Book Announcements
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
Isla
28th November 2024
Lovely photo by @rebireads!
Hey fairy friends!
Welcome to our fifth and final day of The Foxglove King readalong! Grab a snack (or a few!) and let’s see if we find out who’s behind these attacks!
Today we’re reading from Chapter 33 to the end of the book.
Grab a snack, get comfy and let’s read!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, from chapter 33 to the end of the book. Please only read on if you’ve finished The Foxglove King!
-!SPOILERS!-
Well, there’s no sign of Gabe. I guess he’s chosen his side and Lore and Bastian are doing this alone. Maybe not! At the very last minute, our surly monk shows up!
Before Lore and Bastian can head down the catacombs, Gabe tells her he didn’t want to leave last night. His wording definitely could’ve been chosen better when he says it felt like a mistake. Guess he and Lore are parting on a sour note.
They find the bodies but when Lore wakes one… they all wake. Things get worse, when they reach the surface again, Gabe isn’t alone. Anton and Malcolm are with him. He sold them out.
Ok… so Anton isn’t responsible for it all? He’s been trying to stop August this entire time from building a corpse army. (Even for the King, that’s a little unhinged). They tricked her, with Gabe in on it this time. They tricked her to wake the army so that she controls it, this is such a burden to put on someone without consent. I’m so disappointed in Gabe.
There’s a reason Bastian had to be involved too. He’s the chosen one, he has Spiritum, this is why he’s always seemed familiar to Lore, also why she can’t channel Mortem around him.
Of all the things Gabe is angry about, he’s mostly upset that Bastian has known where Lore came from, pretty much all along.
The eclipse comes around quickly, I’m so scared at how this will play out. It could very easily go wrong and end in August killing Lore, Bastian and whoever else to succeed in his plan.
Another village, gone. Bastian is desperate for Lore to leave, but the Mortem won’t let her leave Dellaire. There’s nothing they can do but sit, dance, wait for Anton and hope for the best.
Anton really left us hanging until the very last moment didn’t he? A moment longer and everything would have been ruined.
After Anton stabs his brother… we learn that he’s not quite as innocent as he claimed, or as Gabe believes. Anton was never trying to protect Lore, he wants to kill her so her power goes to Bastian, and her mother is here to witness it.
Her mother, now Night Priestess is in on it all. So both Lore and Bastian possess powers of the Gods. Lore hasn’t even realised that all along, in her dreams, her Mortem, strong as it is, was killing people. Gabe is adamant she doesn’t have to die, that he can teach her to block it out, to control it.
Gabe and Lore manage to convince Bastian (kind of) that just stripping Anton of his title is enough, but he still hauls a magical blow toward him. I’m not sure what to make of Bastian as king?
At least, Lore is by his side. Not only that, but right at the very end, Bastian gives the title of Priest Exalted to Gabe…
Did you guess at any point that Lore might be responsible?
Who are you shipping: Bastian and Lore or Gabe and Lore? (or all three?)
Any theories on book two?
That ENDING! So intense!!!!
Thank you all so much for joining us for another FairyLoot readalong, I hope you had as much fun as I did!
We’ll catch you very soon for the next one!
Love,
Shannon
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Book Announcements
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
Isla
28th November 2024
Follow Us
Book Announcements
Emily Wilde’s Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather Fawcett
Isla
28th November 2024
Thank you for doing this Readalong! I had fun reading all these posts. I accidentally read too far for day 4, I just couldn’t stop reading! I enjoyed this book but yeah it definitely sets up for the sequel. I honestly did not think Lore was responsible for all the deaths. That was surprising. I am torn on Gabe/ Lore and Bastian / Lore. There were moments I was rooting for each of the couples! I am leaning toward Team Gabe though. I am hoping book 2 gets a Fairyloot edition so my books match!
Did you guess at any point that Lore might be responsible?
I didn’t but we were told in the authors note that all the characters are flawed and we will hate each of them at some point in time. So I guess I should have guessed it.
Who are you shipping: Bastian and Lore or Gabe and Lore? (or all three?)
Bastian and Lore.
Any theories on book two?
None. I’m shocked. Haha
I knew it was *something*, and I figured it out before the reveal, but not super early on!
Bastian and Lore, I think. I think there’s a hinting that the gods and goddesses *actual* history is that Nyxara chose Hestraon over Apollius, that Her “carving out His heart”/”tried to cut His heart” from His chest is all metaphorical, and I think, to break the cycle, she either needs to choose Bastian [and stay with him]. [It’s possible that the three of them agreeing to be together might work too, tbh. Just something *other* than Lore “betraying” Bastian by choosing Gabe.
[I guess that also works as my theory for Book 2. lol Though, I have to say, *kinda* surprised Bastian chose Gabe to be his #2, after seeing how hurt and betrayed he was by how Bastian treated Anton. I bet *that* plays a role in Book 2, too. I’m guessing Lore’s title will be Book 2’s title, too? The Deathwitch Queen or something?]
Anton’s Mortem manipulation can be a lock/puzzle? & connect dead lives?? It definitely doesn’t bode well that the corpses have a combination of Lore’s & Bastian’s scars… while alone with the horde in the catacombs… nearing the eclipse depicted… with their lookout’s loyalty conflicted… while the dead are screaming. Dammit, Gabe! Dani’s involvement was an extra surprise. Anton’s doubling crossing was expected, but Lore’s birth mother being alive & involved was both surprising & made a lot of sense. I’m not sure why I figured she’d died after getting Lore out (maybe a punishment or to take her place in going to Nyxara’s tomb). I like what Bastian is doing, but I’m still wary of his change since taking up the status of Sainted King.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) Did you guess at any point that Lore might be responsible?
2.) Who are you shipping: Bastian and Lore or Gabe and Lore? (or all three?)
3.) Any theories on book two?
A:
1.) Technically, she wasn’t consciously or even willingly (unconsciously or not) responsible.
2.) Gabe said she was a mistake & betrayed them, but Bastian has changed since coming into power. I’m not sure who’s the better choice, so maybe, for now, all or none.
3.) Something about Kirythea & an impending war since I’m pretty sure those rumors of people in that empire having powers of the lesser gods holds some truth, so maybe delving into those powers/gods & how they fit with our major 3 characters in Auverraine.
Noooo, it’s the final day ?I’ve been enjoying this book so much! This was such a good pick for March’s box <3
Ok…just finished the book O_O Whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t THAT. I feel like everything happened in such a blur and I’m still trying to process it. I did not guess that Lore was responsible, although looking back, it was all so obvious and the hints were there. But it seemed like Anton was taking her power to kill the villages so technically it wasn’t her?
I don’t know how I feel about Bastian as king either. He’s doing really good things for the people, however that ruthlessness that he possesses makes me wary…
Ok so I don’t know who I ship Lore with now, because one thing I’ve realized while reading further and further on in the book, is that these are morally gray characters. I really like that actually, because in real life, no one is as magnanimous as some stories portray them to be. Lore chooses herself over the world. Gabe chooses what he thinks is right over Lore. Bastian choses power to help the unfortunate. So they’re all flawed and I think it’s been a while since I’ve read characters who were morally gray. I think I have to work through those emotions because it surprised me.
However, I do think that the chemistry between Lore and Gabe is stronger than her and Bastian’s. But honestly, that could all change in book 2! I’m very curious about what will happen next. The cycle of ascension and death, does that mean that the elemental gods are going to emerge too, and not just Lore and Bastian as death and life? Because if so…Gabe has been associated with fire this whole time…
I wouldn’t be surprised if everything ended up in flames tbh. And now the wait continues for the next book! See y’all next time!
Gabe was making me so mad throughout these chapters. I KNEW Bastian was Lore’s opposite and that he had Spiritum.
I think Bastian will be a good King. I as worried at first but when he started getting rid of things to try to help the Kingdom, I think he is the same old Bastian.
I did not think Lore was responsible at all. That was surprising and a bit upsetting.
I am still shipping Bastian and Lore. Gabe made me way too mad towards the end of the book and Bastian seemed to look out for her more. Gabe was so jealous and insecure at times – his actions just seemed like he trusted Anton more than Lore/Bastian. He is also suppose to be celibate, which I think he constantly struggles between his attraction to Lore and his oath, which is not fair to her.
Did you guess at any point that Lore might be responsible? I did not. But what a great twist!
Who are you shipping: Bastian and Lore or Gabe and Lore? (or all three?) all three of them. It’s absolutely amazing when all three of them are on page together.
Any theories on book two? Not really, but I’m hoping that the love triangle will turn into a polyamory
Did you guess at any point that Lore might be responsible? — Easy answer: NO!
