Pretty photo by @picklesbooks!
Hi fairy friends!
Welcome back to day 2 of our readalong for our March Adult featured book: The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten. I hope you’re all loving the book so far!
Today we’re reading from chapter 9 to the end of chapter 16. Let’s go!
Please be warned, the following section will include spoilers for The Foxglove King by Hannah Whitten, from chapters 9 to 16. Please only read on if you’ve finished this section!
-!SPOILERS!-
It’s hard to tell if it’s for the sake of keeping up appearances, or because they like each other, but Lore and Gabe seem to be getting on well as they prepare for the masquerade!
Lore also unintentionally tells Gabe he’s hard not to notice and yeah, I’m feeling some tension here! Oh… maybe not. Gabe’s ex-fiance is here? Awwwwwkward!
Well, at least dancing with Bastian will give Lore a chance to do some snooping? Seems like he’s not hard on the eyes either.
Bastian and Gabe do seem to have some kind of battle going on between them. I’m sure it’s not made it any better that for a masquerade ball, Bastian had Gabe come without a mask. Or that he’s dancing with Lore. Bastian ends their dance by handing her a foxglove, telling her she’s also a foxglove, beautiful and poisonous. I can’t decide if poisonous is a compliment, although something tells me Bastian definitely sees it as such!
Back in their rooms, Lore and Gabe discuss what Lore learnt from Bastian – very little – and it turns to talk of the tales of the Night Witch. Lore seems thrown by that and has very little to add to the stories… I wonder why…
I don’t feel good about Lore going to the vaults alone with August? He doesn’t give me the best vibes. August is telling Lore of another attack in between sips of something Lore realises is poison. They’re really throwing Lore in at the deep end, it’s time for her to raise someone from the dead already and ask them what happened. Their response doesn’t really help though, quite ominously, their only response is ‘they’ve awakened’. Um… who?
This is a little bit backward isn’t it. They’re going to make her do this all again. He was just a child and they think maybe another body could tell them something different. In the meantime Lore is to enjoy the Citadel. This is starting to feel like she’s imprisoned, especially with the threat of pyres and the Burnt Isles.
The more Lore speaks with Bastian, the more I’m convinced that he isn’t involved with any of this, and his father has the wrong idea?
Wait, I might have spoken too soon… When he directs Lore to the stables, he introduces her to his horse, Claude. It’s not Claude though, it’s Horse. Dead Horse…
Something tells me that him bringing Lore here is intentional, something he always had planned. I think he knows who, what, she is… the smile he gives Lore as she leaves solidifies that.
Over the next few days, Lore and Gabe seem to become closer. They speak of their beliefs, of Gabe’s betrothal, and, some casual flirting when Lore picks up a romance. We love to see it!
As Lore reads in bed, she thinks of Horse and her failure, and suddenly thinks she’s realised how Horse is still animated…
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks?
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated?
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? I’m asking the important questions here!
I need to hear allllll your thoughts and theories on this book so far! See you tomorrow for day 3!
Love,
Shannon
I am pretty clueless as to who is behind the attacks and actually how the horse was reanimated. But I am looking forward to find out how! I am on team Gabe. I don’t trust Bastian especially after the weird encounter Lore and Bastian had with the horse.
SO many questions are being raised. Bastian is crafty and I am here for it!
I dont think Kirythea is behind the attacks on the villages. If anything I suspect Anton. He has been very vocal that any sins can be forgiven if done for the greater good. Thats highly toxic and irrational rhetoric for a priest. He is beyond manipulative and way too interested in Lore; searching her out in prayers, cutting off August when he was about to speculate on who ‘they’ are, bringing her here in the first place, asking when her birthday is, do nooooootttttt like it!
As for Lore’s powers, who even knows at this point! She is crazy powerful, even more so than anyone imagined including herself. Bastian knows way too much as well with that hair tuck and smile. He knows he knows he knows.
Gabe or Bastian, super super important questions. I like Gabe when he lets go of his more Mort tendencies. However, Bastian is a whole character. I dont buy this flippant nonchalant prince for a moment. Even more so after the masquerade and stable visit. I want to see more of both of them since Lore has a strange familiarity with both of them. Can we have both? I am leaning a bit more towards the Sun Prince, its the mystery.
I’m not sure I have theories on the attacks yet but I’m gonna take the opportunity to mention two things. A) The front cover says she escaped from a cult. We’ve only gotten two very, very vague references to it so far. I NEED more cult info! Now!!! And B) I’d like to know what this Tract that was removed from the religious texts because the Night Witch used it to claim she was a goddess reborn. What are they hiding?!? What did the text say?
Oh definitely some unexpected side effect of how Mortem flows through Lore. I’m realllly worried about how this is gonna affect that kid she reanimated.
As for team Bastian or team Gabe, I think the answer depends on what Lore wants. Short, thrilling fling? Definitely Bastian. Long term, committed relationship. Gabe, for sure.
I know the typical answer would be than Anton is behind the attacks because he believes he’s the rightful heir, not August, and he’s trying to cast doubt on August’s rule. But I don’t know if I actually believe that’s the truth.
I think we’re going to discover that the Night Witch actually was something akin to the goddess reborn/a body the goddess can possess for herself, and that Lore is also that, and that’s who she’s not a normal channeler.
I’m Team I-don’t-know-them-well-enough-yet. lol Right now, I know Gabe the best, so Gabe has my vote, but I think Bastian is going to [eventually] present a strong case for Team Bastian. We’ll see.
[Also, the FL edition of this book is STUNNING, thank you so much for creating such a beautiful book to add to my growing collection of pretty books!]
I don’t have any theories as to who is behind the attacks yet, but I don’t think Bastian is.
I wonder if Lore just did not cut ties with Horse like she thought- maybe her power is getting stronger?
I am team Bastian right now. I want Gabe to eventually end up with Alie again.
1. I’ve got no clue to be honest, but don’t believe it is Kirythea since it doesn’t seem as if they have motive at the moment. I would suspect Anton and August more to try and blame Kirythea and Bastian to get rid of Bastian to not lose the power and crown.
2. I was so shocked by that! I think it has to do with Lore’s powers, since she was born with them so maybe it is connected to that. The child she raised when she was younger was truly dead afterwards, but Horse is an animal so maybe there is a difference. She is crazy powerful and we don’t know the depth of her powers so maybe she is unconsciously keeping Horse alive or somehow left “the door” open that prevents Horse from truly dying.
3. I’m leaning more towards Bastian. I really like and sympathise with Gabe, but feel like a romance between him and Lore wouldn’t do them good. I feel like they would both benefit more of a sibling type bond between the two. That’s why I lean more towards Bastian at the moment, who really gives me the vibe that he is way smarter than others believe and has a better understanding of everthing that is happening. I also feel like him and Lore would go very well together.
I’m curious as to why she’s having this sense of deja vu or previously knowing Gabe & even Bastian. Something from the event in her nightmare? A truth from her buried childhood memories? Gabe seemingly pining after his former betrothed kinda puts a damper on his being a potential love interest (more so than his being a celibate monk), but Bastian’s currently too sharp-edged to be considered either. She clearly senses a connection to both (maybe a more physical connection/ awareness to Bastian whereas it seems more emotional with Gabe). Horse reappearing was a surprise. I really didn’t see that coming. The King drinking poison as frequently as Barty Crouch Jr drinking polyjuice potion to stay Mad-Eye Moody wasn’t really on my radar, either, but it was a far less surprising development.
Daily Q&A:
Q:
1.) Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks?
2.) Why or how do you think Horse is still animated?
3.) Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? I’m asking the important questions here!
A:
1.) Not yet.
2.) Maybe it’s connected to what the village child had to say, “they’ve awakened.” Considering the reaction of the King & Priest to those words, I’m assuming they know to what the child is referring. Maybe it’s connected to that undead stone garden. Maybe both.
3.) They’re both too prickly for me to be swayed 1 way or another yet.
Hmm… so many possibilities at this point in the book! I’m leaning toward Anton & August as one of the culprits behind the attacks. I just get a bad feeling about them & don’t trust them at all.
It seems somehow the law of opposites is coming into play. Maybe Bastian has some type of power as well, the opposite of Lore & he was able to do something to Horse to keep him ‘living’?
And I’m definitely team Bastian, I Love Gabe as well, but want him to end back up with Alie ?
I’m running a little behind schedule but I’m slowly catching up!
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks?
I think the current king is behind them. I believe the poison has gotten to him and effected his brain.
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated?
I don’t think she properly put it back to rest. There is a missing piece that she doesn’t know about that needs to be completed to allow the dead to get its final rest.
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? I’m asking the important questions here!
Damn idk. So I’m a couple chapters into the next section and I think they both have some big pros and cons at the moment and I don’t think that either are entirely trustworthy either. I do think the church has some fishy business that Gabe may not know about but he’s I don’t trust him or the church. And Bastian I want to know his motive. There is more to the choices he is making than he leads you to believe.
Wow that chapter left off with me feeling like I’m not smart enough to figure it all out lol. I don’t know who’s behind the attacks or why Horse is still animated…but I think the enemy should be someone we’ve already been introduced to. The whole court is so shady that it could be anyone really. As for Horse, perhaps someone channeled the Mortem taken from the village deaths to perform acts unheard of, like keeping Horse dead-alive?
I think I’m team Gabe 🙂 it’s interesting because I usually go more for the Bastian-types, but I feel like Gabe has a lot more to offer and he’s shown us some sneak peeks so far. He’s definitely no goodie-two shoes hehe. And him and Lore low-key flirting in the library had my toes wiggling!
Ok so, I think that the sister sect to the Presque Mort didn’t really disappear like everyone thought. They HAVE to be down in the tunnels still. It would explain “they’ve awakened” and what the Revenant said to Lore. Plus, I feel like the Buried Goddess isn’t really dead…and it all probably has to do with Lore’s sketchy past in the tunnels. Plus her strong powers. Could she be the Goddess’ daughter, or some reborn version of the Goddess? hmmmmm….
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks? Not sure yet tbh I’m not trusting anyone at this point.
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated? Again, no idea on this one. Maybe Horse and Lore are still connected?
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? Team Gabe at the moment!
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks? Not sure yet tbh I’m not trusting anyone at this point.
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated? Again, no idea on this one. Maybe Horse and Lore are still connected?
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? Team Gabe at the moment!
This was an interesting chapter and I’m leaning more and more that Bastian is not a spy for the enemy. He’s probably more aware of what August and Anton’s ‘plans’ and he definitely knows about Lore and Gabe’s mission.
I think whoever is attacking the villages is like an experiment. When the child mentioned ‘They’ve awakened’, my mind clearly went to that encounter with the revenant down at the catacombs. Probably the cult where Lore escaped is readying to come out. And clearly Lore is a powerful channeler being ‘born’ with Mortem, she’s probably a descendant of the Buried Goddess.
I’m Team Gabe if he becomes the LI, but I also want him to be like a brother to Lore. I think that when they were younger, Lore, Gabe, Bastian probably encountered each other before that’s why Lore has this familiarity when they meet as adults.
I am really liking this story so far, ready to know what happens next.
The ending of this section! Lore putting it all together, I am so curious to see where her experiences and her discoveries with her power take her!
Not sure how I feel about Bastian, is he maybe a good guy? Do I want the all to just be best friends? I am not sure. Very tricky of him with Horse, I wonder how he got that arranged if he is being truthful or not.
The King and the Preist are definitely up to something. I am just not sure what I think that is yet.
And I still feel like maybe there is some reincarnation of the Gods going on maybe.
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks?
– I have no idea, feel like so much else has been going on close to home
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated?
– maybe because she’s a different kind of channeler?
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? I’m asking the important questions here!
– 1000% Gabe, omg I love a drawling good humored bantery male love interest and aahhh he’s giving me Damon Salvatore vibes
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks? — Honestly, I think it is way too early to be somewhat sure who/what is behind the attacks on the villages. Sure, it could be the other kingdom, but it could also be domestic. Or maybe even something magical, godlike? I am okay with not knowing yet, there is still enough plot pending.
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated? — I have a suspicion about Lore. We all know that she was born with the “gift” to channel Mortem. And we know that she lived her early childhood years below the streets of the city. Which is close to the dark goddess. What if Lore is a descendant of Nyxara? Which makes a (half) Mort Goddess. I think there is still a lot to find out about Lore herself. And she still has to learn quite a lot about her abilities. And I see Gabe helping her.
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? I’m asking the important questions here! — That isn’t really an important question. I probably would be if this would be a young adult novel. I am too old for Team X or Team Y. And at the state of the current plot, none of them have a high chance for a love interest.
Whaaat Horse is still ‘alive’? Woah. I was not expecting that. I don’t really have any theories on how, other than I guess there’s something else controlling the threads once Lore lets them go.
August and Anton are mighty suspicious, because they seemed to know exactly who or what the little boy was referring to by ‘they’.
I’m Team Bastian, because I feel like Gabe is going to sacrifice himself to save Lore at some point in this series, and there’s some kind of connection between Lore, the Goddess, and Bastian and Apollius.
Any theories so far on who’s behind the attacks? I’m honestly not sure, but I’m sensing a plot twist.
Why or how do you think Horse is still animated? I’m honestly not sure
Are you team Gabe or Team Bastian? I’m asking the important questions here! I’m team polyamory ?