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Green & Deadly Things
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26For fans of S.A. Chakraborty, Robin Hobb, and Martha Wells's Witch King, a riveting standalone fantasy of necromancy and magical mayhem from Jenn Lyons, the acclaimed author of The Ruin of Kings.
Centuries ago, necromancy almost destroyed the world. That’s how history remembers it.
History remembers it wrong.
Mathaiik has trained all his life to join the sacred order of the Idallik Knights, charged with defending their world from the forces of necromancy. Only vestiges of that cursed magic remain, nothing like the fabled days of the Grim Lords, the undead wizards who once nearly destroyed the world.
But when an even stranger kind of monster begins to wake, the Knights quickly prove powerless to stop them. Whole forests are coming alive and devouring anyone so foolish as to trespass, as if the land itself has turned upon humanity.
It’s a good thing, then, that the Grim Lords were never truly destroyed. One of their number sleeps below the Knights' very fortress. And when an army of twisted tree monsters attacks the young initiates in his charge, Math decides to do the he wakes her up.
This is only the beginning of his problems. Because said necromancer, Kaiataris, knows something history has forgotten. The threat of this wild magic is part of a cycle that has repeated countless times–life after death, chaos after order. And if she and Math can’t find a new way to balance the scales, this won't just be the end of the world as they know it, but the end of all life, everywhere.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
Centuries ago, necromancy almost destroyed the world. That’s how history remembers it.
History remembers it wrong.
Mathaiik has trained all his life to join the sacred order of the Idallik Knights, charged with defending their world from the forces of necromancy. Only vestiges of that cursed magic remain, nothing like the fabled days of the Grim Lords, the undead wizards who once nearly destroyed the world.
But when an even stranger kind of monster begins to wake, the Knights quickly prove powerless to stop them. Whole forests are coming alive and devouring anyone so foolish as to trespass, as if the land itself has turned upon humanity.
It’s a good thing, then, that the Grim Lords were never truly destroyed. One of their number sleeps below the Knights' very fortress. And when an army of twisted tree monsters attacks the young initiates in his charge, Math decides to do the he wakes her up.
This is only the beginning of his problems. Because said necromancer, Kaiataris, knows something history has forgotten. The threat of this wild magic is part of a cycle that has repeated countless times–life after death, chaos after order. And if she and Math can’t find a new way to balance the scales, this won't just be the end of the world as they know it, but the end of all life, everywhere.
A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books
Audible Audio
Expected publication March 3, 2026
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4485 people want to read
About the author
Jenn Lyons
18 books1,645 followersJenn Lyons lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, three cats, and a lot of opinions on anything from the Sumerian creation myths to the correct way to make a martini. At various points in her life, she has wanted to be an archaeologist, anthropologist, architect, diamond cutter, fashion illustrator, graphic designer, or Batman. Turning from such obvious trades, she is now a video game producer by day, and spends her evenings writing science fiction and fantasy. When not writing, she can be founding debating the Oxford comma and Joss Whedon’s oeuvre at various local coffee shops.
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February 23, 2026A standalone romantic fantasy with interesting world-building involving necromancy and sentient plants! Green & Deadly Things feels a bit lighter than some of Jenn Lyons other books, but equally unique in terms of ideas for the world and setup.
Mathalik is sworn to an order of celibate knights, but has not been able to fully develop his magic. He's also obsessed with solving the riddle of this ancient maze. But when sentient tree deities are accidentally awakened, he accidentally ends up waking an ancient, powerful woman who legend has painted as a villain. But perhaps history is not what it has been made out to be.
This blends action and romance, with a few twists along the way. The plant magic is creepy and cool. The audio narration is done well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Mathalik is sworn to an order of celibate knights, but has not been able to fully develop his magic. He's also obsessed with solving the riddle of this ancient maze. But when sentient tree deities are accidentally awakened, he accidentally ends up waking an ancient, powerful woman who legend has painted as a villain. But perhaps history is not what it has been made out to be.
This blends action and romance, with a few twists along the way. The plant magic is creepy and cool. The audio narration is done well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Now, I will admit that I went into Green & Deadly Things with deadly high expectations, not only because of its killer premise, but also because Jenn Lyons is the author who gave me A Chorus of Dragons, which will forever live rent free in my heart and soul. This time, we get necromancers, a holy knight school, sentient killer trees, and the promise that history got it all wrong. On paper, this is the stuff I want injected into my veins, but in reality, it is just… aggressively fine, which somehow hurts even worse than if it had been a total trainwreck.
To give credit where it is due, Green & Deadly Things opens strong. A plant zombie attack at a magical knight academy is a bold introduction, and the early chaos is immediate and cinematic. The forests awakening and devouring the faithful have me genuine horror energy, and if you enjoy fantasy that hits the ground running and never looks back, this absolutely delivers. For me, though, the relentless pace came at the expense of emotional investment, and I soon found myself yearning for something to hook me beyond just the cool factor of it all.
It definitely helped that we got to experience this all through Mathaiik’s eyes though, who instantly gave me disaster golden boy knight energy. He is raised within the rigid doctrine of the Idallik Knights, trained to believe necromancy nearly ended the world and must never rise again, only to be confronted with the fact that history may have lied. I found his internal conflict quite compelling, especially as his magic and personal trauma started to intersect with a much older cycle of destruction. I do have to say that I felt like Lyons was going for more depth than I felt, and I just kept waiting for that gut punch moment where it would all click.
Enter Kaiataris, one of the allegedly destroyed Grim Lords, who has been napping under the fortress like a very dangerous secret. The second Math reawakened her, the book significantly improved for me, and their dynamic quickly became the highlight of Green & Deadly Things for me. I mean, an ancient necromancer with sharp edges, dry authority, and inconvenient truths accidentally becoming magically linked with a devout young knight just screams tension, and when Lyons allows them space to talk rather than fight, I was completely locked in.
Honestly, I just wanted the entire book to slow down and let them be complicated together, but instead we get a romance that goes from zero to soul bound in what feels like a long weekend. Even with the magical bond and high stakes, their level of eternal devotion on a one-week turnaround just gave me emotional whiplash and did not feel earned. They also often read younger than the gravity of their roles demands, and I felt like that really undercut what could have been a far more layered connection. In my opinion, a slower burn would have really amplified the tragedy and the intimacy, and all things are better with more yearning if you ask me.
Still, you cannot accuse Lyons of lacking imagination, and just as when I read The Sky on Fire, I am utterly in awe of how much she packed into such a tight standalone story. The sentient necromancy plant magic is grotesque and gorgeous, the horror imagery is dark and unsettling, the lore is surprisingly rich, and the concept of cyclical catastrophe gives the story an almost mythic scope. Also, I loved that the queer-normativity in Green & Deadly Things is handled with the same effortless confidence Lyons has shown before, because I will always value that.
Moreover, Lyons sure knows how to keep you on your toes, and every time I was flirting with the idea of putting the book down, I found myself getting pulled back in by a new little twist or intriguing bit of foreshadowing. There is also no denying that the thematic resolution has bite and that the final revelations land with satisfying brutality, and I effortlessly blasted through the last half of Green & Deadly Things in one afternoon. Although I don’t know if that really counts as praise, because I honestly have to admit that I am not sure if I devoured it out of pure excitement or out of a wish for it to be over already.
Ultimately, I can’t really say if it was a book problem or a me-problem, but I just did not enjoy Green & Deadly Things as much as I desperately wanted to. That said, I still love Jenn Lyons and I will absolutely read whatever else comes out of her scarily imaginative and wildly ambitious mind. This might not have been the perfect fit for my slow-burn loving heart, but if you like the sound of a fast-paced and darkly fun standalone fantasy adventure with strong ideas, twisted greenery, and a romantic core, I would definitely give this one a shot.
Thank you to Tor UK for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Green & Deadly Things is scheduled for release on 5 March 2026.
To give credit where it is due, Green & Deadly Things opens strong. A plant zombie attack at a magical knight academy is a bold introduction, and the early chaos is immediate and cinematic. The forests awakening and devouring the faithful have me genuine horror energy, and if you enjoy fantasy that hits the ground running and never looks back, this absolutely delivers. For me, though, the relentless pace came at the expense of emotional investment, and I soon found myself yearning for something to hook me beyond just the cool factor of it all.
It definitely helped that we got to experience this all through Mathaiik’s eyes though, who instantly gave me disaster golden boy knight energy. He is raised within the rigid doctrine of the Idallik Knights, trained to believe necromancy nearly ended the world and must never rise again, only to be confronted with the fact that history may have lied. I found his internal conflict quite compelling, especially as his magic and personal trauma started to intersect with a much older cycle of destruction. I do have to say that I felt like Lyons was going for more depth than I felt, and I just kept waiting for that gut punch moment where it would all click.