Not so easy answer: No, because she ain’t responsible. She was tricked. She was used by an old mad man who never asked her for using her mortem, her power to kill all these villagers. But even though it seems Anton was on the right side, he still was wrong.
Who are you shipping: Bastian and Lore or Gabe and Lore? (or all three?) — Honestly, none. Neither Lore nor Gabe or Bastian weren’t nice enough for me. Lore seemed so strong and independent at the beginning, but instead of growing in this direction she turned more and more naive, even though she realized she’d been used all her life.
Gabe… ah, I am no fan of jealousy, especially when you inflict it on yourself. I am not a religious person, therefore I always see a way out of religious vows. Especially, when you’ve been tricked into giving them. Bastian, seems to be the only one who knows who he is (other than that he’s the one with Spiritum), the new king. And he knows what he has to do, what he has to change. But also, I don’t understand why he never tried fighting against his father’s plans to murder him.
Any theories on book two? — I just hope that all three of them will grow in their tasks ahead, and hopefully they are able to make the world a better place. Honestly, I don’t care if Lore gets together with Bastian or Gabe, or both of them. But I hope they’ll grow together, start to trust each other and become a forceful team.
These last few chapters were nuts! From Gabe showing up, the trip into the catacombs, awakening the bodies, then the betrayal, then the finale. Just buck wild! I never never would have guessed that Lore was being used to kill the villages. That was a super sick twist. Also that her Mom had made a deal with Anton. Sick. Just awful. Val selling Lore out at the start of the book looks nowhere near as bad now.
I honestly prefer Bastian to Gabe. He is not as wishy-washy which I appreciate. I think he will make a good king but who knows what is going to happen in this next book. I do believe that he would pick the kingdom over Lore though. I do not have high hopes of her being able to control all of the Mortem and keep her sanity.
I am interested to see who the other reincarnations could be. Gabe has to be the god of fire, Hestraon. Maybe Alie is Lereal the goddess of air and Jax as earth would be cool. Kind of balance out the kingdoms on the reincarnations.
I really enjoyed this book and cant wait for the next one!
THE BETRAYAL, the drama, what a great ending. I was flabbergasted at the extent of betrayal we had going on at the end here, just one right after the other after another. Everyone was out for blood. I didn’t see it coming that Lore was responsible for the deaths of the villages, I was very surprised, I feel like I still have a lot of lingering questions about some of the events of the last few chapters and how it all ties together, I bet they will be answered in the next book though.
Solid introduction to the world and the story, I am excited to see where the next book takes the trio.
1. That did take me by surprise! I did like it though haha
2. I’m still more fan of Bastian and Lore, Gabe does feel more like someone who’d be a best friend/brother figure. On the other hand I don’t know if I’m fan of how Bastian acted at the end and it does make me a bit anxious to see how much he will have changed… But, now that you’ve given the option; a relationship between the three would be best hahaha
3. I’m a bit clueless on what to expect, but I hope more of the romance and more about the gods and powers present. I also think some changes will happen now that Bastian is king which won’t all be received as well which will cause some tension in the country. I also think (and hope) we’ll see more of the other gods in book two!
What an ending and the twist. I knew it that Gabe will betray them.
1. Yes, but only realised it when they were in the catacombs.
2. I’m still for Team Gabe. I don’t think Bastian would love Lore in that way. But he does truly care for her.
3. Maybe more of the gods and their history in book 2. I really liked the chapter headings so maybe more of that.
This was a good read and can’t wait for the next book.
Man, I did not see that coming. Definitely an interesting twist.
I’m not sure if I prefer Bastian or Gabe, but I would be very down to see all three. They’ve already got this connection and I think it could be so cool to see that grow into more than a regular love triangle.
No idea what will go on in the next book, but I kinda want Lore to go all scorched earth and I want Bastian to work on bringing equality to the common people.
This book has just taken the top spot for my favourite read of 2023!
I had no idea it was Lore all along, towards the end I thought it was Anton and he was working alongside August!
I’m shipping all three! I still can’t decide between Bastian and Gabe. I think Bastian is probably better suited for Lore, and it would be good to see Gabe with Alie but why should Lore choose? Haha!
No idea what to expect now for book 2 but I loved the ending for this one. Bastian wielding spiritum and becoming King with Lore wielding mortem at his side with Gabe as the Priest Exhaulted just makes so much sense to me!