The Poison Season
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-07-23 09:54:16
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Mara Rutherford
- ISBN：133591580X
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary
Outsiders are always given a choice: the Forest or the lake。 Either way， they're never heard from again。
Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla， coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it。 But as much as Leelo cares for her community， she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday， unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla。
When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake， she knows exactly what she's supposed to do。 But in a moment that will change everything， Leelo betrays her family， her best friend， and Endla by making an unthinkable choice。
Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider， Jaren， but as they grow closer， Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society， her people， and herself。
Leelo has spent her entire life on Endla， coexisting with the bloodthirsty Forest and respecting the poisonous lake that protects her island from outsiders who seek to destroy it。 But as much as Leelo cares for her community， she struggles to accept that her younger brother will be exiled by his next birthday， unless he gains the magic of enchanted song so vital to Endla。
When Leelo sees a young outsider on the verge of drowning in the lake， she knows exactly what she's supposed to do。 But in a moment that will change everything， Leelo betrays her family， her best friend， and Endla by making an unthinkable choice。
Discovery could lead to devastating consequences for both Leelo and the outsider， Jaren， but as they grow closer， Leelo realizes that not all danger comes from beyond the lake—and they can only survive if Leelo is willing to question the very fabric of her society， her people， and herself。
Reviews
Courtney Mc
，
I must admit what caught my attention was the GORGEOUS cover art。 I liked the concept of the novel but was underwhelmed by the execution。 Many parts felt rushed and others felt glossed over。 This would be good for YAs looking for SCI/FI romances who aren’t looking for a full series。 Thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review。
Carly
，
This was such a lovely book！ It's a quiet story。。。and I really liked that considering the YA market is so saturated with fast-paced， high-stakes fantasy right now。 Leelo and Jaren were both such good-hearted people， which again was refreshing given the propensity for all the morally-gray， dark-hearted characters out there。 The writing was beautiful and atmospheric。 Secrets unraveled slowly and to surprising ends。 Overall， I really enjoyed The Poison Season！ This was such a lovely book！ It's a quiet story。。。and I really liked that considering the YA market is so saturated with fast-paced， high-stakes fantasy right now。 Leelo and Jaren were both such good-hearted people， which again was refreshing given the propensity for all the morally-gray， dark-hearted characters out there。 The writing was beautiful and atmospheric。 Secrets unraveled slowly and to surprising ends。 Overall， I really enjoyed The Poison Season！ 。。。more
CANDICE EVANS
，
I really and truly enjoyed this story more than I thought I would。 It has that dark and eerie feel to a fantasy that I love and after reading the author's notes in the back about how she wrote this story during quarantine it made the story all the more powerful because I believe that everyone felt alone， isolated and a little afraid of the outside world during the height of lockdown， and those feeling are portrayed beautifully with the characters in this story。 Definitely will recommend to anyon I really and truly enjoyed this story more than I thought I would。 It has that dark and eerie feel to a fantasy that I love and after reading the author's notes in the back about how she wrote this story during quarantine it made the story all the more powerful because I believe that everyone felt alone， isolated and a little afraid of the outside world during the height of lockdown， and those feeling are portrayed beautifully with the characters in this story。 Definitely will recommend to anyone with a love for dark fantasy 。。。more
Sarah Hernandez
，
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。This book was an enjoyable stand-alone fantasy。 We follow Leelo， a girl who lives on an island surrounded by a poisonous lake。 Her small community has been given the gift of magic and protects the Wandering Forest that lives on the island。 In exchange， they protect the island and Forest from outsiders， killing them before they have a chance to even step foot on the island。 When Jaren accidentally lands on the island， Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy。 All thoughts and opinions are my own。This book was an enjoyable stand-alone fantasy。 We follow Leelo， a girl who lives on an island surrounded by a poisonous lake。 Her small community has been given the gift of magic and protects the Wandering Forest that lives on the island。 In exchange， they protect the island and Forest from outsiders， killing them before they have a chance to even step foot on the island。 When Jaren accidentally lands on the island， Leelo does not have the heart to kill him and provides him with shelter instead。 From there， the story takes off。I thought the magic was interesting， but it felt underdeveloped。 It was never truly explained in detail what the Forest， or the islanders， can do。 I would have liked it if that had been explored a little more。Both Leelo and Jaren were enjoyable， if not somewhat predictable， characters。 Their relationship felt rushed， but it was fun to watch them go from strangers to lovers。The pacing in the book felt off。 It was really slow in the middle， filled with all of Jaren and Leeo's interactions。 At the very end， several different secrets are revealed in quick succession， leaving no time to truly process any of them。 All-in-all， I still enjoyed myself while reading it。 。。。more
