this was such a SLAY
it was quite slow for the first half but i just love chrysantha so much, she's such a queen!!
i love how confident she was with her sexuality and how innocent eryx was 😭

Endlich wieder in die Welt von the Shadows between us eintauchen können. Darauf habe ich lange gewartet. Damals schon habe ich das Buch gerade so verschlungen und so auch hier. Die Geschichte von Chrysantha und Eryx ist genauso spannend und genauso gut durchdacht wie die im ersten Band. Ich mochte den Aspekt wie schlau Chrysantha ist und wie sie sich jahrelang verstellt hat. Auch die Annäherung der beiden Schwestern mochte ich sehr. Ein komplett gelungener Band, den ich bestimmt wieder lesen werde.

Thank You Netgalley, Pushkin Press, and Tricia Levenseller for the digital ARC copy of The Darkness Within Us which is book 2 in the series. I decided to wait for the Audio to come out because I enjoy tandem reading and the I have the Audiobook from the first book. I must admit this book was more enjoyable reading with my eyes as the narrator makes Crysantha a bit to whiney for my taste. The story is told in first and second person. I believe there are more books to come with hopefully more of the sisters together as Alessandra only made cameos. Crysantha is a lot smarter than she appears and we find out just how much. I do think the first book was better, but this book was also good.

To begin with, this is a very pleasant read. An easy, fun to read tale.

Having read the first book, I kinda knew what to expect from the book and it didn’t disappoint.

I highly liked the main female character, Chrysantha, and her internal struggles although kind of juvenile, they really resonate with my feminist side. The banter between the two characters is really refreshing and making the read even more enjoyable.

The plot wasn’t mind blowing to be honest and in a lot of parts was preductable, but it was entertaining and it didn’t feel to undermine the experience.

Finally, the writing I believe could have been better. Maybe this part of why the plot felt a lot flat, plain. It felt a bit, almost to say, inexperienced. With so many great books in the genre, I cannot but to compare with other reads and unfortunately it falls short. I would definitely suggest other books if I was asked, but I wouldn’t deter anyone from reading it either.

The story and plot of this novel had a lot of potential, for the most part this was executed well and made for a light, easy read. I really enjoyed Tricia's writing style and would check out more of her work in the future, especially now knowing there is another book in this 'series'.
Unfortunately I struggled with the pacing of the book, the ending felt rushed and incomplete which was a shame as other parts of the story seemed to drag.

I usually love morally grey characters, but I like them to be oblivious. Chrys came across as very naïve and aware of her faults, using them in a way that benefitted her, not caring who was hurt in the process. She is also a very hypocritical character, not holding herself to the same standards as others. I could not connect with her for this reason.

'I truly am a terrible person, and I smile at the thought of it' ???? This whole line felt very juvenile to me as did a lot of the internal monologue of our main character.

Eyrx on the other hand, was very intriguing, his mystery and allure transcended the page and I found myself enjoying the parts he was present for the most. The tension between Eryx and Chrys was certainly done well, they had chemistry off the charts and this was an enemies to lovers trope done right.

This is definitely a book about female power, mystery and fighting for what you want. If that sounds intriguing to you and you're a lover of YA then check this book out!

Thankyou to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ⭐️

This is my first read by thus author and I really enjoyed it. The only reason this didn't rate higher is because I was left wanting more. More plot. More romance. More spice. More character development.

However, I really enjoyed the overall plot. The romance was pleasant to read and I liked the main characters. There was a good balance of story and romance too.

adored this just as much as the first one. i missed this world astronomically and to have and read this book was so much fun, it was truly unputdownable and i will forever and always love this world, these characters, and will be a longtime supporter of miss tricia levenseller!!

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think Tricia Levenseller is great, her writing is smooth it flows well and her characters are always so full of sass and this book did NOT disappoint. I loved the slow burn romance and the sass of Chrysanthia and Alessandra even though you don't get much of Alessandra in this book, she wasn't absolutely necessary for you to understand the plot, but was a nice undercurrent.

I liked seeing Chrysanthia's dark side pretty early on in the book and really loved the feminist themes throughout this book. It was really interesting how these were incorporated into the storyline and explaining the anger that has built up to create the characters.

I loved Eryx, I thought he was the monster we all didn't know we needed. I loved the fade to black moments. All in all it was a really great book, the only reason it didn't get 5 stars for me is because the build up was delightfully slow but then the ending sprung up on us quickly and was all over a lot quicker than I'd have liked. However, a truly wonderful instalment of this book.

