NOVL Nation Pink Ribbon Winner: The Drowned Woods
The NOVL Nation has spoken! Fans love The Drowned Woods for the dark fantasy setting, the twisty heist, and the incredible characters! It’s a unique fantasy that blends Welsh mythology, lyrical writing, a break-neck plot, and an emotional core that might just leave you weeping. But don’t just listen to us, hear it from readers themselves!
And good news! If you love The Drowned Woods, Emily Lloyd-Jones has written two other novels set in the same world – The Bone Houses and The Wild Huntress.
“I was sobbing like a baby. I’m serious. I was a blubberly what-the-frickedy-frack is going on throughout the last 50 pages. Chapter 29 is going down as one of the best chapters that I have ever read.”
– Lauren, DontGoBekkerMyHeart
“There is so much to love about an unlikely group of characters coming together for a heist… There were a few big twists at the end that I did not see coming, and they brought everything together so well – it was one surprise after another, and I love when a story can shock me like that.”
—Olivia, @onemused
“Within The Drowned Woods, there’s a steady pace of action. Of the jagged edges of characters coming together. And once you get to the end, you are not going to be able to put this book down.”
—Lili, @utopia.state.of.mind
“The Drowned Woods is full of magic and old folklore, perfect for its Welsh setting I absolutely loved this book, and can’t wait to see what Emily Lloyd-Jones has in store for us in her upcoming publications.”
—Erin, After.thefinal.Page
“Wow what an adventure… I loved the subtle nod to The Bone Houses in this book. You don’t need to read The Bone Houses to enjoy this though. The motley group of characters were fun and I loved the scheming and plot twists… this was a solid dark fantasy fairytale filled with captivating mythology.”
—Elle, @bookish.reader.elle
“This is a book where I wish the characters were real so I could give them a hug.”
—Spiri, @pluvioreads
“This story was so incredibly fun to read. I loved the high-stakes heist scenario where we all know that it’s a matter of time before things go absolutely sideways.”
—Toya, @thereadingchemist
“The Drowned Woods combines the best pieces of fantasy and adventure to create a gripping story filled with magic and an ensemble cast you won’t soon forget.”
—Emma, @missprint_
“I LOVED the writing style. The story flowed like water.”
—Celia, @the_ya_assassin
In this magical, ethereal fantasy novel a crew led by a magic welding woman fight to take down the overpowered prince that used and abused them—from the bestselling author of The Bone Houses.
Once upon a time, the kingdoms of Wales were rife with magic and conflict, and eighteen-year-old Mererid “Mer” is well-acquainted with both. She is the last living water diviner and has spent years running from the prince who bound her into his service. Under the prince’s orders, she located the wells of his enemies, and he poisoned them without her knowledge, causing hundreds of deaths. After discovering what he had done, Mer went to great lengths to disappear from his reach. Then Mer’s old handler returns with a proposition: use her powers to bring down the very prince that abused them both.
The best way to do that is to destroy the magical well that keeps the prince’s lands safe. With a motley crew of allies, including a fae-cursed young man, the lady of thieves, and a corgi that may or may not be a spy, Mer may finally be able to steal precious freedom and peace for herself. After all, a person with a knife is one thing … but a person with a cause can topple kingdoms.
The Drowned Woods—set in the same world as The Bone Houses but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—is part heist novel, part dark fairy tale.
More from the World of The Drowned Woods
Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Sky in the Deep in this bewitching historical horror novel set in medieval Wales, perfect for fans of Holly Black and V.E. Schwab.
Seventeen-year-old Aderyn (“Ryn”) only cares about two things: her family and her family’s graveyard. And right now, both are in dire straits. Since the death of their parents, Ryn and her siblings have been scraping together a meager existence as gravediggers in the remote village of Colbren, which sits at the foot of a harsh and deadly mountain range that was once home to the fae. The problem with being a gravedigger in Colbren, though, is that the dead don’t always stay dead.
The risen corpses are known as “bone houses,” and legend says that they’re the result of a decades-old curse. When Ellis, an apprentice mapmaker with a mysterious past, arrives in town, the bone houses attack with new ferocity. What is it that draws them near? And more importantly, how can they be stopped for good? Together, Ellis and Ryn embark on a journey that will take them into the heart of the mountains, where they will have to face both the curse and the deeply-buried truths about themselves. Equal parts classic horror novel and original fairy tale, The Bone Houses will have you spellbound from the very first page.
An IndieBound bestseller!
From the bestselling author of The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods comes a thrilling fantasy about three unlikely allies bound together in a deadly, magical competition—perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig.
Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk, and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.
Branwen possesses a gift no other human has: the ability to see and slay monsters. She’s desperate to cure her mother’s sickness, and the Wild Hunt is her only option.
Gwydion is the least impressive of his magically talented family, but with his ability to control plants and his sleight of hand, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his cruel older brother from becoming a tyrant.
Pryderi is prince-born and monster-raised. Deep down, the royal crown doesn’t interest him—all he wants is to know where he belongs.
A trickster, a prince, and a wild huntress—all in pursuit of the Champion’s prize. If they band together against the monstrous creatures within the woods, they have a chance to win. But nothing is guaranteed. After all, all are fair game in love and the Hunt.
Set in the same world as The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods but with a whole new, unforgettable cast of characters—The Wild Huntress will have readers hooked from the very first page.