kale
，
Overall rating: 3/5 starsWhen I first read the synopsis for this book I was so excited， as it seemed to have everything that I loved in it。 I really liked the concept of the wandering forest and the songs。 I really wanted it to go more in depth about the forest， and the magic， as at some points it felt a bit glossed over。 But， I still enjoyed the general magic-system that was set up and really enjoyed the descriptions of the songs themselves。 The characters were likeable， but at some points felt Overall rating: 3/5 starsWhen I first read the synopsis for this book I was so excited， as it seemed to have everything that I loved in it。 I really liked the concept of the wandering forest and the songs。 I really wanted it to go more in depth about the forest， and the magic， as at some points it felt a bit glossed over。 But， I still enjoyed the general magic-system that was set up and really enjoyed the descriptions of the songs themselves。 The characters were likeable， but at some points felt under developed。 They were very much felt similar to every other character in your classic YA book， and the romance was a bit instalovey。 The middle of the book felt like it had really slowed down， and then the ending felt very rushed。 I really wish it had been paced a bit more evenly， with the magic and romance fleshed our a bit more。 however， it was still an enjoyable， quick fantasy read :））thank you netgalley for providing me with the arc！ 。。。more
Ally Kay
，
Yessss， this is exactly the type of book I was hoping it would be。 Full of romance and secrets。
Raaven
，
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review！Leelo has lived her whole life on a remote island。 The villagers on this island are all magic， and they sing songs to the forest around them for protection。 The forest is hungry and demands sacrifices from the villagers for protection。 It is forbidden to leave the island and it is forbidden for outsiders to cross the poisoned lake。 If children do not possess the magic in order to sing their songs， they are cast away from the islan Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review！Leelo has lived her whole life on a remote island。 The villagers on this island are all magic， and they sing songs to the forest around them for protection。 The forest is hungry and demands sacrifices from the villagers for protection。 It is forbidden to leave the island and it is forbidden for outsiders to cross the poisoned lake。 If children do not possess the magic in order to sing their songs， they are cast away from the island to never be seen by their families again。 Leelo is one day tested when an injured outsider shows up on the island and she struggles with her beliefs and faith in the island in order to save him。 The world building was beautiful。 I could see the forest and the lake while I was reading。 The characters were also very well done。 I really sympathized with Leelo where she wanted to be there for her family and for her people but we’d struggling with what she thought was the right thing to do。 I didn’t expect the book to be as suspenseful as it was。 It really had me on the edge of my seat a few times。 I was very invested about half way through。 So many secrets and plot twists popped up I was dying to know the end。 Forbidden romance is also always fun and I wanted so badly for Leelo and Jaren to be together。 I was hoping the whole time somehow everything would work out for them。 This book is a very beautiful fantasy read with excellent world building and plenty of suspense and mystery to keep you invested。 If you like any of that definitely give it a try！ 。。。more
Taun
，
THANK YOU to Inkyard Press & NetGalley for sending me this ARC。 All reviews are honest reflections of my own opinions， always。On Endla， the Wandering Forest groans， it’s hunger never truly sated。Leelo stands on the shores of the poison lake。 As a Watcher she knows the fate of any outsiders who succumb to the hunting songs; the Forest or the Lake。 Death by magic。 Thus the people protect their home， and the Forest protects them， or so Leelo has been led to believe。 Days later Jaren can hear the mu THANK YOU to Inkyard Press & NetGalley for sending me this ARC。 All reviews are honest reflections of my own opinions， always。On Endla， the Wandering Forest groans， it’s hunger never truly sated。Leelo stands on the shores of the poison lake。 As a Watcher she knows the fate of any outsiders who succumb to the hunting songs; the Forest or the Lake。 Death by magic。 Thus the people protect their home， and the Forest protects them， or so Leelo has been led to believe。 Days later Jaren can hear the music even now， a haunting that calls him back to the lake’s edge， where he caught only a glimpse of ethereal beauty。 A wolf， a boat， destiny reclaiming what it’s owed。She simply could not watch him die。 Rescuing Jaren from the Lake & hiding him away， Leelo knows she has betrayed her people， but not her own heart。On Endla， bitterness and lies run deep as the roots of the trees， both ready to strangle， ready to kill。694 pages of magic， mystery， & heart breaking new love。 Mara Rutherford has created a character driven insular world， with a soft magic system & beautiful atmosphere。 I loved trying to predict the twists & turns of this book， which had me compulsively reading far too late into the night。 Unique world building， growth of characters， & enough left unsaid for the reader to ruminate on after finishing， I highly enjoyed this book。Content Notes: implied intimacy， light romance， animal deaths 。。。more
Natasha
，
I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover BUT this cover is absolutely stunning and extremely fitting for such a lovely book。This was an extremely heartwarming tale of overcoming family trauma and uncovering generational secrets。 I love that this book manages to avoid the one thing fantasy readers all dislike， an extreme info dump of world-building at the start。 The Poison Season eases you into the dynamics of the world on Endla and outside of it in a palatable way。 Switching between Leelo I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover BUT this cover is absolutely stunning and extremely fitting for such a lovely book。This was an extremely heartwarming tale of overcoming family trauma and uncovering generational secrets。 I love that this book manages to avoid the one thing fantasy readers all dislike， an extreme info dump of world-building at the start。 The Poison Season eases you into the dynamics of the world on Endla and outside of it in a palatable way。 Switching between Leelo and Jaren's perspectives really helped fill in the gaps of everything you needed to know。 The magic elements and the whole premise of the Wandering Forest were particularly intriguing and fun。 I absolutely love interesting magical elements like this， it felt unique and fresh。 It is very much a slow burn in terms of our two protagonists meeting a bit later in the book than you may expect but once they do meet it picks up and you won't want to put the book back down。 I adored the dynamic between Leelo and Jaren， they were beautifully written。 In fact， all relationships， family or friends， were explored with so much depth and variation。 Without spoiling anything， the mysteries and secrets unveiled are truly the best parts of this。 The plot twists that you don't see coming and the way all of the pieces of the story fall into place was done so well。 I wish I had learnt a few more of the secrets a little earlier on but I enjoyed how it all came together。 My jaw was on the floor when everything came together。 The ending was also such a great way to tie up the story。 It's satisfying and makes you feel less sad about coming to the end of such a lovely novel。 Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the early digital copy I received of this book， I'm now recommending all of my friends buy it upon its release。 。。。more
Bethany Dickey
，
Ooooh。 4。5。 Thanks so much to Inkyard and Netgalley for a physical copy - I picked this up on a whim on a plane， so I didn't realize how early I was reading it since it doesn't come out until December， but this is definitely one to put on your list！！！ Leelo lives on an isolated island with a magical forest， the villagers have a sort of symbiotic relationship with the forest - they can't leave， and outsiders are killed。 The setting was really cool， and felt very unique despite the glut of spooky Ooooh。 4。5。 Thanks so much to Inkyard and Netgalley for a physical copy - I picked this up on a whim on a plane， so I didn't realize how early I was reading it since it doesn't come out until December， but this is definitely one to put on your list！！！ Leelo lives on an isolated island with a magical forest， the villagers have a sort of symbiotic relationship with the forest - they can't leave， and outsiders are killed。 The setting was really cool， and felt very unique despite the glut of spooky forest books on the market。I loved Leelo as a protagonist， her inner monologues were really well done and I feel like she is going to stick with me。The main facet of this book is the romance， and I really enjoyed it as well！ 。。。more
Kat
，
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this novel。 I am rating this book based the stars due to lack of time to leave a full review。
Hailey
，
4。25the writing was really good， but i feel like it fell off about 80% in。 it was a unique concept and i liked the love story and main characters
Tori
，
This book was one of my anticipated reads this year and I was so excited when I won it in a giveaway。 This story has everything you’d want in a fantasy novel - an ethereal setting in a sentient forest， a unique magic system， a slow-burn romance， a coming of age story， questions of morality， and an exploration of familial bonds。 The dual perspectives - Leelo， an Endlan， and Jaren， an “outsider” - added depth to the overall narrative as each learned they are more similar than they are different。 I This book was one of my anticipated reads this year and I was so excited when I won it in a giveaway。 This story has everything you’d want in a fantasy novel - an ethereal setting in a sentient forest， a unique magic system， a slow-burn romance， a coming of age story， questions of morality， and an exploration of familial bonds。 The dual perspectives - Leelo， an Endlan， and Jaren， an “outsider” - added depth to the overall narrative as each learned they are more similar than they are different。 I’ve read each of Mara Rutherford’s books and enjoy her world building， realistic characters and relationships， and the growth each experience throughout their journeys。 This book is no different and definitely one you don’t want to miss！Thank you to Mara Rutherford and Inkyard Press for the e-arc！ 。。。more
Shawna
，
The Poison Season begins with sixteen year old Leelo and her cousin Sage commencing on being “watchers”， a yearly tradition where new watchers “watch” the coastline for outsiders。 If an outsider is seen they are to be killed。 Leelo is a tenderhearted girl who doesn’t understand all the customs of her people。 The people of the island believe they have magical abilities and that the wandering forest on the island keeps them safe from the vicious mainlanders。 Leelo is also struggling with the knowl The Poison Season begins with sixteen year old Leelo and her cousin Sage commencing on being “watchers”， a yearly tradition where new watchers “watch” the coastline for outsiders。 If an outsider is seen they are to be killed。 Leelo is a tenderhearted girl who doesn’t understand all the customs of her people。 The people of the island believe they have magical abilities and that the wandering forest on the island keeps them safe from the vicious mainlanders。 Leelo is also struggling with the knowledge that her younger brother is about to be sent off the island because he hasn't displayed any signs of magic。 One summer evening Leelo discovers an outsider has found his way to their island。 She risks everything to protect this strange boy and learns the truth about her homeland。 The Poison Season is a thrilling story that peels away at the layers of legends we grow up hearing。 Leelo is an excellent main character who is not only intelligent， but also brave enough to ask the questions others ignore。 Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jamie
，
The cover caught my eye， and the mystery/suspense made me stay。 At first when I was reading this I was little skeptical simply because the names were super hard to keep track of。 It took me a bit to realize who the MC even was， but I can also blame me skimming the beginning for that。 BUT MAN- this book was SO good！ Mystery， secrets， murders， magic， forbidden love！ Once my brain understood the world I was sold！ It’s a happily ever after， but not in the sugary sweet way。 It was the perfect ending The cover caught my eye， and the mystery/suspense made me stay。 At first when I was reading this I was little skeptical simply because the names were super hard to keep track of。 It took me a bit to realize who the MC even was， but I can also blame me skimming the beginning for that。 BUT MAN- this book was SO good！ Mystery， secrets， murders， magic， forbidden love！ Once my brain understood the world I was sold！ It’s a happily ever after， but not in the sugary sweet way。 It was the perfect ending for this book and these characters （even the forest）。 If you’re thinking about reading it， do it。 If you want a diary quick read with fantasy， questionable forests， family & community secrets， forbidden love （appropriately YA）， and just to feel good at the end， read this book！ This would actually be the perfect beach read。I was provided a free copy via netgally， but my rating and review are completely my own。 I’m adding this book to my want to own shelf immediately！ 。。。more
Sam Rogers
，
4。5 starsI wish you could give half stars on this site。 I found this book very fast paced and easy to read。 I enjoyed the characters and the depth of their relationships with their families。 I'm a big fan of multiple POVs and I did enjoy seeing the story unfold from both perspectives; however， I felt that some chapters felt too short。 I felt like we switched POV too often and I would have preferred more time in the head space of the current narrator。 4。5 starsI wish you could give half stars on this site。 I found this book very fast paced and easy to read。 I enjoyed the characters and the depth of their relationships with their families。 I'm a big fan of multiple POVs and I did enjoy seeing the story unfold from both perspectives; however， I felt that some chapters felt too short。 I felt like we switched POV too often and I would have preferred more time in the head space of the current narrator。 。。。more
Christi
，
This novel is reminiscent of a M Night Shyamalan story。 Things are not as they first appear and the things that are feared may not be as dangerous as perceived。 The book felt very melancholy for me and the author did such a good job expressing that feeling that it was difficult for me to read it as swiftly as I usually read books。 The writing and world crafting were so good that just like the magic singing voices， I was drawn back to Endla each time。 I’m so glad I returned。 This coming of age st This novel is reminiscent of a M Night Shyamalan story。 Things are not as they first appear and the things that are feared may not be as dangerous as perceived。 The book felt very melancholy for me and the author did such a good job expressing that feeling that it was difficult for me to read it as swiftly as I usually read books。 The writing and world crafting were so good that just like the magic singing voices， I was drawn back to Endla each time。 I’m so glad I returned。 This coming of age story is definitely great for all readers， young and mature alike。 Although melancholy is how I would describe most of the book， it ended in my favorite way: with the story being wrapped up in a happy ending， questions answered， and clues about future stories laid。 I recommend this book。 。。。more
Jenna Deaton
，
The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford is a story about community， about family， and about identity。 Set within an Enchanted forest the tale is given to the reader from from the dual perspectives of Leelo who has grown up surrounded by magic and trusting in the ways of her community and Jaren an outsider who finds himself where he should not be。 The setting is beyond Unique and the way we as a reader get to slowly grow in our questioning of the forest and the magic users symbiotic relationship rig The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford is a story about community， about family， and about identity。 Set within an Enchanted forest the tale is given to the reader from from the dual perspectives of Leelo who has grown up surrounded by magic and trusting in the ways of her community and Jaren an outsider who finds himself where he should not be。 The setting is beyond Unique and the way we as a reader get to slowly grow in our questioning of the forest and the magic users symbiotic relationship right alongside Leelo is excellent。 Taking these elements of fantasy and mystery and pairing them with a slow burn clean romance makes for a wonderful reading experience。This book is a great fit for fans of Young Adult fantasy looking for an unique stand alone novel with an atmosphere similar to Sorcery of thorns。 。。。more
Tiffany mainely_reads
，
Romance and fantasy？！ To what did we do to deserve this？！ I’m a sucker for fantasy and when there’s romance sprinkled in， I’m hooked！ The characters and world were built beautifully！ Leeloo is full of the most amazing attributes， ringing in loyalty， strong willed， protective and just all around the perfect heroin。 And then walks in Jaren！ Swoon will ya？！ Jaren changes so much of Leeloo’s outlook and she starts to let those walls down and shows her sensitive side。 The plot is gorgeous and continu Romance and fantasy？！ To what did we do to deserve this？！ I’m a sucker for fantasy and when there’s romance sprinkled in， I’m hooked！ The characters and world were built beautifully！ Leeloo is full of the most amazing attributes， ringing in loyalty， strong willed， protective and just all around the perfect heroin。 And then walks in Jaren！ Swoon will ya？！ Jaren changes so much of Leeloo’s outlook and she starts to let those walls down and shows her sensitive side。 The plot is gorgeous and continuously keeps you captivated。 。。。more
Jacqueline Firkins
，
A complex fantasy that takes a look at many forms of poison， from plant toxins to festering lies to buried generational traumas to isolation to fear of the "other" that creates formidable borders that do far more harm than good。 Though this reads as a vibrant fantasy， full of magic singing and sinister forests and woodland festivals， the ties to contemporary society are impossible to ignore， with conversations abounding about building walls and tightening harmful immigration policies。 I suspect A complex fantasy that takes a look at many forms of poison， from plant toxins to festering lies to buried generational traumas to isolation to fear of the "other" that creates formidable borders that do far more harm than good。 Though this reads as a vibrant fantasy， full of magic singing and sinister forests and woodland festivals， the ties to contemporary society are impossible to ignore， with conversations abounding about building walls and tightening harmful immigration policies。 I suspect any reader will see the parallels。 But they'll also enjoy the unfolding mysteries as truths are revealed， young love blossoms， and old wounds begin to heal。 Visual and immersive， a perfect fit for readers who enjoy fantasy stories that focus more on family and community than on massive world wars， with a large cast of characters and a few mysteries that linger long after the pages end。 。。。more
Shannon Dunaway
，
This book was amazing。 I love everything about this book， from the characters， to the plot， and the world and magic in it。 If you enjoy books that are dark fantasies than you will like this book。
Emma
，
Trying to write a spoiler-free/spoiler-light review for this novel is challenging to say the least。 I loved it so much， and a huge part of that love was the attention to detail。 I’ll do my best！Endla is an island in the middle of a poison lake inhabited by a sentient forest and magical people。 Outsiders that make it across the lake can either choose the Forest or the lake as their punishment。 Neither option is a good one。 Leelo is one of the Watchers of Endla， and during her rite-of-passage year Trying to write a spoiler-free/spoiler-light review for this novel is challenging to say the least。 I loved it so much， and a huge part of that love was the attention to detail。 I’ll do my best！Endla is an island in the middle of a poison lake inhabited by a sentient forest and magical people。 Outsiders that make it across the lake can either choose the Forest or the lake as their punishment。 Neither option is a good one。 Leelo is one of the Watchers of Endla， and during her rite-of-passage year as a Watcher， she stumbles across a situation that brings her face-to-face with an outsider， Jaren。 Jaren， a newcomer to Bricklebury （the village across the lake）， continually finds himself inexplicably drawn to the poison lake that surrounds Endla until one day， he is forced to make the crossing。 When they meet， Leelo has to choose to further cement her status as “different” from other Endlans， and Jaren must find a way to survive if he hopes to return home to his family。 Throughout their time together， Leelo and Jaren are forced to grow as individuals and choose their own paths。 There was so much I loved about this book:1。 From the very beginning， there are breadcrumbs of intrigue that had me keeping a running list of hypotheses in my notes app。 Those breadcrumbs kept the plot moving forward really well， and even led to surprises in that hadn’t been on my radar。 2。 I loved the use of language within the story。 Endlans magic is performed by singing， and Endlans who are born without magic are called “incantu” or voiceless。 In Latin， the verb cantare means “to sing，” so this play on words comes across as these magicless Endlans are incapable of singing。 Another impressive use of language was naming a character who has become isolated， Isola。 3。 The world building was done beautifully in The Poison Season。 Main and secondary characters were well thought out， and the culture of Endla/Endlans was thoroughly described to fill in any blanks about what motivates people on the island。 Adding onto that the visual descriptions of the area， as well as secrets revealed about the island and its magic made the story an immersive experience。 4。 The Forest as an abusive antagonist was an aspect I absolutely loved to hate。 Throughout the story， the Forest turns from a symbiotic parter of the Endlans into an abusive overlord。 Very few Endlans are comfortable allowing themselves to recognize this problem， let alone speaking out about it for fear of the repercussions。 This book and it’s characters were thoroughly enjoyable and I cannot wait to have my pre-order in hand。 Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the chance to read and review an advance copy。 。。。more
