
Merit is a Carrion Knight, but not by choice. After being abducted as a child and forced into service to the Unmaker, Merit tries to stick to her duties but ends up seriously wounded after her disloyalty is discovered. Unsure of where to turn, Merit ends up following a mangy dog through the woods and stumbles through a mysterious door that leads to none other than the Oubliette.
Merit and Tansy have an immediate connection upon meeting, but there's something wrong with this place and something amiss with Mrs. Aster. Tansy must confront her past and the life she has been upholding, and Merit will do everything within her power to ensure Tansy's safety and wellbeing.
Lavender and Hemlock is a unique cozy fantasy with gothic elements and a sweet, tender romance. I've never read a cozy fantasy quite like it and I really enjoyed this new twist on the genre. I'm a rather big fan of gothic fantasy and I feel this story did it well. I adored Tansy and Merit from the get go and their love for each other is truly the highlight of the story. Their journey through the Oubliette and beyond kept me engage and brainstorming what could possibly be going on with this mysterious setting through each chapter. This book also get bonus points for having one of the most gorgeous covers I've ever seen! If you enjoy gothic fantasy, a tender and loving sapphic relationship, or simply want to try a new twist on the cozy fantasy genre, I highly recommend picking this up!
Tansy seems to have the idyllic life. Her days revolve around taking care of an aging Mrs. Aster and tending to their quaint cottage known as the Oubliette. Every day is the same routine to an eerie degree and they never have any visitors. In fact, Tansy can't even remember how or when they inhabited the Oubliette or the last time she saw another living soul. That is, until Merit mysteriously appears.
Merit is a Carrion Knight, but not by choice. After being abducted as a child and forced into service to the Unmaker, Merit tries to stick to her duties but ends up seriously wounded after her disloyalty is discovered. Unsure of where to turn, Merit ends up following a mangy dog through the woods and stumbles through a mysterious door that leads to none other than the Oubliette.
Merit and Tansy have an immediate connection upon meeting, but there's something wrong with this place and something amiss with Mrs. Aster. Tansy must confront her past and the life she has been upholding, and Merit will do everything within her power to ensure Tansy's safety and wellbeing.
Lavender and Hemlock is a unique cozy fantasy with gothic elements and a sweet, tender romance. I've never read a cozy fantasy quite like it and I really enjoyed this new twist on the genre. I'm a rather big fan of gothic fantasy and I feel this story did it well. I adored Tansy and Merit from the get go and their love for each other is truly the highlight of the story. Their journey through the Oubliette and beyond kept me engage and brainstorming what could possibly be going on with this mysterious setting through each chapter. This book also get bonus points for having one of the most gorgeous covers I've ever seen! If you enjoy gothic fantasy, a tender and loving sapphic relationship, or simply want to try a new twist on the cozy fantasy genre, I highly recommend picking this up!
April 18, 2026
Lavender & Hemlock was not at all what I believed it to be, but I had an amazing time with it nonetheless. It was fast-paced, high-stakes, and incredibly twisty. I guessed the first twist within 50 pages, and then was incredibly shocked when ANOTHER twist came that proved the first one wrong—that was fabulous writing.
Tansy is complex and lovable and has quite a lot of trauma to work through, and she was easily my favorite character. Her choices may not have always been good, but I understood why she made them. Sometimes it really is easier just to forget. Merit is equally complex and lovable, and her childlike wonder of simple things (like raspberries) endeared her to me immediately. Their romance was innocent and adorable and I loved every minute of it.
The writing was enjoyable, and easy to read at a fast pace—I breezed through this book.
However, one thing I most certainly would not call this book is *cozy.* It's violent, it's upsetting at times, it carries deep-set themes of abuse, grief, loss of identity, and a handful of others. All of that would have been perfectly alright with me, had this book not been advertised to me as a cozy fantasy romance. It's a bit of a shock to the system when you expect a low-stakes romance-forward adventure story, and then half the characters die.
