3.75/5

This book is an enjoyable YA romantasy that offers a light, easy-to-follow narrative without extensive world-building or complex subplots. It’s a fun and engaging read that I would recommend to anyone looking to delve into fantasy without the need for deep concentration on intricate details. Perfect for a relaxing, "turn off your brain" kind of experience.

I enjoyed the first book and was intrigued to see how Levenseller would make me like the sister I initially disliked. Surprisingly, Chrysantha turned out to be likable, with her compassion and kindness toward her staff adding a sweet touch. However, the development of the sisters' relationship felt rushed and somewhat inauthentic, despite eventually warming up to their reconciliation.

The chemistry between Chrysantha and Eryx was charming, with their insults, banter, and flirting providing a delightful slow-burn romance. However, the ending felt abrupt, reminiscent of "The Shadows Between Us," where the major plot twist occurs in the last few pages, which I found rather silly. Nevertheless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you Netgalley and Pushkin Press for the arc!

What a book! I loved the shadows between us and this was no different! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a copy of this book.

I just enjoyed this sequel so so much. When I read the first book (years ago) we didn’t get a great impression of Chrysantha as we saw her mean and not very pleasant. But this book allowed us to see why she had trained herself to be someone completely different so she could be free.

All she wanted was to be her own person and as soon as she gets it, it’s snatched away from her by Eryx, the late dukes grandson. And I couldn’t be happier. Their dynamic was everything I love in an enemies to lovers story and I ate every second of it UP.

The secret behind Eryx also kept me hooked and how we had to wait for it to be slowly be unravelled. This book was just everything I love in a romantasy and Tricia always delivers.

The Darkness Within Us is a fast paced, feminist YA Fantasy with a cunning female protagonist. It is a spin-off of The Shadows Between Us and follows the story of Chrysantha, the sister of Alessandra. I read The Shadows Between Us many years ago and despite it being my favourite book at the time, I have little recollection of the plot. This did not matter, however, since The Darkness Within Us can be read as a standalone novel.

Chrysantha has been waiting for her old, cruel husband to die so that she may finally have her freedom. After his death, she is excited to no longer be ruled by a man. However, her freedom is short lived when Eryx appears, claiming to be her late husband's long lost grandson. With the loss of her money and home at stake, Chrysantha plots to get rid of him and earn her freedom once and for all.

I absolutely loved every minute of this book. It was the perfect blend of mystery, romance and humour. Chrysantha was an incredibly entertaining character and I really enjoyed her story. Fans of Tricia Levenseller will absolutely adore her newest book!

An enemies to lovers that is just that! I loved the FMC in this book, she’s determined and smart. Although at times I may not have agreed with her decisions as she is definitely one for her emotions to get in the way. The MMC is introduced perfectly and the tension is there from the start. The story is fast-paced and twisty, not in a shocking way but in that fun way you just want to keep reading. I absolutely adored the setting and world building. A highly fun read that I think will definitely be a new fave for people. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced ebook copy of The Darkness Within Us by Tricia Levenseller.

I've listened to all of Levenseller's previous books on audiobook over the last couple years. They are always short and simple love stories with enjoyable characters. Her work reminds me a lot of Kiera Cass author of The Selection. Levenseller's writing style is very clear and I always know what to expect when I read one of her books. Making them reliable and easy to enjoy.

It has been a while since I've read the previous book in this duology, but I often think about it. And I was really interested when I heard about The Darkness Within Us. (I also want to note that you can read and enjoy this book almost as a standalone if you-like me- also don't remember all the details from the first book.)

I really enjoyed Chrysantha as a character. I found her more likable than her sister. Chrysantha is a strong female character and probably my favorite out of all the author's books combined. She's smart, sarcastic, a reader, and not afraid to commit murder. The perfect combination.

I'm always really interested in the magic aspect of this duology. I wished that it was expanded upon more. Shadow magic is always used differently by every author and I'm very drawn to it!

While reading this book a lot of elements reminded me of Beauty and the Beast- though I know it's not a direct retelling. The country-side house, befriending the servants, and the relationship between Chrysantha and Eryx.

I did feel like the pacing was a little off. The book could have probably benefited from 50 or 100 more pages to make the romance part less of a jump. The flow started off really believable but the connection between enemies to lovers just needed a slower approach in my opinion. Love stories need time to develop and I would have liked to see it unfold a little more naturally.

Overall, I enjoyed all the characters and the location of story. If you have read other books by Levenseller and enjoyed them then you'll definitely like this one too!

Just wow! As someone who has read and loved many of Tricia’s books in the past, I was naturally very excited for this. My expectations were high but the book hit even higher!

You can tell Tricia’s writing style has grown. The characters were more rounded, the overall plot was more intriguing and fleshed out. This was such a fun YA romantasy and has taken the top spot as my favourite book of Tricia Levensellers!

Chrysantha pretended to be a dense woman for the past seven years, fooling everyone around her to think she was meek and invisible.. She chose to marry a duke, who had no heirs, four times her age, deliberately. She was waiting for the duke to pass on so she could inherit the dukedom and live her life independently, without having any men boss her around anymore.

Once the duke passed away, she was finally happy to live as she intended– by decorating the mansion as she wished, choosing her lover, and spending time reading and getting closer to her staffs.

While her plans almost came to fruition, a stranger swooped in claiming to be the rightful heir of the deceased duke. Chrysantha’s hopes are crushed, but she doesn’t stop being suspicious of the alleged heir, Eryx Demos.

Eryx and Chrysantha couldn’t stand each other from the get-go. They both wanted the other gone, but it was costing Chrysantha her freedom and money.

She was on a mission to find Eryx’s true motives. In the process, she stumbled upon his darker secrets that could put the Shadow King, and everyone closer to him, in danger.

In all, A Darkness Within Us is story of a beauty taming the beast. Two opposites falling learning to embrace each other’s darkness.

I liked this book better than the first one. The big difference being I didn’t have to force myself to finish this book. The writing was smooth, so it was easy to fly through the chapters.

I really appreciated Chrysantha and Alessandra working on their relationship in this book. Chrysantha was more open to her sister after the duke’s death. They worked through their differences and bridged the gap caused by their father and the society’s expectations.

That being said, our main characters voice came across way more older than they were in

the book. I kept reminding myself they were only 18/19, constantly. If didn’t know they were teens, I’d have thought they were in their mid 20’s

The plot somewhat went lukewarm for me after Eryx gave up on his plans easily. He took too many measures to get where he was, but he gave it all up in a second.

However, if you are used to the author’s writing, you will enjoy The Darkness Within Us. Readers who enjoyed the Shadows Between Us can go for it without a second thought.

I had high hopes that ‘The Darkness Within Us’ would surpass its predecessor, ‘The Shadows Between Us.’ While I can’t definitively say whether it achieved that, I did find myself enjoying this book more than the first.

In ‘The Darkness Within Us,’ we follow Chrysantha Stathos, the sister of Alessandra (the heroine from the initial installment). Although marketed as a companion book rather than a sequel, I recommend reading ‘The Shadows Between Us’ first. Unfortunately, the worldbuilding in this novel falls short. Without the context from Alessandra’s story, readers are left in the dark about the kingdom’s functioning, its rulers, and its dynamics.

The plot isn’t overly complex, yet it remains engaging. However, there are moments when characters act absurdly or make illogical decisions solely to advance the storyline. The main characters are the weakest link here. Chrysantha, our female lead, remains blissfully unaware of her own flaws, and any feminist rage doesn’t excuse her behavior. It’s a missed opportunity that the plot doesn’t address this. As for Eryx, the male lead, he starts off extremely rude, and I find it hard to appreciate an enemies-to-lovers dynamic built on such contempt and disrespect.

The book’s redeeming quality is its breakneck pace—you can practically sprint through it. It’s an easy read, and I didn’t have to force myself to finish it (unlike the lackluster experience I had with the first book). While it may not resonate with those who disliked the initial installment, fans of the first book might still find enjoyment here.

I loved The Shadows Between us when it was release. It's been a while since then so it was a pleasant surprise to learn of this companion novel.
I loved the characters, the dark world and I loved being back in this world.
Very enjoyable read!

thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for this arc.

3 stars.

i want to start off by saying i read 'the shadows between us' (this one's companion novel) in january of 2021, so it's been quite a while, and i don't remember much about it. except that i didn't quite love that one, either. i kinda feel the same towards this one, and the other tricia levenseller books i've read, unfortunately. i'm starting to think it's just an author thing. :/

i think for this, it's that it's a standalone. it's one book in which everything has to be wrapped up, and so it has to move quickly. especially when the book is only 300 pages long. and i say this often, but i really do love a good slowburn, which is why i believe this didn't do it for me.

though i have to add: the first half of this book was a solid 4 stars!! i truly did enjoy that bit, and chrysantha was relatable in some aspects. too bad it fell off for me towards the end. :(

A quick easy read and a great companion novels. I love that Levenseller's fantasy is always detailed with complex themes and yet doesn't make you work too hard to enjoy the story.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐔𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫
Chrysantha Stathos has won by hiding her intelligence and ambition behind the mask of a beautiful but daft girl. She has become a wealthy duchess. Once her elderly husband dies shell will have all the freedom, money and safety she has ever wanted. Or so she thought. A man claiming to be the estranged grandson of her lecherous late husband has turned up to steal her inheritance.

This supposed grandson will have to go, never mind that he’s extremely handsome and secretive with mysterious powers. Chrysantha wants Eryx Demos dead, and in the end, she will always get what she wants.

A darkly mesmerising romantic fantasy following a young duchess and a powerful heir determined to steal her inheritance. A bargain is struck between would be enemies to keep each others secrets while attempting to bring each other to ruin. There is something delicious about two people attempting to storey each other and ultimately falling in love, or at least, that’s what you hope will happen.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘗𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘜𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢 𝘓𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘳

I loved the Shadows Between Us and was eagerly anticipating the next instalment. It feels like I’ve been waiting forever but I can now confirm it was absolutely worth it. I loved everything about it. Chrysantha was feisty and forthright, determined and dark. I loved the feminist aspect of this, where marriage was not the epitome of life, in fact it was downright detested at times and it portrayed all the negative sides which I love for young women today.
The male MC was interesting with depth and secrets that played out nicely, making the pacing an absolute page turner. I also loved that he was younger, if only slightly, but it was a constant topic of fun banter.
All the side characters were great too and we even have appearances from Alessandra and Co. An absolute must read if you enjoyed Shadows or if you enjoy a good enemies to lovers romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Chrysantha as our narrator for this book, she is cunning and a bit diabolical but you can’t help but root for her and her schemes. The story felt a little all over the place at times, and I felt the ending wrapped up to quickly and easily.

I think this book can be easily read without knowing book one since it follows Chrysantha and her own story. The writing style is easy and you get into the story rather quick and provides all information you need to read this without knowing what happened in the other book. It is quite fast paced, which I love because it got me through the book fast and easy without a boring moment.
My star was Chrysantha, since she isn't the picture perfect MC or one with flaws that makes you roll your eyes because are those really flaws sometimes? She is one of a kind and I think reading this book to get to know her is reason enough.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review!

-

“So I pretend to be docile. I pretend to be obedient. When men think they can control you, they don’t watch you as closely. When they think you're stupid, they’re not so careful about the things they’ll say in front of you.”

The Darkness Within Us follows Chrysantha, the older sister of the main character from The Shadows Between Us. It is set in the outskirts of the same political landscape, of manoeuvring and manipulating to gain power, wealth and the freedom that comes with those things.

There are references and cameos from the other book in this one, but it isn’t at all necessary to read in order to understand what’s going on here. The book gives whatever context is necessary to understand and enjoy the story.

Chrysantha is an interesting main character to follow. She is ambitious, manipulative to the point of not even always knowing what she herself wants, confrontational, and selfish when necessary to gain what she needs to come out on top. She’s awful, and I am so here for it. I support women’s wrongs, and this book really has the essence of “girlboss, gaslight, gatekeep” down pat.
But what really makes her so intriguing is that she isn’t all awful; she cares for her staff, she cares for her land, and she wants to do right by those under her care and control. I say, give the woman whatever she wants. She deserves it.
I also love that she is feminine, pretty, and she knows and uses it to her advantage shamelessly.

“I thought I knew the game we were playing, but it turns out to be far more deadly than I believed.”

I really enjoyed the back and forth between Chrysantha and the mysterious Eryx, who comes in to seemingly ruin all her plans. The mix of antagonism and begrudging respect between them makes for an intriguing dynamic, and the tension had me on the edge of my seat and kicking my feet when they were being sweet.

“If the gods didn’t want us killing men, then they shouldn’t have allowed them to hurt us so much.”

The writing is easy and quick to read, and the story was relatively fast paced. The characters are infuriating, engaging and bicker endlessly over petty things in an entertaining way.
The romance is fade-to-black, and there is some violence with a couple of brief but gorier descriptions.

A companion to The Shadows Within Us, Darkness is about the older sister of the new Queen, who turns out to be nothing like she was portrayed in the first book. Chrysantha is just as clever and cunning and morally grey as her sister, doing whatever it takes to secure her freedom in a World where women have none.

This book was fun and full of interesting magic and a few delicious twists. It felt a bit like it should have been marketed to an older audience, but I don't know if it was restricted by its predecessor? Still a wickedly good read though.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️( rounded up)

I went completely blind into this book, and completely blind of opinions too since the shadows between us was a dnf for me
And listen, i enjoyed this one so much more than the other book, but i still struggle with the author’s writing.
I have always given Chrysantha the benefit of the doubt and i found her more enjoyable than her sister hah who would have thought
I do think the story dragged in the beginning and all the problems and things were solved wayyy too fast in the end, if it would’ve been a little bit more balanced, I probably would’ve enjoyed it more

But it is definitely a nice read and if you loved the first book you’ll love this one too
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for the arc 🫶🏻🫶🏻

A second book that I read with pleasure !

OK I must admit that it took me too long to read this book ... Not the right mood, a mood for suspense romance / urban fantasy and above all a book categorized as Young Adult when in reality it looks more like New Adult (the characters are young but don't behave like teenagers, more like young adults so don't expect YA !)

But I really liked the first book and above all I couldn't wait to discover Chrysantha, of whom we had had some glimpses in the previous book !

And after the first 20% which was less interesting, I devoured the book ! The universe deserved to be more developed (especially the powers and everything) and the plot could have been more twisted but I liked the evolution that Alessandra brought for women, I loved Chrysantha and her strength as well as her cruelty and thirst for revenge, I loved seeing her argue (sometimes violently x)) then fall in love with Eryx (who was strangely cute for his whole evil side =D) and I liked all the tension between them and around the choices she has to make !

In short, a romance with a touch of fantasy and more than morally questionable characters that I really enjoyed reading !

PS: to the publisher and Netgalley, thank you so much for the ARC =D