Enter Kaiataris, one of the allegedly destroyed Grim Lords, who has been napping under the fortress like a very dangerous secret. The second Math reawakened her, the book significantly improved for me, and their dynamic quickly became the highlight of Green & Deadly Things for me. I mean, an ancient necromancer with sharp edges, dry authority, and inconvenient truths accidentally becoming magically linked with a devout young knight just screams tension, and when Lyons allows them space to talk rather than fight, I was completely locked in.
Honestly, I just wanted the entire book to slow down and let them be complicated together, but instead we get a romance that goes from zero to soul bound in what feels like a long weekend. Even with the magical bond and high stakes, their level of eternal devotion on a one-week turnaround just gave me emotional whiplash and did not feel earned. They also often read younger than the gravity of their roles demands, and I felt like that really undercut what could have been a far more layered connection. In my opinion, a slower burn would have really amplified the tragedy and the intimacy, and all things are better with more yearning if you ask me.
Still, you cannot accuse Lyons of lacking imagination, and just as when I read The Sky on Fire, I am utterly in awe of how much she packed into such a tight standalone story. The sentient necromancy plant magic is grotesque and gorgeous, the horror imagery is dark and unsettling, the lore is surprisingly rich, and the concept of cyclical catastrophe gives the story an almost mythic scope. Also, I loved that the queer-normativity in Green & Deadly Things is handled with the same effortless confidence Lyons has shown before, because I will always value that.
Moreover, Lyons sure knows how to keep you on your toes, and every time I was flirting with the idea of putting the book down, I found myself getting pulled back in by a new little twist or intriguing bit of foreshadowing. There is also no denying that the thematic resolution has bite and that the final revelations land with satisfying brutality, and I effortlessly blasted through the last half of Green & Deadly Things in one afternoon. Although I don’t know if that really counts as praise, because I honestly have to admit that I am not sure if I devoured it out of pure excitement or out of a wish for it to be over already.
Ultimately, I can’t really say if it was a book problem or a me-problem, but I just did not enjoy Green & Deadly Things as much as I desperately wanted to. That said, I still love Jenn Lyons and I will absolutely read whatever else comes out of her scarily imaginative and wildly ambitious mind. This might not have been the perfect fit for my slow-burn loving heart, but if you like the sound of a fast-paced and darkly fun standalone fantasy adventure with strong ideas, twisted greenery, and a romantic core, I would definitely give this one a shot.
Thank you to Tor UK for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Green & Deadly Things is scheduled for release on 5 March 2026.
did-not-finish
January 31, 2026DNF @ 68%
This had such a cool intro with plant necromancers killing people and turning them into plant zombies. There was a plant zombie attack at a magical knight school. The MMC's nickname was MATH, which honestly, I couldn't get over, but whatever.
The worldbuilding was pretty cool, but it wasn't enough to get me to finish the book. The two MCs read like teens. They go on the run and pretty much all the tropes and cliches that come with two people in forced proximity with each other pop up.
Extremely predictable if you've read novels and watched movies/TV shows about a couple running from the authorities. Pretty boring. Not all that interesting.
After everything in the summary happened, the book turned out to be a lot more older YA than adult. Or I guess it's fair to say that this is the type of book like Mistborn: The Final Empire where both older teens and adults can enjoy. If you're into that type of fantasy novel, then this might be for you.
I DNF'ed The Sky on Fire too, so it might be safe to say that Jenn Lyons isn't the author for me.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this arc.
This had such a cool intro with plant necromancers killing people and turning them into plant zombies. There was a plant zombie attack at a magical knight school. The MMC's nickname was MATH, which honestly, I couldn't get over, but whatever.
The worldbuilding was pretty cool, but it wasn't enough to get me to finish the book. The two MCs read like teens. They go on the run and pretty much all the tropes and cliches that come with two people in forced proximity with each other pop up.
Extremely predictable if you've read novels and watched movies/TV shows about a couple running from the authorities. Pretty boring. Not all that interesting.
After everything in the summary happened, the book turned out to be a lot more older YA than adult. Or I guess it's fair to say that this is the type of book like Mistborn: The Final Empire where both older teens and adults can enjoy. If you're into that type of fantasy novel, then this might be for you.
I DNF'ed The Sky on Fire too, so it might be safe to say that Jenn Lyons isn't the author for me.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this arc.
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September 12, 2025jenn i’m sorry i cannot follow you here but we will Always have horsegender the greatest fantasy series of the last 10 years
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February 27, 2026The synopsis led me to believe this would be a necromancy book.
It's not.
But it does involve plant magic, my other love, so I was still in. 3/5
This has pretty standard Epic Fantasy vibes. It's not quite old school-old school, but like one generation younger. So it subverts the most absolute basic bitch tropes of the genre, but 100% adheres to the standard subversions, if that makes sense?
I had a decent time with it, but have to admit that I was disappointed with the conclusion and ultimately how rote the experience ended up feeling. (Also really think the romance was under-developed and should've been omitted, tbh.)
Audiobook Notes:
The narrator is a bit of a mixed bag. There were some narrations and voices he would do that I really liked, but I didn't like the voices he did for neither the MC nor the children. I probably wouldn't've realized it if not for hearing a dialogue between my favourite voice he puts on (spoilers) and the MC that made me realize the contrast is just so sharp. So overall it's very good and sometimes great, but the primary/most common voice is bleh.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It's not.
But it does involve plant magic, my other love, so I was still in. 3/5
This has pretty standard Epic Fantasy vibes. It's not quite old school-old school, but like one generation younger. So it subverts the most absolute basic bitch tropes of the genre, but 100% adheres to the standard subversions, if that makes sense?
I had a decent time with it, but have to admit that I was disappointed with the conclusion and ultimately how rote the experience ended up feeling. (Also really think the romance was under-developed and should've been omitted, tbh.)
Audiobook Notes:
The narrator is a bit of a mixed bag. There were some narrations and voices he would do that I really liked, but I didn't like the voices he did for neither the MC nor the children. I probably wouldn't've realized it if not for hearing a dialogue between my favourite voice he puts on (spoilers) and the MC that made me realize the contrast is just so sharp. So overall it's very good and sometimes great, but the primary/most common voice is bleh.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A fast paced, standalone fantasy novel that reads a lot like a YA book, but the characters are a little older and there's one open door s*x scene.
I tend to like these standalones because they have to go at a pace that keeps things quick and interesting, without getting bogged down in detail.
I liked the overall idea and the banter is good. the betrayals are constant. Lots of things got resolved pretty easily while other things got dark real quick. It did seem like Lyons was going for a lighter vibe for the most part.
One thing I didn't quite like was how easily the characters kept getting out of imprisonment/traps etc because it made the stakes feel low, even though they really weren't.
The audiobook was great though, the narrator does awesome voices and I'll be looking out for more of his work!
3.5 overall
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio via netgalley for the ALC, all opinions are my own 🖤
I tend to like these standalones because they have to go at a pace that keeps things quick and interesting, without getting bogged down in detail.
I liked the overall idea and the banter is good. the betrayals are constant. Lots of things got resolved pretty easily while other things got dark real quick. It did seem like Lyons was going for a lighter vibe for the most part.
One thing I didn't quite like was how easily the characters kept getting out of imprisonment/traps etc because it made the stakes feel low, even though they really weren't.
The audiobook was great though, the narrator does awesome voices and I'll be looking out for more of his work!
3.5 overall
Thanks so much to Macmillan Audio via netgalley for the ALC, all opinions are my own 🖤
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc of Green & Deadly Things.
I really liked this. I thought the characters were great and I liked the chemistry between the main characters Math & Kai. I also thought some of the side characters were done really well also. I enjoyed the children and also the relationship with the "enemy" he grew up with. The magic was unique and fun. We also got to see different kinds of magic with some of the different characters and I thought that was a nice addition. For a stand alone fantasy story the plot was really flushed out and easy too follow, not complicated, but also not too simple. Overall this was a great story and can't wait to see what Jenn Lyons does next.
I really liked this. I thought the characters were great and I liked the chemistry between the main characters Math & Kai. I also thought some of the side characters were done really well also. I enjoyed the children and also the relationship with the "enemy" he grew up with. The magic was unique and fun. We also got to see different kinds of magic with some of the different characters and I thought that was a nice addition. For a stand alone fantasy story the plot was really flushed out and easy too follow, not complicated, but also not too simple. Overall this was a great story and can't wait to see what Jenn Lyons does next.
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February 27, 2026⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 - I am very much in my gothic botanical fantasy era. If that’s not a thing, I’m making it a thing. I enjoyed this book immensely. The world building included the lores of the kingdom so you get to see how time (and people) twisted the actual history into something that suits their purpose. Our MC’s, Math and Kai, are fantastic together. You are rooting for both of them from the very start! And then they say things like this:
“How dare you hold your life so cheap, when to me, it is more precious than all the stars!"
*swoon* I’m glad this is a stand alone but I’m also a little sad because I’d love just a little more time with these characters.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
“How dare you hold your life so cheap, when to me, it is more precious than all the stars!"