The ending was confusing and felt almost rushed to me? I loved what was done with Tansy's character, and can only assume it was being set up for a sequel? maybe? I would have liked to have spent a bit more time post-incident, but it seemed like everyone got over everything rather quickly.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Tansy is complex and lovable and has quite a lot of trauma to work through, and she was easily my favorite character. Her choices may not have always been good, but I understood why she made them. Sometimes it really is easier just to forget. Merit is equally complex and lovable, and her childlike wonder of simple things (like raspberries) endeared her to me immediately. Their romance was innocent and adorable and I loved every minute of it.
The writing was enjoyable, and easy to read at a fast pace—I breezed through this book.
However, one thing I most certainly would not call this book is *cozy.* It's violent, it's upsetting at times, it carries deep-set themes of abuse, grief, loss of identity, and a handful of others. All of that would have been perfectly alright with me, had this book not been advertised to me as a cozy fantasy romance. It's a bit of a shock to the system when you expect a low-stakes romance-forward adventure story, and then half the characters die.
The ending was confusing and felt almost rushed to me? I loved what was done with Tansy's character, and can only assume it was being set up for a sequel? maybe? I would have liked to have spent a bit more time post-incident, but it seemed like everyone got over everything rather quickly.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
💐 I received an advanced readers copy via NetGalley; this is my honest review. 💐
The way that this book grabbed my attention needs to be studied. I haven't been this locked into a book in a long, long time. I love reading-I always have-but becoming an adult has made it more difficult to partake in that love. Between stress, a packed schedule, and the exponential growth of an internet where everything is geared towards instant gratification in order to hold people's attention, my mental energy and attention span just aren't what they used to be most of the time. I do my best to slow down and really enjoy the things I love-like reading-but it doesn't come as naturally as it used to. But something about this book really did it for me. I adored Tansy and Merit and their relationship. I was invested in the secrets within the story and I kept trying to predict what was going to happen. I had several moments when the book reminded me of Coraline, which was one of my favorite movies as a child, and Howl's Moving Castle, a newer favorite of mine. I definitely think this one is worth checking out if you enjoy fantasy, slow burn sapphic romance, or stories that balance coziness with a bit mysterious darkness.
Also, I made a hilarious meme about the book but it's very spoilery, for itself and also .
The way that this book grabbed my attention needs to be studied. I haven't been this locked into a book in a long, long time. I love reading-I always have-but becoming an adult has made it more difficult to partake in that love. Between stress, a packed schedule, and the exponential growth of an internet where everything is geared towards instant gratification in order to hold people's attention, my mental energy and attention span just aren't what they used to be most of the time. I do my best to slow down and really enjoy the things I love-like reading-but it doesn't come as naturally as it used to. But something about this book really did it for me. I adored Tansy and Merit and their relationship. I was invested in the secrets within the story and I kept trying to predict what was going to happen. I had several moments when the book reminded me of Coraline, which was one of my favorite movies as a child, and Howl's Moving Castle, a newer favorite of mine. I definitely think this one is worth checking out if you enjoy fantasy, slow burn sapphic romance, or stories that balance coziness with a bit mysterious darkness.
Also, I made a hilarious meme about the book but it's very spoilery, for itself and also .
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book for an honest review!
Housemaid Tansy’s days are all the same. Her only duties are to tend to her charge, old Lady Aster, and take care of their quaint cottage home. Until Merit, Carrion Knight (A servant of the dark entity the Unmaker) comes into her life. Causing her to question the nature of her seemingly-charming cottage home, and every day routine, known as the Oubliette.
When the two meet, an instant connection forms, and a crack appears in Oubliette's perfect façade.
First off, the cover gorgeous, the plot had me sitting on the couch and not wanting to get up until it was finished. The sparks between Tansy and Merit since the beginning, I was rooting for them!
The way Merit described Tansy was so poetic and beautiful!
"Merit felt mesmerized by the way the girls simple skirts weird and swung about her ankles as she marched up to the white gate and out into the meadow."
"There was something sweet and fragile about her. A hidden melancholy that never quite rose to the surface. She longed for those gentle eyes to turn on her, to be seen."
