The Hemlock Queen
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4.2 • 41 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
The glittering and dangerous world of the Sainted King’s royal court is upended when Prince Bastian seizes control and a mysterious dark force begins to take over in the second installment of New York Times bestselling series The Nightshade Crown.
The corrupt king August is dead. Prince Bastian has seized the throne and raised Lore—a necromancer and former smuggler—to his right-hand side. Together they plan to cut out the rot from the heart of the royal court and help the people of Dellaire. But not everyone is happy with the changes. The nobles are sowing dissent, the Kirythean Empire is beating down their door, and Lore’s old allies are pulling away. Even Prince Bastian has changed. No longer the hopeful, rakish, charismatic man Lore knows and loves, instead he’s become reckless, domineering, and cold.
And something has been whispering in her ear. A voice, dark and haunting, that’s telling her there’s more to the story than she knows and more to her power than she can even imagine. A truth buried deep that could change everything.
With Bastian’s coronation fast approaching and enemies whispering on all sides, Lore must figure out how to protect herself, her prince, and her country before they all come crumbling down and whatever dark power has been creeping through the catacombs is unleashed.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Whitten keeps readers on their toes in this standout romantasy, the second in her Nightshade Crown series. The power has shifted in the kingdom of Auverraine since the events of The Foxglove King: Bastian now sits on the throne with deathwitch Lore as his right hand, while Gabe has risen to fill the vacancy as Exalted Priest, leading the Presque Mort. As the trio adjust to their new roles, the enemy Kirytheans encroach, ready to take advantage of any weaknesses—and Bastian's palace has plenty. Half his court is under house arrest and the acrimony among the remaining courtiers is exacerbated by Lore's presence and her closeness to Bastian. This political tension is matched by the romantic tension between the three protagonists as they struggle with the feelings that run rampant between them. After Lore and Bastian together channel the powerful magical forces of Mortem and Spiritum, Lore starts hearing an unwelcome voice in the back of her mind and Bastian grows increasingly possessive and cold. Whitten keeps the pages flying as prophecies, gods, and heavy secrets impact the central love triangle. This enthralling sequel will leave readers clamoring for more.