*swoon* I’m glad this is a stand alone but I’m also a little sad because I’d love just a little more time with these characters.
Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy!
"How dare you hold your life so cheap, when to me, it is more precious than all the stars!"
Green and Deadly Things completely pulled me in, and I’m here for it! The stakes feel real, the world feels lived in, and the plot is chef’s kiss. No unnecessary lore dumps. No confusing politics. Everything builds with purpose. The atmosphere is rich and cinematic without ever feeling bloated, and every scene feels intentional.
Kai and Math steal the show. Their flirting had me grinning like an idiot!
This isn’t just pretty worldbuilding. Everything in the world actually matters, and it all affects the story.
"How dare you hold your life so cheap, when to me, it is more precious than all the stars!"
Green and Deadly Things completely pulled me in, and I’m here for it! The stakes feel real, the world feels lived in, and the plot is chef’s kiss. No unnecessary lore dumps. No confusing politics. Everything builds with purpose. The atmosphere is rich and cinematic without ever feeling bloated, and every scene feels intentional.
Kai and Math steal the show. Their flirting had me grinning like an idiot!
This isn’t just pretty worldbuilding. Everything in the world actually matters, and it all affects the story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
RTC
January 24, 2026
EEK, this was a great story. What a journey!
The overarching plot with the conflicting magic systems felt a lot like the conflict with life vs death in Deathless by Catherynne Valente, one of my favorite books, and the prose style and humor felt very similar to T. Kingfisher’s style.
While I wish there had been a few more sentences at the beginning to outline the magic system earlier on, you do figure it out as you keep reading.
Loved how we got so much world building in a natural way, it never felt like stuff was being info dumped, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. It can be hard to nail indirect explanations, I thought it was very well done in this book.
Perhaps the main characters were a LITTLE obtuse through the middle third, buuuuuuut I was still satisfied by the twists and reveals despite that.
The main characters were both so funny and prickly in the best way. It was so nice to see a male character with this kind of personality too. Honestly, all the characters were great. Even the ones you were supposed to hate, at least felt realistic and consistent within the plot.
The overarching plot with the conflicting magic systems felt a lot like the conflict with life vs death in Deathless by Catherynne Valente, one of my favorite books, and the prose style and humor felt very similar to T. Kingfisher’s style.
While I wish there had been a few more sentences at the beginning to outline the magic system earlier on, you do figure it out as you keep reading.
Loved how we got so much world building in a natural way, it never felt like stuff was being info dumped, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. It can be hard to nail indirect explanations, I thought it was very well done in this book.
Perhaps the main characters were a LITTLE obtuse through the middle third, buuuuuuut I was still satisfied by the twists and reveals despite that.
The main characters were both so funny and prickly in the best way. It was so nice to see a male character with this kind of personality too. Honestly, all the characters were great. Even the ones you were supposed to hate, at least felt realistic and consistent within the plot.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
In days of old, the Grim Lords ruled the land, nearly destroying their world with their dark necromantic powers. Although the Grim Lords have faded into legend, remnants of their magic remain, and the Idallik Knights exist to destroy that power wherever it lingers. But when a new threat faces the kingdom, novitiate Mathaiik wakes a Grim Lord in a desperate gambit to save the fortress where he trains. But waking Kaiataris reveals even more problems. This land is trapped in a cycle of raising chaos and order - and if Mathaiik and Kaiataris can't work to find a way to balance those forces, life across the continent will be wiped out.
GREEN & DEADLY THINGS is a cinematic thrill ride that lacks fully developed characters to back it up. On the plus side, I can fully see the movie version of this book. There's a creepy plant enemy, an order of knights that uses elemental magic, and a whole lot of great action scenes. The author knows how to keep the plot moving, zipping you from one end of the country to the other as our heroes try to find a way to deal with the multiple threats facing the nation.
But with the snappiness of an action film comes the flimsiness of action characters. Most people you encounter along the journey are fairly flat, reduced to one or two traits. There's no real depth or history for most people outside the two main characters, and even they are fairly thin. The main villain is just out to rule the world; even with the stakes as high as the end of all life, I found myself simply not caring by the end of the book. The stakes just weren't personal enough. Even the romance felt by the numbers at best.
GREEN & DEADLY THINGS is a great book for those who want a plot driven adventure. If you want to dash about a magical world from fight scene to chase sequence to fight scene, this will fit the ticket nicely. As someone who values characters over plot, I struggled a bit with this one, even though I've enjoyed the author's past works immensely. At the end of the day, this feels like a movie script adapted to book instead of the other way around, and as much as I enjoy a popcorn flick, this just didn't quite work for me as much as I'd hoped.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
GREEN & DEADLY THINGS is a cinematic thrill ride that lacks fully developed characters to back it up. On the plus side, I can fully see the movie version of this book. There's a creepy plant enemy, an order of knights that uses elemental magic, and a whole lot of great action scenes. The author knows how to keep the plot moving, zipping you from one end of the country to the other as our heroes try to find a way to deal with the multiple threats facing the nation.
But with the snappiness of an action film comes the flimsiness of action characters. Most people you encounter along the journey are fairly flat, reduced to one or two traits. There's no real depth or history for most people outside the two main characters, and even they are fairly thin. The main villain is just out to rule the world; even with the stakes as high as the end of all life, I found myself simply not caring by the end of the book. The stakes just weren't personal enough. Even the romance felt by the numbers at best.
GREEN & DEADLY THINGS is a great book for those who want a plot driven adventure. If you want to dash about a magical world from fight scene to chase sequence to fight scene, this will fit the ticket nicely. As someone who values characters over plot, I struggled a bit with this one, even though I've enjoyed the author's past works immensely. At the end of the day, this feels like a movie script adapted to book instead of the other way around, and as much as I enjoy a popcorn flick, this just didn't quite work for me as much as I'd hoped.
Note: I was provided a free ARC by the publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
dnf
January 13, 2026***Thanks to the publisher for the eARC on NetGalley***
I love, love, love the author’s A Chorus of Dragons series but this one’s rough. I actually like the prologue a lot, even as a prologue hater, and I was drawn into the book. I liked the eco horror of it all and the dark comedy on capitalism in a medieval type setting fantasy.
But then we take a sharp turn in chapter one where you’re dropped into another character’s third person (past tense) POV and it’s like you’re just supposed to know the world as you follow along with them. Sometimes I don’t mind this fantasy book tactic so much if idk we’re in the middle of a battle or some sort of life and death scenario, but it feels less interesting here and I don’t feel as motivated to read on. The comps with Witch King by Martha Wells seems apt, for better or worse. After the prologue, the book starts with similar vibes.
The chapters are short so that’s a plus for me personally but I would like to circle back to this on audiobook after the book comes out in March. The names and places are rough reading with no pronunciation guide in this early copy of the book.
DNF for now
I love, love, love the author’s A Chorus of Dragons series but this one’s rough. I actually like the prologue a lot, even as a prologue hater, and I was drawn into the book. I liked the eco horror of it all and the dark comedy on capitalism in a medieval type setting fantasy.
But then we take a sharp turn in chapter one where you’re dropped into another character’s third person (past tense) POV and it’s like you’re just supposed to know the world as you follow along with them. Sometimes I don’t mind this fantasy book tactic so much if idk we’re in the middle of a battle or some sort of life and death scenario, but it feels less interesting here and I don’t feel as motivated to read on. The comps with Witch King by Martha Wells seems apt, for better or worse. After the prologue, the book starts with similar vibes.
The chapters are short so that’s a plus for me personally but I would like to circle back to this on audiobook after the book comes out in March. The names and places are rough reading with no pronunciation guide in this early copy of the book.
DNF for now
February 12, 2026
This was my first ARC! Thanks to my local book club 😊
I absolutely loved the prologue and was excited for a T Kingfisher-esque cozy, spooky fantasy vibe for the rest of the book… and it didn’t quite hit the mark. I think what threw me off the most was being thrown into this world with little to no explanation of how the magic works. Names of people and places that I couldn’t keep up with, especially as there was no glossary or map to follow. It was hard for me to get into the story until much later. Being introduced to Kai helped! I love her character and found her so interesting. I still can’t believe the MMC’s name is Math 😆 but I can look past it. Definitely unique. This was one of the most insta-lovey stories I’ve read, I even thought I must’ve missed something in a previous chapter. In the end, I liked how the book wrapped up and I personally would’ve liked to have an epilogue but I’ll just use my imagination.
I know I’ve been quite critical but let me take a moment and say that besides all the quirks, the plot itself was excellent. A little predictable but I really enjoyed it. I had to keep up to learn about the world but it was very well built, especially for a standalone.
All in all it was a good read! Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a standalone fantasy but not as a palate cleanser lol.
I absolutely loved the prologue and was excited for a T Kingfisher-esque cozy, spooky fantasy vibe for the rest of the book… and it didn’t quite hit the mark. I think what threw me off the most was being thrown into this world with little to no explanation of how the magic works. Names of people and places that I couldn’t keep up with, especially as there was no glossary or map to follow. It was hard for me to get into the story until much later. Being introduced to Kai helped! I love her character and found her so interesting. I still can’t believe the MMC’s name is Math 😆 but I can look past it. Definitely unique. This was one of the most insta-lovey stories I’ve read, I even thought I must’ve missed something in a previous chapter. In the end, I liked how the book wrapped up and I personally would’ve liked to have an epilogue but I’ll just use my imagination.
I know I’ve been quite critical but let me take a moment and say that besides all the quirks, the plot itself was excellent. A little predictable but I really enjoyed it. I had to keep up to learn about the world but it was very well built, especially for a standalone.
All in all it was a good read! Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a standalone fantasy but not as a palate cleanser lol.
February 27, 2026
Okay so this is me, a thriller girl, trying to branch out into fantasy… and somehow I picked the one with KILLER TREES?? 😭🌲
Immediately locked in.
First of all Torian Brackett?? The range?? The accents?? The emotion during battle scenes?? I was 25% in like “oh yeah this man is WORKING.” Five star performance, no debate. With this many characters, he could’ve lost me easily but didn’t once.
Now the story, heavy magic, knights, commanders, gore (which I appreciate), action, exploration, and a morally complicated “we probably shouldn’t be together but here we are” witch situation. There’s travel, tribes, political vibes, and enough chaos to keep me fully invested and just a little confused lol
The plot twist was actually a fun little surprise, and I loved the amount of action and world exploration. For someone expanding out of thrillers, this was a really fun entry point into fantasy.
Also yes, I did fast forward one short spicy scene because that’s just who I am 😂
Immediately locked in.
First of all Torian Brackett?? The range?? The accents?? The emotion during battle scenes?? I was 25% in like “oh yeah this man is WORKING.” Five star performance, no debate. With this many characters, he could’ve lost me easily but didn’t once.
Now the story, heavy magic, knights, commanders, gore (which I appreciate), action, exploration, and a morally complicated “we probably shouldn’t be together but here we are” witch situation. There’s travel, tribes, political vibes, and enough chaos to keep me fully invested and just a little confused lol
The plot twist was actually a fun little surprise, and I loved the amount of action and world exploration. For someone expanding out of thrillers, this was a really fun entry point into fantasy.
Also yes, I did fast forward one short spicy scene because that’s just who I am 😂
November 7, 2025
Lyons pens a stand alone fantasy about magic and necromancy, sure to delight fantasy fans! Mathaiik has been a novitiate much longer than most because he's unable to manifest his weapon. But he's also got a secret that would cause the Order alarm. But when they are attacked, he may be the only one who can help them.
This is only my second Lyons book, but I have the first of another series on my shelf. I loved the other one I read and didn't realize until then she's local! But I'm not sure about this one. It felt overly long and lacking in many side characters. I'm not sure if my problem was that I was reading this mostly just at the gym, so it was taking longer, but I didn't love this one.
This is only my second Lyons book, but I have the first of another series on my shelf. I loved the other one I read and didn't realize until then she's local! But I'm not sure about this one. It felt overly long and lacking in many side characters. I'm not sure if my problem was that I was reading this mostly just at the gym, so it was taking longer, but I didn't love this one.
dnf
February 28, 2026DNF @ 21%
i am simply not ✨vibing✨ with this one. i’m not sure what i was expecting from a book about plant necromancers with chakraborty and hobb comps, but this is not it—those comps set a high bar and based on what i read, it seems like whoever wrote the blurb just plucked two big fantasy names at random, as this doesn’t remind me of anything i’ve read by either author.
and i know i’m being fussy about names lately, but his name is MATH? why
i am simply not ✨vibing✨ with this one. i’m not sure what i was expecting from a book about plant necromancers with chakraborty and hobb comps, but this is not it—those comps set a high bar and based on what i read, it seems like whoever wrote the blurb just plucked two big fantasy names at random, as this doesn’t remind me of anything i’ve read by either author.
and i know i’m being fussy about names lately, but his name is MATH? why
January 26, 2026
Unfortunately, this book was not to my liking. The pace was really slow, I felt like it dragged on. The plot was not particularly twisty not gripping for me, I was quite disinterested throughout my reading experience. The characters were quite one-dimensional and I did not like them; the romance was too lust-forward and some moments were quite cringe for me. The atmosphere could have been more developed, and I’ve discovered the author’s writing and I’ve had issues with it as well. It sometimes felt like it was too much for the plot that the author was setting in motion. I’m still glad I read it even though I did not like it very much, and I’m sure it will find its right audience. I’m just not a part of it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Want to read
February 19, 2026Tropes:
- Plant necromancers
- Enemies-to-lovers and complicated by vows of celibacy
- Kindhearted FMC
- Politics, war, arboreal intrigue
- Magical Mayhem x Betrayal
- Charming romance
- Plant-based body horror
- Slow-burn romance
- World with nature gone wild
- Forbidden Love
- Plant necromancers
- Enemies-to-lovers and complicated by vows of celibacy
- Kindhearted FMC
- Politics, war, arboreal intrigue
- Magical Mayhem x Betrayal
- Charming romance
- Plant-based body horror
- Slow-burn romance
- World with nature gone wild
- Forbidden Love
December 19, 2025
All about necromancy, sentient evil (but not really) plant queens, we follow a hot lady wizard reawakened after being asleep for hundreds of years and a failed knight noviciate as they try to bring balance to Chaos and Order magic.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters and this is a good, quick to read epic fantasy standalone.
I really enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters and this is a good, quick to read epic fantasy standalone.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Man, I really thought this book would be an easy win for me but I figured out pretty quickly that it wasn't. Unfortunately, this is a DNF for me.
Mathaiik is a trainee in the order of the Idallik Knights, caught between his duties and the strange curse that sometimes leads to him waking up covered in vines, the plants burrowing into him. When a lumber operation is massacred by magic plants reminiscent of Math's curse and their spores wreck havoc on the order, Math retreats beneath the fortress and ends up waking up a necromancer he knows only from legend.
Let me start off by saying that I actually really liked the prologue. The idea of these massive trees bleeding when the lumberjacks try to cut them down and then somehow marching around to massacre the camp is a great image. It's at once whimsical and terrifying, since trees are big and stationary enough to make the whole thing uncanny (and it reminded me of the prophecy in Macbeth, if it were taken very literally). After that though, things just fell apart. Both the pacing and the world-building in this book are...wack, honestly. The chapters are all super short and so much happens in each one that you blink and somehow a fight has started, someone has been betrayed, the characters have made some revelation, someone has died, and the fight has ended in like three pages. Honestly, I don't think a betrayal should happen 50 pages into a book, because we have no understanding or investment into the relationship to make that betrayal matter.
This is especially hard to follow since there's so much world-building that is either mentioned off-hand or feels poorly incorporated. You've only just put together that the grim lords are some ancient evil group of necromancers defeated long ago when it turns out that isn't quite true, which really takes all the steam out of the reveal. By the time you've accepted that there is this magical forbidden maze under the Knight's fortress, Math has already figured out how to get through it. This takes him maybe two days to figure out, despite this maze seemingly having existed and been unsolved for decades if not longer. Characters swear to Tri-Mother so you kind of assume that's some deity, and then Math finds some text that refers to the murderous trees as the Three Mothers and this is some kind of a revelation to them. So who did they think "Tri-Mother" referred to? Why does Math think that this idea is heretical? Mind you, this whole revelation happens over the course of like two paragraphs. We also learn what grimmocks aren't without learning what they are, so maybe they're just miscellaneous monsters?
I'm also not really a stickler for writing, but the writing felt pretty juvenile to me. I actually went and checked if this was supposed to be YA because it reads like lower YA with one-line paragraphs, constant questions in the inner monologue, and telling-not-showing, but this is supposed to be an Adult fantasy. The dialogue switches between that kind of general archaic/proper-sounding speech you often get in fantasy ("Shall I remind you..." "I would have, were it only an option." "Do not do so again.") and totally casual, modern speech ("Just looking out for you.." "I just sort of figured it out." "...sure it's not a prank?") which is just jarring.
It's possible that the story and characters might have grown on me (haha) if I had continued reading, but after the prologue the whole thing just felt poorly constructed. Being more willing to DNF is one of my resolutions this year, so unfortunately I will be putting this down.
Thank you to Jenn Lyons and Tor Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
Mathaiik is a trainee in the order of the Idallik Knights, caught between his duties and the strange curse that sometimes leads to him waking up covered in vines, the plants burrowing into him. When a lumber operation is massacred by magic plants reminiscent of Math's curse and their spores wreck havoc on the order, Math retreats beneath the fortress and ends up waking up a necromancer he knows only from legend.