I WAS SQUEALINGGGG
This book was beautiful, the twist and turns were unexpected. The amount of times I was flabbergasted or screaming or the shocked faces I was making had my lover quite concerned.
Overall, I enjoyed this read. And I want to read more from this author.
If you love,
- Slow burn romance
-ALOT of twists and turns
-Knight x Maid
- Adventure
- Cottagecore
-Isolated house
-Dark fantasy
- Memory loss
-LGBTQIA+
Then this book is for you!
Housemaid Tansy’s days are all the same. Her only duties are to tend to her charge, old Lady Aster, and take care of their quaint cottage home. Until Merit, Carrion Knight (A servant of the dark entity the Unmaker) comes into her life. Causing her to question the nature of her seemingly-charming cottage home, and every day routine, known as the Oubliette.
When the two meet, an instant connection forms, and a crack appears in Oubliette's perfect façade.
First off, the cover gorgeous, the plot had me sitting on the couch and not wanting to get up until it was finished. The sparks between Tansy and Merit since the beginning, I was rooting for them!
The way Merit described Tansy was so poetic and beautiful!
"Merit felt mesmerized by the way the girls simple skirts weird and swung about her ankles as she marched up to the white gate and out into the meadow."
"There was something sweet and fragile about her. A hidden melancholy that never quite rose to the surface. She longed for those gentle eyes to turn on her, to be seen."
I WAS SQUEALINGGGG
This book was beautiful, the twist and turns were unexpected. The amount of times I was flabbergasted or screaming or the shocked faces I was making had my lover quite concerned.
Overall, I enjoyed this read. And I want to read more from this author.
If you love,
- Slow burn romance
-ALOT of twists and turns
-Knight x Maid
- Adventure
- Cottagecore
-Isolated house
-Dark fantasy
- Memory loss
-LGBTQIA+
Then this book is for you!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2026
I received this ARC through NetGalley. Thank you, NetGalley and the publishers!🩷
🪻🌿 I want to start by saying that this book grabbed me right away. I wasn’t sure about it at first since it is a YA book, and those can be hit-or-miss for me at my age. Some YA books tend to come off as childish, but not this one. Tansy and Merit were wonderful characters who deserved a life full of love and laughter. There are so many secrets, twists, and turns, which makes it a fun, wild ride. As you read, you just want to learn more and more about what’s going on. Sometimes things were predictable and other times I was shocked, but I felt there was a great balance of adventure and suspense. Also, as a dog lover, I absolutely adored the dog in this book. 🐶
I do want to note that this isn’t a cozy book; death, fear, and grief play huge roles in it. However, it is a high-stakes fantasy filled with love and happy moments. The world is magical and really fires up your imagination, which I love. One thing that was a bit annoying, though, was Tansy’s inner monologue. I understand this was probably intentional after reading the ending, but just be aware that it gets repetitive. The ending also felt a bit rushed, but I didn't mind too much since we didn’t really need anything more after that. Still, it could have used a short epilogue set a year later just to check in on the characters.
Overall, I give Lavender and Hemlock a 4.5, rounded up to 5 stars. It’s such a fun fantasy romance, and I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out! “Brave and strong and good.” 🪻🌿
🪻🌿 I want to start by saying that this book grabbed me right away. I wasn’t sure about it at first since it is a YA book, and those can be hit-or-miss for me at my age. Some YA books tend to come off as childish, but not this one. Tansy and Merit were wonderful characters who deserved a life full of love and laughter. There are so many secrets, twists, and turns, which makes it a fun, wild ride. As you read, you just want to learn more and more about what’s going on. Sometimes things were predictable and other times I was shocked, but I felt there was a great balance of adventure and suspense. Also, as a dog lover, I absolutely adored the dog in this book. 🐶
I do want to note that this isn’t a cozy book; death, fear, and grief play huge roles in it. However, it is a high-stakes fantasy filled with love and happy moments. The world is magical and really fires up your imagination, which I love. One thing that was a bit annoying, though, was Tansy’s inner monologue. I understand this was probably intentional after reading the ending, but just be aware that it gets repetitive. The ending also felt a bit rushed, but I didn't mind too much since we didn’t really need anything more after that. Still, it could have used a short epilogue set a year later just to check in on the characters.
Overall, I give Lavender and Hemlock a 4.5, rounded up to 5 stars. It’s such a fun fantasy romance, and I highly recommend picking it up when it comes out! “Brave and strong and good.” 🪻🌿
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lavender and Hemlock had such a strange dreamy atmosphere in the best way. The whole book felt soft and eerie at the same time, like stepping into a fairy tale that you slowly realize has something darker hiding underneath it. I ended up getting completely pulled into the mood of the story almost immediately.
What I loved most was how emotional and reflective the writing felt. The story takes its time unfolding and really leans into themes of grief, memory, identity, and longing in a way that felt very intimate. It is definitely more atmospheric and character driven than action heavy, but for me that worked really well with the overall tone.
The magical elements also felt very unique and understated. Nothing was overly flashy or explained to death, which made the world feel more mysterious and immersive. There’s this constant feeling that something important is sitting just out of reach, and it kept me invested the entire time.
I also really liked the relationships and emotional tension throughout the book. The characters felt vulnerable and complicated in ways that made them easy to connect with, even when they were frustrating or making messy choices.
Overall this felt like a quiet haunting kind of fantasy that lingers after you finish it. If you like atmospheric stories with fairy tale energy, emotional depth, and a slightly unsettling edge underneath the beauty, this one is definitely worth reading.
What I loved most was how emotional and reflective the writing felt. The story takes its time unfolding and really leans into themes of grief, memory, identity, and longing in a way that felt very intimate. It is definitely more atmospheric and character driven than action heavy, but for me that worked really well with the overall tone.
The magical elements also felt very unique and understated. Nothing was overly flashy or explained to death, which made the world feel more mysterious and immersive. There’s this constant feeling that something important is sitting just out of reach, and it kept me invested the entire time.
I also really liked the relationships and emotional tension throughout the book. The characters felt vulnerable and complicated in ways that made them easy to connect with, even when they were frustrating or making messy choices.
Overall this felt like a quiet haunting kind of fantasy that lingers after you finish it. If you like atmospheric stories with fairy tale energy, emotional depth, and a slightly unsettling edge underneath the beauty, this one is definitely worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC!
LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK is a unique portal fantasy with a sweet (if underdeveloped) romance and fascinating worldbuilding.
I liked Tansy and Merit as characters, but I wished that there had been more time for reflection on their feelings throughout the story. I think the difference between romantasy and fantasy with romance involved is generally that if you remove the romance from a romantasy, the story falls apart, whereas a fantasy with a romance is still a fully-realized story without the romance involved, and I think the romance could probably be removed from LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK without sacrificing too much of the overall plot.
I understand the comparisons to gothic fantasy that this book is receiving; there is a sense of dread from almost the very beginning, where we know that nothing in Oubliette is quite as it seems but we do not know how, yet. And I can see why this is described as cozy romantasy as well, since Oubliette is designed to be the ultimate cozy fairytale life. I don’t think LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK as a whole is particularly gothic or cozy, though – the stakes are too high, and the pacing and atmosphere change rapidly as Merit and Tansy learn more about their world and Tansy’s history.
I’d recommend LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK to people who love portal fantasies, a fairytale cottage aesthetic, and morally grey lady knights.
LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK is a unique portal fantasy with a sweet (if underdeveloped) romance and fascinating worldbuilding.
I liked Tansy and Merit as characters, but I wished that there had been more time for reflection on their feelings throughout the story. I think the difference between romantasy and fantasy with romance involved is generally that if you remove the romance from a romantasy, the story falls apart, whereas a fantasy with a romance is still a fully-realized story without the romance involved, and I think the romance could probably be removed from LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK without sacrificing too much of the overall plot.
I understand the comparisons to gothic fantasy that this book is receiving; there is a sense of dread from almost the very beginning, where we know that nothing in Oubliette is quite as it seems but we do not know how, yet. And I can see why this is described as cozy romantasy as well, since Oubliette is designed to be the ultimate cozy fairytale life. I don’t think LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK as a whole is particularly gothic or cozy, though – the stakes are too high, and the pacing and atmosphere change rapidly as Merit and Tansy learn more about their world and Tansy’s history.
I’d recommend LAVENDER AND HEMLOCK to people who love portal fantasies, a fairytale cottage aesthetic, and morally grey lady knights.
April 13, 2026
Before I start my review, thank you to Random House Children's Books and Netgalley for an e-ARC of this book!
This review will not contain spoilers of this book, as I would like all potential readers to be able to read my review.
Lavender & Hemlock truly took me by surprise as we entered the world of small magics and beautiful storytelling.
We meet Tansey, who is a young woman taking care of Lady Aster on her small estate. Everyday is similar to the last until one day, she stumbles upon a dark haired knight named Merit. From here, the story takes you on a journey of love, yearning and duty. Questioning your every thought along the way. Just when you think you know what's going on, author Lili Wilkinson, proves that not all is what it seems.
I couldn't put this book down as we explored this budding LBGTQ+ relationship about two women struggling to choose their duty, or love.
I rate this rate a solid 4/5 stars for its originality, storytelling and characters. This was a spectacular standalone book, in which I would recommend to those who wish for a whimsical story that you cannot put down.
Thank you again for the advanced copy, as I will be happily picking this up upon publication!
This review will not contain spoilers of this book, as I would like all potential readers to be able to read my review.
Lavender & Hemlock truly took me by surprise as we entered the world of small magics and beautiful storytelling.
We meet Tansey, who is a young woman taking care of Lady Aster on her small estate. Everyday is similar to the last until one day, she stumbles upon a dark haired knight named Merit. From here, the story takes you on a journey of love, yearning and duty. Questioning your every thought along the way. Just when you think you know what's going on, author Lili Wilkinson, proves that not all is what it seems.
I couldn't put this book down as we explored this budding LBGTQ+ relationship about two women struggling to choose their duty, or love.
I rate this rate a solid 4/5 stars for its originality, storytelling and characters. This was a spectacular standalone book, in which I would recommend to those who wish for a whimsical story that you cannot put down.
Thank you again for the advanced copy, as I will be happily picking this up upon publication!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 Stars
I thought this was a really solid standalone YA Fantasy. I really appreciate the fact that it was a complete story from start to finish. Wilkinson did a great job with setting the setting, tone, and characters in this novel. Every place the main characters went to had such vivid descriptions, and I fell in love with the world. I, too, wanted to stay at the cozy cottage when Tansy did; it just felt so safe and perfect.
I also really loved all the characters; everyone felt whole with complex thoughts and feelings. I especially loved the romance between Merit and Tansy; it was so sweet and had the perfect amount of yearning for me.
My only large issue was pacing. I flew through the first 40% of the book, but things started to drag right around when I started getting lost in the magical aspects. I barely understood what was happening until about 85% (thank god for the magical cat explanation). But other than that, I really loved the ending and the plot as a whole (once it started to make more sense)!
This is a great book for people who want more meat and plot in fantasy that still has an overall cozy feeling!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for providing me a copy to review.
I thought this was a really solid standalone YA Fantasy. I really appreciate the fact that it was a complete story from start to finish. Wilkinson did a great job with setting the setting, tone, and characters in this novel. Every place the main characters went to had such vivid descriptions, and I fell in love with the world. I, too, wanted to stay at the cozy cottage when Tansy did; it just felt so safe and perfect.
I also really loved all the characters; everyone felt whole with complex thoughts and feelings. I especially loved the romance between Merit and Tansy; it was so sweet and had the perfect amount of yearning for me.
My only large issue was pacing. I flew through the first 40% of the book, but things started to drag right around when I started getting lost in the magical aspects. I barely understood what was happening until about 85% (thank god for the magical cat explanation). But other than that, I really loved the ending and the plot as a whole (once it started to make more sense)!
This is a great book for people who want more meat and plot in fantasy that still has an overall cozy feeling!
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for providing me a copy to review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lavender and Hemlock is a sweet yet spooky sapphic knight x maiden fairytale with a dark edge. It starts out pleasantly cozy, as we're introduced to maid Tansy's small but charming world, complete with pet sidekicks and plenty of gardening. When literally and figuratively messy knight Merit comes crashing in, things take a charming romantasy turn, and I enjoyed seeing a romance blossom between the two.
But then things start to get dark, in the best way. We're thrown into the centuries-old scheme of an evil villain, complete with some time-travel-ish action, pocket worlds, dark magic, and body horror. Lavender and Hemlock definitely delivers on the promised darkness! I loved all the twists and turns as we, alongside the FMCs, slowly unravel what's going on. There are a few tense, very spooky scenes, and some pretty serious gore, that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I really enjoyed the mix of cozy and horror vibes, and found the world-building impressive for a not-overlong, standalone, YA book. It does read YA in most other ways, especially when it comes to character development and spelling out themes, but I obviously don't mind that in a YA title. I highly suggest it for readers looking for a unique, substantive twist on YA fantasy fare!
But then things start to get dark, in the best way. We're thrown into the centuries-old scheme of an evil villain, complete with some time-travel-ish action, pocket worlds, dark magic, and body horror. Lavender and Hemlock definitely delivers on the promised darkness! I loved all the twists and turns as we, alongside the FMCs, slowly unravel what's going on. There are a few tense, very spooky scenes, and some pretty serious gore, that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I really enjoyed the mix of cozy and horror vibes, and found the world-building impressive for a not-overlong, standalone, YA book. It does read YA in most other ways, especially when it comes to character development and spelling out themes, but I obviously don't mind that in a YA title. I highly suggest it for readers looking for a unique, substantive twist on YA fantasy fare!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lavender and Hemlock is a definitively a typical cozy read, and it works very well!
The problem with most cozy reads is that they don't have stakes. It's all pillows no texture, which does work for some but not me. This book, however, has good stakes and a creepy atmosphere that kept me enticed the entire time. It's very Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, which is probably why I felt so comfortable with it.
However, as is my usual problem with most titles these days, the dual perspective doesn't work for me. I find Merit to be the compelling narrative while Tansy is very repetitive. I can see an argument in Tansy's defense that this makes sense for her arc in the story, but it doesn't read well. While Merit is my favorite of the two, I do think the pacing of her arc does start a bit too quickly and I wanted to pull back. This is one of the few cases where starting in media res doesn't work favorably. I just ended up feeling a bit disconnected from Merit to start with.
Overall, I had such a good time reading this. A good quick read for those who love cozy fantasy and perfect for a YA audience.
4/5.
The problem with most cozy reads is that they don't have stakes. It's all pillows no texture, which does work for some but not me. This book, however, has good stakes and a creepy atmosphere that kept me enticed the entire time. It's very Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher, which is probably why I felt so comfortable with it.
However, as is my usual problem with most titles these days, the dual perspective doesn't work for me. I find Merit to be the compelling narrative while Tansy is very repetitive. I can see an argument in Tansy's defense that this makes sense for her arc in the story, but it doesn't read well. While Merit is my favorite of the two, I do think the pacing of her arc does start a bit too quickly and I wanted to pull back. This is one of the few cases where starting in media res doesn't work favorably. I just ended up feeling a bit disconnected from Merit to start with.
Overall, I had such a good time reading this. A good quick read for those who love cozy fantasy and perfect for a YA audience.
4/5.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC!
Lavender & Hemlock was a very surprising book - at least for me. Going in, I was expecting a nice, cosy fantasy to read during a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea - and goodness was it not. It turned out to be actually quite unsettling.
It was fantastic.
*SPOILERS*
I was shocked at the initial introduction of the sleepers at Uyst, but it gave a feeling of ‘oooooh here we goooooo’ and then things started getting serious.
