A 5-Star Review of Kalie Cassidy’s Unforgettable Siren Story

Are you a big fan of romantasy books (romance + fantasy)? I don’t read a lot of this genre. However, after reading In the Veins of the Drowning by Kalie Cassidy, she has turned me into a fan. The storyline of a Siren becoming bonded with a king hooked me right from the beginning.

5/5 stars ★★★★★

Published on: July 15, 2025

You can read more about the storyline at: https://amzn.to/3H7V2zW

From the publisher: An “atmospheric and evocative” (Rachel Gillig) romantasy about a threatened Siren who forges a bond with a brooding, self-righteous king in order to flee the king who raised her. Perfect for fans of One Dark Window and For the Wolf. 

What I Liked About In the Veins of the Drowning:

As I said, I am not usually a fan of this genre, so it’s shocking even to me that I gave it five stars.

Imogene’s Character Arc: A difficult past under an oppressive king makes her journey to freedom and self-discovery incredibly compelling.

The Chemistry: The bond between Imogene and Theo is a classic slow-burn romance that had me cheering for them from their first meeting.

Genre: Cassidy masterfully blends a rich fantasy world with the emotional depth of a romance novel. Who knew I would want to learn more about Sirens now?

Even though the storylines don’t align, this book also reminded me a lot of The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. It had adventure, romance, evil monsters, war, but in a way, it still seemed realistic.

What I Would Change:

This is part of a series. The second book is currently being written. There is a sneak peek of the first chapter in the back of this book. I wish it had less of a cliffhanger, and was a more independent book. (This might be because I didn’t want it to end!) That is just my own taste, though, because I tend to forget to read more books in a series when they come out. I wish it had more of a definitive ending that would still make me want to read the next book.

Final Thoughts:

I highly recommend this book. It has adventure, romance, war, some sexual content, violence, and of course, fantasy. This book will stay with me for a while. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. It’s truly hard to believe that this is Cassidy’s debut novel.

Where To Buy The Book and More:

• Purchase In the Veins of the Drowning here: https://amzn.to/4l9gKRS
• If you liked this book, you might also like:
  • In The Beautiful Dark by Melissa Payne
    • My review: https://judiholst.com/the-beautiful-dark-a-review-of-melissa-paynes-novel/
    • Buy it at: https://amzn.to/4mnTvof
  • Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
    • Buy it at: https://amzn.to/4okPT8l
  • The Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
    • Buy it at: https://amzn.to/4oqTDp1
• Read more of my book reviews: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
• Missed my Top Books of 2024? Find them here: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown & Co, and Kalie Cassidy for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

Now, I’d love to hear from you: What is your favorite romantasy book? I think I want to read more. Share your thoughts in the comments below!