Let me start off by saying that I actually really liked the prologue. The idea of these massive trees bleeding when the lumberjacks try to cut them down and then somehow marching around to massacre the camp is a great image. It's at once whimsical and terrifying, since trees are big and stationary enough to make the whole thing uncanny (and it reminded me of the prophecy in Macbeth, if it were taken very literally). After that though, things just fell apart. Both the pacing and the world-building in this book are...wack, honestly. The chapters are all super short and so much happens in each one that you blink and somehow a fight has started, someone has been betrayed, the characters have made some revelation, someone has died, and the fight has ended in like three pages. Honestly, I don't think a betrayal should happen 50 pages into a book, because we have no understanding or investment into the relationship to make that betrayal matter.
This is especially hard to follow since there's so much world-building that is either mentioned off-hand or feels poorly incorporated. You've only just put together that the grim lords are some ancient evil group of necromancers defeated long ago when it turns out that isn't quite true, which really takes all the steam out of the reveal. By the time you've accepted that there is this magical forbidden maze under the Knight's fortress, Math has already figured out how to get through it. This takes him maybe two days to figure out, despite this maze seemingly having existed and been unsolved for decades if not longer. Characters swear to Tri-Mother so you kind of assume that's some deity, and then Math finds some text that refers to the murderous trees as the Three Mothers and this is some kind of a revelation to them. So who did they think "Tri-Mother" referred to? Why does Math think that this idea is heretical? Mind you, this whole revelation happens over the course of like two paragraphs. We also learn what grimmocks aren't without learning what they are, so maybe they're just miscellaneous monsters?
I'm also not really a stickler for writing, but the writing felt pretty juvenile to me. I actually went and checked if this was supposed to be YA because it reads like lower YA with one-line paragraphs, constant questions in the inner monologue, and telling-not-showing, but this is supposed to be an Adult fantasy. The dialogue switches between that kind of general archaic/proper-sounding speech you often get in fantasy ("Shall I remind you..." "I would have, were it only an option." "Do not do so again.") and totally casual, modern speech ("Just looking out for you.." "I just sort of figured it out." "...sure it's not a prank?") which is just jarring.
It's possible that the story and characters might have grown on me (haha) if I had continued reading, but after the prologue the whole thing just felt poorly constructed. Being more willing to DNF is one of my resolutions this year, so unfortunately I will be putting this down.
Thank you to Jenn Lyons and Tor Books for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
February 19, 2026
3.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2026/02/19/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Fantasy Standalone with some Romance
Green and Deadly Things is a fantasy story that manages to include romance without overtaking the plot and is a standalone – almost a mythical beast in this world where fantasy books usually come in threes.
I wouldn’t say I loved this but at the same time I was never tempted to set it aside. In a nutshell this felt a little YA to me, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but I was expecting a little more depth. As it is I think this would work really well for readers who are new to fantasy. It has action and adventure and concludes perfectly.
The story revolves around a character known as Math. Math is a novitiate in a knight-style order but unfortunately, and in spite of years of training, he has not yet been able to manifest a weapon – which means he will ultimately not become a knight. In spite of this Math loves the Order, he is kind and also clever, but he has secrets that, if known to the other knights, would certainly result in his expulsion, if not worse.
The story got off to a really good start and made a great first impression, setting the scene with ease and throwing us into an immediate situation of conflict. Math manages to solve a riddle and at the same time open a long hidden maze awakening what is believed to be a grimlord in the process. From there Math finds himself magically linked to the woman he has awoken and everything he believes is about to be upturned, not to mention he will find himself on the run from the Order he loves and wants to spend his life serving.
So, what I enjoyed about this. Well, there is a romance brewing between Math and the woman he has awoken, but it’s not the central part of the plot and doesn’t monopolise the story. I really enjoyed the story of the Three Queens and in fact would have liked more from that element. I also particularly love that this is a standalone, it just feels so rare these days. The writing is easy to get along with, it felt a little over descriptive in places but as I mentioned earlier I had no issues completing this.
What I didn’t get along so well with. I think, perhaps because this is a standalone, it doesn’t have the time to really expand, to let you grow to know the characters, the world or the magic. There’s almost a hyper type of feel, we rush from one situation to the next, run away, hide, fight, repeat. But, it lost tension because of this. The characters were a little flat and although there seemed to be betrayals and revelations they didn’t quite deliver the shock or impact that you would expect. And there was also some signalling, or perhaps I just anticipated certain things before they happened. Some of the revelations felt a little obvious.
Overall, this has some really good ideas, it gets off to a great start and also concludes really well. I felt the middle lost me a little in it’s repetitiveness and, it felt a little younger to me than I was expecting or hoping for. That being said I have no doubt this will find its audience and I think it would be a good starting point for readers new to fantasy.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
https://lynns-books.com/2026/02/19/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: Fantasy Standalone with some Romance
Green and Deadly Things is a fantasy story that manages to include romance without overtaking the plot and is a standalone – almost a mythical beast in this world where fantasy books usually come in threes.
I wouldn’t say I loved this but at the same time I was never tempted to set it aside. In a nutshell this felt a little YA to me, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but I was expecting a little more depth. As it is I think this would work really well for readers who are new to fantasy. It has action and adventure and concludes perfectly.
The story revolves around a character known as Math. Math is a novitiate in a knight-style order but unfortunately, and in spite of years of training, he has not yet been able to manifest a weapon – which means he will ultimately not become a knight. In spite of this Math loves the Order, he is kind and also clever, but he has secrets that, if known to the other knights, would certainly result in his expulsion, if not worse.
The story got off to a really good start and made a great first impression, setting the scene with ease and throwing us into an immediate situation of conflict. Math manages to solve a riddle and at the same time open a long hidden maze awakening what is believed to be a grimlord in the process. From there Math finds himself magically linked to the woman he has awoken and everything he believes is about to be upturned, not to mention he will find himself on the run from the Order he loves and wants to spend his life serving.
So, what I enjoyed about this. Well, there is a romance brewing between Math and the woman he has awoken, but it’s not the central part of the plot and doesn’t monopolise the story. I really enjoyed the story of the Three Queens and in fact would have liked more from that element. I also particularly love that this is a standalone, it just feels so rare these days. The writing is easy to get along with, it felt a little over descriptive in places but as I mentioned earlier I had no issues completing this.
What I didn’t get along so well with. I think, perhaps because this is a standalone, it doesn’t have the time to really expand, to let you grow to know the characters, the world or the magic. There’s almost a hyper type of feel, we rush from one situation to the next, run away, hide, fight, repeat. But, it lost tension because of this. The characters were a little flat and although there seemed to be betrayals and revelations they didn’t quite deliver the shock or impact that you would expect. And there was also some signalling, or perhaps I just anticipated certain things before they happened. Some of the revelations felt a little obvious.
Overall, this has some really good ideas, it gets off to a great start and also concludes really well. I felt the middle lost me a little in it’s repetitiveness and, it felt a little younger to me than I was expecting or hoping for. That being said I have no doubt this will find its audience and I think it would be a good starting point for readers new to fantasy.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
February 16, 2026
Thank you to Tor UK & Netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy. This review contains no major spoilers.
3.25★
"Heart" can carry a read for me, I can look past a lot and still enjoy a book if I think it's earnest, and Green & Deadly Things has heart.
At it's core, this is a fantasy-romance. I'm not calling it a romantasy, as I don't think it fits that tag, and the romance is secondary to the plot. Honestly I think you could remove the romance in it's entirety and the major plot would've remained largely unchanged. I mention this, mainly because I don't want to mislabel this book, but also to better highlight where it does excel and where it doesn't.
So onto the first word, this is a solid standalone fantasy novel, with a really unique premise, world, and a plot that felt unpredictable. It's rather refreshing to read something in this genre that's standalone and not a trilogy at bare minimum, but I digress. The concept of magic here, of the "green & deadly things", this idea of nature and necromancy, is fantastic, unique and one of my favourite bits of worldbuilding in a novel in recent memory. The way it thematically links the cycle of life and death into a part of the magic is inspired, I loved it.
That second word then, the romance. For me, I felt this was the stronger side of the book. The way the relationship between our two main characters develops is what kept the pages turning more so than anything else, and whilst I've not read enough of the genre to have a solid feeling of how this compares to others in a similar space, I buy the way this romance develops. The circumstances around it make it believable, as does the way they talk and interact with each other.
Now, this is my first of Lyons' books, and I'm unsure how it compares to her others, but I did feel that some of the writing felt wooden. Not all the time, but whilst sufficient to get us from A to B, I was rarely, if ever, blown away by the prose. A particular strength this book did highlight was snappy, fun banter and dialogue. It was always entertaining and put a smile on my face to see our two main characters verbally joust, and how it evolved from open distrust to snarky camaraderie, as well as with our collection of side characters throughout.
Speaking of characters, they're decent, but I felt lacked something hard to pinpoint. Our main two characters come across as a bit simple, despite having background and history, and personality during dialogue, I felt there was something missing to further flesh them out as real, living people. To be honest, I'm unsure as to what they lack, or how it could have been improved.
So, let's revisit that word, heart. It's vague, hard to define, but I think we all know when we read something with it, and Green & Deadly Things has it, but I wish had had more.
3.25★
"Heart" can carry a read for me, I can look past a lot and still enjoy a book if I think it's earnest, and Green & Deadly Things has heart.
At it's core, this is a fantasy-romance. I'm not calling it a romantasy, as I don't think it fits that tag, and the romance is secondary to the plot. Honestly I think you could remove the romance in it's entirety and the major plot would've remained largely unchanged. I mention this, mainly because I don't want to mislabel this book, but also to better highlight where it does excel and where it doesn't.
So onto the first word, this is a solid standalone fantasy novel, with a really unique premise, world, and a plot that felt unpredictable. It's rather refreshing to read something in this genre that's standalone and not a trilogy at bare minimum, but I digress. The concept of magic here, of the "green & deadly things", this idea of nature and necromancy, is fantastic, unique and one of my favourite bits of worldbuilding in a novel in recent memory. The way it thematically links the cycle of life and death into a part of the magic is inspired, I loved it.
That second word then, the romance. For me, I felt this was the stronger side of the book. The way the relationship between our two main characters develops is what kept the pages turning more so than anything else, and whilst I've not read enough of the genre to have a solid feeling of how this compares to others in a similar space, I buy the way this romance develops. The circumstances around it make it believable, as does the way they talk and interact with each other.
Now, this is my first of Lyons' books, and I'm unsure how it compares to her others, but I did feel that some of the writing felt wooden. Not all the time, but whilst sufficient to get us from A to B, I was rarely, if ever, blown away by the prose. A particular strength this book did highlight was snappy, fun banter and dialogue. It was always entertaining and put a smile on my face to see our two main characters verbally joust, and how it evolved from open distrust to snarky camaraderie, as well as with our collection of side characters throughout.
Speaking of characters, they're decent, but I felt lacked something hard to pinpoint. Our main two characters come across as a bit simple, despite having background and history, and personality during dialogue, I felt there was something missing to further flesh them out as real, living people. To be honest, I'm unsure as to what they lack, or how it could have been improved.
So, let's revisit that word, heart. It's vague, hard to define, but I think we all know when we read something with it, and Green & Deadly Things has it, but I wish had had more.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received a free copy from Tor Books via Netgalley in exchange for a fair review. Release date March 3rd, 2026.
I've enjoyed Lyons' fantasy, particularly The Sky on Fire, so I thought I'd give her latest novel a shot. In Green & Deadly Things, Mathaiik has spent his life devoted to the Order of Idallik Knights, who disdain him due to his failure to manifest a weapon. When a new race of plant monsters threatens the Order, Math accidentally sets free an sleeping necromancer, the ancient enemy of his Order... but also perhaps the key to defeating the forest creatures.
Jenn Lyons is my John Scalzi of fantasy—it's cool that women and queer people are allowed into the narrative now, but both their books run slightly too conventional for my taste. I had the same experience with Green & Deadly Things, although I have to admit that it was well-constructed. The novel appears to be the rare fantasy standalone, jamming a full trilogy's worth of plot into a lean, mean three hundred sixty eight pages: a doomed last stand against a new threat, a train ride across the continent, a sudden betrayal. Green & Deadly Things has the sleek discipline that many fantasy authors lack (cough, Samantha Shannon).
I was also fond of the underlying premise. Math (dreadful name, although at least it doesn't have an apostrophe) has been devoted since childhood to the fading Idaliik Order, which has taken his years of training and vow of chastity and labeled it as worthless, since Math can't perform their one magic gimmick, sword summoning. Enter young and impetuous necromancer Kaiataris, who Math is accidentally bound to in a curse that reflects their emotions and wounds back at each other... It's an excellent premise, and in fact one of my particular favorites, but I was less fond of the execution. Instead of leaning into the knight and liege thing, Lyons plunges us into a juvenile But Our Doomed Love Can Never Be arc from about six hours after the two meet. Math is in his early twenties and Kai is a similar age (if you discount the millennia in the coffin), but the very youthful romance feels distinctly younger. Meanwhile, outside of the excellent worldbuilding of the Order, Math's world is mostly fantasy-generic. There's some interesting stuff about the opposing forces of Order and Chaos, embodied by trees that get you and the powers of necromancy. And also there are trains. But overall, nothing particularly out there, nor any real surprises.
A solidly written and briskly plotted classic standalone fantasy. Several shades too classic for my tastes, but you may enjoy it, particularly if you liked Lyons' other books, which are in a similar style.
I've enjoyed Lyons' fantasy, particularly The Sky on Fire, so I thought I'd give her latest novel a shot. In Green & Deadly Things, Mathaiik has spent his life devoted to the Order of Idallik Knights, who disdain him due to his failure to manifest a weapon. When a new race of plant monsters threatens the Order, Math accidentally sets free an sleeping necromancer, the ancient enemy of his Order... but also perhaps the key to defeating the forest creatures.
Jenn Lyons is my John Scalzi of fantasy—it's cool that women and queer people are allowed into the narrative now, but both their books run slightly too conventional for my taste. I had the same experience with Green & Deadly Things, although I have to admit that it was well-constructed. The novel appears to be the rare fantasy standalone, jamming a full trilogy's worth of plot into a lean, mean three hundred sixty eight pages: a doomed last stand against a new threat, a train ride across the continent, a sudden betrayal. Green & Deadly Things has the sleek discipline that many fantasy authors lack (cough, Samantha Shannon).
I was also fond of the underlying premise. Math (dreadful name, although at least it doesn't have an apostrophe) has been devoted since childhood to the fading Idaliik Order, which has taken his years of training and vow of chastity and labeled it as worthless, since Math can't perform their one magic gimmick, sword summoning. Enter young and impetuous necromancer Kaiataris, who Math is accidentally bound to in a curse that reflects their emotions and wounds back at each other... It's an excellent premise, and in fact one of my particular favorites, but I was less fond of the execution. Instead of leaning into the knight and liege thing, Lyons plunges us into a juvenile But Our Doomed Love Can Never Be arc from about six hours after the two meet. Math is in his early twenties and Kai is a similar age (if you discount the millennia in the coffin), but the very youthful romance feels distinctly younger. Meanwhile, outside of the excellent worldbuilding of the Order, Math's world is mostly fantasy-generic. There's some interesting stuff about the opposing forces of Order and Chaos, embodied by trees that get you and the powers of necromancy. And also there are trains. But overall, nothing particularly out there, nor any real surprises.
A solidly written and briskly plotted classic standalone fantasy. Several shades too classic for my tastes, but you may enjoy it, particularly if you liked Lyons' other books, which are in a similar style.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.25 stars
If you like the eco-horror of C.G. Drews, characters finding out that everything they knew isn't what they seem, and a fantasy setting, this book will check all of your boxes.
When the story starts, Mathaiik is part of an order of magical knights that protects the empire from undead monsters. Because Math has not been able to manifest a weapon, he is tasked with caring for the magical children taken in by the Idallik order. The knights have to fight a different type of monster emerges, as trees rise up from the forest to attack a lumbermill. When these tree monsters attack the knight's fortress, Math takes the children to the unsolvable maze under the fortress, ends up solving it, and waking up a fabled Grim Lord necromancer from an enchanted sleep. The necromancer, after being asleep for over a thousand years, begins to show Math that the history the knights had taught him was not quite the truth. Being reluctantly magically tied together by a spell set off when he woke her, Math and the necromancer, Kaiataris, set off on a journey to set things right both with the Idallik order and with the balance of the world.
I read the audiobook and was surprised by how many accents the narrator pulled out for the different characters. I enjoyed the narration, but there is a lot of variation in volume depending on the situation, which added a lot of emotion but sometimes I had to rewind to catch a whispered line.
I was instantly hooked when the first scene was tree monsters attacking a lumber mill. Then the more we learned about Math and his complicated relationship with the order that raised him, I was even more hooked. There were a few plot twists, some of which were surprising and some of which were not. The ending was a little abrupt and predictable.
I wasn't very invested in either Mathaiik or Kaiataris, but I found Math's complicated relationship with the order the most compelling aspect of either of them. There was a romance between Math and Kaiataris, but it seemed a little rushed in my opinion. It started off with a good amount of tension and yearning, but I think it still progressed a little too quickly. Both characters are supposed to be in their early twenties, but they felt a little bit on the younger side, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the story feel a little more YA than adult.
The world and the magic were both really neat but I feel like I didn't fully understand either of them. There was a lot to keep up with in terms of countries, lore, and groups of people.
Thank you to Macmillion Audio for providing me with an ALC via NetGalley
If you like the eco-horror of C.G. Drews, characters finding out that everything they knew isn't what they seem, and a fantasy setting, this book will check all of your boxes.