Merit and Tansy was beautiful, but it was also so tragic going through their relationship while Tansy was still tied to the Oubliette. That was a brilliant plot detail, by the way. The scent of lavender coming from the things that stitch here together?? Amazing. The collection rooms were very interesting, and immediately made me suspicious ( I also got that feeling from Lady Aster, just saying).
It was a genuinely good book, and pretty easy to read, too. Prepare yourself for that climax though - sheesh.
I will be releasing an audio format review on Bookshelved, where I delve a little deeper into the book.
Thank you again to Netgalley!
Lavender & Hemlock was a very surprising book - at least for me. Going in, I was expecting a nice, cosy fantasy to read during a rainy afternoon with a cup of tea - and goodness was it not. It turned out to be actually quite unsettling.
It was fantastic.
*SPOILERS*
I was shocked at the initial introduction of the sleepers at Uyst, but it gave a feeling of ‘oooooh here we goooooo’ and then things started getting serious.
Merit and Tansy was beautiful, but it was also so tragic going through their relationship while Tansy was still tied to the Oubliette. That was a brilliant plot detail, by the way. The scent of lavender coming from the things that stitch here together?? Amazing. The collection rooms were very interesting, and immediately made me suspicious ( I also got that feeling from Lady Aster, just saying).
It was a genuinely good book, and pretty easy to read, too. Prepare yourself for that climax though - sheesh.
I will be releasing an audio format review on Bookshelved, where I delve a little deeper into the book.
Thank you again to Netgalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you for the ARC copy from NetGalley!
3.5 rounded up!
I could picture this as a really fun Studio Ghibli film. It has all the trappings, a garden cottage, fantastical magic, whimsical animals, a mystery to escape, and a challenge to save a kingdom.
While I really liked all the pieces, I found myself leaning towards Merit’s chapters more. Merit was the more fleshed out of the two POVs. She’s a conflicted knight from a rather grim-dark world with life or death stakes. I deeply liked Marit for her interiority and goals.
Tansy was the weaker of the narratives. I still enjoyed her as a contrast to Merit. But I found myself wishing I was in Merit’s head.
Probably because Tansy’s environment overshadows her. She’s got an innocent, young, personality but she does spend most of the book asking questions without using her brain. She doesn’t discover anything so much as stumble upon it or get dragged through it. She gets told everything to the very end— which I thought was a shame.
All and all a fun, imaginative read.
3.5 rounded up!
I could picture this as a really fun Studio Ghibli film. It has all the trappings, a garden cottage, fantastical magic, whimsical animals, a mystery to escape, and a challenge to save a kingdom.
While I really liked all the pieces, I found myself leaning towards Merit’s chapters more. Merit was the more fleshed out of the two POVs. She’s a conflicted knight from a rather grim-dark world with life or death stakes. I deeply liked Marit for her interiority and goals.
Tansy was the weaker of the narratives. I still enjoyed her as a contrast to Merit. But I found myself wishing I was in Merit’s head.
Probably because Tansy’s environment overshadows her. She’s got an innocent, young, personality but she does spend most of the book asking questions without using her brain. She doesn’t discover anything so much as stumble upon it or get dragged through it. She gets told everything to the very end— which I thought was a shame.
All and all a fun, imaginative read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Recieved an ARC from NetGalley. A maid lives a monotonous lifealone with her elderly charge. In parallel a knight escapes her service after being betrayed and stumbles into the maid's life. The first couple chapters I wasnt sure I was going to get into this book and wasn't overly impressed with the world building. Well I was getting ahead of myself. This book is wonderfully complex. Definitely a slow burn between the two FMCs and it has a Coraline mixed with romance mixed with Stranger Things vibe. The teeth baby made my skin crawl - when you get to it, you'll know. Highly recommend. Yes it's YA, yes there is a bit of a slow start, but the plot is sufficiently complex and the romance is sweet. One that I have thought about a lot over the last few days since I finished it. To me that's a mark of a good book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews