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Tenderly, I Am Devoured
Perfect for fans of Saltburn, For the Wolf, and House of Hollow, Tenderly, I Am Devoured is a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic demon with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy―and herself―from ruin.
Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.
But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.
Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.
Expelled from her prestigious boarding school following a violent incident, eighteen-year-old Lacrimosa Arriscane returns home in disgrace to discover her family on the point of financial ruin. Desperate to save them, she accepts a marriage of convenience… to Therion, the chthonic god worshipped by Lark’s isolated coastal hometown.
But when her betrothal goes horribly wrong, Lark begins to vanish from the mortal realm. Her only hope is to seek help from Alastair Felimath: the brilliant, arrogant boy who was her first heartbreak, and his alluring older sister, Camille. As the trio delve into the folklore of gods, Lark falls under the spell of the Felimath siblings.
Ensnared by a fervent romance, they perform a bacchanalia with hopes the hedonistic ritual will repair the connection between Lark and her bridegroom. Instead, they draw the ire of something much darker, which seeks to destroy Therion―and Lark as well.
304 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 1, 2025
About the author
Lyndall Clipstone
6 books750 followersLyndall Clipstone writes dark tales of flower-threaded horror. She currently lives in Adelaide, Australia, in a hundred-year-old cottage with her partner, two children, and a shy black cat.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 17, 2024
Pack my bags, I want to move to Verse!
September 19, 2024
Reading this felt like retribution because I read a book earlier this year that promised to be this and failed in every way. This was perfection and exactly what I wanted. A well-balanced mix of beauty and horror, with so many secrets and curious motives that kept me absolutely hooked from start to finish.
Thanks to the author for the early copy!
Thanks to the author for the early copy!
July 21, 2024
this was delicious. The Secret History meets Strange Grace and A Study in Drowning. More thoughts to come but I LOVED it and definitely the best YA book I’ve read this year???
July 17, 2024
Salt air, swan gods, seaside romance, dark veins of history…
TENDERLY, I AM DEVOURED by Lyndall Clipstone is a delicate horror with fantastical elements, written for the soft girls who make a habit of watching shadows until they move.
I was utterly swept away by the atmosphere in this book, salty mist clinging to my skin as flowers drooped over my lashes, much like Lark’s at summer bonfires built to honor the gods. She is painfully gentle at first, and then ferocious as the story goes on—but my favorite aspect of her is her eagerness to fall in love, be it with her next door neighbors, the swan god, or a schoolmate who was merely kind.
I think those were among my favorite threads to follow: the flashbacks to Lark’s days at school. Ironically though the horror elements belong to the fantasy realm, with feathers and cults and tears of blood, the story within the story was a horror to me—one that felt inevitable, gut-wrenching, yet fascinating all the same.
If I had to pitch this book for someone, it would be for readers of A STUDY IN DROWNING and A FAR, WILDER MAGIC: the first for its moody, seaside atmosphere and local lore, the second for its time period and general pace and vibes.
But truly, if you love flowers, silk ribbons, daggers of glass, and blood, this story is one to seek out.
Thank you @lkclipstone for the early copy! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and can’t wait to read more in the years to come!
TENDERLY, I AM DEVOURED by Lyndall Clipstone is a delicate horror with fantastical elements, written for the soft girls who make a habit of watching shadows until they move.
I was utterly swept away by the atmosphere in this book, salty mist clinging to my skin as flowers drooped over my lashes, much like Lark’s at summer bonfires built to honor the gods. She is painfully gentle at first, and then ferocious as the story goes on—but my favorite aspect of her is her eagerness to fall in love, be it with her next door neighbors, the swan god, or a schoolmate who was merely kind.
I think those were among my favorite threads to follow: the flashbacks to Lark’s days at school. Ironically though the horror elements belong to the fantasy realm, with feathers and cults and tears of blood, the story within the story was a horror to me—one that felt inevitable, gut-wrenching, yet fascinating all the same.