Emma
，
Trying to write a spoiler-free/spoiler-light review for this novel is challenging to say the least。 I loved it so much， and a huge part of that love was the attention to detail。 I’ll do my best！Endla is an island in the middle of a poison lake inhabited by a sentient forest and magical people。 Outsiders that make it across the lake can either choose the Forest or the lake as their punishment。 Neither option is a good one。 Leelo is one of the Watchers of Endla， and during her rite-of-passage year Trying to write a spoiler-free/spoiler-light review for this novel is challenging to say the least。 I loved it so much， and a huge part of that love was the attention to detail。 I’ll do my best！Endla is an island in the middle of a poison lake inhabited by a sentient forest and magical people。 Outsiders that make it across the lake can either choose the Forest or the lake as their punishment。 Neither option is a good one。 Leelo is one of the Watchers of Endla， and during her rite-of-passage year as a Watcher， she stumbles across a situation that brings her face-to-face with an outsider， Jaren。 Jaren， a newcomer to Bricklebury （the village across the lake）， continually finds himself inexplicably drawn to the poison lake that surrounds Endla until one day， he is forced to make the crossing。 When they meet， Leelo has to choose to further cement her status as “different” from other Endlans， and Jaren must find a way to survive if he hopes to return home to his family。 Throughout their time together， Leelo and Jaren are forced to grow as individuals and choose their own paths。 There was so much I loved about this book:1。 From the very beginning， there are breadcrumbs of intrigue that had me keeping a running list of hypotheses in my notes app。 Those breadcrumbs kept the plot moving forward really well， and even led to surprises in that hadn’t been on my radar。 2。 I loved the use of language within the story。 Endlans magic is performed by singing， and Endlans who are born without magic are called “incantu” or voiceless。 In Latin， the verb cantare means “to sing，” so this play on words comes across as these magicless Endlans are incapable of singing。 Another impressive use of language was naming a character who has become isolated， Isola。 3。 The world building was done beautifully in The Poison Season。 Main and secondary characters were well thought out， and the culture of Endla/Endlans was thoroughly described to fill in any blanks about what motivates people on the island。 Adding onto that the visual descriptions of the area， as well as secrets revealed about the island and its magic made the story an immersive experience。 4。 The Forest as an abusive antagonist was an aspect I absolutely loved to hate。 Throughout the story， the Forest turns from a symbiotic parter of the Endlans into an abusive overlord。 Very few Endlans are comfortable allowing themselves to recognize this problem， let alone speaking out about it for fear of the repercussions。 This book and it’s characters were thoroughly enjoyable and I cannot wait to have my pre-order in hand。 Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the chance to read and review an advance copy。 。。。more
Danielle
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Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC！The Poison Season follows Leelo， a girl who lives on Endla， where magic exists。 She doesn't question things， she loves her community and family， and her life。 She's been told that outsiders aren't allowed on their island and must be dealt with immediately if found。 If you don't show you have magic by a certain age， the community sends you away from the island， where you are never to return。 But when her brother， who is getting closer to the a Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC！The Poison Season follows Leelo， a girl who lives on Endla， where magic exists。 She doesn't question things， she loves her community and family， and her life。 She's been told that outsiders aren't allowed on their island and must be dealt with immediately if found。 If you don't show you have magic by a certain age， the community sends you away from the island， where you are never to return。 But when her brother， who is getting closer to the age， hasn't shown to have magic in him， she starts to wonder if Endla， her community， and the other islanders are actually doing good。 Enter the outsider， Jaren， who doesn't believe in magic and always gets lost in his own thoughts。 When circumstances force him to Endla， he has to figure out how to survive， so he can get back home to his family。 With help from Leelo， they both start to question everything she has known about her life and her Island。 I want to start with what I love about this book。 It's a fast read， the cover is beautiful， and the twists were great。 I also love the dynamic of family and community， for FMC and MMC， and how that's portrayed。 Plus， the idea of magic， Forests that want blood， and poison water was very intriguing。But what I didn't like？ The plot was all over the place for me， there was a lot of holes that were never answered or explained， and the story was hard to get into in the beginning and then near the middle。 While it did pick up for me near the end， and I was thankful for that， I was still left with more questions at the end of this book。 I also found the characters weren't all that flushed out and I was confused with others。 So many of the 'Outsiders' had names that started with the same letter that I was confused who was who - and it didn't help that the author gave some nicknames that she would only use sometimes。 Also， I'm not a fan of insta-loves， which this seemed to be on the edge of being。 I didn't just feel that romantic connection between the two。 （ Also， can anyone help me understand the Wolf？ It felt like a good origin and then after that one time， never heard of again ） If you want to read for yourself and see if this is your kind of book， look for The Poison Season to be released in December。 。。。more
Kimberly
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A story about questioning everything you were raised to believe and to discover the truth for yourself。 One of my favorite things about this book is how the author examined different types of sibling relationships and how they were affected by certain circumstances or changes that came up。 Seriously。 The characters and their relationships were amazing and so well written I really enjoyed this book。 The beginning gripped me immediately。 It was very atmospheric and ominous。 I love when authors mak A story about questioning everything you were raised to believe and to discover the truth for yourself。 One of my favorite things about this book is how the author examined different types of sibling relationships and how they were affected by certain circumstances or changes that came up。 Seriously。 The characters and their relationships were amazing and so well written I really enjoyed this book。 The beginning gripped me immediately。 It was very atmospheric and ominous。 I love when authors make inanimate objects characters in their novels （The Forest。） The story was unique and interesting。 It was well written and had a good pace。Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand。#NetGalley #ThePoisonSeason 。。。more
Stephanie
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I was thoroughly bewitched by this book。 It was a gorgeously， quietly contained story。 It's intimate in its world-building， there aren't many facets to the world-building， yet in its simplicity it felt immersive and meaningful。 I bought into that wandering forest and all its encompassing magic and hunger。And I rooted so very much for our leads Leelo and Jaren， especially kindhearted Leelo。 So isolated from the world yet feeling so much that she simply could not keep in her fears， doubts， questio I was thoroughly bewitched by this book。 It was a gorgeously， quietly contained story。 It's intimate in its world-building， there aren't many facets to the world-building， yet in its simplicity it felt immersive and meaningful。 I bought into that wandering forest and all its encompassing magic and hunger。And I rooted so very much for our leads Leelo and Jaren， especially kindhearted Leelo。 So isolated from the world yet feeling so much that she simply could not keep in her fears， doubts， questions， and truths。 She always called for the truth， no matter its cost。 And she carried such a beautiful， loving， strong heart。Jaren felt very much like the audience insert， he is our vehicle into this small other-worldly adventure。 He is understanding， respectful， protective， and caring。 And also very intuitive， also seeing that truth behind Leelo's eyes。 Sage and Ketty were complex foils， so many times I felt anger， frustration， and annoyance at them-- at Sage especially。 Yet I found myself wondering about their stories and motivations。 Not caring， but curious。 They intrigued me as much as they angered me。 They were worthy antagonists， but again， it's not so simple as just being an antagonist。 They， and once again especially Sage， were layered characters that brought a lot of life and complexity to the narrative。 In terms of what I enjoyed most: that quietness。 That contained feeling。 Not in terms of the inhabitants of that magical forest being contained， but in the storytelling。 It is intimate， it bides a reader to stay close and relish their time as they journey through the mystique and adventure。 There are no elaborate high fantasy hijinks， it's simple yet oh so effective。 Every point written is written with purpose and direction。 It didn't need to go far， it just needed to go on the right path。And it did。 It gave me more than enough to love。I have to admit I did struggle deciding on the rating， as I did have one major hurdle to jump: the romance。 It felt sanitized to the point I am not sure I believed in its love story。 At least not in its very beginning， I don't mean I needed heavy petting， I just wanted more overt romance by means of that falling in love。 It was stated more so than shown。 Yet， I find I cannot find it in myself to lower the rating for it。 I would for most books， but I can't here。 And that's become of how strong the writing it-- how enthralling it is。 I never wanted to look away from the story being unfolded， I wanting it to keep going and me along with it。 I loved it， and I'll cherish this one for a long while。Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review。 I posted my review on GoodReads， May 4th， 2022:https://www。goodreads。com/review/show。。。 。。。more
Emily