When the story starts, Mathaiik is part of an order of magical knights that protects the empire from undead monsters. Because Math has not been able to manifest a weapon, he is tasked with caring for the magical children taken in by the Idallik order. The knights have to fight a different type of monster emerges, as trees rise up from the forest to attack a lumbermill. When these tree monsters attack the knight's fortress, Math takes the children to the unsolvable maze under the fortress, ends up solving it, and waking up a fabled Grim Lord necromancer from an enchanted sleep. The necromancer, after being asleep for over a thousand years, begins to show Math that the history the knights had taught him was not quite the truth. Being reluctantly magically tied together by a spell set off when he woke her, Math and the necromancer, Kaiataris, set off on a journey to set things right both with the Idallik order and with the balance of the world.
I read the audiobook and was surprised by how many accents the narrator pulled out for the different characters. I enjoyed the narration, but there is a lot of variation in volume depending on the situation, which added a lot of emotion but sometimes I had to rewind to catch a whispered line.
I was instantly hooked when the first scene was tree monsters attacking a lumber mill. Then the more we learned about Math and his complicated relationship with the order that raised him, I was even more hooked. There were a few plot twists, some of which were surprising and some of which were not. The ending was a little abrupt and predictable.
I wasn't very invested in either Mathaiik or Kaiataris, but I found Math's complicated relationship with the order the most compelling aspect of either of them. There was a romance between Math and Kaiataris, but it seemed a little rushed in my opinion. It started off with a good amount of tension and yearning, but I think it still progressed a little too quickly. Both characters are supposed to be in their early twenties, but they felt a little bit on the younger side, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it makes the story feel a little more YA than adult.
The world and the magic were both really neat but I feel like I didn't fully understand either of them. There was a lot to keep up with in terms of countries, lore, and groups of people.
Thank you to Macmillion Audio for providing me with an ALC via NetGalley
December 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of Green & Deadly Things!
Green & Deadly Things is an m/f fantasy romance with some open-door spice, featuring sentient and monstrous plants, magical bonding, ancient puzzles, and battles.
I adored the different magic systems and thought the world was really interesting. It's also clear that Jenn Lyons has a gift for writing fights and action scenes. And, I liked that there was some queer representation. The start of this book was really promising, and I was excited to see where the book would go.
However, as the book continued, I started to lose interest. I found the romance unconvincing, some of the "twists" that shocked the POV character felt obvious from a mile away, and while our main character Math is perfectly nice, I was more interested in the love interest's experiences.
For most of the book, the love interest Kaiataris is a far more complex, powerful, influential and unique character. However, we never get her POV, and she's also given some really outdated and stereotyped plotlines. She becomes the woman who begs her man not to go to war and, , or she's kidnapped by the villain who wants to make her his partner in his evil plans and then the protagonist comes to the rescue. (And on that topic, for a book in which people of all genders are conscripted to be magical soldiers, why are the plot-relevant soldiers nearly all men? And the ones that are women mostly end up being relevant because they care for children or research things in the library.)
There was also potential for an interesting exploration of the negative elements of empire and military orders, but I feel that the book stopped short of really examining this. Although we saw some negative aspects, they felt like isolated issues rather than intrinsic to what an empire or a military order is.
I also found mysef put off by the prose. I don't need a book's prose to be incredible, but in this case, I found it distractingly overworked and clichéd. At times, I felt like I was reading Instagram captions instead of a novel, and I'd find myself taking a mental red pen to the text.
There were still things I enjoyed about the book, but I'm afraid that it's one of those novels where I enjoyed the world and the characters more than the actual story or writing.
Green & Deadly Things is an m/f fantasy romance with some open-door spice, featuring sentient and monstrous plants, magical bonding, ancient puzzles, and battles.
I adored the different magic systems and thought the world was really interesting. It's also clear that Jenn Lyons has a gift for writing fights and action scenes. And, I liked that there was some queer representation. The start of this book was really promising, and I was excited to see where the book would go.
However, as the book continued, I started to lose interest. I found the romance unconvincing, some of the "twists" that shocked the POV character felt obvious from a mile away, and while our main character Math is perfectly nice, I was more interested in the love interest's experiences.
For most of the book, the love interest Kaiataris is a far more complex, powerful, influential and unique character. However, we never get her POV, and she's also given some really outdated and stereotyped plotlines. She becomes the woman who begs her man not to go to war and, , or she's kidnapped by the villain who wants to make her his partner in his evil plans and then the protagonist comes to the rescue. (And on that topic, for a book in which people of all genders are conscripted to be magical soldiers, why are the plot-relevant soldiers nearly all men? And the ones that are women mostly end up being relevant because they care for children or research things in the library.)
There was also potential for an interesting exploration of the negative elements of empire and military orders, but I feel that the book stopped short of really examining this. Although we saw some negative aspects, they felt like isolated issues rather than intrinsic to what an empire or a military order is.
I also found mysef put off by the prose. I don't need a book's prose to be incredible, but in this case, I found it distractingly overworked and clichéd. At times, I felt like I was reading Instagram captions instead of a novel, and I'd find myself taking a mental red pen to the text.
There were still things I enjoyed about the book, but I'm afraid that it's one of those novels where I enjoyed the world and the characters more than the actual story or writing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Green and Deadly Things follows Mathaiik, a novitiate who has trained his whole life to become a Knight of the sacred order of Idallik Knights, only to find that not everything is as it seems and there's a huge threat hanging over all of their lives.
The plot for this book was absolutely phenomenal, it really gripped and wrapped around me (puns 100% intended). It was kept as center stage throughout the books progression which led to steady pacing throughout. Occasionally, it felt like so much had happened but I'd find that I've only read 10 pages but it didn't feel like a slog at any point. It was definitely action-packed.
The characters were all fantastic. I thoroughly loved Mathaiik and Kaiataris and their relationship with one another as it bloomed beautifully. They were both witty, intelligent, and engaging as characters. The side characters were all very well developed also and carried their roles out perfectly to move the story along. The magic system was brilliant - I loved reading about the various abilities all of the characters had - even those you don't really get to meet and I found it all unique.
The writing style was wonderful. I found the book extremely easy to read despite the fact that there was a lot going on. I think Lyons has become another of my favourite authors as I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found the pacing quite medium, but this suited the story because you needed to digest what was happening.
The world building is small but impactful. You get the opportunity to travel to a couple of different places throughout the book, all of which are described wonderfully and build great and vivid imagery but the main focus is the plotline and the characters and this was clear throughout.
I loved the ending. I found it very satisfactory and couldn't have asked for a better way to end the book as I did have a worry that maybe this would become a series and I'd have to wait for the next part but Lyons nailed it.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to those who like fantasy, especially dark fantasy as there is some very descriptive gore throughout the book and there are some descriptive spice scenes. Despite this, I'd easily recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.
The plot for this book was absolutely phenomenal, it really gripped and wrapped around me (puns 100% intended). It was kept as center stage throughout the books progression which led to steady pacing throughout. Occasionally, it felt like so much had happened but I'd find that I've only read 10 pages but it didn't feel like a slog at any point. It was definitely action-packed.
The characters were all fantastic. I thoroughly loved Mathaiik and Kaiataris and their relationship with one another as it bloomed beautifully. They were both witty, intelligent, and engaging as characters. The side characters were all very well developed also and carried their roles out perfectly to move the story along. The magic system was brilliant - I loved reading about the various abilities all of the characters had - even those you don't really get to meet and I found it all unique.
The writing style was wonderful. I found the book extremely easy to read despite the fact that there was a lot going on. I think Lyons has become another of my favourite authors as I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I found the pacing quite medium, but this suited the story because you needed to digest what was happening.
The world building is small but impactful. You get the opportunity to travel to a couple of different places throughout the book, all of which are described wonderfully and build great and vivid imagery but the main focus is the plotline and the characters and this was clear throughout.
I loved the ending. I found it very satisfactory and couldn't have asked for a better way to end the book as I did have a worry that maybe this would become a series and I'd have to wait for the next part but Lyons nailed it.
Overall, I'd highly recommend this book to those who like fantasy, especially dark fantasy as there is some very descriptive gore throughout the book and there are some descriptive spice scenes. Despite this, I'd easily recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jenn Lyons returns with a standout biopunk novel. Green and Deadly Things follows a kindhearted protagonist swept into politics, war, magic, arboreal intrigue, betrayal, and a charming romance.
Note: My review is based on the audiobook ARC/ALC, so please excuse any character names that may be spelled incorrectly.
Mathaiik, Matt, to our narrator, is slated to be a member of the Idalik Knights, which have a sacred duty to avoid meaningful relationships and to defend the world against necromancers. Tops of their list of opponents are the Grim Lords, ancient, powerful necromancers who haven’t been seen in centuries. Over the years, the order has strayed from its mandates and pays some tenants lip service. But one thing is clear: they will die to defend the world against the Grim Lords.