If I had to pitch this book for someone, it would be for readers of A STUDY IN DROWNING and A FAR, WILDER MAGIC: the first for its moody, seaside atmosphere and local lore, the second for its time period and general pace and vibes.
But truly, if you love flowers, silk ribbons, daggers of glass, and blood, this story is one to seek out.
Thank you @lkclipstone for the early copy! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and can’t wait to read more in the years to come!
September 27, 2024
Review to come!
September 20, 2024
august 17th- i’m wondering how on earth i’m going to last without a copy of this books within my hands, i think i might just pass away from the anticipation! this sounds like one of the most intresting books of 2025 and i desperately need it like now
July 28, 2024
poetic & atmospheric, chilly and romantic, all the angsts and tender moments aaaa
- full review TK (avoiding spoilers lol) but SO GOOD
- full review TK (avoiding spoilers lol) but SO GOOD
Want to read
July 5, 2024a moody, monstrously Gothic romantasy in which a young woman must bind herself to a dangerous chthonic demon with the help of the son of a rival family to save her family's legacy—and herself—from ruin.
September 13, 2024
Deeply lyrical and brimming with romance, myth, and creeping horror, TENDERLY, I AM DEVOURED is a salt-drenched fever dream that lingers long after the pages stop turning. Atmospheric, evocative, and utterly consuming.
So thankful I was able to read an early copy; if you love monstrously Gothic YA fantasy, add this to your 2025 TBR list immediately!
So thankful I was able to read an early copy; if you love monstrously Gothic YA fantasy, add this to your 2025 TBR list immediately!
Want to read
September 2, 2024they need to start selling book covers as art prints because WOW ! ! ! ! ! !
September 6, 2024
I had the pleasure of reading a sampler of TENDERLY, I AM DEVOURED, and oh, how it bewitched me. This novel promises to be quietly magical, romantic, and full of stunning prose. Ready your s(h)elves!
August 18, 2024
I want to thank Lyndall Clipstone for letting me read an ARC of their story!
To preface - this is a YA Folk Romance taking place on a moody coastal town. It reminds me of midnight mass but more flowery! If you live in scenic coastal places like NZ or even New England, you'll feel right at home (minus the cult, maybe!).
The descriptions were so poetic and calm, even when describing something jarring and scary. The romance was complex, and I appreciated The main character being bisexual/pansexual. It was nice to have a queer character that didn't doubt her feelings. She was never pressured to feel like she couldn't like one gender over the other. If you don't like two siblings dating the same person, you may not like this, but it wasn't forced since there is a history of being childhood best friends between all three.
The world-building was subtle and natural. I felt like I was eased into the story, like slipping into a warm bath. The characters were well thought out. Even the side characters were full of life with their own ambitions, flaws, and quirks.
If you like folk-esque worldbuilding, old towns, seaside moodiness, and complex relationships - this book is for you. I really enjoyed it, and I can't wait for it to publish!
To preface - this is a YA Folk Romance taking place on a moody coastal town. It reminds me of midnight mass but more flowery! If you live in scenic coastal places like NZ or even New England, you'll feel right at home (minus the cult, maybe!).
The descriptions were so poetic and calm, even when describing something jarring and scary. The romance was complex, and I appreciated The main character being bisexual/pansexual. It was nice to have a queer character that didn't doubt her feelings. She was never pressured to feel like she couldn't like one gender over the other. If you don't like two siblings dating the same person, you may not like this, but it wasn't forced since there is a history of being childhood best friends between all three.
The world-building was subtle and natural. I felt like I was eased into the story, like slipping into a warm bath. The characters were well thought out. Even the side characters were full of life with their own ambitions, flaws, and quirks.
If you like folk-esque worldbuilding, old towns, seaside moodiness, and complex relationships - this book is for you. I really enjoyed it, and I can't wait for it to publish!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews