Review: A Tongue So Sweet and Deadly By Sophia St. Germain

If you’re looking for a new special interest, then worry not because I was nice enough to find it for you in A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly by Sophia St. Germain. Think about it: can you really turn down a book with slow burn tension, a unique political plot, and two potential love interests? I thought so!

Plot Summary

Half-Fae Elessia could have had everything. Literally.

Since her magic allows her to compel anyone to do her bidding by merely looking into their eyes, the world was at her feet.

But after a tragic accident, she is thrown into the Fae king’s dungeons and forced to swear a blood oath to him, binding her to his service.

Five years later, she’s living amongst humans in Ellow and has created a life for herself—as much as she can with the king’s promise to call in his debt looming over her.

When he finally comes to collect, she is made to infiltrate the human elections to determine whether the current regent is involved in the strange things happening in the land of Fae.

With the promise of freedom from the king’s claws, Elessia is determined to see it through. Liberty is within reach as long as she can keep the lethal Fae guard watching over her from eliminating her before she unearths the information the king seeks.

But as she grows closer to the brooding human regent and secrets begin to unravel, Elessia realizes greater forces may be at play.

And she might stand before the choice between her own freedom and that of a nation.

(Via Goodreads)

Quality of Writing

Rating: 5/5

The writing of A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly is a ten out of ten, simply put. The prose is super clean and flows so well that it’s easy to lose track of time. I had no issues with clunky writing or awkward phrasing that usually makes you pause. Honestly, it’s pretty rare that I find a book where the writing is so good that I can completely disappear into the story.

Plot Development

Rating: 5/5

The plot of A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly is super refreshing. Instead of some of the more typical fantasy tropes (though they still show up!), the story centers around a human regent election, which gives a unique political edge compared to many of the other books out there featuring court politics.

This is one of those books that definitely needs time to cook. The plot development takes its time to build the stakes, but I still felt engaged since there’s always something moving under the surface. I never felt like the plot was too busy or cluttered with unnecessary subplots – it just keeps you hooked on whether Lessia can actually pull off her mission and win her freedom.

Characters

Rating: 5/5

The characters written in A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly are easily one of the strongest points of the book. Lessia is a superb lead – she’s powerful but burdened by her blood oath to the Fae King, and her drive for freedom feels earned.

What really works is that the side characters don’t just feel like background noise. Lessia’s friends are well developed and have their own personalities, which makes things feel more authentic when the plot gets tense. There’s some great tension with Merrick, the Fae Guard watching Lessia, and the slow burn shift in her relationship with Loche, is done super well.

Ease of Reading

Rating: 5/5

The flow of A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly is totally effortless. It’s one of those books that goes down like butter, making it way too easy to lose track of time while you’re reading.

Despite having a fairly intricate plot, the writing doesn’t feel heavy or overcomplicated. It’s polished enough that you can sink into the story without having to reread sentences or struggle with the pacing. This is the kind of book you’ll definitely be tempted to finish in one sitting – though if you’re doing it as a buddy read like I did, you’ll definitely be tempted to cheat and read ahead.

Ending

Rating: 5/5

The ending of A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly is a bit of a curveball. While I definitely saw some of the romantic shifts coming, the actual emotional damage from how things wrap up hit way harder than expected. It’s the kind of finale that made me feel like I wouldn’t survive if I couldn’t immediately read the sequel. My reading buddy and I were frequently texting each other some “OMG” moments at the end!

Would I Recommend This Book

100% yes! A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly is one of those rare finds that feels like it’s going to be an all time favorite series for me. It’s got that addictive quality that had me already reaching for the sequel before I could even process what happened. Spoiler alert: I couldn’t resist and already finished book two!

Overall Rating

Overall, A Tongue So Sweet And Deadly is a total win. It’s written perfection and has a story that is actually as good as the hype. The plot is unique, the characters are actually likable, and it all goes down like butter.

Book Rating: 5/5

Spice Rating: 1.5/5

Curious about how I rate my reads? Check out my Rating System Blog Post for more!