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I sat down to get started on The Poison Season， expecting to only read a few pages and finish it over the weekend。 Instead， I devoured this book in one sitting。 I loved the main character， Leelo。 Her kindness and determination to trust her instincts even when her own people disagreed really made me root for her and Jaren。 The world building was really interesting but not overly complicated for readers worried about the fantasy setting。 I’ll definitely be picking up a copy of this when it comes o I sat down to get started on The Poison Season， expecting to only read a few pages and finish it over the weekend。 Instead， I devoured this book in one sitting。 I loved the main character， Leelo。 Her kindness and determination to trust her instincts even when her own people disagreed really made me root for her and Jaren。 The world building was really interesting but not overly complicated for readers worried about the fantasy setting。 I’ll definitely be picking up a copy of this when it comes out！Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review！ 。。。more
Justina 🏺
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Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC！4。5 stars。 I was so hyped about this book when I saw that setting was a creepy isolated forest。 I’ve always loved that setting in fantasy stories but most of the time they’re rushed through and never really touched on again。 In The Poison Season though， the entire setting is the creepy forest and I cannot express how much I loved that。 I really enjoyed the cast of characters and the isolation of the setting。 The writing was breathtaking and o Thank you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC！4。5 stars。 I was so hyped about this book when I saw that setting was a creepy isolated forest。 I’ve always loved that setting in fantasy stories but most of the time they’re rushed through and never really touched on again。 In The Poison Season though， the entire setting is the creepy forest and I cannot express how much I loved that。 I really enjoyed the cast of characters and the isolation of the setting。 The writing was breathtaking and once I started reading this， I was hooked。 It was immersive and an absolute joy to read。 This was my first Mara Rutherford and it absolutely will not be my last。 Excuse me while I go and buy everything else she has ever written。 。。。more
The Disabled Book Worm
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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This book is so magical。 I'm sorry that's a bit cliche， but I was sucked right in。 I flew through this book！ I found myself many times trying to convince myself to slow down and make it last， purely to keep the mystery going longer。This was a book where I genuinely didn't know what to think， normally I have working theories for everything。 But this book surprised me at almost every turn， in the best way。Leelo's family dynamic with her cousin/Aunt/Mom/brother was so fascinating to watch unfold， a This book is so magical。 I'm sorry that's a bit cliche， but I was sucked right in。 I flew through this book！ I found myself many times trying to convince myself to slow down and make it last， purely to keep the mystery going longer。This was a book where I genuinely didn't know what to think， normally I have working theories for everything。 But this book surprised me at almost every turn， in the best way。Leelo's family dynamic with her cousin/Aunt/Mom/brother was so fascinating to watch unfold， and was extremely compelling， that alone kept me hooked。 That's before we even get to the sweet little side plot love story， or the mythical blood thirsty forest and poison lake surrounding them all！The entire book felt you feel poised on the edge of destruction and it really works， such a page turner。 The pacing was excellent the entire way through， which is rare。Well done！ What a beautiful ending too， highly recommend。 。。。more
Shelby
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Spellbinding， Unparalleled， and Beautifully Written The Poison Season is a romantic fantasy written by Mara Rutherford。 The novel follows Leelo， a watcher of Endla， and Jaren， an outsider who can't seem to stay away from the poisonous lake that protects the island of Endla。 The people of Endla have magical songs that protect the Wandering Forest， but Incantu or children born without magic are exiled from the island never to be seen by their loved ones again。 Leelo's little brother is Incantu， an Spellbinding， Unparalleled， and Beautifully Written The Poison Season is a romantic fantasy written by Mara Rutherford。 The novel follows Leelo， a watcher of Endla， and Jaren， an outsider who can't seem to stay away from the poisonous lake that protects the island of Endla。 The people of Endla have magical songs that protect the Wandering Forest， but Incantu or children born without magic are exiled from the island never to be seen by their loved ones again。 Leelo's little brother is Incantu， and the night they exile him Jaren comes ashore and threatens everything she ever believed in。 Leelo is compassionate， strong， and everything you could love in a female lead。 Jaren is steadfast， curious， and endearing。 Each character is unique and intricately tied together with a meaningful purpose。 Accepting people for their differences and misconceptions are huge themes， because even though Leelo feels like the people of Endla are wrong about outsiders she still feels the familial pressure to follow her duties to the island and Wandering Forest。 The plot of this fairytale is transcendent with dreamy writing。 The novel has a dark ethereal ambience that makes the story incredibly compelling。 The world-building is stunning and contains a very original storyline。 This is a great pick to get out of a fantasy slump。 Readers that enjoy star crossed lovers and unique world-building will love The Poison Season。 。。。more
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Poison Season
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Poison Season&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft
The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Poison Season&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0