Chrysantha Stathos thought she had won against her younger sister Alessandra. She married a rich old duke who will die soon – although he is taking his sweet time – leaving her wealthy and free to do whatever she wants. And then her sister announces her wedding to the Shadow King. Luckily, Chrysantha is finally rid of the odious duke and Alessandra may be the future queen, but Chrysantha is now free and happy at her country mansion with her books and her friends. Also, she has every intention of making a memorable appearance at the royal wedding, probably on the arm of a handsome young man. And then Eryx arrives. He claims to be the old man’s grandson and heir and the current duke, but Chrysantha is convinced that he is hiding something. And she’s determined to find out what it is and to get rid of him, too.

I read The Shadow Between Us a few years ago and I loved how ruthless and determined Alessandra was. And Chrysantha is the same. In fact, despite their rivalry, the two sisters are quite similar. All her life, Chrysantha has pretended to be someone she was not: invisible, underestimated, men noticed her only for her beauty, never for her brain. But all this time, she’s been plotting for her independence and she has no intention to give it up for a young big man, no matter how handsome and charming he is.

The Darkness Within Us is an intriguing and entertaining read. You don’t need to have read The Shadow Between Us to enjoy it, but I highly recommend them both as they feature two strong female protagonists who stop at nothing to get what they want, including murder!

Seeing the overall feedback on this title has me gutted that I cannot get myself to continue. I’m finding myself having to DNF this book purely due to the main character herself.

As a woman who has been objectified, undermined and assaulted in a society ruled by men I had truly hoped to see her regard her fellow woman much better than I have seen her display. Her own sister, of all people. I feel for Chrysantha and the horrible experiences that she has endured to secure her social standing, wealth and (soon to be) happiness. However I couldn’t go further when she heavily implied that her sister is undeserving of her newfound happiness purely because she has not experienced the same hardships as she. Basing your worth and deserving of happiness should not be dictated on if you’ve “suffered enough” from the hands of men as a woman.

And when Chrysantha hears the news of the new laws being enforced by Alessandra which actively sets out to better a woman’s place in society and help pull them out of a man’s influence… her only thought is her own anger and bitterness. She actively undermines her sister’s new role and commitment to bettering a woman’s place in society, which in turn would help better her own.

I want to believe that these feelings of anger and resentment are all a part of Chrysantha’s journey as a character, but ultimately I cannot bring myself to continue based on what little I have seen.

I was obsessed with the Shadows Between Us, and was desperate for a sequel. So when I heard about The Darkness Within Us, I was so excited for it. It did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed The Shadows Between Us, I always enjoy Tricia's books, and I was so excited for The Darkness Within Us! Honestly a huge portion of it was just me rage reading and wanting to throw it out the window so it was very conflicting because I really did love it.

I was pulled in from the very start and I was entertained the whole time! It was fast paced and fun which had me hooked and I read it in one day. There is a good balance of action scenes and quieter scenes, plot, character development and romance.

I have so much to say about the romance I don't even know where to start putting it into words so buckle up.
It honestly took me up until almost the very end to enjoy the romance or to even like the love interest. For 90% of the book I absolutely hated Eryx, he was a complete and utter a**hole and I was dreading them ending up together. I loved the banter, loved the monster, loved the tension, you could see they would have great chemistry and all of that but I absolutely hated the power imbalance, hated that he was a huge hypocrite and hated that he was some sort of fake feminist moron. I couldn't handle how he kept asking what Chrysantha wanted as if she hadn't already told him exactly what she wanted 500 times he just kept asking because he wasn't getting the answer HE wanted. He was basically trying to sell her to some other man and because he might be nice and caring she should be fine with that?? He was also so apathetic towards the struggles of women?? To the point where I was actually shouting at my book like a crazy person. And the dance scene? Trying to have a hot cut in/rescue scene when he GAVE HER to the man in the first place without her consent?? Yeah that doesn't work. Not hot at all when he put her in that position to begin with knowing her experience with men, after she explicitly told him how she feels about her choices. At first I thought this could have benefited greatly from dual POV but I understand the need for the mystery of Eryx to stay intact so maybe having him seem a % less misogynistic in their interactions would have been nice or at least have him attempt to understand what she was saying, I mean he literally used the phrase "not all men"🤢, because I spent majority of the book despising him and just being completely heartbroken for Chrys which took away from my enjoyment. I loved the explanation of why enemies to lovers is so popular (Chrys is a book girlie) but it really didn't work if it was trying to explain why this is a good romance. I will say though I like that Chrys made the point that they aren't equals when he holds the power, I like when an author makes it known that they do see that that's how it's being written rather than romanticizing it or blaming the woman (someone could take notes) (I'm looking at you SJM).
It was refreshing that 1. He is actually younger than her, only be 5 months but still and 2. He is inexperienced and she shows him what she likes. Fortunately it did end the way I wanted, Eryx really came around and Chrys ended up with everything she wanted. I do think though it was quite rushed/abrupt. The book, while fast paced, was slow burn in terms of the romance and character growth and then out of nowhere he was like a totally different person. I guess love changed him or whatever, I'm not going to question it too much.