At least until the Grim Lord turns out to be sweet, oh, and super hot, but we’re sure that latter part doesn’t affect our good wanna-be-knight that much.
Matt is a failure of a knight. He can’t even summon his magical knight weapon, which the knights use to… extort money from the nobility. So, they are as ethical as real knights, nice. So Matt isn’t allowed to be an actual knight, but he still goes on missions because he is clever and figures things out faster than the actual knights.
Green and Deadly Things strikes a delightful balance between plot and character. There is genuine character development, witty banter, and plenty of action. And yes, sentient plants are involved: Knights, Sentient Plants, and Necromancers—what’s not to enjoy?
Torian Brackett does well as the narrator, switching between different voices and drawing us in.
Was Green and Deadly Things perfect? No. I spotted the twists too easily, but this book felt a bit like a hug, so predicting this is fine. There was even the one spice scene, right at the point in the book where it always goes.
4 1/4 stars. Enjoyable read, lovable characters, and a satisfying ending.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley (and to Tor for allowing Macmillan Audio to produce this edition) for providing an audio ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Note: My review is based on the audiobook ARC/ALC, so please excuse any character names that may be spelled incorrectly.
Mathaiik, Matt, to our narrator, is slated to be a member of the Idalik Knights, which have a sacred duty to avoid meaningful relationships and to defend the world against necromancers. Tops of their list of opponents are the Grim Lords, ancient, powerful necromancers who haven’t been seen in centuries. Over the years, the order has strayed from its mandates and pays some tenants lip service. But one thing is clear: they will die to defend the world against the Grim Lords.
At least until the Grim Lord turns out to be sweet, oh, and super hot, but we’re sure that latter part doesn’t affect our good wanna-be-knight that much.
Matt is a failure of a knight. He can’t even summon his magical knight weapon, which the knights use to… extort money from the nobility. So, they are as ethical as real knights, nice. So Matt isn’t allowed to be an actual knight, but he still goes on missions because he is clever and figures things out faster than the actual knights.
Green and Deadly Things strikes a delightful balance between plot and character. There is genuine character development, witty banter, and plenty of action. And yes, sentient plants are involved: Knights, Sentient Plants, and Necromancers—what’s not to enjoy?
Torian Brackett does well as the narrator, switching between different voices and drawing us in.
Was Green and Deadly Things perfect? No. I spotted the twists too easily, but this book felt a bit like a hug, so predicting this is fine. There was even the one spice scene, right at the point in the book where it always goes.
4 1/4 stars. Enjoyable read, lovable characters, and a satisfying ending.
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley (and to Tor for allowing Macmillan Audio to produce this edition) for providing an audio ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Green & Deadly Things by Jenn Lyons is a standalone fantasy full of “magical mayhem and necromancy”. I was excited about this after reading the premise especially given the comps to one of my favorite authors, S.A. Chakraborty. However, ultimately the book didn’t quite fit how it was marketed and fell quickly on it’s writing style.
Bullet points for those short on time:
- standalone fantasy
- necromancy & plants
- juvenile writing and characters
- order of knights / magic systems
This book has been incredibly mismarketed as an adult fantasy with comps to S.A. Chakraborty, Robin Hobb, and Martha Wells. My goodness it’s not even close! It’s more akin to a YA or teen level. The writing style doesn’t hold the level of maturity I’d expect as an adult fantasy and a lot of the characters involved in the scenes are children or act like children. The main characters are quite juvenile as well, especially in their dialogue and interactions with each other.
Further, there are a few moments that put me off. In the very beginning, the main character is late to something and the first thing the commander (superior) asks them is if they were late because of a lover? What? How is that appropriate? It seemed random, out of place, and creepy. There is another moment where the characters are discussing doing something to another character without their consent which was weird and also creepy.
While the narrator does a great job overall (and can do many different accents), there's a lot of shouting in this audiobook which is great for folks who want an exciting and dramatic audio. For those who don't enjoy being suddently shouted at every now and then, it's not entirely enjoyable. It felt like being in the middle of two fighting teenagers often.
Overall, there were too many of these moments and interactions that really put me off and I did not enjoy this book at all. I can’t really recommend it but perhaps for those that enjoy YA and younger writing but then again, the themes are quite dark in some places so not really sure if I can recommend it for this either.
Thank you to Macmillan for the review copy for consideration. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bullet points for those short on time:
- standalone fantasy
- necromancy & plants
- juvenile writing and characters
- order of knights / magic systems
This book has been incredibly mismarketed as an adult fantasy with comps to S.A. Chakraborty, Robin Hobb, and Martha Wells. My goodness it’s not even close! It’s more akin to a YA or teen level. The writing style doesn’t hold the level of maturity I’d expect as an adult fantasy and a lot of the characters involved in the scenes are children or act like children. The main characters are quite juvenile as well, especially in their dialogue and interactions with each other.
Further, there are a few moments that put me off. In the very beginning, the main character is late to something and the first thing the commander (superior) asks them is if they were late because of a lover? What? How is that appropriate? It seemed random, out of place, and creepy. There is another moment where the characters are discussing doing something to another character without their consent which was weird and also creepy.
While the narrator does a great job overall (and can do many different accents), there's a lot of shouting in this audiobook which is great for folks who want an exciting and dramatic audio. For those who don't enjoy being suddently shouted at every now and then, it's not entirely enjoyable. It felt like being in the middle of two fighting teenagers often.
Overall, there were too many of these moments and interactions that really put me off and I did not enjoy this book at all. I can’t really recommend it but perhaps for those that enjoy YA and younger writing but then again, the themes are quite dark in some places so not really sure if I can recommend it for this either.
Thank you to Macmillan for the review copy for consideration. All my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Macmillan Audio & NetGalley for the advance copy audiobook
TLDR: lots of interesting ideas but shallow exploration
Rating: 3/5 stars (good but average)
This book is a fun one with magic of many kinds (e.g., plants, necromancy, object-based) and a main character whose thoughts we get to know well. The overall plot and plot points were well-arranged, and the main characters distinct from one another. Both Math and Kai were likeable, if very young-seeming, and Alec makes a fun mini-antagonist (although I was expecting a more flushed out character arc there). Additionally, learning about the corruption within the different groups was interesting and the subsequent consequences tied plot points together well. While the romance seems a bit pre-determined, the back and forth between the MMC/FMC was also cute.
All that being said, there were a few aspects of the book that detracted from the overall story. First, Lyons created a massive world for this book and, consequently, there are many different locations, people, and cultures. They all seem quite interesting individually, but are all explored at a very surface-level - even the history of the . Many of the characters seemed very 2-dimensional and it was a bit difficult to keep track of everything. A reduced number of side characters and locations would increase how invested I was in them.
Second, some of the comments/phrases in the book seem a little anachronistic or logically inconsistent. This isn't that big of a deal but it broke the immersion a little bit for me. For example, contemporary jokes and issues are referred to within the story but they felt a little out of place (e.g., manspreading). As a second example, at one point a nonbinary character is mentioned and the character reasons that it is due to the language not having gendered pronouns. While the character was great, I would point out that my own mothertongue has ungendered pronouns but that does not mean that our culture does not use genders.
Audiobook-specific:
The narration was done well and the voices sounded distinct enough to me. Different characters had different accents as well.
TLDR: lots of interesting ideas but shallow exploration
Rating: 3/5 stars (good but average)
This book is a fun one with magic of many kinds (e.g., plants, necromancy, object-based) and a main character whose thoughts we get to know well. The overall plot and plot points were well-arranged, and the main characters distinct from one another. Both Math and Kai were likeable, if very young-seeming, and Alec makes a fun mini-antagonist (although I was expecting a more flushed out character arc there). Additionally, learning about the corruption within the different groups was interesting and the subsequent consequences tied plot points together well. While the romance seems a bit pre-determined, the back and forth between the MMC/FMC was also cute.
All that being said, there were a few aspects of the book that detracted from the overall story. First, Lyons created a massive world for this book and, consequently, there are many different locations, people, and cultures. They all seem quite interesting individually, but are all explored at a very surface-level - even the history of the . Many of the characters seemed very 2-dimensional and it was a bit difficult to keep track of everything. A reduced number of side characters and locations would increase how invested I was in them.
Second, some of the comments/phrases in the book seem a little anachronistic or logically inconsistent. This isn't that big of a deal but it broke the immersion a little bit for me. For example, contemporary jokes and issues are referred to within the story but they felt a little out of place (e.g., manspreading). As a second example, at one point a nonbinary character is mentioned and the character reasons that it is due to the language not having gendered pronouns. While the character was great, I would point out that my own mothertongue has ungendered pronouns but that does not mean that our culture does not use genders.
Audiobook-specific:
The narration was done well and the voices sounded distinct enough to me. Different characters had different accents as well.
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