I think unlike Shadows, Darkness should be classed as NA. It isn't majorly explicit but more than should be in a YA book in my opinion. People seem to forget that the YA age range starts at 12, but the age range is a whole issue in itself.

I adored the main character Chrysantha. She is like Jude level crazy and any time she has a problem it's like hmm murder?? And she always has it as a back up plan. She's fierce, she can hold her own and she's always scheming but then she's also bookish, girlie and so sweet to people. I love Alessandra but Chrys feels more three dimensional in some ways. I especially love her relationship with her staff and the way she looks deeper at her own internalized misogyny and realizes she can fix her relationship with her sister now that she isn't beholden to the patriarchy.

I would actually really love another book about both Chrys and Al! I loved the wedding scene and seeing Kallias and Al again and Chrys's interactions with them and I think these two could be a badass pairing together.

I really enjoyed The Darkness Within Us. Tricia's books are always so much fun, her characters are great and I'm so glad I got read this ARC!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC of "The Darkness Within Us".
Oh, this sequel is phenomenal. I really loved the first book and this book is also totally brilliant. Chrysantha's happy ending is near. Her husband's dying and she just has to count the days until he's gone for good. And then she's finally free. No man will be able to dictate her life anymore. Or so she thought. Cause suddenly her dead husband's heir appears out of thin air. And Chrysantha wants him gone. Cause he's definitely an impostor. And she's definitely not falling in love with him.
I really loved this book. Chrysantha's a woman who knows what she want. And she knows how to get it. Plus, I adored the cameos of Alessandra and the Shadow King.

The writing is beautiful. Book is gripping, dark and unputdownable. The characters were mysterious. The Duke Dies and Chrysantha, the Duchess was to inherit the Duke’s inheritance but the estranged grandson of the Duke shows up. She is in such a dilemma as all she knew that the Duke has no one. As the story progresses, Eryx Demos’s dark side is revealed and the mysterious facade unveils, it brings out the truth and secrets. I didn’t see the twists coming. The story takes an unexpected turn. The ending was so unexpected. Eryx is swoon worthy and mysterious while Chrysantha is strong and determined to go after what she wants and deserves. I liked the setting and the bond between the two of them.

Thanks to the Publisher and Author

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I threw myself into this novel, having previously enjoyed Tricia's previous work. I found the ambiguity of the characters frustrating at times - however overall this was an enjoyable read.

I never know for sure if a book by Tricia Levenseller is gonna work for me. Some books are total hits. Others are not really grabbing me. However, one of the books I absolutely loved was The Shadows Between Us. So, when I discovered that the author was gonna write another book in the world starring the sister, I pre-ordered my special edition right away. When I stumbled upon the book on Netgalley I also had to put in a request for a review copy and luckily Pushkin Press granted me a copy.

This book is insanely entertaining from start to finish although we already know from the start how the story is gonna end. The author did an amazing job combining haters to lovers with a wonderful flavor of chemistry. When those two characters are in the same room, they don't even need to be talking, there are sparks. Sparks of anger and sparks of love, but as some side characters point out, those emotions always go together.

I also don't remember much from the first book, but I'm pretty certain that the stakes in this book are lower. Of course, there is some danger and the heroine and hero are going quite far in trying to get the other out of their hair, but it never really felt like things would go really wrong. That's firstly because the hero is a little too strong for that. And the heroine has played her role perfectly and therefore doesn't have that many enemies.

I also liked how the characters from The Shadows Between Us make guest appearances in this book. The book is probably still a lot of fun if you haven't read that one, but it's for sure more fun if you had. Especially because in this book the sisters are finally in a place where they can show each other their true selves, which surprisingly means that their relationship might actually grow into something friendly at some point.

Not the best book you'll ever read, but for sure an addictive and entertaining book!

If I must be honest, the first book wasn't for me and I was cautious about starting the second one—The Darkness Within Us….and I'm glad I was wrong!
Young Chrysantha had an arranger marriage to a duke that was on his deathbed. Hiding her true intelligence and intentions, her only goal is to inherit everything so she can have her freedom at last! Freedom to make her own choices and to be nobody's property.
And everything goes to plan until a man called Eryx Demos arrives claiming to be the late duke's grandson and wants to take everything from her.
A pinch of mystery, a lot of banter and gripping romance, and honestly, I finished the book in no time (unfortunately for me because I wanted more of them😭❤️).
Chrysantha is such an unapologetic and fiery character that leads to so many entertaining moments and especially the banter between them…. I haven't giggled so much from a book for a long time!😂👌
And either love her or hate her, Chrysantha's character doesn't leave you a chance of staying indifferent.
It's safe to say Chrysantha is my favorite than Alessandra, and I sincerely hope that we get another book in this world.

I waited until I had a free day for this so I could read it cover to cover like I have all of Tricia Levenseller's books that I've read so far, and true to form, I devoured this, but ... I did't love it.

I really enjoyed The Shadows Between Us and was looking forward to returning to the same world and catching up on the characters in Shadows, even if they were only on the periphery, but, it didn't hold me. don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this: I liked the idea behind the characters, the significance that some of their motives might have for future books in this same world, and Chrysantha was a good character, and I like her point of view and motivations, but there are buts.

Chrysantha felt repetitive, maybe that's the point, maybe it was meant to convey the exhaustion at having to point out the imbalance in the power dynamics between genders is deliberate, but it made for a repetitive reading experience and, for someone who'd spent years creating a persona and smarts to navigate her world, she seemed to make some strange decisions, or lapses of judgement. For example, one of the most important things she points out when faced with an interloper who threatens to destroy the world she'd built, she just seems to forget about, and is then surprised by it later, it's something, especially with her carefully curated relationships at court, she could have delved into herself, and I expected to have been resolved, or a feature of the plot throughout, or much earlier, rather than being a big reveal at the end.

I also felt that Alessandra's role was completely superfluous and thrown in as a nod to fans of the previous book, the previous years of her relationship with her sister, overwritten with a couple of hastily written letters out of nowhere felt rushed, and that's all before we consider Eryx.
Everything he does is reprehensible, he's unpleasant and arrogant and condescending, everything Chrysantha has every reason to hate, and I know that's the point of 'enemies to lovers', but there's so little done to justify such behaviour, and, like with Alessandra, resolved by a single letter, and 'we can get the boy a tutor', his late coming round to talking to her edges into the miscommunication trope, you know, the: 'I wanted to tell you, but I was falling for you' line. I also didn't like how another well-rounded relationship is so easily cast aside, and everyone's ok, because these two are the main characters. I think Eryx should have had a lot more work to do, and that Chrysantha, given her nature, should have needed more than desire to overcome her years of self-conditioning, and previous experience to fall for him, and for her to have been more sensitive to the feelings of her friends (she is, which is nice, but more of that in the text towards the end might have been nice - basically, maybe another chapter or two might have helped?

Anyway, despite the above, I still liked it, I still appreciate Tricia Levenseller's ability to spin a fast-paced yarn, with just enough sprinkling of world-building to leave room for future books, it just wasn't a love affair for me this time.

2.5 stars

It was years ago when I read The Shadows Between Us, but I remember that I loved it. It was quick, it was bold, and the main character was fun. I've rarely read about a character who acts like Alessandra. It was refreshing.
When the author announced The Darkness Within Us, I was curious what Chrysantha‘s story would be. She was dull in the first book, but I wanted to give her a chance.
There were fun and interesting parts in The Darkness Within Us, but overall, it felt boring and underdeveloped. Chrysantha was okay, but Eryx was horrible. He was a walking red flag. He started acting decently when Chrysantha told him about all the horrible men she had to deal with. Because of that, I was not a fan of the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Children's Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is everything I needed and wanted! The banter, the fighting, the chemistry made this one of my favourite enemies to lovers book 🤍
After reading The Shadows Between Us, I fell in love with Tricia's work and she has pulled it out of the bag once again

Thankyou for the ARC